Key Lime Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke

Key Lime Pie Murder

Author: Joanne Fluke
Publisher: Kensington Books
Year: 2007
Genre: Mystery
Age: Adult 18+
Page Count: 342

Audio Reader: Suzanne Toren
Audio Publisher: Recorded Books
Audio Year: 2011
Audio Length: 10 hours

Rating:

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Deep Fried Candy Bar....that's all I have to say about this book. JUST KIDDING! But OMG just think about that for a second...sounds delicious! Hannah is going to the fair in this ninth installment of the Hannah Swensen mystery series.

I was happy to find that the reader was the same in this book as in the others. I was also pretty pleased that I decided to get back into this series. I think there is a very good possibility that I could catch upon it this year if I keep going at my regular pace of 2 of these books per month. I download these audiobooks through my local library, we use Cloud Library & RB Digital. I also have a library card in an area that uses Over Drive so I get lots of options. One of the main reasons why I prefer the digital audiobooks as opposed to regular CD's is that you can adjust the speed of the reader. I listen to most of my books at 1.5x speed. This series in particular is V E R Y S L O W at regular 1x speed, like scary slow so they go faster since I have the speed tuned up. Overall I enjoy listening to these books but I also keep the actual book or ebook with me too because there are times I can't listen or it isn't convenient. Most of the time I get the ebook because it's easier for me to save the recipes that way. This time I saved the recipes from the ebook & when I was at work one day & had some extra time during my lunch I picked up the actual print book. I never realized how short the chapters are, I guess it's harder to tell when you read an ebook. I can read faster than the audiobook can read to me so I made quick work of this book. I still think I'm gonna continue with the audiobooks as well though because they aren't that long in comparison & I enjoy the reader.

I really liked the recipes included in this book, there was only 1 or 2 that I don't think I'd use. I'll include one down below.

As per usual Hannah is having drama with Mike & Norman, her 2 potential suitors in Lake Eden. I thought that Ross might have been out of the picture since the last book but she briefly talked about him in the end. Apparently they talk on the phone & he sends her gifts weekly to keep the fire going between them. I'm still confused as to why 3 grown men would fight over one girl & they all know about eachother. Mike & Norman have finally seemed to agree that they are gonna have to share but Norman is laying it on pretty thick in this book! There is 9 books until Hannah says I DO. I know who she picks but I'm still confused about it so I have to keep going to find out, right?

I had my suspicions about who the killer was in this book but they kinda psyche you out right at the end! In typical Hannah style she gets stuck in a dangerous situation with the killer & has to be saved by Norman & Mike. I think she might do it on purpose so she can get some excitement & they have to work together. I'd like to see Hannah really fight back at some point, we'll see what happens next.

I already have the next book but I'm going to catch up on a few other books before I dig into that one.

April 2019 TBR

Confession...I thought I published this but...things have been so busy that I never did LOL so it's April 20th & I am just now putting this up, sorry! I was originally going to try & read 10 books but since the month is almost over & I've only managed to read one I'm just gonna roll with it. I don't have 10 books listed because I eliminated some since originally writing this. At this point if I can get through 2 books I'll be lucky so we'll see what happens. I've been trying to make a more conscious effort to read or listen to a book whenever possible. I've added some updates to this list as well.
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So since looking at my Goodreads challenge & discovering that I am 10 books behind schedule for my goal of 100 I need to get a grip & step up my game! So goal for April...10 books to catch up! Wish me luck! Naturally I have way too many book checked out so I have lots of choices but also some that I have to read, like the book club book.

Property of the Rebel Librarian by Allison Varnes
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38146186-property-of-the-rebel-librarian?ac=1&from_search=true

 A few of my friends have recommended this book so I'm taking a crack at it.

 Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9418.Shopaholic_Takes_Manhattan?ac=1&from_search=true

I started listening to this book on audio, I really enjoy her audio readers but someone had a hold on it & I didn't finish it so I'll finish it in book form since I have them all.

Key Lime Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33436.Key_Lime_Pie_Murder

I'm gonna try & get back into this series this month...if I have time...we'll see.  Update: I just finished this book & I'm glad I kept going with the series.

Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33724.Can_You_Keep_a_Secret_?ac=1&from_search=true

So I put this book on hold like 3 months ago & I finally got it but I had too many books so I didn't get to listen to it. I'm thinking of using my audible credit but I'm not sure, well see what happens. Update: I had to return the book because someone else had a hold on it but they are done & I have it again...determined to get to it this time!

