Review – Weepers by Nick Chiarkas @chiarkas

.

Woo Hoo, lucky me. I won Weepers by Nick Chiarkas…and Nunzio’s Way…in a giveaway.

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

It was 1951. Angelo and his father were walking the snowy streets in a New York City housing project, when his life was changed forever. His father disappeared and the seven year old boy felt he should have done something. This coming of age story kept getting better and better, the more I read.

The boy already knew the first rule of the jungle: If it moves away from you, it’s food: it it moves toward you, you’re food.

“By the time a boy hits his teens, he’s either prey, predator, or he has mastered his environment…respected by the weak and the predators.”

I can’t imagine growing up in such an environment and I can see why a child’s world can become so brutal so early in their life.

A priest, a Mafia boss, a police detective and Angelo, a gang member form an unlikely union.

Weepers made me think of West Side Story. I can see why it was voted best mystery novel. There is so much I would like to share, but I won’t. The more I read, the more involved I became in the characters lives, and I want you to find out about them for yourself. I immediately went into Nunzio’s Way, and………..well, that’s another story.

I checked out Nick Chiarkas’ bio and saw why the story felt so real to me. Be sure and take a look. He knows what he’s writing about.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

BEST MYSTERY NOVEL – JOHN E. WEAVER EXCELLENT READS AWARD & READERS’ FAVORITE WINNER – YA COMING OF AGE CATEGORY
The 1957 murder of an undercover cop in a New York City housing project has unexpected ties to the unsolved disappearance of a young father walking home in those same projects with his son, Angelo, on Christmas Eve six years before. The only witness to the cop killing is Angelo, now 13, while on his way to seek his own revenge in the early morning hours. The killers know he saw them. A series of gripping events forge a union between a priest, a Mafia boss, a police detective, and Angelo, a gang member. In the end, Weepers shows us that the courage of the underdog despite fear and moral ambiguity will conquer intimidation.

Weepers has received finalist status for the Best Novel of 2016 by the Public Safety Writers Association(PSWA), the Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA) best mystery/thriller novel of 2015, the Best Young Adult Novel for 2016 by Bookvana, and the Best Crossover (Mystery & Young Adult) for the 2017 Best Books Award.

ABOUT NICK CHIARKAS

Nick Chiarkas grew up in the Al Smith housing projects in the Two Bridges neighborhood on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

When he was in the fourth grade, his mother was told by the principal of PS-1 that, “Nick was unlikely to ever complete high school, so you must steer him toward a simple and secure vocation.” Instead, Nick became a writer, with a few stops along the way: a U.S. Army Paratrooper; a New York City Police Officer; the Deputy Chief Counsel for the President’s Commission on Organized Crime; and the Director of the Wisconsin State Public Defender Agency.

On the way to becoming an author, he picked up a Doctorate from Columbia University; a Law Degree from Temple University; and was a Pickett Fellow at Harvard. How many mothers are told their children are hopeless? How many kids with potential simply

Website / Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / Bookbub

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – The Last Minute First Lady by Tinia Montford @XpressoTours

The Last Minute First Lady
Tinia Montford
Publication date: December 22nd 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

WHAT’S ONE ITSY, BITSY, LITTLE LIE?

Cassian Anders will be the youngest governor in Illinois history… If he wins.

That’s all everyone seems to talk about these days. Jolie Coldwell isn’t one of them. As a journalist, her priorities comprise digging up dirt on crooked politicians and local cover-ups. When her latest exposé on a congressman gets her into hot water, her days boil down to covering the senior center’s casino night.

Then news breaks the on-air investigative segment is looking for a replacement. She needs this promotion to advance her career.

She needs a breaking story. She needs it now.

The road to office is ruthless compared to the courtroom. When Cassian Anders approval rating falls due to his inability to connect with working families, he will do whatever it means to secure votes. Now, not only is he engaged, but he’s getting married to his non-existing fiancée…

He’s never relied on luck, but when a convenient but unorthodox wife falls into his lap, he makes her a deal.

He needs a wife. He needs it now.

Will Jolie and Cassian be able to fool the public long enough? Can she handle the public poking around in her past, one she would rather keep under wraps… Above all, can she be a model first lady or are they destined to be a scandal?

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

“You wanna know why I am running for governor?” he began. “I’ve sat. Watched. Defended in the courtroom, the very people this state is supposed to protect. I’ve been in the trenches with you all.” He pointed to the crowd. “I’ve seen the disadvantages in working-class neighborhoods compared to the elite on the Gold Coast and Millionaire’s Row. I’ve seen families struggling to make ends meet, and youth struggle to stay out of street violence.”

Cassian paused for a second.

“Everything we care about is under siege by Governor William Radcliffe.” The crowd booed. “Our very identities do not fit in the governor’s plan, nor will they ever. I grew up on the South Side of Chicago. Englewood. Chicago’s murder capital. I’ve experienced poverty and crime, and I know the beauty there. I see amazing potential if we were to invest in the people there, not ignore them like Governor Radcliffe has.”

A calm, collected feeling rolled over Cassian’s body, obliterating the nervousness he’d felt. The crowd watched him with anticipation. It thrilled him. Fueled him.

The crowd roared.

“Illinois is losing jobs and opportunities. Creative minds. The fiber of our communities. If we continue to let Governor Radcliffe lead, there won’t be a state for us to call home.”

Cassian looked down in the crowd. He shouldn’t have noticed, but he did.

In the center of the room, he spotted a woman. A beautiful woman. As they locked eyes, he recognized her. Jolie Coldwell. He couldn’t forget the fierce reporter.

He observed at her closely, his practiced speech faltering. She wore a pure white, double-breasted blazer dress. From his position on stage, he could see it stopped mid-thigh, showing off the sexy, thick brown thighs. The dress wrapped around her curvy silhouette with decorative button details down the front that led up to her tasteful cleavage.

Jolie lifted her chin, meeting his gaze straight on, a small smirk on her lips. That’s when he realized he had stopped talking. Clearing his throat, he returned her steady gaze, and something intense flared through him.

“I’m not here to only make history. I’m here because I love the people of this state. I want to remind everyone We Are The Change.”


Author Bio:

Tinia (TUH-NIA) Montford is a Pisces who’s a sap for romance, especially when there’s (tons of) kissing. Loves eighties sitcoms and will consume anything with chocolate. She graduated from the University of San Francisco with a degree in English and Graphic Design.

She is a world traveler having climbed a volcano in Nicaragua, scaled Angkor Wat in the blistering sun, and roamed the Acropolis of Athens. Oh, she also dabbles in short stories occasionally.

If you can’t catch her writing, you can bet she’s overindulging on poke bowls, listening to the same four songs, or chilling with her adorbs doggie. She is currently pursuing her MFA in Fiction.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!