Tag Archives: Miami

Giveaway – In The Key Of Dead by Zaida Alfaro @dollycas

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In the Key of Dead: A Miami Music Mystery
by Zaida Alfar

About In the Key of Dead

In the Key of Dead: A Miami Music Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Florida
Cozy Cat Press (July 17, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 206 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 195257966X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1952579660
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CDHHNMBP

Killer songs and a killer voice land Vy in yet another melodic murder mystery. Interlude Records has signed Vy to a long-anticipated record deal after years of rejections, but she never thought that murder would be part of the deal. Now, Vy finds herself, yet again, at the center of a murder investigation that may change the course of her music career.

It seems that someone doesn’t want Vy to record her album, and is doing everything to sabotage the release date, including murdering a key member of the production team. So Vy and her sister, Alexia, are back at it again—detecting in their own way. This time they’re using their quick-witted banter, and super sleuthing skills to ensure that Vy’s record makes it to the Billboard Top 100 list before the murderer makes it to the Miami Beach Police Department’s most wanted list.

They say the music industry is cutthroat, but Vy has never taken that statement literally. Could this be the strum of Vy’s guitar playing her last note IN THE KEY OF DEAD?

About Zaida Alfaro

The Miami Music Mystery series’ main backdrop, the amazing city of Miami, Florida, is beloved and well-known to me. I was born and raised in Miami, and like the novel’s main character Vy, I am a singer/songwriter, Grammy-considered, independent artist. All things relating to music or literature are my passion.

Many years ago, I became an avid reader of cozy mysteries. The storylines were intriguing, engaging, and funny at the same time. I was so inspired by the authors, that I then decided to take my musical experiences, and put it on paper. I published my first novel, The Last Note, a Miami Music Mystery. Now, I have brought my characters back to life, in the sequel, In the Key of Dead, a Miami Music Mystery. The phobias, the dream sequences, and the quirkiness of the main characters, are all based on facts. I hope that I was able to, once again, show the readers of my novels, the love I have for Miami, the Cuban culture, my family, and music. For more information, visit www.zaidamusic.com

Author Links

Purchase Links – Amazon Kindle    Amazon Paperback

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Giveaway – A Seasonal Song by Dan Shaskin & Deb Wesloh @XpressoTours

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A Seasonal Song
Dan Shaskin, Deb Wesloh
Publication date: March 21st 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Discover love and music in the sultry streets of Miami with “A Seasonal Song.”

Clarissa Bianchi, a talented violinist, lands her dream internship with the Miami Orchestra, but little does she know that she will also discover the love of her life. Jack Williams, a rugged rock guitarist with a broken heart, meets Clarissa and is instantly drawn to her beauty and passion for music. Despite their different musical backgrounds, their mutual love for music brings them together on a journey filled with passion, growth, and unforgettable memories.

As the summer draws to a close, Clarissa and Jack must navigate their intense feelings for each other and determine if their love is strong enough to withstand the distance between Miami and Boston. Will their hearts play a different song, or will the romance come to an end?

“A Seasonal Song” is a love story that will leave you humming a sweet tune long after you turn the last page.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Current Year

Clarissa gazed at the horizon as she sat on the beach. The breeze provided little relief from the oppressive heat and humidity. Her cotton shirt clung to the contours of her body as sweat dripped down the back of her neck. The wind and humidity disheveled her long brunette hair.

She paused and whispered under her breath. “Here I am, again. Back in Miami.”

They say history repeats itself. From her perspective, she concurred.

So much heartache, so much love, and such beautiful memories. The smell of the ocean brought a tear to her eye. The tear slowly trickled down her cheek, dropping from her chin into the ocean.

She smiled as she thought of her last summer in Miami. Some would categorize it as a summer fling, but the passion and intense emotions they shared were real.

Jack was twenty-seven and designed custom yachts. She was twenty-one, a sophomore at Berklee College of Music. An unlikely pair, but perhaps their paths collided for a reason.

She strolled to the water’s edge. The sand stuck to her feet, leaving deep imprints on the beach. The waves crashed against her legs, throwing her slightly off balance. She steadied herself as she walked back to her towel.

Her mind drifted back to her job last summer at the Purple Penguin Café. Where it all began.

As she remembered when she first met Jack, her heart pounded in her chest and her breathing became slightly labored.

