Audiobook Review & Giveaway: Flightlog: The Novel Adventures of a Stewardess Wannabe Who Becomes a Flight Attendant by Susan Humphrey

Book Title:  FlightLog: The Novel Adventures of a Stewardess Wannabe Who Becomes a Flight Attendant by Susan Humphrey
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+),  338 pages
Genre:  Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit, Memoir(ish), Coming-of-age
Publisher:  Majuscule Press
Release date:   August 2022

Content Rating:  PG. A few romantic encounters but light on the details. Reference to tobacco use.

Book Description:

“It was 1978. People didn’t have home computers, video players, or answering machines. We rented our telephones from local phone companies and hand-wrote letters. The terms ‘politically correct’ and ‘African-American’ had not been coined. ‘Eating disorders’ and ‘alternate lifestyles’ were not yet common household phrases. Only strippers wore thongs, which made perfect sense to me, as they only caused one to gyrate their hynie in a desperate attempt to dislodge the bothersome wedgie.”

So writes Sherri Van Ness, an unassuming girl from the burbs of Kansas who’s about to embark on the adventure of her life when she signs up to become a stewardess. But it’s much more turbulent than this doughy-eyed 19-year-old ever imagined as she tries to navigate past grouchy passengers, fly-by-night relationships and the unforgiving, relentless, humiliating, monthly weigh-ins. Some dreams come true. Others require a vomit bag.

That’s not to say Sherri doesn’t enjoy herself. Au contraire! There are friends to be made and men to be made and the maid who made up her room in New York is so nice!

Yes, the work is difficult at times and the money isn’t always good, but there are perks: free flights and an endless supply of tiny vodka bottles and salted peanuts (peanut allergies hadn’t been invented yet.)

Like Dorothy Gale sans Toto, Sherri leaves Kansas and finds herself amidst a cast of characters as strange to her as the Scarecrow and the Munchkins were to Dorothy. Her whirlwind journey takes her from innocent, insecure stewardess to mature and confident flight attendant. Or does she?

​Book your flight now with this very enjoyable read, put your seat back in the upright position, and enjoy the ride!

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My Review

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

They say you should write what you know, and the author proves this is true. Although this is fiction, she based it on fact. It’s obvious that she knows what flight attendants did and had to put up with back in the day. I had a cousin who became a flight attendant in the 70’s, and I was always amazed with her accomplishments. I also thought she was perfect for the job because she was gorgeous and didn’t have to worry about the weight requirements that restricted many of us from even thinking about becoming a flight attendant (so sad).

From the point of view of Sherri who wanted to be a stewardess all her life, the story starts with her going to school to be a flight attendant, the friends she made in school, and then her life as a flight attendant. It’s full of stories of friends, men, boyfriends, and flights.

There are quite a few characters but that would be expected in the life of a flight attendant. I enjoyed watching Sherri learn and grow both in her job and her personal life.

The narrator took some getting used to mostly because the sound wasn’t as high quality as most audiobooks I listen to. Eventually, though, I got used to it.

This wasn’t really my cup of tea; however, for those who enjoy lighthearted memoir-type stories, it’s a good read, and I recommend it.

About the Author

Susan Jo Humphrey, the daughter of a diplomat, was born in Izmir, Turkey where she lived for three years. She also lived in Korea and Thailand, before returning home to the US with her family as a teenager. She has traveled all over the United States, and has called several parts of this country ‘home.’ Her many airplane rides as a child convinced her she must one day become a stewardess. Suz was a flight attendant for thirteen of her twenty-five years with UAL. She began penning FlightLog with the help of the Naperville Writer’s Group, outside of Chicago. There, she published in their annual pamphlet, had a humor piece printed in an online magazine, and contributed many articles to local newspapers. At the time of publication, she is busy working on FlightLog II.

Away from the keyboard, Suz loves yoga, reading, cooking, listening to music and playing her guitar. She still enjoys mapping out travel to faraway places she’s never seen, as well as planning return trips to her favorite spots.

