Friday, February 7, 2025

The Record Shop Mystery Series by Olivia Blacke

I love finding a new cozy mystery series. Vinyl Resting Place was the January pick for Cozy Mystery Book Club. I love how the choices are always the first book in a series so you don't have to get up to speed with several books to join in on the discussion. Plus I love getting a chance to discover new authors and get invested in a series. My last home run from the book club was the Grilled Cheese mysteries.

Vinyl Resting Place

Was this book written just for me? I mean, records, coffee, and a mystery, yes please. Not to mention the song title puns used for the special brews Juni created in the shop! Speaking of the main character... I loved Juni and her sisters and the mystery of her uncle and all his associates. I thought it was really well done in terms of characters. The mystery itself wasn’t what I was expecting because I thought the reader would get all the clues to try and solve the mystery themselves, and that wasn’t possible (unless I missed something?), but it was still a fun ride with good twists. I definitely want to read more in this series.

A Fatal Groove

I loved the premise of this series but the first book didn’t quite grab me. I’m glad I gave Blacke another chance though, because this book ROCKED. I feel like she hit her stride here, or maybe it’s just because more townspeople were introduced and the story felt more rounded than the first mystery. I think the clues were better in this one too, and while there were plenty of potential suspects, I felt like I got to the resolution along with Juni, which I didn’t get from the first book. Can’t wait for the next! My favorite parts of both the first and second book in this series are definitely the song title/coffee puns - they're SO good.


Rhythm and Clues

The third book was such a satisfying resolution (for now???) to this series. I think I liked the second book best of all, but this one nicely wrapped up that love triangle (a bit late for my tastes but hey) and had a really interesting crime. My favorite part of the second book was seeing more of the community, and this takes that idea and runs with it, showing more of the town and local businesses. I feel like there weren’t enough coffee/music puns, though, which is just one reason I hope Blacke continues this series eventually. Six months in Cedar River isn’t enough!

Saturday, February 1, 2025

The Blanche White Series by Barbara Neely

 Happy Black History Month!


I wanted to share the Blanche White books all together. Barbara Neely created this realistic, "average" yet incredibly intelligent sleuth that is one of the most memorable characters I've read. She doesn't shy away from racism, sexism, misgynoir, and other important societal issues. She's a cleaning lady and a stand-in mother for her niece and nephew yet still has romance (without getting in over her head, which is refreshing) and adventures.

This series was brought to my attention thanks to Sisters in Crime having a Reading Like a Writer discussion about the first book, Blanche on the Lam. I was hooked on Neely's writing style plus Blanche's larger-than-life personality, so I had to read the whole series.

Each book is worth a read, getting better and better as it goes on. Check out my reviews for the whole series:

Friday, January 31, 2025

A New Day by Sue Mell

 

A New Day by Sue Mell

This has been one of my favorite books read recently, so please check it out!
In A New Day, Sue Mell delivers a collection of short stories that feel honest and familiar. The book follows three women—Rachel, Emma, and Nina—through the highs and lows of relationships, creative pursuits, and life’s everyday disarray.

What stands out most about these stories is how real they feel. Mell doesn’t sugarcoat or neatly resolve everything. Instead, she gives us glimpses of decisions that ripple through later stories, sometimes offering closure but more often reflecting how life works—messy, unpredictable, and full of loose ends. It’s like catching up with old friends through mutual acquaintances, where you slowly piece together what’s been happening in their lives.



Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Blanche Passes Go by Barbara Neely

Blanche Passes Go by Barbara Neely

I think this might be my favorite Blanche book of the series, though I loved them all for different reasons. (Major shout-out to Sisters in Crime for bringing these books - and this author! - to my attention.)

This one felt like a solid ending for the series, though I would happily read four more of whatever antics Blanche got into. I think the racial and justice issues in this book probably hit home the most for me, because the issues are so major and are becoming more and more relevant by the day.

I loved seeing Blanche’s friendship with Ardell in the flesh instead of over the phone as it had been in the previous books. I also enjoyed seeing a man treat Blanche right… most of the time, and how she kept her head about him.

Some quotes I especially loved:
"She'd never been big in the trust department and saw no reason for that to change - not until there was intelligent life on earth."

"Blanche thought it a special shame that so many poor white people had been suckered into believing black people were their enemy, instead of seeing how both grroups were being screwed by the same pale rich guy."

"[She's] just a woman like any other - making mistakes, being scared, moving on anyway. Just like the rest of us."

And my current favorite... 

"Maybe the only way to end this mess was for every woman to stand up for every other woman, even if she couldn't stand up for herself." 


This is a series I’ll re-read in time, and can’t recommend it enough to people who love mysteries, social commentary, and humor.

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Blanche Cleans Up by Barbara Neely

Blanche Cleans Up by Barbara Neely

I think this has been my favorite Blanche book so far!

The mystery was deeply ingrained in a community instead of more limited like the previous two books. There was corruption in a few Black neighborhoods in Boston, threatening to spill over and impact even more people.

Blanche was sassier than ever and spoke so much truth. There was a lot of great commentary about how young Black men are expected to be and how they’re treated regardless of how they act. She also had a great angle on teenage pregnancy.

