What I'm Reading--

I have been a busy bee when it comes to turning pages lately, and I haven't stopped to write a review on a single one of them. I will try to catch up :] Have a great weekend. I am planning on spending most the weekend reading and baking so, beware for the pictures. They will make your tummy rumble.

The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley


Review:
11-year-old sleuth, Flavia de Luce, returns to find her self laying in a graveyard wondering what it would be like to be dead and if her family would miss her dearly. Flavia is brought back to reality when she hears crying across the yard. She meets Nialla, an assistant to the puppeteer Rupert Porson, who Flavia immediately warms to. Since the two are stranded in Bishop's Lacey they agree to put on a show for the village in three days time. But when Rupert Porson is sizzled and falls like the Great Big Giant, Flavia finds herself once again tangled in two mysteries. However, the mystery from the past still clouds the village of Bishop's Lacey. Flavia and her only friend, Gladys (her trusty bicycle) will have to go all the way to Gibbet Wood to be able to piece together these two crimes.  Add an obsessed German, a Mad Woman, and a Crazy Aunt and you have a great book from end to end. 


I am becoming a huge fan of the Flavia de Luce mysteries. Not only is she an 11-year-old genius, but she also tries to find different and clever ways to trick her sisters. I enjoyed this book almost more than the first because the reader is able to get a better understanding of each character, both minor and major. However, the reader is aware that a crime is going to be committed but it does not happen until the first quarter of the book is complete. I was anticipating the entire quarter waiting for something to happen. That is the only bad thing I have to say about the second book in this series. I have already placed a hold on the third, Red Herring Without Mustard at the library to read this weekend. Review to come :]

After I completed The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag, I decided to get caught up on the Booktown Mysteries by Lorna Barrett. Book number five of Booktown Mysteries:

Sentenced to Death by Lorna Barrett

Review: 
Back in Stoneham, New Hampshire things are trying to return back to normal. Bob Kelly has put aside a weekend for the village to celebrate Founder's Day. The Bookstores have been putting Stoneham on the map but Bob wants more publicity and more tourists because that will bring more profit. But when the plane carrying the Founder's Day banner comes crashing down on Deborah Black giving the welcome speech, Stoneham is back on the map but not for a good reason. Tricia Miles the owner of Haven't Got A Clue, also referred to as the town jinx, witnessed the horrible event. And when Deborah's husband sells her bookstore, Happy Domestic, within hours of her death Tricia finds herself questioning the act. Was it really an accident? Tricia will find herself reading between the lines of more clues than just the ones in the novels in her store. As long as she does not find herself in the cross hairs before another crime is committed. 

This series is still one of my favorites in the cozy mystery genre. Tricia is not nearly as perfect as she has been in the previous books. She is finding herself questioning everything around her. Does she trust people to easily or does she never allow herself to fully trust the people around her? Her love life is a mess, and maybe that is because she has never allowed herself to let go of Christopher he ex-husband. Just I side note. I DO NOT trust Ginny's boyfriend, Antonio. I am very happy for this new step in Ginny's life because she is one of my favorite minor characters but I have a feeling there will be more to her story line in the next few books. Now we have to wait for Murder on the Half Shelf to be published..... Hurry up!
                                                           

Chapter and Hearse by Lorna Barrett

In this Booktown Mystery, Tricia Miles finds herself blown away when the shop History Repeats Itself explodes and Angelica's boyfriend is rushed to the hospital. Sadly, the owner did not make it out alive. Although Bob walked away with a few injuries, he refuses to say anything about the night in question. Since Angelica is off promoting her her cookbook, Tricia has to try to keep an eye on everything for Angelica, including her tight-lipped boyfriend. But Bob wants nothing to do with anyone, especially Tricia. Is he to blame for the explosion?? In this addition to the Booktown Mystery, Tricia is more believable character to me as a reader. In the past books of the series, Tricia always seemed so perfect. At least in this book the reader is able to understand her romantic side a little better, especially when Christopher keeps coming up. Can Tricia ever move on?? I mean she now has a stalker and a 'good-hearted' man wanting some of her attention. I enjoyed this book the most so far and that is why I am giving it a full 5 stars. I loved learning more about Ginny. I understand Tricia wants to be the best boss in the world, but sometimes her generosity is so unbelievable. Maybe I do not believe it because I have never known ANYONE to be that generous. This is a great casual whodunit for anyone wanted to relax and enjoy some murder :] I am looking forward to the next in the series and seeing more of a character transformation for Tricia

Bookplate Speical by Lorna Barrett

In this additon to the Booktown Mystery series by Lorna Barrett, Tricia Miles once again finds herself facing another corpse. However, in this installment the corpse it hitting close to home because it is her college roommate, Pammy Fredericks. Not only did Tricia get fed up with Pammy's way of living but Pammy stole from her which was the last straw. Tricia will have to get dirty to try to understand her "sort of" friend. I really enjoy this series. However, I am not a huge fan of the protagonist, Tricia Miles and the more I learn about her the more I have no connection to her character. She is thin and good looking. She went to a Ivy League college. She got divorced but the fact that her ex-husband just wanted to live freely does not seem to bug her. She even finds time to work out and she doesn't like sweets. Really, this character is almost to perfect at times. I can not relate to this character at all. In her relationship with Russ I never felt a connection between the two characters which could be the reason the break-up had no significance. Although, I am not a huge fan of Tricia all of the supporting characters I absolutely adore and that is they are the reason I love this series. In this book the reader gets to enjoy a speical day with Grace Harris and Mr. Everett which is just lovely. I enjoyed learning more about Ginny. She is probaly my favority character. She is straight-forward and a hard worker. She has goals but it struggling in her current situations and she appreciates everything Tricia does for her. I am looking forward to hearing more about her future in the upcoming book/s. I am hoping in Chapter and Hearse I will begin to feel a connection to Tricia, but with or without a connection I will continue to read the Booktown Mysteries and I would recommend them to anyone who enjoys a cozy-mystery

Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett

This is a great cozy mystery series. I love the characters. The characters in this series are probably one of my favorites. Tricia Miles has a beaten path concerning love but she is perfectly happy with her new life in Stoneham, New Hampshire until her neighbor is found dead. Tricia's sister, Angelica, seemed to annoy me at first but her character grew on me the more she expressed her passion about food. I am looking forward to the future books to see what Lorna Barrett does with Angelica's character transformation. The other character I enjoyed is Grace Harris. I hope to see her character in the future. Maybe even fall in love with Mr. Everett? Haha. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys cozy mystery or a casual whodunit.