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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
Revenge is Sweet by Kaye George is the debut novel in The Vintage Sweets Mysteries. Tally Holt has opened Old Tyme Sweets next door to Bella’s Baskets owned by Tally’s best friend, Yolanda Bella. When the local Romeo handyman, Gene ends up dead in her kitchen, Yolanda finds herself the prime suspect. Tally searches for the killer so she can clear Yolanda from suspicion. I enjoyed the descriptions of Fredericksburg, Texas and the charming shops in the tourist town. I also liked the delectable descriptions of Tally’s sweet confections. I was put off, though, by the point-of-view being split between Tally and Yolanda. It was confusing because both characters seemed similar. Plus, it took me out of the story as I adjusted to the new speaker. The characters felt flat and lacked development. They never came to life for me. I thought the mystery was too simple. I was able to identify the guilty party immediately (there might as well have been a giant neon arrow over the killer’s head). Tally questions people as does Yolanda. They are both obvious and abrupt when talking to people (the way they questioned people made it sound like accusations). There is a lot of personal drama happening for various characters in Revenge is Sweet. Tally has her brother visiting town and he brought his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Nigel (my favorite character in the book). Nigel is a large Maine Coon cat with a sweet personality. You can tell the brother is trying to unload Nigel on Tally. Yolanda has financial trouble and issues with her father. She also has terrible taste in men and lacks business acumen. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I also found some conflicting details. I also thought it was gross when Tally failed to hire a crime scene clean up crew for her kitchen after the first body was removed. I do not believe the local health inspector would be happy with the do-it-yourself job. I know it is fiction, but little details are important for a believable story. Romance is in the air for our two main characters. There are two potential suitors for Tally (unfortunately). Revenge is Sweet needed another round of rewrites and editing in my opinion. There is a recipe for twinkies at the end (homemade version) and a preview of Deadly Sweet Tooth which is the second book in the series. Revenge is Sweet is a new cozy mystery with tempting treats, sharp scissors, money misfortunes, fridge on the fritz, proof of pilfering and multiple murders.
kimdavishb's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 out of 5
REVENGE IS SWEET is the first book in brand new Vintage Sweets Mystery series by Kaye George. The reader is introduced to Tally Holt and her delectable shop, Tally’s Olde Tyme Sweets, and her best friend Yolanda Bella, owner of Bella’s Baskets. This is one of the very few cozy mysteries in which there are two protagonists with alternating points of view. I found that it was an effective way to impart information that wouldn’t appear from a single point of view. That said, I wasn’t expecting it and it took me awhile to become accustom to the switch between the two protagonists. It might have been easier to follow had the sections been labeled with the protagonist’s name other than the asterisks used, since the switches occurred mid-chapter.
The candy shop setting is oh so delicious and I enjoyed the descriptive language used. I felt like the characters weren’t quite as developed as they could be but given that this is a short and sweet read, I’m hoping we’ll get to know Tally and Yolanda better in the second book. This first story was a nice introduction and a good set up for future installments. The murder mystery starts off fairly early but when another murder takes place, the stakes prove to be even higher for both Tally and Yolanda. There are plenty of suspects and the author writes a hair-raising finale that gives me hope the second book in the series will find its stride.
Tally makes so many delectable vintage candies and treats for her shop from recipes handed down from her grandmother. I drooled over the yummy descriptions and could practically smell the sugar cooking and the chocolate melting! I’m enthralled by recipes that have survived for generations and have been passed down. Ms. George does include a recipe at the back of the book which sounds quite delicious.
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
REVENGE IS SWEET is the first book in brand new Vintage Sweets Mystery series by Kaye George. The reader is introduced to Tally Holt and her delectable shop, Tally’s Olde Tyme Sweets, and her best friend Yolanda Bella, owner of Bella’s Baskets. This is one of the very few cozy mysteries in which there are two protagonists with alternating points of view. I found that it was an effective way to impart information that wouldn’t appear from a single point of view. That said, I wasn’t expecting it and it took me awhile to become accustom to the switch between the two protagonists. It might have been easier to follow had the sections been labeled with the protagonist’s name other than the asterisks used, since the switches occurred mid-chapter.