She currently lives in Southern California and has two grown children. Today, she’s in healthcare, where she’s worked since 2014. Suz was the ‘baby’ of her flight attendant classes – and the ‘senior’ student in her nursing classes. She’s eager to write that story as well: a novice baby-boomer RN begins her dream career as a travel nurse – just as a pandemic breaks out!

connect with the author: website 

Giveaway

Enter to win a signed copy of FLIGHTLOG:
The Novel Adventures of a Stewardess Wannabe
Who Becomes a Flight Attendant

(one winner/USA only)

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Book Review: Ropes & Last Hopes by Trixie Silvertale

When a suspicious death takes the life of a friend, our psychic sleuth must expose a killer’s dirty laundry…

Mitzy Moon hopes for a normal day running errands. And this time, she’s determined to get her grandmother’s couture properly cleaned. But her day gets stuck in a spin cycle when she encounters crime-scene tape at the dry cleaner’s and a puzzling murder.

With her only way into the case through an undercover stint in the women’s wrestling league, Mitzy charges ahead with little help from her mentor, Ghost-ma, or her entitled feline. But if the bell rings before she corners the suspect, more lives could end up on the ropes.

Can Mitzy hold a murderer down for the count, or will she be taken out in a lethal smackdown?

Ropes and Last Hopes is the prequel novella to the hilarious new paranormal cozy mystery series, Harper and Moon Investigations. If you like snarky heroines, supernatural intrigue, and a dash of romance, then you’ll love Trixie Silvertale’s wedded whodunits.

Amazon

My Review

I have read all of the Mitzy Moon Mysteries and was bummed to hear that there wouldn’t be any more…until I found out that Mitzy’s adventures would continue with her future husband, Erick, as Harper & Moon Investigators! I was happy to read this prequel.

Mitzy is at her usual tricks. She comes across a murder (at least she didn’t find the body this time) of an old friend of her ghostly grandmother. Of course, she’s planning on helping with the investigation as she always does. Her fiancé has accepted the fact that she’s going to help on investigations, but the deputy, Paulsen, doesn’t like Mitzy or her “nosiness.”

Mitzy goes undercover as a wrestler which is fun and funny. She learns a lot through her psychic powers, and Erick’s team is able to get enough evidence to bring all the pieces of the puzzle together. They make a great team!

I love these stories and feel like I know the characters of Pin Cherry Harbor well. Along with Mitzy and Erick, each character has their own quirkiness. She even has a psychic caracal that she inherited from her grandma. He often offers clues that help the investigations along once she can figure out what the clues mean.

I’m looking forward to reading the first book in the Harper & Moon series!

About the Author

USA TODAY Bestselling author Trixie Silvertale grew up reading an endless supply of Lilian Jackson Braun, Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew novels. She loves the amateur sleuths in cozy mysteries and is obsessed with all things paranormal. Those two passions unite in her Mitzy Moon Mysteries, and she’s thrilled to write them and share them with you.

When she’s not consumed by writing, she bakes to fuel her creative engine and tends to her herb garden.

Visit her online at:

http://www.TrixieSilvertale.com

Book Review & Giveaway: Chris Crossed Murder by Lauren Carr

Book Title:  Chris Crossed Murder (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #4) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +) 
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   Feb 22, 2023

Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!

Description

It proves to be a Christmas to remember when the Matheson family receives the horrendous news that Chris Matheson’s body has been found in the woods near an international airport.

Everyone is stunned—especially Chris Matheson.

The mystery deepens when they discover the victim has Chris’s federal agent badge and appears to have been investigating one of his old cases.

The Geezer Squad’s latest case is not only a whodunit but who-got-dun. Is this a case of mistaken identity? Was Chris the intended victim? If not, then they must identify the murder victim to find his killer.

With Christmas days away, join the Chris Matheson and the Geezer Squad as they race to piece together the clues to their most puzzling case yet.

Buy the Book:
Amazon.com 
B&N ~ BAM
BookBub
add to goodreads

My Review

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

I love it when a book surprises me, and Chris Crossed Murder did that well. Chris’s old partner from the FBI asks for his help solving a murder that’s tied to a cold case that he’d investigated in the past. Of course, the Geezer Squad wants to help solve the case as well. And when someone tries to kill Chris, they have to figure out if it’s also tied to this case or if one of the many people who want him dead has found him. And who is that dead man that was not Chris Matheson?

