Pigeon-Blood Red by Ed Duncan – Excerpt and Giveaway (ENDED)

BOOK COVER For underworld enforcer Richard “Rico” Sanders, it seemed like an ordinary job. Retrieve his gangster boss’s priceless pigeon-blood red ruby necklace and teach the double-dealing cheat who stole it a lesson. A job like a hundred before it. But the chase quickly goes sideways and takes Rico from the mean streets of Chicago to sunny Honolulu, where the hardened hit man finds himself in uncharted territory when a couple of innocent bystanders are accidentally embroiled in the crime.

As Rico pursues his new targets, the hunter and his prey develop an unlikely respect for one another and Rico is faced with a momentous decision: follow his orders to kill the couple whose courage and character have won his admiration, or refuse and endanger the life of the woman he loves?

Pigeon-Blood Red is a fast-paced and suspenseful crime thriller by Ed Duncan. It was released in March 2016, published by Zharmae and is available for sale on Amazon.

Keep reading below for an excerpt and your chance to win a digital copy!

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Cover Reveal – Steel Magic by J.L. Gribble

Title: Steel Magic
Series: Steel Empires Book 2
Author: J.L. Gribble
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Alternate History
Release Date: July 6, 2016

Pre-order Link: http://amzn.to/1Rc17n2

Synopsis:

Funerals are usually the end of the story, not the beginning.

Newly graduated warrior-mages Toria Connor and Kane Nalamas find themselves the last remaining mages in the city when a mage school teacher mysteriously falls ill and dies. But taking over the school themselves isn’t in the cards. They’re set to become professional mercenaries-if they make it through the next 18 months as journeymen first.

The debate over whether to hunt mutated monsters in the Wasteland or take posh bodyguard jobs is put on hold when a city elder hires them to solve the mystery of the disappearing mages. Toria and Kane’s quest brings them to the British colonial city of New Angouleme, where their initial investigation reveals that the problem is even greater than they feared.

But when a friend is kidnapped, they’ll have to travel to the other side of the globe to save her, save themselves, and save magic itself.

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About the Cover Artist:

Bradley Sharp was born in 1977 in Oxfordshire, UK. From a young age he filled many sketch books, so it only made sense to study Graphic Communication at Nene University, where he received a BA Honors degree in 1997.

But the real world called Sharp away from academics, so he traveled around the globe a couple of times, working as a graphic designer. Now he makes a living by designing magazine spreads, but freelances with vector illustrations, allowing him to create something far-removed from what he does in his nine-to-five job.

Sharp finds vector to be an easy tool and believes anyone can use it. “I’d say my artwork is nothing more than glorified doodling. I like the logical inconsistencies of surrealism and find inspiration from many places such as music or the science fiction genre. Dog Star’s novels lend themselves well to my style. I look forward to working with DSB in the future, and hope fans will like the imagery as much as they enjoy the words.” Find Sharp’s work online at http://www.bradsharp.co.uk.

About the Author:

Gribble photo color

By day, J. L. Gribble is a professional medical editor. By night, she does freelance fiction editing in all genres, along with reading, playing video games, and occasionally even writing. She is currently working on the Steel Empires series for Dog Star Books, the science-fiction/adventure imprint of Raw Dog Screaming Press. Previously, she was an editor for the Far Worlds anthology.

Gribble studied English at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She received her Master’s degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, where her debut novel Steel Victory was her thesis for the program.

She lives in Ellicott City, Maryland, with her husband and three vocal Siamese cats. Find her online (www.jlgribble.com), on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jlgribblewriter), and on Twitter and Instagram (@hannaedits).

Audiobook Review – Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld, narrated by Cassandra Campbell
The Austen Project #4
Eligible (The Austen Project #4) A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

This version of the Bennet family—and Mr. Darcy—is one that you have and haven’t met before: Liz is a magazine writer in her late thirties who, like her yoga instructor older sister, Jane, lives in New York City. When their father has a health scare, they return to their childhood home in Cincinnati to help—and discover that the sprawling Tudor they grew up in is crumbling and the family is in disarray.

Youngest sisters Kitty and Lydia are too busy with their CrossFit workouts and Paleo diets to get jobs. Mary, the middle sister, is earning her third online master’s degree and barely leaves her room, except for those mysterious Tuesday-night outings she won’t discuss. And Mrs. Bennet has one thing on her mind: how to marry off her daughters, especially as Jane’s fortieth birthday fast approaches.

