Review: Comfort Songs, by Kimberly Fish – with Giveaway

25 October 2019 by Melissa

About the book, Comfort Songs

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction
Publisher: Fish Tales, LLC
Date of Publication: September 19, 2019
Number of Pages: 348
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Award-winning author of Comfort Plans, Kimberly Fish, delivers a novel about family, forgiveness, and the seeds of second chances.

Eight years ago, Autumn Joy Worthington, still reeling from the bitter divorce of her Grammy-Award-winning parents, endured the betrayal of a man who’d promised her a wedding. Running from pain seemed the logical response. Reinventing herself in Comfort, Texas, as a lavender grower, she creates a wildly successful gardening haven that draws in tourists and establishes an identity far removed from her parents’ fame. Her mother’s retirement from stardom inspires AJ to offer her refuge and nurse the dream that they could move past old hurts and the tarnish of the music industry … to find friendship. A grandmother in the early stages of dementia and the return of AJ’s father complicate the recovery, but nothing sets the fragile reality spinning like the arrival of Nashville music executive, Luke English.

As Alzheimer’s slowly knocks away the filters of their family, AJ comes to appreciate the true meanings of love and forgiveness — and that the power of redemption can generate from the most unlikely sources. When AJ uncovers the grit to make hard choices, she also discovers that the flowers that bloom the brightest can have the most tangled roots.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon | Goodreads

About the author, Kimberly Fish

Kimberly Fish is a professional writer with almost thirty years of media experience. She’s been telling stories far longer. She published her first novel, a WWII historical fiction novel, because of a true story in her adopted hometown that was too good to ignore. She quickly followed that success with a sequel. Since then, she’s continued writing fiction and added a contemporary second-chance romance series set in Comfort, Texas, to her list of fun, fast-paced novels. Kimberly lives with her family in East Texas.

Connect with Kimberly:

My Thoughts

I reviewed Kimberly Fish’s previous novel Comfort Plans two years ago, and it was a pleasure to revisit her writing and the world she’s created in Comfort, Texas, with this novel, Comfort Songs.

With this story, set in the present but with flashbacks to previous eras, Fish really demonstrates her prowess at writing compelling tales of women in transition. Inez (aka Gran) is facing the descent into Alzheimer’s Disease. July, whose retirement as a performer opens the novel, is facing new directions in her career and her personal life, and AJ, the connective tissue between the two, claims she just wants to run her farm, Lavender Hill, but is also exploring creative pursuits and a possible romance, as well as reconnecting with her mother (July).

Fish handles all three story lines with equal care, weaving them in and out of each other, showing us the way Inez’s youth and July’s career have informed AJ’s choices. Each woman stands alone as a distinct character, but each also shares the commonality of family and personal struggle.

What I love about Fish’s writing is that she depicts the sorts of issues we all deal with every day – aging, adult mother-daughter relationships, and the search for personal fulfillment – using characters that may have sprung from her imagination, but feel incredibly real. These are women (and their partners) that we not only may know, but that we might even be, to some extent.

If you are looking for an inter-generational story with music, romance, and the sort of community we all sort of wish we could live in, read Comfort Songs; you will not be disappointed.

Goes well with hot coffee and scones with lemon curd.

Giveaway

SIGNED COPY OF COMFORT SONGS

+ HUMMINGBIRD FARMS HAND CREAM & HAND SOAP

OCTOBER 22-NOVEMBER 1, 2019

(U.S. Only)

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Review: Beyond the Horizon, by Ella Carey – with Giveaway

22 October 2019 by Melissa

About the book, Beyond the Horizon

Historical Fiction / Friendship
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Date of Publication: October 15, 2019
Number of Pages: 326
Scroll down for the giveaway!

From the author of The House by the Lake comes a powerful novel of friendship during World War II, fighting for the truth, and making peace with the past.

At the height of World War II, Eva Scott’s dream comes true. Accepted into the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), she leaves balmy California and the man she loves for grueling training in Texas, ultimately landing at formidable Camp Davis in North Carolina.

Vastly outnumbered by men and amid contempt, discrimination, and sabotage, Eva and her closest friends, the unconventional Nina and straight-laced Helena, remain loyal to their mission and to each other. They stay focused on the horizon, determined to prove themselves capable women pilots. Until a fatal mission sends Eva’s dream crashing to earth . . .

Now, decades later, is it possible to discover the truth about the night that changed her life? Is there any hope she’ll recover all that she’s lost? When Eva finds herself embroiled in the fight to get military recognition for the WASP, she’s forced to confront the past, and to make a decision that could forever change her future.

Thrilling and inspiring, Beyond the Horizon is a portrait of love, friendship, and valor in a time of war—and a tribute to the brave women who risked their lives for their country.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon | Goodreads

Praise for Beyond the Horizon

“With snappy dialogue, impressive historical details, a sense of adventure and courage on every page, and even a love story, Ella Carey has hit all the markers that make fine historical fiction.”

—Ann Howard Creel, bestselling author of The Whiskey Sea

“Fans of inspirational World War II fiction will cheer on Eva and her fellow pilots as they chase their dreams, endure heartbreak, and discover their true strength. Carey’s evocative descriptions bring home the exhilaration of flight—and the everyday indignities endured by young women who challenged the expectations of their time. The story’s final twist makes for a surprising and moving conclusion.” —Elizabeth Blackwell, author of On a Cold Dark Sea and In the Shadow of Lakecrest

“A moving, beautifully written novel about the amazing WASP during WWII. True to life and packed full of emotion. I thoroughly enjoyed feeling like I was one of these extraordinary women pilots as I read the story.” —Soraya M. Lane, Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Girls of Pearl Harbor

About the author, Ella Carey

Ella Carey is the international bestselling author of The Things We Don’t Say, Secret Shores, From a Paris Balcony, The House by the Lake, and Paris Time Capsule. Her books have been published in over fourteen countries, in twelve languages. Her sixth novel is Beyond The Horizon, set around the Women Air Force Service Pilots during World War Two.

Ella is incredibly excited to share this book with her readers, as her mother was a W.A.A.A.F during World War Two, and her father was in the R.A.F, flying airplanes over occupied France. Ella travelled to Sweetwater, Texas, to research the novel, and is grateful to Ann Hobing, the then Executive Director of the WASP museum for sharing her wonderful knowledge of the WASP. Ella also worked with two pilots to craft the flight scenes.

Ella loves to connect with her readers For more information on the background to her novels and updates about her next release, and to contact her about appearances at your local book club, please visit her website.

Connect with Ella:

My Thoughts

I’ve been reading and reviewing Ella Carey’s work since she published her very first novel, and I’ve been a fan of her work almost as long, so when I had the opportunity to read and review Beyond the Horizon, there was no question that I was excited to do so.

What I did not expect to find was a deep connection to the piece. This novel is about a woman named Eva who was a WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) during World War II. Set in both the late 1970s, (which is now technically historical even though it’s when I grew up) against a Congressional commission to accept women pilots in the general air force, with flashbacks to the 40s and the war, this novel moves between time periods effortlessly. You always know when you are, but each period is written with equal vividness.

So, why the deep connection? I have a great-aunt who, while not a WASP, was an army medic in WWII, and, like Eva, part of her story involves the fact that the women who served in that war were not always given the appropriate acknowledgement for their contributions.

Even without a personal connection, this novel is a rich and fascinating read. It’s an historical adventure with a dash of romance – Eva’s only love is not the sky, after all – but it’s also a very human examination of the choices we make as we grow up, and grow older, and the compromises we sometimes make between our dreams and our necessities.

One detail that I really liked was the image of oranges, used in the opening scene at a 1977 farmers’ market and then in a flashback when the woman wanted oranges that were reserved for the men. Oranges seemed to be a symbol of freedom and identity in this novel, and it was a subtle touch I really appreciated.

Ella Carey’s novels are always well crafted, and this book is no exception. If you like stories that are both gentle and frank, while still compelling, read Beyond the Horizon.

Goes well with fresh oranges and cappuccino.

Giveaway

THREE PAPERBACK COPIES OF BEYOND THE HORIZON

OCTOBER 17-27, 2019

(U.S. Only)

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Review: Paranormal Texas, by Tui Snider – with Giveaway

2 October 2019 by Melissa

About the book, Paranormal Texas: Your Travel Guide to Haunted Places Near Dallas & Fort Worth

Genre: Travel / Haunted Places / Texas History
Publisher: Castle Azle Press
Date of Publication: September 19, 2019 (2nd Edition)
Number of Pages: 210 with 100+ black & white images
Scroll down for a Video
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More Haunted Places and True Ghost Stories!

Tui Snider’s popular travel guide to haunted places in North Texas is back with a fully updated 2nd Edition featuring more haunted places and true ghost stories!

What’s new in Paranormal Texas, 2nd Edition?

Just like the original travel guide, Paranormal Texas 2nd Edition gives readers haunted history and directions to sites where paranormal activity is reported in the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex.

The 2nd edition now includes:

Photos: Readers asked for photos of haunted places. Paranormal Texas, 2nd editionhas over 50 photos of haunted towns, haunted hotels, and more.
Ghost hunting tips: Tui Snider explains what she has learned since she began attending paranormal investigations with Texas ghost hunters.
More haunted places: Several new venues (including a haunted doll museum!) with fascinating haunted history were added to Paranormal Texas, 2nd edition.
Firsthand accounts: Readers asked for more true ghost stories and hauntings. (She even shares personal experiences with paranormal activity, including a strange encounter with her doppelganger at a haunted hotel!)

All the above, PLUS a paranormal activity evidence database:

See the paranormal activity for yourself: Readers can access an online database with links to EVPs, ghost photos, videos, and other evidence gathered by paranormal investigators who have visited the haunted sites in her book.

Continually updated:This database will be continually updated with EVPs, anomalous photos, videos, and other data gathered at haunted places featured in Paranormal Texas, 2nd edition.
Add your paranormal activity:Readers can contact the author if they have paranormal evidence to add!

Is Paranormal Texas, 2nd edition for YOU?

Ghost Hunters– If you want to plan a fun road trip to haunted places (with or without ghost hunting equipment) Paranormal Texas, 2nd edition can help.

Armchair Travelers– If you prefer reading about haunted history, Paranormal Texas, 2nd edition can take you on an exciting armchair tour through haunted towns of North Texas.

“Tui’s 2nd edition is spot on fun and thrilling for everyone to read as only Tui can tell it!” – Greg Stephens, Paranormal Investigator (RIP)

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon | Goodreads

About the author, Tui Snider

Tui Snider is an award-winning writer, speaker, photographer, and musician specializing in offbeat sites, overlooked history, cemetery symbolism, and haunted lore. As she puts it, “I used to write fiction, but then I moved to Texas!”

Tui lectures frequently at universities, libraries, conferences, and bookstores.This fall, she will speak about the Great Airship Mystery of 1897 at this year’s UFO Congress and teach a course on Understanding Cemetery Symbols at Texas Christian University. She also shares weekly info-videos based on her research at her YouTube channel.

Snider’s writing and photography have been featured in a variety of media outlets, including WFAA TV, Coast to Coast AM, LifeHack, Langdon Review, the City of Plano, Wild Woman Waking, Shades of Angels and many more. She has several more books in progress.

Connect with Tui:

Watch a Video from the Author

5 Surprising Facts about Haunted Places in Paranormal Texas

My Thoughts

I first encountered Tui Snider’s work when I read and reviewed Understanding Cemetery Symbols two years ago. What I found then was a woman who was part storyteller, part adventurer, and part believer in the things the rest of us prefer not to notice – the unexplained, the ineffable, the shouldn’t-be-possible.

While I did not read the first edition of this book, Paranormal Texas: Your Travel Guide to Haunted Places Near Dallas & Fort Worth, I can tell you that this edition, the second, had me urging my husband to plan some local and local-ish road trips, and the only thing that has kept us from doing so is that we were out-of-state when the book arrived at my house, and that I’m two weeks away from having (another) knee surgery.

Still, even just reading this book is like going on an adventure with Tui (I hope she doesn’t mind me using her first name) as your guide. Her language is friendly and accessible, as if she’s relating her experiences to a friend over coffee, and the information is presented in a logical manner: alphabetically by city.

It’s not just perfunctory information, either. Rather, Tui provides anecdotes that leave you steeped in local flavor, making this book almost as much a collection of spooky Texas folktales as it is a DFW travel guide.

Paranormal Texas is, of course, the perfect book for October (here’s hoping the weather cools down some so we can all explore these spirited sites in relative comfort), but it would be the perfect book for a lazy weekend in March or May, or (for the brave) August, as well.

Go forth and explore.

(Stay hydrated.)

Tui will guide you.

And if the hairs on your arms stand up when you’re looking at a gravesite or standing near an old bridge, well, that’s just a bonus feature.

Goes well with apple cider (hard or not) and bratwurst with mustard.

Giveaway

GRANDPRIZE (US only):

Signed Paperback + Handmade Cemetery Angel Pendant

+$10 Amazon Gift Card

2^ND PRIZE (US only): Signed Copy

3^RD PRIZE (International): Kindle eBook

(US ONLY)

October 1-October 11, 2019

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Paranormal Texas Blog Tour Links:

10/1/19	Reading by Moonlight
10/2/19	Bibliotica
10/2/19	Book Fidelity
10/3/19	StoreyBook Reviews
10/4/19	Nerd Narration
10/4/19	Hall Ways Blog
10/5/19	Carpe Diem Chronicles
10/6/19	Forgotten Winds
10/6/19	Books and Broomsticks
10/7/19	The Page Unbound
10/8/19	The Book Review
10/8/19	Chapter Break Book Blog
10/9/19	Missus Gonzo
10/10/19	All the Ups and Downs

Review: Dragonfly, by Leila Meacham – with Giveaway

12 August 2019 by Melissa

About the book, Dragonfly

Genre: Historical / WWII / Espionage
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Date of Publication: July 9, 2019
Number of Pages: 576
Scroll down for giveaway!

From the New York Times bestselling author of Roses comes a gripping new novel about five young spies embedded among the highest Nazi ranks in occupied Paris

At the height of World War II, a handful of idealistic young Americans receive a mysterious letter from the government, asking them if they are willing to fight for their country. The men and women from very different backgrounds-a Texan athlete with German roots, an upper-crust son of a French mother and a wealthy businessman, a dirt-poor Midwestern fly fisherman, an orphaned fashion designer, and a ravishingly beautiful female fencer-all answer the call of duty, but each for a secret reason of her or his own. They bond immediately, in a group code-named Dragonfly.

Thus begins a dramatic cat-and-mouse game, as the group seeks to stay under the radar until a fatal misstep leads to the capture and the firing-squad execution of one of their team. But…is everything as it seems, or is this one more elaborate act of spycraft?

Praise for Dragonfly:

“Meacham’s impeccable pacing and razor-wire tension evoke the daily drama of life under a Reich whose French reign might have lasted little more than four years but felt like the thousand years that it threatened to endure.” ―Bookpage

“Meacham’s nail-biting tale will please fans looking for an intricate story of spycraft and deception.” ―Publishers Weekly

“Meacham ratchets the suspense ever tighter, while providing fascinating backstory on the intrepid five [American spies] as well as delivering a detail-rich portrait of Paris during the Occupation.” ―Booklist

“Complex, epic, and rich in historical detail-an uplifting story of finding friendship behind enemy lines.” ― Kirkus

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Goodreads

About the author, Leila Meacham

Leila Meacham is a writer and former teacher who lives in San Antonio, Texas. She is the author of the bestselling novels Roses, Tumbleweeds, Somerset, and Titans.

Connect with Leila:

Website | Bookbub | Facebook | Goodreads

My Thoughts

Mystery. Intrigue. War. Nazis. Leila Meacham’s epic novel Dragonfly is an immersive tale of espionage and evil, but more than that, it examines what we humans are willing to do for the causes we believe in, just or not.

Her tale opens in 1962, but we’re quickly propelled back in time, to memories of occupied France, where the author’s vivid descriptions were so visceral that there were times I literally jumped when shots rang out or people were jostled in the streets.

With five POV characters – all of whom we initially meet as tender twenty-two-year-olds – Dragonfly could be confusing. Instead, it’s a richly woven tapestry of character and plot, detail and description. I was particularly entranced with the author’s use of language, which was neither affected nor overly simple but captured the era perfectly.

Other reviewers have commented that this novel captures the echoes of today’s political culture as well as the period in which it was set, and I agree, but I have to wonder if it’s not so much that the novel’s tone is echoing the time, as that our culture has not progressed as much as we would hope.

At 576 pages, Dragonfly is a novel to savor, a book for slow, summer nights of pleasure-reading. You could rush through it if you tried, but you’d be doing yourself, and Ms. Meacham’s lovely prose, a great disservice.

Goes well with salad Nicoise, baguette, and peach iced tea.

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Review: Genny’s Ballad (The Sisters #5) by Becki Willis (with Giveaway!)

23 June 2019 by Melissa

About the book, Genny’s Ballad

Genre: Cozy Mystery / Romance / Women Sleuths
Publisher: Clear Creek Publishing
Date of Publication: October, 2017
Number of Pages: 258
Scroll down for giveaway!

2018 Best Mystery Series, Texas Association of Authors

By all accounts, everyone loves Genny.
So why does someone want her dead?

There’s something special about Genesis Baker, owner of The Sister’s popular New Beginnings Café. With her dimpled smile and twinkling blue eyes, Genny has practically the entire town eating from the palm of her hand. But Genny is hiding a secret. Despite her sunny disposition and golden touch, there is heartache in her past, and heartache, they say, comes in threes.

Heartache Number One: An unwelcomed customer shows up at New Beginnings. Apparently, the restraining order has lapsed.

Heartache Number Two: Genny’s arch nemesis from high school returns to town. Twenty years has done nothing to mellow the bitter feud between these two women.

Heartache Number Three: As Genny finally acknowledges her feelings for a younger man—sexy firefighter Cutter Montgomery—memories of her first love come back to haunt her.

On top of it all, someone is stalking Genny, determined to make her life miserable.

As it turns out, being kidnapped is only the beginning of her troubles…

Book Five of the award winning The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series, voted Best Mystery Series by the Texas Association of Authors, three years in a row!

Buy, read, and discuss this book – and the whole series!

Buy the book on Amazon! $0.99 Kindle Countdown promotional pricing 6/22 – 6/28!

Buy all or part of The Sisters series from the author’s website | Check the series out on Goodreads

About the author, Becki Willis

Becki Willis, best known for her popular The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series and Forgotten Boxes, always dreamed of being an author. In November of ’13, that dream became a reality.

Since that time, she has published numerous books, won first place honors for Best Mystery Series, Best Suspense Fiction, Best Women’s Detective Fiction, and Best Audio Book, won the 2018 RONE Award for Paranormal Fiction, and has introduced her imaginary friends to readers around the world.

An avid history buff, Becki likes to poke around in old places and learn about the past. Other addictions include reading, writing, junking, unraveling a good mystery, and coffee. She loves to travel but believes coming home to her family and her Texas ranch is the best part of any trip. Becki is a member of the Association of Texas Authors, Writer’s League of Texas, Sisters in Crime, the National Association of Professional Women, and the Brazos Writers organization. She attended Texas A&M University and majored in Journalism.

Connect with Becki

My Thoughts

Creepy ex-boyfriends, layers of mystery, hunky firefighters, supportive female friends, a cozy small-town setting, and apple turnovers – Genny’s Ballad, book five in Becki Willis’s The Sisters Texas Mysteries has all of that and more.

What more? How about a compelling plot that opens with bumps and grunts in the night and said hunky firefighter coming to the rescue. But while that’s a good beginning, a novel needs more than just an opening scene. Fortunately author Willis delivers. This is no ordinary cozy mystery. It’s got layered stories and nuanced characters, and it deals with the reality that the hopes, dreams, and loves we have when we’re young are not necessarily the hopes, dreams, and loves we get to keep, or choose to follow through with as we mature.

While I enjoyed that one of the many subplots involved the main character Genesis “Genny” Baker’s best friend Madison going through the joys and perils of her home (and life) being featured on a reality show about remodeling (and, by extension, Genny herself and many of their other friends) a scene I found particularly delicate and touching was one with an aging teacher who was clearly suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s. Working that into the story in a way that felt organic but still respectful of real people who live with such conditions speaks a lot to the author’s talent for writing believable characters.

I also liked that Genny was flawed. She didn’t like asking for help, and that meant that she put herself in harm’s way. It’s easy to write a protagonist who is perfect. To write a character who is imperfect and still really likeable, someone we want to root for, takes real craft.

And I did root for Genny to resolve her issues, and for Madison to resolve her cases, just as wanted all of the various romances to end successfully, because in a cozy mystery you get to solve the crime and have the perfect kiss, if the author has done her job, and Becki Willis has absolutely done her job. (Similarly, I wanted the less savory characters to get their comeuppance. I’m looking at you in particular Pembroke. You really annoyed me.)

Of course, I have to mention that Genny’s Ballad is book five in an ongoing series, in which book eight has just been released. While it’s completely satisfying as a stand-alone read, it would be even more enjoyable within the context of the series at large.

Cuddling, coziness, and creative crime solving by strong women characters – Genny’s Ballad has it all.

Goes well with apple turnovers and fresh coffee.

GIVEAWAY

GRAND PRIZE: Signed Copy of Wildflower Wedding + $20 Amazon Gift Card
2nd Prize: $10 Amazon Gift Card

June 20-30, 2019

(U.S. Only)

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Review: The Little Teashop on Main by Jodi Thomas – with Giveaway

15 May 2019 by Melissa

About the book, The Little Teashop on Main

Genre: Contemporary Literary Fiction / Coming of Age
Publisher: HQN
Publication Date: May 7, 2019
Number of Pages: 336 pages
Scroll down for the giveaway!

A rainy-day ritual—a tea party between three little girls—becomes the framework of not only their friendship, but their lives.

Blonde, curly-haired Zoe is openhearted, kind and free-spirited, and dreams of becoming a famous actor in New York City. Shy Emily struggles with mental health but has the heart and soul of a writer. And Shannon—tall, athletic, strong—has a deep sense of loyalty that will serve her well when she heads off to military college.

As Zoe, Emily, and Shannon grow into women—forging careers, following dreams, and finding love—they’ll learn that life doesn’t always unfold the way they want it to, but through it all, the one constant is each other and their regular tea parties. And when the unthinkable happens, the girls must come together to face the greatest test of all.

A deeply moving novel about the family that raises us, the hearts that nurture us, and the great friendships that define our lives.

Praise for The Little Teashop on Main:

“Heart-wrenching as well as heartwarming, the book reflects the experiences of these seven multifaceted and compelling characters as they journey through challenging years together.” — NY Journal of Books

“A comforting treasure for regular Thomas readers who enjoy the easy flow of her writing, a little steamy romance to spice things up, and the development of vulnerable, realistic characters.” — Booklist

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Harlequin | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google Books | Goodreads

About the author, Jodi Thomas

With millions of books in print, Jodi Thomas is both a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 45 novels and 14 short story collections. Her stories travel through the past and present days of Texas and draw readers from around the world.

In July 2006, Jodi was the 11^th writer to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. With five RITA’s to her credit, along with National Readers’ Choice Awards and Booksellers’ Best Awards, Thomas has proven her skill as a master storyteller.

Honored in 2002 as a Distinguished Alumni by Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, Thomas enjoys interacting with students at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, where she currently serves as Writer in Residence.

When not working on a novel, or inspiring students to pursue writing careers, Thomas enjoys traveling with her husband, renovating an historic home, and “checking up” on their grown sons and four grandchildren.

Connect with Jodi:

My Thoughts

In The Little Teashop on Main, Jodi Thomas invites us to visit Laurel Springs, Texas, where most people don’t bother to lock their doors, and three little girls who meet at a princess-themed tea party grow into lifelong friends.

Zoe, Emily, and Shannon each represent a different kind of femininity, but remain strong women as well. Zoe is wild and free-spirited, determined to pursue a stage career. Emily is quiet and shy, a voracious reader, with mental health issues that have her flirting with death a little too closely. Shannon is the only child of a single father – a military man who raises her to be fiercely independent. Separately, each woman is interesting and each has a compelling story, but together, they form a trio of friendship, loyalty, and chosen family that is inspiring.

With three primary characters, plus Zoe’s mother Alex, Shannon’s father Mack, the girls’ childhood friend Jack, and Emily’s newer friend Fuller, Thomas has a lot of perspectives to juggle, but she doesn’t just weave a colorful tapestry, she braids together a comfortable rag rug that makes you want to toss it on the floor in front of the fire, and sprawl on it with books and tea and a dog for hours on end.

What I really loved was that Alex’s bakery, which eventually morphs into the eponymous Teashop, is a character in its own right. The baked goods that come out of the ovens there – holiday pies, thumbprint cookies, scones, and even cookies shaped like books for a bookstore event – feature in the plot, adding a hint of sweetness and comfort just when they’re needed most.

If a cup of coffee or tea and a sweet treat is comfort for the stomach, this novel is comfort for the mind. Through all the family trials and drama associated with girls growing into women, and single parents learning to find their own lives after their children are grown, author Thomas never overwhelms us with angst, but keeps her story emotionally truthful.

This book is a charming, delightful read, and Laurel Springs is one of those fictional towns I’d love to visit again.

Goes well with Nepali Breakfast Tea (a chai blend) and almond sugar cookies.

Giveaway

ONE PRINT COPY OF MORNINGS ON MAIN,

THE FIRST LAUREL SPRINGS BOOK

May 8-18, 2019

(US ONLY)

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Tour Stops for The Little Teashop on Main

5/8/19	Notable Quotable	Texas Book Lover
5/8/19	Notable Quotable	Reading by Moonlight
5/9/19	Review	Missus Gonzo
5/10/19	BONUS Stop	Hall Ways Blog
5/10/19	Guest Post	Chapter Break Book Blog
5/11/19	Review	Momma on the Rocks
5/12/19	Review	Book Fidelity
5/13/19	Excerpt	StoreyBook Reviews
5/13/19	Author Interview	Kelly Well Read
5/14/19	Review	All the Ups and Downs
5/15/19	Excerpt	Rainy Days with Amanda
5/15/19	Review	Bibliotica
5/16/19	Excerpt	#Bookish
5/16/19	Excerpt	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
5/17/19	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
5/17/19	Promo	Carpe Diem Chronicles

Review: The Shadow Writer by Eliza Maxwell – with Giveaway

2 May 2019 by Melissa

About the book, The Shadow Writer

Genre: Psychological Suspense / Domestic Thriller
Publisher: Lake Union Press
Date of Publication: May 1, 2019
Number of Pages: 348
Scroll down for the giveaway!

Every writer has a story. Some are deadlier than others.

Aspiring author Graye Templeton will do anything to escape the horrific childhood crime that haunts her. After a life lived in shadows, she’s accepted a new job as protégé to Laura West, influential book blogger and wife of an acclaimed novelist. Laura’s connections could make Graye’s publishing dreams a reality. But there’s more to Laura than meets the eye.

Behind the veneer of a charmed life, Laura’s marriage is collapsing. Her once-lauded husband is descending into alcoholism and ruin and bringing Laura nearer to the edge.

As the two women form a bond that seems meant to be, long-buried secrets claw their way into the present, and the line between friendship and obsession begins to blur, forcing each to decide where her loyalties lie. Running from the past is a dangerous game, and the loser could end up dead.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

AMAZON | MURDER BY THE BOOK | BARNES AND NOBLE | GOODREADS

About the Author, Eliza Maxwell

Eliza Maxwell lives in Texas with her ever-patient husband and two kids. She’s an artist and writer, an introvert, and a British cop drama addict. She loves nothing more than to hear from readers.

Connect with Eliza:

Goodreads | Facebook | BookBub | Website

My Thoughts

It’s been a stormy spring here in my part of Texas, and for me, nothing goes better with gray rainy days, or nights full of crashing thunder and flashing lightning than a compelling mystery or a good thriller. Eliza Maxwell’s The Shadow Writer gave me the perfect storm setting mystery and suspense against a literary background and giving me strong female protagonists, as well.

Much of the novel is told from the point of view of Graye Templeton, a young woman whom we initially meet when she accidentally spills coffee on the woman who later becomes the novel’s second lead, Laura West. The two women are a study in contrasts: Graye, a grad student who is also a TA for a successful author and visiting professor is (apparently) introverted, unassuming, quiet, and helpful. Laura is warm, extroverted, has a successful career and has no trouble being assertive in her work, though her marriage is clearly not going well.

As the story progresses the third member of the novel’s core characters appears – David West – Graye’s boss, and Laura’s husband.

But relationships and truths shift and turn in this novel, and just when you think you understand the dynamics and desires of all the players another voice is added to the choir, another perspective is shown, and another buried truth is brought to the surface.

Maxwell handles all the plot twists with aplomb, weaving together Graye’s history, Laura’s marital woes, David’s inadequacies, and even the story-within-the-story – the novel that Gray is writing under a nom de plume. (I confess, I almost wish she would publish that book as a companion novel, because it intrigued me so.)

What I really liked what this novel was more than just a thriller or mystery, it also had two very strong themes: identity and voice. The first was much more literal – characters used pen names and masked who they were, but the other was present as a metaphor as well as in a more literal form: Graye’s novel was her way of speaking her truth, but Laura’s ability to identify ‘talent’ was also a way of giving people their voices, and in the end, she also found a new timbre for her own.

Goes well with a steaming bowl of chili and a wedge of cornbread, stormy weather optional.

Giveaway

TWO WINNERS: Signed Copy + $25 Amazon Gift Card

ONE WINNER: Signed Copy

APRIL 30-MAY 10, 2019

(U.S. Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Stops for The Shadow Writer

4/30/19	Audio Review	Hall Ways Blog
4/30/19	Review	Reading by Moonlight
5/1/19	Review	Momma on the Rocks
5/2/19	Review	Tangled in Text
5/2/19	Review	Bibliotica
5/3/19	Review	Forgotten Winds
5/3/19	BONUS Post	All the Ups and Downs
5/4/19	Review	The Book Review
5/4/19	Audio Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
5/5/19	Review	Kelly Well Read
5/6/19	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
5/7/19	Audio Review	The Clueless Gent
5/7/19	Review	The Love of a Bibliophile
5/8/19	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
5/9/19	Review	#Bookish
5/9/19	Review	The Page Unbound

Review: Driftwood Bay, by Irene Hannon – with Giveaway

10 April 2019 by Melissa

About the book Driftwood Bay

Series: Hope Harbor Novel, Book 5
Genre: Contemporary / Christian / Romance
Publisher: Revell, April 2, 2019
Number of Pages: 368
Scroll down for giveaway

After tragedy upends her world, Jeannette Mason retreats to the tiny Oregon seaside town of Hope Harbor to create a new life. Vowing to avoid emotional attachments, she focuses on running her lavender farm and tea-room—until a new neighbor with a destructive dog and a forlorn little girl invades her turf. But she needn’t worry. Dr. Logan West is too busy coping with an unexpected family, a radical lifestyle change, and an unruly pup to have any interest in his aloof and disagreeable neighbor.

Yet when both Jeanette and Logan find themselves pulled into the life of a tattered Christian family fleeing persecution in war-torn Syria, might they discover that love sometimes comes calling when it’s least expected?

Bestselling and award-winning author Irene Hannon invites readers back to the charming seaside town of Hope Harbor, where they are sure to find peace, healing, and a second chance at happiness.

Buy, read, and discuss Driftwood Bay:

Baker Book House ┃ Amazon ┃ Barnes & Noble ┃ Christianbook.com ┃ Books-A-Million ┃ Kobo ┃ Get It Local Today | Goodreads

About the Author, Irene Hannon

Irene Hannon is the bestselling author of more than fifty novels, including One Perfect Spring, Hope Harbor, Sea Rose Lane, Sandpiper Cove, and Pelican Point, as well as Dangerous Illusions and the Private Justice and Men of Valor suspense series. Her books have been honored with three coveted RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America, and she is a member of that organization’s elite Hall of Fame. Her many other awards include National Readers’ Choice, Daphne du Maurier, Retailers’ Choice, Booksellers’ Best, Carols, and Reviewers’ Choice from RT Book Reviews magazine, which also honored her with a Career Achievement award for her entire body of work. In addition, she is a two-time Christy Award finalist.

Connect with Irene:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

My Thoughts

Warmth, wisdom, hope, and fish tacos – that’s what you get from reading Irene Hannon’s latest Hope Harbor novel Driftwood Bay, and it’s a delightful combination that blends wholesome family drama, realistic life transitions and a cute small town with just enough romance to keep things interesting.

I must confess, I haven’t read the previous four installments in this series, and when I agreed to review this novel, I didn’t realize it was a Christian romance. In truth, I’m glad I didn’t notice that element because I’m not that into organized religion and it might have kept me from reading this novel. That would have been a big mistake, because Irene Hannon’s work is accessible to all, and while the characters in this story both mentioned and took strength from their faith, there was nothing preachy about the book. Faith was a character element and handled as such. The church community was also an integral part of the plot, acting the way the best faith communities should: taking in refugees, and otherwise helping people make useful connections to better their lives.

The other elements of the novel were equally well-crafted: lead characters Jeannette Mason (“the lavender lady”) and Logan West begin as neighbors brought together by the latter’s destructo-dog Toby, and watching their relationship evolve from somewhat prickly ‘just neighbors’ to an uncertain friendship, to more was both amusing and endearing. Each of these people had baggage in their backstory, but author Hannon managed to make their metaphorical luggage match in. the best way.

Similarly, Hannon handled the Syrian refugee family, Mariam, Thomma, and Elisa, with great sensitivity, showing their struggles to overcome the loss of their home and family members, their struggles to learn English, and to acclimate to life in a fishing village rather than a mining town.

One thing I particularly appreciated, because I struggle with it in my own writing is the way Hannon depicted the child-characters Elisa and Molly (Logan’s young niece). It can be so easy to make little kids into caricatures rather than characters, but these two little girls are as real and dimensional as any of the adults, and the friendship they form is as special as any of the other relationships in the novel.

One side character I do want to mention is Charley who runs the taco truck (when he’s not off painting). I kept getting the feeling there was meant to be more to him than what we saw, but even if it was just the way I was reading him, I loved him as the person who tells you what you need you hear, when you most need to hear it, even if it’s sometimes a bit cryptic.

Overall, this is a wholesome, heartwarming novel that leaves you believing that communities can still come together and there is still hope in the world.

Goes well with fish tacos and a cold beer.

Grand Prize:

A Copy of Driftwood Bay + Oregon Coast RainGlobe

1^st Runner-Up:

A Copy of Driftwood Bay + Book Lover’s Coffee Mug

2^nd Runner-Up:

A Copy of Driftwood Bay + $10 Starbucks Gift Card

April 2-12, 2019

(U.S. Only)

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Visit the Other Great Blogs on this Tour

4/2/19	Series Spotlight	The Clueless Gent
4/2/19	Scrapbook Page	Hall Ways Blog
4/3/19	Review	Forgotten Winds
4/4/19	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
4/5/19	Character Interview	Sybrina’s Book Blog
4/6/19	Guest Post	All the Ups and Downs
4/7/19	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles
4/8/19	Author Interview	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
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4/10/19	Review	Bibliotica
4/11/19	Review	StoreyBook Reviews

Review: Aransas Evening, by Jeff Hampton – with Giveaway

18 January 2019 by Melissa

About the book, Aransas Evening

Genre: Contemporary Literary Fiction
Publisher: Jeff Hampton, Writer
Publication Date: October 4, 2018
Number of Pages: 346 pages
Scroll down for giveaway

Life in Port Aransas was looking breezy and bright for Sam and his friends at the Dream Bean coffee shop. Shelly and Dave were talking marriage, Allie and Bo were tightening their family ties, and Sam was welcoming newcomers to town and falling for a new singer at the Sea Garden. But storms are never far away on the Texas Gulf Coast, and there would be none more destructive than Hurricane Harvey. Would Sam and his friends survive Harvey’s awful fury? And would life in Port Aransas ever be the same again? Find out in Aransas Evening, the sequel to Aransas Morning by Jeff Hampton.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Author Website │ Amazon │ Etsy | Goodreads

Praise for the Aransas series:

– “Hampton’s characters pulled me in; hook, line, and sinker.”

– “The pace of the book is slow and easy, and I slipped into its rhythm like the ebb and flow of the water lapping against the shoreline.”

– “A lovely story about community, and how family isn’t always the one you are born into.

– “Isak Dinesen once wrote, ‘The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea.’ Jeff Hampton has illustrated that with grace, elegance, and excellent coffee.”

About the author, Jeff Hampton

Jeff Hampton has based his life and career in Texas writing for newspapers, magazines, businesses, and institutions. His interest in observing the people around him has led him to write essays, short stories, and novels that explore relationships and communities in their many forms.

Aransas Evening is his sixth book, following Aransas Morning, Grandpa Jack, Jonah Prophet, When the Light Returned to Main Street, and The Snowman Uprising on Hickory Lane.

Connect with Jeff:

Website ║ Goodreads ║ Twitter ║ Instagram ║ Amazon Author Page

My Thoughts

When I read Jeff Hampton’s previous Aransas novel, Aransas Morning, I immediately fell in love with the setting, the people, and the theme of never being too old to discover who you truly are. It wasn’t a shock, then, that I jumped to read and review the sequel, and I’m glad I did, because returning to Port A was like coming home to a place I’d visited once, but only ever lived in my dreams.

The themes are a bit stronger in this novel, as is appropriate for a story that spans the days before and after Hurricane Harvey. (One could argue that we are still living in the ‘after,’ just not quite so close). We see Dave and Shelley’s relationship progressing toward marriage, albeit one built entirely on their terms, while we also see our beloved salty fisherman Bo and his daughter accept and try to handle his aging, and specifically his increasing memory loss/dementia/Alzheimer’s issues. For me, this story line hit particularly close to home, because as a young woman I watched my grandmother become diminished in that way, and also because in the time since August 2017, we’ve bid a permanent farewell to both of my in-laws, my stepfather (really my only father-figure) and my last great-uncle.

Death and loss and changing positions in life are part of growing older, and seeing characters in novels go through these very human changes is both revealing of who they are, and of who we are, as readers.

