June 2018 Review Books

June 2018 From Netgalley - a much shorter list 

The Last Rodeo by Delores Fossen 6/28

Outbreak by Melissa F. Olson 6/5

A Study in Treason by Leonard Goldberg 6/12

Prisoner of the Crown by Jeffe Kennedy 6/12

Mira’s Last Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold 6/30

The Cottages on Silver Beach by RaeAnne Thayne 6/19

The Darwin Variant by Kenneth Johnson 6/12

For the Brave by Holly Bush - Blurb Blitz and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Holly Bush will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Historical Fiction

Blurb:

1869 – Matthew Gentry joined the Confederate Army at eighteen years of age after an argument with his father, leaving Paradise, his Virginia home and famed horse breeding stables, for the fields of Gettysburg. Having survived the War Between the States, Gentry is haunted by the violence and inhumanity of the war. He continues to roam the country long after the conflict is over, finding solace in the arms of soiled doves and at the bottom of whiskey bottles. Finally traveling home after learning of a family tragedy, he nearly loses his life in a spring-flooded riverbed.

Annie Campbell, lone survivor of her family, lives at a remote farm near the North River, raising pigs and trying to grow enough to feed herself, and to stay out of the crosshairs of the Thurmans, violent men who run the town of Bridgewater. Annie’s secrets threaten her safety, even as she rescues and nurses Matthew Gentry.

Matthew knows he must return to Paradise, to grieve with his family. Will his heart lead him back to Bridgewater and Annie Campbell?

Read an Excerpt:

The rain had finally stopped long enough for Annie Campbell to feed the hogs and not get soaked to the skin. She pulled on her father’s brown hat, the brim bent down so far that it was barely recognizable as a brim any longer. She stepped into her brother’s boots, pushing down on the newsprint that lined the soles where the leather had worn through. She pulled on her coat over the heavy wool shirt she wore and tucked the legs of her flannel pants down into her boots. She threw another log on the fire before she left and stirred the soup in the back of the fireplace.

Annie moved the shotgun from her right hand to her left and picked up the bucket sitting on her front porch beside the old rocker. There were plenty of scraps there to keep the hogs happy and fat, and the fatter they were the better price she’d get from Jeb Barlow, a neighbor man who took her hogs to auction in Harrisonburg when he took his heifers. For a price, of course.

“Dinnertime!” she called. “The sun is finally coming out and I’m able to get out here and feed y’all.”

Two great pigs and nine piglets came trotting over to the trough where Annie was dumping the scraps. They were snorting and oinking loud enough that she could barely hear herself think. But it was springtime, her hogs would sell soon, and it was a beautiful day. Even though she was not naturally happy or ebullient, the sun breaking through after endless weeks of wet, chilly spring weather was threatening to make her feel some joy. What an odd feeling, she thought, as she spun in the warm sunbeams. Maybe tomorrow she wouldn’t even need her coat when she went out to do her chores.

She took a look along the fence line she intended to fix this spring, and fix it she would starting tomorrow, the whole way down to where it stopped at the stand of trees. Past those trees was the North River, just a large stream at this point but with all the rain, she imagined it was well over its banks as had happened on other occasions.

There was something standing there just inside the tree line. She brought her shotgun up to her shoulder instinctively, but it wasn’t a who. It was a what. A deer? No. Her eyes were playing tricks on her now. She walked down the slope toward the trees to get a better look. She stopped dead in her tracks when she realized it was a horse. A horse meant a man. She turned and ran back to the house as fast as her feet would carry her. She threw the bar over the door and climbed on the stool to see out the slit on that side of the cabin. The horse had walked out of the trees and stopped in the tall grass. She climbed down, opened her mother’s sewing box, picked up the tray that held the spools of thread, and pulled out her father’s spyglass.

About the Author:

Holly Bush writes historical romance set on the American Prairie, in Victorian England, and recently released her first Women’s Fiction title. Her books are described as emotional, with heartfelt, sexy romance. She makes her home with her husband in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. http://www.hollybushbooks.com
http://www.twitter.com/hollybushbooks
Facebook
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/holly-bush
https://www.amazon.com/Holly-Bush/e/B006ZDTQ1A/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Buy Links:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y1PNDTC/ref=sr_1_23
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/for-the-brave-holly-bush/1126163737
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/for-the-brave/id1222434376?mt=11
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/for-the-brave
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Holly_Bush_For_the_Brave?id=otOYDgAAQBAJ

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 245 - Royal Mess by Jenna Sutton, Magick Run Amok by Sharon Pape

Royal Mess by Jenna Sutton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Royal Mess contains two novellas. Each featured two royal bothers who seem to be different but express the same emotions in very different ways. The first features Tessa Lulach and Prince Leo, The Polar Prince. Tessa needs a liver transplant and Leo offers part of his. This leads to a interesting love story. The second features Tessa's sister Cassie Lulach and Leo's brother Prince Marco, the playboy prince. They also have an interesting romance. Both are fun to read. If you cannot get enough of royalty these are a good choice.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.


Magick Run Amok by Sharon Pape
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This took a long time to get to the heart of the story but once it did the mystery played out in an interesting and exciting way. I liked the characters. All had special qualities that added to the story line. This is book three and because I had not read the first two I did think I was missing out on some of the subtexts. Still a nice cozy mystery filled with cats.

I received a free copy fo the book in return for an honest review.

View all my reviews

You Never Forget Your First Earl by Ella Quinn - Book Blast and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Ella will be awarding a signed copy of the book (International Giveaway) to 5 randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

With her three good friends all recently married, Elizabeth Turley is ready for some husband-hunting of her own. One gentleman in particular sparks her interest. Geoffrey, Earl of Harrington is tall, handsome, and dashing. He’s also just a bit too sure of himself. But Elizabeth has observed enough about the rules of attraction to pique the earl’s attention. Yet once she has it, the discovery of a troubling secret taints her future happiness . . .

Lord Harrington must marry or lose a prestigious position in Brussels, and pretty, well-connected Elizabeth fits his needs admirably. But could it be that he has underestimated his bride? She doesn’t bat an eye in the face of the danger they encounter overseas. She’s strong-willed, intelligent, and more enticing each day—yet also more indifferent to him. Now Geoffrey faces his greatest challenge: to woo and win his own wife, or risk losing her for good . . .

Read an Excerpt:

“It would not be only you pretending you might be interested in me,” Lord Littleton explained. “I would be seen to be interested in you as well.”

This still seemed unnecessary. Either Lord Harrington would want her for herself or not. She did not like to engage in deceptions. “To what purpose?”

“My dear lady.” Lord Littleton possessed himself of her hands, his gaze capturing hers.

Good Lord, the man was dangerous. She sent a prayer of thanks to the deity that she was not affected by him. “Do you do that on purpose?”

He shook his head and stared at her. “Do what?”

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him. “Look into a woman’s eyes as if she were the only lady on earth you wished to be with.”

“Ah, no,” he said a little sheepishly. “It just happens. I can’t seem to stop myself.”

“It’s like this, Lizzy”—her brother cut in—“any gentleman who’s interested in a lady don’t wish to see another man making up to her.” He gave his friend a disgusted look. “Littleton agreed to help, but you can see how dangerous it is for him to be in Town. He truly can’t help himself from flirting, and he’ll soon find himself in a bumble-bath if he remains too long. He’s not ready for a leg-shackle yet, but he’d be bound to raise some lady’s expectations and that won’t do.”

“That’s it exactly.” Lord Littleton must have realized he was still holding Elizabeth’s hands and released them. “But that’s not the only reason Turley and I thought I’d be the best one. You see, Harrington and I never got on well together. That will give him the extra incentive to court you properly.”

“And,” Gavin added, “Littleton is so full of juice that he is just as eligible as Harrington. Other than the title that is.”

Her brother and Lord Littleton focused their gazes on her, and she glanced from one man to the other. “I understand.” Or she thought she did. Men were such strange creatures. She wondered why Lord Harrington did not like Lord Littleton. He seemed amiable enough. “Very well, then. How do we begin?”



About the Author:

USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn’s studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side. Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them. She is married to her wonderful husband of over thirty years. They have a son and two beautiful granddaughters, and a Portuguese Water Dog. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true and are now living on a sailboat. After cruising the Caribbean and North America, she completed a transatlantic crossing from St. Martin to Southern Europe. She's currently living in Germany, happily writing while her husband is back at work, recovering from retirement. Website: http://www.ellaquinnauthor.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EllaQuinnAuthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ellaquinnauthor
Blog: http://ellaquinnauthor.wordpresscom/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Never-Forget-Your-First-Worthingtons/dp/1420145185/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/you-never-forget-your-first-earl-ella-quinn/1127062571?ean=9781420145182#/

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Ruby by Emily Mims - Book Blast and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Emily will be awarding digital copies of books one and two in the Smoky Blues series, Mist and Smoke to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Forty years ago Lexi Barstow and Collins Wentworth thought they had made the biggest mistakes of their lives. Heartbreaking choices and bitter tears cemented a pact that would shape who they were and what they would be. But now so much has changed...except the passion they share and the differences between them. But some things are fixable, and with forever staring them hard in the face, they learn all their decisions brought them to this place...an ever after filled with love.

