You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this book as much as I did. It definitely has cozy fall mystery vibes with a side of cute bakery moments. Personally, having the chapters broken up by recipes sometimes was annoying, but that's because I didn't read this for the recipes and didn't care for them. One thing that I can't fault the book for but that made it a little hard to read sometimes was simply the language and the dialogue between characters. It is very obvious that this was written in 2000 because there are a lot of phrases and sentiments that just wouldn't be said in a more recent book. I can obviously forgive this since it was true to the time it was written but I did find myself cringing a little bit while reading some of the dialogue. I would definitely consider reading some more of this series though it is not super high on my list.
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
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
1 1/2 stars. DNF.
An attempt at a cozy mystery, but tries too hard.
There was a lot of world building, but everything was *too cute* -- too many lengthy conversations with the cat, too many quirky townspeople, too many unanswered calls by the officer actually in charge of the murder investigation.
An attempt at a cozy mystery, but tries too hard.
There was a lot of world building, but everything was *too cute* -- too many lengthy conversations with the cat, too many quirky townspeople, too many unanswered calls by the officer actually in charge of the murder investigation.
November 2023 Review
Great Read
This was an enjoyable read. This is the first book of the Hannah Swensen series. This is a reread for me, but I am glad to get into the story again. I enjoy cozy mysteries like this one. In this book, Hannah Swensen is the owner of a cookie bakery called the Cookie Jar in Lake Eden, Minnesota. In the alley behind her store, she finds the body of the dairy deliveryman, and she agrees to help her brother-in-law who is trying to land the job of detective within the sheriff's office solving the case. I thought it was a bit slow in the beginning, but it still held my interest as there was a murder. I thought Hannah was a great MC. I love that she bakes, but I am kind of hungry with all the recipes in this book. I did not like her sister much. I felt like she was not as interesting as Hannah. Also, I think she needs to stop working as much as she does for her to take care of her kid. There is a bit of a romance. It was nice but could have been better. Also, the reveal of the shooter was a bit of a letdown. I was expecting something more realistic, but I thought it was good enough. The series looks good. Hopefully, it gets better from here. Overall, a great read.
March 2019 Review
Actual Rating: 3.5
This was an interesting read. I really like cozy mysteries like this one. I thought it was a bit slow in the beginning, but it still held my interest as there was a murder. I thought Hannah was a great MC. I love that she bakes, but I am kind of hungry with all the recipes in this book. I did not like her sister much. I felt like she was not as interesting as Hannah. Also, I think she needs to stop working as much as she does in order for her to take care of her own kid. There is a bit of a romance. It was nice, but could have been better. Also, the reveal of the shooter was a bit of a letdown. I was expecting something more realistic, but I thought it was good enough. The series looks good. Hopefully, it gets better from here. Overall, a great read.
Great Read
This was an enjoyable read. This is the first book of the Hannah Swensen series. This is a reread for me, but I am glad to get into the story again. I enjoy cozy mysteries like this one. In this book, Hannah Swensen is the owner of a cookie bakery called the Cookie Jar in Lake Eden, Minnesota. In the alley behind her store, she finds the body of the dairy deliveryman, and she agrees to help her brother-in-law who is trying to land the job of detective within the sheriff's office solving the case. I thought it was a bit slow in the beginning, but it still held my interest as there was a murder. I thought Hannah was a great MC. I love that she bakes, but I am kind of hungry with all the recipes in this book. I did not like her sister much. I felt like she was not as interesting as Hannah. Also, I think she needs to stop working as much as she does for her to take care of her kid. There is a bit of a romance. It was nice but could have been better. Also, the reveal of the shooter was a bit of a letdown. I was expecting something more realistic, but I thought it was good enough. The series looks good. Hopefully, it gets better from here. Overall, a great read.
March 2019 Review
Actual Rating: 3.5
This was an interesting read. I really like cozy mysteries like this one. I thought it was a bit slow in the beginning, but it still held my interest as there was a murder. I thought Hannah was a great MC. I love that she bakes, but I am kind of hungry with all the recipes in this book. I did not like her sister much. I felt like she was not as interesting as Hannah. Also, I think she needs to stop working as much as she does in order for her to take care of her own kid. There is a bit of a romance. It was nice, but could have been better. Also, the reveal of the shooter was a bit of a letdown. I was expecting something more realistic, but I thought it was good enough. The series looks good. Hopefully, it gets better from here. Overall, a great read.
It can sometimes be a little slow but at the same time I feel like Hannah is a heroine I can relate to, with her normal (average looks) and she gets to run a business and solve murders (accidentally) it's a fun read when other things are too dark to read
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I loved this book. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke is the reason I now have a Cozy Mystery Obsession. This series is not a perfect one. However, it is worth checking out if you are looking for a book that is truly Cozy.
This book makes want to make cookies. A brilliant start to a series. Can't help but fall in love with Moishe. Can't wait to read the next book.
One of my favorite TV mystery series is Murder, She Wrote. There's something so cozy about getting to know all the characters in a small town, then seeing them interact as a murder takes place. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder has the same great small town characters, a sassy amatuer slueth and a clever plot. I enjoyed the book and can't wait to enjoy making the cookies from the recipes included!