All Things by Amber Belldene
Published: September 9, 2018
Publisher: Amber Belldene
Pages: 305
Genres: LGBTQIA+, mystery
Rating: 3 stars
Recommend to fans of: books with great diverse representation, modern day religion, strong friendships
Foodie Vibes: green tea and vegan baked goods from a local bakery
Synopsis:
A priest and a rabbi walk into a lesbian bar…
If something is unjust in San Francisco’s Mission District, the Reverend Alma Lee will face it down. She leads her vibrant church of St. Giles’ with compassion and sass. Her busy days involve match-making, meddling, and saving the city’s beloved lesbian landmark, The Carlos Club. Alma meets the intriguing Rabbi Naomi Cohen there, and she’s smitten.
Death comes to the church’s door…
When the proprietor of The Carlos Club turns up dead on the steps of St. Giles’, Naomi’s brother is the number one suspect. She needs help exonerating him, and Alma’s knowledge of the neighborhood makes her the perfect priest to solve the case. If only Alma’s ex-boyfriend, homicide detective Cesar Garza will accept her help. She still feels the pull of their old connection, but she’s convinced the sexy-smart rabbi is her perfect mate. . . Too bad Naomi is playing by different rules.
Can Alma solve the case before the murderer silences her forever?
Review:
Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Belldene for an ARC ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.
The book starts out with a lesbian Reverend at a bar. And no, that’s not the beginning of a politically incorrect joke. All Things centers around Alma, a Reverend at the local church. We are along for all the drama that’s happening in her life these days. The book is primarily a murder mystery with veganism, modern day religion, and LGBTQIA+ representation playing a significant secondary role in this unique book.
The characters and inclusivity were the best part. I wanted to keep reading about some of these characters no matter the plot. The character development throughout was good too. Inclusivity and representation of people in non traditional churches is refreshing as well.
However the murder mystery was only okay. It kept me guessing, but I wasn’t as pulled into the mystery as I would have liked. Also there were so many references to veganism. To be clear, I have nothing against veganism, but the references weren’t subtle. Way too much telling instead of showing. The repetitiveness of telling us she’s vegan became annoying after awhile.
Overall, an enjoyable unique murder mystery that has a little something for everyone.
Do you love books about religion or steer clear? Or maybe somewhere in the middle?
Books, Life and Everything Nice 
I like the cover, but I would probably not pick this one up. Vegans and religion are things that I don’t like to talk about much in real life, let alone read. But I still love your review. Clear and focused and conveys pros and cons of the book.
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I completely respect that. Thanks for the positive feedback on my book review style!
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Well it was good! A review is supposed to help you determine if a book is right for you. Just because this book isn’t for me doesn’t mean your review isn’t great!
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