While Justice Sleeps! A thriller by Stacey Abrams

 

A rarity in my bookcase, a hardback version of a book. I received this book from my dad for my birthday. A great choice on his part as it was on my TBR list and my library hold list.  While Justice Sleeps is a thriller about a cover-up that goes all the way to the President.   Our main character is  Avery, a Supreme Court Justice Clerk. Avery is not just book smart, but street smart, she is passionate and she is able to keep working on a problem until she is able to solve it with not just a good outcome, but the best possible outcome.

The book contains many details about how the court system works, a fair amount of discussion on genetic research, and some new vocabulary words for me. I enjoyed that this book required more attention and taught me about things I didn't already know. It's a challenging ride, which I appreciated! I also appreciated that Avery isn't beat up or attacked physically over and over in the book. She outsmarts not outfights. 

I thought the ending left things open enough that there could be a series staring Avery--if Stacey Abrams has time to write it! 

All in all a quality thriller 4.25 stars from me! 

The Subtitle of This Book Could Have Been Men Who Suck and Women Who Deal With Them

The 

Taylor Jenkins Reid has written several other well-known books.  Her work includes Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of  Evelyn Hugo.  Malibu Rising is the first book by Taylor Jenkins Reid that I have read.  When I began reading the book, I had to check to see if the book was based on a true story or if it was fiction. Turns out the book is fiction, it does reference some actual people, but all of the action and pertinent characters are not real people. 

The book is engaging, I kept reading because I wanted to see what becomes of Mick Riva and what causes the fire.  The book starts with the promise of a fire and so I was waiting and waiting to see if it came to be. Much of the book is about women who have selfish men in their lives. There are many POVs and short scenes involving people who aren't a core part of the story. I might have struggled to keep everyone straight if I had listened to it.

I appreciated the depiction of an alcoholic parent in this story; it felt realistic and not over-the-top. This book is a good read, not too long, I don't think any of the four children is written as well as Nina she is the most fleshed-out character in the book, aside from her mother June.  

My star rating is 3.0. 

Nice line in the book. 

 

"Coffee is Serious Business!" A New Cozy Series from Emmeline Duncan!

 This cozy was so fun! A fresh new entry into cozy mystery land, Fresh Brewed Murder by Emmeline Duncan takes place in Portland, Oregon which right off the bat is a fresh location for a cozy series.

What I loved about this book:

*Coffee Talk! I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of how various popular coffee drinks are made.  Good coffee is a science and an art.

* Emmeline Duncan did a great job writing dialogue that sounded like people actually talk.

* Our amateur slueth Sage acted and sounded like an actual 27-year-old.

I also enjoyed that Sage because of her unusual upbringing, is good at reading people, it's like a little superpower that will help her solve murders in all the Ground Rules Mystery books to come.  In cozy mysteries, you have to suspend a little disbelief because often the potential suspects the sleuth speaks with share more information than would likely happen in real life.  In Fresh Brewed Murder,  Emmeline Duncan addresses this dilemma by having an amateur slueth who was taught from an early age how to act and she uses those skills to get people to confide in her early and often. So Clever! It puts me in mind of one of my favorite P.I's Veronica Mars. 

All in all this book is a solid 4, very enjoyable and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.  I would like to know Sage's thoughts on PSL's so I'm hoping the next book takes place in the fall. 

Psychological Thriller #TheNewHusband This dude is Sus!

 The first time we meet Simon, he is the hero who found the family dog after the family has been rocked by a tragedy. Strike one I say! 

And then....

The first time she invites him into her home, he shows up with her favorite meal?  Suspicious. Coincidence?  There are no coincidences in thrillers! 

 

From the beginning of The New Husband,  I was very suspicious of Simon.  I don't trust anyone who is almost superhumanly in tune with anyone else feelings and needs.  Frankly, I think that is a recipe for disaster. 

D. J. Palmer got me right from the beginning because I needed to keep reading to find out if Simon is a terrible monster, or if there is going to be a turn of events that will show me I am a cynical suspicious person.  Either way, I'm invested in how this turns out. 

Since I don't write spoiler book reviews, if you would like to know how things turned out for me as a Simon-hater; you'll have to read The New Husband. 

Two! Two! Reviews in One Post! Happy Monday!

 I wanted to get back to give a proper review of One Perfect Lie by  Lisa Scottoline.  I listened to this while running, shopping at Aldi, and doing dishes.  It was an audiobook that kept me doing chores so I could listen longer, so a real win, win for the cleanliness of my cozy abode! 

