TV Show Review: Survivor 50 - In the Hands of the Fans

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun seeing favorites playing again

Cons: Cut back on the twists and celebrities

The Bottom Line:

Milestone season

Lots of returning players

But too many twists

In the Hands of the Fans?  Maybe, Sort of…

I was all in during the buildup to season 50 of Survivor.  After all, I’ve missed one episode of the show since it premiered 26 years ago (stupid VCR malfunction).  But, I’ve got to say, while I enjoyed it, this wasn’t the celebration of the series that I was hoping for. 

The season featured all returning players from many of the 49 previous seasons.  The show started out with 24 constants, which is the largest cast they had featured yet.  And here’s the first time I am going to contradict myself.  I felt like they could have had more players from older seasons.  Yes, they did have someone from season one, but they had too many from the new era, in my opinion, including two from season 49.  At the same time I’m saying they needed more of a certain type of player, they had too many players to starts with.  24 players and 26 days means they have to cut people constantly.  Several episodes featured twists that involved multiple people being voted out on the same night and in smaller groups.  That’s not my choice at all.

Speaking of choices, during the airing of season 48, fans were given the chance to vote on multiple things, including the color of buffs, design of the immunity necklace, supplies, twists, etc.  All the twists went the way we’ve been seeing in the new era.  I get it, we need some of these twists and idols to keep the show from being too predictable.  But, wouldn’t it have been fun to have a twist were there weren’t twists?  That would really keep everyone on their toes.

The bones of the show are the same as always.  We start with three tribes of eight survivors playing challenges to win rewards or immunity, then each week, at least one person is voted out of the game.  Eventually, the tribes merge, and the people voted out form the jury that vote on who wins the game.

This was definitely not a season to jump into since it featured all returning players.  There are backstories from their previous times in the game that factor into how they play and their thoughts on some of the other players.  Additionally, there are just so many people to keep straight at the beginning that it helps if you have some idea who they are.  Even then, I’ll admit I’d forgotten who a lot of them are, but it did come back relatively quickly.

Then there were the celebrity fans.  If I had to hear “Billie Eilish Boomerang Idol” one more time….  Two celebrities showed up on the island and didn’t add much to the proceedings with their presence. 

And really, there were so many twists it was hard for anyone to have a strategy.  Yes, I get that it keeps the show from getting too predictable, but there needs to be a balance, and the show went in the wrong direction here.

On the other hand, it was nice to see some of my favorites playing again.  And the players pulled off some fun things given the parameters they had to work with (you know, the too many twists).

Yes, fans will still mostly enjoy season 50 of Survivor.  Despite my critiques, I did enjoy it.  But I hope they pull things back for the seasons airing soon (not that it sounds like they plan to).

July 17th's Friday Post

Welcome to Friday!  It's time for a Friday Post, where 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 All Aboard for Murder by Ellen Byron.

This is book three in her Golden Motel Mysteries.  It's a fun series set in the California Gold Country.

I'll admit, the first sentence had my scratching my head.  And the next paragraph didn't necessarily help.

“Happy Angus Sprockles Birthday!”
Sam Stern issued the cheery greeting to his daughter, Dee, who was cleaning up the breakfast detritus left by guests in the Golden Motel’s midcentury, redwood-paneled lobby.

It doesn't take too long before we get the context - Angus Sprockles is someone important in the local area, and they still celebrate his birthday.  Maybe I was just being dense when I first read that sentence.

Anyway, on page 56 of my ARC, we find this:

Raul ended the call. He pocketed his notebook. "We have a pillar of the community who appears to be the victim of a homicide. A valuable antique someone could've stolen is un-stolen. What exactly is going on here?"

That's an excellent question isn't it?  Of course, it is answered by the end of the book.  The book comes out on July 28th, but I'm part of a blog tour for it, and my review will be up on Monday.

Meanwhile, let's move on to this week's Book Blogger Hop.  The question is:

Do you read one book at a time, or juggle a few at once?

I stick to one book.  Otherwise, I start to get plot points confused, or one book gets forgotten for a few days.  The exception is when I am listening to an audiobook.  I'll have a book I'm reading with my eyes as well.

Have a great weekend!

Book Review: Lie Down with Dogs by Liz Milliron (Laurel Highlands Mysteries #5)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong mystery with characters I love

Cons: Listing cons has gone to the dogs

The Bottom Line:

Changes for our leads

Set up compelling story

Curl up and enjoy

Changes Comes Racing at Jim and Sally

It’s always fun to see an author’s interests show up in their books.  Via her social media and newsletters, I learned that Liz Milliron has a retired greyhound dog.  So, when greyhound racing showed up in Lie Down with Dogs, the fifth Laurel Highlands Mystery, I smiled as I added it to my to be read list.

This series features Pennsylvania State Trooper Jim Duncan and defense attorney Sally Castle, who have started dating a few months back.  And they are both going through some job changes.  Jim has just transferred from regular patrol to the investigations division.  Meanwhile, Sally is taking a job with a law firm that her friend is starting, leaving behind her job as a public defender.

On Jim’s first day in his new job, he and his new partner land a case.  The victim has been dead in his house for a couple of days already, but they also find a greyhound in a cage in the back of the house.  They are able to learn that the dog has retired from racing, but they can’t figure out how the victim got him.

Meanwhile, Sally has taken on her first client in private practice – an accountant accused of taking money from one of her clients.  That client?  A greyhound adoption nonprofit.  Are Jim and Sally working two cases?  Or is there a connection?

As always, the book is told from both Jim and Sally’s perspectives, which allows us to see the story as it is unfolding and allows us to get to know them both better.  I really do like the characters, and I’m enjoying watching their relationship continue to grow.  And yes, they are dealing with something on that front as well.

Change is never easy, and that is reflected here.  I actually really liked how those storylines played out in relation to the larger mystery.  They felt realistic, and I appreciated how both Jim and Sally were there to support each other.  And yes, we still get to see some of the supporting players we’ve met in earlier books who bring fun to the series.

The plot was strong.  I was drawn into the book and had a hard time putting it down.  I wasn’t complaining when some time opened up in my schedule and I was able to read the second half in one day.  I needed to know how things were going to end.  And yes, things did make sense once we reached the climax.

I also learned a little something about greyhounds along the way, which added to the fun.

Lie Down with Dogs proves to be another entertaining mystery with great characters.  If you aren’t reading Liz Milliron, you are missing out.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Laurel Highlands Mysteries.

Ornament Review: Christmas Is...a Warm Hug - Christmas Is #2 - 2025 Hallmark Release

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Cute Peanuts ornament

Cons: A bit simple for the price; size; tips

The Bottom Line:

Hug that brings a smile

Ornament does have issues

Still appeals to fans

Simple…but Still Warm

I caved.  I wasn’t going to get the second in Hallmark’s Christmas Is… ornament series.  In fact, I was ready to start reviewing 2026 ornaments this week (watch for that first 2026 ornament review to come next week).  But I decided to go ahead and get Christmas Is…a Warm Hug, the second ornament in the series.

This series features Peanuts characters enjoying heartwarming Christmas traditions.  Not all of them are the traditional traditions.  And that’s what we’ve got here.  Lucy is kneeling on the floor giving Snoopy a huge hug.  Her arms are around his neck, and both of them have smiles on their faces.

Considering how little use Lucy has for Snoopy, this is especially heartwarming.  It’s enough to make this Peanuts fan smile.

So, why didn’t I get it right away?  Part of that is price.  With the jump in prices last year, I cut back.  (I should stop since I was out of room years ago, but that’s another discussion).  The other reason is that this one is very simple.  It’s just the two of them.  And the ornaments in this series are a little larger than I would like.  Plus, outside the writing on the base, there is nothing to connect this to Christmas at all.

