Double Shot Death (A Ground Rules Mystery #2), by Emmeline Duncan

As neither a coffee fan nor anything even close to a hipster type, you'd think I wouldn't have liked this book. But, you'd be wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the Portland area with Sage and friends, rather wishing there were a music festival going on to get my music fix right now. I enjoyed getting to know not just the characters -- I haven't read the first book in the series yet -- as well as getting a behind the scenes look at the various issues and demands of putting on even a three day music festival, not to mention the stress of dealing with the egos involved. Even for this non-coffee fan, it was also interesting to see the steps involved in preparing the coffee cart and adjustments made to fulfill environmental issues. Oh, and there was a cat.

The mystery revolved around Sage's discovery of a body at the festival prior to its public opening and her interest in finding out who killed Ian. As the one who discovered the body, although she'd only met him the day before, he did die with one of her shop's mugs in his hand, making her at least a suspect. She does seem to have the knack of getting people to talk and/or being in the right place at the right time to overhear pertinent conversations. I got the impression that the desire to uncover the truth was as much because of the innate need to see justice done that had been ingrained in her as the daughter of a police officer or just curiosity but her need to know was strong. There's also a confidence about there that makes her largely ignore her father and lawyer brother's advice to have her brother with her as her lawyer when she talks to the police. She is quick thinking and smart, however, and seems to largely depend on her own wits.

While I wasn't really interested in all the chatter in the book about this and that coffee blend or bean, I was impressed that the author included some delicious sounding recipes for tea lovers like me at the end. I will definitely be looking for a copy of the first in this series to read and am looking forward to following Sage and the others, who are interesting in their own right, in the future. Thank you, #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks for inviting me to the music festival!

There's A Porcupine in My Outhouse: Misadventures of a Mountain Man Wannabe, by Michael J. Tougias

I have to admit, having had a porcupine visit my own spruce tree last year, the title is what drew me to "There's a Porcupine in My Outhouse" to begin with. I'm so glad it did. This book is a delight. Part whimsical, self-deprecating humor and part fascinatingly informative, it was just what I needed to read over this alternately snowy and rainy weekend here in Alaska. Author Michael J. Tougias has the soul of a teacher as well as the eye of a modern day Thoreau. He'll make you grin one moment, then ponder whether it's true spider's can walk on water, so to speak, or is that really the best fishing hint ever, then sneak in a teaching moment about the critters involved and the need to not conquer the land but protect it. I found a bit of Gary Paulsen in him, too, and was delighted to find a mention of Paulsen's book "Hatchet" as he flew over the land wondering about his pilot's health and if he could really fly a plane if necessary. Thank you, Michael J. Tougias for inviting me along to your cabin and sharing your friends, neighbors, and wildlife about you. If you have any interest in living wild, so to speak, nature and the outdoors, I think you'll love this book. Accept his invite into his rustic cabin and give this a read. 

Thanks to #NetGalley and #RowmanAndLittlefield, #LyonsPress for the ARC.