Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Fall 2024 List

On September 22, 2024September 25, 2024 By Lisa R. HowelerIn book reviews, books and reading, everyday musings, top-ten-tuesday12 Comments

|| Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. ||

This week’s prompt is to list our Autumn To Be Read list. I actually already did this a couple of weeks ago so this is a bit of a rehash, but I’ve added a couple of new ones since I have found a couple of books that have caught my attention too. And, yes, there are more than 10 books here so I broke the rules.

Here is the list of books I’ll be choosing from for September, October, and November – with new ones being thrown in from time to time, I’m sure.

An Assassination on the Agenda by T.E. Kinsey

I actually just finished this one this weekend and it was pretty good. I love the bantering between Lady Hardcastle and her maid as they solve mysteries and fight crime.

There were a few slow sections but I still enjoyed the book. Lady Hardscastle has the best lines. I’ll share some of them when I share a book review later this week..

Description:

They’re hoping this visit is a return journey—but it might be a one-way ticket to murder.

July 1912. Lady Hardcastle and her tenacious lady’s maid, Florence Armstrong, are enjoying a convivial gathering at the home of their dear friends, the Farley-Strouds. The only fly in the idyllic ointment seems to be the lack of musical entertainment for the forthcoming summer party—until, that is, Lady Hardcastle’s brother Harry calls with news of a murder.

Harry dispatches them to Bristol on behalf of the Secret Service Bureau, with instructions to prevent the local police from uncovering too much about the victim. It seems an intriguing mystery—all the more so when they find a connection between the killer and an impending visit from an Austrian trade delegation, set to feature a very important guest…

Summoned to London to help with some very important security arrangements, the intrepid duo will have to navigate sceptical bureaucrats, Cockney gangsters and shadowy men in distinctive hats in their attempts to foil an explosive—and internationally significant—threat.

Ever Faithful by Karen Barnett

I kept saying I am going to read this one but I could never find a copy unless I bought it new and I didn’t want to in case I didn’t like it. None of the local libraries had it and Libby didn’t either (for my library anyhow) so I finally found an audio version of it on Hoopla and am listening to it now.

Description:

A man who can’t read will never amount to anything–or so Nate Webber believes. But he takes a chance to help his family by signing up for the new Civilian Conservation Corps, skirting the truth about certain “requirements.” Nate exchanges the harsh Brooklyn streets for the wilds of Yellowstone National Park, curious if the Eden-like wonderland can transform him as well.

Elsie Brookes was proud to grow up as a ranger’s daughter, but she longs for a future of her own. After four years serving as a maid in the park’s hotels, she still hasn’t saved enough money for her college tuition. A second job, teaching a crowd of rowdy men in the CCC camp, might be the answer, but when Elsie discovers Nate’s secret, it puts his job as camp foreman in jeopardy. Tutoring leads to friendship and romance, until a string of suspicious fires casts a dark shadow over their relationship. Can they find answers before all of their dreams go up in smoke?

A Simple Deduction by Kristi Holl

I just finished this one last week and ended up liking it more than I thought I was going to.

Description:

Liz is offering something new, A Sherlock Holmes weekend. She asks for help from a magician to pickpocket the participants then give the items to Liz for safekeeping. But more possessions start to disappear even with people locking their doors. Liz needs the help of all her sidekicks to solves this mystery.

The Secret of Red Gate Farm by Carolyn Keene

Yep, another original Nancy Drew. These are fun to read, even if they are dated.

Description:

Nancy and her friends, Bess and George, meet Joanne Byrd on a train ride home. Joanne lives at Red Gate Farm with her grandmother, but if they do not raise enough money to pay the mortgage, they will soon lose the farm! Nancy, Bess, and George decide to stay at Red Gate for a week as paying customers. Soon, they learn about the strange group of people who rent a cave on the property. They describe themselves as a nature cult called the Black Snake Colony. Nancy investigates their group and helps to uncover a ring of counterfeiters in town!

The Cat Who Brought Down the House by Lilian Jackson Braun

I’ve read almost all the books in this series but when I saw this on my shelf a couple of weeks ago, I knew I needed to add it to my list because I am certain I’ve never read it. I am not even sure where I picked this copy up but it was probably one of the local library book sales.

Description:

Jim Qwilleran lives in Pickax, a small town 400 miles north of everywhere, and writes for a small newspaper. He stands tall and straight. He dates a librarian. His roommates are two abandoned cats that he adopted along the way, one of them quite remarkable. Qwilleran has a secret that he shares with no one—or hardly anyone. His male cat, Koko, has an uncanny intuition that can tell right from wrong and frequently sniffs out the evildoer…

Retiring in Pickax, actress Thelma Thackeray has decided to start a film club and organize a fundraiser revue, starring Koko the cat. But Thelma’s celebrated arrival takes an unpleasant turn when the strange circumstances of her twin brother’s recent death seem suspicious to Jim Qwilleran. Qwill needs a helping paw in this case. But will Koko deign to take time from his stage debut?

Catch Me If You Candy by Ellie Alexander

This one is a fall-themed cozy mystery that I have decided to read because I’ve read another book in this series and liked it okay and I wanted to read something more autumn themed. I didn’t love that first book I read in the series, but it was a good escape read. Hopefully this one will be too.

Description:

Halloween has arrived in picturesque Ashland, Oregon, and all of the ghouls and goblins have descended on Main Street for the annual parade. It’s a giant street party and Torte is right in the mix.

Jules Capshaw and her team have been baking up autumn delights and trick-or-Torte bags filled with sugar cookie cutouts, spiced cider, and mummy munch. It’s the end of the season at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which means that the costumes for the parade are going to be out of this world. The elaborate guises even extend to pets. The grand marshal of this year’s parade is no other than a regal pug aptly named King George. Jules is delighted to get to share the experience with Carlos and Ramiro, but things take a dark turn when she discovers a dragon slumped in front of the bakeshop.

A Fatal Footnote by Margaret Loudon

This is one my daughter picked up at a used book sale for me because the cat reminds us of our cat, Scout. I skimmed the first chapter and see that it is written in third person, which isn’t usually for cozy mysteries, but a POV I write in and like to read in cozy mysteries.

