Christmas in the Crosshairs by Deeana Alexander Great EscapesBook Tour

 December 10 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW  

About the book 

A baby in need of protection—

and a hitman in pursuit.

After evading an attack, defense attorney Adam Spencer is on the run from a dangerous hitman. The killer’s wife is Adam’s only hope at apprehending the criminal—until she lands in the hospital. Now he must depend on her twin sister, Jaelyn Reed, to find the answers they need…all while protecting the baby niece Jaelyn didn’t know she had. But with threats at every turn, trust may be the deadliest trap…

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

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Secrets Don't Sink by K.B. Jackson Great Escapes Book Tour

 December 5 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

Guest Post Wilder than Wildlife

 November 28 – My Reading Journeys – CHARACTER GUEST POST

CRY WOLF GREAT ESCAPES TOUR - CHARACTER GUEST POST

Wilder than Wildlife

            Hi. I’m happy to be at My Reading Journeys. I’m often on journeys, mostly observing, pointing out, and helping wildlife.

            Me? I’m Stacie Calder, a naturalist who moved to Alaska a couple of years ago, and I talk to tourists about the wildlife we see near a tour boat in the waters near Juneau during the summer. My wonderful husky Sasha hangs out with me, even on the boat.

            Most recently, it’s been winter, and I work at Juneau Wildlife World then, helping to care for the wildlife at that wonderful sanctuary.

            I certainly never thought I’d wind up trying to figure out who murdered people around me, but that’s what started happening, last summer to begin with, while I was giving those tours. One of those who took some tours was killed, a rather nasty guy, and for various reasons I had to be the person who investigated and figured out who did it. And why. That was all described in the first book about me, BEAR WITNESS.

            I didn’t anticipate that, and I anticipated even less that something similar would happen a second time. Well, not really similar, but I still had to figure out who murdered someone where I was working for the winter.

            Where was that? Juneau Wildlife World, a wildlife sanctuary where I help out full-time when the weather is too Alaska-like to go out on tour boats. And yes, Sasha came with me there, too—which turned out to be an issue, since one of the managers, Oliver Brownling, kept giving me trouble about having my dog there. And when Oliver was murdered… well, some people thought I might have done it. Worse in some ways, the wolves at the sanctuary were even more major suspects, considering how Oliver was killed, mauled in the neck in a way that could have been done by wolves.

            Or by someone wanting to frame the wolves.

            So, okay, I had to figure it out as I had done previously. That story is now being told in the latest book about me, CRY WOLF.

 

K-9 National Park Defenders My Review

 

About the book 

Peril at Christmas awaits… in these gripping Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit novellas

A Christmas skiing retreat turns treacherous when Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit officer Veronica Eastwood’s sister is kidnapped—and only rival officer Parker Walsh can help her in Katy Lee’s Yuletide Ransom. And in Sharee Stover’s explosive Holiday Rescue Countdown, K-9 officers Dylan Jeong and Brandie Weller must race against the clock when they face a Christmas parade bomb threat…and a killer from Dylan’s past.

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith. 

Buy the book 

Available on Amazon

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Author Interview fest. Ruth J. Hartman New Release Butterfly Betrayal Greay Escsoes Book Tour

 November 21 – My Reading Journeys – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Hello Ruth it is a pleasure to finally meet you. 

I have read or spotlighted several of your books on previous Great Escaped Tours. 

What is your favorite part about tours? 

The new series is really different from your others can you tell how the concept came along? 

How did you choose the location? 

The cover is really pretty.  It speaks Fall to me.  When does the story take place. 

Can you tell us about some of the characters maybe which ones will have a recurring role as the series progresses.   

Is Seneca going to be one of those main characters that is always stumbling onto dead bodies?  

Can you tell us about your favorite seen in the book? 

I am sure book tours even virtual ones are a lot of hard work. 

When the tour is over do have plans for celebration?  

Thanks so much for visiting and chatting! 

Best Wishes!

