#bookblog – Page 122 – Rosepoint Publishing

Front Line: A Domestic Spy Espionage Terrorism Thriller (Phantom Force Tactical Book 3) by Jessica James – a #BookReview

A domestic-military thriller review by the CE.

Rosepoint Publishing: Five of Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Special operators work against the clock to stop a radical extremist from detonating a dirty bomb during a Monday night football game near Washington, DC. in this award-winning domestic terrorism thriller.

Phantom Force Tactical’s Nicholas “Colt” Colton thought the radical extremist he captured years ago was locked away for good. Unfortunately, a new classified mission reveals that the threat is still very real, and corruption within the U.S. government runs deep.

Task Force 2 agent Josephine “Joey” Summers has been working her own angle, trying to figure out where the terrorist leader will strike next. She’s come up with a very plausible—and terrifying—theory, but doesn’t know who she can trust. After teaming up with a retired Navy SEAL, she discovers the plot is even bigger than she’d imagined—and the consequences much more alarming.

When the stakes are this high, promises must be kept. And when thousands of people could die, sacrifices must be made. Only by letting go of their pasts will they have any hope of stopping the chaos. But courage and commitment—plus a pledge—fuse to create an outcome that is both unpredictable and unimaginable.

All books in this series can stand alone.

His Review:

This is a fast-moving framework for espionage at the highest level. Jessica James has written a quick moving tale of treason at the highest level of government. Former Navy Seal Nicholas Colton is working with an off the books’ agency called Phantom Force. Working directly with the President and carrying the highest security clearance available, Nick helps to defuse a well devised terrorist plot.

Josephine is a chance encounter who turns into a valuable asset in the enterprise. Both Nick and Josephine are widowed and do not want to be involved or hurt again. The author handles this relationship with understanding and comfort.

Government intelligence sometimes gets in its’ own way. A highly placed foreign operative whose goal is chaos at a major sporting event that would foul a major metropolitan area adds to the plot.

Highly placed government officials want to bring down the United States and teach it a lesson for interfering in other countries business. A dirty bomb may be the way to cause this catastrophe. Can Nick and his team accomplish this task? The novel could be a playbook for the current situation in Washington. Can Nick and his group stop the plot to cause a major international event similar to the bombing of the twin towers? Infiltrators at the highest level of the US government are involved in planning and executing the plot.

The overall book is a fast read and very satisfying. I feel the author may have had some of these experiences herself. She handles the entire situation with sympathy and understanding. I appreciated the slow and tentative road to intimacy in this novel. Rather, it is two adults getting to know each other while both are reeling from past experiences and that is refreshing. Read and enjoy! 5 stars CE Williams

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookBub. These are my honest thoughts.

Book Details:

Genre: Domestic Thriller, Military Thriller, Terrorism Thriller
Publisher: Patriot Press
ASIN: B06WD4YPH1
Print Length: 340 pages
Publication Date: March 27, 2017
Source: Direct author request
Title Link: Front Line [Amazon]
Find the book at these locations:
Barnes and Noble
Kobo

The Author: Jessica James‘ award-winning novels are inspired by her love of the land, her belief in everlasting love, and her curiosity about the past. She enjoys transporting readers back in time with complex characters and stories that stir deep emotion.

By weaving the principles of courage, devotion, and dedication into each book, James attempts to honor the unsung heroes of the American military–past and present–and to convey the magnitude of their sacrifice and service. Her novels appeal to both men and women and are featured in library collections all over the United States including Harvard and the U.S. Naval Academy.

James is a four-time winner of the John Esten Cooke Award for Southern Fiction, and has won more than a dozen other literary awards, including a Readers’ Favorite International Book Award and a Gold Medal from the Military Writers Society of America.

Get your choice of one of two books when you sign up for her newsletter (or get them both, if you can’t decide). The first one is From the Heart: Love Stories and Letters from the Civil War. The other is a bestselling romantic suspense novel Protecting Ashley. Sign up today!

Penned In (A Farm-to-Fork Mystery) by Lynn Cahoon a #BookReview #cozymystery

“’Should we wake up the others?’ Felicia glanced around the table. The remaining guards looked shell shocked.”

Book Blurb:

Angie Turner, chef at Idaho’s finest farm-to-table restaurant, has organized a team-building event at a haunted prison, only to find a real-life murderer in their midst. . . .

Contented employees make for a successful restaurant, which is why the County Seat’s crew goes on a quarterly out-of-office meeting. This time, the location is the Old Idaho Penitentiary near the Boise Foothills, a prison brimming with ghostly lore. The lock-in features actors role-playing as guards, fascinating prison stories . . . and an unscripted murder.

Who sentenced one of the faux guards to a very authentic death? Angie, her boyfriend, and the County Seat gang are locked in with a killer—excellent motivation for a little sleuthing. Between ghostly apparitions and flesh-and-blood suspects, Angie’s plate is full, but will her luck, and her life, hold out until the gates reopen at dawn?

