Hollyberry Homicide (A Berry Basket Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Publisher: Kensington (September 29, 2020)
Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages

 

Synopsis

 

A cold wind is blowing off Lake Michigan, and murder is scaring the dickens out of everyone . . .

 

Considering her name, Marlee Jacob is an obvious choice for the role of Jacob Marley in Oriole Point’s production of A Christmas Carol. It’s just sad that the role has opened up because of the death of the elderly actor who’d originally been cast.

But Marlee, the proprietor of The Berry Basket, will do her best to keep spirits high—that is, until clues start mounting that there’s danger behind the scenes. There are accidents on set, the tree in the village square topples over, and worst of all, a body is found with a sprig of holly draped over it. If Marlee can’t wrap up the case, she may not have a berry merry Christmas . . .

Includes Berry Recipes!

 

 

Amazon  –  B&N –  Kobo

 

Google Play  –  IndieBound

 

 

Review

 

I have really enjoyed this series but this one? Wowsa!  Let’s just say the killer reveal was a total shocker and nothing I ever expected to happen.

It’s Christmastime in Oriole Point and Marlee takes decorating to a whole new level. It’s like Christmas exploded at her home and store. She is lovingly ribbed by her friends for going overboard with the decorations. She even blows fuses with everything she has plugged into the sockets. It might also have something to do with her birthday at that time. But this holiday may not go the way she planned when she finds 95 year old Everett dead at the museum. Now everyone else thinks it is natural causes, but Marlee suspects otherwise. The story just takes off from there and Marlee ends up playing Jacob Marley in the theater’s performance of A Christmas Carol, she stumbles across several unknown facts (which I won’t disclose) about Everett and a few other characters. All culminate into a point where Marlee is nearly killed, but who is the killer?  You’ll have to read the book to discover the killer and his/her motive for yourself.

I have enjoyed this series and I always feel like I gain weight just reading the book and dreaming about the pastries, cookies, ice cream, jams and jellies, and many other berry flavored items. We don’t see as much of Kit in this book who is Marlee’s love interest since he is working out of town on a case. I really do like Theo and his baking skills. He is a very sweet character and I like that Marlee has taken him under her wing to help him continue to grow and mature.  And then there is Natasha, Marlee’s Russian friend. She is a hoot and a half.

This is a great series so if you haven’t read any of the first 5, I suggest you do so before diving into this book. It will help you understand the characters a little better.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Sharon Farrow is the latest pen name of award winning author Sharon Pisacreta. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Sharon has been a freelance writer since her twenties. Published in mystery, fantasy, and romance, Sharon currently writes The Berry Basket cozy mystery series, which debuted October 2016 with Dying For Strawberries. She is also one half of the writing team D.E. Ireland, who co-author the Agatha nominated Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins mysteries.

 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * BookBub

 

 

Giveaway

 

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SIX FEET UNDER TEXAS:

 

 Unique, Famous, & Historic Graves in the Lone Star State

 

(Cemetery Tales Book 1)

 

by

 

TUI SNIDER

 

Genre: Nonfiction / Texana / History / Texas Travel

Publisher: Castle Azle Press

Date of Publication: August 15, 2020

Number of Pages: 250 pages

 

 

Scroll down for Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Explore the cemeteries of Texas with Tui Snider as she reveals overlooked history in these fascinating open-air museums.

 

Along the way, you’ll meet fascinating characters, including a whistleblower who died in suspicious circumstances, an oilman who added a phone line to his mausoleum, and the events that caused two “frenemies” to be chained together in death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I always enjoy books from Tui because I learn so much. This book is no different and I was enthralled with the variety of people buried in Texas and their stories. I know every state has its own celebrity graves, but I live in Texas so am more interested in what is here in our fine state.

Tui takes us on a journey through time visiting cemeteries with notable residents and interesting markers. One comment she makes is that “cemeteries are more than a place of death. It was also a place to bring the families together and celebrate the living.” How true because a cemetery is not for the dead, it is for the living to remember the past and celebrate the lives of those that have gone before us.

I am always amazed at the depth of Tui’s research into her books and she is able to find details to corroborate the stories that are passed down as to whether they are the truth or just an urban legend. There is one cemetery in Gainsville that has a huge oak tree that was the scene of a Great Hanging in 1864 where many men were lynched and there is even a drawn image reflecting the scene. I liked this comment from the author “that while it is nothing to be proud of and should not be forgotten. At the very least, such an incident serves as a reminder of how important a well-structured legal system is to the stability of a nation.”

There are even some humorous stories and one of them is about a Hungarian immigrant named Anthony Bascilli. He was well prepared for the day he died. He slept in his coffin to ensure it was comfortable, had his grave dug and lined with brick and mortar, and even had plans for when the dirt that would cover him “to ensure that it would be gently shoveled rather than roughly tossed into his grave, he hid bottles of whisky throughout the mound. I guess these were like party favors for the gravediggers!”

If you are even mildly interested in the history behind graves and tombstones and how things came to be, you need to read this book. While I might not visit these various cemeteries (and she provides an address at the end of each story in case you do want to visit), I do feel like I learned a little bit more about Texas and those who came before me. Side note, I have visited Oswald’s grave that is mentioned in this book. It is very unassuming but I didn’t know the story about the grave next to it for Nick Beef.

