Babs Hightower's Blog, page 42
February 26, 2018
Hummus and Homicide (A Kebab Kitchen Mystery) by Tina Kashian, blog tour, excerpt, giveaway & spotlight
Hummus and Homicide (A Kebab Kitchen Mystery)
by Tina Kashian
About the Book
Hummus and Homicide (A Kebab Kitchen Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Kensington (February 27, 2018)
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1496713476
Digital ASIN: B071FLH733
When Lucy Berberian quits her Philadelphia law firm and heads home to Ocean Crest, she knows what she’s getting—the scent of funnel cake, the sight of the wooden roller coaster, and the tastes of her family’s Mediterranean restaurant. But murder wasn’t on the menu . . .
Things are slow in the off-season in this Jersey Shore town, but Lucy doesn’t mind. She doesn’t even mind waitressing at the Kebab Kitchen. Her parents have put in a new hummus bar, with every flavor from lemon to roasted red pepper. It’s fun to see their calico cat again, and to catch up with her old BFF, who’s married to a cop now.
She could do without Heather Banks, though. The Gucci-toting ex-cheerleader is still as nasty as she was back in high school . . . and unfortunately, she’s just taken over as the local health inspector. Just minutes after eating at the Kebab Kitchen—where she’s tallied up a whole list of bogus violations—she falls down dead in the street. Word on the grapevine is it’s homicide, and Lucy’s the number one suspect . . .
Recipes included!
Excerpt
Before long the kitchen doors opened again and Lucy’s father emerged with a large shish kebab platter and set it before her. Two skewers of succulent lamb and a skewer of roasted peppers, tomatoes, and onions were accompanied by rice pilaf and homemade pita bread. The aroma made her stomach grumble and her mouth water.
Lucy may not have missed her mother’s lectures about husband hunting, but damned if she hadn’t missed the food. She picked up a warm piece of pita bread, then stopped. “Is there hummus?”
Her gaze followed Emma’s—her sister’s—pointing finger. “You have to see our newest addition.”
Lucy stood and looked toward the corner of the restaurant where a long sidebar stood. She hadn’t noticed it earlier. At first glance, it looked like a salad bar, but instead of lettuce, tomatoes, and salad, bins of hummus were displayed, each tray a different variety.
“Specialties of the house, and all my own flavors. Roasted red pepper, extra garlic, Mediterranean herb, lemon pucker, artichoke, black bean, sweet apricot, and of course, my own recipe of traditional hummus,” Lucy’s mother boasted with pride.
“Customers love it,” her father said.
Lucy carried her plate to the bins full of the creamy dips and added a large spoonful of traditional hummus next to the pita bread, then returned to her seat. “Wow! Business must be good, Dad.” She dipped a piece of pita into the hummus and shoved it into her mouth.
Heaven. The lemon blended with the garlic, chick peas and sesame seed puree perfectly, and the texture was super-creamy.
Silence greeted her. Lucy looked up from her plate to see all three members of her family staring at her. “What’s wrong?” she mumbled.
Emma broke the awkward silence. “Dad wants to sell.”
Lucy nearly choked on a mouthful before managing to swallow it down. “Sell?”
“Not right away, but I’ve been thinking about it,” her father said.
An uncomfortable thought crossed Lucy’s mind. Her gaze swept him from his balding head of curly black hair to his sizeable belly back to his face. “Are you sick?”
His brows furrowed. “No. I’m old.”
The irony was not lost on her. Less than an hour ago she was hesitant to set foot in the place. But selling the restaurant? For thirty years, ever since her parents had opened it, Kebab Kitchen had been the center of their lives, socially and economically. What would they do without it?
“But I don’t understand why—”
“I have no sons or sons-in-law who want it. Emma doesn’t have a head for business, and Max is into real estate.” Her father eyed Lucy hard, his glare cutting through her like one of his prized butcher knives. “If you’d married Azad Zakarian this wouldn’t be a problem.”
Lucy’s stomach bottomed out at the mention of the man her parents had so desperately wanted her to marry. He was one of the main reasons she’d left to take the job in the Philadelphia law firm. It had taken months, years, to dull the heartache. Her throat seemed to close up as she felt the all-too familiar pressure from her parents’ unreasonable expectations—that the ultimate fate of the restaurant rested upon her shoulders and that she had to be the one to keep everything together. Lucy reached for the water glass and took a big swallow.
“Dad, stop,” Emma said. “No sense nagging Lucy. Max has a buyer.”
“Who?”
“Anthony Citteroni.”
Lucy sat upright at the name. “The bike man next door to the restaurant?”
