IT HAPPENED IN TUSCANY by Gail Mencini

 

AUDIOBOOK AND BOOK TOUR: It Happened in Tuscany by Gail Mencini 1/10/2021 0 Comments   Book Details: Book Title: It Happened in Tuscany by Gail Mencini Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 408 pages Genre:  Mainstream Fiction, Historical Fiction Publisher:  Capriole Group Release date:  Feb 18 2020 Format available for review:  print (USA), ebook (mobi file (for Kindle), ePub), audiobook (audible download) Tour dates:  Mar 8 to Apr 2, 2021 Content Rating: PG-13. The novel includes violence in war scenes and non-explicit sex scenes, but not f-words, religious profanities, or crude terms as described. Book Description: From the multiple-award-winning author of To Tuscany with Love comes a captivating story of the epic tug of war between honor and duty, the irrepressible power of love, and the concept of family. In 1945, Will Mills and his fellow soldiers in the 10th Mountain Division scaled Italy’s treacherous Riva Ridge in the frigid night to break through the nearly impenetrable German line of defense. Severely wounded, Will was rescued by Italian partisans and one, a beautiful girl, tended his injuries until he had the strength to rejoin the U.S. troops. Tormented and haunted by his decisions and actions during wartime, Will knows he has unfinished missions in Italy to complete. The passage of time and years of carrying this unfulfilled need have molded Will into a bitter, angry man. Seventy-five years later, Will’s spunky thirty-two-year-old neighbor, Sophie Sparke, faces disaster in her life. Everything is going wrong—her job, her love life, even her dog. Part of the problem is that confident and fiercely independent Sophie lets her quick mouth get her into trouble. Grouchy, mean-spirited Will finagles Sophie into traveling with him to Tuscany to find the partisan who saved his life. Will also secretly hopes to confront the demons his wartime actions created. Sophie and Will comb enchanting Tuscan hill towns on an improbable and unfolding mission with few clues to aid them. Will’s passionate tenacity drives their quest and in the process exposes their darkest secrets. The journey alters the course of their lives, and Will and Sophie find more than they had imagined in the hills of Tuscany. Buy the Book: Amazon ~ Audible B&N ~ IndieBound ~ Apple Meet the Author: Gail Mencini is the acclaimed author of It Happened in Tuscany and To Tuscany with Love, both of which are Denver Post #1 bestsellers and award winners. Gail grew up in DeWitt, Nebraska, graduated from Wartburg College with a BA in Accounting and Economics, and earned a master of taxation degree from the University of Denver. A frequent visitor to Tuscany and a homegrown gourmet cook, Gail has toured Italy by car, train, bus, Vespa, and foot. She lives in Colorado with her husband. Connect with the author:  Website  ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Goodreads

WHEN THE SUN MET THE MOON by Simran Mohinani

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  When the Sun Met the Moon by Simran Mohinani
Category:  Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7),  38 pages
Genre:  Children's Picture Book
Publisher:  Mascot Books
Release date:   March, 2021
Format available for review:  print (USA), pdf
Tour dates: Mar 15 to Apr 2, 2021
Content Rating:  G for everyone.

Book Description:

In this enchanting tale of the origins of the Sun and the Moon, the Sun flies across the universe on an adventure to look for someone whose light matches his own. When the Sun Met the Moon is a story filled with so much love, excitement, and equality that you won't want to put down, and can be told for years to come. After centuries of brightening up the sky by himself, the poor Sun is exhausted, lonely, and in need of some help. So, he decides to search the galaxies for someone whose light is as strong and powerful as his to help him shine down on the people of Earth. When the Sun decides to take a holiday to go on this adventure, Earth is left with its first-ever nighttime where the sky goes dark and cold, leaving people afraid to come out of their homes. Will the Sun be able to find somebody whose light is equal to his? Find out in this gorgeous love story how the Sun met his perfect Moon.

Buy the Book
Amazon ~ B&N ~ BAM
Mascot Books

Meet the Author:

Simran Mohinani, otherwise known as Simi Moh, was born on September 8th, 1998. She is a graduate of Northeastern University, studying entrepreneurship with a minor in global fashion. She was born and raised in Hong Kong, and now lives between there, London, and Boston. She first worked for the United Nations with their environmental conservation team before also collaborating with Amazon, Marriott, and Snupps. She published her first trilogy of books comprised of poetry and short stories which are very successful. She now owns and runs three of her own businesses in the fields of consulting, denim supply, and commercial goods. She also has her own charity: The SiMission. After college, she also worked full-time at her family business, which deals with properties in Europe. On the side, she still loves to write, which came to fruition with When the Sun Met the Moon, for your enjoyment and pleasure.

connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

Marvellous Macey, The Delightful Days by Caitlin Bangsund

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Marvellous Macey, The Delightful Days by Caitlin Bangsund
Category:  Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7),  40 pages
Genre:  Children's Picture Book
Publisher:  Caitlin Bangsund
Release date:   March 2021
Format available for review:  print, ebook (PDF)
Will send print books out:  USA and Canada
Tour dates: Mar 1 to mar 28, 2021
Content Rating:  G. This children's book is for everyone.

Book Description:

Can you va va voom? Do you light up the room? Marvellous Macey does! She may not quite fit the mould, but she is living delightful days. Embrace Macey's world of imagination and ability to love and accept everyone. Life may not be perfect and some things might be hard, but Macey shows us how to live in the moment and find the delight! Be inspired by Macey to make everyday the BEST day.

Available for Pre-Order Soon!
Author's Website
Amazon
add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Caitlin Bangsund is the author of Marvellous Macey, The Delightful Days. It is the first in a series based on true life. Caitlin knows the trial and trauma of childhood cancer, childhood disability, and the fear of almost losing her daughter — the star of the series — Macey. She encourages readers to look for the treasures that hide in the rubble and gloom. Life is beautiful chaos and her message is to press on and conquer. Read her stories and help create a world that is full of kindness and acceptance.

connect with the author:  website  ~  facebook ~ instagram

WHENEVER A CHILD IS BORN by Nancy Diedrich

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Whenever a Child Is Born by Nancy Diedrich
Category:  Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7),  30 pages
Genre:  Children's Picture Book
Publisher:  Christian Faith Publishing, Inc
Release date:   July 2017
Content Rating:  G for everyone.

Book Description:

In his 2014 homily for the Feast of Holy Guardian Angels, October 2, Pope Francis told those gathered for daily mass to be like children who pay attention to their "traveling companion. No one journeys alone, and no one should think that they are alone.

"According to Church tradition," the pope said, "we all have an angel with us, who guards us . . . It is what God said: 'I send an angel before you, to guard you, to accompany you on the way, so you will not be alone.'"

In this children's book, angels wait anxiously and with great excitement to see which one of them will be chosen to be the guardian angel of a child that is to be born. This delightful book depicts the joy of all God's creations anticipating the birth of another precious child. The sun shines brighter, the moon has a shinier glow, flowers grow taller, birds tweet more sweetly, and angels dance and sing with bliss, as all creation awaits another baby girl or boy.

Whenever a Child Is Born offers the perfect message for parents as it charmingly tells the story of how all of heaven and earth react to the news that a child is about to be born. The story comforts parents with the knowledge that their baby is a special gift from heaven to them, and that they will never be alone raising their child, and that their child will never ever be alone in life.

Parents never worry. No one journeys alone through life because whenever a child is born, he is given a guardian angel.

Buy the Book
Amazon
B&N ~ BAM
West Bow Press ~ Nancy Diedrich
add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Nancy Diedrich was born and raised in South Louisiana, where storytelling was not just an art form, but an authentic way of communicating. Everyone had a tale to tell! This was, more than likely, where her love of communication developed. With undergraduate degrees in English and speech, and graduate degrees in psychological counseling, Nancy learned that words can educate; they can entertain; they can inspire and they can heal. In Nancy’s career, she has been a teacher, a counselor and an author, where the power of words always guided her in interaction with her students, clients and readers. Nancy’s value for genuine communication extends beyond her career, to the anchors of her life, which are her faith, her family and her friendships.

Whenever A Child Is Born is Nancy’s first published children’s book. In it, the reader gets a glimpse of this author’s compassion for family, and her gift of faith, as the story tells how all of heaven and earth react to the news that a child is about to be born.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

My Review

WHENEVER A CHILD IS BORN by Nancy Diedrich is a very sweet book that truly gives hope and a feeling of comfort. I love that the nature of the book is perfect for kids as it is great for children who are going to become a big brother or sister. I loved the pictures! Overall, a very cute book.

Unnatural

 

Title: UNNATURAL (Erica Rosen MD Trilogy Book 1)
Author: Deven Greene
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Pages: 292
Genre: Medical Thriller

BOOK BLURB:

Dr. Erica Rosen is perplexed when she sees a young Chinese girl with blue eyes in her San Francisco pediatrics clinic. The girl’s mother, Ting, is secretive, and Erica suspects she has entered the country illegally. Later, Erica encounters Ting’s son and discovers he has an unusual mutation. Erica learns that Ting’s children underwent embryonic stem cell gene editing as part of a secret Chinese government-run program.

The Chinese government wants to murder Ting’s son to prevent others from learning about his unusual mutation and the secret gene-editing program. At Ting’s urging, Erica heads to China to expose the program and rescue the infant Ting was forced to leave behind, all while attempting to evade the watchful eye of the Chinese government.

PRAISE

A compelling and richly woven story, perfect for those looking for their new favorite thriller! 

The UC San Francisco pediatric clinic is a lively and bustling facility where every sort of injury and infirmity has been seen, diagnosed and treated. That is, until the day a Chinese migrant named Ting brings her daughter in for an evaluation. The striking girl is truly an anomaly, bearing genetically impossible bright blue eyes. Dr. Erica Rosen presses Ting for information, but Ting is paranoid, evasive and overly protective of her family’s privacy. Things become more puzzling when Ting ends up in the ER with a wounded young son and insists that someone is trying to kill the boy. Shocking test results, a second attempt on the boy’s life and a missing phlebotomist are just the beginning of a riveting tale of government conspiracy, medical mystery and dangerous close-calls.

Unnatural is a flawlessly written medical thriller that focuses on a Chinese mother who will sacrifice everything to save her children. Erica is a bold protagonist who follows her instincts to some amazing discoveries. The narrative is driven by intelligent dialogue and a clever, yet heinous, plot. The cultural aspects between Ting and Erica feel authentic and the technical medical language is just complicated enough to feel genuine without becoming difficult to read. Deven Greene has created a truly gripping international thriller with just the right amount of humanity and compassion.  Unnatural, the first in the Erica Rosen MD Trilogy, is a compelling and richly woven story, perfect for those looking for a new favorite thriller!

–Indies Today 

ORDER YOUR COPY

Amazon → https://amzn.to/3qq7nli

Barnes & Noble → https://bit.ly/3baCBGJ

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Meet The Author

Fiction writer Deven Greene lives in the San Francisco Bay area. Ever since childhood, Deven has been interested in science.  After working as a biochemist, she went back to school and became a pathologist.  When writing fiction, the author usually incorporates elements of medicine or science. Deven has penned several short stories. Unnatural is the first novel the author has published.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://www.devengreene.com

Facebook: https://facebook.com/devengreeneauthor

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My Review 

Unnatural was the best medical thriller I have ever read! I love the characters, the plot, and the mystery that the author wove together. I really liked Dr. Erica Rosen and her willingness to put herself in danger to help others.

Back to the Burgh and Beyond

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Back to the Burgh and Beyond (The Owl's Nest Mysteries) 
Author:  C.S. McDonald
​Category:  Adult Fiction, 208 pages
Run Time: 5 hours, 59 minutes
Genre:  Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  McWriter Books
Release date:  Sep 10, 2020
Content Rating:  G. C.S. McDonald's books are appropriate for YA readers as well as adults--no bad language or sexual content.

Publisher's Summary

Meet Alexa Owl. She's returned home to Pittsburgh after a divorce to start a new life and a new business, The Owl’s Nest Couturier Shoppe. Much to her surprise, she's getting more than she ever bargained for: Detective Bobby Starr, and he's no ordinary sleuth. Bobby is an angel who's returned to Earth in hopes of earning his way into the Guardian Angel Squad. He's been sent by none other than Saint Pete to acquire Alexa’s help to solve three cold case murders he left behind. 

Except, here’s the catch: He’s been allotted only four days to solve the first case! How in heaven’s name is she supposed to do that? Alexa is a professional seamstress - not a detective. Bobby insists the only way to solve the first case is to return to 1953, and Alexa’s not in love with that idea at all!

Buy the Book:
Audible
Amazon ~ B&N
Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author: 

For twenty-six years C.S. McDonald’s life whirled around a song and a dance. Classically trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School, The Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, and many others, she became a professional dancer and choreographer. During that time, she choreographed many musicals and an opera for the Pittsburgh Savoyards. In 2011 she retired from her dance career to write. Under her real name, Cindy McDonald, she writes murder-suspense and romantic suspense novels. In 2014 she added the pen name, C.S. McDonald, to write children’s books for her grandchildren. In 2016 she added the Fiona Quinn Mysteries to that expansion. She decided to write the cozy mystery series that everyone, including teens and tweens, can read and enjoy. Presently, the Fiona Quinn Mysteries nine books with a tenth slated for 2021. The books are also available on audio, narrated by Maren Swenson Waxenberg. Cindy’s newest venture is The Owl’s Nest Mysteries. Once again, she has set her cozy mystery in Pittsburgh. The female protagonist, Alexa Owl, is much different from Fiona Quinn. The Owl’s Next Mysteries has a little grit, a little time travel, a little romance, and a whole lot of cozy! Ms. McDonald resides on her Thoroughbred farm known as Fly by Night Stables near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Bill, and her poorly behaved Cocker Spaniel, Allister.

Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

My Review

Back to the Burgh and Beyond The Owl's Nest Mysteries, Book 1 by C.S. McDonald and Narrated by: Maren Swenson Waxenberg was a great audio book. The book was a bit of a supernatural, time travel. mystery genre mix, but that just made it exciting. I really loved the angel Detective Bobby Starr, but it was without a doubt  Alexa Owl that made the book come alive for me. I just really loved her character and her interactions especially because they were not those of a detective and they felt so real!

OUT OF THE MOUTH OF SERIAL KILLERS by Mary Brett

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Out of the Mouth of Serial Killers by Mary Brett
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18 +),  350 pages
Genre:  True Crime
Publisher:  Wildblue Press
Release date:   Jan 19, 2020
Content Rating:  R. VIOLENCE, CRIME SCENE PHOTOS

Book Description:
OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF SERIAL KILLERS​ by author Mary Brett is as close as you will ever come to discovering the answer ... and in the killer’s own words! In this one-of-a-kind book, author Mary Brett corresponded with some of America’s most evil convicted serial killers and asked just one question: ​WHY? Their return letters give an insightful look into the dark mind of each killer. The reader also will be able to scrutinize direct quotes, unedited, from ​interrogation statements, trial testimony, media interviews, and parole hearing inquests 75 Serial Killers are included in the book, some only known to the unfortunate victims’ family, friends, and community, while others are the most infamous in the annals of serial killers. All bios feature the crime, the capture, the victims, and background facts. Crime scene photos, some graphic, are featured.

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ WildBlue Press

Meet the Author:
I have just finished my 4th book, OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF SERIAL KILLERS. I wrote to convicted serial killers asking just one question: Why? Their letters back to me formed the basis of what I hope is a fascinating read as well as a chilling look into the mindset of 75 psychopathic killers who walked among us. WildBlue Press is the Publisher and I thank them and their amazing staff for producing my book in both paperback and Kindle format. In presales, my book hit #1 on Kindle in VIOLENCE IN SOCIETY. It is available as of January 19, 2021 or can be pre-ordered. I am a Virginia native, living in Florida. I hold a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University.

ORANGE CITY

 

Title: ORANGE CITY
Author: Lee Matthew Goldberg
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Pages: 259
Genre: Sci-fi / Dystopian

BOOK BLURB:

Imagine a secret, hidden City that gives a second chance at life for those selected to come: felons, deformed outcasts, those on the fringe of the Outside World. Everyone gets a job, a place to live; but you are bound to the City forever. You can never leave.

Its citizens are ruled by a monstrous figure called the “Man” who resembles a giant demented spider from the lifelike robotic limbs attached to his body. Everyone follows the Man blindly, working hard to make their Promised Land stronger, too scared to defy him and be discarded to the Empty Zones.

After ten years as an advertising executive, Graham Weatherend receives an order to test a new client, Pow Sodas. After one sip of the orange flavor, he becomes addicted, the sodas causing wild mood swings that finally wake him up to the prison he calls reality.

A dynamic mash-up of 1984 meets LOST, Orange City is a lurid, dystopian first book in a series that will continue with the explosive sequel Lemonworld.

PRAISE:

“In his compelling novel, ORANGE CITY, novelist LEE MATTHEW GOLDBERG, has crafted a unique dystopian thriller that manages to reveal our greatest fears about emerging technology and our anxieties at what the future holds.” – Raymond A. Villareal, Author of A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising.

“Lee Matthew Goldberg’s brutal, fast-paced thriller is a compelling reminder of how our society is always a few small steps away from a dystopia.” — Robert Repino, Author of Mort(e) and the “War with No Name” series.

“An ambitious dystopian series debut, this hair-raising science fiction novel is perfect for fans of layered conspiracies, altered realities, and eerie dystopias.”– Publishers Weekly, BookLife.

“Imagine Man in the High Tower (with a Stalin slant) mixed with Terry Gilliam’s Brazil and Max Barry’s Syrup. That’s pretty much what Mr. Goldberg deftly delivers in Orange City.” — 23rd Legion

ORDER YOUR COPY

Amazon → https://amzn.to/2MX29i8

BookShop.org → https://bit.ly/36MnAcI

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Meet The Author

Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of the novels THE ANCESTOR, THE MENTOR, THE DESIRE CARD and SLOW DOWN. He has been published in multiple languages and nominated for the Prix du Polar. His first YA series RUNAWAY TRAIN is forthcoming in 2021 along with a sci-fi novel ORANGE CITY. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared in The Millions, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, LitReactor, Monkeybicycle, Fiction Writers Review, Cagibi, Necessary Fiction, the anthology Dirty Boulevard, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Underwood Press and others. He is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Fringe, dedicated to publishing fiction that’s outside-of-the-box. His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Book Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and the Hollywood Screenplay contests. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series and lives in New York City.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: http://www.leematthewgoldberg.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LeeMatthewG

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

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OTHER BOOKS BY LEE MATTHEW GOLDBERG

THE MENTOR

SLOW DOWN

THE ANCESTOR

MORE…

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My Review

ORANGE CITY was an interesting read. I took me a bit to really grab my interest, but once it did I found myself captivated by the story. The dystopian books I normally read feature nuclear world ending events or zombies so this book was a nice change of pace and a breath of fresh air among the genre.

WAR AT THE ICE CREAM STORE

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  WAR AT THE ICE CREAM STORE by Cheryl DaVeiga and Dave Gibson
Category:  Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7),  28 pages
Genre:  Children's Picture Book
Publisher:  Cheryl DaVeiga and Dave Gibson
Release date:   Mar 2021
Format available for review:  print, ebook (PDF)
Will send print books out:  USA
Tour dates: Mar 8 to Mar 26, 2021
Content Rating:  G. This children's book is for everyone.

Book Description:

The first of the Frank TL Frogg and Friends series, War at the Ice Cream Store tells the story of one night at the Frozen Frogg, when Mustachio Pistachio and his “flavorite” flavor friends teach Bulli Vanilli a lesson in kindness and acceptance.

Buy the Book
Coming Soon to Amazon!

Cheryl DaVeiga

Meet the Authors:
Cheryl is an award-winning songwriter, children's song recording artist (as the cartoon character CADi Grace), and the co-creator of the puppet musical and comedy show, The Waterhole Bunch. After the success of The Waterhole Bunch, Cheryl along with co-creator Dave Gibson, spun off the main character, Frank TL (The Lucky) Frogg, into a children’s entertainment concept, Frank TL Frogg and Friends, featuring the puppets in a magical town called Lucky Fork, Tennessee. Frank TL Frogg and Friends includes books, songs, videos, games, and more for younger audiences. War at the Ice Cream Store is the first of the Frank TL Frogg and Friends children’s book series.

---

Dave Gibson

Dave is an award-winning Nashville-based songwriter, having written hundreds of hit songs for artists including Alabama, Montgomery Gentry and Marie Osmond. Dave’s own group, The Gibson/Miller Band, won the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Award for best new group in the early nineties. He is the co-creator of the puppet musical and comedy show, The Waterhole Bunch. After the success of The Waterhole Bunch, Dave, along with co-creator Cheryl DaVeiga, spun off the main character, Frank TL (The Lucky) Frogg, into a children’s entertainment concept, Frank TL Frogg and Friends, featuring the puppets in a magical town called Lucky Fork, Tennessee. Frank TL Frogg and Friends includes books, songs, videos, games, and more for younger audiences. War at the Ice Cream Store is the first of the Frank TL Frogg and Friends children’s book series.

REFLECTIONS ON THE NATURE OF FRIENDSHIP

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Reflections on the Nature of Friendship
Author:  Daniel Cantor Yalowitz, Ed.D.
​Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+), 336 pages
Genre:  Psychology, Self-Help
Publisher:  Booksmyth
Release date:  Feb 2021
Formats Available for review: print-softback (USA), ebook (mobi (for Kindle), Gifted Kindle)
Tour dates:  May 4 to May 24, 2021
Content Rating:  G. No bad language, sex scenes, or anything objectionable

Book Description:

Reflections on the Nature of Friendship is a rich, nuanced journey that delves deeply into the fascinating and complex world of friendship. Psychologist and world-traveler Dr. Daniel Cantor Yalowitz takes readers on a carefully narrated tour into the heart of what human beings need and bring to their chosen relationships. Reflections examines what makes friendships work, thrive, and connect people with one another. Using quotes across place, time, and culture, this book includes salient and seminal chapters on Identity, Longing and Belonging, Boundaries, and more, including three case studies that explore primary friendships within the author’s life. Using examples from literature, poetry, film, and music, Dr. Yalowitz brings deeper understanding about building stronger, healthier, and sustainable friendships.

Buy the Book:
Amazon

Meet the Author:

Daniel Cantor Yalowitz, Ed.D., is a developmental and intercultural psychologist and an international consultant/trainer focusing on team-building, human intelligences, conflict transformation, and intercultural communication and competence. He focuses his work on building greater awareness and deeper awareness of the importance of creating sustainable relationships, especially meaningful friendships. He brings all these emphases into focus in his most recent book, Reflections on the Nature of Friendship.

connect with the author:  website ~ facebook ~ goodreads

Murder on Pointe

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Murder on Pointe:  A Fiona Quinn Mystery #1
Author:  C.S. McDonald
​Category:  YA Fiction, 219 pages
Run Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Genre:  Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  McWriter Books
Release date:  Jul 19, 2016
Content Rating:  G (The Fiona Quinn Mysteries are for everyone--adults love the books and they are appropriate for teens and tweens too!)

Book Description:

Fiona can't wait to attend the performance of Coppelia at the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh. Her old friend, Silja Ramsay, is dancing the principal role. They have dinner after the show, but when they return Pittsburgh Ballet Theater is down one dancer! Ballerina, Alexis Cartwright, has been found dead in the dressing room. Is this murder a result of hot tempers among the cast members? Or is it a random act of violence? Will there be more murders? Homicide Detective Nathan Landry isn't taking any chances. After finding out Fiona has a strong background in ballet, he recruits her to go undercover among the cast of Coppelia. Can Fiona help catch a killer, or will she be the next victim?

BUY THE BOOK:
Audible ~ Amazon
Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author: 

For twenty-six years C.S. McDonald’s life whirled around a song and a dance. Classically trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School, The Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, and many others, she became a professional dancer and choreographer. During that time, she choreographed many musicals and an opera for the Pittsburgh Savoyards. In 2011 she retired from her dance career to write. Under her real name, Cindy McDonald, she writes murder-suspense and romantic suspense novels. In 2014 she added the pen name, C.S. McDonald, to write children’s books for her grandchildren. In 2016 she added the Fiona Quinn Mysteries to that expansion. She decided to write the cozy mystery series that everyone, including teens and tweens, can read and enjoy. Presently, the Fiona Quinn Mysteries nine books with a tenth slated for 2021. The books are also available on audio, narrated by Maren Swenson Waxenberg. Cindy’s newest venture is The Owl’s Nest Mysteries. Once again, she has set her cozy mystery in Pittsburgh. The female protagonist, Alexa Owl, is much different from Fiona Quinn. The Owl’s Next Mysteries has a little grit, a little time travel, a little romance, and a whole lot of cozy! Ms. McDonald resides on her Thoroughbred farm known as Fly by Night Stables near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Bill, and her poorly behaved Cocker Spaniel, Allister.

Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

My Review

I recently finished an audible copy of Murder on Pointe:  A Fiona Quinn Mystery #1 and I loved it. I enjoyed being able to start these series with book one as I often find myself jumping into a series part way through and missing out some details. The narration was very well done and the book was clearly written by a talented author. I really liked the interaction between Homicide Detective Nathan Landry and Fiona especially with the whole sending her undercover thing. It made for quite the mystery!

SAVE THE DATE by Ellen Fannon

 

Book Details:

Book Title: Save the Date by Ellen Fannan
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  329 pages
Genre:  Fiction Romance
Publisher:  Forget Me Not Romances, an imprint of Winged Publications
Release date:   October 2020
Tour dates: Mar 1 to Mar 19, 2021
Content Rating:  G.

Book Description:

What if you were given the chance to rekindle the flame with your first love? What happened to all those girls who were mean to you in school? Should Hannah Jensen take the chance of attending her high school reunion to find out?

Hannah hasn’t been back to her hometown in more than twenty years. Now, a widow, raising a teenaged daughter, she has the opportunity to go home for her twenty-fifth high school reunion. The invitation to the reunion stirs up a lot of old memories at the same time she is dealing with loneliness, the challenges of single-parenting a teenager, people who want to “set her up” with eligible men, her own insecurities, and her eccentric family.

The story interweaves the present with scenes from Hannah’s past and her fantasy of “happily ever after” with her high school boyfriend in a humorous and entertaining manner. Her feelings from being “shunned” by the cool kids resurface as she reflects back on her time as a teenager. There are several roadblocks on Hannah’s journey from a teenager through her present. The growing pains and amusing situations in which she finds herself are ones to which we all can relate. As she walks the path of self-discovery, she also discovers the most important life lesson of all–her relationship to God.

Buy the Book:
Amazon

Meet the Author:

Award-winning author Ellen Fannon is a practicing veterinarian, former missionary, and church pianist/organist. She originated and wrote the Pet Peeves column for the Northwest Florida Daily News before taking a two-year assignment with the Southern Baptist International Mission Board. She and her retired Air Force pilot-turned-pastor husband have been foster parents to more than 40 children, and the adoptive parents of two sons. Her first novel, "Other People’s Children," is a humorous account of the life of a foster parent. She is a regular contributing author for One Christian Voice, and her stories have been published in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series as well as Lifeway’s Open Windows devotional booklets, among many other publications. Her third novel about a veterinarian entitled "Don’t Bite the Doctor" will be released in 2021. She lives in Valparaiso, Florida, with her husband, sons, and assorted pets.

connect with author:  website ~ facebook ~ pinterest

The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper

 

Title: THE TEMPLE OF THE CRYSTAL TIMEKEEPER: CHRONICLES OF THE STONE BOOK 3
Author: Fiona Ingram
Publisher: Bublish Inc.
Pages: 318
Genre: Juvenile (preteen) / Action / Adventure

BOOK BLURB:

A plane crash! Lost in the jungle! Hunted by their old enemy, will Adam, Justin, and Kim survive long enough to find the Third Stone of Power? With only a young boy, Tukum, as their guide, the kids make their way through the dense and dangerous jungle to find the lost city of stone gods, where the Stone of Power might be located. River rafting on a crocodile-infested river and evading predators are just part of this hazardous task. Of course, their old adversary Dr. Khalid is close behind as the kids press on. But he is not the worst of their problems. This time Adam will clash with a terrible enemy who adopts the persona of an evil Aztec god, Tezcatlipoca, and is keen to revive the ancient tradition of human sacrifice. Adam, Justin, and Tukum must play a dreadful ball game of life and death and maybe survive. Will they emerge alive from the jungle? Will Dr. Khalid find the third Stone of Power before they do?

Praise:

“Action, danger, and excitement are the key words for the riveting adventure novel, The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper … Its spellbinding storyline explores the history of the Aztec and Maya gods and their cities with exceptional accuracy; this is one of those books you can’t put down. With authentic historical facts expertly woven into this spectacular action-packed fiction series, no one of any age can resist its magnetism. This is a fascinating and exciting fiction story created with expertise and finesse, which educates while entertaining the reader.”

— Susan Williams, for Readers Favorite

USA Book Awards:

• Winner Pre-teen Readers’ Favorite Book Awards 2017
• Winner Book Excellence Awards 2018
• NYC Big Book Awards Distinguished Favorite 2018

Read the first chapter and receive a free download of The Young Explorer’s Companion Guide, a nonfiction guide to the journey and cover history, geography, mythology and subject kids will love to learn more about. In this guide, your child will discover the story behind The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper and experience the history of the Maya and Aztecs as well as who was the ancient priest-king Topiltzin and why he is important.

Click here to read the first chapter and download your free copy of The Young Explorer’s Companion Guide!

ORDER YOUR COPY

Amazon (print): https://amzn.to/39swq1j

Amazon (kindle): https://amzn.to/3iSb549

B&N eBook: https://bit.ly/3psW6QL

B&N Print: https://bit.ly/2Ymyf9E

Kobo: eBook: https://bit.ly/2Yi9wTB

iBook: https://apple.co/2KSX8GG

iTunes: https://apple.co/3qUFXny

Google Books: https://bit.ly/2MyMKEk

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Other Books By Fiona Ingram

The Secret of the Sacred Scarab

The Search for the Stone of Excalibur

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Meet The Author

Fiona Ingram is a children’s author, but up until a few years ago, she was a journalist and editor. Something rather unexpected sparked her new career as an author—a family trip to Egypt with her mother and two young nephews. They had a great time and she thought she’d write them a short story as a different kind of souvenir…. Well, one book and a planned book series later, she had changed careers. She has now published Book 3 (The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper) in her middle grade adventure series Chronicles of the Stone, with many awards for the first book, The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, a few for Book 2, The Search for the Stone of Excalibur, and several for Book 3! She also teaches online novel writing for aspiring authors and she finds that very satisfying. Fiona’s experience with raising an adopted, disadvantaged African child struggling with literacy got her interested in the subject and she has written numerous articles on child literacy. Relaxation time finds her enjoying something creative or artistic, music, books, going to the theater or ballet. She enjoys doing research for her book series. Fiona loves animals and has written two animal rescue stories. She has two adorable (naughty) little rescue dogs called Stanley and Pumpkin, and a beautiful black cat called Bertie.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: http://www.FionaIngram.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/FionaRobyn

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

Book Series Website: www.chroniclesofthestone.com

Blog: http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2868182.Fiona_Ingram

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My Review 

The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper took me right along with Adam, Justin, and Kim on quite the adventure with young Tukum to search for the Third Stone of Power. I enjoyed following along with this book though it was bit young for me I think kids would love it. Overall a great story!