Book Review: Sugar Plum Poisoned by Jenn McKinlay

It's the Christmas season at the Fairy Tale Cupcake Bakery, and that means a lot of seasons tidings and a little mayhem! When Angie's friend, Shelby Vaughn, comes to play a residency at a local hotel, Mel isn't expecting any mayhem, but that is exactly what follows when Shelby's manager, Doc, is found dead. It's up to Angie and Mel to clear Shelby's name and save Christmas.

I LOVE this series! It was one the first cozy mystery series I discovered, and I've faithfully read every release. I'm pleased to report that Sugar Plum Poisoned, the 15th book in the series, is just as good [if not better!] than the first book.

Back to help solve the mystery is, of course, the DeLaura brothers! Angie's brothers always bring trouble in their wake and it's no exception here as they try to help with the holidays, with disastrous results! Even if mysteries aren't your thing, you NEED to read this series for the DeLaura brothers! They will definitely convince you that mysteries are cool!

Sugar Plum Poisoned is the perfect book to get you into the holiday spirit, and I simply cannot wait to see what Mel and Angie get up to next!

Book Review: Strawberried Alive by Jenn McKinlay

STRAWBERRIED ALIVE is the latest book in Jenn McKinlay's popular Cupcake Bakery Mysteries, and she left me devouring this book whole!

All seems calm at the Fairy Tale Cupcake Bakery. Mel is happily married to Joe, and Angie and Tate are enjoying the early days of parenthood. However, things look to change when Mel is shot at outside the bakery, and local business owners start turning up dead! Is Mel the target, and who would want to kill her neighbours? Mel and her friends are going to have put their special skills to the test to solve this one.

I love this series. I've been reading them since I discovered the first book, SPRINKLE WITH MURDER, in 2011. They are always on my must-buy list, and every book just showcases how fabulous this series is. The latest instalment is no different. I love the slightly different angle of this one, with Mel being targeted. Is it for something she has previous done? Maybe someone doesn't like her sleuthing? Without gushing too much, I simply loved the mystery and especially the final denouement. Mel definitely gets to have a Miss Marple moment, with unveiling the killer!

I can't say enough good things about this series. If you haven't read these yet, I strongly recommend picking up SPRINKLE WITH MURDER and reading all of them. While it is not essential to read them in order, these books are like cupcakes and you simply can't have just one!

STRAWBERRIED ALIVE is another fantastic instalment in the series, and I can't wait to see what adventures Mel, Angie and Tate go on next!

Book Review: Pumpkin Spice Peril by Jenn McKinlay

Life is all sugar and spice for the Fairy Tale Cupcake bakers--Melanie Cooper is engaged to the delectable Joe DeLaura, Angie Harper and her husband Tate are savoring married life, and the bakery is bustling with happy customers. Until one of their most valued cupcake connoisseurs ends up dead.

Local glass artist and cupcake lover Rene Fischer-Klein has always suffered from a wide variety of health issues. In an effort to cheer her up, her doting husband, Peter, brings her a four-pack of her favorite cupcakes every week. But when the police discover that Rene has been poisoned, there's no sugarcoating the fact that the last things she ate were the bakery's signature pumpkin spice cupcakes! With their lives and bakery at stake, it's up to Mel and Angie to find out who poisoned their artist friend and why, before their future is frosted for good.[summary via Amazon]

Oh be still my cozy heart!! It's time for another Cupcake Bakery Mystery....  

Let's take a short trip back to 2010 when I read the first Cupcake Bakery Mystery, Sprinkle with Murder. I was just getting into cozies and I was delighted at the combination of my favourite dessert and a tantalizing mystery. Since then I have eagerly awaited (and devoured) each mystery, equally enjoying the mystery, the cozy setting and characters, and of course the mouth-watering cupcake recipes!! Each trip back to Scottsdale is like a visit home to see family. I love catching up with Mel, Angie, Tate and Joe. And, of course, all the De Laura brothers!

