Stephanie Burkhart's Blog, page 18

Book Review: Fearless 14 by Janet Evanovich

Book Review for: Fearless FourteenWriten by: Janet EvanovichSt. Martin’s PressISBN: 978-0312349516Avail: Ebook, paperback, hardback


3.5 StarsFunny and Suspenseful


Evanovich brings her unique brand of humor and nail-biting suspense to Stephanie Plum’s latest adventure in Fearless Fourteen. Dom Rizzi robbed a bank and hid the money which was never found. Now that he’s out, people are coming out of the woodwork looking for a dollar or two from the stashed loot.
When Dom’s sister, Loretta, a skip Stephanie is helping out, is kidnapped, Steph’s stuck with Loretta’s teenage son, Zook. She takes the teenager to Morelli’s house, but soon people are breaking into Morelli’s house looking for the money Dom hid.
When Dom’s associates start to show up dead, Stephanie realizes time is running out to find Loretta. As she gets closer to the kidnapper and money, Dom goes missing and the kidnappers start sending Morelli body parts. Can Stephanie find Loretta and the money before more people die?
Evanovich’s writing is crisp and easy to read. The story has a nice blend of action and characterization. The supporting cast continues to entertain, especially as Lula plans her wedding to Tank. If anything, the Morelli/Loretta angle is a bit unsettling, and it felt like Evanovich was reaching for a twist that wasn’t really needed.
“Fearless Fourteen” is a cozy mystery that offers laughter, suspense, and will the keep the reader turning the pages to find out if Steph and Morelli can find the money and save Loretta before the bad guys can.
Question: Who is your favorite supporting character in the Stephanie Plum series? 

Snippet Sunday: 1.99 fantasy romance: The Green Rose

Hi all, I'm participating in the Weekend Warriors Snippet Sunday. This month, I'll be taking snippets from my fantasy Romance, The Green Rose. You can find the Weekend Warriors Snippet Sunday list at:









About this excerpt:  Ivanstan is helping Sonia find her magic.


ENJOY THIS SNIPPET: 

Ivánstan stood behind her, pressing the firm muscles of his chest against her back. He wrapped his arms around her waist and placed both his hands over hers. His warm breath caressed her ear and her body tingled from their contact. Despite her unease, she felt protected in his arms. 

"You're tense. It's understandable, but I need you to relax -- to trust me." His voice was low and seductive. Sonia nipped at her lower lip with her teeth. 
BLURB: On the continent of Gaia, evil is brewing. Turncoat wizard, Balthyser, kidnaps the kings of Dahaka and Tapin. He wants the green rose, a source of powerful magic.
Princess Sonia of Tapin is forced to hunt down the rose in exchange for her father's life. It's the ultimate betrayal of Gaia's peace, but she has no choice if she wants to save her father.
Prince Ivánstan of Dahaka accompanies her on the journey. Both face challenges and obstacles that test their strength of character during the hunt for the rose. Dare Sonia put her trust and faith in a man she hardly knows to secure Gaia's peace or will the continent's harmony be shattered forever?
BOOK TRAILER:  
BUY LINKS:
PUBLISHER'S SITEhttp://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-280/The-Green-Rose-Stephanie/Detail.bok
AMAZON KINDLE:http://amzn.com/B007QUBU2E
BARNES & NOBLE NOOK:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1109853031
ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS:http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thegreenrose-769936-143.html

REVIEWS:4 Stars, InD'Tales Magazine: JUL/AUG 2013"An engaging tale with a complete story all wrapped up in one tidy package." - Leslie Stokes, InD'Tales Magazine. 

5 Stars, Scorching Book ReviewsI don't read much romantic fantasy, but this was so well structured and so lovely, I could not put it down. 
4 Stars, Laura Carter for Reader's Favorites:I loved the characters of Ivánstan and Sonia and the romance growing between them is sweet and believable.

Happy 2016! Photo Essay #happynewyear

Happy New Year 2016 to all my readers! I thought I'd share some photos of the world celebrating New Year's this year with you.  Enjoy!


Times Square, NY


Sydney, AUS - the first place in the world to have a major celebration


Bejing, China


Releasing Balloons at Midnight, Tokyo, Japan


Moscow, Russia


Eurfurt, Germany


Kiev, Ukraine


Vienna, Austria


London, England


Paris, France
QUESTION FOR YOU:  How did you spend your New Year's at Midnight? 
Photos taken from: http://www.thenational.ae/world/new-y...

