Bea Reviews Classified Christmas Mission by Lynette Eason

Series: Wrangler's Corner #4; Love Inspired Suspense
Publisher: Harlequin
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: December 6, 2016
Challenges: NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

UNDERCOVER GUARDIAN
Days before Christmas, CIA agent Amber Starke is on the run with her murdered best friend's special-needs son. And they're next on his criminal father's hit list. Amber failed her undercover mission to bring down her friend's husband for his crimes, but she won't fail to protect her friend's son. Now that the killer knows she's not just a nanny but an agent, she must rely on her childhood crush, Deputy Lance Goode. The handsome lawman was burned in love by his first wife, who was killed while evading the law. But he'll do everything he can to help Amber, except offer his heart. Unlocking the secrets in Amber's autistic charge is the key to their survival, but with the killer on their trail, one mistake could cost them their lives.

Bea Reviews Silver Belles: An Over-40 Holiday Anthology by Sarah M. Anderson, Ros Clarke, Laura K. Curtis, Yasmine Galenorn, & Suleikha Snyder

Publisher: River Hills Press
Source: a gift from author Laura K. Curtis
Release Date: November 10th, 2016
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:

Modern women can have it all, they say. But "they" don't ever explain how. All too often, love gets sacrificed to careers, to children, to art. In these five brand new stories, women from all walks of life discover love long after having given it up for lost.

This anthology contains:

“The Christmas Pony” by Sarah M. Anderson
What’s Alice supposed to do with a pony? The teacher only knows the animal was left on her porch right before Christmas. Then handsome Animal Control Officer Kirk Douglas shows up, asking questions that Alice prefers not to answer. But even the mystery surrounding the animal’s origins can’t stop the holiday spark that ignites between Alice and Kirk. Can their attraction survive ugly-sweater parties, well-meaning relatives and the Christmas pony?

“Midnight Clear” by Ros Clarke
A year ago, Alison had it all: a husband, a family, and a purpose in life. But now, following a painful divorce, everything’s changed. She doesn’t know where her life is going, and her faith is as wobbly as her lopsided Christmas tree.

When she’s bowled over by an enthusiastic Irish setter in the park, and the rather gorgeous older man on the end of his lead, she’s not expecting more than a quick coffee and the mud brushed off her coat. Certainly not a Christmas like she’s never had before, full of peace, joy, and maybe even love?

“Sparks” by Laura K. Curtis
Kate Bellows has no room for weakness if she’s going to pull JanCo Moving out of the hole its in and create a solid career for herself. Her carefully-laid plans, however, are no match for the fire that burns her house to the ground. With few options, she accepts an offer to spend Christmas with the volunteer firefighter who’d injured himself trying to save her house.

But there are two major problems with staying in Adam Miller’s spare room over the holidays. First, he works and JanCo and there’s a good chance she will have to fire him. Second, he’s entirely too attractive, and Kate Bellows has neither time nor taste for romance.

“The Longest Night” by Yasmine Galenorn
The Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year, and the past few years have been dark for Merilee Johansson. After an acerbic divorce, Merilee moved to Starwood, a small mountain town devoted to the arts. Here, she hopes to heal from the wounds life has left on her heart and her self-esteem. What she doesn’t expect is for Chris Hunter to enter her life, bringing the promise of love on the darkest night of the year.

“A Taste of Blessings” by Suleikha Snyder
For Tiya Chatterjee, coming home for one of her community’s most joyous celebrations, Durga Puja, means coming home to her mom’s disapproval, nosy aunties…and a crush on a man who shouldn’t even be on her radar.

For divorced father-of-two Arnav Biswas, the three-day festival is a chance to keep his culture alive for his kids — not an opportunity to flirt with a beautiful woman who isn’t meant for him.

Fortunately, fate has other plans for Arnav and Tiya, who must learn that giving thanks to a powerful goddess means acknowledging the unstoppable power of love. 

Bea Reviews Eggnog Murder by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis & Barbara Ross

Publisher: Kensington
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 25th, 2016
Challenges: NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

With the fireplace crackling, the tree twinkling, and the carols humming, few things in life are as picture perfect as Christmas in Maine—until murder dampens the holiday spirit. It must be something in the eggnog . . .
 
EGGNOG MURDER by LESLIE MEIER
When a gift-wrapped bottle of eggnog—allegedly from the Real Beard Santa Club—proves to be a killer concoction for a Tinker’s Cove local, all Lucy Stone wants for Christmas is to find the murdering mixologist who’s stirring up trouble.
 
