Tag Archives: series

Strong From The Heart by Jon Land @jondland #CaitlinStrong

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Strong From The Heart by Jon Land is the eleventh book in the Caitlin Strong Texas Ranger series and I have been loving spending time with her. I usually receive an ARC, but this time I received a beautiful, signed, hardcover and I am so excited to add it to my collection of Jon Land books.

Strong from the Heart (Caitlin Strong #11)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Many of us are aware of the opiod epidemic and Caitlin Strong will be facing it in Strong From The Heart by Jon Land. I wouldn’t want to be the culprits that she is seeking.

The Prologue reeled me in and my mind was whirling with the possibilities.

We start out with a wayward mailman who is on a mission, but it’s not to deliver his mail.

WTH…happened in Camino Pass? Caitlin Strong is on the case and will get to the bottom of it.

She has stepped into a snake pit and I am rooting for her, as she defuses a volatile situation at the Canyon Ridge Elementary School, where ICE attempts to pick up six children. We have the usual posturing between law enforcement divisions for control of the situation. She will not allow that, and her trusty friend Guillermo Paz is by her side. I love Caitlin’s attitude and the humor that Jon Land adds to his thrillers.

“Kids are safe and I didn’t even have to shoot anybody.”

Cort, her outlaw boyfriend is at the hospital after a call telling him his son ODed on opiates. Caitlin would stop at nothing to trace who was providing the drugs to him and the other kids at school. I love that Jon Land tosses in current events.

“Just one Texas Ranger, son?”

“You ever hear the motto, one riot, one Ranger? Because it’s damn near true.”

“You are like human flypaper Ranger, and wherever you go, the worst of the worse just sticks to you.” An apt description of Caitlin Strong, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Jon Land’s writing makes the story flow smoothly, increasing the danger and suspense over the course of the story. We have more than one story line going on and the past creeps into the present. Jon Land always gives us tidbits of Texas Ranger history and I love that.

I worry for some of my favorite characters, because they do not run from trouble and danger, they run towards it.

I had been waiting to read Strong From The Heart by Jon Land for when I really needed a pick me up, a get lost for hours book. I started reading during College Game Day (and anybody that knows me, knows I don’t want to be disturbed during football) and figured I would read during those dull moments, commercials, and half time. I finished it shortly after the Alabama vs Ole Miss game. I got so involved that I couldn’t put it down..

I needed some distraction from current events and I want to thank you, Jon, for helping me to get lost and escape through your words.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Strong From The Heart by Jon Land.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In what Brad Meltzer calls a “savory Tex-Mex tale, seasoned with all the ingredients of a great thriller,” Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong digs for the truth behind the Opioid Crisis in the next installment of Jon Land’s critically acclaimed series

Mexico, 1898: Texas Ranger William Ray Strong arrives in the border town of Camino Pass to transport a young Pancho Villa to stand trial, but his plans are waylaid when he learns all of the town’s children have been kidnapped.

The Present: The drug crisis hits home for fifth generation Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong when the son of her outlaw lover, Cort Wesley Masters, nearly dies from an opioid overdose.

Determined to make those responsible pay, Caitlin sets out to track down the dealer and pusher, while trying to solve the inexplicable tragedy of a small Texas town where all the residents died in a single night. When she realizes these two pursuits are connected, she finds herself following a trail to the truth of the crisis nestled hard in the center of America’s power base.

That power base, comprised of politicians, Big Pharma, along with corrupt doctors and drug distributors, has successfully beaten back all threats in the past. But they have no idea what’s in store when the guns of Texas come calling.

ABOUT JON LAND

Jon Land

Jon Land is the award-winning, critically acclaimed author of 36 books, including the bestselling Caitlin Strong Texas Ranger series that includes Strong Enough to Die, Strong Justice, Strong at the Break, Strong Vengeance and, most recently, Strong Rain Falling. The Tenth Circle marks the second return engagement of his longtime series hero Blaine McCracken on the heels of last year’s Pandora’s Temple which was nominated for a Thriller Award and received the 2013 International Book Award for Best Adventure Thriller. Jon’s first nonfiction book, Betrayal, meanwhile, was named Best True Crime Book of 2012 by Suspense Magazine and won a 2012 International Book Award for Best True Crime Book. He is currently working on Strong Darkness, the next entry in the Caitlin Strong to be published in September of 2014. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude from Brown University, where he continues to maintain a strong volunteer presence, in 1979.

Stalk Jon:  Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook 

MY JON LAND REVIEWS

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Giveaway – The Librarian’s Vampire Assistant by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff @MimiJeanRomance @XpressoReads

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The Librarian’s Vampire Assistant
Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
(The Librarian’s Vampire Assistant, #5)
Publication date: October 31st 2020
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Romance

From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes the FINAL vampire-mystery-slash-romance-slash-adventure about a librarian and her trusty vampire assistant, The Librarian’s Vampire Assistant, Book 5.

(Yes, yes. Still a standalone. Yippy! You don’t have to go back and read all four books. But don’t ya kinda wanna?)

NEVER HIRE A HANDSOME VAMPIRE!

MIRIAM MURPHY loves being a librarian. It’s all she’s ever wanted—to eat, breathe, and sleep books. But when she hired Michael, a handsome college student, she had no idea he was a four-hundred-year-old vampire and that inviting him into her life would result in her becoming one too. But not before he knocked her up and broke her heart.

Now Miriam is a single mother, all alone in a new world with a new vampire body. And someone’s trying to kill her. Who? Why? She has no real enemies.

If only Michael would help. After all, he’s the vampire king now. And this is one mystery she can’t solve on her own.

NEVER FALL FOR A LIBRARIAN!

MICHAEL VANDERHORST knows he’s changed. He can no longer love or laugh or enjoy hot peppers like he used to. But being an unfeeling, ruthless vampire is what it takes to rule the deadliest bloodsuckers on the planet. It’s the only way to keep humankind safe.

Problem is, his enemies know the librarian and his daughter are special to him. They are his to protect, even if he’s incapable of feeling love.

But when danger comes knocking at Miriam’s library door, he must choose between solving the biggest mystery of his existence and the woman he swore to protect.

What’s a vampire king to do?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

My parents started this library and filled it with millions of dollars of books. Three floors. Open in the middle—same as our house—overlooking the main floor. When I wasn’t in school or training to be a Keeper, I was here, losing myself in books. I think I always knew I wanted to be a librarian, but it just took a while to work up the courage to tell my family. Of course, when I did, they acted like I’d told them I wanted to be a porn star or bank robber.

To this day, I don’t regret my choice, but I do regret how my parents were murdered before I could convince them that choosing another path in life didn’t mean I hated them. They died thinking the worst of me, and for that, I don’t think I’ll ever feel closure.

I pull into the parking lot to the side of my library and immediately go for my crossbow. The big one this time. Bertha.

There are four black SUVs in the lot and two parked out front on the busy street at the meters. I know it isn’t Nice, which is why I grab the chocolate-tipped arrow. I make them myself with pure cocoa powder and a flour paste so the tip hardens just enough to penetrate the skin. Vampire skin.

Chocolate is a narcotic for us. Give us enough, and it’ll kill, whereas a small dose has the same effect as alcohol. I’ve yet to sample any since being turned because I’ve been alone with Stella and must be on my guard. Mommy can’t get a chocolate chip cookie buzz until she finds a ninja sitter.

I take my crossbow and exit my Hummer. I might be a librarian, but when it comes to defending my child, I’m a one-woman army. Ready to kick fangs or asses. The ill-fitting, disheveled clothes I wear—below-the-knee skirts, moth-eaten sweaters, and granny glasses—are merely a disguise. Today I have on a wrinkled white blouse, plain tan pants, and a black cardigan that’s all stretched out. People see me and think I couldn’t harm a fly or fight my way out of a paper bag. All part of my Keeper upbringing. Unfortunately, my natural clumsiness is genuine, and so is my lack of love for violence. I can fight, and fight well. It’s just not something that comes naturally or that I enjoy. Even when I was Nice’s prisoner, fear always held me back. And he knew just how to use it to keep me tethered to his side, reading bad poetry, helping him shop online for ruffled shirts, telling him how much I admired his wiry body and long black locks.