New Year’s Traditions: Watching The ball drop

NY Times Square Ball 

In America, one of our most popular traditions doesn’t include food, opening the doors, or breaking dishes – it’s watching the ball drop in New York’s Time Square.
You can find the ball on the roof of 1 Times Square. On New Year’s Eve it drops 141 feet in 60 seconds, stopping at midnight and ringing in the New Year. But how did dropping the ball come to be such a big deal?
Adolph Ochs, owner of the NY Times in 1904, celebrated with a fireworks show on the roof of 1 Times Square to bring in 1905. But after a couple of fireworks shows, he wanted something bigger with more pizazz. The newspaper’s chief electrician, a guy named Walter Painer, suggested having a ball drop.
Ochs loved the idea! The 1st ball weighed 700 pounds and dropped on 31 DEC 1907, to celebrate 1908’s arrival. It was made with iron and wood and was lit with 100 incandescent light bulbs.  Adolph OchsInteresting Facts:
The 1stball was retired in 1920.
The only years the ball didn’t drop was 1942, and 1943, due to World War II.
The average temp in NYC at midnight on New Year’s Eve is 33.7 degrees Fahrenheit!
The current ball weighs 11,975 pounds!


Question: Do you watch the ball drop? If you’re not in the Eastern time zone, do you watch the ball drop “live” at 12 midnight EST, or do you watch when it’s midnight in your time zone?


Author Bio: Stephanie Burkhart is currently a 911 Dispatcher for LAPD. She’s been a dispatcher for 15 years. She’s also published with Desert Breeze Publishing, 4RV Publishing, and Victory Tales Press.
Her fantasy romance, The Green Rose, is published with Desert Breeze.
Teaser: Sonia's inner courage and strength are tested when she must trust Ivánstan to help her save Gaia from an evil treat.
Enjoy this excerpt:

Ivánstan whirled around and thrust his sword into the wyldebeast. His pulse thundered under his skin. Sweat beaded on his temple. With a jerk, he withdrew the blade and the creature stumbled forward, collapsing on its side. A foul stench from the beast filled the air -- copper and sulfur. Ivánstan steeled his spine and toughened his resolve, running his gaze over the creature and studying it. He had never seen the feared wyldebeast up close, but now Komodo Field was stained red with their blood. His jaw tensed and Ivánstan drew in a breath to tamp down his fear. The creature was tall, yet thin with coarse fur, long fingers, and orange eyes. Its fangs and nails were said to ooze poison. 

Amazon Buy Link: http://amzn.com/B007QUBU2E 
Review: 5 Stars, Scorching Book ReviewsI don't read much romantic fantasy, but this was so well structured and so lovely, I could not put it down. 
Book Teaser:   

Find me on the Web at:
WEBSITE:http://www.stephanieburkhart.com
TWITTER:http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBur...
GOOD READS:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart
YOU TUBE CHANNEL:http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?f...
PINTEREST:http://pinterest.com/sgburkhart/
LINK: SCORCHING BOOK REVIEWS: http://scorchingbookreviews.blogspot....

My favorite books for 2015

Goodreads sent me a link for my 2015 year in review. It's really rather neat, so I thought I'd share my books with you.

Shortest book I read this year:


Longest Book I read this year:



Most Popular Book on GoodReads that I read:

Highest Rated Book I read on GoodReads:

Most Enjoyable read: 


Books and stories I Released This Year:










Question: What was some of your favorite books this year? 

Book Review for: Planetfall by Emma Newman

Book Review for: PlanetfallWritten by: Emma NewmanNew American LibraryISBN: 978-042528239-7Avail: in print and as an ebook
4 Stars
Intriguing New World

Newman pens a riveting tale of humanity, imagination, and science fiction with “Planetfall.” Earth is becoming unmanageable.  Lee Suh-Mi has a vision of finding God. She strikes out with a group to find God’s planet in a spaceship called Atlas.
When Suh-Mi and her party arrive at the planet, it’s not what they expect. Mack and Renata are left to deal with the repercussions of “Planetfall.”
Now, 22 years later, a stranger, Sung-Soo, interrupts the tranquil life of the colony which Mack and Renata have built. Will his presence finally reveal God’s message or destroy the community Suh-Mi built?
Newman’s writing is easy to read. The story is told from Renata’s perspective and as the reader dives deeper into the story, they dive deepter into Renata’s character. Initially heroic and sympathetic, Renata reveals cracks that hint at the mental illness Planetfall has done to her. The supporting cast is interesting and each has a part to play. The actual science of the science fiction is easy to understand and doesn’t weigh down the storytelling. The suspense builds slowly at first then snowballs towards the end.
The book earns a solid 4 due to the ending which is a bit disappointing, given the totality of the story. “Planetfall” has a good blend of science fiction and characterization that will keep the reader intrigued and turning the pages to find out what happens next.

 Question for you: What's your favorite Star Wars movie?

Photo Essay: Christmas around the world

Enjoy these picturs from around the world as they celebrate Christmas: 


Celebrating in Pakistan


Lighting candles in Bulgaria



Church of the Navity, in Bethlehem

A couple reinacting the Navity, Poland

Celebrating in Australia

Santas in South Korea

My family and Me, St. Kateri Church, Valencia, CA 
Wherever you are, however you celebrate, may God's peace and blessings be with you this season.Smiles, Steph BurkhartRomance Under the Moonlight 
Photos taken from :http://www.thenational.ae/world/chris...
and 
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/12/...

Unwrap the Romance: 1.99 Christmas Romance: The Faberge Secret

5 Hearts, Sizzling Hot Book Reviews
As the love story thicken, the suspense heightens and it won't let your eyes leave the page. I recommend The Faberge Secret to all of the romance readers. Even if you have never read romance, The Faberge Secret would be a great place to start.

***BLURB***
Elise Goodwin operates a heritage museum in Brattleboro, Vermont. Needing to buy some items for her museum, she travels to Boston and acquires a delicious surprise that would excite any curator – a Faberge Egg.
Enter Russian businessman Dimitri Romanov, the true owner of the jewel. He's following a lead hoping to reacquire his stolen egg when he bumps into Elise. He can't hide his attraction to the petite brunette with doe-like eyes.
Dimitri's rival, Gustav Kelch, wants the rare Faberge jewel and will do anything to find it, including destroying Dimitri's life. Can Dimitri keep Elise and his Faberge heirloom safe or will his attraction place their lives in jeopardy?
**ENJOY THIS EXCERPT:***

She bit her lower lip. If she didn't take a chance now, would her life be filled with what- ifs and regrets? Yes, John had hurt her, but she was still alive. Dare she believe in romance again?Dimitri paused next to her room, beside the door."If you have the time..." she began, knowing it was now or never. "And if you don't have to go back to Russia right away, I'd be honored to have you share Christmas with my family.""I'd be happy to." His gaze was as soft as a caress. He reached out and tucked a stray tendril of hair behind her ear. Then slowly, he curved his hand around the nape of her neck and moved closer so there was no space between them.Their lips skirted each other's, teasing, tempting... until Dimitri's mouth finally captured hers in a drugging kiss.His lips were firm and persuasive. He smelled of soap and sandalwood. Something intense flared within her, and she fisted her hands around the lapels of his coat. Her body betrayed her desire. His erection pressed against her thigh.All of a sudden, an all-crushing fear consumed her. He was hard for her. It was too soon, too fast. She broke the kiss and pushed him away."Elise--" Dimitri began.
"Umph!"
Elise's heart jumped. She swung around and looked at the door.
It stood ajar.
"Lucy!" Elise forgot all about Dimitri's kiss and rushed inside with him right behind her.Concern spiked within her the second she saw Lucy.
Her friend's hands and feet were tied to a chair, and a gag was in her mouth. The roomhad been trashed. Their suitcases had been turned over; their clothes and books tossed haphazardly about.Fear knotted inside Elise. She rushed to the chair and took off Lucy's gag. Dimitri untied the knots at Lucy's feet, concern for her friend evident in his eyes. Elise was thrilled that Dimitri had helped her with no hesitation or reservations."What happened?" Elise asked. "Who did this?""They were looking for the egg," Lucy said. She glanced at Dimitri, but instead of her earlier resistance to him, gratefulness filled her gaze.Dimitri froze and glanced up, his stare drilling into Elise. "Egg? A Faberge egg?"Elise loosened one of the ropes around Lucy's hand and looked at Dimitri, perplexed. "What do you know about Faberge eggs?"He muttered something in Russian, finished untying the knot around Lucy's other ankle, and stood, straightening his shoulders. "That's what I lost. What I've been looking for -- my Faberge egg."******REVIEWS******4 Stars, Manic Readers"A satisifying read."
4 Stars, Night Owl Book ReviewsThe Faberge Secret is a fast paced, delightful adventure with plenty of love and adventure sprinkled in for spice.3.5 Stars, Long & Short Reviews"All this suspense had me flying through the pages so quickly I was able to read the book in one sitting." 


