Sunday, April 30, 2017

Meg Macy's Bearly Departed

This morning I finished Meg Macy's May 30th first in a new series from Kensington called Bearly Departed. I really enjoyed this story and mystery. Loved the setting and suspense and first time in awhile I was pleased with who the victim was. I don't often "root" for someone to "murder" a character in a story but I will say I had a sigh of relief with this one. I love the idea of the Bear shop and all the wonderful small town charm this cozy offers. This was an easy to relate to cozy, with a great bunch of characters waiting to be discovered. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

As manager of the family teddy bear shop and factory, thirty-one-year-old Sasha Silverman leads a charmed life. Well, except for the part about being a single divorcĂ©e with a ticking biological clock in small-town Silver Hollow. And that’s just kid’s stuff compared to Will Taylor, the sales rep who’s set on making drastic changes to the business her parents built from scratch—with or without Sasha’s approval . . .But before Will digs his claws in, someone pulls the stuffing out of his plan . . . and leaves his dead body inside the factory. Reeling from shock, Sasha’s hit with more bad news—police suspect her hot-tempered Uncle Ross may have murdered him. Sasha knows her uncle would never do such a thing, and she’s launching her own little investigation to expose the truth. As she tracks Will’s biggest rivals and enemies for clues, Sasha can’t get too comfy—or she’ll become the next plaything for a killer . . .

You can find Barely Departed by Meg Macy 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

Saturday, April 29, 2017

On My Table and In My Cup April 22th-29th


Saturday morning after a very busy week, I am just barely started Bearly Departed by Meg Macy, and there is still so much cake/pie left, honestly you should drop by...
I can not remember a time I felt more warmth and love around my birthday. I feel so very lucky to have such an amazing group of friends and family who really went out of their way to make this birthday so special. This is a week I will remember for sure. It was heavy on friendship and love, not so much on reading sadly but I am getting back into that.
My sister and I tried paint night of the 27th of April, painting lighthouses which is really something more for me then her. I was so thrilled she wanted to come with me to give this class a try. I left with something I am quite proud of and though I love mine, the top of my sisters lighthouse was so much better then mine! She even got the lines right!

The above only represents a very small portion of the birthday confections I am working my way through, not seen are a sheet cake from costco which is delightful, a smores pie as well as cookies that arrived yesterday, truly spoiled for my tea times I tell you!
I read a lovely Cozy Mystery Short with A Murderous Valentine, by Beverley Watts, loved the characters, the dog in this book has a fantastic name! Strong characters, wit, humor and great lines.

I also loved the Spring Cleaning Murders by Dorothy Cannell this week, I cried at the end, you will love it.

In my cup this week I have had my lovely stand by my Murchies Vanilla Black tea, as well as several cups of Peppermint tea and a beautiful Jasmine tea I recieved for my birthday. I promise to share a review on that soon, and I promise to get back to reading!
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a week in review. I look forward to sharing more 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

Friday, April 28, 2017

Paint Nite With My Sister A Cozy Evening Spent!

Last night my sister kindly agreed to come with me to Paint Nite.  My sister and I share a birthday week and we did this as our birthday celebration. Neither of us has painted basically since elementary school so we were both a little nervous, for sure.
This was the teachers sample...
This is me, in totally disbelief that this white canvas would somehow turn into this....
I am still not sure how this happened but my sister and I both came home with beautiful lighthouse pictures!
After we finished we walked around the room and I was amazed at what I saw, how different each painting was and how in two hours we were able to bring home our finished works.
Even though I was very nervous about doing this, I had so much fun and my sister and I can not wait to go back and do it again! If you want to learn more about Paint Nite in your area please click here. 
I promise to go back to reading today and hope to have a review for you Sunday. Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy Paint Nite review. 
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

Thursday, April 27, 2017

What I did yesterday...

Yesterday was my birthday, that is right, I leveled up, going with leveling up as it sounds way better to be on level 42 then on level 24.... My wonderful friends threw me a surprise party at the mall. Actually I was spoiled all day long and evening too but I had to share this cake my friend made as I am still in shock!
My friend Banafshe is so talented. She not only baked and decorated this cake, she hand painted the teacups and treats for my cake! I am in so much awe!
I can not believe the attention to detail!

In addition to the cake and surprise party my baby sister baked me a birthday pie, her birthday is one week before mine so when we were growing up, my mother was sick of cake by my birthday and she would bake me a lemon pie, after she passed away 6 years ago, my sister continued the tradition. It is something I look forward to every year.
I did start reading Bearly Departed by Meg Macy yesterday morning and I am looking forward to sharing that review with you all again soon!

I was so wonderfully spoiled by all the wonderful friends who reached out, and participated in making me feel so much love, throughout the entire day. So many wonderful friends & family, readers and authors who took the time to make me feel really special on my birthday. I feel truly blessed.
Thank you for joining me here for a cup of tea and a cozy birthday celebration. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

 

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

A Murderous Valentine by Beverley Watts

Today I am bringing you a review of Beverley Watt's Cozy Mystery Short A Murderous Valentine. This was sent to me to review and I am so pleased to tell you how wonderful it was. This cozy short is just over 100 pages and filled with wit, humor and brilliant characters. Some fantastic lines that will stay with you too. The retired Admiral, his somewhat Loyal friend and their partners set off on what was to be a romantic weekend and takes a lovely and yet not overly predictable turn for the worse. This entire storyline was easy to picture, quite plausible and very intriguing to read. It was fun and not easy to put down. I enjoyed this very much.

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 us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Dorothy Cannell's The Spring Cleaning Murders

Last night I finished Dorothy Cannell's The Spring Cleaning Murders. This is a first for me by this author and it was delightful. The british based cozy was lovely and a very unique story. The mysterious deaths of cleaning ladies in their circle known as the C.F.C.W.A, was nicely wound and suspicion shared  beautifully among the characters. This is a mystery with heart and structure. Very difficult not to cry at the end. Lovely Mystery and one to pick up for sure. This one is out May 9th.


When the ever-scrupulous and ever-caustic Mrs. Roxie Malloy leaves her employ in tears, Ellie Haskell—busy mother of twins—is forced to find another cleaning person. As she searches for someone who can at least aspire to taking Mrs. Malloy’s place, Ellie turns the household topsy-turvy, overcome with spring-cleaning fever. But when members of the Chitterton Fells Charwomen’s Association (C.F.C.W.A.) start biting the dust, Ellie swaps scrubbing for sleuthing to find out what dark secrets have been swept under the rug. With the help of her husband, Ben, her feckless cousin Freddy, and an assortment of homemade cleaning solutions, Ellie joins the C.F.C.W.A.’s roster and embarks on a brief stint as a mercenary maid—just long enough to snoop through her neighbors’ things and find out which one has more than dust bunnies and dirty dishes to hide.

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

Monday, April 24, 2017

Monday Morning Blues

Today I am a bit late in my posting, actually the weekend got away from me and the reading I was supposed to do, did not get done. Fatigue set in so much so that I could not bring myself to write last night, so this morning I am sharing some of my Monday Morning Blue favorites from Etsy with you and begging your patience and forgiveness for my lack of Monday morning review.
First is a London Pottery Teapot I found on Etsy, I love this brand of tea pot as the basket sits in side and the lid doesn't fall off. I have one in grey and I love it. This one is a beautiful color and you can view it in the A Certain Feel Etsy Shop by clicking here.

If my pockets were deep and full I would purchase this set of 4 Shelley Dainty Blue Teacups and saucers to match. These are priced at $169.06 and can be found in the MomAvaBackCabinet  Etsy Shop. 

Next up we are in need of some blue tea and this is perfect from Mortar and Petal Etsy shop, seriously I could use this tea right now! Their organic Blue Monday tea has everything I love in it!

Organic BLUE MONDAY Artisan Tea Blend - Bright and Floral - Darjeeling, Cornflower Petals, Lavender 


I am back to reading now wishing you a delightful day. 
Thank you for joining me here for a cup of tea and a Monday Morning Blues Etsy Feature.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Sunday, April 23, 2017

The Art & Craft of Murder by Cozy Cat Parker

I downloaded this free cozy mystery short called The Art & Craft of Murder by Cozy Cat Parker. This (at time of publishing free) cozy was a lovely artist/tea shop themed cozy murder mystery that was good for a quick evening read. I loved the setting for the story and the idea behind a community of artists, the mystery is not too complex and easy to deduce but a good story, I did enjoy. To be totally honest I hate the cover, but the story was worth the second look. The cover did not capture the essence of the story at all, nor did it do justice to they way the cozy setting is described in the book all in all it just seems very out of place.
Misty Williams has finally achieved her dream of opening a teahouse in Whistler's Cove, a small town famous for its community of artists and crafters. But when the local gallery owner, Hilary Small, is poisoned in Misty's teahouse, and it begins to look as if the man Misty is in love with committed the murder, Misty must turn amateur sleuth in order to save the reputation of her teahouse and her hopes for romance.Set in an enchanting location, this cozy mystery will delight with its entertaining cast of humorous characters, including Misty's cat Miss Mabel, who plays a crucial part in revealing the true murderer.
Find this book 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

Saturday, April 22, 2017

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

Friday, April 21, 2017

Curiosity Killed Dolly Kendall by Gillian Larkin

I read Curiosity Killed Dolly Kendall yesterday. This is a cozy short that is a lovely read.
I like cozies where the main characters are slightly older than most, and these well aged & widowed detectives do a great job of solving the murder of a lovely cat lover. 
I found this book from Lisa K, who shared a link when it was free earlier in the week. I think this book is a lovely deal priced just under $2 now on Amazon. A lovely break to have a well thought out cozy short on my table this week. 

Retired widows, Connie and Sable Butterworth have set up a private investigating business. Their second case involves the suspicious death of Dolly Kendall.Dolly is found dead at her home, supposedly from an overdose of sleeping tablets. Connie had spoken to Dolly the previous day and knew something wasn’t quite right with her. Dolly had been despondent, and it was obvious to Connie that something was bothering her.Connie and Sable’s investigation leads them to a devious plot involving missing cats and poisonous letters.

Click here to order your own copy of Gillian Larkin's Curiosity Killed Dolly Kendall on Amazon. 
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 at karenmowen@gmial.com

Thursday, April 20, 2017

A Killer Keepsake by Ellery Adams and Parker Riggs

I finished A Killer Keepsake by Ellery Adams and Parker Riggs yesterday.  This story had some really interesting elements. The mysteries were good and well entangled. I struggled with the subject matter of the horrible abuse suffered by some of the characters in the book and even though it is a cozy story with a cozy feeling ending, for me honestly it felt darker than most of the cozy mysteries that I am used to reading. I found I could not put it down however and was enchanted by the side story of the haunted doll. A Killer Keepsake is not your everyday cozy, it is however very, very good.

In the world of antiques and collectibles, it helps to have a sharp eye for quality, a good ear for gossip, and a nose for murder.When star reporter Molly Appleby exchanged vows with her new husband, she also made a promise to give up sleuthing. But given her knack for stumbling onto murders, and murderers, she’s realizing she never should have made a promise she couldn’t keep.Molly’s just finished an article on the Forget Me Not Doll Club for Collector’s Weekly, but before the magazine even hits the newsstands, one of the club members is found murdered, and a stolen antique doll—purportedly haunted—is found in the victim’s house. When police discover that few of the peculiar club members will mourn the deceased, and that most of them had more motives than alibis, they once again enlist Molly’s help to solve this very odd case. But piecing together a deadly puzzle is never easy, and when another member of the club is attacked, Molly begins to wonder if the eccentric group of doll lovers might have deeper and darker connections than she ever imagined. And as she begins to piece together the unusual background of the eerie doll and uncovers a history of troubled lives, she realizes there are more victims than the obvious ones in this case—and that some people will do anything to protect their darkest secrets.

To order your own copy of A Killer Keepsake on Amazon please click 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

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Tea Cozy Patterns To Ponder...

Today I am sharing some adorable tea cozies to make. The winter here was long and cold, and the Spring is wet and miserable, so I am using my cozy more and more. I started to think about some fun ones to try to make and came across these to share. While this one did not get a good review on the pattern I still really loved the look. Click here for this pdf pattern for purchase download. 
I found an Etsy shop with PDF for Purchase patterns that caught my eye in the Tea Cozy Folk Etsy shop, check out this globe and you will see why! 
Seriously with 110 patterns in her shop it was impossible to pick only one! Loved this Westie Cozy!
I loved this Cupcake Tea Cozy as well, this one offered as a PDF Pattern download for $1.64 is a sweet deal click here for the SewandSoUK Etsy shop


I hope you have fun making your own tea cozies, I think these are just so much fun! Back to reading for me now.
Thank you for joining me for cup of tea and some tea cozy pattern ideas. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com