March of Crimes - Book Review

March of Crimes by Jess Lourey

Publication: September 8, 2017

Pages: 247 pages

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ☆☆☆☆

Sweet Spark: I can never get enough of Mira James and Mrs. Berns! What a plot twist in this one!

Poor Mira James! Since moving to the tiny Minnesota town of Battle Lake, she's somehow been faced with a dead body & murder every month! It seem statistically impossible, but there it is - and it is never her fault!

This time, as she tries to escape social confrontation in the local diner, she knocks what looks like a life-sized doll to the floor from a bar stool. It starts her next conflict with the chief of police, and another case that she's forbidden to work on (but of course, keeps having herself forced into).

Of course, killers never want to be caught, so Mira is soon following the trails to not only seek justice, but protect her ever-growing circle of friends and chosen family from being hurt out of retaliation for knowing her.

This was another entertaining read, earning 4 out of 5 stars. While the 'Murder by Month Mystery' series are a natural, chronological progression, they have each read quite acceptably as stand-alone stories as well. They'd be recommended for those who like small town cheezy mysteries, and quirky female characters.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my free electronic copy of this book. Receiving the book for free did not influence my opinions or review. 

Sunday Post/Sunday Salon - November 2, 2025: Living the Dream

Yes, I am one of the people ready to start the Christmas music on November 1. Even though I'm currently wearing my Freddy Krueger PJs (congrats to Robert Englund, the famous actor who played Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street, on his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, awarded on Halloween). I've resisted so far and will follow the lead of the radio station in Detroit who switches to Christmas music only in their programming once Mariah Carey completes her thaw.

If you're visiting from the midwest U.S., hope you've remembered to switch your clocks back an hour for Daylight Saving Time (fall back, spring forward). We lose an hour now, to gain the glorious hour back in the spring. It's only really cool in November if you're at the bar, and a cool bartender puts off closing at that last minute by an hour, since the switch is 2am, when bars would be closing where I've always been in Michigan.

I'm back for my semi-regular check in and visiting the other delightful bloggers who spend their Sunday with Deb (it's her birthday!) at Readerbuzz for Sunday Salon and Kimberly at Caffeinated Reviewer for Sunday Post.

What I'm reading this week:

Luckily my next two print books were just picked up by me from the post office on Friday, because I'm still finishing up The Ones We Burn (and really enjoying it) by Rebecca Mix. Please read it for yourself. I bought it back when it came out, but set it aside after social media controversy. I re-read some of the reviews just now, and I am really, sincerely, not picking up on their accusations of a racist/anti-semitic storyline. At all. On my kindle, I'm on to One Killer Night by Trilina Pucci. Unfortunately, while I am really loving the characters, the smut is a lil heavy for my tastes. But it is well written, IMHO.

Three Good Things:

1. I started planning a girls' weekend with my bestie from Jersey for the spring. We're gonna stay in the college-town where my daughter lives, to see the spring theatre show she's in (9 to 5), and then just chill and do best friend things. Hoping the winter is mild enough, or done enough by then, for me to truly enjoy.
   
   
   
2. I started my Sanderson Sisters' LEGO house!! I gave up on doing it in my home office, since by sitting at my regular LEGO table, I can see the tv set to play the movie at the same time.
3. This weekend is feeling nice and long. I left early on Friday to be ready for our son and all of his friends to use our house as their base for trick or treating. So that already felt like a work day and another day. Then yesterday, I headed out first thing for a bunch of groceries we needed and a dinner plan (steak and baked potatoes), then chilled and did a bag of my LEGO build, then our son had some Hot Cash to spend at Hot Topic, so we hit the mall, then had our delicious dinner and hubs and I watched Suicide Squad (on the recommendation of a co-worker who said to watch this, then Peacemaker). And now I still have a weekend day left - with biscuit and gravy breakfast, and Home Chef chili for dinner while our son has a birthday party at a friend's.