I’m excited to read the fourth book but also sad that it’s the last for Blanche.

Thursday, January 23, 2025

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

Though I'm writing this in the new year, I actually finished this book on Christmas. I read it in about two days, but once I finished, I needed to sit and think before reviewing it. I gave it 3 stars right away because it kept me turning pages and I had no clue what was going to happen, which definitely makes for an interesting read and deserves credit.

Even weeks later, I'm still not sure how I feel about it. The premise was amazing. I knew it was a thriller but the idea of attending a writing retreat and just escaping real life for awhile was so enticing, especially since I was reading it over the holidays so "real life" didn't even feel like a thing.

Potential spoilers ahead...

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

The Red House Mystery and Thoughts on DNF

The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne

I was a big Winnie the Pooh fan in elementary school. There was a Disney store at the mall and I spent a lot of time and money there. I had stuffed animals, charm bracelets, t-shirts - you name it. But somehow I didn't know A.A. Milne, the Winnie the Pooh author, had written a mystery book until my mom told me about it.

Despite reading a lot, and reading consistently, I feel like it's sometimes a slog to get through the first chapter of books. I try to start relatively blind, without reading the jacket copy or back cover summary. But some first chapters throw so much at me that I then have to pause and read a summary just to know what is to come. It can help me understand what these characters are gearing up to do. Sometimes.

The first chapter of this book was one of the most boring things I'd read, but I know some mysteries start at a snail's pace to lure you into a false sense of security. However, after meeing half a dozen characters and not being able to remember their names, I was feeling a bit lost. At the end of the chapter, a new character is introduced with the same last name as who I was thinking of as the main character, and there was no mention of their relation or if it was a joke that they had the same name. All I could think was, this is fiction! Use any name you want! (Authors using very similar names is a pet peeve of mine.)

I started chapter two and there were a handful of new characters introduced in the first chapter, so I knew I needed to take a break. I decided to peek at some reviews to see if it was worth sticking with.

On Goodreads, the book has an average rating of 3.68 stars. Usually, that would be enough to convince me to keep on. It has more 4 star reviews than 5, but the 1 star ratings lured me in. I started reading a few and found the reviewers had many of the same complaints I already had, just a chapter and a page in. They mentioned it wasn't worth the read and so... I stopped.

It's taken me a lot to DNF (Did Not Finish) a book. I used to rarely stop reading before finishing a book. I actually remember one of the first times that happened back in May 2008. I blogged about it on my now-unpublished "Allison Writes" blog, while talking about juggling writing for a creative writing workshop and reading for fun:

"And one is the WORST book I have ever attempted to read, and I hate to mention the name here to even give it the tiniest bit of recognition, but it's Jonathan Tropper's The Book of Joe and it suuuuuuuuuuuuuucks more than anything I can imagine. The sentences are insane. My two faves:

(Runner up)
I take a deep breath, but the tears continue to come, blurring my vision, and I have to quickly pull over onto the anorexic shoulder of the highway, choking back an astonished sob as I throw the car into park.
What the hell is an anorexic shoulder?! I've only had two fiction classes, but in both we've learned to make things NOT sound like writing. And anyone who enjoys reading knows it's better to get sucked up into the story, not to be aware you're reading a book. If that's not pure "writing" then I don't know what is. I didn't get sucked in at all. The character is a jackass who tries to act macho, so I called his bluff as soon as he choked back his astonished sob.

(FIRST PLACE WINNER FOR ALL OF TIME!!!)
Just before I passed out, their fuzzy silhouettes appeared to touch in a tentative embrace, but I'd barely noted the illusion when unconsciousness dispensed with the foreplay and hungrily consummated our union.
Tell me that didn't make you laugh. This guy needs to put down the thesaurus! Big words don't make him sound smart, they make him sound pompous. And the whole sexual reference? Might be clever if properly done, but it just didn't work here. Then again I've never hungrily consummated my union with sleep, so he might be describing that moment perfectly.

I made it to page 59 - the page after the 1st place sentence, and could go no further. I want a ribbon for making it that far, please. I should have read the author reviews first. One chick-lit author says "You really fall in love with Joe. By the end I wanted to have his babies!" I think I lost brain cells just reading that..."

Clearly I'm still holding a grudge if I can remember the first book I DNF and wanted to find the exact quotes to prove why... But I digress!

Not long after that, I decided to give books 100 pages before deciding if I should keep on or stop. But 100 pages is a lot. Everything I've ever learned in fiction/novel/flash writing is to hook readers immediately, and I try my hardest to do that in my own writing. So why am I not holding other authors to that standard? Just because they happened to get published? Nah. So I lowered it to 50 pages, and that held up for a long time. 

But lately, I don't have the patience. I'll give you a chapter or a few pages depending on my mood. However, there are too many books out there to read, and so many that I'm sure will grab me right away. And if there aren't, that's okay too! I'll spend my time writing my own stories, or crafting, or baking bread. I don't want to waste time on books that aren't worth it anymore (though I'll admit I still hate-read some authors, but that's another rant). 

Last year, I started a DNF shelf on Goodreads. I want to have a record of the books I couldn't get through so I don't keep picking them up and trying again. While I believe in the idea of the right book at the right time, the titles on these shelves aren't those that I'd want to give another try any time soon. But I also don't want to rate them 1 star just because I couldn't get into them, so this allows me to file them without rating them, just to play fair.

Monday, January 6, 2025

Feminist Lit by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I thought it would be nice to start the new year reading some books that light a fire within me during a time when I'd much rather hunker down and continue staying up late doomscrolling and eating holiday treats.


These books spelled out things that have been on my mind more than ever, and in a way that was so easy to understand - and to feel understood. I especially loved the author's take on Ms. over Mrs. - I will die on that hill. Good for you if you don't mind being called Mrs. once you're married, but I don't see why the Miss/Ms./Mrs. distinction even exists, considering there is only Mr. for men. There's no need to classify people by their marriage status when you refer to them. That's why I call everyone Ms., though I will write Mrs. if I know that's what they prefer.

I also loved the discussion on clothes and toys for babies. There's no reason to have clothes for baby boys and baby girls when they wear things for a month (if you're lucky) before growing out of them anyway. I remember taking my son to a store when he was just a few months old and he was wearing a gray onesie with white stars on it. A woman in front of me in the checkout line started talking about my cute little girl and seemed offended when I said he was a boy - are gray and stars feminine? And if they are, what does it matter?

Something I'd never really thought of was the author's idea that, "if we truly depended on biology as the root of social norms, then children would be identified as their mother's rather than their father's because when a child is born, the parent we are biologically certain of is the mother." With all the arguments about two heterosexual parent households and placing blame on single mothers for being *checks notes* single mothers, I loved this concept because it made me, as a single mother raising a son with a completely absent father, feel powerful (as I should, but as society tries to make me not feel).

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I previously read this in June 2016 and noted that it didn’t seem as revolutionary as I’d expected when there was such a buzz around it. However, re-reading it, I appreciate how matter-of-fact it is. It’s accessible so everyone can (and should) read it and understand it. As the author herself says, “My own definition if a feminist is a man or a woman who says, yes, there’s a problem with gender as it is today and we must fix it, we must do better. All of us, women and men, must do better.” That’s something we need to strive for now more than ever.

Dear Ijeawele; or, A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. This one resonated with me a bit more than We Should All Be Feminists, perhaps because of the parenting aspect and how conscious I am now of what my son is exposed to and what he thinks is acceptable. Honestly, a lot of the advice struck me in a way that I really needed after being raised in the South and held to certain standards I was led to believe were “right.”

Some of my favorite quotes include:
"Everybody will have an opinion about what you should do, but what matters is what you want for yourself, and not what others want you to want."

"But here is a sad truth: Our world is full of men and women who do not like powerful women. [...] We judge powerful women more harshly than we judge powerful men." Oof, that one hits hard considering *gesturing around*. (The whole quote is amazing but it's a paragraph so I don't want to replicate it all here.)

"Teach her that if you criticize X in women but do not criticize X in men, then you do not have a problem with X, you have a problem with women."

"Teach her to reject likeability. Her job is not to make herself likeable, her job is to be her full self, a self that is honest and aware of the equal humanity of other people."

"Tell her that kindness matters. Praise her when she is kind to other people. But teach her that her kindness must never be taken for granted. Tell her that she, too, deserves the kindness of others."

Friday, January 3, 2025

Blanche Among the Talented Tenth by Barbara Neely

Blanche Among the Talented Tenth by Barbara Neely

I was reading this along with three or four other books off and on, so it took me a bit to finish but that’s no commentary on the book itself. I loved this one even more than the first Blanche book because I felt like her character was even stronger here.

The case wasn’t much of a compelling mystery to me, but I loved the setting and seeing how Blanche acted on vacation. There was also a lot of great social commentary on race, color, and gender here that is still so relevant today. I had to make note of so many instances because these sentences were just screaming at me as a woman. The character of Mattie wrote a book that touched on the inequity of parenting in the early childhood years and, as a mother, that whole section had me nodding my head (page 188-190 if you have the book).

With many of these relationship and inequality arguments, I first thought, "Wow, Neely was ahead of her time," but of course that's sadly not the case. We're going backwards and it's ridiculous, but reading some of these lines did give me a strange sense of hope that we got past it once and can get past it again.

This one especially stuck out to me as I raise a son on my own and look at the men in the world around us...
"Blanche had one of those moments when her heart nearly stopped at the thought that this child she was raising was growing up to be a prime aged male. She focussed on the affectionate, good natured, individual person Malik had always been. Would puberty turn his entire personality around? She knew she didn't have much control over whether he'd develop into a man she'd like to know. No matter how often she told him to treat girls and women with fairness and respect, and about the importance of knowing and understanding his own feelings, [...] there was still a whole world of other boys and men out there telling him that being a butt-fondling troglodyte was not only OK, but all right."
Phew. For a mystery novel set during a beach vacation, there were a lot of hard truths shared here. I can't wait to read the third and fourth books. (You can find my review of the first book here.)