Book Review: While She Slept by N.L. Hinkens

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After losing her first husband to cancer, newlywed Abby has found love again with dashing widower Declan Cafferty. On honeymoon in Ireland where Declan grew up, the idyllic start to their marriage is everything Abby hoped it would be. Until the morning Declan vanishes without a trace.

Plunged into a nightmarish investigation, Abby becomes the prime suspect in his disappearance. But with no evidence to convict her, and no body to prove a crime has been committed, the Irish authorities have little choice but to let her return to the United States, while their missing person’s case goes cold.

Just when Abby has begun to put the pieces of her shattered life back together, she spots a woman she recognizes boarding a plane to San Francisco—a woman she was led to believe had drowned. It’s Declan’s first wife.

As Abby begins to dig for answers, a treacherous web of lies quickly unravels. The truth has been hiding in plain sight.

Someone will stop at nothing to take everything.

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I’ve read or listened to several of this author’s books, and this is my favorite so far. It’s full of suspense and twists. It’s a little slow getting started, but after the first 17% of the book, it’s difficult to put down.

The story is told from Abby’s POV, and I often questioned her decisions. No spoilers, so I won’t go any further with that statement, but there were times I wanted to yell at her or shake sense into her! I had several questions along the way, but every one of them was answered by the end.

If you like suspense and twists with a little heartbreak thrown in, this is the book for you! I’m looking forward to reading more of N.L. Hinkens’ novels.

About the Author

NYT and USA Today bestselling author Norma Hinkens writes psychological suspense thrillers in domestic settings, as well as fast-paced science fiction and fantasy about spunky heroines and epic adventures in dangerous worlds. She’s also a travel junkie, legend lover, and idea wrangler, in no particular order. She grew up in Ireland, land of make-believe and the original little green man. In her spare time she retreats to rural Idaho to hike, bike and boat, but mostly to eavesdrop on mountain men and prepare for the apocalypse. If you like heart-stopping sagas, gritty heroines, and twists you won’t see coming, then you’ll love her turbo-paced thrill-rides! Join her VIP Reader Club for hot new releases, stellar giveaways, exclusive content, behind the scenes and more!

Website

Book Review & Giveaway: Best Buddies What’s in a Name? by Mother Melania

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Book Title: Best Buddies: What’s in a Name? by Mother Melania Salem
Category: Children’s Fictions (ages 3-7), 32 pages
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Publisher: Holy Assumption Monastery
Release date: December 2022
Content Rating: G – This is a children’s picture book. It does deal with homelessness, but in a way that is appropriate for young children. There is nothing graphic and no bad language.

​What happens when a homeless dog befriends a homeless teen? Join them and find out!


BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon
Assumption Monastery

My Review

Best Buddies: What’s in a Name? is a short book with short easy-to-read sentences that brings a powerful message to children. It’s about a homeless teen who becomes friends with a homeless dog, and they take care of each other. They’re also given food by a man who treats them with respect.

The illustrations are colorful and a little different, but my grandson and I liked them.

This is definitely a book that would be a great addition to any child’s library. It’s a good story, easy to read, and they will learn an important message while enjoying it.

About the Author

Mother Melania is the Abbess of Holy Assumption Monastery in Calistoga, CA. She grew up in a house that always had tons of children around, her poor parents had to read to her till they were hoarse, and from the moment she learned to read, she always had her nose in a book. So, it was only natural for her to grow up to write children’s books.

She has written three series of specifically Orthodox children’s books – all in verse – which celebrate the high points of God’s work of salvation in the Person of Christ. Her remaining series teach children the virtues in a fun, non-preachy way.

Fearless and Friends chronicles the lives of Fearless the Fireduck (think ‘fireman,’ except that he’s a DUCK) and Charity the Church Mouse and their friends, who get in and out of trouble based on the wisdom (or lack thereof) of their actions.

The Adventures of Kenny and Scooter is a minimal-word series featuring six-year-old Kenny and his irrepressible Boston Terrier Scooter, who take turns getting into trouble and rescuing each other from their foolish antics.

​With all her books, Mother Melania is trying to celebrate virtue and God’s saving work in our lives.

connect with the author: website 

Giveaway

Enter to win a Signed Copy of BEST BUDDIES: WHAT’S IN A NAME?

plus!

$25 AMAZON GIFT CARD

(one winner / USA only)

Gleam

Follow the Tour

June 5 – A Mama’s Corner of the World – book review / giveaway
June 6 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
June 7 – Bound 4 Escape – book review / giveaway
June 8 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
June 9 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
June 9 – Library Lady’s Kid Lit – book review / author interview / giveaway
June 12 – Cover Lover Book Review – book spotlight / giveaway
June 12 – Splashes of Joy – book review / giveaway
June 13 – Sandra’s Book Club – book review / giveaway
June 14 – Paws.Read.Repeat – book review / giveaway
June 15 – Liese’s Blog – book spotlight 
June 15 – FUONLYKNEW – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
June 16 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book review / guest post / giveaway
June 19 – Reading Authors Network – book review / giveaway
June 20 –Nighttime Reading Center – book review / giveaway
June 21 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
June 22 – Character Madness and Musings – book spotlight / author interview  giveaway
June 23 – mamof9 – book review

Book Review: Kids Ask About Bears by Christopher Nicholas

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Have you ever wondered how the grizzly bear, sloth bear, and sun bear got their names? Or what bear is hardly bigger than a dog? Or which bear can eat a whale? Explore this exciting book for answers to questions you’ll be glad we asked—plus “Did You Know?” fun facts and lots of beautiful, dramatic illustrations.

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

What an interesting book! Children ages 7-10 will learn a lot about bears such as the different types. For example, the smallest bear, the Sun Bear, weighs less than 150 pounds and is only 4 feet tall while the largest bear, the Kodiak, weighs over 1000 pounds and can be over 9 feet tall!

I learned several things about bears as well. Did you know that there is a sloth bear? They’re called that because they hang upside-down like sloths but are able to run fast, unlike the sloth.

The presentation is creative and the illustrations are colorful. There are How, What, Why, and Did You Know questions answered on the pages as well as interesting facts.

My grandsons are young and not ready to sit and learn all of the information, but they are old enough to appreciate the illustrations and to learn some tidbits. It’s a fun book to read, and they’ll enjoy it for years to come!

Audiobook Review: College Can be Murder by Meredith Potts

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Mark Richardson is convinced that the sheriff is dead wrong. In Mark’s mind, there is no way that his daughter took her own life. There has to be another explanation for what happened to her. So Mark hires a private investigator.
But is he really prepared to find out the twisted truth?

My Review

I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I’ve listened to a few of Meredith Potts’ cozy mysteries, and I like this one the most so far. It’s not predictable the way the previous ones were.

Melanie Cooper is a PI, and Mark, a pastor, has hired her to find out what happened to his daughter. The police believe she committed suicide by jumping off a cliff, but Mark doesn’t believe that she would kill herself.

With a little creative investigating, Melanie finds out what happened to Jennifer. Now what should she do?

I like this narrator because her voice is pleasant to listen to and her pace and timing are just right. I look forward to her narration of Meredith Potts’ books.

About the Author

I love my two adorable cats, taking walks on the beach, and baking cookies. There’s nothing quite like soft-baked chocolate chip cookies. Or chocolate in general. I do love my sweets. Or watching a beautiful sunset while watching the ocean waves crash against the shore. Is it any wonder why I write cozy mysteries? Please check out one of my lovely books. There’s over 50 to choose from. The Daley Buzz series is a great starting point.

Sign up for my mailing list here and be the first to know about my new books.

It’s always fantastic hearing from my fans. You can contact me at meredithpottscozy@gmail.com.

Website: http://www.meredithpottsauthor.com.

Part of this box set

Book Review: The Palm Tree Swingers Island Band by Lily Lawson

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Take a tiger, an orangutan, an elephant, an eagle, a rhino, a dragon, a spider, and a turtle. Mix with music till loud – you might want to stand back.

Purchase Link

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

What a cute book! The Palm Tree Swingers Island Band consists of several animals including an orangutan on the drums, an elephant on the piano, a spider on the harp, and more!

The illustrations in this book are amazing. They’re bright and colorful and my grandson wants to pick out every detail in each picture every time we read it before we can turn the page. There’s not a lot of text so it’s a great book for very young readers.

About the Author

Lily Lawson is a poet and fiction writer living in the UK. She has poetry, short stories, and creative non-fiction published in anthologies and online in addition to her poetry books:

My Fathers Daughter,

A Taste of What’s to Come,

and Rainbow’s Red Book of Poetry

and her kids’ books:

Santa’s Early Christmas,

The Palm Tree Swingers Island Band

and If I Were Invisible…

You can find out more about Lily and read more of her work on her blog.

Subscribers to Life with Lily are the first to hear all her writing news. You can sign up here.

Social Media Links –

https://www.instagram.com/poeticrainbow9/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20433114.Lily_Lawson

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lily-lawson

https://allauthor.com/author/lilylawson/

Audiobook Review: Wrong Exit N.L. Hinkens

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Her life is about to change—if she survives the road trip.

Driving the I-40 coast-to-coast was never on Cora Dalton’s bucket list, until the day she finds out she has inherited a house in New York from a grandmother she has never met. Terrified of flying, Cora talks her best friend, Adele, into accompanying her on what they think will be a rip-roaring fun, 10-day road trip.

But when they pick up a teenage runaway at a gas station with a dark and disturbing past, things begin to go awry. Someone is following them—someone determined to finish the job they started. When their passenger inexplicably disappears at their motel one night, they find her diary in the back seat of the car. Everything in it points to murder.

But never believe what you read. The truth lies between the lines.

An edge-of-your-seat thriller with an earth-shattering final twist!

Audible

My Review

I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Most of this story is told from Cora’s POV. She’s a fashion influencer who has been able to quit her “regular” job, has recently gotten married, and now she’s inherited a house from the grandmother she never met. Her life should be perfect, right? Unfortunately, that’s not so easy.

Wrong Exit is suspenseful but frustrating at times. Some of Cora’s decisions didn’t make a lot of sense to me.

The narrator was okay. Her timing was good. I’m not sure if she was trying to make the story even more suspenseful, but it sounded like she was whining throughout the book.

If you’re looking for a suspenseful thriller with a big final twist, I recommend this book but to read rather than listen to.

About the Author

NYT and USA Today bestselling author Norma Hinkens writes psychological suspense thrillers in domestic settings, as well as fast-paced science fiction and fantasy about spunky heroines and epic adventures in dangerous worlds. She’s also a travel junkie, legend lover, and idea wrangler, in no particular order. She grew up in Ireland, land of make-believe and the original little green man. In her spare time she retreats to rural Idaho to hike, bike and boat, but mostly to eavesdrop on mountain men and prepare for the apocalypse. If you like heart-stopping sagas, gritty heroines, and twists you won’t see coming, then you’ll love her turbo-paced thrill-rides! Join her VIP Reader Club for hot new releases, stellar giveaways, exclusive content, behind the scenes and more!

Website

Book Review: Jana’s Brightly Colored Socks by Sall Fetouh

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Cheerful text and whimsical illustrations bring alive this heart-warming story of kindness and inclusion featuring a character with Down syndrome.

When young Jana receives heaps of beautiful socks from her parents after learning how to put on socks all by herself, she can’t wait to show her friends at school. They are always kind and patient with Jana when they play together. Jana decides to share a pair of her new socks with each and every friend. This calls for a school sock parade! All of the children had so much fun showing off their colourful socks together that they gave a very special and huge gift for their kind and generous friend, Jana, a box of more socks!

Author Sally Fetouh was inspired to write this touching story by her own daughter who has Down syndrome, feeling it was important for her and other children like her to be able to see themselves in literature. Two years ago, after reading a different story about a girl with Down syndrome to her daughter’s preschool class, Sally says, “The children were so engaged in the story and asked questions. They were very accepting and loving of their friend—my daughter. I left with a heart overflowing with emotion and that inspired me to write my story.”

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from Rachel’s Random Resources. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Jana loves brightly colored socks so when she learns to put them on herself, her parents buy her a whole drawer full! All of her friends love her socks, so she shares them with her friends. Then, her friends repay her with a surprise!

I love that the author has shared this story starring her daughter, Jana, who has Down syndrome. Her friends accept her even though she’s a little different. We could all learn from those children. This is a great story that I’m looking forward to sharing with my grandchildren.

About the Author

Writing is very much a part of who author Sally Fetouh is as a human being. As a child, writing was a way for her to express herself and all of the stories and ideas she had in her head. Now, as an adult, she has been inspired to write a beautiful story of kindness and friendship, Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks, a heart-warming picture book loosely based on her daughter who has Down syndrome.

It was important to Sally that her daughter and other children like her were able to see themselves represented in literature. The idea came to Sally when she visited her daughter’s preschool to read a story about a girl with Down syndrome. The loving, accepting, and inquisitive responses from her daughter’s classmates inspired her to write a story reflecting these caring friendships.

Sally believes a great book is one that has impactful characters and a story that provides a new experience or perspective to the reader that stays with them long after the book is closed. She hopes that her young readers with disabilities or those who are different in some way will be able to relate to the main character and see a little bit of themselves, while also aiming for other readers to gain insight into the world of Down syndrome and the importance and impact of kindness and friendship.

When she isn’t writing thought-provoking children’s books, Sally works as a lawyer and a photographer. She enjoys being in nature, hiking, and horse riding. She lives with her family in Sydney, Australia. Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks is her debut picture book.

Social Media Links –

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sallyfetouh/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089048475502

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/sallyfetouh

Alexis Schnitger is an artist and mum of three who lives in Brisbane. Her eldest son Jordan introduced her to the DS world, and she has become a fierce advocate, designing the T21 arrow which has been embraced around the globe. Alexis enjoys reading and is passionate about creating delicious food for family and friends. Her love of art is shared by her three budding artists. They couldn’t be happier than when painting with their mum.

Book Review: Her Dark Grave by Carolyn Arnold

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Detective Madison Knight thought a midnight drive through the countryside would help clear her mind, but she thought wrong. Her car runs out of gas, stranding her in the middle of nowhere in pitch darkness. When she gets out to stretch her legs, the beam of her phone’s flashlight lands on a suitcase in the ditch. After she opens it, she’s sorry she did.

Tara Jackson was only twenty-one years old with her entire life ahead of her before she was stabbed to death and stuffed into a piece of luggage. Madison is determined to find her justice and soon uncovers that Tara was keeping secrets from those closest to her and suspects they may have gotten her killed. But while she’s exploring that lead, the body of another young woman is found in a sports equipment bag.

She looks just like Tara and is the same age, and Madison starts to wonder if the killer she’s after has killed before. Desperate, she turns to cold cases and missing person reports to see if she can dig up anything to further the investigation.

Madison finds eighteen-year-old Daphne Tucker, who was reported missing from the area three years ago. She’s a doppelganger to the other victims. Is the reason Daphne hasn’t been heard from because she’s dead too? And has her killer returned, hungry for more blood?

As Madison edges closer to the truth, someone is stalking her from the shadows, and she fears it just may be the twisted, demented killer she’s hunting. But can Madison outsmart him or her before she becomes the next victim?

e-book
Amazon.com | Apple | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play | Smashwords | Amazon Universal

Audiobook
Amazon | Audible | Apple | More Retailers to follow

Paperback – 4.25 x 7 inches
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Bookshop.org

Paperback – 5 x 8 inches
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million |Bookshop.org

Hardcover – 6.13 x 9.21 inches
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Bookshop.org

Paperback Large Print Edition – 6 x 9 inches
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Bookshop.org

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I’ve read several of Carolyn Arnold’s books, and I enjoy them especially for the police procedurals. Her Dark Grave is the twelfth book in the Madison Knight series. I haven’t read all of the books in this series, but they each stand alone.

Madison is not my favorite protagonist, and she seems to be getting worse. I like when characters are flawed because they’re more realistic, but Madison is aggressive and even rude (more than usual). Her partner, Terry, often has to smooth things over, and he is getting tired of her treating him and others poorly. He’s also having trouble dealing with the job. Despite Madison’s flaws, she’s fiercely independent and talented and gets the case solved with the help of Terry and forensics.

In the last quarter of the book, Madison returns to her old self. She’s still not personable, but she is tolerable. The ending was really good.

About the Author

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has many published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy mysteries, police procedurals, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.

Follow Carolyn Arnold on social media:
Facebook: Author Carolyn Arnold
Twitter: Carolyn_Arnold
Instagram: authorcarolynarnold

Book Review & Giveaway: Children Who Dance in the Rain by Susan Justice

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Book Title:  Children Who Dance in the Rain by Susan Justice
Category:  Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-8),  32 pages
Genre:  Children’s Picture Book
Publisher:  Compassion Project Press
Release date:   May 2023
Content Rating:  G for all kids.

Sophie gets bored quickly and won’t even eat her food without looking at her tablet. She’s thrilled to hear of her family’s upcoming trip to a magical place called India, a land she’s only heard of in stories. Once there, she quickly realizes that the underprivileged children living in the mud colony possess a joy and contentment she can’t explain. Sophie sets out on a journey of discovery, but what she finds may change her world forever. This tale about the true meaning of happiness and the power of gratitude is based on true events. ​

Buy the Book
Amazon 
B&N 
​(coming soon)
add to goodreads

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free copy from iRead Book Tours. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Sophie doesn’t appreciate how easy her life is. When she goes to India to visit her grandmother, however, she meets children who live in squalor. One girl works hard just to feed her brother. But these children have a strong faith, and they know how to celebrate life. When Sophie goes home, she’s a changed girl. She realizes how lucky she is and eventually becomes a doctor and goes back to India to help underprivileged children.

This is a sweet story with colorful illustrations by Lena Bardy. It teaches children about another part of the world where children aren’t as privileged as the children here, but they still do their best to get by. I thought the ending was especially compelling. Maybe a child will read this and be inspired!

About the Author

Susan, a legal advocate for children’s rights, has long harbored a dream of crafting a tale that would empower young readers to understand and champion the rights of their peers. Drawing upon her own experiences as a young person comprehending privilege, she was inspired to write a book that would not only entertain but also inspire her readers to consider pressing social issues and to actively strive to make the world a better place for all children.

connect with the author: 

website ~ instagram ~ instagram

Giveaway

Enter to win signed copy of CHILDREN WHO DANCE IN THE RAIN

(one winner/USA only)

Gleam

Follow the Tour

May 15 – Cover Lover Book Review – book review / giveaway
May 15 – The Momma Spot – book review / giveaway
May 16 – Liese’s Blog – book spotlight
May 16 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
May 17 – Bound 4 Escape – book review / giveaway
May 17 – The Phantom Paragrapher – book review
May 18 – A Mama’s Corner of the World – book review / giveaway
May 18 – mamof9 – book review
May 19 – icefairy’s Treasure Chest – book review / giveaway
May 22 – Kim’s Book Reviews and Writing Aha’s – book review / giveaway
May 22 – @allthingsbooksandababy – book review
May 23 – @enjoyingbooksagain – book review
May 23 – My Reading Getaway – book review / giveaway
May 24 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
May 24 – Sandra’s Book Club – book review
May 25 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book review / guest post / giveaway
May 25 – Reading Authors Network – book review / giveaway
May 26 – Reading is My Passion – book review / giveaway
May 26 – Library Lady’s Kid Lit – book review / author interview / giveaway
May 30 – Celticlady’s Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
May 30 – Books With a Chance – book review / author interview / giveaway
May 31 – FUONLYKKNEW – book review / giveaway
May 31 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
June 1 – Bizwings Book Blog – book review / author interview / giveaway
June 1 – Paws.Read.Repeat – book review / giveaway
June 2 – @regallywritten – book review
June 2 – Diane’s Book Journal – book spotlight / giveaway