Description:

Writer-in-residence Penelope Parish will need to use every trick in her quaint British bookshop to unravel a murderous plot that threatens to ruin a ducal wedding.

The wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Upper Chumley-on Stoke has all the makings of a fairy tale, complete with a glowing bride and horse-drawn carriage. But it wouldn’t be much of a story without a villain, and as American Gothic novelist Penelope Parish is coming to learn, happy-ever-afters are as fraught in this charming British town as they are in her books.

When the Duke’s former girlfriend is found murdered at the reception it’s up to Penelope and her newfound family at the Open Book bookshop to catch the killer before they strike again.

Getaway With Murder by Diane Kelly

A friend read this, and I decided I’d try it too. I currently have it downloaded in my Audible so I might listen to it.

Description:

As if hitting the half-century mark wasn’t enough, Misty Murphy celebrated her landmark birthday by amicably ending her marriage and investing her settlement in a dilapidated mountain lodge at the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains. With the old inn teetering on both a bluff and bankruptcy, she must have lost her ever-loving mind.

Luckily, handyman Rocky Crowder has a knack for rehabbing virtual ruins and for doing it on a dime, and to Misty’s delight, the lodge is fully booked on opening night, every room filled with flexible folks who’d slipped into spandex and ascended the peak for a yoga retreat with plans to namaste for a full week. Misty and her guests are feeling zen―at least until the yoga instructor is found dead.

With a killer on the loose and the lodge’s reputation hanging in the balance, Misty must put her detective-skills to the test. Only one thing is as clear as a sunny mountain morning―she must solve the crime before the lodge ends up, once again, on the brink.

A Christmas Gathering by Shelley Shepard Gray; Rachel J. Good; Lenora Worth

I feel like I will read this in November – as I start getting ready for cozy winter reading. And I’ll probably take breaks between the stories.

Description:

A CHRISTMAS REUNION by Shelley Shepard Gray
Tricia Troyer is thrilled when Brandt Massey, her cousin’s English friend, joins the Troyers’ holiday gathering for the second year in a row. The sparks between them are clear to everyone. When Brandt asks Tricia to be his girlfriend, they both know she’ll have important choices to make about her future. But the two aren’t as different as some believe—and with open hearts and understanding, their very own Christmas miracle just might be
possible . . .

WE GATHER TOGETHER by Lenora Worth
When Lucas Myer meets Kayla Hollinger on the shores of Lake Erie, he’s smitten. Their families are even staying at the same inn, for different gatherings. The two plan to meet again—but soon enough they discover a problem: their relatives are locked in a longtime feud and forbid them to socialize. Fortunately, Lucas and Kayla are old enough to make their own decisions—and they decide to create a Christmas miracle of forgiveness and love . . .

HITTING ALL THE RIGHT NOTES by Rachel J. Good
Years ago, Andrew was banished by his Amish family when he chose a career in music. It still hurts, especially during the holidays. And now, just before Christmas, he and his band find themselves stranded after their manager absconds with their money. Desperate, Andrew is offered a job teaching piano—but that’s just the first miracle. His work will not only bless others in need, but a longtime fan might just capture his heart—and even lead him home . .

Little Men by Louisa Mae Alcott

I will probably read this one closer to the end of November and carry it on into Winter like I did with Little Women last year.

Description:

The March sisters are among the most beloved characters in children’s literature, and Little Men picks up the story of fiery, headstrong Jo where Good Wives left off. Intelligent, funny, perceptive, and genuinely touching, the novel is set at a rather unusual boarding school run by Jo and her husband, where the pupils are encouraged to pillow fight and keep pets. When the penniless but talented orphan Nat Blake shows up on her doorstep, Jo takes him in, and his arrival sets in motion a chain of events that will affect all their lives.

Murder Handcrafted by Isabella Alan

Description:

Spring has arrived in Holmes County and Angie couldn’t be happier. She’s got great friends, a thriving business, and is in the perfect relationship with Sheriff James Mitchell. The only thing raining on her parade is her mother drafting her into a massive home renovation project—and using their sudden mother/daughter bonding time to comment on Angie’s ticking biological clock.

The house’s repairs and upgrades between the Amish craftsmen and their Englisch counterparts are proceeding well until a tremendous shock comes to the workers when the electrician is found dead on site. With the sheriff suspecting foul play, it falls to Angie to root a killer out of the woodwork. . . .

Move Your Blooming Corpse: An Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins Mystery by D.E. Ireland

My daughter picked this one out at a used bookstore this weekend and I immediately loved the title and premise.

Description: In the second book from talented writing team D.E. Ireland, famous literary characters Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins once again come to life as a hilarious investigative team. Move Your Blooming Corpse explores the Edwardian racing world and the fascinating characters who people it, from jockeys to duchesses, in this delightful traditional mystery that will appeal to fans of British mysteries.

Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins are at the posh Royal Ascot, the biggest horse racing event of the season. Eliza’s father is the new co-owner of a champion racehorse, and Eliza and Henry are excited to cheer the Donegal Dancer on to victory. However, their idyllic outing takes a serious turn when a victim is trampled during the Gold Cup race and someone is found murdered in the stables.

With time running out before the upcoming Eclipse Stakes, she and Higgins investigate jealous spouses, suffragettes and the colorful co-owners of the Donegal Dancer. But can they outrace the murderer, or will there be another blooming corpse at the finish line?

Peanut Butter Panic by Amanda Flower

This is another used bookstore pick up by Little Miss.

Description:

Thanksgiving is Bailey King’s busiest holiday weekend. This year promises to be even more hectic, since Bailey’s candy shop, Swissmen Sweets, is providing desserts for Harvest, Ohio’s first village-wide Thanksgiving celebration. Yet, even with a guest list close to seven hundred people—Amish and English alike—the event’s organizer, Margot Rawlings, is unfazed . . . until she discovers her mother, former judge Zara Bevan, will be in attendance.

