Thursday, June 30, 2022

FINDING RUBY DRAKER/SHADOWS IN THE AFTERMATH by Marianne Scott

FINDING RUBY DRAKER / SHADOWS IN THE AFTERMATH by Marianne Scott
FINDING RUBY DRAKER by Marianne Scott

Book Details:

​Book Title:  Finding Ruby Draker by Marianne Scott
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+),  330 pages
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Publisher:  Friesen Press
Release date:  Original January 2016. Relaunch March 2022
Tour dates: June 6 to July 1, 2022
Content Rating:  PG-13 +M. Occasional Profanity
Book Description:

Kathleen Jones has lived a protected and typical suburban life, nothing unexpected in her carefully controlled and planned existence. She’s about to complete her college degree and is ready to start a successful career but after completing her last exam she comes home to find her world has been turned upside down. Her home has been torched and her parents and little brother killed.

If that’s not bad enough, she is kidnapped and drugged unconscious by strangers posing as a police officers. When she awakes she discovers that everything has changed – her face, her name, and everything she believed to be true.

But things get worse. Hardly recovered from surgery, she is whisked away under the cover of darkness as more men storm the clinic with guns. It seems that the men who abducted her are not her greatest threat. Now on a private charter on its way to Nice, France, her abductors are calling her Ruby – Ruby Draker!

Finding Ruby Draker is a novel about knowing yourself, accepting change, embracing danger, and taking risks. You never know what life is going to throw at you.
Also Available for Review - Marianne Scott's Upcoming New Release!
SHADOWS IN THE AFTERMATH by Marianne Scott
Book Details:

​Book Title:  Shadows in the Aftermath by Marianne Scott
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+),  330 pages
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Publisher:  Friesen Press
Release date:  June 2022
Tour dates: June 6 to July 1, 2022
Content Rating:  PG-13 +M. Occasional Profanity
Book Description:

Ruby Draker has found new strength and is ready to move on after Felix Szabo devastated the Draker estate in Nice, France. Three Drakers are dead leaving Ruby in grief and with thoughts of revenge. The Drakers are a family built of survivors; each rescued from Felix Szabo, a psychopath, who sought to murder his former agents at the CIA whom he believed betrayed him. The Drakers’ sole mission is to stop Szabo from adding more victims to his list, and although he also perished during the invasion, his legacy continues to haunt them. When the Drakers learn that Robert Draker, presumed dead since the shoot-out at Robert’s farmhouse, may be alive and at a rehab clinic in Portland, Maine, the Drakers know it could be a setup, but they have no choice but to try to nd him and bring Robert home.

​Shocked that Robert may be alive, the family head from France to America to find him. It’s only when they arrive in the west that they realize finding Robert won’t be as easy as they thought. Szabo has found a way to terrorize the Draker family, even after death. His outstanding debt with a Corsican crime family means the Drakers must now find and deliver a shipment of plutonium, which will likely be used by terrorists to create a nuclear bomb, to get Robert back. As Ruby struggles with the decision to save her brother or North America, she must also evade the CIA, who are trying to stop the Drakers from delivering the plutonium. 

Author Marianne Scott

Meet the Author:

Marianne Scott is the Canadian author of four mystery thrillers and is currently finishing an edit on her fourth novel, a murder mystery. She has a BA and a Diploma in Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, CA. She studied creative writing through Conestoga College and Humber College. She enjoys writing workshops such as those offered by Brian Henry, publisher of the blog, Quick Brown Fox, and One Lit Place, a writers’ hub by creator/editor Jenna Kalinsky. She has an author’s website and blog is the president of The Cambridge Writers’ Collective and is a member of the Guelph Genre Writers. In September of 2018, she completed a fourth-year course in Writing Fiction at the University of Guelph under the expert teaching of Lawrence Hill. Her novels, Finding Ruby Draker and Shadows in the Aftermath are self-published. She is actively seeking representation to break into the traditional publishing world with her third and fourth novels.  

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

Sunday, June 26, 2022

CINDERELLA DIDN'T LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER by Anne Beall

 CINDERELLA DIDN'T LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER by Anne E. Beall

CINDERELLA DIDN'T LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER by Anne E. Beall

Book Details:
Book Title:  Cinderella Didn't Live Happily Ever After: The Hidden Messages in Fairy Tales by Anne E. Beall
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+),  126 pages
Genre: Feminist, Fairy Tales, Literary Criticism
Publisher:  Independent Publishing
Release date:  November 17, 2018
Tour dates: June 13 to July 1, 2022
Content Rating:  PG + M. Some fairy tales are a bit gruesome but there is no bad language or explicit sex. 
Book Description:

​Did Cinderella live happily ever after? You might think so until you look more closely at the hidden messages in beloved fairy tales. In this book, fairy tales are analyzed in terms of the underlying messages about marriage, agency, power, suffering, and good versus evil, with a focus on how male and female characters differ in each of these areas. The analysis is a data-driven approach that provides clear evidence for the hidden messages in these beloved tales. The end conclusion is not whether fairy tales are good or bad but rather what messages they deliver about life, even if unintentionally.
Buy the Book:
Amazon
add to Goodreads

Author Anne E. Beall
Meet the Author:

​A leader in the field of market research and one of the few female CEOs in the industry, Anne E. Beall is the author of 10 books in business, gender studies, and mindfulness, including Cinderella Didn’t Live Happily Ever After: The Hidden Messages in Fairy Tales and The Psychology of Gender. Her book Heartfelt Connections was named one of the top 100 Notable Indie books in 2016 by Shelf Unbound, and she has published nearly a dozen business articles in noted journals. Her books have been featured in People Magazine, Toronto Sun, Hers Magazine, and Ms. Career Girl, and she has been interviewed by NBC, NPR, and WGN. Having received her PhD in social psychology from Yale University, Anne resides in Evanston, Illinois and is the founder of the market consultancy company Beall Research.

connect with the author:  website ~ facebook goodreads

Monday, June 20, 2022

Ignatius and the Swords of Nostaw

 Inside the Book



Title: IGNATIUS AND THE SWORDS OF NOSTAW
Author: D.A. Mucci
Publisher: St. Barts Publishing
Genre: YA Fantasy

Book Blurb:

…languages, witty retorts, and running from a fight.

Now he is faced with his first days in high school…

…Is there anything worse than high school?

When a clever, peace-making verbal volley failed, and the guy pulled a switch blade, Iggy took off. A locket he wore warmed up. Suddenly, he wasn’t in Susquehanna, PA anymore. Before he could gather his wits…

…someone had tackled him.

Pinned on the ground, his assailant bade him, be quiet. Something was going on just up ahead. A horrifying-looking knight in black armor, and a strange looking creature were locked in battle.

The knight won.

The large dog-bird beast, lay dying. Iggy sensed evil had won. When the man let him up, they eased forward to see if the dog-bird beast was dead.

No. And with its dying words…

…the warrior gave Iggy his swords.

And thus, Ignatius adventure began.

“A beautiful read.” — Robin Roberts, as seen on Good Morning America

★★★★★“D.A. Mucci does such a great job of creating a universe that is entirely fantastical yet believable and relatable. Ignatius and the Swords of Nostaw has an almost Harry Potter-ness to it in that we are guided into this world through the eyes of a character who is learning of it the same as the reader and who is a character very similar to its target audience. But, it is also entirely different in a good way. I have honestly not taken to a fantasy novel as much as this one in quite a long time. The author is an excellent storyteller and writer.” — Kate Leboff

★★★★★ Right from the start this story is breathtaking in how much detailed surrounding the kingdom of Skye… a once luscious and beautiful place that had been filled with animals and people. Now it’s a kingdom with no beating heart. In desperate for a hero, a teen named Iggy finds himself becoming the hero these people need. Mastering a set of growing magic skills in a challenge but its mastering the skills in handling the towering secrets that are claiming Skye is something else altogether. A wondrous journey in a finely painted world. Highly recommended.”—Lori Goodreads review

