Cover Reveal: Dance of Stars and Ashes by Nisha J. Tuli

Posted on September 27, 2023 by theplainspokenpen@gmail.com

I’m thrilled to share the cover of the latest in Nisha J. Tuli’s Nightfire Quartet, Dance of Stars and Ashes!

Synopsis:

A love that burns brighter than starlight. A gift that could leave her world in ashes. It’s time for Zarya to release the fire within.

In the jeweled city of Dharati, Zarya found passion and adventure for the first time. A mysterious stranger named Rabin helped to free the power within her—a dark, ancient magic that should not exist.

Now, Zarya learns Rabin’s true identity. A warrior prince, born to rule, he is as deadly as he is beautiful. He’s also insufferable. Arrogant and superior, with dangerous secrets of his own.

Zarya wants nothing to do with him. Terrifying demons are gathering beyond the walls and Zarya’s friends are rushing to complete a ceremony that will protect the city. Her mind is fixed on saving her home and finding the origin of her magic.

But every discovery and every dream pulls her back to Rabin. Does an enchantment bind them, or is it pure desire? Will opening her heart give Zarya the power to turn back the demons, or will it let the darkness devour her?

Dance of Stars and Ashes is the second book in an addictive series that builds from a slow burn to irresistible steamy romance. Packed with tension, action, and heart-stopping twists, it will keep fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and Rebecca Yarros reading late into the night.

My thoughts:

LOOK AT THAT COVER!

Isn’t it gorgeous? It’s purple – my favorite! This is a cover that I’d pick up the book in the store without even knowing what it’s about. And I know what it’s about, and that makes me that much more excited about it!

If you want to know why I’m so excited about this book, read my review of Heart of Night and Fire, first in the quartet. This one will be out February 16, 2024, and I can’t wait!

Want to pre-order? Go here:  https://geni.us/B0CJVQX55Tcover

Thanks to Second Sky Books for letting me share the cover!

Posted in Cover Reveals, Fantasy, Second Sky Books | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Book Review and Blog Tour: The London Forgery by Heidi Eljarbo | JustRead

Posted on September 27, 2023 by theplainspokenpen@gmail.com

The London Forgery JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The London Forgery by Heidi Eljarbo, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

The London Forgery

Title: The London Forgery
Series: A Fabiola Bennett Mystery #1
Author: Heidi Eljarbo
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: August 29, 2023
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery, Dual Timeline

1973. Art historian Fabiola Bennett sees herself as a prudently observant deer who becomes a daring and even mischievous lioness if the situation calls for it. And that’s exactly what’s required when greedy criminals steal, forge, and tamper with treasured artwork. When the crooks add murder to their list of crimes, the chaos is complete.

A mysterious note is delivered anonymously at the door of the National Gallery in London, and the director immediately calls Fabiola’s office in Oslo and pleads with her to come without delay. The message is confusing, but it seems one of her favorite eighteenth-century portraits is in trouble.

Fabiola hops on the first plane and meets up with her vibrant side-kick Pippa Yates and the ever-loyal Detective Inspector Cary Green from New Scotland Yard. But she is not naïve enough to think untangling the purpose and meaning of the mysterious note will be as simple as a walk in Hyde Park. These things never are.

1750. Newly married Robert and Frances Andrews, members of the landed gentry of Suffolk, England, hire young and talented Thomas Gainsborough to paint their wedding portrait. Their desire is a lovely conversation piece showing their wealth and class, an artwork to remember them by for generations to come.

Little do they know the gifted artist portrays their personalities exactly how he perceives them, and the artistic symbolism is not as flattering as they’d hoped for. Even the looming clouds in the distance promise a troublesome future.

This is the first book in a new dual timeline series by Heidi Eljarbo—an intriguing spin-off from the much-loved Soli Hansen Mysteries.

Fans of Lucinda Riley, Rhys Bowen, Kathleen McGurl, Kate Morton, and Katherine Neville will love this cozy historical art mystery, which takes the readers back to the nostalgia of the groovy seventies and the classical Georgian era of the eighteenth century.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

My review:

I do love a good dual-timeline story, and Heidi Eljarbo delivers!

In 1973, art historian Fabiola Bennett is called in when the National Gallery in London receives a mysterious note indicating there may be a problem with Mr. and Mrs. Andrews, a well-known work of artist Thomas Gainsborough. We see the investigation into the matter through Fabiola’s eyes, and we see the history of the painting from the artist’s viewpoint in 1750.

I know very little about art history or how one would tell a real painting from a forgery, so the detail the author provided on those subjects was fascinating. As a former prosecutor, I’m always interested in anything related to crime and its investigation, and it was fun seeing Fabiola work with (and sometimes without) Detective Inspector Cary Green. I sometimes had to hold my breath at the situations Fabiola and Pippa put themselves into for the sake of gaining information. They were definitely keen to solve the mystery!

The dual timelines wove together effortlessly, and it was interesting reading about the thought process that Gainsborough may have put into his painting. (I say “may” because this is fiction, after all.) I’m no artist, and Eljarbo gave us an engaging look into the the artist’s inner world as he put brushes to canvas.

There’s just a hint of romance between Fabiola and the Detective Inspector. I hope we see more of that in future books. Fabiola is a likable character. She’s mourning the death of her husband, so it’s understandable that she isn’t jumping into anything right now. But I would like to see her happy in a new relationship at some point. I can hope!

This is the first book I’ve read by Heidi Eljarbo, but it won’t be the last. I look forward to more in this series, and I recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery that keeps you guessing.

My thanks to JustRead Publicity Tours and the author for a review copy of the book. All opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like.

Keep scrolling to enter the giveaway!

About the Author

Heidi Eljarbo

Heidi Eljarbo is the bestselling author of historical fiction and mysteries filled with courageous and good characters that are easy to love and others you don’t want to go near.

Heidi grew up in a home filled with books and artwork and she never truly imagined she would do anything other than write and paint. She studied art, languages, and history, all of which have come in handy when working as an author, magazine journalist, and painter.

After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She and her husband have a total of nine children, fifteen grandchildren—so far—in addition to a bouncy Wheaten Terrier.

Their favorite retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summertime and ski the vast, white terrain during winter.

Heidi’s favorites are family, God’s beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.

Connect with Heidi by visiting heidieljarbo.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will win a print copy of “The London Forgery”, an eBook “Of Darkness and Light” and a $10 Amazon gift card!

The London Forgery JustRead Tours giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 26, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on October 3, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. No shipping restrictions. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

Posted in Blog Tours, Book Reviews, JustRead Blog Tours, Mystery | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: Daughters of Green Mountain Gap by Teri M. Brown

Posted on September 27, 2023 by theplainspokenpen@gmail.com

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme that highlights books soon to be released, the ones we’re excited about but haven’t read yet. It’s hosted by Wishful Endings, and was formerly hosted by Breaking the Spine. Y’all can check out all of this week’s Can’t-Wait Wednesday posts here.

If y’all have followed along with the blog for a bit, you know how much I love Teri M. Brown’s historical fiction. If not, catch up on my reviews here! She’s an author whose books I’ll read, no questions asked, and I am ridiculously excited that she’s got a new book coming out.

Title: Daughters of Green Mountain Gap

Author: Teri M. Brown

Publisher: Atmosphere Press

Synopsis:

An Appalachian granny woman. A daughter on a crusade. A granddaughter caught between the two.

Maggie McCoury, a generational healer woman, relies on family traditions, folklore, and beliefs gleaned from a local Cherokee tribe. Her daughter, Carrie Ann, believes her university training holds the answers. As they clash over the use of roots, herbs, and a dash of mountain magic versus the medicine available in the town’s apothecary, Josie Mae doesn’t know whom to follow. But what happens when neither family traditions nor science can save the ones you love most?

Daughters of Green Mountain Gap weaves a compelling tale of Maggie, Carrie Ann, and Josie Mae, three generations of remarkable North Carolina women living at the turn of the twentieth century, shedding light on racism, fear of change, loss of traditions, and the intricate dynamics within a family. Author Teri M. Brown skillfully navigates the complexities of their lives, revealing that some questions are not as easy to answer as one might think.

Aw, yeah! It’s going to be good. Y’all be sure to pop by in January, when I’ll have the opportunity to share my review.

Posted in Book Memes, Can't-Wait Wednesday, Historical Fiction | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Book Review: The Witches of Bone Hill by Ava Morgyn

Posted on September 26, 2023 by theplainspokenpen@gmail.com
  • Title: The Witches of Bone Hill
  • Author: Ava Morgyn
  • Where to buy: Amazon (affiliate link)
  • Genre: Women’s Fiction, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
  • Would I recommend: A great read for the spooky season!

Synopsis:

Cordelia Bone’s meticulously crafted life and career in Dallas are crashing down around her thanks to a philandering husband with criminal debts.

When her older, carefree sister, Eustace—a cannabis grower in Boulder, calls to inform her the great aunt they never met has died and they must travel to a small town in Connecticut to deal with the estate, she sees an opportunity to unload the house and save herself.

