Against the Currant by Olivia Matthews

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I feel like Winter is the perfect time to read something cozy when you're stuck in the house and just want to wrap up in a blanket with a warm mug of something. So when I saw a new cozy mystery series releasing with a Black family owned bakery I jumped on the opportunity to read an arc. So thank you to Macmillan and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to read for an honest review.

In Against the Currant we're introduced to Lyndsay Murray and her family who are immigrants from Grenada. Lyndsay has dreamed of opening a bakery for years even though her baking isn't the best and it's a family affair with everyone contributing. After a rival owner ends up dead all eyes are on Lyndsay since she had a very public argument with him.

I wanted to love this book but aside from other issues I really wasn't invested in the mystery. Lynsday has a nice family and I did find them interesting. I enjoyed how close knit they were. The food was mouth watering and familiar. The hustle and bustle of the shop and the large cast made sense. I just didn't care about following Lyndsay herself. 

Lyndsay read very young and sheltered to me. More 21/22 than the 27 years she was supposed to read. She seemed to really be stuck on the bullies during her grade school days and it didn't make sense to me. I understand she had to deal with them all the way through college but being quite a few years removed from that environment it didn't track that she still spoke about them like she just graduated. 

As someone with family from the English speaking Caribbean who even has family and family friends who live in Little Caribbean, I side-eyed so much of this book. It felt like it was written from the perspective of someone who was on the outside looking in. Some things were done well and some things were done so wrong. Some of the mentions of popular musicians were completely off. Trust me  when I say the only ones who consider Harry Belefonte the King of Calypso are white people. What soca did Buju Banton sing? Other times name dropping worked even when it was less thought of ones like Billy Ocean.

Listening to the audiobook did not help. The accents were so bad! I'm not sure what islands that narrator thought she was doing. It was giving Jafakrican. And the way the pronunciation of Bunji and Machel made me feel lightheaded they were so off. These are very popular artists she could've looked up to get the pronunciations correct. 

Overall this one was a huge miss for me which was a shame.

Interview with Raquel V. Reyes

Welcome Back Booklovers!! I'm back with my first author interview of the year. I've read her Caribbean Kitchen Mystery Series which I've reviewed on here. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries and haven't picked that up yet, definitely check it out! But she was also featured in some recent anthologies alongside some other great authors.

How did your upbringing shape your identity as a writer? When did you start reading crime fiction? 

 As an only child with two parents working out of the home, I spent a lot of time with my maternal (Southern) grandparents and my paternal (Cuban) great-grandparents. The library and TV were my first friends. The library gave me Agatha Christie and Elizabeth Peters and encyclopedias filled with art, culture, archeology, and history. TV (because I'm Gen-X and cable was too expensive for my bisabuelos.) gave me I Love Lucy, Welcome Back, Kotter, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Rhoda. (<3 Rhoda) Those TV shows tackled heavy subjects with humor. I see a throughline to my writing style and tone.  

And why did you decide to write cozy mysteries?

Cozy mysteries are low stakes in the violence department, with high rewards in the justice department. That suited my needs as a reader. As a writer, I wanted to make sure people like me (Latinx, multi-cultural, bi-lingual) were represented in the genre I loved. 

Since cozy mysteries tend to follow a specific formula, how do you deal with writing things readers aren't always used to seeing? For example, Miriam is a married woman with a child while many cozy protagonists are single.

Miriam having a family is not too far from the norm for a cozy. Although the romance and family usually come much later in the series, maybe around book six or seven. I started the series with a ready-made family because I knew finding romance wasn't Miriam's story arc. Her challenges and tests were going to be from navigating her husband's passive-aggressive xenophobic mother. It was also vital to me that Miriam be inspirational. She is a Latina with a Ph.D. 

With such an array of dishes to choose from, how do you decide which Caribbean recipes to include in your books?

The story drives those choices. For example, the Jamaican dish, Ackee and Saltfish, that Patricia Campbell shows Miriam how to make in Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking. I knew I needed to go into detail about this dish in the story because I wasn't going to put it in the recipes in the back of the book. There is an ackee tree in my neighborhood, and most grocery stores in my area carry saltfish/bacalao. But not all of The Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series' readership live in metropolitan cities with large Caribbean populations. Ackee can be found canned, but it is not always easy to find. I try to make sure the ingredients for the recipes I included can be sourced at large chain groceries or ordered online. I also consider the prep time and skills needed to prepare the dishes. Miriam is a career woman with a young family. If my readers are anything like her, they'll want easy and flavor meals in their repertoire, not a twenty-step recipe that requires CIA (Culinary Institute of America) level skills to execute. I often give a hack to speed up the prep if you read the recipes.  

Since you also include Spanish words and phrases in your books, how do you decide when to use context clues vs when to give an outright translation? 

I get this question and similar questions a lot. There is no formula. It is instinctual. I've grown up with two languages in my head. It is literally how I think and live my daily life. It is how millions of other people live their lives, too. If I use a word that is very specific to a culture or crucial to the plot, I will usually translate it but rarely directly. If I translated it verbatim, the narration would feel more like an academic lecture than a pleasure read. Everything else is left to context clues. I know French, Japanese, and Italian words, not because I've studied or speak those languages. It is because I guessed what they were and then confirmed it later. That is one of the ways we acquire languages and knowledge through immersion. 

Do you know the plot entirely before you start writing?

No, I'm a discovery writer, aka a plantser. That's a plotter-pantser ( by the seat of your pants) hybrid. I know the beginning, the end, and a few key scenes when I start writing. Then I let the story lead me to the rest. 

You're also a part of Crime Writers of Color. How did you get involved in that community? 

I got a DM from Kellye Garrett. We had a few mutuals and knew of each other but had never met. I remember the first wave of members was small. We were about 30 people in the summer of 2018. Now, at the start of 2023, we are edging toward 400! Crime Writers of Color is a much-needed safe space for BIPOC writers. It has also been an advocate for more visibility in the publishing world. Much of the thanks goes to Kellye. She is tireless in her stewardship. 

When you're in a creative slump what helps you get inspired again?

I write a short story. Novels are a long haul. At about 30,000 words, I feel like I will never reach the end. That is the perfect time to write a short story. It is so satisfying to start and finish a story in just a few days of writing. I also love to read short stories for the same reason. They are the perfect one-sitting morsel. 

What are some of your favorite spots to eat in Miami?

Miami is a food town. The Food Network hosts the South Beach Food & Wine Festival. We have plenty of celebrity chef restaurants. We have delicious tropical produce and fresh seafood at our fingertips. But my favorite spots are usually the local joints that are unpretentious and chill. There is a roti place near me run by a Guyanese family. It is a hole in the wall, but their curry goat is mouthwatering. Any Haitian place with a painted mural/sign by Serge is usually great. Any Cuban place with a line by their Cafecito window will have good eats, too.  

Are there any upcoming projects you would like to talk about?

Calypso, Corpse, and Cooking is out, and I am still promoting it. Second books in a series don't always get the love they deserve. Later in the year, the third book in the series will be published. It is set in Puerto Rico. I love the island and lived there for a while. I am excited to share it with my readers. 

Paranoia Blues, an anthology of crime fiction short stories inspired by Paul Simon's songs, came out in late  2022. I'm proud of my story in it. It is titled The Vampires. Check it out. The anthology has many wonderful authors, including Cheryl Head and E.A. Aymar, to name a few. 

You can follow Raquel @latinasleuths on Instagram and @latinasleuths on Tik Tok. And discover more Crime Writers of Color at https://www.crimewritersofcolor.com/

Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking by Raquel V. Reyes

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I've been enjoying cozy mystery series this fall and I was excited to continue the Caribbean Kitchen Mystery Series. I am here for the mouthwatering food and the drama.

One of the things I like about this series is how it highlights how Caribbean culture is so interconnected through food. Whether the island speaks Spanish, English, or Kreyol they have so many staple vegetables that are the same throughout. Miriam being a food anthropologist is fascinated by the similar dishes and is quick to share the origins of some of them. Some recipes are included at the end but there are a few dishes I looked up to try and recreate as well.

I really enjoyed the girl squad she had surrounding herself that consisted of cousins, friends, and her sister-in-law. Especially now that's she's settled in since the move. Her son is in daycare, her relationship with Robert is stable again and her cooking series have really taken off. Her mother-in-law is still a pain especially when she puts her in charge of the woman's group gala. But she also has other family members around to keep her grounded. And I liked her Tia and the Santeria rituals as well as Miriam exploring other religions outside of Christianity. 

There were some parts where we got a little too much explanation on issues within the community such as colorism and anti-Blackness.

The mystery felt a little more complicated with so many power players involved. I definitely did not figure out everything. And I was a little scared for Miriam since the Russian mafia was entangled in this. She was moving extra reckless at some points. But this book did something different in that the inciting incident isn't out outright murder but an attempted murder.

