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THE SPOOK IN THE STACKS by Eva Gates (aka Vicki Delany) is the fourth book in the series but the first to be published by Crooked Lane Books. I am so happy that this series was revived by a new publisher because I loved this story which features an old lighthouse turned into a library! Protagonist Lucy Richardson is the assistant librarian at the Brodie Island Lighthouse Library. She is lucky enough to live in a small apartment in the lighthouse, situated above the library. It sounds positively charming. The library and town are getting ready to celebrate Halloween, which Lucy would rather skip. She doesn’t consider being scared fun at all. I’ll have to admit, I totally agree with Lucy. I would be more than happy to skip any of the horror-themed stuff Halloween offers but I do enjoy the adorable little kids in their cute costumes of fairies, ladybugs, and princesses.

Ms. Gates weaves an enticing tale of an academic fight over a private historic collection, a reclusive multi-millionaire found murdered in the library, and a mysterious ghost horse that arrives in the creepy fog. In amongst the murder mystery, which Lucy gets pulled into helping solve at the bequest of the murdered man’s granddaughter, there is the theme of families torn apart and then reunited and unrequited love. These subplots add to the appeal of the story and pulled me in until I couldn’t help myself and turned pages late into the night. The exciting reveal provided a twist that I didn’t see coming and left me hoping the next installment is soon to follow.

While the book doesn’t contain recipes, Lucy’s cousin owns a bakery and provides plenty of delicious treats for the Halloween celebrants. One of those treats is Coconut Sugar Cookies so Ms. Gates developed a recipe. Let me tell you, my oldest granddaughter (who is special needs) adored these! I frequently make lemon sugar cookies and she thinks they’re okay. But, she gobbled up my girlie ghosts and pumpkins and asked for more! I love this unique take on sugar cookies and even though there is an extra step to pulse the coconut, I think it is more than worthwhile. Since I made these cookies in the spring (and not during the Halloween setting the book portrays) I made a few Halloween cookies and with the remaining dough, cut some simple shapes that I sprinkled with white sparkling sugar to garnish. Either way, this is a recipe that I will be making year-round!

Amazon Synopsis

Halloween in North Carolina’s Outer Banks becomes seriously tricky when librarian Lucy Richardson stumbles across something extra unusual in the rare books section: a dead body.

Wealthy businessman Jay Ruddle is considering donating his extensive collection of North Carolina historical documents to the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, but the competition for the collection is fierce. Unfortunately, while the library is hosting a lecture on ghostly legends, Jay becomes one of the dearly departed in the rare books section. Now, it’s up to Lucy Richardson and her fellow librarians to bone up on their detective skills and discover who is responsible for this wicked Halloween homicide. 

Meanwhile, very strange things are happening at the library―haunted horses are materializing in the marsh, the lights seem to have an eerie life of their own, and the tiny crew of a model ship appears to move around when no one is watching. Is Lucy at her wit’s end? Or can it be that the Bodie Island Lighthouse really is haunted? 

With The Legend of Sleepy Hollow on everyone’s minds and ghoulish gossip on everyone’s lips, Lucy will need to separate the clues from the boos if she wants to crack this case without losing her head in The Spook in the Stacks, the delightful fourth in national bestseller Eva Gates’ Lighthouse Library mysteries.

A special thanks to Eva Gates/Vicki Delany for providing a winner with a hardcover copy of THE SPOOK IN THE STACKS! Contest is limited to U.S. and Canada residents only and ends Monday, June 18, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)  

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Coconut Sugar Cookies

As made by Josie O’Malley for a Halloween party at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library in The Spook in the Stacks by Eva Gates

Ingredients

• 7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
• 3-3/4 cups cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon pure coconut extract, optional
• Sanding or colored sugar or sprinkles for decorating (optional)

Instructions

1. Process coconut in a food processor until finely ground. Whisk together flour, coconut, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; set aside. 

2. Put butter and granulated sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and coconut extract, if desired. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined.

3. Divide dough into thirds; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm but malleable, about 1 1/2 hours.

4. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of lightly floured parchment to 1/4 inch thick. Repeat, and stack between parchment on a baking sheet. Freeze or refrigerate dough until firm, 30 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

6. Cut out shapes with a floured cutter. Space 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment. To decorate with sugar, lightly brush with water and sprinkle with sugar. Or once cooled, decorate with icing and sprinkles as desired.

7. Bake until edges are golden, 11 to 13 minutes. Let cool on sheets 3 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely.

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AS THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE CRUMBLES by Leslie Budewitz is the fifth book in the Food Lovers series. The Christmas holidays are gearing up with lots of festivities planned in Jewel Bay, Montana, which prides itself on promoting local food and crafts. Erin Murphy, manager of her family’s Murphy Mercantile, is a delightful protagonist. I adore the closeness she shares with her family which spills over into the close-knit community. Erin is kind-hearted and befriends Merrily, who has been shunned from her family for a long-ago transgression which she had paid dearly for. Given the ongoing holiday festivities, Merrily’s family situation becomes all that more heartbreaking. I found Ms. Budewitz writes rich, emotional connections between the characters and brings the spirit of the season to life on the pages. And even though it’s only June, I’m happy to read about Christmas any time of the year!

When Merrily is found murdered, Erin grieves for a friend she barely knew and is pulled into finding justice for the woman. Even though Erin is busy finalizing her wedding plans to Adam and participating in the town’s events, she still finds time to ask questions and find the truth. There were enough suspects to keep me guessing without too many overwhelming the plot. Subplots were woven into the story to bring an added depth of richness to the tale and Ms. Budewitz brings all the threads together in one satisfying conclusion. I also appreciated how the author includes a list of characters at the very beginning of the book. While I didn’t need to reference it since characters were judiciously introduced, it was nice to have “just in case”. And truth be told, it was terrific to have when writing this review since I got so caught up in the fast-paced story I forgot to take many notes.

With the Christmas season being celebrated in the village, Erin hosts a cookie exchange party. It was fun reading Erin’s description of how she connects the cookie qualities with the personality of the baker who brought them to the exchange. The reader will be drooling over the myriad of recipes Ms. Budewitz includes at the back of the book, both for cookies and savory dishes alike! It was certainly difficult to choose just one recipe to share but in the end, Chocolate Ecstasies won out. I was smitten by the generous amounts of chocolate these cookies hold and the fact that it mixes up in one pan. No lugging the heavy-duty mixer out, no rolling out dough, no worrying about getting the butter softened enough. This ultimate chocolatey, easy-peasy cookie recipe is still super yummy and will have your friends and family begging for it year-round!

Amazon Synopsis

Erin is one smart cookie, but can she keep the holiday spirit―and herself―alive till Christmas?

In Jewel Bay, all is merry and bright. At Murphy’s Mercantile, AKA the Merc, manager Erin Murphy is ringing in the holiday season with food, drink, and a new friend: Merrily Thornton. A local girl gone wrong, Merrily has turned her life around. But her parents have publicly shunned her, and they nurse a bitterness that chills Erin.

When Merrily goes missing and her boss discovers he’s been robbed, fingers point to Merrily―until she’s found dead, a string of lights around her neck. The clues and danger snowball from there. Can Erin nab the killer―and keep herself in one piece―in time for a special Christmas Eve?

A special thanks to Midnight Ink and Leslie Budewitz for providing a winner with a print copy of AS THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE CRUMBLES! Contest is limited to U.S. residents only and ends Wednesday, June 13, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)  

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Fudge Ecstasies

Adding half the chocolate chips just before baking gives these crackletopped cookies a soft, fudgy interior. And mixing the batter in the saucepan makes clean up easy!

Ingredients

• 1 12-ounce package (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips (divided)
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, heaping
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Dash of salt
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees (F).

2. In a heavy medium sauce pan, melt one cup of the chocolate chips, the unsweetened chocolate, and the butter, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and a dash of salt.

4. Add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla to the chocolate mixture, in the saucepan but off the heat; mix well.

5. Add the flour mixture and mix well.

6. Stir in the remaining one cup of chocolate chips and the nuts.

7. Drop by teaspoons onto a baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the surface dull and cracked.

8. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

Makes about 3 dozen.

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PICK AND CHEWS, the fourth book in the Barkery & Biscuits Mystery series by Linda O. Johnston is a cute read for dog and pet lovers! Protagonist Carrie Kennersly is both a veterinarian technician and the owner of the Barkery & Biscuits pet bakery plus Icing on the Cake bakery for human treats. She has her hands full running her businesses with the help of great assistants, plus keeping her part-time job at the vet clinic in Knobcone Heights. I loved the location and the settings. Knobcone Heights is located in the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California, which is in my neck of the woods so to speak. The two bakeries (pet and human) are adorable and I enjoyed the interaction Carrie has with her clients. It’s obvious she has a great love for pets, especially dogs, and it was sweet how she went out of her way to share extra treats with the town’s animal shelter. I also enjoyed the supporting characters, both human and canine, especially Carrie’s adorable dog, Biscuit.

Carrie’s relationship with veterinarian Dr. Reed Storme is also progressing and when he’s accused of murdering a former co-worker Carrie steps in to clear his name. She has quite a reputation in town for solving murders and even though Reed hasn’t liked her doing so in the past, he asks her to investigate and prove his innocence. There are plenty of suspects who would have liked to kill the victim (you can’t help but truly dislike her!) including, Reed. I was a bit uncomfortable that Carrie wasn’t ever sure of Reed’s innocence, even though she wanted him to be, yet still elected to spend the night with him. The story starts out a little slow but once the murder takes place, the pace picks up. The killer was a big surprise to me, but in hindsight the clues were there as Carrie investigates. The reveal wraps up the threads of the story with a suspenseful conclusion.

The townspeople and pets of Knobcone Heights enjoy an assortment of treats at Carrie’s bakeries and fortunately for the reader, Ms. Johnston provides recipes at the back of the book for both humans and dogs. I chose to make her recipe for Make-in-My-Sleep Brownies (for people only!). The brownies are just the way I like brownies: Ooey, gooey, and chewy with plenty of rich chocolate. I needed to make some goodies for my granddaughter’s school for teacher appreciation week and this recipe was perfect since they are baked in a jelly-roll pan. The brownies, while thin, are rich and satisfying so cutting them into small squares means you can serve a crowd. Although no one would complain if you served them a large Make-in-My Sleep Brownie topped with ice cream and fudge sauce! In fact, you’d get a huge thank you! 

Amazon Synopsis

Carrie Kennersly tries to help her veterinarian boyfriend when he’s under suspicion of murder…Is he a keeper, or should she let him go off-leash for good?

As a technician for a local vet and the owner of the Barkery & Biscuits dog bakery, Carrie Kennersly is excited to host a rescue animal adoption event. She’s also excited to be in a relationship with veterinarian Dr. Reed Storme, despite his pleas for her to butt out of the murder cases she keeps finding herself involved with. Yet when Reed is accused of killing his former veterinary colleague, he seems a lot more agreeable to having amateur detective Carrie butt back in. Can Carrie clear Reed, or does she care too much for a killer?

A special thanks to Linda O. Johnston for providing two print copies of PICK AND CHEWS! Contest ends Monday, June 11, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The contest is administered by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and the winner will be announced on this page as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

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Make-in-My-Sleep Brownies

Ingredients

• 4 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup margarine or butter (2 sticks)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).

2. Melt chocolate and margarine (or butter) in microwave. Cool for about 10 minutes.

3. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well.

4. Pour into a greased jelly roll pan (15"x10"); or line pan with non-stick foil for easy removal.

5. Bake for 25 minutes.

6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while still warm.

7. When cool, cut into squares. 

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I was provided an advance copy with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.