The Cape Cod Mystery by Phoebe Atwood Taylor

The first in the Asey Mayo series, I picked up this book because I had heard about it on the Classic Mysteries podcast. I didn't find it quite the romp that had been described but still a good book.
 Miss Prudence Whitsby and her niece Betsey have once again taken a cottage at Cape Cod. Since it is a particularly hot summer, they have a number of friends who have written to ask if they can visit including a couple who are now divorced. They end up deciding on a friend of Betsey's named Dot and a clergyman's widow, Emma. Also hanging about it an automobile scion who is known to have a pretty big crush on Betsey. It's just too bad that there is a famous author who has also come to town. One that does not particularly impress Miss Whitsby, especially since she doesn't believe his characterizations even though the author is said to take his stories from real life. Basically, they are not nice stories. So, it's not particularly a surprise that he ends up dead. It's just too bad that some of the evidence is against the young scion and the sheriff doesn't seem inclined to look at anyone else.
It's up to the family factotum, Asey Mayo, to figure out what is going on. The young man's father has told him to leave no expense unpaid and he doles out fives liberally in trying to get to the bottom of the story.

Three stars
This book came out in 1931
Borrowed this book from Hoopla
Opinions are my own

The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1: The Apocalypse Suite by Gerard Way

I kept seeing this as a series on Netflix and figured I might as well read it because I like quirky stories. This was a little TOO quirky for me. I love character development and this had none. We meet the characters. That's about it. We don't even get much information about what their powers are. It's definitely an interesting set up, seven children, born of a spontaneous birth, adopted by an alien, and raised to be heroes. Well, five of them were. Or maybe six? I, honestly can't think of six people other than the villain who is the seventh child. She apparently had no powers but someone in this present knows what she is and what she could potentially do and they get her on her side because... basically because she's still hurt that her siblings were treated better because they had powers. Or something.
There are a lot of holes in the beginning of this book but I'm going to at least read the next volume in the hopes that some information is filled in, the characters develop, and this turns into the hope of what I can see it maybe being.

Three stars
This book came out July 22nd, 2008
Borrowed this book from OverDrive
Opinions are my own

Jock Blocked by Pippa Grant

The entire story is based on the heroine trying to cock block the hero because she is really, really, really superstitious about her team winning. I'm going to be honest, if it hadn't been Pippa Grant, I probably would have stopped reading. The heroine irritated me and there was a LOT of tell not show.
Mackenzie knows something that not a lot of people know, Brooks Elliot, famous baseball player, is a virgin at 30.  And she knows (yeah...) that that is what makes him a good baseball player. She's ecstatic that he's been traded to the Fireballs but when she hears that he wants to lose his V-card, she immediately decides that she is going to make sure he doesn't. While she's dressed as a meatball because she is stealing one of the costumes of the current options to replace her beloved Fiery the dragon as the Fireballs mascot. Which she then steals and sends on adventures.

Three stars

Followed by Real Fake Love
This book came out May 19th, 2020
Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited
Opinions are my own

Sweet Tea & Spells by Bella Falls

Ugh. I'm going to give this series one more book but I think I'm about to be over it. I rounded up from 2 and a half stars but it has two of the tropes that I dislike most in books - a love triangle and a clueless amateur detective. I don't mind an amateur that knows that they're not an expert but Charli not only runs head first into danger, she likes to lecture the sheriff on how to do his job. Really? REALLY?
The love triangle was less evident in this story since one of the men was not in the story for a lot of it but Charli still thinks about him a lot all while appearing to commit herself to the other man.
Charli's cousin is marrying Charli's ex. But it's actually bringing the cousins closer. Especially since the chef running the rehearsal dinner seems to be so utterly detestable. But that doesn't mean the man should end up dead.

Two and a half stars
Follows Fried Chicken & Fangs
Followed by Barbecue and Brooms
Borrowed as an audiobook from the library
Opinions are my own

Just Make Believe by Maggie Robinson

Addie is at a house party when her somewhat-less-gone-than-he-should-be husband, Rupert, appears. Luckily it is just as she's being thrown by a horse. Unluckily, it's because there is trouble heading her way.
The host and hostess, Hugh and Pamela, have a decent marriage, but his lungs were damaged in the war and he has a bullet lodged in his spine. Small wonder, then, that there are rumors flying about his wife having an affair with a much older man, a landscape designer, Simon Davies. Also present are three of Hugh's friends from the war and some young ladies.
Rupert's prediction comes true and there is a death, the lady of the house, Pamela. But then another body, that of a young soldier turns up in the garden.
The whole thing ends up being very convoluted but still a good story.

Three and a half stars
Follows Who's Sorry Now
Borrowed this book from the library
Opinions are my own

Fried Chicken & Fangs by Bella Falls

A new, non-witch seat has been added to the Honeysuckle council and several people are running including three of Charli's friends and Ralph ("Rafe"), the local vampire leader. But there are strange things going on including a former teacher who stands up and starts ranting about why nothing should ever change. When the same teacher is found dead by one of the candidates, it starts off a series of mysteries that end up with Charli in the cross hairs once again.
This mystery wasn't as tight as the first one and I am not a fan of love triangles nor do I enjoy main characters who rush headlong into danger but I will stick with the series for at least a couple more books.

Three stars
Follows Moonshine & Magic
Followed by Sweet Tea & Spells
This book came out January 30th, 2018
Opinions are my own

The Falcon Always Wings Twice by Donna Andrews

It's time to get out of town for the summer! Meg's grandmother is hosting a Ren Faire on her property. Of course, hyper-organized, super-solver Meg is involved, especially behind the scenes, and her professor/actor husband is in charge of the semi-improv actors one of whom, Terrence, has set himself up as the jerk of the troupe. Technically, that is his role in the fair but he tends to act that way both on the job and off. Thus it is no surprise to the reader that he is the one who gets bumped off.
The murderer was fairly easy to guess but does anyone really read to try and solve the mystery? Longtime readers will love this book as Andrews does what she does best. All of our favorite characters grow, even with the requisite time jumps (which are an awesome plot device; not only does she move the place around but adds in these breaks of, sometimes years, so that the sheer number of bodies Meg runs into seem a little more plausible. Okay, not a ton but a little.)
Could first time Meg Langslow readers start with this book? I think so but you'd miss some of the depth of the characters that regular readers have gotten to know and love. Plus, you'll just want to go back to the start anyway so why not just begin there?

Four stars
Follows Owl be Home for Christmas

Followed by The Gift of the Magpie
This book comes out August 4, 2020
ARC kindly provided by Macmillan and Edelweiss
Opinions are my own

Reread January 2022