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Yvonne473

Yvonne473

has 170 followers and is following 169 people

I love to read - cozy mysteries are my favorites, but I also enjoy romances and romantic suspense. I have a huge TBR mountain, which is almost embarrassing, but I love to read. I'm addicted :) I'm looking forward to meeting other readers and making new friends.

I also have a new review blog at http://socratesbookreviews.blogspot.com/... more »
  • New York, Lo, USA
  • member since July 18, 2007

Reviews

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Displaying 1-10 of 45 reviews
  • Dogs Don't Lie (Pru Marlowe Pet Noir)
    • Rated 4 stars

    Pru Marlowe recently returned to her beautiful hometown in the Berkshires for some peace and quiet. Unfortunately, that’s the last thing she’s going to get. Pru has a gift. She can communicate with animals.

    As an animal behaviorist Pru has a variety of different pet clients including Lily, a rescue dog, who was taken in and given a home by Charles, one of the local citizens. Lily is a pit bull who loves her human, but tragedy strikes when Charles is killed and Lily is accused of his murder. Pru is the only one who believes in Lily’s innocence while the rest of the town is ready to get rid of her.

    Pru uses her animal psychic abilities to talk to the animals in town, along with her live-in tabby Wallis – they set out to find a murderer.

    This is the first book in the “Pet Noir” mysteries. I know a lot of people don’t like books with talking animals, but this one is different. The only one the animals talk to is Pru and that’s because of her special abilities. Otherwise the animals appear as ordinary animals to everyone else in town.

    It’s a fun book with a mystery and even a dash of romance thrown together. The relationship between Pru and Wallis is just priceless. They are like two old friends instead of pet and human. I do admit that I was able to figure out who the culprit was but I enjoyed figuring it out with Pru and Wallis. It’s an enjoyable, fast-paced mystery and I’m looking forward to the second book in the series.


    FTC Disclosure: I read this book from my own collection for my own enjoyment.

    Yvonne473 wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Shakespeare's Landlord
    • Rated 3 stars

    This is the first book in the Lily Bard series. I love Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse books so I had to try this one. Lily has her own cleaning service and lives in an apartment building with a quirky group of neighbors. It has all the ingredients I enjoy in my cozy mysteries - A strong heroine who feels compelled to stick her nose into a local murder mystery as she can't trust the police to do their job, a cast of characters that send her on one wild goose chase after another and an intricate mystery that can go in all different directions until the case is solved. Lily even has a few secrets in her own past that she's determined to keep hidden. What a great idea for an amateur sleuth to be the local cleaning woman. She gets to come and go into everyone's house without drawing too much suspicion so she can snoop.

    I listened to this one on audio and plan to listen to the rest of them on audio. This made for fun listening on my way to work. I can't wait to hear all about Lily's next adventure.

    Yvonne473 wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Melinda and the Wild West

    Melinda and the Wild West

    by Linda Weaver Clarke
    • Rated 5 stars

    Melinda Gamble is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. She’s leaving the safety of her Boston hometown, as well as her family and her former fiancé to accept a teaching position in the wild west. Against everyone’s advice, she’s determined to make a new life for herself with her aunt and uncle in Bear Lake, Idaho.

    She immediately learns why the west is called “wild” after she’s held at gunpoint by Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch gang, attacked by a bear and nearly dying of hypothermia during a huge blizzard. After only a few months of being out west she’s had more excitement than she ever had in her lifetime back east.

    Things really get interesting when, Gilbert, the father of one of her students takes a liking to her as does the school’s superintendent, Henry. Melinda never expected to be in the middle of a romantic triangle – especially since her former fiancé from the east isn’t giving up either.

    Linda Weaver Clarke has created a beautiful story of love, strength and endurance in this first book of her Bear Lake series. Melinda is a character readers will admire and cheer for. Each character will touch the reader’s heart and hold onto it until the very last page and beyond. The author does an amazing job of blending fiction with true historical facts. It’s very obvious she did much research for this book and definitely got it right. I loved every minute of this book.


    FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

    Yvonne473 wrote this review Saturday, January 14, 2012. ( reply | permalink )
  • Citizen Insane
    • Rated 5 stars

    It’s never a dull moment for movie blogger and mom Barbara Marr. Just as she’s ready to enjoy a pedicure with her friends…not just any pedicure, but a Sweet Tangerine Spice Ultra-Ultimate Pedicure, one of her neighbors is acting crazy on her front lawn screaming about killing rabbits. Not to mention that Barbara is sure this nut is having an affair with her George Clooney look-alike FBI agent husband.

    When another neighbor is nearly killed, Barbara knows there’s something ominous going on and she’d have to do a bit of investigation of her own – even if it means missing out on her Ultra-Ultimate pedicure! After all, her friends are in danger and so is her own family. The pedicure would have to wait.

    The wacky adventures of Barbara Marr will have readers laughing out loud. The story is complete with devoted friends, a husband who wants to reunite with her, his sexy flirty friend, and even a couple of zany mobsters. Barbara makes me think of a married Stephanie Plum. Reading this book is a great way to relax and spend a few hours.

    Citizen Insane is the second book of the series. Although it stands alone, you’ll want to read the first one, Take the Monkeys and Run. You won’t want to miss a moment of Barbara’s antics.

    I can’t say enough good things about this series and the author. She’s amazing! These books are better than a box of chocolates (and I love chocolate!) I’m just sorry it took me so long to get around to reading it.

    FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

    Yvonne473 wrote this review Tuesday, January 10, 2012. ( reply | permalink )
  • Holiday Hideout
    • Rated 3 stars

    This is a cute romance anthology written by three of Harlequin’s leading authors.

    All three stories are set in a “mystical”, Lake Tahoe cabin owned by college professors Ken and Jillian Vickers. The “mystical” part involves couples falling in love when they stay over. As part of their research, the Vickers are trying to prove that the cabin indeed brings romance to people’s lives. In order to do this, they rent out the cabin throughout the holiday season.

    In the first story…

    The Thanksgiving Fix by Vicki Lewis Thompson

    Beth spends her Thanksgiving holiday in the cabin intending to be alone and getting away from everything and everyone. However, the Vickers arrange for their local handyman, Mac, to pay a house call for fear that the cabin has a leak. It’s not long before the sparks fly and Beth and Mac find their way into each other’s arms.

    The Christmas Set-Up by Jill Shalvis

    Zoe and Jason are both up for promotions at the same architect firm. They each must come up with a design that will win them the job, but with a little help from a matchmaking brother, a snow storm and a romantic cabin in Lake Tahoe, these two colleagues find much more than the perfect design. They find love.

    The New Year's Deal by Julie Kenner

    Cleo and Josh always planned to go to college and eventually marry, but when Josh’s father dies, his plans change. He refuses to leave his family or the family business. Cleo and Josh tearfully decide to break up. Five years later, they each remember a plan to reunite for New Year’s. What better place to reunite than a secluded cabin in Lake Tahoe. They rediscover their feelings for each other and wonder if they can give their relationship another try.

    My thoughts…

    I always enjoy the work of these three authors and these stories were good ones. However, anthologies can be tricky. Sometimes the length of the individual stories just isn’t long enough to develop a believable storyline. I loved the premise for all three stories, but they wrap things up too quickly which is the “nature of the beast” when it comes to anthologies. I would have liked to see more character and plot development.

    Basically, I wish these were three full length books. That’s not a bad thing, it’s actually a good thing…I wanted more! This is a great anthology for the holidays though. It gives us a chance to celebrate all three holidays with three different couples. It’s a quick read.

    Yvonne473 wrote this review Saturday, January 7, 2012. ( reply | permalink )
  • Needled to Death
    • Rated 3 stars

    Kelly Flynn is settling into her new home in Colorado quite nicely, which includes learning to knit with her new friends. When Kelly agrees to escort a group of tourists to Vicki Claymore’s alpaca ranch, she makes a shocking discovery. Vicki is very much dead and the quiet Colorado town isn’t so quiet anymore.

    Kelly can’t help but jump right into the investigation, especially when Vicki’s daughter begs for her assistance. Kelly vows not to let her down. Her search uncovers secrets which could lead to a killer and more tragedy for her new hometown.

    This is the second book in the “A Knitting Mystery” series and this is proving to be a fun set of books. Readers get to see the characters, especially Kelly, grow from the first book. I always love to watch character growth. That’s what makes me love this series so much. The plot was a good one, but it wasn’t complicated or difficult to figure out. There’s even a touch of romance in this book, but it’s not the focus of the story.

    The only problem I had was that it tended to get bogged down with the technicalities of knitting. I don’t knit, but I’ve read other books that revolve around knitting but didn’t get too caught up in the specifics as much as this book did. However, it didn’t ruin things for me. It was still fast-paced and I’m definitely going to be reading the next book.

    Yvonne473 wrote this review Friday, December 30, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Scream Catcher
    • Rated 5 stars

    Jude Parrish is a troubled man. Although he has a wonderful son and a beautiful wife, who is about to give birth to his second child, Parrish is eaten up by demons in his past. Those demons led to him giving up his career as a cop and becoming a best-selling author. Just when he is ready to let himself be happy with his family, he witnesses a brutal murder. A murder committed by a serial killer who had been declared dead a long time ago. Now that killer has to stop Jude from being an eyewitness for the prosecutor.

    Hector “the Black Dragon” Lennox is no ordinary killer. He also happens to be the designer of a killer video game which includes screams of his actual victims. Now he’s creating a new game and prepares himself to catch new screams. This time, he wants the screams of Parrish and his precious family. It becomes a race against time for the Parrish family as they desperately try to beat a murderer at his own game.

    This book is amazing. It’s a rollercoaster ride from page one to the very last page. This is a fast-paced adventure that will have readers hanging on each and every word. I could not put this one down. It’s the second book I’ve read by this author and I really really need to collect his backlist and download them to my Nook. He’s truly a master storyteller.

    One small warning: There is a lot of violence in this book, so if you don't like that aspect in your books, this one isn't for you.

    FTC Disclosure: Partners in Crime Blog Tours provided me with a copy of this book to review for the blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

    Yvonne473 wrote this review Saturday, December 24, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Dog Who Knew Too Much
    • Rated 5 stars

    Chet isn't a cat, but I love this series. Chet isn't a talking dog, but this book is told through his point of view. We know everything he's thinking and it makes me laugh when he gets distracted in his storytelling by food. He does love his food! LOL

    The story itself almost takes a backseat for me. I just love hearing about Chet's devotion for his "partner" Bernie and vice versa. Chet has amazing hero worship for his human.

    I have to admit, whenever Chet is separated from Bernie, I get incredibly worried (even though logically I know this will have a good ending). Spencer Quinn has really scored well with this series. It's fun and even more enjoyable as an audio book. It makes my commute much nicer.

    Yvonne473 wrote this review Saturday, December 17, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Sleight of Paw
    • Rated 5 stars

    Librarian Kathleen Paulson is back with her magical cats Hercules and Owen in their second adventure. When an elderly citizen, Agatha Shepherd, is found dead, Kathleen is shocked that one of her close friends is arrested for the murder. She’s sure that there is no way her friend would do such a horrible thing but the local sheriff, Marcus Gordon, is determined to look no further for a suspect.

    Kathleen vows that her friend won’t go down for a crime she didn’t commit. She begins her own investigation, with the help of her beloved cats. She finds herself mixed up with secret babies and million dollar inheritances which could end up making her the next murder victim.

    This is a fast-paced fun series, especially for someone like me who loves cats and mysteries. The perfect ingredients for a great story. The first book gave us a great introduction to these characters but the second one is even better.

    Yvonne473 wrote this review Sunday, December 11, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Sex and the Kitty
    • Rated 5 stars

    It was bound to happen…I read a book written by a cat. LOL Nancy the Cat has written her own memoir and what a riot it is!

    Nancy isn’t like all the neighborhood cats. All her kitty friends are perfectly happy sitting at home and doing kitty stuff. Not Nancy. She yearns for adventure and fame. She signs up with a talent agent and learns all too fast that fame isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.

    Despite her own Facebook page and her own blog, Nancy craves more. She falls in love with a famous kitty heartthrob, but the old saying – be careful what you wish for – comes true for this kitty cat.

    The title of this book is deceptive. There is no sex in this book. LOL Just a kitty cat wanting more out of life, just like the rest of us. There are so many cute scenes that will have readers laughing all the way through this one. It’s quick read and guaranteed to put cat lovers in a good mood.

    FTC Disclosure: NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

    Yvonne473 wrote this review Saturday, December 3, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
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Displaying 1-10 of 45 reviews