Three Good Things:

1. Things are okay. Weird thing to count as 'good,' but my anxiety constantly tells me how BAD things are. Honestly? Personally? Life is tolerable, and my kids seem to be pretty happy. We're all reasonably healthy. It isn't a bad life.
2. I've got more time off this week - wheee!!! On Thursday, I'm using two hours of company paid time that each person on our team got for a record production month in August. To be used, must have manager approval and be on a Tues - Thurs. I'm purposely using it Thursday afternoon since I have Friday off to present at our middle school's career fair. It's for the sixth graders this year, and focusing on ELA (English) skills. I do get 8 hours/year of paid volunteer hours, but I've already used those, so this is the last of my flex time hours (8 hours/quarter) and four hours of PTO. It works. I'm friends with the women running it - the English teacher who is also the theatre director, and the librarian, who I've been in a book club with since pre-COVID. Also, Friday off - woo-hoo!!
3. I was able to find two of something that my kids wanted for advent calendars. Which doesn't even touch how excited I am for the advent calendar plan I have for the whole family. So, yeah, sorry for the vague-booking. Will post when I don't risk having the kids find out. Not even a month! We're kicking off the family advent calendar when daughter is home for Thanksgiving, as hubs and the kids would LOVE to go on a ski trip during the week leading up to Christmas. So, trying  to have it done a bit early since I may be home alone that last week. Which gives me plenty of wrapping time, so, win?

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. Get caught up on book reviews! I have one for BooksIThinkYouShouldRead (A Cold Trail), and need  to write about March of Crime for my blog.
2. More Yelp! reviews!
3. I do want to do some version of a holiday wish list. I thought I used to start on November 1, but that ship has sailed. Maybe Nov 15 - 30? We'll see. 

Sunday Salon/Sunday Post - October 19, 2025: Merry Holidays!

Good morning! While October is a lot about Halloween (I love all the spooky, creepy stuff!), today my family is celebrating Thanksgiving. And Christmas. My parents are what we in Michigan call 'snowbirds' - they head south for winter. Since they do it in a class A RV, they prefer to leave before November. Last year, with their grandkids' activities, they didn't make it out til a week or two into November, but this year, they'll likely leave some time next week. So, yesterday was spent buying gifts for my three nieces and one of my nephews, and my parents. We'll be meeting up at my brother's house, and have a turkey dinner. I'm bringing broccoli slaw, green bean casserole, rolls, and a chocolate and a pumpkin pie. So once I get this post up and visit a few blogs, I'll be offline to make breakfast for my family (biscuits and gravy), head to the store for one more pie plate, then finish baking the rolls (our son saved the day by remembering to set them up to rise overnight), making the chocolate dream pie filling (crust done last night), make the pumpkin pie, and make the green bean casserole (my first time trying it with canned green beans, since they were out of frozen yesterday..).

But first, I'm joining in with Deb at Readerbuzz for Sunday Salon, and Kimberly at Caffeinated Reviewer for Sunday Post. You should join us!

What I'm reading this week:

I'm currently reading March of Crime by Jess Lourey on my kindle (Mira James and Mrs. Berns are definitely one of my favorite detective duos, and all of the murder by month books are so entertaining!). My current print book is The Ones We Burn by Rebecca Mix. My son is actually reading this now too, since his English classroom has a copy, and the author graduated from the same high school my kids did/will. I need to stay on task, because I'm expecting two more print books waiting for reviews...

Three Good Things:

1. Through all our running around yesterday, my son and I got to drive by our town's No Kings rally, and it was great to see so much of our community coming together. Unfortunately, comments from a friend who attended said that the one here was much meaner than ones she's attended in neighboring communities. There were middle-finger salutes, trucks doing burnouts, and at least one diesel truck that attempted to bury all the protestors in a diesel cloud. Ew. Our community is notoriously conservative, which makes it hard to hang out some places with the rudeness, but it made my heart happy to see all the turn out, and see lots of posts afterward of rallies all over the world. 
2. The holidays of course! I'm excited to see the kids open what I got them. Life's been a bit much lately, but I was able to pick out a book and a LEGO set for each kid, and a book for each of my parents along with a jigsaw puzzle. Hope they all like them!
3. I finished the LEGO Haunted House this weekend! I think I'll put it up with my home decorations this week, and bring it in to work to cheer me up during Halloween week. Between builds now, sort of, til I make room for a table in my home office to start the Sanderson Sisters' house. 

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. Well, you already saw today's list - the food I'm bringing and presents wrapped for this afternoon!
2. I've got my 2026 paper planner already, and I want to get birthdays and such written in there. Oh, and the stuff for the rest of the school year that I already know - band concerns and trips for his 8th grade year.
3. I want to start another holiday wish list posting series. For a few years, I would put up 12 days of Christmas with my own holiday wish list, just for fun, obvs. Last year found me just too overwhelmed, so I skipped it. But it was fun before, so I want to try to do it again.

 

The Other March Sisters - Book Review

The Other March Sisters by Linda Epstein, Ally Malinenko, & Liz Parker
Publication: February 25, 2025
Pages: 368 pages
Rating: Four out of five stars ☆☆☆☆ 
Sweet Spark: Unlike its obvious predecessor, this doesn't read like literature, but I LOVED the other sisters' voices.

Meg, John, and the twins are in their home, walking distance from the home where the sisters grew up. She understands her purpose, but wonders if there might be more. She also ponders love, her marriage, and family relationships, especially the influence of her mother.

Amy is touring Europe with her cousin and aunt and uncle. While the trip looks like an innocent and mindless jaunt about to see the world and learn more about her art, is there more she needs to accomplish as well?

And dear Beth continues to remain at home with their mother and father. But is she always a dear, or is she ever allowed to grow into a woman like her sisters and experience life, even if she doesn't expect it to last as long as theirs?

Jo remains in New York as a governess and author. Since she already has filled a book with her thoughts and experiences, she is only a sidenote this time.

Overall, as stated initially, I loved this book. For me, it offered believable representation for evolving and realistic (at the time) lives for the sisters. No, I have not researched it, but it sounded like the authors did. I would recommend this as an extra view for those with open minds who enjoyed the original story of Little Women.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my free electronic copy of this book. Receiving it for free did not influence my opinions or review.

Dear Writer - Book Review

Dear Writer: Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life by Maggie Smith 
Publication: April 1, 2025
Pages: 272 pages
Rating: Five out of five stars ☆☆☆☆☆
Sweet Spark: While I usually just read the book while I'm reading the book, I stopped and did most of the recommended exercises while consuming Dear Writer.

While I plan to look into more of the author's books, I had only read You Could Make This Place Beautiful before seeing Dear Writer as a new (at that time) book. I feel an easy connection with the author's voice and descriptions in the book I previously enjoyed and Dear Writer.

Most of the advice and exercises were written to poets, but the tools and devices could be understood and applicable to lots of writing. Although I did not take the time to use them, the author also provided many examples of things she talked about and how they helped illustrate her points. These probably would have been more useful to me if I'd read the book in a print format so I could pull things up on my computer at the same time. I did sign up for a poem a day from the Poetry Foundation at one of the earlier recommendations and have been enjoying the poems sent to my email.

Overall, this was an inspirational guide to writing poetry and other expressions, and the book earned five out of five stars. I expect to refer back to see some of the author's suggestions, and I would recommend this book to those who enjoy writing and would appreciate additional perspective. 

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my electronic copy of this book. Receiving the book for free did not influence my review. 

Sunday Post/Sunday Salon - October 5, 2025: What a Day to Be Alive

Okay. The facts, just the facts. In 1991, on October 5, this date became forever linked with tragedy for me. But of course, I'm telling the story, so it isn't about me. I lost my best friend from high school, which also pretty much colored all my future relationships. Yes, I started out saying 'the facts' like I was going to tell the story, but I don't want to foist that level of reality on anyone at this early hour. So, I'm sad, a little bit, a lot of the time.

But today, in 2025, I once again turn it around for the fun stuff we have planned. I'm blogging early this morning before we prepare the house for our son's family birthday party. We had a party with his friends at the local trampoline park, and a fun time was had by all for most of the party.  One of his friends hurt (I believe we heard later it was broken?) her ankle while they were all jumping, so that was a huge bummer,  but led to one of those great conversations about events that can end bad-ish, but still be counted as good overall. Hopefully she's doing all right, and the other friend who was on the trampoline with her at the time if also feeling better (she called for a ride home convinced it was her fault, and was crying and feeling so bad!).

Anyway. Just had to restart the computer when it completely locked up, but I'm back and joining in with Caffeinated Reviewer for Sunday Post, and Readerbuzz for Sunday Salon. 

What I'm reading this week:

Today. Today I'm going to write my ode, and read the last 10% of Dear Writer. I'm also currently reading A Cold Trail in print, and about halfway through The Other March Sisters by Linda Epstein, Ally Malinenko, and Liz Parker.

Three Good Things:

1. Our son has a fun, good group of friends. Middle school can be hard, and he's in his last year of it (8th grade, here). I love seeing him grow into a happy and respectful young man, and it's easier with the support of good friends.
2. Our daughter's girlfriend is visiting her at college this weekend. It's great seeing them having such a good time. Next weekend is family weekend, so of course I'm also excited to go visit her next weekend!
3. Hubby's recovery seems to be progressing. He still says it hurts all the time and tells friends he's pretty much non-mobile and stuck in bed, but I see him doing his self care by himself and gradually getting around more and more.

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. I did not actually finish the jigsaw puzzle. And it sort of devastated me. I got one of those felt puzzle mats, but couldn't really get what was done onto it very well. So I've probably undone several hours of work and rolled it up the best I could, and put the rest of the pieces in sandwich bags. Sad. But also, bitter. So, after we use that table for company today, I'll be changing gears to build the LEGO Haunted House.
2. 
   Again, the home office is still looking much better. Hoping to get the table in here to start on the Sanderson Sisters' House from Hocus Pocus. Yay!!
3. Third goal. Preferably not LEGO related. LOL Three days of work to get through this week, then probably OT the next two weeks. So I'll just keep doing my best. 
   
   
   
   

Sunday Salon/Sunday Post - September 28, 2025: Happy Birthday Jack!

Our boy is turning 14! And he is ready! His actual birthday is Wednesday, October 1. He already plans to ride his bike to the Kroger up the street and get a job application tomorrow, as they told him they hire 14-year-olds when he rode his bike there last month to ask. Dude has plans. 

Today I'm linking up with Sunday Salon and Sunday Post to recap my week including my reading, good things, and goals for the coming day/week/etc. You should check out some other posters, too!

What I'm reading this week:

I'm still reading Dear Writer by Maggie Smith (seriously at like 90% all week, but need to write a poem and in an ick headspace most of the week) and We Are the Match by Mary E. Roach (really enjoying this one - may finish today) on my kindle, and started A Cold Trail by Robert Dugoni in a print book (super good, and didn't even realize it's #7 in a series!). 

Three Good Things:

1. I think I found a neighbor to deliver McDonalds lunch to the birthday boy at school! Wednesday birthday isn't ideal, and he was bummed that we'll just go out to dinner that night. I had two days off for hubs' surgery last week, and need more days off for his recovery appointments, since he can't drive yet. So I posted on the neighborhood Facebook group for someone to have $20 delivered by me today so they can bring him the lunch he'd enjoy more to the school office at the right time on Wednesday. And someone said probably in the wee hours this morning. So, victory!
2. We're having family LEGO day today! Hubs can usually sit for a bit okay, so I got him a Ferrari to build, our son picked a cool Spiderman set, and I'm going to build my Halloween wreath so I can take it to my work desk tomorrow for Halloween decor :)
3. I finally sent our daughter a care package last week, and she loved it! I sent her a funny sign for her bathroom that says, "Please Don't Do Coke in the Bathroom," a pin that says, "Don't forget to water your flesh prison," a mini shark because she's 'jawsome,' some of her favorite fruit strips, some caramel dip for the apples she gets at the farmers' market, and a bag of her favorite caramel apple suckers that are mostly available around Halloween time.

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. Funny how I keep going back and forth on the jobs thing. I've gotten rejections for lots of jobs I'd be easily qualified for, and I'm completely discouraged. I really don't think I'll get hired for anything else, and will just be stuck here for as long as I continue working. My new goal is to try and match my level of caring to the other team members and managers. The effort for my best work and a quality product is just not appreciated, or at this point, required. There are no rewards for a job well done, and more importantly, no consequences for half-assed pushing stuff out. So, I need to try and adjust my level of effort to be just enough to stay employed, instead of stressing myself out. I miss doing work I could be proud of, instead of leaving each day disappointed in myself and what I've done.
2. The office is getting soclose to having room for a table to start my big LEGO set!!
3. The jigsaw puzzle..okay, not getting much closer...but I am determined! Hubs sat down at the puzzle yesterday and was like, okay, how are we doing this? And I had to tell him you take either a blue piece or a white piece and work your way all the way around testing it in every possible spot. Super fun - or not... LOL

Sunday Post/Sunday Salon - September 21, 2025: Happy New Year?

Yes. I said it. The fall - especially with school-aged children - feels more like new years than when the actual year changes. We're not even a month into the school year yet, but juggling all the new school year things - laptop insurance, auditions, events, lunch accounts, and right around the corner are curriculum nights and conferences. How people with several kids handle it is a complete mystery to me. And while I'm used to hubs traveling a lot for work and such and doing it mostly alone, this week I need to take hubs in and pick him up for back surgery. I know, it's not about me. 

Welcome to the weekend! So happy to have had a complete-ish weekend (didn't work yesterday) since they were cleaning the carpets in our office yesterday. We puttered around and got most of a care package together for our daughter during the day. I should have taken pictures! I got her a cute decorative sign for their shared college bathroom that says, "Please Don't Do Coke in the Bathroom." Yes, my sense of humor is an acquired taste. LOL Also included some snacks and such that she likes and a few other knick-knacks and pins. Joining up with Sunday Post and Sunday Salon today - you should too!

What I'm reading this week:

Finally finished up two of the books I was on two weeks ago. The review for I Killed the King is up, and I'll be writing the review for Kingston and the Magician's Lost and Found for Books I Think You Should Read while I read other blogs and review stuff on Yelp later today. 

Now I'm finishing up reading Dear Writer by Maggie Smith (it's taking me long in a good way, as I actually do the writing exercises too!), and I've stared We Are the Match by Mary E. Roach (really liking this one so far! Lots of passion and violence, love the characters' internal dialogue, and well written, IMO).

Three Good Things:

1. Both my kids got great parts after auditioning last weekend! My daughter's college puts on LOTS of shows, and she auditioned for four last weekend. She got a named part (and ensemble) in one musical they're doing this spring, and a small part and supporting stuff, as well as two swing roles, in a holiday show! My son got the biggest part in his middle school's musical that starts production tomorrow! So proud of them and their had work, and happy that they love something that they also are talented at.
2. 
   
   New LEGO! I'm made a bit of progress on the jigsaw puzzle, but hoping to do the 3 in 1 Haunted Mansion on that table, and finish cleaning up my office so I can start on the Sanderson Sister's House soon. I also ordered the Halloween Wreath, which was on backorder and just shipped, and when I get paid this weekend, I'll probably order the Home Alone House for the whole family (to use as an advent calendar, since it has 24 bags!).
3. Since our son's 14th birthday is October 1, I'm so glad we've settled on plans for his friend birthday party (local trampoline park), and a family party (pizza and wings at home). It feels like this could be a last planned friend party, but I'm so glad to do it since he's got such a great group of friends this year. Kids and friends has got to be one of the biggest stressors of parenting life. 

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. Keep applying for jobs. I sort of wish I'd started tracking better a couple years ago when/where I'd been applying. I've adjusted my expectations way down and am now willing to take a pay cut, as my sanity is worth it. But this week I even got rejected for a teller job in town. I was a teller for probably more than a decade, but if I say that, then I sound too old to hire for anything. Luckily, I've got the two days off this week for hubs' surgery, then a half day off the next week for son's birthday party, and then a day off the next week to visit daughter at college. But then the holidays are when our team will probably crash and burn in regards to deadlines, and I'm out of time off while my family takes a nice vacation together. Well, then turned dark fast.
2. Finish the jigsaw puzzle! LOL
3. Finish the office and start more LEGO!!!