Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 219

Review: CINNAMON AND A CORPSE by Cindy Bell

 

A casino in their small town? What would that mean for local businesses? Would they be shut down?

While walking her pig, Ally finds a dead body in the dumpster. It was the guy that was all for the casino. But who would want to kill him? Evidently, everyone in town had a motive, and Ally and Charlotte were determined to find out who did it.

A nice, delicious mystery!

 

My rating: 4 stars

Review: TROUBLES AND TREATS by Cindy Bell (Book 6)

Brownies for a yard sale!

Hours later, Ally returns to find her friend dead inside her house. Was it an accident? Or murder? And who would be angry enough to push her down the stairs?

Slow and repetitive. Definitely not as good as other mysteries, but okay.

 

My rating: 3 stars

Review: THE SWEET SMELL OF MURDER by Cindy Bell

After a heartbreaking divorce, Ally Sweet was going home to her grandmother and was looking forward to working in her chocolate shop again. Soon, their delivery guy is found dead—shot and left in the dumpster.
While dealing with remorse and a town full of gossips, Ally and her grandmother continue to make chocolate baskets and sweet confections. But Ally could not shake her nagging curiosity, especially when she finds a ribbon from one of their baskets in the detective’s trash can. Could the police be involved?
A sweet murder mystery!
My rating: 4 stars

Review: A DEADLY DELICIOUS DELIVERY by Cindy Bell

Ally’s “Mee Maw” was finally moving into a retirement home, where it appeared to be more like high school with its drama and gossip. Although she was happy for her grandma, Ally couldn’t shake the bad vibe she got from the place. Then one of the residents ends up dead from chocolates injected with antifreeze. And guess where those chocolates came from?
Suddenly, the girls must find out who poisoned the chocolates and clear their name of the “Chocolate Killers.”
Another great mystery! Love that cat and pig!
My rating: 4 stars

Review: A TREACHEROUS TASTY TRAIL by Cindy Bell

A dead body is found at the Farmer’s Market.
This story was not as great as the previous ones. There were a lot of lags and the politics concerning a prominent farmer’s son was not overly interesting. Although I still enjoyed the camaraderie between Ally and Grams, the mystery was much slower and way more complicated.  
My rating: 2 stars

Blog Tour: LIFE ON YOUR TERMS: HOW TO GET WHAT YOU REALLY WANT by Tanya Russell

 

Life on Your Terms: How to Get What You Really Want

by Tanya Russell

 

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GENRE: Self-help

 

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BLURB:

 

 

What a shame it would be to come to the end of your life and look back and say, "That was it?"

 

Life on Your Terms is a practical blueprint for how to feel fulfilled while creating the life you imagine. No matter what situation you find yourself in today, there is a bright future waiting for you. Applying the skills and practices in this book will launch you to that place and beyond, faster than you ever imagined possible.

 

In this practical guidebook, the author compresses decades of lessons learned from her wins and failures as a businesswoman and single mother into actionable steps to achieve the life you truly desire. Once bankrupt but now financially free, her courage, faith and strong desire for something more for herself and her children have driven her to seek out ways to create exactly that.

 

Don't live the same day every day and call it a life. Apply these foundational principles and rewrite your future today.

 

 

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EXCERPT:

 

 

Numerous studies show the direct health benefits of being a giving person. It can lead to lower blood pressure, decreased stress, longevity and increased self-esteem. Research seems to show that the more a person gives or volunteers, the higher the benefits as well. Other studies have shown an improved mood, improved immune system and an increased sense of purpose. Happier and healthier … convinced yet?

 

It’s Contagious

 

There tends to be a ripple effect to one’s generosity. When we give, there are far-reaching effects on those around us. In the Proceedings of National Academy of Science, James Fowler of the University of California, San Diego, and Nicholas Christakis of Harvard published their findings of a study that showed that when one person behaves generously, it inspires those around them to behave in the same manner. These additional generous acts were observed later, toward different people. The researchers found that the acts of altruism could spread by up to three degrees (person to person to person to person). The overall effect is one single person influencing dozens of people, some of whom they will never even meet.

 

According to ask.com, the average American will meet 10,000 people throughout their lifetime. Now let’s just say that of those 10,000 people you encounter, you can change just 10 by your actions, words of encouragement, advice, whatever it may be. Just 10.

 

Now let’s assume that those 10, in turn, pay it forward and each help 10 and so on. Pretty soon, YOU will have indirectly affected the lives of 100,000 people. Remember that mosquito? You can make an impact.

 

 

 

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My review: What does it take to be successful? First, it starts with a belief that it is possible.

In this book, the author describes the simplistic approaches of nurturing ourselves and achieving fulfillment.

“Change your focus, change your mood. Change your focus, change your feelings.” With this the author states that one can get out of a sad funk by thinking of something happy. Sound simple, right? Another easy task that goes a long way is drink more water and exercise. Yes, the word “exercise” can be a broad term and can mean differently for everybody. I simply see it as “moving more.”

One of my favorite ones is being grateful for what you have and thinking the glass as half-full. Two great ways of promoting positive thinking. Avoiding negative sources (people, the news, etc.) is another good one. Of course, the budgeting segment is not always as easy as it seems. How can you pay yourself when you have nothing to pay with? If you’re unemployed, this would be kind of hard. And what about those pesky expenses that come out of left field (i.e. car repair, sick family member, leaky roof?) Needless to say, I didn’t always agree with everything.

Ultimately, this book gives you a road map to living life on your terms. It cites good examples, provides useful exercises at the end of each chapter, and carries an easy narrative that you can relate to.

A relatively good self-help book.

My rating: 3 stars

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Tanya Russell is a successful multi-business owner and life coach. Her passions are her family, continued personal growth, and empowering others to live their very best lives. Tanya enjoys fast cars, motorcycles and travelling. She is currently enjoying the Okanagan lifestyle in Kelowna, BC, Canada.

 

 

CONNECT WITH TANYA RUSSELL

 

WEBSITE: lifemyway.ca

 

FACEBOOK: @lifeandloveonyourterms

 

INSTAGRAM: @tanyarussell_author_coach

 

GOODREADS: Tanya Russell

 

 

PURCHASE LINKS for LIFE ON YOUR TERMS     

 

AMAZON.COM https://amazon.com/dp/022885069X

 

AMAZON.CA https://amazon.ca/dp/022885069X

 

BOOKSHOP https://bookshop.org/books/life-on-yo...

 

BARNES & NOBLE https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/life...

 

BOOK DEPOSITORY https://www.bookdepository.com/Life-o...

 

KOBO https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/life...

 

SMASHWORDS https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...

 

APPLE BOOKS https://books.apple.com/us/book/life-...

 

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

 

Tanya Russell will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: PHOTO BOMBED by Daria White

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Daria White will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

When a corpse crashes the party, Bianca is on the case.

Bianca Wallace is a work from home mom raising her teenage daughter as a single parent. She’s determined to stand on her own two feet in Edenville, Texas after her bitter divorce. When the town’s wedding of the year stars her friend as the bride, Bianca can’t wait to celebrate the nuptials. Neither she nor the guests expect a corpse! When the police suspect the bride, Bianca's determined to prove her friend’s innocence.

Lamar Sims, the new police detective in Edenville, is investigating the murder case. Bianca’s “interference” is not helping, but she won't stop when her friend's freedom is on the line. He makes it clear he wants her to let the police do their job, so she has to find ways around him.

No one in Edenville is safe until the killer is behind bars. Bianca won’t let Detective Sims dismiss her hunches. They may have to work together before another dead body shows up.

Read an Excerpt

“Good evening,” a tenor voice said.

Bianca raised her head and acknowledged the man taking a seat across from her. “Good evening.” She folded her fingers on the clothed table.

The man extended his tanned hand. His bright smile made him charming. “I’m Simon.”

“Bianca.” She shook his hand, ignoring his sweaty palm.

His face softened as his tone contained wonder. “Tell me something you love about yourself.”

His question surprised her. “Well… I think I love my creativity. I’m a graphic designer.”

His smile grew bigger. “How long have you been doing that?”

“I’ve been drawing since I was a kid, but I opened my business a few years back.”

“Same here.” Simon ran his fingers through his short, brown hair. He grabbed at the small bowl of nuts on her table, popping a few in his mouth without even taking his baby blue eyes off of her. “I got into photography in high school, but now I travel for the magazine I work for.”

Bianca didn’t mind this conversation so far. “That’s amazing. I know for me, graphic design wasn’t my first choice. I thought about the law, but when I had my daughter…” Her eyes bulged as Simon’s mouth fell open. “Are you all right?”

His spoke as if in disbelief. “You have a child?”

“Yes. She’s a teenager.”

“So you’re…?” He blinked rapidly as if trying to process what she was saying.

“Divorced. Almost three years now.” She tilted her head to the side, trying to read his expression. “Are you alright?”

He ran a hand down the back of his head. “Yes, I just wasn’t planning on dating a woman with children. I never wanted kids of my own.”

Bianca froze momentarily. Not everyone wanted children. She could understand that, but this was the first time she’d heard it out loud and to her face. It never crossed her mind until now that if she got into another relationship, would the man accept her daughter? If he didn’t, it was his loss. Her daughter came in the package deal.

“Thank you for sharing,” she said.

He gave a faint smile and stood to his feet. “I hope you find what you’re looking for.” He extended her hand. “Have a good evening.”

She returned the gesture. “You too.” Bianca returned to her chair as he walked away. She hadn’t expected that. As she adjusted in her cushioned seat, another man approached her table. Chin high and shoulders back. Bianca didn’t know whether to describe him as confident or cocky based off the smolder he gave her. With an earring in one ear and a gold chain hanging around his neck, he took the seat across from her.

ON SALE $0.99

Review: Bianca was going to another wedding, except this time she got to be the photographer. For several chapters, the wedding is all anyone can talk about, which doesn’t stir much interest at first. Story carries a nice and easy narrative, but the pace is rather slow. In fact, we don’t discover a dead body until the end of chapter 5. This would’ve been better discovered a little sooner.

From that point on, we finally dive into “who dunnit” mode and start weeding out some suspects, once again piquing our curiosity.

Overall, this was a decent mystery once you get into it.

 

My rating: 3 stars

About the Author:

Daria started writing as a teenager. Since she loves romance novels, she figured why not write them too? She also writes Christian fiction along with cozy mysteries! Daria graduated with a degree in healthcare management, so writing was not in the cards for her. It’s rare that you won’t catch her reading. Aside from that, she loves Turner Classic Movies, painting, Pilates, the piano, and chocolate.

Website: http://www.dariawhite.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Daria_White15
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/dariawhite90

Buy the book:

BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/photo-bombed-daria-white/1137390284
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Photo-Bombed-Bianca-Wallace-Mystery/dp/1952667496
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1034594

Other Books by the Author:

The Wedding Report https://books2read.com/u/31Gow6
Christmas Therapy https://books2read.com/u/b5Q1rA
Christmas Connection https://books2read.com/u/bMpYRV
Wish for Love https://books2read.com/u/49oyNd

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Blog Tour: SILENT PRETTY THINGS by O.J. Lovaz

 

Silent Pretty Things

by O.J. Lovaz

 

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GENRE: Mystery, Suspense

 

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BLURB:

 

A small town…a prominent family…a secret. Only two people know the truth, and their silence will have murderous consequences.

 

Anna Goddard has spent a lifetime being the Good Daughter. Polished and primped into sleek, blond perfection, Anna learned from an early age that being a Goddard meant presenting a flawless façade to the world. But all that changes when Anna stumbles upon a private correspondence that leaves her reeling. With the help of Michael Donovan, a shy but charming local historian, Anna embarks on a journey to find the one thing her family has always denied: The Truth.

 

Propelled by her mission to protect those she loves, the young woman experiences a tantalizing taste of freedom. But in the process of unearthing the past, Anna and her family will expose a new threat so dangerous it could ruin them all.

 

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Excerpt One:

 

A thunderous bang shocked Michael Donovan from his light doze. Heart thudding in his chest, he scanned the area and spotted a large brown tome, open face up on the floor. The darn thing must have been sloppily placed on its shelf. He picked it up—nineteenth-century courthouses, many of them still in use. He was fond of sharing such tidbits of information with anyone interested. Not many were these days.

 

The library of the Blake County Historical Society was otherwise utterly silent. There had been no visitors that day, or the day before, or the day before that. The small museum on the lower level occasionally still received visitors, but scarcely anyone ever made it up to the archives and library department.

 

Michael glanced at the clock on the wall: twenty minutes before closing time—finally! On his timeworn desk, a book he had been reading to pass the time, something about the unsung heroes of World War II, lobbied for his attention. He put it in the top drawer. In another instant, he would have turned off the lights, but he heard the distinctive sound of the door chime announcing that someone had come in.

 

He turned around to see a blond woman in her mid-twenties, very attractive, with green, catlike eyes, and a captivating aura of sophistication and grace.

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

O.J. Lovaz is the author of Silent Pretty Things—the riveting suspense, mystery, and thriller novel that will keep readers turning pages late into the night. His background in Psychology has offered Lovaz a compelling insight into the human psyche, the raw matter for rich character development.

 

O.J. might be found reading Dostoevsky or Stephen King; sipping a White Russian or a latte. He’s a fan of drama, dark comedy, and suspenseful movies. His perfect lazy day includes a Quentin Tarantino movie, a stand-up comedy special, and classic hard rock.

 

His life journey has taken O.J. to New York, Michigan, South Carolina, and Puerto Rico; each holds a special place in his heart. He loves to travel, explore, go on road trips; and tries to be the best possible husband to his awesome wife and father to his brilliant daughter.

 

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ojlovaz

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ojlovaz/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/O-J-Lovaz/e/B0...

 

 

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sile...

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/sile...

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09...

 

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GIVEAWAY

 

O.J. Lovaz will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: KYLE AND COREY AND THE GAME-STORE MYSTERY by Joe Stephens

 

Kyle and Corey and the Game-Store Mystery

by Joe Stephens

 

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GENRE:   Juvenile (or Y/A) fiction

 

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BLURB:

 

Kyle & Corey Holley (15 and 12) live in Fairly Springs, a small southern beach town. Kyle is a budding engineer; Corey is impetuous, funny and sports-crazy. Like most brothers, they fight often, but they also solve crimes—like the rash of recent robberies around town. When Kyle and Corey investigate, they learn that in each robbery, the thieves stole a high-end desktop computer. Why? What are they looking for? And how soon till they find it? Other complications include Corey's wheelchair-bound math tutor, Kyle’s after-school job in a local game store and a revolutionary new video game launching soon.

Kyle and Corey: Brothers. Best Friends. Detectives. They don't go looking for trouble; it has them on speed dial!

 

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Excerpt One:

 

That night at dinner, sitting at their comfortable round oak dining table at

home, Mrs. Holley said to Corey, “She thinks you’re a pathological liar.”

 

“He is a pathological liar,” Kyle said, helping himself to more mashed

potatoes and pouring a generous helping of brown gravy over them.

Corey, sitting across the table from him, glared over his plate of sliced roast

beef, steamed broccoli, and a smaller helping of mashed potatoes. “Liar is a

strong word. I know the difference between truth and a lie, you turd.”

 

“Corey!” his mother said in warning.

 

“Well, I do. I only lied at the end a little, when I said the whole thing was a

lie.”

 

“I know,” Mrs. Holley said. “Ms. Morrison hasn’t lived here long enough to

know what happened this summer.”

 

“That’s why I did it. If she’d thought it was really true, she’d have asked all

kinds of questions and probably made me write a whole other paper. She’s that

type.”

 

Mrs. Holley looked affectionately at her younger son. Corey had a knack for

picking out the essential personality traits in everyone he met, almost instantly.

He knew things about people after a ten-minute conversation that took therapists

months to root out.

 

Her husband Donald was proud of Kyle for his math and science abilities, his

kind and forgiving nature, his loyalty to friends and his gift for taking raw

materials and turning them into something new and unexpected. He was proud

of Corey for his people smarts, his vivid personality, and his natural ability as an

athlete. “I wouldn’t trade either of ‘em for a million bucks,” he told his wife

often, and she always answered, “Wait till someone makes you an offer.”

 

 

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My review: 15-year-old Kyle loves video games and has a knack for solving mysteries.  He soon starts working after school at a gaming shop, where he gets an unusual feeling about something. He can’t help his suspicions. Along with his little brother, Corey, he works on several, little mysteries that don’t always involve the game store.

An easy read overall. You mostly hear about the boys in school and in sports. There were some lagging areas, so it took a while to get to the mysteries. It wasn’t as focused on the game store, which was the titular role of the book. Still a nice read.

My rating: 3 stars

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

JOE STEPHENS has been a fan of boys’ adventure books all his life, and in

this, his first series book, he’s created two boys as memorable as Frank and Joe

Hardy. He has a background in education and has also visited more than thirty

countries while pursuing his passion for scuba diving. He lives in Georgetown

with his growing family and three thoroughly spoiled cats.

 

Amazon buy link:

https://www.amazon.com/KYLE-COREY-Game-Store-Mystery-Stephens/dp/0578922592/

BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kyle...

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58394956-kyle-corey-and-the-game-store-mystery

 

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:

 

Joe Stephens will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: HAWK by Amber Malloy

 

Hawk

by Amber Malloy

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GENRE:   Contemporary Sports Erotic Romance

 

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BLURB:

 

Hawk thought he had everything he wanted until Lexington Waters showed up. That’s when he discovered he needed so much more.

 

Tech Guru Lexi Waters needs to snatch her company out of the grasp of her greedy ex-husband. The only problem is the restraining order that keeps her away from the business she built from the ground up. With no money left to her name, Lexi is forced to go back to Chicago and face the first man to ever let her down—blues legend Sugarfoot Moe Waters, her father. While she’s stuck fixing up his crappy bar, the last thing she needs to deal with is a pushy, arrogant professional hockey player—Hawthorne Maze, aka Hawk. Hopefully the gorgeous distraction won’t derail everything she has worked so hard for.

 

From the outside looking in, Hawk’s life seems perfect. Professionally, he’s at the top of his field, and personally, he has his pick of any groupie. Orphaned by teenage parents, he only knows is that his mom is white and his dad black. Other than that, there are only two people he considers family—his childhood friend Gavin Knox and geriatric bar owner Moe. He thinks he knows everything about the famous blues artist, but the sudden appearance of his hot-ass daughter is not only unexpected but also unwanted. Contemplating retirement, Hawk needs to figure out what to do next, but fate keeps throwing the sexy egghead Lexi in his path.

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Excerpt One:

 

Who’s on a first-name basis with their parents?”

 

Lexi’s head jerked up to find problem number two in her crosshairs. Hawk leaned against the doorway, shooting her a lazy smirk she’d fought hard to ignore the entire day.

 

“That sounds like a question for Moe.” She trained her face into a blank slate, devoid of emotion. Lexi wished she could say the tech world had taught her that trick, but unfortunately that particular talent was a holdover from her shitty marriage.

 

“It’s just curious I’ve worked here for a few years and haven’t seen you, not once?”

 

As Hawk graced her with a lopsided smile, bright specks of brown and green twinkled in his hazel eyes. Similar to a bad kid, mischief was written all over his pretty mug. Maybe in another life she would have played with him, but unfortunately Josh had stomped out any sort of good humor. “That is another question for Moe. So far you’re batting a thousand.”

 

“Well, let me hit you with one that you can answer.” He pushed off the door and brought a picture frame from behind him. “Why did you hide all this awesomeness in the stockroom?” Standing smack in the middle of sexiest people she’d ever laid eyes on, the big guy held up a trophy.

 

“Ah, what sport is that?” she asked, completely in the dark.

 

“Hockey.”

 

Imagining the man spinning a graceful figure eight, she coughed into her hand, hiding her chuckle. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but Moe’s is a blues bar, right?”

 

“Got it. I’m no Louis Armstrong, but I’m a championship winner—and Chicago loves their winners.” Arrogant much? She bit her lower lip to stop all the smart remarks from flying out of her mouth. “Blues and hockey aren’t exactly peanut butter and jelly.”

 

“Point,” he sighed, evidently done with dispensing the charm.

 

“They don’t mix.” Lexi leaned back in her seat. “Honestly, these people probably think you’re just a really big bartender.”

 

 

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My review: After an incident with her soon-to-be ex-husband, Lexi was put under arrest, was put under court-ordered restraint, and was literally left with nothing. She was banished, and, two months later, found herself working a bar with debt up to her eyeballs.

Then in walks Hawk, the arrogant and sexy hockey player.

The writing was pretty good and the story held a good pace, even though it lagged in certain areas. The romance between the two characters was sizzling and enjoyable, but honestly their backstory a little too complex at times.

Overall a nice read.

My rating: 3 stars

 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Amber Malloy dreamed of being a double agent but couldn't pass the psyche evaluation. Crushed by despair that she couldn't legally shoot things, Amber pursued her second career choice as pastry chef. When she's not writing or whipping up a mean Snickers Cheesecake, she occasionally spies on her sommelier. Amber is convinced he's faking his French accent.

 

Twitter: @AuthAmberMalloy

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8203830.Amber_Malloy

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Amber+Malloy&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

 

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GIVEAWAY :

 

Amber Malloy will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway