This book was an absolute blast! It's Elementary by Elise Bryant seamlessly blends mystery with PTA mom drama and a sprinkle of romance.

Mavis is single mom to the spunky Pearl. I mean how many 2nd graders have a Nemeses List?? They live with Mavis' father, Pearl's Papa. Mavis works hard at balancing work and parenthood, but there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day for her to do it all. As if she doesn't have enough on her plate, one day Mavis is roped into leading the school's first DEI committee. The next, she's solving the mystery of the missing principal and wondering just how far the PTA president would go to push her agenda!

Mavis' relationship with her father adds a heartwarming touch to the story, keeping family ties strong in the multigenerational household. And we all know a Trisha, that person in an organization that we try to avoid at all costs or we're gonna end up "volunteering" for the job no one else wants. Mavis' friend, Jasmine, is the bestie we all need! I was howling at her responses in the PTA Parents Facebook group! If you're looking for a delightful mystery with a touch of hot guy named Jack, It's Elementary should be at the top of your list!

Read this if you like:
• Amateur sleuths
• Single mom stories
• PTA mama drama
• Mystery with a side of romance

Available now! Many thanks to @berkleypub for the digital ARC!

This was such a fun cozy mystery! As one of the few Black parents at her child's elementary school, she finds herself leading the new DEI committee. It's a chance for her to make some positive change at the school -- but she gets put on the back burner when she is walking her dog one night and witnesses the PTA president committing a possible crime.

There's family dynamics, mommy drama, romance, and more. I wanted a little more from this book on the mystery front, but I thought the end was well-executed and worth the wait.

This was a fantastic adult debut from Elise Bryant!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own. @BerkleyPub @BerkleyRomance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley #BerkleyBookstagram #BerkleyBookTok

This was a super fun read that gave me vibes of Finlay Donovan and Big Little Lies. Mavis is a super fun and witty FMC and her daughter was adorable. I also liked her dad. Some of the moms were kind of annoying but imagine they were written that way on purpose.
I will definitely on the lookout for more books by Elise Bryant in the future!

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Many Thanks again to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

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This is such a fun, cozy mystery with an overwhelmed but appealing narrator that you end up truly wanting the best for. There are some romantic sparks and intrigue but those aren't the center of this story, just a little bonus.

Single mom Mavis finds herself caught up in investigating suspicious happenings at her daughter's school, featuring a disappearing principal who may or may not have been murdered, and an overbearing and slightly terrifying PTA president who has placed Mavis in charge of the newly created DEI committee. Does Mavis have time in her crazy schedule to push for any real change at the school? Is it possible that the PTA president seen dragging large plastic bags outside at night might have offed the principal? Should Mavis trust the sexy school psychologist who wants to form a detective team with her?

This is a fast-paced humorous read that might give you anxiety for the narrator as she attempts to keep all her plates spinning while being the best mom she can under the circumstances. I flew through this one devouring the secrets and scandals, very much enjoyed the twists and turns it took.

Thank you so much to Berkley and Netgalley for this book to review!

Funny and entertaining with a sprinkling of romance.

I feel like cozy is having its moment. Cozy fantasy is starting to become popular and I feel cozy mystery is next. It’s Elementary has the perfect blend of mystery, humor, and love. The characters are believable and relatable. I’m sure a lot of parents will love this (I still enjoyed this even without being a parent lol).

You can tell the author had a lot of fun writing this which made it an amazing read. Would recommend!

This was a hoot. I laughed out loud multiple times reading this book and kept having to explain to the people around me what was going on. I hope Elise Bryant keeps writing in the adult genre because the insights, sarcasm, tone, and at times shocking but realistic moments in this book were fantastic.

While there's also a lot of serious topics in this book - racism, bias in the school systems, single parenthood, the complexity of "gifted" programs, SAHPs versus working parents, privilege, the constant terror that we are failing our children, and bullying - it is ultimately a comedic novel. A dark comedy with the sweet start of a love story, a mom doing her best, and multiple villains who don't entirely get what they deserve but I hope karma comes for them.

I cannot speak to the experiences of a POC lead and the racism and bias she experiences, and has to worry about her child experiencing, but Mavis so relatable as a working mom, a woman, feeling taken advantage of at work, and seeing the ridiculous lip service paid to DEI without being willing to do any real work on the part of the people asking for "help." I want to be friends with Mavis. She is a great character.

I cannot recommend this enough. A great read.

Title: It's Elementary
Author: Elise Bryant
Publisher: Berkley
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"It's Elementary" by Elise Bryant"
My Perception:

'It's Elementary' was a good read full of drama, comedy, romance, entertainment, and a suspenseful mystery.

Be ready for a little bit of PTA moms being taken down, a significant relationship between a mother and a sassy seven-year-old daughter, and a school psychologist romance and ex. Things really steam up with all that will happen sooner or later.

Pick this good read to see how Elise Bryant's African American story will be presented. You will not be disappointed with this read, especially with that ending!

Thank you to Net Galley, the author and the publisher, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This cozy mystery was an absolutely fun read! I really enjoyed the story of the missing principal and the love story between our FMC and the school psychologist. I had a really great time and the prose was just lovely.

There’s nothing like the competitiveness of an Elementary school PTA to bring out the vulnerability and viciousness of the mom’s who want the best for their children! Single mom Mavis Miller is not one of those moms-she’s got enough on her plate. But because she does want what’s best, not only for her child but all those at Knoll Elementary, she allows herself to get coerced into chairing the new DEI committee. As one of the very few Black parents in the school, she does tell herself that hers is a voice to be heard. However, all that goes to the wayside when PTA President Trisha Holbrook and new Principal Smith butt heads at his very first meeting, and then he mysteriously disappears that very night. Mavis sees Trisha very suspiciously lugging heavy bags and cleaning supplies out of the school very late that night and well….her mind jumps to conclusions! When the very cute…and single school psychologist doesn’t think her conclusions are so crazy, they team up to see if they can figure what happened before they publicly accuse anyone.
This is a cozy, clean romantic mystery with very entertaining characters, (some of whom will be all too familiar to those with school aged children!). PTA politics, a mysterious disappearance, mom guilt, romance and racism are the themes all very naturally intertwined into this story. The serious issues are balanced with exaggerated humor to make it the perfect read! The witty and flirty banter is just the icing on the cake!
The ending has me questioning whether there is more to come???

4.5 stars, rounded up. I am definitely hoping this one becomes a series! This cozy mystery is everything that is good about this new generation of the genre- well developed and multi-dimensional characters and an intriguing crime with a VERY timely offshoot mystery as well. The PTA element of this is so, so good, and while yes, it's exaggerated because fiction, I think any parent of an elementary school student will recognize the politics at play. I've never read Elise Bryant's YA books, but this is a very accomplished adult debut.

So, I knew I was going to read It's Elementary by Elise Bryant as soon as I saw the school psychologist was involved! This is a cute mystery with a little bit of romance.

Mavis is a single mom to a hilarious 7 year old and she gets roped into heading the diversity initiative for the PTA. The PTA president is overbearing, a little racist, and suspicious (at least I thought so). The principal disappears and Mavis ends up trying to solve the mystery. Enter hunky school psychologist!

This was a cute mystery with very enjoyable characters! Mavis is smart and well spoken, her daughter is delightful, and her dad is wonderful. There is a good discussion on racism that doesn't feel like an "added discussion" to the story. It just flows with the story so you feel like you are getting a glimpse into Mavis's every day issues with racism. There is great banter and flirty energy as well. And while it is a mystery, it has a very humorous tone which I loved. I thought the writing was great! Overall, It's Elementary was an enjoyable mystery that even had a few twists.

Mavis has no interest in getting involved with the PTA at her daughter's school. Shortly after she gets very reluctantly roped into serving as the DEI chair, the principal goes missing. Mavis thinks he might have been murdered. This book is a clean, cozy mystery with just a touch of romance. The idea is great, but I never got fully invested in the story.

3.5 rounded up

I quite enjoyed this adult cozy mystery debut by a fav YA author! It was the perfect mix of Finlay Donovan and Class mom but told from the POV of a Black single mother who gets mixed up in her daughter's elementary school PTA politics and finds herself trying to figure out what happened to their mysteriously missing principal. Okay on audio (I didn't love the narrator), this was still an fun read and I look forward to seeing what happens next in the series! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What to Expect:
🔍single mom & school psychologist team up to find the missing principal
🍿PTA drama 👀
📱mixed media formatting with social media posts & commentary
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🫶🏽What I enjoyed
This is my new favorite mom-themed cozy mystery!
Mavis is juggling mom life, a job that undervalues her, guilt of not doing enough for her child and judgement from the other moms. She ends up on the PTA and then witnesses a possible crime involving the now missing principal.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The need for suspension of disbelief is still there, but not on the same level as Finlay or Errands & Espionage, which I appreciated. I was laughing out loud from start to finish, but there is also important commentary on social justice, white feminism, gentrification, and DEI initiatives putting more unpaid work on the BIPOC community.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I thought the ending was pretty abrupt, but I’m hoping it was eluding to a series? Elise, please give us more! 🙏🏼

Thank you Berkley Pub for the free book and thank you PRH Audio for my #gifted listening copy of It’s Elementary! #PRHAInfluencer #PRHAudioPartner #BerkleyBookstagram #berkleypub #BerkleyIG #berkley

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐭
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐬𝐡
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

This book was so fun! As a member of our PTA, I was drawn to this book from the start and I thought it was such an interesting premise. I love a cozy mystery so this one checked all the boxes for me! This book also had a hint of romance which was an added bonus! This was a fun ride and one a definitely recommend!

Mavis is anything but a PTA mom, but she somehow finds herself in charge of the school’s new DEI committee, and hopeful to bring about some new changes at the elementary school. After the first PTA meeting doesn’t go as planned, she sees the PTA president acting suspiciously with some cleaning supplies, only to find the principal MIA the next day. Determined to get to the bottom of things, Mavis, along with the school psychologist launch an investigation to find out what actually happened. There were so many fun side characters in this one, including Pearl. I absolutely loved Pearl and thought she stole the show!

🎧I alternated between the physical book and the audiobook, narrated by Aure Nash. I loved the audio and felt like Nash did an excellent job bringing the characters to life. If you are looking for a new audiobook to get lost in, this is it!

✏️Cozy Mystery
✏️Single Mom
✏️PTA Mom Drama
✏️A Hint of Romance

Posted on Goodreads on July 7, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around July 8, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on July 9, 2024
**-will post on designated date

It’s Elementary is a cozy mystery made up of all things moms, kid drop offs, PTA, drama, missing teach, and a bit of romance!

I loved the play on the PTA drama with these moms. It was some of the things moms probably go through as parents and school drama, minus the missing teach/possible murder. The drama begins when Mavis is persuaded/forced by one of the moms Tricia, against her better judgement, to be a part of the DEI committee on the PTA. After witnessing suspicious activity at the school Mavis partners up with new friend Jack to sniff out what really happens.

I loved how this one has a lot of different elements within which were placed and worked so well. My favorite character was Mavis’ daughter Pearl! She gave the story a sassy kid flare, but not annoying kid sassy. I also loved how Mavis and her father worked together to care for Pearl and what she needed to succeed as a kid. With Pearl’s sassiness and these crazy mom groups, this one was funny and quirky. It was a refreshing read!

Brilliant! Don't get me wrong, I felt it was inappropriate for the school psychologist to hit on/inititate a relationship with a parent, but there was a sweet love story element. Working in schools as a teacher (both high school and middle school) I found the families/parents fairly realistic. While I have not encountered someone as passionate, and manipulative, as Trisha, I have no doubt that this persona exists in some areas. Another plus with this book is that it is truly a cozy mystery. There are dramatic and compelling twists and minor plotlines, but nothing grotesque.

Synopsis: Mavis is a busy single mom who has no time for the PTA, but she gets dragged into heading the new DEI committee anyway. When things go awry at the first meeting, and the principal ends up missing the next day, Mavis forms an unlikely partnership with the school psychologist to investigate.

Thoughts: After hearing Elise talk about this book at Berkley’s summer preview, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it! The mix of cozy mystery, romance, the chaos of parenting, and a sprinkle of social commentary is right up my alley. I loved Mavis and thought she was such a relatable character that everyone could root for. The story was full of witty banter and hijinks and a mystery that kept me guessing. I would have liked to see a little more from the romance, but this was still such an enjoyable read!

Read this if you like:
🕵🏻‍♀️ single mom
🕵🏻‍♀️ PTA drama
🕵🏻‍♀️ cozy mysteries
🕵🏻‍♀️ light romance

As a fan of horror and thrillers, cozy mysteries have never been my jam. I need to running and stuff. My favorite type of horror movies are slashers for goodness sakes lol But with Elise Bryant, I swear I would try anything.

Ok so I’mma just say, even as someone who’s not a cozy mystery person I LOVED THIS. I quite literally binged this in two sittings. I haven’t been right since I finished it actually. I don’t like the idea that there isn’t more out there. This is one of those ones where I can’t believe I can only read this for the first time once. It was so good. Are they all like this? lol How have I not read one before? I need some more like this. And I mean like this specifically. Idk if it was because I related so hard to her or what, but I loved this so much.

As a true testament to Bryant’s writing style, this debut into adult was amazing. I found myself glued to the book. And the way I laughed?! OMG I think I almost woke up my kid multiple times the way I was laughing. I had so much fun reading this. I’m so glad I was listening to this via audio because Lordt knows I didn’t want to stop reading it. I ended up listening to it while I was making meals, working, everything. And I laughed so hard the whole time.

The mystery itself was also good even though I figured out who it was. It was more like I needed the proof. The red herring was something so near and dear to me too! I was mad as hell at all of them, but I was very happy that Mavis didn’t allow them to pull that shit. This book may be hilarious and thrilling in other places, but it still covers some real issues and I loved that. Also, even tho this was a cozy mystery, I loved that it still had some bite to it. Basically meaning that when it got to the end where we find out who did it, that’s when it got really interesting. Well it was always interesting, but you know what I mean. It got really goodt.

There is some romance in this one too. In fact, if you catch the title, +10 points for you lol I think what I like best about the romance tho was the fact it wasn’t the focus. They still helped each other solve the mystery and they were still very cute together. Would I have picked someone else for her? Yes. But eh, this wasn’t exactly the point of the story lol

This was EVERYTHING. I don’t want to say too much because it’s a mystery, but it was seriously so much fun. It’s set up to give us a sequel, so I can only hope that we get one. Because this cannot be the end. I will ask Berkley every day until they say they bought more from her lol And I will stand on business about this one lmao

I was in love with this book from the start. Bryant takes on some serious issues even as she keeps the whip-smart dialogue and storytelling light. This might be her first adult novel but I hope it isn’t her last. I also hope we get to see Mavis and company again.