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Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Book Review: Recovery Road (Torpedo Ink) by Christine Feehan

Recovery Road (Torpedo Ink)
by Christine Feehan
January 24, 2023
A broken man finds a woman worth living for in the new novel in #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan’s Torpedo Ink motorcycle club series.

Kir “Master” Vasiliev doesn’t care whether he lives or dies. He’s a burnt-out shell with no one and nothing but his club. Whatever Torpedo Ink needs, Master will put himself in harm’s way time after time. If he doesn’t make it back, he’s certain everyone will move on just fine.
 
Investment banker Ambrielle Moore knows her own mind, and she’s not willing to settle for anyone. So when a second-rate gangster and his thugs try to coerce her into marriage—and giving up all of her family’s money—she’s having none of it. Until they turn to cold-blooded murder. 
 
Grieving and enraged, Ambrie is ready to go scorched earth on her captors when Master shows up anticipating a damsel in distress. But Ambrie is nothing like he expected, and everything he never knew he desired...

Kir "Master" is a Torpedo Ink member and feels burnt out after his last prison assignment. He doesn't want to go undercover in prison again, but he doesn't think the other team members will listen to him, so he feels really done.

Ambrielle "Ambrie" was held hostage and her parents were killed right in front of her. Now she's being forced to marry a mobster against her will for her money. She's sure that once her soon-to-be husband marries her and gets his hands on her money, he'll kill her.

When Master and the rest of Torpedo Ink discover what's going on with her, they decide to step in and save her. But in order to keep her from being kidnapped and forced to marry the mobster again, they tell her that she should marry Master so she's already married to someone, and they'll be able to keep her safe.

Master lets her know that she doesn't have to marry him, but if she does, they'll be no divorce because he and his crew marry for life. He thinks she's too good for him and wants one of the other guys to marry her, but she agrees to marry him because she feels safe around him, and when she gets to know him, she can see that he's not a bad guy. She sees that the other guys in Torpedo Ink are very nice to her, and so are their wives, even though the guys are a bit rough around the edges. She starts to see that things aren't always as they appear to be and that she can trust them all. So when they go after the people who killed her parents, there's a lot more going on there than they first suspected. And then their leader and his family are targeted by someone and they have no idea who it is or why they are being targeted. They have to figure that out and go after the people who killed Ambrielle's parents.

I love how they all work together really well; even the wives get in on the action. The pranks that are going on between Savage and the sheriff are hilarious and we get to see a completely different side of Savage. It was nice that this book was mostly Master and Ambrielle getting to know one another and there was no BDSM in this book unlike in some of the previous books. This was just a sweet romance between Master and Ambrielle although there is a lot of talk about how well-endowed Master is.

All of the Torpedo Ink members have horrible pasts and childhoods. We get to hear what happened to some of them but there weren't as many graphic details as in the previous books. For this reason and to get to know these characters better, I think it's a good idea to read this series in order.

I give this book 5 out of 5 sheep.





Mary Kirkland
Dark Thoughts Blog


About the Author:
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I write every day and have done so since I was old enough to pick up a pen. (I spent a lot of time getting in trouble at school for writing instead of doing the things I was supposed to do.) Once I create my characters, I try very hard to have them react to situations as they really would. Sometimes I have preconceived ideas of what I would like them to do, but they don't mind me, because it would be out of character for them. They take on a life of their own. Sometimes when I throw difficult situations at them in the hopes I'll get a certain reaction and they don't do what I want, I complain bitterly to my husband and he laughs at me. Still, it is important to me to have them be real, not perfect people, so they make mistakes we lesser mortals might make.

Cover Reveal: Prophecy of Gods and Crows (Clan of Shadows, #1) by C.D. Britt

Prophecy of Gods and Crows 
(Clan of Shadows, #1)
by C.D. Britt
June 6th 2023
Genres: Adult, Dystopian, Paranormal, Romance
Welcome to Hell’s Half Acre.

Bryndis Kenneally is an anomaly, which is saying something when you live in a place called Hell.