To read more special posts and reviews click Here

On Pause...Taking Care of Him

 

Disco's And So is Mo-Mo Book Spotlight Great Escapes Book Tour

 November 13 – My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT

About the book

The mystery surrounding the disappearance of mobster Mo-Mo Martine in Canada during the days of disco and polyester is finally solved when his body is found in a drum off the sapphire waters of Oahu.

An associate (local limb-breaker Harry the Hoarse) asks the pretty private investigators from the Triple Threat Investigation Agency – JJ, Rey, and Linda – to prove it wasn’t his brother-in-law, Johnny B. He’d been accused back then but never arrested, and it certainly appears that he’s the perp now. The trio finds itself embroiled in the most challenging, if not deadly, case yet!

Countless people – family, friends, foes – hated Mo-Mo. Anyone could have murdered him. Or was it a professional hit by the notorious, never-miss Death Angel? Is it possible!? The faceless, nameless assassin-for-hire is still plying his trade after all these years?

As bodies drop, the P.I.s begin to believe answers won’t come from anyone they interview; they’ll be found in mysterious photos dating back to Mo-Mo’s disco days. They merely have to decipher what the people and backdrops in those photos are telling them—a tricky task indeed. Will they figure it out before more murders occur… perhaps theirs?

Buy the book 

Purchase Links – Amazon CA – Amazon US – Coming Soon – Google Play – Kobo – Apple – B&N

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To read reviews and special posts click Here

Release Day There I Find Light by Jessie Gussman

 Release day for There I Find Light is 11/10. 

A Seaside Bookshop Christmas Excerpt Great Escapes Book Tour

November 9 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW WITH EXCERPT

 About the book 

Twelve days before Christmas, the forecast calls for snow with a hundred percent chance for love as the owner of the Seaside Bookshop risks everything, including her heart.

Christmas returns to Bluestar Island in this heartwarming page-turner. While the small town’s holiday calendar is filled with festive events, the friendships of Bluestar’s residents are put to the test. Melinda Coleman owner of the Seaside Bookshop finds herself making a deal with the town curmudgeon that could cost her everything. While furniture maker Liam Turner is suddenly a full-time single father. He’s in over his head with an active three-year-old. It will take these two friends helping each other to keep their lives from imploding and in the process, they find the most precious gift of all—love.

Includes a holiday recipe for Santa’s Mitten cookies!

Read an excerpt

He glanced over at Mel. “If you can point out where you have the salt, I can take care of the walks for you.”

“I cleared them a little while ago.”

“I can tell. It’s just one of those snowy days where they’ll have to be shoveled multiple times.”

She nodded her head. Her long ponytail swished over her shoulder. Her cheeks still had a rosy hue. It looked cute on her. But there was this look in her warm brown eyes that caught and held his attention. He knew that faraway look. He’d seen it before when he’d kept her company in the hospital after her father’s heart attack. She was worried about something and he didn’t think it had anything to do with the weather.

He raised his voice to gain her attention. “Mel?”

She blinked before focusing on him. “Um… You don’t have to do the sidewalk.”

“I know I don’t have to do it, but I’d like to. Besides, I can’t take the chance of a beautiful woman falling into my arms every time I walk past the bookshop.” Now why had he gone and said that? Although he did find her attractive—very attractive. And if he was in a position to date, he’d ask her out.

As the color in Mel’s cheeks deepened, a smile pulled at the corners of her rosy lips. “I, uh… It’s in the back.”

And then he realized why he’d uttered those words—to make her smile. It warmed him like the sun, even though it was a cloudy day with snowflakes. No matter how challenging the day may be, when she smiled, it lifted his spirits. He followed Mel to the back room where she had a shovel and a bag of salt as well as a bucket. 

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And I thought  

I usually start with my review but . . . 

The cover spoke Cozy.  As in just a warm sit by the fire read.  

I was beckoned.  

A few of my favorite things lured me in  Christmas.  Small town charm.  

A sweet romance. 

And fun recipes at the end. 

A perfect preholiday read cuz' it really isn't Christmas yet.  But a read that speaks Christmas maybe even in July.  

I enjoyed meeting Jennifer Faye and her characters. 

I enjoyed the charming town. 

A Hallmark movie in a book! 

I enjoyed reading this one and plan to read more in the series by Jennifer Faye. 

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To read reviews and special posts click Here

Cozy New Releases

 

Antiques Foe

 by Barbara Allan

When popular podcaster Nicole Chatterton wants an interview for Killers Caught, true-crime author Vivian Borne is overjoyed. Finally, some recognition for the sleuthing skills the septuagenarian antiques dealer and her daughter Brandy have demonstrated, solving countless crimes in their small hometown of Serenity, Iowa! Format: Digital

Under the Cocoon Moon 

by Kathleen Bailey 

Olivia Penn is looking forward to spending time with her friends and family over the holidays in her hometown of Apple Station, Virginia. The Christmas season’s spirit has sparked a new romance, and all is looking merry and bright, until she is mistaken for a dead woman.   

Veronica Ruiz Breaks The Bank 

by Elle Cosimano 

Veronica Ruiz is on the run for the first time in her life—though certainly not the last. After being falsely accused of stealing money from her college sorority, she packs up and heads to her cousin Ramón’s apartment, planning to change her name and start over, away from backstabbing girls and university drama (and far, far away from her arrest warrant in Maryland). 

Caught in the Traminette

 by J.C. Eaton 

When reluctant winery owner Norrie Ellington is gifted with cockroach DNA, she thinks things couldn’t get worse. But then the body of a noted developer is found at a neighboring winery, and all fingers point to her friend Madeline Martinez. It doesn’t help that Madeline was seen having verbal altercations with the man on two different occasions, when he outbid her for lakefront property she planned to use for planting traminette grapes. 

Cry Wolf 

by Lark O. Jensen 

With boat tours off the coast of Alaska shut down for the winter, tour guide Stacie Calder is joining the dedicated team at the Juneau Wildlife World, a wild animal sanctuary. Along with Sasha, her husky companion, she’s prepared to spend the long season in the scenic park. But not everyone is so chipper about the newcomers—least of all, Stacie’s new manager, Oliver Brownling. He constantly gives Stacie a hard time, specifically because she brought Sasha along with her. That is, until his mauled body is found in a remote part of the sanctuary containing wolves.   

A Killer App

 by Linda Lovely 

Kylee Kane, a security consultant for Welch HOA Management, finds the first victim, Andy Fyke, crumpled at the bottom of a flight of stairs. Kylee suspects his fall’s no accident and is tied to Andy’s campaign to prohibit rentals in his Hilton Head Island community. Yet, Andy’s obvious enemies have ironclad alibis. 

Murder under the Mistletoe

 by Sherry Lynn 

Landscape artist and owner of SeaScapes, Kinsley Clark has been re-hired to decorate the town of Harborside for the upcoming holiday season and boat parade. Using the local elements found in Maine, Kinsley creates kissing balls—the town’s official mistletoe—to hang downtown and along the wharf. Kinsley is also responsible for Harborside’s official “lobster-stacked” Christmas tree, located beside the local marina, where the annual Harborside Boat Parade & Fireworks Display takes place. 

The Women Sleuths Club Murder 

by Sharon Michaels 

When a supposedly idyllic lobstering cruise takes an unexpected turn, steamy romance author, baker and amateur sleuth, Tabitha Clive, finds herself accused of murdering her husband’s former sister-in-law, Ethel Brownville.   

Barbacoa, Bomba, and Betrayal

 by Raquel V. Reyes 

A surprise trip to Miriam’s parents in Punta Cana, which should be filled with arroz con pollo and breezy days under the tamarind tree, quickly becomes a hunt for a possible property saboteur. But before Miriam can begin to uncover the person damaging the vacation rentals her parents manage, she’s called away to Puerto Rico to film a Three Kings Day special. She’s welcomed to the blue ballast-stone streets of Old San Juan by crime scene tape, and things only get worse from there. 

Murder Comes Home

 by Rosalie Spielman

Army retiree Tessa Treslow is as excited as the other residents of New Oslo, Idaho, when the cast and crew of the TV show Picks with Ricks comes to town! Tessa and her Aunt Edna put their car restoration business on hold to let the celebrity antique hunters pick through their old garage, hoping the trash contains a treasure that will help fund their new business. But it turns out that the pickers come with TV cameras, likeable stars, a stressed-out producer—and a murderer!   

Dachshund to Death

 by C. B. Wilson 

A murdered pastry chef and a stolen family recipe turn Barkview’s annual holiday gingerbread dog house competition into a canine cat-astrophy. Has this competition turned dog-eat-dog or is it something more sinister? A tent full of knife-proficient suspects complicates everything. When Sandy’s sister is accused of the crime, Cat Hawl is on the scent. The deeper she digs she realizes that the recipe itself leads to something far more valuable than the perfect holiday treat. 

Bulletproof Barist by Cleo Coyle Great Escapes Book Tour Spotlight & Giveaway

 November 2 – My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT

About the book 

When a film crew’s location shoot delivers an actual shooting, Clare Cosi finds herself at the scene of a true crime in this showstopping entry in the beloved Coffeehouse Mysteries from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

Only Murders in Gotham, the smash-hit streaming program, is famous for filming in authentic New York locations and using real New Yorkers as extras. For its second season, they’ve chosen to spotlight the century-old Village Blend and its quirky crew of baristas. Shop manager and master roaster Clare Cosi is beyond thrilled, especially when her superb bulletproof coffee lands her a craft services contract for the production.

Madame, the eccentric octogenarian owner of the landmark shop, reveals an old kinship with the star of the show, comedian Jerry Sullivan. Now a Hollywood legend, Jerry frequented the Blend during his early years performing in Greenwich Village comedy clubs. But the past may hold more than nostalgia for Jerry. Suspicious accidents begin plaguing his shoot. Then a real bullet is fired from a stage gun, and Clare becomes convinced something sinister is afoot.

While Jerry’s production moves to exciting new locations, Clare keeps the coffee flowing—and her investigation going—even as a murderer lurks in the wings. But can she root out the rotten player in this Big Apple production before the lights go out on her?

Includes a stellar menu of surefire recipes!

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Giveaway 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Spotlight Bulletproof Barista by Cleo Coyle. Great Escapes Book Tour

 November 2 – My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT

https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/great-escapes-virtual-book-tours/upcoming-great-escapes-book-tours/bulletproof-barista-a-coffeehouse-mystery-by-cleo-coyle/

Cat House by Mollie Hunt Great Escapes Book Tour

 November 1 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

About the book 

This Halloween, the cats are hiding, and the monsters don’t wear costumes.

Young men from the Portland-Seattle area are going missing. It’s just another sad headline to Lynley Cannon—until she starts her new cat sitting job for an enigmatic neighbor Darla, that is.

An off-limits room, a suspicious phone message involving drugs, and the sudden appearance of a missing man’s cat peaks Lynley’s interest, but how far can she go before her cat-like curiosity turns deadly?

Buy the book 

Available on Amazon 

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And I thought 

Had 2 thoughts . . .

1 Book 10.  How did I miss 1-9?  

2 Book 10 you say? Will I be lost? 

I guess not.  The tale had me turning the pages.   

A fun cozy read. 

As release day approached I was intrigued by the writer clever release on National Cat Day. 

I loved the charm that the main character Lynley exudes curiosity and a bit of savvy. 

Crazy Cat lady.  Well maybe or alot but the tips and references to fostering made this read more than just a clever mystery to solve.  

I enjoyed Cat House. 

Thanks Mollie Hint going on tour with Great Escapes and for introducing me to Lynley (I live her name btw) and her world. 

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To read more reviews and special posts click Here

Release Day A Deeper Love by Heidi Gray McGill

About the book 

What was that movie line about relationships built on intense experiences? Oh, yeah. They never work.

I get paid to do my dream job, usually by wealthy men who thrive on adventure. But when their adrenaline rush is gone and vacation is over, I’m still here, on a tropical island, with people who mostly leave me alone. And I like it that way.

Except for this guy. Seriously, Dan is the last man I want to get involved with. If he got Decompression Illness, the doctors would likely call it Mercedes Bends. He’s privileged and entitled and would never leave his city life behind for the challenges of living on a remote island. Which is a total relief, I’m telling you.

Don’t get me wrong—he’s prime shark bait, but I’m not ready to fall deeply in love with someone who won’t stay. There’s no such thing as going “too deep” where spiritual things are concerned. But when it comes to relationships, I’ll stay at the surface and snorkel rather than dive into the depths.

Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

The series 

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Available on Amazon 

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A Giveaway 

New Release A Deeper Love by Heid Gray McGill

 

About the book 

What was that movie line about relationships built on intense experiences? Oh, yeah. They never work.

I get paid to do my dream job, usually by wealthy men who thrive on adventure. But when their adrenaline rush is gone and vacation is over, I’m still here, on a tropical island, with people who mostly leave me alone. And I like it that way.

Except for this guy. Seriously, Dan is the last man I want to get involved with. If he got Decompression Illness, the doctors would likely call it Mercedes Bends. He’s privileged and entitled and would never leave his city life behind for the challenges of living on a remote island. Which is a total relief, I’m telling you.

Don’t get me wrong—he’s prime shark bait, but I’m not ready to fall deeply in love with someone who won’t stay. There’s no such thing as going “too deep” where spiritual things are concerned. But when it comes to relationships, I’ll stay at the surface and snorkel rather than dive into the depths.

Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

Buy the book 

Available on Amazon

Click Here

 

A Parfait Crime by Maya Corrigan

 October 31 – My Reading Journeys - REVIEW  

About the book

 A granddaughter-grandfather sleuthing duo take on a perplexing new case in the latest culinary cozy mystery, sure to appeal to fans of Diane Mott, Joanne Fluke, and Katherine Hall Page.

At the site of a fatal blaze, Val’s boyfriend, a firefighter trainee, is shocked to learn the victim is known to him, a woman named Jane who belonged to the local Agatha Christie book club—and was rehearsing alongside Val’s grandfather for an upcoming Christie play being staged for charity. Just as shocking are the skeletal remains of a man found in the freezer. Who is he and who put him on ice?

After Val is chosen to replace Jane in the play, the cast gathers at their house to get to work—and enjoy Grandad’s five-ingredient parfaits—but all anyone can focus on is the bizarre real-life mystery. When it’s revealed that Jane’s death was due to something other than smoke inhalation, Val and Grandad try to retrace her final days. As they dig into her past life, their inquiry leads them to a fancy new spa in town—where they discover that Jane wasn’t the only one who had a skeleton in the cooler . . .

Includes delicious five-ingredient recipes!

Buy the book –

 Kensington Paperback – Kensington E-Book – Amazon – B&N – Kobo 

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To read more reviews and special post click Here

Cozy New Releases

 

Murder in a French Village 

by Merryn Allingham 

Jack is stunned to receive a call from his estranged mother, Sybil, asking him to drop everything and come to France. Together with Flora, his fellow sleuth, they pack their suitcases, dreaming of fragrant lavender fields and freshly baked pain au chocolat. It’s only when they arrive that they discover the shocking truth – Sybil’s friend was killed on a street in Paris, and she is desperate for their help. 

Available on Amazon 

Click Here

Death by Theft 

by Abigail Keam 

Josiah is happy for her pals Lady Elsmere and Shaneika Mary Todd when broodmare Jean Harlow gives birth to a male foal sired by Comanche. The owners of both horses have high hopes the foal will become a stakes winner—maybe even win the Kentucky Derby. The foal has a broad chest, indicating significant lung capacity—important for winning races, but just like his daddy, the foal is ebony with a bad attitude.  

Available on Amazon 

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Spoon to be Dead

 by Dana Mentink 

Trinidad Jones is starting the festive season with sugary confections and a heaping scoop of worry as her shake shop enters its first Oregon winter. With snow abound and tourists trickling through, she’ll do anything to keep her milkshake dreams afloat, even if it means catering a holiday steamboat party for some new arrivals in town.  

Available on Amazon 

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From a Far and Lovely Country 

by Alexander McCall Smith 

Mma Ramotswe and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni are enjoying a nice meal out at a peri-peri restaurant when an American woman named Julia approaches seeking Mma Ramotswe’s help. Julia’s beloved late grandfather was Botswanan, and he instilled in her an abiding love of his homeland. Now, years after his passing, Julia has come to visit the land he had spoken of so often and to find her relatives. Unfortunately, her grandfather’s stories, while charming and entertaining, were somewhat light on detail; all Julia can remember are a few first names and some descriptions of his village. It’s not a lot to go on, but if anyone is well poised to help, it’s Mma Ramotswe, Botswana’s premier detective.  

Available on Amazon 

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Dagger of Death at Honeychurch Hall

 by Hannah Dennison 

At last St Mary’s church is going to have its own vicar! Not only that, the gorgeous Reverend Pritchard is sixty, single… and in need of a wife. But when he spearheads a campaign to restore a derelict chapel – rumoured to be haunted by a German Luftwaffe pilot- in a far-flung corner of the Honeychurch estate, the Dowager Countess puts her foot down. But nobody quite understands why... 

Available on Amazon 

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Candy Cane Killer

 by Katie Forrest writing as Mona Marple 

Welcome to Candy Cane Hollow, a charming town full of excitement and secrets. Join Holly as she tackles her biggest challenge yet – solving a high-profile mystery while planning her dream wedding. The arrival of Angel Albright, the superstar pop sensation, has set tongues wagging in the town. But beneath the glitz and glamour lies a darker truth – someone is threatening her life. As the gossip mill churns, Holly must use all her investigative skills to uncover the truth behind the threats and protect Angel from harm. 

Available on Amazon 

Click Here

Good Morning

 

Just a little short post to share a little about or new Journey. 

And the beautiful place we will call home. 

The Hill Country of Texas is beautiful. 

We have had wanted to call it home for years. 

We are Thankful God is has opened doors for us to experince this beauty. 

I hope you will come along for the ride. 

Happy Trails

Todays feature Forest Child by Heather Day Gilbert

 

About the book  

Viking warrior. Dauntless leader. Protective mother.Determined to rise above her rank as the illegitimate "forest child" of Eirik the Red, Freydis launches a second voyage to Vinland to solidify her power and to demand the respect she deserves. She will return home with enough plunder to force her brother, Leif, to sell her the family farm in Greenland.But nothing can prepare her for the horrors she must confront in Vinland...and nothing can stand in her way when her family is threatened.In her race to outrun the truths that might destroy her, Freydis ultimately collides with the only enemy she cannot silence—her own heart.Historically based on the Icelandic Sagas, Forest Child brings the memorable, conflicted persona of Freydis Eiriksdottir to life. This immersive tale is Book Two in the bestselling Vikings of the New World Saga.

And others are saying ...

In the second and final installment of her Vikings of the New World Saga, Gilbert focuses on Freydis, daughter of Eirik the Red, and the expedition she led with two Icelandic traders to Vinland (presumed to be an area near Newfoundland). Based primarily on the Saga of the Greenlanders, Gilbert deftly fleshes out Freydis’s story while remaining true to the bones of the historical record. Freydis is treacherous and deceitful, certainly not afraid to goad her devoted, albeit flawed, husband into putting her opponents to death. However, the fictionalized elements produce a protagonist motivated by maternal protectiveness and a desire for righteous punishment—her brutality justified, and her fearless determination respectable. Her brother Leif and best friend, Gudrid, are Christians; Freydis’s conversion comes later in this story. Ultimately, they must balance Viking laws and traditions against their adopted Christianity and its monotheistic tenets of truth and forgiveness. A glossary is provided, but Gilbert skillfully limits her use of Norse vocabulary to enhance the experience without bogging down the reader. Gilbert crafts an engaging story depicting timeless human struggles with faith, love, loyalty, and leadership.   

USA today Review

Warrior Extraordinaire

Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2016

I met Freydis Eiriksdottir in the intriguing book God's Daughter. Meeting Freydis is akin to trying to harness a wildcat and studying its actions and intent. She is free and wild, a forceful Viking warrior, a fierce, protective mother, and a faithful, though troubled wife. She is a huntress, striking out each day to procure meat for her family and the people under her protection. The forest is her natural habitat, her friend, the place she feels most protected, but also vulnerable. Freydis wakes up each morning knowing her prowess as a huntress means survival for those she loves and feels responsible for----it's a daily struggle, but, one she meets with determination and skill. She also must fight evil in its most wicked form---the formidable Valdis, a pagan holy woman and her entourage of beautiful, beguiling women who seek to capture and destroy men's souls, and even, disturbingly, their bodies. Freydis, a new Christian among heathens, strips herself down to her most basic nature, and in agony and torturous, emotional pain, destroys the ugly, evil Valdis in a most barbarous act. This is only one side of Freydis. You must read her story to follow her journey from Vinland, to Iceland and Greenland, and experience her growth as a warrior, wife, and mother. I have loved getting to know this great lady. 

An Amazon review  

Avaialable on Amazon

Click Here

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Sieve and Let Die by Victoria Hamilto Great Escapes Book Tour

 Character Guest Post

Why I’m a Pharmacist & Other Things About Me

  Valetta Nibley

By: Victoria Hamilton

Pharmacy school was challenging. While I was good at math and science in highschool, none of it prepared me for pharmacy college. It was a grueling four years, then there was a residency after when I worked under a licensed pharmacist for two more years. I believe every bit of that training is necessary, because, as I always say, a pharmacist holds our client/patients’ lives in our hands.

After that, I knew what I wanted to do, and I did it. I am now co-owner of the Queensville Pharmacy inside of the Queensville Emporium. A lot has changed over the years I’ve worked here, but one thing has never changed, and that’s my absolute love of being a pharmacist.

Why?

I understand the question. There’s no glamour in being a pharmacist. It’s a good living and if you like people, it’s rewarding. But try that as an opener at a party – hey, I’m a pharmacist and I love my job, want to talk? – and you’ll likely get yawns.

And then there is the whole ‘pill pusher’ stereotype. People think doctors and pharmacists want to medicate America. Maybe some do, but most just want to alleviate suffering or discomfort. To that end not every pharmacist has a great ‘bedside’ manner, but every single one I’ve ever met is meticulous in distributing the prescriptions for which we are responsible.

Ultimately, my job is interesting and I help people. I suppose it satisfies some need I have to be of service to my community. 

But being a pharmacist is not all there is to me. I volunteer at the food bank, and other charities. I love vintage kitsch and have filled my home with cutesy stuff that I will definitely have to cut back on! I love my cat, Denver. He’s the king of the house.

I’m also a sister and an aunt. My brother, Brock, is annoying at times, but at heart he is a good man trying to be a better man. And his kids, my nephew and niece Will and Eva, are my life. But also, I’m a friend, especially to Jaymie.

Jaymie Leighton Müller: I don’t think she realizes what a huge part she plays in my life. When Becca (her sister) told me about her 

having a baby, I was over the moon, and from that moment on I have watched every step Jaymie has taken as if she were my own sister.

Helping her is important to me. When she recently came to me after a near tragedy and asked my help, I couldn’t refuse. Especially since she was only in a fix because she had been trying to help me after a patient accused me of tampering with her medication.

Ah, see, now we’re back to my job as a pharmacist, and how careful I am, and how dedicated. I would never do anything to harm anyone. Sadly, I couldn’t convince one particular person of that truth.

But we’ll get through it, Jaymie and me. We’ll figure it out.

Signed, Valetta Nibley, PharmD

*Read about Jaymie and Valetta’s adventure in Sieve and Let Die! 

This post is part of the Great Escapes Book Tour 

Sieve and Let Die by Victoria Hamilton My Review Great Esvapes BookcTour

 October 23 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

About the book 

In the new Vintage Kitchen Mystery from the author of A Calculated Whisk, Jaymie’s not sure who to believe when every suspect’s alibi has as many holes as a sieve . . .

Vintage cookware collector Jaymie Müller is stunned when an irate woman accuses her pharmacist friend Val of tampering with her prescription. When more unfounded accusations follow, it seems clear the woman has a personal grudge against Val. But before they can figure out why, Jaymie and Val stumble upon the woman’s dead body on the steps of Val’s pharmacy. Given her altercations with the woman and the location of the body, the police naturally suspect Val.

Jaymie has heard rumors that the victim had become forgetful and erratic, but could that explain her death? And why was Val being framed as her murderer? Determined to find the clues that connect the woman’s strange behavior to her death, Jaymie begins questioning the people in her life—and soon suspects that the culprit is among them. But she’ll have to be careful about who she confronts, because while solving murders is hard work, there’s a killer on the loose who finds committing them all too easy . . .

Includes a vintage recipe!

My review . . . 

Is o.k. to say one of my favorite parts is the recipe?   

I live this series. 

The titles are great with a play on words. 

And then there are the covers!

I suspect it is filled with clues!

I really enjoy this series after my introduction in the previous book. 

I just love Jaymie even though she keeps stumbling into bodies or murders to solve she still loves her quiet little town. 

She can't seem to Not investigate especially when those close to her become suspects.  

The Vintage Kitchen theme is interesting to me.  It is easy to say this is one of my favorite series.  

Each book so far has been ver well plotted.  

I look forward to the next. 

Buy the book 

 Purchase Links Digital – Amazon U.S. – Amazon Canada Barnes & Noble Kobo Smashwords

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Dead by Design

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At the site of a fatal blaze, Val’s boyfriend, a firefighter trainee, is shocked to learn the victim is known to him, a woman named Jane who belonged to the local Agatha Christie book club—and was rehearsing alongside Val’s grandfather for an upcoming Christie play being staged for charity. Just as shocking are the skeletal remains of a man found in the freezer. Who is he and who put him on ice? 

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As the manager of Vino y Vida Wine Bar in Colinas, Cecelia “Cece” Barton’s first Alexander Valley harvest is a whirlwind of activity. Her twin sister, Allie Halstead, who owns a nearby Victorian bed & breakfast, is accustomed to the hustle and bustle of peak tourist season. But Cece barely has a moment to enjoy her new home in between worrying about her estranged college-age daughter, juggling her responsibilities at the bar, and navigating the sticky politics of the local wine association. Just when it seems things can’t grow any more intense, Colinas is rocked by a murder within the wine community . . . and Cece is identified as a possible suspect!  

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The series 

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The series

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The series

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Cover and links not available yet. 

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Day Of  The Wed 

by Laura Durham 

Society wedding planner Annabelle Archer and her team are in Mexico to celebrate assistant Kate’s bachelorette weekend, which means there are no brides to worry about and no drama. Except for the elaborate skeleton brides for the Day of the Dead celebrations and the fact that Annabelle’s best friend, Richard, and hairstylist to the bottle blondes, Fern, are drama magnets. At least they won’t have to deal with dead bodies—or will they? 

The series

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