Uncorking A Lie-Book Review w/ Giveaway

About the book (provided by Great Escape Tours) 

It was the kind of invitation Katie Stillwell had only dreamed about: a dinner party at the Sonoma mansion of famed wine collector Paul Rafferty to celebrate a rare bottle of wine. Everyone enjoys drinking the $119,000 Cheval Blanc, but Katie realizes it’s not the older vintage listed on the label. When she confides in Mr. Rafferty, he asks her to investigate, and she soon discovers the deception goes beyond money. As Katie falls deeper into the world of counterfeit wine, she learns everything is at stake—even her life.

Uncorking a Lie (A Sommelier Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Midnight Ink (May 8, 2017)
Paperback: 240 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0738750620
E-Book ASIN: B01LY74FBZ

Available

Amazon  B&N 

And I thought 

A well written fast paced cozy mystery.  The reader will enter the world and learn about high dollar wine.  

This was a fun and interesting read for me giving me a chance to know a little more about wine and it's intrigue.   I was fascinated with the world of the Sommelier and wine tasters.   I couldn't imagine being a part of that world.

As Katie begins investigation the source of a very expensive bottle of counterfeit wine she soon becomes one of the suspects when it is realized that there has been a murder.  

It seems to be a race against time to find the truth and who is telling truth as each participant at the dinner party is questioned.

There is a budding romance that was introduced in book 1 that 

begins to warm up a little at the end. 

Uncorking A Lie was a nice cozy fast paced easy read. 

There weren't too many characters to cause confusion for the reader.  

 I look forward to reading the series.

I received a complimentary copy.

This review will post on retail sites where the book is available.

Visit the Great Escapes Tour to read more reviews/interviews. 

Click Here to visit the tour.

 I had the pleasure of interviewing the author.  My interview is 

over here. 

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lesley A. Diehl-Big Lake Murder Mystery Books 2-Review

Grilled, Chilled and Killed: Big Lake Murder Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Creekside Publishing (December 31, 2016)
Paperback: 330 pages E-Book 224 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0997234930
E-Book ASIN: B01N9GUUKU

About the book (provided by Great Escapes Tours)

It seems as if Emily is destined to discover dead bodies. This time she finds one of the contestants at the local barbecue cook-off dead and covered in barbecue sauce in a beer cooler. She should be used to stumbling onto corpses by now and the question of who killed the guy should pique her curiosity, but Emily decides to let Detective Lewis handle this one, at least until she figures his theory of who did the deed is wrong, wrong, wrong. Lewis’ denigration of Emily’s speculations is condescending enough to stimulate her dormant snooping skills. As the two of them go on their separate paths to find the killer, Lewis’ old partner, Toby the dirty, tobacco-spitting cop interferes in the investigation leaving Lewis with the wrong man in jail. Killers, bootleggers, barbecue and feral pigs—it’s a lethal game of hide and seek in the Florida swamp.

Available

Amazon

And I thought 

Lesley Diehl does it again in book 2 of the Big Lake Series.

Emily returns with the complete cast from book 1 along with the two villains from book 1.  These guys just don't seem to 

go away!

Book 2 is centered around a Barbque cook off that starts just a few pages in with Emily once again discovering a dead body.

Of course in walks Detective Lewis and everything 'heats up'.

A few new characters are introduced along the way as Emily 

and crew search for clues and run from trouble.

I am loving this series.  Book 2 is just as good as Book 1. 

I recieved a complimentary copy from Great Escape Tours

This review post on Amazon and Good Reads

Visit the tour 

I reviewed book one over at My Journey Back.  Click here.

Visit the tour at Great Escapesd  to enter Giveaway and read reviews and interviews.  Click here. 

  

Cobble Cove Mystery Series-Book 1 & 2 Review

About the book (provided by Great Escapes Book Tours)

Librarian Alicia McKinney has put the past behind her…

Two years ago, Alicia discovered both a terrible truth and lasting love with John McKinney in the small town of Cobble Cove, New York. Now a busy mother of twin babies and co-author of a mystery series, Alicia couldn’t be happier.

Alicia’s contentment and safety are challenged…

Walking home alone from the library, Alicia senses someone following her, and on more than one occasion, she believes she is being watched. Does she have a stalker? When the local gift shop is burglarized, the troubling event causes unrest among Alicia and the residents of the quiet town.
John and Alicia receive an offer they can’t refuse…

When John’s sister offers to babysit while she and John take a much-needed vacation in New York City, Alicia is reluctant to leave her children because of the disturbances in Cobble Cove. John assures her the town is safe in the hands of Sheriff-elect Ramsay. Although Alicia’s experience with and dislike of the former Long Island detective don’t alleviate her concern, she and John take their trip.

Alicia faces her worst nightmare…

The McKinneys’ vacation is cut short when they learn their babies have been kidnapped and John’s sister shot. Alicia and John’s situation puts them between a rock and a hard place when the main suspect is found dead before the ransom is paid. In order to save their children, the McKinneys race against the clock to solve a mystery more puzzling than those found in their own books. Can they do it before time runs out?

And I thought

While the story played out I was guessing who dun it!  In my opinion the sign of a good story/plot.  

Although I felt the story seemed a little slow for me I enjoyed it.

Books I read on my phone always take me longer to read. I find myself at each page turn itching for the book to speed up.  Get on with the crime.  I cheer for the sleuths and I am anxious for the criminals to be caught.

I was not disappointed.  Once the break in, shooting and kidnapping occurs the reader is on a fast ride to the end.  

I did feel like there was a lot of background information which kind of made the story drag on for me.  The writer gives detail into the happenings in book 1 to set the pace for the reader who hasn't read book 1.   

Available

Amazon eBook - Universal Link  - Amazon paperback - Universal link

Book Review-Bai Tide-By Erika Mitchell

About (provided by TLC Tours)

 Paperback: 244 pages
 Publisher: Champagne Books; First Edition edition (April 5, 2015)

An espionage thriller for people who like explosions and sarcasm.

CIA case officer Bai Hsu is stationed in San Diego, where his job is to safeguard the valuable emotional collateral of some of the world’s most powerful people (read: their kids). Just when he thinks he’s landed the easiest assignment of all time, an operative starts targeting the school and it’s up to Bai to figure out who the operative is after, and why. This fast-paced story will take you from the picturesque beaches of San Diego to a deadly blizzard in Pyongyang and make Bai question everything he thought he knew about working in the field, and about himself.

Available

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

And I thought
A pleasant surprise.  I honestly didn't know what to expect from 
Bai Hsu. 
The action began with page 1 continuing to the end. 
On an undercover mission at a girls school Bai's assignment is to figure our what's going when someone seems to be target the school and probably one of the students.  Why is the question. 
The action begins right from page one when an unknown operative 
sneaks into a dance. Bai immediately spots the suspect and takes chase only to loose him(?) when a car is explodes.  Bai narrowly escapes with his life!
Bai begins almost a stumble bum investigation.  He begins to check out the security at the school and is caught and his performance is questioned. 
Then when he finds another operative Annette another faculty member Bai is assigned to 'play nice' and work together.  The alliance doesn't last long when an assassin sneaks in while the two are investigating and shoots and kills Annette. 
In wake of the shooting Bai begins feeling his performance is 'shoddy'.  I couldn't help but agree.  
Although the story was intriguing I wasn't real captivated by 
Bai.  Once he meets a woman running on the beach (I pegged her as trouble) and begins relationship that ends up distracting him from his mission.  It's not long before one of the students is kidnapped from a volleyball tournament by a masked person.  Bai redeems himself and catches the kidnapper and saving the student.  More questions arise when the kidnappers face is revealed. 
And then...
the story takes a shift when Bai along with the kidnapper who decides to join forces with Bai and the FBI on a mission to North Korea to disable a bomb.
The last half of the book for me wasn't nearly as interesting as the first half.  
The pair saves the day and the story ends on a good note leaving this reader a slightly disappointed.  
I thought the story was good.  The author did a good job of describing the characters.  There were not a lot and it was really easy to keep up with them and the plot during the first half. 
The second half it was a little harder.  
I enjoyed reading Bai Tide and I would welcome the chance to read more books by Ericka Mitchell.

To read additional reviews visit the TLC Tour. Click here

Readers who enjoy Thrillers and Spy novels will enjoy Bai Tide.

I received a complimentary copy from TLC Tours.
This review will be posted at retail sites where available.
This review will be posted on My Reading Journeys and 
Good Reads.

Happy-Blast From The Past

  

I wanted to write a post today.  I wanted to share with you something meaningful.  Something fun or funny.  But  I didn't have a fun or funny thought in my tired body.  

And then  I had . . . 

Rarely do I get on Face Book.  Tonight I was bored or prompted which ever it doesn't matter because I had the most precious, beautiful message I could imagine. 

You see years ago.  Back in the day we mentored incarcerated 

teens. Teenage girls incarcerated.   We still mentor boys.

Incarcerated for offences like setting a dumpster on fire, stealing video equipment from the school, and many other offences that are shocking.  These kids were in prison.  Not jail.  There is a huge difference.

There were many girls that I will never ever forget. 

 Waaaay back in the day when all this was going on I was cautioned by our supervisors not to give phone numbers etc.  to these youth.  

I/we through caution to the wind and gave our  cell #'s to these struggling youth when they left prison and went home or to a halfway house. 

Through the years I have had many boys and a few girls maintain contact.  

Today I received a message from one of our (my) girls!  She was 

able to go to another state (which rarely happens) to be with 

her family.  

She will be visiting in our area this month and she 

reached out to meet/connect with me.  

I read the FB message and I bawled.  Yes I had tears streaming down my face!

God is so good.  To bring this beautiful young women back into my life is such a blessing.  I cannot express the feelings I have to know that this beautiful woman is so comfortable in her walk with God that she would reach out to me/us. 

If she wasn't she would not cross that line.  Many years ago she 

was introduced to Jesus and she accepted him into her heart and she became a 'new virgin'.  (her words)

She is a grown woman now and I praise God that I was able to be a small part in her life.  

I can't wait to see her again!

Book Review-Edited Out-By E.J. Copperman

About the book (provided by Amazon)

Mystery author Rachel Goldman is getting used to the idea that her fictional creation Duffy Madison has somehow taken flesh-and-blood form and is investigating missing person cases not far from where Rachel lives. Wait. No. She’s not getting used to it at all, and the presence of this real-life Duffy is making her current manuscript—what’s the word?—lousy. 

So she doesn’t want to see Duffy—the living one—at all. To make matters worse, when he shows up at her door and insists on talking to her, it’s about the one thing she doesn’t want to do: Find a missing person. But the man Duffy seeks this time around might be able to solve Rachel’s problem. He might just be the man Duffy was before he became Duffy five years ago. The only problem is she could be letting Duffy lead her into danger yet again…

Entertaining and witty, the second in E.J. Copperman's Mysterious Detective Mystery seriesEdited Out will delight his fans, both new and old.

And I thought 

Rarely have I found that a series requires the books to be read in order. There are some that I realize that I want to go back and read them all from the beginning. They are just that good.

The A Mysterious Detective Mystery Series is one of those.

Don’t stop here and think you must read Written Off before Edited Out.  The author does an excellent job of presenting a story that is captivating and intriguing!  I was not lost from having jumped in with book 2. 

Briefly the story is about mystery author Rachel Goodman who seems to have had her main character Duffy jump off the pages and appear in her life.

The human Duffy appears to have only come into existence five years ago when Rachel started the series. 

I was fascinated and intrigued wondering where the story was going.  I kept wondering is she dreaming this and the book will end with Rachel writing another book. I was taken back a little to the opening scene of Romancing The Stone (a favorite BTW)

While the Rachel and Duffy with the help of  Ben from the county prosecutors office investigate the 5 year old disappearance of another man Damien Mosley that might or might not have been Duffy I scratched my head trying to figure out the plot. 

I wasn’t really moved in the beginning of the book.  I was intrigued trying to figure what was going on … I kind of had to bear with it until chapter 18 when Duffy is arrested for the murder of  Damien Mosley after he see’s the crime scene photo’s and begins investigating the years old mystery.  

Eddited Out was a great introduction for me into the world/works of E.A. Coppermann.

I am drawn enough into the story to ‘want’ to read the previous installment. 

And, the next one.  The reader is left with a little bit of a cliffhanger when the possible sister of Duffy Madison returns Rachel’s phone call. 

So is he real or not?

So Mr. Copperman when can we expect book 3?

I received a complimentary copy from The Review Crew

This review will post on retail sites where available.

This review will post on My Journey Back and Good Reads

Available

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

 More in the series 

Rachel Goldman writes mysteries in which Duffy Madison, consultant to the county prosecutor’s office, helps find missing persons. Rachel is busy working on her next book, when a man calls out of the blue asking for help in a missing persons case. The caller's name? Duffy Madison.

Is this real or has she lost her mind? She doesn't have much time to find out because a serial killer is on the loose, kidnapping and murdering mystery authors. And Rachel may just be the next target.

Full of uncanny intrigue and witty humor, E.J. Copperman's imaginative series debut Written Off is sure to be a new fan favorite for readers of Donna Andrews.

More Than A Soldier-Book Spotlight-Giveaway

Book Details(provided by I Read Book Tours)

Book Details:

Book Title: More Than a Soldier: One Army Ranger's Daring Escape From the Nazis
​Author: D.M. Annechino
Category: Adult Fiction, 316 pages
Genre: Historical Biography, WWII
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release date: April 2017
Tour dates: April 24 to May 19, 2017
Content Rating: PG-13 (A few four-letter words and violence associated with war)

About the book 

Feeling a patriotic duty to defend his country after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, seventeen year old, Angelo J. DiMarco, enlists in the U.S. Army. Severely short of frontline fighters, the Army rushes Angelo through Ranger training and sends him to Italy as part of the 1st Ranger Battalion. Their objective: stop the German invasion.

Fighting on the front lines in Italy, the German’s teach Angelo a sobering lesson on life when they capture him during the bloody battle of Cisterna. Against insurmountable odds, Angelo miraculously escapes in a way that stretches the imagination. He survives behind enemy lines for over five months, hiding from the Germans and trying to outmaneuver them. He begs for food, sleeps in barns and suffers from many ailments, including dehydration, malnutrition, malaria and exposure to the elements.

More Than a Soldier is Angelo DiMarco’s powerful story of survival, resilience and courage.

Visit tour at Italy Book Tours.  Click here.

Buy the Book: 

​Amazon

​Add to Goodreads

Giveaway 

a Rafflecopter giveaway