We give this book 5 paws up and cannot wait to read the next volume and learn more and who knows, maybe one day I’ll visit some of these cemeteries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tui Snider is an author, speaker, photographer, YouTuber, podcast host, and musician who researches historic cemeteries and symbolism, offbeat Texas travel, overlooked history, and haunted lore. As she puts it, “I used to write fiction–but then I moved to Texas!”

 

Snider’s best-selling books include Understanding Cemetery Symbols, 100 Things to Do in Dallas-Fort Worth Before You Die, Paranormal Texas, and many more. Snider has several books in progress and enjoys connecting with readers all over the globe through social media, her weekly newsletter, and her website.

 

◆  Website  ◆  Facebook  ◆  Twitter  ◆

 

◆  Amazon Author Page  ◆  Goodreads  ◆

 

◆  Instagram  ◆   YouTube  ◆

 

 

 

 —————————————

 

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

 

 THREE WINNERS 

 

GRAND PRIZE (US only):

 

Paperback + $10 Amazon Gift Card + Thank You Postcard

 

2^ND PRIZE (US only): Paperback & Thank You Postcard

 

3^RD PRIZE  (worldwide): e-book

 

  September 29-October 9, 2020

 

 

 

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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:

 

9/29/20	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
9/29/20	Review	Rainy Days with Amanda
9/30/20	Review	Momma on the Rocks
10/1/20	Review	Missus Gonzo
10/1/20	Review	The Clueless Gent
10/2/20	Review	Reading by Moonlight
10/2/20	Review	The Adventures of a Travelers Wife
10/3/20	Review	Forgotten Winds
10/4/20	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
10/5/20	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
10/6/20	Review	Hall Ways Blog
10/7/20	Review	Max Knight
10/7/20	Review	All the Ups and Downs
10/8/20	Review	It’s Not All Gravy
10/8/20	Review	Book Fidelity

 

 

 

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One Boy’s War by Nancy McDonald

Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 134 pages

Historical fiction

Publisher: Iguana Books

Release date: April, 2020

 

 

Synopsis

 

ENGLAND, SUMMER 1940. Following a brush with death in the Irish Sea, 10-year-old Käfer Avigdor unexpectedly finds himself back in London. There, he stumbles upon a sinister Nazi plot that targets hundreds of people in Britain—including the most powerful man in the country. The one person who might be able to defeat Adolf Hitler. With the Germans threatening to invade England at any moment, Käfer musters all his courage and ingenuity in a valiant effort to thwart the Nazis. But will he succeed in time to save the day? One Boy’s War, the sequel to Boy from Berlin, is inspired by real people and historical events.

 

 

Amazon ~ Amazon.ca

 

Chapters Indigo.ca ~ Barnes & Noble ~ IndieBound

 

Abe Books ~ Book Depository ~ Books-A-Million

 

 

 

 

 

Boy from Berlin by Nancy McDonald

Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 142 pages

Genre: Historical fiction

Publisher: Iguana Books

Release date: May 7, 2018

Synopsis

 

Berlin, April 1938. One night, eight-year-old Käfer Avigdor uses his specialty toilet-paper roll binoculars to spy on his Mama and Aunt Charlotte. The whispered conversation he overhears alerts him to a danger he didn’t know existed and starts him rethinking who he really is and where he belongs. Within hours, Käfer and his family flee their comfortable life. In a desperate race to stay one step ahead of the Nazis, Käfer is called on to be braver and more resourceful than he ever imagined possible. But will it be enough? Boy from Berlin is based on real people and actual events.

 

 

Amazon ~ Amazon.ca

 

Chapters Indigo.ca ~ Barnes & Noble ~IndieBound

 

Abe Books ~ Book Depository ~ Books-A-Million

 

 

Praise for Boy from Berlin

 

“Inspired by a true story, Boy from Berlin shares a unique voice in the Holocaust. Highly recommended!” – Jennifer Roy, author of Yellow Star, winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award.

“A compelling introduction to themes of war, courage and identity, certain to engage young readers.” – Trilby Kent, author of Stones for my Father, winner of the TD Canadian Children’s Literary Award.

 

 

Interview with Nancy McDonald

 

 

Q:           You’re been a professional writer your entire career, but novel writing has come late. Has anything surprised you about it?

 

A:            Yes! I’ve been amazed at how it takes over my life. Whatever book I’m writing is in my head all the time. I’m going about my day – shopping, walking the river, meeting friends, working at the book store – and scenes, or bits of scenes, are percolating away. It’s almost like I’m living two parallel lives, mine and my characters’.

 

Q:           What genre do you write?

 

A:            I write historical fiction for middle-grade readers. I’ve always been very interested in history, in particular the two World Wars.  But how I got writing fiction for that age group was a fluke. I was cleaning out my filing cabinet after my husband Käfer died, and I came across a slim, manila file folder that I didn’t recall seeing before. Inside were copies of letters that my late father-in-law had written in 1940. I knew right away that they were all that remained of the story of how and why the family had fled Berlin, first for The Hague and then to England.  My first thought was to write a history for the family, but as I started to piece together the information from the letters with what I learned and imagined how Käfer would have felt and acted, it turned into a novel, Boy from Berlin, written in his eight-year-old voice. The sequel, One Boy’s War, picks up the action, again, from his point of view.

 

Q:           How did you do the research?

 

A:            Parts of it were really challenging because the books are based on real people and everyone in my husband’s family is dead.  I started by scouring the Internet. It’s amazing what you can find out online! I discovered that Käfer’s father, who I knew was an aeronautical engineer, had invented a game-changing fuel pump that could help win the war. When they fled, it landed him on Hitler’s notorious “Black List”, a special arrest list to be used upon a successful invasion of Britain. I travelled to Berlin and The Hague to see where Käfer had lived, and the places he’d gone with his parents, and tried to re-create what happened from his eight-year-old point of view.

 

Q:           What’s the appeal for middle-graders?

 

A:            First of all, both books are thrillers. They’re action-packed with lots of twists and turns. Second, the stakes are very high. There’s a family in real peril, in a race to escape, with the Nazis on their heels. If they’re caught, they’ll end up in a concentration camp. And, at the centre, there’s a young boy, Käfer, who is desperate to help save them — and prove to his father that he’s brave and resourceful.

 

Q:           What’s your next book?

 

A:            It’s called Girl on the Run and it is set in Berlin in 1933, just as Hitler comes to power. It’s based on historical fact, but this time the characters are totally fictitious. The heroine is twelve-year-old Amelie. She has a little sister, Gigi, and a father who is heads the biology department at Friedrich Wilhelm University (now Humboldt). Their mother is dead. The story begins ominously with the news that Nazi commissars have been appointed to all the universities. Jewish professors and students are banned; curricula are changed to suit Hitler’s beliefs. When Amelie’s father falls in love with a colleague, Amelie discovers that her mother was Jewish and that the new step-mother doesn’t want her or her sister. That sets off a trail of events that leads the girls on a harrowing escape, hopefully to safety.

 

Q:           What do you think is the attraction of historical fiction?

 

A:            As a reader, it lets you get lost in another time and place and experience a moment in history through the eyes of the characters. I think we all wonder: what would I have done if I were put in those circumstances? Would I do the brave thing?

 

 

About the Author

 

Nancy McDonald began her career as a journalist on television programs that include W5, Canada AM, and Marketplace before going on to become a sought-after freelance writer, penning everything from documentaries to live-action scripts to comic books. One Boy’s War is the highly anticipated sequel to Boy from Berlin. Nancy lives in Stratford, Ontario, where she revels in Shakespeare, takes theatergoers on tours of the Costume Warehouse, and treads the boards with the Perth County Players. She also works part-time at Fanfare Books, Stratford’s only independent bookseller.

 

Website ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

Autographed set of BOY FROM BERLIN & ONE BOY’S WAR. (one winner) (USA and Canada only) (ends Oct 9)

 

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Campaigning Can Be Deadly (A Discount Detective Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Walrus Publishing, an imprint of Amphorae Publishing Group (September 29, 2020)
Number of Pages – 300

 

Synopsis

 

What begins as a prank ends in murder . . .

 

The campaign for the U.S. Congressional seat was referred to in the press as “Mr. Smith goes to Washington versus the carpetbagger. “The popular local candidate gets the majority of endorsements, but his opponent’s wealthy, out-of-state family is willing to do whatever it takes for him to win.

Penny-wise Investigations a discount detective agency located in a mall, is hired to find out who is stealing the local candidate’s political signs. Two of their investigators, Cameron Chandler and Yuri Webster, not only catch the thieves in the act, they find a body next to a pile of stolen signs, proving that . . . Campaigning Can Be Deadly.

 

 

 

Amazon – B&N – Book Depository – IndieBound

 

 

About the Author

 

In a world filled with uncertainty and too little chocolate, Charlotte Stuart has a passion for writing lighthearted mysteries with a pinch of adventure and a dollop of humor. Her first discount detective mystery, Survival Can Be Deadly, was a Foreward INDIES finalist. Why me? Chimeras, Conundrums and Dead Goldfish was short-listed for the Chanticleer Murder and Mayhem contest before it was published. She began her career in academia with a PhD in communications. Then, she and her husband decided to build a commercial boat and go fishing for salmon in Alaska. Currently, she is the VP for Puget Sound Sisters in Crime and lives and writes on Vashon Island in Washington State’s Puget Sound. She spends time each day entertained by herons, seals, eagles, and other wildlife.

 

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Candidate for Murder by Lauren Carr

A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 12)

Adult fiction, 464 pages

Murder Mystery / Political Satire

Publisher: Acorn Book Services

Release date: June 9, 2016

 

 

Synopsis

 

It’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent years, the small resort town has become divided between the year-round residents who enjoy their rural way of life and the city dwellers who are moving into mansions, taking over the town council, and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed-gate community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed limits to clotheslines. When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral nominees to the town’s residents, David O’Callaghan, the chief of police, decides to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd, to run for mayor of Spencer! What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight, Gnarly becomes the front-runner, and his political opponents proceed to dig into the canine’s past. When one of the mayoral candidates ends up dead, it becomes apparent that slinging mud is not enough for someone with a stake in this election. With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a killer, and save Spencer!

 

 

Amazon ~ Audible

 

B&N ~ BAM ~ BookBub

 

 

Guest Post

 

Living the Life of Gnarly: (Story of a K-9 Sidekick)

By Lauren Carr

 

 

This guest post is the story of Gnarly, German Shepherd sidekick to Mac Faraday, the star detective of Lauren Carr’s Mac Faraday Mysteries.

Mac Faraday was a homicide detective in Washington, DC, when his life changed in one day. With the pound of a judge’s gavel, Mac’s twenty-year marriage was over and his wife got everything. He was wiped out financially. As he was leaving the courtroom, a lawyer approached him. Fearful that he was about to get another financial hit, Mac ran for three city blocks before he felt sorry for the little man chasing him.

With the expression of a child bursting to tell his secret, this lawyer informed Mac Faraday that the teenaged girl who had given him up for adoption forty-seven years earlier had grown up to become Robin Spencer, world famous murder mystery writer. Upon her death six weeks earlier, she had left her entire estate to her only child.

Mac Faraday also inherited Robin Spencer’s dog—Gnarly, who has recently been elected mayor of Spencer, Maryland, located on the shores of Deep Creek Lake.

Here’s Gnarly’s story, as dictated to Archie Monday, because Mac has grounded him from using the computer after ordering a $2000 Home Pet Spa, complete with a massage attachment, on his credit card.

Take it away, Gnarly!

 

I was born a poor German Shepherd at Beck’s Kennels, located in a small town in West Virginia called Inwood. Okay, maybe I wasn’t exactly poor, but let’s face it, it was a far cry from Spencer Manor on Deep Creek Lake, Maryland.

Well, I could tell you about my life in the Army, but then I would have to kill you. So, I guess you want to hear about how I ended up as chief of security at Spencer Manor, Mac Faraday’s multi-million-dollar estate, and mayor of Spencer. I know, most mayors quit their day jobs after getting elected, but I just can’t leave the security of my favorite human to just anyone. I mean, if something happens to Archie, then who’s going to feed me? Who’s going to take me to the salon? Who’s going to cover up my scandals?

Anyway, I digress …

It all started after the Army decided they needed to get rid—I mean, it was time for me to leave my life of service in the United States military.

Eventually, I ended up on Spencer Point, assigned to protect this less-than-nice woman named Katrina Singleton in It’s Murder, My Son.  Let’s just say she and I didn’t see eye-to-eye. I kept trying to tell her that someone was seriously stalking her, but she wouldn’t listen and kept telling me what a bad dog I was because I was digging up her yard. She kept locking me in the garage. Hello! It was my job to protect her and she’s locking me in the garage. How am I supposed to protect someone when I’m locked up?

But there was this nice police officer, David O’Callaghan. He listened. After Katrina’s murderer almost killed me when I tried to apprehend him, David took me to the vet. Katrina’s husband ordered them to put me to sleep, but Robin Spencer, the nice lady who lived next door to Katrina, saved me.

Life with Robin Spencer (until she died a couple of months later); and then Mac and Archie Monday (Robin’s assistant, now Mac’s wife) is the best. Mac has a tendency to get testy on occasion—like when I find things and bring them home. He especially gets mad when David, who it turned out is Mac’s half-brother, shows up in his role as chief of police and accuses me of stealing this stuff that I have found fair and square.

But, I flash everyone my big brown eyes. My favorite female human, Archie will jump to my defense and plead temporary insanity. David will agree to abuse his position as chief of police and cover up my crime. (He’s even paid off some of my victims to drop their complaints, but you didn’t hear that from me.) Mac will grumble, glare, and ground me.

I must confess that the life of a rich and famous K-9 is not all that it’s cracked up to be. Take Mac’s latest case in Crimes Past:

It was autumn. The weather was fair and mild and the leaves were at their height—I mean brilliant colors—until I stepped outside and a feral cat attached itself to my face and started biting my eyebrows.

Not a good way to start the day!

Of course, I had to defend myself. I bucked the cat off and snapped its neck. So, I’m standing there with puncture wounds on my head, bleeding, and Mc’s sanding there with his mouth hanging up and there’s a dead cat laying at our feet.

Meanwhile, we are well aware that right next door, the crazy cat lady who brought all of these feral cats to torment me, is just looking for something to get me into trouble―like I can’t get into trouble on my own without her help. She calls the police if I so much as sneeze and my phlegm hits her driveway.

What does Mac do? What any good political advisor will do. He throws me in the car and we get the hell out of there. Then, he calls David to get rid of the body. Only problem is that the dead body disappears.

Anyway, other than yet another political scandal, it was the perfect weekend for a wedding. No, not mine! I’m a confirmed bachelor. Let’s get that straight. Though, I do admit I have a favorite girl by the name of Storm. She’s Belgian, by the way. She lives with David O’Callaghan, who has been a bit sad lately since his last girlfriend took off for Paris.

Mac Faraday has offered up the Spencer Inn, his hotel, as a free venue for the daughter of a detective he used to work with. The bride’s late mother had been the victim of a double homicide—a case Mac had never solved. Of course, Mac does have a devious streak in him. The bride had invited all of her mother’s co-workers and friends—who happened to be suspects in the murder. (And to think he scolds me when I’m devious.)

David was supposed to help Mac on the case, which meant I got to spend some extra time with Storm, only he ended up blowing Mac off when some lady from his past showed up out of the blue with a young man who bore a striking resemblance to David. Storm liked them both right away, so I guess they were cool—which is a good thing considering what they asked me to do at the end of the weekend.

Mac was so desperate to explore every avenue for a break in the cold case for the double murder that he even entertained a suggestion from disgraced former detective Lou Gannon that one of their former friends was the killer.

So I was taking a nice nap in my reserved chair in the lounge at the Spencer Inn when a toilet blew up! That’s right. Someone blew up a toilet and set Mac’s hotel on fire—in my town! No one blows up a hotel in my town and gets away with it. Of course, I had to get straight to work biting butts and taking names.

That was all Mac needed to rip into this cold case to get to the truth. The big question was—which was of Mac’s old friends was really a cold-blooded killer.

Read Crimes Past to find out.

 

Trailer

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson Cold Case, Thorny Rose Mysteries, and the Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—close to thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

​A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds (including the nephew of the late-great Gnarly! (pictured above)) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

 

 

Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

 

 

Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway

 

Prizes: ​ $50 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of Lauren Carr, author of CANDIDATE FOR MURDER (ends Oct 16)

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

When souls intersect deeply, but their paths are separate…

After a harrowing experience from his service in the military, Matt returns only to find his marriage to the love of his life is over. In the midst of his darkness, Matt seeks peace camping in Wyoming, where he meets Nicole, an intriguing woman who shifts his perspective, and changes his life forever. As their connection deepens, their relationship uncovers the fears that are holding both of them back.

Matt isn’t the only one with an unresolved love in his past. Waiting in the wings is Sam, Nicole’s business partner and best friend. The pair have a history of more than just catering and event planning, but Nicole has always been afraid of letting Sam get too close.

In this novel of self-discovery, compassion and healing, Nicole and Matt are brought to a greater understanding and acceptance of themselves, and who they are in the world.

 

 

 

 

Praise

 

“The mature romance at the center of a delicate dance of souls is infused with spiritual ideas.” – Foreword Clarion Reviews

“The novel has many strengths. Readers will steadfastly follow the characters’ journey of self-discovery… detailed descriptions of the protagonists and their personalities, including imperfections, make them credible and relatable. Infused with spiritual lessons, this story about two lost souls finding their way back to themselves proves a satisfying read.” – BlueInk Review

 

 

Review

 

This is a novel that reaches deep inside your psyche and makes you question what you know or think you know about life and how you perceive events and other people.

Matt and Nicole meet at a campsite and are instantly drawn to each other. Is it physical or something more? Why it appears to be physical, Matt is struggling with PTSD and events that occurred while he was stationed in Iraq that have affected his life and his marriage. Nicole has her own issues from the past that has her scared of commitment with anyone else, especially a friend named Sam. Despite their pasts, this doesn’t stop Matt and Nicole from becoming involved with each other, but at the same time, Nicole is helping Matt overcome his fears with various spiritual techniques. While it may seem that the book is focused on helping Matt, Nicole has her own breakthrough. I found her description of what she was feeling and experiencing interesting.

I did wonder why Nicole and Matt continued to pursue their physical relationship despite Matt’s declarations of love for his ex-wife and Nicole’s interest in her friend Sam. Amanda, Matt’s ex-wife, is quite an amazing character with her strength considering everything that is thrown at her regarding Matt and Nicole. I don’t know if I could have done what she did, however, love does seem to conquer all.

I’m not sure about Sam despite his connection to Nicole. While we know he loved Nicole and wants her in his life, he does seem a bit passive-aggressive towards her and the situation with Matt. I was amazed that Nicole and Sam had few secrets. But perhaps that is what made them good friends and business partners.

There is a side story about two country music stars planning to marry in Cheyenne and Sam and Nicole’s role in planning that wedding. It was a nice diversion from the main storyline.

Overall, while I started this book thinking it was going to be a simple romance novel, I found it to be so much more and it encouraged me to consider the spiritual side of my life.  We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

Karen D. Hamilton’s path of spiritual growth has spanned decades and has included several teachers with transformative perspectives. She currently lives in Colorado where she loves to weave, go camping, and especially enjoys being with family and friends. Karen hopes her work will give readers a broader and more compassionate view of their own lives. a delicate dance of souls is her first book.

 

Website * Amazon * Email * Facebook

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Are your Spidey senses tingling?

 

At 17, Samira Joshi has only one dream in life. She wants to be a spy.

And why not?

Spying runs in the Joshi genes.

Her great-grandmother was famous for sticking her nose in everyone’s business. Her grandmother had a flourishing side-business of tracking down errant husbands and missing servants. Her parents are elite intelligence agents for RAW.

Yet, they want their only daughter to become a doctor.

When she sees a college friend being trapped by a pimp, Samira does some spying of her own, and discovers the existence of a secret sisterhood of teen spies — The Spyders. And, she wants in!

The question is, do they want her?

 

To find out, read this fast-paced, gripping YA novel by brand new author, Apeksha Rao.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Praise

 

“A thrilling read with several nail biting moments. Will keep you hooked till the end.”  Andaleeb Wajid, author of The Legend Of The Wolf

 

“A fantastic spy story, keeps you on the edge and you can’t stop till you finish the book. A fantastic debut book. Look forward to reading more from the author.” Kanchana Banerjee, author of Nobody’s Child and A Forgotten Affair.

 

“Witty, snarky and a thorough entertainer, Along Came a Spyder is a welcome addition to India’s YA genre.” Shilpa Suraj, author of Love, Marriage and Other Disasters, Saved by Love, and, Driven by Desire

 

“Apeksha Rao writes a taut espionage thriller with a twist-a-minute narrative that is sure to get all readers hooked. The language is flawless, the characterization spot-on, and the plot is filled with rich details. It is the kind of story that you’d leave all your other work aside to read. Be warned!” Neil D’Silva, author of Haunted, Yakshini and Maya’s New Husband

 

 

Guest Post

 

Debjani Das AKA Debbie is a genius with a heart of gold.

That’s not such a great thing, according to her Spyder friends.

“Debbie’s revolutionary Bong blood could totally lead her to start a riot in the streets of Mumbai,” says Samira.

“And all because she doesn’t like the way some Aunty haggles over a pair of shoes,” explains Sweety.

“Oh yeah! She’s the type who will hack into a politician’s Cayman Islands bank account, and transfer all the money to her favourite NGO,” says Tina.

“And, she won’t see any irony in that,” says Sweety, with a grin.

“Guys, you do know she’s rigged an online poker game, right?”

Milli is worried that Debbie will piss off some online thug, who will then be baying for her blood. Which means that the Spyders will have to intervene before Col. Singh finds out.

“That girl is going to get me killed,” whimpers Ranga, the official chauffeur of the Spyders.

He’s a bit of a drama queen, but he’s not completely wrong.

Even with all the best intentions in the world, Debbie could get someone killed. If she’s ever allowed to do fieldwork, that is.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Apeksha Rao fell in love with words very early in life.

While other kids of her age were still learning to spell, she was already reading her older brother’s books and comics.

She wrote her first story at the age of seven and submitted it to Tinkle, a very popular children’s magazine.

Writing took a backseat, as she established a thriving medical practice.

But Apeksha rekindled her love affair with words, while on maternity leave.

She would tap away at her keyboard while rocking her twin babies to sleep, as sleep deprivation stimulated her dormant creativity.

She wrote numerous short stories, that she published on her blog.

Apeksha has been lauded for her taut and gripping stories, that always come with a twist at the end.

In addition to Along Came A Spyder, she has written The Itsy Bitsy Spyder, a prequel novella to the Spyders series.

A Mumbaikar, born and bred, Apeksha comes from a family of doctors.

At the ripe age of thirty-four, she wound up her practice and moved with her family, to Bengaluru.

She is now a full-time writer.

She is also a die-hard foodie, who’s still trying to find the best vada-pav in Bengaluru.

She has twin boys, who keep her on her toes.

Apeksha’s husband is her inspiration to write, as well as her biggest critic.

 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

An ancient Mayan civilization!

That’s what Bubba and Squirt find when they travel through the mysterious vortex for another wild adventure. There they meet archeologists who are unearthing priceless artifacts.

But someone is stealing them. And an encounter with the Tate Duende awakens magic within Bubba. Throw in the mysterious Alux and a new discovery and things get sticky.

Will Bubba and Squirt solve the mystery, or will they be stuck forever in the jungles of Belize?

 

 

 

Amazon US   *   Apple   *   Dancing Lemur Press

 

B&N  *  BAM   *   Kobo

 

 

Excerpt

 

CHAPTER 3

 

BUBBA: THE PLACE IS BUSTED

 

 

We climbed the steps and stood at the opening. Guess what we saw? A pyramid with no point on top, like the one from my dream. It was in the middle of a grassy field, and it had lots of steps. And do you know what else? Behind the pyramid was a jungle. A real one with palm trees and tropical plants. You wouldn’t believe the noise! I needed earplugs for all those bird chirps and bug sounds. I took a deep breath, and it smelled like mud puddles.

“I think we’re in Mexico!”

Squirt shrugged. “Maybe. I know we’re not in Egypt. Egyptian pyramids don’t look like that. Plus, we’re in a jungle, not a desert.”

“Correctomundo, Captain Obvious. Come on. Let’s check it out!”

I took off lickety-split to the pyramid and climbed the steps. But when I got to step number thirty-two, I had to take a break. Sweat leaked out of my forehead and dripped into my eyes. Sitting down, I looked around.

I spotted another pyramid, but it was shorter than the one I was on, and it was covered with grass. Someone needed to get a lawnmower. A line of white steps went to the top.

I looked down. Squirt was at the bottom.

“Bubba, wait!” she said.

 

 

About the Author

 

Sherry Ellis is an award-winning author and professional musician who plays and teaches the violin, viola, and piano.

When she is not writing or engaged in musical activities, she can be found doing household chores, hiking, or exploring the world. Sherry, her husband, and their two children live in Atlanta, Georgia.

 

 

Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

 

Blog * Website * Amazon Author Page

 

 

Giveaway

 

The author is sponsoring a tour-wide giveaway. She is giving away ten (10) autographed print copies of the book open to all.

The giveaway ends at midnight on Oct. 17^th.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

You can also follow Sherry’s tour for more information and chances to enter by visiting the following sites:

Monday, Sept. 14 – Write With Fey – Guest Post
Alex J. Cavanaugh – Guest Post
Tuesday, Sept. 15 – Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews – Interview
Wednesday, Sept. 16 – The Story of a Writer – Review
Thursday, Sept. 17 – Book Reviews by Pat Garcia – Review
Friday, Sept. 18 – Booked Solid with Virginia C – Feature
Rockin’ Book Reviews – Review & Top Ten List
Monday, Sept. 21 – Just Jemi – Review & Interview
Anna del C. Dye Official Page – Excerpt
Tuesday, Sept. 22 – Baroness’ Book Trove – Review
Saturday, Sept. 26 – Storeybook Reviews – Excerpt
Monday, Sept. 28 – Elizabeth Spann Craig’s Blog – Guest Post
Joylene Nowell Butler – Excerpt
Journaling Woman – Feature
Wednesday, Sept. 30 – Nesie’s Place – Excerpt
Friday, Oct. 2 – Thoughts in Progress – Review
Monday, Oct. 5 – The Sexy Nerd “Revue” – Excerpt
Wednesday, Oct. 7 – Willow Writes and Reads – Review
Friday, Oct. 9 – Celticlady’s Reviews – Excerpt
Monday, Oct. 12 – Literary Rambles – Interview
Wednesday, Oct. 14 – Writer’s Gambit – Feature & Top 10 List

 

 

Synopsis

 

A fresh exploration of American feminist history told through the lens of the beauty pageant world.

Many predicted that pageants would disappear by the 21st century. Yet they are thriving. America’s most enduring contest, Miss America, celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2020. Why do they persist? In Here She Is, Hilary Levey Friedman reveals the surprising ways pageants have been an empowering feminist tradition. She traces the role of pageants in many of the feminist movement’s signature achievements, including bringing women into the public sphere, helping them become leaders in business and politics, providing increased educational opportunities, and giving them a voice in the age of #MeToo.

Using her unique perspective as a NOW state president, daughter to Miss America 1970, sometimes pageant judge, and scholar, Friedman explores how pageants became so deeply embedded in American life from their origins as a P.T. Barnum spectacle at the birth of the suffrage movement, through Miss Universe’s bathing beauties to the talent- and achievement-based competitions of today. She looks at how pageantry has morphed into culture everywhere from The Bachelor and RuPaul’s Drag Race to cheer and specialized contests like those for children, Indigenous women, and contestants with disabilities. Friedman also acknowledges the damaging and unrealistic expectations pageants place on women in society and discusses the controversies, including Miss America’s ableist and racist history, Trump’s ownership of the Miss Universe Organization, and the death of child pageant-winner JonBenet Ramsey.

Presenting a more complex narrative than what’s been previously portrayed, Here She Is shows that as American women continue to evolve, so too will beauty pageants.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * IndieBound

 

 

Guest Post

 

I wrote Here She Is: The Complicated Reign of the Beauty Pageant in America, a book that uses beauty pageants to show how American femininity has changed over the centuries, because I thought it was a book I was uniquely positioned to author. I’m a sociologist and professor at Brown University, where one of my students became Miss America 2018. I’m a feminist who is President of the Rhode Island chapter of the National Organization for Women. And, I’m the daughter of Miss America 1970. In other words, I have literally lived the complications of the American beauty pageant.

Still, writing this book was by far the hardest thing I have ever done.

First, there was the practical issue that many women writers of a certain age struggle with: finding time to write when you have young kids in the house. My sons were five and seven while I was writing the bulk of Here She Is, so finding time to think, let alone write, for longer than an hour or so at a time was a challenge.

I solved this problem in a few ways. As soon as the boys went to bed around 8 pm, I would immediately close the door of my home office and work until 11 pm when I’d collapse into bed. But when crunch time hit and the kids were out of the house at school or summer camp (remember those days?!) I’d rush home, take off my bra (seriously, this was a crucial step for me!), and feverishly write until it was time to pick them up. When I truly needed silence and zero distractions, I escaped to the library; my favorite place to edit is in the Reading Room at the John Hay Library on Brown’s campus.

But what really got me across the finish line for the final draft was checking into a local hotel for three nights to write a Preface and finish edits. I highly recommend this as a way to eliminate all distractions. Key for me was being at a hotel with room service so I literally didn’t have to walk out the door.

The Preface of Here She Is was a special challenge for me because it was so personal. It meant reckoning with my own views of beauty, how I see myself, and my relationship with my mom. I’m proud of the final product, but I had to dig deep to get there…

No doubt my status as the daughter of a Miss America helped open doors for me during the research process. I definitely have my own academic accomplishments, but my crown-adjacent status made a difference when it came to attending pageants in person and securing interviews.

I find the research aspect of book-writing more enjoyable than the writing, whether personal subject matter or not, which I know isn’t true for everyone. I love finding a document, getting access to a treasure trove of historical items, or securing and completing an interview with someone. Each stage gives me such a thrill and new ideas. I am probably guilty of over-researching with both primary and secondary sources (reading a few books for just a few sentences in the final product, or collecting lots of data for a few paragraphs).

At the end of the day, all the research and writing and editing hours are worth it when I get emails or messages from readers remarking that they did indeed learn something new by reading something I have written. This matters to me because I know how precious time is and I want a reader to feel like they acquired some facts! It also is gratifying to know that by reading something I wrote someone starts thinking about an aspect of the world in a new way, especially by making unexpected connections (for example, I get this a lot when I point out that suffragist and pageant sashes are connected). This is especially gratifying when someone makes connections to their own lives. In the case of Here She Is and beauty pageants, I hope readers will see that this activity really is a complicated activity for women, at times good and at times bad, but rarely straightforward no matter the age or era.

Ultimately, my wish is that a reader will find a kernel of their own unique story to tell by reading Here She Is, or anything else I’ve written. I know that telling that story can be hard, but also that, in the end, it is worth it.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Hilary Levey Friedman is the author of Here She Is: The Complicated Reign of the Beauty Pageant in America. She is a sociologist at Brown University, where she has taught a popular course titled “Beauty Pageants in American Society.” She is a leading researcher in pageantry, merging her mother’s past experiences as Miss America 1970 with her interests as a glitz- and glamour-loving sometime pageant judge, and a mentor to Miss America 2018. Friedman also serves as the president of the Rhode Island chapter of the National Organization for Women. Her first book, Playing to Win, focused on children’s competitive afterschool activities.

 

Website * Twitter * Instagram * Facebook

 

 

THE DIARY OF ASSER LEVY

 

First Jewish Citizen

 

of New York

 

by

 

DANIELA WEIL

 

 

Genre: Historical Fiction / Middle Grade / Jewish / Colonial America

Publisher: Pelican (Arcadia Publishing)

Date of Publication: March 9, 2020

Number of Pages: 128

 

  Scroll down for the giveaway!

 

 

 

 

For twenty-four years the Dutch colony of Pernambuco in northeastern Brazil was a safe haven for Jews who had escaped the Inquisition in Europe. Recife, its capital, was known as “Colonial Jerusalem,” and it was from this religiously tolerant town that Asser Levy tells his story. When the Portuguese recaptured the territory in 1654, they brought the Inquisition and its torments with them, forcing Asser and his family and friends to flee to Holland. About fifteen ships arrive safely in Holland; Asser’s ship does not.

Through imagined diary entries based on real events, Asser tells the harrowing story of the Jewish refugees who arrived on the island of Manhattan and of some of the first court battles fought to allow religious freedom in America.

 

 

 

 

Amazon || Barnes & Noble

 

IndieBound || Bookshop

 

 

Praise

 

“The book breathes life into a little-known yet important Jewish figure of early New Amsterdam and New York. Through a series of diary entries based on fact and the author’s creation, the author brings out the emotion, drama, and conflicts of Asser Levy’s turbulent journey to a new land in search of religious freedom. … The book will add color to classroom lessons on early US history and on Jewish immigration.” —Paul Kaplan, author of Jewish New York: A History and Guide to Neighborhoods, Synagogues, and Eateries

“What an extraordinary amount of research went into it! And what a creative way of combining historical fiction and contemporary pictures. Kudos!” —Cynthia Levinson, author of The Youngest Marcher

“What a fine job [Daniela] did with this story! … The diary-style keeps the pace moving, and the adventures make it exciting. Lots of setting details bring the scenes alive, and the dialogue engages the reader in the plot. I can see how it will be easy for a young reader to identify with Asser, worrying about how (and if) he’ll succeed in his quest.” —Gail Jarrow, author of Fatal Fever

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was quite a fascinating book because while aimed at middle grade, it is one of those books that anyone can learn something from the book, and perhaps it might even spur them to do additional research into the time period.  While this book is fictionalized, it is based on actual events and the author did an amazing job of researching Asser Levy, the time period, New Amsterdam, and many other facts in the book. The bibliography is extensive and staggering.

The main aspect that I appreciated was that this story reflected that inequality has affected everyone in one form or fashion since the beginning of time. This story is set in the early to mid 1600s during the inquisition when a Jewish community was forced to leave Brazil. They ended up in New Amsterdam (now New York) and were treated unfairly despite assurances from the Dutch West India Company, that settled New Amsterdam and ran businesses from there and many other locations. Asser Levy was a young man, possibly around 18, and his determination to make his way no matter what obstacles are thrown in his path.  He won’t let anyone tell him he can’t do something and keeps focused on the end goal.

I am not a history buff by any means, but this story intrigued me. It has inspired me to learn more about the inquisition and those that settled in the colonies. The author does an outstanding job including photos and other historical information peppered throughout the chapters that enhance the story being told. A timeline is included near the end that highlights what was known of Asser Levy’s journey. There is even a glossary at the end for certain words she uses in the book that may be new to younger readers, and possibly even an older reader. I was even surprised to learn that in New York there are still plaques and statues that share this history, even of someone that was not well liked in the town and made life harder for the new immigrants.

I highly recommend this book for teachers to include in their classrooms, and for anyone that would like to take a look into the past and imagine a world long before what we know today.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daniela Weil was born in Brazil. She attended the International School in São Paulo, where she was surrounded by people and cultures from around the world. It was also there that she developed a passion for nature, art, and writing. After earning a BA in biology from Brandeis University in Boston, Weil became a field research biologist. She participated in various whale projects, including illustrating the first field guide for whales and dolphins in Brazil.

Being a mother rekindled her desire to share her passion about the natural world. She joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and attended workshops on writing nonfiction and science for kids. After writing several articles on science and history, she ventured into books. Weil attended the Texas Library Association annual conference with her SCBWI group and met the folks from Pelican, who were intrigued by her middle-grade book idea. As the project developed, her research took her back to Brazil and across the world, chasing Asser’s experiences.

When not on the hunt for new experiences, Weil makes her home in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Erik, and daughter, Lucy.

 

 

 

 Facebook ║ Website ║ Jewish Book Council

 

 Instagram ║ Goodreads ║ Amazon ║ Twitter

 

 

 

————————————-

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

ONE WINNER gets a signed hardcover copy of the book.

 September 22-October 2, 2020

(U.S. Only)

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

 

Visit the Lone Star Literary LIfe Tour Page

 

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

 

Or, visit the blogs directly

 

 

9/22/20	Book Trailer	Chapter Break Book Blog
9/22/20	BONUS Post	Hall Ways Blog
9/23/20	Author Interview	Max Knight
9/24/20	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
9/25/20	Sneak Peek	Texas Book Lover
9/26/20	Review	Reading by Moonlight
9/27/20	Author Interview	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
9/28/20	Top Ten	All the Ups and Downs
9/29/20	Review	Librariel Book Adventures
9/30/20	Scrapbook Page	The Adventures of a Travelers Wife
10/1/20	Review	Book Bustle

 

 

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