Aired February 23, 2021
Angela: [00:00:00] That’s so cute, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it say Showtime before.
Bree: [00:00:06] Oh my God, our little Snoop dog.
Angela: [00:00:09] Yes, my little fur baby. So we have pushing who’s the official mascot. But I feel like he’s the unofficial mascot mascot.
Bree: [00:00:18] This will go through.
Angela: [00:00:22] That’s awesome. Every single time there’s always that like, is this technology going to work for us, please? Well, everyone’s coming in. I just want to welcome my guest host Bree. You guys don’t know. She is totally amazing. She is falling for romance and it’s for, like the no not spelling it out on Instagram. She has her own blog. I mean, you have just exploded in romance Qalandia. This woman is incredible. And so if you’re not already following her, please do. She is so sweet and so uplifting, and if you go see her Instagram post, the aesthetic is just mind blowing. So sweet. All the books. So shout out to my host tonight. I just want to give her like all the love and shout outs.
Bree: [00:01:06] Thank you so much. I’m such a fan of everything that you do. And like, I basically started reading cozy mysteries because of you, Courtney and Nikole.
Angela: [00:01:20] It was so funny. I remember I saw again it was on your Instagram. I forget if it was your stories or an actual photo, but it was the Julia Buckley book, and I remember we had talked about it like forever ago. It was one of the first books when the club first started and I saw you mentioned and I’m like, Oh my gosh, it’s stuck.
Bree: [00:01:38] All the writers apprentice series. It’s so good. Hi, everybody.
Angela: [00:01:45] I was like, Well, everyone’s joining. I’m also holding a treat that is like destroyed the little fur babies right here. So hopefully he’ll be quiet for us when we discuss our book of the month crime and punctuation. And I swear my phone with autocorrect does not like the title every single time. It’s like crime and punishment.
Bree: [00:02:02] And it has like the symbol.
Angela: [00:02:08] So I had the best time designing our images for this month, for the thumbnail, and then I took the thumbnail. I was like, OK for Twitter, I’m going to make this because you’re she has this shirt and it’s adorable. It’s a romance shirt and you have a couple of similar ones with different colours. They match the book cover. It was amazing. The best time designing the images, I was like, I can just put her right there and then I can use this image. It was so cute.
Bree: [00:02:33] I’m always so jealous of like everybody that’s so good with like making like images and stuff. I’m like, How do you do it? I have no idea what I’m doing. I don’t even know. I just sort of I just didn’t really care.
Angela: [00:02:47] We have so many people already joining us. Hi, everybody, this is so cool. I love how there’s always that little delay with technology. I’m like, Oh my gosh, all the people. Yes, I see Elon Byron. She is offering, so I’m going to be announcing the Twitter giveaway winner. She is giving away three books this month as the dog growling and use like three bucks. Great. So I love the I was going to say I don’t want to mess up the pun. So her latest is Long Island Iced Tina, which is one of the puns ever. So already there’s been one winner over on Instagram, and then the Twitter one is going to be announced probably tomorrow morning because today I’ve been preparing for the live stream, so. And then after tonight, one of the comments, every single comment counts as a giveaway entry, I’m going to gather all the entries and randomly selected winner, and a third person is going to win a copy of her latest book, which came out today. So happy birthday.
Bree: [00:03:41] Happy Birthday! That’s so exciting. I may pick this one. How did you pick crime and punctuation?
Angela: [00:03:50] So I was so excited that this book won because it had been on the radar for the longest time. And so what ends up happening is we had four books that had come in second or tied for first. And so we have we’ve had so far this is the second book of the four. So we also have our books planned for March, which is murder in G Major and then April, which is Colour Me and murder. And so after that, we’re going to have to start doing polls again and having people submit their recommendations. And that was actually one of my notes tonight for people to start thinking about what they might want to recommend. But yeah, this is one of those books that had been on the periphery. And so when we did this, it was supposedly the second chance poll when we did the vote of the second, they were like single percentages of each other. So clearly the book club members really wanted to read all four of the books. So that’s exactly what we’re doing.
Bree: [00:04:38] That’s awesome.
Angela: [00:04:41] I am so excited to have that be the case and that everyone was on board with that because I also think it’s been really nice to have the books in advance in a way this way, people could prepare, figure out their reading schedule, figure out if their library had it. I mean, that’s there’s always behind the stuff, behind the scenes stuff that I do, making sure books are. Available, different platforms, there are different variations, because if someone can’t physically read, they can still do audio and listen to it, so I just try and do the back end stuff beforehand. So it was very easy to get that all done pre-emptively before, it became time for the book to be the book of the month. So I’m hoping we can maybe do something like choose the next two books out. Maybe so we can do a couple of months’ time.
Bree: [00:05:21] I love just the fact that you’re like, like selecting books that were options and didn’t get picked, because sometimes you’ll see, like they didn’t get picked and like, they never show up again. And it’s like. But what if this is a new favourite book? Like, Let’s give it a chance.
Angela: [00:05:38] I mean, I was really rooting for murder in G Major. I can’t even begin to tell you how many different book club members had recommended it for four different polls. And so I myself, I try and remain, neutral and like whatever book club members want, they will get. And so inside I’m like, it’s so close to winning. So I’m excited for next month to this one had been on the like the tuber for the longest time I saw I saw the author at Malus domestic. Was it two years ago and she was on the panel talking about grammar. And I just remember thinking like, this is this lady knows what she’s talking about and gets you into grammar. I wanted to read the book. I mean, I’m excited for it to hear what everyone thinks of it, because I think that there’s a lot to unpack with this book. So what did you think? Did you enjoy crowning punctuation?
Bree: [00:06:23] I did. I really did. I mean, I feel like I very rarely don’t like a cozy mystery. I don’t think I’ve read any of that. Like, I just was like, this was bad. My favourite thing was that I just I really loved Mickey. I loved that she’s sixty eight. Yep. And. Like, it was so like we get reminded that she’s older, just like her. She talks about taking her hearing aid out or needing to put it in and when her husband passes away, like needing to wanting to move so she can take it easy like this next phase of life. But it just felt so natural like it wasn’t overdone. But we are reminded that she’s older, but like, it wasn’t overdone, and I loved that. I loved it.
Angela: [00:07:18] The dog, he’s like going behind my chair. I don’t know if you can see the little tail that just happened. So hopefully he finishes trade, so hopefully he’ll still be quiet for us and won’t be barking. I agree with you wholeheartedly. I mean, so I become a huge fan of the Egg Agatha the Raisin TV series, and that in the show differs from the books where in the TV show, she’s probably in her forties, but in the books, she’s in her sixties. And it’s very rare almost now to have a full on senior sleuth. And I like the way it’s handled. I thought it was really. I love the best friend I love. What’s her name, Doreen? I mean, it was so relatable and realistic to say, we’ve aged, probably a little bit more gracefully than some of our other counterparts from school. And so again, you can tell the author gave this a lot of thought to have those details. I completely agree with you. That’s why I’m like nodding along like, yep, I feel like a bobble head. Like everything you’re saying,
Bree: [00:08:10] There was like the scene where I think, well, somebody like a wheelchair or a walker and somebody she’s like, We’re going to race next time.
Angela: [00:08:22] I love that one. She she’s after the service for our murdered victim. She’s at the front of. I forget if it was the church, but the congregation, she’s at the front and she finds an opening and she goes for and she just goes into the crowd. I was like, I can’t believe that. I just read that that was epic.
Bree: [00:08:45] It was so fun. And that’s when I was like, this lady is good. Like, it feels so natural because I love old ladies. I think that they are so much fun and so hilarious. And I was like, She’s like, handling this perfectly. I just think there’s so, so much sass and they’re so comfortable in their own skin. And it just showed like, that scene was perfect for me.
Angela: [00:09:10] I think that it’s also really great, too, because I think sometimes not always in cozy mysteries, but I think I think sometimes when it comes to just writing in general after a certain age, they’ll just sort of write those characters off or make them one dimensional or they’re like, they need help to get around or something. So I like the fact that she treated these characters who are older with respect and like, there was that dignity. And yes, we’re still capable. We can solve this mystery. And then even Doreen, who wasn’t always physically capable because of arthritis, is like, Yeah, I got this. Let’s go on this race. I mean, I still don’t know about the husband. Like, always golfing like that is a side question. I’m like, Was he really golfing? But she was hysterical. I want her to have her own spin off series.
Bree: [00:09:52] See the doors that they open with cozy mystery series. It’s like, So it’s Darlene going to get a book.
Angela: [00:09:59] I mean, I also like Anne. This is totally jumping ahead. But the murder victim Tiffany, her grandmother, has a maid and I love how I’m trying to describe as like the interconnected web of these people. And so and is this she was she was in school with our heroine, Mickey, and so she was bullied, but she is just, picking herself up. She had an abusive relationship. She’s working for Ronnie, the grandmother, and like she is the sweetest, most adorable character. I’m like, Can you get a spin off too.
Bree: [00:10:25] No.
Angela: [00:10:27] We’re just going to keep requesting you to write more books, even if it’s not the main character?
Bree: [00:10:32] The other thing I liked with Mickey is like. she’s sixty eight. Her husband has passed, and I just think it’s women like it’s never too. You never know when you might have to start your life over. I was like. In 68, by that time, you would think somebody like comfortable and like they’re ready to, but like, no, she’s starting over and then the fact that she moves into her childhood home, I was like, Sometimes you got to move home to start all over again. And she literally, like, goes back to her childhood home. I was like, I love this.
Angela: [00:11:10] I thought it was so funny to see I kept having. I love murder, she wrote. So I was having these flashbacks of murder, she wrote Jessica Fletcher with the husband passing away, and we don’t actually find out. At least I couldn’t remember. I went through the story again to try and find out how he passed away. That was one of the things with murder, she wrote. We never learned how Frank passed away. And so I saw the juxtaposition and, both characters Jessica Fletcher not having children, Mickey not having children. And then I made a note because again, you can tell I’ve seen every episode of Murder. She wrote one too many times. One of the file names for our murder victim, Tiffany, she had a thumb drive and one of the file names is the corpse in the Gray suit. While the corpse danced at midnight is one of Jessica Fletcher’s main titles. And so I’m going, Is this a reference? I’m like, I need answers here. I don’t know if anyone else caught that, but I saw that title. And again, me and Jessica, it’s a thing. I have my little Funko Pop over there somewhere. So I was just I noticed that and I was like, I got to highlight this. I’m curious if anyone else is catching, the two characters and the similarities I was loving.
Bree: [00:12:15] I have to confess, I just got into watching, watching mysteries and I’ve been hooked. But a lot of stuff is like already, like smack dab in the middle of the series, and I’m like struggling with trying to find them. But they are so addicting to watch.
Angela: [00:12:33] I’ve got to ask which ones are you starting with?
Bree: [00:12:36] Well, I’m a hallmark girl, so I think.
Angela: [00:12:38] High five.
Angela: [00:12:39] This is like it was.
Bree: [00:12:40] I’ve been watching picture-perfect mysteries with Alexa and Carlos Vega, but they only have like three episodes out and now she’s pregnant in real life. So I’m like, Who knows what? I’m going to get another series. I love that, and I love Martha Vineyard’s mystery.
Angela: [00:12:56] What was his name, Jesse Metcalf there.
Bree: [00:12:59] I love it. It’s like aesthetically beautiful to watch. It’s so good.
