First of all... : 2022

Saturday, December 31, 2022

Happy New Year! #TheSundayPost

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

Hi! How are you? Happy New Year! I decided to try a new New Years' tradition for 2023. Have you ever heard of this?

I'm looking forward to a year of peace, joy, and happiness! I plan to do my best to keep up with reading and then writing about my read here. I have a plan for January--so I'm off to a good start.

If you are off work this upcoming week and are looking for things to watch. I highly recommend the Love, Lizzo documentary on HBOMAX.

Thanks for visiting my blog! This week I'll be sharing my thoughts on these books:

Friday, December 30, 2022

Long time no see--and Unf*uck Your Brain review

Happy New Year's Eve Eve! I'm having a heck of a time trying to type because I'm wearing a wrist brace. Right before Christmas, I fell while running and injured my wrist. On the plus side it's not my writing hand but I definitely need it for typing. I have to keep the brace on until 1/9.

This has really crushed my plan to do lots of blogging while I'm on break from school. I go back to work the same day I have a follow up appt and should most likely get the OK to stop wearing the brace.

How are you? Did you get any new books for Christmas?

Recently I saw that this book was free with my Audible subscription, I downloaded it and listened to it in one afternoon.

This is written and told in a very casual and swear word filled style. Obviously the title of the book is your first clue on that. I didn't find the language off-putting and I found some beneficial information and advice. Below are my key takeaways-

1. Anger is a secondary emotion.

2. Our brains have a story telling mode, which is great but can lead to trouble if you are reliving a trauma.

3. Grouding helps if you are having PTSD, anyone can have PTSD and it doesn't always last long term.

4. You don't have to keep going back over traumatic events. You can let it go.

5. Journaling is a very helpful way to work through your trauma.

I appreciated the broad definitely of trauma used by Faith Harper. What is a difficult time for one person may not be for someone else.

I would recommend this book as a good starting point or a refresher for anyone that feels stuck or is looking to change their behaviors.

4 stars!

#COYER 10 Year Annivesary Challege

I can't believe 2013 is 10 years ago but here we are. I found the COYER challenge a couple of years ago. I love the idea of working on reading books already own, but I'm not the best at keeping up with posting on the challenge. I appreciate that the COYER Community is pretty forgiving when it comes to consistency.

My goal this year is to set aside the time to follow through with the challenge. I'm glad for the first season/semester of 2023 we can count any book format because I really want to read some of the physical books on my shelf that are currently collecting dust.

I am also going to take part in a challenge within the challenge for Janaury-- Can you read a series in a month. I am going to make a separate post about that next!

You can find out more about COYER and join me by clicking this sentence.

How about you? Do you participate in any reading challenges?

Sunday, November 6, 2022

Happy November! Thanksgiving is Coming and I'm in Holiday Planning Mode #TheSundayPost

How was your first week of November? I feel pretty good about mine. I ordered our Christmas photo cards from Walgreens. I ordered a few heat-and-serve side dishes from Boston Market for our Thanksgiving Feast, it's a family Tradition. I took down the Halloween decorations, left up all the general fall decorations, and added my Thanksgiving decorations. This year I finally got a blow-up turkey for our front yard, something I've been wanting to do for years but the price wasn't right until this year! I also ordered a couple of Thanksgiving-themed Snoopy shirts. Fun for me and fun to wear when I work at the school with kiddos. Plus I canvassed twice for my congressman, and we completed and dropped off our mail-in ballots.

I also sent my Tastefully Simple recipe newsletter Here is a link to it if you'd like to check it out click here

What have you been up to? Do you happen to have any fun Christmas-themed reads you can recommend to me? Esp. if I can do an audiobook--

Today I'm finishing Cold Days another book in the Harry Dresden Files and I will have a review on either Monday or Tuesday. Then I'm diving into a Lucy Stone Thanksgiving-themed mystery!

Thursday, November 3, 2022

Harry Dresden Book #12 Changes

Could this book have been more aptly titled? Not likely. What happens in this installment of the Harry Dresen Files, really threw me for a loop. Talk about not expecting it. Oh my goodness I thought I knew a few times where this book was going and I was wrong, wrong, and wrong.

Did I love this book? No, I don't know if I like what happened. I can't discuss what plot point I didn't really like because it would spoil not just the book but the series from this point on. I definitely enjoyed the book even though I didn't like the direction of Harry. It just goes to show the skill of Jim Butcher's writing.

Good writing= Strong reader feelings.

As the series continues on, and this book is certainly the turning point, Harry is becoming more and more a part of the Never Never and the fairie realms and I think I miss the good old days when he worked as a consultant for the CPD.

Jim Butcher keeps me reading, I say that for sure.

5 stars for this unpredictable ride.

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

#NetGalley Review! The Second Book in The Pies Before Guys Series!

As someone who enjoys cozy mysteries and all things cozy, I obliviously watch the Great British Bake Off. I loved that A Good Day To Pie takes place at the baking competition. What sets this book above other books with a baking or cooking competition is that it is the first time I've read a cozy that uses a reality TV competition vrs a one day baking competition. Misha Popp's baking competition is like Great British Bake Off meets the Lifetime TV show Unreal if Agatha Christie was the executive producer.

Setting the second book in a cozy series in a different location and introducing almost all new characters AND using swear words is a bold move. This series continues to break some of the classic cozy tropes, but I think it stays true to the genre at its heart. Having the baking competition taking place at a mansion where all the contestants and crew have to stay for the full two weeks of the show's taping is quite a clever closed room mystery.

The baking scenes are also mouthwatering. I could really go for a pie, cake or cupcake just thinking about these scenes.

All in all this was a book I really enjoyed and I give it 5 stars.

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are mine! #AGOODDAYTOPIE

Saturday, October 29, 2022

Happy Halloween (almost) The Sunday Post 10/30

A few photos of Halloween's past. I'm still pretty proud of that Olivia pumpkin Anna and I crafted long ago. Did you do anything Halloween-y this weekend? Do you get trick-or-treaters? We don't get any trick-or-treaters, which I find to be a major bummer. This year youngest child is at college so I can't pester her to carve a pumpkin. Middle kiddo spent the past few weeks making a Halloween costume and he won a contest--so that was exciting. He was a character from the video game Metal Gear Solid #5 -- Venom Snake. Oldest Child is working at our local Haunted Hayride and this year he is playing an evil doctor!

Fun to see the kids enjoying Halloween as young adults! Today me, the middle kiddo, and maybe the hubs will be carving pumpkins--mostly because Tom wants me to make roasted pumpkin seeds. They are so good when they are fresh out of the oven!

Happy Halloween!

Thursday, October 27, 2022

Before Spooky Season Ends Give This a Listen

On the one hand, I do love the holiday season and for me, it starts November 1st--hey I like to plan stuff so i need to be organizing and planning before Thanksgiving--, and on the other hand, it seems like August was last week. Checking my calendar reminds me that while I feel like October just started, we are in fact just a few days away from Halloween!

If you are looking for something to listen to put you in a spooky state of mind, I recommend this audiobook, The Grand Hotel: A Novel by Scott Kenemore. It is included in your Audible Plus subscription and it's a nice spooky anthology that has a comment thread but is made up of many short stories. If you like Aaron Mahnke's 13 Days of Halloween podcast, this audiobook is perfect for you.

I don't recall if it contains "R" rated material, I think it might be OK to listen to with kids, but definitely check into that yourself before putting it on for the whole car or house to hear!

4 Stars for a nice anthology filled with ghosts and ghouls and a nice twist at the end!

Monday, October 24, 2022

Finally Not Feeling Sick AND a Delighful new Holiday Romance by A Debut Author!

