Tag Archives: Cozy mystery

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
Author: Alexander McCall Smith
Series: No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Africa, Cozy mystery, Crime
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Year: 1998

Thoughts

I was surprised by this story. Mostly in the fact that there really didn’t appear to be any one specific storyline. I thought that there would be one underlying crime that would carry throughout this whole story. Instead, it was a series of short investigations that let you get to know Botswana and Mma Ramotswe.

Although this was very different to what I expected, I absolutely loved reading this. It kind of felt like the African sun (I’ve spent time in South Africa)… that feeling of being relaxed and content. That the world is good just for being itself and worth embracing every moment. It was so relaxed and just downright fun. Although, it also meant that I didn’t race to finish this either…

Although there wasn’t a huge underlying crime that went through as a common thread, there was one crime that had moments showing up throughout. It gave a sense of mystery without being overpowering like many of the crime stories that I’ve read. I love that there was an eventual conclusion, but it wasn’t the conclusion to the story.

This is one of those cruisy books that I look forward to reading again. I will also look forward to adding more of this series to my shelves. It was impossible to put down and look away from. And definitely has pulled me into the glorious nostalgia of the African sun.

<- More Alexander McCall SmithTears of the Giraffe ->

Image source: Kobo

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Witch You Well by Colleen Cross

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Witch You Well
Author: Colleen Cross
Series: Westwick Witches #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Cozy mystery, Paranormal fantasy, Witches
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2016

Thoughts

When I saw that there was a paranormal cozy mystery series available through kobo plus… my sleep deprived brain went straight to its happy place. And I really wasn’t disappointed. This was fun and light. With just enough mystery and drama to make it incredibly difficult to put down.

Any mystery that has a culprit I didn’t see coming is going to make me happy. There were a few aspects of this story that I DID anticipate. But so much that took me completely by surprise. I loved this balance. And for that alone, not only do I plan to read the rest of this series, but I’ll probably reread this again. Find the clues that I missed before.

I love that this is an incredibly female driven story. Not just in the lead, her mother and aunt, but also the way she lives her life. There’s a fair amount of commentary about the fact that we shouldn’t settle. Her relationship is this perfect example of taking a step back and letting someone just take you for granted. And that is actually not okay.

Aside from all the joys if a fabulous, female driven, cozy mystery; I loved all the magic and mayhem throughout. Mostly the fact that there’s a crazy, witchy aunty making everything incredibly difficult. It had me laughing and cackling all the way through.

<- More Colleen CrossRags to Witches ->

Image source: Goodreads

Marriage and Murder by Penny Reid

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Marriage and Murder by Penny Reid

Title: Marriage and Murder
Author: Penny Reid
Series: Solving for Pie #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Cozy mystery
Dates read: 24th – 29th October 2021
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: SmartyPants Romance
Year: 2021
5th sentence, 74th page: The lie.

Synopsis

The Devil is in the details…

Cletus Byron Winston wishes to marry Jennifer Anne Donner-Sylvester (aka The Banana Cake Queen) posthaste! He’s spent the last year wanting nothing more than for the celebrations to be brief, libations flowing, and BYOB (bring your own blueberries). His future mother-in-law has other plans, plans his intended has been willing to indulge, much to Cletus’s chagrin. Therefore, so must he. To a point. But truth be told, he wouldn’t mind if the meddlesome matriarch disappeared, at least until the nuptials are over.

On the night of Cletus and Jenn’s long-awaited engagement party, just when the surly schemer is of a mind to take matters into his own hands, a shocking events upends everyone’s best laid plans and sends the small hamlet of Green Valley into complete disarray. The final months leading up to Cletus and Jenn’s matrimonial bliss are plagued with chaos and uncertainty. Will Cletus and Jenn finally make it to the altar? Or will murder and mayhem derail their happily-ever-after?

And most importantly, who done it?

