Author Archives: Cait

Let’s Talk Books: What Are You Reading Right Now?

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Hey bookworms!

Let’s be real there’s nothing like getting lost in a good story. Books have this magical way of pulling us out of our daily grind and into somewhere else entirely. It doesn’t matter if its a meet-cute romance, a cozy mystery or an epic fantasy we can all get lost in the wonder of a great story.

So here’s a question for you: What’s the book you can’t stop thinking about right now?

I’ve been reading the Cambridge Bookshop Series by Elizabeth Penney and it’s completely taken over my brain. You know that feeling when you keep checking how many pages are left—not because you want it to end, but because you don’t want it to be over too soon? Yep. That’s me right now. If you are looking for a great cozy mystery series, I would fall into this one.

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Confessions of a Cozy Mystery Reader

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Hello. My name is Cait, and I am a cozy mystery addict. I came for the cupcakes and stayed for the murder.

It started innocently enough—just one book with a cat on the cover, a quaint small town, and a suspicious death involving a pie contest. I thought, “This will be cute.”  I was hooked.

Confession #1: I Judge Books by Their Covers… Especially If There’s a Teacup or Cat

I don’t even read the blurb if the cover features a black cat, a steaming mug, or a woman in a vintage apron holding a magnifying glass. It’s going straight into my TBR. Bonus points if there’s a pun in the title. (Killing me Souffle. Death by Darjeeling. Gimme.)

Confession #2: I Think I Could Solve a Murder, Actually

After reading enough cozy mysteries, I’m 95% sure I could identify a murderer with nothing but a suspicious scone recipe and a town council meeting transcript. The clues are always there. You just have to read between the baked goods.

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Beyond the Manuscript: The Essential Role of Beta Readers

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Welcome to the world of beta reading, where manuscripts come alive with the help of dedicated individuals like me. As a beta reader, I take pride in my role of assisting authors in refining their work before it reaches the hands of readers. In this blog post, I’ll take you behind the scenes and share what I do as a beta reader and how it contributes to the success of authors and their stories.

  • Immersion in the Manuscript: My journey as a beta reader begins with immersing myself fully in the manuscript. I read attentively, allowing the story to unfold before me, absorbing its nuances, characters, and themes. This initial immersion helps me grasp the essence of the narrative and prepares me for the insightful feedback to come.
  • Critical Analysis and Feedback: Armed with a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, I embark on a journey of critical analysis. I delve into the plot, characters, pacing, dialogue, and every other aspect of the manuscript, meticulously evaluating its strengths and areas for improvement. With honesty and clarity, I provide constructive feedback that aims to elevate the manuscript to its fullest potential.
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What is a DNF?

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Are you a reader?  I am!  I really dislike not finishing a book, but sometimes you just need to put a book down and admit defeat!  I will admit, I get swayed by what is popular and trendy when it comes to choosing books.  I would say my taste is fairly eclectic when it comes to the books I choose to read.   

I find most people stick to a favorite genre, such as romance, fantasy or mystery, or a subgenre of the same.  Not me!  I love cozy mystery, romance, historical romance, historical fantasy mystery,  romantasy or a really great psychological thriller.   

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Home Office Makeover Part 2

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So its been a minute since I updated on my home office makeover. Since my first post, Mr. Crafty and I decided to move around some rooms in our house. What was my office is now our den (man cave) and what was our bedroom is now my office (actually it was my office for many years). So that leaves what was the den is now our bedroom. 

So its taken a bit to get back to working on my home office. Now that the bedroom and den are done, its time to work on the home office. Currently it looks like a total disaster, but I’ve added some furniture, that should help with organization. I wont be doing much more than organization, as we are going renovating the house next year. 

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Review: Peach Cobbler Murder by Joanne

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Title: Peach Cobbler Murder
Author: Joanne Fluke
Genre: Mystery: 
Publication Date: January 2005
Format: ebook
Pages: 360
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

With The Cookie Jar, Hannah Swensen has a mouthwatering monopoly on the bakery business of Lake Eden, Minnesota. But when a rival store opens, tensions begin to bubble. . .

As she sits in her nearly empty store on Groundhog Day, Hannah can only hope that spring is just around the corner–and that the popularity of the new Magnolia Blossom Bakery is just a passing fad. The southern hospitality of Lake Eden’s two Georgia transplants, Shawna Lee and Vanessa Quinn, is grating on Hannah’s nerves—and cutting into her profits.

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Home Office Makeover!

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So something we have been slowly working on is making over my home office! For a number of years I worked from home in a different space. When I went back to work outside the home, we turned that space into a den (aka the man cave).

I moved all of my furniture and craft items into a larger room, but I wasn’t in their all the time, so it became a dumping ground for all of the things we didn’t have space for in other spots in our home (we live in a 1920’s Craftsman Bungalow, with next to no storage)

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Review: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

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Title: Fourth Wing
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Genre: Fantasy 
Publication Date: May 2023
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 528
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ABOUT THE BOOK

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

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Review: Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater

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Title: Half a Soul
Author: Olivia Atwater
Genre: Fantasy (Romantasy)
Publication Date: June 2022
Format: Paperback
Pages: 304
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

ABOUT THE BOOK

It’s difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you’re a young lady with only half a soul.

Ever since she was cursed by a faerie, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear or embarrassment – a condition which makes her prone to accidental scandal. Dora hopes to be a quiet, sensible wallflower during the London Season – but when the strange, handsome and utterly uncouth Lord Sorcier discovers her condition, she is instead drawn into dangerous and peculiar faerie affairs.

If Dora’s reputation can survive both her curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all of high society, then she may yet reclaim her normal place in the world. . . but the longer Dora spends with Elias Wilder, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love, even with only half a soul. (Synopsis from Goodreads.)

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Office Renovation

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We are going to start renovating our home sometime next year, so of course I have started thinking about how I want office to look. I have already decided that the walls will be light gray and the bulk of the furniture will be white. Right now the walls are a turquoise color and there are there are five window and a glass pane door. Check our he photos below for more information

As of right now we are planning on takin out some of the windows and centering the door and adding to smaller windows on either side. There is also a wall that we closed in that will be fixed (molding taken out) and a pocket door added into our laundry/storage room.

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