Middle Grade Review: Crumble

Emily and her aunt Gina have a special gift. They can bake magical treats, which make people feel better. The one rule - you can't bake when you're feeling bad.

Which Emily does after her Aunt dies. She's drowning in grief. Baking helps her feel better. But the outcome is bad: the bake is terrible but people can't stop eating...

My Thoughts: I really liked this graphic novel. Of course, I loved baking and the magical elements. That would be such a cool bakery to frequent. I felt terrible about Emily losing her Aunt. The bakery clearly struggles; Emily's mom runs the business part of the bakery. I bake when I'm stressed, so I understand how Emily can't stop baking even though it's not helping. Grief is a tricky emotion to handle - but I felt bad for Emily that her mother wasn't able to help her. Her mother was barely able to help herself. 

Cover Thoughts: Funny

Source: My Library

Why I read it: I love baking

Library Recommendation: A Great Graphic novel about grief and dealing with your feelings

Hand this book to: bakers and for those who like books about ALL the feels.

Review: Bulletproof Barista

 

* Book 20 in the Coffeehouse Mystery series *

Claire Cosi is excited that her coffeehouse will host a smash TV hit, Only Murders in Gotham. The show will use their coffeehouse on location - and their baristas will have background acting jobs. When a man collapses on the sidewalk, Claire learns it's not the first accident on the set. 

But the star actor doesn't want to talk about it. He sweeps everything under the rug and labels it an accident. Claire isn't so easily swayed. She's got her eyes and ears open. With so much going on, she's not about to let anything happen to her staff. 

My Thoughts: This is one of the longest series I've been reading. I love the foodie bits - all that talk about pastries and coffees make me crave a hot chocolate and goodie. I would love to hang out at this coffeeshop in real life - but maybe not with all the bodies. I loved the TV show scenes in this book. I loved learning more about the production of show. This show sounds a lot of like Only Murders in the Building. I'm already looking forward to the next book.

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A highly recommended series for your public library's collection. 

Review: Muffin But the Truth

 

* Book 16 in the Bakeshop Mystery series * 

Juliet and her team are catering a company retreat. Even before they arrives, Jules wishes she hadn't taken the job. They're looking for glamorous camping food. When the executive arrives, she's not pleased. But the menu is set and there's not much that can be done to change it. 

The first dinner at Torte is tense; the executive has made it very clear that this trip isn't a retreat but a working weekend. Tensions run high among the co-workers. Jules is not looking forward to the rest of the weekend.

Things get worse as the weekend continues. Accidents happen, but the first night seems to work. But the next morning, Jules discovers a body in the river. At first glance, it looks like the executive, but it is not her. Could it be a case of mistaken identity? 

My Thoughts: I really love this series - for the characters, the baked good, and the mystery. I had this one all wrong - I like how mysteries still surprise me. I liked how the setting was set in town, but also not.  The people at the company were all terrible, which made for an entertaining read. And this cozy sets everything up for the next book in the series. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A must have series for your public library.

Review: Lasagna Means I Love You

                       

Mo's grandmother died, leaving her in the care of her uncle. But her uncle never agreed to take Mo and he has his own military career to consider. Mo becomes a ward of the state. 

At the social worker's office, Mo discovers a family cookbook. She loves the idea of passing down recipes, stories, and traditions. She doesn't have anything from her grandmother, MO had to pack everything in one suitcase. 

At the first place, Mo doesn't get along with the other kids, but the second one has promise. Mo decides to start up a blog, asking people for family recipes and stories to share. She tries cooking some of the recipes and discovers she enjoys it. But how can she have a family recipe of her own when she doesn't have a family?

My Thoughts: This was an excellent story - it tugged at my heartstrings. I loved it for so many reasons:

Recipes

Traditions

Stories

Blogging

Friendship

Foster Families (we need more of these stories)

Found Family

Finding Yourself

Cover Thoughts: Adorable

Source: My Library

Library Recommendations: A must have book for your school and public library collection!

Cozy Review: Strawberried Alive

 

* Book 14 in the Cupcake Bakery series * 

Mel and company are back! Things are rosy until someone shoots at Mel outside the bakery. She is unharmed and Oz scares the shooter away. But he doesn't get a description. 

Now Mel's worried that someone from her past has a grudge against her - and it's a long list. Everyone rallies around her to try to keep her safe. But unfortunately, her troubles are just beginning.

Other local business owners are targeted. And several speak up against Mel and the bakery. They think she's a danger to the community. Can Mel solve the latest murders before someone ruins her life?

My Thoughts: Another great addition to this mouthwatering series where you catch up with old friends and crave cupcakes. It was nice getting to know the other local shop keepers (although some of them were quite unpleasant). I enjoyed seeing their specialties - from soap making to tattoos to snakes. (Although I am not a fan of snakes.) I enjoy how much the characters have changed and grown over the years and yet they still share such a tight bond. I can't wait to read what comes next for this bakery family. 

Cover Thoughts: Perfect

Source: My library

Library Recommendation: Must have series for your mystery section.

Picture Book Review: Soup Day

The weather turned this week from humid to windy and it feels like a good day for soup:

On a snowy day, a mother and her daughter visit the store to buy ingredients for soup. Together they make the soup and play while it cooks. Finally, they eat together has a family once the girl's father comes home.

While on the surface this is a simple book, there's a lot packed into it. I love how concepts are introduced. I really love the mother and daughter playing together - and that they pick up afterwards. I love the illustrations and bright colors. It does make me want to make soup, which is perfect because there's a recipe in the back.

Review: Brewed Awakenings

 

* Book 18 in the Coffeehouse Mystery series *

Clare wakes up on a bench in Washington Park with no memory of the last several years. She believes her divorce is recent and that her daughter is still young. It's a shock to her to discover the truth - she's lost her memories.

To make matters worse, the police want to question her for the disappearance of a woman. Clare might have been with the woman when she vanished. The authorities are convinced she knows something, but Clare doesn't understand. She doesn't remember her past investigations. 

Clare needs to figure something out and fast - before the authorities or someone worse captures her.

My Thoughts: I really enjoy this series - and I'm not a coffee drinker. But I do love the atmosphere of the coffee shop and the characters. This one was a great addition to the series - I enjoyed watching Clare struggle through her memories and reexamine her life. I had come around to Matt and this book soured me on him a little again. Looking forward to the next book in this mouth-watering series.

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: This is a great cozy for your public library's collection.

Bookstagram:

Just a little thought about what the coffeeshop might look like....

Middle Grade Review: Batch Made in Heaven

 

Mina can't wait for the school's mentorship program to start -especially once she lands her dream internship at the local bakery. She can't wait to show off her baking skills and help create recipes. But before she arrives, she exchanges words with the baker's son.

Ben made it clear he does not want her at his family store. They don't need her help. And he might do everything in his power to get her to quit, Mina can't believe it. She's even more upset when she realizes the owner doesn't know anything about the program. He didn't choose her, his assistant did. 

They need help on social media - not baking. But Mina catches a strange vibe from the store. She's not sure, what's happening behind closed doors, but she's hoping to make a difference.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. I liked how Mina and Ben found their footing and began to understand each other. I loved the baking moments - those were mouthwatering and made me want to get into the kitchen to bake. I also loved the friendship moments - and honest conversations. There were a lot of honest conversations that needed to be had. And they were really well done. I liked the mention of pressure, especially on younger folk. It sparked the connection between allowed to be a kid and forced to grow up quickly. Another fantastic read from Suzanne Nelson

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your school and public library.

Holiday Book Review: Countdown to Christmas

 

This Hallmark Channel book kicks off the holidays by sharing movie ideas, recipes, and favorite holiday moments from the stars of the channel.

My Thoughts: There is so much packed into the book. First off the picture are gorgeous. There are tons of recipes and several craft ideas. There are holiday tips and tricks - like setting the perfect holiday table and cutting down your Christmas tree. Quotes from their channel's movie stars include their favorite holiday traditions. And of course there are movie magic secrets (I would have like a few more of these). But they talk about the powerful women main character, decorating a set, and more. There's really something for everyone in this book.