Lauren Carr has a list of characters in order of appearance at the beginning of the book, and you may need it for this one. There are a lot of characters! Of course, several of the characters are the recurring ones in the Chris Matheson novels, but there is a host of others who are victims, witnesses, and suspects.

There’s so much more I want to say, but I don’t want to give any spoilers. Chris Crossed Murder is a page turner with twists and surprises around every corner. This is my favorite Chris Matheson book so far, and I’m looking forward to the next one.

About the Author

Selling over half a million books worldwide, Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor. 

The owner of Acorn Book Services and iRead Book Tours, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.  

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. 

She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. 

connect with the author: website ~ blog ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ twitter ~ pinterest

Giveaway

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Book Review & Giveaway: Hunterland by Dana Claire

Hunterland by Dana Claire

Publisher:  CamCat Books (February 7, 2023)
Category: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy
Tour dates: February 13-March 24, 2023
ISBN: 978-1792361357
Available in Print and ebook, 310 pages

Hunterland

Supernatural meets Nancy Drew in Dana Claire’s New Young Adult Novel Hunterland

Liam Hunter has warded off hungry vampires, slayed monstrous beasts, and put agonized spirits to rest since he could hold a stake. When trouble comes through the Hunterland message board, alerting them that nurses are dying at high schools across Wisconsin in a string of fishy “suicides,” the Hunter family hits the road to save the
day.

The trail leads to Falkville Falls, where Liam clashes with Olivia Davis, whose maddening family seems inexplicably embroiled in this haunting mess. Olivia has always mothered her little sister, Pepper. But when the Hunter family opens her eyes to the hidden underworld of real monsters prowling the dark, she realizes she can’t protect Pepper from this newest threat by herself. Can the two families work together to uncover who or what is responsible before the next murder, or will this vicious death cycle have no end?

Grab your stakes and your rock salt. Monster hunting class is in session.

Amazon
IndieBound
BookShop.org

Guest Review by Sal

Olivia Davis is having a bad day. First of all, she accidentally stumbles across a dead body. The body of her school’s athletic advisor is found hanging in the main lobby of the building, and Olivia is one of many students who witnesses the body. However, as the daughter of a local cop, she is the only one who keeps her head.  

This is one of several deaths of faculty in their high school in the last few months, and Olivia is suspicious of the fact that they are all being deemed suicides. Even more suspicious is the appearance of a new boy, Liam Hunter, who seems to walk right into the crime scene with no care in the world.  

Liam and his family are monster hunters, finding and killing supernatural creatures like vampires, ghosts and witches before they can kill or hurt any more humans. Traveling the country, they hear about local disturbances and track them down. Now in Falkville Falls, Wisconsin, they are hot on the trail of whatever it is that’s killing faculty in Olivia’s school, but Liam will have to gain Olivia’s trust—and her help, before he can tackle this particular monster.  

This was a fantastic book! I loved the supernatural elements and absolutely adored the worldbuilding. I’ve read a few of Dana Claire’s books before and this one was my favorite yet.  

The relationship between Liam and Olivia was very sweet. I really appreciated the character growth between them meeting and absolutely hating each other at first, and then eventually finding level ground and even attraction to one another. I love a good enemies-to-lovers romance, so this was perfect for me!  

I hope that Claire intends to write more novels set in this world, but if not, I will still be looking forward to whatever she decides to release next!  

About the Author

DANA CLAIRE is an award-winning author whose stories explore identity, fate, and destiny in the crossroads of romance and adventure. Her love of romantic tension and the supernatural effortlessly translates into spine-tingling action and unforgettable characters. She lives in Los Angeles, CA with her adoring husband living her dreams: writing books, telling stories, and changing the world, one reader at
a time.

Website: https://danaclairebooks.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/danaclaire143
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanaClaireBooks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authordanaclaire/

Giveaway

This giveaway is for 3 author signed print copies and is open to Canada, the UK, & the U.S.. This giveaway ends on March 23, 2023 midnight, pacific time. Entries accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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Advance Praise

“Everything I want in a story—Monsters, family, romance, and humor.”
Wendy Higgins, New York Times bestselling author of The Sweet Evil Trilogy

“Hunterland, delights in every way. Both the intrigue and the romance are deliciously dangerous.”—Eva Pohler, USA Today bestselling author of The Underworld Saga

“This coming-of-age adventure is filled with murder, mystery, the paranormal, and lots of thrilling twists and turns.”—Cameo Renae, USA Today bestselling author

“Fans of Supernatural will not be disappointed with Hunterland. Dana Claire knocked it out of the park.”—Lynn Rush, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author

Follow the Tour

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Feb 13 Kickoff & Excerpt

Wendy Wall-to-wall books Feb 15 Review

Lu Ann Rockin Book Reviews Feb 16 Review & Guest Post Postponed)

Kimberly Amazon & Goodreads Feb 17 Review

Nora Storeybook Reviews Feb 21 Guest Review & Excerpt

DT Amazon & Goodreads Feb 22 Review

Sal Bound 4 Escape Feb 23 Guest Review

Bookgirl Amazon & Goodreads Feb 24 Review

Suzie My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews Feb 27 Review & Interview

Nancy The Avid Reader Feb 28  Review

Carole Rae’s Random Ramblings Mar 1 Review

Gud Reader Goodreads Mar 2 Review

Ashley’s Bookshelf Mar 3 Review

Bee Book Pleasures Mar 7 Review

Lisa’s Writopia Mar 8 Guest Post

Laura Lee Celticlady’s Reviews Mar 9 Guest Review & Excerpt

Mark Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Mar 14 Guest Review

Lisa’s Writopia Mar 15 Review

Jessica JBronder Book Reviews Mar 22 Review & Excerpt

Book Review & Giveaway: Saving the Selkie’s Heart by Ella Rose

Saving the Selkie’s Heart (The Selkie Seas, #2) by Ella Rose

Publisher:  Lightning Platypus Press, (January 10, 2022)
Category: Paranormal Romance
Tour dates: February 20-March 31, 2023
ISBN: 979-8985603859
Available in Print and ebook, 263 pages

Saving the Selkie's Heart

A selkie warrior, a newly transfigured selkie princess…what happens to love when loyalties clash? 

Ceannas, a selkie warrior, must protect his clan during the Migration, a rite of passage that occurs every 50 years. When he discovers a runaway selkie, the daughter of his Prince, he must figure out a way to divide his duties, especially when keeping her alive demands all his attention.

Lyall wants desperately to find out where she belongs. When the opportunity comes to visit the Great Elder and save her father’s damaged sealskin, she sneaks away to join the clan in their migration. The only problem? Being born a human, she hasn’t the first clue how to survive on her own as a selkie!

The last thing Ceannas needs is babysitting duties, and Lyall only has eyes on her mission. But as Ceannas teaches Lyall how to exist in her new element, the attraction growing between them grows stronger. Can their love withstand their honor-bound duties? And what will it cost each of them to do so?

Saving the Selkie’s Heart is a sexy guardian/ward paranormal romance and the second book in The Selkie Seas series by Ella Rose. Get lost in love today!

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Barnes&Noble
Indiebound
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Guest Review by Sal

Taking place in 1861 in the Hebrides Islands off the coast of Scotland, ‘Saving the Selkie’s Heart,’ is an adventurous romance with a paranormal twist.  

Lyall is a young woman who has just received an inheritance that she was not expecting. That inheritance? The knowledge that her parents, whom she previously thought were just a normal, hard-working couple, are actually selkies. Selkies are mythological creatures who have the ability to transform into seals simply by putting on their seal skin.  

Taken aback by this discovery, Lyall soon realizes that she must be a selkie herself, but when she fails to transform into a seal on her first try, she worries that she is a failure, unable to carry on her family’s important legacy.  

Compounding this worry is the revelation that her father, Lord Prion, a banished former prince in their selkie kingdom, has developed a fatal sickness. Determined to find a way to cure him, Lyall decides to travel to visit the Great Elder, the most honored and wise of the selkie clan who may just know how to help her father.  

However, in order to get to the Great Elder, Lyall will have to enlist the help of one of her father’s most trusted soldiers, Ceannas. After getting off to a rough start, Lyall will have to deal with Ceannas’s brash attitude and sarcastic nicknames for her if she wishes to get close to the Great Elder. But, through working together, the two come to notice an attraction so strong that it just might be the foundation for something much, much more.  

