Great Escapes Book Tours Book Review: High Strung

High Strung
(Glass Bead Mystery Series)
(Volume 1)
Cozy Mystery
Paperback: 218 pages
Publisher: Booktrope Editions (August 31, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-1513700335
E-Book ASIN: B014QH483C

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Synopsis

After inheriting a house in Seattle, Jax O’Connell is living the life of her dreams as a glass beadmaker and jewelry designer. When she gets an offer to display her work during a bead shop’s opening festivities, it’s an opportunity Jax can’t resist—even though Rosie Perez, the store’s owner, is the surliest person Jax has ever met.

The weekend’s events become a tangled mess when a young beadmaker is found dead nearby and several oddball bead enthusiasts are suspects. Jax must string together the clues to clear her friend Tessa’s name—and do it before the killer strikes again.

Review: What a fun quick cozy mystery. This is the first book in the glass bead mystery series and it is a wonderful introduction to this series.

Jax moves from Miami to Seattle to the house she inherited from her aunt. The characters are all believable and some are quiet eclectic. I really loved Jax's friend Tessa and Dylan was really great too and I loved how he tied in with the mystery.

This is definitely is a first in the series book. There was a lot of buildup before the first crime, and yes there were two and they were kind of tied together.

Rosie was definitely a character that you could understand someone wanting to kill, though not to worry, she wasn't the character that was killed. Then there was the poor homeless beadmaker that was found dead in the dumpster behind Aztec Beads

There are a lot of things that are quite funny in this book. Jax and Allen's first meeting and the Mojitos was hilarious and then there was the neighbor Mr. Chu

I loved learning about bead making, which isn't something I ever really thought about. The story had some really funny parts too, which is always a plus for me, as I'm a fan of comedy in my books, because what would life be without some hilarity?

There's also some good-looking guys  in the horizon for Jax. Allen a local reported, and possibly the detective on the case. This could definitely make for an interesting love triangle.

The person "whodunit" was definitely not who you would expect. In fact, as the pieces started to fall into place I have to stay I was really surprised.

I can't wait to read the next book.




Rating: 5 flowers

TLC Book Tour Book Review: Thank You For Flying Air Zoe

Author: Erik Atwell
Title: Thank You For Flying Air Zoe
Publisher:  Booktrope
Publish Date: June 15, 2011
Review Copy Provided By: TLC Book Tours & the author
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fasten Seat Belt sign has been turned on, but feel free to ignore it, because sometimes life is best lived on its dizzy edges. Your cruising altitude today will be sky high, and you will be flying at staggering speeds as you travel alongside Zoe Tisdale, former Valley Girl and rock star turned bored butter saleswoman. On the heels of a brush with mortality, Zoe concludes that she’s been letting time pass her by. Realizing she needs to awaken her life’s tired refrains, Zoe vows to recapture the one chapter of her life that truly mattered to her – her days as drummer for The Flip-Flops, a spirited, sassy all-girl garage band that almost hit the big time back in 1987. But reuniting the band won’t be easy. The girls who were once the whiz kid guitarist, the prom queen bass player, and the hippie lead singer grew up and became women who are now a reclusive dog trainer, a wealthy socialite, and a sociopathic environmentalist. Will Zoe bring the band back together and give The Flip-Flops a second chance at stardom? Is it possible to fully reclaim the urgent energy of youth? As you follow this wild flight path, please know that your destination could be anywhere at all, complimentary oxygen is provided upon request, and baggage flies free. We hope you enjoy the ride, and Thank You For Flying Air Zoe.

Review: It is impossible to resist the lure of the red flip flops on the cover of Thank You For Flying Air Zoe! Grab this book and head to the beach, because this is the perfect summer afternoon beach read. If you don't have a beach handy, an armchair will do...or better still a lawn chair and some iced tea.

Erik Atwell's writing style reminded me a little bit of Nick Hornby. I don't know if that was because of the band Zoe was in...or just the whole vibe of the novel. It was very Hornby! Music, a little humor and a quick read. Truly a perfect combination.

There's a lot of turbulence in this book! Literally! It was fun to read about Zoe realizing her dream and taking her high school band mates along for the ride.

This is a novel of friendship, of growing, but mostly of remembering that life is meant to be lived.

If you are a child of the 80s or a fan of Hornby's writing style, you want to pick up this book. Actually I can't think of a reason not to pick up this book, it is just awesome. Oh and the music you should play while reading? Anything by The Go Gos!

* This is quite possibly one of the best books I've read this year!

Rating: 5 flowers

Book Lovin Bitches Book Tour & Review: Riversong

Author:  Tess Hardwick
Title: Riversong
Publisher: Booktrope
Publish Date: March 30, 2011
Review Copy Provided By: Book Lovin' Bitches Ebook Tours and the author
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: Author Tess Hardwick assembles a colorful cast of endearing small-town characters and takes you on a journey that will make you believe in the possibilities of life - even in the face of overwhelming adversity and unimaginable grief.
Lee Tucker is the kind of woman you find yourself rooting for long after the last page is read. When her husband commits suicide,he leaves her pregnant and one million dollars in debt to a loan shark. Out of options, she escapes to her deceased mother's dilapidated house located in a small Oregon town that, like her, is financially ruined, heartbroken and in desperate need of a fresh start. Lee's resilience leads to a plan for a destination restaurant named Riversong, to new chances for passion and love, and to danger from her dead husband's debt as her business blooms.

A surprising mix of romance, humor, friendship, intrigue and gourmet food, Riversong entertains while reminding you of life's greatest gifts.

Review: Riversong is chicklit at its finest. It is a book that once you start, you connect so easily with the characters that you really don't want to put the book down until you are finished. Lee is pretty much a graduate of the school of hard knocks. Her mom was an anti-mom, drowning herself in vodka most of Lee's life and when she finally escapes, the man she marries isn't what he seems, and he kills himself.

That's what really gets the story moving. Lee takes off for her hometown in hopes of selling her mom's home to pay off the loan shark her late husband was involved in. What she finds when she gets there is really a new life. I love the cast of characters in the small Oregon town. Most people wouldn't think that secondary characters are that important, but in this story they are.

I loved the twists and turns that Lee had in her life, with her relationship with Tommy, but more so with Ellen, the schoolteacher who helped her get out of the small town years before.

This book really has it all. It has family drama, suspense, a great romance and a happily ever after. I absolutely loved this book and will check out anything Ms Hardwick writes in the future.

Rating: 5 flowers