Last summer at 6:30 p.m. on June 25th Jack walked into The Purple Penguin. She chided her silliness for remembering the exact date and time, but she did, and the memory was as crisp as if it had happened yesterday.

Last year

All teal chairs and tables were occupied at the eclectic-furnished café. Loud conversations inundated the room.

Several people waved, trying to get her attention. She was exhausted, and her feet ached. She wished her shift would end.

As she served a table, he entered the café and waited to be seated.

A table soon opened, and the hostess assigned him to her section. She finished serving her current table and approached him, greeting him warmly.

“Hi. My name is Clarissa. What can I get for you?”

His warm brown eyes glanced up from the menu and met hers. “Hi, nice to meet you, Clarissa.”

It surprised her to hear her name. Although she always introduced herself, the customers rarely repeated her name.

“What’s in that silver penguin shaker thing I saw you take to the other table?”

“Shake Your Penguin, our signature cocktail. It’s a mix of Absolut Vodka, pomegranate juice, lime soda, and berries. It’s very popular and tastes great. I should know. I’ve sampled a few of them.” She winked and laughed.

He smiled. “I’ll take your word for it. Let’s start with one of those Shaky Penguin things.”

She returned a few minutes later with his drink.

He took a sip. “Wow, this is good!” Jack continued. “Listening to your accent, you don’t seem to be from around here. Sorry, I don’t mean to pry. You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want.”

Clarissa laughed, “It’s okay. The short answer is, I’m from everywhere.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand.”

“Well, when I was growing up, I was an Army brat. Between the ages of two and nineteen, I lived in eight states, and three years in Stuttgart, Germany.”

Jack smiled at her. “Sie müssen dann fließend Deutsch sprechen?”

Clarissa smiled. “Yes, I speak German, but fluent is an exceptionally strong word. Let’s just say I can converse in German with few errors.”

She found him intriguing. Perhaps it was the warm manner he talked to her. She calculated he was slightly older than her, maybe in his late twenties. He had a sincere smile and kind eyes.

“Most of our clientele are tourists and stay at the Purple Penguin Hotel next door,” she said. “We don’t get many locals. Are you from around here?”

“I’m originally from Boerne, Texas, just northwest of San Antonio. I’ve lived in Miami for five years. A business client is staying at the Penguin Hotel. I just dropped him off, saw the restaurant, and here I am. Never been here before.”

“How’d you get from Texas to Miami Beach?” she asked.

“I’ve always loved the ocean. Growing up, I spent my weekends in Aransas Pass hanging out on the beach. I’m experienced in construction, saw an opening in Miami, and here I am.”



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Giveaway – Love Is For The Dogs by Annee Jones @GoddessFish

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Love is for the Dogs by Annee Jones

GENRE:   Clean contemporary romance

BLURB

A coveted award…a missing Maltese…and a cheating ex… Can Trisha Campbell survive this year’s dog show competition in Last Chance Beach, much less walk away without a broken heart?

If there’s one thing vet tech Trisha Campbell knows, it’s dogs. Men, however, not so much. Especially ever since catching her ex-boyfriend, Miami P.D. Landon Prescott, kissing her arch-nemesis, Blythe Baker, at last year’s dog show after Blythe’s pup Princess took home the grand prize. Needless to say, Trisha’s not looking forward to seeing either of them again at this year’s competition in Last Chance Beach, even if her beloved Maltese, Chloe, is a front-runner for the coveted trophy.

Soon after arriving on the island for the week-long event, Princess goes missing and everyone fingers Trisha as the dog-napper since her pooch is Princess’ main opponent. With not only the prize money but also her reputation at stake, Trisha’s willing to join forces with none other than her cheating ex. Can she and Landon figure out a way to work together to catch the culprit and find the missing Maltese before the whole competition goes straight to the dogs? And what happens when they find themselves alone together at last?

EXCERPT

“I can’t believe this!” Trisha said as Landon steered her back toward the boardwalk. “Am I really a suspect?”

“No,” he said firmly. “I know you, Trisha. You love animals and you believe in fairness. I know you’d never steal, much less harm, Blythe’s dog. I’m sure your name will be cleared officially once Graham has a chance to touch base with Mrs. Butterworth.”

“Thank you,” she said, relieved. “At least you believe me.”

“Of course,” he said. “Always.”

They walked a little while in silence, processing the turn of events.

“So, I guess you’ve probably figured out that Blythe and I are not together?” Landon asked, breaking the silence.

