It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday - May 4

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are, and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit, comment, and add to that ever-growing TBR pile! So welcome, everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and was then taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. 

Happy May, everyone! It arrived warm and partly sunny here, but the rest of the weekend has been a bit damp and windy. Hope you all had a nice week since we last visited. This will be my only post of the week, since we leave on Wednesday morning for North Carolina. I can't believe the Lil' Princess is already graduating. 

Other than preparing for the trip, I had two closings this week, and another one is happening on Wednesday. I have listings planned for my return. Lots of fun stuff is going on in our world. I hope life is blessing you, too. 

In my book world, I need to write my review of This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman. 

I am almost done with Scrap: Salvaging a Family by Luann Castle. 

I continued The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller. 

I am listening to Hi Honey, I'm Homo: Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture by Matt Baume.

These are next:

The Ledger by Steven Manchester, which is a companion to his novel, The Menu

Staged by Caitlin Rother, which is the sequel to Hooked

Co-Created: The Cultural Strategy That Redefined Pacsun by Brieane Olson is also a NetGalley download.

The Ghost and the Key, the first book in Bill Cusano's The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club series. I am reading this series this summer. 

Photo credit: Freepik

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach. 

One new arrival from Sheila Roberts in the mail this week. 

Love on the Shelf

Upcoming Events

A Change in Plans: A Sgt. Windflower Mystery by Mike Martin - May 13 (Guest Post)

Scrap: Salvaging a Family by Luanne Castle - May 21 (Review)

The Ledger by Steven Manchester - May (Review)

Fighter Pilot's Daughter by Mary Lawlor - June 10 (Guest Post)

Staged by Cailtin Rother - June (Review)

The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club: The Ghost and the Key by Bill Cusano - July 1 (Review)

The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club: The Widow Murderess by Bill Cusano - July 8 (Review)

The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club: The Sparrow and the Crow by Bill Cusano - July 10 (Review)

Massawa by Pam Weber - July (Review)

Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts - (Review)

Taking a break from posting on these blogs due to my work and travel schedule. 

Christmas Year Round

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

Laura's Little Houses

Posting early because I will be on the road most of the day. Hope you enjoy your time here. Looking forward to visiting your blogs.

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: A Celebrity I'd Like to Meet

 

The Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is hosted by Long and Short Reviews. They offer this blog hop as a weekly prompt to help you gain new friends and visitors. You don't have to participate every week, but if you decide to post and join the blog hop for a week, Long and Short Reviews requests that you share your link in their weekly post on their website (which will be the top post on the home page each Wednesday morning). The link list remains open for new links for 48 hours. Visit the other bloggers participating to see what they discuss that week. Comments are appreciated. 

Wednesday has come around again. Hope this week is treating you well. Today's Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge prompt is: a celebrity I'd like to meet. 

This is such a hard prompt, you know I can't narrow it down to just one. If we are talking about celebrities from my era, I think Michael J. Fox and Brooke Shields would be amazing to meet. I would also say that being part of Modern Prairie has given me a new appreciation for Melissa Gilbert. It would be nice to meet her in person.

Though I am not a country music fan, I imagine that meeting Dolly Parton would be life-changing. And since we are talking music, I should add meeting Taylor Swift to the list. My daughters are huge fans. 

Have you met any celebrities? 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Can't Believe I Haven't Read Yet & Tell Me Something Tuesday: What is your favorite sports team?

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. 

Happy Tuesday! Hope your week is starting off well. I've got a couple of closings this week, which is always a good thing. I will be attending a wonderful local event tonight, which should be a blast. 

Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is a freebie. I am going with books I can't believe I haven't read yet. These are often books I am excited about, but because of other commitments, I don't get around to reading them. The year in parentheses is the year I bought them or added them to my Goodreads "Want to Read" list. 

Top Ten Books I Can't Believe

 I Haven't Read Yet 

1. Murder As A Fine Art by Dave Morell (2013)
2. Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and The Spending of an American Fortune by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell Jr. (2014)
3. Diary of A Stage Mother's Daughter by Melissa Francis (2014)
4. Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen by Vicki Delaney (2015)
5. The Wright Brothers by David McCullough (2015)
6. The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin 92106)
7. Laura Ingalls is Ruining My Life by Shelley Tougas (2016)
8. The Other Alcott by Elise Hooper (2017)
9. Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy (2018)
10. A Vineyard Christmas by Jean Stone (2018)

Thanks to Freepik for the image

Tell Me Something Tuesday (TMST) is hosted by Jen Twimom at That's What I'm Talking About. TMST is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Participation is optional, and you can leave your comments in the weekly post when you participate. Check it out if you're interested in joining.

We are talking about favorite sports teams for Tell Me Something Tuesday. Hands down, my favorite is the Boston Bruins. I've been a fan of hockey since I was a kid, watching it on Channel 38 out of Boston. Back then, Fred Cusick was the play-by-play announcer, and Derek Sanderson was the color commentator. 

My husband played in high school and as an adult. My son played from pre-school through high school. My husband figured I was the one for him when I told him how much I loved the clack of the puck hitting the stick at the first Bruins game we attended together. You used to be able to get Bruins tickets for $25 then. 

We didn't think we would ever see a Bruins Stanley Cup win in our lifetimes, but it happened in 2011. My team is overdue.

What's your favorite sports team? 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & mailbox Monday - April 27

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are, and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit, comment, and add to that ever-growing TBR pile! So welcome, everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and was then taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. 

Welcome to the last Monday of April! Can you believe it? How can May 1 be only days away? 

We made it to and from North Carolina, leaving part of our hearts there with our girl. But we will be headed back soon for graduation. Other than that, I am swimming in work and have bitten off more than one fingernail. I wish I could go back to my natural nails, but they are so weak now. Does anyone have tips and tricks? 

Here are some photos from our week:

After the dance show

Strawberries and cream pancakes from Drift

Downtown Wilmington

Travis was so happy we came home, he hopped into my suitcase to make sure I couldn't fill it again

In my reading world, I finished Murder, Local Style by Leslie Karst, and posted my review early. You can find it here. Be sure to enter the giveaway. 

I finished This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman. Way too many characters for me, but a good book overall. 

I continued with Scrap: Salvaging a Family by Luann Castle. This is an intense and deeply emotional collection. Look for my review in June. 

I started The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller because I had my phone with me in the car. 

These are next:

The Ledger by Steven Manchester, which is a companion to his novel, The Menu

Staged by Caitlin Rother, which is the sequel to Hooked

Co-Created: The Cultural Strategy That Redefined Pacsun by Brieane Olson is also a NetGalley download.

The Ghost and the Key, the first book in Bill Cusano's The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club series. I am reading this series this summer. 

Photo credit: Freepik

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach. 

Has anyone heard from Vicki? She hasn't posted since the beginning of April. 

One new book arrived in the mail, and this one I am taking with me on vacation. Massawa is by Pam Webber. 

Upcoming Events

A Change in Plans: A Sgt. Windflower Mystery by Mike Martin - May 13 (Guest Post)

Scrap: Salvaging a Family by Luanne Castle - May 21 (Review)

The Ledger by Steven Manchester - May (Review)

Fighter Pilot's Daughter by Mary Lawlor - June 10 (Guest Post)

Staged by Cailtin Rother - June (Review)

The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club: The Ghost and the Key by Bill Cusano - July 1 (Review)

The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club: The Widow Murderess by Bill Cusano - July 8 (Review)

The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club: The Sparrow and the Crow by Bill Cusano - July 10 (Review)

Massawa by Pam Weber - July (Review)

Christmas Year Round

This week's Christmas Year Round blog's latest "Journey through Christmases Past" post talks about Christmas in the United States. This is a bit of trivia about Christmas as a legal holiday. You can read it here.

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

Nothing new. I feel like I can barely keep up with this blog lately. But I hope to be posting there more often through the summer. 

Laura's Little Houses

Nothing new, but I will post my favorites from Seasons 7 - 9 in the next couple of weeks. Well, maybe after graduation. :) 

I have a hectic schedule today, but I will visit as much as I can. Appreciate your visits and comments. 

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: A Few Happy Memories from My Life

 

The Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is hosted by Long and Short Reviews. They offer this blog hop as a weekly prompt to help you gain new friends and visitors. You don't have to participate every week, but if you decide to post and join the blog hop for a week, Long and Short Reviews requests that you share your link in their weekly post on their website (which will be the top post on the home page each Wednesday morning). The link list remains open for new links for 48 hours. Visit the other bloggers participating to see what they discuss that week. Comments are appreciated. 

Say hello to Wednesday again. It creeps up so quickly. In this week's post, we are sharing a few happy memories from our lives. There are many I could share, but here are three that are in the top five highlights:

• Marrying my best friend. There is no one I would rather go through this crazy life with than my husband. We have known each other since high school, and began dating when we were 21. Yeah, it's been a few years. :)  He is the kindest, most loving person I know.
• Seeing my children through to adulthood. Each experience was different. I was barely out of high school when I had my son. The two girls came along after I was married. I've been a single parent, a working parent, a stay-at-home mom, a work-from-home mom, a pet mom, and probably a few other things during the last 39 years. With the youngest on the cusp of graduating, I am a mom in transition. It is all good and such a blessing. 
• Signing my first book contract. There is something special about that first contract. It's like proof that what you've been doing for likely years, maybe decades, is worth sharing with the world. Admittedly, I never get tired of signing them. I've been blessed to do that five times so far. Maybe next time I will be signing a contract for agent representation. We will see what the future holds. 

What are some happy memories from your life? 

Book Review & Giveaway: Murder, Local Style by Leslie Karst

 

Amateur sleuth Valerie Corbin returns in the third installment of Leslie Karst's Ochid Isle Mystery series, Murder, Local Style.

Valerie and her wife Kristen have settled into life in Hilo, Hawai‘i, with their dog Pua. Val has even joined the neighborhood orchid society so she can meet new people. So she is eager to help out when she is asked to cater their latest event at the last minute. 

But when the orchid society's president is poisoned by food at the event and subsequently dies, Valerie finds herself a suspect. Determined to discover the truth, she learns that not everyone liked George, and the list of suspects and potential motives grows. Can she find the culprit before she becomes their next target?

While I didn't know this wasn't the first book in the series, I don't feel like I skipped a beat starting with Murder, Local Style. This cozy mystery blends a beautiful setting, a rich culture, engaging characters, and the twists and turns you expect in this genre. Having visited Hawaii, I appreciated how the author knows how to paint a picture and make the reader feel like they are there. Murder, Local Style finds Val coping with nasty neighbors and family stress while working at a local hot spot and trying to track down a murderer. The glossary of terms and the recipes were a bonus. 

If you enjoy a cozy mystery in a fun place, Murder, Local Style is for you. 

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FVLW3ZL8
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Severn House
• Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 7, 2026
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 2.1 MB
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled 
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled 
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 239 pages 
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1448316571

 

I received a copy of this book from the author through Partners in Crime Tours. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Tour Participants:

Click through the other tour stops for can’t-miss reviews, insider interviews, exclusive guest posts, and more chances to win!

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Orchids, Alibis, and Awesome Prizes

This giveaway is hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Leslie Karst. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

MURDER, LOCAL STYLE by Leslie Karst | Gift Cards

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Top Ten Tuesday & Tell Me Something Tuesday: How do you like to celebrate your birthday?

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. 

Tuesday is here again, and I am still trying to catch up from last week. Two more unexpected real estate blessings came my way yesterday, so it is 1:00 am on Tuesday morning, and I still haven't finished my work. 

This week's Top Ten Tuesday sounds like a fun topic: April Showers. I just don't have time to participate. Hope you all enjoy touring the blogosphere to visit others. 

Thanks to Freepik for the image

Tell Me Something Tuesday (TMST) is hosted by Jen Twimom at That's What I'm Talking About. TMST is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Participation is optional, and you can leave your comments in the weekly post when you participate. Check it out if you're interested in joining.

How do I celebrate my birthday? Usually, we are in the Outer Banks or driving home from the Outer Banks, so it involves a meal out, maybe a small treat, and gifts from the family. We should be home for this birthday, so I don't know if anything will be different. Either way, it's good to make it through another year with good health, a wonderful family, and all my wits about me.