Party Planning Can Be Murder - Early Book Review

 

Party Planning Can Be Murder: A Party Planner Mystery

by Kerry Schafer/Kerry Anne King

What is it about:

Wish List: pick up my pills from the pharmacy, plan my party, be there when I die…

Despite a few harrowing incidents with nervy Bridezillas, Addy Winters’ small town party planning business has been murder free – until now. But then, she’s never before been hired to throw a star-studded after-death party for a client who has their death scheduled on their calendar.

When Leno Masterson—former classmate, now legendary rocker with a flair for drama—turns up dead four days earlier than he’d planned, Addy suspects that someone helped him along. Sure, he left a melodramatic goodbye letter and his right-to-die paperwork is all in order, but even when the coroner rules natural causes, Addy isn’t buying it.

Addy’s family and friends – and Leno’s smolderingly hot brother Owen – warn her that she’s diving in over her head, and they’re right. She’s woefully unprepared for either the media onslaught or the secrets the people she thought she knew are hiding. But nothing is going to stop her from getting justice for Leno – and throwing a killer party while she’s at it.

If you love your mysteries with humor, heart, and a side of romance, this is your next must-read. Perfect for fans of Finlay Donovan and The Thursday Murder Club!

What did I think of it:

There are some authors you follow to whatever genre they decide to write next. Kerry Schafer is one of those authors. When she switched from Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Thrillers to Women's Fiction as Kerry Anne King, I followed and loved those books as well. Her next release will be by both pen names and is a Murder Mystery!

You bet I jumped on the chance to be an early/ARC reader and let me tell you I devoured this book!

I was drawn in and emotionally invested from the first chapter. I fell in love with Addy and wanted her to succeed in everything she does. (I also thought some very not nice things about her family, apart from her brother and grandmother.)

I was already enjoying myself very much with this story when Leno turns up dead and the mystery begins. And I can tell you: there's tons of things Addy has to figure out to discover what happened to Leno. I couldn't stop reading: I needed to know who or what caused Leno's death.

The writing (as with every book Kerry has written) is so good in my opinion. There's lots of humorous situations and the writing fits those perfectly.  

Voodoo Bride wants me to mention Owen: according to her Owen was the dreamiest and coolest character in the book. I myself can't say if he is indeed the dreamiest, but he for sure was a character I really didn't want to see ending up as the killer.

I'm not going to spoil the ending of course, but you can bet I want more books in what I hope will become a long series. I'll also grab the print version to hug and reread once this releases next month.

Why should you read it:

It's an awesome Mystery read!

Expected publication: March 11, 2025

Three Quick Book reviews

 

Quick Reviews

Sing by Karin Tidbeck

The biologist Petr explores the strange colony of Kiruna and meets the village outcast Aino, who seduces him unknowingly with her intoxicating singing voice. He finds comfort in her unusual way of life but soon discovers that a symbiotic relationship can be a blessing or a curse.

What did I think:

A weird, but alluring short story. I liked Aino, Petr is a bit of a tool though. I really liked the writing and the atmosphere.

Compulsory (The Murderbot Diaries #0.5) by Martha Wells

Murderbot—the sardonic, almost-homicidal, media-loving android created by Martha Wells—has proven to be one of the most popular characters in 21 st century science fiction. Everything that makes this protagonist (it would be wrong to call Murderbot a hero) beloved of fans is on display in Compulsory.

What did I think:

It's Murderbot! What's not to love?!

Relocating Christmas by Kerry Anne King/Kerry Schafer

A heartwarming Christmas mystery with a touch of magic.

Nickle Wood is not a thief, although her rap sheet begs to differ. It’s just that a lot of objects are not where they are meant to be and the universe has chosen her to move them. Christmas is absolutely the worst, with every brightly wrapped package a potential landmine.

She and her private-eye boyfriend, Hawk, have agreed: no presents. But he can’t resist giving her a little something and Nickle’s fragile trust is broken. She thought he understood the problem, but maybe he doesn’t really know her at all. Insult to injury, the gift, a beautiful pendant, clearly wants to be elsewhere.

Nickle ventures out into a Christmas Eve snowstorm, determined to relocate the pendant on her own, but when it leads her to a runaway teen and a dog sheltering together behind a dumpster, Nickle knows she’s going to need Hawk’s help to find the girl’s missing mother. Can they trust each other – and Nickle’s unusual ability – enough to work together and pull off a Christmas miracle?

This delightful stand alone novella continues the story of Nickle and Hawk from King’s beloved novel Other People’s Things.

What did I think:

If you paid attention you noticed this book was mentioned as a Christmas Reads and hopefully you read and enjoyed it already. If not: Go get it! It's a wonderful read as both a standalone and a continuation of  Other People’s Things! Also a great read outside of the Holiday Season, so don't wait until December to get it.

Improbably Yours - Release Day Book Review (repost)

 

Improbably Yours

by Kerry Anne King

What is it about:

An unusual inheritance leads to a life-changing journey in a novel of romance, secrets, and the treasure of found family.

Blythe Harmon is on the fast track to a life she never wanted. On her thirtieth birthday, just as she’s about to lock herself into a high-powered job and accept a marriage proposal to match, an unusual bequest from her beloved late grandmother, Nomi, offers an escape and an invitation to adventure.

Equipped with Nomi’s urn of ashes and a treasure map, Blythe sets off for a small island in the San Juans where she rents the mysterious and unsettling Improbable House. Secret by secret, clue by cryptic clue, she begins to unravel the puzzle her grandmother has left her to piece together. Her quest is complicated, though, by a powerful attraction to an enigmatic islander and empathy for his orphaned niece, both of whom are inexorably tied to the old house.

Just when Blythe thinks she’s on the verge of solving the mystery, her quest takes an unexpected turn and she discovers that the treasure she’s really seeking is something that could never be buried in the ground. On the treasure hunt of a lifetime, the past and the future are coming together in this magical novel by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Whisper Me This.

What did I think of it:

This is such a beautiful read!

Blythe is a really fun heroine. She starts out as someone who's going along with what her family expects of her, but when she gets a strange bequest on her 30th birthday from her grandmother, who died when when Blythe was a kid, she decides to go against her family's wishes and goes on an adventure to an island.

Blythe immediately has to deal with problems when she arrives on the island though. It seems like her quest is more challenging than it looked at first. And then there's the slightly grumpy Flynn and his niece Savannah who add to the difficulties.

I loved Flynn and especially Savannah. Their story interweaves with Blythe's in a compelling way. As the book progresses you learn more about their past, and about the past of Blythe's grandmother. Some things I could guess long before they're revealed, but I didn't mind that. I was too invested in all three of them overcoming their problems and finding happiness. I loved seeing Blythe move away from the rigid life she put herself in and open up to new possibilities.

I loved the setting as well. The island sounded really cool! I definitely would love to visit an island like that. There's also a touch of the supernatural in this story, just small enough to ignore if you're not into that, but big enough for this piggy to lap it up!

All in all I couldn't put this book down and was both happy with the conclusion and sad that I had to say goodbye to the island and characters. You bet this book goes on my Keeper Shelves and will be reread!

Why should you read it:

It's a wonderful Contemporary Fiction read with just a hint of magic.

Improbably Yours - Early Book Review

 

Improbably Yours

by Kerry Anne King

What is it about:

An unusual inheritance leads to a life-changing journey in a novel of romance, secrets, and the treasure of found family.

Blythe Harmon is on the fast track to a life she never wanted. On her thirtieth birthday, just as she’s about to lock herself into a high-powered job and accept a marriage proposal to match, an unusual bequest from her beloved late grandmother, Nomi, offers an escape and an invitation to adventure.

Equipped with Nomi’s urn of ashes and a treasure map, Blythe sets off for a small island in the San Juans where she rents the mysterious and unsettling Improbable House. Secret by secret, clue by cryptic clue, she begins to unravel the puzzle her grandmother has left her to piece together. Her quest is complicated, though, by a powerful attraction to an enigmatic islander and empathy for his orphaned niece, both of whom are inexorably tied to the old house.

Just when Blythe thinks she’s on the verge of solving the mystery, her quest takes an unexpected turn and she discovers that the treasure she’s really seeking is something that could never be buried in the ground. On the treasure hunt of a lifetime, the past and the future are coming together in this magical novel by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Whisper Me This.

What did I think of it:

This is such a beautiful read!

Blythe is a really fun heroine. She starts out as someone who's going along with what her family expects of her, but when she gets a strange bequest on her 30th birthday from her grandmother, who died when when Blythe was a kid, she decides to go against her family's wishes and goes on an adventure to an island.