The book had unexpected but earned twists and I really enjoyed how the story concluded.  I was completely wrong about where it ended up.  There are multiple POV characters in addition to Chris Brennen.  This is a suspenseful thriller,  but it isn't a graphic psychological thriller, so I would recommend this book as one to read if you are new to thrillers or if you like TV shows like 911 on the Fox Network.  

3.5 stars for this book- it's got some good twists!

And now for something completely different.  This is a romance, so there will be a happy ending, it's just how are we going to get there? Well, this time it's going to be through a reality TV show.  Yes, this book is like an alternative Bachelorette.  In this book, unlike the show, for once the Bachelorette isn't a size 2. Bea is a successful plus-size fashion blogger whose scathing critique of the fictional show "Main Squeeze" goes viral and she winds up being the next main squeeze. 

I used to watch the Bachelor franchise but gave it up a few years ago when I realized it was always going to be a parade of thin young women and men who were on the show more often than not to up their social media profiles so they could translate that into endorsement deals. This fiction version of the show will ring true to watchers of the actual show, and also gives the show true romance. 

I borrowed this book from my library's Libby App because I need distractions while I train for the marathon.  This book was a good distraction! A must listen if you are part of #BachelorNation 

3.5 stars for this book as well! 

Tomorrow we head back to the DMV for Youngest Child's second attempt at passing the road test.  Please send good vibes!

How Do You Stop A Determined Assassin?

If you enjoy watching thrillers,  if you enjoy stories set with the backdrop of the white house, if you have seen the movie Air Force One; you'll likely find Carol Leonnig's book Zero Fail a compelling and fascinating read.

How do you keep a President safe?  Especially in this 21st century where there are drones, and Havana Syndrome, and 3-D printers able to print plastic guns. This book examines the decades-long struggle of the secret service to protect the President of the United States, their families, and candidates for office.  The push and pull of trying to protect a highly visible person, one who wants and needs to interact with the citizens of the United States as well as travel the world spending time with foreign leaders and dignitaries, is a real sticky wicket. 

I listened to the audio version of this book while I was out running over the last week or so. It was very interesting to learn about failures on the part of the Secret Service that may have played a part in the shooting of JFK, a near-miss with George HW Bush as well as the shooting of Ronald Regan.  In each case, one small slip, one lack of imagination, or too much deference to the person being protected lead to disaster.  And on the other hand, we will never know how many times people or organizations were stopped by one small thing going right. Lack of funding and resources has plagued the Secret Service--with many of those who were part of Presidential details working an untenable amount of hours on a regular basis. 

It came as no surprise to me to learn that often thanks to booze or men not being able to keep their pants on -(be that the President or secret service personnel)  Presidents have been thisclose to being assassinated or compromised by a foreign agent.  And also there is the usual BS you find in any office situation where people are trying to climb the corporate ladder.  I'd been busy with raising kids and I have to say that I completely missed the sex scandal the Secret Service was embroiled in during President Obama's second term--there was a real frat-boy culture. 

 5- stars for Zero Fail from me. This is a very comprehensive look at an incredibly important agency. 

#TheSundayPost for May 23rd! What's Going On?

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly 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 our blog for the week ahead.  See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

Purple Irises began blooming earlier this week!  The hubs bought a bunch of vegetable and flower starts for the garden.  The raised bed is planted, the big planter is filled with herbs and I have filled all the containers from last year with flowers.  So I bought a few more containers, some for the front porch and a couple for extra tomato plants in the back yard. 

Upcoming this week I'll be reviewing this month's Cozy Mystery Book Club selection. Little Bookshop of Murder by Maggie Blackburn (aka Mollie Cox Bryan) 

You can join us for the live stream on Tuesday via YouTube.  Here is the link join us! 

How beautiful is this cover! 

And Friday I'll be sharing a review for Blaze of Memory by Nalini Singh --I've been hoping that Dev Santos who we meet a couple books ago would get getting his own book! I was sure he'd make a great main character! You can join the Read-Along by clicking here! 

I'm not feeling this cover, it's a little too action movie starring Steven Sagal -esque! I have every confidence that the book is better than the cover! 

Talk About Spooky Atmospheres, Wowza!

