Showing posts with label Blog Tour Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blog Tour Books. Show all posts

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Twisted, The Girl Who Uncovered Rumpelstiltskin's Name by Bonnie M. Hennessy

Posted First to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Twisted, The Girl Who Uncovered Rumpelstiltskin's Name by Bonnie M. Hennessy.

In a tale from childhood, Twisted by Bonnie M Hennessy, takes you on an alternate journey to a dark and bleak tale of love and courage, filled with revenge and regret as well as a strength of spirit.

Looking at the story of Rumpelstiltskin's rage and sadness, you follow The life of Aoife and a different path of how the lives of two such differing characters really came to being.

Aoife, the beloved daughter, is the strength of her family as she takes on the family farm to keep their finances afloat, while at the same time trying to keep her father out of trouble. He is deep in drink and gambling, but Aoife's goodness and strength of heart endears her to all those that see her dilemma.

When a young man of money happens to see her, he decides that she should be his, for unbeknownst to the town he is the Duke of the realm and will have what he fancies. Yet she rebuffs him, and while she has no idea of his identity, she has no time for a man with such airs.  As the Duke determines to have her, he finds a way through the weakness of her father, with both his drink and gambling. Joining the game and urging the poor man gamble his daughter away on a sure hand, all is lost when the hand does not come through. Her father through his muddled thoughts brags of her ability to make gold out of straw, his attempt to brag about her farming, but the Duke understands it to mean something far different.

Aoife, who has always found solace in the woods hides her pain and anger, as nature responds, her spark of spirit draws her magic, that of her kindness and regrets, but it is another, a strange interloper that finds his own home in the forest that takes notice of her pain and anguish as well as her affinity for magic and her beauty. So begins the strange friendship that begins with fondness and love and turns to hate and anger, that takes a tortured soul into the very depths of despair.

As Aoife finds herself in trouble trying to live up the talents her father has bragged of, the stranger from the woods uses his own twisted magic to help. Aoife, soon finds herself in love with the Duke, and with child. The temper of her rescuer from the woods sparks her urgent need to find his name, and takes her into further danger as she tries to save the child of her love.

The twisted tale of love and darkness builds in a direction both like and unlike that of the fairy tale of youth. Hennessy does a great job of holding true to the outline of the work but adds more depth of character, making you feel both appalled and sad, yet as the same time, the tension keeps you intrigues as to how it will all come together.

If you enjoy magic romance and danger, you will love this take on a fairy tale of old. It is darker and more thought provoking, but yet carries that same feel of the fear you felt as a child. Hennessy brings the tale to stark life and into the twentieth century.

This would be a great book for a reading group or book club.

 Bonnie M. Hennessy's Web Site:
http://www.bonniemhennessy.com/Bonnie M. Hennessy's Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/twistedthebook/
Bonnie M. Hennessy's Twitter:
https://www.twitter.com/bonniemhennessy
Bonnie M. Hennessy's Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16075736.Bonnie_M_HennessyBonnie M. Hennessy's YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC23yBSLSEcbE2Bw98_4k-WQTwisted Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32962973-twisted?from_search=true
Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

Twisted blog tour site:
http://twistedblogtour.blogspot.com




Bonnie M. Hennessy's Bio: Bonnie grew up a shy, quiet girl who the teachers always seated next to the noisy boys because they knew she was too afraid to talk to anyone. She always had a lot she wanted to say but was too afraid to share it for fear she might die of embarrassment if people actually noticed her. Somewhere along the line, perhaps after she surprised her eighth grade class by standing up to a teacher who was belittling a fellow student, she realized that she had a voice and she didn’t burst into flames when her classmates stared at her in surprise.

Not long after that, she began spinning tales, some of which got her into trouble with her mom. Whether persuading her father to take her to the candy store as a little girl or convincing her parents to let her move from Los Angeles to Manhattan to pursue a career at eighteen as a ballet dancer with only $200 in her pocket, Bonnie has proven that she knows how to tell a compelling story.


 
Twisted Book Summary:
Now she spends her time reading and making up stories for her two children at night. By day she is an English teacher who never puts the quiet girls next to the noisy boys and works hard to persuade her students that stories, whether they are the ones she teaches in class or the ones she tells to keep them from daydreaming, are better escapes than computers, phones, and social media.
An old tale tells the story of how a little man named Rumpelstiltskin spun straw into gold and tricked a desperate girl into trading away her baby. But that’s not exactly how it happened.

The real story began with a drunken father who kept throwing money away on alcohol and women, while his daughter, Aoife, ran the family farm on her own. When he gambled away everything they owned to the Duke, it was up to her to spin straw into gold to win it all back.

With her wits and the help of a magical guardian, she outsmarted the Duke and saved the day.

Well almost… Her guardian suddenly turned on Aoife and sent her on a quest to find his name, the clues to which were hidden deep in the woods, a moldy dungeon, and a dead woman’s chamber.

This is not the tale of a damsel in distress, but a tenacious, young woman who solved a mystery so great that not even the enchanted man who spun straw into gold could figure it out.

Not until Aoife came along.
Prices/Formats: $2.99 ebook, $12.99 paperback
Genre:
Fantasy, Mythological, Fairy Tale
Pages:
306
Release:
November 11, 2016
Publisher:
self-published
ISBN:
9781539753421

Amazon buy link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N3MC1K4?&tag=tributebooks-20

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

The Thing Is by Kathleen Gerard

Animals have a reputation for helping with depression and anxiety. In The Thing Is by Kathleen Gerard, we meet an animal that is more than the norm, much more.
Meredith Macuso is very depressed. She has hidden away from the world since the death of her fiancĂ©. Her darkness leaves her unable to work. She is a successful writer, but even that is empty. Her sister Monica is annoying and constantly trying to mother her, and she struggles to keep her from intruding. Yet she knows she’s only acting out of love.
So when she ends up being left in charge of an orphaned Yorkshire terrier named Prozac, one who belonged to a client of her sister, she is frustrated. She has never wanted a dog and this dog apparently requires certain activities. He is a therapy dog, hence the name Prozac, and Meredith is not sure how to handle his high energy.
Gerard keeps you entertained with her fun and uplifting work involving a dog that is more than what he seems. Her characters are both sad and determined, but irascible in their own right. You could probably go into any independent living facilities and find many of the same characters out there. Prozac though steals the show with his divine grace and his stubborn decision to make things right.What she does not know though is that Prozac has an amazingly high IQ and a spiritual wisdom that guides him. He is now fixated on working his magic and bringing her back to life, and she has no say in his decision to move forward.
Nevertheless, even Prozac finds her a tough sell. He is determined though and uses his weekly visits to the Evergreen Gardens, an independent living facility to bring her out of her darkness. The residents, suffering from losses of their own, help propel Meredith back into the land of the living. Is that possibly the outcome that Prozac had in mind all along?
If you enjoy stories of hope and fun, you will find this a enjoyable read. The Thing Is is a work for your library and one that will strike the fancy of dog lovers everywhere. There is charm and friendship throughout, just the thing to begin your summer.
Kathleen Gerard writes across genres. Her work has been awarded many literary prizes and has been published in magazines, journals, widely anthologized and broadcast on National Public Radio (NPR). Kathleen writes and reviews books for Shelf Awareness. Kathleen's woman-in-jeopardy novel, IN TRANSIT, won "Best Romantic Fiction" at the New York Book Festival.

The Thing Is Book Summary:
Can a woman mired deep in the throes of grief have her heart and soul rallied by a therapy dog named Prozac who possesses supernatural wisdom and a canine Mensa IQ?

Meredith Mancuso is depressed. Ever since the death of her fiancĂ©, she has shrunk from the world. Even with her successful writing career, she's not motivated to work. When her sister, Monica, begs for a favor, Meredith wants nothing more than to say no. But she’s ultimately roped into pet-sitting an orphaned Yorkshire terrier named Prozac.

Blessed with spiritual wisdom and a high IQ, Prozac is an active pet therapy dog. To heal broken-hearted Meredith, he rallies his fan club at Evergreen Gardens, an independent living facility, where he visits each week.

Prozac and the community of resilient older folks challenged by losses of their own propel Meredith, often against her will, back into the land of the living. Meredith learns that most people carry some sort of burden, but it's still possible to find meaning, purpose, and joy—and even love—along the way.

THE THING IS—a perfect read for fans of General Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Romantic Comedy, and Dog and Pet Lovers!

Prices/Formats: $5.99 ebook, $14.99 paperback
Genre: 
Romantic Comedy
Pages: 
299
Release: 
February 9, 2016
Publisher: 
Red Adept
ISBN: 
9781940215587

Amazon buy link 
http://www.amazon.com/Thing-Kathleen-Gerard-ebook/dp/B01B55MZY2?tag=tributebooks-20
Barnes and Noble buy link
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-thing-is-kathleen-gerard/1123327681?ean=2940152772616

iTunes buy link
https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-thing-is/id1079207409?mt=11

Sunday, November 8, 2015

When The Devil's Idle by Leta Serafim


Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'When The Devil's Idle, a Greek Island Mystery,' by Leta Serafim.

In When The Devil’s Idle by Leta Serafim, we follow the scene of a murder that is both troubling and odd. An elderly man is found on an isolated estate brutally murdered. The place this murder occurs is highly restricted to outsiders, and at the time of the murder the gate is bolted.

The family living there consists of a husband and wife and their two younger children. The murder victim is the grandfather of those children on the husband’s side. In residence at the time of his death the only other people there at the time are the gardener and the housekeeper.

Yiannis Patronas, of the Chios police, summons his top detective Giorgos Tembelos, to assist. In the Greek city of Patmos, when a German tourist is murdered it can only bring problems to the island. Giorgos brings his friend and amateur sleuth, a priest, Papa Michalis to help.

As they dig deep into the family history and the background of the victim, they find a past that is brutal. A Nazi and a killer, the old man has escaped his past to move to the island and live out his life with his family. But is his past behind him. Can it shed light on the brutality of his murder? As Giorgos and his friend Michalis travel to find answers, they uncover the story of his life and even darker rumors of a crime more brutal.

With so many red herrings and possible murderers, how can the Police decipher the real reason for his death? Until they can separate the darkness the surrounds the victim and the sickness and brutality of his past, they can only assume to understand what has happened. There is a deeper and darker grief at work and they must decipher the past and delve into the present to discover if that past is responsible, or if a new wave of secrets is behind brutal murder.

The characters are mysterious, and stay to themselves. While they avow no knowledge of what has transpired, it is obvious they are in hiding for some reason. With no friends, they are an island to themselves. While all appear very innocent, Serafim takes us into their own secrets to flush out the possible motive.

The detectives are an admirable mix of determination and steadfastness. The addition of the priest brings a bit of humor to the situation as well as distraction, for he takes away a bit of the fear of the police. His help is invaluable to this story.

If you enjoy mystery and murder this is a rare find. The descriptions of Greece are wonderful and help to take you there as you journey into the horror and history of the Nazi regime. This would be a great book for a reading club with a great deal of background to decipher.

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Leta Serafim's Web Site:
http://www.letaserafim.com/

Leta Serafim
's Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Leta-Serafim-768335269894253/
Leta Serafim's Twitter:
https://twitter.com/serafimleta
Leta Serafim's Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8274457.Leta_Serafim
When the Devil's Idle Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26057071-when-the-devil-s-idle Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

When the Devil's Idle blog tour site:
http://whenthedevilsidle.blogspot.com

Leta Serafim's Bio:
Leta Serafim is the author of the Greek Islands Mystery series, published by the Coffeetown Press, as well as the historical novel, To Look on Death No More. She has visited over twenty-five islands in Greece and continues to divide her time between Boston and Greece.

When the Devil's Idle Book Summary:
In the Book of Revelation, written by St. John on the Greek island of Patmos, it was said a pale horse would appear whose rider was death, others would cry out for vengeance, and the stars of heaven would fall to the earth. Death does indeed come to Patmos when a German tourist is found murdered in the garden of one of the island’s fabled estates. Yiannis Patronas, Chief Officer of the Chios police, is called in to investigate. He summons his top detective, Giorgos Tembelos, and his friend and amateur sleuth, Papa Michalis, to assist him. What the policemen discover will disturb them long after the conclusion of the case. Only six people were at the house at the time of the murder—the gardener and housekeeper, the victim’s son and his wife and their two children, a boy of seven and a teenage girl of sixteen. All appear to be innocent. But access to the isolated estate is severely restricted. Surrounded by high walls, it has only one entrance: a metal gate that was bolted at the time of the crime. Patronas can only conclude that one of the six is a killer. He continues to probe, uncovering the family’s many secrets. Some are very old, others more recent. All are horrifying. But which of these secrets led to murder?

Book 2 of the Greek Islands Mystery series, which began with The Devil Takes Half.

Price/Formats: $6.95 ebook, $13.95 paperback
Genre:
Mystery Suspense Thriller
Pages:
192
Publisher:
Coffeetown Press
Release:
September 1, 2015
ISBN:
9781603819985

Amazon buy link
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603819983?tag=tributebooks-20
Barnes and Noble buy link
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-the-devils-idle-leta-serafim/1121863864?ean=9781603819985

Smashwords buy link
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/566886

Sunday, November 1, 2015

The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest by Scott A. Lerner

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book review: 'The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest', a Samuel Roberts Thriller, by Scott A. Lerner.

Samuel Roberts has moved and begun a new life as he tries desperately to get over a relationship with Susan.  Unable to keep her from the danger that seems to follow him, she has moved on, leaving him free to find love again.

In The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest by Scott A. Lerner, we catch up with Samuel as he begins putting his new life together. When his friend Bob introduces him to a new woman, he is strangely smitten. Bridget Gillis is beautiful and vivacious and also happens to be a fortune teller. Yet if that wasn’t enough to get his “spider senses” going, she also belongs to a coven of witches.  The village that contains the coven was founded by her great aunt, and Bridget could certainly be her twin if the paintings are even close to her aunt’s depiction.
The relationship becomes quickly complicated as just a few days before Halloween; Bridget is to be tried by their coven for practicing dark magic. The punishment is to be burned at the stake. With

Sam’s background in law, he is the perfect advocate for her dilemma.  His best friend, Bob, is suspicious of the quick relationship, but comes to help all the same. Can they help determine if she is the good witch or the bad witch before it is too late?

Lerner gives us another fun and dangerous romp with his returning character Samuel Roberts. As usual Sam is only trying to do the right thing, and this new romance seems so wonderful.  Caught up in the crazy circumstances that usually accompany his life, he finally seems to have found a new direction and woman. Can it all really be so simple?

Bridget is such a mix of characters, part minx, part seductress and part innocence. Yet there are secrets hidden beneath her beauty. Calculated and cold she is temptress and succubus all at the same time ensnaring Sam in her life. She is in need of rescuing, is Sam the man that can get her back on track?

If you enjoy mystery, humor, romance and danger you will find this perfect for your library. Paranormal and magic thread throughout the telling and you will fall in love with the characters one more time.

This would be a great book for the upcoming holidays. It is fun and enjoyable, one you will want to pass on to your friends.


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Scott A. Lerner's Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/ScottALernerAuthor Scott A. Lerner's Twitter:
https://twitter.com/scottlernerauth Scott A. Lerner's Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6479067.Scott_A_Lerner Scott A. Lerner's Blog:
http://scottlerner.camelpress.com/ The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25885209-the-wiccan-witch-of-the-midwest
Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest blog tour site:
http://thewiccanwitchofthemidwest.blogspot.com

Scott A. Lerner's Bio:
Author and attorney Scott A. Lerner resides in Champaign, Illinois. He obtained his undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin in Madison and went on to obtain his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign. He is currently a sole practitioner in Champaign, Illinois. The majority of his law practice focuses on the fields of criminal law and family law. Lerner’s first novel and the first Samuel Roberts Thriller, Cocaine Zombies, won a bronze medal in the mystery/cozy/noir category of the 2013 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Awards. The second book in the series is Ruler of Demons. The Fraternity of the Soul Eater is book 3. Book 4, The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest, will be released on Halloween, 2015.

