Wednesday, November 26, 2014


Hello all.

I've been pretty sick for the past week or so and fighting hard to shake it. 

Then I met a new friend, pictured above, and he told me Thanksgiving was a stressful holiday for him. 

So, this sick blogger and the stressed turkey are going to take some time off. Just for the Thanksgiving holidays.

We're going to read and nap and get ourselves feeling back to normal.

I would love to hear what you're doing for the Thanksgiving holidays.

Please use the comment section and tell me what you'll be doing. 
Will you be able to get any reading in?

I just finished reading
ON BORROWED TIME
by Jenn McKinlay

I started reading 
FOR WHOM THE BLUEBELL TOLLS
by Beverly Allen

Hope to start reading
DEATH OF A CHRISTMAS CATERER
by Lee Hollis


My new friend wanted to share his reading list as well

T. Turkey will be reading
THE GREAT TURKEY RACE
by Steve Metzger

And
TURKEY CLAUS
by Wendi Silvano

Have a very blessed Thanksgiving. 
See you on Monday, December 1!

Tuesday, November 25, 2014



Monday Mystery Mashup
Solutions

1. Old Fashioned Crooks

2. Spinning in Her Grave

3. Designer Dirty Laundry

4. Death Loves a Messy Desk

5. Glossed and Found


Monday, November 24, 2014


It's
MONDAY MYSTERY MASHUP

Do you like to solve puzzles?
Do you love to win prizes?
If you said yes to both questions,
you're in the right place! 

It's easy.
Below are five scrambled cozy mystery titles.
Unscramble the titles and enter your answers into 
the Rafflecopter form below.

The more titles you guess correctly, 
the more chances you have to win!

Giveaway is open to US and Canada

This week's Monday Mystery Mashup is being hosted  by author
Karen Rose Smith!


Karen is giving away a signed copy of  
STAGED TO DEATH
Book 1 in her Caprice De Luca Mystery series

Cozy mystery, Book 1 in the Caprice De Luca home-stager mystery series

Caprice DeLuca stages houses for high-end clients. When she discovers a body in the castle-mansion she staged to sell and starts asking questions, she finds herself in danger. On the way to solving the murder, Caprice's large Italian family helps and hinders. She also finds romance with Dr. Seth Randolph. But does her brother's partner, attorney Grant Weatherford, care about her, too? Or is he just worried she'll get herself killed and her family will blame him?

Enjoy solving the mystery with Caprice, cook along with her, see her find homes for the stray animals she protects, be a part of the De Luca family...in STAGED TO DEATH.

Book 3 in this series, GILT BY ASSOCIATION, releases January 27, 2015

Let's get to unmashing those cozy titles!

1. Dol Safihneod Ksocro 

2. Psngnnii ni Reh Agerv

3. Eigdrnse Yritd Rndlyau 

4. Tadeh Oslev A Sysme Edks

5. Olsdsge Nda Uodfn 

Please only leave your guesses 
through Rafflecopter

Learn more about author Karen Rose Smith

As always, please leave a comment and 
let me know what you think!

Want to follow my blog? 
Click on the link in the 
upper right hand corner of this page!

GOOD LUCK!

Sunday, November 23, 2014


STIRRING THE PLOT
Book 3 in the Cookbook Nook Mystery series
by
Daryl Wood Gerber

3rd in nationally bestselling Cookbook Nook Mystery series
Halloween in Crystal Cove, California, is a big deal, involving a spooky soiree where the Winsome Witches, a fund-raising group, gather to open up their purse strings and trade superstitions. But party magicians, fortune-tellers, and herbalists are only the beginning of this recipe for disaster...


Jenna Hart has packed The Cookbook Nook chock-full of everything from ghostly texts to witchy potions in anticipation of the annual fund-raiser luncheon. But there's one unexpected addition to the menu: murder.


When the Head Priestess of the Winsome Witches is found dead under mysterious circumstances, there's no logical answer and plenty of blame to go around. With her aunt, Vera, unable to call on her ability to foresee the future, Jenna will have to use more than just sleight of hand and a few magic tricks to conjure up the truth...


I was really looking forward to this third book in the Cookbook Nook Mystery series. It was worth the wait!

Ms. Gerber once again shares the beautiful setting of Crystal Cove, Ca, and the delightful shop, The Cookbook Nook along with it its connect cafe. I love that she has the store not only selling cookbooks and cooking related items, but also foodie related fiction.

Her wonderful cast of characters are another reason for reading this series. I love Katie, the chef. She would be so fun to hang out with! Also, there was an exchange involving the characters Jenna the book protagonist, her father, and a gent names Jake that just tickled me.

"Good day, Jenna," Jake said. "I hope you have wonderful things planned for yourself."
It was Jake's standard line. "I do, sir, and you?"
"Haven't gone but one day without doing something that pleased me." That one day was the day he buried his wife. "Have at it, Cary," he yelled to my father.
"Have at it," my father echoed.

That's all we get to see of Jake in this story, but I hope we get to hear from him more in future books. Fin interactions like this are just one of the reasons I enjoyed this book. They mystery in this one had me stumped. There were so many people who could have wanted the victim dead. And of course, I guessed wrong.

I can't find any real negatives about STIRRING THE PLOT, and I wasn't really looking for any. If I had to point out one thing though, it would be the repetitiveness of the clues. I know they have to be gone over, but I felt it may have been done one too many times, I would much rather seen that time spent on other parts of the story. Maybe more to do with the Cookbook Nook itself. That being said, it sure didn't bother me enough to keep me from wanting to read the next book!

I love this series. And if you enjoy a good mystery, and very likable characters, you're going to love it too!

Get your copy of STIRRING THE PLOT today!




I'd love to know what you thought of my review.  
And if you have read the book, what did you think of it?

Comments are always welcomed and looked forward to.

If you'd like to follow my blog, please click the link in the upper right hand corner of this page.

Saturday, November 22, 2014


IF THE SHOE KILLS
Book 3 in the Tourist Trap Mystery series
by
Lynn Cahoon

The tourist town of South Cove, California, is a lovely place to spend the holidays. But this year, shop owner Jill Gardner discovers there's no place like home for homicide. . .

As owner of Coffee, Books, and More, Jill Gardner looks forward to the hustle and bustle of holiday shoppers. But when the mayor ropes her into being liasion for a new work program, 'tis the season to be wary. Local businesses are afraid the interns will be delinquents, punks, or worse. For Jill, nothing's worse than Ted Hendricks--the jerk who runs the program. After a few run-ins, Jill's ready to kill the guy. That, however, turns out to be unnecessary when she finds Ted in his car--dead as a doornail. Officer Greg assumes it's a suicide. Jill thinks it's murder. And if the holidays weren't stressful enough, a spoiled blonde wants to sue the city for breaking her heel. Jill has to act fast to solve this mess--before the other shoe drops. . .

Having read and enjoyed the first two books in this series, I was thrilled to finally read IF THE SHOE KILLS. This story did not disappoint!

I would totally hangout in protagonist Jill Gardner's shop, Coffee, Books and More, Every town needs a place just like it.

In this third installment I continued to enjoy the relationships between the characters in the series. It's been fun watching them grow throughout each book.

Ms. Cahoon once again kept me guessing as to the identity of the killer. She has a great way of throwing in just enough clues to make you say "Hmmm", but then second guess yourself, which I did.

If you like your mysteries cozy, fun, with a touch of romance, and hard to put down, then IF THE SHOE KILLS and the entire Tourist Trap Mystery series is for you!

Get your copy of IF THE SHOE KILLS today!
 



I'd love to know what you thought of my review.  
And if you have read the book, what did you think of it?

Comments are always welcomed and looked forward to.

If you'd like to follow my blog, please click the link in the upper right hand corner of this page.

Friday, November 21, 2014

It's
Cozy Food Friday!

That means it's time to share a recipe from 
another great cozy mystery!

Today I'm featuring a recipe from the cozy mystery 
ON BORROWED TIME
Book 5 in the Library Lover's Mystery series
by
Jenn McKinlay 

The New York Times bestselling Library Lover's mysteries continue with a hot new case...

Loving a good cup of coffee runs in the family for Briar Creek library director Lindsey Norris. But when her brother, Jack, a consultant for a coffee company, goes missing, her favorite beverage becomes a key clue in a dangerous mystery.

Between preparing the library for the holidays and juggling the affections of ex-boyfriend, Captain Mike Sullivan, and her new crush, actor Robbie Vine, Lindsey has her hands full. But the mysterious disappearance of her world-traveling playboy brother takes precedence over all.

