Sunday Post 92

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. 

Happy Birthday to Agatha Christie, and Happy National Cozy Mystery Day to all who love the genre as much as I do!

It's been almost one month since I published a Sunday Post. I'm fixing that today. It's been a rough summer for so many reasons. I needed to take a step back from blogging and focus on other forms of self-care. There were many days over the past month when I didn't even turn my computer on. I'm so ready for a change of seasons, weather-wise and otherwise.

Anyway, here's what I've been up to on the books and on screen.

IN THE BOOKS

Click on 2024 Bookish Challenges on the right sidebar to see how I'm doing with this year's goals.

RECENTLY FINISHED

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I listened to Come Shell or High Water (Haunted Shell Shop Mystery 1), written by Molly McRae and narrated by Callie Beaulieu. I love the premise of this book. Light paranormal cozies have been some of my favorites. However, the mystery didn't grab me the way I hoped it would. Since I do love the premise, I may give the second one a try whenever it's released.

IN PROGRESS

I started listening to Apple Cider Slaying (Cider Shop Mystery 1), written by Julie Ann Lindsey and narrated by Amy Melissa Bentley. I am allergic to apples, but thankfully I am not allergic to books about apples. I've really enjoyed every book I've read and listened to by her (and all of her pen names) and this one is no different.

I'm still reading a paperback ARC of Murder on the Page (Literary Dining Mystery 1), by Daryl Wood Gerber and I'm really enjoying it so far. I'm about 30% through the book. It has a double theme - literature and  food. There are many references to the characters in Pride and Prejudice, but you don't have to be a fan of that to enjoy this book. It releases in October.

I started reading Tatyana McFadden: Ya Sama! Moments from My Life, by Tatyana McFadden with Tom Walker. Tatyana McFadden grew up in my hometown. She competed in the Paris Paralympics and added to her medal collection. She has became the athlete to win the most medals in Paralympic Track & Field.

UP NEXT

I'm so excited to finally read something by J.C. Kenney. Panic in the Panhandle (Elmo Simpson Mystery 1) releases later this month and I was able to get an e-ARC of it from Booksprout. This looks and sounds like such a fun and unique cozy mystery!

ON THE SCREEN

• Psych - I'm all over the place with this series. I finished all episodes through season 6. I also watched the first and last episodes in season 7. Then I skipped to season 8, which I'm watching now. The reason I skipped most of season 7 for now is because I have Peacock for one month and I want to watch the movies before that month is up. I figured I'd watch the last season so I know where the movies pick up. After I watch the movies, then I'll go back and watch the rest of season 7. This way I won't have to pay for another month of Peacock. (For the regular episodes, I've been recording them from the Hallmark Mystery channel.)
• Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement - This is a new Hallmark mystery. I think the female main character needs to be toned down. She's a bit too perky. Other than that, I liked the mystery. But good grief. Let's stop making new mysteries and focus on expanding on existing ones.
• The Magic of Lemon Drops - This is based on a book, which I have not read yet. I loved the movie.  For the first time in a while, the summer Hallmark movies have been pretty good overall.
• Head Over Heels - Well, except for this one. I was not a fan of this movie.
• Country at Heart - This Hallmark movie is from 2020. I enjoyed it. It's a great fall-themed movie, and if you enjoy country music like I do, you'll probably enjoy the movie even more. 
• Falling for You - This Hallmark movie is from 2018. It's another fun fall-themed movie. 
• His & Hers - This was Hallmark's first Fall Into Love movie this year. Despite two leads who always have great chemistry, the movie lost me. I found the plot to be pretty boring. I was very disappointed. Even strong leads couldn't save it.
• Chicken Sisters - This is a new series on Hallmark+. I only watched the first episode. This series is pretty spicy for Hallmark standards. The first episode was okay. I'm interested enough to continue watching the series. I may eventually read the book when the series is done. 
• The Jane Mysteries: A Deadly Prescription - This is the first new mystery to stream on Hallmark+ and I loved it! It's the follow up to last year's Jane Mystery, which I also loved.
• Love on the Danube: Love Song - This is the first new romcom/drama movie to stream on Hallmark+.  It was just okay for me. It's going to be a series of movies, so I hope future ones are better. They can't keep relying on great scenery. I can watch documentaries for that. We need an interesting plot.

A Note About Hallmark+: I don't subscribe to it. I've been watching it using the Hoopla Hallmark+ Bingepass through the library. (It might still be called Hallmark Movies Now, but it includes the new and exclusive content.) With the Bingepass, I get 7 days to watch any content on Hallmark+. When the seven days are up I can keep borrowing it as long as I don't exceed my overall Hoopla monthly limit. The Bingepass counts as one borrow and I get 10 borrows a month (including audiobooks, etc.). I have never even come close to exceeding my limit. My local library doesn't have the Bingepass, but another one in Maryland does, so I use it through that library system at no cost. I may eventually subscribe to Hallmark+, but for now, this is how I'll watch it since I have frndly through April. (I subscribed to frndly for a year this past April primarily for the Hallmark Channels.) The Bingepass is not available on Roku, but I don't mind watching it on my computer.

So, if you don't want to or can't afford to pay for Hallmark+, see if your local library has the Bingepass on Hoopla. Even if they don't have the Bingepass option, some individual Hallmark movies are on Hoopla. And it's all free.

ON THE BLOG

• Sunday Post - 08/25 - Weekly Recap
• Book Review - 8/29 - Crime and Parchment (Rare Books Mystery 1), by Daphne Silver

Have a great week!