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Book Review: Finlay Donovan Rolls The Dice (Finlay Donovan, #4) by Elle Cosimano

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Finlay Donovan Rolls The Dice (Finlay Donovan, #4)  by Elle Cosimano opens with Finlay Donovan and her nanny, Vero, planning a trip to Atlantic City to pay off some debts, find Javi, and retrieve a stolen car.  But first, they come up with a cover story that backfires miserably.  Finlay and Vero have to be clever and sneaky to accomplish what they set out to do, but will they have to come clean? Thank you, NetGalley, for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Finlay Donovan Rolls The Dice (Finlay Donovan, #4) by Elle Cosimano.  This is one of the books I was most excited about being able to read before it was in stores.  I received the eBook for free in exchange for my honest review. The fourth installment picks up where the last book ended and ties up the loose ends from Finlay Donovan Knocks Them Dead (Finlay Donovan, #3)  . . . so much so that I thought that this was going to be the last book in the series.  However, Finlay Donovan Rolls The Dice ends up having a couple of cliffhangers,
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Book Review: The Locked Door by Frieda McFadden

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The Locked Door by Frieda McFadden opens with surgeon Nora Davis having an old fashioned by herself at the local bar when she reconnects with an ex-boyfriend, who just happens to be the bartender.  But soon after, Nora's patients are turning up dead, and it appears to be a copycat killing.  Who knows her secret? A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of  The Locked Door by Frieda McFadden.  McFadden had become one of my favorite authors, so when my request to read this book was approved, I was absolutely ecstatic.  I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review. Wow!  This book kept me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn't wait to figure out who was the copycat killer.  I had it narrowed down to two different people, and it ended up not being either of the people I thought it might be.  When the killer was revealed, I was absolutely shocked!   The main character, Nora Davis, was a bit hard to like, even though I know she was
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Book Review: Christmas Mittens Murder by Lee Hollis, Lynn Cahoon, and Maddie Day

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A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley for giving me an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Christmas Mittens Murder, which is a collection of three novellas written by Lee Hollis, Lynn Cahoon, and Maddie Day.  I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review. I was excited to be approved to read this book! DEATH OF A CHRISTMAS MITTEN KNITTER (HAYLEY POWELL FOOD AND COCKTAILS MYSTERY, #16.5) by LEE HOLLIS This particular novella was a fun read, and I enjoyed reading about Haley Powell and her friends trying to solve the latest mystery, which had me guessing.  It's always great to revisit characters that are so likable.  I haven't read a lot of books in this series, but overall, I have come to enjoy the storylines a lot, and this novella did not disappoint.  It's becoming one of my favorite cozy mystery series, and I need to find more time to read more by this author.  Four out of five stars. TWO CHRISTMAS MITTENS (KITCHEN WITCH MYSTERIES, #4.5) by LYNN CAHOON I hav
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Book Review: Wrecker by Carl Hiaasen

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Wrecker by Carl Hiaasen is about a teenager named Valdez Jones VIII, who goes by the name of Wrecker due to his heritage . . . many of his great grandfathers salvaged shipwrecks.  When Wrecker comes across a speedboat stuck on a sand flat, the men onboard pay him to keep silent about what he saw.  He's happy to oblige, but then, Wrecker keeps seeing the men all over Key West, and now, they want more than his silence. A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy of Wrecker by Carl Hiaasen.  Having heard a lot of good things about this author, I was thrilled to be approved to receive a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest review and was not disappointed in the least. Although this book written for middle grade children, it seems more mature for lack of a better word.  I would have thought the target audience was young adults.  Don't get me wrong, there isn't anything that isn't appropriate for kids, it just seemed to be written fo
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Book Review: Mrs. Claus and the Trouble with Turkeys (Mrs. Claus, #4) by Liz Ireland

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Mrs. Claus and the Trouble with Turkeys (Mrs. Claus, #4) by Liz Ireland is the fourth book in the Mrs. Claus book series and is about a turkey that was ordered for Mrs. Claus by the elves that work for her and her husband Nick, also known as Santa Claus, for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday that Mrs. Claus has introduced to Santaland.  Chaos breaks out when the turkey has been kidnapped and Nick's cousin has been murdered. I'd like to thank NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Mrs. Claus and the Trouble with Turkeys (Mrs. Claus, #4) by Liz Ireland.  When my request to read this book was approved, I was happy to receive this novel for free in exchange for my honest review. My first foray into this series was a novella that was a part of collected works, and I thought the story was just okay, so I was happy to see that the series does get better.  It still is a cozy mystery and a bit young for my taste, but it was a lot more interesting.  This is a series that I
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Book Review: The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin

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The Stranger Upstairs  by Lisa M. Matlin opens with Sarah Slade, a social influencer, starting her live over with her husband.  The buy a house to renovate that happens to be famous due to a husband killing his wife and trying to kill his daughter before killing himself.  When strange things start to happen to Sara, she knows she has to get to the bottom of what is causing these things to happen.   Thank you, NetGalley, for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin.  The synopsis was intriguing, and when I received word that my request to read and review this book, I was thrilled.  I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review. Although I didn't necessarily like the main character, Sarah Slade, or her husband, I really wanted things to go her way and for the book to have a good ending.  There were so many twists and turns that I wasn't sure what to expect.  Whether it was a good ending or not, you'll have to read The S
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Book Review: Avocado Magic by Taltal Levi

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Avocado Magic by Taltal Levi is a children's book about a young girl named Ellie celebrating her birthday under the family avocado tree and how unhappy she is that she hasn't grown any.  Ellie's father teaches her about how she is like an avocado pit and how slowly it seems to grow but how patience is a virtue. A big thank you goes out to NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Avocado Magic by Taltal Levi. I'm always looking for great children's books to recommend to friends and family with little ones, so I was excited to read this book and will definitely be recommending it. I love that Avocado Magic by Taltal Levi helps kids understand that all things come in time with a little patience. Another thing that I liked about the story is it shows a family that has its own traditions like having birthdays under their avocado tree . . . a tradition that is shown to continue when the child starts their own family. Five out of five stars is what I gave Avocado
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Book Review: Witches Get Stuff Done (Starfall Point, #1) by Molly Harper

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Witches Get Stuff Done (Starfall Point, #1)  by Molly Harper opens with Riley arriving to Starfall Point, an island in Michigan, to meet her last living relative on her mother's side only to find out her Aunt passed away.  Inheriting the family mansion, she learns she's a witch and has been entrusted with the family secret. I'd like to thank NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Witches Get Stuff Done (Starfall Point, #1)  by Molly Harper.  I was intrigued by the title of this novel and was thrilled to be approved to read this book.  I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review. When I first started reading this book, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it or not.  The first few chapters were way too long in my opinion, and I felt like something could've been done better to ease the reader into the story.  With that being said, I am glad I stuck with the story as it picked up, and I ended up falling in love with the characters and
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Book Review: The Hike by Lucy Clarke

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The Hike  by Lucy Clarke is a story of friendship told from four different perspectives of a friend group.  The annual holiday is Liz's choice this year, and hiking a huge mountain in Norway is what was chosen.  Obstacles throughout the trip reveal secrets, leading to the death of one of them.  Who will survive? I'd like to thank NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Hike by Lucy Clarke.  She is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, so when I was approved to read Clarke's latest novel, I was over the moon with glee.  I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review. From the start, The Hike  is extremely engaging, and I had trouble pulling myself away to do normal every day things.  When I wasn't reading it, I found myself thinking about the story and the characters. As a whole, the four main characters were likable but definitely had some traits about them that weren't amiable, just like real life.  I liked the character of Helen
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