Bea Reviews White Trash Zombie Unchained by Diana Rowland

Series: White Trash Zombie #6
Publisher: DAW
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 5th, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Angel Crawford has finally pulled herself together (literally!) after her disastrous dismemberment on Mardi Gras. She’s putting the pieces of her life back in order and is ready to tackle whatever the future holds.

Too bad the future is a nasty bitch. There’s a new kind of zombie in town: mindless shamblers, infectious and ravenous.

With the threat of a full-blown shambler pandemic looming, and a loved one stricken, Angel and the “real” zombies scramble to find a cure. Yet when Angel uncovers the true reason the plague is spreading so quickly, she adds “no-holds-barred revenge” to her to-do list.

Angel is busting her ass dealing with shambling hordes, zombie gators, government jerks, and way too many mosquitos, but this white trash chick ain’t giving up.

Good thing, since the fate of the world is resting on her undead shoulders.

Bea Reviews Otherwise Engaged by Amanda Quick

Publisher: Putnam Adult
Source: owned by the reviewer
Release Date: April 22nd, 2014 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Miss Amity Doncaster, world traveler, is accustomed to adventure and risk. Benedict Stanbridge, a man of science and a spy for the Crown, has faced danger in the darker corners of foreign lands.

But they are about to face a threat that is shockingly close to home . . .

One does not expect to be kidnapped on a London street in broad daylight. But Amity Doncaster barely escapes with her life after she is trapped in a carriage with a blade-wielding man in a black silk mask who whispers the most vile taunts and threats into her ear. Her quick thinking, and her secret weapon, save her . . . for now.

But the monster known in the press as the Bridegroom, who has left a trail of female victims in his wake, has survived the wounds she inflicts and will soon be on his feet again. He is unwholesomely obsessed by her scandalous connection to Benedict Stanbridge—gossip about their hours alone in a ship’s stateroom seems to have crossed the Atlantic faster than any sailing vessel could. Benedict refuses to let this resourceful, daring woman suffer for her romantic link to him—as tenuous as it may be.

For a man and woman so skilled at disappearing, so at home in the exotic reaches of the globe, escape is always an option. But each intends to end the Bridegroom’s reign of terror in London, and will join forces to do so. And as they prepare to confront an unbalanced criminal in the heart of the city they love, they must also face feelings that neither of them can run away from.

Bea Reviews Twisted Truth by Melinda Leigh

Series: Rogue Justice Novella #1
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 31st, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* (ebook & audio) | Book Depository* (audio only)  | Barnes & Noble (audio only)
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

When Detective Seth Harding responds to shots being fired, he faces a familiar sight: a double homicide. However, he is shocked to find a young boy chained in the basement. The terrified child refuses to speak, but Seth knows he is the key to something sinister.

Reluctantly, Seth calls the only social worker he trusts with the traumatized boy—his wife. Carly is recovering from her own trauma suffered on the job, but she can’t turn away from this case, not from another child in trouble. With torrential rain bearing down, threatening to isolate their little town in a killer flood, Seth and Carly know the best way to keep the boy safe from danger is to take him back to their farm.

But danger is as relentless as the storm. And it’s following them all the way home.

Bea Reviews Tell Me a Mitzi by Lore Segal, Pictures by Harriet Pincus

Publisher: Dover Publications
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 13th, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Google Play | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb modified from goodreads:

A School Library Journal Best of the Best Book
A New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year
A National Book Award Finalist
"A must!" declared School Library Journal of this ALA Notable Book and National Book Award Finalist, now available in a glorious new hardcover edition. Blending fantasy and reality in a big-city setting, three unforgettable and wonderfully illustrated tales recount the adventures of Mitzi and her little brother as they attempt to visit their grandparents, recuperate from colds, and meet the president.
"Thanks to Lore Segal's antic words, and Harriet Pincus's antic pictures, children will find Tell Me a Mitzi a hilarious picnic." — Publishers Weekly
"Author and illustrator have caught the essence of childhood in this captivating picture book. The three stories mix fantasy with reality and are told with naturalness and warmth. The illustrations, so filled with details and surprises they invite repeated scrutiny, have verity and vitality, poignancy and endearing humor." — Booklist
"A remarkable joint tour de force." — The Washington Post Book World
"This is possibly one of the funniest books in print." — The Saturday Review"The fantasy is as real as tomorrow's ice cream cone, the three Mitzi stories more than bull's-eyes ... A triumph." — Kirkus Reviews

Read a NEW Short Story by Amanda Bouchet & Enter to WIN A Copy of Heart On Fire!

 

Even though Heart on Fire isn't out until January, Amanda Bouchet has written an original piece from Griffin's point of view especially for her fans, and we're sharing it with you! And there's a giveaway!

