#BookReview ~ Wands, Waffles, and Whispers (Southern Magical Bakery Book 2) by Tonya Kappes

About the Book:

Every small town hides a secret. This one has a few dozen... and a magical cat who knows them all.

After leaving her enchanted hometown behind, Lo Heal-Park thought she’d finally found a quiet life in Celestial Falls—complete with a charming bakery, a suspiciously talkative cat, and a second date with the local vet. But when a beloved town elder is found dead under mysterious circumstances and strange magical pulses begin rippling through the streets, Lo’s hopes for a fresh start vanish like sugar on a hot skillet.

Now, with her unexpected spiritual gifts waking up and a magical crack in the town’s foundation threatening to burst wide open, Lo has to sift through secrets, seal old spells, and figure out who—or what—is stirring ancient magic from its slumber. All without burning the biscuits.

Warm, witty, and just a little wicked, Wands, Waffles & Whispers is the delicious first course in a new cozy mystery series perfect for fans of spellbinding small towns, cinnamon-sweet suspense, and heroines who stir up more than just batter.

Because in Celestial Falls, even the magic has a sweet tooth… and it’s hungry.

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ASIN: ‎ B0D57N9N5Q
Publisher: ‎ Tonya Kappes Books
Publication date: ‎ July 20, 2025
Print length: ‎ 232 pages

My Review:

Wands, Waffles, and Whispers is the second book in the Southern Magical Bakery series. Lo Heal-Park is settling into her new home in Celestial Falls. Her bakery, Magical Desserts, is whipping up wonderful treats, and Lo even has a date with the local vet. When Odessa, one of the magical locals drops by and leaves Lo with a gift, she can’t imagine the string of events that would happen after. Now, Lo is investigating Odessa’s death and anxiously trying to figure how to control her not-so-latent magical powers.

The Wands, Waffles, and Whispers town of Celestial Falls has a rich history, lots of secrets, and some quirky characters. The story was interesting, kept me engaged, and was well-paced. The author provides a very descriptive setting, explores Lo’s magical side, and develops the character between the pages. I enjoyed spending time with Lo, Skylar Blue, and Orin, along with the side characters. I’m not keen on love triangles but I’m willing to give the one in this story a go in hopes that Lo will make the right decision.

I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

My Rating:

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#BookReview ~ A Twinkle of Trouble (A Fairy Garden Mystery) by Daryl Wood Gerber ~ #cozymystery #Review #KensingtonBooks @KensingtonBooks

A Twinkle of Trouble (A Fairy Garden Mystery) by Daryl Wood Gerber

About A Twinkle of Trouble:

 

A Twinkle of Trouble (A Fairy Garden Mystery)

Cozy Mystery

5th in Series

Setting: California

Publisher: ‎ Kensington Cozies (April 23, 2024)

Paperback: ‎ 304 pages

ISBN-10: ‎ 1496744934

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1496744937

Kindle ASIN: ‎ B0CFGF36NM

About A Twinkle of Trouble:

Carmel-by-the-Sea garden shop owner Courtney Kelly sees things others can’t—like fairies, and hidden motives for murder . . .

Courtney is delighted when her tiny friend Fiona returns from the fairy realm, appearing at the base of a Cypress tree. When her Ragdoll cat, Pixie, emerges from her own portal—aka the cat door—the three set off for a busy day. Busier than usual, since Courtney has rented a small plot of land at the Flower Farm, where she hopes to grow her own supplies for her fairy-garden business. Plus, the annual Summer Blooms Festival is coming up, and Courtney has booked a booth . . .

But the murder of Courtney’s friend, Genevieve, casts a pall over the festival. Ever since Genevieve sold her floral business, she’d been building a career as an influencer. She was perennially opinionated—but in her new role she’d become surprisingly vicious, dissing local entrepreneurs with nasty posts and unwarranted bad reviews. That’s landed a couple of Courtney’s other friends on the suspect list—including Flower Farm owner Daphne Flores. And when a second victim is discovered, seeds of doubt about Daphne’s innocence sprout in Courtney’s mind. With only a germ of a clue, Courtney will have to overturn every rock to get the dirt on the real killer . . .

