Little Shop of Homicide by Denise Swanson

Hi guys, this is book 1 in the Devereaux Dime Store Mystery Series featuring the main character Devereaux  Sinclair. I was hoping this series was going to be as awesome as Denise's other long running Scumble River series and I was thrilled to find it is. I love the idea of setting the story around a dime store, unique and wonderful. Devereaux is a new business owner of a dime store where she also makes up custom gift baskets and everything is going great until one day a Detective shows up in her shop ....well that's never good!!!When he has news that one of the baskets she made up were found at a murder scene with her fingerprints all over it  it is the beginning of a battle to find out the truth of what happened to the victim before she ends up on the inside where the need to make gift baskets is nil.
I loved this!!!! The characters are great fun and I am loving the flirting  that is going on between Dev and Jake... I can't wait to see what is going to happen in future books with these two. As I said before I love the idea of setting the story in  an old store that is full of character , a bit like Dev herself!
Dev is a really strong woman and even though she is up to her neck in bother she does not feel sorry for herself but gets on with things. Of course it helps that she has great friends and family around her and that if she does not find out who the real killer is  then she could find herself in the clink. No greater motivation needed then that!
All in all a wonderful first book in a series!!!

Austenland by Shannon Hale

From the gorgeous front cover to the very last page this is a  delicious Jane Austen packed book of  loveliness.
The story is about a woman  called Jane who is a 100% Janeite. Jane is completely in love with the novels of Austen and everything Austen related. Basically a true fan. When she is one of the people that has been  left something in a family will , what she is given is a stunning present. A trip to England to an Austen retreat/holiday. This is a truly unique holiday one which she is very unlikely to ever forget. Jane has been pretty unlucky in love all her life and the beginning of each chapter is testament to that. This holiday could finally sort out her...obsession... with all things Austen so that she can move on with her life, get rid of all her Austen merchandise ,and find an ordinary man perhaps.........
I am an Austen fan.. I read the books when I was younger but I just did not feel "it" then( "It" is the unique feeling that Austen makes you feel about her characters and the world she creates).Sometimes I think if you don't like a book if you go back to it and read it at another time I think you can  understand it better. I am definitely a Janeite now and I think if you enjoy all things Austen you will really enjoy Austenland. Now....off to see the movie this week....

Reading This Weekend

           In preparation for seeing the movie this week I am reading Austenland by Shannon Hale. I just love this cover, it is beautiful!! Have any of you guys seen the movie yet????????????????

 Feeding my need for a little more Mr Darcy is this book by Victoria Connelly. Mr Darcy Forever.

 I probably should have read all the books that come before this(it won't be long until I have) but I just can't resist finding out what Skye has been up to since I was last in Scumble River. Murder of a Stacked Librarian by Denise Swanson.

 Attachments by Rainbow Rowell sounds amazing and this weekend I will finally be getting around to reading it.  How cool is the cover!!

I am more then half way through this awesomeness by Diana Killian. Corpse Pose is a very good Cozy. Thankfully for me I have the next book in the series waiting for when I am finished with this one.

Christmas With Mr Darcy by Victoria Connelly. Review.

This is book 3.5 in the Austen Addicts series. I love this series , if you are a fan of Jane Austen then you may well enjoy this book/series by Victoria Connelly. In this book we meet a lot of the characters that we originally met in some of the  previous books.
In this book we see the loyal fans of Jane Austen meeting at an unusual time of year.. December .
Jane Austen's birthday was December 16th and Purley Hall is going to be the place to be at where they are going to have a festive Austen Conference.
It was really great meeting older characters again and finding out what they have been getting up to since we last heard of them . There is a lot to be enjoyed about this series and it is so perfectly cosy for Jane Austen fans like me. There is a little mystery, troublesome guests, and a big old beautiful Hall to get snow bound in.... sigh...... I love this book. There is plenty of mentions of Miss Austen and her characters throughout the book which I can't get enough of and from cover to cover this is a feel good book that should be read somewhere cosy and warm.

Letters From Father Christmas by J.R.R Tolkien

Before you guys start sighing and saying it's too early to be posting about Christmas books. This is so good that I think you guys will want to be adding this to you TBR pile long before the festive season is in full swing.
This is the non fiction account of how J.R.R Tolkien used to write to his children every Christmas pretending to be father Christmas. The amount of work he put into his letters ,the pictures, and details make this a wonderfully thoughtful act that only a true lover of this time of year could really even think to do. This is a special book that is definitely worth a read. Wonderfully unique and stands the test of time. I will be reading this again this December as it is the perfect magical Christmas story.

