Book Review: A Second Helping of Murder By: Christine Wenger

Trixie Matkowski is warming up to running her family's diner in the small town of Sandy Harbor in upstate New York. But the only thing more demanding than serving piping-hot comfort food twenty-four hours of the day is getting to the bottom of a double homicide...

Trixie fondly remembers summers as a child spent visiting the shores of Lake Ontario. Not much has changed there are still vinyl boots at the Silver Bullet Diner, families eating home-cooked comfort food, and days of swimming in the lake. 

But befor Trixie can say "Order's Up", someone's summer is abruptly cut short. One of the cottage residents is found dead, and Trixie suspects the crime might be linked to an unsolved disappearance in the picturesque town's past. 

As Trixie works with Deputy Ty Brisco to solve both mysteries, their shocking discoveries will shake up the small town. And when word gets out that she's on the case, Trixie's in trouble, after all, the murderer won't spare her life just because she makes a killer corned beef sandwich... 

Summer has finally come to Sandy Harbor and Trixie Matkowski has finally gotten her Silver Bullet Diner off to a great start! This year she has done some renovations to the lake side cottages on her property in hopes that the summer renters will come to visit like they have before when her Aunt Stella and Uncle Porky own them. Trouble starts when a decade old mystery is uncovered at the beach and leads back to those very same cottages. Can Trixie track down the killer or has she finally bitten off more than she can chew?

This second helping of mystery was a great follow up to the first edition, and I can't wait to read more from this great series. Trixie is sassy and funny and when it comes down to mystery...well, she's always cooking up more trouble! This book has a great group of characters and is written at a perfect pace. The plot was very intriguing and had me turning pages faster than you can say "Orders up"!

Book Review: Rebel Without a Cake By: Jacklyn Brady

Halloween is approaching, and co-owners of Zydeco Cakes, Rita Lucero and her former mother-in-law, Miss Frankie, have scored a sweet treat. A fantastic catering opportunity that could lead to a rich future for their bakery. But their good news is quickly rattled by a bump in the night when Miss Frankie's neighbor, Bernice, barrels into her kitchen toting a Bible and a gun, and serves up a story about a ghost at her window. 

Bernice swears she just saw the ghost of her moonshiner uncle who disappeared in the swamp fifteen years ago. When her cousin goes missing in the same swamp, Bernice is certain someone's playing a nasty trick, and convinces Rita and Miss Frankie to help her investigate. They'll just need to watch their steps, or these ladies are liable to get mired in a very swampy mystery...

Rita Lucero; Zydeco Cakes owner, danger magnet and part time amateur detective is up to her cupcakes in swamp mystery this time. It's almost Halloween in New Orleans, one of the cities most favorite holidays next to Mardi Gras, and there is plenty of whodoo and voodoo to go around. This time trouble shows up at Miss Frankies neighbors house in the form of her moonshining uncle that supposedly disappeared many years ago in the Louisiana Swamps. The mystery continues when a Voodoo Priestess tells them how much trouble Bernice's family might just be in. A deep family secret and moonshining danger might not be all that is lurking around down on the bayou of Baie Rebelle. Rita and her friends will have to solve this mystery soon before someone end's up as gator bait!

This is Jacklyn Brady's fifth edition in the "Piece of Cake Mystery" series. I have really enjoyed all of the books throughout this series and it just keeps getting better and better with each book. If you love reading about New Orleans and want a good bit Southern sass to go with it, then you'll love this book and this series too!

Book Review: The Wedding Soup Murder By: Rosie Genova

 Victoria Rienzi came home to the Jersey Shore to write a new book, learn the family restaurant business, and practice the fine art of Italian cooking. But when delicious dishes are paired with murder, Vic has a little too much on her plate...

When Vic asks her nonna for more responsibility in the kitchen, she doesn't mean forming a thousand tiny meatballs by hand for the family's famous wedding soup. The dish is to be served at the reception for a close family friend at the exclusive Belmont Beach Country Club. And once there, Vic has to deal with a demanding bridezilla and clashes in the kitchen between the staff and servers, between two egocentric head chefs, and between the country club president and well... everyone.

The wedding comes off without a hitch, until the body of the club's president is found on the beach below a high seawall. Now Vic will need to use her noodle to find out who pushed whom too far... before she's the one who lands in the soup! 

