#jenn mckinlay
Text
Cozy Mystery Review!
Jenn McKinlay — The Plot And The Pendulum
Spooky Season is upon Briar Creek. Arriving along with the crisp air, autumn leaves, and giant pumpkins is a giant donation to the Briar Creek Library. The gift of such rare and valuable books is not something Lindsey, Briar Creek’s Library Director, is willing to turn down…even if they’re ensconced in a crumbling mansion. The donation turns decidedly…
View On WordPress
#book#book cover#book photo#book pic#book review#Jenn mckinlay#library lover&039;s mystery#my 52 weeks with christie#mystery#mystery review#the plot and the pendulum
7 notes
·
View notes
Text
Mystery/Thriller Monday
Lindsey is the new director of the Briar Creek Public Library. Her friend Beth is a Children’s book author. Then, they both find Beth’s boyfriend dead. Not surprisingly, Beth is the biggest suspect. But, that’s okay, Lindsey is on the case (especially if Chief Daniels can’t do it right).
I mean, the author had me at a Children’s author being accused of murder. It just tickled my funny bone a little bit, so I had to see how the author would approach it. I really liked the mystery, and most of the characters (although, I have no doubt that I was supposed to dislike, or at least be annoyed with some of them too). I also found it fun that there was much meta in there (reference to other books). A really fun read.
You may like this book If you Liked: Death Overdue by Allison Brook, Real Murders by Charlaine Harris, or Death By Cashmere by Sally Goldenbaum
Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay
#nmlRA#nevins memorial library#mysterythrillermonday#books can be deceiving#jenn mckinlay#a library lover's mystery
0 notes
Text
0 notes
Text
Sugar Plum Poisoned by Jenn McKinlay -- Book Review
Happy Tuesday! Sugar Plum Poisoned by Jenn McKinlay is out today. Stop by to see what I thought about the 14th A Cupcake Bakery Mystery. Happy Reading!
https://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2023/10/sugar-plum-poisoned-by-jenn-mckinlay.html
#sugarplumpoisoned#jenn mckinlay#berkley#theavidreader#book review#cozy mystery#the avid reader#cupcakebakerymystery#berkley publishing
0 notes
Text
Review: Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay
Books, romance and beachy vibes -of course, I wanted this for my summer TBR. I've not read a Jenn McKinlay book before but I had heard that she writes cosy mysteries set in libraries. Although I knew this one didn't feature a mystery, I was still really looking forward to the light fluff that this novel promised.
Recently laid off from her chef's job, Sam is back on Martha's Vineyard where she grew up. Her task for the summer is to watch her 14-year-old half brother while their father and his wife take a long holiday. But Sam's brother Tyler is taking part in a robotics summer scheme at the local library. That's where Sam bumps into Bennett, the handsome interim library director, who she happened to have a rather awkward first encounter with on the boat on her way over. Bennett seems to have his own reasons for spending the summer on the island but can Sam give him another one?
I really didn't like Sam at all. From the very first chapter, she came across as ignorant, self-absorbed and honestly, really quite rude. I know there are probably readers who this wouldn't be a problem for because they pick up romance books for the spice or the chemistry but it was a sticking point for me. It's unfortunate that I did really like Bennett because had I disliked them both, I may have enjoyed it more as I wouldn't have been shouting at him to wake up and see how irritating she was!
The thing is, Sam's entire personality was based around her dyslexia. You couldn't possibly have missed the fact that she was dyslexic. In fact, it has shaped her entire life and everyone who she has ever been in a relationship with has been severely disgusted by the fact that she struggles to read and has left her because of it. But she does have a very high IQ, so let it be known that she is very much not like other girls. No, she is incredibly smart even though she can't read. I sigh heavily.
Oh but she does actually like books! It's just that everyone in her past has treated dyslexia like it's rabies and now she can't bear to even try picking up a book. I really hated how dismissive she was of reading in general and greatly admired Bennett, a librarian and therefore professional bookworm, being patient with her because I certainly never had any.
One thing I did like was the exploration of what dyslexia is, besides finding it hard to read. Sam is also disorganised, neurotic and anxious. The similarities between dyslexia and ADHD were really apparent and I'm not sure I've read a book with either of these represented that has so clearly illustrated how alike they are. I just hated how Sam was a complete victim of her dyslexia. There is no part of this book where she decides that despite her disability, she is going to give herself a reading challenge. She did absolutely nothing to help herself and getting Bennett to read to her really doesn't count as that.
Also, she likes rom-coms but that's embarrassing apparently and she never 'admits' that to anyone. So, yeah there's that.
Summer Reading was sadly full of cringey moments and highly jarring, unrealistic perceptions of dyslexia. There is no way that a woman in her late 20s can have lost multiple partners due to dyslexia. I understand that she may have suffered some bullying throughout her school career but adults do not leave other adults because of that -they simply don't! I also wasn't completely sold on the romance because I just couldn't ever see them together as real people. I did find it an easy read though and I guess that is (kinda) what I wanted!
0 notes
Text
When you have dyslexia and he reads books specifically for you>>>
1 note
·
View note
Text
Monthly Reading Summary – July 2023
Check out my latest reading summary for July 2023.
View On WordPress
#2023#carol ann lloyd#Conor Byrne#evie woods#heather darsie#heather r darsie#jenn mckinlay#July#july 2023#Kathryn Warner#martha waters#monthly reading summary.#Monthly Summary#phillipa ashley#Reading Summary#richard osman#sosuke natsukawa#Summary
0 notes
Link
0 notes
Text
Most Anticipated May 2023 Releases
So many upcoming releases in May! There are two mystery/thrillers I’m definitely wanting to purchase. The rest of the list I’m still considering. Might wait until I’ve heard back from a few of my peers/friends before I add them to my wish list. But I’m still on a book buying ban, and trying to make my purchases count by completing series that I already own some books for. It’s all about…
View On WordPress
#2023#Amanda Woody#amreading#anticipated#Becky Albertalli#Best Men#books I want#Casey Carlisle#Christopher Paolini#contemporary#Diana Urban#drowning#Erik J. Brown fiction#fantasy#Fractal Noise#Gabrielle Lepore#Imogen Obviously#Jen Wilde#Jenn McKinlay#LGBT#LGBTIA+#literature#Livy Hart#Lose You to Find Me#Lying in the Deep#Mark Lawrence#May#mystery#new releases#Planes Trains and all the Feels
0 notes
Text
Royal Valentine by Jenn McKinlay - A Review
Molly Graham loves her job as a literary curator at the Museum of Literature. She’s surrounded by timeless, antique books, and she rarely has to deal with crowds. Except when the museum hosts a Valentine’s Day Gala showcasing first editions of Jane Austen’s memorable works and Molly’s the main curator.
After hours of rubbing elbows with the stuffy elite, Molly slips away to the solitude of her…
View On WordPress
#Royal Valentine#author#books and reading#reading challenge#literature#book blog#book review#books#book club#romantic comedy#opposites attract#out of her league#books and literature#Jenn McKinlay#getlit
0 notes
Text
ARC Review of Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay
4/5 Stars
I absolutely loved Summer Reading and am considering changing my birthday plans to Martha's Vineyard, because the author made it sound so quaint and relaxing! I enjoyed this so much!
Our story starts when our FMC, Sam, accidentally knocks a cute guy's (Ben's) book out of his hands on her ship ride to Martha's Vineyard. Sam is going to be watching her 14-year-old half-brother (Tyler) for the summer while her parents travel abroad and will be trying to establish a strong sibling relationship with him. While dropping her brother off for summer robotics camp, Sam discovers that the cute guy she inconvenienced on the ship is actually the new local library director (and her best friend's boss). As Sam's BFF, Em, deals with the potential of serious illness and Sam's feelings for Ben grow more complicated, Sam has to face her fears about repeating the past and dealing with her own childhood trauma. Sam is a chef who has been passed over for a promotion at her high-end city job and is strapped for cash… and ideas for how to sustain herself for the future. Sam fears that Ben will reject her when he finds out that the reason she doesn't like to read is because she is dyslexic and struggles to absorb written material that isn't accessible to people with her diagnosis. Can an introvert and an extrovert, a book lover vs. a movie lover, and a successful director vs. an in-between-jobs couple make a romance work? As Sam tries to help Ben unravel the mystery of who his father is, she begins to discern between accepting what people have thrown at her in the past and truly claiming what she deserves.
There are so many things to love about this book:
Our FMC is dyslexic and I learned SO much about dyslexia from this book. The book is also written in a dyslexia-friendly font and makes words bold instead of italicized to increase accessibility for dyslexic people.
Sibling relationships are explored just as much as romance, and I found that entire arc fascinating and adorable.
I saw in the back of Summer Reading that Sam's best friend Em is getting her own book?? I am so hyped for that because I really related to her health challenges and want to see which direction she chooses to go with her life. If this turns into a whole series, I'm in it for the long haul.
The MMC makes mistakes, but overall he is extremely thoughtful and finds ways to bridge gaps between his and Sam's special interests. I do wish that he had clarified exactly how he would deal with stressful situations in the future, but his re-entry into Sam's life was pretty dramatic and entertaining. I think this works so well because Sam and Ben are not actually opposites. They both adore storytelling- Sam just needs to engage with content in a way that is accessible for her while working through her emotional wounds from a childhood that was hateful toward dyslexic people
Even though some parts of the book are sad, they are necessary for good storytelling. I've seen people asking why there is no lawsuit since Sam's workplace that basically fired her and didn't promote her seemed to discriminate against her for being dyslexic. While I think that would have been satisfying, the fact is that some people just want to move forward with their lives. Sam is also dealing with intense shame surrounding her diagnosis, so it makes sense that she is not in the headspace to jump into a legal fistfight. Maybe in a future book, this could be explored? Either way, I am satisfied with how things turned out. I would also love to find out what happened with the cookbook Sam was writing! The recipes in the back of the book look amazing, and I'm going to have to try them out.
All in all the author, Jenn McKinlay, jumped at the opportunity to make this book so much more than a romance, which is what really hooked me. I love it when authors take the time to develop an MC's relationships outside of romantic love and really delve into the side characters and backstories. I read this in a single night and I'm as invested in this story as I am in the Delilah Green series. Thank you to Netgalley, Jenn McKinlay, and Berkley Publishing for my ARC of this delightful read!
#summer reading#jenn mckinlay#elyrria'sbookreviews#reading recs#bookish#bookworm#netgalley#romance#sibling relationships#martha's vineyard#dyslexia visibility#recipes#portuguese#berkley publishing#books of 2023#arc review
0 notes
Text
May 2023 Reads
Thief! - Megan Whalen Turner
The King of Attolia - Megan Whalen Turner
A Conspiracy of Kings - Megan Whalen Turner
Thick As Thieves - Megan Whalen Turner
Painted Devils - Margaret Owen
The Other Merlin - Robyn Schneider
The Future King - Robyn Schneider
Happy Place - Emily Henry
The Fiancee Farce - Alexandria Bellefleur
Emma of 83rd Street - Audrey Bellezza & Emily Harding
To Swoon and to Spar - Martha Waters
Evvie Drake Starts Over - Linda Holmes
Summer Reading - Jenn McKinlay
The Boyfriend Candidate - Ashley Winstead
Imogen, Obviously - Becky Albertalli
Lying in the Deep - Diana Urban
This Book is My Best Friend - Robin Robinson
Quietly Hostile - Samantha Irby
Broken Horses - Brandi Carlile
Honey, Baby, Mine - Laura Darn & Diane Ladd
Live Wire - Kelly Ripa
Beautiful Trauma - Rebecca Fogg
Monsters - Claire Dederer
Bird by Bird - Anne Lamott
Raw Dog - Jamie Loftus
Bootstrapped - Alissa Quart
How to Date Men When You Hate Men - Blythe Roberson
Excellent Advice for Living - Kevin Kelly
Hot and Bothered - Jancee Dunn
You Will Find Your People - Lane Moore
Betting on You - Laurie Ruettimann
I Saw You... - Julia Wertz
How to Die Alone - Mo Welch
CraftFail - Heather Mann
Random Illustrated Facts - Mike Lowery
This Book is For You - Worry Lines
Around the World Vegan Cookbook - Niki Webster
Bake, Make, and Learn to Cook - David Atherton
Bake, Make, and Learn to Cook Vegetarian - David Atherton
Bold = Highly Recommend
Italics = Worth It
Crossed out = Nope
Thoughts:
This month continued my Queen’s Thief obsession. Highly recommend this series - each book goes in a new and exciting direction.
Also, Happy Place broke me and then built me up again. Painted Devils did not disappoint, and the Emry Merlin series was a nice surprise.
Goodreads Goal: 174/400
2017 Reads | 2018 Reads | 2019 Reads | 2020 Reads | 2021 Reads|
2022 Reads | 2023 Reads
58 notes
·
View notes
Text
March Monthly Recap:
March was complicated because I was traveling for work for a week and I had extremely slim access to the Internet or any of my stuff, so I mostly just read books I'd downloaded on my phone in preparation for the travel when I wasn't working. Which is part of the reason why I read 26 books, because I read 12 books while I was gone.
Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee: 3.5/5
A Power Unbound by Freya Marske: 4.5/5
Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe Liese: 4.5/5
Due or Die by Jenn McKinlay: 3.5/5
The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard: 3/5
Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells: 5/5, audio re-read
The Bruising of Qilwa by Naseem Jamnia: 4.5/5
Daniel Cabot Puts Down Roots by Cat Sebastian: 4.25/5
Prime Deceptions by Valerie Valdes: 3/5
Proper English by K. J. Charles: 4.25/5
Sweethand by N. G. Peltier: 4.25/5
An Unnatural Vice by K. J. Charles: 4.5/5
Round Midnight by Emma Barry & Genevieve Turner: 2.75/5
Book, Line, and Sinker by Jenn McKinlay: 3.75/5
Only Good Enemies by Jennifer Estep: 3.75/5
The Ruin of a Rake by Cat Sebastian: 4/5
Year of the Griffin by Diana Wynne Jones: 4.25/5
Hooked by Elizabeth Hunter: 4.25/5
The Dark Days Pact by Alison Goodman: 4/5
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder: 4/5, re-read
Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder: 4/5, re-read
Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder: 4/5, re-read
Exit Strategy by Martha Wells: 5/5, audio re-read
Late Eclipses by Seanan McGuire: 4.5/5
One Salt Sea by Seanan McGuire: 4.5/5
Ashes of Honor by Seanan McGuire: 4.5/5
Goal progress below the cut:
Complete series: balanced (finished 3 more than started)
Catch up on backlists: 21 books (+2)
Read FIYAH/Nebula/Hugo finalists & awards: 1 book (+0)
Read down TBR: (hard to tell what it was at the beginning of the year, but in August it was 1332) at end of Mar 1445 (not the right direction...)
7 notes
·
View notes
Text
Strawberried Alive by Jenn McKinlay--Book Review
Happy Wednesday! Strawberried Alive by Jenn McKinlay is a tasty treat. Stop by to learn more about the 14th A Cupcake Bakery Mystery. Happy Reading!
https://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2022/05/strawberried-alive-by-jenn-mckinlay.html
#strawberriedalive#jenn mckinlay#cupcake bakery mystery#cozy mystery#the avid reader#book review#theavidreader#berkley publishing#berkley mystery#berkley#berkley prime crime
0 notes
Text
Cozy mysteries are a perfect choice for a snowy day!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke - "Cookie-baking sleuth Hannah Swenson must protect her reputation when a popular delivery man is found murdered behind her bakery with Hannah's cookies scattered around him."
Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay - "Newly single Lindsey Norris, the director of the Briar Creek Public Library, tries to help her best friend Beth, a children's book author, prove her innocence when she is accused of murdering her boyfriend Rick, a local celebrity."
On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle - "Clare Cosi, the manager of The Village Blend, finds a murder mystery percolating in her very own store when the assistant manager is found dead in the back and the police believe it to be an open-and-shut case of robbery, but certain clues lead Clare to believe otherwise."
The Quiche of Death by M. C. Beaton - "In order to introduce herself to the picturesque English village where she has just retired, Mrs. Agatha Raisin enters a quiche in a local competition and promptly finds herself a murder suspect when the judge dies from her poisonous pie."
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
tag 10 people you want to get to know better!
tagged by the incomparable ✨@yesloverboy✨
no pressure, but I’m tagging @everythingshehad @stickerreds @pierreseclair @withoutanaestheticc @the-grumpy-stargazer @grussell63 @academyofbrokenhearts and @deans-ch-ch-cherrypie
relationship status: tragically in love with boys who are either emotionally or physically absent
favorite color: dark red, dark blue, and dark green.
favorite food: oh man this is tough. boba??????
song stuck in your head: brother by madds buckley
last thing you googled: "olivia hussey juliet”
time: 02:34am
dream trip: Prague and just. All of Ireland???
last book you read: Theatre of Marvels by Lianne Dillsworth (i’m still reading it right now)
last book you enjoyed reading: Death of a Mad Hatter by Jenn McKinlay
last book you hated reading: I don’t recall. Probably one of my textbooks.
bonus!
favorite to cook/bake: I make a really good meat pie!!
favorite craft to do in your free time: knitting! I knit so much whenever I have free time to just watch something for a couple hours.
most niche dislike: when met gala attendees do not even vaguely adhere to the theme, although I’m not sure if that’s a niche dislike. I also hate it when indoors places are warm. I can’t explain it. Even when it’s cold out, I really don’t like it when interiors have the heater constantly running or don’t have the AC on or a window open or something. It feels claustrophobic unless the space is like REALLY BIG or something.
opinion on circus(es): mm im in love with the vibes (The Greatest Showman is one of my favorite movies and The Night Circus is one of my favorite books) but I’m not a fan of the use of animals in them irl, and even in human-only circuses like Cirque du Soleil I’m like...worried if the performers are treated well??
do you have a sense of direction: Not really in terms of street names and cardinal directions? I’m great at giving directions in terms of shops and landmarks and public transit stops though lol
5 notes
·
View notes
Last Seen Blogs
asiancuisinefoodie
Asian Foodie
thelaststarwars
Star Wars Archive
amidrawingthisright
How do I draw?
1368009-blog
제목 없음
toxiccaptain
Welcome To Skull Fuck Central