Excerpt and Giveaway (ENDED) – Beauty, Beast, and Belladonna by Maia Chance

February 1, 2016February 8, 2016 ~ Erika K ~ 4 Comments

Beauty, Beast, and Belladonna by Maia Chance

A Fairy Tale Fatal Mystery, #3

Genre: Cozy Mystery / Historical
My Rating – **** (4 of 5 stars)
Available 2/2/16

Beauty, Beast, and Belladonna is the 3rd book in the Fairy Tale Fatal series, set in 1867. I love cozies and historical fiction, and this story was a wonderful mix of the two. Variety hall actress Ophelia Flax finds herself at a hunting party in France, pretending to be someone she is not, and trying to figure out how to avoid getting herself married to the Compte de Griffe. When an unexpected guest turns up dead after a string of petty thefts, she must try to find both the thief and the killer to get herself out of more than one entanglement. I absolutely loved the colorful characters, the time period, and the setting in this story. I plan on going back soon to read this series from the start!

Today, I’m pleased to share an excerpt and Q&A with the author, as well as a chance to win your own copy of this fun cozy mystery! (US addresses only please!)

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#WAYRW – Beauty, Beast, and Belladonna by Maia Chance

January 27, 2016 ~ Erika K ~ 6 Comments

participate, open the book you are currently reading to page 34 (or 34% in your ebook) and answer these three questions.

The Questions are:
1. What’s the name of your current read?

2. Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a complete sentence. (or two!)

3. Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?

Now for my answers this week…

2. You may have noticed, but I’ve been on a cozy mystery kick for a while! 🙂
Beauty, Beast, and Belladonna by Maia Chance

Available 2/2/16 ~ I’m reading an advanced copy for an upcoming blog tour…

2. It was snowy, yes, but until the police came and went, she wouldn’t have a chance to break things off with Griffe. How could she simply sit still?

3. It would be fun to visit 1867 for a short time, but I wouldn’t want to stay there!

Now your turn – what are you currently reading?

WAYRW – Murder on Wheels by Lynn Cahoon

January 13, 2016 ~ Erika K ~ 7 Comments

What Are You Reading Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by It’s A Reading Thing. To participate, open the book you are currently reading to page 34 (or 34% in your ebook) and answer these three questions.

The Questions are:
1. What’s the name of your current read?

2. Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a complete sentence. (or two!)

3. Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?

Now for my answers this week…

1. Murder on Wheels by Lynn Cahoon
Watch for a guest post from the author along with my review in a couple of weeks!

Tourist Trap Mystery #6

2. I put the cheesecake into boxes and rang up Darla’s purchase. She used the Examiner credit card. I guess she was on assignment with this one.

3. Yes, yes, yes! Right now especially, (It was -1 F when I left my house this morning) I would LOVE to live in South Cove, California! 🙂

I can’t wait to get farther into this cozy – I’m loving it so far. What are you reading this week?

#WAYRW -Sweet Pepper Hero by J.J. Cook

January 6, 2016 ~ Erika K ~ 5 Comments

The Questions are:
1. What’s the name of your current read?

2. Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a complete sentence. (or two!)

3. Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?

Now for my answers this week…

1. Sweet Pepper Hero by J.J. Cook

Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade Mystery Book #4

2. When Eric had been there, the door had always been open for her when she got home and the porch light was on.

She realized that she didn’t expect to see him anymore. He’d been gone so long, it almost seemed like a weird dream that he’d been there at all.

3. I think Sweet Pepper Tennessee sounds like a great place, if you overlook the murder and arson going on! 🙂 It’s also close to Sevierville and Pigeon Forge, which I love. Overall, yes, I would like to live there.

I’m part of the blog tour for this newly released cozy! Be sure to come back tomorrow to read more about it and enter a giveaway to win a paperback copy.

What are you reading Wednesday – 10/28/15

October 28, 2015 ~ Erika K ~ 6 Comments

What are you reading Wednesday – 10/28/15

The Questions are:
1. What’s the name of your current read?

2. Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a complete sentence. (or two!)

3. Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?

Now for my answers this week…

I’m still reading a few of the books I’ve previously posted, but after yesterday’s list of cozy mysteries I felt the need to read one…

1. Cover Story by Erika Chase

An Ashton Corners Book Club Mystery – #3

2. She stopped by the nursing station to see if she could find out anything else about Molly’s condition but they couldn’t, or wouldn’t, add to what she already knew.

3. I wouldn’t mind living in the small southern town of Ashton Corners. For the most part, the people are agreeable, the weather is fine, they have both a bookstore and a great public library. That would be all I’d need!

Death Goes to the County Fair – Release Day Blitz and Giveaway! (Ended)

October 15, 2015December 17, 2015 ~ Erika K ~ 6 Comments

Hello! Today at The Book’s the Thing we’re celebrating the release of Annette Drake’s new mystery novel, Death Goes to the County Fair. As you may have noticed, I’m a cozy mystery fan, so I was happy to help promote this one. 🙂 Make sure to scroll down below the synopsis for the rafflecopter giveaway link.

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Audiobook Review – By Book or by Crook by Eva Gates

October 1, 2015March 9, 2016 ~ Erika K ~ 6 Comments

By Book or by Crook – Eva Gates
Read by Elise Arsenault

Lighthouse Library #1

Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: **** (4 of 5 stars)

I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of book #2 in this series (Booked for Trouble) to review a while ago. I enjoyed the book, so I decided to go back to the beginning while the series is still young!

In By Book or By Crook, we meet Lucy Richardson, a librarian who has moved from Boston to the Outer Banks area to escape both her mother and a relationship that she doesn’t see a future in. She has family, an aunt, uncle, and cousins, in the area, and her aunt introduces her to the head librarian at the Bodie Island public library. Soon Lucy has a new job and a new home – an apartment on the top floor of the lighthouse in which the library resides.

At a reception to celebrate the arrival of a collection of first edition Jane Austen novels for display at the library, a member of the board is found dead in the rare books room. Soon afterwards, the first editions begin disappearing one-by-one from their display case. With Bertie, the head librarian, suspected of the crimes, Lucy and the rest of the library staff do some investigating on their own to clear Bertie’s name and protect the remainder of the Jane Austen novels.

I enjoyed this book, but I had to keep reminding myself that this story took place before Booked for Trouble. There is a bit of a love triangle (one of my least favorite tropes, but not too bad yet) going on in book number two that is just developing in this first book. It was fun to go back and see how Lucy met all of the recurring characters from the second story, and to see that her sense of justice has been there right from the beginning. I will definitely be reading Lucy’s future adventures.

While the narrator does a good job with her not-too-Southern accent throughout, I wasn’t thrilled with her pacing while reading. If you’re thinking of giving this series a try, print would be the way to go.

What Are You Reading Wednesday – 9/23/15

September 23, 2015 ~ Erika K ~ 12 Comments

What are you reading Wednesday – 9/23/15

The Questions are:
1. What’s the name of your current read?

2. Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a complete sentence. (or two!)

3. Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?

Now for my answers this week…

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WAYRW – Candy Corn Murder by Leslie Meier

August 26, 2015September 17, 2015 ~ Erika K ~ 2 Comments

What are you reading Wednesday – 8/26/15

The Questions are:
1. What’s the name of your current read?

2. Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a complete sentence. (or two!)

3. Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?

Now for my answers this week…

Candy Corn Murder by Leslie Meier
She found herself feeling rather anxious as she climbed the stairway, which was dark and cramped, and she breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the meeting room, which was surprisingly large and airy, with windows overlooking Main Street.
Tinker’s Cove Maine seems like a nice enough little town, and as long as the crime spree in the book gets handled first, I wouldn’t mind living there!

So how about you? What are you reading this week? Let me know, or leave a link to your own post in the comments. Happy reading! 🙂

What are you reading Wednesday – 7/15/15

July 15, 2015September 17, 2015 ~ Erika K ~ 10 Comments

What are you reading Wednesday – 7/15/15

What Are You Reading Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Its A Reading Thing. To participate, open the book you are currently reading to page 34 (or 34% in your ebook) and answer these three questions. Feel free to leave your answers or a link to your blog post in the comments.

The Questions are:
1. What’s the name of your current read?

2. Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a complete sentence. (or two!)

3. Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?

My answers for this week:
1. Booked for Trouble by Eva Gates

Lighthouse Library Mystery #2 – Available 9/1/15 from NAL (I received an ARC from the author)

2. I’d been warned the day I started working here that Theodore has what Bertie called “wandering hands”, meaning books would sometimes find themselves in his coat pockets, or make their way to the shelves in his home.

3. Definitely – the Bodie Island Lighthouse sounds like a beautiful place to work (and live).