Saturday, August 23, 2025

August 23rd's Weekly TV Thoughts

American Ninja Warrior – Two Ninjas I root for out in the first two round of 32 races.  And you wonder why I hate racing so much?  At least it was easier to follow since they did one side completely before starting on the other.

Lego Masters Jr. – I’m impressed with those first builds.  Yes, the critiques were accurate (as always), but it was hard to pick who was going to win and who was going to lose.  Glad no one went home on week one.  Give them a second chance to figure out how to do this.  And it feels pretty good even with only one of the regulars from the regular show being here.  By next week, I bet I’ll be used to it completely.

The Quiz with Balls – Talk about an imbalance.  The one team was perfect until the bonus round at the very end.  I was rooting for him, but I was having more trouble with the action movie questions, too.  Still, a very good performance.

The Challenge – I am sorry to see Bananas go, but I will like seeing everyone stop focusing on him so much.  It is satisfying that he was in the pit not because he got voted in but because he didn’t do well in the challenge.  It was his fault he went home.  Well, that and the guy who really out gunned him in the final challenge.

Match Game – Somehow, I knew Joel would put “ego” down as the one where he was part of the prompt.  Both rounds were very close this week, which seems rare.

Thursday, August 21, 2025

August 22nd'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

For the first three, I'll be pulling quotes from For Duck's Sake by Donna Andrews.


This is book 37 in the Meg Langslow series.  Yep, a long running series and one I've been reading almost from the start.

Speaking of starting, here's how this book begins:

"This is the life," Iris Rafferty exclaimed, taking a long pull on her glass.

Nice relaxing beginning to a mystery, right?  As you can see, we are into the plot by page 56:

"Things didn't get bad until the day after the game. They tried to frame Billy."
"Frame him how?"

My review will be up on Tuesday, so I hope you'll come back to see what I thought.

Let's close things off with a look at this week's Book Blogger Hop.  The question is:

 Have you ever read a book with a character with the same name as you? 

As a matter of fact, I have.  The first time it happened, it was an accident, which can happen when you have a fairly common name.  But there have been several times authors have put me in a book.  I always enjoy seeing my fictional alter ego pop up.

That's it for me.  Have a great weekend.

Book Review: Halloween Night Murder by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Liz Ireland

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Two fun novellas of Halloween mystery
Cons: The first story is weak
The Bottom Line:
Halloween hijinks
In three cozy novellas
Perfect for season




This Halloween, the Tricks are Murder, Which is a Treat for Us

Kensington is back with another novella collection.  They’re returning to Halloween for Halloween Night Murder, which features stories by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Liz Ireland.  All three stories will put you in the Halloween mood.

Up first is the title story, featuring Leslie’s Lucy Stone.  Since Lucy and her husband, Bill, live outside their small village of Tinker’s Cove, Maine, they don’t get a lot of Trick or Treaters.  So Lucy is a bit surprised when they get a teen out by himself at the end of the evening.  She doesn’t think much more of it until she learns the teen was killed by a hit and run driver after leaving her front door.  When the police find the victim’s family, Lucy learns they are staying in the abandoned farm house across the street.  Will Lucy find a way to help them?  And who committed the hit and run?

As usual with the novellas I read featuring Lucy, I found it lacking.  It was trying to include too much in a novella length story.  We focus more on the victim’s family than we do on the mystery, which is under developed as a result.  We also get a few scenes just there to include the author’s politics.  I do like Lucy and Bill, and I appreciated that some of the family drama I’ve read about in past novellas was absent here.  I think I’d like some of the other regulars in the series if they had more than a cameo.  And there was a pretty bad timeline issue as well.  What we were left with wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t all that good either.

The middle story is “Death of a Halloween Night Stalker,” which features characters from Lee Hollis’s Hayley Powell series.  Hayley and her best friends, Liddy and Mona, are on the road home from a concert in Boston.  However, an accident has closed the main highway home, and the weather is so bad, they wind up in an accident themselves off the side road they have taken.  The only place they can find to get help is a cabin in the woods.  It looks creepy, but what other choice do they have?  Besides, the things you see in a horror movie are fiction, right?  Right?

Yes, this novella does incorporate some of the tropes of a horror story.  But don’t let that concern you, this story never goes too far.  Other than a few mild four-letter words, this is still very much a cozy, just with more of a suspense edge to it.  And I loved it.  Yes, it took me a few pages to see where the story was actually going, but once I did, I was hooked, and I had to see how things would end.  Outside of Hayley’s columns (we get three of them with recipes), we don’t get to see much of the other characters in the series, but that also works well for this story.  Plan some time when you start this one because you won’t want to put it down.

Rounding out the collection is the reason I picked it up – “Mrs. Claus and the Wily Witch” by Liz Ireland.  Yes, our main character is the current Mrs. Claus, and we are heading to the North Pole.  With Halloween just a few days away, April Claus was expecting to be helping prepare Castle Kringle for its stop in the Sugarplum Spooky Sleigh Ride.  Instead, she gets involved when an elf who has just returned from exile, Flake, is accused of doing…something…to a snowman.  When another elf dies, things look even worse for Flake.  Can April clear his name?

It’s no secret to anyone who follows my reviews that I love this series.  This novella was a great quick visit with these characters.  Even with this short page count, we got to see all the regulars and get some set up for the next novel in the series.  All the charm and cozy is present as well.  The mystery is strong and kept me guessing until the end, which, as always, turns into a delightful action scene.  These stories are not to be missed.

Each story is roughly 100 pages, so combined, you get a full-length book.  But it’s a fun way to either sample a new series or visit old friends.

The book’s coming out this month, so you can get ready for October.  Whether you read it now or save it for Halloween night, you’ll enjoy these bite sized Halloween Night Murder.

Do check out the rest of the Mrs. Claus Mysteries.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Wednesday, August 20, 2025

TV Show Review: Shifting Gears - Season 1

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Laughs, especially from the two leads
Cons: Some work still needed to reach the show’s full potential
The Bottom Line:
Daughter, kids move in
Setting up plenty of laughs
With some deeper themes


“Can We Have a Conversation Like Two Rational Adults?”  “Haven’t You Watched the News?  That’s Not a Thing Any More.”

My quest to find a good new sitcom was successful in the latest tv season with not one but two new shows I looked forward to watching each week. Both of them featured vets of classic sitcoms. While the first, Shifting Gears, still has some room to grow, season one has genuine laughs and promises more to come. 

