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If this were a movie, it would be rated:

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Worth from the generous folks at Covenant.  Thank you!

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As a raving Jane Austen fan with a major crush on Mr. Darcy, 26-year-old Emma Pierce can't wait to fall into the kind of swoony romance she finds between the covers of her favorite novels.  Handsome and wealthy, her current beau certainly seems like a straight-out-of Austen hero—until he betrays her with a pretty co-worker.  Realizing that real-life love simply can't compare to the fictional kind, Emma swears off romance altogether.  Clearly, Jane Austen (who never married, by the by) hasn't the faintest idea what she's talking about. 

for disturbing subject matter and mild innuendo

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-copy of Lies Jane Austen Told Me for judging purposes from the generous folks at Shadow Mountain Publishing via those at The Whitney Awards.  Thank you! 

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As a war reporter with a finely-honed sense of danger, Kate Rafter knows something sinister is going on in the house next door.  Having just arrived back in England after a harrowing stint in Iraq, the 39-year-old is in Herne Bay to settle the estate of her recently deceased mother.  The last thing she expects is to find herself entangled in someone else's domestic drama, but when she meets the woman next door—an Iraqi refugee, who's obviously terrified of something—Kate's Spidey senses start to tingle.  Although Fida Rahmani insists she's not being abused by her husband, Kate doesn't believe her.  When she hears a child crying in the night and sees a young boy lurking in her mother's garden, she becomes even more convinced that Fida—who claims to have no children—is lying.  Kate has spent her life fighting injustice all over the world; why won't her neighbor accept her help?

No matter how much Kate tries to convince people Fida is in danger, no one will believe her.  They insist the little boy is a figment of Kate's imagination, a hallucination brought on by a horrific tragedy she witnessed in Syria.  Despite the medication she's taking to keep them at bay, the effects of her PTSD have become overwhelming and debilitating.  Still, Kate knows what she's seen is real.  It has to be.  Doesn't it?  Because if she's making it all up, then she's done.  Her career will be over and what will she have left?  An empty life of loneliness and pain, with an alcoholic sister who hates her and tainted memories of the mother she thought to be a saint.  If that's all that remains then Kate really will go crazy.  To prove she's not insane, the intrepid reporter will have to dig for the truth, a truth which may only exist inside her war-ravaged mind ...

Ever since I heard about My Sister's Bones, a debut novel by Nuala Ellwood, I've been dying to read it.  I dig stories that keep me off-balance, constantly wondering what is real and what is not.  This twisty psychological thriller fits the bill for sure.  Eerie and engrossing, it's one of those books that you just can't stop reading.  Not only is the plot taut and tense, but Ellwood's depiction of a war reporter suffering from PTSD (which is inspired by her father's experiences) remains both fascinating and heartbreaking.  The twist at the novel's end blindsided me completely, taking an unexpected turn which left me feeling even more shook.  Although My Sister's Bones gets dark and disturbing, I found it to be can't-look-away compelling.  I didn't absolutely love it, but I liked it enough to be eager for more from Ellwood.  I'll definitely be interested to see what this intriguing new author does next.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins)

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If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for strong language, violence, blood/gore, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of My Sister's Bones from Target with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.

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With a decade of professional pastry-making experience and a shattered heart under her belt (apron?), Juliet "Jules" Capshaw is coming home to regroup.  Not sure where to go from here, she returns to the one place that has always nurtured her soul—her family's bakery.  Run by her mother, Torte is a warm, cozy shop where folks in Ashland, Oregon, can always find a welcoming smile, a listening ear, and delectable, homemade treats that fill more than just their empty stomachs.  Being inside its walls, baking alongside her mother, is already helping to heal Jules' hurts.

Although Jules is trying to keep her personal drama on the down low, Ashland's filled to the brim with theater types preparing for the annual Oregon Shakespeare Festival.  Needless to say, smoke from a nearby wildfire isn't the only thing tainting the air.  When Nancy Hudson—a wealthy snob who's made enemies all over town—is killed after a late-night meeting at Torte, the Capshaws are shocked and concerned, especially when it appears her murderer might be lurking a little too close to home.  While police interview suspects, Jules launches her own clandestine investigation.  In the midst of trying to catch a killer, she's also attempting to sort out the tangled feelings clogging up her heart and to convince her mother to spill the troubling secret she's obviously hiding.  If she was hoping to chillax, Jules has another think coming ...

After enjoying Death on Tap, the first installment in Ellie Alexander's newest cozy mystery series, I wanted to read more by the author.  Her Bakeshop Mysteries looked fun, so I grabbed Meet Your Baker from the library.  As with Death on Tap, my favorite part of this novel is its atmospheric setting.  Although I grew up in the PNW, I've never been to Ashland, which Alexander skillfully brings to life in Meet Your Baker.  I also loved Torte—I could feel the warmth of the place as well as that between Jules and her mother.  As far as the characters and the mystery at the book's center ... they're engaging enough, but nothing super special.  Still, I liked this cozy more than most, so I definitely plan to continue with the series (in fact, I have the next two books on hold at the library).  If you're looking for a light, entertaining mystery that won't make you blush or give you nightmares, be sure to give this one a go.   

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Death on Tap by Ellie Alexander as well as other books in her Bakeshop Mystery series, including A Batter of Life and Death; On Thin Icing; Caught Bread Handed; Fudge and Jury; A Crime of Passion Fruit; Another One Bites the Crust; and Till Death Do Us Tart)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, and mild innuendo

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find