Book Review: Murder by Christmas by Lesley Cookman

12 December 2023 by Melissa

About the book, Murder by Christmas

Series: A Libby Sarjeant Murder Mystery (Book #25)
Publisher: ‎ Headline Accent (December 7, 2023)
Publication date: ‎ December 7, 2023
Language: ‎ English

Murder by Christmas

The twisting twenty-fifth instalment of Lesley Cookman’s much-loved Libby Sarjeant series

Libby Sarjeant is deep into rehearsals for the annual pantomime when a body is found in a doorway two weeks before Christmas – and Libby and her friend Fran are called into action once again, when their investigation leads them to a local brewery and the sale of many of its pubs.

With the help of a team of local publicans, can Libby and Fran unravel the case before it’s too late?

Buy read and discuss this book:

Purchase Link | Goodreads

About the Author, Lesley Cookman

Lesley started writing almost as soon as she could read, and filled many Woolworth’s exercise books with pony stories until she was old enough to go out with boys. Since she’s been grown up, following a varied career as a model, air stewardess and disc jockey, she’s written short fiction and features for a variety of magazines, achieved an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Wales, taught writing for both Kent Adult Education and the WEA and edited the first Sexy Shorts collection of short stories, in aid of the Breast Cancer Campaign. Lesley is a member of the Society of Authors and the Crime Writers’ Association.

Lesley has also written pantomimes performed all over Britain, and published a book on how to do it!

Connect with Lesley:

Blog | Facebook | Instagram | X (Twitter)

My Thoughts

I love a good mystery, and I especially love one set at Christmas time. The lights and trees always make such a great backdrop for committing crime. Murder by Christmas, the twenty-fifth book in Lesley Cookman’s Libby Sarjeant Murder Mystery series, is a good mystery with a holiday background. What’s not to love?

As someone new to this series, I immediately fell in love with Libby and Fran, the two women who must juggle Christmas festivities with the little thing of solving a murder. Having the crimefighters have to flit off and become pantomime fairies really made the pacing interesting in this novel, but it also added some touches of humor. I liked their relationship, and I liked the way they teased and snarked at each other, and with their friend Ian the policeman, the way good friends can, and do, even in the midst of serious work. I also liked the story involving local pub owners. Pubs are one of those quintessentially British institutions that really enhance the scene in a novel like this, and I was ready to pull up a chair and have a pint.

There are a ton of background characters, cameo characters, townspeople, and pub-goers in this novel, all grounding it with a real sense of place. It felt like some of this cast were familiar to the main characters, and likely recur throughout the series, but even without knowing their extended stories, I had no trouble following who was who.

If your idea of a perfect Christmas read involves horses doing tricks, performing in an annual production, and solving a murder, this book is perfect for your next fireside read. It has snappy dialogue, great pacing, and a plot that kept me guessing until the end.

I listened to the audio book as well as reading the text, and thoroughly enjoyed the narration by Patience Tomlinson. She really made this already-multidimensional story come alive.

Goes well with: mince pie and a piping hot cup of coffee laced with whisky.

Cover Reveal: Odd Mom Out by Sandy Day

4 December 2023 by Melissa

I’m so excited to be part of the cover reveal for Sandy Day’s novel Odd Mom Out, available for pre-order now, and being released on January 1st! This looks like an engaging and entertaining read, and I can’t wait.

About the book, Odd Mom Out

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Beach House Books (January 1, 2024)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 1, 2024

Life just got life-y…

On the night that Trudy Asp discovers her ex is engaged to the same dental hygienist who’s been picking at her teeth for ten years, her daughter, Madison, suddenly announces that she too is getting married, in Europe.

Frumpy, floundering, and forced to live with her martini-swilling mother, Trudy is swamped by these revelations. And on top of it all, she’ll be wearing the second most scrutinized gown at the wedding.

Having packed on the pounds during the demise of her marriage, the idea of being eyeballed by her ex and his scrawny fiancée Zelda, is truly horrifying. To make matters worse, there’s the paralyzing fear of a transatlantic flight — something Trudy has avoided for decades.

When Zelda offers to stand in for her, Trudy is forced to confront the forces that stole her marriage and threaten to steal her daughter’s wedding too. With three months until the ceremony, Trudy must get to Europe, squeeze herself into a gown, and claim the role she wants more than anything: Mother-of-the-Bride.

Will this Odd Mom Out sink or swim? Or will she drown in a sea of humiliation?

Pre-order this book:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK)

About the author, Sandy Day

Sandy Day is a recovering chatterbox and writer of riveting slice-of-life poetry, memoir, and fiction. She has authored five books to date, with two in the works. A graduate of Glendon College, she studied creative writing under Michael Ondaatje and bp nichol. A lover of cheese, coffee shops, and illustrations, she lives on the shore of Lake Simcoe in Georgina, Ontario, Canada. You can find and follow her on Substack and sandyday.ca – it rhymes!

Connect with Sandy:

Amazon | Substack | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

And now, the cover of Odd Mom Out

Christmas at the Cabin Cover LARGE EBOOK

Review: Christmas at the Cabin by Rebecca Boxall

24 November 2023 by Melissa

About the book, Christmas at the Cabin

Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 24, 2023
Language ‏ : ‎ English

A festive, coming-of-age tale about an Oxbridge candidate and a young homeless man who find themselves in the bittersweet predicament of falling in love with exactly the right person at exactly the wrong time.

Well-to-do Jed never imagined he’d end up homeless, but family circumstances have made it his only option. Local vicar, Ben, tries to help him but there’s an element of self-punishment to the homelessness that makes Jed continue to put up with his situation – until disaster leads him to re-consider the vicar’s offer of a place to stay.

Hattie is on the cusp of adulthood, frantically trying to persuade her mum that she doesn’t want to attend an elite university, preferring the idea of pursuing her love of art and textiles. When she meets Jed, she badly wants to understand his circumstances and why, when she has everything at her fingertips, he doesn’t.

Hattie’s mum, Christine, has had a hard life and is desperate for more for her only child. When she meets Ben, the vicar who’s trying to help Jed, she finds an unlikely ally, and the two heartbroken souls find themselves drawn to each other. Until they find their relationship suddenly tested to the limit.

One thing’s for certain: none of these characters is looking forward to Christmas. It’s the worst time of year for each of them, for different reasons. But perhaps this year, the festive season could defy all expectations.

Rebecca Boxall is the award-nominated author of five bestselling novels – Christmas at the Vicarage, Home for Winter, Christmas on the Coast, The Christmas Forest and Christmas by the Lighthouse. She is also the author of Christmas at the Farmhouse and her popular short story, A Winter’s Day.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK)

About the author, Rebecca Boxall

Rebecca Boxall was born in East Sussex in 1977 and grew up in a bustling vicarage always filled with family, friends and parishioners. She now lives by the sea in Jersey with her family and Rodney the cat. She read English at the University of Warwick before she trained as a lawyer and more recently worked at a psychiatric unit.

She is the No. 1 bestselling author of Christmas at the Vicarage and Christmas on the Coast as well as the bestselling writer of Home for Winter, The Christmas Forest, and Christmas by the Lighthouse, in respect of which she was nominated for the Romantic Novel Awards in 2020. She is also the author of Christmas at the Farmhouse and her popular short story, A Winter’s Day.

Connect with Rebecca:

Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Thoughts

Rebecca Boxall’s latest novel, The Christmas Cabin is the kind of novel that balances an uplifting story with the gritty reality of contemporary life. Told in alternating first-person chapters from each of the four main characters, Hattie, Jed, Christine, and Ben, it a book that gives us four journeys of self-realization that intertwine to form a satisfying whole with just enough holiday warmth to leave the readers smiling.

Each of the main character is one melody in a literary medley that includes a coming-of-age story, a mother-daughter story, a second-chance story, and a second-chance romance, but none of those through-lines exists in a vacuum. Hattie’s relationship with her mother, Christine, influences her choices when she meets the homeless guitarist, Jed and his dog Lola. Ben the Vicar’s past relationships informs his behavior with Christine, whom he first encounters in a sidewalk accident, and later identifies as Hattie’s mother. Jed’s personal history affects his ability to accept help from Ben. And yet, in the near-perfect confluence of events in the days that lead up to Christmas these four people merge their disparate stories into a perfect holiday chorus.

What I loved about this novel was the fact that even though it’s very much a holiday tale, everything is grounded in emotional truth. Santa isn’t granting wishes; each character has to identify and achieve their own goal without magical help, but with the help of community and family, both biological and chosen.

Author Boxall has given us a perfectly paced plot, with vibrant characters. Especially deft is her use of dialogue. Hattie and Christine speak differently than Ben and Jed, even when those differences are subtle. Similarly, her descriptions are enough to let us imagine the scenes – the comfortable bedroom of teenaged Hattie, the crackling fire and cozy couches at the vicarage, and the bitter-cold streets of the Jersey streets. At the same time, though, because this is a Christmas story, the edges are softened a little, as if we’re seeing everything through a filtered lens..

Overall, this was a compelling read – I devoured it in one day – with vibrant characters who feel as dimensional as real people.

Goes well with chunky vegetable soup, crusty bread, and red wine.

Author Q & A: Snowdown at the Old Schoolhouse by Margaret Amatt

23 November 2023 by Melissa

About the book, Snowdown at the Old Schoolhouse

Publisher: ‎ Leannan Press (November 12, 2023)
Language: ‎ English
Paperback: ‎ 371 pages
Series: Glenbriar
Scroll down for Q & A

They didn’t forecast this!

When charismatic and handsome weather presenter Marcus Bowman walks back into Willow Roxburgh’s life three weeks before Christmas, her quiet job as an admin worker at the Old Schoolhouse residential care centre in Glenbriar is shattered. He’s not only the man she used to crush on, he’s also the one who thwarted her TV forecasting dreams.

But she’s no longer the anonymous studio assistant; she’s secretly Scotland’s new favourite weather forecaster, Rocky Rainman.

With the Schoolhouse facing closure, Marcus is on an assignment to drum up festive support. However, he’s discovered the internet sensation Rocky Rainman lives somewhere nearby and is determined to expose him after Rocky’s recent damaging comments on social media. Seeing Willow, the girl he used to obsess over, shakes his priorities.

When a blizzard hits, Willow and Marcus are snowed in, and she discovers her perception of him wasn’t as accurate as her forecasts. Marcus isn’t convinced it’ll be a white Christmas, but he’s determined to win Willow’s heart. Can their new love weather storm if he discovers her secret? Because how can there be a future for Marcus Bowman and Rocky Rainman?

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About the author, Margaret Amatt

Margaret is a Scottish author and chocolate lover who has been writing stories for over twenty years (possibly more if you count her primary school efforts). Her early works will never see the light of day and are locked in dusty vaults on some old floppy disks. But after all those years of practise, Margaret released her first novel A Winter Haven in 2021. This is the first of a ten-book series set on the gorgeous Scottish Isle of Mull. Margaret has also written six books in The Glenbriar Series with more planned for 2024. The stories are unashamedly romantic but with lots of drama and an eclectic mix of characters. Each book can be read as a standalone but followers of the series will enjoy catching up with the characters.

Connect with Margaret:

Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram | X (Twitter)

Eight Questions with Margaret Amatt

Snowdown at the Old Schoolhouse is the sixth book in your Glenbriar series. I know it can be read as a stand-alone novel, but what key information would enhance the story for readers who haven’t read the preceding books in this series?

There are some recurring characters throughout the series. In this one, we meet Cha from “Two’s Company at the Forest Light Show” again and we are also properly introduced to Hayley the Glenbriar hairdresser. Hayley and her family will feature a lot more in future books. We also catch up with Malcolm and Brenda, who are some not-so-friendly locals and are up to more troublemaking in this story! Other than that, there’s no need to have read any of the previous books to enjoy this one. It’s just a case of feeling more familiar with the setting if you’ve read the previous ones.

The Old Schoolhouse in the title is a residential care facility. What inspired you to choose that as a setting?

I have a relative who works in a place like this. I was interested in some of the stories he told me about it and moreover the struggle to keep it going with all the budget cuts. The romantic in me wished I could come up with a happy ending for the place. I can’t do that in real life, but in a book, there are ways!

Rivalry-turns-romance is an interesting theme for a novel. What made you decide to give Willow and Marcus that history?

I think there’s an interesting dynamic in a relationship when the couple are rivals. In this case, Marcus doesn’t know who he’s up against, so it makes it even more intriguing as the story unravels.

For many readers, Glenbriar is as much a character as location. What do you love about small towns? What annoys you?

I love the familiarity of it and how I can drop in places and side characters, then revisit them fully in future books. It adds a sense of community and belonging. Both the Old Schoolhouse and Marcus Bowman have been ‘name dropped’ in previous books. One sharp-eyed reader messaged me and asked if Marcus was getting his own book! I honestly don’t know how she guessed that as it was literally a tiny scene where he’s on TV forecasting, but I think that’s part of the feel of the books. Even the most minor side characters feel important in the town.

The downside is that certain storylines just don’t work in small places and there’s also the danger of it becoming too claustrophobic and everyone knowing everyone’s business which doesn’t leave as much room for mystery.

The Glenbriar series involves intertwining characters. What’s your method for maintaining continuity? Have there been side characters who demanded their own stories?

Oh definitely! Like I said above, side characters often demand their own stories. The second book in the series ‘Just Friends at Thistle Lodge’ featured a side character from my other series, but her story didn’t fit into that series, so I saved it for Glenbriar!

I don’t usually have continuity issues as the stories are always standalones. Sometimes I have cross over events or books that start before the previous ones, then springboard into the present. I keep a timeline on a spreadsheet so I remember who did what when, but I try to make the books as individual as possible so there’s never any need to read previous ones unless readers want to (which of course I hope they do!).

Where do you write? Do you prefer the comfort of home or do you like to work in cafés? Do you need silence, or do you have music playing as you work?

I love working at home and I really need silence when I’m doing a first draft. This means I can only really do it when my son is at school and I’m not doing my day job. It definitely makes me focus and keep those writing hours sacred.

All writers started as readers. What books or authors are your greatest influences? What are you reading right now?

I enjoy a wide variety of books but in my genre, I think the biggest influencers were Pernille Hughes and Trisha Ashley. Currently I’m reading ‘Witch You Weren’t Here’ by Emma Jackson.

What’s next for you? Another Glenbriar novel, or an addition to another series, or something completely different?

I have at least three more novels planned for Glenbriar. These three are about the McBride family, a brother, sister and a cousin all with their own stories. As always, they will be interconnected but standalones.

I also have another project on the go but am not giving away the details just yet!

Christmas Memories at Waterside Cottage, by K.T. Dady – Review

5 November 2023 by Melissa

About the book, Christmas Memories at Waterside Cottage

Series: Pepper Bay (Book 10)
Publication date: ‎ November 1, 2023
Language: ‎ English
File size: ‎ 910 KB

Welcome to Pepper Bay, where you’ll find love, drama, and a happily ever after.

Snuggle down with this cosy, feel-good, comfort read that whisks you away to a beautiful bay on the Isle of Wight – Perfect for fans of Christie Barlow, Alison Sherlock, Rachael Lucas, and Holly Martin.

The Pepper Bay books are standalone stories that intertwine with recurring characters. Best enjoyed when read in order.

Christmas Memories at Waterside Cottage: Charlie and Grace have been together for four years, but when Grace wakes up in hospital after an accident, she doesn’t remember her husband at all. With Christmas just around the corner, and it being their favourite time of year, Charlie pulls out all the festive stops, hoping his wife will remember their relationship or at least fall in love with him all over again, because there is no way he can lose her.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Goodreads

About the author, K.T. Dady

Hello, I’m K.T. Dady. I’m the bestselling author of the Pepper Bay series. I’m also a chocolate lover, mum to a grown-up daughter, and a huge fan of a HEA. I was born and raised in the East End of London, and I’ve been happily writing stories since I was a little girl. When I’m not writing, I’m reading, baking cakes, or pottering around in my little garden in Essex, trying not to kill the flowers.

