Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books - Kirsten Miller

I think that little libraries are just the best thing. You can share with friends or make new connections. I routinely leave books I’ve finished around the neighbourhood little libraries. So with that in mind, I happily picked up Kirsten Miller’s new book - Lula Dean‘s Little Library of Banned Books. 

Banned books. I’ve worked in public libraries and for profit bookstores. And this is a topic that comes up and up again. Kristyn Miller has penned an absolutely delightful book that takes on the question - who can tell you what you can read? Well, in the tiny town of Troy, Georgia Lula Dean decides that it’s her that will carry the banner. And...things don’t go quite the way she planned.

I like the eclectic characters. I loved some of them. I really got angry at some of them. I laughed out loud. And I really like, really like the whole conversation this book brings to us. I absolutely recommend this book! Read an excerpt of Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books.

The Mistletoe Mystery - Nita Prose

I was so excited to see that Nita Prose has penned a Christmas novella called The Mistletoe Mystery. And yes, this is a book that features  Molly (the Maid) Gray as the main character. 

If you're a big fan of this series like me, you're in for a wonderful read or listen. And if you've never read the first two books...what are you waiting for! This is a great way to get a taste of this series. 

Molly works at the upscale Regency Grand Hotel as a maid and she loves her job. Now, the other thing you need to know about Molly is that she struggles with social skills and can't read the nuances of interactions - facial and conversational.

With Christmas looming, and a staff secret Santa event, and her boyfriend acting odd, she is stressed -  and worried.

I just adore Molly and you will too! I chose to listen to this novella. The reader is Lauren Ambrose and she has done a fantastic job of bringing Molly to life with her voice. She captures Molly's emotions, inner dialogue and her struggles and her joys with her performance. I appreciated the connectivity, as Ambrose has narrated the first two books.  Read an excerpt. Listen to an excerpt.  Novella - 2 hours and 38 minutes

And keep your eyes out for the new Molly tale coming out April 8/25. I can't wait!

Mystery at Lockley Grange - Clare Chase - Blog Tour!

A Bookworm's World is a blog stop today for Clare Chase's new book - Mystery at Lockley Grange. This is book 13 in the Eve Mallow Mystery series, but it's a first read of this series for me.

Someone has killed famous diplomat Lance Hale in his own home - right after a event held that night. One of the caterers is Eve Mallow and she also writes obituaries for the press. And....solves mysteries. 

There are many supporting characters, but enough history was included to help me know who was who. Eve has a personal connection to Hale and his family. That makes things easy - or perhaps harder. Eve has her work cut out for her. There are so many candidates for the whodunit. Just when I thought I had it right, Chase throws in another twist and sends the narrative down another path. I wasn't successful in guessing the killer until the final chapters. Which is a good thing. If you love cozies, you'll love Mystery at Lockley Grange.

"Clare Chase writes classic mysteries. Her aim is to take readers away from it all via some armchair sleuthing in atmospheric locations.

Her debut novel was shortlisted for Novelicious’s Undiscovered Award, as well as an EPIC award post-publication, and was chosen as a Debut of the Month by LoveReading. Murder on the Marshes (Tara Thorpe 1) was shortlisted for an International Thriller Writers award.

Like her heroines, Clare is fascinated by people and what makes them tick. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked in settings as diverse as Littlehey Prison and the University of Cambridge, in her home city. She’s lived everywhere from the house of a lord to a slug-infested flat and finds the mid-terrace she currently occupies a good happy medium.

As well as writing, Clare loves family time, art and architecture, cooking, and of course, reading other people’s books."  You can find Clare's website and blog at www.clarechase.com.

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