Every summer, Mr. Citteroni’s bike shop rented a variety of bicycles to tourists. Ever since she was a kid, she’d heard stories that he had mob connections in Atlantic City, and his many businesses were how he laundered money.
“He wants the property,” her dad explained.
“Why?” Lucy couldn’t fathom what Mr. Citteroni would do with it.
“He wants to open a high class Italian restaurant, but he’s not the only interested buyer,” her father said.
“A local woman wants to convert Kebab Kitchen into a diner,” Emma said.
“Another Jersey diner? The state is loaded with them. And Ocean Crest already has the Pancake Palace,” Lucy said.
“Don’t forget that Azad’s interested,” their mother announced.
There it was again. His name.
“Why would he want it?” Lucy asked.
“Azad graduated from culinary school and is working as a sous chef for a fancy Atlantic City restaurant. He wants to buy Kebab Kitchen and keep it the way it is.”
Of course, he did. He was perfect. Hand-picked by her parents. He’d started working as a dishwasher for the restaurant when he was in high school. He’d soon worked his way up to busboy, then line cook, and had earned her parents’ respect. Not to mention their hopes of a union with their younger daughter. The pressure tightened in Lucy’s chest.
She glared at her parents. “What will you do if you retire? Where will you go?”
“We’ll stay in Ocean Crest. It’s a peaceful place,” her mother said.
Her father waved his hand toward the window and a view of the calm ocean and blue sky. “After all, what bad things happen here?”
Giveaway
About the Author
~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
February 25, 2018
Cookie Dough, Snow & Wands Aglow: A Cozy Witch Mystery (Spells & Caramels) by Erin Johnson, spotlight & giveaway
Cookie Dough, Snow & Wands Aglow: A Cozy Witch Mystery (Spells & Caramels)by Erin Johnson
About the Book
Cookie Dough, Snow & Wands Aglow: A Cozy Witch Mystery (Spells & Caramels)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Self Published
Paperback: 264 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1983404115
Digital ASIN: B078MNJZFM
Murder in a magical, merry town just brimming with secrets.
On the snowy road to the Earth Kingdom for the holidays, Imogen and the bakers are ambushed by Horace, villainous leader of the Badlands Army. They’re forced to detour to an idyllic, rural village, bedecked in lights, garlands and winter cheer…all a little too perfect to believe. At least that’s so for Imogen, who’s seeing burned out buildings and mysterious memorials that no one else seems to notice.
Hank’s royal presence gets them invited to the big bash at the governor’s mansion. The night is filled with dancing, stolen kisses under the mistletoe and fun, until a guest is found dead in the cauldron of punch.
As bodies and mysteries pile up, all the evidence points to the vampire Francis as the culprit. The gang must come together to clear their friend’s name and save themselves from the angry villagers. Even worse, Imogen struggles with having to keep her relationship with Hank hidden, while working with him to find the real killer.
As Imogen unearths more than a few town secrets, she finally solves the riddles of her past and discovers the truth of Horace’s pursuit of her. But will all the secrets be unraveled in time to stop the killer, or will Imogen and her friends suffer a monstrous fate?
Giveaway
About the Author
Erin Johnson is a native of Tempe, Arizona, Erin spends her time crafting mysterious, magical, romance-filled stories that’ll hopefully make you laugh. In between, she’s traveling, napping with her dogs, eating with her friends and family, and teaching Pilates (to allow her to eat more).
Website: www.erinjohnsonwrites.com. Facebook: www.facebook.com/EJohnsonWrites. Twitter:@EJohnsonWrites
Purchase Link – Amazon Kindle Amazon Paperback
Tour Participants
February 26 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY
February 26 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW
February 27 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW
February 27 – The Montana Bookaholic – REVIEW
February 28 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT
February 28 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 1 – Varietats – REVIEW
March 1 – La libreria di Beppe – SPOTLIGHT
March 2 – T’s Stuff – SPOTLIGHT
March 2 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
March 3 – Sapphyria’s Books – REVIEW
March 3 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
March 4 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
March 4 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
March 5 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 5 – Pulp and Mystery Shelf – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
The post Cookie Dough, Snow & Wands Aglow: A Cozy Witch Mystery (Spells & Caramels) by Erin Johnson, spotlight & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
February 20, 2018
Pawprints & Predicaments (Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery) by Bethany Blake, blog tour, giveaway & spotlight
Pawprints & Predicaments (Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery)
by Bethany Blake
About the Book
Pawprints & Predicaments (Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Kensington (February 27, 2018)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1496707420
Digital ASIN: B071SK3VF9
The Tail Waggin’ Winterfest is the highlight of the season in the famously pet-friendly Pocono Mountains town of Sylvan Creek. But despite attractions like an ice sculpture display, a dogsled race, and gourmet hot chocolate, Daphne Templeton finds herself annoyed by TV producer Lauren Savidge, who’s filming the festivities. She’s critical, controlling, and as chilly as the January air. Daphne would like to tell her to go jump in a lake—and as a matter of fact, that’s exactly what they’re both going to do . . .
It’s the first-ever polar bear plunge in Lake Wallapawakee, and Daphne and Lauren are among the eighty or so people who charge into the frigid water to raise funds for animals in need. Daphne makes it back to shore—with the help of a mysterious St. Bernard—but Lauren is dragged out stone cold dead. Now, with her trusty basset hound Socrates at her side, Daphne intends to assist Detective Jonathan Black in his investigation—whether he wants her to or not . . .
Includes recipes for homemade pet treats!
Giveaway
About the Author
Bethany Blake lives in a small, quaint town in Pennsylvania with her husband and three daughters. When she’s not writing or riding horses, she’s wrangling a menagerie of furry family members that includes a nervous pit bull, a fearsome feline, a blind goldfish, and an attack cardinal named Robert. Like Daphne Templeton, the heroine of her Lucky Paws Mysteries, Bethany holds a Ph.D. and operates a pet sitting business called Barkley’s Premium Pet Care.
Author Links
Webpage BookBub Twitter Facebook
Purchase Links
Amazon B&N Kobo Google Play
Tour Participants
February 21 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
February 21 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
February 21 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
February 21 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – SPOTLIGHT
February 22 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW, GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY
February 22 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
February 23 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 23 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
February 24 – The Montana Bookaholic – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 24 – Readeropolis – INTERVIEW, GIVEAWAY
February 25 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
February 25 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
February 26 – Varietats – REVIEW
February 26 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 26 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT
February 27 – The Power of Words – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
February 27 – Cinnamon, Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW
February 28 – Mysteries with Character – INTERVIEW, GIVEAWAY
February 28 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
February 28 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
March 1 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
March 1 – La libreria di Beppe – SPOTLIGHT
March 2 – Sapphyria’s Books – REVIEW
March 2 – A Cozy Experience – GUEST POST
March 3 – Book Babble – REVIEW
March 3 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY
March 4 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
March 4 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW
March 5 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW, GIVEAWAY
March 5 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
March 6 – Cozy Up With Kathy – GUEST POST
March 6 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
The post Pawprints & Predicaments (Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery) by Bethany Blake, blog tour, giveaway & spotlight appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
February 18, 2018
Cover Reveal – Dead as a Doornail by Tonya Kappes
Beauty is skin deep, but ugly goes clear to the bone. And doesn’t our Sheriff Kenni Lowry know that? Well, she knows a lot of things.
Lucy Lowell takes great pride in writing negative reviews in the local newspaper for anything that does not go her way. When Lucy is found dead, it appears to be from natural causes.
But Sheriff Kenni Lowry knows there is more to it because the ghost of her grandfather, the ex-sheriff, is standing over the body.
His presence can only mean one thing: Murder!
Since Kenni’s relationship with Deputy Finn Vincent has heated up, Kenni is having trouble conducting the investigation without Finn questioning her every move.
Can Kenni unravel the mystery on her own or will she have to tell Finn the real reason she knows it was murder—the ghost of her poppa?
It’s blowin’ up a storm and only Kenni knows how it’ll end.
Ready…..
Set…..
Reveal!!
Dead as a Doornail by Tonya Kappes
will be available May 15 from Henery Press!
It is Available for Pre-Order Today!!
Books, Movies, Reviews. Oh my!
Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book
The post Cover Reveal – Dead as a Doornail by Tonya Kappes appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
February 14, 2018
Death by a Whisker: A Cat Rescue Mystery by T. C. LoTempio, blog tour, giveaway & guest post
Death by a Whisker: A Cat Rescue Mystery
by T. C. LoTempio
About the Book
Death by a Whisker: A Cat Rescue Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Crooked Lane Books (February 13, 2018)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1683314875
Digital ASIN: B072395VJN
Getting used to life back home in Deer Park, North Carolina, Sydney McCall and her right-hand tabby, Toby, are helping her sister Kat run the local animal shelter. Syd and Kat are all excited about the prospect of the shelter’s newest fundraiser: shopping channel queen Ulla Townsend. Shelter admin Maggie Shayne vehemently refuses to have anything to do with the woman, but the fundraiser ensues as planned. That is, until Ulla turns up dead in the middle of the event.
The cause of death is determined to be an allergic reaction, but Syd and Toby are sniffing out something fishy. When Syd met Ulla, it was clear she was distasteful and rude. And right before the event, Syd spotted some behind-the-scenes drama between Ulla and her manager. As they begin to investigate, they realize there is no shortage of suspects, and Maggie is at the top of the list.
Now Syd and Toby must claw their way to the truth before everything goes paws up at their animal shelter in Death by a Whisker by national bestselling author T. C. LoTempio.
Guest Post
How Cats are Like Teenagers – What I’ve Learned the Hard Way
T. C Lotempio
I’ve been a proud human to many cats since I adopted my first one, Zee, in 1996. Cats as any cat-human will tell you, are a force unto themselves. I have noticed over the years, though, that owning a cat is similar in many ways to raising a teenager (even though I do not have children, I was once a teenager myself, LOL).
Here are the top ten similarities between cats and teens I’ve noticed over the years:
They both like to hide – conveniently : ever notice when you want a teen to do something, like daily chores, they make themselves conspicuously absent? The same can be said of cats. I know that when the maintenance man comes into my apartment to do work, the only evidence that I even have a pet are the catnip mice scattered all over. A cat can hide just about anywhere. Sometimes it amazes me the places they can get into
Computer love : Teenagers today spend most of their time on the computer, and trust me, that’s where my cats spend most of their day too. If I had a nickle for every piece of cat hair I’ve plucked out of my keyboard I could retire tomorrow.
“I vant to be alone ” – Teens require a great deal of “alone” time – as do cats. Don’t’ think that a cat will want to play a game of fetch with you like a dog, because you’re barking (or rather, meowing) up the wrong tree. A cat will pay attention to you when he or she is darn good and ready to. And unlike dogs, who thrive on attention, cats seem to shun it. The longer you leave them by themselves, the better they like you.
Immovable objects – ask a teen to do something and they take their sweet time getting off the couch. Same with a cat. Cats plop themselves in a spot and it usually takes nothing short of a bomb (or refilling the food bowl) to get them to move.
Rip Van Winkle Syndrome – Teens like to sleep…a lot. Some till one in the afternoon if you’ll let them. Cats like to sleep…a lot. Usually all day if you let them. And who argues with a cat?
Evil Eye reflex – When you say something – doesn’t matter what it is – you usually get a blank stare from a teen. Same with a cat, only it’s a slitted stare that makes you feel like you’re on the witness stand and the cat is Perry Mason (or should I say PURRY Mason??????).
Make me laugh – Do teens ever laugh at your jokes? The ones that I have contact with usually give me indulgent smiles. My cats are also super unamused by my humor as well.
Lovin the John – I know when I was a teen I spent an inordinate amount of time in the bathroom, and I imagine it’s no different today. My cats also love the bathroom. They especially like to lay in the tub and lounge there until I turn the shower on, and then it’s like I lit a fire under their tail. They get hair in the sink like a teen and make no move to help unclog the drain, and just like a teen they also make no move to help clean it!!!!!!
Needful Things : For the most part a teen will ignore you UNLESS they need something from you: a permission slip signed, borrow the car, new sneakers, prom dress, etc. THEN all of a sudden they’re your best friend and can’t wait to do all the chores in the world to assure they get what they want. Cats also only care about your presence if they need something from you as well – mainly food. My cats sound the food alarm early, and I never receive so many head butts as when I’m opening a can of Fancy Feast. I’m fairly certain, though, that if they had opposable thumbs and knew how to operate a can opener I would find the door locked and they’d get on very well without me. True story: I came home from work one afternoon to find the can of catfood in the middle of the kitchen floor with the can opener propped up next to it. I rest my case.
Grudge Match : OH, yes. Cats and teens both ABSOLUTELY hold grudges. Put a teen on curfew and they don’t talk to you for weeks. Go away on vacation and see how much love your cats give you when you return home. The best is when you take them to the vet. I’m lucky if I get as much as a headbutt or a casual meow for weeks afterward.
Okay, those are my top ten! What other similarities between cats and teens do YOU notice?
Giveaway
About the Author
While Toni Lotempio does not commit – or solve – murders in real life, she has no trouble doing it on paper. Her lifelong love of mysteries began early on when she was introduced to her first Nancy Drew mystery at age 10 – The Secret in the Old Attic. She (and ROCCO, albeit he’s uncredited) pen the Nick and Nora mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime – the first volume, MEOW IF ITS MURDER,
debuted Dec. 2, 2014. Followed by #2, CLAWS FOR ALARM
. #3, CRIME AND CATNIP
, was released in December. She, Rocco and Maxx make their home in Clifton, New Jersey, just twenty minutes from the Big Apple – New York. Catch up with them at www.tclotempio.net and www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com
Where to find them:
ROCCO’s blog:
www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com
Website:
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toni.lotempio.5
Twitter: @RoccoBlogger – https://twitter.com/@RoccoBlogger
Purchase Links:
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
February 12 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 12 – Books Direct – GUEST POST
February 13 – Mysteries with Character – INTERVIEW
February 13 – La libreria di Beppe – SPOTLIGHT
February 14 – My Reading Journey – SPOTLIGHT
February 14 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
February 15 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST
February 15 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – GUEST POST
February 16 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
February 17 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
February 18 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
February 18 – Varietats – REVIEW, GUEST POST
February 19 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
February 19 – Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf – INTERVIEW
February 20 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
February 20 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
February 21 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – GUEST POST
February 22 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
February 22 – Cozy Up With Kathy –REVIEW, GUEST POST
February 23 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW
February 24 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
February 24 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW
February 25 – The Montana Bookaholic – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 26 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
The post Death by a Whisker: A Cat Rescue Mystery by T. C. LoTempio, blog tour, giveaway & guest post appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
February 12, 2018
Murder is a Dirty Business by Tricia L. Sanders, blog tour, giveaway and spotlight
Murder is a Dirty Business
by Tricia L. Sanders
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Soul Mate Publishing, LLC (November 15, 2017)
Print Length: 254 pages
ASIN: B076KVQ4WR
When Cece Cavanaugh’s husband empties their joint bank account, steals her designer luggage, and runs off with a younger woman, Cece must decide whether to ask her manipulative mother-in-law for a handout or get a job. Choosing the easier path, Cece lands a job cleaning a crime scene where a high school coach was murdered. When his wife is implicated—a young woman Cece practically raised—Cece finds herself mopping floors, balancing an empty checkbook, and ferreting out a killer.
Amid all this messy business, Cece bumps heads with a handsome detective. She tries to ignore her growing attraction to the detective, but he gives new meaning to the term “hot flash.”
After she stumbles onto a clue that could vindicate her friend, her elation turns to panic when she haphazardly confronts the killer. Through the danger and romance, Cece discovers self-reliance and inner strength.
And that crime—at least, someone else’s—does pay the bills.
Giveaway
Tricia L. Sanders writes about women with class, sass, and a touch of kickass. A former instructional designer and corporate trainer, she traded in curriculum writing for novel writing, because she hates bullet points and loves to make stuff up. And fiction is more fun than training guides and lesson plans.
When she isn’t writing, Tricia is busy crossing dreams off her bucket list. With all 50 states checked, she’s concentrating on foreign interests. She’s an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan, so don’t get between her and the television when a game is on. Currently, she is working on a mystery series set in the fictional town of Wickford, Missouri. Another project in the works is a women’s fiction road trip adventure.
Her essays have appeared in Sasee, ByLine, The Cuivre River Anthology and Great American Outhouse Stories; The Whole Truth and Nothing Butt. She is a proud member of The Lit Ladies, six women writing their truths into fiction.
Author Links
Website: http://www.triciasanders.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authortricialsanders/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36458199-murder-is-a-dirty-business
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXRJSRSmTjg
Purchase Link
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
February 12 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
February 13 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW, GUEST POST
February 13 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
February 13 – Readsalot – SPOTLIGHT
February 14 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
February 14 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 15 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – INTERVIEW
February 15 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW
February 16 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
February 16 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – INTERVIEW
February 17 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
February 18 – OFF
February 19 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 20 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
February 21 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – REVIEW
February 22 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
February 23 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
February 24 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
February 24 – That’s What She’s Reading – REVIEW
February 25 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW
The post Murder is a Dirty Business by Tricia L. Sanders, blog tour, giveaway and spotlight appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
Welcome to the Love by the Numbers Celebration Tour, giveaway and review
About the Book
Title: Love by the Numbers
Author: Laura V. Hilton
Genre: Christian Amish fiction
Release Date: February 6, 2018
After her fiancé dies in a buggy accident, Lydia Hershberger is invited to Jamesport to manage her Mennonite aunt’s gift store while her aunt and uncle are on a mission trip. While there, Lydia gets acquainted with her aentie’s best friend, Bethel Bontrager, and her grown son, Caleb. Lydia is surprised to find herself drawn to handsome clockmaker, Caleb Bontrager. But in spite of an instant flame of attraction between them, he doesn’t seem interested. In fact, pesky Caleb treats her like he doesn’t even like her.
Bright and sparkly. That’s Caleb’s first impression of Lydia. He’s always been attracted to sparkly things. In fact, his affinity for those things, and the trouble they can cause, are exactly why he’s determined to change his ways and settle down. With Lydia’s aentie gone, he is handling the books for the gift shop and is forced to spend too much time in her presence.
When God offers Lydia a second chance at love and family, will she take it? Or will the secret Caleb harbors cause her even more heartbreak?
Click here to purchase your copy!
My thoughts:
Lydia’s fiancé was killed inn a buggy accident. She goes to Jamesport to start over and gets a job in the gift store.
Caleb is the new bookkeeper and it is not long before he grows an attraction to Lydia. But will he change his mind once the rumors hit Jamestown about Lydia and her reputation?
Lydia’s tan tries to help and you feel for her when you find out what her life was like back home. It would be easy for any of us to fall in the same trap.
Caleb has so much guilt going on can he let it go and have a great life?
These characters were great to read about the I did not put the book down. Love and healing goes a long way.
I read this book voluntarily for an honest review.
About the Author
Laura V. Hilton is an award-winning, sought-after author with almost twenty Amish, contemporary, and historical romances. When she’s not writing, she reviews books for her blogs, and writes devotionals for blog posts for Seriously Write and Putting on the New.
Laura and her pastor-husband have five children and a hyper dog named Skye. They currently live in Arkansas. One son is in the U.S. Coast Guard. She is a pastor’s wife, and homeschools her two youngest children.
When she’s not writing, Laura enjoys reading, and visiting lighthouses and waterfalls. Her favorite season is winter, her favorite holiday is Christmas.
Guest Post from Laura V. Hilton
Story Behind the Story – Love by the Numbers
Caleb was a minor character in couple of my Amish books – I think he first made a by name appearance in Amish Wanderer and Christmas Admirer. A minor character. Lydia was a very minor one-time appearance in those stories, too, a girl who happened to be in the room with Bethany and Susanna at a wedding. (This story is stand alone!) But I knew when Caleb first saw Lydia that they would end up together by the way he reacted to her presence. I wondered what their story was.
March and April is tornado season in Arkansas (and in many other states) and in 2011 we had a bad one. I was out and about that day, driving to the county seat with my five children, and there was something in the air. It was heavy, hard to breathe, and the sky was black off to the west. I’m sure I broke speed limits racing to Melbourne, and then home again so we wouldn’t be out in the storm.
Later that afternoon, tornado sirens went off. One went over our house – even from the basement we could hear the sound of a train roaring overhead. Scary. And still thanking God it didn’t touch down. Highland, Ash Flat, and Evening Shade, Arkansas were hit hard. Buildings completely gone. When we drove out that way later in the week there were pickup trucks in the tops of trees. Other things in odd and unusual places. I always wondered how they got the treetop pickups down. I would’ve stopped to watch if I’d been out there when it was done. I did hear that some of those trucks weren’t damaged at all. Unreal. My two sons and my husband both helped with clean up and my oldest son went with a crew to Joplin, Missouri, to help with clean up there.
There has been other occasions I’ve been out in tornados. Once I was in the Walmart parking lot when a tornado went through a town west of it. We could see the funnel touching down from where we stood. It did hail when we were on our way home, praying our house was still standing. It was.
On a different note, in 2016 my oldest son came home with a kitten. She was the sweetest thing ever, and he named her Rosie. Sadly, I was highly allergic to her. I couldn’t even be around the children after they played with her. They’d have to go change clothes and wash their hands, otherwise I couldn’t breathe. Rosie was full Siamese, blue eyes and all, and she was so adorable. I allowed my son to keep her in the shed. I was about four chapters into the story when Rosie found some poison (I think, not sure) and died. We all cried.
Also about the time I was writing this, a very dear friend of a lot of writers died. I told my street team I was going to name a character after her, and was told a lot of writers would be. I agreed. And a lot of their books were released already. But Aenti Judith in this story is named after Judy Burgi. I still miss her and pray for her family.
One of the verses my daughter had to memorize in Sunday School was 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. ‘We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.’ Perfect for the faith message in Love by the Numbers! I love how God always provides the perfect verse for my characters’ faith messages. I’m pretty sure this verse is one I never memorized, and I never would of thought of it on my own, but God put it in my daughter’s lessons for Sunday School, so she had to memorize it – and thus I did too since I help my daughters learn their verses every week.
I hope you’ll enjoy the story!
Because of Him,
Laura V. Hilton
Blog Stops
Pursuing Stacie, February 13
Quiet Quilter, February 13
Red Headed Book Lady, February 13
Babs Book Bistro, February 13
Blogging With Carol, February 14
Among the Reads, February 14
Reading Is My SuperPower, February 15
Blossoms and Blessings, February 15
SusanLovesBooks, February 16
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, February 16
Carpe Diem, February 16
Zerina Blossom’s Books, February 19
C Jane Read, February 20
Daysong Reflections, February 20
margaret kazmierczak, February 20
proud to be an autism mom, February 21
Bibliophile Reviews, February 21
A Greater Yes, February 22
Texas Book-aholic, February 22
Pause for Tales, February 23
Have A Wonderful Day, February 23
cherylbbookblog, February 24
Jeanette’s Thoughts, February 26
Bigreadersite, February 26
Giveaway
In honor of the tour, Whitaker House is giving away
Grand Prize Package: Love By the Numbers, Healing Love (Amish of Webster County #1), and The Snow Globe (The Amish of Jamesport #1) by Laura Hilton; “The Angels Cry Holy” scented candle in tin with lid from Abba Jerusalem
1st Place Package: Love By the Numbers, The Snow Globe (The Amish of Jamesport #1) by Laura Hilton, and Whitaker House/Anchor Coloring Book with Colored Pencils
2nd Place Package: Love By the Number by Laura Hilton and Whitaker House/Anchor Coloring Book with Colored Pencils!!!
Click the link to enter! https://promosimple.com/ps/c6ca
The post Welcome to the Love by the Numbers Celebration Tour, giveaway and review appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
February 5, 2018
A Well-Timed Murder (Agnes Luthi Mysteries) by Tracee de Hahn, blog tour, giveaway & spotlight
A Well-Timed Murder (Agnes Luthi Mysteries)
by Tracee de Hahn
(Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)
A Well-Timed Murder (Agnes Luthi Mysteries)
International Mystery
2nd in Series
Minotaur Books (February 6, 2018)
Hardcover: 352 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1250110015
E-Book ASIN: B073TSWJMJ
Swiss-American police officer Agnes Lüthi is on leave in Lausanne, Switzerland, recovering from injuries she sustained in her last case, when an old colleague invites her to the world’s premier watch and jewelry trade show at the grand Messe Basel Exhibition Hall. Little does Agnes know, another friend of hers, Julien Vallotton, is at the same trade show—and he’s looking for Agnes. Julien Vallotton was friends with Guy Chavanon, a master of one of Switzerland’s oldest arts: watchmaking. Chavanon died a week ago, and his daughter doesn’t believe his death was accidental. Shortly before he died, Chavanon boasted that he’d discovered a new technique that would revolutionize the watchmaking industry, and she believes he may have been killed for it. Reluctantly, Agnes agrees to investigate his death. But the world of Swiss watchmaking is guarded and secretive, and before she realizes it, Agnes may be walking straight into the path of a killer.
Tracee de Hahn’s next mystery, A Well-Timed Murder, is another magnetic mystery that will engross readers from the opening page to the stunning conclusion.
Tracee de Hahn is the author of the Agnes Lüthi mysteries, which were inspired by her years living in Switzerland. Prior to writing full time she practiced architecture and was head of university alumni relations at a major west coast university. Currently, she and her Swiss-architect husband live in southwest Virginia with their Jack Russell Terriers. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America.
Social media
Website https://traceedehahn.com/
Twitter @LuthiMysteries
Pinterest The Agnes Lüthi Mysteries
Purchase links
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
February 1 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
February 2 – Valerie’s Musings – GUEST POST
February 3 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
February 4 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY
February 5 – The Power of Words – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
February 6 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY
February 7 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
February 8 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY
February 9 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
February 10 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY
February 11 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY
February 12 – Varietats – REVIEW
February 13 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST
February 14 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – CHARACTER GUEST POST
The post A Well-Timed Murder (Agnes Luthi Mysteries) by Tracee de Hahn, blog tour, giveaway & spotlight appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
February 2, 2018
Open spots in the #Magazine #TheBistro!
Click cover to see issue
Open Spots in the Magazine. We would love to have you in our upcoming issue of The Bistro. Next issue will be out March 1st. Deadline for this issue is Feb 15th. We have a few spots left in the following areas no matter the genre.
Interviews
Guest Posts
Book Features
Authors Features
Giveaways
Recipes
Short Stories
Please email Babs @ – Babsbookbistro @ gmail.com without the spaces.
The post Open spots in the #Magazine #TheBistro! appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
February 1, 2018
SCONE COLD KILLER by Lena Gregory, blog tour, guest post & giveaway
Scone Cold Killer (All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery)
by Lena Gregory
Scone Cold Killer (All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Lyrical Underground (January 23, 2018)
Paperback: 192 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1516104659
E-Book ASIN: B06Y52XG4B
For Florida diner owner Gia Morelli, there’s no such thing as too much breakfast—unless it kills you . . .
When Gia Morelli’s marriage falls apart, she knows it’s time to get out of New York. Her husband was a scam artist who swindled half the millionaires in town, and she doesn’t want to be there when they decide to take revenge. On the spur of the moment, she follows her best friend to a small town in Central Florida, where she braves snakes, bears, and giant spiders to open a cheery little diner called the All-Day Breakfast Café. Owning a restaurant has been her lifelong dream, but it turns into a nightmare the morning she opens her dumpster and finds her ex-husband crammed inside. As the suspect du jour, Gia will have to scramble fast to prove her innocence before a killer orders another cup of murder . . .
Guest Post
Where to Live?
By
Lena Gregory
I’ve lived most of my life in a small town on the south shore of Eastern Long Island, along with four generations of my family. My grandfather owned a deli in town, where I started working stocking shelves and sweeping floors when I was twelve years old. When I was a little older, I started working the breakfast shift, the inspiration for the All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series.
I’ve always loved the small-town feel, the way everyone knows everyone, especially the families who have lived here for generation after generation as mine has. When I married a man from the neighboring town, it seemed natural to settle down where we’d grown up and start our family.
Then my husband got a job offer in Florida, and he accepted. We moved down right after my daughter finished kindergarten. I had only ever been to Florida once, when my daughter was three and we spent three days in Disney World, so I had no clue what to expect.
Just like Gia Morelli in Scone Cold Killer, I was in for a few surprises.
I was used to deer crossing signs, since Long Island is home to a large deer population, but the first time I drove my daughter to school and saw a bear crossing sign, I actually turned around and went back to see it again. I thought I was mistaken, but nope, it was a bear crossing sign. Until that moment, I had no clue there were bears in Florida.
Then there were the love bugs, and they were everywhere. And lizards, which I’d never even seen in real life before I moved, and snakes, sometimes poisonous ones.
Aside from the critters, the weather brought a few surprises as well. On the rare occasions Long Island gets tornadoes, they are small F-1s that do very little damage. One night, about six months after we moved to Florida, I had just gotten into bed and turned on the TV, and the weather report came on. A line of damaging storms were coming through. The reporter said if you live on my road, “take cover now,” and I freaked out, to put it mildly, woke my daughter and stuffed her and my dog into the tub, even tried to wrestle a mattress into the tiny bathroom. (That was so not happening.)
Like Gia, whenever I got homesick, I spent a lot of time checking off the positives and negatives of living in Florida and New York.
Because there were also amazing things about living in Florida. The natural springs, with their crystal-clear water, gorgeous blue skies—even in the winter when the skies in New York are permanently gray. And who could complain when everyone in New York was shoveling out from under a foot of snow, and I was laying by the pool?
In the end, my decision was made for me when my husband and I both got job opportunities in New York. We ended up moving back to New York and visiting Florida every year, because we missed it so much.
What about you? Have you ever had a hard time deciding where you wanted to live? Leave a comment and let me know.
Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Lena Gregory lives in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island with her husband and three children.
When she was growing up, she spent many lazy afternoons on the beach, in the yard, anywhere she could find to curl up with a good book. She loves reading as much now as she did then, but she now enjoys the added pleasure of creating her own stories.
Author Links:
Website: http://www.lenagregory.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lena.gregory.986
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Lena.Gregory.Author/?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LenaGregory03
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14956514.Lena_Gregory?from_search=true
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lenagregoryauth/
Purchase Links
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kensington
Kobo
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
January 23 – The Montana Bookaholic – REVIEW
January 24 – Bea’s Book Nook – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
January 24 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW
January 25 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
January 26 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
January 27 – A Holland Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
January 28 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
January 29 – Ruff Drafts -INTERVIEW
January 30 – Jane Reads – GUEST POST
January 31 – Readeropolis – INTERVIEW
February 1 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
February 2 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST
February 2 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – INTERVIEW
February 3 – Brooke Blogs – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 3 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
February 4 – Sapphyria’s Books – REVIEW
February 5 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW
The post SCONE COLD KILLER by Lena Gregory, blog tour, guest post & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
