I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate this opportunity and all views expressed are my own.
- Title: The Cat of the Baskervilles (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #3)
- Author: Vicki Delany
- 4 Stars
Synopsis: The show is coming to town on Cape Cod. The West London Theater Festival is putting on a stage production of The Hound of the Baskervilles. Gemma Doyle is excited and participating with her friend Jayne Wilson, whose mother, Leslie, just happens to be volunteering with the company. Leslie arranges a fundraising tea party at the home of the festival organizer, catered by Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room. The tea is a rousing success, but Sir Nigel Bellingham, the famous star cast as the lead of Sherlock, goes missing. And Gemma finds him at the bottom of the cliff. Dead.
Before the tea, Sir Nigel had come by the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop, only for Gemma to realize that he’s not at all suited to the role. But as Gemma and Jayne investigate, the list of suspects just grows longer. Long past his prime, Sir Nigel was second to a younger actor who had first been given the role. The festival’s executive director also expressed that he had been hired over her objections. Then there are the slew of people to whom Sir Nigel was rude. They all have motive, but then a scrap of Leslie’s apron caught on a bush by Sir Nigel’s body is found. And the police are set to pounce as she becomes suspect #1.
It’s up to Gemma and Jayne to team up again and clear Jayne’s mother’s name in The Cat of the Baskervilles, the delightful third Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery.
I thoroughly enjoyed this Sherlock based Cozy! Even though this is the third installment, this story can easily be read as a standalone. I always enjoy a good cozy that involves books and this story surely delivered. The mystery was somewhat easy to figure out but overall this was a good read and I would recommend to cozy lovers.
- Title: Flight Season
- Author: Marie Marquardt
- Rating: 5 Stars
Synopsis: Back when they were still strangers, TJ Carvalho witnessed the only moment in Vivi Flannigan’s life when she lost control entirely. Now, TJ can’t seem to erase that moment from his mind, no matter how hard he tries. Vivi doesn’t remember any of it, but she’s determined to leave it far behind. And she will.
But when Vivi returns home from her first year away at college, her big plans and TJ’s ambition to become a nurse land them both on the heart ward of a university hospital, facing them with a long and painful summer together – three months of glorified babysitting for Ángel, the problem patient on the hall. Sure, Ángel may be suffering from a life-threatening heart infection, but that doesn’t make him any less of a pain.
As it turns out, though, Ángel Solís has a thing or two to teach them about all those big plans, and the incredible moments when love gets in their way.
Wow, what a beautifully crafted book from three remarkable POVs! This book was amazing and beautiful and every way. Everything you need in a novel is in Flight Season. This book not only captured my heart, I learned a thing or two!
- Title: The Precious Dreadful
- Author: Steven Parlato
- Rating: 4 Stars
Synopsis: Teddi Alder is just trying to figure out her life.
When she joins SUMMERTEENS, a library writing group, she’s only looking to keep herself busy, not go digging around in her subconscious. But as she writes, disturbing memories of her childhood friend Corey bubble to the surface, and Teddi begins to question everything: her friendship with her BFF Willa, how much her mom really knows, and even her own memories. Teddi fears she’s losing her grip on reality—as evidenced by that mysterious ghost-girl who emerges from the park pool one night, the one who won’t leave Teddi alone. To top it all off, she finds herself juggling two guys with potential, a quirky new boy named Joy and her handsome barista crush Aidan, who has some issues of his own.
As the summer unfolds, Teddi is determined to get to the bottom of everything—her feelings, the mysterious ghost-girl, and the memories of Corey that refuse to be ignored.
I really enjoyed this novel! I was dragged in by the premise and was a bit shocked that this book is not what I expected but I still was completely engulfed in the story and loved Teddi. Teddi was a bit complex and complicated but it made me love her more. I also enjoyed the pace and the mystery of this story. I definitely recommend checking this one out.
- Title: Orange Blossom Days
- Author: Patricia Scanlan
- Rating: 1 1/2 Star
Synopsis: From the internationally bestselling author and “prolific queen of contemporary Irish popular fiction” (The Sunday Times), a heartwarming novel set in Spain where the new tenants of a seaside apartment building test the limits of marriage, money, and ambition.
In a beautiful Southern Spanish town, where the sea sparkles and orange blossoms scent the air, the gates of a brand new apartment complex, La Joya de Andalucía, glide open to welcome the new owners.
Anna and Austen MacDonald, an Irish couple, are preparing to enjoy their retirement to the fullest. But the demands of family cause problems they could never have foreseen and shake their marriage to the core.
Sally-Ann Connolly Cooper, a feisty Texan mother of two young teenagers, is reeling from her husband’s infidelity. La Joya becomes a place of solace for Sally-Ann, in more ways than one.
Eduardo Sanchez, a haughty native from Madrid, has set out with single-minded determination to become el presidente of the complex’s management committee. But pride comes before a fall.
Jutta Sauer Perez, a sophisticated German who aspires to purchase her very own apartment in La Joya works hard to reach her goal. Then the unthinkable happens.
As their lives entwine and friendships and enmities develop, it becomes apparent that La Joya is not quite the haven they all expect it to be…
I was drawn in by the beautiful cover of this book and the author. I have read Patricia Scanlon’s work before and thoroughly enjoyed her writings. While the writing was good, this book was not for me at all. I felt that this story was waaaayyyy too long and it should have just focused on the main couple but with all the characters and over 600 pages it was too much for me. I still will be reading future work of this author but I will not be re-reading this book. I felt like this story dragged on forever and with the length the characters just ended up bothering me. I do love long stories from time to time but this was one not for me but am thankful to the publisher and author for providing me with an advanced reader copy.
Touch My Spine Book Reviews 
Leave a comment