Killer Deadline ~ Review with Giveaway

 

Killer Deadline A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery #1 By Lauren Carr Narrated by Anita Alger Nikki Bryant is returning home to take over the family's television station in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania. After years of honing her skills as an investigative journalist, it is time to return home to her family and to her first love. Though there is that awkward situation of now Ryan being her step-brother. But, hey, a girl can hope, right? Nikki is determined to get to the truth of her father's murder all those years ago. But are her investigative skills up to the challenge of a cold case that hits close to home? And when another murder hits the station Nikki can't help but wonder if they are related.  This was a fun read and I really loved Elmo - who couldn't love a rescued boxer with a social media following most influencers would die for? Let's just say Elmo totally rivals Lauren Carr's other canine creations (if you've read her other books) but Elmo is the perfect housekeeper! Nicki's an intense individual who makes the perfect investigative journalist. She wants answers yesterday and she is willing to dig in to get them. She might get it wrong at the beginning but with the help of her family and close friends, she'll get the answers she wants and needs. And all this while trying to figure out how to let The One know that he is the one for her, with somewhat humorous results, I might add. The narrative by Anita Alger is perfect for this book. She keeps the story moving at a good pace and presents Nikki well. At just over 6 hours and 30 minutes, it is a good length for commuting to work or for doing chores around the house. Or you could double the enjoyment and read along with the audio. This is the start of a new series starring Nicki, Elmo, Ryan, and the rest of Pine Grove, PA! If you love cozy mysteries this one is for you. I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own. Book Details: Book Title:  Killer Deadline (A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  232 pages Genre:  Mystery/Cozy Mystery Publisher:  Acorn Book Services Release date:   April 23, 2020 Audiobook release date: August 5, 2020 Content Rating: G. This is a true cozy mystery. No sex. No on-stage violence. No swearing. Just good clean fun! "Here we go! Carr is a master storyteller who always offers a plot full of twists and turns, a bit of humor to offset the dark, and a unique cast of characters. In Killer Deadline that cast includes - handsome Ryan, her first love (who is now her step-brother); a mysterious social media friend called Nerdy Guy; Elmo, a super-smart dog, a boxer, she rescued who has become a social media star and has a penchant for cleaning; a TV station full of suspicious employees; and more. "This book is a wonderful read to pick up at the end of a long day. It truly is a "cozy murder mystery."  I promise, it'll draw you in right from page one and keep you turning the pages until you reach the very last page. I can't wait for the second book in this series." - Marilyn R. Wilson, Olio by Marilyn Book Description: Folks in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, claim that where Nikki Bryant goes, trouble is not far behind. Her refusal to back down from a challenge has made Nikki Bryant a top investigative journalist. When an online friend nudges her to join him in a pact to reconnect with their first loves, Nikki and her boxer dog Elmo leave the bright lights of Las Vegas for the charming town of Pine Grove. There, she must face the biggest challenges in her career and life—the first love she had left behind and her father’s unsolved murder. But before she has time to unpack her car, Nikki stumbles upon the dead body of local news anchor, Ashleigh Addison, her childhood rival. Could Ashleigh’s death be connected to an explosive news story that she had teased about airing live? Did that explosive story have anything to do with the murder of Nikki’s father? With the clues in her father’s cold case hot again, Nikki intends to chase down the story of her life until she catches his killer—no matter what it takes. Buy the Book: Amazon.com ~ Audible ~ BookBub Add to Goodreads Meet the Author: Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson Cold Case, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns! Killer Deadline marks Lauren's first venture into mystery's purely cozy sub-genre with a female protagonist. Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor. ​A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. ​Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Bookbub Tour Schedule: Sep 21 –Locks, Hooks and Books – book spotlight/guest post/giveaway Sep 22 – Books, Tea, Healthy Me – audiobook review/giveaway Sep 22 - Books, Tea, Healthy Me - book spotlight/author interview Sep 23 –seasons of opportunities – audiobook review Sep 23 -Rockin' Book Reviews – audiobook review/guest post/giveaway Sep 23 -A Page Before Bedtime –book review/giveaway Sep 24 –I'm All About Books – book spotlight/giveaway Sep 25 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book spotlight/guest post/giveaway Sep 28 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight/giveaway Sep 29 – Viviana MacKade – book spotlight/guest post/giveaway Sep 29 - Blooming with Books – audiobook review/giveaway Sep 30 - Cover Lover Book Review - audiobook review/giveaway Oct 1 – The Book View – book spotlight/guest post/giveaway Oct 2 – My Journey Back – audiobook review/giveaway Oct 2 - Splashes of Joy  - audiobook review/giveaway Oct 5 – eBook Addicts – audiobook review Oct 5 - Pen Possessed – book spotlight/giveaway Oct 6 – fundinmental – book spotlight/giveaway Oct 6 - Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review/giveaway Oct 7 – Library of Clean Reads – book spotlight/giveaway Oct 7 - Buried Under Books - audiobook review/giveaway Oct 8 – Mystery Suspense Reviews – audiobook review/author interview/giveaway Oct 8 - Pine Enshrined Reviews - audiobook review / guest post / giveaway Oct 9 – Hall Ways Blog – audiobook review/giveaway Oct 12 - Amy's Booket List - audiobook review/giveaway Oct 12 – Deborah-Zenha Adams – book spotlight/guest post/giveaway Oct 13 – jea reads/instagram – book review Oct 13 - Book Lover in Florida - book review/giveaway Oct 13 - Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight/guest post/giveaway Oct 14 – Christa Reads and Writes – book spotlight/guest post/giveaway Oct 15 – My Reading Journeys – audiobook review/author interview/giveaway Enter the Giveaway: Prizes: ​ $50 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of Lauren Carr,  author of CANDIDATE FOR MURDER (ends Oct 16)

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Foreign Interference ~ Review

Foreign Interference

A Carrier Chronicles Novel #5

By Ethan Jones

Carrie O'Connor has been sent to Australia to investigate a disturbing case of foreign interference. But she is all too soon pulled into a mission that takes her far from Australia. Could this foreign manipulation truly have infiltrated several Western governments, including her own? Carrie is about to find out. Unless the very people she is trying to track down take her out first. 

With her window of opportunity closing, Carrie has to rely on untested local assets. But just how much trust she can place in them is a question she just can't answer. And with someone targeting her and her team, this may be a mission that Carrie won't be walking away from.

In typical, Ethan Jones's style, we are taken to a variety of locals throughout the globe as our heroes try to save the world and democracy for another tomorrow.

The pacing gives the reader a steady dose of action. The reading is clean with no language to offend, no gratuitous violence, and no skimping on peril. If you want page-turning spy suspense, look north to the Canadian border - the CIS has what you are looking for.

I was provided a complimentary uncorrected proof with no expectations. All thoughts expressed are my own. 

About the Book:

Played like a pawn…

Fresh off an operation that sent shockwaves across Europe, CIS covert operative Carrie O’Connor is dispatched down under. Her assignment is to identify the meddling of a foreign power in Australia’s internal affairs that could wreak havoc on their democracy.

Working with untested partners with dubious motives, Carrie discovers the extent of the political interference reaches higher than anyone had expected. With her efforts thwarted at every step by shadowy figures, she’s uncertain who she can trust and has to question even her closest allies.

Tested as never before, Carrie must infiltrate the powerful network pulling the strings. She’s taken on the CIA, terrorists, and her own past, but she has never come across something as powerful as this… What will she need to do to stop this deadly interference from spreading beyond the continent and across the globe?

Find out in Foreign Interference, Carrie’s latest adrenaline-filled spy thriller.

Nine ~ Review

Nine

By Rachelle Dekker

Someone feels that Lucy needs to escape. There is just one problem Lucy doesn't know anything about the world out there. And the world is dangerous enough when you aren't being hunted by the very people you are trying to escape from.

Zoe Johnson knows she shouldn't get involved, but there is something about Lucy that is just drawing her in. She can't leave someone so innocent, so naive to figure it all out on her own. Though Lucy's few details about herself seem a tad far-fetched. 

But all too soon Lucy's claims have seemingly become reality and now Zoe is on the run. But who is after them, after Lucy and why?

But Lucy is more than she appears and what she doesn't know or remember could get all of them killed.

Nine is a story about choice versus programming. What makes a person a person? When does one's humanity end and all that is left is a living, breathing tool? These are the questions that, to my mind, define this book. 

