Magical Sugar Maple

I have really gotten into this new series by Barbara Bretton. The first book, Casting Spells, sets up the scene. A little town, hamlet more like, tucked between two mountains in NW Vermont. It will remind you of Old Salem a little. Anyway, the villagers in this town are all magical beings - vampires, werewolves, witches, fae, silkies, and the list goes on. Chloe, our heroine of our story, is the mayor and half sorceress and protector of the town. She also owns the knitting store in town called Sticks and Strings, where your yarn never gets tangled. In this first book, you get introduced to Luke, a human law enforcement agent investigating the drowning of his friend. It a really interesting tale of how he solves the crime, with Chloe's help and falls in love with her and stays on a police chief. It is a very fun read and a keeper. So I was looking forward to her next one , Laced with Magic, with equal hunger and wasn't let down. Again a very fun read and a keeper. In this one Luke's ex wife shows up in town with delusions of seeing their dead daughter but it was really a diversion on a much larger scale from the fiend who gets dispersed in the first book. A Bad Fae. The story flows well and is very entertaining. Only one disturbing love scene during a earthquake like scene but heh, the whole book leaves you smiling while turning pages. These books are must reads and I hope Barbara keeps them coming.

A Cozy Weekend

I had a very nice cozy weekend. Got a few cozies down and watched a pretty good movie. Tin Man. All I can say about the movie is it was pretty good. I can't decide now if I want to buy a copy but I liked it. Next generation of Wizard of Oz.
So I completed 4 cozies this weekend and I will list them in the order as I liked them.
#1 was Magnolias, Moonlight and Murder by Sara Rosett. This is another series I follow and really enjoy. I can relate to the life of a military wife as I was once was one. I enjoy these Ellie Avery mysteries and the organizing tips that comes with them. In this one she has just moved again, to Georgia from Washington state. A climatic move as the military likes to do. She ends up renting a house that used to belong to a girl who was missing. The storyline was very interesting as she wove a cold case from the 50's into the storyline finding the missing girl, which she just felt compelled to help solve. Of course tragedy marked the end but the person who did it was not exactly what you expected. This was a very good read and I got totally into it.http://www.sararosett.com/
#2 is Getting Old is a Disaster by Rita Lakin, another very funny series. A series about jewishy senior citizens who like to solve problems. Mostly a bunch of women with a few guys here and there, namely Jack, who is into Gladdy our main character. Gladdy and Jack just can't seem to get together. Her friends are always around hounding them. In this one, the Grandpa Bandit issues a challenge of catch me if you can while he robs banks. It is a rolling on the floor book by the time we find out whats going on. I hope you will read these books for a good laugh and a fun read. http://www.ritalakin.com/
#3 was Mothers Day Murder by Leslie Meier. Again another series of books I follow that feature important events and dates. Even though the murder did not actually occur on Mother's Day, it was connected in a way and it was a mother that was killed. Lucy Stone, a reporter for the local newspaper, witnesses some awkward moments with 2 opinionated moms. You kind of think it will be like the cheerleading murder at first with rivaling families but it surprises you. I was able to figure out the ending half way through but it was a nice, light read.
#4 lastly was Patterns in the Sand by Sally Goldenbaum. This was second in a knitting series, as I read the first. I will let you know, I liked the first one better as this one was not as flowing. The word that came to mind when I was done was tedious. The book lost me a little after about the third chapter. The ending was pretty good and not quite predictable. I may have to ponder if I will continue with this author. www.sallygoldenbaum.com/