Trisha nodded. “Yes, I got that,” she said. “But I still don’t want to talk about what happened last year.”

He blew out a breath of frustration. “I really wish you’d let me explain.”

“Look, I’m suddenly being investigated as a dog-napper!” she cried, eyes filling with tears. “I’m a veterinary technician! This is my reputation! And you know the rumor mill – people are going to suspect that I had something to do with this no matter what until Princess gets found. This could jeopardize my career!”

“Okay, okay, you win,” Landon said. “I’m sorry. You’re right, finding Blythe’s dog and clearing your name is the main priority right now. Please say you’ll least let me help?” His dark eyes were pleading. How could she resist?

“I think I need all the help I can get right now,” she said. “Even from you.”

He smiled in response. “You won’t regret this,” he said.

But the pull in her heart told her she already did. 

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Author Annee Jones loves to write all things romance, fantasy, cozy mystery, & more. She is passionate about writing stories where dreams come true, and love wins in the end!

Professionally, Annee works as a disability counselor where she helps her clients navigate through complex medical and legal systems while rediscovering their wholeness in Spirit.

Subscribe to Annee’s newsletter to stay up to date on new releases, sneak peeks, author parties, and exclusive giveaways:         https://www.anneejones.com/newsletter

Find Annee’s books here:

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Giveaway – Malice In Miami by Barbara Venkataraman @dollycas

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Malice in Miami: A Jamie Quinn Mystery by Barbara Venkataraman

About Malice in Miami

Malice in Miami: A Jamie Quinn Mystery
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Independently Published (June 9, 2021)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 318 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8518046757
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08P27FRL6

Reluctant family law attorney Jamie Quinn is loving life–and why wouldn’t she? Her boyfriend Kip is back from Australia, her long-lost dad finally has his visa and she’s about to start her dream job at an art foundation. But it all falls apart when Jamie is accused of stealing priceless art from a rare book collection. If she can’t find out who framed her, she can kiss her dream job good-bye–and her law license too. Meanwhile, Kip has problems of his own. Now an environmental activist, he uncovers a deadly secret–one that just might get him killed. Jamie’s in trouble, Kip’s in danger, and Duke Broussard has gone AWOL. How could Jamie’s favorite P.I. abandon her at a time like this?

About Barbara Venkataraman 

Barbara Venkataraman is an attorney and author of the award-winning Jamie Quinn Cozy Mystery series, as well as Teatime with Mrs. Grammar Person, Quirky Essays for Quirky People, and A Year of Shorts: Flash Fiction. Her books have won numerous awards including Indie Book of the Day, First Place in the 2016 Chanticleer Murder & Mayhem Mystery Writing Competition, Gold Medal in the Readers’ Favorite Contest for Memoir, and Two-time Finalist in the Kindle Book Awards. She also co-authored Accidental Activist: Justice for the Groveland Four with her son Josh about his four-year quest to obtain posthumous pardons for The Groveland Four.

Author Links – Amazon Author Page – GoodReads 

Purchase Link – Amazon 

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Giveaway & Review – Run Girl Run by Willow Rose @MadamWillowRose @SDSXXTours

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Run Girl Run
Harry Hunter Mystery Series Book 2
by Willow Rose
Genre: Mystery, Thriller

MY REVIEW

Emilia and her mother are homeless, living in their car. She is awoken one night and the unthinkable happened. This took place in the first three chapters and it read like a prologue. I love prologues, because they hook me from the beginning and i eagerly read on to find out what lead up to the event and what happens after.

I am back with some familiar characters, so when Josie was rushed to the hospital, I thought, what could happen to them now. It seems bad luck dogs Harry and his daughter, Josie.

Because Run Girl Run by Willow Rose is Book II in the Harry Hunter series, I don’t want to spoil anything for those who start at the beginning, with Book I, All The Good Girls. I will skip over Camille, his comatose wife, and Jean, his wife’s best friend and love interest, and let you find out about them for yourself.

The situation presents some real life questions. Do you believe in miracles? When is enough enough and you move on with your life? How do you get past the guilt of giving up on someone you love?

Because of her ‘illness’, Josie leaves the hospital with more than she had when she entered. It puts her in great danger. And this poses some real life question too.

With Willow Rose, I am always waiting for that other shoe to drop. Her mysteries are complicated. She makes me wonder how all the characters will come together and what the outcome will be. She takes her characters to the extreme and back again and I am just along for the ride.

Uh oh, I’m thinking something bad about someone close to Harry. Could it be….Nope. How about…hmm…Alright, I was wrong again, sort of…I love how Willow Rose leads me down false paths, constantly questioning myself as I struggle to expose the bad guy. And we do have plenty of bad guys.

As Harry investigates, danger comes knocking. Of course, he makes it out alive, seeing there will be one more book, and I heave a sigh of relief, for now. The danger isn’t over yet!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Run Girl Run by Willow Rose.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars
Willow Rose’s beloved detective, Harry Hunter is back in this thrilling second installment of the bestselling series.
When a mother and her child are pulled out of the harbor in their car, the case seems pretty straightforward for Miami PD and Detective Harry Hunter.
Everything points to a murder-suicide.
They were homeless, living in their car, and the mother decided to end it all for them both by driving into the water.
But the case is not what it looks like, Detective Harry Hunter soon realizes.
Harry’s daughter is carrying devastating knowledge about their deaths, and soon she becomes the killer’s next target.
As Harry races to protect her, he is betrayed by someone he thought he knew, leaving him terrified of trusting anyone in a town filled with liars.
RUN GIRL RUN is the second book in the Harry Hunter Mystery Series.
All the Good Girls
Harry Hunter Mystery Series Book 1
This novel is the first book in Willow Rose’s electrifying new Harry Hunter series.
Detective Harry Hunter of Miami PD’s homicide squad throws himself into a case no one asked him to solve.
Four teenagers from one of Miami’s affluent neighborhoods are murdered on a boat. Another is found in a dumpster. All five of them go to the same school and are on a list of witnesses to another crime.
Because he’s in bad standing with his boss, Harry is given the task of protecting a possible future victim, but Harry isn’t always known to follow his boss’s orders.
Soon, he’ll risk everything while racing to stop a killer who has left everyone else in the homicide squad shaking in terror.
ALL THE GOOD GIRLS is the first book in the Harry Hunter Mystery Series and can be read as a standalone.
**Only 99 cents!**
The Queen of Scream aka Willow Rose is a #1 Amazon Best-selling Author and an Amazon ALL-star Author of more than 60 novels.
She writes Mystery, Thriller, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense, Horror, Supernatural thrillers, and Fantasy.
Willow’s books are fast-paced, nail-biting pageturners with twists you won’t see coming. Several of her books have reached the Kindle top 10 of ALL books in the US, UK, and Canada. She has sold more than three million books.
Willow lives on Florida’s Space Coast with her husband and two daughters. When she is not writing or reading, you will find her surfing and watch the dolphins play in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.
$50 Amazon
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Would You Like A Glimpse of the Afterlife? Review of Hereafter by Terri Bruce

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Hereafter

Afterlife  Book One

Terri Bruce

Genre: Paranormal/Contemporary Fantasy

 Publisher: Mictlan Press    /     Date of Publication:  January 20, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-9913036-0-1    /    ISBN: 978-0-9913036-1-8

Number of pages: 369    /    Word Count:  111,000

Cover Artist: Shelby Robinson

BOOK DESCRIPTION

 Thirty-six-year-old Irene Dunphy didn’t plan on dying any time soon, but that’s exactly what happens when she makes the mistake of getting behind the wheel after a night bar-hopping with friends. She finds herself stranded on earth as a ghost, where the food has no taste, the alcohol doesn’t get you drunk, and the sex…well, let’s just say “don’t bother.” To make matters worse, the only person who can see her—courtesy of a book he found in his school library—is a fourteen-year-old boy genius obsessed with the afterlife.

Unfortunately, what waits in the Great Beyond isn’t much better. Stuck between the boring life of a ghost in this world and the terrifying prospect of three-headed hell hounds, final judgment, and eternal torment in the next, Irene sets out to find a third option—preferably one that involves not being dead anymore. Can she wipe the slate clean and get a second chance before it’s too late?

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MY REVIEW

“Why are you staring at me?”

“Well, it’s just, because…you know. You’re…”  “Well…dead”

When she awoke in the morning, it all came back to her. She had searched the web for information about ghosts and the after life, but found nothing describing her situation.

She got in the shower and brushed her teeth. She felt, just because she was dead, that was no reason she shouldn’t take care of normal hygiene.

Suddenly, it came to her. There must be others in the same situation as hers. So she left the house in search of more answers.

When Irene waved to Mrs. Boine, she waved back. She ran up on the porch and began talking to her, only to find out she was dead too. As they talked two little girls came out asking for Grandma to push them. Mrs. Boine told Irene that they couldn’t see her, yet they knew she was there.

Irene came right out and asked Mrs. Boine what she was supposed to do? Where was she supposed to go? Mrs. Boine said she had everything she could want right where she was, so why should she go anywhere.

Irene was in Limbo, but at least now she knew she wasn’t the only ghost. She found that ghosts tended to have an aura about them. She couldn’t help but wonder – Where’s the bright light? – like in the Ghost Whisperer.

She found herself in front of a house and noticed the name Johnson.Why did that sound familiar to her? Then she remembered, the kid, Jonah could see her and his name had been Johnson. But what could a 14-year-old kid tell her? She felt she had to talk to him. She went in the house, even though he wasn’t home, and she hadn’t been invited in. It was obvious from his bedroom he was alive and well. But why could he see her? She knew he could be unseen, invisible to others, too.  Why? How?

book of spells

She left a note and hoped he would come find her. When he did, he told her he found a book with spells, about astral projection and transcendental meditation. They talked about what he had discovered from reading books. She kept asking him questions. How would she get to the afterlife? What was ahead for her?

“You’re like a two-year old, you know that,” was his response.

And so began their journey to find the answers that would help Irene move on.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos   4 STARS – Would Highly Recommend To Others

Pretty cover and an appropriate title.

I got some chuckles when…..Well, I can’t tell you. For the subject of death, I really like Terri Bruce’s approach to it and the afterlife and the time in between. How would you react? What would you feel like if life went on without you? Is there life after death? Funny light-hearted look at death. A lot of food for thought in this book.

Irene –  was a spoiled rotten brat. Selfish. The 14-year-old kid acted more like an adult than she did. She didn’t put her full effort into her job, even though she liked it. Definitely liked drinking and had no qualms about calling in sick, after partying all night. She felt she had done what she was supposed to do, wasn’t that enough? She had an education, a good job, family, friends and a love life. What else was there?

Jokes

“Why aren’t ghosts good at telling lies?”   ” Because you can see right through them.”

“…what kind of mistakes do ghosts make…”   “Boo-boos.”

“What kind of street does a host live on?”  “A dead-end.”

“Who does a ghost invite to his party?”   “Anyone he can dig up.”

Quotes

“Cops Undead: Miami”

“Today is the first day of your afterlife”

“You can’t come in. I didn’t invite you. ”That’s vampires.” “

“Here take my sock, it’s stinky, just like you”

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

The book brought to mind Charmed, Supernatural and Ghost Whisperer, three TV shows that deal with magic, death, ghosts, the supernatural, the paranormal……when Irene and Jonah talked about scrying, finding lost objects, spells…..made me think of all three shows.

Maybe ignorance is bliss. Maybe we are better off not knowing what is to come. What is life about? The infamous, why me? Regrets? Set a wrong right? Unfinished business. Who does the judging? What are the rules?

The ending wraps it up nicely and left me with a warm fuzzy feeling and a smile. All’s well that ends well, went through my mind.

Hereafter on Goodreads | Shelfari | Library Thing

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Terri BruceTerri Bruce has been making up adventure stories for as long as she can remember and won her first writing award when she was twelve. Like Anne Shirley, she prefers to make people cry rather than laugh, but is happy if she can do either. She produces fantasy and adventure stories from a haunted house in New England where she lives with her husband and three cats. Her second novel, Thereafter (Afterlife #2), will be released May 1, 2014.

 

Website/Blog / Goodreads / Facebook  / Twitter

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To get your copy of Hereafter or learn more about Terri Bruce, click on the cover below.

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What do you do with your Spare Change?

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SPARE CHANGE by Bette Lee Crosby

Spare Change

Coins Pictures, Images and Photos    Not sure what I expected, but it was so much more. Good things do come in small packages.

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In the 20’s it was unusual for a woman to  be unmarried, work and live on her own. Olivia had never considered herself a spinster, she just liked her life. She didn’t want to be one of the herd or do what was expected of her. She was terrified of kids. Her father had disowned her at 26 and her mother told her that no one would want an old woman.

It was totally unexpected when she met Charles Doyle. They fell for each other at firstMMM..... Chocolate Truffle Pictures, Images and Photos glance. When he proposed, she choked on the chocolate truffle she was eating.  She told him no and it broke her heart. He told her he didn’t want kids. And if she didn’t want to clean or cook, no problem. Those things weren’t important to him. He had a son he hadn’t seen in fifteen years and a grandson he had never met.

She was very superstitious. During the wedding ceremony, a hail storm broke out. Charlie blew it off, so she did too. She was afraid of the number eleven. On the tenth day of marriage they arrived in Miami  for their honeymoon. On the eleventh day, she talked him into staying low-key, taking no chances. They went shopping, she was thinking that nothing could go wrong shopping. He snuck off and bought her a surprise. Back in the room, he told her to close her eyes and he put the necklace around her neck. When she what it was, her heart fell. Opals were bad luck. He died that night.

Susanna Doyle told her husband she had to be in New York City for her singing career. Benjamin knew he would lose her if they went anywhere near there, so he’d played a stalling game with her. He would promise her they would go, then find an excuse not to.

When she became pregnant, life got even worse. To get even, when the baby was born, she named him Ethan Allen, after the furniture store she worked at. As Ethan grew older, their fights became so vicious that he built a fort out back to get away from them.

One day at the diner, he noticed Mister Scooter, the owner, touching his mom’s butt. He coins Pictures, Images and Photosasked her about it and she said if he kept quiet, she would make sure she always had enough spare change for him to go to the movies.

Susanna was very excited because Benjamin had promised they would go to New York  City in September. When September rolled around, he found another excuse not to go. She had been working and saving the money, so she told Ethan they were going without him, but not to say anything so he wouldn’t find out and try to stop them. She went to the bank for her money, but Benjamin had already closed the account.

Susanna immediately went to Scooter, telling him she wanted to run away with him and Ethan to New York City. He thought about his own kid, for only a moment, and said okay.

Ethan was eleven years old and his mom had always promised him she would never run off without him. But that night,  Ethan’s whole world changed.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos     5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

I don’t know why I was drawn to the cover, title, then the blurb. Something tugged at me.The cover conveyed such a sense of sorrow from the boy. I  loved the second reference to spare change, but you will have to read the book to find out what it is, and why the title is so very appropriate.

I am not much for a story without some murder, killing, death, blood, gore, mystery, magic; in other words, some kind of action or adventure. This was a different kind of murder story, more a story of a woman alone, and a boy with no home and no one to love him. The murder was just a small piece.

For a short book, Bette made me feel like the story covered a lifetime. I kept reading faster and faster. I was afraid for Ethan and then both him and Olivia. She put so much story into a small book. Plot was detailed and suspenseful. I kept waiting for…..

The characters were amazing. Her descriptions left me feeling like they were my neighbors. I felt like I knew them. They were realistic and reminiscent of a time when we knew our neighbors. Such a feel good book. Made me tear up and cry because of its sweetness. I know my neighbors and speak to them, but I am a solitary creature, so it really surprised me that I felt such strong emotions while reading the story.

How do you get an eleven year old boy to trust you? I felt Ethan’s fear and panic. To win him over, it took much empathy, patience and compassion. So much, packed into its 280 pages. I know I keep repeating myself, but I still can’t get over how much this book affected me.

I received this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Not only was the author gracious enough to send me a paperback, she also autographed it for me. I love to add another book to my collection.

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos Giveaway – Bette Lee Crosby is offering for the giveaway:

International – ebook of Spare Change –  OR – US and Canada a signed paperback. As always the entry is easy. Leave a comment telling us what you do with your spare change and  an email address.

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. The Winners Are:

Kimba – won the signed paperback   Alana – won the ebook

Thanks to all of you for the wonderful, warm and touching comments. I hope you will continue to follow fundinmental.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bette Lee CrosbyBette Lee Crosby’s work was first recognized in 2006, when she won the National League of American Pen Women Award for unpublished fiction with What Matters Most. Her novel, Cracks in the Sidewalk, received the 2009 Royal Palm Literary Award and then went on to win the 2011 FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal. In 2011 Spare Change received the Reviewer’s Choice Awards and it garnered a second Royal Palm Literary Award. Her books have earned numerous five-star ratings with readers acclaiming them as heartwarming and captivating.

Most recently, Bette completed a memoir written for Lani Deauville, a woman the Guinness Book of Records lists as The World’s Longest Living Quadriplegic.

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To get your copy of Spare Change or any of Bette’s books, simply click on the covers below.

To see my Review of What Matters Most, go HERE.

To see my Review of Cupid’s Christmas, go HERE.

To see my Review of Cracks In The Sidewalk, go HERE.

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Lucky Isn’t So Lucky Is He?

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Getting Lucky

Getting lucky by Bob Sanchez

My office is above Robby’s Auto and I feel it is an appropriate place. There is a car graveyard behind the building and Webster Investigations is built on ruined lives.

My wife, Molly had asked for a divorce and right after that I had shot a drug addict. I was on suspension when Patrolman Mike Poirier pushed me past the breaking point and I punched him. I had been a police officer, but had belted him in front of way too many witnesses and was asked for my resignation.

It was Thanksgiving weekend and I figured no one would be coming into the office, so I would try to clean it up a bit. The building left a lot to be desired.

In walked a woman asking for Clayton Webster, that was me. She introduced herself as Bonita Esquivez and told me her husband was missing. He had been gone since last night and she was afraid he may be hurt. Why would she think that?

She pulled out a stack of hundred-dollar bills and asked when I could start. They had come here from Miami, so I couldn’t help but wonder why they would stop here, in Lowell, Massachusetts.

She said a black officer at the precinct had given her my name. I figured that must be Lieutenant Willis Chubb. I picked up a cup of coffee for him and went to his office. He confirmed it was him who sent her. He warned me to be careful with her, you know, the femme  fatale are always trouble.

I started with the hotel bartender. His roommate Chicken Man told me he had seen a man hitting on another man’s wife. The man punched him and Chicken Man said he helped him outside. He left him puking by the canal. Could he have fallen in and drowned? When I left, Chicken Man came down right after and jumped in his car, a beat up Volvo. I had seen one when I was with Bonita earlier and looked at the license plate – EJAQL8. I wouldn’t forget that.

I went around asking more questions, but couldn’t find out anything. I went looking along the canal to see if I could find a sign of Lucky. I recognized Choop, from when I was on the force, and yelled for him to wait up. I wanted to talk to him. He was looking down at the canal and I wondered if he saw something. He ran and lost his footing, falling in the canal. The cold water jolted my system as I dove into the canal. He almost strangled me as I tried to save him and I had to knock him out.

My next step would be to check out hotbed motels and the city bars.

Bonita called me to thank me for the box of chocolates, but I told her I didn’t send them. Ibox of chocolates Pictures, Images and Photos heard her vomiting, as she was trying to talk to me on the phone.  I called the front desk and told them to get up there in a hurry.When I got there, I checked the box. It said, with compliments from Webster Investigations. I could see tiny holes in the bottom of the candies. She wouldn’t let me call the police. I was now really motivated to find Lucky.

Bonita had said her husband might be with his cousin, Carlos Chavez, in Boston. I told her I was headed there and she said not to leave without her. She had to go back to the hotel first. She found that her purse had been ransacked and her gun was missing. Nothing else was touched. I had to find a safe place for her.

I headed to Boston on my own. While I was there, I was knocked out and robbed. I figured someone didn’t want me to find Chavez.

I found out Bonita had lied to me. No big surprise there. Bonita had told me Lucky was in the jewelry business, but I found out he was dealing in porn.  Bonita had sent me to the warehouse where I was attacked. Bonita had been out at 2:00 am. What does she really want from me?

 

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos    3 STARS – Would Recommend To Others

I liked the cover. Anything with water and vibrant colors catches my attention. The title is appropriate and could have more than one meaning.

The book was detailed and well written. The storyline was easy to follow. I always like these kinds of books. No big surprises.

The femme fatale, as usual, lies and can never be trusted. You don’t know who or what to believe.

Lucky was scum, abusing his wife and stepchild. The plot dealt with the seedy parts of life. How low could someone go? Lucky was pretty low. Who cared if he died?

The blurb caught my attention because of Boston and Lowell,  Massachusetts. They are places very familiar to me and I am always drawn to a book that has a location I know.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bob Sanchez was born in New Orleans, grew up and worked in Massachusetts, and lives with his wife and two cats in New Mexico. Bob has published three novels: When Pigs Fly, Getting Lucky, and Little Mountain. He actively participates in several writers’ groups, edits nonfiction reviews for The Internet Review of Books, and maintains or contributes to several blogs.

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/bob.sanchez1

Website:  bobsanchez1.blogspot.com

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