Weekend Wrap-Up: October 29th

 

 

It’s Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Book Date.

Finished

(Reviews can be found under Book Review tag)

Currently reading

Next up:

Keeping it small since reading was very slow this last month:

What are you reading this week?

Blog Posts Recap:

Here is my past week's Blog Posts.

Top Ten Tuesday

Can't Wait Wednesday

Book Spotlight Fridays!

Saturday Series Discovery

Adding to the Bookshelf:

Which Avid Reader do not add to their shelves! I try to limit mine to review books since I have so many owned on my TBR to read.  So did I add to my shelf this week? 

One ARC this week:

One purchase this week:

Can't Wait Wednesday! The Juliet Code

 Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

I enjoyed the first two books in the series and looking forward to book three,  releasing December 2023.

About the book: The Juliet Code

Newlyweds Lord and Lady Astley Finally Reach Their Honeymoon Destination Only to Encounter a New Mystery in Need of Solving
 
Frederick and Grace Percy finally make it to Italy to enjoy a delayed honeymoon and explore the beauties of the historic city of Venice. To their surprise, their friend, Detective Jack Miracle, is also in the city, investigating a series of art heists starting at the house of eccentric millionaire, Laraby Covington. Drawn into a world of boat races, mysterious houses, and parties of the rich and unusual in Venice, Frederick and Grace learn of the existence of the Juliet paintings, (Renaissance paintings feature Shakespeare’s tragic heroine) rumored to hold a secret code to an underground vault of similarly treasured artwork assumed lost over the centuries. As Freddie and Grace are pulled deeper into the mystery and their beloved Detective Jack disappears, can they use their wits and work as a team to find the thieves and Jack before it’s too late. 
 
The Juliet Code is a Freddie and Grace Mystery, sequel to The Mistletoe Countess and The Cairo Curse.

What are you waiting on this week?

Review: Shadows at Dusk

Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard
My rating: 💛💛💛💛

What a terrific prologue!

It grabbed my attention and set the tone for a fast-paced adrenalin rush as I enjoyed this adventure with Trevor and Carrie. One clue led to the other which led to various mysteries to solve.

The plot confused me at a specific time, feeling like I don’t know where it is going, but all made sense at the end.

The author did a great job with describing the scenes and making the Alaskan scenery feel visible while reading.

I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Book 1: Counter Attack

View all my reviews

About the book:

Montana Detective Trevor West is desperate to learn what happened to his sister, who went missing in Alaska over a year ago, leaving nothing but a few photographs as clues to her whereabouts. At the advice of Police Chief Autumn Long, Trevor enlists the help of an experienced bush pilot. If Carrie James can't help him find the places in the photographs, no one can.

But Carrie has her own agenda. Grieving the death of her closest friend and the only person she could trust, Carrie will help Trevor find his sister on one condition--that he help her track down her friend's killer.

As the two close in on the answers they crave, they'll face dangers and connections they could not have imagined. They'll have to learn to trust one another--and face the dark secrets of the past--if they are ever to discover the truth and bring a killer to justice.

About the author:

Winner of an Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award in Suspense, Patricia Bradley lives in North Mississippi

with her rescue kitty, Suzy, and loves to write suspense with a twist of romance. Her Logan Point series is available at all on-line retailers and major bookstores. In September 2017, JUSTICE BURIED, the second book in the Memphis Cold Case Novels will release.

Her workshops on writing include online courses with American Christian Fiction Writers, workshops at the Mid-South Christian Writer’s Conference, ACFW Minnesota NICE and Memphis ACFW. When she has time, she likes to throw mud on a wheel and see what happens.

I love connecting with readers on my blog every Tuesday where I have a Mystery Question for them to solve: www.patriciabradleyauthor.com/blog
Twitter: @ptbradley1
FaceBook: www.facebook.com/patriciabradleyauthor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ptbradley/

Weekend Wrap-up: October 22

 

It’s Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Book Date.

So over this past month, I was off line busy packing up our life in South Africa and moving to the Netherlands.  There is still lots to do with such a big move, but slowly settling in day by day.

Finished

(Reviews can be found under Book Review tag)

Currently reading

Next up:

Keeping it small since reading was very slow this last month:

What are you reading this week?

Blog Posts Recap:

Here is my past week's Blog Posts.

Top Ten Tuesday

Can't Wait Wednesday

Book Spotlight Fridays!

Saturday Series Discovery

Adding to the Bookshelf:

Which Avid Reader do not add to their shelves! I try to limit mine to review books since I have so many owned on my TBR to read.  So did I add to my shelf this week? 

One ARC this week:

Review: On Moonberry Lake

On Moonberry Lake by Holly Varni
My rating: 💛💛💛

This was a beautiful story about new beginnings, second chances and new friendships if you are only willing to open and allow people to see more than what we usually are willing to share.

I loved every character in this story. Each one with their own uniqueness brought an aspect of growth to Cora but also experienced their own growth.

There was quite a few awkward moments Cora found herself in which added to some fun and light moments.

This was a well written story for a first novel. There are some small things which I personally felt could improve, but I am sure as the author’s career develops, the writing will get even stronger.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*


View all my reviews

About the book:

Cora Matthews has long wondered why her mother stopped taking her to visit her grandparents' lodge in the small Northwoods Minnesota town of Moonberry Lake. Now, after burying her mother and breaking off her engagement just two weeks before her wedding, Cora has a chance to find out. Once there, she is stunned to learn that the old lodge is her inheritance--with a surprising condition attached. Maybe some time to regroup on the shores of a beautiful lake is just what Cora needs to figure out what's next for her.

But Cora's days on the lake are anything but relaxing. The only thing that's a bigger mess than her own life is the dilapidated building she's living in. Add a cantankerous handywoman, an angry neighbor, and an elderly woman who spends all her time talking to the "residents" in the cemetery and Cora's not sure she can stick it out. But if she can, she may find a love she never expected--from the most unexpected people imaginable. This homespun tale of new friendships, sweet romance, and ordinary miracles will have you wishing you could spend a summer (or a lifetime) on Moonberry Lake.

About the author:

Holly Varni is a native Minnesotan of strong Norwegian descent, who was

raised in the Lutheran Church that Garrison Keillor made a career depicting. Between the lutefisk, grumpy grandparents, and the crazy neighbor who mowed his lawn wearing pajamas, the seed to becoming a storyteller was planted. She wants to give readers characters they can connect with, admire, laugh at, and most of all love.

She is podcast host of “Moments from Moonberry Lake,” and author of the “Moonberry Lake” series.

In her personal life, she married a University Professor with the same chocolate eyes as her romantic lead. They live on the Central Coast of California with their three sons. The characters of Moonberry Lake and their unique stories came about as she was trying to survive being a boy mom. When not doing laundry or writing, she has the privilege of being a Hospice volunteer, where she sits with the dying and listens to their stories.

Review: Havoc

Havoc by Ronie Kendig
My rating: 💛💛💛💛

I loved the Breed Apart Trilogy when I read it a few years ago and was excited to find out there was a spin off series.

Havoc was an adorable-can’t-help-to-love 4 legged hero and demonstrated his cute personality through out the story. But we also saw why he was called a military working dog in a few dangerous situations.

Creed and Vienna were characters who had physical and inner strength, but also their own insecurities and challenges to overcome. That is something I always appreciated about Ronie Kendig’s characters. They are strong and fiercely but also vulnerable and can be hurt.

I am looking forward to the rest of the series, all new published authors mentored by Ronie Kendig.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*

View all my reviews

About the book:

Former Special Forces operator Sergeant Crew Gatlin takes everything in stride, even the career-ending incident that separated him from the Army, half a leg, and his beloved working dog, Havoc K027. Putting his life back together and lying low, he takes a job with A Breed Apart and is unexpectedly reunited with Havoc. It’s too good to be true—and the proof is in their first assignment: to work as a K-9 team for a television drama in Los Angeles. Miffed at being relegated to TV fodder, he’s willing to pay the price when he sees the stuntwoman.
Being a stunt double allows Vienna Foxcroft to fulfill her acting dream—with a side of MMA—and stay out of the limelight. The same one that plagued her childhood and put her through a nightmare scenario. Now, her tight-knit stunt team are the only ones she trusts. Then in walks Mr. Mountain-of-Muscle and his tough-as-nails dog, and Vienna has a bad feeling her life is about to turn upside down.
Ticked as they head overseas for a location shoot in Turkey, Crew guts it up—after all, he has Havoc again. Okay, and yeah—Vienna is going, too. When an attack sends the cast fleeing into the streets of Turkey, Vienna must face the demons of her past or be devoured by them. And Crew and Havoc are tested like never before.


HAVOC kicks off the heart-pounding new romantic suspense series, A Breed Legacy, brought to you by Ronie Kendig and Sunrise Publishing. This is a spin-off from Kendig's action-packed, award-winning A Breed Apart series, featuring courageous military working dogs and their handlers.

About the author:

Ronie Kendig is a bestselling, award-winning author of over thirty books. She grew up an Army brat, and now she and her Army-veteran husband have returned to their beloved Texas after a nearly ten-year stint in the Northeast. They survive on Sonic runs, barbecue, and peach cobbler that they share--sometimes--with Benning the Stealth Golden and AAndromeda the #mwdwashout. Ronie's degree in psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters.

Since launching onto the publishing scene, Ronie’s Rapid-Fire Fiction has hit the CBA Bestseller List, won the prestigious Christy Award, Carol Award, the RT Reviewers' Choice Award (twice), the HOLT Medallion, the IRCA, and FamilyFiction’s Readers’ Choice Awards.

Ronie loves people and helping other writers through speaking, workshops, and/or mentoring. Find Ronie at www.roniekendig.com, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/rapidfirefiction) , Twitter (@roniekendig), GoodReads, and Instagram (www.instagram.com/kendigronie ).