May Day Murder by Jennifer David Hesse

I read May Day Murder in January and with all that had been going on in my life I realized only this morning that I had yet to review it. Jennifer David Hesse, is one of my most favorite Paranormal Cozy authors. The Wiccan Wheel Mystery Series Main character is Attorney Keli who tries hard not to announce her religious faith to the world, preferring the life and freedom of an solitary witch, yet somehow no matter what seems to happen it is her faith that she calls upon or is called into question to help solve murder mysteries. In May Day, Keli is put to the test almost immediately and when Keli is made a person of interest the web gets more and more tangled. Keli finds herself questioning everything including her faith. This is a great read and one I know that many of you will truly enjoy.

Spring is in the air, but for Edindale, Illinois, attorney Keli Milanni, murder is the only thing blooming . . .  Keli’s looking forward to Beltane, the time-honored Wiccan holiday that celebrates life with feasting, ceremonial dancing, and ancient Celtic rituals. But since recently leaving her law firm and opening her own practice, Keli has more on her plate than simple abundance. Still, she always has time for a friend. Erik, a Druid from a neighboring town, has had a run of bad luck he blames on a curse cast by his ex-girlfriend Denise, a practicing witch whose expertise in the dark arts can’t save her from her own deadly end. When Keli finds herself a person of interest in the investigation, she begins to wonder if she herself might be cursed. With a little help from her friends, including her devoted boyfriend Wes, Keli aims to find out who poisoned Denise. What she uncovers is a witch’s brew of spells, hexes, and black magic that raises questions about her own Wiccan worldview. As the community gathers for the May Day festivities, it’s up to Keli to stop a killer from springing ahead to another murder . . .

This Kensington release is out now and waiting for you to pick up and enjoy. I am not an Amazon affiliate, and you can find it on Amazon by clicking here. 

Thank you for joining me 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

Samhain Secrets by Jennifer David Hesse

I love fall, Halloween and Samhain. Reading Jennifer David Hesse Samhain Secrets in Mexico got me so excited for Fall. While I do love these long summer days and nights, I am more of a sweater weather and jeans kind of girl. I loved being transported into the town of Edindale, Illinois where the Wiccan Wheel Mystery Series takes place. Main character Keli Milanni is a great character. She feels like someone I could be very close to and a great friend to have. This book I will tell you had me sad in the beginning, so sad, I felt so much empathy for Keli and yet then so inspired. I felt so emotionally invested in the story that I hated to put it down, I cried, I smiled, I loved and I laughed. In the end my heart soared. I loved this book and I love this series. This one is out at the end of the month and is a must read, the series is a must read for light paranormal witchy mystery fans. I also love these great covers that Kensington has for this series.

It’s that haunted time of year, when skeletons come out to play. But Edindale, Illinois, attorney Keli Milanni discovers it isn’t just restless spirits who walk the night . . . After her recent promotion to junior partner, Keli is putting in overtime to juggle her professional career and private Wiccan spiritual practice. With Halloween fast approaching, her duties include appearing as a witch at a “haunted” barn and hand-holding a client who’s convinced her new house is really haunted. But it’s the disappearance of Josephine O’Malley that has Keli spooked. The missing person is Keli’s aunt, an environmental activist and free spirit who always seemed to embody peace, love, and independence. When Josephine is found dead in the woods, Keli wonders if her aunt’s activities were as friendly as they seemed. As Keli comes to terms with her loss—while adjusting to having a live-in boyfriend and new demands at work—she must wield her one-of-a-kind magic to banish negative energy if she’s going to catch a killer this Samhain season. Because Keli isn’t ready to give up the ghost . . .

I am not an Amazon affiliate and you can find Samhain Secrets on Amazon by clicking here. 
Thank you for joining me 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

Midsummer Night's Mischief by Jennifer David Hesse

Such a treat to read Midsummer Night's Mischief by Jennifer David Hesse. This is the first book in the Wiccan Wheel Series and the only one I had not yet read. I love this series. I have felt very connected to the main character Keli from the first page of book two which was the first I read in the series.  In book one Keli is a confident and strong lawyer with a looming birthday and a longing for a true connection with the right person. She has a great best friend but keeps her true self hidden from her friends and her co-workers.  Keli finds herself in a no win situation and goes above and beyond to help her clients family. This is a great read and a wonderful theme. I loved it.

