This Week in Reading - October 2

It's Sunday Post time!  This is hosted by the awesome Caffeinated Book Reviewer and gives us all a chance to recap our week.

What I Got:

The Christmas Town by Donna VanLiere - Another Christmas book but this one isn't a typical romance which is intriguing.  So many of the holiday books are romance themed that it's nice to have something that isn't.  (Publisher)

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - I've been meaning to read this book FOREVER and it's going to happen before Halloween!  I'm really looking forward to it and hoping it lives up to my expectations.  (Library)


And that's it!  Only two books and one is from the library so it isn't adding to my review book count.  I'm not sure I want to go on a full on book buying freeze but I'm starting to feel really overwhelmed and I need to at least cut back.  Does anyone else ever feel this way?

Currently:

Reading: Crepe Factor by Laura Childs and Terrie Farley Moran for a blog tour stop later this week and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Listening:  A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley.  I absolutely love Jayne Entwistle's narration for this series!

Watching:  We're still watching season 3 of Blacklist.  I'm not completely in love with it but I've heard it gets better.  I'm also almost done with watching Catfish on Hulu and am going to go back to Blindspot.

Off the Blog:

Well we ended up buying a car last weekend.  We traded in our beloved but rather elderly Toyota Sequoia and ended up getting a newer (but not new) Toyota Rav4.  After some rather stressful time wandering around dealerships and dealing with salesman we ended up at a national used car dealership and the experience was SOOO much better.  For starters all the prices were on the car and that's what you pay.  I know some people really enjoy the haggling game but I am not one of them.  I also really liked that all the cars were unlocked so you could explore at your leisure.  We never would have gotten what we ended up with if that hadn't been the case because it wasn't something either of us had thought about but we love it!  I'm still figuring out how to use all the new features.  A lot of it is the same because a Toyota is a Toyota but a lot has changed in the 11 years since I bought my last one!

In other news we're on vacation!!  The weather looks gorgeous so hopefully it stays that way and we're so excited.  This is the first vacation we've taken in awhile that didn't involve staying with family and we've been counting down the days.  I won't be around for a few days but I'm looking forward to catching up when I get back!

On the Blog:

What Happened:

Monday:  The Munich Girl - Historical Fiction Review

Tuesday:  Top Ten Tuesday: My Fall TBR

Wednesday:  Christmas in Eternity Springs - Contemporary Romance Review

Thursday:  Beyond the Books: Do You Believe in Ghosts (Where I share my personal ghost story)

Friday:  Friday Linkups with teasers from A Red Herring Without Mustard

Saturday:  Pies and Prejudice - Cozy Mystery Review + Recipe

What's Coming Up:

Monday:  The Girl in the Castle - Historical Fiction Blog Tour Review

Tuesday:  Top Ten Tuesday:  My Favorite Non-bookish Villains

Wednesday:  Masking for Trouble - Blog Tour Cozy Mystery Review

Thursday:  Crepe Factor - Blog Tour Cozy Mystery Review

Friday:  Friday Linkups with Current Book

Saturday:  TBD

Have a great week and happy reading!

Pies and Prejudice - Cozy Mystery Review + Recipe

Pies and Prejudice (A Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery #1) by Ellery Adams (Amazon)

Description:  When the going gets tough, Ella Mae LeFaye bakes pie.  So when she catches her husband cheating in New York, she heads back home to Havenwood, Georgia, where she can drown her sorrows in fresh fruit filling and flaky crust.  But her pies aren't just delicious, they're also having magical effects on the people who eat them - and the public is hungry for more.

Having discovered her hidden talent for enchantment, Ella Mae makes her own wish come true by opening The Charmed Pie Shoppe.  But with her old nemesis Loralyn Gaynor making trouble, and her old crush Hugh Dylan making nice, she has more than pie on her plate.  And when Loralyn's fiance is found dead - killed with Ella Mae's rolling pin - it'll take all her sweet magic to clear her name. (from the back cover)

My Thoughts: Ellery Adams is a name I've seen floating around in cozy mystery world for quite some time.   She has a number of tempting looking series (including one that features a book themed bed and breakfast but that's a story for another day) and I couldn't wait to get started on the Charmed Pie Shoppe series.  What's better than pie and murder?

Since this is the first book in the series there's a lot of setup.  We meet Ella Me's family, we hear about her marriage and what went wrong, and we follow along as she gets her footing back in her hometown and figures out just what exactly she can do with her pies.  I never felt like it got overburdened with details or that we were taking a timeout from the plot to get caught up on the back story.  The flow was really nice and the mystery was very fast paced.

As far as mysteries go this is definitely smack in the middle of cozy.  There isn't any grit, the detective is most definitely an amateur and there are quite a lot of hi-jinks courtesy of Ella Mae's aunts and the family friend Reba.  With all that I never felt like it drifted into overly silly or slapstick territory.  This is an entertaining mystery especially if you're in the mood for something a little on the lighter side.  Just don't read on an empty stomach because it'll have you wanting pie!  Luckily there are several recipes in the back for savory as well as sweet pies.  I'll be making Shoofly Pie.

Charmed Shoofly Pie

1 Charmed Piecrust (there is a recipe in the book but just use your favorite - I'll be using Pillsbury because I'm boycotting making piecrusts)

1 cup flour

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons butter

1cup molasses

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Roll out crust and place on bottom of 9 inch pie dish (Ella Mae recommends a glass pie dish for this pie).  Trim off extra dough and pinch sides of dough.

Mix together first three ingredients until butter is integrated (using the pulse bottom on a food processor works nicely).  Reserve 1/2 cup of crumb mixture.

Add molasses, beaten egg, and baking soda into mixture.  Then add boiling water and mix well.  Pour the filling into pie dish.  Scatter reserved crumb mixture evenly atop pie.

Bake for 18 minutes, then lower temperature to 350 degrees and bake another 20 minutes until the crust is golden and center of pie is only a bit wobbly.  Cool for 1 hour.

This pie is very rich and Ella Mae recommends that you serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (I'm pro whipped cream here.  Ice cream just seems excessive with this.).

It's been a long time since I've had Shoofly pie so I'm really excited to make this one!  It's perfect for holiday baking or just because sometimes a Tuesday requires pie.

I'm linking up with Weekend Cooking hosted by Beth Fish Reads

Friday Linkups: A Red Herring Without Mustard

It's Friday linkup time!  I'm linking up with the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer, Book Beginnings of Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, and the Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice

This Week's Book Blogger Hop Question:
Do you encourage other reading friends to start a blog or at least put their thoughts/reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, etc?

My Answer:
Not really.  If someone asks how I keep track of what I read or mentions that they're having trouble remembering their thoughts on a book I would definitely recommend Goodreads but I don't think I would suggest it without prompting.

This week's book is A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley.  It's the 3rd in the Flavia de Luce series.  Flavia is an 11 year old girl who is brilliant and precocious.  I normally am not a fan of overly precocious children but it's hard not to like Flavia.  I've been listening to the series on audio and am really enjoying it.  The narrator is amazing and she really brings Flavia to life - plus her name is Jayne Entwistle which I just love.

The Beginning: 
"You frighten me," the Gypsy said.  "Never have I seen my crystal ball so filled with darkness."

My Thoughts:
I think I'd take that as a sign to go!  Definitely not a fortune I'd like to be told.

The 56:
Family specter?  I had the sudden feeling that someone had tossed a bucket of ice water over my heart.

My Thoughts:
I'm all for ghosts but I imagine a family specter would be a little disconcerting.

So what do you think?  Keep reading?

Beyond the Books: Do You Believe in Ghosts?

This week I'm linking up with KissinBlueKaren for Beyond the Books.  This is a meme where we all answer a non-bookish question.  It's always so fun to see everyone's answers and get a peak at the blogger beyond the books.  This week's topic is -Do I Believe in Ghosts?

So awhile back I hinted that I worked in a building that was supposedly haunted and a few people were intrigued so I thought I'd use today's Beyond the Books topic to tell that story.

Before I start 1. It's not that dramatic and 2.  I'm not sure what exactly I believe so I'm only telling my experience.

When I was in college I worked as a runner for a lawyer whose office was in a 200 year old home that had been converted into offices.  Her office consisted of a waiting room that was one half of a double parlor, few small offices and a long hallway.  This wasn't a quiet building.  The floors creaked when you walked and anytime you opened or closed a door you had to put a shoulder into it a bit because they tended to stick. 

One afternoon I was in the office alone.  The lawyer was in court and the receptionist  and paralegal were out somewhere and I was sitting in the waiting room to answer phones.  I was on the phone and needed to take a message so I turned to the other side of the desk to grab a pen without fully straightening up and there in the middle of the sitting area was a man.  I saw his heavy dark shoes and dark pants clearly.  So clearly that I put my finger up to signal just a minute and when I got off the phone I straightened up with a customer service smile on my face prepared to say "How can I help you?"

Except no one was standing there.  I was so convinced I had seen someone standing there that I searched the entire office and found that I was completely by myself.  As I was walking back down the hall I realized that the floor was creaking as I walked just like it always does but the floor hadn't creaked at all when I saw the man and I hadn't heard the bell or the sound of the door being pushed open or shoved closed.  I then spent the next 30 minutes trying to recreate just what I saw and never managed anything even close.  There wasn't anything even vaguely the color I had seen and it wasn't a matter of shadows because of the way the lighting was.  And I had felt like someone was in the room though that isn't really evidence.

For the rest of my time there I never saw anything else but I used to hear things all the time.  My office was at the end of that long hallway and I used to hear people walking down the hall towards me regularly.  I can't even count how many times I looked up expectantly waiting to see what whoever it was wanted only to never have anyone there.

One afternoon I was leaving a little early.  It was just the paralegal and me in the office and when she saw that I was leaving she asked me to wait a minute and we could leave together.  She kind of shoved stuff in her bag obviously not really done and hurried to catch up with me.  When I asked her why she was leaving as she clearly wasn't ready she told me that she didn't stay in the building by herself because it was haunted and gave her the creeps.

I really don't know much about the history of the house or if there was any truth to it being haunted but I know it definitely felt like it was!  A few years ago J and I went on a Haunted Walking Tour through downtown here and we walked by that house.  The guide stopped and said that the medium they had brought in saw a red haired woman running out the door and over the balcony.  It was all I could do not to ask "What about the man in the parlor?"

So that's my story.  What about you?  Do you believe?  Have you had any experiences?

Christmas in Eternity Springs - Blog Tour Review

Christmas in Eternity Springs (Eternity Springs #12) by Emily March

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Macmillan

Rating: Very Good
Source:  Publisher

Description:  After a devastating betrayal, Claire Branham packs up her life, along with a twenty million dollar secret, and moves to Eternity Springs.  She opens a specialty shop - Forever Christmas - and, with the help of a surprise romance with the town's sexy new handyman, Claire's heart begins to heal.  Until her past comes knocking...

Jax Lancaster never questioned the need to abandon his career as a Navy submariner in order to care for his young son in the wake of his ex-wife's death.  Desperate to help with this loss, Jax straps on a tool belt to give Nicholas the one thing he wants: A life in Eternity Springs.  What Jax never expected to find a second chance at love with a fascinating woman for whom Christmas has become a business.  But when the truth about Claire threatens their newfound happiness, can Jax prove to her that in Eternity Springs, the spirit of Christmas is real... And will last a lifetime?  (From Goodreads)

Genre: Romance - Contemporary

Why I Picked This Book:  I love this series and each new book makes me love it more!

My Impression:  Did I mention I love this series?  I've always enjoyed it but the last book - Reunion Pass - completely hooked me and this one has only made me a bigger fan. Because I was so anxious to revisit Eternity Springs I didn't even really even read the blurb so I was thrilled to discover that Nicholas, the little boy I had loved meeting in the last book is a big part of this newest book.  Normally I'm not a big fan of kids in romances but Nicholas is such a great character.  He's sweet and intelligent but not perfect and the trauma he has endured just broke my heart.  I absolutely loved seeing him start to regain his spirit in Eternity Springs.

Jax and Claire also were impossible to resist.  They're both trying so hard to help Nicholas and do the right thing.  Their connection to each other basically leapt off the page and I was rooting for them.  Claire does have a bit of a secret but as it isn't something that is continuously brought up and angst-ed about it didn't bother me.  

Eternity Springs is a delightful place to visit and I always enjoy revisiting it.  While the characters frequently have very dark back stories they tend to be just discussed occasionally and don't unfold on the page.  While there is some heat it is mostly fade to black but the emotional connections are up front and center.  

This is a series that I always immediately get swept up by.  While you do meet Nicholas in Reunion Pass I don't think reading it is necessary to enjoying this one (though you should because it's wonderful!) and understanding what is happening with the characters.  This is the perfect read to soothe a holiday frazzled brain and get into the Christmas spirit!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Absolutely!  There are a few early books in the series and I need to go back and read them plus I know I'll be looking for the next book!

Would I Recommend this Book?: I would!  If you enjoy RaeAnne Thayne or books that focus on emotional connections this is a book and a series that is not to be missed!

Top Ten Tuesday - Fall TBR

This week's topic from The Broke and the Bookish is Top Ten Books in my Fall TBR.  I love this topic because I get to think about what's coming out, what's already on my shelf and what I really want to read.  I did okay with the last TBR post and only have 2 unread so I'm hopefully for similar if not better results for this one.

1.  The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - This is a book I've been wanting to read for ages and I've decided now is the time.  I've heard fantastic things so I'm looking forward to this one.

2.  The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - Neil Gaiman is an author I've been wanting to read for awhile though I'm a little nervous because the episodes he's written of Doctor Who tend to be my least favorite.  The blurb on this one really caught my eye though so I figured this would be a good place to start.

3.  The Duke and I by Julia Quinn - This is the first book in the Bridgerton series which is one of my favorite historical romance series.  I'm trying to squeeze some rereading into this year and I want to revisit the Bridgertons before reading the newest book that Quinn released earlier this year.

4.  All the Little Liars by Charlaine Harris - I have had mixed results with Charlaine Harris.  I loved 1 series by her but didn't love another and to be honest I've never really felt the urge to pick up the Sookie Stackhouse series though it is becoming more tempting.  I love this series about a librarian who investigates murders and am really excited that this new one is coming out in October.

5.  The Queen's Accomplice by Susan Elia MacNeal - Between the cover, the 1940s setting, and mentions of a copycat Jack the Ripper I just could not pass this one up!

6. The Flower Arrangement by Ella Griffin - This is about a young woman in need of healing who owns a flower shop in Dublin.  It looks like there may be a touch of magical realism.  Even if not I have high hopes!

7.  Sun Sand Murder by John Keyse-Walker - I love a good murder mystery and I love when people aren't who they say they are (in fiction of course, in real life that would be troubling) and this is a new to me mystery author so I'm excited!

8.  When All the Girls Have Gone by Jayne Ann Krentz - I love a good romantic suspense and Krentz's are always so much fun!

9.  The Secret Sister by Brenda Novak - This is an older release but one that has been sitting on my Kindle for far too long.  I enjoy Novak's writing and I love romantic suspense.  Plus, this one has a heaping scoop of family secrets so it really sounds like something I'd enjoy.

10. Treasure on Lilac Lane by Donna Alward - Alward's Jewell  Cove is one of my favorite fictional towns to visit.  It's been awhile since I've been there so I'm looking forward to this one from a couple of years ago that somehow I missed when it came out.

What are you looking forward to picking up this fall?

The Munich Girl - Review

The Munich Girl: A Novel by Phyllis Edgerly Ring

Rating: Good
Source: Author

Description:  Anna Dahlberg grew up eating dinner under her father’s war-trophy portrait of Eva Braun. Fifty years after the war, she discovers what he never did—that her mother and Hitler’s mistress were friends. The secret surfaces with a mysterious monogrammed handkerchief, and a man, Hannes Ritter, whose Third Reich family history is entwined with Anna’s. Plunged into the world of the “ordinary” Munich girl who was her mother’s confidante—and a tyrant’s lover—Anna finds her every belief about right and wrong challenged. With Hannes’s help, she retraces the path of two women who met as teenagers, shared a friendship that spanned the years that Eva Braun was Hitler’s mistress, yet never knew that the men they loved had opposing ambitions. Eva’s story reveals that she never joined the Nazi party, had Jewish friends, and was credited at the Nuremberg Trials with saving 35,000 Allied lives. As Anna's journey leads back through the treacherous years in wartime Germany, it uncovers long-buried secrets and unknown reaches of her heart to reveal the enduring power of love in the legacies that always outlast war.

Genre: Fiction - Historical 

Why I Picked This Book:  I enjoy a good historical fiction and I realized I know almost nothing about Eva Braun.

My Impression:  When this book came across my desk I was instantly intrigued by the premise.  While I know who Eva Braun is I've always dismissed her as just Hitler's mistress/wife and the idea of someone discovering they have some kind of connection to her is intriguing.  Plus, I can't resist a good family secret - especially not when paired with some historical fiction.
In the present day time line I really enjoyed getting to know Anna.  She's intelligent and hard working and it's hard not to sympathize with her struggle to stay positive after her mother's death as well as making the best of a troubled marriage.  I also liked that while Anna's husband, Lowell, is most definitely a creep he does come off as a fully fleshed out character.  He has his moments of sweetness as well as being incredibly brilliant.  I also found the research that Anna did during the book fascinating.  Not only did we get a look at Eva Braun but she also interviews a woman who was a journalist on assignment in Germany during World War II.  I also enjoyed getting a look at life in Germany during wartime for regular civilians.

Not only did I enjoy the look into a little discussed (or at least that I'm aware of) aspects of World War II but I also enjoyed getting to know Anna and watching her world open up as she becomes captivated by her research subject and aware of the connection.  Hannes is also an interesting character if at times a little too perfect. There's a lot going on though it's a slow build for the bulk of the book which I enjoyed.  I always love when I feel like I'm figuring out the puzzle right along with the characters.  My only complaint is that a lot of different things developed and were resolved in the last third of the book which made it feel a little more frantic.  Overall, I enjoyed this story and it has made me wanting to find out everything about Eva Braun.  I always think it's  a super high compliment if a historical fiction story has me wanting to dive into my own research about the topic.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?:  Absolutely!  I enjoyed how she brought this piece of history to life and I'd love to see more of that.

Would I Recommend this Book?: If you enjoy historical fiction I think you'd enjoy this book - especially if you are interested in World War II.