April 12th's Sunday/Monday Post

Welcome to this week's Sunday/Monday Post.  I will be linking up to:

Sunday Post
Sunday Salon
Stacking the Shelves
Mailbox Monday
It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Not too much here this week.  I worked.  I came home.  Such an exciting life, right?

The weather has cooled off again.  We're only supposed to be in the 60's this weekend, and we should be getting some rain.  Looks like it will be mostly overnight, ending during church Sunday morning.  I'm wishing that if it were going to rain, it would be Sunday afternoon when I'd be home and able to enjoy watching it.  We get rain so rarely that I enjoy watching it while I'm home and dry.  We're only talking about half an inch or so, but that's a big deal here in So Cal in April.

And, since it's the second Saturday of the month, it's my friends' game day.  So let's get to it so I can finish getting ready to go over there.

Joke of the Week:

I quickly covered myself with my arms as my bookcase fell on me.

My fast thinking was due to the shelf defense class I took.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Ornament Review: A World Within #11

Tuesday - Book Review: Murder, Local Style by Leslie Karst

Wednesday - Book Review: Fair Warning by Michael Connelly

Thursday - Book Review: Big F@!king Deal by Lawrence Allan

Friday - Friday Post featuring The Ninja's Illusion

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Movie Review: Wicked

Tuesday - Book Review: Sovereign Sieged by Sarah E. Burr

Wednesday - Book Review: A Thief of Time by Tony Hillerman

Thursday - Book Review: The Ninja's Illusion by Gigi Pandian

Friday - Movie Review: Wicked - For Good

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

I have books I ordered that are almost here, so next week, I know I'll have plenty to talk about.  Not that I have a small number this week since I have three books on my list.

Up first is Between a Roquefort and a Hard Place by Linda Reilly.  This is book seven in her Grilled Cheese Mysteries series.  The ARC just hit Netgalley, so I snagged it.  The book itself comes out April 21st.  I won't get to the ARC to review it by then, but I'm aiming for the beginning of May for this one.

I won a giveaway from the Facebook Cozy Mystery Party group when Cindy Quayle was hosting a takeover of the group.  My prize included a copy of her newest book Lies are Better at the Lake.  I haven't read this series yet, but with a scuba diver main character, sounds like something I would enjoy.

Finally, I got Blues in the Dark.  This is the latest Nate Ross Mystery from J. R. Sanders.  The series revolves around a PI in Los Angeles in the 1930's.  I always enjoy them.

What I'm Currently Reading:

As I'm typing this, I've just barely started Blues in the Dark by J. R. Sanders.  When it arrived Friday, I decided to start it next.  I'm about 15 pages in at the moment, but I'm hoping to get a bit more read this morning before I leave for game day.  Nate's met his client and found out what he's being hired to do.  That's all I know so far.

Depending on how much reading I get done over the next couple of days, I may or may not still be reading that book on Monday.  Either way, I think next for me will be Death on Cozumel Island by Cindy Quayle.  Yes, I just won book four in this series.  I've actually had the ebook version of this first book for a couple of years.  I'm thinking now is the time to pick it up and read it since I much prefer to read a series in order if I can.

I'm off to read a bit before game day.  Have a great week, everyone!

April 11th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Wild Cards – That was a pretty good episode.  I was surprised at how much time they left at the end of the main mystery, but then they filled it well.  Are they writing Simmons out of the show/the actor leaving?  What will that mean for Yates?  Honestly, I wish it were Yates leaving since she’s the one of the two I find annoying.  And I was not expecting that cliffhanger.  Very curious what that will mean for next week’s season finale.

RJ Decker – Did not figure out where any of it was going.  Pretty creative mystery.  Yet it made sense at the end.  Very curious who broke into the house.  I’m hoping it has nothing to with Decker, but we will see.

Survivor – Any returning winner’s days are numbered.  I’m sorry that Dee wasn’t able to rally people to her side.  Honestly, she was making some great points as far as I was concerned.  Then again, I have never liked Coach.  I really hope people decide to turn on him soon.

Happy’s Place – So, if Val going to be a recurring character in season 3?  They sure seem to be setting it up that way.  Not sure how I’d feel about that.  The character is fun in small doses.  But it would give Gabi a storyline for next season.

April 10th's Friday Post

We did it!  We've reached another Friday.  Let's celebrate with this week's Friday Post, where I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

This week, my teasers will be coming from The Ninja's Illusion by Gigi Pandian.

This is the fifth novel in her Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mysteries.  I finished it up last week, and I enjoyed it.

Here's how the book begins:

I'm better at finding lost treasures than a phone buried in the bottom of my bag. Handwritten notecards for my lecture. A granola bar squished nearly as thin as a hand-pressed sheet of parchment. A magnifying glass. But no phone.

If she's that desperate to find her phone, I'm sure the phone call she needs to make is important.  Right?

Meanwhile, on page 56, we find this:

"What's the deal with his accident. Was it sabotage as well?"
"I don't think so," Sanjay said.
I waited for him to elaborate, but he didn't.
"What happened" I prompted.
"You don't want to know."

My review of this book will be up on Thursday, so I hope you'll come back and see what I thought.

For now, let's jump over to the Book Blogger Hop.  This week's question is:

 If you could revisit one of your past reviews, what would you change, and why?

Well, I actually did that just about 5 weeks ago.  I've been wanting to go back and update my review of Scream VI, so I did that after watching Scream 7.

As far as book reviews go, a lot of my older reviews are shorter now and don't reflect my current reviewing style.  But I think I'd have to reread the book to really be able to do justice to a new review, or even an updated review, of the book.  And, with so many new books calling my name, I just don't have time for that.  For the most part, I'm okay with them, although I don't go back through them very often.

Have a great weekend!

Book Review: Big F@!king Deal by Lawrence Allan (Jimmy Cooper Mysteries #2)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Jimmy and his humor

Cons: Plot could have been a little stronger

The Bottom Line:

Hunting kidnappers

While dealing with his father

Second book is fun

A Kidnapping is Always a Big Deal

When I read the first book in Lawrence Allan’s Jimmy Cooper Mysteries last year, I was hooked. So reading the second, Big F@!king Deal, was an obvious decision. 

Jimmy is a former child star who fell into the addiction stereotype. Now that he’s gotten himself straightened out, he’s a PI, still living in Los Angeles. He works as the investigator for his mother’s law firm, but he also takes on clients of his own. 

And this book picks up exactly where the previous one ended. Jimmy has just made headlines for the right reason - successfully solving a case. The headlines bring someone from his past back into his life - his father, who just vanished over a decade ago. But Jimmy has no time to worry about what his father wants since one of the wealthiest families in LA has hired him to find their college age son who has been kidnapped. The kidnappers have given them until Friday to put the ransom together. Can Jimmy find the young man before time runs out?

Let’s start with the obvious. No, this book isn’t a cozy, as the title indicates. However, I’ve read books with more language and violence than this book has. It’s nice to see an author choosing the time and place for those things to actually impact the story. But if you like to avoid those things, you’ll want to avoid this book. 

The plot in this book is entertaining. I was always hooked as I was reading. But I didn’t find this book quite as twisty as the first in the series. Still, I had to keep reading until I reached the end. 

Much of that is due to Jimmy himself. He’s a sympathetic character, and the storyline involving his father lets us get to know him better. While the rest of the cast feels just as real, Jimmy is the one that gets the most development. 

While some of that development is serious, overall, the book has a light, fun feel. The best laughs come from Jimmy’s sarcasm and observations in the first-person narration. 

While Big F@!king Deal was not quite as strong as the debut, it was still a fun read. I’m hoping to get to the third soon. 

Book Review: Fair Warning by Michael Connelly (Jack McEvoy #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Jack on another page turning thrill ride

Cons: A couple of passages

The Bottom Line:

Jack uncovers an 

Unusual connection

In this fun thrill ride

Finding a Killer is Consumer Protection

I remember being intrigued by the premise of Fair Warning back when it came out in 2020. But, since I was behind, it took me until now to get to it in my read through Michael Connelly’s books. No surprise to me, but it lived up to my expectations. 

This book focuses on Jack McEvoy, a reporter who has starred in two previous books and popped up in supporting roles a few other times. This book finds Jack reporting for a consumer protection website, far from the crime beat he’s covered for most of his career. However, his crime instincts kick in when two detectives come to question him about the death of a woman he had a one-night stand with. Even though murder isn’t what his employer covers, Jack begins investigating. He finds some other deaths that sound similar from other parts of the country. But what potentially connects the victims might make this a story his website would cover. Can he convince his editor? If so, can he find another serial killer?

Yes, I’m leaving the link out of my teaser. But it is what made this particular thriller feel very much a product of our times. At times as I was reading, I questioned how plausible the science was, but I’m an accountant, not a scientist. I’ll gladly go along with the premise of this book. 

Especially since it was another page turning entry from an author who doesn’t disappoint. We get a few passages from other character’s points of view, which just ramps up the suspense when we are back to Jack’s point of view. The ending wraps things up well. 

Jack and one other character are the only characters we’ve met before. It was nice catching up with them again and seeing where they are now. The rest of the book is filled with new characters who felt real to me. 

I will say, I got frustrated with Jack has his desire to protect his story a few times. But I’ve had this reaction to other books I’ve read with reporters as the main character, so it must be a part of the job I just don’t get. 

Also, a couple of times Jack spends some time deploring the attitude toward journalists in our modern society. Honestly, these made me roll my eyes, especially since those passages were pretty similar, so the repetition felt like weak writing. But I was mainly rolling my eyes at the idea that journalists are the victims when they have to bear their share of the responsibility for how their profession is viewed. It’s not all on them, but they sure do make it easy to point out their biases. 

Okay, rant over. 

As I said earlier, this book came out in 2020, specifically the first half. As a result, we don’t get any references to Covid, which is fine with me.  I’m still not actively looking to read a book about that.

Once again, I read this via audio. Peter Giles does a great job with the narration with Zach Villa popping in upon occasion. 

And yes, my usual reminder that this is a thriller and not a cozy applies. 

Fair Warning is another fast-paced thrill ride from Michael Connelly. Buckle up and hang on when you pick up this book. 

Book Review: Murder, Local Style by Leslie Karst (Orchid Isle Mysteries #3)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun setting and a solid mystery

Cons: Characters are good, but could be a little stronger

The Bottom Line:

Trying to make friends

But murder complicates things

I love this setting

Is There a Poisoner in the Neighborhood?

I always enjoy finding series that are a bit off the beaten path. That’s the case for Leslie Karst’s Orchid Isle series since I don’t read any other books set in Hawai’i. And I was happy to be back for Murder, Local Style, the third book in the series. 

The series follows Valerie Corbin, a retired caterer who has moved to the Big Island with her wife, Kristen. While they are settling into their new house in Hilo, they are still trying to build a new circle of friends. Valerie decides to follow her interest in orchids and join the orchid society. Since so many of the members are in her neighborhood, it will be a big boost to her social life. 

Valerie’s first meeting is right before a fundraiser for the society, and she gets roped into helping prepare the food. But, no good deed goes unpunished, and the morning after the event, it appears that a bout of food poisoning has hit many of the attendees. Then the society’s president dies from an especially bad case of the food poisoning, and the police get involved. Could it be murder?

Valerie being new to town gives us a nice entry point since we are meeting people as she is. Of course, most of these new people become suspects. It’s what happens in a mystery. People we’ve met in previous books take a bit of a back seat, and I still wish I felt like we were getting to know Valerie and Kristen a little better. But those are minor points. 

The mystery was solid. We had plenty of good suspects and surprises that kept me guessing until we reached the logical climax. 

And yes, I loved the setting. Even though we weren’t visiting touristy places, it still made me want to hop and plane and head back to visit the island. 

As with any good culinary cozy, there are recipes at the end inspired by local dishes. All told, there are five recipes to enjoy. 

If you are looking for a tropical getaway, you’ll be glad you picked up Murder, Local Style. This mystery tinged with local flavor will keep you entertained. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book. 

Ornament Review: A World Within #11 - Grandma in a Cupcake - 2025 Hallmark Release

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Sweet miniature ornament

Cons: None for me

The Bottom Line:

Visiting grandma

Is sweeter than usual

When house is cupcake

A Sweet Ornament

I did pretty well in 2025 cutting back on ornaments. And yes, that was cutting back. And yes, I should still do more. However, I couldn’t quite resist getting a few more ornaments after Christmas when they went on sale. The first of those was last year’s entry in the A World Within series. 

This ornament features a grandmother. She’s standing in her doorway waving at us. she’s dressed in green with a red and white apron. And what’s her house? Why, it’s a cupcake, of course. It’s got a red foil, white frosting, and green sprinkles. 

Just a reminder that this is a miniature series, so the ornament is only an inch and a half tall. As long as you remember that, you’ll be fine. 

Even though it wasn’t one of the ornaments I knew I had to get, I still thought it was cute. I’m glad it was left over after Christmas so I could get it added to my collection. 

Since this is essentially a miniature cupcake, it has a nice flat bottom. You can set it out to be displayed as long as it isn’t going to get lost from your display. 

And you’ll find the 11 in a Christmas tree series marker on the bottom. 

The ornament hangs straight, which is no surprise since it’s a cupcake. 

This entry in the World Within series is sweet. I’m glad I was able to track it down. 

Enjoy the rest of the A World Within series. 

Easter Sunday's Sunday/Monday Post

Welcome to this week's Sunday/Monday Post, where I will be linking up to:

Sunday Post
Sunday Salon
Stacking the Shelves
Mailbox Monday
It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Fairly quiet week around here.  Not much going on other than work.

The weather cooled down a bit this last week.  We were in the upper 60's, which is closer to normal this early in the spring that the upper 80's/low 90's we had for much of March.  We even got a tenth of an inch of rain.  Not much, but still something.  And we got wind.  Lots of it on Friday, and some more on Saturday.  Fortunately, it looks like we won't get much on Sunday since my church is having an outdoor service for Easter.

Speaking of which, I did go to the Good Friday service yesterday.  And I'm looking forward to the Easter service tomorrow.  I hope everyone has a great Easter Sunday, especially if you are celebrating.

Joke of the Week:

Why did the Easter Bunny have a panic attack?

He was having an egg-sistential crisis.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Book Review: Frozen Stiff Drink by James J. Cudney

Tuesday - Book Review: Vengeance in Venice by Erica Ruth Neubauer

Wednesday - March Reading Summary

Thursday - Book Review: The Maze in the Heart of the Castle by Dorothy Gilman

Friday - Friday Post featuring Murder, Local Style

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Ornament Review: A World Within #11

Tuesday - Book Review: Murder, Local Style by Leslie Karst

Wednesday - Book Review: Fair Warning by Michael Connelly

Thursday - Book Review: Big F@!king Deal by Lawrence Allan

Friday - Friday Post featuring The Ninja's Illusion

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

Just two books to tell you about this week.

Up first is A Poetic Pox.  This is the third Lady Librarian Mystery from Samantha Larsen.  I loved the first but didn't find the second as enjoyable.  But when I found the Kindle version of book three was on sale for $1.99, I decided to give it a shot.  

I also decided to get another audiobook from the library.  I'm behind in my audiobook goal for the year, after all.  It looks like one of the series I used to get on audio isn't available in any of my libraries.  Two books in a row weren't in the system, so I'll have to see if I have the next in the series somewhere around the condo.  All of that is a long way of saying that I went back to Tony Hillerman for A Thief of Time.

What I'm Currently Reading:

And I've started A Thief of Time.  I'm just over half way.  I'm a little surprised that one thing hasn't been resolved yet, but maybe it is because there is a twist coming.  I'll have to keep listening to find out, I guess. 

I'm also working on The Bush Tea Murder by Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier.  I'm reading an ARC since it comes out in a couple of weeks.  I'm enjoying it, although it's not as focused as I normally like.  Still, I do like the characters and the vibes, so hopefully I'll keep enjoying it.

Have a great week!

April 4th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Wild Cards – They had me completely with this story.  I was enjoying it, although it was increasing my stress a bit as all hostage situations tend to do.  But somehow, the motive didn’t work for me…time wise.  I can’t quite see how they were able to pull it off with the guy who was let go.  But maybe I’m just being too picky.  Overall, still a good episode.

RJ Decker – Yet another episode this week with weak motives.  I just don’t buy it.  Seems very elaborate to get the information.  And to actually murder over it?  Hope next week is better.

Survivor – I guess I’ve changed my mind, but it didn’t bother me nearly as much that we had three different random groups going to tribal.  And not that sorry to see Genevieve go.  Kamilla, too.  Colby, on the other hand.  No!  I was hoping to see him go much further.  He’s one I wouldn’t mind seeing win.  I’m not surprised they had a triple axing.  I expect there to be some other episodes like that in the future since we’ve still got a lot of people left in the game.  And sending two people to exile to be safe was sneaky.  I just wonder how long it will be before Rizzo goes back on his word.  Plus, now, two of those idols have no one to boomerang to.  I wonder what will happen in that case.

Happy’s Place – Lots of things came back.  The speakeasy, so they are going to keep that storyline going.  And the health inspector.  I bet they are going to use this to get Bobbie and Emmit back together.  But it’s going to be a couple of episodes, I bet.  Or maybe something that plays into a season ending cliffhanger.  I don’t see Emmit really going for her for more than a date or two, anyway, but I like that they were coming back to the relationship in this episode.

Good Friday's Friday Post

Welcome to Good Friday.  It's time for this week's Friday Post.  I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

My teasers for the first three will be coming from Murder, Local Style by Leslie Karst.

This is book three in her Orchid Isle Mystery series, and comes out on Tuesday.  But I was fortunate enough to get an ARC, so I've already finished it.

Here's how the book begins:

Paradise isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.

That sets a tone, doesn't it?

Meanwhile, at 56% into the eARC I read, we get this quote:

“You’re so welcome. Happy to be able to help in any way I can.” And this way I’ll get a chance to see all the suspects together at the same time, was Valerie’s unspoken thought. Just like in a TV mystery.

Will Valerie learn anything by having all the suspects together?  You'll have to read the book to find out.

I'll be reviewing the book on Tuesday, so I hope you'll come back to see what I thought.

For now, let's just over to this week's Book Blogger Hop.  The question is:

Which book really showcases your favorite author’s style, and what makes it stand out?

You assume I have a favorite author.  That alone could be an entire ramble from me.  But I'm going to go with a bit of an obvious choice, Dorothy Gilman.  (I stole Carstairs from her Mrs. Pollifax series.)  But I'm going to go with The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax, which is the second in the series, instead of the obvious first book.  This second book really cemented the series for me.

This book finds Mrs. Pollifax, a part time spy for the CIA, heading to Turkey on assignment.  Along the way, she starts talking to her seat mate.  Yep, he turns out to be very important to the story.  We still get humor in the narration and Mrs. Pollifax's out of the box actions.  And, of course, things go very wrong very quickly, leading to a wild journey across the country while Carstairs, back in Langley, Virginia, tries to figure out where she is.  To me, this is the set up for the best stories in the series.  The details vary, but those elements keep me hook and the pages turning.

That's it for me.  Hope your weekend is great.