But first, a little about the new book, Heart on Fire. :)

Bea Reviews A Reference to Murder & Perilous Poetry by Kym Roberts & A Giveaway!

Series: A Book Barn Mystery #2
Publisher: Lyrical Underground
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: May 16th, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Charli Rae Warren is back home in Hazel Rock, Texas, spending her time reading, collecting, and selling books—at least, the ones that don’t get eaten first by her father’s pet armadillo. Running the family bookstore is a demanding job, but solving murders on the side can be flat out dangerous…

The Book Barn is more than just a shop, it’s a part of the community—and Charli is keeping busy with a fundraising auction and the big rodeo event that’s come to town. That includes dealing with the Texas-sized egos of some celebrity cowboys, including Dalton Hibbs, a blond, blue-eyed bull rider who gets overly rowdy one night with the local hairdresser . . . and soon afterward, disappears into thin air.

Dalton’s brother also vanished seven years ago—and Charli is thrown about whether Dalton is a villain or a victim. After a close call with an assailant wielding a branding iron (that plays havoc with her hair) and some strange vandalism on her property, she’s going to have to team up with the sheriff to untangle this mystery, before she gets gored.

New Science Fiction Humble Bundle!!! You Choose the Price!!!

 
Most of you have probably heard of Humble Bundle but for those of you who haven't it works like this: Authors and/or publishers offer up books with a common theme,in this case adventures in science fiction. There are 24 books, some by heavy duty science fiction authors including Joe Haldeman and the late Octavia Butler. They are available at levels of pay for whatever you're willing to contribute.The more you pay, the more books available to you.

Excerpt & Giveaway: Hot Pursuit by Julie Ann Walker

Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Julie grew up in a house full of women – she has three older sisters. As you can imagine, there was no lack of drama… or romance. Her mother enrolled her in a book club as soon as she began to read and it was the small spark that ignited her voracious appetite for the written word. Because of Julie’s early immersion in literature, she found writing came quite naturally. In high school, she won multiple writing contests and was the proud senior editor of The Tiger’s Tale – her school newspaper. During her college years, however, she longed for a challenge. “Reading and writing felt like second nature to me, so I looked for a way to flex my mental muscles,” she recalls. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree, Julie began teaching advanced high school mathematics. “I loved working with the students and facing the challenges of the classroom, but I longed for the occasional snow day when I could race to the local book store, buy two or three new novels, and curl up in front of the fire to read.” It wasn’t until a fortuitous move to Chicago that Julie once more returned to her first passion. “Thankfully, my husband – my own personal hero – encouraged my decision to write full time.” Now Julie lives on beautiful Lake Shore Drive with a view that sometimes competes with her deadlines. When she’s not writing, she enjoys camping, hiking, cycling, cooking, travel, and…reading, of course!

Bea and Steph Review A Face to Die For by Andrea Kane & A Giveaway

Series: Forensic Instincts #6
Publisher: Bonnie Meadow Publishing LLC
Source: PR firm in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 19, 2017
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Kobo | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from PR Firm:

Urban legend says that everyone has a double, or exact look-alike. Would you search for yours? And if you found them, would you risk your life for theirs?

When a chance encounter outside the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan results in mistaken identity, wedding planner Gia Russo is curious to find the person whose cell phone picture has been shown her—veterinarian Dr. Danielle Murano, her exact look-alike. A Facebook private message blossoms into a budding, long-distance friendship, and the two women agree to meet in New York and see the truth for their own eyes.

Shocked at the sight of one another, they quickly bond over drinks, childhood pictures and an uncanny feeling that they share more than just a visual resemblance. Together they decide to end the speculation and undergo DNA testing for siblingship. But when the tests confirm they’re identical twins, more questions are raised than answered.

And with good reason. The same mysterious forces that separated the sisters years ago are still at large, frantic to keep the two women apart. Their attempts to do so become more violent once it becomes clear that the two sisters have found each other. But when the danger escalates and the sisters fear for their lives, Gia turns to a former client of her wedding planning company, Marc Devereraux of Forensic Instincts, for help.

Despite being embroiled in another case, Forensic Instincts agrees to help Gia and Danielle discover who has been threatening them. And when Forensic Instincts discovers that this case is linked to the [Mafia, Organized Crime], they must dig up skeletons better left buried, and get at the frightening truth without destroying the sisters and the families they have grown to love.

Bea Reviews Little Tails in Prehistory by Frederic Brremaud, Illustrated by Federico Bertolucci

Series: Little Tails
Publisher: Magnetic Press
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: July 11th, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Chipper and Squizzo are a precocious puppy and squirrel who love to explore new and exciting environments, flying their cardboard box airplane to wondrous worlds full of fascinating animals and creatures. In each volume of this fun, educational series, they tour a different location, encountering the real-world animals found there in beautiful illustration and fun cartoon strip antics.