La Famiglia at the Casa Lido Resturant in Oceanside Park is as tight knit as ever. With this summer in high swing Victoria Rienzi is not only back in the kitchen she's back to solving murder at the Jersey Shore once again. This time she learns just how deep family secrets can be. With her crazy but sweet SIL (Sister-In-Law) Sofia and the infamous red folder by her side, she'll have this murder solved faster than you can say Pasta Premavera!

I seriously loved everything about this book! Once again Rosie Genova you continue to impress me with your writing! I love the characters and I find myself always thinking of Nonna whenever I am trying to make sauce in my own kitchen (mostly fearing that I might get whacked with her giant wooden Italian kitchen spoon!) I can honestly say; I laughed, I cried, I smirked and was left speechless reading this amazing book! I love simply love this series and if you love sassy Italians, great plots, crazy twists and a family as thick as the best pasta sauce you've ever had... then you will love this book and the series! 

Book Review: Caught Dead Handed By: Carol J. Perry

 "She's not a psychic, she just plays one on TV."


Most folks associate the city of Salem, Massachusetts with witches, but for Lee Barrett, it's home. This October she's returned to her hometown where her beloved Aunt Ibby still lives, to interview for a job as a reporter at WICH-TV. But the only opening is for a call-in psychic to host the late night horror movies. It seems the previous host, Ariel Constellation, never saw her own murder coming. 


Lee reluctantly takes the job, but when she starts seeing real events in the obsidian ball she's using as a prop, she wonders if she might really have psychic abilities. To make things even spookier, it's starting to look like Ariel may  have been an actual practicing witch, especially when O'Ryan, the cat Lee and Aunt Ibby inherited from her, exhibits some strange powers of his own. With Halloween fast approaching, Lee must focus on unmasking a killer or her career as a psychic may be very short lived...

This book was amazing!!! Seriously, for a first in a new series; I was completely blown away!!!
The characters are great, the story is fast paced and has you running for the end to see if what you think might be true! There are so many twists to this story that you will be surprised at the end of every chapter!!! There was a point for me, in the middle of the book where I even put the book down to say; "Shut up, no way... OMG I did not see that coming!" -- true story!!! There hasn't been many books that have made me do that. It's a fantastic read and I can't wait to read Carol J. Perry's next book in this fabulous series!

Lee Barret aka Crystal Moon WICH-TV's fake... or maybe not so fake after all late night psychic will have you thinking you might just be psychic yourself! This first in a series is an amazing, gripping and thrilling Halloween roller-coaster ride through modern day Salem where sometimes the past isn't always dead after all...If you love Mysteries and are wanting a spooky read for Halloween I defiantly recommend this book, it will keep you in suspense and shock throughout it's chapters! 

Book Review: Well Read, Then Dead By: Terrie Farley Moran

 Nestled in the barrier islands of Florida's Gulf Coast, Fort Myers Beach is home to Mary "Sassy" Cabot and Bridget Mayfield, owners of the bookstore cafe, Read' Em and Eat. But when they're not dishing about books or serving up scones, Sassy and Bridget are keeping tabs on murder. 

Read' Em and Eat is known for it's delicious treats and colorful clientele. There's Miss Augusta Maddox, who enjoys lecturing tourists on the rumors of sunken treasure among the islands, and her cousin Delia Batson, a regular at the Emily Dickinson table who is painfully shy... which makes the news of her murder all the more shocking. 

No one is more distraught than Augusta. She wants Delia's killer found and she's not taking no for an answer. Now Sassy is on the case, and she'd better act fast before there's any more trouble in paradise. 

I was really excited to actually read a cozy mystery about my "hometown" of Ft. Myers, Florida. The book is very well written and has a great story line. I like a lot of the characters and reading it really did make me a bit homesick. However, in the beginning I felt a little overwhelmed with the amount of characters that were thrown at you in the first few chapters. I had a hard time keeping people straight and where they fell into the story. Once I got past those chapters though it was pretty easy to follow along. The only other thing I wished the book had was a slow build to the big reveal in the end. There were really no clues on who actually did it and I still had no suspicions even about a third of the way through the book. However, it does get really exciting at the end and you will never realize who really is the one to almost get away with murder. Overall I did like the book and I will be happy to continue the series. 

