For my last book of my Better World Books August book drive, I chose Finger Lickin' Dead by Riley Adams.
It is the second in her Memphis BBQ mystery series, which is centered around Aunt Pat's Restaurant on Beale Street in Memphis and the quirky, lovable characters that congregate there.
Evelyn is back with an ex-husband which delights none of her friends. It's obvious to them that he uses her for her money and is a cheater as well. When it comes out that her boyfriend is also the troublemaking food critic who uses the pen name Eppie Currian, that's just another nail in his coffin as far as they are concerned. He has damaged businesses including Aunt Pat's with his poison pen , enraging owners, chefs and patrons. Add those disgruntled people to the jilted lovers and blackmail victims and it's easy to see why he ends up murdered. Now the hard part will be figuring out whodunit.
Lulu and the gang are so lovable that, even as a vegetarian, I find myself wanting to become a regular at Aunt Pat's. This book will leave you with a yearning for Pecan pie and the desire to tour Graceland with the Graces. There's an awesome recipe for the pie in the back of the book, but the tour is up to you. If you love cozy mysteries with a restaurant setting or miss the Southern Sisters Mystery series as much as I do, this is a must read. Grab your copy at http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ and your purchase will also help fund literacy programs and put a book in the hand of someone in need.
As I stated, this is the last day of my August book drive. It all started in July when I decided to read as many books as I could in a month, blog about them and then donate them all to Better World Books. The total was 30 books read, but with the wonderful support of my friends (especially my book club and on-line buddies) that number is now well over 100. So I'd like to thank my friends for their support, the authors for the hours of enjoyment that they have given me and the wonderful staff of Better World Books. I had actually never met anyone from Better World Books before deciding to do this. I just wanted to draw a little attention to a company whose customer service and dedication to helping others I have always admired. I'm happy to report that they are as awesome as I imagined they would be.
Although it is the end of my book drive, it is not the end of my association with Better World Books. I will continue to donate the books I read to them and encourage everyone else to do the same (look for their bright green donation bins or get a free shipping label from their website). I will also continue to support a company whose customer service is superb and whose dedication to literacy projects is remarkable by making my on-line book purchases through them.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Better World Books August Book Drive Day 30
Hot off the presses! Today's choice for my Better World Books August book drive is one which was just released today.
"The day Emily Hargraves disappeared after visiting my donut shop, I had no idea that it would be the beginning of a series of seemingly unrelated events that would ultimately lead to the death of one of my dearest friends." Thus started Tragic Toppings, the fifth of the Donut Shop Mystery series by Jessica Beck. And as anyone who reads a series knows, such a sentence leaves you nervous with anticipation to see which character is getting bumped off.
Suzanne Hart owns Donut Hearts, a small shop in April Springs, North Carolina. Suzanne's day (and the story) start off strange when a regular customer orders a donut and then seemingly vanishes. When she joins the search for Emily, she finds her ex-husband Max seems to be missing in action as well. It turns out that they are hanging together, but that body up in the tree is hanging all by himself.
Emily begs Suzanne to find out what led someone to kill the handyman the whole town seemed to adore. Never one to back away from a friend in need, Suzanne agrees to investigate and calls in her friends Grace and George (an ex-cop) and her boyfriend Jake (a police officer) to assist her. As they get closer to the truth, the killer zeroes in on Suzanne and her friends might not be able to save her.
Love the setting of this series as well as the characters (especially Chief Martin and Momma, who are finally going to go on a date if it kills them). And there are donut recipes in each story for you to try at home. You don't even have to get up at 1:30 in the morning to make them like Suzanne does.
All in all, a sweet series and a welcome addition for any cozy mystery lovers who love small town settings and who never met a eclair they didn't like. Read them in order (beginning with Glazed Murder) and you won't be disappointed.
Look for the Donut Shop Mystery series (and all your favorite cozy series) at http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ . Each book you purchase from them not only helps fund libraries and literacy projects- it also puts a book in the hand of someone in need through their new Book For Book program.
"The day Emily Hargraves disappeared after visiting my donut shop, I had no idea that it would be the beginning of a series of seemingly unrelated events that would ultimately lead to the death of one of my dearest friends." Thus started Tragic Toppings, the fifth of the Donut Shop Mystery series by Jessica Beck. And as anyone who reads a series knows, such a sentence leaves you nervous with anticipation to see which character is getting bumped off.
Suzanne Hart owns Donut Hearts, a small shop in April Springs, North Carolina. Suzanne's day (and the story) start off strange when a regular customer orders a donut and then seemingly vanishes. When she joins the search for Emily, she finds her ex-husband Max seems to be missing in action as well. It turns out that they are hanging together, but that body up in the tree is hanging all by himself.
Emily begs Suzanne to find out what led someone to kill the handyman the whole town seemed to adore. Never one to back away from a friend in need, Suzanne agrees to investigate and calls in her friends Grace and George (an ex-cop) and her boyfriend Jake (a police officer) to assist her. As they get closer to the truth, the killer zeroes in on Suzanne and her friends might not be able to save her.
Love the setting of this series as well as the characters (especially Chief Martin and Momma, who are finally going to go on a date if it kills them). And there are donut recipes in each story for you to try at home. You don't even have to get up at 1:30 in the morning to make them like Suzanne does.
All in all, a sweet series and a welcome addition for any cozy mystery lovers who love small town settings and who never met a eclair they didn't like. Read them in order (beginning with Glazed Murder) and you won't be disappointed.
Look for the Donut Shop Mystery series (and all your favorite cozy series) at http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ . Each book you purchase from them not only helps fund libraries and literacy projects- it also puts a book in the hand of someone in need through their new Book For Book program.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Better World Books August Book Drive Days 28 & 29
My love for mysteries started in childhood with a collection of Encyclopedia Brown books. Now I scour the bookstores looking for new cozy mysteries by my favorite authors. The problem is that I tend to read them the day that they come out and find myself waiting impatiently for the next in the series to come out. That's why I love it when I stumble upon a new series to add to my collection. This week I was fortunate enough to come across two new series.
The first book was A Killing in Antiques by Mary Moody and was Sunday's choice for my Better World Books August book drive. This is the first book in the Lucy St. Elmo Antiques series. Lucy St. Elmo is heading to Brimfield, the largest outdoors antiques show in New England, to find treasures for her antique shop and reconnect with old friends and antiquing acquaintances. The trouble starts on the first day of the show when one of these friends is found murdered with a strip of lace and another friend is quickly fingered for the crime. Now Lucy is not only on a treasure hunt- she's also on the hunt for a killer.
If you are a fan of Barbara Allan's Trash 'n' Treasures series or Jane Cleland's Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery series, give Mary Moody's Lucy St. Elmo Antiques series a try.
Today's book was another first in series, The Square Root of Murder (A Professor Sophie Knowles Mystery) by Ada Madison. Sophie Knowles teaches math at Henley College in Massachusetts and tries to avoid all the politics and drama that comes with the life of a college professor. Dr. Keith Appleton seems content to add to the drama whenever he can, alienating staff and students alike. When he ends up murdered there should be no shortage of suspects, but the police zero in on Sophie's assistant Rachel, who has had more than one run in with the deceased.
Now it's up to Sophie to figure out who finally had enough of Appleton's antics and decided to silent him forever.
Lots of great characters in the one including Sophie's boyfriend Bruce, her friend Ariana and Virgil, the police officer who keeps her in the loop. It's a great new series for anyone who has enjoyed The Periodic Table Murders series which she wrote under her name Camille Minichino. She also wrote the Minature Mystery series under the name Margaret Grace.
Check out all these series at http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ where your order ships for free and helps fund library and literacy programs. They'll even donate a book to a person in need for each book you purchase through their new Book for Book program. Why order your books anywhere else?
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Better World Books August Book Drive Day 27
Today's choice for my Better World Books August book drive was The Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis.
Event planner Sophie Winston has a lot on her plate. In addition to hosting the Thanksgiving dinner for her family, she has entered a cooking contest in which she will be competing with her long-time rival and ex-husband's new girlfriend, Natasha Smith. Natasha is famous for her domestic tips (think Martha Stewart, only more irritating) and for grating on the nerves of those around her.
Things get even hairier for Sophie when she discovers a body in a dumpster. When the police find Sophie's picture and information in the man's belongings, they begin to suspect her despite her protests that she had just met him briefly. Their suspicions increase when the bodies and other weird occurrences start piling up.
Now Sophie has more house guests than she knows what to do with, an unwanted admirer, a crush on a cop and a mystery to solve before the killer strikes again.
This is one of my favorite series by one of my favorite authors, Krista Davis. Great characters, plenty of plot twists to keep you guessing and recipes and decorating tips to unleash the domestic diva in all of us. You can pick up all of the books in the Domestic Diva series at http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ . Not only will you get an enjoyable series, your purchase will help fund library and literacy projects and Better World Books will give a book to a person in need for each book you purchase.
Event planner Sophie Winston has a lot on her plate. In addition to hosting the Thanksgiving dinner for her family, she has entered a cooking contest in which she will be competing with her long-time rival and ex-husband's new girlfriend, Natasha Smith. Natasha is famous for her domestic tips (think Martha Stewart, only more irritating) and for grating on the nerves of those around her.
Things get even hairier for Sophie when she discovers a body in a dumpster. When the police find Sophie's picture and information in the man's belongings, they begin to suspect her despite her protests that she had just met him briefly. Their suspicions increase when the bodies and other weird occurrences start piling up.
Now Sophie has more house guests than she knows what to do with, an unwanted admirer, a crush on a cop and a mystery to solve before the killer strikes again.
This is one of my favorite series by one of my favorite authors, Krista Davis. Great characters, plenty of plot twists to keep you guessing and recipes and decorating tips to unleash the domestic diva in all of us. You can pick up all of the books in the Domestic Diva series at http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ . Not only will you get an enjoyable series, your purchase will help fund library and literacy projects and Better World Books will give a book to a person in need for each book you purchase.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Better World Books August Book Drive Day 26
Today's book was another by Roz Bailey, Party Girls. Zoey McGuire, a novelist, leaves Connecticut and a cheating husband to return to New York City in hopes of curing her broken heart and writer's block. On hand to help her are her dear friends Jade, a realtor, and Marielle (Mouse), a frustrated actress whose only steady gig is as a waitress.
Zoey and Marielle are faced with rejection after rejection and become increasing frustrated over their chosen careers while Jade starts thinking that true love might be better than mindless flings.
As the trio club-hop and bond over mixed drinks and failed relationships, they learn a lot about themselves and what it takes to make it in the big city and in love.
If you're thinking a trio of women in New York City sounds like Sex in The City, you're right. But if you didn't blush at Samantha's steamy escapades and enjoy chick lit, this book is for you. Grab your copy at http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ where each book you purchase helps fund library and literacy projects and places a book in the hands of someone in need.
Zoey and Marielle are faced with rejection after rejection and become increasing frustrated over their chosen careers while Jade starts thinking that true love might be better than mindless flings.
As the trio club-hop and bond over mixed drinks and failed relationships, they learn a lot about themselves and what it takes to make it in the big city and in love.
If you're thinking a trio of women in New York City sounds like Sex in The City, you're right. But if you didn't blush at Samantha's steamy escapades and enjoy chick lit, this book is for you. Grab your copy at http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ where each book you purchase helps fund library and literacy projects and places a book in the hands of someone in need.
Better World Books August Book Drive Day 26
Today's book was another by Roz Bailey, Party Girls. Zoey McGuire, a novelist, leaves Connecticut and a cheating husband to return to New York City in hopes of curing her broken heart and writer's block. On hand to help her are her dear friends Jade, a realtor, and Marielle (Mouse), a frustrated actress whose only steady gig is as a waitress.
Zoey and Marielle are faced with rejection after rejection and become increasing frustrated over their chosen careers while Jade starts thinking that true love might be better than mindless flings.
As the trio club-hop and bond over mixed drinks and failed relationships, they learn a lot about themselves and what it takes to make it in the big city and in love.
If you're thinking a trio of women in New York City sounds like Sex in The City, you're right. But if you didn't blush at Samantha's steamy escapades and enjoy chick lit, this book is for you. Grab your copy at http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ where each book you purchase helps fund library and literacy projects and places a book in the hands of someone in need.
Zoey and Marielle are faced with rejection after rejection and become increasing frustrated over their chosen careers while Jade starts thinking that true love might be better than mindless flings.
As the trio club-hop and bond over mixed drinks and failed relationships, they learn a lot about themselves and what it takes to make it in the big city and in love.
If you're thinking a trio of women in New York City sounds like Sex in The City, you're right. But if you didn't blush at Samantha's steamy escapades and enjoy chick lit, this book is for you. Grab your copy at http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ where each book you purchase helps fund library and literacy projects and places a book in the hands of someone in need.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Better World Books August Book Drive Day 25
After Reading Lolita in Tehran, I needed something very light- a book you could just enjoy and not have to think about. I settled on Retail Therapy by Roz Bailey.
Alana and Hailey are roommates, best friends and shopping addicts. They share a size 6 wardrobe and a love for the finer things in life. Unfortunately, they also share an inability to budget their money- preferring Coco Chanel to Suze Orman. When Alana's father cuts her off from the family fortune and Hailey's acting career proves dicey, their shopping sprees are put in serious jeopardy. It's a long road to fiscal responsibility, but these girls make the trip enjoyable to watch. The other characters such as daytime diva Deanna and the extremely hot Xavier add much to the story.
If you liked Sophia Kinsella's Shopaholic series and Sex in the City, this book is for you. And if you're into getting more for your money, buy it from http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ where the shipping is free and each purchase helps library and literacy programs. They'll even throw in a book for someone in need for each book you purchase. Now that's a deal!
Alana and Hailey are roommates, best friends and shopping addicts. They share a size 6 wardrobe and a love for the finer things in life. Unfortunately, they also share an inability to budget their money- preferring Coco Chanel to Suze Orman. When Alana's father cuts her off from the family fortune and Hailey's acting career proves dicey, their shopping sprees are put in serious jeopardy. It's a long road to fiscal responsibility, but these girls make the trip enjoyable to watch. The other characters such as daytime diva Deanna and the extremely hot Xavier add much to the story.
If you liked Sophia Kinsella's Shopaholic series and Sex in the City, this book is for you. And if you're into getting more for your money, buy it from http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ where the shipping is free and each purchase helps library and literacy programs. They'll even throw in a book for someone in need for each book you purchase. Now that's a deal!
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