Book Haul

Hands up if you're a Janeite!!!

If you are you may enjoy these books below.

 

                                                     The Perfect hero by Victoria Connelly

                                                 Mr Darcy Forever by Victoria Connelly

                                          Christmas With Mr Darcy by Victoria Connelly

                                                  Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale

This is not an Austen book but it is a really good non fiction book .Four books in the series and this is book four.Lime Street at Two by Helen Forrester

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith .Review.

There was a lot of excitement in my house when I learned that Joanne Rowling had published a new book under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith.. I was so excited as I am a huge fan of detective stories and this book really had me as soon as I saw the cover. (Excellent cover by the way)
Our main character Cormoran Strike , wounded in the war and now a detective in London has been asked to look into the suspicious death of a young woman who plummeted to her death  in the city.
If you love detective's then Cormoran is going to be right up your alley. His leg has been damaged through war and he lives in his office most of the time.. He is not great at looking after himself and is probably his own worst enemy in a lot of ways but the more vulnerable he seems the more you can't help but love his character and you really want him to sort himself out....saying that I do like my detectives a little rough around the edges.
The characters in this story were awesome , J. K writes characters soooo well , you really can't help but like them all. There were a few especially that I really likes such as Strike, his secretary and one of the main characters surrounding the victim. As a detective story this had everything I could have asked for and I can't wait to see more books featuring Strike. I am hoping that his secretary will be in even more scenes in future books as they are quite the team together!

Murder Of A Bookstore Babe by Denise Swanson

First of all can I say I love the covers of the books in this series!
Skye is back in this book 14 in the Scumble River series and it is very exciting as there is a bookshop called  Tales and Treats opening up in town. Yay!!!!Unfortunately not everyone is happy about that and the new owner is getting a lot of grief!!!
Skye is our main character and she is a really nice , good character but she is not afraid to stand up for what she believes in . Each of the books in this series have these moments of complete tenderness that they really take your breath away and give you pause for thought. This book was no different in that respect. I have read book 1 and 2 in the series and then jumped to this book and if I had to do it again I might go back and read the series by order but I could not resist the fab cover... I am a sucker for a gorgeous cover especially a fab bookish one like this.
This storyline was awesome with this story and I was pleased to say I did not know what the outcome was going to be. The book never dragged at any point and the characters both new and old were just as great as I hoped they would be.
I would say to anyone who has not read any books in this series that if you want a series with a great lead character ,awesome plot, good and bad guys in a great setting then this might be the series for you.
 P.s It is really interesting seeing what school psychologists jobs really entail.

http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Bookstore-Babe-Scumble-Mystery/dp/0451232801

W Is For Wasted by Sue Grafton. Review.

When I knew this book was coming out I had it pre-ordered . This is one of the longest mystery series that I have followed . I have followed Kinsey and her life since A is for Alibi and I can't say a wrong word about this series. As much as I love each book we are getting ever so close to the final one in this alphabet series with the main character Kinsey Milhone.

 Jeeze I love Kinsey's character ...smart ..  funny.. keep fit loving McDonalds eating.. book loving... loyal friend who is not afraid to break the law a little and get dirty in the name of a day's work while making sure her one good black multi use dress is always ready for action. 

This book I am glad to report is just as good as every other book in the series and any fan of Kinsey will love it! The story is intricate and has a few different story lines going on here but don't worry it is not confusing and if anything it makes the story even more moreish to read. In this book Kinsey seems to have gained an added extra boost of gumption and there were many times I had a smile on my face just for that reason. Henry I am glad to say is still here. Henry is in his 80's and I fear for him in each of the books as I love his sweet character and how much like family him and Kinsey are and so I don't want to see him die at all. In my mind I am hoping that Sue will finish this series with Henry still living so I can be quite content imaging them both still living next door to each other , being great friends and looking out for each other ... Henry will keep baking and Kinsey will keep snooping.... that would be perfect.
This story was interesting from the very beginning and I really had to pace myself as I try to always make these books last a little longer then I would normally take to read a book as Sue normally publishes a new book in the series about once every 2 years approx. This book/series is worth spending time with. The storyline is always original and there is humour and tenderness in each story as well as some good old fashioned detection work . The series is all set in the 80's from what I can remember , it is very refreshing remembering a simpler time with less gadgets and electronics.

I recommend getting this book and a blanket and a cup of something hot and tasty and curling up for an afternoon of great characters , plot  and a satisfying ending.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/W-is-for-Wasted-ebook/dp/B00DZQYJZ8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1380212679&sr=1-1&keywords=w+is+for+wasted

My Saturday Is Going A Little Something Like This

Hi guys, Hope you are all having a lovely day.. It's a little chilly in my part of the world right now so I have to admit to loving being able to snuggle up with a good book and a hot drink.

 

 

I have been trying to find some herbal teas that do not make me gag and have found these ones by Pukka. This one I am drinking today is Balance.

 Intervene by Elizabeth is a one stop shop for exfoliation and primer. Skin feels amazing after using this wonder product. Great for use first thing in the morning.

        Radox Nourish Bath has a wonderful creamy soothing feel to it and the smell is divine.

 Tea Tree and Witch Hazel by Boots is just the ticket to send spots in their way.

 Bedtime Bath Product... Helps to relax before you catch some zzzzzzzzzzzzzz's

 Glam- A - Lot by Soap And Glory is a musky sweet feminine scented spray that really lasts.

 Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish has become part of my morning time skin routine that I really enjoy.

 Eight Hour Cream by Elizabeth Arden is one of those products that has been around for a very long time and after using it you quickly learn why. Do you have spots or is skin looking a little blah.. Pop a very thin layer of this on skin and rub in well and in the morning you will see a noticeable difference. Great for around that time of the month ladies.

 I feel like I have a cold coming but this helps to spray on my face to help me feel less sluggish and tired.

 Bathina by Benefit is a classic and a real treat to use. Great packaging and lasts quite a while. I can't get enough of this product! If you live in Ireland and are near Sligo Cara Pharmacy have a benefit counter in their store in The Quayside shopping centre.

 Since this first arrived in a beauty box to me I cant get enough of this. So quick and easy to use as well as leaving nails nourished and smelling sweet. What's not to love!!

               Adore-A- Ball and Chinchilly by Essie, staple colours in any girls nail varnish collection.

 Cream of all Creams by Along Came Betty. Jeeze I love this brand. Available at Tesco in Northern Ireland. I am not sure yet if the Tesco here does it yet. Def check this brand out if you see it.

                                              Love Rocks by Bomb Cosmetics. Love this!

 A very good priced eye cream that works and offers some coverage and provides an SPF. Love!

 I had not used this since I was a teenager but after trying it recently again I found I am loving it and wondering why I ever stopped using it. Cheap and cheerful and exceptionally good.

 Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm. Great product, great scent. Great looking skin after applying makeup on over the top of this.

 Caudalie Thirst Quenching Serum. I am nearly at the end of this product and will def need to repurchase. It really sinks in quick and offers a layer of hydration that my parched skin desperately needs.

                                Honey trap keeps your lips smooth. I use this at home.

 Nivea Lip Balm I use when out and about as I don't like putting my fingers in balm tins when out shopping etc.

 Thick dreamy creamy cream for the skin. Pop this on at night after your bath and your skin will love you forever. Also it has the yummiest scent.

 Caudalie oil I am still adoring. I am about half way though my bottle and so it should be in an empties blog post soon so keep an eye out for it then as well as a review.

 L'Occitane Almond scented hand cream. How many times have I spent wanting to lick my own hand....many....

Almond scented shower cream that smells great while nourishing and soothing and cleansing the skin. L'Occitane rocks!

Reading This Week/Book Slump

Hi guys! Hope you are all having lovely days. I am having a bit of a book reading slump at the moment.. This does not happen very often but when it does it's a nuisance.

The below books are awesome,  and my book slump is no reflection on them.

Do you ever get horrible book slumps where you just cannot concentrate enough to read and enjoy it?

 

 

Book Haul

                                  Murder Of A Stacked Librarian by Denise Swanson

                      Rude Awakenings Of A Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler

 Jane Austen(The Life And Times Of The World's Favourite Author) by Charles Jennings

                                                    Who Needs Mr Darcy by Jean Burnett

                                        Mr Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

                                    The Good , The Bad , And The Dead by Kim Harrison

                                                A Fistful Of Charms by Kim Harrison

                                        Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison

                                                     The Necromancer by Michael Scott

                                The Shambling Guide To New York City by Mur Lafferty

                                                        Austenland by Shannon Hale

                                                   The Baroness by Hannah Rothschild( Biography)

                                                            Stardust by Neil Gaiman

                                                       Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin