Friday, October 20, 2017

Book Review-In It For The money by David Burnsworth

About the book (provided by Great Escapes Tours)
Lowcountry Private Investigator Blu Carraway needs a new client. He’s broke and the tax man is coming for his little slice of paradise. But not everyone appreciates his skills. Some call him a loose cannon. Others say he’s a liability. All the ex-Desert Storm Ranger knows is his phone hasn’t rung in quite a while. Of course, that could be because it was cut off due to delinquent payments.
Lucky for him, a client does show up at his doorstep—a distraught mother with a wayward son. She’s rich and her boy’s in danger. Sounds like just the case for Blu. Except nothing about the case is as it seems. The jigsaw pieces—a ransom note, a beat-up minivan, dead strippers, and a missing briefcase filled with money and cocaine—do not make a complete puzzle. The first real case for Blu Carraway Investigations in three years goes off the rails.
And that’s the way he prefers it to be.
And I thought 
I enjoy Cozy's.  I oppt'd into the tour because I enjoy Cozy's. 

But I also like suspenseful thrillers.

In It For The Money to me feel in more in the thriller category. That isn't a negative. 

I actually like a good thriller and would pick one up before a Cozy if I had the chance. 

I liked the idea of Blu's character.  Ex Storm Ranger.  My kind of guy.   I kind of had a Lethal Weapon kind of feel for Blu as he is a bit of a wild card/loose cannon.  I can picture Mel Gibson.

While his partner Crome is a little rougher biker type.  But endearing in his own way.  

In It For The Money has a steady pace and a twisty turning 
plot that keeps you interested to the end. 

Maybe a bit slow in the beginning but stay along for the ride you'll enjoy! 

In It For The Money was my introduction to David Burnsworth and Blu Carraway.  I enjoy meeting them and look forward to many more episodes with Blu. 

I received a complimentary copy from Great Escapes Tours.

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Thursday, October 19, 2017

Book Review/Giveaway- 16 Millimeters by Larissa Reinhart

About the book (provided by Great Escapes Tours)
#StillAWannabeDetective In continuing her career-makeover quest as a for-real detective, ex-teen and reality star Maizie Albright has a big learning curve to overcome. A sleuthing background starring in a TV show— Julia Pinkerton, Teen Detective—does not cut the real life mustard. It doesn’t even buy her lunch, let alone extra condiments. Her chosen mentor, Wyatt Nash of Nash Security Solutions, is not a willing teacher. He’d rather stick Maizie with a safe desk job and handle the security solution-ing himself. But Maizie’s got other plans to help Nash. First, win Nash’s trust. Second, his heart.
Wait, not his heart. His respect. His hearty respect.
So when a major movie producer needs a babysitter for his hot mess starlet, Maizie eagerly takes the job. But when her starlet appears dead, and then not dead, Maizie’s got more than an actress to watch and a missing corpse to find. Body doubles, dead bodies, and hot bodies abound when the big screen, small screen, and silent screams collide. Maizie’s on the job, on the skids, and on thin ice, hunting a killer who may be a celebrity stalker. And Maizie just might be the next celebrity who gets snuffed.
And I thought 
Another new favorite.  I didn't know what to expect.  What I got was a fun romantic, comedy, mystery.  Making the whole mystery thing a simple enjoyable read.  

Since Maizie knows her way around a movie set she  seems the perfect babysitter for the startlet. But when bodies start showing up her past acting skills have to take second fiddle to her new 
sleuthing skills. 

The reader is swept along with Maizie as she works at becoming a real detective and gaining Nash's trust and heart.  

I wondered which she would manage first.  The detective label or the 'One' label.  

Maizie is a loveable character.  Nash is 'her's so I can't comment on his qualities.  

The story is filled with twists and turns as Maizie discovers a body and then the body isn't a body and then another body turns up.  It's a real challenge for a 'Wannabe Detective'.  

Although 16 Millimeters is book 2 the reader isn't let confused having not read book 1.  Maybe a little wistful.  

The series promises to be a winner!  Book 2 16 Millimeters was 
certainly a winner.   Congratulations to Maizie and Larissa!  I loved the book and give you a 5 star review!

I'll be checking out book 1 while I wait for the next one!

I received a complimentary copy from Great Escapes Tours.
This review will appear on retail sites where available. 
This review will appear on Good Reads.

Available
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Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Book Review-Indie Sage PR Book Blitz - Grand Slam by Tracie Delaney


About the book 
Cash and Tally are back in Grand Slam, the final installment in their tumultuous journey.
A destroyed career. A bitter break up. Can Cash and Tally ever find true happiness?
Devastated by the cruel manner of her breakup with ex-tennis ace Cash Gallagher, Tally McKenzie moves to Greece. There she discovers a country ravaged by the crisis unfolding in the Middle East.
Driven to help, Tally immerses herself into the community, but when a shocking turn of events forces her to return to London, she finds herself thrust back into Cash’s life.
Shattered by the loss of his career and the enforced separation from the woman he loves, Cash commits to months of excruciating therapy, determined to win back the love of his life.
As Tally and Cash reunite, their lives are once more thrown into turmoil when an old adversary returns with harrowing news. Still reeling from this terrible revelation, a moment of joy brings a stranger into their lives.
Who is she? What does she want? And will Tally and Cash ever find lasting happiness?

And I thought
They had me at the cover.  I am a sucker for a good romance.  
A good cover just sets the stage. 

I wish I had started at the beginning.  That isn't meant as a negative.  Just a wish.  
You can pick this book up and be engaged.  You'll be enchanted.
You'll be sucked in and just wanting more!  You'll be sad that the 
series and the book is ending.  

The characters are charming.  They suck you in and won't let you go. 

The story left me cheering for Tally and Cash.  And sadly saying goodbye to a great series.

When I have a chance I will be pick up the other books in the series.  

If your wanting to spend a weekend reading a good romance
pick up this series. 

I received a complimentary copy. 
This review will appear on Amazon and Good Reads. 

Available 

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Tour: Grand Slam by Tracie Delaney
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Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Book Review-Cold As Ice by Julie Muldern


About the book (provided by Great Escapes Tours)
Ellison Russell’s life resembles a rollercoaster ride. And rollercoasters make her ill. Her daughter Grace has a crush on a boy Ellison doesn’t trust and she’s taken to hosting wild parties when Ellison goes out for the evening. Worse, the bank which represents Grace’s inheritance from her father may be in trouble.
When a meeting with the chef at the country club leads to the discovery of a body, Ellison can’t afford cold feet. She must save the bank, find the killer, and convince Grace (and herself) that powerful women don’t need men to rescue them.
Related subjects include: cozy mysteries, women sleuths, murder mystery series, whodunit mysteries (whodunnit), amateur sleuth books, book club recommendations, humorous murder mysteries, historical mysteries.
The series
THE DEEP END (#1)
GUARANTEED TO BLEED (#2)
CLOUDS IN MY COFFEE (#3)
SEND IN THE CLOWNS (#4)
WATCHING THE DETECTIVES (#5)
Author interview

And I thought
It took awhile.  This one wasn't a put you on the edge of your seat from the first chapter when someone is murdered.  

This one just had you turning pages and warming up to the story and the characters.  

It was interesting because the story takes place in the 70's which 
had me wondering how the murder(s) would be solved and how the investigation would be handled without all our present day resources.  

The eventual murder happened well into the book and then was followed by a 2nd one.  

Even though I jumped into book 6 of the Country Club Murders I wasn't lost or distracted in fact it was hard to put this book down!

My only negative thought was I think I might be looking for another Country Club if it seems to be the host of all the murders in town!

I enjoyed Cold As Ice and look forward to reading more in the series.  

I received a complimentary copy from Great Escapes Tours.
This review will appear on the retail sites where available.
This review will appear on Good Reads.

Available 

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Monday, October 16, 2017

Release Day Blitz-Fiance' For The Night by Melissa McClone-Book Spotlight


She needs a fiancé—for only one night.

Cassandra Daniels’ parents refuse to accept that she doesn’t need a boyfriend to be happy. To stop their meddling and matchmaking, Cassandra creates a fictional fiancé, a man who sounds so unlike their carefree and unconventional daughter that her mom and dad want to meet him for dinner,immediately.

No problem. San Francisco is a big city. Finding a fiancé won’t be that hard.

All Troy McKnight wants is a beer after a long day at work. But when a pretty blonde asks him to dinner and wants him to pretend to be her fiancé, Troy agrees to help. Playing make-believe could be fun, especially since he gets a free meal, and he’ll have a great story to tell.


When one lie leads to another, however, the fake engagement spirals into real wedding plans. Cassandra and Troy must stop the madness and put an end to their charade. 

But what if her fiancé for the night is the perfect husband for life?

Fiance For The Night by Melissa McClone
Series n/a; standalone
Genre Adult; Contemporary Romance; Sweet/Clean Romance
Publisher Cardinal Press, LL
Publication Date October 17, 2017
BN  

About The author 
 MELISSA MCCLONE
USA Today bestselling author, Melissa McClone has published over forty novels with Harlequin and Tule Publishing Group and been nominated for Romance Writers of America’s RITA® award. With a degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, Melissa worked for a major airline where she traveled the globe and met her husband. But analyzing jet engine performance couldn’t compete with her love of writing happily ever afters. Her
first full-time writing endeavor was her first sale when she was pregnant with her first child! When she isn’t writing, you can usually find her driving her minivan to/from her children’s swim practices and other activities. Melissa lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three children, two spoiled
Norwegian Elkhounds, and cats who think they rule the house. They do!

AUTHOR LINKS


Book Review-Interview/The Case of the Clobbered Cad by Debra E. Marvin.

About the book (provided by Great Escapes Tours_
Inspired by the famous Girl Detective, the members of the Olentangy Heights Girls’ Detective Society, affectionately known as the Nosy Parkers, spent their formative years studying criminology, codes, and capers. Unfortunately, opportunities to put their unique skills to work were thin on the ground in the post-war boom of their little corner of suburbia and they eventually grew up to pursue more sensible careers. Until…
Heather Munro’s youthful devotion to The Girl Detective led to a passion for digging around in history. Now pursuing her Master’s Degree in Celtic Studies, Heather must balance exploring Edinburgh with her determination to excel in her all–male classes at the University. Unfortunately, on her first night working in the Archives room, she discovers the dead body of a visiting professor, the same would-be lothario she’d hoped never to see again.
As clues come to light, it’s clear someone hopes to frame Heather for the murder. Besides her quirky landlady, whom can she trust? How can she clear her name? The police and the American Consul have plenty of suspects, but only two seem to have both motive and opportunity: Heather and the quiet Scottish historian she longs to trust.
And others are saying 

And I thought
If the cover doesn't 'get you' check it out anyway.  I am somewhat of a cover junkie.  If it doesn't click for me I probably won't pick it up.  This one is different.  You can't judge a book by it's cover. 
  
I read the synopsis (huge surprise...I usually don't) and I thought to myself 'well dawng' I wish I had read book 1.  I loved the idea of the teens girl sleuths that grew up and to pursue sensible careers.

So what happened to the group in book 1 The Counterfeit Clue.
I have it on my list.  This is a series that I want to read and collect. 

Just the description reminds me a little of Trixie Belden (did 
you see my banner?) or maybe more like Nancy Drew. 

It was a little bit different for me and not that it's negative but just different.  The story takes place actually just before I was born. 
So to me it odd.  

The reader along with Heather has plenty of suspects to consider. 
Unlike the local authorities who want to focus on Heather.  

As Heather struggles to clean her name she is drawn into a bit of romance.  But she has to question who she can trust. 

Overall at least for this reader this reader there is just enough romance mixed with must mystery to make for a great read!

I look forward to reading more in the Posey Mystery Series. 

I received a complimentary copy from Great Escapes Tours.
This review will appear on retail sites where available. 
This review will appear on Good Reads and Net Galley.

Author interview

Hello and welcome to the blog.  I was delighted to have the chance to chat about The Clobbered Cad.

Thank you. I enjoy talking about the book. I had so much fun writing it.

Is this your first blog tour? Not really but nearly. I booked two blog tours and they ended up overlapping in October. I feel like a vaudeville star hitting the stage in a new town every night!  It's kept me on my toes and I've really enjoyed it.

I love the tours.  I especially like the chance to do these interviews with the authors. Great! I actually enjoy interviews because I don't have to think too hard. Sometimes guest posting is a lot of work. (I have to sound clever and interesting!)

Can you tell me what interests you in doing a blog tour? Self-interest, of course! I get to meet new people and show off my book. The whole idea is to hopefully gain new readers. I mean anyone can publish a book, but promotion has become half the job. Without book bloggers we'd all be sunk!  I've poked around many of the blogs I'm now visiting and it's fun to be waving from the inside.

I wish you the best with the tour for The Clobbered Cad.  It certainly is an interesting title.  Can you explain the title for the readers?  Well, multiple factors at work. First of all, we chose titles that hinted at the old "girl detective" titles, and second, I love alliterative titles, but I wanted readers to expect just a tiny bit of 'camp' in the story. Thankfully my victim was a cad and, yet, he got clobbered.

How did you decided on the era for this series? The publisher and my author friend, Lisa Karon Richardson (Who proposed the idea and is the author of Book #1 The Counterfeit Clue, wanted an era that would parallel the decades when 'girl detective' novels were really big. We settled on the post war era, and I _could_ say I remember the fifties. Okay, at least the sixties, so this era doesn't feel so far removed for someone...my age!

Scotland was a fun locale for Heather.  I was wondering what other places she has visited?  Scotland was Heather's first trip across the ocean, but her family did a cross-country tour when she was a teen. Classic Americana!  Next, she'll be visiting Ireland and I believe there's a charming Irishman--and a murder--in her future.

Is Scotland a place you've lived or visited or did you have to do some research about the area for the book? I actually had this book partially plotted when I made a spontaneous decision to go to Scotland. So it became a perfect opportunity to change the setting and dig into the history and archaeology departments. That's when I discovered the perfect murder weapon.

During your research did you get a  chance to sample any Scottish whisky? The day my friend and I visited Edinburgh Castle, there was a free whisky tasting. We tried a cream whisky. (I expect they do this all the time, but it felt like a real treat!) There's certainly a lot to learn about the whole process and Scotland would be the place to do it.

I enjoy reading Cozy Mystery's.  Do you feel like the book/series could fit into other categories or genres?  With some added emphasis, it could have more romance, and because of the age of the heroine and her innocence, it's appropriate for YA as well. Even as is, The Clobbered Cad doesn't fit perfectly into a cozy genre as we know it now. I studied classic mysteries and other amateur sleuth stories as well as Nancy Drews and Trixie Beldens. (Such hard work--ha ha!)

Can you tell us which retail sites the book is available.  I am curious is there a specific store or site that doesn't have the book that you love for your books to be available?  We started out with the books on more markets but now, I believe, they are just on Amazon. This was a matter of bottom line and streamlining for the publisher. Of course, I'd love to see it on the shelf of a bookstore, but that's very difficult for any small publisher to achieve.

This was a delightful visit.  Thank you for taking the time to chat. 
Thank you Sherry! I enjoyed your questions and I appreciate your willingness to host me and review my book. I look forward to chatting with your readers. and hope they enter the giveaway. Thanks also to Lori of Great Escapes!

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Friday, October 13, 2017

Murder on the Toy Town Express- by Barbara Early-Book Review/Giveaway


About the book (provided by Great Escapes Tours)
Liz McCall has come to love running her father’s vintage toyshop back home in East Aurora, NY, so when the Train and Toy Show comes to town, she’s all aboard for a fun toy-filled weekend. The only hitch is that her childhood bully Craig McFadden, now local business rival, has set up a booth next to hers. But the fun and games are over when Craig falls from the ceiling in a publicity stunt gone wrong.
What was initially thought to be a fatal accident proves much more sinister. Pulled into the case by her feelings for both Ken, the police chief, and Jack, her high school sweetheart whose brother is one the prime suspects, Liz dives headfirst into the investigation. But as she digs deeper, she’s shocked to learn her father may have been the intended target.
The trouble train is barreling down and Liz may have just bought herself a first class ticket in Murder on the Toy Town Express, Barbara Early’s delightful second installment in her Vintage Toyshop mysteries
And I thought
Charmingly delightful.  The reader (at least this reader) can't help but fall in love with the daddy daughter team of Lizzy and Hank.

In previous installments (Death of a Toy Soldier) Liz is  compelled to help her father run his toy shop and keep his feet on the ground and away from crime.  

As a retired police chief Hank (see character post below) should be enjoying life and spending his pension on running his dream toy shop.  

But crime is always a foot and Hank seems to attract drama/crime.  
While displaying toys from his shop at a toy fair a less than BFF from Liz's past has a freak accident that ends him up in the hospital.  And then to everyone's shock he dies while in the hospital.  

When Liz discovers that the coffee he drinks was actually Hanks coffee.  

So was Hank the intended victim?  Was Craig's theatrical fall a stunt gone wrong of was it cased by something more.  


Maybe a tainted cup of coffee intended for Hank?

The trail is hot as Liz sleuths and discovers the answers while juggling a couple of suitors.  

The reader is left waiting for book 3 to see if Liz ends up making a decision on which heart throb she will choose.  Leaving this reader anxiously waiting for the next ride.  

I received a complimentary copy from Great Escapes Tours.
This review will appear on retail sites where available.
This review will appear on Good Reads and Net Galley.  

I enjoyed visiting the authors website which included information about the Toy Shop Mystery's & the Bridal Bouquet Shop Series.


Character post (from the authors website)

Character: Hank McCall
Series: Vintage Toyshop Mysteries
Author: Barbara Early

Hank McCall here, and I'm excited about the upcoming Train and Toy show.Now, I know my daughter likes to remind me that we're there to sell and not buy, but you can't expect a man to be surrounded by miles of model trains and not come away with a few small purchases, especially since there are trains of every gauge, from the smallest models kept in glass cases to huge models meant for kids to ride on... I wonder if she'd go off the rails if I brought that home. I am hoping for future grandkids...someday.

Even Liz had to crack a smile when she saw this Monopoly-themed train, which had color-coded cars for all the properties and utilities.

And there's plenty of accessories to go around. This Munsters house would look great next to the tracks, especially in October...
Or course, this might be more suited to Christmas...


Oh, and look! Little police figures. I need these since I used to be... 

OK, who's the wise guy who designed the one eating the doughnut?


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