Despite being born into a family of healers, she is unable to follow in their footsteps since disturbing visions overwhelm her with almost every human touch.

With few allies at her back, she keeps her head down… until she starts to see a man made of shadows, and a crow begins to track her every move.

Now, she can no longer pretend to be a normal woman among a town looking for witches to burn.

That is until a freak sandstorm brings more than she bargained for… and quite possibly her salvation.

Book one in the Clan of Shadows series, a dystopian paranormal romance series.

About the Author:
C.D. Britt began her writing journey when her husband told her she needed to use her excessive imagination to write stories as opposed to creating a daily narrative for him. Ever since she penned her first words, life has been a lot more peaceful for him.

She currently resides in Texas where she has yet to adapt to the heat. Her husband thrives in it, so unfortunately they will not be relocating to colder climates anytime soon.

Their two young children would honestly complain either way.

When she is not in her writing cave (hiding from the sun), she enjoys ignoring the world as much as her children will allow with a good book, music, and vast amounts of coffee (until it’s time for wine).

C.D. Britt is the author of Shadows and Vines and the upcoming book, Sirens and Leviathans.

Both books are part of the Reign of Goddesses series.

Sunday, January 22, 2023

Unanimity (Spiral Worlds Book #1) by Alexandra Almeida

Unanimity (Spiral Worlds Book #1)
by Alexandra Almeida 
October 18, 2022
Genre: Science Fiction/ Sci-Fi Fantasy/ LGBTQ2
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Shadow is a reluctant god with a broken mind and a death wish. He used to be Thomas Astley-Byron, an affluent young screenwriter whose creativity and idealism saved a world from the brink of collapse. Together with Henry Nowak, an AI expert, Tom created heaven on earth by inventing a Jungian simulated reality that helps humans confront their dark sides. The benevolent manipulation platform turned the two unelected leaders into beloved gods, but now everything is failing. The worlds suffer as a sentimental Tom descends into his own personal hell, becoming the embodiment of everything he despises and a shadow of his former self.

His journey from an optimistic, joyful Tom to a gloomy Shadow is paved with heartache and sinister interference from emerging technology. Humans and bots fight for his heart, but their aims differ: some want to own it, some to dissect it, and others to end its foolish beat. Estranged from the love of his life—the activist poet Nathan Storm—Tom fails to realize the biggest threat comes from within. None of the sticky stories that steer his life end well.

Now, a young goddess—Estelle Ngoie—has been appointed to replace him, and unlike Shadow, Stella takes no prisoners, and her heart bleeds for no one.

Who’s pulling on Shadow’s heartstrings? Are their intentions malign or benign? It’s all a matter of perspective, and Shadow has none left.

The Series Themes
An epic tale spanning across six days—one per book—and forty past decades of life lived across ten worlds and two universes.

Weaving sci-fi elements with social commentary and queer romantic suspense, Spiral Worlds explores the nature of consciousness and how it’s connected to a not-so-secret ingredient—story. As software consumes the world, intelligence is nothing but the appetizer; the human heart is the main course.
“I adored this work by Alexandra Almeida from cover to cover for its modern take on fantasy and the subversion of so many typical themes and ideas that have become tired and overdone in the genre.” “The queer storytelling elements are included beautifully and never made into a gimmick or overdone for the sake of themselves, and as such, they flow naturally with the fantasy and emotional elements of the narrative. I would not hesitate to recommend Unanimity as a sensational opening novel to a very promising series.”
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Available at these fine Amazon!

About the Author
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Alexandra Almeida has over 25 years of experience in technology, strategy, and innovation. In her role as Chief Transformation Officer, she acts as a senior advisor to enterprise executives. Alexandra is an experienced speaker at events such as SXSW, Gartner Symposium, and the Women in Tech Series.

For the time being, and to protect her creative freedoms, Alexandra prefers to write using a number of pen names.

