Ah, Autumn!

I am well aware that it is only August 9th and that August is still considered summer (in most parts of the world). Fall is my favorite, absolute favorite, season of the year and I may or may not be doing a little wishful day dreaming about cool weather, clear skies, orange leaves, crisp afternoon walks, boots...*sigh*.

In South Carolina we don't get many of those luxuries of the autumn months, but I can settle down and read some wonderful cozy mysteries that will make me feel like I live in a very fall-like place.

Today I'm sharing with you guys some books that I have been saving for the cooler months and days where I can sit on my couch with a cup of hot chocolate and just read!

Scared Stiff
This is book number 2 in the Mattie Winston series. I haven't read book 1 yet, but from the reviews I have read it doesn't seem to make much difference. I'm saving this one for Halloween since the story is about trick-or-treater's who discover a model dead! Can't wait to read this one, I have heard such wonderful reviews about it.

Murder is Binding
This is the first book in the Booktown Mystery series. I picked this one up when I first got my Kindle last year and still have yet to read it. The book is about a woman who moves to New Hampshire and opens up a mystery bookstore. Tricia is having a great time with her stores, but when the cookbook bookstore owner is found dead everyone begins blaming Tricia.

Uncommon Grounds
This is the first book in the Maggy Thorsen cozy mystery series. All about lattes, small town politics and the wealthy city of Brookhills this one is sure to be a winner for the fall season! Goodreads has given this book excellent reviews and it's been named as one of the best cozy mystery series!

Academic Body
I picked this book up as a freebie on Amazon! The cover reminded me of the board game "Clue", and since it's one of my favorite games I decided that this could be a good read :) The book takes place in Maine, and I love anything that takes place in the New England area. As a retired theatrical director struggles with the idea of becoming a college professor while still trying to woo his wife away from the glitz and glamour of the NYC stage, he finds himself a murder suspect with a limited amount of time to prove himself innocent!




What books are you looking forward to reading soon?

Book Review: Hollywood Scandals

Hollywood Scandals by Gemma Halliday

If you read my book review on Fearless in High Heels you know that I 1) love cozies and 2) love Gemma Halliday. The two of those things combined is like heaven on paper. I finished the High Heels series, and decided to download the Hollywood Headlines series when I learned that Felix played an important role in these books. I figured it would be the closest thing to the High Heels series. I haven’t ventured much outside of Gemma Halliday when it comes to the cozy genre, so I’m sure there are many other good cozy authors out there, but I really enjoy Gemma’s writing style.

If you read the High Heels books you know that Felix works for the Informer, a trashy tabloid magazine based out of Los Angeles. Meet lead gossip columnist: Tina Bender. Tina is good at digging up dirt on famous Hollywood celebrities and trashing them in her daily column. She also drives a hot pink scooter, has a crush on a mysterious man whom she has only ever chatted with online, and lives in a senior citizen community with her nearly deaf aunt, Sue. What Tina isn’t good at is making friends; in fact she is best at making enemies and that becomes even more clear when a mysterious caller threatens her life.  

The mystery caller leaves messages threatening to kill Tina because of stories that she has recently printed in her gossip column. Felix, not feeling safe about the situation, takes matters into his own hands and hires Cal (“rent-a-goon”) to follow Tina around and keep her safe. Tina is of course outraged by the situation but finds that she has no choice in the matter. Since talking to the police is out of the question, for fear of losing her gossip informants, she puts on a happy face and deals with it. But, she has her own agenda.  

This is when Tina takes on the task of tracking down her mysterious caller.  With Cal by her side, she is led on a wild goose chase that seems to have no answers or end in sight. Along the way she encounters everyone from sobbing wives to teenage celebrities. While she’s on the case she even digs up some Hollywood dirt that no one ever thought imaginable.  It’s like two mysteries in one!

Tina eventually has to deal with feelings she could never have imagined and situations that are so far out of her control that she could wind up dead if she doesn’t alert the police. The tough girl act seems to be coming to a close when things really heat up and someone close to Tina ends up dead.

There were many similarities between Gemma’s High Heels series and this one. If you were a High Heels reader you’ll notice the similarities right from the start. A lot of the same expressions are used and many of the characters share both the same physical and behavioral characteristics. Cal is a less Mexican version of Ramirez, Cam and Dana share many of the same qualities (ie: blonde, gorgeous, big boobs), and both Maddie and Tina have the same love for In-and-Out Burgers. You’ll also run into Marco and Fernando in this book!

This book is sure to keep you laughing (yes there is LOTS of humor in this book) and guessing all at the same time!

Rating: ★★★★

Book Review: Fearless in High Heels

Fearless in High Heels by Gemma Halliday

Gemma Halliday has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I was able to snag the first book in the High Heels series, Spying in High Heels, for free on my Kindle, and the box set of of the first 5 is only $9.99! The High Heels series has been increasing in popularity and even hit the New York Time's Best Seller List. It is now also being published in print format.

The High Heels series is considered a "cozy mystery". For those who are unfamiliar with cozy mysteries, this genre is basically a combination of mystery and chick lit. The main character is usually female and isn't a detective or anything of that sort. The mystery isn't gruesome and it doesn't go into much detail, most readers can figure out who the culprit is before the book ends. Books in this genre usually have the same elements of a chick lit novel: romance, love, fashion, fun, and spunk!

This is a review of the 6th and newest book in the High Heels series, Fearless in High Heels. If you haven't read books 1-5, and the 2 short stories I would suggest reading those first. At the time I don't have those reviews on the site, but you can find a short review of each on my GoodReads shelf.  Although cozy mysteries are often able to be read out of order, I always recommend starting with book 1. However, if you do decide to start reading the 6th book first you'll be okay. The author gives plenty of background information to catch you up and make sense of the story. The only potential problem with reading this book before the others is you'll know how Maddie and Ramirez's relationship progresses. Which, in my opinion, is half the fun of this series!

This book wasn't my favorite in the High Heels series. My favorites were books 1, 2, and 4, but the book did not disappoint. I found, just like the others, that it was hard to put down once I started reading and I wasn't able to figure out who the criminal was. Halliday's books always leave me guessing. Perhaps I'm just not a good mystery solver!

In this book Maddie, shoe designer and wife of a sexy copy, is pregnant. By page 3 we are already knee deep in a bad situation. After being persuaded by best friend Dana and flamboyant Marco to go out for a night on the town, Maddie finds herself face to face with a dead girl in a bathroom stall none the less. The worst part? Maddie and this girl had just been spotted fighting at the bar. Of course Maddie looks like the bad guy and no sooner do we flip the page does LAPD Homicide Detective (sexy copy and husband) Ramirez comes in to assess the situation.

Ramirez spends more time solving this crime then spending time with his wife. Therefore Maddie decides it's time to take matters into her own hands in order to get her husband back. Crime fighting trio Maddie, Marco and Dana are on the case in no time at all and just happen to be on the right path to finding the killer. Along the way they encounter vampires, crazy relatives, and attorneys.

The elements of the other High Heels books are all in the story. Ramirez getting annoyed with Maddie, Maddie poking her nose where it doesn't long, the trio ending up in a poor situation, and Ramirez saving the day as usual.

I'm sad to see that at the current time there isn't another High Heels story out there. According to Halliday's website the 7th book is due out during late summer of 2012. I can assure you I will be reading the next one, I just can't seem to get enough of this quirky cozy mystery series.

Rating: ★★★★