Muffin But the Truth : A Bakeshop Mystery by Ellie Alexander, Series: A Bakeshop Mystery (#16)

She runs the bakeshop and is doing very well at it.  She has gotten back together with the man she loves.  But finding a murdered person makes her try to solve the mystery...

St. Martin's paperback and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It has been published so you can get a copy now.

The dead woman is almost the twin to another so it took a bit to sort out who was dead.  The woman who is alive is a real nasty type. She orders everyone around.

The victim was a nice person and she has no idea why she was killed.

She has plenty of suspects and it has to be someone she knows.  She asks questions and gets no good answers.

But she eventually figures it out.  There are many trails she takes, but only a confession gives her clues.

It was a little slow but the killer and others eventually show up.

Devil's Delight : An Agatha Raisin Mystery by M. C. Beaton, R.W. Green Series: Agatha Raisin Mysteries (#33)

Agatha Raisin is a detective.  When a man is murdered, she's on it!

Minotaur Books and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  You can get a copy now.

The man had been frozen.  They found him in the lake later.  Who killed him?

This is an interesting book.  They have a nudist colony and Agatha goes for nude to get clues.

There are several suspects and it's slow going but she does manage to find out who was peddling drugs and who was the murderer.

Think you can figure it out?  I didn't.

A Spoonful of Time by Flora Ahn

This book has several Korean recipes.  It's about time travel.

Quirk Books and Edelweiss let me read this book (thank you).  It will be published April 11th.

They don't go into the future, they go into the past.  They enjoy seeing what happened in the past.

The girl wants to know about her dad.  She finally sees what happened.  She also meets a boy her age and they become friends.

Her grandmother is the one who taught her about time travel.  Then her mother gets involved.  She can time travel, too.  Soon the girl is able to travel by herself.

It is an interesting read.  Eventually the women tell their tales and there is peace in the family.

It grabs your attention...

Till Death Do Us Port by Kate Lansing

She runs a winery and produces great wines.  She sure never expected to find a dead woman...

Berkley and Net Galley let me read this book (thank you).  It will be published on March 7th.

She has a boyfriend she loves but he is off increasing his business.  She is trying to expand her business, too.

Finding a woman dead makes her want to look for clues.  But the cop tells her to back off.  She listens to him, nods her head but continues to look for clues.

Her family is no help but her Mom volunteers.  Together they continue searching.

I was surprised by who killed her.  There are so many suspects.  The lady they took in first, gets out as not guilty.

The cop apologizes to the winery lady.  Maybe he'll pay more attention to her now...

Chip Delivers Christmas Gifts by Julia Zheng

Chip has picked out presents for his friends. 

Net Galley let me read this book (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

Chip is a pickup and he takes his presents around.  Everybody loves their gifts!  He's so happy!

This is a great story for little ones.  I enjoyed it!

In It To Win It by Sharon Cooper

She ran from him because she wasn't sure what she wanted her career to be.  Years down the road, she found him again.

Berkley and Edelweiss let me read this book (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

She tried to explain what happened but he didn't want to listen.  Eventually, he heard her tale and worked on forgiving her.  They fell in love again...

He has two young ones that are his sister and brother.  She finds herself loving them too.

They are competing over a building they both want.  She practices to get ready but he still wins.  That's when she finds out she's pregnant.

She's afraid to tell him.  

It has a good ending, you'll enjoy it.

What would Johnny Dent Do? by Sam Ingraffia

This book is quite busy and several deaths in it.

It was published by Blue Telescope published and it is now available.

Charley writes detective novels.  They are going to film his latest but his star goes missing.  As he tries to find him, much more happens.

He gets shot at but his wife is the one who got hit.  They have a child that doesn't sleep well at night.  He has to babysit while his wife is in the hospital.

He almost gets shot again.  He has problems and he's not sure how to eradicate them.

At least the cops are helping.  His wife finally gets to come home.

The ending is unusual and fitting.  

It was a good read.

Music is in Everything by Ziggy Marley, Ag Jatkowska (Illustrations)

This is a fun book.  Ziggy shows you how everything makes music!

Akashic Books sent me a copy of the book for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a  copy now.

You listen to the wind and the rain, watch the trees dance, and even make some music yourself.

The illustrations are lovely.  The river even makes music.

What a great way to learn about music!

Happy Easter Little Bunny by Parragon (Editor), Sydney Hanson (Illustrations)

This is a board book that would be great for an Easter present.

Magic Cat publishing will be publishing it on November  15th.

The illustrations are magical and it's easy to read.  I enjoyed it!

Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

This is an ARE that Mariner Books sent me.  It will be published in January.

Everybody in the family is close.  Not only do they kill others, sometimes family members die.  They have good excuses but lots of times it's just excuses.

You  follow along and try to determine how it will end.  The ending was a surprise to me.  Maybe it will surprise you, too!

The Big Bundle by Max Collins

This is a very busy book.  There are bad cops, the FBI gets involved and a little boy is killed...

Hard Case Files let me read this book for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

The boy was being held for ransom.  They got their money and then killed the boy.  That was not the only death.  A woman running a brothel gets killed next.

As they try to find out what happened to half the money and who the killer is, it gets much more complicated.

Bad guys are bad guys and there are plenty in this story.  More people get killed.

Will they find the killer?

The Game Café: Stories of New York City in Covid Time by Eleanor Lerman

This is an anthology of short stories.

Mayapple Press sent me an ARE copy to to read for review (thank you).  It will be published this month.

It was an interesting read.  There was a lot of emphasis on people not going out.  The ones you read about go out with masks and are very careful.  No one wants Covid.

There are various stories about the difficulties in transportation and no visiting hospitals.  Only those with Covid go there.

The nine stories contained are a bit scary.  Not everybody is safe...

In It to Win It by Sharon C. Cooper

This is a romance with some problems and lots of love.

Net Galley and Berkley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It has already been published so you can get a copy now.

They were in love but she was young and ran away to get her life together.  He was devastated...

When she returned, she tried to explain but he wouldn't listen.

As time passes, they fall in love again despite the fact that both want the same building and compete with each other to get it.

She's afraid to tell him she's pregnant.  He's raised his brother and sister and has plans for travelling when they are gone.

Will he accept a baby or not?

Till Death Do Us Port by Kate Lansing

They are having a family reunion, when a woman turns up dead.

Berkley and Net Galley let me read this for review (thank you).  It will be published on March 7th.

Parker is determined to find out who the killer is.  She asks a lot of questions.   Watches the people, and wonders who would have done it.

The cops take of one of them in but she knows Grace didn't do it.

She finally gets secrets out of some them and she thinks she know who did it.  When she braces him, he pulls a weapon out and goes after her.

Will she survive?

There is a good reason the woman died but it won't help the killer...

Tell Me a Story, Please by Kyoko Hara

This is a fun book with fairy tales.  The little girl liked it when her mother read to her but she was going to have a baby and then she didn't have time...

Museyon and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

She goes out to sit under a tree and decides to read out loud.  She's surprised when she looks up and finds the animals listening.  They ask her to tell them another story.

So every Saturday, she sits under the tree and reads them another story.

One tale she read them she put them in it.  That became a favorite and managed to save her forest...

Sidney the Lonely Cloud by Tim Hopgood Flyaway Books

Sidney is a cloud no one likes because he rains.  He ruins picnics, camping trips and shopping.

Flyaway Books and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you)/  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

As Sidney flies about, he goes over the ocean and grows bigger and bigger.  When he gets to Africa, he shades them very well and all the animals love him.

This time when he cries it's because of happiness!

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries: Book One of the Emily Wilde Series by Heather Fawcett

This is a fantasy novel about Faeries.  It was fun to read.  Especially when she had two fairy kings who wanted to marry her.

Del Rey and Net Galley le me ad this book for review (thank you).  It will be published on January 10th.

She is writing a book about faeries.  She looks for them and often finds them.  She has many little stories about them.  Some are kind and some are evil.

She got the King of Faeries out of the tree he was captive in and he wants to marry her.  Se tells him she's already been promised to marry another.  He doesn't care...

It's an interesting tale and you won't forget it soon...

Dead and Gondola: A Christie Bookshop Mystery by Ann Claire

There is a new fella in town.  Others know him but the Christie's don't.  He goes for a ride on the gondola and ends up dead.  Who killed him?

Bantam book and Net Galley that they allowed me to read (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

There are many suspects and the police chief is on their trail.  The Christie's are trying to figure out who the killer is, too.

It's a very busy book with several people arrested.  They get let go and the hunt is still on.

One lady has changed her name.  One of the Christies is developing a boyfriend.  One person confesses. 

 But I had no idea who the real killer was...

Hidden Pieces: A Misty Pines Mystery by Mary Keliikoa

He's the Sheriff is looking for a missing girl.  He's divorced and lost his 4 year old girl to cancer, so he has his own problems.  When he got the call on the missing girl, he was thinking about suicide. 

Level Best Books and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

He doesn't realize how bad this case is going to be.

One of the women involved has two personalities.  He doesn't find this out until almost the end of the book.

The killer was someone he trusted and troubled him to find out he wasn't all he thought he was.

It is a very interesting mystery with lots of trauma and worry.  But the Sheriff does his job even with the shocks coming his way...

How the Stars Came To Be by Poonam Mistry

The fisherman's daughter is sad her father isn't home and worries about how he will find his way.

Tate sent me a copy of this book  to read and review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

She loves the sun and plays outside a lot, but this has got her down.  As she sits and cries, the sun asks what's wrong.  When she tells him, he sends her a batch of stars to put in the sky.  She works on it, drawing animals.  Then a monkey steals her sack of stars.

She follows him, they fight over the bag, and the stars spill out of the bag and all over the sky.  And when she looks down, she sees her father coming home...

The illustrations are lovely!

Loud Mouse by Cara Mentzel and Idina Menzel

This mouse loves to sing.  She's also loud.

Disney Hyperion sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

She sings everywhere and sometimes it is well received, sometimes not.  

She gets discouraged and cries but then she asked to sing a solo in front of an audience.  She agrees, sings her heart out.

How do you think the audience reacted?

The Cloisters by Katy Hays

This is an interesting book.  There are men and women and tarot cards.

Atria sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

The young woman's father had died, but she wanted to go on with her studies.  Her mother misses her but she's glad to leave Walla Walla behind.

She meets Rachel and they become friends.  She doesn't realize that Rachel is using her.

Patrick likes Rachel.  Ann likes Leo.  Rachel sleeps with them both.

Patrick is murdered with poisoned plants.  Leo is put in jail.  Ann decides she'll leave for a while.

Then there is another death...

She moved out here to learn and she certainly does.  Not all of it is good news either.

This book will keep you on your toes...

Christmas in Newfoundland 2: Memories and Mysteries by Mike Martin

This is a book of short stories telling about Christmas memories.  It's a good read.

The author sent me a ebook copy to read for review (thank you).  You can get a copy now.

The stories are fun to read.  There are several characters, including children, and I enjoyed it.

It has the power to make you ready for Christmas.

Why not read it and get ready for Christmas?

The Burglar Who Met Fredric Brown by Lawrence Block

Mr. Block has a great imagination.  I enjoy his work.

He sent me a copy of this ebook to read and review (thank you).  You can get in ebook form now.

Bernie and his friend, Carolyn, have quite an adventure in this tale.

Bernie was reading a book about a different planet and when he woke up he was on a different from normal earth.  Luckily Carolyn was there, too.

They found eBay and Amazon missing.  Whenever he needed one, he got a cab.  He met people who already died on earth and had a nice time visiting with them.

Bernie is a thief and he had a diamond he wanted to steal.  The man who owned it was not very nice and he told everyone where he kept it.  So Bernie decides he wants it.  It's worth a lot of money.  It's good thing he's in another world because the fence that died on earth still lived and he could use him to sell it.  He took the money offered and shared it with Carolyn.

It doesn't take long and they are back on earth.  They still had their money.

Then the man who had the diamond bodyguards, the bodyguards showed up dead, one in Bernie's apartment.

You never know where the story is going to go and that makes it more fun to read.

Murray Christmas by E G Keller

Murray is a dog that protects his humans and his property.  This causes a conflict when Santa Claus shows up.

Abrams Books for Young Readers  sent me  copy of this book for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

When Murray hears Santa come in, he investigates.

He and Santa have a fight and the tree falls down.  They look at each other and begin to straighten things up.  Soon Murray has a new friend.

He even gets his own present!

Young ones will love this book!

The Perfect Tree by Corinne Demas, pictures by Penelope Dullaghan

Bunny wants the perfect tree for Christmas.  She heads out looking and all the other animals help her by telling her what to look for.

Cameron Kids sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

The squirrel tells her to get a bushy tree.  Everybody has ideas for her.  She looks and looks, then heads for home.  As she gets close, she finds the perfect tree.  When she comes back with her saw, she can't cut it down:  It's too perfect.

So she decorates it outside with her friends!

It's a nice story that would work well for Christmas!

The Secret Unicorn Club by Emma Roberts, Rae Ritchie and Tomislav Tomic

This will teach you about unicorns.  It is full of facts.

Magic Cat Publishing sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

After reading all the info, you find there is another book inside this one with more info on them.

The illustrations are marvelous.

If you have an interest in unicorns, this book is for you!

Meowsterpieces by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Nyangsongi

The illustrations in this tale are copies of masterpieces with cats.  It's amusing.

Magic Cat sent me this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

You'll also learn a lot about cats.  Cats are different from dogs.  They have their own curiosity and like being around other cats.

I grew up with a cat in my crib.  I love dogs, but they don't purr.  Here I have a Bengal cat and he is very active and loves me.  I love him, too.

Cats are fun (and so are dogs).  This book will introduce you to cats if you aren't familiar with them.  If you are, it will make you smile to see their antics!

A Case of the Zaps by Alex Boniello and April Lavalle, illustrated by James Kwan

Imagine a world full of robots.  The little fellow in the story has a case of the zaps.  It's a lot like humans getting the hiccups.

Abrams Young Readers sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

He was acting normally but then the zaps set in.  He was afraid he was broken and talked to his parents about it.  They took him to the doctor.

The doctor told him it wasn't uncommon and taught him some tricks to stop it.

Did he manage to improve?

The Very Special Thing by Alex Willmore

This squirrel collects everything!  But he has one special thing...

Tate Publishing sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

His special  thing is a nut.  As he fills up his tree by stealing things from other animals, he can't find his nut.

The animals came to complain about his thefts but when they find him crying, they look for his nut.  They find it.  And they find sharing their things is fun!

The squirrel may store the things but the animals come to play and everyone is happy! 

Little Red Riding Hood and the Dragon by Ying Chang Compestine, illustrated by Joy Ana

Instead of the wolf eating her, it's a dragon in this book...

Abrams Books for Young Readers sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

She loves the red cape her grandmother made her and she wears it everywhere.  When grandma became ill, the girl takes her some medicinal food.

The dragon ate her grandmother and when she comes in to share the food, it eats her, too.

This is the interesting part.  The girl uses the things the dragon ate to pester him.

Does it work?

Magic: Once Upon a Faraway Land by Mirelle Ortega

Magic can be good or bad depending on the circumstances.

Harry M Abrams sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

They live in a tropical environment and can grow their own food.  But they also have storms and that causes damage.

This is about her childhood and her relatives as well about magic.  You'll learn new words and learn about living in a tropical  area.

It is an interesting book.