Heart, Hounds & Hobbies

Category: Bibliophile Chats

My cozy corner for all things books: reflections on what I’m reading, honest reviews, audiobook chatter, and musings on how books shape our days. Perfect for fellow book lovers and audio readers alike!

  • Bibliophile Confessions: I’ve Fallen In Love

    Bibliophile Confessions: I’ve Fallen In Love

    Title: In Plain Sight

    Series: Arcane Casebook #1

    Author: Dan Willis

    My Rating: ★★★★★

    Honestly, I have no idea how this book ended up on my TBR list. My best guest is that I heard about it on BookTok. Regardless of how it ended up on my list I am so glad that it did because I am completely in love with Alex Lockerby and will probably spend most of the summer with him.

    Synopsis:

    When a magical plague is released in a Depression-era New York soup kitchen, private detective Alex Lockerby finds himself in a desperate hunt to catch a madman before he can strike again. His investigations lead Alex to a famous thief, a daring heist, and the search for a mythic book of ancient magic, but none of that brings him any closer to finding the man responsible for the massacre. With the police and New York’s Council of Sorcerers desperate to find the culprit, Alex becomes a suspect himself, thanks to his ties to the priest who ran the soup kitchen. Now Alex has his book of spells, a pack of matches and four days to find out where the plague came from, or that authorities will hang the crime squarely on him. (Via Goodreads)

    My Thoughts:

    At first I was apprehensive about this book because I am not usually a fan of stories that take place in a historical context, however, Dan Willis weaves the historical and fantastical together so beautifully that the story felt extremely contemporary. In Plain Sight is book one of the Arcane Casebook, following the life of Alex Lockerby, rune wright and private investigator, as he attempts to keep his business solvent, stay true to the father figures in his life, and of course save the world.

    Throughout the book, Dan Willis takes the urban fantasy genre, gives it a touch of steampunk aesthetic, and mixes in some classic Depression Era PI style. Add to that a main character with just the right mix of hardships and intelligence and you have a recipe for success.

    Even though I loved the book and I am completely invested in Alex Lockerby, I have to admit I had a minor issue with the plot development. The transition from the red herring plot line to the climatic conspiracy that was actually taking place, felt a little abrupt.

    Despite that small caveat, the book does layout the paradigm for the series extremely well leaving me with a strong desire to jump right into Book #2: Ghost of A Chance.

    Thanks for taking the time to read my review; if you like you can follow my reading activity on Goodreads.

  • February Stitches & Pages Check-in

    February Stitches & Pages Check-in

    I’m sure I’m not the only one who felt like February just flew by; still, I am very excited for the signs of spring that I am seeing all around. In March I’ll be setting up my hummingbird station and anxiously awaiting their return while also preparing the property for new growth. February was kind of a stagnant month for me, a lot of that having to do with the weather as well as mental and physical health. Yet March brings with it new beginnings for all God’s creation and children.

    Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from the past month.

    First, Stitching

    My focus project for February was Morning Dog by Joan Elliott. This kit was a gift from my husband for Little Christmas, 2021 in remembrance of our sweet hound dog, Duke, who we said goodbye to just days before Christmas. My goal is to have this piece finished before the end of March, while I think I will still make it, I only managed 7 days of stitching on him in February.

    The next piece I worked on in February was also a kit gifted to me by my husband for Little Christmas, just this year past. It is the Happy Camper kit that I started in January. Another 7 days of stitching, mostly just a few minutes at night before bed, and I managed to score a small FFO for the month. It turned out so cute and was so fun to stitch, that I am making another one for my mom with supplies from my stash. I love the colors I picked out for hers!

    Those two were really the only projects I stitched on in February. We did have a few rainy days, during which I worked on my rainy day project: Summer Landscape. Not enough progress there yet to share. Naturally, I also stitched a little bit on my current quilt block: Winter Star, just a little on drives to medical appointments. (Which is it’s purpose.)

    Next Reading

    Unfortunately, my mental health was not that great in February, and so my two focus books were left untouched. For Secrets of the Chocolate House, I am about half way, and with Dopesick, I am still in the first quarter of the book. I ended up returning to the world of The Others by Anne Bishop, and reread the five book series during the month. This set of five books is my favorite ”escape’ when my brain needs a little break from reality. Similar to rewatching favorite movies, I suppose, this series just gives me another world to live in for awhile. Which is what I needed in February.

    February Highlights

    Like I mentioned, February was kinda a ”meh” month, not a lot of stuff to mention. There were a few highlights though, like cute sleeping dogs, Daisy cuddling with Nathan on the sofa, and a really great breakfast at First Watch after one of the many medical appointments.

    That’s pretty much February in a nutshell. Thanks for reading and I hope you have a blessed Spring!

  • March Reads

    For the month of March, I decided to take a break from my TBR pile and return to the world of The Others, created by Anne Bishop.

    The Others is one of my top two favorite Urban Fantasy series, the other one being Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs, and the one that I return to most frequently. While there are currently 7 books in the series, with an 8th one soon to be published, Books 1-5 are a complete series that one could enjoy as a stand alone.

    Like most urban fantasy books, in The Others we have both “vampires” and “werewolves”, that’s where the similarity ends. In the world Anne Bishop creates for the reader, humans are not at the top of the food chain, in fact they rate somewhere near the bottom. Bishop creates a fantasy world that was created in a completely unique way to our reality. Instead of brining the “monsters” into a world based around humanity, humans are born into a world that is already sustained by the pre-existing, sentient beings that inhabit and care for the planet. In this world monster is a relative term and we learn that sometimes humanity can be even crueler than nature itself.

  • Book Review: A Killer Stitch

    Book Review: A Killer Stitch

    Title: A Killer Stitch

    Series: Knitting Mysteries, Book #4

    Author: Maggie Sefton

    My Rating: ★★★☆☆

    Synopsis:

    The House of Lambspun has been bombarded for the holidays. Then an alpaca sheep rancher is found dead in Bellevue Canyon-and knitter and sometime-sleuth Kelly Flynn quickly puts Yuletide frivolities aside. With the deceased’s reputation for loving and leaving the ladies of Fort Connor, many women had a motive to kill him. Kelly also finds herself linked to the prime suspect, a former lover of the wealthy playboy rancher. Charged with keeping both spinner and spurned from going over the edge, Kelly will discover more than a few secrets tangled on this triad’s bobbin. (Via Goodreads)

    My Thoughts:

    Honestly, this is my least favorite book in the Knitting Mystery Series. First of all, I’m starting to have a hard time with the timeline. This is book 4, yet we haven’t even been with our heroine, Kelly Flynn, for a full year and there have already been 5 murders in and around Fort Connor, six if you count this storyline, that directly touch Kelly’s inner circle. Maybe it is my idealistic idea of town life in Colorado, but I just don’t buy that many murders so close to Kelly Flynn’s social circle in such a short amount of time.

    Secondly, by the time we reach the last quarter of the book, Kelly still hadn’t done any detective work. We didn’t learn anything new from the first telling of the murder to nearly the end of the story, except for a bit of gossip here & there. Then the final “piece” that truly points to the killer, just happens to fall into Kelly’s lap? After that her only sleuthing is a second trip back to the bar and having Burt check with the patrol officer. Armed with that she manages to get a confession? No, I’m not buying it.

    Although I do love the group of characters in this series, the actual mystery writing for this installment was under par for the standards the author has set previously. In fact, the highlight moment for me was the chaotic introduction of Marty into the group. The entire scene at Curt’s house had me laughing out loud. Since I love the characters so much and enjoy seeing the relationships grow & develop, I will probably continue reading this book series. However, I think I will take a break from binge reading it, to give my brain a palette cleanse. Hopefully, future books in the series return to the sleuthing style I so enjoyed in the first 3 books.

    Thanks for taking the time to read my review; if you like you can follow my reading activity on Goodreads.

    Featured image created with help from Freepik.

  • Book Review: A Deadly Yarn

    Book Review: A Deadly Yarn

    Title: A Deadly Yarn

    Series: Knitting Mysteries, Book 3

    Author: Maggie Sefton

    My Rating: ★★★★☆

    Synopsis:

    Kelly and Megan could not be happier for their friend Allison Dubois—a young, talented, up-and-coming artist. Invited by a designer to join her New York studio, Allison is about to embark on a new life. But when Kelly and Megan arrive at Allison’s apartment to drive her to the airport, they find her dead on the floor, apparently from an overdose of sleeping pills. The police suspect suicide, but Kelly and Megan aren’t convinced.Soon Kelly discovers that while Allison’s career was on the fast-track, her social life was a mess. A bad news boyfriend, a jealous design student, and a mysterious man named Brian are all prime suspects in Kelly’s book. Now it’s up to Kelly and her crafty friends from the House of Lambspun to unravel this tightly stitched puzzle…(Via Goodreads)

    My Thoughts:

    While I enjoyed the third installment of the Knitting Mystery Series, it isn’t my favorite. There were a couple of plot development points that I felt were rushed, in addition, I felt the instantaneous relationship between Kelly, Jennifer, and the supporting character Eugene Tolliver was unrealistic. Maybe this is colored by my own life experiences, I just don’t believe that people have that type of sudden familiarity in a friendship. That point aside, this was the first time my immediate guess of the murderer’s identity was correct. So having the experience of feeling like I knew who did it, then being given more and more evidence that I was correct, may have negatively impacted my enjoyment of the book. I much prefer it when I am proven wrong or am completely surprised.

    Regardless, the negative impact was minimal, because I thoroughly enjoyed reading the further development of the friendships between our main character Kelly and the people in her knitting circle. Also enjoyable was the development of Kelly’s sleuthing skills, she is really becoming a creative amateur detective. Further, I wholeheartedly rooted for the progression of Kelly and Steve’s relationship. Like the rest of Kelly’s new circle of friends, I am excited about the decisions she’s made pertaining to her life in Fort Connor.

    Overall this was a good installment in the series, the presentation of the crime, and how Kelly, our central character once again gets involved was believable and not outside the realm of what could happen to anybody. The few parts that I did not enjoy or had a problem with, will not deter me from continuing in my journey through the Knitting Mystery Series.

    Thanks for taking the time to read my review; if you like you can follow my reading activity on Goodreads.

    Featured image created with help from Freepik.

  • Book Review: Double Knit Murders

    Title: Double Knit Murders

    Series: Knitting Mysteries, Books 1 & 2

    Author: Maggie Sefton

    My Rating: ★★★★★

    Synopsis:

    In Knit One, Kill Two, Kelly Flynn returns to Colorado for her aunt’s funeral only to suspect that the woman’s death was not an accident. With the help of the knitting regulars at House of Lambspun, Kelly’s about to get a few lessons in creating a sumptuously colored scarf-and in luring a killer out of hiding. In Needled to Death, Kelly visits her friend Vickie’s alpaca farm, and finds her splayed out on her original hand-woven rug, blood seeping into the design. Kelly can’t resist investigating-even if it means taking a break from the sweater she’s been knitting in the round. (Via Goodreads)

    My Thoughts:

    Pleasantly surprised is a good description of how I feel about the first 2 books in the Knitting Mystery series. It’s been a long time since I pulled an all nighter in order to finish a book, but that’s exactly what I did to get to the end of Needled To Death. Before we get into that let’s back up a bit.

    Back in 2018, I read Knit One, Kill Two, but never got around to writing a review. So when I snagged Double Knit Murders from Bookbub, I figured it would make the most sense to read it again to refresh my memory before moving on to Needled To Death. That was a good decision!

    Like any good first in a series, Knit One, Kill Two introduces not only our heroine but also the supporting characters that we anticipate we will see throughout the series. Our heroine in this cozy mystery series is Kelly Flynn, an independent self disciplined woman, with an analytical mind. It is very easy to relate to Kelly and follow along with her emotional and logistical journey to uncover the hidden truths about her aunt’s life and ultimately her death.

    A wide range of supporting characters develop through the context of the knitting group at the local yarn shop. Each supporting character is unique in their own right and yet this eccentric group of individuals, through the connection of knitting, develop into Kelly’s friends, family, and coconspirators in her hunt for the truth. In Needled to Death, those friendships and Kelly’s connection to Colorado, develop even further as another shocking murder hits close to home for the knitting group.

    The first book in this series also does what all first books in a good mystery series do, that is form a paradigm that explains or at least gives authenticity to how the main character becomes intertwined in various murder investigations. For the Knitting Mystery series, it is my assumption that Kelly’s analytical mind and unique way of seeing details that others might not, is how we will see her become embroiled in investigations.

    Although I had previously read Knit One, Kill Two, I still enjoyed refreshing my mind on the creative way the the story unraveled through Kelly’s simple belief that the story of how her aunt was murdered just did not make sense. With each page, I enjoyed following Kelly’s train of thought and also loved watching her passion for fiber arts begin to develop. Since I already knew, or at least had a slight recollection, of how the story ended, I was able to enjoy more of the “background” environment when reading this a second time.

    Within the first couple chapters of the second book, Needled to Death, I was positive I knew who was responsible for the murder. As I continued in the story, I fell in love with the character that I thought was the murderer. Even though this individual seemed to be the most likely culprit, page by page I kept praying that it was not true. Growing closer and closer to the end, that’s when I pulled my all nighter in order to find out the truth.

    When it comes to book series, I definitely have brand loyalty and a binge mentality. That is to say that when I find a book series that I really enjoy I tend not to veer off of that series until I have read everything available, save waiting my turn for a book from the library. Therefore, it should be no surprise, that I have already borrowed books 3 and 4 from my e-library. I look forward to seeing what else is in store for Kelly and the rest of the knitting group.

    If you’re looking for an intriguing mystery, one that’s not very heavy with dark criminal activity, and yet is captivating enough to keep you turning the pages; if you’re looking for a story that has interesting characters and relatable life events; if you’re looking for you’re next good read: I highly recommend adding Double Knit Murders to your TBR list.

    Thanks for taking the time to read my review; if you like you can follow my reading activity on Goodreads.

    Featured image created with help from Freepik.

  • Book Review: Brewed Awakening

    Title: Brewed Awakening

    Series: A Coffeehouse Mystery, #18

    Author: Cleo Coyle

    My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

    Synopsis:

    When coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi awakens on a bench in Washington Square Park, she has no idea she’s been missing for days, or that her friends and family have been frantic with worry. Now that she’s back, everyone is overjoyed, including a handsome NYPD detective who claims to be her fiance. But to Mike Quinn’s crushing distress, Clare doesn’t remember him, or much of anything about the last fifteen years of her life. Clare’s missing memory is tied to a crime she witnessed…Soon authorities grow suspicious. Is Clare really a victim? Or merely acting like one? Evidence is mounting…To clear her name, Clare must find a way to reclaim her memories and rescue the heiress before this high-stakes crime ends in tragedy…(via Goodreads)

    My Thoughts:

    When I saw this book on the shelf of my local library I nearly shouted out loud! There are very few book series that I could say I keep up with, but the Coffeehouse Mystery series is definitely one of them. Not only are the characters relatable and interesting, the story lines are actually believable. Honestly, I was expecting at some point in the series I would start to find the plots fantastical, but to my surprise they have remained creative and intriguing.

    In this 18th mystery, Brewed Awakening, the author has taken the plot and characters to an entirely new level. Without spoilers, I can say that the opening chapters where we realize what has happened to Claire, prepare us for a journey through her life and past, that we have not seen before. Additionally, we are taken on a rollercoaster ride of potential alterations to her present and future life. At one point I actually screamed out loud at the book, well at Matt to be precise.

    As with all mysteries, I am always attempting to deduce the culprit and/or scenario before it is revealed by the author. Yet, once again, my deducing skills pale in comparison to the incredible interwoven narrative skills of Cleo Coyle. The mystery of what happened to Claire the night the heiress disappeared, takes us from New York to New Jersey to the Hamptons. Deep dark secrets are revealed about both the living and the dead. While the key to it all, lies within the hidden skeletons of a complicated family. Let’s just say Brewed Awakening keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

    Thanks for taking the time to read my review; if you like you can follow my reading activity on Goodreads.

    Featured image created with help from Freepik.

  • Book Review: Alice In Wonderland

    Title: Alice In Wonderland

    Author: Lewis Carroll

    My Rating: ★★★☆☆

    Much like returning to your childhood home, rereading a childhood favorite can be bittersweet. As a kid I loved the story of Alice In Wonderland, it held a mesmerizing kinda magic. Having just finished reading it as an adult, I still see the magic, but I also see the absurdity.

    Lewis Carroll was, I believe, attempting to portray the wonder and power of a child’s imagination through the fantastical imagery that is Alice’s dream. In Alice’s older sister, we see the desire to hold on to one’s reverie skills despite age and reality progressively stealing them.

    While I like to believe that I still have a strong and healthy imagination, many of the scenes Alice faces during her journey through Wonderland were so preposterous, that it soured my enjoyment. Perhaps I am not as imaginative as I had once been, or maybe my memory of this childhood story was filtered by the many cinematic tellings of the story.

    Nevertheless, I enjoyed spending time with Alice once again, even if I did see her more as a precocious child than a kindred spirit this time around.

    Thanks for taking the time to read my review; if you like you can follow my reading activity on Goodreads.

    Featured image created with help from Freepik.

  • What I Read in 2019

     

    Somehow every year I just barely miss my reading challenge goal. How many books do you have to read in a year in order to keep your bibliophile card? Regardless, I am still an avid lover of books. This year I spent time in multiple genres, exploring time travel, futuristic fairytales, historical fiction, cozy mysteries, and rereading a few urban fantasy favorites. The highlight of the year was discovering The Others by Anne Bishop. This urban fantasy series captured my attention and love from the beginning, while also giving me an escape during some of 2019’s trials. In fact, I read the series three times this past year. Hopefully, I won’t need to escape that often in 2020, but I still think The Others might show up again at least once this coming year.

  • Book Review: Magic To The Bone

    Title: Magic To The Bone

    Series: Allie Beckstrom, Book #1

    Author: Devon Monk

    My Rating: ★★★☆☆

    Allie would rather moonlight as a Hound than accept the family fortune – and the strings that come with it. All magic use has costs — hers include migraines and memory loss. She finds a boy dying from a magic Offload with her father’s signature, then her father is murdered. Allie’s search for the truth calls on her country friend and the handsome man originally assigned as her bodyguard. Someone is forging magic signatures — and hers is on her dead father. (via Goodreads)

    My Thoughts:

    Urban fantasy is one of my preferred genres to read, mainly because my favorite author writes within this genre, but I have been challenging myself to read other authors that write urban fantasy, which is where the Allie Beckstrom series from Devon Monk falls. After reading the synopsis, I was very excited to read this book and in fact, there was a waiting list at the library for it, so when it was my turn, I started it right away. The overall story arch of our heroine, Allie Beckstrom, choosing a life on the periphery in contrast to the fortune she could have working with her estranged father in the business of magic, is an interesting arc, even if it is typical. Despite the less than creative foundation, the character of Allie still captured my interest, reminding me somewhat of Jessica Jones, however as I continued to read, I developed a love/hate relationship with the story.

    My first issue was that many characters were introduced rapidly at the start without time for natural development of their relationship with our main character. In my opinion, this seems to be a problem for many authors of book series. All the main characters are jammed into the first book, instead of letting them flow in and out of the story as the series develops.

    The second issue I had with the story was the multiple and excessive sex scenes, many of which had nothing to do with furthering the development of the story. I am not afraid to say that I do self-censor what I read and what I watch, I intentionally chose not to read books that are only written for the graphic content. However, when intimacy between characters is necessary for the plot, I have no disagreement with that. For example, I read a Nora Roberts trilogy, The Cousins O’Dwyer, every year and enjoy the development of intimacy between the main characters, as it enhances and furthers the plot. This is not the case with Magic To The Bone. The only scene that I felt truly enhanced the story, without spoilers, was when the intimacy also explored the depths of magical potential, the rest were just page fillers.

    Despite my issues with the story, I did really like the main character, Allie. She is spunky, strong, independent, and damaged enough to not be cocky. Although I was disappointed with the events during the resolution, the story kept my attention and I really want to see what happens in the next book. My hope is that as the author spends time with the story and characters, the storytelling becomes more polished and mature. This book really gave me a struggle when it came to rating it, ultimately I went with a 3/5, mainly because I liked it enough that I plan on reading the second book in the series.

    Thanks for taking the time to read my review; if you like you can follow my reading activity on Goodreads here.SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

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