Monday, January 29, 2018

BOOK BLAST: Searching For Gertrude by D.E. Haggerty


Searching for Gertrude by D.E. Haggerty

Searching for Gertrude

Historical Romance 
Self Published (January 22, 2018) 
Print Length: 278 pages 
ASIN: B077P28WDK






























While growing up in Germany in the 1930s, Rudolf falls in love with the girl next door, Gertrude. He doesn’t care what religion Gertrude practices, but the Nazis do. When the first antisemitic laws are enacted by the Nazi government, Gertrude’s father loses his job at the local university. Unable to find employment in Germany, he accepts a position at Istanbul University and moves the family to Turkey. Rudolf, desperate to follow Gertrude, takes a position as a consulate worker in Istanbul with the very government which caused her exile. With Rudolf finally living in the same city as Gertrude, their reunion should be inevitable, but he can’t find her. During his search for Gertrude, he stumbles upon Rosalyn, an American Jew working as a nanny in the city. Upon hearing his heartbreaking story, she immediately agrees to help him search for his lost love. Willing to do anything in their search for Gertrude, they agree to work for a British intelligence officer who promises his assistance, but his demands endanger Rudolf and Rosalyn. As the danger increases and the search for Gertrude stretches on, Rudolf and Rosalyn grow close, but Rudolf gave his heart away long ago.

Review: I am used to reading light, humorous rom-com/cozy mystery books from this author, which I have always enjoyed. This book is a major deviation from that, and it shows that she has a wide-ranging talent.

This WWII era story, set in Istanbul, is emotional, captivating and amazing. The author has obviously done her research, and she makes actual historical events an integral part of the story. The action is virtually non-stop, and the reader is drawn in from the start, caring deeply for the characters, feeling their pain and their joy.


Rating: Four stars







 I grew up reading everything I could get my grubby hands on, from my mom's Harlequin romances,Searching for Gertrude is my twelfth book.
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Monday, January 22, 2018

BOOK BLAST: Natural Thorn Killer (A Rose City Mystery) by Kate Dyer-Seeley

BOOK BLAST

 

About the Book


Cozy Mystery 
New Series Kensington (March 27, 2018) 
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages 
ISBN-13: 978-1496705136 Digital 
ASIN: B073NPHX8Z 
Cut down among the flowers . . .
Britta Johnston might be a late bloomer, but after leaving her deadbeat husband and dead-end job, she’s finally pursuing her artistic passion at her aunt Elin’s floral boutique, Blooma, in Portland, Oregon. It’s on the banks of the Willamette, in a quaint district of cobblestone paths and cherry trees. The wine bar featuring Pacific Northwest vintages is a tasty bonus, offering another kind of bouquet to enjoy. But things aren’t as peaceful as they look.
For one thing, someone’s been leaving dead roses around—and a sleazy real estate developer who wants the waterfront property has put a big-money offer on the table. Then, after a contentious meeting of local business owners, he’s found on the floor of the shop, with Elin’s garden shears planted in his chest. And before the police decide to pin the crime on her beloved aunt, Britta will have to find out who arranged this murder . . .

About the Author

Kate Dyer-Seeley aka Ellie Alexander writes multiple mystery series, all with a Pacific Northwest touch. She lives in the PNW with her husband and son, where you can find her hitting the trail, at an artisan coffee shop, or at her favorite pub. Better yet—at all three. Author Links Facebook Twitter  Instagram GoodReads  
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RELEASE DAY REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY: The Social Affair by Britney King

Title: The Social Affair
Author: Britney King
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Release Date: January 18, 2018 
In the tradition of Gone Girl and Behind Closed Doors comes a gripping, twisted, furiously clever read that demands your attention, and keeps you guessing until the very end. For fans of the anti-heroine and stories told in unorthodox ways, The Social Affair delivers us the perfect dark and provocative villain. The only question—who is it? A timeless, perfect couple waltzes into the small coffee shop where Izzy Lewis works. Instantly enamored, she does what she always does in situations like these: she searches them out on social media. Just like that—with the tap of a screen— she’s given a front row seat to the Dunns’ picturesque life. This time, she’s certain she’s found what she’s been searching for. This time, she'll go to whatever lengths it takes to ensure she gets it right—even if this means doing the unthinkable. Intense and original, The Social Affair is a disturbing psychological thriller that explores what can happen when privacy is traded for convenience.


Review: This book is full of dysfunctional characters. Izzy Lewis is obsessed with social media, where she stalks people she admires. She buys clothes they wear, tries fashion trends they suggest, etc.

Grant and Josie Dunn look like the perfect couple from the outside, but in private things are not so wonderful. They are members of a "church" which is more cult--there are some seriously messed rules the members have to agree to follow, and members are "mentored" (more like monitored) by other members.

When Izzy meets the Dunns and begins to stalk them, she is drawn in by Josie's social media posts about their happy life and happy family.  The farther she delves into their life, the darker the novel becomes.

The ending was a TOTAL surprise to me. It left me with a few unanswered questions, but nothing that distracted from my enjoyment of the story. 

If you enjoy a good psychological thriller, be sure to add this to your reading list for this year!!

Rating: Four stars



Britney King lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, children, two dogs, one ridiculous cat, and a partridge in a pear tree.

When she's not wrangling the things mentioned above, she writes psychological, domestic and romantic thrillers set in suburbia.

Currently, she's writing three series and several standalone novels.
The Bedrock Series features an unlikely heroine who should have known better. Turns out, she didn’t. Thus she finds herself tangled in a messy, dangerous, forbidden love story and face-to-face with a madman hell-bent on revenge. The series has been compared to Fatal Attraction, Single White Female, and Basic Instinct.
The Water Series follows the shady love story of an unconventional married couple—he’s an assassin—she kills for fun. It has been compared to a crazier book version of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Also, Dexter.
Around The Bend is a heart-pounding standalone, which traces the journey of a well-to-do suburban housewife, and her life as it unravels, thanks to the secrets she keeps. If she were the only one with things she wanted to keep hidden, then maybe it wouldn’t have turned out so bad. But she wasn’t.

The With You Series at its core is a deep love story about unlikely friends who travel the world; trying to find themselves, together and apart. Packed with drama and adventure along with a heavy dose of suspense, it has been compared to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Love, Rosie.

The Social Affair is an intense standalone about a timeless couple who find themselves with a secret admirer they hadn’t bargained for. For fans of the anti-heroine and stories told in unorthodox ways, the novel explores what can happen when privacy is traded for convenience. It is reminiscent of films such as One Hour Photo and Play Misty For Me. 
Without a doubt, connecting with readers is the best part of this gig. You can find Britney online here: 
Web• http://BritneyKing.com
Instagram • https://instagram.com/britneyking_ 
Facebook • https://www.facebook.com/BritneyKingAuthor
Twitter• http://twitter.com/BritneyKing_
Goodreads • http://bit.ly/BritneyKingGoodreads
To get more-- grab two books for free, by subscribing to her mailing list at britneyking.com or just copy and paste bit.ly/britneykingweb into your browser. 

Happy reading.
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Saturday, January 20, 2018

BOOK TOUR AND GIVEAWAY:Survival Of The Fritters (A Deputy Donut Mystery) by Ginger Bolton


Survival of the Fritters (A Deputy Donut Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 

1st in Series 

Kensington (January 30, 2018) 

Paperback: 256 pages 

ISBN-13: 978-1496711878 

E-Book ASIN: B071HKMK38

 



 

Synopsis: Emily Westhill runs the best donut shop in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, alongside her retired police chief father-in-law and her tabby Deputy Donut. But after murder claims a favorite customer, Emily can’t rely on a sidekick to solve the crime—or stay alive.
If Emily has learned anything from her past as a 911 operator, it’s to stay calm during stressful situations. But that’s a tall order when one of her regulars, Georgia Treetor, goes missing. Georgia never skips morning cappuccinos with her knitting circle. Her pals fear the worst—especially Lois, a close friend who recently moved to town. As evening creeps in, Emily and the ladies search for Georgia at home. And they find her—murdered among a scattering of stale donuts . . .
Disturbingly, Georgia’s demise coincides with the five-year anniversary of her son’s murder, a case Emily’s late detective husband failed to solve before his own sudden death. With Lois hiding secrets and an innocent man’s life at stake, Emily’s forced to revisit painful memories on her quest for answers. Though someone’s alibi is full of holes, only a sprinkling of clues have been left behind. And if Emily can’t trace them back to a killer in time, her donut shop will end up permanently closed for business . . .
Review: A great start to a new mystery series. Emily is a very relatable character with a sad backstory. Her crowd of first responder friends makes for a great support system and the crowd of regulars at the donut shop give us a look into the town and their secrets.

When one of her regulars, a member of the local knitting group called the Knitpickers, is found dead, and her neighbor Lois, who is swiftly becoming a friend, is behaving suspiciously, Emily starts investigating. She and Lois get into some hilarious situations, and Emily's tabby, Deputy Donut, is her constant companion and has good instincts about people.

The author tells a fascinating story and keeps the reader's attention from beginning to end. The reveal of the murderer was rather surprising, as the character was someone I expected to be around for a while. Can hardly wait to read the next story in the series.

Rating:  Four stars


Ginger Bolton writes the Deputy Donut mystery series--cops, crime, coffee, donuts and one curious cat. When Ginger isn't writing or reading, she's crocheting, knitting, sewing, walking her two rescue dogs and generally causing trouble. She’s also fond of donuts, coffee, and cafes were folks gather to enjoy those tasty treats and one another’s company.
Author Links
Webpage: http://gingerbolton.com/
Ginger has joined Killer Characters! http://www.killercharacters.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGingerBolton/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ginger_bolton
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16834862.Ginger_Bolton
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