Angela: [00:13:06] I mean, those are definitely newer ones, too. And I think that also points to, mysteries are still being made. People still want them. I mean, I was so sad when murder she baked ended. I mean, there’s still more books being published, but Hallmark ended the movie. their series and I’m going, so sad. But then they brought Alison Sweeney back as a podcaster for another one.
Bree: [00:13:27] Have you been watching that one because that they have a marathon this weekend? And I was like, Should I start watching this since my other shows are on hiatus? I guess.
Angela: [00:13:37] I mean, it’s one of those. I feel as if I just get sucked in with these hallmark movies, mysteries, whatever they do, they macbride ones. I got to be like, OK, if I start this, this is my weekend.
Bree: [00:13:49] What did you think about Mickey as like a freelance editor? I loved that part of this book.
Angela: [00:13:59] I had questions about this because part of me, like, I love that this was her job, but I was also wondering what her. I mean, we know she’s a language arts teacher for seventh and eighth graders, and she’s totally into grammar. But I was wondering what else her experience was in regards to editing books. That was my questions because again, Romance High five, she was editing for her romance friend, and I’m going, Wait a second. Like, where did the where did this literary? I mean, you can tell the author knows exactly what she’s talking about, like she’s been through this process. She knows the line at. It’s like developmental, like she knew her stuff. I just thought it was interesting. Like, How did you land on this as your job? I want a little bit more information, like, did she do a certificate program? Like, How did she decide this?
Bree: [00:14:41] She kept talking about like reference material. So I was like, maybe she just taught herself like I went to school for like English or whatever, and I did love that. Like, she kept talking about, like having books and like reference material. But I don’t. I think there’s like something about cozy mysteries with writers that I’m like, Maybe this is a catnip of mine.
Angela: [00:15:08] The Julia Buckley series. Again, she’s a writer. I mean, I thought it was so interesting, though, that she herself didn’t necessarily want to be a writer, but she loved reading other people’s works, and it was so cute when she was reading the short story. And then I think it was an article about gardening or something. So she was editing like across the board. Maybe like the next. Again, like, I think there are only three books in the series at the moment, but maybe somewhere down the line she’s editing for, someone who’s doing journalism. Someone else is doing this book like that opens a whole different universe for different doors to open with future books.
Bree: [00:15:41] I love how like the book that she’s editing. I mean, I’m assuming we’ll see this with the series as a. Continues, but like it ties in like it makes me think of the like the What’s the Librarian series by Ellery Adams, we’re like, I have that somewhere over there. The Book Retreat series, I think, is. And like each book is like a theme like everybody comes to the hotel, but they all like Agatha Christie and then the murder happens. And it’s like, I love when, like, it’s bookish themed and then the murder happens and like, the murder ties into the bookish name. I’m like, If that’s a summary, I’m going to buy the book.
Angela: [00:16:29] I mean, whenever they can do that foreshadowing or that juxtaposition of, we’re reading this book and then the murder has those similarities where you’re like, wait, a second. The victim was killed this way, and that was exactly how it was in this play that we just saw. Like that blows my mind because I is such good writing when you can bring it back around like that. And I mean for her with this one. I love that her skill set played into the book, but it also played into the mystery, and that was how she was like, Wait a second, there’s no comma there, and then there’s a cop. She knows your stuff. So if there’s no comma there, that was deliberate. And so like, I like how that played into the actual clue.
Bree: [00:17:07] I mean, it was almost like she was sleuthing before she realized she was spoofing.
Angela: [00:17:15] I know I was writing that down because my biggest pet peeve is when you have this, Luther’s who just sort of like, I’m going to be nosy looking over the corner. And so I started making notes about when she was actively sleuthing versus when she stumbled upon the clues. I mean, even when she stumbled upon the clues, she was like, I’m going to go underneath this fence and go looking for things like just to go take, shots of the nature scenes. And then she meets the guards. So like she I mean, my favourite this woman. I love this. I love the scene. I love this part in the book, where he goes in for a job interview at the corporation. That might be the evil corporation in town. And she’s just like, Yeah, I’m just going to walk in here and interview naturally. Like, Of course you’re going to go interview with like the bad guys.
Bree: [00:17:57] She can tell that the lady is like, You’re not going to get this job.
Angela: [00:18:02] The lady was like, We want someone who’s going to be here 10 years out, and she’s like, I don’t plan on dying. I was like, Oh my gosh, like that lady like that was that was a terrible interview, but like, not because of Mickey. Because the lady again, Evil Corp.
Bree: [00:18:18] I was thinking that like as I was reading it, I was like, OK. Usually, when I start a new series, it takes a little bit for me to get used to, like the very actively nosy sleuth. And I did not feel like that with Mickey. Like she had the manuscript, the girl passed away. She didn’t even know she had like the thumb drive or whatever it was. And then once she realizes she had, like it was just really casual, like how she started sleuthing and I was like, I really like this. It felt like a laid back miss.
Angela: [00:18:55] I mean, I was so invested I was writing down like, why are they asking her about in my notes? I kept saying, like, why are they asking her if this woman gave her additional material? And so I was wondering if Tiffany made a note somewhere going, I left this information with someone or whatever. So I thought it was so cute that she was able to truthfully say, no, she didn’t leave me anything. she didn’t leave me anything. And then all of a sudden she went, Hey, wait a second, I still have that envelope. And then she found this gigantic clue, like with the red flag, like, here I am.
Bree: [00:19:23] I was like. Did she know that path, like somebody possibly is out to kill her and like, let me give this to this book editor who is going to go line by line? And maybe it just felt like really intentional. And I’m like hoping like Tiffany, beyond the grave is like, Thank you for solving it. I knew this was coming.
Angela: [00:19:44] I mean, my one little thing for Tiffany is I felt so badly like this is might be a little spoiler alert at the end, but the book. So Mickey has very clear cut thoughts about this book, so she thinks the first, like the first three chapters, are really great, and she could tell that Tiffany rewrote them multiple times. But then the rest of the book had a lot of issues. It wasn’t necessarily best narrative structure, and all those other things sort of pop up, and I part of me wish that she not go straight. I think she should do like co-author or figure out some sort of credit with the name. I would love for Tiffany to actually get that book published as a sort of last like, this is what I really wanted to do, just sort of in memory of her, I felt, really, I just really wish that Mickey, had said, Yeah, I’ll do the co-author or I’ll do it in dedication to her or something. I thought that would’ve been so great. That was my one little upset hiccup there at the end.
Bree: [00:20:40] And I mean, it’s like it was a mystery within a mystery, and that just made it so far. It was like mystery of mystery.
Angela: [00:20:53] And we were just random things with the friend Doreen there. You know that she’s being more withdrawn. You’re going, What’s going on with Doreen? Like, what’s happening over there? Like, there are other characters where you just wondering, like, what’s? What’s their story? Well, yeah, as I’m like looking down like even Ronny and her back story like I needed, I just kept waiting to hear more information. Like it wasn’t a mystery. I was just sort of like on the edge of my seat. Like, What else happened between you? Two? I just felt like it was a little nosy with that one.
Bree: [00:21:20] I have like. I guess one thing that I’ve learned with cozy mysteries is like they do a really good job of like really making you think this is the person, then I’m always wrong.
Angela: [00:21:36] So who did you, I mean, I’m curious people in the comment section to like, Who did you think was the killer? I mean, so Tiffany, I mean, she came across as very innocent. It wasn’t until probably about seventy five percent. And you find out, she wasn’t necessarily, 100 percent the angel that she appeared. But they definitely played with, like the husband being abusive, then the husband’s goon. I mean, that guy got like right up and Mickey’s face. That guy, like, I didn’t think he was the killer. I mean, I definitely thought like red herring. But like, he could have killed somebody if it wasn’t Tiffany, like he was totally capable of killing.
Bree: [00:22:09] And then how about the characters in her and Tiffany’s book were duplicated off of her husband and the guy? So I was like, it’s got to be the husband. But then at the end of like, like, he’s too easy. It would have been too easy for it to be him.
Angela: [00:22:26] No, I mean, that was my big thing with one of the other books that I’ve read recently. It was a cozy mystery. And when it was the husband? Yeah, it was the husband. I was like, I was like, I was like, You want right back around in a circle to where we started? It was like, How dare you do that to me because I like playing the game. And so this one, I figured out because I think they were like little details along the way with when it came to our killer that were sketchy, just even the fact that like, I mean, can we should I do the reveal and say who the killer was? Do I? I don’t. Ok, so we find out the killer is Mike. And so I from the get go I had like my radar up about this guy for like a couple of stupid reasons because he broke up with Mickey when they were in high school and I was like, but he broke up with our heroin like, he’s got to be a bad guy. Like, he dumped her in high school for the for her arch nemesis. So like, right away, I was like, I have questions about you. I was like, Already, I was like, Wait a second, you broke up with her for the one that she, the enemy there right away. I was like, I got my eye on you, buddy.
Bree: [00:23:30] Somebody said, Mike all the way. Leah. She said, Mike all the way. His reaction to the flash drive sealed the deal.
Angela: [00:23:38] I mean, he was so I started writing down like random things because I went back to the beginning after I finished the book. And so like even stupid things where he chose the restaurant right across the street from the police station, and she makes note of that being odd and going well, maybe he literally just wanted to see what they were doing to keep an eye out and have a reason to be there. Like maybe he was spying. So like, I went back and looked at the scenes with him with a different lens. And I’m going, Yeah, I mean, because even when I was looking down, when Mickey said that Tiffany didn’t seem like the type to commit suicide, like she just shot that theory down and he was like, Why do you say that? he was really like, Why are you going up against that theory? He needed that to be true.
Bree: [00:24:19] He was acting. He was acting weird. But then it just also, like all signs pointed to the husband, too. So she did a really good job of like, you don’t know who it could be. I mean, you don’t know who it could have been. I was I really thought it was the husband. But then when I finished, I was like, Mike was acting a little weird, but I just thought it was the husband.
Angela: [00:24:42] I mean, I would have been heartbroken if it was the grandmother. Like, I understand their archenemy is in high school, but I mean, that would have been, Little Mix.
Bree: [00:24:50] Grand Ma was definitely acting a little sketchy, too.
Angela: [00:24:55] I mean, I got to admit, like, even if you don’t like the person you went to high school with, I mean, everybody has that one person and you’re like, my existence, like, everyone has that person they went to high school with. I’m being honest, like, I’m like, I’m not naming names, but like, I had a couple of people like that or I’m like, you’re such a mean girl. Yeah. And so like, but if it was the granddaughter and this person gives you, I mean, like, she gives her the thumb drive with all the research and her book, and Ronnie throws the thumb drive away. I’m like, I don’t care who gives me that thumb drive. Like, I am keeping that sucker like that is not my property. Like, I couldn’t believe she threw it away without looking at the book that her granddaughter wrote. I was going, Ronnie.
Bree: [00:25:36] Yeah. And it even made it even more sad because like, I think when she when she first met with Tiffany, she said, like, nobody knew she was writing the book. And it’s like, because she wasn’t. She didn’t feel supportive, you know? And like when we see later on, it’s like, OK, now I know why she wouldn’t want to talk about it to anybody.
Angela: [00:25:56] I mean, that was actually one of my questions because we find out that Tiffany is blackmailing Mike. So that was the whole. We realized she’s not as innocent as she appears. A couple of times, Officer Blum, this sort of thing like she’s an officer, but for some reason I feel badly for her. I mean, there’s no reason why. I don’t know if it’s just because she kept getting like all the short end jobs where it’s like, Hey, there’s this sort of thing. Go see if that’s actually true or not. But she mentions. Tiffany was a spoiled brat and going, OK, but can you give me an example like one or more information like you hear a couple of things, but there’s not really any concrete evidence of that. So I mean, I didn’t brush off Officer Bloom, but I wanted her to elaborate, which she didn’t. So it wasn’t until we find out she’s actually doing that where you’re like, wait a second, she’s not, as, pristine as maybe you’re supposed to imagine she is.
Angela: [00:26:54] That was straight blackmail talk on her computer.
Bree: [00:26:58] She labelled the file blackmail like that was great. I felt like when we got more about Tiffany, I mean, it just sucks because you get it like after she’s gone. That’s when I was like, OK, maybe I’m thinking like, it’s somebody and it’s like, not this person. Like, it felt like that was strategically done to like, throw me off. And that’s when I was like, OK, maybe it’s not the husband. Like, maybe I need to rethink this a little bit.
Angela: [00:27:28] I mean, I was wondering because when we find out that she’s doing the blackmail, part of me was wondering if she wanted to blackmail so that she could hire an editor for her book so that she can go off and live her dream or something. I wanted it like a couple of follow up sentences about it, because she’s obviously blackmail. Wrong. Like, I’m not giving her a free pass on that, but I felt like there was more to her doing the blackmail, like the husband controlling her money, her finances, who she’s talking to, what her options are. I was just curious. Yes, she’s blackmailing, but like what? The next step for her plan was because obviously, when she’s talking to Mickey at the very beginning of the book, she’s like, money’s no option. And like, she just totally brushes that off. So I was wondering if the blackmail money played into that in a way like, maybe she’s trying to, like, live her dream and move beyond this situation? Like, I’m not I’m not saying blackmail. I’m not allowing that. I’m just saying, like, maybe she was trying to do more with it than just escape the husband. I feel like there was more to that story, like I wanted her to have her own little. I don’t know. I don’t know what I wanted to.
Bree: [00:28:25] Mystery in the mystery.
Angela: [00:28:27] She needed to have a chapter from her point of view or something like we need to find her journal to have her explain herself or something like I was really intrigued. Like, I wanted more information about Tiffany, which is nice, like you want if you want more information. That means, if the author has you wanting more, they’re doing something right.
Bree: [00:28:42] What did you think about like just how easy they said it was a suicide?
Angela: [00:28:49] That’s that was one of the things when I went back to skim through with Mike being like, Why don’t you believe it’s a suicide? I mean, that was really sad that the grandmother and the husband both thought suicide was a legitimate possibility. Like that was a travesty. My heart goes out to this fictional character like, I know you’re just blackmailing someone, but I feel bad for you, Tiffany.
Bree: [00:29:12] Then even the police and I was like, OK, I know that these people have money. So our is the are the police just like, well, they’re saying it’s suicide and they could they would believe she would do this. So we’re not going to investigate. I was like, if Mickey wouldn’t have started investigating, then it would have just been that.
Angela: [00:29:31] So what did you think about? I was going to say, this is the other thing, but I was going to say this is my other murder. She wrote a note to try to pass it because it’s Dr. Hazlett in Cabot Cove. Detective has like, What did you what did you think of him then? Because you’re talking about the police element?
Bree: [00:29:47] I don’t like the police in the book just because we’re on the sleuth side and like this, who’s getting on their nerves? But he wasn’t, I feel like I didn’t like see him that much for him to like, bother me like they typically do. But I do feel like Mickey did a lot of work for him.
Angela: [00:30:11] I was going to say without her, he wouldn’t have had. I mean, he had the story, but without her, he wouldn’t have had the other additional documents. The research, the blackmail file.
Bree: [00:30:21] I mean her just being like, OK, if she she’s like, Why would my card be, you know, I think her was her card dropped like she had her business card.
Angela: [00:30:34] You could look like it had been through the wash and show she was going like, was this on her person? Like, if she was going to be going swimming like she’s not going to have a business card in her swimsuit?
Bree: [00:30:42] I was like, Yes, I get a lot of work. I mean, he tried to like, dismiss her and stuff like that, which I think is typical, but I like that he wasn’t on the page as much.
Angela: [00:31:00] It was great when she was like, You have to call Detective Hazlett when her house got broken into and the other cops show up, she’s like, I don’t want you. I don’t think I want him. She’s like placing a request. I’m like, Can you do that with the police can request to investigate.
Bree: [00:31:14] I love when she decided like, I’m going to give him the hard drive, but not right now. I was like, At least she’s going to do it, you know, now that she found it, it just it felt like it felt so intentional. Like, you have the heart. They’re asking you if you have anything extra and you’re like, No, and she wasn’t lying. She didn’t think she did. And then she finds it. And I was like, Did this girl like, leave this with her on purpose? Like, let me get somebody neutral involved because I feel like something’s going to happen.
Angela: [00:31:49] That’s why I wanted like a journal entry or something, because I was so curious about that, because again, I thought it was really, you could tell this writer, like, knew her stuff she was talking about, like how the manuscript is supposed to be formatted, and she mentions a couple of times how she thinks Tiffany is naive when it comes to the writing industry about agents who went reading fees for their works and stuff. And so maybe we’re supposed to think she was naive to include her research, but to have the thumb drive in there, I felt as if she had a reason to have it in there. I don’t think that was just her being like, You know, I’m a Type-A personality, have all my documents while you edit. I mean, I don’t really get that vibe from it because again, she had a folder. She had the folder with blackmail on it. Like, why else that wasn’t in the story? There was no blackmail in her book, so clearly for her to have that in. I love that. I love that it was named like, that’s why when I saw that comment, my mind was blown with that. Like, you just literally labelled your blackmail.
Bree: [00:32:46] Call it what it is.
Angela: [00:32:49] You could even do like just a capital B and an M or something or like, you know, like maybe even the guy’s initials or something like it was just it was just blackmail. She literally wrote it out for you. I mean, but to have that on the thumb drive and have it not be password protected, I think that like I’m with you on that, like there might have been a sort of like, my husband is dangerous. Here we go. Like just a little something.
Bree: [00:33:12] I feel like something is going to happen. Oh God. Ok. Alicia said she doesn’t mind the sleuth doing investigations, but they usually portray the police as naive and unable to solve the crimes without them. That is true. I do feel like she was brushed off a lot. I was glad in this one. The police were off the page, so to speak. Yeah, I like that because that’s like one thing that makes them really intense for me is I’m like, OK, you’re overstepping your boundaries, like let law enforcement do their thing, but there’s stuff that like they’re not going to catch, you know, like, so I just like that we got to see Mickey very casually.
Angela: [00:33:58] That’s why I was looking down at the notes because the security guard who tells her she’s trespassing gives her a rough time. He tries to run her down, or at least in the very least, scare her into thinking that she’s about to be killed. So this guy, he apparently goes off the main road into the grass so you can see the tracks. But it’s like he said, she said, situation, I’m going, but the third tracks, they’re like, you can. And then there’s also a semi witness where this lady finds her on the ground, you know, flustered and everything else. But like, the cops don’t actually do anything to the security guard. He just gets off scot free with a warning. So I’m not really giving her town cops. You know, any gold badge, you know, gold stars like, great job, like, I’m not doing that right now.
Bree: [00:34:45] I think what’s so it’s like. I guess like her editing job is just like the book is a mystery itself, and then you’re seeing her like break down the elements of like what’s going to make a mystery sell? I just I loved it. I need to know, like, what’s the next book? And then she’s going to be editing like, is it a romance novel? Is it going to be another mystery?
Angela: [00:35:11] Well, I saw the reference to, I keep wanting to call him Doctor has it because I’m like, murder, she wrote. But Detective Hazlett, when they when she ever said, if, if this is a romance novel, I would be blushing as the heroine. I’m going. I was like my hostess, my guest. She’s going to like that reference the romance reference in there. For some reason, I love that I was like, cute, because she mentions me as like a little dimple chin.
Bree: [00:35:34] I forgot. Like, what is she, She mentions the genres that she mostly like, reads or edit. And it wasn’t romance, but she does have the friend who writes romance. So I’m like, I just want to see like the rest. As the series progresses, like what she finds herself editing.
Angela: [00:35:53] Because I made a note. So there are three books in the series, and I totally felt as if it comes back around. So the third book, Do you want me to tell you who the who the murder victim is for the third book? Because it’s literally in the book blurb like it’s right on the back. Like when I went to good reads, it’s the first. It’s the first sentence. You’re not. This isn’t a spoiler.
Bree: [00:36:13] No spoilers.
Angela: [00:36:14] So her husband, Tiffany’s husband, is the victim in Book three. And so I’m like, Oh my gosh, Tiffany’s book is still relevant and like published. Can you find if someone goes through it? I’m like, Now I actually want to go read a book, you know, two and three to find out what happens to Tiffany’s book because I’m like, if her husband is still in the series, Tiffany by, you know, by being drawn with him still in reference. That’s what I’m hoping. I’m like, we find out what happens for her memory. Like, Please publish your book. Like just, I’m just rooting for her.
Bree: [00:36:47] We want more Tiffany.
Angela: [00:36:50] I know she wasn’t perfect, but like our heroine wasn’t perfect either. I mean, I got to admit, like, I was very surprised when the author included her teenage back story. I mean, she was a Peeping Tom when she was a kid, and she was a bully to this, to Anne, who was the main. I mean, she sent her on to snipe, which is, I mean, I saw that on Scheer’s. They did that for Frasier. I mean, you send someone on this quest to go find an animal that does not exist.
Bree: [00:37:19] So that’s like usually if it’s our main character, they were the nice girl or they were the one that got picked on, I was like, Ok, Mickey, you were a mean girl.
Angela: [00:37:30] I was so I had like, I was all of a sudden like, Wait, a second, did I just Read what I thought I read?
Bree: [00:37:37] That was interesting. You think of that movie hope floats where, like Sandra Bullock returns home and like, she realizes, like, I was not really that nice to people when I was a teenager
Angela: [00:37:53] I was so surprised that she I mean, she didn’t just flat out acknowledge it. She like, own it. She’s like, Yeah, I was really cruel to her. And when you find out what she did, you’re like, Yeah, you really were like, Were you a mean girl? Like, did Ronny have a reason to be mad at you? Like, I wanted to know, like if she had done something to Ronnie to spark that sort of animosity because I mean, some of what she said and did was wasn’t exactly, you know, a misunderstanding. It was just like, flat out aggressive.
Bree: [00:38:21] Even after all this time, people like they don’t forget how you make them feel, so they still remember.
Angela: [00:38:32] That was the thing that I that was super relatable. I mean, she just had her 50th high school reunion. But yet those people, 50 years later, they’re still the same high school cut-out that like she remembers, like the people they were in high school like that is who you will forever be. And like your other classmates, mine like, that’s just who you are.
Bree: [00:38:54] I love saying she needed to make friends.
Angela: [00:38:59] I thought, it was cute how she who she fell into that friendship like Darlene so easily that they just sort of like, you know, like, no time had passed 50 years later. They’re still similar, like they could just pick up where they left off. That was to me. But then she couldn’t believe it was like the one time she tried to socialize, like she chose the wrong lady to socialize with, like the town gossip who shows up late left her with the bill. I’m like, Maybe you should just stick with Darlene.
Bree: [00:39:28] It just shows it like navigating friendships regardless of the age can be hard.
Angela: [00:39:36] I remember Googling so because I’m originally from Massachusetts and I live in D.C. and I remember we were like, how to make friends as an adult, like typing into Google. But like the autofill, the thing like, I was not the first person to Google that. That’s what I thought of. Like, she clearly was like she knew the area, the location, but she didn’t know the people in the location. I mean, she was an outsider, even though she knew to some degree which I thought was an interesting way to play it. Like, I liked how she even said with the cops, like, Yeah, he doesn’t know me. He wasn’t born yet when I was here,
Bree: [00:40:07] Like she was an outsider.
Angela: [00:40:12] I loved her. It was so fun. This was a good pick. I was just looking down. I love how like, I’m not even looking at the notes. I’m like, Yeah, we talked about this. We didn’t talk. We talked about that.
Bree: [00:40:26] I’ve been waiting to talk about it. I was just like, I love me. Like, I need to talk about her.
Angela: [00:40:34] One character. Or I’m going to go character cal. One of the scenes I totally related to was when the house was broken into. She was looking for her cat, and I’m going, that’s how I would be with Max. Like, I would be like, I don’t worry about my laptop. Like, Where’s my baby? Like running for the dog. I was like, Thank you. I thought the cat was adorable.
Bree: [00:40:56] I love cats and cozies because I mean, even in real life, they’re so independent and like, they’re such a character of like they like you or you belong to them. That’s how cats feel to be in place, like take it or leave it like I run the world. You’re just like my human and I loved her cat.
Angela: [00:41:20] I thought it was so cute. Because I talked to I talked to my dog like he understands me and will respond. I’m looking over there because after you jumped off my lap, he had to go hide the treat, even though he finished it. I’m not going to question that. I’m just going to go with it. So like, I talked to this little guy, like he understands every word and I will do the same thing that she did in the book where like, I’ll ask a question, even though I know he’s not going to respond, like, I totally related to that so hard. And I like a writerly perspective that was really brilliant because you’re getting her thoughts without having that inner monologue. Fun with it. So it wasn’t just, let’s do like the Mrs. Dalloway and have you know or I’m looking at this now, I’m doing that. Like, No, we’re talking to the cat.
Bree: [00:41:59] Somebody is listening.
Angela: [00:42:05] I was so concerned about that little. As soon as you saw the door was open in the book, you’re like this cat. They steal the cat that way.
Bree: [00:42:14] Was intense for me. I was like, I don’t know why I didn’t expect this to happen, but I didn’t expect this to happen.
Angela: [00:42:22] As soon as what was it I was, I forgot his name, like the husband’s goon at one point was going to kick the cat, and I’m like, How dare you like you are, I think this guy would totally be the killer. Like, he didn’t kill Tiffany, but like, he killed somebody like you do not hurt the Animal and causes like, not ok.
Bree: [00:42:38] Do not play with animal harming in books. Ok, that’s a no.
Angela: [00:42:44] I literally was reading that. And again, Max was asleep by my feet and I was like, No, I need to give you a hug now because I need you.
Bree: [00:42:52] I sobered up when the cat fled the kitchen. I was driving when I was like listening to that part and I was like, Wait, who flooded the kitchen? And I had to rewind it. I was like the cat.
Angela: [00:43:04] I thought that was so funny because again, usually then cats and water, they don’t want it. But she’s like, No, no, no, we want the water coming out of the faucet. She wants to drink from the faucet. I’m going, OK, this is like Max. Like, this is a little prima donna cat. Like, he’s my little prince and he knows it. Like this cat is like, I’m the queen of this house.
Bree: [00:43:20] And If I want water, I’m getting my water. He threatened Darlene’s dog, too.
Angela: [00:43:27] That was the animal he was going to kick. That was what it was. I mean, yeah, he didn’t like the cat when he went to her house, but that was what it was. I’m like, You do not harm animals. If you do like that person, better be the killer to like that person. Better go down.
Bree: [00:43:47] I loved it. So I mean. Is this one of, how many like writer cozies have you read, do you think?
Angela: [00:43:59] I think that there have been a fair amount. I mean, I always love it’s so funny to write because I love baking cozies because I can’t bake. Whereas when it comes to, I think, writer ones or reader ones, you have that foundational knowledge as a reader or someone who’s, you know, studied the, you know, writing craft. I mean, so it’s a little different. I feel as if I can pick up on things like, I relate to that or that’s why I’m like, well, did she have a certificate? Like, I wanted more insight, whereas if you tell me you’re baking cupcakes, I’m like, Yeah, you can do whatever you want, like, I’m just going with it. So I want to say I’ve probably read a handful. I mean, as I’m looking over there, I mean, I think Julia Buckley is writing Retreat. One is great, but there’s also a few others. I mean, I also just finished the Alison Brooks one where there’s the librarians I just with Carrie, which was really cute. I’m trying to think what other writing ones off the top, my head? Have you read a lot or no?
Bree: [00:44:50] No, this is like the size of Julia Buckley. This is it. That’s I was like, OK, what else is out there? Because it’s just something about like writer story. I love it in romance, too. Like, it’s just like my catnip. I don’t know why. And I was wondering, like, are you able to like, read them and take like the writer brain off, like you are like, I feel like with baking poses, they’re like an escape. And it’s like delicious food descriptions. But like when you’re reading a book like this and she’s like editing a book, is your writer brain on?
Angela: [00:45:23] That’s what like, Yes and no. I mean, that’s also why, like, I also think Mickey is a little bit more critical. And this is also why I think I would have a very difficult time. Editing is because, like I would just I have like this thing where like, I just want to give you like my heart and my like, like give you my everything. I’m like, I would never have the hard to be like, your book is like, terrible. We will not publish it. Like Mickey was very much like, no, like she has this problem, this problem, this problem. I was like, If someone said that to me, I’d be like in a corner crying. She just was like gloves off. Like, I think she’s also different again. He’s barking, bargaining something. I apologize. I think that she shows like one type of editor or one type of person in that profession or is there are others who are more, you know? I was going to say easy-going and like, OK, like, let’s try and do this. Let’s do that. Let’s see if like another treat will calm him down. He’s underneath the bed, too, so I can’t even like grab it. He’s hiding the other treat.
Bree: [00:46:18] L said, writer Brain never turns off. I believe that.
Angela: [00:46:23] I was going to say, I saw you guys are going to get to see, I’m wearing the pajama bottoms, I’m wearing my little cozy shirt. It says cozy season. Yes. So it says because he sees them. But I’m wearing pajamas. So if I stand up and go to the bookstore, you’re probably going to see the little the little pink. So I have Julia Buckley ones right over here. But then I also like. There are a whole bunch of books that I think are really great. So I think it was because originally at one point I was going to be able to interview Julia Buckley, but the timing I remember like this was probably like a year ago, almost now. I certainly probably should follow up with her again. My computer crashed. I wasn’t able to do the live stream that day, so I just reread the entire series. So like, I’m full, like five stars fully recommend the series. I was going to say which one’s the first book.
Bree: [00:47:14] With the car, driving up.
Angela: [00:47:16] So I’m going to say I grab all of them except the first one. So her writer’s apprentice mystery series, The Series look like this. I will totally recommend this. And then I think there are also ones that include references to writing or just people like writers. So we all read this one last man standing and I’m like, I think writers love notebooks and stationery. So like, you just relate to this one. Even though it’s not writerly. She opens a stationery shop, you’re like, I am here for this.
Bree: [00:47:45] I’ll write notes and pins. I’m going to buy it
Angela: [00:47:51] Exactly like even other things like even like bookstores too, because I feel like all readers are writers like me or writers or readers, excuse me. So like even ones when it comes to like bookstores, I feel like you still are like, get your little writer mentality going. So I think there are a lot of ways to incorporate, you know, people who want to be authors with the reader life and cozy. So as I hold up this one to like, this one’s cute.
Bree: [00:48:14] One of my favourite causes is crime and poetry. While most books like they will like Fall Off the shelf and they’re like the bookstore is helping Violet and Grandma Daisy solve the murders. I love it.
Angela: [00:48:33] So you just reminded me as I like, put the notebook down and I’m looking around like I had the book and I know I got distracted by Max. It’s over there. I’m going to grab it. So farm to farm to trouble came out today, and so someone who commented tonight is going to win the first book in her new cozy series. A dark and stormy murder. That’s it. I love that one.
Bree: [00:48:57] I’m also looking like, what other cause is? Can I pull that trigger?
Angela: [00:49:10] I downloaded it with a bookshop.
Bree: [00:49:16] That’s cute. You look great. That is so pretty.
Angela: [00:49:25] So thanks to Poison Pen Press, one person is going to win this book. I was going to say I just saw someone comments. The plot is murder. I have that over there to the and burns. She’s phenomenal. She is such a talented writer. I love her books.
Bree: [00:49:48] I love it. Little sleuth dog. I love seeing Amanda Flower love. I love her.
Angela: [00:50:09] I figure I might as well just grab her books as I’m down here traveling.
Bree: [00:50:13] I need the third one. I have never seen it in the bookstore. I need to stop being lazy and ordering, Hey, what’s the this is same topic, but off topic it’s like somebody. It’s like a ghost Siri. And now I’m thinking on the title something.
Angela: [00:50:34] So this is the other one that you’re talking about before it burns. This book is amazing. I’m like five out of five stars. I love this book. So talented. And then these were the flowers.
Bree: [00:50:51] I love her. She’s there.
Angela: [00:50:56] Auto bio like will always recommend a lot of times now when people down there like, do you have any recommendations for getting into cozy and like, Yes, I do. Here you go.
Bree: [00:51:06] I think that’s such a good one to start with. I love, I love how I think it’s book one like Grandma Daisy’s, the suspect.
Angela: [00:51:19] This woman is so prolific. I’m like, she probably doesn’t know. We’re talking about her right now, but I’m like, she has all these books like the Irish one. She has this one for matchmaking. I’m like, What are you doing? You were. So I mean, she writes across the board, as I’m looking at the cover, I’m like. She writes different settings, different characters like bow down. She is cozy queen. She’s incredible.
Bree: [00:51:42] She published one for Hallmark last year, and I thought it was really good. I hope she keeps publishing, too.
Angela: [00:51:49] Well, this is the latest, so one lucky person is going to win this one. So this was yeah. So this was why I like the TBR for the longest time, and it’s still like one of those. I still need to read it because I know I’m going to want to just sit down and just read it entirely like, I’m not going to get up. I’m just going to enjoy it because that’s how that’s how it is with her. Like for her books and me. And then because you’re talking about books with writers. So again, Kate Carlyle, she was probably most famous for the for the house renovation. I’m totally blanking on the name Jewel and Hallmark is the actress for the series. So she also has that. I was going to say she has another series as well that has to do with, you know, being bibliophiles and loving books. So I just wanted to grab this one to give that a little shout out. And then I harbour Kincaid. She is always popping up over on the Twitter and the Instagram charming when tipsy is her handle this one, she’s a book doctor, so to speak. We’re like she’s fixing the character is fixing books. It’s incredible that you’re like, Oh my gosh, we’re preserving literature. This is great. So I just wanted to grab this one and give a little shout out to kill mocking girl.
Bree: [00:52:56] I love it.
Angela: [00:53:00] That’s why, like, I’m like, OK, even if it’s not about writers or, you know, getting the words on the page again, like, I feel again, all writers have this love of literature. So I’m like, This is relatable. Like, this one is true. I was, I like, made a mess like, I’m going to grab this book and then this book, they’re like, right there, too, within arm’s reach.
Bree: [00:53:20] The one that I know her last name is like De Silverio. I think it’s like a I feel like it’s a book club series. I’m blanking on the title. I only have like three of the books. I love those I. I’m like getting into like the book club series type cozies. I haven’t read them yet, and I like they’re really hard to find. And then I really like home renovations like when there.
Angela: [00:53:52] That was the one I was trying to. She’s renovating all the houses. For some reason, you got to love hell, like I’m. I was teetering on the title.
Bree: [00:54:00] I have one series, it’s by Juliet Blackwell, but the other one is like E.J. Copperman or Cunningham, something I like. I never see them in the bookstore, so I literally only have one book and it’s on Kindle. But like, I want more home renovation, home renovation, and then like the skeleton series,
Angela: [00:54:27] You got to love how like I’m right on that one. I’m like, I know exactly which one you’re talking about with that.
Bree: [00:54:32] I love it.
Angela: [00:54:34] As I look over like, I have this sort of funky looking bookcase, I’m like, I have all my Christmas ones over there, but I have like a lot of baking codes. He’s like, I’m pretty sure this is just all food related causes over there.
Bree: [00:54:46] So how is the Alexander Baking series?
Angela: [00:54:53] I was going to say, I think it’s really cute because she it was so funny. She because I commented and she’s like, That’s what I was going for. I was like, This gives me Gilmore Girl vibes. And she goes, That’s exactly what I wanted. So as soon as she said that, I was like, OK, I’m here for the Gilmore Girls. Like, Yep, yeah, me and my coffee. I mean, when it comes to baking, I’m Hannah Swanson is my girl. Joanne Fluke, like, I mean, Kensington picked it up. I mean, I’m always going to be like a Hannah girl, and she’s going to go to.
Bree: [00:55:23] I need to go back to it. But it’s like, it’s a long series.
Angela: [00:55:30] I was like, I’m trying to remember the title, and it’s what is it, sugar and spice or something about the spices? Leslie Borowitz. She has a series that’s food related. Again, a phenomenal writer, totally wholeheartedly recommend her books. Maddy Day has a series where she, you know, has a lot of food in it. So I was going to say Leslie, but it was another one where, like, I think she’s not like a slip through the cracks because she’s won the Agatha award like she’s a well-known author, but like, she doesn’t always get the credit she deserves with that. And like that is a phenomenal series like shout out to Leslie. Like, I’m like, if she’s not on your TBR, like you might want to pencil a little bit.
Bree: [00:56:11] Somebody mentioned Julianne Lindsay, and yes, I read the first book in. Is it apple cider slang? I love that book. The Spice Shop’s mysteries.
Angela: [00:56:32] How do you handle a film like this? A sugar and spice? Like, what is it? And then I was trying to think, Well, Amanda Flower, if she when she has her Amish series, they’re making candy like it’s still baking like, I’m there for that.
Bree: [00:56:46] A salt and pepper. I love the title.
Angela: [00:56:50] It’s super cute. She has a whole bunch of she has a lot of fun. There’s one. It’s it has to do with Chai. Chai is in the title. I’m trying to remember the pun, but every time I hear it or I see it, it always makes me smile. Cleo Coyle Oh my gosh, I am trying. I signed up for the audible plus. I’m going back to the beginning because I want to go through her entire coffeehouse series like that is one of my things for this year that is on my goal. Go like go through the entire one because now that I have the audio like for some reason, though, the first three books are going to buy. But then the rest of them are included. So I’m going to buy the first three and then I’m there. So I’m there because I started reading her series. I want to say three or four years ago when I read the first two books and then I just got busy or didn’t follow up. So now I just want to start from the beginning and just keep going.
Bree: [00:57:39] I want to read that one.
Angela: [00:57:42] It was a good book, and I think what she does that’s super great and different is her characters are sort of in the city. So it’s not the small town cozy, but she makes a small town feel. And that’s just one of the things I remember from the first book. And I think has come up with, you know, talking to other cozy authors, they’ll sort of cite her. And if you go on Wikipedia, like her series is referenced under cozy mysteries and then if you go on the ministry’s website over there or whatever it’s called, you know, she’s got some of the top books up there. So she’s one of the queens of cozies where she’s pretty high.
Bree: [00:58:17] I like Jen McKinley has a hat shop series and the heroines from America, but she goes to like, I think, London and I was like a big city cosy. It just felt really different. And I think it’s the only one I’ve read that wasn’t in the state.
Angela: [00:58:36] It just reminded me I’m blanking on the character’s name. But elementary, she read by Vicky Delaney. I’m pretty sure the character is British, and then she comes to America and she’s trying to get the British slang. And with the American vernacular, I’m going, This is interesting, but you just totally remind me of that. And again, she owns a Sherlock themed bookstore. So for all our bibliophile friends over there, another good one, I got Vivian Chan right over there. She’s an auto bio for me.
Bree: [00:59:03] I’ve seen those, I’ve seen like that, I saw one that’s like PTA.
Angela: [00:59:09] That over there too. You got this one, you get that one.
Bree: [00:59:16] Section in the bookstore is like, so dangerous, so dangerous.
Angela: [00:59:24] It’s also so colourful, like eye catching and the titles. Again, they just make you smile. You just want to pick them up. I mean, this is the thing. So when you get on those lists, Kensington will be like, Which ones do you want out of this list? I’m like. I have to say, unlike the list, I’m like, I don’t want to be greedy, but like, you look like this one, this like again, I would never be like, I want the entire list, but every single time my first, I’m always I’m going every single title. I’m like, They all look so good. And then I have to take a breather and go, OK. Be a good girl. But every single time, I’m like, I want all of them.
Bree: [01:00:01] I think that I mean, I think they’re fun to read all year, but like my favourite time, like the one like, I will save ones I’m really excited for to read in the fall because I just feel like they are perfect for the fall season.
Angela: [01:00:15] I think it’s called pink lily. That’s where I got my cozy seasonal shirt and the one I wore last time. It said, Stay cozy. They have one that says autumn blankets, fireside coziness, and that’s exactly what it is for fall season. You want to put on your eggs, have your chai latte with your pumpkin scone and just enjoy the cozy reading. That is what that is to me. This is why we get along. I’m like, we’ve grown the same like mindset wavelength.
Bree: [01:00:44] All thinking of like food. It’s I don’t know if this is the only series they put out, but it’s Bebe Heywood’s like a blueberry series set in Maine. I haul all those books at one time because I was like all of them, I’m going to get them.
Angela: [01:01:08] I just realized where the other ones were. I just realized the first book for some reason. Here’s the first book it was behind me. I put this over. In the shot. This is the first one. But then this is the Cleo Coyle she does her holiday. Like, I also love when they do the Christmas cozies. Those always make me happy because that also, to me, feels like you’re going from the autumn into the winter, and it’s still got that cozy vibe like just carries over. But the reason I remember it was because you just reminded me, what is it called bait and in which there’s the I love the titles, but there was one because you made me think of the subcategory the garage sale mysteries. Oh wow. Before, before the college admission scandal issues arose, we had our Lori Loughlin Hallmark series like the books are still coming. They’re still great. I don’t know where my little tangent digression came with that, but that’s where you just jumped out of my head with that one. But you had me thinking that as a hallmark.
Bree: [01:02:09] The cat, that was trying to get the book.
Angela: [01:02:18] We also have real murders, Aurora Teagarden, Hallmark, she’s always making new books that I love, how I’m like, there’s all these books.
Bree: [01:02:27] Bait in witch that made me think of what’s the one that takes place in Savannah and it’s like a magical something shop. Oh my gosh. I don’t know what the author’s name is. It’s like an almost like a 10 book. Yes. What’s that?
Angela: [01:02:48] I don’t think it’s this one, but I was like, I’m like, this one. I’m trying to remember which one, Savannah.
Bree: [01:02:56] It’s a witch series to I think she finds out like she’s a she moves there and she finds out she’s a witch. is this Heather Blake? I think I was thinking of the series that I have on my shelves, that Bailey, Kate. That’s it.
Angela: [01:03:16] We read that book. We read the first book in that series. Oh my gosh, I think I’m going to have to go back and reread all the books that we already read. probably the broomsticks. That’s what it is as it’s on the floor, as I’m looking down, it’s right there. Nancy J. Cohen, I also she’s awesome. I was like, I was so happy when I got to speak with her. She wrote her killer hair series. I was going to say just throwing out like a random subgenre that would make you a beauty salon.
Bree: [01:03:44] I think I only have one from the series, but it’s Carol Carol Perry, and it’s like hot, like it’s Salem, Massachusetts. I think she’s like a newscaster or something like that.
Angela: [01:03:57] I feel like we read one at one point for the book club. You heaven is him and his treat. He really is trying to. I don’t know what he’s doing. I don’t know what that was. I don’t know where that treat ended up.
Bree: [01:04:16] I have lost Ireland’s Christmas, one that came out last year.
Angela: [01:04:24] You totally just got me. I saw the Nancy J. I saw the Nancy, That’s also great.
Bree: [01:04:31] I love that. It makes me think of the movie. I have the first book, but I read.
Angela: [01:04:41] I know what it is. He knocked over one of the book ends.
Bree: [01:04:47] Do you already have the winner for tonight?
Angela: [01:04:56] I was like every time I go talk, he’s like. So what I’m going to do is every single time. He just ran behind the bed and I can’t reach him, so I can’t even go grab him to give him a hug to, like, settle them down. So what do I do is every single comment I’m going to? Once the video renders, I’m going to write down everyone’s name for every single comment and then randomly select the two winners. So one person is going to win the Long Island Iced Tea book and another is going to win farmed farm to treble. I don’t know what he wants. He’s hitting the tree.
Bree: [01:05:42] Browning and broomsticks.
Angela: [01:05:45] So I have that one on the floor. And then the other one you had me think of was it takes a witch.
Bree: [01:05:50] Love that cover.
Angela: [01:05:54] So I was going to say, if there’s any other thoughts you guys had about crime and punctuation, I love how I was like, Let’s just talk about the cozies I was like, Was there anything else before me like, You’re so adorable, though? Like, I don’t even look down at my notes when it comes to you. I’m just we’re just having the conversation.
Bree: [01:06:11] I just was excited to talk about it and cozy because I don’t ever really get to talk about causes. So this was all.
Angela: [01:06:19] That’s what you do now, like, that’s what you are. You’re the romance woman.
Bree: [01:06:25] I love it. I love it. But I have so many like I have I. If I find a series that I’m interested in and like all the books are out, then I have to buy them all. Because like, sometimes you know, Barnes and Noble, they’ll have like the first three books and then no books in the middle and then book 10 and 11 and 12. So I’m like, if I see them, I have to get them. So I’m trying to do better at reading all the series that are on my shelves this year.
Angela: [01:06:54] I mean, I will admit, I think when it comes to cozies, part of me is always like, I want to start with book one. I never want to pick up a book in the middle of the series. The one time I’ve done this thus far was literally what, a month or so ago it was lethal and lace. It was book five, but it was the only one available in the audio subscription with Amazon. Usually, though, I only read the first book. So like when I go to the bookstore and I see, this is book 10 and I and they don’t have any other, you know, they don’t have book one. I’m going, OK, I’m going to have to get back to you on that. So I think that is somewhat problematic for me and my cozy reading because when you go to the bookstore. They don’t have books one through 12, or if it was handed Swenson, that would be like an entire like two bookcase, two bookshelves right there. So I mean, they don’t do that. So I think that might be one of the drawbacks for me when it comes to trying to stay on top of your cozy reading because every so often you’ll see a book come out in a series and it’s the seventh one. It looks awesome. You’re going. I haven’t read books one through six, though.
Bree: [01:07:54] I have done really good. Like if it’s another if it’s a romance, I’ll jump into the series wherever because it usually doesn’t. You don’t miss out on too much. But with cozy mysteries, I’m nervous. I’m like, if I pick up like book six before book one, I just feel like I’m going to have missed something.
Angela: [01:08:14] You’re playing catch up. And I know because this is the thing to write when it comes to is that I think is great with this. This subgenre of mysteries is that every author tries to make it so you can read each book as a standalone. But I do think you miss out on details when you pick up the next book. Like when you pick up book five instead of reading books one through four. So with that book lethal and lays the guy she ends up with, you know, he literally proposes to her in the first couple of pages. But then you find out he was her ex-husband’s divorce lawyer and going, There’s a story there that I totally just missed out on, like, I need to go read books one through four now. So that was like, you could pick it up and understand, but you didn’t have the full context, so I did feel like I was missing out. I’m like all the comments are popping up, it’s so hard to keep track of them all. You guys are amazing. I love this, but you guys are so cute.
Bree: [01:09:02] Are there still used paperback book stores?
Angela: [01:09:06] I don’t know. They do exist, obviously, but I mean, with COVID, I don’t know how many of them are still opening their doors right now. I think that’s part of the issue, right?
Bree: [01:09:16] Here we have like half price books, and they’re open back up, and that’s nice to see. I was really worried about used bookstores for the longest. It’s nice to see that they’re still open.
Angela: [01:09:29] No, I think that was one of the things with COVID, where there are a lot of really great second-hand bookstores, but it’s really hard when you know you’re trying to keep your doors open, but your people don’t want to go out, people are staying in. I mean, the amount of e-books that are being read, I mean, in five years from now, when they release all the numbers, I think it’s going to be fascinating to be looking at the spikes that occur with different genres and authors. Well, yeah, I mean, as long as people are getting books like, that’s also the other thing too, as you see people saying, yes, I’m one of those people who are like, however, you get books, whether it’s the library you want, listen to them on your audio or whatever. I’m just happy when people are reading the books.
Bree: [01:10:07] That is one thing that I miss, like my library is doing. Like I can check out stuff online and then I go, pick it up and they give me a specific time. I have to call them when I’m outside, they’ll set it on the table and I have to just go and I’m like, I just want to come in and walk around so bad.
Angela: [01:10:27] So you give me like this sort of like wanderlust feeling because this woman, I don’t know what your cafe system like. I don’t know what cafes you visit, but her coffee house is. Her pictures are phenomenal, and I’m always I got this longing because the coffee houses in my area. I’m just not. I just I don’t. I haven’t. I don’t leave my apartment that much, like I don’t hardly ever leave. And so I haven’t actually gone to a cafe and just sat down just to take pictures, you know, read the book, take some photos like, I haven’t done any of that in the longest time, and then I see your photos. I’m like, I missed going to writing.
Bree: [01:11:02] I was miserable, like when COVID first kicked off and everything was closed. I was miserable because like as a mom going to the coffee shop, like the one thing that I do by myself. And so once they started opening back up, you can’t go without, you can’t enter without a mask. They only let so many people in and I go like, right when they open before they get busy. So I’m like, That’s just become my system. Like, if they open it, 8:00, I’m going to be there at 8:00. You know, I’m usually a person in there for like 30 minutes, and it’s just nice. I love it.
Angela: [01:11:36] I see those photos and I’m just like the longing that I feel when I see them. I’m like, I miss those days.
Bree: [01:11:43] Realize that, one of my friends was like, You know, she’s like, You need to keep posting them because not a lot of places, coffee shops are open. And I was like, I didn’t think that.
Angela: [01:11:54] You’re right. The one that I went to that was my favourite in my area. They don’t have. It was. It was always a very small sit down area and it was WIFI free, so you weren’t supposed to have your computer open. It was just meant to sit there and have conversations or just sit there and read and just enjoy the moment. And so again, it’s someone who always feels like my brain is always going like it is ridiculous. It’s very hard for me to relax. So I would go there because I knew I couldn’t open the computer and I just had to sit there and enjoy the coffee or make my little notes or whatever. And so now you can just go and get your coffee and leave. They don’t have the sit down options. So when I see your photos, I miss the days.
Bree: [01:12:32] Do you do a lot of writing like out and about?
Angela: [01:12:36] Well, I think part of that too with that process, at least, was, you know, I’ve been working on this dissertation for the longest time and again there’s been some more recent hurdles, which I will not divulge fully like once this process is finally done. It’s going to be like, I’m going to be running around. I’ll be posting videos being much more, you know, involved. It’s just it’s been it’s been great. But that was the whole thing, though, to write like, you know, for me, it was getting away from the dissertation and being able to, like, turn that part of my brain off and not worry like, I got to be doing the lit review. I’m going to be researching this like, we were reading this article. I got to be reading that book. That’s sound recommended. So for me, a lot of it was like getting away from the work because my apartment like it is ridiculous. I got my office and there’s just academic books. I mean, my dissertation is on the romance genre fandom. So I have like all these tabs and stuff in the office and I have to close door and I’m like, I have to close the door so I don’t see the books with all the notes.
Bree: [01:13:33] Add anything in since Bridgeton happened.
Angela: [01:13:38] At this point, I’d probably be able to add a few more things because the process is again hurdles. So before the final version is submitted, I’m probably going to add a couple of paragraphs, at least because Julia Quinn, I mean, this woman, I mean, got to bow down to this talent. I mean, she definitely was able to create something that serious came out at the perfect time for people with Netflix, like wanting the happily ever after is wanting the positivity. I don’t think I can ignore that because a lot of what I’m saying and the dissertation is why people are reading romance and people want positivity and like, that’s exactly what we’re doing, let people have.
Bree: [01:14:13] What everything that you’ve been working on is leading up to like and here we go. Perfect example.
Angela: [01:14:22] It’s so great when I wrote something and like again, it hasn’t been put out into the world yet, and I’m like, and someone else just said this. I was like, You should have just let me submit this to the lab right now. I’m like, I’m again, try to smile like, smile through the pain, like not bitter grapes. Like, I’m just happy. Like, it’s getting into like the fandom is getting, you know, the recognition, the credit. I mean, that’s all I really cared about to start with anyway. Like my project started with the stigmatization of the genre. So I mean, if we can help eliminate that at all, that’s great. I’m not going to be I’m not going to be upset that someone else beat me to it, I’m like, go Bridgeton’s, like, do what you’re doing right there. Keep going. Get that award.
Bree: [01:15:04] I cannot wait to hear about the finished product because you’ve been working on it for a long time.
Angela: [01:15:11] I’m going to be very honest at this point, I think the final product is probably going be more reflective of the committee than myself. So after it’s done, I’m probably going to come back out with something and post it on either my website or do some like short blog posts or something to show like what I was doing and what I originally wanted. Because, you know, once you have the committee and outside influence, it’s really hard to, you know, stay true to your original goals. But I mean, I just love the genre. I love the fandom. I just wanted to shine a light on it. So again, trying to stay positive, like there is a reason why I started the study. You know, there’s a motivation to finish it for that reason. So oh. So shout out to Bree because she was one of the first people I interviewed. Like when you first started in one started book tube. Again, this is how long I’ve been working on this dissertation. People, this woman and her Instagram is ridiculous. She has exploded. I interviewed her when she, like, just started. While I was like, That is how long I’ve been working on this project.
Bree: [01:16:17] I can’t even imagine Angela. I would be over it.
Angela: [01:16:24] That’s the thing, though, to write like, I think because I care about what I’m researching. That’s why, it’s hard. Like to not give up on it. You’re like, Yeah, I just want to see this through because at this point, I do have the research. And again, I’m being very honest, like, this is something I probably, you know, it wasn’t it wasn’t going to reveal. But like, I do think the end product is more representative of the committee than my intentions, but I’m going to I’m still going to stick to it. I still think it’s worthwhile and I still am going to have the data that I gathered and then I can do with it what I will after the fact. So just see it through. Yeah, it hasn’t been the easiest process, but you know, I’m going to I’m going to see it through like, I mean, there’s been more recent hurdles that I haven’t discussed publicly. And you know, you can you can probably see like my Instagram and stuff has probably been like less active and whatever. Like I, I haven’t been posting the individual videos that I have been like. I’ve just been doing the cozy mystery book club livestreams once a month. Like This is my YouTube life right now because everything’s been so dissertation focused. So I mean, this is part of why I think I enjoy the club she like. This gives me a break to go, read something different to actually talk to people who love books like I do, you know, I get to step away from everything. So it’s just, it’s wonderful. I love being able to like, do this and not have to worry about anything else.
Bree: [01:17:41] We’re rooting for you, girl. You take the time you need.
Angela: [01:17:48] I have to admit, I know my mom probably will check out this video at some point like, you know, I got to give the family credit shout out to them. Like, if they hadn’t, if my parents haven’t been so supportive, like, you know, finish it, do what you got to do. Like, you know, that’s been a really big deal because I’ve had every issue known to man with this, with this program and that issue after issue after issue. But like, I’m still here, I’m still going to get it done. You know, that’s all you can do, right? Just keep working, keep chugging along. And eventually, hopefully.
Bree: [01:18:17] It’s a topic that you love, and I think that people don’t realize that it is something worth studying and like researching and looking into. I mean, there’s so many aspects to the genre that one could research and study, and I just I can’t wait to hear what you come up with.
Angela: [01:18:37] As I’m like, smiling, like, one of the things with the literature review. So I’m studying the romance fandom, and a lot of academic studies that have been done have been on the content, not the people consuming content. So again, I’m a communications major. I’m not studying English language. I love my grammar and punctuation, but I’m starting. I’m starting the people. So it’s different. And there hasn’t been a lot of studies done on the fandom. And so I have a lot of popular references pop, you know, popular presses or books that were not necessarily academic. So I got I got dinged for not having any academic citations for the fandom like they don’t exist yet. That’s why I’m doing this.
Bree: [01:19:20] How to defend that. Like this is why I don’t have that.
Angela: [01:19:28] So, it is what it is. So again, like all the more reasons to be like, let me go, read a cozy mystery like, let me go, relax, let me go. Like, you know, this is why I think I love going on the cozy Instagram and seeing what people are posting. I mean, I again, I think there’s something about this club where like, you guys just brighten my life like, you make me smile. You know, there’s something to it when I see the photos of people with posting crime, punctuation like they posted it, they’re reading the book. This is so. Great. You know, like I was having a really bad day a couple of weeks ago because again, Hertel won’t divulge into that, but it was always great to, you know, again, I got to see the photos and like, they’re reading the book like, you know, this club matters. So it’s just, you know, it really does brighten my day in that way.
Bree: [01:20:11] I will be reposting the pictures that you posted today, and I was just, I mean, I look at cozies like I do with romance, like anybody who I just I love people that are like, unapologetic about what they love. And I think that anything that is like cozy or like relaxing, that like brings people. Joy is so easily dismissed, and I was just like, I love what the book club stands for because it’s all about these cozy mysteries and they’re just so fun and they’re a really good escape. I mean, I don’t know. I try to read literary fiction a couple of years ago and like, no shade, but it was not an escape.
Angela: [01:21:00] No, I mean, even so again, I’m advocating romance, but you know, I realized, you know, a lot of it is lately like, I just want to reread old romances because every so often you’ll pick up a romance like this is this character’s back story. You’re like, OK, like, I picked up a romance novel, and all of a sudden you’re like, OK, like, there are a few things that I’m trying not to, you know, it wasn’t a bad thing. It was just all of a sudden the heroin’s attacked by a bad guy and you’re like, Nothing happens, but it’s still on the page. She gets away like I didn’t. I didn’t want this. Like, I don’t need this right now. I’m like, Well, I’m like, Let me go. That’s why I got I’ve been reading more cozies. I’ve been trying to post some of the reviews lately. And so I was like, Let me go back to the cozy or let me go, reread this old romance like, I want the fun. I want the I want the calm, you know, the other day on Twitter. I didn’t comment because again, I’m not. I just I read stuff. Sometimes someone said, let’s have you know more on the page. Violence with cozies. I’m like, That’s not what cozies are.
Bree: [01:22:02] I couldn’t do too much. I can’t do that.
Angela: [01:22:06] No, I saw the person on Twitter. It was like they had this whole thread about maybe having more on the page. Relationships come to come to fruition. I’m going. But that’s not cozy. You know, I’m like going in after like in my little like pull up a shirt like I want to hide, you know, like, that’s not what cozy mysteries are. So like people who read cozies, you read them for a reason, we get light-hearted. You know, it’s a great escape. So yeah, you don’t want on the page violence you don’t want on the page. Like, if you if you want that, you pick up a different book, a different series of different, you know, whatever. So I just saw that I’m going to put my cozies, you know, like my crew gets it.
Bree: [01:22:48] And the cool thing like so especially if it’s like small town, because it’s like, it’s that reminder that even if you live in like the idyllic small town, you never know what’s really going on.
Angela: [01:23:02] I Think it’s always nice to though, like, you always have that validation that justice is served. You know, the bad guy is going to go. There’s going to be penance of. I mean, again, usually it’s a murder mystery. Ninety nine percent murder mysteries, you know, they’re going to jail. You know, the good triumphs your sleuth who’s usually a woman, you know, she has agency, she’s being able to do these things. A lot of cozies, they have their own businesses. I mean, I think that there’s a lot of positivity in regards to representation. I mean, even the book we just read tonight, right? You know, she’s like, we’re not a size two. She’s twice the woman she used to be. You know, I love it when you say, like, Yeah, we’re like, I am a size 12. I’m a size 18. Three different races, ethnicities. I love what cozies stand for and how they show women and all these different roles. It’s just it’s so great. I’m like getting really excited, like for the hand motions over here like I love them.
Bree: [01:23:55] And sixty eight year old. I remember the last time I read a book with a main character that was sixty eight. I loved Mickey.
Angela: [01:24:08] No, this is what I mean. It’s just inspiring to see. Like, Yeah, she’s starting her own business like she, she’s doing what she wants to do. She’s again, she has agency. She’s going out there. She goes to the interview to like, she’s looking into things. She takes it on herself. So I think that’s also really sort of inspirational. Like, like if you want to go do something, you can do it, maybe not go, look at life.
Bree: [01:24:33] I mean, at any time in life, you can go for it. I love that.
Angela: [01:24:38] I mean, whether you want to be an editor, I mean, I love the ones where, you know, there’s what was it? She was writing a book on the side and she decided to do writing as her. I’m totally blanking, but she was. Probably she wasn’t. A silver slip, which was probably in her 40s, but she’s going, no, I’m going to write my book now, I’m going to do this. And so I thought that was really nice. Yeah, she’s owning her passion.
Bree: [01:25:02] I love it. It’s never too late. It’s never too late.
Angela: [01:25:07] I still love Agatha Raisin like her TV show. I mean, this woman, she’s that actress, you know, she’s kicking butt and going, you know, she’s not, you know, 21 year old size two. Like, she’s I mean, she’s beautiful and she’s in shape. But like, again, she’s older. I think that’s great, you know, showing women of different ages instead of being like, We’re going to be prim and proper. You know, we don’t age. We have no lines. We never we know you’re never beyond the, you know, sample size.
Bree: [01:25:32] I have never smoked.
Angela: [01:25:36] I get the reason. She’s still beautiful. She probably is probably like a size four. But like her name is Ashley Jensen, the actress. She’s on ACORN TV, so you can get the subscription on Amazon. I think it’s four point ninety nine a month, but a lot of times they’ll do like the free. They’ll do a lot of freebies. We’re like, you got to try it for 30 days. And so, yeah, you can. You can probably binge the season like you can binge them very easily. The other one for ACORN TV that I recommend is Queens of Mystery. That is another one showing women of different ages. The main character, she is three aunts, and she has one aunt. That’s a writer. She is another one who’s this former rock and roll woman. And then, what’s the third? The third one she’s in? I think she’s invested in theatre. And so again, like different women, different ages, it’s great. I recommend that one, too.
Bree: [01:26:27] Acorn TV. Okay.
Angela: [01:26:31] As I’m like, like I’ve seen that, I think that there are six episodes in total, I’m pretty sure, and it’s only one season at the moment, so that can be a quick binge, but it’s worth it. It’s a good one.
Bree: [01:26:41] I’m going to look it up.
Angela: [01:26:45] As I look down. The thing I love queens of mystery. There’s also the theme song like I try to find the theme song tunes because apparently, like, I’m that person who wants a theme song as queens. The mystery is a good show, and I’m like, high five Stephanie. I’m like, We’re on the same page. Oh my gosh, just so cute as I look down. I know I was just chatting with you. I’m like, the comments, they’re popping up. I mean, you guys are so amazing. Is there something else about the book? You guys wanted us to talk about touch on whether it’s about the book or other books that I grabbed, apparently, or ACORN TV? I mean, we also have I mean, I don’t think you go by the goddess anymore, but it used to be Bree the goddess, as I’m like, No, I got an angle. I’m like, How do I angle this? Be like, really got it? Any questions for Bree? I mean, any things that you don’t want to pop up before, you know, being in the night or I lose my voice, whichever comes first.
Bree: [01:27:35] I like seeing that, like everybody seemed to like it. That made my day. It was, I like seeing that everybody seemed to like it.
Angela: [01:27:46] I love that I was so happy as I’m trying to remember, like the first one. Yeah, so it was a killer chardonnay for last month. And then I love how like I’m blanking on January’s book right off the top of my head. I love how like I’m forgetting like next month. Yeah. So Killer Serenade was the first one of our four books that we read, and everyone loved that one, too. And it’s so great to see, like the book club choosing the books again, these four books were tied. They were recommended again and again and again. And so to see people enjoying the books that they really wanted to read, your heart just has to soar with that. That is amazing.
Bree: [01:28:21] It literally just coming out that you’re excited for, like cozy mysteries coming out this year or like in the next couple of months.
Angela: [01:28:30] I was going to say Kensington sent the list and Kensington is my go to. I love Kensington. I also love Poison Pen Press. They’re amazing. Kensington will send the list of books. That’s why I mentioned Kensington right off the bat, so they’ll send the list of books. So Ellery Adams has a book coming out April twenty seventh murder in the cookbook Nook that was one of my new favourite titles. And then Amanda Flower has another one again, like, you got to bow down to this woman and her talent. She also has one coming out April twenty seventh Lennon drop dead.
Bree: [01:29:03] She is a beast her and Ellery Adams and Lee Alexander. And like, how do these women sleep at night. They just.
Angela: [01:29:11] I have no idea. Like, Do you sleep?
Bree: [01:29:15] Looks like I’m dozing off, but I just got a book idea. So let me go right.
Angela: [01:29:19] Remember, there’s another one on the list that I remember. I saw where I’m going. That looks amazing. I think there was another one. Oh yeah. So yeah, murder. She edited for our yes. So the fourth book is coming out for this series for punctuation. It’s murder, she edited. And that’s coming out on July 27. One’s coming out. As I’m scrolling down the list, there was one where I’m pretty sure it was the first book of series. I’m like, Oh, I’m going to make note of this. Oh, two wicked desserts. There’s a Halloween mystery coming out in July, so I might have to put like a little asterisks like, keep this on the list. Oh, I remember what it was. So Coraline Carlene O’Connor, she has murder and Kamara. And so that one’s coming up to you. I think that’s the third book in her series. She has the ire it’s Ireland series and then murder in a teacup.
Bree: [01:30:13] I got a Carlene O’Connor. It’s like a green cover.
Angela: [01:30:18] She wrote the Ireland one.
Bree: [01:30:21] Has a couple in Irish. Is it a bookshop, Irish bookshop or something?
Angela: [01:30:26] I’m trying to remember, but I remember. I like I. It’s over there somewhere, and the dog is like being weird, so I’m like, if I go, try and take that book, I’m like, it’s not going to get worked out again. But yeah, there are a whole bunch of books coming out. Oh, we’re Lee Hall says one death of an Italian chef that just for some reason, like titles alone, like you got to smile. So there are a lot of books coming out to be excited about.
Bree: [01:30:53] I’m going to have to keep up with them on that galley because they kind of like, give me free range with their net galley, but I’m like, probably the world’s worst e-book reader, you guys.
Angela: [01:31:05] I don’t do like yelling anymore because I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t be able to read it in time and my score was going down and or because they always try and keep track of who gets access to what and when you post it. So, you know, it was one of those. I don’t want to be that person who just says, like, Oh, you know, for starters, I just want to get my rating back up like, I don’t want to do that.
Bree: [01:31:26] I will forget. So then like four months down the line, I’ll be like, Oh, let me get on that galley. And it’s like five reviews that I’m typing up and I’m like, I they are probably like, Why don’t we give this girl access? I mean, I try, you know, just I’m a little late.
Angela: [01:31:46] I don’t think they put expiration dates because if they did, my rating would be zero or something like it would be ridiculous. There’s always a super delayed reaction. I think one time to I got approved for something, but I didn’t know it. I forget if it was, it might have been an Avon book, and I didn’t. I had put in for. I had put it in to get to get access to one of the books, but I didn’t know. I never got an email or a pop up or something, but like I didn’t know. And then eventually I read the book and I had purchased it. And I don’t know again, this is probably I haven’t checked Nick Ali in months. Now, as I say this like months ago, the last time I probably did, I saw and I was like, Oh, I can do a review on this one, even though I didn’t use the net galley, which is things. See, I’m glad Tracy says Nick Ali is the best. I think. I think the one thing with Nick Ali is you get to see what’s coming out and then you can get excited for it, even if you don’t read it on that galley. You can say, this book has this author this book.
Bree: [01:32:43] It’s like it can be discouraging, but I tell people like, be careful what you wish for, because before you know what, you’re going to get approved for all these things, and now you’ve got to read them and review them. And I’m a mood reader. So like, I may ask for it, and it may take them three weeks to give it to me. And I’m like, Well, now I’m not really in the mood for the book.
Angela: [01:33:07] I just told you I was rereading my old favourites. You know, sometimes you don’t want to take a chance, either.
