I'm Anti Invasive Anything! Gardening and Post Cancer Treatment Life #PTSD #BCSM

 

Today I was in my garden, which is tiny but the plants are thriving; so much so that my cucumber plant is now encroaching on my flowering red bell pepper plant. This morning I was checking the garden plants for nefarious invaders and I found cabbage worms! Picture me looking at my cauliflower plant above, seeing all the holes, and frowning. Then I look closely at the leaves and bam!  A green worm!  On my leaf! First of all, this is why I don’t plant cruciferous vegetables, and second of all, how dare invasive disease attack my garden! 

Cue my outsized stress reaction to the garden pests. Yes, cancer trauma here we go again. First I put on some gloves, then I went inside and got a plastic knife,  and then I eradicated the worms. I serial-killed five of them, and I think there were either eggs or poop down on the budding leaves so I scrapped that off the plant. I’m glad I only have one plant. I don’t know that I will be planting cauliflower in the future, I don’t like murdering bugs almost as much as I don’t like, cue my waving my hands around, another reason to have some PTSD. 

After I killed the worms I found, I did a google search to find out if there was anything I could do to not have cabbage worms. First I learned that it’s supposed to be too early in the season for the worms and second I learned that if I put down diatomaceous earth that might help. 

Tricky how trauma can creep up on a person. Imagine what it will be like for people of this earth over the next decade given all the trauma the pandemic inflicted.  We are going to see so many different ways people try and cope--and plenty of that will be bad. It's a fine time as any to try to be kind because you don't know what people are dealing with when you run into them. 

Last thought for this post, later this afternoon, after I had reflected on invasive disease in my garden is just too on the nose a metaphor for the stress of cancer treatment,

I decided if I find more worms I'm going to scoop them up and then put them out for the plentiful birds in my backyard to eat!

How the Garden Started...

How the garden is going... just three weeks later! Looking great except for invasive pests! 

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!

#TheSundayPost The Weekend Before Father's Day-

 

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

A reminder that you have six days until father's day if that is something you need to plan for, now's the time to do it!  Don't tell my husband but we, and by we, I mean me, bought him a hammock for the backyard. I am hoping Middle Child will put it together for me. 

Here in my neck of the woods, it was hot and rain-free until Saturday afternoon when it poured.  I think we got about 2-3 inches of rain in half an hour.  This should help my garden and our weed-filled yard. 

I had a rough long 6-mile training run on Saturday. This was completely due to the hot humid weather.  I am so glad I have my small backyard pool it gave me a focus and a finish line.  Finish run, dunk head in pool! 

I was very glad I had an engaging audiobook on my run, I needed the distraction as the miles slowly rolled by.  I will be posting a review of it tomorrow. 

On Tuesday me and Youngest Child will be heading back to the DMV to see if the second time around she'll be passed by the instructor and get her license.  This time we are planning to arrive at the office an hour and a 1/2 before they open to get as close to the door as possible.  Hopefully, she can take her road test while she is fresh and the instructors are fresh as well.   This time we are bringing chairs, snacks, water, and headphones. 

Wednesday I have my annual exam at the dermatologist.  As far as I can tell that should go well aside from having a medical professional look at all my skin--awkward. 

I currently have a Kindle Unlimited subscription and it includes digital Food Network Magazine.  I am planning to look through it for a new recipe or two to try out over the upcoming week. 

I'm also reading Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibert, and The New Husband by D. J. Palmer.  I'll be reviewing them this week and may throw in another book--depending on how things go! 

How are things with you?  How's it going? 

Sharing Sheltering Spirits - A Lola Blog Tour!

 

Sheltering Spirits (A Mallory McGrath Mystery #1)
by Lori Allison
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 6 October 2020

Blurb:
Orphaned at a young age, all Mallory McGrath wants is a place to call home, the companionship of friends who have become her family and to keep her Basset Hound, Elmer, from wrecking everything she owns.

A simple life.

And things are going her way until a sudden encounter with the bumper of a car driven by the intriguing new coroner in town leaves her with a head injury that unlocks a strange new talent.

