Category Archives: Mystery-Thriller-Suspense

Giveaway Pringle Prawn

Pringle Prawn by Michael Scott Clifton – Review and Giveaway

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About the book, Pringle Prawn Cover 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:

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About the author, Michael Scott Clifton Author Photo 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:

Website | Instagram | Facebook | X (Twitter) | Newsletter | YouTube | LinkedIn | Amazon | GoodReads

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My Thoughts MissMeliss - 2023

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.

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THREE WINNERS

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

2nd & 3rd Prize: Kindle copy

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

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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
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10/19/23 Rox Burkey Blog Review

 

 

 

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Revised Rachel Front Cover

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

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About the book, The Legend of Rachel Peterson Revised Rachel Front Cover

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.

Watch the Trailer for this Book:

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)

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Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Tested by Fire, by C.J. Peterson

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About the book, Tested by Fire Cover Tested by Fire

  • Genre: Christian Fiction / Suspense / Romance
  • Publisher: Texas Sisters Press, LLC
  • Page Count: 278 pages
  • Publication Date: August 21, 2023
  • Scroll down for Giveaway!

Meet Robin Flynn: a woman of artistic soul and iron will, who forges metal and paints vibrant canvases as an escape from life’s ceaseless challenges. Raised in the gritty trade of welding, she inherits not just her father’s skill but also his audacity. But her creative passion takes a daring turn when she accidentally ignites an abandoned warehouse. Instead of ruin, her act inexplicably wins her gratitude from the local firefighters. Emboldened, Robin embarks on a clandestine mission to purge her crumbling town, Hemlock, of its dilapidated relics.

Enter Nate Mitchell: a man standing on the cusp of his dreams. As he trains to become a fire marshal, he’s also courting the woman he believes to be the love of his life. Everything seems perfect until destiny throws a spark into his meticulously planned world.
A pulse-pounding question burns at the heart of this riveting tale: What happens when a man committed to extinguishing fires falls deeply in love with a woman setting them? When faith and love clash like fire and water, will they quench each other or evolve into something even more powerful?

Dive into Tested By Fire, a Christian Fiction saga that weaves romance, suspense, and spirituality into a tapestry of human resilience. Inspired by 1 Peter 1:7, this story reminds us that our faith—far more precious than gold—emerges stronger through the crucible of trials, as we await the day when it illuminates the entire world with its glory.

1 Peter 1:7 (NIV) “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold–though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

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About the author, C.J. Peterson Author Photo Peterson

C.J. Peterson is a ten-time award-winning, multi-genre published author since 2012. She is also a podcaster, blogger, and publisher who knows how to relate well to folks of all ages. She has multiple books and series including:

Grace Restored Series, The Holy Flame Trilogy, and the Divine Legacy Series, which have characters crossing over storylines. In these books, the spiritual realm crosses into the physical. This adventurous journey will have you holding onto the pages for dear life! The Sands of Time Trilogy is an exciting sci-fi series that will have you on the edge of your seat! This series follows a group of teens with abilities as they go through the US to rescue their siblings from the Challenger, their sadistic creator who has the money & power to win at any cost. Chain Reaction follows Trip and Tori as they go through time guiding their ancestors to change crucial decisions. In changing their past to save future generations, will Trip and Tori cease to exist?

Connect with C.J.:

Website | Facebook  | X (Twitter) |  Instagram | Pinterest  |  Goodreads  | YouTube | Amazon | LinkedIn

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TWO WINNERS

First Place – paperback copy of Tested By Fire;

Second Place – eBook copy
(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 9/14/2023)

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Giveaway Facing the Enemy

Facing the Enemy, by DiAnn Mills – Guest Post & Giveaway

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BNR Facing the Enemy

 

About the book, Facing the EnemyCover Facing the Enemy

  • Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
  • Date of Publication: September 5, 2023
  • Genre: Christian Fiction / Suspense / Romance
  • Number of Pages: 352 pages
  • Scroll down for Giveaway!

When the long-awaited reunion between Risa and her brother, Trenton, ends in tragedy, Risa is riddled with guilt, unable to cope with the responsibility she feels over his death. On leave from the FBI, Risa returns to her former career as an English teacher at a local college, only to see her past and present collide when one of her students, Carson Mercury, turns in an assignment that reads like an eyewitness account of her brother’s murder, with details never revealed publicly.

