Tag: Pies Before Guys series

REVIEW: The Last to Pie by Misha Popp

REVIEW: The Last to Pie by Misha Popp

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

When it comes to murder pies, Daisy has a system. The requester identifies themselves in very specific ways. So when an unusual request comes through, she can’t shake the feeling that it could be a trap. But she also knows the statistics – police officers are 40% more likely to commit domestic violence than the average person.  If the requester is legit, she doesn’t have a lot of options for help. So Daisy eventually reaches out again to test the request a bit more.

But the person goes silent before Daisy can decide if she’s going to take the job. Daisy does some investigating, but she can’t find the woman. Her boyfriend acts like she never even existed. Daisy feels guilty for having waited, and responsible if something has happened to the woman. So she goes all in on her own investigation. She has to know what happened before she can decide if the guy’s murder pie needs to be delivered or not.

Review

“What I do is terrible, but it’s also necessary.”

This is Daisy’s thinking about the Pies Before Guys part of her business.  Her magic allows her to provide a pie that will convince an abuser to either turn from his ways, or keel over as the only way he will “stop.” I have loved this dark, unique, thought-provoking series from book one,  but this new story is darker and more stressful than the first two books. The villain is every awful story you’ve ever read about sadistic, narcissistic individuals becoming police officers to wield that power so they can get away with anything. There were times I had to put the book down and take a break from the darkness of it all.

And because the villain is so bad AND he’s a cop, Daisy is in all sorts of new layers of danger. And that puts her friends and her future in jeopardy – not to mention the risks for the person or people she’s trying to help.

All of the ethical questions around “murder pies” and Daisy’s magic are amped up here too. What is the “right” thing to do when faced with an enemy with a badge and cohorts who also misuse their positions and power?

Fans of the series as well as readers who enjoy a “morally grey” character should give this series a look – although I do recommend reading the books in order. The “mystery” here is a smaller part of the story – what happened to the missing woman, how will Daisy figure it out –  but I enjoyed watching Daisy and her friends work through the mystery – and the larger pie-related ethical questions. (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great!

REVIEW: A Good Day to Pie by Misha Popp

REVIEW: A Good Day to Pie by Misha Popp

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Daisy’s primary business is baking pies. But only a special segment of her customers know about “Pies Before Guys.” That’s the mostly-secret baking business where wronged and wounded women can buy a magical pie that will make the man stop his shenanigans. It’s not Daisy’s fault that for some of these trolls the only thing that will stop them is their death.

Daisy is doing a TV bake off with the hopes of winning money to keep funding Pies Before Guys. But she doesn’t expect that one of the contest judges is the man she’s supposed to deliver a magical pie to on the way home. When the judge later dies – without the help of Daisy’s special baked goods – she starts looking for a killer.

Review

Not unlike an excellent pie, an excellent mystery requires the right ingredients at proper amounts, blended together. Murder, Lies, and Deadly Pies was my favorite book of 2022. That’s a lot to live up to. But A Good Day to Pie was up to the task.

I was afraid the baking contest might be a drag for me – I don’t watch baking shows, and I’ve read other books recently with a similar setting. But this really surpassed other examples of the set up. I was riveted by the competition and zipped through every challenge to see what would happen next. And I adored the little community formed by the contestants.

For a long time I worried that the murder would keep Daisy from using her magic, but that worry was unnecessary. Everything was woven into the story, and I was supremely satisfied how it all came together.

This is a distinct and different series that is hitting me in a way I didn’t know I needed. It seems weird to love a series with a protagonist who is essentially a killer. But the way Daisy’s power works means she only provides the pies and magic. The “victims” bring on their own demise by their lack of repentance. That might feel too dark for some readers, but it’s hitting just the right tone for me these days. I’ll be sticking with Daisy and Pies Before Guys for the long haul! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

YEAR IN REVIEW: Faves from 2022, Part 2

YEAR IN REVIEW: Faves from 2022, Part 2

Posted on by Jaymie

On Wednesday, I posted books 6 through 10 in my Faves from 2022 list. It’s time now for my Top 5!

5. The Bodyguard – This book got a lot of buzz in 2022 – and it was well worth the attention! I loved this one. You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

 

4. The Final Gambit – The final book in the Inheritance Games trilogy was outstanding. This series is another Jennifer Lynn Barnes winner! You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

 

3. Buried in a Good Book – This series kick off was outstanding! I have book 2 on my TBR to read soon. You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

 

2. Tear Down the Throne – Books 2 and 3 on my list were actually tied in my tally, but I had to give the edge to this one. I adored the first series – Crown of Shards – and this spin off is just as fantastic. I have an ARC for book 3, but I’m afraid to start it because once I finish, the series will be done. If you are looking for a fun adult fantasy series, check out the Gargoyle Queen series! You can read my full review for this book here.

 

 

 

1.  Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies – This was one of the most memorable books of 2022 for me. It had a perfect mix of mystery and sass, with a satisfying dark side. I never posted a full review for this one, but you can read a bit about it here where I talk about the Pies Before Guys series.

