Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Virtual Book Tour: Death by Puffin by Jennifer S. Alderson

 

Death by Puffin:
A Bachelorette Party Murder in Reykjavik 
Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mystery #9
by
Jennifer S. Alderson

Cozy Mystery
9th in Series
Setting - Iceland
Publisher: Traveling Life Press
Publication Date: November 24, 2022
Page count: 180 pages
Digital ASIN: B09WX2D57V

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!


About Death By Puffin

 


Iceland—land of fire, ice … and murder?

After a nasty fight with her boyfriend, tour guide Lana Hansen takes a week off work to get her head straight. Fate brings her to Iceland and the Hotel Puffin where she hopes the magnificent natural surroundings will help heal her heart and point the way forward.

Instead of the rest and relaxation she wishes to find, Lana ends up neighbors with a group of rowdy Americans in town for a bachelorette party and wedding. Their joyous frivolity is a painful reminder of her own relationship problems, and Lana does her best to steer clear of the group.

Yet when someone in the wedding party dies under mysterious circumstances, she gets pulled into the investigation. Can Lana help unmask the killer before they strike again—or will this trip be her last?

The Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries are heartwarming stories about making friends, traveling, and celebrating new experiences. Join tour guide Lana Hansen as she leads tourists and readers to fascinating cities around the globe on intriguing adventures that often turn deadly.
Books in the Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mystery series:
Book 1 - Death on the Danube: A New Year’s Murder in Budapest
Book 2 – Death by Baguette: A Valentine’s Day Murder in Paris
Book 3 – Death by Windmill: A Mother’s Day Murder in Amsterdam
Book 4 – Death by Bagpipes: A Summer Murder in Edinburgh
Book 5 – Death by Fountain: A Christmas Murder in Rome
Book 6 – Death by Leprechaun: A Saint Patrick’s Day Murder in Dublin
Book 7 – Death by Flamenco: An Easter Murder in Seville
Book 8 – Death by Gondola: A Springtime Murder in Venice
Book 9 – Death by Puffin: A Bachelorette Party Murder in Reykjavik
Books 10-12 – More adventures are coming soon!!

 

Click to Purchase!


My Review
5 stars!

Death by Puffin is the ninth book in author Jennifer S. Alderman’s Travel Can Be Murder cozy mystery series. It is fast-paced and lively, with an intriguing cast of characters and a tragic murder with numerous possible suspects. 

Poor Lana Hansen! She’s had a string of excursions back-to-back, and during each one has gotten involved in a murder investigation, most featuring the death of someone on her tour! From the start of the book, she wonders if she is somehow attracting these people because what are the odds, right? I was quite amused by her concerns and was reminded of the standing joke murder mystery readers hear about Cabot Cove of Murder, She Wrote fame being the most dangerous place in the U.S. 

The bachelorette party members are the absolute worst, and the bride-to-be is not much better. The backstabbing, cattiness, and privilege, along with the constant fawning over the bride-to-be and her fiancé, Gunnar, was delightfully atrocious. The conversations and commentary had me both cringing and laughing at times. 

The tour of some of Iceland’s wonders is a fantastic element of the book. There is enough description to give readers a feel for the setting, and the stormy weather creates a wonderfully moody atmosphere for the murder. 

The method of murder is simple yet effective, and Lana’s actions at the time are portrayed with care and quick thinking. I enjoyed Lana and Willow puzzling their way through the suspects to figure out the truth about what happened and why. 

With exceedingly likable amateur sleuths and equally heinous suspects who you’ll love to hate, I recommend DEATH BY PUFFIN to cozy mystery readers who enjoy stories where the characters travel to exciting and exotic locations.


About Jennifer S. Alderson

Jennifer S. Alderson was born in San Francisco, raised in Seattle, and currently lives in Amsterdam. After traveling extensively around Asia, Oceania, and Central America, she moved to Darwin, Australia, before settling in the Netherlands. Her background in journalism, multimedia development, and art history enriches her novels. When not writing, she can be found in a museum, biking around Amsterdam, or enjoying a coffee along the canal while planning her next research trip.




TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 28 – I'm Into Books – SPOTLIGHT
November 28 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT
November 29 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST
November 29 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW
November 30 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 30 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
December 1 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST
December 1 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT
December 2 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
December 2 – Bootsie’s Book Nook - SPOTLIGHT
December 3 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
December 3 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
December 4 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 4 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW
December 5 – Novels Alive – REVIEW – SPOTLIGHT
December 5 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
December 6 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW
December 6 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews - SPOTLIGHT
December 7 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
December 7 – eBook Addicts – REVIEW
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Sunday, November 27, 2022

Virtual Book Tour: Longing is Violet Dusk (Hazel Dean Mystery, #2) by Josalyn McAllister

 

Longing is Violet Dusk
A Hazel Dean Mystery
by
Josalyn McAllister

Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting - Georgia
Publisher: Eburnean Books
Publication Date: September 27, 2022

Paperback
Page count: 302 pages
ISBN-13: 979-8987053201

Kindle edition
Page count: 304 pages
Digital ASIN: B0BDD6J18R

About Longing is Violet Dusk

 


After a stressful foray into crime fighting, Hazel Dean is relieved to resume normality, taking care of her family and book shop--until her ability to see emotions in color pulls her into another crisis.

One night at book club, Hazel sees a swirl of jarring purple, blue and black encompass a young mother. Realizing that the woman might be in trouble, Hazel recommends a book that she hopes will provide some comfort and guidance.

To her horror, the young mother goes missing the following week. Hazel feels responsible and becomes obsessed with finding her. But the search isn't the only thing Hazel is juggling. She's also trying to help the missing woman's children, evade a young reporter, and deal with the sudden reappearance of an old high school flame.

With all of Hazel's efforts, can the missing woman be found before it's too late?

 

My Review

Longing Is Violet Dusk is the second book in author Josalyn McAllister's cozy mystery series featuring bookstore owner and amateur sleuth Hazel Randolph Dean, and I was immediately absorbed by this excellent follow-up to the series starter, Guilt Is Midnight Blue. I enjoyed the smart and tense plot and the sprinkling of book titles and other literary references throughout the story. 

The search for the missing Nina is time-sensitive, and you can feel the urgency. For most of the book, there is absolutely no sign of the woman, no clues whatsoever. However, there are big personalities at play in her story, and many have a load of regret weighing them down and guiding their actions. Nina is confused about what her future holds. Lance and his brother, Dansby, regret leaving young loves behind. I regretted having to put the book down to do life stuff. 

Hazel, worried over the situation Nina's children are in, is also having to come to terms with her own children moving into young adulthood. Elias, who apparently has played his cards really close to the vest, surprises his mother with the realization he has a girlfriend. Emma is a sweet girl, but she has a bit of an Eddie Haskell vibe going that made me laugh out loud a couple of times. 

The setting in the quaint small town of Red Gap, Georgia, is homey, comfortable, and picturesque, especially as it is nestled among the foothills of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, where much of the action takes place. It also has a great bookstore downtown! 

Hazel does a great job ferreting out suspects' motives and developing interesting scenarios for what might have happened to Nina. The clues point in a couple of directions but eventually, all lead to the truth. The story keeps up a lively pace as everyone is worried Nina is lost or hurt, and early spring weather brings a storm and dropping temperatures at night to the search area. Uncle John keeps Hazel involved in the case with special tasks he assigns her, so there is plenty of amateur detection. 

I recommend LONGING IS VIOLET DUSK to cozy mystery readers who enjoy a solid mystery with a touch of the mystical or paranormal in their stories, decisive, organized female protagonists, and a lovely small-town Georgia setting.


About Josalyn McAllister

Josalyn McAllister is a cozy fiction author whose most recent works include Love Over Easy and Guilt is Midnight Blue. Josalyn started writing character descriptions at the tender age of seven, inspired by the works of LM Montgomery. In her teenage years, she moved on to Newsies fan fiction. Inspired by National Novel Writing Month, she wrote her first novel about a child she mentored in college. She has never stopped writing. Josalyn taught middle school history before deciding she would rather spend time with her own children than other peoples. A restless soul, she has moved all over the country and collected an eclectic array of hobbies. Her writing has a relatable quality that will charm and entertain you.


TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 14 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT
November 15 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 16 – Literary Gold - SPOTLIGHT
November 17 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
November 18 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
November 18 – Mythical Books – REVIEW
November 19 – I'm Into Books – SPOTLIGHT
November 19 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST November 20 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
November 21 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 22 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT
November 23 – Just One More Paragraph – AUTHOR GUEST POST
November 24 – THANKSGIVING
November 25 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog - SPOTLIGHT
November 26 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
November 27 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW


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Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Virtual Book Tour: Sounds Like Love by Laura Ford

 


SOUNDS LIKE LOVE
by
Laura Ford

Young Adult Fiction / Coming of Age
Setting - United Kingdom
Publisher: FriesenPress
Publication Date: July 29, 2021
Reading age: 12 - 17 years

Hardcover
Page Count: 150 pages
ISBN-10: 1525592998 / ISBN-13: 978-1525592997

Paperback
Page Count: 150 pages
ISBN-10: 152559298X / ISBN-13: 978-1525592980

Kindle
Digital ASIN: B09BTLYBWT

About Sounds Like Love

 
Wendy is a bright spark who wants to find love and travel the world, but she questions how her dreams can become a reality as her world changes around her.

When Wendy arrives at her beloved grandmother’s house to collect a box of keepsakes, she picks up more than she bargained for - a green-eyed tabby cat with amazing qualities. This is just the start of a high-speed adventure, leading Wendy towards bright new horizons… if only she’ll give the cat a chance…


My Review


Fun, inspirational young adult story with a strong heroine and a very smart cat.

Sounds Like Love is the heart-warming story of a young woman overcoming several challenging life changes that occur all at the same time. She’s gradually losing her hearing, but her grandmother had been helping her weather the storm of her emotions about this turn of events when she suddenly passes away. Her grandmother, having lost her hearing as an adult, was instrumental in her granddaughter preparing for the inevitable. Now Wendy had to deal with an unwanted cat?! I could imagine how piled-on Wendy felt.

As expected, Wendy has her moments of despair, self-doubt, and self-pity, but the story never lingers on unproductive emotions. The main character is naturally optimistic and was inspired by her grandmother to live her best life no matter what. I loved the note she finds from her grandmother at just the perfect moment. 

There is a budding romance that is ignited by an instant attraction. I was delighted with the twists and turns this particular storyline takes where the past meets the future. This was a fun “fated” meeting and future relationship. 

SOUNDS LIKE LOVE is a fun, inspirational, clean underdog story recommended for young adult readers.


About Laura Ford


Laura Ford writes novels, short stories, and poems across a wide range of human and animal experiences. As Laura is an avid cat lover, a number of special felines tend to find their way into Laura's stories as well.

Laura graduated with an honours degree in British law while also writing fiction in parallel. Now based in California with her husband and two beguiling Siamese cats, Laura most enjoys using her imagination and memories to paint vivid stories. An avid traveler and seeker, Laura is always exploring new concepts for more stories to come. 


TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 14 – Maureen's Musings – REVIEW
November 14 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 15 – Christy's Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
November 15 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
November 16 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
November 17 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 18 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – REVIEW
November 19 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT
November 20 – I'm Into Books – SPOTLIGHT
November 21 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
November 22 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW
November 22 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 23 – Sneaky the Library Cat's Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
November 24 – THANKSGIVING November 25 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT November 26 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 27 – Just One More Paragraph – REVIEW



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Monday, November 21, 2022

Virtual Book Tour: Film Crews and Rendezvous (A Jules Keene Glamping Mystery, #2) by Heather Weidner

 

FILM CREWS AND RENDEZVOUS
A Jules Keene Glamping Mystery
by
Heather Weidner

Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting - Virginia
Publisher: Level Best Books
Publication Date: October 25, 2022
Number of Pages: 240 pages
Digital ASIN: B0BHLSYBZ9

About Film Crews and Rendezvous

 
Hollywood has come to Fern Valley, and the one stoplight town may never be the same. Everyone wants to get in on the act.

The crew from the wildly popular, fan favorite, Fatal Impressions, takes over Jules Keene’s glamping resort, and they bring a lot of offscreen drama and baggage that doesn’t include the scads of costumes, props, and crowds that descend on the bucolic resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Added security, hundreds of calls from hopeful extras, and some demanding divas keep Jules’s team hopping.

When the show’s prickly head writer ends up dead under the L. Frank Baum tiny house in what looks like a staged murder scene with a kitschy homage to the Wizard of Oz, Jules has to figure out who would want the writer dead. Then while they are still reeling from the first murder, the popular publicist gets lost after a long night at the local honky-tonk and winds up strangled. Jules needs to solve both crimes before filming is canceled, and her business is ruined.


About Heather Weidner

Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. Vintage Trailers and Blackmailers is the first in her cozy mystery series, the Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries. She also writes the Delanie Fitzgerald mystery series set in Virginia. Her Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries debut in 2023.

Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series, 50 Shades of Cabernet, Deadly Southern Charm, and Murder by the Glass, and her novellas appear in The Mutt Mysteries series.

Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers.


TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 16 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
November 17 – Lady Hawkeye – CHARACTER GUEST POST
November 17 – I'm Into Books – SPOTLIGHT
November 18 – Mythical Books – AUTHOR GUEST POST
November 18 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
November 19 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 19 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
November 20 – Elizabeth McKenna - Author – SPOTLIGHT
November 20 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews- SPOTLIGHT
November 21 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT
November 22 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW, RECIPE
November 23 – Christy's Cozy Corners – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST
November 23 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
November 24 – THANKSGIVING
November 25 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
November 26 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW
November 26 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT
November 27 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST
November 28 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
November 29 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 30 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT


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Friday, November 18, 2022

Blog Tour: Never Play Fair (Sydney Evans Mystery Series, #2) by Leah Cupps

Never Play Fair
Leah Cupps

(Sydney Evans Mystery Series, #2)
Publication date: September 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Can Sydney find her FBI boyfriend in time, or will this gamble be here last?

Instagram Influencer Sydney Evans has seen and lived her share of photo-worthy experiences, but now, she’s found herself entangled in a situation she never saw coming.

After her FBI agent boyfriend, Alex, disappears while working a case involving a notorious Latin gangster, Vincent Estavez, the Department of Defense is forced to change tactics. Determined to bring down Estavez and the illegal online casino crime ring he’s been running by any means necessary, the FBI orchestrates an operation to infiltrate the gangster’s stronghold.

But Sydney only has one motivation for her own investigation: find Alex before he becomes collateral damage.

Desperate to locate her boyfriend in time, she flies to Costa Rica and is forced to seek help from an unlikely ally: her criminal ex-husband, Jack. He may be the last person she wants to see, but she’ll do whatever it takes to find Alex alive.

But Sydney isn’t the only one with a motivation against Vincent Estavez.

Never Play Fair is a fast-paced standalone thriller. If you like real-world issues, lavish socialite parties, and electrifying twists and turns, then you’ll love Leah Cupps’ provocative cozy mystery.

NEVER PLAY FAIR is the second book in the Sydney Evans Mystery Series and can be read as a standalone.

Goodreads / Amazon


My Review

4 stars!

A truly explosive follow-up to WHAT LIES IN PARADISE! 

Never Play Fair, the second book in the Sydney Evans series is the explosive follow-up to the exciting series debut, What Lies in Paradise. Though this entry can be read as a standalone, reading the previous book first is recommended. Sydney is emotionally-spent after caring for her grandmother during her final months of life, but truth be told, her PTSD from a wedding fiasco in Jamaica had already worn her down. She and Alex have a romance that has quickly gotten serious; however, Sydney is second-guessing her feelings and ability to commit to a relationship again after what she'd gone through with Jack. 

Jack is back, and so is his brother, Ethan. The story unfolds not only from Sydney's point of view but that of the two brothers as well, and readers are privy to the guys' more honest thoughts and feelings. I loved this triple view of the events occurring in the story. 

The action got going quickly, and the story flew by without slowing down. The prologue is an absolute attention-grabber! There are also some very tantalizing glimpses of Costa Rica's west coast that give the action a sultry, noir feel at times. 

With a fascinating triumvirate of characters providing the narrative and a plot that takes off like a speed boat, I recommend NEVER PLAY FAIR to mystery readers who enjoyed the first book in the series and those who like fast action, good guys that aren't so good, and stories featuring online gambling.


Author Bio:

Leah Cupps is an entrepreneur and author. She writes Middle Grade Mystery Adventure Books as well as Thriller, Mystery, Suspense for Adults.

Leah’s novels are fast-paced mysteries that will keep you up at night as you can’t wait to see what happens in the next chapter.

Leah lives in Indiana with her husband, three young children and three dogs. When she isn’t losing sleep writing her next novel or scaling her next business, she enjoys reading, golfing working out and spending time with her family.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Newsletter


Giveaway!a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thursday, November 17, 2022

Book Blog Tour: CONNECTED by Seema Desai

 

CONNECTED
DISCOVERING YOUR INNER GUIDES
A Kid's Guide to Navigating Their Emotions
by
SEEMA DESAI
Illustrated by James Ballance

Children's Book / Self-Help / Mindfulness / Parenting
Publisher: The Jai Jais
Page Count: 56 pages
Publication Date: February 3, 2022


Scroll down for a giveaway!



Connected is all about teaching kids and their families how to navigate their emotions. It is a practical guide to understanding powerful concepts that alleviate the stress and challenge in tough situations.   The book also includes tools and tips to help children become advocates for their mental and emotional well-being in productive ways, as well as thought-provoking questions to encourage young readers to think about how these tools would be uniquely relatable to them. Written to inspire children to become empathetic leaders and creative solution-seekers, Connected is a book that helps them not only understand themselves better, but also those around them.


CLICK TO BUY:



Dr. Seema Desai is a proud wife and mom of two young children. She is also Certified Professional Coach, speaker, and author of the newly-released children's book, Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides. She currently serves as Co-President of the Austin chapter of Pratham USA, a non-profit organization aimed at creating learning equality for underserved children in India and globally. Though no longer seeing patients, Seema is also a general dentist who dedicated her years in medicine to serving the geriatric population in Austin and surrounding areas.

Along with yoga and traveling, connected parenting is a passion for Seema. She believes that helping a parent and child connect to their inner wisdom is a powerful way to create the next generation of peace-leaders and solution-seekers. She is firmly committed to being a part of a kindness revolution, where we raise children in a way that heals and inspires resilience and greatness.

Things that bring Seema joy are good cups of coffee, jazz music, tropical beaches, meditating, family time…and large slices of chocolate cake.

WEBSITE    INSTAGRAM    AMAZON 


GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
TWO WINNERS WIN SIGNED COPIES
(US only; ends midnight, CST, 11/23/22)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FOR DIRECT LINKS TO EACH POST ON THIS TOUR, UPDATED DAILY,
OR VISIT THE PARTICIPATING BLOGS DIRECTLY:

11/14/22

Welcome

Hall Ways Blog

11/15/22

Review

Sybrina's Book Blog

11/15/22

Review

Forgotten Winds

11/16/22

Review

Jennie Reads

11/16/22

BONUS Promo

LSBBT Blog

11/17/22

Review

Julia Picks 1

11/17/22

Guest Post

The Clueless Gent

11/18/22

Sneak Peek

Boys' Mom Reads

11/19/22

Review

StoreyBook Reviews

11/20/22

Author Interview

Shelf Life Blog

11/21/22

Review

Rox Burkey Blog

11/21/22

Review

All the Ups and Downs

11/22/22

Excerpt

The Plain-Spoken Pen

11/22/22

Review

Chapter Break Book Blog

11/23/22

Excerpt

It's Not All Gravy

11/23/22

Review

Reading by Moonlight


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