BOOK TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf5ujOoDRXs
BUY LINKS:
AMAZON KINDLE:http://amzn.com/B006LTE2ZSB&N NOOK:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-f... ROMANCE EBOOKS:http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thefabergesecret-657577-149.htmlPUBLISHER'S LINK:http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-236/The-Faberge-Secret-Stephanie/Detail.bok
FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:WEBSITE:http://www.stephanieburkhart.com
TWITTER:http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBur...
GOOD READS:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart
YOU TUBE CHANNEL:http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?f... http://pinterest.com/sgburkhart/

Snippet Sunday: 99 cent Christmas Contemporary Romance: Christmas in Bayeux #snippetsunday

Hi all, I'm participating in the Weekend Warriors Snippet Sunday. This month, I'll be taking snippets from my Christmas Romances. You can find the Weekend Warriors Snippet Sunday list at:









About this excerpt:  Noel reflects on her feelings for Aiden.

ENJOY THIS SNIPPET:  Noel was surprised to hear Aiden Seward's voice over the phone. She had been an exchange student with his family years ago, and even back then, she had a crush on him, but she was young and he, while the same age, found her no more attractive than his sister, or so she thought. Now he was a man, tall and well built. His dark ebony hair fell in neat waves and curved against the nape of his neck. His sweet hazel eyes harbored such sadness, it almost broke her heart. She wanted to hold him, touch him, drive away those demons that haunted him, but she knew now was not the time. He had to be the one to reach out to her. He had not been so daring years ago. What could she expect from him now?
 
BLURB: 

The ravages of war have taken their toll on Aiden. Seeking peace, he has traveled to Bayeux, France, on a pilgrimage of sorts. Noel, a former exchange student who spent time with his family years before, provides him a place to stay at the old manor she has turned into an inn.
The attraction they felt nine years before at the tender age of sixteen flares to life as they spend time together and prepare the inn for Christmas. But there has been so much loss and grief for Aiden. Will Noel be able to help him feel again and can Aiden find what he is searching for? 
BUY LINKS: Amazon: http://amzn.com/B005BTLSI8

B&N:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chris...

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...

Kobo:  https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebo...

REVIEWS:
5 Stars, Diane Craver, Amazon Reviewer:  "Christmas in Bayeux" is the perfect short romance to enjoy during the holiday season or any time during the year, and I highly recommend it.

5 Stars, Karen Michelle Nutt, Amazon Reviewer:  Christmas in Bayeux is a tender romance sure to warm your hearts for anytime of the year. I highly recommend it.

5 Stars, Markee Anderson: This was just a wonderful and heart warming read.


BOOK TRAILER:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-muZ0...

Happy Thanksgiving! A Photo Essay

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! 2015 is almost done and I wanted to share what I was thankful for. I thought I'd take a different approach, using a photo essay and some facts about the holiday.

Of course the #1 thing I'm thankful for:  Turkey!


If it wasn't for turkey, what would the holiday be like?  The first Thanksgiving in 1621 between the Wampanoag Native American Indians and the Piligrims included venison, fish, lobster, clams, squash, berries, fruit and pumpkin.  Turkeys were plenty, but can you imagine the main feast with venison? 

Of course I'm thankful for pie. Blueberry is my favorite. 

I'm thankful for my family. They're a bunch of fun. 

Yankee Candles.  They remind me of home and I got my killer clam chowder recipe from them.

which leads me to Clam Chowder.  This is from the Splash Cafe in Pismo Beach!

I'm thankful for my New England Patriots.  Gronkowski is a my favorite player. :)  Next to Julian Edelman. Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without football. 

I'm thankful for having some really great friends!  

I'm thankful for coffee and starting my day off right.

I'm thankful that my writing, including my children's stories have been published.

I'm thankful for Grumpy Cat.  Grumpy Cat always makes me laugh! 

Castaic Lake. I always enjoy taking a walk around the lake.

For being involved in Cub Scouts and helping the boys see the world through another lens.

Work friends.  They make the load lighter.

Walking for Alzheimers with some great people!


What are you thankful for?