Book Review: Tempest in a Teapot by: Amanda Cooper

Tucked away in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York is the charming town of Gracious Grove, where time moves slowly, gossip spreads quickly, and the scones are to die for..

When her fashionable Manhattan restaurant goes under, Sophie Taylor retreats to her grandmother's cozy shop, Auntie Rose's Victorian Tea House, where serenity is steeped to perfection in one of her many antiqued teapots. The last thing Sophie expects is a bustling calendar of tearoom events, like her old friend Cissy Peterson's upcoming bridal shower. 

Not everyone is pleased with the bride-to-be's choice of venue, like Cissy's grandmother, who owns a competing establishment, La Belle Epoque, and has held a long simmering grudge against Rose for stealing her beau sixty years ago. Tensions reach a boiling point when Cissy's fiance's mother dies while sampling scones at La Belle Epoque. Now, to help her friend, Sophie will have to bag a killer before more of the guest list becomes a hit list. 

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. There were a lot of parts I liked about it and there were also a lot of parts I disliked about it. I am willing to chalk it up to the fact that it's a "new in a series" and I will not be dismissing this series so easily. I liked the characters and I loved the close tight knit community the story takes place in. I do feel though, that it was a lot to take in the just the first novel. There are a lot of characters and if you don't pay attention it can get confusing at times as to whom everyone is related to. The beginning was a little slow for my taste but the middle was very gripping and had me gunning for the ending to figure out who really did it. When I got to the end though I was kind of bored with still trying to figure out who really did it. The big reveal at the end was not as exciting as I though it was going to be, and there weren't a lot of "aha" moments at all. I feel like the ending was drawn out a little too much when a little more should have been revealed slowly though out the whole book. So all in all, it wasn't my favorite but I am willing to give the series another shot.

Book Review: Death of Mad Hatter By: Jenn McKinlay

Scarlett Parker and her British cousin, Vivian Tremont, are hard at work at Mim's Whims their ladies' hat shop on London's chic Portobello Road to create hats for an Alice in Wonderland themed afternoon tea, a fund-raiser for a local children's hospital. It seems like a wonderfully whimsical way to pass the hat, and Scarlett and Viv are delighted to outfit the Grisby family, the hosts who are hoping to raise enough money to name a new hospital wing after their patriarch. 

Unfortunately, the Grisby heir will not live to see it, he's been poisoned. When traces of the poison are found on the hat Scarlett and Viv made for him, the police become curiouser and curiouser about their involvement. Now the ladies need to don their thinking caps and find the tea party crasher who's mad enough to kill at the drop of a hat...

Scarlett Parker and Vivian Tremont are back at it again, "Mad" with suspense and excitement in this "hare" raising tale of mystery! Like most of Jenn McKinlays other mystery books, I am quickly falling in love with this series as well. I love all the characters and a certain slow boiling romance between Scarlett and Harrison! I also love being transported to the quaint village of Notting Hill, and I feel right at home at Scarlett and Viv's shop on old Portobello Road. Death of a Mad Hatter is Jenn's second edition in the series and I love it as much as the first! It was very witty, fun and suspenseful. It really had me guessing up until the end, and you'll never guess who's just "mad" enough to commit murder! 

Book Review: Cloche and Dagger by: Jenn McKinlay

Not only is Scarlett Parker's love life in the loo as her British cousin Vivian Tremont would say it's also gone viral with an embarrassing video. So when Viv suggests Scarlett leave Florida to lay low in London, she hops on the next plane across the pond. Viv is the proprietor of Mim's Whims, a ladies' hat shop on Portobello Road bequeathed to both cousins by their beloved grandmother, and she wants Scarlett to finally join her in the millinary buisness. 

But a few surprises await Scarlett in London. First, she is met at the airport not by Viv, but by her handsome business manager, Harrison Wentworth. Second, Viv who has some whims of her own seems to be missing. No one is too concerned about the unpredictable Viv until one of her posh clients is found dead wearing the cloche hat Viv made for her and nothing else. Is Scarlett's cousin in trouble? Or is she in hiding? 

Loved it! Classically witty and brilliantly suspenseful! Jenn McKinlay has out done herself in writing this amazing little British crime cozy! I loved the descriptive writing and it really had me longing for a stroll on Portobello Road and cozing up in a pub in the heart of Notting Hill. I loved the characters very much and am happy to say, it feels like reading about friends rather than characters in a book. Then again Jenn always manages to make her characters feel that way, it's one of the many reason why I enjoy her writing so much. This is a perfect written "first in a series" and if you love Jenn's other books than rest assured you will love Cloche and Dagger just as much!

Book Review: Scandal in Skibbereen by: Shelia Connolly

Bostonian Maura is beginning to feel settled in her new Irish home, just in time for summer tourist season to bring fresh business to her pub. But the first traveler to arrive is thirsty for more than just a pint of Guinness. Althea Melville is hot on the trail of a long-lost Van Dyck painting. 

Maura agrees to help Althea meet with the residents at the local manor house, the most likely location of the missing art. But when the manor's gardener is found murdered, Maura wonders what Althea's real motives are. Now, to solve the secret of the lost portrait and catch a killer, Maura will have to practice her Irish gift of gab and hunt down some local history before someone else is out of the picture... 

It was a nice little follow up to a great new series. It holds all the same Irish charm as the first book and has a great plot with all your favorite characters from the previous book, along with some new ones. The plot thickens when Irish and New York city set off on a wild goose chase in search of a famous painting that has a mystery all of its own.

Book Review: The King by J.R. Ward

Long live the King…

After turning his back on the throne for centuries, Wrath, son of Wrath, finally assumed his father’s mantle--with the help of his beloved mate. But the crown sets heavily on his head. As the war with the Lessening Society rages on, and the threat from the Band of Bastards truly hits home, he is forced to make choices that put everything--and everyone--at risk.

Beth Randall thought she knew what she was getting into when she mated the last pure blooded vampire on the planet: An easy ride was not it. But when she decides she wants a child, she’s unprepared for Wrath’s response--or the distance it creates between them.

The question is, will true love win out... or tortured legacy take over?

Ohhh how I have waited sooo long for this book to come out! I seriously breezed right through it because like all Black Dagger Brotherhood series books, it's so damn good you just can't put it down! I am now sad though because it's over and it was over much too soon! I think I read all 500+ pages in about 3 days. Seriously though, its amazing and I can't stress that enough. J.R. Ward has outdone herself yet again! I also now canno't wait for Lassiters book come out and the Moor brothers iAm and Trez! This book gives a lot of back story about Wrath and it also gives a lot more page time to both Lassiter and the Shaddows. It does sort of leave a bit longing for more and wanting to know how its all going to work out in the end but, it is still very satisfying!

Here's just a few of my favorite quotes... if you don't want to know any details do NOT read any further! But you know you want to... just saying! LOL

“After shoving his former clothes inside, Xcor found himself bowing at the waist. "Your assistance has been much appreciated." Antoine raised his palm like he was getting ready to do a clap on the shoulder again. But once more, he caught himself and smiled instead. "Knock her dead, my man." "Oh, no." Xcor shook his head. "That shan't be necessary. This one I like. ” — J.R. Ward 

 

 “The angel popped his already mile high collar. "She said she wanted the holiest thing in the house to do it." "She got holey, all right," somebody muttered. "Is that Butche's Bible?" V asked. The angel flashed the goods. "Yup, and his BoC, he called it? I also got a sermon I did myself." "Saints preserve us," came from the opposite side of the crowd. "Wait, Wait, Wait." V waved his hand rolled around. "I'm the son of a deity and she picked you? ” — J.R. Ward

 

 “You love it right?" Lassiter asked, holding his Bible high. "I mean, you told me to go on the internet. I did. I even printed out my diploma or whatever the hell it's called." Opening the cover of the King James version, he took out a piece of paper and waved it around. "See? Nice and legal-like" Beth leaned in "Wow". "I know right? Just like Harvard" "Impressive" "I'm totally framing that shit, wha-what. ” — J.R. Ward

Book Review: Murder and Marinara by: Rosie Genova

When Victoria takes a break from penning her popular mystery series and moves back to the Jersey Shore, she imagines sun, sand and scents of fresh basil and simmering marinara sauce at the family resturant, the Casa Lido. but her nonna's recipes aren't the only things getting stirred up in this Italian kitchen. 

Their small town is up in arms over plans to film a new reality TV show, and when Victoria serves the show's pushy producer his last meal, the Casa Lido staff finds itself embroiled in a murder investigation. Victoria wants to find the real killer, but there are as many suspects as tomatoes in her nonna's garden. Now she'll have to heat up her sleuthing skills quickly... before someone else gets a plateful of murder. 

"When the moon hits your eye, like a big pizza pie... that's aaaa muuuuurdah!"

Who doesn't love a big, crazy Italian family and all the murder, er... food that comes with it?!? And that's just what you get from Victoria Rienzi and her crazy but fun family. The Rienzi's own the Casa Lido, a classic Ristorante Italiano on the boardwalk of the famous Jersey Shore. Victoria decided to take a break from the big city life in NYC and head back to the shore for the summer to learn more than her fair share of cooking, family business and a bit of crime! Right before the big weekend that has everyone flocking to the Shore's beaches, a famous producer for a reality tv show takes THE big bite right in the family restaurant! It's now up to Victoria to clear her families name in murder before the Casa Lido's has to close it's doors for good.

This great and spicy Italian mystery had my hand in that familiar old Italian hand gesture while reading, and singing along to "Papa Loves Mambo" and some classic Frank while I putz around in the kitchen recreating some "Rienzi Family" classic recipes from none other than the Casa Lido itself. This fabulous mystery does not read like a typical first in a series but more like an old friend from Napoli, with all of Victoria's crazy Italian family and friends along for the ride! I thoroughly enjoyed the bits of Jersey Shore tributes and classic boardwalk'esq style
thrown in to set a wonderful scene and mood, I also enjoyed the subtle tributes to that famous "familia italiano" lingo with flipping through pages reading words like; Cafone!, Bene, Cara, Brava and Puttanna! This book had me racing to the end to figure out who really murdered that big Cafone producer, faster than a angry Italian grandma. I loved this book and I think that this is one saucy little mystery that you will not want to miss out on!

Book Review: Going, Going, Ganache by: Jenn McKinlay

After a cupcake-flinging fiasco at a photo shoot for a local magazine, Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura agree to make amends by hosting a weeklong corperate boot camp at Fairy Tale Cupcakes. The idea is the brainchild of Ian Hannigan, new owner of Southwest Style, a lifestyle magazine that chronicals the lives of Scottsdale's rich and famous. He's assigned his staff to a team-building week of making cupcakes for charity. 

It's clear that the staff would rather be doing just about anything other than frosting baked goods. But when the magazine's features director is found murdered outside the bakery Mel and Angie have a new team building exercise find the killer before their business goes AWOL.

Going, Going, A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!! Once again I am thrilled by another fabulous addition of the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series! Jenn McKinlay (as always) keeps me guessing, and re-guessing until the end and even then I am blown away by the real killer! Great story, great plot, great twist and of course great group of characters that really seem to come alive in her books!

My one and only small, tiny, itsy-bitsy grievance is really not one that is a fault of the book or author it's just my own bias opinion, that Mel is crazy to be seconding guessing her feelings for a certain distinguished and handsome DA that just so happens to be her best friends brother! She has been in love with Joe DeLaura since she was twelve years old and he loves and adores her with all his heart... although I can see where a new smart, witty and attractive detective can wedge just enough charm in between her and her (what I believe to be) true love.

As always, I am left at the mercy of waiting for the next edition in this series, not only to see what mischief and mayhem Angie and Mel get up to next but, also to see who will REALLY gets to butter-cream Mel's heart over for good.

Book Review: Brownies and Broomsticks by: Bailey Cates

 Katie Lightfoot's tired of loafing around as the assitant manger of an Ohio bakery. So when her aunt Lucy and uncle Ben open a bakery in Savannah's quaint downtown district and ask Katie to join them, she enthusiastically agrees. 

While working at the Honeybee Bakery, named after Lucy's cat, Katie notices that her aunt is adding mysterious herbs to her recipes. Turns out, these herbal enhancements aren't just tasty Aunt Lucy is a witch and her recipes are actually spells! 

When a curmudgeonly customer is murdered outside the Honeybee Bakery, Uncle Ben becomes the prime suspect. With the help of a handsome journalist, a charming firefighter, and a few spells, Katie and Aunt Lucy will need to stir up some toil and trouble to clear Ben's name and find the real killer... 

After a bad break up Katie Lightfoot moves to Savannah Georgia to be near her sweet Aunt & Uncle to start a bakery and start a new life, but scones and muffins aren't the only thing Katie is whipping up in her bakery, magic and mystery unfold after a local "wicked witch" is murdered and it's up to Katie to get to the bottom of who killed her...

This is such a cute and charming cozy! I enjoyed this mystery quite a bit, It's the first in the "Magical Bakery Mystery" series. It has a great plot, a great group of characters that come together just "magically"! I also love the bit of romance that is thrown in for good fun, it's always nice to read about a love interest, but this one actually has TWO! There is also a cuter than cute pup that has a character all of his own as well! This was a really fun and easy read and I can't wait to read more when I continue this great series!

Book Review: Do or Diner by: Christine Wenger

When Trixie Matowski agrees to take over her aunt's diner, she pictures lakeside views and delicious comfort food in the small town where she spent summers as a child. but the sweet scene turns sour when someone puts murder on the menu... 

Trixie is in need of a fresh start away from her cheating ex-husband, but she may be biting off more than she can chew when she moves to upstate New York to run her family's famed Silver Bullet Diner. Not only is she caught off guard by the small town's resident heartthrob, Deputy Ty Brisco, but her first health inspection turns into a nightmare... when the inspector keels over into his blue plate special. Someone made a deadly addition to an old family recipe, and Trixie is determined to find out whodunit. But between serving up orders and sniffing out clues, she'd better watch her back-or her next meal might be her last... 


What a cute and quirky "first in a series"! From the first few chapters I could tell I would fall "hooked line and sinker" for this this comfort food mystery that takes place in Sandy Harbor, New York. It reminds me of another of my favorite series (A Fortune Teller Mystery by; Kari Lee Townsend). It has a lot of humor and witty characters which I love in my mysteries. All in all it had a well thought out story with lots of detail, a very good plot, interesting characters, and a whole lot of "who dunnit?". I had my list of suspects but, was pleasantly surprised when I came out "double crossed!" I am truly happy with this little read and am looking forward to April when the author; Christine Wenger comes out with her second addition to this wonderful new series!

Book Review: The Cakes of Wrath by: Jacklyn Brady

Rita Lucero, owner of New Orleans cake shop Zydeco Cakes, can't seem to stop saying "yes". Even though things at the bakery care busy, Rita finds herself accepting a seat on the local small buisness alliance, a group full of colorful characters like Chopper Shop owner Moose Hazen and his wife, Destiny, whose personal life is messier than a cake someone left out in the rain. 

On the street following a heated alliance meeting, Moose pulls Rita out of the path of a speeding van. Shaken and bruised, Rita notices the next day that her prescribed pain killers are missing. When she discovers Destiny's body in the couple's shop, the stolen pill bottle in her lifeless hand only adds another layer to her mysterious death. But getting the frosty NOPD detective to stop focusing on Rita and look for Destiny's real killer will be anything but a cakewalk... 

I loved it! As usual Jacklyn Brady keeps me guessing until the end of this delightful and surprising mystery! I love the bit of twist that she tied in at the end of the book, it has me wondering how everything will work out... I hope we will find out in her next installment of this fabulous series! This whole series is pretty amazing, I love all the zany characters and all their "Sweet Southern Style" and flare! In "The Cakes of Wrath" we get to read about more of the neighborhood that Zydeco Bakery resides in and a bit more of the staff's personal life. We also get to see a bit more of that sexy-smokin-hot Cajun bartender that frequently gives Rita all those sizzling vibes, while the famous detective Sullivan takes a bit of a back seat in this novel. It's definitely an interesting read and I am excited to discover where this series is headed!

Literary Halloween Crafts

I actually own (very different) books about Dr. Jekell and Mr. Hyde, the classic is on my e-reader and the other is pictured below and is also a good tale written by Beth Fantaskey.

Being the book nerd that I am...The Strange Case of Dr. Jekell and Mr. Hyde along with a few other tragic tales has always been a favorite of mine to read during Halloween time, so this year I thought I'd tie in a extra spooky craft to go along with it! I love this particular story and I've always been drawn to Victorian Era literature style of writing, there is just something romantic about it, even in this novel by Robert Louis Stevenson.

In this craft I decided to change the idea of Dr. Jekell being a man and created him actually into a her... cool right?!? Maybe a part of me wonders what it would be like to dabble in the realms of my subconscious and see if I have a Mrs. Hyde of my own? LOL!  These crafts were way easy to construct and were VERY inexpensive too! Most of the materials came from the dollar tree and Micheal's with their fabulous coupons that I normally get in e-mail, text message or mail anyway. I think all together I might have spent about 10 bucks total!

My Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde Skull came from the dollar tree, as did the candle stick and glass plate that I hot glued together. While waiting for those pieces to set, I spray painted the skull black first, once the black dried I then pulled a old fishnet stocking over the face of the skull and sprayed (in small bursts) a bit of the purple spray paint I had left over from making the spell books. I then let that dry completely and started to paint the paper mache pumpkin from Micheal's ($3.00 on sale). After the pumpkin dried completely I took a sharpie and one of my favorite excerpt from the book and started to hand write it over the outside. I sprayed the pumpkin with some Krylon clear coat and wrapped a Halloween ribbon (from the dollar tree) around the stem and wa-la! Once my skull was completely dried, I cut the top hat off headband I got from Micheal's ($3.99 on sale), fired up the glue gun and glued it to the top of the skull. I added the black and green flower by clipping it on the side and then painted the lettering for the sign onto some heavy card stock. I threw some of the cheap dollar tree spider webbing under neath the glass stand I constructed and placed last years cupcake sprinkle test tube rack near my new Dr. Jekell and Mrs. Hyde skull and ta-da! Instant fabulous and spooky literary Halloween craft! What do you think?

My little pumpkin patch by the fireplace. The monogrammed pumpkin is from Hobby Lobby and was bought last year and the black and orange was made by me using a maple leaf for the outline, inside it says 1692 which was the start of the Salem Witch Trials, another of my favorite non-fiction reads!

Book Review: Rubbed Out by: Riley Adams

Even Lulu Taylor proprietress of Aunt Pat's Barbeque restaurant in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee needs to get out of the kitchen now and then. But at the Rock and Ribs festival, she finds more than a taste of trouble...


Reuben Shaw rubs a lot of people the wrong way including Lulu's best friend, Cherry, who has the misfortune of being in the booth next to his  at the festival. The pigheaded pit master thinks he's a shoo-in to win the barbeque competition, but he spends more time stirring up trouble than seasonsing his spare ribs. Hours after she gets into a quarrel with him, Cherry finds Shaw dead with a butcher knife in his chest. Now it's her turn to get grilled by the police. Lulu sets out to clear her friends name and finds Shaw had more secrets than his barbeque recipe. She'll need to act fast, because the real killer will spare no one... including Lulu. 

Mrs. Lulu, Cherry and the Graces are back at it again with some seriously good BBQ and top notch mystery sleuthing! This time things heat up when one of the competitors at the world famous "Rock and Ribs" BBQ competition and festival gets stabbed, and it's up to the gang at Aunt Pats to find out who did it! This mystery will keep you guessing and your mouth watering with all the mention of great food!

Book Review: Dead Ever After By: Charlaine Harris *WARNING CONTAINS SPOILERS*

After the terrible events of the past weeks, both Sookie and Sam are finding it hard to concentrate on Merlott's and the bar is suffering for it. But Sookie finds it easy to turn down the request of former barmaid Arlene when she wants her job back. After all, Arlene tried to have Sookie killed. 

Sookie's relationship with Eric Northman is in limbo. He and his vampires are keeping their distance... and a cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated. 

Then Arlene is found murdered, and Sookie is arrested for the crime. But the evidence against her is weak, and Sookie makes bail. Helped by her assortment of friends, living and undead, she must discover the truth about Arlene's death to clear herself of suspicion. All she knows is that two mysterious men were somehow involved. As to whom they might be Sookie will soon learn that she has more than one enemy waiting to get vengeance for the past. 

Nothing is ever clear cut in Bon Temps. What passes for truth is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more spilled blood. And what passes for love is never enough... 

Disappointing is an understatement. This time the writing from Charlaine Harris seems detached and distant, it feels like she really had to dig deep and try hard to finish this series. The writing almost makes you believe that is was written in sections, the flow is not consistent and very choppy. Sookie also seems very jaded and everyone in Bon Temps seems different, it's definitely not the series I fell in love with and couldn't wait to read book after book.  I am also annoyed with the ending, not because of Sookie choosing Sam over Eric but because a lot of it didn't make sense. What about the contract written in blood? Charlaine never really does explain who the "devil" is... my guess is she is referring to Claude and the way he is scarred and burned?

And then Sookie sends Barry to live with Sams mom? FTW??? I get that she can't live with another telepath but still? That seems like a poor way to write off a character. I am thoroughly confused and left hurt with such a pitiful ending to my once beloved favorite series. The only consultation I feel I received is that I had the opportunity to read about most of my favorite characters just one last time. I am happy that in the end Sookie is with Sam, I understand that Eric and her would have never worked out, but I still feel cheated out of what had the potential to be a good book and a end to a great series.

Book Review: Hex on the Ex by Rochelle Staab

At a Dodgers game to celebrate her father's birthday, Liz's evening out with Nick and her family is a welcome break from renovating her new home. But there are a couple of people in the stadium she'd like to forget: her two-timing ex-friend in the stands, and her ex-husband, star relief pitcher Jarret, in the dugout. 

All hell breaks loose when Jarret violates an old baseball superstition on his way to the mound, a game changer triggering a discouraging loss on the field and later a horrific murder-with Liz on deck as the prime suspect... 

 As usual Rochelle Staab leaves me happily content with her latest book in her "A Mind for Murder" series. I am a huge fan of this series and grow more fond of it with each book. "Hex on the Ex" has a great and intense plot, it also has its usual zany and loveable cast of characters from her previous books with a few new additions. In "Hex on the Ex" Murder strikes in a form from the past, and the heat is turned up on Dr. Liz Cooper when her Ex husband Jarret throws suspicion her way to cover his own assets--as if dealing with Jarret and his self absorbed and ego inflated demeanor wasn't enough already. Thank goodness for Nick and the rest of Liz's team backing in her corner... because newly minted LAPD detective of the Laurel Canyon department; Carla Pratt is hot on her tail to pin this hex of a murder on her! One this is for sure... there is more than one "blast from the past" in this book and you'll enjoy finding out just which one it is! 

Our Summer Reading List!

Our read together stack.

 It's that time again... the days are hot and long and the kiddo is out of school (finally!) and we are kicking off our summer reading with a big bang! I am hoping to get through most of these books that I have on our list at least by mid July, early August. The kiddo doesn't have to go back to school till the first week in September, which to me seems like a long time for summer but apparently it's pretty normal up here lol! I am thankful for her improved reading skills this year, it seems ever since we've moved up here her reading has become ten times better than it was when we lived in Biloxi. I praise her school for that of course, they have 100 times more patients with the kids, they give them realistic goals to achieve and praise the kids ever step of the way no matter how small of a step it is. She has truly enjoyed her new school and enjoyed reading again.

Her stack of read all by myself books. That I will add to a little at a time.

 I have divided her stack of books into two categories this summer; one stack is for her to read by herself or with minimal help and the other is for us to read together. I love the fact that she is wanting to read on her own, she still comes to me whenever she gets stuck on a word but for the most part she can get through the 2 year readers all by herself! I am also excited to share some of my favorites with her from when I was a kid like; the goosebumps series (shes recently become obsessed with the tv show since its now on netflix) and the boxcar children a classic I adored! We've also got a few new ones we've picked on sale at Barnes and Nobles to add to our growing library, like "The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop" which is about two kids who make candy as a superhero power in London England... even I'm excited to read this one! And also, "Catch the Bouquet" the first in the English Roses series written by Madonna!

And a few of my own for some summer reading :)

I also have a few stacks of books to get through before the summer ends which of course are my favorite mysteries, there have been so many new ones coming out lately I have a hard time keeping up with them all! What are you and your kiddos reading this summer? I would love to hear your suggestions also! :)