Book Spotlight and Giveaway - The Case of the Clobbered Cad (Nosy Parkers Mysteries) by Debra E. Marvin

Book Synopsis

Inspired by the famous Girl Detective, the members of the Olentangy Heights Girls’ Detective Society, affectionately known as the Nosy Parkers, spent their formative years studying criminology, codes, and capers. Unfortunately, opportunities to put their unique skills to work were thin on the ground in the post-war boom of their little corner of suburbia and they eventually grew up to pursue more sensible careers. Until…

Heather Munro’s youthful devotion to The Girl Detective led to a passion for digging around in history. Now pursuing her Master’s Degree in Celtic Studies, Heather must balance exploring Edinburgh with her determination to excel in her all–male classes at the University. Unfortunately, on her first night working in the Archives room, she discovers the dead body of a visiting professor, the same would-be lothario she’d hoped never to see again.

As clues come to light, it’s clear someone hopes to frame Heather for the murder. Besides her quirky landlady, whom can she trust? How can she clear her name? The police and the American Consul have plenty of suspects, but only two seem to have both motive and opportunity: Heather and the quiet Scottish historian she longs to trust.

Author Bio
Debra E. Marvin tries not to run too far from real life but the imagination born out of being an only child has a powerful draw. Besides, the voices in her head tend to agree with all the sensible things she says. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Sisters in Crime, and serves on the board of Bridges Ministry in Seneca Falls, NY. She is published with WhiteFire Publishing, Forget Me Not Romances, and contracted with Journey Fiction, and a judge for the Grace Awards for many years. Debra works as a program assistant at Cornell University, and enjoys her family and grandchildren, obsessively buying fabric, watching British programming and traveling with her childhood friends.

Author Links:
Twitter,
Facebook,
Website,
Pinterest
Amazon Author Page
Instagram

Buy Links
Amazon  B&N  kobo

Giveaway
(1) Prize Package Including Paperback of The Case of the Clobbered Cad --Paperback of The Counterfeit Clue --Hardcover of The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes (Nancy Drew)-- and a hand quilted table runner in shades of green.  Ends 10/23.
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Book Review - Caroline: Little House, Revisited by Sarah Miller

Book Synopsis

In this novel authorized by the Little House Heritage Trust, Sarah Miller vividly recreates the beauty, hardship, and joys of the frontier in a dazzling work of historical fiction, a captivating story that illuminates one courageous, resilient, and loving pioneer woman as never before—Caroline Ingalls, “Ma” in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved Little House books.

In the frigid days of February, 1870, Caroline Ingalls and her family leave the familiar comforts of the Big Woods of Wisconsin and the warm bosom of her family, for a new life in Kansas Indian Territory. Packing what they can carry in their wagon, Caroline, her husband Charles, and their little girls, Mary and Laura, head west to settle in a beautiful, unpredictable land full of promise and peril.

The pioneer life is a hard one, especially for a pregnant woman with no friends or kin to turn to for comfort or help. The burden of work must be shouldered alone, sickness tended without the aid of doctors, and babies birthed without the accustomed hands of mothers or sisters. But Caroline’s new world is also full of tender joys. In adapting to this strange new place and transforming a rough log house built by Charles’ hands into a home, Caroline must draw on untapped wells of strength she does not know she possesses.

For more than eighty years, generations of readers have been enchanted by the adventures of the American frontier’s most famous child, Laura Ingalls Wilder, in the Little House books. Now, that familiar story is retold in this captivating tale of family, fidelity, hardship, love, and survival that vividly reimagines our past.

 

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 
My Review
Like most young girls, I grew up with Little House on the Prairie.  First came the books, checked out time and again from the little local library.  Then there was the TV series.  I loved everything about Little House, and this love of all things Laura Ingalls Wilder has endured into my adulthood.  I still listen to three Little House podcasts and read everything I can find that is related to this series.

So of course I wanted to read Caroline.  From the first description of this book, I anticipated reading it.  And I have to say the book far exceeded my expectations.  It is amazing!

Caroline tells the Little House story from the perspective of Laura Ingalls Wilder's mother, Caroline.  When we first glimpse Caroline in this novel, she is a young wife and mother living in Wisconsin with her beloved husband Charles and her little girls, Mary and Laura.  She is pregnant with her third child when Charles tells her he wants to move to Kansas.

Caroline bravely puts aside her personal feelings and travels across the country in a covered wagon.  The descriptions of the journey are so vivid and detailed.  I could visualize everything from the storytelling.

I will admit that I grew up focusing on Laura's story, and had not thought as much about what this journey and pioneer life meant to Caroline.  I am so glad that Sarah Miller masterfully brought her story to life here.  I found Caroline so remarkable as she left her relatives and friends behind and braved this long trip despite being pregnant.   I admired her resourcefulness and her loving care of her children.  I also loved her relationship with Charles!

The writing in this book is absolutely beautiful. Sarah Miller writes about the journey:

"The West was a song Charles wanted a hand in composing" (eBook loc. 100).

She also adds about Laura:

"Like her pa, all of Laura's visions of the West had begun with the journey, not the departure" (eBook loc. 353-54).

One more example of the beautiful writing in this book is seen when Caroline soothes the girls en route:

"Under her fingers, Laura's pulse had slowly quieted into a beat of feathery kisses.  Caroline drew up her knees, making a nest of herself.  Laura was too big now to fit inside it as she once had, but her breath, still tinted with maple sugar, filled the small spaces between them" (eBook loc. 821-23).

I have to add that the historical details in this book were fascinating.  I enjoyed details like reading how Caroline cooked over a fire when the family was traveling cross country.  The food descriptions were also very interesting, and I was very struck by how grateful the Ingalls family was for such simple things.  This was one of the things that stuck with me most from Caroline's story.

Caroline will surely be one of my favorite reads of the year, and I recommend it highly for anyone who loves children's literature, historical fiction, and especially for other Little House on the Prairie fans.

Author Bio
Sarah Miller began writing her first novel at the age of ten, and has spent the last two decades working in libraries and bookstores. She is the author of two previous historical novels, Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller and The Lost Crown. Her nonfiction debut, The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden and the Trial of the Century, was hailed by the New York Times as “a historical version of Law & Order.” She lives in Michigan.

Find out more about Sarah at her website, and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

I received a copy of this book from HarperCollins and TLC Book Tour.

Dear Abby - Famous TV Dogs: Scooby Doo

Dear Friends,

I hope you are having a good week!  

Today I would love to chat about one of my favorite TV dogs -- Scooby Doo.  Scooby Doo was a Great Dane who appeared in the Scooby Doo cartoon series as well as several movies.  The cartoons first ran on CBS (1969 - 1975):  Scooby Doo, Where Are You? and The New Scooby Doo Movies.  Later there were a number of Scooby Doo cartoons on ABC (1976 - 1991).  The original cartoons were created by Hanna-Barbera.

Scooby Doo helped his teenage friends solve mysteries.  The human members of Mystery, Inc. were Shaggy, Fred, Velma, and Daphne.  Scooby spoke - and he sounded a lot like Astro from The Jetsons.  That is not a coincidence -- Scooby Doo and Astro were both voiced by actor Don Messick.  Scooby is often hungry and gets scared easily - just like his human buddy, Shaggy.

Of course, Scooby inspired lots of merchandise, like lunch boxes:

Comic books:

Toys, like this View-Master reel:

A few fun tidbits of Scooby Doo trivia:

• When the show was in the planning stages, the dog was originally a Sheepdog named Too Much.
• Scooby Doo's full name is Scoobert "Scooby" Doo.
• Scooby Doo's nickname came from a line in the Frank Sinatra song "Strangers in the Night."
• Scooby's catch phrase is "Scooby Dooby Doo!"
• Scooby has a nephew named Scrappy Doo.

Scrappy Doo

Here is the opening of the Scooby Doo cartoon (1970).

Do you remember Scooby Doo?  I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Love,
Abby xoxoxo

Book Review - The Other Alcott by Elise Hooper

Book Synopsis
Elise Hooper’s debut novel conjures the fascinating, untold story of May Alcott—Louisa’s youngest sister and an artist in her own right. 

We all know the story of the March sisters, heroines of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. But while everyone cheers on Jo March, based on Louisa herself, Amy March is often the least favorite sister. Now, it’s time to learn the truth about the real “Amy”, Louisa’s sister, May. 

Stylish, outgoing, creative, May Alcott grows up longing to experience the wide world beyond Concord, Massachusetts. While her sister Louisa crafts stories, May herself is a talented and dedicated artist, taking lessons in Boston, turning down a marriage proposal from a well-off suitor, and facing scorn for entering what is very much a man’s profession.

Life for the Alcott family has never been easy, so when Louisa’s Little Women is published, its success eases the financial burdens they’d faced for so many years. Everyone agrees the novel is charming, but May is struck to the core by the portrayal of selfish, spoiled “Amy March.” Is this what her beloved sister really thinks of her?

So May embarks on a quest to discover her own true identity, as an artist and a woman. From Boston to Rome, London, and Paris, this brave, talented, and determined woman forges an amazing life of her own, making her so much more than merely “The Other Alcott.”

 

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

My Review
One of the first chapter books I ever read was Little Women.  My copy was a Whitman Book, and I remember the joy of reading about the March family, and especially Jo, who was always one of my favorite heroines.  Little Women has always held a special place in my heart (and my bookshelf!), so I was thrilled to have a chance to read The Other Alcott.

The Other Alcott tells the story of Louisa May Alcott's younger sister May, who was the inspiration for Amy in Little Women.  May wants to be more than just "the other Alcott."  She wants to travel, to study art, and make a living as an artist -- at a time when this was not a likely career for women.

I found the relationship between Louisa and May fascinating.  Initially I was most interested in the glimpses of Louisa in this book, but as I went on I became interested in May's story too.

That said, I have to share this intriguing passage with other fans of Little Women.  Louisa is writing to May:

"I don't see how Mr. Niles expects me to spin 400 more pages of this 'Little Women' hokum, but I suppose I must.  He vexes me to no end with all his suggested titles - 'Wedding Marches' is the latest stupidity. ... I'll keep writing what they want.  But I'll be getting the last laugh -- I've given into perversity and have made a quirky husband for Jo March" (p. 40).

May travels from her family home to Boston to study art, and later to Europe.  I found her life and studies fascinating.  She struggles to find her own way as an artist, and also to be taken seriously because she was a woman.  In one memorable scene she goes to a life drawing session attended only by other men who heckle her and tease her until she takes up her charcoal and just ignores them, drawing the man posing in front of the group.

There are mentions of some memorable names in art history:  John Ruskin, J.M.W. Turner, William Morris Hunt, Thomas Eakins.  I found the historical details of art and life 1868 - 1880 fascinating.

The author's style of writing and descriptions in this novel are lovely.  For instance:

"She had arrived back in Concord to find the town fully ripened with summer.  Strawberries the size of May's thumb hung off bushes at the side of the road.  The cucumber vines dragged the ground under the heft of gigantic vegetables.  Lush greenery swathed the yard.  Yet in the midst of all of this bounty, her family appeared diminished and forlorn" (p. 140).

Most of all, though, the characters, especially May and Louisa, are so beautifully drawn in this novel.  The Other Alcott is sure to interest fans of historical fiction, Louisa May Alcott, art history, or a really well told story.  I recommend it highly.

 

Author Bio
Though a New Englander by birth (and at heart), Elise Hooper lives with her husband and two young daughters in Seattle, where she teaches history and literature.
Find out more about Elise at her website, and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

I received a copy of this book from HarperCollins and TLC Book Tours.

Book Spotlight and Giveaway - Beware the Orchids (A Shady Acres Mystery) by Cynthia Hickey

Book Synopsis
Ditched at the altar, Shelby Hart tosses down her bouquet, quits her job, and accepts a position as gardener and event coordinator at an upscale retirement community. Her first day on the job results with a dead body in the greenhouse under the orchids and with her as the prime suspect!

Toss in a handsome handyman, quirky characters, and a flirtatious grandma and the fun never stops. 

Author Bio
Multi-published and Amazon and ECPA Best-Selling author Cynthia Hickey has sold over a million copies of her works since 2013. She has taught a Continuing Education class at the 2015 American Christian Fiction Writers conference, several small ACFW chapters and RWA chapters. You can find her on FB, twitter, and Goodreads, and is a contributor to Cozy Mystery Magazine blog and Suspense Sisters blog. She and her husband run the small press, Forget Me Not Romances, which includes some of the CBA’s best well-known authors. She lives in Arizona with her husband, one of their seven children, two dogs, one cat, and three box turtles. She has eight grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer”.

Website at www.cynthiahickey.com
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Cynthia-Hickey/e/B002W1MP2Q/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cynthia-Hickey-151333448227549/
 Twitter: @cynthiahickey 

Purchase Link
Amazon

Giveaway
Kindle Fire 7 HD.  Giveaway ends 10/4.  (U.S. only.)
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