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authenticallybria's review against another edition
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This was a great cozy mystery! I was surprised by a few aspects of the storyline which made the book very intriguing.
My only con was the amount of characters in this first book of the series. It came across a little confusing trying to keep up. However, it could be the author's way of setting up stories for the other books in the series that involve the characters mentioned.
I enjoyed the writing from the author. I look forward to reading the remainder books in this series & would recommend it!
My only con was the amount of characters in this first book of the series. It came across a little confusing trying to keep up. However, it could be the author's way of setting up stories for the other books in the series that involve the characters mentioned.
I enjoyed the writing from the author. I look forward to reading the remainder books in this series & would recommend it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
Kneaded to Death by Winne Archer is the first book in A Bread Shop Mystery series. Ivy Culpepper has returned home to Santa Sofia, California after the unexpected death of her mother, Anna. She was killed in a hit-and-run accident in the high school parking lot, and the killer has yet to be apprehended. Ivy’s grief has only been soothed by the bread from Olaya Solis’ bakery, Yeast of Eden. When Olaya offers a breadmaking class, Ivy is quick to sign up. Ivy is hoping it will help provide her with inspiration for her photographs and photography blog. She has not been able to get inspired since the death of her mother. Ivy and six other students are in the class. Just before the break, Jackie Makers, a fellow student, must take a call. They are getting ready to start up again, but Jackie has yet to return. The group hears raised voices outside, and they head outside to find out what is happening. Ivy sees her old high school beau, Miguel Baptista arguing with Randy Russell, co-owner of the local antique mall. Miguel is attempting to calm the man down. When Randy is finally subdued, the group notices Jackie sitting in her car. It looks like Jackie will not be finishing the class. When it is discovered that Jackie was poisoned, Olaya ends up at the top of the suspect list. Ivy knows that Olaya would not harm a soul, and starts asking questions around town. Ivy gets pulled into a controversy on historic Maple Avenue where Jackie owned a beautiful house (that Ivy would love to own). Santa Sofia is not the quiet town Ivy left when she went off to college. Will Ivy be able to capture the killer or will she end up getting burned?
I found Kneaded to Death to be nicely written and easy to read. I liked the characters (especially Mrs. Branford) and the hint of magic. The description of Maple Avenue was delightful. There are some beautiful historic homes on the street (especially Mrs. Branford’s Victorian). I thought the mystery was well crafted, and it kept my interest (hooray). The author provided some nice clues that will help the reader identify the killer (you must pay very careful attention). I give Kneaded to Death 4 out of 5 stars (are you shocked)! My one complaint is Ivy’s obsession with Miguel Baptista. They dated in high school, but Ivy has never gotten over him (in eighteen years and now we understand why she is divorced). I thought her ogling of Miguel to be a little over-the-top (once would have been fine). I hope that Ivy’s grief is lessened in the next book. It is quite prevalent in Kneaded to Death which is understandable. There is another subplot in Kneaded to Death that is equally intriguing. There is not, though, too much going on in the book. I could keep track of the storylines and the characters. I thought Kneaded to Death was a good first cozy mystery. The series has potential, and I am looking forward to the next book in A Bread Shop Mystery series.
I found Kneaded to Death to be nicely written and easy to read. I liked the characters (especially Mrs. Branford) and the hint of magic. The description of Maple Avenue was delightful. There are some beautiful historic homes on the street (especially Mrs. Branford’s Victorian). I thought the mystery was well crafted, and it kept my interest (hooray). The author provided some nice clues that will help the reader identify the killer (you must pay very careful attention). I give Kneaded to Death 4 out of 5 stars (are you shocked)! My one complaint is Ivy’s obsession with Miguel Baptista. They dated in high school, but Ivy has never gotten over him (in eighteen years and now we understand why she is divorced). I thought her ogling of Miguel to be a little over-the-top (once would have been fine). I hope that Ivy’s grief is lessened in the next book. It is quite prevalent in Kneaded to Death which is understandable. There is another subplot in Kneaded to Death that is equally intriguing. There is not, though, too much going on in the book. I could keep track of the storylines and the characters. I thought Kneaded to Death was a good first cozy mystery. The series has potential, and I am looking forward to the next book in A Bread Shop Mystery series.
myatrietley's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
kimdavishb's review against another edition
5.0
When I first saw the cover and the title I knew I had to read KNEADED TO DEATH by Winnie Archer. After all, learning to bake bread was the very first thing my grandmother taught me to make (along with several cousins) when I was about seven-years-old. In addition to having a theme that I’m endeared to, KNEADED TO DEATH has an emotional connection that pulled me in. The protagonist, Ivy Culpepper, returned to her hometown of Santa Sofia, located on California’s central coast after her mother was killed in a hit-and-run accident. The culprit was never caught. Even after six months Ivy is still floundering amidst her grief. The author includes a poignant line which I found touching for any daughter who has lost their mother, especially at a young age. “Grief has to run its course. I knew this, but the reality was that I’d never not feel the emptiness inside.”
Ivy signs up for bread baking classes at Yeast of Eden, and connects with the elderly owner, Olaya Solis, who becomes a friend and mentor. When one of the class participants is found murdered in the parking lot of the bakery, Ivy decides she needs to help clear her new friend’s name and find the real killer. As she starts asking questions, she finds many suspects. The author does a nice job of kneading the characters into subplots and then rolling them together in the end for a tasty, tempting read. Ms. Archer also sets the stage for subsequent books with the introduction of elderly Penny Branford, who is a wonderful sidekick in Ivy’s sleuthing efforts. I look forward to the next installment in this series!
As you read through this delightful cozy, you are going to be drooling over the delectable descriptions of the breads being made at Yeast of Eden. Fortunately Ms. Archer includes recipes at the back of the book and tried her recipe for Conchas. Conchas are a well-known Mexican pastry, named for the shell patterned topping adorning each sweet bun. I’ve eaten Conchas purchased at small markets several times growing up but they always seemed a bit dry and not that tasty. There truly is a difference between fresh bread vs. mass market bread and this recipe showcases what is appealing about this traditional Mexican treat. The rolls are soft and rich tasting with a hint of sweetness. I especially loved the cinnamon-flavored topping for the added flavor.
I willingly provided a review after receiving a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ivy signs up for bread baking classes at Yeast of Eden, and connects with the elderly owner, Olaya Solis, who becomes a friend and mentor. When one of the class participants is found murdered in the parking lot of the bakery, Ivy decides she needs to help clear her new friend’s name and find the real killer. As she starts asking questions, she finds many suspects. The author does a nice job of kneading the characters into subplots and then rolling them together in the end for a tasty, tempting read. Ms. Archer also sets the stage for subsequent books with the introduction of elderly Penny Branford, who is a wonderful sidekick in Ivy’s sleuthing efforts. I look forward to the next installment in this series!
As you read through this delightful cozy, you are going to be drooling over the delectable descriptions of the breads being made at Yeast of Eden. Fortunately Ms. Archer includes recipes at the back of the book and tried her recipe for Conchas. Conchas are a well-known Mexican pastry, named for the shell patterned topping adorning each sweet bun. I’ve eaten Conchas purchased at small markets several times growing up but they always seemed a bit dry and not that tasty. There truly is a difference between fresh bread vs. mass market bread and this recipe showcases what is appealing about this traditional Mexican treat. The rolls are soft and rich tasting with a hint of sweetness. I especially loved the cinnamon-flavored topping for the added flavor.
I willingly provided a review after receiving a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
wraithofbooksandbones's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.75
littletaiko's review against another edition
3.0
Rather solid entry into a new series. Ivy has moved back home to California to be with her dad and brother after her mom's sudden death. She starts to build her life there which involves taking bread making lessons. When one of the other classmates is murdered she finds herself investigating. I really enjoyed the characters, but points off for having the murderer be someone who was barely mentioned until the final reveal.
breezypeach's review against another edition
4.0
Love. Easy read, fun who-dunnit. Love the atmosphere and world building.
fleurdujour's review against another edition
3.0
I've always been intrigued by cozy mysteries, with their pun titles and animal sidekicks, so I decided to give a newer series a try.
I thought Kneaded to Death was pretty good! I liked the characters, and I really think the author did a good job of establishing their familiarity through the first book- so I'm sure in the future ones they'll feel like old friends. I thought the pacing was fairly good throughout, and I really liked the lack of romance in this first book. I'll enjoy getting to see Ivy and Miguel explore their relationship in the future books, but it was nice to not have the main character thrown into a relationship just for the sake of having her be in a relationship. I didn't exactly guess the answer to the mystery which was also nice. There were enough red herrings that any new suspect seemed fairly plausible, but there weren't so many red herrings that reading became frustrating.
I look forward to reading some of the future books in this series! Especially with fall quickly approaching- the perfect season to snuggle up with some cozy mysteries.
I thought Kneaded to Death was pretty good! I liked the characters, and I really think the author did a good job of establishing their familiarity through the first book- so I'm sure in the future ones they'll feel like old friends. I thought the pacing was fairly good throughout, and I really liked the lack of romance in this first book. I'll enjoy getting to see Ivy and Miguel explore their relationship in the future books, but it was nice to not have the main character thrown into a relationship just for the sake of having her be in a relationship. I didn't exactly guess the answer to the mystery which was also nice. There were enough red herrings that any new suspect seemed fairly plausible, but there weren't so many red herrings that reading became frustrating.
I look forward to reading some of the future books in this series! Especially with fall quickly approaching- the perfect season to snuggle up with some cozy mysteries.
hugbandit7's review against another edition
4.0
I always enjoy checking out a new cozy series, especially when there is food involved! This series revolves around a bakery called Yeast of Eden and the author does a great job of making my mouth water when she describes all the different breads. I especially enjoy the tips on baking bread because even though I don't bake bread often, the tips are very handy to keep in the back of my mind.
There are several mysteries that need to be solved in this book. Of course there is the main murder of Jackie, a local cooking school owner. Why was she killed? The reason will surprise you because it sure did surprise me. The author takes you down another path and while there is some merit it isn't all it seems to be. Then there is Ivy's mother that was killed 6 months prior. All seems to reflect a hit and run, but Ivy just can't accept that there isn't more. Could it have been murder? And if so, are the deaths tied together?
When it came time to revealing the killer I was quite surprised because this person was not even on my radar. I don't think there were any clues to tip us off that it was this character. In fact, I was starting to suspect one of the main characters (not going to tell you who, you'll have to read the book because this character might become a suspect in your mind too!) but was very relieve it was not her.
This book also focuses on grief - from Ivy and her father over losing her mother, to Miguel's loss of his father and even Jackie's daughter. I hope that in future books knowing the truth about Ivy's mother will help her family move on past the grief.
Lastly, there is a hint at a possible romance being rekindled between Ivy and Miguel. They dated in high school and then he left town. Ivy's heart was broken but will she get past that hurt? I think probably so.
There are several mysteries that need to be solved in this book. Of course there is the main murder of Jackie, a local cooking school owner. Why was she killed? The reason will surprise you because it sure did surprise me. The author takes you down another path and while there is some merit it isn't all it seems to be. Then there is Ivy's mother that was killed 6 months prior. All seems to reflect a hit and run, but Ivy just can't accept that there isn't more. Could it have been murder? And if so, are the deaths tied together?
When it came time to revealing the killer I was quite surprised because this person was not even on my radar. I don't think there were any clues to tip us off that it was this character. In fact, I was starting to suspect one of the main characters (not going to tell you who, you'll have to read the book because this character might become a suspect in your mind too!) but was very relieve it was not her.
This book also focuses on grief - from Ivy and her father over losing her mother, to Miguel's loss of his father and even Jackie's daughter. I hope that in future books knowing the truth about Ivy's mother will help her family move on past the grief.
Lastly, there is a hint at a possible romance being rekindled between Ivy and Miguel. They dated in high school and then he left town. Ivy's heart was broken but will she get past that hurt? I think probably so.