Audiobook Review & Giveaway: Covey and JayJay Get Educated by Shelton L. Williams

COVEY AND JAYJAY

GET EDUCATED

Audio Book Tour
By Shelton L. Williams

Narrated by Kathy James

Covey Jencks Mysteries, Book 2
Genre: Murder Mystery / Social Thriller / Amateur Sleuth
Publisher: Audible
Length: 5 hours, 40 minutes
Publication Date: March 18, 2020

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Amateur detectives Covey Jencks and JayJay Qualls are drawn into a triple murder on the campus of Baker College in West Waverly in the Texas Hill Country. Both end up taking positions at the college: Covey as an adjunct instructor and JayJay as a visiting actor. 

 

Initially they believe that money is the motive for the murders, but over time they learn that the college is a cauldron of political and social intrigue. The college’s new president and his beautiful wife, various staff members, a prominent trustee, and parties not associated with the college have the motives, opportunities, and wacky agendas that might implicate them in the murders. It turns out that a white nationalist group may be using a college house for its nefarious activities, but are they more talk than action? 

 

The West Waverly police are little to no help in the investigation, and Covey himself has to depart the college to deal with his father’s death. JayJay takes over and makes a critical breakthrough. Upon Covey’s return, the couple must rely on deception, a bit of luck, and martial arts skills to solve the crimes and to try to prevent a high-profile assassination.

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Covey and JayJay Get Educated, by Shelton L. Williams is the second book in the Covey Jencks series. I listened to the first book a little over a year ago and remember very much enjoying the story and getting a kick out of the narrator, Kathy James.

I think the characters are what I enjoyed most in this book, especially JayJay. I loved how fearless she was and how she handled herself in any situation. I can’t remember if I had similar feelings while reading the other book, but I thought that Williams writes women very well. I got the feeling that he likes writing about them more than he likes writing about men; which is funny since the series is named after the main character who is a man. The dialogue was fantastic throughout but my favorite moments took place in Covey’s office. Something about office banter really appeals to my sense of humor. But funniness aside, I was really impressed with how Williams handles the weight of social injustice and political corruption. I sometimes wonder about authors who choose seemingly random time periods for their backdrop, but in this case it works really well – especially when you take into consideration that times haven’t changed much since then. I think that setting the story in the past makes the theme come across less preachy and maybe creates a distance that feels safer for the reader. On a lighter note, I’m a big fan of alternate histories or fictional works that briefly feature real people.

While I enjoyed this story even more than the first book, the narrator just did not do it for me this time around. I felt like the sauciness of some of the characters couldn’t shine through because of how robotic James speaks in this book. She also was not consistent with differentiating between different characters. Aside from some editing that felt a little choppy and overlapped like radio infomercials, the production quality was good. However, my final impression was that maybe she did not have time to pre-read the book or re-record sections.

Overall, I recommend this audiobook to anyone who likes a good, smart mystery. You don’t have to read or listen to the first book to enjoy it either. I look forward to the next adventure with Covey and JayJay.

Shelton L. Williams (Shelly) is founder and president of the Osgood Center for International Studies in Washington, DC. He holds a PhD from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and he taught for nearly forty years at Austin College in Sherman, Texas. He has served in the US Government on four occasions, and he has written books and articles on nuclear proliferation. In 2004 he began a new career of writing books on crime and society. Those books are Washed in the Blood, Summer of 66, and now the Covey Jencks series. All firmly prove that he is still a Texan at heart.

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Kathy James. My first part time job while I was in high school was announcing at the local radio station, and I had fun being “on the air” and using my sarcastic sense of humor.  I worked in the radio business for more than twenty years. My favorite pastimes are teaching figure skating, getting lost in a great book, and watching movies.  I narrate and produce audio books in my home studio, and I truly enjoy bringing an author’s characters to life with an audio book. I currently reside in Minnesota with my slightly overweight cat and two childlike golden retrievers.  

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Review & Giveaway: Chasing the White Lion by James R. Hannibal

 

CHASING THE WHITE LION

(Talia Inger, Book Two)

by

JAMES R. HANNIBAL

  
Genre: Contemporary Christian / Thriller / Suspense
Publisher: Revell

Date of Publication: March 3, 2020

Number of Pages: 384

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Young CIA officer Talia Inger has reconciled with the man who assassinated her father, but that doesn’t mean she wants him hovering over her every move and unearthing the painful past she’s trying to put behind her. Still, she’ll need him–and the help of his star grifter, Valkyrie–if she hopes to infiltrate the Jungle, the first ever crowdsourced crime syndicate, to rescue a group of kidnapped refugee children.

But as Talia and her elite team of thieves con their way into the heart of the Jungle, inching ever closer to syndicate boss the White Lion, she’ll run right up against the ragged edge of her family’s dark past. In this game of cat and mouse, it’s win . . . or die. And in times like that, it’s always good to have someone watching your back.

Former tactical deception officer and stealth pilot James Hannibal takes you deep undercover into the criminal underworld where everyone has an angle, and no one escapes unscathed.

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Want to be a real hero? Compassion International, a real organization fighting child poverty, stars in Chasing the White Lion. By giving hope and a sense of identity to these kids, they’re helping families slam the door on human traffickers. A portion of every book sold will go to support Compassion’s work. You can join the fight simply by buying a copy of Chasing the White Lion.

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I don’t like to read the synopsis or blurb before I review a book because I don’t want them to color my opinions at all. So when I picked up this copy of Chasing the White Lion by James R. Hannibal I immediately thought, “Ah, a thriller.” What tipped me off? The first thing was the font choice with distress on the stark white letters. The second thing was the city backdrop with glowing red lights that takes up the bottom third of the cover. And lastly, the lion emblem that is sort of cloaked in a smoky black and red backdrop across the top. It is a gorgeous cover that doesn’t even begin to hint at the exciting story that it contains.

 

Within the first few paragraphs, I already knew that Talia Inger was someone that I wanted to be like when I grow up. She’s cool, collected, and brilliant for starters; a certified badass when the bullets start flying. But it’s her interactions with her ragtag Oceans 11-esque team that really did something for me. It takes a heck of a person to not only forgive the man who killed your father, and quite another to be friends with said person and trust them with your life. While Talia is the central character and thus fleshed out more completely than the others, the reader is still able to explore the depths of the book’s secondary characters; specifically Tyler, Finn, and Valkyrie.

 

With the book starting off in Russia, I was surprised when the story jumped over to Thailand in chapter three. Following two small children as they chase a butterfly through the foliage is the calm before the storm – men in military garb are not usually a good sign when you’re in the third world. Particularly, if these men are militias not soldiers. As their storyline progressed via alternating chapters of Talia’s journey, it dawned on me that this book was heading into human trafficking territory and it made my stomach hurt.

Hannibal does a wonderful job of storytelling without gratuitous details. To be honest, I thought I needed it when it came to the action sequences. But as I read on, I realized that I got more from the planning sessions and the need for improvisation when a plan goes awry than my need to know how far the blood sprayed across the room. Perhaps the lack of gore had more to do with the Contemporary Christian label than anything else. At any rate, it gave me a deeper appreciation for the technical aspect of a good thriller book.

Buy this book so that you can help Compassion International. (I love that they are real and doing amazing work!) Read this book because you want to immerse yourself in an exciting and complex story. Share this book with people who love movies like the Oceans and Mission Impossible series, or TV shows like Burn Notice.

 

Former stealth pilot James R. Hannibal is a two-time Silver Falchion Award winner for his Section 13 mysteries for kids and a Thriller Award nominee for his Nick Baron covert ops series for adults. James is a rare multi-sense synesthete, meaning all of his senses intersect. He sees and feels sounds and smells and hears flashes of light. He lives in Houston, Texas.

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3/7/20	Character Interview	Max Knight
3/8/20	Excerpt	All the Ups and Downs
3/9/20	Review	Missus Gonzo
3/9/20	Author Interview	StoreyBook Reviews
3/10/20	Review	Momma on the Rocks
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3/11/20	Excerpt	That’s What She’s Reading
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3/12/20	Notable Quotable	Sybrina’s Book Blog

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Review & Giveaway: Spent Identity by Marlene M. Bell

SPENT IDENTITY

Annalisse Series, Book 2

by

Marlene M. Bell

Genre: Mystery / Suspense / Light Romance
Publisher: Ewephoric Publishing
Date of Publication: December 11, 2019

Number of Pages: 378

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A body, a disappearance, just another hot summer in upstate New York.

It’s July when antiquities appraiser Annalisse Drury reaches her family’s small-town farm to consult with the trusted aunt who raised her. She learns that her beloved homestead—the one she expects to inherit—is for sale. While Annalisse reels at the betrayal and her shattered dreams, the Walker Farm ranch manager discovers a corpse in the barn. Officials close the suspected murder scene, and Annalisse seeks refuge with her aunt at Alec Zavos’s rural estate in New York’s Catskill Mountains.

Then Aunt Kate vanishes.

Annalisse solicits the help of Greek tycoon, Alec Zavos, even though their rocky romance has dissolved into routine separation. What began as hope on Crete nine months ago has eaten away at Annalisse’s hope for a future with him.

In Spent Identity, Annalisse and Alec come together for the second time and find themselves in the center of not one mystery, but several. Where is Kate, and why sell her farm now? Is the dead man a coincidence or a clue to the aunt’s disappearance? John Doe’s identity may hold needed answers to solve the puzzle before Kate’s unstable health issues make her rescue impossible. The clock ticks, and a vengeful murderer is in charge…

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My first thoughts on the cover of Spent Identity by Marlene M. Bell were how beautiful and eerie it was at the same time. There’s something classy about the red roses in the vase and the envelope with the calligraphy ‘A’ on it, but the wilt to the roses and the shattered and crooked title stamped on top of them clues the reader to the sinister story within.

As much as I liked the irony of the farmhand reading a crime novel while stumbling across a crime scene, I thought that the tone of the prologue didn’t quite match the rest of the book. I’m having trouble explaining this – I have typed and deleted my thoughts three times now – but here goes. Ethan is from New Zealand and he is the first character we meet. Although the narration is from a third person perspective, the tone has an across the pond feel, probably because Ethan’s thoughts are on the page as well. I probably didn’t explain that very well but it obviously stuck with me and I wanted to address it.

In the first chapter, the tone changes with the introduction of our protagonist, the lovely Annalisse. It isn’t until she interacts with the opposite sex that you realize how her beauty outshines her pretty name. I liked the contrast of her being this take charge, independent woman who still needs reassurances and shared confidences with her closest relative, Aunt Kate. Kate is also the picture of strength, even at her advanced age and ailment. She amused me most when she moons over Annalisse’s boyfriend, Alec, one minute and then pragmatically dismisses the thought of him the next.

From the moment that Ethan, Annalisse, and Kate try to identify a dead man in the barn, confusion set in on me and I couldn’t shake it for most of the book. There were so many male characters mentioned or in motion (two dead and at least six others interacting with Annalisse), that I felt like I couldn’t keep everyone straight. The name found on the dead man was significant to Kate, but the deceased was not that person. Alec was easy enough to keep straight, but between his security detail/friends that show up to try to solve the mystery, I got a little lost. And it made me a little squirmy that even Alec’s friends seemed to kinda have the hots for Annalisse too.

But character confusion aside, I was truly riveted with the twists and turns. I had two or three theories in my brain and not one of them were even close to the ending. But even more fantastic than the big reveal at the end, I appreciated Bell’s use of exposition throughout to prepare us for what a bad ass Annalisse is. I had not read Stolen Obsession, so I would have been confused with Annalisse’s cool head in the midst of crisis and experience with weapons had there not been snippets of details from book one of the series. I also really enjoyed the thought process that the “team” let the reader in on so that we could try to solve the mystery alongside them. And don’t get me started on the messages from the unknown person/killer. The creativity and the danger behind each “gift” sent a tingle down my spine.

Since I plan on going back to read the first book, I recommend you do the same if you have not already read it. I think that seeing how Annalisse and Alec first meet and the trials that they go through together will make you more invested in seeing them through a difficult time in their relationship. I’m looking forward to book three.

Marlene M. Bell is an acclaimed artist and photographer as well as a writer. Her sheep landscapes grace the covers of publications such as, Sheep!, The Shepherd, Ranch & Rural Living, and Sheep Industry News. Ewephoric, her mail order venture, began in 1985 out of a desire for realistic sheep stationery. A color catalog of non-fiction books and sheep-related gifts may be requested on her website or www.texassheep.com.Marlene and her husband, Gregg reside on a wooded ranch in beautiful East Texas with their dreadfully spoiled horned Dorset sheep, a large and lovable Maremma guard dog named Tia, and Hollywood, Leo, and Squeaks, the cats who believe they rule the household — and do.

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Autographed copy of Spent Identity & companion notebook, Mary Poppins-style bag (18×13” tapestry carpet bag with leather trim, handmade in Israel), $100 Amazon gift card, and 18” freshwater pearl necklace. 

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1/7/20	Review	Book Fidelity
1/7/20	Review	Jennifer Silverwood
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1/8/20	Review	Tangled in Text
1/9/20	Review	Hall Ways Blog
1/10/20	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
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1/16/20	Review	Missus Gonzo

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Review & Giveaway: Singapore Fling by Maida Malby

SINGAPORE FLING
Carpe Diem Chronicles, #2

by
MAIDA MALBY

Contemporary Romance / Multicultural 

Publisher: EOT Publications

Date of Publication: October 21, 2019

Number of Pages: 267

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One alluring French-Filipina beauty. One sexy US Air Force officer. One torrid weekend affair. Maddie Duvall should be living it up at her challenging new job in glamorous Singapore. But two months after her wild weekend with Aidan Ryan, she’s still yearning for him. She craves the passion only he can ignite in her.

Aidan’s job takes him around the world, yet he can’t get Maddie out of his mind. When he returns to his assignment in Singapore, he seeks her out with a proposition she can’t turn down.

Intensely enamored with one another, their relationship takes off. But when Aidan’s mission exposes treachery by someone close to Maddie, lines blur and wires get crossed. Can their growing love survive the intrigue?

Singapore Fling is Book 2 of Carpe Diem Chronicles, a series of multicultural contemporary romance novels. The stories celebrate the rich cultures of exotic Southeast Asian islands through languages, food, and festivals.

PRAISE FOR SINGAPORE FLING

“This second full-length volume in her Carpe Diem Chronicles is sexy, quick to read, and full of well-rounded, interesting characters. Family ties and female friendship add to the depth of the world and make you want more books.” ~ Catherine Stein, Award-winning Author of How to Seduce a Spy

“This book was great. Everything from the well-rounded characters to the interesting foods and exciting locale drew me in as a reader. I could clearly picture, hear, and smell/taste the story. The plot was perfect and the romance had just the right amount of intrigue and crisis. ~ Danielle Bellwood, Author of Daring (The Candomble Book 1)

“This book is a great deal of fun and the hero and heroine are both likable and realistic people. As usual, Malby’s writing shines best when writing about Singapore, particularly the culture and the FOOD!! ~ Gena Gilliam, Amazon Reviewer

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I always feel a tingle when I read something written by a fellow Filipina, but Singapore Fling gave me all kinds of feels because the main character is a mestiza who is very proud of her roots. Up until this point, I have only read one other book where the main character is Filipino. To be completely honest, I wasn’t sure what Madeleine’s ethnic makeup was until several chapters into the book because I refused to read the synopsis. (That’s been my habit lately since I sometimes find that the person writing the blurbs seems to not have even read the book at all.)

I have yet to meet someone who is half French and half Filipino in person, but I can assure you that the combination is probably gorgeous beyond belief. Since Madeleine was raised in the Philippines but could speak French pretty fluently, I found myself wondering if she had a Filipino accent or some interesting combination of the two. Either way, Malby paints a strong woman that I would love to be friends with in real life. I enjoyed all of the characters in this book, but Madeleine was easily my favorite. I loved the things that came out of her mouth almost as much as her inner thoughts. The dialogue in this book is gold.

I like the vocabulary lesson that precedes each chapter. The reader gets to learn Filipino, Hokkien, Singlish, and some other dialects that escape me at the moment. Malby sometimes translates the dialogue spoken in other languages but she often paraphrases or uses context clues to convey their meaning. This works for the most part, but I could point out a few instances where I would have been lost if I had not understood the Filipino language and culture. Readers might need to look up some phrases to get the full meaning at times.

Much like Crazy Rich Asians, the food is its own character in this story and I can’t tell you how much I love it. When I wasn’t reading, I was looking up places in Houston where I might find authentic Singaporean food. Unlike Crazy Rich Asians, this book doesn’t drown you in affluence and gossip. Oh no, you will be completely submerged in molten, hot pools of lust and, if you’re like me, maybe a little concerned that someone might read over your shoulder and be a bit shocked. I’m a super visual reader, so this book had me blushing all sorts of shades. If I had to rate the spiciness of this love story on a scale of 1 to 10, I give it a 15.

If you’re into a more chaste romance, you might need to skim over some of the love scenes in this one. But if you don’t mind getting a bit flustered, the carnal beginnings make way to a very lovely romance. I found the central conflict to be unexpected but very exciting. It’s not your typical boy loses girl and must win girl back. I really enjoyed the intrigue and redemption.

I am curious to read the previous books in this series and definitely look forward to the next installment since it focuses on a chef character. I hope that Malby includes some recipes.

 

Maida Malby writes, reads, reviews, and lives Romance. Through her multicultural contemporary romance stories, she takes readers on trips to her favorite places in the world and shares her experiences of their rich cultural heritage.She is a member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA), San Antonio Romance Authors (SARA), Cultural, Interracial, Multicultural Special Interest Chapter of the Romance Writers of America (CIMRWA), and several romance book clubs. Her To-Be-Read Mountain and reviews of romance novels are featured on her website.

When not writing, reading, or reviewing books, Maida consults her husband on word selection, debates with her ten-year-old son regarding the Oxford comma, cooks the dishes she features in her stories, procrastibakes using Baileys as her secret yummy ingredient, and watches golf and food shows on TV.

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FOUR WINNERS!

1ST PRIZE (US only)

Kindle Fire 7 + Signed Copy of Singapore Fling

2ND PRIZE (US only)

Signed copies of Boracay Vows and Singapore Fling + charm bracelet

3RD PRIZE (US only)

Signed copy of Singapore Fling + spice paste packets (Hainanese Chicken Rice and Laksa)

4TH PRIZE (international)

 eBooks of all three books in the Carpe Diem Chronicles series

NOVEMBER 12-22, 2019

 

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11/12/19	Top Five	The Clueless Gent
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11/15/19	Guest Post	All the Ups and Downs
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11/17/19	Review	Reading by Moonlight
11/18/19	Scrapbook Page	That’s What She’s Reading
11/19/19	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
11/20/19	Guest Post	The Page Unbound
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Review & Giveaway: A Glitter of Gold by Liz Johnson

A GLITTER OF GOLD

Georgia Coast Romance #2

by

LIZ JOHNSON

  
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance / Mystery
Publisher: Revell

Date of Publication: August 6, 2019

Number of Pages: 368

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Discover a treasure worth more than all the pirate gold in the world

Anne Norris moved to Savannah, Georgia, for a fresh start. Now her pirate-tour business is flagging and paying the rent requires more than wishful thinking. When she discovers evidence of a shipwreck off the coast of Tybee Island, she knows it could be just the boon she needs to stay afloat. She takes her findings to local museum director Carter Hale for confirmation, but things do not go as planned.

Carter is fascinated with the wreck, the discovery of which could open the door to his dream job at a prestigious museum. But convincing Anne to help him fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle is no easy task. And working with Carter means that Anne will have to do the one thing she swore she’d never do again: trust a man.

 

“Both an exciting treasure hunt and penetrating exploration of overcoming mistakes Johnson’s excellent novel will captivate readers.” — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STARRED REVIEW

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A Glitter of Gold is the first Liz Johnson book I have read so far and let me tell you, I want to read everything she has ever written. The story flows effortlessly. Sometimes you can sense when an author is trying to do too much with their characterization or the plot, and it often works to their disadvantage. Johnson is telling a story both in the present time and the past (some 250 years ago or so), and she weaves them together with such grace. I have read other books that have used a similar technique and found myself wishing that the author spent more time in one time period than the other. I think that the author gives us a good mix of both worlds. To me, the mark of a truly good book is one that you don’t want to see end. While I appreciate the epilogue that tied up some loose ends, I really wanted to know what happens to our heroin after this adventure.

The cover art is beautiful and matches up stylistically with the other Georgia Coast Romance novel (A Sparkle of Silver). I paused a little when I looked at it because the cover model is Jessica Alba’s doppelganger. That little bit aside, once I really dove into the story, I didn’t think that the cover matched the novel. Anne didn’t seem like the type of woman to wear fancy looking drop earrings and a snazzy nautical scarf around her neck. But to be fair, having her appear sweaty and disheveled in her pirate getup probably wouldn’t be the way to go either.

When you have a story within a story, sometimes the page or chapter breaks get crazy with odd formatting. You can breathe easy knowing that A Glitter of Gold is not one of those books. The formatting is clean and the copy editing is impeccable. I could truly enjoy just reading this story without feeling tempted to reach for a red pencil and start marking away. The characters and dialogue are realistic, so you can just immerse yourself in the story. I also liked Johnson’s style of writing during the diary entries. You could tell that it was meant to be written long ago without the use of old timey words like “ye” and certainly no pirate talk.

This book would have been the perfect beach read if I had the good fortune to be on vacation. Alas, I was confined to a sweltering day at home with no air conditioning. It was a nice, cozy read as I sipped my iced tea on the couch. I resisted the siren song of Netflix over the weekend so that I could devour it all in one go. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Liz Johnson is the author of more than a dozen novels, including A Sparkle of Silver, A Glitter of Gold, The Red Door Inn, Where Two Hearts Meet, and On Love’s Gentle Shore, as well as a New York Times bestselling novella and a handful of short stories. She makes her home in Phoenix, Arizona.

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GRAND PRIZE: Copies of both Georgia Coast Romance Series Books + $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card; SECOND PRIZE: Copy of Glitter of Gold + $10 Starbucks Gift Card;
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AUGUST 6-16, 2019

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VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

8/6/19	Scrapbook Page	The Clueless Gent
8/6/19	Bonus Post	Hall Ways Blog
8/7/19	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
8/8/19	Review	Missus Gonzo
8/9/19	Excerpt	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
8/10/19	Excerpt	All the Ups and Downs
8/11/19	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
8/12/19	Playlist	StoreyBook Reviews
8/13/19	Author Interview	Forgotten Winds
8/14/19	Review	Reading by Moonlight
8/15/19	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles

 

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Review & Giveaway: Hitchin’ Post and the Tornado Twistin’ 4th of July Celebration by Julie Barker

HITCHIN’ POST
and the Tornado Twistin’
4th of July Celebration

by

JULIE BARKER
illustrated by Carolyn Altman

  Genre: Children’s Picture Book / Western / Fantasy

Publisher: BookBaby

Date of Publication: September 28, 2018

Number of Pages: 50

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Hitchin’ Post, the cowboy jackrabbit, is back with an all new adventure on the 6Bs’Ranch. 

 

Hitch’s brothers come to visit for the annual 4th of July rodeo and dance, but they get much more than a long-awaited visit with their brother. When a giant tornado threatens to cut their Independence Day celebration short, Hitchin’ Post, his brothers, and the rest of the cowboys have to work hard to save the ranch and the celebration. Hitchin’ Post shows that even though he is just a small jackrabbit, he has the courage it takes to bring everyone together to rebuild what the tornado destroyed. Because of old Hitch being a great leader, the 6Bs’ 4th of July celebration will go on! 

 

This is the second book in the Hitchin’ Post series by Julie Barker, where Julie once again collaborates with her mother, artist Carolyn Altman, who provides the illustrations in this romping, stomping cowboy adventure!

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK:

Hitchin’ Post and the Tornado Twistin’ 4th of July Celebration is a brilliantly woven story with a strong plot that will easily entertain anyone. The illustrations by Carolyn Altman are fun and engaging, complementing the story. I love how Barker has written an interesting story that will teach kids how working together as a team makes the hard work a whole lot lighter and much more rewarding. – Readers’ Favorite, 5 STARS

 

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My son and I enjoyed reading the first Hitchin’ Post book, so I was very excited to learn that Barker and Altman teamed up to create a second book. And much like Book 1, Hitchin’ Post and the Tornado Twistin’ 4th of July Celebration serves up a story with big heart and illustrations that make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

At face value, this is a cute cowboy book starring an adorable rabbit; but it has so much more than that. It tells the story of a rabbit who takes pride in his work and his country. It addresses deep-rooted relationships that don’t weaken by distance and time apart. We get to see the intuition of the youngest character and teamwork at its finest – both rabbit and human cowboys accomplishing the impossible. From sadness to elation, to the little guy coming out on top, this book has it all.

I think that old and young readers alike will enjoy Altman’s artistic style as it is easy on the eyes. You won’t see any of the harsh lines and psychedelic colors that seem to be the norm with picture books today. However, I found the random placement of the red, white, and blue banner that says, “6Bs’ 4th of July Celebration” distracting. At first I thought it was part of the story, perhaps the backdrop of that particular scene. But as I read on, it really felt like someone didn’t like to leave any white space and just pasted the banner up willy nilly.

I also felt confident going in that my 6-year-old had grown up enough to really appreciate this book, but I guess that Book 2 ran a little longer than Book 1. He only made it about a fourth of the way through before I was reading aloud to myself. Much like the original Hitchin’ Post book, some of the rhyming schemes got away from me. There were times where I wished that the book was written in prose instead, but then the last stanza changed my mind:

“Hitch would never forget that moment at the 6Bs’
standing with his brothers and filled with joy.
He was so proud to be an American,
but more than that, proud to be a cowboy.”

I recommend this book for grades 1-4 and think that it would be a great anticipatory set to lessons on Independence Day. I could also see a family sitting near a campfire or barbecue grill reading this story while they wait for the burgers and ribs to cook up nice. I look forward to reading the next Hitchin’ Post book.

Julie Barker is the author of Hitchin’ Post, her debut children’s storybook. With inspiration from her West Texas roots and being surrounded by the ranching heritage, Julie is fulfilling her dream of becoming a children’s author. Along with the encouragement and beautiful illustrations from her mother and artist, Carolyn Altman, the story of Hitchin’ Post the cowboy jackrabbit was born and is now officially a series. The second book, Hitchin’ Post and the Tornado Twistin’ 4th of July Celebration, was released September 2018.

WEBSITE  ┃  FACEBOOK   ┃  GOODREADS 

TWITTER  ┃  AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Carolyn Altman is an artist and the illustrator of the Hitchin’ Post children’s book series, in which she collaborated with her daughter, Julie Barker, the author. Carolyn resides in Vernon, Texas, with her husband Stanley. They have two daughters and six grandchildren, all of whom live nearby. “Touch the Heart with Original Art” is Carolyn’s slogan, which she has used for the past 40 years as she creates lighthearted and inspiring art with subjects such as wildlife, horses, cattle, and cowboys, in hopes of helping to preserve this way of life for many years to come. 

 

The beginning of her art career consisted of using mostly oil and acrylic mediums, then Carolyn began creating baby memory books in which she incorporates her art into each page. Each baby memory book is personalized and truly a work of art in itself. Carolyn believes that her experiences throughout her life are what inspires her art. 

 

She has spent her life in West Texas surrounded by wide open spaces and the beauty of the farming and ranching heritage, and that way of life will always show up in her paintings and illustrations. Her latest creations include a series of angel paintings depicting what she deems most important in her life — her faith. 

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TWITTER  ┃  PINTEREST  ┃  FACEBOOK 

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Author & Illustrator Signed Copy of Hitchin’ Post and the Tornado Twistin’ 4th of July Celebration + $50 gift certificate to CarolynAltmanArt.com; 

TWO WINNERS:  Signed Copy of the Book.

May 29-June 7, 2019

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CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

5/29/19	Sneak Peek	Texas Book Lover
5/29/19	BONUS Post	Hall Ways Blog
5/30/19	Review	Reading by Moonlight
5/31/19	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
6/1/19	Review	All the Ups and Downs
6/2/19	Review	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
6/3/19	Playlist	StoreyBook Reviews
6/4/19	Review	Missus Gonzo
6/5/19	Review	Books and Broomsticks
6/6/19	Review	Book Fidelity
6/7/19	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog

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Review & Giveaway: Harmon General by Kimberly Fish

 

HARMON GENERAL

Misfits and Millionaires #2 

by

KIMBERLY FISH

Genre: Historical Fiction / WWII / Spies
Publisher: Fish Tales, LLC 
Date of Publication: June 16, 2018

Number of Pages: 330Scroll down for giveaway!

In 1943, Lane Mercer and Emmie Tesco had nothing in common. Well, nothing stronger than a town neither of them chose and careers they couldn’t advertise as agents within the Office of Strategic Services. During the days of Longview, Texas’s Friendly Trek Homecoming Parade, Lane was gearing up for the grand opening of a bookshop that also disguised an espionage safe house, and Emmie was chasing a criminal with evil intent through the US Army’s new medical facility, Harmon General Hospital, treating diseased and amputated soldiers. Emmie ropes Lane into international threats at Harmon General, making it increasingly hard for the two spies to navigate the Junior Service League, church life, or anything else that might be considered normal for a town sizzling with oil boom wealth. A friend from Lane’s past arrives and pushes against the fiction she’s created to distance her spy history from the wedding bells ringing her future. Emmie flirts with the idea of finding a life outside of the OSS but justifies the danger as a way to make amends for those she’s betrayed. Connecting the two women, to their surprise, is a rogue agent who targets them for crimes he believes they created. For better, or worse, they have to put aside their differences to share responsibility for stopping “The Grasshopper” before he blows apart the Big Inch Pipeline project and Harmon General Hospital. The hope of malaria treatments for US soldiers depends on it, and justice of the heart demands it. 

PRAISE FOR HARMON GENERAL:

“The war that changed the world brought the world to East Texas through Harmon General, a significant US Army hospital that treated thousands of wounded soldiers in Longview.  In Harmon General, we meet again Lane Mercer, a World War II heroine, and we enjoy again how the drama of her secret service to the nation and her complicated personal relationships pull us into the vast impact of the world war.” — Dale Lunsford, Ph.D., President, LeTourneau University

“Harmon General is a brilliant story for historical fiction readers! Set in World War II, the female spies, Army hospital setting, and drama amongst the Longview townsfolk kept me riveted and engaged until the very end.” – Jody T. Morse

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It’s been a while since I read book one, The Big Inch, but I’m glad to see that my wish to read more about Sergeant Tesco (Emmie) has been granted. I’m glad to see that Lane is still as strong and independent as ever, but it looks like she hasn’t improved on reading people yet.

From the beginning of book two, you know that Emmie and Lane are secret agents; but what you don’t know is why their relationship seems tense. You later learn that the two ladies stayed at the same boardinghouse at one time, and obviously they have the same occupation. It makes you think that they would be more friendly with each other, especially since they’re on the same side (you assume, since they have the same boss). It got me thinking that maybe Fish was making a comment on how women tend to get in each other’s way rather than help each other excel. At any rate, she introduces a small collection of men from both the civilian and spy sects who further muddle the relationship.

Understandably, it takes a while to unravel a story when you have so many interesting characters, but I was antsy for the action to begin. Heck, it took about halfway through the book for Lane to have the very serious conversation with her fiancé that we are expecting from the moment we find out the widow is already engaged to another man. But once we hit that halfway point, strap in folks. There is definitely more than meets the eye when it comes to these characters. I guess that’s why they are spies, right?

If this series gets picked up for the big screen, do not turn your HD on. The Texas heat is a character of its own that makes the spies miss Europe. I felt their pain every time Fish detailed the way perspiration ran rampant on everybody. Fish’s attention to detail goes far beyond climate, but these were details that really stood out to me and made me smile because I’m living in the same hell every time I walk out the door.

So, go get The Big Inch and read it, pick up Harmon General and read it, and then eagerly anticipate book three. You’re welcome.

SPECIAL PROMOTION: FREE BOOK!

For the first five days of the Lone Star Book Blog Tours promotion of Harmon General, the Kindle  e-book of The Big Inch is FREE!!  That’s right, from June 22-27, the e-book that started the whole Misfits and Millionaires adventure costs nada! Click to download your copy!

A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR:

Kimberly Fish started writing professionally with the birth of her second child and the purchase of a home computer. Having found this dubious outlet, she then entered and won The Writer’s League of Texas manuscript contest which fed her on-going fascination with story crafting. 

She has since published in magazines, newspapers, and online formats and in January 2017, released the first novel in the Misfits and Millionaires series set during the World War II years in Longview, Texas—The Big Inch. Her second book, Comfort Plans, was published later that same year.

She lives with her family in East Texas.

WEBSITE   INSTAGRAM  FACEBOOK  

TWITTER   GOODREADS   AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE   

Visit Kimberly Fish’s YouTube channel

to see book reviews and behind the scene peeks

at places that have inspired the novels! 

From kissing couples to fabulous fedoras,

Kimberly Fish’s Pinterest Board shows her

inspiration behind Harmon General!

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JUNE 22-JULY 1, 2018

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VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

6/22/18	Top Ten List	That’s What She’s Reading
6/23/18	Review	Books in the Garden
6/23/18	Excerpt	Book Fidelity
6/24/18	Guest Post	Chapter Break Book Blog
6/25/18	Review	Syd Savvy
6/25/18	Character Interview	The Librarian Talks
6/26/18	BONUS Review	Hall Ways Blog
6/27/18	Review	The Clueless Gent
6/27/18	Top Ten List	Kelly Well Read
6/28/18	Playlist	StoreyBook Reviews
6/29/18	Review	The Love of a Bibliophile
6/29/18	Excerpt	Books and Broomsticks
6/30/18	Review	Reading by Moonlight
6/30/18	Guest Post	Dressed to Read
7/1/18	Review	Missus Gonzo

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Misfits & Millionaires, Book 1

 

Review & Giveaway: Dam Nation by Hays & McFall

 

DAM NATION

Bonnie and Clyde #2

by

CLARK HAYS AND KATHLEEN McFALL

Genre: Historical / Alternative History / Romance

Publisher: Pumpjack Press on Facebook

Date of Publication: March 24, 2018

Number of Pages: 266

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Bonnie and Clyde: Defending the working class from a river of greed.

The year is 1935 and the Great Depression has America in a death grip of poverty, unemployment and starvation. But the New Deal is rekindling hope, with federally funded infrastructure projects, like Hoover Dam, putting people back to work. Set to harness the mighty Colorado River for electricity and irrigation, the dam is an engineering marvel and symbol of American can-do spirit.

So, why is someone trying to blow it up?

When an informant on the construction site is murdered, Bonnie and Clyde—spared from their gruesome deaths and forced into a covert life working for the government—are given their second assignment: stop the bomb and protect the thousands of laborers and families in the company town. It’s their most dangerous mission yet: working for a living.

Can the notorious lovers put aside their criminal ways long enough to find out who wants to extinguish the American dream, and hopefully reclaim a shred of redemption along the way?

The thrilling story cuts back and forth between the modern era where a reporter interviews the now-elderly Bonnie Parker, and the dangerous 1930s undercover exploits of Bonnie and Clyde, as they are thrust into a fight to defend the working class against corporate greed.

Dam Nation, a historical thriller with unsettling contemporary parallels, continues the explosive “what-if” series, started in Resurrection Road, about two unlikely heroes fighting to defend the working class during America’s Great Depression.

PRAISE

Crisply written, well-researched, thoroughly entertaining. As in Resurrection Road, Hays and McFall evoke time and place well in this sequel. The story’s politics are fresh and timely. Readers will find Bonnie and Clyde to be great company, and the novel’s framing story (the widowed Bonnie’s 1984 recollections) gives their relationship an extra layer of poignancy. — Kirkus Reviews

“Dam Nation” highlights the real-life turmoil of the 1930s as only Hays and McFall can — shadowy intrigue, plenty of suspects and enough behind-the-scenes and under-the-covers action to keep the narrative sizzling along to the final page. — East Oregonian

A rollicking good read. The real history of the rise of unions and worker rights against the backdrop of a nation recovering from the Great Depression contributes an engrossing, realistic scenario; a vivid read that blends fiction with nonfiction elements in a way that makes the book hard to put down. — Midwest Book Review

CHECK OUT THE TRAILER FOR RESURRECTION ROAD, BOOK ONE IN THE BONNIE AND CLYDE SERIES

https://uw-media.shreveporttimes.com/video/embed/101461998?placement=embed

Imagine that Bonnie and Clyde didn’t die in 1934. Imagine that another couple had been ambushed in Sailes and that the real Bonnie and Clyde were recruited – well, maybe blackmailed is a better word – to do bad things in order to protect the good things in America. Book 1 of the Bonnie and Clyde series, Resurrection Road, kicked off that very premise and posed the questions: (1) who are Bonnie and Clyde working for and (2) who is the couple that got killed?

Dam Nation, the sequel, continues the pursuit for those answers since book 1 didn’t even come close to revealing them. Other things that carry over from the first book is the fast paced writing and witty dialogue. There is never a dull moment in these books. Every character is colorful, even if that color might be a little gray, and there is certainly a large cast. Surprisingly, I didn’t need to refer back to remember who was whom since the character names were so different from each other and they were truly unique individuals.

Bonnie and Clyde have always been romanticized as the original ride or die couple, and this book backs that claim up. Not only are the two super hot and heavy at the drop of a hat, but they are fiercely protective of each other. I especially enjoyed how Clyde would say something to the effect of, “Oh, you’re in trouble now” or “she’s the one you should be worried about” when their foes try to belittle Bonnie. It’s hard to dislike the notorious couple when you see their compassion spread outward to their few friends.

This book ties up all the loose ends from the prequel but it ends on a somewhat dissonant note. It makes me wonder if there will be a third book. If there is, I’m reading it.

Clark and Kathleen wrote their first book together in 1999 as a test for marriage. They passed. Dam Nation is their sixth co-authored book.

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Check out the other blogs on this tour

5/16/18	Excerpt	Chapter Break Book Blog
5/17/18	Review	Forgotten Winds
5/18/18	Author Interview	StoreyBook Reviews
5/19/18	Notable Quotable	Bibliotica
5/20/18	Review	Missus Gonzo
5/21/18	Character Interview	Books and Broomsticks
5/22/18	Notable Quotable	Tangled in Text
5/23/18	Review	Hall Ways Blog
5/24/18	Guest Post	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
5/25/18	Review	Momma on the Rocks

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Review & Giveaway: Anahuac by William D. Darling

ANAHUAC

A Texas Story (Volume 2)

by

WILLIAM D. DARLING

  Genre: Historical Fiction / Thriller

Publisher: Canned Peas Productions

Date of Publication: October 3, 2017

Number of Pages: 244

Scroll down for the giveaway!

The Anahuac of 1972 is more than just an isolated outpost on Texas’s Trinity Bay – it’s a place where greed and justice uncomfortably intermingle, where the evangelical fervor of charismatic preachers resonate, where blacks and whites navigate a fragile co-existence, and where a murder leads to even darker mysteries than murder. 

Jim Ward, introduced in Morgan’s Point as a young, idealistic Houston prosecutor, returns in Anahuac as an older, more conflicted, more complicated man, coming to Anahuac to defend a man who appears guilty of a horrible crime. His discoveries lead to entanglements in the very nature of good and evil, in a town that is at once of its time and timeless, steeped in a history that is unexpectedly but definitively drawing Ward in its narrative web.

 

PRAISE FOR ANAHUAC: 

“Austin writer William D. Darling’s second novel, Anahuac, is an entertaining, engrossing legal thriller that offers both darkly humorous and good-natured thrusts at life, love, and law . . . first-rate reading, especially for readers who enjoy legal thrillers, lawyer procedurals, suspense, Texas settings, and characters who live large.” – Lone Star Literary Life

“Darling draws vivid portraits of his setting while also bringing in historical currents like women’s liberation, the growth of container shipping, and the rise of the prosperity gospel, adding interest to what’s otherwise a fairly simple courtroom drama.” – Kirkus Reviews

I’m a Texan originally from the east coast who’s had occasion to meet some of these characters from another planet. Darling weaves us through the minds of lawyers with jealousies, insecurities, questions of faith, honor, and guilt as they tackle the case of a horrible crime that has the potential to put a man of God away forever. I held on tight as we went through the engrossing trial, which did not disappoint! If you love history, crime, passion, religion, and suspense, this is a must read! – Kristy Recker (an Amazon reviewer)

CLICK TO PURCHASE 

While certainly a period piece, I’m glad that this book didn’t delve too far into Texas history because it already has so much to offer on its own. There is no point in making a masterpiece of the backdrop when the main players, the main point of the story, are so captivating and brilliant already.

I suppose the history of Anahuac leading up to the novel’s present time in the 1970s does serve as a sort of primer before Darling paints his characters with broader and more colorful strokes. Rather than telling us about racial or gender tension, he shows how that strain originated in history and how it evolved into what it was in the 70s. He does the same thing when explaining why the residents of the small town are suspicious of outsiders, even those who are also from Texas but from another town. We’ve seen that trope in movies, but it’s never really explained.

Even before the detailed choreography of the courtroom scenes, one can sense that Darling is an attorney. How? The opening scene all but tells you who murdered Sarita and the main character, Jim, is not really trying to figure out who did it. Jim’s focus is to make sure that the jury can’t say for certain that Reverend Randall Clay killed her. As he builds his case, he might briefly wonder who was really behind it, but his laser-like focus is on making sure his client is found not guilty. And Darling writes the story with this same focus and mission, to let the reader in on what is known for certain and what is hypothetical, with the intent of having us draw the most logical conclusion.

The story of the impending trial is the main thread of the novel, but there are a few other strands woven in concerning the married lives of the couples and the people in their circle that add further tension. I don’t know if those storylines added much to the novel, but I’m pretty sure they carried over from the first book. I think that if I had read Morgan’s Point, I would be more interested in the subplots.

Growing up in a Christian home in Texas, I just had to also mention my specific thoughts on Reverend Clay. I found him fascinating because he struck me as a Billy Graham at first, or maybe I just got that vibe because his medium was radio. But then I definitely likened him to Joel Osteen because of the solicitation for money and the questionable financial practices of his operation. And then he went right back to being a Billy Graham because he could actually spout scripture and theology off the top of his head without stuttering. Anyway, he was a great character and I wouldn’t mind reading about what his deal really is.

My only critiques are production things: the text could use some proofreading and the cover could be less literal and maybe scaled down a bit.

Overall, I thought this was a great read. There is not a wasted word on the page. If you skim, you miss something significant. If you like courtroom dramas, this book is definitely for you.

William D. Darling is a lifelong storyteller and very nearly a native Texan, arriving in his beloved state as an infant in 1942. His first novel, Morgan’s Point, introduced readers to both the mid-‘60s rough-and-tumble world of the Houston courts where Darling came of age, and the Galveston Bay region that has long fascinated him. His latest novel Anahuac, serves as a sequel to Morgan’s Point as well as its own fascinating tale.

Darling, who has lived within the legislative bustle of Washington, D.C. and in the beauty of a Central Texas ranch, currently resides in Austin, where he and his wife have built a longstanding law practice.

Website ║ Facebook ║ Twitter ║ Goodreads

UPCOMING AUTHOR APPEARANCES:

January 12, 2018, 7:00PM

Anahuac Reading & Signing

Deep Vellum Books, 3000 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX, US 

January 20, 2018, 10:00AM

Anahuac Reading in Anahuac
William D. Darling brings it on home! He’ll read from Anahuac in the city where the new novel is set for the first time ever.
Chambers County Library, 202 Cummings Street, Anahuac, TX, US 

February 17, 2018, 4:30PM

Anahuac Houston Release Event
William D. Darling will sign and read from Anahuac, celebrating the release of the book with friends and well-wishers in the city he once called home, as part of a multi-author event.
Murder by the Books, 2342 Bissonnet, Houston, TX, US 

 

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1/5/18 Notable Quotable Syd Savvy 1/5/18 Author Interview Texan Girl Reads 1/6/18 Review Missus Gonzo 1/7/18 Notable Quotable A Novel Reality 1/8/18 Review Forgotten Winds 1/9/18 Excerpt StoreyBook Reviews 1/10/18 Notable Quotable Tangled in Text 1/11/18 Review Reading by Moonlight 1/12/18 Author Interview Texas Book Lover 1/13/18 Scrapbook Page The Clueless Gent 1/14/18 Review Hall Ways Blog    blog tour services provided by

 

Promo and Giveaway: Blood Oath by Melissa Lenhardt

BLOOD OATH

A Laura Elliston Novel, Book 2

by

MELISSA LENHARDT

!!NEW RELEASE!!

  Genre: Historical / Western / Action-Adventure / Romance

Publisher: Redhook

Date of Publication: May 23, 2017

Number of Pages: 384

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Outlander meets post-Civil War unrest in this action-packed follow up to Sawbones.

Laura Elliston and William Kindle are on the run — from the Army and from every miscreant in the West eager to claim the $500 bounty for Laura’s capture as their own. But the danger isn’t just from those pursuing them. Laura and Kindle have demons of their own and a past that won’t stay dead. Exhausted, scared, scarred and surrounded by enemies, neither realize the greatest danger is yet to come.

PURCHASE LINKS:

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Watch Lone Star Book Blog Tours for the Badlands tour starting June 27^th – with reviews of Blood Oath, Badlands, and Special Features with the inside scoop!

Melissa Lenhardt is the author the Jack McBride mystery series, as well as the Laura Elliston historical fiction series. Her debut mystery, STILLWATER, was a finalist for the 2014 Whidbey Writers’ MFA Alumni Emerging Writers Contest, and SAWBONES, her historical fiction debut, was hailed as a “thoroughly original, smart and satisfying hybrid, perhaps a new subgenre: the feminist Western” by Lone Star Literary Life. A lifelong Texan, she lives in the Dallas area with her husband and two sons.

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	5/23	CGB Blog Tours
	5/23	Missus Gonzo
	5/24	Reading By Moonlight
	5/24	My Book Fix Blog
	5/25	StoreyBook Reviews
	5/25	Syd Savvy
	5/26	Chapter Break Book Blog
	5/26	Texas Book Lover
	5/27	The Page Unbound
	5/27	Books and Broomsticks

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