The Elegant Emu by Karen M. Bobos with illustrations by Emily Hercock with a giveaway

If you have children or adults that are a bit uncouth this is an adorable book to read to them or for them to read to themselves. I love the illustrations, especially near the end when Elizabeth is near the end of her ropes when working with the Bobos Babes. Young children and adults will find this a fun and informative book. I received a copy of this book from ireadbooktour for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I give this book a five out of five stars.

Book Details:

Book Title: THE ELEGANT EMU (a Harmony Adventure) by Karen M. Bobos
Category: Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7), 40 pages
Genre: Children’s Picture Book, Fairy Tale
Publisher: Bobos Babes, Ltd.
Release date: June 2022

Tour dates: June 14 to July 8, 2022
Content Rating: G for everyone.

Book Description:

The magical sisters are enrolled in an etiquette class when their manners are not fit for the king and queen of the enchanted land of Harmony. Can Elizabeth the Emu help the royal sisters?

In the beautiful and peaceful land of Harmony, three magical sisters, the Bobos Babes, uproot the kingdom’s tranquility with some not-so-polite actions -nose-picking, belching, and other noisy…expulsions. Their parents, the King and Queen, enroll the sisters in the elegant Elizabeth the Emu’s etiquette class where they learn manners and other ways to self-improve like being on time, politeness, and proper personal hygiene.

​Elizabeth the Emu explains to Angel Scarlet, Princess Daphne, and Fairy Cora that having proper etiquette is more than good manners, it’s about being kind and courteous. And for the sisters? Well, let’s just say that they will be needing more than one lesson from Elizabeth the Emu’s etiquette class.

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N
Walmart

Meet the Author:

Karen M. Bobos is the multi-award-winning author of the Adventures in Harmony series, which was created in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. While living in a city of unrest, her family left Chicago to stay with her mother in Northwest Indiana for several months. She and her husband were determined to keep life filled with wonder and magic for their three daughters, Scarlett (6), Daphne (5), and Cora (3). The Adventures in Harmony series was created to entertain her daughters during their stay at Gigi’s home and is filled with characters from the sisters’ world. Everyone deserves to escape to a land filled with love and adventure where creatures co-exist and happiness awaits.​

connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

Enter to win a signed copy of Karen Bobos’ THE ELEGANT EMU (a Harmony Adventure) (one winner/USA only) (ends July 15)

Go here for the giveaway:

 

https://gleam.io/W9SpD/bobos-babes-adventures-the-elegant-emu-by-karen-bobos-book-tour-giveaway

The Beached Ones by Colleen M. Story with a giveaway

This started a bit strangely for me but I soon figured out some of what was going on with Daniel. This book is very compelling and hard to put down. I had to know more about Jolene, Brett and Tony. This is a tragic story and sometimes hard to read but it is written very well. There were many twists and turns that lead to a very good ending. I received a copy of this book from ireadbooktour for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I give this book a five out of five stars.

Book Details:

Book Title: The Beached Ones by Colleen M. Story
Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 354 pages
Genre: Paranormal, Literary, Ghost, Fantasy
Publisher: CamCat Books
Release date: June 14, 2022

Tour dates: June 14 to July 11, 2022
Content Rating: PG-13 + M: The book does explore suicide, and there is one scene indicating potential sexual abuse (that is stopped before it starts). There is the occasional swear word, but they are not frequent.

Book Description:

HE CAME BACK, DETERMINED TO KEEP HIS PROMISE.

Daniel and his younger brother grew up in an abusive home. Daniel escaped. Now an established stunt rider, he intends to go back to rescue his brother. But then one jump goes horribly wrong . . .

He recovers to find himself in Iowa, unscathed, yet his life has drastically changed. His best friend won’t answer his calls. Even his girlfriend is hiding something. Increasingly terrified, he clings to the one thing he knows: He must pick up his brother in San Francisco. In five days.

​From the isolating fields of Iowa to the crowded streets of San Francisco, Daniel must fight his way through a fog of disjointed memories and supernatural encounters to face the truth and pay a debt he didn’t know he owed.

BUY THE BOOK:
CAMCAT BOOKS
AMAZON ~ B&N ~ Nook
IndieBound ~ Kobo ~ Book Depository

Meet the Author:

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker who loves animals, music, and the great Pacific Northwest.

Her novel, Loreena’s Gift, was a Foreword Reviews’ INDIES Book of the Year Awards winner, among others. Her next novel, The Beached Ones is forthcoming from CamCat Books on June 14, 2022.

Colleen has written three books to help writers succeed. “Your Writing Matters” helps writers overcome self-doubt and determine once and for all where writing fits in their lives.

Her previous release, Writer Get Noticed!, was a gold-medal winner in the Reader’s Favorite Book Awards and a first-place winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards. Overwhelmed Writer Rescue was named Book by Book Publicity’s Best Writing/Publishing Book in 2018 and was an Amazon best seller.

With over 20 years as a professional in the creative industry, Colleen has authored thousands of articles for publications like “Healthline” and “Women’s Health;” worked with high-profile clients like Gerber Baby Products and Kellogg’s; and ghostwritten books on back pain, nutrition, and cancer recovery. She continues to work as a full-time freelance writer, helping clients create informative and inspiring communications in a variety of media formats.

Colleen frequently serves as a workshop leader, writing coach, and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers.

Go to Colleen’s website for free chapters of her books.

connect with the author: website ~twitter ~ goodreads ~ bookbub

Here is the link to see the trailer:

https://youtu.be/cMDSFQTUsOg

Go here for the giveaway:

https://gleam.io/5P5GI/the-beached-ones-book-tour-giveaway

Critical Alliance by Elizabeth Goddard

This is a fantastic book and my favorite one in this series. I loved the suspense and the romance. I love how Alex and MacKenzie work together. I love that Alex is the muscle that knows some about cybersecurity and Mackenzie is great at cybersecurity. This story is fast paced and keeps you wanting more. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I give this book a five out of five stars.

PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION

Mackenzie Hanson’s special set of skills opened the door to a successful career as a professor of cybersecurity at a Michigan university, allowing her to put her criminal past behind her. But when a long-ago partner in crime delivers a cryptic message about her father’s tech company being under cyberattack, she heads for Montana to secure exposed assets, close security breaches, and hopefully save lives.Diplomatic Security Services special agent Alex Knight is back home in Montana to decompress from a mission gone wrong. But even as he’s trying to relax, he’s drawn into another mystery, complete with suspicious deaths, lethal threats, and whispers of espionage that all have one thing in common–a beautiful cybersecurity expert with a dark past.When the situation turns deadly, Alex and Mackenzie will have to work together to find the answers they need–before someone silences Mackenzie for good.USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard weaves a tangled web of nail-biting suspense and heart-stopping romance in this fast-paced conclusion to her Rocky Mountain Courage series.

Mother’s Day Murder by Tonya Kappes

I loved this second book in this new series. It was so much fun learning so much about Violets mother. There were lots of twists and turns and it is interesting to see how Violet solves murders. I love this town that celebrates every holiday in a special way. The people in this town are a very interesting group of people. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I give this book a five out of five stars.

PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION

CELEBRATE GOOD CRIMES!

Holiday Cozy Mystery Series is a spin-off of Tonya Kappes’s popular A Camper and Criminals Cozy Mystery Series! You do not want to miss Violet Rhinehammer’s journey and some appearances from our beloved Laundry Club Ladies and favorite characters from A Camper and Criminals Cozy Mystery crossover series!

It’s Mother’s Day in Holiday Junction and Violet Rhinehammer is covering all the Mother’s Day events in the holiday town and not alone! Her mother is in town to see exactly why her daughter decide to stay in the small town instead of coming home to Kentucky to their beloved Daniel Boone National Park.

To say Violet’s mother isn’t very fond of Violet’s new home is one thing and has to defend her issues against some of the leading mothers in Holiday Junction has put Violet in a very hard spot. After all, Violet has been trying to get in the inner circle so she can hear the good gossip since she is writing the anonymous gossip column in Junction Journal.

When a mother in that gossip circles turns up dead, Violet Rhinehammer’s mother is Chief Strickland’s number one suspect.
Who on earth could do such a thing on Mother’s Day? Certainly not Violet Rhinehammer’s mother and Violet has to put on her best journalist-investigating skills to the test and solve the murder before mother goes to jail and Violet is again out of a job.

Holiday Cozy Mystery Series is your one stop read for cozy mysteries set during the holidays. Some of them will be released before the intended holiday but most won’t because Tonya writes these exclusively for her Patreon group and releases them as she sees fit. If you’d like more information on the Patreon group you can go to Tonya’s website in her Amazon bio to check it out.

Shadows in the Aftermath by Marianne Scott with a giveaway

This is a pretty good story. I really like Ruby. I also like the rest of the Draker family. There is a little action in this story but not very much. I like that this story is showing that Ruby is growing more mature. Make sure to read the first story in the series so you understand who Ruby and her family are. I received a copy of this book from ireadbooktour for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I give this a four out of five stars.

Book Details:

​Book Title:  Shadows in the Aftermath by Marianne Scott
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+),  330 pages
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Publisher:  Friesen Press
Release date:  June 2022
Tour dates: June 6 to July 1, 2022
Content Rating:  PG-13 +M. Occasional Profanity

Book Description:

Ruby Draker has found new strength and is ready to move on after Felix Szabo devastated the Draker estate in Nice, France. Three Drakers are dead leaving Ruby in grief and with thoughts of revenge. The Drakers are a family built of survivors; each rescued from Felix Szabo, a psychopath, who sought to murder his former agents at the CIA whom he believed betrayed him. The Drakers’ sole mission is to stop Szabo from adding more victims to his list, and although he also perished during the invasion, his legacy continues to haunt them. When the Drakers learn that Robert Draker, presumed dead since the shoot-out at Robert’s farmhouse, may be alive and at a rehab clinic in Portland, Maine, the Drakers know it could be a setup, but they have no choice but to try to nd him and bring Robert home.

​Shocked that Robert may be alive, the family head from France to America to find him. It’s only when they arrive in the west that they realize finding Robert won’t be as easy as they thought. Szabo has found a way to terrorize the Draker family, even after death. His outstanding debt with a Corsican crime family means the Drakers must now find and deliver a shipment of plutonium, which will likely be used by terrorists to create a nuclear bomb, to get Robert back. As Ruby struggles with the decision to save her brother or North America, she must also evade the CIA, who are trying to stop the Drakers from delivering the plutonium. 

BUY THE BOOK:
Friesen Press Bookstore
Amazon.ca~ Amazon.com

Meet the Author:

Marianne Scott is the Canadian author of four mystery thrillers and is currently finishing an edit on her fourth novel, a murder mystery. She has a BA and a Diploma in Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, CA. She studied creative writing through Conestoga College and Humber College. She enjoys writing workshops such as those offered by Brian Henry, publisher of the blog, Quick Brown Fox, and One Lit Place, a writers’ hub by creator/editor Jenna Kalinsky. She has an author’s website and blog is the president of The Cambridge Writers’ Collective and is a member of the Guelph Genre Writers. In September of 2018, she completed a fourth-year course in Writing Fiction at the University of Guelph under the expert teaching of Lawrence Hill. Her novels, Finding Ruby Draker and Shadows in the Aftermathare self-published. She is actively seeking representation to break into the traditional publishing world with her third and fourth novels.  

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ twitter ~ facebook~ instagram ~ 

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Enter the Giveaway:

Giveaway:​

 

Win paperback copies of both FINDING RUBY DRAKER and SHADOWS IN THE AFTERMATH (4 winners) (USA only) (ends July 8)

https://gleam.io/fN4Am/finding-ruby-drakershadows-in-the-aftermath-book-tour-giveaway

The Brighter the Light by Mary Ellen Taylor

I loved how we got to learn the secrets from the past and the present. Ivy and Ruth are great characters. It was nice learning about Ruth and her past and how it related to Ivy and her friends and what they were all going through. This is a very sweet tale that you will not want to put down until you find out what happened that long ago summer. I received a copy of this book from MB Books for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I give this book a five out of five stars.

PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION

From the bestselling author of Honeysuckle Season comes an evocative dual-timeline novel detailing one woman’s journey to discover the hidden stories of her family’s seaside resort.When a shipwreck surfaces, old secrets are sure to follow.Or so goes the lore in Ivy Neale’s hometown of Nags Head, North Carolina. When Ivy inherits her family’s beachfront cottage upon her grandmother’s death, she knows returning to Nags Head means facing the best friend and the boyfriend who betrayed her years ago.But then a winter gale uncovers the shipwreck of local legend—and Ivy soon begins to stumble across more skeletons in the closet than just her own. Amid the cottage’s clutter are clues from her grandmother’s past at the enchanting seaside resort her family once owned. One fateful summer in 1950, the arrival of a dazzling singer shook the staff and guests alike—and not everyone made it to fall.As Ivy contends with broken relationships and a burgeoning romance in the present, the past threatens to sweep her away. But as she uncovers the strength of her grandmother and the women who came before her, she realizes she is like the legendary shipwreck: the sands may shift around her, but she has found her home here by the sea.

The Songs That Could Have Been by Amanda Wen with a giveaway

This story made me laugh and cry. I loved the two stories that took place in the present and the one that takes place in the 1950s. I love that Lauren and her family decide to find an old friend of their grandmother who has dementia. I love how the past and the present come together to help Lauren and Carter figure out their own relationships. I received a copy of this book from the IReadwithAudra tour for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I give this book a five out of five stars.

Book giveaway:

Go here to get to the giveaway:

https://www.audrajennings.com/2022/06/win-copy-of-songs-that-could-have-been.html (will be live on 6/21)

About the book:

Two couples in love. Two sets of impossible circumstances. One powerful God of grace.

After a devastating tailspin in her late teens, Lauren Anderson’s life is finally back on track. Then a chance meeting with Carter Douglas, her first love and the man who broke her heart, threatens to throw her well-balanced world out of control.

Now a TV meteorologist, Carter is determined to make amends with Lauren. After all, she still owns his heart. But his old demons are forcing him toward the same decision he faced in the past. Is he courageous enough to make a different choice this time around?

When Lauren’s elderly grandmother, Rosie, begins having nightmares about a man named Ephraim–a name her family has never heard before—a fascinating and forbidden past love comes to light. As Lauren and Carter work to uncover the untold stories of Rosie’s past in 1950s Wichita, they embark on a journey of forgiveness and second chances that will change their lives—and Rosie’s—forever. Along the way they’ll learn that God wastes nothing, his timing is perfect, and nothing is beyond his grace and redemption.

Click here to read an excerpt.

What Others Are Saying

“A reading experience both heartfelt and heart-tugging, a timeless exploration of young and enduring love and the grace found in second chances. Amanda Wen is a rare and remarkable storyteller, and this is a novel I will not soon forget.” –Amanda Barratt, Christy Award-winning author of The White Rose Resists

“A stunning journey of loss, love, and yearning. . . . Past and present are deftly woven together in this dual-timeline narrative that will leave readers flying through the pages.” – Amanda Cox, author of the 2021 Christy Award Book of the Year, The Edge of Belonging

About the author:

Amanda Wen is an award-winning writer of inspirational romance and split-time women’s fiction. She has placed first in multiple writing contests, including the 2017 Indiana Golden Opportunity, the 2017 Phoenix Rattler, and the 2016 ACFW First Impressions contests. She was also a 2018 ACFW Genesis Contest finalist. Her debut novel was a 2021 Christy Award First Novel finalist.
 
Wen is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and regularly contributes author interviews for their Fiction Finder feature. She also frequently interviews authors for her blog and is a contributor to the God Is Love blog. She is the author of Roots of Wood and Stone and The Songs That Could Have Been.
 
In addition to her writing, Wen is an accomplished professional cellist and pianist who frequently performs with orchestras, chamber groups, and her church’s worship team. She serves as a choral accompanist as well. A lifelong denizen of the flatlands, Wen lives in Kansas with her patient, loving, and hilarious husband, their three adorable Wenlets, and a snuggly Siamese cat.
 
To find Amanda Wen’s blog and short stories, visit www.amandawen.com. Readers can also follower her on Facebook (@AuthorAmandaWen), Twitter (@AuthorAmandaWen), and Instagram (@authoramandawen).

Rangers, RV’s and Revenge by Tonya Kappes

This has been one of my favorite books in this series. I love Mae and Hank. FiFi and Chester and all of the Laundry Club Ladies just keep getting better. I always love the descriptions of the Daniel Boone National Park. This was a quick fun story. It was interesting to learn a little about Violets replacement. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I give this book a five out of five stars.

PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY WITH A SMIDGEN OF HOMICIDE

USA Today Bestselling author Tonya Kappes brings you southern and quirky characters in her mystery series. Her stories are charged with humor, friendship, family and life in small southern towns.

Dairy, Dairy, Quite Contrary by Amy Lillard

I feel this is a wonderful start to a new cozy mystery series. I love that it has a mixture of Amish and Englisher. Sissy is a great sleuth. I think it will be fun to see if Sissy gets into a romance with Gavin. I also love Duke the little Yorkshire terroir. This story was fun and we get to learn about the town of Yoder. I enjoyed the witticisms from Aunt Bess and hope to learn more about this column. I look forward to the next book in the series. I received a copy of this book from Kensington books for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I give this book a five out of five stars.

PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION

Looking for a fresh start, advice columnist Sissy Yoder heads to small-town Yoder, Kansas, to help in her aunt’s café. But when a milkman is murdered, the newcomer becomes the prime suspect . . .

After Sissy’s rodeo cowboy boyfriend turns out to be more of a rodeo clown, she packs a bag; picks up her Yorkshire terrier Duke; and leaves Tulsa, Oklahoma, bound for her parents’ former hometown. There are still plenty of Yoders in Yoder, Kansas, including Sissy’s aunt Bethel, who owns the Sunflower Café but recently broke her leg. It’s a homecoming of sorts as Sissy arrives to help in the café and reunite with her pregnant cousin Lizzie. Plus she can continue to secretly write her newspaper advice column as seventy-year-old “Aunt Bess.” But it’s Sissy who could use some advice when she finds the milk deliveryman out behind the café with a knife in his back. As the sheriff’s prime suspect, it’s up to Sissy to catch the backstabber herself—before someone else gets creamed . . .

The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer

I could not put down this tragic tale of Sophie and Lizzie that takes place before, during and after WWll. I enjoyed how the story was told from Sophies and Lizzies perspectives. I liked both of these women and understood partly how they each felt about what and how they handled the years leading up to and during WWll. This was depressing in some parts because the descriptions of what happened during the war were hard to read. I received a copy of this book from Harlequin for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I give this book a five out of five stars.

The German Wife : A Novel 

Kelly Rimmer

On Sale Date: June 28, 2022

9781525811432

Trade Paperback

$17.99 USD

464 pages

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The enmity between two women from opposing sides of the war culminates in a shocking event as anti-German sentiment sweeps America, when the aristocratic wife of a German scientist must face the social isolation, hostility and violence leveled against her and her family when they’re forced to relocate to Alabama in the aftermath of WWII. For fans of Beatriz Wiliams, Pam Jenoff, and Kristin Harmel.

Berlin, 1934—Ilse Meyer is the aristocratic wife of a scientist whose post-WWI fortunes change for the better when her husband, Jurgen, is recruited for Hitler’s new rocket program. Although Ilse and Jurgen do not share the popular political views rising in Germany, Jurgen’s new job forces them to consider what they must sacrifice morally for their financial security. But too late they realize the Nazi’s plans to weaponize Jurgen’s technology as they begin to wage war against the rest of Europe.

Huntsville, Alabama, 1949—Jurgen is one of hundreds of Nazi scientists offered pardons and taken to the US to work for the CIA’s fledgling space program. Ilse, now the mother of four, misses Germany terribly and struggles to fit in among the other NASA wives, who look upon her with suspicion. In a moment of loneliness, she confesses to a neighbor, Rachel Carlson, about Jurgen’s membership in the SS and her resentment for being forced to live in a country that will always see her as the enemy. What she doesn’t know is that she has trusted the wrong neighbor.

When the scandalous news about the Meyer family’s affiliation with the Nazi party spreads, idle gossip turns to bitter rage, and the act of violence that results will tear apart a community and a family before the truth is finally revealed—but is it murder, revenge or justice?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kelly Rimmer is the worldwide, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Before I Let You Go, The Things We Cannot Say, and Truths I Never Told You. She lives in rural Australia with her husband, two children and fantastically naughty dogs, Sully and Basil. Her novels have been translated into more than twenty languages. Please visit her at https://www.kellyrimmer.com/

SOCIAL LINKS:

Author website: https://www.kellyrimmer.com/

Facebook: @Kellymrimmer

Twitter: @KelRimmerWrites

Instagram: @kelrimmerwrites

BUY LINKS:

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/books/the-german-wife-9781525899904/9781525899904 

IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781525811432 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-german-wife-kelly-rimmer/1139609914?ean=9781525811432  

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09FGT2V4F/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i4 

Indigo: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-german-wife-a-novel/9781525804830-item.html?ikwidx=1&ikwsec=Books#algoliaQueryId=bcb8245f4a6a5bf65037b28607513004