Read an excerpt:

She pushed open the restroom door to leave and stopped in her tracks. Collins was leaning against the wall with his hands folded in front of him, a small smile playing around his lips. Lexi felt her pulse ratchet up a notch and her breath catch. But she’d be damned if she let him see that. “Fancy meeting you again this afternoon,” she teased. “Did you and Sarabeth finish working the room?”

Collins laughed softly. “Was it that obvious? I thought I was being friendly to my daughter’s friends and family.”

“You were that, sure.” Lexi felt a smile curve her lips. “But yes, you were working the room, exactly as you did at Kylie’s wedding. You’re good at it, Collins. But you need to find a friendlier sidekick. Sarabeth is a little too…shall we say, selectively friendly.”

Collins had the grace to wince. “Out of the mouth of babes and Lexi Barstow. You couldn’t varnish the truth if you had to.”

“No, I couldn’t. Never did, never will. Sorry about that.”

“Honesty isn’t a bad thing.” He paused and appeared to be taking a deep breath. “Go out with me tonight, Lexi,” he asked suddenly. His smile widened. “I’d like to take you out on the town.”

Lexi stared at him in shock. That was the last thing she expected to hear from him. “Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

She didn’t try to hide her surprise. “Why?”

“Why does any man want to take out a beautiful woman?” He stepped closer and took her hand. “Because he wants to be in her company, that’s why. Because he’d like to sit across the table from her and enjoy some good conversation and a medium-rare steak.” He looked her in the eye. “I’ve been alone now for four years and divorced for two of them. I’ve spent a lot of time by myself and it gets damned lonely. Let’s go out tonight, Lexi. I’d love to spend an evening with you.”

Lexi’s heart thudded in her throat at his touch. She felt herself shiver as memories flooded her mind of how his hands had caressed her those long years ago. Common sense told her that going out with him would be a bad idea. Common sense reminded her that Collins Wentworth was nothing but trouble. It seemed that her body felt otherwise.

About the Author:

The author of over thirty romance novels, Emily Mims combined her writing career with a career in public education until leaving the classroom to write full time. The mother of two sons, she and her husband split their time between central Texas, eastern Tennessee, and Georgia visiting their kids and grandchildren. For relaxation Emily plays the piano, organ, dulcimer, and ukulele for two different performing groups, and even sings a little. She says, “I love to write romances because I believe in them. Romance happened to me and it can happen to any woman—if she’ll just let it.”

website: http://www.emilymims.com
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/emily.mims.756
twitter: http://twitter.com/emilymimsauthor
instagram: http://www.instagram.com/mims_emily

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Emily-Mims/e/B00FQQ247K/ref=sr_tc_2_0

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 244 - Beyond Control by Kat Martin, By Fire Above by Robyn Dennis

Beyond Control by Kat Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just when you think you know where all the danger is coming from another threat arrives. This time it is Josh Cain's time to get thrown off balance. Victoria Bradford is running from a abusive ex fiancé and Josh gives her a job and a place to hide. Then Josh becomes the target because of his military background. Between the two they cannot relax their guard. This has it all. Danger from two sides and tension between the two main characters. Both must face their past and decide what they want for their future. A great ending to the Texas Trilogy.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.


By Fire Above by Robyn Bennis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved The Guns Above and was excited when By Fire Above came out. While I enjoyed the book I felt it was not up to the standard set by book one. This time Josette Dupre spends more time on the ground than in the air. First it is politics, something that she fails at in spite of the help Lord Bernat and his older brother give her. All of this was rather slow and while interesting I just kept wanting Josette back in the air. The real action did not start until the very last part of the book. There once again the story took off and was hard to put down. Josette and Bernat are both interesting characters and it is fun to see more of their backstory and history. Bernat is changing and becoming a much nicer character. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next Signal Airship book.

View all my reviews

Short and Sweet Book Reviews #243 - Ocean Light by Nalini Singh, Scandal Above Stairs by Jennifer Ashley

Ocean Light by Nalini Singh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have been slow to get into this series but kept at it as I loved original Psy-Changeling and all of its characters. Now there are a whole new set of humans and a unique set of changelings. While some of the characters from the first series make appearances (I loved it when they showed up) this time it is the water changelings and humans who are featured. In this second book we get to see Bowen Knight again and it is a bit of a surprise as he was shot and feared dead in the last book. He has to work very hard to get Kaia Luna's, a water changelings) trust. Along the way he needed to have help before it kills him in fixing the mesh preventing the Psy from accessing his brain. Betrayal on both sides keep the tension high as Bowen and Kaia work to stop a war between water based changelings and humans from breaking out. This is another interesting well plotted story that solves one problem but leaves another that needs to be solved.

Scandal Above Stairs by Jennifer Ashley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved book one, Scandal Below Stairs. Book two is a step above. Much of the back story and character development has already been done and the plot flows much smoother. This is a great mystery that kept me guessing. Daniel and Kat are more comfortable with each other and their interaction is more interesting this time. I loved the new characters and how they fit into the series. Ashley does a very good job of writing historical mysteries and I do not plan to miss a one.

I received free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Unringing the Bell by Judy Higgins - Virtual Tour and Giveaway

Unringing the Bell

by Judy Higgins

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GENRE: Mystery

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BLURB:

In the small town of Goose Bend, Pennsylvania, people don't forget. Especially something as sensational as 12-year-old Jacob Gillis burning down the town. Nineteen years later, Jacob returns, hoping for redemption. Instead, he finds himself entangled in a murder investigation. The prosecutor, taking advantage of Jacob's involvement with the victim's beautiful sister-in-law, threatens Jacob with loss of career and reputation if he doesn't play by his rules. Only by outwitting the prosecutor can Jacob save his future.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt 

When Jacob Gillis was twelve years old, he burned down the town of Goose Bend, Pennsylvania. The fire didn’t actually consume the entire town – only two blocks of the four-block business section went up in flames – but when the folks in Goose Bend spoke of the incident, they persisted in saying that Jacob Gillis, abetted by his friend Charlie Garrett, burned down the town.

Jacob watched Laskey walk back to the Sequoia, his limp barely detectable, and for the thousandth time he wondered why his friend kept what had happened to his foot a secret. But there were some places Laskey didn’t go – formidable Laskey with his gruff manner and hard-muscled body. He was a private person and sometimes a grizzly bear, but he had a goose-down heart which he tried like heck to hide. But Jacob knew.

Laskey grasped the arms of his chair and pushed his feet hard against the floor to contain himself. For a brief moment, the thought had rushed through his head that a jail term for assaulting a DA would be worth enduring for the pleasure of smashing Inglehook’s head against his desk.

Laskey squared his shoulders, turned around, and looked Jacob in the eyes. “Don’t get yourself in a mess, Jake. Extrication isn’t always possible.” He started for the door.

“Give back the painting,” he called over his shoulder. “And Jake,” he paused and twisted around. “Don’t ever mistake pretty wrappings for the quality of the gift inside.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

INTERVIEW 

1.     What group did you hang out with in high school?

I always liked the active kids who were up for action and adventure. No sitting around for me! I wanted to be with the group who was first in the swimming pool, or raring to go on a hike or play baseball. Sometimes, I also spent time with the group who hung out in the science lab after school. We made slides for biology class or worked on demonstrations for physics.

2.     What are you passionate about these days?

People who can’t afford to eat. Elephants. Tennis.

I spent about a year interviewing people who came to my church for the once-a-month free lunch we offered for the indigent, writing their stories in a blog. Every story was different and it was an education for me. Previously, I’d thought that most people who wanted a job could get a job. I had no idea of the many, many reasons why they couldn’t. In all the people I interviewed, there was maybe one who was taking advantage of the system. I’d have to write a book to cover all the issues. Anyone interested in some of these stories can check them out at justlunch.weebly.com.

Then there are the elephants. Sometimes it looks as though they have more compassion than some humans. Two books that are great reads are Life, Love, and Elephants by Dame Daphne Sheldrick and Elephant Man by Vicki Croke. If you were ever in doubt about the intelligence of elephants, the stories in these two books should banish your doubts.

Tennis saves me! It’s my exercise; it’s a social activity four times a week (I’ve made a whole bunch of incredible friends on the court); and it’s a stress reliever. A few whack, whack, whacks at the ball gets rid of a lot of writer-induced frustration. And I love watching Federer play, as well as Nadal. I will be very sad when they retire. 

3.     If you had to do your journey to getting published all over again, what would you do differently?

I lucked out with my first book, The Lady. It was named a finalist in the 2012 Amazon Break-out Novel Contest, so getting agents to look at it wasn’t a problem. Winning a prize also gave me the confidence to keep going, and has made the whole publishing process a lot easier.

4.     EBook or print? And why?

I’m not sure why there should have to be a choice. Books should be in every from available! And that includes audio-books. Nat Jones, a Charleston, SC actor has made an audiobook of Unringing the Bell. When I listened to his read of the first two chapters, I felt the most excitement I’d felt in a long time (since winning the award for The Lady). Having an actor read what you’ve written is a truly amazing experience. The Lady has also just come out as an audiobook. Also, a movie producer has shown a bit of interest in The Lady. THAT will be beyond amazing if it happens. I’ve picked out the cast: Julia Roberts, Diane Lane, Holly Hunter, Queen Latifa, Brad Pitt. Wow!

5.     What is your favorite scene in this book?

A friend of mine told me a story about what happened at his senior prom. I loved the story so much that I incorporated it into Unringing the Bell. I won’t tell you what happened, but the tension that still exists in the book thirteen years after the prom was the driving factor for the relationship between my protagonist, Jacob Gillis, and the beautiful sister-in-law of the murder victim. The issue is resolved in the very last scene. I still get a kick out of reading that scene.

I also especially like the chapters in the book where Aunt Zuela (Dr. Zuela Hay, distinguished professor of Shakespeare) is part of the action. She’s zany, funny, outspoken, and unpredictable. My agent told me she was “too far out” and that I had to tone her down. He was unconvinced by my reply that she was based on an actual person, so I reluctantly made her less zany. I think he was probably right. But “too far out” or not, I had fun with her. 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Judy Higgins was born in South Georgia where she grew up playing baseball, reading, and taking piano lessons. To pay for her lessons, she raised chickens and sold eggs to neighbors. She attended Mercer University for two years, and then Baylor University from which she graduated with a BA in German. She received her MA in German literature from The University of Michigan. After teaching German for several years, Judy decided to become a librarian and earned an MA in Library Science at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania.

Judy’s life took an exciting turn when she left her teaching job in Pennsylvania to be Head of Library at the Learning Center School of Qatar Foundation. She lived in Qatar for eight years, enjoying the experience of living in a different culture and traveling to exotic places during every vacation. Recently, she returned to the United States and lives in Lexington, KY. Judy has two children, Julia and Stephen, two children-in-law, Jim and Erin, and four grandchildren: Kyle, Jon, Karina, and Addy.

Judy’s first book, The Lady, was a finalist in the 2012 Amazon Break-out Novel Award. The first two novels of her Bucks County Mysteries, Unringing the Bell and Bride of the Wind are available March 1, 2018. The series is set in an imaginary small town in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Call me Mara, the story of Ruth and Naomi, is scheduled for publication in March, 2019.

In addition to writing, Judy’s passions include travel, tennis, elephants, and playing the piano.

http://www.Judyhigginsbooks.com

http://www.Buckscountymysteries.com

http://www.Callmemara.com

http://www.Judyhigginslady.com

https://www.facebook.com/judyhigginsauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudyHBooks

https://www.amazon.com/Unringing-Bell-Bucks-County-Mysteries/dp/0692998853/ 

Amazon author page URL:            https://www.amazon.com/Judy-Higgins/e/B00FZQOZPU

Barnes and Noble Author URL:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unringing-the-bell-judy-higgins/1128014473

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

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Be sure to visit the other blogs on the tour.

March 1: Christine Young
March 6: Edgars's Books
March 8: XoXo Book Blog
March 13: Sharing Links and Wisdom
March 15: Stormy Nights Reviewing and Bloggin'
March 20: It's Raining Books
March 22: Let me Tell you a Story
March 27: A Chick Who Reads
March 29: Unabridged Andra's - review
April 3: BooksChatter
April 5: Read Your Writes Book Reviews
April 10: Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews
April 12: The Reading Addict
April 17: The Avid Reader
April 19: Queen of All She Reads
April 24: The Mystery Section
April 26: Author C.A.Milson
May 1: Fabulous and Brunette
May 3: Two Crazy Ladies Love Romance
May 8: Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 10: Harlie's Books
May 15: Hope. Dreams. Life... Love
May 17: Jazzy Book Reviews
May 22: La libreria di Beppe
May 24: Mixed Book Bag
May 29: Musings From An Addicted Reader
May 31: Readeropolis
June 5: Locks, Hooks and Books - review
June 7: Sapphyria's Books
June 12: Long and Short Reviews

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 242 - Need to Know by Fern Michaels, Head On by John Scalzi

Need to Know by Fern Michaels
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is book 28 in the Sisterhood series and the first one I have listened to. The series seems to be popular but it just did not resonate with me. I found the entire story line ridiculous. In the end I even felt sorry with the man they were out to get even with. I wondered how the famous singer ever let someone take that much advantage of her. On the plus side it did show some very strong women who knew how to take care of themselves and their friends. I think if I had been reading this it would have been a DNF. Since I was listening when I was driving I gave it a pass.