My Review:

A Twinkle of Trouble is the fifth book in the Fairy Garden Mystery series. Featuring fairies, cats, and a wonderful cast of characters, A Twinkle of Trouble is another slam dunk cozy mystery.

Courtney Kelly's fairy garden shop is booming. Between walk-in private lessons, group lessons, and individual sales, Open Your Imagination has become a popular destination for both believers and non-believers. Courtney even hosts fairy garden parties.

Courtney's fairy friend has returned from the fairy realm. Fiona had been gone a month, much to Courtney and her feline companion Pixie's dismay. Life can now get back to normal, and Courtney can focus on the Summer Blooms Festival and her quarter-acre of land at the Flower Farm. Except, the death of Courtney's friend Genevieve dims the happiness and excitement of the festival and farm.

This is a very unique story with unique elements. I enjoyed the fairy garden shop setting, complete with a live fairy. The characters are fun and exciting. I enjoyed Courtney's character. Her business is successful and thriving. She cares about her friends and citizens in Carmel-by-the-Sea and makes it her mission to help solve the crime, even when a couple of her friends appear as suspects. The author delivers several suspects with means and motive, and figuring out who committed the crime was difficult. There are twists and turns and red herrings, and while I may have suspected who committed the crime, I never was really sure until the end.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

My Rating:

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#BookReview ~ Battered and Buried (An All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery) by Lena Gregory #CozyMystery

Battered and Buried (An All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery) by Lena Gregory

Battered and Buried (An All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery)

Cozy Mystery

7th in Series

Setting - Florida

Publisher: ‎ Beyond the Page (March 19, 2024)

Paperback: ‎ 188 pages

ISBN-10: ‎ 1960511580

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1960511584 

Digital ASIN: ‎ B0CW18PPSQ

About Battered and Buried:

The best-laid plans may go awry, but the best-laid clues could frame a man for murder . . . Never one to let a day off work go to waste, café owner Gia Morelli and a friend head out for a blissful kayaking trip through the local national forest. But the peacefulness of the day is soon shattered when they come across Cole, her head cook, standing over a dead body. Worse still, the victim was a lifelong enemy of Cole’s, and clues found on the body point to the cook as the culprit. When the police take Cole in and subject him to an intense grilling, Gia vows to do everything she can to prove his innocence. As even more incriminating evidence surfaces—including when the murder weapon itself is found hidden at the café—Gia knows she’s up against someone brutal enough to kill and devious enough to frame Cole for the deed. With the police ready to make an official arrest and wrap up what they consider an open-and-shut case, Gia turns for help to an old friend who’s not above breaking the law himself. Because if she can’t find the killer, Cole may go from serving up hot dishes to serving a life sentence . . .

My Review:

Battered and Buried is the 7th book in the amazing All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery series. Gia finds her head cook embroiled in the murder of an unpleasant newcomer. The evidence against Cole continues to stack up but Gia knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that he's not guilty. Proving it, however, has become a full-time job.

I really enjoyed Battered and Buried. The book is perfectly paced - not too fast and not too slow. I was pulled in from the very beginning and engaged in the plot. The character development continues, and we learn more about the characters and learn backstory without being bogged down with useless filler. The story was fun, exciting, suspenseful, and full of twists and turns. I had a wonderful time trying to figure out just what happened and who was responsible. The continued world building is great, and I was able to visualize the story.

Gia came from New York one person and has since evolved into another as she gets used to the differences in Florida. Gia is a very strong character and I enjoy the books about her world. I love that the author does not, at any time, write her as weak or unstable. She's just had a very rough past that she thought she would escape by moving away from her former life and completely starting over. Samantha and Hunt are stability characters for Gia. Savannah is a wonderful best friend and Hunt is an excellent partner.

The characters are all likeable, the setting in Florida is nice. The chemistry between Gia and Hunt is sweet and believable. I prefer a little bit of soft romance in my cozy mysteries. I really enjoy the author's writing style and love her Bay Island Mystery series.

Previously reviewed on Sapphyria's Books.

I was provided a copy of this book.

My Rating:

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#BookReview ~ Double Scoop of Murder (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries) by Lena Gregory ~ @LenaGregory03 #CozyMystery

Double Scoop of Murder (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries) by Lena Gregory

Double Scoop of Murder (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries)

Cozy Mystery

3rd in Series

Setting:  New York

Gemma Halliday Publishing (February 27, 2024)

Number of Pages: 226

Digital ASIN: ‎ B0CKV7QQB8

From author Lena Gregory comes a hunt for more than just treasure...

