denise swanson

Between A Book and a Hard Place by Denise Swanson

between a book and hard place

Photo Credit: NAL March 1st 2016

This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

Between A Book and a Hard Place

Shadow Bend is getting good news- it’s getting back it’s library! (Book readers rejoice!)

Dev is happy about the library, but not happy when she realizes how the funds were found to re-open the library. Her mother’s new husband is the man with the money- and Dev is still angry at her mother for how she acted after the ordeal that sent Dev’s father to jail years ago.

So, Dev tries to stay busy and not associate with her mom too much. But, when Jett meets the Grim Reaper- Dev decides to help Yvette- as she worries that her family will be torn apart again. Continue reading →

{Audio Clip} Dying for a Cupcake by Denise Swanson (plus giveaway!)

giveaway giveaway

Hello! And Happy Pub Day to Denise Swanson’s latest Dime Store Mystery- DYING FOR A CUPCAKE. {Glitter and sparkles and happy music!!}

So, let me set the scene: I posted my review the other day and was just minding my own business- when out of the clear blue sky a communications manager from Audible (you know, the place where like a gajillion people get their audio books from) sent me a sweet little email about the review and let me know about the audio version. Well… knowing that many of my readers are audio fans- I just knew I had to make mention of the audio version for you all- and then I so sweetly and politely asked about a giveaway- AND BOOM! Got one for you all! 🙂 Continue reading →

Get Spook-Tacular With Cozy Mysteries for Halloween!

Cozy Mysteries for Halloween 1

Ya’ll… You know how I adore my cozy mysteries. They are some of my favorite reading. As I’ve been putting together this Spook-Tacular Month of posts, I began thinking about my cozy mysteries- and trying to remember some good Halloween ones. I found a few- just in case you like your mystery to be on the light side (and perhaps want to cook up some sweet treats for Halloween!) Continue reading →

Murder of a Needled Knitter by Denise Swanson

murder of a needled knitter by denise swanson

Photo Credit: Goodreads

The author sent Traveling With T this book for review consideration.

Murder of a Needled Knitter

Finally, finally, finally Wally and Skye are married. After dating for what feels like forever- the wedding bells have rung and it’s now time for the honeymoon! Skye cannot wait- the cruise sounds amazing. Skye is picturing moonlit walks, having fun in the sun with Wally and all the other wonderful things that a cruise offers……. and then she sees something that may just make her honeymoon not quite the dream time she longed for. What (or shall I say who) could put a damper on a newlywed’s honeymoon? Continue reading →

Dead Between the Lines (A Devereaux’s Dime Store Mystery) by Denise Swanson

Dead Between the Lines

Photo Credit: Goodreads

This book was sent to Traveling With T by author in exchange for a honest review.

Dead Between The Lines

Opening an old-fashioned five-and-dime shop in her small Missouri hometown has been a great change for Devereaux “Dev” Sinclair. But when she hosts a reading group there, she learns that bad writing can mean life or death.

To keep her new business in the black, Dev opens up her shop to local clubs. But in the first meeting of the Stepping Out Book Club, the speaker storms out after members attack his poetry’s sexism and scorn for small towns. Later that night, the poet’s body is found outside Dev’s store.

Dev can’t afford for the murder to close her down, so she does a little stepping out of her own to investigate, with help from her two sexy suitors, Dr. Noah Underwood and Deputy U.S. Marshal Jake Del Vecchio. But when the killer threatens Dev, they will have to use every trick in the book to solve the case before she becomes the final chapter in this murder mystery.…

 

Ahh… a day in the life of Dev- she’s got 2 men wanting to be with her, 2 men that complement her in unique ways, she worries about her grandmother, and she finds out in this book that her dad will be returning from jail. So, Dev is trying to make the money while the sun is shining- which is why she opens up the Dime Store to clubs for bit of extra cash. The first book club meeting, though, may be the last- as the members get peeved with the author for his attitude toward women and small-town life. Dev knew many were peeved when they left, but she did not know who was peeved enough to kill the author or why they did it- was it because of the book club meeting? Or is there much more to this story?

What Dev knows is this: She can’t afford to be shut down while the police are looking for the killer- so off to work she goes. With a little help from the good doctor, Noah, and the hunk-alicious Deputy US Marshall, Jake- Dev is sure to get to the bottom of this mess, quick, fast and in a hurry. Which leaves her to think about other things- such as who is the yin to her yang?

 

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I enjoy the Dime Store Mystery series! It’s fun, cute, and Denise writes small-town characters that are interesting and nice to read about. While I’m a bit more of a SCUMBLE RIVER fan, this DIME STORE mystery changed that. Dev has hit a groove with me in reading and I found myself not comparing to Scumble River as I have in the past. One thing I really liked about this book was that Denise is allowing us to see chapters from the male’s point of view- something I don’t remember her doing in Scumble River (although, perhaps I have forgot!) Getting to know Jake and Noah a bit, through their own thoughts and not the actions we see in the Dev chapters, added a bit to this book.

Even though recently, I went on a bit of rant about love triangles and their length, I actually like love triangles (as long as they don’t go on too long!) Right now, the love triangle with Dev, Noah and Jake is fine. Cute. You’ll hear it first when the triangle needs to leave the building, though.

Overall, enjoyable! A nice cozy mystery with some great characters. Definitely add this to the TBR list!

 

*Dead Between the Lines was sent to Traveling With T by author in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

 

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T

T Traveling With T pic sign off

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gift Ideas for the Book Lover In Your Life

The holidays are fast approaching.  I’ve got visions of a white Christmas dancing in my head (even though that is not santalikely), craving cups of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and marshmallows while listening to Christmas music and decorating the tree.

Before the stockings are hung by the tree with care, before the cookies are left out for Santa, before the joyous rush of family members hanging out at the house, before I celebrate another successful holiday by enjoying a glass or 2 of wine- presents will have to be purchased. And this is where my list of book-ish delights comes in handy. Have a reader in your life? Perhaps you’ll find a book that you will like to buy!

Mystery and Suspense

The Wrong Girl by Hank Phillipi Ryan

the wrong girl fb

Photo Credit: Goodreads

My first Hank Phillipi Ryan book- and I’m so glad I read it! As a fan of Sue Grafton (and seriously Sue- nothing but love for you- but I NEED you to write faster- yet I dread as we come closer to the end of the alphabet.) That little side topic is my way of saying that Hank helped me in quest for a Sue fix. Jane Ryland won’t knock Kinsey Millhone out of my heart for the #1 spot- but Jane is almost as good. And that’s saying a lot. The Wrong Girl was twisty and turny- with a great mystery and some potential steamy romance. Here is my review of The Wrong Girl by Hank Phillippi Ryan- an excellent consideration for someone looking for mystery and suspense!

Never Tell by Alafair Burke

Never Tell

Photo Credit: Goodreads

This was my first Alafair Burke- and after reading it- I’m all “Alafair-where have you been all my reading life?” Each time I thought I had the story figured out- Alafair zigged. Then she zagged. Then she twisted and turned. And kept me captivated.  Highly recommend Never Tell by Alafair Burke! Here is my review of Never Tell.

W is for Wasted by Sue Grafton

w is for wasted

Photo Credit: Goodreads

As witnessed above, I LOVE Sue Grafton. I LOVE Kinsey (Sue’s Character). If you have enjoyed A-V- then W is another great book.  Seriously. Just go get it. W is for Wasted is worth it.

If You Were Here by Alafair Burke

if you were here

Photo Credit: Amazon

Another Alafair Burke book- and again- twist, turns, zig and zags! While I prefer Alafair’s Ellie Hatcher a bit more to McKenna- that’s just a personal preference. Both mysteries are top-notch and great reads! Put If You Were Here on your wish list! Here is my review of If You Were Here- intriguing and enjoyable.

Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight

recon amelia

Photo Credit: Amazon

Oh. My. Gosh. I LOVED this book. Edge of my seat. Great storyline. How well do you know your child? Read this and prepare to wonder. This book will lead to a wonderful discussion amongst friends and book clubs. Reconstructing Amelia may very well be this year’s Gone Girl.  Here is my review of Reconstructing Amelia.

Cozy Mystery

I adore Cozy Mysteries. They are quick, fun and easy reads. They make me feel warm and fuzzy. The characters are fun and interesting. The settings are enjoyable- and the mystery is good.

Murder of a Stacked Librarian by Denise Swanson

murder of stacked librarian

Photo Credit: Goodreads

Denise Swanson’s latest has Skye getting married- if the groom can get away from the police station long enough to exchange vows! If you’ve read Denise’s other books- you’ll enjoy this one. If not, start with Murder of a Small Town Honey. While each story stands on it’s own- there are some things that build along the series of the books- and to fully enjoy, you might want to be invested in the characters. Murder of a Small Town Librarian is a must have for cozy mystery fans! Here is my review of Murder of a Small Town Librarian.

Topped Chef (Key West Food Critic Mystery #3) by Lucy Burdette

Topped Chef - Cover

Photo Credit: Goodreads

I have fallen in love with Lucy Burdette’s main character, Hayley Snow. Cute, fun, gets her tarot cards read- how adorable she is! She’s a foodie- but not pretentious. Hayley is struggling a bit in the romance department (but aren’t we all?!) Topped Chef is a book to put on your list! Here is my review of Topped Chef.

Women’s Fiction

The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow by Rita Leganski

the silence of bonaventure arrow

Photo Credit: Amazon

Magical- realism. If you were like me- and those words kind of make you feel nervous about a book- put aside your worries. The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow is wonderful. The story, the setting- the amazing Bonaventure Arrow. Forgiveness and love are major themes of this story. Read. You won’t be sorry. The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow is a book that some readers might overlook- don’t do that! Here is my review of The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow.

The Guest House by Erika Marks

the guest house

Photo Credit: Goodreads

Love. Secrets. Family drama. Being true to yourself. The Guest House is a book that you must read. Here is my review of The Guest House.

A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

a hundred summers

Photo Credit: Amazon

Love. Intrigue. Friendships. Family secrets. And a Aunt Julie that provides a humorous aspect to the story. This story is fantastic. A Hundred Summers is a book to read- no matter the time of the year. Here is my review of A Hundred Summers.

I’ll be posting a few more recommendations next week as well! Hopefully, you, my darling readers of Traveling With T, will find a book to buy for your book-ish friends and loved ones!

Literary Friday ya’ll…. (plus a feature on little ole me!)

I’ve got my eyes on the lookout for pumpkins and other signs of the fall fast approaching- what about you?

 

1. Deep South Mag and their #literaryfriday: Giveaway of 2 books (1 is Karen White’s latest, THE TIME BETWEEN!), Claire Danes, news about last week’s AJC Decatur Book Fest, and much more!

 

2. Jessica McCann posted a lovely post titled What Cupcakes Taught Me About Life and Literature. Read. It’s VERY good!

 

3. This week on Traveling With T, I had several author spotlights: Dana Bate, Denise Swanson, and Emily Liebert.

 

4. Interviews, interviews, interviews: Dana Bate, Denise Swanson, and Emily Liebert.

 

5. I reviewed 2 books this week: Murder of a Stacked Librarian by Denise Swanson and You Knew Me When by Emily Liebert.

 

6. Another AWESOME blogger featured this week: Cindi @ Utah Mom’s Life!

 

7. My #fridayreads: The Wrong Girl by Hank Phillipi Ryan, The Funeral Dress by Susan Gregg Gilmore, and Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand.

 

8. Katherine at Story Matters– one of my AWESOME bloggers mentioned a couple of weeks ago asked to interview me (me!, Little ole me!) In the interview we cover my #literaryconfessions (yes, yes, after asking everyone and their mama their #literaryconfessions- someone turned the tables on me and asked me the question. I confessed freely (even though it might be a bit shameworthy for a bookworm to admit!) Thank you, Katherine for the Spotlight on Tamara Welch, Book Blogger!

 

Happy Reading 🙂

 

 

Murder of a Stacked Librarian by Denise Swanson

murder of stacked librarian

Photo Credit: Amazon

It’s almost Skye’s wedding- which should be the happiest day of her life. Except the groom is spending more time at the police station, Skye’s worried about fitting in her wedding dress and a murder needs to be solved so Skye can relax on her honeymoon- that is, if she can find time to get married with the chaos of life of Scumble River!

Skye is busy finishing the planning for her December wedding and really second-guessing  getting married at Christmas holidays- what with all the normal holiday events, a wedding to plan has made Skye busier than a bee! Wally, her groom, is also busy at work- and a murder of librarian- a beautiful  lady with a moral code that always points due north, is complicating matters further in Scumble River!

Skye, even with the wedding planning, takes on her role as a consultant to the police with relish. Wally and Skye team up to narrow down a list of suspects who wished the beautiful and shapely Yvonne harm- and conclude quickly that Yvonne was targeted because she was a firm believer in following the rules. As suspect by suspect is crossed off the list, Skye worries the case will not be solved before they have to leave for the honeymoon- which might mean the case may never get solved.

Not only is Skye worried about the case, but her wedding cake turns into a disaster (could this be a bad omen?!), the ghost at her house is still preventing her and Wally from amorous activities, and May is being suspiciously quiet- which makes Skye worry what she has up her sleeve! Last but not least, Skye becomes aware that Simon, her ex, might be involved with another lady- and she feels amiss. Is there a slight green eyed monster in Skye?

Do Skye and Wally solve the case in time? Does the wedding happen with out any problems? Will Skye have packed the right type of clothes for her honeymoon? And just what does May have up her sleeve and should Skye be worried? All these and more questions will be answered in Murder of a Stacked Librarian!

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

If you are a fan of the Scumble River series by Denise Swanson- you’ll enjoy this book. Skye is on the road to a happy life with Wally (or is she?!) and the antics and happenings of Scumble River are enough to keep a cozy mystery fan happy and entertained.

Denise Swanson writes a humorous story with a cast of characters that are known and loved by many.  Enjoyable, funny, and a good mystery!

*This book was sent to me by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Tuesday Mashup

Hope everyone had a lovely Labor Day weekend! Mine was filled with family, sun and fun, bbq-ing, and laughs! Plus, some good book-ish time!

 

#giveaways

Traveling With T is giving away Emily Liebert’s YOU KNEW ME WHEN + a set of Zoya nail polish specifically created for the book. Book + nail polish set = #winning. Trust me- you WANT this. You really do 🙂

Happy Pub Day to Emily Liebert, by the way! Run, do not walk to nearest book store to get this book. Funny, sweet, and enjoyable- YOU KNEW ME WHEN is a great book to end the summer with and ease into the fall months!

 

Socrates’ Book Reviews is also giving away a copy of YOU KNEW ME WHEN!

 

Doing Dewey is giving away a copy of Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist! **ENDS TODAY!

 

Book Club News

Book Lovers Unite is back at Jen S’s blog, Book-alicious Mama for September. Astor Place Vintage is the book- and here is the reading schedule! * Note: We’ll be back at Traveling With T for October- and I have 2 books that I’m trying to decide between- but rest assured, they will be good!

 

Want a different type of read for September? Maybe something non-fiction? You are in luck! The Book Wheel and Love at First Book have Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg as their book choice! I remember quite a buzz about this book when it was first released and I know Allison and Rebecca will have great comments to guide the discussion along- so if it’s been on your TBR list- check them out!

 

Did you miss out on The Perfume Collector online discussion last week at She Reads? Good news! I extended it a week due to Labor Day madness! So get over there while we discuss the nitty gritty of the book!

 

Twitter chats

I’m co-hosting a Literary New England chat with Cindy of Literary New England- Sept 25th! The book will be Hank Phillipi Ryan’s latest, The Wrong Girl! A little bird told me that there will be giveaways and other good things- so don’t miss out! Details: Sept 25th, 8pmEST, use #LNEchat as hashtag!

 

Other Book-ish news:

Happy pub day to BOTH Denise Swanson author of Murder of a Stacked Librarian AND Emily Liebert You Knew Me When!

 

She Reads will announce their September selection next Monday! It’s going to be good (but I can’t reveal what it’ll be!)

 

 

Author Spotlight: Denise Swanson

murder of stacked librarian

Today is the DAY! Murder of a Stacked Librarian is out! In stores! Go GET IT!

 

Author Spotlight: Denise Swanson

Denise- when not writing your own cozy mystery series- what cozy mysteries do you enjoy reading?

That’s always a tough question because I read so many, but to name a few Heather Webber/Blakes three series, Sara Rosett, Marcia Talley, and of course Carolyn Hart’s Dead on Demand series which inspired me to write.

Do you have any #literaryconfessions?

Although I’ve seen the movie, I’ve never read To Kill a Mocking Bird, and with the exception of Ten Little Indians, I really don’t like most of Agatha Christie’s books.

Do you have a #literarycrush? 

I’m pretty fickle. I usually crush on the hero of the book that I’m currently reading, but one constant crush is Rhett Butler. I like the intensity of his love for Scarlet even though she is seriously flawed.

If you could be best friends with a character in a book, who would you pick? And why?

That’s another tough one, but I’d have to say Darcy Merriweather from Heather Blake’s Wishcraft series. I like Darcy as a person, and her ability to grant wishes is hard to beat.

What books are you looking forward to reading in 2013?

The book I’ve been saving as a reward to myself when I finish Scumble River # 17 is Charlaine Harris’ Dead Ever After, the final book in the Sookie Stackhouse series.

How many books are on your to be read (TBR) list?

I have about a dozen physical books and too many to count on my e-reader. I also have a couple of manuscripts that I’m reading for possible cover quotes.