Til Death Do Us Party by Vickie Fee

I finished Til Death Do Us Party last night by VIckie Fee and Oh boy is this a fun book! Best in the series by far! I love this cozy southern series and Vickie Fee captures the southern cozy charm in this one even with the trip to Las Vegas. I did not want to put this book down. It was fun, it was filled with charm, stubbornness, love and mystery as well as a whole lot of Elvis. A great feel good cozy mystery from start to finish. What happens in Vegas only stays in Vegas if you choose, a very good armchair traveler read. Fantastic cover!

Las Vegas knows how to party, and for once, event planner Liv McKay won’t be entirely behind the scenes. The Dixie gang is in Sin City to celebrate Mama and Earl’s rockin’ Elvis-themed wedding. And between juggling the botched bachelorette party and a problem-plagued soirée back home, Liv’s ready to double down on some fun.  Mama & Earl’s happily-ever-after seems like a sure thing, but all bets (and nuptials) are off when they get to the Burning Love Wedding Chapel. Their Elvis-impersonating minister has left the building . . . permanently. And even worse, Liv’s cousin, Little Junior, is suspected of his murder.  With Mama’s happy ending on the table and Little Junior about to lose it all, the stakes are higher than ever. Liv and her best friend, Di, must hit the Strip to find the real killer before he finally plays his ace... 
 

This one is out March 27th from Kensington, 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 April 15th-22nd

Yesterday The Queen celebrated her 91st birthday. One of my favorite quotes from the Queen is from a speech she made in 1991, "Let us not take ourselves too seriously, None of us has a monopoly on wisdom" I wish I could say I know her personally but this is a close to tea with the queen as I get. I loved this photo so much I printed and framed it, it is the Queen and her husband is dressed as one of her guards, the queen is laughing. Such personality, such spunk and such dedication. Long may she continue to reign. I lift my Murchies Vanilla Black tea to celebrate your years of service and life.

 Lots on my table this week and I am over 67 books read this year so far. Curiosity Killed Dolly Kendall is a cozy mystery short I read on Thursday.

I also finished A Killer Keepsake earlier in the week, this is a first in series by Ellery Adams and Parker Riggs, a different cozy but a good cozy for sure.

Coming in May is Grandma Bertha Solving Murders by Matt Ferraz, a delightful read.

A fantastic paranormal by CC Dragon, Pick Your Potion, I can not wait to read the next in series!

Vickie Fee's One Fete in the Grave was a third in a series I so enjoy and this one is out this May.

I want to thank all of you who have contributed too or who are continuing to support our fundraiser for our friend Lisa K, if you would like more info on how you can help her out please click here.
In my Etsy shop I am still offering listings to help Lisa out as well. You can visit my Etsy shop by clicking here.

Thank you so much for taking the time to join 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

One Fete in the Grave by Vickie Fee

Last week I was more then delighted to find the ARC of One Fete in the Grave by Vickie Fee in my mail box. This is the third book in the Liv and Di in Dixie series and it is very well done. I have liked this series from the start. Enjoying the great friendship of Liv and Di as well as their family, friends and small town life, this is a true cozy mystery lovers series.  In the third book we find that Liv and her husband are still very much living in an ongoing renovation, and still with only one bathroom up and working, it's July, it's hot and there is so much going on. 

When a town councilman is found dead and Liv's mother boyfriend is arrested for murder, Liv and Di find themselves in the middle of yet another case.  I like the relationships in this series so much. I like that Di is a postal worker who lives in a trailer, that Liv and her husband are both busy working people. That Liv and her sister fight like sisters do and that life in Dixie is never boring. Vickie has done a great job with One Fete in the Grave and I was so delighted by the ending, I hope you will be too.

Party planner Liv McKay has outdone herself this time. She’s put together an unforgettable Fourth of July celebration for the town of Dixie, Tennessee—including breathtaking fireworks and an exciting Miss Dixie Beauty Pageant. Maybe a little too exciting.As the party is winding down, Liv’s sense of triumph fizzles when the body of town councilman Bubba Rowland is discovered on the festival grounds. And now the prime suspect in his murder is Liv’s mother’s fiancé, Earl, who had a flare-up recently with Bubba. To clear Earl’s name, Liv and her best friend Di burst into action to smoke out the real killer before another life is extinguished . . .

