Halley's Casino ~ Review and Giveaway

Halley's Casino
Halley's Casino #1
By Mark JG Fahey

Major newsflash what you thought you knew about Halley's Comet is totally wrong. First off it is not, I repeat not, a comet. Yes, you read that correctly Halley's Comet is, in fact, an interstellar vehicle constructed by an alien race thousands of years ago. And poor Nebula Yorker is about to find this out first-hand as he awaits the return of Halley's Comet in 1986.

Neb's life has been a most unusual one as he was an orphan who was adopted by an older couple who had observed the previous flyby of Halley's Comet in 1910. With parents who were 60 years older than him, Neb's upbringing was one of travel and learning. And they were always together except for a 2-week stint every year that his parents took to the Amazon, until two years previously when they never returned.

And tonight Neb is about to fulfill their wish to observe the comet only without them by his side. At least that is his plan until he has an otherworldly visit that will change his understanding of everything.

The one thing you must remember is that you can never go into the future - but the past, that is another matter altogether and not one easily explained. But beware without proper precautions the past can kill you. And someone has nefarious plans in the works and Neb might not survive his first encounter with space-faring sentient lifeforms who have an utter fascination with Star Trek (the 1960s Original series).

Now, this is not my usual reading fare but the description intrigued me and I was soon drawn into the story. So drawn in that I spent a Saturday reading and not regretting a moment spent in the task. There are a few words that are in the gray area but nothing that one doesn't hear when walking through a store. There are a few surprises that are revealed towards the end of the book that just adds to the mystery of Neb and his life. And the impact Neb Yorker makes upon those he encounters - well let's just say Ancient Rome is sure to not forget his visit.

Teens and up are sure to enjoy this one if they are fans of sci-fi with a good dash of humor flavoring it. And if you are looking for something new give this a try. Get ready for an out of this world - out of this time experience.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the author with no expectations except that I provide my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.


Be sure to come back on January 18th when the second book in the Halley's Casino series is reviewed.

Read about it here.

About the Book:

Book Title:  Halley's Casino by Mark JG Fahey
Category:  Adult Fiction,  304 pages
Genre:   Science Fiction / Humor
Publisher:  Self-published
Release date:  Jan 25, 2016
Content Rating: PG (No profanity,  readable for all ages 12 and up, pure fun and witty story)

Book Description:

Halley’s Casino is set in 1986. 26-year old Nebula Yorker (Neb to his friends), is patiently awaiting the return of Halley’s Comet. He is about to discover that the world is not what it seems.

Upon the arrival of Halley’s Comet, Neb is confronted by a mysterious stranger who literally swoops out of the night sky. What happens next will change the course of Neb’s life and that of all he befriends.

This stranger (Mr. Tict) reveals to Neb that Halley’s is not a comet at all, but an Intergalactic Casino that has been posing as a comet for countless years. Mr. Tict is the Concierge of the Casino and he has come back to Earth to recruit Neb as his assistant.

What happens next is an eye-opening experience for young Neb that no one on Earth can imagine. It can only be explained by watching old Star Trek reruns, while eating cheese sandwiches and drinking hot chocolate. From androids with attitude to a vast assortment of alien beings and historic individuals, with a touch of time travel from ancient Babylon to 1757 London and back to Rome of 12 BCE, Neb soon learns that his past, present and future have always lain in the stars above.

It’s a rock and roll ride chock full of chaos, a formidable nemesis, drama, satire, humour, death and new beginnings, with revelations that Neb never saw coming.

Even John Lennon is amused!

Starting out on a quiet evening of stargazing, Nebula Yorker finds himself caught up in the most extraordinary time travel and planet-saving adventure of a lifetime.

And that’s only the beginning of what is to come.

