Puzzle 99 - Snacks

Happy Super Bowl Weekend to my U.S. friends! 

Since both of my teams are out, I don't have anyone to root for. My focus is on family time and food. So here's a puzzle all about snacks! 

My time was 1:50 using 24 non-rotating pieces. Feel free to share your time in the comments and how you modified it if you did. Most of all, have fun!

A Sprinkle of Deceit: A Hannah Swensen Mystery (2024)

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A Sprinkle of Deceit: A Hannah Swensen Mystery premiered on Hallmark Mystery on October 4, 2024 and is currently streaming on Hallmark+. This is the tenth movie in the Hannah Swensen series, which was originally called the Murder, She Baked series. A Sprinkle of Deceit is loosely based on the 25th installment in the book series, Coconut Layer Cake Murder, by Joanne Fluke.

In A Sprinkle of Deceit, Hannah (Alison Sweeney) is hired to to cater a high school reunion, which Lonnie (Daylin Willis) and Michelle (Tess Atkins) attend together. One of Lonnie's classmates has clearly had too much to drink, so he drives her home and makes sure she gets in safely. When she is later found dead, Lonnie, Lake Eden's detective and Michelle's boyfriend, is the prime suspect. Hannah sets out to clear his name.

In this movie, Hannah explains that the lease for her bakery, The Cookie Jar, was up and she had to make a decision. She decided to expand and rent a larger space. This seems like a logical business move. Although the bakery is larger, I still feel that small town charm. 

This was another strong installment in the series that I have loved from the beginning. Hannah and Chad (Victor Webster), Lake Eden's prosecuting attorney, are beginning to have more chemistry. Chad very much operates by-the-book, but he is beginning to accept that Hannah's involvement in the cases is helpful. I do question the prosecuting attorney's involvement in the town's murder cases, but this is loosely addressed in a brief conversation between Chad and Hannah. Apparently, folks who live in small towns like Lake Eden are multitaskers. Oftentimes in these movies the viewer must be able to suspend belief in order to enjoy them. Okay, so let's go with that and move on.

Norman (Gabriel Hogan) was not in this movie and he was missed. Hopefully, he will be back in future movies because he is one of my favorite characters. However, Delores (Barbara Niven), Andrea (Lisa Durupt) and Michelle (Tess Atkins) were delightful. They make for an entertaining sleuthing team and I love their family dynamics. There was also one hilarious cameo, which I will not spoil. I can say that Hallmark fans will be pleased.

The mystery element was well-crafted. I had the suspects narrowed down to two people, but my strongest suspicion turned out to be wrong. There were lots of twists and turns and it was fun to see how Hannah followed the clues.

I like the direction the series seems to be going and I'm very excited to see the next installment. Reality Bites premieres tonight (February 6, 2025) on Hallmark Mystery and will be streaming on Hallmark+ starting the next day. The entire series is streaming on Hallmark+. If you can't or don't want to pay for cable or streaming, check with your local library. If they have the Hallmark+ Bingepass, this is a way you can watch it for free.

If you have already read Coconut Layer Cake Murder, you need not worry about spoilers when you watch this movie. As with most of the movies in the series, many of the character names will be the same, but the plots are different. I recommend watching the series and reading the books as two separate forms of entertainment, with no expectations for them to be the same. I appreciate that they are different because they give us more stories to love in the same universe. 

One Bad Apple: A Hannah Swensen Mystery (2024)

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One Bad Apple premiered in April of 2024. It is the 4th movie in the Hannah Swensen Hallmark mystery series, but the 9th overall if we're including the Murder, She Baked series. All of these movies are from the same universe and have the same main characters, but the series was renamed after the first five movies.

In One Bad Apple, Hannah (Alison Sweeney) is teaching a baking class at the local college. During one of the sessions, some of her equipment explodes. It is ruled an accident, but when one of Hannah's colleagues is later found dead, our baker turned amateur sleuth suspects otherwise and she begins to investigate this mystery.

As usual, I really enjoyed this installment in the long-running cozy mystery series. It continues to be my favorite series on Hallmark with its light-hearted feel and fun mysteries. This installment brought back the scenes at the beginning and end of the movie where Hannah is baking and also doing a voiceover where she compares baking to real life. This is one of the elements of the original Murder, She Baked series that I loved, so I'm happy it was brought back.

I also once again enjoyed all of the main characters, although some things with them were different in One Bad Apple. They biggest change was that Cameron Mathison, who played Detective Mike Kingston and Hannah's love interest, is no longer filming Hallmark movies (at least not at the time of this writing). I won't give specific spoilers, but his character was written out the show and someone else is the new detective. I really missed not seeing Cameron Mathison, but I'm satisfied with the way they dealt with his departure.

New to the series is Victor Webster, who plays the prosecuting attorney, Chad. Hannah's and his lives intersect in this installment, so we will have to keep watching to see how their interactions unfold. It's likely he will become Hannah's new love interest, but I think it will be a very different kind of relationship than what Hannah had with Mike. I do appreciate that they are not rushing it. 

Barbara Niven returned as Hannah's mother, Delores, but her role in this installment is very different. She is now a somewhat over-the-top private investigator. I loved her in this role. She added the best light-heartedness and comic relief. I'm interested in seeing her as a private investigator in future installments. I think we're in for some fun times ahead!

I have always enjoyed Gabriel Hogan as Norman and I'm so happy he was back in this movie sleuthing with Hannah. I love the way he supports and grounds her. Although Andrea, Hannah's sister, played by Lisa Durupt, didn't have a huge role, I'm glad they found a way for her to make an appearance. I also enjoyed seeing Michelle, Hannah's younger sister, played by Tess Atkins. I like the way the character of Michelle has evolved since she joined the cast a few movies ago.

As for the mystery element in this movie, I did figure out who the culprit was almost as soon as the character were introduced. However, this was completely based on a gut feeling, not on any clues. I was still curious to see how the mystery would unfold and if my guess would be correct. It was a fun mystery to untangle, complete with a suspenseful conclusion.

So, while this wasn't my favorite installment in the series, I'm still a fan. I'm glad they are not exactly like the books. That way if you see the movies, but haven't read the books yet, or vice versa, there won't be any spoilers. If you're expecting the books and movies to be the same, you will be met with disappointment, but if you view them as two different forms of entertainment, I think you will appreciate them for what they each are. And like the books, each movie in the series is a self-contained mystery. However, because of ongoing storylines, the movies are also best enjoyed in order, starting with Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery.

Felines and Felonies (Chatty Cat Mystery 3), by Elle Wren Burke

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Set in March, in this third installment of Elle Wren Burke's spinoff series, Brighton has been tasked with catching mice in a local bookstore. It's the purrfect job for the snarky, but loveable cat. One morning, however, Brighton discovers a dead body in the mystery aisle of the bookstore. When the store's owner is accused of murder and Brighton is her only alibi, he sets out to clear her name. As if this isn't enough, Brighton's catnapper returns. Can Brighton clear the bookstore's owner's name before his catnapper gets to him? You will have to read to find out how this story unfolds!

I enjoyed this new adventure with Brighton and his humans. Brighton's stalker going after him while our feline sleuth tries to solve this mystery added depth to the story. It also goes to show how much Brighton loves his people and would do anything to help them. And while he's a sleuth, he's also a regular feline who partakes in normal everyday cat activities, such as sleeping in the sun and following the rays as they move throughout the day.

It was wonderful to see Alara in this installment. She is a main character in the series from which the Chatty Cat Mysteries is a spinoff, the Prickly Pear Mysteries. I just recently listened to the first one in that series, Mediums and Murder, so I was thrilled to see her in Felines and Felonies. However, it is not necessary to have read any books in the previous series to enjoy this one (although I really liked Mediums and Murder, and I plan to read or listen to the rest of them).

One thing I did feel that was missing from this installment was a lot of the humor I fell in love with, especially in the first installment, Purrs and Poison. It is still very much light-hearted and fun, but there were not as many laugh-out-loud moments. I also wasn't a fan of some of the language in this installment. Technically, there is no swearing, but some of the words and phrases are bordering on it. I prefer not to read language like that, especially not as often as I found it in this book.

I do appreciate the disability representation throughout the series. Brighton has an injury, so we get to see how he copes with this while sleuthing. Also, while some might say he's a talking cat, he can only psychically communicate his thoughts to some people. He cannot actually talk. I really like how this is done.

If you enjoy light paranormal cozy mysteries, especially those with animals who can talk or at least communicate their thoughts to humans in some way, then I think you will enjoy this series. As with most cozy mysteries, each installment is a self-contained mystery, but to enjoy the subplots, I highly recommend starting with Purrs and Poison and reading them in order. Either way, Brighton, true to his name, will have you smiling brightly long after you close the book.

Thank you to author, Elle Wren Burke, for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Puzzle 98 - Over My Dead Blog Cover

Happy New Month!

Today I have a puzzle for you from another one of my favorite authors, Sarah E. Burr! She has a wide variety of mysteries for cozy fans, including historical, contemporary, and light paranormal. Something for everyone!

Here is a puzzle she created using the cover of one of her books, Over My Dead Blog. I completed it in 5:26 on my desktop computer using 48 non-rotating pieces. Remember, you can customize it to meet your preferences. Feel free to share your time and how you customized (if you did) in the comments below!

Puzzle 97 - Ro Puzzle

Last year, author Tonya Kappes shared this puzzle of her cat working on a puzzle. I thought I'd share it today since National Puzzle Day is coming up on Wednesday, January 29th. It took me 3:15 to complete using 36 non-rotating pieces.

Have fun and feel free to share your time in the comments. Remember, you can modify it to increase or decrease the number of pieces.

Sunday Post 98

Hi everyone!