Having read the first book in Ella Rose’s ‘The Selkie Seas’ series, I knew I was going to love this one, and I was not disappointed! This is one that I think any reader will enjoy, regardless of their familiarity with the series. Five stars!  

About the Author

Ella Rose is a paranormal romance author who loves kink, ink, and cake, and hopes you do too. She is a bi-sexual author writing through a Bi-Polar Disorder lens and thinks representation and mental health matter. She is the author of The Selkie Seas series, which includes Losing the Selkie’s Skin and Stealing the Selkie’s Heart. Her latest selkie short stories will appear in Dark Rose Press’s Worlds Apart and Dragon Soul Press’s Beyond Atlantis anthologies.

She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Paranormal Romance Guild.

Website: https://www.ellarosebooks.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EllaRoseBooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellarosewrites/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ellarosewrites?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/EllaRoseWriter/

Giveaway

This giveaway is for 2 print or ebook copies. Print is open to Canada and the U.S. only and ebook is open worldwide. This giveaway ends on March 18 midnight, pacific time. Entries accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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Book Review: Charred by G.P. Gottlieb

Charred: A Whipped and Sipped Mystery by G.P.  Gottlieb

Publisher:  DX Varos Publishing (February 21, 2023)
Category: Cozy Mystery, Culinary Mystery
ISBN: 978-1955065672
Available in Print and ebook,320 pages

Whipped

Description

Alene Baron is dealing with frustrated employees, closed schools, and a homeless man who harasses customers outside the door of her café.

Then, two dead bodies turn up in the burned remains of buildings owned by the husband of Alene’s best friend and pastry chef, Ruthie. Both bodies are wearing jackets that once belonged to Ruthie and crumbled in the pockets are the café’s distinctive wrappers. At the same time, Alene’s uncle, a convicted felon, has resurfaced after disappearing for 22 years. It’s all too much for the owner of the Whipped and Sipped Café.

Amazon
DX Varos Publishing
Barnes&Noble
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Guest Review by Sal

“Normally, the Whipped and Sipped Cafe would have been bustling, the nearby sidewalks filled with people, and the streets packed with cars and bicycles. Now the cafe was barely getting by.”  

The year is 2020, and the Coronavirus pandemic has the world firmly in its clutches. And perhaps there is nowhere in Chicago that this is more evident than inside of the Whipped and Sipped Cafe.  

Although business has been good with online and takeout orders, the owner, Alene, misses the day when customers were allowed to come inside the cafe and sit for a while, while enjoying her carefully crafted food.  

Now, the only people spending any time inside of Whipped and Sipped are the employees, an eclectic group of characters who, although they may bicker and sometimes fight, always ultimately have each other’s backs. And, in that interest, when one of Alene’s employees, Kacey, comes to her with a problem, Alene is compelled to help.  

But the problem is far from a simple one. See, earlier that day, Kacey’s gregarious boyfriend, Kofi, was searching the remains of a burned building to find materials for his artwork when he accidentally stumbled across a dead body. Kofi asked Kacey not to tell anyone, but she feels that she must confess to Alene, despite knowing that her boss is dating a police officer.  

Kacey begs Alene not to tell her boyfriend, Frank, but luckily Frank finds out himself when the body is found by two young boys and he is assigned to the case. Soon, the case develops and another body is found, shedding a whole new light on just what type of crime they might be looking at.  

Alene has to find it in herself to deal with not only the struggles of the pandemic affecting her business but the double murder case that seems to be taking an interest in her even as she tries to stay away from it.  

The writing is excellent, and the quirky characters are so memorable. They will stay with me for a long time to come! This is a fun novel that is well worth the read and one that you should add to your TBR immediately if you enjoy cozy mysteries!  

About the Author

G.P. Gottlieb has been a musician, a teacher, and an administrator, but she’s happiest when she’s writing recipe-laced murder mysteries. GP Gottlieb has always experimented in the kitchen and created her own delicious vegan cookies and cakes. She is also an interviewer for the New Books in Literature podcast channel.

Gottlieb is the mother of three grown children and lives with her husband in Chicago.

