EXCERPT: The Perfect Housemate by Lorna Dounaeva

Review: The Sunshine Club by Dee MacDonald

Publisher: Bookouture
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 25th, 2023
Buying Links: Amazon USA* 
* affiliate link; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through this link.

Blurb from goodreads:

You’re never too old for an adventure…

Eve , Nessa and Molly are all in their seventies. Over the years, they’ve laughed and cried and they’ve been by each others’ sides as colleagues, flatmates and mothers. And they’ve grown old disgracefully together in their golden years…

But all good things must come to an end. As one of their trio takes her final journey, a very large glass is raised to fun, frolics and – most importantly – friendships.

Throwing their walking sticks into the wind, the glamorous grannies take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about the highlights of their shared decades – their lovely old London flat, that fateful trip to Italy and the many holidays they had together, brimming with sun, sand and sangria!

And as an old secret unravels, they learn that love, forgiveness and second chances are possible whatever age you are. And that laughter really is the best medicine…

A laugh-out-loud, inspiring and joyously uplifting novel about love, friendship and making the most of second chances! The perfect feel-good novel for fans of Cathy Hopkins, Dawn French and Judy Leigh.

EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: Reading, Writing, and Murder by Brenda Whiteside & Joyce Proell

Welcome to my stop on the tour for the new Chocolate Martini (how could I resist a chocolate martini, lol?) Sisters Mystery, "Reading, Writing, and Murder" by Brenda Whiteside and Joyce Proell. There's also a giveaway, so get comfy, enjoy the excerpt, and enter the giveaway! 

Review and Giveaway: When Rubin Plays by Gracey Zhang

Publisher: Orchard Books
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: July 18th, 2023
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | Google Books | Kobo | Scholastic
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

From the PW Flying Starts creative force, Gracey Zhang, comes a touching and beautiful story about community, finding your own voice, doing what you love the most, and expressing your passion with FORTE!

Rubin loves the beautiful sounds that are played by the orchestra. He wants to learn to play the violin and make his own music. But when Rubin plays, it doesn't sound like he imagines it should. Rubin goes into the forest to practice alone and despite only getting the violin to screech, he finds an unlikely audience that loves his unique style.

In another inspiring and lyrical picture book that deftly dives into the psyche and heart of a child's viewpoint and experience, the creator of Lala's Words , Gracey Zhang, offers confidence to everyone who longs to master something that can be difficult and shows that there is only one way to do something that is to do it your own special way. This is the next book from one of today's most gifted young creators. Zhang is a Publishers Weekly 's Spring 2021 Children's Flying Starts creator and her debut, Lala's Words , was the 2022 EJK Award Winner.

"Little Lala helps the weeds in the vacant lot blossom into full, gorgeous plants just by talking to them and showing them a little love. This picture book is breathtaking, and Zhang’s use of color really helps the story come alive. It’s like a modern inverse of The Giving Tree .” -- Paul Swydan, The Silver Unicorn Bookstore

Spotlight on One Kind Hand by Christine DePetrillo

ONE KIND HAND by Christine DePetrillo is out now! Check out the celebrity small town romance and be sure to get your copy today!

Excerpt & Giveaway: Return to Hummingbird Way by Reese Ryan

Publication date: April 25th, 2023

Purchase links: Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play *affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb:

In this heartwarming small‑town romance, can three months, two planning projects, and a meddling grandmother finally make two high school hate crushes see just how right they are for each other?

Ambitious real estate agent Sinclair Buchanan is ecstatic to be her best friend’s maid-of-honor—until she discovers the best man is Garrett Davenport. Sin and Rett’s mutual hate crush ignited when they were teens and hasn’t let up since . . . except for that one extremely hot (and extremely regrettable) night they shared five years ago.

Nothing gets Rett fired up like going toe-to-toe with Sinclair. She’s as infuriatingly stubborn, and as absolutely gorgeous, as when he fell for her back in high school. Working together to plan their best friends’ last-minute wedding is one thing, but when his matchmaking grandmother gets involved Rett knows he’s in deep. Attraction has always simmered between them, but this time, they’re both in danger of losing their hearts.

Review & Giveaway: A is for Ambitious by Meena Harris, Illustrated by Marissa Valdez

Publisher:  Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: pr firm in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: March 20, 2023
Buying Links: Amazon*  | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Books 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The awesome, bold, charming, and decidedly ambitious new picture book by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ambitious Girl, Meena Harris, is also a must-have ABC book.

The #1 bestselling team behind Ambitious Girl is back to take AG on a new adventure. A is for ambitious—and so much more in this fun and empowering picture book that reclaims words often used to undermine girls and women from A to Z. When they're ready to take on the world, ambitious readers will have the vocabulary to do so.

