renpuspita's reviews
1316 reviews

Bitter Medicine is a book, that for me, difficult to review. It's so rare nowadays with the surge of fantasy romance/romantasy (semantics) book, to find a paranormal slash urban fantasy romance that didn't happen in the lalala-land or unpronounceable land with many fancy characters name. Bitter Medicine happen in modern world, sets in Raleigh, North Carolina, Paris and Strasbourgh, France. Sadly, when starting read this book, I faced with an already established world building. There's no explanation or maybe some description. I have this feeling that Tsai maybe afraid to info-dumping the world building, but I wish she did. I don't mind with a long description about the world building if that mean I can understand what's going on. 

I don't have a slightest idea what is the rules of the world that the characters lived in. Yes, our heroine, Elle Mei or Yiya Jiang is a descendant of Shennong, a Chinese god of medicine. She is a healer but also very powerful with her glyph-making ability and pyrokinetics. Luc Villois, the hero is half elf and also a French, an ace for the Bureau or agency called Roland and Riddle. The big question is, what is Roland and Riddle did actually? An agency for what? To avoid any supernatural disaster or to save human from supernatural alike? I don't even sure if human and supernatural in this book world live in harmony until page 200-ish in which Elle must avoid to attract human attention to herself, so basically the human didn't have any idea that these supernatural beings exist? What is the Fixer? Why the Wrecking Crew called Wrecking Crew and they all just act like asshole toward Luc, bordering envy and jealousy? Who is Oberon, aside than he's the leader of Roland and Riddle? I have so many questions and sadly some of them go unanswered. 

While the lack of explanation of world building is the weakness, I think Tsai excels in writing the romance. I did like reading the romance between Luc and Elle. It's tropey af and all of them are my catnips, such as platonic friend to lover, he feel first and she feel harder, found family, etc etc. The romance aspect is the saving grace for Bitter Medicine. Remove the romance and I will DNF'd the book in the first place because a weak world building since this book is marketed first as xianxia-inspired fantasy. My physical copy of this book is filled with sticky notes marked the feeling from both characters. Especially Luc. I think Tsai write him best compared to Elle. Luc is the definition of torture hero but minus the "I'm really not worthy of you" hyperbole woes. Reading his feeling toward Elle is one of the highlight of this book and I often go "awww". Luc also a green flag man walking and Elle is a lucky woman to be loved by him. I liked that this book was written in omniscient 3rd PoV, switched between Luc and Elle, provide insights to both characters. This book is also not YA, since both Elle and Luc are immortal and already in their hundreds age give and take, so there's some sex scenes and it's so..steamy. Well written tho, without being gratuitous. Yeah, there are some purple prose, but in my defense, not that make-me-rolling-my-eyes kind of purple prose and successfully describe both Elle and Luc's feelings. I also like that it's consensual and they practice safe sex, lol. 

I think one of the star of Bitter Medicine is Elle's brother, Tony. He's so unapologetic and often become a voice of reason, especially when Elle is stubborn because of familial duty. Sigh, I really want a brother like Tony, since I'm a firstborn myself. Elle herself is okay, although at first she can be a little bit infuriating to read by being middle child so she always try to play peacemaker and always blamed herself with what happen between her brothers. I also annoyed and angry with the way Elle's parents threat her. They are just your typical Asian (or in this case Chinese) parents that prefer the boys rather than the girl. So I'm happy that Elle finally stand up to herself and like Tony suggest, being selfish and pursue her own happiness. 

I feel that Bitter Medicine is like a two books that compressed into one book and the publisher try to make it as a stand alone. The problem with Elle's murderous brother, Yiwu, are done in 65% mark or so, make the following chapter feel anti-climatic although focusing more to both Elle and Luc's relationship. Then, there's a problem between Luc and Oberon that pretty much have this "Devil Wears Prada" vibes. I think maybe Tsai try to incorporated about work-life balance with the way Oberon always pushed Luc to the limit with his outrageous demands and abuse of power. However, the end left me feel unsatisfied with 

how easy Oberon get away and didn't get his comeuppance after abusing Luc's true name for I don't know how many times. Oberon really is a boss from hell, manipulator expert and gaslighting aficionado that I really hope, he at least got his demise or maybe death is too merciful for the like of him.

I'm curious if there's will be more story for Luc and Elle, despite they already got their HEA.

Bitter Medicine have a rough start, feels like a debut book that suffering from glaring weakness regarding the world building and unclear explanation about some of the characters. But the romance part is worth to read. It's also have some actions scene that I guess inspired by C-drama despite I never watch one myself, but I can clearly pictured the scene unfold with the way Tsai write it. It's also contain dialogue in Chinese and French and Tsai also explain why she write them at it is and I really don't mind since I can google the translation myself. If you like your paranormal romance cater more to romance rather than its fantasy/supernatural setting, try to read this one. 

 When reading through "In the Company of Witches" reviews, I see that this book penned as "Practical Magic meet Gilmore Girls". I said, I never watch them both, but I pick this title because I love read any book with witch on it. Add with the book genre that is cozy mystery and the colorful cover, I'm sold already. However, after finish reading, I'm a little bit conflicted to rate this book. I'm hovering between 3 or 4, or maybe 3,5. Then, I decide to give 3 because, while I enjoy the story there is something of this book that didn't sit well with me.

In the Company tell the story about the Warren witches and their B&B in the small town called Evenfall. They are mostly good witches with our heroine, Brynn can converse with the dead, while her aunt Izzy is a kitchen witch and the other aunt, Nora is a garden witch. Brynn's uncle, Gideon, deal with premonition but for something that happen in the past, he rarely left the B&B attic. Like your usual cozy mystery, there was a murder with a mix of closed room case. There's some sleuthing by Brynn to clear Nora's name because Nora is the person that discover the victim body. There's a mystery of whodunnit while the whydunnit itself is pretty much simple to guess.

This book main theme is apparently how to deal with your grief and let the past go. The grief is pretty apparent not just from Brynn that lost her husband a year before the story start and make her lost her ability to perform magic, but to others characters as well. However, the grief theme also overwhelmed another aspect, like the mystery. The mystery itself is pretty easy to guess. Sure, there was false lead and some red herrings, but in the end my guess was right. This book is more like how to deal with your family, and the mystery just like a second theme. There's so many family drama, not only between the Warrens, but also from the victim family. In which, when the truth behind the victim demise come out the light, all I feel is a sadness. How, even bound by blood, family can be strangers and tear each other apart, all that left are regrets.

While I enjoy reading Brynn's voice since the story is told entirely from her PoV, I have problem with one of the aunt and she's Nora. At first I think Nora's problem is her temper that running hot, contrast with her big sister, Izzy that pretty much a peacemaker and hate conflict. However, I see that Nora just love to girlbossing to the point it's become so annoying to read. She's not only bossy, sometimes childish, aggressive, abrasive and maybe a little bit narcissistic; but I don't like the way Nora gaslighting Brynn to move on from her grief. She literally challenge everyone and while I get that this is the way Nora care for people she love and she never hesitate to play bad witch or use forbidden spell to help a friend in need, I just don't like her gaslighting. I also feel that there's not much groveling from Nora since she think her attitudes were justified while in the other side Brynn say sorry because Brynn hide the fact that her magic was gone because of the grief. It's just feel..unfair. Brynn try her damnedest to clear Nora's name from being a culprit yet Nora pay it by gaslighting Brynn to move on and accept that her husband is gone. 

The writing itself actually pretty good since the author successfully make me hating Nora and try to sympathize with Brynn, lel. There's also no detective or law enforcement that lead the investigation just like in any cozy mystery I read since the mystery mostly solved by Brynn playing amateur sleuth and with some help of magic. I did enjoy read this one, but I just hope that Nora's part can be handle differently. 

What a fun and charming cozy fantasy!

I discovered Drinks and Sinkholes while searching through e-book deals in Kobo site. When I see "sinkholes", my eyebrows rise up and "hmm, what a catchy title, maybe I'll try to add this title to cart and let's see what the story about". I'm glad that my decisions (and money) are well paid off. For me, D&S feels more like a cozy mystery but with medieval fantasy settings. It's located in small town, and although no one dies, the sinkholes problems deserve its investigation by our heroine, Bev. Beverage Wench or Bev is an innkeeper of the Weary Dragon Inn and her inn also become casualties from the sinkholes that appeared from nowhere as a result of sudden earthquake. Before you ask, "why the name of Beverage Wench?", Bev herself was amnesia and she doesn't know her own name. The citizen of Pigsend city or more precisely the latest owner of the inn was responsible for her name, so the name Beverage Wench or Bev is kinda stuck, lel.

