Well Now That Was Interesting...

TITLE: Dial A For Aunties

AUTHOR: Jesse Q Sutanto

PUBLISHER:  Berkley

PUBLISHING DATE: April 27, 2021

PAGES: 320

SOURCE: Library

 

FROM GOODREADS: 

A hilariously quirky novel that is equal parts murder mystery, rom-com, and a celebration of mothers and daughters as well as a deep dive into Chinese-Indonesian culture, by debut author Jesse Q. Sutanto.

• 1 (accidental) murder 
• 2 thousand wedding guests 
• 3 (maybe) cursed generations 
• 4 meddling Asian aunties to the rescue! 

When Meddelin Chan ends up accidentally killing her blind date, her meddlesome mother calls for her even more meddlesome aunties to help get rid of the body. Unfortunately, a dead body proves to be a lot more challenging to dispose of than one might anticipate, especially when it is accidentally shipped in a cake cooler to the over-the-top billionaire wedding Meddy, her Ma, and aunties are working, at an island resort on the California coastline. It’s the biggest job yet for their family wedding business—“Don’t leave your big day to chance, leave it to the Chans!”—and nothing, not even an unsavory corpse, will get in the way of her auntie’s perfect buttercream cake flowers. 

But things go from inconvenient to downright torturous when Meddy’s great college love—and biggest heartbreak—makes a surprise appearance amid the wedding chaos. Is it possible to escape murder charges, charm her ex back into her life, and pull off a stunning wedding all in one weekend?

MY THOUGHTS: So I read this book last weekend over the three day holiday when I was on a big romance binge.  And let me start out by saying this book was not what I expected.  Meddy's believes that she met her one true love when she was attending college but rather than hold him back, she gave him up and decided to take a job helping her mother and her aunts with a new business endeavor - event planning.  Fast forward a few years and something tragic happens on a blind date which Meddy's mother arranged.  Things quickly go from bad to worse when her date ends up dead and she has to rely on her family to help her find her way out of a no-win situation.  Add in an over-the-top wedding and the reappearance of her one true love and you have a recipe for potential disaster.  

I really enjoyed all the cultural aspects of Dial A For Aunties and for the most part, I found the Aunties quite hilarious.  They all have very strong, very colorful personalities.  I will admit in the beginning I got all of the aunts confused at first but it was easily sorted out as the story progressed.  

Now for the main thing that bugged me and probably kept me from enjoying this book to its fullest.  A murder, even an accidental one, is a murder, and the whole book is spent trying to cover it up.  And worse, we involved person after person into being accomplices.  

That being said, I found the ending cute and convenient and reading it wasn't a bad way to spend the afternoon.  There is a sequel on the horizon and I am probably interested in it enough to pick it up.  If you are looking for a quirky, yet odd, murder mystery/rom-com (and it really isn't much of a mystery), with a lot of humor thrown in, then give this book a shot.

RATING: 3 PAWS

What's Happening (06-05-21)...

 

So once again I'm going to try to make this a regular feature.  I got really bad about updating at the end of 2020.  Hopefully I'll get better at checking in regularly.  As always, I'm linking up with Stacking the Shelves at  Tynga's Reviews and The Sunday Post at The Caffeinated Reviewer.  

The past two weeks at The Farm have been pretty  good.  The weather has been hot, then really cool, and the hot again.  Over Memorial Day weekend Mr. Barb and his friend put new roofs on the front and back porches and then replaced a few of the wooden siding boards.  The boys were thrilled with the noise, and truth be told neither was I, but it's nice to have those two projects checked off. 

Work has been going fine and I feel like each day I'm growing more comfortable with what I'm doing.  I work with a great group of people and so far haven't had to really travel any and have been working from home.  I honestly have the two best on-site co-workers in the world - Cassius and Apollo.

Speaking of Cassius, his girlfriend graduated last weekend.  He didn't get to go to the graduation party, because I'm sure the restaurant would have frowned on it, but he did get to deliver his gift to her and met her entire family.  Everyone  loves him and calls him Emma's boyfriend.  She will be home for the summer but then is headed to my college Alma Mater to become a coroner.  Her step-mom said she'd have to fill in for Emma and give Cass back scratches and tummy rubs while she is aware.  

I watched the entire season of Panic last week. I never read the book and never really wanted to but the series was addictive and at the very least, entertaining.  And it even has a tiger - didn't see that one coming!  We also watched Army of the Dead and was thrilled this week when they announced they were filming a sequel.  

I've been reading a lot but not reviewing much which has put me really behind.  I need to desperately catch up because I've read some great books I really want to share.  Right now I have three books on the go and one sitting in waiting.  Here's what's up in my reading future:

So hope you all are enjoying the start of your summer.  Look for some reviews coming this week which feature books I know some of you will want to read!

Top Ten Tuesday - 5 Paw Predictions

 

The top 10 weekly meme used to be hosted by The Broke and the Bookish they  handed over the reins to That Artsy Reader Girl who can be found HERE.  Each week she will focus on lists which cover various topics related to books and reading.

This week is a freebie topic so I'm doing something I don't think I've done in the past, five paw predictions.

I loved No Exit and have high hopes for this one, which comes out soon.

Here's another thriller I'm reading in June which I hope is more hit than miss.  I've heard great things about the author so I'm predicting I'll love this one.

As much as I loved Hollow Kingdom, I'd be shocked if this is anything less than a 5 paw read!

I've heard only great things about this read and really need to read the copy I have sitting on my shelf.

You know I love Hunter Shea and this will be a perfect October read this year.

As much as I loved Until Summer Comes Around, this has to be just as great, right?

I'm sure the second book narrated by Gatz the dog will be just as great as the first.

I adore this cozy mystery series which is still going strong.  This is the 12th in the series.

Another cozy series with a librarian witch.  I've been waiting not-so-patiently for this 5 paw prediction to hit the shelves.

I've really been enjoying romance lately so my list wouldn't be complete without at least one cute rom-com.

Have any of these been 5/5 ratings for you?  Let me know where I should start in the comments below.

2 Bloggers 1 Series - Blood Heir

 

Stormi and I were thrilled when we learned there would be more books in the Kate Daniels world.  Even though Blood Heir was released in January, we knew we'd eventually get to it.  So read on to see what I thought of this spin-off  and then  hop over to Stormi's  at Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! to see what she thought as well.

TITLE: Blood Heir (Aurelia Ryder #1)

AUTHOR: Ilona Andrews

PUBLISHER: NYLA

PUBLISHING DATE: January 12, 2021

PAGES: 359

SOURCE: Own 

FROM GOODREADS: 

Atlanta was always a dangerous city. Now, as waves of magic and technology compete for supremacy, it’s a place caught in a slow apocalypse, where monsters spawn among the crumbling skyscrapers and supernatural factions struggle for power and survival. 

Eight years ago, Julie Lennart left Atlanta to find out who she was. Now she’s back with a new face, a new magic, and a new name—Aurelia Ryder—drawn by the urgent need to protect the family she left behind. An ancient power is stalking her adopted mother, Kate Daniels, an enemy unlike any other, and a string of horrifying murders is its opening gambit.

If Aurelia’s true identity is discovered, those closest to her will die. So her plan is simple: get in, solve the murders, prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled, and get out without being recognized. She expected danger, but she never anticipated that the only man she’d ever loved could threaten everything. 

One small misstep could lead to disaster. But for Aurelia, facing disaster is easy; it’s relationships that are hard.

MY THOUGHTS: It's very hard to give this book a proper review without spoiling almost everything that happened in the Kate Daniels series.  So let's be a tad brief.  Julie has returned to Atlanta but for reasons that happened in the time between books, she is almost completely unrecognizable.  An important clergyman has been killed and Aurelia needs to find the person responsible or the entire future of Atlanta, and her loved ones, is extremely bleak.  And she must go undetected while doing it.

It was so much fun to be back in the Kate Daniels world.  I loved seeing some familiar characters and as always, Andrews packed this novel full of action.  Aurelia has changed so much but deep in her heart she's still the same old Julie and it's hard at times for her to separate her feelings from what she knows she must do.  I also think this book opens up the world for lots of future installments - at least I hope it does.  My only issue is that there were some characters we didn't see at all and I really would have liked to have a least a chapter with them.

So if you love this series, chances are you've already picked this book up.  And if you haven't, there's no time like the present.  I don't think you'll regret it!

RATING: 4 Paws

Can't Wait Wednesday (319)

 

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

FROM GOODREADS: It’s 1998 in Hooperstown, New Jersey and people are getting sick. Some citizens blame the local chemical plant. A select few believe something far more terrifying is responsible, a dreadful force that causes nightmarish visions and aberrant illnesses. Bad things are blooming in Hooperstown, and the stench of death is growing stronger...

Standing on the edge of summer break after the longest last day of eighth grade ever, Doug Simms and his two best friends join a group of older kids for an all-night scavenger hunt. It’s supposed to be a celebration, an evening of fun and freedom. But what happens that night will change their summer in the darkest ways imaginable. And not just their summer...but their entire lives.

MALIGNANT SUMMER is a coming-of-age epic where innocence is lost and the path through adolescence is painful. Where dreamscapes merge with reality. Where love seems possible, and the best season feels like it can last forever. 

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  I think this sounds like a perfect summer horror read.  I enjoy coming of age tales and the fact that it takes place in 1998 makes it even better.  I really do hope it's a good read because Meyer must be taking some lessons from King and this one clocks in at 625 pages.

CASSIUS'S PICK:

FROM GOODREADS: Perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Joanne Fluke, a bitter discovery is made in a sweet-as-candy town, in Kitt Crowe's Sweet Fiction Bookshop series debut.

Life is sweet when you live in Confection, Oregon. Or, at least, that's how it's supposed to be. But on a summer day, when tourists and locals alike gawk at the majestic mountains, quaint Craftsman houses, and lovely flowers--particularly the renowned Confection Rose--the last thing anyone has come to see is a dead body, unearthed from a shallow grave by a curious dog.

A bathrobe-clad Lexi rushes next door to her neighbor's backyard to find her pooch, Cookie, stalwartly sitting watch over a body in the vegetable garden. Cookie, encrusted in dirt, grips a copper pipe between her teeth. Was this the murder weapon? And was Lexi the murderer? It sure looks that way, seeing as she was spotted squabbling with the victim just the day before. The case becomes all the more perplexing when the real murder weapon turns out to be a garden stake. Then where does the copper pipe fit in? And might a more likely suspect let Lexi off the hook?

All the volumes in the Sweet Fiction Bookshop, and all the specials at Eats n' Treats, prove of little help in jogging Lexi's brain to find a solution. Fortunately, Cookie is not finished digging up clues. As the fur flies, can this trusty border collie mix save sweet Lexi from a bitter end? 

WHY CASSIUS CAN'T WAIT:  It's simple.  Mom likes cozy mysteries and this one features a dog - enough said WOOF WOOF!

top Ten Tuesday - Books That Could Be Crayon Colors

 

The top 10 weekly meme used to be hosted by The Broke and the Bookish they  handed over the reins to That Artsy Reader Girl who can be found HERE.  Each week she will focus on lists which cover various topics related to books and reading.

I'm trying to get back into the weekly Tuesday feature after being hit and miss for a while.  And what do you know, this week's topic involves quotes.  I'm horrible at quote-related things so I've decided to do a recent topic I missed.  

Late, Late at Night - I imagine this being a dark blackish blue.  And hey, I need to reread this soon.  I loved it the first time around and fondly remember seeing Springfield in my concert days.

Discord's Apple - I imagine this a goldish-greenish color.  And boy, I don't remember anything about this book other than I read it sitting in an ER waiting room so many years ago.

Bite Me - A deep reddish-black.  Fitting.  If you haven't read this book, you should. It's hilarious.

Graveminder - I see this as a dark muddy brown/grey.  By far the prettiest crayon in the box but definitely one that's needed.

Red Riding Hood - A nice pinkish red.

Darkwater - A deep blue green, not like this cover at all.  Another book I apparently enjoyed in 2012 but don't remember.

Iced - This would be a sparkly blue silver.  Definitely metallic.

Cinder - A grey/black color which I'm sure probably already exists in the land of Crayola.  Also, will I ever finish this series?

She-Hulk - Neon green of course!

Moon Chosen - I imagine this as a bright yellow-green hue.

So there you have it.  Hope not one cares that I went rogue.  I dug deep in my reading archives for these so I could feature some books that haven't been showcased on the blog much.

Have you read any of these???

What's Happening... (05-22-21)

So once again I'm going to try to make this a regular feature.  I got really bad about updating at the end of 2020.  Hopefully I'll get better at checking in regularly.  As always, I'm linking up with Stacking the Shelves at  Tynga's Reviews and The Sunday Post at The Caffeinated Reviewer.  

So if you saw my post earlier this week, you know we lost Grandpa on May 10th.  He suffered so much at the end that it was really for the best.  And he lived a good long life.  The funeral was a mess because of Stupid Uncle and him not following through with Grandpa's wishes but then I don't know why I was surprised.  For the past 10 years I've pretty much went to his house every Saturday.  When he was feeling good we'd run errands and go eat and then when he started declining, I'd do some household tasks and shopping for him and keep him company.  So the past two weeks I've tried to keep my Saturday mornings busy.

Speaking of, this morning Cassius and Apollo participated in the first Pooch Parade our neighborhood had.  They were about 50 pups of all sizes and many dressed up.  We even had a shark dog.  It was nice and it was early so at least it was still cooler on them.  Cassius also got to see his girlfriend who saw him outside her bedroom window and came and saw him while we "lined" up.  Spoiled dog!

The job is great and I've been reading a lot.  Seems like my library has been getting lots of great new releases so as always, I have too many books out at one.  I've done 3 buddy reads with Stormi this month and with all that's going on, her friendship has been a lifesaver.  I'm so glad I met her and I'm grateful for our friendship.

Here is what I'm focusing on this weekend:

 

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A post shared by Barb (boxermommyreads) Briggs (@boxermommyreads)

I had to pick up a few holds at the library yesterday so here's a few I grabbed. That "new" shelf right when you walk in the door is a disaster waiting to happen!

And in closing, here's a picture of Grandpa throwing out the baseball at a high school game a few years back.  He's was 96 here and still going strong.  Hope everyone is staying safe and having a great weekend!