The Adventures of Forkman: What’s That Noise?

 

by Tiffany Caldwell and W.R. MacKenzie

 

Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7), 38 pages

 

Children’s Picture Book

 

Publisher: Mascot Books

 

Synopsis

 

When poor manners are present, Forkman will be there to save the day! Join Kathryn and William as they learn how to load the dishwasher properly and avoid inappropriate distractions at the table with the help of all their utensil friends. This second book in the Adventures of Forkman series is a great introduction to mealtime etiquette for readers of all ages.

 

 

Amazon.com * B&N * Mascot Books

 

 

Review

 

This is a delightful book that aims to teach children proper mealtime etiquette and how to load the dishwasher so that everything comes out nice and clean. This is the second installment and contains chapters 3 and 4. I say this so you aren’t confused wondering why it has chapters 3 and 4 in it and you wonder where the first two chapters disappeared to!

This book is very colorful and will appeal to slightly older children, I would say ages 5-8. Younger children will enjoy the colorful images and might learn something from Forkman’s instruction, but it may not resonate with them quite yet.

I liked the no nonsense approach to Forkman’s teachings of how to load a dishwasher and what sounds are not appropriate at the dinner table, which even included phones. I especially liked how this is a family lesson and they all learned a little something from Forkman. They also enjoy spending time together playing games and eating dinner which helps foster a stronger family unit.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Authors

 

Tiffany Caldwell: I have worked with children for over thirteen years and every year basic manners become less evident. When I was growing up, my sisters and I took etiquette classes during the summer while we visited our grandparents. Etiquette was always a big part of our upbringing. ​ When we would have our family dinners, my dad, W.R. MacKenzie, would make our utensils come to life as we were eating. Forkman became a part of our dinner routine! ​ I am a mother of three great kids and a military wife to my hero. A few years ago, I told my dad we needed to start writing our story. We are so excited to share Forkman with the world!

 

W.R. MacKenzie: I spent thirty-nine years in the bakery business. After I retired and my four children were grown, I felt it was time to share the importance of the family meal with the world. ​​​​​The Adventures of Forkman teaches children how to properly conduct themselves at the table. Our books are filled with characters all children can relate with and I believe Forkman and his crew will help children of all ages learn manners and table etiquette.

 

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Giveaway

 

Autographed copy of THE ADVENTURES OF FORKMAN (USA only) (1 winner) (ends Mar 12)

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Synopsis

 

ONE LOVE STORY. TWO MARRIAGES. THREE VERSIONS OF THE TRUTH.

Skye Starling is overjoyed when her boyfriend, Burke Michaels, proposes after a whirlwind courtship. Though Skye seems to have the world at her fingertips―she’s smart, beautiful, and from a well-off family―she’s also battled crippling OCD ever since her mother’s death when she was eleven, and her romantic relationships have suffered as a result.

But now Burke―handsome, older, and more emotionally mature than any man she’s met before―says he wants her. Forever. Except, Burke isn’t who he claims to be. And interspersed letters to his therapist reveal the truth: he’s happily married, and using Skye for his own, deceptive ends.

In a third perspective, set thirty years earlier, a scrappy seventeen-year-old named Heather is determined to end things with Burke, a local bad boy, and make a better life for herself in New York City. But can her adolescent love stay firmly in her past―or will he find his way into her future?

On a collision course she doesn’t see coming, Skye throws herself into wedding planning, as Burke’s scheme grows ever more twisted. But of course, even the best laid plans can go astray. And just when you think you know where this story is going, you’ll discover that there’s more than one way to spin the truth.

 

 

 

IndieBound * Powells * BAM * Powells

 

The book releases March 2nd, 2021

 

Review

 

This book will take you on quite a ride through the lives of three individuals – Burke, Heather, and Skye. Their stories flip from the past to the present and the deception that is revealed is shocking and at times, unbelievable. The book is divided into two parts and this book reminds me of Gone Girl in a way, that you believe one thing to be true and then find out that you couldn’t have been more wrong.

I’ve been trying to figure out how to share what I liked without giving away too much. I will say that I missed some obvious clues about these three and how their stories intersect. But maybe I didn’t and they were just obvious in the second part of the book. It is quite an eye opener and how I felt about the different characters changed and those that I liked or felt sorry for, I now despised. This book definitely got into my head.

I think Skye is the most likable character and the one that I felt sorry for because I thought she was an innocent pawn in this whole debacle. Not that she is totally innocent, but I can see how she got swept up in her feelings for Burke and what he provided for her. You will learn about Skye’s OCD compulsions which are a part of her self image issues. But considering how cruel people can be, especially when they are teenagers, it isn’t a huge surprise.

I had mixed feelings about Burke and Heather. I liked them and hated them all at the same time, especially when the truth is revealed near the end. I think Heather is a bit naive too and she learns near the end of the book what might make her happy isn’t quite as fulfilling as she thought. I fear if I say too much more it will spoil the story.

This is a look into the psyche of the characters and what makes them tick and what lengths are they willing to go to in order to ensure happiness. You might be surprised at their discoveries by the end.

This is definitely a book that will get into your head and we give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Carola Lovering is the author of TELL ME LIES (out now from Atria Books) and TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE (forthcoming from St. Martin’s Press, early 2021). She attended Colorado College, and her writing has appeared in W Magazine, National Geographic, Outside, and Yoga Journal, among other publications. She lives in Connecticut.

 

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Synopsis

 

In one of the year’s most anticipated debut psychological thrillers, a family made infamous by a true crime documentary is found dead, leaving their surviving son to uncover the truth about their final days.

“They found the bodies on a Tuesday.” So begins this twisty and breathtaking novel that traces the fate of the Pine family, a thriller that will both leave you on the edge of your seat and move you to tears.

After a late night of partying, NYU student Matt Pine returns to his dorm room to devastating news: nearly his entire family—his mom, his dad, his little brother and sister—have been found dead from an apparent gas leak while vacationing in Mexico. The local police claim it was an accident, but the FBI and State Department seem far less certain—and they won’t tell Matt why.

The tragedy makes headlines everywhere because this isn’t the first time the Pine family has been thrust into the media spotlight. Matt’s older brother, Danny—currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his teenage girlfriend Charlotte—was the subject of a viral true crime documentary suggesting that Danny was wrongfully convicted. Though the country has rallied behind Danny, Matt holds a secret about his brother that he’s never told anyone: the night Charlotte was killed Matt saw something that makes him believe his brother is guilty of the crime.

When Matt returns to his small hometown to bury his parents and siblings, he’s faced with a hostile community that was villainized by the documentary, a frenzied media, and memories he’d hoped to leave behind forever. Now, as the deaths in Mexico appear increasingly suspicious and connected to Danny’s case, Matt must unearth the truth behind the crime that sent his brother to prison—putting his own life in peril—and forcing him to confront his every last fear.

Told through multiple points-of-view and alternating between past and present, Alex Finlay’s Every Last Fear is not only a page-turning thriller, it’s also a poignant story about a family managing heartbreak and tragedy, and living through a fame they never wanted.

 

 

 

Preorder now, release date is March 2nd, 2021

 

 

Review

 

I have enjoyed psychological thrillers lately. Perhaps it is the way the author draws you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat as each new bit of information unfolds and sucks you further and further into the story. This book is no exception.

The story is told from multiple points of view and I think that made the story that much better because without the various perspectives we wouldn’t have a full understanding of the big picture. Plus we would have been left wondering how did Matt’s family die and why? But hearing from each character (outside of Tommy the youngest), pieces of the puzzle start falling into place but I still had no idea who was behind it all until the very end. There might be a few clues scattered throughout the book, but they were not obvious to me to put the pieces together.

The characters are very different and I really liked Matt’s “misfit” gang of friends from his first semester in the dorms. This group really looks out for each other and their personalities all mesh well with each other. Ganesh is a true friend and it is quite humorous that he is the richest but cares the least about money and more about experiences.

Sarah Keller is a tough FBI agent but has a soft spot for her kids and her husband. Her husband is quite a hoot and it is obvious how much they adore each other. While a minor part of the story and rounds it out and reflects the outside life of the FBI agent. Sarah is smart and is able to obtain information from others without putting the case at risk.

The book has its moments that left me on edge and hoping that something bad wouldn’t happen. I even felt some sympathy for Danny who was incarcerated for a crime that he may not have committed. But it takes the full book to find out the truth about what happened that night at the party.

Overall this is a very good book and if you are into psychological thrillers then you will like this one. We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Alex Finlay is the pseudonym of an author who lives in Washington, D.C. Born in the American South, Alex spent years traversing the globe, from a tropical island in the Pacific to a small village in the UK to a remote region in the Far East. But it was on a trip to Tulum, Mexico that Alex was inspired to write Every Last Fear.

 

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Synopsis

 

Can you really have the best of both worlds?

He’s rich, successful—and has been faithfully married to his longtime girlfriend for nearly one gruelingyear. Because for Dr. Dorian Graham, too many women is never too much—no matter how loyal his wife, Shantae, has been since their college days. So when she proposes they celebrate their first anniversary by each spending a no-questions-asked, no-consequences night with their greatest temptation, Dorian is shocked, but can’t resist. Especially since Shantae’s wild-card younger sister, Reagan, is gorgeous, uninhibited—and the one who got away . . .

It turns out one sizzling night with Reagan isn’t enough. Yet the more Dorian takes, the more she demands—and the more he suddenly has to lose. Soon, with his mind games being used against him and his every move checkmated, Dorian will be forced to go all-in on one last desperate play to win. But winning might just be another way to crash and burn . . .

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo

 

 

Review

 

This was an ok book until the last chapter and then *bam* the twists it hit me with was a shocker. I don’t know what category to put this book in because it is not romance, not really suspense/thriller, so maybe just fiction? Others have said romantic suspense…maybe.

Not many of the characters are likable. Dorian is a cheater, Reagan is a sleaze, and Shante appears weak. I really had a hard time finding anything redeemable about any of the characters except maybe some of the minor characters.

Shante has decided to give Dorian a hall pass for their one year anniversary. At first, he doesn’t want to do it, but he has this hardon for her sister, Reagan. Ummm, if I was given a hall pass I would not use it on someone I might see on a regular basis. But, had he not chosen Reagan, the ending wouldn’t have happened as it did. Reagan definitely doesn’t understand the concept of a one night stand and she continues to come on to Dorian and entice him into continuing a sexual relationship with her. This is not going to end well for anyone, and it doesn’t. I won’t spoil anything in case you wish to read the book, but everything is a hot mess until the very end, and even then I wondered about Reagan’s mental state. I still wonder about her mental state…she is definitely not stable.

While reading this book I wondered where it was possibly going and how it would end. Dorian gets his just rewards (my only “spoiler”) and there are some unanswered questions. The sex scenes are somewhat graphic and frequent. Maybe just a little over the top for my personal taste, but I’m sure just the right amount for others.

Overall I am giving this book 3 paws up. The ending was a surprise but looking back, maybe it shouldn’t have been. However, there really aren’t any clues as to how this will all end up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Briana Cole is an acclaimed author, motivational speaker, sex educator, and actress. Her novels are known for exploring unconventional relationships and making readers question all expectations about love, lust, and monogamy. An Atlanta native, she graduated cum laude from Georgia Southern University and is a proud member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Her motto and ultimate drive toward success is a famous quote from Mae West: “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

 

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At Close Range: A Memoir of Tragedy and Advocacy

By Leesa Ross

 

Publisher: Texas Tech University Press

Pages: 192

Pub Date: April 15, 2020

Categories: Nonfiction / Memoir / Personal Transformation / Advocacy

 

 

 

 

Leesa Ross did not expect to write a book. Neither did she expect the tragedy that her family endured, a horrific and sudden death that led her to write At Close Range. Her debut memoir is the story of what happened after her son Jon died in a freak gun accident at a party. Ross unsparingly shares the complexities of grief as it ripples through the generations of her family, then chronicles how the loss of Jon has sparked a new life for her as a prominent advocate for gun safety.  Before the accident, Ross never had a motivation to consider the role that guns played in her life. Now, she revisits ways in which guns became a part of everyday life for her three sons and their friends.

 

Ross’s attitude towards guns is thorny. She has collectors and hunters in her family. To balance her advocacy, she joined both Moms Demand Action and the NRA. Through At Close Range, the national conversation about gun control plays out in one family’s catalyzing moment and its aftermath. However, At Close Range ultimately shows one mother’s effort to create meaning from tragedy and find a universally reasonable position and focal point: gun safety and responsible ownership.

 

 

 

Purchase from TTU Press

 

 

 

The role of guns in our society receives mixed thoughts. There are those that think they should be banned and there are those that believe in the right to bear arms. This memoir shows that there can be a balance between the two and it comes down to understanding the power that a gun can hold and being smart and safe using guns.

 

“I just didn’t believe bad things would happen to people like us, people in the bubble. I didn’t believe Jon would ever be in a room with an unsecured gun and not enough gun safety to survive.”

 

Leesa dealt with a tragedy that no parent should have to endure, the loss of a child through a gun accident. While the truth about what actually happened that night is still unknown due to mixed stories, the end result is the same, a young man lost his life and that impacted his family and friends. From the book, it seems to have affected Leesa the most, and perhaps that is because these are her words and only impressions of what her husband and sons might be feeling after the accident. Reading her words, I could feel her sorrow as she progressed through the stages of grief. What impressed me is that she didn’t try and cover up her own faults and admits to being selfish and feels guilty.

 

“After something tragic overwhelms your life, it takes a while to determine your guilt. I always look for my guilt when anything goes wrong. Those early days were too soon for me though. I wanted a label for what I believe even while my pain was still fresh.”

“I can’t fully explain why our marriage survived. I think it was because while I am selfish, Randy isn’t.”

 

The majority of this book is about their life as a family, the moves they made from Texas to North Carolina, and the fallout from Jon’s death. Leesa didn’t agree with the suicide listing on the death certificate and fought to have it changed, to no success. There are some strong facts that would make me question the diagnosis but no one seemed to think her ideas had merit. Her struggle to accept this shines throughout the book. During her period of grief, she realized there was more that she wanted to do but wasn’t quite sure where to start. She joined several organizations that sought to educate people on gun safety and how to secure them properly. One of those programs is Be Smart and Leesa was a speaker for this organization. Like any advocacy group, there are those that have extreme views on guns. The following came from a review of their book, but Leesa said it predicted what she was about to experience in her own efforts.

 

What I came to see is that Moms Demand Action, the leadership group for Be Smart, is an organization where volunteers “are expected to conform to a set of rigid and condescending rules, not ask too many questions or provide constructive criticisms.”

 

It was during her educational discussions that she realized how she wanted to focus her energies, and that was on older children that were outside what Be Smart targeted. I like that her presentations were about safety and how to ensure that people did not have to go through the pain of losing someone to a gun accident. She created six pillars to educate on gun safety and even created a pledge for young people to sign. She made an impact on those she spoke to and made a difference in their lives by reframing how they think about guns and their safety. I appreciate that she is not trying to stop people from owning guns, just to be safe around them and how they are handled, and for opening the door for parents to have conversations about gun safety with their children.

This book can be a hard one for some to read, especially if they lost someone due to a gun accident, but I think that most will be able to relate to Leesa and what she endured and how she processed her grief. It sends a strong message and the story is not prettied up to make everyone feel good because this is not a feel good story. But it is a story with a message that any reader should be able to obtain after reading this book.

We give the book 4 paws up and will send readers down the path and look at their own lives and what are they doing to educate on gun safety.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leesa Ross is a debut author who’s transformed a tragedy into a mission for safety. After losing a son to a shooting accident, she formed Lock Arms for Life, an educational organization teaching gun safety. A Texas mother of three, she leads Lock Arms, sits on the board of Texas Gun Sense, and belongs to the NRA.

 

 

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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

 

Five winners each get a hardcover copy of At Close Range.

 

US Only. Ends midnight, CST, 2/26/21.

 

 

 

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:

 

 

2/16/21	Review	Hall Ways Blog
2/16/21	Review	Reading by Moonlight
2/17/21	BONUS Promo	LSBBT Blog
2/17/21	Review	Missus Gonzo
2/18/21	Review	The Clueless Gent
2/18/21	Review	The Plain-Spoken Pen
2/19/21	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
2/20/21	Review	Tangled in Text
2/21/21	Review	Jennie Reads
2/22/21	Review	Julia Picks 1
2/22/21	Review	Book Fidelity
2/23/21	Review	The Page Unbound
2/24/21	Review	It’s Not All Gravy
2/24/21	Review	The Adventures of a Travelers Wife
2/25/21	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
2/25/21	Review	Forgotten Winds

 

 

Synopsis

 

The nightmare is far from over.

After surviving the EMP blast that crippled their cruise ship, the exhausted passengers from Rose of the Sea finally reach dry land. But the deserted island has a sinister history, and one wrong step on its sandy shores can mean the difference between life and death.

Gunner. When Gunner loses his position as leader, he fears the threadbare semblance of order will fray into lawlessness—and nothing will be left to stand in the way of desperate humans.

Gabby. Now also caring for an orphaned child, Gabby is determined to see herself and her tortured family to safety on the mainland. But without her epilepsy medication, her condition is a ticking time bomb—a fatal seizure can strike at any moment.

Zon. Hungry for power, Zon appoints himself as leader of the fracturing group. When a reckless decision leads to a deadly accident, he finds himself at the mercy of the island and those he tried to control.

Tempers are high. Supplies are low. Will the group shatter into chaos? Or will the island’s deadly secrets destroy all they have left?

Find out in this gripping post-apocalyptic EMP survival thriller.

FERAL FATE is the second book in the Waves of Fate series.

This gripping EMP apocalyptic disaster/survival series follows survivors in a desperate fight to stay alive and is perfect for fans of Mike Kraus, Ryan Schow, Grace Hamilton, Harley Tate, JJ Pike, Jack Hunt, JJ Holden, and Kyla Stone.

 

 

 

Read for Free on Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

This is the follow-up book to First Fate which I just loved and had me rethinking about ever taking a cruise again. I had high hopes for this book and it did not disappoint.

In this book, the small number of survivors from the cruise ship end up on an island. Sadly, the island is deserted which means they have to use all of their skills to stay alive. Thankfully, there are several in the group that have the skills needed to find food, water, shelter, etc. There is tension between some of the survivors and Zon is definitely a loose cannon. He was in the first book and he doesn’t change his tune in this book. The only thing that keeps him going and assisting everyone else is another survivor, Jessie. Perhaps she is using her feminine wiles on him, or maybe she really does like him.

While a lot of the book seems to focus on Zon, we do have more insight into the other main characters. I am still on the fence about Gabby. She is more concerned about herself and the kids than everyone else especially when her husband, Mac, wants to jump in and help everyone else. It is his calling and she doesn’t quite seem to understand that. However, she does have a redeeming moment when she realizes that perhaps she is not pulling her weight the way she should.

Gunner is still a leader at heart and he has learned how to manipulate everyone to help make sure everyone survives. I use the word manipulate, but not in a bad way. He can read people and understands what makes them tick and how he needs to approach them to ensure that everything is handled as situations arise.

The death count continues to rise on the island and the discovery of a small yacht gives them hope that perhaps they can still be rescued. No one knows what is going on anywhere else in the world as the EMP has knocked out all communications and even the discovery of HAM radios doesn’t raise anyone to find out what is going on in the world. I am amazed at the hope that everyone has that they will still be rescued.

I don’t want to divulge too much, but the ending….oh my goodness! It definitely helps fill in a few blanks and leaves you hanging for the last book in this series. I cannot wait to read that one and see how this all ends.

I stayed up late reading this book and could not put it down. I have to give it 5 paws up and highly recommend this series.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Kendall Talbot is a thrill seeker, hopeless romantic, and award-winning author. She’s sought thrills in all 46 countries she’s visited. She’s abseiled down freezing waterfalls, fought the white-water in a rubber raft, jumped off a mountain with a man who spoke little English, and got way too close to a sixteen-foot shark. When she isn’t writing, she’s enjoying wine and cheese with her crazy friends, and planning her next thrilling international escape.

She lives in Brisbane, Australia with her very own hero and a fluffy little dog who specializes in hijacking her writing time.

 

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Synopsis

 

Eighteen-year-old Amelia Griffin is obsessed with the famous Orman Chronicles, written by the young and reclusive prodigy N. E. Endsley. They’re the books that brought her and her best friend Jenna together after Amelia’s father left and her family imploded. So when Amelia and Jenna get the opportunity to attend a book festival with Endsley in attendance, Amelia is ecstatic. It’s the perfect way to start off their last summer before college.

In a heartbeat, everything goes horribly wrong. When Jenna gets a chance to meet the author and Amelia doesn’t, the two have a blowout fight like they’ve never experienced. And before Amelia has a chance to mend things, Jenna is killed in a freak car accident. Grief-stricken, and without her best friend to guide her, Amelia questions everything she had planned for the future.

When a mysterious, rare edition of the Orman Chronicles arrives, Amelia is convinced that it somehow came from Jenna. Tracking the book to an obscure but enchanting bookstore in Michigan, Amelia is shocked to find herself face-to-face with the enigmatic and handsome N. E. Endsley himself, the reason for Amelia’s and Jenna’s fight and perhaps the clue to what Jenna wanted to tell her all along.

Ashley Schumacher’s devastating and beautiful debut, Amelia Unabridged, is about finding hope and strength within yourself, and maybe, just maybe, falling in love while you do it.

 

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * BAM * IndieBound

 

 

Review

 

What an unexpected book. I started this, not knowing what to expect (and I didn’t go back and read the synopsis) and I was drawn in from the start and had a hard time putting the book down. It was only when my eyes were drooping did I put the book down. Something woke me early this morning and so of course I picked up the book and finished reading it because I had to know how the book ended.

This book is heavier than what you might expect, it deals with death/dying, grief, and guilt. But it also has wonderment, friendship, and hope for the future.

I loved the friendship between Jenna and Amelia. While it might have seemed one sided, you could see how Jenna and her family cared about Amelia by taking her in and treating her like one of the family. However, part of that friendship did cause Amelia to feel like she had to do certain things because it was what Jenna wanted and because she died, Amelia feels obligated to keep those dreams alive.  But at what cost?  That is part of the journey for Amelia to discover her dreams and passions without Jenna.

I really enjoyed Amelia’s trip to Michigan to discover where this book came from and who sent it to her. In her wildest dreams, she never expects to meet the author herself in this quaint little town. But he has some secrets of his own that keep him from living a full life. The interaction between these two is heart-wrenchingly good. (ok that is probably not a word but how I felt reading the book).

There are a few other characters (Alex and Val) that bring some levity to the story, but they are only looking out for Nolan. You can see the love for each other that has spanned many years.

These are a few of my favorite lines:

 

“What have you done with my devil-may-care friend?” I grin, “I canoodled him.”

Jenna ordered informational pamphlets from the top three contenders on what I had come to call her College Deathmatch Spreadsheet.

This is beyond bizarre The mighty N.E. Endsley is showing me phone pictures? A fever dream, that’s what this is. I’m dying and this is apparently all my brain can manage to give me in my final moments.

“You must choose, Amelia, what you want your life to be. Only you can provide the courage necessary to tirelessly pursue your choices, and therefore it must be you who decides the path before you.”

“What I wrote made somebody light up from the inside and made her fearsome to behold without her having to move a muscle.”

 

This book really spoke to my soul and we have to give it 5 paws ups.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

ASHLEY SCHUMACHER is a young adult author with a degree in creative writing from the University of North Texas. She lives in a small town with her antisocial but lovable husband and more books than is strictly necessary. When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her belting Disney or Broadway songs, protecting her snacks from her greedy golden retriever, hand embroidering, or playing Mario Kart. Amelia Unabridged is her first novel. She lives in Dallas, Texas.

 

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Smothered: A Whipped and Sipped Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Publisher: D. X. Varos, Ltd. (February 16, 2021)
Paperback: 258 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Alene Baron doesn’t go looking for mysteries, they find her. When the highly disliked owner of a business neighboring the Whipped and Sipped Cafe turns up dead, the list of potential suspects is pretty long, including all of the members of his quarrelsome family. Missing wills, convenient accidents, and enough red herring to feed the lunch crowd spice up this tantalizing tale. As always, while pondering the evidence, Alene also comes up with creative vegan dishes to serve her customers and share with you.

 

 

Amazon – B&N

 

 

Review

 

Alene is back with her vegetarian/vegan cafe and coffeehouse, a cast of intriguing characters, and a mystery that you may or may not be able to solve before all is revealed.

I’m thankful that the author provides a list of characters at the beginning of the book with a brief bio on each one because there are many characters to keep straight! If you have read the first book, Battered, you will recognize many from that book, but there are many new characters to make this mystery interesting. There are characters that will make you crazy, some that you will empathize with, and others that you will love.

There are quite a few storylines in this book. There is the murder, disappearance of one of the staff from the cafe, Alene’s father’s stay in the hospital, and the budding romance between Alene and Frank.

There are quite a few red herrings in the book and I never would have suspected the killer. There are a few clues peppered throughout the book, but not many. Alene jumps to a lot of conclusions and never quite gets it right until the end and thankfully doesn’t put herself in too much danger.

I think my favorite character might be Cal, Alene’s father. He is suffering from a debilitating disease but has such a great outlook on life and what he is going through.

I do enjoy the Chicago setting and based on what I read, it sounds like most everything for Alene is close to where she lives and I feel like I am able to take a peek into her world.

This is a fun new series and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

G.P. Gottlieb has worked as a musician, a teacher, and an administrator, but she’s happiest when writing recipe-laced murder mysteries. Battered: A Whipped and Sipped Mystery and Smothered: A Whipped and Sipped Mystery take place in the spring and summer of 2019 and a third book in the series will center on a murder that occurs during the city of Chicago’s lockdown in May 2020. G.P. Gottlieb has always experimented in the kitchen and created her delicious vegan cookies and cakes in direct opposition to what she learned in courses at Chicago’s French Pastry School. She is a host for New Books in Literature, a podcast channel on the New Books Network, the mother of three grown children, and lives with her husband in a Chicago high-rise that is strikingly similar to the building portrayed in the Whipped and Sipped Mystery series.

 

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Giveaway

 

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GRAND OPENINGS CAN BE MURDER

 

Bean to Bar Mysteries Book 1

 

by

 

AMBER ROYER

 

 

Categories: Cozy Mystery / Women Sleuth / Romance

Publisher: Golden Tip Press

Date of Publication: February 2, 2021

Number of Pages: 266 pages

 

 

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Felicity Koerber has had a rough year. She’s moving back to Galveston Island and opening a bean to bar chocolate factory, fulfilling a dream she and her late husband, Kevin, had shared. Craft chocolate means a chance to travel the world, meeting with farmers and bringing back beans she can turn into little blocks of happiness, right close to home and family. She thinks trouble has walked into her carefully re-built world when puddle-jump pilot Logan Hanlon shows up at her grand opening to order custom chocolates. Then one of her employees drops dead at the party, and Felicity’s one-who-got-away ex-boyfriend – who’s now a cop – thinks Felicity is a suspect.

 

As the murder victim’s life becomes more and more of a mystery, Felicity realizes that if she’s going to clear her name in time to save her business, she might need Logan’s help. Though she’s not sure if she’s ready to let anyone into her life – even if it is to protect her from being the killer’s next victim.  For Felicity, Galveston is all about history, and a love-hate relationship with the ocean, which keeps threatening to deliver another hurricane – right into the middle of her investigation. Can she figure it out before all the clues get washed away?

FIRST IN A NEW SERIES

 

 

 

 

Amazon│ Barnes and Noble │Apple Books

 

 

Bookshop.org│Kobo│IndieBound

 

 

 

Praise

 

“With as many unpredictable twists and turns as the hurricane approaching Galveston, Grand Openings Can Be Murder is an intriguing cozy mystery set in a new chocolate shop along the island’s historic Strand. Readers will love learning about the bean-to-bar chocolate-making process while the store’s owner, Felicity, pursues truth, justice, and the perfect chocolate bar.”

— Diane Kelly, Award-winning author of the Death & Taxes, Paw Enforcement, House Flipper, and Busted mystery series.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate, Murder, and a Hurricane

 

You might have noticed that I started with chocolate because that is the most important thing about the book. Well, in my eyes anyway! All the luscious dark cacao, the processing, and the love put into the single origin bars. This book will teach you a lot that you didn’t know you needed to know about chocolate.

Chocolate aside (but really, who can put chocolate aside?!), this is a fun cozy mystery with a determined protagonist to prove her innocence and solve the murder, a loveable bunny that knows when to protect his family, and a storm that could create some havoc on Galveston, Texas.

I really liked Felicity. She is still suffering through the loss of her husband a year ago, yet foraging ahead in bringing their dream to life. She is also not afraid to jump into the thick of things and try and solve this crime despite knowing nothing about how to decipher the clues and figure out who the murderer might be. I like that she admits to all of her experience coming from books and TV mystery shows. Despite that, it doesn’t slow her down and she does find herself in harms way several times while seeking the truth.

I really enjoyed how the story and the mystery came together. It built up to the conclusion, much like the hurricane that thrashed Galveston. I have heard that there are some that won’t leave their homes even in the case of a hurricane, and this book was no different. In fact, there was a party at a local hotel for those that did not leave the island. Personally, I think that is nuts, but I suppose if you have lived through one (or more hurricanes) then this one won’t be so bad.

While I suspected who the killer was, I discounted this character because I just didn’t think it was possible and couldn’t figure out the “why.” It was quite a revelation and the pieces fell together like a puzzle in the end.

Outside of the mystery, I found the characters to be well rounded and intriguing. Many of Felicity’s friends are very supportive, along with her aunt and uncle. I was suspicious of some of her friends/coworkers and their motives, but I attribute that to the author’s writing and throwing some red herrings into the mix that made me question my suspicions.

There is a hint of a potential romance between Felicity and Logan. Logan is a former police officer, turned bodyguard, turned tour guide. Felicity has her reservations because she still misses her husband, but I think that this could develop into more in future books and I look forward to seeing how that relationship develops.

There was only one thing missing, recipes for her chocolate truffles and more. I salivated over the description of the truffles and I would love to know more about how to make them and infuse herbs and other flavors. Perhaps in future books, the author will share a few recipes with us.

This is a delicious new series and I look forward to future books that share mouth watering descriptions of chocolate, life in Galveston, and perhaps a mystery to solve.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amber Royer writes the CHOCOVERSE comic telenovela-style foodie-inspired space opera series, and the BEAN TO BAR MYSTERIES. She is also the author of STORY LIKE A JOURNALIST: A WORKBOOK FOR NOVELISTS, which boils down her writing knowledge into an actionable plan involving over 100 worksheets to build a comprehensive story plan for your novel. She blogs about creative writing techniques and all things chocolate on her website. She also teaches creative writing for both UT Arlington Continuing Education and Writing Workshops Dallas. If you are very nice to her, she might make you cupcakes.

 

 Website  ◆  Blog ◆ Facebook  ◆  Twitter

 

Amazon  ◆  Goodreads ◆  Instagram◆  YouTube

 

 

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GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

 

 ONE WINNER 

 

Autographed copy of GRAND OPENINGS CAN BE MURDER

 

and a $25 Gift Card to Dandelion Chocolate

 

End Midnight, CST, February 19, 2021

 

US 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

 

 

2/9/21	Excerpt	Texas Book Lover
2/9/21	BONUS Guest Post	Hall Ways Blog
2/9/21	BONUS Promo	LSBBT Blog
2/10/21	Top Ten	That’s What She’s Reading
2/11/21	Review	Missus Gonzo
2/12/21	Playlist	All the Ups and Downs
2/13/21	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
2/14/21	Author Interview	Rebecca R. Cahill, Author
2/15/21	Review	Forgotten Winds
2/16/21	Scrapbook Page	KayBee’s Book Shelf
2/17/21	Review	The Page Unbound
2/18/21	Review	It’s Not All Gravy

 

 

 

 

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PUDGE AND PREJUDICE

 

by

 

A.K. PITTMAN

 

 

Categories: YA / Clean & Wholesome Romance / ’80s

Publisher: Wander (a division of Tyndale House)

Date of Publication: January 12, 2021

Number of Pages: 352 pages

 

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A Mixtape of Big ‘80s Style, High School Angst, and a Classic Jane Austen Tale

It’s 1984 and after moving to Northenfield, Texas, with her family, Elyse Nebbit faces the challenge of finding her place in a new school, one dominated by social status and Friday night football. When Elyse’s effortlessly beautiful older sister Jayne starts dating golden boy Charlie Bingley, Elyse finds herself curious about Charlie’s popular and brooding best friend, Billy Fitz. Elyse’s body insecurities eventually complicate her relationship with Billy, leaving Jayne and Elyse’s exceedingly blunt friend, Lottie, to step in and help Elyse accept herself for who she is, pant size and all.

 

 

Bookshop.org│ IndieBound │Books-a-Million

 

Barnes and Noble│ Parable│ Christianbook

 

Target│ Walmart │Tyndale │Amazon

 

 

Praise

 

Written with wit and considerable insight into the highs and lows of first love, this coming-of-age twist on the Jane Austen classic had me laughing out loud, singing ‘80s lyrics in my head, and cheering on the brilliant, yet self-deprecating heroine. Pudge & Prejudice is a joy to read from beginning to end! —Lorie Langdon author of Olivia Twist and the Disney Villains series

Allison Pittman will have readers laughing (and singing) on every page of this delightfully tenderhearted novel for all ages…[She] crafts a particularly savvy character who learns that beauty really is soul-deep…. —Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of Perennials

I can’t remember the last time I loved a book as much as I love this one. It’s an instant classic I will return to time after time. —Bethany Turner, Award-Winning Author of The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck

 

 

 

 

 

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I LOVED this book!  It isn’t because it is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice (I don’t think I have read the original by Jane Austen, don’t shoot me!). I connected to this book on multiple levels. This book is set in a small Texas town in the mid-80s and I attended high school in a small town in Texas in the 80s. I wasn’t part of the popular clique, much like Elyse, and wondered where I fit in with my classmates. I am the oldest of five (almost all girls) and Elyse is the second oldest of five, and I could relate to her and Jayne babysitting and watching the younger siblings. Then there are all of the 80s references, from clothes to music to movies and so much more. There are also the Texas football references that are so true. Texans seem to revere football and they go big and bold with anything related to the sport. And when they spoke about the rectangular pizza served in the school cafeteria? Yup, that was my favorite lunch day too. I don’t know why that piece of pizza was so good. Talk about a giant flashback!

Elyse is like many fifteen year olds. She is self-conscious about her body, has a hard time knowing where she fits in and has fallen in love with someone that might be unattainable. But that doesn’t seem to stop her from making the best of her life. I loved that her best friend is her sister, Jayne. They have many wonderful conversations during this novel, and I think both of them are able to give fitting advice when the need arises. They also support each other and never seem to let each other down. Elyse’s mother, while loving, always seems to make comments about her weight. That is hard on a teenage girl no matter the decade.

Lydia…this slightly younger sister is in too much of a hurry to grow up and is boy crazy at a young age. She definitely puts an interesting spin on their family and somehow manages to stay one small step ahead of trouble. Lydia is a sister you love to hate, but love that much more especially when she is helping you with your fashion sense.

Do you remember your teenage crushes? Elyse has it in spades for Billy Fitz, the star quarterback. Billy is rather aloof to Elyse and really a lot of people. As the story progresses, we learn more about Billy and his life and the pieces fall into place. I loved how he realizes that perhaps the way he has been going through life isn’t the best and despite all of his initial thoughts about Elyse, she is the one that speaks to his soul and forces him to take another look at reality. There is a lot of miscommunication between the two and you wonder if they will work things out or not.

My least favorite character was Lottie. Lottie is rather blunt about many things and doesn’t mince words when speaking her mind. While she may be correct with some of her thoughts, she hasn’t learned how to temper her words so perhaps they don’t stab you through the heart. Every story needs that one character that forces you to see reality and that was definitely Lottie.

I did question some of the locations which forced me to do an internet search. Many times I was surprised at the results of my searches and learned some new things. I still wonder where the state football game was played because there weren’t many large stadiums in Arlington in the mid 80s that I remember. The only stadium that might have been large enough is the UTA Maverick Stadium since that might have been the largest football field compared to the local high schools, but there isn’t seating in the end zones, and this is supposedly where the band sat during the game. This is a curse when you live in the town that is mentioned as hosting the state playoff game, you try and see it through what you know of the area.

There were so many lines that spoke to me throughout the book. Many of Elyse’s thoughts and feelings were those that I had growing up and sometimes even today. I really think Elyse is a kindred soul. Here are some of my favorite lines:

 

“I’ve always found something I needed more than a smaller waist. Like to read more books…”

“I would rather stand my ground in all my wrongness than step one foot into someone else’s idea of right, even if it means I’m sometimes left standing alone.”

“She had perfected the vernacular of the Valley Girl, even though we’d never spent more than a week in California.”

 

We have to give this book 5 paws up for the memories and the angst of being a teen in the 1980s. I think this book will resonate the most with anyone that grew up in the 80s or anyone that is fascinated with that time period. Or anyone that likes clean romance, YA, or a retelling of P&P set in Texas.

 

 

 

 

If you feel like you need a playlist of all the songs listed in the book, check out this playlist from That’s What She’s Reading

 

 

 

 

 

Allison Pittman is an award-winning author of thirteen novels, including the Christy-nominated Sister Wife series and the critically acclaimed The Seamstress. An enthusiast for all of the writing world, Allison holds active leadership in her local American Christian Fiction Writers chapter, and she heads up a thriving critique group in the San Antonio area.

When not writing, Allison teaches middle school English, working as a conduit to introduce her students to new, fresh literature. You can follow her around on Instagram or Twitter and keep up with her writing news on her Allison Pittman Author Facebook page. Here you’ll learn what’s going on with new books, next books, and day-to-day life with Allison and her husband, Mikey. You’ll also get a peek at Snax, the world’s worst dog.

 

 

 Website  ◆  Facebook  ◆  Twitter

 

  Amazon  ◆  BookBub

 

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GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

 

 THREE WINNERS 

 

Each winner receives a SIGNED COPY of the book,

 

a hair scrunchie, and a $25 Visa Gift Card

 

Giveaway ends Midnight, CST, 2/13/2021

 

 (US 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:

 

2/3/21	Review	The Page Unbound
2/3/21	Review	Missus Gonzo
2/3/21	BONUS Promo	LSBBT Blog
2/4/21	Review	All the Ups and Downs
2/5/21	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles
2/5/21	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
2/6/21	Review	The Adventures of a Travelers Wife
2/7/21	Review	Rebecca R. Cahill, Author
2/8/21	Review	Nerd Narration
2/8/21	Review	Rainy Days with Amanda
2/9/21	Review	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
2/10/21	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
2/10/21	Review	Momma on the Rocks
2/11/21	Review	Book Fidelity
2/3/21	BONUS Promo	Hall Ways Blog
2/12/21	Review	Librariel Book Adventures
2/12/21	Review	Jennifer Silverwood

 

 

 

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