Killing Me Softly by Kathryn R. Biel

Book Information

Genre: Romance

• Paperback: 266 pages
• Publisher: Kathryn R. Biel (July 9, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0991391780
• ISBN-13: 978-0991391783

Synopsis: Sadie Perkins has a sixth sense about things—especially people dying. Her clairvoyance has never bothered her until she starts to believe that her visions are causing the deaths of those around her. After her latest relationship ends ... badly ... Sadie swears off love for good. While searching for an uncomplicated life, Sadie finds her hands full not only with a home renovation project but with defending herself against suspicion of murder. There's a fine line between predicting someone's death and causing it. Has Sadie finally crossed that line?
Enter contractor Max Schultz, who is not only good at working on houses, but he's good at working on Sadie too. Much to Max's dismay, as he's trying to win Sadie's heart, he finds Sadie's first love, Henry Fitzsimmons, is back in the picture, snooping around. 
Sadie doesn't know which way to turn or who to trust, including herself. Can Sadie clear her name and open her heart all at the same time?

Review: This is not your typical romance story. It's rom-com, mystery, suspense, thriller---a little bit of everything! 

Sadie seems to be the most normal person in her strange and dysfunctional family--and when you consider that she believes she can cause people to die just because of her words, that is definitely saying a lot.

There is so much going on in Sadie's life throughout this book that I don't know how she holds on to her sanity.  There's a planned romantic getaway for Valentine's Day that goes VERY wrong, a tragic car accident, a pregnancy, a new love interest, the return of a crush, a mysterious disappearance, a death, etc. 
Oh, and let's not forget that Sadie is renovating her new home throughout all of this.

You might think that all of that activity would make the storyline tough to follow, but it doesn't. It just has you wanting to keep reading to find out what Sadie is going to get herself into next, and how she's going to get out of all the many messes she finds herself in, time after time.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Four stars

About the author

Kathryn Biel hails from Upstate New York, and is a spouse and mother of two wonderful, but exhausting kids. In between being Chief Home Officer and Director of Child Development of the Biel household, she works as a school-based physical therapist. She attended Boston University and received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from The Sage Colleges. After years of writing countless letters of medical necessity for wheelchairs, finding increasingly creative ways to encourage the government and insurance companies to fund her client's needs, and writing entertaining annual Christmas letters, she decided to take a shot at writing the kind of novel that she likes to read. Her musings and rants can also be found on her personal blog, Biel Blather. 

BLOG TOUR: Asleep On The Hay (A Dust Bowl Christmas) by Ben Sowards

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing (October 6, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1629720674
• ISBN-13: 978-1629720678

 
Asleep on the Hay: A Dust Bowl Christmas by Ben Sowards
It’s Christmas Eve when a knock comes at the door of Paul’s family farmhouse. A small family is stranded due to a broken-down truck and seeks shelter for the evening. Paul’s grandfather not only welcomes them in, but offers them dinner and a bed for the night. Even though it is a season of giving, Paul’s heart is not filled with charity. It’s the height of the Dust Bowl and food is scarce. Why should he share what little he has with strangers? Worse, in order to help the sick baby, Paul will have to sell his beloved calf to buy a part to fix the truck. Angry, he retreats to the barn, where he sleeps and dreams of faraway Bethlehem. In his dream, he visits Mary and Joseph, and their newborn son, Jesus. The family offers Paul food and shelter and warmth—extending to him the love and charity he lacks and teaching him of the true meaning of Christmas. 

Review: Love the gorgeous illustrations in this book! Although the main story is about Paul and his huge sacrifice for someone else at Christmas, we also are treated to the story of the first Christmas. 

There isn't a lot of text on each page, which makes it an easy read for beginning readers, and which will also keep the attention of any child to whom it is being read.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Five stars

  
 
   

Author & Illustrator Ben Sowards 
Ben Sowards is the illustrator of many well-loved picture books, including A Christmas Dress for Ellen, Seven Miracles that Saved America, and Christmas Oranges. Ben Sowards teaches others to paint both traditionally and digitally at Southern Utah University, where has directed the illustration program since 2001.

Website

Blog Tour Schedule

$25 Blog Tour Giveaway 
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Ends 12/30/15 
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BOOK BLAST: Poppy Peters Mystery Series by A. Gardner

SOUTHERN PEACH PIE AND A DEAD GUY (Poppy Peters Mysteries Book 1)

Book Summary: After an injury derails Poppy Peters' ballet career, she gathers the courage to follow in her grandmother's footsteps and attend Calle Pastry Academy in a small-town in Georgia. Poppy has her work cut out for her not only fitting in with her charming (and not-so-charming ) Southern classmates but also proving her worth to her teachers after her first publicly humiliating attempt a making the school's famous peach pie. But Poppy's pastry problems go from bad to worse when she's suddenly accused of stealing expensive black truffles, and her attempt to clear her name goes awry...resulting in her finding a dead body instead! If Poppy's going to survive this culinary experience, she'll need to find the missing truffles and track down a killer, all while honing her baking skills to compete in the school's dessert competition for a coveted pastry internship in Paris. Can Poppy prove she's one tough cookie? Or is her life about to crumble? **Recipes Included**

 
CHOCOLATE MACAROONS AND A DEAD GROOM (Poppy Peters Mysteries Book 2)

Book Summary: When Poppy Peters takes an internship in Paris working for a top pastry chef, she realizes that bakery life isn't all cupcakes and frosting. The sous pastry chef dislikes foreigners, her mentor only speaks French, and to top that all off she finds the groom of the wedding she's catering dead in his own backyard. But Lord Dovington wasn't just a handsome royal waiting to sweep his bride-to-be off of her feet. He was also a well-known playboy with a long line of vengeful exes. Now, as one of the prime suspects, Poppy must prove she's innocent . . . and that her recipe for chocolate macaroons isn't to blame. But the clock is ticking, and with a missing diamond, a break-in, and a hot batch of reporters on her tail, Poppy has a lot of sifting to do. Will she find the killer before she too gets baked?
**Recipes Included**

 
BANANAS FOSTER AND A DEAD MOBSTER (Poppy Peters Mysteries Book 3)

Book Summary: Reluctant sleuth Poppy Peters is back in Georgia, and her last semester of pastry school is no icing on the cake when a body is discovered at the local farmer's market, and the murder weapon has Poppy's name on it. Not to mention, the victim belonged to a deadly southern crime family. Now, Poppy is being tailed by the mafia, and it doesn't help that the school's new pastry instructor has her working with her worst rival. But after a heart-stopping car chase, a frightening discovery at an old jam factory, and a spontaneous trip to New Orleans, Poppy discovers a secret that makes her past feats look like a piece of peach pie. Poppy's chances of making it to graduation day are about to go up in flames just like her Bananas Foster.
**Recipes included!**

Praise for the Book "A sweet and satisfying mystery that will leave you hungry for more! A. Gardner's Poppy Peters Mysteries have earned a place on my keeper shelf!" ~ Gemma Halliday, New York Times bestselling mystery author "Charming cozy mystery featuring likable characters." ~Debbie Wiley, Fresh Fiction "A. Gardner cooks up one fabulous mystery with this Southern suspense." ~Pauline Michael, Night Owl Reviews

Excerpt

My first encounter with a southern guy isn't going so well. So far I've admitted I have never tried sweet tea, and my big toe is a little too long for the shoes I am wearing. Nice one, Poppy. Now he is going to think I am a weird westerner with a foot fetish. I try hard not to look down at my black, high-heeled boots. Why am I the only one on campus wearing any black?

"My name is Cole," the man says with a grin on his face. I reach out to shake his hand. My palms are sweating just like every other place on my body. I haven't even turned thirty yet, and I'm already having hot flashes. It is going to take me some time to get used to this heat.

"Poppy Peters," I reply. I wipe my forehead and underneath my eyes. I bite my lip when I see a bit of smeared mascara on the side of my finger. It is so humid my makeup is melting off. "Is it always this hot here?"

"Welcome to Georgia." Cole chuckles and shrugs as we walk towards the student bakery. Cole is one of the first students I bumped into at the registration office. His lemon-colored T-shirt shines bright compared to his dark skin, and his impressive physique makes me look at him twice. His eyes are intriguing—an even mix of blue and green.

As we walk, I can't help but admire how lush the vegetation is on campus. Every tree outstretches towards the sidewalks, providing a much needed break from the glaring sun. The patches of grass remind me of ocean waves, if the ocean sparkled like emeralds. Even the flowerbeds near the Administration building had bundles of purple and orange wildflowers that couldn't be contained.

"What's that smell?" I ask. "And don't say it smells like fresh meat. I heard a teacher in the Registrar's Office use that joke about a hundred times."

"I'll show you."

I follow Cole across campus until the heavenly smell of baked bread and sugary doughnuts grows stronger. I long for that smell sometimes. It takes me back to my schoolgirl days when I spent my weekends in the kitchen with Grandma Liz. My Grandma Liz came to Calle Pastry Academy when she was in her early twenties. I imagine her tiny frame and long, dancer legs. It's a miracle that she came to this school and still stayed so thin.

  Author A. Gardner
A. Gardner is a native westerner exploring the sweet bites of the south. After years of working in the healthcare industry, she moved across the country with her husband and adventurous baby boy. She is a mystery and romance writer with a serious cupcake obsession and a love of storytelling that began at an early age. When she is not writing, she is either chasing after her son, out for a swim, trying out a new recipe, or painting her nails bright blue.


 
$50 Blast Giveaway
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Ends 12/20/15
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by readinglight.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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BOOK BLAST: Claws For Alarm (A Nick & Nora Mystery) by T.C. LoTempio

Claws for Alarm by T.C. LoTempio
Since inheriting her mother’s sandwich shop, Nora Charles is more about hot grilled paninis than cold-blooded murder—until her sister Lacey is arrested. The victim, an esteemed art collector and Lacey’s bullying professor, was stabbed in the heart. Apparently, all over a lousy grade. Off campus, things were just as dicey. The prof had an ex with secrets, a trophy wife set to inherit a fortune in masterworks, and a scorned student mistress. Going undercover, Nora realizes that investigating this crime is the biggest test of her sleuthing career. Because if she fails, even Nick’s animal instinct won’t be enough to rescue Lacey from a perfectly executed framing.

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Praise for the Nick and Nora
“Nick and Nora are a winning team.”—Rebecca Hale, New York Times bestselling author of How to Paint a Cat “Nick and Nora are the purrfect sleuthy duo!”—*Victoria Laurie, New York Times bestselling author of the Psychic Eye Mystery series
 
Author T.C. LoTempio
Born in New York City, T. C. LoTempio is the national bestselling author of Meow If It’s Murder, the first in the Nick and Nora Mystery series. She has been a staff reporter at the young adult magazine Susabella Passengers and Friends for more than a decade. When she isn’t reporting or writing novels, she and her cat Rocco fundraise for Nathan Fillion’s charity, Kids Need to Read.

Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook

     
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 11/30/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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BOOK BLAST AND GIVEAWAY: Lost King by H.B. Moore

Lost King by H.B. Moore 

From USA TODAY bestselling author H.B. Moore Undercover agent Omar Zagouri has been ordered to Giza. A prominent Egyptologist was murdered, and a priceless artifact—the only complete version of the Book of the Dead—is missing. Omar is still reeling from the recent disappearance of his girlfriend, Mia Golding, but he puts his quest to find her on hold to track down the lost piece of history. Omar’s mission is not just to locate the sacred book; he must also rescue the two archaeologists kidnapped and forced to translate its hieroglyphics under threat of death. Their kidnapper is determined to discover the text’s rumored explosive revelation: that Moses did not receive the Ten Commandments from God but instead copied them from the Egyptians. Though Omar’s need to find Mia grows more urgent, he must focus on finding the enemy who will stop at nothing to ignite a controversy that will change history, and the world, forever.

AMAZON

  Author H.B. Moore
H.B. Moore is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than a dozen historical novels set in ancient Arabia and Mesoamerica. She attended the Cairo American College in Egypt and the Anglican International School in Jerusalem and received her bachelor of science degree from Brigham Young University. She writes historical thrillers under the pen name H.B. Moore, and romance and women’s fiction under the name Heather B. Moore. It can be confusing, so her kids just call her Mom.

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Book Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/30/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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BOOK BLAST: Sherlock Academy by F.C. Shaw

Sherlock Academy by F.C. Shaw 

Teachers in disguise, secret libraries, hollow books . . . All these and more await eleven-year-old Rollie Wilson at the mysterious Sherlock Academy of Fine Sleuths. When Rollie and his best friend, Cecily, are invited to attend a school where children learn the art of detection just like the great Sherlock Holmes, they discover a strange burglary has been committed and a mystery is afoot. Determined to investigate, Rollie discovers that appearances can be deceiving, the truth can be hurtful, and friends sometimes turn into foes. Does Rollie have what it takes to follow in Holmes’s footsteps? Can he use his skills to solve the mystery and save the school from an unknown villain?    

Praise for Sherlock Academy 

For anyone who's ever wanted to be Sherlock Holmes, this is your chance. --Adam Glendon Sidwell, Bestselling Author of Evertaster
My students love this book and have asked for it again and again. It makes them feel as if they are in the story; they keep wanting to know what might happen next. Delightful story that invites anyone who loves mystery to dig in and figure it out! – Amazon Customer

Grab your copy from

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Excerpt 

The letter arrived by courier during breakfast.
“Go on, Rollie, read it aloud to us.” Mrs. Wilson, his mother, nudged his shoulder.
Rollie stared at the letter in his hand, his brown eyes wide with excitement.
“Who would send him mail?” Edward, an older brother, snorted.
“I don’t even get mail and I have a girlfriend,” Stewart, Edward’s twin, added.
 “Maybe that’s it!” Edward exclaimed, grinning his lopsided smile. “Got a secret girlfriend, Rollie? I’ll bet it’s Cecily Brighton!”
“I wish I’d get a letter,” Lucille, a younger sister, pouted.
“Me too!” Daphne, her twin, chimed.
“Find a boyfriend and you’ll get mail,” Edward quipped.
Stewart slapped a high-five with his twin. The two teens snickered and elbowed each other.
“Stop it, boys. Let Rollie read it aloud,” Mrs. Wilson scolded as she brushed Rollie’s sandy-blond hair with her fingers.
Rollie cleared a dry throat unnecessarily. In a high voice common to boys of eleven years, Rollie read the letter aloud. When he was finished, the entire Wilson family started talking at once with high-handed opinions, as was their custom.
“Whoever heard of the Sherlock Academy?”
“Why Tuesday?”
“It’s the first of the month.”
“I want a letter!”
“Me too!”
“Get a boyfriend.”
Amidst all the banter around the breakfast table, Rollie sat silently regarding his hash browns, the only food he ever ate for breakfast. His middle fluttered with butterflies.

Want a FREE Kindle version of the book?

Sherlock Academy is now available in select Costcos throughout Utah, Idaho & Arizona. On your next trip, grab a copy! AND if you take a picture with the book and tag @FutureHousePub and @Costco on Twitter we’ll gift you a free Kindle version of the book!  

About the author

F.C. Shaw started writing stories when she was eight years old. She loves children's stories, Sherlock Holmes, and mysteries, so had to write a book combining all three. She spends her afternoons writing for kids, and her nights dreaming of new stories. She lives with her husband and two sons in a home they have ambitiously dubbed The Manor in California. When she's not plotting stories, she teaches visual arts in local schools and enjoys a good game of Scrabble.

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BookBlast Giveaway 

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash or a $50 COSTCO gift card
Ends 8/9/15
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded.
No purchase necessary.
You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you.
The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified.
The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author.
VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.  
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