http://www.girllostinabook.com/2014/09/review-alibis-and-amethysts-by-sharon.htm... ( )

This is a fun book for cozy lovers as well as paranormal cozy lovers. There are no witches or shifters, but the not-a-cat is strange enough to keep the paranormal fans interested.
It is a story of murder in a tourist community and the shop keepers themselves have that small town feel.

Reading through the book I was giving it a full 5 star thumbs up for more than three quarters of the book.
It lost me with dog hair. Now, you would think that I, more than many others, would appreciate dog hair in a story but it really did not fit the caliber of the rest of this mystery.

I liked the characters, the descriptions of the settings, the inclusion of Daniel's family, and the snippets of information about crystals and gems. I liked the misdirections and motives of many syspects.
Overall I enjoyed the book, but the dog hair was a disappointement for me.

That said, I have a feeling Sierra and Jaye will find themselves in trouble again and I will gladly pick up the next book and read about it. ( )

The Good: I loved Jaye's shop. Her expertise in geology. The Native American culture woven into the story. The mystery was unexpected until right before the resolution was revealed. Definitely a cute, cozy mystery.

The Bad: Jaye is oblivious to romantic interest. The not-a-cat (what is that all about?). Most of the "interviews" Jaye did with potential suspects left me wondering why they would talk to her at all. More than anything, the story just dragged a bit. It didn't suck me in and I could have put it down at any time for a long while without jonesing to get back to it. ( )

A great start to a new series. ( )