Sofie Kelly's The Cats Came Back

I found and fell in love with this series years ago, another book I found when spining the rack at my local library, when one of Sofie Kelly's Magical Cat Mysteries fell from the rack, I snatched it up and checked it out. I fell in love with the series from book one and have read them all. In the most recent book The Cats Came Back, I was again enchanted with the same feelings I had when I read the first book. This book made me think, it made me cry and it made me remember. It made me love my own cats just that much more. Great characters, great friends, so much to love and a truly great read.

Small-town librarian Kathleen Paulson often seems to gets mixed up in murder, but luckily, her very special cats always find a way to help her close a case . . .The charming Minnesota town of Mayville Heights is hosting a music festival, and the whole place is bustling with musicians and tourists. Kathleen is looking forward to taking in some fabulous performances--and her two cats, Owen and Hercules, are looking forward to taking in some fabulous sardine crackers. But then the trio stumbles across a dead body by the river. The victim is a close friend--who also happens to be a look-alike of a popular cabaret singer set to perform at the festival. Who could have wanted to harm this innocent girl? Was it a case of mistaken identity? As accusations abound and suspicions swirl, Kathleen, Hercules and Owen will put their abilities--both mundane and magical--to the test, and lay down the paw.

You can find Sofie Kelly's book on Amazon by clicking here ( I am not an amazon affiliate) 
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

Marigolds For Malice by Bailey Catrell

I finished Marigolds For Malice, by Bailey Cattrell on Sunday. I loved this book. I actually really love the idea for and the way Bailey writes this series. Slightly paranormal, but very light, main character Ellie is blessed with a green thumb and knowledge of plants and essential oils that is clearly her passion and part of her bloodline. With help from her Grandmother's botanical journal, she is able to sense danger, find a cure to what ails you and has the super power of scent. She has a shop cat and a great corgi named Dash and the type of home/work/garden that we all wish we had. This was an interesting story that involved the gold rush, historical finds and treasures along with a bit of heartache and of course a murder mystery. This is Book THree in the Enchanted Garden Mystery series and a delightful read.

In the third captivating Enchanted Garden Mystery from Bailey Cattrell, Elliana Allbright will need to dig up clues from the past to weed out a killer...Elliana Allbright is happy running her perfume shop, Scents & Nonsense, in the charming town of Poppyville, California. And she's even happier when she can use her inherited abilities to infuse her perfumes with an extra special something that eases woes or solves problems for her customers. But she'll need those abilities and more when murder comes to town.Ellie and her women's business group, the Greenstockings, are helping to open a new museum about local history, and while sorting through the collection of artifacts they discover a time capsule from the days of the Gold Rush. Among the contents is a strange botanical manuscript, recognized by local history professor Eureka Sanford as extremely rare and valuable. When the professor is found dead in the museum, Ellie has no choice but to sniff out the murderer... but this one may have roots that are as old as Poppyville.
Marigolds for Malice 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

Projects I have been working on...

Thank you for joining me today. I wanted to update you on how things are going in my life. What has been on my mind, my table and in my hands to read. This summer has gone by so quickly and I have done some major changing over that past few months. I have been taking charge of my own mental health in very positive ways. I started seeing a therapist and that has really begun to help me feel and become a much happier and healthier person.  I have learned so much about myself so far and I am looking forward to continuing on this path. One of the things that has been missing from my life for a while now is creativity. Something I thrive on, something I need and something my ADHD mind craves. I had been denying it, and stifflening it. With the help of my therapist and some amazing friends, I have some truly great projects to report on that I have started, continue to do and am really proud of.

The biggest project I have taken on in years is my bench project. I had a friend move away this summer and she left me her Victorian Bench ends she purchased in England and did not have time to make nor space to take with her. So for several weeks I worked with friends on this bench, sanding the cast iron ends, priming and repainting them, selecting wood, staining and with the help of some very good friends, cutting and putting the bench together. I am almost done with this project too. We have two more boards to stain, cut and drill, then I will be bringing my bench home. My dear friends Jen and Mike have allowed me the space to explore, build and work on my project and with their guiding hands and the help of friends I have seen this project come to life.

I am also into painting and creating new pieces from old, such as painting  this chair, covering it with fabric I have had for years, waiting to have the right moment to use it. This project is slightly on going as well as I need to finish painting and sewing a throw pillow as well. My dear BFF Angela and I recovered the seat last week. 

Painting projects are piling up here, with the side of the road find of the perfect dresser for my room. I will be painting this one in the coming weeks and I am thrilled with this find, I have washed and sanded it and await the right moment to paint it with some lovely grey and blue paint colors I found.

Sunday's Craigslist free find!

Completed project, I even sent this image to the lady who I got the cabinet from and she responded with "Okay how much to you want for it, I want it back!" I told her sorry it's not for sale!

My nieces from Montreal came this summer and stayed with me for a week. We put this puzzle together over that week and it was so hard for me, not being a patient crafter, I was amazed at the patience of my nieces but also my boys, and friends Anna and Spencer who all with the leadership of my niece Cadence turned 1000 pieces of cardboard into this amazing work of art. I managed to modge podge, fame and hang it in a place of honor a few weeks back. I am truly impressed each time I see it.

I also began painting again, at the encouragement of a true friend, I have rediscovered a love of painting. Small dollar store canvas are quickly transformed into calming pieces of art that I truly enjoy. Painting at the beach is such a wonderful and freeing experience.

Painting for me has been the most satisfying, painting from memory, photos, or just letting the brush guide me has truly helped my creative mind.

I even have tried my hand at watercolor, a very different experience for me.

Do not worry I have been reading too, but not as fast or voraciously as I have. I just finished Bailey Cattrell's Marigolds For Malice, will share the review shortly. I have also continued my passion for collecting teacups and using them.

I even took my sewing machine out and finished projects that have been waiting for me for more than two years. I made Halloween themed throw pillows that make me smile!

Creating a new reading space undercover for myself, now that the tea tent is closed for the season...

That is pretty much my project update...

Today is the 8th year anniversary of my mother's death. It was sudden and shocking to me at the time, still is to me today. My mother was only 56. Many things have happened since her passing and today I want to remember her and celebrate her memory. Yesterday I was with my 10 year old son and we were walking to the Indigo books to get his book he ordered and he said out loud with a large sigh "This is my favorite store" I turned to him and said "That would make your Nanna very proud", normally I would have let that moment pass but I didn't I embraced it, and it felt good. Not sad, good.

Thank you for joining me here for a cup of tea and a look at what I have been working on while not blogging, I promise to share more and as regularly as I can. A new month, a new job and a new outlook, pretty much working on improving me.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

A Deadly Brew By Lynn Cahoon

I have been so busy with back to school, working and some fun side projects recently and have not been reading at the speed I have been in the past, so it was lovely to sit down and read A Deadly Brew, which is a new release from Lynn Cahoon. Her tourist trap mystery series is a favorite of mine and my friend Lisa K turned me on to this series years ago. I am so delighted with the way that A Deadly Brew unfolds. I love the idea of going away for the weekend with friends and staying in a haunted house, figuring out a mystery and truly enjoying a fun Halloween, grown up style.  I think that this was a great idea for a book, loved the setting, the mystery and the new elements that Lynn brought to this latest in the series. The cover is also great and loved how it looked on my table. I had been craving a fun fall read and this one is exactly that! Pick it up and enjoy it now!

As Halloween approaches South Cove, California, four couples get into the spirit of the holiday by conjuring up spirits. . . The house has sat empty for fifteen years, taking up prime real estate along the picturesque coastline. Built by one of the founders of South Cove, its last known owner, Maryanne Demerit, vanished without a trace. Now her home will be demolished for a condo development, but until then, it’s the perfect spot for a Halloween haunted house. Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books, and More, her boyfriend, and three other couples are spending the weekend in the Demerit home. But what begins as an all-in-good-fun fright fest turns into a mystery begging to be solved as Jill is contacted by the ghost of Maryanne . . .

This one is out now and you can find it on Amazon by clicking here ( I am not an Amazon affiliate)  
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