Zara’s reputation as a harsh critic is matched only by her infamy as a judge who has actively harmed the Amish community. So no one is prepared when Zara arrives with much younger boyfriend Blaze Smith and reveals their impending nuptials at dinner. That should have been the day’s biggest news, except shortly after the announcement, Blaze suffers an allergic reaction to something he’s eaten and dies on the spot.

Now, Bailey’s desserts are prime suspects, along with Margot and nearly everyone who attended the meal. With such a cornucopia of possibilities, Bailey must dig in and get to the bottom of this murder, before the killer goes up for seconds…

Move Your Blooming Corpse by DE Ireland

My daughter picked this one out for me at a local used bookstore so I am adding it to my list – pretty much because I already started it and I am enjoying it.

Description:

In the second book from talented writing team D.E. Ireland, famous literary characters Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins once again come to life as a hilarious investigative team. Move Your Blooming Corpseexplores the Edwardian racing world and the fascinating characters who people it, from jockeys to duchesses, in this delightful traditional mystery that will appeal to fans of British mysteries.

Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins are at the posh Royal Ascot, the biggest horse racing event of the season. Eliza’s father is the new co-owner of a champion racehorse, and Eliza and Henry are excited to cheer the Donegal Dancer on to victory. However, their idyllic outing takes a serious turn when a victim is trampled during the Gold Cup race and someone is found murdered in the stables.With time running out before the upcoming Eclipse Stakes, she and Higgins investigate jealous spouses, suffragettes, and the colorful co-owners of the Donegal Dancer. But can they outrace the murderer, or will there be another blooming corpse at the finish line?

So what is on your list to choose from this autumn?

Sunday Bookends: New Cozy Mysteries, a birthday, and cooler weather is coming

On September 22, 2024September 21, 2024 By Lisa R. HowelerIn everyday musings, Sunday Bookends10 Comments

It’s time for our Sunday morning chat. On Sundays, I ramble about what’s been going on, what the rest of the family and I have been reading and watching, and what I’ve been writing. Some weeks I share what I am listening to.

This week I’m joining up with Kimba at Caffeinated Reviewer, Deb at Readerbuzz, and Kathyrn at The Book Date.

What’s Been Occurring

My birthday was last week and I had a nice couple of days. One day, my actual birthday, I just relaxed and on Friday we had a family day. We went to lunch, visited a used bookstore, a garden center, and a small playground and creek.

Yesterday I enjoyed another relaxing day and today I think I’ll be spending a day with my parents.

This upcoming week should be easy going but we will see. I never know what a week will bring, but at least I don’t have any appointments scheduled at this point.

At the bookstore Little Miss helped me pick out some new cozy mysteries. I won’t list them all here but here are some photos of them.

I have a “autumn TBR” but I’m moving things around because one of those books, Move Your Blooming Corpse by D.E. Ireland looked so good and I enjoyed the beginning so I’m moving that up in my list.

We had warmer than normal weather last week but last night we had a thunderstorm and some rain to bring in some colder weather for the rest of this week. I think I am finally getting our autumn weather.

Our trees are changing colors quite quickly and I can’t wait until they are all the way changed and I can drive around and take some photos.

What I/we’ve been Reading

Death At Cozumel Island by Cindy Quayle

Move Your Blooming Corpse by D.E. Ireland

A Simple Deduction by Kristi Holl

An Assassination on the Agenda by T.E. Kinsey

The Secret of Red Gate Farm ( A Nancy Drew Mystery) by Carolyn Keene

Murder Handcrafted by Isabella Alan (An Amish Quilt Shop Mystery)

The Cat Who Brought Down the House by Lilian Jackson Braun

Little Miss and I finished The Saturdays and are reading the next book in the series The Four Story Mistake by Elizabeth Enright via Hoopla.

What We watched/are Watching

This week I watched as reruns of As Time Goes By and The Dick VanDyke Show.

I also watched a couple of YouTube videos about books. I honestly read more this week than I watched things.

What I’m Writing

This week on the blog I shared:

This week on my A Good Book and A Cup of Tea Substack for readers of my books and others:

https://lisarhoweler.substack.com/p/12-cozy-mysteries-coming-out-this

What I’m Listening To

I am listening to Ever After by Karen Barnett on Hoopla.

Photos from Last Week

Now it’s your turn. What have you been doing, watching, reading, listening to or writing? Let me know in the comments or leave a blog post link if you also write a weekly update like this.

Saturday Afternoon Chat: A nice birthday weekend, more cozies to read, and complex feelings after some news

On September 21, 2024September 21, 2024 By Lisa R. HowelerIn Saturday Afternoon Tea15 Comments

This was a week of highs and lows. Thursday was my birthday and it was a nice and very relaxing day. We received some news early in the day, however, and even struggled with what kind of news it was since it was the passing of a family member we haven’t had contact with in years. It’s hard to know how to handle the death of someone who wasn’t very pleasant to know, was abusive to your husband, and then stopped communicating (which actually came as a blessing).

The weather was beautiful that day, though. I didn’t go anywhere. I read a book and wrote a little bit on the third Gladwynn book, and watched an old movie.

Yesterday we went out as a family for my birthday and it was another relaxing day with beautiful weather.

We went to lunch at a nice restaurant, visited a garden center, a library with a used bookstore, and then a playground and creek.

The garden center is decorated for fall with pumpkins and gourds lined up all over and flowers blooming in their garden.

Little Miss wanted a white pumpkin so she can paint it later so we picked up one of those for her and a natural soda for me.

We stumbled on to a shoe sale that we thought was next week, which was very exciting for us because it was an amazing sale and let us stock up on shoes for us and the kids. It derailed our trip to a Barnes and Noble, which is about two hours from our house (any Barnes and Noble stores are two hours from our house – in one direction or the other.)

I haven’t visited a Barnes and Noble for probably 15 years and my husband was going to take me to one as a surprise. I decided it would be better to save gas money (it was another 45-minute drive) and buy the shoes instead. I didn’t know where The Husband was actually taking me but I had guessed maybe he’d found a Barnes and Noble near us so I told him I was okay if we didn’t visit it this time around.