Alarmed by Carson’s inside knowledge of Trenton’s death, Risa reaches out to her former partner at the FBI. Special Agent Gage Patterson has been working a string of baby kidnappings, but he agrees to help look into Carson’s background. Risa and Gage soon discover their cases might be connected as a string of high-value thefts have occurred at properties where security systems were installed by Carson’s stepfather and children have gone missing. There’s a far more sinister plot at play than they ever imagined, and innocent lives are in danger.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

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About the author, DiAnn Mills Author Photo Mills

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She is a storyteller and creates action-packed, suspense-filled novels to thrill readers. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests.  DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers. DiAnn continues her passion for helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

Connect with DiAnn:

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Read a Guest Post from DiAnn Mills:

“The Power of Adoption”

Guest Post by DiAnn Mills 

Decades ago, a doctor gave me the diagnosis of my inability to bear children. I was emotionally crushed and depressed, and I looked for second and third opinions. After two years of escalating doctor bills, monthly reminders of no pregnancies, and an ocean of tears, adoption grasped my attention. The process began with mounds of paperwork that first lead me into foster care, which was rewarding and provided a critical need for children but also depressing each time a child shared our home, then returned to their parent(s).

A day arrived with an opportunity to adopt a two-and-a-half-year-old little boy. Oh, the excitement of an arranged appointment to meet this little boy at the foster parent’s home. The foster mother met us at the door with half a brown paper bag of the child’s belongings. She didn’t know me, but she told me to take him home. Outraged, I did. And he became adopted son number one. Six weeks later, we were presented with another opportunity to adopt a four-month-old baby boy. He became adopted son number two. Six weeks later, we were presented with the baby’s half-brother, a twenty-three-month-old little boy. He became adopted son number three. While that sounds like a fairy tale come true, and it was, I lived in fear of the biological parents deciding they’d made a mistake and wanted their son back.

XTRA 3D Cover Facing the EnemyGood thing I was young! I had three boys under the age of three who all desperately craved a mommy’s attention. I loved the sound of “Mommy.” I thrived when all three wanted me at the same time. We needed each other, and there was plenty of love to go around. When the youngest son reached two-years-old, I miraculously gave birth to a boy, increasing my sweet sons to four.

The advantages of adoption are rewarding and beneficial to the child and the parents.

Benefits:

  1. The ability to love and nurture a child born of the heart and not of the womb.
  2. The opportunity to provide a permanent home for a child or children who might otherwise be raised in the foster care system.
  3. The joy of having your own child.
  4. The child knows he/she was chosen—special.
  5. The realization of endless love.
  6. The sharing of happiness as the child and parents become a family.

Advice:

  1. Interview others who have adopted children for what to expect in the way of legal proceedings, the adopted child’s potential behavior, and how to show the child unconditional love.
  2. Research the biological parent for any physical or mental challenges, then establish a plan if assistance is needed.
  3. Enlist a psychologist or counselor who can help the child and the parent work through abandonment and behavior issues.
  4. Anticipate questions from family, friends, and the adopted child regarding the adoption. It’s normal and expected.
  5. Prepare for signs of abandonment in the child, anger, lack of confidence, fear, identity crisis, and more. Note biological children can all face the same challenges.

The willingness of those who long for a child of their own or want to add to an existing family brings power to the family unit. Through love and acceptance.

Perhaps you are adopted or know someone who is adopted. Can you share with others your experience?

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Each winner gets choice of B&N or Amazon $25 gift card.

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08/22/23 Hall Ways Blog Notable Quotables
08/22/23 The Book’s Delight Review
08/23/23 Chapter Break Book Blog Guest Post
08/23/23 Librariel Book Adventures Review
08/23/23 LSBBT Blog BONUS Stop
08/24/23 Stories Under Starlight Guest Post
08/24/23 Forgotten Winds Review
08/25/23 The Real World According to Sam Review
08/26/23 The Clueless Gent Review
08/27/23 Bibliotica Guest Post
08/28/23 Reading by Moonlight Review
08/28/23 Shelf Life Blog Guest Post
08/29/23 StoreyBook Reviews Review
08/30/23 Rox Burkey Blog Review
08/31/23 The Plain-Spoken Pen Review
08/31/23 Boys’ Mom Reads Review

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Giveaway Killer Enigma

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

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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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authors photo killer enigma. the 2About 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.

Connect with Breakfield and Burkey:

Series  Social Media:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

Rox Burkey Social Media:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB

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TWO WINNERS

FIRST: Signed copy

SECOND: eBook copy
(US only; ends midnight, CST, 8/24/23)

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Giveaway Things Get Ugly

Book Review and Giveaway: Things Get Ugly by Joe R. Lansdale

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About the book, Things Get Ugly: The Best Crime Stories of Joe R. Lansdale Cover Things Get Ugly

  • Crime Fiction / Mystery / Short Stories
  • Publisher: Tachyon Publications
  • Date of Publication: August 15, 2023
  • Number of Pages: 352 pages
  • Scroll down for Giveaway!

Edgar Award winner Joe R. Lansdale (the Hap and Leonard series) returns to the piney, dangerous woods of East Texas. In this career retrospective of his best crime stories, Lansdale shows exactly why critics continue to compare him to Elmore Leonard, Donald Westlake, Flannery O’Connor, and William Faulkner.

  • In the 1950s, a young small-town projectionist mixes it up with a violent gang.
  • When Mr. Bear is not alerting us to the dangers of forest fires, he lives a life of debauchery and murder.
  • A brother and sister travel to Oklahoma to recover the dead body of their uncle.
  • A lonely man engages in dubious acts while pining for his rubber duckie.

In this collection of nineteen unforgettable crime tales, Joe R. Lansdale brings his legendary mojo and witty grit to harrowing heists, revenge, homicide, and mayhem. No matter how they begin, things are bound to get ugly—and fast.

Praise for this book:

“A terrifically gifted storyteller.” -– Washington Post Book Review  

“One of the best crime writers in the business.” — Ace Atkins, New York Times bestselling author of The Revelators  

“While Lansdale’s work is as varied as the regions of Texas, there is one common link through it all: his brilliant storytelling.” –- Grimdark Magazine

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

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About the author, Joe R. Lansdale Author Photo Lansdale

Joe R. Lansdale (Savage Season, The Donut Legion) is the internationally bestselling author of more than fifty novels, including the popular, long-running Hap and Leonard novels. Many of his cult classics have been adapted for television and film, most famously the films Bubba Ho-Tep and Cold in July and the Hap and Leonard series on Sundance TV and Netflix. Lansdale has written numerous screenplays and teleplays, including for the iconic Batman: The Animated Series. He has won an Edgar Award for The Bottoms and ten Stoker Awards, and he has been designated a World Horror Grandmaster. Lansdale, like many of his characters, lives in East Texas, with his wife, Karen.

Connect with Joe:

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My Thoughts MissMeliss - 2023

In the second introduction to this collection of short stories, Things Get Ugly, the author, Joe Lansdale, states that he doesn’t use trigger warnings, which I appreciated, though I’d argue that that is a form of trigger warning. Still, if you haven’t read any of Lansdale’s previous work (I haven’t), you should know that his use of coarse language, rough sex, and extreme violence makes Stephen King’s work seem PG-13. So, yes, these stories are gritty, earthy, violent. They combine horror, noir, and pulp-fiction. They will push you to the edge of your comfort zone, and leave you feeling a little squeamish. But good writing and good storytelling should provoke a reaction.

They are also BRILLIANT. Lansdale’s writing is vivid and visceral. Even when I was confronted by content I would not typically choose (the first entry in this collection, “The Steel Valentine” would require an entire page of entries at Does the Dog Die, if it were included there), I could not stop reading. The characters leap off the page, capture you in a strangle-hold, and do not let go until you’ve finished their story.

For the most part, these are not people I’d want to meet, but the stories are quirky, original, and interesting. Sure, some of them, like the afore-mentioned “The Steel Valentine” feel like the violence is almost gratuitous, but then there’s “The Ears,” which is the kind of Hitchcock -meets-O. Henry thriller that I love, and “Billie Sue,” which manages to be poignant in places. “Santa at the Cafe” is perfectly layered, and truly funny, while “Dead Sister,” is a truly unique take on ghouls (and may I take a moment to applaud the author for understanding the ghouls and zombies are totally different things?) .  And then there’s “Mr Bear,” which introduces us to a side of Smokey Bear (yes, that Smokey Bear) that I almost wish I could un-read, except that as dark and twisted as it is, it’s also perfect.

Things Get Ugly includes nineteen stories in all, each with a short introduction from the author. I’m not going to review every one of them. They may not be everyone’s cup of tea – or fifth of gin – but they’re definitely worth the time spent reading, and you can tell that the author put care into every word. The beauty of short story anthologies is that you can read one, skip around in the book, or even keep it for bathroom reading (though if you’re like me, your feet will fall asleep if you do that).

Goes well with: A juicy steak and a glass of Scotch.

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THREE WINNERS:

Each receives print copies of

Things Get Ugly & Born for Trouble

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 8/18/23)

 

Giveaway Things Get Ugly

 

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08/08/23 Bibliotica Review
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08/10/23 The Book’s Delight Review
08/11/23 Forgotten Winds Review
08/12/23 Jennie Reads Review
08/13/23 The Real World According to Sam Review
08/14/23 It’s Not All Gravy Review
08/15/23 StoreyBook Reviews Review
08/15/23 Chapter Break Book Blog Excerpt
08/16/23 Rox Burkey Blog Review
08/17/23 Boys’ Mom Reads Review

 

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Giveaway Watermelon Tattoo

Book #Review and #Giveaway: Watermelon Tattoo by Tony Burnett

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CBNR Watermelon Tattoo

 

About the book, Watermelon Tattoo Cover Watermelon Tattoo 1

  • Genre: Psychological Thriller / Suspense
  • Publisher: Watertower Press
  • Date of Publication: February 14, 2023
  • Number of Pages: 300 pages
  • Scroll down for Giveaway!

Naïve but charismatic farm girl, Jacquelyn Benderman, has her life perfectly planned until her town blames her for the accidental death of the local high school’s star running back. Feeling like a pariah, she flees to Austin, Texas where her luck seems to change. Her rapid rise to stardom as a blues diva is derailed when an anonymous stalker begins systematically murdering her associates, leaving the police to suspect her.

As Y2K approaches, she wrestles with the guilt of falling for her roommate, a Romanian folk singer who survives as a call-girl, while the show band she sings with rehearses for a national tour.

Can she protect her new lover from danger? Will the world end at midnight? Is there no hiding place when everyone knows who you are?

Praise for this book:

“Burnett has created an unconventional and magnetic character who makes a memorable first impression.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Bodies, wrecked and loved, Wiccan handfasting, sex work, guns, watermelons, and music—lots of music—light up this thrilling nail-biter.” –Lesley Bannatyne, author of Unaccustomed

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

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About the author, Tony Burnett Author Photo Burnett

Award-winning poet and songwriter Tony Burnett is the Executive Director of Kallisto Gaia Press. He served as President of the Writers’ League of Texas from 2013 to 2017. His poetry, short fiction, and environmentally focused nonfiction appear in over 70 publications. His previous books include the story collection, Southern Gentlemen and a full-length poetry collection, The Reckless Hope of Scoundrels. He resides in rural central Texas with his trophy wife and several rescue dogs who pay him no mind unless hungry. His hobbies include poking wasp nests with short sticks and wandering aimlessly about. He hopes you enjoy meeting his imaginary friends.

Connect with Tony:

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My Thoughts MissMeliss - 2023

Watermelon Tattoo, the new novel from award winning poet and songwriter Tony Burnett, is probably the most intense book I’ve read this year. It’s gritty. It’s earthy. It’s sex-positive and some of the humor is scatological. It’s set against Y2K so there’s no texting culture. It’s also poignant and engaging, and at times it’s even heart-warming. It’s the kind of novel only a musician could write, because it takes many seemingly discordant notes and combines them into a distinctly American – distinctly Texan – symphony.

This novel gives us a dynamo of a lead character in Jaqui Benderman. She’s the only daughter of a widower who is renowned for the Black Diamond watermelons he grows, and while she wants to be a dutiful daughter, she also wants to live her own dreams of being a singer, and I love that she took ownership of those dreams early in the story. Yes, there are times when she’s still a bit of a lost little girl, but she always has her vision.

Her childhood friend Langley provides the countermelody in the story, adding another perspective but never taking over the lead. He’s important to the plot and important to Jaqui and her growth as a person and an artist, but he’s definitely a supporting player, not the lead.

Then there’s Sarge – Jaqui’s father. He drinks too much and is still mourning her long-dead mother, but his heart is in the right place. When Jaqui eventually introduces him to her Romany girlfriend, Katrine, his acceptance of their relationship is beautifully written, resoundingly real, and a model for the way every parent should be when their child finds love.

While there is a mystery (albeit not a terribly cryptic one) that runs through Watermelon Tattoo, of “who wants Jaqui dead,” the real draw – for me, at least – is just following Jaqui’s journey and seeing the behind-the-scenes parts of the Austin music industry. Even though Jaqui prefers torch songs (same, girl, same) to head-banging metal, this story has a strong sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll vibe.

If you haven’t grasped that this novel is absolutely meant for adults, let me make it plain that it is. There is a lot of alcohol use, both recreationally and as a form of self-medication for both Jaqui and her father. There is drug use. There is a lot of sex (m/f and f/f).  Another author may not have handled this much material so deftly, but Burnett has a coherent vision, and has composed a story that is so well-grounded in emotional truth that this ride, while wild, is worth every breathless second.

Goes well with: tequila-soaked watermelon cubes served with mint and lime.

Giveaway

THREE WINNERS:

Signed copy of Watermelon Tattoo

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 6/9/23)

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05/30/23 Boys’ Mom Reads Review
05/30/23 Hall Ways Blog Spotlight
05/31/23 StoreyBook Reviews Review
05/31/23 LSBBT Blog Spotlight
06/01/23 Reading by Moonlight Review
06/02/23 The Real World According to Sam Review
06/03/23 Jennie Reads Review
06/04/23 The Book’s Delight Spotlight
06/05/23 Forgotten Winds Review
06/06/23 Chapter Break Book Blog Spotlight
06/07/23 The Plain-Spoken Pen Review
06/08/23 The Clueless Gent Review
06/08/23 Bibliotica Review

 

 

 

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Giveaway Blue Running

Review and Giveaway: Blue Running, by Lori Ann Stephens

by

BNR Blue Running

 

About the book, Blue Running

  • Genre: Dystopian Fiction / Coming of Age / Suspense
  • Publisher: Moonflower Publishing
  • Date of Publication: November, 2022
  • Number of Pages: 334 pages
  • Scroll down for Giveaway!

Cover Blue RunningIn the new Republic of Texas, guns are compulsory and nothing is forgiven. Blue Running is a gripping coming-of-age thriller set in post-secessionist Texas. A fast-paced, page-turning book, it looks unflinchingly at what the future could hold, and finds hope there.

Fourteen-year-old Bluebonnet Andrews is on the run across the Republic of Texas. An accident with a gun killed her best friend but everyone in the town of Blessing thinks it was murder. Even her father – the town’s drunken deputy – believes she did it. Now, she has no choice but to run. In Texas, murder is punishable by death.

On the road she meets Jet, a pregnant young woman of Latin American heritage. Jet is secretive about her past but she’s just as determined as Blue to get out of Texas before she’s caught and arrested. Together, the two form an unlikely kinship as they make their way past marauding motorcycle gangs, the ever-watchful Texas Rangers, and armed strangers intent on abducting them – or worse. When Blue and Jet finally reach the wall, will they be able to cross the border, or will they be shot down in cold blood like the thousands who have gone before them?

Some things are worth dying for.

Praise for this book:

  • “Brilliant.”  —Heat Magazine
  • “A fast-paced story that races along, and stays with you long after you’ve finished it.” — The American
  • “An important and unforgettable read.” — Armadillo Magazine

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon │ Blackwell’s | Other Moonflower Publishing Affiliates | Goodreads

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About the author, Lori Ann Stephens Author Photo Stephens

Novelist, librettist, lecturer Lori Ann Stephens grew up in North Texas, where she developed an addiction to the arts. Her novels for children and adults include Novalee and the Spider Secret, Some Act of Vision, and Song of the Orange Moons, and her award-winning work has been noted by Glimmer Train Stories, The Chicago Tribune, and the English National Opera. She teaches Writing and Critical Reasoning undergraduate courses, as well as creative writing graduate courses, at Southern Methodist University. She lives in Texas and is a bit mad about her cat.

Connect with Lori Ann

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads | Instagram

My Thoughts

MissMeliss

MissMeliss

I’ve often found that the New Adult / Young Adult genre includes some of the most thought-provoking work in contemporary fiction, and Lori Ann Stephens’s latest novel, a dystopian thriller set in a near-future (or alternate reality – the distinction is unclear), frighteningly plausible version of Texas. Blue Running is so well crafted, it’s nearly unputdownable.

In this novel, Blue (Bluebonnet) Andrews, is running away from her hometown of Blessing because an accident with a gun killed her best friend, and even her father the town’s deputy (usually drunk) thinks she did it.

But the version of Texas this young woman must navigate is one that has seceded from the Union. Open-carry of guns isn’t just legal, it’s required, the state has become the very Christian Republic of Texas, replete with a wall to keep Texans in (and “scalers” out), and where undocumented immigrants are shot on sight by the Border Patrol, and death is the typical punishment for abortion. With the entirety of the Republic declared a no-fly zone, trains are the only way to cross the state without having to drive yourself.

Fortunately, Blue runs into Jet, a young Latina woman who is pregnant, and equally desperate to escape into the country beyond the wall: America. Along the way, the two encounter green-bandanna-wearing motorcycle gangs who are more ruthless than the Border Patrol, communities of convenience, including one called The Neighborhood, where they find temporary respite and new challenges, and even some artists who encourage Blue’s drawing talents. They also try to avoid the lethal Texas Rangers.

Both Blue and Jet feel like real young women caught in a horrible situation. Throughout the story they keep parts of themselves hidden from each other, but still aid and support each other. Jet has the better street smarts while Blue is better at blending in. They make a great team, and while it’s never made explicit, it’s likely that they will remain friends – or more – long after the story ends.

Author Stephens has written this book in a way only a native (or long-time resident) of Texas can. You can feel her love for the Lone Star State in the descriptions of the land and people, but you can also sense her dissatisfaction with the current political climate, and how it might expand in a worst-case scenario. This includes reproductive freedom as well as gun laws. Both issues were handled with delicacy, but sensitive readers should be prepared.

My review is based on the audiobook version of this story, which is read by Ashley Rose Kaplan who uses the perfect drawl – just enough Texas in her voice but not so much that her accent becomes a caricature. She changes her accent when Jet is speaking, adding to differentiate the characters, and alters her tone well for other characters, including the various men the young women run into.. It’s a perfect combination of story and narrator, and I felt her voice enhanced the experience of the novel.

Overall, this is a gripping story – part road trip, part flight for life – with a healthy dose of coming-of-age. I would not want to live in the version of Texas depicted in Blue Running, but I will happily read any future novels in this series.

XTRA Ad Blue Running

Giveaway

ONE WINNER:

Paperback of Blue Running

with autographed bookplate mailed separately

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 5/19/23)

Giveaway Blue Running

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05/09/23 Hall Ways Blog Audio Review
05/09/23 LSBBT Blog BONUS Stop
05/10/23 Forgotten Winds Excerpt
05/10/23 Bibliotica Audio Review
05/11/23 Book Fidelity Audio Review
05/12/23 StoreyBook Reviews Playlist
05/12/23 The Plain-Spoken Pen Review
05/13/23 The Real World According to Sam Review
05/13/23 Boys’ Mom Reads Guest Post
05/14/23 Shelf Life Blog Author Interview
05/15/23 All the Ups and Downs Scrapbook Page
05/15/23 It’s Not All Gravy Review
05/16/23 Reading by Moonlight Review
05/17/23 Sybrina’s Book Blog Guest Post
05/17/23 Librariel Book Adventures Audio Review
05/18/23 The Clueless Gent Review
05/18/23 Rox Burkey Blog Audio Review
     

 

 

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Giveaway Sweet Comfort

Review and Giveaway: Sweet Comfort, by Kimberly Fish

by

BNR Sweet Comfort

 

Cover Sweet ComfortAbout the book Sweet Comfort (Comfort & Joy #1)

  • Genre: Women’s Fiction / Cozy Mystery / Later-In-Life Romance / Sweet Second-Chance Romance
  • Publisher: Fish Tales
  • Page Count: 359 pages
  • Publication Date: January 21, 2023
  • Scroll down for a giveaway!

Welcome to the hometown everyone wants to call their own.

Gloria Bachman, a retired bank executive, has eight weeks to flip a location on Comfort’s High Street into a boutique chocolate shop. Defying expectations for “women of a certain age,” Gloria rediscovers talents and a sharpening of skills. If only she could read people as well as she does a spreadsheet. Even with the renovation in good hands, the subsequent struggle to name the shop brings Gloria and her business partner into conflict with a shady citizen. While Gloria is capable of remaining in her retirement rut while opening a business, two competing social groups try to lure her into their networks, causing Gloria to wonder if she ever knew Comfort at all. A murder rocks the community and revives investigative instincts honed by years in the banking industry.

Mason Lassiter, a disgraced CEO, has his own dramas to escape and the offbeat town seems the perfect place to recover his self-esteem. What was to be a quick reversal of fortunes becomes a quest to right a deeply felt injustice. Fascinated by the women driving the energy of Comfort, he extends his stay to find out why the small town is the backdrop to their best tales. Tangling with his neighbor Gloria becomes his favorite pastime and the key to unlocking the mystery of his past—if he can convince her to trust him.

