On My Table and In My Cup November 18-25th

A month to Christmas day how can this even be? Hoping your Saturday is off to a good start, I have Jenn McKinlay's book Better Late Than Never on my table to read this weekend.

I am also delighted to have The Healing Powers of Tea on my table this is a book for the new year I can already tell I need to own a copy of not just an ARC.
Right in line with my own hobby and beliefs and a lovely treat to read early!

Thursday I finished Tastes Like Murder by Catherine Bruns and I will review it Sunday, the cover fits the cozy perfectly and matched my teacup and saucer too, always a good indication of a great book!

Assault and Buttery was a fantastic read this week as well and such a highlight of my week.

Escape Claws is another book you are going to want to preorder for yourself so it downloads for December 26th! A Cat Lady Mystery, now you know you need to read it!

"Cookie Cutters and Holiday Hearts, That's the way the Season Starts" 

Tonight is my annual cookie exchange and I can not wait, it gets bigger and more complicated every year, I feel like I should be doing it over two nights with two groups of friends, had to cap it at 18 people this year and every year I have to leave people out... More on how it goes to follow later in the week.

This time of year especially take heart to share love, in all its forms. We all need more of it, kindness, love, joy. We all know someone going through struggles and battles and we all have a heightened sense of stress especially this time of year.  My thoughts, prayers and love go out to so many I know who desperately need it more today than any day. Share love, pay it forward, go out of your way to create a chain of love wherever you go.
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

Assault and Buttery by Kristi Abbot

I was sent Assault and Buttery to read and review and I loved it. It was brilliant. Not at all what I had expected having read the last two books and this one was innovative and I found it very exciting to read. The twists from the start roped me in and kept me grounded! A fun and exciting 3rd book in a great cozy mystery series! Loved it!

With her poodle, Sprocket, popcorn entrepreneur Rebecca Anderson must bag a killer in the latest Popcorn Shop Mystery from the author of Pop Goes the Murder.Repairs are under way at Rebecca Anderson’s gourmet popcorn shop. With production of her tasty treats on hold, Rebecca has plenty of time to read the old diary she discovered hidden in the shop’s walls. It’s a fun peek into her town’s history…until the diary’s abrupt ending leaves Rebecca wondering whether she’s actually stumbled upon a cold case.Unfortunately for Rebecca, mysteries are popping up right and left. When local busybody Lloyd McLaughlin is found dead, the police suspect he was poisoned by Rebecca’s popcorn. But Rebecca has only made one batch of popcorn recently, and it wasn’t intended for Lloyd. Nothing about Lloyd’s death makes sense—until Rebecca discovers a startling connection between the missing diary-writer and the murdered man.Now, with her reputation on the line, Rebecca must discover who’s been cooking up murder—both in the past and in the present.

This one is out now and you can find it on Amazon.com by clicking here.
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 December 31st-January 7th

The first week of the new year and I have read 4 books this week, moved into a new house and well am starting to feel at home. A week ago I was at the mercy of the clock getting the former house ready to hand back to the landlords, this Saturday I am off to hockey in the snow, which seems to be the new norm.

Our cats have taken quite well to the new place, better and faster then I thought they would. Miss Mia even joining me on the couch as I finished Jenn Mckinlay's Assault and Beret.

 My review will be up tomorrow but I have to say it was spectacular.

I also read and reviewed Telling Tails by Sofie Ryan this week, a great team of Sleuths in that one along with a cat named Elvis, what is not to love?

Pop Goes the Murder was also a very fun read and great second in series. I enjoyed this one and was sad to close the book!

I also reviewed You Have 4 Minutes to Change Your Life, a self help book that I found very interesting. I am thrilled to be approved to read such a wide variety of books and am hoping you will enjoy me sharing a few of them here with you as well.
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

Pop Goes the Murder by Kristi Abbott

I loved Kristi Abbot's Pop Goes the Murder. This is the second book in the series and it is very well written. I enjoyed the story about Rebecca and her Ex-husband. The mystery was fantastic and while I thought I had it figured out, I really did not have all the answers until the final twist was revealed. I really hope that this series continues as I am really enjoying getting to know the characters as well as the popcorn shop idea. There is so much to build on in this series. Great relationship between Rebecca and Dan, the police chief who is her best friend and her brother in law. This is a fun book, even with the murder mystery this story has a lot of heart.

Gourmet popcorn entrepreneur Rebecca Anderson and her poodle, Sprocket, are back on the case, in the second Popcorn Shop Mystery from the author of Kernel of Truth.

Despite Rebecca Anderson’s best efforts to distance herself from her ex-husband, the guy keeps popping up. When Antoine offers to feature her breakfast bars and popcorn fudge on his popular cooking show, she suspects he’s once again trying to butter her up—but the TV exposure for her gourmet popcorn shop, POPS, is too good to turn down.
 Things take a shocking turn when the crew comes to Grand Lake to film in her shop, and Rebecca discovers Antoine’s assistant electrocuted in a hotel bathtub. Now the police want Antoine to come clean. Her ex may be a pain, but he’s no killer. So Rebecca decides to bag the real culprit. If she isn’t careful, however, she may be the next one getting burned.

Pop Goes the Murder is out now, you can find Kristi Abbot's new book by clicking here for the Amazon listing.
Learn more about Kristi Abbot by clicking here for her author website. 
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

Ice and Snow Outside, Warm Tea and Scones in Side, Not living by the beach anymore...

I am happy to report that the oven in my new house works beautifully. Apple Cinnamon Scones came out perfect and as I unpacked and enjoyed my tea, 2017 seems to be off to a good start. I have not sat and read much though I will get back in to the swing of things soon. If anyone says to you, "lets move at Christmas time", wack them over the head with a Christmas Cake and run in the opposite direction.  Blessedly stressed and in snow, ice and holiday merriment, our Christmas Break evaporated. My kids are back at school tomorrow and I can not believe I am back to packing lunches...I forgot to treasure the last few days while I did not have to be on top of everything all the time. I am in a barage of boxes, I used to love boxes, now the sight of them makes me nauseated...

Did you know you can wear out your snow shovel? Let me tell you you can. For the last 6 years I have used my snow shovel to pick up piles and piles of red maple leaves to deposit their splendor into brown recycle bags which are clearly the "poor relation" of the moving boxes and something I had come to equally be nauseated at the sight of. Not more then three times did that shovel see a flake of snow, yet the metal sharp part on the bottom of the shovel to break up ice has been worn down so badly I have done little but create the perfect conditions for ice hockey...but it sure does look pretty from my tea table.

I read more then 120 books in 2016, I am not sure how many I will get through this year but I like that someone kept track for me. I will do my best to bring you a review of Pop Goes the Murder by Kristi Abbot shortly. Thank you for putting up with my musings and for stopping by for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Christmas Eve On My Table And In My Cup December 17th-24th

Merry Christmas Eve from my table to yours, what a week this has been, a snow storm, no internet and the move just two days away things are out of control crazy but I have gotten some fun new titles for 2017 and some great reading done!

I was lucky enough to get an advanced reading copy of Sarah Fox's For Whom The Bread Rolls. A great second in series that you will want to read when the tulips start bursting up from the ground. Reading this mid March release about the sweltering Summer heat was a delight this cold and damp pas week.

Murder Go Round by Carol J. Perry is a great story! I love the Russian Royal Family history and this one is so well done! Out in January you wont want to miss this one!

A lovely surprise to have The Square Life of Emily Duggan on my table this week written by a neighbor this was a lovely look at someones life, cozy and reflective, could not help but cry.

Vicki Delany has me very excited about this new series and the first title is appropriately named  Elementary, She Read ! Another mid March release this one is sure to get you thinking! Delightful!

My friend Anna makes the best shortbread. These lovely almost fist sized Russian tea cakes were a delightful surprise this week, seeing that I ate all the ones from the cookie exchange a few weeks ago. These are great with the Murchies Vanilla tea that has sustained me this week.
I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas this Christmas Eve. Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery week in review. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Got A Cozy Series? I have found a cookie cutter for that!

Today I wanted to share an Etsy shop I recently found that has cookie cutters that they print with a 3D printer.

As I have just finished the Lucy Arlington Cozy called Off The Books, I was drawn to this cookie cutter shape and can see myself making these cookies and icing them with yellow icing in honor of the Vespa in the Novel Idea Mystery Series. Offered by KayKayLine Etsy shop at  $9.90 US this cookie cutter also embosses the cookie for easy decorating. 

I am so looking forward to Duffy Brown's next Cycle Path Mystery Book  Breaking For Bodies out April 5th and this Bicycle Cookie would look fab with my book and tea! Click here to see the cookie cutter listing.

And here to order Duffy's new book 

For the Teapot Collector's Series by Amanda Cooper, I found a teapot cutter I just loved!

I think the little dots are adorable don't you? Click here to see this listing.

I also just finished reading Kernel of Truth by Kristi Abbot so this Popcorn themed cutter jumped out at me!

This book came out March 1st and was such a fun read! Click here to learn more about this series. 

There are more then 40 pages of cookie cutters that have been created using a 3D printer offered in KayKayLine Etsy shop it is truly worth the look! Click here to visit the Etsy shop and be sure to let me know what you think there are at least 4 other series I could mention that have cookie cutters I think match but perhaps I will save them for another post! 

Thank you for joining me for A cup of tea and an etsy shop review. I look forward to sharing more ideas and review with you soon. 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 February 20th-27th

I have waited a really long time it seems to have this book on my table and as I am not half way through I must tell you that it is such a delight and a privilege to have been able to contribute in a very small way to this series. I can not wait to share the review with you soon and reveal a fun give away so be sure to check back in the next few days.

This time last week my table was almost bare of cozies to read but what a difference a week makes and my TBR pile is now a small mountain!

I have been able to read and review 5 books this week and such a range of books at that. I have no idea why I waited so long to read Murder on the Mind which is currently FREE right now on Kindle AMAZON, a great paranormal mystery and read!  Click here of a link to Amazon.

The weather was beautiful this week and I did do some reading outside. I love my Witchy reads and this self help book called Witchy Mama is out this June and I have already ordered a paper back copy as this was a book I feel I can read and refer to often! 

I had a great laugh with Tamar Myers 20th instalment of A Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery Tea with Jam and Dread out in May this book was delightfully entertaining.Click here to order your copy now! 

Cold Blood Hot Sea, A very good first in series from Charlene D'Avanzo and a thought provoking mystery at that! Also out in May click here to learn more.

The fifth book review this week was Kernel of Truth by Kristi Abbott also a first in series and a wonderful sweet mystery. Click here to order your own paperback copy.  Out March 1st! 

In addition to the changes in the length of my reading pile I also changed the length of my hair. I hope to have some new photos of my new do for you soon, I am terrible with a selfie so I hope you will bare with me, I feel like it is a huge change and it is shorter now then I have worn it in about 8 years.

I am also very proud that my Guppie pin arrived (Sisters In Crime group) more on that later. In my cup this week I have tried 2 new teas. I have had a lovely Monks Blend from Steeped tea, along with a Lavender Earl Grey. I have had quite a week and hope that you have enjoyed your visits, as much as I have knowing you took the time to stop by.
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy week in review. I hope you enjoy the rest of your Saturday.

Kernel of Truth by Kristi Abbott A Sweet New Series!

This week I was delighted to get an ARC of Kernel of Truth from Kristi Abbott. This first in series is about a gourmet popcorn shop, in a small sea side town, is out March 1, 2016. Like many cozies about main street businesses I found this one particularly endearing. A story of home coming, true friendship, finding yourself by completely getting lost and turning tail and running home.
Like all wonderful cozies the lovable Sprocket Poodle adds humor, mystery and that unmistakable bond between cozy sleuth and beast!

"An all-new Popcorn Shop Mystery bursts on the scene, featuring gourmet popcorn entrepreneur Rebecca Anderson and her poodle Sprocket. Opening a gourmet popcorn shop was never on Rebecca Anderson s bucket list. But after a failed marriage to a celebrity chef, she s ready for her life to open up and expand. She has returned to her hometown of Grand Lake, Ohio, with her popcorn-loving poodle Sprocket to start a new business naturally called POPS. As a delicious bonus, Cordelia Coco Bittles, a close family friend who has always been like a grandmother to Rebecca, owns the chocolate shop next door, and the two are thinking of combining their businesses. But when Coco s niece, Alice, discovers her on the floor of her chocolate shop, those dreams go up in smoke. The local sheriff thinks Coco was the victim of a robbery gone wrong, but Rebecca isn t so sure. As suspects start popping up all over, Rebecca is determined to turn up the heat and bring the killer to justice in a jiffy!"

A Popcorn Shop Mystery has all the makings of a strong and fun cozy series and I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I did. Click here to order a copy of Kernel of Truth for yourself! (Free shipping always from The Book Depository!) Which is a huge savings for this Canadian Cozy Reader!
Learn more about Author Kristi Abbot by  visiting her website 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