And then there is Sam. In the first novel, Sam was very much the central character; the major story line was his own escape from a previous life in Dallas and his evolution into the person he is by the end of the story. In Aransas Evening, while Sam is still a pivotal player, he’s more catalyst than protagonist at times, or maybe this novel is just more coherent as an ensemble piece.

Overall, Aransas Evening is a treat of a book, full of characters – old and new – who feel real enough to jump off the pages and share a mug of coffee while sitting with our toes in the sand. It’s a portrait of a place I wish I could visit in person, and a place I want to revisit in fiction over and over again.

Goes well with fresh-caught fish grilled over an open flame, and a cold beer.

Giveaway

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

Grand Prize Winner:

Signed Copies of all six of Jeff Hampton’s books

2 Winners:

Signed Copies of both Aransas books + Grandpa Jack + a pack of Texas Themed note cards

2 Winners:

Signed Copies of Aransas Evening & Grandpa Jack + a pack of Texas Themed note cards

JANUARY 17-26, 2019

(USA only)

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Tour Stops for Aransas Evening

1/17/19	Author Interview	StoreyBook Reviews
1/17/19	BONUS Promo	Hall Ways Blog
1/18/19	Review	Bibliotica
1/19/19	Excerpt	Max Knight
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1/21/19	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
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1/23/19	Review	The Clueless Gent
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1/25/19	Scrapbook	Reading by Moonlight
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Review: The Janus Witch, by Michael Scott Clifton – with Giveaway

5 December 2018 by Melissa

About the book, The Janus Witch

Genre: Paranormal Urban Fantasy / Romance
Publisher: Book Liftoff
Publication Date: September 1, 2018
Number of Pages: 372 pages
Scroll down for giveaway.

Malice vs Love

A beautiful witch, a member of a murderous coven, is torn from her medieval world and transported to East Texas. The passage leaves her with no memory of her previous life. She falls in love with a young pediatrician, but her dark past threatens to reassert itself…and make her a threat.

Praise for The Janus Witch:

This book is filled with magic, intrigue, excitement, and fantasy. Michael Scott Clifton is a truly gifted author. — Teresa Syms, Readers’ Favorite
This novel was an absolute page turner with action and great character development. I enjoyed every minute of it. I’m excited for the next work by Mike Clifton. — Bronwyn Pegues, Librarian, Longview Public Library
“Michael Scott Clifton weaves and casts a magical spell in his fantasy romance The Janus Witch. A must read for any Fantasy Romance, Urban Romance, or Paranormal Romance enthusiast!” — Ranay James, Author of The McKinnon Legends: A Time Travel Series
A continuous flow of witchery and energy that kept this reader captivated until the end. — The Electric Review, 5-Star Review

Watch the trailer for The Janus Witch:

Buy, read, and discuss, The Janus Witch:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Goodreads

About the author, Michael Scott Clifton

Michael Scott Clifton, public educator for over 38 years as a teacher, coach, and administrator, currently lives in Mount Pleasant, Texas with his wife, Melanie, and family cat, Sadie. An avid gardener, he enjoys all kinds of book and movie genres. His books contain aspects of all the genres he enjoys…adventure, magic, fantasy, romance, and relationships. He has been a finalist in a number of short story contests. Clifton’s fantasy novel, The Conquest of the Veil, won a First Chapter Finalist award. Professional credits include articles published in the Texas Study of Secondary Education Magazine. Clifton’s latest book, The Janus Witch, the July Book Cover of the Month, is a featured book on the We Love Indie Books website. Currently, Clifton is completing Book I of The Conquest of the Veil, which will be released in March 2019. He can be reached at mike@michaelscottclifton.com.

Connect with Michael:

Website ║ Facebook ║ Twitter ║ Instagram ║ Goodreads ║ Amazon Author Page

My Thoughts:

The title of this novel, The Janus Witch, is really perfectly chosen. A Janus coin depicts a two-headed (or two-faced) Roman god. Like the image on the coin, the main character in this story, a medieval witch named Tressalayne who struggles with her own duality. On the one hand, she’s a witch from an ancient culture, and revels in dark deeds, on the other, she’s thrust into contemporary East Texas and falls in love with a pediatrician – the epitome of good works.

As much as I enjoyed the initial introduction to Tressalayne in her world, watching her try to navigate a more modern era was fascinating. Clifton did some great world building in both times and places, and I felt transported into the fabric of his story. I especially appreciated his use of language, both in specific word choices and in the way he used the differences in the way people speak to really mark Tressalayne as someone other.

I’m a sucker for time-travel stories of any kind, but this one incorporated magic, romance, and a real moral struggle, and it was the combination of those elements that, I feel, make this book a satisfying read. When you finish it, you know where the characters are going, but you want to follow their journey just a bit longer. That leave-the-audience-wanting-more tone is so difficult to capture, but Clifton has absolutely done so.

Giveaway!

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

THREE WINNERS!
One Winner: One Signed Copy + $10 Amazon Gift Card + Bookmark

Two Winners: eBook Copies

DECEMBER 4-13, 2018

(U.S. Only)

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Tour Stops for The Janus Witch

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12/4/18	Book Trailer	Books and Broomsticks
12/5/18	Review	Bibliotica
12/6/18	Author Interview	That’s What She’s Reading
12/6/18	Top 5 List	StoreyBook Reviews
12/7/18	Review	Momma on the Rocks
12/8/18	Excerpt	Texas Book Lover
12/8/18	Promo	The Book Review
12/9/18	Review	Book Fidelity
12/10/18	Author Interview	Rebecca R. Cahill, Author
12/10/18	Excerpt	Chapter Break Book Blog
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12/12/18	Guest Post	Rainy Days with Amanda
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