The show features Tim Allen as Matt, a widower who owns a shop that restores classic cars. (Hey, it’s Tim Allen, what did you expect?) His world is turned upside down when his daughter, Riley (Kat Dennings), arrives unannounced with her two kids (Maxwell Simkins and Barrett Margolis). She’s just left her husband, a musician Matt never liked, and needs a place to crash while she figures out how to get her life back on track. The catch? The two have hardly spoken since she moved out almost two decades ago. 

Rounding out the cast are two of the employees at Matt’s shop, Gabriel (Seann William Scott) and Stitch (Daryl Mitchell). That’s right, this show is a bit of a Galaxy Quest reunion, although so far, I haven’t caught any references to the show. 

This show also doesn’t shy away from a little politics. Matt’s a conservative and Riley is liberal. Just one of the many things the two clash over. To be honest, I worried a little about how this would be handled, but I quickly started laughing at those jokes. They pick on both sides, and they’ve had some great lines. And, this is a small part of the show. If it were larger, I might be more bothered by it. 

Tim and Kat play perfectly off each other. I think this is the first thing I’ve seen her in outside of the Marvel movies, and I’m really enjoying her performance. Any scene that features the two of them is guaranteed to feature some strong laughs. 

Unfortunately, the rest of the cast isn’t as well developed yet. Yes, they’ve given us some laughs, but they still feel a little generic. I hope this is something that gets fixed as the series goes forward. Part of that is how little screen time some of them have had. 

This includes Jenna Elfman, who plays the owner of the dance studio next door to Matt’s automotive shop. As a fan of the actress, I’m thrilled to see her again. They are obviously setting up her character to be important beyond the three episodes she’s been in so far. But she needs a little more to do. Given the right writing, I think she can be comedy gold with this cast. And yes, it is unfair to judge based on three episodes.

The other thing I appreciate about the show is that they are tackling some tough subjects like grief. No, they aren’t forgetting that they are a sitcom. But they are wading into these deeper topics and the results are strong. Yes, sometimes they hit some easy resolutions. Other times? They leave things a little open, which is realistic. 

Speaking of that, do look for Nancy Travis, Tim’s co-star on Last Man Standing, who guest stars in a great episode. 

Season one consisted of only ten episodes. And I fully recognize that is some of why the issues I’ve mentioned haven’t been worked out yet. Shows need a little time to grow as the writers and actors find the characters. Don’t misunderstand, I’m enjoying the show very much. But, it’s not where it can be yet. 

The good news is that ABC has renewed the series for a second season. I’m hoping it’s closer to a traditional full season order. Either way, I’m looking forward to seeing more of the characters. 

Shifting Gears is giving me hope that the classic sitcom isn’t completely dead. If you’ve been missing this TV staple, you’ll be glad you checked out season 1. 

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Book Review: Fatal Sign-Off by Sarah E. Burr (Book Blogger Mysteries #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Characters and mystery combine for a fun story
Cons: Insertion of politics
The Bottom Line:
Winnie’s latest case
Local podcaster is killed
Characters, plot mix




Local Podcaster Signs Off for Good

A new book from Sarah E. Burr is always good news. But I was especially excited to see she was returning to her Book Blogger Mysteries with Fatal Sign-Off. I think this may be my favorite of her series, and no, not just because I’m a book blogger myself. It was no surprise to me that I enjoyed this book as well. 

Our main character is Winnie Lark, who runs a very popular and influential book blog. She lives in the small town of Copper Bay, Massachusetts. When this visit begins, it’s been about five months, and the town has been murder free. 

But not drama free. Milton Mulligan has started a podcast where he covers local businesses. And by covers, I mean trash them. When he collapses in a local restaurant, Winnie’s mom is quick to recognize the symptoms as poison. Since the entire town are potential suspect, Winnie has to jump in to make sure that her friends and family aren’t falsely convicted for the crime. But are there too many suspects to find the killer?

Those who have been following the series know there’s been a story arc regarding Winnie and her relationship with her family. While things aren’t perfect, the progress we’ve seen is very heartwarming. I’m loving watching those relationships develop. 

Speaking of relationships developing, I’ve got to mention Winnie’s friendship with the local detective. I know it isn’t realistic, but I still love it. 

Obviously, it is the characters that are a draw for me with this series. We have quite a few regulars, and they all get their moments to shine. The growth we see late in the book is heartwarming. 

None of this takes away from the mystery. It is well plotted with plenty of twists and red herrings along the way. The pace never lagged. And the solution left me in awe of how it had been set up. 

I did find that the author inserted some politics into the book that didn’t need to be there.  They didn’t pertain to the plot and just made me roll my eyes.  The book would have been stronger if they’d been left out.  But it was a minor issue for me overall.

Since Winnie is a book blogger, she is up on modern books. She drops quite a few references to other books, including quite a few cozy mysteries. I got quite a smile out of those references. Their aren’t enough to distract from the story, but there just might be some recommendations in there for series you’ve missed.

I was sad when I turned the last page of Fatal Sign-Off. It was a pleasure to visit these characters and watch them solve a well plotted mystery. If you love cozy mysteries, this is a series you’ll devour. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book. 

Monday, August 18, 2025

Ornament Review: Scrumptious S'mores - Making Memories #18 - 2025 Hallmark Release

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Great piece around a sweet memory
Cons: S’mores are a winter snack?
The Bottom Line:
Roasting S’mores on fire
Always a sweet memory
Now ready for tree




A Delicious Treat Filled with Memories

I feel like I’m missing something. Over the last several years, Hallmark has released S’more related ornaments in their various series. Including series specifically themed around winter. What gives? Aren’t they a summer thing you do when out camping? That issue aside, 2025 saw the release of Scrumptious S’mores in the Making Memories series, and it is fun

This series always features two snow people, a parent and a child. This year, they are out making S’mores. The child is about to take a bite of the treat, while the adult has two perfectly roasted marshmallow they are about to put on top of some chocolate and graham crackers. Neither of their pets are with them. I guess they are inside enjoying the warmth. In addition to scarfs and hats, the snow people are wearing boots. 

My issue with the season for the treats aside, this is a fun ornament. I was just making S’mores with my family last month, and it is definitely a memory making tradition. It’s hard not to smile when you think about times you’ve done this. 

As always, the scene is set on a snowflake base, and that means you can set these out to be displayed. I’ve always loved that touch. The series marker is on the bottom of the snowflake as well. 

When you go to hang this ornament, you’ll find that it hangs straight.

The biggest issue with this ornament is that it is going to make me crave S’mores. But that’s not a reason to miss Scrumptious S’mores. This is another fun and memorable ornament. 

Check out more of the Making Memories series.

Sunday, August 17, 2025

August 17th's Sunday/Monday Post

Yep, it's that time of the week again.  Time for a Sunday/Monday post.  I'll be linking up to:

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

As predicted, the temps cooled off here.  Only in the 80's!  But we're supposed to be close to 100 again by next weekend.  That's the August weather I want.

Tuesday night, I had dinner and played some games with some friends after work.  Nice to catch up with them.  And we played Flip 7, which is quickly becoming a favorite game.

Other than that, I worked.  Yeah, not exactly a news worthy or thrilling week.

Jokes of the Week:


I bought a wooden whistle.  But it wooden whistle.  So, I bought a steel whistle.  But it steel wooden whistle.  So, I bought a lead whistle.  But it steel wooden lead me whistle.

This Past Week on the Blog:


This Coming Week on the Blog:


Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post
Monday - Ornament Review: Scrumptious S'mores
Tuesday - Book Review: Fatal Sign-Off by Sarah E. Burr
Wednesday - TV Show Review: Shifting Gears - Season 1
Thursday - Book Review: Halloween Night Murder by Various Authors
Friday - Friday Post
Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

Would you believe I just have one book for the week?  I know, I'm shocked as well.

That book is O, Deadly Night, the latest in Vicki Delany's Year-Round Christmas Mysteries.  While I haven't started some of her other series, I keep up with this one.  The book doesn't come out for a couple of months, but I snagged the ARC just before it was pulled off NetGalley.  I'll be reading it closer to the release date in October.


What I'm Currently Reading:

As I'm typing this, I've just finished For Duck's Sake, the newest Meg Langslow Mystery from Donna Andrews.  I'm going to have to think on this one a bit, but I didn't enjoy this one as much as I normally do.  But maybe that's me, and that's what I need to think about.

Next up for me will be Don't Sweat the Small Stuff by Don Bruns.  It's the fourth in a non-cozy mystery series about two twenty-something friends who get in way over their head when they take on cases.  They are set in Miami.  That should keep me busy for the next few days.

Have a great week!

Saturday, August 16, 2025

August 16th's Weekly TV Thoughts

American Ninja Warrior – I’m glad Joe made it on.  His announcement about his plans to take some time off surprised me, especially based on what he shared on social media.  But I can’t fault him for wanting more time with his family.  And yes, I’m glad Daniel Gill made it through as well.  Knowing the next round is single elimination – those will be interesting to watch.  I don’t like it, but I get it at that point.

The Quiz with Balls – I didn’t know who either of the celebs were, but I still enjoyed it.  The one guy cheated so the ball didn’t push him in, but I get it – it’s his persona.  I had to guess on some of those heart throb questions, too, but I did know the last one.

The Snake – It’s looking like people are seeing through the lies they are being fed.  Of course, there are so many liars that it is hard to keep them all straight.  And it will be interesting to see how the romance plays out.  It never seems like it is a good idea in a show like this.

The Challenge – Always hard to see a competitor go out on an injury.  But I’ve got to say, considering how she attacked her partner for being concerned about her knee makes it kind of ironic.  Not that he was a saint, but still.  Quite the challenge they had to do.  I wonder how they would have decided on the last place team if there hadn’t been the injured team that didn’t compete.

Match Game – The questions are definitely pushing it.  If there’s ever a week without celebrities I know, I’ll take a week off.  Pretty impressed with some of the matches and answers in general this week.

Press Your Luck – Whammie was pretty active at the beginning and end, but he lulled us all into thinking he was done there in the middle.  At least the winner got something from the bonus game.

Friday, August 15, 2025

August 15th's Friday Post

It's been a while since I did one of those, so it's time for another 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 Fatal Sign-Off by Sarah E. Burr.


This is the third book in her Book Blogger Mysteries.  And the book starts us right off with the book theme:

“As far as murders go, this one was pretty clever.” Joanie Nix turned her worn copy of He Didn’t See It Coming over in her hands as she shared her thoughts on our latest book club selection. “Did any of you figure it out before the big reveal?” She glanced around our circle with her wide gray eyes.

Meanwhile, at 56% into the book, the main characters are investigating a real murder.  So that leads to this exchange.

“I say we check the place out and go from there,” I suggested. “If we come in sounding too scripted, Remi might think something’s up.”
“Improv. My favorite.” Strider rolled his eyes at his own sarcasm.

The book doesn't come out until August 26th, but I'll have my review up this coming Tuesday, so I hope you'll come back to see what I thought.  (Okay, so I loved it, but come back to find out why.)

Let's close things out with the Book Blogger Hop.  This week's question is:

Do you visit and share books in Little Free Libraries in your area? 

I did for a couple of months, leaving behind some of my excess books.  But I stopped doing it.  I really need to start again.  Thanks for the nudge.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, August 14, 2025

Book Review: The Last Line by Scott Lyerly (Ellie Marlowe #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Strong characters in intriguing mystery
Cons: Ellie’s Tourette’s overwhelms; some head hopping
The Bottom Line:
Opening night death
Did murder happen on stage?
Strong leads pull you in




Murder in a Teacup…Live on Stage!

I bought two theater based mysteries when I was at Malice Domestic in April. The second of those was The Last Line, and it entertained me from the first line to the last. 

Our protagonist is Ellie Marlowe, who runs a small theater in Massachusetts. It’s struggling to survive, but she’s hopeful that the latest play, Murder in a Teacup, will be successful enough to give them a little breathing room. 

Unfortunately, the leading man is Reginald Thornton IV, a pompous arrogant jerk who seems to go out of his way to antagonize and alienate everyone he comes in contact with. At the play’s climax, his character is supposed to drink from a teacup and then die. On opening night, the scene’s a little too realistic since Reginald has really died. While the state police think it is a heart attack, something doesn’t feel right to Ellie and her friend Bill, the chief of police in their village. Even though neither have standing, can they figure out what really happened?

Before we go further, we need to talk about tone. I went into this expecting a cozy, but it became obvious as I went along that this isn’t that light hearted. This falls more into the traditional sub-genre, with some of the things that come out are more serious. Nothing gets too graphic, and there is only a smattering of foul language. Just know this going in, and you’ll be fine. And it is worth reading since the story touches on some things that give the book a bit more depth than a typical cozy.  I enjoyed that.

I had to give props to the author for the murder staging. Yes, it’s the kind of thing that would only happen in fiction, but I’m here for it. And yes, the how does make it plausible when we reach the solution. I was successfully distracted by some red herrings, so I didn’t figure out what was really happening until about the time Ellie and Bill did. 

Ellie has Tourette’s syndrome, something the author also struggled with. His purpose in including it was to show what it is really like, not the portrayals we see in much of the popular media. Sadly, the ticks she deals with become a distraction for us as we are reading. 

On the whole, I did love Ellie as a character. She and Bill are both strong leads that we truly get to know as the book progresses. This may be the first book they are in, but I feel like I’ve spent more time with them than that. The rest of the cast is also strong, but they aren’t as well developed. 

We get the story told from multiple points of view, mostly Ellie and Bill. Unfortunately, the book suffered a little bit from head hopping, which always distracts me.

I really appreciate how Ellie and Bill’s relationship is handled. They are friends who are married to other people. Those marriages felt realistic to me, with some issues but mostly strong. It was a nice change not only to see good relationships but also to see something different in the romance department. 

This is one of three books I’m aware of that Crooked Lane released last year that appear to be a standalone. Of all three, this one didn’t feel like it was trying to set up a series. Having said that, if a sequel were to appear, I’d definitely give it a chance. 

The Last Line mostly overcomes its weaknesses. I was pulled into the story and enjoyed getting to know the two leads. If you enjoy theater, give this book a chance. 

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Book Review: The Dark Wind by Tony Hillerman (Leaphorn and Chee #5)

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Great mystery with a good main character
Cons: None worth blowing into the light
The Bottom Line:
Witness a plane crash
But why was it running dark?
Well plotted story




Plane Crash Brings Mystery

I have three authors I’m rotating on audio at the moment, and I got to all three recently. The one I had the most trouble getting was the oldest, The Dark Wind, the fifth in Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn and Chee series. Maybe that was because of the show on AMC that uses this book as the name of the show? Either way, I’m glad the wait at the library, where I get all my audios, wasn’t too long since I enjoyed it. 

While this is the fifth in the series, it’s the second to feature Jim Chee, and he still hasn’t really interacted with Joe Leaphorn yet. Not that I’m complaining too loudly since it is nice to get to know them separately for now. Anyway, Chee has moved to a new police station on the Navajo reservation, and he’s struggling to solve cases now that he’s in an area where he isn’t familiar with the residents and they don’t yet trust him. For example, he’s supposed to be solving the case of a John Doe, but he can’t even figure out who the man was. And he is supposed to stop the repeated sabotage of a windmill, but there are no clues. 

When Chee decides to spend a night staking out the windmill in the hopes of catching the vandal in the act, he is on hand when an airplane crashes nearby. A plane that was running without lights and flying below the radar. Clearly, it’s a Federal case, and Chee doesn’t intend to get involved. But the Feds seem to think he is involved. Can he figure out what happened without looking any more guilty?

This book came out in the early 80’s, and books were different back then. This really could be read as a standalone. There is no discussion of his personal life, including the potential love interest introduced in the previous book. We get some discussion about his family, but don’t meet them. In fact, if you wanted to jump in here, you easily could. 

Now, this isn’t to say that the characters are bad. They might not be how we expect them to be today, but they are still interesting a fleshed out enough for us to care about the outcome. 

The focus is on the mystery with little in the way of subplots to distract us, and it is very well done. There are enough complications to keep us engaged in the story, but when Chee pieces things together, they made sense. I even let a red herring distract me at one point. 

As always, the land of the reservation comes to life as we read the book. And we get some more insight into Navajo culture without it slowing down the story. 

I mentioned earlier that I read this via audiobook. George Guidall is still doing an excellent job of narrating these stories for us. 

All told, The Dark Wind is a strong second outing for Jim Chee. While I’m anxious for him to team up with Leaphorn, I’m enjoying getting to know him on his own for now. 

Here are the rest of the Leaphorn and Chee novels

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

Book Review: A Trace of Poison by Colleen Cambridge (Phyllida Bright #2)

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Main characters, entertaining overall
Cons: Mystery could have been stronger
The Bottom Line:
Mystery writers
Gather with a murderer
Fun, could be stronger




Murderous Mystery Fete

Over the last few years, I’ve been enjoying Colleen Cambridge’s books.  I was late in starting her Phyllida Bright series, but I was happy to get to the second, A Trace of Poison.

Phyllida is a woman with a mysterious past.  She served in the Great War, which is when she met Agatha Christie.  The two women have maintained their friendship, even though Phyllida now serves as the famed author’s housekeeper.  Phyllida is also finding a talent for solving mysteries much like the ones her friend and employer writes.

The nearby village of Listleigh is hosting a Murder Fete, drawing in some of Agatha’s friends to help raise money for the orphanage, which desperately needs its roof repaired.  The village boasts several residents who are trying their hands at writing mysteries, and they are looking forward to some time learning from the masters of the genre.  The authors will be signing books for anyone who shows up.  And then there’s the writing contest that the unpublished authors are hoping to win.  The prize?  A chance to be published on both sides of the pond.

However, the local writers aren’t all friends, and there is one that is annoying, to put it mildly.  The opening night cocktail party ends when someone dies.  At first, everyone assumes it is a game for them to solve, but when they realize someone has really been poisoned, they are horrified.  Will Phyllida be able to solve a second real life murder?

This book does a good job of updating us on the lives and relationships of the characters we met in the first book.  Most of the story is told from Phyllida’s third person point of view, but we do get a few scenes from other characters, which was always used to great effect.  I enjoyed seeing some of those relationships grow, sometimes in some fun ways.  I’m looking forward to seeing how they play out as the series progresses.

Unfortunately, the suspects don’t get as much page time as they really need.  That makes the focus of the story a little too obvious.

The mystery did have a couple of good twists that surprised me.  I was stopped short when I, like Phyllida, thought I had something figured out only to be surprised.  And the ending made sense when I got there.  But it could have used a bit more to keep me guessing along the way.

Like the first book, we get a feel for life in the 1930’s, but not real references to the rest of the world.  The real-life mystery writers who have cameos on the page add to the fun, but they are just cameos.

As a mystery, A Trace of Poison could be stronger.  But it is still an entertaining read and mystery fans, especially fans of Agatha Christie, will be glad they picked up.

Here are the rest of the Phyllida Bright Mysteries.

Monday, August 11, 2025

TV Show Review: The Amazing Race - Season 37

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Arm chair traveling with tasks along the way
Cons: Too many twists some that don’t work; some teams that have unhealthy relationships
The Bottom Line:
Can’t quite get away?
Watch show; race around the world
Mostly fun season


A Few Too Many Twists

This past spring saw season 37 of The Amazing Race. The producers tried to mix things up with some returning and some new twists to the formula. It made for a different season that was still mostly entertaining. 

