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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2680 KP) rated Mrs. Claus and the Very Vicious Valentine in Books
Oct 1, 2025 (Updated Oct 1, 2025)
Who Penned a Real Poisonous Valentine?
It’s a few days before Valentine’s Day, and April Claus is getting ready for her best friend’s wedding. Claire, a friend from Oregon, is marrying Jake Frost. But as the bridal party is at a dress fitting, someone leaves them a note with a threatening Valentine in it. April isn’t quite sure how seriously to take it. That is, until someone dies the next day at the next dress fitting. Can April figure out who the killer is? Or will the mayhem destroy Claire and Jake’s special day?
This series is a favorite of mine, and this book is no exception. There is so much going on here that I was never bored, even though I figured things out a little early. It was great to spend time with the returning characters, and the new characters fit right into this world. And what a world it is. There is a fantasy element to it, but the mystery is still center stage. The author has done such a great job of world building. It is very sweet and clever and each new detail makes me think “How else would things be?” And yes, I am still laughing and chuckling as I read with a grin on my face the entire way. Don’t miss this series. If you are already a fan, you’ll love this entry.
This series is a favorite of mine, and this book is no exception. There is so much going on here that I was never bored, even though I figured things out a little early. It was great to spend time with the returning characters, and the new characters fit right into this world. And what a world it is. There is a fantasy element to it, but the mystery is still center stage. The author has done such a great job of world building. It is very sweet and clever and each new detail makes me think “How else would things be?” And yes, I am still laughing and chuckling as I read with a grin on my face the entire way. Don’t miss this series. If you are already a fan, you’ll love this entry.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2680 KP) rated Murder Most Trivial in Books
May 13, 2026
Can Jessica Answer the Killer Question Correctly?
When Jessica, Seth, Mort, and Mort’s wife, Maureen, take part in a trivia contest at the grand opening of an Irish themed pub in Cabot Cove, they never expect to win, much less that the prize will be a trip to Los Angeles to be contestants on Trivia Pub Live, a new live trivia game show. However, things take a deadly turn when one of the crew is found dead after the first day of tapping. Will the team be able to find a killer and stay in the competition?
My favorite episodes of the show were always the ones in Cabot Cove, but getting to have Seth and Mort on this trip was the next best thing. Plus, I recognized the niece we were visiting, which made it fun. The pacing was a little slow at the beginning between the set up and introducing a couple of sub-plots, but once the mystery kicked into gear, it was steady the rest of the way, with plenty of red herrings and clues before we reached the logical climax. And I really liked how the book ended. I kept the many suspects straight, although some of the lesser ones faded a bit into the background because they didn’t have that much page time. I also enjoyed the tour of mystery locations in Los Angeles. Overall, this is a fun addition to the long running tie-in series.
My favorite episodes of the show were always the ones in Cabot Cove, but getting to have Seth and Mort on this trip was the next best thing. Plus, I recognized the niece we were visiting, which made it fun. The pacing was a little slow at the beginning between the set up and introducing a couple of sub-plots, but once the mystery kicked into gear, it was steady the rest of the way, with plenty of red herrings and clues before we reached the logical climax. And I really liked how the book ended. I kept the many suspects straight, although some of the lesser ones faded a bit into the background because they didn’t have that much page time. I also enjoyed the tour of mystery locations in Los Angeles. Overall, this is a fun addition to the long running tie-in series.
Welcome to Cozy Town
10.0
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A comedic mystery short for lovers of cozy mysteries and amateur sleuths. If you've ever read a...
The Kiss of Life (Soul Mate Rescued, #1)
8.0
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Struggling for a new normal in the thirteen long months after her husband's murder, Elizabeth Baron...
Contemporary Military Romance Romantic Suspense
I Saw Mommy Kissing the Nanny
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Morgan loves three things; Books, women, and being single. But when Grad school costs more than her...
Seasonal Contemporary FF Romance Holiday Romance Nanny/Parent
Violet Spark (Butterfly Witch #1)
8.0
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Imogen Taylor: Artist. College dropout. Gamer. Screwup. I had big plans for art school in...
Urban Fantasy New Adult
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2680 KP) rated The Twelve Jays of Christmas in Books
Jan 2, 2022 (Updated Jan 2, 2022)
Demanding Artist Underfoot at Christmas
It’s a few days before Christmas, and Meg Langslow is ready for the holiday and the invasion of family that it brings. What she isn’t dealing with well is Roderick Castlemayne. Roderick is a wildlife artist in town to paint birds for Meg’s grandfather’s newest book. Roderick has taken over the library in Meg’s house and is acting like a jerk in every way imaginable. Meg has finally had enough and is ready to kick him out, but someone takes care of the problem for her when they kill him. Once again, Meg finds herself involved in the investigation. Will she find the killer before Christmas?
It’s almost become tradition to drop in on Meg and company during Christmas, and I always enjoy these seasonal visits. The Christmas spirit is strong in this entry, although we did miss a few of the regular traditions around town. The plot had several fun complications, but I did figure out what was going on a little early. A few of my favorite supporting characters weren’t in town when most of the action took place (although I think they got the same amount of page time as they normally would), but the rest of the cast more than made up for it. Between these characters and the animal antics, I was smiling if not laughing as I read. Fans of the series will delight in this newest Christmas visit with old friends.
It’s almost become tradition to drop in on Meg and company during Christmas, and I always enjoy these seasonal visits. The Christmas spirit is strong in this entry, although we did miss a few of the regular traditions around town. The plot had several fun complications, but I did figure out what was going on a little early. A few of my favorite supporting characters weren’t in town when most of the action took place (although I think they got the same amount of page time as they normally would), but the rest of the cast more than made up for it. Between these characters and the animal antics, I was smiling if not laughing as I read. Fans of the series will delight in this newest Christmas visit with old friends.
Feral Hearts (Hearts on Fire #1)
Book
AUBIE I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but I’ve never let that stand in the way of...
Contemporary MM Romance
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2680 KP) rated #TreatYourself to Murder in Books
Oct 28, 2026
This Christmas Cozy is a Treat
There has been a string of fires in Central Shores that started around Halloween, and the investigation doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. But things take a tragic turn in early December when a body is found in the latest fire. The victim is a young woman who had been living in her car, but had recently gone missing. Social media influencer Coco Cline was already trying to help find the victim, but when she is asked to help figure out what happened, she doesn’t hesitate. With the help of her friends and fiancé, she finds that sleuthing and Christmas shopping make a good pairing. But can she find another killer?
This author has become a favorite, and this book is a great example of why. We don’t waste any time getting to the plot, and the story never lags on the way to the logical and suspenseful climax. Coco and her friends are a great team, and I always enjoy spending more time with them. Given the Christmas setting, I was a bit surprised we didn’t see more of Coco’s family, but they would have slowed things down. The Christmas vibes are great, and I had fun seeing how those elements helped further the story. If you haven’t tried one of Sarah’s books, you need to fix that. Fans of this series are in for a Christmas treat.
This author has become a favorite, and this book is a great example of why. We don’t waste any time getting to the plot, and the story never lags on the way to the logical and suspenseful climax. Coco and her friends are a great team, and I always enjoy spending more time with them. Given the Christmas setting, I was a bit surprised we didn’t see more of Coco’s family, but they would have slowed things down. The Christmas vibes are great, and I had fun seeing how those elements helped further the story. If you haven’t tried one of Sarah’s books, you need to fix that. Fans of this series are in for a Christmas treat.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Angel Thieves in Books
Sep 8, 2019
I really enjoyed Kathi Appelt's writing style in her children's picture book Max Attacks, so when the chance to read and review her Young Adult novel Angel Thieves presented itself, I decided to give it a read. I'm really glad I did because I fell head over heels in love with this book!
I very much enjoyed the plot of Angel Thieves and found myself immersed in the story from the very first page. It is told from different perspectives including humans, an ocelot, and a bayou which definitely made this book even more interesting! The narrative is told from 1845 through to present time. It all takes place in Houston, Texas. Every perspective is interwoven with each other. We learn about a teenage crush, a father and son duo who steal marble angel statues to make a living, an ocelot who was poached from her home and caught in a hurricane where she's left starving and unable to escape from her cage, a former slave who is trying to help her young daughters escape from being slaves themselves, a bayou who has seen it all, and some other points of view from others throughout Angel Thieves. I was constantly memorized by each chapter, and I was on pins and needles wondering what would happen next. It also helps that the author, Kathi Appelt, is such a fabulous writer who makes all her words come to life with her extraordinary talent! There weren't any major plot twists, but this isn't a book that needs to rely on plot twists to keep it interesting. The writing itself is strong enough to hold its own. There are no cliff hangers, but I would have liked to know a little more about Achsah and her children. There is some mention of them at the end, but I was heavily invested in Achsah's story where I really wanted to know more. However, this doesn't take away from the appeal of the book by no means. Because the prose is so beautifully written, the pacing flows very well. The chapters are mostly all short as well, so it's easy to read this book in one sitting. The world building was done fantastically, and it was obvious that Kathi Appelt had done her research when it came to the plot of her story. In fact, I even learned something when it came to Texas history! I'm also grateful that Kathi Appelt included an author's note at the end of Angel Thieves. It's definitely worth reading even if you don't normally read author's notes. This will give you more of an insight about the real life history that her book is based upon.
I felt like the characters in Angel Thieves were well written and fleshed out perfectly. Kathi Appelt even made a bayou feel like a real person which goes to show how much of a talented writer she really is! I felt Soleil's frustrations with trying to get Cade's attention and her hurt when it came to losing someone close to her. I felt her joy when she was happy. Cade was a great character too. I loved his relationship with his dad. It was obvious how close the two were. It was interesting to see Cade's conflicting emotions when it came to stealing marble angels. One one hand, he wanted to make his dad happy, but he also knew that what they were doing wasn't right. I enjoyed reading about how he dealt with his feelings about that. Zorra, I absolutely loved. My heart went out to this lovely little ocelot who was helpless and taken from everything she'd ever known. I was always hoping she'd be rescued when her next chapter was up. Out of all the characters, my favorite to read about was Achsah. As a mother, I could relate to wanting to keep her children safe no matter what. As a former slave, she had her freedom when her master died, but her daughters were to become slaves to her master's friend. Achsah couldn't and wouldn't let this happen, so she risked everything to keep her girls safe. I felt like Achsah had the most interesting story to tell. I was constantly wishing good things for Achsah and her two little girls. Unfortunately, Achsah's story is based in truth on what happened with a lot of slaves during that horrible period in American history.
Trigger warnings for Angel Thieves include slavery, minor profanity, stealing, a mention of child rape (although not graphic), and some violence (nothing too graphic).
All in all, Angel Thieves is highly interesting read that is also partly educational. It definitely taught me things about Texas that I didn't even know, and I grew up in Texas! Angel Thieves also has such strong characters, and Kathi Appelt's love for this story is apparent on each page. I would definitely recommend Angel Thieves by Kathi Appelt to those aged 14 and older who love getting lost in a good book. This is one book that's very easy to get lost in! An easy 5 out of 5 stars for Angel Thieves!
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(A special thank you to Kathi Appelt for providing me with a hardback of Angel Thieves in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
I very much enjoyed the plot of Angel Thieves and found myself immersed in the story from the very first page. It is told from different perspectives including humans, an ocelot, and a bayou which definitely made this book even more interesting! The narrative is told from 1845 through to present time. It all takes place in Houston, Texas. Every perspective is interwoven with each other. We learn about a teenage crush, a father and son duo who steal marble angel statues to make a living, an ocelot who was poached from her home and caught in a hurricane where she's left starving and unable to escape from her cage, a former slave who is trying to help her young daughters escape from being slaves themselves, a bayou who has seen it all, and some other points of view from others throughout Angel Thieves. I was constantly memorized by each chapter, and I was on pins and needles wondering what would happen next. It also helps that the author, Kathi Appelt, is such a fabulous writer who makes all her words come to life with her extraordinary talent! There weren't any major plot twists, but this isn't a book that needs to rely on plot twists to keep it interesting. The writing itself is strong enough to hold its own. There are no cliff hangers, but I would have liked to know a little more about Achsah and her children. There is some mention of them at the end, but I was heavily invested in Achsah's story where I really wanted to know more. However, this doesn't take away from the appeal of the book by no means. Because the prose is so beautifully written, the pacing flows very well. The chapters are mostly all short as well, so it's easy to read this book in one sitting. The world building was done fantastically, and it was obvious that Kathi Appelt had done her research when it came to the plot of her story. In fact, I even learned something when it came to Texas history! I'm also grateful that Kathi Appelt included an author's note at the end of Angel Thieves. It's definitely worth reading even if you don't normally read author's notes. This will give you more of an insight about the real life history that her book is based upon.
I felt like the characters in Angel Thieves were well written and fleshed out perfectly. Kathi Appelt even made a bayou feel like a real person which goes to show how much of a talented writer she really is! I felt Soleil's frustrations with trying to get Cade's attention and her hurt when it came to losing someone close to her. I felt her joy when she was happy. Cade was a great character too. I loved his relationship with his dad. It was obvious how close the two were. It was interesting to see Cade's conflicting emotions when it came to stealing marble angels. One one hand, he wanted to make his dad happy, but he also knew that what they were doing wasn't right. I enjoyed reading about how he dealt with his feelings about that. Zorra, I absolutely loved. My heart went out to this lovely little ocelot who was helpless and taken from everything she'd ever known. I was always hoping she'd be rescued when her next chapter was up. Out of all the characters, my favorite to read about was Achsah. As a mother, I could relate to wanting to keep her children safe no matter what. As a former slave, she had her freedom when her master died, but her daughters were to become slaves to her master's friend. Achsah couldn't and wouldn't let this happen, so she risked everything to keep her girls safe. I felt like Achsah had the most interesting story to tell. I was constantly wishing good things for Achsah and her two little girls. Unfortunately, Achsah's story is based in truth on what happened with a lot of slaves during that horrible period in American history.
Trigger warnings for Angel Thieves include slavery, minor profanity, stealing, a mention of child rape (although not graphic), and some violence (nothing too graphic).
All in all, Angel Thieves is highly interesting read that is also partly educational. It definitely taught me things about Texas that I didn't even know, and I grew up in Texas! Angel Thieves also has such strong characters, and Kathi Appelt's love for this story is apparent on each page. I would definitely recommend Angel Thieves by Kathi Appelt to those aged 14 and older who love getting lost in a good book. This is one book that's very easy to get lost in! An easy 5 out of 5 stars for Angel Thieves!
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(A special thank you to Kathi Appelt for providing me with a hardback of Angel Thieves in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)