Dressed for Death (A Drew Farthering Mystery) by Julianna Deering

Book Description:  Drew and Madeline Farthering celebrate their six-month anniversary by attending a fancy Regency era costume party. Drew is glad to see Talbot Cummins, an Oxford classmate, and his fiancée, Alice Henley, though many present seem worried about the couple. Everyone's concerns are realized when, at the concluding grand ball, Alice dies of an overdose of cocaine. Tal refuses to believe she took the stuff intentionally, and Drew is determined to find out if her death was an accident or murder.

Drew is shocked and disillusioned when the police arrest Tal's father and reveal that the man has been smuggling drugs into the country for the past twenty years. Reeling from the death of his fiancée and the revelation about his father, Tal begs Drew to find out what's going on. Drew, now questioning his own ability to see people as they really are, does so reluctantly, not ready for the secrets he's about to uncover--or the danger he'll bring down on everyone he holds dear.

My Thoughts: Yay!  Another Drew Fathering Mystery!  After reading each of the Drew Fathering mysteries I have found that although each book is a stand alone story it is a wise reader who reads these Drew Farthing mysteries in order.  

In this story Drew and Madeline are married and celebrating six months by attending a Regency era costume party.  Oh, What a party this turns out to be!

At the party Drew sees an Oxford college classmate, Talbot (Tal) Cummins and his fiancee, Alice Henley.  

As the party comes to the grand ball Alice keels over, she dies.  Evidence points out that Alice took cocaine.  This is where the mystery begins for Drew.  Tal's dad is arrested for drug trafficking.  Tal is in shock about the whole picture...his dead fiancee and a dad who is into drugs.  Tal begs Drew to investigate.

As Drew begins to investigate secret up on secret is revealed.  Funny how truth brings secrets to light.

All of the Drew Farthering mysteries are wonderful!  But this British cozy mystery is one of Juliana Deering's best!  What a read!

*This book was provided for review by Bethany House*

The other Drew Farthing mysteries:

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• Series: A Drew Farthering Mystery
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers 
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076421411X
• ISBN-13: 978-0764214110

The Happy Camper by Melody Carlson

Book Description:  Home is the place to heal, right? At least, that's what Dillon Michaels is hoping as she leaves her disappointing career and nonstarter love life behind to help her grieving and aging grandfather on his small Oregon farm. The only problem? Her eccentric mother beat her there and has taken over Dillon's old room. After a few nights sleeping on a sagging sofa, Dillon is ready to give up, until she receives an unlikely gift--her grandfather's run-down vintage camp trailer, which she quickly resolves to restore with the help of Jordan Atwood, the handsome owner of the local hardware store.

My Thoughts:  Every once in awhile I like a story that is off the beaten path.  Not the same ole, same ole, type of story.  And that's why I like to read stories penned by Melody Carlson.

This book cover reached and literally grabbed me.  I absolutely love the cover!

Now Dillon Michaels is at a disappointing place in her life.  So what does one do when one feels at a lost?  One goes to grandpa's house.  But unbeknownst to Dillon her mother beats her to grandpa's and takes Dillon's old room and the only guest room.  Who can sleep on a couch all the time?  No one.   So Dillon sees her grandfather's vintage, which means old, camper and decides to make it her own.

One problem...she needs help.  Jordan Atwood gladly jumps in to help Dillon and then Dillon's noncommittal boyfriend pops in with a ring and a promise....ooopsie!

Such a fun, light hearted read with tidbits of wisdom thrown in for the reader to digest.

This is one of those great for the beach or spring break reads.

*This book was provided for review by Revell Reads*

WOW! {Warm Oven Wednesday}

I love this salad!  Again, a great Pinterest recipe!

Recipe courtesy of Morton's Steakhouse:

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

2 heads iceberg lettuce
¾ cup Bacon Bits
1/4 cup egg, hard-boiled, chopped {I leave out the eggs}
1/4 cup tomato, chopped
1/4 cup blue cheese
1 1/2 cups Morton's Blue Cheese Dressing (below)

Morton's Blue Cheese Dressing Ingredients

1 cup real mayonnaise
1/2 cup plus 1 tbs sour cream
2 tbs buttermilk
1/2 tsp Durkee Famous Sauce*
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3.5 oz (about 1/4 cups) blue cheese, crumbled

DIRECTIONS FOR DRESSING

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and sour cream. Add the buttermilk, Durkee sauce, and seasoned salt. Whisk until well mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper and whisk again.

2. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the blue cheese. Transfer to a storage container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for at least 1 day and up to 4 days.

DIRECTIONS FOR SALAD

1. Remove any wilted outside leaves from lettuce head. Strike bottom of lettuce head on a flat surface to loosen core. Pull core out. Place lettuce head on cutting board and slice from top to bottom. Remove approximately one inch off each side, depending on the size of the head. Slice two 2-inch thick slices from center of head. Repeat with second head.

2. Ladle dressing across wedge so that it runs over one side. In this order sprinkle: bacon bits, chopped egg, chopped tomatoes, and blue cheese over the top of the salad.

*Durkee Famous Sauce is sold in many supermarkets. It's a vinegar-flavored mustard-mayonnaise type of sauce.

The Princess Twins and the Tea Party (I Can Read! / Princess Twins Series) by Mona Hodgson (Author) & Julie Olson (Illustrator)

Book Description:  A lesson in humility. In this Level-One I Can Read, Princess Emma runs around the castle making sure everything is perfect for the Spring Tea. She tries to tell the baker how to make the cake. She refolds the napkins. And she shoos Puppy out of the way. When her friends arrive, she learns that only God is perfect, and the real point of the day is to enjoy her friends.

This age and reading level appropriate story teaches girls what it means to be a princess for the true King.  

My Thoughts:  

First of all, I love the I Can Read books.  Not only are these books easy for young readers to sound out and read but young readers can comprehend the story line well, too.

Secondly, the illustrations are bright and colorful and go along with the story.

Thirdly, the is just a plain fun story with a christian moral for young girls.  

This is a win-win book for any young reader!  My three year old niece loves this story!

Love this book! 

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
• Grade Level: Preschool - 3
• Series: I Can Read! / Princess Twins Series
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Zonderkidz
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310750385
• ISBN-13: 978-0310750383

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds strawberries
2 sleeves graham crackers
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant cheesecake flavored pudding
3 cups milk
1 (12-ounce) carton Cool Whip, divided

DETAILS
Servings 10
Preparation time 20 mins
Cooking time 39 mins
Adapted from southyourmouth.com

PREPARATION

Clean and slice strawberries, about 1/4-inch thick; set aside. You have to do this first because the cream cheese mixture will start to set up quickly once it’s mixed up.

Line the bottom of a 3-quart 13×9-inch baking dish with graham crackers; set aside. Mine easily fit 6 whole crackers then I had to break up the seventh one to fill in the rest.

Combine cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add pudding mixes and milk and continue mixing on low for 4 to 5 minutes or until mixture starts to thicken. Fold in 2 cups cool whip until smooth.

Pour half of cream cheese mixture over graham crackers. Arrange a single layer of strawberry slices over cream cheese mixture. Top strawberries with another layer of graham crackers then cover with remaining cream cheese mixture. Top cream cheese mixture with another layer of strawberries. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.

When ready to serve, If strawberries put off a little moisture after sitting in the fridge all day, soak it up with a clean paper towel before topping with cool whip and graham cracker crumbs, then top with remaining cool whip. Crush remaining graham crackers and sprinkle crumbs over cool whip.

If I Run by Terri Blackstock

Book Description:  Casey knows the truth.

But it won’t set her free.

Casey Cox’s DNA is all over the crime scene. There’s no use talking to police; they have failed her abysmally before. She has to flee before she’s arrested . . . or worse. The truth doesn’t matter anymore.

But what is the truth? That’s the question haunting Dylan Roberts, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. PTSD has marked him damaged goods, but bringing Casey back can redeem him. Though the crime scene seems to tell the whole story, details of the murder aren’t adding up. Casey Cox doesn’t fit the profile of a killer. But are Dylan’s skewed perceptions keeping him from being objective? If she isn’t guilty, why did she run?

Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than he has, but as Dylan’s damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices. The girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.

My Thoughts: I've waited {im}patiently for this book.  And I promised myself that when it came I would not read it all at once but read it slowly and savor it.  Well, promises were made to be broken.  The afternoon I received this book I thought I'll just read a couple of chapters.  Ahhh!  This story is faced paced.  What a page turner!  I finished this book in the early evening!  Oh, so good!
I love the way that Terri Blackstock is not preachy but she sure puts the Word of the Lord in her reads.
Another strong point of this story is about PTSD.  I never thought about the different aspects PTSD.  Dylan's story is so very different than Casey's but, yet, they shared a good friend who died and now they both need/want answers.  This is the mystery of the story with suspense on every page.
The story as two different aspects...Casey's and Dylan's.  Casey Cox is one smart cookie. And Dylan is a weary young man trying to prove Casey is innocent.  Will they find the answers they seek?
I loved the story!  And even though "parts" of this story ended I truly hope there is book two because I need to know more!
This is a fantabulous read!

• Series: An If I Run Novel
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan 
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310332435
• ISBN-13: 978-031033243

Happy Birthday!

Yay for books that help early readers learn to read!