Hi everyone!
Through Monday, I am linking with the following:
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.
Friday was my blogiversary! It's hard to believe I started Caboodle of Cozies three years ago. It's a tribute to my best friend who passed away on that date 15 years ago. I have another blog that I also started on that date more than a decade ago, but I haven't done much with it recently and I've only shared it with a handful of friends. I knew I wanted to start one to share publicly, though, so that's when I started this blog. Thank you to all of my followers, readers, and commenters! Without you, I'd have no reason to share my thoughts here!
Maryland continues to be a storm-filled sauna. We had a whole two days this past week when the temperatures were cooler and the humidity lower, but then it was back to reality with high temps and uncomfortable humidity with almost daily storm chances. Looking at my app, we may get a break from the storms after Sunday, but it will still be crazy hot. I heard a rumor that the following week might bring a pattern change. I sure hope so! I know summer is supposed to be hot and humid with storms, but this summer has taken all of that to the extreme.
...Please pardon the intermission. Tinker Bell just jumped up onto my lap...
...okay, I'm back.
IN THE BOOKS
RECENTLY FINISHED
I really enjoyed A Wonderful Christmas Crime (Christmas Tree Farm Mystery 6), by Jacqueline Frost. I'm so happy there will be at least one more book in this series next year. You can read my full review here. A Wonderful Christmas Crime releases on October 21, 2025.
I listened to Debbie Macomber's Dashing through the Snow. It's narrated by Allyson Ryan. Like many Hallmark movies, one must suspend belief to enjoy this book. The premise of two strangers taking a road trip together was rather far-fetched, but other than that, it was a fun time. I love a good road trip story.
IN PROGRESS
UP NEXT
Undecided. I have some ideas in mind, but I'll make the decision when it's time to move on to another book.
ON THE SCREEN
- The Food that Built America - I finished season 5 and will soon move on to season 6. Season 6 is the last season that has aired so far, but I've read that there will be a season 7. Yay!
- Holidazed - I watched episodes 5 and 6. They were good, but I still prefer movies over romcom series. The holiday feels are minimal, which is also disappointing. Two more episodes to go.
- Switched for Christmas - This is a 2017 Hallmark movie starring Candace Cameron Bure in a double role. She plays her own twin sister. I probably wouldn't seek this one out again, but I enjoyed it once.
- Once Upon a Holiday - I'm not usually a fan of the royal ones, but I enjoyed this 2015 Hallmark movie. Most of it involved the female royal lead pretending to be a commoner, so maybe that's part of why I enjoyed it. Plus, Paul Campbell is a pro. He is the male lead in this movie. They had good chemistry and there were some really fun moments.
- Five More Minutes - I've been wanting to watch this 2021 Hallmark movie for a while. I loved it. It helped that Nikki DeLoach is the female lead and she had great chemistry with the male lead. It's inspired by the song by Scotty McCreery called "Five More Minutes". It's a really heartfelt story - just what I needed the week that I lost my best friend. The year that he won American Idol was the first year my best friend was not here to watch it with me, so the song is even more meaningful to me in that way.
- Five More Minutes: Moments Like These - This is the 2022 follow-up to Five More Minutes. It wasn't quite as impactful as the first one, but I still loved it. Ashley Williams brings a certain kind of joy to Hallmark movies. She's my favorite. I truly believe she's a real life fairy.
- An Unexpected Christmas - This is a 2021 Hallmark movie staring the dynamic duo of Bethany Joy Lenz and Tyler Hynes. It has its flaws, but overall I really enjoyed it. It has a good mix of heart, humor, and festive Christmas vibes.
ON THE BLOG
- Sunday Post - 07/19 - Weekly Recap
- Book Review - 07/25 - A Wonderful Christmas Crime (Christmas Tree Farm Mystery 6), by Jacqueline Frost
- Puzzle - 07/26 - Christmas Tree Farm
Have a great week!
Congrats on the 3 year anniversary! Great accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing all the Christmas books this week. I love the winter scene covers! I hope you enjoy all those cool books! We've been HOT. Maybe a winter books is what I need to cool off. :)
Here's my StS https://stuckinbooks.com/2025/07/26/stacking-the-shelves-7-25-25/
Thank you, Val! Yes, the cool, winter books do help me cope with the summer heat and humidity. :)
DeleteThanks for sharing all the Christmas in July vibes. It has been a hot and humid July here in Chicagoland and I sure am tired of it!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, and me too!! :)
DeleteOooh, happy blogiversary!! Love that Tinker Bell decided she had to celebrate with you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Haze! :)
DeleteI love how Christmas at the Borrow a Bookshop sounds!! I might need to check that one out! Thanks for sharing. Have a great rest of your weekend!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, and thank you, Cindy. I would recommend starting with the first one in the series, The Borrow a Bookshop Holiday. Christmas at the Borrow a Bookshop can be read as a standalone, but it has some characters in it from the first one (or so I've heard). :)
DeleteHappy 3 Year blogiversary! I am loving all the Christmas in July books
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kimberly! :)
DeleteThere's a lot going on for you, I'm glad you get intermissions and hope they happen often.
ReplyDeleteThey most certainly do happen often! :D
DeleteCongrats on your 3 year anniversary! How exciting! I hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Yvonne! :-)
DeleteCongratulations on your blogiversary! It is always nice to mark those milestones. I usually forget because we are on vacation in July. Great books. I really want to read Christmas at Borrow a Bookshop, and your recommendation makes me want to read it even more. Enjoy your reading and watching this week!
ReplyDeletehttps://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2025/07/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-mailbox_27.html
Thank you, Cheryl! :-)
DeleteHappy blogiversary!
ReplyDeleteYou have absolutely convinced me that I need to go and look for that Kiley Dunbar book!
Have a great week!
Thank you, Marg! I hope you enjoy the bookshop series! :-)
DeleteCongrats on your blogiversary! I wish I could send you a bit of rain to cool you down a bit as we have plenty of water right now due to strings of typhoons these past few weeks. :) Love the Christmas theme books.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Oh, we've had more than our share of rain, but it hasn't cooled things down. That is expected to change this Friday after storms on Thursday. :)
DeleteOh yay so pleased you enjoyed Detective Aunty. Congrats on 3 year blogiversary. I must get onto the Jacqueline Frost series, think I am at 3 or 4.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kathryn! I'm only 20% into Detective Aunty, but yes, I'm enjoying it. The Christmas Tree Farm series has aaaaaaallllll the festive Christmas feels! :-)
DeleteCongratulations on your three-year blogoversary! I love blogging, and it always surprises me that I still enjoy it so much after all these years.
ReplyDeleteChristmas at the Borrow a Bookshop is based on a real bookshop? I must find out more about this!
Thank you, Deb! Yep, it's based on a real Borrow a Bookshop concept in Scotland, although the books are set in England. :)
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