Murder Made to Order by Lena Gregory - #review #giveaway

To save her cozy Florida diner, Gia Morelli must choke down a heaping helping of murder . . .

The Spook in the Stacks - by Eva Gates - #review #giveaway

Halloween in North Carolina’s Outer Banks becomes seriously tricky when librarian Lucy Richardson stumbles across something extra unusual in the rare books section: a dead body.

Shot in the Dark by Cleo Coyle - #review #giveaway

A new smartphone dating game turns the Village Blend into a hookup hot spot, until one dark night, when a gunshot leaves a dead body behind and the landmark coffeehouse becomes the center of a whole new scene–a crime scene.

Playing With Bonbon Fire by Dorothy St James - #review #giveaway

Chocoholic Charity Penn must smoke out the killer to stop her newly inherited beachside chocolate shop from going up in flames in Dorothy St. James’ decadent follow-up to Asking for Truffle.

Witch Way to Mintwood by Addison Creek - #review #giveaway

House falling down? Check. Pet sitting job with annoying clients? Check. Ability to speak to ghosts, which has the unfortunate side effect of having to listen to what they say back? Double check! Hot high school crush still in town being all successful and stuff while you protest his building projects? All kinds of checks! Did anyone say Witch of Mintwood? Yup! Just add murder and this will be a week to remember!

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Books in this series:

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MY REVIEW

Most cozy mysteries have the heroine (nearly all are female); many cozies have the heroine realizing a life-long entrepreneurial passion; a few cozies have reluctant MC's returning to a family business they fled to 'find themselves'.  Such is the case in Witch Way to Mintwood.  (On an interesting but not-really-related note, this was the first book I had read before it came up for a tour!)

The current (and newest) Witch of Mintwood had taken the job over when her grandmother had passed away, suddenly and somewhat suspiciously.  She was learning the ropes and trying not to compare her skills to that of her grandmother ... and wishing the townfolk would stop as well.

And she's not the only one who has returned.  Her highschool crush has returned.  And she is once again at odds with her high school rival, and all around mean girl.  That Gracie Coswell was and is a real piece of work.  Gracie made going after the crush her new pet project (as in thorn in the witch's side).  And she plays DIRTY - in great big letters with a brown and muddy-drippy letters

Gracie winds up getting the witch in trouble with many of the other supernatural and/or non-human denizens of Mintwood, adding more to her enjoyment of the situation and the witch's dismay.  Most of these other species go back and forth on whether or not they like/support the witch, who apparently acts as a sort of local LEO - hence she is called in when a dead body is discovered in a local hotel.  The descriptions of the zombie bartender were hilarious!

I got very definite visuals of the characters and settings while reading, which is something that adds to my reading enjoyment immensely.  The character of the witch grows over the course of the novel, becoming more competant and confident as time goes on.  

And just when you think things are resolved, gift-wrapped with a nice big bow, there is one last switcheroo that changes the situation entirely.  So it's very good this is a series.  Will she get the guy?  Or will Gracie win?  Only the author (well, and other people who have read the whole series may) know(s) for sure.  But one day I will know too, because I just added at least seven more books (all with the word witch on the cover, not-so-concidentally) to my TBR.

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MEET THE AUTHOR

Reading, writing, dark chocolate, and cheese.

 Hello! I’m the author of the Witch Way to Mintwood series and the Spooky Business series! I live in New England and love it. I survive the winter by layering, good-natured complaining, and more layering. In case you were wondering. Hearing from readers is always lovely, so come visit me here me on my blog or Facebook. 

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Click on the banner above to go to the tour site, where you will find links to more reviews of this title as well as interviews and guest posts.  You can also find out how to BECOME A BLOG HOST FOR FUTURE BOOK TOURS while you are there!

(Disclosure:  I received this book through the BookBub free-and-low-cost ebook daily newsletter in May of 2017.  There was no obligation to do a review, and the opinions are my own.)

Southern Discomfort by Caroline Fardig - #review #giveaway

Southern hospitality meets deadly deception in the start of a charming new mystery series from the USA Today bestselling author of the Java Jive novels.

Quinn Bellandini loves her life in Savannah, Georgia, where she runs her grandfather’s B&B with her sister, Delilah. From baking fresh scones and serving up grits every morning to ensuring the guests see the best of their historic city, Quinn can’t imagine doing anything else—even if it means dealing with nuisances like the occasional malfunctioning commode. But when Quinn drops by the local restaurant owned by her friend Drew Green, and stumbles upon a murder, her whole world comes crashing down.

Hummus and Homicide by Tina Kashian - #review #giveaway

When Lucy Berberian quits her Philadelphia law firm and heads home to Ocean Crest, she knows what she’s getting—the scent of funnel cake, the sight of the wooden roller coaster, and the tastes of her family’s Mediterranean restaurant. But murder wasn’t on the menu . . .

