This Week in Reading - March 29

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:

Summer on Honeysuckle Ridge by Debbie Mason - I wasn't going to get anything but then I saw this one. The cover is gorgeous and the premise involves home renovation and a main character starting over so I couldn't resist.  (NetGalley)

Antiques Fire Sale by Barbara Allan - And once I started I couldn't really stop!  This is a mystery series that has been on my TBR because it's a cozy mystery involving antiques which is one of my favorite things.  (NetGalley)

Killing Time by Susanne Trauth - I read the previous one in the series last year and really enjoyed it and this one involves Halloween which a favorite cozy mystery holiday so I couldn't pass it up.  (NetGalley)

Murder in Waiting by Lynn Cahoon - The Tourist Trap series is one of my absolute favorite cozy series so I had to pick this one up!  (NetGalley)

Currently:

Reading: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein, and Laeitia Rodd and the Wandering Scholar by Kate Saunders

Listening:I finished The Storm Sister by Lucinda Riley and am just starting Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist

Watching:  We finished Grantchester and The Pale Horse (which only vaguely resembled the Agatha Christie book and was very good in the middle but a little too art-y at the beginning and end).  I'm not sure what we are going to start next.

Off the Blog:

I hope everyone is doing well in quarantine or self isolation or social distancing or whatever you're doing.  We are basically going full self isolation because my husband can work from home and my son is home schooled.  Other then the internet and a drive I haven't had contact with the outside world since March 19 when I had a doctor's appointment.  My husband is the one going out to the grocery store and to pick out take out.  We are trying to balance cooking at home and getting takeout to help out local businesses (and so I don't have to cook!).  They announced at the end of this week that school is switching to distance learning for the rest of the school year with the hope that big events like prom and graduation ceremonies can be scheduled either at the beginning of June or end of May. 

I haven't had really any extra time.  I know a lot of people are very stressed or getting sucked into the news black hole but so far I'm neither of those things but things are still a bit crazy here.  I've found a channel of YouTube called Soothing Relaxation that's all pretty spa-type music that I've been loving for when I'm trying to go to sleep or when I'm reading.  It definitely helps settle the mind and tune out the background noise a bit.  How is your quarantine going?

On the Blog:

What Happened:

Monday:  Little Beach Street Bakery - Fiction Review
Tuesday:  Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Ways to Stay Out of Trouble in a Cozy Mystery
Wednesday:  Sea Glass Cottage - Fiction Review
Thursday:  Books from the Backlog - The Blue Last
Friday:  Friday Fives - Five Disney Movies On Our To Watch List
Saturday:  The Read-Aloud Family - Nonfiction Review

What's Coming Up:

Monday:  The Blue Castle - Fiction Review

Tuesday: My Nonfiction Reading List

Wednesday:  TBD

Thursday:  Books from the Backlog

Friday: Friday Fives

Saturday:  March Reading Recap

Have a great week and happy reading!

The Read-Aloud Family - Nonfiction Review

Goodreads:  The Read-Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids by Sarah Mackenzie

Rating: Loved It!
Source: Library

Description:  Connecting deeply with our kids can be difficult in our busy, technology-driven lives. Reading aloud offers us a chance to be fully present with our children. It also increases our kids’ academic success, inspires compassion, and fortifies them with the inner strength they need to face life’s challenges. As Sarah Mackenzie has found with her own six children, reading aloud long after kids are able to read to themselves can deepen relationships in a powerful way.
Founder of the immensely popular Read-Aloud Revival podcast, Sarah knows first-hand how reading can change a child’s life. In The Read-Aloud Family, she offers the inspiration and age-appropriate book lists you need to start a read-aloud movement in your own home. From a toddler’s wonder to a teenager’s resistance, Sarah details practical strategies to make reading aloud a meaningful family ritual. Reading aloud not only has the power to change a family—it has the power to change the world.

Genre: Nonfiction

Why I Picked This Book:  Life Between Words on YouTube recommended it, this is a subject I've been interested in, and my library had it so it was a bit of a perfect storm.

My Impression:  One of the things I've really enjoyed discovering through homeschooling is that why the Tornado (age 10) isn't the most enthusiastic reader he does really enjoy being read to.  This has lead to a fascination with all things read aloud and a search for read aloud suggestions.  So I was already pretty on board with the whole read aloud concept but that didn't stop me from feeling that I got a lot out of the book.

Sarah talks about her journey from overwhelmed mom of a one year to still overwhelmed but with better grip on things mom of 6 who also happens to home school.  The information is interesting and while I was already on board with reading aloud as I'm trying to hook my 10 year old on the stories reading all the extra benefits was a nice bit of confirmation.  As well I thought she gave some practical advice on how to incorporate reading aloud into regular busy life.  She's good about emphasizing that it doesn't have to be perfect, it doesn't have to be large chunks of time or any of the things that keep us from fitting in a chapter when we can.  She also includes personal stories about her own experiences to help emphasize her points.  She does a good mix of showing what to do and what not to do through her own life. While she is a home school mom her advice would work for any parent.

The last section of the book is read aloud recommendation section divided by ages and by types of books.  Some of her recommendations I had never heard of but will definitely be adding to our family To Read list. 

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  I've already added her 2nd book to my TBR and have enjoyed exploring her website - Read-Aloud Revival

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you are a parent or have children in your life this is definitely a book worth picking up. 

Friday Fives - Disney Movies On Our To Watch List

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.  We've been all about movies lately - especially Disney movies.  So here are 5 movies that are on my Disney+ list that we will be watching soon.

1.  The Great Mouse Detective - Somehow I have ever heard of this movie but it sounds fun so it's on the list.

2.  Hercules - I never watched this one either but we saw A LOT of Hades at the Villains Party at Disney World so I'm wanting to see the movie now. 

3.  Peter Pan - My favorite Disney movie and I haven't seen it in forever and the Tornado has never seen it so it must be watched.

4.  Snow White - I haven't seen this in forever but we just read a book where the main character went and saw this in the theater so I thought it'd be fun.

5.  Robin Hood - I remember loving it but I haven't seen it in forever.

Have you seen any of these?  What movies are you hoping to watch?

Books from the Backlog - The Blue Last

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:  The Blue Last (Richard Jury #17) by Martha Grimes

Blurb:  In The Blue Last, Richard Jury finally faces the last thing in the world he wants to deal with—the war that killed his mother, his father, his childhood. Mickey Haggerty, a DCI with the London City police, has asked for Jury's help. Two skeletons have been unearthed in the City during the excavation of London's last bombsite, where once a pub stood called the The Blue Last. Mickey believes that a child who survived the bombing has been posing for over fifty years as a child who didn't. The grandchild of brewery magnet Oliver Tyndale supposedly survived that December 1940 bombing . . . but did she? Mickey also has a murder to solve. Simon Croft, prosperous City financial broker, and son of the one-time owner of The Blue Last is found shot to death in his Thames-side house. But the book he was writing about London during the German blitzkrieg has disappeared. Jury wants to get eyes and ears into Tynedale Lodge, and looks to his friend, Melrose Plant, to play the role. Reluctantly, Plant plays it, accompanied on his rounds of the Lodge gardens by nine-year-old Gemma Trim, orphan and ward of Oliver Tynedale; and Benny Keagan, a resourceful twelve-year-old orphaned delivery boy.
And Richard Jury may not make it out alive.

A stolen book, stolen lives, or is any of this what it seems? Identity, memory, provenance - these are all called into question in The Blue Last

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  Well I'm riding a little high right now because I've made some progress and actually read one of the books I've featured here!  This used to be one of my absolute favorite series but I read one a few years ago and was pretty meh about it.  I picked this one up because the blurb really grabbed my attention and I thought I'd give it a try.

The Sea Glass Cottage - Contemporary Fiction Review

Goodreads:  The Sea Glass Cottage by RaeAnne Thayne

Rating: Liked It
Source: Publisher

Description: The life Olivia Harper always dreamed of isn’t so dreamy these days. The 16-hour work days are unfulfilling and so are things with her on-again, off-again boyfriend. But when she hears that her estranged mother, Juliet, has been seriously injured in a car accident, Liv has no choice but to pack up her life and head home to beautiful Cape Sanctuary on the Northern California coast.

It’s just for a few months—that’s what Liv keeps telling herself. But the closer she gets to Cape Sanctuary, the painful memories start flooding back: Natalie, her vibrant, passionate older sister who downward-spiraled into addiction. The fights with her mother who enabled her sister at every turn. The overdose that took Natalie, leaving her now-teenaged daughter, Caitlin, an orphan.

As Liv tries to balance her own needs with those of her injured mother and an obstinate, resentful fifteen-year-old, it becomes clear that all three Harper women have been keeping heartbreaking secrets from one another. And as those secrets are revealed, Liv, Juliet, and Caitlin will see that it’s never too late—or too early—to heal family wounds and find forgiveness.

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Why I Picked This Book:  Thayne is an auto-buy author for me.

My Impression: I absolutely love Thayne's Haven Point series so whenever she ventures away from there I get a bit nervous.  But no matter where the book is set Thayne never fails to deliver a cozy read with a fully formed community and this was no exception.  Unlike a typical romance this book is more of an ensemble cast with multiple characters getting page time.  It does help flesh out the community feel but these characters have ISSUES and those issues can get a bit overwhelming.  As well because the characters are so closely connected it can get a bit repetitive as we explore each character's issues from multiple perspectives.  And because of all the issues the three main characters - Olivia, Juliet, and Caitlin - can be a lot prickly and at times hard to like. 

Now that sounds pretty negative but I don't mean it to be.  Despite the issues that kept me from falling head over heels in love with the book I did still really enjoy it.  As I mentioned before Thayne is incredibly dependable and always delivers a lovely read.  The book was so readable and always one that I fell into the story as soon as I picked the book up.  Even when the character were being extra prickly there's still a lot of heart and as the book progresses you grow to care about the characters even if you don't always like them.  And of course it wraps up in a way that left me with a full heart and a smile. 

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Or course!  Thayne is a favorite and I always enjoy her books.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy fiction with an ensemble cast, a lot of heart and a bit of romance then this is a great pick.

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

Top Ten Tuesday - 10 Ways to Stay Out of Trouble in a Cozy Mystery

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is a Genre Freebie.  So for my Genre Freebie I'm talking about 10 ways to stay out of trouble if you find yourself in a cozy mystery.

1.  Never agree to judge something last minute - or be a last minute contestant in some kind of competition.  It will go badly and someone will die.  And then you or someone you are close too will be a suspect and then you'll have to investigate and that will eat into your free time.

2.  Never ever ever say anything even resembling a threat in public or where someone can overhear you.  That person will be killed and you will be a suspect and things will be awkward.  This is probably not a bad rule for life.  Threatening people just in general is a bad idea.

3.  Don't travel - Ever - Seriously it's a terrible idea.  Did you ever watch Murder, She Wrote?  Anytime Jessica Fletcher someone died and if you are in cozy mystery land the same thing will happen to you. 

4.  Don't befriend the new person in town.  So this isn't the nicest piece of advice but there's a 95% chance that that new person will either be a murderer or a victim so you're saving yourself some stress.

5.  Don't open a business - Any business at all is dangerous but businesses involving food are especially dangerous.

6.  Don't move to a new town.  I don't care if you inherited a house or all your analysis says this particular town is the magic place to open a business or that's where all your family lives.  If you up and move to a new town go on and make your piece with stumbling over a body every few months.  It will happen.

7.  Don't get involved in local causes or let friends and family get involved.  Bad things happen and once again you're caught up in a murder investigation.

8.  Don't have a specific hobby, career, or interest that involves conventions.  Conventions are just death traps with mediocre food and seminars.

9.  Don't have a nemesis either in the past or present.  They're either going to be in the police force and accuse you of killing someone or they're going to die and you're going to have to prove your innocence.  Either way it'll be inconvenient.

10.  Don't live in a small town - especially not one in Maine or Northern California.  These are death traps with a violent death rate of about 50% of the population.  Luckily, most of the victims/killers are people who are new to town so it doesn't decimate the population too much.

So here's a few tips on how to stay out of your trouble if you happen to find yourself trapped in a book in one of my favorite genres.  Hope it helps!

Little Beach Street Bakery - Fiction Review

Goodreads:  Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan

Rating: Loved It!
Source: Purchased

Description:  Amid the ruins of her latest relationship, Polly Waterford moves far away to the sleepy seaside resort of Polbearne, where she lives in a small, lonely flat above an abandoned shop.

To distract her from her troubles, Polly throws herself into her favorite hobby: making bread. But her relaxing weekend diversion quickly develops into a passion. As she pours her emotions into kneading and pounding the dough, each loaf becomes better than the last. Soon, Polly is working her magic with nuts and seeds, olives and chorizo, and the local honey-courtesy of a handsome local beekeeper. Drawing on reserves of determination and creativity Polly never knew she had, she bakes and bakes . . . and discovers a bright new life where she least expected it.
Genre:  Fiction

Why I Picked This Book:  I like Jenny Colgan so I buy her books indiscriminately when I come across them in the bookstore.  It made it to the top of the pile because the sequel to this book is on Audible Escape and I figured I should read the first book before listening to the second.

My Impression:  Well this was just delightful!  I laughed, I cried, I wanted bread, and I decided I simply must get a puffin to have as a pet even though I'm in the completely wrong climate and my cat would probably object.  Polly is a fairly typical Colgan heroine.  Her life has imploded - her business has gone under, her relationship is in tatters, and she has nowhere to live and no real income.  But she's a bit of a scrappy fighter with a tendency to make impulsive decisions.  Polly's impulsive decision lands her in a tiny apartment above an abandoned bakery on a little island in the back of beyond.  But this little island is full of quirky characters, sea air, and a puffin or two. 

The island quickly came to life as Polly slowly stretched her legs and gained her footing.  I loved getting to know the island and the characters and the puffin.  Puffins are a severely underrated animal sidekick by the way.  I thought I knew what to expect from this book but Colgan surprised me in an at times heartbreaking way.  I was a fan of Colgan before I picked up this book and this read definitely cemented that status.  I'm looking forward to reading more Colgan in general and the sequel to this book in particular.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  Colgan is a favorite!

Would I Recommend this Book?  Definitely!  If you're looking for a light read with a bit of heart and a touch of romance this is a great choice.