Valentine's Day's Weekly TV Thoughts

I know this looks like I wasn't watching much this week, but that's not the case.  I've been watching lots of Olympics.  Not as much as I would like, but as much as I can.  But in terms of sharing my thoughts, there was only one show on to talk about.  It's like most things are slower because of the Olympics right now.

The Traitors – Not surprised that Eric joined Rob.  Also not surprised that he is giving himself away.  I mean, it would be hard to not change when you are recruited part way through the season, so I get it.  But he is acting so nervous all the time.  I’m surprised that Rob wasn’t the focus after Candace went out of her way to call him out twice.  I get they are running out of people, but the murder seemed a bit odd to me since she is just going along with whatever.  But I guess that was the appeal.  No way it would blow back on them.

Book Review: Murder by Invitation Only by Colleen Cambridge (Phyllida Bright Mysteries #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Characters that pull us into a solid mystery

Cons: No cons invited

The Bottom Line:

A murder party

Victim goes from fake to real

Got hooked on this one

You Are Invited to a Very Real Murder

I’ve made it further into the year than I intended without reading a historical mystery. When I realized this oversight, I decided it was time to return to 1930’s England with Colleen Cambridge’s Murder by Invitation Only. I’m really glad I picked this book up. 

This is the third in her Phyllida Bright series. Phyllida is the housekeeper for Agatha Christie. The two women were friends before Phyllida came to work for her, so they have more than a servant/employer relationship. While Agatha isn’t ready to tackle any mysteries outside the pages of her novel, Phyllida rises to the challenge quite readily. 

As this book opens, Agatha and her husband, Max, are in London, not in their country home. So when a weird invitation to a murder arrives at Mallowan Hall, Phyllida goes in the place of her famous employer. As expected, it turns out the new neighbors have created a murder game they are using to get to know the locals. Their host is playing the victim. Phyllida isn’t that interested and is about to leave when another guest discovers that the victim is actually dead. Suddenly, Phyllida finds herself thrust into a real case, and she is more than ready to figure out what is going on. Can she identify the daring killer is?

Normally, I’m a diehard read in order person, and I recommend the same. However, you could easily pick this book up and read it as a standalone if you so desired. There are references to the first two cases, but they are vague. And there is little in the way of character relationships you need to know that isn’t included here. 

In fact, I was surprised at just how little of the supporting characters we saw. It helps that most of the action takes place away from Mallowan Hall. And the focus is on the main mystery with a subplot or two buried in the background. 

Now, this isn’t to say that we don’t get some great characters. Phyllida is a strong main character. We still don’t know much about her past, and there were minimal new hints here. The couple of supporting players we see are fun. And the suspects were strong enough to hook us into the story. 

And the plot itself? While the setup was obvious, we got as few pages as needed before the murder happened. From there, I was fully engaged. I was surprised by several of the revelations along the way, but the ultimate solution made sense and set up a page turning climax. 

Sometimes, this author can be a bit wordy, at least for my tastes. I didn’t find that to be the case here. Instead, I was finding myself constantly engrossed in the story. 

While the time the books are set is a little vague, I’m sure Christie fans will narrow it down a little more with the references to her books. Personally, I found the scenes involving the new-fangled device – the vacuum cleaner – to be quite fun. 

Whether you are a diehard Agatha Christie fan or not, you’ll find Murder by Invitation Only to be a fun page turner. 

Here are the rest of the Phyllida Bright Mysteries. 

Movie Review: Adam's Rib

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: A few scenes are actually funny

Cons: Too much of the movie isn’t; central argument doesn’t work

The Bottom Line:

Some married lawyers

Argue against each other

Few laughs, so skip it

“After You Shot Him, How Did You Feel Then?”  “Hungry.”

All my life, I’d heard about Adam’s Rib, a classic courtroom comedy.  Honestly, I wasn’t completely sure I’d find it enjoyable, but I’d heard enough good about it that I decided to give it a try.  I fail to see the comedy.

Adam and Amanda Bonner (Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn) are married lawyers in New York City.  While Adam is the assistant district attorney, Amanda has her own law practice.  On this particular day, a new article has caught their attention.  Doris Attinger (Judy Holliday) has been arrested for shotting her husband and his lover (Tom Ewell and Jean Hagen).  Amanda is quick to take Doris’s side, while Adam insists that the law should be followed.

Adam is dismayed when he arrives at work to find out that he’s been assigned the case since he knows it will create trouble at home.  But he has no idea what is coming.  When Amanda finds out, she takes Doris on as a client.  What kind of problems will this lead to?

As I said, I didn’t find this movie that funny at all.  Yes, some of the scenes worked for me.  These were usually the scenes involving those who committed the crime.  Amanda’s initial interview with Doris, for example, was funny.  And pretty much any time they were in the courtroom, I found it funny.  However, the scenes at home only provided a couple of laughs, and overall, they slowed things down.  I didn’t time it, but I felt like we spent more time at home than the courtroom.

Then there’s the neighbor, played by David Wayne, who has an obvious crush on Amanda.  I just found him irritating instead of funny.

Keep in mind that none of this is the actors’ faults.  They were all wonderful.  It was just that the humor in the script didn’t work for me at all.

Then there’s Amanda’s strategy in the courtroom.  She doesn’t try to argue that Doris didn’t do it, but she takes this on as a women’s rights issues, insisting that Doris should be treated as if she were a man.  Now, please don’t misunderstand me.  I also believe that a woman should be treated just like a man.  And I believe a man should have been locked up for what Doris did, so Doris should have been locked up, too.  I know that wasn’t the response that anyone wanted us to have, so this part in the script just confused me.

Never mind that fact that Adam would never have been able to take the case to court with his wife on the defense side in real life.

Since the movie came out back in 1949, I’m not sure if it is a matter of age or if there is another reason the comedy didn’t work for me, but it certainly didn’t live up to the hype of one of the best comedies of all time.  And, maybe there are some court cases I’m missing that help explain that part of Amanda’s argument as well.

So I recommend giving Adam’s Rib a miss.  There are better comedies out there that are actually funny.

Book Review: Burdened Bloodline by Sarah E. Burr (Court of Mystery #7)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Jax and the rest of the cast lead us through another intriguing book

Cons: A bit slow to start

The Bottom Line:

Trying to go home

Caught in intrigued along way

Fans will devour book

Seeking Shelter but Finding Murder

I’ve always enjoyed mysteries, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t enjoy other genres. I just haven’t looked beyond mysteries much. So when I find a hybrid series like Sarah E. Burr’s Court of Mystery, I always enjoy getting a bit of other genres mixed in. Burdened Bloodlines, the seventh in the series, was no exception. 

These books are set in the Realm of Virtues, which is a continent made up of various duchies. Think medieval Europe or Renascence Faire type of setting. The main character is Jacqueline, Jax to her friends, the Duchess of the most powerful region of the realm. She has found herself involved in various murders as she tries to take on her new leadership role. And the books have increased in their political intrigue as the series has gone on. 

Which brings me to my next point. Do not start the series here. I cannot emphasize this point enough. With where our characters start, this book can’t help but spoil the last. Plus, that last book really kicked off a storyline I think will be important through the rest of the series. Finally, to really care about the going ons here, you need to know and love the characters already. 

Not to mention, the beginning of this book pretty much spoils the ending of the previous one since it plays into the ongoing storyline here.

But if you are up to date in this series? You’ll enjoy this one. 

As I said, this book picks up where the previous one ended. Jax, her husband Perry, and their closest friends are looking for a way to get home safely before the fallout from the last book really hits. Their best option is to go to Perry’s home duchy, where his father is the duke. But their arrival finds them feeling less than settled. Perry’s father is behaving strangely. And Perry’s oldest brother, the next in line, is less than welcoming to the reforms that Jax wants to institute across the realm. The party can’t help but wonder if they are truly safe. And that’s before they find themselves embroiled in yet another shocking murder. 

In addition to spoiling the previous book, part of the early book was wrapping up storylines for supporting players and storylines introduced there.  Honestly, I felt like that belonged in the previous book.  Couple that with the updating and rehashing of the current state of politics in the realm and the book does start a little slower than I wished. 

But once it gets going? Hold on! Yes, I saw a couple of things coming early on, but I was taken completely by surprise by several others. And I was gripped through so much of the book. There is a murder and it happens late. But I was caught up in the politics moving forward in this book, so I didn’t care it came late. 

And that comes because I love the characters so much. Jax is a strong leader, and I’m on board with her reforms. The core supporting characters are just as well drawn. We are meeting several members of Perry’s family for the first time here, and I enjoyed them and what that showed us about Perry. 

The political intrigue is strong in this series. Given the fictional universe, it feels different from our own world, so it is still an escape. There is a bit of a soap opera element slipping into the storyline as well. Do I care? I’m already trying to figure when I can read the next in the series, so obviously not. 

If the unique setting and storyline appeal to you, I highly recommend you start this series from the beginning. You’ll be hooked and devouring Burdened Bloodline before you know it. 

Check out the rest of the Court of Mystery series. 

Movie Review: Sharknado

Stars: 1 out of 5

Pros: It’s only an hour and twenty-seven minutes.

Cons: It’s a full hour and twenty-seven minutes you will immediately want back

The Bottom Line:

A crazy premise

Bad writing, plot, and effects

Avoid at all costs

“We’re Going to Need a Bigger Chopper.”

I remember when the Sharknado franchise became huge, and I remember thinking they sounded horrible.  I did watch another Syfy original movie about that time, and it proved to be as bad as I expected.  But when a friend wanted to watch this one, I gave in.  It was a mistake.

The film takes place around Los Angeles as a hurricane is coming up from the coast of Mexico.  It’s an unusual event here, but it’s also driving the sharks into the beach.  However, as the storm begins to really hit the shores, flooding ensues, meaning that the sharks start appearing everyone.  And that’s before the waterspouts start coming into land.

You want to know about characters?  The film follows Fin Shepherd (Ian Ziering), who owns a bar on the Santa Monica pier who is trying to rescue his estranged wife, April (Tara Reid) and daughter and son with the help of a few friends and employees.

However, the characters are pretty irrelevant.  Even the story is irrelevant.  There is little attempt to have logic interfere with the visuals of the film in any way.  Part of that is because so many stock shots were spliced into the film.  Honestly, cars would be shown in one location in one shot, in another in the next, then be back to the first in the third shot.  The quality of the images kept changing.  Not to mention that some of the shots were so poorly done it was completely impossible to follow the action.

Not that the story needs much of that.  You’ve got people running and driving and screaming and dying.  The plot is really just an attempt to bridge together what are supposed to be cool action sequences.  But those action scenes were just cringe inducing instead.

Speaking of cringing, there’s the special effects.  When it is done well, CGI is wonderful.  This is not an example of CGI done well.  In fact, it is remarkably bad.  Even many of the storm effects are bad CGI.  And don’t get me started on the shots of the characters in cars driving.

It might have helped if the characters had any development.  I’d call these characters paper thin, but that would be an insult to paper.  Most of the actors do the best they can (there are a couple who are pretty bad), but they are giving nothing to work with.

I spent the entire movie cringing, but the two friends I watched it with were laughing at how bad it was.  Not that they were enjoying it.  None of us did.  But they at least laughed at the awfulness.

I don’t get why this movie ever was released, or made, much less why it spawned sequels.  Sharknado is a movie to avoid at all costs.  We all want our hour and a half back.

Book Review: Something Whiskered by Miranda James (Cat is the Stacks Mysteries #17)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Good (mostly new) characters

Cons: Dark premise, anti-climactic ending

The Bottom Line:

Trip to Ireland

Celebration becomes dark

Average again

Meeting the New In-Laws is Murder

I’ve struggled a bit with the last couple Cat in the Stacks Mysteries. They are just missing some of the charm from the earlier entries. Couple that with a change of location I knew was coming in this one, and I decided to wait and get Something Whiskered, the newest, from the library.

If you are new to the series, it’s a rare cozy with a male protagonist (and male author using Miranda James as a pen name). Charlie Harris is a widower living in a college town where he works part time in the library archives. He also has his family in town. Those following the series know that Charlie has recently remarried, and this book finds him and his new wife, along with Diesel, Charlie’s Maine Coon cat, taking a belated honeymoon to Ireland to spend time with some of his new relatives. 

They’ve timed their arrival at the castle Helen Louise’s family own to coincide with her uncle’s 100th birthday. However, as they arrive, her uncle, a baron, plunges to his death. Naturally, the family is devastated. There are also questions, like what was the baron doing up there since he hated heights. When the family asks Charlie to do a little poking around, he reluctantly agrees. But his investigation leads to secrets that could hurt the family. Will Charlie find out what lead to the baron’s death?

Honestly, this was a time when a cozy didn’t work outside its normal setting. I missed the rest of the regulars too much. I get it, we need new locations every so often. But so much of the charm in this series is the supporting cast. I really missed seeing them and getting updates even if it only has been two months book time since we last saw them. 

Now, this isn’t a slight on the new characters. There were quite a few I really enjoyed. Since many of them also served as suspects, I felt they did a good job of keeping me engaged and guessing in the mystery. And Charlie, Diesel, and Helen Louise were all charming. 

I have to say, the opening of this one was a bit dark. Not because of any violence, but because of how it impacted the characters. But I was able to get caught up in the plot and enjoy the twists and turns. However, the climax in this one felt a little anti-climactic. And that’s saying something for a cozy series where Charlie often tells the cops his suspicion and then later finds out what happened when they arrest the killer. (And yes, I usually love that ending for these books.) Plus, there was a major plot point that isn’t resolved from what we get here. 

I’ve developed a new pet peeve in recently months of summarized conversations. That happens here, although most of the time, these summarized worked because they were about mundane things. Heck, I felt they could have been summarized more. But we did have a couple of times things were summarized that should have been more of a scene. 

It’s a shame that this once great series seems to be dropping off. But I’ll keep hoping for a return to form. Sadly, we didn’t get it with Something Whiskered.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries. 

February 8th's Sunday/Monday Post

It's been a few weeks.  Maybe it's time for another 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?

What have I been up to?  I'm so glad you asked.

First up was a Caribbean cruise.  We had six ports and three sea days, and it was great.  I got lots of reading done.  Got to snorkel three times, plus I went zip lining and tubbing on other days.  Nice and relaxing and plenty of fun, although my body had no idea what time it was when I got back between not sleeping well and the time zone changes.

Then, last weekend, I had a friend in the area from out of state.  She and her (adult) daughter were here to run the Disneyland half marathon.  The last time she came out and did that, I ran it, too.  I didn't this time.  She and her family regularly do the runs at Disney World.  Anyway, I spent Saturday and Sunday at Disneyland with the two of them.  So much fun just hanging out.  And I hadn't been to Disneyland for a few years, so I got to check out the new rides for myself.

And last weekend, I had a first.  It was the first time I missed a day posting on the blog by choice.  (I had a couple of days I didn't post when my computer went down and I couldn't access my drafts.)  I had a short turn around between the cruise and being at Disneyland.  I have drafts of things I could have gotten ready to post, but I just didn't take the time.  That's one missed day in 13 years.  Still not sure how I feel about that.  Part of my feels bad because I broke my perfect streak.  But part of me hopes I'm finally giving myself permission to take some time off from the blog.

We'll see what happens, I guess.

So this weekend?  So far, I've been a slug, just sitting on my laptop with the Olympics on.  It's nice to have a quiet day around the condo.  I will probably wind up doing the same tomorrow, just watching the Super Bowl, too.

Punny Holiday of the Week:

Feb 8 – String out the celebration for Kite Flying Day

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Nothing

Monday - January 2026's Reading Summary

Tuesday - Book Review: Too Much Stuff by Don Bruns

Wednesday - TV Show Review: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Season 2

Thursday - Book Review: The Girl with the Dragonfruit Tattoo by Carrie Doyle

Friday - Friday Post featuring Burdened Bloodline

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Book Review: Something Whiskered by Miranda James

Tuesday - Movie Review: Sharknado

Wednesday - Book Review: Burdened Bloodline by Sarah E. Burr

Thursday - Movie Review: Adam's Rib

Friday - Book Review: Murder by Invitation Only by Colleen Cambridge

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

I actually didn't get any books until I got back from my cruise.  But I've made up for it the last couple of weeks.

First was up The Body in the Bookstore by Ellie Alexander.  I'm so far behind in her books.  But this is the first in a recent and shorter series.  And it was free.  I couldn't pass that up.

Up next is another free book.  Traci Andrighetti is introducing a new series, and she has a novella to introduce it to readers.  I haven't read any of her other books yet (but I have a couple and she's on my list), but again...free.  Pompeii, Paccheri, and Panic is only available via her newsletter, so head over there if you want a copy.

I also got two ARCs from NetGalley in the last couple of weeks.  The first of those is Vanished in the Crowd, the new Molly Murphy Mystery from Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles.  I always enjoy visiting 1900's New York City with Molly, so hopefully this will be another enjoyable book.

The other ARC is Murder, Local Style by Leslie Karst.  It's the third in a series set on the Big Island of Hawai'i.  I'm looking forward to a return visit.

Finally comes a book that wasn't free but was on sale.  The ebook edition of Two Truths and a Murder by Colleen Cambridge was on sale earlier this week.  I read book three while on vacation, so naturally, I snagged this.  It's one of several series I'm hoping to focus on a bit this year and get caught up.

What I'm Currently Reading:

I'll admit, I've been reading slower than normal since I got back from my trip.  Obviously, I had a busy weekend last weekend, and I've been focusing on catching up on TV when I was at home.  It's also hard to be too motivated when I am reading books to review the end of February at this point.

But I am currently about half way through Locked in Pursuit by Ashley Weaver.  This is book four in a five book series set in the early day of World War II in London.  The main character is a thief who has found herself working for the government.  I'm enjoying it.  The final book in the series is out in hardcover, but I have the paperback preordered, and it will be out this spring.  Hopefully, I can get to it soon after it comes out.

I should be done with that one by Monday, so Monday I'll be jumping ahead a few years to just after World War II with The Unkempt Woman, the fourth Sparks and Bainbridge Mystery from Allison Montclair.  The main characters here run a marriage bureau to help veterans find spouses.  Of course, that lands them in mystery and mayhem.  Plus their personal lives are anything but calm.  I a ways behind on the series, but I enjoy it when I pick up one of the books.

Have a great week!

February 7th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Wild Cards – Not being a boy band fan, but being familiar with the fandom, I still really enjoyed this episode.  Not sure I like where this storyline with the mother is going to go, but you know we had to have some kind of heist they were planning to up the tension.  And this gives them a motive for doing it that we can get behind.  Anyway, the case of the week was good.  Wasn’t too surprised by the killer, but I like how they laid everything out.

Shifting Gears – We’re at the finale already?  No!!!!  Some very funny stuff.  I know where Riley is going to go (should there be a season 3), but I really do like Adam.  I’m happy that Eve came back, too.  I hope we get a third season because this show continues to grow on me.

The Muppet Show – I really haven’t enjoyed these revival shows, and this was pretty much par for the course.  Some of it was fun, but it really was missing the magic of the original.  And, I get that they’ve had to recast Kermit.  But how was his voice off.

The Traitors – Candace was so stupid last week.  I wasn’t surprised she got banished this week.  I mean, to randomly vote for Rob?  I just wonder how Rob is going to get out of this because she sure turned the spotlight on him before she left.  It was funny how one team was so good at the challenge and the other wasn’t.  And will we get a new traitor or not?  I’m guessing yes, but it wouldn’t be the first time someone turned it down.

February 6th's Friday Post

It's Friday!  Time for another Friday Post, where I will be linking up to:

Book Beginning
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

This week, I'll be pulling quotes for the first three from Burdened Bloodline by Sarah E. Burr.

This is book seven in her Court of Mystery series.  It's a bit different since it is set on a fictitious continent and feels a bit like a fantasy series, although there are no fantasy elements.

Anyway, here's how this book begins:

Someone tried to kill me.

That will get your attention, right?

Meanwhile, at 56% into the book, we find this exchange:

“Greetings, Duchess. Are you feeling all right?”
“I’m fine,” Jax said, moving closer to the court physician. “I actually wanted to speak with you about a strange episode I witnessed the Duke having this morning.”
Lenora’s amber eyes widened. “Episode? What do you mean?”

What does she mean?  I'll let you to find out yourself.  But my review will be up Wednesday next week, so I hope you stop by to see what I thought.

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

What drives you to read books? 

That's a really good question.  It's been part of who I am for so long, I had to think about it for a minute.

Ultimately, I think it goes back to I have always enjoyed a good story well told.  I love escaping into a new world and getting caught up in twists and turns with characters I love.  I'm always looking for that, and I've found it with so many great authors, so I keep going back to their stories.

Have a super weekend!

Book Review: The Girl with the Dragonfruit Tattoo by Carrie Doyle (Trouble in Paradise! #3)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Plum and the characters; interesting mystery

Cons: Uneven pacing

The Bottom Line:

Murder in yacht crew

Plum goes onboard to solve it

Good series wrap up

Plum Yacht to Catch Another Killer

Three years ago, I started Carrie Doyle’s Trouble in Paradise! series. While I struggled with that first book, I decided to give it another try, and I found myself enjoying the second one more. So I dove into The Girl with the Dragonfruit Tattoo, the third book in the series. 

The series features New York City transplant Plum Lockhart. When her magazine career folded, she wound up moving to the tropical island of Paraiso, where she is starting a vacation rental business and solving the occasional murder. This is a mystery series, after all. 

This book finds her reuniting with a friend she hasn’t seen in years. The friend is traveling with a group on an expensive yacht, and Plum finds herself on board one night catching up. But a couple of days later, one of the servants from the yacht is dead and the police are making an unusual request. Will Plum use her new connections to go on the yacht and investigate the death? Plum agrees just as the yacht takes off for their next destination. But with everyone seeming to have a motive, can she find the killer?

Yes, I know the premise would only happen in a cozy mystery. Although, if you’ve read the two earlier books, you’d know it makes a bit of sense that the police would admit they need help. Anyway, it’s a cozy mystery, so I just go along with it. 

My issue with the first book was Plum herself, who wasn’t exactly likeable. Fortunately, she’s mellowed out, and I really enjoyed my time with her. The new characters are strong, and I didn’t have any issues keeping them all straight. And we do see enough of the other regulars to get some updates on them. 

However, that caused some pacing issues near the beginning as we had to have all those scenes before Plum got on the yacht. Yes, we were getting some scenes setting up potential motives, but it still felt a little slow. Once we got on board, things really picked up, and I was hooked. There were plenty of motives to keep us guessing. The ending was a bit less than it could have been, but it did answer all my questions. 

This book came out three years ago, and it appears to be the end of the series. Sadly. I enjoyed the characters and setting, so I would have gladly gone back. But fans will be satisfied with where the characters end up.

If you need a tropical get away, give this series a chance. You’ll find The Girl with the Dragonfruit Tattoo a nice wrap up to the three-book series.