"To find out what a story's really about,' the Librarian said,

'you don't ask the writer. You ask the reader."


- SNOW & ROSE by Emily Winfield Martin


Sunday, July 1, 2012

Welcome to "Grown-Up Sundays" #1: Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates

WELCOME TO "GROWN-UP SUNDAYS!!!"
This is my weekly meme were I will share my adult reads and reviews with you :)



A Magical Bakery Mystery 
by Bailey Cates 
Release date: May 1st, 2012
Publisher: Obsidian Mystery
Genre: Adult Paranormal and Mystery
Format read: Mass Paperback 

SUMMARY 
(from Goodreads) 

Katie Lightfoot's tired of loafing around as the assistant manager of an Ohio bakery. So when her aunt Lucy and uncle Ben open a bakery in Savannah's quaint downtown district and ask Katie to join them, she enthusiastically agrees.

While working at the Honeybee Bakery—named after Lucy's cat—Katie notices that her aunt is adding mysterious herbs to her recipes. Turns out these herbal enhancements aren't just tasty—Aunt Lucy is a witch and her recipes are actually spells!

When a curmudgeonly customer is murdered outside the Honeybee Bakery, Uncle Ben becomes the prime suspect. With the help of handsome journalist Steve Dawes, charming firefighter Declan McCarthy, and a few spells, Katie and Aunt Lucy stir up some toil and trouble to clear Ben's name and find the real killer.

MY REVIEW

What drew me to this book was the adorable cover! I had no idea what it was about but knew that it would contain delicious treats and some sort of magical theme to it. And I was right!

A quick and light read, Brownie and Broomsticks is the perfect combination of mystery, murder, magic and baked goods, with some memorable characters.
Katie, after working as an assistant manager at a high-stressed bakery in Ohio and breaking up with her fiancee, is now relocating to Savannah to work in her aunt and uncle's new bakery. She is independent, stubborn and quick-witted. It was fun to watch her adjust to her new life, meet the locals and get familiar with how things work around town.
Her Aunt Lucy is the sweetest lady that you could ever meet. And when her "book club" comes over for their meeting, things seem to get a bit weird around them... making everyone wonder if they're really reading all those books.
When a not-so-loved local and customer is murdered right in front of their bakery a week before opening day, Katie's uncle is the prime suspect and Katie is on the mission to find out who really did it.

There is hardly any romance in this book, although we do meet two very handsome potential interests - a persistent journalist who is definitely hiding something, and a very charming firefighter who is too good to pass up. But at the moment, Katie has sworn off men and is out to find herself first... is there more to her than just being a baker? It's time for her to sit down and figure out her family tree.

What I loved about this mystery is that it really kept me going around in circles. Every time I thought I knew who the real murderer was, proof would pop up that it wasn't. It really kept me going and I was really surprised to find out who it was.

I am really looking forward to reading more about Katie, her family and their bakery. If anything will happen with the potential love triangle that is forming. And what mischief Katie and her new coven will be getting into. And more recipes! Oh, did I forget to mention that there are a few recipes including in the back of the book, lol, so sorry! I can't wait to try the Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies, which is Katie's favorite comfort food.

What I also didn't know is that Bailey Cates is also Cricket McRae, the author to the Home Crafting Series. Book 6 to this series will be released on November 8th, 2012.
However, there is no mention of book 2 to the Magical Bakery Mystery, yet. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Bailey Cates 

Bailey Cates believes magic is all around us if we only look for it. She studied philosophy, English and history and has held a variety of positions ranging from driver's license examiner to soap maker. She traveled the world as a localization program manager for Microsoft, but now sticks close to home where she writes two mystery series, tends to a dozen garden beds, bakes up a storm and plays the occasional round of golf.
Having apprenticed with a master herbalist for a year, she's prone to concocting teas and tinctures for family and friends from the stash of herbs stored in thecorner cabinet in her office. She owns a working spinning wheel and is on a first name basis with several alpacas and two sheep with questionable dispositions.

5 comments:

  1. I love cozy mysteries! This looks like a great one. Thanks for the review :)

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  2. love that you are doing this!!!! can't wait to read some more reviews to add to my tbr list :)

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  3. *Does a dance* I am so happy about Grown up Sundays! I love witchy cozies and have a few in my TBR for when I catch up with review books! This was one I was considering! :)

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  4. This does look like an adorable book! Love the title! I have a major sweet tooth so this book sounds like my kind of book. Also, a mystery! Fantastic review. :)

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