2021-2022 Christmas Seasoned Readers: Moments to Rekindle Joy-filled Strength

 

Christmas comfort... Holiday cheer...

Small moments of escape...

So many titles... Inspired... Collected!

The Wayside: Home of Authors

Massachusetts

Margaret M Lothrop

MrsK's Goodreads Review Link: simply click the link to read the book review!

Thomas Kinkade

ISBN: 0200049045121

Publisher's Synopsis:

Celebrate the birth of the Savior with Thomas Kinkade. Come Let Us Adore Him will warm both your heart and home with selected passages from the New King James Version, accented by Kinkade's luminescent, full-color art.

A meaningful blend of Scripture, fireside stories, seasonal reflections, and the words of classic Christmas hymns, Come Let Us Adore Him provides a peaceful respite from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Superbly printed and bound in juniper green bonded leather, this keepsake collection of Kinkade's beloved paintings makes a beautiful display piece for the coffee table or mantle.

"On the canvas of my mind, I see the picture clearly..."

MrsK's Review:

Holiday traditions, what inspires you to open the covers of a holiday book? Could it be that within the covers of the book you find comfort, renewal, and joy? Might it be that there are moments "just for you" that you could steal away and re-read a favored treasure?

With the beauty of Kinkade's painted heart-light, the season of our Lord will bring inspirations perfected for this season of celebration. Take a brief moment daily... to remember your Christmas' of love and years gone by.

"For unto us a Child is born..."

IS 9: 6-7

Meet the Author:

  Thomas Kinkade was known as the "Painter of Light." His works, although spurned by the secular art establishment, were very popular with Christians and many others.

Karen Kingsbury

ISBN: 9781451687576

Publisher's Synopsis:

As Christmas nears, John Baxter makes a bold gesture - he invites a stranger to share Christmas Eve dinner with his family. But not just any stranger. This woman is the recipient of his daughter Erin's heart. John knows the invitation will impact each of his adult kids and their families. But will they choose to embrace their guest? And how will the woman's presence affect his granddaughter - the one who feels the loss of her mother most keenly?

Kendra Bryant, John's surprising guest, has been given a second chance at life, but at great cost to the Baxter family. Maybe meeting them will instill some much-needed peace into her life. And maybe Christmas Eve dinner will even help heal Kendra's failing marriage.

Meanwhile, Maddie West's job at the local theater has her working alongside an amazing guy. But Maddie knows she has to keep him at a distance or risk exposing a secret she's hidden for years. In a moment of faith, she sends up a desperate prayer for help. What happens next leaves Maddie - and the entire Baxter family - shocked at God's perfect grace and timing.

"Heavy snow clouds hung low over Blooming, Indiana..."

MrsK's Review:

Whether you already know the Baxter family, or you are choosing to meet this faith-filled family for the first time, what you will discover is the yearly tradition of a family gathering this is treasured throughout the years. 

Gatherings can be heartbreaking... Gatherings can be filled with anticipation... Gatherings can bring the expectation of cherished love... and gatherings can bring together those who have graced your years with understanding. 

It's within the covers of this book that you will discover the treasure of your Christmas spirit, as well as the necessary strength for a season of hope... 

Meet the Author:

Karen Kingsbury, #1 New York Times bestselling novelist, is America’s favorite inspirational storyteller, with more than twenty-five million copies of her award-winning books in print. Her last dozen titles have topped bestseller lists and many of her novels are under development with Hallmark Films and as major motion pictures. Her Baxter Family books are being developed into a TV series slated for major network viewing sometime in the next year. Karen is also an adjunct professor of writing at Liberty University. In 2001 she and her husband, Don, adopted three boys from Haiti, doubling their family in a matter of months. Today the couple has joined the ranks of empty nesters, living in Tennessee near five of their adult children.

Lauren Elliott

ISBN: 9781496720214

Publisher's Synopsis:

Addie's getting into the spirit for the upcoming Charity Auction—especially since she's got an 1843 copy of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol to donate. Her former colleagues at the Boston Public Library have confirmed that its worth runs toward the high five figures, which should help with the new pediatric wing. Her mood darkens, though, when a visitor from the past appears—Jonathan Hemingway, the father of her late fiancé. His presence stirs up sad memories for Addie, but also has her fuming when Jonathan, true to his womanizing ways, runs off for a lunchtime liaison with Teresa Lang, who's in charge of the auction.

Soon after, Addie heads to Teresa's office at the hospital—and finds the poor woman's dead body. What she doesn't find is her valuable first edition. What sort of Scrooge would steal from sick children and commit murder in the process? As a Nor'easter bears down and a mystery emerges about Jonathan's past, Addie must find out if she can appraise people's motives and characters as well as she can appraise rare books . . .

MrsK's Review:

Addison is creating a winter wonderland of lights in the bayed windows of her Beyond the Page book and curio shop. She is so thrilled about her discovery of Charles Dickens's first edition. The rare book could help build the new pediatric wing. The book promised to be the main "attraction" for the annual Christmas Charity Auction. Yet, now that the "ghost" of her Christmas past has arrived in town, Addie is unnerved about this season of compassion and joy.

Jonathan is once again creating havoc in Addison's life. Even though his son has passed, Addison has not forgiven him for all of the heartaches he caused his son. Why has he come to town?

With trepidation already in her heart, Addison arrived at the hospital to meet with Teresa. She is thrilled with the book's estimated value of $60,000 and is looking forward to handing in the certified document. Unfortunately, Teresa is not in her office. Have you had great news one minute and plummeted descended into a despairing moment of panic the next? Yep, Addison locates Teresa... at the bottom of the stairs... her head is in an odd direction... and she isn't breathing. Plus the book is missing! 

Learning to set aside emotions... learning to trust all of those in her life... and learning to follow the lead of her heart... Addison will have quite the not-so-happy holiday. The postponed auction, incoming snow storm, no Charles Dicken's book, could anything be worse? Absolutely... she's a person of interest in the murder of Teresa! Could it be Jonathan?

Enjoy a quick who-dun-it mystery for the holidays,

Meet the Author:

  

Lauren grew up devouring the entire Nancy Drew series and then graduated to Victoria Holt, Agatha Christie, Barbara Erskine, Lynn Kurland, and Michael Crichton to name a few of her favorite authors. When it came time for post-secondary education, journalism seemed like the logical choice as she had written for as long as she could remember. Soon after graduation, while working for a small publication, she discovered that reporting wasn’t what fueled her writing passions. As someone with an additionally strong background in professional theater who had the love of storytelling and captivating and holding an audience, her fiction-writing career began to take center stage.

Lauren Elliott’s new Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series promises to keep readers guessing right up until the last chapter. Plot twists and an array of colorful characters make for page-turning,, whodunit adventures filled with suspense, mystery, murder and just a touch of romance.

Jenny Colgan

ISBN: 9780063252141

Publisher's Synopsis:

When the department store she works in closes for good, Carmen has perilously little cash and few options. She doesn’t want to move in with her perfect sister Sofia, in Sofia’s perfect house with her perfect children and her perfectly ordered Edinburgh life.

Frankly, Sofia doesn’t exactly want Carmen there either. Her sister has always been sarcastic and difficult. But Sofia has yet another baby on the way, a mother desperate to see her daughters get along, and a client who needs a retail assistant for his ailing bookshop, so welcoming Carmen might still have some benefits for everyone.

At Sofia’s behest, Carmen is thrown into the daily workings of old Mr. McCredie’s ancient bookshop on the streets of the old dark city. Can she use her design skills to revamp the store and bring it back to popularity in time to benefit from Christmas shopping traffic? Can she choose between bad boy literary rock star Blair and quiet Quaker student Oke? And will she heal the rift with the most important people of all: her family?

"And oh, how sweet and pleasant it is to the truly spiritual eye to see

several sorts of believers..." Isaac Penington

MrsK's Review:

Carmen has chosen many different pathways for success. Yet, once again she is low on cash and so not ready to return home for the holidays. Who would be if your sister was always the perfect daughter? Sofia has the perfect house, the grandchildren, and the station in life that completely un-nerves Carmen. Will she make it through the holidays and/or the rest of her life? She doubts it!

Sofia can't believe that her mother wants her to "help" sort out her sister's life. With three children, plus one on the way, a husband, and a case that she must finish before the baby arrives... well the last thing she needs is her "brat" of a sister under her roof!

Sometimes a door opens and there is a choice to walk through it, at least for the time being. Sofia has a client that is going to lose his family's bookshop if he doesn't turn a profit during Christmas. Carmen doesn't have a job and has always been a reader. Mr. McCredie's ancient bookshop in Edinburgh just might be a chance for both of them.

This holiday story is about finding hope in a hopeless situation. Discovering the inner joy when you begin helping others. Unveiling the calling of your personal interests as a career. Most importantly, dusting off the treasured volumes hidden within a quaint bookshop, in order, to bring life back to those treasured stories that have been awaiting a new reader.

Meet the Author:

  

Jenny Colgan is the author of numerous bestselling novels, including 'The Little Shop of Happy Ever After' and 'Summer at the Little Beach Street Bakery, which are also published by Sphere.' Meet Me at the Cupcake Café' won the 2012 Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance and was a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller, as was 'Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams, which won the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2013.

L. M. Montgomery

ISBN: 9780771061998

Publisher's Synopsis:

Share Anne’s delight at receiving the dress of her dreams, the joy of a young woman reunited with her long lost brother on Christmas Eve, and the surprise of a trio of sisters who inadvertently end a family feud by arriving at the wrong uncle’s house for Christmas dinner.

Featuring some well-loved characters from the Anne of Green Gables books, as well as plenty of new characters, this collection of short stories by L. M. Montgomery celebrates the joys and tribulations of Christmas and the hope of the new year. The perfect escape during the hectic holiday season and all year round.

"Christmas and New Year's is a season of celebration and reflection,

of taking stock of the months gone by...

and looking forward to the year to come."

MrsK's Review:

Family reunions, old traditions, eagerly awaited gifts, and plenty of good food... isn't that what every home wishes for? There are 16 stories from Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Windy Poplars. Short vignettes that will bring you the value of human kindness. You will shed a few tears for those in need. You will smile at Anne's unlimited hope. You will contemplate the concerns of past generations, as well as compare the concerns of today's generation.

Is there any better read for the holidays than short chapters that will melt away today's anxiety? Moments for a family read-aloud filled with hot cocoa and buttered popcorn. Reminders about the simplicity of smaller heart-full gift giving. Acknowledgment for those who are experiencing holidays that have no monetary value. In 2022, just for a moment, our families are in need of the valued treasures from those who wrote about their lives so long ago. Finding moments to discuss, moments of connections, and moments that will plant seeds of compassion. Isn't that what this season is about? The very first gift... was a child.

Meet the Author:

 Lucy Maud Montgomery was a Canadian author, best known for a series of novels beginning with Anne of Green Gables, published in 1908.
Montgomery was born at Clifton, Prince Edward Island, Nov. 30, 1874. She came to live at Leaskdale, north of Uxbridge Ontario, after her wedding with Rev. Ewen Macdonald on July 11, 1911. She had three children and wrote close to a dozen books while she was living in the Leaskdale Manse before the family moved to Norval, Ontario in 1926. She died in Toronto April 24, 1942 and was buried at Cavendish, Prince Edward Island.

Thomas Kinkade

ISBN: 9780736910996

Publisher's Synopsis:

Now in a compact edition, this collection of 20 paintings of cozy cottages and stately Victorian mansions glowing with the brilliant lights of Christmas by the beloved Painter of Light includes stories, quotes, poems, and carols that evoke the spirit of the season. Full color.

MrsK's Review:

Some of us travel many miles to be home for Christmas. Some have grown, and get go home. Yet, most of us remember the glow of anxious anticipation... the closer we got to our holiday home and the lights of warmth awaiting us.

Thomas Kinkade's  English cottages and Victorian homes will welcome you with his beautifully illuminated paintings. There are short passages that will create a ten-minute family moment in front of the fire. For those who are in the "grand" season of life, share your personal connections with these pages. Your insights... your memories... your story can be found within these pages. Many of us are now the guardians of today's future generations... let's gather them and share the stories of lives well lived.

"This then is Christmas..."

Alexander Smith

MrsK's Seasoned Reader Picks for Fall's 2022 Picks

 

When autumn arrives... it's a wonderous season for cozy reading nooks, great Holiday reads, and wonderfully delicious goodness... enjoy your discovery of these titles...

 Fall for these Reading Adventures...

Ellery Adams

ISBN: 9781496726445

Publisher's Synopsis:

While January snow falls outside in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, Nora Pennington is encouraging customers to cozy up indoors with a good book. Even though the shop and her bibliotherapy sessions keep Nora busy during the day, her nights are a little too quiet—until Deputy Andrews pulls Nora into the sci-fi section and asks her to help him plan a wedding proposal.

His bride-to-be, Hester, loves Little Women, and Nora sets to work arranging a special screening at the town’s new movie theater. But right before the deputy pops the question, Nora makes an unsettling discovery—someone has mutilated all her store’s copies of The Scarlet Letter, slicing angrily into the pages wherever Hester Prynne’s name is mentioned.

The coincidence disturbs Nora, who’s one of the few in Miracle Springs who knows that Hester gave up a baby for adoption many years ago. Her family heaped shame on her, and Hester still feels so guilty that she hasn’t even told her future husband. But when a dead man is found on a hiking trail just outside town, carrying a rare book, the members of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society unearth a connection to Hester’s past. Someone is intent on bringing the past to light, and it’s not just Hester’s relationship at stake, but her life…

"The secret lies in the reading and the writing.

You are able to read.

Every day you must read one page from some good book to your child.

Every day this must be until the child learns to read.

Then she must read every day.

I know this is the secret."

Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

MrsK's Review:

Don't you love book titles that call out to you? The Vanishing Type, I wonder what would this book be about? Could it be a book in which certain codes might need your attention? Could it be, I wonder... that part of the content vanishes on the page? Opening the cover of this book invites you with that quest to make a warm cup of chocolate... a dash for your favorite quilt... and a fire's glow with calming classical music.  Now that your reading "cove" is set... it's time to snuggle down "into" this book.

Once again Nora will inspire her patrons to snuggle up with a delightful warm cup of cheer and that perfect "uniquely" chosen book. This winter, Nora will be asked to help plan a special occasion for her closest friend, a friend who cherishes and rereads "Little Women" every year. She will discover a mysterious death along her hiking trail, seriously... what would you do if you're enjoying a crisp winter jaunt in the glorious wilderness... and there it is... an unknown lifeless body. How would you react if you had just locked up your bookstore, after reading a winter extravaganza, only to discover that your friend is lying completely still in the rain?  

Reading books about books is always a delight. So many new titles to be discovered... so many wonderful bookshop adventures... and a murder mystery... is there any other way to spend an evening? Yes, there is! I spent the evening in search of book snacks that would match the wonderfully delicious scones and meals that are discussed throughout this novel. Let me tell you... nothing in my pantry came close to the delicacies in this novel! *Read this novel with a pencil and journal... I wonder... is there a limit to a "To Be Read" pile?

MrsK

"May we all be people ahead of our time!"

Meet the Author:

USA Today and New York Times bestseller author Ellery Adams has written over forty novels and can’t imagine spending a day away from the keyboard. Ms. Adams, a Native New Yorker, has had a lifelong love affair with stories, food, rescue animals, and large bodies of water. When not working on her next novel, she bakes, gardens, drinks vats of coffee, spoils her three cats and searches for snacks. She lives with her husband and two children (aka the Trolls) in North Carolina. Ellery's Series Include: Secret, Book, & Scone Society (Kensington) Book Retreat Mysteries (Kensington) Books By the Bay Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime), Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries ((Berkley Prime Crime), Molly Appleby Antiques & Collectibles Mysteries (Beyond the Page), and Hope Street Mysteries (Beyond the Page).

Amy Clipston

ISBN: 9780310366652

Publisher's Synopsis:

Salina Petersheim runs her own booth at the Amish market, where she’s known for having the freshest and most delicious produce in the area. Her father is the bishop of her church district, and her brother is a deacon. They are a very close family, yet sometimes she tires of being compared to her older brother, Neil, who is married and has two children. She also feels the pressure of having to be the perfect daughter for her parents.

Salina has been dating Josiah for almost a year now, but he feels more like a friend than a boyfriend. Her parents approve of Josiah, who is a hardworking roofer. He’s handsome and easy to talk to, but he just doesn’t warm her heart the way she feels a boyfriend and future husband should. She secretly longs for more.

Along comes William “Will” Zimmerman, a Mennonite chef who runs a restaurant located next door to the Amish market. He wants Salina to supply the produce for his restaurant, and as they forge a business relationship, they both feel themselves falling in love. Salina especially tries to deny her feelings for Will since her father wants her to marry within the community.

MrsK's Review:

Salina is a dedicated farmer. Her farm fresh vegetables and fruits are desired at her Amish market booth. Her heart is filled to overflowing when she is tending her garden. If you have ever been a gardener... you will understand the closeness to our Lord as you tend the fruits of your labor. 

Will is a Mennonite chef who has opened his own restaurant across the street from the Amish market. In need of extra vegetables, Will ventures across the street to the market where he sees Salina's produce, he is thrilled with the discovery of fresh and local produce for his patrons. 

Both characters have their own paths... their own perspective relationships... their own independent futures. Given the ease of their interests, the agreed agreed-upon standing business connection, and the joy of a friendship. Yet, they understand the difference and boundaries of their faith. A faith that leads them to a "fork in the road," choices that require personal surrender unto the will of the Lord.

The farm stand offers inspiration, friendships, heart, and joy in a season of thanksgiving...

MrsK

An Amish Marketplace Series

The Bake Shop (2019) The Farm Stand (2020)

The Coffee Corner (2020) The Jam and Jelly Nook (2021)

Meet the Author:

Hi! I'm a bestselling author of heartwarming romance and happily ever after.

My favorite young adult book is "Roadside Assistance." I consider that the book of my heart because I poured a lot of myself into the main character, Emily Curtis. My favorite Amish book is probably "The Forgotten Recipe", which will be out in December. It's the first book in my new series, The Amish Heirloom Series. I think this may be the most emotional Amish book I have written so far.

Nancy Coco

ISBN: 9781496731784

Publisher's Synopsis:

For the picturesque town of Oceanview on the Oregon Coast, May brings blossoming fruit trees and the annual UFO festival. As Aunt Eloise tries out alien costumes on their Havana brown cat Everett, Wren is off to meet with a bee wrangler, her go-to guy for local fruit tree honey.

But when she arrives, Elias Brentwood is lying on the ground amidst destroyed hives and a swarm of angry bees. The bees didn’t kill him, a blow to the head did. As blue-eyed Officer Jim Hampton investigates and the town is invaded by its own swarm of conspiracy theorists and crackpots, Wren and Aunt Eloise decide the only way to catch the bee wrangler’s killer is to set up a sting . . .

MrsK's Review:

Wren owns a delightful honey shop, "Let It Bee," in a small coastal shop. Her customers enjoy bee candles, bee treats, bee specialty gifts... and of course an inside view of a bee colony actively at work through an outside bee hive cased in a glass window honeycomb. She has spent her time making honey products and learning how to care for bees. Did you know that the Pacific NW coast has "bee wranglers?"

Unfortunately, Wren discovers her friend, Elias, on the ground with angry bees flying all around him. After calling in professional bee wranglers, Wren learns that Elias is dead. His hives have been destroyed and Wren is not going to "bee" satisfied until the killer is arrested.

With a delightful assortment of friends, Wren will find plenty to make, do, and investigate. Everett, her feline consultant, help has his own thoughts about the killer. Her Aunt Eloise will remain loyal to Wren, her shop, and to her efforts in keeping Wren out of trouble.

For a quick "Beetective" read, this enjoyable mystery not only has numerous red-herrings, community involvement, crazy outings, as well as noteworthy "honey" recipes.

Mrs.K

Meet the Author:

USA Today Bestselling Author, Nancy J Parra AKA Nancy Coco AKA Nell Hampton is the author of over 30 published novels which include five mystery series: The Oregon Honey-comb Mystery Series (Kensington), The Candy-Coated Mysteries (Kensington), The Kensington Palace Mystery Series (Crooked Lane), The Wine Country Tours Mystery Series (Crooked Lane) The Gluten-free Baker’s Treat Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime), and The Perfect Proposal Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime). Her writing has been called witty and her protagonists plucky by reviewers around the world. Nancy is a member of Sisters in Crime, and loves to hear from readers.

 

Sulari Gentill

ISBN: 9781464215872

Publisher's Synopsis:

The ornate reading room at the Boston Public Library is quiet until the tranquility is shattered by a woman's terrified scream. Security guards take charge immediately, instructing everyone inside to stay put until the threat is identified and contained. While they wait for the all-clear, four strangers, who'd happened to sit at the same table, pass the time in conversation, and friendships are struck. Each has his or her own reasons for being in the reading room that morning—it just happens that one is a murderer.

"Open me carefully..."

Emily Dickinson

MrsK's Review:

Absolutely, you must open the covers of this book...carefully...very carefully. You must have time to discover this unfolding mystery. Time to decipher the taunts, the deceivers, and the trail of the killer.

Hannah is the author, and Leo is a friendly editor/author reading Hannah's latest transcript. You are the audience, the reader looking into their relationship as Hannah is writing her newest mystery.

In the Boston Public Library, Freddie has gone into the Reading Room to focus her writing. She's an author stuck in what she writes about. While "people-watching," as most writers will do, she begins taking notes and wondering about those sitting around her. That is how she thought her day, her life would proceed... until that piercing scream startles everyone. And so the story begins...

Within the covers of this book, you will discover inside perspectives of a writer's mind. You will meet four strangers as they move on from an "unforgettable" library journey. Most of all, you will try to tie together the murdering threads...

Time to read... time to re-read... time to ponder... and time enough to be led astray...

MrsK

Meet the Author:

Once upon a time, Sulari Gentill was a corporate lawyer serving as a director on public boards, with only a vague disquiet that there was something else she was meant to do. That feeling did not go away until she began to write. And so Sulari became the author of the Rowland Sinclair Mysteries: thus far, ten historical crime novels chronicling the life and adventures of her 1930s Australian gentleman artist, the Hero Trilogy, based on the myths and epics of the ancient world, and the Ned Kelly Award winning Crossing the Lines (published in the US as After She Wrote Hime). In 2014 she collaborated with National Gallery of Victoria to write a short story which was produced in audio to feature in the Fashion Detective Exhibition, and thereafter published by the NGV. IN 2019 Sulari was part of a 4-member delegation of Australian crime writers sponsored by the Australia Council to tour the US as ambassadors of Australian Crime Writing. Sulari lives with her husband, Michael, and their boys, Edmund and Atticus, on a small farm in Batlow where she grows French Black Truffles and refers to her writing as “work” so that no one will suggest she get a real job.

Jenn McKinlay

ISBN: 9780451492654

Publisher's Synopsis:

In the twelfth Cupcake Bakery Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay, the Fairy Tale Cupcake crew follows the clever crumb trail of a killer who's anything but cookie-cutter.

Life is all sugar and spice for the Fairy Tale Cupcake bakers--Melanie Cooper is engaged to the delectable Joe DeLaura, Angie Harper and her husband Tate are savoring married life, and the bakery is bustling with happy customers. Until one of their most valued cupcake connoisseurs ends up dead.

Local glass artist and cupcake lover Rene Fischer-Klein has always suffered from a wide variety of health issues. In an effort to cheer her up, her doting husband, Peter, brings her a four-pack of her favorite cupcakes every week. But when the police discover that Rene has been poisoned, there's no sugarcoating the fact that the last things she ate were the bakery's signature pumpkin spice cupcakes! With their lives and bakery at stake, it's up to Mel and Angie to find out who poisoned their artist friend and why, before their future is frosted for good.

MrsK's Review:

Melanie (Mel) is a delightful cupcake baker, a steadfast friend, and quick-witted... especially when it comes to unexpected deaths. Joe is Mel's fiancé, her childhood sweetheart, who happens to be one of Angie's brothers.  Angie is Mel's best friend, the clerk at Fairy Tale Cupcakes, and a soon-to-be mother (including 7 brothers as guardians). And then there's Uncle Stan, an inspector who happens to have been Mel's father's brother. The Uncle relationship has perks for Mel's inability to stay out of mysteries or murders. The Uncle relationship can get a bit dicey since her father's death, but Uncle Stan is now the steadfast rock for her mother.

One would think that having your own delectable cupcake bakery, a community of friends and businesses, excellent in-laws, and amazing staff would be enough to keep Mel away from her sleuthing personality. Yet, that would be a mistaken character analysis.

When Mel arrives for her meeting with Rene, a crime scene is underway. Which means that someone is hurt or dead. No matter what her intentions were for her cupcake orders, Mel just has to get into the "scene." Of course, once she finds out it's her friend Rene... well you know Mel will be involved.

Rene is a local glass artist who is consumed with her approaching exhibit, most important showing off her creations beyond her shop in the Desert Winds Gallery. She is also a big fan of Mel's cupcakes, which will be the only dessert for Rene's art gala-extravaganza. Rene's unpredictable behavior was causing concern for those around her. Could it be her lack of sleep, nourishment, stress about the exhibit, or maybe too much caffeine?

With wonderful twists, delightfully intriguing characters, and yum-inspired cupcake recipes... this book is a perfect Fall cozy read,

MrsK

Meet the Author:

Jenn is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. She is also the winner of the RT Reviewer's Choice Award for romantic comedy and the Fresh Fiction award for the best cozy mystery. Her work has been translated into multiple languages in countries all over the world. A TEDx speaker, she is always happy to talk books, writing, reading, and the creative process to anyone who cares to listen. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with kids, pets, and her husband's guitars.

MrsK's Fall Picks K-YA for 2022

 

When autumn arrives... it's a wonderous season for cozy reading nooks, great Holiday reads, and wonderfully delicious goodness... enjoy your discovery of these titles...

 Fall for these Reading Adventures...

Cozy Fall Read-Aloud: Family nights within a story...

Cole, Henry

ISBN: 9780062658128

Publisher's Synopsis:

In this sequel to A Nest for Celeste, Celeste is hundreds of miles from home following an unexpected journey aboard a Mississippi steamboat. After mishaps and disasters, she finds herself on the frontier in southern Indiana. It's 1822, and Celeste meets a tall, lanky boy wielding an ax: a young Abraham Lincoln.

The journey reveals the harsh realities of frontier life for the Lincoln family. But with the help of Celeste’s new woodland animal friends and some creativity, she may just prove that even the littlest creatures can make a big difference. And it’s in losing her way that Celeste finds herself in a place she never expected—home, finally.

“A stand-alone sequel to A Nest for Celeste (2010), this chapter book has everything that made its predecessor so enjoyable: an inviting format, good storytelling, and at least one large, beautifully drawn shaded pencil illustration on each double-page spread. An inviting entry into historical fiction.” –Booklist

MrsK's Review:

When Celeste becomes separated during her evening excursion, she finds herself traveling away from the safety of her home. As the wagon of cotton completes it's journey, Celeste realizes that she must get off of the wagon in order for her friends to find her. While she scurries away from the busy loading platform... and all of those feet and cats, she locates an apple crate in which she could hide. With high hopes, Celeste is awaiting her friends rescue.

Unfortunately, that apple crate is loaded on a Mississippi steamboat.  With an amazing stroke of luck, she encounters a gentle-souled dog who isn't interested in eating a mouse. Rosebud watches over Celeste as the steamboat begins sinking. Getting to shore is paramount for Celeste.

Once on shore, Celeste finds a new home in a tree. It wasn't as nice as her room at home, yet it was dry and secure. Or so she thinks. Celeste will meet new forest friends and one young boy with an axe.

This beautifully crafted journey of forest critters and a young boy, who is destined to be America's President, will provide delightful "storytime" memories again and again!

MrsK

Meet the Author/Illustrator:

  

Henry Cole was a celebrated science teacher for many years before turning his talents to children's books. He has worked on nearly one hundred and fifty books for children, including Nesting, Unspoken, Big Bug, A Nest for Celeste, Jack's Garden, and On Meadowview Street. Henry loves being outside where he can sketch and write.

Snuggling into an adventure: Grades 3-5

Dusti Bowling

ISBN: 9781454932994

Publisher's Synopsis:

Aven Green loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling match, or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is she was born without them. And when her parents take a job running Stagecoach Pass, a rundown western theme park in Arizona, Aven moves with them across the country knowing that she’ll have to answer the question over and over again.

Her new life takes an unexpected turn when she bonds with Connor, a classmate who also feels isolated because of his own disability, and they discover a room at Stagecoach Pass that holds bigger secrets than Aven ever could have imagined. It’s hard to solve a mystery, help a friend, and face your worst fears. But Aven’s about to discover she can do it all . . . even without arms.

MrsK's Review:

Aven has "grit!" She meets her struggles with humor, compassion, and with the most delightful determination toward any and all situations. Yes, she was born without arms... yet she does not allow others to sway her abilities... even if it is in her art of storytelling.

Have you ever considered the way others see you? What would you do and/or feel if little kids looked at you and ran away screaming? Where would you eat at school if you had to eat with your feet? How would you deal with boots during the winter? Every day Aven has grown up without the feelings of a "can't-do" attitude. She knows how to combine her critical thinking skills with all life skills that come her way. Plus she knows the truth behind being a "real-time" friend!

Her family has moved to Stagecoach Pass and Aven will now be enrolled in a new middle school. Needing to make new friends will be difficult, and yet, Aven is ready for the challenge. Would you be?

Aven's story will take "room" within your heart, as well as give your inner spirit the delight to soar with joy. Be the reader that discovers a "must read to share" novel...

MrsK

Meet the Author:

   

DUSTI BOWLING grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, where, as her family will tell you, she always had her nose in a book. She released her first middle grade novel in 2017 and hasn't stopped writing since.

Dusti's books have won the Reading the West Award, the Sakura Medal, a Golden Kite Honor, the William Allen White Children's Book Award, and have been nominated for a Cybil and over thirty state awards. Her books are Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections and have been named best books of the year by the Chicago Public Library, Kirkus, Bank Street College of Education, A Mighty Girl, Shelf Awareness, and many more.

Dusti currently lives in New River, Arizona with her husband, three daughters, a dozen tarantulas, a gopher snake named Burrito, a king snake name Death Noodle, and a cockatiel named Gandalf the Grey.

Falling for a must read: MS-YA

Gary D Schmidt

ISBN: 9780544022805

Publisher Synopsis:

Okay For Now, his latest novel, explores another seemingly improbable alliance, this one between new outsider in town Doug Swieteck and Lil Spicer, the savvy spitfire daughter of his deli owner boss. With her challenging assistance, Doug discovers new sides of himself. Along the way, he also readjusts his relationship with his abusive father, his school peers, and his older brother, a newly returned war victim of Vietnam.

"The only lousy thing in the room was a very

MrsK's Review:

In 1968, Doug's family moved to New York, do you know how rough it is to be uprooted as a middle schooler? Add in the fact that things were tough between him and his dad. His oldest brother was somewhere in Viet Nam, and his other brother was a jerk. No days were good days!

Do you remember your first steps into a public library? If not, that's ok... for now. For Doug, his first steps will lead him into a place of refuge, incredible discoveries, and hope in making something wrong... right. It all begins when Doug goes up the library stairs into a room with a huge book, a very old... huge book. 

How this "huge" book of birds becomes Doug's "crossroad" for change will affect his actions, his heart towards the weight of his father's wrath, his feelings towards accepting new friends, as well as his determination in helping his older brother who returns home from the war.

This is a story of redemption. One that is sparked by an ornithologist's art collection, a chance meeting during his father's work picnic, the power of friendships, as well as a life changing quiz about the New York Yankees.

A true treasure for your bookshelf, any classroom shelves, and a must for school libraries,

Enjoy meeting Doug...

MrsK

Meet the Author:

  

Gary D. Schmidt is an American children's writer of nonfiction books and young adult novels, including two Newbery Honor books. He lives on a farm in Alto, Michigan, with his wife and six children, where he splits wood, plants gardens, writes, feeds the wild cats that drop by and wishes that sometimes the sea breeze came that far inland. He is a Professor of English at Calvin College.

Booked to Dine Summer Time R&R for 2022

 Summer Time Reading Adventures...

Ellery Adams

ISBN: 9781496712387

Publisher's Synopsis:

Miracle Springs, North Carolina, is a place of healing. Strangers flock here hoping the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and renowned spa can cure their ills. If none of that works, they often find their way to Miracle Books, where, over a fresh-baked “comfort” scone from the Gingerbread House bakery, they exchange their stories with owner Nora Pennington in return for a carefully chosen book. That’s Nora’s special talent—prescribing the perfect novel to ease a person’s deepest pain and lighten their heaviest burden.

When a visiting businessman reaches out to Nora for guidance, she knows exactly which novels will help. But before he can keep their appointment at Miracle Books, he’s found dead on the train tracks.

Stunned, Nora forms the Secret, Book, and Scone Society, a group of damaged souls yearning to gain trust and earn redemption by helping others. To join the society, members must divulge their darkest secret—the terrible truth that brought each of them to Miracle Springs in the first place.

Determined to uncover the truth behind the businessman’s demise, the women meet in Nora’s cramped and cozy bookstore to share stories and trade support. And as they untangle a web of corruption, they also discover their own courage, purpose, and a sisterhood that will carry them through every challenge. Proving it’s never too late to turn the page and start over . . .

MrsK's Review:

Nora is an amazing book woman. Her amazing talent for listening, and her gift for choosing and placing the perfect book in the hands of her patrons are awe-inspiring. She is a woman of intelligence, creativity, ingenuity, and an amazing friend. She owns Miracle Books which is Miracle Springs old train station. She has made her home in a small community, in which the Secret, Book & Scone Society stumbles upon mysteries in need of sleuthing. Seriously... what could be better... a delightful group of friends... living in a caboose... a wonderful career of matching stories to its reader?

This first novel is woven with delightful characters. Quick humor. And the most baffling murder!

Get excited about this "Yummy" mystery series,

MrsK

Booked To Dine Book Choice for October!

Meet the Author:

USA Today and New York Times bestseller author Ellery Adams has written forty novels and can’t imagine spending a day away from the keyboard. Ms. Adams, a Native New Yorker, has had a lifelong love affair with stories, food, rescue animals, and large bodies of water. When not working on her next novel, she bakes, gardens, drinks vats of coffee, spoils her three cats, and searches for snacks. She lives with her husband and two children (aka the Trolls) in North Carolina.

Debbie Macomber

ISBN: 9780345535252

Publisher's Synopsis:

From the minute she sees the Rose Harbor Inn, Jo Marie Rose knows that this is the place that will help her find the peace she craves. And if the inn can comfort her, surely it can offer the same refuge to her first two guests.

Joshua Weaver has come home to care for his ailing stepfather. The two have never seen eye to eye, but a long-lost acquaintance proves to him that forgiveness is not out of reach and love can bloom in the unlikeliest places.

Abby Kinkaid left Cedar Cove twenty years ago after a devastating accident. But as she reconnects with family and old friends, she realizes that she needs to let the past go if she is to embrace her future.

"Rose Harbor... Rose... for whom I will grieve for whatever remains of my life.

Harbor for the place I have set my anchor as the storms of life batter me."

MrsK's Review:

Cedar Cove, a place for healing. New beginnings, a reset, a whispered hope. Jo Marie has bought a bed and breakfast. A "breathtaking" house with a wraparound porch and an "incredible view." The move was quick, especially since the house was already a B&B. But now, this was her B&B.

With the purchase of the inn, Jo Marie would be hosting her first two guests. Josh Weaver, someone who had only been back to Cedar Cove once since his high school graduation. Abby Kincaid, who has returned to Cedar Cove for her older brother's wedding. Jo Marie didn't have a lot to do, since the Inn was a "turn-key" purchase, so Jo Marie begins her first morning preparing for her two guests.

The only reason Josh is back in Cedar Cove is because of his step-father's neighbors. He received the call that Richard was failing and Michelle felt that "it would be nice" if Josh could make peace with Richard.

For Abby, her brother's wedding was the priority. All those years ago, as she recovered from the deadly car crash, had left her with shadow's of shame and guilt. To return home meant that she would be around those whom she ran from. She wanted to be there for her brother... only to get the first flight away from Cedar Cove as soon as the wedding is over.

While Jo Marie is lulled into a comfortable chair, she is "savoring the warmth of her new life. Settling in has begun. Mark is an "all around" craftsman, the one who can help build the inn's new sign and her vintage rose garden. With clashing personalities, she wonders just how well this working contract will get completed.

Cedar cove has opened its doors... will these five accept the healing and hope that is offered? Open the cover of this book, your journey will be revitalized.

MrsK

Meet the Author:

  Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot. In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, two adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.

Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.

She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.

Link

Ellery Adams

ISBN: 9781496726421

Publisher's Synopsis:

Nora Pennington is known for her window displays, and as Halloween approaches, she decides to showcase fictional heroines like Roald Dahl’s Matilda and Madeline Miller’s Circe. A family-values group disapproves of the magical themes, though, and wastes no time launching a modern-day witch hunt. Suddenly, former friends and customers are targeting not only Nora and Miracle Books but a new shopkeeper, Celeste, who’s been selling CBD oil products.

Nora and her friends in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society are doing their best to put an end to the strife—but then someone puts an end to a life. Though the death is declared an accident, the ruling can’t explain the old book page covered with strange symbols and disturbing drawings left under Nora’s doormat, a postcard from an anonymous stalker, or multiple cases of vandalism.

The only hope is that Nora can be a heroine herself and lead the Secret, Book, and Scone Society in a successful investigation—before more bodies turn up and the secrets from Celeste’s past come back to haunt them all . . .

"You can't go back to the beginning,

but you can start where you are and change the ending." CS Lewis

MrsK's Review:

Yes, this is part of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series. Actually, this is the fourth in the series. Since it has been so hot in our area, getting a jump on a perfect fall read seems appropriate. If Nora could be my mentor... well I would have been begging for a job at her bookshop. This speaks to the fact that I am reviewing two books from the same series in one post!

I must introduce you to the other members of the society. Meet Hester, she is the "scone whisperer"... oh what she can create for her patrons is truly "yum-riffic!" Meet Estella, as the Magnolia Salon and Spa owner, she is a provocative, fully enchanting woman who sees life... and lives it to the fullest. June works at the Miracle Springs Lodge. Her needlework brings comfort to many at the Lodge and in the community of Miracle Springs. Sheldon is Miracle Books "window wizard." There are times that he is outlandishly funny. There are times he brings stability for Nora. He is that "perfect" employee that watches over the tales within the store, as well as Nora... especially when there is a murder to solve.

For this mystery, Nora will have to deal with some nasty attitudes, threats, and a few delightful new characters. Miracle Springs will be divided by gossip, protests, and of course a very sad murder. The newest member of the community, Celeste, will have struggles getting Soothe, her candle and herb shop started. She will come to trust the Society's friendship... that is until someone from her past shows up.

Reading books about books is always a delight. So many new titles to be discovered... so many wonderful bookshop adventures... and a murder mystery... is there any other way to spend an evening? Yes, there is! I spent the evening in search of book snacks that would match the wonderfully delicious scones and meals that are discussed throughout this novel. Let me tell you... nothing in my pantry came close to the delicacies in this novel! *Read this novel with a pencil and journal... I wonder... is there a limit to a "To Be Read" pile?

Next up...The Vanishing Type,

MrsK

Meet the Author: 

  USA Today and New York Times bestseller author Ellery Adams has written forty novels and can’t imagine spending a day away from the keyboard. Ms. Adams, a Native New Yorker, has had a lifelong love affair with stories, food, rescue animals, and large bodies of water. When not working on her next novel, she bakes, gardens, drinks vats of coffee, spoils her three cats, and searches for snacks. She lives with her husband and two children (aka the Trolls) in North Carolina.

Toshikazu Kawaguchi

ISN: 9781335430991

Publisher's Synopsis:

In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a café which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.

In Before the Coffee Gets Cold, we meet four visitors, each of whom is hoping to make use of the café’s time-travelling offer, in order to: confront the man who left them, receive a letter from their husband whose memory has been taken by early onset Alzheimer's, to see their sister one last time, and to meet the daughter they never got the chance to know.

But the journey into the past does not come without risks: customers must sit in a particular seat, they cannot leave the café, and finally, they must return to the present before the coffee gets cold . . .

"What would you change if you could travel back in time?"

MrsK's Review:

Fumiko one week ago was sitting in the café, she was hoping that the serious conversation would be a marriage proposal, unfortunately it wasn't. Instead, Goro's abrupt departure left Fumiko with a mixture of despair and anger. With tear's in her eyes... she knows what she must do. The only café customers were herself, the woman reading a novel, Fusagi who was taking notes from a magazine, and Yaeko Hirai who was just leaving.

Kohtake a nurse, who stops by the café when her shift is over. Fusagi is waiting for the woman at the table to leave her chair. He is there on a regular basis and the café staff keep watch over him whenever he comes in. Suffering from Alzheimer's, Fusagi wants to deliver a letter to wife, and so he comes to the café and waits for the woman in the chair to leave.

Kumi Hirai knows her sister will be at the café at some moment in time. She can't wait for her, so she leaves a note for her sister Yaeko Hirai. 

Kei  works at the café. She is always carefree and so good with the customers. Upon her return from an OB/GYN appointment, she greets a young girl that has the strangest request. Why would the girl want a "selfie" picture with Kei?

"Drink the coffee before it gets cold..."

MrsK

"The only people you can meet while in the past are those who have..."

Meet the Author:

 

Toshikazu Kawaguchi (in Japanese: 川口 俊 和) was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1971. He formerly produced, directed and wrote for the theatrical group Sonic Snail. As a playwright, his works include COUPLE, Sunset Song, and Family Time. The novel Before the Coffee Gets Cold is adapted from a 1110 Productions play by Kawaguchi, which won the 10th Suginami Drama Festival grand prize.

Reese Witherspoon

ISBN: 9781501166273

Publisher's Synopsis:

Reese Witherspoon's grandmother Dorothea always said a combination of beauty and strength made Southern women "whiskey in a teacup". We may be delicate and ornamental on the outside, she said, but inside, we're strong and fiery.

Reese's Southern heritage informs her whole life, and she loves sharing the joys of Southern living with practically everyone she meets. She takes the South wherever she goes with bluegrass, big holiday parties, and plenty of Dorothea's fried chicken. It's reflected in how she entertains, decorates her home, and makes holidays special for her kids - not to mention how she talks, dances, and does her hair (in this audiobook, you will learn Reese's fail-proof, only slightly insane hot-roller technique). Reese loves sharing Dorothea's most delicious recipes as well as her favorite Southern traditions, from midnight barn parties to backyard bridal showers, magical Christmas mornings to rollicking honky-tonks.

"Well, I'm a lady, and I'm going to handle it like a lady."

MrsK's Review:

Are you looking for some wonderful southern recipes? Could a cup of sweet tea make a moment of your day a bit more blessed? This is one of those books that called out, of course the title grabbed my attention since I've enjoyed moments with a dabble of whiskey in my tea cup. Moving on, there was a hope that I might discover a new read, after all Reese has her own book club. Finally, is there anything better than a recipe book that engages you beyond enticing food pictures?

Within the covers, you will find: a memory or insight into the wisdom of those who walked before us; wonderful treasures that are "built to last;" nature's blessings of colors and textures; flea market strategies; hostess tips; remembrance gifts and scrapbooking ideas; family dinner gratitude; business targets and ideas; and of course southern recipes. 

For a few recipe enticers: Dorothea's Sun Tea with Pecan-Crusted Chicken Skewers; Mud Pie Trifle; Kentucky Hot Bites; Dorothea's Corn Salad; Summer Squash Casserole; and Confetti Betty's Champagne and Ginger Ale Cocktail. Whether you enjoy family meal planning, hosting holiday gatherings, or just a great book-and-tea discussion... this is a must have addition for your kitchen pantry!

What's not too like... just opening the cover to beautiful end pages whispered the fresh breath of comfort and joyful anticipation. 

One of the delightful "gems" within the covers of this book is the discovery that those women who walked before us... are still shining through for the next generations. Having been raised with five generations of women, my heart was touched with comfort and a renewed courage as I read Reese's description of her Grandmother. It was, as if, my grands and greats were saying "you go Reese!" I could almost hear their voices, teacups "clicking" amongst everyone's chatter, and the joy scanning their faces once more. For that one moment in time... I thank you Reese!

Sometimes we just need to be welcomed home...

MrsK

Meet the Author:

  

 

Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon is an American actress, producer, and entrepreneur. She is the recipient of several awards, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and raised in Tennessee, she began her career as a teenager, making her professional screen debut in The Man in the Moon (1991), for which she was nominated for a Young Artist Award. Witherspoon owns a production company Hello Sunshine, a clothing company Draper James, and she is actively involved in children's and women's advocacy organizations. She serves on the board of the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) and was named Global Ambassador of Avon Products in 2007, serving as honorary chair of the charitable Avon Foundation. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010.

Reese's Book Club: Okay, we're a little biased but hear us out. Each month, Reese, our founder (and book-lover-in-chief) chooses a book with a woman at the center of the story. There's not a formula to the books we spotlight, and we like it that way. We make our choices thoughtfully and look for ways to deepen our connection to books, authors and ourselves.