Good battles evil at the Desert Inn Cafe
345051
As evening deepened into night, the rain became a steady drumbeat tapping against the roof and pattering and sliding across the windows of the Desert Inn Cafe. The moon and her entourage of stars were hidden once again behind rolling clouds, and the sands shifted in wet dark waves of midnight black.
If this setting suggests to you theres about to be an epic conflict engaged and resolved, youd be right. Protagonist and antagonist, both complex characters fashioned through remarkable back-stories, engage in a classic confrontation of good and evil, but also young and old, innocence and experience, apprentice and master. Dramatic tension inside the cafe mirrors the energy in the storm outside. As the inside conflict escalates, the storm intensifies, the howling increases, the pace accelerates. I swiped Kindle pages faster and faster as the action progressed, eager to learn what comes next.
3537103
This latest book of Laura Childs is a good read for anyone who loves cozy mysteries, which are my favorite.  Suzanne, Petra and Toni are all working hard to keep their world together.  The food  will make you hungry and as always Toni and Suzanne have their adventures.  I enjoyed the description of the Fire and Ice Celebration and parade.  Living in central Texas we don't  see that kind of weather very often. The Cackleberry Club sounds like a great place.
1251006
This is a very good story for reading over a lunch break, or when you don't have a lot of time. It is obvious this is just the beginning for Tanya and Devil. I cant wait to get the next book and continue their story.
4777172
This book is about a Maine Inn keeper. She seems to be in the middle of trouble. It usually involves a murder or two. Always it includes a each or two.
4863583
Good does prevail over evil. Love one another. Sweetness of honey will make the dessert even better than you could imagine.
513450
Doom with a View is the second book in the Merry Ghost Inn series by Kate Kingsbury.

I had not read the first book in the series and found this easy to read as a stand-alone story.  I really enjoyed it and am now reading the first book to fill in the story about Melanie an Liza getting the Inn.

Melanie and Liza are having the grand opening of their inn and one of the guests suffers a misfortune.

Just like in life, if Im going to be spending time with people, I want them to be likeable.  I enjoyed the time spent with Melanie and her grandmother Liza.  It seems like a realistic relationship with Melanie worrying about her grandma and Liza playing matchmaker.  Cindi is an interesting character and I look forward to seeing if she continues to fit in.  With the setting being an inn, it allows for a lot of different characters to come in and a lot of future storylines.  And of course, there is Orville, the merry ghost.

A lot of books have contrived reasons for people not getting together and Ive never seen the issue with Melanie before.  It will be interesting to see how things play out between her and Ben.

The one thing that I didn't like was when Melanie and Liza unnecessarily put themselves in a potentially dangerous situation.  That is something that bothers me when intelligent women do silly things.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and cant wait to read the next one to see what is in store for the Merry Ghost Inn.

I received this book as a gift and am voluntarily reviewing it.
4183082
The Winchester Witches and their Inn is a nice, fun place to visit. Enjoy the characters, humor, and antics, especially face-offs with Aunt Tillie. Can't wait for the next book. Told my friends and family about the series; those who've read the books feel much the same way. A few problems with spelling, typos. Would definitely recommend the series.
3895741
This book is actually three stories written by three different authors whose stories all revolve around a restaurant named the Fortune Cafe.  The stories are lighthearted love stories with some drama thrown in.  The only violence is when a patron throws a plate in the cafe and hits a waitress.  There are many moments of clean romance.  One story does involve a little drinking of wine but that is minor.  I enjoyed the romances and the characters.
1459840
A fighter and a doctor walk into a bar..... sounds like the beginning of a bad joke right? Wrong. Its the beginning of a wonderful story! There was a lot going on in this book including a crazy "ex". I love reading about the Gallo family. The interactions are always witty and endearing. This book was so good I read it in one sitting!

The one critique I would have is that it could have used one more edit. It in no way took away from the enjoyment of the story though.
351401
Maddie, Suzanne and Trixie are invited to cater for the grand opening of Jill and Bobs new joint venture  the merging of their 2 cafes.  Jill and Bob have decided to keep the location of their respective cafes, but will now trade under the same franchise, with the same logo and colour scheme.  The 2 new partners are also on the verge of a possible new dating venture, as Jill and Bob are beginning to have feeling s for each other.  Which does not necessary bode well for other people around them  the regular customer who refuses to stop flirting with Bob, his bestie who now takes second place to Jill, his Grandma who relies on Bob being at her beck and call as well as Jills long time friend who now has to accept that Wednesday nights are not solely girls night out anymore.  Into that toxic mixture, add one sharp kitchen knife and someone is not going home after the party!

Another fun read from Jinty James.
598262
The Peridale Cafe is a new venture for Julia
South.
Julia has returned home after living with her
soon to be ex-husband. He packed her bags,
left them on the doorstep and changed the
locks. Julia had always dreamt of opening
her own cafe and decided to move back home
and go for it.
Julie lives with her cat, Mowgli. Julia sister,
Sue and her Aunt Dot live in Peridale.
Julia manages to stumble onto a murder scene.
She is determined to figure out the culprit
before her new neighbor, Detective Inspector
Barker Brown does. The person murdered was
a customer at her cafe who routinely ordered
pancakes with fresh fruit as a topping.
Then a second murder occurs!!!
While all this is happening, Julia's cafe is being
robbed of bake goods. She doesn't report it
to the police instead sets up a scheme to catch
the culprit in the act.
A good cast of relatable characters, some quirky,
some hiding secrets but a group you want to
visit again. The fluid description made the
reader part of the small town atmosphere.
Combine mystery, suspense, adventure with
twists and turns plus a touch of romance for
a good read.
3357429
Well Read, Then Dead is the first book in the Read 'Em and Eat Mystery series. Two friends from Brooklyn move to the barrier islands on Florida's Gulf Coast. They start up a bookstore caf. The menu has items that are named with titles and items from books. The tables are named for authors. They serve great food, sell books and hold book club meeting at the caf.

There is at times some contention between several people at the book club meeting while discussing books. Later a lovely elderly book club person is found dead in her home and it is a homicide. Sassy who is the protagonist and the book store owner and manager of the caf is asked by a cousin of the deceased to find the murderer.

What I liked best about the book was the location of the islands of the Florida Gulf Coast and the Read 'Em and Eat caf. I think many readers would love to go and eat at this cafe and sit at the author named tables. The book was about strong friendships and had good character development. I liked and was interested in most of the characters.

I was somewhat bothered by Sassy who held back information from the police and who went into dangerous territory without a phone or a backup in order to solve a crime. She does acknowledge though that she was doing what they do in horror movies but her curiosity was overtaking her.

Overall, it was was  good fast cozy read with a great location backdrop and good friends. I enjoyed it.
1427146
Tea Cups and Carnage by Lynn Cahoon is the seventh book in A Tourist Trap Mystery series.  Jill Gardner lives in South Cove, California and owns Coffee, Books, and More (CBM).  It is a shop that sells coffee, treats, and books (she combined two things she loves and enjoys).  Jill is getting ready for the Summer Beach Blast Party that the town is hosting.  CBM will have their mobile coffee annex at the beach which will stretch their staff thin (she really should have hired more help).  There is a new business in town. Kathi Corbin is from Melaire, Texas (a small town) and opening a store called Tea Hee (a very odd name for a shop).  The men in town are fascinated by Kathi and her Southern accent (much to the other womens puzzlement).  Things are looking up until a motorcycle riding man starts causing havoc around town.  The police keep trying to catch him, but they have not succeeded.  Aunt Jackie ended up hurting her ankle trying to avoid being hit by this maniac.  Then a woman is going around to the various shops looking for a job.  Ivy Corbin has followed her sister to South Cove from Texas (she is supposed to be taking care of their father).  There is evidently difficulty between the sisters.  Then the police are called out to a dead body at The Coastal Inn.  At first they do not know his identity, but, after a little investigating, they find out that it is Daryl Corbin (another Corbin).  He is a cousin to the sisters.  Something smells fishy in South Cove, and it is not from the nearby ocean.  When Kathy ends up at the top of the suspect list, Jill tries to clear her name. Kathi seems to be running from her past, and it has caught up with her in South Cove.  Jills boyfriend, Greg King (and South Cove Police Detective) does not like her investigating (even though it usually helps his case).  Jill is also having an issue with CBM.  A check for the library event that Jill helping organize goes missing.  The bank knows it has been cashed, but they are unable to provide any further information at this time (which is extremely odd).  In the meantime, Jill is worried and looks into the matter. Could one of her loyal employees taken the check?  It is going to be a busy week in South Cove.  Join Jill and her friends for another adventure in Tea Cups and Carnage!

Tea Cups and Carnage was a cute story.  It is easy to read and had a good flow.  The mystery, though, was simple and easy to solve (I wanted it to be more complicated).  I also did not understand why Jill would accuse her loyal employees of taking the check (can you imagine).  There is a perfectly logical explanation for the missing check staring her in the face (spoiler), but it does not seem to occur to Jill.  There were several things happening in the book (too much).  I did not mention everything (yes, there is more).  The novel was a little all of the place.  It needed more focus (and not on the check).  The mystery was shoved in the background in this novel instead of being center stage.  There also needs to be less focus on the romances of the various characters.  I like a little romance in a cozy mystery, but it should not be the focal point.  I give Tea Cups and Carnage 3 out of 5 stars.  I will be reading the next book in A Tourist Trap Mystery series when it comes out (a writer can have an off book now and then).  I do hope that Lynn Cahoon gives her characters more than cheesecake in the next novel (there was quite a bit of it in Tea Cups and Carnage).  I believe Coffee, Books, and More needs a variety of treats for its customers!

I received a complimentary copy of Tea Cups and Carnage from NetGalley (and the publisher) in exchange for an honest evaluation of the book.
3721256
Gagebrooke had a wonderful bed and breakfast type setting providing delicious food; skilled literary training, and beautiful surroundings to assist the writer's imagination.  Why, then, was their so much chaos?  The two accomplished writers, Marcus Goodard and Lilian Bracegirdle, were at odds with each other, both thinking their own works were the better of the two.  They were disrespectful to their assistants and not really anxious to help the people who had enrolled in the Writer's Workshop.  In fact, they looked down upon them.  With booze flowing freely, things began to unravel for Marcus and Lilian ... and danger was not far behind.  Andrew and Mandy who own and run Gagebrooke had their hands full.

This story goes to show how some people are not happy even when they appear to have everything.  There is quite an assortment of characters.  It's the worst combination of personalities that Andrew and Mandy had ever seen.  But, it leads to a lot of fun and entertainment for the reader.  The only piece I felt lacking was that of justice.  Although, every now and again, justice is served in other ways.  I rated this 4 out of 5.
749629
I like books that are good vs evil. I really like the ones where good wins and at the end of the book most of the good guys are still alive
1713187
I enjoy the charachters in this book. I liked this series from Pressey more than her Mystic Cafe series. Though both are fun and light.
1025409
Melanie Cooper is struggling with franchising her baby, the Fairy Tale Cupcakes Bakery.  Shes kind of a control freak anyway, and the first franchisee is a former Las Vegas showgirl, so Melanie is worried about the stability and success of the franchise.  Mel and her bffs and partners, Angie DeLaura and Tate Harper, travel to Las Vegas to meet with the franchisee.  Things go downhill quickly when the suggested location gets blown up and someone drives a car into the second location.  Mel takes a shine to the showgirl and does her best trying to figure out whos trying to take them out of the cupcake game.

Book no. 8 in this series is just as good as the previous seven.  The plot is interesting, the relationships between the characters continue to grow, the dialogue is witty (love the game Mel, Angie and Tate play with movie quotes), the setting is well-described, theres a nice touch of romance for several of the characters, and I can just smell the cupcakes baking.  Even the secondary characters are fully-drawn and entertaining.

Reading this series is like hanging out with old friends.  Each mystery builds upon the previous one, so I recommend reading them in order to increase enjoyment.  I look forward to the continued adventures of Mel, Angie, and Tate.  This is a series I will want to re-read.