DEATH BY EGGNOG by LEE HOLLIS
Food and cocktails columnist Hayley Powell has never cared much for Bar Harbor’s grouchy town librarian, Agatha Farnsworth. But after the Scroogy senior has a fatal—and suspicious—allergic reaction to supposedly non-dairy eggnog, it’s up to Hayley to ladle out some justice.

NOGGED OFF by BARBARA ROSS
Julia Snowden’s tenant Imogen Geinkes seems to be jinxed. First, her poorly named “Killer Eggnog” gives all her co-workers food poisoning at the holiday party, then her boyfriend’s body shows up in Julia’s moving truck as she’s headed back to Busman’s Harbor. Now Julia has to get moving to catch the cold-hearted culprit.

Cozy up with a glass of eggnog and enjoy the spirit of murder and mystery in a Yultide treat perfect for those winter holidays .

Bea Reviews Her Bah Humbug Bear by Marie Mason

Publisher: Marie Mason
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Release Date: February 10, 2016 
Buying Links: Amazon* - affiliate link; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through this link.

Blurb from goodreads:

Shy and curvy librarian Mercy Thompson was finally getting to celebrate the Christmas season in a very long time. Raised by an aunt who believed Christmas was just another commercialized holiday, she’d hadn’t been allowed a tree, a brightly wrapped present or even a frosted sugar cookie.

When she meets bear shifter Dirk Stockwell, she immediately feels a pull toward him. She knows however, that she is not his mate. How? Because the big bear ignores her. Fate, however, is willing to lend a hand to the young woman in search of the Christmas spirit…
Dirk is a bear shifter who doesn’t believe in Christmas and a whole lot of other things. He especially doesn’t believe he’s worthy of a mate. Having failed to protect his parents and siblings, he withdrew from the world, readily accepting his fate to be a lone bear. And during the Christmas season—a Bah Humbug bear.

Fate and the magic of Christmas has to work overtime to bring this couple together.

Bea Reviews Miracle on 5th Avenue by Sarah Morgan

Series: From Manhattan with Love #3
Publisher: HQN Books
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: November 29th, 2016
Challenges: Ho Ho Ho Read-A-Thon |
NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

It will take a Christmas miracle for two very different souls to find each other in this perfectly festive fairy tale of New York!

Hopeless romantic Eva Jordan loves everything about Christmas. She might be spending the holidays alone this year, but when she's given an opportunity to house-sit a spectacular penthouse on Fifth Avenue, she leaps at the chance. What better place to celebrate than in snow-kissed Manhattan? What she didn't expect was to find the penthouse still occupied by its gorgeous—and mysterious—owner.

Bestselling crime writer Lucas Blade is having the nightmare before Christmas. With a deadline and the anniversary of his wife's death looming, he's isolated himself in his penthouse with only his grief for company. He wants no interruptions, no decorations and he certainly doesn't appreciate being distracted by his beautiful, bubbly new housekeeper. But when the blizzard of the century leaves Eva snowbound in his apartment, Lucas starts to open up to the magic she brings…This Christmas, is Lucas finally ready to trust that happily-ever-afters do exist? 

Buy A Book, Give A Book - Pledge to Give Books

For the fifth year, Chronicle Books is running their Buy A Book, Give A Book campaign in conjunction with First Book. It's simple: Use the hashtag #GiveBooks on social media to share your pledge that you are giving a book; each use counts as a new book in the hands of a child so share as many times as you want. For every pledge, Chronicle Books will donate a book to First Book (up to 30,000 books).

And for the first time ever, every order you place on chroniclebooks.com will be matched with a donation to First Book. To get started, take 35% off (that's their best discount of the year) with the code GIVEBOOKS.

If you're reading my blog, you're a reader, you appreciate books. How about sharing your love of reading with a child? Millions of children lack access to age-appropriate reading material and educational resources. As a teacher and a reader, that saddens me. Books are important for learning, for dreaming, for traveling without ever leaving home, for giving hope and inspiration. This campaign is a simple way to help combat the lack of books. So please, go, buy a book, and donate a book. Want more info? Go here. And come back some time during the next few months and share what book you gave.

Sign-up & Tracking Post for Ho-Ho-Ho Read-a-thon 2016

Once again, I'm joining in this read-a-thon. It's one of the few I do It's a lot of fun, challenging but not insanely so, and doesn't make you jump through endless hoops. The idea is to read as many winter or holiday themed books as you can in the week from November 9th through November 15th.

Bea Reviews Death of a Toy Soldier by Barbara Early

Series: Vintage Toyshop Mystery #1
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Source: pr firm in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 11th 2016
Challenges: NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Liz McCall grew up in a playful winter wonderland but it was never her dream to manage her father’s vintage toyshop. However, after he sank his entire police pension into the business, someone needed to help him turn his dreams into reality—and keep him from sneaking off to patrol the not-so-mean streets of East Aurora, NY.

The mood goes from nice to naughty when a nervous man, who was trying to have his antique toys appraised, is found in the shop with a lawn dart through his chest. Suddenly, Liz’s business plan is plunged into deep freeze, while she and her father find themselves toying with a cold-blooded killer who’s playing for keeps.

Now, it looks like Christmas might be cancelled for the neighborhood kids if Liz can't wrap up the case in Barbara Early's delightful debut Death of a Toy Soldier.

4th of July Double-header Review: Unholy Code by Thomas Waite & Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp

Series: Lana Elkins Thriller #3
Publisher: Marlborough Press
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: July 12, 2016
Challenges: NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | iTunes* | Kobo
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The “Summer of Blood” explodes. The U.S. is under siege from foreign jihadists and domestic terrorists. When a brilliant exploit strikes at the heart of the National Security Agency’s own network, former NSA operative Lana Elkins discovers that it came from within the United States itself. More surprising still is the attacker: “Steel Fist,” a cyber-savvy radical white supremacist whose legions feed on his anti-Islamic exhortations. His popularity only grows when a jihadist team carries out a bold, but baffling, attack on the Louisiana coast, bringing ashore a lethal invader no one can see.

Most mysterious of all are Golden Voice, a hacker of unparalleled skill with a murderous agenda and a secret past, and Tahir Hijazi, a Muslim refugee from Sudan with his own shadowy history. When Tahir’s young nephew starts dating Lana’s daughter Emma, Steel Fist calls upon his fans to embark on a new mission: assassinate the entire Elkins family.

As extremists battle each other—with Lana fighting both ends from the middle—the conflict becomes deeply personal, the stakes tragically high.

In Thomas Waite’s edgiest tale yet, battles savage the American heartland, shaking the very foundations of the world’s mightiest nation.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to everyone celebrating today!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from our house to yours!

Bea, Claude, and Goof

Merry Christmas!!!

First was Hannukah (December 6th - 14th), then Solstice (December 22nd), and now it's Christmas! What a month of holidays!

I am celebrating with friends but expect it will be a quiet day. Wherever you are, whatever holiday you celebrate (or don't)...

Merry Christmas and may your day be full of joy, peace, and love!

Bea, Claude, and Goof

Bea Reviews A Silver Wolf Christmas by Terry Spear

Series: Heart of the Wolf #17
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 6, 2015
Challenges: Ho Ho Ho Read-A-Thon |  NetGalley and Edelweiss ARCs |  What An Animal |
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Fans of shapeshifter romance will be thrilled to spend Christmas with the Silver Town werewolf pack...

C.J. Silver is eager to help the new she-wolves in town renovate the old hotel in time for the holidays, especially if it means spending time under the mistletoe with the alluring Laurel MacTire.

The bustle in the long abandoned hotel attracts the attention of human ghosthunters out to prove the place haunted, but the bigger problem is keeping them from discovering the werewolves in Silver Town. CJ and Laurel have to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes. Working together is a surprisingly hot holiday treat for two attractive and clever wolf shifters.

Bea Reviews 2 Romantic Suspense Books: Murder Under the Mistletoe by Terri Reed & Deadly Christmas Secrets by Shirlee McCoy

Publisher: Love Inspired
Series: Northern Border Patrol #3
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: November 3, 2015
Challenges: NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

AGENT UNDERCOVER

DEA agent Tyler Griffin must stop a drug cartel that's using an Idaho Christmas tree farm to smuggle narcotics across the Canadian border. But to do his job, Tyler needs the cooperation of farm owner and widowed mother Heather Larson-Randall—whose informant brother died on Tyler's watch. Tyler knows a crucial piece of evidence is hidden somewhere on the property. But getting the protective mother to trust him is the hardest part of his mission. As threats against Heather mount, he vows to keep her and her child safe…and clear the farm of danger before Christmas.

Northern Border Patrol: Keeping the US-Canadian border safe.

Bea Reviews Lighting the Flames: A Hanukkah Story by Sarah Wendell

Publisher: Smart Bitches Trashy Books LLC
Source: owned by the reviewer
Release Date: December 13, 2014
Challenges: Ho Ho Ho Read-A-Thon
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe* | Smashwords*  | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Genevieve and Jeremy have known each other since they were seven, and have been summertime best friends at Camp Meira, a Jewish overnight camp in the mountains. As campers, and then as staff, their friendship was a constant, something neither wanted to change, no matter how tempting those changes might be.

Then, last year, with little warning, Jeremy left camp early. After that summer, Gen left the country on a graduate fellowship.

Now, a little over a year since they were last at Meira, Gen and Jeremy are back together to help run a special Winter Camp during Hanukkah. Any water under the bridge is frozen this time of year, and with so much left unspoken and unexplained, this week may be their chance to rekindle their friendship, or turn it into something new.

INTERVIEW & GIVEAWAY - BURNING BRIGHT: Four Chanukah Love Stories by Megan Hart, Jennifer Gracen, KK Hendin and Stacey Agdern

It's the holiday season and Chanukah starts in two more days. While we mostly see Christmas stories this time of year, today I'm delighted to share some Chanukah stories with you. There's an interview with K.K. Hendin and a tour-wide giveaway. Take a break from shopping and preparing for the holidays to experience the joy of Chanukah.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's Thanksgiving here in the US; a day to be grateful for what you have. I am grateful, among other things, for good health, a home, family, friends, cats, books, a job, and all the wonderful people I meet through blogging.

From our house to yours, wherever you and whatever you celebrate, Happy Thanksgiving!

Bea, Claude, and Goof

Ho Ho Ho Read-A-Thon Wrap Up

The read-a-thon is over and I made my goal. Whoo hoo! *tosses confetti*

Hosted by hosted by Bookshelfery and Caffeinated Book Reviewer Nov. 12th-17th, the idea was to read holiday or winter themed books. I had an extensive list of titles to choose from and added two more during the challenge.

My goal was 5 titles from my list. I read 7 1/3, though only 7 count. I got a third of the way through book 8 but then the read-a-thon ended. The stories ranged from short stories to 300+ page novels and the genres were romances, mystery, and even erotica.

I read:

1. A Silver Wolf Christmas by Terry Spear (Read 11/17, review to come)
2. Summer Beach Vets: Playing Santa (Christmas Special) by H.Y. Hanna (Read 11/12; Click to see review)
3. The Christmas Bake-Off by Abby Clements (Read 11/12; click to see review)
4.  What Happens At Christmas (Millworth Manor) by Victoria Alexander (Read 11/14; click to see review) 
5. Christmas Kink: Five Festive Fantasies by Kay Jaybee (Read 11/12; click to see review)
6. The Cop Who Stole Christmas by Christie Craig - (Read 11/13-11/14; click to see review)
7.  Killer Christmas by Harper Lin (Read 11/14; click to see review)

 How did you do? If you didn't participate, do you plan on reading any holiday themed books?

EXCERPT from Christmas At The Castle by Jenny Kane

Jenny Kane is the author the contemporary romance Christmas at the Castle (Accent Press, 2015), the bestselling novel Abi’s House (Accent Press, 2015), the modern/medieval time slip novel Romancing Robin Hood (Accent Press, 2014), the bestselling novel Another Cup of Coffee (Accent Press, 2013), and its novella length sequels Another Cup of Christmas (Accent Press, 2013), and Christmas in the Cotswolds (Accent, 2014). Jenny’s fourth full length romance novel, Another Glass of Champagne, will be published in 2016.

Jenny is also the author of quirky children’s picture books There’s a Cow in the Flat (Hushpuppy, 2014) and Ben’s Biscuit Tin (Coming soon from Hushpuppy).

Jenny also writes erotica as Kay Jaybee.

Ho Ho Ho Read-A-Thon Sign Up & Updates

It's that time of year again! Time for hot cocoa, warm blankies on the couch and a good winter holiday themed book. And I have lots waiting to be read. :D

The Caffeinated Reviewer and The Book Shelfery are once again hosting the Ho Ho Ho Read-A-Thon. This year it runs from November 12th through the 17th. There will be challenges, prizes to be won, a Twitter chat, or you can just curl up and read. Whatever floats your boat. :)

The Details:

1. Write a sign up post - done!
2. Link up - done! 
3. Grab the button and share - when this post goes up
4. Tweet your progress using #HoHoHoRAT - if I remember :D
5. Twitter Party! Tuesday November 17, 2015 at 7 pm (EST)  Come chat about the books you have read. There will be prizes.
6. Read-a-thon starts on November 12th 12:01 am (your time zone) and ends on November 17 at 11:59 pm (your time zone)
   Challenges will be open from 8 am (EST) on the 12th and remain open until Nov 17th at 11:59 pm (EST)
   Grand Prize Raffle will be open until November 18th at 11:59 pm (EST) to allow you to submit entries.
7. Challenge schedule and Grand Prize widget and rules will post on November 12th at/by 8 am (EST)
8. Participate in at least one challenge to be eligible for grand prize.