Ornament Review: Friend of a Feather - 2015 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Cute scene inside a traditional ornament shape

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

This scene inside a

Traditional ornament

Delights with cuteness

Warm Winter Scene Inside a Christmas Ornament

Even in the few years I’ve been collecting Hallmark ornaments, I’ve picked up on the fact that some series begin as single ornaments.  That’s the case with Friend of a Feather, the Keepsake Ornament Club ornament released in 2015 that is a precursor to a 3 ornament members only series to start next year.  I was already leaning toward getting this ornament, but as soon as I heard it’s part of a series, I just had to get it.  (Really, I need to get over my addiction to series.)

The ornament is light blue and is a mainly an oval with a few nobs on the top and bottom.  It reminds me of the old fashioned ornaments that were just shapes of various colors.  The twist with this one is the scene in the middle.  It features a snowman in a red scarf with his right arm raised.  On that arm is a little red bird.  Behind them are some trees decked in white snow.

And it’s the scene inside that I just love.  It’s cute and heartwarming even if the snow makes it look cold.  The light blue color of the ornament perfectly captures that wintery feel the scene is trying to capture, and it’s a wonderful combination.  The smattering of light blue glitter on the top of the ornament catches the light and adds to the charm without over powering anything.

The coming three part series, entitled Inside Story, will feature more scenes inside ornament shapes.  I love the idea, so I can’t wait to see what they come up with.  It reminds me of the popular Cookie Cutter Christmas series, which I also love.  There’s even a new mini ornament series, A World Within, debuting this year with a very similar theme I am going to have to resist starting.  (I do not collect mini ornaments.  I do not collect mini ornaments….) However, since this is not part of any official series, there is no series marker on the back of the ornament.

Good luck getting this ornament to stand up.  It comes to a nice point on the bottom, so the only way to display it is by hanging it.  Fortunately, when you slip a hook in the loop on top, you’ll find that it hangs straight.

I haven’t seen any sneak peaks at what the new series will be like, but if they are all as cute as Friend of a Feather, it will be a winning series.  Even if I decide not to start the official series (but who are we kidding, of course I will), I’m glad I added this cute ornament to my collection.

Like this ornament?  You'll be interested in the official Inside Story ornament series.

Original Price: $20.00

Another Interview with Me

I'm over at Lisa Ks Book Reviews today for another interview.  To give her full credit, the two pictures with me are the only ones I sent her, she tracked down all the others.  They really add to the fun, so be sure to check it out here.

And The Longest Yard Sale Winner Is....

Time to announce a winner for last week's giveaway of The Longest Yard Sale by Sherry Harris.

And the winner is...

Alicia!

I've just sent you an e-mail so we can connect you with your prize.

Thanks to everyone who entered.  I've got another giveaway up and running right now with another one due on Thursday and one next week, so still plenty of chances to win.

Book Review: Peaches and Scream by Susan Furlong (Georgia Peach Mysteries #1)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great characters and setting with a fun mystery

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

Murder in orchard

Introduces us to a

Great new character

Peachy Debut

Last week, I was on a business trip to Georgia.  Why am I bringing that up?  Because it happened to correspond with me reading Peaches and Scream, the first in the new Georgia Peach series.  Since the series is set in a fictitious small town, I couldn’t actually go to the setting, but I did get a kick out of the coincidence.  It was a great book to entertain me on those long flights back and forth, too.

Nola Mae Harper has spent very little time in her hometown of Cays Mill, Georgia, since she graduated from high school.  But she’s back to help run the family’s peach farm for three weeks while her parents take a cruise to celebrate their fiftieth anniversary.  She is hoping to spend the time reconnecting with friends and family still in the area, but she is shocked to learn the farm isn’t doing as well as normal financially and if things don’t turn around, the Harpers might lose it.

The night Nola arrives, her family throws a big party on their farm for her parent’s anniversary.  The next morning, she finds Ben Wakefield, the owner of the local mill, in the orchard strangled to death.  Worse yet, the murder weapon is the scarf her sister was wearing earlier that evening.  The local sheriff is quick to arrest Nola’s brother-in-law, and town gossip already has him convicted, but Nola believes his protest of innocence.  Can she find out who really killed Ben?  And can she come up with a way to help her family farm make more money?

This may be a debut, but I felt right at home in Cays Mill from the very beginning.  Author Susan Furlong brings the setting to life, and I loved my visit.  The characters are equally vivid and feel right at home in this small, southern town setting.  Nola and her family and friends are great, and I can’t wait to visit them again.  The suspects were mysterious enough that I couldn’t figure out just who might have done it.

The plot is strong as well.  The murder takes place early on, and the rest of the book is filled with twists and clues along the way.  The ending caught me completely by surprise, and I loved it!  Nola’s efforts to help the family peach farm provide a nice sub-plot that helps flesh out some characters without ever overshadowing the mystery.

One aspect I love about this book is how well Nola and her siblings come together over the course of the book.  That kind of family loyalty and love is wonderful to see, and I am looking forward to seeing more of that bond in future books.

And, of course, there are five peach recipes for everything from a peach cobbler (naturally) to peach ice tea and spiced peach preserves.  My mouth, which was watering all through the book, watered even more while reading these.  And yes, I did have to grab some peach cobbler while in Georgia as a result of reading this book.  (It was absolutely delicious, too.)

Oozing with Southern charm and peaches, this is a debut not to miss.  Peaches and Scream left me hungry for more, and I can’t wait to revisit Cays Mill.

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

GIVEAWAY:

Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy of this book to give away.  Because it is a physical book, the contest is limited to residence of the US.

Leave me a comment with your favorite way to eat peaches and your e-mail address so I can get in touch with you.  I will pick the winner next Tuesday, July 14th, so please leave your comment before 12:01AM on 7/14.

Ornament Review: Christmas Window #13 - Tammy's Tune Shop - 2015 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Humorous figures and creative decorations

Cons: Missing series marker

The Bottom Line:

Great decorations

Humor and embarrassed dog

Combine for great piece

This Year’s Christmas Window Really Sings

Over the past few years, I’ve been enjoying Hallmark’s Christmas Windows series because of the creativity that these ornaments have shown.  Each year features a different story window decked out for Christmas and a child looking in the window, and they’ve been plenty of fun.  This year's ornament adds a nice element of humor to the mix, and I just love it.

This year, we are visiting a music shop, Tammy’s Tune Shop to be exact.  They’ve taken a set of white drums and set it up to resemble a snowman.  And that drum snowman?  He’s holding a Christmas tree shaped electric guitar.  Next to it, we have a tree made from Christmas music rolled into the shape of a cone.  The awning outside even has a keyboard on it.  When you turn the ornament around and look at the back, we can see a tambourine and more Christmas sheet music for sale.

But here’s the part that I just love.  Since this is a Tammy Haddix year, we get a boy and his dog looking into the window.  Inspired by what he sees, the boy is rocking out on his air guitar.  The dog, however, is less than impressed and actually has a paw over one eye like he can’t look.  The expression on both of their faces is priceless.

Combining the antics of the boy and his dog with the creativity shown in the decorations, this might just be my favorite ornament in the series to date.  It’s just so much fun that you can’t help but smile when you see it.

As with the others in this Keepsake Ornament Member series, it has a nice, flat base you can use to set it in a display.  Personally, I like creating a village with these windows under one of my Christmas trees each year.  However, if you want to hang it on your tree, you’ll find the loop in the roof of your building.  Slip a hook through it, and you’ll find that it tips forward slightly, but not enough to matter.

However, what you won’t find on here is a series marker.  Yes, this is an official Hallmark series, but only offered to the members of their Keepsake Club.  Normally, these ornaments do have the typical series marker on them (a number in a Christmas tree).  It got left off the ornament this year.  Hallmark seems to miss at least one series marker a year these days, and this is the series that gets left out this year, I guess.

Still, that’s not remotely an issue at all.  This ornament is wonderfully creative and fun.  I can’t wait until Christmas so I can display it.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Christmas Windows series.

Original Price: $20.00

Movie Review: The Terminator

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Good story and characters

Cons: Definitely a product of the 80’s

The Bottom Line:

Robotic killer

Lose in this sci fi story

Good, can’t miss 80’s

Definitely Dated but Fun Film

Growing up reading instead of watching movies, there are a lot of films out there I’ve missed that the rest of my generation has enjoyed.  At times, I feel like I know the film even if I haven’t seen it.  That was the case with The Terminator.  I finally saw it for the first time this weekend thanks to it airing on TV.  While I knew the basics, I definitely enjoyed it.

The film was released in 1984, and takes place mostly in that year as we follow waitress Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton).  She is shocked to find that two other women with her name have been killed recently.  What she does not know is that she is the ultimate target by a Terminator (Arnold Schwartzenegger), a robot disguised as a human, sent from the future specially to kill her.  Why?  Because in the future her son John will lead the humans in a fight against the machines that have risen up and taken over the planet.

Sarah’s only ally is Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), a soldier also from the future who has come back to protect her.  But with an enemy that is actually a killing machine, is there any way to stop the Terminator?

Within a few minutes of watching this film, I knew it was released in the mid-80’s.  The clothes, the hair, the music, the answering machines – it all just screams out the era.  Even the look at the future was through the lenses of the 80’s, and the special effects are from the era as well.

Not that this is a problem at all.  Once you accept the dated aspects of the film, it is easy to get into the story and root for Sarah to get to safety.  Granted, knowing there are sequels is a bit of a spoiler for the film, but it is still enjoyable as we watching Sarah trying to survive the killing machine.

Here was my biggest surprise about the film, however – it borrows much of the story from the slasher genre.  Oh, the killings aren’t that creative (mostly guns) or bloody (although that might have been because I was watching it on TV), but the story borrows many of the tropes of the genre.  You’ve got a super human killer going after anything in its path, and it is up to the final girl to stop him.  I clued in to this early on, but the climax really drove it home for me.  Hey, this was the 80’s, the heyday of the slasher.  And there is nothing wrong with that.  Of course, fans of the genre will point out this is missing the stalking scenes and it’s not nearly as scary, so those easily frightened don’t have to worry about jump scenes.

Another difference from the other genre is the characters.  We get to know both Sarah and Reese much better than any character in a slasher film, and this movie is stronger as a result.  Sarah does come across as more of a wimp than I was expecting for most of the film, but the last few scenes show growth in her character I hope continues in the next film in the series.

All three of the main actors are good in their parts.  I haven’t seen Arnold in very many films, but he was perfect here, and his accent adds something to the part of the robot with one mission – kill Sarah.  The rest of the cast is great as well.

While the special effects in the future are definitely dated, the effects in the present day are perfect.  Granted, they mostly revolves around makeup and other practical effects, but I bought everything I was watching.

So I’m glad I finally watching The Terminator.  I will be moving on with the franchise soon, and I’m quite curious to see how things progress from this beginning.

July 4th's Weekly TV Thoughts

I'm actually a little surprised I got through as much TV as I did this week.  I was out of town on business and thought that might slow me down.  But I did spend some time watching TV at night in my hotel room, so I was able to catch up quickly when I got back.  And this even includes a new show I'll be sticking with this week, too.

America Ninja Warrior – So many great stories tonight even if the competitors didn’t go very far.  And yes, I take back what I said about Santa Monica this year.  All the courses have had that one extremely tough obstacle this year.  But the thing I’m most excited about?  Joe and his wife expecting!  I really do love to root for him since he seems like such a nice guy.

Scream – It’s a bit funny watching the lead in this show and not thinking of Hank and Evan’s sister, since she was on Royal Pains last season.  And the shows are on opposite each other.  Anyway, as a fan of the movies (you’ll find the reviews in my archives), I had to give it a shot.  I’m really impressed.  Obviously, they are ignoring everything about the movies, including the mask, but I really enjoyed it.  I have a feeling this might be the one show I wish that I could watch back to back.

Royal Pains – Really?  They are going to go with the phone call working?  Just like that he’s giving up custody?  I’m happy to see that storyline end since I hated it, but it doesn’t ring true at all.  Meanwhile, where is Jeremiah really?  And what has Evan stumbled into?

Melissa and Joey – I should have seen that twist with the parents coming.  It was so obvious.  Oh, and yes, I am thrilled that Zander and Lenox are back together.

Baby Daddy – That Wheeler War was very fun.  Yes, I saw the ending coming, but I was having a blast along the way.  I just want to know what the other events were.

Suits – Really, I am so over the Louis vs. Harvey stuff.  Can we find something new to get them working together with only minor skirmishes from here on out?  Please?  I mean, it was a great episode, and I loved Mike and Rachel’s sub-plot (and Rachel’s scene with Jessica), but come on, that part of the soap opera needs a rest.

Graceland – Suddenly, it’s Jonny who is frustrating me.  However, I’m enjoying this season overall so far.  The interplay between the characters is top notch and the stories are interesting finally.  It’s still no White Collar (same creator), but it is interesting again.

July 3rd's Book Beginnings and Friday 56

Welcome all, to this three day weekend edition of Book Beginnings and Friday 56.  I am currently working on Fatal Reservations by Lucy Burdette.  In fact, I'm hoping to finish it with my holiday.

This is the sixth in the Key West Food Critic Mysteries.  I am discovering just how much I love this character and setting since I am so thrilled to be visiting them again.

So here's how the latest mystery begins:

The first time Miss Gloria almost died, she came out of the hospital rigid with fear.
The second time, just before Christmas, she came out fighting.

Jumping ahead to page 56, we get:

Then I went back outside, clamping down on the thoughts that were whirling in my mind so I could concentrate on getting my cargo home safely.

That's it for this week.  Have a safe and fun 4th for those of you in the US.  Everyone else have a great 4th, too, even if it isn't a holiday.  :)

Book Review: Independence Slay by Shelley Freydont (Celebration Bay #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Characters still strong; interesting mystery

Cons: One character needs faster growth

The Bottom Line:

More holiday death

With reenactment gone wrong

Series is still strong

Just Your Normal 4^th of July if by Normal You Include Ghosts and Murder

After reading and enjoying the first two Celebration Bay books last year, I was anxious to catch up on the latest in the series.  However, I held off on reading Independence Slay until close to the 4^th of July since I’ve been getting such a kick out of reading these books at the appropriate holiday.  The waiting paid off because this was another winner.

If you are new to the series, Celebration Bay is a town in New York that has earned a reputation for throwing elaborate events for every holiday of the year.  The events have gotten so popular with tourists and become such an important part of the local economy that they have hired Liv Montgomery, an event planner, to oversee all of the events.  But she keeps getting involved with murders connected to the events as well.

Every 4^th of July, Celebration Bay goes all out with a reenactment of a famous Revolutionary War battle that took place in town.  Okay, okay, so it’s actually a made up battle, but the town really gets behind it with effects and fireworks.  It’s all kicked off by the ghost of Henry Gallantine giving the signal for the colonists to attack.

However, this year, the ghost gives a second signal in Morse code, and Liv Montgomery and her assistant Ted go charging to where he is supposed to be only to find a man dead on the ground.  Worse yet, Leo, a “gentle soul” is found holding the murder weapon and claiming that Henry Gallantine’s ghost is the killer.  The town is certain this teen did it, but Liv isn’t buying it.  What do the rumors of a buried treasure have to do with the murder?  Can Liv figure out who the killer is before everyone turns on Leo?

The characters in this series have been strong from book one, and that stays true here.  While some of the characters from earlier books are reduced in page time in this entry, the new characters are more than strong enough to pick up the slack.  Frankly, I don’t see how the supporting players could have been worked into the book without slowing things down.

And the story didn’t leave much room for filler.  There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing about what is really happening until the very end.  Those twists go beyond the simple who done it aspect of the plot, and I really appreciated that.

I enjoyed reading the first two at the appropriate season, and this one was no exception.  The heat, the colors, the Revolutionary War battle all helped put me in the mood for my favorite summer holiday.  (Okay, so it doesn’t have much competition as summery holidays go, but I have always loved the 4^th of July.)

I do have to circle back to the characters for a minute.  There is one character that hasn’t changed a lick in the series so far.  Oh, some might argue that he has changed, but if so, it’s not enough.  I get that he’s supposed to provide some comedic relief and be the love interest, but I’m still not on board with that relationship.  He needs a major makeover and soon.  I’m sure the author can do it, so I do hope it happens in the next book or two.

But this is truly a minor complaint.  I got lost in the town of Celebration Bay yet again with Independence Slay and am already looking forward to this year’s new Halloween themed entry.  If you are looking to get into the holiday spirit with a cozy mystery, this series is sure to help you no matter what that holiday is.

And once you visit, you want to read the rest of the Celebration Bay Mysteries in order.

Monthly Reading Summary June 2015

Welcome to my monthly reading summary for June.  Since I am in Atlanta right now on business, I haven't had a chance to update the Index this month.  But here is what I read.

All ratings are on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

Death of a Chocolate Cheater by Penny Pike (Food Festival Mysteries #2) – 5

Darcy’s Aunt Abby has developed a recipe sure to be a hit at San Francisco’s upcoming chocolate festival.  However, when one of the judges is murdered and Abby’s friend is accused of the rime, Darcy must figure out who really committed the chocolate crime.

I loved the first in this series, and this one didn’t disappoint either.  It was a little slow to get going, but once it did, the pace never slowed down.  The characters are a blast, and I loved getting to visit them again here.  And all that chocolate left me drooling.  A fantastically fun read.

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

“A” is for Alibi by Sue Grafton (Kinsey Millhone #1) – 4

Laurence Fife was a cheating divorce lawyer, so no one was too upset when he was murdered.  Still, his wife Nikki hires PI Kinsey Millhone to find out who did it.  The catch?  Nikki is out of jail on parole after being convicted of committing the crime herself.  With the case closed and cold, can Kinsey find any fresh leads?

I’ve long heard of the series and wanted to start it, and I’m glad I finally did.  While the book does fall victim to a few clichés of the genre, it’s still a very enjoyable book.  The plot is strong and the characters real, both of which kept me engrossed.  I’m looking forward to more of the series.

Truffled to Death by Kathy Aarons (Chocolate Covered Mysteries #2) – 5

Michelle are Erica are pleased when their combined chocolate and bookstore is chosen to host a reception to honor a donation of ancient Maya artifacts to a local museum.  However, the day after the reception, the artifacts are missing, and a day later someone is murdered.  Can the friends figure out what is going on?

I enjoyed the first book, but I liked this one even more.  The characters are strong, and I loved seeing how the returning characters developed further over the course of the book.  The plots was strong, and because of the subject matter included more than the typical cozy plot, which I also enjoyed.  I’m already looking forward to book three.

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

I Will Take a Nap! by Mo Willems – 4

Gerald wants to take a nap, and Piggie thinks that sounds like a good idea.  But will she keep Gerald from getting his nap?

The pictures and dialogue are fun as always, but I don’t think this book has quite the spark of some of the others in the series.  Honestly, that’s a minor issue, however, and fans of these fun picture books will still enjoy it.

Farmed and Dangerous by Edith Maxwell (Local Foods Mysteries #3) – 5

Winter has settle on Massachusetts, but farmer Cam Flaherty is still very busy.  She’s growing food in her hoop house and hoping to land a contract to provide produce during the summer at the local assisted living facility.  However, the night that her food is served, one of the residents dies from poison.  With local gossip and the police looking at her, Cam must dive in to the mystery to clear her reputation.

The book did start a little slowly, but once the murder takes place, things pick up.  I was turning pages as quickly as I could until I reached the satisfying ending.  It was great to spend time with these characters again, and the suspects were equally engaging.  Be sure to read through the recipes, too, since there is a joke in one of them.

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

The Mystery of the Midnight Marauder by Kathryn Kenny (Trixie Belden #30) – 5

A missing family pet, Trixie’s brother Mart acting weird, and vandalism at school start of this mystery.  When the police start to suspect Mart of the crime, Trixie has to work fast to prove his innocence.

For a later book in the series, this is definitely a strong one.  The characters are all present and at their very best.  We get a few laughs along the way as well.  The plot is a tad obvious, but it’s still fun.  My biggest complaint is that Sergeant Molinson would actually consider Mart a suspect.  I’ve never bought that.

Snow White Red-Handed by Maia Chance (Fairy Tale Fatal #1) – 5

Prue and Ophelia take on jobs as maids to the Coops, Americans who are traveling to their castle in Germany’s black forest.  Almost as soon as they’ve arrived, a cottage is discovered on the property that looks like a dwarf cottage, and fairytale experts are brought in.  The next day, Mr. Coop is poisoned with an apple.  What have Prue and Ophelia gotten themselves into?

I love fairytales and fairytale reimaginings, so I had to give this cozy mystery series a try.  It was so much fun.  The story was fast paced, and the fairytale aspect provided a nice twist to the cozy formula.  The characters were sharp as well, and the author made perfect use of a multiple viewpoint story.  Can’t wait for the sequel.

Lullaby Town by Robert Crais (Cole/Pike #3) – 4

Elvis Cole is hired by a big Hollywood director to find his ex-wife and their son.  After a decade of no contact, Elvis takes a little time to pick up the trail, but once he does, the shock at the end might have him in over his head.

The book started out great, but about a third of the way into it, the twist kicked things into high gear.  The new characters are great and really show a lot of growth here, which made me love them more.  Pike, Cole’s partner in the PI business, is still more caricature than character and the foul language could easily be cut in half and still make the point, but overall, I did enjoy this book.

A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman – 5

One day while at the laundromat, teddy bear Corduroy decides he needs a pocket.  His search for one introduces him to some strange new things.  Can he find a pocket?  Will Lisa be able to find him?

Even as a kid, I liked this book more than Corduroy’s first adventure.  I think it’s because of the creativity.  We know what Corduroy finds along his way, but his explanations for them are creative, logical, and fun.  The illustrations capture the story perfectly, and will please kids and parents alike.  This is one all ages can enjoy.

Bless Her Dead Little Heart by Miranda James (Southern Ladies Mysteries #1) – 4

Sisters An’gel and Dickce Ducote are surprised when their college friend Rosabelle shows up unannounced on their doorstep and states that one of her family members is trying to kill her.  But not too long after her family shows up to find Rosabelle, someone dies, and the evidence points to murder.  Which of their house full of guests is a killer?

This is a spin off series from the author’s popular Cat in the Stacks Mysteries, but the fact that I’ve only read the first one of those didn’t hamper my enjoyment here at all.  Instead, I was introduced to some wonderful characters, series and suspect, I am looking forward to getting to know in future books.  The plot moved along great with lots of clues and conflict.  Unfortunately, the ending was weaker than it should have been.

The Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis (Domestic Diva Mysteries #1) – 4

Sophie Winston is hosting Thanksgiving for her family and facing off against her high school rival, domestic diva Natasha Smith, in a stuffing contest.  The last thing she needs is to find a dead body while out grocery shopping.  Worse yet, the police think she is a suspect when they find her picture in the dead man’s car.  What is happening?

I’ve heard lots of good about this series, and it is obviously well deserved.  The large cast of characters are so well developed I never had a hard time keeping them straight.  The plot starts out strongly, but it does get bogged down in the middle before reaching a wonderful climax.  I’m certainly curious to see where Sophie goes from here.

The Longest Yard Sale by Sherry Harris (Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries #2) – 5

Sarah has been working hard to set up the largest community yard sale in New England.  When the day arrives, some fires outside of town are the only thing that goes wrong – or so she thinks.  After the day is over, she learns her friend Carol was robbed of a painting she was doing on commission.  The next morning, Carol finds a dead stranger in her shop.  What is happening?

This is a very fun mystery filled with great characters.  Seriously, I love spending time with them.  The plot includes a few intriguing sub-plots that all tie together in some way at the end of the book.  The result kept me turning pages.  One word of warning, one part of the first book is spoiled here, but there is no way to continue Sarah’s personal life without doing so.

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