Enjoyed it: well written, funny, good storytelling. A solid andt witty mystery
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this digital copy, all opinions are mine

Since I’m switching up my reading habits this new year, I am looking for books that fit my new parameters, and I requested this book. I was immediately drawn into the book, and I immediately connected with the main character Viv. She is a little sad, but she still keeps her outlook up about not being able to cook. I did not connect with who I think is her love interest. He annoyed me for some reason, and I’m not sure I liked him. In addition, I wasn’t really sure I liked her ancestors popping up in food at first. I did think it was amusingly unique, so I gave it a chance. I liked it more at the end, and I am ready for more of Viv’s adventures and to find out who has is out for her. Overall, this is a fun, well-written cozy with an interesting cast of characters. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

Interesting cozy mystery that I took a chance on.
I liked the story but I just couldn't connect with any of the characters.
I do give it a 3.5 star rating, because I did enjoy the story.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up this book. However, it was surprisingly good. I love the concept of the hex that Viv has been cursed with. It fits perfectly with her training and in the storyline. The way she approaches each column that she writes talking about her grandmother really endeared to me even more. I’m looking forward to many more in this series.

‘No one wants to get dragged into something that horrible.’

All Viv wants is to be able to cook, but that doesn’t seem to be in the cards for her anytime soon since she’s been hexed. Or at least according to her three gourmet ancestors that pop up (literally) at the most inconvenient times. In the mean time she’s surviving on raw foods and lunch meat, stumbling over a dead body, catching the eye of a local firefighter and trying to appear not too crazy while trying out her new career as a food writer. It’s a hysterically funny new series that you can’t miss!

The Bun Also Rises is exactly the kind of cozy mystery that feels like slipping into a sunny kitchen—if that kitchen occasionally bursts into flames and is haunted by three opinionated gourmet ghosts. Vivianna Marston is an instantly lovable heroine: determined, a little chaotic, and trying her best to build a culinary career despite being hexed into setting every appliance ablaze. Her ghostly ancestors popping in and out of her dishes add such a fun, whimsical energy, and their bickering guidance made me smile every time they appeared.

Crystal Bay, Florida, is the perfect backdrop for Viv’s misadventures—quirky locals, small‑town secrets, and a murder that tangles everyone together in the most entertaining way. I loved watching Viv pivot from aspiring chef to “Snooty Foodie” columnist, using her new role to poke around town while trying to clear her name. The mystery has just the right amount of intrigue without ever losing its cozy charm.

And then there’s Jake, the laid‑back volunteer firefighter with a heart of gold and a talent for ceviche. His chemistry with Viv is sweet and slow‑burn, adding a lovely romantic thread without overshadowing the mystery.

This book is playful, comforting, and full of personality—a perfect pick for readers who enjoy culinary cozies with a sprinkle of magic, a dash of humor, and a heroine you can’t help rooting for. I had such a good time in Crystal Bay, and I’m already hungry for the next Snooty Foodie adventure.

With thanks to Jane Elzey, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

This book hits the cozy trifecta: small town charm, a mystery, and a romance that begins with an adorable meet cute. The finishing quirky touch were the “Gourmet ancestors” who enjoy adding inconvenient commentary to the main characters daily life. I totally pictured them as the two grumpy muppets hecklers Statler and Waldorf (only there are three ancestors). The author’s absolutely gorgeous descriptions had me quickly falling for Crystal bay and its residents. I also strongly recommend having a snack nearby as all the mouth-watering descriptions of food (and there are MANY) left me feeling peckish. The “Snooty Foody” newspaper columns provided clever transitions to move time forward. With that said, there is a LOT going on in this book and it took me a minute to get everything straight. I also wish more time had been given to addressing the main character’s Hex but I also recognize this is book one in a series. Overall, a quick and cozy read for anyone in the mood for a quirky culinary mystery.

Thank you so much to Jane Elzey and NetGalley for allowing me access to this ARC.

This book is quirky, funny, & entertaining. I really enjoyed the mystery part of this book. Of course it was predictable but that’s the way I like my mysteries. I liked the element of her ancestors popping in, that added a lot of comedic relief in some of the more tense scenes. I didn’t feel super attached to the characters some seem almost a little too quirky and unrealistic. I feel like this could’ve been a 4 star cozy mystery for me, but the dark magic and hexing was a little much for me and my personal convictions. Overall a quick and entertaining read!

Thank you NetGalley & Jane Elzey for the ARC copy.

This was a little bit mad from page one. There was a lot to try to juggle in terms of plot - Viv is a chef who has been recently hexed so she can't cook with heat in any capacity (including even making a coffee) or the food/appliances burst into flames, she has recently moved to a new town and has to find another career path, she can see some of her deceased ancestors inside random food items, she finds a dead body that leads her into a murder mystery where she is the main suspect, and add in a budding romance on top for fun.

It's a lot to get your head around and made it difficult to follow at times. But it was short, light hearted and fairly fun. I wish some of the characters had been more fleshed out, but I think this might have been due to it being the first book in a series and it helped keep us suspicious of everyone initially. I'm intrigued by the hex mystery, but a little disappointed there was no movement on it in this book - is do worry that may be a mystery that continues unanswered throughout the series but hopefully not!

My current goto for everyday reading is cozy mystery so I was happy for this chance to read an arc for The Bun Also Rises(thank you NetGalley)..One day chef wannabe Viv Marston is flying through culinary school acing her recipes and the next day her masterpieces are going up in flames. Although she has lost her ability to cook with heat she gains three ghostly ancestors who pop up in food products to give her advice. She also inherits the house of an aunt she didn’t know well(who happened to have the same name as her) so at least she has somewhere to go. To put food on the table her professor tips her off to a job as a food reviewer for a local paper so that is what she is doing. When she stumbles upon a dead body in the park one morning she takes it upon herself to investigate the murder and while doing that meets many interesting characters in the town.
This was a silly little cozy mystery with a slightly awkward fmc. I really enjoyed the food facts and articles that are spread out throughout the book. The hex was interesting and the descriptions of foods kept me hungry for more. I was not a fan of the fmc however, she was a little too naïve to be investigating. And all I could picture with the ancestors after their first appearance in her eggs was the scene in the movie Casper where he turns into an egg. I did enjoy some of the side characters more. Third person pov. No spice but some light romance.

📚The Bun Also Rises
✍🏻Jane Elzey
Blurb:
A hexed chef. Three ghostly gourmet ancestors. A murder in a Florida beach town. Crystal Bay could be the fresh start Viv needs if she can tame the flame.

Perfect for foodies who love ghostly sidekicks, crave-worthy recipes, and small-town sleuthing.

When Vivianna Marston enrolls in culinary school after a family showdown about her future, she never expected this. She’s a chef hexed by fire. She’s also haunted by three ghostly gourmet ancestors who pop into her food unannounced.

Uncle Floyd, Aunts Clara and Earlene claim they’re here to help her break the curse, but the task is harder than they thought. Then Viv stumbles onto a murder scene and becomes the A.1. Sauce suspect. Clearing her name will take more than an alibi from three gourmet ghosts.

Viv hoped that moving into Crystal Bay and the home she inherited from her namesake aunt was going to be the remedy she needed. It isn’t. Whenever she applies heat, the kitchen goes up in flames. Stove, oven, Crock-Pot, toaster. Heat is off-limits.

Enter Jake Palmer, volunteer firefighter and local heartthrob, who’s keeping a close eye on Viv. He knows fire, and the flames in her kitchen don’t behave like they should.

Banned from cooking, Viv reinvents herself as the Snooty Foodie columnist for the local newspaper. It’s the perfect cover for sleuthing. She soon discovers her Crystal Bay neighbors have history, secrets, and maybe something worth killing for.

Can Viv solve the mystery before the retiring detective makes Viv his last arrest? Can she break the hex before it ruins her career? Is Jake an ally or a distraction?

The Snooty Foodie Mystery series blends small-town sleuthing, ghostly sidekicks, and culinary chaos with a pinch of magic.
My Thoughts:
What a delightful, cozy read, Viv is well on her way to culinary greatness, when the unthinkable happens. A mysterious hex causes spontaneous kitchen fires to occur the moment Viv tries to cook with any form of heat.Forced to pivot, Viv moves into her aunt’s old home and takes up a gig writing the local culinary review column as the “The Snooty Foodie”. Incredibly discouraged, three ghostly “Gourmet Ancestors” are summoned from the ether to help her find answers. This is the first book in a new series, and I truly hope there will be many more. I really enjoyed the storyline, the characters, the fun gourmet ancestors, and the touch of magic. It’s a wonderful mix that makes for a very enjoyable read.
Thanks NetGalley, Scoripus Carta Press and Author Jane Elzey for the complimentary copy or 'The Bun Also Rises" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#ScoripusCartaPress
#TheBunAsloRises
#JaneElzey
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️Trigger Warning:Violence, Murder

The premise had me curious from the start. Gourmet ghosts is such a fun hook. The idea that Viv’s three ancestors only appear when food is served and basically critique her culinary life from beyond the grave is peak paranormal cozy mystery energy. The vibes are undeniably cute. The small-town sleuthing, the culinary chaos, the ghostly sidekicks floating into dinner service like they own the place. Jane Elzey stirs together culinary charm, a sprinkle of humor, and a haunted-family dynamic that’s equal parts endearing and exasperating.

That said, I struggled to stay fully engaged. For a book this short, the pacing could’ve used more spice. The concept of a hexed chef and gourmet ghosts is deliciously unique, but the execution felt under-seasoned. I liked the concept a lot more than I liked the execution though. The pacing felt uneven, and I caught myself drifting out of the story more often than I wanted to. Even speed reading didn’t fully fix that disconnect. The mystery itself is cozy and serviceable, but it didn’t quite grip me.

Still, the quirky small-town setting had its appeal. Crystal Bay felt like a perfect background for budding romance, meddling spirits, and culinary mayhem. I can absolutely see this series finding its audience among readers who adore light supernatural mysteries with foodie flair. I just wasn’t the right diner for this particular dish.

Viviane Marathon is heading to culinary school where three ghost ancestors arrive also. Crystal Bay, Florida is her new home after inheriting her aunt's house. Big is also headed and the ghosts set out to find who has heard her. A fun quirky mystery where Viv is #1 suspect. Loved the ghosts and their ways. Good story plot. Can't wait for the next one in this series. Thanks #Netgalley and #VictoryEditingNetgalleyCoop for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

This book was so much fun to read! I was intrigued the entire way through and thought the characters were so well developed and loveable!