Friday, January 26, 2018

Dear Abby - Favorite Dog Movies: The Incredible Journey

Dear Friends,

I am happy to visit with you again today.  A couple of friends have mentioned the movie The Incredible Journey.  I have not seen this film, but it sounded interesting, so I looked into it to share with you.

The Incredible Journey was a 1963 live action Disney movie.  It starred two dogs - a Retriever and a Bull Terrier - and a Siamese cat.  They were on vacation with their family and they got lost.  The movie is about their journey home.  The pets are named Luauth (Labrador Retriever), Bodger (Bull Terrier), and Tao (kitty).  The movie is filmed in the Canadian wilderness.

Trivia -- the kitty from this movie, Syn Cat, also appeared in the Disney movie That Darn Cat!

More Trivia - the movie was later remade as Homeward Bound.  More on that in an upcoming blog post!

Here is an old fashioned movie trailer for The Incredible Journey:



Have you seen this movie or the remake Homeward Bound?  I would love to hear from you about this, or any other favorite dog movies, in the comments, below.

Love,

Abby xoxoxo

Book Review and Giveaway - Scone Cold Killer (All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery) by Lena Gregory

Book Synopsis
For Florida diner owner Gia Morelli, there’s no such thing as too much breakfast—unless it kills you . . .
 
When Gia Morelli’s marriage falls apart, she knows it’s time to get out of New York. Her husband was a scam artist who swindled half the millionaires in town, and she doesn’t want to be there when they decide to take revenge. On the spur of the moment, she follows her best friend to a small town in Central Florida, where she braves snakes, bears, and giant spiders to open a cheery little diner called the All-Day Breakfast CafĂ©. Owning a restaurant has been her lifelong dream, but it turns into a nightmare the morning she opens her dumpster and finds her ex-husband crammed inside. As the suspect du jour, Gia will have to scramble fast to prove her innocence before a killer orders another cup of murder . . .

My Review
Scone Cold Killer is a cozy mystery about Gia Morelli, who moves to a small town in Florida to escape her past in New York City.  While she is setting up a new restaurant, the All Day Breakfast Cafe, she discovers her ex-husband dead in the dumpster just out back.  With the help of her best friend, Savannah, and Savannah's hunky detective cousin, Hunt, she sets out to find the killer and solve the mystery.

This is such a fun, fast paced mystery.  It is lively and a quick, energetic read.  

I really liked the character of Gia and enjoyed her acclimation to a new life in Florida.  Savannah was a great friend and sidekick.  There is even a hint of a possible future romance with Hunt.

The book is wonderfully atmospheric.  I loved the small town setting.  I know and like the area where this is set (near Ocala, Florida) and that made the read even more enjoyable.

The food descriptions were great and often made me hungry!  I love grits (often discussed in this novel), although I prefer them the traditional deep south style (just butter - never sugar).

The mystery is interesting, with several likely suspects, and it kept me guessing right up until the denouement.  

I already have the next book in this series on my Wish List.  Scone Cold Killer is a terrific start to a new cozy series.  I recommend it to other mystery fans!

Author Bio
Lena Gregory lives in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island with her husband and three children.

When she was growing up, she spent many lazy afternoons on the beach, in the yard, anywhere she could find to curl up with a good book. She loves reading as much now as she did then, but she now enjoys the added pleasure of creating her own stories.

Author Links:
Website:  http://www.lenagregory.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/lena.gregory.986
Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/Lena.Gregory.Author/?fref=ts
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LenaGregory03
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14956514.Lena_Gregory?from_search=true
Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/lenagregoryauth/

Purchase Links
Giveaway
(3) Kindle Copy - Scone Cold Killer by Lena Gregory.  Giveway ends 2/5.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a copy of this book from Great Escapes Book Tours and Netgalley.