Review: Marcel by Eda Akaltun

Goodreads Blurb

Marcel, a French Bulldog, is a New Yorker through and through–he and his human know the best spots, especially in downtown Manhattan. But when a new human suddenly enters their lives at Central Park, they’re spending all their time in uptown! Everything is changing and it looks like this new human isn’t going anywhere. Why couldn’t everything stay as it was? Why did things have to change? Find out what happens between this Frenchie and the new human in his life in a story where change can be good and bring new adventures! This touching picture book is a nice way to help a child understand a parent’s new partner or spouse.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Won this book from GoodReads. It’s such an adorable book about a cute dog who lives in NYC with his human. Brings me back to The Secret Life of Pets movie. Marcel is very happy with his human until she falls in love with a French man. His world has turned upside down. But once he is taken to the only place he admires from afar, he falls in love with the human’s boyfriend and realizes life just got better. Book leaves of with Marcel heading to the city of lights… Paris. Another favorite city that I hope to see in person. This is a great book for young children. Everyone from all ages will fall in love with the beautiful images. I also want to say I love that the human wasn’t created like a cartoon but a real image of a person. It brought character to the book. Thanks, I can’t wait to see what Marcel’s life will be in Paris.

Author Biography

Eda Akaltun is a New York–based illustrator and printmaker from Istanbul. Prior to her work with Flying Eye, her illustrations can be found in the Nobrow magazine, of which she is a founding contributor.

Publication Day Party: Murder at Whiteadder House by Jackie Baldwin

Blurb

When young, pretty Eliza Anderson walks through Grace McKenna’s door begging for help finding her missing sister, it sparks the Portobello Detective Agency’s most dangerous investigation to date.

The trail leads Grace and her team to a plush clinic nestled in Scotland’s remote wilderness. On the surface, Whiteadder House seems too good to be true, offering miracle cures and luxury comfort at no cost. But as they dig deeper, the cracks in its gleaming façade start to show.

Before long, Grace and her protégée Hannah are fighting to infiltrate Whiteadder’s inner sanctum, going undercover while racing to uncover its dark secrets. Little do they know that Whiteadder’s founders have been buying influence at the highest levels to keep prying eyes away, and this time Grace is not going to get any help from the police. Has her handsome ex-husband Brodie been compromised too?

With the facility locked down tight and a web of corruption allowing Whiteadder to operate unchecked, Grace must trust her instincts and sacrifice everything to find a way in to save her client’s sister – and, even more difficult, a way out. Then a young woman’s body is found on a nearby beach – could it be linked to the clinic? Grace knows she must find out before more lives are lost…

A totally gripping Scottish cozy mystery. Fans of Clare Chase, Faith Martin and Frances Evesham will love this series.

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Publication Party Day: Elephant and Castle by Hannah Ledford

Blurb

If only there was a guidebook on how to land the London boy of your dreams…

Nora Shrapsan is literally writing the book on London, and she’s not going to let fantasies about her sexy British ex-boyfriend break her stride. So what if she has been reunited with semi-famous rock star Hugh Jeffries, and their chemistry is still palpable? He’s engaged, and Nora needs to focus on…anything besides Hugh’s lips.

Julian Rhodes is Hugh’s best mate, and his secret feelings for Nora are one thing that won’t stay in the past. When a desperate Nora begs him to help her navigate London, Julian has to say yes—strictly to keep her from getting fired, of course. Surely, they can go to murder tours, magic shows, and museums without any feelings getting in the way. No problem.

But the more time Nora and Julian spend together, the less Nora finds herself thinking of Hugh. Maybe her second-chance romance didn’t go according to plan, but that doesn’t mean Nora could ever fall for her ex’s best friend, right?

https://amzn.to/3wM4B2h

Review: Murder at The Witching Hour by Kathi Daley

Goodreads Blurb

It’s the week before Halloween and Kailani Pope has been asked attend her friend Morticia’s wedding. The weeklong event, which culminates with a costumed wedding ceremony on Halloween night, is being held on a private island which can only be accessed by boat. Things start off a little slow but become a lot more interesting when a tropical storm hits and one of the groomsmen turns up dead. Join Luke and Lani as this amateur sleuthing team attempt to determine if the killer the mummy in the kitchen who also serves as the chef, the seemingly blind butler, the sexy vampire who is also the maid and bartender, or one of the other kooky and spooky guests at this very unusual wedding event.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Another amazing book filled with suspense and mystery. Wow, I loved the plot of this book. This book was definitely different for the other stories Kathi has written. This was the perfect story to an early Halloween. I was excited that the characters at the castle were all dressed up. It was the perfect destination wedding at an island with a castle that simulated that of Dracula. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as perfect as it sounds. It was a dark story with secrets and, of course of murders. Thanks for this great continuation.

Author Biography

Kathi lives with her husband, kids, grandkids, and dogs in beautiful Lake Tahoe. When she isn’t writing, Kathi likes to read (preferably at the beach or by the fire), cook (preferably something with chocolate or cheese,) and garden (planting and planning not weeding). She also enjoys spending time on the water when she’s not hiking, biking, or snowshoeing, the miles of desolate trails surrounding her home.
Kathi uses the mountain setting in which she lives, along with the animals (wild and domestic) that share her home, as inspiration for her cozy mysteries.

Review: A Charming Voodoo by Tonya Kappes

Goodreads Blurb

Bubble. . . bubble. . .
Whispering Falls is abuzz with the new
housing development and new shops
popping up all over the magical
village right before the annual All
Hallow’s Eve celebration.

Cures and trouble. . .
June Heal’s intuition
is on high alert and she just can’t shake
that something bad is about to happen.

Magic stirs . . .
June finds Violet Draper standing over a dead body
In the new pumpkin patch hours before it’s supposed
to open for hayrides.

And trouble doubles . . .
Once again, June has to put her sleuthing skills to work
and figure out who the real killer is before the new
citizens pack up and move right back out of town.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

This is another awesome addition to this series. June is my favorite character. She has intuitions and always puts herself in danger, but that never stops her from finding the murderer. I loved how she always gets a new charm from Mr. Prince Charming. The cover for this book is one of my favorites. Was happy to see that more shops have opened up. Made the story more fun with new characters. I’m looking forward to June’s next adventure.

Author Biography

Tonya Kappes has written more than 180 southern cozy mysteries, all of which have graced numerous bestseller lists, including USA Today . Best known for stories charged with southern charm, emotion and humor and filled with flawed characters, her novels have garnered reader praise and glowing critical reviews. She lives with her husband in northern Kentucky. Now that her four boys have flown out of the nest, Tonya writes full-time in her camper!

You can find her all over social media and at Tonyakappes.com .

Review: Wires and Nerve by Marissa Meyer

Goodreads Blurb

When rogue packs of wolf-hybrid soldiers threaten the tenuous peace alliance between Earth and Luna, Iko takes it upon herself to hunt down the soldiers’ leader. She is soon working with a handsome royal guard who forces her to question everything she knows about love, loyalty, and her own humanity. With appearances by Cinder and the rest of the Rampion crew, this is a must-have for fans of the series.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The Lunar Chronicles continue with this fun graphic novel. It is filled with action packs and girl power. All the wonderful characters from the Lunar Chronicles books show up in this series. It is great to see the characters in picture life. The illustrations are superb, and the plot is perfect. The idea of soldiers turned into beasts was great. Revenge for what the evil queen did to them.

Author Biography

Marissa Meyer is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, Heartless, The Renegades Trilogy, and Instant Karma, as well as the graphic novel duology Wires and Nerve. She holds a BA in Creative Writing from Pacific Lutheran University and a MA in Publishing from Pace University. In addition to writing, Marissa hosts The Happy Writer podcast. She lives near Tacoma, Washington, with her husband and twin daughters.

Publication Day Party: Catch Me Twice by Catherine Yaffe

Blurb

Perfect for fans of JD Kirk, Val McDermid, Peter James, Rachel Mclean

Operation Wonderland

It’s 1989 – the so-called Second Summer of Love

The days are endlessly hot, and ravers are riding on a hedonistic wave of Acid House and MDMA.
It’s the biggest youth movement since the 60’s and it’s out of control.
Rave organisers mix with underworld gangsters who don’t care about the devastating consequences.
But when ravers start dying, undercover cops are sent to infiltrate the chaotic, deadly scene.
Little did anyone know that their actions in those heady days would come back to haunt them nearly a decade later.

Was it really the Second Summer of Love, or a deadly Summer of Death?

And can the instigators be caught twice?

Author bio

Catherine Yaffe is the author of crime thrillers that readers and reviewers frequently describe as compulsively readable. A graduate of Curtis Brown Creative academy, Catherine wrote her first crime thriller, The Lie She Told in 2020 whilst the UK was in Lockdown. On its release it debuted in the top 10 hot new releases on Amazon and to date has accrued hundreds of five-star reviews

https://amzn.to/3WWEsbw

Publication Day Party: Turkish Delight by Anjelica Sondergaard

Blurb

Maya, Charlotte, June and Cecilia have been friends for more than 20 years and have shared each other’s ups and downs throughout life.

Now that they’re in their 40s, they have decided to go on a holiday to Turkey together. A country none of them have travelled in before.

We cross paths with the girls while they’re getting ready for their holiday and they invite us to tag along for a week of sun and fun in the beautiful coastal town of Cennet.

Together, they have to find their way in a country and a culture that’s like nothing they’ve ever experienced. Throughout their week together, they create lasting memories and uncover surprising, unexpected, and shocking aspects of each other.

Because why is the shy Cecilia so much more tense and uptight than usual?
What does the perfect Charlotte hide from her husband – and from her friends?
Will the fun-loving Maya overcome her insecurities, what is the confident June’s big secret, and is something going to happen with Haci, the cute waiter from the restaurant?
And last but not least: What the heck is Turkish Delight?!

Join in on a week filled with laughter, romance, colourful cocktails and language, honest conversations

Publication Day Party: Escape by Tracy Myhre

Blurb

Beth has cocooned herself in routine after a devastating family tragedy upended her world years ago, but a chance encounter with a Marine named Ryker sends ripples through her carefully guarded world. He is smitten. She is unsure.

The city is thrown into chaos when a missile strikes near Spokane, testing Beth’s newfound optimism. As strife escalates, Beth must lead her friends on a perilous journey to her uncle’s farm in Idaho–a place she avoids.

Armed with only a vague location, Ryker embarks on a high-stakes quest, risking everything to find Beth in a world teetering on the edge of turmoil and anarchy.

Amidst the relentless pursuit of survival, Beth and Ryker each navigate landscapes fraught with unpredictability. Will their paths converge again? And will doing so bring them to safety…or closer to danger?

Join Beth on a gripping odyssey through adversity and uncertainty. In the end, will her resilience and indomitable spirit prevail against all odds?

This is the first book in the apocalyptic survival thriller series by Tracy Myhre.

Publication Day Party: Masks by Sydney Ashcroft

Blurb

Maria Grayson has sworn off relationships and love, focusing instead on her double life. During the day she works in the family business and lives as a socialite. At night she dons a mask and assumes the identity of Balestra to fight crime on the streets of New York. She balances her two lives as best as she can, but that balance is threatened when a new drug floods the streets of New York…and Tomas Dorrance walks into her life.

Tomas Dorrance arrives in New York on a business trip with his father and twin sister and finds that he’s immediately captivated by Maria. After spending one passionate night with her, Tomas is obsessed and wants more time with her. The more he sees her, the more he wants something more than casual sex.

As Balestra, Maria must stop the spread of a new drug and find and destroy the source. As Maria, she must resist falling for Tomas, who is doing his best to change her mind about love and relationships. Her two lives are on a head-on collision course and Maria doesn’t know if she’ll come out alive or with her heart intact.

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