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.



Thursday, February 27, 2020

Book Review - BY BLOOD AND MAGIC (The Dragon Portal Series, Book #2) by Jamie A. Waters



By Blood and Magic
(The Dragon Portal Series, #2)
Author:  Jamie A. Waters
Publisher:  Hidden Realms Publishing
Release Date: March 26, 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.
 Available for Pre-order - Release Date is March 26, 2020


My Review:

Wow!  Seriously WOW!  I received an advance copy of this amazing book and now I can't wait for Book #3 in this series.  From the very first page there was action and adventure and mystery and all things wonderful in a book.  

By Blood and Magic starts where Book #1 of this series left off, but with a whole new location and a whole new adventure.  As much as I love to read, I don't tend to get this excited about a series.  I'm so glad to see there are more upcoming books in the works!  This Dragon Portal series is everything I want and love in a book series.  The characters are amazing and there is magic, demons, dragons, merfolk, mystery, adventure, romance and a touch of humor with the pixie, Blossom.  I love the worlds this author has created and how new alliances are being formed with each new adventure.  And I loved how the different cultures were shown to the reader, and how these characters came to be as they are.  Fascinating how I could visualize it all!

The story starts off with the ship they are traveling on coming under attack with prisoners being taken and a trade being negotiated, all the while keeping the main objective to seal the portal in sight.  Without giving away any spoilers, let me tell you that as soon as you think Sabine and Malek are safe, another danger is thrown at them.  This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't wait to get to the end to find out what happens but at the same time not wanting it to end!  I can't wait for more!  Pre-ordering Book #3 now!


My Rating:

About the Author:

Jamie A. Waters is an award-winning, fantasy and science-fiction writer. 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.
You can learn more by visiting: www.jamieawaters.com

Reading Order for Jamie A. Waters's The Dragon Portal Series: 
  • To Kill a Fae (The Dragon Portal, Book 1) 
  • By Blood and Magic (The Dragon Portal, Book 2)
  • Facets of Power (The Dragon Portal, Book 3)
  • Shadows and Twilight (The Dragon Portal, Book 4)
  • Dance of Wings (The Dragon Portal, Book 5)
  • Forest of Secrets (The Dragon Portal, Book 6)

Other books by Jamie A. Waters
  • Ruins of Fate (The Omni Towers, Prequel) 
  • Beneath the Fallen City (The Omni Towers, Book 1)
  • Shadow of the Coalition (The Omni Towers, Book 2)
  • Tremors of the Past (The Omni Towers, Book 3)
  • Drop of Hope (The Omni Towers, Book 4)
  • Flames of Redemption (The Omni Towers, Book 5)
  • Spirit of the Towers (The Omni Towers, Book 6)
Want more of Jamie A. Waters?
Website: JamieAWaters.com
Facebook: facebook.com/booksbyjamieawaters

Follow Jamie A. Waters on Amazon

amzn.to/2wXZj1E

Saturday, February 15, 2020

Book Review - THE RANCHER'S REPLACEMENT WIFE by Pam Mantovani

Title:  The Rancher's Replacement Wife
Author:  Pam Mantovani
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Release Date:  June 17, 2019


About the Book:


Private school teacher Grace Winslow has been attracted to Aaron Richardson since the day her rebellious younger sister married the rancher. After her sister deserts Aaron and dies in a car crash, Grace helps Aaron look after her nine month old nephew, Noah, who suffers with chronic ear infections. She's determined to keep things platonic, but when Noah needs an operation Aaron can't afford, her guilt over her role in enabling her sister to leave leads Grace to propose marriage as a means to provide insurance coverage for her nephew and save Aaron's ranch from financial ruin.
Even during his hasty, disastrous marriage, Rancher Aaron Richardson had been intrigued by his late wife’s sister. Now he's struggling to work on his ranch during the day and nurse a sick son at night. He's grateful for Grace’s help during the evening, and powerfully attracted to her. But Aaron won't act on his attraction because Grace is everything he's not: refined, delicate, educated. Still, he agrees to her unexpected marriage proposal only to help his son Noah get the medical care he needs. Soon they develop a bond forged out of mutual respect and trust as they care for Noah and the ranch together. But for a man who values and respects honesty, he’s hiding a secret from Grace about his role in allowing his wife’s desertion.
Now only the love that's blooming between them can save Aaron and Grace from the repercussions of the truth when it's revealed.
Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review

"The Rancher's Replacement Wife" is a charming story with characters that went straight to my heart.  The romance left me with those tingles I love and I found myself turning the pages with anticipation yet not wanting it to end.  Aaron and Grace are meant for each other and although the circumstances of their marriage may seem to be more of a business arrangement at first, the sparks between them certainly ignite!  Little Noah couldn't ask for a better mother.

Author Pam Mantovani is new to me and I'm so thankful to have found her.  I will definitely be looking for more from her.  For fans of contemporary romance, I highly recommend this book.

My Rating: 

About the Author:
As an Army Brat, frequent moves often meant Pam had to leave friends behind. But no matter where she lived, romance novels were her constant companions. Then she met the man of her dreams on a blind date and after she married her hero, Pam started writing her own love stories.

Now she has more friends, imaginary and real-life, than she can count. She's still happily married to the man who swept her off her feet and gave her the romance of a lifetime. She loves writing about strong women and men who find each other and quilt the fabric of their lives together.

A member of Romance Writers of America, Georgia Romance Writers and Southern Magic, Pam's books have twice been awarded the Maggie Award for Excellence and once for the Linda Howard Award of Excellence.

When not writing, Pam enjoys quilting, planting beautiful flowers, home improvement projects and spending time with her wonderful family.

If interested, feel free to sign up for her newsletter at:
http://eepurl.com/TopgX
 

The Novel Lady Published @ 2014 by Ipietoon