#bookblogger – Page 179 – Rosepoint Publishing

Killed in Action – a Book Review

Title: Killed in Action: An Equalizer Novel by Michael Sloan

Genre: Currently #1035 on Amazon Best Sellers Rank in Books, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Thrillers & Suspense, Crime, Vigilante Justice

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publication Date: January 30, 2018

Source: St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley

Title and Cover: Killed in Action – Both the book cover and Kindle cover illustrate theme

Robert McCall, formerly deep-cover intelligence officer, is very busy doing good work. He is the one called when there is absolutely, positively nothing else that can be done. Nevertheless, he comes cheap–he doesn’t charge. (I’ve no clue how the man lives since he is no longer with The Company.) His expertise is spread by word-of-mouth and former colleagues, all of whom know the man’s strengths and contacts and just how very good he is. He calls himself “the Equalizer.” Continue reading “Killed in Action – a Book Review”

Davida – a Book Review

Title: Davida: Model & Mistress of Augustus Saint-Gaudens by Karen Ingalls

Genre: Currently #1258 on Amazon Best Sellers Rank in Kindle eBooks, Biographies & Memoirs, Leaders & Notable People, Rich & Famous

Publication Date: March 21, 2016

Source: Review requested by author Karen Ingalls

Title and Cover: Davida – Beautiful cover depicting sculpted model

Traveling to the U.S. in 1876 with her mother, Albertina (Davida), a young Swedish girl will become a beautiful woman and later model for talented and well-known American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The eventual union between artist and model, the author’s great-grandmother and Augustus Saint-Gaudens produced a son, Louis. Saint-Gaudens, however, is married. Indie Excellence Winner - Karen Ingalls Continue reading “Davida – a Book Review”

Rosepoint #Reviews – January Recap

Congratulations to you for surviving the holidays and making it through January! Isn’t that considered the worst of winter is over? We can only hope! It’s certainly been a frantic month for me, back to reading, reviewing, and concentrating on “stats.” (Yes, I know. I’m not supposed to think about those, but…)

I have achieved some goals:

Books to Cell — Photo attribution: Shutterstock

Blog stats (hit 1,000 followers–Thank you all–again!), Goodreads stats (made my Book Challenge!), Amazon reviewer status (now down under 15K), and NetGalley stats achieved 80%–gonna keep it that way and pushing for my 50 reviews badge. (As a new reviewer on NetGalley, it’s easy to fall into that trap–BOOKS! All those BOOKS! I want them all–no, wait…oops!)

So, besides the ARC’s from NetGalley, there was #ThrowbackThursdays highlighting two of my favorite authors (Jodie Bailey and Linda McDonald). Spent some heavy time doing #AmReading posts, #TBR posts, and #Bookstagrams, the latter of which has fired up new ideas for “staging” books and that’s been fun.

Eleven January reads, most ARC’s through NetGalley and one read (#11) by my associate, the CE (If you haven’t caught his review yet, check it out!):

Strangers - by Ursula Archer and Arno Strobel

An Engineered Injustice by William L Myers, Jr.

January 02 – No Turning Back by Nancy Bush
January 04 – The Last Homecoming by Dan Chabot (author request)
January 07 – Grist Mill Road by Christopher J Yates
January 09 – Strangers by Ursula Archer and Arno Strobel
January 10 – Need to Know by Karen Cleveland
January 14 – An Engineered Injustice by William L Myers Jr
January 16 – Dark Ocean by Nick Elliott (author request)
January 21 – Deep Zero by V S Kemanis
January 23 – An Eye for an Eye by Caroline Fardig
January 28 – Curses, Boiled Again by Shari Randall
January 30 – The Yanks Are Starving by Glen Craney (author request)

See anything here that catches your eye? These run the gamut from historical fiction to psychological and legal thrillers and I know you’ve read at least one of them.

I’m having a tough time keeping up with reading and commenting on all your reviews! I comment when I can and I enjoy receiving all your comments here as well as the likes and comments on Bookstagram.

Photo attibution: lifewithdogsandcats Maybe you CAN teach an old dog new tricks, it just takes us longer. If you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them! ©2018 V Williams I Love Likes and Comments--Please Share!

#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”