Sunday, March 27, 2022

THE MOON IN THE SKY: by S.E. Richey "The Moon in the Sky" Poems Your Kids Would Have Written (If Only They Could Write) by Bruce Shutts

 THE MOON IN THE SKY: Poems Your Kids Would Have Written (if only they could write) by Bruce Shutts

THE MOON IN THE SKY: Poems your Kids Would Have Written (if only they could write) by Bruce Shutts
Book Details:

Book Title:  "The Moon in the Sky" Poems Your Kids Would Have Written (If Only They Could Write) by Bruce Shutts
Category:  Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 34 pages
Genre:  Children's Picture Book
Publisher:  Stinson Books
Release date:   December 25, 2021
Formats Available for Review: print- softback (USA only)
Tour dates: March 21 to April 15, 2022
Content Rating:  G - Children's Fiction for Ages 3-7
Book Description:

Children have the power to turn simple everyday tasks into moments of intrigue and laughter.

Delight in thirteen whimsical poems that capture the simple honesty of everyday childhood activities written from the perspective of three-to-six-year-olds.

From getting dressed, eating snacks, or having stinky feet, you and your child will recognize yourself in these poems.

​Crafted to make you laugh, smile, and build memories with your kids.
Author Bruce Shutts
Meet the Author:

Bruce Shutts has spent countless hours reading children’s picture books to his three children and five grandchildren over the past forty years. He also loves to create humorous poems for nearly every occasion he can imagine. Coupled with the fact that he often thinks and acts like a three-to-six-year-old, it makes his entrance into the world of children’s books a natural fit. He currently is retired with his wife of forty-five years and loves to travel, play golf, and (you guessed it) read books at night to his grandkids! 

connect to the author: goodreads

My Review
 "The Moon in the Sky" Poems Your Kids Would Have Written (If Only They Could Write) by Bruce Shutts was a really cute kid's book. The poems were simple, yet touching. I liked that they felt like poems that kids could write and also enjoy reading.

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

SPARKS AND SHADOW

 

Title: SPARKS AND SHADOW (Rising Elements Book 1)
Author: Ceara Nobles
Publisher: Riverside Press
Genre: YA Fantasy

BOOK BLURB:

Seattle is full of monsters, and I’m the only one who can see them.

I’ve spent the last 17 years (AKA my whole life) pretending I can’t see the monsters who disguise themselves as humans. I may not have a place to live and my best friend may be moments away from getting in too deep with the city’s most dangerous drug lord, but I’m rolling with the status quo.

That is, until I save my arch enemy’s stupid life and find myself in a warehouse full of monsters.
Next thing I know, I’m in Monster Land (AKA not Seattle) and up to my ears in monsters, magic, and inevitable mayhem. If I want to get home, I have to join a band of revolutionaries and stay alive long enough to get back through the portal before war breaks out.

This’ll be a cinch.

Sparks and Shadow is a modern, action-packed YA portal fantasy featuring Fae mythology, magic, and slow-burn romance. This is the first book in the Rising Elements series.
Book Information

Release Date: March 4, 2022

Publisher: Riverside Press

Kindle eBook: ASIN: B09HRFLWSW; $3.99

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3G2IYcN

 


 

MEET THE AUTHOR



Ceara Nobles is a Utah-based author of romantic suspense and fantasy novels. She graduated from the University of Utah in 2016 with a B.A. in Computer Animation, then realized she hated it. Now she spends her days juggling her side hustle as a line editor and her true love of authorship. When she’s not busy writing, you can find her chasing her toddler, road tripping with her hubby, or hiding in bed with a chai and a good book.

Her latest book is the YA Fantasy, SPARKS AND SHADOW.

Visit her website at www.cearanobles.com or connect with her at Facebook and Instagram.

My Review

SPARKS AND SHADOW (Rising Elements Book 1) was a great young adult fantasy book that I found to be an enjoyable read. I really liked the whole mosnters disguised as humans idea and the plot quickly pulled me. The author did a great job with describing Seattle and really brought the city to life for me.