While I would usually say you can read a cozy mystery series out of order this is one of the few times I insist you read book 1 first as it references events from that book including who the murderer was and their are parts that tie in.

Overall it was a good read. I cheered for Miriam standing her ground when it came to her awful mother-in-law, chastised her when she made stupid moves, but still rooted for the gala to go well.

National Cozy Mystery Day

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Cozy mystery is a genre I often finding myself coming back to when I want something comforting. The lack of gore, the often punny titles, cutesey locales, and pretty covers always suck me in. And I love how you can start the series at any point and not have to read the prior books. So sit back, relax and take in these recs! 

The Noodle Shop Mysteries

Welcome to the Ho-Lee Noodle House, where the Chinese food is to die for. . .

The last place Lana Lee thought she would ever end up is back at her family’s restaurant. But after a brutal break-up and a dramatic workplace walk-out, she figures that helping wait tables is her best option for putting her life back together. Even if that means having to put up with her mother, who is dead-set on finding her a husband.

Lana’s love life soon becomes yesterday’s news once the restaurant’s property manager, Mr. Feng, turns up dead―after a delivery of shrimp dumplings from Ho-Lee. But how could this have happened when everyone on staff knew about Mr. Feng’s severe, life-threatening shellfish allergy? Now, with the whole restaurant under suspicion for murder and the local media in a feeding frenzy―to say nothing of the gorgeous police detective who keeps turning up for take-out―it’s up to Lana to find out who is behind Feng’s killer order. . . before her own number is up.

The Bread Shop Mysteries

When an artisanal baker is accused of murder, her sleuthing student rises to the occasion . . .

Everyone swears by Yeast of Eden, the Mexican bread shop in town. But tonight, the only thing on the menu is la muerte . . .

Struggling photographer Ivy Culpepper has lots of soul-searching to do since returning to seaside Santa Sofia, California. That is, until the thirty-six-year-old enters a bread making class at Yeast of Eden. Whether it's the aroma of fresh conchas in the oven, or her instant connection with owner Olaya Solis, Ivy just knows the missing ingredients in her life are hidden among the secrets of Olaya's bakery . . .

But Ivy's spirits crumble when a missing classmate is suddenly discovered dead in her car. Even more devastating, the prime suspect is Olaya Solis herself. Doubting the woman could commit such a crime, Ivy embarks on a murder investigation of her own to prove her innocence and seize the real killer. As she follows a deadly trail of crumbs around town, Ivy must trust her gut like never before—or someone else could be toast!

The Caribbean Kitchen Mysteries

Food anthropologist Miriam Quiñones-Smith's move from New York to Coral Shores, Miami, puts her academic career on hold to stay at home with her young son. Adding to her funk is an opinionated mother-in-law and a husband rekindling a friendship with his ex. Gracias to her best friend, Alma, she gets a short-term job as a Caribbean cooking expert on a Spanish-language morning TV show. But when the newly minted star attends a Women's Club luncheon, a socialite sitting at her table suddenly falls face-first into the chicken salad, never to nibble again.

When a second woman dies soon after, suspicions coalesce around a controversial Cuban herbalist, Dr. Fuentes--especially after the morning show's host collapses while interviewing him. Detective Pullman is not happy to find Miriam at every turn. After he catches her breaking into the doctor's apothecary, he enlists her help as eyes and ears to the places he can't access, namely the Spanish-speaking community and the tawny Coral Shores social scene.

As the ingredients to the deadly scheme begin blending together, Miriam is on the verge of learning how and why the women died. But her snooping may turn out to be a recipe for her own murder.

The Catering Hall Mysteries

After her philandering husband’s boat went down, newly single Mia Carina went back to Astoria, the bustling Queens neighborhood of her youth. Living with her nonna and her oversized cat, Doorstop, she’s got a whole new life—including some amateur sleuthing . . .

 

Mia is starting work at Belle View, her father’s catering hall, a popular spot for weddings, office parties, and more—despite the planes that occasionally roar overhead on their way to LaGuardia and rattle the crystal chandelier. Soon she’s planning a bachelor party for a less-than-gentlemanly groom. But it goes awry when the gigantic cake is wheeled in and a deadly surprise is revealed . . .

 

Since some of her family’s associates are on the shady side, the NYPD wastes no time in casting suspicion on Mia’s father. Now, Mia’s going to have to use all her street smarts to keep him out of Rikers Island . . .

The HoneyBun Shop Mysteries

Ali Daniels loves baking sweet goodies for customers in her Manhattan bakery, HoneyBun Sweets and Sandwiches. When she gets an invite for a chance to cater the hottest event in NYC, she can't resist.

But it's murder, mayhem and cupcakes when the star of an upcoming reality TV show ends up dead. And Ali finds herself smack in the middle of a homicide investigation (as a suspect)—with her business hanging in the balance.

Faced with the choice of losing her beloved business and friends or hunting down a murderer, Ali doesn't hesitate to seek out the real culprit.

Becoming an amateur sleuth is one thing, staying alive is another. Will it be too late when Ali discovers she's jumped out of the frying pan and into the pre-heated oven?

Brewing Trouble Mystery Series

The Allegheny Brew House is a dream come true for Maxine “Max” O’Hara, who went all the way to Germany for her brewmaster certification, and is now preparing to open her own craft brew pub in a newly revitalized section of Pittsburgh. But before she can start pouring stouts and lagers to thirsty throngs, there’s trouble on tap. Suspicious acts of sabotage culminate in Max finding her assistant brewmaster and chef Kurt Schmidt strangled in one of the vats.

Between rescuing a stray gray tabby she names Hops and considering a handsome ex-hockey player as her new chef, Max doesn’t have a lot of time to solve a murder. But with a homicide detective for a dad, she comes to criminal investigation naturally. And if someone is desperate enough to kill to stop her from opening, Max needs to act fast—before her brand-new brew biz totally tanks...

Cape Bay Cafe Mysteries

Francesca Amaro moves back to her hometown of Cape Bay, Massachusetts, and takes over the family business, Antonia’s Italian Café. She spends her days making delicious artisan cappuccinos, until she stumbles upon her neighbor’s dead body. When the police discover Mr. Cardosi was poisoned, Francesca becomes a suspect.

The victim’s son, Matty, happens to be Francesca’s old high school friend. Together, they uncover the secrets of the locals in order to find the killer in their idyllic beach town.

Mango, Mambo, and Murder by Raquel Reyes

 Welcome Back, Booklovers! I was barely reading cozy mysteries for awhile and then Nicole from Who Picked This Book reignited my love for them. Sometime you just need a book that's warm and inviting and takes you away from the world's problems. But I also still like mystery so getting a mystery without all the gore and trauma is nice.

This cozy was very different from most of the ones I've read. We have a main character Miriam Quiñones-Smith, who isn't a single woman in her 20s. She's a married woman in her 30s with a young child. Miriam and her husband have recently moved to Florida from New York but not to where she grew up in Miami but her husband's small hometown. She's adjusting to the new area and larger living space while reconnecting with an old friend and trying to meet people in the community. While attending a luncheon one of her tablemates passes out and is later confirmed dead and Miriam's friend Alma is being questioned as a suspect. 

She's also Cuban and her culture is present throughout the book in a very believable way. She speaks English and Spanish and will often switch between languages mid conversation which felt very realistic. There were enough context clues that you understand what she's saying. She's also trying to teach her son to speak Spanish despite his dad being a non Spanish speaker. And she has to deal with her racist mother-in-law who feels the need to show up to her house uninvited and call her by middle name.  On top of that her husband is getting cozy with his ex girlfriend and it feels like they're drifting apart.

As a food anthropologist her focus is on Caribbean cooking and she's very knowledgeable about staples from Spanish and English speaking islands. Since South Florida has a very significant Haitian popular it was nice to see that included here as well as she mentions going to Haitian bakeries and markets. She's also given an opportunity to do a cooking segment on a well know Spanish language tv station.

Honestly I wasn't that invested in the mystery but I didn't even mind it because I was just enjoying all the other aspects of the story. I think a lot of mothers may be able to relate to her because her husband is the main supporter of the household and she's at home with her son balancing keeping house but also this unique tv opportunity she's been given.

A Game of Cones by Abby Collette

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! It's been a few months since I've read a cozy mystery and there's just something so comforting about them. I remember jumping into reading them heavily when I was getting back into reading. If you're a long time follower you may recall me reviewing the first book in this series A Deadly Inside Scoop. Why does that feel like forever ago even though it wasn't even a full year? 

So we revisit the small town of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Which I found out is actually a real place that has cute little shops just like in this book. Feel free to Google for visuals. I found a picture of a popular shop there. Business has picked up for Browyn "Win" Crewse and she's experimenting with some really cool new flavors. But while she's found her stride some of the other shop owners around town are finding their livelihood threatened by plans to build a new mall. Is it revitalization of the area or is it gentrification? And is Browyn and her fancy ice cream shoppe with it's non traditional flavors part of the problem? 

After a town hall meeting with various shop owners a man working for the development company turns up dead. Her friend Maisie has been itching for another case to solve since the last and after Detective Beverly visits them she's convinced he was asking them to solve it. 

I enjoyed the first book in this series so I was looking forward to this one. This one was a little all over the place for me by the halfway mark. While there needs to be multiple characters as suspects I felt like this story had too many characters. And they would be introduced and then disappear. Plus there was a side plot with Aunt Jack returning to town and trying to stake her claim in the show but that plot kept stopping and starting so you couldn't feel the full impact of her threat. 

Win's friend Rory is also in town and her old coworker is trying to convince her to move back to NYC. And Rory is acting strange and stumbling over lies from the time we meet her. No surprise that she becomes a suspect in the murder case.

Maisie was way too hyper to the point where it just got annoying. She needed to be dialed back as she was too rash with accusing anyone and everyone of committing the murder and often derailing the investigation. For someone who watches a lot of crime mysteries she should know visiting someone and then openly accusing them of murder right away gets no results.

I enjoyed the ice cream making scenes and how Win mixes different unique flavors together. And I liked that during the gentrification talk she pondered if she was part of the problem too. Even though her shop is a long time owned family business it can be seen as more trendy with the recent revamps. Especially since business is booming so much she's expanding to a food truck.

But by the time the book ended and we found out who the murder was I just didn't care. Especially since I had guessed the person early on despite the red herring being thrown in at the end. 

I still think this a good series Abby Collette just needs to tone Maisie all the way down in future installments. And don't overload with so many elements to the point where it gets confusing and uninteresting. 

Bookish Holiday Gift Guide Part 5

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I'm back with the final installment of my bookish holiday gift guide. And for this I'm going to try and recommend a little bit of everything. And make sure to check out parts 1-4 as well.

A Killing Fire (Crime Thriller)

Rosewater (Sci-Fi)

Ring Shout (Dark Fantasy)

Catherine House(Gothic Fiction)

The Record Keeper(Dystopian Fiction)

Chaos, Desire, and a Kick-Ass Cupcake (Amateur Sleuth) 

The Worst Best Man (Romance)

The Girl with the Hazel Eyes(Literary Fiction)

Master of Poisons (Epic Fantasy)

Nine Bar Blues (Fantasy Anthology)

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Literary Fiction Anthology)

A Tall History of Sugar (Magical Realism)

Black Bottom Saints(Historical Fiction)

Second Chance on Cypress Lane (Romance)

Murder in G Major (Cozy Mystery)

Festive Mayhem

Welcome Back Booklovers!

I'm back with a quickie review of an anthology I recently read. Anthologies are a good way to discover different authors. I usually don't go in with high expectations anymore though because I know especially if it's a mixture of authors that some stories will be hit and miss. And such was the case for Festive Mayhem where there were stories I enjoyed and stories I barely go through despite them being short. This collection is different because it includes mysteries by authors of color in a collection unlike one I've seen before. While these stories are set around the holidays most aren't heavily rooted in the holidays so if Thanksgiving and Christmas aren't your thing then you don't have to worry about being inundated with mentions. I'm not going to harp on the stories I didn't enjoy and instead focus on my favorite stories from this collection.

I had heard of most of these authors going into this collection so I had specific ones I was looking forward to reading. My favorite stories were The New Year's Hex by Carolyn Marie Wilkins, What Lies Inside by Kia Dennis, The Holiday Murder Mélange by Myra Jolivet, and These Holiday Blues by Jennifer J. Chow.  Two are cozy mysteries, one is chilling mystery, and one is cold mystery. 

Carolyn Marie Wilkins takes you back in time to the 1920s with her historical cozy about a psychic conjure woman.  Myra Jolivet's is set during Thanksgiving time with the heroine who runs a private detective agency striving to impress her Creole mother and cook the perfect dinner. Kia Dennis gives us a chilling tale about a professor whose obsession with love goes too far. And Jennifer J. Chow provides a very tragic tale about loss when a woman decides to reconnect with an ex.

All in all I think this is a good anthology to discover some new to you writers and maybe explore some types of mysteries you don't usually read. Since a few of these characters are featured in full length series I recommend checking out the other works of the authors whos stories you end up enjoying.

A Deadly Inside Scoop by Abby Collette

Welcome Back, Booklovers!

This month I was in the mood for something fun and light after a string of  blah books. And A Deadly Inside Scoop certainly peaked my interest. Old school ice cream shop complete with a soda fountain owned and operated by a black woman?  I'm not even the biggest ice cream fan but I couldn't wait to salivate over her concoctions! Caramel popcorn, ghoulish blueberry, pumpkin roll, decadent chocolate... Yum!

The story follows Browyn Crewse a late 20 something who moved from NY back to her hometown in Ohio and has taken over the family ice cream shop. She's spent months doing renovations and has had a few set backs while trying to bring the business back to it's former glory. It may be outside of peak ice cream season but Win is determined to make the place a success.  She's added vintage touches and churns all the ice cream by hand. None of that buy in bulk from Hershey's or Turkey Hill stuff.  Family and friends are determined to help her but the first day of business is super slow as snow keeps the customers away. To make matters worse Win gets the shock of her life when she comes across a dead body while trudging through the snow.

At first Browyn doesn't believe it's murder but her best friend and new coworker Maisey couldn't disagree more. These girls were real amateurs and I found that endearing. Often in these stories these women are instantly smarter detectives than the local police and it's just not believable. Maisey watches some amateur sleuth shows on TV and thinks she has the crime solved. She just knows the killer is her boss Ari who she can't stand. And while he is very shady is he actually a killer? And maybe it isn't the smartest thing to let a suspected killer know your on to him. I like how they made their own murder board like in the crime shows by using sticky notes and different colored felt tip pens. Having read another book by the author under her other name Abby L Vandivier (https://amzn.to/2RB9686) I saw some similarities between Maisey in this story and Auntie Zanne in that one. But Maisie wasn't as overbearing as Auntie Zanne could be. 

"We're not on television," I said. "There's no guarantee that we'd come back the next week's show."

Some thing I thought stood out is that the author does not shy away from mentioning that this family is one of the few black families in town. It also touched on how black folks often aren't given the benefit of the doubt when it comes to crime after the police come knocking down her door. There was also some good  commentary about circumstantial evidence and providing a crime was committed beyond a reasonable doubt.

One of the only things that annoyed me was the obligatory cute animal in the cozy, in this case a cat, was always given free range to walk around the shop. All I could think about was cat hair in the air or getting into folks ice cream whenever it was mentioned.

This was a well written, diverse mystery with a likable cast of characters worth checking out. The mystery does take it's time to start but the story keeps you entertained throughout.

*I recieved an arc from Berkeley in exchange for an honest review.

Secrets, Lies, & Crawfish Pies

Welcome Back, Booklovers!

I know during this time many of you are looking for something light-hearted to take your mind off everything going on in the world right now.

I read this one when it originally released back in 2018. I've already spoken about my love hate relationship with cozy mysteries in the past. Sometimes I crave a light-hearted mystery but I don't like reading a completely white world. And most cozy mysteries are very white. So at the time of this post the Kindle Edition of this story is 99 cents!

https://amzn.to/2RB9686

Romaine Wilder is a medical examiner as opposed to a baker, restaurant owner, or homemaker usually present in cozy mysteries.  It adds an interesting element that allows her to have a legitimate  reason to work closely with the sheriff on the case and receive key details to the case. She performs the autopsy and helps determine the victim's cause of death. Often in these stories the lead just happens to conveniently overhear details or people around town are so charmed by her they easily spill details. And when you're reading a lot of cozy mystery series in a row like I was at one point it can become a slight annoyance.

But if you want someone who goes around pushing and probing people for details her Auntie Zanne does that in her determination to solve the case and absolve her best friend of a murder charge. Auntie Zanne is that family member  you love one minute and then they grate your nerves the next. She's a New Orleans Creole Queen with a touch of Texan Southern Belle. Auntie Zanne is well known around town for being involved in just about every committee and for her business the Ball Funeral Home & Crematorium. Her occupation and natural need to be involved put her right in the middle of the drama. She tends to narrow in on one suspect and convinces herself they are the murder while trying to twist the clues to fit them. This is the opposite of Romaine who is trying not to accuse anyone without the proper facts.

My only complaint  about Auntie Zanne that sometimes her big personality and pushiness outshines Romaine as she drags her from place to place determined to solve the mystery in between planning the county's big festival. I haven't had the chance to read the rest of the series to see if that changed.

All in all it's a fun story set down south that will have you craving some sweet tea and crawfish pies.

World Storytelling Day

Happy Friday, Booklovers!


Hope those of you at home are taking the chance to get some reading in. I'm working like normal and work is busier than ever.  But I'm taking a weekend to myself to try and work through my arc(advanced reader copy) list.  It's always a treat to read these books prior to release so I strive to have them read and reviewed prior to release date. I only have 1 being released in April but so many stories are being released in May that I want to get as many read prior to May as possible.

Today being World Storytelling Day I wanted to recommend some upcoming stories. A few weeks ago I walked into Barnes and Nobles and was surprised by how many diverse books were displayed. I remember walking in about 6 years ago not being able to find a book and being told to order it online. There still aren't enough of this stories being published so it's important to continue to support these authors and show the demand is there. And remember pre-orders and library requests are important. All links included below are affiliate links through which I earn a small commission when you use them to make a purchase.


To be released on April 7th is Ghost Squad and it's the Latinx Middle Grade fantasy we all deserve. I'm very happy to hear the rights were optioned for a film. Not only is it inspired by the author's Dominican heritage but it also features to afro-latina cuties on the cover with natural hair.

Shortly before Halloween, Lucely and her best friend, Syd, cast a spell that accidentally awakens malicious spirits, wreaking havoc throughout St. Augustine. Together, they must join forces with Syd's witch grandmother, Babette, and her tubby tabby, Chunk, to fight the haunting head-on and reverse the curse to save the town and Lucely's firefly spirits before it's too late.

On May 5 is The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea which is an Asian inspired YA fantasy. The world mermaids caught my attention right away. I've been obsessed with mermaids and the ocean since I was a child.  I've been reading a lot more fantasy stories recently.

The pirate Florian, born Flora, has always done whatever it takes to survive—including sailing under false flag on the Dove as a marauder, thief, and worse. Lady Evelyn Hasegawa, a highborn Imperial daughter, is on board as well—accompanied by her own casket. But Evelyn’s one-way voyage to an arranged marriage in the Floating Islands is interrupted when the captain and crew show their true colors and enslave their wealthy passengers.

Both Florian and Evelyn have lived their lives by the rules, and whims, of others. But when they fall in love, they decide to take fate into their own hands—no matter the cost.

Catherine House releases on May 12 and after listening to a podcast interview with author Elisabeth Thomas I'm ready to dive into this. I rarely read literary suspense but this one intrigues me. Just the descirbtion alone sounds like it could've been my university since I went go college in PA surrounded by woods.

Catherine House is a school of higher learning like no other. Hidden deep in the woods of rural Pennsylvania, this crucible of reformist liberal arts study with its experimental curriculum, wildly selective admissions policy, and formidable endowment, has produced some of the world’s best minds: prize-winning authors, artists, inventors, Supreme Court justices, presidents. For those lucky few selected, tuition, room, and board are free. But acceptance comes with a price. Students are required to give the House three years—summers included—completely removed from the outside world. Family, friends, television, music, even their clothing must be left behind. In return, the school promises a future of sublime power and prestige, and that its graduates can become anything or anyone they desire.

Among this year’s incoming class is Ines Murillo, who expects to trade blurry nights of parties, cruel friends, and dangerous men for rigorous intellectual discipline—only to discover an environment of sanctioned revelry. Even the school’s enigmatic director, Viktória, encourages the students to explore, to expand their minds, to find themselves within the formidable iron gates of Catherine. For Ines, it is the closest thing to a home she’s ever had. But the House’s strange protocols soon make this refuge, with its worn velvet and weathered leather, feel increasingly like a gilded prison. And when tragedy strikes, Ines begins to suspect that the school—in all its shabby splendor, hallowed history, advanced theories, and controlled decadence—might be hiding a dangerous agenda within the secretive, tightly knit group of students selected to study its most promising and mysterious curriculum.

Also on May 12, A Deadly Inside Scoop is being released. I was getting bored with cozies because they were feeling all the same. Bland white heroine with a generic small town profession and solves murders her detective boyfriend should be solving instead. I read a series by this author before and loved the much needed flavor infused. Because sometimes I want a clean violence and sex free story but I want it to resemble the world around me.

Recent MBA grad Bronwyn Crewse has just taken over her family's ice cream shop in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and she's going back to basics. Win is renovating Crewse Creamery to restore its former glory, and filling the menu with delicious, homemade ice cream flavors—many from her grandmother’s original recipes. But unexpected construction delays mean she misses the summer season, and the shop has a literal cold opening: the day she opens her doors an early first snow descends on the village and keeps the customers away.

To make matters worse, that evening, Win finds a body in the snow, and it turns out the dead man was a grifter with an old feud with the Crewse family. Soon, Win’s father is implicated in his death. It's not easy to juggle a new-to-her business while solving a crime, but Win is determined to do it. With the help of her quirky best friends and her tight-knit family, she'll catch the ice cold killer before she has a meltdown...

May 19 brings indie debut The Goddess Twins and the words Jamaica goddess twins and London were enough to intrigue me.

It’s days before your eighteenth birthday, but your mother is missing and suddenly you have supernatural powers. What are you willing to face to discover the truth of who you really are? After years of traveling the world, black identical twins Aurora and Arden think they’ve settled into normalcy in Ohio. But days before their eighteenth birthday, the snarky twins develop powers in telekinesis and telepathy―at the same time that their famous mother, who’s on tour in London, disappears. Searching for answers and determined to rescue her, the sisters unearth truths that threaten to extinguish their bond and demolish their strength as individuals. Can they trust their beguiling, newly discovered British cousins when they barely trust one another? Should they heed the warnings of their immortal grandmother, a Patoi-chatting goddess, who says she’s friendly with The Fates and can see inside a person’s very soul? In order to succeed in their quest, these goddess twins must work together, master their powers, and unveil a horrifying, century-old family mystery. Otherwise, they may not live to see eighteen―or their mother again.

A Taste of Sage debuts May 19 and it combines two of my favorites Dominican food and contemporary romance. 

Lumi Santana is a chef with the gift of synesthesia—she can perceive a person’s emotions just by tasting their cooking. Despite being raised by a single mother who taught her that dreams and true love were silly fairy tales, she decides to take a chance and puts her heart and savings into opening a fusion restaurant in Inwood, Manhattan. The restaurant offers a mix of the Dominican cuisine she grew up with and other world cuisines that have been a source of culinary inspiration to her.

When Lumi’s eclectic venture fails, she is forced to take a position as a sous chef at a staid, traditional French restaurant in midtown owned by Julien Dax, a celebrated chef known for his acid tongue as well as his brilliant smile. Lumi and Julien don’t get along in the kitchen--to say Lumi is irritated by Julien’s smug attitude is an understatement, and she secretly vows never to taste his cooking. Little does she know that her resolve doesn’t stand a chance against Julien’s culinary prowess.

As Julien produces one delectable dish after another, each one tempting Lumi with its overwhelming aromas and gorgeous presentations, she can no longer resist and samples one of his creations. She isn’t prepared for the feelings that follow as she’s overcome with intense emotions. She begins to crave his cooking throughout the day, which throws a curveball in her plan to save up enough money and move on as soon as possible. Plus, there’s also the matter of Esme, Julien’s receptionist who seems to always be near and watching. As the attraction between Lumi and Julien simmers, Lumi experiences a tragedy that not only complicates her professional plans, but her love life as well...

May 26 brings me another contemporary romance in the form of A Recipe for Persuasion. I can already taste the spicy Indian foods. I will be happily reading this story with some Indian takeout and a mango lassi.

Chef Ashna Raje desperately needs a new strategy. How else can she save her beloved restaurant and prove to her estranged, overachieving mother that she isn’t a complete screw up? When she’s asked to join the cast of Cooking with the Stars, the latest hit reality show teaming chefs with celebrities, it seems like just the leap of faith she needs to put her restaurant back on the map. She’s a chef, what’s the worst that could happen? 

Rico Silva, that’s what.  

Being paired with a celebrity who was her first love, the man who ghosted her at the worst possible time in her life, only proves what Ashna has always believed: leaps of faith are a recipe for disaster. 

FIFA winning soccer star Rico Silva isn't too happy to be paired up with Ashna either. Losing Ashna years ago almost destroyed him. The only silver lining to this bizarre situation is that he can finally prove to Ashna that he's definitely over her. 

But when their catastrophic first meeting goes viral, social media becomes obsessed with their chemistry. The competition on the show is fierce…and so is the simmering desire between Ashna and Rico.  Every minute they spend together rekindles feelings that pull them toward their disastrous past. Will letting go again be another recipe for heartbreak—or a recipe for persuasion…? 

I'm a sucker for a good cover and this one is gorgeous! And the author is from Sierra Leone like quite a few people near and dear to me and I'm interested in seeing how to culture is intertwined in this tale.

Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.

But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity–and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.

Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki–near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire's greatest threat.

Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she's ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be–not even Deka herself.