Monday, March 30, 2020

Book Blitz & Giveaway - KEEP FOREVER by Alexa Kingaard


Keep Forever
Alexa Kingaard
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: March 28th 2020
Genres: Historical Romance, Women’s Fiction
“Unlike some war stories that focus on intense, harsh and graphic depictions of post-combat trauma, this tale unfolds gently, like an Edna Ferber novel, spread across many decades, detailing the impact this soldier’s illness has on an entire family, including children and grandchildren. KEEP FOREVER is a wonderful, emotionally satisfying read that I highly recommend. ”
GARY SEIGEL, author of “Haskell Himself”
Paul O’Brien’s idyllic childhood in Southern California comes to a halt when his mother dies in the summer before his senior year of high school and a very different persona of his father emerges – isolating himself inside the house, turning to alcohol for comfort, and barely noticing his only child. Simultaneously, the war in Vietnam is sending shock waves around the world and young men from one coast to the other are being called upon to serve. Paul enlists in the Marines before receiving his draft notice.
Elizabeth Sutton is eager to gain some independence from her father’s old fashioned notions and looking forward to her first year in high school. At fifteen years old, tragedy strikes with the loss of both parents in an auto accident, turning her childhood into one of responsibility and worry overnight. The four siblings are scattered when her nine-year-old twin sisters are sent to live with their Aunt and Uncle on Nantucket Island, and Elizabeth is left behind in Boston with their grandmother. Her older brother, Sam, enlists in the Marines, eager to join the conflict a world away as opposed to dealing with the one unfolding at home.
A bond develops between Paul and Sam in Vietnam, and both are injured in a bloody battle that costs Sam his right hand and sets the stage for a lifetime of nightmares and sleepless nights for Paul. Matched by similar tragedies at a young age, Elizabeth and Paul’s first introduction by Sam upon their return from Vietnam is the beginning of friendship and love that survives five decades.
After marrying, welcoming their first child, and inheriting a small beach house, the couple adapts to their new surroundings, but distant memories of Vietnam continue to haunt Paul. In an era when veterans refuse to speak of their pain and the government denies that thousands of soldiers are coming home irreparably damaged, he is left to deal with the challenge of caring for his loved ones amidst his his erratic flashback episodes and moods. As their lives unravel from the lingering effects of PTSD, Elizabeth learns to accept the burden that Paul brought home, and together they make their own memories to keep forever.
Inspired
By
A True Story
EXCERPT:
“Anything you can give me for this headache?” Paul clenched his teeth, hoping to reduce the lightning bolts behind his eyes. He tried to remember how delicious it felt to be pain-free.
“We’ll get you something.” Dr. Shapiro turned to his nurse. “I’m ordering a mild sedative for Paul so we can remove the shrapnel. When we’re done, find him a spot in the ward and—”
Paul interrupted. “I have a friend who was wounded. I think he was on the chopper with me. Do you know if Sam Sutton is here?” He looked at the doctor for reassurance.
Dr. Shapiro knew who Paul was talking about. He laid a hand on Paul’s arm. “He just got out of surgery. I’ll see if I can get him a bed next to you once the anesthesia has worn off.”
“Will he be okay?”
“Yes, we treated his hand.” That’s all Doctor Shapiro would share with Paul. He stood up and moved to the next patient in line. Paul struggled to prop himself against the wall, comforted only by a small pillow for his head and a thin blanket to minimize the shaking he couldn’t repress. He surveyed the scene that unfolded before him and waited for Sam to join him. The room was filled with muffled groans from dozens of young men, many in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, mutilated limbs, and grotesque facial wounds that replaced the once handsome, strong, vigorous appearance of youth. Some
screamed in agony as young nurses did their best to scrub lacerations and change dressings, while others lay silent with nothing more than a vacant, faraway look.
Paul watched a trim and confident nurse, her chestnut hair securely pulled away from her face in a tight bun that showed off her high cheek bones and almond-shaped eyes—rich, like the color of chocolate. She wrapped the final piece of clean gauze around the head of a distressed young soldier and whispered something in his ear. Whatever she had said appeared to relieve his agitation as a slight smile crossed his face and he surrendered his broken body to sleep.
The nurse walked over to Paul, pulled up a chair, and introduced herself. “Hello. My name’s Diane. Feeling okay? Any pain? It’s almost time for another dose of medication.” Amidst all the suffering, she smiled and waited for Paul’s response.
“Hey, hi, I mean hello, Diane. My name’s Paul. Waiting for my friend, Sam Sutton. Doc said they would bring him out soon. Ya know if his hand’s okay?” He hoped Diane might have more information about Sam’s condition, but she politely excused herself as she rushed to meet two medics entering with Sam, still groggy from surgery. They inched closer to Paul and the empty cot next to his. Diane’s gentle hand guided the corpsmen as they lifted Sam from the stretcher to make his transition to his bed as comfortable as possible.
Paul gasped aloud. He couldn’t help it. There was no way to silence the sound that rose from his throat when he saw his friend beside him, his right hand thick with bandages, wrapped as if to protect something that was no longer there. Paul slowly brought his hands to his face and felt the layers of soft bandages, only his eyes, nose, and mouth exposed. His head pulsated and his face felt tight and swollen. With crystal clarity, his mind flashed back to the instant when his life, when Sam’s life, were forever changed. His body tensed with the memory—the sounds, the heat, the explosions, the cries for help, and the smell of death all around them. He choked back tears and resolved to remain stoic and grateful that his wounds would soon be invisible. Unlike Sam, he had escaped a lifetime of disfigurement and the constant reminder of his brush with death.
Diane hovered over Sam as he stirred. She had played this part too many times the last nine months, soothing traumatized young men, convincing them that everything
would be just fine, even though it was not always the truth. She knew he would need a voice of reassurance when he realized where he was and the severity of his injuries. Sam’s eyelids fluttered. He tried to focus on his surroundings and take in the foul odor and musty smell of the tent, lined from one end to the other with broken bodies. The stench of disinfectant, humidity, and soiled linens stuck to the canvas walls of the makeshift hospital like glue, and he swallowed hard to prevent the nausea from taking hold of his body. Sam rolled his head to one side and looked at Paul, who appeared composed, determined, and calm.
“You made it, buddy. We made it,” whispered Paul.