Bree: [01:33:12] This year has been like I have been mostly reading backless titles, so I’m like, I need to stay off on that galley because older books have just been it for me this year.
Angela: [01:33:25] I don’t know what it was. I was going to say I again. I started using the Kindle app a long, long time ago. Obviously, I’m, you know, I got a little lines around my eyes, so I went back to the beginning of my Kindle library and I was reading books that I had purchased, you know, when I first got Kindle and it was like the first time I was reading them, I had no recollection. It was. It was like reading for the first time. It was wonderful. I didn’t have to spend any money. I already had them. It was great.
Bree: [01:33:52] Good night, Lady Gizmo, thank you. And I found history.
Angela: [01:33:57] I like the little bone emoji. I didn’t even know that was a thing. I know you’re probably going to. He’s probably wondering why Mommy is ignoring him at this point. So he’s probably being like my night-time walk beat mommy. Again, I do the voices like, I imagine what he’s thinking, I imagine what he’s saying.
Bree: [01:34:18] Little nap. So when are you all meeting again? Like what? The next meeting? So I can walk.
Angela: [01:34:25] I was like, Let me open the book. So next month is so next month we have murder in G Major. And so for March, we have two guest hosts, Stephanie Richards and Jan Epstein. So we have two guest host next month, and these women have been involved in Book Club for the longest time. And so you. I love you. You’re great. So as I’m like. So I was so excited to see the names pop up with the Google survey. So I posted the Google Form, excuse me. So I had asked people to fill out the Google Form to show interest because I didn’t want to put people on the spot being like, Well, you guessed like, you know, if someone’s camera shy or something. So when I got to go through the Google Form and see who filled it out, I’m sort of just doing it in batches so I can repost and re the Google Form. So if you are interested, you can go fill it out this way. I know you might want to be a guest hosting feature. You can also choose the months I was so happy. The reason why I’m pointing at like, I’m like, she filled it out and I think you chose two months and I was so excited she chose February. I need a guest host. And I know her great. I was like, The timing is aligned.
Bree: [01:35:31] So like if you still have them, if you have a month down the line that you want me to come on, I would love to come on.
Angela: [01:35:38] I was so excited because again, I kind of I posted the form and you know, again, like, I don’t want to make people feel pressure or, you know, I don’t want to be like, you know, on the lookout and see who’s answered, you know, I don’t want to be like, refreshing it every couple, you know, because once I started to do that, that’s what I’m going to do. So I waited until, you know, I waited probably like a month to go check in with the form. And you were probably, I think, the second person because Ben was the first person who filled out the form and you were the second. I’m like, she filled out the form. So because I wanted to ask you to be a guest host, but I know you’re so busy, this woman. I don’t know. You have three children, I believe. She has three children that she’s taking care of. She’s raising a family. She’s in school. Her Instagram is amazing. So you’ve got to take those pictures, you got to edit and everything else you’re reading. I was like, I don’t want to put her on the spot and make her feel like, you know, so I was so happy to see your name pop up. So like, shout out. I was like, Thank you for filling out the form and being here.
Bree: [01:36:40] I signed up for two. So whenever you need me to ask for my second, just let me know.
Angela: [01:36:49] I was going to say, right, like you were the second person. And so like, so Ben, I think he clicked off multiple months and then I saw you said February, I’m like, I have my first like, this is great.
Bree: [01:36:59] It’s perfect.
Angela: [01:37:01] I was so excited. And plus again, it’s so funny because her title is falling for romance. I was there when you first started reading romance, and so I was like, Oh, she’s romance. It’s February. And then this book had no romance in it, but I liked that. I was just like, I was so excited. I was like, February. It is so I was so happy that you’re able to do this this month. And it’s also been the longest time I got to chat with you because I get to see your beautiful photos when my Instagram is behaving itself. We’re not going to get that. But like if I ever accidentally unfollow someone, just let me know and I will fix it. She was one of the accounts that my Instagram unfollowed followed, and I was so mad when I saw that.
Bree: [01:37:36] I did like them work. You’re just like, It’s so stop posting and then you go, Look, it’s like, whoa, like they’re active all the time. It just doesn’t want me to see. So it happens.
Angela: [01:37:51] I was because I hadn’t seen any photos for a while, and then I saw I was like, I’m following her. I’m like, I get to see her photos now, Instagram, I see her photos. So I mean, you’re incredible. Like, I don’t know how you. I’m like, I’m like, I don’t know how you live your life. You’re an inspiration. So I’m so happy that you were able to join us this month because now I got to go look up the other month that you selected, because now I’m curious because I don’t remember off the top of my head. But yeah, I was like, If you have any cozy mysteries on your TBR or other, the other things that pop up, I’m like, You were going to have to.
Bree: [01:38:28] I’m going to send you when we get off of here, I’m going to message you like my shelves, like these are the books that I couldn’t think of while we were talking.
Angela: [01:38:37] Once the video again, I’m going to go through because YouTube is really funky when it comes to comments like they pop up as the video goes like, this is why it takes me a little while to sometimes get all the comments for the giveaways. You know, now that I’m doing, the next time I go through the video to do the comments, I’m probably like, I’m going to make a note of this, this book and this book. So it might even take you a little longer to do the giveaway if I do that too. But yeah, because there obviously, like a lot of books that were referenced and I have, I have shelves to reorganize because I was just grabbing things after a certain point. I think that this was really it was kind of nice to talk about different books in addition to. The Book of the month, because sometimes we just talk about the book of the month and I mean, again, I love that. I mean, last month I was like gushing over killer chardonnay, and I would have kept gushing over it forever because it was such a great read. But yeah, it was kind of nice to talk about additional cozies in addition to crime punishment.
Bree: [01:39:29] I just had to pick your and everybody’s brain because I don’t really get to talk about cozy mysteries. So thank you guys for having me and letting me ask questions and get recommendations and talk about Amanda flowers it.
Angela: [01:39:45] I feel like we kind of need shows like Amanda Flower crew like the cozy crew of Amanda Flower.
Bree: [01:39:51] Her hallmark book, like it’s sold out the day that it came out, and I’m like messaging her on Instagram. I’m trying to buy the book and it’s gone. And then as soon as Barnes and Noble got it in again, I was like, I was there and I was like, I’m dying. If you have a book under.
Angela: [01:40:11] Hallmark, she I mean, she also seems like just the sweetest little human being to I love her newsletter. If you guys aren’t following her newsletter, she’s just so sweet. I think the last one, she had a soup recipe. I mean, again, here’s this woman who’s writing all these books, and she has these random inclusions, and she has this mystery store where she has handmade crafts. And I’m going, how? And she also is really adorable cats. You mentioned you like cats.
Bree: [01:40:37] How do you have time to write flowers?
Angela: [01:40:45] I feel like I need to make a list of women for four book tube for four books to Gram for writing. Be like, These are the women I aspire to be like.
Bree: [01:40:55] So that is what is Women’s Month with women’s history.
Angela: [01:41:01] I mean, that’s what it is. I mean, again, I got to give her credit for being able to because she doesn’t just write a lot of books. She writes a lot of great books and there’s great characters and great stories. I mean, there are some authors who you know, who find a formula and like, if you like one book, you will like all the others. But. And like, that’s great. But she doesn’t do, you know, none of her stuff. I mean, every single thing is unique unto itself. So like bow down to her bow down, it was like, Give you all the gold stars for your shirt, like if I was the teacher, like, you get the gold star. But you guys are so great and I kind of got you guys are amazing for joining and reading and being a part of the book club. I mean, I didn’t even realize like how long we’ve been talking. I mean, it wasn’t until the dog was like, pay attention to me where I was like, Hey, wait a second.
Bree: [01:41:46] Well, thank you for having me. Thank you.
Angela: [01:41:52] You’re welcome. Any time.
Bree: [01:41:54] Thank you.
Angela: [01:41:56] Thank you guys for joining. Next month is murder in G Major. I already made the YouTube link so you can add it to your watch list. I will share it if you haven’t signed up for my personal newsletter. I always feel like I’m pitching, but I’m not. I always include the links and references to the books and where to find them in there, which is why I’m referencing it. Plus, I have a bunch of freebies. I was I was doing this earlier. I have all the freebie links and stuff I really wanted. I, you know, so if you sign up, you have access to, like all the Mandelas that I had created, all the cozy bingo cards, just everything cozy. I really, you know, try to do a lot for you guys. So if you want to subscribe, please do that because I include more information, additional giveaway information and so much more. I always try and do that. I only send it out once a month on the first, the first month, every month. That’s it. There are some authors who do you know daily. I’m not going to do that, I promise. So you can add that to your watch list, and I’m trying to think that I felt like there was one other thing. So next month, Stephanie and Jan are going to be the guests, and then April Vonnie and Victoria are going to be again. We have to guest host. But after that, I was going to ask if you guys can start thinking about books for me because once again, we’re going to have to start doing the Twitter polls because we only have two more books on the TBR. So you’ve got to start thinking about what other first books in the series you might want to read. So please start thinking mulling that over. There’s no rush two months away, but just start thinking.
Bree: [01:43:22] Can’t wait to see what they are.
Angela: [01:43:25] I know, I’m always so excited because people will find books that either slip through the cracks or were older that I never saw or books that just come out. Or, I mean, it’s always great to have people who love cozies recommend like, this is the cozy I want to read. You know, I think that’s great. So I can’t wait. You just start thinking and I can’t wait to see you guys come up with because I know it’s going to be great, but please stay. Please check the Twitter account and Instagram for the winners for tonight as I’m starting to lose my voice. Yes, because I’m going to go through the comments. It’s going to take me a little while because clearly y’all are amazing and we’re killing it tonight with the comments. So once the video archives, I’m probably going to do it tomorrow. It might take me a little while, but please be sure to check the cozy Instagram and Twitter for the announcement, because sometimes when it comes to YouTube, I can’t find people again. People don’t have. Have YouTube accounts to comment for YouTube. So sometimes it’s difficult to find the Instagram handle or the Twitter handle, so please be on the lookout to see if your name gets posted because I want to make sure I can contact you so you get your either Amanda Flower or Elon Byron book. So be on the lookout for that.
Bree: [01:44:30] Good luck and a huge thank you.
Angela: [01:44:33] I am so happy and so thankful and appreciative that you joined us tonight. I mean, you’re just you’re. I adore her. So again, if you are not already following her across platforms, please do so. She’s incredible, and she’s also the kindest human being. You know, it’s one of those things where some people are so talent, but you’re like, you’re talented and a good person, like, you’re just the complete package. So just shout out to you.
Bree: [01:44:54] Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. I’m rooting for you. I love it. Thank you.
Angela: [01:45:02] I know I love the cosy club. You know, I kind of got a little emotional. I was like, No, I’m going to stay composed. I mean, you’re well-wishes. I mean, they really do mean so much to me because, you know, this is, you know, this is this is as I’m getting emotional again. You know, I love this club. I love being able to celebrate books with people who share my love of literature who, you know, enjoy the same books that I do and celebrating books about women by women. It’s just it’s a wonderful feeling, and I love being able to spread the coziness. So just thank you guys for joining us. And you know, this is your Tuesday night, so thank you for spending your Tuesday night with us.
Bree: [01:45:34] Best to you too. Bye.
Angela: [01:45:40] Please stay safe and healthy, and you know, please take care of yourselves during.