If you aren’t familiar with the premise, it features teams of two who go on a race around the world. Each week, they have to follow directions to new locations and countries and complete tasks along the way to the pit stop, where host Phil Keoghan gives the winning team a prize and lets the losing team know they’ve been eliminated. 

Honestly, that right there is really enough for me. I love seeing where the teams go, which this season included Hong Kong, Dubi, Japan, and Portugal, among others. Watching the teams trying to deal with navigating without their phones or dealing with transportation creates some drama and unpredictability. It’s not like other reality shows where the contestants can game the game without any twists. All it can take is one unlucky break for a good team to go from first to last. 

But the producers decided to really shake things up this season by adding one twist per leg. Some were familiar to fans, like the UTurn, which requires a team to do both sides of a Detour. We also saw the return of the Express Pass and Fast Forward. Others were new, like the Fork in the Foad, where teams were on parallel tracks after the Detour. I feel like some of these weren’t well thought out. Others fizzled because of the teams more than the producers not thinking things through. It will be interesting to see which if any of these make a comeback in future seasons. 

The other thing that can be a problem with a season is teams that fight. Now, I get it. Your body clock gets off as you travel so you are tired. And you are stressed as you are racing. Everyone is going to get frustrated and snap at times. But some teams seem to fight constantly as the season goes along. That’s what I find hard to watch. And we get a couple of those teams here. There’s actually a very clear cut distinction between teams at one point. Both teams were frustrated by what was happening to them. One team was taking it out on each other. The other was trying to help each other deal with the frustration so they could focus. And that’s the difference between teams I root to lose and teams I enjoy watching. You really can see who has a healthy relationship and who doesn’t. 

But, as I say, the locations are fabulous and the tasks are mostly fun to watch. I wish we got more than one season of this show per year since I enjoy it so much. 

Like with the other recent seasons, the episodes were 90 minutes with commercials. This allows us to follow the teams a little better, which I enjoy. 

Overall, season 37 is another one that fans of The Amazing Race will enjoy. If you want a different travel show, be sure to check this one out. 

Sunday, August 10, 2025

August 10th's Sunday/Monday Post

Welcome to the weekend and this week's Sunday/Monday Post.  As usual, I will be linking up to:

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

It's been a fairly quiet week.  We finish up fiscal month end at work without too much extra drama, which is always nice.

It got hot late in the week.  Like touching 100 degrees.  The temps should drop in the next week.  Like it will be mid-80's.  In August!  That's almost unheard of here in So Cal for this time of year.  I want my summer heat!  And this isn't it.

There is a fire north of town.  Far enough away from me that I am not concerned for me, but the town to the north of me has faced some evacuations.  They've dropped them as of this morning, but the fire is still burning

You will notice that I swapped out one of my expected reviews from last week.  When you wind up seeing Freakier Friday on Thursday night, you post your review on Friday.  But don't worry, I'll post the original review planned for Friday on Monday.

Saturday is my monthly game day, so shall we get on with it so I can get there?

Joke of the Week:


New research suggests that towels are a leading cause of dry skin.

This Past Week on the Blog:


This Coming Week on the Blog:


Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post
Monday - TV Show Review: The Amazing Race - Season 37
Tuesday - Book Review: A Trace of Poison by Colleen Cambridge
Wednesday - Book Review: The Dark Wind by Tony Hillerman
Thursday - Book Review: The Last Line by Scott Lyerly
Friday - Friday Post featuring Fatal Sign-Off
Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

I've got four new books to tell you about this week.

Up first are two Kindle deals I snagged early in the week.  Sadly, neither are still on sale.

The first of those was A Death in Corfu by Emily Sullivan.  This is the first in a series set in the early 1900's on a Greek isle.  I've been considering it for a while, so when it went on sale, I couldn't resist.

My other Kindle deal was The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz.  I was considering this as an audiobook series, which I always get from the library.  But I decided to snag the first while it was on sale.  I mean, this way, I can change my mind and decide how I want to consume it later.

Next up is my ARC for the week, Whiskey Business by Adrian Andover.  I met the author when I was at Malice Domestic back in April, and he made his book sound like lots of fun.  I'm glad I was able to get the ARC.  The book comes out at the beginning of September, so I will be reading it soon.

But not as soon as this next book.  My pre-order of For Duck's Sake by Donna Andrews came this week.  It's book thirty-seven in her very long running Meg Langslow series.  I always look forward to the entries, so I'll be reading it just as soon as I get the review copies I've got on my plate for August finished.  Speaking of which....

What I'm Currently Reading:

I'm actually working on the two review obligations I have for August this weekend.  I'm just about finished with Fatal Sign-Off by Sarah E. Burr.  This is book three in her Book Blogger Mysteries.  You can see the appeal for a book blogger who loves cozy mysteries, right?  It helps that Sarah's books are always nice and cozy, and this is no exception.  I've been enjoying it very much.

By Monday, I'm hoping to be well into the Halloween Night Murder novella collection.  I didn't get this one that long ago, so I know I talked about it then.  The stories are from Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Liz Ireland.  Since I love Liz's Mrs. Claus series, I am reading the collection for her contribution.

Both of these books are coming out on August 26th.  But I'm hoping to have them reviewed on the 19th and 21st respectively.  But that's a discussion for next week's post, right?

Until then, have a great week!

Saturday, August 9, 2025

August 9th's Weekly TV Thoughts

American Ninja Warrior – Finding out that it isn’t a one lose and done thing makes me feel slightly better about the racing.  Still, I’m not happy about it.  People like James are out.  And Sean.  It’s going to be all teen men or early twenties very quickly.  That’s not what I watch this show to see.  And I wish they wouldn’t jump around the groups.  Makes it hard to remember how everyone is doing.

The Librarians: The Next Chapter – That was a fun finale.  I knew something would happen to extend their six months, so that part wasn’t a surprise, but it was surprisingly touching.  And it would have worked as a series finale if they’d left out that last few seconds.  I’m curious to see where they are going to go with it next.

The Snake – I wonder if Kethryn really doesn’t see why she was on the bottom.  Or did she know she had played a stupid game.  Almost sounded like it there at the end, but I’m not completely sure.  Not sure John did himself any favors.  I’ll be interested to see how that plays out next week.

