Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Path of Totality - 5-Star Review

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the PATH OF TOTALITY by Heather Kreke Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: PATH OF TOTALITY

Author: Heather Kreke

Pub. Date: October 24, 2022

Publisher: Cranberry Creek Press

Formats: Paperback, eBook, audiobook

Pages: 344

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/PATH-OF-TOTALITY

Read for FREE with a Kindle Unlimited membership!

2023 Selah Award Finalist in YA Fiction
2023 Selah Award Finalist in First Novel

World War III has erupted on American soil. Seventeen-year-old Jadzia’s life will never be the same again.

As a mandatory draft takes effect, Jadzia finds herself on the front lines of the war, torn apart from her family. But when her best friend is killed, Jadzia is desperate to find her way back to them. She abandons her platoon and sets out on her own.

Jadzia must navigate a dangerous cross-country journey, facing betrayal, violence, and the constant threat of death. Along the way, she meets Ryker–the son of a faith leader whose places of worship have been attacked. Despite the chaos, Jadzia finds refuge and friendship among Ryker’s unlikely group of individuals … even though their faith is a little old-fashioned. And Ryker's insistence on helping her doesn't make it easier for Jadzia to resist her growing feelings toward him.

But the military is determined to capture Jadzia and all outlaws. When survival seems impossible, will sacrifice be their only route to freedom?

This action-packed YA dystopian novel is perfect for fans of The Out of Time Series and The Gifting Series.

REVIEW

I've been looking for a good dystopian to sink into, and boy, did this fit the bill! Heather Kreke effortlessly weaves an immersive story of what could happen if a religious war broke out in the US in the future. And when I tell you that it was immersive, buddy I literally lost track of time reading this and COULD NOT put it down! I may have even been a few minutes late to a meeting because I was finishing the last few pages. Sorry, not sorry!

The characters had great development and you really want to know what is going to happen to them next. I really hope that there is a sequel because I'm dying to know what happens next! Even though the end gave some closure, there is a little bit of a cliff hanger that leaves plenty of room to continue the story.

What surprised me about the story were the subtle Christian notes that were woven in. They were done with a deft hand and very purposely added so they helped move the story along. I would not call this a "Christian" fiction book because that is not the main focus of the story, but I really appreciate those touches. All in all, this is a great young adult book that is enjoyable for adults as well. This is one of my new favorites for sure!

About Heather Kreke:

Heather Kreke is passionate about showing teens and young adults they can find hope in God’s plan for their lives—even through the darkest times. She is the Blog Manager for Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, and a Coordinator for the Blue Ridge Readers Connection. In her spare time, she teaches writing classes, shoots archery, and camps with her family. Married since 2004, Heather has three daughters. She loves connecting with readers on her website heatherkreke.com, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a signed finished copy of PATH OF TOTALITY, three pieces of character art, a bookmark, a branded candle, and a book necklace., US Only.

Ends May 2nd, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

4/17/2023	Writer of Wrongs	Excerpt
4/17/2023	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt/IG Post
4/18/2023	The Momma Spot	Guest Post
4/18/2023	Reads by Radus	Excerpt/IG Post
4/19/2023	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
4/19/2023	latenightbookreader	IG Review
4/20/2023	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
4/20/2023	@jael_and_jenessa_reads	Review/IG Post
4/21/2023	Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	Guest Post/IG Post
4/21/2023	Author Z. Knight’s Guild	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

4/24/2023	Cara North	Review/IG Post
4/24/2023	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Book Drop Pic
4/25/2023	Brandi Danielle Davis	Review/IG Post
4/25/2023	@evergirl200	Review/IG Post
4/26/2023	OneMoreExclamation	Review/IG Post
4/26/2023	Living in a Fictional Reality	Review/IG Post
4/27/2023	@jypsylynn	Review/IG Post
4/27/2023	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
4/28/2023	Confessions of the Perfect Mom	Review/IG Post
4/28/2023	Breysreviews	Review/IG Post

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

The Partisan - Guest Post

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE PARTISAN by Patrick Worrall Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: THE PARTISAN

Author: Patrick Worrall

Pub. Date: April 25, 2023

Publisher: Union Square & Co.

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 397

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/ThePartisan

Epic in scope, The Partisan is a thrill ride that takes readers from the hallowed halls of Cambridge to the grimy depths of the Moscow underworld, from 1960s London to the Eastern Front during the Second World War.
Summer 1961: The brutal Cold War between East and West is becoming ever more perilous. Two young prodigies from either side of the Iron Curtain, Yulia and Michael, meet at a chess tournament in London. They don't know it, but they’re about to compete in the deadliest game ever played. Shadowing them is Greta, a ruthless Lithuanian resistance fighter who is hunting down some of the most dangerous men in the world. Men who are also on the radar of Vassily, perhaps the USSR's greatest spymaster. A man of cunning and influence, Vassily is Yulia's minder during her visit to the West, but even he could not foresee the consequences of her meeting Michael. When the world is accelerating towards an inevitable and catastrophic conflict, what can just four people do to prevent it?

The Partisan playlist

Smokestack Lightning - Howlin' Wolf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMUt8KdDtTY

The Partisan is mostly set in 1961 and the soundtrack that plays in my head when I think about it is mostly rhythm and blues.

This was the era when hip English kids, like our hero Michael, were haunting record shops and drooling over precious imports from Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley...

I had the blues numbers mentioned in the book playing on a permanent loop when I was writing it. Appropriately for a story that begins at a chess tournament, most of these songs were released on Chess Records.

Smokestack Lightning, with its "slapping, compulsive beat" is the first tune Michael dances to with his Russian girl.

"In Moscow, the dance music was from Cuba and when Yulia danced it was all in the hips. It was the only way she knew how. It wasn’t quite right for rhythm and blues, but Michael did not complain because she took his hands and they went up and down the aisle next to the listening booths, dancing very close."

Bring Me My Shotgun - Lightnin' Hopkins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5bKRwZbpI4

"Shotgun" isn't a Chess side and the style here is a world away from the sharp electric blues championed by that label. It would have sounded old-fashioned even in 1961.

This song is a slow, dragging, stomping thing anchored by slithering acoustic guitar and Lightnin's voice, which seems to come up from the Land of the Dead.

It's a sour sort of lyric, written in an age before political correctness: Lightnin' is threatening to shoot his woman if she keeps fooling around with other men.

But in my head, this song belongs to the character Greta, a deadly agent of vengeance. The opening bars are what I hear whenever she comes onstage.

"Go bring me my shotgun. Yes man, and a pocketful of shells..."

Boogie In My Bones - Laurel Aitken

If he's going to keep Yulia happy on their wild night out, Michael needs to keep her dancing. Luckily, he knows a basement club in west London, then the home of the city's Jamaican diaspora, where the crowd will be bouncing all night to early ska.

This is Caribbean music with a London flavour, summed up by Laurel Aitken, a Cuban-Jamaican who made his home in England and recorded for the Blue Beat label. It would have been a blast of pure joy and freedom for any visitor from the Soviet Union.

"Yulia had never heard music from the West Indies before, but it did not matter because it was literally irresistible: you could not listen to it and stand still."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vslWAiWzlbs

Once Upon a Time on a High Hill - Otava Yo

Otava Yo are a folk-rock group from Saint Petersburg whose songs are often accompanied by beautiful films set in a delightful rural Russia of the imagined past.

This is the song I had in mind when I wrote a scene close to the end of the book where Vassily, the complicated Soviet agent, is nursing a hangover after a wedding.

"It was a fine, country-style wedding, with all the old customs observed. The ransom for the bride. The bitter vodka and the kisses that sweetened it."

Perhaps this Russia never really existed, but it's what Vassily is imagining as he toasts the bride and groom and the men turning somersaults around them.

A better Russia that once was, and could be again.

The Partisan - Leonard Cohen

My book was not inspired by this famous recording - the novel now called The Partisan had an entirely different name for most of the gestation period. But I'm very happy to be associated with the song.

The French original is called La Complainte du Partisan. It is perhaps the greatest ballad commemorating the French resistance fighters who defied the Nazi occupiers.

Cohen's Mariana Trench of a voice gives it an eternal gravity and I can imagine how this tale of struggle and sacrifice would have resonated with Greta, a résistante from Lithuania.

"When they poured across the border, I was cautioned to surrender. This I could not do."

About Patrick Worrall:

Patrick Worrall was educated in Worcestershire and King's College, Cambridge. He has worked as a teacher in eastern Europe and Asia, a newspaper journalist, a court reporter at the Old Bailey and the head of Channel 4 News's FactCheck blog. The Partisan is his first novel.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE PARTISAN, US Only.

Ends May 2nd, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

4/17/2023	Author Z. Knight’s Guild	Guest Post/IG Post
4/18/2023	Living in a Fictional Reality / katg423	Guest Post
4/19/2023	Brandi Danielle Davis	IG Review/TikTok Post
4/20/2023	Lifestyle of Me	Review
4/21/2023	Two Points of Interest	Review

Week Two:

4/24/2023	Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer	Review
4/25/2023	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic
4/26/2023	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
4/27/2023	@froggyreadteach	IG Review
4/28/2023	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post

Hidden Justice - Release Day

We’re so excited to share the release of Diana Munoz Stewart’s HIDDEN JUSTICE! This is a gorgeous romantic suspense thriller being relaunched in Kindle Unlimited–check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: Hidden Justice

Author: Diana Munoz Stewart

Genre: Romantic Suspense

About Hidden Justice:

Saved from a brutal childhood and adopted into a wealthy, loving family of international spies, Justice Parish trained her whole life to rescue others. But when her latest mission hits a snag, she needs a new cover fast. Unfortunately, her best solution jeopardizes a good man. A man she can’t help but admire…in more ways than one. After a loss too big to bear, Sandesh Ross left Special forces and dedicated his life to founding a humanitarian group in the Middle East. Helping others isn’t cheap, so when the wealthy and smoldering Justice Parish offers to fund his charity––as long as she’s put in charge of PR––he barely hesitates. What he doesn’t know about his sexy, new benefactor could save his company while endangering not only his heart but his life.

Order Your Copy!

About the Author:

#1 Amazon bestselling author. Armed with a razor-sharp wit and a rolled-up MFA in Creative Writing, Diana Muñoz Stewart cartwheel-kicked her way into publishing with her fiery Black Ops Confidential series. Washington Independent Review of Books called the series’ award-winning debut, “original, impressive” a “rollicking good ride” and “high-octane.” Of her writing Publishers Weekly declared, “Stewart plays adeptly with the reader’s emotions” and noted that in her series, “Stewart’s talent shines.” Of her unflinching openness in taking on today’s relevant topics, Booklist said, “Munoz-Stewart discusses such sensitive topics as human trafficking, sexual violence, and sexism…while the diverse …Parish family and their mission to protect women everywhere give these topics…hope…” Kirkus Book Reviews said her romantic suspense series, along with having, “Sizzling physical encounters” also “enables an emphasis on recovery and power.” Munoz Stewart’s work has been a BookPage Top 15 Romance of 2018, a Night Owl Top Pick, A BookPage Top Pick, and an Amazon Book of the Month. A 2014 Pages From The Heart Winner, 2015 Golden Heart® Finalist, 2016 Daphne du Maurier Finalist, and a 2016 Gateway to the Best Winner, Diana Munoz Stewart is a member of Romance Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and Sisters in Crime. Diana lives in an often chaotic and always welcoming home that—depending on the day—can hold husband, kids, extended family, friends, and a canine or two. A believer in the power of words to heal, connect, and distract from chores, Diana blogs regularly on topics near and dear to her heart, including spotlight pieces on strong women from around the world. When not writing, Diana can be found kayaking, doing sprints up her long driveway—harder than it sounds–attempting yoga on her deck, or hiking with the man who’s had her heart since they were teens. Diana is represented by the wonderful Michelle Grajkowski of Three Seas Literary Agency.

Connect with the Author:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

Saturday, April 15, 2023

Monster - 4-Star Review

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the MONSTER by Brynn Chapman Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: MONSTER: A Tale of Murder, Madness and Plastic Surgery (MONSTER Plastic Surgery Mystery Series 1)

Author: Brynn Chapman

Pub. Date: April 14, 2023

Publisher: Twenty Seven Dresses

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 270

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/MONSTERCHAPMAN

MONSTER. The word evokes images of fairy tales and horror. But once, in 1850 Philadelphia, it was actually the term commonly used in physician’s case notes for the victims of fire.

Conflagrations were common in this period—clothing, especially women’s lace, was highly flammable. Once the flesh was destroyed, there was no cure. These unfortunate souls lived out their lives as MONSTERS, secluded away by family. Once burned flesh gives way to contractures, disfigurements to rival even Bram Stoker’s imagination were born. And the hearts of the people inside the shell perished.

Lorelei is one such MONSTER. Born to a wealthy family, disfigured by fire, she fake’s her own death, leaving the world she knows behind—because in her mind…freedom, even if it is a workhouse, is preferable than the life of a shut-in, a burden on her family's name.

1850’s Philadelphia is an epi-center of medicine. Rival medical schools search in desperation for bodies—cadavers to teach the art and science of anatomy to their medical students. Corpses become so rare, a new profession evolves. Resurrection Men, or body snatchers, dig up the graves of the newly decreased for high pay.

Rory Henry is one of the Resurrection Men. A Scots-Irish Immigrant, he has fought his way off the streets, and into medical school by whatever means necessary. He is not above digging up corpses—he cuts them by day, and searches them out by night.

These two lives intersect in an explosion of personality-Rory is designated as Lorelei’s surgeon. Entrusted with performing the new operation called, The Mutter Flap. Once he sees her face, will the unrequited love die, or ignite?

People are disappearing. Someone has discovered that murder is far more lucrative than grave robbing. And many of the bodies are from Lorelei’s workhouse. Will she be next?

PRAISE FOR BRYNN CHAPMANS BOOKS:

Dark twists and turns abound in this fast-paced and riveting gothic thriller. I consumed it in one sitting!”--Lea Nolan, USA Today Bestselling Author

"Exquisitely written! Requiem Red is a haunting tale of monsters, music, insanity, and the power of love where one least expects to find it.Brava, Ms. Chapman! This book will remain forever in my heart!" -- Darynda Jones NYTimes/USAToday Bestselling Author The Charley Davidson Series

"A rollicking ride of a story, with a tender heart -- A Circle of Crows is a thrilling adventure where the impossible comes to happen; where past meets present; and where a reader can't help but realize that some bonds can't be broken by time or distance."-- Jodi Picoult, author of The Tenth Circle, Vanishing Acts, and My Sister's Keeper.

"Creative, meticulously researched, and terrific fun!"-- Grace Burrowes NY Times Best Selling Author

"The characters, the setting, the descriptions and the mysteries and relationships all work together seamlessly to create a truly wonderful story that I completely adored." --Best Books Ever Blog

"The settings are intriguing and the way they are described make you feel as if you are immersed in the story. I could feel the gloom and damp. That is rare in so many books! Boneseeker is a book I highly recommend, and I give it 5 stars!"-- Christy's Cozy Corners Blog

REVIEW
Wow, I’m not normally one for historical books, but this one is SO GOOD!! It’s got Irish-Americans with their full personalities and dialect, historical science, and a touch of serial killer all in one addictive story. I can’t wait for the next book (whenever that comes) to see what happens because MONSTER leaves so many questions left unanswered at the end. It’s one of those that you are begging for a sneak peak at the next book at the end to get a hint of what comes next because you aren’t ready to put it down yet.

About Brynn Chapman:

Brynn Chapman has dissected cadavers, toured asylums and has a love of all things wierd. A celtic folklore enthusiast (she blames her ancestry), her titles combine history, frights and complicated love stories. Shes won RWA awards, and made it to the top of her Amazon- category-lists. Shes 'Small-town-scary," and she fervently hopes her novels force you to leave the light on.

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon GC, International.

Ends April 30th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

4/10/2023	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
4/11/2023	Cara North	Excerpt/IG Post
4/12/2023	@jael_and_jenessa_reads	Review/IG Post
4/13/2023	@shangread_la	IG Review
4/14/2023	Review Thick And Thin	Review/IG Post
4/15/2023	Living in a Fictional Reality	Review/TikTok Post

Week Two:

4/16/2023	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
4/17/2023	Inked Book Reviews	Review/IG Post
4/18/2023	Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer	Review
4/19/2023	Brandi Danielle Davis	IG Review/TikTok Post
4/20/2023	100 Pages A Day	Review
4/21/2023	Book Briefs	Review/IG Post
4/22/2023	Breysreviews	IG Review