Sunday Post 111

Hi everyone!

Through Monday, I am linking with the following: 

Reading Reality, who hosts Stacking the Shelves

Readerbuzz, who hosts Sunday Salon

Caffeinated Reviewer, who hosts Sunday Post

The Book Date, who hosts It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

On the above blogs you will be able to see links to the posts from others who are participating in those blog hops, and if you're a blogger, you can join too. 

Friday was my blogiversary! It's hard to believe I started Caboodle of Cozies three years ago. It's a tribute to my best friend who passed away on that date 15 years ago. I have another blog that I also started on that date more than a decade ago, but I haven't done much with it recently and I've only shared it with a handful of friends. I knew I wanted to start one to share publicly, though, so that's when I started this blog. Thank you to all of my followers, readers, and commenters! Without you, I'd have no reason to share my thoughts here!

Maryland continues to be a storm-filled sauna. We had a whole two days this past week when the temperatures were cooler and the humidity lower, but then it was back to reality with high temps and uncomfortable humidity with almost daily storm chances. Looking at my app, we may get a break from the storms after Sunday, but it will still be crazy hot. I heard a rumor that the following week might bring a pattern change. I sure hope so! I know summer is supposed to be hot and humid with storms, but this summer has taken all of that to the extreme.

...Please pardon the intermission. Tinker Bell just jumped up onto my lap...

...okay, I'm back.

IN THE BOOKS

RECENTLY FINISHED

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I really enjoyed A Wonderful Christmas Crime (Christmas Tree Farm Mystery 6), by Jacqueline Frost. I'm so happy there will be at least one more book in this series next year. You can read my full review here. A Wonderful Christmas Crime releases on October 21, 2025.

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I listened to Debbie Macomber's Dashing through the Snow. It's narrated by Allyson Ryan. Like many Hallmark movies, one must suspend belief to enjoy this book. The premise of two strangers taking a road trip together was rather far-fetched, but other than that, it was a fun time. I love a good road trip story.

IN PROGRESS

Nope. No progress was made in The Puzzler: One Man's Quest to Solve the Most Baffling Puzzles Ever, from Crosswords to Jigsaw to the Meaning of Life, by A. J. Jacobs. It is Christmas in July, after all.

I don't think I've ever loved a non-cozy mystery as much as I love Christmas at the Borrow a Bookshop, written by Kiley Dunbar and narrated by Helen Duff. I want to devour the rest of the series and find more books written by this author. This is a cozy romance inspired by an actual bookshop in Scotland that people can "borrow" and run themselves for two weeks. I have a little more than an hour left.

I'm also enjoying Detective Aunty (Kausar Khan Investigates 1), by Uzma Jalaluddin. This is a cozy mystery featuring a Muslim amateur sleuth. I rarely buy books for myself (I get most of them as ARCs or from the library), but I took a chance on this one and I'm so happy I did. 

UP NEXT

Undecided. I have some ideas in mind, but I'll make the decision when it's time to move on to another book.

ON THE SCREEN

• The Food that Built America - I finished season 5 and will soon move on to season 6. Season 6 is the last season that has aired so far, but I've read that there will be a season 7. Yay!
• Holidazed - I watched episodes 5 and 6. They were good, but I still prefer movies over romcom series. The holiday feels are minimal, which is also disappointing. Two more episodes to go.
• Switched for Christmas - This is a 2017 Hallmark movie starring Candace Cameron Bure in a double role. She plays her own twin sister. I probably wouldn't seek this one out again, but I enjoyed it once.
• Once Upon a Holiday - I'm not usually a fan of the royal ones, but I enjoyed this 2015 Hallmark movie. Most of it involved the female royal lead pretending to be a commoner, so maybe that's part of why I enjoyed it.  Plus, Paul Campbell is a pro. He is the male lead in this movie. They had good chemistry and there were some really fun moments.
• Five More Minutes  - I've been wanting to watch this 2021 Hallmark movie for a while. I loved it. It helped that Nikki DeLoach is the female lead and she had great chemistry with the male lead. It's inspired by the song by Scotty McCreery called "Five More Minutes". It's a really heartfelt story - just what I needed the week that I lost my best friend. The year that he won American Idol was the first year my best friend was not here to watch it with me, so the song is even more meaningful to me in that way.
• Five More Minutes: Moments Like These - This is the 2022 follow-up to Five More Minutes. It wasn't quite as impactful as the first one, but I still loved it. Ashley Williams brings a certain kind of joy to Hallmark movies. She's my favorite. I truly believe she's a real life fairy.
• An Unexpected Christmas - This is a 2021 Hallmark movie staring the dynamic duo of Bethany Joy Lenz and Tyler Hynes. It has its flaws, but overall I really enjoyed it. It has a good mix of heart, humor, and festive Christmas vibes.

ON THE BLOG

• Sunday Post - 07/19 - Weekly Recap
• Book Review - 07/25 - A Wonderful Christmas Crime (Christmas Tree Farm Mystery 6), by Jacqueline Frost
• Puzzle - 07/26 - Christmas Tree Farm

Have a great week!

Puzzle 113 - Christmas Tree Farm

Here's one last Christmas in July puzzle for 2025. 

I completed this one in 7:29 using 54 non-rotating pieces. 

Enjoy!

A Wonderful Christmas Crime (Christmas Tree Farm Mystery 6), by Jacqueline Frost

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Merry Christmas in July!

I am not a fan of heat and humidity, so Christmas in July is a form of escape for me. I love watching Christmas movies and reading Christmas books at the this time of year. I'm so excited to have received an ARC of the sixth book in Jacqueline Frost's Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series, A Wonderful Christmas Crime. This series has become a favorite of mine and it fit the theme perfectly this month. It has all the cozy Christmas feels I was hoping for.

Something significant is revealed at the beginning of this installment. I won't spoil it, but it plays a huge role in Holly's motivation not to get involved in crime-solving this Christmas. In an effort to relax and have some fun, Holly participates in a town-wide progressive dinner. After an attempted robbery at one of the stops, followed by the discovery of a dead body, Holly can't help thinking about why all of this happened and who is responsible for yet another Christmas crime in Mistletoe, Maine. Holly knows the person accused of the crime is not the responsible party and, with the help of her friends and family, she is determined to get to the bottom of it all.

This is a solid mystery. In fact, there are multiple mysteries going on simultaneously. I was especially thrilled to see one involving crossword puzzles. You will have to read it to find out if and how they are all connected. I was really shocked when the killer was revealed, but it came to a logical conclusion. There are several suspects to consider and twists and turns along the way, which made for a mind-boggling mystery.

The setting for this entire series is one of my favorites in any cozy mystery. It has all the festive and cozy Christmas feels, complete with hot chocolate and reindeer games. The imagery is vivid with lots of descriptions to awaken all five senses. This is one town where I would love to spend Christmas.

It was comforting to meet up again with the same main characters who have been present throughout the series. Everyone is so warm and welcoming and it feels like a true community. The progressive dinner is the perfect example of how they all come together.

Holly is one lucky lady to be surrounded by so much love. However, I did feel like her loved ones were very over-protective of her in this installment. Throughout the book, she is struggling to keep her blood pressure under control. I understand why her friends and family were concerned, but as much as they babysat her (this term was actually used in the book multiple times), that alone would be enough to raise her blood pressure. They needed to loosen the grip. She's a grown woman who is fully capable of making her own decisions. I also wasn't a fan of her acquired goofy nickname.

Overall, though, this is yet another strong installment in the beloved Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series. If you've read all of the previous books in the series, this is definitely one you won't want to miss. It's light-hearted and fun, just like all of the previous books in the series. If you have not yet read any books in the series, I highly recommend starting with the first one, Twelve Slays of Christmas, and reading them in order. Each installment is a self-contained mystery, but it's a lot of fun to follow the growth of the characters with each consecutive book. 

As I was reading this book, I thought it was going to be the final one in the series. However, I was delighted to learn that there will be another one released next year. I can't wait! I'm definitely going to read it!

A Wonderful Christmas Crime releases on October 21, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Sunday Post 110

Hi everyone!

Through Monday, I am linking with the following: 

Reading Reality, who hosts Stacking the Shelves

Readerbuzz, who hosts Sunday Salon

Caffeinated Reviewer, who hosts Sunday Post

The Book Date, who hosts It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

On the above blogs you will be able to see links to the posts from others who are participating in those blog hops, and if you're a blogger, you can join too. 

Hello again, everyone! How are you doing? Well, I hope! 

So, I can safely say that Maryland is no longer in a drought. We continue to have high temps and uncomfortable humidity, with daily storm chances. It hasn't rained every day in all areas, but when it has, it really poured. I mean, we're talking 5-7 inches of rain in just two hours in some areas today. This has obviously led to lots of flooding and some water rescues. The pictures and videos I'm seeing are unbelievable. Some storms have been small in size, but fierce and slow-moving. One area may get 5-7 inches of rain, while areas nearby receive nothing.

And last week one day, my area lost electricity again. It lasted 30 minutes, but it was unsettling not knowing when it would come back on. The strange thing was it happened before the storm came that day. So I'm not sure what caused it, but I'm thankful it didn't last long.

The good news is we are expecting to get a break from the uncomfortable weather, at least for a few days, next week. We're expecting temps in the 80s with lower humidity and minimal rain chances. I may even finally be able to get a few walks in again. 

With all the heat, humidity, and storms, I've had plenty of indoor time, so let's see what I've been up to.

IN THE BOOKS

RECENTLY FINISHED

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I loved A Wicked Yarn (Craft Fair Knitters Mystery 1), by Emmie Caldwell. I can't wait to discuss it with The Cozy Mystery Book Club. I'm sad that there are only three books in this series, but I've added them to my TBR and I'm also going to explore more books by the same author.

IN PROGRESS

I read a couple more pages in the chapter titled, "Ciphers and Secret Codes" in The Puzzler: One Man's Quest to Solve the Most Baffling Puzzles Ever, from Crosswords to Jigsaw to the Meaning of Life, by A. J. Jacobs. Christmas in July has been calling my name more, so those have been my main focus. But at least I am moving forward with this book and, despite the slow pace, I am enjoying it.

I am enjoying an ARC of A Wonderful Christmas Crime (Christmas Tree Farm Mystery 6), by Jacqueline Frost. I think this is the final book in the series, so it's bittersweet. This will only be the second time I completely finish a series. I was okay with the first one ending, but I think I'm going to cry when this one is done. I feel very connected to the characters and the setting. UPDATE: This is NOT the last book in the series!

I decided to listen to a light Christmas romance and I found that in Debbie Macomber's Dashing through the Snow. It's narrated by Allyson Ryan. I've been wanting to read or listen to something by Debbie Macomber, so that time is finally here. I'm about halfway through this audiobook.

DNF

Unfortunately, I had to DNF Mistletoe Murder (Lucy Stone Mystery 1), by Leslie Meier. First, I was turned off by the mild swearing. But the thing that really made me stop listening was a scene involving a dead cat. As someone who loves cats, I found the scene disturbing and the characters insensitive to the whole situation. I rarely give up on a book, but I just could not bring myself to continue listening.

UP NEXT

My next audiobook listen will be Christmas at the Borrow a Bookshop, by Kiley Dunbar. This is to fulfill a challenge where I need to read (or listen to) a book set in England, and it also fits with my own Christmas in July theme for the month. It's the second in a series, but the reviews say it can be read as a standalone.

There's a local bookstore somewhat close to where I live that has a mystery book club. I'm usually not interested in their selections, but their August pick is Detective Aunty (Kausar Khan Investigates 1), by Uzma Jalaluddin. I have been wanting to read anything by this author. This is her first mystery and it's a cozy. So this is what I'll be reading next. I'm starting early to give myself enough time to finish it.

ON THE SCREEN

• The Food that Built America - I have a few more episodes left to watch in season 5. This has been one of my favorite seasons!
• Christmas at Sea - This continues to be a background watch simply to satisfy my curiosity. I'm sure it's more enjoyable for the passengers who were on the cruise last year.
• Holidazed - I prefer movies, but this is turning out to be an enjoyable series. It's very light on the Christmas feels, which surprises me, but it's still good.
• 'Twas the Date Before Christmas - This was the first movie that premiered during last year's Countdown to Christmas on Hallmark. I finally watched it and I loved it! Fake dating and family are two of my favorite things in Hallmark movies and this one had both. The writing was good and so was the acting. I'd watch it again.
• Unwrapping Christmas: Mia's Prince - This is the second in a series of movies that aired exclusively on Hallmark+ last year and is now airing on the Hallmark Channel this month. I enjoyed the first one, but this one was not nearly as good. It was very slow and very cheesy, much more so than most other Hallmark movies. The talented leads deserve better material to work with.
• A Christmas Detour  - This is a 2015 Hallmark movie that I had never seen until now. I have mixed feeling about this one. The female lead character was an unlikeable liar and a cheater. But other than that, I loved it! It was very entertaining, but if they had eliminated the part about her being engaged to be married, it would have been a much better movie.
• Meet Me at the Christmas Train Parade - This is a 2023 movie that I found streaming on frndly tv. It caught my attention because of the train premise. I love train-centered movies. It was slow, but I enjoyed the the premise and the scenery.

ON THE BLOG

• Sunday Post - 07/12 - Weekly Recap
• Book Review - 07/16 - A Nutcracker Nightmare (Killer Chocolate Mystery 2), by Christina Romeril
• Puzzle - 07/19 - Christmas Gnome

Have a great week!

Puzzle 112 - Christmas Gnome

Christmas in July continues!

I completed this puzzle in 2:51 using 36 non-rotating pieces. Remember, you can change the settings so the pieces rotate and you can change the number of pieces to suit your preferences.

Enjoy the cozy merriment!

A Nutcracker Nightmare (Killer Chocolate Mystery 2), by Christina Romeril

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I listened to A Christmas Candy Killing (Killer Chocolate Mystery 1), by Christina Romeril a while ago and I really enjoyed it. I've been wanting to read or listen to the follow-up, A Nutcracker Nightmare, since then. That time finally came this month as part of my Christmas in July lineup.

Twin sisters and owners of the Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop, Hanna and Alex, are excited to attend their high school reunion. Unfortunately, the festivities are marred by the dead body that is found, and Hanna is the prime suspect in this murder investigation. With the help of their former classmates, the twins set out to clear Hanna's name and figure out who the real culprit is.

There were a lot of characters in this Christmas cozy, which were challenging for me to keep up with, but it also made for a strong mystery. There were a lot of suspects to consider and I did not figure out the whodunnit. I enjoyed following the main characters as they used the clues that led to the surprising, but logical, big reveal.

There were lots of Christmas feels close to the end, but I was hoping for more of this throughout the book. However, it did satisfy my craving for a festive cozy mystery that I could enjoy during Christmas in July. I had a great time spending more time with the main characters and watching their relationships grow. If you enjoy a bit of romance in your cozies, you will find that in A Nutcracker Nightmare. There is also a delightful cozy companion, Miss Watson, who is a rescue dog.

When you're in the mood for a little Christmas cheer in your cozies, complete with lots of talk about chocolate, then I recommend Christina Romeril's Killer Chocolate Mystery series. While each installment is a self-contained mystery, I do recommend beginning with the first one, A Christmas Candy Killing, and reading them in order so you can follow the subplots. 

It won't be long before the third one is released, though I'm not sure a specific date has been announced at the time of this writing. The title of that one was just announced today - Deck the Halls with Homicide. I will definitely be reading that one. If you're not caught up on the series, you have some time before the next one is released. 

Sunday Post 109

Hi everyone!

Through Monday, I am linking with the following: 

Reading Reality, who hosts Stacking the Shelves

Readerbuzz, who hosts Sunday Salon

Caffeinated Reviewer, who hosts Sunday Post

The Book Date, who hosts It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

On the above blogs you will be able to see links to the posts from others who are participating in those blog hops, and if you're a blogger, you can join too. 

I had a pretty uneventful week, which isn't a bad thing. I had mostly uninterrupted time for reading, blogging, and puzzling. The weather has still been very hot and humid, with storm chances every day. On Wednesday evening, my area received almost five inches of rain in a span of less than two hours. It was accompanied by lots of thunder and lightning and resulted in a 30-minute power outage. That's always my main concern with these storms in the summer because I can't tolerate such hot weather without A/C. I actually started packing when the power went out. I didn't want to wait until I was too hot to do anything. Better to be prepared. I would have had to find some place else to stay, some place with electricity, of course. I'm glad it didn't come to that.

Here's the puzzle I'm working on:

Whenever I finish for the day, I don't usually feel like I made much progress. However, I always take a picture when I'm done each time and when I compare the pictures, I see that I am in fact making progress.

Let's see what else I've been up to.

IN THE BOOKS

RECENTLY FINISHED

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I finished listening to A Nutcracker Nightmare (Killer Chocolate Mystery 2), written by Christina Romeril and narrated by Rebecca Gallagher. I'm looking forward to reading or listening to the next installment when it's released later this year. Or perhaps I'll get an ARC before then. In the meantime, you can read some excerpts here. I'm planning to publish my review in the next week.

IN PROGRESS

I started reading the chapter titled, "Ciphers and Secret Codes" in The Puzzler: One Man's Quest to Solve the Most Baffling Puzzles Ever, from Crosswords to Jigsaw to the Meaning of Life, by A. J. Jacobs. This isn't my favorite type, but it's interesting reading about one such puzzle at the CIA headquarters that has yet to be solved even after 30 years. It was created by a fellow Marylander, Jim Sanborn. 

I'm still enjoying A Wicked Yarn (Craft Fair Knitters Mystery 1), by Emmie Caldwell. I have about 100 pages left to read. This is turning out to be one of my favorite books The Cozy Mystery Book Club has read this year so far. It has everything I look for in a cozy - likeable main characters, a strong sense of community, and of course, a puzzling mystery. It also has a subplot that I'm interested in.

UP NEXT

My next audiobook listen will still be Mistletoe Murder (Lucy Stone Mystery 1), by Leslie Meier. I'm planning to start this on Monday as I continue my personal Christmas in July festivities.

My next read will be an ARC of A Wonderful Christmas Crime (Christmas Tree Farm Mystery 6), by Jacqueline Frost. I love this series so much and I'm really looking forward to this next installment.

ON THE SCREEN

• The Food that Built America - I finished season 4 and started watching season 5. I'll be sad when I'm all caught up with this series, but I'm happy it's still ongoing!
• Christmas at Sea - This is a series that highlights some of the activities that took place on the Christmas cruise that Hallmark hosted last year. I'm curious to see what it was all about, but it's a background watch. I am doing other things while it's on.
• Holidazed - This is a series that was exclusively on Hallmark+ last year, but it's airing weekly on the Hallmark Channel this month. It received rave reviews and I can see why. It's a very entertaining series. My only gripe is that with all the diversity it has, there is no disability representation. I'm still watching and enjoying it, though.
• A Belgian Chocolate Christmas - This movie premiered on GAF in 2022. I had it recorded and chose to watch it on World Chocolate Day. I loved the chocolate scenes and the scenery, as it was filmed in Belgium, but the plot was lackluster.
• Unwrapped: Tina's Miracle - This is the first in a series of movies that aired exclusively on Hallmark+ last year and is now airing on the Hallmark Channel this month. This series did not receive rave reviews, but I really enjoyed this first movie. It isn't perfect, but it was entertaining and it felt cozy.
• My Christmas Dream  - This is a 2016 Hallmark movie that I had never seen until now. It was entertaining enough, but I likely won't watch it again. There were issues with the plot and I felt that there was some overacting, which I found to be distracting. Also, what's with Hallmark's obsession (passion?) for playing music in the background while the characters are talking? It's distracting, but it happens in a lot of Hallmark movies.

ON THE BLOG

• Sunday Post - 07/06 - Weekly Recap
• Book Review - 07/10 - What the Spell? (Spellbooked Mystery 1), by Elle Wren Burke
• Friday Features - 07/11 - Bookish response and excerpts, Feline Friday, Nature Friday
• Puzzle - 07/12 - Cottage in Winter

Have a great week!