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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
lighthearted
mysterious
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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
This is a wonderful series, can be read out of order and will fit any cozy mystery lovers holiday wishes. The characters are well developed, the crime is believable, there's a little budding romance. I adored it and hope there is more to come in this series.
When you do an inward CHEER when the story's VILLAIN calls the story's HEROINE a "nosy no-good troublemaker," you realize that there is no way you can give such a book anything greater than a 2 star rating. And indeed, what could have been a 5-star cute Christmas cozy was bumped down to a 2 because of the the stereotypically obnoxious 'cozy hero(ine).'*
*For the love of Pete, is it too much to ask to have a cozy heroine who 'solves the case' by using their smarts instead of by getting lucky despite their utter stupidity? In almost every "cozy" mystery I've read lately, the protagonist solves the case...but only after INSISTING on being a busybody who refuses to let the police do their job; they continue to 'investigate' despite REPEATED warnings by the police AND BY THE KILLER(S) THEMSELVES to stop snooping around. Further, they like to ignore the advice of the police (ie, to stop being so nosy) when it suits them, but are happy to call them for help the second said snooping lands them in hot water. It is infuriating! And unfortunately, our heroine in this book, Holly, is no different.
Case in point:
And what is more, aside from the aforementioned few seconds of remorse she felt before her mommy excused her reckless behavior, she flat out refuses to accept any responsibility for her actions! I mean, at one point in the book when the sheriff pointed out how one of the threats she experienced would likely not have occurred if she had stopped asking questions, she childishly scolds him for trying to tell her 'I told you so.' Yea, what a big bully he is, trying to keep you safe by pointing out a correlation between events that any 2 year old could have spotted.
I know that it is typical for the hero(ine) in cozy mysteries to have a cute/fun job that is not a law enforcement position, but is there not some way to let them help solve the mystery that doesn't make them look arrogant and stupid?
P.S. Another failed attempt at making Holly appear 'heroic': having her. Refusing to engage in is NOT heroic, it is flat out stupid.
*For the love of Pete, is it too much to ask to have a cozy heroine who 'solves the case' by using their smarts instead of by getting lucky despite their utter stupidity? In almost every "cozy" mystery I've read lately, the protagonist solves the case...but only after INSISTING on being a busybody who refuses to let the police do their job; they continue to 'investigate' despite REPEATED warnings by the police AND BY THE KILLER(S) THEMSELVES to stop snooping around. Further, they like to ignore the advice of the police (ie, to stop being so nosy) when it suits them, but are happy to call them for help the second said snooping lands them in hot water. It is infuriating! And unfortunately, our heroine in this book, Holly, is no different.
Case in point:
Spoiler
Despite being threatened with her family's farm being burned down if she doesn't stop her meddling (a threat that was preceded by someone trying to freeze her to death, as well as other threats) and PROMISING the sheriff she'll give her snooping a rest, what does Holly do? Ask more questions! Then when someone puts matches all over the farm (to remind her of the threat to burn it down), she feels bad for like 2 seconds until her Mom basically says "Don't feel bad! This isn't because of you at all!" Umm, what? ACTUALLY, IT IS TOTALLY BECAUSE OF HER. Yes, ultimately the villain is responsible for the villain's actions, but they wouldn't be specifically targeting Holly's family if she would just give it a rest! And if it isn't enough to have mommy try and excuse her stupidity, the author also tries to justify her being a complete twit by letting her get a jab in at the sheriff's ability to do his job. When he reminds her, yet again, to let him do HIS JOB, she says "Sure thing...think you can finish before this lunatic burns down my parents' farm?" So Holly is basically implying that she is right to take matters into her own hands because he isn't working fast enough...which is super considerate considering that 1) the only reason her parents' farm is being threatened with imminent arson in the first place is because of HER and 2) the sheriff has just run to her rescue for like the billionth time, and he wouldn't have to keep doing it if she'd just listen to him. So rather than succeed in making me like Holly better and think her actions are justified (via her mom's excuses and her blaming the sheriff), all the author did was further my opinion of her as a profoundly stupid and selfish character who is always putting herself and others in danger.And what is more, aside from the aforementioned few seconds of remorse she felt before her mommy excused her reckless behavior, she flat out refuses to accept any responsibility for her actions! I mean, at one point in the book when the sheriff pointed out how one of the threats she experienced would likely not have occurred if she had stopped asking questions, she childishly scolds him for trying to tell her 'I told you so.' Yea, what a big bully he is, trying to keep you safe by pointing out a correlation between events that any 2 year old could have spotted.
I know that it is typical for the hero(ine) in cozy mysteries to have a cute/fun job that is not a law enforcement position, but is there not some way to let them help solve the mystery that doesn't make them look arrogant and stupid?
P.S. Another failed attempt at making Holly appear 'heroic': having her
Spoiler
hide the gunSpoiler
self-defense
That was my first cozy mystery and I LOVED IT!
It isn't Christmas but who cares? It's never too late for a christmas book⛄
The plot, the characters, the romance were all great and I will definitely read the next one soon.
It isn't Christmas but who cares? It's never too late for a christmas book⛄
The plot, the characters, the romance were all great and I will definitely read the next one soon.
honestly surprised i enjoyed this but i finished it in 2
days
days
This was my first cozy mystery and I really enjoyed it!