Star-Crossed Egg Tarts is the second charming light paranormal cozy mystery by Jennifer J. Chow. Due out 21st Jan 2025 from Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 343 pages and will be available in paperback, mass-market paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a well written, engaging, series from a consistently prolific *readable* author. The series features a young Asian American protagonist whose family bakery bakes slightly magical sweets. Felicity and Kelvin are again at the center of a murder investigation when they almost literally trip over the body of a member of the wedding party in a wedding they're serving (as caterer and florist)

The character driven plot moves along at a good pace, and the mystery is well engineered and appealing. It's nice to see healthy supportive relationships. Kelvin's always there for Felicity and they make a nice pair of amateur sleuths. It's also nice that the local police detective isn't incompetent or antagonistic, and they semi-bond over the microaggressions and racism-lite that people of color live with every day in the USA.

Four stars. Eminently readable and pleasant. The language is clean, and there's no on-page graphic violence. The author/publisher have also included some crafty recipes (almond cookies, floral boutonniere, and votive holders) at the back of the book in classic cozy mystery style.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Star-Crossed Egg Tarts by Jennifer J. Chow is a delightful blend of magic, mystery, and mouthwatering treats. Felicity, one of the owners of Jin Bakery, has the gift of prediction—but when her powers start to falter, things take a dramatic turn. What was supposed to be a great opportunity—providing egg tarts for a prominent wedding—quickly spirals into a tangled mess of murder and threats to the groom. With a charming setting and intriguing characters, this book will keep you hooked while savoring every twist and turn. (I received an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.) A fun, engaging read!

Thank you, Minotaur Books and NetGalley, for my eARC of Star-Crossed Egg Tarts by Jennifer J. Chow. All opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery about a magical baker, Felicity, who caters a wedding which turns deadly and ends up helping to solve the murder with her best friend Kelvin.

This book checked off so many boxes: murder, mystery, love, food, magic, friends-to-lovers, and frenemies. I liked the development of the plot and how we're led down different leads to suspect multiple members of the wedding party before ultimately figuring out who did it.

There were a few different side-stories to follow along with, but it didn't take away from the story or feel like they were out of place, which can sometimes happen. One other thing that I appreciated was that Felicity's solution is to always give someone a fortune cookie -- that's something my grandma would do and though for Felicity it was a way to use her magic, it's a fun addition to this novel.

If you're into cozy mysteries, food-centered books, a bit of magical whimsy, or a fun whodunnit, I recommend this one. This can be read as a standalone, but I look forward to seeing what comes next in the series!
Thanks, Minotaur!

What is it about weddings? Felicity and her BFF Kelvin are catering and supplying the flowers for the Lum-Wu wedding-which should be a good thing except that a groomsman is found under the "wedding cake"" display having been stabbed with Kelvin's shears! Well, they know they didn't do it (and that they didn't poison someone else) but who did? If that's not enough, her father has also turned up. Felicity has special powers but she's also got her mom, Kelvin, and Det. Sun (who is a good egg) to help her solve the mystery. It's a genial mystery and the second in a series - but it will be just fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For cozy fans who like a touch of the paranormal in the mix.

Felicity is catering her first wedding and everything seems to be going... well as smoothly as possible on her end, when the body is found and her best friend Kelvin becomes a suspect. Well, she can't let that stand and she and Kelvin proceed to do some sleuthing of their own and begin to question the wedding party, including the bride and groom.

I enjoyed seeing Felicity using her new-found baking skills in pursuit of finding a killer while juggling her father suddenly appearing back in her life, and her friend being a suspect. I didn't suspect who the killer was until it was revealed, and I'm very excited to see where this series is going to go next.

This one is a cozy mystery in a series that I have no read before. Felicity Jin has been hired to supply a wedding cake of tiered egg tarts for a Lum-wedding being held outdoors. Things are going well until a body is discovered underneath the cake table. Felicity goes on the case to discover who really murdered Miles and discovers that most of the wedding party had sufficient motives to want him dead. I liked the bakery aspect of this book, especially magical pastries - (asian desserts, yum) I liked the small town setting. Love a good sleuthing story. A solid story for those looking for a cozy mystery. Thank you to NETGALLEY and the publishers for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another fun book in the series. I love the deeper connection that we get to the characters. Most cozy mysteries don't allow the reader to know he characters except on a superficial level. This was a lot of fun to read!

Star-Crossed Egg Tarts
Book Two in the Magical Fortune Cookie series
by Jennifer J. Chow
Genre: Mystery/Cozy Mystery
Pages: 352
Pub date: Jan 21, 2025
Imprint: Minotaur Books
ISBN: 9781250323255

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an e-copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

Star-Crossed Egg Tarts is the second book in the Magical Fortune Cookie series, and I enjoyed this one more than the first book. The mystery pulled me in from the start—someone is murdered at the wedding baker Felicity Jin is catering. When Detective Rylan Sun pegs Felicity’s best friend Kelvin Love as a prime suspect, Felicity knows she needs to solve the case and clear Kelvin. There are plenty of suspects. The bride, groom, and the rest of the wedding party. The plot twists and turns, and I found myself changing my mind on the murderer.

The first book in the series didn’t really hold my interest. But Star-Crossed Egg Tarts kept me turning the pages. This second book in the series is far stronger than the first. The magical elements held my interest, the characters are more developed, and the plot was fast-paced and kept me guessing. 4/5 stars.

The second book in this cozy series, and it was a good follow up to the first. As Felicity and her bff Kelvin provide services to a wedding in the park, Felicity finds the dead body of the groom’s cousin. With the entire wedding party as suspects, Felicity and Kelvin investigate the crime. On top of that, Felicity runs into someone unexpected and has to evaluate her feelings. This is shaping up to be a really good cozy mystery series and I look forward to seeing where it goes next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the arc.

A fun, magical (if somewhat illogical) cozy mystery with a bit of romance! I didn't read the first book in the series but the author makes it easy to jump in here with Felicity, Kelvin, and the many residents of small town Pixie. I would love to know more about the magical abilities Felicity and her family members have, but I just didn't love the mystery..

STAR-CROSSED EGG TARTS is the second book in the Magical Fortune Mysteries by Jennifer J. Chow. While I really liked the first book in the series, this one exceeded my expectations, and I enjoyed it even more! Protagonist Felicity Jin has found her stride and is more confident with her baking skills—especially where it pertains to her magical abilities in writing personalized fortunes for her fortune cookies—and seems more secure in her relationship with her mom and her best friend, Kelvin. Her belief in herself gives the overall story a feeling of joy and strength, even when things go wrong. Ms. Chow imbues each core character with personalities that draw the readers in and make you want to spend time in the bakery, eating pastries, and sipping tea. She also adds an emotional level to the book when Felicity’s father shows up, the first she’s seen of him after he abandoned her as an infant. How Felicity handles the situation is testament to the growth and self-confidence she’s experienced since finding her skills and solving a murder in the first book.

With Felicity catering tiers of egg tarts for an outdoor wedding and Kelvin providing the flowers, the worst they thought they’d have to contend with was the heat in the middle of July in the San Joaquin Valley. Instead, Felicity finds one of the wedding attendants murdered with Kelvin’s gardening shears, hidden beneath her dessert table. While I’d classify this as a character-driven story, Ms. Chow knows how to write a well-plotted mystery at a good pace that kept me turning pages. As Felicity and Kelvin dig into the lives of the wedding party, they find secrets they’d rather remain hidden, which the victim had planned on broadcasting during the wedding speeches. There are clues to follow, but I still didn’t guess correctly as Felicity and Kelvin unveiled the killer. I enjoyed how they worked together more closely this time to solve the case and I look forward to the changes that are hinted at in future books!

This cozy mystery is the second in the Magical Fortune Cookies series. Felicity Jin has been hired to supply a wedding cake of tiered egg tarts for the Lum-Wu wedding being held outdoors in Pixie Park. Besides the groom's bickering parents, things are going well until a body is discovered underneath the cake table.

Miles Wu is a cousin of the groom's and is found with Felicity's best friend Kelvin's pruning shears stabbed into his neck. In order to clear her best friend's name, Felicity goes on the case to discover who murdered Miles and discovers that most of the wedding party had sufficient motives to want him dead.

Adding to the stress, Felicity meets her father for the first time since he is a guest at the wedding. Richard Zhou abandoned his wife and daughter when Felicity was an infant. While her mother is very bitter, Felicity has always been curious about him. Deciding whether or not she wants to build a relationship with her absentee father is a problem that winds through this story.

This was an entertaining cozy mystery. Felicity's ability to design custom fortunes in the fortune cookies she bakes in the bakery she owns with her mother helps in solving the case. I liked the small town setting although I question the viability of a bakery that only sells three items even if they are magical. I liked Felicity's determination to solve the murder and clear her friend. I also liked that she was gradually and hesitantly changing her relationship with Kelvin as she discovers that friendship can also be romantic love.

This is the second book in a cozy series, but you don't necessarily need to read the first book to enjoy this one. There was enough background information to fall in love with the characters and the setting with just this book. Felicity and Kevin are doing the cake a florals for a wedding in town. But, when the day finally arrives, someone is found dead after being stabbed with garden shears. Kevin becomes a suspect in the investigation and Felicity try to investigate to find the real killer. I felt as if I was a sleuth alongside Felicity and was finding out all the details as she did. This wasn't a straightforward mystery, which I enjoyed.

Felicity Jin is creating an egg tart wedding cake for a wedding in Pixie Park. When Kelvin confirms a dead body under the cake table, the reception becomes an investigation and Kelvin becomes the main suspect. Felicity ends up investigating, along with a cleared Kelvin. A good mystery that keeps you guessing. The subplots also provide interesting reading. Love these characters and the magical bunny.. The story kept me engaged and I would love to visit this family bakery!
I received an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a review.

I Knew who the killer is early in the book, it was so obvious..I kept telling the characters but they weren’t listening, lol. I enjoyed the plot but feel that most of the characters are one-dimensional, it really focuses on one aspect of their personality & that’s it. The whole thing with her father feels unnecessary to the story although it might give a hint to the very ending of the story. #Star-CrossedEggTarts #NetGalley

I loved the development of the main characters in this second book. Great balance of the mystery and moving the characters lives forward! My only complaint is that I wish they delved a bit deeper into the motives of the criminal once they were unmasked.

I'm enjoying this series very much, a refreshing subject in the cozy mystery world. It's difficult to talk about Star-Crossed Egg Tarts without spoiling anything, what I will say is I'm curious as to where Felicity's abilities lead her next and how the connection between her and Kelvin will affect how they grow... is he gaining abilities by being with Felicity or is he amplifying hers? The connection with her father is an interesting one as well, it's interesting how he reacted to the premonitions. Was he really concerned or did he use it as an excuse to leave when they didn't work in his favor. I have a feeling he will be back. This is a great series by Jennifer J. Chow and one i highly recommend diving into if you are looking for a new author and/or cozy series to read.

Star Crossed Egg Tarts is the second in a series but I didn’t have any trouble keeping up with the story starting here. The Jin Bakery is catering a wedding when a groomsman disappears and baker Felicity stumbles over the body. When her best friend, Kelvin becomes a suspect, Felicity begins to investigate a murder with a seemingly endless supply of suspects. There is definite chemistry between Felicity and Kelvin with a romance brewing. The case is unpredictable and the characters feel like your friends for an entertaining cozy with a touch of magic. I will be reading the first book in the series to find out more about Felicity’s fortune writing abilities. Overall this is an interesting cozy I would definitely recommend. My voluntary, unbiased, and non-mandatory review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

After floundering for years to find her niche in the family baking circle, Felicity is finally coming into her own. Her fortune cookies are a hit and their family bakery is doing well. Is it luck, talent, or magic? Maybe a bit of each? Felicity does have a knack of writing just the right personalized fortune cookie message for customers. She's even learning the possibilities and limits of that magical touch this go round. But, first, she has a wedding party to cater. Everything is going well until, yikes, the body of groomsman Miles is discovered under the table holding Felicity's tarts. That stops the wedding in its tracks and Felicity finds herself involved in the investigation when the murder weapon is discovered to be her long-time friend Kelvin's gardening shears. In other words, it's personal.

There turn out to be ample suspects, all involved in the wedding. Detective Rylan Sun, no surprise, warns Felicity to stay out of it. Does Felicity listen? Oh, you already know the answer to that. Kelvin is her friend, one she's known practically forever, and she'd do almost anything to protect him. Let's just say her feelings run deep, even to the point of pretending to be his girlfriend while investigating. As it turns out, one of the bride's party finds him quite attractive, too. Oh, boy. Does that make things happen. But, between baking and dealing with customers much of the day, not to mention dealing with an unexpected arrival that she may or may not have conjured up by a wish, Felicity is one busy woman. I liked how she took in the bridal party almost like family, albeit one of them was surely a murderer. Family looms big in this novel. It was fun to see how well the author intertwined the regular cast of characters with the guests, too, even including Kelvin's father in the mix. Again, family. Will her snooping get Felicity in trouble? You already know the answer to that one, too.

Bottom line, an entertaining, heart-felt read. I liked Felicity from the start when I read book one, so it was nice to see her story expanded this go-round. We learn more about her family as well as Kelvin's, not to mention her mother's tendency to "adopt" others such as Detective Sun, who has just moved into the neighborhood. The point is made repeatedly that the Jin Bakery's family goodies are made with love and there seems to be more than enough of that to go round and pull others into its embrace. I'm looking forward to seeing how the more-or-less addition of Det. Rylan Sun to the family goes. There's definitely a lovely twist at the end, another that makes me anxious to see where this is all going. Thanks to #StMartin'sPress - #Minotaur for allowing me to drop in early to Pixie Park and Jin Bakery to catch up with characters I've grown to feel like I know. I definitely appreciated the well-rounded characters given the wedding party, too, which extended that family feel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read Star-Crossed Egg Tarts, the second book in Jennifer Chow's Magical Fortune Cookie cozy mystery series. I didn't read the first one, but the author provided enough background that I could enjoy the story without feeling lost or confused about character relationships.
The first-person protagonist, Felicity Jin, owns a bakery with her mother, and when the story opens, she has been asked to provide the "cake" (actually a tower of egg tarts) for an outdoor wedding in their tiny hometown, Pixie, a suburb of Fresno. Her best friend, Kelvin, owner of a nearby florist shop, has supplied the flowers. Unfortunately, the beautiful ceremony is marred when a member of the wedding party is found dead under the cake table, stabbed with a pair of Kelvin's garden shears.
When Kelvin becomes a suspect, Felicity decides to investigate, trying to clear her friend's name. Her amateur sleuthing uncovers secrets and motives from all the attendants, and even the bride and groom. After the groom is poisoned and slips into a coma, Felicity and Kelvin ramp up their sleuthing efforts. Eventually, Felicity puts all the clues together and confronts the killer—endangering her own life in the process.
This was a well-constructed mystery with multiple suspects; I didn't figure out whodunnit until Felicity did. There is a light paranormal theme which I didn't quite get, but I'm not a big paranormal fan.
Felicity is a likable heroine, and I enjoyed watching her relationship with Kelvin blossom.