Friday, October 30, 2020

Dear Abby - Vintage Halloween Dog Photos

Dear Friends,

Boo! It is almost Halloween. Do you have special plans this year?  My Momma said there will not be trick or treaters this year, so we are going to enjoy a movie and some fun time at home.  I am not a big fan of people knocking at the door (especially again and again!) so I am not complaining about this.

I wanted to share some vintage Halloween photos that feature dogs.  The first is my favorite.  It is a little girl dressed up as a clown - and her Chihuahua is right beside her, in a clown costume as well!  I bet they got lots of treats!

This photo features a boy dressed up for Halloween.  I am not sure what he is supposed to be but his costume seems to advertise dog food!  His dog is very cute and has on a costume that says CARNIVAL.

This photo features another little clown -- who also has a dog dressed up as a clown.

This very young child is dressed up as an elf and her dog did not have to wear a costume!  Now that is a good Halloween.

Here is a cute little Boston Terrier in a sailor costume!

This is one of my favorites - a pretty Cocker Spaniel wears a witch's hat and carries her own Jack O' Lantern for treats.


I hope you enjoyed these photos and hope you have a very Happy Halloween!   I look forward to chatting with you again soon here.

Love,

Abby xoxoxo


Book Review - National Geographic’s Drives of a Lifetime


My Review

National Geographic's Drives of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Greatest Road Trips (Second Edition) is a big, beautiful coffeetable book. It is organized thematically:

Hills and Mountains

By Sea and Shore

Rivers, Valleys and Canyons

The Road Less Traveled

Village Byways

Urban Excursions

Driving Through History

Gourmet Road Trips

Each road trip is on a separate page with a description of the trip, a map, a photo, and basic information (roads, driving time, when to go, planning).

I wanted to read Drives of a Lifetime because I am a lifelong road trip fan!  I was very curious about this book and knew there would be some fun new ideas here.

Wow! This is an amazing book for a road trip fan. As someone who has traveled a lot in the south, I had to look up southern road trips to see information on road trips I am familiar with. For instance, Crossing Chattahoochee is a road trip through Helen, Georgia with an excursion to the gold rush town of Dahlonega.

There is, of course, a page devoted to Route 66, which is one of my "bucket list" road trips. It is illustrated by a beautiful photo of an old diner lit with a neon sign.

Drives of a Lifetime has worldwide road trips.  I wish that the book was divided into American trips and international trips;  I am a leisurely American travel fan, and would have loved the flow of information about American road trips grouped together. 

Drives of a Lifetime is such a gorgeous book and it is going to please lots of travel fans!  It would be a wonderful gift idea for anyone who loves road trips.

Book Synopsis

This lavishly illustrated travel planner features 500 of the world’s most memorable driving experiences, from legendary Highway 1 in California to Japan’s famous Irohazaka Winding Road.

Compiled from the favorite trips of National Geographic’s legendary travel writers, Drives of a Lifetime spans the globe to reveal the best celebrated and lesser-known road trips on the planet. Inside this fully updated and revised edition–featuring more than 20 new drives–you’ll find routes through spectacular landscapes, ideas for quick getaways, leisurely journeys of discovery, and revelations of secret worlds beyond Google Maps. Some are legendary long-distance odysseys; others are easy day trips close to home, taking you down charming local byways. All will inspire you to pack up the car and hit the road. The possibilities are endless: Take Colorado’s San Juan Skyway for a 10,000-foot climb over towering mountain passes. Or travel the ancient Silk Road on an expedition across Central Asia and through time. Or why not drive the perimeter of Puerto Rico, a tropical paradise with many beaches along the way? Whatever your taste and budget, you’ll find plenty of routes tailored to your interests. Alongside detailed descriptions, full-color maps guide the way and planning tips help you make the most of your journey; top 10 lists offer quick, easy side trip ideas. Beautiful, informative, and inspiring, this luxurious volume is a lifelong resource that readers will treasure.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble


 

Book Spotlight and Giveaway - Paws for Concern (A Canine Confections Mystery) by Amy Hueston


Book Synopsis

Life is good for Samantha Armstrong. She left her cheating boyfriend, settled into her cozy cottage on her Aunt Mary’s Palm Beach estate and is finally opening Canine Confections, her dream dog bakery on the ritzy Worth Avenue.

But Samantha’s happy new life goes doggone crazy when Palm Beach resident and pastry shop owner Whitney Goodwin is found dead on Canine Confections’ floor, whisking Samantha into the middle of a murder investigation. The only bright spot is that she finds herself adopting Whitney’s loveable dog Sweet Pea.

As the killer strikes again, it’s obvious that the shopkeepers on Worth Avenue are the target. Samantha’s impatience won’t let sleeping dogs lie. She takes it upon herself to move things along by padding around town with Sweet Pea and sniffing out clues to clear her name and Canine Confections’ reputation—before it is too late …

Includes a recipe from Chef Sarah Deters at the test kitchen of Three Dog Bakery, the original bakery for dogs!


Author Bio

Author Amy Hueston writes mini-mysteries for Woman’s World when she isn’t writing mysteries and suspense books. Paws for Concern is the first book in A Canine Confections Mystery series.

Author Links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amy.hueston.73
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyhueston/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HuestonAmy
Website: https://amyhueston.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20626879.Amy_Hueston

Purchase Links  – AmazonB&N 

My CD Download on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Talk-Love-Amy-Hueston/dp/B08C252M8D

Giveaway
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Friday, October 23, 2020

Dear Abby - Videos Abby Likes: Two Talented Birds

 

Dear Friends,

I hope you are having a good week! Is it cool where you live yet?  It still is warm and nice here, and I have enjoyed many sunny walks outside this week.

I have not one but two fun videos for you this week!  Both feature talented birds.  I have not met any birds up close and personal, although there are lots of birds in the green space where I walk, and I like to watch them.  I never have tried to chase them;  I just find them interesting.  They are so different from dogs and cats.  I guess you could say I am still trying to figure them out.

One short video features a cockatiel singing opera. This little yellow bird is named Yogi and he bobs along a bit as he sings.  He is very dramatic!

The other bird is an African Gray parrot named Einstein. He is trying really hard to whistle the theme song from The Andy Griffith Show. I know this song well because my Momma loves this show and I have heard it on TV a lot.  Einstein gives several tries before he gets a strong whistle out.  I think he does a good job!

Does your dog or cat like birds?  Or do you have birds along with other pets?   My Momma had parakeets for years and loves birds.

I hope you enjoyed these short, happy videos.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,

Abby xoxoxo



Book Review - Autumn Skies by Denise Hunter


My Review

Autumn Skies, the third book in the Bluebell Inn series, is set at a small, family-owned bed and breakfast in North Carolina.  Grace is the youngest of three siblings running the inn. She is working to start her own camping/outfitter business.  When Wyatt comes to stay at the inn they immediately click.  Wyatt's family lived in the house that is now a B&B years ago and he has deep roots in the town of Bluebell -- and a family tragedy from the past to deal with.  As they become friends, hiking and camping, working together to find Wyatt's past, Grace and Wyatt become closer and romance begins. However, he is a Secret Service agent and his work has him stationed far from Bluebell. How will they resolve this conflict?

I wanted to read Autumn Skies because I have read and enjoyed all the Bluebell Inn books. They are southern fiction, set in a picturesque small town, and often deal with the past as well as the present. These are all components I enjoy in novels.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Grace is a likable protagonist. She is smart and independent with a kind heart toward others.  Wyatt is more reserved, but as Grace gets to know and like him, the reader does too. The past issue that Wyatt deals with, his mother's murder years ago, is so tragic and I was really pulling for Wyatt to find closure and peace.

Bluebell Inn is almost a character in the book;  it is such a warm, vividly depicted place. I love descriptions (and history!) like this: 

“'The Bluebell Inn has the distinction of being the town’s very first inn,” Molly said. “It was built in 1905 and featured ten bedrooms. Early on it was even a stagecoach stop. And starting in 1957, it housed the post office. We actually uncovered the old mail slot when we were renovating and found an old love letter—there’s a long story there, but I’ll spare you. 'The inn’s been several things over the years, including a saloon, if you can believe it. In the sixties—the lake’s real heyday—other hotels opened, but the Bluebell Inn remained the place to stay.  In 1978 it was bought by Governor Jennings and turned into his family lake home. Then my parents purchased it, and my siblings and I had the pleasure of growing up here. Our parents dreamed of turning it back into an inn during their retirement. But sadly, that wasn’t to be. They passed away unexpectedly four years ago. But my siblings and I took it upon ourselves to fulfill their dream'" (Kindle location 1937).  

I highly recommend the Bluebell Inn series. It is a warm, diverting series set in a charming town with likable, sympathetic protagonists. Autumn Skies is a fine addition - and finale - to the series. 

Book Synopsis

From the bestselling author of The Convenient Groom and A December Bride (now beloved Hallmark Original movies) comes the third and final novel in the Bluebell Inn series!

When a mysterious man turns up at Grace’s family-run inn, it’s instant attraction. But she’s already got a lot on her plate: running the Bluebell Inn, getting Blue Ridge Outfitters off the ground, and coping with a childhood event she’d thought was long past.

A gunshot wound has resurrected the past for secret service agent Wyatt Jennings, and a mandatory leave of absence lands him in Bluebell, North Carolina. There he must try and come to grips with the crisis that altered his life forever.

Grace needs experience for her new outfitters business, so when Wyatt needs a mountain guide, she’s more than happy to step up to the plate. As their journey progresses, Grace soon has an elusive Wyatt opening up, and Wyatt is unwittingly drawn to Grace’s fresh outlook and sense of humor.

There’s no doubt the two have formed a special bond, but will Wyatt’s secrets bring Grace’s world crashing down? Or will those secrets end up healing them both?

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble


Author Bio

Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 25 books, including A December Bride and The Convenient Groom, which have been adapted into original Hallmark Channel movies. She has won The Holt Medallion Award, The Reader’s Choice Award, The Carol Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist. When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking green tea, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are rapidly approaching an empty nest.

Connect with Denise

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Book Spotlight and Giveaway - The Firefly Warriors Club (Texas Boys Adventures) by Susan Count


Book Synopsis

They chase a light and then it chases them.  

When a mysterious light entices twelve-year-old Davy and his bothersome cousin, Anderson, into the woods, they discover the forest is alive with wonder. Firefly magic dazzles the boys, and they vow to save the insects from destruction.  

Then a fire rages in the forest. Despite the cousins’ creative efforts to help the firefighters, the situation for the fireflies plummets from grim to dire. As the blaze consumes the fireflies’ habitat, the young warriors despair.  

They enlist the support of the neighboring farms to protect and save the habitat of the magical treasures. If only there was—even one left.


Author Bio

Susan Count writes for the joy and entertainment of young readers. She is a best-selling, award-winning author of the Dream Horse Adventures Series. Susan confesses to being overly fond of brownies, and horseback riding on forest trails. The Firefly Warriors Club was written for her three grandboys who wanted an adventure of their own. What’s a fairy grandmother to do, but wave her magic pen and create.

Author Links 

Website – http://www.susancount.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/susancount/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/SusanCount

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/susancountauthor/

Pinterest –  https://www.pinterest.com/susancount/

Purchase Link – Amazon

Giveaway

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Friday, October 16, 2020

Dear Abby - Videos Abby Likes: Read with Finnegan the Dog


Dear friends,

I hope you are having a good week.  I am continuing to feel better, and have been enjoying my favorite things, which of course include naps, petting, walks in the sunshine, and treats!

My friend Nora sent me a video that I think you will enjoy. It is from Clermont County Public Library and it features a special dog named Finnegan (known as Finn) who likes to read books.  He visits the library and helps children read. He is a 9 year old Pomeranian dog, and he's very handsome!

In the video, Finn sits with his person not at the library but by a swimming pool. He helps to read a children's picture book called Mister Bud Wears the Cone by Carter Goodrich. It is a story about a dog who has hotspots and who has to wear the dreaded cone. Finn does a great job at helping to read, and I also enjoyed the picture book.  It's about dogs, so of course it is the best!

Here is the video of Finnegan helping to read.  The storytelling (with Finnegan!) begins around point 4:38.

I hope you enjoyed this video as much as I did.  Hooray for Finn and his reading work!

Love,

Abby xoxoxo


 

Book Review and Giveaway - The Light at Wyndcliff by Sarah E. Ladd


My Review

The Light at Wyndcliff is a historical novel set in Regency period Cornwall.  It is the story of Evelyn Bray, who grew up at Wyndcliff, where her grandfather worked as steward for the estate.  When Liam Twetheway arrives with the announcement that he has inherited the estate, Evelyn's life suddenly changes. As well as uncertainty about her future, there are mysterious shipwrecks just off the property, and a young mother and daughter who are shipwrecked take refuge at Wyndcliff. This novel is both a mystery and a love story as Evelyn and Liam slowly grow closer together.

I wanted to read this novel because of the Cornwall setting. I loved the PBS series Poldark and found the book description and setting very appealing.

This is the third book in Sarah E. Ladd's Cornwall series. I have not read the previous books in the series, but had no problem enjoying The Light at Wyndcliff as a standalone read. (Of course, I now would like to read the first two novels too.)

The Light at Wyndcliff was a lovely, engrossing read.  The author does an especially good job at describing the setting, both Cornwall, and the estate of Wyndcliff.  I could picture both in my mind from the vivid descriptions in the book. There were passages like:

"This was what he’d waited for. Planned for. Now he was here in the master’s chamber, where he assumed every master had laid his head since the building was constructed well over a century past. As he loosened his neckcloth and began to unbutton his waistcoat, he moved to the window and looked down at the stable courtyard. An inky midnight mist obscured the cobbles and shrouded the grounds. With the exception of the occasional pop from the fire and the angry wind whistling through the window cracks, all was silent. The silence and solitude were surprisingly unwelcome." (Kindle location 370).

Evelyn is a very sympathetic protagonist.  She feels lonely and isolated in her life at Wyndcliff and this makes her growing connection with Liam even more compelling.  I loved the spark and slow building romance between Evelyn and Liam. He is also a wonderful romantic hero.  I will admit I stayed up late at night reading because I wanted to see what would happen between these two.

The mystery was also well done, with the strange lights at night and the shipwrecks.  This storyline was even more interesting because the shipwrecked woman and child were in such a perilous situation.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Light at Wyndcliff and recommend it for fans of historical fiction - especially for readers who enjoy Cornish settings and a fascinating mix of mystery and romance.

Book Synopsis

Set in 1820s Cornwall, this Regency romance evokes the captivating worlds and delicious dramas of Jane Austen, Daphne DuMaurier, and Winston Graham.

Raised on the sprawling and rugged Wyndcliff Estate near the dangerous coast of South Cornwall, Evelyn Bray lives with her grandfather, a once-wealthy man reduced to the post of steward. Evelyn is still grieving her father’s death and her mother’s abandonment when a passing ship is dashed against the rocks. The only survivors, a little girl and her injured mother, are rescued and brought to Wyndcliff Hall.

Liam Twethewey is just twenty-two when he inherits Wyndcliff Estate from his great uncle. His optimistic plans to open a china clay pit to employ the estate’s tenants meets unexpected resistance, and the rumors of smuggling and illegal activity challenge his new-found authority. Though wise beyond his years, young Liam quickly finds himself out of his depth in this land where long-held secrets and high-stakes agendas make no room for newcomers.

Brought together by troubling questions surrounding the shipwreck, Evelyn and Liam uncover even darker mysteries shrouding the estate. But as they untangle truths from deceptions, their loyalties separate them—and their budding love might not be strong enough to overcome the distance.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound


Author Bio

Sarah E. Ladd has always loved the Regency period — the clothes, the music, the literature and the art. A college trip to England and Scotland confirmed her interest in the time period and gave her idea of what life would’ve looked like in era. It wasn’t until 2010 that Ladd began writing seriously. Shortly after, Ladd released the first book in the Whispers on the Moors series. Book one of the series, The Heiress of Winterwood, was the recipient of the 2011 ACFW Genesis Award for historical romance. Ladd also has more than ten years of marketing experience. She holds degrees in public relations and marketing and lives in Indiana with her family and spunky Golden Retriever.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | BookBub | Goodreads

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away 5 copies of The Light at Wyndcliff! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on October 30th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

The Light at Wyndcliff 


 

Book Spotlight and Giveaway - Deadly Travel: A World War II Mystery (The Deadly Series) by Kate Parker


Book Synopsis

Travel to Berlin in 1939 is treacherous. Carrying out two clandestine missions in the enemy capital could prove deadly.  

When a Quaker Kindertransport chaperone is murdered in the East End of London, Britain’s counterintelligence spymaster tasks Olivia Denis to join the group rescuing children from Nazi Germany. Olivia must find not only a killer, but a traitor relaying sensitive material to the enemy.  

Once they reach Berlin, Olivia discovers she must rescue the family of an imprisoned British spy before she leaves the next day. An attack convinces Olivia the family’s two young sons are in grave danger, but where to hide them?  

Can she protect the boys before they become the traitor’s next victims?  

Deadly Travel, Book Five of the Deadly series, is for fans of World War II era spy thrillers and classical cozy mysteries, of intrepid lady sleuths with spunk and smarts. No explicit cursing, sex, or violence.  

Continue your journey today into Olivia’s world of intrigue in London in the days leading up to war.


Author Bio

Kate Parker caught the reading bug early, and the writing bug soon followed. She’s always lived in a house surrounded by books and dust bunnies. After spending a dozen years in North Carolina, she moved to Colorado. The Rocky Mountains are beautiful, but she’d developed a love of wide rivers, warmer and wetter weather, and fast-growing greenery that sent her hurrying back to North Carolina. 

Deadly Travel is the fifth book in the Deadly Series, and Kate’s plan is to follow it quickly with Deadly Darkness, both set in 1939 in the days leading up to war. There are at least three more of the Deadly Series coming that will bring the beginning of the war to Olivia’s doorstep. Kate reports that she is having fun creating new stories to entertain readers and chaos to challenge her characters.

Author Links

www.KateParkerbooks.com,   www.Facebook.com/Author.Kate.Parker/https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kate-parker,   www.goodreads.com/author/show/7123001.Kate_Parker

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo

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Friday, October 9, 2020

Dear Abby - My Adventure at a Lake -- and Some Good News!

Dear Friends,

I hope you are having a good week.  I had an adventure last week and wanted to share some pictures with you.  I had an ACTH test for my Cushing's syndrome. This is where I have bloodwork, get a shot, and then have an hour before I have more bloodwork.  (Then the test is over. That is the best part!)

Last week it was sunny and pretty on the day of my test.  My Momma and our friend took me to a park during the in-between hour.  I had not been there before and I loved it! 

There was a lake with lots of trees.  (They are just starting to turn colors here -- most are still green.)

There was a picnic pagoda and a path around the lake, so it was easy for us to walk and explore.

I saw a couple of egrets! They are very tall.

There were also a number of ducks on the lake!  I was very interested in them.

And there were geese! One of them was very interested in me but Momma picked me up before we could meet.  She said she trusted me but wasn't sure about the goose's intentions.

I loved standing on the little bridge and watching all this excitement!

It was a fun day!  Best of all, I have some very good news to share.  I got my ACTH test results this week and they were good!  I am taking medicine every 12 hours and evidently it is working and making me feel better.  This is happy news because it means I don't need another test for 3 months.  Whoopee!

I hope you have some good news and happy days this week.  I'll be back to visit again next Friday.

Love,

Abby xoxoxo



Book Review - Christmas Ever After by Karen Schaler


My Review

Riley Reynolds is a successful romance writer. Unfortunately, her latest book was not as popular, and her publisher pushes her to write and promote a Christmas romance. When Riley goes on national television to promote her upcoming book, the interviewer catches her off guard and she makes a vague statement about her personal life that leads three of her ex-boyfriends to believe they are the one that got away.  When Riley travels to Colorado for a Christmas Camp to promote her book, all three ex-boyfriends arrive to sweep her off her feet ... although she is already interested in the handsome inn-keeper.

I wanted to read Christmas Ever After because I enjoyed Karen Schaler's Finding Christmas. This sounded like a fun, upbeat read.

Christmas Ever After is a very enjoyable cozy holiday read.  I loved the setting.  The inn has a Christmas theme, and each room has a special Christmas motif. Riley's room has a Santa motif:

"Inside her room were dozens of Santas. From a life-sized Santa cardboard cutout in the corner, to a collection of figurines on the dresser, to all the pillows on the bed, there were Santas everywhere. There was even an elaborate eight foot red-and-gold velvet Santa chair next to a real Christmas tree with Santa ornaments and a quaint stone fireplace. Hanging from the wooden mantle above the fireplace was just one red felt stocking that had Riley’s name embroidered on it. But it was the bed that Riley couldn’t stop staring at. It was a red Santa sleigh —an actual sleigh— that had been converted into a bed. And above the bed was a sign that read, Always believe." (Kindle location 1156).

The storyline about Riley and her three ex-beaus was fun to read. She finds herself being courted by her college boyfriend, her long time world-traveling ex-boyfriend, and her recent NYC boyfriend.  Meanwhile, she has an immediate spark with Luke, whose family owns the inn. I loved the rapport between Riley and Luke, and appreciated his love of the inn's long history.

There is even a lovable dog - Comet, a Bernese Mountain Dog who immediately befriends Riley at the inn.  (Lovable dogs or cats always add to my enjoyment of a light read!)

This story is told with humor and a lot of warmth, and it put me in a Christmas mood (although Christmas is still quite a time off!). I recommend Christmas Ever After for fans of romance, Christmas novels, and anyone who enjoys all things Christmas. (This book would make a great Hallmark movie!).

Book Synopsis

From Karen Schaler, the writer of the Netflix phenomenon A Christmas Prince and Hallmark’s Christmas Camp comes this new heartwarming holiday romance. Mamma Mia meets The Bachelorette in Christmas Ever After…

While promoting her next novel, a Christmas love story, author Riley Reynolds is caught off guard when she’s asked during a live national television interview how she can write about romance when she still hasn’t found “the one” herself. Scrambling for an answer, she quickly answers that she has had great love in her past and that love inspired her novels. Little does she know that this one offhanded remark will turn her world upside down. Three of her ex-boyfriends see the interview, and each, believing she’s talking about him, shows up for her Christmas Camp book event at the Christmas Lake Lodge, determined to rewrite his happily-ever-after with her! Over the festive weekend, Riley’s old boyfriends compete to win her heart, pulling out all the stops while planning the most romantic Christmas dates on the planet. Despite herself, Riley starts falling for each guy- again-but for different reasons. As Riley revisits each relationship and discovers more about herself, she embraces the magic of Christmas and finally finds true love and her own Christmas ever after…

Bonus Content: Christmas Ever After includes delicious original Christmas recipes and fun holiday crafts and activities.

Purchase Links  

Amazon | Bookshop.org | Barnes & Noble | Target | Walmart | Apple Books


Author Bio

Karen Schaler is a three-time Emmy Award–winning storyteller, screenwriter, author, journalist, and national TV host. Karen has written original Christmas movies for Netflix, Hallmark, and Lifetime, including the Netflix sensation A Christmas Prince, Hallmark’s Christmas Camp, and four books, Christmas Ever After, Finding Christmas, Christmas Camp, and Christmas Camp Wedding, earning her the nickname “Christmas Karen” in the press. Karen has also created a real-life Christmas Camp experience for grown-ups, held around the world, where she carefully curates and hosts magical holiday activities from her movies and books and the show Christmas Karen: Behind the Story. For Karen’s novel Finding Christmas she also wrote the movie. Traveling to more than sixty-five countries, Karen is the creator and host of Travel Therapy TV. All of Karen’s stories are uplifting and filled with heart and hope.

Find out more about Karen at her website, and connect with her on FacebookTwitterInstagram, and YouTube.

 



Book Review and Giveaway - Mistletoe, Moussaka, and Murder (A Kebab Kitchen Mystery) by Tina Kashian

Book Synopsis

Not even her impending nuptials can keep Lucy Berberian, manager of her family-owned Kebab Kitchen, from the Jersey Shore’s annual Polar Bear Plunge. But her dive into the icy ocean is especially chilling when she finds a fellow swimmer doing the dead man’s float—for real . . .

Who would kill a man in cold blood during Ocean Crest, New Jersey’s most popular winter event? When Lucy learns the victim is Deacon Spooner, the reception hall owner who turned up his nose—and his price—at her wedding plans, she can’t help wondering who wouldn’t kill the pompous caterer . . .

Perhaps the culprit is the wedding cake baker whose career Deacon nearly destroyed? Or the angry bride whose reception he ruined? With her maid of honor, Katie, busily planning Lucy’s wedding without her, Lucy will have to get to the bottom of this cold-hearted business in time for Kebab Kitchen’s mouthwatering Christmas celebration—and before her hometown’s holiday spirit washes out to sea . . .

Recipes included!


Author Bio

Tina Kashian is an attorney and mechanical engineer whose love of reading for pleasure helped her get through years of academia. She is the author of the popular Kebab Kitchen Mediterranean cozy mystery series for Kensington Publishing. Tina spent her childhood summers at the Jersey shore building sandcastles, boogie boarding, and riding the boardwalk Ferris wheel. She also grew up in the restaurant business, as her Armenian parents owned a restaurant for thirty years. Tina still lives in New Jersey with her supportive husband and two daughters. Please visit her website at www.tinakashian.com to join her newsletter, receive delicious recipes, enter contests, and more!

Author Links

Purchase Links:

Giveaway  

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Friday, October 2, 2020

Dear Abby - Videos Abby Likes: Boating Dachshunds and a Fun Link


Dear Friends,

Happy October! I hope you are having a good week. It is starting to get cool here in the mornings now. I like Fall weather, with lots of new smells outside to explore.

I have two little goodies for you today.  First, there is a cute little video that my friends Aliceson and Emily sent me.  It has been popular on Facebook and is by Mylesandwillows on Instagram.  Two dachshunds in Halloween clothes (black and orange hoodies) enjoy boating on a Fall day.  It looks like lots of fun!


I also wanted to share a fun link (thanks, Shari, for this one!).  This week Google had a special Doodle that showed a dachshund bobblehead in a car moving through Germany.   Click here for the story: Cnet story about the dachshund bobblehead doodle and click here to see the bobblehead ride:  Google doodle.

(picture by Google)

I hope you enjoyed this little video and the fun link.  I wish you a wonderful weekend and look forward to catching up again next week!

Love,

Abby xoxoxo 



Book Review and Giveaway - A Trace of Deceit by Karen Odden


My Review

A Trace of Deceit is a historical novel set in Victorian England. Annabel Rowe is shocked when her brother is discovered murdered in his flat.  Like Annabel, her brother Edwin was an artist;  while she is studying in a formal setting, he worked as an art restorer.  A famous Boucher painting Edwin was cleaning, in preparation for sale at an auction house, is also discovered missing. Curiously, the painting supposedly burned in a fire years ago. Annabel works with Scotland Yard policeman Matthew Hallam to solve the mystery of her brother's death and also find the missing painting.

I wanted to read this novel because I love historical mysteries, Victorian settings, and art history inspired fiction.

This book is the second in Karen Odden's Victorian Mystery series, but it reads well as a standalone.  (Having said this, I do want to go back now and read the first mystery in the series.)

This is an unusual and exceptional novel.  It is a mystery that reads like literary fiction with evocative period details, nuanced characters, and beautiful descriptions. An example of the storytelling follows, when Matthew talks about memory as "a trace of deceit:"

“I think all our memories have a trace of deceit in them,” Matthew said, his expression sympathetic. “Our recollection is a flawed, imperfect thing, unstable and prone to suggestion. I see it all the time when we ask people for evidence. Despite their best intentions, they report things that can’t possibly be true—such as a train arriving at a particular time when official records show it was two hours delayed. Or they’ll say something happened at a particular intersection of streets—when those streets don’t ever meet. Or they change their stories because they wish the truth were different, or because they remember new things, or because they read an account in the newspaper.” He shrugged. “Memory is the exact opposite of a painting or a photograph, I suppose. It’s just the nature of it.” (p. 216).

I found Annabel and Edwin's story interesting, and I also was invested in Annabel's friendship-turned-romance with Matthew.  I especially found the art history mystery in this story fascinating, as the mystery of the Boucher painting has layer upon layer of detail.

As a testament to how much I loved this book -- I am a great bookworm and typically finish a novel and pick another up. I could not do that with A Trace of Deceit. I needed to take a bit of a break before reading again because I wondered if the next read would live up to this one.

I highly recommend A Trace of Deceit for fans of historical fiction, mystery readers, and anyone who enjoys art history.  It is a beautifully told novel;  you will be immersed in Victorian England and actually learn about art and auction houses during this time period through this novel.

Book Synopsis

From the author of A Dangerous Duet comes the next book in her Victorian mystery series, this time following a daring female painter and the Scotland Yard detective who is investigating her brother’s suspicious death.

A young painter digs beneath the veneer of Victorian London’s art world to learn the truth behind her brother’s murder…

Edwin is dead. That’s what Inspector Matthew Hallam of Scotland Yard tells Annabel Rowe when she discovers him searching her brother’s flat for clues. While the news is shocking, Annabel can’t say it’s wholly unexpected, given Edwin’s past as a dissolute risk-taker and art forger, although he swore he’d reformed. After years spent blaming his reckless behavior for their parents’ deaths, Annabel is now faced with the question of who murdered him—because Edwin’s death was both violent and deliberate. A valuable French painting he’d been restoring for an auction house is missing from his studio: find the painting, find the murderer. But the owner of the artwork claims it was destroyed in a warehouse fire years ago.

As a painter at the prestigious Slade School of Art and as Edwin’s closest relative, Annabel makes the case that she is crucial to Matthew’s investigation. But in their search for the painting, Matthew and Annabel trace a path of deceit and viciousness that reaches far beyond the elegant rooms of the auction house, into an underworld of politics, corruption, and secrets someone will kill to keep.

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Author Bio

Karen Odden received her Ph.D. in English literature from New York University and taught at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has contributed essays and chapters to books and journals, including Studies in the Novel, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and Victorian Crime, Madness, and Sensation; she has written introductions for Barnes and Noble editions of books by Dickens and Trollope; and she edited for the academic journal Victorian Literature and Culture. She freely admits she might be more at home in nineteenth-century London than today, especially when she tries to do anything complicated on her iPhone. Her first novel, A Lady in the Smoke, was a USA Today bestseller and won the New Mexico-Arizona 2016 Book Award for e-Book Fiction. Her second novel, A Dangerous Duet, about a young pianist who stumbles on a notorious crime ring while playing in a Soho music hall in 1870s London, won the New Mexico-Arizona 2019 Book Award for Best Historical Fiction. A Trace of Deceit is her third novel. She resides in Arizona with her family and a ridiculously cute beagle named Rosy.

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Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away one paperback copy of A Trace of Deceit! 

To enter, please use the Gleam form below. The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on October 2nd. You must be 18 or older to enter. 

A Trace of Deceit