The thing is, I wouldn’t have bought a lot of books anyhow because I rarely buy new books. I prefer to buy them used or on clearance. I’d rather get a few books for $10 than one for $15. It would have been nice to walk around the store, but now that I know there is one not super far away, we can find another time to go. Plus, we needed the shoes and there is a used bookstore in the library of the town we were already in so we went there and we brought home 15 books for less than $20.

Most of my books were cozy mysteries and Little Miss chose quite a few of them. I’ll share more about the books I picked out on my Sunday Bookends tomorrow since that’s where I usually talk books I’ve been reading or have added to my collection.

After we visited the bookstore and library, Little Miss wanted to try out her new water shoes at the creek so we spent about 45 minutes at a small park that also has access to a creek.

Earlier in the week Little Miss and I picked up her new glasses and the next day I took her to Kid’s Club, which is a program at a church near us, where she met her friend that she’d invited.

Little Miss loves her new glasses with multiple colors on the earpieces and pink along the rest of the frame.

We both enjoyed looking at the trees that had changed in the town where the optometrist is and I had to laugh because one of the trees is changing into a beautiful orange color that is matching the color of the car parked at the house it is next to.

Wednesday night Little Miss and her friend had fun at the church program while my friend (Little Miss’s friend’s mom) and I chatted together in the parking lot.

This weekend we are continuing to relax since The Husband doesn’t have to work for the first time in – I don’t know how long actually.

We plan to hang out and watch movies and one of us should probably wash some dishes since we played hooky from housework the last couple of days.

These days off came at a good time since the death in our family was my estranged mother-in-law. My husband wrote a bit about his relationship with her on his personal Facebook page but I have decided not to share that here.

The bottom line is that my mother-in-law was abusive mentally, emotionally, and sometimes physically. She picked favorites out of her two children and you can take my word for it that my husband was not that child. She has not spoken to us in more than five years and lives several states away. In other words, this “loss” doesn’t feel much different than when she was alive.

It’s a complicated situation when a person loses a family member who wasn’t very kind. There is grief there but it’s different than the grief other people have. It’s partially a grief of what could/should have been and also grief of there being no closure or apologies for past hurts. In this situation that apology would most likely never have come thanks to mental illness on the part of my mother-in-law.

I wasn’t even sure how to feel and spent part of my birthday a bit numb and dazed. Should I grieve the woman who tried to manipulate me the way she did everyone else? Two days later, I still don’t how to answer that. I feel sadness for a woman who chose to have no relationship with her son or beautiful grandchildren – even when we lived less than a mile from her for many years before she moved, but I can’t honestly say I feel a sense of loss or grief. I feel guilty for that and I also feel odd admitting that, but it’s where I am right now.

I should be crying, shouldn’t I? I should be thinking back on fond memories or saying things like, “Sure she wasn’t nice at times but…”

Yet I have none of that to offer in this situation and it’s a surreal place for me to be.

It’s only happened one other time and in that case I could at least think of one or two really nice and genuine things the person did – while also wondering if any of it was real since so much lying was revealed at the end of that person’s life.

So moving on to my plans for the rest of the weekend as I navigate this weird headspace I am in.

I’m looking forward to working more on my book this weekend and on some reading.

Next week we don’t have any appointments scheduled so it will be mainly school and maybe a playdate at a local creek with a couple of friends.

The temperature is supposed to drop next week and I am looking forward to the fall-like weather. Yesterday’s 83-degree temps were not very welcome by me, even though it was a very beautiful day.

How was your week last week? I hope you found some time to relax and unwind. Let me know in the comments.

Weekly Traffic Jam Reboot — Come Link Up With Us!

On September 19, 2024September 19, 2024 By Lisa R. HowelerIn everyday musings5 Comments

Welcome to another Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot hosted by Marsha in the Middle, Melynda from Scratch Made Food & DYI Homemade Household, Sue from Women Living Well After 50, and me. Look for the link party to go live on Thursdays at 9:30pm EDT.

This is a blog link-up where we not only allow you to share your past posts but we encourage it. So share away!

Here are our most clicked posts for the week:

|| More Apples and Sunflowers In the Kitchen by Debbie Dabble Blog ||

|| Fast Drying Ionic Hair Dryer by This Blonde’s Shopping Bag ||

My highlights for the week:

|| A Visit to the Idaho Candy Company by Adventures in Weseland ||

|| Taking to the Air by Thistles and Kiwis ||

|| Now We are Six by Deb’s World ||

I’m so glad you are here and participating in our weekly link-up of family-friendly, fun, educational, interesting, crafty, fashionable, and whatever else posts. I hope you’ll tell your followers about our post (feel free to copy and paste the graphic) and visit the blogs in the link-up.

Now it is your turn to link up your favorite posts. They can be fashion, lifestyle, DIY, food, etc. All we ask is that they be family-friendly. You can link up posts from last week or even from years ago. You can share up to three links each week.

We are always looking for additional hosts so let us know if you want to help out and we are also looking for more links from fashion bloggers so let your fashion bloggers know!

Also, please take the time to visit the other blogs on the link-up and meet some new bloggers!

Comfy, Cozy Cinema: Somewhere in Time

On September 19, 2024September 19, 2024 By Lisa R. HowelerIn Comfy Cozy Cinema 2024, Movie Impresssions21 Comments

Erin from Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs and I are watching Comfy, Cozy movies this September and October and this week we are discussing Somewhere in Time.

I am going to warn you that I know this movie is sacred to many, but that I am going to pick a bit here. If you are a fan, take my teasing as affectionate teasing. There were aspects I liked and aspects I just didn’t get.

Somewhere in Time was released in 1980 and stars Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour, and Christopher Plummer. It is based on the book Bid Time Return by science fiction/horror author Richard Matheson who also wrote a few other well known books I Am Legend (1954), What Dreams May Come (1978), Hell House (2008), and The Omega Man (1975). Many of his books were made into movies. He also wrote the screenplay for Somewhere In Time.

The story is about a playwright who travels back in time by merely wishing he can be there.

That’s pretty much the plot of the movie, but I’ll explain further.

Richard Collier is approached by an elderly woman after one of his plays and she hands him a watch and says, “Come back to me,” and then leaves.

It’s a creepy moment, if you ask me, and in real life Richard would have said, “Who was that old lady?” and then thrown the watch out. But this is Hollywood so he holds on to the watch and eight years later when he hits a slump in his career he decides to head to Michigan to take a break from life – because that’s the first place I think to go when I need a break from life. Not Hawaii or the Bahamas but Michigan.

This is a joke Michiganers! Honestly, I’m so jealous when Erin tells me of all the lovely places Michigan has. Sometimes she even sends pictures to rub it in more! *wink* Plus a ton of cozies I read all take place in Michigan. So it is either very lovely or there are a lot of murders there. Either way – much more exciting than Pennsylvania.

Okay, back to Richard. He travels to Michigan and Mackinac Island where he decides to visit The Grand Hotel because as a student at a nearby college he’d always heard about the hotel but had never visited it.

We, the viewer, have already heard of the hotel because this is where the old lady in the beginning of the movie returned to after she gave Richard the watch.

While staying at the hotel Richard becomes enamored with a photo of Elise McKenna (Seymour) who was an actress from the early 1900s. She performed at the hotel in 1912. He begins to research everything he can about her and finds an up to date photo of her in a library book and realizes she’s the woman who gave him the watch.

After visiting a former caretaker/friend of Elise’s, Richard learns Elise died the night she gave him the watch. While visiting the woman he also finds a book on time travel and for some unexplained reason, Richard decides he must find a way to go back in time to meet Elise.

Conveniently, the man who wrote the book about time travel is also in Michigan and tells Richard that to go back in time he must lock himself in a room and remove all distractions that would make him think he was still in modern times. He must instead focus solely on what time period he wants to go to and say over and over he is actually in that time period.

Sigh. Yes. As if the movie already wasn’t a bit cheesy – this is where it turns the ridiculous corner.

There were so many moments in this movie that I am sure were meant to be romantic or moving or suspenseful but all I could do was giggle.

The way the light hits her photo in the beginning of the film like a spotlight from heaven and the cheesy music starts playing – super, super loud? That was one of them.

Then when he’s trying to go back in time he looks like he ate too much shrimp at dinner so he’s having major cramps.

I should add that before he tries to go back in time he buys a suit he thinks fits the time period and then uses a pair of scissors and the hotel room mirror to cut his hair perfectly to fit the time period. Yeah. Okay. Like he could do that all by himself. Ha. But it’s a movie so we will go with it.

Since you already know the movie is called Somewhere in Time you know that he arrives in the past. I won’t say much beyond this other than there was so much more I wanted them to do with the time the couple had together. Like Erin said to me, the pacing of this movie felt off – things were so rushed and squished and sort of discombobulated.

Despite that, I somehow sort of liked the movie. Reeve, Seymour, and Plummer (who plays Elise’s manager/guardian since she was 16. Let us not focus too much on what that means. Ahem. I believe he really was just her guardian) acted well giving great – or at least commendable – performances. I think this was only Reeve’s second movie with his first being Superman.

The concept of the movie was very interesting and it was a lovely location for a movie as well. Much better than San Diego, where the book was set.

You can read Erin’s post to learn more about the location because I’m sure she mentions that she has visited the location a few times since she lives near there.

The book, by the way, had Richard visiting the Hotel del Coronado because he had an inoperable brain tumor and wanted to spend his last days there. It’s while there he sees Elise’s photos and things proceed like the movie in most ways. The only thing is the ending of the book makes more sense than the ending of the movie, in my opinion. I won’t share either ending here but I will say I didn’t like the ending of the movie so I wish Matheson had not changed it for the movie. Not sure why he did.

Incidentally, the book was inspired by a true story – sort of.

According to information I read and watched online, Matheson was traveling with his family when he was entranced by the portrait of American Actress Maude Adams that was hanging in the Piper’s Opera House in Nevada.

“It was such a great photograph,” Matheson said, “that creatively I fell in love with her. What if some guy did the same thing and could go back in time?”

Matheson proceeded to research her life and became fascinated with her being a recluse. To write the novel he stayed at the Hotel Del Coronado for several weeks and dictated what he saw and learned into a tape recorder, personally experiencing himself in the role of Richard Collier. He based most of the biographical information about Elise on Adam’s life and said the books original title came from a line in William Shakespeare’s Richard II: “O call back yesterday, bid time return.”

I am personally glad the name was changed for the movie. It made it much more marketable, even though from what I read about this movie, Universal Pictures did very little to promote it, which may be one reason it wasn’t a huge commercial success.m at the time. It did, however, become a huge cult classic.

Of the book Matheson said: “, “Somewhere in Time is the story of a love which transcends time, What Dreams May Come is the story of a love which transcends death…. I feel that they represent the best writing I have done in the novel form.”

There you go – now you can keep that in mind if you ever choose to read the books, or if you have read them.

If you would like to know more about Maude Adams, by the way, you can visit this Wikipedia page (which can easily be changed and manipulated as we have learned over the years, so also look at legit sources for your facts): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maude_Adams

While looking for reviews and trivia about this movie I found a hilarious review by movie critic Roger Ebert.

I do not recommend reading this review if Somewhere in Time is a favorite of yours or holds some kind of sentimental value. While the review made me giggle, it is quite harsh. You can find it here: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/somewhere-in-time-1980

Erin told me about a Somewhere in Time package you can book at The Grand Hotel and I’ll include that link here without the jokes she and I made about what the package would include since sharing the jokes would include spoilers.

https://www.grandhotel.com/packages/somewhere-in-time-weekend/

While reading about the package I learned that Jane Seymour still visits the hotel often for personal and professional reasons. Sadly, both Plummer and Reeve are no longer with us and can’t visit.

This movie was not a box office success, as I mentioned above, but over the years it has developed a cult following, hence the hotel offering a package in its name and hosting events related to it.

The theme song of Somewhere in Time, in case you are wondering, was not written for the movie like some might think. It is “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” by Sergei Rachmaninoff, written in 1934.

A few more trivia tidbits I found online included:

Score creator John Barry’s parents both died shortly before he began to work on the film, making the music that much more emotional. (source TVTropes.com)
Christopher Reeve took the role even though it didn’t pay as much as others because he was very touched by the story and script. (source TVTropes.com)
The first time Richard sees Elise is also the first time Christopher Reeve saw the picture because the director Jeannot Szwarc wanted his authentic reaction. (source TVTropes.com) (Thank God he looked enamored because otherwise they might have had to edit out his reaction. Not that I can imagine anyone making a disgusted expression when looking at Jane Seymour.)
According to Seymour, she and Reeve really did fall in love while filming and they hid the relationship from the cast and crew but that the relationship ended when Reeve found out his ex-girlfriend was pregnant with his child. The two remained close friends and Seymour even named her son after him. (source TVTropes.com)

While Christopher Reeve was filming this movie, the local theater decided to show his latest hit Superman (1978). Many of the “Somewhere” cast joined the locals for the event. Early into the screening, the sound went out. Reeve, who was seated next to Jane Seymour, stood up in the audience and delivered all the lines. (source imbd.com)
As of 2008, the numbers of Elise McKenna and Richard Collier’s rooms do not exist at the Grand Hotel. However, there is a Somewhere in Time suite. (source imbd.com)

Here is a trailer of Somewhere in Time if you’ve never seen it and think you might want to:

I will add that Roger Ebert suggested another movie that he felt better represented a time travel movie with romance included.

It sounds quite a bit darker to me but here is a preview for Time After Time:

I watched this movie on Amazon but it can be rented from a variety of streaming services, purchased on DVD, and probably found at local libraries.

Erin’s post about the movie can be found here: https://crackercrumblife.com/?p=25718

Next up for our movie-watching pleasure is another pick by me, Ladies in Lavender.

The rest of our schedule can be found here:

Please feel free to join up with us and add your link to our link up each week. You can add it up to a week after we post.

I hope you will join in or at least follow along as we discuss these movies.

Sunday Bookends: another last swim? Mysteries with no connection to the main character, and watching fun, old movies

On September 15, 2024 By Lisa R. HowelerIn Sunday Bookends7 Comments

This week I’m joining up with Kimba at Caffeinated Reviewer, Deb at Readerbuzz, and Kathyrn at The Book Date.

What’s Been Occurring

Today my dad suggested we go into the pool since it is hot and humid out still – in the middle of September. Yuck.

I had decided we’d already had our last swim in the beginning of September, though, and I’m actually dreading it because the last time we went in the pool there were some 100 mosquitoes I had to clean out before we could swim. This has been a very bad mosquito year apparently.

Plus there is drying off but not getting all dry so when you try to get your pants on you can’t because your skin is still just damp enough to not let the pants slide on easily. That is so annoying to me.

Yes, I know, I am being dramatic about nothing. Ha! But it’s just a little whine and I do actually have fun once we get in the pool. I have a feeling it will not be a warm trip, though, because our nights have been very cool.

I do miss the pool and being able to hop in on a hot day so maybe one last dip will be good for me. I just sort of had packed that part of the year away already and am ready for sweaters, hot cocoa, and falling leaves.

What I/we’ve been Reading

I am still reading An Assassination on the Agenda by T.E. Kinsey and have also started A Simple Deduction by Kristi Holl.

I am not bowled over by either of them but they are an okay escape. I was liking An Assassination on the Agenda better than a Simple Deduction where I couldn’t connect with the characters at all, but as I started to get into the book I liked it more. I still can’t connect with the main character at all, though. There is no personality written into her in this book, which was written by a different author than the other books (actually each of the books in the series seems to be written by a different author, but with the same main character and setting). In this one she’s just very flat. We don’t learn anything about her personality or her likes or dislikes until halfway through the book. It’s just a straight mystery – which is okay too since that’s how Agatha wrote all her books. We never really got to the know the characters too well – just the mystery, ma’am. I mean we did learn about their quirks and personalities as the series went on – especially Poirot.

I finished Trouble Shooter by Louis L’Amour this past week. It wasn’t my regular read and I wasn’t totally in love with it, but I would try another one of his books. It was a good story and a really crazy ending.

This was a Hopalong Cassidy novel that he apparently wrote in the style of the original author but was re-released in the 1990s under L’Amour’s name. I’d like to read a book by him that’s about one of his own characters.

The Secret of Red Gate Farm by Carolyn Keene (A Nancy Drew Mystery)

Murder Handcrafted by Isabella Alan (An Amish Quilt Shop Mystery)

The Cat Who Brought Down the House by Lilian Jackson Braun

What We watched/are Watching

This past week I watched Lovejoy and the movie Out of The Blue that I watched last week again but with my husband. I also watched The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel as part of the Comfy Cozy Feature I am doing with Erin from Still Life, With Cracker Crumb.

Yesterday I watched an old movie called A Woman of Distinction with Rosalind Russell and Ray Milland. There was a cameo with Lucille Ball in the beginning and it was so funny. She was only on screen five minutes and still cracked me up. The entire movie was full of hilarious moments and the ending wasn’t as bad and cliché as I thought it was going to be.

The movie was about the female dean of a college who has sworn off love, instead choosing her career. When a lecturer from Great Britain comes to the states to present some lectures, the public relations woman promoting his lectures decides she needs an angle to drum up some interest and makes up a story that he has come to the states looking for the dean. Craziness ensued after that and I realized that there are a lot of movies from the 1940s and 1950s that really hold up today.

I also started a movie called Merrily We Live and that one also cracked me up within the first ten minutes. I can’t wait to finish it later today.

I’ve been watching these old movies for free via our Roku and the Tubi app.

What I’m Writing

Gladwynn Grant Shakes the Family Tree is what I’ve been writing. I hope to finish it by the end of September. I’ll be announcing a release date later on my newsletter Substack, which is where I share most of my writing news (https://lisarhoweler.substack.com/)

Last week on the blog I shared:

What I’m Listening To

I have been alternating between reading An Assassination on the Agenda and listening to it while I do dishes or other chores during the week because I really like the narrator.

Now it’s your turn

Now it’s your turn. What have you been doing, watching, reading, listening to or writing? Let me know in the comments or leave a blog post link if you also write a weekly update like this.

A book list for me to choose from this autumn

On September 13, 2024 By Lisa R. HowelerIn books and reading, everyday musings6 Comments

I decided not to call this list my planned autumn read since that seems to “frustrate” some readers who think I actually organize my reading list based on a strict list that I follow to a t. Trust me, I am not that organized.

I don’t actually go only by the list of books I hope to read in each season, reading them in the order I write them on my list. Instead I look at the list as a reminder to me of the books I have been wanting to read. Many times those books get pushed aside for other books because I am mainly a mood reader. I read what I feel like I want to read in a moment, which is why I have a few books going at a time sometimes.

If you don’t believe me just read the post I wrote about my planned summer reads and then what I actually wrote.

Anyhow, here is the list of books I’ll be choosing from for September, October and November – with new ones being thrown in from time to time, I’m sure.

An Assassination on the Agenda by T.E. Kinsey (currently reading)

I am currently reading this one and I won’t like – it is going a bit slow for me right now. I still am reading it because I love all the hilarious banter between Flo and Lady Hardcastle.

Description:

They’re hoping this visit is a return journey—but it might be a one-way ticket to murder.

Ever Faithful by Karen Barnett

I keep saying I am going to read this one but I need to get a copy of the book first. My library doesn’t have it because my library rarely has anything I want to read. Libby doesn’t have it – through my library at least (read above statement about my local library) and if Hoopla does have it, I’m not going to get it because I don’t want to read it on my screen and Hoopla doesn’t offer an option to send things to the Kindle. Still. Argh! Anyhow, I hope to order a copy of it next week (budgets just stink sometimes.).

Description:

A Simple Deduction by Kristi Holl

I have started this one already and can tell it’s going to be a bit of a cheesy, but fun cozy mystery and that’s what I love to read – especially in autumn.

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The Secret of Red Gate Farm by Carolyn Keene

Yep, another original Nancy Drew. These are fun to read, even if they are dated.

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The Cat Who Brought Down the House by Lilian Jackson Braun

I’ve read almost all the books in this series but when I saw this on my shelf a couple of weeks ago I knew I needed to add it to my list because I am certain I’ve never read it. I am not even sure where I picked this copy up but it was probably one of the local library book sales.

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Catch Me If You Candy by Ellie Alexander

This one is a fall-themed cozy mystery that I have decided to read because I’ve read another book in this series and liked it okay. I didn’t love it but it was a good escape read.

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A Fatal Footnote by Margaret Loudon

Description:

Writer-in-residence Penelope Parish will need to use every trick in her quaint British bookshop to unravel a murderous plot that threatens to ruin a ducal wedding.

The wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Upper Chumley-on Stoke has all the makings of a fairy tale, complete with a glowing bride and horse-drawn carriage. But it wouldn’t be much of a story without a villain, and as American Gothic novelist Penelope Parish is coming to learn, happy-ever-afters are as fraught in this charming British town as they are in her books.

When the Duke’s former girlfriend is found murdered at the reception it’s up to Penelope and her newfound family at the Open Book bookshop to catch the killer before they strike again.

Getaway With Murder by Diane Kelly

A friend read this and I decided I’d try it too. I currently have it downloaded in my Audible so I might listen to it.

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A Christmas Gathering by Shelley Shepard Gray; Rachel J. Good; Lenora Worth

I feel like I will read this in November – as I start getting ready for cozy winter reading. And I’ll probably take breaks between the stories.

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A CHRISTMAS REUNION by Shelley Shepard Gray
Tricia Troyer is thrilled when Brandt Massey, her cousin’s English friend, joins the Troyers’ holiday gathering for the second year in a row. The sparks between them are clear to everyone. When Brandt asks Tricia to be his girlfriend, they both know she’ll have important choices to make about her future. But the two aren’t as different as some believe—and with open hearts and understanding, their very own Christmas miracle just might be
possible . . .

WE GATHER TOGETHER by Lenora Worth
When Lucas Myer meets Kayla Hollinger on the shores of Lake Erie, he’s smitten. Their families are even staying at the same inn, for different gatherings. The two plan to meet again—but soon enough they discover a problem: their relatives are locked in a longtime feud and forbid them to socialize. Fortunately, Lucas and Kayla are old enough to make their own decisions—and they decide to create a Christmas miracle of forgiveness and love . . .

HITTING ALL THE RIGHT NOTES by Rachel J. Good
Years ago, Andrew was banished by his Amish family when he chose a career in music. It still hurts, especially during the holidays. And now, just before Christmas, he and his band find themselves stranded after their manager absconds with their money. Desperate, Andrew is offered a job teaching piano—but that’s just the first miracle. His work will not only bless others in need, but a longtime fan might just capture his heart—and even lead him home . .

Little Men by Louisa Mae Alcott

I will probably read this one closer to the end of November and carry it on into Winter like I did with Little Women last year.

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I’m sure I’ll end up removing or adding books as the months go on. Have you read any of these?

Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot: Come Link Up With Us!

On September 12, 2024September 12, 2024 By Lisa R. HowelerIn everyday musings4 Comments

This is a blog link-up where we not only allow you to share your past posts but we encourage it. So share away!

Here is our most clicked post for the week:

|| Decorating With Wooden Boxes by Thrifting Wonderland ||

And my highlights this week:

|| Up Close and Personal with Sloths by Life is Better Lakeside ||

|| The UK In Pictures in August by Is This Mutton ||

|| Why Tell Stories? By A New Lens ||

I’m so glad you are here and taking part in our weekly link-up of family-friendly, fun, educational, interesting, crafty, fashionable, and whatever else posts. I hope you’ll tell your followers about our post (feel free to copy and paste the graphic) and visit the blogs in the link-up.

We are always looking for additional hosts so let us know if you want to help out and we are also looking for more links from fashion bloggers so let your fashion bloggers know!

