Murder Ties The Knot Another Fantastic Haunted Souvenir Shop Mystery By Christy Fifield

I discovered the Haunted Souvenir Shop Mystery series at my Library about two years ago. Spinning the rack for inspiration I happened upon the first in series called Murder Buys A T-Shirt by Christy Fifield. I took a chance on it and I am so glad I did as this is a fantastic series.

Proving that "Libraries do sell books" (thank you to Lisa K for that comment!) I no sooner closed the book on Murder Buys a T-shirt then I ran to order the next in series and that has continued right up to Murder Ties The Knot.

I can not say enough about this series. It has deep and wonderful characters, great recipes and the cozy mystery pet is a Parrot, seriously amazing, foul mouthed and yet a wonderful addition to the stories!

In this latest installment the sub plots are as important if not more significant then the mystery it's self. Which normally I would say takes away from the story it's self but in this book it truly enhances and furthers the series in a very wonderful way

If you are looking for a great cozy series that is already 4 books in pick up Christy Fifiled's Haunted Mystery Series. You will be thrilled you did. Book Four Murder Ties the Knot is sensational! Click here to order with free shipping from The Book Depository!
To learn more about this series please click here
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

Cover Reveal and Contest For Caught Read-Handed by Terrie Farley Moran

Today I am thrilled to be one of the first bloggers to share with you the revised cozy cover of Caught Read-Handed by Terrie Farley Moran The above image is the New and Improved Cozy cover for the much anticipated second Read Em' and Eat Mystery due out in just 125 more days!

 I am so very excited to share this cover release with you and Terrie has also provided a fun T-shirt give away to get us geared up for the release of Caught Read- Handed.  
To enter the contest to win this t-shirt email me here at karenmowen@gmail.com with READ in the subject line for your chance to win! Contest is open March 4th to March 11th 2015 Contest Open to our North American Readers and void where not allowed. *Winner will be chosen at random from entries received.
Thank you Terrie for this fun give away and for getting us so excited for the release of Caught Read Handed I am so excited for the release and I hope you will join me in ordering this wonderful book.

I know there are some wonderful surprises in store for us in the Read 'Em And Eat Series, I can not wait to share more of them with you soon!
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

36 Days and Counting Until The Release of Amanda Cooper's Shadow Of A Spout!

Today I am thrilled to share my review of Shadow of a Spout by Amanda Cooper with all of you. First I would like to thank Amanda for sending me the Advanced Reading Copy and for allowing me to contribute to the back of the book. For more on what I contributed you will have to wait for the books release to see!  The above photo is my celebratory Tea and Macaron from one of my favorite places to stop for tea called C.C. Violin here in West Vancouver BC. It was a lovely coincidence when the flowers matched the Advanced Reading Copy Cover! I also included in the photo what the cover of Shadow of a Spout will look like.

I took the weekend to read through Shadow of a Spout and I loved it. It is a tea drinkers delight to find a series that fits so perfectly with your own interests and loves! The story takes place away from the small town of "GiGi" at a teapot collectors convention. The perfect weekend get-a-way in my opinion and something I long to do. I was so easily caught up in this story and thoroughly enjoyed it!

I was guessing right up until the end in this well written installment of the Tea Pot Collector Mystery and am so excited to find out what happens next! I can not wait until my order from The Book Depository Arrives in 36 days! The cover and series is fast becoming a favorite and I love how Amanda Cooper writes this book from so many character points of view! To order your own copy like I did from The Book Depository ( Which I Do because I love free shipping, the ability to pay with Pay Pal and getting my mail by Royal Mail) Please Click here.

I promised my followers on my Facebook page My Lemon Loaf Recipe:
1 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3  Large Eggs
 3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoon melted butter 
1 teaspoon Vanilla
 1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Instructions
Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
Use a mixer to blend together the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla,and lemon juice.
Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and blend until smooth..
Pour batter into a well greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into center of the cake comes out clean.
Let sit 5 minutes before removing from the pan and slice and serve.


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

Played By The Book, A Welcome Escape!

I just finished Played by the Book by Lucy Arlington. This is book five in a wonderful series about hope and starting over in your 40's. As I am about to turn 40 myself, I really love this series and it's wonderful rich characters. I also like the idea that at any age you can begin again and find that sweet spot where not everything is perfect but you finally feel like you have come into your own...even if you are a magnet for finding the recently deceased like main character Lila.