​Her debut fantasy novel, released under another pen name, has received the following awards and recognition:
– Reader’s Favorite Awards – Gold Medal Winner – Young Adult – Fantasy – Epic
– Reader Views Awards – 1st Place – Fantasy
– CIPA EVVY Book Awards – 2nd Place – Fiction – Mythology
– B.R.A.G. Medallion Recipient
– Eric Hoffer’s Da Vinci Eye Awards Finalist for Best Cover Artwork
– The Wishing Shelf Book Awards Finalist – Books for Adults
– Awesome Indies Approved

Twitter: 
@AAlmeidaAuthor @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours #Unanimity
IG: 
@spiralworlds @rrbooktours #rrbooktours #unanimity #spiralworlds

Book Tour Schedule
January 23rd
R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com
Cheryl’s Book Nook (Spotlight) https://cherylsbooknook.blogspot.com/
@caffeinatedbibliophilia (Review) https://www.instagram.com/caffeinatedbibliophilia/
I Love Books & Stuff (Spotlight) https://ilovebooksandstuffblog.wordpress.com
I Smell Sheep (Spotlight) http://www.ismellsheep.com/
Rambling Mads (Spotlight) http://ramblingmads.com
January 24th
Lecari’s Live Journal (Review) http://www.lecari.co.uk
@takealookatmybookshelf (Review) https://www.instagram.com/takealookatmybookshelf/
Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com
@bookishfeatures_ (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/bookishfeatures_/
@wolves_perception (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/wolves_perception/
@latishaslowkeylife (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/latishaslowkeylife/
Books Blog (Spotlight) https://www.booksblog.co.uk/
January 25th
Read Write Run (Review) http://readwriterun.ca/
@read_write_run_ - https://instagram.com/read_write_run_?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
@through_the_booking_glass (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/through_the_booking_glass/
Liliyana Shadowlyn (Spotlight) https://lshadowlynauthor.com
January 26th
Liliyana Shadowlyn (Review) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/
@fathomsamidstthelines (Review) https://www.instagram.com/fathomsamidstthelines/
Not Another Bunny Blog (Review) https://notanybunny.wordpress.com/blog
Stine Writing (Spotlight) https://christinebialczak.com/
January 27th
Emerald Reviews (Spotlight) https://www.emeraldreviews.co.uk/
@thelibrocubicularista (Review) https://www.instagram.com/thelibrocubicularista/
Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com
@read_dog_reviews (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/read_dog_reviews/

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Friday, January 20, 2023

Book Review: Burning Bridges in Nowhere (Going Nowhere Book 2) by Donna Augustine

Burning Bridges in Nowhere (Going Nowhere Book 2)
by Donna Augustine
January 20, 2023
Pages: 260
I lost my family, career and everything I knew when I came to Nowhere, but I’m rebuilding a life for myself in this strange new reality. I’m working as a tinker for my mysterious boss Kaden when my past drives a wedge between us, and I’m once again left with nothing. Things are already spiraling out of control when my darkest secret comes to light, and the people of Nowhere turn on me as well. Now it’s not only my job and friends I could lose, but my very existence is in peril. It’s time to find out who’s loyal and who will leave me for dead.

Burning Bridges in Nowhere is book 2 in the Going Nowhere series by Donna Augustine. Her stories, no matter the series, draws you in before you even know it and keeps you going until the very end. Her books are so easy to read that I drop everything when the new one comes in because I know I won’t be disappointed and I never am.

Billie, the main heroine of the story, is still a little lost in Nowhere. She has been doing the jobs assigned to her and has yet to figure out her boss Kaden, who is more than a little sexy which at times makes it hard for Billie to concentrate. Billie’s Grams is not exactly who she thought she was, but she knows that inside it’s still her Grams and she isn’t going to listen to anyone who says otherwise. When things get out of control, Billie is stuck between a rock and a bigger rock and has no idea where to turn. She is shocked to find that maybe, just maybe she has a friend or three still in Nowhere but that is yet to be seen.

If you like a good fantasy, a book that flows more than any book by Donna Augustine is for you but don’t miss this series. It is funny, original and a terrific read.

5 Sheep






DeniseB

About the Author:

Donna Augustine is the USA Today Bestselling author of The Wilds, Karma and Ollie Wit.

Sign up here http://eepurl.com/B0gm1 to be notified of her new releases.

Donna Augustine was an odd child, had a brief moment of conformity in early adulthood and then decided to embrace her craziness as the years rolled by. It's her inner crazy that she credits with coming up with the ideas for her books. One part hypochondriac, a few dashes of paranoia, topped with a sliver of uptight and delivered with a relaxed flair, she kicked the proverbial box down the yellow brick road a couple years ago to embrace her true self.

She can be reached by a carrier pigeon, set free in a south by north direction, where she resides in Neverland with her two Siberian cats. Cats who, by the way, aren't as hypoallergenic as she believed they'd be.

For the conventional minded, and those of you without a pigeon on hand, she can be reached at donna@donnaaugustine.com. She responds to most emails within three dusk periods.

P.S. For those of you looking for the discarded box, it was sitting beside the road for a while but has since disappeared completely.

Thursday, January 19, 2023

Excerpt: Copper Waters: A New Zealand Cottage Mystery by Marlene M Bell + giveaway

Copper Waters: A New Zealand Cottage Mystery
by Marlene M Bell
Publication Date: December 7, 2022
Genre: Mystery/ Suspense/ Light Romance
Antiquities expert Annalisse Drury and tycoon Alec Zavos are at an impasse in their relationship when Alec refuses to clear up a paternity issue with an ex-lover.

Frustrated with his avoidance when their future is at stake, Annalisse accepts an invitation from an acquaintance to fly to New Zealand—hoping to escape the recent turbulence in her life.

But even Annalisse’s cottage idyll on the family sheep farm isn’t immune to intrigue.

Alec sends a mutual friend and detective, Bill Drake, to follow her, and a local resident who accompanies them from the Christchurch airport dies mysteriously soon after. A second violent death finds Annalisse and Bill at odds with the official investigations.

The local police want to close both cases as quickly as possible—without unearthing the town’s dirty secrets.

As she and Bill pursue their own leads at serious cost, the dual mysteries force Annalisse to question everything she thought she knew about family ties, politics, and the art of small-town betrayal.
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Excerpt
“Nothing’s sinking in.” I pass the note to Alec and prepare myself. “Would you mind reading it aloud?”

“She and Ethan traveled together.” He gazes at me.

“Okay, we’d considered that.”

“Kate has business to conclude in New Zealand before she returns to New York. She asks me not to mention this to you until she arrives in the States but didn’t give a reason. Kate says she’ll meet you in person when she’s ready.”

“Seriously? Where does she plan to live? With me in Greenwich? The Goshen farm could be sold by now. Does she mention Jeremy finding her another place?”

Alec scans the page randomly. “No, she didn’t.”

I scratch my scalp and shake my head. “Then my sheep station trip to New Zealand is perfect timing. I have to leave now and see if I can catch her before she skips out. Ethan must know where Kate is. If it’s all the same, we’ll hang on to the tickets for our April trip, and I’ll buy my own way for this flight.” Tugging at my sweatshirt with clammy hands, I take the note from Alec and sail it into the flames, watching paper crinkle and burn on the log.

He steps forward, his chiseled profile gawking at the fire in disbelief.

“Were you ever going to tell me about Kate’s message?” A sob chokes my windpipe. “If it weren’t for Ethan’s invite, I doubt that we’d be talking about Kate.”

“Babe, I thought by staying neutral…” He twists his lips and looks at his shoes. “Seeing your reaction now; it was a mistake not to tell you.”

“That totally blows.” I ball my hands into fists. “More like you were afraid that I’d run down there to find her.” I’m mad enough to send smoke signals, so I take slower, calming breaths.

“If I’d told you… Yeah, I worried you’d run off. The ordeal in Italy, then Peter Gregory terrorizing you, and Helga has had barely enough time to settle around here. Your safety doesn’t include encouraging you to hop on a plane to another country so soon after a trauma like that. Waiting for Kate’s return felt right to me. At some point, I hope you’ll see things from my side. Kate put me in the middle, but it’s you I worry about.”

Willing myself to relax, I take his hand to get him to focus on me instead of the floor. “I know that.”

Peter Gregory, an old coworker from my past job at another gallery, is responsible for a young woman’s murder in Lecce, near the Mediterranean Sea on Italy’s eastern shore. Alec and I went to Southern Italy for a working vacation that spun us into solving more than one homicide in order for Alec to sell his dad’s Signorile Corporation, a sports car company.

“After a shower, I’ll give your mom a call from the car on the way home. I might have trouble getting a flight out on the spur of the moment, but if I do, I hope you’ll help me.”

“Anna, we should discuss this.” He catches my wrist. “I’d like to go along. Say the word, and I’m on that plane with you. Allow what’s happened with Kate to simmer. You might feel differently in the morning.”

Grasping Kate’s locket beneath my shirt, I slide the chain over my head and cup Alec’s hand, dropping the necklace there.

“Hold on to my locket while I’m gone. It’s the most precious thing I own. That way, you’ll know I’m coming back to you.” On my tiptoes, our salty kiss calls a loneliness— In a flash, two people are about to have a hemisphere drifting between them from outside influences that want to manipulate us. “Gen will be here to see Noah in a few hours, and you have him until Sunday. Let me go, Alec, and please wait for me at Brookehaven. I have to make this trip by myself. If there’s the slightest chance that Kate’s with Ethan or he knows where she is, I have to go. I’ve already lost precious time.” I start for the drawing room doors and remember something left undone. “Oh, and sorry for the sticky mess in your stable office.”

In a dead run, I’m biting a quivering lip. On the way to Alec’s bedroom suite, I send Chase a text to hold Ethan’s box and note for me at the gallery. True to form, Kate shoves us all out of our comfort zones, where I’m certain to find a disaster waiting for me to book a ticket to New Zealand in a mad rush.

About the Author

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Marlene M. Bell is an eclectic mystery writer, artist, photographer, and she raises sheep in beautiful East Texas with her husband, Gregg, three cats and a flock of horned Dorset sheep.

The Annalisse series has received numerous honors including the Independent Press Award for Best Mystery (Spent Identity,) and FAPA— Florida Author’s President’s Gold Award for two other installments, (Stolen Obsession and Scattered Legacy.) Her mysteries with a touch of romance are found at marlenembell.com. She also offers the first of her children’s picture books, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! Based on true events from the Bell’s ranch. The simple text and illustrations are a touching tribute of compassion and love between a little girl and her lamb.

Twitter: @ewephoric @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours #CopperWaters

IG: @marlenemysteries @rrbooktours #rrbooktours #copperwaters #suspensebooks #romanticsuspense

Book Tour Schedule
Jan 16th
R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com
Scarlett Readz and Runz (Review) https://scarlettreadzandrunz.com/
@fathomsamidstthelines (Review) https://www.instagram.com/fathomsamidstthelines/
Timeless Romance Blog (Spotlight) https://aubreywynne.com/
@read.em.if.you.got.em (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/read.em.if.you.got.em/
January 17th
Kam’s Place (Review) https://www.superkambrook.com/
Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com
January 18th
@takealookatmybookshelf (Review) https://www.instagram.com/takealookatmybookshelf/
@better_0ff_read (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/better_0ff_read/
Stine Writing (Spotlight) https://christinebialczak.com/
January 19th
January 20th
@obsessive_bibliomaniac (Review) https://www.instagram.com/obsessive_bibliomaniac/
Lady Hawkeye (Spotlight) https://www.ladyhawkeye.com/
Liliyana Shadowlyn (Spotlight) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/

Giveaway Bundle ($225 Value) 
William Morris Design Tapestry Throw – Acanthus Leaves Made in USA
34 oz. Hammered Copper Water Bottle
5×7 Handcrafted Suede Journal (blank pages)
$50 VISA Gift Card
Autographed Copper Waters
(US only)

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R&R Book Tours