Cozy Category Archives

24 January, 2013

Cozy, Crime, Mystery, reviews

1 comment

Bradley, Cozy, Detective, Flavia de Luce

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

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Reason(s) for Reading:

I’m a huge Sarah Addison Allen fan – there’s just something about her books – so magical and southern and.. perfect.

Summary from GoodReads:

It’s the dubious distinction of thirty-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago. The Blue Ridge Madam—built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather during Walls of Water’s heyday, and once the town’s grandest home—has stood for years as a lonely monument to misfortune and scandal. And Willa herself has long strived to build a life beyond the brooding Jackson family shadow. No easy task in a town shaped by years of tradition and the well-marked boundaries of the haves and have-nots.

But Willa has lately learned that an old classmate—socialite do-gooder Paxton Osgood—of the very prominent Osgood family, has restored the Blue Ridge Madam to her former glory, with plans to open a top-flight inn. Maybe, at last, the troubled past can be laid to rest while something new and wonderful rises from its ashes. But what rises instead is a skeleton, found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, and certain to drag up dire consequences along with it.

For the bones—those of charismatic traveling salesman Tucker Devlin, who worked his dark charms on Walls of Water seventy-five years ago—are not all that lay hidden out of sight and mind. Long-kept secrets surrounding the troubling remains have also come to light, seemingly heralded by a spate of sudden strange occurrences throughout the town.

Now, thrust together in an unlikely friendship, united by a full-blooded mystery, Willa and Paxton must confront the dangerous passions and tragic betrayals that once bound their families—and uncover truths of the long-dead that have transcended time and defied the grave to touch the hearts and souls of the living.

Resonant with insight into the deep and lasting power of friendship, love, and tradition, The Peach Keeper is a portrait of the unshakable bonds that—in good times and bad, from one generation to the next—endure forever.

My Review:

There’s something magical about Sarah Addison Allen’s writing, and The Peach Keeper follows that path.

While romance is always a nice, comforting theme in Allen’s books, this book also dealt with friendship – the kind that lasts and the bonds that women can make together. A bit of a mystery, a touch of magic, the charm of the setting – all these combine to make The Peach Keeper another on my list of comfort books to read on that rainy day.

Willa and Paxton are two completely unique characters, so different from one another and each wishing for, essentially, what the other one has. Rich and poor, both have relatives that were bonded together, but torn apart by class imbalance once Willa’s great-grandfather lost his money. Now the old home built by Willa’s family and purchased by Paxton’s is being renovated and all sorts of secrets are coming to the suface.

I mentioned romance earlier, and of course there is romance here. But it’s the slow blooming kind (as slow as a book this length will allow). I think my favorite was the relationship between Paxton and Sebastian, just because it dealt with some things that really are not all that common in the books I’ve read. As to what that is.. well I suppose you’ll just have to read it, won’t you?

Check out these review(s):

Cozy, Fantasy, reviews, Romance

3 comments

Allen, Magic, North Carolina

Heart with Joy by Steve Cushman

Heart with Joy by Steve Cushman

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Reason(s) for Reading:

Steve Cushman contacted me with a summary of his book, and it looked interesting.
After reading a rather dismal family book I wanted something with a bit more hope.

I also recommend:

Words Unspoken by Elizabeth Musser
Peace Like a River by Lief Enger

Summary from GoodReads:

In Heart With Joy, fifteen-year-old Julian Hale’s life is turned upside down when his mother suddenly moves from North Carolina to Venice, Florida under the pretense of running her parents’ motel and finishing the novel she has been working on for years. While Julian has always been closer to his mother and wants to go with her, she tells him he has to stay with his father until the end of the school year.

Six weeks after his mother leaves, Julian’s father decides to run a marathon. This surprises Julian because he has never seen his father exercise, but once he agrees to help him train the two develop the sort of close relationship they’ve never had before. Also, with the help of an elderly neighbor, Julian learns that the most important thing in life is to follow your heart. And Julian’s heart leads him to a passion for cooking and a young cashier at the local grocery store. By the end of the novel, Julian is forced to choose between staying with his father and going to live with his mother.

My Review (Spoiler free!):

Do you have something that fills your heart with joy? This is the ultimate question that Julian sets out to figure out while developing relationships with those around him.

This book started out with a bit of a sad story, but when I thought I had it figured out and knew which direction the story was going to head… things started to change. Steve Cushman did a beautiful job of laying out the normally commonplace things around his characters, making them feel as if they were right there… just out of reach. While reading this book I became more aware of the sounds of birds surrounding me, I noticed textures and colors as I looked out of my window and I found myself asking.. what all fills my heart with joy?