About Double Scoop to Murder:

Danika Delany is loving running her uncle's old fashioned malt shop on eastern Long Island and putting her own modern spin on the treats they serve. Life is finally looking up for her! That is, until local billionaire Maxwell Crumbholtz dies and leaves his fortune in the form of a treasure hunt. Chaos descends on Watchogue, and Dani and the rest of the gang from the Coffee & Cream Café join the melee when they enter the contest, try to decipher the clues, and go in search of the treasure. But Dani digs up more than she expected when she discovers a dead body buried instead of a treasure! To make matters worse, a witness claims to have seen Dani at the scene of the murder. Now, instead of a four-billion-dollar payday, Dani is on the hunt for a killer.

My Review:

A Double Scoop of Murder is third wonderful book in the Coffee & Cream Café Mystery series.

Lena Gregory has dished up another winner with A Double Scoop of Murder. A cleverly crafted mystery, delightful characters, and a fun small town with the infamous busybodies. I loved being back in this world.

I love the treasure hunt aspect of Double Scoop of Murder. As the treasure hunt is taking place, a body is found, ratcheting up the intensity of the story. The murder mystery was well-developed, and I was completely engaged in the hunt for the suspect. There are many twists and turns, and every time I thought I solved the murder, the arc shifted, and we were chasing down someone else.

I loved every single page of this book from the characters, the setting, the mystery, and the author's writing style. I found myself totally immersed in every facet of Double Scoop of Murder. The pacing was perfect and once I started the book, I just couldn't put it down.

I was provided a copy of this book.

Review previously published on Sapphyria's Books.

My Rating:

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#BookReview ~ Ranch & Red Herrings (Bluegrass Ridge Ranch Mystery, Book 1) by Tonya Kappes ~ #CozyMystery

 

ASIN: ‎ B0F652KD1Y

Publisher: Tonya Kappes Books

Publication date: June 27, 2025

Print length: 292 pages

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Murder’s just another scandal waiting on the porch.

Georgia “Cussy” Hollingsworth thought she’d left small-town drama behind when she traded Kentucky for city life. But when her beloved uncle dies under suspicious circumstances, she’s pulled straight back to the last place she wanted to be—right into the middle of a horse and cattle ranch she never asked for and a murder she can’t ignore.

The plan was simple: settle his affairs, sell the property, and head home. Instead, Cussy finds herself tangled in long-held grudges, whispered secrets, and neighbors who remember everything—except who had a reason to kill.

Now she's balancing farm chores with fact-finding, dodging shady locals, and stumbling across more questions than answers. And with someone clearly trying to scare her off, Cussy has to decide: walk away, or dig in her heels and uncover the truth—before the killer makes her the next loose end to tie up.

Small town. Big secrets. And a reluctant sleuth who’s about to learn that some roots run deeper than she ever imagined.

My Review:

Ranch & Red Herrings if the first book in a brand new series by Tonya Kappes. Georgia "Cussy" Hollingsworth is called back to the small town where her uncle Amos and cousins live after the unexpected death of her uncle. Her uncle's death reveals an unexpected inheritance. She was chosen to take over the ranch instead of her cousins. As she's trying to figure out ranch life and whether or not it's for her, the cause of Amos's death is revealed. Now Cussy is not only trying to run a ranch but also find a murderer.

Ranch & Red Herrings is a fast-paced murder mystery. Cussy is a great character but I wish she was more confident and stood up for herself. I loved meeting the supporting characters. Each one brought their own uniqueness to the story.

I found myself working with Cussy to develop a suspect list. There are several people in town who have means, motive and/or opportunity. The author does a great job setting up the mystery. There are twists and turns, taking the reader on a wild ride through a working ranch. I do think the suspect reveal and ending were a bit abrupt but after the explanation was relayed, it does make sense. The person involved was never even on my radar. The author set the mystery up well and I ended up being surprised at how everything played out. Well done!

I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

My Rating:

This post contains affiliate links.

If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you.

Thank you for supporting Sapphyria’s Books.