Pumpkin Spice Peril

McKinlay, Jenn. Pumpkin Spice Peril. New York: Berkley Prime Crime, 2020.

Rene dies just before a catered event in which her artistic creation will debut. Mel becomes a suspect when the police chief questions how she keeps finding bodies and threatens her with an independent counsel investigation into her involvement in past homicides. Meanwhile Angie battles morning sickness but her brothers provide support for her and Mel. I found this to be a pleasant diversion. Even though I missed several installments, my familiarity with the characters was adequate to appreciate this. Even though I rarely read more than 50 pages at a time, I enjoyed this one. These COVID-19 days filled with other distractions account for the length of time it took to read it. I suspect under normal circumstances this would have been read in a few hours. I received an advance review copy through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.

The Taco Stand

Vasquez, Tim S. The Taco Stand. Illustrated by  Linda Kay Ost. Gilbert, Arizona: Toodaloo Publishing Company, 2019.

Isabel enjoys preparing food for her family. She even makes extra tacos her children can sell to passers-by on the street. One day a man in a business suit visits the taco stand, making Isabel a business proposal. Will she take him up on the offer or choose to spend time with her family? I loved the message the book conveyed. Money cannot buy happiness. The illustrations were colorful, fitting the book. The book contains a glossary of Mexican food terms. I received an electronic copy from the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.