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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
*sigh* I really don't know why I picked this up. Okay, actually I do. I heard this sorted the love triangle at last and was curious how it turned out. I'm Team Norman Run Far Away As Fast As You Can. I like Norman, he deserves better than know it all Hannah.
This series has irritated me one way or another for practically every book I have read (and that's about 7 or so), mostly it's Hannah and her ridiculously pedantic know it all attitude or her technophobia. When this series began some technophobia was normal, but we're well into the 21st century now and no one under about 65 is still dumbfounded by a cell phone or has to be pretty much bullied into buying one. Except for our pantsuit loving Hannah, who is not actually in her 30s but is secretly a 80 year old woman with a great face lift I suspect.
And while your average small child absolutely has more familiarity with one than a new user, they don't know about changing contracts or upgrading the phone itself. I despise way too intelligent for their age child characters.
Hannah's investigative technique often irritates me as well. Ignoring the 'wandering off on your own to question a possible murderer" foolishness (plenty of mystery heroines are guilty of this), the way she goes about questioning them is my issue. She sounds like a blackmailer most of the time. If she came to me insinuating things the way she tends to do, not only wouldn't I answer her, I'd call the cops and tell them what she is up to. No one ever does this.
Though I don't know what calling Mike would do anyway. He'd just go make a bunch of sexist comments to her about it, while expecting to be fed and that would piss me off even more.
So the triangle.... lord. Despite being a 30 year old pantsuit wearing, know it all with a probably sideline in blackmail, Hannah has had 2 men in her life all along. Sexist idiot Mike & too nice for her Norman. And they are all buddy buddy & she's dating them, but platonically from everything indicated up til now. Instead of choosing one, Hannah, OUT ON BAIL, skips town to go to Vegas for a few days with her sisters & runs into an old college flame Ross. All indications are that Hannah had sex with Ross while in Vegas and is now in LURVE and wants to marry him (as often happens with 30 something year old virgins who finally get them some)
What the hell!?!?! Ross was in one of the books I have read so the name wasn't totally out of the blue to me but the situation certainly was.
Oh, and the judge was killed and Hannah decides she has to solve the case and arrest the guy. Except for the pesky fact that she is a civilian and can't arrest anyone. The actual mystery plot I swear is less than 10% of the story and there was no way to solve it as the guilty party wasn't even introduced as a character until the end of the book.
Note to self: just stop reading this series.
This series has irritated me one way or another for practically every book I have read (and that's about 7 or so), mostly it's Hannah and her ridiculously pedantic know it all attitude or her technophobia. When this series began some technophobia was normal, but we're well into the 21st century now and no one under about 65 is still dumbfounded by a cell phone or has to be pretty much bullied into buying one. Except for our pantsuit loving Hannah, who is not actually in her 30s but is secretly a 80 year old woman with a great face lift I suspect.
And while your average small child absolutely has more familiarity with one than a new user, they don't know about changing contracts or upgrading the phone itself. I despise way too intelligent for their age child characters.
Hannah's investigative technique often irritates me as well. Ignoring the 'wandering off on your own to question a possible murderer" foolishness (plenty of mystery heroines are guilty of this), the way she goes about questioning them is my issue. She sounds like a blackmailer most of the time. If she came to me insinuating things the way she tends to do, not only wouldn't I answer her, I'd call the cops and tell them what she is up to. No one ever does this.
Though I don't know what calling Mike would do anyway. He'd just go make a bunch of sexist comments to her about it, while expecting to be fed and that would piss me off even more.
So the triangle.... lord. Despite being a 30 year old pantsuit wearing, know it all with a probably sideline in blackmail, Hannah has had 2 men in her life all along. Sexist idiot Mike & too nice for her Norman. And they are all buddy buddy & she's dating them, but platonically from everything indicated up til now. Instead of choosing one, Hannah, OUT ON BAIL, skips town to go to Vegas for a few days with her sisters & runs into an old college flame Ross. All indications are that Hannah had sex with Ross while in Vegas and is now in LURVE and wants to marry him (as often happens with 30 something year old virgins who finally get them some)
What the hell!?!?! Ross was in one of the books I have read so the name wasn't totally out of the blue to me but the situation certainly was.
Oh, and the judge was killed and Hannah decides she has to solve the case and arrest the guy. Except for the pesky fact that she is a civilian and can't arrest anyone. The actual mystery plot I swear is less than 10% of the story and there was no way to solve it as the guilty party wasn't even introduced as a character until the end of the book.
Note to self: just stop reading this series.
So there's this scene in the book where Hannah and her sister Michelle go to a dive bar. They ask the waitress to open their bottled beers at the table. The waitress says basically, "of course, especially the way the (male) bartender is looking at you." Then goes on the make a crack that he's likely to drug and rape them.
AS IF THIS IS TOTALLY NORMAL.
This is supposed to be a cozy mystery. All light and fluff and dead bodies with recipes. But there rape culture is, alive and well. Don't go to the dive bar, or the bartender will drug and rape you. Because that's what bartenders do. And really, it's your fault anyway, for going to a dive bar.
The scene then goes on to condemn the female patrons of this bar who go home with asshole men who wait til last call to by them a drink because they're cheap (the men). But that's just what men do?!
The rest of the book was alright, the recipes look yummy. But that whole scene had my blood boiling and had me nearly throwing the book across the room.
I just can't.
AS IF THIS IS TOTALLY NORMAL.
This is supposed to be a cozy mystery. All light and fluff and dead bodies with recipes. But there rape culture is, alive and well. Don't go to the dive bar, or the bartender will drug and rape you. Because that's what bartenders do. And really, it's your fault anyway, for going to a dive bar.
The scene then goes on to condemn the female patrons of this bar who go home with asshole men who wait til last call to by them a drink because they're cheap (the men). But that's just what men do?!
The rest of the book was alright, the recipes look yummy. But that whole scene had my blood boiling and had me nearly throwing the book across the room.
I just can't.
I am so tired of Norman and Mike and the YEARS they have been left hanging. They are both idiots for waiting around. And now we have to have a Ross. Really? Adding a new guy to the mix was just pretty darn rude. And the mystery??? Lamest mystery ever. Introducing the villain with just a couple pages left is also pretty darn rude. And I am really tired of the way she writes, as if we are stupid. Yes, we know Minn is cold. We know how to stir batter, we don't need instructions for a 3 year old.
I guess I'm finished with this series. it's just become to repetitive and lacks the flare the series used to have. Sad face.
Hannah travels to Las Vegas with her sisters for their mother's surprise wedding. Hannah is also still waffling between Norman and Mike, but everything changes in this book. A special guest shows up and follows Hannah back to Minnesota where Hannah receives not one but three marriage proposals.
The mystery in this novel begins once Hannah returns to Lake Eden for her court date. It seems Hannah got into a car accident and is being charged with manslaughter. When the first day of jury selection arrives, it's the judge whom Hannah finds dead. She and her friends try to solve the crime by investigating the judge's current and former wife, children, colleagues, and political connections. When the culprit is finally revealed, Hannah's about to become his/her second victim.
I know other people have slayed this book but if you take it as it is a small town baker who needs to settle down and get married. She is a likable character so having several men fawning over her is not a big issues for me. Just because the author did not put her with the chosen guy you wanted does not make the story bad. I like Hannah as a character she is always into what is going on in town. Hannah reminds me of Nancy Drew just older and I love Nancy Drew. Cozies are light not to be taken to seriously they are suppose to make you laugh with a touch of mystery. I like the recipes and the gossip line in town. Her mother is a bit over bearing but she has Hannah's best interest at heart.
The mystery in this novel begins once Hannah returns to Lake Eden for her court date. It seems Hannah got into a car accident and is being charged with manslaughter. When the first day of jury selection arrives, it's the judge whom Hannah finds dead. She and her friends try to solve the crime by investigating the judge's current and former wife, children, colleagues, and political connections. When the culprit is finally revealed, Hannah's about to become his/her second victim.
I know other people have slayed this book but if you take it as it is a small town baker who needs to settle down and get married. She is a likable character so having several men fawning over her is not a big issues for me. Just because the author did not put her with the chosen guy you wanted does not make the story bad. I like Hannah as a character she is always into what is going on in town. Hannah reminds me of Nancy Drew just older and I love Nancy Drew. Cozies are light not to be taken to seriously they are suppose to make you laugh with a touch of mystery. I like the recipes and the gossip line in town. Her mother is a bit over bearing but she has Hannah's best interest at heart.
lighthearted
mysterious
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
fast-paced
This was the worst of the series. I can put up with having things explained to us as if we are children. I can even put up with Hannah being completely inept when it comes to technology (really Hannah, you don't know how to text?) But when the murderer is not even introduced until the book is almost over? Not to mention an old boyfriend waltzes back onto the scene and this is the one she chooses to marry. I have been waiting for a long time for Hannah to choose Norman (Mike is no good, he is a womanizer and he treats Hannah like crap). This was unbelievable. I can't even explain how much I disliked this book.