chez_jae

Witches and Wedding Cake by Bailey Cates

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Last night I completed the book Witches and Wedding Cakes, witch is the 9th book in Bailey Cates' "Magical Bakery" mystery series. The main character is hedgewitch and lightwitch Katie Lightfoot, in whose pov the story is told.

Katie is in the wedding homestretch. She can't wait to marry Declan, but she hadn't realized how frenetic wedding planning is. Nevertheless, she's still working at the Honeybee Bakery, getting to know Declan's family, and spending quality time with her beau. While visiting Declan's mother and two of his sisters, who've arrived early in Savannah for the wedding, Katie has the misfortune of meeting the ex-husband of Declan's youngest sister, Rori, when Tucker shows up unannounced. He and Rori argue, and hours later, Tucker is found dead in his hotel room, discovered by none other than Rori. Now she's on the police radar as a suspect, and everyone expects Katie to get to the bottom of things. Katie certainly didn't need the added aggravation, but righting wrongs is all part of her being a lightwitch. She'll simply have to add 'solve a murder' to her growing to-do list. Katie soon learns that Tucker was a con-man with enemies a'plenty. The question is, which one of them killed him?

This story was fun and tasty, too. I nearly drool each time the author describes the treats that are sold at the Honeybee. Poor Katie had so much on her hands and on her mind that I wanted to send her to her room for several hours, just so she could rest! Plot was fast-paced, but it flowed smoothly. Characters were fabulous, from the regulars to those who merely put in a cameo appearance.

Favorite line: "That man could sell sweaters in hell."

Very good--five stars!

Spent a better part of the weekend reading Potions and Pastries by Bailey Cates. It's part of her "Magical Bakery" mystery series, featuring hedgewitch/baker Katie Lightfoot.

Katie is busy helping her aunt and uncle run the Honeybee Bakery, while at the same time, she and her fiance Declan are busy looking for a new house. Once they're married, neither Katie's carriage house nor Declan's apartment will be large enough. Only, Katie is reluctant to surrender her lovely home. Still, she knows it's for the best, especially when a riverfront fortune teller indicates she will need to make a sacrifice in the future.

Later, that same fortune teller dies in an unfortunate accident, right outside the Honeybee Bakery. However, Katie and her Aunt Lucy, who were speaking to the woman just before she died, don't believe it was an accident. Instead, it seems that Orla was compelled to step out in the street, in front of a car. Katie's calling as a lightwitch soon has her doing some investigating on her own. Orla came from an insular family, and Katie finds it difficult to find out any information from them. She learns she's getting close to the truth when her own life is endangered.

Enjoyable book. It moved along at a fast pace. I enjoy reading about Katie and Declan together, and I felt her sorrow at the prospect of giving up her beloved home. I also drooled over some of the treats that the Honeybee was selling! The only disappointing aspect was that we didn't see Katie practicing much magic in the story.

Favorite line: I'd refused to believe it, but it had been pointed out that someone who practices magic should be careful about where to draw the line regarding what was believable and what wasn't.

Very good story, four stars:

****

I spent a good portion of Monday reading Magic and Macaroons by Bailey Cates, and I finished it last night. It's part of the author's "Magical Bakery" mystery series, featuring protagonist Katie Lightfoot.

When Katie and her coven are meeting at the Honeybee bakery after hours, a young woman comes to the door, calling out for Katie in desperation. Before she collapses, she tells Katie that she was told to seek her out if she needed help. It's up to Katie to figure out who the woman was and how she knew to seek help. The search for information leads Katie to delve into Savannah's voodoo scene.

The story was fast-paced and engrossing, but there were enough lulls to allow me to catch my breath. I enjoy reading about the day-to-day operations of the Honeybee bakery, as well as the more domestic scenes between Katie and her boyfriend Declan. Katie learns more about her destiny as a lightwitch. The author introduced just enough suspects to make it difficult to guess whodunnit, without bogging the story down with too many potential killers. The final showdown was a bit less fraught with danger and drama than other stories in the series, but it was satisfying, nonetheless.

Five of five!

♦♦♦♦♦

I just finished reading Charms and Chocolate Chips, which is the third book in author Bailey Cates' "Magical Bakery Mystery" series.

Katie has been dividing her time between the Honeybee Bakery, her boyfriend Declan (yay!), and her volunteer work at Georgia Wild. When Katie arrives at the non-profit's office, she discovers that the woman who ran it has been murdered. When members of Katie's coven are targeted, including Katie herself, she has no choice but to launch her own investigation.

In the meantime, Katie's mother, whom she has been estranged from, pays a surprise visit, and the two begin mending fences. Katie is still learning her Craft and struggling to comprehend her powers as an uncommon lightwitch.

This may have been my favorite book in the series so far. I'm pleased that Katie has chosen Declan over Steve, and I was kept guessing right up until the end as to who the perpetrator was.

Five stars!

★★★★★

Yesterday, on my afternoon break, I finished reading Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates. It's the first in a new cozy mystery series called "Magical Bakery Mysteries".

The story was cute and fun, with enough actual mystery to keep the pages turning. Katie Lightfoot has just moved to Savannah, GA to help her aunt and uncle open their new bakery. Soon, Katie learns her aunt is a witch, and that she is, too.

Before the bakery opens, it hosts a meeting, after which Savannah's resident harridan argues with Katie's uncle and then is murdered outside the bakery. Katie's uncle becomes a prime suspect, and she begins looking into matters in an attempt to clear her uncle's name.

Along the way, Katie is introduced to her aunt's coven, meets her familiar (a terrier named Mungo), and spends time with two different hunky guys who happen to despise one another.

As far as the guys go, I'm cheering for Declan. He's Irish, need I say more? Ha ha! But the other guy, Steve, may be all rawr and sexy, but I don't like the way he treats Katie. He keeps pressing her for a dinner date, she keeps declining, so he shows up at her door with take-out. While that may seem bold and charming to some, it got my hackles up. If he didn't respect her wishes when she said 'no' to dinner, what else might she say 'no' to that he will just barge right through? *shakes head*

In spite of my personal dislike for Steve, the book itself was delightful. I'll be watching for more of this series.

Four stars.