Greetings, friends! Today I’m hosting a spot on the Great Escapes Blog Tour for Fleece, Navi, Dead by Joanna Campbell Slan. I’m providing you with a guest post from the author and my review below that! I enjoy this series a lot and this latest installment did not disappoint!
About the Book
Fleece, Navi, Dead: Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series
Cozy Mystery
16th in Series
Setting – Missouri
Publisher : Spot On Publishing (October 31, 2021)
Number of Pages: EST. 320
Digital ASIN : B09D9T6WLF
Rafflecopter Giveaway
Guest Post
For the Love of Handmade Crafts
By Joanna Campbell Slan
In the third quarter of 2021, Etsy sales went up 12%. In this time of isolation, handmade items are more precious than ever. Knowing that your gift was crafted with love adds a special quality to any item, a humanity that’s almost tangible. In my humble opinion, we could all use a deeper connection to other people right now, especially as we are coming out of a pandemic that has forced us to view others as sources of viral danger.
My protagonist, Kiki Lowenstein, is a big believer in handmade presents. As the owner of Time in a Bottle, Kiki makes her living by encouraging people to explore crafting. I agree with Kiki, that handcrafted items are the best of all gifts. There are so many different reasons.
- A handmade gift shows attention to detail: I know that when I am creating, I must pay attention to every decision, every motion, and every effort or my end product will suffer. My full devotion must be focused on getting things “just right,” or the final result won’t meet my standards.
- Handmade gifts are typically planned for in advance. Anything handmade must be sourced, designed, created, and executed by a person. More than likely you must join a queue and wait your turn to have your gift made. If it is true that “it’s the thought that counts,” then a handmade gift should always count for more.
- A handmade gift can often be personalized. That means that it can perfectly match the recipient’s needs. Whether you choose a favorite color or add initials or even an image, your gift pays homage to how unique the recipient is.
- Handmade gifts are imperfect. To me, that’s not a flaw. That’s a sign that they were touched by humanity. Persian rug makers have a saying, “Only God is perfect.” In some ways, imperfections are the awkward proof that an item was made by a real person.
- There’s a sense of the maker that comes with everything handmade. Somewhere, someone labored to create the gift you thoughtfully chose. Perhaps they put their kids to bed before bending their heads over their creations. Maybe they listened to music. In any case, they touched the article with their own hands. Perhaps they even designed the project themselves. Certainly, they chose the supplies.
These are only a few of the reasons that we all love handmade gifts. In the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series, her patrons often make presents for other people. Their efforts mean that Kiki’s shop, Time in a Bottle, is alive with creativity, love, and friendship. I think that’s one reason people are giving Fleece, Navi, Dead: Book #16 in the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series a five-star rating.
Review – 5 out of 5 stars
As I said above, I really enjoy this series and this latest installment did not disappoint at ALL. I love Kiki, Detweiler, Clancy, Anya, and the rest of the cast. In this book, we get introduced to Wendy and to Nona and the other Miss Fits. The characters in this series are all very well-rounded and in-depth characters. I love reading a series because you get to know more and more about the characters with every book.
The plot line was great. While we knew who the villain was, the climax of the book was still surprising and exciting! I actually loved that this book was more than just a murder to be solved. It was a refreshing change from your basic murder-based cozy!
All in all, I really enjoyed this latest installment of Kiki and the rest of the gang. I highly recommend all the books in this series. Each can be read as a stand-alone, but of course it’s fun to read them in order too! The first book is Paper, Scissors, Dead. Either way you choose – run out and grab this series!!!
Thank you for joining me today for this tour! I apologize it was not up sooner. I had a death in the family over the weekend and everything in my brain went out the window. If you wish to visit other spots on the tour or need information on other Great Escapes Blog Tours – please click on the banner below.
Valerie's Musings 