Blythe immediately has to deal with problems when she arrives on the island though. It seems like her quest is more challenging than it looked at first. And then there's the slightly grumpy Flynn and his niece Savannah who add to the difficulties.

I loved Flynn and especially Savannah. Their story interweaves with Blythe's in a compelling way. As the book progresses you learn more about their past, and about the past of Blythe's grandmother. Some things I could guess long before they're revealed, but I didn't mind that. I was too invested in all three of them overcoming their problems and finding happiness. I loved seeing Blythe move away from the rigid life she put herself in and open up to new possibilities.

I loved the setting as well. The island sounded really cool! I definitely would love to visit an island like that. There's also a touch of the supernatural in this story, just small enough to ignore if you're not into that, but big enough for this piggy to lap it up!

All in all I couldn't put this book down and was both happy with the conclusion and sad that I had to say goodbye to the island and characters. You bet this book goes on my Keeper Shelves and will be reread!

Why should you read it:

It's a wonderful Contemporary Fiction read with just a hint of magic.

Expected publication October 18, 2022

pre-order on amazon

On McPig's Wishlist - Improbably Yours

 

Improbably Yours

by Kerry Anne King

An unusual inheritance leads to a life-changing journey in a novel of romance, secrets, and the treasure of found family.

Blythe Harmon is on the fast track to a life she never wanted. On her thirtieth birthday, just as she’s about to lock herself into a high-powered job and accept a marriage proposal to match, an unusual bequest from her beloved late grandmother, Nomi, offers an escape and an invitation to adventure.

Equipped with Nomi’s urn of ashes and a treasure map, Blythe sets off for a small island in the San Juans where she rents the mysterious and unsettling Improbable House. Secret by secret, clue by cryptic clue, she begins to unravel the puzzle her grandmother has left her to piece together. Her quest is complicated, though, by a powerful attraction to an enigmatic islander and empathy for his orphaned niece, both of whom are inexorably tied to the old house.

Just when Blythe thinks she’s on the verge of solving the mystery, her quest takes an unexpected turn and she discovers that the treasure she’s really seeking is something that could never be buried in the ground. On the treasure hunt of a lifetime, the past and the future are coming together in this magical novel by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Whisper Me This.

Expected publication: October 18th 2022

preorder here

Other People's Things - Book Review

 

Other People's Things

by Kerry Anne King

What is it about:

Jailbird. Klepto. Spectacular failure to launch. Nicole Wood’s sticky fingers have earned her many names, but it’s not that she’s stealing—some objects just need to be moved elsewhere, and the universe has chosen her to do it. Still, being a relocator of objects isn’t easy. With her marriage on the rocks, no real-world skills, and the threat of prison hanging over her head, Nicole is determined to change her ways.

Things seem to be looking up, thanks to a godsent job with her sister’s housecleaning business—until she encounters a seemingly harmless paperback that insists on moving from one client’s home to another’s. Nicole hopes no one will notice, but the action stirs up long-hidden secrets and triggers a series of fateful events that threatens to destroy the life she’s creating and hurt those closest to her. She’ll need to embrace her unwieldy gift and take a chance on love in order to unravel the mystery and fix what’s gone wrong.

What did I think of it:

I'm a big fan of Kerry Schafer's Urban Fantasy and Paranormal books, so when she started to write more Contemporary books as Kerry Anne King I followed her over of course. And those are beautiful as well.

This book might not be Urban Fantasy, but there's definitely a touch of magic in Other People's Things.

I was hooked from the start. I liked Nicole and was eager to find out if she could put her life back together after her marriage blew up over her tendency to move objects that don't belong to her.

Then I learned more about why she is moving things and I wanted to know everything about it. Why are certain objects calling to her? Why do they need to be moved? Will Nicole find a way to deal with this weird but intriguing compulsion?

And then there's Hawk. He is hired by Nicole's husband (who I hated more than I have hated someone in a long time, btw) to track Nicole and to see if he can recover something Nicole moved. He soon starts to doubt what Nicole's husband has told him about her and might become an ally in her quest to start a new life.

The viewpoint switches between Nicole and Hawk and I enjoyed seeing inside both their heads. Soon I was rooting for the two of them to start trusting each other and work together.

All in all a wonderful contemporary read with a touch of magical realism. I hope Kerry keeps the books coming, no matter under what pen name.

Why should you read it:

It's a beautiful and magical read!

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Whisper Me This - Book Review

Whisper Me This
by Kerry Anne King

What is it about:
Single mother Maisey Addington has always fallen short of her own mother’s expectations—never married, a bit adrift, wasting her high IQ on dead-end jobs. The only thing Maisey’s sure she’s gotten right is her relationship with her twelve-year-old daughter, Elle...until a phone call blows apart the precarious balance of their lives. Maisey’s mother is in a coma, and her aging father faces charges of abuse and neglect.

Back at her childhood home, Maisey must make a heartrending life-or-death decision. Her confused father has destroyed family records, including her mother’s final wishes. Searching for answers, Maisey uncovers one unspeakable secret after another when she stumbles upon a shattering truth: a twin sister named Marley.

Maisey’s obsession with solving the mystery of her sister forces her to examine her darkest memories and triggers a custody battle with Elle’s father. Will Maisey’s love for her daughter be strong enough to break a cycle of abuse and create a new beginning for them all?

What did I think of it:
I don't read a lot of Contemporary Fiction/Women's Fiction, but Kerry Anne King also writes as Kerry Schafer, so as I love her UF books, I was sure I'd like her Contemporary Fiction as well.

And this book is beautiful, but difficult as well. It's the perfect example why I don't read these kinds of books often: It hits really close to home. Maisey tries to do her best, but everyone wants her to be someone she is not. The only one who seems to accept her as she is, is her daughter Elle.

Maisey struggles with who she is, who she wants to be, and how she thinks she must be. When dealing with her ailing parents she discovers the existence of a twin sister. Her world shifts on its axes and she has to figure out what to do with it.

I couldn't put this book down once I started it, and read until deep in the night to finish it. It was beautiful and heartbreaking. Some parts were difficult to read, but King tells the story in a way you want to go through the pain to get to the satisfying conclusion and feel it's all the more worth it because of the struggle the characters went through to get to it.

This won't be a book I'll reread easily or often, but I absolutely loved it. So it will go on my favorite shelf and be treasured, and I'll definitely read more books by King.

Why should you read it:
It's a beautiful and emotional Contemporary read.


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I Wish You Happy - Book Review

I Wish You Happy
by Kerry Anne King

What is it about:
Told with warmth and wit, I Wish You Happy explores the sometimes-dark complexity of relationships, the transformative power of friendship—and the magic of hope.

Rescuing abandoned animals is easier for Rae than attempting relationships with people. According to her therapist, she lacks a dimmer switch—her energy is either full-intensity on or off. Lately, she’s been opting for off.

But the switch flips back on when Rae’s car collides with a cyclist, leaving the rider fighting for her life. After discovering the crash was a suicide attempt, Rae invites the victim—emotionally and physically fragile Kat—into her home. Soon, Rae finds herself opening up, not just to friendship but also to the possibility of love with Cole, the crisis worker assigned to Kat’s case.

However, Kat’s pain threatens to overshadow Rae as their codependent friendship deepens. When disaster strikes again, Rae is desperate to help Kat heal, but the plan backfires, putting at risk Rae’s tenuous connections and forcing her to confront the most difficult challenge of all— embracing her own happiness.

What did I think of it:
I'm usually not into Contemporary Fiction, but Kerry Anne King is the alter ego of Kerry Schafer, so I just had to give this book a try.

And right in the first few pages Kerry hooked me when Rae gets upset at her therapist when the therapist says something demeaning about Rae's dead pet rat. If there's one thing I understand and which makes me relate it's someone being sad about the death of a beloved pet and how hurtful it can be when others don't understand.

From that moment on I was invested in what happened to Rae and I wanted her to be happy.

Rae is a very sensitive person who is trying very hard to survive in a world that's often too hard for her. I recognized the need to want to do the right thing, but not always having the energy for it. And Rae is taking it a step further: she feels responsible for the happiness and well being of others and thinks her own happiness is less important.

This observation and the above blurb may make you think this is a very serious book. But although it certainly is about serious issues this book is fun and heartwarming as well. Remember the the dead rat? I loved the storyline that dealt with the aftermath of his passing. It was awesome, funny and touching.

As the story unfolds Rae gets forced to make important decisions for herself and she learns a lot about herself, the people around her, and what friendship should be about. I will tell you that this book made me laugh, sniffle, grumble, and smile.

If you like Contemporary Fiction (or if you are usually on the fence, like me) I can really recommend this book. It's a wonderful read.

Why should you read it:
It's a beautiful and touching Contemporary Novel.


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