Member Reviews

I've read Andrew Shaffer's other books, and this book is just as good if not better than the Hope Never Dies series with Obama and Biden.

This is a fun, quick, quirky read that should appeal to anyone who wants a light cozy mystery with the added benefit of Bernie Sanders. It is a great mix of mystery and humor with a maple syrup, sassy AI, small town charm, and even the Lake Champlain lake monster (cryptids make every story better). There is even a recipe section at the end with some great looking recipe.

It's a quick read and definitely for a specific audience, but if you think it looks like your thing - you'll probably love it.

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I mean, there were some parts of this book that were a little TOO goofy, like Ben and Jerry or the almost-over-the-top spoofing of progressives and capitalists. But the good stuff? It was *really* good. Bernie pursuing two elderly spinsters in a golf cart in a 23 mph chase through a small Vermont village is a scene I never realized I needed to experience. So is the thought of Bernie spending his downtime reading cozy mysteries featuring a cannabis bakery. I just...I needed this book.

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This book was an absolute delight! I was looking for a fun, light read - and this definitely hit the spot. It was the perfect mix of humor, politics, murder, maple syrup, and…mittens!

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I wasn’t sure what to expect reading this, but OH MY GOSH it was fun! Filled with recipes and a mystery, this is one to grab and read for a fun afternoon. Then hit up the grocery store and cook up the foods you were drooling over while you were reading it.

Who knew Bernie could be so much fun?

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Argh, if it's not available in Kindle, I can't read it (no matter how much I want to). Love the title, the premise, the cover, and that is as far as I can get. Sorry, but will look for it in print when published.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I was intrigued by a cozy mystery featuring a political figure and this one did not disappoint. Is it full of cliché's about Vermont/New England? Yes. Are they made in good taste and with humor? Yes. Crash is a graduate student from Vermont who lands an internship with the senator from her home state of Vermont, Bernie Sanders. You may be wondering if the famous mittens from Biden's inauguration make an appearance - yup, they sure do! When Crash's hometown needs a master of ceremonies for the annual Champ Festival, named after the illusive sea creature that purportedly lives in Lake Champlain, Sen. Sanders volunteers and he and Crash head up for a fun-filled holiday weekend, or so they think. But within minutes of arriving, Crash finds a dead body in the lake. At first blush, it appears that the bank manager died from drowning but when the autopsy report is mysteriously left under the Senator's door, they discover that, while the man did die from drowning, he didn't die in the lake, he died from drowning in maple syrup. Who would have a barrel big enough for a man to drown in? Maplewood Springs, the conglomerate owned by a city slicker, Jagger Wardlow, that has been buying up all the little maple syrup farms has large, steel vats of syrup. Sen. Sanders, after he give one of his many monologues railing against capitalism and pushing for raising the minimum wage to protect the little guys (although my favorite rant was the one he delivered to the girl at the food truck), discovers that Jagger is clearing the land of maple trees. Is Maplewood Springs really about maple syrup or is it a cover for some other operation? And what does the mayor, Tamara Seeley, have to do with it? Or Crash's cousin, Tyler, who smelled like maple syrup and told Crash that it was his new hair gel, only to be seen the next day with a shaved head? This is a charming, funny story set in the typical small town struggling in the current economic times where the kids can't wait to leave and then realize that it really is an idyllic place to live once they finally return. The mystery itself isn't terribly challenging and it includes the obligatory chase scene, this one on Lake Champlain (the mental image of Bernie Sanders on a jet ski cracked me up). It also includes a list of recipes for all of the various foods included in the story, like Crash's mom's Yankee Pot Roast and Poutine from the food truck. Recommend to any fans of cozy mysteries, especially those who like to cook or bake!

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The premise was promising for a silly cozy mystery, unfortunately, the execution fell flat. The characterization of VT and VT-isms were clearly written by someone who knew little more than what they could find in a Wikipedia article. The character of Bernie sounded and acted nothing like him (I don't mean the sleuthing I can suspend disbelief), but again felt like the author knew nothing except a Wikipedia article. What humor the book attempted also fell flat. I was very excited for this book, and was quite disappointed.

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This was such a fun book. Just look at the cover! I was just recently introduced to cozy mysteries and Feel the Bern by Andrew Shaffer was so much fun! This book was very atmospheric and the perfect read for fall!

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FEEL THE BERN by Andrew Shaffer is a fun, fast-paced cozy mystery. While the mystery itself isn't particularly outstanding, the dynamic between Bernie and his intern carry the book along. Readers of HOPE NEVER DIES will be pleased by this next offering from the author.

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If you really loved the Biden/Obama Mysteries by Andrew Shaffer -- you'll probably really like this. Shaffer attempts a "Cozy Mystery" format, with the premise of a young Bernie Sanders aide bringing Bernie back to her hometown for a festival, where they quickly discover a murder.

This is very silly and has some hilarious lines and moments. Think every Bernie meme you've ever seen, all rolled up into a book. Bernie's character was everything I wanted it to be. The plot itself is where this fell flat for me. There were a lot of characters in this little Vermont town, obvious villains, possible suspects and side characters. I did not feel very invested in who the murderer was or why.

The last 50 or so pages of this book are a recipe guide for food they ate in the book, an homage to the cozy genre.

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Even though this book was written on an adult level for an adult audience, I would still recommend this book to the Social Science teachers at my high school. Since my high school is located in the Northern Virginia area, a lot of the political humor and quips would appeal to the upperclassmen who enjoy getting involved in political conversations. The wittiness of the narrator that Andrew Shaffer has crafted made the book an engaging read.

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I missed the note that reviews weren't allowed until a week before the publication date so I'm deleting it from here and Good Reads. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I did enjoy it.

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