 


Sunday, March 20, 2022

Dime

 

Title: DIME
Author: Luis Figueredo
Publisher: Speaking Volumes
Pages: 472
Genre: Legal Thriller

BOOK BLURB:

Pierce Evangelista, a sharp-witted, Harvard-educated lawyer is drawn into the brutal and violent power struggle between the Venezuelan drug cartel and the DEA. Juan Carlos, who holds crippling information about the cartel, sits in the Curacao Prison awaiting extradition. Pierce realizes that his client’s life only holds value to the DEA if he agrees to cooperate. The cartel won’t allow Juan Carlos to tell the DEA what he knows and plans to kill him before he can be extradited.

Evangelista is forced to rely on his keen instincts and employ unconventional tactics to take on the DEA and the Venezuelan drug cartel to protect the life of his client.

“A Powerful Page Turner!”The BookViral Review

“A powerful and engrossing novel from beginning to end, Dime proves a must-read for discerning fans of the genre and a superb debut for Figueredo. A Remarkable Legal Thriller”Literary Titan

“The strength of Luis Figueredo’s writing is in the ability to create a conflict that allows the characters to evolve as they deal with challenging situations. It is a wonderful read, indeed.” Readers ‘Favorite

Book Information

Release Date: January 17, 2022

Publisher:  Speaking Volumes

Hard Cover: ISBN: 978-1794727571; 556 pages; $10.75

Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-1645406099; 472 pages; $19.95

Kindle eBook: ASIN: B09QMN5LWH; 474 pages; $4.99

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3tJgSk5  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50386840-dime


 

MEET THE AUTHOR


Luis Figueredo was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. He completed his undergraduate degree in History from Brandeis University in Massachusetts and earned his law degree from Harvard Law School. He is currently the City Attorney for the City of Doral.

During his legal profession, Luis developed a nationwide practice representing a diverse group of clients that include municipalities, national trade associations, corporations, real estate developers, and Indian Tribes.

His latest book is the legal thriller, DIME.

Connect with him on Twitter and Facebook.

My Review

Dime by Luis Figueredo was a well-written legal thriller book that did not have a dull moment in it. I quite liked Pierce with his sharp wit, but I also came to like his client Juan. I liked the way the author put Pierce against not just the cartel, but also the DEA.

Thursday, March 17, 2022

GRACE AMONG THIEVES (a Grace Michelle Mystery) by Kari Bovee

 GRACE AMONG THIEVES (A Grace Michelle Mystery) by Kari Bovee

Join us for this tour from Mar 1 to Mar 28, 2022!​​
Book Details:

Book Title:  Grace Among Thieves (A Grace Michelle Mystery) by Kari Bovee
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 315 
Genre: Historical Mystery
Publisher:  Bosque Publishing
Release date:   Feb 15, 2022
Format available for review:  print - softback, e-book (mobi file (for Kindle), ePub, PDF )
Will send print books out:  USA and Canada
Content Rating:  PG. Some Mild Language
Book Description:

A priceless heirloom worth its weight in lives. Can she crack the case before she becomes a killer’s trophy?

Hollywood, 1924. Grace Michelle’s professional star has risen. Now a successful costumier for a major studio, the ambitious woman has just about everything she wants. But when the father she thought was dead reaches out to reconnect, the talented designer doesn’t know what to think… especially after his new wife is kidnapped.

Discovering her dad is mixed up with a stolen Russian artifact, Grace puts her sleuthing skills to work to rescue the abducted lady. But with a famous actress murdered in connection with the missing valuable and a man she put away stalking her for revenge, the frazzled amateur detective fears getting to the bottom of this crime will leave her six feet under.

Can she hunt down the treasure before it bankrupts the lives of everyone she loves?

Grace Among Thieves is the nail-biting third book in the Grace Michelle Mystery historical series. If you like bright-but-beset heroines, breathtaking twists and turns, and the glamor of a lost age, then you’ll adore Kari Bovée’s riveting tale. 
BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon

Also on Tour:
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Book Details:

Book Title:  Grace in the Wings - A Grace Michelle Mystery by Kari Bovee
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 340
Genre: Historical Mystery
Publisher:  Bosque Publishing
Release date:   September 19, 2019
Format available for review:  e-book (mobi file (for Kindle), ePub, )
Will send print books out:  USA
Content Rating:  PG + M. Book has mature themes; adultery, murder, bigamy, but there is no bad language.​

Book Description:

​A ghost from her past. Her sister murdered. Can Grace slay her demons and find the killer before she ends up dead?

New York City, 1920. Grace Michelle has everything she wants: a home, a family, and a future career as a costume designer for famed showman Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr.’s Ziegfeld Follies. Pretty good for a girl who once lived on the streets of New York City. But when her sister, Sophia, the star of the show, is murdered, Grace’s safe and protected life is shattered.

Battle-scarred by the war and emotionally scarred by his past, Chet Riker has made it a practice to keep his distance from others; love, after all, leads only to pain. But Chet has a problem—a big one: he’s become indebted to mob-boss Joe Marciano in an attempt to save his estranged mother’s life, and Marciano wants him to pay up or else. Desperate to get the money, he contacts former client Florenz Ziegfeld for work.

Soon, Chet finds himself playing bodyguard for introverted Grace, who has reluctantly agreed to be Ziegfeld’s new leading lady—on the condition that Ziegfeld promises to find Sophia’s killer. Upon meeting Grace, Chet quickly finds his hardened theory that love equals pain tested. Grace, meanwhile, is swept up in a life she never wanted as the Follies’ star, and as the pawn in a series of publicity stunts during a transcontinental train trip to California that puts her life at risk. Who would want her and Sophia dead? Together, she and Chet must confront publicity-hungry Florenz Ziegfeld, power-driven Joe Marciano, and their own pasts to find Sophia’s killer—and let themselves love once again.
BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon
Add to Goodreads

GRACE IN HOLLYWOOD (A Grace Michelle Mystery) by Kari Bovee
Book Details:

Book Title:  Grace in Hollywood - A Grace Michelle Mystery by Kari Bovee
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 336 
Genre: Historical Mystery
Publisher:  Bosque Publishing
Release date:   May 25, 2021
Format available for review:  e-book (mobi file (for Kindle), ePub, )
Content Rating:  PG + M. Book has mature themes; adultery, murder, bigamy, but there is no bad language.​ 

Book Description:

All that glitters… is sometimes blood. With her golden ticket buried in the ground, can she save a wrongly accused teen from the gallows?

Hollywood, 1924. Promoted to lead costume designer of a star-studded film, Grace Michelle should be on top of the world. But between her husband’s debt, her sister’s recent death, and the troubled teenaged girl she’s fostering, she’s struggling to please everyone and still keep a smile on her face. And when a Tinseltown shindig turns deadly, Grace is horrified to discover her young charge unconscious alongside the director’s grisly corpse.

Determined to prove the girl’s innocence, Grace’s own haunted past fills her sleep with prophetic nightmares. And no sooner has she sought clarity from a medium than a second body lands the scared teenager in the slammer.

Can Grace turn the camera on the real culprit before another victim ends up on the cutting room floor?

Grace in Hollywood is the second book in the riveting A Grace Michelle Mystery historical series. If you like fiercely loyal heroines, thrilling whodunits, and the magic of old cinema, then you’ll love Kari Bovee’s enthralling tale.​
BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon
Add to Goodreads

Author Kari Bovee
Meet the Author:

When she’s not on a horse riding along the beautiful cottonwood-laden acequias of Corrales, New Mexico; or basking on white sand beaches under the Big Island Hawaiian sun, Kari Bovée is escaping into the past—scheming murder and mayhem for her characters both real and imagined in her historical mystery novels.

Kari Bovée writes the award-winning Annie Oakley mystery series and the Grace Michelle mystery series. In 2020 she was honored with First Place in category for the Chanticleer International Clue Awards for her book Folly at the Fair. In 2019 she was awarded the NM/AZ Book Awards Hillerman Award for her novel Girl with a Gun. The novel also received First Place in the 2019 NM/AZ Book Awards in the Mystery/Crime category, and won First in Category in the International Chanticleer Murder & Mayhem Awards. It was also a finalist in the 2019 Next Generation Indie Awards. Her novel Grace in the Wings won First in Category for the 2019 International Chanticleer Chatelaine Awards. Peccadillo at the Palace won Grand Prize in the 2019 Goethe Awards, and was a finalist in the 2019 Best Book Awards Historical Fiction category.

Kari Bovée has worked as a technical writer for a Fortune 500 Company, has written non-fiction for magazines and newsletters, and has worked in the education field as a teacher and educational consultant.

Connect with the author:  Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram
Pinterest

My Review
GRACE AMONG THIEVES (a Grace Michelle Mystery) by Kari Bovee was a great addition to the Grace Michelle Mystery series. I have enjoyed a few of the previous books in the series, and this book proved to fit in perfectly. I have to say it is actually my favorite so far with how much Grace has on the line for this particular case. The level of risk to her and those she loves made it all the more suspenseful and grabbing. 


Enter the Giveaway:
Coming Soon!

Defiance and Redemption

 


Title: DEFIANCE AND REDEMPTION: A LIFETIME OF UNBROKEN BONDS
Author: Maria J. Andrade
Publisher: Clara Publishing
Pages: 250
Genre: Women’s Fiction/Historical Fiction

BOOK BLURB:

Based on a true story, Defiance and Redemption, A Lifetime of Unbroken Bonds, brings to life the joys, dramas, and triumphs of two sisters, Eva and Victoria Alisio and their loyal friend Marta. The sisters are raised by their atheist Grandfather Marcus and religious Grandmother Maria Luisa. Eva, a proud and strong-willed young woman defies her family, society, and culture, faces scandal and disgrace, for her forbidden love affair. Victoria finds herself in the center of a multigenerational conflict as her benefactor bestows a great inheritance on her excluding the rightful heirs. Marta, loyal to the childhood bond with the Alisio sisters, brings humor and support to their twists and turns of fortune. The young women’s bond of love, and perseverance, carries them through ordinary and extraordinary losses, triumphs, and ultimately to their destiny in the United States.

An important novel about 20th Century women, Defiance and Redemption, is an absorbing epic that moves through decades and destinies. It blends personal and historical events into a collective tale of self-determination, love, and sisterhood.

“This book is an engrossing page turner which will pull you in and keep you cheering for your favorite actors until the very end! Defiance and Redemption is a unique book that tells a story that is both particular to a given time in Ecuador, but also universal in its themes of love, betrayal and survival.” – Nancy Mintie, Founder of Uncommon Good

“Reading Defiance and Redemption reminded me of a distant time when I read Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. Like these writers, Maria Andrade took me through a captivating journey of love and deep passion. Being gripped by the strong emotions that the characters possess and what they did in the end moved me profoundly.” – Maria Donovan, Retired Verizon Executive

“In Defiance and Redemption, Maria Andrade weaves together history, biography, and fiction into a romantic love and a story of three women that defy the ability of patriarchal culture to define them. We see the young women grow up to rise above the shame that tries to silence and limit them. They learn to find their voices and make sacrifices to be true to themselves as women. They leave behind all that they knew to make a better life for themselves and their daughters. This is a book to remind women of all ages where we came from, and what it took to break out and thrive nearly a century ago. Women like these paved the way for all who came after and have the rights we have today.” – Nancy Poitou, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Book Information

Release Date: September 21, 2021

Publisher:  Clara Publishing

Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-1734290066; 274 pages; $24.99; Kindle Edition $17.99

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3foJnuV

Barnes & Noblehttps://bit.ly/3BLZYS9

B&N: https://bit.ly/3BLZYS9

Draft2Digital: https://bit.ly/3EQFud3

Want a signed copy? www.booksasfriends.com

Maria J. Andrade was born in Ecuador, South America, and raised in New York and California. She has a bachelor of arts degree in English literature and a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology. As a licensed therapist and writer, Maria has been diving into other people’s minds and her own, through dreams, poetry, and books for over three decades. She traveled with the Four Winds Society where she studied and was initiated into Andean shamanism in 1990.

Before Maria retired as a therapist, she specialized in women’s issues and founded the Wise Women’s Circle a ritualistic and transpersonal study group that continues today. The women support each other through life’s challenges and in the growth of mind, body, and spirit.

Maria Andrade’s books for children and adults is found in a variety of genres. This is an unforgettable first novel that reflects her imagination and creative storytelling.

Defiance and Redemption is her latest release.

Visit her website at www.booksasfriends.com or connect with her on FacebookTwitter and Goodreads.

 

My Review

DEFIANCE AND REDEMPTION: A LIFETIME OF UNBROKEN BONDS was a very well-written book. I found it to be both interesting and captivating especially as it did a great job starting true to the time period.


Sunday, March 13, 2022

The Mirabal Sisters: From Caterpillars to Butterflies by Raynelda A. Calderon

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Book Details:

Book Title:  The Mirabal Sisters: From Caterpillars to Butterflies by Raynelda A. Calderon
Category:  Children's Non-Fiction (Ages 8-12​)
Genre:  Children's Book
Publisher:  Cayena Press, Inc., 48 pages
Release date:   March 2022
Formats Available for Review: print-softback USA, e-book (PDF)
Tour dates: March 1 to March 21, 2022
Content Rating:  G.  Suitable for all readers.
Book Description:

Born in a small town in the Dominican Republic, the Mirabal sisters lived at a time when the country was under the merciless rule of a dictatorship. Their deaths on November 25, 1960 (at ages 36, 34, and 25), have received international coverage. In their honor, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is observed annually on November 25.
Pre-Order the Book:
Amazon
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Meet the Author:

​Raynelda A. Calderón, a Dominican native who lives in Queens, NY, is a children’s book author who has worked in public libraries for more than 15 years. She holds a doctorate in leadership in higher education, and she has taught Information Literacy at various colleges, most recently at Bronx Community College. As a librarian, working with children inspires Raynelda to write about the accomplishments of Hispanic women in history. She hopes to inspire young readers to follow their passions and never take no for an answer. Raynelda is the creator of the first Hispanic Heritage wall calendar that honors the accomplishments of Hispanic Americans in the United States. She lives with an untamed Shih Tzu, Toby, and a much attached Chihuahua, Maya. She spends her free time thinking (and drafting) about books to write, or painting, crocheting, or crying over abused dogs.

connect with the author: author's website ~ facebook ~ instagram

Monday, March 7, 2022

Beyond Her Calling (The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy, Book 4) by Kellyn Roth

 

BEYOND HER CALLING (The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy) by Kellyn Roth


Book Details:


Book Title: Beyond Her Calling (The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy, Book 4) by Kellyn Roth
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 + yrs), 254 pages
Genre:  Christian Historical Romance
Publisher:  Wild Blue Wonder Press
Release date:   January 2022
Formats Available for Review: print-softbook (USA), ebook (MOBI for kindle, EPUB, PDF)
Tour datesFeb 14 to Mar 11, 2022
Content Rating:  G: ​Clean for all audiences
Book Description:

​Ivy Knight feels that her life may never start. Though her loving family assures her that her place in the world is close to home, she still feels a push to move out of her comfort zone. Hoping against hope, she travels to her old friends at McCale House, seeking a purpose.

Jordy McAllen has just returned to Scotland after his education in London. He fears that what everyone has always said about him may be true: he can’t be a good doctor, let alone a good man. Determined to prove himself, Jordy snatches up the opportunity to become the doctor in the village of Keefmore near his parents’ farm.

​When an old friend decides to travel to Keefmore and visit a relative, Ivy follows. She soon finds herself drawn to Jordy, but as their attraction grows, they both face doubts. A relationship between the two of them feels improbable—and might just require a step of impossible faith.
Buy the Book:
Amazon
Author Kellyn Roth
Meet the Author:

Kellyn Roth is a historical romance & women’s fiction author who writes about the empty places where hope has the most room to grow. Her novels include the inspirational Victorian family saga, The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy, and the Kees & Colliers series, which follows a broken family in the tumultuous years of the first half of the 20th century.

Kellyn is a student of the Author Conservatory, a virtual assistant, and a writing coach. When not building her author career, she is likely getting lost somewhere in the Pacific Northwest with her friends, watching period dramas and facetious comedies, or spending time with her husband.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook  pinterest ~ instagram
My Review
Beyond Her Calling (The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy, Book 4) by Kellyn Roth was just as good as the first three books in the series if not better! I really liked seeing Ivy come into her own in this one and I felt like I could truly understand her doubts and hesitations. The romance between her and Jordy gave the book a romantic flare that I greatly enjoyed! Especially as the author kept it nice and clean. I have to say that Ivy was easily my favorite in this series, so I really loved this book!

Floating Underwater

 



Title: FLOATING UNDERWATER
Author: Tracy Shawn
Publisher: Turbulent Muse Publishing
Genre: Women’s Fiction / Magical Realism / Psychological Fiction

BOOK BLURB:

Part psychological fiction and part mystical fiction with a dash of magical realism, Floating Underwater follows a woman’s astonishing journey through the extraordinary and, ultimately, to her self-actualization and power.

Fearful that her lifelong premonitions not only predict the future but can also change its very course, Paloma Leary is devastated when her latest vision foretelling a third miscarriage comes true.

Falling into a mystifying world of increasingly bizarre phenomena, including a psychic connection with her mysterious neighbor, out-of-body experiences, and visits from her long-dead mother, Paloma grows desperate for answers. She is also desperate to start a family. But when a life-changing vision reveals a tragic secret from the past, Paloma learns to accept her gifts and embraces a far different future than she ever could have imagined.

“One woman’s mystical journey to move forward while confronting a troubled, mysterious past. Beautifully written; an ethereal, eloquent pleasure.” ~~Marlene Adelstein, author of USA Today bestseller Sophie Last Seen
 

“Mystical and magical realism permeates this women’s novel, and Amy Harmon fans would embrace Shawn’s adept storytelling. The author delivers spot-on dialogue, believable and enchanting characters, and surprising twists. It’s easy to imagine the novel as a talked-about book club selection (in fact, there’s a list of questions at the book’s conclusion). Poignant and beautiful, Floating Underwater leaves readers yearning for a sequel and another look at these captivating characters.” ~~Starred Review by Patricia Moosbrugger for BlueInk Review

“The writing is stunning…Paloma’s journey toward friendship, love in her marriage, and the realization that her fears have kept her eyes closed to everything happening around her is a journey worth following. This book will remind you to listen to the wind when it speaks and to look for what’s floating beneath the surface of the water.”~~Reviewed by Jenna Swartz for San Francisco Book Review

“A mystical journey that will take its readers on a whirlwind tour of beautiful imagery and meaningful life adventures, Floating Underwater is the story about a woman named Paloma Leary who learns that she has some very special gifts to share with the world…This book is wonderfully written in a lovely beach setting…Floating Underwater is the perfect book for someone looking for a bit of fantasy thrown into a realistic setting with realistic characters. Written with special attention to little details, this book is relatable, yet very special and is a one-of-a-kind read.” ~~Reviewed by Kristi Elizabeth for Manhattan Book Review

Book Information

Release Date: September 8, 2021

Publisher: Turbulent Muse Publishing

Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-1736664902; 312 pages; $10.99; E-Book, $3.99

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3GrO5TV

Amazon Kindle: https://amzn.to/3qA2EA3


Award-Winning Author Tracy Shawn lives and writes on the Central Coast of California. Her debut novel, The Grace of Crows, won several indie book awards. Floating Underwater is her second novel. Tracy Shawn’s short stories have appeared in Literary BrushstrokesPsychology Tomorrow Magazine, and Steel House Review Literary Journal. She’s written numerous articles for print and online publications and is currently working on her third novel.

You can visit her website at https://www.tracyshawn.com/ or connect with her on TwitterFacebook, and Goodreads.


My Review

Floating Underwater was a great read! I really liked Women’s Fiction / Magical Realism / Psychological Fiction genre mix. The author did a great job with the characters, but especially with Paloma Leary. I found myself really liking Paloma Leary as a character.