Two Bloggers One Series ~ A Wonderful Christmas Crime (Christmas Tree Farm #6)

This is one of our favorite series, so it was a no brainer to read this one together! After seeing what I have to say go on over to Booker T's Farm and see what Barb has to say. 

Innkeeper Holly White has a lot to be joyful about this season, until an attempted robbery throws the town into suspicion in the sixth installment of the Christmas Tree Farm mysteries from bestselling author Jacqueline Frost.

As Christmas descends on Mistletoe, Maine, Holly White has an extra gift for the a new baby on the way. Her husband, Sheriff Evan Gray, has been worried about her elevated blood pressure and Holly has agreed to take this year easy. Being idle has never been one of Holly’s gifts, so when Evan surprises her with tickets to the town-wide dinner, she and her many cravings thank him. But when a thief tries and fails to steal an antique ornament from the dinner’s holiday display, it’s clear that someone is on the naughty list. 

The thief manages to escape, but after dinner, Holly spots their lifeless body. It’s clear that someone in town was keen to kill them. Evan is less than jolly to find his wife at the scene of yet another holiday homicide and asks her to promise that she’ll leave the investigating to the police. But Holly has never been one to turn down a challenge and has to get creative with the help of a few of her friends in order to find this killer.

Will she and her friends be able to stop the killer, and uncover the motive behind the attempted robbery, or will the killer strike again and paint the town a bloody red?

One thing about this series, because it's set at Christmas a lot of things happen in between and so it always surprises me what is going on. Also, would it be Christmas in Mistletoe without a murder! 

One of the events this year in mistletoe was a night where everyone hops from one place to another and enjoys yummy foods. While at Alice's place an argument breaks out as someone tries to steal one of her antique Christmas antique goat ornaments. Then later that woman is found dead in Alice's yard 

This year Holly needs to take it easy not only because she is expecting but her blood pressure is a bit high, but she doesn't think that Alice did it and really likes her, so she ask a few questions. This gets her a few notes to stay out of things and gets Evan a bit mad, and she has everyone fussing over her, but she still ends up getting into some trouble at the end.

What I enjoyed about this one was learning that there is a Christmas goat in Sweden traditions that is mad of straw and very tall. After hearing about it and all the goat ornaments I was curious and looked it up. 

Also, there is a certain man who in town who may bare a resemblance to Santa! Is he or isn't he, you need to read the series and find out! This series is very comforting as I love all the characters and the town. If you like a whimsical Christmas setting and a murder mystery then give this series a try, it's best read in order! 

5 stars

Two Bloggers One Book ~ Watchers by Dean Koontz

 So, I was really wanting to read this and kind of drug Barb along with me...lol. Boy was the book way different than my memories of the movie. After seeing what I thought go on over to Booker T's Farm and see what Barb thought.

They escape from a secret government: two mutant creatures, both changed utterly from the animals they once were. And no one who encounters them will ever be the same again:

A lonely widower; a ruthless assassin; a beautiful woman; a government agent.

Drawn together in a deadly hunt, all four are inexorably propelled towards a confrontation with an evil beyond human imagining.

So, this starts out with Travis in the woods, and a strange dog starts barking at him and won't let him go a certain way. He realizes something else is out there and does what the dog wants. 

Now Travis has a companion, and he realizes there is something different about this dog. He does things no normal dog can do, he communicates, though things like books or magazines, etc. Travis calls him Einstein. 

Then you have the POV of a lot of other characters, one is a hired killer. One is a cop who knows that something is going on because a friend who works for an agency hire up is out trying to figure out some things without saying what. The cop knows that something bad is out there because they find a guy who was killed. 

Then you have the other main POV which is Nora and she has this weirdo trying to mess with her and one day Einstein and Travis save her from the guy and eventually Travis and Nora start seeing each other and together they learn a lot of things about Einstein and how he is from a lab and there is The Outsider that is out there following him. The Outsider is a monster type thing that was made at the lab as well. They are connected.

Travis and Nora don't want Einstein to go back to the lab or for the monster to get him so they go on the run and most of this book is really about Travis and Nora getting to know each other and Einstein, then now and then you have the POVs from a lot of other people.

This book to me is hard to explain wasn't really a horror book, I felt like it was kind of a slow burn thriller with horror elements, but it was so not what I thought it was going to be.  I really liked the two main characters and Einstein was so fun!

4 stars

Week in Review #133

The Week in Review is where I combine Stacking the Shelves, The Sunday Post and It's Monday! What are you reading?  If you have never joined in on these meme's you can check them out by clicking on the meme and it will take you to the host blog.

The month is going by fast!!

What I Read:

• Watchers - So I only vaguely remembered the movie, but I remembered enough to know the book is nothing like the movie! It's like they took the MC's name, the dog and monster and made a movie...lol. I liked the book but it wasn't anywhere near what I thought it would be about. 
• Another - This was okay but kind of strange. I have not tried this authors adult horror. 
• The Other Sister - This was a very good Christian Psychological Thriller.
• Without Due Process - The Beaumont series just keeps getting better and better I love it!
• The Werewolf of Fever Swamp - This one was good, I think it's #14 in the series, but I could be wrong.

What I Am Reading:

• Give Me Something Good to Eat - Just started this one yesterday so about 18% into the audiobook and it's not bad so far.
• Phantom Academy - I am about 14% into this ebook and so not real sure what I think of it but it's okay so far. 
• Mummy Man and Waffles and the Dire Deeds of Dr. Gargo - This series is a lot of fun!! 

What I Might Read Next

Not sure what I will pick up next.

How did your week go?

Week in Review #132

The Week in Review is where I combine Stacking the Shelves, The Sunday Post and It's Monday! What are you reading?  If you have never joined in on these meme's you can check them out by clicking on the meme and it will take you to the host blog.

Where did September go? How can there only be a few days left!! I feel like this whole year has just flown by and it's crazy. So far, the weather here has been good, still decently warm with nights that dip into the 50s which I can handle but I am dreading colder weather that will be upon us before you know it. :( 

This week has been busy with dad having a couple doctor's appointments and it will be the same next week. The highlight of the week was we got to have some free pancakes with a friend at his senior facility. They were having a Syrup Soiree and had fun topping, etc. :)

Hope you had a great week and happy reading! 

What I Read:

• Ghost Story - Finished my reread of Ghost Story and this is not really a favorite of the series but it's okay. 
• My Mummy Vs. Your Ghost - Kind of a felt a lot like the first book in the series, but the battle at the end was more intense. I am kind of curious about the next monster battle though so will probably keep going with the series. 
• Hour of the Hunter - First in the Walker Family series and my least favorite Jance book so far, it's hard to believe this is one of the Authors favorite books she has written because it was kind of boring.

What I Am Reading:

• The Poacher's Son - Had to put this one on hold as I needed to finish two buddy reads, but now I would like to get back to this one. 
• Dirk and Quint's Hero Quest - This is 7.5 in the Last Kids on Earth Series and so far, it's fun just like all the books have been. 

What I Might Read Next:

• The Boy Who Could Fly - Second book in the Ghost of Nameless Island.

How did your week go?

Book Review ~ A Very Bookish Murder by Dee MacDonald

 I received this book from Netgalley and Bookouture for a fair and honest review.

Welcome back to the tiny Highland village of Locharran, where Ally McKinley – guesthouse owner and accidental detective – is about to stumble upon another dead body… and her next case.

When Ally McKinley hears that well-known novelist Jodi Jones is going to host a writers’ retreat at the hotel just down the road, she’s delighted to offer rooms at her little guesthouse for some of the attendees. Ally is thrilled to join the group for one of their first sessions – but the retreat has barely begun before she finds the famous writer strangled in the ladies' bathroom!

The cake tin and teapot come out at the little guesthouse in the Highlands as Ally begins to question her bookish guests. Accusations of plagiarism and infidelity start flying and it’s clear that more than one of the retreat attendees had a grudge against Jodi. But could any of them have resorted to murder?

When Ally discovers a diary in Jodi’s bedroom at the guesthouse with several pages ripped out of it, she thinks she’s close to cracking the case. But the plot thickens when another of the aspiring writers is found dead, only hours after she said she knew the identity of Jodi’s killer.

Not only is the murderer still in Locharran, they’re desperate to stop Ally getting to the truth. With her faithful puppy Flora by her side, can Ally unravel the clues and solve the mystery before she’s written out of the story for good?

What I thought

Ally a retired television researcher decided to open up a B&B and it's been doing pretty good. She really likes where she is living, met a nice guy, etc. She has been asked to host a few ladies that are going to be in town for a writer's retreat, one of her ladies is actually the speaker for the retreat. The hotel in town didn't have enough rooms for all the ladies, so of course Ally said sure as she had the vacancies. 

Ally was invited to attend the first day of the writing retreat were one of the ladies accuses the host author of plagiarism and of course not long after that the author is dead, and we have a whole retreat full of ladies for suspects. Now Ally has suspects under her roof so of course she is going to want to do some sleuthing to figure out who might have been the one to do the deed.

I thought this was a good mystery as there were so many suspects that could have done it and little by little, they get eliminated but still I was having a hard time figuring out, I had a couple suspects but could not pinpoint which one it might have been.

I also really like the characters. One of the things that I like is that the main characters are older but not to the extreme. Ally and her boyfriend Ross are both retired but not retired at the same time. There are some great side characters like the Earl of Locharran, now at first, I wasn't a fan of his, but he grew on me after the first book. There are other local business owners who are fun as well. 

This is a series that so far has been getting better with every book so I am glad I have kept with it and I really enjoyed this one.

4 stars

----------------------------------

Author Bio:

Aged 18, Dee arrived in London from Scotland and typed her way round the West End for a couple of years before joining BOAC (forerunner of British Airways) in Passenger Services for 2 years and then as a stewardess for 8 years.

She has worked in Market Research, Sales and at the Thames TV Studios when they had the franchise.

Dee has since relocated to Cornwall, where she spent 10 years running B&Bs, and only began writing when she was over 70!

Married twice, she has one son and two grandsons.

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDeeMacDonald
https://twitter.com/dmacdonaldauth

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Dee MacDonald here: https://www.bookouture.com/dee-macdonald

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0DXJ2WY73social

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you'll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

Feed Your TBR #10

It's time to FEED YOUR TBR and I have a couple books you might find interesting!! I am curious about these books though I may not be anticipating them. These picks are almost out so not a lot of waiting involved.  (Feed Your TBR is my version of Waiting on Wednesday now hosted by Wishful Endings)

Middle Grade

When a strange invitation shows up in Sarah's backpack, the Delta's learn that their favorite funhouse, The Delta Game, is about to get some serious competition. The "Mystery Mansion" is opening just miles away and the ominous and cryptic owner has invited Sarah, West, and Hannah to come test it on opening day. It claims to be the biggest and best escape house ever and based on the photos of gleaming rooms filled with high-tech puzzles, it just might be.

What's more, the kids have been offered a ten-thousand-dollar prize if they escape the house. For some reason, West and Hannah seem very interested in the cash prize, but the three friends are torn because they really don't want to be a walking advertisement for a competitor to The Delta Game. After all, that funhouse changed their lives, Sarah's life especially.

But maybe the only way to keep the funhouse, and their friend William Taters in business, is to accept the invite to this new Mystery Mansion, escape it in record time, and show just how lame and easy it is by comparison. The trio arrive at the mansion on opening day, armed with their "fortune favors the bold" attitude. But they quickly learn that nothing is as it seems . . . and unfortunately this time, not everyone plays fair.

This is the sequel to The Mystery of Locked Rooms which is her first foray into middle grade mystery, and I liked it, but will always prefer her middle grade horror, but I am curious about this second one. It comes out September 30th from Sourcebook Kids.

----------------------------------------------

Adult

Meet Alma Timperley. She
- Run a hotel
- Solve a mystery
- Talk to ghosts...?

December, 1914: After the death of her aunt, Alma Timperley is surprised when she suddenly finds herself the heiress to the Timperley Spiritualist Hotel in a pretty coastal town in Cornwall.

But not everything is as it seems... the hotel offers guests a very special the chance to communicate with the dead.

When the body of one of the hotel's maids is found, it is considered a tragic wartime accident. But the more Alma and the local police try to fathom what happened, the more they begin to realise this is much more than just a death - there might be a German spy in Falmouth.

With the stakes higher than ever, Alma must grapple with her own extraordinary secret if she is going to have more than a ghost of a chance of solving the mystery.

Being able to talk with the dead is one thing; solving their murder is positively ghoulish...

This one sounds fun! Doesn't have the greatest reviews but still curious about it. This one comes out October 2nd from Hodder & Stoughton

What is coming out that you are curious about?

Two Bloggers One Series ~ The Unholy by Heather Graham

I love this series and glad I got Barb to start reading it. These are rereads for me right now till we get farther into the series but that is okay as I don't remember much...lol. After seeing my thoughts, go on over to Booker T's Farm and see what my friend Barb had to say. 

The 1940s: hard-boiled detectives and femmes fatale are box-office gold. In one iconic scene, set in a deserted museum, the private eye arrives too late, and the buxom beauty is throttled by an ominous Egyptian priest.

Now: the Black Box Cinema immortalizes Hollywood's Golden Age in its gallery of film noir tributes. But the mannequin of that Egyptian priest is hardly lifeless. He walks and a young starlet dies a terrifying death. Movie mogul Eddie Archer's son is charged with the grisly murder.

Eddie calls agent Sean Cameron, who specializes in irregular investigations. As part of an FBI paranormal forensics team, Cameron knows that nightmares aren't limited to the silver screen. Working with special-effects artist Madison Darvil who has her own otherworldly gifts Cameron delves into the malevolent force animating more than one movie monster.

So, this one is centered around the remake of an old detective movie, and a young man gets talked into taking a young woman who wanted to go behind the scenes and while there she is killed, and he is knocked around and wakes up bloody and accused of murder. 

He is the son of the man who owns the Cinema and Eddie knows one of the agents from the Krewe of Hunters because Sean use to work in films before being recruited by the Krewe. Eddie also wants his special-effects lady Madison to work with him because he knows that she can see ghost and also that is what the Krewe is known for. 

So, Sean and Madison have to try and figure out what happened and how all this happened and then eventually Sean's team comes into help as well. 

I really liked this one, I liked both Sean and Madison. One of the fun things about Madison is that a ghost that has been hanging out with her since her college days is Humphrey Bogart and he even tries to help out with the new ghost who is the victim and help her. 

I could only remember one of the persons involved in what happened but I couldn't remember the other killer so that is good as it was still kind of a surprise even thought it was a reread. If you like romantic mysteries that is light paranormal then you would like this series. 

5 stars