M.M. Hudson's Blog, page 39
May 10, 2021
May 5, 2021
#SPOTLIGHT: Soul Symphonies by Stephanie Ayers #giveaway #comingofage #YA #supernatural
Soul SymphoniesChildren of Chaos Seriesby Stephanie AyersGenre: YA Supernatural, Coming of Age
Rhyme has a secret. Something magical happens every time she plays her violin. But until she meets Cath, the newest student in her school, she thought the secret was hers to bear alone. Cath is a beautiful and talented boy she can’t help but fall in love with. Can she trust him with her secret?
Cath’s flighty parents decide it’s time for him to face the real world. When he meets the equally talented Rhyme in band class, his self-confidence is shaken, and his life is turned upside down. Questions play like a concerto on repeat through his mind. Who is she? Where did she come from? Why is she so different from everyone else? Outcast, bullied, and determined, Cath will stop at nothing to find the answers, even if it means tearing her apart.
Growing up is hard. Growing up fairy is even harder.
Goodreads* Amazon
Stephanie Ayers is the word whisperer where horror and fantasy collide. An international bestselling author with a trunk full of tricks thanks to a checkered past, she haunts Irish castles and snowy mountaintops in her dreams while living the unicorn life in Ohio disguised as a human. When she isn’t listening to the voices in her head, she spends her days as a mom, gramma, cat mom, avid flea market shopper, and Netflix binger, while avoiding housework and zombies at all costs.
To find out more about Stephanie's daily living and all about her books and writing, subscribe to her newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/o6e0l9
Her favorite quote is: "The blank page is a canvas on which the writer paints a story."-Stephanie Ayers
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$10 Amazon
a Rafflecopter giveaway
May 3, 2021
#Spotlight: & #Giveaway: Pierced Peony & Poisoned Primrose by Dahlia Donovan #cozymysteries
Pierced PeonyMotts Cold Case Mystery Book 2by Dahlia DonovanGenre: Cozy Mystery
On a casual walk along the Cornish Coast, Pineapple “Motts” Mottley stumbles upon a body and a perilous new murder case in the second novel in the Motts Cold Case Mystery series.
As spring rolls into summer, Motts settles into her cottage. She’s enjoying a daily stroll when a body in the sea destroys her peace and quiet. It brings yet another mystery for her to solve.
How does a woman who vanished from Polperro three years prior wind up battered by waves?
Motts is drawn into the investigation despite her best attempts. She finds a family in turmoil and loads of suspects. With no easy answers, she tumbles further into chaos and ever closer to danger.
Can Motts find the killer before she’s the one put on ice?
Will she survive a bone-chilling brush with death?
Add to Goodreads Amazon
Poisoned PrimroseMotts Cold Case Mystery Book 1
"Wonderful mystery with a unique and special heroine!" - A Cozy Cup of Murder
Meet Motts and the quirky cast of characters in her world. Poisoned Primrose is a quintessential cosy British mystery and an all-round fun story to throw yourself into.
Autistic, asexual, and almost forty, Pineapple “Motts” Mottley flees London with her cat and turtle to a quaint cottage in Cornwall. She craves the peace of life in a small village. The dead body buried in her garden isn’t quite what she had in mind, though.
Unable to resist her curiosity, she falls directly into a mess of trouble and runs head-first into the attractive detective inspector, Teo Herceg. She tries to balance her business with the investigation, but as the killer focuses on her, staying alive becomes trickier than advanced origami.
Will Motts survive the onslaught of murderously bad luck?
Can she solve the mystery before it all spins out of control and off a cliff?
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Dahlia Donovan wrote her first romance series after a crazy dream about shifters and damsels in distress. She prefers irreverent humour and unconventional characters. An autistic and occasional hermit, her life wouldn’t be complete without her husband and her massive collection of books and video games.
Website * Facebook
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$5 Amazon
a Rafflecopter giveaway
April 30, 2021
#Spotlight & #Giveaway: Combustion by Jyvur Entropy #horror
Synopsis:
Rachel lives in constant fear that she will burst into flames. She can feel the heat building in her gut. She keeps buckets of water under the bed. She keeps them to fend off the flames that her body may create.
Autocombustophobia. That's what they say she has.
No one will believe Rachel when she explains that she spontaneously combusted once before. That's why her body is covered in burns.
Rachel's mother is the only one who knows what really happened to her. All she said was that it was an accident, before she disappeared leaving Rachel to live with her grandparents.
When Rachel becomes reunited with her estranged mother, she struggles to uncover the truth behind her injuries. As Rachel spends time with the mother she has never known, she is thrown into a strange world of paranormal obsession, spells, and sage burning.
Long buried family secrets are revealed and Rachel's fear of Spontaneous Human Combustion becomes unmanageable.
There are some terrifying truths to uncover and a man on fire. He stands burning at the foot of her bed.
Find on:
About the Author
Jyvur Entropy writes horror and romance. She is a pessimist, a chaotic neutral, and a massive fan of Die Antwoord.
Combustion is her most well known work. It premiered on Wattpad in 2016, where it went on to collect over 94,000 views, was featured twice by Wattpad and longlisted for the 2018 Watty’s.
Jyvur knows everything about the Columbine massacre and buys a new bodice ripper every time she goes to the supermarket.
She is never seen without an iced coffee or yoga pants, because she’s about as basic as it gets.
She runs a moderately successful book blog and she has a baby YouTube channel. You can find all her content and socials here: https://linktr.ee/jyvurentropy
Website * Facebook
Giveaway
$30 Amazon giftcard – 1 winner
Swag Pack with journal & accessory pouch– 3 winners!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/960050913/accessory-pouch
https://www.etsy.com/listing/944755242/copy-of-journal-ruled-line
April 28, 2021
#Spotlight & #Giveaway: Time's Relative by Debbie DeLouise #TimeTravel #Thriller
Genre: Time Travel Thriller
Synopsis:
It’s the fall of 1998, and librarian Samantha Stewart is looking for a new job. After seeing an ad for a high-paying position at a company called Virtual Software that entails research and travel, Sam investigates the company and learns that its president has gone missing, and that it’s currently being run by the vice-president Greg Parsons.
Before Sam makes it to the interview, she's visited by a strange woman who introduces herself as Jane Oldsfield: a time traveler whose mission Greg Parsons is trying to prevent.
Sam ignores the woman and goes on the job interview anyway. Soon, she finds herself involved not only with Greg Parsons, but also Philip Montmart, a chain-smoking detective with a vendetta for his wife’s killer, and the time-traveling Oldsfield and her feline accomplice.
Witnessing world events that have yet to happen in her lifetime, including 9/11, Hurricane Sandy, Y2K hysteria and the COVID pandemic, can Samantha figure out Oldsfield's plans?
Find it on: Goodreads* Amazon
About the author:
Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a reference librarian at a public library on Long Island. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters-in-Crime, and the Cat Writer’s Association. She has a BA in English and an MLS in Library Science from Long Island University. Her seven published novels include the 4 books of her Cobble Cove cozy mystery series: A Stone's Throw, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Written in Stone, and Love on the Rocks, her paranormal romance, Cloudy Rainbow, her mystery thriller Reason to Die, and her latest psychological mystery, Sea Scope. She also published a romantic comedy novella featuring a jewel heist caper, When Jack Trumps Ac. Debbie has also written articles and short stories for several anthologies of various genres. She is currently querying agents to represent the first book of a new cozy mystery series. She lives on Long Island with her husband, daughter, and three cats.Website* Facebook
$20 Amazon
a Rafflecopter giveaway
April 25, 2021
Review: Fangs by Sarah Anderson #comic #vampires #werewolves #macabre #gothic
About the book:
Elsie the vampire is three hundred years old, but in all that time, she has never met her match. This all changes one night in a bar when she meets Jimmy, a charming werewolf with a wry sense of humor and a fondness for running wild during the full moon. Together they enjoy horror films and scary novels, shady strolls, fine dining (though never with garlic), and a genuine fondness for each other’s unusual habits, macabre lifestyles, and monstrous appetites.
My review:
I have to start by saying that I love the cover of this book. The book is hard bound and the vampiress is imprinted into the book, giving it an interesting feel.Then I opened the book and I have to say, I was in love. It is a different book that I would normally read because it is cartoon form.
The lines drawn were crisp and quirky and tells the story of a modern day wolf who meets a vampiress in a bar for monsters. The two unlikely characters get to know each other and fall in love. The story moves through like any other love story except with the addition of their personalities as we would know them to be.
This is by far a winner for me. I will certainly read it over and over, and I highly recommend it.
Disclosure: I purchase a copy of this book for my own collections. The view here is 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle
Where to find author:
Goodreads
April 24, 2021
#Review: Mickey On the Move by Michelle Wagner #deaf #cochlearimplants #disabilities #childrennonfiction
Book Details:
Book Title: Mickey on the Move by Michelle Wagner
Category: Children's Non-Fiction (Ages 3-7), 38 pages
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher: Mascot Books
Release date: Jan, 2021
Content Rating: G for everyone.
Book Description:
In this bighearted book, the real story of a young boy with deafness in his ears is aided by his mother and teachers in navigating new school experiences. Mickey is just like everyone else, except he wears cochlear implants and has to do things just a little differently than most. This charming tale reminds us that we can all find happiness if we lean on and support each other.
This is a true story about a boy named, Mickey and his Mom. Mickey's Mom helps him to prepare for school where he is the only deaf student. They go over sign language and how to cope in a school where everyone hears. His Mom is extremely supportive. (slight spoiler) There is one part in the book where Mickey gets overwhelmed and has to call his Mom. She walks him through this and everything is a-okay. Mickey has friends and all is great in the world. I liked the story over all.
I did, however, have one major issue with the book and I personally would like the author/illustrator to fix it. That is, the reader never sees Mickey's cochlear being worn. In fact, the only time that an actual cochlear is see is at the beginning of the book where there is an illustration of what it looks like, but again, never on Mickey. I think if you are going to write a book about the subject it should be seen. It is a part of who Mickey and people like me are.
I can't give the book 5 stars mainly for the reason stated above but the story is good and does illustrate what deaf children may deal with in school. 4 stars.
Disclsoure: I received a copy of this book from the author. The views posted here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle
Meet the Author:
Born and raised in Chicago, Michelle Wagner was always a very positive and outgoing woman. Her energetic love for children and zest for life was admired by everyone who knew her. Michelle is a realtor whose career background involved restaurants and always helping other people. She has dedicated time and support to charities and events to help other children with hearing loss and assist families as they work through the different approaches to raising a special needs child in a typical environment.
connect with author: website ~ instagram
April 11, 2021
#Spotlight and #Recipe: The Hasidic Rebbe's Son by Joan Lipinsky Cochran #cozymysteries
The Hasidic Rebbe’s Son (A Becks Ruchinsky Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting - Florida
Perricot Publishing (March 30, 2021)
Number of Pages - 318 pages
Digital - ASIN : B08ZVF86VF
Synopsis:
Boca Raton reporter Becks Ruchinsky is stunned when her son, Gabe, brings an ultra-Orthodox friend home from college and asks her to hide him. Six days later, his body is found floating in a canal. When police deem his death an accident, Becks launches her own inquiry—a journey that takes her from secretive Hasidic enclaves to the seedy underbelly of South Beach’s glitzy club scene—to find his killer. What she discovers jeopardizes her son’s life and challenges her religious conviction.
The Hasidic Rebbe’s Son is an intriguing and compulsively readable mystery that contrasts the beauty of Hasidic tradition with the unbending rules that may lead to desperation and murder.
Review: Coming soon.
Recipe from the book:
Becks Ruchinsky loves cooking almost as much as she enjoys poking her nose in other people’s business. She should know better, especially since her curiosity often draws her into murder investigations. Fortunately, Becks’ background as an investigative reporter provided her with the skills and connections she needs when looking into a suspicious death. In The Hasidic Rebbe’s Son, for example, a newspaper colleague-turned- private eye and, oddly enough, an elderly ultra-Orthodox yenta, helped Becks uncover the secrets that led to a Hasidic young man’s murder. Becks has been a food writer and cookbook author since her son’s disability forced her to abandon her newspaper career and is now working on a collection of Southern desert recipes, most of them handed down by her Savannah-born mother. Here’s a recipe for Haggard Cake, one of Becks’ sons favorites. Despite the rather dismal name, it’s delicious and pretty easy to make. Enjoy! You can sign up for my mailing list to receive a free collection of Jewish recipes entitled “Homemade Jewish Cooking.”
Haggard Cake
By Becks Ruchinsky
Even though I was raised in Miami, I grew up under the influence of a Southern cook, my mother, who was raised in Savannah, Georgia. On special occasions like birthdays and school graduations, she’d go all out, making sweet tea, fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Dessert was almost always Haggard Cake. I rarely make it anymore – I struggle with my weight – but like to have it waiting when the boys visit. It’s classic Southern cooking in the sense that it includes coconut, pineapple and pecans. One of the best parts of making this cake is the easy icing. You cook a few ingredients on the stove for three minutes and pour that over the warm cake. Perfect for the lazy and time-pressed cook. And trust me, as weird as this recipe appears to be – no butter or eggs in the batter – it works.
Haggard Cake
BATTER
2 cups of flour
1½ cups of sugar
2 teaspoons of baking soda
Dash of salt
20 ounce can of crushed pineapple, undrained
1. Preheat oven 20 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 X 13 inch pan.
2. Pour everything into a large bowl and mix well with a spoon. Pour into the pan and bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick or knife placed in the cake comes out clean. Leave in pan.
ICING
1 small can of evaporated milk
1 stick of butter or margarine
1½ cups sugar
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash of salt
1. While the cake is baking, melt the butter and milk in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat, stirring constantly.
2. 2. Once the butter is melted, add the sugar and stir to combine. Beat for two minutes in the saucepan with an immersion blender or hand-held mixer. A whisk is probably fine. Add the vanilla, salt, coconut and chopped pecans.
3. Pour over the cake while both are warm, and let the cake sit a few hours to absorb the liquid.
About the author:
Joan Lipinsky Cochran is a South Florida-based writer whose crime and mystery novels focus on subcultures of American Judaism. In her latest novel, The Hasidic Rebbe’s Son, her protagonist is compelled to explore the glitzy South Beach nightclub scene and the secretive world of Hasidic Judaism to find a killer. It is the second in The Becks Ruchinsky Mystery Series. The first, The Yiddish Gangster’s Daughter, is the story of a woman whose world is upended – and life threatened – when she discovers her father was a member of the Jewish mafia.
Website www.joanlipinskycochran.com,
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/joanlipinskycochran/
Purchase Link - Amazon
