A Short Break

I'm taking some time away from blogging for grateful reflection and time with family and friends . . .

Source: clipartbest.com

. . . I'll be back to the blogosphere in early December.

Source:sweetieskiz.com

 

Until then, enjoy all the wonderful things this season has to offer . . .

Source: cliparts.co

 

  

     

 

 

 

 

Thursday Thoughts: BlogTour, Review and Giveaway -- Death Before Decaf by Caroline Fardig

Today I'm participating in the Death Before Decaf  Blog Tour.  Read on for book, author, and giveaway information, along with my review.

About the Book . . .

  

Death Before Decaf:
A Java Jive Mystery
Publisher: Alibi (November 17, 2015)
Random House LLC
ASIN: B00VOYNDKK

Perfect for fans of Janet Evanovich and Diane Mott Davidson, Caroline Fardig’s captivating new mystery novel takes readers behind the counter of a seemingly run-of-the-mill coffeehouse . . . where murder is brewing.

 

After her music career crashes and burns spectacularly, Juliet Langley is forced to turn to the only other business she knows: food service. Unfortunately, bad luck strikes yet again when her two-timing fiancé robs her blind and runs off with her best waitress. Flushing what’s left of her beloved café down the toilet with her failed engagement, Juliet packs up and moves back to her college stomping grounds in Nashville to manage an old friend’s coffeehouse. At first glance, it seems as though nothing’s changed at Java Jive. What could possibly go wrong? Only that the place is hemorrhaging money, the staff is in open revolt, and Juliet finds one unlucky employee dead in the dumpster out back before her first day is even over.

The corpse just so happens to belong to the cook who’d locked horns with Juliet over the finer points of the health code. Unimpressed with her management style, the other disgruntled employees are only too eager to spill the beans about her fiery temper to the detective on the case. Add to the mix a hunky stranger who’s asking way too many questions, and suddenly Juliet finds herself in some very hot water. If she can’t simmer down and sleuth her way to the real killer, she’s going to get burned.

My Review . . . 

When fiery redhead Juliet Langley finds herself reeling from her fiance's betrayal and a failed business venture, she is determined to make a fresh start.  On the eve of her thirtieth birthday, she returns to Nashville, where she spent her carefree college days working as a server at Java Jive.  Like Juliet, her beloved coffeehouse is also down on its heels and in need of some TLC.  Things are off to a rocky start, however, as she faces a hostile staff resistant to her supervision and ideas.  Juliet's only friends are owner Pete Bennett, his saucy grandmother Gertie, and mysterious customer Seth Davis.  

Matters quickly go from bad to worse when Juliet discovers the body of Dave Hill, the coffeehouse cook, in the trash dumpster.  Earlier in the day, she had two very public disagreements with Dave, and it isn't long before the police consider Juliet a person of interest in the murder case.  In an attempt to clear her name, Juliet uncovers questionable activity and relationships not only about town, but at the coffeehouse as well.  Had Dave, an ex-con, really reformed after his time in prison, or did his continued association with unsavory characters lead to his untimely death?  Can Juliet stay out of harm's way long enough to discover what's really going on and who killed Dave?  

As if sleuthing isn't enough to occupy her attention, Juliet's romantic life heats up, further complicating her resettlement in Nashville.  When her relationship with the dashing Seth Davis turns steamy, she realizes he has many secrets he's not willing to share.  And despite the sparks between them, Juliet acknowledges her deep-rooted feelings for Pete.  Will the unlucky-in-love Juliet ultimately find happiness and make the right choice this time around?

For many, spending time in a coffeehouse is a pleasurable experience, and Java Jive feels like a welcoming home away from home.  Its new manager, Juliet is a very relatable protagonist--passionate, tenacious, and inquisitive--definitely someone you'd want on your side when the chips are down.  With a fair share of twists, turns, and a murderer I did not suspect, Fardig delivers a caffeinated romp and promising start to the Java Jive mystery series.

Note:  I received an ebook copy of Death Before Decaf in exchange for an honest review.

Giveaway . . .

For a chance to win one of two titles from Alibi, click on this link. 

About the author . . .

Caroline Fardig is the author of Death Before Decaf and the Lizzie Hart series. She worked as a schoolteacher, church organist, insurance agent, funeral parlor associate, and stay-at-home mom before she realized that she wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Born and raised in a small town in Indiana, Fardig still lives in that same town with an understanding husband, two sweet kids, two energetic dogs, and one malevolent cat.

Author links . . .

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Caroline-Fardig/496944767049778
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/carolinefardig
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7009795.Caroline_Fardig
• Website: http://www.carolinefardig.com/
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/carolinefardig/
• Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Fardig/e/B00C1866NE   

Purchase links . . . 
Penguin Random House: http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/531812/death-before-decaf-by-caroline-fardig/
Amazon
B&N
Google Play

  

Tour Participants . . .

November 10 – Moonlight Rendezvous – Review
November 10 – A Blue Million Books – Interview
November 11 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – Review
November 12 – Community Bookstop – Spotlight
November 13 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book  – Guest Post
November 14 – Mallory Heart Reviews – Review
November 15 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Interview
November 16 – Queen of All She Reads – Review, Guest Post
November 16 – Cassidy Salem Reads & Writes  – Review
November 17 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review
November 18 – Musings and Ramblings – Review
November 19 – Book Club Librarian – Review
November 19 – MysteriesEtc – Review
November 20 – Tea and A Book – Review, Interview
November 21 – 3 Partners in Shopping; Nana, Mommy, &; Sissy too! – Spotlight
November 22 – LibriAmoriMiei – Review
November 23 – Booklady’s Booknotes – Review, Guest Post 



Thursday Thoughts: BlogTour, Review and Giveaway -- Death Before Decaf by Caroline Fardig was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com.  This post cannot be republished without attribution.

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph #130

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . .

                                                      

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros hosted by Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea, where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon.

Today I'm featuring an upcoming read, The Outsmarting of Criminals by Steven Rigolosi, borrowed from the library.

 

Goodreads Page  

1

A House in the Country

When, after many years of living quite peacefully in New York City, Miss Felicity Prim felt herself being mugged for the first time, her initial thought was: My handbag is caught on something.  As she lay in the hospital, watching Doctor Poe set her fractured arm, she wondered: Why did the mugger choose me?  Then she vowed: This will never happen again.  

But she had to recover before taking action.  The doctor had prescribed an intense regimen of relaxation and inactivity (a challenging requirement for a busy New Yorker).  She was to remain at home for a month, in her bright, rent-controlled, one-bedroom apartment on East 26th Street, and focus on getting better.  Her sister, friends, and coworkers would run her errands, pick up her dry cleaning, and bring her whatever she needed or wanted: meals, groceries, magazines.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

What attracted me to this book is its cover, along with the publisher's blurb: "A cozy introducing Miss Felicity Prim, who believes her ample experience in reading mystery novels has prepared her for a new career in private detection." I am looking forward to reading about the exploits of Miss Prim, who is described on the book's inner flap as "a lifelong resident of Manhattan, book lover, and outsmarter of criminals."

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph #130 was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com.  This post cannot be republished without attribution. Retweeting and sharing on Google+ encouraged.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph #129

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . .

                                                      

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros hosted by Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea, where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon.

Today I'm featuring my current read, The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz, borrowed from the library.

  

Goodreads Page 

PROLOGUE

ONE YEAR EARLIER

This story begins with a dream, and not a particularly spectacular one at that.  Just a hand beating rhythmically and relentlessly on a mattress in a room on Lundagatan.

Yet it still gets Lisbeth Salander out of her bed in the early light of dawn.  Then she sits at her computer and starts the hunt.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

 I waited quite a while for my turn at this book.  I loved the first three books in this series, which were written by Stieg Larsson.   Thus, I opened this book by a new author with a bit of trepidation.  Could he continue the characters and story line in the same superior way?  I am a little over 100 pages in, and the answer for me is a resounding yes.  

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph #129 was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com.  This post cannot be republished without attribution. Retweeting and sharing on Google+ encouraged.

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph #128

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . .

                                                      

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros hosted by Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea, where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon.

Today I'm featuring an upcoming read, Into the Storm by Lisa Bingham, borrowed from a friend.

 

Goodreads Page 

Dearest J.,

Sadly, I have only one happy memory of my father.

I think I was about five--maybe six?  Yes.  I was six.  I remember distinctly because my younger sister hadn't been born yet and I was leery of a "little stranger" being sent from heaven to live with us.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

 I like the way the novel begins with a letter.  It has me curious about both the writer and the addressee.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph #128 was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com.  This post cannot be republished without attribution. Retweeting and sharing on Google+ encouraged. 

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings #97

It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts with:

• Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.  
• The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an ebook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them.

Today I'm featuring To Scotland with Love by Patience Griffin, borrowed from the library.

 

  

Beginning:  Chapter One

Cait Macleod frowned as the taillights of her taxi sped off into the night.  She was standing in a deserted parking lot on the northeast coast of Scotland in the middle of December.  All alone.  Not new for her, but it sucked all the same.

 

*********************
Page 56:  "As if Cait had dunked her head into hot bubbling stew, heat flooded into her face.  Did they find out about People magazine and what's written in my notebook?"

*********************   

 

My thoughts:  While attending this year's Romance Writers of America Librarians Day in July, I was drawn to a particular author during the Literacy Autographing session.  What made this author stand out among the many, many writers was her outfit.  Ms. Griffin was decked out in tartan and a jaunty tam, and I couldn't resist going over to speak with her.  That's when I learned about the Kilts and Quilts series, set in Scotland.  I purchased the second novel in the series, Meet Me in Scotland, which she autographed for me.  

 

Since I have a thing about starting a series from the beginning, I borrowed book #1 from the library, and am enjoying the setting and characters.  It brings back memories of summer childhood visits to my Scottish grandmother who lived nearly her entire life in Glasgow.

**********************

 

From Goodreads:  Welcome to the charming Scottish seaside town of Gandiegow—where two people have returned home for different reasons, but to find the same thing.…

Caitriona Macleod gave up her career as an investigative reporter for the role of perfect wife. But after her husband is found dead in his mistress’s bed, a devastated Cait leaves Chicago for the birthplace she hasn’t seen since she was a child. She’s hoping to heal and to reconnect with her gran. The last thing she expects to find in Gandiegow is the Sexiest Man Alive! She just may have stumbled on the ticket to reigniting her career—if her heart doesn’t get in the way.

Graham Buchanan is a movie star with many secrets. A Gandiegow native, he frequently hides out in his hometown between films. He also has a son he’ll do anything to protect. But Cait Macleod is too damn appealing—even if she is a journalist.

Quilting with her gran and the other women of the village brings Cait a peace she hasn’t known in years. But if she turns in the story about Graham, Gandiegow will never forgive her for betraying one of its own. Should she suffer the consequences to resurrect her career? Or listen to her battered and bruised heart and give love another chance?

 

 

 Which book are you reading now or about to start?

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings #97 was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com. This post cannot be republished without attribution.  Retweeting and sharing on Google+ are encouraged and appreciated.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph #127

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . .

                                                      

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros hosted by Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea, where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon.

Today I'm featuring an upcoming read, Stoner by John Williams, borrowed from the library.

   

Goodreads Page 

1

William Stoner entered the University of Missouri as a freshman in the year 1910, at the age of nineteen.  Eight years later, during the height of World War I, he received his Doctor of Philosophy degree and accepted an instructorship at the same University, where he taught until his death in 1956.  He did not rise above the rank of assistant professor, and few students remembered him with any sharpness after they had taken his courses.  When he died his colleagues made a memorial contribution of a medieval manuscript to the University library.  This manuscript may still be found in the Rare Books Collection, bearing the inscription: "Presented to the Library of the University of Missouri, in memory of William Stoner, Department of English.  By his colleagues."

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

This book is considered something of a classic, and publisher New York Review of Books is releasing a new hardcover version on November 3, 2015 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of its publication. The anniversary edition will contain previously unpublished correspondence between John Williams and his agent about the book's writing and publication, including the title the author originally had in mind for the novel.

 

Stoner came across my radar screen several months ago, and I am curious about the story that has received such high praise from critics and readers alike.

 

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph #127 was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com.  This post cannot be republished without attribution. Retweeting and sharing on Google+ encouraged.