108) Black Thursday by Linda Joffe Hull

The Blurb :

A bad deal for Mrs. Frugalicious

When Maddie Michaels, AKA Mrs. Frugalicious, is invited to take a local news crew with her on a Black Friday shopping expedition, she's excited to show viewers at home how to score the season's best savings. Despite a negative comment from Contrary Claire-- the sole naysayer in her growing Frugarmy--Maddie is hopeful her first TV appearance will be a bargain-savvy success.

But Black Friday eve takes a bleak turn when a shopper is crushed beneath a pallet of toasters. After learning that the victim could be Contrary Claire, it becomes clear that Claire has made more than one enemy. Maddie finds herself dealing once again with a murder investigation. Will she catch the killer before someone else is slashed like a sale price?

Includes couponing tips!

My Thoughts :

Black Thursday has been on my Kindle for a while but even though I make a conscious effort to read and review all books before their release dates, some just seem to creep up on me quicker than others.  I am in total denial and can't believe it is already October but this book releases tomorrow and so I will have to admit defeat!  The year is nearly over again!

So I made a very big effort to get this book read before it officially releases and I managed it!  My progress at the beginning was good and I kept reflecting back on the debut book in the series, Eternally 21.  I remember liking it a lot and enjoying the concept.  While I live in a country where couponing isn't really a thing, it is nice to get some information on what it actually means and how it works.  I like the idea of going shopping and the store having to practically give you money because you were so frugal.

The last half of the book was the downhill slump for me.  Maddie constant rehashing of the suspects was boring and her marital problems were a downer.  I know this book was about a murder but it was all a little so lala by the end.  There were less tips and ideas and just speculation.  I started to get upset with Maddie for her ideas and decisions about her family and husband.  She came across as weak and a bit of a doormat.

Black Thursday was an ok sequel in the Frugalicious Shopping Mysteries but it was not as good at the debut.  The confident Maddie I remember was trampled down and low, the plot was not exceptionally interesting and there were a lot of characters to confuse the reader.  I can't say I hated it because that would be a total lie but I did expect more.  I also hope that the format on the e-book version is much better than the ARC copy because it was very hard to read the book with the footnotes appearing all over the place and never at the bottom of the page.

All in all a nice concept and definitely something different and original.  This series has potential and it certainly has the room to grow.  I am going to be keeping my eye out for a third installment because I really am left wanting to find out what happens to Maddie next.  Will she grow a pair?  How will she get mixed up in more trouble?  Those are just a couple of questions from many I hope will be answered next time around.

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54) Eternally 21 by Linda Joffe Hull

The Blurb :

Coupon-clipping Mrs. Frugalicious gets more than she bargained for

After Mr. Frank "Finance" Michaels loses the family's financial nest egg in a Ponzi scheme, his wife Maddie does whatever she can to help keep up the appearance that everything is financially fine. When she starts a bargain hunter's blog under the alias Mrs. Frugalicious, her website becomes a viral hit with a growing "frugarmy" of budget advice seekers.

While Maddie is researching "frugasm"-worthy deals on holiday shopping for teens, Eternally 21 store manager Laila DeSimone mistakenly accuses her of shoplifting. Then her day goes from bad to worse when Laila expires on the floor. Since Laila was a universally disliked manager, the murder suspect list is longer than Maddie's bargain spreadsheet. But when evidence points to Maddie as the prime suspect, she must track down the real culprit. Can she uncover the truth before police throw away her get-out-of-jail-free coupon for good?

My Thoughts :

I have been in a bit of a reading slump lately and even though I have enough books to choose from I have so many review books waiting to be read that I feel like the choice is being taken out of my hands because I am so behind!  I needed something light and interesting to read.  Cozy mysteries always fit this bill and one I had in my Kindle review folder jumped right out at me.  Eternally 21 may not be a paranormal cozy but it had still caught my eye.  Now I was ready to give it a chance.

Within a couple of chapters I was pretty much hooked.  The story of Maddie's life was filled with different aspects that kept me interested.  Her husband, their relationship and the financial troubles they were having made her realistic and human.  Her family and the way she was trying to support them on a budget made her likable.  Lastly her secret alias Mrs. Frugalicious impressed me.  She was a fighter but willing to share everything she learned on her bargain hunts and I liked her even more.

The murder investigation and plot were well thought out and there was a point in the book where I realised things were not the way they seemed.  Some of it clicked into place for me before Maggie put two and two together but I was as shocked as she was when the final truth came out.  The nice twists and turns in the investigation kept Maddie and me on my toes and I loved seeing it all unravel.

The tips and tricks to being frugal were a nice touch to the book but not very usual for someone living outside of the States.  However I am pretty sure that someone living on a budget who needs some guidance may find this book to be a good investment.

Eternally 21 was a great read and it impressed me so much that I am going to keep a look out for a sequel.  Not only was the plot exciting but Maddie's life is one I want to keep reading about.  I am interested in seeing what happens next and what lies in store for her and Mrs. Frugalicious.  There are so many possibilities and I wonder where the author will take the series.

Definitely worth giving this one a go if you are a cozy fan and want to try something new.  This concept isn't one I have come across before and the mystery part was not over the top or completely impossible.   Eternally 21 releases in June 2013 and I hope the next installment comes along soon!