The Challenge – So, I’m over here rooting against the UK alliance.  I wasn’t happy about the results of the elimination as a result.  But it did look like fun.  Tiring, but fun.  I’m not sure I would have figured out the puzzle on the first challenge.  And, I’ve got to say, my opinion of Dee is dropping.  Not because she had a casual relationship with someone (not that I condone it), but her attitude toward his overreaction.  I’m ready for that drama to leave some how some way.

Match Game – Usually, I can see why the judges give the questionable matches they do.  But they sure were generous there in the first round.  I think 3 or 4 matches were all she really got.  Yes, the show has always been dirty, but it seems extra dirty these days.  I may tune it out.

Press Your Luck – What a redemption.  I was worried Whammie would wind up winning again, so I was happy with the outcome.

Friday, August 8, 2025

Movie Review: Freakier Friday

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Laughs and heart with strong performances from the four leads
Cons: While fun, definitely not as good as the original
The Bottom Line:
Switching characters
Not nearly as good as first
But entertaining




Flawed But Ultimately Entertaining Sequel

As much as I might roll my eyes at the number of reboots and sequels we are getting at the movies these days, it worked on me. I’ve been in the theater three times this summer for sequels. The third of those was Freakier Friday. I must say, this one made me really nervous since I love the 2003 version so much. While it has its flaws, I found myself enjoying it by the end.

Before we go further, I want to call out the inaccuracy I’ll be making in the rest of the review. Yes, I know the 2003 Freaky Friday movie is actually the third time Disney has adapted that novel by Mary Rodgers for the screen. However, since this movie is a sequel to that version, which starred Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, I’ll be referring to that one as the original and this as the sequel from here on out. It’s just easier that way. 

This movie picks up 22 years after the original.  Anna (Lindsay Lohan) is now a single mother (by choice) raising her teenage daughter Harper (Julia Butters).  Anna’s mother, Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) is living nearby and happy to help Anna raise Harper, whether Anna wants it or not.

Harper is annoyed by her new lab partner, Lily (Sophia Hammons).  When the two of them cause an accident in the lab, Anna is called to the principal’s office, as is Lily’s dad, Eric (Manny Jacinto).  The sparks between the two adults are immediate, and they leave the meeting with plans for a date.

Fast forward six months, and the two are getting married, much to their daughters’ dismay.  Nope, they haven’t found a way to get along, and now the daughters are worrying about where the new family will live, since Eric and Lily were only supposed to be in LA for a year before moving back to London.

But on the night of Anna’s bachelorette party, something happens.  The next morning, Friday, Lily and Tess and Harper and Anna have switched bodies.  The girls think this is their chance to break up their parents.  But what might they learn along the way?

I rewatched the original last week, and I’d forgotten just how good it really is.  Every time I watch it, I am impressed again with how it balances quite a few plot lines and creates such great laughs and tender moment.  But that’s a review for a different movie (which I posted here).  This movie isn’t as good.  It tries.  It really does.

One area where this movie falls short is that it just doesn’t have enough for Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons to do after the switch takes place.  The original had several things that Tess and Anna needed to learn while they lived in each other’s lives.  This one focused on Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan as the kids and the antics they get up to.

And, this movie was pretty much solely focused on the wedding and how everyone was feeling about it.  Yes, it was an important part of the original, but it wasn’t all that was going on.  I wish there had been some other storylines as well.

Now, I’m going to contradict myself.  One thing that I’ve felt a lot of recent movies have done is try to cram too much into the run time, leaving what we do get feeling rushed and underdeveloped.  I didn’t feel that way with this movie at all.  Yes, introducing anything else might have led to just this problem, so it was nice they didn’t fall into that trap.  I enjoyed watching a film that didn’t try to take on too much and felt like it was allowed time to fully explore what it did set out to talk about.

While I’ve been reading about this movie, I was impressed seeing that they were going to bring back almost all of the original cast.  Granted, most of them are just there for cameos.  But it felt good to see them again, and I felt their presence did add something to this film.  I wasn’t a fan of what they did with Jake, Chad Michael Murray’s character, but I get the jokes they were going for (and one of those jokes definitely worked for me).

As a comedy, this movie is pretty good.  Some scenes went on too long, but there were lots of places where I was laughing right along with the rest of the theater.

And as we reached the climax, I found myself tearing up, just like with the first one.  Those moments were very much earned.  Maybe these moments were a little too easy, but I’m being picky here. 

I also appreciated the message about the importance of family.  It didn’t feel forced.  It also wasn’t that surprising given the first one or the premise of this movie to begin with.  But it was still very well handled.  I also appreciated that Eric and Ryan, Tess's husband played again by Mark Harmon, are both good men.

I’ve got to give all the actors credit for their work.  All four of the leads were great.  It’s one reason why I wish Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons had more to do since they were fantastic when they were on screen.  And you can tell that Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are having fun.  Everyone else is just as good.

As expected, Freakier Friday is a step down from the original.  But that’s the case with most sequels.  Still, this one was entertaining.  I’m glad I saw it, and I would watch it again.  As long as you go into this one not expecting the brilliance of the original, you’ll enjoy this one, too.

Thursday, August 7, 2025

Book Review: The Cardinal’s Curse by LynDee Walker and Bruce Robert Coffin (Turner and Mosley Files #2)

Stars: 3 out of 5
Pros: Some great action scenes; the setting
Cons: Pacing is off
The Bottom Line:
Treasure in the cold
The book has some thrilling scenes
But pacing issues




Slow First Half Means the Thrills Are Rushed

When I read the first of the Turner and Mosley Files last year, I enjoyed it once we got past the set up. I was hoping that was just because it was the first book, as it was setting up the series. Sadly, the uneven pacing continued with the second book, The Cardinal’s Curse

These are not traditional mysteries but treasure hunt thrillers. Avery Turner has made billions off a tech program, and has already retired. Meanwhile, Carter Mosley has built his career around his social media scuba diving videos. The two have found a profitable collaboration treasure hunting already and are looking for a second treasure to track down. 

That comes when they are approached about going to Antarctica to join an expedition already in progress. While the group is officially working on a way to rebuild the ice shelves to combat global warming, they are hoping to find a treasure that was rumored to be on board a ship that sank in the waters a century ago. Not only is the ship in freezing waters, but it’s likely deeper than either have dove before. Will they find the ship and recover the treasure?

As I said earlier, this book still has a long setup. Yes, we meet Avery and Carter already in action. But it’s not for the main storyline, and it takes longer for them to get to Antarctica and for them to start encountering obstacles than it should have. The flashbacks to the history of this treasure didn’t help. That info could have been slipped into the exposition as the characters were uncovering it. Because, honestly, I had a little bit of a hard time remembering the various characters from the flashbacks since those passages were so short. 

Once the plot really kicks off, we get some great action scenes. There is one in particular that had me reading as quickly as I could. 

But there are so many setbacks that it became hard to keep up. We were rushing from place to place as well. Ironically enough, a little breathing room for us and the characters would have been nice. Not to mention some of the plot points introduced early on that are wrapped up in a sentence or two in the last few pages. They could have been left out and we would have been fine. 

While I wouldn’t call the characters fully fleshed out, they are real enough for us to care about them. This is more action movie than anything else, and they fit into that mold. 

And I have to give the writers credit for creating the cold and claustrophobic world of the Antarctica research station well. I was almost shivering with cold as I read it in July in Southern California. 

While I don’t have the next in the series yet, I’m interested in continuing. So The Cardinal’s Curse didn’t turn me off to the series. But I do hope the next book is better paced. 

Here are the rest of the Turner and Mosley Files.

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Book Review: Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly (Bosch #21 and Ballard #2)

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Two characters balanced well in an entertaining mystery
Cons: A few things could have been better fleshed out
The Bottom Line:
Team up introduced
Well balanced for series fans
Keeps us entertained




I Sense the Beginning of a Beautiful Partnership

Since I first heard that Michael Connelly was teaming up his long time main character, Harry Bosch, with his newest (at the time) main character, Renee Ballard, I was curious to read it. Obvious he liked it since he’s continued to do that with the characters for several more books. I’ve finally to the point in his backlog so I am reading that first partnership, Dark Sacred Night, and I enjoyed it overall. 

It all starts one night when Ballard catches Bosch breaking into the file cabinets in the Hollywood police station. While he claims he is feeling nostalgic for his old case files, she doesn’t believe him. Some investigating on her own leads Ballard to the conclusion that Bosch is working on a case involving a teen who was murdered and left in an alley dumpster over 10 years before and she gets herself involved in the case. Will the two of them solve this cold case together?

Of course, neither of the detectives are working on just the one case. For Bosch, he has a new lead on a cold gang related slaying in San Fernando, where he is working cold cases as a volunteer. Ballard gets several different cases as part of her regular duties as a detective on the overnight shift. 

While I’ve been reading Connelly’s books in order, most of the time, the only thing that carries over from one book to the next is the personal life developments. That’s not the case here. The main mystery that the two detectives are trying to solve was introduced in the previous Bosch novel, Two Kind of Truth. I’ve got to admit, it took me longer than it should have to realize that fact considering I read the previous book just a few months ago. I do suggest you read that book first since much of Bosch’s story here is an outflow of that book. 

The book is split between Bosch and Ballard, getting several chapters at a time from each’s point of view. The changes are always labeled. This allows us to get updates on what is going on with each of them and the characters in their lives, something I appreciated.

I did feel like the sub cases each were dealing with individually were a little underdeveloped. This mostly happened on Ballard’s side of things. Still, they were entertaining. 

And the main case? It kept my interest. I did have a couple of niggles with it, including how stupid Ballard was at the end. But overall, I was satisfied with how it wrapped up. 

My standard disclaimer with this series comes into play here.  These are police procedurals, and include more language, sex, and violence than I typically read.  Know that before you pick up the book.

As usual, I read this via audio book. Since the two characters have chapters where they are center stage, we get two narrators. Titus Welliver is still narrating the Bosch portion of the book, but Christine Lakin has taken over the Ballard portion. Yes, they each read everything in the chapters they are reading. It took a little bit to adjust, but I did quickly and enjoyed both of their performances. 

I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of the Ballard and Bosch team ups go. If Dark Sacred Night, and the rest of Connelly’s books, are in indication, I’ll enjoy them. 

Here are the rest of the Harry Bosch and Renee Ballard novels. 

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Book Review: Edam and Weep by Linda Reilly (Grilled Cheese Mysteries #6)

Stars: 3 out of 5
Pros: The characters are charming as always 
Cons: Competing predictable storylines
The Bottom Line:
Grumpy vendor killed
Loses steam in second half
This one’s for the fans




Carly Finds Murder at a Fundraiser

When I found out that we were getting a new Grilled Cheese Mystery, I immediately cleared my plate to read it. Unfortunately, I found Edam and Weep a little under grilled. 

This is book six in a series set in a small Vermont town. Our protagonist is Carly Hale who has followed her dream and opened a grilled cheese diner in the town square. It’s turned into a popular destination for residents and tourists alike. And Carly has found herself involved in the occasional murder or two. 

As this book opens, it’s just over a month until Carly’s wedding to Ari. But today, she’s focused on the 50’s diner themed fundraiser for the local high school’s gym. While she’s selling simple grilled cheese (of course), some of the other vendors are offering various other offerings. But the man selling sodas clearly doesn’t want to be there, and his rude behavior leads to a confrontation with Carly’s mom. When the man is found dead later with the scarf that her mom was wearing around his neck, Carly jumps in to figure out what really happened. 

Since this is book six in the series, it was great to spend time with the characters again. We have a core group that I enjoy. I would have liked to see more of some of the supporting players, but that’s a minor complaint. 

My major issue comes from the plot. Or, should I say, plots. The mystery itself was a little underwhelming. While I didn’t have the killer figured out, I knew where it was going early. And it had a too familiar feel to it. That’s all I will say. 

Unfortunately, that storyline was competing for page time with another A story involving a previously unseen sister that Ari has. While I was enjoying that story early on, it got a bit predictable by the half way point as well with one character involved wearing thin. 

On the other hand, fans of the series will definitely want to read to the end. 

And fans of the series will want to pick up this book overall. Obviously, we love the characters if we keep reading the series. And the time spent with them in enjoyable as always. 

Since this is a culinary cozy, we get two more cheese centric recipes as well. 

Edam and Weep isn’t the strongest entry in this series. While fans will still want to pick it up, those new to the series should start with an earlier book. 

Here are further servings of the Grilled Cheese Mysteries

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book. 

Monday, August 4, 2025

Movie Review: Signed, Sealed, Delivered - The Road Less Traveled

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: The main cast in another moving story
Cons: A few weaker moments
The Bottom Line:
Pics lead to road trip
More growth for main characters
And moving story




A POstables Road Trip

For the tenth movie in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered franchise, the characters go off in a new direction.  Literally.  You see, the POstables’s latest case finds them trying to track someone down on a road trip.  And yes, the title of the movie does hint at that.  It is called The Road Less Traveled, after all.

If you are new to the franchise, it features the four members of the post office’s dead letter office in Denver, Colorado.  Oliver (Eric Mabius) is their somewhat old-fashioned leader.  Shane (Kristin Booth) is the newest member and the technology expert.  Norman (Geoff Gustafson) is an expert on potions and chemistry, which comes into play more often than you’d expect.  Rounding out the group is Rita (Crystal Lowe) who contributes with her encyclopedia knowledge of the most obscure trivia.  The series started with a pilot movie and then a first season of hour-long episodes before continuing with a series of made for TV movies.

This movie starts with a camera, specifically, a disposal camera.  When the POstables get their hands on it, they quickly conclude it is from the 1980’s.  But as they start to develop the pictures in hopes of figuring out who it belonged to, they realize some of the pictures are from a boy who needs help.  And the pictures might not be as old as the camera.  In hopes of figuring out what is going on, they set out in the RV that Norman and Rita just got from her parents.  Will they find the boy?

With the four characters out on the road, you might not expect as much with the ongoing storylines for the franchise.  You’d be wrong.  Rita has started to panic about her upcoming wedding to Norman with all the things they haven’t done yet.  Meanwhile, Shane and Oliver are working on their relationship and Shane is getting some weird texts she is trying to ignore.

Honestly, at this point in the franchise, we are here because we love the characters.  And fans will be rewarded.  The growth we got with the characters is astonishing not only for this late in the series but also considering we are outside the normal sets of the series for the most part.  I don’t quite know why I was so surprised, but I was.  I also really liked the growth we’ve seen in Shane, something she acknowledged along the way.

And if you know the franchise, you’ll know to prepare for the water works.  These are mysteries in the loosest sense of the world, but the plots are always compelling.  I did guess a couple of things early on, but I didn’t figure out what was really going on until the POstables have solved things.  The ending, as always, tugs at your heart in a wonderful way.

The four leads are amazing.  They take people that could easily be caricatures and turn them into characters we love to root for.  The supporting cast is mostly okay.  There are some weak moments here and there, but that might be the writing as well.  Either way, they are minor because you will be pulled into the story and wanting to see how things will end.

I know these movies are some of Hallmark’s older ones that still get aired.  And I let myself get distracted on my way through the franchise.  But I’m glad I’m working on catching up now.  If you haven’t yet watched The Road Less Traveled, you’ll be glad you did.

This movie is part of the Signed, Sealed, Delivered Movies 9-12 Collection.

Sunday, August 3, 2025

August 3rd's Sunday/Monday Post

It's been a couple of weeks.  Time to a Sunday/Monday Post, wouldn't you say?  I'll be linking up to:

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

When last I posted, I left you with a bit of a cliffhanger.  I had just discovered one of my digital library cards wasn't working.  That all came to a happy ending.

First thing that Monday morning, I got an email from that library explaining that the digital only cards were only good for a certain amount of time.  And once they expired, you needed to go into the library and get an actual card.  Considering I'd had that digital card for a couple of years, I'm surprised to learn all of this.  And, I hadn't gotten any notice it was expiring or I could have taken care of it earlier.

But, I took care of it.  I went to the closest branch (about 25 minutes again) and signed up for a physical card.  And that got me the audiobooks I was looking for.  So, a happy ending all around.

And why was I looking for audiobooks?  Well, that has to do with why I haven't posted much beyond reviews the last couple of weeks.  I went up north to see my family.  We went camping in the redwoods in a state park I grew up camping in.  Actually, my mom grew up camping at this park, which is how much of a family tradition it is.  I hadn't been back in twelve years, so it was great to be back.  It's just so beautiful.  If you ever get a chance to visit a redwood forest, I can't recommend it enough.

And I just got a Switch 2.  Not sure why I was so hot to get one since I never had a Switch.  And I don't tend to play the systems I have much.  But I've been haunting Best Buy until I could order one.  It came in Friday, so I got it at lunch time.  We'll see how it impacts my reading time, won't we?

Other than that, not too much going on around here.  We've started another fiscal month end close at work.  See, a thrill a minute.

Joke of the Week:


There’s a new restaurant in town called Karma.  There’s no menu: You just get what you deserve.

Two Weeks Ago on the Blog:



This Past Week on the Blog:



This Coming Week on the Blog:


Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post
Monday - Movie Review: Signed, Sealed, Delivered - The Road Less Traveled
Tuesday - Book Review: Edam and Weep by Linda Reilly
Wednesday - Book Review: Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly
Thursday - Book Review: The Cardinal's Curse by LynDee Walker and Bruce Robert Coffin
Friday - TV Show Review: The Amazing Race - Season 37
Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

Would you be surprised to find that I have several books to tell you about?  I didn't think so.

Let's start with a book I bought in physical form.  Life After Lucy is the story of Keith Thibodeaux, aka Richard Keith, aka Little Ricky on I Love Lucy.  I'm a huge fan of that sitcom, and I know he was a drummer in a Christian rock band in the 1970's and 1980's.  I'm a casual fan of that band, so I am very curious to read that book.

The other physical book I got was Halloween Night Murder, the new novella anthology from Kensington.  Yes, I got it to review.  The stories are from Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Liz Ireland.  That last author is the reason I got the book.  I usually enjoy Lee Hollis's stories as well.  I'm just not a fan of Leslie Meier, which is ironic since she is the one headlining the book.

Shall we move on to Kindle deals?  Or what were Kindle deals when I snagged them.  I've had my eye on A Parade and a Perp by Mina Allan for a while.  When it went on sale, I snagged it.  But I see it is now listed as the second in the series since there's now a prequel story.  So I snagged A Precarious Perch as well.

Knifed in Nice by Zara Keane is the first in a Travel PI series.  It sounds like it could be a fun series.  And since it was free (might still be if you are interested), I snagged it.

Which leaves us with the three audiobooks I wound up with.  I've finished two of them.  Nothing too much to say about them.  They were the next in the series I listen to on audio.  And the titles were Engaged to Die by Carolyn Hart, Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly, and The Dark Wind by Tony Hillerman.

What I'm Currently Reading:

As I'm typing this, I've just barely started The Dark Wind by Tony Hillerman.  I spent most of this week listening to podcasts, but I'm hoping to knock much of this book out over the weekend.  Since it was the last of the audiobooks I got, it isn't due for another week and a half.

The other book I'm working on right now is A Trace of Poison by Colleen Cambridge.  So far, I'm enjoying it.  The main character is the (fictional) housekeeper to Agatha Christie.  We've got some other real mystery writers in this book.  We just hit a twist that has me really intrigued, and I'm curious to see where the book is going to wind up.

That's it for me.  Have a great week!