Book Review: Pane and Suffering by Cheryl Hollon (Webb's Glass Shop Mysteries #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Characters who grow on you, well done plot

Cons: Pacing could have been better overall

The Bottom Line:

Mystery build on

Suspicious coincidence

Makes a good debut

No Pain or Suffering for the Reader

I love stained glass.  There is something about the mixture of light and colors with the work involved to create it that I find purely enchanting.  So naturally a cozy mystery about a stained glass shop caught my attention.  Pane and Suffering is the first in this new series from Cheryl Hollon, and it’s a good debut.

Savannah Webb has returned to St. Petersburg, Florida, under sad circumstances.  Her father has died unexpectedly of a heart attack, so she has returned home to help settle the estate and sell the family’s stained glass shop to Hugh Trevor, a family friend who has spent years working alongside Savannah’s father in Webb’s Glass.  However, the day after the funeral for her father, Savannah finds Hugh dead in the shop.

The police are quick to rule Hugh’s death a heart attack, but two heart attacks in the shop in about a week’s time seem too coincidental to Savannah.  Then she finds a note from her father claiming that she is in danger.  A cryptic clue left with the note leads Savannah off on a chase for the truth of what is happening in the shop.  Can she figured it out before she is next?

I enjoyed this book since the puzzle that Savannah’s father left behind added another layer to the plot.  This twist made it stand out in a good way from the many cozies I read.  The pacing of the book could have been a little better, overall, since a few of the stained glass scenes slowed down the plot.  Things did come together in a very logical way for the suspenseful climax, and the way the clues were slipped into the story was genius.

The characters came alive as the book progressed, and I came to care for them by the end.  This was really driven home to me as I felt Savannah’s grief late in the book.  The rest of the obvious regulars-to-be make up a very colorful bunch, and I’m already looking forward to seeing how they continue to grow later in the series.  The suspects are just as colorful, and I actually found myself rooting for a couple to be the killer.

Many of the books I read make me want to do more with the hook of the series.  In this case, I’m ready to tackle a stained glass project, and I’m trying to think about where I could hang something like that in my condo so it would get any light at all.  For those interested in the art form, there is a small glossary of common terms at the end of the book as well as some info about ways to take up the hobby.

I am looking forward to visiting Savannah and her new circle of friends again soon.  Pane and Suffering is an enjoyable introduction to a great group of characters I hope to visit for a long time to come.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Winner of Just Killing Time

Time to announce another winner here on the blog.  The book is Just Killing Time, and the winner is...

...NRNMG!

Check your e-mail so we can connect you with your prize.

Ornament Review: Rich "Uncle" Pennybags - 2015 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Great metal ornament for Monopoly anniversary

Cons: A little bigger than I like, very slight tip

The Bottom Line:

A victory lap

For game’s anniversary

Nostalgic and fun

Celebrate Monopoly’s 80^th Anniversary with this Classy Ornament

It’s the board game that people love to hate or enjoy gripping about or something like that.  I’m talking about Monopoly, which celebrates its 80^th Anniversary this year.  As part of that celebration, Hallmark has issued the limited edition ornament Rich "Uncle" Pennybags.  It is an ornament fans of this game will definitely want.

While you may know him better as Mr. Monopoly, you are familiar with this character.  This is the dapper older gentleman who graces the original game’s Chance and Community Chest cards.  For this ornament, he’s coupled with the classic car token.  He’s sitting in the car with his arms outstretched.  It looks like he is doing a victory lap around the board after winning a game.  The car itself looks identical to the way the car always does as a token.  The entire ornament is made from die cast metal.  While it helps the car look like a token, it makes Pennybags look a bit more like a statue than the cartoon character he normally is.  Still, it’s a great look for an anniversary piece.

What surprised me when I saw it in person for the first time is the size.  I was expecting something larger than the scale of the tokens in the game, but this was much bigger than I was expecting.  The car is just over three inches long, and with Pennybags sitting in the car, the ornament is just over two inches tall.  It’s also heavier than the average Hallmark ornament since it is made from metal instead of plastic.

Yes, the car is on wheels.  But, the car’s wheels are designed to support the ornament.  Like with the game piece, they don’t turn, and like the game piece, you’ll find that they support this ornament just fine, so you can display it with any game memorabilia or just in a fun place around the house.  It might be a little light to be a paperweight, but it would be a fun one.

Or you can use it as an ornament – you know, its intended purpose.  There is a loop in the top of Pennybag’s head, and when you slip a hook through it, you’ll find that it tips slightly to the left, but barely enough to notice.  And I’ve mentioned it is heavy, right?  You’ll definitely want to put it on a larger, sturdy branch to make sure it stays put.

Being a fan of Monopoly, I knew I had to get Rich "Uncle" Pennybags.  Yes, I did hesitate at the size, but only for a few seconds, and I’m glad I added this ornament to my collection.

Original Price: $19.95

Book Review: Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints by P. J. Brackston (Brothers Grimm Mysteries #1)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Decent plot, creative idea

Cons: Slow pace, characters don’t really grab

The Bottom Line:

Gretel as adult

A creative idea

Book didn’t grab me

Doesn’t Live Up to Promise of the Premise

Obviously, I enjoy fairy tales.  Look at my love of Disney and the many, many modern takes on the genre I enjoy.  So when Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints crossed my radar, I was immediately interested.  And when I was offered a copy of the book for review, I couldn’t turn it down.  Unfortunately, it just didn’t deliver on the premise.

The book features an all grown up Gretel of Hansel and Gretel fame.  She is making a living as a detective while supporting brother Hans.  Her latest case takes her to the city of Nuremberg, where she is hired by the Albrecht Durer the Much, Much Younger (and man who is 105).  He has in his personal collection paintings by his ancestor Albrecht Curer the Younger.  These pictures of frogs have been stolen, and he wants Gretel to find them.  With Hans in tow (since they are staying with his friend Wolfie), Gretel heads to the city.  But can she find this art work?

Now the title might lead you to believe that this book is one of the middle grade books I enjoy upon occasion.  This book is firmly aimed at adults, however, since Gretel finds herself undercover at a brothel for parts of the book.  This would still be on the edges of a cozy, really, since much of what happens in that space is only hinted at.

This is one of those hard books to review.  I can see why others would enjoy it.  For me, it didn’t quite work.  Take the characters, for example.  They are just kind of there.  I liked a couple of them, but I found most of them annoying.  Gretel falls into that camp with her obsession with fashion and the feeling at times that she was looking down on others.  At other times, she could be sympathetic, but it wasn't enough to make me truly like her.  I need to like the main character to really get into a book.

Likewise the plot was okay, but nothing special.  The pacing was off, with a slow start and several scenes that didn’t add much to the plot.  One complication is never really explained.  I can guess as to what happened, but I’m not completely certain since there are two legitimate ways it could have gone.  When we reach the climax, the main plot does make sense, and the clues were well hidden earlier in the book.

Those looking for many fairy tale references will be disappointed.  There are a few, but they are kept to a minimum.  On the other hand, fairy tale type characters do appear on a regular basis and play a part in the outcome of the story.  We just don’t meet many characters we already know.

So it’s not that Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints was bad.  I can see others enjoying it.  It just didn’t grab my interest like I had hoped it would.

NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The Mystery of the Whispering Witch by Kathryn Kenny (Trixie Belden #32)

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Decent mystery and characters

Cons: Overall too dark to be enjoyable

The Bottom Line:

Trixie goes too dark

In least favorite for me

Only for her fans

Spooky Book That Still Doesn’t Feel Like Trixie

Just in case you haven’t noticed, I love the Trixie Belden series.  Even the books I’m not as big a fan of, I’ve reread countless times.  The exception to that is The Mystery of the Whispering Witch.  I believe my count on this book is now only three times reading it, and I’m still not a big fan of it.

A quiet Friday night before Thanksgiving at the Belden household is interrupted when Trixie’s new classmate Fay Franklin knocks on the door.  Her mother is the manager of Lisgard House, and Mrs. Franklin has just had an accident.  With the phone lines down, Fay has come looking for help.

After calling the doctor, Trixie and her best friend Honey accompanies Fay and Trixie’s older brother Brian back to the house.  Trixie is curious to see the house since it is supposed to be haunted.  After agreeing to spend the night there to keep Fay company, Trixie starts hearing warnings.  But that’s nothing compared to what the girls experience in the middle of the night or Fay’s confession the next day.  What is going on?

Now before we get further into this review, let me be perfectly clear.  My issue with this book isn’t that it involves a haunted house.  I have read many haunted house mysteries and enjoyed them over the years.  I expect the haunting to be fake, but scenes that involve these things that are well done are very fun to read.  I can think of several books I completely enjoyed that meet my criteria.

This is not one of them, however, because the plot gets too dark.  We are dealing with a witch, an angry mob, and possible possession.  It never reaches that level of spooky fun but feels dark and oppressive.  Even knowing how things end, I can’t shake that feeling while reading it.  It doesn’t help that a couple of small things are left open at the end.

Fortunately, the characters are good.  There is a large cast of main characters, and all of them are present here, although Dan doesn’t really do much in this book.  Trixie’s friend Diana, however, actually provides a critical piece of information, which is nice to see.

I specifically chose to reread this book this month because I was thinking a spooky book during Halloween would be perfect.  Yet it turns out the book is set at Thanksgiving.  That completely surprises me since Halloween seems like such a great time for this dark, spooky tale.  No idea why the author set it a month later; just something I found interesting.

Many fans of the series are not fans of this book, but some series fans list this as one of their favorites.  It’s all perspective (as I will demonstrated as I finish out my reviews of the series).

The dark tone of this book keeps me from recommending this book to all but those who already love Trixie.  If that’s you, considering reading The Mystery of the Whispering Witch.  If you have yet to meet her, back up and start with one of the other books in the Trixie Belden series and work your way up to this one.

Obviously, I do recommend reading other books in the Trixie Belden Mystery Series.

Ornament Review: Happy Halloween! #3 - Zombie - 2015 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Creative variation on a theme

Cons: I fed the zombie the cons

The Bottom Line:

Spooky zombie scene

Creates nice variation

On series standards

If You Have Brains, You’ll get This Ornament

Everything goes in cycles, and right now zombies are a big craze.  Personally, I don’t see the attraction and find them extra creepy.  However, a zombie is the basis of the third in Hallmark’s Happy Halloween! series, and it helped get me to start collecting the series.

Like always, we are treated to a diorama inside a pumpkin.  But part of the reason I like this ornament is the pumpkin.  Instead of orange, the pumpkin is a very pale color.  I’d say it’s more greyish than anything else.  There are two ovals up high for eyes and the mouth, which is open wide so we can see the scene inside, is slightly misshapen, just like a zombie should look.

The scene inside is of a zombie walking through a graveyard, so he must have just woken up.  You can see a full moon and trees behind him and a few gravestones, one of which clearly has 2015 written on it.

So if I don’t like zombies, what was it about this ornament that appeals to me?  Above all, it was the creativity that was shown here.  It is a variation on the theme established by the first two in the series.  If it weren’t for them, I probably wouldn’t have given this one a second look.  Plus, with the zombie so small and, honestly, a little cute, how could he truly be scary?  I will admit, I would have though a skeleton might be a better fit for a graveyard setting, but that’s a very minor complaint.

Because this pumpkin is sagging, it actually has a wider base on it than the first two in the series, making it easier to set out on a table top to be enjoyed.  As always, you’ll find the 3 in a Christmas tree series marker on the bottom.

And there is still a loop for hanging the ornament on the pumpkin’s stem.  You’ll be glad to know that this is one place the ornament doesn’t droop – although it tips back slightly.  It actually makes it easier to see the scene inside, so that’s a good thing overall.

So even if zombies aren’t your thing, you can still enjoy this year’s Happy Halloween! ornament.  With the creativity shown, I can hard wait to find out what the scene and pumpkin will be next year.

You'll be haunted if you don't check out the rest of the Happy Halloween! ornament series.

Original Price: $14.95

October 10th's Weekly TV Thoughts

With two more series going, it's really starting to feel crazy trying to keep up with everything.  And I still have one more show to go in a couple of weeks.

Once Upon a Time – One thing I loved in the first season was the scenes between Emma and Regina.  They just crackled with tension.  I felt some of that same crackling tonight.  I love how the town is rallying around Regina, and how she is working so hard to embrace who she has become.  Still curious about what happened during those six weeks, obviously, and what the dagger being part of Excalibur means.  And if Emma could use that to defeat goodness, could Arthur use it to defeat darkness?

Big Bang Theory – That was their best episode of the season so far.  For one thing, they have worked out the plot issues of the cliffhanger (at least the one involving Leonard and Penny), so they can go back to just having fun.  Best moment was when Sheldon started singing.  Oh, the tag scene was pretty funny as well.

Dancing with the Stars – I’m actually kind of surprised that Gary went home.  Usually, someone like him lasts far too long into the season.  Nothing personal, but his dancing just isn’t there.

Castle – I gave the new show runners a chance.  I’m sorry, but this just isn’t working out.  They need to hit a major undo button on this Beckett/Castle split.  I don’t like angst.  I like fun.  Fortunately, Alexis’s many scene were wonderful.  They were the highlight of the episode.  I seriously hope she is around full time this season and doesn’t disappear after the first few episodes to pop up against occasionally like she’s done the last two years.

The Muppets – This episode was just kind of there.  I think the thing this show is missing is what made the Muppets unique.  They were quirky and punny and unlike anything else on TV.  Now, they are just another work place comedy.  Not bad, but not nearly as special as they deserve.

The Flash – Why must Henry leave town?  Why?  However, I loved the episode, including the fact that we got him out of prison.  I was very worried about that.  And why much Ronnie die?  It does explain why he isn’t in Legends of Tomorrow, but I’m still less than thrilled about that development as well.  Still, can’t wait for next week.

Agents of SHIELD – Glad we got Simmons back.  Melinda’s dad is a very smart man.  What can’t Skye, I mean Daisy, do?  And how much trouble is Melinda’s ex going to be in with a HYDRA plant in his class?

Scream Queens – It’s obvious they will be killing off the guest stars and saving the main cast for later in the season.  Now that I’ve said that, watch for them to kill off the kidnapped girl next week.  The scene in the trailer before the red devil showed up was decently creepy for a slasher film.  Decent, not full up stalker, but good for the show.  And why is the sorority president the weeping woman?  Who is she really and what does she know?

Survivor – What are they thinking keeping Abi around?  You are never in an alliance with her?  She will flop sides at the drop of a hat.  I guess I could see using her to get further in the game, but I’m really not sure I would trust her enough to do that.  I do feel sorry for that team since they had to recreate a camp while the other two teams didn’t.  I wonder if the one guy got the idol during the challenge.

Arrow – I think I liked this premier better than The Flash.  So many twists at the end.  Who dies this year?  Why is Lance working with the villain?  I’m guessing threats are involved, but I’m not sure about that.  And can Arrow (and the show) be lighter with this kind of stuff in the future?

Heroes Reborn – Much better episode this week, maybe because it felt like at least some of the stories were going some place.  Still can’t quite see how the duo from the artic are going to play in to anything at all.  And how exactly did they kill Clair?  For that matter, where is Sylar these days?  He’s been mentioned, but I’d love an update.

The Amazing Race – Despite the editing, no real drama in who would be eliminated this time around.  Sorry to see them go, but no real surprise.  They didn’t seem like they would make it very far if they had survived this week.

Girl Meets World – So, will they do more with the cheerleader thing?  Probably not, but it was still a fun and funny episode.  It’s next weekend’s trio of episodes that have me anxious to watch, however.

Ornament Review: Phil - Art of Disney Animation #2 - 2015 Disney Store Ornament

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Funny pose with a rarer Disney character

Cons: Issues with the paint job

The Bottom Line:

What should be funny

Lowered by poorer painting

Wish I could love it

I Have Two Words to Describe This Ornaments – Could Be Better

One of the reasons I was so excited when I saw the Art of Disney Animation ornament series that The Disney Store is releasing over the next 12 months is the rarer characters who are being included.  One of those is Philoctetes, better known as Phil, the satyr from Hercules who trains Herc toward becoming a hero.  I love the picture and idea behind this ornament.  Sadly, the end result has some flaws.

The ornament is at once simple and wonderfully creative.  Phil is standing with his hands on his hips and a Santa hat on his head glaring at us.  Yes, that’s it.  However, Phil is enough of a grump, that the idea of him doing anything to spread holiday cheer is pretty funny.  I can almost hear him grumbling and complaining about having to wear the hat.  And he wouldn’t be very quiet about his complaints at all.

So if the idea behind the ornament isn’t the problem, what went wrong?  The execution just isn’t quite as good as the picture.  Part of it is a paint job that doesn’t quite seem to have stayed in the lines (at least on mine) on his legs.  His arms don’t actually stick out from his body, and the lines and shadow and darkness designed to showcase that don’t quite work either.  His face is wonderful, and the expression is funny.  It’s the rest that doesn’t quite work out.

Phil is standing on a circular base painted to look like marble, so it’s easy to set him out to be displayed.  The Santa hat does make this a little more of a Christmas offering than some in the series, but you could still easily enjoy him year round.

As with most Disney Store ornaments, there is already a red ribbon attached for your ornament hanging pleasure.  Phil tips back slightly when you hang him, but it is only noticeable if you are looking for it.

It’s too bad that Phil is not as sharp looking as his picture.  This could have easily been a favorite in the series.  As it is, Phil is good but not great.

Check out the rest of the Art of Disney Animation series.

Original Price: $19.95

October 9th's Book Beginnings and Friday 56

Here we are again - another Friday, another Book Beginnings and Friday 56.

This week, I'm featuring the book I'm about to finish, Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints by P. J. Brackston.

Now, I know this looks and sounds like one of my middle grade books, but this isn't.  It's a mystery aimed at adults.

And it starts like this:

Gretel frowned at the lifeless body of the messenger that lay sprawled in the hallway upon her best Turkish Kilim.

And from page 56:

"Were they short of helpers?" Gretel asked.
Hans was oblivious to the slight.

Yes, short and sweet this week, unlike last week.

I'm planning to have my full review up on Monday, so come back then to see what I thought.

Winner of Dead with the Wind!

It's time to announce a winner.  The giveaway for Dead with the Wind has ended and the winner is...

...Lonestar!

I just sent you an e-mail, so be sure to check it so we can connect you with your prize.