The candy shop setting is oh so delicious and I enjoyed the descriptive language used. I felt like the characters weren’t quite as developed as they could be but given that this is a short and sweet read, I’m hoping we’ll get to know Tally and Yolanda better in the second book. This first story was a nice introduction and a good set up for future installments. The murder mystery starts off fairly early but when another murder takes place, the stakes prove to be even higher for both Tally and Yolanda. There are plenty of suspects and the author writes a hair-raising finale that gives me hope the second book in the series will find its stride.
Tally makes so many delectable vintage candies and treats for her shop from recipes handed down from her grandmother. I drooled over the yummy descriptions and could practically smell the sugar cooking and the chocolate melting! I’m enthralled by recipes that have survived for generations and have been passed down. Ms. George does include a recipe at the back of the book which sounds quite delicious.
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
peggyemi's review against another edition
3.0
This is the first book in a new series by Author Kaye George, who is an author I have not previously read. I was looking forward to this debut in the series as it sounded intriguing. The setting was charming and the mystery unfolded at a nice pace throughout the book. However, where it fell flat for me was with the characters. I found it difficult to have the story told from the dual point of view of both protagonists. I found it a bit confusing at some points in the book. I also didn't really connect with the characters, which a problem for me as a reader. Overall, the writing was good, the mystery was interesting and the setting charming, but if I don't care about the characters, the odds are I won't continue with a series.
I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.
I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.
lolasreviews's review against another edition
I DNF'd this at 20%. I probably could've finished it and it might still get a 3 star barely. But after wading through the first few chapters I had to conclude it just wasn't gripping me. Something about the dialogue and writing style felt off to me. The conversation felt stilted and unnatural. The writing style wasn't working for me and the way the events where described didn't pull me in.
Very quickly and in what I thought was a forced way we get introduced to a bunch of possible suspects. I didn't understand why Tally let a handyman she didn't trust fix things in her beloved store. The whole situation with her employees felt a bit off, something about how it got described and I wasn't sure if the situation was supposed to be awkward or not. I had trouble getting a good feel for the characters and didn't feel invested in what was going on.
What I liked. I liked the friendship between Tally and Jolene and the way these two best friends both had their own shops next to each other. I like the themes for their shops, the vintage sweets for Tally and the basket shop for Jolene. I haven't read about these types of shops before and I liked that. I liked the multiple point of views as that is unusual for a cozy mystery, although I can't fully determine whether I thought it worked well or not. It ruined some of the mystery about Jolene and at the same time I found it hard to get a good grip on both their personalities. I also think a more even split might work better or longer parts for Jolene as her parts where so short now that it was harder to get to know her than Tally.
To summarize: while this one had a fun set up, it wasn't working for me. The dialogue felt stilted and off. The writing style didn't work for me. And I didn't feel any connection to the characters or invested in the story. I liked the theme of the book with these two best friends having shops next to each other and the unique themes for these shops.
Very quickly and in what I thought was a forced way we get introduced to a bunch of possible suspects. I didn't understand why Tally let a handyman she didn't trust fix things in her beloved store. The whole situation with her employees felt a bit off, something about how it got described and I wasn't sure if the situation was supposed to be awkward or not. I had trouble getting a good feel for the characters and didn't feel invested in what was going on.
What I liked. I liked the friendship between Tally and Jolene and the way these two best friends both had their own shops next to each other. I like the themes for their shops, the vintage sweets for Tally and the basket shop for Jolene. I haven't read about these types of shops before and I liked that. I liked the multiple point of views as that is unusual for a cozy mystery, although I can't fully determine whether I thought it worked well or not. It ruined some of the mystery about Jolene and at the same time I found it hard to get a good grip on both their personalities. I also think a more even split might work better or longer parts for Jolene as her parts where so short now that it was harder to get to know her than Tally.
To summarize: while this one had a fun set up, it wasn't working for me. The dialogue felt stilted and off. The writing style didn't work for me. And I didn't feel any connection to the characters or invested in the story. I liked the theme of the book with these two best friends having shops next to each other and the unique themes for these shops.
diannelebold's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
annarella's review against another edition
3.0
The rating is 3,5 stars.
I don't know how to start this review as I found the story enjoyable and think there's a lot of potential but there's also a lot of issues, more than the usual series debut.
The pro:
- The setting is lovely and vivid
- Nigel the cat was one of my favorite characters
- The mystery, even if some parts were over my suspension of belief, was solid and kept me guessing
- Some characters were faulted and this was a refreshing change
The cons:
- The style of writing seemed "strange" with a lot of repetitions
- Some of the characters are a bit mono-dimensional
- Sometimes the plot is confused and too many subplots, some of them distract you from the main story
I'm curious about the next instalment as I think this could become an excellent series
I think it can be recommended keeping in mind all the issues.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I don't know how to start this review as I found the story enjoyable and think there's a lot of potential but there's also a lot of issues, more than the usual series debut.
The pro:
- The setting is lovely and vivid
- Nigel the cat was one of my favorite characters
- The mystery, even if some parts were over my suspension of belief, was solid and kept me guessing
- Some characters were faulted and this was a refreshing change
The cons:
- The style of writing seemed "strange" with a lot of repetitions
- Some of the characters are a bit mono-dimensional
- Sometimes the plot is confused and too many subplots, some of them distract you from the main story
I'm curious about the next instalment as I think this could become an excellent series
I think it can be recommended keeping in mind all the issues.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
dollycas's review against another edition
4.0
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Newly opened Tally’s Olde Tyme Sweets in Fredericksburg, Texas is a popular place. The vintage shop uses Tally’s grandmother’s recipes to make treats from the past like Mallomars, Clark Bars, and Twinkies along with taffy and fudges. Her friend Yolanda Bella owns Bella’s Baskets right next door. They are in and out of each other’s shops several times each day. Tally has two part-time workers Mart and Andrea who tend to customers while Tally creates her delicious goodies. When the women need and handyman, Gene Faust is the man they call. Gene is the adopted son of the mayor. He is a real ladies’ man who has a penchant for borrowing money his girlfriends, usually right before he dumps them.
Tally left Gene repairing her refrigeration unit in the kitchen while she served customers at the front of the store. When she closed up and went into the kitchen she found Gene dead on the floor from an apparent stabbing. She’s confused because several people went through the kitchen before she did. There is no way they missed his body. Could one of them be the killer or did the murderer come and go through the back door without her knowing? Yolanda, Andrea, and Mart all seemed to have their issues with Gene, but she can’t believe they would kill him. How many other women has Gene hurt? Or could it be someone else he pushed too far?
The cover of this book grabbed me as soon as I saw it. I love the vintage candy store theme. It is always so much fun to visit one. The author has a nice descriptive writing style so it was very easy to visualize everything, especially Tally’s Olde Tyme Sweets Shop and all the yummy treats.
Ms. George introduces a vast cast of characters. It was easy to keep everyone straight but we don’t get to know them well enough to truly get invested in them. Gene had quite a checkered past and by the end, it was pretty fleshed out but the rest of the characters are still one-dimensional for me. Since this is a series, I know we will learn more in future stories but wished they were more developed in this story. One character I did fall hard for is a big Maine Coon cat named Nigel. I do have a soft spot for those big kitties.
The mystery was well-plotted with plenty of suspects. I did hone in on the culprit early but the motive wasn’t clear until the end. I did enjoy that the story swapped points-of-view between Yolanda and Tally. Sometimes it was confusing because it switches mid-chapter, but I think my problem may be attributed to the digital advanced copy I was reading. I am hoping in the finished book there was better spacing without the paragraphs running together.
I was excited that the Twinkie recipe was included at the end of the story.
Ms. George has laid a nice foundation for her series in Revenge Is Sweet. I am looking to Deadly Sweet Tooth, which will be released on June 2, 2020.
Newly opened Tally’s Olde Tyme Sweets in Fredericksburg, Texas is a popular place. The vintage shop uses Tally’s grandmother’s recipes to make treats from the past like Mallomars, Clark Bars, and Twinkies along with taffy and fudges. Her friend Yolanda Bella owns Bella’s Baskets right next door. They are in and out of each other’s shops several times each day. Tally has two part-time workers Mart and Andrea who tend to customers while Tally creates her delicious goodies. When the women need and handyman, Gene Faust is the man they call. Gene is the adopted son of the mayor. He is a real ladies’ man who has a penchant for borrowing money his girlfriends, usually right before he dumps them.
Tally left Gene repairing her refrigeration unit in the kitchen while she served customers at the front of the store. When she closed up and went into the kitchen she found Gene dead on the floor from an apparent stabbing. She’s confused because several people went through the kitchen before she did. There is no way they missed his body. Could one of them be the killer or did the murderer come and go through the back door without her knowing? Yolanda, Andrea, and Mart all seemed to have their issues with Gene, but she can’t believe they would kill him. How many other women has Gene hurt? Or could it be someone else he pushed too far?
The cover of this book grabbed me as soon as I saw it. I love the vintage candy store theme. It is always so much fun to visit one. The author has a nice descriptive writing style so it was very easy to visualize everything, especially Tally’s Olde Tyme Sweets Shop and all the yummy treats.
Ms. George introduces a vast cast of characters. It was easy to keep everyone straight but we don’t get to know them well enough to truly get invested in them. Gene had quite a checkered past and by the end, it was pretty fleshed out but the rest of the characters are still one-dimensional for me. Since this is a series, I know we will learn more in future stories but wished they were more developed in this story. One character I did fall hard for is a big Maine Coon cat named Nigel. I do have a soft spot for those big kitties.
The mystery was well-plotted with plenty of suspects. I did hone in on the culprit early but the motive wasn’t clear until the end. I did enjoy that the story swapped points-of-view between Yolanda and Tally. Sometimes it was confusing because it switches mid-chapter, but I think my problem may be attributed to the digital advanced copy I was reading. I am hoping in the finished book there was better spacing without the paragraphs running together.
I was excited that the Twinkie recipe was included at the end of the story.
Ms. George has laid a nice foundation for her series in Revenge Is Sweet. I am looking to Deadly Sweet Tooth, which will be released on June 2, 2020.
beachbumbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
I was so excited when I heard I was getting the chance to visit Texas! Fredericksburg, Texas to be exact, and I was going to be meeting Tally Holt and her best friend Yolanda Bell. They own shops right next door to each other...Tally’s Olde Tyme Sweets and Bella’s Baskets….sounds like so much fun! Well upon arriving it was until…... Tally’s fridge broke down, and she had to bring in Gene Faust. Gene is Fredericksburg’s bad boy….and adopted son of the mayor. It seems Gene has been dating well….everybody, and these women rightly don’t want to share. Yolanda, Mart, and Andrea (that we know of). Now...I know I mentioned that Yolanda and Tally’s shops are right next to each other, but what I didn’t mention until now are Mart and Andrea. These two women are part time employees at Olde Tyme Sweets. This means in a very small town Gene was dating at least three women who worked within a few yards from each other….not smart Gene...not smart. Gene also had a tendency to use women, and borrow money that he didn’t have intentions of paying back.
So it’s no surprise that when Gene comes to fix the aforementioned broken refrigerator...things get a little sticky (get it cause it’s a candy shop lol), however murder seems a little drastic...but that is exactly what happened.
There are several suspects...considering all the people who didn’t exactly love Gene and his choices. Plus because he is killed in tally’s store with a pair of scissors from Bella’s Baskets these two friends are among the top suspects. So Tally and myself set out to find the real culprit. We really have our hands full...along the way her brother Cole stops in for a visit with Nigel a coon cat that seems he is more mountain lion then cat, money is missing from her stores till, and oh yeah a second murder!
My thoughts:
I really loved the setting! I love cozies in quaint small towns with lots of touristy shops. An old time Candy store really fits that bill. The author did a great job with the mystery...with lots of good suspects and motives! The cover art is cute...feels very cozy!
I didn’t care for the two narrators that flipped flopped sometimes without any notice. The character development needs to be stronger...including Tally and Yolanda. I think the author has a lot of potential in her secondary characters...again they just need more development. Her mom and dad sound like a hoot!
This series has a lot of potential, and I look forward to visiting Tally’s olde time sweets soon! I recommend you stop in, and while you're there try one of Tally’s homemade whoopie pies!
check out my blog at: http://beachbumbookworm.com/
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Netgalley, the author Kaye George, and the publisher for this opportunity.
So it’s no surprise that when Gene comes to fix the aforementioned broken refrigerator...things get a little sticky (get it cause it’s a candy shop lol), however murder seems a little drastic...but that is exactly what happened.
There are several suspects...considering all the people who didn’t exactly love Gene and his choices. Plus because he is killed in tally’s store with a pair of scissors from Bella’s Baskets these two friends are among the top suspects. So Tally and myself set out to find the real culprit. We really have our hands full...along the way her brother Cole stops in for a visit with Nigel a coon cat that seems he is more mountain lion then cat, money is missing from her stores till, and oh yeah a second murder!
My thoughts:
I really loved the setting! I love cozies in quaint small towns with lots of touristy shops. An old time Candy store really fits that bill. The author did a great job with the mystery...with lots of good suspects and motives! The cover art is cute...feels very cozy!
I didn’t care for the two narrators that flipped flopped sometimes without any notice. The character development needs to be stronger...including Tally and Yolanda. I think the author has a lot of potential in her secondary characters...again they just need more development. Her mom and dad sound like a hoot!
This series has a lot of potential, and I look forward to visiting Tally’s olde time sweets soon! I recommend you stop in, and while you're there try one of Tally’s homemade whoopie pies!
check out my blog at: http://beachbumbookworm.com/
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Netgalley, the author Kaye George, and the publisher for this opportunity.
annarella's review against another edition
3.0
The rating is 3,5 stars.
I don't know how to start this review as I found the story enjoyable and think there's a lot of potential but there's also a lot of issues, more than the usual series debut.
The pro:
- The setting is lovely and vivid
- Nigel the cat was one of my favorite characters
- The mystery, even if some parts were over my suspension of belief, was solid and kept me guessing
- Some characters were faulted and this was a refreshing change
The cons:
- The style of writing seemed "strange" with a lot of repetitions
- Some of the characters are a bit mono-dimensional
- Sometimes the plot is confused and too many subplots, some of them distract you from the main story
I'm curious about the next instalment as I think this could become an excellent series
I think it can be recommended keeping in mind all the issues.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I don't know how to start this review as I found the story enjoyable and think there's a lot of potential but there's also a lot of issues, more than the usual series debut.
The pro:
- The setting is lovely and vivid
- Nigel the cat was one of my favorite characters
- The mystery, even if some parts were over my suspension of belief, was solid and kept me guessing
- Some characters were faulted and this was a refreshing change
The cons:
- The style of writing seemed "strange" with a lot of repetitions
- Some of the characters are a bit mono-dimensional
- Sometimes the plot is confused and too many subplots, some of them distract you from the main story
I'm curious about the next instalment as I think this could become an excellent series
I think it can be recommended keeping in mind all the issues.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
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