Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

Everyone needs a Chinese grandma in their life, they just don't know it yet. 

A cozy mystery of the best kind. Ms. Sutanto does an extraordinary job of bringing together a collection of people who shouldn't fit together but do in the end. 

Call it fate, but really, call it Vera who during her investigation helps strangers form bonds that will last long after she solves the murder. 

This book was laugh out loud funny, with never a dull moment. 

Gold stars to the audiobook narrator for doing such a masterful job bringing Vera and the cast to life. I'll be hearing Vera in my head for months now. I only wish there recipes for the tea and dishes Vera makes. 

What recent book has made you laugh out loud? 

AMAZON

A lonely shopkeeper takes it upon herself to solve a murder in the most peculiar way in this captivating mystery by Jesse Q. Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties.

Vera Wong is a lonely little old lady—ah, lady of a certain age—who lives above her forgotten tea shop in the middle of San Francisco’s Chinatown. Despite living alone, Vera is not needy, oh no. She likes nothing more than sipping on a good cup of Wulong and doing some healthy detective work on the Internet about what her Gen-Z son is up to.

Then one morning, Vera trudges downstairs to find a curious thing—a dead man in the middle of her tea shop. In his outstretched hand, a flash drive. Vera doesn’t know what comes over her, but after calling the cops like any good citizen would, she sort of . . . swipes the flash drive from the body and tucks it safely into the pocket of her apron. Why? Because Vera is sure she would do a better job than the police possibly could, because nobody sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands. Vera knows the killer will be back for the flash drive; all she has to do is watch the increasing number of customers at her shop and figure out which one among them is the killer.

What Vera does not expect is to form friendships with her customers and start to care for each and every one of them. As a protective mother hen, will she end up having to give one of her newfound chicks to the police?

Romano Family Romance Vol 1 Box Set

Ms. Whitney delivers all the feels in this novella. 

While we follow Knox and Jacinta through Portugal, we also get to meet the Romano family and kick off the series of clean and wholesome romances with some strong kisses in the mix. 

A satisfying read. 

Do you like travel romances or big family romances better? 

AMAZON

He's stranded without his passport. She's surrounded my meddling relatives. Love might have a chance… if her family stays out of it.

When Knox Campbell goes to Portugal for a short business trip, he never planned on losing his documents. Now he’s stranded in Porto, his passport lost, and his credit cards canceled. Unable to return to the US and without a place to stay, Knox turns to the travel agent who suggested the local day attractions for assistance.

Jacinta Romano loves helping her clients set up their dream trips, although she doesn’t usually meet the ones visiting from abroad. But all that changes when a client shows up at the agency while her meddling family are still there. They latch on to him immediately, insisting Jacinta bring him home while he’s stranded. Thankfully, he’s only staying until his new passport arrives and after two weeks of playing hostess, she’ll be glad to send him on his way. Or will she?

The Romano Family series follows the stories of the Romano cousins of northern Portugal as they find love and their Happily-Ever-Afters. Hold Me at Twilight is a stand-alone romance with a satisfying conclusion.

The Ruins of Gorlan

This was a book club pick and a good series starter. 

You can tell by the writing what era this was published, so be aware there's head hopping going on. If you're not used to that, it might throw you. 

Characters are likable, sympathetic, and the story unfolds in accordance with the hero's journey plot points hitting at the right places. 

What hero's journey books would you recommend?

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They have always scared him in the past - the Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now 15-year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't yet realize is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied....

Here is the fantasy adventure that launched the Ranger's Apprentice series, an epic story of heroes and villains that has become an international phenomenon. Perfect for fans of J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, T. H. White’s The Sword in the Stone, Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series, and George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire series.

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol 1

This is my first read by Ms. Brower and it won't be my last. 

I wasn't far into the book when I reached the conclusion that it was impossible for the story to be wrapped up within the page count.  

That's when I discovered it was a series. Sigh. 

This is both good and detrimental. 

I want to listen to the rest, narrated by the wonderfully talented Ms. Gaunt, but not all of them are availble from my library. I shall have to look elsewhere. 

Our lovely Emma is a delight to read about through her journals, though there is quite a bit of explanation at the beginning, which for me slowed the pace more than I wished. 

I recommend having the series availble to binge read so you don't get left on a cliffhanger. 

Which ophaned girl series do you like? Why?

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“I’ve arrived in London without incident. There are few triumphs in my recent life, but I count this as one. My existence of the last three years has been nothing but incident.”

The Year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London neighborhood of St. Crispian’s. But Emma’s plans for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric Cousin Archibald, her formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian’s.

Emma M. Lion offers up her Unselected Journals, however self-incriminating they may be. Armed with wit and a sideways amusement, Emma documents the curious realities of her life at Lapis Lazuli House.

Audiences have compared Beth Brower's writing to Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde, P.G. Wodehouse, and L. M. Montgomery.

Narrated by Genevieve Gaunt. 

Dream with Me Cowboy

Ms. Clopton kicks off this series with a bang. 

Quite literally. The meet cute is the main characters having a car crash. 

Lacy is fired up to get the town flourishing with the help of her best friend, although her cowboy isn't so on board at first. 

This is decidedly a Christian romance as there are elements of church and prayer. 

What Christian romances do you recommend? Do you think God leads us to places or people?

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The book that started it all! Wacky hairstylist Lacy Brown is a whirlwind of trouble just waiting to happen when she drives into the dying Texas town and joins up with the matchmakers determined help all the lonesome single cowboys find wives. She has big dreams and a vision, but she’s not counting on a certain cowboy being the key to making her dreams come true.

To save a dying town it’ll take more than dreams and buckets of paint, it’ll take a whole lot of love…if she can just open her own heart to the possibility.

Treasure Me Cowboy

I can reliably trust Ms. Clopton to write a solid romance. 

This was a fun treasure hunt between the unlikeliest of characters. A bit of an enemies to lovers story. 

Well developed characters, plot, and romantic tension keep the story moving forward. 

What treasure hunt romances do you recommend? 

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Treasure, secrets, and a legacy built on love…can a troubled history teacher find it all with the help of a cowboy not happy she's on his family's ranch.

Needing a break from her troubled brother, a summer spent living in and researching a historic stagecoach house on the Turner Creek Ranch sounds heavenly to history teacher Melody Chandler. The ranch is owned by three brothers, and she accepts the job offer from the eldest brother. She doesn't realize until she's already settled into the house for the summer that cowboy Seth Turner does not want her there meddling into the family history and demands that she leave. Melody can't help but wonder what the handsome cowboy has to hide and she's not leaving since her contract is with Seth's brother?

Seth Turner manages the families ranch and isn’t happy about his brother hiring the pretty history teacher to dig into their past. But when Melody discovers a treasure map and a Texas legend, they join together to find the secret treasure. Soon they are drawn together but Melody has secrets of her own that may threaten to tear them apart.

Taming the Prince

Overall, the romance is what you expect. 

The meet cute is quite interesting, and the characters were solid. 

The pacing was off for me, and the story could've been lengthened a bit to show more growth of the character's feelings. 

If you like a royal romance, this is a good one, and can be read as a stand alone. 

Do you have a royal romance you recommend?

AMAZON

She’s a ballet teacher about to lose her studio. He’s a prince hated by his subjects. Can they put aside their pasts to create a future together?

Kara’s always dreamed of owning a successful ballet studio. But when a government-backed housing program turns out to be a scam, she’s left fighting to keep the property while raising her ten-month-old niece alone. The last thing she needs is a drunk and haughty prince who just cost her thousands in property damage.

Prince Nicholas of Galia has given up. When his pet housing project collapses due to a scam, he becomes a rebellious playboy instead of cleaning up the mess. But when anti-royalists chase him into the ballet studio of a bewitching brunette, he finds himself desperate to become a man worthy of her love.