While this wasn’t a story that had me reeling in amazement, it was a story that warmed my heart, made me appreciate the relationships I have a little bit more and left me feeling content. Wrapped up in a few, short pages it gets its message across well and is worth the time investment if you are wanting something pleasant and thoughtful to read.

Check out these review(s):

Coming of Age, Cozy, reviews

0 comments

Coming-of-Age, Cushman, Inspirational

Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith

Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith

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Dewey’s Nine Lives by Vicki Myron

Reason(s) for Reading:

I wanted a good, traveling, airplane read.
Alexander McCall Smith always puts me in a good mood.

I also recommend:

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson

Summary from GoodReads:

Corduroy Mansions is an unassuming large house in London’s Pimlico, inhabited by an assortment of characters and one dog. The date of the building is indeterminate, but there are Arts and Craft features that point to the very late nineteenth century. It is believed to have been built as an asylum, or possibly a school, or a mansion block. In fact, nothing is known about the building’s history, although it does feature in a guide to the architecture of Pimlico.
It is described there as “a building of no interest whatsoever”. The nickname Corduroy Mansions was given in jest by a fashionable person, and stuck.

My Review:

There is just something special in the way that Alexander McCall Smith writes. I knew when I picked up Corduroy Mansions that I’d be in for a treat, and I wasn’t let down.

Here’s what I love most about Alexander McCall Smith’s writing: his character development. There is not a single book of his that hasn’t had me waxing on and on about at least one of his characters, and Corduroy Mansions is not exempt from this. I don’t know who I loved more, William (and Freddie de la Hay – the vegetarian dog), Oedipus Snark (such a fun, bad character) or Barbara and her adorable, naive brother, Theodore.

This was the perfect airplane read. It had me giggling softly to myself, thoroughly engrossed in the unfolding drama all centered around a quiet, unassuming building. A fantastic read and one I highly recommend.

Check out these review(s):

Dewey’s Nine Lives by Vicki Myron

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Reason(s) for Reading:

I missed out on reading Dewey and wanted to see what all the hoopla was about (like how I used hoopla there?)
I can’t resist a cute cat.

I recommend:

The Lumby Lines by Gail Fraser

Summary from GoodReads:

The cat that captured America’s heart returns, with two new tales and seven more tails.

My Review:

Every once in a while I enjoy a good “feel good” story. Dewey’s Nine Lives gave me that story and Vicki Myron did a great job of pulling together the lives of some fairly ordinary people and making them interesting, thought-provoking and heart-warming. It always amazes me when I see the bond between people and their animals. I have a cat, and while I love him (and sometimes folks, it’s HARD to love him), sometimes he can drive me so batty.

I think my favorite kitty story was about Ninja, the karate move cat. My own cat can do so many strange things it cracks me up.

This is Sergei Rachmaninoff. Sergei for short. I rescued Sergei from the pound when he was a mere 3 months old (and the size of a full-grown cat). I picked him up, took one look at his large paws and knew that this kitty was going to be my Rachmaninoff.

Sergei is soft, large, noisy, cuddly, tolerant and kind. He doesn’t hesitate to voice his opinion, loves to chase the Boxer Dog (Guinness) around the house. He is a cockroach killer, bat capturer and ball fetcher. He loves dog food (even though I try to keep him away from it) and has eaten everything from scraps to the meatloaf right off my nephews plate.

He can be a pain in the butt, but he’s also taught me about how easy it is to fall in love with an animal.

And so, I appreciated this book for what it was- a feel good book that speaks to the heart with stories of the love between animals and their companions.

Check out these review(s):

A Books Blog

Bookfoolery and Babble

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

Summary:

In a garden surrounded by a tall fence, tucked away behind a small, quiet house in an even smaller town, is an apple tree that is rumored to bear a very special sort of fruit. In this luminous debut novel, Sarah Addison Allen tells the story of that enchanted tree, and the extraordinary people who tend it.

My Review:

I picked up GARDEN SPELLS because, after reading THE SUGAR QUEEN and THE GIRL WHO CHASED THE MOON by Sarah Addison Allen … how could I not read the book that started it all?

This is a book about a town with people of tradition. There’s the Waverly’s who have special gifts; gifts that are.. extraordinary in nature. There’s a family known for its men marrying older women and another family known for its women being.. well… being able to fully please their men in bed.

And then there’s my favorite character – Evanelle. Evanelle’s gift makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside, imagining the possibilities of the gift and envying the brilliant thought process that brought this gift to live on the page. It was like Sarah Allen looked deep into the mind of a gal like me and found that magical spot … that place where she could press and, in the pages of a book, give me exactly what I was looking for.

On the surface this is a love story; it deals with heavier issues such as abuse and abandonment – but with such a light and gentle touch that I never felt as if the book used those issues as a crutch to keep the reader reading. It’s a story of family and friendship, of forgiveness – of each other and yourself, and a story of coming home that was completely and totally delightful and a pleasure to read.

7 August, 2010

Cozy, reviews, Southern

2 comments

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

Summary:

In her latest enchanting novel, New York Times bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen invites you to a quirky little Southern town with more magic than a full Carolina moon. Here two very different women discover how to find their place in the world…no matter how out of place they feel.

My Review:

If anyone were to ask me what “summer reading” means, I would tell them to buy this book.

When I think about summer reading I think about something that is light-hearted and poignant, something that will have me happily flipping the pages at the pool, a book that will tease that little smile to my lips so often that others walking by will stop to ask what I’m reading. I want to hear the music of the crickets chirping through the descriptions inside the pages and feel the humidity pressing down on me as well as the cool relief of the AC when the characters slip inside.

All of these things and more were given to me as I read The Girl Who Chased the Moon. I could rant on and on about how fantastic this book is, but instead I want to write a little note to the author.

Dear Ms. Allen,

Thank you for giving me a reason to love summer again. In just a short 24 hours while I devoured this story you wrote I forgot about the broken AC and stresses of upcoming school-days. I didn’t mind getting up to hang my clothes on the line because I could drift into Mullaby in my imagination imagining the gentle giant, the lights and the sweet, sweet romances taking place.

I’m not often as touched as I was by this book and over the last several months have become somewhat jaded when it comes to light-hearted mysteries and affairs of the heart… but this story broke through those walls I’d begun to build and made me remember just how much I love reading a good story.

Thank you and I cannot wait to read what else you have in store for us.

Your newest fan,
Lydia.

The Girl Who Chased the Moon Promotional Trailer

2 August, 2010

Cozy, reviews, Southern

0 comments

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

Summary:

In this irresistible novel, Sarah Addison Allen, author of the New York Times bestselling debut, Garden Spells, tells the tale of a young woman whose family secrets—and secret passions—are about to change her life forever.

My Review:

I first saw The Sugar Queen in Barnes and Noble. I had been walking past the tables set out and the cover caught my eye. It was a soft cover with a beautiful picture of a lollypop and a girl in a dress. I took a picture of it with my cell phone so I could remember to request it from my library, but I was so back logged on books I never got around to it.

Then I stumbled across a hardcover copy on a recent vacation to Chicago. I saw this book in three different bookstores and the name rung a bell in my memory, but I didn’t put two and two together until I finally gave into my urge, purchased it and then, a month later, picked it up to read on the recommendation of another book blogger.

Like Chloe, one of the girls in this book, I felt as if this book was following me around, begging to be read. It was such a beautiful little story – charming in that every chapter is named after a candy, the main character is not a cliche, beautiful trim woman and the twist.. oh the twist is so perfectly bittersweet.

I don’t want to reveal much about the book because the beauty in it is discovering the bits and pieces revealed over the timetable of the story – but I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to read another of Sarah Addison Allen’s books – now that I’ve been introduced I do think I am hooked!

27 July, 2010

Chick-Lit, Cozy, reviews

0 comments

Lumby on the Air by Gail Fraser

Pre-Order on Amazon

Summary:

Pam and Mark Walker are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary with a week-long family reunion and a ceremony renewing their vows. But when Mark’s brother-in-law starts broadcasting his radio talk show from Montis Inn, his disparaging remarks about small-town life cause immediate rifts that only widen when he sides with a real estate developer who wants to turn Lumby into an asphalt Aspen. As the controversy pits family against family, and neighbor against neighbor, will the spirit that defines Lumby triumph once again?

My Review:
Just when I thought I’d seen it all in Lumby, Gail Fraser comes out with a new installment that has me completely hooked.

Pam and Mark are about to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary and the celebration will be attended by their families – characters ranging from the estranged older sister of Mark to Pam’s fun-loving mother, a rebellious teenage niece and a brother-in-law who needs to, quite frankly, learn a lesson.

There was the usual cast of hilarious characters – Howard the Moose, Hank the Plastic Flamingo and.. as always, the funny entries of The Lumby Lines newspaper.

I really, really enjoyed seeing relationships evolve and this book was made a whole lot more personal for me as I found myself identifying with several of the characters represented. Of course, as I’ve learned to expect by now, there were some fantastic elements to the story.. but it’s part of the charm of these books and I fully enjoyed escaping to Lumby again and will definitely be looking out for Lumby Book #6.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from FSB Associates. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Promise of Lumby by Gail Fraser