Also, please take the time to visit the other blogs on the link-up and meet some new bloggers!

Comfy Cozy Cinema: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

On September 12, 2024September 12, 2024 By Lisa R. HowelerIn Comfy Cozy Cinema 2024, Movie Impresssions9 Comments

Erin from Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs, and I are continuing our Comfy Cozy Cinema this week with our impressions of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a movie based on the book These Foolish Things by Deborah Moggach. It was released in 2011 and directed by John Madden and includes an all star line up.

“We have a saying in India – ‘Everything will be alright in the end so if it is not alright, it is not the end’,”

Sonny Kapoor in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

We are watching movies each week and then writing about them on Thursdays on our blogs from September to the end of October. If you want to join in with us, we will have link ups at the end of the posts each week that will be open several days after the posts are published. In other words, you don’t have to post your impressions on the day we do.

To summarize a bit first, this movie is about a couple and five other people who all see an ad online about a hotel in India where they can move to for a different experience and to save money. The ad boasts that the hotel is exotic and beautiful and recently remodeled.

Sadly, once the residents arrive, they find out the ad was very misleading. Less sadly, the manager is a wonderful young man who means well.

Sonny (Dev Patel) is trying to run the hotel and build it up so he can stand on his own, without the support of his rich mother and brothers who think he’s a screw up like their father apparently was.

Sonny is also dating a young woman (Tina Desai) but wants to have something to show that he is successful before he proposes to her. He is also afraid to tell her he loves her because he feels like he doesn’t have to say it. He has to show it.

I watched this movie several years ago and enjoyed watching it again – this time with a different set of eyes, so to speak.

Confession time – I love Judi Dench in pretty much anything I see her in, honestly. I did not plan on suggesting two movies with her and Maggie Smith together but, well, that’s happened because I love the two together. I actually forgot Maggie was in this one when I picked it, but I love that she was. I wish they had had more time together on screen since they are best friends in real life (hello Tea With The Dames.)

Each character in this movie is facing their own challenge.

We have Judi’s character, Evelyn, who is dealing with the aftermath of the death of her husband who she realizes did everything for her over the years and has left her with nothing and nowhere to go.

There is Jean (Penelope Wilton) and Doug Ainslie (Bill Nighy) who have come to the harsh realization that all the money they thought they had to use in their retirement is gone. They are now being forced to buy a smaller home and travel less, but they hope moving to the hotel will give them the opportunity to do something new and exciting and experience life fresh again. Jean is hoping for more prestige and riches, if we’re honest, and she’s in for a rude awakening.

Celia Imrie is a woman who moves from man to man but feels like because she is getting older that ship has sailed so she decides to head to India to see if she can hook one more rich man.

Norm (Ronald Pickup….that’s his real name) wants to – ahem – sow his seeds, so to speak, one or several more times with a pretty woman and looks at the trip to India as a chance to do that.

Graham (Tom Wilkinson) is a judge who has burnt out and returns to India to look up an old lover – a man whose life he’s sure he ruined when they had an affair when they were younger. That affair went against the Indian man’s faith and he is certain it ruined the man’s life over the next 40 years. He wants to find him to tell him he still loves him but also apologize.

Muriel (Maggie Smith) needs hip surgery but will have to wait a long time if she stays in England so a doctor offers her the opportunity to travel to India to have the surgery done quicker. One big problem? She’s a raging racist/bigot. Eek. Of course there is more to her story and we never do exactly understand why she is racist but we do see some redemption.

I believe it is absolutely possible to fall in love with every single character in this film with exception to one but even in that case I could actually understand her.

Jean is a difficult character. She’s nasty, stuck up, and selfish. It might be an unpopular opinion but I feel that she’s also scared. She is absolutely terrified of what her life is going to be like now that she’s older. She thought life would turn out differently than it has and now she is lost and she is frightened and though that isn’t an excuse of how she acts, it is probably why she is so snotty and negative.

She not only makes her husband’s life miserable but ruins the experiences of everyone around her. She sucks the fun out of everything and toward the end of the movie it is clear that she is desperately trying to hang on to the control she has had her entire life, partially thanks to her weak husband. Doug is sweet and excited to experience India, don’t get me wrong, but he should have stood up to his wife long ago.

According to information online, “most of the filming took place in the Indian state of Rajasthan, including the cities of Jaipur and Udaipur. Ravla Khempur, an equestrian hotel which was originally the palace of a tribal chieftain in the village of Khempur, was chosen as the site for the film hotel.”

I always like sharing some trivia about the movies I watch so here are a few from this one:

Tom Wilkinson, who plays Graham, is actually married to Diana Hardcastle, who is the woman Norman hits on in the movie.
The hotel is actually the Ravla Khempur; a hotel with stables that is located in Khempur in the state of Rajasthan. Built in 1620, it served for centuries as the residence of a series of village chieftains, eventually being converted into a hotel. Due to the success of this film, the place was renamed The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
Jean Ainslie (Dame Penelope Wilton) reads “Tulip Fever” by Deborah Moggach, on whose novel, “These Foolish Things”, this movie was based. Tulip Fever (2017) was filmed a few years later.
The cast includes two Oscar winners: Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith; and three Oscar nominees: Tom Wilkinson and Dev Patel and Bill Nighy.
Bill Nighy and Hugh Dickson previously worked together in the BBC Radio drama The Lord of the Rings, as Sam and Elrond, respectively. The roles of Bilbo and Aragorn were played by Ian Holm and Robert Stephens, who were formerly married to Penelope Wilton and Maggie Smith.

(trivia sources Imbd.com.)

This is a movie that drew me in from the beginning. I truly wanted to know what happened to each character. I laughed and cried – you know – all the cliché things but I think I understood the movie even more now that I am also getting older.

There is a lot of fear and uncertainty for these “pensioners” as they are called in the UK. They are over the age of 60 and in some cases they’ve never even really experienced life. They have a lot to teach and a lot to learn and we learn right along with them.

My favorite characters are Evelyn and Sonny. We see changes in all of the characters but these two truly transform and connect throughout the movie.