So I started off September with Covid finally catching me. I was so close to getting that next booster when BAM! I was infected. Fortunately, it wasn't that bad. I have had way worse colds and cases of flu.

Unfortunately, shortly after getting over the covid fatigue, I caught a cold--did I mention I'm working at a school with kindergarteners and first graders? Yep, so you can see how I wound up with a cold. Any who so that turned into a sinus infection. Yesterday I finished antibiotics and am now feeling much better. The dumb cold was worse than Covid for me. That's why I get vaccinated for all the stuff I can get vaccinated for, I really don't want any flu or more Covid or anything else.

My reading has been at a snail's pace and watching TV shows and movies has been more my speed. This week I have managed to start feeling good enough to read!

Today I am sharing a new book from a debut author, Kelly D. Reynolds. Kelly is the creator of the romance book reviews podcast Boobies & Noobies. This is her debut book and it is a delightful, hot, full of sexy times holiday novella. The book is set in LA and takes place from Thanksgiving to Christmas. One of the things I liked about this book is that it takes place over weeks instead of days. It's light on the angst and heavy on Nora and Bowie falling in love. Kelly does a great job of putting just the right amount of holiday season--we have a Santa pub crawl, a tea room, a cute dog, and talk of scones as well as a loving description of an actually delicious fruitcake.

Best of all we have two likable leads who are grown folks who talk about what they need and want in a relationship and a wide open-door romance with toys and more!

5 Stars!

Add this book to your kindle today --you'll thank me later!

Sunday, September 4, 2022

Harvest Cookies and Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder Thanks NetGalley!

Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder is the first book in a new series by Valerie Burns. I was able to read an ARC from NetGalley. The story takes place in a small town in Southwestern Michigan right on the shores of Lake Michigan. This is a charming area of the United States and a good place to set a cozy as there are many cute towns that cater to tourists with picturesque little downtowns and many people visit throughout the year. Tourists are always helpful in cozy mysteries when you don't want to kill off all the townspeople.

The star of this series is Baby the Bull Mastiff. Baby is left to Maddy in Aunt Octavia's will along with Aunt Octavia's "BabyCakes Bakery" and Aunt Octavia's gorgeous lakefront house. Maddy is pretty annoying at the beginning of the book, very self-centered, and materialistic. She is very smart though and quickly realizes she is at a crossroads, she can continue to live off her father or she can be her own person. I liked her growth in this book.

I look forward to seeing where things go in book two. There is a setup for more murders and betrayals ahead --and that's putting it mildly!

4 stars

#NetGalley #TwoPartsSugarOnePartMurder

****

Harvest Cookies

I used the Tastefully Simple Ah Sugar! Sugar Cookie mix--just add butter and milk and topped the cookies with candy corn. Candy Corn is, of course, very controversial--but I will go out on a limb and just let you know I do like Candy Corn in the fall. How about you?

The cookies came out flat because I used almost melted butter instead of just softened butter. Live and Learn!

Saturday, September 3, 2022

This Holiday Weekend is Not Going So Great #TheSundayPost

Yesterday I got my flu shot and today my right arm hurts and I'm feeling fatigue. Adding to that is that Ragweed counts are high and the Claritin I take is just taking the edge off. My throat is so itchy the inside of my ears itch! Now this morning to top off what was looking to be not a great day, a yellow jacket stung me on my foot. Two days in a row I've been punctured. Now my foot itches and hurts. BOOOOO

I hope you are having a nice Labor Day Weekend. I don't feel great so I don't know what all I'll be posting about this week. I can share two books I was able to add to my NetGalley shelf--see below!

How is your weekend going? Do you have fun weekend plans?

Tuesday, August 30, 2022

#TheAccidental Alchemist Paranormal Cozy 1st in A Series

A while back I saw that The Accidental Alchemist by Gigi Pandian was free on audible, so I gave it a listen. I've been meaning to start this series for quite some time, but for whatever reason, other books kept jumping the line. Lucky for me I got around to this book. I found it to be delightful. As you know if you read this blog I enjoy cozy mysteries with supernatural elements. In this book, Gigi Pandian does an excellent mixing of mythology as well as actual history around alchemy. She also has some mouthwatering culinary talk around vegan cooking. Side note, sometimes vegan people can be a little judgy about us carnivores, but in this book, the vegan talk is very organic and made me want to try Zoe and Dorian's cooking. Especially Dorian's!

The setting lends itself to the paranormal vibes, the characters are unique but not kooky, and the mystery was compelling. In the end, there is enough resolution to make me happy and enough plot threads that are still unresolved to have me reaching for book two.

Five Stars from me!

It's almost September so I'm getting ready for fall. I wanted to try my hand at some Halloween-y cookies and I think these turned out pretty cute. I used a Tastefully Simple Cookie Mix (Peanut Butter Bliss) as my base and then I turned Peanut Butter Blossom cookies into Spider Blossom Cookies! I think Spiders have quite a few eyes, but I thought I keep it cute and not an accurate representation!

Sunday, August 28, 2022

Fun Cozy Mystery Audio Series, Nearly Departed in Deadwood by Ann Charles

As autumn arrives, I am drawn to reading more paranormal stories, and I was happy to find this series of which at least a few books are included in my audible subscription. The series has paranormal elements that we learn just a little about in this first book in the series. A couple of features of this series that made it stand out to me are that it takes place in South Dakota--not many cozies are set in the Dakotas. Secondly, our amateur slueth is a single mom with nine-year-old twins. Single moms with young kids are also rare in cozies.

I was concerned when I was just 30 minutes from the end of the book that one of the main storylines was not going to be resolved in anyway, but fortunately it was--this book ends without any cliffhangers and leaves you interested in what is going to happen next in Violet's life. Some reviewers found her kids annoying but I didn't mind. I would say if you don't like grade school kids in your mysteries this is probably not the series for you.

3.5 stars from me.

Saturday, August 27, 2022

End of Summer #TheSundayPost

One thing not many people know is that Chicago has the best Septembers. The weather is excellent. Warm days, cool nights, and less humidity. It's a great time to live here--and September is almost here. I am starting my second week working as a Lunch Supervisor for the local elementary school. It's a fast-paced 2.5 hours each school day with loads of sweet kiddos (it's all kindergarten and first-grade kids so they have lots and lots of energy and are learning the ropes of what it is to attend school. Do you have any fond memories of kindergarten?

On the reading front, I am behind as per usual this year on my reviews. This week I plan to post about these books:

Monday, August 15, 2022

An Audible Original IE No Credits Needed!

I was looking for something to listen to while I was running and I saw this on audible and, well free is my favorite, so I quickly downloaded it! I found this to be a quick, fun listen. I didn't care too much for 3 out of the four widows at first, but by the halfway point of the story, the writing had me rooting for those ladies. This is part thriller, part mystery, and part mafia wives' story.

Each of the widows is voiced by a different writer, so this is an ensemble story as opposed to your classic audiobook. The story takes place in the 1980s and has a nice level of camp. If you are looking for something fun to listen to while you are working out, commuting, or doing chores around the house, give this a listen.

3 stars for this fun audiobook!

Sunday, August 14, 2022

The Once and Future Witches

I listened to the audio version of this book and it did take me a little while to get into the book, it has three POV characters so just a little time to get straight which sister was which, but once it got rolling. I loved it. I thought there were so many lines in it at were lyrical or a unique metaphor that I'm planning to buy the book so that I can see the words.

The idea that women are actually witches and that the powers that be want to keep women stripped of the witchcraft so that they were subservient to the male patriarchy, well as the kids say, it just hit different post-Roe than it might have hit before. The book felt like thinly veiled nonfiction.

In this book, Alix E.Harrow writes about the generations of women passing down the spells of their ancestors via nursery rhymes. I just thought that was so clever.

One of the criticisms of this book that I saw was readers felt it was too long. It is a longer book, but the storytelling really worked for me and I would say don't discount it based on the length. My favorite chapter of the book was chapter 36. A lovely payoff to a couple of the storylines. Additionally, this book does a nice job of incorporating real history in the fictional story.

If you are looking for a witchy book, consider giving this book a try. This one was a 5 star read for me!

Saturday, August 13, 2022

The Sunday Post -- It's almost time for Youngest Child to Leave Us!

This week will be a bittersweet moment for me and the Hubs, our youngest is heading off to college on Wednesday. She's the first of our family to go away to college, so this is a new experience for us as well as her. I'm very excited for her and I hope she has an easy transition to her new environment. How about you, any transitions happening at your home this month?

This is her first school picture back when she was 3.

Books I'll be talking about this week:

Thursday, August 11, 2022

Thank you #NetGalley #MrsClausandtheEvilElves A Mrs. Claus Mystery by Liz Ireland!

The third installment of this funny and fanciful cozy mystery series is out September 27th and I was lucky enough to get an ARC to read and share my thoughts with ya'll!

If you are someone who listens to Christmas music by the time Halloween rolls around, this book is for you. In fact, if you haven't already started this series and you are a Christmas fan, you are slacking and need to add this series to your list ASAP!

Because this is an ARC, they prefer that I don't share text from the book as it might change before publication, so you will just have to take my word that this book is filled with some funny lines. There are lots of good jokes to be made in Santaland. In this book, April's best friend from down south comes up for Christmas. I was glad that April had a best friend sidekick for this book, and hopefully, she will be back for future installments. We also got to see more interaction between April and Nick (aka Santa) in this book, it was enjoyable to read their scenes as they get more used to their unique married life.

If you want a fun, humorous cozy mystery with all those Christmas vibes, this is the series to read, on a cozy afternoon, with a cup of cocoa in your hand!

Tuesday, August 9, 2022

Proven Guilty Another Installment in the Harry Dresden Series and Sales Tax Holiday

If you are in the state of Illinois we are enjoying a state sales tax holiday, we've not had one before so this is very nice and handy for anyone who needs school supplies--esp. since the holiday includes clothing and shoes. When it comes to saving my motto is every little bit helps. So sure it's only like 6.5% but it's better than paying 6.5% The tax holiday runs through 8/14 in Illinois.

Are there any tax holidays in your state?

Book 8 in the Harry Dresden series, I am slowly making my way through the series this summer, I like spending time with Harry and the crew, and I'm noticing many of the books take place in the hot muggy summers of Chicago--which I am obviously feeling!

In Proven Guilty we have a Horror Movie Con including people cosplaying as monsters, and actual monsters showing up, and Harry spends time debating how dangerous it is for him to connect with the fallen angel who wants to help him. Conflicted, angsty Harry is prominent in this book, but it isn't overwhelming. The best part is that we finally get Michael's wife Charity's backstory. Now we finally understand why Charity has such a loathing for Harry--(it's not really about him!) Also, Molly has left home and is in loads of trouble, so we know Harry will be saving her. Or will he?

Overall, this book hits all the marks for a book arriving so far into a series. I have to give it 5 stars, James Butcher does an excellent job of keeping me interested.

Sunday, August 7, 2022

Tired of the Heat? Try Reading This Book to Put You in an Autumn Frame of Mind

Book Nine in the long Lucy Stone Mystery series had lots to make me happy. As ya'll know I'm a Lucy Stone fan. The Lucy Stone Mysteries, never fail to give me warm fuzzies of nostalgia, and a longing to hop on a plane and head to Maine.

>> As an aside, imagine my surprise in finding out that Leslie Meier doesn't live in Maine! From all these books I had assumed she was born and raised in Maine>>

This book starts with the Summer solstice, so it is a witchy book that spans all of summer and then climaxes at Samhain (aka Halloween) which I found to be delightful and why I recommend reading this now as we slowly march toward those crisp fall days. If you like a seasonal read and you enjoy the mythology of witches and some Wiccan discussion and lore, you will enjoy this cozy. You can read it without having read other books in the series, you shouldn't feel lost.

As someone who has read other books in the series, I found this comment by Lucy to be pretty funny since a couple of years ago there was a series of murders in their subdivision- also Lucy was in a gangland shootout in Book four I think, and so on and so on. People in Tinker's Cove REALLY need to start locking their doors! Hazardous town to live in--especially if you are new to the area, ha!

Four stars for this installment. Lots of cranky Lucy and witchy stuff!

Saturday, August 6, 2022

And Now It's My Birthday Week! #TheSundayPost

Thursday, August 4, 2022

Trailer Park Trickster- Second in a Series!

This is the follow-up book to the excellent novel White Trash Warlock. There is much to love in this series, first of all, David R. Slayton writes characters with a depth that is matched in the intricate details of the world he has created and is continuing to build with each chapter.

My favorite things about this series are:

*It's a rare paranormal adventure that takes place primarily in a tiny town in Oklahoma. We've had many urban fantasies, is now the time for rural fantasy? I'm here for both!

*The main character is in a same-sex relationship --again pretty rare.

*Adam Binder reminds me of Harry Dresden, he isn't the one with the most power but he will put himself on the line to save humans. Unlike Harry Dresden, Adam has some family and he hasn't decided he is unworthy of love. Harry seems pretty bent on believing he cannot have a relationship.

*The books deal with grief in a hopeful way.

*Everyone in the book is gray --ie no one is all evil or all good.

If you haven't started this series yet, now is a good time to start you can read books one and two and then preorder book three, Deadbeat Druid on October 18th!

Tuesday, August 2, 2022

July's Cozy Mystery Book Club Book: Murder, She Knit

Murder, She Knit was the book selected by the Cozy Mystery Book Club for July. On this month's live stream Angela is joined by Amanda who is an actual knitter, so that was nice to get a knitter POV on a book that focuses on a group of knitters. You can watch the live stream here:

My thoughts on the book. There are some amateur sleuths I vibe with and those I just don't connect with and it doesn't even have particular reasoning to it. Pamela the slueth in this book isn't someone I want to spend more time with, I found her to be fussy and judgmental. She was for me like an older more set in her ways Hannah Swenson, another sleuth I don't want to hang out with even though she has cookies 24/7. Loads of people love Hannah, she's just not for me. This series is now on at least book nine, clearly, many people like spending time with Pamela.

For me, Pamela and the majority of the characters in this book were too flat. As for the murder, I had a really hard time believing it was possible for that character to have killed that other character with the particular weapon used and that they would have been successful in the killing. Attacking yes, killing... no.

Three stars for this book for me, but maybe you'll really dig it--it does have a great Thanksgiving vibe so if you are looking for a seasonal Thanksgiving cozy, this is a contender!

Sunday, July 31, 2022

I Only Have One Complaint About This Book.

My only complaint is that I'm here waiting for a sequel. I didn't know this was going to be a series because of the time -travel I thought I was a one off--but when there was only half an hour left of the audiobook I realized I was looking at a likely cliff-hanger situation.

Happily, the murder mystery is solved it is just the overarching mystery of the central character that is left. The Sherlock Holmes, but in Scotland vibe was fabulous.

Saturday, July 30, 2022

On the Cusp of My Birthday Month! #TheSundayPost

It's just about August, And that means it's my birthday month! I've informed the family that we'll be going to the local farm to table and fun beverage place that is a block from our house for my dinner. I think I'm going to get a giant pretzel with cheese and an ice cold beer, then have a fancy salad and strawberry shortcake for dessert! What do you like to have as a birthday meal?

I've been doing a bunch of reading and listening lately so I need to prepare more blog posts to talk about these books. For now: