Cozy Reader

I never get tired of Agatha's adventures!

Revisado: 10-16-15

I'm a huge fan of Agatha's [mis]adventures and I enjoyed watching Agatha try to untangle another mystery. This time it is the death of a therapist, one who seemed to be out to dig up the dirt on Agatha! What follows was many more murders and Agatha trying to find the real killer!

James was somewhat absent from this adventure and for that I'm glad. I much prefer Charles and Agatha pairing up to solve the crimes!! In my heart of hearts I'm still hoping that Charles and Agatha will end up together.

While I much prefer Penelope Keith to narrate I did slowly get used to Alison Larkin narrating. To me Penelope will always be the voice of "Agatha" but Alison has become a second choice. I do hold up the hope that one day Penelope will go back to narrating these books.

I enjoyed this latest installment and I know it will be a slow 11 months as I eagerly anticipate the next book.

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Another Stellar Agatha Raisin Mystery!

Revisado: 08-18-15

I'm on another Agatha Raisin binge! There is only a few of the Agatha Raisin stories that I haven't read/listened to and I'm eagerly awaiting the new mystery, Dishing the Dirt, in September. So while I wait I'm catching up on the ones I haven't listened to.

I love that Agatha doesn't see the good in everyone! She's so cynical and she's certain that Mabel Smedley isn't as perfect as she first seems. It's a refreshing take compared to Mrs Bloxby, who appears to see the good in everyone. I certainly think I'm more like Agatha Raisin, and being very skeptical myself.

The mystery was interesting. By halfway in the story the murders were stacking up and it was clear that they had to be somehow linked, but it was hard to see how.

M.C. Beaton always weaves a interesting story, with several side stories, and this one was no different. I liked how she is making Agatha age slowly, with Agatha experiencing some pains in her hips. She develops all her characters at a natural pace and I find that very refreshing.

The Agatha Raisin mysteries remain one of my favorites and I prefer to listen to the audiobooks. Penelope Keith will always be the voice of Agatha for me, and I'm looking to her narrate a few more yet.

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Where It All Began!

Revisado: 08-11-15

I've been reading the Agatha Raisin mysteries for the last few years and I've loved every one of them. Agatha is big on spirit and determination and regardless of your age she sure is a great model for the strong, confident woman with a "can-do" attitude! When I heard M.C. Beaton was writing a story about her first case, I was excited. I wanted to know what Agatha was like in her 20s!

In this story we get to meet Agatha when she is 26. She is just starting out at a ad agency as a general "dogsbody" and has quite made it yet. She gets thrust in the middle of a murder case, and alike to her cases later on, she bumbles around and gets everything right. She's hesitant to begin with, but her strong passion to make something of herself shines through and she starts to show the Agatha Raisin spirit that we all love!

Agatha Raisin is my all time favorite sleuth and I simply loved her first story. I'm hoping maybe one day M.C. Beaton will write more stories of her younger days, as this one was a delight.

If you're a new fan to the Agatha Raisin mysteries this would be the perfect place to start.

I enjoyed Alison Larkin's narration. Penelope Keith is my all-time favorite narrator of this series but Alison's narration was quite good too.

Definitely a A+ listen and I can't wait for the new book, Dishing the Dirt!

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Just as enjoyable on audio!

Revisado: 06-08-15

This review contains spoilers. This is a re-read for me. First time on audiobook, but I read the paperback many years ago.

Many, many years ago (I’m talking 10+) I was a chicklit reader. I devoured Jane Green, Marian Keyes, Cathy Kelly… even Danielle Steel! This doesn’t quite match up with the reader I am now. Somewhere along the way I ditched chicklit and started reading science fiction. I discovered Dune and Never went back. With my life currently experiencing some very big ups and downs I’ve felt the need to go back to my reading roots, so I picked up Anybody Out There? on audio.

I liked this book the first time I read it and I still enjoyed it the second time. It has been over 10 years since I read, so I did remember the basic storyline, but there will little bits I had forgotten. I enjoyed the re-read a lot!

What I like most about this series is two things. One, you can read out of order and it’s okay. Each story follows one of the Walsh girls. Two, the family. There is something wonderful about a close family, that still has its ups and downs, and Marian Keyes portrayed the closeness of this family very well in each book.

I liked this re-read. I found the ending a bit disappointing and yet at the same time realistic. Anna doesn’t quite end up with “someone” in her life, but the hint of someone. She gets her life back on track following the death of her husband, and I find this very realistic. Yet the romantic in me was kind of hoping for someone for her.

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Murder & Mayhem in a Winery!

Revisado: 03-18-15

It's time for another visit to my favorite tea shop in the fictional world... the Indigo Tea Shop. In Theodosia's latest adventure she is spending some time away from the tea shop, at a wine tasting. A local winery, Knighthall Winery, is owned by Jordan Knight, a friend of Drayton Conneley, Theodosia's co-worker and fellow tea expert. When disaster strikes on the night of the tasting, with Jordan's son being killed in a most gruesome way, Drayton and Jordan beg Theodosia to step in and find a killer. With a Downtown Abbey Tea to plan, a tea shop to run and catch a killer, Drayton and Theodosia find themselves very busy!! Will they be too busy to catch a killer before he/she strikes again?

I am absolutely head over heels smitten with the Indigo Tea Shop and Drayton and Theodosia. Laura Childs writes engaging, compelling mysteries, but it's her characters that make her stand out above the crowd. I love how Drayton and Theodosia fit together as friends and co-workers. There is not a love angle between them, they are great friends and they fit together. Drayton can be quite stuffy and Theodosia is more fun, and they make a great pair to solve a crime!

The actual mystery was very intriguing. It starts with quite a gruesome killing, with Drew Knight being found dead in a barrel of wine!! The path to find the murderer is a tangled web of local and even international intrigue, that leaves Drayton and Theodosia running about town to solve it before the killer strikes again! I was kept on my toes, willing the audiobook to read faster and faster, so I could find out what happens!!

I listened to Steeped in Evil as an audiobook and I have to say that Barbara McCulloch has won me over on listening to future installments as audios. This is my second audiobook in the series and I really enjoy her narration. She builds on the characters that Laura Childs has created, and it's a joy to listen on audio. I listened with a cup of tea at my side, and knitting needles clicking away, and I had a fabulous time enjoying the latest Tea Shop Mystery.

The Tea Shop Mysteries are interesting and timeless mysteries.If you haven't picked this series up yet, I highly recommend giving them a read or a listen.

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This series keeps getting better & better!

Revisado: 03-17-15

Devereaux “Dev” Sinclair's Dime Store is taking part in a cupcake contest to end all cupcake contests. Kizzy Cutler is the famous Cupcake Queen, and she's returning home to be a part of the contest, and award the grand prize. Not everyone is happy to see Kizzy Cutler though. When her assistant is killed, and attempts are made on Kizzy's life, it is clear that someone wants the Cupcake Queen dead. With Noah and Jake out of town, Dev and friends, along with the help of the sexy new fire chief, Coop, get on the case to find out who is trying to kill Kizzy.\

I have to say Denise Swanson sure knows how to pack a punch with her cozy mysteries. With 21 cozy mysteries published between her two series, she certainly has the experience and this shows in her latest offering, Dying for a Cupcake.

It's a action-packed time for Dev, as she helps with the Cupcake Contest. This isn't the taste-testing, which surely Dev would prefer, but keeping her Dime Store running, keeping Kizzy under control with her infamous short-temper, and more importantly, keeping Kizzy alive! From High School Queen to Cupcake Queen, Kizzy has a natural ability at annoying people, and it turns out she's annoyed one person so much that they want her dead.

Noah and Jake are both absent in this story, with Noah providing medical aid overseas and Jake on the trail of the man who kidnapped his ex-wife, leaving Dev alone to sort through this mess. She's more than capable... after all she's solved three other cases!! However, we have a newcomer on board in the form of the new fire chief, Coop. Sexy as all get up, Coop isn't shy to show his interest for Dev, and I think it will be interesting to see how that storyline plays out in future books.

What I enjoy the most about Denise Swanson's books is she provides a fun adventure, with adorable and obnoxious characters alike, but she touches on some real issues as well. In Dying for a Cupcake, she touches on the tender subject of bullying and does it in a way that is subtle but to the point. I always turn the final page of her books, feeling like I've had satisfied of a great read and a great adventure.

Whether it's a visit to Scumble River or to Shadow Bend, you can't go wrong with a mystery by Denise Swanson.

I listened to Dying for a Cupcake on audio, and I loved it. I whiled my weekend away knitting, while I soaked up to atmosphere in Shadow Bend, and it was a fantastic listen. I've listened to all four books on audio, and I love Maia Guest's narration. For me, she is the voice of the inhabitants of Shadow Bend, and I'm hoping she will continue to narrate the books in this series.

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Enjoyable First in a New Series!

Revisado: 03-10-15

Readers get ready to be transported to a magical estate where readers will get to immerse themselves in their love of books. This is exactly what readers have in store for them when they visit Storyton Hall. In her newest series Ellery Adams is transporting readers to a holiday estate, where visitors get to spend their days reading books in various themed rooms, or walking on the beautiful grounds. When resort manager, Jane Stewart, hosts a themed week "Murder and Mayhem Week" she doesn't realize Storyton Hall will be the scene for an actual murder, as someone is intent on recovering a book at all costs!

Amongst all the genres I love mysteries the most. There is such a great variety for readers, from the classics of Agatha Christie to the modern cozy mystery. Murder in the Mystery Suite is a celebration of the mystery genre. From the reading rooms named after authors, to the murder, which centers around a lost manuscript from a great mystery author. Every page delighted in me, as I felt fully immersed in the mystery, and enjoyed the delightful name dropping of all the authors mentioned.

I loved all the characters at Storyton Hall, and those in the town as well. There is more than meets the eye to Jane Stewart, and her delightful twins, as well as her Aunt and Uncle. They kept me on my toes and I wasn't able to guess who the murderer was, or other surprises along the way.

Alike to her other mysteries, Ellery Adams has subtly weaved magic within the pages, and left readers absolutely mesmerized with this new series. While not of the paranormal kind, it is the kind of magic that leaves readers absolutely hooked on each series, and this is one that I won't be forgetting in a hurry. I absolutely can't wait to see what Ellery Adams has in store for Jane Stewart in the next story.

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Delightful!

Revisado: 02-04-15

Cabin Pressure is a radio play set aboard a chartered plane and it's simply delightful. I admit I did first get this one because of Benedict Cumberbatch, but as I listened I found myself really enjoying what each of the actors brings to this hilarious play.

It was side-splitting funny as you listen and watch while they get themselves into messes and have to figure out how to get themselves out.

I listened to this one at work and I had to pause several times to catch my breathe because I was laughing too hard.

If you like british comedy I highly recommend this one.

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Discworld is as great in audio as it is in print!

Revisado: 01-06-15

I'm a big fan of the Discworld series and I've been reading them for over 15 years. I decided to start re-reading this series late last year, by experiencing it in audio format for the first time. Equal Rites is the second book I've listened on audio and I have to say I'm really enjoying the listening experience.

As I have read (and re-read and re-read) this story many times I will concentrate on my thoughts on the audiobook. Celia Imrie does a great job of portraying the voices. The witches are some of my favorite characters in the Discworld series. In Equal Rites we get to meet Esk, who is to become the first female wizard (or so she hopes) and the brusque but lovable witch, Granny Weatherwax. They travel to Ankh Morpork to enrol Esk in the Unseen University.

I loved hearing their journey and listening to the various voices Celia Imrie uses to portray the eclectic characters on the Disc. It was a fun experience and I'm thrilled to see that she narrates Wyrd Sisters, another Discworld story containing the witches.

Equal Rites was a great re-read. I never get sick of this series and I'm looking forward to experiencing them all again this year.

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Ocean's Eleven Meets Star Wars

Revisado: 01-03-15

I'm a "new" Star Wars fan that still prefers Episodes IV, V & VI to the prequels. I remember seeing Star Wars as a kid but it wasn't until I was an adult that I re-discovered it, along with a love of science fiction.

I liked the look of this one, especially since Han Solo and Chewbacca are two of my favorite characters in the original movies. Scoundrels is set after A New Hope and before Empire Strikes Back. Han has survived the adventure of blowing up the Death Star and still on the run from Jabba the Hutt. When he is asks to take part in a great scheme, that will result in a lot of treasure. He puts together a eclectic team to help him, including his friend, Lando.

As with any adventure a lot goes wrong, and it was interesting to see how it unfolded. It was like the heist to end all heists and it reminded me of a science fiction version of Oceans Eleven, with a unbelievable twist at the end.

This is the first Star Wars book I've listened to. I previously read other Star Wars books and I really liked the narration. Marc Thompson does a great job, and at times I found it hard to believe that it wasn't Harrison Ford speaking as Han Solo.

This was a great audiobook for me to dip my toe into Star Wars on audio and I will definitely be back for more.

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