But once there, the sisters learn they are getting much more than they bargained for. The Victorian mansion they stand to inherit is bound in a dynasty trust controlled by their late aunt’s aging attorney who insists they inhabit the house and retain it but keeps them in the dark about the peculiar rituals of their ancestors. Not to mention a sexy, tattooed groundskeeper with a shrouded past who refuses to leave the carriage house and a crypt full of dead relatives looming at the property line.

As both women grapple with their current predicament, they come face to face with a haunting family secret, the truth of what happened to their mother, and the enemy that’s been stalking them from the shadows for generations. In a twisting torrent of terror and blood, the sisters must uncover the power within them to heal their fractured relationship, reverse their mysteriously declining health, and claim the lineage they wanted to escape but now must embrace if they are to survive at Bone Hill.

My review:

Happy book birthday to Ava Morgyn! The Witches of Bone Hill is out today, and I am here to tell you, if you want a deliciously spine-tingling book for the Halloween season, here ya go.

If it weren’t for bad luck, real estate agent Cordelia Bone would have no luck at all. Her soon-to-be-ex-husband cheated on her (with her assistant, in their house). Not just that, but he’s racked up a truckload of debt in her name, some of it with mob connections who are now looking to collect from her. She can’t sell her house in Dallas without fixing the recently discovered black mold problem first. And then her estranged sister Eustace calls to tell her their one surviving relative, their great-aunt Augusta, has died and left them an inheritance in Connecticut. Well, maybe that will fix the money problem. So Eustace and Cordelia are off to Bellwick, Connecticut to collect an inheritance from a great-aunt they barely knew.

Why don’t they know their great-aunt? Because their mother, Maggie, fled the old home place years ago. The sisters’ childhood was spent in rough conditions, always on the move, always with their mother having one loser boyfriend after another. And then Maggie was murdered, a tattoo ripped from her very skin. So they have no idea what awaits them in Connecticut.

This story is about the power of family. The bitterness of a bond that chafes for too long. The importance of sisterhood. And most of all, it is about Cordelia and Eustace finding the voices that are truly theirs, the voices they never knew about because their mother tried to leave it all behind.

The house, Bone Hill, is truly a character in and of itself. The family attorney, Bennett Togers, tells the sisters that the house will make its will known, and it does. With all the happenings that can’t be explained and that are well out of the ordinary, it’s no wonder the town of Bellwick views the Bone family with, at best, suspicion.

The story itself gets real close to lines I don’t like to cross with its very vivid descriptions of witchcraft and with some disturbing scenes involving animals. I do, however, appreciate the Norse mythology that is at the root of the sisters’ – indeed, of their family’s – power.

And the sisters themselves are wonderfully written characters. Eustace is the easygoing one, more able to adapt to her new circumstances. Cordelia, on the other hand, grew up with her ears full of Maggie’s warnings – don’t look at them, don’t speak to them, and under no circumstances sing to them. She has a harder time adjusting, and she can’t understand why Maggie would flee from family and drag her girls through a hard-knock life. All is revealed in time, though, as Cordelia comes to grasp the true strength she and Eustace can only have together.

This is a quick, compelling read that I finished in less than 24 hours. If you’re looking for a book to give you the chills, full of vengeful spirits and newfound powers, this is it. I suggest you put The Witches of Bone Hill at the top of your October TBR.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a review copy. All opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like.

Posted in Book Reviews, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Women's Fiction | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Book Review and Blog Tour: The Locket by Natalie Meg Evans

Posted on September 25, 2023 by theplainspokenpen@gmail.com

Happy book birthday to Natalie Meg Evans! The Locket is out today from Bookouture, and I’m happy to be sharing my review on launch day. If you like compelling, emotional historical fiction, you are in the right place.

Book: The Locket

Author: Natalie Meg Evans

Pub Day: Sept 25th 2023 

Buy Link(s):  
https://geni.us/B0C9RW62RPsocial

About the book:

England, 1942. ‘It has to stay secret,’ he whispers, placing the locket around her neck. ‘If they find it, they’ll send me away.’ As she holds the locket, glinting in the moonlight, she can’t hold back the tears. ‘I just wish we didn’t have to hide…’

When farmer’s daughter Irene meets Theodore at a village dance, sparks fly instantly. The war has brought him all the way from Louisiana to build a US airbase just across her father’s fields, but as they sway together, there is nothing else in the world. Only his gentle touch and his deep brown eyes.

But being together comes at a price. As Theodore is Black, the might of the US Air Force is against them, and all the members of the little village community disapprove of their relationship. And they will all go to terrible lengths to tear the two young lovers apart…

Decades later, heartbroken Ruby is back at her family’s crumbling farmhouse for the first time in years, after the loss of her beloved grandmother Irene. The roof has fallen in, family photographs are damaged – and her grandmother’s jewellery is nowhere to be found.

When Ruby uncovers her grandmother’s waterlogged diaries, she discovers that Irene treasured one piece of lost jewellery above all. A locket from a man called Theodore. And the missing locket holds the key to unravelling a heartbreaking secret that changed her grandmother’s life…

Is someone in the village hiding the locket to keep the truth about Irene and Theodore buried? And can Ruby find a way to honour her grandmother’s memory – or in digging up the pain of the war, will she tear her family apart?

An absolutely breathtaking World War Two story about the power of love in the face of adversity, and how the tragic consequences of war can echo through generations. Fans of Fiona Valpy, The Nightingale and All the Light We Cannot See will be addicted to this incredible read.

My review:

Wow, this book packs a punch! You might think, eh, World War II historical fiction, I’ve read a lot of that, do I really need to read one more? Yes. Yes, you do. The Locket is set in World War II, but the focus is the relationships, the family secrets and why we keep them, the lengths to which bitterness and pain may drive us.

Ruby returns to Suffolk from France to deal with Oak Apple Farm, the inheritance left to her by her grandmother Irene. She’s reeling from the loss of her relationship and her work in one fell swoop, and she isn’t sure what she’ll do going forward, but she plans on selling the old property. As she’s cleaning, though, she finds bits and pieces of the life history of the grandmother she never really knew, including a treasure trove of Irene’s diaries. She’s also hoping to find the one thing of Irene’s that her mother wants – a treasured locket.

Through the diaries, Ruby learns the story of Irene and her airman, Theodore “Theo” Robinson. Theo was stationed in Suffolk to build a U.S. airbase there, but when he saw Irene and she saw him, they fell hard and fast. Their relationship was vehemently discouraged, though, because Theo was Black, and Jim Crow and racism hadn’t remained behind in the States. Their relationship cost them both dearly, as detailed in the diaries’ pages. Ruby is gobsmacked by what she learns, and is determined to right old wrongs if she can.

Y’all, I’m not going to tell you what all happens. That’s the author’s job, and she does it flawlessly. Instead, I’ll tell you what I liked!

The dual timeline, shifting from past to present, works well for this story, and I found it easy to follow both parts. The characters are brilliant. Even the ones that try to make themselves exceedingly unlikable have some glimmer that makes you wonder if there’s more to them than what’s on the surface. The tension of Ruby’s search for answers and her aunt Philippa’s equally strong desire to keep those answers hidden pulls the story along. The harsh reality of racism that followed Theodore to England is heartbreaking.

And the secrets. Oh, my goodness, the secrets. Ruby is sifting through her grandmother’s journals like an archaeologist at a dig, literally looking for clues about her family. Is her mother really Irene’s only child? Is Philippa inherently an awful person, or is there something behind her ugliness? Why can’t Ruby find Irene’s locket, the one thing Irene specifically wanted her daughter to have? The twists and reveals that led up to answers coming to light had me gasping and picking my jaw up off the floor. As an adoptee who’s found her birth family, one of the story threads in particular had me wiping tears of joy at how it played out.

And the ending. I was speechless. It wrapped everything up so perfectly!

With The Locket, Natalie Meg Evans has written a story that will hook you, reel you in, and leave you deeply invested in the outcome. Get comfy, grab your box of tissues, and get to reading.

About the author:

Natalie is a RITA nominated, USA Today Bestselling author of six novels: The Dress Thief, The Milliner’s Secret (re-titled “The Girl who Dreamed of Paris”), The Wardrobe Mistress, Summer in the Vineyards, The Secret Vow and The Paris Girl that feature sisters, Katya and Tatiana. Since then, Natalie has released Into the Burning Dawn and The Italian Girl’s Secret, books set in the luscious Bay of Naples during the second world war. Now, the latest novel is available and it is called The Girl with the Yellow Star. The story takes place in Cornwall on the glorious north coast, and is a heart-wrenching story of loss, love and challenging choices.

Visit her website at https://www.nataliemegevans.uk

Posted in Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Bookouture, Historical Fiction, Romance | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: A Certain Kind of Starlight by Heather Webber

Posted on September 20, 2023 by theplainspokenpen@gmail.com

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme that highlights books soon to be released, the ones we’re excited about but haven’t read yet. It’s hosted by Wishful Endings, and was formerly hosted by Breaking the Spine. Y’all can check out all of this week’s Can’t-Wait Wednesday posts here.

Y’all, when I learned that this book will be released next year, I literally gasped with delight.

Title: A Certain Kind of Starlight

Author: Heather Webber

Publication Date: July 23, 2024

Publisher: Forge Books

This was announced so recently, I can’t even find a synopsis for it. I don’t care. Heather Webber is writing it. She’s one of my favorites. Whatever it is, I’m reading it!

See what I thought of other Heather Webber books here and here to see why I’m so excited!

Posted in Book Memes, Book Reviews, Can't-Wait Wednesday | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Book Review: Sophia: Daughter of Barabbas by M. D. House

Posted on September 20, 2023 by theplainspokenpen@gmail.com
  • Title: Sophia: Daughter of Barabbas
  • Author: M. D. House
  • Where to buy: Amazon (affiliate link)
  • Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction
  • Would I recommend: Yes. If you enjoy historical fiction and wonderful imaginings of what could have happened in the early Christian church outside what Scripture tells us, you need to read M. D. House’s books.

Synopsis:

After her miraculous rescue by the angel Raphael, Sophia, daughter of Barabbas and Chanah, sets out with the former slave Onesimus to find the elusive and itinerant apostle John. Once they find him, an unexpected trip outside the Roman empire into the mysterious northern nation of Sarmatia expands her understanding of God’s global efforts to gather his children to their Savior.

It also reveals in starker detail the pernicious, pervasive attempts by the adversary to disrupt the work and turn the children of God toward evil and superstition. Pride is her own weakness, and she must learn how to temper and control it, so that her mind might be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

What surprises await her as she travels great distances with the Lord’s beloved apostle to spread the message of the gospel? How differently does God see her life than what she has assumed? What will happen to the growing church’s relationship with Rome when Emperor Vespasian dies and his sons pick up the mantle? And how does John continue to have so much energy and faith?

My review:

I’ve read and loved all three books in M. D. House’s Barrabas trilogy. His vision of what may have happened after Barabbas was released in Jesus Christ’s place, allowed to live so that Jesus could die and be resurrected as the ultimate atoning sacrifice. The third book in the trilogy, The Barabbas Legacy, began to shift focus from Barabbas’ life to the legacy he was building, through his children and through the fledgling Christian church. In Sophia: Daughter of Barabbas, we learn more of that legacy with Sophia’s story.

Sophia is called to take a missionary journey with Onesimus, a former slave who has been freed and converted to Christianity, and the apostle John. Yes, that John. The one into whose care Jesus commended His mother Mary as he was dying on the cross. The apostle whom Jesus loved.

We see Sophia learn and grow in her faith and in her ability to reach out to others to share that faith. Sure, she has insecurities, but she doesn’t let those dissuade her from following the call the Spirit has given her. She comes to be a powerful preacher and teacher, and even when others are not persuaded by her words, she leaves an impression. And while she starts the journey committed to remaining single, she learns that God sometimes has plans that differ from ours.

I loved the portrayal of John! Although he’s getting up in years during the events of this story, he remains energetic and on fire for the Lord. I like to think that’s how he really was.

As always, House has done a meticulous job of historical research. I had never thought of the early Church against the backdrop of events like Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii. House’s juxtaposition of the two puts his story into a recognizable historical context.

Is this book scripturally accurate? Much of it is undoubtedly fictional in nature. There is no mention of Barabbas’ life after his release, so his family is House’s creation. But Sophia is a wonderfully imagined character, and fits with what I know of the role of women in the early Church. She seems like someone I’d like were I to meet her in person.

If you enjoy well-researched historical fiction and a plausible imagining of events beyond the pages of Scripture, you need to get to know Sophia.

Thanks to Reedsy Discovery and the author for a review copy. All opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like.

Learn more about author M. D. House and his books on his website.

Posted in Book Reviews | Leave a comment

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Fall 2023 TBR

Posted on September 19, 2023 by theplainspokenpen@gmail.com

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish and is now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. Check out upcoming Top Ten themes on Jana’s blog and go here to see what others have on their Top Ten Tuesday lists!

I think I’ve said before that I don’t really have seasonal TBR lists. I read whatever tickles my fancy, or whatever ARC is up next on my review calendar. I don’t necessarily choose books that match whatever season we’re in. That being said, I do have a nice lineup of books for the next few months, and some might have to do with things that are fitting for fall. I mean, there are witches and murder and a spooky ghost story. Those are fall-ish, right? So here they are!

Dead by Proxy by Manning Wolfe
Rip the Sky by Mark Packard
Star of Wonder by Angela Hunt
The London Forgery by Heidi Eljarbo
The Witches of Bone Hill by Ava Morgyn

Bulletproof Barista by Cleo Coyle
Murder by Invitation by Verity Bright
Secrets of the Highlands by DJ Williams
The Legend of Rachel Petersen by J. T. Baroni
To Bind a Dark Heart by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

I can’t decide which one I’m most excited about!

Were any of these books on your list before you read about them here? Are any of them on your list now? Leave a comment!

Posted in Book Memes, Top Ten Tuesday | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Purrder She Wrote by Chris Abernathy (Detective Whiskers Cozy #4)

Posted on September 19, 2023 by theplainspokenpen@gmail.com

I’m happy to share today about the Detective Whiskers Cat Cozy Mystery series by Chris Abernathy! I’ve shared information about books 2 and 3 in the series, and I’m reviewing book 4, Purrder She Wrote.

Detective Whiskers Cat Cozy Mysteries
by Chris Abernathy

About CSI: Cat Sleuth Investigation

CSI: Cat Sleuth Investigation: A Detective Whiskers Cat Cozy Mystery
by Chris Abernathy
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Florida
Wright on the Mark, LLC (June 20, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 170 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8398356731
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C4M4RYFM

A cat who thinks he’s a detective. A group of amateur female sleuths in a quiet beach town. A dead man. It’s a recipe for fun – unless you’re the local police chief.

There are worse ways to go than sitting on a beach chair in Paradise Cove with a refreshing drink in your hand. But who wanted the victim dead? Detective Whiskers will need all his new friends to solve the case, but do they even want to talk to him after solving his first murder has gone to his head?

Sheila’s grandson comes to visit Paradise Cove and love is in the air, along with too much body spray, when young Freddy meets Susi the housecleaner. He might regret staying in town, though, when the murder investigation turns in his direction.

The Paradise Cove Murder Society and Detective Whiskers are on the case … and getting in Chief Anderson’s way again.

If you love humorous cozy mysteries where pets take the lead and eccentric friends come together to solve crimes with just the right amount of suspense then the Detective Whiskers Cozy Mystery Series is exactly what you’re looking for. Buy CSI: Cat Sleuth Investigation now and find out why the only thing better than a K-9 cop is a feline detective!

About Miami Mice


Miami Mice: A Detective Whiskers Cat Cozy Mystery
by Chris Abernathy
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Florida
Wright on the Mark, LLC. (July 18, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 202 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8852554123
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C52LVYQG

A cat who thinks he’s a detective. Some amateur female sleuths. A fisherman hooks a dead body in the water.

A pair of stowaway mice find themselves stranded at Sheila Mason’s cottage when the boat they are on sinks. They may be forced to go into the Whiskers Protection Program once it is discovered that the boat was carrying a shipment of illegal drugs. Can Detective Whiskers keep his witnesses safe and stop a dangerous cartel from destroying life in Paradise Cove?

Sheila and her friends in the Paradise Cove Murder Society are also busy investigating a suspicious stranger who showed up in town at the same time. Is he responsible for the body discovered on the beach?

If you love humorous cozy mysteries where pets take the lead and eccentric friends come together to solve crimes with just the right amount of suspense then the Detective Whiskers Cozy Mystery Series is exactly what you’re looking for. Buy Miami Mice now and find out why the only thing better than a K-9 cop is a feline detective!

About Purrder, She Wrote

Purrder, She Wrote: A Detective Whiskers Cat Cozy Mystery
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Florida
Wright on the Mark, LLC (September 12, 2023)
Print length ‏ : ‎ ~204 pages
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CBT5V6ZZ
GoodReads Link – Coming Soon

Who would be crazy enough to commit murder while surrounded by dozens of crime mystery writers?

The evidence clearly points to one suspect. The problem is, there’s no way they could have done it.

Our cat detective and the Paradise Cove Mystery Society face an old foe in the fourth installment of the Detective Whiskers Cozy Mystery Series. The stakes have never been higher and the mystery has never been stranger.

If you love humorous cozy mysteries where pets take the lead and eccentric friends come together to solve crimes with just the right amount of suspense then the Detective Whiskers Cozy Mystery Series is exactly what you’re looking for. Buy Purrder, She Wrote now and find out why the only thing better than a K-9 cop is a feline detective!

My review:

Today I’m reviewing book 4 in Chris Abernathy’s Detective Whiskers Cat Cozy Mystery series. I loved Paw and Order, the first in the series. Let me tell you, this series just keeps getting better!

Sheila and the Paradise Cove Murder Society ladies are helping out their friend Evelyn. Evelyn is hosting a convention of murder mystery writers at the Parrot Eyes Inn, and she’s struggling. Since her husband died, Evelyn has barely kept the inn afloat. Her son, Kevin (who we met in Paw and Order when he tried to help Roger Cabot frame Sheila for a murder that Roger committed), is home under court supervision. I’m not sure if he’s more help to his mother or if she’s trying to help him, but he’s at least marginally contributing assistance with the inn.

Kevin tells Sheila that he’s afraid for his life, that Roger Cabot, in prison awaiting trial, has threatened him. He claims Roger has found a way to get out of prison and threatened the lives of anyone who will be testifying. He asks Sheila to meet him after conference events end for the evening, that he’s got something to show her. Problem is, when Sheila goes to meet Kevin, she finds him, dead in the pool. And the evidence points to none other than Roger Cabot.

This is a clever variation on the locked-room mystery, only instead of the victim being locked into a room, the apparent murderer is locked in prison! There are misdirections aplenty – Chief Anderson supposedly checking out key evidence in Cabot’s murder trial, the USB drive found on Kevin’s dead body that belonged to one of the authors at the convention, Cabot’s DNA and prints all over the scene. But Cabot’s attorney insists that his client is securely in jail, and all of these goings-on cast enough doubt on his murder charge that he’s going to ask the court to release his client for lack of evidence. So they’re racing against the clock to solve the crime before the court makes a ruling that could set a killer free.

Would a writer of murder mysteries kill someone right under the noses of other mystery writers? And which one of them would have a reason to murder Kevin?

Sheila even comes under Chief Anderson’s suspicion. You’d think he would have learned by the times he’s tried to pin crimes on her in the past and she’s been cleared of suspicion. Apparently not. (Detective Whiskers does not take kindly to the chief’s casting aspersions on his person and responds in appropriate cat fashion. I laughed out loud!)

Sheila, Tarrie Ann, Becky, and Julia work to help piece together what happened and share their information with the police. And Detective Whiskers is the one who helps put all the pieces together. The ending is a happily ever after, with things tied up in a neat bow, and how it all worked out made me smile. Sadly, Chief Anderson hasn’t yet seen fit to acknowledge Whiskers’ contributions to crime solving, but hopefully that day is coming!

These books are sweet literary treats – light, engaging, quick reads that are absolutely charming. If you love a good mystery that has not only good human characters but delightful animal characters, too, you’ll love the Detective Whiskers Cat Cozy Mysteries. Start with the first and read them all!

Keep scrolling to enter the giveaway – win a signed copy of Purrder She Wrote AND get a character in the fifth Detective Whiskers mystery named after you! What fun!

About Chris Abernathy

Chris Abernathy has narrated more than 200 audiobooks and now he is writing his own stories. He has been a storyteller his entire life — around campfires at a summer camp as a counselor, on the radio for more than 30 years, as an actor with background roles on major motion pictures and TV series, as a producer of short films for social media and more. Chris is married with two sons and lives on the Gulf Coast in Alabama. He is a dual national with citizenship in the US and UK and visits family in the Scottish Highlands as often as possible.

Author Links

Webpage – http://authorchrisabernathy.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorchrisabernathy/

Amazon author profile – https://www.amazon.com/stores/Chris-Abernathy/author/B07YLJPKNQ

Newsletter signup – https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/a7s6c0

Purchase Link – Amazon

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

September 12 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
September 12 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST
September 12 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
September 13 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
September 13 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT
September 14 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 14 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
September 15 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW
September 15 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 15 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
September 16 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
September 16 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT
September 17 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
September 17 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
September 17 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 18 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
September 19 – The Plain-Spoken Pen – REVIEW
September 20 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
September 20 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 20 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
September 22 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?

Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!

Posted in Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Cozy Mystery, Great Escapes Book Tour | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review and Blog Tour: Shadowcast by Crystal D. Grant | JustRead

Posted on September 18, 2023 by theplainspokenpen@gmail.com

Shadowcast JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Shadowcast by Crystal D. Grant, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Shadowcast

Title: Shadowcast
Series: The Gateway Trilogy
Author: Crystal D. Grant
Publisher: Quill and Flame Publishing
Release Date: September 20, 2023
Genre: Fantasy Romance (Clean)

He has known nothing but darkness for years. Now it’s time to let it consume him.

