On my table and in my cup January 6th-13th

Good morning from the Wet West Coast, perfect day for being inside for hockey games and home reading, or if you are like my sister, outside for soccer (one of the reasons I did not push them to become soccer players) I have been reading Deja Moo and upcoming paranormal cozy from a series I enjoy written by Kristen Weiss.

It has been a really busy but really fun week in the teacup department for me, I have been hitting the local thrift stores and scoring some lovely deals this week which I will share more about later next week and I have found some great journals at our local dollar store. I am going to do my very best not to lose it. I did clean my desk today and found the four other journals I had purchased late last year and promptly buried so I should be writing like crazy this year. 

In my cup this week I have been having a few different and lovely new teas. The one I had a friend mailed me and it was a Tazo tea called butterscotch blondie and if you have any in your stores, grab it! So good and now I have to track it down. It tasted like I was drinking tea and cookies, loved it! I have also had I love Tea #7, from Davids Tea, Vanilla black and Balmoral Blend Tea from Murchies. It has been perfect tea and reading weather this week.

In addition to reading, rescuing teacups and saucers and drinking tea. I attended a funeral for a family friend who passed away last week. He was part of my childhood and a man who gave his love of sport and who made support of children as his life's work. He was a pillar of our community and it was an honor to know him, have him as a coach and teacher. My heart goes out to the community, to his family and to all who new Vern Baker.  He was there for so many of us and in the end about 1000 of us were there for him. A three hour service and send off for him was an honor to be witness too. 

A true delight to have this weeks release of Sheila Connolly's Many A Twist to read. I have to tell you this series is one of my favorites. Based in Ireland and the twists in this one were spectacular. A great read and binge worthy series!

The Spirit of Grace by Terry Lynn Thomas was unlike any other paranormal cozy I had read before. Delightful and so happy to have had it on my table! A great read!

Cookies and Scream is the second book in the series and I loved it, CeeCee Jame's Baker Street Mysteries are good, touching and easy to love.

Libby Klein has a book coming out later this month that is a MUST READ. I related to the character perfectly, loved the story line and pretty much everything about it. Order this one for sure, I can not wait to see where this series goes.

I have also been working hard on the upcoming 24/7 event on the Beyond The Bookmarks Event Page called Cupids Cozies, we have 22+ authors coming by, crafts, recipes, great cozies and so much more. You can join us by clicking here. 

Thank you for joining me for a look back at what has been on my table and what is in my cup this week. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Cookies and Scream by CeeCee James

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of Cookies and Scream the second book in the Baker Street Mystery Series by CeeCee James and I loved it. We get to learn more about main character Georgie and her back story in this story as well as a great mystery with a historical twist history buffs will love. This story is thoughtfully written and with the readers heart in mind. Georgie is a great character in that she has anxiety, and has had so much hardship but she is quite resilient and not perfect. She does have a smart and curious mind, which gets her in trouble but also endears her to the reader. Great love hate relationships in this story too. I even love the relationship between Georgie and her converted food truck passenger van. Great story and it is out January 15th, 20018

Tour guide Georgie Tanner has always encouraged her clients to enjoy the realism of an American Revolutionary War reenactment - but today things got a little too real. When one of the actors doesn't get back up after the battle, the crowd is horrified to find out he's really been shot. Patrick Armstrong, local high school teacher, is dead. Georgie's old high school friend, Terry Brooks, is arrested for the murder. A man with a young wife and a baby, he seems the least unlikely suspect. But, with hundreds of people as witnesses, there's no denying he was the one who pulled the trigger. He begs Georgie for help, and she's determined to do her best. After all, he'd never do something like that, would he? Her sleuthing skills slowly uncover other possible suspects, but, try as she might, she can't shake the sight of the smoking gun gripped in Terry's hand. And then she uncovers something that terrifies her. Suddenly, Georgie is afraid that what she might have just sealed the case against her old friend.

Click here to find Cookies and Scream on Amazon (I am not an amazon affiliate and do not make any money if you click) 

Thank you for joining me here for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

CeeCee James Cherry Pie or Die

Friday night I finished Cherry Pie of Die which is a first in series by CeeCee James. This is a new cozy mystery which is expected out early next year and I was very thrilled to be one of the first people to read it. The main character is a bit of a mystery herself and I love that she remains that way for most of the story. Working for her "aunt" and returning to a small town way of life rooted in history both personal and geographical. 

The bed and breakfast is full of  suspects and a grumpy neighbor round out the cast. I found this to be a very good start to the series and I think cozy mystery fans are going to love this new series by CeeCee James.

I will post more about this book and when and where you can order it as soon as it becomes available.
You can learn more about CeeCee James by clicking here. 
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

On My Table and In My Cup December 16th- 23rd

Blinking and thinking about the tidal wave of a week we have just had passed as we gear up for the big days yet ahead. I felt like I was just treading water this week and took the wonderful highs, with a few lows. I can not believe that I am going to blink again and it will be Christmas Eve, Day and the New Year. Thursday was the first day of the 12 days of Christmas, also known as Yule, and the Winter Solstice. The above photo is for my table and this is my yule log.

Yesterday I added one of my newer Snowbabies to the table, at the time we were expecting more snow and we were lucky not to get more just yet, I think this is my good luck charm!

Don't get me wrong, we did have snow, so much that snuck up on us on Tuesday it pretty well shut the city down. Traffic was awful and roads very much unsafe. I took this after the second round of shoveling I did...

you may look at this photo and laugh, as this is likely not much snow for where you live but here it is quite a bit. It was 4 inches when it stopped and yes when you live on the West Coast of Canada as I do, just Three hours North of Seattle, you don't expect to get snow often or very much. The novelty of it wears off quickly and while it looks great from the window, if you have to go anywhere it is a nightmare. More snow is forecast for Christmas Day, who knows we may actually have a white Christmas here after all.

I am reading CeeCee James newest cozy called Cherry Pie or Die, I am very much loving this story and due to the snow, three Christmas Concerts and a two hour dental appointment has found me carrying the book around and not getting time to sit and binge read as I would like! I will share the review tomorrow though!

I downloaded and read a great little cozy short story this week by Gin Jones it was a free one on Amazon this week and a lovely book to read while I enjoyed tea and shortbread from one of my friends.

I did manage to also get The Hostess With the Ghostess read this week as well.
I will leave you here today, some much needed last minute shopping I must do and hope that you are all enjoying your Saturday.
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a week in review. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

The Frosty Taste of Scandal by CeeCee James

CeeCee James sent me her latest Angel Lake Mystery The Frosty Taste of Scandal and I loved it. Best first chapter I have read in the longest time, loved this book all the way through, mystery was fab and the murder weapon well very smart and tied in beautifully to the story. I could not put it down, reading well past my bedtime to finish. I said and thought "ooh!" so many times in this book. Loved the twist at the end and the cozy feelings this book left me with. Perfect holiday read with all the feels and so much more! From the title, to the cover and all the words beyond it, I was thrilled!  Read it! That's my advice!

Elise Pepper has had dates ruined by cold-hearted men, but she's never had one quite this cold.
Cold, as in dead. 

Instead of an evening of flirting and ice skating, Elise discovers the dead body of Mr. Hamilton, a mortgage broker with a reputation for shady deals...also known as the Ice-man. The scene of the crime is no coincidence, either. The Ice-man meets an icy end. And a freak power outage is only impeding the police.When Elise's coworker, Sue, begs for help, Elise is surprised to discover Sue was related to the man. And her family is fighting over his will and the appearance of an illegitimate son. It doesn't take long to discover everyone in town had reason to benefit from the banker's death.When even the king and queen of the local high school's Winter Ball come under suspicion, Elise wonders if they'll ever find out who did it.This may be the first case where the killer walks away.

The Frosty Taste of Scandal is out now and you can find it on Amazon by clicking here.

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

On My Table and In My Cup November 4-11th

First I wish to acknowledge that today is Remembrance Day here in Canada, and I am observing the holiday and recognizing the sacrifices of others,  that has afforded my freedom and the freedom of so many others.

 My support, gratitude and thanks to the military families of the past, present and future for all they do so we can do all we do.

This week has been crazier than most, helping my cat through her recovery which she is not the most grateful of patients...She is however on the mend and showing marked signs of improvement. Thank you for those who reached out.

I have had some lovely books on my table this week and got three lovely books in the mail this week! I had pre ordered The Magicakal Family by Monica Crosson and I was thrilled it finally arrived from The Book Depository!
Libby Klein kindly sent me her Class Reunions are Murder which I think is a new book for 2018 and I got sent the coolest book of haiku, Killer Ku' which is all crime themed haiku, yep as cool as can be and this would make an amazing stocking stuffer!

I read CeeCee James The Frosty Taste of Scandal. My review will be up tomorrow.

I shared my review of Kate Carlisle's Eves of Destruction this week too, it's a good one this book is fab!

Bridget M. Tighe's independently published cozy that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Sunday I shared my love for The Witch at Wayside Cross by Lisa Tuttle. This was a great cozy!

I also shared that our Amigos are taking a Holiday Hiatus and resting up for our tours in 2018.

I even attended a Tea Festival this week and I love the new teas I bought. I have had some fantastic Chia this week, smooth creamy Earl Greys and so many more!

I would like to end today's post by inviting you all to join myself and 34 authors this December on my Beyond The Bookmarks Event Page for Cozies, Crime, Community and Christmas. A great way to spend the holidays and when anyone asks you can tell them you are booked for the holidays! At least one author per day will share their recipes, chat about their books and series and do a giveaway. There will be crafts posts, music, videos and so much more! You can join us from the comfort of your home just by visiting Beyond The Bookmarks and Clicking on the Event Section, Discussion page. We invite you to comment as well, share with us and help us build a great cozy community and spend time with each other virtually this holiday season. Click here for the Event page and you can see the full list of who will be stopping by on our page. 

Thank you for joining me here for a look back at what has been on my table and in my cup this week. I wish you a safe, happy and peaceful weekend. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

On My Table and In My Cup July 22nd-29th

I am so very lucky and grateful for the opportunities that I have in life, for the people placed in my path and for the books written by amazing authors who give me a great escape. I am particularly grateful this week after a difficult week. I had some amazing opportunities this week and I am so thankful and thrilled with how my Beyond The Bookmark event went with author Jayne Barnard in celebration of her Maddie Hatter series. Thank you to all who came to the Facebook event on my Beyond The Bookmarks pages.

I did get some reading done this week and shared some reviews of CeeCee James latest cozy Final Check Out. Book Three in her series I can not believe how fast she gets these out!

Library super sleuth and  superhero  in Wrong Side of The Paw had me so excited ! Laurie Cass writes a fantastic series!

Oh and I love the Victoria Hamilton Merry Muffin Series! Muffin To Fear was exceptional and I even made a video about it yesterday!

I am finishing up Assaulted Caramel right now by Amanda Flower and look forward to sharing my review with you all soon.
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a week in review. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Final Check Out by Cee Cee James

Saturday I read Final Check Out by Cee Cee James,  Book three in the Ocean Side Mystery Series . This was an intriguing read, the murder happening at an amusement park and main character Maisie stuck right in the middle like cotton candy to your teeth and your hair! I really enjoyed reading this one and picturing the way the amusement park was laid out, and learning more about Maisie and her friends. This is a fast and light cozy that is well balanced and fun.

When Maisie takes a day off from the hotel business to visit a popular amusement park, the last thing she wants is to trip over a dead body in the Maze of Mirrors. The only witness to the murder is a park employee dressed in a princess costume.Things take a turn as Maisie watches the princess run off and nobody seems to know who she is. And the Federal Marshal who was first on the scene has disappeared, too. As Maisie follows the twists and turns of this not-so-funhouse, she hits one dead end after another—until she discovers that the person she should have been chasing has really been chasing her all along

This one is out now and you can find it on Amazon by clicking here.

On My Table and In My Cup July 15th -22nd

Well I can honestly say this was a crazy fast week, only getting home on Monday I am very much behind! I did manage to get a bit of reading done this week, and just started Final Check out by CeeCee James. 

It was so much fun to have this book early and to escape to. If you have not yet read this series it is one of the best, I love the idea of a historical based, royal family, spy mystery series and I know you would too if you happened upon it! Book one made me so very happy! I have devoured each book since!

Two British Cozies for me this week

Death Plays a Part was a lovely way to kick of my vacation weekend.  This is a first in series that is out now.

I just finished reading Wrong Side of the Paw and will share my review with you tomorrow. 

I have brought some fun tea back and have been enjoying it all week. It was fun to be at the Stash Store. 

Below is my Friday Spotlight on a series from a few years ago, the Magical Dress Making Series by Melissa Bourbon. I am still working out how to do these videos and I am thankful for those of you who humor me and watch them!

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery week in review. I look forward to sharing more reviews with you tomorrow.

On My Table and In My Cup May 27th - June 2nd

Greetings this morning from my table to yours. I am so thrilled to have Lorna Barrett's book on my table this week, ahead of its June 13th release. I have read every book in this series and it is my favorite long running series. I can not wait to share this one with you all soon but for now I am savoring it!

With the arrival of June's Berkley reads I find that I am ahead of the game with only two left to read from this lovely selection.

Kate Carlisle's Once Upon A Spine was a lifesaver this week as I read it while at the doctor and X-Ray for what I now now is a sprained ankle. I am recovering very well.

Maggie Sefton's Only Skein Deep was such a comfortable read. I loved reading this one, made it feel like a nice visit with friends. This one is a must read for sure.

CeeCee James has a great book number 2 with Deadly Reservations. Great Mother/Daughter relationship story, as well as a great mystery.

A very sophisticated and proper mystery in The Curious Affair of The Somnambulist and The Psychic Thief by Lisa Tuttle, I very much enjoyed this period mystery.

This week I enjoyed David's Tea's Long Life Oolong,  as well as my blissful Murchies Vanilla Black and Tazo's Calm Tea. Even as the weather turns warmer I still enjoy all my hot favorite teas!
Thank you for joining me this week for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery week in review. I would love to hear form you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com