Synopsis

 

On a school camping trip, fifth graders experiment with a dangerous new hallucinogen and die in a horrific accident, their deaths shattering the quiet town. Assistant Superintendent Ken Parks, hoping to redeem a fatal mistake from his past, grasps the opportunity to conduct the district investigation of how students are getting the drugs. Almost before he begins, the cops make a stunning arrest. But Parks battles on, convinced the real pusher is still out there, poisoning more kids until he receives an anonymous if he continues, those close to him will pay. Is Parks willing to risk those he loves for a chance at redemption?

 

 

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Review

 

This mystery, set in 1995, took me back to a simpler time (no electronics outside of email) and a mystery that had me scratching my head.

Ken Parks is a school administrator who goes the extra mile for the schools he oversees. The tragic deaths of four young men throw him into the fire of seeking out the truth. There are many twists and turns, and I have to be honest, I was a bit surprised when all was revealed. But even at that point, the twists don’t stop.

The story does move at a slower pace than I would have expected. There is a lot of information to sort through, and because it is set in 1995, the methods to uncover the truth and details take a bit longer. There is no searching the internet for facts.

There are many potential suspects. Some are red herrings, others are involved in the situation. While I wanted a few characters to be guilty, they either weren’t or were guilty of something far less serious.

There is a side story regarding Ken’s wife, Amanda. She isn’t happy anymore in their relationship because Ken’s job seems to take up a lot of time. Instead of working through it with him, she decides to have an affair. I am not sure how I feel about this development, but I can understand her frustration. Not to say that Ken wasn’t without his faults, but I think blame could be laid at both of their feet.

Overall, this story was enjoyable, and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

From the bend, the road descended quickly and Amanda felt the car picking up speed as gravity and its powerful engine propelled it downhill. As she approached the next turn, she realized she was coming in a little too fast. She slid her foot to the brake. Her concentration on steering the twisting road ahead, at first it didn’t register. She dared to take her gaze off the road and look down at her feet before she understood. When her right foot depressed the brake, the pedal glided all the way to the floor. No friction. She pulled her foot back and slammed on the brake again. The pedal slid all the way down. Unbelieving, she pumped it, again and again.

There was nothing there.

She jerked her eyes back. The hairpin turn hurtled at her. On instinct, she kept jamming on the pedal. It was supposed to work. She turned the wheel wildly. The big car shuddered as it tried to negotiate the turn. The two rear wheels slipped off the pavement, spinning in space. With the front wheel drive, the front two tires managed enough traction to catch. The car veered around the curve and headed down the next straight incline. The heavy vehicle rolled faster again as gravity pulled it down the hill.

Amanda’s mind reeled. What was she supposed to do?

Struggling desperately to force her mind to think, Amanda tried to consider her options. It was all happening too quickly. The next treacherous turn came at her fast. She had no way to slow down. White knuckles gripped the steering wheel.

The bend ahead showed a hard curve to the right, not quite as tight as the last one, but steeper. And she felt the car accelerating, though she hadn’t touched the gas pedal. Right before the car hit the curve, Amanda spun the steering wheel. The car lurched around the bend. The driver side of the car lifted up. Halfway through the long bend, Amanda watched the hood tilt in the turn until it was almost vertical. No seat belt on, she was catapulted down the leather seat, crashing into the passenger door.

“Hell!” she cried, reaching to grab her bruised shoulder.

She froze as the two wheels still on the ground shuddered in the gravel, sliding off the small road. Slammed against the side door, she heard the tall weeds and low branches whip against the body. But the car didn’t slow. Blood streamed from a gash on her forehead. For an instant she lay there stretched across the passenger door, holding her breath.

Then she sensed the car teetering. The front tire bumped something hard. Amanda stared, unbelieving, as the car began to flip. As the Regal made the first revolution, she screamed.

 

 

About the Author

 

Dr. Randy Overbeck is a best-selling author of the award-winning series The Haunted Shores Mysteries, the three entries earning such national awards as the Gold Award from Literary Titan, Mystery of the Year from ReaderViews, Best Book from Chanticleer and Crowned Heart of Excellence from InD’tale Magazine. He hosts a new podcast, “Great Stories about Great Storytellers,” which reveals the unusual backstories of famous authors, directors, and poets. He is also a speaker in much demand, sharing his multi-media presentations, “Thanks Still Go Bump in the Night” and “A Few Favorite Haunts,” with audiences all over the country.

 

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DEAD BY PROXY

 

Proxy Legal Thriller Series, Book 1

 

by

 

Manning Wolfe

 

Legal Thriller / Suspense / Action

Publisher: Starpath Books, LLC

Date of Publication: September 15, 2023

Number of Pages: 324 pages

 

Scroll down for Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

 

In this lawyer-on-the-run suspense drama, attorney Quinton Bell loses the trial of his career, and possibly his life.

Dead By Proxy takes you on a heart-pounding journey through the life of a criminal defense attorney whose world is wiped out. When Quinton loses a career-defining case, he finds himself being hunted by the very client he tried to save.

As Quinton navigates the treacherous path of survival, he is running from a powerful and relentless adversary who will stop at nothing to see him silenced. Finally landing in Houston, he hides in plain sight while re-inventing his new life as a trial lawyer.

When he’s forced to take on a high-profile murder case, he exposes himself and those he loves to danger. With each passing moment, the noose tightens, and he must draw on every ounce of wit to outsmart those who still want him dead.

Will Quinton Bell find a way out, or will he forever be a target in a deadly game of cat and mouse?

Dead By Proxy is the first book in the edgy Proxy Legal Thriller Series. If you like memorable characters, smart gritty action, and jaw-dropping twists, then you’ll love Manning Wolfe’s fast-paced page-turner.

 

 

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Praise

 

“A riveting read that expertly teams courtroom drama and legal maneuvering with imminent danger, spine-tingling suspense, a touch of romance, and non-stop action. Talk about an adrenaline rush!” – Reedsy

“Manning Wolfe just put herself on my list of must-read authors!” – John Ellsworth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many plot twists and turns to keep you engaged and wondering what could possibly happen next.

I love a good suspense/thriller novel, and this book delivers. We meet Byron Douglas, who has found himself on the wrong side of the Irish Mafia in New York and has to escape to Texas to try and disappear into the population and potentially save his life. What he doesn’t expect is for his old friend’s father to help him disappear. Judge Bell arranges for Byron to assume his son’s life, who is presumed dead. What unfolds is a twisty tale that reveals the underbelly of the criminal world and what lengths some will go to to avoid jail.

Byron is a likable character and has morals for a lawyer. Not that lawyers don’t have morals or a conscience, but there are some that do not. I appreciated that he didn’t like everything as it unfolded, but he knew if he didn’t assume this other identity, he could be discovered and killed rather quickly. Not that it was a foolproof plan, but it was better than nothing. I wondered how events would play out for him in the long run. What evolves was surprising, and while I might have suspected part of the plot twist, most of it was a surprise.

The action is fast-paced, the characters are varied, and the courtroom scenes are detailed. While I am not a lawyer (nor have I played one anywhere!), I felt like I had a grasp on the process from the descriptions the author laid out for us. I am intrigued by this series, and I wonder if Byron, now Quinton, will struggle with his choices and identity from now on. There are so many revelations at the end of the book, and I can’t imagine how I would handle it if I were in his shoes.

While this book does wrap up the situation that Byron/Quinton finds himself in, there is a bit of a cliffhanger that will leave you wanting more from this author sooner rather than later. But it looks like you will only have to wait until January for the next in this series.

I stayed up way too late reading this book (the joy, or curse, of insomnia) and gave it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Manning Wolfe, an award-winning author and attorney, writes cinematic-style, smart, fast-paced thrillers and crime fiction. Manning was recently featured on Oxygen TV’s: Accident, Suicide, or Murder, and has spoken at major book festivals around the world.

Manning’s legal thriller series, featuring Austin attorney Merit Bridges, includes Dollar Signs, Music Notes, Green Fees, and Chinese Wall.

Manning’s new Proxy Legal Thrillers Series, featuring Houston attorney Quinton Bell, includes Dead by Proxy, Hunted by Proxy, and Alive by Proxy.

Manning is co-author of Killer Set: Drop the Mic, and twelve additional Bullet Books Speed Reads.

As a graduate of Rice University and the University of Texas School of Law, Manning’s experience has given her a voyeur’s peek into some shady characters’ lives and a front-row seat to watch the good people who stand against them.

 

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Grand Prize: eBook of Dead by Proxy + $25 Amazon gift card

 

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Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

 

For direct links to each post on this tour, updated daily,

 

or visit the blogs directly:

 

10/03/23	Forgotten Winds	Review
10/03/23	Hall Ways Blog	BONUS Stop
10/04/23	Librariel Book Adventures	Review
10/04/23	LSBBT Blog	BONUS Stop
10/05/23	Reading by Moonlight	Review
10/06/23	StoreyBook Reviews	Review
10/07/23	Writing and Music	Review
10/08/23	The Real World According to Sam	Review
10/09/23	Jennie Reads	Review
10/10/23	Chapter Break Book Blog	Review
10/10/23	Boys’ Mom Reads	BONUS Stop
10/11/23	Rox Burkey Blog	Review
10/12/23	The Plain-Spoken Pen	Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Synopsis

 

A young widow. A gentle stable master. A secret that could change everything. Will Nora dare risk her heart?

The London Countryside, 1820

Eleanora Coventry comes from a life of title and privilege, but even that isn’t enough to prevent her from being wed at sixteen to a controlling and dismissive husband. So when she finds herself a widow at only twenty-seven, the idea of choosing her own path forward both thrills and terrifies her. She knows how to be a daughter and a wife and mother, but she has no idea how to be Eleanora.

She moves her son and daughter to her late husband’s country estate, where she meets Ridley, the young stable master. He is ruggedly handsome, but also kind, and Eleanora finds herself drawn to him. There is only one problem: Eleanora has a title, and Ridley does not.

Ridley Ellis has a way with horses. Even the most spirited stallions trust his soft voice and gentle touch. He has the same effect on people, and when he first lays eyes on Eleanora, he is smitten by her beauty. But he quickly discovers it will take more than soft words to gain her trust—Lord Coventry had been cruel to people and animals alike. But the closer he gets to Eleanora, the more he is willing to share his heart, and more importantly, his secret.

In a world where title and privilege mean everything, will Eleanora and Ridley risk it all to find happiness? Or will the shadows of their pasts destroy everything they hope to build together?

 

 

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Review

 

Reading a book such as this, set in the Regency era, makes me very glad I didn’t live in that time period! Women were treated like property and had no rights. That was the case for Nora. She was married to a much older man at 16, and it was not a happy marriage. He treated her like dirt and wasn’t happy with the one child that they had together. He basically forced her to accept his illegitimate daughter as her own. Now, this was actually a good thing for both Nora and the young lady because she had lost her mother, and Nora filled that role. It took time for them to create a bond, but it did happen.

The new baron, Nora’s son, is a spoiled brat. I am not sure of his age, but I assume 10-12. But his arrogance and attitude are more than one would expect for someone that young. It is also hard to know if he picked up these traits at boarding school or if his father poisoned him against his mother. Or possibly both. Luckily, Ridley is able to put him on the right path over time. Ridley is a positive influence in all of their lives. But he has a secret, one that can be sussed out before it is revealed, but it was still an interesting twist.

I enjoyed watching Nora and Ridley interact and restrain their attraction to one another as much as they could. This is the Regency era, so they had to be proper. While I suspected the ending, there were some events that could have thrown a monkey wrench into the blossoming relationship.

