Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A cookbook and discussion of cooking with a poorly thought out short story attached. I skimmed 3/4th of the pages - all not related to the plot.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I generally love the Hannah Swensen books and have read every single one. I whole heartedly agree with others that this book is better written than the last two or so - if you've stopped reading the series in recent years you may want to pick it back up again.
Main Takeaway: This book is different than the rest - It centers around Hannah's recovery after discovering in the last book that her husband, Ross, was already married to another woman. As a result the first 80% of the title involves no murder at all (but plenty of drama and set up for the next book) as she tries to recenter herself and deal with the fallout. It's fair to say that by the time the murder does actually occur you know exactly who is going to be the victim. Since the investigation is wedged into the last 20% it's not what we're accustomed to - it's brief and resolves very quickly with little set up. After 23 books (respect - that is so many) I think it's entirely within Fluke's right to try a slightly different format, especially if it helps refresh the series creatively for her.
I opted for 3/5 stars because I reserve 5 for exceptional books and this still didn't quite feel like a 4... My biggest complaint is that the dialogue is still highly repetitive. In one example - a single paragraph had Hannah and Norman both state out loud that she should not open the back door without looking out the peephole 4 times. Hannah and Michelle are also common perpetrators of repetition in their dialogue, repeating multiple times the full title of what they are making and that they'll taste test it. It makes the book easy to put down and pick back up again, but when reading for long stretches can feel frustratingly redundant. Sidebar: There's also so. many. recipes. it significantly padded the book. I'm hopeful that this book is a bridge to a strong book next year - a bit of a creative exercise trying something different.
But my opinion aside - it's a quick, light and comfortable read. If you're looking for something familiar look no further. Even though this title is a little different in structure, Fluke likes to keep a mix of the same scenes sprinkled throughout all of her books - kitty chases (3 in this book), lots of baking/tasting, dinners at the Lake Eden Inn, and many jokes about Mike's Food-dar. So there's still plenty of what you know and love in this title.
[b:Chocolate Cream Pie Murder|40385223|Chocolate Cream Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen #24)|Joanne Fluke|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1528161756s/40385223.jpg|62688859]
Main Takeaway: This book is different than the rest - It centers around Hannah's recovery after discovering in the last book that her husband, Ross, was already married to another woman. As a result the first 80% of the title involves no murder at all (but plenty of drama and set up for the next book) as she tries to recenter herself and deal with the fallout. It's fair to say that by the time the murder does actually occur you know exactly who is going to be the victim. Since the investigation is wedged into the last 20% it's not what we're accustomed to - it's brief and resolves very quickly with little set up. After 23 books (respect - that is so many) I think it's entirely within Fluke's right to try a slightly different format, especially if it helps refresh the series creatively for her.
I opted for 3/5 stars because I reserve 5 for exceptional books and this still didn't quite feel like a 4... My biggest complaint is that the dialogue is still highly repetitive. In one example - a single paragraph had Hannah and Norman both state out loud that she should not open the back door without looking out the peephole 4 times. Hannah and Michelle are also common perpetrators of repetition in their dialogue, repeating multiple times the full title of what they are making and that they'll taste test it. It makes the book easy to put down and pick back up again, but when reading for long stretches can feel frustratingly redundant. Sidebar: There's also so. many. recipes. it significantly padded the book. I'm hopeful that this book is a bridge to a strong book next year - a bit of a creative exercise trying something different.
But my opinion aside - it's a quick, light and comfortable read. If you're looking for something familiar look no further. Even though this title is a little different in structure, Fluke likes to keep a mix of the same scenes sprinkled throughout all of her books - kitty chases (3 in this book), lots of baking/tasting, dinners at the Lake Eden Inn, and many jokes about Mike's Food-dar. So there's still plenty of what you know and love in this title.
[b:Chocolate Cream Pie Murder|40385223|Chocolate Cream Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen #24)|Joanne Fluke|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1528161756s/40385223.jpg|62688859]
Well this wasn't the way I was anticipating her getting rid of Ross. Also, this explained NOTHING about all of it. And this book was even worse than the others with springing the actual killer at literally the very end of the book. Why do I keep reading these books?
It’s crazy that that man pretended to basically be married to her so far into the series, I’m loving a lot of the books. There are a couple of them that aren’t my favorite like the ones that are super short that have other novels in them.
This the 26th visit to Lake Eden with Hannah Swenson and her family and friends. It's as comforting as hot cocoa and a snuggly blanket. Still, it's long on recipes and taste testing them, while short on mystery. If you're a fan of the series, that won't bother you. What did concern me is the sudden recasting of a former hero into a despicable villain. A sweet treat for fans.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
lighthearted
mysterious
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