Two Challenge Wrap Ups

I completed two challenges and here are the wrap up posts...

Book Beginnings on Friday/The Friday 56 - September 29th

This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join on the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.

It's that simple.

Friendly Fill-Ins - September 29th

This meme is hosted by Ann at McGuffy's Reader and Ellen at 15andmeowing. Each week they will post four fill-in statements.

Here are my answers to this weeks statements...

Review: Familiar Trouble by Caroline Haines

Genre:
Mystery

Format:
E-Book

Publisher:
KaliOka Press

Release Date:
July 10, 2017

Blog Tour: In The Stars by Zanna Mackenzie (Spotlight)

About the Book

Genre:  Cozy Mystery
1st in Series, Amber Reed Mystery
Publisher:  Self Published
Publication Date: December 11, 2014
Print Length: 364 pages
ASIN: B00QXFNP62

Can't Wait Wednesday - September 27th

This meme is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings.

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

First Chapter Tuesday/Teaser Tuesday - September 26th

Every Tuesday Diane at Bibliophile By the Sea hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where we share the first paragraph or (a few) of a book we are reading or thinking about reading soon. Care to join us?

If you'd like to play along on Teaser Tuesdays, just click the button above.


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, now being hosted by Ambrosia at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week I'm reading...

Blog Tour: Crepe Factor by Laura Childs with Terry Farley Moran (Spotlight/Tour-Wide Giveaway)

Crepe Factor
by Laura Childs
with Terry Farley Moran

Crepe Factor
(A Scrapbooking Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
14th in Series
Berkley (October 3, 2017)
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425266717
E-Book ASIN: B01AHKY37I

Blog Tour: Dead in the Water by Denise Swanson (Review)

About the Book

Genre: Cozy Mystery, #1 in Welcome Back to Scumble River Mystery Series
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Release Date: September 5, 2017

Sunday/Monday Posts - September 24th and 25th

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

If you'd like to participate with The Sunday Salon, it is now a Facebook group.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading is a meme with a new host!  It's now being hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. This is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

I'm also linking to  Stacking The Shelves which is hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews.

Blog Tour: Body on Baker Street: A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery by Vicki Delany (Review/Tour-Wide Giveaway)

Body on Baker Street: A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery
by Vicki Delany

Body on Baker Street: A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Crooked Lane Books (September 12, 2017)
Hardcover: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1683312994
E-Book ASIN: B06XW3K7F5

Gemma Doyle and Jayne Wilson are busy managing the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium on Baker Street and adjoining Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room in anticipation of the store’s upcoming book signing with the illustrious Renalta Van Markoff, author of the controversial Hudson and Holmes mystery series. But during the author Q&A session, dedicated Sherlockian Donald Morris verbally attacks Renalta and her series for disgracing Sherlock’s legacy, only to be publicly humiliated when the author triumphantly lashes back and gains the upper hand. That is until Renalta collapses on the table―dead.

Donald insists he didn’t do it and pleads to his friends to clear his name. Fortunately, Gemma and Jayne have no shortage of suspects between author’s bullied personal assistant, her frustrated publicist, the hapless publisher, a handsome rare book dealer, an obsessively rabid fan, and a world of other Sherlock enthusiasts with strong objections to Renalta’s depiction of the Great Detective. It’s up to the shrewd sleuthing duo to eliminate the impossible and deduce the truth before the West London police arrest an innocent man in Body on Baker Street, the second Sherlock Homes Bookshop mystery perfect for fans of Miranda James and Kate Carlisle.

My Review

Along with her uncle, Arthur, Gemma Doyle is co-owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium. Their shop is connected to her friend Jayne’s Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room. Gemma is thrilled when she’s asked to host a popular mystery author in her shop for a book signing event. It’s very short notice, but that’s not going to stop Gemma. This is a chance to make her bookstore a success and she’s not going to let it slip by. With help from Jayne, they quickly get both shops ready to accommodate the event.

Bestselling author Renalta Van Markoff has a huge following for her Hudson and Holmes mystery series. It doesn’t take long for word to get out about the book signing. The day of the event, Gemma finds herself with a packed house including all kinds of people - from obsessive fans to handsome book collectors. There’s also a devoted Sherlock fan who publicly attacks Renalta for ruining the Sherlock legacy. Plus, another person making wild accusations against Renalta. All of this leads to Renalta’s untimely death and possible murder.

