Category Archives: Reviews

Read Before Making A Snowman – Nibble Nibble Crunch by Willow Rose @willowredrose

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Willow Rose writes some fantastic stories and Nibble Nibble Crunch is a must read…before you go outside and build your cute little snowman.

Nibble, Nibble, Crunch

Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA  /  Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Nibble Nibble Crunch shares a glimpse of humanity with characters you will love to hate, yet empathize with when the truth comes out, as they pay their ‘respects’ to the snowman…who will make you think twice about building one of those balls of white stacked on top of each other, with the sticks for arms (all the better to grab you with), the mouth…well, you’ll have to read it to find out what it does with that.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Warning: After reading this story you’ll never be able to look at a snowman the same way again.

In the beginning she thought it was sweet, this snowman who emerged as if from nowhere, but soon the six-year old Emma realizes that this snowman is different … very different.

NIBBLE, NIBBLE, CRUNCH is a horror novella from Willow Rose, author of the International Bestselling horror-series starring the Danish reporter Rebekka Franck. It is not for the faint at heart.

NIBBLE, NIBBLE, CRUNCH is also included in Willow Rose’s short-story collection called Horror-stories from Denmark.

This ebook also includes an excerpt from her novel One, Two … He is coming for you the first book in her Rebekka Franck-series.

MY REVIEWS FOR WILLOW ROSE

 
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Magical Children’s Adventure – The River Keepers by Michael F Stewart @MichaelFStewart

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The fabulous cover for The River Keepers by Michael F Stewart is done by Martin Stiff. Great job, Martin.

I love when a cover depicts the story inside and Martin’s cover was only the first step drawing me into the adventure.

The River Keepers

Goodreads  /  Amazon

MY REVIEW

I had read A Cold Dark Place by Michael F Stewart and loved it, so when Michael offered me a copy of The River Keepers for review, I snatched it up and began to read.

I love that the adventure is in their own backyard. So…after your children read this, you may see them outside, looking…

Natasha and Teagan are sisters. Actually, they are more than that. They are twins, mirror opposites.

A freak storm. A downed tree. What’s that I see?

At eleven years old they are off on an adventure that leads them to research and learning, getting lost in the magic and growing in ways they never could have foreseen. Their adventures will not only change their lives, but their parents too.

I love how Michael slips a little science and ecology into the story in a way that is sure to intrigue everyone. I love when there is a lesson to be learned and it is wrapped up in a wonderful and entertaining tale, sending a subtle message to all who read it.

A skunk, a mouse, a frog…what would it be like to walk and hop in their footsteps?

You will never look at critters…or gnomes…the same way again.

When the skunk sprayed…I laughed out loud.

When the mouse squeaked…I cringed in fear.

Michael F Stewart has created a magically wonderful adventure that is suitable for all ages. To all you adults out there…let your inner child run wild!

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

What would you do if your sister turned into a skunk?

How about a mouse? Or a frog? Would you want to be a snake?

Have you ever wished to swim like an actual fish? Wouldn’t you worry that a snapping turtle might take a bite out of you?

In The River Keepers, two sisters must rise to meet an unexpected challenge. It’s a story infused with the magic and drama outside their backdoor — perhaps yours, too.

ABOUT MICHAEL F STEWART

Michael F. Stewart is winner of both the 2015 Claymore Award and the 2014 inaugural Creation of Stories Award for best YA novel at the Toronto International Book Fair.

He likes to combine storytelling with technology and pioneered interactive storytelling with Scholastic Canada, Australia, and New Zealand’s, anti-cyberbullying program Bully For You. In addition to his award winning Assured Destruction series, he has authored four graphic novels with Oxford University Press Canada’s Boldprint series. Publications of nonfiction titles on Corruption and Children’s Rights are published by Scholastic and early readers are out with Pearson Education.

For adults, Michael has written THE SAND DRAGON a horror about a revenant prehistoric vampire set in the tar sands, HURAKAN a Mayan themed thriller which pits the Maya against the MS-13 with a New York family stuck in the middle, 24 BONES an urban fantasy which draws from Egyptian myth, and THE TERMINALS–a covert government unit which solves crimes in this realm by investigating them in the next.

Herder of four daughters, Michael lives to write in Ottawa where he was the Ottawa Public Library’s first Writer in Residence. To learn more about Michael and his next projects visit his website at www.michaelfstewart.com or connect via Twitter @MichaelFStewart.

Michael is represented by Talcott Notch.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

MY MICHAEL F STEWART REVIEWS

A Cold Dark Place

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Dark and Dangerous – Cold Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff @AlexSokoloff

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Alexandra Sokoloff has blown me away, with her Huntress/FBI Thriller Series. Huntress Moon, Book I (see my review here) continues through Blood Moon, Book II (see my review here) and I am unable to stop reading. It’s like Lays Potato Chips…you can’t eat just one. Well, I couldn’t read just one. I went through Book II, III and IV on a binge read. And…I see there is a Book V, Hunger Moon, and I aim to get my hands on that one too.

The covers are awesome and kudos to the designers. Cold Moon is done by…

Inkd

Cold Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers, #3)Goodreads  /  Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

After reading Blood Moon, Book II, by Alexandra Sokoloff, there was no way I could stop. I kept on reading through Cold Moon and Bitter Moon. Now I see we have Hunger Moon, which would be Book V, and I will jump through hoops to get my hands on it.

The moon talks to Cara. Does it talk to you? What does it say?

We begin with Roarke’s nightmare, waking him. Cara…

She faces her own terror in the night, but vows IT will never take her.

“Fair as the moon and cold as ice.”

Roark’s team functions like a well oiled machine, even when personalities occasionally clash and opinions differ. They always get their ‘man’.

Cold Moon takes an even closer look into the depraved, the abused, the lost and those who care about them. Human trafficking of women and children, enslaved in prostitution, bought and sold, used and abused. Who will stand up for them, defend them, save them?

How can an online presence affect people, politics, legalities, courts…The anonymity of cyber activism.

I do not want to spoil any of the goodies contained in Cold Moon, the third book of Cara and Roarke’s story, so I will just throw out some hints and ask you…what would you do?

Evil…can you see it, smell it, touch it, feel it? Is it alive? Do you do something about it yourself?

Is it self defense, if you know evil is coming your way, and you take it out first?

My emotions are raging in anger and disgust. I know this goes on, day in and day out, and I wonder if those who, in real life, try to stem the flow of evil feel it is too big, there are too many. One by one they WILL fall.

“There is something larger at work…a force beyond the simply human. A female vengeance against outrages.”  Santa Muerte

“Sometimes death for one is salvation for another.”

I love the dark and dangerous, unique and original, direction Alexandrar Sokoloff takes in this story. I am afraid to google some of the online forums she talks about. I am afraid of what I will find out. Will evil know I am looking and come for me? She continues to thrill and amaze me, disgust and frighten me, leaving me ALWAYS wanting more.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Cold Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The hunt for mass murderer Cara Lindstrom is over. FBI Special Agent Matthew Roarke has been working for this moment: the capture of a killer who savagely hunts the worst of humanity. But Roarke remains traumatized by his own near-death at the hands of the serial killer who slaughtered Cara’s family…and haunted by the enigmatic woman who saved his life.

Then the sixteen-year-old prostitute who witnessed Cara’s most recent murder goes missing, and suddenly pimps are turning up dead on the streets of San Francisco, killed with an MO eerily similar to Cara’s handiwork.

Is a new killer on the loose with a mission even more deadly than hers? In the pulse-pounding third Huntress/FBI Thrillers book, Roarke will have to go on the hunt…and every woman he meets, even those closest to him, may prove deadly.

ABOUT ALEXANDRA SOKOLOFF

Alexandra SokoloffI’m the Thriller Award-winning and Bram Stoker and Anthony Award-nominated author of the Amazon bestselling crime and supernatural thrillers The Harrowing, The Price, Book of Shadows, The Unseen, The Space Between, and the new Thriller Award- nominated Huntress/FBI thriller series: Huntress Moon, Blood Moon, Cold Moon. Bitter Moon, Hunger Moon. The New York Times Book Review has called me “a daughter of Mary Shelley” and my novels “some of the most original and freshly unnerving work in the genre.”

I’m a California native and a graduate of U.C. Berkeley, where I majored in theater and minored in everything that Berkeley has a reputation for. After college I moved to Los Angeles, where I’ve made an interesting living doing novel adaptations and selling original thriller scripts to various Hollywood studios.

In my stories I like to cross the possibility of the supernatural with very real life explanations for any strangeness going on, and base the action squarely in fact. THE UNSEEN is based on real paranormal research conducted at the Duke University parapsychology lab, and BOOK OF SHADOWS teams a Boston homicide detective and a practicing Salem witch in a race to solve what may be a Satanic killing. THE SPACE BETWEEN, is an edgy supernatural YA about a troubled high school girl who is having dreams of a terrible massacre at her school, and becomes convinced that she can prevent the shooting if she can unravel the dream.

I also have written paranormal romance (THE SHIFTERS, KEEPER OF THE SHADOWS) and the non-fiction workbooks SCREENWRITING TRICKS FOR AUTHORS and WRITING LOVE, based on my internationally acclaimed workshops and blog (http://screenwritingtricks.com)

I live in Los Angeles and in Scotland, with Scottish crime author Craig Robertson.

When I’m not writing I dance: jazz, ballet, salsa, Lindy, swing – I do it all, every chance I get.

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook  /  Pinterest

MY ALEXANDRA SOKOLOFF REVIEWS

 

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Reach For Your Dream – Chasing Fireflies by Taylor Dean @taylordeanbooks

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There are two songs that jumped out at me as I read Chasing Fireflies by Taylor Dean. I opted to use the Pina Colada song, because I love it and it makes me feel good to sing along to it.

Chasing Fireflies (Power of the Matchmaker)Goodreads  /  Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

I have been a huge fan of Taylor Dean’s for some time now, so I am excited to check out another one of her novels, Chasing Fireflies.

Her sisters act like mothers as they do their best to dissuade Savannah from going to China for four months, but she knew HE was there and she had to find him, her true love. She’ll be OK, she has her magic cloak and that makes her invisible.

Emotions bubble to the surface early as I read of the loss of her parents. Can someone die of a broken heart?

OK Taylor, Ive got my tissues by my side, so let’s go find Paul, come hell or high water.

She’s shy, but that doesn’t mean she not observant, taking in everything around her,a spectator of others.

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”  What a great quote.

I found it easy to relate to her difficulty with social situations and turbulence. I am a huge fan of my own company and God forbid I end up on a plane with turbulence.

Just like the fireflies my sisters and I  tried to catch on the warm summer evenings of our youth, the dream seems beyond my grasp.

I could follow her life long dream and head to China but that elevator scene…having a hard time getting there. Stopped me in my tracks. Taylor Dean is a must read author for me, and I do love a happy ever after, but this scene struck me so wrong…I’ll read on and see if she wins me over. I know..it’s fiction…just have to go with it.

Taylor Dean is very good with sweet, clean, innocent romance and she is sure to include the despair she feels when her dream is crushed. Ah, the sweet agony of youth and its naivety. She is so different from me but I do remember my broken heart and the soul crushing sorrow…that in hindsight seemed to end very quickly. Did more time pass than I thought?

I don’t mind predictable,the familiar. It can be warm, cozy and comfortable. I didn’t get into this one as much as I normally do her stories. They usually wrap me up in emotions and require tissues. Chasing Fireflies had its moments and is well worth the read.

Chasing Fireflies is one of a series of stand alone novels connect to The Matchmaker.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Chasing Fireflies by Taylor Dean.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

My sisters think I’m crazy.

But, I’ve never forgotten the mysterious woman from my childhood who told me Paul is the name of my one true love.

She told me to search far and wide for him.

I haven’t stopped looking ever since.

When I stumble across an article about a successful American entrepreneur named Paul who lives and works in China, I’m intrigued. When the opportunity to teach English in China presents itself on the same day, I know it’s not a coincidence.

It’s destiny.

My sisters say I’m chasing a dream.

Just like the fireflies we tried to catch on the warm summer evenings of our youth, the dream seems beyond my grasp. Will my quest for the elusive Paul always be just short of fulfillment?

My sisters tell me it’s a fool’s errand.

Until I remind them of the day we saw the Red Bird.

The memory silences them.

The Red Bird Incident remains inarguable—and proves my search for Paul is not a silly fantasy.

I will find Paul . . . I will.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Taylor Dean

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense—you’ll find all sub-genres of clean romance in her line-up.

To find out what Taylor Dean is up to, follow the links below:

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MY REVIEWS FOR TAYLOR DEAN
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Giveaway & Review – A Pound of Flesh by Alex Gray @Alexincrimeland @partnersincr1me

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A Pound of Flesh

by Alex Gray

on Tour November 6 – December 6, 2017

 

MY REVIEW

A female vigilante. I love it!

Her friends death haunts her and she can find no relief, not even in the killing. Doesn’t matter. She will not stop until she finds HIM.

DS William Lorimer has been promoted to head of the Serious Crimes Squad. What’s on the agenda? Four murdered prostitutes.

BUT, when Deputy First Minister Edward Pattison is murdered, he must pass the prostitute murders to other divisions. He is not happy with it at all. Do some see the prostitutes as less valuable? They deserve justice as much as anyone else.

Instinct and compassion are two of William’s best traits. He cares about ALL victims. He would rather be on the streets, than shuffling paperwork, doing press conferences, and playing politics.

“Killing Time” has a double meaning for HER. SHE is smart, bold, and on a mission. I feel so much compassion for her. I know she has a tragic story and I can see why she did what she did. Sometimes we have to take justice into our own hands and I love that she did just that. My biggest worry…what will happen to her in the end?

As the investigation ramps up, connections are made. Police procedures unfold, piece by piece the clues are gathered. More than one persons secrets will be exposed.

The danger is subtle, yet permeates the pages, lingering, creating tension and a sense of urgency. Lily…what will become of her? Will she make it out alive? I have much empathy and concern for this young girl who doesn’t deserve what life has dealt her.

I LOVE the ending. Alex Gray did a fabulous job of leaving me satisfied.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of A Pound of Flesh by Alex Gray.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 Stars

Synopsis:

 

In the depths of a freezing winter, Glasgow finds itself at the mercy of not one, but two serial killers

This is Detective Inspector Lorimer’s worst nightmare and beyond anything he’s faced in his many years on the force. Can he find a link between the brutal slaying of prostitutes in the back streets of the city and the methodical killing of several unconnected businessmen?

When the latest victim turns out to be a prominent Scottish politician, the media’s spotlight is shone on Lorimer’s investigation. Psychologist and criminal profiler Solly Brightman is called in to help solve the cases, but his help may be futile as they realize that someone on the inside is leaking confidential police information. Meanwhile two killers haunt the snowy streets and Lorimer must act fast, before they strike again…

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery & Detective
Published by: Witness Impulse
Publication Date: November 7th 2017
Number of Pages: 368
ISBN: 0062659227 (ISBN13: 9780062659224)
Series: DCI Lorimer #9
Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

Read an excerpt:

It wasn’t always easy to see the moon or the stars. This city’s sodium glow rose like yellow fog from its streets, blotting out any chance of star gazing. But she knew it was there. That cold white face dominated her thoughts tonight and she shivered as though it already saw her flesh naked and exposed to its unblinking watchfulness. Perhaps it was because she was trying to be seen that she felt such awareness. The red jersey pencil skirt folded over to create a too-short mini, those agonisingly high-heeled sandals cutting into her bare toes; spread across the bed back in the hotel they had seemed the garb of an adventuress.

Now, revealed in the glare of the street lamp on this corner she felt a sense of…what? Shame? Perhaps. Self-consciousness, certainly. But such feelings must be overcome if her plan was to work.

She had already overcome the blank indifference of the girls down in Waterloo Street, their body language both defiant and compelling. Her hips shifted, one slender foot thrust forwards, as she remembered how they had stood, languidly chewing gum, waiting for their punters. Their desperation drove them to return night after night, the price of a wrap of drugs equating to an hour with some stranger.

Her own need was just as strong, fuelled by a passion that would not be spent until she had fulfilled her desire. It was warm in this Glasgow summer’s night and her black nylon blouse clung to her back, making her uncomfortably aware of her own flesh. The thin cotton coat she’d worn to conceal these trashy clothes as she’d tapped her way across the marble foyer of the hotel was now folded into the black bag at her feet, along with her more sober court shoes. When it was over she would slip them on and return the way she had come, hair clipped in a businesslike pleat. She smiled thinly. Being a woman had some advantages; the facility for disguise was just one of them. Her carefully made-up face was stripped of colour in the unforgiving lamplight, leaving only an impression of dark eyes, darker hair tossed back to reveal a long, determined mouth. She recalled what Tracey- Anne, one of the girls at the drop-in centre, had told her: I get through it by pretending to be someone else for a few hours, then I can be myself again.

Tracey-Anne was lucky, though. After tonight she could never again be the person that she used to be. Glancing at the elegant façades around the square, the dark-haired woman suddenly saw these city streets through different eyes: the shadows seemed blacker, the corners harbouring ill intent. Her chin tilted upwards, defying those inner demons tempting her to turn back.

After tonight things would change for ever. When the car slowed down at the kerb her heart quickened in a moment of anticipation that astonished her. She had expected the thrill of fear, not this rush of excitement sweeping through her blood.

The man behind the wheel had bent his head and she could see his eyes flicking over her hungrily, appraising his choice. He gave a brief nod as if to say he was pleased with his first instinct to stop. Her lip-glossed mouth drawn up in a smile, she stepped forward, willing him to reach across and open the window, ask her price. For a moment he seemed to hesitate and she could see tiny beads of sweat on his upper lip, glistening in the light. Then the door of the big car swung open noiselessly and she lowered herself inside, swinging her legs neatly together to show as much thigh as she could. But the gestures were still ladylike, almost reserved, as if she knew that would quicken his senses.

‘How much?’ he asked. And she told him, one shoulder moving insouciantly as if to declare that she wasn’t bothered whether he could afford her or not: someone else would pay that price if he wouldn’t. She glanced at him briefly, catching sight of the tip of his tongue flicking at his lips like a nervous lizard, then he made a gruff noise of assent, looking at her again, as though to be sure of his purchase, before accelerating into the night.

***

Excerpt from A Pound of Flesh by Alex Gray. Copyright © 2017 by Alex Gray. Reproduced with permission from Witness Impulse. All rights reserved.

Author Bio:

Alex Gray

Alex Gray was born and educated in Glasgow. After studying English and Philosophy at the University of Strathclyde, she worked as a visiting officer for the Department of Health, a time she looks upon as postgraduate education since it proved a rich source of character studies. She then trained as a secondary school teacher of English. Alex began writing professionally in 1993 and had immediate success with short stories, articles, and commissions for BBC radio programs. She has been awarded the Scottish Association of Writers’ Constable and Pitlochry trophies for her crime writing. A regular on the Scottish bestseller lists, she is the author of fourteen DCI Lorimer novels. She is the co-founder of the international Scottish crime writing festival, Bloody Scotland, which had its inaugural year in 2012.

Connect with Alex Gray on her Website 🔗 & Twitter 🔗.

Tour Participants:

Visit the other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

Giveaway:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Alex Gray and Witness Impulse. There will be 3 winner of one (1) eBook copy of Alex Gray’s SLEEP LIKE THE DEAD. The giveaway begins on November 6 and runs through December 10, 2017.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours

 

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Not for the Faint of Heart – Christmas Hostage by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor

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I am so happy to be sharing Jane Blythe’s new novel, Christmas Hostage, just in time for the holidays.

Jane not only, writes some fabulous romantic suspense stories, but is an interesting person in her own right. Just check out her bio and see some of her many interests.

 Cover: QDesigns

Christmas HostageGoodreads  /  Amazon

MY REVIEW

Action from the getgo.

Hannah’s friend is shot and killed in a jewelry store robbery and we are off and running in this suspenseful Christmas mystery. I got wrapped up in the characters, as well as the story and she kept the mystery alive with the villain mixed into a list of suspects. This is a story of second chances and maybe this time Hannah and Tom will get it right.

Hannah won’t let anyone help her, touch her. She sat on the floor, against the wall, and cried as the police did their work…Until…

Tom Drake, her FBI ex husband arrives on the scene and back into her life. He knew she was strong and wouldn’t want his help, but there are bad guys on the run and who knew where they would strike next.

As Christmas approaches, Hannah’s determined to carry on, business as usual in the jewelry store.  She is focused, going step by step, keeping moving, life goes on. It doesn’t mean bad memories don’t haunt her.And Tom’s just as determined to solve the crime.

It wasn’t his choice to walk away from her, but they were no good together any more. It was what she wanted, or so he thought. Whatever happened to cause the split must have been horrifying and I am waiting, foot tapping, impatiently waiting, to find out what.

Perceptions are not facts.

“That’s not what happened.”

“Yes, it was.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“Yes, it was.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

I love how Jane Blythe’s writing allows the characters personalities to shine through. Now, if they would just learn to listen, to communicate. Maybe they never would have split up in the first place.

Jane Blythe has bounced me around, fooling me, several times now. As the suspects fall, one by one, I know there is more to come and only one will be left standing. This….this is the moment HE will be revealed…and I don’t know who HE is.

I have him in my sights now?

I hate when the woman refuses to be a victim, then puts herself in the hands of the one who wants her dead. BUT, I watch a lot of ID TV and it happens in real life all the time.

A horrific, unimaginable attack, but she is strong and will fight to her dying breath.

Jane Blythe writes some fantastic suspense thrillers and manages to keep me guessing. I like when I can’t figure out who the villain is. The characters grab hold of me and don’t let me go. The suspense and anticipation builds…and builds…

I do like my happy ever afters and Jane manages to supply those as well. Definitely left me with a warm fuzzy feeling and a Christmasy smile on my face, but this is not for the faint of heart.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Christmas Hostage by Jane Blythe.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 Stars 

GOODREADS BLURB

Tragedy tore them apart now its giving them a second chance.

FBI Agent Tom Drake has been investigating a string of armed robberies at jewelry stores. The last person he expects to see when he arrives at the scene of the latest robbery is his ex-wife Hannah Buffy.

Hannah is conflicted about seeing her ex-husband again, especially when he starts claiming he thinks the robbery at her store isn’t related to the other ones. Is this just another excuse for Tom to treat her like a victim or could he be right?

** Warning: Graphic violence and themes of sexual assault/abuse **

ABOUT JANE BLYTHE

Jane BlytheJane has loved reading and writing since she can remember. She writes dark and disturbing crime/mystery/suspense with some romance thrown in because, well, who doesn’t love romance? She has one completed series, Detective Parker Bell, and one new series, Count to Ten.

When she’s not writing Jane loves to read, bake, go to the beach, ski, horse ride, and watch Disney movies. She has a black belt in Taekwondo, and a 200+ collection of teddy bears. She has the world’s two most sweet and pretty Dalmatians, Ivory and Pearl. Oh, and she also enjoys spending time with family and friends!

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS

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Monday Minis – 3 Novels by Candace Calvert @candacecalvert

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I won these signed paperbacks and it was a very pleasant surprise reading them.

Critical Care (Mercy Hospital, #1)

Goodreads  /  Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA

My Review for Critical Care

No villains here, in this uplifting hospital romance with characters that brought tears to my eyes, and I was so surprised that it it did. The writing drug me into what I thought would be just one of those hospital romances I used to read years ago. Now, I am deeper, more sophisticated….and so is this story. I thought this would be a three rating…until Sarah’s trouble. Religious without being preachy. Have I become a hopeless romantic? Rating:  4 Stars

Disaster Status (Mercy Hospital, #2)

Goodreads  /  Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA

My Review for Disaster Status

One thing that bothered me early, the word description of Nick didn’t match the cover, but, I am glad to be back with some familiar characters, and this is Erin’s story. It doesn’t take me long to start smiling. Erin, oh my…she cracks me up. I love what she did to the bully when she was seven years old. I love the feisty Nana. Sarge, a great guy in a very sad and tragic situation. Ocean air is always refreshing and so is this stand alone romance series. Life isn’t fair, but…love, loss, friendship, family, despair and a rebirth of faith and hope is a part of Disaster Status and makes me rate this….4 Stars.

Code Triage (Mercy Hospital, #3)

Goodreads  /  Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA

My Review for Code Triage

Communication lost, mistakes made, dreams crushed…Can hearts be healed, mistakes forgiven and love prevail? The dinner at the Tonga Room shows how happiness and love can be given and shared without any thought of self, just making someone’s difficult life a little better, Death, danger and loss reads as if this could be a true story. The characters shine, regardless of their faults and foibles. 4 Stars

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A Princess & A Dragon – Bianca by Meg Welch Dendler @MegWelchDendler

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Covers are the first thing that influences me to even pick up a book and Bianca: The Brave Frail and Delicate Princess by Meg Welch Dendler has a very cute one that I found impossible to resist. I could tell it was a children’s cover, but that’s perfect, seeing it’s a children’s book. Suitable for children of all ages. From three to one hundred and three.

Meg’s daughter, Callista, did the cover drawings for the dragon and Bianca. Kelsey Rice added color, style and put it all together. Well done!

Bianca: The Brave Frail and Delicate PrincessGoodreads  /  Amazon

MY REVIEW

The cute cover lured me in and I was thoroughly entertained by Bianca by Meg Welch Dendler. It may be recommended for ages  3+ and up, but I think everyone will fall in love with the characters that come into Bianca’s life. I know I did.

Bianca is a thirteen year old princess considered so frail by her father, King Dominic, she ias kept isolated in the castle, not allowed to go outside, let alone play with any of the town children. Her highlight of the day was her subjects amassing below the castle tower window, cheering and waving at her.

No one knew, but she entertained herself, running and playing on the stairs, sword slashing at imaginary foes, and lots and lots of reading. Don’t we all get lost in stories?

No one expects her to do anything but be pretty, don’t worry about anything, and eventually get married to her chosen mate. But when her father and the knights never return from the hunt for the dragon, she makes up her mind it is her duty, as the princess, to find them.

She sets off with Sammy, the donkey. Imagine never doing anything for yourself, never having been outside, never feeling the sun on your face, the grass beneath your feet, the dust in your nose. The stories never prepare you for ‘real life’, but Bianca has no fear. She will figure it out, whether it’s finding shelter or cooking her own meal. A very determined young lady that any child would love to emulate.

She meets a witch, fairies, a magical cat, a dragon, a wolf and other animals that hang in the forest. I worried for her…a little…but she had magical help from the animals around her and I knew they were looking out for her. And the dragon…Well, you will have to read for yourself to find out with him.

If you are looking for a children’s book that will give yourself and your little ones hours of reading pleasure, look not further. This is it. I couldn’t stop reading it once I started and it took me under four hours to finish it. I debated on the rating because I love heavy and dark reading, but this is a children’s story that I loved and think ‘children’ of all ages will too. A well deserved four stars.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Bianca: The Brave Frail and Delicate Princess by Meg Welch Dendler.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Princess Bianca had never set foot outside the castle walls. Not once in her over-protected, pink, fluffy life. But when a dragon was spotted in the land and fear spread that the monster had conquered the king and his brave knights, Bianca realized that it was her duty to protect her kingdom. She will have to prove that she can be braver and stronger than anyone believed because the threat outside the protection of her castle tower was more dangerous and magical than she ever imagined possible, except in a fairy tale.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Meg Welch DendlerMeg Dendler has considered herself a writer since she won a picture book contest in 5th grade and entertained her classmates with ongoing sequels for the rest of the year. Beginning serious work as a freelancer in the ’90s while teaching elementary and middle school, Meg has over one hundred articles in print, including interviews with Kirk Douglas, Sylvester Stallone, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. She has won contests with her short stories and poetry, along with multiple international awards for her best-selling “Cats in the Mirror” alien rescue cat children’s book series. Meg is also an editor with Pen-L Publishing and works with independent and self-publishing authors to polish their manuscripts for publication.

Meg and her family (including four cats and her dog, Max) live in Arkansas. Visit her at www.megdendler.com for more information about upcoming books and events and all of Meg’s social media links.

In the first book of the Cats in the Mirror series, “Why Kimba Saved The World,” feisty house cat Kimba learns that she is really part of an alien race and has to pick sides between her loyal human family and her feline destiny. The second book, “Vacation Hiro,” came out in November of 2013. These first two books in the Cats in the Mirror series have been honored with Silver Mom’s Choice Awards, and “Why Kimba Saved The World” won a Bronze Moonbeam Children’s Book Award as “Best First Book.” Book 3, “Miss Fatty Cat’s Revenge,” released on September 12, 2014. A companion book to her Cats in the Mirror series, “Max’s Wild Night,” was published in May, 2015, and Book 4 in the Cats in the Mirror series, “Slinky Steps Out” joined the pack in the spring of 2016. An adult book, “At the Corner of Magnetic and Main,” was released by Pen-L Publishing in September of 2015.

Website / Blog / Newsletter / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest / LinkedIn / Instagram

FOLLOW THE TOUR

Dec. 1                    Meg Dendler’s Blog & Book Launch/Promotion                              

Dec. 2                    Book ‘Em Book Club (Interview)                    

                                Marion Marchetto (Review)                               

Dec. 3                    Fundimental (Review)                         

Dec. 4                    Ellie Mack (Review)                                        

Dec. 5         Michelle Dunton @ Writing Fun (Phone Interview,Skype?)                            

Dec. 6                    H. L. Burke (Promo Post)                         

                                Typewriter Society (Interview)                          

Dec. 7                    Amanda’s Books & More (Guest Post)                               

Dec. 8                    Kay LaLone (Review)                         

                                Missy Sheldrake (Promo)                                                                       

Dec. 9                    Kris Riley at “My Blissful Books” (Review)                      

Dec. 10                 Coffee Addicts Book Review (Review)                             

Dec. 11                 Waggy Tails Dog Blog (Review)                         

                                Lily Iona MacKenzie (Interview)                             

Dec. 12                 Whispering Stories (Review?)                           

Dec. 13                 Read Explore Repeat (Review)                               

                               Cat Michaels (Review)

Dec. 14                 Sorchia’s Universe (Promo Post)                              

                                Cover2CoverBlog                            

Dec. 15                 A Day in the Tangled Skein of My Life (Review)                           

Dec. 16                 Watch Jane Write (Review)                          

Dec. 17                 Meg’s Blog for Wrapup                               

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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One Sentence Review – Slayed on the Slopes by Kate Dyer Seeley @katedyerseeley

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Slayed on the Slopes by Kate Dyer Seeley is a cozy mystery that is sure to hit the spot, when you are curled up in your favorite reading place with a warm beverage.

Slayed on the Slopes (Pacific Northwest Mystery #2)

Amazon  /  Goodreads

MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

As our adventure on the slopes begins, shades of The Shining rears it ugly head…the Timberline, snowcats…and I give Meg a lot of credit because she is terrified of most outdoor things, and Kate Dyer Seeley puts her in harms way to entertain us in this fun cozy mystery, with travel tips for your visit to Mt Hood, Oregon.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

After talking her way into a job writing for Portland’s Northwest Extreme magazine, Meg Reed may now really be in over her head. Actually, about 8,000 feet over her head. . .

She’s at Mount Hood’s remote Silcox Hut, covering the the seriously hardcore Ridge Rangers– Oregon’s elite high-altitude rescue team–during their four-day winter training. Sure, Meg beefed up her outdoor skills over the summer . . . but she’s still hoping to cover the event with some hot chocolate by the cheery fireplace. Then, during a sudden blizzard, she swears she hears gunshots. No one stranded in the hut believes her . . . until self-absorbed Ridge Ranger Ben Rogers is found outside in a pool of frozen blood. Meg’s now got to find this killer quickly . . . before cabin fever does them all in!

MY REVIEWS BY KATE DYER SEELEY

 

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Wild Horses and a Legacy of Evil by Sharon Buchbinder @sbuchbinder

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Legacy of Evil by Sharon Buchbinder is the second book of the Hotel LaBelle series.

Both books will stand alone.

Legacy of Evil (Hotel LaBelle, # 2)Goodreads  /  Amazon

MY REVIEW

Legacy of Evil is Book II, but it can stand alone.

Emma Horserider is an ex marine, and her name is so appropriate because of her bond with animals, especially the wild horses she loves so much. She has a telepathic connection to them. She is a dog and horse whisperer.

The Native American mysticism crosses boundaries with the military and a bike riding hunk who goes by the name of Brandon Winchester.

Terrorism…enter Homeland Security in the form of Brandon Winchester. Emma’s brother, Bert Blackfeather, is his boss and sends him to help her, after a herd of wild horses is attacked and she almost loses her life. Brandon is a remote viewer in the Anomaly Defense Division, think of the old CIA Paranormal experiments. He also has a telepathic connection to his cat, Gaucho.

Sparks fly. I really enjoy the fun and flirty dialogue between them.

Dear God, how she loved an inked up wild man on a bike.

The wild cast of characters quickly won over my heart. I laughed with them, feared for them, and hoped they would make it through the danger okay. I love the warrior women. Strong female characters appeal to me and Sharon Buchbinder gives us some doozies. The supporting cast is just as interesting.

“You’re a Twerp whisperer Steph. Thanks for defusing the little hand grenade.”

I love her outrageous cousin, Stephanie. I wonder…will she have a story of her own? What do you say Sharon?

When it becomes too dangerous for her to stay home, she moves, temporarily, to Hotel LaBelle. To get the full story on Lucius Stewart, Tallulah Thompson and her pug, Franny you will want to read The Haunting of Hotel LaBelle.

Like fighting like, the upcoming battle hits close to home for both of them and Bronco’s past will come full circle.

Full of so much goodness, so many of the things I love, danger, suspense, humor and sadness, lives lost and lives saved.

The seriousness of the story still leaves time for humorous writing that keeps the pace flowing smoothly. Legacy of Evil is wrapped up in a happy ever after ending, yet left the story open for more…and I want it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Legacy of Evil by Sharon Buchbinder.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

When a wild mustang is shot in Montana, renowned horse whisperer and telepath, Emma Horserider, is called in to calm the herd and find out what happened. Once on scene she is almost killed by a bullet-spewing drone, and calls her black ops brother for back-up.

Emma’s help roars into her life covered in tattoos and riding a Harley. Remote viewer Bronco Winchester takes the assignment because he is ordered to, but he wonders what type of assistance, his boss’s sister needs. That is until he sees Emma, a valiant Warrior Woman proud of her Crow heritage.

Posing as a married couple, Emma and Bronco go undercover to infiltrate and stop a hate group. Both are anxious enough without the now growing attachment they feel for one another. When the lives of many are on the line, they are not sure if they will live or die—let alone have a chance at love.

ABOUT SHARON BUCHBINDER

Sharon BuchbinderAfter working in health care delivery for years, Sharon Buchbinder became an association executive, a health care researcher, and an academic in higher education. She had it all–a terrific, supportive husband, an amazing son and a wonderful job. But that itch to write (some call it an obsession) kept beckoning her to “come on back” to writing fiction. Thanks to the kindness of family, friends, critique partners, and beta readers, she is published in non-fiction, as well as contemporary, erotic, paranormal ,and romantic suspense. When not attempting to make students, colleagues, and babies laugh, she can be found herding cats, waiting on a large gray dog, fishing, dining with good friends, or writing.

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook  /  Pinterest

MY SHARON BUCHBINDER REVIEWS

The Haunting of Hotel LaBelle

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