#janeausten – Gwendalyn’s Books

Hello and welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour for

CYANIDE AND SENSIBILITY By Katie Oliver

Cyanide and Sensibility

By Katie Oliver

• Series: The Jane Austen Tea Society Mystery (Book 3)

• Genre: Amateur Sleuths, Cozy Mystery, Austenesque Fiction

• Publisher: Berkley (December 12, 2023)

• Length: (320) pages

• Format: Mass Market Paperback, eBook, & Audiobook

• ISBN: 978-0593337653‎

• Tour Dates: December 4 – 18, 2023

PURCHASE LINKS

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Murder is on the menu and Phaedra Brighton is called on to serve up justice in the latest Jane Austen Tea Society Mystery.

While Phaedra Brighton might not have a Mr. Darcy (yet), she’s quite content with her loving family and loyal cat. Phaedra’s sister Hannah is the Jane to her Elizabeth, and Phaedra is ecstatic that Hannah has decided to move home for her next adventure—opening a business.

All of Laurel Springs is out in full force to celebrate the grand unveiling of Hannah’s new patisserie, Tout de Sweet, including local celebrity Rachel Brandon. Hannah is a master of her craft, with confections so divine, one bite will make you think you’ve died and gone to heaven.

Of course, you never want that to happen literally.

When one of Hannah’s famous dark chocolate cupcakes sends Rachel’s assistant to the hospital with poisoning, Hannah begs for Phaedra’s help to save her reputation and budding business. But Phaedra has more questions than answers: Who was the cupcake actually meant for? And how far is the culprit willing to go to take their target off the menu—permanently?

PRAISE FOR CYANIDE AND SENSIBILITY

• “This is the first book I have read in the Jane Austen Tea Society series, but it won’t be my last…If you enjoy cozy mysteries, then this is a book you will enjoy.”— Book Looks by Lisa

• “The book is filled with great characters and a fun, twisty plot. Highly recommend.”— Cara Putnam, author of Come What May

• 5 STARS— Gwendalyn’s Books

REVIEW

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a non spoiler review, because you as reader need to read this book. Also, I feel sometimes I have in the past gave away to much of the plot line. This has diminished the pleasure for would be readers.

CYANIDE AND SENSIBILITY By Katie Oliver, the third installment in the Jane Austen Tea Society Mystery.

Hello Gracious Readers lets return to the fictional Virginia cozy mountain town of Laurel Springs.

It’s December and the cold and snowy weather set the backdrop for another engaging mystery. We follow Phaedra Brighton a Jane Austen scholar and English Lit professor, who also a successful amateur sleuth in her own right. Phaedra sister Hannah, is having a grand opening for her pastry shop in Laura’s Springs, Tout de Sweet. Phaedra is doing everything she can to support her sisters new endeavor. When a shocking crime places the blame on Hannah, involving one of her decadent dark chocolate cupcakes. It’s up to Phaedra to clear her sisters good name and restore the small Virginia town’s faith in the newest patisserie shop.

Katie Oliver brings the small Blue Ridge town of Laurel Springs vividly alive with her charming characters and her splendid writing. Nuisances of Jane Austen and Agatha Christie sprinkled into to create a heart warming recipe for this perfect cozy mystery book. A budding romance that doesn’t overshadow the authentic storyline makes this book such a wonderful book to read.

Make sure to grab your coziest blanket and pour yourself a hot cuppa, and settle in to enjoy Cyanide and Sensibility.

AUTHOR BIO

Katie Oliver is known internationally as a writer of Jane Austen rom-coms with a hint of mystery. In the US and the UK, she is the bestselling author of the Dating Mr. Darcy and Marrying Mr. Darcy series.

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Hello and Welcome to my stop the blog tour for

The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melinda Taub

The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch By Melinda Taub

Genre: Historical Fantasy, Austenesque Fiction

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (October 3, 2023)

Length: (400) pages

Format: Hardcover, eBook, & Audiobook

ISBN: ‎978-1538739204

Tour Dates: September 25 – October 9, 2023

BOOK DESCRIPTION

A “wildly inventive and utterly addictive” (Julia Quinn) witchy reimagining of Pride and Prejudice, told from the perspective of the troublesome and—according to her—much-maligned youngest Bennet sister, Lydia.

In this exuberant retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Lydia Bennet puts pen to paper to relate the real events and aftermath of the classic story. Some facts are well known: Mrs. Bennet suffers from her nerves, Mr. Bennet suffers from Mrs. Bennet, and all five daughters suffer from an estate that is entailed only to male heirs.

But Lydia also suffers from entirely different concerns: her best-loved sister Kitty is really a barn cat; Wickham is every bit as wicked as the world believes him to be, but what else would one expect from a demon? And if Mr. Darcy is uptight about etiquette, that’s nothing compared to his feelings about magic. Most of all, Lydia has yet to learn that for a witch, promises have power . . .

Full of enchantment, intrigue, and boundless magic, The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch, has all the irreverent wit, strength, and romance of Pride and Prejudice—while offering a highly unexpected redemption for the wildest Bennet sister.

Review

From the desk of Gwendalyn Anderson

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melinda Taub, is the perfect twist on Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice.

Quote:

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter must be a witch.”

A tantalizing story that features Miss Lydia Bennet as a witch, and her familiar, Kitty.

I throughly enjoyed this book that infuses witchcraft into the events in the beloved Jane Austen classic. New light is breathed into some of Jane’s underrated characters in the original book. The narration along with the superb character development kept me spellbound. From the first page I was hooked, and I found myself completely immersed, and was unable to set it aside. The magical elements in the storyline was inventive and engaging. So creative and original, I especially loved how it was written in a epistolary format. As a reader you feel that you are the receiver of a personal letter. This way the author is able to catapult the reader into the events of the book. It also gives an insight into the characters reasoning for their actions and feelings.

Bravo Melinda Taub, for writing a book that completely fascinated me and I couldn’t put down, along with not being able to stop thinking about it long after I finished reading it.

The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch it is quite the deliciously fun, compelling and an all consuming page-turner.

Quote:

“There are all kinds of sacrifices, are they not? What matters is not what the sacrifice is, but what it cost. And it need not be you who pays it“

PRAISE FOR THE SCANDALOUS CONFESSIONS OF LYDIA BENNET, WITCH

“Funny and fierce as Lydia Bennet herself, this book mixes witchcraft lore with Austen’s story to make its own unique magic. I’ll never look at Kitty the same way again…” ―Claudia Gray, author of The Murder of Mr. Wickham, a Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney Mystery

“Taub’s wit and creativity shines through. . . A delight for both Austen lovers and fans of magical adventure stories.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Wildly inventive and utterly addictive. I never thought I’d say this, but I’m now 100% Team Lydia.” ―Julia Quinn

PURCHASE LINKS

Author

AUTHOR BIO

Melinda Taub is an Emmy and Writers’ Guild Award-winning writer. The former head writer and executive producer of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, she is also the author of Still Star-Crossed, a young adult novel which was adapted for television by Shondaland. (She also wrote that thing about the Baroness in The Sound of Music that your aunt likes.) She lives in Brooklyn.

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