Author Bio:
ALEXA KINGAARD was born in San Diego, CA and has lived most of her life in the area. She currently resides in Carlsbad and is the mother of a son and daughter who continue to be her biggest fans and cheerleaders.
Her debut novel, KEEP FOREVER, was inspired by her late ex-husband who batted the residual effects of the Vietnam War for decades after his return. The burden he brought home is shared by combat veterans of all conflicts, and her fictional account highlights the collateral damage encountered by family members and loved ones living with PTSD in their midst.
Her second novel, MY NAME IS ROSE, departs from her personal experiences and focuses on the collective memories of her generation. She loves writing about nostalgia and the human condition, the common denominator of our lives.

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Thursday, March 26, 2020

Book Blitz & Giveaway - BY BLOOD AND MAGIC by Jamie A. Waters


By Blood and Magic
Jamie A. Waters
(The Dragon Portal #2)
Publication date: March 26th 2020
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
A priceless treasure is hidden within the ocean’s depths…
Sabine barely managed to escape from Akros with her life.
But the ocean isn’t safe for someone whose power stems from the forests.
When their ship is attacked on the high seas and one of Sabine’s companions is taken hostage, only an agreement forged by blood and magic may save her friend’s life.
The pearl of the sea is also the key to the gods’ revenge…
With the dragon portal failing and the gods’ magic threatening to destroy their world, Sabine must choose between following her heart or upholding a sacred oath.
The cost of ending a centuries-old feud may be higher than anyone expected.
All magic demands a sacrifice–even if it’s hers. 



EXCERPT:
Sabine scanned the sea, but she couldn’t see any sign of the missing crew. If the Merfolk were already taking prisoners, they were running out of time. A few more hits like the last one, and the ship would capsize.
“If you have any suggestions, Sabine, now is the time. Otherwise, I agree with Bane. I’ll destroy every last one of these Merfolk for harming those under my protection.”
Without waiting for a response, Malek leaned over the railing toward the lower deck and called out more orders to ready the catapults. Sabine swallowed and tried to bury the sick fear threatening to overwhelm her. Esmelle wouldn’t even have been on this ship if it weren’t for her. The thought of losing one of her closest friends was unfathomable.
Sabine’s hands tightened on the railing as she stared at the angry sea. “They’ll keep Esme and the rest of the hostages alive until they manage to capsize the ship. Those who aren’t enslaved are usually fed to their underwater pets. If they take all of us down below, we’ll lose any negotiating power we might have while still under the sky.”
“I’ve heard the stories,” Bane admitted, caging her with his arms. She leaned back against his heated skin, thankful for the warmth he offered against the chill from the elements. Bane might have difficulties tapping into softer emotions, but he’d made it no secret he admired and respected the spunky witch who was now an unwilling hostage.
“They aren’t just stories,” she said as a daring plan began to form in her mind.
Bane squeezed her midsection and murmured, “You are my priority, Sabine. If we must lose Esme, she will be mourned, but we cannot allow you to fall. We need to get you and this ship out of here.”
Sabine turned and glared up at him. “We won’t be mourning anyone. I will get them back—all of them. And you’re going to help me do it.”


Author Bio:
Jamie A. Waters is an award-winning writer of science fiction and fantasy romance. Her first novel was a winner of the Readers' Favorite Award in Science Fiction/Fantasy Romance and the CIPA EVVY Award in Science Fiction.
Jamie currently resides in Florida with two neurotic dogs who enjoy stealing socks. When she's not pursuing her passion of writing, she's usually trying to learn new and interesting random things (like how to pick locks or use the self-cleaning feature of the oven without setting off the fire alarm). In her downtime, she enjoys reading on her Kindle, playing computer games, painting, or acting as a referee between the dragons and fairies currently at war inside her closet.

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Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Book Blitz & Giveaway - RISE OF THE MAGE by Keary Taylor


Rise of the Mage
Keary Taylor
(Resurrecting Magic, #1)
Publication date: March 24th 2020
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal
College is hard—classes, homework, bullies. But, being the daughter of renowned professors, I grew up at Alderidge University and was on track to have an easy start to my freshman year. Until I met Nathaniel Nightingale.
Aloof and mysterious, Nathaniel’s hands were covered in scars that told me he had a violent history. He started asking questions about my own, and then dark secrets in our family lines collided after a strange discovery in the library. We found words with power, and they unleashed abilities in the both of us that had been lost to the world.
Turns out, the witch trials weren’t entirely the product of mass hysteria. As far as we can tell, almost every mage was wiped out – killed for their knowledge and their capabilities. And now I have to wonder if my mother’s disappearance is related.
This is dangerous. It’s feels impossible. We have the weight of an entire lost race resting on our shoulders.
But we’ve got this. Together, we’ll bring it all back. Together, we’ll resurrect magic.
EXCERPT:
“Did you know that while the Salem witch trials were the last and only here in America, that there is still official litigation against witchcraft in parts of the Middle East?” With those long fingers of his, Nathaniel opened the book and flipped a few pages. He opened to a section and handed me the book, pointing to a particular passage. My eyes scanned it, searching for what he wanted me to see.
It was a list of the names of the men and women who were killed at the Salem Witch trials. And there, almost to the bottom, was the name of Mare McGregor.
My blood chilled, seeing her name there, listed among the accused and executed. I knew her name. I knew her story, as much of it as had been recorded by her son, my great-something-grandfather, Collin. But it was always so stark, the reality that she’d been hung. Killed.
“The entire world has a history of witch hunts,” Nathaniel said, turning to the bookshelf again. He grabbed another book, opening it to a section. “Egypt and Babylonia.”
He took another book, opening it and laying it on his desk. “Across the Holy Roman Empire.”
My heart rate picked up. Sweat broke out on my palms.
Still, Nathaniel grabbed another book and another. “Russia, India, and even Africa to this day.”
I watched Nathaniel, who stood with his back to me. His shoulders were tight. His head was bent low. His words were growing lower with each one spoken.
Gingerly, almost reverently, he reached for another book. The red binding was worn, and there were no words left. Gently, he grabbed it, and he held it to his chest, his arms carefully wrapped around it.
“It is estimated at around 60,000 people were killed for being witches over the course of three hundred years, in western Europe and central Europe alone. Tens of thousands more in Asia, countless more in Africa. Miraculously, only nineteen here in America.”
There was a deep sound rushing in my ears and it took me a moment to realize it was the sound of my own blood. There was a heavy feeling of anticipation and uncertainty in my gut.
Nathaniel turned back toward me, and in his eyes, I saw something big.
“I cannot confirm that I am a direct descendant, but there was a William Nightingale killed during the Lancashire witch trials in England in 1612.” His eyes were fixed on me, but I could tell, he wasn’t seeing me. He had fallen into history, into ancestry. “There are thousands of stories of accusations and trials and deaths.”
“Yes,” I said, wanting to bring us back to a place that wasn’t so dark. I wanted everything to go back to being light. “And they were the result of mass hysteria and superstition. They wanted something to blame for bad harvests and hard financial times. A lot of innocent people died.”
Nathaniel’s focus returned to me. Three seconds passed, and finally he gave a little nod, but it didn’t seem like a complete act of agreement.
He stepped forward, and gingerly, he laid the book in his arms on the desk. I recognized it then as the one from the library, the first day we had met.
“You said you cannot read Gaelic,” he said in a low voice. He opened the book and looked down at it, gazing at the words with wonder. “But maybe you should try again.”
“Nathaniel, I-” I began to protest. But he looked up at me and begged me with his eyes.
So, I crossed to the desk to stand beside him. I looked down at the words, remembering the silly experience with it before, now weeks ago. I could recognize letters, as I’d concluded before, some of them were of Latin origin. But I couldn’t read any of it.
“I haven’t learned Gaelic in the last few weeks, Nathaniel,” I said, looking over at him. He looked at my face intently, as if he were waiting for something spectacular to happen. “I still can’t read it.”
Gently, he reached for my hand, wrapping his fingers around my wrist. I didn’t know what he was doing, but I decided I trusted him enough to humor him.
He brought my hand forward, and gently, he set my fingertips down on the edge of the pages.
It was as if I’d blinked, and it turned into a different book.
One moment it was in unreadable Gaelic. The next, it was in perfect English.
I blinked, leaning in closer to the book.
A simple matter of will and asking, levitation is one of the simplest forms of magic.
My eyes read the line without a second of hesitation or translation.
I ripped my hand back from the book and took half a step back.
Instantly, the book was once more in a language I could not read.
The room was utterly silent. So quiet it pushed in on my ears and the only sound was my own heartbeat.
I felt Nathaniel’s eyes on me. I felt meaning filling the air. I felt anticipation. But also, momentous confusion.
Cautiously, I reached my hand forward again. Filled with fear and wonder, I touched the edge of the pages.
In levitation, most users have certain affinities, whether they be metal, earth, wood, life forms, etc.
Because it was the scientific method of proving a hypothesis, I removed my hand one last time and the words became unreadable.
I touched the pages, and my eyes relaxed as the words became readable.
“You can read it, too.”
I looked up at Nathaniel and startled when he stood there with his right hand held up, his fingers generally pointed at the ceiling. And floating around his fingertips there were three paper airplanes, swirling, dipping and rising through the air. And that air around his hand had this…shimmer. Almost as if glitter floated in the air. But I couldn’t quite focus on it. And the air seemed more…golden.
“What kind of trick is this, Nathaniel?” I asked, my words hoarse and quiet.
I’d never seen this look in his eyes. They were filled with…excitement. And hope. He shook his head. “It’s not a trick, Margot,” he said. He waved his fingers, and the airplanes set off toward the opposite end of the solarium. Gently, they floated toward his bed, flying in a circle over it. They followed each other in a line, doing a flip in the air and then flying over to the couch, where they dipped down low, soaring beneath it, before they aimed back at Nathaniel. There, they swirled around his fingers once again before they gently floated down to the table and landed on the book. “It’s in my blood. And I believe it’s in yours, too.”


Author Bio:
Keary Taylor is the USA TODAY bestselling author of over twenty novels. She grew up along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where she started creating imaginary worlds and daring characters who always fell in love. She now splits her time between a tiny island in the Pacific Northwest and Utah, with her husband and their two children. She continues to have an overactive imagination that frequently keeps her up at night.

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Friday, March 20, 2020

Their Runaway Bride (Bridgewater Series Book 1) by Vanessa Vale

Title:  Their Runaway Bride
Author:  Vanessa Vale
Genre:  Historical Erotica
Release Date:  April 30, 2017


About the Book:

Discover now how the USA Today bestselling series begins


Returning from Europe, Ann learns she is to marry a man of her father's choosing once they arrive in New York. Refusing, she runs away, although she can't go far on a steam ship. Only as far as the stateroom of a very handsome soldier.

There's only one guaranteed way to save a woman from a bad marriage, and that's to marry her himself. Ann is surprised Robert will go to such lengths to protect her, but stunned when she won't just be marrying him, but his fellow soldier, Andrew, as well.

Reading order for the Bridgewater Series:
Their Runaway Bride
Their Kidnapped Bride
Their Wayward Bride
Their Captivated Bride
Their Treasured Bride
Their Christmas Bride
Their Reluctant Bride
Their Stolen Bride
Their Brazen Bride
Their Conquered Bride
Their Rebellious Bride
Their Reckless Bride
Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

I generally don't read and review Erotica, and I didn't realize that was what this was when I first downloaded the book.  But I must say that even though the book was short (a prequel to the series), I was immediately drawn into it and finished it in one sitting.  Whew!  Definitely keep this one away from the pre-teens.  Hot!  Very, very HOT!  Saying that, the book was well written and actually had a good story to it.

My Rating:


About the Author:

Vanessa Vale is the USA Today bestselling author of sexy romance novels, including her popular Bridgewater historical romance series and hot contemporary romances. With over one million books sold, Vanessa writes about unapologetic bad boys who don't just fall in love, they fall hard. Her books are available worldwide in multiple languages in e-book, print, audio and even as an online game. When she's not writing, Vanessa savors the insanity of raising two boys and figuring out how many meals she can make with a pressure cooker. While she's not as skilled at social media as her kids, she loves to interact with readers.

SIGN UP FOR VANESSA'S MAILING LIST FOR LATEST NEWS and get a FREE book!
Just copy and paste the following link into your web browser: http://freeromanceread.com

To learn more about Vanessa Vale:
Web site- www.vanessavaleauthor.com
Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanessa_vale_author/
Keep up with Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vanessavale


Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Book Review - 199 BEST QUOTES FROM THE GREAT ENTREPRENEUR JEFF BEZOS by Olivia Longray

Title:  199 Best Quotes from the Great Entrepreneur Jeff Bezos
Author:  Olivia Longray
Genre:  Reference
Release Date:  February 6, 2020


About the Book:

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and one of the world's most successful entrepreneurs, is still a mystery to the media and the public. The billionaire space innovator and father of four rarely gives interviews. He only began to appear in public more often after the launch of Amazon Studios, a service that surprised Hollywood with a completely new way of creating films.

This book contains the best Jeff Bezos quotes, which demonstrate his brilliant style of thinking; his views on entrepreneurship, failure, risk, and education; as well as his vision for the future development of technology and of all mankind.

The quotes are taken from Jeff Bezos's public appearances, interviews, presentations, conferences and letters to shareholders. They often contain the words “relentless” and "long-term thinking". These words best characterize Jeff Bezos's personality and his approach to doing business.

In this book of quotes, you will learn:

– how Jeff Bezos manages to earn billions of dollars

– why Jeff Bezos is not afraid to make mistakes and take risks

– why Jeff Bezos launches rockets into space

– why Jeff Bezos does not like to relax too much

– how Jeff Bezos sees the future of humanity

Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

This is an interesting little book of only about 88 pages and only half of that contains the actual quotes from Mr. Bezos, with the rest of the book being reference material.  I'm not really complaining about that because you have to admit that Jeff Bezos is an interesting person and reading some of his quotes was rather fascinating and inspirational.  This man certainly has foresight and is someone we should pay attention to!  I would have liked to have read a bit more about his life but I guess I'll need to grab some other book for that.

My Rating:



About the Author:

Olivia Longray, born September 06, 1980, is а journalist and author who loves her family and the surrounding world. She perceives life as a gift given to us for self-improvement, creative work and growing in love.

“Books have always been a big part of my life. As a kid, I cherished a dream about becoming a librarian or a journalist. I grew up, got a degree in journalism, started to work as a reporter in the news agency, was an editor and a TV producer. After my baby boy arrived, I tried to write a children’s book. The writing process filled me with overwhelming joy and true sense of artistic self-expression. Then came a book for grown-ups. It was the story of the weight-loss journey of my husband that marked the start of a healthy life for our family. Now, I feel blessed that I have my family, our morning jogging and healthy meals, travels and this big amazing world.”


Monday, March 16, 2020

Book Blitz & Giveaway - CALYPSO by Ebony Olson


Calypso
Ebony Olson
(Eleri Royals, #1)
Publication date: February 14th 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
In my town, there are two kinds of people; those from the sophisticated Eleri, and those from the gang-run Riverside.
The natural divide is the Eleri River.
The human divide is money.


Author Bio:
Ebony lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband, daughter, and six cats. She loves to read fantasy, thrillers, and paranormal romance, spending most of her free time with her nose in a book or writing.
Having always possessed an over-active imagination she spent her younger years regaling friends with fantastic stories, holding her audience captive with the passion and suspense of her characters plights.
Now in adulthood, she has numerous published works and shows no signs of stopping her imagination from spreading across as many pages as it can find.

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Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Book Review - A SIMPLE WEDDING by Leigh Duncan

Title:  A Simple Wedding (A Heart's Landing Novel)
Author:  Leigh Duncan
Genre:  Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction
Publisher:  Hallmark Publishing
Release Date:  March 10, 2020


About the Book:

Fall in love with Heart’s Landing,
a romantic wedding destination,
in the first book of a Hallmark series.

Jenny always dreamed of getting married at Heart’s Landing. But when she finally visits the charming small town, she’s there to make wedding arrangements for someone else: her cousin, who also happens to be her boss and a famous movie star. To keep the event secret and avoid a media circus, Jenny pretends she’s the one getting married.

Nick is intrigued by this bride-to-be who starts visiting his bakery every afternoon for sweet treats and conversation. He has to keep reminding himself that she’s already spoken for.

As Jenny deals with her cousin’s ever-changing demands, she tries to hide her attraction to Nick. Planning this wedding couldn’t be more complicated…and what will happen once the truth comes to light?

This funny, heartwarming romance includes a free original recipe for the best-ever Lemon Bars.

Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

A Simple Wedding is a sweet contemporary romance written in typical Hallmark style.  It is a "feel good" book with characters you can't help but love... and one character you want to strangle.  I'm really, really, really hoping that Hallmark chooses to turn this one into a movie.  Although I must say that Leigh Duncan wrote this in such a way that I could visualize the beautiful little town of Heart's Landing in my head like a movie was already playing in there.

The romance that developes between Jenny and Nick is that kind of tingly, sweet, heart-throbbing magnetism that brings them together and the reader just cannot wait for them to acknowledge it!  I loved everything about this book.  As I sit here writing this review, I'm still smiling... and thinking how I would love to visit this small town of Heart's Landing.

Looking forward to the next book in this series.


*Disclosure:  I received a complimentary advance copy from NetGalley and the author in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts, comments and opinions are my own.

My Rating:

About the Author:


Leigh Duncan is the award-winning author of more than two dozen novels, novellas and short stories. Her first full-length book, The Officer's Girl, was released by Harlequin American Romance in 2010. Leigh went on to write seven more books for Harlequin, including the highly acclaimed Glades County Cowboys series, before she began writing the more complex, heart-warming and emotional stories that have resonated with her readers. One of the lead authors for Hallmark Publishing, an Amazon best-selling author and a National Readers' Choice Award winner, Leigh lives on Central Florida's East Coast where she writes women's fiction and sweet, contemporary romance with a dash of Southern sass.




Sunday, March 8, 2020

PENNED CHARLESTON!

What a great weekend!  

This was my first time going to Penned Charleston in South Carolina and I must say that it was an extremely well organized event, thanks to the event organizers Amy and Rick Miles and their numerous helpers.

The weekend started off with a Meet & Greet at the hotel bar on Friday evening.  Unfortunately the drive was a bit further for us than we originally thought and we were dead tired once we hit the hotel, but we heard it was fabulous.

On Saturday morning the authors (just look at that fabulous list to the left!) began setting up their tables and by noon the doors opened for the VIP readers.

The energy in the room was exceptional!  Great books and it was so awesome being able to mingle with the authors.  If you are a "reader" these book signings and/or conventions are so much fun!  Here are a few of the amazing authors:

Check out the dragon that author Jamie A. Waters was giving away.  And she had Book #2 of her Dragon Portal series that isn't due to be released until later this month.  Quite a few lucky people got an advance copy!

These are just a few of the authors there.  Many of them had special giveaways of swag and baskets.  Loved seeing Cayce Poponea, Breezy Jones, Kimberly O'Malley, Lia Davis, Roxanne Witherell, Teri Riggs and so many more!












And then... after a fabulous day of mingling with these authors and picking up some new reads, there was an "after" party!  

A 60's "After" Party!!  

My sister, Penny, who has enjoyed dressing up in costumes ever since she was a kid, had a blast pulling out whatever we could find that looked like it came from the 60's.  Fringe, flower headbands, John Lennon glasses, peace symbol necklaces... we had it all!

Yes, that is me on the left...



And we weren't the only ones!  

There was music and drinks and food and chocolate dipped strawberries!  

And dancing.  Lots and lots of dancing!

There were even four people dressed up like the Flintstones!  Fred, Wilma, Barney and Betty!  They looked awesome!


















And I met another blogger at the 60s party, a fabulous lady by the name of Lynn Shaw with "2 Girls and a Book"




I also ran into another one of my favorite bloggers, Donna Antonio of "In My Humble Opinion". 

We tend to run into each other a lot because we often end up at the same book signings.  

You can usually recognize her by the little monkey she generally has with her.



And saving the best for last, this guy had on a T-shirt that was so totally cool (or maybe I should say "groovey").




I LOVE THIS!!




Soooo.... come join me next time!  I'll be at Book Obsessed Babes in St. Augustine, Florida on April 24-26, 2020.  See you there!




Saturday, March 7, 2020

Book Review - THE SILENT PATIENT by Alex Michaelides

Title: The Silent Patient
Author: Alex Michaelides
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Release Date: February 5, 2019


About the Book:
The instant #1 New York Times bestseller
"An unforgettable—and Hollywood-bound—new thriller... A mix of Hitchcockian suspense, Agatha Christie plotting, and Greek tragedy."
Entertainment Weekly
The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband—and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.
Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.
Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.
Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him....
Buy Links: Amazon Barnes and Noble

My Review:

The Silent Patient certainly has received mixed reviews, but there is definitely a reason this novel has hit the Bestseller list!  I was amazingly surprised to discover that this was Alex Michaelides' debut novel.  Written like a pro!

This novel is one of those edgy thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat and sucks you in.  I must admit that part way through the book I was beginning to get a wee bit bored, thinking this was more of a memoir written by the psychotherapist.  But then... WHAM!  I'm not giving away any spoilers but I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.  Interesting characters and big twists.  A must-read for fans of psychological thrillers.


My Rating:

About the Author:
Alex Michaelides was born in Cyprus to a Greek-Cypriot father and English mother. He has a MA in English Literature from Cambridge University and a MFA in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. The Silent Patient is his first novel.



 

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