Head On by John Scalzi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What is not to love in a game where you can take the head off of a player and do no damage. If you have Haden’s Syndrome and pilot a threep it can be done. Everything is OK until someone finds a way to kill a player. This is a fun mystery with so many suspects you need a chart to keep score. I love Chris Shane and Leslie Vann, the two FBI agents investigating the crime. Chris has Haden's and leaves a trail of damaged or destroyed tweeps where every he goes. Vann is a gritty in your face detective who get results. She and Chris are great working together. You do need to read Lock In before starting Head On to keep from being confused about who and what people with Haden's can do.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 241 - Shifter Mate Magic: Ice Age Shifters by Carol Van Natta, A Duke Like No Other by Valerie Bowman

Shifter Mate Magic: Ice Age Shifters Book 1 by Carol Van Natta
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jackie Breton is on the run and fearing for her life and the life of her unborn baby. Lucky for her Trevor Hammond, prehistoric bear shifter crosses her path and helps save the day. This is another fun shifter story with two really interesting characters. The action is ongoing and the tension keeps building as the story progresses. Even after they are safe there are still issues that need to be solved. I loved the prehistoric bear part of the story. It made Trevor even more appealing.


A Duke Like No Other by Valerie Bowman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a good use of the married but apart for years trope. Mark Grimaldi has let his pride rule his marriage and as a result he has not seen his wife in 10 years. Now he needs a favor and Nicole Huntington Grimaldi will grant it in return for one of her own. This has all the needed elements for a good story. Attraction that has not died, secrets that need to be revealed, and a murder that changes everything.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Asta and the Barbarians by Becca Fox - Book Blast and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Becca will be awarding custom made bookmarks, coasters, and magnets to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour

Asta heard about King Torvald's crusade and watched her people fortify the town's defenses, but she never imagined foreign invaders would come to her peaceful shores. In one fateful night, she loses everything she holds dear and somehow gains the favor of the warrior god. Has he given her the tools she needs for revenge or does he have a greater plan in store?

Read an Excerpt:

I waited until I couldn’t hear his boots slapping against the floor. Then I eased the door shut, leaned against the rough wood and laughed. It sounded hysterical, almost maniacal, even to my own ears. I clapped a hand over my mouth then, suddenly overwhelmed with grief. Because I wasn’t free. I would never be free of him.

Sliding down the length of the door, I sobbed as quietly as I could manage. The events of the last few weeks washed over me with their terror and grisliness. I allowed myself to mourn my parents, my sister, my fiancé, my friends, the servants who had so diligently cared for me, the quaint little town I had once hated, and the naïve, self-centered child I had once been.

About the Author:

Becca Fox was that strange girl in high school, who always seemed to have her nose in a book. She didn’t talk much because, more often than not, she was daydreaming about different fantasy worlds. During class, under the guise of taking notes, she wrote scenes for her works in progress.

Becca is a bit more social now but still enjoys reading, writing, and daydreaming. She lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, a fat orange tabby cat, and a forever-puppy. She has published three books to date, I Dare You to Love Me (a young adult romance), In the Dark (a new adult paranormal romance), and Asta and the Barbarians (a new adult fantasy.)

Links:

Blog: https://fanofthefiction.wordpress.com
Website: http://becca-fox.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Becca-Fox/e/B076PTNPV9/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17274613.Becca_Fox
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bears_Goose1?lang=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beccajfoxauthor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/beccajayfox/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rjagundez.5/?hl=en
Buy Links for Asta and the Barbarians:



Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Asta-Barbarians-Becca-Fox-ebook/dp/B07BGCRV9V/ref=as_li_ss_tl
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Asta-Barbarians-Becca-Fox-ebook/dp/B07BGCRV9V/ref=as_li_ss_tl
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/803680
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/asta-and-the-barbarians/id1359718982?mt=11
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/asta-and-the-barbarians
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/asta-and-the-barbarians-becca-fox/1128197571

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