Slight Hiccup, "Murder Most Fowl" by Donna Andrews

 Murder Most Fowl by Donna Andrews is the 29th book in her long-running cozy mystery series. Isn't that amazing?  The Meg Laslow Mystery series is one I enjoy popping in and out of as the mood strikes. I picked it up to listen to because I was looking for books with witchy and/or Halloween vibes and this book delivered. 

If you like Shakespeare and cozy mysteries, you really have to read this book because so much of it revolves around an ill-fated production of Macbeth. In this series, it can take so long before someone is murdered that you might think this is the book where she doesn't have a murder--and just when you've given up on the Murder part of Murder Mystery, Donna will knock someone off. 

The cast of characters in this series is very eclectic and I am sure that is part of what makes the series so popular.  This book is a solid 4 stars.  Give it a try! 

The slight hiccup is that I am not writing about any of the books I was planning on finishing and writing about this week. Yesterday I had my annual physical and as part of it I was asked by my doctor if I wanted to get the shingles vaccine. This is the only shot I have not gotten around to getting, I even had my flu shot already. I explained that I have a strong immune response when I get vaccines and would this vaccine leave me with flu-ish symptoms.  The doctor said no, there should just be maybe some pain around the injection site. So I said sure, let's do it.

Joke is on me! I'm exhausted, achy, and my nose is stuffy. Sigh.  I'm not complaining too much, partly because I'm too tired to complain and also I'd much rather have this than actual shingles. 

I'm too tired to read today, my fingers are crossed this is the worst of it, and also it's good to have a strong immune response for the most part! 

Finders Keepers and the Harvest Moon

I was about to resume listening to A Court of  Wings and Ruin, when I saw Hoopla was recommending this book to me. I was intrigued and downloaded it.  I've not read anything by Natalie Barelli before, but based on this book, I'll read more of her work. 

The main character in this book is a bit of a mess and she is not a very reliable narrator, I listened to the book on 2x speed and that really played up her manic thoughts. This is a psychological thriller, it moves fast and you don't know who to believe. The ending could have gone a few different ways, and I really liked what Natalie Barelli decided to write.  It's a good ending for a thriller and all questions are answered. 

4.5 stars

The Harvest Moon is this week!  On 9/29 the big beautiful full moon will rise--and it's a great time for making a tasty Harvest Soup or Stew. I'm going to be trying a new recipe from a book I've had for a while. 

Harvest Moon Herb Soup from The Book of Kitchen Witchery by Cerridwen Greenleaf

3 large leeks, thinly sliced

1/4 cup (60ml) virgin olive oil

2 fresh garlic cloves chopped

8 cups or 2 liters of water

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and coarsely grated

1 carrot, thinly sliced

4 large floury potatoes such as Idaho or sweet potatoes peeled and cut into small chunks

1/4 cup (5g) fresh sage, finely chopped

1/4 cup (10g) fresh chives, finely chopped

Salt and pepper 

1/4 tsp celery salt

In a large iron skillet fry the leeks in olive oil until they are soft and translucent, add the chopped garlic, and cook until soft. Then transfer all to a soup pot, add water, and bring to a boil, add the vegetables and herbs lower the heat, and simmer for 45 minutes--make sure the potatoes are done, and then add salt and pepper to taste and add the celery salt last!

 

 

It's Good, But Why is this Book So LONG- A Court of Mist and Fury

 

After listening to A Court of Thorns and Roses,  I was in no hurry to continue the series because I didn't like Feyre and Tamlin as a couple. I didn't like Tamlin and Feyre was so boring with him.  She goes from being a warrior to a princess flouncing around in gowns and painting. 

But a podcast I listen to sang the praises of this book, so I said, fine I'll give this a shot.  And yes, much better. HOWEVER, the book is ridiculously long and too repetitive, and so I rated it a 3.  It's good but if it was 200 pages shorter, it would have been fantastic. Why are the books in this series so long, I'm listening at 2x speed and it's still taking forever--and the ending isn't the ending it's the end til the next book starts, so shorten it up! 

Have you read this series?  Did you think this book could have been edited down? 

***

We are still enjoying amazing September weather in Chicagoland, temps are in the 70s (low 20s Celcius) during the day and 50s (mid teens celsius) at night. Just the best. For my birthday I got myself a Stich Fix and it included two cute sweaters and it hasn't been cool enough to wear them, but I figure we only have a couple of weeks --at the most before it will truly be sweater weather. 

My Goodness Where Does the Time Go? #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  

The second half of summer was busy with some fun travel, I went to the Tastefully Simple which was held at the Marriot Hotel in the Mall of America. I've never been to the Mall of America so that was a new experience. I like the Minneapolis area, if I had to move from Chicagoland, I'd move to Minnesota. I know that sounds bonkers because of winter, but the winters aren't as bad as they once were and I'd rather layer up than live where it is too hot to go outside. 

Then I had a nice birthday and it was time for school to start. This is my second year as a lunchroom supervisor and on Friday I realized I had learned all the kindergarteners' names--well I mean the ones I work with--. 

Recently I've been craving cozy mysteries, so I've been borrowing the audio versions of Krista Davis's Kitchen Diva series. I've completed listening to :

*The Diva Frosts a Cupcake

*The Diva Wraps it up

*The Diva Steals a Chocolate Kiss

and The Diva Serves High Tea

This series has mysteries that keep me guessing and I love the ability Krista Davis has to weave sleuthing while sharing literally mouth-watering recipes. I highly recommend this series. 

Right now I'm reading The Glida Stories which is about a black lesbian vampire, the story starts pre-Civil War
and right now it's the 1921s as I am reading.  It's a compelling read and one you should add to your reading list if you enjoy vampire stories and or supernatural books for spooky season. 

I'm also listening to The Diva Cooks Up a Storm and A Court of Wings and Ruin.  

How have you been?  Do you enjoy it when the calendar turns to fall? 

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

 I wish I had never read this book so I could read it again for the first time. This is such a lovely book. I hope they make it into a movie or a limited TV series so I could see the kids on the Island and that Cerulean Sea. Ideally, I'd love to see this book made into a Kdrama, I know it would be wonderful because Kdramas are slow and languid in their storytelling and so visually pleasing. 

There is conflict and strife in this book but there is also so much kindness and beautiful scenes of people becoming better than they have been. And the soundtrack of the book. I will always think of Lucy in the kitchen doing dishes when I hear Bobby Darrin sing Somewhere Beyond The Sea.  

I was so happy that this book was a cozy and warm as people said. If you haven't read it yet, maybe save it for a time when you need a little pick me up.  This story is all sorts of delightful and I'm so glad T.J. Klune wrote it. 

5 stars obviously! 

If you are having a rough week and are looking for a sign to treat yourself.  Here is your sign. Go read book, or jump in a lake, or have a double scoop ice cream cone!

The In-Between, A Memoir by a Famous Tik-Tok person

 

I was scrolling through what books had audio versions available to borrow on my library app and I came across this book. I was hesitant, did I want to listen to a book about death, but I decided to give it a go.

The audio version is read by the author Hadley Vlahas who is a hospice nurse. Later I learned she is Tik-tok famous for her hospice-related Tik-toks.   She is young and after I was done with the book, I noticed that many of the less-than-positive reviews seemed to be bothered by her youth.  

I was a little put off when I started the book because I wasn't very interested in a religious-based book on life's final moments.  However, I listened a little bit longer and I found that Hadley Vlahos was pretty balanced. This book is a memoir of Hadley becoming a nurse and then a hospice nurse. She grows into full adulthood over the course of the book.  As the subtitle suggests she shares stories of the last moments of some of her patients over the years.  

Now I wonder, are these amalgamations of patients, or did she have the approval to share the actual details of her patients. I'm going to assume she had approval to share actual details because the stories are all lovely, so I assume these people (or their families) were OK with being included in her book. 

I walked away from this story with a book hangover, the book is hopeful, but sad too. I would actually like to read another book from a hospice nurse or doctor just to compare it to this one, so if anyone has a recommendation, please let me know. 

4 stars!

The Sunday Post- July is Winding Down

 

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 

This week was very busy, my parents came to visit, the hubs had a work event overnight downtown, we went to a concert at a new concert venue, and Saturday we had a graduation party. Busy in a good way. This upcoming week is looking busy as well, so I am really embracing audiobooks. How are things by you?  It has not been very, very hot here --but if the forecast is correct this week is going to be in the 90-100 (mid to high 30s for those of you that use Celcius) I will have to be mindful about whether or not it is safe to walk our dog.  How about you?  How is your weather? 

Books I'll be talking about:

Have You Been Getting Your Steps In?

 I've been working on meeting or exceeding 10,000 steps per day.  A while back I lost my Fitbit so I've been using my phone to track my steps, and since I put my phone down often during the day, I have to make a concerted effort to get all the steps in before going to bed. Of course, if I'm out running or walking I do love to listen to audiobooks to keep me going.  

I came across Red Queen because I was looking for a fantasy book that was available as an audiobook from my public library.  I enjoyed it, it's very similar, plotwise to more than a couple other fantasy YA books.  I did enjoy it enough that I want to know what happens next and am continuing the series. If you like fantasy told from a female lead POV, give this series a try and see what you think!

3.5 stars 

Also, I didn't feel like turning on the oven the other day so, I did some internet research and found out that you can make pork chops in the Air Fryer.  Preheat your air fryer on 400 degrees for 5 mins then add the seasoned pork chops and cook for 12 minutes! Easy and Fast!

The Eden Test- A Thriller and a Few Botanical Garden Pics

This is the second book I picked up so I would have a physical book to read while we traveled. It's an easy to read and I finished it faster than I thought I would and then I was really bummed I didn't have another physical book I could read and save my phone battery life. Lesson learned, if possible take one extra book when traveling. 

 The Eden Test is  a decent thriller, I guessed some of the plot points, but not everything. There are scenes of graphic domestic violence, so if that is something you'd like to avoid, now you know. This was my first book by Adam Sternbergh, I would read more of his books if I happen across them. 

My family was visiting and one activity we went on was to a local nature preserve and botanical garden. We had gorgeous weather and were well served by visiting early in the day before the temps and humidity rose too much!

 

PIcked This Up From My Local Library- and a little garden video

I picked up this book from my local public library and when I turned it over and saw the words PTA moms and murder; I said to myself. I'm in! 

We were heading out of town for a wedding, so it was the perfect time to have a physical book and one that was full of marital strife and family dramas, as well as rich people mess.

I've got to say, I do enjoy rich people mess in a vacation read. The story is pretty formulaic, and you may very well guess some of what happens and why. Overall it's like popcorn, it's easy way to fufill your craving for something crunchy but not to heavy.

4 Stars for Regrets Only,  a good read to take with you on vacation or to the beach, or to read when waiting at doctor or dentist appointments. 

 Over the weekend I went on a Garden Walk in my area. It was sunny and pretty humid but it was a lovely day and all the gardens were very peaceful.  Here are a couple pictures: