What a crazy week that has just passed. I continue to recover from pneumonia and though I am on the mend I am not 100%, I spent Thursday back in hospital with Pleurisy, which is a posh word for inflammation of the lungs and had it been the early 1900's possibly fatal. Thankfully the makers of Advil are my savior this week and I am hoping that I am on the mend. As I write this I am feeling ever so slightly better. The raging forest fires this summer have added to the slowness of recovery with the air quality not being the best for recovering. I try not to complain about it as many people have been displaced and their lives ruined due to these fires and I have only been inconvenienced.
Upon arriving home Thursday a delivery from Berkley arrived, with these two books for September and I am beside myself with excitement at the chance to read and review them. Julia Buckley has become one of my most favorite authors and who doesn't love a great magical cat mystery?
I was blessed to receive to care packages in the mail this week from my friends Lin and Sheryl! Feeling the love this week!
Earlier this week my youngest son and I made carrot soup from all the rainbow carrots he grew over the summer. This carrot and rosemary soup was extra special knowing that he was so proud to harvest his own veggies this summer.
We have been so lucky to have moved to a home with an established orchard of Figs, we have been amazed at the bounty we have received and how much we can share with our friends and neighbors. Our landlords have been kind enough to allow us to harvest and process the figs... I have the most amazing friend who shared her recipe for Fig and Balsamic Jam! It is almost gone and such a treat to have with crackers and cheese, or a turkey sandwich!
Carole shared her D.I.Y book with the recipe in it and we all made the jam. This was the first day I had visitors in two weeks and Squirrel would not leave my side, guarding me and caring for me these past two weeks. On my table and in my cup was the English Breakfast tea my dad picked up in London, the Westminster Abby Blend. Last remaining Walkers Shortbread on the table too. I had lovely visits with Carole, my friend Banafshe and her daughter Rana, who baked me a lovely chocolate cake, Hey-Jung, A-hin, Hoon who joined me for tea and fig jam, cheese and crackers.
My friend Daniela who kindly visited twice with macarons and treats to lift my spirits. My sister, nieces, dad and in laws and puppy niece too! I felt lots of love this week.
There have been books too! I read loved and pre ordered my own copy of Monica Crosson's book The Magickal Family, it comes out in October and this lovely resource guide, self help and pagan life guide was such a wonderful read I can not wait to have it in my hands to refer to often.
VIctoria Laurie, wow 15th book in the series which is out now and a great read, lucky I am to have been able to read this book and its entire series, one of the first I ever bought and still love.
Chime and Punishment by Julianne Holmes I reviewed on Sunday, this was a surprisingly great read and a series I hope will continue.
Jean Flower's book Addressed to Kill the third book in the series was wonderful also. I can relate so much to the main character and love the idea of working at the post office. As a lifelong lover of mail and admirer of those who carry the mail this is a series I just love!
I will have the review of Cat Got Your Secrets by Julie Chase tomorrow. This is a series that earned a place in my heart and favorites list late last year, book three was the best and I am thrilled to have had the chance to read it before it comes out this September.
I also finished From Ice To Ashes by fellow Sisters In Crime- Canada West Member Jessica Simon, I had 4 hours to read it mostly uninterrupted at the hospital on Thursday. Every time a nurse came to get me for a test or to take blood my nose was buried deep in this adventure mystery. I will have this review for you on Tuesday.
Thank you all who reached out this week and over the last few weeks, I am touched by your concern, generosity and friendship. Thank you all who continue to support me by visiting my blog here and the sponsors on the page.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com
Over the weekend I finished Jean Flowers Addressed to Kill, the third book in her Postmistress Series. I have now read all three books and I think this is one of the coolest series in the cozy world. Maybe it is because I identify with the author's main character and her love of the mail. As far back as I can remember getting something in the mail was such a treat. My grandfather used to write and send stories to us and my mom would read them out to us until we were old enough to read them ourselves. Postcards from their trips, holiday and birthday cards had us cheering for the postman. When I was old enough pen pals had me hanging out by our mail box and even now, it is one of the most fun parts of the day. I still love my snail mail and I feel it is such an important way to connect even now in the age of impersonal emails and more efficient means of communication. In Addressed to Kill main character Postmistress Cassie helps to figure out who is behind the murder of a local math professor. Cassie is naturally curious, and very much inserts herself in the investigation, with a little nudging from her customers and her best friend and police chief Sunni. There is so much to love about this series and it is my hope that it will continue.
This book is out now and a series you should own!
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 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
I finished Death Takes Priority by Jean Flowers last night. I read book two a little while back and loved it and I am so glad that my friend Karen encouraged me to read the first one. In Death Takes Priority, main character Cassie is the newly appointed Post Mistress of her cozy town, she is trying to settle back into routine and get used to being home again, becoming the town Post Mistress after returning to her sick Aunt's side. Now shortly after her Aunts passing Cassie has started to make a new life with new friends, old friends and acquaintances. One new acquaintance is not who he says he is but is he a murderer?
I really enjoyed this book, I love getting mail, snail mail or email. As a child my favorite game was Payday because you got mail and you never knew what would be in your mail next, it was like Magic to me! Jean captures that love and feeling I had and still have of getting mail perfectly but from the point of view of a very dedicated postal employee. I love the cover of this book!
In my life I have had two mail carriers who were long time carriers to my home, each I respected and enjoyed, even thought they had a really cool job. This past summer one of those mail carriers who had been my mail carrier for more then 10 years, moved to an indoor job with the post office and I have had replacement mail people ever since. It's just not the same. I miss knowing my mail carrier, but I hope in my new home the new mail carrier is just as amazing as my previous two have been.
I hate to think that postal service door to door will be ending soon, it would be such a great community loss and the end of an era.
What a week, so much going on, not sadly much time to sit and read and drink tea the day away. School started this week and the chicken head cut off routine began. I am so pleased to say I snuck in several chapters here and there and I am so very thankful for the books that have crossed my table this week. Buy a friend a book day was August 31st and my favorite non-regular holiday to participate in! My wonderful friend Karen sent me the two books shown above.
My Buy A Friend A Book Day Swap Partner Kathleen sent me these two, via The Book Depository who included (and recently began sending) the nicest book marks to color!
Also on my table and I was reading Murder She Wrote this past week, first I have read in this series, i fondly remember the tv show and my mom watching it too.
I finished Dead to the Last Drop by Cleo Coyle on Labor Day Monday and have the review later this month with a give away so I hope you will check back!
I also managed to finish Murder of a Cranky Catnapper by Denise Swanson, this too is being reviewed later this month with a give away September is always so busy but I am blessed to be able to give away two great books this month. More on the details on these give away's September 21st and 26th.
I can not say enough about Patrice Greenwood's A Fatal Twist of Lemon, seriously this book is a prize on my shelf and I long to read the entire series.
I also need to remember to put Jean Flowers' first book in the Postmistress Series on my list as well, I really enjoyed this one.
We need more series with strong woman of a certain age and her friends like this one by Susan Bernhardt. What a lucky week I have had with books and tea!
In my cup this week I have been so very blessed to have my personal favorite Heavenly Cream that I ran out of three weeks ago, my very dear friend Daniela went to Neverland Tea and picked me up 200 grams, it has been such a delight to have it back in my daily mix!
Also in my cup this week is the Pukka Earl Grey tea, I think I mentioned it last week and wow is it ever good.
Wednesday morning I met with my friend Farnoush who has just arrived back in Canada and she brought me the most wonderful Saffron Tea. It was a true pleasure to see her again and a wonderful surprise to have been gifted this tea, the taste reminds me of the finest Darjeeling tea with a round and robust flavor that feels very indulgent!
Thank you so much 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
Last Monday I read Cancelled by Murder by Jean Flowers. I selected this September 6th Release because of the cover first and the series name second. I love the idea of the main character Cassie who is Postmistress of her tiny town. I have always loved getting mail. I always wished I had something just for me in the mail box growing up and of all the job Sesame Street taught me that there were in my neighborhood I always thought that the Mailman or Mail-person job was the the best! I settled into read last night and was very quickly pulled into the storm that was brewing and the mystery that unfolded in North Ashcot, Massachusetts! I loved the relationship between Cassie and Sunni the chief of police. Having two strong women in such prominent rolls in the community really appeals to me and this series is one I hope will continue for a long time. This is book two so I simply must go back and read book one! The cover is great and I loved the little postage stamp boarder around the chapter numbers. Lots to love int his book!
