Kath and her friends are excited about visiting a sheep farm to learn about the fine art of dyeing. They learn more about the not-so-fine art of dying when the sheep are found clustered around two dead bodies. And one of those deceased persons is someone they know. Yes, now Kath feels compelled to find out what really happened. It’s a quick read, and has some entertaining aspects. I like the whiny ghost. Even though she is annoying at times, it’s hard not to be empathetic to her plight. Imagine wanting to read but not being able to physically turn pages or change cd’s in a player! Still, this series lacks something I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe it’s character development, or maybe the mystery just isn’t that compelling. But I like it well enough to read the next in the series to see if the ghost becomes any happier with her lot in life . . . make that death! ( )

I am thorough;y enjoying this quirky series. I love the characters, and I am completely OK with the fact that one of them is a ghost who is only seen by the protagonist. This is a fun read. ( )

So, I liked this book. It was a good, entertaining read. But I didn't love it. Or really like it. I really liked the first one.

The characters are great - likeable, unique, sassy in some cases, sweet in others. A wide range of ages in the posse keeps things interesting - I want these people to be my friends. If the author has designs on making Cole the romantic interest in the future, I hope she soon shows another side to him, cuz he's an ass and I was only sorry Kath didn't punch him in the nose again in this book. Joe's an enigma - I wanna know more about him. I wish the ghost was less of a mess - she's really unlikeable and not a sympathetic character because she's just, well, a mess (and incredibly self-centered). She'd be a much more interesting character if the author gave her some depth; some dimensionality. Some Xanax.

The setting is awesome - small town set in the Tennessee hills, and I'd like to move into the Weaver's Cat.

The plot was solid, well done, and not one of the clichéd cozy-mystery plots that authors can buy 5 for a dollar. I truly didn't see the villain or have a hint of the villain until the giveaway clue.

I'm not really sure why this wasn't a four star read for me except that it felt choppy; like it didn't flow as well as it should or as well as the first one. That can be a subjective thing - maybe it would be smoother if I read it again at some point - so I'd recommend this one to anyone who has read the first one. And I'll be eagerly awaiting the third book... ( )

http://www.girllostinabook.com/2014/03/review-dyeing-wishes-by-molly-macrae.html ( )

Molly MacRae's Haunted Yarn Shop cozy series is one that I've fast learned to enjoy for its cast of characters, its humor, and its primary setting of a yarn shop in which I can browse to my heart's content without obliterating my budget.

Yes, the mystery part is solid, but oh how MacRae's characters shine! She's assembled a cast that should fuel the series for quite a while. In the first book I tended to think Geneva the ghost was a pain in the neck that dragged the book down a bit, but although she's still a pill in Dyeing Wishes, she starts taking an interest in something other than herself and I began to soften towards her. Geneva drives Kath batty with her constant references to television programs, so Kath decides to wean her away from the boob tube-- and her solution will make any reader laugh and want to give Kath a high five.

Another thing I enjoy so much in these books is the wordplay-- for example, when Deputy Cole Dunbar refers to the Friday Fast and Furious knitting group as "the frantic and flabbergasted." MacRae slips these into the story stealthily, so beware: drink at your own peril.

If I have any little quibble at all with this book, I'd like to have seen more fiber in the storyline-- and I'm talking fabric, not food. If you're in the mood for interesting characters and a mystery laced with humor, I recommend heading down to Tennessee to visit with Kath Rutledge at her shop, the Weaver's Cat. ( )