The Birthday Girl by Sue Fortin

Dear Carys, Zoe and Andrea

Come and join me for my fortieth birthday adventure weekend, full of mysteries and surprises the like of which you can’t imagine.  

When Joanne’s friends reluctantly accept an invitation to her birthday party, it quickly becomes clear that there is more to this weekend than they are expecting.

One of them is hiding a secret.

And Joanne is planning to reveal it…

A weekend away in a cottage in the woods sounds like fun – until no one can hear your cries for help.

 

Publisher: Harper Impulse | Genre: Psychological Thriller/ Mystery  | Source: Publisher (?)| Rating: 4 Cups

Challenges Read For:  - 2019 Try Something New New-to-me Author

 

This arrived sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas and I ended up putting it in my maybe pile, as I hadn’t requested it. It came in a padded mailer from the UK with the customs form over the sender’s address, so I’m guessing it came from the publisher—there was nothing inside to say where it came from. I ended up forgetting about it until I was searching for something a bit different to read a few weeks ago.

 

I’m so glad I gave this book a try. It drew me in from the start and I ended up reading the majority of the book in one sitting. As this is one of those books where any little spoiler will ruin it, I’m not going to delve too deep into a review.

 

Here’s what’s going on. After a bit of a falling out, Joanne guilts her three friends into spending a weekend in a remote cabin for her birthday and she promises it will be filled mysteries and surprises they won’t forget. Carys, Zoe, and Andrea quickly discover that Joanne’s ‘games’ have a bit of bite to them and she’ll stop at nothing to expose their darkest secrets. Although before they realize it, Joanne’s lost control of her little ‘game’ and they discover there is a killer in their midst. Is it one them or an outsider? Will they last until help arrives?

 

All four women are harboring significant secrets that will potentially ruin them if they were to be exposed. Carys, Zoe, and Andrea believe that no one knows what they’re hiding but Joanne has figured them out and she determined that they pay for what she considers their ‘wrongdoings’. Joanne’s decided that she’s going to play judge, jury, and exposer during this weekend but didn’t expect that someone else also knows these secrets and is planning to use them for their own benefit.

 

While the four of them were friends, it was obvious from the start they didn’t trust each other. They were leery from the start so when things started to kick up, it was easy for them to turn on each other. Then the added stress of them being in the middle of nowhere only compounded things.

 

I thought I had the entire book figured out in the first few chapters and I couldn’t have been more wrong. Once I thought I had it nailed down, a twist popped up that had me changing my entire thought process. I enjoyed that I couldn’t figure this one out right out of the gate and I was guessing until the last few chapters.

 

My only problem with this one was that the dialogue, at times, felt a bit like lines from a soap opera. It was brief and random when it happened so I wasn’t being constantly bombarded with it but it threw me off a time of two.

 

If your like British thrillers, mysteries, or crime dramas you’ll want to pick up this book.

 

Overall, this one was a great read. I enjoyed the process of figuring out what was happening and who was pulling the strings. It kept me turning the pages until the very end. I look forward to reading more from this author. Also, this would make a killer movie.

 

Have you read Sue Fortin?

Are you a fan of Psychological Thrillers?

Confessions of a Makeup Magpie: Beauty Rituals Blending Trio (EcoTools) Review

Thanks to my Magpie tendencies I’ve been hoarding makeup and beauty supplies like a dragon amassing it’s hoard (I do love pretty things), so I thought every now and then I’d shared my thoughts on what I’ve been trying out. The good, the bad, the why-did-I-buy- that will all be included. Things could get interesting so stick around and see what I keep and what I toss.

  

Ulta was offering the Beauty Rituals Blending Trio from EcoTools as one of their Platinum Perks and I couldn’t resist this offer so in the cart they went. EcoTools is one of my favorite brush/sponge companies so I was expecting great things. Things happened, they sure did. Sadly, they were not great.

Just as a FYI: This set is an Ulta exclusive. As a Platinum Perk, I was able purchase this before it was available on-line and it stores. I believe it’s available on-line now and will be in stores February 2, 2019.

Here’s why I picked them up.

1-They were $6.99 and shipped free (I needed to pick up a few lip balms, so this was the perfect opportunity to do so without having to pay shipping)

2-I’m a huge fan of EcoTools’ brushes. (I love their fan brushes; they are dense and apply highlighter like a charm)

3-I needed a few flat sponges for my cream blushes and highlighters

4-They’re latex-free (I’ve been having a bit of a reaction to latex in my beauty sponges as of late).

5-They’re vegan and Eco-friendly

 

The set comes with three blenders:

1-Base Blender (emerald)—for foundation

2-Cover Blender—(amethyst) Concealer and such

3-Glow Blender—(rose quartz) Cream Highlighters and such

The wedge tips can be used to apply baking powders

 

Like all beauty sponges, you wet them then remove excess water before use.

 

My first impression—Right out of the package, these were super soft (they weren’t as bouncy as the mini perfecting blenders that I have from them but they were still soft). They plumped up nicely when I wet them and I was easily able to remove the excess water.

 

Application—I started with the Base Blender (the emerald one) and I wasn’t liking the way it was applying my foundation, which was Milani’s Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation, so I remembered watching a video saying that the Glow Blender (the rose quartz one) applied foundation much smoother, so I picked that one up.

I do have to say that it applied my foundation effortlessly. It wasn’t being soaked up in the sponge and it wasn’t leaving that weird sponge texture on my face like the emerald on did.

 

Then I noticed a problem. I had tiny pieces of sponge all over my entire face. I mean, all over my face. The sponge had started crumbling from the center. Being late, as is my fashion, I didn’t have time to redo my foundation, so I did my best to brush off the crumbles. (I ended up picking random bits of sponge off my face all day long, so that was fun).

 

I continued on and used the Base Blender (the emerald one) to apply my cream blush and it allowed me to get a sheer wash of color, which is what I wanted since the blusher I was trying out was what could only be described as DayGlo pink (thanks, Ipsy lol). I did notice that it sucked up a lot of product, so I’m not sure how it would do with a lighter blusher. The Cover Blender worked okay for my cream highlighter. Parts were a bit patchy but I don’t feel like this one sucked up as much product as the other sponge did.

 

These weren’t the easiest to clean—obviously, I didn’t clean the one that’s falling apart—but I couldn’t really get these to look clean and even with my sponge cleaner the emerald one still has a bit of blush in it that’s refusing to come out.

 

Overall, I’m not a big fan of these. One crumbled with the first use and the others were just okay. If I use the blusher again, I’ll use the emerald sponge again, but I don’t think I’ll use the amethyst sponge for my highlighter. I might use it if I ever decide to bake under my eyes because it’s pointy and will probably pick up a nice amount of powder.

 

They were $6.99, so they weren’t the most expensive sponges out there but they’re not the best ones that I’ve had from this company and I feel that they could have been made a bit better. I’ve never had a sponge—even a cheap Equate beauty sponge—to crumble while using it for the first time. I’ve actually never had a sponge to crumble.

 

I just don’t feel that the quality is there with these sponges and I would honestly recommend picking another option.  

  

I would like to say that Ulta did give me a refund for these—even though I tossed the packaging—so kudos to them for having amazing customer service.

Two Down, Bun to Go by H.Y. Hanna

A sinister phone call in the middle of the night throws tearoom owner, Gemma Rose, straight into the heart of a new murder mystery - this time with her friend, Seth, arrested as the key suspect! The mysterious killing in the cloisters of an old Oxford college points to a bitter feud within the University - but Gemma finds unexpected clues popping up in her tiny Cotswolds village.

Meanwhile, her love life is in turmoil as Gemma struggles to decide between eminent doctor, Lincoln Green, and sexy CID detective, Devlin O'Connor...whilst her quaint English tearoom is in hot water as she struggles to find a new baking chef.

With her exasperating mother and her mischievous little tabby cat, Muesli, driving her nutty as a fruitcake - and the nosy Old Biddies at her heels - Gemma must crack her toughest case yet if she is to save her friend from a life behind bars.

Series: Oxford Tearoom Mysteries #3 | Publisher: H.Y. Hanna | Narrator: Pearl Hewitt | Length: 7 hours, 40 minutes | Genre: Contemporary Cozy Mystery | Source: Author | Rating: 3 Cups

Challenges Read For:  Blogger Shame - Cruisin' Thru The Cozies - Freebie

 

When Gemma receives a late night call from her dear friend, Seth, she never imagined it was going to lead her to the center of a murder investigation with Seth as the prime suspect and now she will stop at nothing to clear his name and find the real killer. Although that’s not the only plate Gemma has in the air; it’s time for her to finally choose which man has her heart—the dashing doctor, Lincoln Green, or the sexy CID detective, Devlin O’Connor. Then there’s the little matter of her tearoom having no baker.

 

While it was fun to be back in the tearoom, this one wasn’t my favorite and I struggled to finish it.

 

I didn’t care for Gemma’s attitude. She was demanding, demeaning, and just plain rude for most of the book. Sure, she had a lot on her but that’s no excuse for treating people that way. She eventually figures out she’s being a cow but it was too late to save this book for me.

 

The mystery was actually decent and there were a few red herrings thrown in here and there, which made things interesting. While I was pretty sure I knew who the killer was early on, I found myself guessing until the end because I couldn’t work out the motive.

 

The love triangle finally comes to an end in this one. Gemma makes her choice and I was rather pleased by the man she chose. I’m hoping that things go well but I have a feeling her choice is going to cause some rocky roads in the books to come.

 

This one wasn’t as light as the previous books in the series as it focused on the homeless crisis. While I think it was a worthy cause, I feel like there was so much focus on the cause that it took away from plot. I would have much rather seen the cause blended into the plot so it gave the book a smoother feel.

 

While I do enjoy Pearl Hewitt’s narration, I still feel that the voice she lends to Gemma is just a bit too old.

 

Overall, not my favorite in the series. I feel like the author tried to change the direction of the characters and plot and fell flat. Hopefully the next book will set everything to rights.

Oxford Tearoom Mystery Series

All-Butter ShortDead 0.5

A Scone to Die For #1 

Tea with Milk and Murder #2 

Two Down, Bun to Go #3 

Till Death Do Us Tart  #4 

Muffins and Mourning Tea  #5 

Four Puddings and a Funeral  #6 

Another One Bites the Crust  #7  

The Dough Must Go On #8

The Trouble with Christmas by Debbie Mason

Resort developer Madison Lane is about to lose the one thing she loves most in the world—her job. Dubbed "The Grinch Who Killed Christmas," Madison spoiled a deal that would turn quaint Christmas, Colorado, into a tourist's winter wonderland. Now the citizens want her fired but the company gives her one last chance, sending Madison to the small town to restore the holiday cheer.

For Sheriff Gage McBride, no hotshot executive from New York City is going to destroy the dreams of the people he loves. But one look at this beautiful woman and it's his heart that may be broken. In just a few days, Madison causes more trouble than he's had to deal with all year. He can't decide if she's naughty or nice, but one thing is for certain—Christmas will never be the same again...

Series: Christmas, Colorado #1 | Publisher: Forever |  Genre:  Contemporary Romance | Source: Publisher | Rating: 4.5 Cups

Challenges Read For: - Literary Pickers: Monitor/Screen

 

I requested this book and the third book (It Happened at Christmas) when Forever re-released them and they never arrived. I assumed they ran out of copies or missed my request. Then, a few days ago, the UPS driver was knocking on my door apologizing because a package had somehow managed to get stuck under his seat and he’s been driving around with it for quite some time. Needless to say, I was ecstatic when I opened the package and found my two missing books. So, I fixed a nice pot of Winter Spice tea and joined the loveable residents of Christmas, Colorado.

 

I loved this book Madison and Gage were perfect together, even if they needed a little convincing to get there.

 

Here’s what’s going on. Determined to keep her job, Madison Lane is determined to prove to the citizens of Christmas that their town isn’t the right choice to build a winter resort. She intended for it to be a quick business trip, but when she crashes her car into the town’s sign, her plans get extended. And now that the local sheriff has caught her eye, she’s wondering if maybe she should extend her trip a little longer. As a single father with a meddling Aunt, Gage has enough on his plate but there’s something about Madison that calls to him, even when she’s unintentionally causing trouble.

 

Gage and Madison were great together and often found themselves in interesting situations seeing as Madison causes trouble wherever she goes and Gage is the sheriff.

 

While there was an attraction between Gage and Madison, they took things slow and I enjoyed that. They’ve both been hurt before so they’re both a bit cautious figuring out where they stood and how to proceed.

 

The only thing that put me a bit off was the odd relationship between Gage and his ex-wife. I know they have kids and he was trying to stay on friendly terms for them but he really needed to get a handle on things and set things straight.

 

Having read a few of the latter books in the series, I knew I liked the zany citizens of Christmas, especially Nell and her meddling ways—she always makes things interesting and I’m never sure what she’ll come up with next. It was nice have a proper introduction to the town and seeing it for the first time.

 

Overall, this book just made me love the series even more and now I’m even more eager to catch up on the parts I missed.

Christmas, Colorado Series

The Trouble with Christmas

Christmas in July

It Happened at Christmas

Wedding Bells in Christmas

Snowbound at Christmas

Kiss Me in Christmas

Happy Ever After in Christmas
7.5- Miracle at Christmas

Deck the Hallways by Kate Carlisle

Even during the holidays, Shannon is more spackle than sparkle, which is why she leaps at the chance to transform a grand old Victorian mansion into 10 charming apartments for homeless families. Filled with the spirit of the season, all of Lighthouse Cove turns out to help - including her best friends, a troupe of far-from-angelic Santa Claus impersonators, and her father, Jack.

But their merriment is soon dashed by a heated scuffle between Jack and the miserly president of the bank who's backing the project. When the man is murdered, all eyes are on Jack, and visions of prison time dance in Shannon's head. Now she needs to pull off a crime-solving miracle before her father's Christmas goose is cooked....

 

Series: Fixer Upper #4 | Publisher: Audible | Narrator: Alex Barrett | Length: 7 hours 59 minutes | Genre: Contemporary Cozy Mystery | Source: Publisher | Rating: 3.5 Cups

Challenge Read for: Cruisin’ Thru the Cozies—Holiday Themed

 

When Shannon’s father finds himself as the lead suspect in a murder case, she will stop at nothing to clear his name and catch the killer. Although when she stumbles upon something unexpected in the back of her truck, things take an odd turn leaving Shannon with two mysteries to solve and very little time to solve them.

 

Okay, so this one wasn’t my favorite. Some of the events that happened were way out there—I really have no clue who would act like that in real life. And some things were just way too obvious, even for a cozy mystery.

 

Shannon’s insecurity regarding Mac is starting to become a bit grating. I want to see a bit more maturity from her rather than her clinging to her high school days. Seeing as we are on book four, I really thought the whole ‘mean girls’ thing would dissipate but instead it just seems to be taking up more and more page time.

 

While things are a bit up in the air with Shannon and Mac, they’re still attempting a relationship, which seems a bit forced. Shannon’s still a bit flirty with Eric, the police chief, and I can’t help but to feel they’d be a better fit.

 

The main mystery was rather predictable and I found myself losing a bit of interest in the book. I had it worked out from the start and there really wasn’t any surprises that came along. The second mystery was just a bit out there in left field but, again, it was predictable from the start.

 

I wasn’t thrilled with the narration. Rather than sticking with the narrator that started the series, they picked a new narrator and while Alex Barrett wasn’t bad she just seemed a bit detached from the story. There were also several editing errors. Rather than cutting out the messed up lines, they were left in and the correct lines added after. So, this one could really benefit from a spot of editing.

 

Overall, I’m really hoping that this one was just a fluke and the next one in the series will have improved. I’m still eager to see how it plays out with the love triangle between Shannon, Mac, and Eric. I’m just hoping the mystery will be a bit more valid and not so obvious.

Fixer Upper Series

A High-End Finish (A Fixer-Upper Mystery, #1) 

This Old Homicide (A Fixer-Upper Mystery, #2) 

Crowned and Moldering (A Fixer-Upper Mystery, #3)

Deckthe Hallways (A Fixer-Upper Mystery, #4) 

Eaves of Destruction (Fixer-Upper Mystery #5) 

A Wrench in the Works (Fixer-Upper Mystery #6)

My Goals For 2019

2018 was not my year in both my personal life and my blog life and I sort of found myself getting lost in the amount of things I had to do and the mountain of stress that came along with everything. My free time was pretty much nonexistent, which meant my reading/blogging time dwindled down to next to nothing.

 

As I was searching for my theme of the year and figuring out my 2019 goals, I realized that I wasn’t looking for a reinvention. I don’t want to change I just want to get back to who I was before. So I’m turning to the brilliant mind of Oscar Wilde for my theme of the year.

 

 

My Goals

 

Blog/Reading

-Meet My Challenges

-Update Goodreads

-Clean Up NetGalley

-Get my commenting groove back (the struggle was real in 2018)

-Read at least 150 books, hopefully more

-Update a few blog features

-Participate in memes

-Add discussions to the blog

-Schedule posts better
-Stop waiting to the last minute to write reviews

-Read more non-fiction

 

House/Personal

-Declutter (I’ll never be a minimalist because, let’s face it, I like pretty things but I do need to purge a bit)

-Tackle my closets (I need to figure out an organization system that actually works for my clothes, handbags, and shoes)

-Tackle the dreaded craft storage area

-Find a new tree for out front

 

-Find a new book club (and actually attend)

-Take ‘Me’ Time

-Finish *all* the craft projects I’ve started

-Go back to eating healthy (curb my sweets and takeout)

-Curb my spending (Oh, Ulta, you’re my addiction)

-Explore more

-Say No (and don’t feel sorry about it)

-Keep to a schedule

-Participate more

-Escape every once in a while

-Write more

-Do more yoga

-Attempt mediation

-Keep a better sleep schedule

-Unplug now and again

-Take more pictures

2019 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge Goal Post

I’m going to attempt this challenge again this year and hope I actually remember this year. I completely zonked out with this one last year.

Challenge: 2019 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

Hosted by: Passages to the Past

Renaissance Reader - 10 books

 

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2019 Try Something New Challenge Goal Post

I’ve been wanting to expand a bit in my reading so this challenge is a perfect way to branch out a bit in my reading.

 

Challenge: Try something new to read such as a New-to-You authors, Debut books, First in series, New trope, New genre, New type of character, New format, etc.

Host: Herding Cats and Burning Soup

Goal: 50 New Bookish Things

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