After witnessing the brutal death of his brother at the hands of the Steward Knights, Mason Grey turns to vengeance. Using his Gifts to read and control the minds of others, he climbs the ranks of the Dark Army, determined to earn the coveted Shadowstone-a powerful tool against the light-wielding Stewards. But when he is wounded in battle, he finds himself recovering in the home of a chatty peasant girl…without the use of his Gifts. Even worse, the girl mistakes him for one of the Stewards he despises.

Seria Gayle longs to be seen as more than the town washerwoman. When she finds an injured Steward in the woods, she welcomes the chance to use her healing skills and hopes it will earn her some respect. But as she nurses the sullen stranger back to health, she discovers he is nothing like the knights she has long admired.

When Mason’s true identity is revealed, Seria is devastated and humiliated. But she is offered a chance at redemption by the very prince that Mason hates. Now Mason struggles between two choices: accept the Shadowstone to avenge his brother or pursue this newfound light in the form of a peasant girl. With time running out and war looming, will Mason and Seria defy their own convictions for a chance at love or stand against one another like they’ve sworn to do?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

My review:

I’m a big fan of epic fantasy, and Shadowcast has introduced me to a new favorite fantasy author, Crystal D. Grant! It was so good, I legit read it in less than 24 hours.

The book starts with a bang as one of our main characters, Mason, sees his older brother brutally murdered by the Stewards, the forces for good whose ranks he’d one day hoped to join. That was a turning point in Mason’s life. He swore revenge on his brother’s killers and turned all his energies toward joining the Shadowmen.

Seria is alone in the world, except for her donkey Sanjo. She sees the battle at the small town of Rackson, Shadowmen against Stewards. When Mason, disguised in a Steward’s armor, is seriously injured, Seria finds him and takes him in to tend his wounds. Can he keep his true identity hidden from her?

Prince Eric is resuming his role as marshal of the Stewards after the man who served long and well in his intended place is killed in battle. He has no reason to believe in himself, and struggles to become the leader he wants to be, the leader his men and his country need.

I can’t believe this is the author’s first novel. It doesn’t read at all like there are first-book jitters here. Grant’s worldbuilding is superb, and her characters are well-crafted and well-developed. Even Mason gives us reason to empathize with him, gruff as he is.

The grumpy/sunshine romance aspect is just perfect. Mason is so, so grumpy. Which I guess he would be – a man pretending to be something he’s not, and trying to recover from some pretty serious injuries, to boot. That would make anyone grumpy! Seria is perfectly sunshiny. I love her. She is almost aggressively cheerful (but not without her low moments), and she looks for the best in every situation. And she could talk the hind leg off a dog! LOL I think Mason was just worn down by her pervasive optimism and the fact that she was open and honest with him about who she was. She didn’t have anything to hide, and I think he found that attractive.

The struggle on a personal level is heartwrenching. Mason has devoted so much of his life to becoming the darkness, he isn’t sure how to handle himself when he finds himself changed by the light he encounters in Seria. He still feels that thirst for revenge for the man who killed his brother, though. Seria likewise struggles when she learns of Mason’s true identity. How can she ever love a man who’s swearing himself to battle all that she believes to be good and true?

But make no mistake, this is an epic battle between good and evil on more than just the personal level. The book isn’t overtly Christian, but there is a clear belief in a higher Deity who is all-knowing and all wise – the Lambient. Their faith is important to the characters on the side of the light. Their belief in the Lambient’s goodness and wisdom sustains them. Destroying that faith and tearing down everything good is equally important to characters on the side of the darkness.

The cliffhanger at the ending of the book was maddening in the best possible way. It leaves you knowing there is so much more of the story to come. And this is a story where you get all of the excitement, all of the intrigue, all of the romance, and it’s clean to boot. I can’t wait for the next book!

My thanks to the author for a review copy of the book. All opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like.

About the Author

Crystal D. Grant

Crystal D. Grant is a daydreamer who adores freshly-baked cookies and anything with fur or feathers. During the day, she strives to instill a love of books and learning within her young students. As a hearing-impaired, home-school graduate, she found her voice in writing and has had multiple short stories and poems published. When she’s not reading or writing stories that sweep her away to another time and place, she watches classic movies and TV shows that do the same. Or she works on jigsaw puzzles. Crystal currently resides in smalltown Missouri, where she is always looking for space for another scented candle.

Connect with Crystal by visiting crystalgrantauthor.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a signed copy of Shadowcast, book swag, and exclusive color art from the book!

Shadowcast JustRead Tours giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 18, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 25, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

Posted in Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Fantasy, JustRead Blog Tours, Romance | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments