Christmas Bizarre

Mina Kitchen #2

by Lizz Lund

READERS' FAVORITE 5-STAR REVIEW !What do Santa’s Sidekick, a dead lawyer and a geriatric vampire have in common? Meet Mina Kitchen--a forty-something single who finds trouble quicker than she can whip up a batch of breakfast breads. Plural. Her catering disorder runs neck-and-neck with her weird luck, and her cat’s weirder tendency toward gnawing elf gear. Okay, and getting kidnapped a couple of times in one week is a little strange, too.

Her next door neighbor Vito's past as ex-leader of the Moils, the Jewish-Polish Family from Bumville, New Jersey, comes to light and throws a dollop of dilemmas into an already simmering plot.

Top it all off with a counterfeiting ring, a county-wide dearth of holiday wrapping tape, and a mass of pets running loose at the local mall, and what do you have? A recipe for disaster that Mina whips to a froth.

If you're looking for funny novels for women, packed with humor, cozy animals (in the guise of pets) -- and recipes -- look no further. The second book in the hilarious Mina Kitchen Comedies, Christmas Bizarre will keep you smiling when you’re not shouting up a belly laugh. It delivers a LOL tour of Lancaster, “Pee-Ay”, where you’ll discover a lively cast of characters, funny dialogue and lots of twists and turns.

Do you like funny fiction with a hint of thrillers, mysteries and suspense? Download Christmas Bizarre NOW! Chock full of delightful surprises, this cozy mystery closes with a bonus section of free recipes, inspired by the story and vetted by Lund's chef husband, for your own culinary creation and consumption.



˃˃˃AMAZON READER "...feel of Jerry Seinfeld meets Catch 22 while watching a Pink Panther movie. I will be looking for more from Ms. Lund.""Laugh out loud funny in places and snicker worthy in others."

˃˃˃BET YOU CAN'T STOP LAUGHING!"Miss Lund has a wonderful and quirky since of humor. While charging from one crazy temp job to another, (Christmas at the mall will never be the same;) she managed to pickup a stalker. Mina, not Miss Lund. Please come meet this wonderful cast of characters."

˃˃˃DON'T WAIT FOR CHRISTMAS TO READ THIS ONE!"Well written, brilliantly paced and laugh-out-loud funny, Lizz Lund rises head and shoulders above a lot of the offerings out there. Her books are chock full of accessible characters, unpredictable conflicts and wonderful plot twists. Farcical perhaps, but there's never a sense of it being self-conscious or contrived. Mina Kitchen's just an ordinary gal, struggling to make ends meet, looking for love, and finding herself knee- and sometimes neck-deep in bizarre developments. But in the end, it's her down to earth, roll with it attitude that engages the reader and keeps us laughing all the way."

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Also available in paperback through Amazon!

Genres: Christmas, Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Humor, Cozy, Amazon

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 13, 2014

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mina Kitchen was working as Santa’s Sidekick in the Mall; unable to find permanent work at least this gave her an income - even though she ended up covered in bruises and other “things” by the end of her shift. Mina lived with her cat Vinnie, alone in her apartment, while Vito, her next door neighbour, would let himself into Mina’s at 6am most mornings to make himself coffee. The current disaster at the Mall was a shortage of tape – everyone was panicking because they couldn’t wrap their Christmas gifts…

I was looking forward to a light and entertaining Christmas novel but this was just weird. It made no sense the majority of the time, and the strange names and places were just off. Another reviewer said it was “random mish-mash” and that’s about it in a nutshell. I have another couple of Christmas novels to read – I hope they’ll be much better than this one!

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a cute and humorous book. I enjoyed it.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book, but it wasn't as good as the first one. There were fewer LOL moments. I did enjoy it overall, and will continue the series. :)

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Janet Evanovich for years, and found Lizz Lund right up there with Janet. They have similar styles, and a comic flair. I loved the characters. They were quirky and funny, and yet believable. Mina Kitchen, the leading lady, always finds herself in difficult situations, short of funds despite herself, and her love life could use a little help (like Stephanie Plum). Often, her friends are part of the problem, but just as often they are there to save her. This was my first Lizz Lund book, and I look forward to reading the first book in the series, and the subsequent sequels. I love a good mystery, at the same time a good laugh (often laughing out loud while I'm reading) from the story, and this book definitely filled the bill.

[Margie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a confusing story to read. A lot of times I would read something and wonder where did that come from, did I miss pages, what is going on. As another reader said. It is random mishmash.

[Nancy I · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked up this book at a Lancaster Public Library book sale at a Christmas Bazaar this past December at St. Phillip's Church, Millersville, PA. I was intrigued by the title, considering where I was buying it, and maybe that's what led me to buy it.
This is a fast read,that Lizz Lund tried to cram too much into resulting in, to use a British expression, a bit of a "dog's breakfast," from the continual use of "Pee-Ay" rather than just "PA" for the postal abbreviation of Pennsylvania, to Mina (pronounced like the bird, so Mynah) not as one would expect, considering it's short for Wilhelmina, whose last name is Kitchen (trying to be cutesy, I guess, when you say the two quickly and out loud, but it doesn't work). Is Lizz trying to be another Janet Evanovich? If so, she has a long way to go, not just because Janet has written so many books, but because if this book is an example, Lizz will never hold a candle to Janet. I'm not trying to be cruel and I don't normally write negative comments such as this, but I really wanted to stop reading this book before completing it, yet I was determined to push on to the end. Maybe I kept hoping it would get better. In my mind, it didn't. Sorry Lizz.

