Sweet Tea Revenge by Laura Childs

It is Delanie’s wedding day- and she’s a nervous wreck. Trying to help calm Delaine, Theodosia is going above and beyond bridesmaid duty- but a happy Delanie is better than an unhappy one. However, no matter how hard Theo is trying to make this day perfect- nothing can bring the groom back to life.

Delanie begs Theo to find out who did this to her beau, and Theo readily agrees. Was it murder or an accident? Clues at the scene point to either conclusion. While Theo’s gathering clues, 2 ghosthunters come to town, and are interested in going back to the scene of the crime to communicate with the spirit.

With suspects being added daily to Theo’s list- was it the ex-girlfriend? The law partner? The step-son? Or someone else? Theo’s days are busy. Throw in an attractive ATF agent is interested in tracking down Cuban cigars and seems to like to keep an eye on Theo, it’s a wonder that Theo can remember how to steep tea!

Is Theo able to help solve the murder? Or was it an accident? Read Sweet Tea Revenge to find out!

Agony of the Leaves by Laura Child

With a new aquarium opening in Charleston, everyone is excited. The opening should be a smashing success- between the food and Charleston’s elite. Everything is going great, until Theodosia discovers a body. Not just any body either- the body of Parker Scully, her former love. While most are willing to write it off as a tragic accident- Theodosia will not.

As she begins to search for more clues about Parker’s life over the past year or so- Theodosia learns the restaturant business is similar to Hollywood- talk is cheap. Did one of the restaurant owners set out to kill Parker- either to be able to buy his place or to keep him from opening another successful place?

While Theodosia is searching for clues, Delanie is brow-beating her to help out a charity called Tuesday’s Child. Theo makes time for the charity, all the while wondering exactly what Parker must have stumbled upon to cause someone to kill him. With Theo crossing off suspects and adding more- she doesn’t realize that she’s skating awfully close to the truth of why Parker was murdered.

Will Theodosia be able to solve the murder? Or will the killer get the best of her?

Going Going Ganache by Jenn McKinlay

Going, Going Ganache is book 5 in Jenn McKinlay’s Cupcake series- and the series is still going strong!

Mel and Angie, owners of Fairy Tale Cupcakes, are in trouble. After the cupcake photo shoot goes south (thanks to help from a certain busybody); the magazine owner and Tate are not happy. As part of Mel and Angie’s punishment, Ian Hannigan, SWS magazine owner, decides that his team needs a project to help foster team spirit. And Mel and Angie are the perfect people to teach the magazine team how to make cupcakes.

While Mel and Angie are not happy to be teaching a workshop on making cupcakes, compared to some of the others, they look thrilled. With each day presenting it’s own unique set of challenges, the final straw is when Mel discovers a body. Now Mel must discover the who, what, and why of the murder- and wonders if someone in the kitchen is the killer. Mel’s got her hands full with cupcakes and killers- and  her secret engagement with Joe. With a good-looking cop paying equal attention the crime and Mel, does Joe have some competetion?

As the charity event draws closer, Tate’s acting weird, Angie’s worried, and Mel’s got her hands full. Will the 3 friends be able to solve the crime and get the cupcakes to the charity event in one edible piece? Read Going, Going Ganache to find out!

“Serious” book lovers- don’t hate me because I prefer “happy” books.

Last night, I was chatting with a group of women in a conference call about different books. These ladies I met at Booktopia Oxford last summer- and I find them intelligent, articulate, and wonderful. But, as we discuss books and different things, some of the group gets to talking about “serious” books- all the Tournament of Books list, various prestigious awards these books are being considered for, and how most of them were so excited that Orphan Master’s Son won TOB (I’ll be 100% honest: When the ladies wanted to do TOB racket, I was like “sure- I’m in”- and I was doing pretty good. Until Gone Girl got knocked out- because I had Gone Girl taking the Rooster. Side note: this is why I don’t bet in March Madness- I apparently don’t have the skills to pull off the win!)

And while none of the group ever makes fun of me for my lack of serious book reading, this is where I almost being to feel like an imposter in the book world, where I feel like someone is going to discover my lack of “serious” book reading. This is where I begin to ponder the questions: Am I really an avid reader if I don’t prefer the “serious” books? Do I lose “book cred” by not reading the “serious” books- the non-fiction, the tales of life in foreign countries, the dreadful situations, the politically charged?

And thanks to an article that Wendy Wax wrote, I have an answer. Wendy writes: “For those of you who have been made to feel ashamed for choosing a ‘beach read’ over the latest version of War and Peace, I say do not be cowed.”

And so, yes, I freely admit that I read the fun books, the beach books, the cozy books. I like mysteries, I like some Southern Lit. I like the books where the characters go through a bad patch; yet come through it wiser and happy. I still occassionally like a non-fiction, and I don’t mind a book that makes me cry- although I don’t want to cry the whole time I read. I even like books where the ending is not completely clear! I’m just not a fan of the “”serious” books- the ones  that make me want to stick a needle in my eye and pull my hair out! As Bob Ross once said:” We want happy paintings. Happy Paintings. If you want sad things, watch the news.”

Life’s too short to read books that bore you- find the books that make you happy, the books that fulfill you- and read.

Lighthouse Bay by Kimberly Freeman

Lighthouse Bay by Kimberly Freeman takes two tales, stories that happened over a hundred years apart; yet the stories are intertwined in such a way that is believable and engaging.

Libby Slater- beautiful, smart, and grieving her lover who has recently passed away. Libby leaves her life in Paris to go to a cottage that her lover had bought her, a cottage that was meant for plans other than helping Libby grieve. While Libby is in Lighthouse Bay, she’s also hoping to make amends with her sister, Juliet, who she has not spoken to in many years. Libby and Juliet have not spoken in many years because Libby took part in an unforgiveable act- an act that hurt Juliet to her core. Will 20 years be enough time for the sisters to begin to mend the fences?

Isabella Winterbourne, the sole survivor of the Aurora, which sunk off the coast of Australia in 1901- finds herself in situation that is dire, yet tastes of freedom. Finding herself on Lighthouse Bay, she has an opportunity to rename herself, to find her life. To leave her husband’s family and make a run for freedom. Isabella knows it won’t be easy- but even she is not sure of how far the Winterbourne’s will go to find her.

While each story stands on it’s own as good, seeing how the stories are connected, the magical ways they are interweaved- elevates the stories from good to great. With themes of love, guilt and forgiveness- this is a book that is not to be missed.

Recommended.

Thanks to Touchstone Books for providing a review copy. The above review is my own thoughts and opinions.

Literary Friday ya’ll…

Friday. Pretty spring day. I’ve been enjoying my morning coffee while watching these 2 small brown birds make a nest near the breakfast nook area.  It’s a good day.

1. Deep South Mag and their #literaryfriday: A honor for Square Books, news about The Great Gatsby movie, and much more.

2. #giveaways: Luxury Reading is giving away a copy of Wendy Wax’s latest While We Were Downtown Abbey and She Reads is giving away a copy of The Promise of Stardust by Priscille Sibley.

3. Other She Reads news:

1. Books and Wine: A Pairing for The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow.

2. She Reads April Book Club Selection: And Then I Found You by Patti Callahan Henry

3. Book Review: Tapestry of Fortunes by Elizabeth Berg

4. A Room of Her Own: The Writing Space of Patti Callahan Henry

4. What is your #fridayreads? Mine is Going, Going, Ganache by Jenn McKinlay.

5. Books that I have read lately and really enjoyed:

1. The Affair by Colette Freedman

2. And Then I Found You by Patti Callahan Henry

3. Learning to Fly: An Ucommon Memoir of Human Flight, Unexpected Love, and One Amazing Dog by Steph Davis

4. Nickled and Dimed to Death: A Devereaux’s Dime Store Mystery by Denise Swanson

5. The Mermaid of Brooklyn by Amy Shearn

6. Life After Life by Jill McCorkle

6. Have you made your bucket list? What about your book-ish bucket list? Here’s mine: Traveling With T’s Book-ish Bucket List

 

Happy Reading 🙂

 

Traveling With T’s Book-ish Bucket List…

Thanks to the bright minds of Rebecca (Love at First Book) and Allison (The Book Wheel), in response to their 50 Bookish Things You Must Do Before You Die– I decided to create my own. Mine will most definitely be a more evolving list- updated as I think of things or actually complete things. Some will be outlandish wishes- while others will be very do-able. Join in the fun and make a book-ish bucket list of your own 🙂

Traveling With T’s Book-ish Bucket List

1. Write a blurb for a book.

2. Be an inspiration for a character.

3. Have a book dedicated to me/ or have someone write “Thanks” to me in Acknowledgements

4. Attend Girlfriend’s Getaway Weekend in Jefferson, TX.

5. Take my Key West Food Critic Mysteries books to Key West, FL for sightseeing/picture opportunity.

6. Host my very own Online Book Club on Traveling With T.

7. Take part in more blogging events

8. Literary Road Trip (with the help of Deep South Mag’s Literary Trail App)

9. To actually print and use business cards

10. For my blogging, tweeting, and other things I do in the book world to lead to more involvement in the world of books (more of an active role in the publicity development)

11. Reviewing books for more publishers.

12. To plan a week at the beach- with some of the best beach reads for summer and to do nothing but read, enjoy the beach and leave the phone in the hotel.

13. To meet Sue Grafton. I have been a fan of Kinsey (her character) for so many years and would love to meet her.

14. To attend more book events.

The Affair by Colette Freedman

This book will be April’s #gr8books book club discussion! Use #gr8books to join in on April 9th, 8-9pm CST.

Colette Freedman takes a subject (in this case, an affair) and instead of making it a very black and white, right and wrong, he said/she said book- she turns it into a book that that has lots of grey. Lots of things to debate. Makes each charatcer human, even relatable. This book could have been so boring- but with the ways she wrote the characters, situations and ending- boring would not even be in the top 50 words I’d use to describe. Find a group to read this book with and let the discussion fly!

Kathy and Robert Walker- married for 18 years, 2 teenage children. They have a nice house and things appear to be ok with them. The marriage is not as exciting as it once was, Kathy’s busy running a house and shuffling 2 teenage children to countless events, activities and just doing the day to day life of a wife and mother. Robert’s not around as much- he misses out on activities and family time because he’s always working- or is he? Kathy finds a name in Robert’s phone while looking for an address- and the name gives her chills- since it’s the same name of the woman she accused him of having an affair with years ago- an accusation that nearly destroyed their marriage.

It’s Kathy’s worst nightmare all over again- she’s afraid to know, but wants to know. And knows that she must have concrete proof this time if she does accuse Robert.  Taking place a few days before Christmas, the story is told from multiple viewpoints- and with each telling of the story- the reader begins to understand what each person is feeling. Is there a clear cut “bad” person? Yes and no, in my opinion. And that is what is so delicious about this book- the reader can identify with the characters.

Many times, the mistress is thought of as the “bad” person- the one who poached a person who was supposed to be untouchable. One of the themes of this book is the thought process of “a person can’t take something that did not want to be taken”- and for this book, it casts a lot of “grey” around the mistress. Is she a husband stealer or a woman who fell in love with a man who she thought was available? Should the wife take any blame for the affair? Is the husband really the one at fault?

Colette Freedman takes these type of questions and creates a book that will make a reader evaluate their thoughts on love, committment, and cheating.  Prepare to discuss with a group of friends- this book could lead to many interesting conversations.

And Then I Found You by Patti Callahan Henry

Can the lost ever be found?

This is an idea that Patti Callahan Henry explores in her newest book, And Then I Found You, a beautiful and yet heartbreaking tale of love, making difficult choices, and what being a mother entails. This story, while technically fiction, is based upon Patti Callahan Henry’s family story of adoption.

Meet Kate Kate Vaughan. To the outside world, she has everything. A thriving business, good looks, a wonderful family, and a boyfriend that adores her. Life should be good- and it is, as long a Kate does not think about things too much. Kate knows that there is something that keeps her from wanting to commit to the adoring boyfriend.

Kate, years ago, made the toughest choice a woman can make- to give up her child for adoption. A choice that she made for the sake of her child- and not a day goes by that she does not think of that choice. Nor of the other choices she made in relation to the giving up of her child.

Kate feels as if some situations from her past were resolved, some doors that have been left slightly open were closed- that she could move on with her life, accept the pain, and fully commit to the adoring boyfriend she has.

What Kate finds is this: Sometimes doors aren’t meant to be closed- and sometimes the things we wish we want will not happen. Lastly, while we may not be able to vocalize our innermost wants and desires- sometimes life has a funny way of knowing and opening a connection.

Heartbreaking at times, heartwarming always- this is a book that is meant to be shared. To be enjoyed. To be discussed. Read. Share with friends. With book-clubs.  Highly recommended. While this is my first book of Patti Callahan Henry’s, with the way she tells a story- it certainly will not be my last.

Nickled- and Dimed to Death: A Devereaux’s Dime Store Mystery by Denise Swanson

Dev is back in the second book in Devereaux’s Dime Store Mystery series.

Dev has a hot date planned with the hot US Marshal Jake- until he gets the last minute call that he’s able to go back to duty and on a hot case. Dev’s disappointed( who wouldn’t be after buying a new dress?), but when Dr. Noah Underwood calls asking her to accompany him to an event and saying he has a business connection she needs to make, she decides not to waste the dress!

While at the event, she gets a phone call from Boone, one of her best friends. He’s at the police station and a suspect in the Elise Whitmore murder. Dev and Poppy know Boone could not murder someone- so with the help of Noah, they start digging into Elise Whitmore’s murder. Between the 3 of them- they find some interesting suspects- but do they find the murderer?

To top off Dev’s days- she’s got 2 hunky men wanting to be with her- Jake and Noah. And neither one looks like they are willing to throw in the towel when it comes to Dev.

Funny. Enjoyable. Great little cozy series. While it is different than Denise Swanson’s other series (Scumble River) this series defintely stands on it’s own. Cozy readers, sit back and enjoy Dev’s world.