Book Review: 16th Seduction by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Women's Murder Club #16)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Strong plot keeps the pages turning

Cons: Pacing is very uneven

The Bottom Line:

This explosive book

Will keep you glued to story

Better than the last

Did Lindsay Just Solve Her Easiest Case?

I made no secret of how disappointed I was by the previous book in the Women’s Murder Club series.  But after investing this far, I wasn’t quite ready to give up on them yet.  It does help that I get them from the library and they are fast reads.  But it was with some trepidation that I sat down to read 16th Seduction.  I’m glad I gave the series another chance because I really enjoyed this one.

The main action of this book opens six months after the previous book ends.  San Francisco homicide detective Lindsay Boxer is still separated from her husband Joe, but she has agreed to go to dinner with him on their wedding anniversary.  The two are enjoying their meal on one of the many piers in the city when there is an explosion at a neighboring pier.  When Lindsay and Joe rush over to investigate, Lindsay finds a man standing watching the destruction.  Something about him seems off, so she heads over to talk to him, and he confesses to setting the bomb.

Naturally, after a night in jail, the suspect has not only recanted his confession, but he’s denying it ever happened.  While Lindsay and Joe both witnessed the confession, neither one of them recorded it.  As Lindsay leads the investigation to find evidence to convict their suspect, he demands a speedy trial.  Will he be convicted?  Is he even guilty?

And just like that we are off and running on another compelling read.  I couldn’t quite figure out what was going on, so I was hanging on for every twist and turn of the case.

My biggest complaint about the previous book was Lindsay and Joe’s split.  I’m glad to report that things happen here that make Lindsay think through her feelings, and we got to see some growth in her as a result.

What about the rest of the women in the Women’s Murder Club?  Claire finds a dead body she thinks fits the pattern of a serial killer that has been flying under the radar.  Yuki returns to the DA’s office in order to try the bombing case.  And Cindy gets the least amount of page time here although she does get more time near the end.  The friendships are strong here, and what little conflict these friends have is resolved in an adult manner.

My typical complaint with the series holds true here – pacing issues.  In this case, it was pretty bad with the case Claire brings up not really getting any page time until the second half of the novel, which it takes over, sidelining the bombing case until the end.  There are a few other hiccups in the storytelling, but all told this is a compelling read from start to finish.

I wish this series weren’t so uneven, but when the books are good, they are well worth reading.  That is certainly the case with 16th Seduction.  Any fan of the series will be happy they read it.

Check out the rest of these lady's cases with the Women's Murder Club series in order.

Pin Review: The Three Little Pigs - Storybook Classic Collection #9 - 2017 Disney Store Release

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Captures the pigs happy after victory

Cons: Something different for the inside scene would have been nice

The Bottom Line:

Celebrating Pigs

Captured in these two great scenes

In one book shaped pin

No Wolf to be Afraid of Here

Disney’s first mega hit song didn’t come from Snow White.  Instead, it came from The Three Little Pigs, one of the shorts in the Silly Symphony series.  “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?” became a rallying cry in the face of the Great Depression.  However, for the pin that celebrates this short as part of the Storybook Classics Collection, the focus is on the title characters of The Three Little Pigs

Like all books, there is a cover which opens to reveal a second scene inside.  The cover is a recreation of the cover from a book that Disney released years ago.  It shows the pigs celebrating the wolf running away at the end.  (If only they knew sequels were coming.)  The cover is simple, with a pink background and a black outline of the characters with the title in black.

Inside, we get a full color picture.  This time, the pigs are in a circle dancing around because the wolf has gone away.  This looks close to the actual scene in the short where they celebrate the wolf running away at the end except that pig who built his house of bricks is playing a harmonica instead of his piano and all three of them are outside.

I do wish we could have gotten something else for the inside scene.  Essentially, the ornament released as part of this series and the cover of this pin are the same, and the inside is very similar.  Something with the wolf would have been fun.  Granted, they don’t have a huge space to work with, but I’m sure they could have done something.  Maybe the part where he landed in the pot after coming down the chimney.

Because of the two parts to the pin hinged together, this is a heavier pin than most Disney pins.  To help compensate, this has two sticks on the back to help hold it in place.

While I would have liked to see something different inside, that’s overall a minor complaint.  This continues to be a fun series, and it’s wonderful to see The Three Little Pigs recognized with a pin.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Storybook Classic Collection.

Ornament Review: The Three Little Pigs - Storybook Classic Collection #9 - 2017 Disney Story Ornament

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Captures the Three Little Pigs perfectly

Cons: Major tilt forward

The Bottom Line:

Pigs in classic pose

Nice to see this ornament

Of early classic

The Three Little Pigs are ready for a Celebration

If you are doing a storybook related ornament series based on Disney animation, you have to include The Three Little Pigs.  This Silly Symphony cartoon was one of Disney’s biggest hits of the 1930’s, so it really is a natural addition to the series.

Like a few other ornaments in the series, this one relies more on the book Disney released after the cartoon than the cartoon itself.  We get the three little pigs celebrating after the wolf is defeated.  We see this exact scene nowhere in the short, but it still feels like an iconic shot of our three heroes.  From left to right, they are in order of the houses the built, and the Piggy who built a house of straw is playing his flute.  The Piggy who built his house of sticks is playing his fiddle and he’s actually jumping in the air.  On the first right we get the Piggy who build his house of bricks.  His piano is a bit too big to actually carry with them, so he is the only one without his instrument.

As I said, we never get this shot in the short anywhere, but I was actually surprised when I realized that while rewatching it.  We’ve seen this pose of the characters so often it feels right.  And for that reason, I like it.  The characters look great, with the details of their clothes being perfect.

And the three are standing on a round base that looks like a field.  Fans who want to display this year round will be happy since they can do just that.

There is a light blue ribbon attached to the top, so you can hang the ornament.  However, you’ll find that it tips forward some.  The way the characters are posed helps disguise it a little, but as soon as you look at the base you’ll discover just how much they are tilted.

Even though this ornament tilts, I do still like it.  It’s not often we get merchandise for The Three Little Pigs, and it’s nice to see Disney honoring this classic.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Storybook Classic Collection.

Original Price: $19.95

Book Review: The Final Vow by Amanda Flower (Living History Museum #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Fun characters in a strong mystery

Cons: None worth dwelling on

The Bottom Line:

Wedding planner falls

But it looks like she had help

Fun third mystery

Taking the Plunge – Literally

The previous book in the Living History Museum Mysteries set up this book perfectly, and I’ve been waiting a year to find out what would happen.  No, it wasn’t a cliffhanger, but we were promised plenty of conflict for TheFinal Vow, and I wasn’t disappointed at all.

If you are new to the series, it features Kelsey Cambridge, the director of Barton Farm, a living history museum in Ohio.  She lives on the farm with her son.  This book revolves around the wedding of her ex.  You see, her ex-husband’s fiancee, Krissie Pumpernickel, has decided that the church at Barton Farm is the perfect place to have her wedding, and she expects her every whim to be met, including Civil War reenactors, Abraham Lincoln, and lights up in the steeple of the church.  Kelsey has put her foot down on the lights, but only because it is a safety concern.

That doesn’t stop Vianna Pine, the wedding coordinator, however.  She sneaks into the steeple in the middle of the night to hang the lights.  Unfortunately, she plunges to her death.  Only neither Kelsey nor the police think that Vianna had an accident.  Instead, they think she had some help falling out of the steeple.  But everyone the police interview comes to Kelsey asking her to clear them.  If everyone is innocent, who could have done it?

I hadn’t realized just how much I’d fallen for these characters until I started reading the book and smiled every time one of the regulars appears on page.  They are a varied group, but that makes them all the more entertaining.  Then there are the characters like Krissie, who make Bridezillas look tame.  While I have no affection for her, I do love to hate her.  We meet some new characters along the way who are just as interesting and fun as the main cast.

And the plot is strong.  In fact, it shoots off in some unexpected directions, and I couldn’t wait see what Kelsey would uncover next.  I did have a couple small niggles with the ending, but they were very small.  The climax had my heart pounding, and I had to keep reading to make sure everyone was safe.

Those who have been reading the series from the start will especially enjoy some character growth we get here.  You’ll still enjoy it if you jump in here, but those who have watched relationships grow through three books will find it more meaningful.

This really is a fun addition to a fun series.  I promise, if you pick up The Final Vow today you’ll be happy you did.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Death in Dark Blue Winner

I just pulled the winner for Death in Dark Blue.  And the book is heading to...

...Felicity!

I just sent you an e-mail, so be sure to get back to me.

Movie Review: Doctor Strange

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Good acting and effects; story when it picks up in final third

Cons: A bit too mystic for me, and too much an origin story

The Bottom Line:

Strange introduction

Takes a while to get into

Marvel fans only

I Can’t Say They Didn’t Warn Me with the Title

Marvel has perfected their marketing.  Why do I say that?  Because the only reason I wanted to see Doctor Strange is because I knew it would be part of the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe.  If I didn’t see it, I would be lost when his character showed up in other movies.  Based on the previews, I couldn’t get a good grip on what it was all about, and it just looked…well, strange.  Turns out, there was a reason for that.

Our hero this time is Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), a brilliant neurosurgeon who has an impressive success rate with his patients.  Of course, that is because he picks cases where he knows he can do something to help.  With his abilities has come a fame a wealth that has completely gone to his head.  All that changes when he has a horrible car accident that leaves his hands too damaged to do the work that made him famous.  Obsessed with regaining his former ability, he searches everywhere.

His search eventually leads him to a secret compound under the leadership of The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton).  What he hears at this compound sounds like nonsense to his scientific mind.  But is it?  Or is there something here that could heal him?  Might what he finds here lead him to an entire new world?

One strike against this movie is that it is an origin story.  Yes, for those of us who have never heard of the character before, we need the background.  But at the same time, we have heard this story before, including the character development.  Oh, the details may have changed, but the basic notes are the same.

While all the superhero movies have some kind of fantasy element to them, in this one it was stronger than most.  For some reason, that didn’t make it feel like a superhero movie since there was so much mysticism involved.  That could be a good or a bad thing, I guess, but for me it was a negative, and it took me a while to get into this part of the Marvel Universe.  I was on board by the end, and I fully realize this is on me.  If it weren’t a Marvel movie, I would have skipped it because these elements don’t appeal to me.

Or maybe it was just a combination of the two, because I found myself really getting into the film in the final third.  That’s when the background has finally been laid and we get to see Dr. Strange engaging in battle with the villain of the film.  Yes, we’ve seen the villain before, but only briefly.  We get most of his story via exposition, which was a little clunky, but given the slow pacing earlier, I think cutting to scenes with him would have slowed things down even more.

Visually, this movie is incredible.  Think Inception.  This is a movie that couldn’t have been made before computer graphics.  No, I don’t think that the effects took over and pushed out character and plot since they are used only to tell the story.  And they just look amazing.  I believed the twisted world they showed us, and I loved every second of them.

And the actors were wonderful.  They brought the right notes to the characters to make them come alive.

Honestly, I think the problem here is mostly superhero origin burnout.  That was confirmed to me while watching the two teaser scenes in the credits.  One sets up Doctor Strange being in the next Thor movie, and the other sets up the conflict for the next film to feature Strange.  Both of those scenes intrigued me, so I am definitely on board with this character now.

Still, I’m happy I waited to see Doctor Strange until it was out on Blu-ray.  If you are keeping up with the Marvel movies, you’ll definitely want to watch it, but it’s not a must see otherwise.

Book Review: Uncorking a Lie by Nadine Nettmann (Sommelier Mysteries #2)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great characters in a strong mystery; wine tie in well used

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

An expensive fake

Starts this fun wine mystery

Sit back and savor

Is That Wine Really Valuable?

I grew up in Sonoma County, California, a wine region that has been eclipsed by our neighbor, Napa County, when it comes to famed California wine.  However, I was thrilled when I learned that Sonoma County would provide part of the setting for Uncorking a Lie, the second Sommelier mystery from Nadine Nettmann.  Fans of the first will be thrilled to be back for the sequel.

Our main character is Katie Stillwell, who is an expert on wine.  She works at a restaurant in San Francisco where she recommends wines to the customers.  However, this book finds her invited to a private dinner party.  Paul Rafferty, one of her regular customers who has become a friend, has purchased a rare and expensive bottle of wine, and is having some friends over to enjoy it.  Katie is thrilled to be invited to join the group.

However, as soon as she tastes the wine, Katie knows that something is wrong.  The wine looks and tastes too modern to be the rare bottle Paul had spent so much money to buy.  When the evening ends in a disastrous death, Paul asks Katie to find out what is really going on.  Will her knowledge of wine lead her to the solution?

Hold on when you pick up this book because you are in for a delightfully wild ride.  It seems that everyone Katie talks to is hiding a secret of some kind, and she has to figure out who is lying and who is telling the truth.  The clues, red herrings, and twists kept me gleefully turning pages as I waited to find out exactly what was going on.  The climax was creative and very fun while also tying up all the loose ends.

Katie is a good main character.  While she makes a couple of mistakes, they seem logical at the time.  Her knowledge of wine makes her the perfect sleuth for this story since it involves clues only she would pick up on – yet she always explains them to us.  Even this complete wine novice understood exactly what was going on.  A couple of the characters from the first in the series only got cameos here, but some other got interesting character development, and I’m looking forward to seeing where those relationships go.  And the new cast was wonderful, making us care about the outcome.

As I just mentioned, I’m not a wine guy despite growing up in the heart of California wine country.  However, that didn’t keep me from enjoying this book at all, and I learned something along the way.  So if you are like me, don’t let that stop you from picking this book up.  If you do like wine, you’ll really love this book, and the wine pairings for each chapter will just add to the fun, although you might want to save some of these 36 recommendations for later.

Uncorking a Lie builds well on the first book of the series and delivers a complex mystery all its own.  Wine lover or not, you’ll savor every page.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Ornament Review: Cookie Cutter Spring - Cookie Cutter Through the Year #4 - 2017 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Gorgeous scene invokes spring

Cons: Maybe a tad on the simple side

The Bottom Line:

Spring flowers blooming

Inside tulip shaped cutter

Spring delight for all

Cookie Cutter Mouse, How Does Your Garden Grow?

Spring universally means flowers.  Whether it is bulbs or new plants in a flower garden or wildflowers.  And Hallmark has captured that well with Cookie Cutter Spring.

This entry in the Cookie Cutter Through the Year series finds our mouse watering his garden.  We can see three flowers, and the mouse with his watering can.  Behind him is a blue sky with just a few clouds and a white fence.  There isn’t much in the way of candy hidden in the scene like in some ornaments, but it does appear that the flowers have a hard candy center.  And the cookie cutter that serves as the frame?  A tulip, of course.

With last month’s I complained that the scene seemed a bit simple.  When you really look at this ornament, it is rather simple as well.  However, it works better for me, I think because the blue sky gives the illusion of a much deeper ornament than we actually get.  It also helps that the flowers aren’t right next to each other and there is the fence behind everything.

Either way, this scene is wonderful at capturing the look and feel of spring.  The colors on the flower centers are fantastic, and it is enough to almost bother my allergies.  Or maybe that is the real pollen in the air.

The rounded base of the tulip is flat enough to allow you to set this ornament out without it immediately tipping over.  However, it isn’t completely steady, so I recommend hanging it.  When you do to do that, you’ll notice that it does tip forward ever so slightly, which makes me wonder why the loop is so far back.  Seems to me they could have fixed this easily by moving the loop forward slightly.

And yes, there is a series marker on the back next to the cookie cutter’s handle.  In this case, it’s a 4 in a Christmas tree.

The promise of spring flowers is always worth celebrating.  With Cookie Cutter Spring, you’ll have a great way to do that with none of the pollen.

Check out the rest of the Cookie Cutter Through the Year ornaments.

Original Price: $15.95

Ornament Review: Douglas J. Spruce - Snowtop Lodge Companion Ornament - 2014 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Beautiful ornament that invokes a warm feeling

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

Snuggle in for Eve

With this charming offering

Series compliment

Douglas Wishes Us a Warm Christmas Eve

When Hallmark knows they have a popular series of ornaments on their hands, they like to offer compliments to fans.  That’s why Douglas J. Spruce is the second ornament with obvious ties to the Snowtop Lodge series that started out as Keepsake Ornament Club originals.  If you weren’t a member of the club or weren’t collecting the series when it came out, it’s worth tracking down.

Like the ornaments in the official series, Douglas is a snowman.  More than any of the others in the series, he evokes a warm and snowy Christmas Eve for me.  He’s wearing a black top hat that says Merry Christmas on it.  His red and white striped scarf is tied around his neck, and he’s got a cardinal on one arm.  In his other hand?  A Christmas tree, or course.  I mean, how could he not have one based on his name?  His buttons have a snowflakes design.

All the ornaments in this series have a scene painted on them.  In this case, we have a village.  There’s snow on the ground and stars in the sky.  There are plenty of people out and about.  And what makes me think it is Christmas Eve?  If you look up in the sky, you can see Santa and his reindeer are flying in for a visit.

All told, this ornament is charming.  As I said earlier, it evokes the traditional feeling of cold snow outside with warmth inside as you wait for Santa to arrive.  Heck, I’ve never had a white Christmas (a privilege of living in California, and yes, this is me bragging), and I get the appeal.

But I’m not done yet.  There are two holes in the bottom of this ornament that you can use to insert Christmas tree lights into the bottom of the ornament.  The entire thing glows when you do that, although it really glows in the scene, further invoking that warm feeling.  It’s a delightful added touch.

Douglas is easily able to join his brethren in any display you’d create with the rest of the series since he has a nice, flat bottom.  The only problem with this is you won’t get the glow effect since he can’t sit on a cord.  Of course, you’ll notice he doesn’t have a series marker since he’s not officially part of the series.

Or you can put him on your tree, which is the best way to take advantage of the option lighting effect.  The loop for hanging the ornament is on the top of his top hat.  Slip a hook through there and you’ll find that he hangs straight, although putting lights in his base might effect that.

This really is a special ornaments that fans of the series will want to track down.  So if you are missing Douglas J. Spruce from your collection, I suggest you find it down today.

Check out the rest of the official and unofficial Snowtop Lodge ornaments.

Original Price: $19.95

May 6th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Phew!  I did it!  Not only did I watch all the shows that aired while I was gone, I also watched all of this week's shows.  That's a lot of TV.  I am missing Arrow yet thanks to a stupid baseball game preemption.  It's not airing until tonight, and it's not on demand, so I will have to include it next week.

And that's enough into because this is a long list.

Designated Survivor (4/26) – I found the big reveal of who the mole was to be disappointing.  I was expecting it to be someone we knew.  Heck, I don’t know if we even know this guy’s name.  However, the rest of the episode was fantastic!  Twists, turns, political intrigue, new developments on the conspiracy, and Hannah kidnapped.  I’m really looking forward to seeing where all of this goes next.

Big Bang Theory (4/27) – I think I’m most disappointed about never seeing Zach’s fiancée.  I should have seen the ending coming.  Bernadette as a ventriloquist is something else.  I’m with Howard that it’s a little creepy.  But how clear the accented voice was is pretty amazing to me.  Yes, I saw her lips move a little, but that is definitely a hidden talent.

The Great Indoors (4/27) – The break up sub-plot was the best part of the episode.  Although it looks like we are finally about to kick Paul to the curb.  Can’t wait to see that happen.

Once Upon a Time (4/30) – That was a twist I did not see coming at all.  Rumple was born a savior?  Wow!  So what is his plan now?  I’m sure he’s up to something, but I sure don’t see it.  Love Henry being the best man.  And I can’t wait for the musical wedding next week.  I loved the moments between Regina and Zelena, I loved the fact that the car she was learning to drive in was GREEN, and I loved it when she showed up and hit the Black Fairy.  Basically, I loved all of her scenes.

Supergirl – Episodes like this was very predictable.  You knew they’d save Alex at the last second.  You knew they’d have to work through their issues and realize the other was right.  The most interesting thing is the Lena sub-plot.  Now that she sort of knows who she is dealing with, what does she think she is doing?  And what is the plan really going to be because you know that Lena is being used.

Dancing with the Stars – I wasn’t aware we had a double elimination.  As the dance offs showed, these couples are all very good, or at least are all very good when put head to head.  I’m sorry to see the two couples go, although I’m not too surprised.  The next few weeks will be interesting.

The Great Indoors – I enjoyed this more than I thought I would.  Of course, the parts with Emma and the two guys were the best.  They need to kick Paul to the curb already.

Angie Tribeca – I could have done without the sex scene even if it was pretty funny the way it was done.  However, the rest of the episode was great.  So much silliness.  So many sight gags and just gags in general.  I was laughing through the entire thing.

The Flash – I was beginning to suspect who Savitar was early in the episode, but I wasn’t completely sure until they confirmed it.  So I want to know what turns him into this villain.  And for that matter, why he would kill his true love?  Great twist that manages to not feel like a retread from the previous two seasons.

Team Ninja Warrior – This season is insane.  So many come from behind victories in one episode.  Of course, since each episode features several “favorites” it’s no surprise that one or two are knocked out.  It is unpredictable and so much fun to watch.

Survivor – I think voting out Zeke at this point was risky.  Yes, he is a move maker.  But it’s so easy for the minority to flip someone at this point.  One more position would have made it harder to have a flip happen.  And if we’ve seen nothing so far this season, it’s that the players have no problem flipping.

Designated Survivor – Agent Wells is in the middle of the ocean?  She’s in so much trouble.  And is Jason dead?  Sure looks like it to me.  (How could he fall for the animal decoy, too?)  Hookstratten is going to be Secretary of Education, a step down, but she’s grown on me, so I’m happy she’ll at least be able to pop in.  And I love the human moments, Kirkman with his wife, the picture boarding Air Force One.  Those things really make the show.

The Big Bang Theory – Amy out of town.  That should be interesting next week.  And since next week is the season finale, it will be an interesting cliffhanger, I’m sure.  With Raj moving into Burt’s garage, I guess we will see more of him next season.  I prefer him in small doses, so we will see how that goes.

The Amazing Race – I have always wanted to visit Venice, so you can imagine how jealous I was of the teams tonight.  The tasks not so much.  Singing a song I’ve just learned, one that complicated, and in a foreign language would be out.  And my artistic ability is very small, so that wouldn’t have been a good task for me either.  How lucky is that team that came in last?  Second time and they are still in the race.