2016 Wrap Up

It's that time of year when we all reflect on what we read this past year.  Here's what my 2016 looked like:

I Love Libraries Reading Challenge 2016 - Wrap Up

I finished this challenge.  I signed up for the chapter level.  These are the books I read:

Review: Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man by William Shatner

Genre:
Non-Fiction

Format:
Audio

Publisher:
Macmillon Audio

Release Date:
February 2016

Friendly Fill-Ins - December 30th

This meme is hosted by Ann at McGuffy's Reader and Ellen at 15andmeowing. Each week they will post four fill-in statements.

Here are my answers to this weeks statements...

The Friday 56

This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join on the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.


It's that simple.

This week I'm reading...

Review: Agatha Raisin and the Busy Body by M.C. Beaton

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
Audio

Publisher:
AudioGo

Release Date:
October 12, 2010

Review: Chocolate Frosted Murder by Susan Gillard

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
E-Book

Publisher:
Guardian Publishing Group

Release Date:
April 16, 2016

WWW Wednesdays - December 28th

I'm trying a new-to-me meme this week. It's hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

First Chapter Tuesday/Teaser Tuesday - December 27th

Every Tuesday Diane at Bibliophile By the Sea hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where we share the first paragraph or (a few) of a book we are reading or thinking about reading soon. Care to join us?

If you'd like to play along on Teaser Tuesdays, just click the button above.


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, now being hosted by Ambrosia at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week I'm reading...

Review: The Cupcake Caper by Kelle Z. Riley

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
E-Book

Publisher:
Curtis Brown Unlimited

Release Date:
September 29, 2016

Review: The Seven-Course Christmas Killer by Rosie Genova

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
E-Book

Publisher:
Beyond the Page

Release Date:
November 27, 2106

Sunday/Monday Posts - December 25th and 26th

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

If you'd like to participate with The Sunday Salon, it is now a Facebook group.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading is a meme with a new host!  It's now being hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. This is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

I'm also linking to  Stacking The Shelves which is hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews.

Cozy Mystery Series Announcement: A Fixer-Upper Mystery Series by Kate Carlisle

Very exciting news.  The Hallmark channel is airing a brand new cozy mystery movie based on Kate Carlisle's "A Fixer-Upper Mystery" series.

Check out the Hallmark announcement about the TV show.

Hallmark Announcement

I'm looking forward to watching this series on the small screen!

The newest book in the series is Deck the Halls.  Here's the synopsis from Goodreads:

The latest mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Crowned and Moldering.
 
Someone's been slayed! If contractor Shannon Hammer can't nail the real culprit in the St. Nick of time, her dad will wind up in the clink...
 
Even at Christmastime, Shannon is more spackle than sparkle, which is why she leaps at the chance to transform a grand old Victorian mansion into ten charming apartments for homeless families. Filled with the spirit of the season, all of Lighthouse Cove turns out to help—including her best friends, a troupe of far-from-angelic Santa Claus impersonators, and her father, Jack.
 
But their merriment is soon dashed by a heated scuffle between Jack and the miserly president of the bank who’s backing the project. When the man is murdered, all eyes are on Jack, and visions of prison time dance in Shannon's head. Now, she needs to pull off a crime-solving miracle, before her father’s Christmas goose is cooked…

Midwinter's Eve Giveaway Hop

Socrates' Book Reviews is participating in this year's Gratitude Giveaway.  The giveaway hop is hosted by Mary at BookHounds.

WWW Wednesdays - December 21st

I'm trying a new-to-me meme this week. It's hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Review: A Christmas Family Wish by Helen Scott Taylor

Genre:
Romance

Format:
E-Book

Release Date:
November 9, 2013

New Release: M.A.R.R.I.E.D. by Lindsay Marie Miller (Tour-Wide Giveaway)

Title: M.A.R.R.I.E.D.

(A S.I.N.G.L.E. Novella)

Series: Jessie & Graham

Author: Lindsay Marie Miller

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Release Date: December 20, 2016

Add to Goodreads à

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32929978-m-a-r-r-i-e-d-a-s-i-n-g-l-e-novella

Synopsis

In rainy Seattle, Washington, Graham Kelly has won the heart of independent minded Jessica Jacobs. Wedding bells are near, yet nothing will stop Jessie’s overbearing mother from throwing a wrench into the plans.

When an unexpected situation expands the swelling tension between the two, matters arise uncertain. Graham loves Jessie. But will his endless affection and warm heart be enough to keep her? This trip down the aisle is going to be a bumpy one.

.99cents for a Limited Time!

AMAZON: http://tinyurl.com/hlzpth8

***

Also Available:

S.I.N.G.L.E. is FREE!

12/20/16—12/24/16

Amazon Exclusive

http://amzn.to/22ZYcXs

***

Enter to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

LINDSAY MARIE MILLER graduated from Florida State University Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. An incurable romantic at heart, she enjoys writing about strong heroines and the honorable gentlemen who claim their hearts. The author resides in her hometown of Tallahassee, FL, where she is currently working on her next novel.

Connect with Lindsay Marie Miller

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Want to be the first to know about important news and updates?

Join the Mailing List à http://eepurl.com/b9fRJ1

**Subscribers receive special offers, exclusive discounts, advanced book chapters, new release announcements and more!**

Want to receive free eBooks and Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) of upcoming releases by Lindsay Marie Miller?

Join the Review Team --> http://tinyurl.com/h5aujnv

Review: A Familiar Tale by Delia James

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
E-book

Publisher:

Release Date:

Sunday/Monday Posts - December 18th and 19th

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

If you'd like to participate with The Sunday Salon, it is now a Facebook group.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading is a meme with a new host!  It's now being hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. This is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

I'm also linking to  Stacking The Shelves which is hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews.

2017 Foodies Read Reading Challenge Sign Up

I love this challenge and I've been participating in the past couple of years.  It's been especially fun since many of my beloved cozies are culinary ones. This challenge is hosted by Based on A True Story  Here are the details...

Cloak And Dagger Reading Challenge 2017 Sign Up

I enjoyed this one last year, so I'm back again. This is hosted by Stormi at Books, Movies, Reviews. Oh My! and Barb at Booker T's Farm.

Here are the details...

Review: A Campy Christmas by Karen Musser Nortman

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
Audio

Publisher:
Karen Nortman

Release Date:
October 20, 2016

Book Blast: Paradise Series by Deborah Brown

We're happy to host Deborah Brown's PARADISE SERIES Book Blast today! Please leave a comment to let her know you stopped by!

Title: Paradise Series

Author: Deborah Brown

Publisher: Paradise Books

Pages: 626 (total in series)

Genre: Mystery/Humor

Crazy in Paradise: Dying in the middle of the summer in the Florida Keys is sweaty business. Welcome to Tarpon Cove.  Madison Westin has inherited her aunt's beachfront motel in the Florida Keys.
Trouble is she’s also inherited a slew of colorful tenant's - drunks, ex-cons, and fugitives. Only one problem: First, she has to wrestle control from a conniving lawyer and shady motel manager. With the help of her new best friend, whose motto is never leave home without your Glock, they dive into a world of blackmail, murder, and drugs.



Deception in Paradise: Madison Westin is back!! The Florida Keys are hotter
than ever.

With Madison's never-say-no style she's smarter and packing an attitude not to
mention her Glock. This time, trouble rolls into Tarpon Cove in the form of
Madison's ex-husband, Jackson Devereaux, whom she hoped to never see again. His
arrival brings unparalleled chaos and an uninvited corpse. Teaming up with her
hot friend, Fabiana, the two women go from chasing the usual cast of misfits
and weirdos to hunting down a murderer. The action turns deadly serious when
they stir up a nasty enemy as they try to stay one-step ahead in a game of cat
and mouse that threatens their lives.



Trouble in Paradise: What is big news in small town Tarpon Cove? An accidental
drowning or perhaps a ruthless murder? When a dead fisherman rolls up on shore,
Madison cannot resist jumping into her new role as Private Investigator. But
she soon discovers the people in The Cove who normally gossip about everybody's
business are unusually tight-lipped. The bad tenant radar still not working,
the cottages continue to be full of riffraff. Madison gets arrested, shot at,
and outsmarted. She teams up with her best friend – the Glock carrying Fabiana.
Together they take on cases no other investigators would ever touch!

Purchase:

Amazon

Book Excerpt:

There should be a law in South Florida that a person can’t die during the summer. The death of
a loved one was hard enough without the added humiliation of sweat. I felt it rolling down my back, like a stream trapped by the belt of my dress with
nowhere to go.

My name is Madison Elizabeth Westin, and I’m seated at the funeral of my favorite aunt,
people watching, of all things. Most of the mourners looked ready for a pool party, some of them in shorts and bathing suit cover-ups. I was the only one
dressed in black; even my brother wore khaki shorts.

The minister began, “We are gathered here today to give thanks for the life of Elizabeth
Ruth Hart, who shared herself with us. It is in her memory we come together and, for all she meant to us, we are thankful.”

My mother had named me after her older sister. Elizabeth was like a second mother to my
brother Brad and me. We spent summers with her in Florida, running and playing on the beach, building sandcastles, and she was a regular visitor to our home in South Carolina.

After five years of not seeing her, I had packed for a several-month stay and planned to
spend the summer with her. That’s when I got a phone call from her lawyer telling me she had died. I still found it difficult to believe it had happened so suddenly.When I walked into the funeral home earlier, the heat had smothered me; this main room was suffocating. The air conditioning wasn’t working and it felt as though it was more than one hundred degrees. The director, Dickie Vanderbilt, had apologized for that, telling me that the central unit had gone out earlier in the day. He informed me he had all of the ceiling fans on high,which, in my opinion, were only circulating hot air.

Dickie Vanderbilt gave me the creeps. He had a slight build, pasty white skin, and long skinny fingers. When he reached out to touch my arm, I tried hard not to squirm.

I’m not a big fan of shaking hands. I find people only want to shake your hand when they can
see you’re not interested. A friend suggested I perfect the dog paw shake for those who insist. I extend my hand like a paw and let it hang loose. Often times, they jerk their hand away and give me an odd stare, which makes me want to laugh every time.

The minister rambled on. I found him to be uninteresting, his speech dry. He talked about
Elizabeth as though she were a stranger to him and everyone here. Apparently,Elizabeth’s jerk attorney, Tucker Davis, hadn’t given the minister any
information about her. I didn’t understand why my aunt left all of the details of her funeral to Tucker. Why would she exclude the people who loved her and knew her best from having input? I wished I had one more day to walk along the beach to laugh, talk, and collect shells with her.

On Sunday, Tucker called to inform me that Elizabeth had died in her sleep from a heart
attack. “The funeral is Wednesday, 1:00 p.m. at Tropical Slumber Funeral Home on Highway 1 in Tarpon Cove,” he told me.

“I want to help plan the funeral.”

“All of the arrangements have been made.” He sounded impatient, emphasizing his words. “If
you want to, you can call anyone else you think should be informed.”

“My aunt would’ve wanted her family to be involved in the decision-making for her funeral. After all, my mother, brother, and I are the only family she had.”

“Elizabeth appointed me executor. She left me written instructions for everything she wanted done after her death, including her funeral.”

I didn’t believe him. Elizabeth loved us. She never would’ve excluded her family in this way, knowing how important it would be to us.

“I oversaw all of the arrangements myself. I’m sure you’ll be satisfied. If you have any other
questions you can call my assistant, Ann.” He hung up the phone.

My aunt never once mentioned Tucker Davis to me or anyone else in the family. Here he was, a
stranger, handling her estate.

The next day, I called the lawyer back to tell him that Elizabeth’s sister Madeline, her nephew
Brad, and I, would attend. He refused to take my phone call, and I was frustrated.

“This is Madison Westin. May I speak with Tucker Davis?”

“I’m Ann, Mr. Davis’s assistant. He’s not accepting calls at this time. Can I help you with
something?”

“I wanted to ask again if there was anything I could do in preparation for Elizabeth Hart’s
funeral? Surely, you can understand how her family would want to be involved in any final decisions.”

“Mrs. Hart wanted Mr. Davis to make those arrangements, and he has. She didn’t indicate
that she wanted anyone else involved in the planning. I can assure you he’s seen to all of the details. He worked directly with Mr. Vanderbilt at the
funeral home.”

“I’ll be arriving later today. Would you tell Mr. Davis I’m available to help with
anything that needs to be done? He can reach me at Elizabeth’s house.”

“Does Mr. Davis know you plan to stay in Mrs. Hart’s house?”

“I don’t need Mr. Davis’ permission. I’ve never stayed anywhere but the Cove Road house, and
this trip won’t be any different. If Mr. Davis has a problem with my staying there, he can call me,” I said.

“Any more messages?” Ann sniffed and, without waiting for a response, hung up on me.

About the Author

Redhead. Long legs. There's nothing like a strawberry-lemonade in summer. Favorite activity: Filling my pockets with seashells. An avid rule follower when eating Animal Cookies:  Broken ones get eaten first, match up the rest, duplicates next, line them up favorite to not, least favorite go first. South Florida is my home, with my ungrateful rescue cats, and where Mother Nature takes out her bad attitude in the form of hurricanes.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Review: Tricky Blueberry Murder by Susan Gillard

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
E-Book

Publisher:
Guardian Publishing Group

Release Date:
April 5, 2016

Book Blast - Self Serve Murder by D.E. Haggerty

Book Blast - Self Serve Murder by D.E. Haggerty

 

Book Series: Death by Cupcake, Book 3 – can standalone

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Humor

Published: December, 2016

Word count: 43,000

 

Synopsis:

Book 3 in the Death by Cupcake series. Can be read as a standalone.

Kristie is kind with a capital K, so it’s quite the surprise when she wakes up next to a dead man with no recollection of the previous night. Even worse? She’s naked. Kristie may be a sweetheart out to save the world, but sticking her nose into an investigation of rapes across campus makes her the target of a murderer. Before she knows it, Callie is smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation with her colleagues Callie and Anna. If that’s not enough to drive a sane person up the wall, a friend has decided he’s going to keep her safe whether she wants him to or not. And, oh yeah, he’s her man and that’s that.

Come join us at Callie’s Cakes, where murder investigations are on the menu. You are most welcome, but you may need to serve yourself as our barista Kristie is busy trying to save the world.

Warning: Although there are plenty of moments that will make you shake your head and laugh at the antics of the ladies of Callie’s Cakes, the subject matter – rape on college campuses – is very real and somewhat darker than your usual cozy mystery.

 

Buy links:

Amazon Smashwords Barnes and Noble Kobo



Author bio:

I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom's Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Women. When I wasn't flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage, every once in a while, to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. After surviving the army experience, I went back to school and got my law degree. I jumped ship and joined the hubby in the Netherlands before the graduation ceremony could even begin. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. But being a lawyer really wasn’t my thing, so I quit (again!) and went off to Germany to start a B&B. Turns out being a B&B owner wasn’t my thing either. I decided to follow the husband to Istanbul for a few years where I managed to churn out book after book. But ten years was too many to stay away from ‘home’. I packed up again and moved to The Hague where I’m currently working on my next book. I hope I’ll always be working on my next book.

Author links:

Website: http://dehaggerty.wordpress.com

Blog: https://dehaggerty.wordpress.com/category/mymusings/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dehaggerty

Twitter: https://twitter.com/denaehaggerty

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DEHaggerty/posts

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/denahaggerty/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7210211.D_E_Haggerty

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/D.E.-Haggerty/e/B00ECQBURU/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_5?qid=1438239628&sr=8-5

December 12

Book Babble – REVIEW

Community Bookstop - REVIEW

Books, Dreams, Life

Jersey Girl Book Reviews

fuonlyknew

Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews

Cozy Up With Kathy

The Girl with Book Lungs

Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

December 13

Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW

Laura's Interests – REVIEW

T's Stuff

StoreyBook Reviews

3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too!

Celticlady's Reviews

Island Confidential

Socrates' Book Reviews

A Date with a Book

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?

Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!

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Promo: The Seven-Course Christmas Killer by Rosie Genova

Rosie Genova, author of the Italian Kitchen Mysteries, serves up a new dish this week with the release of her e-book holiday novella, The Seven Course Christmas Killer: A Holiday Novella from the Italian Kitchen. Priced at .99, the e-book will be available on Amazon and most other retailers.
The story takes place on Christmas Eve, as Vic and the gang prepare the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes for their annual holiday party. But before you can say “shrimp scampi,” Mayor Anne McCrae takes a nasty fall that may not be an accident. Add a nosy reporter, guests with grudges, and a missing kitchen knife—and Vic suddenly has all the ingredients for murder!

On Christmas Eve, someone might be sleeping with the fishes. . .

It’s December at the Casa Lido, which means only one thing: the Rienzi family’s traditional Christmas Eve celebration, including wine, song, and seven Italian seafood courses. As Victoria and Tim prep scungilli and calamari, Nonna directs the cooking until all is in readiness for the big night.

But the holiday cheer is interrupted by the attempted murder of Mayor Anne McCrae, who asks Vic to investigate. Trouble is, there are as many suspects as there are fishes on the Christmas Eve menu . . .

Author Bio

A Jersey girl born and bred, national bestselling author Rosie Genova left her heart at the shore, which serves as the setting for her cozy series, the Italian Kitchen Mysteries. Her debut, Murder and Marinara, was voted a Best Cozy of 2013 by Suspense Magazine and was a finalist for a 2014 Daphne Award. Her books have been described as blending “mystery with comedy, romance, family drama, a vivid and affectionate portrayal of the Jersey shore and…oh yes, cooking.”

The proud mama of three grown sons, Rosie still lives in her home state with her husband and a charming mutt named Lucy. She also writes women's fiction as Rosemary DiBattista.


Find Rosie on the internet:
Website: www.rosiegenova.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/RosieGenova

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6462450.Rosie_Genova

Sunday/Monday Posts - December 11th and 12th

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

If you'd like to participate with The Sunday Salon, it is now a Facebook group.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading is a meme with a new host!  It's now being hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. This is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

I'm also linking to  Stacking The Shelves which is hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews.