Summer Reading Thing - Book #1: Lemon Tart by Josi S. Kilpack

I hadn't known what to expect when I started reading Josi S. Kilpack's culinary mystery, Lemon Tart, or that it would actually be fun to read a mystery. Even now, writing the word fun down, it seems an ironic word to describe this book. It could be a recipe for disaster as many of the story's ingredients were quite dark, after all , a young mother is murdered, a baby is missing, and a man struggles with adultery.
Right away you become aware of the resident baker, Sadie Hoffmiller, who has designated herself as a neighborhood spy because these two detectives, who are completely opposite and troubled as they work together, couldn't possibly solve this case better than Sadie herself. For these are people that she cares about and she can't turn a blind eye without helping by finding any situation where she might gather information whether or not it helps or hinders the investigation. Sadie is merely harmless and downright hilarious too. Even though she is a busybody, she is well intentioned and likable. I partly expected her to show up anytime at my own doorstep with goodies in hand.
Since it is a culinary mystery, there were plenty of descriptions about food to make your mouth water. So, for people who love food this is a book you may enjoy. I did make the brownies from the story and they turned out really good. Besides Sadie's personality, perhaps it is the food that makes this book feel fun after all.
It was an easy read and well paced. I have to admit that I thought this book was fairly predictable until the very end and I was wrong. So, you had me there, Josi, that was an unexpected surprise.
This is a book that seemed finished and can stand on its own so I'm interested to read the next installment, English Trifle, to see how Josi is going to make a series out of these. I know three ingredients to look forward to and that is Sadie, her recipes and the mystery, of course.

361 pages, March 2009, My rating: 3 stars

*Repost from 5-squared for Summer Reading Thing

Revision of Summer Reading Thing

I think I signed up for this challenge in the wrong way so I'm just going to re-post with my LDS fiction list that I'm planning on reading this summer. This list is all LDS authors now. I'll go for reading these, at least, for the Summer Reading Thing. I'm planning on reading the other books from my previous list at some point but these are the ones I need to read and review in order to be eligible for the challenge.

1. PickUp Games by Marcia Mickelson
2. Lemon Tart by Josi Kilpack
3. Fool Me Twice by Stephanie Black
4. The Host by Stephenie Meyer

I'm new to these challenges but I'm hopeful to enjoy them. I can't go overboard as I would like to sometimes with reading & cool challenges. I also love book groups which I probably have too many to keep up with but I give a good effort as I can. I just have to pace myself as I'm a slow reader that savors and has to re-read sometimes. I think I'll speed up with practice. Most of all, I'm aiming to have fun reading this summer!

Summer Reading Thing

My friend, Marcia, signed up for this summer reading challenge and so I thought I would as well. I have a ton of books in my t0-be-read list so I'm going to pull from there. I may also switch it up a little as needed, since I start zealously with reading each summer but then it gets too busy sometimes by the end, which I think is alright for this challenge. I hope. Anyway, I love to read so here's my choices for this summer:

1. PickUp Games by Marcia Mickelson
2. Lemon Tart by Josi Kilpack
3. Fool Me Twice by Stephanie Black
   
4. Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor: Being the First Jane Austen Mystery by Stephanie Barron
   
5. Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James
   
6. The Host by Stephenie Meyer
7. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Piccoult
   

I think this will be a good list. Alternates will include but not limited to my choices from my other challenges currently listed on my side bar, from other book groups I'm already in, or books that may come out by the end of the summer that I may get excited about in a spontaneous moment. For now, this is my speculative list for this summer. I can't wait to get reading!