Afraid that involving the police could brew trouble for Jack, Lindsey takes matters into her own hands. But as her quest for her brother embroils her in a strange case involving South American business dealings and an enigmatic and exotic woman, it’ll take the help of both her library book club—the crafternooners—and her eager-to-please suitors to keep Jack from ending up in hot water…

INCLUDES READING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS

On to the yummy recipe!

BETH'S SPINACH DIP

INGREDIENTS

1 (10 - ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
1 (16 - ounce) container sour cream
1 (8 - ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 cup mayonnaise 
1 package Knorr vegetable soup mix
3 green onions chopped (optional)


Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and let chill for 2 hours.

Serve in the bowl with dipping options such as bread cubes, crackers or fresh veggies on the side. 

You can also hollow out a large loaf of sourdough bread and put the dip inside.

Tear up the removed inside of the bread for dipping. Yum.

                                                             Please note that all food photos are from Google Images.
Your version may vary in appearance.


This sounds like a nice change from all the hot versions of this dip. And so easy to make! 

Perfect for all the holiday dinners and parties coming up!

You can purchase 
ON BORROWED TIME by Jenn McKinlay 
at your local bookstore or order it online




For signed copies you can order from...


NOTE: I am not in an affiliate program with any online company.
I do not receive payment in anyway for my suggestions to you or 
if you make your purchases from a company I mention. 

Keep reading and check out my installments of 
Book Beginnings on Fridays
and
The Friday 56

Book Beginnings on Fridays is a meme hosted by Rose City Reader
Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading

Keeping my Cozy Food Friday theme going with 
ON BORROWED TIME by Jenn McKinlay
Book 5 in the Library Lover's Mystery series
My Book Beginnings for this week..

Lindsey Norris, director of the Briar Creek Public Library, strode across the library with her keys in hand. It was lunch hour on Thursday, which meant book talk, crafts and snacks, as their weekly crafternoon book club gathered in a meeting room on the far side of the building. 

Out of all the activities the library hosted, this was by far Lindsey's favorite. She figured it was the book nerd in her that loved it so, but truthfully, these ladies had become her dearest friends since she'd moved to Briar Creek, Connecticut, a few years ago, and any afternoon she shared with them was time well spent. 

"Lindsey, wait up!" a voice called to her from the children's department. She spun around to see an old-fashioned aviator charging toward her. 

The Friday 56 is a meme hosted by Freda's Voice
Rules: *Grab a book, any book. *Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader (If you have to improvise, that's okay.) *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you. *Post it.

Continuing with the ON BORROWED TIME theme
My Friday 56...

"Isn't it dangerous?" she cried over the wind that clawed at her hair and clothes.

"More so for them than us," Sully shouted. "I know where the rocks are!"

The speedboat was gaining speed and disappearing around Clover Island, named not for its shape but for the first family to live there. Sully cursed under his breath and yelled, "Hang on!" 

Praise for the Library Lover's Mysteries

“Sure to please cozy readers everywhere.”—Ellery Adams, 
New York Times bestselling author

“Terrific…Intelligent, fun, and lively.”—Miranda James,
 New York Times bestselling author

“Fast-paced and fun…An endearing protagonist.”—Kate Carlisle, 
New York Times bestselling author

“A sparkling setting, lovely characters, books, knitting, and chowder! What more could any reader ask?”—Lorna Barrett, New York Times bestselling author

“A winning formula.”—Library Journal

The Author
The hardest decision New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay ever had to make was what to major in during college. Then she discovered the sanctuary of the library and library science—a major that allowed her to study all the subjects. She loves working as a librarian. After all, what other occupation allows you to research the ethnobotanical properties of agave, perform a puppet show for twenty wiggly toddlers, and try to answer why the rabbit’s foot is considered lucky, all in the same day? Jenn is the author of the Cupcake Bakery Mysteries, including Sugar and IcedGoing, Going, Ganache, and Red Velvet Revenge, the Hat Shop Mysteries, includingDeath of a Mad Hatter and Cloche and Dagger, and the Library Lover's mysteries, including Read It and WeepBook, Line, and Sinker, and Due or Die. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, in a house that is overrun with books, pets, kids, and her husband’s guitars.

Learn more about Jenn on her website 

As always, please leave a comment and 
let me know what you think!

Follow my blog by 
clicking on the link in the 
upper right hand corner of this page.