One Fete in the Grave is being released May 30th, you can pre order it now on Amazon by clicking here.

Click here to learn more about the series and about author Vickie Fee 
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 April 8th-15th

A week has come and gone and we have had more rain then sunshine, I have heard more sadness and strife sadly then happy news,  I hope that as this week draws to a close the new week begining holds a much better times ahead for all of us. Checking back now on what I have had on my table this week...

Last night I finished One Fete in the Grace by Vicke Fee and I shall share my review in full with you all tomorrow. Such a lovely and welcome surprise this week to find it in my mail box.

I am still craving cupcakes and is it any wonder why when I have had Jenn McKinlay's latest cozy on my table. Loved the characters and story in this one too!

A Frying Shame was a read I enjoyed, first in series for me and lots of fun.

Lena Gregory's Occult and Battery was a wonderful paranormal cozy read that I enjoyed along with  the traditional cozies this week. Loved the story line and characters in this second in series.

I reopened my Etsy shop in hopes of helping out a dear friend in troubling times, if you would like to help out to please click here to learn more. 

I have had my old standby Murchies Vanila in my cup most of the week, but I also had some peppermint tea and some lavender black in my tea pot this week. I am looking into a tea line to hopefully add to my tea shop and shall let you all know about it when I have settled on a line. Until then I am ever so grateful that you choose to spend your time with me. 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

Three Etsy Favorites For Book and Tea Lovers Like Me

I am not finished reading Vickie Fee's new Liv and Di in Dixie book, as I had my niece most of Thursday, so I am sharing a few fun finds from Etsy with you today. The first one is a fun assortment of tea from The First Addition Tea Co. This is a fun shop with some great teas for book lovers and this collection caught my eye. This shop is reasonably priced and I am thrilled it is based in Toronto Canada. Click here for shop and listings.

I do occasionally use a mug and this one is really cute and right up my alley. This is offered by Enchanted Prints Etsy shop and can be viewed by clicking here. I love it on a mug, if I had wall space I think I would have a framed print...

The last fun find to share today is something I think is pretty cool, I used to covet the little stickers people put in their books but now I love the library press idea, for books, envelopes etc
I think I may have to have one of these made up for myself. The Print Mint has a large assortment of these embossers and I think it would be fun to choose one don't you? Click here to see what I am talking about.

Thank you for joining me today for a cup of tea and a look at some of my Etsy Favorites. I will be back with more to share tomorrow and a review for you on Sunday.
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 30- August 6th

Saturday morning and what a busy week it has been. I have been able to read some great mysteries this week, one book about writing and a cook book. It has been a wonderful and busy week here on my table. I treated my self to some wonderful mint and chocolate scented tea with Steeped Tea's After Eight tea. It was indulgent like the wonderful chocolates themselves and satisfying as an after dinner tea. Arriving Thursday on my table was A Grave Prediction by Victoria Laurie and Bailey Cates Spells and Scones.

This month I am taking an on line course in writing called Discover Your Writing Self and I am so enjoying it. One of the books I found very informative and helpful was Writing Day In and Day Out by Andi Cumbo-Floyd, there was some very practical and helpful advice along with some truly motivating passages. You can find this book on Amazon by clicking here.

Karen MacInerne kindly sent her newsletter subscribers her The Gray Whale Inn Kitchen  tomorrow I plan on making the Peach Sunrise Coffee Cake you can find The Gray Whale Inn Kitchen by clicking here. 

Thursday I finished The Witch Who Couldn't Spell by Katie Penryn, A British Paranormal Cozy I will share a review of Sunday.

This week thanks to my library,  I read A Tigers Tale by Laura Morrigan, I loved it. The story is a good one and it was a delightful read and mystery.

Out now a new first in series by CeeCee James this was a fun cozy and one I quite enjoyed. I loved the cover as much as the story. This book is available now.

Vickie Fee's 2nd in her Liv and Di series comes out in September and this was a great book, good cozy and easy to get into. If you have yet to read this series pick up the first book  for $1.99 right now on kindle! Death Crashes the Party and pre order It's Your Party Die If You Want Too for September! You will be glad you did.

Victoria Hamilton/Amanda Cooper sent me this wonderful tea spoon for my collection. This Skull Spoon works perfectly and photographs even better with my afternoon tea and a great cozy series, The Teapot Collector Mystery Series!

On my table this week I am pleased to share a new to me tea cup my father's friend Janice gave him to give to me. This Royal Albert stunner is from the portrait series and has been a delight to use this week on my table. Fun fact I use around 4-6 teacups and saucer sets a day, lots of hand washing! I don't consider myself a collector as I actually use my teacups, I do not treat them as  trophies but as beautiful vessels delivering liquid sanity in the sea of chaos that life can bring.

Finally today I would like to thank you all who entered to win a copy of Leann Sweeney's The Cat, The Collector and the Killer. The winner is :

Robin Coxon! Congratulations and a copy will be sent to you from the pulisher shortly. 

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

Vickie Fee's It's Your Party, Die If You Want To, A September Release To Pre Order!

Thursday afternoon the mail man brought me Vickie Fee's 2nd in the Liv and Di Mystery series to review called "It's Your Party, Die if You Want To". I was thrilled to be sent this advanced reading copy and quickly set to work. I love that this cozy is set in the fall, which Is my favorite time of year and I am so looking forward to it! Sorry if you are a summer person I am very much a jeans and sweater person.
This Southern based small town mystery series was exactly what I needed to read this weekend. The story captures the busy lives of event planner Liv McKay and her mail-lady best friend Di. I felt like a weekend guest and like I belonged with the ladies on their retreat. I quickly felt engaged in the story, like I was right there with them in the thick of it with the events that Liv had exquisitly planned. I began thinking of myself as a valuable member of the reluctant sleuth team of Liv and Di, almost as if  we were a team "Liv, Di and Kare!". I loved the creative themes for each event and I did not figure out who did it before the big reveal. I appreciated that this mystery was more then 300 pages, I did not want my time with Liv and Die to be over so soon, I will truly be looking forward to the next one! It's Your Party,Die If You Want To is out September 27th! 

" Between a riverboat gambler-theme engagement party and a murder mystery dinner for charity, Dixie, Tennessee, party planner Liv McKay is far too frenzied to feel festive. Add to the mix her duties at the annual businesswomen’s retreat and the antics of a celebrity ghost-hunting diva, and Liv’s schedule is turning out to be the scariest thing about this Halloween—especially when the ladies stumble across a dead body in a cemetery…   Morgan Robison was a party girl with a penchant for married men and stirring up a cauldron of drama. Any number of scorned wives or frightened philanderers could be behind her death. As Liv and her best friend, Di, set out to dig up the truth, they’ll face the unexpected and find their efforts hampered by a killer with one seriously haunting vendetta…"

Learn more about Vickie Fee by clicking here to visit her website
You can pre order your own copy of It's Your Party Die if You Want To, from The Book Depository with Free Shipping by clicking here. 
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy review. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Death Crashes The Party A Liv and Di In Dixie Mystery

Many months ago I saw the cover art release of Death Crashes the Party and one look at the cover and I knew I had to read it. I pre ordered it from The Book Depository. I have not read anything by Vickie Fee before but I would not hesitate a moment to order another book by her. Death Crashes the Party story was not what I thought it would be but it was so much better then I could have imagined. It is a Southern Mystery with out any pretension, cleanly written and right up my alley. A story of friendship, with a healthy dose of mystery and southern charm but not over the top.

"In the quirky, close-knit town of Dixie, Tennessee, party planner Liv McKay has a knack for throwing Southern-style soirees, from diamonds-and-denim to black tie affairs, and her best friend Di Souther mixes a mean daiquiri. While planning a Moonshine and Magnolias bash for high maintenance clients, Liv inconveniently discovers a corpse in the freezer and turns her attention from fabulous fetes to finding a murderer. Together, Liv and Di follow a trail of sinister secrets in their sweet little town that leads them from drug smugglers to a Civil War battlefield, and just when they think they're whistling Dixie, Liv and Di will find themselves squarely in the crosshairs of the least likely killer of all. . ."

One of the things I liked most about the characters is you can relate easily to them, they are hard working, small town but not small minded. They struggle and celebrate, BBQ and deal with what life hands them. They take risks and clearly care and respect Southern values. They believe in Family, helping each other as well as the community, with more time then money. These are characters you would like to add to your book club, your church group or your coffee dates. I look forward to reading more Liv and Die Mysteries and spending more time with them.
To order your own copy of Death Crashes The Party Please click here. 
Thank you for joining me for tea and a cozy mystery today. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com