Things are slow in the off-season in this Jersey Shore town, but Lucy doesn’t mind. She doesn’t even mind waitressing at the Kebab Kitchen. Her parents have put in a new hummus bar, with every flavor from lemon to roasted red pepper. It’s fun to see their calico cat again, and to catch up with her old BFF, who’s married to a cop now.

She could do without Heather Banks, though. The Gucci-toting ex-cheerleader is still as nasty as she was back in high school . . . and unfortunately, she’s just taken over as the local health inspector. Just minutes after eating at the Kebab Kitchen—where she’s tallied up a whole list of bogus violations—she falls down dead in the street. Word on the grapevine is it’s homicide, and Lucy’s the number one suspect . . .

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MY REVIEW

I grew up in a small town, and my family were middle-class WASPs.  Not that there is anything wrong with that, but the most culinarily curious we got at my house growing up was lasagne and maybe some salmon that my father brought home from a business/fishing trip once.

I had not heard of and did not know what hummus was until I think I was in my 20's.  Up until my husband developed a taste for hummus in all its glorious flavor possibilities did it become a staple in our kitchen.  (I think we have three varieties in the fridge right now!)  Up until recently, the majority of my experience with hummus was from the movie You Don't Mess With the Zohan, where hummus (which the movie mostly pronounced "hoo-moose") was at least equal to gorilla tape in versatility.  So this is what goes through my head each time I see, read about or eat hummus! :D

The recipes and the story of Hummus and Homicide both had my mouth watering!  Although, unlike Lucy, who had a perfectly good reason for leaving a good job in a big city, I probably would have left the job and gone home, just because it was in a big city.  (Yup, I'm a small-town gal.)

And that Heatther Banks is a piece of work, isn't wasn't she?  Giving Lucy's family's restaurant a particularly spurious health inspection because of a high-school rivalry?  If she weren't, you know, dead, I'd like to wag my finger at her and say, "Grow up, already!"  And then, she has the gall to come in to eat at the restaurant the next day, bellying up to the hummus bar and sampling every variety.  I'd be whipping my phone out and setting up a video recording (complete with time and date stamp) to show Heather eating there after giving the restaurant a bad inspection as proof against her report.  Or, maybe she was just setting up the family in order to extort money from them to change the report.  It wouldn't be the first time.

I also l.o.v.e.d. the fact that Lucy had not one, but TWO men interested in her.  The first was an ex-fiance who had broken up with her several years previously (to the start of the book), and the second was the Harley-riding son of the business owner (the dad being rumored to be involved with the mob) next door.  I really didn't know whose team to be on (Team Ex or Team Biker) until the ex became huffy when Lucy said she was thinking of hanging around and taking over the restaurant herself.  I don't know about Lucy, but I was firmly on the back of the motorcycle then!

Hummus comes to a great conclusion for the first book in a new series.  The resolution of the murder is well done, and enough open questions are left for many stories to come!  In fact, just sitting here thinking, I think Ms. Kashian has done one of the better jobs I've seen at providing enough information to satisfy reader appetites for a good story, while keeping enough in reserve to have readers wanting seconds (thirds, etc....)

Two more books are in the works for this series so far, Stabbed in the Baklava and One Feta in the Grave (LOVE those titles!).  I think I'll warm up some pita bread and whip me up a couple hummus recipes before then...*wink* *wink*.

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MEET THE AUTHOR

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Tina Kashian spent her childhood summers at the New Jersey shore, building sand castles, boogie boarding, and riding the boardwalk Ferris wheel. She also grew up in the restaurant business where her Armenian parents owned a restaurant for thirty years. She worked almost every job—rolling silverware and wiping down tables as a tween, to hosting and waitressing as a teenager.

After college, Tina worked as a NJ Deputy Attorney General, a patent attorney, and a mechanical engineer. Her law cases inspired an inquiring mind of crime, and since then, Tina has been hooked on mysteries. The Kebab Kitchen Cozy Mystery series launches with Hummus and Homicide, followed by Stabbed in the Baklava and One Feta in the Grave by Kensington Books. Tina still lives in New Jersey with her supportive husband and two young daughters. Please visit www.tinakashian.com and join her Newsletter to enter free contests to win books, get delicious recipes, and to learn when her books will be released.

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GIVEAWAY!!!

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Click on the banner above to go to the tour page, where you will find links to more reviews, as well as guest posts and interviews!  You can also find out how to become a blog host for future book tours while you are there!

(Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book from the author and publishers via Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

Pawprints and Predicaments by Bethany Blake - #review #giveaway

The Tail Waggin’ Winterfest is the highlight of the season in the famously pet-friendly Pocono Mountains town of Sylvan Creek. But despite attractions like an ice sculpture display, a dogsled race, and gourmet hot chocolate, Daphne Templeton finds herself annoyed by TV producer Lauren Savidge, who’s filming the festivities. She’s critical, controlling, and as chilly as the January air. Daphne would like to tell her to go jump in a lake—and as a matter of fact, that’s exactly what they’re both going to do . . .

Biscuits and Slashed Browns by Maddie Day - #review #giveaway

For country-store owner Robbie Jordan, the National Maple Syrup Festival is a sweet escape from late-winter in South Lick, Indiana—until murder saps the life out of the celebration . . .

A Well-Timed Murder by Tracee de Hahn - #review #giveaway

Swiss-American police officer Agnes Lüthi is on leave in Lausanne, Switzerland, recovering from injuries she sustained in her last case, when an old colleague invites her to the world’s premier watch and jewelry trade show at the grand Messe Basel Exhibition Hall. Little does Agnes know, another friend of hers, Julien Vallotton, is at the same trade show—and he’s looking for Agnes. Julien Vallotton was friends with Guy Chavanon, a master of one of Switzerland’s oldest arts: watchmaking. Chavanon died a week ago, and his daughter doesn’t believe his death was accidental. Shortly before he died, Chavanon boasted that he’d discovered a new technique that would revolutionize the watchmaking industry, and she believes he may have been killed for it. Reluctantly, Agnes agrees to investigate his death. But the world of Swiss watchmaking is guarded and secretive, and before she realizes it, Agnes may be walking straight into the path of a killer.

The Phantom of Oz by Cindy Brown - #review #giveaway

Creepy munchkins. A mysterious phantom. And a real Wicked Witch. Are you ready for it?

Actress and part-time PI Ivy Meadows has been hired to uncover the cause of the creepy accidents that plague the roadshow The Wizard: A Space OZpera and find out who dropped a chandelier on the Wicked Witch of the East.

That Olde White Magick by Sharon Pape - #review #giveaway

It’s time to work her crime-solving magic again . . .

Kailyn Wilde enjoys running her shop, Abracadabra, in the quaint New York hamlet of New Camel, where she lives with her six cats. Her family’s been here for centuries, and she’d like to keep up the tradition. But the place may never be the same if a big hotel gets built, so she does her civic duty and attends a town meeting along with her aunt Tilly . . . and Merlin. Yes, that Merlin—though he gets introduced to folks as her “distant English cousin.” The wizard is pretty grumpy about being transported here, but there are things about the modern world he doesn’t mind—like pizza.

A Fatal Collection by Mary Ellen Hughes - #review

Callie Reed makes a long overdue visit to her aunt Melodie, who lives in a fairy-tale cottage in quaint Keepsake Cove, home to a bevy of unique collectible shops on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Just as they’re beginning to reconnect, Callie discovers her aunt’s body on the floor of her music box shop. Grief-stricken, Callie finds she can’t accept Melodie’s death being called accidental. How could her strong and healthy aunt take such a fatal fall? And why was she there in the middle of the night?

Room for Doubt by Nancy Cole Silverman - #review #giveaway

When radio reporter Carol Childs is called to a crime scene in the Hollywood Hills at five thirty in the morning, she’s convinced it must be a publicity stunt to promote a new movie. That is, until she sees the body hanging from the center of the Hollywood sign. The police are quick to rule it a suicide, but something doesn’t add up for Carol. Particularly after a mysterious caller named Mustang Sally confesses to the murder on the air and threatens to kill again.

Cold as Ice by Julie Mulhern - #review #giveaway

Ellison Russell’s life resembles a rollercoaster ride. And rollercoasters make her ill. Her daughter Grace has a crush on a boy Ellison doesn’t trust and she’s taken to hosting wild parties when Ellison goes out for the evening. Worse, the bank which represents Grace’s inheritance from her father may be in trouble.

A Tale of Two Kitties by Sofie Kelly - #review #giveaway

In this charming mystery from the bestselling author of Paws and Effect, two magical cats have powers of detection that prove indispensable to librarian Kathleen Paulson…

With a well-placed paw on a keyboard or a pointed stare, Kathleen’s two cats, Hercules and Owen, have helped her to solve cases in the past—so she has learned to trust their instincts. But she will need to rely on them more than ever when a twenty-year-old scandal leads to murder…

Cat Got Your Secrets by Julie Chase - #review #giveaway

Lacy Marie Crocker has settled into a comfortable groove back home in New Orleans, and with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, she’s busier than ever running a thriving pet boutique, helping her mother organize the upcoming National Pet Pageant, and untangling her complicated love life. But when delivering a king-sized order of dreidel-shaped doggy biscuits for a Saint Berdoodle’s bark-mitzvah, Lacy stumbles into yet another murder scene—and the last person to see the victim alive was her own father.

Death Distilled by Melinda Mullet - #review #giveaway

Photojournalist by trade, distillery owner by blood, and amateur sleuth by necessity, Abigail Logan learns that murder can’t stay bottled up forever in this charming Whisky Business Mystery.