Just like a delicious bakers dozen of cupcakes, I tell myself I will pace myself. Before I know it the cupcakes are gone, I've finished the mystery, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next mystery! Yes, this has been happening for 12 mysteries, and I hope it never ends!!

This time the mystery involves one of Mel's friends, Rene, an artist, who has been behaving very strangely. When Rene dies unexpectedly, all signs point to unnatural causes. It's up to Mel to put aside everything she thought she knew about her friend, and uncover the truth.

Jenn McKinlay delivers a top-notch mystery, not just in detection, but in emotion. As I'm reading through Mel's adventure, she uncovers things she didn't know about her friend, Rene, and her husband, Peter. There is so much emotion leaping off the page, and I really enjoy how easy it is to get caught up in the story and not want to put it down.

Beyond the mystery, the Cupcake Bakery mysteries is one of the best examples of character development from book-to-book. They are the reason I love reading series. Each book has built on the last, and I've enjoyed watching these characters grow and develop. The ending of Pumpkin Spice Peril feels very bittersweet for me. There are changes afoot for our favourite characters, but I have faith in Jenn McKinlay and her ability to leave readers feeling not just satisfied, but wanting more! Exactly like a good cupcake!

If you haven't read the Cupcake Mysteries yet, put everything else aside and pick them up. Start with Sprinkle with Murder, and read and read, until you've finished them all!!! You won't be disappointed!

Book Review: Dying for Devil's Food by Jenn McKinlay

Melanie Cooper has zero interest in catering her fifteen-year high school reunion, but Angie insists it's only right that they bask in the success of Fairy Tale Cupcakes--and Mel's engagement to the delicious Joe DeLaura is the cherry on top!

Everything is going better than expected until Cassidy Havers, resident mean girl and Mel's high school nemesis, picks a fight. No longer willing to put up with Cassidy's bullying, Mel is ready to tell the former homecoming queen to shut her piehole and call it a night. But as Mel and Joe prepare to depart, Cassidy is found dead in the girl's bathroom, next to a note written in lipstick that points right to Mel--making her the prime suspect.

Now, Mel must follow the clues to find the real killer and keep her reputation from being frosted for a crime she didn't commit.[summary via Amazon]

Another cupcake bakery mystery! There are a small handful of cozy mystery series that I've stayed up to date with since I discovered cozy mysteries and the Cupcake Bakery Mysteries is one of them! I've been a fan since I read Sprinkle with Murder, and just like a delicious cupcake this is one series that I don't think I will be quitting anytime soon!

This time Mel, Angie and Tate are returning to school for their reunion. Soon they realize that so many people haven't changed and it is just like the song says "high school never ends"! Especially when mean girl, Cassidy Havers, starts to bully Mel. However, Mel has learnt to stand up for herself and doesn't want to be pushed around! When Mel finds Cassidy dead, all fingers (and lipstick) are pointing to Mel! It's going to take our favourite detecting trio all they've got to solve this one!

In the words of Mel herself, this is how this series feels to me:

As soon as she unwrapped it and took her first bite, she felt the sugar hit her bloodstream and suddenly her world made sense again.

-Dying for Devil's Food

This is positively the life essence of this series. Each mystery is well-plotted and intriguing, but just like a good cupcake it is also addictive and you can't just have one! I sunk into Dying for Devil's Food like you would a truly delicious buttercream frosting, and devoured it in less than 24 hours! 

The mystery itself is fast-paced and thoroughly unputdownable as the victim, Cassidy, is such a classic "mean girl" type. This leaves the gang with so many suspects to sort through. It was interesting to see how some people changed over the 15 years since high school ended, and some not so much! By setting the mystery at their reunion, I like how the reader got a window into their lives as teenagers, and how they dealt with the bulling - both then and now.

It's impossible for Jenn McKinlay to write a mystery that I don't like, and as such I absolutely loved Dying for Devil's Food. The mystery is great, character progression is spot on... and... Marty flossing to a rap song.... well you have to read it just for that!

The Cupcake Bakery Mysteries are always #1 on my list when recommending "foodie" themed cozies. They're the perfect decadent treat anytime of the year and I can't wait for the next one.

Book Review: Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay

Lindsey Norris is finally getting married to the man of her dreams--but it's not all roses for Briar Creek's beloved library director, as gardening enthusiast and town newcomer Aaron Grady gives the term "book lover" a whole new meaning. Inappropriate looks and unwelcome late-night visits to Lindsey's house have everyone from the crafternooners to Lindsey's fiancé, Sully, on edge.

When Grady's dead body is found staged outside the library and all the clues point to Sully, Lindsey knows it's up to her to dig through the hidden chapters of Grady's previous life to find the real culprit and clear Sully's name. But becoming a thorn in the killer's side is not without its consequences, and the closer Lindsey gets to the truth, the more determined the murderer is to make her just a footnote.[summary via Amazon]

In the latest adventure in the Library Lover's Mysteries, Lindsey Norris is preparing to get married to Sully. However, not all is going to be clear sailing, when a library patron develops a crush, that turns into stalking, with a deadly twist. When Sully is accused of the murder, Lindsey must do all she can to keep her man out of jail!

My favourite sub-genre of cozy mysteries is "book-themed" mysteries. There is just something about books within books that sets my bibliophile heart-a-flutter. One of the best series that represents this sub-genre is the Library Lover's Mysteries. 

The mystery itself is very compelling and suspenseful. Lindsey becomes part of a stalking incident, when a library patron believes there is more to her friendliness then being a good librarian. I got caught up in the mystery and was rapidly reading faster and faster, waiting to see how she was going to solve this one.

I liked the realism surrounding this mystery, and the life lessons it imparts on how much of our personal information is out there, on the internet, and available for anyone to see.

Word to the Wise is a great addition to this already-fabulous series. As with all long running series, I've enjoyed seeing the characters develop with each story. I've particularly enjoyed seeing the changes in Mrs Cole, "the lemon", and the crew at crafternoons. With this in mind, I absolutely can't wait for the next book. With the little hint we're given at the end of the book, I know every reader will be counting down the days until the next release.

Giveaway: Vanilla Beaned by Jenn McKinlay

Today we're giving away one paperback copy of Vanilla Beaned by Jenn McKinlay:

Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura are taking a gamble by opening their first franchise of the Fairy Tale Cupcakes Bakery, so where better to hit the jackpot than in Vegas? Business manager Tate Harper has lined up a meeting with Holly Hartzmark, a former showgirl who’s looking to bring Mel and Angie’s sweet treats to Sin City, but Mel isn’t so sure she’s ready to hand her recipes over to a complete stranger—especially one as brash as Holly. But after the potential bakery location gets blown up, Mel begins seeing another side to Holly—one that reminds her very much of herself. Determined to help a kindred spirit, Mel sets out to discover who is trying to keep the bakery from cashing in. But with a murderous mischief maker on the loose, the odds are stacking up against a happy ending for Mel and her friends... 

To enter:
1. Complete the Rafflecopter form below OR leave a comment with your email address.
2. Giveaway ends on June 24, 2016 and the winners will be contacted by email.
3. Giveaway is open USA/Canada.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Vanilla Beaned by Jenn McKinlay

Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura are taking a gamble by opening their first franchise of the Fairy Tale Cupcakes Bakery, so where better to hit the jackpot than in Vegas? Business manager Tate Harper has lined up a meeting with Holly Hartzmark, a former showgirl who’s looking to bring Mel and Angie’s sweet treats to Sin City, but Mel isn’t so sure she’s ready to hand her recipes over to a complete stranger—especially one as brash as Holly. But after the potential bakery location gets blown up, Mel begins seeing another side to Holly—one that reminds her very much of herself. Determined to help a kindred spirit, Mel sets out to discover who is trying to keep the bakery from cashing in. But with a murderous mischief maker on the loose, the odds are stacking up against a happy ending for Mel and her friends...[summary via Goodreads]

The cupcake gang are off to Vegas! 