As the Summer Solstice approaches in idyllic Edindale, Illinois, attorney Keli Milanni isn't feeling the magic. She's about to land in a cauldron of hot water at work. Good thing she has her private practice to fall back on--as a Wiccan. She'll just have to summon her inner Goddess and set the world to rights. . .Midsummer Eve is meant for gratitude and celebration, but Keli is not in her typically upbeat mood. The family of a recently deceased client is blaming her for the loss of a Shakespearean heirloom worth millions, and Keli's career may be on the line. With both a Renaissance Faire and a literary convention in town, Edindale is rife with suspicious characters, and the intrepid attorney decides to tap into her unique skills to crack the case. . .But Keli weaves a tangled web when her investigation brings her up-close and personal with her suspects--including sexy Wes Callahan, her client's grandson. The tattooed bartender could be the man she's been looking for in more ways than one. As the sun sets on the mystical holiday, Keli will need just a touch of the divine to ferret out the real villain and return Edindale, and her heart, to a state of perfect harmony

You can find  Midsummer Night's Mischief by Jennifer David Hesse 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

Winter Solstice Blessings of Yule To You and Yours!

Today is the winter solstice Blessed May You Be!
Today I will light my Yule Log and remember all I have learned this year, all the wonderful books I have read, tea I have enjoyed and friends I have spent time with.
I have come across a tea company called Solstice Tea and you can check out their teas by clicking here.

Below I share links on Amazon to books I have read this year that are perfect for today.  I am not an Amazon affiliate and I do not make money if you click the links. Just wanted to share...

A great Yuletide Solstice Reas is Jennifer David Hesse's Yuletide Homicide, her most recent in the series and in my opinion the best! This one is out now and you can find it on Amazon.com by clicking here.

In August I reviewed and loved Monica Crosson's Magicakal Family, so much so that I ordered it in paperback for myself. I have this wonderfully written book to refer to and learn from and it is out now and you can find it on Amazon by clicking here. 

I hope you have a safe and wonderful holiday season and as the days return to longer and more light, may your heart feel lighter too.

As with all my posts 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 September 9th-16th

This is a week that has flown by, a one foot in front of the other week. I found out over the weekend that a friend, mentor and author I worked closely with, passed away suddenly. Jessica Simon was a fellow Sister in Crime member and our membership secretary at Sisters In Crime Canada West, it was a shock and we are deeply saddened with the news of her sudden passing.

At this time I am looking at still holding the event we had planned on September 24th, but will proceed after consultation with her husband Mike. To all who knew and loved Jessica, my heart is with you as we mourn this incredible loss to our community.

My Witchy Wednesday book this week was Crystal Magic, a book that is coming out in October and a book I felt I really learned with. This is a book that would make a great gift to those who love the stones and crystals. 

I was surprised to find a mystery in my mailbox, a book I have had on my wishlist and am excited to read! Midsummer Night's Mischief, arrived from a mystery sender and I wish to thank them and hope they will let me know who they are! #buyafriendabookdaymystery. 

I finished Donna Andrews How the Finch Stole Christmas, this is a lovely holiday cozy and a review I will share in the next week or so. Keep your eye out for this one!

Oh boy did I love Death on Tap by Ellie Alexander, I have so many things I want to share about this book . To start with I will share a cautionary tale with you about Death on Tap by Ellie Alexander, you are going to want to clear your schedule to read it and if you are reading on a device, make sure it is fully charged before you start! The only reason I did not finish this in one night is my ipad battery died, this is a very good binge worthy book and I am delighted it is on my table! I love it when a first in series captures me in this way! 

I am almost finished Murder on the Toy Town Express by Barbara Early! This one is a great story and easy to picture for me, I would love to go to a toy fair like the characters do in this book, more to come with the review. 

Thank you so much for joining me this weekend for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery week in review. I look forward to sharing more with you tomorrow. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Yuletide Homicide by Jennifer David Hesse

I love the Wiccan Wheel  Mystery series by Jennifer David Hesse. Yuletide Homicide comes out September 26th  from Kensington Publishing and is one I can highly recommend. There are so many reasons why I liked this book and series but let's start with a great main character. Keli is a curious, resourceful and confident Lawyer, who hides her Wiccan religion from all but her very close circle.  Guided by a strong sense of  justice and curiosity, Keli learns more about herself and her intuition as she works to unravel a murder mystery. I love her back story, there is a connection to a long lost aunt who features more prominently in this story and a wonderful sense of holiday magic.  I thought this was well written and thought out, researched perfectly and had the right balance of cozy/paranormal suspense. A great read and a great series!  

It’s Christmas in Edindale, Illinois, and family law attorney Keli Milanni is preparing to celebrate the Wiccan holiday Yuletide, a celebration of rebirth. But this Yuletide someone else is focused on dying . . . After years of practicing in secret, Keli has come out as a Wiccan to her boyfriend, and she feels like this Yuletide she’s the one who’s being reborn. But the Solstice is the longest night of the year, and Keli is about to stumble on a mystery so dangerous, she’ll be lucky to make it to morning. Paired with her unbearably stuffy colleague Crenshaw Davenport III, Keli goes undercover at a real estate company owned by mayoral candidate Edgar Harrison. An old friend of Keli’s boss, Harrison, is being blackmailed, and it’s up to her to find the culprit. But the morning after the company holiday party, Harrison is found dead underneath the hotel Christmas tree. The police rule the death an accident, but Keli knows better—and she’ll risk her own rebirth to nab a missing killer.

You can find Yuletide Homicide 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 September 2nd-9th

On my table this week I have had quite a lot. Not just books and tea, but calenders, school forms and homework. This week was back to school week one for us and the chaos has begun. In my blessed chaos I do realize and am thankful to for the small issues this has caused in my own world, I only have to turn on the news, or Facebook to see the devastation first hand, fires, floods, storms, earthquakes, accidents and threats of war world wide. I try so hard to focus on the good. Not always easy and something easy to forget. In times of chaos, there are always helpers, the good in people does shine through even in the darkest of times.

 It was a lovely surprise to have a copy of MK Graff's book Golden Hour arrive in my mailbox this week. I am looking forward to reading it.

I am reading this book so slowly not on purpose but due to the events and amount of work I have been doing this week, the last two days I am starting to feel more like myself, just still really tired.
So this one may take me a bit to get to the review.

I did read and enjoy Leigh Perry's The Skeleton Paints a Picture this week, it is a great book and series and this review will be up soon to share!

I got to review a new Witchcraft book this Wednesday that will be out in October and would make a great holiday gift too!

Dial Meow for Murder was on my table this week and a great read as well! I love an uncomplicated character in a complicated mystery!

What a treat to be able to read Yuletide Homicide, this one I will say I cheered at in the end. I love this series so much.

Monday morning before all the chaos, I did go to the beach with my husband while he walked I sat and sipped my tea it was a lovely sunrise and matched my teacup perfectly I tote my teacup and saucer, as well as my Murchie's Vanilla Black Tea in a thermos and sit with the birds, harbor seals, seagulls and Canadian Geese. As I get stronger I will hopefully be able to keep up with him as he walks. 

I ordered and got new glasses this week as well, I am so pleased with how comfortable they are and how well I feel I see in them.

We started our new Fall Series this week and I hope you got to check it out! Be sure to check in on Monday to see what Karen K and I have for you!

I hope you have enjoyed this quick look back at the week and what has been on my table and in my cup!  Thank you for joining me here 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 

On My Table and In My Cup August 26th-September 2nd

September is here weather I like it or not. Having spent most of August to ill to do much, I feel a tad cheated and here we are on the Roller Coaster that will take us into the Christmas holidays. For me the start of summer feels like that climb to the top of the free fall, and September first is when that decent begins and at the bottom of that hill is Christmas.  Maybe it is not that way to you but it does feel that way to me. I am trying to look on the positive side and I am feeling better, just still not myself.  This past week I was well enough to get up before dawn with my husband and he would take me to the beach where he walks every morning along the Seawalk and I sit on the beach breathing the salt air, sipping my tea and taking it all in. 

 If you follow me on social media you already know all this. I am very lucky to live so close to such beautiful and naturally peaceful settings in such turbulent times. 

I went three times this week and this was the first day, just catching the sun  as it rose above the Lions Gate Bridge. 

The view is beautiful even when you are not facing the bridge.  I have had so many things on my mind lately, the news, has not be great, my heart goes out to those who are dealing with the flooding in Asia and The USA, though you don't see much on the catastrophic floods in Asia unless you read international news. The stories of  those helping others is what I look for and while I know prayers are not enough, I wish there was some real way we could help anyone in such need. 

On to books, what a treat to be reading Jennifer David Hesse upcoming mystery this weekend. I am half way through and loving it.

I also finished Grave Mistake by Janice J. Richardson this week , my review of this one will be up later next week. This is a can't miss Canadian Cozy series!

Wednesday I read The Good Witches Guide to Wicked Ways, this is actually a really old book I got at a second hand store that I enjoy having on my shelf, great tips and written with humor.

I finished Pudding Up With Murder and have this review coming up shortly! Julia Buckley is a favorite author of mine and this is such a great series!

I remembered to post my review of Betty Hechtman, along with sharing the hats I made on my knitting retreat.

I shared my review of J.A. Hennrikus' A Christmas Peril earlier in the week as well, an exciting holiday cozy you need to watch for!

Coming up tomorrow I have the review of Allison Brook's Death Overdue.....love the cover don't you?

With Buy A Friend A Book Day I was delighted to receive at my door, The TEa Lovers Devotional!

As well via Email I was thrilled to receive Amanda M. Lee's Casual Hex, I wanted to thank you Lin and my Secret Elf for making it such a fun day for me! I hope you all had fun as well. I sent out some early to my partner in the Elf swap, hoping it arrives to them soon! I also sent out a few more to surprise a few unsuspecting friends. I love Buy A Friend A Book Day and can not wait for next years swap!

Thank you all for joining me here today for a cup of tea and cozy mystery week in 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 12-19th

Saturday morning and time for another week in review. This morning I have Frosty The Dead Man on my table, the third book in the Snow Globe Shop Mystery by Christine Husom. I am looking forward to sharing my review of this December 6th release with you all.

Knowing where I am going in the next few months has helped me with the idea of having to move out of the home we have lived in for the last 7 years. Leaving the neighborhood is hard for me, it is something I am struggling with. However the new place has built in book shelves so that is helping...
Reading Spouse on Haunted Hill was a lot like going home. This is book eight and was beyond wonderful. I hung on each word, easily picturing the setting, characters and mystery. Delightful to the end!

The end of December has some fantastic books coming out as well. The second book in the Jennifer David Hesse Wiccan Wheel Mystery Series is very exciting. A great mystery and a wonderful book, while the main character is Wiccan this is really not a paranormal cozy, it happens to be a great cozy, fun mystery and a character who just happens to walk the path of a Wiccan Witch. Loved it! Can not wait to read the first one, the second one was so good I must go and buy the first one.

Death Takes Priority, book one in the Postmistress series by Jean Flowers, was another cozy I enjoyed this week, I read and reviewed book two in September and was thrilled to go back and see how it all started.

Pressed to Death by Kirsten Weiss actually doesn't come out until next March but I got a sneak peak this past weekend and it was such a treat. Story, subject matter and cover, had me hook, line and sinker!
Not a lot new in my cup this week, choosing to stay in my comfort zone with the black vanilla tea from Murchies this week in my cup.  I did sneak a Christmas Eve Tea by Stash in twice, but had them in my mug so not sure that totally counts!
Thank you for joining me for another 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

Bell, Book & Candlemas by Jennifer David Hesses

Bell, Book & Candlemas is the second book in the A Wiccan Wheel Mystery Series by Jennifer David Hesse. This book was sent to me to review and what a special treat for me this was. I had not read the first book Midsummer Night's Mischief, but now I really want too! No matter though I had no problems getting into the story and the characters in Bell, Book & Candlemas. This is a great cozy mystery for those of you who like me, who love a good witch mystery. This one I very much enjoyed because while it is a witch mystery it truly is a Wiccan Mystery.  What makes it intriguing to me is that while the main character Keli is Wiccan and considers herself a witch, it is not witch craft that solves the mystery, so this is not really a paranormal cozy, it is really a cozy about a main character who happens to practice the religion of Wicca. Don't question the coziness though this book has that for sure. It is well written and researched and I so enjoyed it. I learned as I enjoyed this book and felt like I wanted to move to Edindale and hang out with Keli, who is a very smart lawyer in addition to being a great armature sleuth. The cover is also truly wonderful and reflective of the story. I could so easily relate to Keli, and her struggle to balance her life, work and religion. How she felt compelled to compartmentalize each thing so that no one would be bias of her religious beliefs. There is an important message and theme in this cozy, about having the courage to be who you are and who you are meant to be. I believe this will be a series I will have to own entirely. I highly recommend it!

A new year has barely begun and Edindale, Illinois, family law attorney Keli Milanni already has her hands full at work. But her private practice—as a Wiccan—may cause her worlds to collide…The Wiccan holiday of Candlemas is right around the corner, but when vandals target New Age gift shop Moonstone Treasures, the mood is far from festive. Frightening threats and accusations of witchcraft aimed at the owner have some Wiccan patrons calling it a hate crime. And when things escalate to murder, the community turns to Keli…As a friend and customer, Keli wants to help. But there’s one problem: she’s fiercely private about her religion. How can she stop the harassment, not to mention catch a killer, while keeping her faith hidden from her colleagues, clients, and her promising—and long awaited—new boyfriend? At a time meant to banish darkness, will Keli have to choose between risking the spotlight and keeping her beliefs locked in the proverbial broom closet? Or will she call on her deepest convictions to conjure the perfect path?...

Be sure to check out Bell Book & Candlemas by Jennifer David Hesse on Amazon by clicking here.
Learn more about Jennifer David Hesse and the A Wiccan Wheel Mystery series by clicking here 
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review! This was a joy to have on my table! I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com