Book Review: Fatal Frost by Karen MacInerney (Dewberry Farm #2)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Return visit with fun characters, great story

Cons: I’m not in the spirit to find cons

The Bottom Line:

Murder at Christmas

And Lucy must clear a friend

Fun second entry

Somebody is Going to Have a Frosty Christmas

It’s funny how trends come even in cozy mysteries.  After years of reading mysteries set in every dessert business you can think of, I’m now reading three series set on farms.  I guess I have to offset all that virtual junk food somehow, right?  Fatal Frost takes us to a small farm in a small town in Texas for the second Dewberry Farm Mystery, and it’s a winner.

Christmas is fast approaching in the small town of Buttercup, but things aren’t quite as smooth as Lucy Resnick is hoping for.  For starters, she awakes in the middle of the night to find someone digging up her dewberry bushes and peach trees.  The new mega church outside of town is boycotting the Christmas market as being too commercial even though the funds are going to help a local resident in need.  Even Lucy’s love life has hit a snag with her boyfriend’s ex-wife in town looking for property to buy.

Things take a deadly turn when Lucy spots a fire.  Inside the burning home is the body of Krystal.  It might look like an accident except for one thing – the body is cold.  Someone killed Krystal and then set the house on fire.  The local sheriff latches on to the first suspect, Lucy’s friend Molly.  While Molly was certainly angry with Krystal, she never would have killed her.  Can Lucy find the real killer and clear Molly before Christmas?

As I’m sure you can already tell, there are plenty of storylines to keep you invested in the book.  Something is always moving forward, which kept me wanting to turn the pages.  Author Karen MacInerny juggles the various plots and sub-plots perfectly and brings everything together for a logical and suspenseful climax.

And the characters are wonderful, too.  This is only the second book in the series, but there are several regulars we are definitely getting to know, and we get to know them even better here.  Lucy really grows with what she goes through here, and I appreciated that growth.  And I wouldn’t complain if some of the characters introduced here came back in future books.

Now, I talked about healthier food and being set on a farm.  But this is a Christmas set book, and you can’t have Christmas without goodies, can you?  In the back, you’ll find mouthwatering recipes for Brown Sugar Fudge Balls, Czech Christmas Bread, and Lebkuchen Bars.  These might not be traditional American Christmas treats, but they will make your mouth water.

Fatal Frost is a wonderful second novel.  It brings back characters we love and gives them a fun new puzzle to solve.  Sit back and let this book put you in the murderous Christmas spirit.

Enjoy more visits with the rest of the Dewberry Farm Mysteries in order.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Book Review: Nate the Great Goes Undercover by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Simple mystery that kids will enjoy

Cons: Pictures might be a little dated for adults

The Bottom Line:

Garbage can robber

Nate must find the culprit in

This fun picture book

Nate the Great Tracks the Garbage Thief

When I was the appropriate age for picture books, the only Nate the Great book we knew about the original.  I guess the library didn’t have the others in the series.  However, we discovered the rest with my younger brother, seven years later.  Nate the Great Goes Undercover is actually the second book.  Like most picture books, it usually doesn’t matter, except in this case, we meet two characters who appear in the rest of the series in this book.

Nate is a young detective, and he’s earned quite a reputation in his neighborhood for his good work solving their mysteries.  He also loves pancakes, and he’s recently adopted a stray dog, Sludge, after finding the dog in a field eating a pancake.  It’s a perfect match!

On the morning that our story starts, Nate is taking Sludge for a walk when Oliver, Nate’s next door neighbor, approaches them.  Someone is breaking into Oliver’s garbage cans every night and making a mess, and Oliver wants Nate to solve the case.  Nate’s excited for his first night case, but can he catch the culprit?

As you can see, the case is simple.  Granted, I couldn’t remember who had done it until about half way, but Nate follows a logical trail to reach the conclusion, hitting a couple of dead ends along the way.  He even thinks he’s solved the case early on, but when he learns he is wrong, he goes back to work, letting nothing stand in the way of solving the case.

Actually, the only character who comes back from the first book is Rosamond.  (Well, there are her cats as well.)  She gets a very funny scene.  We meet Oliver and Sludge here, who would go on to appear in most of the rest of the cases Nate solves.  And then there’s Esmeralda.  As far as I remember, this is the only book she appears in, and it is easy to see why – she is too normal and therefore not as funny as the rest of the cast.  She does give Nate a good clue here, however.

Then there’s the humor.  Nate narrates the book in a deadpan Sergeant Friday way that is lots of fun.  I already mentioned that Rosamond’s scene is pretty funny, but there are some other funny situations and reactions as the book progresses.

The illustrations are a bit dated since the book was released in the mid-70’s.  However, I have a feeling that adults will care about this more than kids.  The pictures definitely help tell the story and add to the fun.

Honestly, you can read these books in any order, and kids won’t notice any continuity issues.  So if you haven’t met Nate, pick up Nate the Great Goes Undercover today and enjoy.

Ornament Review: The Nativity #2 - Wise Men - 1999 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Miniature ornament with good detail

Cons: Color would have really helped

The Bottom Line:

Wise men come second

In this small Hallmark series

Good detail for size

Wise Men Seek Jesus – Early

When you are creating a traditional nativity scene, you of course include the three wise men.  Oh, I know the arguments about them coming later and us not knowing how many there were, but we are talking about tradition here.  Which is why they are the second ornament in the Nativity miniature series from Hallmark.

This 1999 ornament is just the trio of wise men.  Two of them are kneeling as they hold their gifts, and the one in the middle is standing.  The ornaments in this series are made out of pewter, so they are all the same shade of gray, but it works here since there is more than enough detail carved into the ornament to tell for sure who they are.  Yes, it would be nice if they were painted, but it isn’t necessary.

It’s actually rather impressive that they make they got this much detail into the ornament, since this is a miniature ornament.  We’re talking about something that is an inch and a half tall and an inch and a quarter wide and includes three men.  Yes, detail could have been better, but you know who they are, so I’m happy with it.

The middle wise man has the loop for hanging sticking out of his head.  This ornament hangs straight, which is no surprise since it looks like an easy ornament to balance.  The ornament is a bit heavy since it is made from pewter, but because it is small, it’s not too heavy.

However, you can also set this out with the others in the series to create a miniature nativity since the bottom is perfectly flat.  You’ll also find the 2 in a Christmas tree series marker down there.

I must admit I was surprised to find the Wise Men as the second ornament in this series.  I always think of them in the order they most likely arrived, Shepherds and then Wise Men.  But if we are going in Gospel order, Matthew (which has the story of the Wise Men) does come before Luke (which has the story of the Shepherds).

Either way, this miniature ornament of the wise men is a good one to have if you are looking for a small set of nativity ornaments.

If you want this ornament, you'll definitely to get the rest of the Nativity miniature series.

Original Price: $9.95

October 15th's Weekly TV Thoughts

My TV watch list keeps getting longer.  And with Lethal Weapon picked up for more episodes this week, it's not going to so down any time soon.  Personally, I'm thrilled with that pick up since I am enjoying that show so much.

Once Upon a Time – The Show is definitely finding its groove this season.  That twist on Cinderella was fun, but I’m enjoying seeing more of the old recurring gang like Whale and Hopper again.  The scene introducing Jekyll and Frankenstein was epic!  Definitely having fun with it again this year.

Dancing with the Stars – I’ve got to admit, Most Memorable Year week has grown on my over the seasons.  Sometimes, it is a bit obvious, but this time the stories seemed to be more moving than most.  It was a great with some breakout performances.  And with no elimination, things are going to be tight next week since all the stars were so close.

Big Bang Theory – That has to be the funniest fight ever!  Loved that final scene.  And poor Raj, constantly waking up like that.  Of course, he should have kept his mouth shut in the first place.

Supergirl – Loved it!  They are obviously setting up some changes with this episode, but it was still a ton of fun.  I’d been hearing complaints about the actor they’d cast as Superman before anyone saw him, but I absolutely loved him.  He’s just perfect in the part, and I want him to stay on the show full time now period.

Conviction – Yes, I gave it a second chance, and I enjoyed it more this week.  I’m not fully on board yet, and if I decide I have too much TV, it will be an easy cut, but this could be a show to follow.  Of course, if the ratings don’t improve, it won’t matter what I think.

The Flash – I wanted him to fix everything.  I’m not sure how I feel about the changes they’ve made to the show as a result of the alternate timeline.  Heck, they’ve even messed with Arrow, and I am very curious to see how they explain all of that for people who don’t watch all four shows.  (Of course, I feel for those people since they are all so much fun.)  I wonder if we are just moving on from here or if we will fix a few things.  I’m guessing that with Caitlin turning into Killer Frost, we are leaving things as they are.

Arrow – Felicity had the line of the night, most likely the season, and possibly the series.  Cheesy, but the kickers was “I’ve been waiting five years to use that joke.”  Seriously, best line ever!  I figured out the purpose of that exercise before they told us.  Pretty obvious TV thing, but it works well for a team exercise, too.  This new ally is going to be a problem, however.  And what is going to happen to Diggle.

Lethal Weapon – On the heels of the news that the show has been picked up for 5 additional episodes (total of 18 for the season), we get another great episode.  I appreciated that the character stuff was about something other than Riggs’s dead wife.  I did see that RJ’s new friend was involved in the crime, but I still like how that all played out.  Plus some more fun lines along the way.

Survivor – GenX is starting to go down, but the switch is coming next week, so that will change things up.  Can’t wait to see how it all plays out.  But Lucy was so stupid!  Didn’t she see what happened to Paul last week?  I mean, yikes!  However, she would have gotten away with it if it hadn’t been for that idol.  I think the fact that there is a switch is all that will save those guys.

Designated Survivor – I didn’t feel as lectured this week with the islamophobia story, probably because it played out in more of a political fashion.  Not sure I agree with Kirkland at the end there, but I loved the episode and the storylines and how things are really heating up.  Can’t wait to see what is going on with that phone call at the end.

Legends of Tomorrow – I didn’t remember Rip wasn’t going to be on the show this season.  Or is that part of the cliffhanger and we’ll find him again soon?  Either way, this was a fun season premier.  It’s definitely over the top, but I completely enjoy that.  And with two villains from other shows on here now, it’s feeling like we’ll have a more appropriate villain this year.

Girl Meets World – That really did not feel like a scary Halloween episode.  Don’t get me wrong, it was a lot of fun and definitely had a good message to it, but it wasn’t remotely spooky.  Maybe it was the It’s a Wonderful Life vibe making me think of Christmas more.

One More Winner

It's Friday night, so that much mean it is time to pick out the final winner of the week.  And the winner for Masking for Trouble is...

...Paula!

I'm just sent you an e-mail, so be on the look out for it so I can connect you with your prize.

Book Review: Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradly (Flavia de Luce #8)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Flavia and the rest of the regular cast

Cons: Mystery a little obvious but still engaging

The Bottom Line:

A bad homecoming

Bucked up by a dead body

Flavia still shines

Death of a Woodcarver

There are four series I am listening to on audio, and I was trying to rotate them.  That fell by the wayside based on availability this year, and I wound up getting up to date on the Flavia de Luce mysteries.  Naturally, that meant that I made a point of listening to Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew’d as soon as it came out, which coincided with as soon as my library got the audio version.

Twelve-year-old Flavia has returned from Canada.  However, her welcome home in December of 1951 wasn’t nearly what she’d hoped it would be.  She arrives home to the news that her father is in the hospital with pneumonia, and he is so sick that he can’t receive any visitors.  Her sisters are as obnoxious as ever, and her young cousin is annoying Flavia as well.

So when Cynthia, the vicar’s wife, asks Flavia to deliver a message to a woodcarver in the next village, Flavia jumps at the chance.  She arrives to find the woodcarver hanging upside down on the back of his bedroom door dead.  Naturally, Flavia is delighted at this turn of events.  But can she figure out who would kill an old woodcarver?

Those who missed Flavia’s family and the English village setting while she was in Canada in the previous book will be delighted with the return to Bishop’s Lacey here.  Even though I enjoyed the last outing and the different setting, I was glad to get back to the usual characters and setting.  These characters are a fun group.

Of course, Flavia is the real star of the series.  I’m enjoying seeing some growth and maturity in her.  No, it’s not enough to change her character, but it is refreshing to see that she is growing into a young woman who is slightly more sympathetic and mature.  And I get a kick out of Flavia’s interactions with her young cousin.  Flavia can’t figure out why this girl annoys her so much, but she is so much like Flavia it adds a comic touch to things.

The mystery is much more the focus here than in some of the previous books in the series.  It’s not the best element of the series usually, and that’s the case again here since I figured out some of what was happening long before Flavia did.  Still, it is interesting and kept me engaged the entire way through.

As always, Jayne Entwistle is fantastic at bringing the story to life.  She is engaging and perfect as Flavia without overwhelming the story at all.  Seriously, if you are looking for a great audio book to try, this is the series for Jayne’s narration.

The bad part of being caught up on a series is that you now have to wait impatiently for the next in the series to come out, and I will definitely be doing that for the next in tise series.  Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew’d will please fans of this unique detective.

And once you meet Flavia, you'll definitely want to read more of the Flavia de Luce Mysteries.

October 14th's Book Beginnings and Friday 56

We've made it to Friday!!  Let's celebrate with Book Beginnings and Friday 56.

This week's book is a Halloween themed cozy mystery - The Skeleton Haunts a House by Leigh Perry.

                                                                 


This is the third in the series, which features Sid the Skeleton, a living skeleton.  Well, you know what I mean.  Don't worry, the rest of the cast are humans.

The book is a lot of fun, as you can tell from the first line:

Most people wear Halloween costumes in order to look scarier, but my best friend Sid picked his to look less scary.

No, I'm not going to tell you what his costume is.  You'll have to read the book to find out.

Jumping ahead to page 56, you find this gem:

"What are you doing?" I asked her.
"Working around the cops," she said, looking at her phone again.

There you have it, short and sweet this week.  If you want to learn more, my review will be up next Wednesday.

Have a great weekend.

Ornament Review: BB-8 - 2016 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great representation of a popular character

Cons: Wires could break if you aren’t careful

The Bottom Line:

BB-8 becomes

A great Hallmark ornaments

Star Wars fans will want

BB-8 Gets His Turn as an Awesome Hallmark Ornament

We got to meet a lot of new characters in Star Wars: The Force Awakens last year, but I think it is safe to say the break out star was BB-8.  This little droid was so much fun and so cute, and merchandise with him flew off shelves everywhere.  Hallmark may be a year late to the party, but they have released their own BB-8 ornament this year, and it’s a winner.

The ornament itself is very simple.  It’s just BB-8 himself, no magic (sound or motion), no background or anything else.  And yet the ornament is wonderful that way.  Of course, it is a ball with a half circle on top of it, just like the character.  It’s got the white, gray, and orange pattern of this droid on it as well.

The first thing I noticed when I looked at the ornament is the smudges of dirt and grime on it.  I don’t remember seeing that on other things with the character, but I actually love that touch.  After all, if BB-8 is rolling around in the dirt, he’s going to be dirty.  It’s not enough to take away from the designs on the character, but it adds a realistic touch.

Remember in my discussion I mentioned that this ornament is just BB-8 all by himself and he’s mostly a ball?  I had never thought about that until I went to try to set him out and realized I couldn’t.  He’s a ball.  It was never an issue in the movie, so I didn’t think about it here.  It makes me appreciate the movie magic and very active motors that would make this character stand up when not in motion.

Naturally, that means you have to hang the ornament.  With a loop in the top of his head, it’s no surprise that he hangs straight.

You will want to watch out for the two wires sticking up from the back of BB-8’s head representing his antenna.  They are thin and feel like they could be bent or broken easily.  This isn’t a toy but a decoration.  Remember that, and you’ll be fine.

Fascination with BB-8 doesn’t seem to have slowed down yet, and this is proving to be one of the hot ornaments of 2016.  If you want him, make sure you get him sooner because I have a feeling that prices will only rise as he get rarer.

Original Price: $15.95

Tangled Up in Brew Winner

Look at this, I'm actually pulling the winner on the correct day this time!  Yep, time to announce the second winner of the week, this time for Tangled Up in Brew.  We're having a great week for the extremes, too.  Last night's winner was number 1.  This time, the winner was the last entry.  Yes, that means the winner is...

...Jana Lea!

I've just sent you an e-mail, so be on the look out for it and get back to me so you can get your prize.

Book Review: Permanent Sunset by C. Michele Dorsey (Sabrina Salter #2)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Complex characters in a fast moving story

Cons: Sunset has come on finding cons

The Bottom Line:

Day of wedding death

Plunges Sabrina into

A compelling case

Murdered Bride Provides More Headaches for Sabrina

There are definitely advantages to picking up a debut book months after it comes out – you don’t have to wait as long for the next book in to come out.  It’s only been six weeks since I last visited Sabrina Salter on the US Virgin island of St. John, yet I got to book a return trip with Permanent Sunset.  It was wonderful to be back.

Sabrina runs a villa rental company on the island of St. John with her friend and business partner Henry.  The company has recently taken on the new Villa Nirvana at Henry’s insistence.  It’s a huge property so it’s a very prestigious get.  Sabrina was happy with how life was, but she has gone along with Henry’s desire to expand.

The first event at this property is actually a wedding.  Sean, the younger son of the Keating family that built the villa, is getting married.  His bride, Elena, has become a big part of the company - in fact building villas like this one was her idea.  The wedding is planned for sunset.

However, after the rehearsal dinner, a family fight erupts when Elena refuses to sign a pre-nuptial agreement.  The morning of the wedding, Elena turns up murdered.  With the police ready to accuse Sabrina and Henry of not providing adequate security for their clients, Sabrina has to find out what happened to prove that her company isn’t liable.  But who would kill a bride before her wedding?

Since it had only been six weeks, the characters were fresh in my mind, and I enjoyed getting to see them again so soon.  I was hoping to see more of some of the supporting characters from the previous book, but outside of a quick cameo, most of them were absent.  However, our main trio of Sabrina, Henry, and Neil, Sabrina’s boyfriend, are all back and are just as wonderfully complex.  I enjoyed seeing growth in them.

We get an entire family of suspects for this book, and they leap off the page right away as real people.  You can feel the tension from the beginning.  Even though we meet almost everyone in the first chapter or two, I never had a hard time keeping everyone straight, which is saying something since there is a complex family dynamic.

Because of that tension, the pace in this book is strong.  I never wanted to put the book down and raced through it in two days.  The plot is solid with good clues and red herrings to keep you guessing until the end.

Most of the book is told from Sabrina’s limited third person point of view; she is our main character after all.  However, we get the occasional chapter from Henry or Neil’s points of view.  Unlike the first book, we don’t see the action from anyone else’s view point, but the technique is used perfectly here.

Unfortunately, I now have a long wait until I can visit Sabrina Salter again.  Permanent Sunset is a great follow up that is over all too quickly.  Settle in and watch the pages fly.

Enjoy the rest of the Sabrina Salter Mysteries.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.