Jessica Samuelsen's Blog, page 16

ARC Review – Kale to The Queen by Nell Hampton

Kale to the Queen by Nell Hampton
Published by Crooked Lane Books on April 11th 2017
Genres: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 288
Source: Netgalley
Goodreads
Amazon

Chef Carrie Ann Cole is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime--an assignment as the new Personal Chef to the Royal Family at Kensington Palace. But no sooner has Carrie Ann touched down across the pond and donned her apron than a dead body crops up beneath the royal kale beds.

With one assistant dead and the other soon under suspicion for his murder, Carrie Ann is scrambling to keep her kitchen up and running. Not to mention she gets off to an immediate bad start with the tempestuous Royal Chef Butterbottom, who has a bitter taste in his mouth since the prestigious position in the Royal Family's kitchen was given to an "over-privileged, under-educated American chef."

But the Royal Family's appetites wait for no one, and Carrie Ann must solve the murder and still get supper on the table on time--even with the annoyingly handsome Head of Security Ian Gordon tracking her every move like an MI6 agent. Suspects abound as an American chef adds a bit of spice to the traditional royal household in the first in Nell Hampton's charming and tasty Kensington Palace Chef Mystery series, Kale to the Queen.

Chef Carrie Ann Cole is the new personal chef to the Duchess and her family at the Kensington Palace. She left her boyfriend behind to follow her dream of being a personal chef. Following her dreams is causing her to make sacrifices she didn’t know she was going to have to. To make matters worse she finds one of her assistants dead in the garden attached to her kitchen. Her life is in shambles personally and at work. When her other assistant is accused of the murder she is bound and determined to find the real killer. All she has to do is balance her sleuthing with work and personal relationships.

In an Oyster Shell – An entertaining cute cozy.

The Pearls – The concept was a star for me. An American chef working in the Kensington Palace was epic. The main character Chef Carrie is out of her element. She has to prove that she’s not some over-privileged American as some of her British colleagues might think.I really enjoyed the mixing of cultures in this book.  Throw in the mystery and you’ve got yourself a great story.

The characters were developed and well-defined. I would even say that they were distinguished characters. There were quite of few characters but it was easy to know who was who. I enjoyed Carrie as the main character. I enjoyed the camaraderie that developed between some of the characters. Especially because Carrie was considered an outsider but they other let her in to help. A good example of this would be with Carrie and her assistant accused of murder. She helps him and he lets her to some degree.

Being set at the palace was a fun setting. You got to see the inner workings of modern royalty. The Palace made for a great background to the story. Then there was London, which is always a great city to have a story in.

The Sand – It was a good story.

4 Pearls!

Review – Waiting for Aegina by Effie Kammenou

Waiting for Aegina (The Gift Saga Book 2) by Effie Kammenou
Series: The Gift Saga #2
on January 6, 2017
Genres: Women's Fiction
Pages: 388
Source: Author

I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Goodreads
Amazon

In 1961, five little girls moved into a suburban neighborhood and became inseparable, lifelong friends. They called themselves the ‘Honey Hill Girls,’ named after the street on which they lived. As teenagers they shared one another’s ambitions and dreams, secrets and heartaches. Now, more than thirty years later, they remain devoted and loyal, supporting each other through triumphs and sorrows.

Evanthia's Gift follows the life of Sophia Giannakos. In Waiting for Aegina the saga continues from the perspectives of Sophia and her friends as the story drifts back and forth in time, filling in the gaps as the women grow to adulthood.

Naive teenage ideals are later challenged by harsh realities, as each of their lives takes unexpected turns. Now nearing their fiftieth year, Sophia, Demi, Amy, Mindy and Donna stand together through life-altering obstacles while they try to regain the lighthearted optimism of their youth.

The Honey Hill Girls are back in this second book with more drama than ever. Sophia is going through a depression after she has her youngest. She thinks it’s post-partum when it is really just having a lot going on at once. Her real father is dying, among other things that trigger her anxiety. Amy has a secret that’s about to come out and could jeopardize her campaign. Demi suspects something is going on with her husband. Mindy is going through some rough relationships. While Donna is realizing hers is over. Though everyone has their own problems the Honey Hill Girls stick together and help each other through.

In an Oyster Shell – A satisfying women’s fiction.

The Pearls – The story is unique to me. Following the lives of five women through a span of time present and past. Though a little slow in the action the story takes you over and you find yourself engrossed in these women’s stories. This story evokes a lot of emotion from elation to sadness to frustration. You feel what the characters are feeling.

The characters are vibrant and strong. The women are well-done characters that give you strength because they are that strong. The supporting characters add to the story as well. Overall, it’s a well-rounded cast of characters which makes up most of the story. It’s a character driven plot.

The settings were all over the place. From Greece to the suburbs of New York City, to the city itself. It felt like the author brought the reader on a journey. I felt as if I had gone to all those places. It was nice. My favorite setting was the family’s vineyard.

The Sand – It could be a little slow at times but the characters made up for that.

4.5 Pearls!

About Effie Kammenou

Effie Kammenou is a first generation Greek-American who lives on Long Island with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not writing, or posting recipes on her food blog, cheffieskitchen.wordpress.com, you can find her cooking for her family and friends.

Her debut novel, EVANTHIA’S GIFT, is a multigenerational love story and family saga, influenced by her Greek heritage, and the many real life accounts that have been passed down. She continues to pick her father’s brain for stories of his family’s life in Lesvos, Greece, and their journey to America. Her recent interview with him was published in a nationally circulated magazine.

As an avid cook and baker, a skill she learned from watching her Athenian mother, she incorporated traditional Greek family recipes throughout the book.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theater Arts from Hofstra University.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

Review – Other Breakable Things by Kelley York

Other Breakable Things by Kelley York, Rowan Altwood
on April 4th 2017
Goodreads
Amazon

According to Japanese legend, folding a thousand paper cranes will grant you healing.

Evelyn Abel will fold two thousand if it will bring Luc back to her.

Luc Argent has always been intimately acquainted with death. After a car crash got him a second chance at life—via someone else’s transplanted heart—he tried to embrace it. He truly did. But he always knew death could be right around the corner again.

And now it is.

Sick of hospitals and tired of transplants, Luc is ready to let his failing heart give out, ready to give up. A road trip to Oregon—where death with dignity is legal—is his answer. But along for the ride is his best friend, Evelyn.

And she’s not giving up so easily.

A thousand miles, a handful of roadside attractions, and one life-altering kiss later, Evelyn’s fallen, and Luc’s heart is full. But is it enough to save him? Evelyn’s betting her heart, her life, that it can be.

Right down to the thousandth paper crane.

Evelyn Abel is back in town and she reaches out to Luc even though he hasn’t answered her emails and texts in months. Luc is dying his body is rejecting a heart transplant he had three years before. He doesn’t want to go through another transplant and decides to make a road trip to Oregon where there is a dying with dignity option. Evelyn goes with him not knowing his true intentions. When she finds out she hopes she can change his mind. Luc is falling for Evelyn is it enough to change his mind?

In an Oyster Shell – A gut-wrenching read that will make you better off for having read it. It’s a great book.

The Pearls –The relationship between Luc and Evelyn was the star. It starts with Luc holding Evelyn at arm’s length because he thinks he doesn’t have a lot of time. Evelyn is an ever faithful friend who eventually breaks through Luc’s walls. They go on a trip together where Evelyn wins Luc over even more. The journey made for a great experience for the reader.

The characters were well-developed and well-defined. Evelyn was a strong heroine in the end. In the beginning, she was really vulnerable and by the end of the story, she is strong. Luc goes through quite the transformation himself. Going from wanting to die to seeing that maybe there is more to life… is quite the change. The author had a great handle on the character development.

The idea of going on a trip was a great premise. In a sense, both characters were running from something, but they had each other. The relationship that develops on the trip is swoon worthy. Having each other in the end was all they really needed in spite of what they were running from.

The Sand – It can be a tear jerker for some but was an excellent story.

5 Pearls!

About Kelley York

Once upon a time, Kelley York was born in central California. And it’s there she she still resides with her wife, step-daughter, and way too many pets. Kelley is a sucker for dark fiction. She loves writing twisted characters, tragic happenings, and bittersweet endings that leave you wondering and crying. Character development takes center stage in her books because the bounds of a person’s character and the workings of their mind are limitless.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Blog Tour with Review Ashes by Steven Manchester

Ashes

by Steven Manchester

on Tour February 19 – April 21, 2017

 

Book Details

Genre: Fiction

Published by: The Story Plant

Publication Date: February 21st 2017

Number of Pages: 260

Purchase Links:
Synopsis:

Middle-aged brothers Jason and Tom Prendergast thought they were completely done with each other. Perceived betrayal had burned the bridge between them, tossing them into the icy river of estrangement. But life – and death – has a robust sense of irony, and when they learn that their cruel father has died and made his final request that they travel together across the country to spread his ashes, they have no choice but to spend a long, long car trip in each other’s company. It’s either that or lose out on the contents of the envelope he’s left with his lawyer. The trip will be as gut-wrenching as each expects it to be . . . and revealing in ways neither of them is prepared for.

At turns humorous, biting, poignant, and surprisingly tender, Ashes puts a new spin on family and dysfunction with a story that is at once fresh and timelessly universal.

Review – 

In an Oyster Shell – An interesting story of two brothers reconciling years of discord on a road trip.

The Pearls – This is a really good book. It’s the tale of two brothers who have been at odds with each other for 15 years. They are to come together for a road trip as dictated by their late father’s will. They are to take his ashes to be disposed of in Seattle. They are on the east coast so it’s going to be a long ride. This book is about the acceptance of the two men of the current state of their life. They are middle age coming from a rough past. They have to make peace with it somehow. It was an interesting twist telling the tale of the two men. It was like what a women’s fiction piece would be like only it features men. It was a refreshing twist.

I liked the characters a lot. Tom was a professor who was more health conscious than his brother and not as prone to conflict. Jason was like a bull in a china shop. He was conflict prone and didn’t give much thought to his health. The two were a nice contrast and the conflict between them fades into a camaraderie. The characters could stand on their own. The inter-personal relationship that develops between the two is the crux of the whole story.

The author engages all the senses with his appropriate descriptions of places and food. On the road trip food was a central point for Jason. In the book he says that’s all he really has to live for is food. So it’s a central component of the story. I really enjoyed the food descriptions.

The end was satisfying and appropriate.

The Sand – There was a lot of bonus content at the end. It was 45 minutes worth of it. It was two much and I felt it took away from the book.

Read an excerpt:

 

Tom wheeled his late-model, platinum-colored BMW into Attorney Russell Norman’s freshly paved lot and parked between a brand new Lexus—sporting the license plate JUSTIS4U—and a custom pickup truck. Looks like I’m going after the hillbilly, he thought when he spotted the faded Massachusetts Department of Correction sticker in the rear window. His blood turned cold. “It must be Jason,” he thought aloud. I didn’t think he’d come.

Tom took a few deep breaths, not because he was nervous about his father’s death or talking to any lawyer but because he hadn’t seen his Neanderthal brother—for fifteen years, I think. He paused for a moment to give it more thought. Although their relationship had essentially vaporized in their late teens—the result of a fall out that still haunted his dreams—they’d occasionally wound up in each other’s orbits; weddings, funerals, and the like, enough to remain familiar with each other’s career choices, wives, and children. But even that came to an end fifteen years ago, he confirmed in his aching head before opening the door. While his toothache-induced migraine threatened to blind him, he took one step into the oak-paneled waiting room. His and Jason’s eyes met for the briefest moment. As though they were complete strangers, they both looked away. And here he is, Tom thought, disappointed. This is just great.

Through peripheral vision, Tom noticed that his older brother now wore a scar over his right eye, just above a bushy eyebrow that could have easily belonged to a homeless Scotsman. A jagged ear lobe, a piece clearly torn away, pointed to a crooked nose that sat sideways on his face—all of it rearranged since birth. What a big tub of shit he’s turned into, Tom thought, struggling to ignore his throbbing face and head. He’s as fat as a wood tick now, he thought, grinning, and he looks like he’s ready to pop. Jason looked straight at him, as if reading his mind. Tom immediately looked away, his rapid heartbeat starting to pound in his ears, intensifying his physical pain. Unbelievable, he thought. After all the years and all the distance, his elder brother—by only two years—still scared the hell out of him. He’s just a big asshole, that’s all, he told himself, but he still couldn’t bring himself to rejoin his brother’s penetrating gaze.

The secretary answered her phone before calling out, “Mr. Prendergast . . .”

Both brothers stood.

“Attorney Norman will see you now.”

Tom walked in first, letting the door close behind him—right in Jason’s face.

“Still a weasel,” Jason muttered, loud enough for all to hear.

“What was that?” Tom asked just inside the door.

“Don’t even think about playing with me,” Jason warned as he reopened the door and entered the room, “’cause I have no problem throwing you over my knee and spanking you right in front of this guy.”

I’m fifty years old, for God’s sake, Tom thought, and he thinks he’s going to spank me? I’m surprised the prison even let him out.

The attorney—his hand extended for anyone willing to give it a shake—looked mortified by the childish exchange.

Tom shook the man’s hand before settling into a soft leather wing chair. Jason followed suit.

The room was framed in rich mahogany paneling. The desk could have belonged in the oval office. Beneath a green-glassed banker’s lamp, stacks of file folders took up most of the vast desktop. An American flag stood in one corner, while framed diplomas and certificates, bearing witness to the man’s intelligence and vast education, covered the brown walls.

Attorney Norman wore a pinstriped shirt and pleated, charcoal-colored slacks held up by a pair of black suspenders. He had a bow tie, a receding hairline that begged to be shaved bald, and a pair of eyeglasses that John Lennon would have been proud to call his own. There’s no denying it, Tom thought, trying to ignore his brother’s wheezing beside him, he’s either a lawyer or a banker. He couldn’t be anything else.

While Jason squirmed in his seat, visibly uncomfortable to be sitting in a lawyer’s office, his hands squeezed the arms of the chair. What a chicken shit, Tom thought, trying to make himself feel better. Peering sideways, he noticed that his brother’s knuckles were so swollen with scar tissue they could have belonged to a man who made his living as a bare-knuckle brawler. He’s still an animal too, he decided.

Attorney Norman took a seat, grabbed a manila file from atop the deep stack and cleared his throat. “The reason you’re both here . . .”

“. . . is to make sure the old man’s really dead,” Jason interrupted.

In spite of himself and his harsh feelings for his brother, Tom chuckled—drawing looks from both men.

“The reason we’re all here,” Attorney Norman repeated, “is to read Stuart Prendergast’s last will and testament.” He flipped open the folder.

This ought to be good, Tom thought, while Jason took a deep breath and sighed heavily. Both brothers sat erect in their plush chairs, waiting to hear more.

As if he were Stuart Prendergast sitting there in the flesh, the mouthpiece read, “My final wish is that my two sons, Jason and Thomas, bring my final remains to 1165 Milford Road in Seattle, Washington, where they will spread my ashes.”

“Seattle?” Tom blurted, his wagging tongue catching his tooth, making him wince in pain. Quickly concealing his weakness, he slid to the edge of his seat. “Oh, I don’t think so,” he mumbled, careful not to touch the tooth again.

Jason was shaking his head. “Hell no,” he said.

The attorney read on. “I’ve always been afraid to fly, so I’m asking that I not be transported by airplane but driven by car.”

“No way,” Tom instinctively sputtered.

Jason laughed aloud. “This is just great. The old bastard’s dead and he’s still screwing with us.”

The less-than-amused attorney revealed a sealed envelope and continued on. “As my final gift to my sons . . .”

“Only gift,” Tom muttered, feeling a cauldron of bad feelings bubbling in his gut.

“I’m leaving this sealed envelope for them to share, once and only once they’ve taken me to my final resting place.”

“What the fuck!” Jason blurted.

Every cell in Tom’s overloaded brain flashed red. Don’t do it, he thought. You don’t owe that old man a damned thing. But every cell in his body was flooded with curiosity. He looked at Jason, who was no longer shaking his fat head.

“Maybe the bastard finally hit it big at the dog track?” Jason suggested.

Tom nodded in agreement but secretly wondered, Could it be the deed to the land Pop bragged about owning in Maine? He stared at the envelope. For as long as I can remember, he claimed to own forty-plus acres with a brook running straight through it. He stared harder. Could it be? he wondered, wishing he had X-ray vision. A parcel of land in Maine sure would make a nice retirement . . .

“How ’bout we travel separately and meet in Seattle to spread the ashes?” Jason said, interrupting his thoughts.

“Great idea,” Tom said, hoping against all hope that the idea would fly with their father’s lawyer.

Attorney Norman shook his head. “I’m sorry, gentlemen, but your father specifically requested that you travel together with his remains to Seattle. Any deviation from this can and will prohibit you from attaining the sealed envelope.”

There was a long pause, the room blanketed in a heavy silence. Son of a bitch, Tom thought, this couldn’t have come at a worse time. He turned to Jason, who was already looking at him. “What do you say?” he asked, already cursing his inability to curb his curiosity.

Jason shook his head in disgust. “The last thing I want to do is to go on some stupid road trip with you.”

“Trust me, that’s a mutual feeling,” Tom shot back.

“But I don’t think we have a choice,” Jason added. “Our fucked-up father wants to play one last game with us, so to hell with it—let’s play.”

This is insane, but he’s right, Tom thought. With a single nod, Tom stood. “Okay, let’s have the ashes then,” he told the lawyer.

The attorney shook his head. “I don’t have them. They’re currently at a funeral home in Salem.”

“Salem?” Tom squeaked, unhappy that his tone betrayed his distress.

“That’s right. You have to take custody of your father’s remains from the Buffington Funeral Home in Salem, Massachusetts.”

“You must be shitting me.” Jason said.

The attorney smirked. “I shit you not,” he said, throwing the letter onto his desk.

Salem? Tom repeated in his head. Just when I thought Pop couldn’t be a bigger prick . . . The migraine knocked even harder from the inside of his skull, making him feel nauseous. Amid the pain, his synapses fired wildly, considering all this would mean: I’ll have to take bereavement leave from school and find someone to cover my classes. I should probably double my treatment with Dr. Baxter tomorrow. And what about Caleb and Caroline? he asked himself, quickly deciding, They’ll be fine without me for a few days. Then he pictured his wife’s face. And Carmen, she’ll be fine without me for a lot longer than that. The nausea increased. Screw her.

“Are we done here?” Jason asked, obviously itching to leave.

The lawyer nodded. “I’ll need proof in the form of a video or a series of photos that you’ve deposited your father’s remains where he wished. Once I have that, the letter’s all yours.”

“How wonderful,” Jason said sarcastically. He stood, turned on his heels, and headed for the door.

Tom also got to his feet. He looked at the lawyer and, trying to ignore his physical discomfort, he smiled. “Don’t mind him,” he said, shrugging. “That imbecile is exactly what our father trained him to be.”

 

Author Bio:

[image error]Steven Manchester is the author of the #1 bestsellers Twelve Months, The Rockin’ Chair, Pressed Pennies, and Gooseberry Island as well as the novels Goodnight, Brian and The Changing Season. His work has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CBS’s The Early Show, CNN’s American Morning, and BET’s Nightly News. Recently, three of Manchester’s short stories were selected “101 Best” for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.

Find Steven on his Website, on Twitter, & on Facebook!

 

Tour Host Participants:

Don’t miss your chance to learn more about Steven Manchester & his book, Ashes! Visit the tour stops for interviews, guest posts, and lots of reviews!

Don’t Miss Your Chance to WIN Ashes!
This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Providence Book Promotions for Steven Manchester and The Story Plant. There will be 5 US winners of one (1) PRINT copy of Ashes by Steven Manchester. The giveaway begins on February 18th and runs through April 23rd, 2017.

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Visit Providence Book Promotions for more great reads!

Review Cancelled by by Michael Pinsky

Cancelled: The Ultimate October Surprise by Michael Pinsky
on November 3, 2016
Pages: 302
Source: Online Book Club
Goodreads
Amazon

A narcissistic president is determined not to leave office. He orchestrates a number of domestic and foreign incidents in an effort to create a state of emergency.

A retired general, following the news, connects the dots and starts on a mission to save the country and to keep America free.

This was an OnlineBookClub.org Book of the Day. You can find more about it at the bookshelf. 

There is a campaign going for the next president. It is between Samantha Thompson and Howard Austin. Thompson every the loyal left candidate looks for political correctness. Howard is looking for the truth and is stirring up controversy.  There are lots of national and international incidents happening. A General piece together that the current president just might be orchestrating these events for a more sinister plan. The plan is to declare a state of emergency so the election cannot proceed. The general works hard to make sure that America doesn’t turn into a dictatorship.

In an Oyster Shell – A political fiction with realistic current events.

The Pearls – The writing is clear and concise. The author wrote with conviction and passion.  The characters are diverse and well-defined.

The premise was interesting. The plot was not unrealistic. It really spoke to the what if’s of today’s political climate.

The characters are diverse and well-defined. My favorite character was Mendenhall who was the General who started piecing together that something wasn’t right. He thought the president might have something to do with it. The characters that surrounded him were also great supports that made the General’s stance more believable.

The antagonists which were many were a nice contrast to the story. Tom Dearborn and the president were the most antagonistic. Their characters rang true to their nature of being more of the villains. There is a lot of action with all of the attacks that happen. The mystery of what the President’s motives really were made this book the most interesting.

The fact that the author made room for a little romance was a redeemable quality for me. I liked in all the chaos of political upheaval. Something sweet to come out of the upheaval.

The ending was satisfying. It was quick but resolved all of the plot points. It was full of action and kept the reader on their toes.

The Sand –  The use of realistic events paired with fictitious ones was confusing at times. It was hard to know what has happened in reality and what was made up.

There was a political slant to this prose that was undeniable. I feel a more neutral political stance would have made this story more palatable.

If you are interested in political thrillers laced with current events, this book would be for you.

Though at first, I didn’t like this book because of it’s political slant and mix of realistic and fictitious events, I ended up really liking it. It’s a picture of what could have been. It’s a fairly realistic picture of the turmoil our current political state could invoke.

3 Pearls

Giveaway – Spring Into Romance

Welcome to the Spring into Romance Giveaway. Hosted by The Herd Presents. 

My book I’m suggesting today is –

It’s a cute book. Check out the review here. 

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Review – Accept This Dandelion by Brooke Williams

Accept This Dandelion by Brooke Williams
Published by Prism Book Group on February 4, 2015
Pages: 206
Source: Purchased Amazon
Goodreads
Amazon

Renee Lockhart has her eye on a lofty goal…to fill the open position of morning radio show host on a nearby secular station. When her co-workers sign her up for a local TV version of “the Bachelor,” Renee goes along with it in order to raise her profile. Ben McConnell, one of the most eligible bachelors in town, insists that Renee be placed on the show, despite her bumbling audition. Ben gets much more than he expected in Renee. He gets a girl who doesn’t bow to his every whim…and a girl who opens his eyes to true, unexpected love. Enjoy a local version of the popular "Bachelor" TV show...where nothing can go right for Renee!

Renee Lockhart wants to be the morning show host of the local tv station. The problem is she does not have a big enough name according to her boss. Her co-worker sets her up to interview on a show that is the local version of ‘bachelor’. She blows the interview and the producer wants her out the door but the local bachelor Ben McConnell sees her interview and wants her on the show. Renee hopes being on the show will build the name her boss is looking for. What she’s not bargaining for is falling for the bachelor.

In an Oyster Shell –A humorous heart-warming clean romance.

The Pearls – The concept was really cute. A radio show host wanting to use a local t.v. show to make a name for herself though she doesn’t really like the bachelor at first. She is familiar with his public image but she finds out there is more to him.

The romance was cute. It was endearing. The two made a great couple though it took them awhile to figure it out. Ben was dating 11 other women at the same time. They were an unlikely match. Renee gave Ben a run for his money.

The book had a lot of great humor. Renee was a riot. There were lots of funny scenes. Her character was well developed and was good for a giggle or two. Ben was a lot more serious. Renee was just thing he needed to round him out.

The Sand – Nothing comes to mind.

4 Pearls!


About Brooke Williams

Brooke Williams is a former radio announcer/producer and script writer turned freelance writer and author. When Brooke’s first daughter was born in 2009 she left her full time radio career to stay home. Eventually, she realized she could fulfill her lifelong desire to write while her daughter napped and she then entered into the freelance writing world. As her business grew, she took on clients from all over the world and began to dabble in fiction writing once again. Brooke has several books on the market including her first novel, “Someone Always Loved You” and the thriller “Beyond the Bars.” Her romantic comedies include “Wrong place, Right time” (December 9th 2014 from the Writer’s Coffee Shop), “Accept this Dandelion” (feb 2015, Prism Book Group) “Mamarazzi (August 2015, Prism Book Group,) “Dandelions on the Road” (Nov 2015), “After the Final Dandelion (March 2016) and the short story “Backwards Christmas” (Nov 2015, Prism Book Group.) She also has two children’s books on the market, “Shower in the Rain” and “Baby Sheep Gets a Haircut.” Brooke loves all things writing and currently specializes in clean romantic comedy, though she’s written a bit of everything. She looks forward to her next publishing venture with BQB Publishing. Together, they will put out “The Leftover” in June 2017. Brooke has two young daughters, ages 7 and 3, and has been married since 2002.

Website | Goodreads | Amazon

Blog Tour with Review – The Outsider by Anthony Franze

by Anthony Franze

The Outsider
by Anthony Franze
on Tour March 21 – April 21, 2017

Synopsis:

A young law clerk finds himself caught in the crosshairs of a serial killer in this breathtaking thriller set in the high-pressure world of the Supreme Court, from renowned lawyer Anthony Franze.

Things aren’t going well for Grayson Hernandez. He just graduated from a fourth-tier law school, he’s drowning in student debt, and the only job he can find is as a messenger. The position stings the most because it’s at the Supreme Court, where Gray is forced to watch the best and the brightest―the elite group of lawyers who serve as the justices’ law clerks—from the outside.

When Gray intervenes in a violent mugging, he lands in the good graces of the victim: the Chief Justice of the United States. Gray soon finds himself the newest—and unlikeliest—law clerk at the Supreme Court. It’s another world: highbrow debates over justice and the law in the inner sanctum of the nation’s highest court; upscale dinners with his new friends; attention from Lauren Hart, the brilliant and beautiful co-clerk he can’t stop thinking about.

But just as Gray begins to adapt to his new life, the FBI approaches him with unsettling news. The Feds think there’s a killer connected to the Supreme Court. And they want Gray to be their eyes and ears inside One First Street. Little does Gray know that the FBI will soon set its sights on him.

Racing against the clock in a world cloaked in secrecy, Gray must uncover the truth before the murderer strikes again in this thrilling high-stakes story of power and revenge by Washington, D.C. lawyer-turned-author Anthony Franze.

Stellar Reviews:

“THE OUTSIDER is as authentic and suspenseful as any John Grisham novel—and I like Grisham a lot.” —JAMES PATTERSON, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Crafty and clever! Franze’s insider knowledge of the Supreme Court sets this twisty legal thriller apart. The sympathetic plight of the outsider hero, Grayson Hernandez, will keep you glued to the pages; the explosive plot will leave you breathless.” —LISA GARDNER, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Book Details:

Genre: Legal Thriller

Published by: St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books

Publication Date: March 21, 2017

Number of Pages: 320

ISBN: 1250071666 (ISBN13: 9781250071668)

Purchase Links: Amazon

Book Blitz Digging in the Stars by Katherine Blakeney

Digging in the Stars

Katherine Blakeney

Published by: Blaze Publishing

Publication date: March 28th 2017

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

A lost ancient civilization and the tomb of a legendary king lie buried beneath centuries of ash on the volcanic planet Thror, but that’s not the only reason sixteen-year-old Carter has tricked her Archaeology of Outer Space class into coming here. Her best friend Conrad has just disappeared on a trip to Thror, leaving behind little more than a broken vintage camera. The strange and disturbing photographs she manages to extract make her suspect Conrad’s disappearance is somehow connected to the hidden tomb of the last king of Thror.

Unfortunately, the ludicrously over-friendly ‘Furry Giants’ who have taken over the planet’s barren surface would rather offer her cheap souvenirs than answers, and the local officials insist they have no record of Conrad’s existence. Inspired by fear for Conrad’s life and the chance to make the greatest archaeological discovery of the century, Carter and her friends follow Conrad’s footsteps deep into the mountains of Thror’s forbidden Black Zone and launch an illicit excavation.

Coded messages, stunning ancient ruins, and clues left by Conrad himself begin to surface as the young archaeologists fall victim to an alarming series of accidents staged by the increasingly hostile Furry Giants. Piecing together a history of dictatorship, terrorism and disguise, Carter glimpses the horrors beyond Thror’s flamboyant façade and startling revelations about the friend she thought she knew. The masks of Thror hide devastating secrets, and the golden tomb buried deep in the frozen core may claim the lives of everyone she loves.

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—

TEASERS:

“Please remain seated as we begin our descent into Thror. Welcome, and enjoy your stay.”

The time for action was at hand, and she still didn’t feel ready. The flight felt much shorter than she’d expected.

The girls exchanged bewildered looks across the aisles. Stunned silence. They couldn’t have missed that final announcement. Avoiding Professor P’s gaze, Carter still felt the look of shock the professor shot across the cabin. Once, Carter had seen herself arriving on Thror as a great explorer. Instead, she would be remembered as a half-baked deceiver and kidnapper. The Throrians would have called her a scent-changer.

* * *

Carter had been so close to her goal. She saw that crack with her own eyes, a portal into a lost ancient world, chambers filed with carvings, images that had never been recorded or reproduced. The greatest discovery of this or any other century, waiting less than twenty feet away. Waiting for her. And Conrad had been there first. The moment she thought it, she felt guilty. She was allowing herself to get carried away by archaeological fervor, mentally competing with Conrad, when he might have paid a terrible price for his discovery.

 

Author Bio:

I am an author and independent filmmaker/stop motion animator with a BFA in Stop Motion Animation from the School of Visual Arts in New York and a PhD in Film Studies from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland, UK). My thesis focuses on silent film adaptations of late nineteenth and early twentieth century Gothic novels, with a special emphasis on psychological and aesthetic representations of the Monster figure. My debut novel, a YA Sci-Fi adventure called Digging in the Stars, is forthcoming with Blaze Publishing on March 28, 2017.

Raised by an Egyptologist mother, I grew up among museums and excavation sites, where I developed an unhealthy fascination with ancient art and mythology. I divide my time between bringing 12”-tall people to life in my studio in Edinburgh, excavating ancient tombs in the Egyptian desert, and researching Gothic literary monsters in silent film. I have worked for more than 10 years as photographer and videographer for the South Asasif Conservation Project, an archaeological expedition in Egypt and I have published numerous articles on film and archaeology.

I write, direct, design, and animate short films and commissioned projects in my studio in Edinburgh, Scotland and have been employed as an animator, screenwriter, modelmaker and art director for studios in Edinburgh, South Korea and Qatar. I have produced commissioned projects for IdeasTap in London, the Arts Trust Scotland and the British Library. My shorts have won competitions and screened at various international festivals including the Edinburgh Fringe. In 2015, my short film The Burglar With the Yellow Hand was nominated for an Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) Research in Film Award.

You can find out more about all aspects of my work on my website, http://yorwickcastle.com

My new blog http://KatherineBlakeneyStardigger.bl... is all about Digging in the Stars and my references and inspirations as a writer.

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ARC Review – The Bad Boy Next Door by Jody Holford

The Bad Boy Next Door by Jody Holford
Published by Entangled Publishing on March 20th 2017
Pages: 250
Source: Publisher

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Shay Matthews moved to Boston for a fresh start...new apartment, new job, new routine. After too many years being coddled by her overbearing older brothers, Shay’s ready for some freedom and maybe a nice, easygoing guy. She wasn’t expecting to literally run into the scowling, brooding, (and unfairly smoking hot) guy next door.

Fresh off a haunting undercover assignment, detective Wyatt Daniels is jaded about life, relationships, and especially happily-ever-after. But there’s something about the independent and beautiful Shay that makes him want to dig deeper. Or stay away, which is definitely the smarter option of the two.

But the more Shay tries to convince herself that her sweet building manager, Brady, is the guy for her, the more Mr. Completely Wrong-for-Her Wyatt invades her mind and her heart.

Shay has just moved in looking for a fresh start independent of her family. Being the baby of the family she wants a chance to stand on her own. She meets the new people in her building but is taken with moody Wyatt. Wyatt is a detective coming off of an undercover assignment. He’s jaded with life with the things he had to see and do on his assignment. His walls are high but Shay is taking them down much to his surprise.

In an Oyster Shell – A romance that will make you giddy and excited to keep going through the book.

The Pearls – This was a great fairly light-hearted romance. The romance was quick but not totally instantaneous. The friction between the characters was palpable off of the pages. It was exciting. They both were pretty stubborn but fell into romance easily when they stopped fighting their fears.

This book is part of a series but reads great as a standalone. I am interested in keeping up with this series because the characters were so easy to love. It’s a great concept to have romances budding in the same apartment complex. I can’t wait to see what the next one is. I have my guesses.

The characters were easy to follow easy to want to root for. Shay was fiercely independent. Being the baby of the family she felt like she needed to be more independent. Wyatt was moody but had a great moral backbone. The supporting characters played a significant role in the story which is the reason I want to continue on with this series.

This story had a great sub-plot of a mystery. There is some suspicious activities happening around the building. Wyatt being the detective wouldn’t stop until the mystery was solved. It was a small part of the story but it gave great depth to the story.

The romance insinuated intimate scenes but it was behind closed doors mostly so I really appreciated that it was a fairly clean novel.

The Sand – There were some scene changes that didn’t flow as nicely as they could have.

4 Pearls!


About Jody Holford

a wife* a mom* a reader and a writer* a friend* a daughter* a teacher* a sister* a blogger and follower* a worrier and word twister* a gemini*

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