Sadie Hoffmiller – LDS Women's Book Review

Wedding Cake by Josi S. Kilpack

Posted by Mindy Book Reviews

Oct 142014

Wedding Cake

Author: Josi S. Kilpack

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Publish Date: December 30th, 2014

ISBN13: 9781609079321

Paperback: 368 pages

Culinary mystery

Reviewed by Mindy

FTC FYI: Received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Summary

When Sadie Hoffmiller receives a threatening, anonymous text message just days before her wedding, she is determined not to let it interfere with the celebration she has carefully planned for months. But when the threat changes from a distant fear to a frightening reality, Sadie realizes just how much she is underestimated the situation. Desperate to put an end to the game she has been forced to play, Sadie, her fiancé, Pete, and her children pull out all the stops resolved to stop running and see justice done. What they do not know, however, is just how far Sadie’s nemesis is willing to go and just how many people may be hurt in the process. There is no turning back for anyone in this riveting conclusion to the twelve-volume series, and the question becomes whether or not Sadie will have a future left when the game finally comes to an end.

Author and Reviewer Warning!

*Make sure you have read the first 11 books before you start Wedding Cake. The gloves are off when it comes to holding back the details on the previous mysteries. Some of the other book plots are revealed, especially the books that involve Jane.*

My Review

The word perfect doesn’t even come close to how utterly awesome this book is. As much as I have been looking forward to reading Wedding Cake, I was also dreading it. Not in a way that it was something I didn’t want to do, believe me, it was only because I knew Sadie’s story would be ending. That being said, that never would have stopped me from reading and loving Wedding Cake. I know all things must come to an end, like Harry Potter :), and WOW, what an end! My heart raced, my head pounded, and my stomach hurt all while reading in anticipation, turning the pages as fast as I could. As I read, I thought, what next! Poor Sadie, poor Pete, poor everyone!

When I read the teaser chapter at the end of Fortune Cookie earlier this year, I knew this book was going to be a wild ride. Jane has been keeping herself quiet for awhile, but she has been bidding her time. I’m sure we all have been wondering what has happened to Jane since her last words to Sadie in Pumpkin Roll. The books since have mentioned her, but in Wedding Cake, she makes her presence known right at the start, and is not holding back. This will be spoiler free review, with no details given, but when you do get to read this, prepare your life for not getting anything else done until you finish this book. The epilogue is so lovely, it had me smiling through my tears.

5 out of 5 stars. This book is everything I wanted it to be with many surprises mixed in. Again, Jane doesn’t hold anything back when it comes to Sadie and the people she loves. It was fun to have the other book’s mysteries mentioned and their characters. Sadie will forever be one of my all-time favorite characters, and Pete is including on that list as well. Sadie is nothing short of amazing, as is the author who created her.

Author Links

Goodreads / Website / Facebook / Twitter

Pre-order Links

Amazon / Deseret Book

Fortune Cookie by Josi S. Kilpack – Blog Tour & Giveaway

Posted by Shanda Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews

Apr 072014

Fortune Cookie

Author: Josi S. Kilpack

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Published: March 2014

Softcover/Kindle/Nook/Audio: 356 pages

Genre: Culinary Mystery/Mystery-Suspense

ISBN# 9781609077877

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: received a free hardcopy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Summary (Goodreads)

Sadie Hoffmiller has always liked things to be just so. A place for everything and everything in its place. Order over chaos. And of all things Sadie should be able to control, her own wedding is at the top of the list. With the big day just three weeks away, Sadie is busily adding the perfect final touches to her wedding plans. But the arrival of a mysterious letter that bears a San Francisco postmark and no return address could change everything. The only person Sadie knows in San Francisco is her older sister, Wendy, whom she hasn’t seen or heard from since their mother’s funeral nearly fifteen years ago. Sadie has faced off with murderers and crooks in recent years, yet the potential of her sister reentering her life is both overwhelming and frightening. But, as Sadie soon discovers, the letter is just the beginning. Wendy’s world turns out to be a place of unanswered questions, twisted truths, and more than one motive for murder.

Review

In Fortune Cookie, book eleven in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series, readers join Sadie in San Francisco, her sister’s place of residence for many years. My husband and I honeymooned in San Francisco, so it was great to revisit the city with Sadie and Pete.

Sadie never got along well with her sister. Wendy left home when Sadie was twelve, and other than a handful of interactions, there wasn’t much of a relationship between the two women. It was interesting to get to know more about Sadie, her childhood, and her family. She isn’t the only one struggling with difficult issues though. With only three weeks to the wedding, Pete finds himself facing some situations he didn’t expect as well. My heart was aching for both he and Sadie.

I love that, even after so many books, I feel like I am still getting to know Sadie. Josi’s hard work keeping characters interesting and plots mysterious pays off every time. I really had no clue who was going to be the bad guy until it was revealed, though I had a running list that changed often, sometimes from chapter to chapter. This series is one of the few I’ve read where I haven’t figured out who the villain is well before the big reveal.

What I appreciate even more than an unguessable antagonist are well-written characters. More than just description and dialogue, each character’s interactions, concerns, weaknesses, efforts, and motivations are relatable and believable, even those we only meet briefly in the course of Sadie’s investigation. The reader can’t help but feel the emotion and suspense the story is designed to evoke.

The Sadie Hoffmiller series is one of my absolute favorites. As sad as I am that it is winding down, I’m looking forward to Wedding Cake, the last book in the series due to be released in Fall 2014. There is a cliffhanger chapter from Wedding Cake at the end of Fortune Cookie that’s going to keep me on edge all summer. Thanks a lot, Josi. ;)

Visit Josi:

WEBSITE | BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

Find Fortune Cookie:

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 4/30/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Banana Split (Sadie Hoffmiller #7) by Josi S. Kilpack

Posted by Shanda Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews

Apr 082013

Banana Split (Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery #7)

Author: Josi S. Kilpack

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Published Date: March 2012

Softcover; 372 pages

Genre: Culinary Mystery

ISBN# 978-1-60908-903-0

Reviewed by: Shanda

Summary

Sadie Hoffmiller has survived eighteen months of nonstop adventures filled with murder, deceit, and danger. She could really use some rest—and maybe even some time to heal—relaxing in the tropical paradise of Kaua’i. However, palm trees and sunshine are not as effective a medication as Sadie had hoped. And when she finds herself entangled—literally—with a dead body, she is forced to face the compounding fears and anxieties that are making her life so difficult to live.

Her determination to stay out of danger and to focus on overcoming her anxieties soon takes a backseat when she meets eleven-year-old Charlie, the son of the woman whose body she discovered near Anahola Beach. Charlies has some questions of his own about what happened to his mother, and he is convinced that only Sadie can help him. If only Sadie were as confident in her abilities as Charlie is.

With the help of her best friend and a local social worker, Sadie dives into another mystery with the hope that, at the end, she’ll be able to find the peace and closure that has eluded her.

Review

After the traumatic events during her visit to Boston, Sadie is in dire need of rest and relaxation. She heads to Hawai’i to recuperate, but after a few weeks the anxiety takes over. Sadie spends most of the day locked in a small condo, not even finding pleasure in cooking as she once did.

When she finally ventures out at the insistence of her friends, the Blue Muumuus, what was supposed to be a peaceful snorkeling trip ends in Sadie discovering a body trapped in the water. It’s enough to send her over the edge and into the care of a therapist.

The young son of the woman whose body Sadie found seeks her out with a list of questions about his mother. Sadie decides to learn more and use the experience to help her deal with the memories of the grisly encounter. She puts her investigative skills to use and uncovers details that lead her to think the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death may not be what they first seem.

It was interesting to see Sadie in Hawai’i, alone in a small condo with no family around her. It made me a little sad to see her so affected by what she’d gone through the past several months, and yet it was reassuring and realistic, adding depth to Sadie’s character. The description of her interaction with the woman’s dead body, while far from graphic, was creepy enough to make my skin crawl.

There was great suspense and misdirection. I often figure out the bad guy in other mysteries, but I love how Josi keeps me guessing in every book. I’m never sure of the villain until the end and I’m always surprised by something.

I’m not sure how Josi manages to keep things so fresh in this series, but she has, especially as it has grown into something bigger than I think even she expected. As long as she keeps writing Sadie Hoffmiller books, I will keep reading them. I love this series and recommend it to everyone.

Visit Josi:

Find Banana Split:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | DESERET BOOK | SEAGULL BOOK | GOODREADS

***Read Mindy’s review: Banana Split by Josi S. Kilpack***

Tres Leches Cupcakes by Josi S. Kilpack

Posted by Mindy Book Reviews, Mindy's Reviews

Sep 192012

Tres Leches Cupcakes

Author: Josi S. Kilpack

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Published: September 10, 2012

Paperback: 384 pages

ISBN13: 9781609071707

FTC FYI: Review copy which did not effect my review

Reviewed by Mindy

Backcover summary: For Sadie Hollmiller, going undercover as an informant for the Bureau of Land Management on an archeological site in Santa Fe, New Mexico, seems like the perfect way to stay safe and busy while a threat against her life remains unsolved. Sadie’s days are spent digging up artifacts in the middle of nowhere, but she’s also digging up information on her fellow “dirt geeks.” With the help of her baking prowess and Pete’s cousin, Caro, who takes to the detective work wholeheartedly, Sadie is finding herself again.

But when recent burials are found on an ancient site, Sadie finds herself in the middle of an unexpected–and unwanted–investigation. The more she digs for the truth, the more secrets she uncovers–secrets that people would kill to keep hidden.

Before Sadie knows it, she’s arrested for starting a bar fight (which was totally not her fault), her new friend is missing, and she’s worn out her welcome in Santa Fe in more ways than one. A trip to the annual hot air balloon fiesta in Albuquerque is supposed to give her a brea, but before long, she learns that when you’re dealing with the black market antiquity trade, you’re not really safe anywhere.

My Review

What I am going to do when Josi stops writing this series? I love these books, and Tres Leches Cupcakes is no exception. I enjoyed the whole book immensely, but the last half, there was excitement on every page. When Josi throws in Sadie’s humor and inner voice, which I love, I can’t stop reading. Add a little Pete to the mix, and you’ve got yourself another awesome Sadie Hoffmiller thriller.

Sadie almost is back to her old self in this book, and I missed her. But, I did appreciate the journey that she has taken in each book, and her experiences have made her a better person. I loved reading about the things she has learned, and when she’s in situations similar to past adventures, she can get keep her head and focus. I loved everything about this book, and I can’t wait for Baked Alaska next Spring.

5 out of 5 stars. You will be on the edge of your seat, and finally able to breath again when you reach the end. I loved Pete’s cousin Caro. She was a delightful character, and a great new friend for Sadie.

Josi S. Kilpack is the author of the 6 other books in the Sadie Hoffmiller series, and several other novels. Including Daisy, from the Newport Ladies Book Club series. Find out more about Josi on her blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

AMAZON / BARNES AND NOBLE / DESERET BOOK / SEAGULL BOOK