Monthly Archives: March 2023

Review – Oaths And Promises by Carmen Webster Buxton #@CarmenWBuxton #sciencefiction

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Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

WHOA! The horsewhisperer and his trusty steed grace the cover of Oaths And Promises. I love that the horse, at least in The North Edge Of Nowhere, looks like a dinosaur. How fun.

Darius is twenty years old now, becoming a man. He still has not let go of his past and the fact that he was a bastard. He puts a lot more meaning into it, than those around him. He keeps his libido in check, afraid of impregnating a woman and having a child outside of marriage. I think that will make him a wonderful father and husband…when the time comes.

I love the people’s attitude towards women, allowing them to be who they want. When Bronwyn comes into his life, I felt there would probably be a romantic interest between them. Whether it would be a good one or not, I didn’t know. I love that she is not afraid to step outside the norm and wants to learn to fight, like Daniel and Darius are doing. That puts them in close contact and she goes after what she wants.

Some humorous dialogue had me smiling, at times. Sometimes, even laughing.

I follow the characters through their trials and tribulations, watching them resolve their differences, become a family. Romance blooms, friendships become unbreakable. The oath becomes unnecessary, as past mistakes are forgiven, new relationships forged in love and commitment. Threecon makes an appearance and I love how Carmen Webster Buxton creatively handled the situation. I will miss the Nowhere world and the characters I’ve met.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Twenty-year-old Darius is a man grown, but his childhood still haunts him. Raised as a prince in a distant southern city, he now lives in Castle Muir, a fiefdom in the far north of the nameless world. Having sworn an oath to remain in the fief and to obey the lord of it, his biological father, he still feels a sense of resentment at his circumstances. His friendship with Daniel the Wanderer remains strong, even when he finds out Daniel’s secret. When his cousin Bronwyn comes to live at Castle Muir, Darius’s oath of obedience is tested. Bronwyn is often rude to Darius, which makes it hard for him to treat her with the respect his father demands. But when his father speaks of Bronwyn becoming like a sister to Darius, he’s sure of one thing: When he looks at Bronwyn, he does not see his sister.

ABOUT CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON

Carmen Webster Buxton

Carmen Webster Buxton spent her youth reading every book published by Ursula LeGuin, Robert Heinlein and Georgette Heyer. This combination of far-future worlds, alien cultures, and old-fashioned courting customs influenced her writing, especially in her ThreeCon series.

Carmen was born in Hawaii and experienced a peripatetic childhood, as her father was in the US Navy. Having raised two wonderful children, she now lives in Maryland with her husband Charlie, and a beagle named Cosmo. She writes science fiction (often including a romance, and mostly set in the far future), and the occasional fantasy.

Carmen has published many books:

WAKANREO SERIES
Alien Bonds
Alien Vows
Alien Skies

HAVEN SERIES
The Sixth Discipline
No Safe Haven

THREECON SERIES (can be read in any order)
The Nostalgia Gambit
Saronna’s Gift
Shades of Empire
Tribes
Worlds Apart

ALTERNATE HISTORY
King of Trees

YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION
Turnabout
Drifters

FANTASY
Where Magic Rules
Bag of Tricks
Hidden Magic

THE NAMELESS WORLD SAGA (coming in 2021)
The North Edge of Nowhere
Oaths and Promises

Carmen often blogs about ereaders, digital publishing, writing, and speculative fiction. Visit her blog to see what’s coming out next! To ask questions or to provide feedback on her books, send email to carmen.webster.buxton (at) gmail.com.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON REVIEWS

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Giveaway – Inflamed By Love by Martha Sweeney @XpressoTours @MSweeneyAuthor

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Inflamed by Love
Martha Sweeney
(Sleigh Riders, #2)
Publication date: March 7th 2023
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

BESTSELLING author Martha Sweeney presents her first paranormal romance/fantasy series (Sleigh Riders) that features bikers, swearing, elemental magic, innuendos, and so much more.

The bitter fault of one caused the magic from within to wither and die. It lays dormant until it listens to the beat of the soul to determine all that binds.

Remnants of the legendary feud between the Frost clan and Klaus clan still continues despite a union between the main bloodlines. Noelle and Nikolaus embark on a journey westward, leaving their friends, family, and clans behind, though some seek to stop them. Can the Sleighers and Blades learn to work together as some uncover their ancestral gifts or will this new awareness tear their world apart? Will the one who sleeps wipe Frore from existence?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play / Smashwords / Paperbacks via Lulu

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EXCERPT:

For as long as she remembers, from all of the photos in the Frost home and the Jagged Tavern walls, the Blade’s emblem has been the same. A wolf with a black and white coat, stars and snowflakes lining its forehead, the mountain range and a few trees gathered at its neck, and a dagger in its mouth with symbols of the Great Mother etched on the side of the blade. Other symbols surround it, many of which represent air and water.

Several thoughts flurry into her mind as she realizes many similarities to the Sleigher’s emblem as well. Their design is of an eagle-like bird with a constellation on its forehead as its feathers spread out and curl upward into flames. Under its chin is a similar mountain range with trees and consists of many of the same symbols of the Great Father hidden within the fire.

“Don’t be inconsiderate,” another voice states, coming up behind her.

Noelle glances back. “You started it, Wylan.”

Several more Blades approach, standing behind both men.

“Time to go home,” Kaven instructs.

“I have found my home,” she returns sternly. “And, it is with my mate.” Her hand lifts, revealing the wedding band on her hand.

“He ain’t your home,” Wylan states. “We—”

Noelle’s hands tighten, revealing a blue and silver swirl around them. “Do not pretend you know me.” She stares each of the Blades in the eye. “Leave…go back to Frore. I’ll forget this ever happened.”

“We can’t,” Wylan says.

“I didn’t know your egos were so easily hurt,” she replies with a snicker.

“Don’t be foolish,” Kaven suggests.

“I can take you all out with barely any effort,” she reminds.

Nervousness is found in several of the Blades’ eyes as they recall the incident at the lake.

“You wouldn’t want anything to happen to your mate, would you?” Wylan asks.

Before Noelle gets a chance to reply, three Blades emerge from the nearby alley with Nikolaus in hand. His arms are bound behind him and one of them has a gun pointed at Nikolaus’ side.

“He’ll be released once Theron here is notified that you have returned to Frore,” Wylan informs. “I—”

“Do as they say, Noelle,” Nikolaus says with an expression in his eyes meant only for her. “I will come for you again. And, we will continue on our journey.”

“A foolish journey,” Kaven claims. “Your father is dead.”

“How do you know?” Noelle inquires.

He and Wylan smirk, but do not comment.

“Besides, how do you know I was going to see him?”

“We know more than you realize, child,” Wylan states.

“I am not a child,” she counters.

“No…you are right about that,” he agrees. “You haven’t been for some time, but your place is with your people.”

“I have found my people as did my mother,” she snaps. “My people would not threaten me, hold my mate at gunpoint, and—”

“Stop being melodramatic,” Kaven whines. “It is not how a Blade acts.”

Noelle snickers. “Yet, isn’t that how you are acting?”

None of them dare reply.

Wylan’s jaw sets while his eyes narrow. “If you refuse to return, we will kill him.”

Noelle takes a deliberate, assertive step toward the man. “You kill him….” She looks every single Blade in the eye before returning her attention to him. “I will do the same to each of you.”

Wylan’s body shifts back slightly at the flicker of silver-white light in her eyes.

“I will hunt each of you down,” she continues, “as you did my mother. And, it will be a message to all other Blades that you do not want to get on my bad side.” Noelle takes a step toward him. “If needed, I will bring down all of that is Frore where it will look like it never existed in the first place.”

The ground rumbles below their feet, causing the men to show a sign of concern in their gaze. Noelle doesn’t let on if that tremor is her or her mate since most have yet to see a Sleigher and any of their abilities.

Kaven steps forward, sticking a dagger at her chin. “Stop it, Elle.”

Noelle puckers her lips and blows out. The breath swirls, sparkling in the morning light as it is visible to all. It reaches the knife, freezing it instantly. Her finger lifts and taps the edge, causing it to shatter into tiny pieces. Kaven lets out a yelp and releases the hilt from the coldness. What was the weapon, bounces along the ground like little beads.

“That is just an inkling of what I can do to you and Frore…and to any of you who dare to harm my mate,” she warns. Her gazes falls upon Nikolaus. “I love you.”

His head dips. “I know.”

Author Bio:

Martha Sweeney is a BESTSELLING author who writes in a variety of genres: romance (contemporary, romcom, suspense, paranormal and historical), suspense, fantasy, thriller, coloring books, and soon, science fiction. She strives to push herself as a storyteller with each new tale and hopes to push her readers outside of their comfort zone whether it be genre or the stories themselves.

With a B.S. in Psychology, Martha utilizes her knowledge of human and animal behavior successfully in the business world and in her writing to present realistic characters and situations. She’s been creative since she was little, always drawing, coloring or making crafts, so her venture into being an author was a natural transition.

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XCRMNTMNTN by Andrew Hilbert #andrewhilbert @pmmpublishing

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Every once in a while, I want to read a book that is so far out of the ordinary and XCRMNTMNTN by Andrew Hilbert fit the bill. Due to be released 3.7.23 from Ghoulish Books.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Just looking at the cover for XCRMNTMNTN by Andrew Hilbert, I had to give it a shot. Every so often, I want that shock factor. That jaw dropping WTF factor. I sure got it! I am not even sure how to review this, other than to say, be prepared for some dirty business, keep an open mind, and climb for the….stars. LOL

I laughed, I felt like puking, I thought the characters got what they deserved, and I felt a sigh of relief when I was done. So, park your ego at the door, you won’t need it here. When a book gives me what I was looking for, I have to reward it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of XCRMNTMNTN by Andrew Hilbert.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

THIS IS NOT A PORNOGRAPHY

When a pile of shit from space lands near a renowned filmmaker’s set, inspiration strikes. Take a journey up a cosmic mountain of excrement with the director and his film crew as they ascend into madness led only by their own vanity and obsession. This is a nightmare about creation. This is a dream about poop. This is a call to arms against vowels. This is XCRMNTMNTN.

ABOUT ANDREW HILBERT

Andrew Hilbert is the author of Inner Space, Invasion of the Weirdos, Bangface & the Gloryhole, and Death Thing. He lives in Texas.

Website

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Giveaway – Captured Secrets by Carmen Peone @XpressoTours @carmenpeone

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Captured Secrets
Carmen Peone
Publication date: March 7th 2023
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Western

“Brimming with suspense and adventure, Captured Secrets, is a love story I’ll not soon forget. An engrossing tale with all the twists and turns that make a contemporary Western so hard to put down.” Debra Whiting Alexander, award-winning author of Zetty

After her parents die in a horrific car accident, Sydney Moomaw is thrust into running their guest ranch in eastern Washington. She soon discovers that her parents were keeping secrets. Why is the ranch in serious debt? Why did her parents allow the insurance to lapse? Why didn’t they tell her about it? And where are their wills? Sydney needs to figure out a way to save the ranch she loves before her sister sells it.

Photographer Trey Hardy arrives at the ranch the same day Sydney’s parents are killed. His working-vacation plans change when he decides to help Sydney save her ranch. But, his offers to help are met with resistance. Her stubbornness and independence are both maddening and alluring.

Amid the tangle of finances, tensions with her sister, and her own grief and anger, Sydney begins receiving threatening notes. They must be from her abusive ex-husband, but he’s in jail. Isn’t he? When a teenager appears at the ranch insisting she is Sydney’s daughter, Sydney finally realizes she’s going to have to start trusting people to help her. Will Trey’s plan work? Can they save her beloved ranch? Can she really have the life she’s dreamed of?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

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EXCERPT:

Sydney took a bite of salad and enjoyed the tangy dressing. “What’re your ideas?”

Trey wiped his mouth with a napkin. “You might be able to catch your breath if you sold half the herd of cows or more. You could have a dispersal sale.”

“What’s that?”

“Bidders come to you. Since you have purebred Angus, you’ll bring in a better price. You’d sell cow/calf pairs and half the bulls. How many bulls do you have?”

“Twenty-five.”

“You can sell ten bulls. What about horses?”

“Hang on, I’ll grab a notebook.” She rushed to the office. The answering machine light flashed, so she pushed the Play button. Glenda wanted to talk about the ranch. Sydney cringed. If she had a plan before finding the will, she could hold Glenda off.

She took a minute to google and print off information about probate to read later. She tugged a leather tooled notebook from her drawer, grabbed a mechanical pencil from a Seven Tine–logoed cup, and went back to the table.

“Got it.” Trey tapped his cell and set it on the table.

She opened the book and made notes and columns. “A hundred fifty pairs, ten bulls, horses . . .” Trey had barbecue sauce around his lips. She reached for a napkin and dabbed his mouth. Their gazes locked for a few seconds before she sat back and focused on the notebook. “We list five colts for sure. If Twister pulls through, I want to keep him. He could potentially salvage this place.”

“That’s a big gamble. How’s he doing?”

“It is, but he’s much better. He was up and nursing this morning. Weak, but he’s making remarkable improvements.”

Trey studied her as though she’d stretched the truth, then gulped the last of his strawberry lemonade and clinked the glass on the table. “Good. You have a couple of reputable studs. Let’s start listing stud fees online. I’ll take their pictures tomorrow. You can work with Dr. Saul to freeze and ship semen. That will broaden the playing field.”

“How do you know all this?”

“My dad raised more than cattle. He bred and trained high-end quarter horses too. When he had a good but middleaged one that he wanted to cut and sell as a competition horse, he did the same thing.” Sydney pushed potatoes around on her plate. “Why are you so intent on helping me?”

“To be honest, I care about you guys and would like to see you save this place. It’s got a heartbeat to it that pumps a fruitful spirit through its veins. I’ve never known folks like you. This place has renewed me. It’s filled with a sentimental grit and has sparked something in me that’s been dead for a long time.”

“Grit?” Sydney didn’t feel an ounce of courage or security in herself or the ranch. Everything seemed to be crumbling around her. The dispersal sale would be a long shot depending on cattle prices.

“I know you can’t see it right now, but I feel a huge sense of peace. I felt it the moment I stepped over the threshold––”

“That’s because you’re always on the go. This is new territory for you. The difference between parched desert and lush mountains.”

Trey shook his head. “It’s more than that. A kind of stability or bond or unity surrounds this place. It’s strong. Like a gigantic magnet.” He pointed to a framed photo of a young Lester and Jennie Moomaw on the wall. “You can see it in their eyes. You have that same determined look.”

“The determination that used to exist? It’s gone. I don’t know where the money will come from to pay employee wages. I can’t leave a single, pregnant mother in a lurch.”

Author Bio:

Carmen Peone is an award-winning author who has lived in Northeast Washington and on the Colville Confederated Indian Reservation since 1988. She had worked with a Tribal Elder, Marguerite Ensminger, for three years learning the Arrow Lakes Language and various cultural traditions. She owns and trains her horses and competes in local Extreme Challenge and Mountain Trail competitions. With a degree in psychology, the thought of writing never entered her mind, until she married her husband and they moved to the reservation after college. With the love of history and western-woman lifestyle, she brings stories of hope, family, relationships, and faith to her novels.

These books were a labor of love, especially the second edition of the True to Heart Trilogy.

Thank you to my cover model, Shayna Palmanteer of the Colville Confederated Tribes, for your willingness to be a part of this adventure. Visit my website for information on the workbooks that go along with my young adult books at https://carmenpeone.com/books/.

http://carmenpeone.com

Healing, Hope, Horses

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The Spotlight Is On Been There Got OUt by Lisa Johnson & Chris Barry @BeenThereGotOut @iReadBookTours

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Book Details:

Book Title:  Been There Got Out: Toxic Relationships, High-Conflict Divorce, and How to Stay Sane Under Insane Circumstances by Lisa Johnson and Chris Barry 
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+)  
Genre: Self-Help
Publisher:  Wordeee
Release date:  Mar 7, 2023
Content Rating:  PG-13 + M: Self-help book for adults going through a divorce.   
Book Description:

Been There Got Out offers practical advice for anyone suffering from or struggling to get out of a relationship with a narcissist or other toxic personality types. Packed with practical facts, tips, and advice, this book covers everything from identifying the problem, committing to take action and legal/custody battles to navigating a co-parenting relationship with a hostile spouse.
BUY THE BOOK:
Author Website ~ Wordeee
Amazon 
add to goodreads

Meet the Authors:

Lisa Johnson is the co-founder of Been There Got Out, a high-conflict divorce coach and certified domestic violence advocate who has successfully represented herself through scores of court appearances. Her case was published in the Connecticut Law Journal in March 2021 and is now being used as a legal precedent. Her live testimony helped pass Jennifer’s Law in Connecticut, the third state in America to expand its legal definition of domestic violence to include “coercive control.” She and Barry, the male half of Been There Got Out, coach people in high-conflict relationships, divorce, custody battles, and co-parenting hell so they have the chance of the best outcome in family court and beyond. They also offer a weekly Legal Abuse Support Group for those dealing with narcissistic opponents in legal matters.

Chris Barry is a certified high-conflict divorce coach and the co-founder (and male half) of Been There Got Out. He developed the Been There Got Out podcast, and manages BTGO’s website, YouTube channel, Facebook page, and all the background technology they use to run the business. He also specializes in writing high-conflict parenting plans.

connect with the author: website ~ instagram ~ facebook ~ twitter   



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Giveaway – Paperboy by Dan Romanello @ireadbooktours @TheDanRomanello

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Book Details:

Book Title:  PAPERBOY (A Dylan Tomassi Novel) by Dan Romanello
Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 332 pages
Genre: Coming of Age Contemporary Thriller
Publisher: Sanitas Publishing, Inc.
Publication Date: August, 2022.
Content Rating: R: A series of explicit sex scenes, minimal bad language and drug use are utilized for character and plot development.
Book Description:

Abandoned by his father as an infant and raised by a single mother among the wealthy and privileged in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Dylan Tomassi grew up poor. As a boy he is befriended by a mysteriously reclusive widow he meets on his paper route. She mentors him with sage advice on matters facing a young man growing up without a father. She never pays for her newspapers, and he never asks for the money because of all the good advice she dispenses. When she finally does square up, it changes his life forever.

Dylan relocates to Florida and becomes a successful private investor, wealthy beyond his wildest dreams. His newfound socioeconomic status introduces him into the upper echelon of Florida society where he finds many things going on in the world simply don’t make sense. With the help of his old friend and mentor, he navigates life in a turbulent modern-day society and vows to use his wealth to make a difference when he’s not sidetracked running into nefarious characters or busy keeping his best friend, wealthy playboy Alex Malloy, out of hot water. With corruption, debauchery, deception, and murder swirling around him, Dylan proves nice guys can finish first.
Buy the Book:
Amazon
BAM ~ B&N ~ Bookshop.org 
Indigo ~ Indiebound
BookBub
add to goodreads

PLAYLIST FOR PAPERBOY

  • Wake Up by Black Veiled Brides
  • Zombified by Falling in Reverse
  • Centuries by Fall Out Boy
  • Castle by Halsey
  • We Don’t Have to Dance by Andy Black
  • Happen to me by BENEE
  • Lie to Me by Tate McRae feat. Ali Gatie
  • Thnks fr th Mmrs by Fall Out Boy
  • I Think I’m Okay by Machine Gun Kelly
  • In the Link by Linkin Park
  • Demons by Alec Benjamin
  • Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Greenday
  • Come a Little Closer by Cage the Elephant
  • Much too Much by Lennon Stella
  • Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi

Meet the Authors:

DAN ROMANELLO began his career working for a large Florida newspaper before attending law school at the University of Florida. After serving as an assistant state attorney, he entered private practice where he spent more than 20 years as a civil trial lawyer litigating cases in courtrooms throughout Florida. He retired from the active practice of law in 2017 and, before writing PAPERBOY, spent four years coaching college athletics. He lives in St. Petersburg, Florida.

connect with the authors: website ~facebook ~ twitter ~ bookbub ~ goodreads

PAPERBOY Book Tour Giveaway



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Meet Kate Warne in Kate Warne’s Sister Is Missing by J A Schneider @JoyceSchneider1 #historicalfiction #booksirens

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I want to thank Book Sirens and J A Schneider for the opportunity to read and review Kate Warne’s Sister Is Missing.

Photograph of Kate Warne
1866 photograph of Kate Warne Public domain via Chicago History Museum

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Kate Warne’s Sister Is Missing by J A Schneider was a big departure from the other novels of hers that I have read. At first it threw me off. The writing felt dry, textbooklike. BUT, the more I read, the more I got lost in the characters and their circumstances.

Kate Warne’s Sister Is Missing is historical fiction at its finest. We have fiction woven into facts seamlessly. The events take place during 1861. Think of your history. the Civil War had just broken out. There were those who wanted Lincoln dead. Kate Warne did her part to try and save him, but we all know, eventually, he was killed.

Kate Warne was the first female detective with the Pinkertons, thanks to Alan Pinkerton’s ability to judge a person’s character and see that she would be able to go places and learn things because people would overlook a woman. No one would suspect her of being a detective.

Kate and Saskia’s brother and sister in law are quite the pieces of work. When Saskia goes missing, my eyes are on them. Kate, Saskia and their brother shared ownership of the home they lived in.

Opium, in the form of laudanum was the be all, cure all. History repeats itself in drug addiction and abuse of dangerous substances.

Kate’s friends, Buck and Hattie, are also her partners. Will there be a love interest for Kate? The Flower Girl, a girl with a heart so big she put her life on the line for another. She may not be a star in the book, put she shone brightly regardless. I love when peripheral characters take center stage. That is some good character development that makes me want more.

I would have loved to get to know Saskia better. She was sweet, innocent, adventurous, artistic…Will she be found in time? Is it already too late?

The descriptive writing brought to life the horror, the smells, the danger…my anger and disgust, my wonder and delight, my curiosity and desire to know more. The characters grew on me the more time I spent with them. The mystery kept me guessing and the villains, because there are plenty to go around, filled me with revulsion. What a great word, revulsion. Just saying it conveys how poorly I felt about them, especially a certain someone, who, at this time, will be left nameless.

I appreciate a book that has me going on a hunt, surfing the web, searching for more answers on my own. I love that we ended on a high note, with love and inspiration.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Kate Warne’s Sister Is Missing by J A Schneider.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

April 1861, New York City. Civil War has just broken out. Kate Warne, first female detective and a Pinkerton, returns to find that her beloved sister, Saskia, has gone missing. Where to turn? Who to suspect?

Danger surrounds Kate. Secessionists’ fury has followed her since she thwarted their recent attempt to assassinate Lincoln in Baltimore. New York City is also a powder keg, with most elites and even the city’s mayor violently pro-South. Or could Kate’s possibly pro-South relatives have anything to do with Saskie’s disappearance?

Buck Hackett, a handsome fellow Pinkerton, teams up to help but also yearns for Kate. She resists loving him, fearing more heartache after the loss of her husband. Instead, she and her frequent partner Hattie Lawton – whose family Pinkerton helped escape to Canada via the Underground Railroad – plunge headlong into the dangers of 1861 NYC: from the theater scene to scenes of squalor and vast wealth – then through the raging opium epidemic and the secret tunnels of Chinatown. To find her sister, Kate braves every danger, knowing that every second counts.

ABOUT J A SCHNEIDER

Wheaton College, Norton MA (French Lit Major, Minor in Spanish & squeezed in Russian.)
Sorbonne, Jr. Year in Paris

Exchange student in the Soviet Union, where I got arrested for spreading anti-Soviet propaganda – ha! Caught with friends laughing at their pea-green-colored drinking water; that was the offense; four of us arrested. Let go after a day, guess they decided we weren’t worth an international incident. Then weeks later I landed in a Soviet hospital because I fell down a ravine during a student hike in the Caucasus mountains near Sochi. It wasn’t bad. Docs in Sochi were nice…

Former writer at Newsweek Magazine. Author of the 6-book EMBRYO medical thriller series; the 4-book Detective Kerri Blasco Police/Psychological Thrillers FEAR DREAMS, HER LAST BREATH, WATCHING YOU, & SHOELESS CHILD.

Also 5 standalone thrillers: INTO THE DARK, GIRL WATCHING YOU, WHAT YOU’VE DONE, CRY TO ME, & THE WIFE LIST. Also the U.S. Civil War thriller, KATE WARNE’S SISTER IS MISSING. (She was America’s first female detective and a Pinkerton. The story takes place in NYC – a pro-South hotbed – at the outbreak of the Civil War.)

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/joyce.schnei…
Twitter https://twitter.com/JoyceSchneider1
Website: https://jaschneiderauthor.net

MY J A SCHNEIDER REVIEWS

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Giveaway – No Small Murder by Lena Gregory @dollycas LenaGregory03

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No Small Murder: A Mini-Meadows Mystery by Lena Gregory

About No Small Murder

No Small Murder: A Mini-Meadows Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Florida
Level Best Books (February 21, 2023)
Number of Pages 215
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BHX5L1J4

Mini Meadows, a Tiny Home community in rural Central Florida, is home to Emma Wells, a downsize specialist who left her daddy’s mansion and her inheritance behind in favor of a simpler, more peaceful life in a tiny home that was once two shipping containers. But when she opens a shipping container and discovers her dead client sitting in a rocking chair, neatly wrapped and labeled, and two of her friends end up on the suspect list, Emma pitches in to help find the killer. With plenty of clues to unpack, Emma narrows down the suspect list, but as she begins to close in on the culprit, she realizes if she’s not careful she could end up in a box of her own.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Tiny houses are all the rage these days and a small town in Central Florida is embracing the concept mightily. Mini Meadows is a Tiny Home community with new residents and businesses flocking to the town at a rapid pace. Emma Wells had a major disagreement with her father and she left his mansion and money behind for a tiny home in Mini-Meadows. She has also become a downsizing specialist to help people make the transition from their large houses of several thousand square feet to smaller or tiny homes in the 500 square feet range.

Her client, Mr. Aldridge was having his train-inspired mini home placed in Mini Meadows and his and his wife’s belonging delivered. Mr. Aldridge has been a difficult person to work with so Emma is anxious for his move to go smoothly. When she arrives to help unload his furnishings from the trailer she sees something strange in a rocking chair wrapped in plastic. As she gets closer she sees the new homeowner’s face. Broderick Aldridge no longer needed his unique tiny house and she needed to call the police.

Surprised to learn two of her friends are on the suspect list Emma decides to do a little investigating of her own. But if she’s not careful she could be moving to a much smaller tiny home six feet underground.

Oh, I love the theme of this new cozy series! There have been many times I thought I could be happy in a tiny house. Then my family points out all the stuff I have that I just can’t part with, like my books, LOL.

Ms. Gregory introduces some dynamic characters in this series’ debut. Emma Wells’ father disinherited her so she moved out of his huge home into her tiny one and has been quite happy. I love her energy and positive attitude. Her Granny Rose was also living with her father and missed Emma greatly after she moved out. She gave her son an ultimatum and moved out. She has now moved into Emma’s tiny house too. It is a bit cramped but Emma had missed her Granny Rose as well so vowed to make it work. Granny Rose is not your typical granny. She drives a shiny red corvette and is embracing a whole new self. Wearing frayed jeans, camisoles, high-top sneakers, gold chains, and earrings, she shocks Emma. This is not the grandma she grew up with. Granny also grabs the attention of the elderly gentleman that just moved in across the street from Emma. Oh my gosh, she is a delight and a spitfire and so much fun. Emma has two close girlfriends, Jade and Chloe. Chloe runs Pocket Books and Jade owns Little Bits Consignment and Thrift Shop. We also meet Libby who owns the local diner. All great places to hear local gossip. I can’t forget that Emma has an orange tabby named Ginger and it isn’t long before a Great Dane named Butch joins the family. All these characters are nicely crafted and continue to evolve over the course of the story.

There was something off about the deceased Broderick Aldridge from the start so there were clearly a couple of suspects right away but as the story continued several more were added to the list. With the many twists and turns it was almost impossible to eliminate any of them. I loved following along with Emma as she tried to unpack each clue and make it fit into the puzzle before her. The murderer was on my list but I was really iffy about the motive. An epic final twist revealed all and set up a very dramatic ending.

No Small Murder was a wonderfully entertaining read. A fresh theme, fun characters, and a rousing mystery have set this series off to a fantastic start. I am excited for this series to continue. We have just scratched the surface of what I hope will be a long-running series.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

About Lena Gregory

Lena Gregory grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of Central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full-time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

Author Links
Newsletter    Website    Facebook    Facebook Fan Page    Twitter    Goodreads    Pinterest

Purchase Links – Amazon

Also by Lena Gregory

Great Escape Praise for No Small Murder by Lena Gregory 

Great characters and an intriguing mystery make NO SMALL MURDER a delightful start to a new series.
~Cozy Up With Kathy

The characters are well-rounded and well-developed. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted cozy mystery. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
~ MJB Reviewers

I am a huge fan of pretty much anything Lena Gregory writes. So I was more than eager to get my hands on the start of a new series. The setting is absolutely adorable! A “Tiny House Community” is a great choice for cozy fans.
~Books a Plenty Book Reviews

What a fun setting for this new cozy series, a tiny home community. I love looking at tiny homes; just not 100% sure I could live in one. If I did, I would need someone like Emma to help me downsize my current home to a new one. I think this is going to be a fun new series, and I look forward to upcoming books.
~Story Book Reviews

No Small Murder is a great book. The story grabbed my attention and kept me engaged. The story was fun, exciting, suspenseful, and full of twists and turns. Fun characters with a fantastic whodunit made this cozy mystery top-notch. It checked all my cozy boxes!
~Sapphyria’s Books

TOUR PARTICIPANTS – Please visit all the stops. 
February 21 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST
February 21 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
February 22 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 22 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
February 23 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
February 23 – Diane Reviews Books – SPOTLIGHT
February 24 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy  REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
February 24 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT
February 25 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
February 25 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW
February 26 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 26 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
February 27 – I’m Into Books – SPOTLIGHT
February 27 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
February 28 – Jane Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 28 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
March 1 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
March 1 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW
March 2 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
March 2 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
March 2 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW
March 3 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
March 3 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
March 4 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 5 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
March 6 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

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Giveaway – Henry by Harley Wylde & Jessica Coulter @XpressoTours

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Henry
Harley Wylde & Jessica Coulter Smith
(Devoted Guardians MC, #2)
Publication date: February 24th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Raya — Elias kidnapped me nearly a decade ago and used me for his awful experiments. His goal: to create a superior race. How could that possibly go wrong? Now I’m no longer fully human and I’ve lived a life in hell. But I adore my two kids, no matter how they were conceived. I thought we’d die before we ever found freedom, but it arrived in the most unexpected way. The big biker shifter is scary as hell, but it’s either go with him, or remain chained and starving.

Henry — The dark mage killed my mate and unborn child. There’s nothing I want more than revenge. It never occurred to me he’d have a woman and kids chained in his cellar. They reek of black magick, enough so, I hated them on sight. I’d planned to leave them behind. Until I heard their story. My club won’t be happy when I walk in with three people covered in the stench of black magick. But something unexpected happens when I catch Raya’s true scent. She’s my fated mate, and now I have the difficult task of not only gaining her trust, but the children’s as well.

WARNING: Contains subject matter some readers may find difficult to read. Recommended for ages 18+ due to adult situations, bad language, and violence. Guaranteed happily-ever-after, no cheating, and no cliffhanger.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

“He’s been gone a while,” Logan said. “He didn’t forget us, did he? I’m not sure starving to death is much better than suffering whatever he’s planned for us.”

With no windows, I couldn’t tell what time of day it was by now. However, my butt had gone numb from sitting on the hard ground. I had to have been down here for more than an hour. I listened intently, wondering if Elias had managed to quietly return. Minutes ticked by, and when I was going to give up, I heard booted steps. They seemed to scout the entire house.

Would they find the hidden door to the cellar? Did we want them to? I caught Logan’s gaze, and he gave me a slight nod. Whatever he sensed seemed to make him feel as if the person upstairs wouldn’t harm us.

“Help! Please, we’re down here!” I yelled as loud as I could. By the fifth time I’d called out, the door at the top of the stairs opened and a large silhouette moved toward us. My breath caught when the man approached. I couldn’t tell his age and depending on what he was, he could have been hundreds of years old and still appeared young.

“What the f**k?” he muttered. His gaze narrowed on me before shifting to my children. I held them tighter, wondering if I’d made a mistake by calling for help. “Who are you?”

“A slave,” I said. “And these are my children.”

He scented the air, and a low growl came from him. “Dark mages.”

I shook my head. “No. At least, not entirely. If you could please release us and get us upstairs, I’ll tell you everything.”


Author Bio:

Harley Wylde is the International Bestselling Author of the Dixie Reapers MC, Devil’s Boneyard MC, and Hades Abyss MC series.
When Harley’s writing, her motto is the hotter the better — off the charts sex, commanding men, and the women who can’t deny them. If you want men who talk dirty, are sexy as hell, and take what they want, then you’ve come to the right place. She doesn’t shy away from the dangers and nastiness in the world, bringing those realities to the pages of her books, but always gives her characters a happily-ever-after and makes sure the bad guys get what they deserve.

The times Harley isn’t writing, she’s thinking up naughty things to do to her husband, drinking copious amounts of Starbucks, and reading. She loves to read and devours a book a day, sometimes more. She’s also fond of TV shows and movies from the 1980’s, as well as paranormal shows from the 1990’s to today, even though she’d much rather be reading or writing.

You can find out more about Harley or enter her monthly giveaway on her website. Be sure to join her newsletter while you’re there to learn more about discounts, signing events, and other goodies!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / TikTok


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Giveaway – Fall Hard by Jade Church @XpressoTours @jadechurch_

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Fall Hard
Jade Church
(Sun City, #2)
Publication date: March 3rd 2023
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Falling in love with your best friend sucks—especially when they don’t love you back.

Liv needs help, and Bryn is determined to give it to her. After a night out ends in a whole lot of embarrassment for Liv, she is faced with the fact that she might need some assistance in getting over her best friend and roommate, Jamie.

When Bryn is forced to temporarily move in with Jamie and Liv, a night of drinking results in a possibly disastrous deal: All of Liv’s decisions are now in Bryn’s hands. The goal? Operation fall-out-of-love.

But when sparks start to fly between the two women, they have to wonder if maybe their plan worked a little too well.

After all, nothing hurts like love.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

—

EXCERPT:

“Let’s have it then.” Bryn didn’t wait for me to protest, just grabbed the small piece of paper from my hands and scanned it quickly before nodding as if satisfied. She looked up at me, her serious blue eyes in strange contrast to the cheery white sundress decorated with cute cherries she had chosen to wear out. The neckline was a sweetheart scoop and I had to work surprisingly hard to keep my focus from dropping too low. Anyone likely would have had the same problem, Bryn was stunning and that was just a fact. I probably looked like a slob in comparison—it was too hot today for me to care about make-up or pretty dresses, so I had thrown on my most lightweight pair of shorts and a strappy cotton cropped top with sneakers when Bryn had told me we were going out. It didn’t help that she’d given me approximately ten minutes notice.

I sniffed and nearly sneezed as I caught the scent of pollen, at least there hadn’t been any bugs trying to jump inside my coffee. That was another reason why I typically avoided sitting outside when I had food or drink to hand.

“So? What do you think?”

“All do-able,” Bryn said, watching me over the rim of her red sunglasses.

I bit my lip. “All of them?”

Was that a hint of a smirk on her mouth? “Yep.”

I tried not to think about item number four on the list and failed. Skinny dipping. All do-able. “Well, we don’t have to do all of them—”


Author Bio:

Jade Church is an avid reader and writer of spicy romance. She loves sweet and swoony love interests who aren’t scared to smack your ass and bold female leads. Jade currently lives in the U.K. and spends the majority of her time reading and writing books, as well as binge re-watching The Vampire Diaries.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Amazon / TikTok


GIVEAWAY!
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  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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