I love reading books that take place in different seasons to the one I am currently experiencing. It helps transport me on a mini vacation as it were. I think if you are anywhere in North America right now a hot and sunny summer is just what the doctor ordered.

We all need an outdoor dinning experience, and to feel that warm summer sun on our faces...

I took this photo the day my copy arrived last week and we are very blessed here on the West Coast of Canada this year to have one of the mildest winters on record but that does come at a price too. If you are looking for a great escape that will leave you feeling warm and cozy. Put on the kettle and pull out your favorite pot and USE THAT TEA CUP you have had in the cupboard forever and start a great adventure of Self Discovery with Lucy Arlington's A Novel Idea Mystery series.
To order Played By the Book with free delivery by The Book Depository WORLD WIDE please click here

To learn more about Lucy Arlington please click here.
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you, please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Puppies in Paradise by Kathi Daley

I  feel guilty writing this review from the wonderful West Coast of BC, Canada while I look at photos of the Eastern USA and Canada where I have family and wonderful friends living in the snow storms of a life time. Photos from Boston this morning turned my stomach. I am so lucky to live where I do.

The next book I will be reviewing arrived yesterday and I was able to begin it outside in the sun under my favorite tree.

This past weekend I read Puppies in Paradise another wonderful and heart warming mystery by Kathi Daley.

Kathi is a wonderful story teller and I can always count on enjoyable stories and warm wonderful characters who make a place in your heart. I also like that Kathi publishes her books so quickly so I feel like I am catching up with friends every time I pick up one of her series.
Her wonderful books include fantastic recipes and often submitted by her devoted readers and fans. Kathi does a wonderful job of making each reader feel included in  the communities of her books.
You can order Puppies In Paradise on Amazon by clicking here.
Keep up with the latest news on Kathi's website by clicking here.
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

Undead by Morning by Joyce and Jim Lavene

I am continuing to wait somewhat impatiently for the mail man and have been dying to get my hands on some long awaited cozy mysteries I ordered to arrive and found myself with nothing to read yesterday. My wonderful Facebook  Friend Joyce came to the rescue with her short story Undead by Morning.
I knew nothing about this new series of theirs and went into it not knowing the premiss or even an idea of what I was going to be getting myself into.

 

Look inside and read the first chapter by clicking here

What I got was a surprisingly good mystery to wet my appetite for the first novel of the Taxi for the Dead series which is available for  order now on amazon you can view it by clicking here.
I do like a paranormal mystery from time to time and I prefer witches normally, but zombies are new for me and I actually felt like I need to know what happens next!
To order the short story Undead by Morning Click Here
Thank you to Joyce for sending me this short story to read and opening my mind to accepting that Zombies may actually have a great place amongst the paranormal cozies I currently read.
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

I Am Already Missing Lotus Bay. With Baited Breath by Lorraine Bartlett

Okay it is Saturday afternoon and my weekend plans were to read and do little else this weekend. Yesterday I was again disappointed by the lack of mail and fear I am loosing faith in my postal system. I have had several books and packages now go missing and as I faced the weekend again with nothing to read I finally broke down and bought With Baited Breath for my Kindle App. Truth be told I made my husband do it, I have not got the faintest idea how. I really prefer the paper books that sit like trophies on my shelf then reading the electronic versions. I know I need to get over it but it is taking me some time. I guess I am a bit set in my ways. Lorraine Bartlett is one of my most favorite authors. Her other books (often under her other pen names) are some of my most favorite cozies. The Lotus Bay Mystery series I can happily say is one of her best yet. Lorraine knows how to write strong and wonderful female characters and this book is no exception.

I truly found I could not put the book down and as I had expected it would take the entire weekend to read I am again going to have to go back to stalking the mail man.  Picturing the area of Lotus Bay and the surrounding area made this book so intriguing. I was so busy "getting to know everyone and wandering around town" in my head I forgot temporarily that there was a mystery to solve! I honestly was taken a back by the stories turns and plot twists and held my breath in a couple of places.

I can not wait to read the next in this series and I may still order the paper back for bragging rights! My only regret from this book is that there was no egg salad sandwich recipe at the end! I truly am having a craving for one now and you will have to read this wonderful book to find out why!
To order With Baited Breath for your Kindle please click here.
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