★★★★★“The author managed to create quite intriguing magical world full of fantastic beasts, some of which are not what you typically expect from beasts – they are mighty warriors, living in seclusion, whose abilities in battles are legendary. The world building is really nice and takes your imagination to amazing places. Combine this with an awkward, introvert and insecure boy who gets swallowed into the greatest adventure of his life, one which is too big for him to understand at a time, but he grows and shows his worth and true power. Definitely recommend this book.”—Lia Goodreads review

Book Information

Release Date: October 10, 2021

Publisher:  St. Barts Publishing

Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-1737277804; 294 pages; $9.99; E-Book, FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ooqGwz


 

Meet the Author



Months of self-induced isolation to protect loved ones from exposure to Covid-19 led Emergency Medicine Physician David Mucci to create a fantasy world as an outlet to manage pandemic stress and support his own mental health.  The resulting novel, Ignatius and the Swords of Nostaw (St. Bart’s Publishing, October 2021), tells the tale of an impossible mission led by an unlikely hero – a relatable feeling for many figuring out how to survive unprecedented circumstances in 2020.

Accustomed to acting quickly to save a life or manage an urgent health situation by applying the knowledge and experience gained over his nearly 40 years in emergency medicine, Dr. Mucci deeply felt the impact of the pandemic in the ER.

“Amongst widespread unknowns, without comparable experiences to help manage patient outcomes while trying to keep up on ever-changing medical news to treat suffering patients, the pandemic was a higher level of stress to endure.  Coupled with the deep fear of bringing a deadly virus into my home after ER shifts, I needed to dig deeper than TV binges or reading books to cope and to remember the potential each person has to be a hero in everyday life,” said Mucci.

The product of his creative outlet is the coming-of-age story of 15-year-old Ignatius, “Iggy”, who is thrown into a world of unknowns, transported to a medieval world filled with magic.  Based on research of myths and legends, Mucci created The Kingdom of Skye, the setting for Iggy to develop special powers and accomplish quests to fight evildoers and find his way home.

According to Mucci, Iggy must learn to trust a diverse set of characters but also learn to believe in himself and grow; much like as a medical provider, Mucci had to trust himself, trust his colleagues and learn how to adapt during the pandemic.

The first in a planned 5-part series, Ignatius and the Swords of Nostaw is YA fantasy suitable for both teens and adults as it gently reminds readers that they are responsible for their own destiny, and that sometimes the most unexpected people can be the best teachers.

At 67 years old writing a YA Lit fantasy series, Mucci is also proving that there is no limit for being creative.  “The only limitation is the one that you place on yourself and on your imagination,” says Mucci.

Visit his website at https://damucci.com or connect with him on Facebook.

My Review

Ignatius and the Swords of Nostaw was a great read. I have to say that I really enjoyed reading it and it was painful to put it down when all I wanted to do was read it in one go!I really liked the character Iggy and the world of magic he was thrown into.

 



Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Reversal of Fortune

 



Inside The Book

Title: REVERSAL OF FORTUNE
Author: F.M. Meredith
Publisher: 31 Months LLC
Pages: 190
Genre: Mystery

Book Blurb:

A fortune teller is murdered in the small beach town of Rocky Bluff, California. The RBPD’s investigation uncovers several suspects—all with motives and opportunity. But which one killed her?

The body of a suspect is discovered on the fortune teller’s property. Clearly, the two killings are related, but how? Who is responsible?

Meanwhile, the mayor’s daughter, Kayla, whose best friend is Detective Doug Milligan’s daughter, is upset because her mother’s sister wants her to leave Rocky Bluff to live with her in Los Angeles. Can her friends convince Kayla’s aunt to leave her there with her father?

Book Information

Release Date: April 8, 2022

Publisher: 31 Months LLC;

Soft Cover: ASIN: B09XLQCNZB; 190 pages; $12.99; E-Book, $2.99

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EA50Eo

 


Meet The Author

 F.M. Meredith, also known as Marilyn Meredith, has had 48 books published as well as two short stories, most are mysteries, but also a few Christian horror, a roman with supernatural elements, and a cookbook. She’s taught writing in many venues including for Writers Digest and many conferences. She lives in the foothills of the Sierra with her husband.

Her latest book is the mystery, Reversal of Fortune.

You can visit her website at http://fictionforyou.com/ or her blog at https://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

My Review
REVERSAL OF FORTUNE by F.M. Meredith made for a good mystery read. I ended up using this book as a before bed reading book and I have to say there were nights where I struggled to stop reading and go to bed.I liked the way the author started out with one killing and then added in the death of a suspect as it really added an element of extra suspense to the book.

Thursday, June 9, 2022

SHADOW OF MURDER

 

Picture
SHADOW OF MURDER by Lauren Carr

Book Details:

Book Title: Shadow of Murder by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 14)
Category:  Adult fiction, 496 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery / Police Procedural / Crime Fiction
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  Mar 30, 2022
Format available for review:  ebook (mobi, epub, PDF), audiobook (audible download code after May 1)
Tour dates:  March 28 to June 24, 2022
Content Rating: PG-13. Lauren Carr's mysteries are murder mysteries. Sometimes, the murder does happen on-stage. There is no graphic violence or explicit sex.There is some very mild language (hell or damn, very few and far between) No F-Bombs!

"Five Stars for Lauren Carr's 14th book of the Mac Faraday Murder Mysteries, Shadow of Murder! In this new release, she has recaptured the fun of cute "creatures" with the fast-moving, suspenseful, and captivating mystery, along with her usual touch of romance." - review by Lu Ann Worley, Rockin' Book Reviews

"This newest title in the author's Mac Faraday cozy murder mystery series offers Lauren Carr's most intricate plot to date - full of twists and turns guaranteed to keep readers up until the wee hours. While still full of the humor, fun critters and touch of romance that are her trademark, the author has also woven in a dark supernatural element that whispers through to the startling ending." - review by Marilyn R. Wilson, bestselling author, freelance writer, editor, and speaker at Olio by Marilyn.

Book Description:

You can't move to the next chapter of your life, without tying up loose ends in the previous.
 
True crime blogger, Erica Hart starts a new chapter in her life with a bang when a dark shadow darts into the mountain road to send her SUV off a cliff and to the bottom of Deep Creek Lake. Spencer’s newest addition to the police force, Dusty O’Meara assumes it was a bear. Erica is not so sure.
 
Soon afterwards, contractors discover Konnor Langston’s body at the bottom of an abandoned swimming pool at the new summer home of Mac Faraday’s son.
 
With Police Chief David O’Callaghan away on paternity leave, Deputy Chief Dusty O’Meara must lead the investigation in his first murder case since moving to Spencer. Not only does Dusty have to work under the shadow of the legendary Mac Faraday, but he also has to match wits with Erica, who is determined to find justice for Konnor, her childhood friend.
 
Mac isn’t so difficult. Even Gnarly, the town’s canine mayor, is manageable if his authority is well-respected and he is kept entertained.
 
Erica Hart, Dusty finds, is more of a challenge. It wouldn’t be so difficult if she wasn’t so irresistible.

BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon
Audible
add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor. 

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.  

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. 

She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. 

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

My Review

Shadow of Murder (A Mac Faraday Mystery Book 14) by Lauren Carr was amazing! I can not believe that this series already has 14 books in it and that I have read them all! While it is truly hard to pick a favorite I have to say that this one is probably my favorite (so far). I liked seeing Deputy Chief Dusty O’Meara as the lead of the murder, especially since it was his first one to solve. I really liked the way he interacted with the different characters like Mac and Gnarly as well as the addition of blogger Erica Hart. 


Sunday, June 5, 2022

CRIMES PAST

 With her usual panache, Lauren Carr blends the grittiness of murder(s) with a good deal of humor, the latter revolving largely around Gnarly and David's Belgian shepherd, Storm, who would much rather be couch potato-ing than anything involving exertion." - review by Lelia Taylor, Buried Under Books


Lauren Carr is one of the best authors I know who is able to combine humor and drama in one captivating and easy-listen story. Yes, you can listen to this one, narrated by Mike Alger. Mr. Alger has read several of Mac's series, so he has the voices down, along with the variations and the tone." - review by Merry Citarella, Mystery Suspense Reviews
CRIMES PAST by Lauren CarrCLICK BOOK COVER TO LEARN MORE
Book Details:

Book Title: Crimes Past by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 13)
Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 245 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  October 16, 2018
Format available for review:  Audible download, ebook (mobi, epub, PDF)
Tour dates:  March 28 to June 24, 2022
Content Rating: PG-13 - Lauren Carr's mysteries are murder mysteries. Sometimes, the murder does happen on-stage. There is no graphic violence or explicit sex.There is some very mild language (hell or damn, very few and far between) No F-Bombs!

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

Author Lauren Carr
Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor. 

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.  

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. 

She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. 

connect with the author: website  ~  facebook  ~  instagram ~ pinterest ~ bookbub ~ GoodReads 

My Review
Crimes Past (A Mac Faraday Mystery Book 13) by Lauren Carr was a great audio book. I recently took a car trip and I listened to this audiobook during the entire drive! The narration was top notch and the story was even better than the last one in the series! I really liked that the cold case Mac dived into for this one came from the family of one of his former homicide squad members. It was cool getting to read about Mac's former squadmates and I love the dynamics that came with it!

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Kingdomless (The Evamore Series Book 1) by Michelle Garyfalakis

 KINGDOMLESS by Michelle GaryFalakis


Book Details:

Book Title:  Kingdomless (The Evamore Series Book 1) by Michelle Garyfalakis
Category:  YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 422 pages
Genre:  YA Fantasy Romance
Publisher:  Self-Published
Release date:   January 2022
Formats Available for Review: print - softback (internationally), e-book (MOBI for Kindle, PDF), audiobook (audible download)
Tour dates: May 16 to June 3, 2022
Content Rating:  PG-13 +M: There is a scene where our main character is held at knife point and her attacker grabs her breasts without consent. The word 'nipple' is used in this situation. This is the reason for the added "M" in the rating.
Book Description:

The remnants of the United Kingdom of Garth, once ruled by the legendary Dynasty of Evamores are in the throes of conflict. Ten years ago, King Wren of the West discovered Raelle washed up on the shores of the Balour Sea, with no memory of the first nine years of her life. She was brought back to the castle and dutifully cared for and cherished by the king and his three older sons. On her nineteenth birthday, the Western Kingdom's adoptive princess is secretly sent away by her stepmother to marry King Veras as a token of peace between the kingdoms. But, the Northern King has other plans.

As Raelle's amnesia melts away with the help of a northern storyteller, she discovers more about the Kingdom of Garth, magic, the lovetie connection of the Evamores, and her role in the grand scheme of things. She is confused, angry, and curiously comfortable in the North.

A dark shadow overcasts all of the kingdoms, and the threatening influence of the fallen god Kellar seems to spread among the people, inciting disorder and violence. While the fate of the kingdoms may rest on Raelle's shoulders, she can't help but feel kingdomless. Betrayal is everywhere, from her own adoptive family to her newfound friends. Fearless, observant, witty, and determined, she is town between her attraction to King Veras' good nature and the unexplained pull to the Tracker Calak. The challenge that she faces is not simple. As the old gods, laws and magic awaken, so does her own sense of self. There is a choice to be made, step into the role expected of her, or dive into the unknown and make her own destiny.

This YA fantasy novel asks the readers important coming of age questions, captures the attention with witty dialogue, relatable characters, and a world that is reawakening its forgotten magic. The readers will be entranced and hungry for more (and perhaps a piece of chocolate cake).
BUY THE BOOK
Amazon 
Author Michelle Garyfalakis
Meet the Author:

MICHELLE GARYFALAKIS was born and raised throughout Ontario, Canada. She currently lives just outside of Hamilton, Ontario with her husband, four kids and Snowy (their friendly Samoyed-Border Collie). When she isn't obsessively typing out new stories on her computer, you can find her drinking coffee with a friend, snacking on some guacamole or binge watching Outlander (again). Michelle loves finding creative ways to communicate with people, and her passion for storytelling is the newest addition to that list. 

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