[Debra Hahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cooking blues

What do you do when you have your family's course? Why you cook
up crazy amounts of food. At all times of the day or night when the urge
it's you to cook. In between you work crazy jobs and solve mysteries
With your friends, while your neighbor next door who just happens to
have a key to your house sniffers your place from top to bottom with his fetish.
All in a day's life with Mine Kitchen. Funny, with twists and turns in this upside down life. Read it to day.
Debra H.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had an extremely hard time getting into this book from the very beginning. The characters were not very interesting and did not evoke much of a response from me. It just didn't work for me on any level and left me not really caring about any of them very much. Maybe I will try another book at some time but this was not the one.

Mina Kitchen is a forty something single who seems to find trouble. She has weird luck and her cat is even weirder.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this story Mina Kitchen is unemployed and trying to keep herself afloat with three part-time gigs. Not only does she have an amazing penchant for getting herself into awkward circumstances, but her neighbor, Vito, is hiding something in her basement. Vito comes with an assortment of shady acquaintances, and Mina manages to overhear some dirty dealings and gets on their radar. The characters in this story are really weird, but that's part of what make this book so much fun to read.

[Gloria Markus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too many jobs

After having a steady job, Mina transitions to 3 part-time jobs. She is going crazy trying to make ends meet and deal with her neighbor who pops in whenever he wants. He stores boxes in her basement without telling her what they contain. A lively tale of kidnapping, attempted murder and murder. Thoroughly entertaining.

[Diane Wachter · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Mina Kitchen Cozy Mystery, Bk. 2, EBK-M, Kindle, @ 2014, Read 12/12/21. Fiction, Mystery, Cozy, Humor. Mina is working temporarily as a Santa's helper at the Mall, and there is a shortage of tape during the Christmas season. She must walk under a dark cloud. Whatever happens, it will happen to her. More silliness, but set at Christmas time. Still 2☆'s = Okay

[Diana Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick paced holiday story with plenty of action as well as laughs. I want to read any sequel to this book. I would like to see a little more romance for the main female character Mina and chef. I would like to see a little more information on her guy friends such as K and Bauser. And why her van acts the way it does….

[Rhonda Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

This book was great. I really enjoyed Mina and how she interacted with all the crazy characters in the book and her jobs. I truly hope she winds up working for the chef. She winds up being kidnapped and what happens next is up for you to find out. I can't wait to read more by this author..

[Mirabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mina Kitchen Is My New Favourite Comedy Heroine
I adored this book! Mina is funny, relatable, and wonderfully chaotic. Her ‘catering disorder’ alone is worth the read, but pair it with kidnappings, loose pets at the mall, and Vito’s unexpected past, and you’ve got a wild ride of pure fun. This is the kind of cozy mystery that keeps you smiling throughout.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of quirky characters abound in this series. Kind of a glimpse of the crazy antics that you experience in the Stephanie Plum books.

Adventure, danger, laughs, funny twists and turns, crazy neighbors, and good friends will keep your attention as you race to the end to see whether Mina will be rescued.

[Barbara MacDougall · Rating 5 out of 5]

So funny!

The book started a little slow but things just started happening & couldn’t put the book down! Really a fun read. I finished in about 3 hours(I’m an avid reader!). Well done!

[Faith Schickling · Rating 1 out of 5]

Waiting

I read entire book, and I'm still waiting for the funny. I can't believe I paid for a book that promised to be hysterical, and I never laughed once. It was hard to follow the story line, and basically, stupid.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book doesn’t start to get really good until the last couple of chapters. It’s kind of silly prior. At times I wasn’t sure if it took place in the U.S. or England. The main character is pretty trusting but dumb at the same time.

[Lynn E. AronSpeer · Rating 5 out of 5]

lots of fun

I found the author’s sense of humor similar to my own so I was completely mesmerized by her antics and adventures. Particularly loved Vinnie the cat and Marie’s penchant for musicals. Keep ‘em coming.

[sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mina Kitchen is a busy lady

Mina is working 2-3 part-time jobs trying to keep her household together... in the process she is kicked in the shins... tripped ..followed. threatened ... flirted with (is it flirting??) AND kidnapped...
This was a fun read... try it

[Joni · Rating 5 out of 5]

good.

I grew up in Lancaster County. I loved hearing the names of the streets so familiar to me. Mina is a klutz who needs a job or 2.instead she gets kidnapped right before Christmas. If it can happen…it happens to Mina. On to the next one.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a fun and light holiday cozy filled with humorous characters, this is a perfect pick. Mina Kitchen is fun and relatable.

[Janet L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good cozy with all of Mina’s wacky adventures.

[Victoria · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was so annoying that I didn't even finish it.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave it up. Over 1 third of the way through and it seemed like nothing had happened yet except a lot of goofy unconnected incidents.

[Nola · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a super read. Loved all the characters and felt like I was there enjoying Christ,as and a mystery with them. Would recommend to all who enjoy mysteries.

[Rhonda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just not sure how I felt about this book. There were a lot of totally weird characters. I may try another one but overall, not a favorite.

[Kathleen Pimlott · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is so bad I stopped reading it. I only gave it one star because not rating it might mislead some to consider it. Don’t waste your time.

[Deborah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Plot leaves a lot to be desired. i did manage to finish it...

[Chantal Bellehumeur · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, let me start by saying that this is the second book of a series but I was told it could be read as a stand alone. I have not read the first book, Kitchen Addiction, and never felt lost while reading Christmas Bizarre. The author briefly mentions events that happens in the first book, but with enough information to raise my curiosity rather than confusion. It made me want to read the first book and find out all the details.

This Christmas themed book was comical, starting with the discovery of a tape shortage and the main character's attempt to find a solution at the mall where she works as Santa's sidekick. Crazy events led Mina Kitchen into overhearing something she shouldn't have, and the silly story took a suspenseful as well as dramatic turn while staying humorous. It was a light and pleasant read, which I enjoyed. I also like the funny twist on the title.

The author even shared a few recipes at the end of the book which ads to the fun.