 

 

 

So, those are my top 10 favorites from 2022 – what were some of yours?

SABBATICAL - Must Read Series, Part I

SABBATICAL – Must Read Series, Part I

Posted on by Jaymie

I am on a “sabbatical” from my blog this month, so I am sharing some posts that compile information my readers might find useful. Today it’s a look at what I consider my “Must Read” series. These might be books I buy or books I get at the library, but either way, I am NOT missing a book in these series. (It’s highly likely that I have forgotten some series, but this is a great starting list.)

This week I am focusing on series that are ongoing. Next week I will post some completed series that were must-reads when they released.

Series Still Releasing New Books

Meg Langslow mysteries – This series kicks of with Murder with Peacocks. The most recent addition to the series, book 31, is Round Up the Usual Peacocks; a new Christmas book will release in October, Dashing through the Snowbirds. I love these because Meg feels so much like me in a lot of ways, and I have grown to love the chaotic, fascinating group of family and friends who populate each book.
Andy Carpenter mysteries – This series kicks off with Open and Shut (my least favorite book in the series – but it sets things up). The most recent addition to the series, book 25, is Holy Chow; a new Christmas book will release in October, Santa’s Little Yelpers. I love these because the mysteries are so good, and Andy is sarcastically delightful.
Gargoyle Queen series – This series kicks off with Capture the Crown and then Tear Down the Throne. The next book, Conquer the Kingdom, will release in the spring of 2023. I am thoroughly enjoying this series spun off from the Crown of Shards series (which will be in next week’s post). The world is fantastic, and I love the characters here. These books can’t release fast enough for me.
Scarred Earth Saga – This series kicks off with The Blacksmith Queen and The Princess Knight. The next book, The Heretic Royal, releases at the end of the year. The first book was an unexpected delight – violent but SO fun, with clever world-building and a fascinating family at the center of the story.
Kitty Katt-Martini/Touched by an Alien series – This series kicks off with Touched By an Alien. The last book released was Aliens Abroad in 2018 – book 16 in the series. The next book will be Aliens Like Us, but there’s no release date set for that yet. This series, which I picked up after the release of book 3, changed my reading life. I discovered a fun, sexy sci-fi series with a strong, bright, hilarious, sarcastic heroine I wanted to have as my best friend. These are my comfort reads, and I read at least a few of them, if not the whole series, every year.
Galactic Cold War series – Now considered book 0 or a prequel, this series kicks off with The Caledonian Gambit, while The Bayern Agenda is considered book 1, and The Aleph Extraction is considered book 2. Book “3”, The Nova Incident, just released this summer. It’s my favorite book in this scifi-spies series.
Bromance Book Club series – This series kicks off with The Bromance Book Club. The fifth book in the series, A Very Merry Bromance, will release later this fall. I love this series about a group of guys who help each other with their romantic relationships by reading romance novels together.
Countess of Harleigh mysteries – This series kicks off with A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder. Book 5, A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder, released this summer. You’ll notice there’s not a lot of historical fiction on my list, but there are a couple series where the characters and the mysteries are so good, they have worked past my mental block against historicals.
Rosalind Thorne mysteries – This series kicks off with A Useful Woman. Book 6, The Secret of the Lost Pearls, complete with a new cover design, will release later this year. This is the other historical fiction series that I love for the fantastic mysteries.
By the Book mysteries – This series kicked off this year with Buried in a Good Book. I fell in love with the characters in this, and the mystery was fantastic. Book 2, On Spine of Death, releases in November, and book 3, Murder Off the Books, will be out next spring.
Pies Before Guys series – I picked up the first book, Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies, at the library this summer, zoomed through it, but never had space to post a full review, although I have talked about it in other posts. The first book really connected with the small, angry part of me that sees how women have been harassed and dismissed for centuries and feels powerless to effect real change. Book 2, A Good Day to Pie, will release in 2023.
Inheritance Games series – This YA mystery series kicks off with The Inheritance Games followed by The Hawthorne Legacy. The third and final book. The Final Gambit, released a couple weeks ago.
Castles in Their Bones series – This fantasy/royalty series kicked off earlier this year with Castles in Their Bones. It was stunning. Exactly the right kind of book for me. Next year’s release will be Stardust in Their Veins. I cannot wait!!
Teen Titans Graphic Novel series – This DC graphic novel series kicked off with stand alone books for both Raven and Beast Boy. Then there was a book where they teamed up, Beast Boy Loves Raven. Book 4 will be Robin, and it releases in the spring of 2023.
HiLo series – There is no middle grade series I am as excited about as this one! This series started with a six-book arc, kicked off with HILO. They are now in a second arc starring Gina, which has released two books – Gina, the Girl Who Broke the World and Gina and the Big Secret– so far. Book 9, Gina and the Last City on Earth, will release in February. (I’ve already recommended it to my library!)