I really enjoyed this new offering from Rachelle Dekker. The genre is considered suspense but this is such an inadequate classification as there is so much more to this book. Yes, it most definitely has moments of suspense but there is a depth to it as the various characters are faced with a decision. Can a person programmed to obey any and all orders change? Can a person disconnected from their humanity overcome everything they have ever known to make a choice of their own? Can love restore what should have been? 

Something about this book, while totally different reminds me of Jill Williamson's Replication: The Jason Experiment. Can someone, programmed for a single purpose, be something more? In my opinion, this book delves into this question, examines it, and answers it in an interesting and entertaining manner. Would I recommend it? Yes, I would. Though not considered science fiction or fantasy I feel fairly certain that those who enjoy these genres might enjoy this title as well.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion ~ All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Zoe Johnson spent most of her life living in the shadows, never drawing attention to herself, never investing in people or places. But when a wide-eyed, bedraggled teenager with no memory walks into the diner where Zoe works, everything changes. Now, against her better judgment, Zoe, who has been trying to outrun her own painful memories of the past, finds herself attempting to help a girl who doesn't seem to have any past at all. The girl knows only one thing: she must reach a woman in Corpus Christi, Texas, hundreds of miles away, before the government agents who are searching for her catch up to them.

Award-winning author Rachelle Dekker throws you into the middle of the action and keeps the pressure on in this page-turning story that, asks Are we who the world says we are--or can we change our story and be something more?

The Edge of Belonging ~ Review

The Edge of Belonging

By Amanda Cox

Ivy Rose Lashly outwardly seems to have a perfect life - loving parents, attentive fiancee, and a great job. But appearances can be deceiving - and her life is about to start unwinding after her grandmother's death. Ivy Rose needs to know her past; she feels that her worth depends on what she does not know. 

Harvey James exists but doesn't truly live, at least, not until he finds a newborn abandoned near the highway bypass he called home. Finding this baby awakens a feeling in him that forces him to step out of what he knows and into the unknown.

These two stories, set approximately twenty-four years apart, are integral to one another. Told in alternating chapters, the reader is on a journey of discovery. Who are Ivy and Harvey? And how do they fit into each other's stories? 

The Edge of Belonging is a journey of the heart and the mind as two very different people try to discover where they belong in the world. Both are so much more than the events that shaped their lives. But realizing one's worth is harder than it seems. Random comments, rumor, and innuendo have lasting impacts and often not in the way one means. But hurting wounded hearts are easily deceived by the lies they hear. This book is a story about the power of family, friendship, and love. Some stories need to be told, and this is just such a one. If you are looking for a good read, this is one book you do not want to miss. Would make an excellent book club selection.

I was provided a complimentary copy with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.   

About the Book:

When Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee an estate sale, she soon discovers that her grandmother left behind more than trinkets and photo frames--she provided a path to the truth behind Ivy's adoption. Shocked, Ivy seeks clues to her past, but a key piece to the mystery is missing.

Twenty-four years earlier, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn who gives him a sense of human connection for the first time in his life. His desire to care for the baby runs up against the stark fact that he is homeless. When he becomes entwined with two people seeking to help him find his way, Harvey knows he must keep the baby a secret or risk losing the only person he's ever loved.

In this dual-time story from debut novelist Amanda Cox, the truth--both the search for it and the desire to keep it from others--takes center stage as Ivy and Harvey grapple with love, loss, and letting go.

Something Worth Doing ~ Review

Something Worth Doing

By Jane Kirkpatrick

Abigail "Jenny" Scott wants to do something with her life, but 1852 meant she was under the rule of her father and her future husband whoever he may be. Abigail wants to make her own choices, to determine her own path. But few options were available to women, not if they wanted to be seen as respectable members of society.

When Abigail gains a teaching position in the Oregon Territory, most assume that she'll soon give it up for marriage, after all that is the duty of every woman. When a family situation arises Abigail finds herself marrying sooner than she expected. But Ben Duniway is a good match for Abigail and most importantly he doesn't see her as a way to increase his landholdings. 

Though they don't see eye to eye, Ben encourages Abigail and her efforts to make a better life for not only herself but other women, as well. In a day when women, like children, were expected to be seen and not heard, Abigail was an exception. She championed the cause of women. She sought to see equality become the norm in how women were seen. She fought to make a better world for her daughters, and their daughters. She advocated for giving women the vote, having an equal share in making decisions, to become something more, to control their own lives.

Something Worth Doing shares the harsh realities of life on the frontier. Civilization came but it was a hard-fought effort by the men and women who settled there. The efforts were fought by both though women were considered too fragile to have an opinion on matters of politics or finances. But they were responsible for any and all debts that her husband may have accrued. This is Abigail's story, a story that is America, a story that has helped shape the world that we know today. Life was not easy but nothing worth having is easy, it takes work, and the very act of doing sometimes is enough to start a change.

What I most like about Jane Kirkpatrick's books is that they are based on the lives of real people, people who made a difference just by living their lives. Were they perfect? No, but they lived their lives as best they could. The people in Jane's books are relatable in that though they lived in a different era and century the issues and challenges of life are not so different from what we face today. The challenge to find one's place in the world and to meet and conquer the trials that come. Something Worth Doing should be the goal of everyone who lives. The something doesn't have to be momentous it can be a small act of kindness, a meal well made, or a book shared. Some fiction is good and some is excellent and this falls in the excellent category. 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

In 1853, Abigail Scott was a 19-year-old school teacher in Oregon Territory when she married Ben Duniway. Marriage meant giving up on teaching, but Abigail always believed she was meant to be more than a good wife and mother. When financial mistakes and an injury force Ben to stop working, Abigail becomes the primary breadwinner for her growing family. What she sees as a working woman appalls her, and she devotes her life to fighting for the rights of women, including their right to vote.

Following Abigail as she bears six children, runs a millinery and a private school, helps on the farm, writes novels, gives speeches, and eventually runs a newspaper supporting women's suffrage, Something Worth Doing explores issues that will resonate strongly with modern women: the pull between career and family, finding one's place in the public sphere, and dealing with frustrations and prejudices women encounter when they compete in male-dominated spaces. Based on a true story of a pioneer for women's rights from award-winning author Jane Kirkpatrick will inspire you to believe that some things are worth doing--even when the cost is great.

Two Reasons to Run ~ Review with Giveaway

Welcome to the Takeover Tour for 

Two Reasons to Run by Colleen Coble, 

hosted by

JustRead Publicity Tours!

Two Reasons to Run

Pelican Harbor #2

By Colleen Coble

Jane Hardy's life has never been in more turmoil or more complicated. The son she thought had died is alive and now 15 years old. Her father has been lying to her for years. The man she had started to feel something for, Reid Dixon, has been withholding the truth about who he and Will are. Her best friend has been diagnosed with MS. And she is the new chief of police. Add to that she is working overtime following the betrayal of one of her officers and the murder of another. Yeah, Jane has more than a full time life and it is just about to get even messier.

Keith McDonald's email to his mother was just a precaution, but when he turned up missing Jane finds herself with a potential situation on her hands that could be devastating to the entire region. Worse Keith contacted Reid about what he knew. Can Jane work with Reid to safeguard what she holds most dear while dealing with his betrayal? With no evidence how can they get to the truth they seek?

Reid never meant to hurt Jane. But Will's safety was his top priority and it still is. He's unsure how to obtain Jane's forgiveness, much less the feelings they were starting to have when the truth came out. At least they have Will to keep the hope of a second chance alive. 

Soon the investigation takes a personal turn and the threat comes home for Jane and Reid. Can they keep Will safe and still stop the threat of sabotage aboard the oil rig just off their coast? Or will they lose everything?

Two Reasons to Run is the fast-paced non-stop action sequel to One Little Lie that doesn't let the reader down. The book picks up shortly after the conclusion of the first book. One is drawn to Jane as she struggles to make sense of what her life is and what it could have been. Her relationship with her father is noticeably strained but she still needs her father, especially with Will's safety in question. Get ready for some unexpected twists and a future that is in doubt as the clock ticks down. "Who?" and "Why?" are the questions they need answers to and they need them now...

Colleen Coble does not disappoint with this book and one can only wonder where this series will go in the next book. Highly recommended if you want suspense that keeps you reading into the wee hours of the day. Fans of Romantic Suspense you have a new book to add to your tbr list. 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

I read this book and thoroughly enjoyed it but I also obtained an audio version of it via Libro.fm (an alternative to Audible) and enjoyed listening to the narration by Devon O'Day though I did listen to to it at 1.5 playback speed (better fit in my opinion for the suspense driven action). So if you are a fan of audio over text this is an excellent option to explore.

About the Book: 
Title: Two Reasons to Run
Series: The Pelican Harbor Series book 2
Author: Colleen Coble
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: August 4, 2020
Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

She’s got plenty of reasons to run.
But what if she stays?

A lie changed her world.

Police Chief Jane Hardy is still reeling from the scandal that rocked her small-town department just as she took over for her retired father—the man who wrecked her life with one little lie. Now she’s finally been reunited with her presumed-dead fifteen-year-old son, Will, and his father, documentarian Reid Dixon.

A crisis looms.

When a murder aboard the oil platform Zeus exposes an environmental terrorist’s plot to flood Mobile Bay with crude oil, Jane and Reid must put their feelings for each other behind them and work together to prevent the rig from being sabotaged.

A killer targets her son.

Then the terrorist puts her son Will’s life on the line. Protecting him could be the common ground they need . . . but then ghosts from the past threaten to ruin Jane and Reid for good.

She’s got plenty of reasons to run. 
But what if she stays?

The second book in a gripping new series from 
USA TODAY bestselling romantic suspense author Colleen Coble.

Purchase Links*:
 Goodreads |Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository | Christianbook | Audible  | Libro.fm

About the Author:

Colleen Coble is a USA TODAY bestselling author and RITA finalist best known for her coastal romantic suspense novels, including The Inn at Ocean’s Edge, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens, and the Lavender Tides, Sunset Cove, Hope Beach, and Rock Harbor series.

Connect with Colleen online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Giveaway (1) winner will receive a print copy of 

One Little Lie plus Two Reasons to Run! 

(see JustRead website for details)

Be sure to check out each stop on these tours for more chances to win. 

The full tour schedule is linked below. 

The giveaway begins at midnight on September 17, 2020, and will last

through 11:59 PM EST on September 24, 2020. 

Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of the close of the giveaway and

given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of the prize. 

US only, void where prohibited by law or logistics. 

For the giveaway rules, policy, and

to enter the tour-wide giveaway click

JustReads Tour Page

Follow along with at JustRead Tours for the full list of stops!

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Minutes to Die ~ Review

Minutes to Die 

Homeland Heroes #2

By Susan Sleeman

FBI Agent Kiley Dawson's CI has been killed just moments after revealing that a terrorist attack is imminent. With only a few words to go on, stopping the coming devastation seems nearly impossible, but the RED Team doesn't know the meaning of impossible. 

ICE Agent Evan Bowers has tracked down evidence of smuggled terrorists. Terrorists that came prepared to carry out an attack. But with no way to identify the suspects, the chance of stopping them has dramatically dropped. Calling in what he's found brings the RED Team into his investigation - an investigation he is determined to be a part of. Now he just needs to convince the lead agent to keep him on - not an easy sell given the history he and Kiley share. One in which her former partner was killed under his leadership, and she lays the blame squarely on his shoulders.

But time is short, and to accomplish what they need to will require working through their discomfort. Can the two work together long enough to stop the coming attack that is rumored to be bigger than 9/11? Or will the lack of online or dark web chatter work to their detriment? And what about the growing attraction between Kiley and Evan? Will the mistakes of the past prevent them from having a future? 

The clock is ticking down... 

Minutes to Die is an excellent sequel to Seconds to Live that readers who are fans of Romantic Suspense will enjoy diving into this draw you in action from page one. Minutes are slipping away as the few clues that are known are too vague to pinpoint an exact location or mode of attack. If you want keep you up all night suspense this is the book you want to move to the top of your tbr pile. And when you add in Kiley's childhood issues that take on a new meaning as the threat draws nearer you have an intense read in your future.

Tick, tick, tick...

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations - all thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

It's the intel every agent fears—terrorists have been smuggled into the country intent on unleashing the most deadly attack since 9/11. With the threat imminent, FBI Agent Kiley Dawson and ICE Agent Evan Bowers are charged with taking down this terrorist cell. The only problem, Kiley blames Evan for the death of her former partner, and she can barely be in a room with him. But with millions of lives on the line, she has no choice.

If it wasn't for a bad call Evan made, Kiley's former partner would still be alive, and Evan has to live with that guilt for the rest of his life. When he starts falling for her, the agent's death seems an impossible obstacle—but it's also the last thing he needs to think about. As the terrorist plot veers toward targeting Kiley's family, the two are pushed to the breaking point in a race to save countless lives.

Read an excerpt here