There are several nefarious characters that I wanted to chuck out a window. While I suspected some of it, I wasn’t sure how the situation would be resolved. In all of the instances, they were handled properly.

There are some obvious errors regarding the titling of the children. The illegitimate daughter would not be called Baroness unless her brother died and she became the heir. And then, because she is illegitimate, would she be recognized? But outside of some minor errors, the story was enjoyable.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Julie Wright started her first book when she was fifteen. She’s written over a dozen books since then, is a Whitney Award winner, and feels she’s finally getting the hang of this writing gig. She enjoys speaking to writing groups, youth groups, and schools. She loves reading, eating writing, hiking, playing on the beach with her kids, and snuggling with her husband to watch movies. Julie’s favorite thing to do is watch her husband make dinner. She hates mayonnaise but has a healthy respect for ice cream.

 

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Synopsis

 

Six years after emerging from a fountain of youth, siblings Bill, Paul, and Annie Carpenter, time travelers from 2022, make their way in 1911.

In New York, Bill and wife Cassie finish a year as educators and struggle to start a family, while Annie tries her hand as a society reporter. In Arizona, Paul and Andy Lee, sergeants and brothers-in-law, attempt to keep the Mexican Revolution from spilling across the border.

For all, life marches on. Then the soldiers receive new orders, Paul and Annie meet alluring strangers, and the family’s fortunes take dramatic turns.

In ANNIE’S APPLE, the sweeping sequel to THE FOUNTAIN, five young adults find love, danger, and adventure in the age of factory fires, high society, and the sinking of the Titanic.

 

 

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Review

 

This is one of my favorite authors who writes time travel novels. The details are well researched when it comes to actual events, and it feels like you might be there with the characters.

This is the second in this series, and it primarily focuses on Annie’s life. There is a lot with Paul as well, but it is really Annie’s turn to shine. She is 20 but quite a pistol. This shouldn’t be very surprising since she is really much older and is living her life over. However, she has found a position that is something she is familiar with, journalism. Granted, back then, it was more about writing the society column, but it immerses her in a world that she may have never considered before.

In the early 1900s, women didn’t wait long to get married and start a family, and Annie’s desire was no different. Her problem? Her crush was more interested in the military than starting a life with her. I can see both sides of this issue. Annie is ready to move forward with Andy, but he has a strong desire to see more action in the military. Considering WWI is not far off, he could get more than he bargained for, but only time will tell. Andy isn’t the only one interested in Annie; there is also Charlie Rusk. Charlie is from a society family and meets Annie by chance. But it isn’t a moment he would change for the world, but will Annie come round, or will her love for Andy hold her back?

Paul is a major character but a minor one at the same time. He meets a young woman who catches his eye, but there is more to her story than meets the eye. If you read the book, you will most likely figure out what it is, but I won’t spoil it for you. Will this young woman help him move past his love for Pauline? Maybe!

I have always appreciated the historical detail in Heldt’s novels. In this novel, we have the incident with the Titanic and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. I wasn’t as familiar with the second as the first, but I appreciated the details that made me feel like I was there. There was a comment in the book from Bill about how the Titanic incident created new regulations for cruise ships. The same happened with the fire, but it wasn’t as detailed in the book.

The book, while primarily positive, does have some issues that arise for the characters to add some depth to the story. Sadly, I can’t tell you about them because it would give away some of the story. So just pick up the book and read it!

This book did seem to move at a slower pace than other books by this author. This is not a bad thing, but it took me longer to read than normal. I still enjoyed the book and following along. I can’t wait for the last book in this trilogy to see what happens to this family.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

John A. Heldt is a reference librarian and the author of the critically acclaimed Northwest Passage time-travel series. The former award-winning sportswriter and newspaper editor has loved getting subjects and verbs to agree since writing book reports on baseball heroes in grade school. A graduate of the University of Oregon and the University of Iowa, he is an avid fisherman, sports fan, home brewer, and reader of thrillers and historical fiction. When not sending contemporary characters to the not-so-distant past, he weighs in on literature and life on his blog.

 

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Joy to the Wool (Clear Creek Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Independently Published (October 5, 2023)
Number of Pages: 254

 

Synopsis

 

All dressed up for the holidays, Clear Creek looks like it’s right out of a storybook. But the decorations aren’t just for fun. The tiny Rocky Mountain town is hosting a Christmas Festival sure to be used as a pattern for years.

While Jemma is busy with the Cozy Tree — a place visitors can buy hand-knitted hats and scarves to donate to people in need — Granny is busy taking bets on which day of the event Jemma will find a body. But to everyone’s surprise, this time Granny’s the one who makes the discovery!

Choosing to put her relationship with Brandon first, Jemma agrees to steer clear of the investigation. But Granny’s determination to solve the crime lands Jemma the impossible job of keeping the spunky old lady out of trouble, and breaking and entering is just the beginning of their adventure.

When the Cozy Tree is vandalized, it becomes obvious the pair is making someone nervous. Can Jemma and Granny knit up the investigation before Santa climbs in his sleigh?

 

 

Amazon

 

This book releases 10/5, preorder today!

 

 

Review

 

This is a fun series! I like this small town setting in the mountainous area of Colorado. The characters are interesting, and Granny will keep you on her toes with her betting on every little thing and trying to solve this case before the sheriff.

In this installment, we get to meet Jemma’s mother, Daphne, or Daffy as she calls her. However, her mother has ulterior motives for her visit to this town; she is trying to set Jemma up with someone she thinks would be suitable for Jemma. What Daffy doesn’t realize is that her ideology and feelings are not the same as her daughter’s. She is not the loving mother who wants to spend time with her; she is more concerned with images and getting back to her life. I think by the end of the book, Daffy does start to realize that maybe Jemma is where she needs to be, and it is ok that she has a different mindset.

Regarding the mystery, I liked that Jemma really does try and stay out of it and not try and solve the case. She does get pulled in because she is really good at asking questions to the right people, but she is not aggressively trying to suss out the killer. That would be Granny, who is one hot mess. The clues are there to figure out the killer, but they are hidden. You will have to put on your thinking cap for this one.

I really liked the idea of the Cozy Tree at the festival and having people buy hats to donate to local charities. I thought it was ingenious that someone suggested raising money by having people pay for the privilege of knitting one of the hats. That was smart!

There is a surprise ending that I was not expecting. It made me very happy and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Rebecca McKinnon enjoys playing with her imaginary friends and introducing them to others through her writing. She dreams of living in the middle of nowhere but has been unable to find an acceptable location that wouldn’t require crossing an ocean.

 

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Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Sweethearts Eric Leidheldt and Desiree Chauveau are spending a weekend at his uncle’s cabin when they encounter two strangers cutting wood. Eric is knocked unconscious, and Desi is viciously attacked. The following day two police officers come to their apartment to arrest Desi. Her assailants are dead, murdered with an axe, and her fingerprints are on it. She confesses—but is she really guilty? Eric is determined to stand by her, but the physical and emotional effects of the attack severely challenge their relationship.

 

 

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Review

 

This was quite an intriguing mystery novella. Not everything is as straightforward as you might expect as you are reading this book. Did Desi kill these men? Logically, the answer is no, but she has confessed, and sometimes people can do some amazing things when under pressure and have heightened adrenaline running through their systems.

This is a story that could be expanded so that we get to know and understand Eric and Desi more deeply. But that does not take away from trying to piece together the pieces and what actually happened at that cabin. I’d love to know the “why” behind why they were attacked up there; that is the only question that didn’t seem to be answered. Maybe these men were just scumbags.

We also lived through Desi’s trauma and her coming to terms with what happened to her. It was also a reflection of how strong their relationship was or wasn’t. There were secrets that came out about Desi’s past that put a new light on the events that followed.

I really enjoyed this book, and it is perfect when you have a shorter amount of time and don’t want to have to put the book down!

We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Growing up in San Diego, California, I developed a passion for the printed word with my very first Dick and Jane reader and knew I wanted to be a “book maker” when I grew up. I wrote my first story, “Judy and the Fairies,” when I was six and never stopped. My love of books also led me to an MLS degree from UCLA and a career as a reference and collection development librarian at the San Diego Public Library. Retirement allowed me to put writing front and center. I’ve had twenty-three stories published in literary journals, and The Axe is my seventh book from the Wild Press.

 

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Synopsis

 

Vesper Wright is in hell. The night she gets fired from her unglamorous restaurant job, she comes home to find an invitation waiting on her doorstep from her estranged family to the wedding of Vesper’s cousin and childhood best friend, Rosemary, the one person she regrets losing touch with. Something inside her is telling her she has to attend the wedding, even if it means suffering through a weekend in the Satanist community she defected from. When Vesper’s homecoming exhumes a horrifying family secret, she’s forced to reckon with her family’s fanatical beliefs and her own unexpected identity.

 

 

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Review

 

I wasn’t sure what category to classify this book. Part of me says horror, and apparently, this is what the author writes, but it wasn’t horror like I usually see. Horror light, maybe? Or perhaps just a dark novel. I will say it wasn’t until I was further into the book that I understood why it was classified in this genre. To give away that would ruin the book for the future reader.

Vesper left her family at 18 and ventured into the real world. Let’s just say she grew up in a religious cult, and when you leave, you are cut off from everyone. However, she receives an invitation to her best friend’s wedding, back in the cult, and she decides to attend. This sets off a chain of events that is just a bit insane. Vesper learns the truth about her family and is put into a position that she really doesn’t wish to be in. I think she regretted going back to the wedding.

The story is quite intriguing, and there are twists that I didn’t expect. At least not until we understood more about her family. It also explains a little bit more about Vesper and some situations that arose during her time away.

While I’m not sure I would read any other horror books, I do like to expand my horizons. This book might leave you in disbelief or perhaps even chuckling at different scenarios. I liked the ending, and it leaves me wondering about Vesper, her father, and the rest of her family.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Rachel Harrison is the National Bestselling author of CACKLE, SUCH SHARP TEETH, and THE RETURN, which was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. Her short fiction has appeared in Guernica, Electric Literature’s Recommended Reading, as an Audible Original, and in her debut story collection BAD DOLLS. She lives in Western New York with her husband and their cat/overlord.

 

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Synopsis

 

She’s just a girl. Standing in front of four rom-coms. Praying for death.

Sophie Sweet is a game programmer who adores three things: writing code; Doritos Surprise, the one thing she can cook; and her ride-or-die BFF Jodie Edwards. And only those three. To Sophie, people are a lousy bunch of jackasses who lie and leave when you need them most, so why bother? That goes double for “love,” a ridiculous fairy tale sold to women to keep them subjugated and cooking things besides Doritos Surprise, which is madness.

Sophie and Jodie have a tradition of getting their fortunes read at the carnival, but this year there’s a new surprise in town—Tiffani the Psychic. The bubbly psychic can see through Sophie’s tough-girl veneer to her squishy, hurt center. Tiffani tells Sophie she’ll prove that everlasting passion exists for everyone! Sophie tells Tiffani to screw off.

Big mistake. Huge.

Oh, yes—romance, and Tiffani, are coming for Sophie Sweet, whether she likes it or not. And she will Not. Like. It. Tiffani is an unstoppable force, and Sophie, an immovable object who cusses a lot. But Tiffani will prove to Sophie that love can heal her wounds. And it’s right in front of her oblivious face.

 

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Review

 

This book is a mashup of your favorite, or not so favorite, rom-coms and movies. Sophie and Jodie are best friends, and when they go to a new fortune teller at a local carnival, things turn upside down for them.

Tiffani, who is the new fortune teller, ends up dragging them into some crazy scenarios for Sophie to live out and find her truwluv (imagine The Princess Bride here). I’m not sure why Tiffani thought that a remake of prom night in Carrie was wise, but it did help Sophie move past a bully in high school. Perhaps the same could be said for the medieval scenario with a former girlfriend who was a bully in her recent past.

The book does have heart, and it helps Sophie get to the root of her issues and realize that perhaps love is staring her right in the face. It takes multiple scenarios, but it eventually sinks in. I also thought this book reminded me a little bit of Scrooge and the various lives. It wasn’t necessarily the past, present, and future, but close enough.

I enjoyed this book and chuckled through it. We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Martti Nelson is the author of comedy novels Lyssa Strata and Attack of the Rom-Com, as well as some love letters to Totino’s in honor of their fine Party Pizzas.

She’s been featured on such luminous sites as McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Weekly Humorist, The Belladonna, Robot Butt, Daily Drunk Magazine, and Slackjaw.

In addition to writing brilliant stuff that is often referred to as “stop mentioning menstruation so much,” Martti enjoys yard work with power tools that make her feel important.

Martti creates funny books because she believes that humor can inspire joy, bring people together, and save the world, even in times of darkness. This bio has gotten a tad deep, so she will end on another joke.

 

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Synopsis

 

The Time Traveller’s Wife meets The Butterfly Effect in this touching, heart-felt love story.

When Caitlyn Richter turns twenty-one, she begins having strange, unsettling episodes: pins and needles in her hands, a rushing noise in her ears, and a blinding light obscuring her vision. After a bad episode, Caitlyn finds herself somewhere different, with no idea how she got there. To her horror, Caitlyn learns she has inherited a disorder that causes her to travel back and forth in time uncontrollably, and to make matters worse, one small change to the past can have massive consequences for the present.

Caitlyn quickly realises she must do whatever it takes to leave the past unchanged. But that’s easier said than done, especially after she meets Toby Beech, an attractive 1980s carpenter who wants to spend as much time with her as possible and who she finds herself falling in love with.

Caitlyn has two choices. She can force herself to stay away from Toby and keep her life in the present intact. Or she can follow her heart and risk the ripple effect wreaking havoc on everything and everyone she loves.

An impossible decision. An ill-fated love.

An incredible story you don’t want to miss.

 

 

Amazon

 

eBook is just $0.99 through 9/17, or read for free via Kindle Unlimited

 

Review

 

How far would you go for love? And what if the consequences could change your whole world?

I love a good time travel story, and this one is a little unique and brings in the Butterfly Effect. Any small change made in the past could have a huge impact on the present.

Caitlyn discovers her abilities when she turns 21, but sadly, no one has given her the heads up like Grandma, who experienced the same thing in her youth. The downside is that Grandma has dementia and isn’t always in the right frame of mind to answer Caitlyn’s questions. Caitlyn does have a very supportive family; however, she can’t tell them what is going on with her. She plays it off as being dizzy, losing friends, and whatever else she can come up with to pacify them. This is hard because I know she wants to tell them the truth, especially her sister, who will most likely experience the same thing when she turns 21.

I’m not sure how or why this disorder picks the year that she returns to. But it is 1983, and the house she lives in is just being built. This is how she meets Toby and falls head over heels for him. Remember that Butterfly Effect I mentioned? Her interactions with Toby do cause some ripples in her present when she returns. You will have to read the book to find out what exactly.

This was a very engaging book, and each time she jumped, I wondered what she might do that could change her world in the present. We see the small changes, but I think there is more to come based on her actions near the end of the book. This is obviously going to be a series because the book ends and leaves you hanging. This is one of those times that I wanted to throw the book across the room because I wanted to know what was going to happen in her present day based on this event. But alas, I will have to wait for the second book to discover the answer. But it is a doozy.

There are many unique events that happened that were surprising, and it led me to believe how some things might turn out. I don’t know if I am right or not. I will have to wait for book 2.

If you enjoy time travel novels, you might enjoy this one. We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Cally Jackson grew up in the small country town of Gatton. After deciding at 17 that a Hollywood acting career was sadly out of reach, Cally turned to a career in professional communication with fictional writing as her labour of love.

Cally’s passion for fictional writing first emerged in grade two when she got in trouble for penning her own tale instead of copying directly from a story book as she was supposed to be doing – it was a handwriting exercise, after all.

Cally’s first novel, The Big Smoke, was published in 2012. A decade and two children later, Cally has released her second novel, The Ripple Effect.

 

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Synopsis

 

Jasmine “Jazzy” Jaspers is a ten-year-old albino who lives with his mother, an obese telephone sex worker. When his mother dies, Jazzy is sent to live with his grandparents on their farm in southwestern Minnesota. At his mother’s funeral, he meets and befriends his first dead person, and it changes his life forever. Together with his new friend from school, Mona, the two of them begin traveling to cemeteries and befriending people who have died, usually under horrific circumstances.

When Mona is killed and Jazzy is injured in a tragic accident with a semi-truck, Jazzy becomes very withdrawn. Only when he is taken in by Carl and his wife Ellen does Jazzy climb out of his depression. His new home is right next to the cemetery where many of his friends are buried, including Mona. Will this be enough to bring happiness to his life?

 

 

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Review

 

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading this book, but I was drawn into Jazzy’s life and his new ability to be able to speak to the dead. Since Jazzy is on the outskirts of his classmates, outside of his new best friend Mona, researching the dead people he feels a connection to at the cemeteries helps him understand the tragedy they underwent in death.

I enjoyed watching these two forge a friendship and research the different people in the cemeteries. I had to laugh that Jazzy didn’t stop to think about getting the names from the tombstones, so they had to do more work trying to figure out who these different people were. He even comments that the research would be easier if he had just stopped and gotten their names. I agree Jazzy.

There are moments of abuse by Jazzy’s grandfather, so if that is a trigger for you, you may want to skip this book or at least skip over those sections. I am not sure what year this book is set, but it isn’t current day. I would say perhaps the 1990s or early 2000s only because of the lack of technology.

This could almost be a middle-grade book because of the age of the characters, but I’d classify it more YA just due to the content.

Overall, I found the book fascinating and enjoyed the journey that Jazzy was on and where he might end up.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Jim’s stories and poems have appeared in nearly five hundred online and print publications. His collection of short stories, Resilience, is published by Bridge House Publishing. Short Stuff, a collection of flash fiction and drabbles is published by Chapeltown Books. Periodic Stories, Periodic Stories Volume Two, Periodic Stories Volume Three – A Novel, and Periodic Stories Volume Four are published by Impspired. Dreamers, a collection of short stories, is published by Clarendon House Publishing. Something Better, a dystopian adventure novella, and the novel, The Alien of Orchard Lake, are published by Dark Myth Publications. In the fall of 2022, his collection entitled Holiday Stories was published by Impspired as was his collection of poetry, Haiku Seasons. In February 2023, Periodic Stories Volume IV was published, as was his collection of poems, The Alchemy of Then, both by Impspired. In June 2023, a collection of flash fiction, Dancing With Butterflies, was published by Impspired.In July 2023, his YA novella The Battle of Marvel Wood was published by Impspired. His short story “Aliens” was nominated by The Zodiac Press for the 2020 Pushcart Prize. His story “The Maple Leaf” was voted 2021 Story of the Year for Spillwords. He was voted December 2022 Author of the Month for Spillwords. He also reads his stories for Talking Stories Radio and for Jim’s Storytime on his website. He lives in a small town west of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

 

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