Chocolate and joy become the glue bringing an unlikely cast together, which just might change Gloria’s and Mason’s course for the better. With characters familiar from previous Comfort novels and introducing fresh names, Sweet Comfort will entertain those who like their stories seasoned with coziness and sweet, second chances.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon | Goodreads

Author Photo FishAbout the author, Kimberly Fish

Kimberly Fish has been a professional writer in marketing and media for over thirty years, with regular contributions to area newspapers and magazines. As an accidental historian, she wrote two novels, The Big Inch and Harmon General, both based on factual events in Longview, Texas that changed world history. Kimberly also offers a set of contemporary women’s fiction novels and novellas, based in the Texas Hill Country, that reveal her fascination with characters discovering their grit and sweet, second chances; all four of the novels have won distinguished awards. Sweet Comfort is her latest novel, the first book in the Comfort and Joy Trilogy.

Connect with Kimberly:

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | YouTube | Pinterest | BookBub

 

 

My Thoughts

MissMelissIt’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Kimberly Fish and the wonderful town she’s created in Comfort, TX. Reading one of her books is like a visit to a beloved hometown, and I’m always eager for another installment in the goings-on there. With Sweet Comfort, the first in a spinoff trilogy, not only did I get to revisit one of my favorite fictional towns, but I also got to have the vicarious experience of opening a chocolate shop, and seeing a woman closer to my own age in a plausible romance  – not that I dislike reading about twenty- and thirty-year-olds, but representation matters, and as a woman in the prime of middle age (even if I sometimes still get carded), I love it when authors tackle romance between more mature adults.

But author Fish did more than merely tackle the second-chance romance. With Gloria and Mason, she has given us two people who are perfectly imperfect, reflecting the real concerns we get into when we are older, stuck in our patterns, and both willing to change but afraid of what that change might entail. Gloria Bachman is my new hero, and I would be happy to sit down at a cafe with her and sip coffee or a glass of Prosecco. She’s got a good heart, but can be a little bit prickly. She’s strong in business, but less confident in her personal affairs, and, like many of us, often keeps herself on the fringes of the social whirl, rather than in the thick of it. I really related to her, and not just because my first career was also in finance. She’s so well drawn, that she could be any of a dozen women I actually know, or a composite of all of them.

I also liked the character of Mason Bachman, bruised by life, and trying to turn things around. It’s rare for male characters to be written so sympathetically even when they also have slight antagonistic tendencies, but with Lassiter everything just works. But then, I expect no less from this author, whose knack for creating dimensional characters is one of the things I’ve come to expect from her writing.

And then there’s Kali and the chocolate shop. First, I loved the dual process stories of creating chocolates and also renovating the storefront where they will be sold. My family has owned diners, small markets, and craft/souvenir stores, and the need to make changes while still maintaining the integrity of a specific building and the flavor of the town are things that resonated with me. Fish gave us enough detail that we could see everything happening but never made this book feel like a how-to guide.

As mentioned earlier, Sweet Comfort is the first in a new trilogy, but the text contained a peek at book two, which, I’m excited to say, features both Gloria and the town of Comfort.

Bottom line: This is a satisfying read that is especially satisfying for those readers of a certain age. The only thing that would improve it is if it came with samples of truffles.

Goes well with: chocolate bombe and espresso.

Giveaway

Two winners each receive a signed copy of Sweet Comfort plus a box of Sweet Shop USA candies!

(US only; ends midnight, CST, 3/31/23)

Giveaway Sweet Comfort

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Giveaway Copper Waters

Review and Giveaway: Copper Waters by Marlene M. Bell

by

BNR Copper Waters

 

About the book, Copper Waters Cover COPPER WATERS

  • Series: Annalisse, Book 4
  • Genre: International Mystery / Crime / Romantic Suspense
  • Publisher: Ewephoric Publishing
  • Date of Publication: October 7, 2022
  • Number of Pages: 340
  • Scroll down for the giveaway!

A rural New Zealand vacation turns poisonous.

Antiquities expert Annalisse Drury and tycoon Alec Zavos are at an impasse in their relationship when Alec refuses to clear up a paternity issue with an ex-lover.

Frustrated with his avoidance when their future is at stake, Annalisse accepts an invitation from an acquaintance to fly to New Zealand—hoping to escape the recent turbulence in her life.

But even Annalisse’s cottage idyll on the family sheep farm isn’t immune to intrigue.

Alec sends a mutual friend and detective, Bill Drake, to follow her, and a local resident who accompanies them from the Christchurch airport dies mysteriously soon after. A second violent death finds Annalisse and Bill at odds with the official investigations.

The local police want to close both cases as quickly as possible—without unearthing the town’s dirty secrets.

As she and Bill pursue their own leads at serious cost, the dual mysteries force Annalisse to question everything she thought she knew about family ties, politics, and the art of small-town betrayal.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Click to Purchase | Add to Goodreads

Watch the Trailer for Copper Waters

 

About the author, Marlene M. Bell

Marlene M. BellMarlene M. Bell is an eclectic mystery writer, artist, photographer, and she raises sheep in beautiful East Texas with her husband, Gregg, three cats and a flock of horned Dorset sheep.

The Annalisse series — mysteries with a touch of romance — has received numerous honors including the Independent Press Award for Best Mystery (Spent Identity) and FAPA (Florida Author’s President’s Gold Award) for two other installments, Stolen Obsession and Scattered Legacy. She also penned the first of her children’s picture books, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! based on true events from the Bell’s ranch. The simple text and illustrations are a touching tribute of compassion and love between a little girl and her lamb.

Connect with Marlene:

Website║ Facebook ║ Twitter ║ LinkedIn ║ BookBub ║ Instagram ║ Amazon || Goodreads ║ Blog ║ YouTube

My Thoughts

MissMelissWhile Copper Waters is the first in this series that I’ve read, I had the honor of sharing a guest post from the author five years ago, when the first book in the Annalisse series was being launched. I made a note to read it, but time got away from me, as sometimes happens, so this book, number four, is my first. Before I go any further, let me assure you that it functions just fine as a stand-alone. There’s enough backstory to make the recurring characters (most notably Annalisse herself) feel familiar without overburdening the reader with too much information.

This novel begins with the heroine, antiquities appraiser Annalisse Drury, accepts an invitation to visit a friend’s sheep farm in New Zealand and escape her complicated relationship with Alex Zavros for a while. Of course her break is cut short when murder ensues, and her sleuthing skills must be put to use. What follows is a fast-paced crime solving story with touches of relationship drama and great scenery that only begins with rural New Zealand and expands to Christchurch and beyond.

While I loved the characters, and wouldn’t mind if Annalisse was my new best friend (her tendency to attract dead bodies notwithstanding), I thought the character of Bill Drake balanced her well, and if these two aren’t already a recurring crime-fighting duo, they should be.

What really sold me on this book, though, is the author’s writing style. Bell’s prose is crisp and precise, her dialogue is always on point, and she blends vivid descriptions with just enough character work to leave you with a mental image that still has room for your own imagination to overlay details. The pacing (as I mentioned before) of Copper Waters was also excellent. Time was spent where it was needed, and sped up where that would have the best effect. It’s this willingness to let the reader breathe, as much as the actual story, that made reading this book such a great experience.

I also really loved the New Zealand setting. It’s a rare location for a novel, but a great choice for anyone who loves sheep, and I enjoyed that this book wasn’t centered in Sydney or somewhere in Europe.

Now that I’ve read book four, I’ve gone back and downloaded books one through three, and am looking forward to immersing myself in them at my earliest opportunity.

Overall, this is a well-crafted, compelling story with believable characters.

Goes well with: Shepherd’s pie – the authentic version, made with lamb. And hard cider.

Giveaway

ONE GRAND PRIZE WINNER:

$50 VISA Card, 100% New Zealand gray wool throw, leather bucket bag, signed ARC paperback of Copper Waters, Hagestad hammered copper water bottle, Lucy Pittaway notebook

(US only; ends midnight, CST, 3/3/2023)

Giveaway Copper Waters

 

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

VISIT THE PARTICIPATING BLOGS DIRECTLY:

02/21/23 Review Bibliotica
02/21/23 Review Hall Ways Blog
02/22/23 Review Julia Picks 1
02/22/23 BONUS Promo LSBBT Blog
02/23/23 Review It’s Not All Gravy
02/23/23 Review The Real World According to Sam
02/24/23 Review Forgotten Winds
02/24/23 Review Book Fidelity
02/25/23 Review Librariel Book Adventures
02/26/23 Review The Plain-Spoken Pen
02/27/23 Review StoreyBook Reviews
02/28/23 Review Boys’ Mom Reads
02/28/23 Review Jennie Reads
03/01/23 Review The Book’s Delight
03/02/23 Review Rox Burkey Blog
03/02/23 Review Chapter Break Book Blog

 

 

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