Book Review & Giveaway ~ Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke ~ 2/2/17

 

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Blurb:

 

 Hannah Swensen already has her hands full, between dodging her mother's attempts to marry her off, and running Lake Eden, Minnesota's most popular bakery, The Cookie Jar. But when the Cozy Cow Dairy's beloved deliveryman is found murdered behind Hannah's bakery with her famous Chocolate Chip Crunchies scattered around him, Hannah sets out to track down a killer. The more Hannah snoops, the more suspects turn up. This is one murder that's starting to leave a very bad taste in Hannah's mouth, and if she doesn't watch her back, her sweet life may get burned to a crisp.    

My Thoughts:

 

This was the first cozy mystery I've read in a long, long time.

 

I've watched the Hallmark rendering of this story and really enjoyed it.  I like to see the differences that are made when a book is made into a movie.

 

I enjoyed getting to know Hannah, The Cookie Jar and Eden Lake/Lake Eden :)

 

I have to say that I did NOT have the whodunit figured out.  lol

 

I loved all the recipes that are in the book.  I'll have to give some of them a try.  I'm just afraid that I'll eat them and that won't be very good news for my "Weigh-In Wednesday" post!

 

I look forward to reading (and watching) more of this series.

 

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I'm giving away my copy of this book!

To enter the giveaway:

*Mandatory-  Leave a comment telling me how to contact you if you are the winner.

*Extra-  Follow my blog and leave a second comment telling me that you do and how :)

 

The giveaway will run until 11:59pm EST, February 8, 2017.  The winner will be emailed on February 9th.

 

For the Biblical "Way of Salvation" please see my header or click HERE.

 

 

 Thanks for stopping by!  Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

  

Linking up to:  Share Your Cup;  Grandma Ideas, Literacy Musings and Saturday Situation, Booknificent. Party at My Place , Saturday Review of Book , Book Nook

Movie Night (1) ~ The Lucky One ~ 10/25/12

A weekly spotlight of a recently watched movie.  Everyone is welcome to leave a link to a movie review in the comments!  What movie should we watch this weekend for Movie Night?

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*Sources:  Yahoo Movies "The Lucky One"*

Title:  The Lucky One

MPAA Rating:  PG-13

Genre:  Adaptation, Drama, Romance

Run Time:  1 hr 41 min

Premiere Date:  4/20/12

Writer(s):  Will Fetters (screenplay), Nicholas Sparks (Novel)

Director:  Scott Hicks

Distributor:  Warner Bros.

Synopsis:

U.S. Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq, with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive - a photograph he found of a woman he doesn't even know. Learning her name is Beth and where she lives, he shows up at her door, and ends up taking a job at her family-run local kennel. Despite her initial mistrust and the complications in her life, a romance develops between them, giving Logan hope that Beth could be much more than his good luck charm.

Cast

Logan Thibault:  Zac Efron

Beth Green:  Taylor Schilling

Ellie Green:  Blythe Danner

Ben Clayton:  Riley Thomas Stewart

Keith Clayton:  Jay R. Ferguson

 

My Overall Thoughts:

I read the book months before I had the chance to watch the movie.  Wne I read it, I knew that Zac Efron would be playing Logan's character.  I had a hard time picturing this because was hung up on thinking of Zac Efron as a "High School Musical" kid.  When I finally saw the movie, I was pleasantly surprised at how well Zac has grown up!  He pulled it off very well and banished all "HSM" associations from my mind.  lol  Especially with the....ummmm...love scenes.  Whoa baby!

I watched this movie one afternoon while I crocheted.  The kids were at school and the hubby was sleeping after working the night shift.  I thoroughly enjoyed it!  I would even say that I liked the movie as well, if not better, than the book.  And that is saying something!


MPAA Rating Thoughts:

This movie is rated PG-13 due to sexuality and violence.  I think they need a rating that is somewhere in between PG-13 and R because that is where I would rate this movie.  I think it was a bit too steamy for a 13-year-old to be watching but it wasn't explicit enough to be an R movie either.

My Favorite Scenes(s):

I love the scene when Logan, Beth and Ben are in the kitchen cooking and dancing.  We do that at our house so I really felt a connection.  It was a sweet, feel-good scene where a lot of character could be seen in the interaction.

I also really liked the scene with the storm and the rescue.  Very intense.

There were so many great scenes, but I don't want to give too much away!


Watch This Movie With:

I watched this movie by myself but that isn't optimal.  lol  I would have liked to have watched this movie with some of my girlfriends but it is so hard to get together with everyone's busy schedules.

It would also be a romantic movie to watch with your "SO" if you can get them to watch it with you.  I couldn't :(

Not one to watch with the kiddos, though.

Other Notes:

I do recommend reading the book first.  There is a lot of back-story and details that are in the book and made watching the movie even better.

As in most book-to-movie adaptations, there are some small and some rather large changes/differences.  I don't think they detracted from the story at all.

Be prepared to laugh and to cry.  Have the tissues handy.


Trailer:

My Rating:

4/5

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What are you watching this weekend?  Leave a comment or link :)