I'm a long-time fan of the Cupcake Bakery mysteries. I picked up the first book in the series, Sprinkled with Murder, and I've been hooked on both this series and Jenn McKinlay's writing style ever since. I absolutely love curling up with the latest installment and enjoying an adventure alongside not just Mel, Angie and Tate, owners of the Fairy Tale Cupcake Bakery, but their friends, Marty and Oz, who provide just as many laughs!

While I do enjoy the gang being in their hometown, I loved that Jenn McKinlay took the gang on the road to Vegas. They are off to negotiate and inspect locations for their very first franchise. The action is non-stop as it appears someone is determined to ensure that they don't open a location in Vegas, and willing to murder someone to ensure it doesn't happen! 

The trip was a laugh a minute, as the girls get themselves into hilarious situations, even dressing up and dancing as showgirls! The boys find themselves in similarly funny situations, that involve Elvis impersonators, and I loved every second of their Vegas trip.

However, more than the adventure and laughter, what I liked about Vanilla Beanned is the realism that Jenn McKinlay brings to the story. Mel is concerned about franchising her business. Her business is her baby, and as any of us business owners know, a franchise can be a daunting prospect. I like that Mel remained true to herself, and her skepticism about the franchise was very well written. Jenn McKinlay writes a beautiful mystery, with real characters. These are people that you could imagine in your own hometown, hopefully without the murder!, and this is what makes her mysteries the most enjoyable on the market.

If you haven't picked up this series yet, pick up Sprinkled with Murder, and enjoy a mouth-watering series that you won't be able to put down!

National Library Week: The Library Lovers Mysteries by Jenn McKinlay

It's National Library Week and we're introducing the best of cozy mysteries with a library setting. First up is the Library Lover's Mysteries by Jenn McKinlay.

Meet Lindsey and the sweet town of Briar Creek:

Lindsey is getting into her groove as the director of the Briar Creek Public Library when a New York editor visits town, creating quite a buzz. Lindsey's friend Beth wants to sell the editor her children's book, but Beth's boyfriend, a famous author, gets in the way. When they go to confront him, he's found murdered-and Beth is the prime suspect. Lindsey has to act fast before they throw the book at the wrong person.

This series is a must for readers that love to read books about books!!

Books in this series:

01 - Books Can Be Deceiving
02 - Due or Die
03 - Book, Line, and Sinker
04 - Read It and Weep
05 - On Borrowed Time
06 - A Likely Story
07 - Better Late Than Never

Today we're giving away a hardcover of A Likely Story by Jenn McKinlay.

GIVEAWAY 

To enter:

1. Giveaway is for a hardcover of A Likely Story by Jenn McKinlay.
2. Complete the ENTRY FORM.
3. Giveaway is open US/Canada and closes on Monday April 11, 2016.
4. Winners will be contacted by email.

Giveaway: Dark Chocolate Demise by Jenn McKinlay

Today we're giving away a copy of Dark Chocolate Demise by Jenn McKinlay:

Scottsdale, Arizona, may not be the liveliest place on earth, but it’s never been as dead as this. Hundreds of fans have gathered together for the first annual Old Town Zombie Walk, and Mel, Angie, and the Fairy Tale Cupcake crew are donning their best undead attire to sell some horror-themed desserts to the hungry hordes.

But the fun turns to fright when Mel finds a real dead body in a prop casket outside of the bakery’s truck—and the corpse looks alarmingly like a zombie of their own. Knowing that Joe, Angie’s brother and Mel’s former flame, has been working on a dangerous mob case, Mel worries that the murder is a hit gone wrong and that someone near and dear was the real target. To keep any of her friends from winding up six feet under, Mel will do whatever it takes to find a killer—no matter how scary things get...[Summary via Amazon]

Check out our review here.
Check out all of Jenn McKinlay's books of Amazon.