But that hug.  It’s just so cute.  It even warmed my heart.

Lucy and Snoopy are on a large circular base.  Around the front, we have “Christmas is…a Warm Hug” written.  And, on the bottom, we not only have the series marker, but a graphic celebrating the 75^th anniversary of Peanuts, which was in 2025, when the ornament came out.

Unfortunately, when you go to hang this ornament, it does tip quite a bit to the left.  Yes, you can use a tree branch to support it, but it’s a shame they couldn’t figure out a way to balance the ornament fully.

Christmas Is…a Warm Hug is a cute ornament.  Any Peanuts fan will find themselves warmed by getting it.

See more of the Christmas Is… series.

Book Review: Strong Medicine by Steve Hockensmith (Holmes on the Range #8)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong mystery, the leads, and the humor

Cons: None – you’ll want to take this Medicine

The Bottom Line:

Blackmail and murder

Brothers continue to shine

Brimming with laughter

Time For Your Dose of Fun Medicine

It’s always a treat when Steve Hockensmith has a new Holmes on the Range book.  So, when I was offered an ARC of book eight in the series, I jumped at it.  I’m happy to say I took my dose of Strong Medicine and every page was a delight.

If you aren’t familiar with this series, you are truly missing out.  The series focuses on Gustav “Old Red” and Otto “Big Red” Amlingmeyer.  They are brothers who were making their living as cowboys when we first met them.  But thanks to the stories of the famed Sherlock Holmes, Old Red has started using Sherlock’s methods to solve cases the brothers have found themselves part of.  At this point, they have helped start the A.A. Western Detective Agency.

This book finds them in Galveston, Texas, in 1894.  They aren’t on an official case, but they have gone down to help their friend Olivia Pertwee.  Her family has suffered from a blackmailer, but their business partner just died in a fire in his warehouse.  Is someone out to destroy the family’s business?

I must admit, I didn’t remember Olivia, who we met in the previous book in the series, but that didn’t matter.  I really liked getting to know her as the book went along.  The book is filled with suspects, and they are a colorful lot, and that made it easy to keep them straight.

Old Red and Big Red are the only returning characters we see here.  I really liked the development they both got.  Old Red’s arc was a bit of a surprise, but I’m not complaining.  And Big Red, while the narrator of the stories (in a Dr. Watson role), is beginning to gain some skills of his own, which I loved to see.

And the mystery itself?  I called one part early on, but the rest kept me guessing until the end.  Yet, when Old Red explained things, it all made perfect sense.  Yes, I do find the use of a prologue set during the action of the book frustrating as I do with many authors, but at least we don’t have to wait too long to get back to that scene.

I’m sure it’s no surprise that this isn’t a cozy series.  It’s mostly language that would keep it from that category, so as long as you are expecting that when you pick it up, you’ll be fine.

What I’d forgotten about with the series is just how funny it can be.  The main characters are brothers, after all, and they act like brothers do.  But there are some funny interactions with the suspects, and Big Red infuses his first-person narration with humor.

Strong Medicine is another strong mystery from Steve Hockensmith.  As always, I’m anxious to find out where his imagination and pen will take us next.

Roam with the rest of the Holmes on the Range series.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

TV Show Review: The Golden Girls - Season 1

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Lots of laughs with these new friends

Cons: Some of the humor isn’t to my taste

The Bottom Line:

The strong laughs start here

As we meet these characters

Glad I started show

“I’m So Scared.  My Dentures are Chattering.”

Being the sitcom fan I am, I’d long heard people raving about The Golden Girls, but I’d been hesitant to watch it.  I finally decided to give it a shot via streaming.  After all, if I didn’t like it, I wasn’t out any money.  Before I was finished with the second episode, I was looking to buy it on DVD.

This sitcom centers on four roommates and friends living in Miami.  The house is owned by Blanche (Rue McClanahan).  Then there, Rose (Betty White), Dorothy (Bea Arthur) and Dorothy’s mother Sophia (Estelle Getty).  Together, the women are dealing with what life throws at you in your late 50’s or early 60’s.  That includes plenty of issues in their love lives, and some bumps in their careers.

For example, Blanche is constantly trying to land a man, but what happens when the man she loves comes with two young children.  Rose has to deal with losing her job when her grief center closes.  And Dorothy must deal with her ex-husband.  All of these women have adult children they are also dealing with in addition to grandkids and other relatives who come to visit, like Blanche’s father, who is trying to start a surprising new career.  And Sophia?  She deals with a health scare and considers moving in with one of her other daughters.

My hesitation to watch the show was that I’d heard the show delt frankly with the ladies’ love lives.  And it does.  I really could have done without some of those jokes or storylines that involved the more physical parts of those relationships.  And no, it doesn’t have anything to do with the characters’ ages.  I feel the same way about some of the storylines on Friends and The Big Bang Theory, both shows that I stopped watching at various points before finally giving in and becoming a full-fledged fan.  There isn’t anything here we haven’t seen on those shows.  But if those kinds of jokes bother you, know they are here.

But what I’ve heard about the humor is completely true.  This show is hysterical.  As I was watching, I would sometimes get laughing so hard.  The writing in the show is brilliant, sometimes going for the obvious sitcom joke and sometimes going someplace completely unexpected.

And the writing is matched by brilliant acting by the leads.  Their delivery of the lines is perfect.  I can’t remember seeing sarcasm put to such good use in a sitcom, but Rose’s naiveite is just as hilarious.  And there are times that the reactions to what another character is saying are actually funnier than the line.  Yes, they are getting laughs from just a look.  I can tell a few bits might wear by the end of the series, but for now, I’m still loving it.

And some of the scenes about women as they age?  Absolutely hilarious as well.

What is really remarkable about this to me is that shows often need a few episodes to find their footing.  Heck, sometimes it needs a season to really find itself.  That’s not the case here.  Yes, there are a few tweaks over the course of the season, but much of what works is in place early on.

Like many shows, this one has some changes from the pilot, like the house keeper who vanishes.  And it sure seems like the house only had three bedrooms at one point even though all four of the ladies have their own rooms.  They never explain that, or even when Sophia officially moves in.

Among the guest stars I spotted this season, we had Sheree North and Priscilla Morrill who both guest starred a few times on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which also starred Betty White in the later seasons.  (And I found Priscilla Morrill’s character here very ironic given the character she played on that earlier show.)  Harold Gould would come back in later seasons as a different character, but he pops up here.  WKRP star Gordon Jump also shows up.  Robert Picardo appears as a doctor almost a decade before he became The Doctor on Star Trek: Voyager.  Finally, while most people probably know Herb Edelman best from his role as Dorothy’s ex on this show, a character who pops up throughout the run of the show, I recognized him as Lieutenant Artie Gelber on a handful of Murder, She Wrote episodes. 

I can already tell I will be bummed by the TV show curse of most of the guest star characters only showing up in one episode.  I’d like to see more of some of them.  But that is the nature of TV, especially back in the 1980’s.

The DVD set I bought has all 25 season one episodes on three discs.  They are full frame and surround sound.  Some of the images do show their age a bit, but it is still watchable.  The only extra is a look at the fashion with Joan and Melissa Rivers.  I often find them hit of miss, but in this case, I loved their thoughts.

Safe to say, I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to start watching this show.  But I do have the rest of the seasons on DVD, so hopefully, I will get to the rest of the show soon.  If it’s as good as season one of The Golden Girls, I’ve got lots of laughs ahead of me.

July 12th's Sunday/Monday Post

It's that time of the week again.  Time for this week's Sunday/Monday Post, where I link up to:

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

We got some summer weather this week - upper 90's.  Yes, it will go higher before summer is over, but I'll take this.  Remember, I am a warm weather person.