Now Mallory is dealing with ghostly roommates, a dead body on her property and finding herself under suspicion of murdering the town’s matriarch. Not to mention the angry poltergeist trashing her attic!

To save all she holds dear, Mallory must catch a killer who has her in his sights … and to make sure her supply of peanut butter doesn’t run out.

*********************************************************************************

        This is fun, short cozy!  You can read it during an afternoon sitting by the pool or over a few summer nights.  Mallory is a great MC, she is smart, kind, and not afraid to do some sleuthing! I liked the paranormal aspects of the ghosts they were (for the most part) like Mallory's guardian angels.  Elmer and Luther were wonderful cozy companion characters. LizzyAnne,  Mallory's BFF was pretty over the top, but her heart is clearly in the right place so she started to grow on me. 

I really like the budding romance and I liked how the town funeral home is a feature in this book. This is definitely a cozy to add to your TBR and I'm looking forward to book two!

Links:
- Goodreads
- Bookbub
- Amazon

About the Author:
Lori Allison has had a life-long love affair with books, both as a reader and a writer. Lori is the mother of 3 grown children and has a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of New Mexico. She managed the construction company her family owned for 17 years before retiring to pursue writing full time.

Lori lives in a small town in New Mexico with her husband, Jeffery, and their three dogs.

Author links:
- Website
- Facebook
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Instagram

#AudioBook Challenge! A Thriller with an Unreliable Narrator for a Humid week in June!

 We have some thunderstormy, cloudy, humidity-filled weather this week, and I was looking for something to listen to as I go about my day.  I saw that this was available via the Libby App from my library system so I borrowed it.  It's on the shorter side, which worked for me. I listen to it at 1.65 speed.  I found the reader to be engaging, his name is George Newbern.  

If you don't like audiobooks, I would still consider picking this one up, it's a good travel book if you have a vacation planned and are going to be sitting in an airport or in a car, or on a train, this will make the time fly. 

This was my first time reading a book by Lisa Scottoline. It turns out she has had over 30 books published so I was really late to learn about this author! 

Great smelling tree on my run!  

* * * * *

I was hoping to have a full review of the book ready today, but yesterday I spent 8 hours in line outside the local department of motor vehicles with Youngest Child.  In the hot sun, standing in line waiting and waiting for her to be able to take her road test. We arrived at the location when it opened and the line was already hundreds deep and blocks long.  No bathroom, no water, and worst of all, no headphones.

Wait, I take that back, the worst of all was after standing in the sun all day, the instructor failed Youngest Child.  I felt terrible and also was so dehydrated I don't think my tear ducts worked anymore. I think the failure was due to nerves, hours, and hours waiting.  When we go back for the second time around, I have high hopes Youngest Child will pass, the irony is, of everyone in our household she's had the most on-the-road experience prior to taking the test. 

It really stinks for her, and yet, it is when we have failures that we have growth.  Additionally, I  know when she gets her license it is going to be that much sweeter. For my part, I think I did an excellent job shutting up and letting her vent and feel her feelings.  I know she didn't want to hear platitudes or examples of how things could be worse. 

Now today, I have my headphones charged and ready to go and listen to more of One Perfect Lie which is a solid thriller so far, the main character is so terrible. I don't know yet if I will be getting another POV or if this entire book will be told from the villain's perspective! 

A Southern Cozy Book To Start the Week- Reading Between The Crimes by Kate Young - #NetGalley

 

This is a cozy that will grab your attention if you like small southern towns, a book that has book themes, and a very punny title! 

 

It has been a few months since we spent time with Lyla, our MC and in that time she has become more confident in her role as a Private Investigator in training.  The Jane Does' book club has grown and the main member has become a very close-knit group.  This month the book club has read and discussed Crooked House by Agatha Christie. This month someone was murdered at Lyla's parent's house.  Similarities between the book and real-life occur and that makes for some very fun reading.  I like the conceit author Kate Young is using in this series that we have the book club reading a book and then we have eerie coincidences between the book being discussed and what is going on in Sweet Mountain, GA. 

 

The main issue I had with book one in this series, On Borrowed Crime, was that Lyla's parents and her ex-boyfriend treated her like she was a teenager instead of a woman in her thirties who knows her own mind. It made me think twice about whether I wanted to read further in this series or just read something else.  As you can see, I decided to give the second book a go, and happily, in this book Lyla's decisions are respected. 

 

The book takes place in the fall around Halloween, but it doesn't have a strong Halloween flavor. It will be out on September 7th, the day after Labor Day, a perfect cozy to kick off the fall season.  Grab a PSL (Pumpkin Spiced Latte) and kick back and enjoy this fun second book in the Jane Doe Book Club Mystery series. 

 

4.50 stars I recommend this cozy and am looking forward to the next book in this series. It's really picking up steam!

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! All the opinions are mine!

#TheSundayPost A Little This, A Little That

 

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

This past week has been a busy week! Lots of driving youngest child and oldest child to their summer jobs. Youngest child is getting her license on Tuesday, if she passes the driving test.  Fingers crossed. I will say it has been nice to spend one on one time with her in the car, albeit very stressful for me as the passenger! 

I've finished week one of my Marathon Training and today I learned that I need to figure out a better  pre-run light breakfast because today my energy was sapped too early. Also it was H*O*T. I was really happy to enjoy a post run swim in my little pool. Should you have any interest you can check my fundraising page for Imerman Angels here. 

My garden is growing well (knock on wood) I am implementing less watering than I did last year because in The Beginner's Guide to Growing Great Vegetables the author talks about if you water your plants too much they can grow shallow roots, but if you water a little sparingly, then they will grow deep roots. So that's the plan!

I have also been doing a good job with working on my cozy mystery by participating in Jami Attenberg's #1000wordsofsummer each day and I am participating in a virtual writing group via Gilda's Club so I do not have my book reviews planned out very well at all for the upcoming week. 

I will be sharing my thoughts on this book that I picked up from Net Galley:

What have you been up to? How was your week? 

Some Historical Romance To Kick Off The Weekend!

 If you follow my blog, you've likely noticed that I don't read much historical romance.  At the same time, if you follow my blog, you know I really enjoy Alyssa Cole's writing.  So it was only a matter of time before I started reading her historical romance.  This book takes place during the Civil War, and is the story of Elle Burns who is a former slave and is now a spy for the Loyalty League. Yes, this is fiction, but there were people who were freed people who went back into slavery to spy for the Union.  The bravery is astounding.

Here is a bit about the book from the back cover:

"Elle Burns is a former slave with a passion for justice and an eidetic memory. Trading in her life of freedom in Massachusetts, she returns to the indignity of slavery in the South--to spy for the Union Army. 

Malcolm McCall is a detective for Pinkerton's Secret Service. Subterfuge is his calling, but he's facing his deadliest mission yet--risking his life to infiltrate a Rebel enclave in Virginia." 

The stakes in this forbidden romance are so high, every time they are in the same room, they are at risk of being exposed as spies, then you add in their unavoidable attraction to each other- dangerous passion!  In addition to the spying and the fear of being caught, what kept me reading long past my bedtime was wanting to know how Alyssa Cole was going to give this couple a happy ending.  Interracial marriages were not even legal during far too much of our American History.

Speaking of history, Alyssa Cole includes a selected biography of resources she used when writing this book.  One of the books, A Secret Society History of the Civil War by Mark A. Lause, has piqued my interest and is now on my library hold list. 

5 Stars for An Extraordinary Union! 

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. 

#ABrushWithMurder #NetGalley New Cozy Series Who Likes A Potential Love Triangle?

 Hello and welcome to your summer!  Today I am hyping myself up to start #1000wordsofsummer.  This is it--this time I'm going to finish writing a cozy mystery rough draft.  Even if it ends up printed out and sitting in a drawer, this time I'm going to do it!  No, I won't be able to finish it in the first two weeks of summer, but I am going to finish it by Labor Day.  I am not currently working so I do have the time. I just need to avoid scrolling social media! 

Speaking of writing, today I'm reviewing a new cozy series by Bailee Abbot, called A Brush With Murder. I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley to review. All the opinions are mine. I had a tough time rating this book. Ultimately, I decided on a 3.5 rounded up to a 4 for posting purposes. I struggled to like the characters in the book. It wasn't until I was 80 percent through the book that I came to like at least some of the characters. The mystery is good, a nice twist, but clues are laid out from the beginning so, it's earned. I know as a reader I don't like a twist that doesn't have a trail of clues. 

Chloe is our amateur sleuth, and she is trying to save her sister's business and herself after  Fiona, a local reporter who liked to pan local businesses, winds up dead.  Chloe, I grew to like, though I found her ex-boyfriend situation confusing, am I supposed to like Ross or dislike Ross? My instinct was to like him.  Izzie is Chloe's sister, and the proprietor of the new paint shop in town, Paint with A View.  I thought a business that does painting classes is a good business choice for a cozy mystery job.  However, during this book, Izzie the shop owner spends very little time at the shop.  She disappears frequently, is being secretive, and actively refuses to talk to the police officer who is trying to solve the murder. Overall, I had real trouble liking Izzie she came off as very flippant and entitled throughout the book.

Chloe and her family are literally trust fund babies. Her parents live off the funds from the family estate.  This is not something I have experience with, but in the book, there were multiple businesses run by twenty-something women who had financial backing from their families for their businesses. So the main character's situation wasn't completely uncommon for this town. One of these owners was very panicked about her business and worried about being a complete failure after her second chance--which was, to me, a little funny because she was 24 years old. No one is a complete failure at 24, plenty of time to try many more things in life.  

Chloe's dog Max is on the cover, but he isn't the emotional support or sounding board that many a cozy companion provides to their sleuth--he's more of a traditional pet. 

If you enjoy a potential love triangle, this book is definitely for you!  Seasonally, the book takes place during the heat of summer in a lakeside community. 

Most likely, I will pick up the second book in the series to see how Bailee Abbot develops the characters and what new mystery she creates. 

This book will be out on October 12, 2021. Add it to your TBR pile now! 

#TheSundayPost May 30th: Are You Ready For The Summer?

 

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

Yes! Yes, I am!  The weather here is more like early April, but I am ready for my summer!  My pool is open!  Marathon training starts tomorrow! #1000wordsofsummer starts tomorrow! 

This will be my third marathon and I'm running as a charity runner for Imerman Angels there are still spots available to join the team and run the Chicago Marathon for Team Imerman this fall! If I can run a marathon, you can run a marathon! Imerman Angels is a non-profit group that connects cancer patients and caregivers with peer support.  They call the peer's Mentor Angels.  Mentor Angels are that crucial listening ear, a person who knows exactly what you are going through and is on the other side--able to remind you that even if things are really tough now, there will be better days ahead. 

On the same day marathon training begins,  the two-week writing challenge invented by author Jami Attenberg.  As the name implies the challenge is to write 1,000 words every day for two weeks. It might actually be 15 days now that I think about it, I believe the end goal is 15,000 words which is a nice start to any writing endeavor. I am going to go back to writing the cozy mystery novel that has been lingering unfinished and ignored by me for months. I have a few changes I want to make to the outline and then get back to writing.  Or maybe I'll wind up writing something completely new.  Who knows! 

This week I have 3 books I'll be blogging about:

 A #NetGalley pick-up, New Series!

I'm trying to add some non-fiction to my audiobooks listening.  This book is really fascinating! 

I'm also trying to read down my physical TBR pile.  I like to read my books and pass them on so if you want this book when I'm done, comment and let me know! ( will send as media mail) 

So, what's on your agenda to start the summer? 

Happy Friday! #Readalong Review! And Some Summer Talk!

 Well as Mother Nature is wont to do, last week we had temperatures in the mid-80s and sunshine galore.  This weekend, the official start of the summer season, the skies are a uniform cloudy grey and the temperature is 46!!! 46!!! literally, 40 degrees Fahrenheit colder than this time last week. 

It's really harshing my budding pool lifestyle. 

My little pool which my daughter makes fun of because it's only 33 inches deep, but hey, it's easy for me to maintain and big enough to swim a little and float a lot!  Alas, this 3-day weekend it is going to stay covered, as temps won't even hit 70. 

When it was summer weather, I spend a few afternoons floating in my pool and reading Blaze of Memory by Nalini Singh.  This is the 7th book in the PsyChangeling series that we are reading this year.  You can find out more about the read-along and join us here. 

As I have said before, I treating enjoy Nalini Singh's ability to keep raising the stakes in these paranormal romances. Once again, I had my doubts as the book was nearing the climax that Dev Santos and Katya Haas would find their HEA.  During this book, I found that I didn't care as much or root for this couple like I had in the previous book which was the love story between  Mercy and Riley.  For me, I think this was because Mercy was a strong, passionate woman who wasn't a virgin like the Psy, and because she was an equal match to Riley. Yes, Katya, survived and made it to Dev, but she is very fragile and since she has amnesia is one-dimensional. 

In Blaze of Memory, Nalini Singh takes us back to the beginning of Silence and tells the story of one family's exodus to become part of the fallen. This is done through letters a mother writes to her son. I liked this method of storytelling.  Additionally, we learn more about how Judd's special set of skills can work for the good.

I would have liked to have a better understanding of what Dev's affinity with metal meant and how it developed as he grew up. I wanted more of his backstory. 

Next up is the story of the human cop Max Shannon, I have been hoping he would get his own book from the first time he walked on the scene!  

Have a great weekend even if the weather stinks! It's a great excuse to kick back and enjoy a good book! 

Starting A Garden This Year? #TheBeginnersGuidetoGrowingGreatVegetables #NetGalley

 

Off and on over the years, I've had gardens at our homes. Above is this year's situation, one raised bed of vegetables and then containers with flowers and herbs. My gardening style is winging it.  I really don't know what I'm doing.  With that in mind, I decided to check out this book via #NetGalley: (I received an ARC of this book, all the opinions are mine!) 

Doesn't this cover call to you? If you have Kindle Unlimited you can get this book as part of your subscription.  You will be inspired by the gorgeous photography throughout the book. The Beginners' Guide to Growing Great Vegetables i is packed with easy-to-access information to help anyone become a gardener.  It includes explanations of planting zones, microclimates, how to kill pests with beer, and a month-by-month guide to starting a garden.  It also includes instructions and tips for planting raised beds as well as containers and discusses using edibles as ornamentals.  Why not have some beautiful kale in your front yard?  It's pretty and tasty!   

The book is filled with wonderful graphics to show you everything from how to lay out a garden, to DIY soil testing, and how to build a hoop house. In the past, I have purchased gardening books that I have opened and thumbed through and put aside because I felt overwhelmed by the content. This book is different, it's very beginner-focused focusing on why you will want to do certain things and when you will want to do them in order to grow vegetables in your backyard, front yard, or even on a balcony.  

5 Stars- Comprehensive guide with a monthly planner! 

Cozy Mystery Book Club Meets Tomorrow! Join Us on YouTube!

 Happy Monday, is this work week ending in a three-day weekend for you?  If you ask me everyone should have a three-day weekend every week.  Let's make 4 days works weeks a thing!  I'm kicking off this week with a review of the Cozy Mystery Book Club's book of the month.  This month we chose from a selection of bookish cozies and the winner was Maggie Blackburn's (aka Mollie Cox Bryan) book Little Bookshop of Murder. 

I liked this book more than I thought I would at first blush. I thought that the author does a good job of showing Summer's grieving process.  The murder victim in this book is Summer's mom who we do not get to meet, we only learn of her via other people's memories. The killer in this book is pretty easy to figure out, so if being wholly surprised by who did it is important to you, then you might be disappointed. 

Maggie Blackburn takes a big risk in this book by making the protagonist a scholar who has no use for popular fiction, especially romance and mystery which she thinks is complete dreck.  Readers might be put off by Summer's disdain for the very books they love to read. However,  Summer's life in academia isn't all it is cracked up to be, and the bookstore she inherited isn't the terrible navel-gazing place she made it out to be in her youth. I enjoyed Summer slowly having to eat her words and realize that romance and mystery books are quality reads.

Some readers prefer cozy mysteries that don't have a romance component.  While this book talks about romance novels, there is not a romance plot in this book. If you love a unique cozy companion, this book features a bird named Mr. Darcy!

You can join us for the Book Club Live Stream tomorrow May 25th at 7pm EST! I'll be in the comments sharing my two cents! 

#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! 

If Culinary Cozies Are Your Coconut Jam

 Then you are going to enjoy the stuffing out of Arsenic and Adobo the first book in the new Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mysteries series by Mia Manansala.  This is Mia's first book and it's had a great debut, popping up on a bunch of best new book lists. 

This book tells the tale of Lila Macapagal a twenty-five-year-old who has moved back home to help the family business and forget about a terrible ex-boyfriend.  She is also a first-generation Filipino American who spends her free time concocting recipes using traditional Filipino cuisine and giving it her own spin.  Not long after arriving home Lila has new ex-boyfriend problems when an old high school sweetheart keels over in Tita Rosies' restaurant!

Lila is quickly accused of killer her ex-boyfriend and the restaurant, which was already behind on the rent payments is shut down. The clock is ticking; will Lila find the killer and save her family's restaurant?  

My local coffee shop has a new seasonal drink...Ube Iced Latte!  IFYKYK!

I listened to the audio of this book which was read by Danice Cabanela who does a wonderful job of acting out the numerous characters in this first book. It was a very entertaining listen and a nice distraction while running.  I did struggle to keep track of the characters in the book because there were quite a few and it is a little harder for me to keep track when I listen instead of having a book a can flip back through easily. 

Mia Manansala really excels in her food descriptions.  My mouth was watering!  This book is a culinary delight.  I liked getting to know some of the residents of Shady Palms, IL and it was a treat to be invited into Tita Rosie's home. I enjoyed the touch of romance, the diverse cast of first-generation Asian Americans, and it did my little heart good to read about the way Lila's family expressed their love for each other through food. 

4 Stars for this cozy!  I think the second book will build upon this one and I am looking forward to seeing Lila and her friends and family again soon! 

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! 

I Took A Vacation to Ireland Over The Weekend!

 The weather was gloomy Friday and Saturday, so I turned to reading and found myself quickly in the midst of murders and ghosts in Ireland. 

The first book I read, on my imaginary trip to the Emerald Isle, was Death in D Minor by Alexis Gordon.  This book is the second book in Dr. Gordon's  Gethsemane Brown Mysteries series and right off the bat, I found this book to be even better than the first. It is available free on Kindle Unlimited, or like me, you can probably find it at your local public library.  

One of the most enjoyable parts of this series is the focus on Fine Arts. In this book in addition to Gethsemane's classical music background. we learn about textile artwork and schoolgirl samplers. This isn't your average murder mystery: there is also an international art fraud ring!  

Here are some examples of schoolgirl samplers from the website Colonial Sense

Cleverly, this murder mystery takes place in a different town than the first book so we meet a whole new crop of shady characters.  We also get to meet one of Gethsemane's family members and Inspector O'Reilly and Frankie the math teacher are back.  Will there be a romance with either of them?  If not I don't mind because I do find their characters enjoyable on their own merits.  This second book cemented my affection for Dr. Gethsemane Brown. She is bold, tenacious, and unflappable. Plus she can see ghosts! 

5 stars for the second book in this series!  It's like a fine arts seminar wrapped in a murder mystery!  I loved it! 

The second book I am reading from Ireland is The Guest List by Lucy Foley. I'm about 60% finished as of Sunday afternoon so I am going to dive back into it and I'll share a review on Wednesday! 

#TheSundayPost My Belated Mother's Day!

 

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

Last Sunday we celebrated Oldest Son's birthday with his favorite pizza, so I opted to request any Mother's Day celebration for me to be moved this Sunday. Since I recently went to Love's Sweet Arrow and purchased a nice stack of books for myself, I don't really need any presents for Mother's Day.  Instead, I'm expecting my family to put up my pool. 

 I was planning to get a pool last summer to celebrate being done with cancer treatment and the momentous occasion of being alive for half a century; however, the global pandemic caused a run on pop-up pools and also ruined my plans to have old lady backyard pool parties. 

I bought a pool and all the supplies necessary for it, about five minutes after President Biden signed the stimulus bill and now tomorrow is the day my wonderful family can get that pool set up!  The forecast is calling for temperature in the 80s later this week...and I can't wait to float in my pool with a book in my hand! 

How are things by you?  I hope you had a good week! Comment below and share any fun summer plans you have coming up! 

What I'll be reviewing this week:

What's A Kitchen Witch? Magic in the Kitchen and a Cozy Review!

 What is a kitchen witch? It can be a handcrafted doll that is used as a good luck charm in Scandanavian kitchens or it can be someone who practices magic centered on the craft of cooking and all things related to food.  One can be a kitchen witch who practices in the Wiccan tradition. In my opinion, if you cook with love and talk to your plants, and have a green thumb and secret recipes for delicious cookies that you won't share- I probably think you are a kitchen witch. 

In paranormal fiction, various types of witchcraft are as popular (i.e. Harry Potter)  as vampires and werewolves.  Of course, I don't think vampires or werewolves exist, but paganism and Wiccan practices have been around for millennia and only got a bad wrap when men took over religions.  Under the cozy mystery umbrella is the subgenre of paranormal cozies.  Paranormal cozies are chock full of many different types of witches!  

One Poison Pie by Lynn Cahoon is a series featuring Mia who is a kitchen witch and is working on starting up a catering business, only to have a murder pop up right before her first catering gig! This magical cozy is light on the magic and heavy on the sleuthing and traditional cozy themes, so if you haven't read a magical cozy yet, this could be the perfect foray to see if you like it. 

I enjoyed the fresh tone of the book, Mia has common sense and a dogged determination to get her fledgling business off the ground.  She also has a terrible ex, a grandmother who holds secrets and a potential new boyfriend. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Two Wicked Desserts,  which I will be reviewing next month thanks to a copy from Net Galley. 

Solid 4 Stars!  A series I will continue!

As you know from reading my blog, I'm an aspiring cozy writer myself.  I love the idea of a kitchen witch protagonist and I have been doing research and have an idea I am working on, I also have an 80% complete rough draft for another cozy mystery series idea.  What I need to do is focus, finish one of these books and then go from there! 

This is a beautiful book filled with recipes and rituals to be more connected to the Earth. 

Let's Hope This Warm Up Is Here To Stay! Plus! NEW Cozy Series Book- Farm to Trouble!

Prolific cozy mystery writer Amanda Flower is out with a new series.  I was drawn to this series by the fresh look of the cover and the fun title. I'm excited to say this is the book of the month for June's Cozy Mystery Book Club. I am reading it early because this is when I was able to borrow it from my library! 

This is the story of Shiloh Bellamy who grew up on a farm in Northwestern Michigan and then moved to California where she built a career as a television producer.  Now she is back in her hometown to help her very taciturn father save their farm which has gone fallow (i.e. weeds no crops).  First, she finds out the family home is in terrible shape and then she stumbles across a dead body.

I had trouble reconciling Shiloh's career as a television producer, a tough job that requires the ability to lead as well as sell people on ideas and meet tough deadlines, with her passivity and lack of self-confidence in the book.  Far too often people berate her, far too often she is running here and there chasing after things other people want her to do.  Her personality didn't match a successful 38-year-old television producer. 

The person who is killed is a terrible person, that is always a plus in my book when it comes to cozy mysteries. However, in this book, Shiloh has more than a couple of unpleasant friends and family.  I didn't enjoy spending time with them as the book progressed. 

Cozies are so much about plucky MCs and Community.  I love reading about protagonists who aren't afraid to ask questions or speak up for themselves and in this book Shiloh doesn't advocate for herself and is surrounded by people who are family who mistreat her and acquaintances who call her a murderer and a killer from the moment of the murder. 

This is a three-star read for me. 

*****

Can you believe it is already just about mid-May?  My oldest has finished his Junior year of college and second son is finishing his first year of college finals this week, and my youngest child is at an AP test right now.  We can taste summertime! However, the weather has been more like the Ides of March than the cusp of summer for the past week. My weather app says we should start seeing 70s by next week; but, that is what the app said last week and all we got were the mid-50s.  Not Cool Mother Nature!  --Well really, it is cool, that's the problem!  

Time files!