The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest Book Summary:
Samuel Roberts, a lawyer in Champaign, Illinois, has just moved to a new home to escape the memories of his old place—the stray body parts left by evil entities as well as traces of his relationship with Susan, who left him because he couldn’t stop risking both their lives trying to save the world. That leaves Sam free to fall in love again. Sam falls hard, suspiciously hard, for Bridget Gillis, a beautiful fortune teller who also happens to be a witch and a member of a coven. The village that encompasses the coven was founded by Bridget’s great-great aunt, also named Bridget and a dead ringer for her descendant. The new relationship quickly gets complicated. It is two days before Halloween, and Bridget is about to be tried by her fellow witches for the crime of practicing dark magic involving the blood of children. The punishment is to be burned at the stake. Bridget needs an advocate, and Sam is the perfect man for the job.

Sam brings in Bob, who is suspicious of his best buddy’s sudden passion. The two of them have until the Witching Hour on Halloween to clear Bridget’s name and find out who is killing the local children. As they comb the area for clues, quiz the locals, and take a crash course in witchcraft and Wiccan customs, Sam and Bob can’t shake the question: is Bridget a good witch or a bad witch?

The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest is the fourth book in the Samuel Roberts Thriller series, which began with Cocaine Zombies and continued with Ruler of Demons and The Fraternity of the Soul Eater.

Price/Formats: $4.99 ebook, $13.95 paperback
Genre:
Paranormal, Mystery, Thriller
Pages:
230
Publisher:
Camel Press
Release:
October 31, 2015
ISBN:
9781603812917

Amazon buy link
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603812911?tag=tributebooks-20
Barnes and Noble buy link http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wiccan-witch-of-the-midwest-scott-a-lerner/1122298339?ean=9781603812917

Monday, September 28, 2015

Life and Other Near-Death Experiences by Camille Pagan

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Life and Other Near-Death Experiences' by Camille Pagan.

In Life and Other Near-Death Experiences by Camille Pagan, we are introduced to Libby Miller, an optimist at heart, but now a woman ravaged by devastation. Her husband drops her on the same day she finds out she has cancer, and suddenly life is no longer so rosy. In her indomitable way she chooses her own destiny and elects to deny treatment and begin a life of living in the Caribbean, a dream of existence.

With nothing to lose she finds that she is unable to escape her past. Her ex, and also her twin brother continue to interrupt her tropical fun, but it is the encounter with a man that throws her world into a tailspin. What is it about challenging the fates that sets the senses on fire, and creates feeling that have been long buried? Can she risk the treatments required to keep her life on track for just a chance to love and live a bit longer. Leaving the challenge and her dreams she returns home, only to find that dreams are not so easy to dislodge.

Pagan takes us into the depth and despair of disease, and the heartache of discovery. Betrayal and pain, as well as love and romance are threaded through Libby’s rocky path of discovery.  The interaction between characters is hard, humorous, sad, and at time just plain funny. The decisions are those meant to be made privately, yet we follow them with voyeuristic intent.

If you enjoy a good solid read, one with both ends of the spectrum, sadness and dismay, to romance and beauty you will want this work for your library. Pagan takes what could be tragedy and creates a lovely story of hope and living.

This would be a great book for a reading club or discussion group. The decisions and questions raised would create a great deal of dialogue.

Rating 4\5

Sunday, August 16, 2015

The Fraternity of the Soul Eater by Scott A. Lerner

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Fraternity of the Soul Eater', A Samuel Roberts Thriller by Scott A Lerner.

In The Fraternity of the Soul Eater, Scott A. Lerner takes us on a journey into the darkness that dwells in the mind of those most enchanted with darkness. Samuel Roberts an attorney by day has found himself in situations that cannot be explained. He feels as though there is danger that others do not believe, nor have they ever seen. His law duties seem quite tame by contrast and he finds himself wishing for more. His girlfriend thinks he is a junkie for danger and he is not sure he doesn’t agree.

He knows that something is stirring in the darkness through for he is having dreams he cannot decipher. Egypt often is the base of his worries, so when finds himself in an Egyptian museum he is both worried and excited.

The sudden danger though is quick and unexpected. He needs the help of his friend Bob, for things have begun to creep even him out. Even with warnings from his girlfriend to desist his quest he is unable to let go. Yet when she disappears he finds himself in deeper than expected. Suddenly his own life is on the line, and he is captured for an extremely unlikely DNA experiment.

Can Sam save both his girlfriend and himself from a crazy mad man who believes he can brings back the old Gods of Egypt through experimentation? Will this danger finally be the end of his relationship? With Bob as his only hope he escapes though brutality, something he has always avoided in the past. Will this be the final means that will allow darkness to enter his own soul?

Lerner gives us characters that are full of fun, bluster and charm, yet have that energy that you feel is trustworthy. His dynamics between his characters and protagonists are both strange and unlikely, but at the same time intriguing and interesting. You find yourself immersed in a story that takes you to the edge of darkness, twisting and realigning your own take on life.