Thoughts

After the most enjoyable of moments in Engagement and Espionage, I couldn’t wait to pick up Marriage and Murder. Luckily, this was one of those times that I actually had it sitting on the shelf, ready to go. So, of course, I dived right in. And I most definitely was not disappointed. This was an amazing story. love the contemporary mystery feel. Loved the story line. And, as always, loved Cletus and Jenn.

This may make me a slightly bad person… but, personally I love the fact that Kip dies in this story. I mean, death is bad and all. But he is the kind of villain I most fear. The sort that is so deliriously self-righteous that you just… can’t even reason with them. Or bribe them. Or really in anyway do anything. And they’re also the type of person that I fear the most in the world. I mean, someone who has no logic and you can’t have an open, safe and frank conversation with? Yup. That’s scary. So in this story, I appreciated that he can no longer quite torture Jenn and Cletus. Once his murder is solved anyway.

I always love a good mystery in which you can’t quite guess what / who the guilty party is. The facts of this get more and more blurred as there are potentially two different murder methods / villains. I loved trying to piece together all of the bits and pieces as Cletus and Jenn rush to try and do the same thing. I mean, I would love this story just because of the amazing lead couple. But the fact that there is a mystery I spent the whole time trying to piece together? Completely priceless.

This is most definitely one of my favourite books to have read recently. Again, mostly because, well, Cletus and Jenn are awesome. They’re fun and quirky, they’re completely unique and they just leave me with a huge smile on my face from the very beginning. Definitely an impossible couple to forget. And not one that I would want to. I’m so glad that this story ends in their marriage. Now I get to find out about the next part of their relationship when I save up the money to buy Home and Heist.

<- Engagement and EspionageHome and Heist ->

Image source: Goodreads

Engagement and Espionage by Penny Reid

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Engagement and Espionage by Penny Reid

Title: Engagement and Espionage
Author: Penny Reid
Series: Solving for Pie #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Cozy mystery
Dates read: 22nd – 24th October 2021
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: SmartyPants Romance
Year: 2020
5th sentence, 74th page: What am I going to do about those cows?

Synopsis

Jennifer Sylvester made her deal with the devil… and now they’re engaged!

But all is not well in Green Valley. A chicken choker is on the loose, 61 dead birds most “fowl” need plucking, and no time remains for Jennifer and her devilish fiancé. Desperate to find a spare moment together, Jenn and Cletus’s attempts to reconnect are thwarted by one seemingly coincidental disaster after another. It’s not long before Cletus and Jenn see a pattern emerge and the truth becomes clear.

Sabotage!

Will an undercover missions unmask the culprit? Or are these love-birds totally plucked?

Thoughts

I already know that Penny Reid can write an amazing romance and a wonderful story. Plus, I did fall stupid in love with Cletus and Jenn in Beard Science. But, I was a little intrigued as to whether she could write a decent cozy mystery or not. It turns out, she can. And, like everything else I have read by her. It’s brilliant. And fun. And just all around a really good read.

I love that throughout this story, there is not only the question of who is out to get Jenn, but how Cletus is going to propose. I love that he is sweet enough to have multiple rings and to want to try again and again to get the exact right proposal. He’s incredibly dense, but also completely adorable. A nice balance in my opinion. I mean, I don’t know many people who aren’t kind of dense in at least one area. And the fact that for Cletus, it’s how relationships work… loved it.

One of the hardest things I’ve found about being in a relationship is trying to juggle everything when things get a little hectic. I know that my partner is always in my corner, but I also know that I need to make the time and space to show him that I’m also in his corner. I love that Cletus and Jenn very much go through this. They are madly in love and completely understanding of one another, but they’re not quite meshing completely throughout this story. Something that, realistically, I think most relationships go through at some point.

Jenn and her mother have a contentious and difficult relationship from the very moment that you meet them. I like that Reid acknowledges this and works towards finding a more satisfactory way to live with one another. It’s a difficult line to walk and I found the way that they try and negotiate this to be absolutely brilliant. It’s a reminder that no one is perfect, and all relationships need work – particularly those that have been dysfunctional for far too long.