Connect with K.T.:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

My Thoughts

Christmas Memories at Waterside Cottage is my first visit to Pepper Bay, but it definitely won’t be my last! While the title suggested a sweet, almost Hallmark-esque holiday tale, the book is actually a deep reflection of love and memory, and how each informs the other.

I really liked the character of Grace who wakes up from a three-week coma missing four years of memories. Author KT Dady did an amazing job of depicting her initial befuddlement, her ongoing confusing, and her journey back toward strength and confidence, giving her an excellent supporting cast in her Hot Doc husband Charlie, and her younger sister Molly, and the rest of their family and friends.

I really liked the way Dady kept this story grounded in emotional truth, and let the characters find their way organically, and I especially appreciated how graceful (no pun intended) and well-crafted the plot was – turning this novel into a sort of second-chance romance with a refreshingly original twist.

I don’t know how much the setting of Pepper Bay figures into the other books in this series, or if it’s merely a connecting point for all of Dady’s work, but the town felt real. As for the titular cottage – I’ll happily spend Christmas there any time I’m invited.

Overall, this is a holiday romance that manages to be warm and hopeful without any commercial schmaltz. Highly recommend.

Goes well with: Mulled wine and mince pie.

Good Talk… Good Talk, by Ginny Andrews – Book Review and Giveaway

1 November 2023 by Melissa

About the book, Good Talk… Good Talk

Genre: Nonfiction / Humor / Comedy / Essays
Publisher: Ginny Andrews Comedy, LLC
Date of Publication: October 5, 2023
Number of Pages: 171 pages
Scroll down for Giveaway!

Raise your hand if you have ever run into a mannequin in a store and apologized. Continue to keep your hand raised if you want to pre-write thank you notes to those whom you anticipate attending your funeral because you suffer from chronic “way too nice” syndrome. Keep it up high if you have ever farted in church or yoga class. Man, my arm is getting tired!

Most people are awkward during the middle school years, grow out of it, and blossom into mature, well-functioning human beings…I’m still waiting for this to happen. Awkwardness is my hidden talent, although most who know me would tell you it isn’t hidden—it’s written on my forehead. My daily life is filled with epic failures. Sometimes I feel like I’m one big malfunction! As I have gotten older, I just try to embrace it.

After you read this collection of essays, hopefully you will be able to accept your imperfections too! Nope, probably not because I’m still not there! However, maybe my comedy will stick with you like that hemorrhoid you can’t seem to get rid of, like ever—Good Talk. . .Good Talk.

Praise for Good Talk. . .Good Talk:

“Reading Ginny Andrews’s Good Talk. . .Good Talk is a lot like hanging out with that girlfriend that invariably makes you laugh until you cry.” —Lauren Cassel Brownell, author of Zen and the Art of Housekeeping and Dying to Donate

“Good Talk. . .Good Talk is a laugh out loud winner, filled with quirky stories reminiscent of Patrick McManus.” —J. Andersen, author of The Breeding Tree, The Gene Rift, and Legacy’s Impact

“Anyone with anxiety will totally relate to Ginny Andrews’ humorous tales of the struggle of day-to-day life in today’s world.” —John A.B., Amazon Reviewer

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Click to Purchase | Goodreads

Watch the trailer for Good Talk… Good Talk

About the author, Ginny Andrews

Ginny Andrews is a former high school teacher and coach, who is now an aspiring comedian, speaker, and writer. She would greatly appreciate it if you purchased her book! Door Dash, dog-sitting, used car sales, lawn mowing, and selling random items found in her house aren’t high paying gigs!

Connect with Ginny:

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Amazon | X/Twitter

TikTok | YouTube | Goodreads | BookBub

My Thoughts

Ginny Andrews’s new book, Good Talk… Good Talk, is the perfect antidote to the rather dour early November. It’s breezy, it’s candid, it’s relatable, and it’s laugh-out-loud funny.

Presented as a series of essays – monologues, really – about everything from attempting meditation to fitness classes to an epic BenGay overload and beyond, and she does it all with self-deprecating humor that makes you empathize with her plight, murmur, “Same, girl, same,” and dissolve into hysterical laughter, often at once.

And yet, beneath the humor there’s a very real, very flawed (as are we all) human being trying her best to navigate a world that changes daily, seems to mock us as we age, and didn’t come with any kind of a manual. From her childhood experiences with religion to her confession that “Andrews is awkward,” there is a poignance that grounds her stories in the emotional truth of being a single woman in her forties. As she writes, “It’s cute to compare your ten-year-old self to your twenty-year-old self, but anyone thirty and above… it doesn’t fare well for us.”

If you like your humor with a side of insight, you will appreciate Good Talk… Good Talk. If you can look at yourself in the mirror and realize that, yes, you have bumped into store mannequins and apologized, that horror movies kept you awake at night as a child, and that you do take longer than others to catch on to the latest fads (or just basic household skills) you will not merely love this book, you will identify with the author.

Run, carefully lest you trip, to the nearest bookstore (or, let’s be honest, the nearest computer or tablet) and buy a copy of Good Talk… Good Talk. You will begin the month of November with a smile on your face, secure in the knowledge that you are not alone – Ginny Andrews is there to make sure.

Goes well with: Pizza, possibly a whole one, and Dr. Pepper.

Giveaway

ONE WINNER:

Signed paperback of GOOD TALK. . .GOOD TALK

+ $25 Amazon gift card

(US only; ends midnight, CST, 11/10/23)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Visit the Other Great Blogs on This Tour

Click to visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page for direct links to each post on this tour, updated daily, or visit each blog directly.

10/31/23	Chapter Break Book Blog	Notable Quotables
10/31/23	Hall Ways Blog	BONUS Stop
11/01/23	Bibliotica	Review
11/01/23	LSBBT Blog	BONUS Stop
11/02/23	Reading by Moonlight	Guest Post
11/03/23	The Plain-Spoken Pen	Review
11/04/23	Carpe Diem Chronicles	Author Interview
11/05/23	The Real World According to Sam	Excerpt
11/06/23	A Page Before Bedtime	Review
11/07/23	The Page Unbound	Scrapbook
11/07/23	Forgotten Winds	BONUS Review
11/08/23	StoreyBook Reviews	Review
11/09/23	Reading by Moonlight	Review

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Christmas at the Cabin, by Rebecca Boxall – Cover Reveal!

19 October 2023 by Melissa

About the book, Christmas at the Cabin

Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 24, 2023
Language ‏ : ‎ English

Pre-Order this Book – Publication Date November 24th!

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK)

About the author, Rebecca Boxall

She is the No. 1 bestselling author of Christmas at the Vicarage and Christmas on the Coast as well as the bestselling writer of Home for Winter, The Christmas Forest and Christmas by the Lighthouse, in respect of which she was nominated for the Romantic Novel Awards in 2020. She is also the author of Christmas at the Farmhouse and her popular short story, A Winter’s Day.

Connect with Rebecca:

Website | Facebook | Instagram

View the cover of Christmas at the Cabin

Pringle Prawn by Michael Scott Clifton – Review and Giveaway

13 October 2023 by Melissa

About the book, Pringle Prawn

Genre: Contemporary Urban Fantasy / Fairies / Humor
Publisher: Book Liftoff
Date of Publication: September 19, 2023
Number of Pages: 310 pages
Scroll down for Giveaway!

Move over Tinker Bell. There’s a new fairy in town!

Ben’s luck is changing. He has his iconic VW bus, a hot, wealthy girlfriend, and he’s managed to buy an old fixer-upper in an upscale neighborhood—just the thing to convince his girlfriend’s influential father that he’s husband material. But his new home has a secret, and when Ben opens a mysterious grandfather clock, he finds himself dropped into a magical land. There he meets Pringle, a six-inch prawn with a supercharged attitude and a pouchful of fairy dust. She saves his life, and when Ben returns to his world, Pringle returns with him.

Pringle’s adjustment to the modern world is a hilarious series of incidents that completely disrupt Ben’s life. When Russian mobsters and a vengeful HOA president attempt to hijack Ben’s life, Pringle zooms to the rescue—a pinch here, a pinch there, nothing a little fairy dust can’t fix.

But it’s when Pringle begins to grow that things really get interesting, because as Pringle’s size increases, so do her feelings for Ben. Ultimately, Pringle must decide whether to return to her world—or follow her heart and stay with Ben.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Click to Purchase Pringle Prawn | Visit the GoodReads page for Pringle Prawn

About the author, Michael Scott Clifton

Multi-award-winning author Michael Scott Clifton lives in Mount Pleasant, Texas with his wife, Melanie. An avid gardener, rapacious reader, and movie junkie, his books contain facets of all the genres he enjoys—action, adventure, magic, fantasy, and romance. His fantasy novels, The Janus Witch, and the Conquest of the Veil series, (The Open Portal, Escape from Wheel, A Witch’s Brew, and Cavern of the Veil Queen) all received 5-Stars from the prestigious Readers Favorite Book Reviews. The Open Portal has been honored with a Feathered Quill Book Finalist Award. In addition, his YA novel Edison Jones and The Anti-Grav Elevator received a Feathered Quill Book Award Bronze Medal. Two of his short stories have earned Gold Medals, with “Edges of Gray” winning the Texas Authors Contest, and “The End Game”, winning the Northeast Texas Writer’s Organization Contest. Professional credits include published articles in the Texas Study of Secondary Education Magazine.

Connect with Michael:

My Thoughts

As a previous reader and review of Michael Scott Clifton‘s work, I was excited to read his latest. Pringle Prawn is, at once, a delightful romp through a fantasy world (think Terry Brooks mixed with Lev Grossman) and a contemporary thriller in the vein of David Baldacci, combined into one immensely satisfying, unique package.

The fantasy elements are what drew me to this title. I loved the fish-out-of-water Ben exploring the fantasy forest (and running for his life!) and the spunky Pringle the prawn, though in this case a prawn isn’t something you eat, but a being much akin to a fairy. Tinkerbell gone wild, maybe. But the parallel plot of human trafficking grounded the fantastic parts of this novel in a very real, very gritty world and gave real purpose to Ben’s adventures in not-so-wonderful land.

The characters are what really sold me on this book. Ben and Pringle, obviously, but the Russian criminals were deliciously villainous, and Ben’s girlfriend Cara who embodied the perfect self-absorbed rich girl who may not be as shallow as she initially seems. Clifton has a gift for writing dialogue that feels real, and his work in this novel is no exception. I particularly liked Pringle’s failure to grasp Ben’s colloquial English, and I appreciated the breezy, affected air of Cara’s speech. Maude the HOA president was also wonderfully written – I think I know her.

The pacing of Pringle Prawn is also perfect. From the opening in media res to the very end, I was completely immersed in the story. It never felt draggy, and the necessary exposition was provided organically. It’s a bit over three hundred pages long, but moves along so swiftly that I devoured it in one sitting on a rainy autumn afternoon.

Bottom line: if you, like me, never pass a wardrobe without checking to see if it leads to an enchanted forest, this novel is for you.

Goes well with: a hearty beef stew and a tankard of ale.

Giveaway

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

THREE WINNERS

1st Prize: autographed copy of Pringle Prawn + $10 Amazon gift card

2^nd & 3^rd Prize: Kindle copy

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 10/20/23)

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Visit the Other Great Blogs on This Tour

Click to visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page for links to each participating site, updated daily, or visit each one directly.

10/10/23	The Book’s Delight	Review
10/10/23	The Clueless Gent	Review
10/11/23	Book Fidelity	Review
10/11/23	LSBBT Blog	BONUS Stop
10/12/23	Reading by Moonlight	Review
10/12/23	StoreyBook Reviews	Review
10/13/23	Bibliotica	Review
10/13/23	Hall Ways Blog	BONUS Stop
10/14/23	Boys’ Mom Reads	Review
10/15/23	The Real World According to Sam	Review
10/16/23	It’s Not All Gravy	Review
10/17/23	Forgotten Winds	Review
10/17/23	Shelf Life Blog	BONUS Stop
10/18/23	The Plain-Spoken Pen	Review
10/18/23	Chapter Break Book Blog	Review
10/19/23	Carpe Diem Chronicles	Review
10/19/23	Rox Burkey Blog	Review

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Spotlight: Revisiting The Legend of Rachel Peterson by J.T. Baroni

29 September 2023 by Melissa

About the book, The Legend of Rachel Peterson

Outraged when The Post Gazette overlooks him for a promotion, 43-year-old Sports Writer Christian Kane quits the Paper and moves to the country to write fiction. Inspiration flows from a grave he stumbles upon in the woods. He pens The Legend of Rachel Petersen, a fascinating story revolving around the dead twelve-year-old girl laid to rest beneath the weathered tombstone in 1863. His book climbs the Best Seller lists; then Hollywood adapts it into a blockbuster movie. Kane becomes rich and famous; but then! Does an enraged Rachel become more than a figment of the writer’s imagination and rise from her grave, seeking revenge on him for slandering her name?

About the author, J.T. Baroni

Now retired, I am able to devote more time to one of my hobbies – writing. Other hobbies include fishing, classic cars and gardening. Once, I was an avid hunter, but my health restricts me on that hobby. Lifetime resident of Johnstown, Pa.

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Revisiting Rachel…

I reviewed this book almost exactly eleven years ago, and loved the story and the craft behind it. It’s a ghost story that is partly supernatural and partly psychological and delves into how we respond to stress and loss, as well as success we’re not certain we earned. You can read my original review here: Review: The Legend of Rachel Petersen, by J.T. Baroni

Recently, the author contacted me to share that he’d published a revised edition which includes an additional “… 130,000 words to the background, details, and descriptions, along with a brand-new final chapter which adds one more twist… ” He’s not wrong. The original version was a gripping story with many layers. The revised edition is just as layered, but is also deeper, richer, and more immersive. It’s the perfect read for a chilly October evening, and I highly recommend it.

Buy, read, and discuss The Legend of Rachel Peterson.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Facebook | Goodreads (original edition)

Book Spotlight and Giveaway: The Killer Enigma by Breakfield and Burkey

18 August 2023 by Melissa

About the book, The Killer Enigma

Series: Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles (Book 16)
Cozy Mystery / Suspense / Cozy Mystery Series
Publisher: ICABOD Press
Coming August 19, 2023
Scroll down for giveaway!

Enough is Enough – JJ rumbled when the paparazzi invaded dinner.

JJ and Jo realize privacy doesn’t exist for them. They return to Magnolia Bluff to check on their friends and recapture the small-town anonymity. In Magnolia Bluff, no one suspects their fame.
They discount the status of urban legends in favor of acceptance and a quiet, peaceful life. After all, a supermodel needs time and space to recharge between jobs. A geek wants time to adore his wife.

Does Magnolia Bluff hold the answers to their prayers?

Will their desires get clouded by a hidden secret?

Past, present, and future collide in a perfect storm no one expected. JJ and Jo take action to uncover the truth. Chief Tommy Jager likes them but feels they’re a lightning rod for trouble and disruption.

Who will live or die to prevent the truth from being exposed? The answers may be in the graveyard with fresh flowers on the gravestone.

Their friends are targets – Their dreams are broken – They must fight

Buy and read this book:

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Check Out the Trailer for The Killer Enigma

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About the authors, Breakfield and Burkey

Charles Breakfield is a 25+ year technology expert in security, networking, voice, and anything digital. He enjoys writing, studying World War II history, travel, and cultural exchanges. He also enjoys wine tastings, wine-making, Harley riding, cooking extravaganzas, and woodworking.

Rox Burkey is a 25+ year applied technology professional who excels at optimizing technology and business investments for customers worldwide with a focus on optimized customer experiences. She writes white papers and documents with a marked preference for fiction.

Together they create award-winning stories that resonate with males and females, young and experienced adults, and bring a fresh new view to technology possibilities today.