To enter:
1. Giveaway is for ONE paperback of Dark Chocolate Demise.
2. Complete the ENTRY FORM.
3. Giveaway is open to residents of US/Canada and closes on Thursday March 31, 2016.
4. Winners will be emailed and announced on the blog sidebar.

Book Review: Dark Chocolate Demise by Jenn McKinlay

Scottsdale, Arizona, may not be the liveliest place on earth, but it’s never been as dead as this. Hundreds of fans have gathered together for the first annual Old Town Zombie Walk, and Mel, Angie, and the Fairy Tale Cupcake crew are donning their best undead attire to sell some horror-themed desserts to the hungry hordes.
But the fun turns to fright when Mel finds a real dead body in a prop casket outside of the bakery’s truck—and the corpse looks alarmingly like a zombie of their own. Knowing that Joe, Angie’s brother and Mel’s former flame, has been working on a dangerous mob case, Mel worries that the murder is a hit gone wrong and that someone near and dear was the real target. To keep any of her friends from winding up six feet under, Mel will do whatever it takes to find a killer—no matter how scary things get...[Summary via Amazon]

The Fairy Tale Cupcake crew are concocting delicious new flavours and causing a new batch of trouble in Jenn McKinlay's latest mystery, Dark Chocolate Demise.

It's been a while since I took a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona, to visit with Angie, Mel and Tate at Fairy Tale Cupcakes. Within the first couple of sentences I felt myself hanging onto the edge of my seat, as Jenn McKinlay throws the reader right into the action at the first annual Old Town Zombie Walk. The walk turns into a frightful experience when a zombie bride turns up dead in a coffin, that has been set up near their cupcake display! The girls throw themselves into the mystery, as they try to uncover secrets and find themselves getting tangled up with the mob!

The storyline in Dark Chocolate Demise, while it could be read as a standalone, follows closely the events at the end of Sugar and Iced, and I was very much looking forward to reading what was going to happen to our favourite cupcake bakers next! I wasn't disappointed, as the story unfolded and was as action-packed as I was hoping!! Angie's numerous brothers make lots of appearances in this story, and it was a laugh a minute watching them trying to keep track of Mel and Angie, and protect them!!

Dark Chocolate Demise was another fantastic book in this series, and in my opinion, the best one yet! Jenn McKinlay writes smart mysteries that leave the readers guessing right to the end, with the perfect dose of humor and romance thrown in! I would even say that she has concocted the perfect recipe for a cozy mystery. And, just like the cupcakes in her mysteries, they always leave the reader happy and satisfied!

If you haven't checked out the Cupcake Bakery Mysteries yet and enjoy culinary cozy mysteries, I highly recommend giving this series a go!

Title Information:
Dark Chocolate Demise by Jenn McKinlay
Book #7 of Cupcake Bakery Mysteries
Published by Berkley/Penguin
Purchase Dark Chocolate Demise at Amazon.

Book Review: Read It and Weep by Jenn McKinlay

In her fourth Library Lover’s Mystery, Jenn McKinlay tantalizes readers with books, mysteries and Shakespeare! The town is putting on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Violet La Rue has enlisted popular actor and close friend, Robbie Vine, to play the cheeky Puck! With a wife and girlfriend in tow, Robbie certainly seems to have his hands full, but this doesn’t stop him from flirting with Lindsay, our favourite town librarian. With her relationship with Sully on hold (at Sully’s request) Lindsey takes a shine to Robbie and is devastated by Robbie’s death and puts her sleuthing skills to work to find a killer!

When I first started this series I was not expecting to like it as much as Jenn McKinlay’s other series. How can she top cupcake mysteries and bargain shopping mysteries (two of my favourite activities), but she’s taken my love of books and cozy towns and has made me a huge fan of this series too! Four books in and I’m thoroughly addicted and like a good cozy mystery addict, I was ready to scoop up her latest offering!

Read It and Weep is immersed within books, from Lindsey’s job as town librarian, to her involvement behind stage on the set of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and her crafternoon group, who is reading Pride and Prejudice. For a book lover like me, I can’t get enough of books within books and Jenn McKinlay’s certainly satisfied my inner booknerd with Read It and Weep.

Over all of her series, Jenn McKinlay doesn’t just create a murder mystery, she creates a reading experience. Every time I visit Briar Creek I feel like I’m shadowing Lindsey, eating with her at the Blue Anchor, taking her adorable pup, Heathcliff, for a walk and getting to know all the patrons of the library. There is so much life between the pages of each story and I can’t wait to take another visit when On Borrowed Time is released.

Book Review: Sugar and Iced by Jenn McKinlay

In the latest Cupcake Bakery Mystery our favourite bakers, Angie and Mel, find themselves knee deep in tiaras, cupcakes and murder when they agree to bake cupcakes for the Miss Sweet Tiara Pageant. When a mean judge turns up dead, fingers point to one of Mel and Angie's friends and they must do all they can to find a killer.

I'm not really a pageant person, but I love my cupcakes and I love Cupcake Bakery Mysteries. I've been following the lives of Mel and Angie, and Tate, their best friend and business partner, and the endless men in Mel's life.

The mystery is top-notch, but what I liked the best about Sugar and Iced was watching the developing storylines amongst the characters, that have grown from the first book. I've become so invested in the lives of Mel and Angie and I was glad that one of them has a happy ending (for now!) and I'm looking forward to seeing what the future involves for the other. I won't spoil it for readers!!

I absolutely can't get enough of the Cupcake Bakery Mysteries! I plan to try some of the cupcake recipes in the back while I patiently (okay impatiently) wait for the next book to be released in this series.

Audiobook Review: Cloche & Dagger by Jenn McKinlay

After Scarlett Parker discovers that her boyfriend has been lying to her and is still married, her fiery temper gets the best of her and she behaves badly and gets the name of the “Party Crasher”. To put some distance between the incident, Scarlett decides to visit her cousin, Vivian, who runs Mim’s Whims, the millinery business they both inherited when their grandmother passed away. In England Scarlett doesn’t quite find the peace and quiet she’s looking for, especially when Vivian appears to be missing and a client turns up dead. With an old love interest in tow, Scarlett and her new friends must solve a murder and try to keep the hat shop open, in Vivian’s absence.

I first discovered Jenn McKinlay through her Cupcake Bakery mysteries and then her Library Lover’s mysteries. Being a fan of English-based mysteries, I was thrilled to learn that she was publishing a series set in England.

Right from the second Scarlett steps off the plane in England, I was hooked on her adventure. She’s such a fun heroine, as she struggles with the pain of her embarrassment of her ex-boyfriend, to not remembering, Harrison, a boy she stood up as a teen. She has a fiery temperament, and it seems she’s always getting herself into trouble!! Scarlett is plain and simple fun and it was so enjoyable to read her first adventure.

The first mystery in this series really sets the scene about the store, Mim’s Whims, Vivian and Scarlett’s history together, growing up together and spending their summers at the store. We are also introduced to the fabulous pair of Andre and Nick, a couple that live just down the street, and help Scarlett cause trouble and get out of trouble too!! I absolutely adored Andre and Nick and I can’t wait to see more of them in the next book.

I listened to Cloche and Dagger on audiobook and the narration is voiced by Karyn O’Bryant. It was my first time listening to Karyn O’Bryant narrate and it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. She quickly switches between the English and American accents, and her voices matched the personalities so perfectly. From vibrant Nick to Harrison, who can be quite the stick-in-the-mud and formal, the voices were simply perfect. I hope that future books in this series will be published in audiobook format with Karyn O’Bryant providing the narration.

Cloche and Dagger is a five-star read. It’s a debut in a new series and it is an absolute stellar start to this series. I can’t wait for the second book (Death of a Mad Hatter) to hit the shelves next year.