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Snips and Snails Cafe #1
Risky Bisqueness
Said the spider to the fly, "Come on in, come on in." Said the fly and to the spider, "Lying is a sin and your intentions murder�"
Getting older shouldn't be a long downhill slide into obscurity. It should be the other half~The Best Half...
That's what Julienne Mason told herself as she stared at herself in the mirror the morning after her 40th birthday...
Husbandless...Jobless...Childless...
Julienne Mason's Ego has taken a Beating. In the space of a day, she nearly burnt down the pizza parlor, lost her job, and walked in on her cheating rat of a husband.
To top it all off? She's 40 and no one has noticed.
With nothing to show for a lifetime of chasing the Joneses and trying to conform to everyone else's expectations but her own...Juli is more than ready for a change of lifestyle. But nobody ever told her that answering the summons to a strange letter would turn her entire life on a dime, and challenge every notion she's ever had on what normal is...
Add in a Strange Inheritence, an Overbearing Ghost, A Snobbish Talking Cat, and a Sentient Recipe Grimoire; Sprinkle Liberally with Magic...
And Maybe even Misfits like her deserve a second chance to get things right...
But first she'll need to solve her Uncle's Murder and learn to Embrace her inner Witchiness...before she runs out of time and the killer Strikes Again...
Getting older shouldn't be a long downhill slide into obscurity. It should be the other half~The Best Half...
That's what Julienne Mason told herself as she stared at herself in the mirror the morning after her 40th birthday...
Husbandless...Jobless...Childless...
Julienne Mason's Ego has taken a Beating. In the space of a day, she nearly burnt down the pizza parlor, lost her job, and walked in on her cheating rat of a husband.
To top it all off? She's 40 and no one has noticed.
With nothing to show for a lifetime of chasing the Joneses and trying to conform to everyone else's expectations but her own...Juli is more than ready for a change of lifestyle. But nobody ever told her that answering the summons to a strange letter would turn her entire life on a dime, and challenge every notion she's ever had on what normal is...
Add in a Strange Inheritence, an Overbearing Ghost, A Snobbish Talking Cat, and a Sentient Recipe Grimoire; Sprinkle Liberally with Magic...
And Maybe even Misfits like her deserve a second chance to get things right...
But first she'll need to solve her Uncle's Murder and learn to Embrace her inner Witchiness...before she runs out of time and the killer Strikes Again...
226 pages, ebook
Published December 15, 2020
467 people are currently reading
349 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Rain
49Ìýbooks38ÌýfollowersWhen I was a child I wanted two things. To Write a Novel and to be Wonder Woman and save the world.
Somewhere past 40, I realized the tights were never going to fit, and the only flying I was ever going to do was in a plane.
So instead, I write my Strong and Sassy Heroes/Heroines into the novels I pen�
I build doorways into contemporary worlds filled with magic, that allow all of us to be a hero to our own fantastical imaginations.
To me, every character is real. I walk alongside them as they discover that fear is the flip side of courage, that survival may just be a badge of honor, and that our flaws are an opportunity to emerge stronger, and discover our own personal brand of superpowers—at any age.
Somewhere past 40, I realized the tights were never going to fit, and the only flying I was ever going to do was in a plane.
So instead, I write my Strong and Sassy Heroes/Heroines into the novels I pen�
I build doorways into contemporary worlds filled with magic, that allow all of us to be a hero to our own fantastical imaginations.
To me, every character is real. I walk alongside them as they discover that fear is the flip side of courage, that survival may just be a badge of honor, and that our flaws are an opportunity to emerge stronger, and discover our own personal brand of superpowers—at any age.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
October 24, 2021
I gave this 3.5 stars because it is a cliché story about a 40-year-old woman whose life falls apart and then she finds out she is a witch. However, the story is interesting with great characters, a good mystery and a set-up that could lead to a good series so I rounded up to 4 stars.
December 22, 2020
Julienne is having a terrible 40th birthday. She lost her job and finds her husband cheating on her. She receives a letter from a lawyer stating she has inherited a few items from her Uncle whom she has never met. Seems she is a soup witch, and comes from a family of them. Left in charge of her Uncle’s cafe, she makes the daily soup offerings and also investigates a murder. Interesting and enjoyable read, looking forward to the next book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 12, 2021
Who killed Jedediah Mason and why??? Julienne is on board though, isn’t she??? I enjoyed the story and recommend the book.
December 11, 2022
A very enjoyable read, light but clever, I love Gilly the Catand Restless, Tiny is a bit of fun too
April 20, 2021
The story was almost compelling. Well the cliché witch who doesn't know she's a witch until she inherits something that requires her powers is present, but forgivable; it's part of the genre. The soul trapped in a book, the gargantuan Tiny, the irrepressible Grans, and the poor-first-impression Bertie are intriguing characters with what will probably prove in later volumes to be interesting back stories.
The author almost caused me to put it down after three chapters. I made 91 notes and comments -- ALL of them grammar- and punctuation-related -- and I'm certain I didn't note them all. From not knowing that an apostrophe never *ever* makes a word plural to failing to use an apostrophe for the possessive, the author demonstrates a basic failure at English punctuation. Several words are used in place of homonyms, such as "peel" for "peal" (hint: the two mean different things). Silly usage such as something "preceding ... in her wake". A wake is left behind when something moves through; the effect cannot precede.
Logic suffers as well. Juli says "I know who the killer is" and waits days, then traps the killer, all without ever telling anyone with whom she is already working. Juli reflects on a clear December day, then a few days later accepts a helicopter ride on a "beautiful fall day". It must also have been a weird year when this was written; in the Upper Peninsula, winter had not yet moved in in early December.
Before I closed the book, I read the excerpt from the next book - and found punctuation misuse there. As compelling as the stories might be, the reader should not be expected to ignore an author's inability to use the language (or to hire a proofreader before publishing). These errors cannot be put down to conversion from print to electrons, as some missing words or sentences could. These are pure errors and are unacceptable from a high-school graduate, much less a published author.
The author almost caused me to put it down after three chapters. I made 91 notes and comments -- ALL of them grammar- and punctuation-related -- and I'm certain I didn't note them all. From not knowing that an apostrophe never *ever* makes a word plural to failing to use an apostrophe for the possessive, the author demonstrates a basic failure at English punctuation. Several words are used in place of homonyms, such as "peel" for "peal" (hint: the two mean different things). Silly usage such as something "preceding ... in her wake". A wake is left behind when something moves through; the effect cannot precede.
Logic suffers as well. Juli says "I know who the killer is" and waits days, then traps the killer, all without ever telling anyone with whom she is already working. Juli reflects on a clear December day, then a few days later accepts a helicopter ride on a "beautiful fall day". It must also have been a weird year when this was written; in the Upper Peninsula, winter had not yet moved in in early December.
Before I closed the book, I read the excerpt from the next book - and found punctuation misuse there. As compelling as the stories might be, the reader should not be expected to ignore an author's inability to use the language (or to hire a proofreader before publishing). These errors cannot be put down to conversion from print to electrons, as some missing words or sentences could. These are pure errors and are unacceptable from a high-school graduate, much less a published author.
June 22, 2021
What a fun cozy. Although inheriting a restaurant might not be an odd theme in a cozy, inheriting one with uncommonly good soups and extra special friends might be. Paranormal is not a genre I read a lot of but I love mysteries and somehow the “special soups�, the fun, and so many laughs blended together for a good story and a good mystery.
What really made me enjoy it from beginning to end were the characters. Not just Juli, the main character, but all of them and that’s because they became so real. Somehow Elizabeth Rains got all of these characters defined enough that I knew their personalities and that leads us to the next point. The humor and the sarcasm. My favorite flavor in a cozy. Reasons to laugh. A couple of these characters are even as snarly as I am now and then:) But aside from all the other what I call “elements� of a cozy, there are a few subtle twists and turns; making you really wonder if this amateur sleuth is following in her uncle’s footsteps or completely off-track.
Elizabeth Rain has several books published. Some cozy mystery genre as well as some from the fantasy genre. There is a YA series to look at as well. Risky Bisqueness is Book 1 of a series titled “Snips and Snails Cafe Mystery�. So far there are 3 books in the series. I hope there will be more.
Check out Elizabeth Rain’s books here:
What really made me enjoy it from beginning to end were the characters. Not just Juli, the main character, but all of them and that’s because they became so real. Somehow Elizabeth Rains got all of these characters defined enough that I knew their personalities and that leads us to the next point. The humor and the sarcasm. My favorite flavor in a cozy. Reasons to laugh. A couple of these characters are even as snarly as I am now and then:) But aside from all the other what I call “elements� of a cozy, there are a few subtle twists and turns; making you really wonder if this amateur sleuth is following in her uncle’s footsteps or completely off-track.
Elizabeth Rain has several books published. Some cozy mystery genre as well as some from the fantasy genre. There is a YA series to look at as well. Risky Bisqueness is Book 1 of a series titled “Snips and Snails Cafe Mystery�. So far there are 3 books in the series. I hope there will be more.
Check out Elizabeth Rain’s books here:
December 29, 2023
When it all looked as if things were beginning to start going downhill, Julienne receives a letter telling her that she has inherited a restaurant; a second chance at making something of her life; a possible leap of faith when she thought she no longer had anything to lose. And it worked out that not only did she have a restaurant, she had a family that she never knew about or met, a snooty talking cat, a resident ghost, a grimoire and magic!
A new-to-me author and an exciting fun read. Intriguing plot, well fleshed out characters, snarky cat - what's not to like!! I thoroughly enjoyed this start to a new series and am looking forward to more from Rain
A new-to-me author and an exciting fun read. Intriguing plot, well fleshed out characters, snarky cat - what's not to like!! I thoroughly enjoyed this start to a new series and am looking forward to more from Rain
October 20, 2023
The beginning of this book shows us two separate peninsulas, the Lower and the Upper. We start in the Lower where Julienne Mason, loses her job and catches her husband in their bed with another woman on her 40th birthday. He reminds her the house is in his name, so she has to leave with only her personal belongings.
We switch to the Upper where we see Glenn and Ryan arguing over revealing a secret that Ryan thinks will hurt not only Glenn but also their business. Glenn leaves on his run through Vail Falls, noting Jacob Crawley's boat is already out, no doubt catching today's menu at Something's Fishy. He continued heading around Lake Superior took the path less followed and trips over a body.
We meet Lawrence 'Larry' Jokerbridge, the chief of police, Jerry Watson and Daphne Holmes the officers who really do the work. The victim Jerimiah Mason is the owner of Snips and Snails Café. Larry takes a look and declares it suicide. The others aren't so sure about that but have no choice but to go along with it.
Now Vail Falls is noted for the unexpected, magic and trickery. At the Snips and Snails Café, we meet Restless a special kind of book, Tina is the ghost of the previous owner and Gilly is a talking cat with free rein of the Café. Someone is rummaging around and Restless and Gilly are forced to hide, and the ghost Tina disappears.
All that happens in the first chapter of this book. In the second, we meet Paulie Vichyssoise a kitchen witch, he expects to take over the Café. Restless, Tina and Gilly know Jed was looking for his niece and found her. She's untrained and unaware but she has the power. Julienne finds she's inherited a Café and a request to be at the lawyer's office at a specific date and time.
An accident has Julienne meeting Jack Lovelace and giving her a place to stay before the meeting with the lawyer. That meeting is soo much fun.
Before the reading she meets, Paulie, Vichyssoise, Maddie 'Gran' Mason, Brownie Dunn and Charmé Mason.
From here we get to see Juli learn the business, from the finances to staffing to the one thing she is meant to cook for this Café, the Soup du jour.
She's also going to get involved in solving the murder of her uncle, with Jack by her side. I can see a romance starting there, well at least I hope so.
Paulie isn't going to take this loss lightly and pulls a dirty trick, Juli is no slouch either and pays him back in kind.
I love the way this plays out as Juli takes her place in the community of Vail Falls.
There's laughter, tears, suspense, a touch of romance, a snarky cat named Gilly and a heartbroken Grimoire named Restless.
We switch to the Upper where we see Glenn and Ryan arguing over revealing a secret that Ryan thinks will hurt not only Glenn but also their business. Glenn leaves on his run through Vail Falls, noting Jacob Crawley's boat is already out, no doubt catching today's menu at Something's Fishy. He continued heading around Lake Superior took the path less followed and trips over a body.
We meet Lawrence 'Larry' Jokerbridge, the chief of police, Jerry Watson and Daphne Holmes the officers who really do the work. The victim Jerimiah Mason is the owner of Snips and Snails Café. Larry takes a look and declares it suicide. The others aren't so sure about that but have no choice but to go along with it.
Now Vail Falls is noted for the unexpected, magic and trickery. At the Snips and Snails Café, we meet Restless a special kind of book, Tina is the ghost of the previous owner and Gilly is a talking cat with free rein of the Café. Someone is rummaging around and Restless and Gilly are forced to hide, and the ghost Tina disappears.
All that happens in the first chapter of this book. In the second, we meet Paulie Vichyssoise a kitchen witch, he expects to take over the Café. Restless, Tina and Gilly know Jed was looking for his niece and found her. She's untrained and unaware but she has the power. Julienne finds she's inherited a Café and a request to be at the lawyer's office at a specific date and time.
An accident has Julienne meeting Jack Lovelace and giving her a place to stay before the meeting with the lawyer. That meeting is soo much fun.
Before the reading she meets, Paulie, Vichyssoise, Maddie 'Gran' Mason, Brownie Dunn and Charmé Mason.
From here we get to see Juli learn the business, from the finances to staffing to the one thing she is meant to cook for this Café, the Soup du jour.
She's also going to get involved in solving the murder of her uncle, with Jack by her side. I can see a romance starting there, well at least I hope so.
Paulie isn't going to take this loss lightly and pulls a dirty trick, Juli is no slouch either and pays him back in kind.
I love the way this plays out as Juli takes her place in the community of Vail Falls.
There's laughter, tears, suspense, a touch of romance, a snarky cat named Gilly and a heartbroken Grimoire named Restless.
April 4, 2023
This was a fun cosy mystery with a touch of magic. With so many cozy paranormal books out there I thought this book would be slightly different having a 40 year old sleuth and when I started reading the talking grimoire caught my imagination but it didn't quite live up to expectations. She still acted like an inexperienced teen going around accusing everybody on very little evidence and the Grimoire was a lot quieter than I thought and didn't have half as much fun or shock as I would have expected. The other thing I wasn't to keen on, was instead of ending the story the author started what I think will turn out to be a new case for the next book, so not really a cliff hanger but the start of the next book. I did like the characters and a soup witch is an unusual choice. The mystery was obviously and I picked up on the clue telling you who the killer was, despite there being plenty of suspects. It was a nice mix of mystery, family drama and romance which did keep me reading. This has potential which is why I will give the next book ago.
Julienne was expecting a birthday surprise for her birthday but not the one she got. Instead she got fired for setting the kitchen on fire and came home to find her husband in bed with a younger woman. Living with her foster sister and eight children at 40 isn't the idea choice, so Julienne jumps at the chance to inherit an uncle's cafe, an uncle she new nothing about and one who has just been murdered. The cafe isn't the only thing she inherits, a new family that mostly welcome her into the fold. She also gains a fledgling P.I business, a ghost, a talking cat and a Grimoire that as a soup witch only she can read when she is ready. Julienne must learn to make soup without burning down the kitchen because if she gets it wrong a kitchen on fire will be the least of her worries. She also has to solve who killed the uncle she never knew because the police think it was suicide but would a man who just brought an engagement ring really kill himself.
Julienne was expecting a birthday surprise for her birthday but not the one she got. Instead she got fired for setting the kitchen on fire and came home to find her husband in bed with a younger woman. Living with her foster sister and eight children at 40 isn't the idea choice, so Julienne jumps at the chance to inherit an uncle's cafe, an uncle she new nothing about and one who has just been murdered. The cafe isn't the only thing she inherits, a new family that mostly welcome her into the fold. She also gains a fledgling P.I business, a ghost, a talking cat and a Grimoire that as a soup witch only she can read when she is ready. Julienne must learn to make soup without burning down the kitchen because if she gets it wrong a kitchen on fire will be the least of her worries. She also has to solve who killed the uncle she never knew because the police think it was suicide but would a man who just brought an engagement ring really kill himself.
December 13, 2022
Getting older shouldn't be a long downhill slide into obscurity. It should be the other half~The Best Half.
That's what Julienne Mason told herself as she stared at herself in the mirror the morning after her 40th birthday...
Husbandless, Jobless, Childless
Julienne Mason's Ego has taken a Beating. In the space of a day, she nearly burnt down the pizza parlor, lost her job, and walked in on her cheating rat of a husband.
To top it all off? She's 40 and no one has noticed.
With nothing to show for a lifetime of chasing the Joneses and trying to conform to everyone else's expectations but her own. Juli is more than ready for a change of lifestyle. But nobody ever told her that answering the summons to a strange letter would turn her entire life on a dime, and challenge every notion she's ever had on what normal is.
Add in a Strange Inheritence, an Overbearing Ghost, A Snobbish Talking Cat, and a Sentient Recipe Grimoire; Sprinkle Liberally with Magic.
And Maybe even Misfits like her deserve a second chance to get things right.
But first she'll need to solve her Uncle's Murder and learn to Embrace her inner Witchiness before she runs out of time and the killer Strikes Again.
She didn't believe in magic until the family she never knew she had convinces her of it. Juli spent her years with a husband that was unfaithful.She was more than happy to make the move to the small town that held her past and her future
I own a copy of this book. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
That's what Julienne Mason told herself as she stared at herself in the mirror the morning after her 40th birthday...
Husbandless, Jobless, Childless
Julienne Mason's Ego has taken a Beating. In the space of a day, she nearly burnt down the pizza parlor, lost her job, and walked in on her cheating rat of a husband.
To top it all off? She's 40 and no one has noticed.
With nothing to show for a lifetime of chasing the Joneses and trying to conform to everyone else's expectations but her own. Juli is more than ready for a change of lifestyle. But nobody ever told her that answering the summons to a strange letter would turn her entire life on a dime, and challenge every notion she's ever had on what normal is.
Add in a Strange Inheritence, an Overbearing Ghost, A Snobbish Talking Cat, and a Sentient Recipe Grimoire; Sprinkle Liberally with Magic.
And Maybe even Misfits like her deserve a second chance to get things right.
But first she'll need to solve her Uncle's Murder and learn to Embrace her inner Witchiness before she runs out of time and the killer Strikes Again.
She didn't believe in magic until the family she never knew she had convinces her of it. Juli spent her years with a husband that was unfaithful.She was more than happy to make the move to the small town that held her past and her future
I own a copy of this book. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
March 17, 2023
I read this book on Hoopla and it lists the page count as 271. The MC Juli gets fired again from another job and when she gets home she finds her husband in bed with a 19 year old thing on her 40th birthday. It's the end of her marriage and the start of a new life. She receives a letter which looks like it was written by a 5 year old to come to Veil Falls for a reading of a will of an uncle that she didn't know she had. She drives there and her old car breaks down and she falls asleep and is awoken by a knock on her window by what she thinks is a mountain man but is really a hunky firefighter/rescue person. She is left her uncle's restaurant Snips and Snails, a soup and sandwich place. Juli also finds out she is a soup witch. Every day she makes a soup with a special spell. She also gets hired to investigate the murder of her uncle as he was a PI on the side and Juli needs the money to pay off his debts. There are plenty of suspects most don't have an alibi. Who did it was a bit of a surprise. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
March 16, 2023
This is a more or less typical cozy mystery: midlife crisis, unfaithful husband, divorce, move to small town where previously unknown relative has left you a restaurant (bookstore or antique shop would work, also), main character learns she's a witch, jumps right into running the shop with no experience, and of course the shop comes with a resident ghost and a talking cat. Nothing very different from many other such mystery stories, although the sorcerer who's enspelled inside a grimoire (which contains many soup recipes) is an unusual touch.
Mustn't forget the obligatory hot firefighter dude, and a murder mystery to be solved by asking obvious, annoying questions of everyone in town, jumping to conclusions, and sometimes being threatened. The sheriff, of course, is useless. I think it touches all the bases.
Fun light reading, for those times when you don't want to think too much about the details. The pacing is fast enough to gloss over any inconvenient questions.
Mustn't forget the obligatory hot firefighter dude, and a murder mystery to be solved by asking obvious, annoying questions of everyone in town, jumping to conclusions, and sometimes being threatened. The sheriff, of course, is useless. I think it touches all the bases.
Fun light reading, for those times when you don't want to think too much about the details. The pacing is fast enough to gloss over any inconvenient questions.
September 30, 2022
Great read
If you like witches and investigating a murder, this book is right up your alley. Turning forty was proving to be a rough year for Juli. Losing her job then finding her husband Was cheating with a young woman all on her birthday. Getting divorced and realizing what a idiot her ex had been all along. Trying to figure out what to do next, then she gets a strange letter in the mail. She may have inherited something from an uncle she never knew.
But finding out she is a soup witch is crazy. Inheriting a restaurant and the grimoire is great. Now she just has to find her uncles killer, and get to know the family she never knew she had. Can she find the killer before anyone else gets hurt?
If you like witches and investigating a murder, this book is right up your alley. Turning forty was proving to be a rough year for Juli. Losing her job then finding her husband Was cheating with a young woman all on her birthday. Getting divorced and realizing what a idiot her ex had been all along. Trying to figure out what to do next, then she gets a strange letter in the mail. She may have inherited something from an uncle she never knew.
But finding out she is a soup witch is crazy. Inheriting a restaurant and the grimoire is great. Now she just has to find her uncles killer, and get to know the family she never knew she had. Can she find the killer before anyone else gets hurt?
November 12, 2022
RISKY BISQUENESS
ELIZABETH RAIN
Review by Author Roy Murry
This novel is a mystery that has strange bedfellows: ghosts and witches. Juli inherits uncle Jed's restaurant, 'Snips and Snails,' and ends up looking for his murderer.
The story is full of laughs a minute as Juli navigates learning how to be a Soup Witches with the help of Grans, a witch, running a restaurant, and dealing with the ghosts/cats in the kitchen. As an investigator, she upsets locals and the police chief, looking for clues.
With all this going on, Juli finds a relationship with Jack, a firefighter, a la hunk. He helps her to understand the humans in her new hometown and find the killer.
She is on her own with the other witches and ghosts.
Ms. Rain's novel is an enjoyable read.
ELIZABETH RAIN
Review by Author Roy Murry
This novel is a mystery that has strange bedfellows: ghosts and witches. Juli inherits uncle Jed's restaurant, 'Snips and Snails,' and ends up looking for his murderer.
The story is full of laughs a minute as Juli navigates learning how to be a Soup Witches with the help of Grans, a witch, running a restaurant, and dealing with the ghosts/cats in the kitchen. As an investigator, she upsets locals and the police chief, looking for clues.
With all this going on, Juli finds a relationship with Jack, a firefighter, a la hunk. He helps her to understand the humans in her new hometown and find the killer.
She is on her own with the other witches and ghosts.
Ms. Rain's novel is an enjoyable read.
April 14, 2023
This really had me laughing out loud! Actually if I had a cat talking to me and a big old book staring at me--I would probably faint dead away also!
Juli was not having a good year--she could not seem to hold down a job-then found her husband cheating on her--When she received a mysterious letter telling her that her uncle passed away and she had inherited his restaurant in a small town--she really had nothing to lose--off she went--to find out her uncle had been murdered and she had some seriously strange relatives! All lovable--but very strange--But has she found out--so was she!!
She is bound and determined to find out who murdered her uncle--which was also in her blood--who would have thought a soup witch could be a PI!
Juli was not having a good year--she could not seem to hold down a job-then found her husband cheating on her--When she received a mysterious letter telling her that her uncle passed away and she had inherited his restaurant in a small town--she really had nothing to lose--off she went--to find out her uncle had been murdered and she had some seriously strange relatives! All lovable--but very strange--But has she found out--so was she!!
She is bound and determined to find out who murdered her uncle--which was also in her blood--who would have thought a soup witch could be a PI!
May 30, 2021
Very rude and unlikable Heroine--but I liked the book anyway. 3-1/2 stars.
I often don't care for the Heroine in these paranormal witchy books. Often there is little actual magic, not much of a mystery, and slim romance. Usually that is enough to discourage me from buying the next book.
Although this series starter suffered from some of these above issues, I still rather liked it. Maybe it was the talking book, the kitchen witch ghost, or the magic cookbook that contained a sorcerer. The book flowed well and the book was an easy, light read.
I often don't care for the Heroine in these paranormal witchy books. Often there is little actual magic, not much of a mystery, and slim romance. Usually that is enough to discourage me from buying the next book.
Although this series starter suffered from some of these above issues, I still rather liked it. Maybe it was the talking book, the kitchen witch ghost, or the magic cookbook that contained a sorcerer. The book flowed well and the book was an easy, light read.
October 18, 2021
Realistic
This story is very realistic as in it makes sense good storyline great characters with plots within plots that will keep you turning pages. When the recently divorced heroine finds that an uncle she didn't know she had left her a cafe/restaurant along with a talking cat a grimoire of magical recipes and a ghost along with a host of other relatives she figures that this is going to take some getting used to. And just to top it off her uncle was murdered and she's a soup which, WHAT!!! A great read, Baz.
This story is very realistic as in it makes sense good storyline great characters with plots within plots that will keep you turning pages. When the recently divorced heroine finds that an uncle she didn't know she had left her a cafe/restaurant along with a talking cat a grimoire of magical recipes and a ghost along with a host of other relatives she figures that this is going to take some getting used to. And just to top it off her uncle was murdered and she's a soup which, WHAT!!! A great read, Baz.
January 23, 2023
Good Mystery!
This is an interesting mystery starting with a suicide that looks more like a murder on every page.. Julie inherits a great Little snack shop and an Uncle that she never heard of. Things don't look right from the beginning and she decides to look into her new Uncles death. While trying to run the snack shop and get used to being a soup witch, Julie works really hard to prove that her uncle was murdered and didn't commit suicide. Also love drifts into the picture at the same time. Enjoy!
This is an interesting mystery starting with a suicide that looks more like a murder on every page.. Julie inherits a great Little snack shop and an Uncle that she never heard of. Things don't look right from the beginning and she decides to look into her new Uncles death. While trying to run the snack shop and get used to being a soup witch, Julie works really hard to prove that her uncle was murdered and didn't commit suicide. Also love drifts into the picture at the same time. Enjoy!
March 14, 2023
Good Mystery
The heroine was likeable. I do not understand why she came out of the divorce with nothing, when he was cheating. The fact the house was in his name only should not have excluded it from the settlement. I loved her grandmother, tough old bird, powerful too. Her detective skills were crude, but it was her first case and she recognizes she has no background for it. She went around demanding everybody's alibi. Not very smooth, but she got the job done. I am looking forward to the next book.
The heroine was likeable. I do not understand why she came out of the divorce with nothing, when he was cheating. The fact the house was in his name only should not have excluded it from the settlement. I loved her grandmother, tough old bird, powerful too. Her detective skills were crude, but it was her first case and she recognizes she has no background for it. She went around demanding everybody's alibi. Not very smooth, but she got the job done. I am looking forward to the next book.
June 24, 2024
Julienne Mason has gone through a lot when she turned 40 and no one noticed. In the space of a day, she nearly burnt down the pizza parlor, lost her job, and walked in on her cheating rat of a husband. Days like this have happened to a lot of women and this is what kept me interested in this story. Things never changed like things did for Julienne with a strange inheritance, an overbearing ghost, but I did have a snobbish cat be she did not talk, I had my recipe book but not a grimoire to help make magic things.
December 19, 2020
Welcome to Veil Falls where witches are the norm. Take one new middle aged witch, a talking cat, an intelligent book that talks, and a supporting cast mix liberally with murder and mayhem and you have the makings of a fun laugh out loud series. Who wouldn't want to mix up soups that have magical side effects? Soup that can give you confidence or just feel good about everything. What a great escape for the times at hand. Can't wait for the next book.
July 5, 2021
Very enjoyable reading, indeed!
Loved this book! Great characters, human, with, and gnosties! And, of course, let's not forgotten the cat, Ghilly, truly special character! Woventhroughout a budding romance, and a murder most foul! Although, I can tell no live, I had a glimmer as to the wicked perpetrator! Nope, not telling! Read the book, you won't be disappointed! I can't wait to read the next book, but gotta wait for my pure to magically refill! Sigh
Loved this book! Great characters, human, with, and gnosties! And, of course, let's not forgotten the cat, Ghilly, truly special character! Woventhroughout a budding romance, and a murder most foul! Although, I can tell no live, I had a glimmer as to the wicked perpetrator! Nope, not telling! Read the book, you won't be disappointed! I can't wait to read the next book, but gotta wait for my pure to magically refill! Sigh
December 18, 2022
Soup witch fun
The story of a late blooming witch is a tried and fun trope. Add in a murdered relative to the mix and you get a good and interesting book. Juli finds her calling when she inherits her unknown to her uncle's eatery. And she gets even more news when she finds out she s a special kind of witch. But it seems Uncle Jed did not commit suicide and Juli sets out to discover his murderer. The book is well written and fun to read. Highly recommended!
The story of a late blooming witch is a tried and fun trope. Add in a murdered relative to the mix and you get a good and interesting book. Juli finds her calling when she inherits her unknown to her uncle's eatery. And she gets even more news when she finds out she s a special kind of witch. But it seems Uncle Jed did not commit suicide and Juli sets out to discover his murderer. The book is well written and fun to read. Highly recommended!
December 7, 2023
Delightful!
She turns forty, inheirits a restaurant, and finds out she has family. Oh, and did I mention that she also learns that she is a soup witch. Juli and the other characters have real to life personalities. Their conversations and reactions pulled me into the story. It was almost like actually being there. Great PI work for a newbie. Great soups for a newbie. What could go wrong? More than I had anticipated. It is a delight from start to finish.
She turns forty, inheirits a restaurant, and finds out she has family. Oh, and did I mention that she also learns that she is a soup witch. Juli and the other characters have real to life personalities. Their conversations and reactions pulled me into the story. It was almost like actually being there. Great PI work for a newbie. Great soups for a newbie. What could go wrong? More than I had anticipated. It is a delight from start to finish.
July 13, 2024
Adorable fun story.
This an adorable fun to read story about a decent woman finding her way after being taken for granted by a foolish husband. It takes years to understand love and it’s forever deeper than a youthful appearance. This is an endearing tale of a woman picking herself up, developing new friendships and starting anew. Through in a little magic and mystery� Recommended for all who enjoy decency, new beginnings, a touch of magic, endearing characters and mystery.
This an adorable fun to read story about a decent woman finding her way after being taken for granted by a foolish husband. It takes years to understand love and it’s forever deeper than a youthful appearance. This is an endearing tale of a woman picking herself up, developing new friendships and starting anew. Through in a little magic and mystery� Recommended for all who enjoy decency, new beginnings, a touch of magic, endearing characters and mystery.
October 19, 2021
This was a good book. The main characters are endearing almost from the start. They are fun and quite believable, as well. The plot is easily followed and I can say I really enjoyed the story. Yes, there are a few mistakes, but nothing that cannot be overlooked or ignored. I definitely recommend this book.
April 19, 2022
To be honest, I almost gave up on this book. The first few chapters were sooooooooo boring (note to author redo the first few chapters before she drive to the new town), after those chapters it was smooth sailing. Fell in love with the characters and the story line, glad I continued, could not put it down, the pages started flying by. Great Reading Everyone!
May 31, 2023
First in a series. 3-1/2 stars
I like the plot. It held my interest. Has good characters. I am a little bored by the older woman's life falls apart, and discovers she's a witch. The plot kept me guessing as she interviews suspects. The ending sets up the next story. I will read the next book in the series.
I like the plot. It held my interest. Has good characters. I am a little bored by the older woman's life falls apart, and discovers she's a witch. The plot kept me guessing as she interviews suspects. The ending sets up the next story. I will read the next book in the series.
June 2, 2023
Risky bisque ness
A fun and entertaining story about a woman who starts the story finding her husband in bed with some young thing. After a divorce, she gets a letter to go to a reading of her uncle’s will, an uncle she didn’t know she had. That starts an odyssey where she learns she’s a soup witch (really?) and she has inherited a restaurant and a grimoire.
A fun and entertaining story about a woman who starts the story finding her husband in bed with some young thing. After a divorce, she gets a letter to go to a reading of her uncle’s will, an uncle she didn’t know she had. That starts an odyssey where she learns she’s a soup witch (really?) and she has inherited a restaurant and a grimoire.
March 9, 2024
She's a Witch?
Unique characters, engaging storyline, humorous situations, a new restaurant owner who can't cook, and dangerous actions out on the bluff, dare I say...Murder. Julianne Mason is hired to find the killer. Too bad the only training she's had is watching CSI episodes. Oh, boy!
Unique characters, engaging storyline, humorous situations, a new restaurant owner who can't cook, and dangerous actions out on the bluff, dare I say...Murder. Julianne Mason is hired to find the killer. Too bad the only training she's had is watching CSI episodes. Oh, boy!
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