Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies by Misha Popp

15 reviews

salmobina's review against another edition

dark funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death of parent, Rape, Domestic abuse, and Misogyny

callidoralblack's review against another edition

funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, Stalking, Alcoholism, and Death

Minor: Addiction, Rape, Sexism, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, and Violence

basicallyki's review

dark funny lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Physical abuse

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Stalking, and Death of parent

allie_ooop's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, and Stalking

Minor: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Rape

thebookwormmum's review

dark lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Death of parent

Minor: Rape

sj_54's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

I struggled with the ending of this one. Up to about 70% all was good but then the protag just stopped... doing anything? About her situation? She went from chasing her stalker down at night with a kitchen knife to

Spoiler

being outed on social media and just doing nothing about it?? Like he threatens her that she's out of time and she just... goes to the competition like it will sort itself out?

. I don't know the lack of agency really took the wind out of my sails on enjoying this one all the way through.
But overall a fun, quirky read that I (mostly) enjoyed! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Murder

mamawantsbooks's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Sexual assault, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Murder, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Car accident, Infidelity, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Sexism and Misogyny

leanne_miron's review against another edition

dark lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking

Moderate: Murder, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Minor: Addiction, Cancer, Car accident, and Death of parent

bookishjaybird's review against another edition

funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Misogyny

Minor: Death of parent

emmylamptey's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Daisy Ellery and her homemade pie business are more than meets the eye. From a glance, Daisy looks like a sweet, 1950s style housewife who bakes pies for a local diner, farmers markets, support group meetings, and college campuses. Her pies are sweet, delicious and customers swear they feel happier, stronger, or more focused. These customers are right. 

Daisy comes from a long line of Ellery women who are all witches. These women’s magic is channeled through traditionally feminine skills like sewing, hair styling, and in Daisy’s case, baking pies. Daisy bakes magic into all her pies to help her customers improve their lives. 

However, Daisy also possesses a power her ancestors did not: she is able to kill bad men without a trace with her magical pies (or so she believes). Daisy is a vigilante and passionate about social justice; creating pies to help local women who have been wronged by violent partners, abusers, and rapists. When someone finds out what Daisy is doing and contracts her to bake pies as blackmail, she is put into a compromising position. 

While this mystery is not cozy in the traditional sense, the small town, farmers markets, and pie baking certainly are all very cozy plot devices. The book’s themes are likely darker than anticipated due to the nature of the crimes the men have committed and also that the protagonist is a murderer herself. 

The writing was quirky and fun and I loved the diversity and inclusion present in the book. The authors politics are quite apparent in the book, which could be a turn off for some but not for me. This book is totally “Witches vs. The Patriarchy” baked up into a pie. 

Thank you to Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an Advanced Reading Copy ebook in exchange for an honest review. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Murder

Minor: Rape, Sexual harassment, Cancer, and Trafficking