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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2387 KP) rated Sifting Through the Clues in Books

Apr 24, 2019

Jenna Must Sift Through the Suspects to Find a Killer

Spring has sprung in Crystal Cove, and the town is celebrating all things book club. Clubs from neighboring towns have come to advertise their clubs and Jenna Hart is letting the Cookbook Nook be used to host some of the book discussions happening during the week. But she’s most excited about the progressive dinner that her own book club, the Mystery Mavens, is planning for Saturday night. However, the night ends in tragedy when they arrive at their last stop and find their final hostess, Ivy Beale, dead on her kitchen floor. Ivy had a reputation of knowing everyone’s secrets, and Jenna had seen her clashing with several people in town recently. Was that what got her killed?

One thing I love about the series is the different themes that author Daryl Wood Gerber works in via the town’s events, and book clubs is one that will appeal to all readers. The mystery is strong, with some unusual elements that Jenna must figure out in order to solve the case. I felt the suspects are good and kept me guessing as I went along. The climax was a lot of fun and perfectly wrapped things up. There is a large cast of characters, and I love spending time with them. However, at times it can be hard to remember all the connections, so I was thankful for the list of characters at the beginning of the book. My biggest issue is the relationship between Jenna and Cinnamon Pritchett, the chief of police. They are supposed to be good friends, but I don’t see it based on their interactions here. I get why Cinnamon behaves the way she does, but we need to see more of the friendship between them. We got over a dozen recipes at the end, some sweet and some savory, and many of them give us regular and gluten free versions. Fans of Daryl’s other series will enjoy the Easter eggs she slipped into this book; I know I did.

Kudos

Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Goblins Wear Suits (The Magical Beings' Rehabilitations Center #2) in Books

Feb 6, 2020

Morgan thought the most difficult decision of her life was deciding to become an official employee of the MBRC. But now, a senior in high school, she’s realizing it only gets worse.

With a certain Goblin mob boss urging her to stay within commuting distance of Chicago, and a flirtatious Pooka pushing her to study overseas, Morgan has a hard enough time trying to sort through her college choices the way it is. Planning out her future is made even more difficult when terrorist threats are issued by an anti-human, anti-rehabilitation, magic-based organization. Does Morgan want to continue working at the MBRC when it puts her life in danger?

It has rounded off book one nicely but I think I got a little bored towards the end. I'm glad that she chose her pooka in the end. I do like K.M. Shea and I'm moving on to her next series!