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sharic's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
whatmayisha's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this!!! Wow!!!! The characters were all wonderful, and again, I love cupcakes, so I loved the idea of a cupcake shop, and all the recipes sounded incredible. I actually saved a few for the future.
cooperca's review against another edition
2.0
I picked up this cozy mystery because I have a major cupcake addiction! And when a book promises murder along with cupcake confections, well, that's a-ok in my book!
The descriptions of the various cupcakes didn't disappoint and the plot was entertaining.
My big issue (as someone else also mentioned) was the writing inconsistencies. The wording would be unclear and led to a confusing read - I would have to read the sentences a couple times to decipher what the author was trying to describe. Right at the beginning, we're told Mel has a sweet tooth which led her to be on the chunky side growing up. Then the next page, she describes Mel has having grown up tall and lanky. It took me a bit to realize the author meant to say that Mel had grown into being a tall and lanky woman. Throughout the book there would be these poorly written passages that would just take me out of the story.
I hope Ms. McKinlay has a better editor for her next book as I found her characters to be well developed and the murder plot to be solid.
The descriptions of the various cupcakes didn't disappoint and the plot was entertaining.
My big issue (as someone else also mentioned) was the writing inconsistencies. The wording would be unclear and led to a confusing read - I would have to read the sentences a couple times to decipher what the author was trying to describe. Right at the beginning, we're told Mel has a sweet tooth which led her to be on the chunky side growing up. Then the next page, she describes Mel has having grown up tall and lanky. It took me a bit to realize the author meant to say that Mel had grown into being a tall and lanky woman. Throughout the book there would be these poorly written passages that would just take me out of the story.
I hope Ms. McKinlay has a better editor for her next book as I found her characters to be well developed and the murder plot to be solid.
mandi_luvgood's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
leasummer's review against another edition
3.0
This one started out confusing for me with the number of characters we were immediately introduced to. I liked the overall story, cupcake bakery with a group of friends who all are secretly in love with each other like it's not obvious.
I don't know if this author just isn't for me or if I'm putting 2022 expectations on older books. This one has trash transgender comments, about someone who isn't even transgender or cross-dressing. It added nothing to the story except an ick factor.
In retrospect, the murderer should have been obvious but I missed it.
The audiobook narration isn't great. The male voices are not distinguished well, especially at the beginning.
I don't know if this author just isn't for me or if I'm putting 2022 expectations on older books. This one has trash transgender comments, about someone who isn't even transgender or cross-dressing. It added nothing to the story except an ick factor.
In retrospect, the murderer should have been obvious but I missed it.
The audiobook narration isn't great. The male voices are not distinguished well, especially at the beginning.
bookfairy45's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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? No
4.0
This book was well written. Melanie was a good character, she was brave to solve the case. I tried solving it and had the wrong suspect. Once it was told then I was like didn't see that one coming. It was a page turner,kept me wanting to read. Some characters like the victim Christie were nasty. All in all though, the book kept my interest. I will definitely read more about Melanie and her friends.
dogs_books_pats's review against another edition
4.0
A cute cozy mystery. I enjoyed the characters. Mel and Angie's friendship is very heartwarming. The mystery was well written and I did not guess it right away. There is charm and a bit of humor. All the things I look for in a quick, easy cozy mystery read.
mxysxm's review
4.0
This was such a blast to read. Jenn has some true skills when writing crime books. They're short and direct without being too plain. You get to know the main characters but the story doesn't drag on. It cuts right to the chase without going too fast and I loved that, especially when I'm in a reading slum and I need a good book to break out of it, I'll be sure to grab one of Jenn's from now on.
The thing is, it was pretty obvious who the murderer was from the beginning and I saw it coming but I still felt compelled to read on. Especially since I wanted to see what other movie lines Mel and her friends were going to use. They have this game where they randomly say a movie line and see if the others would be able to guess which movie it was from. I'm definitely suggesting it to my friends.
I would recommend this to anyone who wants to go into crime/mystery books and has no idea where to start or wants to start small. Or if you just want a couple hundred pages book to read on-the-go. This is the book for you.
The thing is, it was pretty obvious who the murderer was from the beginning and I saw it coming but I still felt compelled to read on. Especially since I wanted to see what other movie lines Mel and her friends were going to use. They have this game where they randomly say a movie line and see if the others would be able to guess which movie it was from. I'm definitely suggesting it to my friends.
I would recommend this to anyone who wants to go into crime/mystery books and has no idea where to start or wants to start small. Or if you just want a couple hundred pages book to read on-the-go. This is the book for you.