Through Monday, I am linking with the following: 

Reading Reality, who hosts Stacking the Shelves

Readerbuzz, who hosts Sunday Salon

Caffeinated Reviewer, who hosts Sunday Post

The Book Date, who hosts It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

On the above blogs you will be able to see links to the posts from others who are participating in those blog hops, and if you're a blogger, you can join too. 

It's been a mostly quiet week around here, with the exception of Friday. Let's just say a weekly trip to the grocery store, something I normally enjoy, turned into an unexpected fiasco. I was so happy to get home that day. I had planned on doing my Friday post, but I was so tired I had to let it go.

It is snowing a little as I type this at 6:30 Sunday evening. We had a period of heavy snow earlier that resulted in an inch or two, but mostly it's just been a sloppy mess of a storm. We had cold rain, sleet, wet snow, and just plain snow that eventually started sticking, but the precipitation is almost done. The wind has picked up and temperatures are dropping, so everything will freeze tonight. We are in for some very cold air the next three days. Highs are expected to be in the 20s and lows in the single digits. I really don't mind the cold at all. Even when I have to go out in it, it doesn't really bother me as long as I dress warmly. Of course, it's also nice to have heat indoors. But these days feel so cozy to me and I'm all about coziness.

I'm posting another page from my NetGalley Reading Journal. At the end of the journal there are several pages for note-taking. This pages has no lines, but there are others that have lines, grids, or dots. On this page that I'm showing you, I jotted down some notes after reading Chapter One in The Puzzler, by A.J. Jacobs. Doing so will help me a lot when I write my review.

IN THE BOOKS

RECENTLY FINISHED

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I finished reading an eARC of Felines and Felonies (Chatty Cat Mystery 3), by Elle Wren Burke, which was released in November. I once again enjoyed this installment in the series. Look for my review to be posted this week. 

IN PROGRESS

I read Chapter 1 in The Puzzler: One Man's Quest to Solve the Most Baffling Puzzles Ever, from Crosswords to Jigsaw to the Meaning of Life, by A. J. Jacobs. I do have some complaints about it (see image above with my notes), but overall I am loving this book. His writing style is fun and easy to follow, plus I love the subject of puzzles.

I started listening to Girl on the Run, by Daryl Wood Gerber. This is my first brush with the suspense genre and I'm still trying to get used to it. I do think this was a good one to start with because it isn't gory and at least so far it has no foul language. I will say, though, that every time I read a different genre, I'm always reminded that cozy mysteries are still what I love most.

Speaking of cozies, I started reading Vinyl Resting Place (Record Shop Mystery 1), by Olivia Blacke. I am loving it!! It's moving along at a comfortable pace and it's holding my attention. I'm hoping to finish it by Friday, but let's see how this week goes. The book club meets the following Tuesday, so I have until then to read it.

UP NEXT

My next audiobook listen will be Resort to Murder, by Annie McEwen. This book has been on my radar ever since it was released last year. Then I met Annie at Malice Domestic last April, and several months later I won an audiobook code in a giveaway. So now I'm really excited to get started with the series.  I want to listen to both books in this series before the next one is released. Isn't this cover so cozy???

ON THE SCREEN

• Good Witch - I finished this series. My favorite season was the fourth one. I believe the series derailed in season 7. There was too much focus on the magic and not enough on the people and their relationships. I love a bit of magic, but I think it was just too much and too dark. It felt a little depressing towards the end. And the final episode felt rushed. It's as if they suddenly realized the show was ending, so they had to wrap it up.  If the show ever gets a reboot, I will watch it, but for now, I'm glad to be done with the series.
• Toying with the Holidays - This was a 2021 Lifetime movie. It was okay, but most likely not a rewatch in the future. The leads lacked chemistry and the plot was slow-moving. I think the storyline had potential, but it didn't really deliver.  It felt cozy and I did enjoy seeing Cindy Busby in a non-nature-focused movie.
• A Very Charming Christmas Town - This was a 2020 Lifetime movie. I enjoyed it once, but probably won't watch it again. The most charming highlights for me were the godmother and the hunt for gnomes. However, the leads lacked chemistry, the plot was slow-moving, and the female lead was very unlikeable in the beginning. Plus, I was annoyed that the accessible path was completely covered with snow.🙄
• Merry Swissmas - I have been wanting to watch this 2022 Lifetime movie ever since it was released, but I didn't have this channel at the time. I enjoyed it enough, even if it was a little underwhelming. The Switzerland aspect had very little to do with the movie. (It wasn't even filmed there.) Also, I felt the conflicts could have been developed a little more.
• The Way Home - S3 E3 was a little unfocused with lots of jumping around between various storylines, but overall I did enjoy it. The beginning was especially powerful for me. Having lost my best friend in 2010, I could relate to the grief they were feeling. I continue to be intrigued and curious how this season will unfold.

ON THE BLOG

• Sunday Post - 01/12 - Weekly Recap
• Book Review - 01/15 - New Year Nuisance (Holiday Cozy Mystery 4), by Tonya Kappes
• Puzzle - 01/18 - Cozies I Finished in 2024

Have a great week!