This book offers ambitious children everywhere inspiration as they pursue their goals and dreams. With a powerful message for us all, this is a perfect read aloud for showing children the power of words.

Review & Excerpt: A Tempest at Sea by Sherry Thomas

Series: Lady Sherlock #7
Read As A Stand Alone: Not recommended
Publisher: Berkley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: March 14, 2023
Buying Links: Amazon* | Apple Books* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Books | Kobo |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Charlotte Holmes’s brilliant mind and deductive skills are pulled into a dangerous investigation at sea in the new mystery in the bestselling Lady Sherlock series.

After feigning her own death in Cornwall to escape from Moriarty’s perilous attention, Charlotte Holmes goes into hiding. But then she receives a tempting offer: Find a dossier the crown is desperately seeking to recover, and she might be able to go back to a normal life.

Her search leads her aboard the RMS Provence, sailing from Southampton for the eastern hemisphere. But on the night Charlotte makes her move to retrieve the dossier, in the midst of a terrifying storm in the Bay of Biscay, a brutal murder also takes place on the ship.

Instead of solving the crime, as she is accustomed to doing, Charlotte must take care not to be embroiled in this investigation, lest it become known to those who harbor ill intentions that Sherlock Holmes is abroad and still very much alive.

Review & Excerpt: Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz

Series: Lost Night Files #1
Read As A Stand Alone: Yes
Publisher: Berkley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: January 3rd, 2023
Buying Links: Amazon* | Apple Books* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Books | Kobo |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Seven months ago, Pallas Llewellyn, Talia March, and Amelia Rivers were strangers, until their fateful stay at the Lucent Springs Hotel. An earthquake and a fire partially destroyed the hotel, but the women have no memory of their time there. Now close friends, the three women co-host a podcast called the Lost Night Files, where they investigate cold cases and hope to connect with others who may have had a similar experience to theirs—an experience that has somehow enhanced the psychic abilities already present in each woman.

After receiving a tip for their podcast, Pallas travels to the small college town of Carnelian, California, to explore an abandoned asylum. Shaken by the dark energy she feels in the building, she is rushing out when she’s stopped by a dark figure—who turns out to be the women's mysterious tipster.

Ambrose Drake is certain he’s a witness to a murder, but without a body, everyone thinks he’s having delusions caused by extreme sleep deprivation. But Ambrose is positive something terrible happened at the Carnelian Sleep Institute the night he was there. Unable to find proof on his own, he approaches Pallas for help, only for her to realize that Ambrose, too, has a lost night that he can’t remember—one that may be connected to Pallas. Pallas and Ambrose conduct their investigation using the podcast as a cover, and while the townsfolk are eager to share what they know, it turns out there are others who are not so happy about their questions—and someone is willing to kill to keep the truth from coming out.

2023 Reading Challenges

Source: PNGtree

Happy New Year! For those of you using the Gregorian calendar, welcome to the start of another year. I am lucky enough to have a four day weekend, and I'm getting some reading done. I've also decided to try reading challenges again. I took a break for a few years and I'm ready to try again. I picked four, all repeats except for the Thrifty Thursday. That's been a meme for several years and is now a challenge too. Click on the each challenge's name to go the sign up post, and get more information.

1) Library Love  I use my library a lot, both personally and professionally. I actually did this challenge in 2022 and ended up reading over 100, including books for my classroom. This year, I'm aiming for Library Card on Fire: Read 60+ books. 

2) Thrifty Thursday Between sales and author newsletters, I get a lot of freebies every month. Which, more books + no money = AWESOME. But...they tend to languish on my Kindle. So I'm aiming to read and review one a month, more if I can manage it.

3) Mount TBR I'm sure it's no surprise that I have a large pile, virtual and physical, of unread books. I'm going for level 2, Mount Blanc: Read 24 books from your TBR pile/s. Books owned, requested, or ordered before today, January 1st, 2023, count. Also, rereads count, yay! But ideally, they'll be books I haven't read yet.

And finally the, Goodreads challenge. I do this one every year. Last year's goal was 250 and I almost doubled that. Note: I count all books I read in the classroom, and count rereads. Cuz toddlers love repetition. If they only want to listen to a book once, they don't like the book. This year's goal is 300. 

Are you doing any reading challenges this year? Tell me about them! And, good luck and have fun reading.

Review & Giveaway of The Last Minute First Lady by Tinia Montford

Publisher: Emerald Press LLC
Source: pr firm in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: December 22, 2022
Buying Links: Amazon* | Apple Books* | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

WHAT’S ONE ITSY, BITSY, LITTLE LIE? Cassian Anders will be the youngest governor in Illinois history... If he wins.

That’s all everyone seems to talk about these days. Jolie Coldwell isn’t one of them. As a journalist, her priorities comprise digging up dirt on crooked politicians and local cover-ups. When her latest exposé on a congressman lands her in hot water, her days are reduced to covering the senior center’s casino night.

Unexpectedly, news breaks: the on-air investigative segment needs a replacement. This promotion advance could her career.

She needs a breaking story. She needs it now.

The road to office is ruthless compared to the courtroom. Without warning, Cassian Anders’ popularity rating falls, threatening his position on the ballot. He will do whatever it means to secure votes. Now, not only is he engaged, but he’s getting married to his non-existent fiancée...

He’s never relied on luck, but when a convenient but unorthodox wife falls into his lap? He makes her a deal.

He needs a wife. He needs it now.

Will Jolie and Cassian be able to fool the public long enough? Can she handle the public poking around in her past, one she would rather keep under wraps... Above all, can she be a model first lady or are they destined to be a scandal?

The Last-Minute First Lady is a steamy marriage of convenience romance. Perfect for readers who love outrageous in-laws, honeymoons to Napa Valley, and crooked politicians. This novel contains cursing and sex scenes, and intended for audiences 18 years and older.

Spotlight on DISSENT, A New Romance Charity Anthology Benefiting Reproductive Rights in the US.

                         

Review & Giveaway: How to Speak Animal by Aubre Andrus & Gabby Wild

Series: National Geographic Kids How to Speak
Read As A Stand Alone: Yes
Publisher: National Geographic Partners, LLC
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: August 16th, 2022
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Bookshop.org | Google Books | 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Learn about the secret language of wild animals in this exciting and informative guide from the experts who brought you How to Speak Cat and How to Speak Dog.

We know animals can’t speak and express themselves in the same way as humans … but even the smallest and quietest animals have incredible ways of communicating with each other. With wildlife veterinarian expert Dr. Gabby Wild as a guide, How to Speak Animal helps kids understand how animals communicate through sound, body language, and behavior. It’s full of expert insights and real-life stories of humans exploring ways to “talk” to animals, from teaching great apes sign language to speaking “dolphin.” Packed with super-engaging animal photography that helps illustrate key concepts, this fascinating bookprofiles more than 60 different creatures—from birds to mammals to reptiles and more—and their amazing ways of communicating with each other.

If you’ve ever wondered why gorillas beat their chests and make hooting noises, what it means when chameleons change color, or why some elephants twist their trunks together, this is the book for you!

Complete your collection with:
How to Speak Dog
How to Speak Cat
Fetch! A How to Speak Dog Training Guide
Pounce! A How to Speak Cat Training Guide

Review: Round Up the Usual Peacocks by Donna Andrews

Series: Meg Langslow #31 
Read As A Stand Alone: Yes, but not recommended
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: August 2nd, 2022
Buying Links: Amazon* | Apple Books* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Books | Kobo |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

New York Times, bestselling author Donna Andrews first introduced us to Meg Langslow as a crime-solving bridesmaid. In her 31st mystery, Round Up the Usual Peacocks, Meg returns to her roots, juggling cold cases and wedding guests.

Kevin, Meg's cyber-savvy nephew who lives in the basement, comes to her with a problem. He's become involved as the techie for a true-crime podcast, one that focuses on Virginia cold cases and unsolved crimes. And he thinks their podcast has hit a nerve with someone . . . one of the podcast team has had a brush with death that Kevin thinks was an attempted murder, not an accident.

Kevin rather sheepishly asks for Meg's help in checking out the people involved in a couple of the cases. "Given your ability to find out stuff online, why do you need MY help?" she asks. "Um . . . because I've already done everything I can online. This'll take going around and TALKING to people," he exclaims, with visible horror. "In person!" Not his thing. And no, it can't wait until after the wedding, because he's afraid whoever's after them might take advantage of the chaos of the wedding at Trinity or the reception at Meg and Michael's house to strike again.

So on top of everything she's doing to round up vendors and supplies and take care of demanding out-of-town guests, Meg must hunt down the surviving suspects from three relatively local cold cases so she can figure out if they have it in for the podcasters. Could there be a connection to a musician on the brink of stardom who disappeared two decades ago and hasn't been seen since?

Review: Trapper Road by Rachel Caine and Carrie Ryan

Series: Stillhouse Lake #6
Read As A Stand Alone: Not recommended
Publisher: Rachel Caine, LLC
Source: author assistant in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: August 2nd, 2022
Buying Links: Amazon* |  * affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Sometimes danger comes from the most unexpected places.

Gwen Proctor has always been willing to do anything it takes to protect her kids. But there are some things even she can’t protect them from. When a violent incident at Connor’s school brings the press to Gwen’s doorstep, she agrees to take a case out of town hoping to keep her family out of the crushing media spotlight.

The case is that of a missing girl, last seen getting into a truck with a stranger before disappearing. Gwen has a reputation for finding those who are lost, but this time something is wrong. Her instincts are off, and every clue she uncovers only raises more doubts, not just about the missing girl and the circumstances of her disappearance, but also about the fragile safety Gwen’s created for her family.

The closer she comes to uncovering the truth, the more she unwittingly puts those she loves at risk. Someone from Gwen’s past doesn’t appreciate the new life she’s built for herself and is willing to do anything it takes to tear it apart. Except this time it isn’t Gwen in the crosshairs, but her partner Sam. Without her instincts to rely on, how can Gwen protect those she loves against an enemy she never sees coming? (less)

EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: One Kind Hero by Christine DePetrillo

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for One Kind Hero, a new romance by Christine DePetrillo. I've read one of her books and have two more, including this one, waiting on my Kindle. I also belong to her Small Town Hearts group on Facebook. After you read the excerpt, leave a comment with your thoughts, and remember to enter the giveaway!

Review & Giveaway: ROTO AND ROY: HELICOPTER HEROES by Sherri Duskey Rinker & Illustrated by Don Tate

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: pr firm in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: February 1, 2022
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | BookShop .org |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Meet Roto and Roy, helicopter heroes!

When a dangerous forest fire burns out of control, helicopter Roto and pilot Roy are ready to fly to the rescue! They're braver than brave, tougher than tough, and nothing will stop this firefighting crew from completing their mission.

From Sherri Duskey Rinker, bestselling author of the Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site series, and award-winning illustrator Don Tate, this action-packed series starter will have kids cheering for two awesome new heroes—and imagining how they might save the day themselves!

Review: Cold in the Shadows by Toni Anderson

Series: Cold Justice #5
Read As A Stand Alone: Yes
Publisher: Toni Anderson Inc.
Source: pr firm in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: Nov. 24th, 2015
Buying Links: Amazon US* | Apple Books* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Books | Kobo |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

CIA Officer Patrick Killion needs to figure out if feisty frog biologist, Audrey Lockhart, is a deadly assassin or an innocent scapegoat. And the only way to do that is to gain her trust, and then betray it.

Attacked and left for dead, Audrey is forced to put her trust in an enigmatic stranger who saves her from certain death. Then Audrey discovers her rescue was actually an abduction, and the man she thought was her savior is her captor.

Killion is falling hard and fast for his target and suddenly he has his hands full, dealing with a smart, beautiful woman who is furious at his deception. Betrayal is everywhere and Killion doesn't know who to trust. The organization he works for? Or the woman he's falling in love with?

Review: How to Hear the Universe by Patricia Valdez, Illustrated by Sara Palacios

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: March 8th, 2022
Buying Links: Amazon* | Apple Books* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Books | Kobo | 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Discover new realms of outer space in this picture book biography of scientist Gabriela Gonzalez, who immigrated to America and became a ground-breaking scientist. Written by a molecular biologist and illustrated by an award-winning artist, this stunning picture book explores science, space, and history.

In 1916, Albert Einstein had a theory. He thought that somewhere out in the universe, there were collisions in space. These collisions could cause little sound waves in the fabric of space-time that might carry many secrets of the distant universe. But it was only a theory. He could not prove it in his lifetime.

Many years later, an immigrant scientist named Gabriela Gonzalez asked the same questions. Armed with modern technology, she joined a team of physicists who set out to prove Einstein's theory. At first, there was nothing. But then... they heard a sound. Gabriela and her team examined, and measured, and re-measured until they were sure.

Completing the work that Albert Einstein had begun 100 years earlier, Gonzalez broke ground for new space-time research. In a fascinating picture book that covers 100 years, 2 pioneering scientists, and 1 trailblazing discovery, Patricia Valdez sheds light on a little known but extraordinary story.

Review: Llama Llama Back to School by Anna Dewdney and Reed Duncan, Illustrated by J.T. Morrow

Series: Llama Llama
Read As A Stand Alone: Yes
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: May 31st, 2022
Buying Links: Amazon* | Apple Books* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Books | Kobo |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

A Netflix Original series

With over 30 million copies in print, Anna Dewdney's New York Times bestselling Llama Llama books have provided hours of comfort and fun-to-read-aloud rhyme.

Summer days are getting shorter and it's almost time for the first day of school for Llama! But Llama Llama isn't ready for summertime to end. It's been full of backyard camping, family picnics, and ice cream with friends. All he wants is for summer to go on forever! He's anxious about his first day back at school but maybe, with some help from his friends and Mama Llama, going back to school will be fun after all!