This Week in Reading - March 15

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:

Deception by Gaslight by Kate Belli - I love historical mysteries and I love jewel thieves so how could I resist? (NetGalley)

Currently:

Reading:  A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles and A Forgotten Murder by Jude Deveraux

Listening:  Still listening to The Storm Sister by Lucinda Riley.  I'm really enjoying it but didn't have much listening time this week.

Watching:  We just started watching Grantchester and are really enjoying it.  I know we're a bit late to the party but late is better then never!

Off the Blog:

We had a fairly quiet week.  I haven't been feeling very well (allergies and my usual headache issues) and this time change kills me EVERY single year.  I know most people hate the time change in the fall where we fall back but I love that one!  It gets dark earlier which just feels cozier.  This whole losing an hour of sleep thing makes me groggy and sleepy and grumpy for about a month.

And then of course we went on Corona virus watch.  I mean obviously it's been a topic of conversation and concern for quite some time but the news of the first case in Tennessee broke Wednesday and then the first case for us in Alabama showed up Friday.  And of course everything is closing and cancelling. It doesn't really change things too much for us as the Tornado is home schooled.  He has a couple of classes he takes that are cancelled for now and some of the regular activities won't be happening for awhile but our day to day lives will pretty much remain the same.  One of the few things still open here is the library and while they have cancelled all gatherings they are still open, have increased the number of times you can renew things, and have increased the number of items you can have out at at time.  I've always liked our library but now I have all kinds of warm fuzzy feelings.  Other then runs to the library to pick up holds and runs to the grocery store for supplies we are staying put.  My husband can fairly easily work from home (and it looks like his company is going to start requesting everyone who can do so) so that will take some getting used too but it'll be fun.  I don't have any real health problems but the last few years I've gotten sick very easily and have a hard time getting over everything so I'm taking no chances.

I hope everyone is taking home, staying safe, and staying healthy.

On the Blog:

What Happened:

Monday:  Death with a Dark Red Rose - Cozy Mystery Review
Tuesday:  Books On My TBR that are Set in Ireland
Wednesday:  A Murderous Relation - Historical Mystery Review
Thursday:  Books from the Backlog - If You've Got It Haunt It
Friday:  Friday Fives - Five Classic Movies I Want to Watch
Saturday:  My Non-Bookish Winter Favorites

What's Coming Up:

Monday:  Lavender Blue Murder - Cozy Mystery Review

Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday - Spring TBR

Wednesday:  A Forgotten Murder - Mystery Review

Thursday:  Books from the Backlog

Friday:  Friday Fives

Saturday:  Holding the Dream - Contemporary Romance Review

Have a great week and happy reading!

My Non-Bookish Winter Favorites

This winter wasn't all that winter-y since we spent most of it in New Orleans.  In my opinion it's definitely the way to spend winter!  Granted, where I actually live doesn't get super winter-y but and day below 50 is way too cold for me.  But that aside here are a few things that I've really enjoyed this winter.

Fresca - I loved Fresca as a kid but then forgot all about it until I had some at my mother's around Thanksgiving.   It's my go to mid afternoon drink when I'm not wanting lots of caffeine but need something to give me a refreshing pick me up.  I discovered they have a cherry citrus and a peach citrus flavor so it is now my mission in life to find those.

Adidas Baseline Shoes - I bought these on a whim before we went to Disney.  All the cool soccer players wore these when I was in high school and I desperately wanted a pair.  Plus, my feet are on the smaller side and I can wear youth sizes which just happened to be on sale when we were looking for new shoes for the Tornado.  I love these shoes.  They were on my feet for most of the 50 miles we walked and never let me down. 

Hint Water - I live on this stuff.  The watermelon is probably my favorite flavor but I've yet to discover a flavor I don't enjoy.

The Office Ladies Podcast - I loved The Office when it was originally on and when I heard of this podcast hosted by Angela Kinsey and Jenna Fischer (aka Angela and Pam) I downloaded the first few episodes and was immediately hooked.  I love the behind the scenes peeks and just listening to how the show came to be.  It also helps that both women are very obviously huge fans of the show.  We've been listening to the podcast and then going to watch the show and it's just been a delight!  They're only halfway through the 2nd season now so you can catch up easily. 

What were your favorite Non-Bookish things this winter?

Friday Fives - Classic Movies I Want to Watch

I'm taking a bit of a break from my usual Friday Linkups to try something a little different.  Michelle over at Because Reading is Better Than Real Life   used to do a Five on Fridays that I always enjoyed and I've seen a few other variations on the theme.  As well I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd give start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much.   Life is getting back to normal for us which means I'm hoping to start watching classic movies again.  Here are 5 that are coming up on Turner Classic Movies that I'm looking forward to watching.

1.  I Married a Witch (1942) - This sounds a bit madcap and is about a 300 year old witch who falls in love with a politician and hijinks ensue (I'm assuming).  The real reason I want to see this is because the witch is played by Veronica Lake who I've never seen in a movie before but my grandmother used to compare me to her ALL the time because my hair was always falling in my face.

2.  Jamaica Inn (1939) - I tried to read this book and ended up DNFing it but I love the premise and this is directed by Hitchcock.

3.  White Heat (1949) - I've actually seen this before but Cagney is so brilliant in it I think it needs a rewatch.

4.  Key Largo (1948) - It has Bogard, Bacall, and Edward G Robinson.  It must be watched!

5.  The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) - Not only does this have John Garfield who is one of my absolute favorite actors but it has Lana Turner who was one of my grandmother's favorite actresses (so much so that I have an aunt whose name was Lana).  I like suspense and this is such a classic  that I feel like I need to watch it. 

What classic movies are on your watch list?

Books from the Backlog - If You've Got It, Haunt It

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!

Goodreads:  If You've Got It, Haunt It (Haunted Vintage #1) by Rose Pressey

Blurb:  Cookie Chanel has a passion for fashion--and a murder mystery to solve!

Cookie Chanel has opened her own vintage clothing boutique, It's Vintage, Y'All, in the charming town of Sugar Creek, Georgia. Always on the lookout for stylish second-hand steals, she attends the estate sale of deceased socialite Charlotte Meadows. But she gets a lot more than she bargained for when Charlotte's ghost appears before her--offering fashion advice and begging Cookie to find out who murdered her.

As the persistent poltergeist tags along and a possibly psychic pussycat moves into the shop, Cookie sorts through racks of suspects to see who may be hiding some skeletons in the closet. Do a clothing store owner and a disembodied socialite have a ghost of a chance of collaring a killer--or will Cookie's life be the next one hanging by a thread?

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  I've had a review copy of this since before it came out (which was Dec of 2014) and it has so many of my favorite things - ghosts, vintage clothes, and estate sales.  No idea why I haven't read it but it looks like something I'd love and that's what I'm looking for this year!

A Murderous Relation - Historical Mystery Review

Goodreads:  A Murderous Relation (Veronica Speedwell #5) by Deanna Raybourn

Rating: Really Liked It
Source:  Publisher

Description:  Veronica Speedwell and her natural historian colleague Stoker are asked by Lady Wellingtonia Beauclerk to help with a potential scandal so explosive it threatens to rock the monarchy. Prince Albert Victor is a regular visitor to the most exclusive private club in London, known as the Club de l'Etoile, and the proprietess, Madame Aurore, has received an expensive gift that can be traced back to the prince. Lady Wellie would like Veronica and Stoker to retrieve the jewel from the club before scandal can break.
Worse yet, London is gripped by hysteria in the autumn of 1888, terrorized by what would become the most notorious and elusive serial killer in history, Jack the Ripper--and Lady Wellie suspects the prince may be responsible.

Veronica and Stoker reluctantly agree to go undercover at Madame Aurore's high class brothel, where another body soon turns up. Many secrets are swirling around Veronica and the royal family--and it's up to Veronica and Stoker to find the truth, before it's too late for all of them.

Genre: Mystery - Historical

Why I Picked This Book:  I've really enjoyed previous books in this series and I love the author.  Plus, I can never resist a mystery that's connected to Jack the Ripper!

My Impression:  Insomnia decided to pay me a visit last week and over the weekend and while I'm not usually a fan of this particular visitor I have to admit that I wasn't too terribly sad because it gave me time to fly through this book.  What fun it was! 

There's abduction, intrigue, treason, madness, blackmail, jewels, and royal politics.  It's quite the ride and I couldn't wait to see just how Veronica and Stoker could possibly get themselves out of some of the spots they landed in.  Throw in a fantastic collection of side characters and it's impossible to resist.

I've read a few books set during this time period and I've read a few books that deal with Prince Albert Victor and I must say this was my favorite.  I felt like I knew poor Prince Albert and this was one of the few portrayals that I've seen that felt based on fact as well as sympathetic.  After finishing the book I really wanted to read more about both the Ripper victims and poor Eddy himself.

While I enjoyed this quite a lot I did have a complaint or two.  The primary one being the attraction between Stoker and Veronica.  Their lack of communication drove me crazy at times and Veronica's distracting lusting over Stoker in the first half got a bit much.  I get she's attracted to him but either act on it or let it go!

Minor complaint aside this was a fun book with an entertaining mystery and likable and sympathetic characters.  If you enjoy historical mysteries this is a must read.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  I have never read a book by Raybourn that I did not enjoy.

Would I Recommend this Book?  I would!  If you enjoy historical mysteries you couldn't do better with this series.  If you're not a big mystery fan Raybourn has a number of historical fiction titles that are equally amazing.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Books On My TBR That Are Set in Ireland

I've been spending lots of time shopping my TBR and picking out books to read from that instead of the bookstore.  As I've been doing that I've noticed some themes!  I've talked about books involving bookish characters and today I'm looking at books that are set in Ireland.

1.  An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor - I picked this up on  a whim at a used bookstore.  I know very little about it but the cover was pretty and the book just felt nice.

2. The Likeness by Tana French - This isn't exactly a book that's going to make me want to jet off to Ireland but I'm intrigued by this this story - especially after watching The Dublin Murders earlier this year.

3.  The Faraday Girls by Monica McInerney - This sounds like a good family secrets novel and I do love family secrets.

4.  The Music Lesson by Katharine Donovan - I know very little about this one other then there's a stolen Vermeer and of course some family secrets!

5.  The Green Road by Anne Enright - Another one I don't know much about but the cover and setting sold me.

6.  Scandal in Skibbereen by Sheila Connolly - I read the first book in this series enjoyed it, then enjoyed a later book in the series, and then trudged through the last book in this series.  I'm hoping to get back the positive feeling!

7.  The Summer of Serendipity by Ali McNamara - This book sounds really sweet and cozy.

8.  Murder at an Irish Wedding by Carlene O'Connor - I read the first book in this series and really enjoyed it but somehow have never continued with the series.

9.  Born in Fire by Nora Roberts - I read this one ages ago and really would like to reread it.

10. The Lilac Bus by Maeve Binchy - Of course I have to include a Binchy book on this list and this one has been calling me for years!

What books have you loved that are set in Ireland?  Any favorite books with an Irish setting?

Death with a Dark Red Rose - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads:  Death with a Dark Red Rose (A Writer's Apprentice Mystery #5) by Julia Buckley

Rating: Liked It
Source: Publisher

Description:  Writer's apprentice Lena London is enjoying life in Blue Lake and being newly engaged, but is soon drawn into the terrifying disappearance of one of her closest friends....
Lena is starting to feel like having it all may actually be possible! She and suspense novelist Camilla Graham are busily plotting their next novel and she's got a brand-new diamond ring on her finger thanks to her fiancé, Sam West. The only blot on her Blue Lake life is a strange new corporation that has come to town called Plastisource. They seem to be intent on gobbling up prime real estate and changing the landscape of Lena's lovely adopted home.

When she and Sam get a call from their good friend (and Blue Lake detective) Doug saying that his girlfriend--and Lena's pal Belinda--isn't answering her phone and missed a date with him, they all head out to her home. The trio is shocked to discover that Belinda's purse and phone are at her house, along with a single red rose on her countertop--but Belinda herself is missing. Has she been abducted? Could the strange new corporation play a role in her disappearance? Lena is determined to find out and rescue her friend because she knows that the truth can be stranger and much more deadly than fiction....

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I really enjoyed the previous book in the series and I do love a mystery involving a missing person.

My Impression:  You know those books where after you finish reading the book itself you wonder if the person who wrote the blurb was even in the same room as the book?  Yeah this is one of those.  Basically the blurb sums up the first chapter or two and then they split never to meet again.  That doesn't mean it was a bad book it just wasn't the book I was expecting.  Once I got past that I did really enjoy this book. 

There are a lot of characters in this book.  Lena and Sam have a lot of friends which in some ways is great.  I love the community feel and I really enjoyed a lot of the dialogue but at times it can take some effort to keep up with all the different names.  The mystery is intriguing and while it isn't the mystery I thought I was getting there's still a missing person and a sinister mysterious company.  I loved the Gothic elements that are woven into both Camille's book and the actual book we are reading.  The mystery itself kept me guessing and definitely turning pages.  And at the end I hate to turn that last page because I know that means it will be a little while before I can spend time with these characters again. 

If you're looking for a good cozy with a great community feel then this is a great series to pick up!  Given the cast of characters it might be a bit of an easier read if you start at the beginning.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  I enjoyed this book and I really enjoyed the previous book so I'm looking forward to continuing the series.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy cozies - especially bookish cozies - this would be a good choice.  But with all the characters it might be better to start at the beginning of the series.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *