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#ThrowbackThursday – author Melissa Stevens – Book Review

#ThrowbackThursday

Renee began the Throwback Thursday meme on her blog, “It’s Book Talk“ to share some of her old favorites as well as sharing books published over a year ago. Sounded like a good reason to join! Hopefully, you’ll find either a story or author that interests you and you’ll check them out. And, if you’d like to join the fun, you’re welcome to use Renee’s pic from her website. Just provide the link back to her please).

Change by Melissa Stevens This week I am highlighting author Melissa Stevens and stepping considerably beyond my comfort zone in genres (shape-shifting, fantasy). I met Melissa when I also had a table at the craft fair in Yuma at the Country Roads RV Park, probably my favorite of the delightful RV parks where I sold my grandfather’s books during the winters of 2013/14 and 2014/15. Melissa published Change, the first in the Kitsune series in January 2012 (which I reviewed on Goodreads), and was light years ahead of me in promotion. She obviously had a solid marketing plan and knew how to manipulate the ins and outs of Kindle and Smashwords. Change was newly revised in 2017. She is a prolific author who has gone on to writing stand alones, another series, as well as collaborating with another author. She was part of Wicked After Dark, a paranormal romance anthology that hit #13 on the New York Times Bestseller’s list in October of 2015. It would appear she is progressing nicely!

Originally posted April 1, 2014 Continue reading “#ThrowbackThursday – author Melissa Stevens – Book Review”

The Yanks Are Starving: A Novel of the Bonus Army – A Book Review

Title: The Yanks Are Starving: A Novel of the Bonus Army

Genre: Currently #51 on Amazon Best Sellers Rank in Kindle eBooks, History, Military, Regiments

Publisher: Brigid’s Fire Press

Publication Date: December 5, 2013

Source: Direct request by author Glen Craney

Title and Cover: The Yanks Are Starving – Cover beautifully depicts historical scene

The Yanks are Starving is a masterfully written saga of pre and post World War 1. Glen Craney explores the lack of loyalty of officers in battle for their troops and government’s abandonment of the welfare of the troops who fight for their country. Herbert Hoover fought brilliantly for food for the pre-war citizens of France and Belgium but abandoned our own veterans during the great depression. This rather lengthy but insightful book explores the lives of eight individuals from wildly differing experiences and backgrounds whose clash in July 1932 culminates in a poignant and sad story of American history.

Yanks Facebook ad — Photo from Glen Craney website.

Continue reading “The Yanks Are Starving: A Novel of the Bonus Army – A Book Review”

#CursesBoiledAgain – a #BookReview

Title: Curses, Boiled Again!: A Lobster Shack Mystery by Shari Randall

Genre: Currently # 507 on Amazon Best Sellers Rank in Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Mystery, Cozy, Culinary, amateur sleuths

Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Publication Date: To be released January 30, 2018

Source: St. Martin’s Paperbacks and NetGalley

Title and Cover: Curses, Boiled Again! – Cute cozy mystery cover

Welcome to Mystic Bay and the Lazy Mermaid Lobster Shack where the proprietor, Aunt Gully, is a combination of your favorite aunt and feisty grandmother (my favorite character)–and her lobster rolls are to die for. Protagonist Allegra (Allie) Larkin has returned to this small New England hamlet to help Gully Fontana with the Memorial Day Lobster Roll contest and to rest an ankle now in a boot from a ballet dance injury. Her Aunt Gully recently opened her lobster shack to accolades with her lobster roll with secret sauce and was invited to participate in the contest covered by the YUM Food Network. Winning the contest would more than boost her little endeavor. Unfortunately, one of the four judges doesn’t make it alive to the next contestant. Continue reading “#CursesBoiledAgain – a #BookReview”

Deep Zero – a Book Review

Title: Deep Zero by V. S. Kemanis, a Dana Hargrove Legal Mystery

Publisher: Opus Nine Books

Publication Date: To be released January 26, 2018

Source: Opus Nine Books and NetGalley

Title and Cover: Deep Zero – Cover covers scene from book

It’s 2009 and prosecutor Dana Hargrove is managing a full caseload while balancing husband Evan Goodhue, also an attorney, and their two teenage children. Social medium is growing, luring disaffected youngsters into experimenting with online communication in a new and torturous manner. Dana is a newly elected DA in a small town in New York who ran on a successful ticket of controlling youthful drinking, driving, substance abuse, and domestic violence. Continue reading “Deep Zero – a Book Review”

Instagram vs WordPress – Want More From Your Pics?

Rob Moses at Rob Moses Photography started his blog about the same time as I, was one of the first to follow me, and I’ve followed with interest his beautiful and unique pictures. I’ve mentioned him before. He takes a lot of pictures; a lot of different types of pictures. Street photography and city skylines are some of his most favourite things to shoot, but he also finds himself shooting more landscapes than he thought he would.

Most recently, he ran a rant about Instagram vs WordPress which I found so exactly echoed my own sentiments, as well as recent discussions with many of my own followers, that I thought I’d share with you. No doubt you agree. Instagram is too much fun, gets too much attention, and so rewarding that’s it’s difficult to get back to the WP blog subject of the day. For me, of course, the time is spent in crafting “bookstagrams.” (And you have my invitation to follow my efforts in the widget column on the right or @rosepointpub.)

For me, Instagram is an attractive alternative to either Pinterest or Facebook. The two image-sharing platforms were both released approximately 2010 and I’ve yet to really figure out Pinterest. According to Digital Guide, there were approximately 400 million Instagrammers to 100 million Pinteresters back in 2016. Currently, there are almost 75 million WordPress sites out there with over 50% of those (or 37 million) on the free WordPress.com. There are articles on WP vs Tumblr, WP vs Squarespace and Instagram vs Flickr. (And I did try Flickr.) But Instagram–and further–Bookstagram really caught my attention. Now that Instagram has the “story” capability, the ability to add dialogue has expanded dramatically. I love books and they make some gorgeous pictures and now stories (posts) as well!

Time is at such a premium–especially at my age–and I no longer have a full-time job. As jmeyersforeman noted in part, “I think both Instagram and WordPress have their purpose, as you said, Instagram is great for it’s immediacy, while WordPress gives you a longer format to explore topics and it takes time to develop those posts…we only have so much time in the day and we have to decide where we get the most reward for our time.”

#ThrowbackThursday – author Sylvia Nobel – Book Review

#ThrowbackThursday

Renee began the #Throwback Thursday meme on her blog, “It’s Book Talk“ to share some of her old favorites as well as sharing books published over a year ago. Sounded like a good reason to join! I’ll be going back over some of my oldies but goodies posted on Goodreads a while ago, my favorite authors, and some of my favorite stories from authors you might not have previously experienced. Hopefully, you’ll find either a story or author that interests you and you’ll check them out. And, if you’d like to join the fun, Renee invites you to use her #TT pic. Just provide the link back to her please).

This week I am highlighting Sylvia Nobel, another terrific, prolific author who wrote Deadly Sanctuary, which I reviewed on Goodreads. She has actually written eight in the Kendall O’Dell series. This novel was published in April 28, 1998 by Nite Owl Books. She consistently runs approximately four stars or better for any of her books sold on Amazon.

Originally posted March 21, 2014

Book Blurb:

Beautiful, strong-willed reporter, Kendall O’Dell, is drawn into an evil web of conspiracy beyond anything she could have ever imagined when she accepts a position at a small newspaper in isolated Castle Valley, Arizona. Her assignment: Find out why her predecessor mysteriously vanished while working on a story concerning the unsolved deaths of two teenage girls. Why is the sheriff so hostile to her inquiries? Why is the woman operating the local shelter for homeless girls so secretive? And how is attractive rancher Bradley Talverson involved?

When the body of a third girl is discovered in the desert not far from a private mental institution, Kendall’s life hangs in the balance as she strives to uncover the horrifying secret.

Deadly Sanctuary is the first title in Sylvia Nobel’s popular mystery series, featuring spirited, flame-haired reporter Kendall O’Dell. The author’s trademark style is to produce exciting, well-written, edge-of-your-seat, adventures with “knock your socks off” surprise endings. Continue reading “#ThrowbackThursday – author Sylvia Nobel – Book Review”

Dark Ocean – a #BookReview

Title: Dark Ocean (The Angus McKinnon thrillers Volume #2) by Nick Elliott

Genre: Currently #2589 on Amazon Best Sellers Rank in Kindle eBooks, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Thrillers, Espionage

Publisher: Seaward Publishing

Publication Date: August 16, 2017

Source: Review request by author

Title and Cover: Dark Ocean – Beautiful cover, sunken vessel subject of recovery

No stranger to the South China Sea or sunken ships, marine claims investigator Angus McKinnon gets a summon to Hong Kong to investigate a WWII wreck that lies in the depths. The claim on the cargo, however, involving a local ship owner, may not be all it’s cracked up to be. Suddenly, an old friend is murdered in Greece and Angus must return to Greece. Continue reading “Dark Ocean – a #BookReview”

An Engineered Injustice – a #BookReview

Title: An Engineered Injustice (Philadelphia Legal #2) by William L. Myers, Jr.

Genre: Currently #31 on Amazon Best Sellers Rank in Books, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Thrillers & Suspense, Legal

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Publication Date: To be released January 23, 2018

Source: Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley

Title and Cover: An Engineered Injustice – Great cover

What’s worst than a plane crash or train wreck that can kill or maim hundreds at a time? In this particular event, a passenger train crashes in North Philadelphia resulting in multiple fatalities with hundreds injured. It’s not long before criminal defense attorney Vaughn Coburn gets a call regarding his cousin Eddy, the engineer, and a survivor. He and his cousin share a shameful secret caused when they were both young and dumb. Vaughn owes Eddy, and both their families–big time, and he is forced to accept his defense. Continue reading “An Engineered Injustice – a #BookReview”