Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

 

This past Saturday we celebrated Apollo's sixth birthday! As you can see, he was more than spoiled and he and Zekey received two toys each, some of their favorite snacks and special puppy cupcakes (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle themed).  Last weekend, my best friend came into town (Auntie Chris), and she spoiled both of them as well.

As spoiled as the boys are, it is nothing compared to what they give back to us each and every day.  Apollo was basically my emotional support dog when I lost Cassius and made each day a little bit easier for me.  

2 Bloggers 1 Series - A Wonderful Christmas Crime (Christmas Tree Farm Mysteries #2)

 

I kind of talked Stormi into catching up on this series now that Christmas is moving closer. I know it just released at the end of October but I believe both Stormi and I have had an ARC for a while now. I adore this series but that being said, I also would not be upset of this was the last installment. I believe it was actually supposed to end a few books back but then the author was greenlit for some more.  So read on for my thoughts and then hop over to Storm Reads and see what Stormi thought.

 

TITLE: A Wonderful Christmas Crime (Christmas Tree Farm Mystery #6

AUTHOR: Jacqueline Frost

PUBLISHER: Crooked Lane Books

PUBLISHING DATE: October 21, 2025

PAGES: 288   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: As Christmas descends on Mistletoe, Maine, Holly White has an extra gift this year - a new baby on the way. Her husband, Sheriff Evan Gray, has been worried about her elevated blood pressure and Holly has agreed to take this year easy. Being idle has never been one of Holly’s gifts, so when Evan surprises her with tickets to the town-wide dinner, she and her many cravings thank him. But when a thief tries and fails to steal an antique ornament from the dinner’s holiday display, it’s clear that someone is on the naughty list. 

The thief manages to escape, but after dinner, Holly spots their lifeless body. It’s clear that someone in town was keen to kill them. Evan is less than jolly to find his wife at the scene of yet another holiday homicide and asks her to promise that she’ll leave the investigating to the police. But Holly has never been one to turn down a challenge and has to get creative with the help of a few of her friends in order to find this killer. 

Will she and her friends be able to stop the killer, and uncover the motive behind the attempted robbery, or will the killer strike again and paint the town a bloody red?

MY THOUGHTS: I continue to enjoy the series and reading each new one is kind of like visiting old friends. This year's murder, because yes, they are a yearly thing in Mistletoe, finds a new Mistletoe business owner suspected of murder when someone dies during the theft of some rare Swedish goat figurines.  

Holly and her sheriff husband Evan have just learned Holly is pregnant.  While everyone is excited, they are also worried because the doctor expressed some concerns with Holly's blood pressure being high. Holly really tries to stay out of the mayhem this year but it she really likes the suspect, Alice, and wants to help. Will she be able to watch from the sidelines or end up in the middle of another Christmas caper?

It is always fun visiting the crew from Mistletoe and see all the reindeer games going on at the farm. There are so many likable characters in this series and Frost does a great job of working them all in. This year, they may even be an appearance from Santa himself, but you'll have to read it yourself to find out.  The addition of an antique road show going on provides a new backdrop and intensifies the latest investigation. 

I have gone back and forth between four and five stars for my rating.  It is one of my favorite cozy series and it was just the Christmas vibe I was looking for.  The mystery was good and threw in a few surprises along the way.  There is also a side plot that really pulled the heartstrings (yes, I have some) as well. My only issue is that since each book happens at Christmas time, we miss a whole year of happenings and have to be caught up through the author's narration.  I would love to see one set at a different time, maybe even a Christmas in July event, just to switch things up.  

If you are looking for a light Christas read and love cozies, I can't recommend this series enough.  It's become a yearly tradition to read the newest and if there is another one next year, I will be right there reading it as well. 

MY RATING: 5 PAWS

Feed Your TBR - The Dreadfuls

 

Can't Wait Wednesday, which I have adapted to better suit my blog as "Feed Your TBR" is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

March 31, 2026

FROM GOODREADS: A Victorian-era Nancy Drew meets The Woman in the Window as true crime and historical fiction collide in this atmospheric thriller featuring real-life figures and a rebellious, uniquely inventive young reform school inmate determined to solve the serial killer case dominating the headlines in London, and soon, in the world: the Jack the Ripper murders.

London, 1888. Committed to the Whitechapel Hall Reform School for “incurable delinquency” 15-year-old Adelaide “Dell” Morton is a precocious, defiant misfit. She’s also a voracious reader of true crime and detective fiction, including the sordid, sensationally popular Penny dreadful stories. In an unlikely stroke of luck, she’s found a kindred spirit in her poised, perfectionist roommate, Pippa. Their obsession is only further fueled by the Jack the Ripper murders blazing a trail of terror throughout London’s seediest streets . . . right outside Whitechapel Hall’s front door.

Desperate for adventure, they embark on their own investigation—and discover an ally in Noah, son of the local butcher. But Noah’s motives are not mere fascination: His father is the prime suspect. Noah is desperate to clear his name, and Dell and Pippa are only too eager to help.

Their budding spywork soon yields shocking results: they witness straightlaced Whitechapel teacher Miss Kaye escaping the school the night of the latest crime. Could Jack the Ripper be a she? Delving into Miss Kaye’s background, Dell is both horrified and thrilled to find that within Miss Kaye’s past lies a chapter dark enough to rival any Penny dreadful . . .

Dell’s fixation with Miss Kaye reaches dangerous heights while a series of suspicious events leave Miss Kaye in sole command of Whitechapel Hall. Trapped in their teacher’s ever-tightening web of control, the three devious detectives devise a risky plan to track her. But what ensues may only propel them ever deeper into secrets, lies, ruthless acts, and betrayals that go back decades—and a confrontation that will irrevocably change the fates of all involved . . . if they survive.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  I'm a sucker for Jack the Ripper tales and the possibility that this book might make the Ripper female is quite interesting. Also, the physical hardback has gorgeous, sprayed edges so it may be one I need to grab physically.

WHAT BOOK CAN'T YOU WAIT FOR THIS WEEK???

November Coming Attractions

 

I can't believe October is already over. I had such great reading plans and then something happened. I started strong but then fizzled out.  I'm not gonna stress over it too much though. However, someone please explain how my dark horror-loving heart now wants to read all the Christmas books and it's not even Thanksgiving yet.  Who am I and what have I done with dark, creepy Barb?

I read five books off of last month's coming attraction feature which isn't good but it's a loose guideline anyways.  Not sure how many total I read.  I'm actually afraid to count.  Surely it was more than five!  Let's take a look at what you might see on the blog this month.

Up first are my buddy reads with Stormi.  We figure it is time to catch up on the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery cozy series with the latest release, and we ended up pushing Domain to this month.  Personally, Harry is killing me so I'm glad to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Next up are some November ARCs I want to get to.  And yes, that is a turtle in between two horror books.

Here are a few ARCs from last month I would still like to squeeze in somewhere.  The Holiday Mixtape may scratch my holiday read itch but tell me please, when did cute/spicy Christmas romances start clocking in at over 400 pages?

And finally, let's confuse things up a bit with some library books which cover Fall AND Christmas.  I'm telling you, I'm all over the place this month!

So there you have it.  I hope to get at least 9 of these done this month.  I'm on vacation the week of Thanksgiving to celebrate the holiday as well as our wedding anniversary. That means I will plan to read lots and then probably read nothing. Also, Apollo's birthday is coming up this weekend so look for a special weekend post! 

Mommy's Special Boy!

Book Tour - The Sound of the Dark/Daniel Church

 

TITLE: The Sound of the Dark

AUTHOR: Daniel Church

PUBLISHER: Angry Robot

PUBLISHING DATE: September 28, 2025

PAGES: 400   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: In 1983 experimental artist Tony Mathias began work on a new installation – it was to be a collage of visuals and sounds collected at an abandoned RAF base called Warden Fell. Various stories and rumours swirled around the place, but Tony was interested only in the echoes of history. But soon after visiting the site to tape-record the sounds there, he returned to the caravan where he was staying with his family and killed his wife, his two children and then himself. Another dark twist in Warden Fell’s history? 

But the past reaches out. Decades later Cally Darker, gets the chance to investigate the terrible story and perhaps even solve the mystery – a fantastic exclusive story for her true-crime podcast. 

Tony's actress sister Stella is desperate for the mystery to be solved before she dies will do all she can to help and passes on the tapes left behind by her brother. But before long, Cally realises that Warden Fell has a far older and darker story to tell. Be careful what you listen to…

MY THOUGHTS: I was pleased when Angry Robot reached out and wanted me to participate in this tour and I was provided with a physical copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Cally has a semi-successful podcast and is hoping to grow it some more with the latest cold case she is investigated.  In the beginning of her book, she calls it quits with her current live-in boyfriend and takes off for her dad's place, where she can focus on her work and delve further into what prompted Tony Mathias, a fairly prominent author in the area, to mysteriously murder his family and kill himself one day in 1983. Cally is unable to obtain some lost tapes from Tony's sister Stella, which contain recordings from Warden Falls, a secretive military site Tony was basing his last art project on.  As Cally starts to listen to the tapes, her life starts to unravel around her. Can Cally learn what drove Tony to such madness before she succumbs to it herself?

The Sound of the Dark started off strongly for me but around the midway point, I found it slowing down and lagging.  I really enjoyed Cally in the beginning.  Even though she suffers from depression, which led to her quitting her main job, she is likable enough and I really loved when she made the decision to leave her boyfriend who seemed to be holding her back.  However, Cally grew a bit tiring as the book progressed and I became focused on her use of Claritin, which is a weird thing to become focused on.  In fact, I sort of had flashbacks of the grape Kool-Aid and Xanax from Riley Sager's Final Girls.   

The book then picked up again at about the 70% mark and from there on out, it flew by.  I enjoyed the resolution, but at times, it almost felt like two different books. One thing I can say with confidence, Church knows how to create an atmospheric read and for some reason, I had on overwhelming feeling of dread while reading the entire books. 

If you like slow burn, atmospheric stories seeped in description and uncertainty, then I definitely recommend The Sound of the Dark.  I will also be picking up more from this author in the future.

MY RATING: 3.5 PAWS

Make sure you stop by the other stops for the tour listed below!

Feed Your TBR - The Brides

 

Can't Wait Wednesday, which I have adapted to better suit my blog as "Feed Your TBR" is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

March 26,2026

FROM GOODREADS: Before Dracula, there were The Brides. . .

1903. Sir John Seward, survivor of Count Dracula’s murderous campaign ten years before, takes up a post as a psychiatric doctor at an Oxford public asylum. There, a new patient arrives whose traumatic experiences resurrect horrors John has spent a decade trying to forget.

1884. Mafalda Lowell journeys from London to Budapest to care for her recently widowed aunt Reka. She uncovers the chilling truth about her uncle’s death, and writes to her secret love Lucy North for comfort. Chaperoned by former schoolfriend Eliza and lady’s maid Alice, Lucy travels across the continent to be with her beloved.

Only Alice, beset by nightmares and terrifying visions, notices the strange black-clad man who seems to follow them wherever they go. When Eliza is struck down with a mysterious wasting illness, her doctor orders her to take the healing waters of Transylvania, a journey with devastating consequences.

There was meant to be four . . .

A dual timeline novel, told through letters, diary entries, psychiatric reports, that places women at the centre of literature's most famous vampire story.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  I think this sounds like a fascinating look at Dracula and it sounds like it will have some mixed media elements as well.

WHAT BOOK CAN'T YOU WAIT FOR THIS WEEK???

Book Haul - October 2025

 

I can't believe October is almost over.  Thought I would try to get this posted early as I have a friend coming in from out of town this weekend for some Halloween shenanigans and I don't know how much I will get done.  Let's take a look at some of the books that landed in my inbox this past month. Feel free to click on the link to check out the Goodreads information.

Where the Boys Come to Die: Porcha Sterling/02-24-26
You Did Nothing Wrong: C.G. Drews/03-17-26
They Want Us Dead: CL Montblanc/04-28-26
The Drop: S.R. Masters/04-21-26

Sakura: Kanako Nishi/03-03-26

The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale: C.M. Waggoner/03-17-26

A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death (S.C.Y.T.H.E. #2): Maria Dara/12-02-25

Half City: Kate Golden/02-17-26

The Bloody Brick Road: Maude Royer/01-06-26

Body Count: Codie Crowley/05-05-26

Christmas Party Demon: Wendy Dalrymple/12-02-25

The Ravine: Maia Chance/02-03-26

Beth is Dead: Katie Bernet/01-06-26

Aubrey Wants to Die: Pip Knight/03-03-26

Steep and Deep: Catherine O'Connell/02-03-26

A Cruise to Die For: Heather Graham/04-07-26

So there you have it.  Quite a haul and I'm appreciative as always.  Have you read any of these?  What should I bump up?  What did you haul last month?