With quite a few suspects in the mix, Gemma fears the police are going in the wrong direction in their investigation. So, she lends a helping hand, whether they want it or not.

This is the second book in the “A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery” series. I didn’t read the first one, but I don’t feel as if I missed anything. There is enough information in this book so readers don’t feel lost at all.

The characters are strong, well-developed and intriguing. There is even a cute cat named Moriarity. This felt like a classic cozy murder mystery. The perfect setting in a Sherlock Holmes bookstore in a small town.

Vicki Delany gets your attention from page one and doesn’t let you go. It’s a quick read and an enjoyable way to spend a few hours. I’ve read other series by this author and she certainly knows how to write clever cozy mystery series. She’s a proven expert at bringing mysteries to life.  I'm already looking forward to book three and, yes, I'll be going back to read the first one.




For reading challenges:
Cloak & Dagger Reading Challenge 2017
Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge 2017

FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most prolific and varied crime writers and a national bestseller in the U.S. She has written more than twenty-five books:  clever cozies to Gothic thrillers to gritty police procedurals, to historical fiction and novellas for adult literacy. Under the name of Eva Gates, she writes the Lighthouse Library cozy series for Penguin Random House. Her latest book is Body on Baker Street, the second in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series from Crooked Lane.

Vicki is the past president of the Crime Writers of Canada.  Her work has been nominated for the Derringer, the Bony Blithe, the Ontario Library Association Golden Oak, and the Arthur Ellis Awards.

www.vickidelany.com  Facebook:  Vicki Delany & Eva Gates  and twitter: @vickidelany and @evagatesauthor

Purchase Links

Amazon  B&N

Tour-Wide Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

September 11 – Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf - CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 11 – A Blue Million Books - CHARACTER INTERVIEW

September 12 – Valerie's Musings - REVIEW, GUEST POST

September 12 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT

September 13 – The Book's the Thing - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 13 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT

September 14 – My Reading Journeys - REVIEW, INTERVIEW

September 14 – Book Club Librarian - REVIEW

September 15 – Reading Is My SuperPower - REVIEW

September 15 – Babs Book Bistro – REVIEW

September 16 – Varietats2010 – REVIEW

September 16 – Carole's Book Corner – REVIEW

September 17 – Bookworm Cafe - REVIEW, GUEST POST

September 17 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 18 – CelticLady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 18 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

September 19 – Queen of All She Reads - REVIEW

September 19 – Laura's Interests - REVIEW, GUEST POST

September 20 – Book Babble – REVIEW

September 20 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST

September 21 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – REVIEW

September 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

September 22 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – INTERVIEW

September 22 – Melina's Book Blog - REVIEW

September 22 – That's What She's Reading – REVIEW

September 23 – Socrates' Book Reviews – REVIEW

September 23 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers - CHARACTER INTERVIEW

September 24 – Cozy Up With Kathy - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 24 – A Cozy Experience – REVIEW

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?

Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!

Friendly Fill-Ins - September 22nd

This meme is hosted by Ann at McGuffy's Reader and Ellen at 15andmeowing. Each week they will post four fill-in statements.

Here are my answers to this weeks statements...

Book Beginnings on Friday/The Friday 56 - September 22nd

This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join on the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.

It's that simple.

Book Blast: Wickedly Ever After: Halloween Hijinks by Lotta Smith (Tour-Wide Giveaway)

Title:
WICKEDLY EVER AFTER: HALLOWEEN HIJINKS

Author: Lotta Smith

Publisher: Independent

Pages: 213

Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery

As the new Mrs. Rowling, life is supposed to be easy for former FBI Special Assistant Amanda Meyer. Marriage to her drop dead gorgeous boss Rick is everything she dreamed of, unfortunately she can’t sleep, and she can’t even blame the ghost of his late stepmom Clara for popping up in the middle of the night with a tricky request.

Someone staged mechanic Fynn’s death to look like a suicide, and now his unhappy ghost is keeping Clara and her dead friends awake all night. Proving he was murdered will keep the newlyweds hopping, and the real trick will be staying alive in this hilariously wicked book in the Manhattan Mystery Series.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

At exactly three o’clock in the morning, I was in bed, turning over for the umpteenth time. For some unknown reason, I couldn’t fall asleep. In fact, I didn’t have even a blink of sleep.

Okay, so I was pretending not to know the reason for my difficulty, but I could come up with possible reasons. For starters, I had a little too much espresso cake after dinner and a few more cups of strong green tea than the recommended amount at lunch. Also, in the past few hours alone, I had at least thirteen people visit me, asking about the whereabouts of their personal belongings and if I thought their spouses were cheating on them. All of them happened to be former residents of this upscale condo on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, where I called home. The last straw was Mrs. Williams, who kept demanding I return her hearing aid. I kept telling her that I wasn’t the evil woman who hid her belongings, and I shared my hunch that her family might have forgotten to put her hearing device with her; however, she didn’t seem to fathom what I was trying to say—perhaps because she didn’t have her hearing aid.

By the way, did I mention that all those people who visited me during these ungodly hours had been dead for years?

My name is Amanda Rowling, née Meyer, a part-time secretary for my husband and mostly a stay-at-home housewife, and people, including but not limited to my husband Rick, usually call me Mandy.

Anyway, I was trying my best to grab some sleep before dawn, not that I had to get up early and go to work in the morning, but Rick had been busy since joining USCAB—United States Cover All Bases, a security-based conglomerate owned and run by his dad—and I wanted to do my best to be his super-supportive partner. Cooking power breakfasts for him and myself had become my ritual since I moved in with him at this condo over a year ago, and I was determined to continue this ritual. Anyway, using knives and a hot oven in a sleep-deprived status wasn’t high on my to-do list. I tended to commit faux-pas in the kitchen, like scorching eggs and bacon to a crisp, whenever I was short of sleep.

Before marrying him, I used to work for the FBI’s New York City headquarters as a special assistant. At first, I was just an assistant with a mission to keep my then-boss Rick Rowling, the sexy, arrogant loose cannon who loved nothing more than trouble, from wreaking havoc and destroying NYC. However, a little after starting my FBI career, I developed a special skill of seeing dead people and communicating with them, and my tasks expanded to interviewing murder victims and dead witnesses.

When Rick, who was the head of Paranormal Cases Division and the only colleague I had, left the feds to join his family business, I followed his suit and resigned from the feds.


Even though Sheldon Hernandez, the head of the FBI’s New York City headquarters, offered me a lucrative consulting contract, I declined. At that time, leaving my life with the FBI, communicating with dead people and dodging frequent temper tantrums thrown at me by the deceased, and concentrating on being Mrs. Rowling seemed like a fabulous idea. But after the wedding and returning from our honeymoon, I wasn’t sure if I made the right decision. At that time, I presumed I’d stop encountering the spirits of dead; however, things didn’t go as I’d hoped. I was still having as many ghostly visitors as before.

And, recalling my past life as an FBI assistant, I was horrified to found myself sort of missing my days dealing with the murderers, crooks, and dead people. Okay, so having nothing to do with criminals should be the norm for most people, and when I left the feds, I couldn’t wait to spend my days without worrying about being assaulted by evil ghosts and bad humans, but…

Lotta Smith is the author of Paranormal in Manhattan Mystery series. She fell in love with mystery the moment she developed consciousness. She is especially fond of lighthearted murder mystery stories with a little sprinkle of romance.



She went to medical school hoping to see real corpses and sexy professors. Back then, she was into this kind of mystery series about a smokin' hot forensic medicine professor and a quirky female student going a-sleuthing, cracking unsolvable cases. Lotta truly, madly wanted to team up with a superhot professor and crack a difficult murder or two. (Note; she got to see the corpses, but sexy professors were nonexistent.)



Lotta loves to hear from her readers. Feel free to drop her a line at lottasmith_author@yahoo.com.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

GIVEAWAY!

Lotta Smith is giving
away a collection of six books:

Wickedly Ever After:
Halloween Hijinks by Lotta Smith

Trick or
Treason by Kathi Daley

A Witchmas
Carol by Amanda M Lee

Dark, Witch
& Creamy by H Y Hanna

Curse of the
Day by Annabel Chase

Dead Man
Talking by Jana DeLeon

Thank-you for
your participation prize: Everyone receives a free ebook copy of:

Whoever Finds
the Wicked: Rick Rowling's Secret File (Paranormal in Manhattan
Mystery Prequel) Whoever
Finds the Wicked: Rick Rowling's Secret File

Terms & Conditions:

• By entering
  the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• One winner
  will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive the book collection.
• This
  giveaway ends midnight October 13.
• Winner will
  be contacted via email on October 16.
• Winner has
  48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Can't Wait Wednesday - September 20th

This meme is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings.

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

Blog Tour: Unexpected Outcomes (An Angela Panther Mystery) by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson (Spotlight/Tour-Wide Giveaway)

About the Book

First Chapter Tuesday/Teaser Tuesday - September 19th

Every Tuesday Diane at Bibliophile By the Sea hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where we share the first paragraph or (a few) of a book we are reading or thinking about reading soon. Care to join us?

If you'd like to play along on Teaser Tuesdays, just click the button above.


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, now being hosted by Ambrosia at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week I'm reading...

Blog Tour: Protocol (A Maggie O'Malley Mystery) by Kathleen Valenti (Review/Tour-Wide Giveaway)

Protocol (A Maggie O'Malley Mystery)
by Kathleen Valenti

Protocol (A Maggie O'Malley Mystery)
Medical Thriller/Mystery
1st in Series
Henery Press (September 5, 2017)
Paperback: 276 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1635112399
E-Book ASIN: B072JZK43D

Freshly minted college graduate Maggie O’Malley embarks on a career fueled by professional ambition and a desire to escape the past. As a pharmaceutical researcher, she’s determined to save lives from the shelter of her lab. But on her very first day she’s pulled into a world of uncertainty. Reminders appear on her phone for meetings she’s never scheduled with people she’s never met. People who end up dead.

With help from her best friend, Maggie discovers the victims on her phone are connected to each other and her new employer. She soon unearths a treacherous plot that threatens her mission—and her life. Maggie must unlock deadly secrets to stop horrific abuses of power before death comes calling for her.

My Review

Maggie O’Malley is thrilled when she lands her dream job as a pharmaceutical researcher at Rxcellance. Not only is this a great jump-start to her career, but she can monetarily contribute to her father’s failing restaurant. At her new job she meets quite a variety of different personalities. Some strange, some not so strange and one really hot guy.  Maggie is determined not to let anything interfere in her work, though.

Then, a very strange thing happens. On her "new-to-her" cell phone she receives an appointment reminder, but the picture is with someone she doesn’t know and a meeting she never scheduled. The stranger ends up dead. It happens a couple more times. Each person meets the same fate as the first one.

She bought her phone second hand and figures these appointments belong to the previous owner. She tries to discover who that is, but to no avail. After a bit more digging, she learns that the victims are connected to her new company.

Along with her best friend, Constantine, Maggie sets out on a journey to learn what is really going on at Rxcellance. She is shocked to discover there is a deadly game going on and it could jeopardize everything Maggie holds dear to her heart.

I can’t believe this is the author’s debut novel. What a powerhouse of a novel! The authors descriptive writing style brings the story to life. She transports the reader right into the middle of the action with her close attention to detail.

Although this is fiction, it feels like a realistic and frightening look into the pharmaceutical world. I was at the edge-of-my-seat, scared to death for Maggie.  The ending was a surprise to me.  I never saw that coming.  I wish I could think of another term for fast-paced, but that was what this was to the extreme.

I can’t even imagine how good the second book will be, but I’m already looking forward to more books by this author. She’s off to an amazing start.



For reading challenges:
Cloak & Dagger Reading Challenge 2017

FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

About the Author

When Kathleen Valenti isn’t writing page-turning mysteries that combine humor and suspense, she works as a nationally award-winning advertising copywriter. Protocol is her debut novel and the first of the Maggie O’Malley mystery series. Kathleen lives in Oregon with her family where she pretends to enjoy running.

Author Links

Webpage - www.kathleenvalenti.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/authorkathleenvalenti/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/KathyValenti1

GoodReads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16773270.Kathleen_Valenti

Purchase Links

Amazon - B&N  kobo iTunes

Tour-Wide Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

September 5 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW

September 6 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, EXCERPT

September 7 – A Holland Reads - CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 8 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 9 – Reading Is My SuperPower - REVIEW

September 10 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

September 11 – Jane Reads - REVIEW, GUEST POST

September 12 – Girl with Book Lungs - CHARACTER INTERVIEW

September 13 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW

September 14 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

September 15 – A Blue Million Books - CHARACTER GUEST POST, EXCERPT

September 16 – Lori's Reading Corner – GUEST POST

September 17 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW

September 18 – Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting – REVIEW

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