 A small island off the coast of Ireland complete with deserted homes, castle ruins, and a boggy cemetery. Does this sound like the perfect place to have your wedding? Maybe, maybe not --but it is an excellent setting for a spooky thriller and a bit of murder.  The book creeps on slowly introducing you to bits and pieces of the wedding party.  There is a handful of point of view characters including the bride, the groom, the best man, and the wedding planner as well as a few more characters. We learn slowly, like the storm moving in from the ocean, about traumatic events in some of the characters' pasts.  

As you read you can imagine that this book would look great on the screen, I did some googling and it looks like a miniseries is in the works, but still likely years off.  If you like locked room mysteries this is a locked tiny island mystery.  The multiple POV chapters help the pacing but overall it's a slow burn or a slow sink into the bog, you may not know you are stuck too deep to put the book down until it's too late.  Sure you can predict some of the backstories and twists in the book, but that is part of the appeal.  You the reader will want to know how is it going to come together, is anything connected, is someone dead or not, who is dead and why. 

So many pages lead up to the murder and few pages are devoted to the aftermath, I would have liked to have a little more on what happened when the police would have arrived.

Overall 4 stars, when this is a show, I'll be sure to watch it! 

Pierced Peony Silver Dagger Blog Tour Giveaway! - New Cozy!

 

 

Pierced Peony

Motts Cold Case Mystery Book 2

by Dahlia Donovan

Genre: Cozy Mystery

On a casual walk along the Cornish Coast, Pineapple “Motts” Mottley stumbles upon a body and a perilous new murder case in the second novel in the Motts Cold Case Mystery series.

As spring rolls into summer, Motts settles into her cottage. She’s enjoying a daily stroll when a body in the sea destroys her peace and quiet. It brings yet another mystery for her to solve.

How does a woman who vanished from Polperro three years prior wind up battered by waves?

Motts is drawn into the investigation despite her best attempts. She finds a family in turmoil and loads of suspects. With no easy answers, she tumbles further into chaos and ever closer to danger.

Can Motts find the killer before she’s the one put on ice?

Will she survive a bone-chilling brush with death?

***

I'm very pleased to be part of the blog tour for this book.  When I read cozies, sometimes I'm fully focused on solving the mystery, and other times I am rooting for the main character in all things.  This is one of those series where I am hoping for all the good things for Motts.  I hold my breath when she decides she needs to venture out and speak to someone new, I cheer her on when she stands up for herself, and I smile when she gives special treats to Moss and Cactus.  This series is one that I will preorder and follow the author. 

A quote from the book that I enjoyed (Motts inner monologue): 

"Why is my cat obsessed with brooding police types? Is he trying to tell me something? Do detectives smell like catnip?"

I hope that you check out this series and that you too root for Motts an unlikely amateur sleuth!

Add to Goodreads

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Poisoned Primrose

Motts Cold Case Mystery Book 1

"Wonderful mystery with a unique and special heroine!" - A Cozy Cup of Murder

Meet Motts and the quirky cast of characters in her world. Poisoned Primrose is a quintessential cosy British mystery and an all-round fun story to throw yourself into.

Autistic, asexual, and almost forty, Pineapple “Motts” Mottley flees London with her cat and turtle to a quaint cottage in Cornwall. She craves the peace of life in a small village. The dead body buried in her garden isn’t quite what she had in mind, though.

Unable to resist her curiosity, she falls directly into a mess of trouble and runs head-first into the attractive detective inspector, Teo Herceg. She tries to balance her business with the investigation, but as the killer focuses on her, staying alive becomes trickier than advanced origami.

Will Motts survive the onslaught of murderously bad luck?

Can she solve the mystery before it all spins out of control and off a cliff?

I enjoyed this new cozy series. The story is located in England which is a different location for me, as all the cozies I've read so far this year have taken place in the United States. Motts is easy to love, she is on her own for the first time and is working so hard in this new phase of her life. Being neurodiverse, she is unique among cozy sleuths and I am a fan of reading stories centered on unique protagonists.  Motts makes a living creating intricately designed origami floral displays. What a clever craft, flowers for those who are allergic or who want flowers that won't die.  I could picture the lovely bridal bouquets Daliah Donovan describes.  

Motts is surrounded by a kind and funny cast of friends and family that one must have to establish that cozy vibe. I look forward to continuing to read this series.   

Add to Goodreads

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Dahlia Donovan wrote her first romance series after a crazy dream about shifters and damsels in distress. She prefers irreverent humour and unconventional characters. An autistic and occasional hermit, her life wouldn’t be complete without her husband and her massive collection of books and video games.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads * Newsletter

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Cozy Review for Wednesday #ReservedforMurder from #NetGalley

 Before I share my review for Reserved for Murder by Victoria Gilbert, I must show you a picture of the breakfast muffins I made.  These muffins were supposed to be Blackberry Breakfast Muffins, but I didn't have blackberries, so I used blueberries.  I also added about 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts to the mix, which was a very good call on my part! The recipe is from the back of the book Color Me Murder by Krista Davis.  The muffins are 5 stars and I do recommend them! 

Now on to today's book review.  Reserved for Murder is the second book in the Booklovers B&B 

Gosh, I really enjoyed this book! The murder mystery not only involves an author, but it also involved fan fiction, Goodreads reviewing, and the pressure of publishing.  It was the most bookish of book mysteries I've read to date!   I also really enjoy how Victoria Gilbert weaves the real-life history of Beaufort into her series, from Blackbeard's sunken ship to the Olde Burying grounds--the actual town of Beaufort is seamlessly a part of her series. 

The murder mystery of the book is one that will keep you guessing, there are a handful of suspects that all could be the killer. The overarching mystery continues as we learn more about Charlotte's great-aunt, international woman of mystery, Isabella. 

I was happy to read about Charlotte's growing relationships with Alicia and Damian. Charlotte is slowly growing roots in the community and I want her to be surrounded by good friends, she deserves it. I think she also deserved love, so we will see if that develops as the series moves along.  Mind you, I don't need any sort of love triangle, but Charlotte is still young and written in such a way that you want her to find a partner to share her life.

Because this is the most bookish of book mysteries and because Victoria Gilbert integrates Beaufort, NC so well in her fiction, I rate this book a full 5 stars.  If you like a cozy read, you've gotta read this series.  The book will be out June 8th!  Add it to your Goodreads shelf here or ask your local library to order a copy! 

I received an ARC of this book from #NetGalley all the opinions are my own.  The text of the book might change a little before publishing so I don't have any quotes to share.  

#ReservedforMurder #NetGalley

Happy Friday! Time for a #Readalong Review! Hostage To Pleasure by Nalini Singh #ParanormalRomance

 My approach to the month of April in Chicagoland boils down to if it ain't snowing I'm happy. We had some unusually awesome weather to begin the month and now it seems, fingers and toes crossed, to have settled into mostly sunny skies with temps in the mid to high 50s. I'll take it! 

I don't know about your, but I love watching the trees flower and then leaf out! 

Today's review is for Hostage to Pleasure by Nalini Singh.  It is the fifth book in her Psy-Changeling series and I'm reading it as part of the COYER/Books of My Heart 2021 read-a-long. 

The romance of this installment in the series centers on Dorian one of the Dark River pack's sentinels and  Ashaya Aleine an M-Psy and arguably the top medical researcher for all the Psy. We knew at the end of Mine To Possess that the start of a romance between Dorian and Ashaya was imminent. 

In this book, Nalini Singh features a Psy for whom Silence never really took, so that was a new revelation for the readers.  We also get a manifestation of the duel nature of the net. As for Dorian, he is a latent shifter meaning, he is as jaguar as all his packmates, except he can't physically shift.  This causes him physical and emotional pain.  As I read, I *knew* at some point, some way Dorain was going to finally shift.  I had full confidence that Nalini wasn't going to keep mentioning his inability to shift without at some point overcoming the problem.  That's one of the reasons I am loving this series.  I'm a rider on this journey, I'm not sure exactly what roads we are taking, but I have complete trust in our driver.  Both Dorian and Ashaya have perceived flaws that make them different than others like them. Dorian can't shift and the Silence protocol didn't work on her. This leads to a deeper understanding of each other. 

In addition to the relationship between Dorian and Ashaya, so much was happening in the political worlds of the Psy/Changeling/Humans.  It's clear that the Psy Council is going to come crashing down.  We don't know yet what that will mean for the PsyNet as a whole and now we have a new Human organization on the scene, what are their motivations and how will that affect the characters we have come to love.  I am in awe at all the plot plates that Nalini Singh is able to spin at once--so much is happening in this world and I love to read it! 

As I was reading, the sentences below said by Ashaya Aliene really struck me.  

I thought to myself, Wow, now I get it! That is a description of white supremacy with the Psy being the white supremacists--focused only on their 'race'.  Over and over we have read how the Psy believe the Changelings and Humans as lesser beings driven by their emotions.  The Psy only care about their bloodlines and having power through wealth. The Psy don't even seem to realize that Psy/Changelings/Humans are the same species and what hurts the Changelings and Humans also hurts the Psy.  

Until the Psy realized they are all part of one humanity (for lack of a better descriptor) bad stuff is going to happen.  Fortunately for us, we already know of a nascent network connecting all three races has taken root like a seed that will one day become a mighty forest by the end of this series.  

Happy Pulaski Day! A Holiday Only Celebrated in Illinois! #BookReview

 Some local government offices and some schools are closed today in honor of Casimir Pulaski who according to Wikipedia: "is praised for his contributions to the U.S. military in the American Revolution and known as "the father of the American cavalry".

And now on to today's book review!  

Today's book is the first book in a new Cozy Series by Elizabeth Pantley (well know non-fiction writer of the No-Cry Sleep solution). This is her first foray into writing cozies and she jumped right in with Falling into Magic a paranormal cozy.  In this book, we meet Hayden who is in her mid-20s, single with her own business.  

When we are introduced to Hayden, we learn that she has been unlucky in love, and has never known her parents as they disappeared when she was a newborn.  That seems odd, right?  

Also, she is certain that sometimes she sees a boy and later,  a man in the mirrors behind her, but it's not a scary situation. She calls this specter her 'guardian angel' --Not to mention at her grandmas' salon a strange man comes in and steals all the garbage?  

Then Hayden falls into a hole and the next thing you know she can communicate telepathically with her cat! This is a fun light, cozy read, easy on the budget, and just a fun escape.  The second book in the series, The Disappearance of Emily is available on Amazon starting March 12, 2021, so now is a perfect time to read book one and then pre-order book two! 

How Weird Would It Be To Have Wings? #BookReview

 

This is the second book in the Guild Hunter series and in this book Elena is now an immortal who has been in a coma for a year. The upside to being immortal is that if you spend a year in a coma, you still have all the time in the world after you wake up.  Elena also has wings, which the more I read about the wings the weirder it seemed to me as a lowly human. Can you even imagine?  I can't figure out how I'd put on a shirt and I'd be super bummed that I couldn't sleep on my back. 

 

It does make sense that touching someone's wings without their permission is extremely rude. Like just randomly touching someone's hair except in this case it's feathers. Nalini Singh has such an incredible imagination. This could be just another kick-ass heroine paranormal romance, but instead of settling for that--, she builds a world where Elena gets wings and becomes some sort of hybrid vampire hunter/human/angel.

As she adapts to her new life, she has to figure out how to stay alive since the newly immortal are easy to kill if you are an archangel and most of Raphael's fellow archangels do not like Elena. In this series, Nalini has changed what it means to be an angel. You definitely get the feeling that these angels could more accurately be termed demons. One of the reasons Nalini Singh is a must-read author for me is because she plays with fantasy stereotypes and expands the ideas of what can be done in a story. 

4.0 stars! 

One Month from Now = Spring! #TheSundayPost

The Sunday Post is a weekly 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 our blog for the week ahead.  See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

Upcoming this week on the blog:

I'll be reviewing:

A Totally Awkward Love Story

Archangel's Kiss

and The Sign of Death

I am also listening to 

If I finish this one I'll review it too! 

Quick reminder tomorrow is release day for A Pocket In Time! You can read my review here

Happy Sunday!  One more week left in February and then March will be here, and you know what March means?  Yep, Springtime!!! The time of year for renewing and refreshing.  Speaking refreshing, how do you like my updated blog design?   I love my new header!  Thank you Michelle of Limabean Designs! Michelle does great work and you can click here to visit her website for info on her services! 

What's going on in your neck of the woods this week?  Any fun plans? 

#CozyMysteryBookClub #FebruaryReview Crime & Punctuation!

It is almost time for the February meeting of The Cozy Mystery Book Club! This coming Tuesday, Feb 23rd on YouTube at 7pm EST,  you can join in the live stream discussion of this month's book Crime & Punctuation by Kaithlyn Dunnett.  As you can see in my picture from an Instagram post I made, I borrowed the book from my local library. The cover of the book is a bit of an optical illusion,  looking like four-book spines. This is the first book in the Deadly Edits Series and after this book, there are two additional books so far--and the covers that look like book spines continue on book two and book three's covers. 

Mikki Lincoln, the protagonist of this series, is a retired school teacher. Additionally, she is a recent widow who has moved back to her hometown.  Mikki edits books on the side to help pay for renovations to her hundred-year-old home. If it weren't for The Cozy Mystery Book Club, I don't think I would have picked up this book.  I have so many cozy mysteries yet to read on my kindle and on my bookshelf.  Of course, that is one of the reasons I like to participate in the club, I wind up reading stories I would not have read otherwise. 

As I began reading Crime & Punctuation,  I realized I don't think I have read any book told from the POV of a woman who was in her late 60s. I've read plenty of books in my life and many of them are from a woman's POV but the vast majority of those books take place with characters who are under 40.   It would seem that the cozy mystery is a subgenre that allows for women who are older to be protagonists! I hope as more cozy mysteries are published, that the subgenre continues to broaden the types of people that get to be protagonists. I want more cozies told from the POV of Black and Brown women of all ages and also from members of the LBGTQIA community.  As a reader, I value stories written by and about people living completely different lives than me. 

Alright, back to the book. Mikki uses her skills as a former teacher and an editor to discover who killed Tiffany and why.  I enjoyed how Kaitlyn Dunnett uses a book manuscript as the central clue in this plot. In the book, Mikki talks about how new writers make mistakes in their writing and as I was reading  Mikki's critiques, I thought Kaitlyn Dunnett must have to be very careful in her writing so the character she created wouldn't tell her to fix her writing! The book takes place in the fall in a small town in the Catskills. Once again, which is very 2021 of me, I add the Catskills to my long list of places I would like to visit after the pandemic.

4.5 Stars to Crime & Punctuation a solid start for a mystery series: small town, curious sleuth, cat companion, a bookish job, and a big old house in a scenic area --and a cornucopia of townspeople! 

*****

My weather app says that Chicagoland should be getting temps in the 30s this weekend. I hope so, I want some of this snow to melt! 

This is how much snow we had on January 30th! 

This is how much snow we have now.

I think that's enough snow, I'm good with temps too high for snow moving forward!  

 

#Recipe and #ChickLit #BookReview & Spicy Chicken with Polenta

 

So my polenta was not as creamy as it should have been. I think I should have added more broth? All in all the meal was enjoyed by the family.  I will definitely make it again. I did have to change the cooking times on the chicken because I didn't have any chicken thighs when I decided to make this and I substituted a giant split chicken breast and chicken legs.  I also couldn't find berbere seasoning so I used a chili powder blend with cinnamon in it and added some ginger powder to that.   As you can see I found this recipe in my physical copy of Real Simple Magazine.  Paging through an actual magazine is a nice relaxing way to unplug in my estimation. 

Another way to relax is with a light-hearted book.  Yoga Pant Nation by Laurie Gelman is one such book.  This is the third book in her Class Mom series.  You can read this book as a stand-alone, but it is more fun to read it knowing the previous adventures of Jen and her family and friends. 

In the first book "Class Mom"  we met our protagonist  Jen Dixon when her son started kindergarten and her older daughters were first venturing out into the world as young adults.  Jen is an 'old' mom who's been around the grade school block. Each of the books takes place over the school year. In this book, Jen's now a 5th-grade Class Mom *and* in charge of the PTA fundraising committee.  If you have been a parent involved in raising funds, you know what a tough job she has ahead of her. 

In addition to trying to raise $10,000 for tablets for the school, Jen is beginning a new career as a spin instructor, spending several days a week providing childcare to her new grandchild and also helping her parents by going with them to run errands, cooking for them, etc.  Jen is an avatar for many women who find themselves trying to raise their own children while also helping their parents.  She's a sandwich mom in the middle of life in the middle of America--literally, as she lives in Kansas.  

If I knew Jen Dixon in real life, I would probably think she was fun but also kind of obnoxious, but in the books we know her internal monologue which shows her kindness and empathy. If you are looking for a book that will feel like you are spending time catching up with a friend over coffee, this is your book. 

This book comes out July 13, 2021, you can preorder it now or put it on your Goodreads shelf. 

4 Stars! 

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley, all the options are mine. 

In the end, Jen's youngest child Max is headed off to Junior High, and that means the class mom days are over. I hope that this isn't the end of the stories from Jen Dixon's life--her granddaughter will be going into kindergarten in just three years, maybe Jen will be pulled out of retirement to be a class parent again! 

#YogaPantNation #NetGalley 

Happy Valentine's Day! #TheSundayPost Feb 14th!

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly 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 our blog for the week ahead.  See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

Happy Valentine's Day to You! 

I recycled a Cheryl's Cookies box to package up the Hubs Valentine's Day present.  I got him Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee we will see if it lives up to their ad which says it doesn't taste like mushrooms...

The halfway point of February is here and this is the point of winter where my attempts to find the beauty in Winter fades away.  Ugh. snow, slush, sliding, cold air, cold wind, cold face, cold feet, and dry inside air. If I could go somewhere warm and sunny for a week to recharge I would go but that is definitely not going to happen this year--maybe in 2022?  That would be so refreshing. 

Well back to Valentine's Day, I hope you feel the love today!  I plan to give some chocolate to the kids and eat some myself! 

Upcoming this week-

Tomorrow I'll be talking about Paczki Day and reviewing Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews

Wednesday I'll be sharing a recipe from Real Simple for Spicy Chicken and Polenta along with a review of a fun upcoming book called Yoga Pant Nation.

Friday I'll be sharing a Cozy Mystery Book Club review of Crime & Punctuation

Are you celebrating Valentine's Day today?  What about Mardi Gras on Tuesday?  

Valentines Day Week! Let's Start with Chocolate Covered Murder! #BookReview

This book is the 18th book in the series and was published nine years ago. I have found that with this series, you don't have to read the series in order.  Lucy Stone is a favorite cozy sleuth of mine. She's a mom of four kids and who grow up during the series and lives in an old house in the small town of Tinker's Cove located in Coastal Maine.  In earlier books, Lucy used to say things like "how could this happen in our quiet town, this is the sort of thing that happens in cities.  (cue eye roll from me).  Fortunately, by this point in the series, Lucy has realized that bad stuff happens everywhere. Her husband is around but mostly know for watching sports, working, and sometimes saying the wrong thing to his wife. This book is no exception as he tells Lucy "a few extra pounds is sexy" when Lucy is feeling bad about a weight gain.  

Lucy is often crabby and frequently nosy, the nosy part comes in handy since she is a reporter at the local Penny Saver and also because there are many a murder in Tinker's Cove. I imagine it is second only to Stephen King's Derry, Maine in murders per capita.

This series is known as a cozy series, but I have found it really doesn't match up with the typical cozy conventions. As is typical for this series Leslie Meier is going to talk about heavy topics, this one deals with opioid addiction and sexual consent.  There is some really outdated thinking highlighted in this book about women's behavior and fortunately, as the book goes on, Lucy does change some of her earlier judgemental inner monologues. 

If you are looking for a Valentine's Day-themed book with a potential serial killer,  look no further! 

Much to my dismay, the book didn't include chocolate recipes--or at least the e-version from my library didn't so here is a Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Recipe from Food Network. 

 

Late January A Great Time to Escape to Palm Beach! #ThePerfect10 #NetGalley

Just a few days left to enter my Giveaway, just click on the MLK Day Giveaway Button on the right side of my blog to read and comment! 

I don't know about you, but I often choose a book to read based on its cover. That is the case with this book by Eric O'Keefe.  I liked the 1960's retro look and the promise of a book set in Palm Beach, Florida. Flurries may be swirling outside my window, but when I open this book I'm transported to palm trees and polo ponies. A perfect escape for late January. 

Going into this book I didn't know anything about polo outside vintage Ralph Lauren commercials.  Now I have a better understanding of the game and now realize that it has a global fandom.  This book is a fast-paced mystery in the style of James Patterson. This book has multiple POV characters and it takes a little while before you, the reader, understand how the different characters fit into the central mystery of who killed Juan Harrington and why. It's like an out of focus picture that slowly becomes sharp.  

As the field of suspects narrows, I had a pretty good idea of motive but I wasn't sure who was the killer before it was revealed. If you like reading thrillers and you enjoy sports, add this book to your TBR pile, and get ready for the high stakes world of the Sport of Kings.

I got this book through Net Galley, all the opinions are mine #ThePerfect10 #Netgalley

Helping me get into the Palm Beach spirit, we finally had a few sunny days here in the land of Lincoln.  I moved our houseplants so they could enjoy the sun as well. 

Cloudy days bum Bowie out

Sunshine Day!