IRead Book Tour Audio Book Review: The Registration by Madison Lawson

Please See Tour Feature HERE.

This has a different premise and lots of action.

The Registration
By: Madison Lawson
Narrated by: Kathleen McInerney

Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins
Release date: 09-27-22
Publisher: CamCat Books
Genre: Dystopian, Psychological
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.75; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
You can’t outrun the Registration.
Imagine it’s legal to commit one murder in your lifetime—if you Register the victim and accomplish the kill within fourteen days. So when Lynell Mize stands in line to Register the man who abused her as a child, she’s shocked to hear a stranger Register her to be killed. Why would anyone who doesn't know her squander his one legal murder on her? Desperate to survive the next two weeks, she must find out who wants to kill her—and why.
Easier said than done, as Lynell soon discovers that multiple strangers have used their Registration on her. Along the way, she reunites with her estranged husband who is determined to dig up a past Lynell prefers to keep buried. With only days left to live, Lynell is determined to uncover the truth and survive a destiny not of her choosing. Everyone she knows could be her killer. Any day could be her last.
©2022 Madison Lawson (P)2022 CamCat Books

Review:
Lynell Mize lives in a world society where each person can Register one person to kill without facing penalty, provided the killing is completed within fourteen days. Lynell has struggled through a childhood under the constant threat of an abusive step-father. Trying to start a new page in her life, Lynell goes to Register the abuser. While standing in line, she hears someone in front of her Register her.

Lynell is stunned and realizes she must get away; even her home will not be safe. She suddenly finds her estranged husband, Daniel, insisting that she go away with him. He thinks he has whisked her away safely but they are soon accosted on the train by Zachery Price, a man who has been a best friend to Daniel since Lynell left him and also the man who Registered Lynell.

Lynell learns that more than one man has Registered her. She has something she didn’t realize was important and there is a very powerful man who wants her to be brought to him. Once in his clutches there are surprising revelations and it is nearly impossible to escape. But with the help of unexpected sources she does escape. Once again she goes on the run but they are very poorly prepared. Day to day Lynell struggles to stay out of the hands of her enemy while trying to puzzle out the code he is desperate to obtain. She also wonders whether the Registration system is really a positive thing.

The premise of the story is very interesting and I did enjoy the conflict and action. Lyndell is a young character struggling with her own self-esteem. I appreciated the growth she went through. I was frustrated however by how unprepared Lynell and her rescuers were to run and hide. At one point Lynell and Daniel lead a path to the person they want most to protect, putting many innocent lives in danger. I just shook my head at the stupidity. Fortunately, the ending made me a little happier. I recommend this story to fans of dystopian and other readers who may be interested in an action chase story with a puzzle to solve.

Audio Notes: Kathleen McInerney does a good job with the narration. She manages to convey the youth and inexperience of primary character. She also delivered distinct voices. I appreciated getting the audiobook to share during the book tour.

Source: Author via Bookfunnel for IRead Book Tours. This qualifies for my 2023Audiobook and 2023Author goals.

IRead BookTours - The Registration

Please see my REVIEW HERE.

Book Details:

Book Title: The Registration (a Novel) by Madison Lawson
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  320 pages
Genre: Thriller
Publisher:  CamCat Books
Release date:  September 2022
Content Rating: PG-13 + M. There is violence, including a torture scene, and some language, as well as mention of domestic violence, abuse, murder, and abortions. 

Book Description:

You can’t outrun the Registration.

Imagine it’s legal to commit one murder in your lifetime⎯if you Register the victim and accomplish the kill within fourteen days. So when Lynell Mize stands in line to Register the man who abused her as a child, she’s shocked to hear a stranger Register her to be killed. Why would anyone who doesn't know her squander his one legal murder on her? Desperate to survive the next two weeks, she must find out who wants to kill her⎯and why.

Easier said than done as Lynell soon discovers that multiple strangers have used their Registration on her. Along the way, she reunites with her estranged husband who is determined to dig up a past Lynell prefers to keep buried. With only days left to live, Lynell fights to uncover the truth and survive a destiny not of her choosing.

BUY THE BOOK:
CamCat Books
AUDIBLE ~ AMAZON 
B&N ~ IndieBound ~ Bookshop
add to goodreads

Meet the Author:

Author Madison Lawson writes speculative fiction novels full of suspense, social commentary, and complex relationships. She has published a dozen short stories, many of which won awards such as the Koresh Award and the Gordone Award. She received her B.A. in English from Texas A&M University and is currently earning her M.A. in English at North Carolina State University. Born and raised in a small Texas town, Madison began escaping through reading and writing as soon as she could.

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

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Book Review and Tour Giveaway: Tribal Affairs by Matt Dallmann

This is a story full of fantasy, mystery and suspense woven around a thwarted romance.

Tribal Affairs
by Matt Dallmann

Category: YA Fiction, 277 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Matt Dallmann
Release date: July 2017
Tour dates: August 6 to 24, 2018
Content Rating: G (No bad language or sex)
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Dahlia, a centuries old genie, lies hopelessly trapped in a damaged golden locket charm attached to an ankle bracelet. Its owner, sixteen-year-old Liana, wears it for the first time during her father Jamison’s opening night illusion spectacular. Not only does its presence cause Jamison to folly his performance, but it also starts a chain of bizarre events that lead to a showdown with Dahlia’s mortal enemy, Stefan, and an unsuspecting romance between Liana and his son.

Review:
Dahlia is a genie who has been trapped in a locket on an ankle bracelet. Liana’s mother apparently died from mental illness and now sixteen-year-old Liana has decided to wear the ankle bracelet. She has no idea the significance of the locket which soon brings chaos into her life.

Liana begins dreaming strange dreams of star-crossed lovers. Then she begins to see images. Before long her father thinks she needs medical help like her mother did. But Liana is convinced that there is something stranger – and more real than she can understand – going on. She meets a strange young man named Taffi, which is the same name as the horse in her father’s illusion act. Is Taffi really a genie as he claims? Is he there to help her or hurt her? Are they both a victim of a curse or is it all a delusion or hallucination?

The world of genies created by the author is fantastical, full of magic, power, jealousies and beasties. The reader quickly learns there is a connection between Dahlia and Liana but there is a long path of adventure and danger to reveal the details. The genies intrigues and relationships are similar to human although they seem larger due to the powers the genies can use. They also seem more dangerous and less benign than one might think a genie would be.

The author uses an interesting approach by having Dahlia narrate the story at first. However as chapters progress, the point of view shifts to third person. Later it is clear that Dahlia is narrating again. I often have the Kindle reading to me, so I had to keep close track of whose feelings were being described since Dahlia should have been describing observations of other’s expressions and actions rather than describing their internal feelings. This caused some confusion for me which was a little distracting. Although, thinking back, I think perhaps Dahlia could read the thoughts of the others. Still, it created some confusion.

In spite of that, I enjoyed the fantasy journey and the strange creatures along the way. I especially liked the sea creatures from one of the genie worlds. There is a tentative, stumbling romance including appropriate teenage angst. It was interesting to read the emotional growth of the characters. I recommend this to readers who enjoy fantasy and a light YA romance.

Source: iRead Book Tours. This will qualify for a 2018Alphabet choice.

To follow the tour and read reviews, please visit Matt Dallmann's page on iRead Book Tours.

Buy the Book:

Amazon

Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Matt Dallmann has a background in acting and holds a BFA from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. His films and screenplays have been featured at film festivals across the United States including Cinequest, Big Apple Film Festival, Seattle’s True Independent Film Festival, DragonCon and Zero Independent Film Festival. His piano compositions have been published for commercial use and he is a member of ASCAP. Matt is also the Co-Founder and Vice President of the boutique medical billing firm VGA Billing Services, Inc. in New York City. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and two daughters.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends Sept 5, 2018

Prizes: Win one of 100 Kindle copies (open to USA only)

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Tribal Affairs

by Matt Dallmann

Giveaway ends September 05, 2018.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Book Review and Tour Giveaway: The Deadliest Sport by June Trop

The mystery and historical detail are interesting in this historical fiction.

The Deadliest Sport: A Miriam bat Isaac Mystery in Ancient Alexandria
by June Trop

File Size: 1363 KB
Print Length: 174 pages
Publisher: Black Opal Books (October 7, 2017)
ASIN: B075VXKST5
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Miriam bat Isaac, a budding alchemist in first-century CE Alexandria, welcomes her twin brother Binyamin home to fight his last gladiatorial bout in Alexandria. But when he demands his share of the family money so he can build a school for gladiators in Alexandria, Miriam explains that he forsook his share when he took the gladiatorial oath. When she refuses to loan him the money for what she feels is a shady, and dangerous, enterprise, Binyamin becomes furious. Soon after, the will of Amram, Miriam’s elderly charge, turns up missing, Amram becomes seriously ill, and the clerk of the public records house is murdered. Could Binyamin really be behind this monstrous scheme? If not he, who could be responsible? And is Miriam slated to be the next victim?

Review:
Miriam bat Isaac is an industrious young woman in 1st Century Alexandria. She has helped her father's former business partner maintain the family business and make safe investments. She is hoping that her twin brother Binyamin will soon retire as a Gladiator and join the family business. Ben has just arrived home with his best friend, another gladiator who is brutish and suspected murderer. They are to participate in gladiator games in their home town.

Miriam doesn't approve of Ben's behavior and disrespect for their Jewish traditions. She soon learns that Ben has no inclination to join the family business. Instead he demands his inheritance so that he and his best friend can build a Ludus, a training facility for gladiators, in Alexandria.

When Miraima explains that he has no inheritance, Ben pressures her to convince her partner to invest in the project. A day or two after Ben's return, Miriam discovers her partner's will is missing and he has suddenly become quite ill. Then a former family employer is killed and certain facts lead Mirium to suspect her brother and his friend are involved.

I appreciated Miriam's independent nature but thought she was very foolish for going to the rougher side of the docks to investigate the missing will and the murder on her own. Even a past traumatice experinece in the streets doesn't make her use better sence. She also puts herself at great risk by confronting the men she believes are responsible for murder.

For the most part I liked the clear and detailed writing. However, there are some long, windy sentences and a portion of the story is delivered through a letter rather than action. I can't say that I was drawn in by the characters as there was a certain flatness in the story for me. Still, I liked the mystery and the historical detail which was remarkable. I recommend this to reader's who enjoy historical detail and a mystery plot.

I received this title through iRead Book Tours It also qualifies for a 2018 title in my Alphabet Challenge.

Content Rating: PG (mild religious oriented expletives, such as "Lord," some violent descriptions, such as the corpse, the gladiatorial arena)

To read reviews, please visit June Trop's page on iRead Book Tours.

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Add to Goodreads

Watch the Book Trailer:

Meet the Author:

June Trop and her twin sister Gail wrote their first story, "The Steam Shavel [sic]," when they were six years old growing up in rural New Jersey. They sold it to their brother Everett for two cents.

"I don't remember how I spent my share," June says. "You could buy a fistful of candy for a penny in those days, but ever since then, I wanted to be a writer."

As an award-winning middle school science teacher, June used storytelling to capture her students' imagination and interest in scientific concepts. Years later as a professor of teacher education, she focused her research on the practical knowledge teachers construct and communicate through storytelling. Her first book, From Lesson Plans to Power Struggles (Corwin Press, 2009), is based on the stories new teachers told about their first classroom experiences.

Now associate professor emerita at the State University of New York at New Paltz, she devotes her time to writing The Miriam bat Isaac Mystery Series. Her heroine is based on the personage of Maria Hebrea, the legendary founder of Western alchemy, who developed the concepts and apparatus alchemists and chemists would use for 1500 years.

June lives with her husband Paul Zuckerman in New Paltz, where she is breathlessly recording her plucky heroine's next life-or-death exploit.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest

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Ends June 2, 2018

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Book Review and Tour Giveaway: The Fabergé Entanglement by Lesley Meryn and Elle Brookes

This has lots of 'James Bond' type action with sizzling chemistry between the characters.
The Fabergé Entanglement
by Lesley Meryn and Elle Brookes

File Size: 1672 KB
Print Length: 306 pages
Publication Date: July 13, 2015
ASIN: B011M2N7W2
Genre: Action & Adventure, Romantic Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Sabinne ‘Saber’ Darrieux’s father, the billionaire CEO of Frontenac Global Security has been kidnapped. His ransom is not cash in a numbered offshore account, or a briefcase of Bearer Bonds but something utterly unique, incredibly valuable, and until recently, hidden away from the world.
The kidnapper seems to know Saber very well, and knows that the next day, through her work as an elite translator she will be in the same location as the Object. She must steal the Object and deliver it to the kidnapper to ransom her father.
Adrian Steele, a British Intelligence agent has just come off of two harrowing missions. Upon returning to London for a well-earned rest, he learns that his friend and fellow agent, has been murdered in Moscow, but not before he made use of a unique Object as a mobile ‘drop site’ for the valuable intelligence he was carrying.
The drop site is traveling from Moscow to England. Steele insists on completing the mission to honor the death of his friend, Gerry Cornell.
At an ultra-chic quasi-diplomatic gathering in a mansion in Windsor, England, Saber and Steele meet and find themselves faced with a powerful, undeniable attraction. But at the moment, this compelling attraction is very inconvenient.
In reality they are at the mansion to check out the security arrangements — for their own reasons — to steal the Object, a Fabergé egg worth thirty million dollars. But who will get to the egg first?
Fabergé eggs are very famous for their unique surprises. Saber and Steele are about to be very surprised, indeed.
And when Saber clashes with Steele; more than sparks will explode!

Review:
Sabine is a beautiful, captivating woman who would rather be respected for her skills than her looks. Her family built its fortunes on thievery, but her father has moved the family businesses into legitimate fields. Sabine is one of their experts in security services and works as an elite translator when she is not accessing and improving security systems.

Sabine’s father has been kidnapped and the ransom message directs her to steal a Fabergé egg to exchange for her father’s life. Sabine happens to be attending the function where the egg is displayed. When she sneaks back to steal the item, she is surprised to bump into a handsome man who also wants the egg. Only one of them can succeed and Sabine is desperate.

Adrian Steele is a British Intelligence officer who just learned of a fellow agent’s murder. Although Steele should be going into down time, he pushes for the assignment to complete his friend’s mission. He is to ‘pick up’ a certain Fabergé egg as it has secrets hidden within it.

Steele is struck by a beautiful woman he sees during the party while casing the setting of the eggs. Later he is stunned to find her trying to steal the egg he needs to get. When she wins the first encounter to make off with the egg, Steele is determined to follow her to find out what her purpose is.

Sabine and Steele have zinging chemistry from the moment they see each other across a crowded room. Neither are accustomed to such reactions and it puts them off balance. Their opposing interests in the egg and powerful attraction to each other make for fun cat and mouse, back and forth, attention and dialogue.

The story starts with a little background set up but soon kicks up to fast-paced, pretty much nonstop action. The pair travels from London to LA juggling the egg along the way. Steele is aware that he is not the only one following Sabine. It will be a race to see who gets the egg and whether Sabine can save her father.

Steele is a character who had me thinking of a mix between James Bond and MacGyver. Sabine fits right along like a slick female operative even though she isn’t one. This is strong romantic suspense with a good plot and magnetic characters, I recommend this to readers who enjoy good action and romance with a lot of heat but without unnecessary graphics.

I received this title through iRead Book Tours.

To read more reviews, please visit the authors' page on iRead Book Tours.

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Add to Goodreads ~ Kobo

Meet the Authors:

LESLEY MERYN

Enjoyed an exotic, adventure-filled childhood, following her anthropologist father and travel writer mother to the farthest corners of the world. She later took inspiration from her Aunt Sophia Francesca and became the author of romantic adventure novels. She alternates her time between Los Angeles, and a family property located in Yorkshire England.

ELLE BROOKES

She is the author of the first two books of the Time Frame Series, LUST. MECHANICS. MINI COOPER. and SEX. COFFEE. TIME TRAVEL. Loves travel, discovering new foods to try, reading and writing. She currently lives in the central highlands of Costa Rica with her dog Pixie and her hedgehog Quiller.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

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Ends Nov 17

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Book Review: Alycat and the Monday Blues by Alysson Foti Bourque

This is a delightfully fun children’s book!

Alycat and the Monday Blues
by Alysson Foti Bourque

Hardcover: 38 pages
Publisher: Mascot Books (September 12, 2017)
ISBN-13: 978-1684012459
Genre: Children, Music, School
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

One Monday morning, Alycat wakes up with the dreaded Monday Blues—she's certain that everything will go wrong. But even when mishaps seem to ruin her day, she finds out that helping a friend can lead to discovering hew own hidden talent and curing the Monday Blues!

Review:
Alycat wakes up dragging one Monday Morning. She doesn’t want to go to school and doesn’t know what talent she can share for the school talent show. Mother encourages her to go to school where she is sure to feel better and find inspiration for her talent.

Alycat has a mishap during the day but it helps her find a talent to share. She makes up words to go with a friend’s instrument and they even bring her father into the group playing another accompanying instrument. The song is fun and I enjoyed singing it to my five-year-old granddaughter. She enjoyed the story and tried to sing the words too by the end.

The book is fully illustrated and shares a good story for children going to school but sometimes experiencing reluctance. The book came with a card with a code that allowed us to access the songs and coloring pages. My granddaughter was quite excited about these too, even though my version of the song wasn’t quite the same as the online song. 😊.

I enjoyed this light read and recommend it for sharing with early school age children.

I received this print book from the auhotr through iRead Book Tours.

SEE THE AUTHOR GUEST POST AND GIVEAWAY POST HERE!

Book Spotlight and Giveaway: A Spoonful of Grace by Annette Hubbell

Win A Spoonful of Grace by Annette Hubbell @AsHubb @iReadBookTours #giveaway #devotional #mealgrace #giveaway

Book Details:
Book Title: A Spoonful of Grace: Mealtime Blessings in Bite-sized Pieces
Category: Christian Living; 444 pages
Genre: Family devotional, Children's devotional
Publisher: Credo House Publishers
Release date: Feb 2017
Tour dates: Aug 7 to 25, 2017 Tour LINK
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

Just 2 minutes each day can change your family meal time for a lifetime.

A Spoonful of Grace is a collection of 366 evening meal graces taken from all 66 books of the Bible and designed to provide meaningful exposure to prayer and the Bible at a most opportune time: the family evening meal.

The Scripture/grace devotions are inviting, can be grasped at several levels, and are brief enough (about two minutes) to hold the attention of hungry kids. Here's why:

• Each day has an application section called Grace Notes: ideas and quotes to further illustrate the message and stimulate conversation.

• Sundays are for Story Graces. These 52 devotions are a bit longer to afford the suspenseful, engrossing reading of stories such as David and Goliath, Daniel in the lions’ den, and Jonah and the big fish.

• Special Graces are celebrations such as Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays.

• Each grace:
• Supports discussions of God’s attributes and of faith-based values, offering moral examples like forgiveness, friendship, honesty, trust, even table manners. 
• Creates curiosity about the Bible and ways in which Scripture can be applied to today’s issues. 
• Demonstrates how the act of praying together lifts one’s own spirit; fosters praise; and increases mutual feelings of appreciation, gratefulness, and accountability. 
• Teaches without overt instruction, similar to hiding extra veggies in the spaghetti sauce. 
• Remind us that our food, as well as God’s countless other daily blessings, is a gift.

Endorsements for "A Spoonful of Grace":

“The dining room table is a key place to connect with your children. It's time to put down the phones and pick up this book instead.” --Arlene Pellicane, speaker and author of “31 Days to Becoming a Happy Mom”

"...beautiful, winsome and creative...will spark meaningful discussion and thoughtful reflection. This book will nourish both heart and mind.”--Dr. Mark L. Strauss, Vice-Chair, The NIV Committee on Bible Translation and University Professor of New Testament, Bethel Seminary

"Annette Hubbell has made this powerful family life rhythm and tradition SO MUCH EASIER! Give your family the gift that will last for generations to come—‘A Spoonful of Grace!’” --Pam Farrel, author of 45 books including best-selling “Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti,” “10 Best Decisions a Parent Can Make”, and “A Couple’s Journey with God.”

"Wonderfully composed and chock-full of wit and wisdom. I wish I’d had this book when my husband and I were raising our four children.” --Susan Meissner, Award-winning author of “Secrets of a Charmed Life”

Watch the book trailer:

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ ChristianBook ~ Barnes & Noble

Add on Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Annette Hubbell earned her undergraduate degree in Marketing from San Diego State University, her M.B.A. from Cal State University in San Marcos, and a Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. She has been featured in over 160 performances, and starred in the DVD, “Witness to Gettysburg” edited by 33-time Emmy Award winner, Robert Gardner. She was awarded Presenter of the Year twice at the Civil War Round Table of San Diego, and is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

Hubbell lives in San Diego, California with her husband of 33 years, Monte. They have a daughter, Amy. She and her husband Scott live in Los Angeles, California. For more information, visit www.AnnetteHubbell.com or www.SpoonfulOfGrace.com.

Connect with the Author: Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Youtube

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Ends Sept 2, 2017.

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Book Review and Giveaway: Infinity (Horizon) by Tabitha Lord

This is another exciting installment -strong writing and plot make it engaging.

Infinity (Horizon)
by Tabitha Lord

File Size: 1041 KB
Print Length: 269 pages
Publisher: Pronoun (June 6, 2017)
ASIN: B072BGNC4N
Genre: Space Opera, Genetic Engineering
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

In the second installment of the award-winning Horizon series, Dr. Caeli Crys returns to her war-torn world to fight for those she left behind.
Almagest, Caeli’s home, stands on the brink of revolution. Long hidden from the rest of the galaxy, the once-peaceful planet suffers under a regime that grows more violent and oppressive by the day. Marcus, Almagest’s dictator, is building an arsenal of alien weaponry by selling empathic children into slavery. A resistance has risen, but they are outmanned, outgunned, and in hiding.
Joined by Commander Derek Markham and his elite squadron of operatives, Caeli embarks on a dangerous mission to find the Resistance, rescue her captive people, and save her civilization from destruction.

Review:
This sequel picks up shortly after the end of Horizon. Derek and his team get intel that one of Caeli’s people, the Novali, has been sold in a space market. The intel reveals that Almagest is now trading with space opportunists and the use of these empathic people could be a fierce weapon…for good or evil depending on who controls them. This could endanger more than just Caeli’s home planet.

Derek’s commander agrees to allow Derek to take a team to Almagest to determine the extent of the problems. When the team arrives they soon discover the resistance struggling to face a cold winter with limited supplies. There are still contacts within the city but Marcus, the brutal dictator, is pushing hard to find rebels while arranging trades of ore and Novali to further his military growth.

The team must find new shelter as Marcus is sending planes out to locate and destroy their current camp. Caeli is already suffering PTSD and is emotionally injured again when not everyone makes it safely to the new location. The team plans a daring raid to take control of a supply train. The plan runs into a few hitches but does result in desperately needed food supplies for the resistance.

The team and resistance leaders realize they have to move soon as Marcus closes in. Derek decides to go undercover to approach Marcus so he can get a better picture of the situation. Although Caeli has been glad to see familiar faces, some events are triggering the PTSD that impacts her effectiveness at crucial times. There are more losses and betrayals before an all-out confrontation brings the rebels face to face with Marcus’ troops.

This story jumped into action and continued along at a good pace. Emotions ran on a roller coaster with sorrow and anger followed by joy and hope; then dropping again to more anger, sorrow and fear. The relationship between Derek and Caeli is strong and touching. I liked the inclusion of characters from the first book and there are some new characters I like and hope to see in the next book(s).

The author uses historic journals to explain how the Novali people came to be which was interesting once it became clear what this was. A simple tie in through the current day characters explaining they were reading the journal would have made this technique clearer. I liked the plot progress and the resolution on the planet. Then the author adds a last page hook of suspense to set up the next book. Hope it isn’t a long wait! I recommend this to readers who enjoy a good space opera with action, suspense and warm romance elements.

Buy the Book:
​Amazon  ~  Kindle
Add to Goodreads

I received this from NetGalley for tour review through iRead Book Tours. This qualifies for my 2017 NetGalley Challenge.

Check out my review of book 1:
Horizon.

Buy the Book:
​Amazon~ Barnes & Noble
Add on Goodreads

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Prizes: ​
Win one of 5 prize packages that contains: Horizon (Book #1) and Infinity (Book #2) by Tabitha Lord and a $10 Amazon gift card (open to USA only - 5 winners)(ends 7/22/17)

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Book Review, Feature and Giveaway: Horizon by Tabitha Lord

This sci fi has a different plot, intrigue and romance.
Horizon
by Tabitha Lord

File Size: 1001 KB
Print Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing (March 27, 2017)
ASIN: B06XZ1VJR7
Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Caeli Crys isn’t living—she’s surviving. On the run after the genocide of her empathic people, she witnesses a spaceship crash near her hidden camp. When she feels the injured pilot suffering from miles away, she can’t help but risk discovery to save his life.
Commander Derek Markham awakens stranded on an uncharted planet. His co-pilot is dead, his ship is in ruins, and he’s only alive because a beautiful young woman is healing him with her mind.
As Derek recovers, Caeli shares the horror of her past and her fear for the future. When Derek’s command ship, Horizon, sends rescue, Derek convinces Caeli to leave with him. But his world is as treacherous as hers—full of spies, interplanetary terrorist plots, and political intrigue. Soon the Horizon team is racing to defend an outlying planet from a deadly enemy, and Caeli’s unique skills may just give them the edge they need to save it.

Review:
Caeli is a healer and a sensitive empath. She is one of the few remaining of her gifted people after a split off race on her planet attacked and destroyed her community. They took the children to be brainwashed and a handful of survivors to use for their skills and as a cover-up to the truth. Caeli had begun to settle in working with the Doctor and hospital staff at the new community. She was asked to join an underground rebellion group who are seeking a way to overthrow the vicious leader who destroyed her own society and frightens many of this community.

Caeli is distressed when the brutal dictator, Marcus, pulls her in to read the mind of a suspected rebel … or watch as he is tortured, then killed. She cannot reveal her friends so she must go on the run so her skills cannot be used again. While hiding out in her secluded cave, she sees a spaceship crash and senses the injuries and distress of the occupants. She is able to rescue Derek, Commander of the attacked ship. She heals him and they develop a bond as they dodge her enemy and wait for his force to rescue him. Although her people never thought to leave their planet., Caeli agrees it will be safest to go with Derek for the time being. That is until Derek’s new mission seeks Caeli’s special skills in order to act quickly to prevent a terrorist attack.

Caeli has to adjust her mind to using her skills for other than healing and without permission of the subject. But she recognizes the cost of failing to give aid when she can. Now she is part of Derek’s special undercover team having to cope with monstrous, evil men while trying to save lives.

From the very beginning I like Caeli’s helper and ‘survivor’ personality. She goes through terrible trauma but, with the help of others, is able to rise and use her skills for good wherever she finds herself. She does not let revenge take over but wisely bides her time trying to find another solution.

The author fills in Caeli’s backstory with alternating chapters as she shares her history with Derek. Derek is a likeable character and the interaction between the two is handled nicely. There is clearly a connection that moves them closer but details are ‘kept behind doors’. The story moves at a good pace and kept me interested. My only disappointment is the few foul words that the author scattered in the story as though she felt they were needed. In my opinion, they were not needed and were disruptive – especially since the random entries were from a female character. Other than that, I enjoyed the book. There are a few questions left open such as Caeli's reaction to reading the mind of the enemy and what is happening back on her planet. I look forward to the next book, Infinity (review to post June 20).

I received this through NetGalley for aniRead Book Tours review. It qualifies for my 2017 NetGalley Challenge.

Meet the Author:

Tabitha currently lives in Rhode Island. She is married, has four great kids, two spoiled cats, and lovable lab mix. Her degree is in Classics from College of the Holy Cross and she taught Latin for years at an independent Waldorf school, where she now serves on the Board of Trustees.

Tabitha’s debut novel, Horizon, won the Writer’s Digest Grand Prize for Self-Published Fiction in 2016, and was named finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and National Indie Excellence Awards. Infinity, the second book in the Horizon series, will be released in June 2017. Her short story “Homecoming” appears in the anthology Sirens, edited by Rhonda Parrish and published by World Weaver Press, and was recently nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She is also a senior editor for www.BookClubBabble.com.

Visit her blog at www.tabithalordauthor.com where she discusses favorite topics including parenting, teaching, and her writing journey.

Connect with Tabitha: Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram

Tour dates: May 22 to July 14, 2017
Content Rating: PG-13 + M (There are a few, moderately explicit sex scenes, genocide, rape, and moderate language.)

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Book Two:

Book Details:

Book Title: Infinity by Tabitha Lord
Category: Adult Fiction, 304 pages
Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera
Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing
Release date: June 6, 2017
Tour dates: May 22 to July 14, 2017
Content Rating: PG-13 + M (violence, non-explicit sex, language)

Book Description:
In the second installment of the award-winning Horizon series, Dr. Caeli Crys returns to her war-torn world to fight for those she left behind.

Almagest, Caeli’s home, stands on the brink of revolution. Long hidden from the rest of the galaxy, the once-peaceful planet suffers under a regime that grows more violent and oppressive by the day. Marcus, Almagest’s dictator, is building an arsenal of alien weaponry by selling empathic children into slavery. A resistance has risen, but they are outmanned, outgunned, and in hiding.

Joined by Commander Derek Markham and his elite squadron of operatives, Caeli embarks on a dangerous mission to find the Resistance, rescue her captive people, and save her civilization from destruction.

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Audio Book Review and Tour Giveaway: Dead on Ice by Lauren Carr

Another fun, fast cozy mystery with quirky characters and lots of twists.
Dead on Ice: A Lovers in Crime Mystery
Written by: Lauren Carr
Narrated by: Mike Alger

Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
Series: Lovers in Crime Mysteries, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:11-23-16
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Genre: Cozy Mystery
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Spunky Cameron Gates is tasked with solving the murder of Cherry Pickens, a legendary star of pornographic films, whose body turns up in an abandoned freezer. The case has a personal connection to her lover, Joshua Thornton, because the freezer was located in his cousin's basement. It doesn't take long for their investigation to reveal that the risqué star's roots were buried in their rural Ohio Valley community, something that Cherry had kept off her show business bio. She should have kept her hometown off her road map, too - because when this starlet came running home from the mob, it proved to be a fatal homecoming.
©2012 Terri Lynn Zaleski (P)2016 Terri Lynn Zaleski

Review:
Cameron Gates is a sharp, spunky homicide detective. She is dating Joshua Thornton, a Philadelphia State Attorney, former naval officer. They are both concerned when Joshua’s cousin fails to show for church because he is always at every church event. They discover that he has died of an accident in his hoarder home. The church is the beneficiary of his Will and a group come to the home to clear out the massive collection. One of the elderly ladies drags Cameron to the basement where she discovers a bomb. The house is evacuated before the explosion so everyone escapes safely. As they begin to clear the ashes they discover a freezer that survived the blast with a grizzly secret inside: a woman “dead on ice”.

The woman turns out to be a pornographic star from the 1980s, who, not so coincidentally, had left the community shortly after high school graduation. Another teen girl had gone missing on prom night. The missing girl’s body had been found seven or so years earlier but the case was still a cold case. Cameron and Joshua are soon on the case to solve both murders. There are plenty of suspects as the friendships and rivalries of high school are revealed.

This was great fun with the quirky suspects, beyond the mob from whom the porn star was running. There is a cougar winery owner who makes passes at Joshua’s sixteen-year-old son, Donnie, two determined church ladies who have carried their teenage rival forward to their present-day bickering, and a heartbroken boyfriend who may have wanted revenge. The clues lead back and forth until the final chapter.

I had listened to two other books that included these characters in a 'sister series', the Thorny Rose Series, and found it fun to listen to the story that sets off the career of this couple as “the Lovers in Crime”. The romance is warm and growing even with the problems of Cameron’s cat, Irving, who looks more like a skunk and views Joshua as a rival. Ms. Carr does a great job with her mystery series. She provides strong characters, quirky secondary characters and lots of twists in the mysteries. I recommend Ms. Carr’s books for good mystery reading and or listening.

Audio Notes: Mike Alger does a good job narrating the character personalities. The narration makes this move at a good clip and captures the humor and emotions of the story. I enjoyed listening.

I received this audio book through iRead Book Tours for tour review. This qualifies for my 2017 Audio Book Challenge

A broadcast veteran of over 30 years, Mike Alger is best known as the award-winning Chief Meteorologist for KTVN-TV in Reno, NV. He is also a successful author, having penned the Mystery-Thriller novel "Snow Storm," and is the narrator of the audiobook of the same name.

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Audio Book Review, Feature and Tour Giveaway: Old Loves Die Hard by Lauren Carr

A fun mystery with twists and turns to keep you guessing.

Old Loves Die Hard: A Mac Faraday Mystery
Written by: Lauren Carr
Narrated by: James C. Lewis

Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins
Series: Mac Faraday, Book 2
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:12-14-16
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Genre: Cozy Mystery
My Rating : 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Old loves die hard...and in the worst places.
In Old Loves Die Hard, Lauren Carr continues the rags-to-riches story of Mac Faraday, an underpaid homicide detective who inherits 270 million dollars and an estate on Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, from his birth mother on the day his divorce becomes final.
Mac is settling nicely into his new life at Spencer Manor when his ex-wife Christine shows up-and she wants him back! Before Mac can send her packing, Christine and her estranged lover are murdered in Mac's private penthouse suite at the Spencer Inn, the five-star resort built by his ancestors.
The investigation leads to the discovery of cases files for some of Mac's murder cases in the room of the man responsible for destroying his marriage. Why would his ex-wife's lover come to Spencer to dig into Mac's old cases?
With the help of his new friends on Deep Creek Lake, Mac must use all of his detective skills to clear his name and the Spencer Inn's reputation, before its five-stars - and more bodies - start dropping!
©2016 Terri Lynn Zaleski (P)2016 Terri Lynn Zaleski

Review:
Mac Faraday is a retired homicide detective who is trying to get accustomed to the estate, Inn and wealth that he inherited from his natural mother. The estate comes with his mother’s research and computer assistant, a beautiful young woman, Archie, and an unruly German Shepard, Gnarly. The two (Mac and Archie more than Mac and Gnarly) have a budding relationship which they are just about to explore when Mac’s inebriated ex-wife, Christine, shows up at the door wanting him back.

Mac takes Christine off to the Spenser Inn to sleep out the night. Before the next morning rolls around Christine and her ex-lover, the man she left Mac for, are found murdered. Mac would make a great suspect since his only alibi for the remainder of the night is Gnarly. Mac’s half-brother (and best friend) happens to be the local police chief. David must interrogate Mac but once he rules him out as a suspect, they tackle the investigation together. After all, the dead man had a handful of files form Mac's old cases with him and a list of names that is a mystery.

I enjoyed the hassle and craziness provided by Mac’s ex-sisters-in-law and a law colleague and wife of the estranged lover and a Judge, all of whom show up wanted something from the deceased’s possessions. They add color to the investigation as David and Mac try to locate the mysterious woman who was caught on camera entering the suite but never leaving.

The story moves along well with humor, action and intrigue. The romance is on a slow simmer while Mac copes with his children and the loss of his ex. It is nicely handled. This is the third book I have listened to from this author. I recommend Ms. Carr for easy, fun cozy mysteries.

Audio Notes: James C. Lewis does a decent job with the narration. He does not necessarily try to create a voice for each character but he still conveys the nature of the personalities. I’m sure these mysteries would read well in print/ebook but I really enjoy the ability to listen to them in audio.

I received this title through iRead Book Tours. It qualifies for my Audio Book Challenge.

Welcome to Lauren Carr's Audiobook-a-palooza Blog Tour! To celebrate the release of Lauren Carr's mysteries in audiobook format, we have 14 books from her three series on tour!

To follow the tour, learn about all of the books and to read reviews, please visit Lauren Carr's page on iRead Book Tours.

The Mac Faraday Mystery Series:

Buy the Audiobook ~ Book

Content Rating:

All of Lauren Carr's books are rated PG-13 because they are murder mysteries and will contains murder scenes. Some of the books contain violence associated with military assignments. There are some books that contain sex scenes which are not explicit. There is little profanity, no f-words.

Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband and three dogs (including the real Gnarly’s klutzy nephew Sterling) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with Lauren: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Meet the Narrator:

Another Audible Approved narrator, voice actor James Lewis has established a solid reputation in fiction as well as non-ficton audiobooks. At latest count, he's narrated nearly 50.

Although his specialty is noir fiction, James has done several non-fiction books as well on a range of people and subjects: Butch and Sundance, General Custer, Revolutionary War, psychic development, taxes.

James Lewis has been awarded the AudioFile Earphone Award for narration, "The Last Outlaws". It's about Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

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