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: If you have Hallmark movie lovers, this is a must have for your collection!

Book List: Foodie Cozies

 

Yesterday I reviewed the latest Domestic Diva cozy which got me thinking all about my favorite foodie cozies. So of course, I made a list! These are the first in the series.

Book List:

Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis

Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay

Meet Your Baker by Ellie Alexander

An Appetite for Murder by Lucy Burdette

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

On What Grounds by Cleo Colye

Not Pictured:

One Bad Apple by Sheila Connolly

Long Quiche Goodbye by Avery Aames

State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy

Clammed Up by Barbara Ross 

Review: The Diva Serves Forbidden Fruit

 

* Book 14 in the Domestic Diva series *

Sophie's friends have just returned from a trip abroad - and just in time for the DIY festival Sophie's running. Sophie picks up her friend from the airport. Nina looks a mess and she isn't wearing any shoes. Clearly there's a story (or several) behind the trip.

The festival starts and one of the vendor's is missing her mother. When Sophie helps her out, investigating Lark's house, she stumbles across a body in the yard. The body's positioned to make the death look like an accident, but it doesn't feel like an accident. 

Lark traveled with Nina on the trip. Before long, Nina's house is burglarized in the middle of the night. Something strange is going on and Sophie's not going to rest until she solves this mystery.

My Thoughts: Another fun installment in this series. This series has been a long time favorite of mine and I'm always happy to catch up with the characters. The festival sounds really fun and I liked it as a way to introduce new characters and new people to this small town. I do love how Sophie and her friends rally around Nina. As always their cozy eating times makes my mouth water and I long to whip up a delicious dessert (good thing there are recipes in the back of the book). I didn't see the link between the two murders - so I was left guessing until the end. Looking forward to the next book in the series

Cover Thoughts: Charming as Always

Source: My library

Book List: Pies

Yesterday, I talked about the awesome book:

And talking about it made me crave pie all over again.

Ever since I was a little kid, I've been a pie fan. 

You too? 

Check out my poll on yesterday's post and vote for your favorite.

I don't know if I have a favorite.

But I'm a sucker for blueberry pie.

I have a special place in my heart for Lemon Meringue Pie (it was my grandfather's favorite).

So I wanted to talk about a few middle grade books all about pie!

Book List:

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie by Erin Soderberg Downing

Violet and the Pie of Life by Debra Green

Summer of a Thousand Pies by Margaret Dilloway

Truth about Twinkie Pie by Kat Yeh
American as Paneer Pie by Supriya Kelkar 

Pie by Sarah Weeks

I Only Have Pies for You by Suzanne Nelson

Review: Stowed Away

 

* Book 6 in the Maine Clambake Mystery series *

Julia and her family are getting ready for tourist season in Maine. When an old acquaintance arrives to help look at the family homestead, Julia isn't thrilled to see her old rival. But Wyatt is happy to see Julia. She invites Julia, Chris, and Quentin for dinner on her boyfriend's yacht. Her boyfriend is a reclusive billionaire who rarely shows his face.

After a pleasant dinner, the group goes their own way. But the next day, tragedy strikes. Wyatt calls Julia with the news that Geoffrey is dead - murdered. Quinten and Wyatt ask for Julia's help. She can't really say no, but she wishes she could. 

Instead, Julia pokes around Geoffrey's life and undercover that everything that glitters isn't gold...

My Thoughts: I adore this series - but fell behind reading it. I'm happy to be back. I love spending time in this small Maine town with great food, lots of friends, and of course murder. This book shared so much about the characters pasts. From Julia and her time in high school to Chris and his family to Quentin - who has been a closed book most of the time. It's nice to delve more into characters' lives. Of course the murder was entertaining and no, I didn't see the twist coming.  Another great addition to series.

Cover Thoughts: Charming

Source: Purchased while on vacation in Maine

Library Recommendation: A great cozy series for your library's collection

Middle Grade Review: Pumpkin Spice Up Your Life

 

* Part of the Wish series *

Nadine and Daniel are best friends. She creates music. He creates coffee drinks. They talk about everything - including coming from single family homes. Daniel's father past away. Nadine's mother left her family. 

Life is great between the two friends - until a new family moves to town. For one thing, they purchase the coffeeshop where they hang out and where Daniel works. Secondly, Kira becomes the new girl in town. 

Nothing much happens in the small Vermont town, so Kira is instantly popular. And Daniel is smitten with her. Nadine can't figure out why he likes her so much or why he's insisiting on showing Kira how much he likes her through anonymous gifts. But one thing's for sure...this changes Everything! 

My Thoughts: So this series - isn't a series in term of characters, but there's always food involved. And recipes. I was surprised to read about the fictional Vermont town, which would be really close to where I grew up. It's fun seeing landmarks in the book. I love the cute coffee shop where everyone hangs out. If Daniel made hot chocolate drinks the way he makes coffee drinks, I would hang out there too! I love how both Daniel and Nadine have discovered something they're passionate about. I loved their friendship. I enjoyed the romance in the book. I really liked the parents in the book - and how their stories ended. Another winner in this series and I hope there are more books coming!

Cover Thoughts: Perfect

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Another sweet treat for your middle grade collection! 

Holiday Review: Hot Cocoa Hearts

Ever since Emery's grandmother died, she's become a scrooge. She used to love the holidays but now they just make her unhappy. To make matters worse, her parents make her dress up as an elf and work their Christmas photo booth in the mall.

It's the worst!

Especially since she meets a boy in her class who works at the hot chocolate place next to the photo booth. He's definitely got the holiday spirit. 

The boy she's majorly crushing over, Sawyer, also isn't into the commercialization of  the holidays. Emery hasn't spent much time with Sawyer, but he's the perfect boy for her...

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this middle grade romance. I loved the classroom Secret Santa gifts - and the friendships that grew from them. I felt terrible for Emery for losing both her Grandmother and her Christmas spirit. I loved the moments between Emery and Alex - especially their talk of hot chocolate. A sweet story that's all about being true to yourself, friendship, and the Christmas Spirit. 

Cover Thoughts: Super Cute

Source: My library

Library  Recommendation: A great holiday romance for middle grade readers - perfect for your school or library collection.

Book Recipe Tested

I've been wanting to read this book for a while and luckily our library copy just arrived.

But I happen to see this recipe for Apple Cake on Twitter:

Suzanne Nelson’s “You’re the Apple of My Eye” Cake Recipe

And I couldn't resist. I had a bunch of apples from apple picking. So I whipped up this cake. It made the house smell wonderful!

Full cake picture.

Cake and tea picture.

Verdict: Yummy!

It's great just out of the oven. And it's great the next day for breakfast too.

You can find the recipe here.

Plus my grandfather used to call me the Apple of My Eye, so I felt this was a cake I just had to make!

Holiday Review: Cup of Holiday Fear

* Book 10 in the Bakeshop Mystery series *

The holidays are in full season at Torte Bakery. So many delicious items are being prepared. With everyone working hard, Jules decides a night out is in order.  What better way to celebrate the season than the local inn's Dickens feast?

What starts out as a cozy night with snow falling, fantastic food, and wine flowing ends with disaster. The power goes out. The inn's owner is murdered. The new owner has already made a few enemies along the way.

Can Jules help figure out the murderer in time to enjoy the holidays

My Thoughts: Another fun edition to this great series. As always, my mouth watered while reading about all the treats Torte is cooking up. It was great checking in on favorite characters. I loved the holiday touches in this book - from the tasty treats to the Dickens feast to the carolers and to the holiday spirit. 

Cover Thoughts: Charming

Source: My library

Library Recommendation: This series is perfect for your library's mystery section - great for cozy fans and great for foodie fans.

On Your Radar: The Diva Spices it Up (41)

Title: The Diva Spices it Up

Author: Krista Davis

Publisher: Kensington

Release Date: April 28, 2020

Why It Should Be On Your Radar

* Fall Book

* Pumpkin and Apple Foods

* Mouth watering food shared

* Recipes

* Book Characters are like Old Friends

*Ghostwriting a Cookbook

* Mars is in trouble

* Fantastic Series

* Importance of Friendship

* Importance of Families

* Spies 

* Dead drops

* Good Neighbors

Another great addition to this charming series.

I love the cover!

** ARC sent for review

Book and Movie Review: You're Bacon Me Crazy

Last weekend, the Hallmark Channel showed this movie - which is an adaptation of this tween book.

Of course, they changed the storylines around a little bit, but the meat of the book is the same.

So the book features the main character of Tessa who helps out at her aunt's food truck. She loves coming up with new menu ideas. Her parents aren't crazy about all the time she spends there, especially when she forgets about school work other important things.

When a boy from her class starts working there too, things change. At first, Tessa can't stand him. But the more they talk, the more she understands him. Could there be a spark between them?

The movie is a little different. The romance switched to Tessa's Aunt Cleo and...the Bacon Guy. 

Both stories are sweet, charming, and of course full of bacon.

You might ask how a tween book became a Hallmark movie.

Well you're in luck, I was able to chat with Suzanne Nelson and here's what she had to say:

How did the book happen to be turned into a Hallmark Movie?

Scholastic Entertainment and the Hallmark Channel partnered to potentially adapt three Scholastic books into movies for the Hallmark Channel. I was so lucky that You're Bacon Me Crazy was one of the three books that was chosen. So much of that process happened "behind-the-scenes." I received updates from my Scholastic editors, but for a long time we didn't know with certainty whether a movie would definitively happen or not. You're Bacon Me Crazy was the second book I wrote in the foodie line for Scholastic. I wrote it back in 2014, which seems so long ago now, but this line of books continues to grow and reach new readers every year! It's a dream come true! What's great about the foodie line of books is that each book has different characters and different stories. They don't have to be read in any particular order, which is great for readers.

      Of course, I was absolutely thrilled when I received word that the "You're Bacon Me Crazy" movie was a-go! Having one of my books turned into a movies was a pipe dream, so it still seems so surreal. Movies can often take years to produce, so I was incredibly excited when I found out that "You're Bacon Me Crazy" would premiere this April! Once I received word that the movie was in production, everything happened with lightning speed. The filming in Vancouver took place over about a three-week period in February, and less than two months later the movie premiered on the Hallmark Channel! It's been a wild ride and so much fun to be a part of!

Wow that is very quick! And really cool.

Did you have any influence over the script? Make a cameo? Visit the set?

When a book is adapted into a movie, authors aren't usually directly involved in the movie's creative process. A movie is a chance for script writers, film producers and directors, and the film's cast to bring their own creative visions to the storyline. And thank goodness for that, because I have no experience with the movie industry at all! Ha ha. Script writing is SO different from novel writing, and I was glad to have another talented writer take on that task. Christopher Sey wrote the "You're Bacon Me Crazy" movie script and he did such a wonderful job of capturing the foodie fun and spirit of the book. I was lucky to be able to read the script before I saw the movie, and it made me so excited to watch it all come to life on the screen!

      Because the production and filming time for the movie was condensed into about a three-week period, I wasn't able to visit the set. It all happened much too fast for that. I would've loved to have had a cameo in the movie, though. I would've loved being a customer ordering a sandwich from Cleo's Kitchen or Gabe's Mo' Bacon food trucks! I would've ordered Cleo's meatball sub and Gabe's BLP sandwich!

      I had the chance to meet Natalie Hall, the actor who played Cleo in the movie, during an Instagram Live chat on the night of the movie premiere. That was so much fun! She's absolutely delightful--so kind and genuine. We chatted for a few minutes, which was great! She did a fabulous job of portraying Cleo in the movie. Cleo was one of my favorite characters from the You're Bacon Me Crazy book, along with Tessa. Olivia Steele Falconer played Tessa in the movie, and she was fantastic in her role, too. I loved the dynamic between Cleo and Tessa in the movie, and Tessa's wise teen words of wisdom in the movie made me grin. Tessa had one of my favorite lines from the movie, too: "Your food needs to be liberated from the narrow confines of bread." That was hilarious! It was also so great that Tessa was so in-tune with Cleo's crush on Gabe. At one point in the movie, she asked Cleo, "Are you crushing on Bacon Dude?" That had me laughing out loud. Leave it to the teen to have the stellar crush radar!

     Overall, the casting for the movie was perfect. Just thinking about it now makes me smile. I've watched the movie twice so far, and I know I'll be watching it many, many more times. It's just such a happy, feel-good movie, which is what I think we all need right now. 

For anyone who hasn't yet seem the movie, it's showing many more times on the Hallmark Channel during April and May. You can learn more about the movie and its showtimes here: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/youre-bacon-me-crazy. 

I would have ordered that meatball sub too. It sounded amazing.

Yes, if you haven't seen the movie, go watch it! It's super cute. And it might just make you hungry....

Would you have added anything to the movie?

Honestly, the movie was such a sweet treat, I don't think I would've added anything. Except maybe some chocolate! Ha ha. The scenes between Cleo and Gabe had a wonderful "Hall-spark"--that spot-on Hallmark Channel chemistry that make the channel's movies so charming. My favorite scene was when Cleo called Gabe using a fake New York accent and placed an enormous food order from his Mo' Bacon truck. She thought she was tricking him, but he knew it was her the whole time! That scene wasn't in the book, but I'm delighted it was in the movie! My book has a whole new life now in movie form! Of course, there are similarities and differences between the book and movie, but I love that we get Tessa's crush story in the book, and now we get Cleo's crush story in the movie. It's two sweet romances that intertwine. What could be any better than that?

I do like that we get to romance stories with the different forms!

And I loved that scene too, it was funny when he walked the order over to the truck.

What's your favorite bacon dish?

I love to eat bacon ON other food rather than just by itself. My favorite way to eat bacon is on a perfectly-grilled cheeseburger with BBQ sauce and onion rings on top. I also love it in salads and chicken sandwiches. My mom has this amazing family recipe for chopped broccoli salad that has bacon, dried cranberries, and pecans in it. I can't get enough of it! I invented some bacon recipes for my You're Bacon Me Crazy book, and also some before the movie's premiere. Out of all of those recipes, I have to say that the cheesy bacon BBQ crunch dip and the BLT special sauce were my top two favorites. Adding the sauce to a BLT gives it a fun little kick! All of those recipes are on my blog on my author website at: https://www.suzannenelson.com/category/recipes/.

Oh, great. I always love to read books about food, but it's even better if there are recipes!

What's your next book?

My next book in the foodie line for Scholastic is Pumpkin Spice Up Your Life, which will be out on September 1. Autumn is my favorite season, and that book is full of fall fun--hayrides, pumpkin-picking, leaf piles, and of course, pumpkin spice lattes! There's also a very sweet crush story in this book that I'm particularly fond of. I love the cozy dynamic between the characters Nadine and Daniel and hope readers will, too!

      There's also a tenth foodie book coming as well, but the title and storyline for that book are still top secret. I will say this: the mystery book centers on one of my favorite types of desserts, and I'm so excited to invent the recipes for it!

      In addition to the upcoming foodie books, my first picture book is coming out with ZonderKidz this fall as well. Over in a Stable will be out on October 6. It's a sweet Christmas counting book about the nativity, inspired by the classic song "Over in the Meadow." Since Christmas is my favorite holiday, I'm so excited about this book.

     I'm also very excited that there's a paperback edition of my middle-grade novel, A Tale Magnolious, coming out this July. It's available in hardcover already, but a paperback edition will be lovely. The book is about an orphan named Nitty Luce, an elephant named Magnolious, and some magical seeds. It's a book very dear to my heart--full of magic and hope. I hope readers will scoop it up for summer reading!

These all sound great! Thanks for chatting with me!

And don't forget to watch the movie and read the book!

About the Author:

Suzanne Nelson is the author of dozens of middle-grade books, including You're Bacon Me Crazy, Cake Pop Crush, and the rest of the books in the foodie line for Scholastic, as well as A Tale Magnolious for Knopf Books for Young Readers. Her books are available for purchase online from Indiebound (https://www.indiebound.org/), Barnes and Noble (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/), Amazon (www.amazon.com), and in bookstores everywhere. Suzanne can be found on Twitter @snelsonbooks and on Facebook and Instagram @suzannenelsonbooks. Her website is www.suzannenelson.com.

Blog Tour: Candy Cane Caper

The Candy Cane Caper
Author: Josi S. Kilpack
Publication Date: 10/1/19
Paperback ISBN: 9781629726014
Retail Price: $15.99
Page Count: 320
Fiction / Mystery and Detective / Cozy / Culinary
Book Design: © Shadow Mountain Art Direction: Richard Erickson  Design: Kimberly Kay


About the Book:

This Christmas, Sadie Hoffmiller Cunningham is making a list and checking it twice. For the first time since she and Pete married five years ago, their combined families are gathering for the holidays in Fort Collins, Colorado, for a party that would make Santa and Mrs. Claus proud.

She just has to bake the famous Cunningham Candy Cane Cake, make sure the looming snowstorm doesn't derail everyone's travel plans, and oh, yes, solve one teensy-tiny mystery before the big day.

At ninety-four and nearly blind, Mary, Sadie's friend and neighbor, knows this will be her last Christmas. When Sadie learns that someone has stolen antique Christmas ornaments from Mary's tree, she vows to find the thief, no matter what. The ornaments had been appraised at more than $40,000, but they were worth even more to Mary, who had intended to bequeath them to her great-granddaughter, Joy, as a final gift.

With Pete in Arizona wrapping up a case of his own, it's up to Sadie to question the residents of Nicholas House, where Mary lives, and deduce who had the means and the motive to steal heirloom ornaments during what should be the most wonderful time of the year.

When stories of other thefts surface, Sadie feels like she's creating a "naughty" list that could rival Santa's. Identifying the thief, recovering the ornaments, and restoring them to Mary's tree in time will take a Christmas miracle—and maybe a few extra-special cookies.

My Thoughts: I didn't realize this book was part of a series. To be honest, the cover pulled me in. And although the book referenced other moments in the previous books, I was fine without reading the prior twelve books. I enjoyed this cozy Christmas mystery. Sadie's trying to help create a magical Christmas for her new blended family. I love how she was trying to make dishes from both sides of the family to make this holiday special for everyone. And I love how that turned out. I enjoyed learning more about these special holiday ornaments. I enjoyed watching Mary's family interact with each other, knowing that this would be the last holiday for Mary. A fun cozy that's perfect to read in front of the fire with a warm cup of cocoa.

Cover Thoughts: Cute
Source: ARC sent for review

About the Author: 

Josi S. Kilpack is an accomplished and prolific author of nearly two dozen novels including the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series. She has won multiple Whitney Awards for Myster/Suspense, Romance, and Novel of the Year as well as the Utah Best of State Fiction Winner. She lives with her family in Utah.

Follow the author on Instagram @authorjosiskilpack

Advance Praise/Endorsements:

“A warmhearted mystery.” -Kirkus

“Sadie Hoffmiller dishes up a fresh serving of Christmas cheer. An inspirational cozy whose feel-good vibe will be perfect for fans of Julie Hyzy's and Nancy J. Parra. Readers with a sweet tooth will be sure to enjoy Sadie's family recipes, sprinked throughout the book.” -Booklist

“Kilpack represents a nice range of ages in this story, and the relationships feel both real and aspirational. The clues and solution are complex enough to keep readers guessing. Recipes are included, making this a fun choice for cookbook discussion groups as well as general readers. Twelve previous "Culinary Mystery" titles precede this entry, which can be read on its own.” -Library Journal