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shavawnellsbury's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
clak5686's review
4.25
The second book in the series is as good if not better than the first. The mystery is interesting and the character development was well done. The mystery was solved satisfactorily. Something from Sloan's past was introduced and is intriguing. I can't wait for the next book in the series. I highly recommend but would recommend starting with the first book.
kimdavishb's review
5.0
THE PINT OF NO RETURN, the second book in the Sloan Krause Mystery series by Ellie Alexander brings the reader to Oktoberfest time in the quaint Bavarian-style village of Leavenworth, Washington. The author paints a vivid picture of the festivities, capturing the sights, sounds, smells and most importantly, the tastes of the celebration. The protagonist, Sloan Krause, is a capable young woman who is exerting her independence and strength to stand on her own after leaving her cheating husband. Sloan had been working for her husband’s family at their very successful brewery but is now working for a small pub, Nitro, helping with the brewing, managing the pub and preparing food to sell. I really like that Sloan isn’t afraid to take risks and do what is right for herself and her young teenaged son. It’s enabled her character to grow and be a good role model for other women. I also appreciate that Sloan has remained a beloved daughter-in-law to her husband’s family, despite the breakup of her marriage, since she was raised in foster care and has no other family. The author weaves in the mystery of Sloan trying to discover who her biological mother is and my curiosity is definitely roused. The thread of this mystery has been carried from book one and appears to be continuing on with the series since it wasn’t resolved with book two.
Ms. Alexander has developed some great characters and several have continued from book one such as April Ablin, Sloan’s nemesis. April is annoying, as she’s meant to be, yet provides a bit of comedy with her insistence on everyone in town dressing in Bavarian dirndl and/or lederhosen. The new characters introduced are part of the film crew and actors who descend on Leavenworth to film a documentary. The documentary gives the author plenty of opportunities to providing interesting insights into brewing. I especially enjoyed the bits and pieces of facts pertaining to what it takes to develop new brews and the distinctive ingredients that can be used to create unique flavors. The murder of the star of the documentary, Mitchell, pulls Sloan back into investigating. I like that her boss and the owner of Nitro, Garrett, doesn’t mind her investigating and in fact, wants to help out. They make a good team and it seems, perhaps, that some romance might be brewing between the two. After seeing Mitchell interact with other characters, the reader isn’t surprised he’s the victim. He’s a nasty piece of work and almost anyone who meets him would want to kill him. Still, the author manages to provide enough clues to keep the reader guessing and ties the threads of the mysteries together in an exciting conclusion. I found THE PINT OF NO RETURN to be an even stronger book than the first installment and look forward to what’s next in store for Sloan!
I was provided an advance copy via Netgalley with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ms. Alexander has developed some great characters and several have continued from book one such as April Ablin, Sloan’s nemesis. April is annoying, as she’s meant to be, yet provides a bit of comedy with her insistence on everyone in town dressing in Bavarian dirndl and/or lederhosen. The new characters introduced are part of the film crew and actors who descend on Leavenworth to film a documentary. The documentary gives the author plenty of opportunities to providing interesting insights into brewing. I especially enjoyed the bits and pieces of facts pertaining to what it takes to develop new brews and the distinctive ingredients that can be used to create unique flavors. The murder of the star of the documentary, Mitchell, pulls Sloan back into investigating. I like that her boss and the owner of Nitro, Garrett, doesn’t mind her investigating and in fact, wants to help out. They make a good team and it seems, perhaps, that some romance might be brewing between the two. After seeing Mitchell interact with other characters, the reader isn’t surprised he’s the victim. He’s a nasty piece of work and almost anyone who meets him would want to kill him. Still, the author manages to provide enough clues to keep the reader guessing and ties the threads of the mysteries together in an exciting conclusion. I found THE PINT OF NO RETURN to be an even stronger book than the first installment and look forward to what’s next in store for Sloan!
I was provided an advance copy via Netgalley with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
vkaz's review
4.0
I love the beer theme and learning about beer making. There’s more of that in this book, as well as Sloane’s search for her mother. Looking forward to reading more of this series.
hm_brotherton's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
traci1974's review
5.0
This is a fantastic little mystery. The main character is realistic and likable, the setting and atmosphere are perfect for the story, and the mystery itself was fun to try to figure out. I will definitely be seeking other books in this series. This is a must read if you're a mystery fan.
annah623's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
I'm going to keep reading for now. Because why not. But this series is just empty calories. The loose ends. The obvious mysteries. Sloan's uncompelling backstory. The flat characters. The brewery stuff is kinda interesting, and you can tell the author did a lot of research. Honestly, the stuff about beer is the best part of these books. It's good if you're just looking to turn your mind off for a while.
blogginboutbooks's review
4.0
I enjoyed DEATH ON TAP, the first installment in the Sloan Krause series, so I was excited to read the sequel, THE PINT OF NO RETURN. Like the first book, this one is fun, mostly clean (there's a little bit of swearing and some non-graphic violence), and just entertaining.
My favorite part about the series is its fun Leavenworth, WA, setting. I don't know the first thing about beer brewing, but Alexander makes the details of the process interesting. Her characters could use more depth and her mysteries more complexity, but this is a cozy series, so nothing's taken too seriously. Overall, the books are light and fun. I'm not a huge fan of cozies, but I do enjoy Alexander's series.
My favorite part about the series is its fun Leavenworth, WA, setting. I don't know the first thing about beer brewing, but Alexander makes the details of the process interesting. Her characters could use more depth and her mysteries more complexity, but this is a cozy series, so nothing's taken too seriously. Overall, the books are light and fun. I'm not a huge fan of cozies, but I do enjoy Alexander's series.