The man is a monster.

At least I wasn’t mistreated sexually. Mr. Nice has a rule about not sleeping with humans (apparently they’re too fragile for his bedroom games), but he kept Stella from me. Those are years lost with my daughter, and I’ll never get them back. For that, he’ll pay.

How?

I’m not sure yet, but it’s coming. His day of reckoning for separating me from Michael and then my child, for driving Michael to become a cold-hearted vampire, and for turning me is coming. I love to read, and I’ve always believed a story is only as good as the bad guy. But in real life? The only good bad guy is a dead bad guy. This librarian is coming for you, Nice.

Now for this guy!

Bertha in hand, I pull on the front door of my library. My eyes meet his, and my heart starts hammering against my rib cage, like it’s calling out to him in longing. The sensation jars me and, in some way, shames me. I know he can hear it. Just like I can hear the lack of beating inside his chest. He couldn’t care less about seeing me. He feels nothing.

“What do you want, Michael?” I growl, keeping my weapon pointed at the ground. I know his guards are all around us, waiting to pounce.

“What do I want?” He points to his broad chest, and I try not to notice how good his tall, lean, muscular frame looks in his tailored black suit. Michael Vanderhorst was born over four hundred years ago, but if you saw him walking down the street today, you’d wonder where the Armani shoot was. And I’m not talking runway. I’m talking Christmastime cologne commercial. You know, the ripped, oiled-down guy with deep olive skin in a tight white Speedo, diving into a pristine turquoise ocean. Yeah. That Armani.

Despite being a vampire, Michael is everything hard and male and seductive, with a face that never ages. One look into those dark eyes, and you’re lost forever.

“Yes,” I repeat, “what do you want?”

“You summoned me,” he says in that deep, authoritative voice that doesn’t fit his youthful appearance. It was the one thing that first tipped me off about him not being human. No twenty-year-old I’ve ever met has a voice that can make my toes tingle.

I raise my crossbow and point it at his groin.

“What are you doing?” he growls with those sexy lips.

“I know you have at least a dozen guards surrounding me. Consider it my insurance.”

Michael unfolds his arms. “Mir-librarian-woman, you sent five of my men home in a shoebox. I hardly think you are the one at risk.”

I frown. “What are you talking about?” And why is he calling me Mir-librarian-woman?

His dark eyes narrow in puzzlement. “Please tell me it was you who summoned me.”

I blink, catching on to the situation.

Someone pretending to be me asked him to come here.

I hear a click somewhere in the room. Oh crap!

Before I can scream “run,” Michael charges faster than my new vampire eyes can register.

Author Bio:

MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a New York Times bestselling author who’s sold over one million books around the world. Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dreams.

Mimi lives with her Latin lover hubby, two pirates-in-training (their boys), and their three spunky dragons (really, just very tiny dogs with big attitudes) Snowy, Mini, and Mack, in the vampire-unfriendly state of Arizona.

She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


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Books From The Backlog – The Secrets of the Vanmars by Elisabeth Wheatley @wheatley_e #booksfromthebacklog

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Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

The Secrets of the Vanmars (Argetallam Saga #2)

Amazon / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

Surviving exile and imprisonment should have been a victory, but the battle is just beginning. With a new awareness and tenuous control of her growing power, Janir returns home to find half the Brevian High Lords want her dead.

When Saoven is ordered by his king to remain close, it seems the elves suspect her as well. To make matters worse, whispered rumors claim that a Stlavish noble house, the Vanmars, are plotting to invade and Karile is sure that Janir’s childhood home is a part of it.

Ensnared in the machinations of kingdoms, Janir must confront the power that is her heritage before everything she loves is destroyed.

Goodreads ratings: 4.12  ·  41 ratings  ·  19 reviews

I added The Secrets of the Vanmars by Elisabeth Wheatley to my TBR on 10.16.23 and I received it from the author. I have been reading Elisabeth Wheatley’s stories for some time now and I don’t know how I missed this one. I’ll be remedying that as soon as I get caught up on my review books. The Secrets of the Vanmars is the second book in the Argetallam Saga. It’s a teen/young adult novel of fairy tales and folklore and sword and sorcery. I love getting lost in a fantasy world and Elisabeth Wheatley makes it so much fun.

MY ELISABETH WHEATLEY REVIEWS

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Midnight Blue by D S Land & The Timekeeper by Jordana Barber #DSLAND @JordanaBarber

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Midnight Blue over MexicoI was really excited about Midnight Blue Over Mexico by D S Land because it seemed to be a bit different than the usual technothriller, you know, greed, conspiracy, technology…used for good and evil… characters that kept me reading, caring, hating…and I have to ask, could you do without your cell phone…for a minute, an hour, a day, to save your life and those of others?

Amazon  /  Goodreads

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  3 stars

I had added Midnight Blue Over Mexico by D S Land to my TBR on 10.9.12 and The Timekeeper by Jordana Baker on 10.12.12

The Timekeeper (Aliis Mundi, #1) I saw the cover…and the title…and thought The Timekeeper by Jordana Barber would be filled with awesome characters…IT WAS…a lot of danger and action…THERE WAS…some hot romance…CAN’T DO WITHOUT THAT.. a satisfying ending…GOT THAT…and a desire to read more…I DO.

Amazon  /  Goodreads

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  3 Stars

 

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  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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Books From The Backlog – A Reason To Live by Matthew Iden @CrimeRighter #booksfromthe backlog

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Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

A Reason to Live (Marty Singer, #1)

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

In the late nineties, a bad cop killed a good woman and DC Homicide detective Marty Singer watched the murderer walk out of the courtroom a free man.

Twelve years later, the victim’s daughter begs for help: the killer is stalking her now. But Marty has retired to battle cancer. A second shot at the killer–and a first chance at redemption–Marty has A Reason to Live .

The Marty Singer detective series:
A Reason to Live (Marty Singer #1)
Blueblood (Marty Singer #2)
One Right Thing (Marty Singer #3)
The Spike (Marty Singer #4)
The Wicked Flee (Marty Singer #5 – Summer 2014)

Goodreads rating: 4.00  ·  3,717 ratings  ·  270 reviews

I added this to my Goodreads TBR on 10.12.12 but grabbed it from Amazon on 8.3.12. The Goodreads ratings make this a very desirable read for me. Described as a noir crime, hard boiled mystery,it makes me think of Humphrey Bogart and I always like that. How about you? Do old time mysteries appeal to you?

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Disasters – Frozen Crimes by Chrys Fey @ChrysFey @rufus_thomas

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Frozen Crimes is Chrys Fey’s latest novel in the Disaster series. I have been reading her work for years and eagerly pick up her books anticipating a wonderful story.

I love the beautiful cover of Frozen Crimes, done by Kim Mendoza.

Frozen Crimes (Disaster Crimes #4)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have been through a hurricane, an earthquake, a lightening storm, a tsunami, a fire, and now a blizzard with Beth and Donovan. Chrys Fey does not give them a break, just because Beth is pregnant.

Frozen Crimes has a gorgeous cover and I do love a story that features storms and Mother Nature showing us who is the boss. To know Beth and Donovan’s full story, you need to start at the beginning with Hurricane Crimes.

Chrys Fey dives right into the suspense and I wonder…is it someone we have met before?

Donovan is away on a monster truck tour. He is a driver and loves what he does. He had never planned on marriage, but once he met Beth, he was a goner. She used to travel with him and he missed her terribly. Now that a little one is on the way, he wonders…

Beth is home alone…Oh No. It’s nighttime. There’s a knocking at her bedroom window. She’s no newbie to danger, but being pregnant adds another level of fear. She has no idea that she is being hunted, stalked. In this day and age, it is easy for someone to find you and that in itself is frightening, then we have Beth and Donovan’s story to add to that.

Beth is no stranger to danger, so she started a self defense studio. Thorn, a police officer, is their best friend and has a sweet spot for one her friends who is also an employee. She has her own tragic story to tell and kindred spirits are drawn together. He uses checking on Beth as an excuse to spend time with her.

Beth and Donovan’s love for each other is so sweet. When he took her for a drive on vacation in Michigan, I knew what was coming and I loved it. He is so wonderful with Beth and the small things are very precious to her. I love that they live in Florida, and I too love living in sunny paradise. I was born in Michigan, so them visiting for Christmas and getting caught in a blizzard brings to mind forgotten memories. Deep fried turkey, yeah I’ve had that. I love those little touches that make a book even better to me.

Chrys Fey’s writing flows smoothly, leading me deeper into the story, anticipating something bad coming, just not sure what it is going to be. She does add the good with the bad. She creates suspense and adds some heat to spice things up.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Frozen Crimes by Chris Fey.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

***Frozen Crimes (Disaster Crimes Book 5)***

Beth and Donovan are expecting their first child. Life couldn’t get any better…until a stalker makes his presence known. This person sends disturbing messages and unsettling items, but it isn’t long before his menacing goes too far.

Hoping for a peaceful Christmas, Donovan takes Beth to Michigan. Days into their trip, a winter storm named Nemesis moves in with the goal of burying the state. Snowdrifts surround their house, and the temperature drops below freezing.

Except, the storm isn’t the only nemesis they must face. Everyone’s lives are at stake—especially that of their unborn child. Will they survive, or will they become a frozen crime?

Content Warning: stalker, hostage, violence, guns/gunshots, cheating, pregnancy/child birth

Heat Rating: Hot (Steamy scenes but NOT erotica)

Disaster Crimes Series:
Hurricane Crimes (#1)
Seismic Crimes (#2)
Lightning Crimes (#2.5 free story)
Tsunami Crimes (#3)
Flaming Crimes (#4)
Frozen Crimes (#5)

ABOUT CHRYS FEY

Chrys Fey is the author of Write with Fey: 10 Sparks to Guide You from Idea to Publication. She is also the author of the Disaster Crimes series. Visit her blog, Write with Fey, for more tips on how to reverse writer’s burnout. https://www.chrysfey.com/

MY CHRYS FEY REVIEWS

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Christian Fiction – Action of Purpose Series by Stu Jones @StuJonesFiction

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I was first introduced to Stu Jones when I read It Takes Death To Reach a Star, cowritten with Gareth Worthington. You can see my review Here.

I don’t read much Christian fiction, but this series blew me away..5 stars, beginning to end.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW FOR THROUGH THE FURY TO THE DAWN BY STU JONES

Though I am not what I would consider religious, I love to read about angels and demons. I jumped on this series because I have read some of Stu Jones work and loved it. I am looking forward to reading what he says is a story of faith, conviction and redemption.

I can usually go wherever an author wants to take me and was easily lead into this series with Stu Jones’ ability to pen a great story and OMG, I am lost in this world. As I read, the pacing flows like a river and I am along for the ride. The evil is true EVIL and man descends to its basest levels. BUT…

God won’t forget his creation and has a chosen few that will rise to the occasion. Dark and gritty doesn’t begin to describe the levels Stu Jones goes to in order for us to join in the battle of Good vs Evil…and it will be a fight to the death.

Through the Fury to the Dawn reads like an apocalyptic/dystopian, paranormal/supernatural novel, with a heavy dose of religious influence. I immediately began reading Book II, Into the Dark.

All profits are donated to combat sex trafficking.

A huge thank you goes out to Amazon for the two months of free Kindle Unlimited, of which this series is not the only one I was able to finish.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

MY REVIEW FOR INTO THE DARK BY STU JONES

I immediately began reading Into The Dark by Stu Jones as soon as I finished the first book in the Action of Purpose series, Through the Fury to the Dawn. I think this could be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend beginning at the beginning.

We start at mourning the loss of someone I will miss dearly, but each character has their role to play and Stu Jones has no qualms about killing them off for the good of the story…and it definitely creates some emotional backlash for me.

We get an indepth look at some of the characters and how they came to be who they are.

Life has changed drastically since the destruction caused by WWIII.

Unputdownable! The nail biting, spine tingling suspense made me unable to stop fretting, racing through the pages. Bodies falling in grotesque manners, the sick, Malak, who is much more than a man of evil, Kane, Courtland, Jenna, Tynuk and Az….

I love the blend of genres and was amazed at how easily it was for me to accept the religious angle because it fits so well.

OMG. I had tears in my eyes as the brutal battles rage through the pages, losing some of those I have come to care for deeply. I love a series that maintains the same level of intensity throughout. It doesn’t happen often. Kudos Stu. Keep up the great work. AND…I’ll be checking out Book III right now.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

MY REVIEW FOR AGAINST THE FADING BY STU JONES

Each book of the Action of Purpose series begins where the previous book left of. With that being said, I am all in and can hardly wait to get to the conclusion and find out what happens to all my friends.

In Against the Fading Light, Tynuk’s story is told and I love this young man. He is a believer, never wavering.

Kane and the gang are what family is all about, though they are not related.

As the showdown approaches, God’s talking and the angels are listening.

I AM LOVING THIS SERIES. I am not religious, don’t go to church, but this story and Stu Jones’ ability to tell it has blown me away. Amazing, awesome, uplifting, hopeful, heartbreaking, devastating…

I must warn you…put aside some time, because once you start reading about this battle between good and evil, you won’t be able to stop! The ending was all I could hope for and he kept me entranced, riveted, unable to quit until the last page was read.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars
  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Audiobook Tour – Killer Deadline by Lauren Carr @TheMysteryLadie @iReadBookTours

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Join us for this tour from Sep 21 to Oct 16, 2020!

Book Details:

Book Title:  Killer Deadline (A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  232 pages
Genre:  Mystery/Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   April 23, 2020
Audiobook release date: August 5, 2020
Content Rating: G. This is a true cozy mystery. No sex. No on-stage violence. No swearing. Just good clean fun!
“Here we go! Carr is a master storyteller who always offers a plot full of twists and turns, a bit of humor to offset the dark, and a unique cast of characters. In Killer Deadline that cast includes – handsome Ryan, her first love (who is now her step-brother); a mysterious social media friend called Nerdy Guy; Elmo, a super smart dog, a boxer, she rescued who has become a social media star and has a penchant for cleaning; a TV station full of suspicious employees; and more.

“This book is a wonderful read to pick up at the end of a long day. It truly is a “cozy murder mystery.”  I promise, it’ll draw you in right from page one and keep you turning the pages until you reach the very last page. I can’t wait for the second book in this series.” – Marilyn R. Wilson, Olio by Marilyn
Book Description:

Folks in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, claim that where Nikki Bryant goes, trouble is not far behind. Her refusal to back down from a challenge has made Nikki Bryant a top investigative journalist.

When an online friend nudges her to join him in a pact to reconnect with their first loves, Nikki and her boxer dog Elmo leave the bright lights of Las Vegas for the charming town of Pine Grove. There, she must face the biggest challenges in her career and life—the first love she had left behind and her father’s unsolved murder.

But before she has time to unpack her car, Nikki stumbles upon the dead body of local news anchor, Ashleigh Addison, her childhood rival. Could Ashleigh’s death be connected to an explosive news story that she had teased about airing live? Did that explosive story have anything to do with the murder of Nikki’s father?

With the clues in her father’s cold case hot again, Nikki intends to chase down the story of her life until she catches his killer—no matter what it takes. 
Buy the Book:
Amazon.com ~ Audible ~ BookBub
Add to Goodreads
Meet the Author:

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

Killer Deadline marks Lauren’s first venture into mystery’s purely cozy sub-genre with a female protagonist.

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

A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Bookbub
Tour Schedule:

Sep 21 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Sep 22 – Books, Tea, Healthy Me – audiobook review / author interview / giveaway
Sep 23 – seasons of opportunities – audiobook review
Sep 23 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review / guest post / giveaway
Sep 23 – A Page Before Bedtime –book review / giveaway
Sep 24 – I’m All About Books – book spotlight / giveaway
Sep 25 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Sep 28 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
Sep 29 – Viviana MacKade – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Sep 29 – Blooming with Books – audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 1 – The Book View – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 2 – My Journey Back – audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 5 – eBook Addicts – audiobook review
Oct 5 – Pen Possessed – book spotlight / giveaway
Oct 6 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Oct 6 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 7 – Library of Clean Reads – book spotlight / giveaway
Oct 7 – Buried Under Books – audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 8 – Mystery Suspense Reviews – audiobook review / author interview / giveaway
Oct 9 – Hall Ways Blog – audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 12 – Amy’s Booket List – audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 12 – Deborah-Zenha Adams – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 13 – jea reads/instagram – book review
Oct 13 – Book Lover in Florida – book review / giveaway
Oct 13 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
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Oct 15 – My Reading Journeys – audiobook review / author interview / giveaway

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MY LAUREN CARR REVIEWS

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Mistletoes, Moussaka & Murder by Tina Kashian @TinaKashian1 @dollycas

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Mistletoe, Moussaka, and Murder (A Kebab Kitchen Mystery)
by Tina Kashian

About Mistletoe, Moussaka, and Murder (A Kebab Kitchen Mystery)


Mistletoe, Moussaka, and Murder (A Kebab Kitchen Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Publisher: Kensington (September 29, 2020)
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
ISBN-10: 1496726073
ISBN-13: 978-1496726070
Digital ASIN: B082WR6DMT

Not even her impending nuptials can keep Lucy Berberian, manager of her family-owned Kebab Kitchen, from the Jersey Shore’s annual Polar Bear Plunge. But her dive into the icy ocean is especially chilling when she finds a fellow swimmer doing the dead man’s float—for real . . .

Who would kill a man in cold blood during Ocean Crest, New Jersey’s most popular winter event? When Lucy learns the victim is Deacon Spooner, the reception hall owner who turned up his nose—and his price—at her wedding plans, she can’t help wondering who wouldn’t kill the pompous caterer . . .

Perhaps the culprit is the wedding cake baker whose career Deacon nearly destroyed? Or the angry bride whose reception he ruined? With her maid of honor, Katie, busily planning Lucy’s wedding without her, Lucy will have to get to the bottom of this cold-hearted business in time for Kebab Kitchen’s mouthwatering Christmas celebration—and before her hometown’s holiday spirit washes out to sea . . .

Recipes included!

GUEST POST WITH RECIPE FOR THE AVID READER

Thank you for inviting me to chat with your readers about my new release, “Mistletoe, Moussaka & Murder.” It’s the fifth book in my Kebab Kitchen mystery series.

Holiday time at the Jersey Shore is special. Snow on the beach is a sight to see!

In my series, Lucy Berberian manages her family’s Mediterranean restaurant, Kebab Kitchen. Working at a Mediterranean restaurant during the Christmas and holiday season means serving mouthwatering holiday dishes of shish kebab, hummus, and moussaka as well as delectable desserts like baklava.

When Lucy Berberian signs up for this year’s Polar Bear Plunge at her Jersey Shore town to fundraise for the local senior center, she realizes she may have been a bit too brave. Lucy runs into the freezing Atlantic Ocean, then hightails it back to the shore. Just when she thinks the worst is over, a chilly scream alerts everyone to a body lying at the surf. Can Lucy solve the case before Christmas in Ocean Crest is ruined?

As for the food in the series, my Armenian parents owned a restaurant for thirty years, and I grew up in the business. So, what is moussaka? Moussaka to the Greeks is like lasagna to the Italians. I’m happy to share my own family’s recipe (the moussaka is featured in my new release as well!)

Have you ever tried moussaka? What’s your favorite Mediterranean dish?

Lucy’s Moussaka

This Mediterranean dish is a favorite and often served at holidays and family dinners.

Prep Time: 20 minutes 
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large finely chopped onion
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ½ cup red wine
  • ½ cup chopped parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 2 large eggplants
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ¼ pound butter
  • 6 tablespoons flour
  • 1 quart full-fat milk
  • 4 beaten eggs
  • teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 1½ cup fine breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

For the ground beef:

Heat ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet and cook the onions until they turn transparent. Add the ground meat and cook until fully cooked. Transfer the meat to a large strainer set over a bowl and drain off any excess fat. Return meat to the pan and heat. Add the tomato paste, wine, parsley, and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir and simmer over low heat until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the eggplant:

Cut unpeeled eggplants into ½-inch-thick slices. Lightly salt the slices and let them sit for five minutes. Heat ¼ cup vegetable oil in a separate skillet. Working in batches, fry the eggplant slices until they are golden brown on both sides. Set eggplant slices aside on sheet pan lined with paper towels to absorb the oil. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

For the béchamel sauce:

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is smooth. In a separate saucepan, bring the milk to a boil and add it gradually to the butter-flour mixture. Whisk constantly. When the mixture is thickened and smooth, remove it from the heat. In a bowl, whisk together beaten eggs, nutmeg, and ricotta cheese. Add it to the béchamel sauce and whisk until smooth.

Putting it all together:

Spray an 11-x-16 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs. Layer half the eggplant in pan, then add half of the meat sauce. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Add the rest of the eggplant and then the meat sauce. Pour the béchamel sauce on top. Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is browned and bubbly. Allow it to cool for twenty minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Here’s a dish from my favorite Mediterranean restaurant.

Tina Kashian is an attorney and mechanical engineer whose love of reading for pleasure helped her get through years of academia. She is the author of the popular Kebab Kitchen Mediterranean cozy mystery series for Kensington Publishing. Tina spent her childhood summers at the Jersey shore building sandcastles, boogie boarding, and riding the boardwalk Ferris wheel. She also grew up in the restaurant business, as her Armenian parents owned a restaurant for thirty years. Tina still lives in New Jersey with her supportive husband and two daughters. Please visit her website at www.tinakashian.com to join her newsletter, receive delicious recipes, enter contests, and more!

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October 6 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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October 7 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 7 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – RECIPE POST

October 7 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

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October 9 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT

October 9 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

October 9 – Author Elena Taylor’s Blog – SPOTLIGHT

October 10 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

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October 10 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT

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Books From The Backlog – Headache by Crystal Marcos @ CrystalMarcos #booksfromthebacklog

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Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

Need some good books for the kiddos, check out Crystal Marcos and her Bellyache series.

Headache (Bellyache, #2)

Amazon / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

When Peter Fisher sets out for school one morning, he has no idea that trouble is stirring in his hometown. With the unexpected arrival of his new Candonite friends from Maple Town, Peter and Lina have extra help saving their beloved town and loved ones from the clutches of the one villain they had hoped they would never see again. Humorous and thought provoking, this unforgettably entertaining story teaches a valuable lesson about standing up and facing one’s fears.

Goodreads Ratings: 4.49  ·  37 ratings  ·  18 reviews

I added this to Goodreads on 10.12.12 but picked it up on Amazon on 12.22.12. I have read some of her work and loved it, so this was a no brainer. If the kiddos need some reading material, I think they will enjoy Crystal Marcos’ Bellyache series.

MY CRYSTAL MARCOS REVIEWS

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