Book Review - NIGHTCHASER by Amanda Bouchet

Title:  Nightchaser
Author:  Amanda Bouchet
Genre:  Science Fiction, Paranormal Romance
Release Date:  January 1, 2019

About the Book:

Tess Bailey: the galaxy's Most Wanted.
Captain Tess Bailey is in deep trouble. She and her crew are on the run, pursued by a tyrant who'll take them dead or alive. Tess's best hope is a tall, dark, and much-too-appealing stranger, Shade Ganavan, who says he can help her. But his motivations are far from clear...

Shade Ganavan: arrogance, charm...and that special something that makes you want to kick him.
With the dreaded Dark Watch closing in, what Tess and Shade don't know about each other might get them killed...unless they can set aside their differences and learn to trust each other before it's too late.

Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

This is Book #1 of an anticipated three-book series.  If this series is anything like Amanda Bouchet's Kingmaker Chronicles series, I am super excited!  As for NIGHTCHASER, this was an awesome start!

I was provided an ARC through NetGalley but didn't have a chance to read it until after the holidays and by that time the book had already been released. I made the mistake of beginning to read this book in the evening. Once I started, I couldn't sleep and I really regretted not reading this book sooner. When I had to go run errands the next morning, I dreaded the thought of not being able to sit and read to find out what happens next. The storyline was so exciting!  So I purchased the Audible version of the book. Seriously. Even though I had a free copy of the book, I still purchased the Audible copy. And I'm so glad I did. I listened to the rest of the book while I drove! Great narration!

Such awesome characters! And the romance was hot! Tess is a strong, determined lady with a soft side for children and kitty's. Her crew, Big Guy and Shade were all terrific. But who are the good guys and who are the bad guys? You'll have to read this book to find out because I'm not giving away any spoilers!

Loved it! Highly recommend for Sci-Fi Romance fans!

My Rating:

About the Author:

Amanda Bouchet grew up in New England where she spent much of her time tromping around in the woods and making up grand adventures in her head. It was inevitable that one day she would start writing them down. Drawing on her Greek heritage for the setting and on her love of all things daring and romantic for the rest, her debut trilogy, The Kingmaker Chronicles, took form. She writes what she loves to read: epic exploits, steamy romance, and characters that make you laugh and cry.

A French master's graduate and former English teacher, Amanda lives in Paris, France. She met her husband while studying abroad, and the family now includes two bilingual children who will soon be correcting her French.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmandaBouchetAuthor/
Twitter: @AuthorABouchet
http://www.amandabouchet.com/

Book Blitz & Giveaway - FLYGIRL by R.D. Kardon

Flygirl
R.D. Kardon
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: January 3rd 2019
Genres: Adult Fiction

It’s 1997. Women stand beside men in combat and fly fighter jets. Pilot Tris Miles is not content with her job as a First Officer for tiny Clear Sky Airlines. She wants to be a Captain—the only way she knows to prove her worth as a pilot and atone for a deadly mistake.
To further her career, Tris accepts a prestigious job with Tetrix, Inc. But her dream of becoming pilot-in-command twists into a nightmare.
As the company’s first woman pilot, she encounters resistance, marginalization and harassment on a daily basis. Fortunately Tris has one thing her co-workers can’t deny—skill.
When Tris finds herself in a crippled airplane thousands of miles from home she must prove she can lead. With her career on the line, can Tris earn the respect she’s been craving? And if this is the end, can she find the strength to forgive herself?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

TRIS LOST ALL visibility as the airplane pierced a thick slab of fog. She slid her focus from the miasma outside the cockpit window to the flight instruments in front of her. They were her eyesight now. She trusted them. They told the truth.
She scanned the gauges and smiled. Tris heard their silent language; woman and machine entwined in the exceptional conversation of flight.
“Clear Sky Two-Five-One, cleared for the approach,” the Columbus, Ohio approach controller announced over a scratchy connection. Tris nodded to Captain Danny Terry, sitting two feet away in the left seat. His jaw clenched as he worked the radios on their last flight of the day.
“Gear down,” Tris commanded.
The landing gear groaned and clicked as they lowered into position. Locked on final approach, the turboprop glided toward the runway, a concrete slab somewhere below them. Its twin engines spun in sync on the airplane’s wings. Tris monitored every bump and twitch of the plane. She answered each with a tap of the controls.
Tris nudged the yoke to bank the airplane left, the plastic coated steering column cool beneath her hands. She thought of all the ways pilots measure movement: degrees of heading, feet of altitude, ticks of the clock. Always counting up, down, until the next critical moment. As Clear Sky 251 slid toward the ground, Tris counted down.
Then she saw the flash. Just for a second, an amber warning light flickered.
“Danny, check the gauges. We had a caution.”
“Five hundred,” the airplane’s synthesized altitude alert announced. Tris checked the altimeter. So close to the ground and they still had zero visibility through the late-summer glare.
“I don’t know,” Danny said as he scanned the gauges. “Wait. It’s the oil pressure on number one. The needle’s going crazy. It could be nothing, just a blip.”
Or the number one engine could be about to fail.
“Ok.” She’d need full power on both engines to climb if they couldn’t land—and she might not have it.
“Nothing in sight.” Danny squirmed forward in his seat to catch the first glimpse of runway lights. His breath grew more labored with every foot of altitude they lost. He wouldn’t see the runway until the very last second, if at all—right when Tris would decide to land the plane or thrust it back up into the soup.
“Roger.” Tris stayed focused and in control. As seconds passed, the plane slid lower, lower, in a stable descent. The only sounds were the whir of spinning dials, the click of needles, the white noise of flight. Tris eyed the altimeter, her hands soft but firm on the power levers.
Danny’s hand twitched behind hers; a backup. He strained to see the runway. Decision time loomed a few feet away.
The caution light blinked again. Tris had to keep her eyes on the navigation gauges. The closer the airplane got to the ground, the more sensitive those indicators became. If she strayed off course, even a little, she’d lose all guidance and have to climb, or else there was no telling where they’d hit the ground.
She felt Danny’s hands move closer to the controls, protecting them in case she faltered.
She didn’t. Tris saw the runway, dead ahead.
“I’ve got it,” Danny said quickly as he keyed the mike. “Columbus Tower, Clear Sky Two-Five-One, runway in sight.”
“Roger, Clear Sky Two-Five-One, Runway Two-Four, cleared to land, wind two-five-zero at three knots.”
“Landing,” Tris said. She looked outside, blinked to focus, and kept the plane moving straight along the runway centerline, edging toward the earth. The altimeter registered field elevation just as the plane’s rear wheels softly touched the ground.

Author Bio:
Robin "R.D." Kardon had a twelve-year flying career as a corporate and airline pilot. She holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate and three Captain qualifications. Her travels took her all over the world in every type of airplane from small single-engine Cessnas to the Boeing 737. Robin earned her B.A. in Journalism and Sociology from NYU and J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law. A native New Yorker, Robin now lives in San Diego, California with her beloved rescue pets.
"Flygirl," a work of fiction inspired by her own aviation experience, is her first novel.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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RAMBLINGS & RECIPES - Mr. Legs

Woo Hoo! Check out those legs!

Sigma Omega of the Florida Keys, a chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, has been raising money for scholarships for the graduating seniors of our local high school for over 30 years. No, we are not college age sorority ladies. As a matter of fact, we are all in the 50+ age bracket. And no, we don't do bake sales or car washes or go door-to-door asking for money. We find men in our community who want to compete for the illustrious title of "Mr. Legs".

Now let me explain. This is a very coveted title here in the Florida Keys. Men go to great lengths to achieve this title. Some raffle off baskets of booze. Some have SuperBowl parties. And some carry around their contribution jug from bar to bar, getting donations from various patrons.

Yes, each contestant is given a large jug with their "leg picture" plastered on the front. Each week, our sorority members count and collect the money that has been collected in each jug and report the top contestant's in the running on local radio shows. At the end of our contest, we have a grand crowning celebration at a local restaurant or bar where the person who has collected the most votes (dollars collected) is crowned and given the official title of "Mr. Legs" for that year.

With the generosity of the people here in the Keys and the support of our contestants, Sigma Omega has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past years, all of which has gone toward scholarships for deserving students at Coral Shores High School.

So if you are here in the Upper Keys a/k/a The Northernmost Territory of the Conch Republic, and you see one of these Mr. Legs jugs, please be generous. It's for a great cause!

Scherry's Smoked Fish Dip

(great to spread on crackers or celery)

Ingredients:

4	Filets of smoked fish, flaked (should equal around 2 cups loose)
1	8 oz. block Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
¼ cup	Hellman’s Light Mayonnaise
1 or 2	Spring onions, minced
¼ tsp	Garlic juice Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce (as preferred)

Directions:

Flake the smoked fish and blend into softened cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl.        

Add other ingredients and blend well with a fork.

Add a few drops of Chipotle pepper sauce and taste.  We like it a bit spicy, so we add quite a bit.

Book Review - SONGS OF WILLOW FROST by Jamie Ford

Title:  Songs of Willow Frost
Author:  Jamie Ford
Genre:  Literary Fiction
Publisher:  Ballentine Books
Release Date:  September 10, 2013

About the Book:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From Jamie Ford, author of the beloved Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, comes a much-anticipated second novel. Set against the backdrop of Depression-era Seattle, Songs of Willow Frost is a powerful tale of two souls—a boy with dreams for his future and a woman escaping her haunted past—both seeking love, hope, and forgiveness.

Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more.

Twelve-year-old William Eng, a Chinese American boy, has lived at Seattle’s Sacred Heart Orphanage ever since his mother’s listless body was carried away from their small apartment five years ago. On his birthday—or rather, the day the nuns designate as his birthday—William and the other orphans are taken to the historical Moore Theatre, where William glimpses an actress on the silver screen who goes by the name of Willow Frost. Struck by her features, William is convinced that the movie star is his mother, Liu Song.

Determined to find Willow and prove that his mother is still alive, William escapes from Sacred Heart with his friend Charlotte. The pair navigate the streets of Seattle, where they must not only survive but confront the mysteries of William’s past and his connection to the exotic film star. The story of Willow Frost, however, is far more complicated than the Hollywood fantasy William sees onscreen.

Shifting between the Great Depression and the 1920s, Songs of Willow Frost takes readers on an emotional journey of discovery. Jamie Ford’s sweeping novel will resonate with anyone who has ever longed for the comforts of family and a place to call home.

Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

Songs of Willow Frost takes us back and forth in time as memories of Willow's earlier years come to surface. The book is extremely well written and the characters are multi-dimensional, but it is sad. Very, very sad. Downright depressing.

If you enjoy a book that pulls you in, that clings to your emotions, that makes your heart sink and your tears on the edge of your eyelid waiting to brim over, you will enjoy this book. For me, although it was an excellent thought-provoking novel, it was depressing. It left me sad. Mainly because I know these injustices existed during this time period.

Although as a society we still have a long way to go, this book helps us to realize just how far we have come.

My Rating:

About the Author:

Jamie Ford is the great grandson of Nevada mining pioneer Min Chung, who emigrated from Kaiping, China, to San Francisco in 1865, where he adopted the western name "Ford," thus confusing countless generations. 

His debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, spent two years on the New York Times bestseller list and went on to win the 2010 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. His work has been translated into 34 languages. Jamie is still holding out for Klingon (that's when you know you've made it).

Visit him at www.jamieford.com or on Twitter @jamieford.

Book Blitz & Giveaway - SECRET LADY (Ladies in Time, Book 3) by Beth Trissel

Secret Lady
Beth Trissel
(Ladies in Time, #3)
Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication date: January 9th 2019
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Time-Travel

At Lavender House, Evie McIntyre is haunted by the whispers from her bedroom closet. Before she can make sense of their murmurs, the house “warbles” between times and transports her to the Civil War. Past and present have blended, and Evie wishes she’d paid more attention to history. Especially since former Confederate officer, Jack Ramsey, could use a heads up.

Torn between opposing forces, Jack struggles to defend the valley and people he loves. Meeting Evie turns his already tumultuous world upside down. Will solving the mystery of the whispers return her home, and will the handsome scout be by her side?

Against the background of Sheridan’s Burning of the Shenandoah Valley, Jack and Evie fight to save their friends and themselves – or is history carved in stone?

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“They brought the draft back?” This was it. She had officially lost her mind.
“It never went away. Where have you been, miss? More to the point, who are you?” His gruff demand
stirred the hair at her cheek.
She tilted her face at him. Only the barest outline of his strong features was visible, and yet… Man, was he hot. Focus Evie. “I told you. I’m Evie McIntyre. I live here with my grandmother. Didn’t you realize?”
“That so? I don’t suppose you would be a spy in a Mennonite house. Still. Never know. I best get a good look at you.”
“Who would I be spying for?”
“Rebs. Neither side wishes me well. I’m in no man’s land.”
Her heart drummed wildly. “Where does that leave me?”
“That’s the question, isn’t it?” He steadied Evie on her feet.
Was it? She had no idea what was going on and watched dazedly as he took something from the leather
pouch hanging over his shoulder. “What’s that?”
“Lucifers.”
He’d lost her again. There must be a powerful resistance movement at work. She didn’t fol-low
politics. Maybe she should. Had matters come to an explosive head tonight? Why hadn’t her grandmother said something?
He drew what resembled matches from a small metal container and struck one. Sulphurous sparks
added pungency to the room. He lit the stubby candle in a tin lantern on an end table. Shad-ows danced from the pale taper glowing through the punches in the metal. Pretty, how the light made patterns on the ceiling.
Wait. Where had that lantern come from?
The stained-glass lamp Grandma G. treasured was just there before she went to bed. Dear God in heaven. What had happened to the room?

Author Bio:
Married to my high school sweetheart, I live on a farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with my people and furbabies. An avid gardener, I grow herbs and heirloom flowers and use them in my stories. The rich history of Virginia, the Native Americans, and the Scots-Irish are at the heart of my inspiration. My English/Scots-Irish ancestors were among the earliest settlers in America and the valley. I write historical romance set in the colonial frontier (The Native American Warrior Series), and the American Revolution (The Traitor's Legacy Series). Some of my historicals include ghosts and other paranormal elements. I also write Young Adult shapeshifter/ fantasy romance (The Secret Warrior Series), and New Adult time travel/time slip romance, Somewhere in Time, and my latest ongoing series, Ladies in Time. I also write single titles and nonfiction.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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RAMBLINGS & RECIPES - Another Reason I Love The Florida Keys

I recently picked up the January 2019 edition of one of our local newspapers here in the Florida Keys.  "The Conch Republic Coconut Telegraph" is proud to be the Official Newspaper of the Northernmost Territories of the Conch Republic (a/k/a The Upper Keys).

Flipping through the 24 pages, there was not a single story about shootings, robberies, political squabbles or mayhem.  The Editorial page was titled "Hangover Helper! Get Over Your Keys Celebration..." which consisted of numerous ideas on how to alleviate this self inflicted agony.

This local newspaper tells you where to find the biggest superbowl party, which restaurant has endless mimosa's, where you can find all-you-can-eat tacos on Wednesday nights for only $13, and where all the outstanding festivals are coming up this month.

Another article, which I will print here, with all credit going to The Coconut Telegraph, is:

Retire to Key Largo Where...

1.  You'll be willing to park 3 blocks away from your house because you found shade.

2.  You'll experience condensation on your butt from the hot water in the toilet bowl.

3.  You have over 100 recipes for seafood.

4.  You know that you never have to pay for a sauna, just walk outside.

5.  The 4 seasons are: tolerable, hot, humid & hot, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

6.  You can make over $350,000 and still can't afford to buy a decent house.

7.  You can have dinner and buy bait in the same store.

8. Everyone has a nickname: Smilin' Bob, Lobsterman, Not-that-Buffy, Methhead Mary, etc.

9.  You carry your $3,000 worth of fishing gear in your $500 car.

10. Your idea of a traffic jam is three cars waiting for a tourist to pull off the road.

On page 10 you'll find an article about Drafting Guys Over 60 and why that is such a good idea. 

This one had me laughing so hard that I snorted my coffee through my nose (not a pleasant experience).  

If you can enlarge the print in this picture, go for it.  If not, you may be able to find a reprint online or just come on down to the Keys and pick up a free copy.

In the Classified Ads section of the Coconut Telegraph, you will find items for sale, such as:

SNOWMAN FOR SALE

Used. Needs Repairs. $10 (followed by a picture of a bucket of water with a carrot floating in it)

Under "Jobs" in this Classified Ads section, you will find ads such as:

Wanted: someone to  hold my hand as I enter the grocery store. It's just the beginning of the store that scares me, then I'm okay. I'll pay you in groceries.

Yes, I will trade The Miami Herald for the Coconut Telegraph any day!

PINA COLADA BUNDT CAKE

(I found this recipe online some time ago but I can't for the life of me remember where. And no, my lack of memory is not due to the rum.)

Ingredients

• 1 package white cake mix (regular size)
• 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant coconut cream pudding mix
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup rum
• 1 cup drained crushed pineapple
• GLAZE:
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup cream of coconut
• 1 tablespoon rum
• 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 10-in. fluted tube pan.
• 2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, oil, water, eggs and rum; beat on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium 2 minutes. Stir in pineapple. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
• 3. In a small bowl, mix 1 cup confectioners' sugar and pineapple juice; brush over warm cake. Cool cake completely.
• 4. In another bowl, mix cream of coconut, rum and remaining confectioners' sugar; drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with coconut.

Book Review - THE BARNSTORMER by Jane Lewis

Title:  The Barnstormer
Author:  Jane Lewis
Genre:  Historic Romance
Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Release Date:  October 3, 2018

About the Book:

Pilot Frankie Howard, can do no wrong when he’s flying and showing off his daredevil aerobatic skills. On the ground, trouble follows him wherever he goes, especially trouble with women. Frankie adores his best friend's sister, Ruth Ann, and endures her come-ons and rejections in an effort to capture her love. When he finds out she has a new beau, he accepts the defeat until fate steps in and changes their lives forever. 

Ruth Ann Douglas lives a charmed life as the spoiled daughter of the town pharmacist. She bewitches and teases all the boys, especially her brother’s best friend, Frankie. Her dream of becoming an actress takes her to an acting school in Atlanta where she meets Ronald Waters, a young actor. Ronald wants to win her heart, but Ruth Ann can’t forget the handsome barnstormer and the small town she tries to leave behind.

Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

Frankie Howard will warm your heart. Such a great character. After being deeply hurt emotionally, the last thing he wants is to be confronted by saucy, spoiled Ruth Ann, his best friends sister. But that attraction between the two of them is not something either can ignore.

Great historical romance set during the late 1930's that will make you feel like you've been transported in time.  

I listened to the Audible version of this book and once again I was mesmerized by the voice of Dawson McBride!

Disclosure:  A complimentary copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts, opinions and ratings are my own. 

My Rating:

About the Author:

Before fulfilling her dream of being a published Romance Writer, Jane Lewis worked as a free-lance musician and teacher, and an analyst and manager for a large railroad company. She is a native of Atlanta and lover of all things southern. She graduated from Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music. When she isn't writing her next romance, she enjoys cooking, tending her rose garden, playing music, yoga and bowling with her real life hero, her husband. She is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America and Georgia Romance Writers. She was a 2016 finalist in the Hearts Through History, Post-Victorian/World War II category for her first romance novel, Love At Five Thousand Feet.