The Final Arrangement Review

The Final Arrangement (Flower Shop Mystery #1)
Author: Annie Adams
Published: January 30th 2013 by CreateSpace
Pages: 305

This Book was purchased by me for the pleasure of reading.

The Vulture is dead.

The body of Quincy McKay’s nemesis and biggest competitor in the floral business has just been discovered in a casket at the mortuary, complete with flowers on the lid.

Derrick Gibbons, aka The Vulture, stole all of Quincy’s funeral business, and now she’s on a mission to get it back. But there’s a problem—Quincy is now the main suspect in The Vulture’s murder.

Armed with only her Zombie delivery van, good intentions, and the business card of a handsome cop named Alex, she must find the killer, save the flower shop, and keep from ending up in the next casket. If she can dodge burning bushes, the plague of a polygamist ex, and her mother’s Mormon Mafia Spy Network, her life with Alex and her shop could become the perfect arrangement. (Source Goodreads)

This book is a great cozy weekend mystery read or anytime for that matter.
Quinella McKay or Quincy as she likes to be called is a florist in Utah. When her local competition and business stealer is found dead Quincy is the main suspect due to incriminating evidence at the scene. She sets out to clear her name. This book has a great cast of characters, exciting event turns, and of course a happy ending.
Even though I enjoyed the book some scenes were confusing what was being said just did not remotely make sense. It seemed like maybe there was to much going on at one time and it got a little jumbled. It happened a few different times. Over all I enjoyed the book and could get over the few grammatical errors. I recommend this book to anyone would like a light fun read.
Rate 3/5

Review~ Front Page Fatality

Front Page Fatality (A Nichelle Clarke Headlines in Heels Mystery #1)
Author: LynDee Walker
Published: Henery Press January 29th 2013
Pages: 292

This book was purchased by me for the pleasure of reading.

characters: Nichelle “Nicey” Clarke, Bob, Joey, Aaron, Shelby, Parker, Jenna, and  Jerry.

Crime reporter Nichelle Clarke’s days can flip from macabre to comical with a beep of her police scanner. Then an ordinary accident story turns extraordinary when evidence goes missing, a prosecutor vanishes, and a sexy Mafia boss shows up with the headline tip of a lifetime. As Nichelle gets closer to the truth, her story gets more dangerous. Armed with a notebook, a hunch, and her favorite stilettos, Nichelle races to splash these shady dealings across the front page before this deadline becomes her last. (From Goodreads)

This is the first book in the exciting new series Nichelle Clarke Headlines in Heels Mystery. Nichelle who goes by Nicey is a reporter at the Richmond Telegraph covering the Crime and courthouse beat. She is using this job as a jumping point for her dream job at the post. Nicey has a love of reading and shoes and thank goodness for ebay. If only I can find deals as good as she does.

When the book starts Nicey has just got done covering the Barbie and Ken double homicide case. She decided to unwind and enjoy the start of her weekend off when a call comes across about an incident involving a police boat. The issue with the boat is it was not subpost to be there and no one seems to know why it was. Nicey starts to dig in and investigate the accident and as she does she comes up with more questions than answers. Her office coworker Parker seems to have developed an interest in Niceys current piece and she is unsure what to make of this. As she is following the clues and gathering information she finds her self joining forces with a attractive man she suspects to be in the mob. He seems to have the information she needs and pops up at perfect times.  When she starts questioning those around her and possible involvement she wonders who she can trust. When people began to disappear and others windup dead has Nicey bit off more than she can chew?  This book was very enjoyable and had a very well written storyline that pulled me in from page one. The characters were believable and realistic in their rolls and kept me guessing who-done it till the end. I cannot wait to see what Nichelle gets into next.

Rating  4/5

Kitty and the Midnight Hour

Kitty and the Midnight Hour
Author: Carrie Vaugh
Published by: Grand Central Publishing November 1st 2005
pages: 259

Source: Purchased for myself for the pleasure of reading.

characters: Kitty, Cormac, T.J., Rick, Hardin, Matt, Arturo, Carl, Meg and a few other pack mates .

Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station – and a werewolf in the closet. Her new late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged is a raging success, but it’s Kitty who can use some help. With one sexy werewolf-hunter and a few homicidal undead on her tail, Kitty may have bitten off more than she can chew? (Source Goodreads)

Kitty and the Midnight Hour is book one in a  exciting series based in the world of shifters, vampires, and things that go bump in the night. Kitty is a twenty something year old who is a night-time DJ at a radio station in Denver but she is also a closet werewolf. When it comes to her Werewolf side Kitty is at the bottom of her pack. She is very submissive and seems to allow her Best friend and pack second T.J. to handle any fight or problem that she may have.  She stays meek and submissive so others will take care of her. One night at work she decides to try something different from playing the typical music and thus her talk show is born.

The show expands to different markets and starts gain the attention of the paranormal community.  Kitty begins to butt heads with her pack Alpha and occasional bed mate Carl who wants her to give up the show.  One night on air Kitty is outed to her listeners as a werewolf. The police then come to her for advice and information about the supernatural community. The police ask her for some assistance on an investigation, the publicity that she places on herself creates conflicts and rifts between the local werewolf pack and the local vampire community. Has Kitty “bit off more than she can chew”?

Throughout the story Kitty slowly starts to find herself. She looses her a lot of her meekness and begins to blossom into a strong and self-sufficient individual. She experiences devastating losses but also makes life changing acquaintances.

The writing and presentation of this book is very smooth . Vaugh throughout the book  introduces different plot lines into the story which are not fully answered.  Vaugh has built a fantastic world and I cannot wait to see where she takes it.  I felt that the story did start out a little slow but it progressed and gained speed after the first few chapters.  I was glad to see that Kitty gain some self-esteem and strength throughout the book.  I love the supporting characters the supporting cast as well: Cormac, T.J., Rick, Hardin, Arturo, Carl and Meg. This book is not the atypical paranormal read and Kitty is not the everyday run of the mill main either.  I highly recommend this read, I don’t think that you will be disappointed.

Rating: 4/5

The Devil Drinks Coffee Review

The Devil Drinks Coffee
Author: Destiny Ford
published: May,21st,2013
Published By: Midnight Sands Publishing
Pages: 358
Genre: Mystery

Source: Purchased by myself for the pleasure of reading

Book Description (From Goodreads)

A cow suicide, a revolving door rescue, and the birth of a bright purple pig are starting to make Kate Saxee wonder if taking a job in her small hometown of Branson Falls, Utah, was such a great idea. As The Branson Tribune editor, Kate covers local news, which, more often than not, involves her accident-prone mom. Nothing truly newsworthy has ever happened in the quiet town until local teen Chelsea Bradford turns up dead in a Branson Falls lake.

The police rule Chelsea’s death an accident, but Kate suspects there’s more to the story—and she’s not the only one. Two of Branson’s most eligible bachelors are determined to help her solve the crime—among other things. But the small town social network is faster than Twitter, and gossip about Kate’s love-life is quickly branding her the Branson Falls hussy.

As Kate learns more about Chelsea, she discovers that plenty of people are trying to cover up the real story behind the girl’s death—including Chelsea’s parents. Now Kate has to juggle work, men, her mom’s most recent disaster involving a low-speed John Deere Combine chase on the freeway, and fend off the Mormons heaven-bent on saving her soul—all while solving Chelsea’s murder. Dealing with this is going to require a lot of coffee, chocolate frosted donuts, Neil Diamond’s greatest hits, and a slew of words not on the town approved imitation swear list. (Book description Goodreads)

characters: Kate Saxee, Dylan Drake, Ryker Hakins (Hawke), Spence Jacobs, Ella James, Sophie Saxee, Damon Saxee, The “Ladies”, Jule Bradford, Office Bob (Bobby), piper, Shawn

My thoughts

This book is a fantastic start to what I feel is going to be a wonderful series. It pulled me in and held my attention from page one and I could not put it down. This book has purple pigs, revolving doors, coffee I mean hot chocolate,and a mother who can’t seem to keep out of trouble. Kate moves back to her home town to take a job as editor of her local paper The Branson Tribune. The paper is small and it seems like she is never able to fill the pages. The unexpected happens local teen Chelsea Bradford is found dead in Branson Falls Lake. Her death is quickly ruled accidental and the funeral happens right away. This whole incident does not sit right with Kate and she feels that there is more to the story that meets the eye. She becomes determined to find out what happened to Chelsea and why its being covered up. As she is solving the case she spends time with three of her towns most eligible bachelors her high school crush Drake, meets the new mystery man in town Hawke, and her boss Spence. Not only are all three men eligible bachelors but all three are incredibly hot. The way Drake and Hawke are pursuing Kate creates a lot of sexual Tension throughout the book.
I laughed so hard when Sophie had one of her “accidents” she just can’t seem to keep out of trouble. You never seem to know what she is going to get into next but you know it is going to be slightly bizarre. There is never a dull moment where Sophie is concerned. I enjoyed the conflict the “Ladies” stirred up throughout the whole book. The Ladies are the towns “Real Housewives” and the birth place of just about every town rumor. Every time anyone sees her with Drake or Hawke a new series of rumors are stirred up, and it seems everyone knows about it.
Destiny Ford’s writing and story telling are on par. She is able to capture what small town life is and bring it to life in a story. The Devil Drinks Coffee is a wonderful read with, murder, mystery, intrigue, hot and steamy, sexual tension, and huge twist at the end. This book did not disappoint. I cannot wait for the second book to come out and see what Kate is involved with next. Rate: 4/5

Max Starr Book 1 review.

Dead to the Max ( Max Starr #1)

By Jasmine Haynes

Genre:  Paranormal romance/ Mystery

 

I was recently reviewing  Amazons vast Kindle E-books selection and came across Dead to the Max (Max Starr #1)  by Jasmine Haynes. The description of the book pulled me in so I figured what the heck it was a free purchase anyway so I decided to give it a shot

Thirty-something, down-on-her-luck accountant Max Starr has the unfortunate gift of being psychic, a newly-discovered wrinkle in her already messed-up life. Her husband, Cameron, is dead, killed in a botched 7-11 robbery two years ago. She’s cut herself off from friends, moved out of her San Francisco home in favor of a studio apartment, and dumped her flourishing career as a CPA to do temp work.

And now Max has developed an annoying penchant for attracting the spirits of murdered women. Okay, they possess her. And to exorcize them, Max must unmask their killers. But how?! By stepping into the void their deaths created, taking their jobs, befriending the loved ones they left behind. Max goes wherever she has to go and does whatever she has to do, with a lot of help from the ghost of her late husband Cameron and hunky and very enticing Detective Witt Long.

In Dead to the Max, Book 1 in the Max Starr series, Max steps into the shoes of a murdered accountant and starts to learn that even supposedly boring accountants can have secret lives and secret desires. Max just has to hope the secrets she uncovers don’t get her killed, too.

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this book immensely.  Max is a character of a different sorts and the story to me was a breath of fresh air. Max is a very interesting character shes developed a psychic ability and is kept company by the ghost of her deceased husband Cameron. I enjoyed her relationship with Cameron and it seems throughout the story line a relationship may be budding with Detective Long.   To be honest I think that she needs someone who will be able to pull her out of the dark place shes at and help get her back onto land. Max has difficulty trusting and forming relationships with anyone she has not spoke to her best friend in two years when she saddled her with her cat. Throughout the story we start to understand where Max’s emotional baggage comes from and why her current case is difficult for her.  She is very determined to solve the case of who killed Wendy and will do whatever she feels it will take to get there. The choices that she makes are not always the best ideas but they do seem to generate results for her. I enjoyed the story line and way the main characters developed I hope in the next book there will be more of an advancement between her and Detective Long. The who done it was not who I expected for most of the book it was a great ending.  I enjoyed how everything built up to that point even if Max was not completely happy with it.

This story contained murder, mystery, some paranormal aspects, romance, humor, and lots of twists and turns. Also It contained a lot of sexually charged and explicit material. If you enjoy a main character who is special/paranormal with out sprouting fangs, hair or fly’s on a boom stick this may be a good read for you. This book was a refreshing change from the the most resent  paranormal books that I have read.  The book pulled me right in from the beginning with page one and I consider it a must read.  4/5