---

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Meet the Author:

​Mark JG Fahey is not an alien, contrary to what you may have heard, though he swears he has been to space. Mark has dabbled in various undertakings throughout his illustrious career, from on-air hosting/reporter/stand-up comic to messenger for the Prime Minister of Canada. Mark also holds a degree in Restaurant Services. His family and friends can attest to his excellent cooking skills. Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Mark was raised and still resides in Aylmer, Quebec, Canada.  Halley's Casino is the first book in the Halley's Casino trilogy.

Halley's Casino: 3rd place winner in a worldwide competition with World's Best Story 2017. Finalist and 3rd place winner with the Independent Author Network October 2018 and is also a finalist for the inaugural Canadian Book Club Awards 2018.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

BOOK REVIEW TOUR SCHEDULE:

Jan 2   - Bookroom Reviews - review of Marine / author interview
Jan 3   - Library of Clean Reads - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Jan 7   - #redhead.with.book - review of Marine/ giveaway
Jan 8   - Library of Clean Reads - review of Marine / giveaway
Jan 9   - Mystery Suspense Reviews - book spotlight 
Jan 10 - Olio by Marilyn - review of Halley's Casino / author interview / giveaway
Jan 11 - Blooming with Books - review of Halley's Casino / giveaway
Jan 14 - 3 Partners in Shopping - review of Marine/ giveaway
Jan 15 - Olio by Marilyn - review of Marine / giveaway
Jan 16 - Bound 4 Escape - review of Marine/ giveaway
Jan 18 - Blooming with Books - review of Marine / giveaway
Jan 21 - The Autistic Gamer - review of Marine / giveaway
Jan 23 - Nighttime Reading Center - review of Marine/ giveaway
Jan 24 - A Mama's Corner of the World - review of Marine/ giveaway
Jan 30 - JBronder Book Reviews - review of Halley's Casino / guest post / giveaway
Jan 31 - JBronder Book Reviews - review  of Marine / giveaway

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Enduring Promises of the Heart ~ Book Blast

About the Book:

"What if I told you there is a way that we could all be happy? That if I were to propose to you, your father couldn’t deny us?” 
“What is it, John? Tell me!” 

Just then the basket hit the water and the sea began to stream in through the spaces between the reeds. This was the end. 

The year is 1887, and the small community of Pleasant View is abuzz over Penelope Pottifer’s serialized romances in the local paper. Since the release of the first volume, the thrilling story has captured the hearts and minds of the entire town— and several towns over! 

Each successive edition of the Pleasant View Gazette spins a breathtaking tale of kidnappers, pirates, and forbidden love. Between volumes, however, Pleasant View resident Mary Clarence, the story’s toughest critic, hears a rumor that Penelope Pottifer is not, in fact, the author’s real name. Determined to uncover the mystery, Mary drags her friend Elizabeth Black into a hunt for the elusive author’s true identity. But fiction and reality seem to entwine when along the way, Mary and Liz discover unexpected truths, exciting adventures, and dramatic romances of their own.

GOODREADS | AMAZON

About the Author:

Valerie has a love for stories with happy endings and bright comedy. A native to the California high desert, she now considers Utah her home where she lives with her husband, three children and two chihuahuas. Growing up in a family of seven kids, Valerie learned to embrace her unique creativity and way of looking at the world and hopes it will enrich other's lives. In 2015 she published two children's books, Singing Not so Sweetly and Anabelle Loves Babies. She believes writing is the ultimate end-all for creative pursuits because there are no limits to what you can create. A picture may say a thousand words but a novel is usually around seventy-thousand.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

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Marrying Miss Milton ~ Review

Marrying Miss Milton
Brides of Brighton #2
By Ashtyn Newbold

Jane Milton has been secretly in love with the Viscount of Barnet since she caught a glimpse of him 7 years prior. At 15 her heart was impressed with what she saw as he rode his horse and she fancied a future with him. But how is one to make an impression and receive an offer of marriage when nary a word or a passing glance is exchanged?

With the marriage of her three younger more perfect sisters (she couldn't compare as her mother so kindly pointed out every chance she got) Jane is now to receive her parents attention in securing her a match. But with her heart's desire removing himself to Brighton for the season Jane is quite beside herself at her lost chance.

When an opportunity is arranged for Jane to go to Brighton as a Lady's companion she had no idea just what she was about to experience (or perhaps endure would be a better word). Caught is a position with her reputation ruined Jane is forced into a marriage, not of her choosing, mere days after arriving in Brighton. And worse she finds herself facing a future as the wife of Philip Honeyfield a new named marquess who just a month before was no one of note at least to the ladies of society.

Can a marriage resulting from one unexpected and unchaperoned exchange result in a lifetime of misery? Jane and Philip are about to find out.

This is the second book in the Brides of Brighton series and it is as delightful as the first (A Convenient Engagement) and several of the main characters from the previous book make appearances here as well. As Philip and Jane work through their new and unexpected circumstances they must first get to know who the other one is before they can hope for anything other than a lonely foreseeable future.

And anyone who read the first book will recall Lord Ramsbury whom Amelia did not marry, well he offers Philip some advice which may or may not be helpful. And one has to commiserate with him and hope that he will someday find a young woman who will be happy to marry him for who he is and not the title he holds.

Sit back in a favorite cozy corner with a warm cup of tea, a shortbread cookie (or two) and get lost in yet another delightfully sweet Regency-era romance from Ashtyn Newbold. This one falls in the gentle reads and clean romance category so feel free to share with readers of all ages.

About the Book:

One must never underestimate the consequence of a simple kiss…

Tall, dark, and brooding, the Viscount of Barnet stole Jane Milton’s heart the day she saw him astride his black horse in the woods. With her three seemingly perfect younger sisters now married, Jane might finally have a chance to win him over. When she learns of his upcoming trip to Brighton, she grasps at an opportunity to be a companion to an elderly woman there, in order to follow—er—accompany Lord Barnet to the seaside town.

Mr. Philip Honeyfield has suffered the dreaded misfortune of inheriting a title. Ungainly and shy, how can he perform well in the eye of society? To navigate his new role, Philip seeks advice from an unlikely source. When he is smitten by his grandmother’s new companion, Miss Jane Milton, his advisor offers one final piece of counsel: he must kiss her at the upcoming ball.

But a moonlit kiss can be catastrophic when witnessed by a cunning mother, a marriage can be inconvenient when forced, and a woman’s heart can be difficult to win when it belongs to another. Can an unexpected love conquer Jane’s resentment and Philip’s regret? Or will that simple kiss turn out to be his greatest misfortune of all?
Marrying Miss Milton is a sweet & clean regency romance novel.

The Marriage Bargain ~ Review

The Marriage Bargain
Family Blessings #4
By Stephanie Dees

Jules Sheehan opened her home to the two children of her best friend following a tragic accident that left them orphans. Providing a home for Eleanor and Emma is something she never thought would become a reality but she's determined to keep them safe from their grandmother and she'll do anything to keep that promise. She just never imagined she'd have to get married to keep it.

Cam Quinn hasn't been back to Red Hill Springs since he was kicked out of the family home when he was 15 years old by an angry stepfather. He last saw Glory when she was 6 years old and the time he lost with her is a regret that he is determined to not repeat her daughters. When he offered to help Jules with the girls he never imagined that his assistance would mean getting married to Jules and having the family he had always wanted.

But how long will this marriage last when it is in name only? Cam and Jules are determined to do what is best for the girls and convince everyone looking in that they have the stable loving family that is needed to keep Eleanor and Emma away from Cam and Glory's mother. But will they lose their hearts to each other and become a true family? Or will their differences keep them apart?

This is the fourth book in the Family Blessings series and is perhaps my favorite. There is just so much that Jules and Cam are having to deal with - personal loss, grieving children, maintaining their careers, and a marriage of convenience. And then the rest of the Sheehan siblings are dealing with their own lives that have been unexpectedly blessed as well. And then there is Bertie mom to the whole Sheehan bunch who has a surprise of her own for the family and will have a far-reaching impact on Red Hill Springs - an impact that just adds to Jules stress and burden at a time when she's about maxed out. This was a true delight to read as we finally get to know Jules better.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the author with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.




About the Book:

Falling for her convenient groom

Family Blessings lead to

new beginnings

Jules Sheehan will do anything to keep custody of the two orphaned girls in her care—including a marriage of convenience with their uncle. Cam Quinn crosses the globe as a travel writer, but he’s ready to settle down. Now tough, tender Jules is offering the home he’s secretly longed for. Can this marriage in name only become a family of the heart?

Author: Stephanie Dees 

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

Publisher: Love Inspired 

Release Date: January 15, 2019 

ISBN: 9781335479006 

Made for the Journey ~ Review

Made for the Journey: 

   One Missionary's First Year in the Jungles of Ecuador
by Elisabeth Elliot

with foreword by Kay Warren
First off just for those who think they have all of Elisabeth Elliot's books this book was originally published in 1998 as These Strange Ashes: Is God Still in Charge? For those who are unfamiliar with the previous title (which I was) this a most interesting and insightful look at Elisabeth Elliot's first year as a missionary (which I might add was before she married Jim Elliot).

All too often the life of a missionary is glamorized in the hard work and effort that goes into the life well Made for the Journey doesn't glamorize it. Elizabeth went to Ecuador with the intention to learn the language of the Colorado Indians and then work on developing a written language with which the Bible could be translated for them. But her first step was learning Spanish so that she could communicate with those who called Ecuador home. Which makes one realize just how valuable an understanding of languages truly is to those who serve in the mission field. 

The community to which Elizabeth and her colleagues settled was not home to the Colorados to whom the deeper jungle was home but it was an area which they frequented upon occasion. But obtaining the willingness of one of these individuals to sit with her for hours, days, and weeks was nearly impossible. The need for her to learn their language was not nearly as important to them as it was to her. And there were setbacks that made her at times question her work and whether she had misheard God's calling.

Through her efforts, successful and not, Elizabeth wondered at times what God's purpose for this year of her life was. Years later she had her answer (revealed at the end of the book) and we need to remember the truth that God, that Christ is sufficient for all our trials and sorrows - that was and is the purpose of the cross. We often don't know the "why" but that is not important in our journey only that we trust in Him and follow His leading.

This book is not long at only 166 pages but there is a lot of information and depth to be found within these pages. I wouldn't say this should be read as a devotional but rather as a welcome addition to one's daily readings. There are 19 chapters so this could even be read over a couple of months if one only has free reading time on the weekends. This is labeled as a memoir and most will find it to be so much more. 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion.

About the Book:
In this deeply personal account of her first year as a missionary, Elisabeth Elliot shares the challenges she faced as she worked in the jungles of Ecuador to bring the Word of God to a people virtually untouched by the outside world. With fascinating detail, she captures the stark realities of life in the jungle, the difficulties she encountered while developing a written language for the tribe, and her confusion when God didn't "cooperate" with her efforts to accomplish what she believed was His will.

More than just a memoir, Made for the Journey is a beautifully crafted and deeply personal reflection on the important questions of life and a remarkable testimony to authentic Christian obedience to an unfathomable God.

Lethal Target ~ Review

Lethal Target
Line of Duty #2
By Janice Cantore

Tess O'Rourke thought the past of Long Beach was behind her now that she has become a part of the community of Rogue's Hollow. The police department is facing a new crisis with the death of an 18-year-old young man that appears to have been due to a drug overdose. But when the evidence doesn't prove conclusive Tess is left with more questions than answers. Is it related to the new pot farms setting up around the area or is it something more sinister? Especially when the bane of her existence in Long Beach shows up ready to start a new smear campaign against her in Rogue's Hollow.

Tess has definitely crossed someone and once again her career is on the line but she's not about to back down and fade into the shadows when she has a job to do. And she does have a job to do when an unexplained death and potential missing persons on her watch. What Tess doesn't know is just how large a target she has on her back and whether she'll survive the threats that seem to be surrounding her.

Through it all, those who know and believe in her stand firm in their support. But with a contention ballot measure and the mayor's race just days away, Rogue's Hollow may soon erupt under the building tension. And Tess is under her own personal turmoil as the anniversary of her father's death comes around yet again - can she let go of the anger and allow her heart to heal? Or will her anger end her friendship with Pastor Oliver Macpherson, who seemingly overcame his own personal loss? Only time will tell and it is quickly running down.

This is the second book in the Line of Duty series and it takes place a few months after the events of Crisis Shot with Tess well-situated in her new home. Her relationship with Sergeant Steve Logan has come and gone in the time between, her choice. Tess's determination and drive make her a compelling character. And then there is Oliver who through his interactions is a caring person who tries to help others see that all sin is sin and all are guilty but redemption is possible and it is never too late to change. Rogue's Hollow is like many smaller communities with issues that seem larger than they truly need to be just because everyone knows everyone and it becomes more personal. Altogether a well-written and engaging book that is perfect for a long chilly weekend.


About the Book:
Police Chief Tess O’Rourke thought she’d taken care of her small town’s drug problem last year. But now Rogue’s Hollow residents are up in arms over a contentious vote on legalizing the sale of marijuana within city limits. And when an eighteen-year-old is found dead of a possible overdose, Tess wonders if the local pot farms might be involved and begins to fear that a new, deadlier drug supply chain has cropped up. As tempers flare and emotions boil over, Tess faces the possibility of losing the town’s support.

With her relationship to Sergeant Steve Logan on shaky ground, Tess could really use a friend, and she feels drawn to Pastor Oliver Macpherson’s quiet presence. But the anger she holds over her father’s death prevents her from embracing his faith and finding peace.

Battling storms within and without, Tess is shocked when a familiar face from her past shows up in town to stir up more trouble. And his threats against Tess may prove lethal.

No Safe Place ~ Review with Giveaway

No Safe Place
By Sherri Shackelford
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense

She thought she could use the long holiday weekend to cover her escape and save her life. But she was wrong, coming to the attention of the wrong people thanks to her job as a forensic accountant. She thought she had covered her tracks but someone knows and they are determined to keep her from revealing just what she knows.

Corbin Ross is tracking potential terrorists and his investigation has lead him to Quetech Industries and Beth Greenwood. With Beth's name linked for a second time in as many years to suspicious financial activity, she and her employer are both under surveillance by Homeland Security.  And when Beth shows signs of running Corbin is sure that is proof of her guilt until she is attacked. But getting Beth in custody may prove almost as difficult as determining who is trying to grab her unless it is part of her plan.

When he finally has Beth in his custody it will take some careful think to lose whoever is tracking them. And soon they are on the run and local law enforcement may not be able to help them with trust at a premium. With communication at a minimum Corbin is on his own as he tries to determine just what Beth's role is in his case especially if the evidence she claims to have can't be obtained. But the biggest danger may be if he can't keep his heart from becoming involved.

If you like suspense with a touch of romance that's clean you'll enjoy this new book from Sherri Shackelford.

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



About the Book:

He lives by the law

She’s running for her life.

After forensic accountant Beth Greenwood uncovers a money-laundering scheme tying her company to the organization that murdered her mentor, she knows she needs to go into hiding. With ruthless killers in pursuit, she’s forced to rely on homeland security agent Corbin Ross’s protection—even as his investigation suggests Beth is complicit in embezzlement. Can their uneasy alliance develop into something deeper—and keep them alive?

Giveaway:

(1) US winner will win a "Current and Classic Gift Box"!

See launch page for a list of items

  http://bit.ly/NoSafePlaceTakeover 

The book can be purchased at  https://amzn.to/2Vl1TJo

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