My Review:

Yes, I love when a book location is one of my old stomping grounds and in particular this spine-chilling old penitentiary in the foothills of Boise. My WOW® motobuddies and I took the years’ ride-in-mascot to the prison for some very special shots of the facility with the mascot (and us in prison stripes).

In this Halloween themed novella, Angie Turner and her County Seat restaurant crew have scheduled a 24 hr stay in the haunted prison as a team-building exercise. (Sorry—no way would I want to be locked in that place overnight, particularly with no cell phone. So many stories about that place and it does give off creepy vibes.)

Anyway, in addition to the team, there are four “guards” (actors) as well as other guests. Angie is allowed to include Dom, her trusty St Bernard. It’s a cozy. Someone is gonna die. And it’s a prison after all…

I’m not sure how much team building actually got done, although we got to be privy to some support character personalities and their work together as they solved the whodunit. The fun part (for me) was the paranormal element—that of the story of a female ghost (so many stories there). The ghost and Angie communed and Angie (with the help of her crew) followed the clues. There can’t be that many suspects—right? But it won’t be as easy as you think to solve.

This is a great setting for a Halloween mystery. It’s has some interesting characters and the mystery moves along. A fast read and fun cozy.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. These are my honest thoughts.

Add to Goodreads — https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48763879-penned-in

Book Details:

Genre: Two-Hour Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Short Reads, Fiction Short Reads

Publisher: Lyrical Press

ASIN: B07ZPKM799

Print Length: 92 pages

Publication Date: August 4, 2020

Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Rosepoint Publishing: Four of Five Stars

The Author: Get a free story at http://www.lynncahoon.com.

Lynn Cahoon is the author of the NYT and USA Today best-selling Tourist Trap cozy mystery series. She also pens the Cat Latimer series available in mass https://www.amazon.com/Lynn-Cahoon/e/B0082PWOAO/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0market paperback. And, because she can’t help telling stories, she also writes the Farm to Fork series. Romance novels are published under the pen name, Lynn Collins. She lives in a small town like the ones she loves to write about with her husband and three fur kids. Sign up for her newsletter at http://www.lynncahoon.com

NB: This is the first post using WP’s new block editor. I voted it down last time. Apparently, I do not have that choice this time. So, it being rather crude, it’s obvious there’s a learning curve and not easy for this old dog. Please forgive.

TV Netflix Series vs Audiobook – Walt Longmire Mysteries – by Craig Johnson

“There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact”
Sherlock Holmes

Wahoo! One of my favorite Netflix series and lots of audiobooks (as well as ebooks) at my local well stocked library. We binged right through the Longmire series, even trying to discipline ourselves to three episodes per night, so of course when I discovered the audiobooks at my library I grabbed the first that wasn’t on a waiting list. And whadda know, it’s about bike week—Sturgis! (which, coincidentally, was last week). I doubt there is few around the globe that hasn’t heard of Sturgis, and no, that’s one rally I didn’t go to (just a little too nutsy for me), although that is me on my Kawi in the background of the blog banner getting ready to pull off the road.

An Obvious Fact-Book Blurb:

In the 12th novel in the New York Times best-selling Longmire series, Walt, Henry, and Vic discover much more than they bargained for when they are called in to investigate a hit-and-run accident near Devils Tower involving a young motorcyclist.

In the midst of the largest motorcycle rally in the world, a young biker is run off the road and ends up in critical condition. When Sheriff Walt Longmire and his good friend, Henry Standing Bear, are called to Hulett, Wyoming – the nearest town to America’s first national monument, Devils Tower – to investigate, things start getting complicated. As competing biker gangs; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; a military-grade vehicle donated to the tiny local police force by a wealthy entrepreneur; and Lola, the real-life femme fatale and namesake for Henry’s ’59 Thunderbird (and, by extension, Walt’s granddaughter) come into play, it rapidly becomes clear that there is more to get to the bottom of at this year’s Sturgis Motorcycle Rally than a bike accident. After all, in the words of Arthur Conan Doyle, whose Adventures of Sherlock Holmes the Bear won’t stop quoting, “There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact”.

Audiobook

This is Book 12, so while the protagonist or his major support characters are not wholly fleshed, they don’t need to be—they are whittled out of casual remarks, innuendo, description. Walt Longmire is the sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming. The wild west. Two other main characters, Henry Standing Bear (Native American) and Vic (Victoria Moretti), his (female) deputy—a Philadelphia transplant. Walt is often accompanied by Dog, (of dubious parentage) who needs no further description. Walt’s daughter is not notably featured in this episode.

Walt received a call from another county about a motorcyclist run off the road near Devil’s Tower and his mother shows up to ask again for Walt’s help. The mother is Lola, the mother for whom Henry named his classic T-Bird. Yes, it’s “the” Lola.

Unsurprisingly, it won’t be a simple hit-and-run and while the young man languishes in the hospital not expected to recover, Walt soon discovers bad-ass motorcycle gangs and multitudes of despicable conspiracies.

I love the scenes, so beautifully laid out you can smell the landscape, and the banter between Walt and (Henry Standing) Bear and his undersheriff, who by the way, is a great deal more profane than she appears on Netflix. Also appreciated the motorcycle lingo; been awhile since I’ve participated. Almost non-stop action, the multi-plotted storyline getting more complex with fast-turning pages. I love the tidbits of knowledge about the area, the people and culture and in this case, of course, motorcycles.

The narrator, George Guidall, did one heckava outstanding job creating a down-to-earth narrative and understated conversational quality to the written words. He wasn’t just reading it. He made it come alive. It’s drugs, money, and mayhem and I can’t wait to tear into the next episode that becomes available. 4.5/5 stars

Netflix Longmire Series

I loved this series of the modern Western crime scene. The TV drama series began on A&E but was picked up by Netflix and developed by John Coveny and Hunt Baldwin somewhere around the fourth season. It ran for six seasons and is still streaming on Netflix after the sixth season ended in 2017. Popular? Oh, yes…what is not to love?

Despite amazing viewership numbers, A&E felt that the demographic was primarily older Americans—the horror of it all! Thanks to a huge fan uproar (think Star Wars), it was picked up by Netflix.

The cast is perfect: Australian Robert Taylor as Walt, Katee Sackhoff as Vic, and American Filipino Lou Diamond Phillips as Henry. Also, it was filmed in New Mexico (not Wyoming). While it doesn’t follow each book of Johnson’s series per se, there is crime fiction we’ve come to expect including bank robberies, murder investigations, and prominently featured conflicts with the local Cheyenne Indian reservation.

The series became so popular they began a yearly July festival in Buffalo (WY). (Absaroka County is fictional), according to Wide Open Country.

If there was a revival, Season 7, I’d be tuning in. Hollywood version Americana but well written and immensely engaging and entertaining. 5 enthusiastic stars

Overall Impression

I don’t think you can go wrong with either the Netflix series and that outstanding cast, gripping installments, and immersive episodes or the books. (Of course, I’m among that older demographic that had A&E dumping it.) While the audiobooks, the character Vic being more profane, might alienate a few of that older demographic, the descriptive storyline, natural and often humorous dialogue, and the narrator’s excellent delivery make it a winner. I’m a solid fan looking for my next audiobook. Wholly recommended.

Rosepoint Publishing recommended

Book Details:

Genre: Native American Literature, Western Fiction
Publisher: Recorded Books
ASIN: B01K23ZXCE
Listening Length: 7 hrs 50 min
Narrator: George Guidall
Publication Date: September 13, 2016
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Link: An Obvious Fact [Amazon]

The Author: Craig Johnson is the New York Times bestselling author of twelve Walt Longmire mystery novels, which are the basis for Longmire, the hit Netflix original drama. The Cold Dish won Le Prix du Polar Nouvel Observateur/Bibliobs. Death Without Company, the Wyoming Historical Association’s Book of the Year, won France’s Le Prix 813, and Another Man’s Moccasins was the Western Writers of America’s Spur Award Winner and the Mountains & Plains Book of the Year. The Dark Horse, the fifth in the series, was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year and Junkyard Dogs won The Watson Award for a mystery novel with the best sidekick. Hell Is Empty, selected by Library Journal as the Best Mystery of the Year, was a New York Times best seller, as was As the Crow Flies, which won the Rocky for the best crime novel typifying the western United States. A Serpent’s Tooth opened as a New York Times bestseller as did Any Other Name and Wait for Signs, Johnson’s collection of short stories. Spirit of Steamboat was selected by the State Library as the inaugural One Book Wyoming and included visits to sixty-three libraries. Johnson lives in Ucross, Wyoming, population twenty-five.

The Narrator: George Guidall is a prolific audiobook narrator and theatre actor. As of November 2014, he had recorded over 1,270 audiobooks, which was believed to be the record at the time. Wikipedia

The Night Drop by Ian D Wright – A #BookReview – #historicalthrillers #TuesdayBookBlog

“The remote marshland villagers did not want them, but if their mission failed, the Allies could lose the war!”

A book review by the CE.

Book Blurb:

A WW2 Historical thriller – Resistance in the Marshlands

The summer of 1943 and Jack Ross, a talented young recruit to the British special forces, was flown into a marshland village near St-Omer, France, along with Roland Keene, an Irish-American volunteer to the British forces. Their mission was to find out how successful the Allied bombing raids had been on the massive V2 flying bomb installations, which had been built under a giant concrete dome near St-Omer. The Nazi V2 project could have had a devastating effect on England and changed the future of the war.

Jack and Roland joined with the local Resistance cell and quickly established a good working relationship. But incidents occur that point to a mole in the ranks. Two feuding brothers, one in the Resistance, the other with the Partisans, make identifying the traitor almost impossible.

Jack’s primary source of information was Sofia, a young girl who was one of the most active members of the group. She was brave, smart and tireless, and Jack found himself falling in love.

Twenty years later, in 1965, and one of the suspects decides to go back to the village to clear his name. His arrival immediately triggers a murder. Two investigative journalists agreed to help Jack tackle the job of finding the real mole but find themselves in a battle with a group of fanatical Nazi sympathisers.

His Review:

Investigating war crimes can be dangerous business. Jack Ross goes back to the place where he was dropped during the height of WW II. The year is 1965 and he is assisting Steve, an investigative journalist and his wife Emily to write an account of the area during Nazi occupation in 1943. Working on the story becomes fraught with danger as the story develops.

Retrospectively I have often wondered what the world would have been like if the Nazis had prevailed. This book paints a picture of grudges that develop even within families during a war. Do you side with the occupiers who have your country under marshal law or fight in a resistance that tries to overthrow your occupiers? During such conflicts there will always be winners and losers.

During times of war, food is always hard to get. Helping the enemy may provide some food or other assistance that otherwise would be unavailable. Occupied France was no exception. Jack Ross is parachuted behind enemy lines to find the location of V-2 rocket launch sites and get that information back to the British. His mother was French and his father English and his spoken French sounds like a native.

Sofia is a young teenage girl who can get around the occupied area on a bicycle. She is almost invisible and therefore able to gather information. Jack joins the resistance and she becomes very helpful in obtaining updates on the location of the launch facilities and also a production factory. Every day is fraught with danger as the British start bombing the facility and begin to suspect a mole is giving secret information to the enemy.

The Audomorais Marshes in France are poorly defended and the Nazi troops are spread thin. However, who is actually loyal to whom? As the invasion nears and the attacks on the rocket facility increase, the Nazis look for the leak. Brothers with a long running feud are highlighted. One of the brothers is grabbed and executed by the Nazis. His contact was Jacks’ wife Sophie. Suddenly she becomes a target for the German occupiers.

Who is the mole who identified Sophie and thereby Jack? The invasion is about two months away and suddenly they must go underground. Later in 1965 they are trying to solve the riddle of who the mole might have been. Anyone harboring allied pilots or servicemen are summarily shot upon identification and capture.

The list of suspects included the local butcher, the parish priest and the feuding brother. Unraveling the answer is an integral part of this well-developed novel. One of the suspects is found hanging in a tree and danger is rampant, even in 1965! I found the book keeping me up nights with my search for the answer. History buffs and WW II aficionados will find this read compelling. My only quibble was that the thread between the war and 1965 was at times scattered and elusive. 4/5 stars CE Williams

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four of Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Thrillers, Historical British Fiction, Military Thrillers
ASIN: B086JZDY8K
Print Length: 251 pages
Publication Date: March 29, 2020
Source: Direct author request
Title Link: The Night Drop [Amazon]

The Author: My passion for writing goes back to a Christmas present I received when I was seven years old. It was a John Bull printing outfit that inspired me to produce a newspaper for my family to read. By the time I finished the first edition, several weeks had passed, and the stories were long-forgotten events.

I was encouraged at school by my English teacher, and he suggested that I should write a newsletter about school activities. It was handwritten and pinned to the notice board. The encouraging words he wrote on my school report then enabled me to get of job in the publicity department of a large engineering company. This introduced me to the luxury of the typewriter, which I still think is an amazing invention.

As the years went by, I happily wrote anything that I was given; brochure copy, advertisements, press releases, speeches for other people, scripts for industrial films, videos, and copy for websites. In 1988 I started my own media company, which I ran until retiring a few years ago.

My only venture into fiction was in my early twenties writing teen romance stories for Jackie magazine. It was just a part-time addition to my real work, but it taught me how to build characters in as few words as possible and how enjoyable writing fiction can be. I always promised myself that when I had the time, I would return to fiction again. Just over two years ago, I started on my first novel, Murders of Consequence, which was followed by Murders of Necessity and Murders of Misfortune. They are all available in eBook and paperback on Amazon.

All three books are set in the nineteen-sixties when the UK was going through a significant transformation of social outlook. Young people were making their views known in fashion, music, attitudes, and public protests about the many different causes that concerned them. The reasons were not frivolous; all they were asking was for nuclear disarmament and world peace.

I live in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, with my wife Sheilah, who is editor, proof-reader, and critic of my work. We are both avid readers, enjoying mainly thrillers.
I also love music, particularly jazz. When I was young, I played tenor sax in a rock/blues band, and more recently, Sheilah and I formed a Jazz duo to raise money for charity. We both enjoy traveling, watching cricket, and football.

Hawthorn Woods by Patrick Canning – a #BookReview – #Mystery #Thriller

Rosepoint Publishing: Five of Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Seeking to rediscover herself after a divorce, a detective-minded woman embarks on solving the small mysteries of a Midwest neighborhood, only to learn the secrets hidden there are more horrifying than she could have ever imagined.

Summer, 1989. Reeling from a catastrophic divorce, Francine Haddix flees San Francisco for a two week stay at her sister’s house in Hawthorn Woods, Illinois. The quaint neighborhood of shady trees and friendly neighbors seems like the perfect place for her to sort through her pain and move on with her life.

But Francine quickly discovers the “idyllic” neighborhood is hiding a number of disturbing mysteries. Behind every door and window there’s marital strife, simmering grudges, and a secret so terrible, someone will kill to keep it quiet.

Francine rewrites her prescription from relaxation to investigation. If she can remember how to trust herself, she might discover what’s hidden in Hawthorn Woods. She might even be able to believe the future can be good again, assuming she stays alive long enough to be in it…

My Review:

Well, here I go again with one of Patrick Canning’s books. This author writes such off-the-wall stuff you know going in it’ll be a ride. The question is just how crazy will this roller-coaster be? Answer: Subtle, confounding, twisty, and who can you trust?

Francine is reeling from a devastating divorce in 1989 in San Francisco when her sister Ellie suggests a child/housesitting stay at her home in Hawthorn Woods, Illinois while they take a European vacation. It certainly looks benign enough, quaint, friendly, and attractive. A nice getaway when she needs one.

A bon voyage-welcome party turns a bit ugly, however, when one of the guests throws a drink in Francine’s face. True, you never know what goes on behind closed doors and there are certainly enough neighbors here to offer a variety of single and married, tempers, secrets, and fears. Her sister’s best friend Laura Jean is a strong ally and there are a number of interesting support characters. When Francine discovers the death of Brownie (a goat), she decides it’s time to start investigating the neighbors more deeply.

And what a smorgasbord of characters there are! You are not meant to like them all. Hers is not the only temporary stay in the hood and it is Bruno that brings a special light to Francine’s eyes as they collaborate together in his own secret research.

Francine is fragile and easy to invest in; Bruno a history teacher smothered in cliché right up to his bow tie and brown corduroy trousers and I really liked them both. Obvious red herrings, teenage boy, nasty HOA lady, ex-Marine. It’s a slow burn but weirdly compelling. What IS going on here? Are you confused yet?

The conclusion brings a shock you never saw coming and a head-shaking surprise you can’t compute. Yes, yes, you knew the one answer, but… I loved the little questionnaire questions her ex left with her at the beginning of each chapter setting your nerves to jangling and the tension rising.

“In most marriages, one or both partners are unhappy. [x] True [ ] False.
“I often think: ‘I wish I were a child again.’ [x]True [ ] False.
“I am so touchy on some subjects that I can’t talk about them. [x] True [ ] False.

The author’s writing style is beguiling, clever, and wily fun. Keep reading and watch his mind twist you in the wind. I’ve read one of his books before, The Colonel and the Bee back in July, 2018 and if I didn’t recognize that signature…um, just wait…of his, I wouldn’t know it was the same author–and I really enjoyed that one. This is a suspense thriller that leaves you shaking your head, just shy of a book hangover. A mystery thriller you shouldn’t miss. Totally recommended.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. These are my honest thoughts.

Book Details:

Genre: Amateur Sleuths, Women Sleuths
ASIN: B08CS2RK9S
Print Length: 283 pages
Publication Date: August 4, 2020
Source: Direct author request

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Author: Patrick Canning was born in Wisconsin, grew up in Illinois, and now lives in California with his dog, Hank.

He is primarily focused on turning coffee into words, words into money, money back into coffee.

Find him at patrickcanningbooks.com

The Heart Beats in Time, Song for a Lost Kingdom, Book III, by Steve Moretti – #BookBlitz @Shalini_G26 @morettisteve

Happy Publication Day! I am thrilled to present a Book Blitz for the third in the trilogy of Song for a Lost Kingdom, The Heart Beats in Time by Steve Moretti.

The heart beats in time-Song for a Lost Kingdom trilogy

BLURB

Two women connected by the same musical soul.

Two composers transposed across time into each other’s world by the mysterious forces of a priceless 18th Century cello.

In the final instalment of the Song for a Lost Kingdom trilogy, Adeena Stuart and Katharine Carnegie search for the music that neither can complete on their own.
Finding themselves living three centuries apart and each assuming the identity of the other, Adeena and Katharine must overcome their own unique challenges, all the while hiding the truth of who they really are from those around them.

Adeena is pregnant in Scotland following the slaughter at the Battle of Culloden in April 1746. Her husband James Drummond and his brother John Drummond, are being hunted as Jacobite traitors by the revengeful butchers of King George’s Hanoverian army.
Sentenced to cruel deaths, they escape to Ireland only to find even greater danger in the ruthless cunning of Henry ‘Hangman’ Hawley who will stop at nothing to extinguish any further rebellion against English dominance over Ireland and Scotland.

Adeena’s one comfort is the Duncan Cello and her music that inspires all who hear her perform. The cello is her companion through battles, fires, storms and floods. It is perhaps the only thing she can truly rely on.

Katharine meanwhile awakes in the year 2019, confused by even the simplest technologies and overwhelmed by the strange customs of the modern world.

Pregnant from an unknown father, and uncertain about whether true love lies in the past or present, she finds respite in her music and the only thing familiar about this strange place – the Duncan Cello, now a prize artifact of the National Gallery of Canada.
Adeena and Katharine find a way to compose a score that reflects their turmoil in both their lives – ‘The Heart Beats in Time.’

Together they will see the story through to the final bars.

Song for a Lost Kingdom, Book III is a novel of music, history, and love that finds a way to conquer the barriers of time.

Curl up with a copy and lose yourself in this fast-paced adventure that will keep you hooked until the final page.

EXCERPT

Katharine stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was called ‘Adeena’ in this heavenly afterlife. Was the woman who stared back really her?

The heart beats in time - Song for a Lost Kingdom, Book III Katharine touched her pale cheek. It was warm against her soft fingers. She opened her emerald eyes wide, staring at their translucent clarity, dancing in the light as if they were teasing her with their secrets. She smiled, admiring the white straight teeth they had given her, and the long, copper-tinged hair, a reminder perhaps of her own time on earth?

“I’m Adeena,” she said to the reflection. “Adeena Stuart. And I live in heaven now.”
She laughed as she slipped on the clothes that her ‘mother’ had left for her. She dropped them off last night and said that in the morning she would return to take her home.
Home?

Somehow the thought of it made her eyes wet, but not in a sad way. She might be dead, but she was so thankful for all the happiness she felt for this place.

She wiped her eyes and surveyed the odd collection of garments that had been left for her. The most confusing was the corset – if that’s what it was. It was black and had two thin straps and cups that must be used to hold her bosom in place? There was also a tiny, sheer garment that seemed almost invisible. Were these the drawers ladies wore in heaven?

A fleecy bright crimson sweater and dark britches, fashioned out of some sort of flexible cotton or linen fabric, completed her ensemble. It was the type of clothing Jaqueline and Tara, the dark-haired one, wore whenever they came to visit. There were also socks and shoes that fit her feet perfectly.

When she was done, she sat down and waited for Jacqueline, Adeena’s mother, a spirited woman who always seemed pleased to see her. If Jacqueline’s role was that of maternal guide, so be it.

Katharine glanced at her cello in the corner. Tara had left it behind for her. It was the only connection to her old life and perhaps the reason why she made it up here in the first place. It was unlike all the magical devices in this world – the ones that glowed, and chimed, and must be powered by the spirit of God Himself.

The cello from Maestro Duncan was plain. It had no special power. She found her bow and pulled the cello between her legs. Without thinking, she slowly began to play the music she had been rehearsing at Kinnaird when somehow she slipped away and the world around her went dark.

As she played her unnamed composition, it flowed through her and took her far away from this place. All the strange surroundings disappeared, leaving only her and her music.

She had found heaven.

AUTHOR BIO

I have always been drawn to passion and creativity in all its forms. I am equally fascinated by the mechanics of the universe and the characters of history. I have a special affection for the power of music which I believe is the universal language of human emotion.

My writing journey started in journalism, public relations and advertising then continued into software development (yes that involves writing)! Now am I a full-time author, finishing up Book III in my Song for a Lost Kingdom trilogy, which also includes a novella Prequel.
Audiobook versions of all the books in this series are on the way, including the Prequel which is now available.
I grew up in London, Ontario (Canada) and also lived in Pompano Beach, Florida as a teenager. I moved to Ottawa and attended Carleton University many years ago and now live just south of the city with my wife, daughter and four dogs with attitude.
I look forward to your feedback. Visit my website stevemoretti.ca for the latest news, or email me at steve@stevemoretti.ca anytime!

SOCIAL MEDIA DETAILS
Website: http://www.stevemoretti.ca
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/stevemoretti.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moretti.steven/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/morettisteve
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/steve-moretti
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-moretti-61884ab/
Medium: https://medium.com/@stevenmoretti
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18201107.Steve_Moretti
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Steve-Moretti/e/B07DX4H6Z3

BOOK LINKS
Amazon USA: https://www.amazon.com/Song-Lost-Kingdom-Book-III-ebook/dp/B08BR2S6N9/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Song-Lost-Kingdom-Book-III-ebook/dp/B08BR2S6N9/

You may wish to begin with the short prequel that’ll give you a jump-start on Book 3 or read Books 1 and 2 first. In any case, you’ll find this an intriguing and compelling read. Enjoy!

Finding Home by Corinne Joy Brown and Ginny McDonald – #BookTour – #BookReview for iRead Book Tours #Giveaway

I am so thrilled to be part of the book tour for Finding Home by Corinne Joy Brown and Ginny McDonald. This is a delightful and beautifully illustrated book for young and old alike. Do you like horses? You will love this book!

Join us for this tour from August 3 to August 21, 2020!Book Details:

Book Title: FINDING HOME by Corinne Joy Brown and Ginny McDonald

Category: Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 130 pages

Genre: General Fiction

Publisher: Loose Cayuse Productions

Release date: June 2019

Content Rating: G. There are no expletives, sex scenes or bad language anywhere.

“Born in the flatlands of Rock Springs, Wyoming, newborn mustang Pahaska
tells the heart-wrenching story of her separation from her mother and
the wild horse herd she was born into. Captured by strangers, her entire
world has disintegrated. Penned in the filthy, manure-filled confines
of a horse hauler’s trailer, her life is changed forever. Finding Home, a
2020 Spur Finalist for Juvenile Fiction, is a brilliantly written story
about the adoption of the mustang “Curly Girl” by a teen who has always
dreamed of having her own horse. Ginny McDonald’s illustrations convey
fine detail and emotion in the images of the horses, bringing each one
to life. This heart-warming tale will appeal to those with a love for
animals.” – Joni Franks, RoundUp Magazine, Western Writers of America“This beautifully written and illustrated book will appeal to any animal
loving young reader. Differences (equine and otherwise) are applauded,
working through complicated human relationships, a philosophical, well
balanced approach to difficult issues (wild horse roundups), and
positive animal training techniques are included in this educational,
riveting new book!” – Nancy Sachs, Director Platte Valley Pony Club

“To see the world through the eyes of a newborn filly as she grows into
adulthood, or an excited young girl in search of her first horse, is a
treasure found in Corinne Joy Brown’s novel Finding Home, a
story of loss and recovery told in a brilliant way. The illustrations by
Ginny McDonald help to refine the wonderful writing which places the
reader squarely in the experience of Curly Girl and Jesse, her adopter. Finding Home
is a wonderful story for our time, in consideration of the wild horses
whose freedom is threatened across the West and the people who adopt the
captured ones into loving homes.” – James A. Holmes CEO and Executive Director, Cherokee Ranch and Castle Foundation

Book Description:

For every girl or boy who owns a horse, or wished they did, Finding
Home brings all the drama and beauty of America’s wild horses to the
middle-grade reader.A coming-of-age story and a tale about friendship, trust and
understanding, both horse and owner have powerful lessons to learn.
Together, young Jesse Nolan from Colorado and her wild mustang, Curly
Girl, rounded up in Wyoming, discover what it means to rely on oneself,
as well as those who love you most.

My Thoughts:

This is such a sweet story of the strong love of horses and the dedication that it takes to actually owning and caring for a young animal with a mind of it’s own. Told through the POV of Jesse Nolan as well as the thoughts of Curly Girl, a young mare with unusually curly hair and mane, she is one of the wild Mustangs of Wyoming. Both have a lot to learn, although Jesse shows remarkable dedication and maturity for a young teen. It’s a heavy responsibility for one so young.

The story includes information about the wild horses that particularly roam the northwestern region of the US, including the Mustangs. It brought to mind one of the rides we took the year we decided to head north into Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. On a lonely ribbon of road out in nowhere, we became aware of a group of horses riding parallel with us on the other side of the road. Fascinated, we pulled over to watch them and discovered to our delight the herd, as a unit, also stopped to watch us. When we resumed out ride, so did they. So beautiful.

Jesse and her estranged family work out the care for the little filly, realizing the loneliness and fear she is experiencing having been separated from her mother and wild herd. It’s not easy and there’s a learning curve on both sides, human and equine, but not just for Jesse—her family as well. It’s a lovely tale of friendship and trust, learning to accept and work together, love and family.

A sweet story and the illustrations are just wonderful: emotional, loving, and lend sooo much to the story. It is easy to see the love and dedication of these magnificent animals.

I received this beautiful book for the book tour and so appreciate the opportunity to read and review. Wholly recommended for the young set as well as the young in heart.

Buy the Book:

Finding Home

Amazon ~ B&N

Meet the Authors:

Ginny McDonald is an award-winning, professional Colorado
illustrator and a longtime advocate for wild horses. She is the adopter
of an American Curly mare, and more recently, a second mustang named
“Lil Bit”. Ginny’s skill in the use of Prismacolor pencils brings this
story to life with rich detail and heartfelt emotion.

Denver native Corinne Joy Brown is a multi-published,
award-winning Colorado author, magazine editor and freelance writer
focused on the West .” Recent publications include “Young Rider”,
“Cowboys & Indians,” and “Working Ranch.” She’s also been a horse
owner most of her life. Corinne is committed to teaching the next
generation about the power of horses to teach and heal. “Finding Home”
is her eighth book.Connect with the author: Website ~ Facebook

Tour Schedule:Aug 3 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway

Aug 3 – Corinne Rodrigues | Booksnista – book spotlight / giveaway

Aug 4 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway

Aug 4 – Splashes of Joy – book review / guest post / author interview / giveaway

Aug 5 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway

Aug 5 – My Journey Back – book review / author interview / giveaway

Aug 6 – I’d Rather Be At The Beach – book review

Aug 7 –T’s Stuff – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

Aug 7 – Books for Books – book spotlight

Aug 10 – Reading Authors Nework – book review / giveaway

Aug 11 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

Aug 11 – Priya’s Lit Blog – book review / giveaway

Aug 12 – Older & Smarter? – book review

Aug 12 – Read and Review – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

Aug 13 – A Mama’s Corner Of the World – book review / giveaway

Aug 13 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway

Aug 14 – Rosepoint Publishing – book review / giveaway

Aug 14 – Writer with Wanderlust – book review / guest post / giveaway

Aug 17 – authors.ace – book review

Aug 18 – Bound 4 Escape – book review / giveaway

Aug 18 – Sefina Hawke’s Books – book spotlight

Aug 19 – Krisha’s Cozy Corner – book review / guest post / giveaway

Aug 19 – Library of Clean Reads – book review / giveaway

Aug 20 – My Reading Journey – book review / guest post / giveaway

Aug 20 – Pen Possessed – book review / giveaway

Aug 21 – Svetlanas reads and views – book review

Enter the Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Save Her Soul (Detective Josie Quinn Book 9) by Lisa Regan – a #BookReview – Police Procedural

“An absolutely unputdownable crime thriller and mystery novel.”

Book Blurb:

Josie flinches as she takes in the faded blue sports jacket wrapped around the girl they just pulled from the water. Josie knew someone who’d once owned that jacket. He had died in her arms five years ago.

Heavy rain pours on the small town of Denton causing the riverbanks to break and the body of a young girl to float quietly to the surface. With no crime scene to examine, the odds are against Detective Josie Quinn and her team. Mercifully, the victim’s body is perfectly preserved, right down to the baseball patch on the jacket she was wearing. Josie can’t hide her devastation—her dead ex-husband, Ray, owned one just like it.

Following the trail back to her high school, Josie identifies the girl as Beverly Urban, a troubled student rumored to have been dating Ray before she left town for good. It looks like a tragic accident until the autopsy reveals a bullet in her head and the heart-breaking secret she was keeping.

Josie visits the salon where Beverly’s mother used to work, believing she was at the heart of a terrible scandal around the time her daughter’s life was taken. With the Denton wives remaining tight-lipped, Josie’s only hope is a secret meet-up with a terrified woman willing to talk. But she is murdered moments before giving Josie crucial information. It’s clear that someone is prepared to keep on killing to stop the truth from getting out.

Digging deep into memories of her own past with Ray is the only advantage Josie has on this twisted killer… but at what cost?

Another jaw-dropping crime thriller from an Amazon, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author that will have you absolutely gripped from page one. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine.

My Review:

The ninth book in the series, Save Her Soul ramps up the drama with Detective Josie Quinn and her partner, Detective Gretchen Palmer. The little town of Denton PA is flooding. Rain has been relentless and out on a raft performing rescue efforts finds an old woman whose home is being wept away in the flooding waters. A body, wrapped in a tarp, pops up shortly behind her.

The body turns out to be an old classmate of Josie’s. But worse, the body is wearing Josie’s high school boyfriend/ex-husband’s (now deceased) letterman jacket. A cold case no one knew was a case thinking the girl and her mother had moved—vanished. Beverly was a bully living with a disabled mother with whom she’d been known to have major disagreements.

If the weather isn’t bad enough, Josie takes on the cold case, anxious to know the relationship between the girl, Beverly, and her ex, Ray. Score one for Josie, I appreciated the way she went about the investigation, with help from the team, but occasional flashbacks to her high school years without preamble would have me going back a page or two to get some continuity.

As the storyline increased in complexity, so too did details about Josie’s childhood increase—elevating her from damaged protagonist to almost basket-case levels dealing with one revelation after another that threw more than one-two punches. What a tangled web this one becomes!

The readers get to know more about her partner, her grandmother, her new boyfriend (live-in), Noah. I’m warming up to Noah; love Misty and her son. Enjoyed the writer’s style more so than the first book I read in the series, The Bones She Buried (that review here). The plot is fast-paced with twists and red herrings, weeding out minutiae, but always making progress to the climax. But the climax doesn’t conclude the story. There is still more complications behind that one with one final and soul-crushing surprise. I loved the built-in shock-block giving rise to blood pressure, anticipation, and adrenaline:

“…like the blinking of an eye. Blink. Marisol’s finger depressed the trigger. Blink. The concussive boom of a gunshot shook the air around them. Blink. Gretchen lunged toward Connie. Blink. Josie fired at Marisol. Blink. Another crack blistered through the air. Blink…”

While I seriously enjoyed the mystery and the characterizations of the rich ladies’ clique and their thoroughly catty and believable dialogue, I’m also seriously tired of the damaged protagonist trope and (if/then) continue to worry about the state of mind of our detectives. Also, the clichés have me rolling my eyes. Pul-leeze don’t hit me with another “let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.”

While I may get tired of the oft and over-used clichés and tropes, I’ll come back every time to good writing style and intriguing characters. Not wholly investing in Josie won’t keep me from being engaged in the next one. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of this one.

Book Details:

Genre: Organized Crime Thrillers, Serial Killer Thrillers, Police Procedurals
Publisher: Bookouture
ASIN: B0891453FH
Print Length: 379 pages
Publication Date: To be released August 12, 2020
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five of Five Stars

The Author: Join Lisa’s mailing list to get news about new releases –> https://tinyurl.com/skzufbs
Facebook –> https://www.facebook.com/LisaReganCrimeAuthor/
Website –> https://lisaregan.com/
Instagram –> https://www.instagram.com/lisareganauthor/
Twitter –> https://twitter.com/Lisalregan

Lisa Regan is the USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Detective Josie Quinn series as well as several other crime fiction titles. She has a Bachelor’s degree in English and a Master of Education degree from Bloomsburg University. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband, daughter, and Boston Terrier named Mr. Phillip.

Find out more at her website: http://www.lisaregan.com