I went into the office for a few hours this week.  For the next year, we do still have an office building, so my director had the locals who report to her in.  Turned out I was the only one who just came in for lunch and a meeting as opposed to working in the office all day.  Oops.  I'll know for next time.  Still, it was nice to see people.

And I did go paddle boarding Thursday night after work.  Got to enjoy the evening hours while I still can.

Saturday is Hallmark's ornament premier (half their ornaments for the year are out).  And it's game day.  So let's get to this, shall we?

Pun-Official Holiday of the Week:

July 14 – Americans do not meter out the lengths they’ll go to celebrate Tape Measure Day.  Many enjoy the day in a yard.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Movie Review: Toy Story 5

Tuesday - Book Review: The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts by Robert Thorogood

Wednesday - Movie Review: The African Queen

Thursday - Book Review: Death on the Back Nine by Caleb Wygal

Friday - Friday Post featuring Strong Medicine

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - TV Show Review: The Golden Girls - Season 1

Tuesday - Book Review: Strong Medicine by Steve Hockensmith

Wednesday - Ornament Review: Happiness Is...A Warm Hug

Thursday - Book Review: Lie Down with Dogs by Liz Milliron

Friday - Friday Post featuring All Aboard for Murder

Saturday - TV Show Review: Survivor - Season 50

Book Haul:

I got another four books this week.

Up first is an ARC.  Murders in the Marquee is the first in a new historical series set in San Francisco written by Dana Mentink.  I have enjoyed the previous books from her I've read, and I always enjoy reading books set in California.  Between the two?  I had to get an ARC.

P.J. Fitzsimmons offered an ebook copy of his latest Anty Boisjoly Mystery, The Case of the Accomplished Accomplice, free to his newsletter subscribers.  Of course, I jumped on that since I enjoy his series so much.

I was looking to get free shipping on an order from Amazon (no, I don't have Prime), and so I decided to get The Pie & Mash Detective Agency.  This debut from J.D. Brinkworth sounds fun, and I am hoping I can get it read before the sequel comes out early next year.

Finally, I got an audio book out of the library.  Dead Days of Summer is the next Dead on Demand Mystery for me.  None of my libraries had an electronic audio copy.  And only one of them had it on CD.  Fortunately, my car still has a CD player, so I can listen to it that way.

What I'm Currently Reading:

In fact, I've already started Dead Days of Summer by Carolyn Hart.  I'm very curious as to what is happening, so I'm looking forward to more time in the car so I can find out.

I'm also working on The Glass Thief, the sixth Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery from Gigi Pandian.  I was hoping to read it for a Christmas in July review since it's set around the holiday, but I don't think I'm going to make that.  But I'm enjoying it.

Have a great week!

July 11th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Would you look at this?  I have two shows to talk about!

American Ninja Warrior – Wow, they were moving fast.  I couldn’t believe some of those times.  And two people beat the Mega Wall, too.  On the other hand, I was surprised at the people who struggled with the regular wall.  It’s been a while since they focused on something who didn’t make it up the wall, and we saw that twice plus someone in clips.  I mean, I get it.  That’s a hard thing to get up (I’ve tried) so I’m not criticizing.  And that one teen?  So inspiring!

Press Your Luck – I’m wondering when they thought this would air.  Talking about the Super Bowl?  Either they are very early or very late.  Did enjoy the football theme, however.  And an amazing come back in the bonus round.  So close to taking it all home.  So very, very close.

July 10th's Friday Post

Welcome to Friday and this week's Friday Post.  I'll be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

My teasers for the first three will be coming from Strong Medicine by Steve Hockensmith.

This is book eight in his Holmes on the Range series, featuring two cowboy brothers who have turned detectives, inspired by Sherlock Holmes.

Here's how the fun begins:

When you’re a cowboy, you learn to be both a heavy sleeper and a light one.

Meanwhile, at 56% into the book, we find the main characters trying to get some information from a cabby.  That leads to this exchange:

“My rate,” he went on, “is a dollar a question.”

“What?” Old Red said.

“Is that question number one?” the cabby asked.

“It wasn’t a question,” I clarified. “It was an expression of disbelief.”

The book will be out on Tuesday, and my review will be up then.

Meanwhile, let's turn our attention to the Book Blogger Hop for the week, shall we?  This week's question is:

What’s your biggest pet peeve about the book community?

That's a hard question.  I do have some pet peeves, but I'm not sure what the biggest is.  And what I really do like is that you can find just about every opinion represented.  So, I try to avoid those who harp on things I don't like.

I guess the one thing that stands out the most are the people who think you can only do things one way, and then tell others they must enjoy books that way or it doesn't count.  As I like to say, we aren't in school.  This is a hobby.  We can enjoy books however we want.  Physical, ebook, audio.  Multiple a week or just a couple a month.  Best sellers or indie authors.  It's all good as long as you are enjoying it.

Have a great weekend!

Book Review: Death on the Back Nine by Caleb Wygal (Myrtle Beach Mysteries #6)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Clark and a decent mystery

Cons: Needed a good edit to cut things down

The Bottom Line:

A golf course murder

There’s solid mystery here

But needed edit

Taking a Whack at Murder

I have gotten caught up in the Myrtle Beach Mysteries.  There’s an ongoing storyline that I really want to see through to the conclusion, which I know happens in book seven.  But first, I needed to go on a fatal round of golf with book six, Death on the Back Nine.

The series follows Clark Thomas, a widower who owns a bookstore in Myrtle Beach.  Over the last year plus, he’s found himself involved in a series of murders that have happened in the area.  Along the way, he’s been piecing together clues to what happened to his wife several years before.

This book finds Clark’s brother coming for a visit.  He hasn’t seen Bo in several years.  One thing Bo wants is to play golf on one of the fantastic golf courses throughout the area.  Clark arranges for the two of them to join Detective Moody for a round early one Saturday morning.  But, the foursome directly ahead of them isn’t the most fun to follow around the course.  When they get to one hole with a wicked dogleg, one of that foursome hits their ball into the woods…and never returns.  Someone has hit him with a golf club.  With Clark on the spot and Moody’s partner out of town, the mayor asks Clark to help out.  Will he be able to find the killer?

The series took a darker turn with this book.  Even Clark is bothered by what he learns about the suspects along the way.  It’s hard to find much sympathy for any of them.  So know this isn’t quite cozy going in and you’ll be okay.

Honestly, I felt like Clark’s involvement here was a bit of a stretch.  Yes, Clark has been recognized by the mayor for his previous help solving murders.  But there are still things that didn’t sit well.  And we really focus on the case to the point that some of the potential subplots are left to dangle.  I’m not talking about the ongoing storylines, but some things introduced here that get wrapped up in a rush at the end.

The author does acknowledge at the end that this is the longest book in the series to date.  It could have been shorter.  We got several repetitive passages that would have been easy to cut or summarize.  And, we got too much lead up to the murder.  Yes, we were getting to know the victim and suspects, but we could have gotten the feel for the characters in fewer pages.

We also got extensive use of foreshadowing to the point that it was annoying.

I can’t fault the plot itself.  It was very cleverly done, and I didn’t have it figured out before Clark did.

And I do like Clark.  I didn’t feel like we saw too much of the regulars except for Detective Moody, but it was nice to get to know him better.

As is usually the case, we got a cliffhanger related to Clark’s wife’s murder to pull us into the next entry in the series.  A predictable cliffhanger, in this case, but I am curious where it is all going to lead.

This series continues to be just okay.  I good edit would solve so many of the issues with Death on the Back Nine.  But I am hooked enough to give it at least one more book.

Here are the rest of the Myrtle Beach Mysteries.