The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28449257-the-wonder?from_search=true

 One of my friends recommended this book & I got it but it's also available on audio so we'll see. 

Chocolat by Joanne Harris
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/321574.Chocolat

 This is our Cook the Books pick for April. After I read it I'm gonna watch the movie. Update: I'm reading it now...the meeting is Monday...my timing sucks...again LOL aren't you surprised. It's not awful but I'm not super into it either, we'll see.

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10874177-etiquette-espionage?ac=1&from_search=true

 A patron recommended this book to me, I'd really like to try & get to it.

The Thief by Megan Turner
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/448873.The_Thief?ac=1&from_search=true

The same patron that recommended the above book also recommended this one, I'm waiting for it to come in. Update: I have this book now, it's due in like a week...maybe more...I need to read fast.

March 2019 Wrap-Up

I'm sure you are all tired of hearing this but...I didn't finish all the books I anted to this month & I keep checking out more! I've come to the conclusion that it's just the way I am & I should embrace it if possible instead of beating myself up over it. I read more that the average person I think & sometimes I read less & other times I fly through 10 books a month. Have I ever actually read 10 books in 1 month? I'm gonna go & look into that after this LOL. This past month I read 5 books, one of which I'm going to finish today on the last day of March. P.S. I also discovered that this is my 253 blog post!!!!!! That's amazing! I'm still not sure who is reading these but if you are please comment down below, say hi, & let me know someone out there is reading.  I also looked at my Goodreads page to get the link for this post & according to my goal for my reading challenge this year I'm 10 books behind schedule.....AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! SEND HELP!

I Owe You One By Sophie Kinsella
 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40702156-i-owe-you-one?ac=1&from_search=true
My review is here.
This is one of my favorites from her! It's also the first bestseller I've read from her right away.  

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9416.Confessions_of_a_Shopaholic?ac=1&from_search=true
My review is here.
I finally read this book & I was not disappointed! I'm excited to continue this series.

Charms & Chocolate Chips by Bailey Cates
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16000243-charms-and-chocolate-chips?ac=1&from_search=true
My review is here.
This was our Cook the Books pick for March.

Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33437.Cherry_Cheesecake_Murder?ac=1&from_search=true
My review is here.
I think I'm gonna try & get back into this series this month, I kinda miss it funny enough.

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/345627.Vampire_Academy?ac=1&from_search=true
I kinda cheated a little & I'm ALMOST done with this one. Look for a review soon! I am doing a reread of this series so I can read Bloodlines next.

I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella

I Owe You One

Author: Sophie Kinsella
Publisher: The Dial Press
Year: 2019
Genre: Chick Lit
Age: Adults 18+
Page Count: 435

Audio Publisher: Books on Tape
Audio Year: 2019
Audio Reader: Fiona Hardingham
Audio Length: 12 hours & 23 minutes

Rating:

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I got this book on audio & in book form, my MO as of late. Our digital audiobook provider recently increased the length of time you can have audiobooks & it's helped me a lot. That being said I'd like to increase how fast I read books/listen to them.

I was dying laughing about 30 seconds into starting this book! Then I laughed throughout the entire thing, I think this was her funniest book yet. I would lay in bed at night & listen to it & start laughing instead of keeping my eyes closed, trying to sleep. This book also had a serious side that I think made the story very believable. Her books typically have the main character facing a difficult problem that she either ran away from, or develops throughout the story, this one was a little different though. This family & espically our main character Fixie have been through SOOOOO much & they just keep getting hit with things, luckily Fixie is there to help save the day.

P.S. Fixie Farr...what a perfect name! I really like names that start with the same letters, much like my own, I think they have a certain ring to them. The men in this book were very over the top! First there's Ryan, Fixie's high school crush come back into her life for the better...maybe? Then there's Seb, he's handsome, successful, & down to earth...but he's in a relationship with an awful mean girl! Of course if you've read any of this author's previous books you know what will happen in the end & that makes all the ups & downs of the relationships worth it.

This book was also very "modern", I use that term loosely because most of her other books that I've read have been older & so they each had their own unique stuff going on & happening that went with the time it was written. This is the first time I've read one of her books right after it came out. So in comparison this author keeps up with the times & whats in, etc. For example in this book Fixie's sister is going through a bit of a crisis in her life, but it's actually pretty funny. Nicole's husband is in the UAE for work so she's freaking out about not seeing him. This makes her want to do yoga with all her friends, take weird pictures of herself for Instagram, & buy those kitchy hipster home decorations like the pillows with sayings, & she can't do anything for herself. She also goes on & on about the meaning of life & what her spirit animal is, & everyone around her has to be mellow & chill & do what she says. We all know someone like this! This story has a little twist though by using an age old concept of an IOU to bring together 2 people that may not have met otherwise.

Overall this is a great, funny, inspiring, warm, & charming book that is perfect for chick lit lovers. I can't wait to read more from this author! My goal is to read all her books. I've read 6 so far & loved them all, highly recommend!

Charms & Chocolate Chips by Bailey Cates

Charms & Chocolate Chips

Author: Bailey Cates
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Year: 2013
Genre: Mystery
Age: Adult 18+
Page Count: 227

Rating:

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This is the third book in the Magical Baking Mysteries series! Our main character is Katie Lightfoot & she has recently discovered that she is a witch. She's a hedge witch to be exact which means she uses nature & plants to get her power. In the last book she found out from someone else that she is also a catalyst for light magic. This new level to her witchery comes in handy, but can also be a problem as we discover in this book.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as the others but I'm not so turned off that I don't want to continue the series. The main reason I didn't like certain parts of the book as much is because I feel it was a little confused & rushed, especially in the big magical moments. Overall though Katie's relationship with her boyfriend seems to grow & we also get to meet her mother which was a surprise since they don't get along very well. We also get to see some interesting new animals in the form of familiars that belong to some of Katie's coven members, as well as a big scary two-headed snake in the swamp!

The recipes included in this book sound good but I wish there was more of them, she always just includes 2!

We read this book for our monthly book club called Cook the Books. Half of the ladies had like me read the first 2 books in addition to this one & the others had only read this one. Overall everyone enjoyed it but we were left slightly confused by what happened & are hoping for more info in the next book(s).

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Author: Sophie Kinsella
Publisher: Bantam Dell (Random House)
Year: 2001
Genre: Chick Lit
Age: Adult 18+
Page Count: 312 pages
Audio Publisher: Recorded Books
Audio Year: 2018
Audio Reader: Emily Gray
Audio Length: 11 hours & 43 minutes

Rating:

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This is the first book in the Confessions of a Shopaholic series. I have read many books by this author, she is one of my favorites. This was her first novel & I can see now how people got hooked right away. Her books are always funny & full of character, this one was no different. I have all the books in this series & I plan to read them all, hopefully this year. This one in particular is apart of a special book club addition that has the first 3 books all in one.

 I saw this movie years ago & I'm gonna try & find it at the library so I can do a little comparison. Overall I'd say that this would be a great book to start with if you've never read anything by this author. I listened to it on audio too & the reader was very good. She has an accent so if you don't like that or it is hard to follow someone with an accent just keep that in mind. I listened mostly at night before bed & I would be laughing out loud sometimes because of some of the stuff Rebecca, our main character, says.

There isn't as much romance in this book as with her others I think. It's definitely there but it's not the main focus of the story. I think if I ever got a credit card this would be the story of my life. I'm kinda surprised that Rebecca doesn't get into more trouble than she does. Her credit cards don't get turned off until 6 months & about $4000 in debt get wracked up. She also never gets sent to collection or anything. Maybe things are different in the UK but I'm happy she got it together in the end...for now LOL!

Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke

Cherry Cheesecake Murder

Author: Joanne Fluke
Publisher: Kensington Books
Year: 2006
Genre: Mystery
Age: Adult 18+
Page Count: 288
Audio Publisher: Recorded Books
Audio Length: 10 hrs & 31 mins
Audio Reader: Suzanne Toren

Rating:

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This is book #8 in the Hannah Swensen series. This series is still on going, the newest book was just released this last month.

I think for now I'm going to take a break from listening to these books just to get some other stuff listened to. This one in particular was a little annoying. At the end of the last book Mike & Norman both proposed to Hannah almost at the same time! Then she turns them both down & ends up dating/flirting/kissing one of her friends from college that makes an appearance in this book. But throughout the entire book she's going between all the men. I feel like they even know that she is basically using them all but they don't do anything about it.

The other thing that was interesting about this book is that the murder didn't even happen until chapter 20! There is only 33 chapters in the book. There also wasn't a 2nd murder but there was a body, different twist. Overall I like the series I'm just a little bit annoyed at how it's going in the last 2 books. I'll come back to them next month after I catch up on some of my other reading.

There was a lot of recipes in this book! About a dozen total, the one I'm going to include seems good but easy. I'm also pleased that we have had the sme reader for the audio throughout the series so far, I hope that continues.