The edge of darkness seems real and at any time you could find yourself immersed through the work of those who believe, for they are quite fanatical.

If you enjoy mystery, danger and the macabre, riddled with humor and friendship you will find this a must have for your library. You can read it time and again and still find passages you may have missed which make this a fun and unique find.

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Scott A. Lerner's Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/ScottALernerAuthor Scott A. Lerner's Twitter:
https://twitter.com/scottlernerauth Scott A. Lerner's Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6479067.Scott_A_Lerner Scott A. Lerner's Blog:
http://scottlerner.camelpress.com/ The Fraternity of the Soul Eater Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25656528-the-fraternity-of-the-soul-eater Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

The Fraternity of the Soul Eater blog tour site:
http://thefraternityofthesouleater.blogspot.com

Scott A. Lerner's Bio:
Author and attorney Scott A. Lerner resides in Champaign, Illinois. He obtained his undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin in Madison and went on to obtain his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign. He is currently a sole practitioner in Champaign, Illinois. The majority of his law practice focuses on the fields of criminal law and family law. Lerner’s first novel and the first Samuel Roberts Thriller, Cocaine Zombies, won a bronze medal in the mystery/cozy/noir category of the 2013 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Awards. The second book in the series is Ruler of Demons. The Fraternity of the Soul Eater is book 3. Book 4, The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest, will be released on Halloween, 2015.

The Fraternity of the Soul Eater Book Summary:
It’s been a while since Samuel Roberts was called upon to save mankind, and he’s getting restless. His girlfriend Susan thinks he’s a danger junkie, and he’s worried he has a hero complex. He’s back to his usual small-town lawyerly duties in Champaign-Urbana, handling divorces and helping people beat DUI raps. But then a young fraternity pledge calls. During an initiation ceremony he witnessed the live sacrifice of a young woman, but he had so much alcohol in his system that no one believes him. Except Sam. Lately Egyptian lore has been creeping into his life, his dreams, and his movie preferences, and he’s pretty sure he knows why. Evil is knocking on his door again.

Is the call welcome? Why can’t Sam be satisfied with his comfortable legal practice and gorgeous redheaded girlfriend? Maybe it’s because he knows that, as inadequate as he may feel to the task, he and his friend Bob may be humanity’s only hope against ancient supernatural forces combined with modern genetic engineering. Come hell or high water. Or in this case, the underworld or subterranean pyramids.

The Fraternity of the Soul Eater is the third book in the Samuel Roberts Thriller series, which began with Cocaine Zombies and continued with Ruler of Demons.

Price/Formats: $4.99 ebook, $13.95 paperback
Genre:
Paranormal, Mystery, Thriller
Pages:
218
Publisher:
Camel Press
Release:
June 1, 2015
ISBN:
9781603812894

Amazon buy link
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YQ3U7PK?tag=tributebooks-20
Barnes and Noble buy link
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-fraternity-of-the-soul-eater-scott-a-lerner/1121412277?ean=9781603812894

Monday, July 20, 2015

A Sporting Murder by Lesley A. Diehl

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'A sporting Murder, An Eve Appel Mystery by Lesley A. Diehl

In A Sporting Murder by Lesley A. Diehl, we are introduced to Eve and her friend Madeleine, and their endeavors to run a consignment shop in Sabal Bay, Florida. Cowboys, swamps and alligators are the main scenery.  On a cruise with Eve’s detective boyfriend Alex, and Madeline’s new friend David they are unaccountably accosted by David’s neighbor, a very nasty character, leaving more questions than answers. Eve is hooked, she wants more answers, and she is willing to investigate on her own if necessary.

Both David and his neighbor own a sport-hunting reserve, so Alex tries to get her to put it behind them as professional jealousy. Yet when a dead body shows up on David’s land with every clue pointing at him as the murderer, Eve takes a stance. There is something fishy about the whole thing, and the encounter on the water with his neighbor isn’t the only issue. The neighbor’s wife has now also effectively had Eve and Madeleine’s business vacated. She is opening her own shop, and the line has been drawn in the sand.

As David molders in jail, Alex and Eve work at trying to get to the bottom of the murder he is being charged with. Can they find the real answers before it is too late? Eve and Madeleine take their own business on the road as well; they have clients to take care of. What is it with all the ugliness behind the sport-hunting business that has everyone up in arms?

Diehl gives us characters with strength and humor. Eve is a great mix of intelligence, charm and minx, and exhibits the tendency to butt in where it may not be comfortable. She also has a few friends in low places that are there for her regardless of what she needs. Her friend Alex is in no way immune to her charm but is also aware of her tendencies.

The situation is serious and the murder is odd, yet the mix of danger, fun and mystery keeps you turning the pages.

If you enjoy mystery, romance and a little bit of crazy you will enjoy A Sporting Murder. Eve Appel is a great character and her relationships keep the fun and mystery rolling in unexpected directions. This would be a great book for your library especially for the cozy mystery fan.

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Lesley A. Diehl's Web Site:
http://www.lesleyadiehl.com/

Lesley A. Diehl's Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/lesley.diehl.1?fref=ts

Lesley A. Diehl's Twitter:
https://twitter.com/LesleyDiehl
 
Lesley A. Diehl's Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3414925.Lesley_A_Diehl

Lesley A. Diehl's Blog:http://lesleyadiehl.com/blog/

A Sporting Murder Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25506068-a-sporting-murder
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A Sporting Murder blog tour site:
http://asportingmurder.blogspot.com

Lesley A. Diehl's Bio:
Lesley A. Diehl retired from her life as a professor of psychology and reclaimed her country roots by moving to a small cottage in the Butternut River Valley in upstate New York. In the winter she migrates to old Florida--cowboys, scrub palmetto, and open fields of grazing cattle, a place where spurs still jingle in the post office. Back north, she devotes her afternoons to writing and, when the sun sets, relaxing on the bank of her trout stream, sipping tea or a local microbrew.

A Sporting Murder Book Summary:
It's smooth sailing for Eve Appel and her friend Madeleine, owners of Second to None Consignment Shop in rural Florida's Sabal Bay, land of swamps, cowboys, and lots and lots of 'gators. Eve and her detective boyfriend Alex have joined Madeleine and her new beau David Wilson for a pleasure cruise on his boat. But cloudy, dangerous waters lie ahead. A near fatal encounter with Blake Reed, David's supremely nasty neighbor, is soon followed by a shooting death on the dividing line between David and Blake's land. Both men run sport-hunting reserves, but Blake imports "exotics" from Africa and promotes gator killing, while David stays within the law, pointing clients toward the abundant quail and turkey as well as the wild pigs that ravage the landscape. Nevertheless, when a mutual client is killed, it is David who is arrested and charged with murder.

Blake's nastiness is only exceeded by that of his wife, Elvira, who forces Eve and Madeleine out of their shop, intending to replace it with a consignment shop of her own. It seems that bad luck looms over them all, even Eve's brawny and hard-to-resist Miccosukee Indian friend Sammy, whose nephew has disappeared. As the case against David grows stronger and his friends' misfortunes multiply, Eve and her strange and diverse group of friends, including her ex, a mobster, her grandma, and Sammy's extended family, band together to take on the bad guys. But the waters are getting muddier and more troubled, and Eve and Madeleine may end up inundated in every sense of the word.
Price/Formats: $4.95 ebook, $13.95 paperback
Genre:
Cozy Murder Mystery
Pages:
250
Publisher:
Camel Press
Release:
July 15, 2015
ISBN:
9781603819398

Amazon buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603819398?tag=tributebooks-20

Barnes & Noble buy link:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-sporting-murder-lesley-a-diehl/1121863863?ean=9781603819398

Monday, July 13, 2015

Johnnie Come Lately by Kathleen M. Rodgers

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Johnnie Come Lately' A Novel by Kathleen M. Rodgers.

Kathleen M. Rodgers takes us into the life of a young woman with many demons in Johnnie Come Lately. Johnnie is raised by her grandparents after her mom has left her. Named after her Uncle Johnny, she has no idea who her father is. Having battled bulimia all her life she has gained a foothold over her insecurities and hurts. Now at 43 she is a wife and mother of three children, two of them already grown.

Never letting down her guard and keeping her bulimia in control, she has found that life seems to be passing her by. She wants more, and as secrets begin coming to the surface, and questions of her father come to life, she struggles to maintain her grip on the one thing that could take her back to the out of control young woman she was.  Her best friend and confident is her dog, aptly named Brother Dog. Second to him are her journals where she keeps even her most cherished secrets.

Her yearning though is to move forward, but she has secrets of her own that must be banished. She is ready to move on and pursue her own dreams but feels both lost and conflicted. As the darkness of her own background and that of her parents begins to unravel, she must find the strength to stand her ground against her own anxieties. But can finding the answers of her own past help her to move into the future she has always dreamed about?

Rodgers has given us a tale of hurt and anguish. Her characters are an eclectic mix with emotions and flaws that are the same you find in the people you meet every day. Yet some of the secrets and issues are things we only hear about, and with a steady hand she introduces us to the dangers of bulimia and its aftermath. She then gives us a reminder of why dogs are man’s best friend with the introduction of Brother Dog, and while he is not a main character he adds a more personal touch, a realism that creates a spark in the bits of darkness encountered.

If you enjoy mystery and strength, with a touch of empathy and humor you will find this a great read. Often life’s road is not what we expect , but it takes a great deal of energy and fortitude to move forward in some cases and Rodgers takes us there with this work.

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Kathleen M. Rodgers' Web Site: 
http://www.kathleenmrodgers.com/

Kathleen M. Rodgers' Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/KathleenMRodgersAuthor
Kathleen M. Rodgers' Twitter:
https://twitter.com/KathleenMRodger

Kathleen M. Rodgers' Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2742306.Kathleen_M_Rodgers?from_search=true

Kathleen M. Rodgers' Blog:
http://siteblog.kathleenmrodgers.com/?p=3244
Johnnie Come Lately Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22796938-johnnie-come-lately
Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
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Johnnie Come Lately blog tour site:
http://johnniecomelatelyblogtour.blogspot.com

Kathleen M. RodgersBio: 

Award-winning author Kathleen M. Rodgers is a former frequent contributor to Family Circle magazine and Military Times. Her work has also appeared in anthologies published by McGraw-Hill, University of Nebraska Press/Potomac Books, Health Communications, Inc., AMG Publishers, and Press 53. She is the author of the award-winning novel, The Final Salute, featured in USA Today, The Associated Press, and Military Times. Deer Hawk Publications reissued the novel in e-book and paperback September of 2014.

Her second novel, Johnnie Come Lately, released from Camel Press February 1, 2015. Barnes & Noble in Southlake, TX hosted the official launch on February 7, and Kathleen signed copies of both novels for three hours straight. In 2014, she was named a Distinguished Alumna from Tarrant County College/NE Campus.

She is the mother of two grown sons, Thomas, a graduate of University of North Texas and a working artist in Denton, TX, and J.P., a graduate of Texas Tech University and a former Army officer who earned a Bronze Star in 2014 in Afghanistan. Kathleen’s husband, Tom, is a retired fighter pilot/commercial airline pilot, and they reside in Colleyville, TX with their rescue dog, Denton. Kathleen is working on a new novel titled Seven Wings to Glory and is represented by Loiacono Literary Agency.

Johnnie Come Lately Book Summary:
Would life have been different for Johnnie if she'd been named after a woman rather than her dead uncle? Or if her mama hadn't been quite so beautiful or flighty? The grandparents who raised her were loving, but they didn't understand the turmoil roiling within her. And they had so many, many secrets.

Why did her mama leave? Would she ever return? How did her Uncle Johnny really die? Who was her father? Now Johnnie Kitchen is a 43-year-old woman with three beautiful children, two of them grown. She has a handsome, hardworking husband who adores her, and they live in the historic North Texas town of Portion in a charming bungalow. But she never finished college and her only creative outlet is a journal of letters addressed to both the living and the dead. Although she has conquered the bulimia that almost killed her, Johnnie can never let down her guard, lest the old demons return. Or perhaps they never went away to begin with. For Johnnie has secrets of her own, and her worst fear is that the life she's always wanted--the one where she gets to pursue her own dreams--will never begin.

Not until her ghosts reveal themselves.
Price/Formats: $4.95 ebook, $9.75 paperback
Genre: 
Military Family, Women's Fiction, Literary Fiction
Pages: 
292
Publisher: 
Camel Press
Release: 
February 1, 2015
ISBN: 
9781603812153

Amazon buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R6J3DE8?tag=tributebooks-20

Barnes & Noble buy link:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/johnnie-come-lately-kathleen-m-rodgers/1120028327?ean=9781603812153

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This would be a great work for a reading group or book club, giving a variety of discussion opportunities.

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Due for Discard by Sharon St. George

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Due for Discard, an Aimee Machado Mystery by Sharon St. George.

Having an active interest in the things that happen around you and to others is often the act of an intelligent mind, yet there are those who think of such people as nosy or even busybodies.  Such intent can be both a blessing and a curse.

In Due for Discard, An Aimee Machado Mystery by Sharon St. George, we find such an individual in Aimee Machado. With an active interest in everything and a penchant for asking questions, she is the quintessential person that could fit into either of the above categories.

Beginning a new job as a forensic librarian at a medical center in Timbergate, she is ready for a new start. Having broken up with her boyfriend Nick she only wants to move on. Things become extremely complicated when a murder happens on the first day of her job. Even worse is when the murder is of the wife of one of her new bosses.

Always curious, Aimee begins poking around but the tables are turned when her own brother becomes a prime suspect. Now her snooping will have to become even more important, for it appears that there is no other suspect, and she knows he is incapable of killing.

Her interest however, does not go unnoticed. Suddenly she becomes a target as well, and her grandparents Llama farm where she is staying becomes a focus for whoever is trying to stop her prying. Can she find the answer before she loses her own life? He brother has called in a favor from his friend Nick, who is also the boyfriend that she is trying to get over; can she find a way to work with him, for the benefit of all?

The characters are an amazing array of people and have such a great culture of distrust and concerns. Aimee is like a breath of fresh air that creates a bubble of humor but also opens a few hearts and minds to the differences in each other. As she penetrates the secrets of those involved you can see how her mind works and it endears you to her, creating a buy in on the possibilities of her being able to both find the answers and solve the crime while staying out of jeopardy herself.

Both her brother and Nick round out the group and you find yourself rooting for them both, her brother Harry to be exonerated, and for Nick to win her back. The interplay between the three is fascinating to behold.

If you enjoy romance and mystery and are looking for a new sleuth to hold your interest you will enjoy this book and the new Aimee Machado Mysteries to follow. Your mystery library will be the perfect setup for this new series.


http://duefordiscard.blogspot.com/


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Sharon St. George's Web Site:
http://sharonstgeorge.com/
Sharon St. George's Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10908363.Sharon_St_George

Due for Discard Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23923941-due-for-discard
Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
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Due for Discard blog tour site:
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Due for Discard Summary:
Aimee Machado is thrilled to be starting her first job as a forensic librarian at the medical center in the town of Timbergate, north of Sacramento, California. Her ebullient mood is somewhat dampened by her recent breakup with her former live-in boyfriend, Nick Alexander. And then there's a little matter of murder: on Aimee's first day on the job, a body is found in a nearby Dumpster and soon identified as her supervisor's wife, Bonnie Beardsley.

Aimee's heartbreaker of a brother and best friend, Harry, just happens to be one of the last people to see Bonnie alive, but he is hardly the only suspect. Bonnie was notorious for her wild partying and man-stealing ways, and she has left a trail of broken hearts and bitterness. Aimee is determined to get her brother off the suspect list.

Aimee's snooping quickly makes her a target. Isolated on her grandparents' llama farm where she fled post-breakup, she realizes exactly how vulnerable she is. Three men have pledged to protect her: her brother Harry, her ex, Nick, and the dashing hospital administrator with a reputation for womanizing, Jared Quinn. But they can't be on the alert every minute, not when Aimee is so bent on cracking the case with or without their help.

Book 1 in a new mystery series featuring amateur sleuth Aimee Machado.

Sharon St. George's Bio:
Sharon St. George had the good fortune to spend an idyllic childhood in a small northern California town, riding horseback and camping with her family in the nearby mountains. One of her favorite pastimes was reading fiction, and a trip to the library was always an occasion of great joy. She’s traded horses for llamas, but she still treks to the high mountain lakes near her home—always with a mystery novel in her backpack. Sharon’s writing credits include three plays, several years writing advertising copy, a book on NASA’s space food project, and feature stories too numerous to count. She holds dual degrees in English and Theatre Arts, and occasionally acts in, or directs, one of her local community theater productions. Sharon is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, and she serves as program director for Writers Forum, a nonprofit organization for writers in northern California.

Prices/Formats: $15.95 paperback
Genre: Detective Murder Mystery
Pages:
340
Release:
March 1, 2015
Publisher:
Camel Press
ISBN:
9781603812238

Amazon buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603812237

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Neve & Egan Cases, Danse Macabre by Cristelle Comby

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: Neve & Egan Cases, Danse Macabre by Cristelle Comby.

Young Women go missing every year. Often they leave on their own, with differing agendas. Other times they disappear without a trace. As a parent, the vanishing women create a gap in their lives leaving them to think the very worst.

In Neve & Egan Cases, Danse Macabre by Christelle Comby we are introduced to a situation where a young ballerina has disappeared. Her mother has hired the Private investigators Alexandra Neve and Ashford Egan to help solve the mystery of her missing girl. While the police are on the case, they believe it is a simple runaway, and are tied up in a grisly murder, not putting much into the missing dancer case. Her mother, Mrs. Doughton, believes the worst. She knows her daughter better than anyone, and is convinced she has been kidnapped.

As the sleuthing duo look into the background and question the young woman’s friends they begin to understand their client’s conviction.  They also understand the difficulty of beginning a case already held by the police and must find a way to work together without causing interference.  The police are only too happy to release the case to their care, for they are working on the gruesome murder of a choir member.  They do not have the manpower necessary to tackle both cases at the same time.

When a murder case in another jurisdiction suddenly ties the murdered girl and the missing girl together, the police are no longer as happy to have the investigators aboard. Yet there is more going on behind the scenes that put the entire investigation in jeopardy.  Can they work together to decipher the clues before another young woman disappears?

Comby has done a great job of giving us a murder mystery with characters that draw you in. The teams of individuals working together are a mix of dynamic, shuttered, and fun, yet the differences seem to round out the type of brain power needed to solve the case. There is something humble and yet fierce about Neve and Egan, and their working relationship is both interesting and interactive, but in a strange way.  The flaws of each character make them human, and you find the peculiarities endearing.

The case itself is deep and muddy, with a macabre killer who has his own agenda. The killings are brutal and staged, and the killer does well staying under the radar. It is only the strange characteristics of the investigators that find the way to solve the mystery.  The interplay between the police and investigators is often tinged with a bit of humor, taking a bit of the horror away, but there is no doubt that a twisted killer is on the loose.

If you enjoy mystery and romance you will enjoy this work. If you are interested in puzzles and enjoy a chance to develop your own thoughts you will enjoy the red herrings and twists and turns introduced throughout.

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Cristelle Comby's Web Site:
http://cristelle-comby.com/
Cristelle Comby's Twitter:
https://twitter.com/Cristelle
Cristelle Comby's Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/CristelleComby
Cristelle Comby's Instagram:
http://instagram.com/cristellec
Cristelle Comby's Newsletter:
http://cristelle-comby.com/?page_id=34

Danse Macabre Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23377890-danse-macabre
Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
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Danse Macabre blog tour site:
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Danse Macabre Summary:
Private investigators Alexandra Neve and Ashford Egan are hired to succeed where the police have failed, to safely return home a missing ballerina. With no lead to pursue and no idea who could be behind the young woman’s kidnapping, they soon find themselves at a loss as to what to do.

To make matters worse, the heart of England seems to be caught in the middle of a little Ice Age. With snow endlessly falling and Tube lines either too cramped up to use or out of service, it is a pain to do any legwork in the huge metropolis.

Oh, and because trouble never comes alone, there may also be a serial killer on the loose in the streets of East London...

Cristelle Comby's Bio:
Cristelle Comby was born and raised in the French-speaking area of Switzerland, in Greater Geneva, where she still resides.

Thanks to her insatiable thirst for American and British action films and television dramas, her English is fluent.

She attributes to her origins her ever-peaceful nature and her undying love for chocolate. She has a passion for art, which also includes an interest in drawing and acting.

Danse Macabre is her third new-adult novel, and she’s hard at work on the next titles in the Neve & Egan series.


Prices/Formats: $2.99 ebook, $11.99 paperback
Genre: New Adult, Detective Mystery
Pages:
254
Release:
October 2014
Publisher:
self-published
ISBN:
9781502723772

Amazon buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OFNABNE