This exciting volume sees our adorable nature guides traveling back in time (in their cardboard time machine) to view the dinosaurs up close!

Bea Reviews The Last Move by Mary Burton

Publisher: Montlake Romance
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 19th, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository*  | Kobo | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

In this gripping stand-alone from bestselling author Mary Burton, an FBI agent must catch a copycat killer. The only difference this time: she’s the final victim.

Catching monsters helps FBI agent Kate Hayden keep her nightmares at bay. Now an urgent call brings her back to San Antonio, the scene of her violent past. A brutal new murder shows hallmarks of a serial killer nicknamed the Samaritan. Tricky part is, Kate already caught him.

Either Kate made a deadly error, or she’s got a copycat on her hands. Paired with homicide detective Theo Mazur, she quickly realizes this murder is more twisted than it first appeared. Then a second body is found, the mode of death identical to a different case that Kate thought she’d put behind her.

Now Kate and Detective Mazur aren’t just working a homicide; the investigative pair is facing a formidable enemy who knows Kate intimately. While Mazur is personally trying to protect Kate, the closer they are drawn to the killer, the clearer it becomes that in this terrifying game, there is only one rule: don’t believe everything you see.

Bea Reviews Life of Lies by Sharon Sala

Publisher: Mira Books
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 26th, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Fame, fortune...and a fatal obsession

Sahara Travis is used to being worshipped by adoring fans, but now someone is fixated on her in a dangerous way. After multiple attempts on her life, she reluctantly agrees to hire a security specialist for her protection, though the last thing she wants is some burly bodyguard invading her personal space.

Former army ranger Brendan McQueen's job is to keep the starlet safe and track down her would-be assassin. But when Sahara receives news that her estranged mother has been murdered and her father, the top suspect, is missing, Brendan quickly realizes this is much more serious than your average celebrity stalker.

With Brendan and her devoted assistant, Lucy, in tow, Sahara returns to her family estate in New Orleans to uncover the identity of her attempted killer before he can close in on his final target.

Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: Shadow of Doubt by Linda Poitevin

Publisher: Hachette Audio
Source: the author in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 26th, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Audible | Audiobook Store | Bandcamp |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

SHADOW OF DOUBT is a new release from Hachette Audiobooks: Powered by Wattpad - an innovative collaboration between Hachette Book Group, a leading publisher, and Wattpad, a passionate storytelling community of over 45 million people. Your favorite online stories, now available in your headphones!

Helping him could end her career...
And her life.

Sworn to uphold the law, police officer Kate Dexter believes in doing the right thing. But when she meets an injured, altogether too sexy ATF agent, her entire world is turned upside down.

Jonas Burke is a wanted man. Framed for murder, he needs sanctuary--now. Finding it in the arms of a beautiful, feisty fellow cop isn't exactly his best plan, but he's desperate and wounded, and time is running out for him to prove his innocence. Armed with a little more than a conspiracy theory, Jonas has no choice but to ask for Kate's help.

Kate is torn between her duty to "serve and protect" and her growing desire for this man on the run. With her colleagues in pursuit and Jonas's enemies closing in, she and Jonas will have to work together if they want to survive. But can she really trust him beyond a shadow of doubt?

Release Day Review & Excerpt: Such A Pretty Girl by Tess Diamond

Publisher: Avon Books
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 26th, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Avon | Book Depository* | Google Play | Kobo | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

In a gripping romantic thriller from Tess Diamond, an FBI profiler becomes a killer’s deadly obsession…

In Grace Sinclair’s bestselling crime novels, the good guys win and the bad guys always get caught. As the FBI’s top profiler, she knows that real life is rarely so straightforward. But her new case isn’t just brutal—it’s also personal. The victims look like Grace. And the FBI recruit assigned to her team is trouble of another kind.

This isn’t how Special Agent Gavin Walker imagined running into Grace again. Two years ago they shared one earth-shattering night, then she vanished from his life. She’s brilliant, fiercely independent, and in mortal danger from a killer masterminding a twisted game …

The body count is rising. Entangled in the case and in each other, Gavin and Grace are running out of time and chances. And as Grace puts the pieces together, she knows she’ll have to confront her own deepest secrets before the final, fatal move is played.

Bea Reviews You Say It First & Second Chance Girl by Susan Mallery

Series: Happily Inc. #1
Publisher: HQN Books 
Source: the author in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: August 22nd, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fool's Gold romances invites you to visit Happily Inc., a wedding destination founded on a fairy tale

Sculptor Nick Mitchell grew up in a family of artists and learned from his volatile father that passion only leads to pain. As he waits on a new commission, he takes a day job as a humble carpenter at a theme wedding venue. The job has its perks—mainly the venue's captivating owner, Pallas Saunders. Although he won't let love consume him, for ecstasy with an expiration date, he's all in.

Pallas adores Weddings in a Box. But if she can't turn the floundering business around, she'll have no choice but cave to her domineering mother and trade taffeta for trust funds working at the family's bank. Then when a desperate bride begs Pallas for something completely out of the box, her irresistible new hire inspires her. Nick knows she doesn't belong behind a desk, and she knows in her heart that he's right—where she really belongs is in his arms.

Banned Books Week 2017 - Some Celebrations and Links

It's time again for the annual Banned Books Week, a celebration of our right to choose what to read, sponsored by the American Library Association and other groups. This year's theme or emphasis is on the importance of the First Amendment. This focus was chosen due to an increase in complaints and challenges in 2016. “Our Right To Read” is "a celebration of the diverse range of ideas found in books, and our right as citizens to make our own intellectual choices." Curious what the most challenged books were last year? There's a top 10 list here.

Bea Reviews ABCs of Physics And ABCs of Mathematics by Chris Ferrie

Series: Baby University
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 3rd, 2017

Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The ABC's of Physics introduces a new physics concept for every letter of the alphabet, all the way from Atom to Zero-point energy.

Bea Reviews Contracted Defense by Piper J Drake

Series: Safeguard #3
Publisher: Carina Press
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 11th, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Google Play | Kobo  | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Time is running out and the enemy is at the gate.

Adam Hicks may be the rookie at Safeguard, but he’s no novice in the field. Retired from active duty after multiple tours and back fresh from a brief rest in New Zealand, he’s itching to return to action. But the challenge he hoped for arrives in an unexpected form: his sexy yet stern new partner.

The last thing Victoria Ash wants is to work with the new guy—especially one as gorgeous as Adam. His relaxed attitude about their first “easy” assignment together—setting up a private home defense network for a reclusive client—doesn’t impress her. Easy usually means trouble. She’s proved right when Adam discovers that the multiple incursions on the physical and cyber security systems aren’t just glitches. They’re under attack…and there’s a traitor in their midst.

As tension mounts, so does the attraction between Victoria and Adam. They must protect their client and the research he’s desperately trying to keep secret. Working together, they have to find the mole before their defense measures, in the fortress and online, are compromised and the deadly secrets they’ve sworn to protect are revealed.

Happy 80th Birthday to The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien!

My print  copies of The Hobbit and one of my teacups

80 years ago today a delightful little book by an English professor was released and became not only an instant hit but a lasting success and a classic. Little people who lived in holes in the ground, different little people who lived underground mining, mysterious folk of the woods, fire breathing lizards who guarded their hoard, a twisted lonely creature who loved riddles; yes, I'm talking about The Hobbit. It was first published on September 21, 1937.

I grew up reading myths and fairy tales, soaking up heroes and monsters like a sponge soaks up water. But I didn't discover fantasy until 5th grade when my English teacher would take time at the end of class to read from The Hobbit. To be honest, I don't remember what we learned that year but I remember her reading this book. She didn't read it everyday but on those days when she got through her lesson plan early and we'd behaved, she would read aloud to us. At that rate, it took most of the school year but I was hooked. My parents, one of whom was also an English teacher, happily bought me my own copy.

I loved everything about The Hobbit - the world, the humor, the adventures, the people, the excitement and the wonder and the thrills. And the dragon! I loved dragons in the myths and fairy tales I'd read but encountering one in more recent writings was exciting. Later I moved to The Lord of Rings which was a different, more sober take on Tolkien's world but was still exciting and full adventure and wondrous beings. But The Hobbit holds a special place in my heart to this day. I own multiple editions but sadly it's been years since I read any of them. I think it's time for a re-read. And tea and cakes of course.

image found on Pinterest

Bea Reviews Doom with a View by Kate Kingsbury

Series: Merry Ghost Inn Mystery #2
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 12th, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Kobo | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

With the arrival of six senior reading group members at the Merry Ghost Inn, the long-awaited Grand Opening week has finally begun for Melanie West and her grandmother, Liza. All is well with the Oregon coast-side B&B until Melanie's dog, Max, finds the dead body of one of their guests. Everyone at the inn immediately falls under suspicion, including the innkeepers themselves. Melanie and Liza are not sure who they can trust, and the idea of cohabitating with a murderer is enough to send chills down anyone's spine. To make matters worse, the curmudgeonly town detective wants them to steer clear of the investigation, but doesn't seem too inspired to solve the case in a timely fashion himself. To clear their own names and to avoid the blight on the inn's reputation that yet another dead body will bring, Melanie and Liza dive headlong into the murder investigation. With a little help from their chuckling ghost, Melanie and Liza dodge the detective, tip-toe around their suspicious guests, and still serve up delicious Bed & Breakfast meals on time in Kate Kingsbury's delightful second Merry Ghost Inn mystery, Doom with a View.