I really enjoy reading D&S and appreciate the way of Evans can evoke my emotions with her writing and storytelling. It's hard to not warmed up toward Bev, since her kindness and her willingness to save her inn, the place that become her home for 5 years is the bread and butter (ha!) of the book. I liked that the town citizens are varied in their role and personalities. You can't help to become angry with them when they accusing Bev was slow in her investigation. You also feel annoyed by the Major that (at first) seems like only want to save her own position. To said I feel angry for Bev when some of the town people starting to act rude to her while Bev try her damnedest to solve the sinkholes problems is an understatement. But, I like that Evans able to make me change my perception with the way she solve the problems in the end. It's sure left me dumbfounded in the first but also smiling a little! Bev might find some of townspeople are irritating, but she also meet new friends (a mole man named Merv!), save her neighbor and also strengthen her friendship with the local butcher, Ida and her wife, Vellora.

With the way the story end, I feel like there's more adventure (and maybe investigation!) for Bev. Beside, we don't know who Bev is and I kinda guess, she is a magical in nature or possessing magic of her own. If you like your fantasy low of stakes and just want to enjoy the cozy feelings of small town interactions, you might want to check this one!

Sadly, not much Kaiju featured here :')

I'm glad to find my first TOP READ 2024 with The Kaiju Preservation Society, also the first Scalzi's work that I'd read. KPS is pretty much stand alone, but I don't mind if in the future Scalzi decide to write more story in the Kaiju Earth, the alternative of Earth that have kaiju roaming here and there. Anyway, if you think this book will be like Pacific Rim with "WE ARE CANCELLING THE APOCALPSE" ala Marshal Stacker Pentecost, then you will be disappointed. We talk about preservation here, so the main focus of the story is of course, preserve them. Why tho? You will need to find it out in the book. Read it people!

In his Author's note, Scalzi said that KPS is a pop song, with some catchy tunes. That's why despite the book genre is science fiction, genre that I tend to avoid and prefer fantasy instead, I still having fun and a blast while reading it. Sure, there are some explanation about Kaiju biology and ecological system, square-cube laws (physics law. I FREAKIN HATE PHYSICS!!), , nuclear reactor, chemicals to use to avoid the predators and the kaiju as well, the possibility of multiverse (!!), interdimensional barrier, etcetra etcetra that sometimes make my mind boggling and my head spinning. But the way Scalzi present it with adding some humor and I think he try to not being a text book here, is what make me can enjoy it. Basically, KPS is more like Jurassic Park, but instead the ever famous T-Rex or Velociraptor, we get Kaijus! And not the genetically engineered kind ones.

One of the strength of this book is of course the characters itself. Told from our hero's 1st PoV, Jamie Gray, we will be introduced to so many wonderful characters. While Jamie is truly a zero to hero and nerd to the core, sometimes become a center of the attention, I liked that Scalzi also give some scenes to other characters as well. Make them more fleshed out, make me want to care for them and want to be BFF with them. The joke of this book is of course, everybody in the Gold Team of Tanaka Base are doctorate, including the team leader and the copter pilot, while Jamie failed his doctorate and end up fired by his asshole CEO. But, again, Jamie just shrug of that, and become what he best at, lifting things! His dry humor, sarcasm and witty remarks is a delight to read and combined with the bantering between his group of newbies, Aparna, Kahurangi and Niamh is the spotlight of the story. Beside Jamie, I liked Niamh the most. They have a rage issues and didn't hesitant to cuss and being angry all the time. The second is Martin Satie, the pilot. He is a cool person with also a cool position that make sense a lot after what happen when Sanders (Jamie's asshole CEO) try to bought him and Satie didn't hesitate throw him out from the copter if Sanders didn't shut up. Another is Tom Stevens, since he's the person who get Jamie a job in KPS. He's a nice person to be friends with and

I hate with what happen to him! :'(

Like I said before, for a novel with Kaiju on the title, the appearance of the Kaiju is not that much. Only 4 in total, and one of them, Bella, is the main focus of the story. No, don't ask me why they name kaiju with a name taken from Twilight, you must READ it, lol. The kaijus itself are not like those portrayed in Pacific Rim, but more like in the Godzilla. Meaning, they mostly keeping to themselves rather than decide that humans is the snack. But that didn't mean there's no danger, since there also predators and the Kaiju parasites that didn't hesitant to add human into their menus. The climax of the story pretty much Hollywood-esque with the motive of the villain is easy to predict. Still fun to read, but yes, not that hard to guess the motive behind those greedy people. Since the setting of KPS was in pandemic, I think you might proceed with caution if pandemic is a triggering thing, because I know that COVID-19 is still there and the pain of the pandemic caused is still fresh. This book also filled with Scalzi's views toward the USA's presidential elections and his criticism toward the government but without too much "in your face."

If you like your science fiction with some humor and witty dialogue like The Martian (I watch the movie with Matt Damon on it); love anything Kaiju (Pacific Rim is one of the best movie all the time. The sequel is rubbish, sue me!), The Kaiju Preservation Society might right up to your alley!! 

Death by Bubble Tea is the first book of LA Night Market Mysteries, a foodies cozy mystery. After finish read it, I realize that it's have same tone and theme with another foodies cozy that I read at 2023, Arsenic and Adobo. Not only foodies, but also targeted into millenials with some problems that I can recognized because I'm a millenial myself. However, it's also the book weaknesses that I will try to explain later.

The story starting rough with our main heroine, Yale Yee is so doom and gloom of her predicaments. Since the book told entirely from her 1st PoV, Yale's gloomy attitude kinda affect mine so it's hard to sympathize with her. But, with the story unfold, I warmed toward her. As for her cousin, Celine Yee, at first she seems like a spoiled brat and so flippant. Celine and Yale is just like oil and water, they didn't mingle. Celine is an social media influencer while Yale didn't even have a cellphone, a fact that still left me dumbfounded. But together they must playing Nancy Drew to clear Celine's name and safe Yale's dad restaurant from its tarnished reputation because of rumor that the boba tea that Yale sold end up kill a people.

I think the strength of this book is the sisterhood that Yale and Celine have. Celine sure act spoiled and kinda rude, but actually she care about Yale. Yale herself also try to work out of her grief because she believe she was the caused of her Mom's death. The mystery is solid and since the story not set in small town, so Yale and Celine must do an undercover work to solved the mysteries behind the murder by playing false food deliveries. There's some red herrings and I like that Chow incorporated the using of social media to solve the mysteries.

However, with Celine's attitudes, I can't believe she's already in her 33-ish. I sure don't act entitled in age 33, lel. I feel like both Yale and Celine, while in their 3o-ish, more like written if they were in their mid twenties. It's become glaring when I read about Nik Ho, Yale's archnemesis, like a guy aged 30 act childish? Can't believe it, lel. Also with the way Yale avoid having cellphone is unbelievable for me. I mean, in this age when social media is your things? Sure if Yale don't want to have social media herself, then, it's okay. But to not have cellphone is a little bit overkill.

Still, I enjoyed reading Death by Bubble Tea with its solid mystery and satisfied conclusion, although I think what Nik did to the Yee

by publishing a blog post that tarnished Yee's Dad restaurant

is unforgivable and need a very long groveling. Onward to book 2!!

 Gegara buku ini, gue ga akan mendengar lagu Soleram in the same way again XD.

Karena gabut ga ada kerjaan di kantor (jangan ditiru ya teman - teman) dan ga bawa buku buat dibaca, akhirnya gue milih - milih bacaan ringan apa yang bisa dibaca di apps Gramedia Digital. Gue pun tertarik buat baca Creepy Case Club yang kebetulan enam bukunya sudah ada semua di Gramdig. Jumlah halamannya pun ga sampe 200 halaman, dan karena gue rada masokis meski ga suka hehantuan gue tetep baca aja. Toh masih siang ini hahaha. Pun gue jarang baca buku anak - anak

Seandainya gue baca buku ini di umur 10 tahun pasti bakal gue lahap tanpa bertanya - tanya. Gue di umur 36 tahun? Not so much, hahaha. Gue agak mengernyit pas tahu Vedi, salah satu protagonis di buku ini, udah baca The Da Vinci Code di umurnya yang masih 10 tahun. To said I have "bruh" moment is an understatement. Tapi mungkin anak SD jaman sekarang begitu kali ya. Pun karena gue dulu SDnya di daerah dan bukan Jakarta, gue mikirnya anak SD Jakarta ngomongnya apa high tech banget, lel. Eniwei, ini cuma masalah preferensi aja dan gue senangnya penyebutan kata ganti orang ga pake "gue-elo" tapi "aku-kamu". Cukup metropop aja yang pake "gue-elo" :))

Unsur horornya sendiri walau cukup bikin merinding tapi ternyata ga banyak dan lebih fokus sama penyelidikan ketiga tokoh utamanya, Namira, Jani dan Vedi. Awal cerita juga cukup bagus dan pastinya bikin simpati sama Namira, karena gue juga kalau seumuran Namira pasti bete banget pindah rumah dan adaptasi di lingkungan baru. Pertengkarannya dengan Jani pada awalnya juga menggemaskan. Terlepas dari obrolan yang cukup "tinggi" terutama dari Vedi, sebenarnya dialognya emang anak - anak banget kok. Mereka semua bertindak seperti anak SD pada umumnya. Gue juga suka sama ide Rizal Iwan dengan memakai lagu Soleram sebagai dasar dari misteri si hantu. Unik!

Beberapa pesan-pesan di buku ini cukup dapet, kayak when in doubt, always go to the library! Library rules!! Tentunya ada pesan moral juga kalau hidup itu ga melulu hitam dan putih tapi selalu ada alasan dibalik sifat manusia yang dianggap baik atau jahat. Kalau ini yang baca orang dewasa (kayak gue misalnya) pasti bilangnya "ya itu juga kita pada tahu keleusss", tapi karena buku ini emang ditujukan buat anak - anak, jadi ya cukup oke penyampaiannya. Gue juga suka pas bagian di balik kebenaran kenapa si hantu lagu Soleram ini gangguin Namira dan malah jadi agak berkaca - kaca juga pas bacanya, hahaha. Kayaknya buku anak emang lebih gampang bikin terharu yah :')

Kisah Namira yang awalnya pindah rumah ini emang ngingetin gue sama Riley di Inside Out (dan ternyata authornya juga fans film Disney). Bedanya sama Riley, Namira dapet temen baru yaitu Vedi yang songong tapi baik dan Jani yang awalnya "queen bee" banget tapi masih jadi akrab. Ga sabar buat baca kisah - kisah lain dari anggota Creepy Case Club ini! 

What I think at first as your usual cozy mystery but with witch, turn up a mix of paranormal suspense with some cozy elements set in small town with troubled past and a promise of a little romance. Bait and Witch is the first book of Witch Way Librarian Mysteries and also my first foray into Angela M. Sanders book. 

Told entirely from 1st PoV, our heroine, Josephine Way (named after Napoleon's wife, Josephine. Also her older sister named Marie Antoinette. Figures) or Josie fly to Wilfred, Oregon to become the town's new librarian. Feel ordinary at first, but in truth Josie is running from her current job as Congress's library catalogue staff since she just blowing a corruption practice in her office and suddenly her friend (that also a whistleblower) is missing. Afraid for her life, she accept this librarian offer in Wilfred only to find that the said library will be demolished in favor of the new retreat center to boost the town's economy. Still in shock, in the morning Josie also find a dead body, find out that apparently she's a witch and have ability connected to book, try to save the library from turning into retreat center despite she's just a new resident and must look for her life because her mother's prophecy that she will die if she embrace her witch ability.

The start is pretty much slow even the events that happen span in just 2 weeks. By the time Josie find her magical ability, that when story pick up the pace and become interesting. I especially like Josie's magic that make her able to recommend book suitable for people needs. How totally cool!! It's like a librarian's dream come true to able to recommend every book and since I love recommend book I'd read for people that searching for specifics trope or plot, Josie's ability make me green with envy, lol. I also enjoy Josie's voice, her up and downs and since she's still in her mid twenties (aka 25-ish), she sound just like her age, unsure but still determined when it's come to save the library. Her interaction with the town citizen also delightful to read. I liked that Sanders manage to introduce some of the citizen and make me as a reader connected to them.

The mystery about the dead body itself is pretty solid with so many red herrings, distractions, and concluded nicely in the end with some questions answered and surprise too regarding the real culprit. I will said the mystery is not the focus because the main focus of the story is Josie's predicaments since she's a whistleblower. So, more like a suspense about Josie being targeted by the people that she reports to law enforcement. Also, beside suspense, the story is about Josie coming to term with her magic. I can feel her frustration because she think while her magic is wonderful, she also can't control it and she didn't have another witch to teach her. The romance itself is just a glimpse and there's a hints of Josie's possible love interest, who is Sam Wilfred, an enigmatic man of Wilfred family that in the past become responsible for the Wilfred (the town name)'s declining economy state. 

Charming and delightful, I didn't hesitate to order the next books since I want to know if Josie will finally mastered her magic and what comes next in the Wilfred town. 

It's not everyday I read cozy mystery set in ROMANCE NOVEL bookstore, since bookstore that I visit in the books usually sell many genres. Death of a Red-Hot Rancher is the first book of Love is Murder Mystery written by Mimi Granger. While this author seems like a new author, actually Mimi Granger is one of many pen names of Connie Laux and I already read her other pen names books when she write under the name Lucy Ness (her books is Haunted Mansion series). I don't know why the reason behind so many pen names. Maybe to differs genre of the book she writes? I did notice since Lucy Ness write supernatural cozy mysteries, while Mimi Granger write a romcom cozy mysteries.

True to the book description, the story is quirky. The citizens of Tinker Creeks love to gossips. The opening is over the top since I don't get the hotness that the most eligible bachelor in the town, Brody Pierce, has that make many ladies swoon. Yes, I get that he's the small town hero since he also star in the truck commercials but decide to get back home to own a bison ranch. But really, is he that hot to trot? Lel, not likely and I think this is just the way of Granger poke fun to the western kind of hero. Brody is not the hero tho, he's the victim. It's up to our heroine, Lizzie Hale, the owner of the sole romance novel bookstore in Tinker Creeks named Love under the Covers, to solve the mystery of Brody murder since she also want to protect her aunt, Charmaine, because Brody was seen last time with Charmaine. 

I did like Lizzie Hale. This book is told entirely from Lizzie's first PoV and I liked that despite her sleuthing, she have some flaws. Sure she love romance novel and ready to defend said genres from book snobs such as the town local librarian that prefer literature over fiction. But in the real life romance, Lizzie is not sure and her reaction when she fumbling and loss at words while talk with handsome men is kinda adorable. I get it since I once like that, lol. Lizzie is also not tough cookie or badass, she just determined to prove that her aunt is not the culprit. Actually, this part is also the weakness of this book because Granger seems to prolonged with the way Lizzie tip toed around Charmaine. Is Charmaine really have relationship with Brody despite Brody is a ladies man? What Brody did in Charmaine house at night and why they seems so cozy to each other? This is the part that drive me nuts since I want Lizzie just to ask since Charmaine herself also didn't seems like that shocked when knowing news about Brody's death.

Anyway, despite the book have your standard cozy when its come to romance department in which usually the heroine get entangled with the hero whom is part of law enforcement, I like the dynamic between Lizzie and her love interest, Max Alvarez. Usually, in cozy I read, the police/detective/etc will shoo away the heroine of their sleuthing, to mind her own business and stop their investigating. Max is different. He welcome Lizzie's help in investigation. Maybe because while Max is a ranger, he's also outsider and the local cop that happen to be Lizzie cousin is also busy. I liked that Max and Lizzie go together in their investigation and enjoy their interactions. That's why even in the last Max still ask Lizzie to go away, I still can accept it since Max rarely antagonize Lizzie while investigating and he also accept her helps.

The mystery is solid and the culprit is can be predicted though the whydunnit is still believable. Aside of the mystery, I liked that this book have so many bookish elements and I recognize some of author names. Even the authors is the old ones such as Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz, Georgette Heyer and some recent ones like Julia Quinn and Tessa Dare. The romance theme ofc will not complete without one or two paragraph mention Pride and Prejudice, lol. I have a blast reading Death of Red-Hot Rancher because Mimi Granger can balanced the mystery, romance, humor and the dynamic of the small town citizens. 

Also, the doggo, Violet is freakin' adorable! 🥰 

Mrs Morris and the Ghost is the first installment of Salem B&B Mystery and also the first book by Traci Wilton, a pen name used by Patrice Wilton and Traci Hall. Never read their books before so this is also the first time I read them. I pick it because for cozy mystery I usually search for foodies or supernatural theme. The title itself already catchy and the premise while seems standard at first (ghost and haunting place) still make me want to try.

This book is more like paranormal romance with mystery element rather than cozy mystery although still retain some cozy elements. I liked that the heroine, Charlene is already in her 42-ish and also childless so I kinda connected with her because of our same conditions. Mrs Morris and the Ghost also deals with grief, a topic that maybe hard to read especially I can feel Charlene's grief after her husband passed away and how she decide to move on while still grieving said husband. The mystery is solid, the characters are charming, the cat also adorable although she didn't provide some help to the case. There's a possibility of love triangle for Charlene, with Jack Strathmore aka the ghost that Charlene help to solve his murder is, and the local detective, Sam Holden that vaguely resemble Sam Elliot with his mustache. One is already dead, others is pretty much living, but both are devastatingly attractive. However the romance is the slow burn kind, since Charlene is still can't let go of the memories of her deceased husband. Although I got the guts that Charlene and Jack relationship will fall to platonic, since Jack is..you know..dead. Also Jack pretty much have tempers, constantly jealous and didn't want to face some truth about his death at first.

While I enjoy the story and the mystery, I didn't like how many male characters in this book seems smitten to Charlene. Not only Jack and Sam, but also the truck driver, the worker and even the bartender? Seems a little bit overkill for me, lel. Also the reason behind Jack's death is too soap opera-ish for me, I just rolling my eyes. But what can I expect from old families in Salem that pride themselves of their heritage? There's must be scandal left and right. 

However, I will still continue to read Charlene's adventure in mystery sleuthing and managing her B&B. Of course she will be accompany by her cat, Silva that have her eyes color wrong in the book cover (her eyes is gold) and by the development of the story ending; with Jack that decide haunting a old mansion is a new, prospective career. Beside, I already collect the books up to book 7, so I must read them all 🤣🤣 

The Rocky Road to Ruin is my first foray into Meri Allen's writing. It's also the first installment of Ice Cream Shop Mystery series. I love ice cream and will scream for ice cream anytime, although too much ice cream is not good for you weight. That's why I decide to pick this book just because the ice cream factor alone. The title is of course a tongue-in-cheek, since it's refer to "rocky road" taste that I'm not familiar yet but when I googling it, it's actually a chocolate ice cream mixed with nuts and marshmallow. Huh, I must check it if the Indonesian gelato/ice cream shop have this kind of taste. It's also refer to the name of one of the kitten in this book, Rocky.

At first, I think the main character aka Riley Rhodes's job as a travel/food blogger and librarian but she also did undercover mission for C.I.A is a little bit overkill. Though, in the story Riley just got dispatched from CIA because of mission going wrong so she's now just your usual blogger and librarian. But, fate have another plan for her when Riley decide to go home to Penniman and seeing her best friend, Caroline must deal with not only Caroline's foster mother death but also the death of her sibling, Mike. The latest become a problem because everyone in the Penniman have motive to kill Mike, including Caroline and Riley herself since Mike is not winning trophy for best sibling ever. Just like your usual cozy mystery, Riley start to sleuthing, but in the other side also working in the ice cream shop, Udderly Delights

Told entirely from Riley's first PoV, I did enjoy Riley's voice. I also liked the fact that Riley is in the same age with me (35-ish) so her voice sound mature and except for her mission going wrong, she's far from reckless. Sure she is driven by her needs to protect Caroline since Caroline is her best friend, but there's little to none stupid actions that will make me shake my head. The mystery is pretty solid and engaging. The culprit is those that "I didn't see it coming" though the explanation of their motive seems rushed for me. I liked the interaction between Riley with Penniman residence and how she still unsure about her step-mother. Also, the romance is pretty unique because usually in cozy I read, the heroine will be paired with the law enforcement, but that not the case with The Rocky Road to Ruin. Sure there's a hot detective but he's not Riley's love interest and I liked that Allen still didn't decide who will be Riley's beau since there are some prospective men that Riley appreciate and admit that she was interested.

The thing that make this cozy feel different is the issue of the gentrification that Allen put into the narrative with some of young generations want to develop Penniman with real estate (modern apartment, mall, etc) but the older residents divided in opinion. This gentrification issue is still not solved so maybe that will be addressed later in the next book. The description of the ice creams is of course very DELICIOUS and I appreciate the recipes for boozy ice cream that Allen included in the book. I just hope she also put the sugar high ice cream recipe that create accidentally by Udderly's worker since the ice cream become viral with teenager alike. I admit I'm drooling each time I read the description of the ice cream taste and craving an ice cream for myself :9

I will read the next book and if Riley will start sleuthing again when dead body start to fall (she will!), and of course I will get many description about delicious ice cream. Oh not forget, the kitten. The kitten is also the spotlight!!