Love To Read? Book Reviews with Amber at The Mewton-Clawson Library #223 featuring **Merlin The Magical Fluff ** by Molly Fitz PLUS Friendly Fill-Ins + Photo Fails Blog Hop

Hello gorgeous library guests 

and 

Welcome to the Mewton-Clawson Library at BBHQ 

Thank mew for joining me in the stacks today.

I do hope mew've all been having an ameowzing week, if mew saw Wednesday's post, mew'll know we had a nice Catmas, and I did get some new books to share with mew which was epic.

This was me on Wednesday enjoying some lounge time on the settee with the P.A., we had the fire going and it was really toasty as we watched Scrooged with Bill Murray.

I'm going to wish mew a fabulous Mew Year with oodles of blessings, and now let's dive into this week's post.

Today the P.A. is also joining in Friday Fill-ins Blog Hop with the pawesome 15 & Meowing and Four-Legged Furballs.

 1. _____________________ is my focus word for 2023.

2. 2022 was ____________________

3. _________ is the most important lesson I learned over the past year.

 4. I hope 2023 is the year that _________.

The P.A.'s answers are...

 1. Stillness is my focus word for 2023.

2. 2022 was interesting, although my apathy hasn't gone away yet, here's hoping that it will next year! LOL

3. Not stressing about getting things done, is the most important lesson I learned over the past year. 

 4. I hope 2023 is the year that finally brings some new books/adventures for The B Team. You know, I never used to experience lulls in my creativity, and it's hard sometimes to tap into the once overflowing pot of ideas at this point in my life.

Today, as it's the last Friyay of the month, we're also joining in the furrbulous...

So do drop by the marvellous Mudpie's blog at www.mochasmysteriesmeows.com to join in.

 Melvyn's Modelling Blooper, see his proper modelling picture here! 

Let's see what I've got to show mew this time!

This week's top book pick is...

Mewton-Clawson Library Copy

Merlin The Magical Fluff

by

Molly Fitz

       Here's a little snippet of the book blurb:      

My name is Gracie Springs, and I am not a witch… but I’m pretty sure my cat is.

I first started to get suspicious when he jumped just a little too high while chasing after a robin in our front yard. I knew for sure when he opened up his mouth and addressed me by name!

The first thing he told me? That he doesn’t like the name I gave him—even though “Fluffy” fits him like a warm sweater at Christmas. Now we’ve compromised on “Merlin the Magical Fluff,” which according to him references his long and proud lineage just fine.

After that small matter was settled, he informed me that I must uphold his secret or risk spending the rest of my life in some magical prison. I agreed, not knowing it would turn into a full-time job of covering his tracks and fibbing our way out of some pretty tight spots.

This novel was purrchased as part of a three-book box set on Audible. But I thought I'd split it up into three reviews.

This is a nice quick read/listen cozy cat mystery. Merlin is a magical kitty who is essentially a witch, with his owner Gracie as his human familiar, so it's quite a quirky tale in that respect. 

The story begins with a murder in which Gracie turns out to be the chief suspect, and it all unravels from there. The plot thickens as Gracie tries to clear her name and Merlin is on paw to direct the proceedings as we all know that it's the cat who is really in charge! MOL

The story is nicely paced with lots of stumbling blocks and dead ends for our main characters to traverse. And there is a bit of a shocker towards the end when we discover that one of the characters has duped everyone, and isn't who they say they are.

I've knocked one star off, as the narrator, I felt wasn't right for this role, look it wasn't bad, but it could have been a little better as far as the narration was concerned. That tiny issue aside it was an enjoyable story which I think if mew like your cozy's, mew'll like this.

And a quick spoiler for books two and three, the story really does develop well.

Audio: 3hours 26 mins

paperback: 236 pages

My Ratings Scale

Ratings of:

Merlin The Magical Fluff

Overall Enjoyment

Other Fun Blog Hops to Join in Today

          Brian's Home   Catblogosphere    Feline Friday   Nature Friday    Flashback Friday   Friendship Friday           

I really hope mew enjoy the book if mew decide to read it.

It's time for me to say BFN or bye-for-now as mew know the drill, so many books, so little time and I'll be back next week with another specially paw-picked book just for mew, and don't furget that all my previous reviews can be found on my Book Review page.

And if mew missed any posts this week, here are the catch up links:

Catmas Selfies

Boxing Day Special

Smooch Around The Wulrd

Midweek News Round-up

See mew in 2023!

Keep calm and read more books

Amber 

Follow me at angry_amber_badtemperedkitty

& @BionicBasil® on Instacat

Don't furget to subscribe and never miss another review! 

 graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com 

Love To Read? Book Reviews with Amber at The Mewton-Clawson Library #175 featuring **Dead and Breakfast: A Merry Ghost Inn Mystery** by Kate Kingsbury PLUS Friendly Fill-Ins

Hello gorgeous library guests 

and 

Welcome to the Mewton-Clawson Library at BBHQ 

Thank mew for joining me today, and this week at the Mewton-Clawson Library I've been pretty much unable to get to the stacks as the P.A. has been making our Halloween Crafting with Cats Project.

And when I tell mew, I really don't mind not having library access as this project is so fun and I can't wait for it to be finished, in the meantime, this is what I've been up to. Snuggling with my heat pad in the catservatory.

As mew can see, I haven't got a care in the world, and also while I was here I've been listening to this weeks book, so let's hop in and see what I've got for mew this week in the run-up to Meowoleen.

Today the P.A. is also joining in Friday Fill-ins Blog Hop with the pawesome 15 

& Meowing and Four-Legged Furballs.

1. My go-to place to purchase _________ is _________.

2. _________ immediately improves my mood.

3. I think _________ is really spooky.

4. I wish I had a magical potion for _________.

The P.A.'s answers are...

1. My go-to place to purchase oodles of stuff is Amazon.

2. My cats immediately improve my mood. My little mood-boosters! LOL

3. I think a dark, foggy night on a deserted country lane is really spooky. How do I know, I walk at night, on dark spooky lanes, which can sometimes be foggy! LOL

4. I wish I had a magical potion for getting rid of fluffing covid, forever.

Other Fun Blog Hops to Join in Today

         Catblogosphere        Feline Friday        Nature Friday        Flashback Friday     Friendship Friday       

                                                

Let's see what I've got to show mew this time!

This week's top book pick is...

Mewton-Clawson Library Copy

Dead and Breakfast 

A Merry Ghost Inn Mystery

by

 Kate Kingsbury

       Here's a little snippet of the book blurb:      

Melanie West is getting her life back on track after a messy divorce when her grandmother, Liza Harris, asks her to join her in opening a bed-and-breakfast inn. Together, Liza and Melanie purchase a purportedly haunted mansion on the Oregon coast and jump right into clearing out the cobwebs. But while attempting to remove wallpaper in an upstairs bedroom, the new B&B owners stumble upon a very real skeleton in their closet. The police suspect the skeleton is that of the wife of the previous owner of the B&B, but no one in town seems to want to say much about her.

As we're heading in Spooky season, this week I thought I share a terrific cozy mystery with mew. And although it hasn't got a cat in the story, there is a rather cute K9 instead, I bet mew didn't expect that this week! MOL

Anyhoo this is the first book in a series of three (so far), which is always a huge plus as mew know I like a good long series, the more the better. I also really like Tavia Gilbert as a narrator, so another plus.

The main characters are interesting, an English grandmother and her American granddaughter buy a haunted house together to open a B&B, but the discovery of a skeleton during their renovations puts a swift halt to the DIY.  

The plot rattles along at a fair pace, and even after listening for 2 & 1/2 hours, I still hadn't got a suspect, not like me at all, I'm usually supurr keen on that.

I really enjoyed all the twists and turns, the grandmother trying to set the granddaughter up with the local cop was quite funny in places. All in all, I did enjoy the story, lighthearted and good value, just like a cozy mystery should be. A purrfect Sunday afternoon read in front of the fire with a cup of hot chocolate.

I'm headed off to get book 2, and get snuggled in front of the woodburner. 

Audio: 7 hours 29 minutes

Narrator: Tavia Gilbert

My Ratings Scale

Ratings of:

Dead and Breakfast: A Merry Ghost Inn Mystery

Overall Enjoyment

Other Fun Blog Hops to Join in Today

         Catblogosphere        Feline Friday        Nature Friday        Flashback Friday     Friendship Friday       

I really hope mew enjoy the book as much as I did if mew decide to read it.

It's time fur me to say BFN or bye-for-now as mew know the drill, so many books, so little time and I'll be back next week with another specially paw-picked book just for mew, and don't furget that all my previous reviews can be found on my Book Review page.

Before I go, we're celebrating my 19th Birthday tomorrow, and Pandora and I are having a joint Halloween Pawty, so do come and join in the fun!

Until next time...

Keep calm and read more books

Amber 

Follow me at angry_amber_badtemperedkitty

& @BionicBasil® on Instacat

Don't furget to subscribe and never miss another review! 

 graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com 

Love To Read? Book Reviews with Amber at The Mewton-Clawson Library #160 featuring **Meowing for Murder ** by Sandra Baublitz PLUS Friendly Fill-Ins

Hello gorgeous library guests 

and 

Welcome to the Mewton-Clawson Library at BBHQ 

Thank mew for joining me in the stacks today, and oh my goodness, I can't believe it's Friday so soon. I barely put last weeks book back on the shelf, and I'm here writing this weeks post! MOL

Is it me, or does time appear to speed up the older mew get?  Because right now it's like I'm on a nitrous boost, anyhoo enough of my weird time paradoxical issues, let me tell mew what's been happening this week.

It was the last Pet Parade for us on Wednesday after 8 years, so we may be having a little shuffle about on the blog in the coming weeks as we decide where to put posts, and I may be moving back to the Wednesday slot. I have written a request to The BBHQ Blog Committee, and it will have to go to a vote next week, though I might be able to pull some strings to get my own way.

I really enjoyed the Wednesday gig for many years, and it'd be nice to try it again, although I wouldn't be part of the Friday Fill-ins anymore and I really enjoy that, so there's lots to think about. 

Today the P.A. is also joining in Friday Fill-ins Blog Hop with the pawesome 15 & Meowing and Four-Legged Furballs.

1. I have given up _________.

2. On St. Patrick's Day, I _________.

3. I get cranky when _________.

4. _________ is my good luck charm.

The P.A.'s answers are...

1. I have given up; in all honesty, I can't think of anything I've given up recently only the same as everyone else during the covid situation, so if we're talking about that, I've given up my freedom temporarily for the greater good. I go out once a week to work to do the necessities and then come home, I don't see anyone at work as I enter the building a different way, and I spend my time in my office and then leave. 

2. On St. Patrick's Day, I wear green and green is such a great colour anyway. In fact, my old school uniform was dark green, trimmed with the same dark green, emerald green and red grosgrain ribbon and funnily enough, yesterday I found my school straw boater hat and my winter felt bowler hat. Ahhhhh the good old days when life was so uncomplicated, and the worst thing to have to worry about was not doing your homework or chores.

3. I get cranky when exposed to idiotic/stupid/ignorant/self-serving individuals who believe they have a superior mindset and are never wrong when you know for certain they are. Although I'd never knowingly show I'm cranky on the surface, I'd smile sweetly, but I'm really screaming inside! LOL

4. A silver four-leaf clover is my good luck charm, and I have several lucky crystals too.

Let's see what I've got to show mew this time!

This week's top book pick is...

Mewton-Clawson Library Copy

Meowing for Murder 

A Clever Cat Detective Series Novel Book 1

by

Sandra Baublitz

       Here's a little snippet of the book blurb:      

“Murder!” he meowed.
Elderly amateur sleuth Lillian Hardcastle and her clever cat, Saber, are visiting Lillian’s sister to help her after an accident. It’s what sisters do.

Lillian knew they’d argue like they always did. But murder?

She’s shocked to find a dead neighbor in the middle of her sister’s living room. Why did the woman break-in? And who killed her?

I was delighted to stumble upon this fun new cozy mystery series, mew know how much I like them! MOL  Anyhoo, it was only published last year and is the authors furst feline adventure, and I'm hoping it's not the last either.

The author has written many K9 cozy mystery's so while we're waiting for book two, purrhaps I may try one of those in the meantime.

I really liked the list of characters at the beginning of the book, so mew know exactly who's who before the start.

As a furst book, this rattles along at a nice pace, with plenty of diversions and distractions as mew would expect in a classic cozy mystery story. The characters are interesting, and the kitty Sabre is indeed a clever kitty.

This is a really purromising start to a new series, and if mew like your cozy's give it a whirl, I think mew'll really enjoy it and I eagerly await the second installment.

 Paperback: 178 pages

Publisher: independently published

My Ratings Scale

Ratings of:

Meowing for Murder 

Overall Enjoyment

I really hope mew enjoy the book as much as I did if mew decide to read it.

It's time fur me to say BFN or bye-fur-now as mew know the drill, so many books, so little time and I'll be back next week with another specially paw-picked book just for mew, and don't furget that all my previous reviews can be found on my Book Review page.

Until next time...

Keep calm and read more books

Amber 

Don't furget to subscribe and never miss another review! 

 graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com