Enter Chip Bingley, a handsome new-in-town doctor who recently appeared on the juggernaut reality TV dating show Eligible. At a Fourth of July barbecue, Chip takes an immediate interest in Jane, but Chip’s friend neurosurgeon Fitzwilliam Darcy reveals himself to Liz to be much less charming. . . .

And yet, first impressions can be deceiving.

Genre: Romance, Fiction
My Rating: **** (4 stars)

First of all, I have to say that I love Pride and Prejudice. It’s my favorite Jane Austen novel, and Liz Bennet my favorite Austen heroine. I was a little nervous that a modern retelling of the story, complete with modern language, would be a disappointment. The author has done a wonderful job, though, of keeping the dialog as modern as possible while giving the narration a more classic feel. The story itself provides the same type of contrast, as it is easy at times to forget that this is a modern take on Pride and Prejudice, yet at other times it feels so familiar that you know just what will come next.

Cassandra Campbell as narrator does a good job of differentiating the Bennet girls’ voices, and is pleasant to listen to. Pleasant that is except when she’s doing Mrs. Bennet’s voice, but I think that is to be expected. 🙂

While some of the situations that the girls find themselves in do seem over-the-top, I enjoyed the story, and Ms. Campbell’s performance of it.

 

NOTE: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review – Finding Fraser by KC Dyer

Finding Fraser by KC Dyer
Finding FraserSometimes searching for true love can be a little…Outlandish.

I met Jamie Fraser when I was nineteen years old. He was tall, red-headed, and at our first meeting at least, a virgin. I fell in love hard, fast and completely. He knew how to ride a horse, wield a sword and stitch a wound. He was, in fact, the perfect man.

That he was fictional hardly entered into it.

At 29, Emma Sheridan’s life is a disaster and she’s tired of waiting for the perfect boyfriend to step from the pages of her favorite book. There’s only one place to look, and it means selling everything and leaving her world behind. With an unexpected collection of allies along the way, can Emma face down a naked fishmonger, a randy gnome, a perfidious thief, and even her own abdominal muscles on the journey to find her Fraser?

Genre: Romance, Chick-lit
My Rating: *** (3 stars)

This was a fun read, even for someone who has never read any of the Outlander series. (Gasp! I know – they are on my TBR pile!) I think nearly everyone knows the basic concept behind the novels, so it wasn’t hard to figure out what Emma was referring to when she did talk about Diana Gabaldon’s books.

The book alternates between chapters telling us the story, and blog posts that Emma writes as she goes along. The blog posts are short and sweet, and sometimes provide a little insight into things that have not yet been fully disclosed in the story.

I did feel that the heroine was a bit naive for 29. I often wanted to yell into the book at her, and to point out how blind she was being, or how ridiculous some of her choices were. Even so, Emma is a likable character, and I couldn’t help but root for her and wish her success in her quest to find love.

I have to add that I love books about other books, and books that even just mention other books. Books mentioned within other books have given me some great reading recommendations, and because of them, I’ve read things I would never have picked up otherwise. The Outlander series has definitely jumped higher up my ever-growing list after reading this story!

 

NOTE: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Final Tap by Amanda Flower – Blog Tour / Giveaway (ENDED)

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The Final Tap by Amanda Flower
Living History Museum Mystery #2
THE FINAL TAP March on Barton Farm can only mean one thing: maple sugar season. To combat the winter slump, resilient director Kelsey Cambridge organizes a Maple Sugar Festival, complete with school visits, pancake breakfasts, and tree tapping classes. Kelsey hires curmudgeonly maple sugar expert Dr. Conrad Beeson to teach the classes, despite misgivings over his unpleasant demeanor. It’s a decision she ends up regretting when, before the first tree can be tapped for sap, Dr. Beeson turns up dead.

The maple sugar expert’s death threatens to shut down not only the Maple Sugar Festival, but also Barton Farm itself. Kelsey must solve Dr. Beeson’s murder to escape the increasingly sticky situation.

Well, I’ve found yet another cozy mystery series to add to my must-buy list! I really enjoyed the setting – a working historical farm – and learned everything I could want to know about maple syrup production. Not in a clinical way, but as interesting bits of information presented during the story.

Our heroine Kelsey has her hands full trying to run the farm, raise her kindergarten-age son, and solve a murder before the police can pin it on one of her young employees. There was an interesting cast of characters, and that homey, small-town feel that I love in a good cozy.

While previous events are mentioned, it’s not necessary to have read book 1 to know what’s going on. Since this is only book 2 in the series though, I’d recommend starting with book 1 and reading them both. That way you’ll be caught up and ready for book #3 whenever it might be available! 🙂

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway  (ENDED) for a chance to win one of 2 print copies of The Final Tap.

About the Author

AMANDA FLOWER

Amanda Flower, a two-time Agatha Award-nominated mystery author, started her writing career in elementary school when she read a story she wrote to her sixth grade class and had the class in stitches with her description of being stuck on the top of a Ferris wheel. She knew at that moment she’d found her calling of making people laugh with her words. She also writes mysteries as national bestselling  author Isabella Alan. In addition to being an author, Amanda is an academic librarian for a small college near Cleveland.

Website: http://amandaflower.com/
Pen Name Website: http://isabellaalan.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoramandaflower
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aflowerwriter
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3412728.Amanda_Flower
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/aflowerwriter/

 

Tour Participants – stop by to visit these other great blogs!

May 9 – Bubble Bath Books – REVIEW
May 10 – The Girl with Book Lungs – REVIEW
May 11 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
May 12 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
May 13 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW
May 13 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
May 14 – Off
May 15 – Melina’s Book Blog –  REVIEW, GUEST POST
May 16 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
May 17 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST
May 18 – Classy Cheapskate – REVIEW
May 19 – Queen of All She Reads –  REVIEW
May 20 – Book Babble – REVIEW
May 21 – Booklady’s Booknotes – REVIEW, GUEST POST
May 22- LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW
May 22- Island Confidential – INTERVIEW

NOTE: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

House of the Hanging Jade by Amy M. Reade – Giveaway (ENDED)

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House of the Hanging Jade A dark presence had invaded the Jorgensens’ house. On a spectacular bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, something evil is watching and waiting . . .

Tired of the cold winters in Washington, D.C. and disturbed by her increasingly obsessive boyfriend, Kailani Kanaka savors her move back to her native Big Island of Hawaii. She also finds a new job as personal chef for the Jorgensen family. The gentle caress of the Hawaiian trade winds, the soft sigh of the swaying palm trees, and the stunning blue waters of the Pacific lull her into a sense of calm at the House of Hanging Jade–an idyll that quickly fades as it becomes apparent that dark secrets lurk within her new home. Furtive whispers in the night, a terrifying shark attack, and the discovery of a dead body leave Kailani shaken and afraid. But it’s the unexpected appearance of her ex-boyfriend, tracking her every move and demanding she return to him, that has her fearing for her life . . .

House of the Hanging Jade is a suspenseful tale of murder and obsession, all taking place against a beautiful Hawaiian backdrop. Lush descriptions of both the scenery and the food prepared by the protagonist leave you wanting more. Fans of both gothic romance and mystery novels should enjoy this story.

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway (ENDED) to win an ebook copy for yourself.

About The Author
Amy M. Reade grew up in northern New York. After graduating from college and law school, she practiced law in New York City before moving to southern New Jersey, where she lives now with her husband, three children, dog, two cats, and a fish. She writes full time and is the author of Secrets of Hallstead House, a novel of romantic suspense set in the Thousand Islands region of New York, and The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor, a novel in the same genre set outside Charleston, South Carolina. Her third novel, House of Hanging Jade, is set in Hawaii and will be released in April, 2016. She is currently working on the first book of a series set in the United Kingdom (expected release date in early 2017). She loves cooking, reading, and traveling.

website: www.amymreade.com
blog: www.amreade.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/amreadeauthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/readeandwrite
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/amreade
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/amyreade

Tour Participants

April 25 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
April 26 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW, GIVEAWAY
April 27 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY
April 28 – Musings and Ramblings – INTERVIEW
April 29 – Melina’s Book Blog –  REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
April 30 – dru’s book musings – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY
May 1 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW
May 2 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY
May 3 – Author Annette Drake’s blog – GUEST POST
May 4 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW
May 5 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
May 6 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY
May 7 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
May 8 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

NOTE: I was provided with a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review – After the Fire by Jane Casey

After the Fire by Jane Casey Maeve Kerrigan series Book #6
Available May 3, 2016 from Minotaur Books

After the Fire (Maeve Kerrigan #6) London police detective Maeve Kerrigan has spent plenty of time at Murchison House. One of the many cement high-rise towers comprising the Maudling Estate housing project, Murchison Tower is home to a motley mix of society. From domestic abuse victims and elderly widows with nowhere else to turn to its flourishing criminal elements, Maeve is familiar with many of its occupants by name or reputation. But when a fire breaks out at Murchison House that consumes the top floors and leaves three dead, Maeve and her colleagues are startled to learn the identity of one of the victims. Geoff Armstrong was a wealthy, notoriously right-wing London politician – the last person they’d expect to find in a place like the Maudling Estate. And things get even murkier when evidence surfaces indicating Armstrong was murdered before the fire broke out. Was his death connected to the fire? To the other deaths at Murchison Tower? And what was he doing there in the first place?

Genre: Mystery
My Rating: **** (4 stars)

This was the best police procedural that I have read in a long time. I sometimes have issues with procedurals bringing so many police officers into the investigation that I can’t keep track of who’s who. That’s not a problem in After the Fire! Even with an entire department full of characters to keep track of, plus the residents of the burned out high rise, there was never any problem keeping people straight. Each individual in the story was just that – individual – which made them all memorable and the story easy to follow. That doesn’t mean that it was easy to guess what was going on or who was doing what, however. Once I got started, I didn’t want to put the book down until I reached the end. It was fast paced, suspenseful, and occasionally shocking. If you’re a mystery fan, I highly recommend this one, whether or not you have read any of the other Maeve Kerrigan novels. I have to thank Minotaur Press for introducing me to another “always-buy” author for my list!

NOTE: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review. All thought and opinions are my own.

Interview with Denison Hatch, Author of Flash Crash

 David Belov, a quant programmer working for an investment bank in New York, is blackmailed into writing an algorithm that will intentionally crash the gold market.

David discovers that his virtual “Flash Crash” was simply a required stepping stone towards the largest physical gold robbery in history, and that’s he’s been framed for the resulting chaos, the lives of his beloved wife and son on the balance . . .

With Detective Jake Rivett and the NYPD’s finest operators from the Major Crimes Division actively seeking to locate and arrest David, and other, darker elements nipping at his heels, David is forced to confront his own past in order to have a future. 

Flash Crash’s Amazon Page:
http://www.amazon.com/Flash-Crash-Rivett-Heist-Thriller-ebook/dp/B01CYVI68A/

Please join me in welcoming Denison Hatch to The Book’s the Thing. Denison is the author of the recently released thriller Flash Crash, and has taken the time to answer a few questions for us. Sounds like Denison and I have very similar tastes in literature, so I’m really looking forward to reading and reviewing his book!

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Silence of the Lamps – Blog Tour / Review / Giveaway (ENDED)

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Silence of the Lamps by Karen Rose Smith
Available 4/26/2016 from Kensington

SILENCE OF THE LAMPS

Business has never been better for home stager Caprice De Luca, but her personal life could stand a few renovations. Just when she thought things were getting serious with her boyfriend Grant, his pretty ex-wife swoops into town and nabs his attention. Uncle Dom is living with her parents and desperately needs a new job. And her sister Nikki’s catering business is threatened when rival Drew Pierson starts eating away at her share of the market. Things could not possibly get more chaotic when Drew is found bludgeoned to death by one of his grandmother’s antique Tiffany lamps–and Nikki is the number one suspect. Now, Caprice must act fast to illuminate the truth and clear her sister’s name–before a cold-blooded killer puts her lights out next.

 

Silence of the Lamps is book #5 in the Caprice De Luca mystery series, and while previous cases are mentioned, you do not need to have read the earlier books in the series to enjoy this one. The interaction between Caprice and her sisters is so realistic you almost feel like part of the family while reading the story. And when one of her sisters is the prime suspect in a murder investigation, how can Caprice stay out of it? The more she asks around, the more she finds that her sister Nikki was far from Drew’s only enemy. With lots of clues to keep you guessing at the identity of the murderer, this was a fast paced, fun read.

Enter to win a set of Caprice De Luca Mysteries for your own or an Amazon gift card in the Rafflecopter Giveaway! (ENDED)

About the Author
karen rose smith Karen is an animal lover and especially a cat lover. She and her husband are cat parents to four rescued felines—London (15), Zoie Joy (4), Halo (?), and Miss Paddington (Paddy) who is growing out of kittenhood. If you’d like to read about Karen’s fur babies and care for strays, follow her on Facebook and/or sign up for her newsletter IN TOUCH.

Connect with Karen at her website:
http://www.karenrosesmith.com/

 

Tour Participants

April 25 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW
April 25 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
April 26 – Classy Cheapskate – REVIEW
April 26 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW
April 27 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
April 28 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
April 28 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW
April 29 – A Date with a Book – REVIEW
April 29 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
April 30 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW
April 30 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
May 1 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
May 1 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW
May 2 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW
May 2 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

NOTE: I was provided with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. All thought are my own.