The Progeny: A Novel by Tosca Lee

The release of the paperback edition of Firstborn, the second book in the thrilling House of Bathory duology is March 20. New readers will want to begin their journey with The Progeny. Check it out!

Book Details:

Book Title:  The Progeny: A Novel by Tosca Lee
Series: Descendants of the House of Bathory (Book #1)
Category:  YA Fiction,   352 pages
Genre:  Thriller, (YA-leaning), Slight paranormal
Publisher:  Howard Books
Release date:  May 2016
Content Rating: PG

Book Description:

From New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee comes a story of love, ancient secrets, and survival. Book 1 in the House of Bathory duology.

When you wake up, you remember nothing. Not your name, or where you were born, or the faces of the people you knew. Just a single warning written to yourself before you forgot it all:

"Emily, it’s me. You.

Don’t ask about the last two years… Don’t try to remember and don’t go digging. Your life depends on it. Other lives depend on it.

By the way, Emily isn’t your real name. You died in an accident. You paid extra for that."

You start over in a remote place with a new name, a fresh life. Until the day a stranger tells you you’re being hunted for the sins of a royal ancestor who died centuries before you were born.

You don’t believe him, until they come for you. Now you’re on the run.

Every answer you need lies in a past you chose to erase. The only thing you know for sure is that others are about to die and you need those memories back.

But first, you have to stay alive.

Praise for The Progeny:

"Be warned: once you start this book, it’s impossible to put down!” 
- Maria V. Snyder, New York Times bestselling author of Poison Study 

“Intriguing and romantic, I literally couldn’t put it down.”
- Jennifer L. Armentrout # 1 New York Times bestselling author 

"Irresistible..." 
- Publishers Weekly

"[A] complex thriller with various turns and twists...A great choice for readers who enjoy their psychological thrillers with a historical twist." 
- Library Journal

"Exciting...action packed…intriguing.” 
- Romantic Times Book Reviews

"Filled with intrigue, romance, and reversals fans are sure to love."
- Family Fiction

"The Progeny has risen to the top of my favorites list…I devoured every word of it.” 
- Book Reporter
​

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Author's Website
Add to Goodreads
​

Begin Reading Now!
EXCERPT:

​The Center

No one speaks when you enter the Center for the last time. There’s no need. You’ve gone through the counseling, tests, and a checklist of preparations to get the plastic bracelet you wear the day of treatment. The one that saves a life. They don’t need to know why you’re doing it any more. Or that you lied about it all. Just the scratch of the stylus as you sign your name on the screen one last time.

A nurse takes me into a room and I lie down on the table. I give her the sealed packet—the only thing I brought with me. There’s cash, meds, and an address inside, the one for “after.” It’s a thousand miles away. She’ll pass it to the companion assigned to me. No point meeting her now.

I’m 21 years old and my name doesn’t matter because it’s about to be erased forever. I’m choosing to forget the ones I love, and myself, in the process.

They say your life flashes before your eyes when you die. But they don’t tell you that every detail comes screaming back to life. That you taste each bite of every meal you savored, feel the shower of every rain you walked in… smell the hair against your cheek before that last, parting kiss. That you will fight to hold on to every memory like a drowning person gasping for poisoned air.

Then everything you knew is gone. And you are still alive.

For now.

Continue reading the first four chapters FREE.

​Meet the Author:

i "Superior storytelling."  - Publishers Weekly

"One of the most gifted novelists writing today." -Steven James, bestselling author 

Tosca Lee is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of the House of Bathory Duology (The Progeny and Firstborn, currently in development for television), Iscariot, The Legend of Sheba, Demon: A Memoir, Havah: The Story of Eve, and the Books of Mortals series with New York Times bestseller Ted Dekker (Forbidden, Mortal, Sovereign). A notorious night-owl, she loves watching TV, eating bacon, playing video games and football with her kids, and sending cheesy texts to her husband.

You can find Tosca at ToscaLee.com, on social media, or hanging around the snack table. (And be sure to check out Ismeni, the free e-short prequel to The Legend of Sheba!)

Get your copy of The Progeny here: http://toscalee.com/product/the-progeny/ (Kindle readers: now you can enjoy special insights in the author’s highlighted comments!)

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest
 

The Clock Flower by Barbara Casey (Book 3 of The F.I.G. Mysteries)

Book Details:

Book Title:  The Clock Flower by Barbara Casey (Book 3 of The F.I.G. Mysteries)
Category:  YA Fiction,  208 pages
Genre:   Mystery / Fantasy
Publisher:  Gauthier Publications, The Hungry Goat Press Imprint
Release date:  February 2018
Content Rating: PG-13 (There is light profanity and some threat of violence.)

Book Description:

Dara Roux, abandoned when she was seven years old by her mother. Exceptionally gifted in foreign languages. Orphan. Accepted to Yale University.

Mackenzie Yarborough, no record of her parents or where she was born. Exceptionally gifted in math and problem-solving. Orphan. Accepted to MIT.

Jennifer Torres, both parents killed in an automobile accident when she was sixteen. Exceptionally gifted in music and art. Orphan. Accepted to Juilliard.

The three FIGs—Females of Intellectual Genius—as they are called, have graduated from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women after returning from New York City where Dara learned why her mother abandoned her all those years ago, and they are now attending universities where they can further their special talents. This means they will be separated from each other and from Carolina, their much-loved mentor and teacher who is “one of them,” for the first time in their young lives. They vow to try living apart for one semester, in the so-called real world that doesn’t include the orphanage; but if things don’t work out, they will come up with another plan—a plan where they can be together once again.

​Dara is invited through Yale University to take part in an exciting archeological project in China. Jennifer, once again visualizing black and white images and the unusual sounds of another cadence that seem to be connected to Mackenzie, is engrossed in creating her next symphony at Juilliard. Mackenzie, because of her genius at problem-solving, is personally chosen by a US Senator to get involved in a mysterious, secret research project involving immortality that is being conducted in a small village in China—not too far from where Dara is involved with the archeological site. Once there, however, she finds herself facing a terrifying death from the blood-dripping teeth of an ancient evil dragon. Her best friends, the FIGs and Carolina, rely on their own unique genius and special talents to save her as she discovers the truth of her birth parents.

Meet the Author:
​
Barbara Casey is the author of several award-winning novels for both adults and young adults, as well as book-length works of nonfiction true crime and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. Her nonfiction true crime book, Kathryn Kelly: The Moll Behind Machine Gun Kelly, has been optioned for a major film and television series. In addition to her own writing, she is an editorial consultant and president of the Barbara Casey Agency. Established in 1995, she represents authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. Barbara is also a partner in Strategic Media Books Publishing, an independent publishing house that specializes in cutting-edge adult nonfiction. Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with her husband, and three dogs who adopted her: Benton, a hound-mix; Fitz, a miniature dachshund; and Gert, a Jack Russel terrier of sorts.

Connect with the author: Website

My Review

I will be reviewing all three books in the F.I.G. series by Barbara Casey so make sure to check out all of the reviews! The Clock Flower by Barbara Casey (Book 3 of The F.I.G. Mysteries) was the third and final book int eh F.I.G. series and by far was my favorite book. I loved how I got to see more of the F.I.G. members on an individual basis as it allowed me to gain more insight into them as individuals instead of as a part of F.I.G. I also loved the addition of more fantasy elements with the evil dragon in this book. My only complain is that book three is the last book in the series as I would really love the series to be longer!

WHISKEY SHARP: JAGGED

Inside the Book

Title: WHISKEY SHARP: JAGGED
Author: Lauren Dane
Publisher: HQN
Pages: 352
Genre: Contemporary Romance

BOOK BLURB:

The sweetest reward comes after the longest wait
Vicktor Orlov took one look at the wary gaze and slow-to-trust personality of the deliciously sexy and fascinating Rachel Dolan and knew he wanted more than just a casual friendship. But as a natural protector, he also knew bossiness and overprotective maneuvering would push her away. He’ll use every tool in his easygoing arsenal to convince her to take a chance on them.
Rachel’s flourishing new career as a tattoo artist has brought color back into a life previously damaged by violence. She knows she can trust Vic—it’s herself she’s not sure of. She doesn’t want to be caged or controlled, protected so much she has no ability to make her own choices. And damn if the man doesn’t know it.
When Vic finally drops all pretenses of “just friends” and focuses all his careful affection and irresistible seduction on her, Rachel knows she’s falling hard for the laid-back pretty-boy Russian she’s discovered has a relentlessly steel spine when it comes to her.
And she can’t resist.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Meet the Author

The story goes like this: While on pregnancy bed rest, Lauren Dane had plenty of down time so her husband took her comments about “giving that writing thing a serious go” to heart and brought home a secondhand laptop. She wrote her first book on it before it gave up the ghost. Even better, she sold that book and never looked back.
Today Lauren is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over sixty novels and novellas across several genres.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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My Review

Coming Soon!

Red Kitchen Tongs Set

Body of Crime by Jennifer Chase

Inside the Book

Title: BODY OF THE CRIME
Author: Jennifer Chase
Publisher: JEC Press
Pages: 397
Genre: Mystery Suspense

BOOK BLURB:

Three grisly murders linked to five old cold cases, dubbed the Flower Girl Murders, pushes detectives to their limit to find a clever and extremely brutal serial killer, leaving a California town demanding justice. The District Attorney’s Serial Special Task Force retains the help of the reclusive Dr. Chip Palmer, a forensic expert and criminal profiler, to steer them in the right direction.
Palmer is known for his astute academic interpretations of serial and predatory crimes, along with his unconventional tactics that goes against general police procedures. He is partnered with the tough and beautiful D.A. Inspector Kate Rawlins, a homicide detective transplanted from Phoenix, and the chemistry ignites between the team—turbulent and deadly.
The Flower Girl Murders leaves three homicides, five cold cases, two seasoned detectives, three suspects, and one serial killer calling all the shots. The investigation must rely on one eccentric forensic scientist to unravel the clues to solve the case. But at what cost?

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Meet the Author

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning crime fiction author and consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent sociopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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My Review

Body of Crime by Jennifer Chase was a well written mystery filled with twists and turns that kept every new plot element a surprise. I enjoyed trying to figure out the mystery for myself alongside Dr. Chip Palmer and Inspector Kate Rawlins. Inspector Kate Rawlins was my favorite character because I felt like I share some similar personality traits with her. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I hope the author decides to write more mystery novels/

REQUIEM FOR A RESCUE DOG QUEEN

Inside the Book

Title: REQUIEM FOR A RESCUE DOG QUEEN
Author: M.K. Scott
Publisher: Sleeping Dragon Press
Pages: 240
Genre: Cozy Mystery

BOOK BLURB:

Pre-school teacher turned private eye Nala Bonne, and her opinionated dog, Max, have a nose for evil doings in Circle City. They’ve recently gone to the dogs, make that rescue dogs. Not everyone in Indianapolis has a soft spot for a homeless pup. Someone has it out for the dogs and the people who love them. A midnight call jolts Nala and Max into action as they rush to the aid of a local rescue dog queen, but it may already be too late.

Amazon

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Meet the Author

M.K. Scott is the husband and wife writing team behind The Painted Lady Inn Mysteries and The Talking Dog Detective Agency. Morgan K Wyatt is the general wordsmith, while her husband, Scott, is the grammar hammer and physics specialist. He uses his engineering skills to explain how fast a body falls when pushed over a cliff and various other felonious activities. The Internet and experts in the field provide forensic information, while the recipes and B and B details require a more hands-on approach. Morgan’s daughter, who manages a hotel, provides guest horror stories to fuel the plot lines. The couple’s dog, Chance, is the inspiration behind Jasper, Donna’s dog. Overall, both are a fun series to create and read.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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My Review

Nala Bonne and her dog Max made for wonderful characters that were easily to care about. I liked the fact that the main character Nala had a name that is often used for dogs as it made her seem like even more of a dog person. As someone who has multiple dogs I really loved how real Max felt and that he was not a cartoon dog that could talk or fly. 

The Wish Rider (Book 2 of The F.I.G. Mysteries) by Barbara Casey

The Wish Rider: Book 2 of the F.I.G. Mysteries

​Book Details:

Book Title:  The Wish Rider (Book 2 of The F.I.G. Mysteries) by Barbara Casey
Category:  YA Fiction, 160 pages
Genre: Literary / Mystery
Publisher:  Gauthier Publications
Release date:  May 10, 2016
Content Rating: PG-13

Book Description:

Seventeen-year-old Dara Roux and her two best friends, Mackenzie Yarborough and Jennifer Torres, the three collectively referred to as the F.I.G.'s (Females of Intellectual Genius) because each has an intelligence quotient in the genius range, have just returned from Frascati, Italy. It was there that their much loved teacher and mentor, Carolina Lovel, discovered that her birth parents were gypsies, and that she had a connection to the Voynich Manuscript, the most mysterious document in the world.

Now, with graduation from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women behind them, Dara asks her friends to help her locate her birth mother when she learns that she might be living in New York City. Relying on Dara’s gift for speaking and understanding foreign languages, the black and white images that stir musical cadences in Jennifer’s mind, and Mackenzie’s mathematical calculations that normally provide numerical solutions and answers to life’s most difficult questions, the determined young women tirelessly go from one address to another in search of Dara’s mother.

Their determination turns to desperation, however, as they encounter a dark hidden society more dangerous and terrifying than they could have imagined. It is there that
Dara hopes to find out why she was abandoned in a candy store all those years ago.

Meet the Author:
​
Barbara Casey is the author of several award-winning novels for both adults and young adults, as well as book-length works of nonfiction true crime and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. Her nonfiction true crime book, Kathryn Kelly: The Moll Behind Machine Gun Kelly, has been optioned for a major film and television series. In addition to her own writing, she is an editorial consultant and president of the Barbara Casey Agency. Established in 1995, she represents authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. Barbara is also a partner in Strategic Media Books Publishing, an independent publishing house that specializes in cutting-edge adult nonfiction. Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with her husband, and three dogs who adopted her: Benton, a hound-mix; Fitz, a miniature dachshund; and Gert, a Jack Russel terrier of sorts.

Connect with the author: Website

My Review

I will be reviewing all three books in the F.I.G. series by Barbara Casey so make sure to check out all of the reviews! While I greatly enjoyed the first book in the series I found that I enjoyed this one even more because I felt like I got to learn more about the F.I.G. characters and I found the plot line to have a bit of a faster pace. I would however, recommend reading the first book first because there is a lot of important character development in that book. Overall, I am super excited to read book three!

Reluctant Stranger

Inside the Book

Title: WELCOME RELUCTANT STRANGER
Author: Evy Journey
Publisher: Sojourner Books
Pages: 314
Genre: Multicultural Women’s Fiction

BOOK BLURB:

What happens when a brokenhearted computer nerd and culinary whiz gets rescued by a relationship phobic psychologist with a past that haunts her? For Leilani and Justin, it’s an attraction they can’t deny but which each is reluctant to pursue. More so for Leilani whose family had to flee their troubled country when she was only nine.

Leilani is focused on leaving the past behind, moving forward. But when she learns the truth behind her family’s flight—the shocking, shameful secret about her father’s role in a deadly political web—she is devastated.

Is her father a hero or a villain?  Can she deal with the truth?

But the past is impossible to run away from. Together with Justin, she must get her father out of her former home. Can she forgive her father, accept him for what he is? And can she reconnect with her roots and be at peace with who she is?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Meet the Author

Evy Journey, SPR (Self Publishing Review) Independent Woman Author awardee, is a writer, a wannabe artist, and a flâneuse. Her pretensions to being a flâneuse means she wishes she lives in Paris where people have perfected the art of aimless roaming. She’s lived in Paris few times as a transient.

She’s a writer because beautiful prose seduces her and existential angst continues to plague her even though such preoccupations have gone out of fashion. She takes occasional refuge by invoking the spirit of Jane Austen and spinning tales of love, loss, and finding one’s way—stories into which she weaves mystery or intrigue and sets in various locales.

In a previous life, armed with a Ph.D. and fascinated by the psyche, she researched and shepherded  the development of mental health programs. And wrote like an academic. Not a good thing if you want to sound like a normal person. So, she began to write fiction (mostly happy fiction) as an antidote.

Her latest book is Welcome Reluctant Stranger.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

My Review

Reluctant Stranger  by Evy Journey was a well written book that took me less that two days to read as I had to find out what would happen with Leilani and Justin. Leilani was my favorite character as her personality and her life view really appealed to me on a personal level. The author did a wonderful job in creating a story that was both interesting, mysterious, and surprising.

Hacking IT

Inside the Book

Title: HACKING IT
Author: Kimberly Dean
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 200
Genre: Romantic Suspense

BOOK BLURB:

Independent software developer Kylie Grant is on top of her game in the world of IT. She has loyal clients, a good reputation, and a prestigious membership in technology giant Afire Industries’ small business accelerator. Things are going well until she stumbles across an innocuous issue with the lighting in the building where she rents space. When she digs into the problem, she discovers something unexpected—a hack.
The incursion doesn’t affect her, but Kylie leaves enough clues to fix the problem. That earns her a visit from Luke McAllister, Afire’s chief security officer. Luke is handsome and rugged and everything that Kylie likes in a man, but she soon finds that he is blaming her for the security breach. Before long, the two are on a collision course, but also secretly looking at more than each other’s digital footprints.
When a fluke accident sends Kylie to the emergency room, Luke fears that the beautiful developer is in danger beyond the online world. Little does he know that she is also hiding a secret that threatens to jeopardize their now sizzling relationship.
Can Kylie fix Afire’s problems without falling victim to the hacker? And can Luke learn to trust her and keep her safe before their enemy strikes again?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Meet the Author

When taking the Myers-Briggs personality test in high school, Kimberly Dean was rated as an INFJ (Introverted-Intuitive-Feeling-Judging). This result sent her into a panic, because there were no career paths recommended for the personality type. Fortunately, it turned out to be well suited to a writing career. Since receiving that dismal outlook, Kimberly has become an award-winning author of romance and erotica. When not writing, she enjoys movies, sports, traveling, music, and sunshine.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER

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My Review

I personally was not a big fan of this book that is not say that is was badly written or did not make sense just that it did not really hold my interest. The romance felt to forced to me and not like a real natural romance. I felt like the couple gained feelings for each other much faster that was realistic.

Hot Food Vegan Comfort Classics

Hot Food Vegan Comfort Classics was a cook book that was well organized and filled to the brim with recipes that had no meat at all. As a vegetarian I found this cook book to be great for my life style choices and the recipes were all very easy to understand, follow, and read!

CAT TAILS: HEART-WARMING STORIES ABOUT THE CATS AND KITTENS OF RESQCATS

Inside the Book

Title: CAT TAILS: HEART-WARMING STORIES ABOUT THE CATS AND KITTENS OF RESQCATS
Author: Jeffyne Telson
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 332
Genre: Animals/Cat Rescue

BOOK BLURB:

In 1997, Jeffyne Telson founded RESQCATS, Inc, as a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, care and adoption of stray and abandoned cats and kittens.
In the ensuing 20 years, with the help of a small group of dedicated volunteers, Jeffyne has grown RESQCATS well beyond her dreams, into a highly respected rescue organization that has placed more than 2800 cats and kittens with qualified families and individuals.
And now, she has written a book about her journey of creating a cat rescue, the challenges and opportunities she has faced, and most important of all, the valuable life lessons the cats and kittens have taught her.

Amazon

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Meet the Author

Jeffyne Telson grew up in Dallas, Texas but has spent most of the last half of her life in California. Although she has Bachelor of Arts degree in graphic design from Texas Tech University, she has devoted the last two decades to the pursuit of her real life’s passion…caring for stray and abandoned cats and kittens.
In 1997, Jeffyne founded RESQCATS, Inc, as a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, care and adoption of stray and abandoned cats and kittens.
In the ensuing 20 years, with the help of a small group of dedicated volunteers, Jeffyne has grown RESQCATS well beyond her dreams, into a highly respected rescue organization that has placed more than 2700 cats and kittens with qualified families and individuals.
Today, in addition to being the President of RESQCATS, Jeffyne and her husband, Mitch, share their Santa Barbara, California home with 14 unadoptable cats, 9 collies and 15 giant African sulcata tortoises…all rescued of course!

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK

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My Review

CAT TAILS: HEART-WARMING STORIES ABOUT THE CATS AND KITTENS OF RESQCATS was a book that really opened my eyes about cat rescues. Prior to this book I only knew about dog rescues and I never really thought about cats outside of seeing them in a pet store of animal shelter. I loved the rescue stories as they were very touching and they made me want to go out and get a cat right away. Unfortunately, I live with someone who is allergic to cats so I could not go and get one, but I am hoping to find a cat rescue that I can volunteer at in my area.

Welcome to Moonlight Harbor

Inside the Book

Title: WELCOME TO MOONLIGHT HARBOR
Author: Sheila Roberts
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Pages: 400
Genre: Women’s Fiction

BOOK BLURB:

Once-happily married Jenna Jones is about to turn forty, and this year for her birthday – lucky her – she’s getting a divorce. She’s barely able to support herself and her teenage daughter, but now her deadbeat artist ex is hitting her up for spousal support…and then spending it on his “other” woman.
Still, Jenna is determined follow her mother’s philosophy – every storm brings a rainbow. And when she gets a very unexpected gift from her great Aunt Edie, things seem to be taking a turn for the better. Aging aunt Edie is finding it difficult to keep up her business running The Driftwood Inn, so she invites Jenna to come live with her and run the place. It looks like Jenna’s financial problems are solved!
Or not. The town is a little more run-down than Jenna remembered, but that’s nothing compared to the ramshackle state of The Driftwood Inn. Aunt Edie is confident they can return it to its former glory, though Jenna feels like she’s jumped from the proverbial frying pan into the beach fire.
But who knows? With the help of her new friends and a couple of handsome citizens, perhaps that rainbow is on the horizon after all. Because, no matter what, life is always good at the beach.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Meet the Author

Sheila Roberts lives on the water in the Pacific Northwest. Her books have been printed in several different languages and have been chosen for book clubs such as Doubleday as well as for Readers Digest Condensed books. Her best-selling novel ON STRIKE FOR CHRISTMAS was made into a movie and appeared on the Lifetime Movie Network, and her novel THE NINE LIVES OF CHRISTMAS was made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel.
When she’s not making public appearances or playing with her friends, she can be found writing about those things near and dear to women’s hearts: family, friends, and chocolate.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

My Review

Welcome to Moonlight Harbor was a well written book that I found myself greatly enjoying. It had a good amount of drama to it, but not an overwhelming amount. I particularly liked how real the characters felt in that they reacted naturally to situation and to other characters. My only complaint was that I wish the pace of the story had been just a bit faster.

When a Stranger Comes... by Karen S. Bell

Satisfying one's greed can come at a devilishly high cost.

Achieving what you crave can also bring the terrifying fear of losing it. For Alexa Wainwright, this truth has become her nightmare. Born Gladys Lipschitz, the daughter of an unwed Soviet-era Jewish immigrant, she was beyond thrilled and amazed when her debut novel, A Foregone Conclusion, soared to number one on the bestseller's list and became an international sensation. The accompanying fame and riches were beyond her expectations. Unfortunately, her subsequent work has yet to achieve the same reception by critics and readers. Yes, they have sold well based on her name recognition, but she dreads the possibility of becoming a mid-list author forgotten and ignored. She vows to do whatever it takes to attain the heady ego-stroking success of her debut. But is she really?

Witnessing an out-of-the-blue lightning bolt whose giant tendrils spread over the blue sky and city streets below her loft window, Alexa doesn't realize just how this vow will be tested as she's magically transported to an alternate reality. In this universe, the characters from her books are given the breath of life and she meets publisher, King Blakemore, who just might be the Devil himself. At first, she shrugs off her doubts about this peculiar publisher and very lucrative book deal offer because the temptation of riches and refound fame is too strong. But all too soon, Alexa realizes she's trapped in an underworld of evil from which she desperately wants to escape. For starters, she finds herself in an iron-clad book contract that changes its wording whenever she thinks of a loophole. Desperate to get her life back, she devises schemes to untether herself from this hellish existence. She's also aided by the forces for good who attempt to help her. 

However, King Blakemore is cleverer and more powerful than she can begin to understand. Playfully, he decides to give Alexa a second chance to save herself from eternity with him and to be free. He offers her the prospect of a rewrite, as most authors do as part of the writing process. Given this chance, will Alexa make the same choices and the same mistakes again? 

My Review

Alexa Wainwright also known as Gladys Lipschitz was an enjoyable character. I loved how she was a writer and how that part of her played such a large role in her character and in the story line itself. The idea of the King Blakemore was also interesting as well as how he interacted with Alexa. Overall, this was a unique story that I greatly enjoyed!

Ivy Vines, Visions

Inside the Series

Title: IVY VINES, VISIONS
Author: Judy Serrano
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 267
Genre: Paranormal Romance

BOOK BLURB:        

Moving to Sedona was the only way Ivy could think of to start over. She would meet her high school sweetheart and work on making things right between them. Her psychic abilities were gradually becoming a curse and she needed a new start. Little does she know that when she applies for a waitressing job at a local, upscale French bistro, she will come in contact with the dark and mysterious Eli Dubois. What she doesn’t realize is she has just walked into the middle of the Vortex Murders, which involve a great deal of paranormal activity. Elijah’s army of seers are being murdered, one by one, which seems to be magnifying Ivy’s special abilities.
Eli’s best friend, Jake, arrives on the scene and reveals the secret that changes everything. With nowhere to turn, Ivy leans on the two men who offer her solace. And who is the old woman in the shroud? Is she a vision, a dream, or is she real? Only time will tell.

Amazon

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Meet the Author

Judy Serrano holds a Master of Arts in English from Texas A&M University-, Commerce. She is the owner of Make Cents Editing Service, and was an adjunct professor at a local college. Currently she teaches high school English and is a freelance writer for certain on-line publications. Judy also writes romantic suspense and paranormal romance novels. She is the author of The Easter’s Lilly Series, The Linked Series, and Ivy Vines, Visions.
Although originally form New York, Judy resides in Texas with her husband, four boys, two dogs and now five cats. She sings and plays guitar when she has time and enjoys singing with her very musical family in church when she is able.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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My Review
Ivy Vines, Visions was a book that I finished in one sitting without even stopping to have lunch. This was one of those book that reached out and grabbed me tight right from the get go and refused to let go. I liked the elements of mystical with the seers and the elements of romance. I especially liked the way the author made this book into a mystical romance without it feeling anything less than real!

The Study of Silence

Inside the Book

Title: THE STUDY OF SILENCE
Author: Malia Zaidi
Publisher: Bookbaby
Pages: 448
Genre: Historical Mystery

BOOK BLURB:

Lady Evelyn Carlisle has returned home to England, where she is completing her degree at St. Hugh’s, a women’s college in Oxford. Her days are spent poring over ancient texts and rushing to tutorials. All is well until a fateful morning, when her peaceful student life is turned on its head. Stumbling upon the gruesome killing of someone she thought she knew, Evelyn is plunged into a murder investigation once more, much to the chagrin of her friends and family, as well as the intriguing Detective Lucas Stanton. The dreaming spires of Oxford begin to appear decidedly less romantic as she gathers clues, and learns far more than she ever wished to know about the darkness lurking beyond the polished veneer. Can she solve the crime before the killer strikes once more, this time to Evelyn’s own detriment?

Amazon

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Meet the Author

Malia Zaidi is a writer and painter, who grew up in Germany and lives in the US. An avid reader and traveler, she decided to combine these passions, and turn her long-time ambition of writing into a reality. The Study of Silence is the third book of The Lady Evelyn Mysteries.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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My Review
The Study of Silence was a well written novel that I greatly enjoyed! Lady Evelyn Carlisle was a student at St. Hugh’s women college in Oxford. The fact that the main character was a student was a great draw to me as I only recently completed my bachelor's degree so I was able to really feel like I was able to connect with Lady Evelyn Carlisle's background to a certain extent. 

HUNTING MUSKIE: RITES OF PASSAGE – STORIES BY MICHAEL ROBERT DYET

Inside the Book

Title: HUNTING MUSKIE: RITES OF PASSAGE – STORIES BY MICHAEL ROBERT DYET
Author: Michael Robert Dyet
Publisher: Blue Denim Press
Pages: 240
Genre: Literary Fiction/Short Story Collection

BOOK BLURB:

Life becomes a search to find our way back home after unexpected storms knock us off course. This collection of 16 stories reflects that deep urge to return to where we feel at peace. The journey back becomes a rite of passage.
The title story, “Hunting Muskie”, sets the tone – the hunt to find and subdue an unseen foe. Each of the other stories elaborates on this theme.
Hunter is haunted by the mistake that defined his life. A chance encounter sets Edward on a search for answers. An act of bullying committed decades ago brings a day of reckoning for Quentin. Will must pay the ransom of conscience. A shocking event causes Laurel to fall victim to a temptation she cannot rationalize. Huck shuts out the loss he cannot face until he can deny it no longer. Malcolm seeks atonement for a desperate act committed in the name of love.
The longer piece, Slipstream, ties together the connecting threads: the powerful forces that derail us, how we are driven to search for answers and the harsh truth that redemption often comes at a price.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Meet the Author

Michael Robert Dyet is the Metaphor Guy. Novelist, short story writer, closet philosopher, chronicler of life’s mysteries – all through the lens of metaphor. He is the author of Hunting Muskie: Rites of Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet, Blue Denim Press, October 2017.
Michael is also the author of Until The Deep Water Stills: An Internet-Enhanced Novel – traditional print novel (self-published) with a unique and ground-breaking online companion featuring text, imagery and audio recordings. This novel was a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Michael posts weekly in his blog: Metaphors of Life Journal aka Things That Make Me Go Hmmm
E-mail: michael@mdyetmetaphor.com
Metaphors of Life Journal Blog: www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog2

Novel Online Companion: www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog

My Review

Hunting Muskie was an interesting short story collection that ended up being neutral towards. I ended up not really liking or disliking it as it failed to produce and sort of memorable emotions from me during my reading of it. That is not to say that it was a bad book just that it did not really touch me as an individual that much and I found it a bit on the slow side.

A Collection of Twisted Tales

Inside the Book

Title: A COLLECTION OF TWISTED TALES
Author: Craig Dafoe
Publisher: Createspace
Pages: 114
Genre: Short Story Collection / Thriller

BOOK BLURB:

Most of these stories have one thing in common, death. Although death is the common thread, there is nothing common in the way that it comes about.
This collection is chock full of interesting characters scattered among various settings that inspire the imagination, such as a Lavish English mansion or the dark interior of a rundown home.
This book is inspired by and written in the style of, Edgar Allan Poe.

Praise:

“A Collection of Twisted Tales is an ambitious project that testifies to the author’s appreciation of Edgar Allan Poe’s fiction in particular. In this collection, Kraig Dafoe offers a creative homage with many original ideas and unexpected twists.”
Professor Vanessa Steinroetter, PHD

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Meet the Author

Kraig Dafoe was born in Potsdam, New York and grew up in Canton. He played high school football and joined the Army Reserves at the age of seventeen.
Kraig has earned his BA in English writing and graduated cum laude from Washburn University in 2017.
Kraig has published two novels and published poetry. He is currently working on another writing project.
His current novel is A Collection of Twisted Tales.
You can visit his website at http://www.kraigdafoe.com.

My Review

A Collection of Twisted Tales was a well written book that showcased the author's appreciation of Edgar Allan Poe. While I enjoyed the book I felt that the author tried to hard to mimic Poe's style and I would have liked to see more of Kraig Dafoe in this book. The author is clearly a gifted writer and I would love to see more of his own writing style when he is not following someone else's writing style as closely. That aside this book really feel like it could have been written by Poe and the author truly captured Poe's own muse in this book.

Eat a Little Better

Sam Kass, former chef to the Obamas and White House food policy advisor, makes it easier to do a little better for your diet--and the environment--every day, through smart ways to think about shopping, setting up your kitchen so the healthy stuff comes to hand most naturally, and through 90 delicious, simple recipes.

This book lays out Kass's plan to eat a little better. Knowing that sustainability and healthfulness come most, well, sustainably when new habits and choices seem appealing rather than drastic and punitive, Kass shares his philosophy and methods to help make it easy to choose, cook, and eat delicious foods without depriving yourself of agency or pleasure. He knows that going organic, local, and so forth all the time is just not realistic for most people, and that's ok--it's all about choosing and doing a little better, and how those choices add up to big change. It's the philosophy he helped the Obamas instill in their home, both in Chicago and that big white one in Washington.

My Review

Eat a Little Better was an interesting cookbook because while it had 90 recipes it was also filled with other things about healthy eating like how to set up your kitchen and how to choose healthy food. It was also really neat that he used to be a chef at the White House for the Obama family. 

The recipes themselves were all nicely laid out in an easy ton understand manner that I personally found to make a lot of sense. I liked the fact that the recipes were kept on the simple side and not too complicated as while I enjoy cooking I am far from a professional and I was worried at first that I would struggle  with making these recipes! That was thankfully not the case.

Cadence of Gypsies

Book Details:

Book Title:  The Cadence of Gypsies (Book 1 of The F.I.G. Mysteries)by Barbara Casey
Category:  YA fiction,  272 pages
Genre:  Literary/Mystery
Publisher:  Gauthier Publications/Hungry Goat Press
Release date: April 2015 (e-Book)
​Content Rating:  PG-13 (A few expletives, mild sexual innuendo)

​Book Description:

On her 18th birthday Carolina Lovel learned that she was adopted and was given a letter written by her birth mother in an unknown language. After years of research she travels to Italy on a mission to find the truth about her past. Carolina is accompanied by three extremely gifted but mischievous students the FIGs from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women. In an effort to help their favorite teacher, the FIGs will have to use their special abilities to decipher the Voynich Manuscript, the most mysterious document in the world, and the one thing that is strangely similar to what Carolina was given. Their search will take them into the mystical world of gypsy tradition and magic, more exciting and dangerous than any of them could have imagined.

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Meet the Author:
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Barbara Casey is the author of several award-winning novels for both adults and young adults, as well as book-length works of nonfiction true crime and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. Her nonfiction true crime book, Kathryn Kelly: The Moll Behind Machine Gun Kelly, has been optioned for a major film and television series. In addition to her own writing, she is an editorial consultant and president of the Barbara Casey Agency. Established in 1995, she represents authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. Barbara is also a partner in Strategic Media Books Publishing, an independent publishing house that specializes in cutting-edge adult nonfiction. Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with her husband, and three dogs who adopted her: Benton, a hound-mix; Fitz, a miniature dachshund; and Gert, a Jack Russel terrier of sorts.

Connect with the author: Website

My Review

I will be reviewing all three books in the F.I.G. series by Barbara Casey so make sure to check out all of the reviews!

The Cadence of Gypsies (Book 1 of The F.I.G. Mysteries)by Barbara Casey was a well written book that I found myself greatly enjoying. The idea that Carolina Lovel's birth mother left her a letter for her 18th birthday in an unknown language was inspired. That letter kicked off a mystery and adventure that led to Italy, magic, and gypsies. I loved the way the author incorporated so many themes, characters, and plots into one story that left me grabbing for book two.