Website: https://gpgottlieb.com
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/gottliebgp
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorgottlieb
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whippedsipped/

Follow the Tour

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Feb 1 Kickoff & Interview

Leslie StoreyBook Reviews Feb 2 Review

Lu Ann Rockin’ Book Reviews Feb 6 Review & Guest Post

DT  Amazon & Goodreads Feb 7 Review

Lisa’s Writopia Feb 8 Guest Post

Suzie My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews Feb 9 Review & Excerpt

Bee Book Pleasures Feb 10 Review

Blue North A Room of Books Feb 13 Review

Mark Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Feb 14 Guest Review

Lisa’s Writopia Feb 15 Review

Sal Bound 4 Escape Feb 17 Guest Review

Larry Reflections Feb 21 Review & Interview

Denise Amazon & Goodreads Feb 22 Review

Missi Cozy Mystery Book Reviews Feb 23 Review

Laura Lee Celticlady’s Reviews Feb 24 Guest Review & Excerpt

Praise Whipped and Sipped Mysteries Series by G.P.  Gottlieb

“Readers looking for mysteries well steeped in both culinary traditions and realistic conflicts between career and family will relish this multifaceted investigative piece, which draws readers in from the start with its realistic balance of intrigue and life challenges.-D. Donovan, Midwest Book Review

“If you are looking for a slightly different take on a culinary cozy mystery, this is the debut to read.”-Carstairs Considered

“Warm and cool, sassy and savvy, GP Gottlieb has written a murder mystery that is as interesting as the family dynamic itself — exploring its alliances, intrigues and the possibility of how people can protect, surprise, and, quite literally — kill each other. A fun, delicious read!”- Marcy Heisler, theatrical lyricist

‘Gottlieb sets the stage beautifully for readers and with providing the list of characters in the beginning, you have your own little cheat sheet of sorts.  And with all the twists and turns in Smothered you will be grateful to have the list so that you can keep track of everyone and check off those you believe are innocent.  However, when the real killer is revealed I’m sure you will be as shocked as I was because I’m certain they weren’t even on your radar.”- Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

Smothered won the silver medal in the mystery category from the CIPA Evvy Awards!

Audiobook Review: Murder Hits Close to Home by Meredith Potts

With Hope Hadley’s latest murder investigation, things turn personal. How could it not when the victim is one of Hope’s friends? The question becomes, can Hope push her emotions aside long enough to track down the killer?

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.

In Murder Hits Close to Home, Hope Hadley’s brother finally has a girlfriend. Her sister is murdered, and Hope and her brother are on the case. There are several suspects, but no twists or surprises and the murder is solved quickly.

The narrator does a good job at pace and timing. She also changes her voice to make the different voices obvious.

This is the fourth book I’ve listened to about Hope Hadley. They’re very short, so I’ve started listening to them when I don’t have enough time to finish a full-length novel. If you’re looking for a super quick cozy murder mystery, this one is pretty good. One of the previous books I listened to by Meredith Potts, Murder of a Movie Producer, was tmy favorite because it had a surprise ending.

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.

Audiobook Review: Killer Holiday Office Party by Meredith Potts

An advertising agency’s holiday office party turns from celebration to horror when the owner of the company is found murdered the morning after their latest riotous shindig. 

It is up to feisty amateur sleuth Hope Hadley to figure out who the killer is before the holidays are ruined.

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.

In Killer Holiday Office Party, Hope Hadley finds out that an old friend of hers has been murdered. Her brother, who is a detective, asks for her help since she knew the victim. There are several suspects, but no surprises and the murder is solved quickly.

The narrator does a good job at pace and timing. She also changes her voice to make the different voices obvious.

This is the third book I’ve read/listened to about Hope Hadley. They’re very short, so I’ve started listening to them when I don’t have enough time to finish a full-length novel. If you’re looking for a super quick cozy murder mystery, this is okay. The last book I listened to by Meredith Potts, Murder of a Movie Producer, was the best one I’ve listened to so far because it had a surprise ending.

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.

Audiobook Review: Person Suit edited by Kristi King-Morgan

This collection of poetry, memoirs, and stories of short fiction presents to the listener such themes as depression, suicide, hopelessness, grief, loss, love, mental illness, and abuse both emotional and physical experienced by the writers or someone close to them. This collection serves to demonstrate that hiding behind shame or fear rather than sharing emotional pain as the authors in these works do is tantamount to putting on a mask; wearing a person suit. It is pretending. It is a state of existing but not truly living life to the fullest. The 11 authors featured in this collection have taken off their person suit, exposed their true selves to the world so that others may find their own voice and the courage to speak about mental illness and abuse of any kind.

My Review

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

This collection of poetry and prose is an interesting mix on the issues of abuse, mental illness, and even some science fiction. I enjoyed the poetry, but I especially enjoyed a couple of the stories. ‘ER’ was confusing at first, but eventually all is made clear. It’s a good futuristic story! My favorite story was ‘Dave’s Aliens.’ It was funny and creepy.

The narrator did a good job with pace and timing. If you like something that delves into emotional and physical experiences that are not joyful in any way, this is a quick read worth listening to.

Audiobook Review: Regardless of the Consequences by L.D. Lauritzen

Sheriff Lance Tallbear’s half-blood Apache heritage leaves him struggling to find his place in a world where neither white nor Indian wants or readily accepts him. He faces the world his shaman father turned away from and acknowledges the one his shaman grandfather prays he’ll return to.

Tallbear’s new case uncovers a mysterious plane wreck discovered in the Superstition Mountains that turns out to stir both his life decisions and ultimate direction. Along with his troubled FBI partner, Brad Hanley, they face a myriad of obstacles in their journey to the truth.

The skeletons at the site hold the clues to not only who the killers were but also why the people died. Tallbear quickly find the crash site hides a deadly secret that reaches out of the distant past to threaten the lives of all who seek it. He will need to use all his skills and experience to discover the answers and stay alive.

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.

Tallbear is a sheriff who is half Apache and half white, which makes him feel like he doesn’t fully belong anywhere. He has a big heart, though, so the cases he works on often include helping others. He feels like a young man named Tommy Hawk is currently going through the same things he has been struggling with, so rather than lock him up, he wants to help him.

Once Tommy finds a plane from the WWII era, everything gets crazy. Suddenly there are several deaths, and Tommy is on the run because of something he stole from the plane. There are people trying to kill Tallbear and those he is with. There is a lot of suspense and danger, and it’s often difficult to quit listening.

The narrator did a good job with pace and timing. His voice is perfect for narrating and a joy to listen to.

The characters are well developed. There are so many characters that Tallbear can’t trust. And several surprises concerning the different characters. I was wrong about the motives of some characters, which made it that much more exciting!

I would love to read another story with Tallbear and friends. A series of Tallbear mysteries would go over well, and I’d be thrilled to read another one.

About the Author

 I’ve never considered myself anymore than a storyteller. I’m creating this site to promote my own fictional work in Mystery, Westerns, and Science Fantasy. But during my journey I learned we need to help others both writers and ordinary people to not only write but realize they have a responsibility to write about their times. 

     I never thought i’d be promoting memoirs, journals, or diaries, but here I am doing just that. In doing research for my books I’ve scoured the library of congress, newspapers, and pioneer diaries to get an inkling of what life in those times was like. 

     It’s made me realize we all need to write about the events, people, places, and things important to us. A historic event like Kennedy’s assassination, the Challenger tragedy, or 9/11, touched every man, woman, and child, differently. But unless we all write about where we were, how it made us feel, future people will only have biased or dry news coverage of some reporter devoting a few words to the lives and times we’ve lived through. Grab a pen or pencil, or sit down and start typing. For the future, write our Story. 

Website

About the Narrator, Randy McCarten

I am a male voice actor who has performed voice overs and audio book narration on countless projects. My journey began at age 8 after receiving the gift of a reel to reel tape recorded with a red plastic microphone.  What followed was writing, producing and voicing thousands of commercials and promos, elevation to Senior VP of Programming for a global media company, hosting a family friendly radio morning show, the building of professional studio, production of three sound design libraries and doing audiobook, corporate and other narration.

I continue to hone my craft with the help of some of the best coaches and mentors in the industry like world renowned voice over coach Nancy Wolfson and VO Tech Guru Tim Tippets.