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Showing posts from April, 2023

Book Review: Murder at the PTA (Maya and Sandra Mystery, #1) by Lee Hollis

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Murder at the PTA (Maya and Sandra Mystery, #1) by Lee Hollis is the first installment in the Maya and Sandra Mystery series, a cozy mystery series centered on private investigators. The story follows Sandra Wallage , the wife of a U.S. senator and the newly elected president of Portland High School’s PTA, who becomes the latest target of a vicious gossip website called Dirty Laundry . After a heated PTA meeting, Sandra crosses paths with Maya Kendrick , a private investigator who has uncovered the identity of the person behind the gossip site. When the two women attempt to confront the culprit, they instead discover a dead body. Was it really a suicide, or did someone have a motive for murder? I’m a longtime fan of books by Lee Hollis , which is actually the pen name for sibling writing duo Rick Copp and Holly Simason . They’ve written several cozy mystery series, and what I appreciate most about their books is that they aren’t overly kitschy, unlike some other cozy mysteries I’ve ...
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Book Review: No One Needs To Know by Lindsay Cameron

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No One Needs To Know by Lindsay Cameron is a psychological thriller about wealthy families on the Upper East Side of New York City and the extreme lengths they’ll go to secure their children’s education and future.  These families are also members of an anonymous social platform called UrbanMyth, where they share secrets and ask for advice without revealing their identities. But when UrbanMyth is hacked and their identities are exposed, everything spirals out of control. Soon after, one of them goes missing. Who is involved, and what are they trying to hide? Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, for the advanced readers copy of No One Needs To Know . I received this novel in exchange for my honest review, and I was excited to be approved to read it. This is a true slow-burn thriller. Lindsay Cameron weaves an intriguing story that steadily builds suspense and kept me on the edge of my seat. There are multiple mysteries unfolding throughout the nov...
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Book Review: Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

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Book Review: Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan is a story told from alternating perspectives of Oliva and Lily.  Olivia's son Asher is dating Lily.  When Lily dies, Asher is put on trial for her murder.  What motive could Asher possibly have?  And, did he really do it? This novel was chosen by the book club I belong to for our April 2023 discussion.  I'd heard mainly good things about the book, but I also heard negative things as well.  Not really knowing much about either author, I wasn't sure if I'd like Mad Honey .  I am so glad that I bought and read the book, and I'll tell you why below. I love that this was a mystery told from two different characters perspectives and the fact that the reader definitely doesn't know whether Asher murdered Lily or not until the very end.  I did have suspicions that it was someone else like Asher's friend Dirk from the hockey team....
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Book Review: It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz

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It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz opens with Peppermint Patty showing Marcie how to color Easter Eggs, and Linus insists that the Easter Beagle will bring the Easter Eggs for everyone.  Will the Easter Beagle show up with eggs for everyone? While shopping at Tuesday Morning a few weekends ago, I came across this children's picture book, and I just had to have it because I loved the Peanuts comic strips in the newspaper and all the cartoons based off the comics.  Reading It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown brought back tons of memories from my childhood. What I loved most about this storyline is that Marcie has never colored Easter Eggs before, and Peppermint Patty tries to explain that the eggs need to be cooked, but she doesn't specify how, so chaos ensues.  It definitely gave me a couple of giggles.  The story was super cute and is one that I would have loved as a child.  The illustrations are fantastic.  It's definitely the ...
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Book Review: The Wrong Good Deed by Caroline B. Cooney

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The Wrong Good Deed by Caroline B. Cooney   is a compelling work of women’s fiction that also blends elements of mystery . The novel is scheduled for release on May 2, 2023  and is published by Poisoned Pen Press . The story begins with Clemmie and her friend Muffin attending a church service, where Muffin unexpectedly spots someone from her past. She quickly pulls Clemmie out of the service, much to Clemmie’s irritation. However, as Muffin starts to reveal the story behind the encounter, Clemmie realizes that she may not be the only one carrying dark secrets. A big thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing an Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC) of The Wrong Good Deed by Caroline B. Cooney in exchange for my honest review. I was genuinely thrilled when my request was approved. Caroline B. Cooney was one of my favorite authors as a tween and teen, so discovering that she now writes adult novels was an exciting surprise. The Wrong Good Deed appears to be a sequel...
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