There are a number of cute moments throughout this, but the part that, of course takes my attention the most – the battle that Jenn and Cletus face. The way that they are racing against the clock to try and figure out who, exactly, is trying to sabotage them. The relationships and the negotiation of their worlds’ just makes this all that much better. And, of course so much harder to put down.

<- More Penny ReidMarriage and Murder ->

Image source: Goodreads

On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle

Book Review,
Overview
On What Grounds (Coffeehouse, book 1) by Cleo Coyle

Title: On What Grounds
Author: Cleo Coyle
Series: Coffeehouse Mystery #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Coffee, Cozy mystery
Dates read: 13th – 16th August 2021
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Berkley Mystery
Year: 2003
5th sentence, 74th page: This doesn’t.

Synopsis

Clare Cosi used to manage the historic Village Blend coffeehouse… until she opted for quieter pastures and a more suburban life. But after ten years and a little friendly cajoling from the owner (a fresh pot of Jamaican Blue Mountain was all it took), she’s back tot eh grind, serving coffee and solving crime – one cup at a time…

ON WHAT GROUNDS

With a sprawling rent-free apartment directly above the Village Blend, her cat Java by her side, and plenty of coffeehouse redecorating ideas, Clare is thrilled to return to work. Until she discovers the assistant manager unconscious in the back of the store, coffee grounds strewn everywhere. Police arrive on the scene to investigate. but when they find no sign of forced entry or foul play, they deem it an accident. Case closed. But Clare is not convinced. And after the police leave, there are a few things she just can’t get out of her mind… Why was the trash bin in the wrong place? If this wasn’t an accident, is Clare in danger? And… are all detectives this handsome?

Thoughts

I love a good cozy mystery. They’re cute, fun and, although you constantly want to know “whodunnit”, you’re not scared by the end of the tale. Everything gets tied up neatly and whilst there is a little bit of danger, it’s not overwhelming and frightening. The only problem with this cozy mystery? It features coffee. And I’m pregnant, so I can’t drink all of the coffee I want to…

Clare is a fun and unique lead. Rather than being young without much attachment, she’s a middle aged woman about to start her “second life”. She’s divorced, has a grown daughter and all of the trappings and difficulties that go along with that. It provides an added complexity to the story line that is sometimes missing from some of the mysteries that I read. It’s dark and wonderfully twisted. Seriously fun and very difficult to walk away from. I absolutely adored Clare as a lead. She is sassy and has a wealth of past experiences to draw upon.

This is a brilliant start to a new series. One that I can’t wait to fill my shelves with. It is fun and entertaining, filled with slightly eccentric characters and a number of potential love interests. I am really hoping that Clare picks Quinn ultimately, but I also know that Matteo is going to throw more than one spanner in the works for the chances of this budding relationship. Partner in Clare’s tight relationship with her daughter, the constant coffee recipes and just general food mentions… and I don’t recommend reading this on an empty stomach. I do recommend completely diving into this with a nice, big cup of coffee though.

I absolutely adored this story. I loved the slow unveiling of Annabelle’s past and the hints at who could have killed her. There are plenty of red herrings, and a couple of different horrors waiting at the end of the literary rainbow. This was a brilliant cozy mystery and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into more of Clare’s adventures.

<- More Cleo CoyleThrough the Grinder ->

Image source: Fantastic Fiction

Death by Diamonds by Annette Blair

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Death by Diamonds (A Vintage Magic Mystery, #3) by Annette Blair

Title: Death by Diamonds
Author: Annette Blair
Series: A Vintage Magic Mystery #3
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Chic lit, Cozy mystery, Mystery
Dates read: 18th – 20th May 2021
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Berkley Mystery
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: “You get me in the stupidest trouble.”

Synopsis

The latest entry sparkles in national bestselling author Annette Blair’s enchanting series starring Madeira Cutler and her charming Vintage Magic boutique. This time Maddie needs to find out why a famous actress faced her final curtain call…

Madeira loves her vintage clothing store, but the visions she gets from the garments can be hard to handle, especially when she knows the garment’s owner. At first she’s thrilled to receive a package containing the beautifully bejewelled dress she designed for actress and old friend Dominique DeLong while in fashion school. But the dress comes with a disturbing note from Dominique, who it seems took her last bow under very mysterious circumstances. Now Maddie needs to use her second sight to shine a spotlight on the actress’s entire entourage – including a bitter ex, a rival ingenue, and a very catty “best friend” – and make sure that this was the killer’s final act.

Thoughts

I love a good cozy mystery. They have all the intensity and joy of a good thriller or crime novel. Just none of the horror, can’t sleep at night feelings that my other crime novels inspire. Which, thinking about it is a little weird… Death by Diamonds still has a murder, and it should be scary. But mostly it’s just enjoyable.

Admittedly I’m not one for fashion. But I do appreciate all of the intricacies that are around for people who are. And, honestly, after reading this, I kind of wish that I was into vintage fashion. There are so many beautiful nuances throughout this book.

Dom is maybe my favourite murder victim ever. Whoch is supremely weird, I know. But from the very beginning, she is manipulating and twisting things in a way that is kind of humorous. I love the gumption of the woman and the pizzaz that she shows, even from beyond the grave. It gives you a hint of the woman that you never get to meet within the storyline. And I loved it.

I have most definitely got a favourite leading man in this series… Weiner. Nick is not bad, per se, just “eh”. Which meant that I was incredibly happy to have Weiner take a little more centre stage in Mad’s attentions. Hopefully in the next book this relationship will start to develop more!

<- Larceny and LaceSkirting the Grave ->

Image source: Goodreads

Death in Daylesford by Kerry Greenwood

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Death in Daylesford, The New Phryne Fisher Mystery by Kerry Greenwood | 9781743310342 | Booktopia

Title: Death in Daylesford
Author: Kerry Greenwood
Series: Phryne Fisher #21
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Cozy mystery, Crime, Historical fiction, Mystery
Dates read: 11th – 13th October 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Year: 2020
5th sentence, 74th page: She indicated the cloche.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Surrounded by secrets, great and small, the formidable Miss Phryne Fisher returns to vanquish injustice.

When a mysterious invitation arrives for Miss Phryne Fisher from an unknown Captain Herbert Spencer, Phryne’s curiosity is excited. Spencer runs a retreat in Victoria’s spa country for shell-shocked soldiers of the First World War. It’s a cause after Phryne’s own heart but what could Spencer want from her?

Phryne and the faithful Dot view their spa sojourn as a short holiday but are quickly thrown in the midst of disturbing Highland gatherings, disappearing women, murder and the mystery of the Temperance Hotel.

Meanwhile, Cec, Bert and Tinker find a young woman floating face down in the harbour, dead. Tinker and Phryne’s resilient adopted daughters, Jane ad Ruth, decide to solve what appears to be a heinous crime.

Disappearances, murder, bombs, booty-traps and strange goings-on keep Miss Phryne Fisher right in the middle of her most exciting adventure.

Thoughts

I received this book as an ARC that I needed to review. I have never read any Phryne Fisher books and I honestly had absolutely no idea what to expect. Particularly since this is the twenty-first book in the series…

As a cozy mystery, I was expecting one cute and intriguing mystery to happen – alright, cute probably isn’t the right word, after all, they still tend to be murders or some such. What I didn’t expect, or anticipate was the fact that there would be three consecutive mysteries occurring. It created a number of parallel storylines to follow that I just adored and found absolutely beguiling. This is definitely the kind of mystery that I love to have on my shelves. And I seriously look forward to adding more in when I get the chance!

Not only did I seriously enjoy the setting of this story, but I also thoroughly loved the characters as well. Phryne Fisher is a woman full of character and gumption. She’s not afraid of… well, anything and she is exactly what I look for in a slightly zany and wonderfully independent lead character. But, you add to that her faithful companion Dot, and the zany adoptive family that she leaves at home… yeah, this is a group of individuals that I want to get to know better!

Finally, to top off the amazing storyline and characters, there is the setting. I don’t have the pleasure of reading many stories based in Australia. I even less commonly have the pleasure of reading stories which feature Australia in the 1920s… I just couldn’t look away, and nor did I wish to. A fantastic mystery, brilliant writing, and a totally unique setting that I wish we had more of. What more could you want in a book?

<- Murder and MendelssohnMore Kerry Greenwood ->

Image source: Booktopia

Killer Cupcakes by Leighann Dobbs

Book Review, ,
Overview
Killer Cupcakes (Lexy Baker #1) by Leighann Dobbs

Title: Killer Cupcakes
Author: Leighann Dobbs
Series: Lexy Baker #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Cozy mystery, Mystery
Dates read: 11th – 13th October 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Leighann Dobbs
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: They walked over to her car slowly, enjoying the warm summer evening, the sound of peepers chirping filled the honeysuckle scented air.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Things are going great for Lexy Baker. She’s finally opened her dream bakery, gotten rid of her cheating boyfriends, and settled into her grandmothers house.

But when her ex boyfriend is found poisoned with cupcakes from her bakery, Lexy finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation headed up by her hunk neighbor detective Jack Perillo.

With the help of a gang of iPad-toting, would-be detective grandmothers, Lexy decides to take it upon herself to find the real murderer in order to clear her name and get her bakery back in business.

As things heat up on the murder trail, in the kitchen and between Lexy and the hunky detective, it’s a race against time to put the real murderer behind bars and get back to baking.

Thoughts

I always enjoy a nice cozy mystery. They’re just a great way to read a crime / mystery novel without freaking the hell out of myself. Which, sometimes is needed. Particularly when it’s a dark night and I want nothing more than to curl up with a good mystery… but would actually like to sleep…

Killer Cupcakes was a pretty typical cute cozy mystery… it was sweet, kind of innocent and a lot of fun. The fact that it has a baker as the lead character called Lexy just made all that much happier… since my dog is called Lexi and I love to bake. It’s the small things in life that create happiness I suppose. I liked that although there were moments of concern throughout this story, I was never truly worried. I knew that things would work out just fine… without torture or any of the other insanity some of my other books have…

Having said all of that, I actually didn’t expect the villain to be… well, the villain. It was a bit of a fun twist. One that completely endears this series to me. And is making me put more of the series on my wishlist…

Ultimately, this is a fun little mystery that features cupcakes, skeevy exes and hot cops. Not really much more I could want in a cozy mystery to be honest…

<- More Leighann DobbsDying for Danish ->

Image source: Goodreads

Mum’s the Word by Kate Collins

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Mum's the Word (A Flower Shop Mystery, #1) by Kate Collins

Title: Mum’s the Word
Author: Kate Collins
Series: A Flower Shop Mystery #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Chic lit, Cozy mystery, Mystery
Dates read: 1st – 24th March 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Signet Mystery
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: It’s not safe.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

I don’t meddle, honest! But can I help it if my nose for injustice is as keen as my green thumb? Now I, Abby Knight, law school dropout, am the proud new owner of Bloomers, my hometown flower shop. Im devoted to making my business grow, but I’m no shrinking violent if someone needs my help to right a wrong – even if that person is already dead…

A THORNY PREDICAMENT

So maybe Abby’s life isn’t the bed of roses she was hoping it would be. She adores her job, but a new low-cost competitor is killing her profits – and a black SUV just rammed her vintage Corvette in a hit-and-run. Determined to track down the driver, she accepts the help of unky ex-cop Marco Salvare. But their budding relationship is threatened when the trail turns deadly. Now Abby is caught in a tangle of menacing phone calls, police corruption, and murderous road rage. If she’s not careful, the next flower arrangement might be for her own funeral…

Thoughts

This is the second Cozy Mystery series I’ve had the pleasure of reading. And I only bought it because I needed a book with a florist in it for a reading challenge (and then I didn’t get to read it in time. But anyhow…). Having said that. This was fun. This was light. A little lighter than the Vintage Magic Mystery series that got me into the genre. But still a great venture into mystery without all of the scariness of the other crime novels on my shelves.

I read this at a time that the world was going nuts and I am getting close to finishing my degree, and just in general wondering what was going to happen in the future. So, reading about Abby Knight leaving her law degree to own her own florist shop was kind of nice. It was a great reminder that you should do what makes you happy, not what you believe others believe you should do. I actually greatly admired her throughout this whole story and found her plight something that I probably need to remind myself of in the coming years – it’s okay to find what makes you happy, not what makes you rich.

Abby is one of those characters that can seem to help but meddle. In some, I tend to find this a wee bit tiring. After all, if I had somebody in my life that meddled that much… they would be quickly out of my life. However, she does it in such an endearing, smack yourself in the head kind of way that I didn’t find it too horrifying. After all, she’s a character in a book, and when I was finding her meddling a little too intense… I could close the book and move onto another one. This isn’t a heart-stopping, fast-action, fast-paced book. But it is an enjoyable one. Actually, it was quite nice to have this in my reading pile for a little while – it meant that I had a book that I could pick up and put down. Without being impossibly hooked into what I was reading. It’s the kind of book that is thoroughly enjoyable, but you don’t constantly need to see what is going to happen next. Just enough of an adventure to what the rest of the books, and give me that warm, happy feeling when I turned the final page.

 <- Tulips Too Late ReviewSlay It With Flowers Review ->

Image source: Goodreads

Larceny and Lace by Annette Blair

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover larceny and lace

Title: Larceny and Lace
Author: Annette Blair
Series: A Vintage Magic Mystery #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Chic lit, Cozy mystery, Mystery
Dates read: 19th October – 9th November 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Berkley Prime Circle
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: But the longer I waited, the madder the Wiener was going to get.

Synopsis

With all the stress of opening her new vintage clothing store (in a renovated old morgue) Madeira Cutler feels like a bag of bones–until she discovers the real deal, unearthed by an intruder, in an old body drawer. And the bones are as vintage as Maddie’s stock, or so says Maddie’s resident ghostly hunk, Dante Underhill.

Could the break-in have something to do with the local playhouse and its curator going down in flames? Somehow Maddie will have to juggle dressing the store, party planning, and crime solving. Add to the brew the local witch’s costume ball, being held at her store, and Madeira is wishing she knew how to ride a broom right out of there…

Thoughts

I loved this book just as much as the first one. It had that same sense of self and humour. That same quaint feeling of fun and enjoyment. Something which I really enjoy in my reading and shelves. Especially after a long, serious day of hard work… it just makes me so incredibly happy. And you know that there is going to be an easy, simple happy ending… even if this is a mystery about death.

This Vintage Magic Mystery was quite a bit more sinister than A Veiled Deception. Especially considering the fact that unlike in the first novel, this one has people who are actively gunning for Maddie. She just can’t quite seem to keep her nose out of a good mystery, and that has gotten her into a whole lot more trouble than the previous story…. which of course made this all the more difficult to put down and forget about….

Nick is still in this story. There’s nothing in particular that I have against him… but he just isn’t a great fit. Anybody who is in an on again and off again relationship just doesn’t sit quite well. And he’s kind of dismissive of Maddie as a human being. Weiner on the other hand, I think is brilliant. He finds Maddie frustrating, irritating and, most importantly real. As someone who is a bit like Maddie, having a man that recognises all of your flaws is actually kind of amazing… and it also lets you be yourself. Weiner better be this for Maddie later in the series!!!

This story also featured the grand opening of Maddie’s shop. It kind of made me want my own little shop. One that I could let my passions run rampant and be my own boss. I don’t think that it’s a realistic dream… but still. I just loved the Maddie finds a way to live a full life that she wants. One that is filled with her passions and obsessions. Something that I think we could all strive for (even if for a lot of us, it isn’t super realistic).

 <- A Veiled DeceptionDeath by Diamonds ->

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