Faith of Our Fathers - DVD #review #giveaway

John Paul and Wayne are two young men in search of their fathers.  Problem is...their fathers have been dead for 25 years.  Eddie and Steven are two young men in search of their sons...whom they've never met.

In 1969, Eddie and Steven are with their squad deep in the jungle of Vietnam on a five-day mission to retrieve fallen comrades.  They write letters to their wives, often mentioning their love for their sons, one, who is an infant and one yet to be born.  The horrors of war and the testing of faith manifest themselves for the young men in Vietnam.

In 1994, John Paul and Wayne go on a five day road trip to the Vietnam Wall in Washington DC to see their fathers' names.  Along the way, reading those letters, they begin to get an understanding of who their fathers were and how they died.  Trials and mishaps, both funny and sad, complicate the road trip for the boys.

Ultimately, in parallel stories - 25 years apart - the fathers and sons are bound together forever.  

Love in the Time of Murder by D.E. Haggerty- #review #giveaway

In Love in the Time of Murder, the "Gray-Haired Knitting Detectives" face their toughest case yet. Delilah, or Dee as she wishes everyone would just call her already, is the granddaughter of one of the knitting detectives and her life is in a bit of a shambles. She finally manages to pry herself away from her husband’s clutches, move out on her own, and start her own business. But then her estranged husband is murdered and she’s the number one suspect. The Gray-Haired Knitting Detectives aren’t about to let one of their own get sent to the slammer and jump at the chance to search for the true killer. As if Dee doesn’t have enough problems, the knitting detectives decide that Delilah being a widow is the perfect opportunity to find her a new man and decide to put their matchmaking skills to use. Will Dee end up in prison for a murder she didn’t commit or will she be taking another walk down the aisle?

(All books in the Gray-Haired Knitting Detectives series are standalones.)

GoodReads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble

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MY REVIEW

I do love me my feisty older ladies!  And Love in the Time of Murder is full of them!  I think I liked the gray-haired knitters better than the main character!  (Maybe that's because a few *ahem* of my hairs are turning gray.)

Dee is definitely not your average cozy heroine.  True, many cozy heroines flee big cities for smaller town.  But most of them aren't quite as unhappy about it as Dee seems to be.  Being a small-town type myself, I tend to get my back up a bit at that.  Then I remember that city folk have a harder time appreciating the benefits of living in less populated areas.

But Dee is a good person at heart.  I totally sympathize with her on her husband/ex situation.  And, of course, because of the domestic violence, the wife (well, widow) makes the perfect patsy for someone looking to off the scumbag.

This is where the beauty of small town groups of old ladies comes in.  There is no way they are going to let the grand-daughter of one of their members take the fall for a crime she did not commit!  You don't mess with the grandmas.  This always reminds me of my husband's paternal Mamaw.  Before we lived in Kentucky, we brought our children (then 3 and 4) up to meet his side of the family.  When we knocked on Mamaw's door she came out, looked at my husband and said, "I oughtta throw you across the yard," (for not bringing her great-grandbabies up to see her sooner)!

Dee has got a helping and a half of good-natured snark (I guess they used to call it 'sass'), and I always take seconds on that when I can get it.  And, as they say around here, "she comes by it honest".

While I understand the grannies intentions were good, I would be a little uncomfortable if I were a new widow (no matter how big a putz my husband had been), to be the object of match-making so soon after the death.  But, as I met only met one of my grandmothers, and that only during one visit, I would take just about any of these ladies as 'adoptees'.

Haggerty made an interesting choice writing these as a series of standalones.  Cozies usually come in series, but the story arcs over all the installments.  And it works out quite lovely!  Any unread and/or future installments of the tales of the "Gray-Haired Knitting Detectives" are going on my TBR.

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MEET THE AUTHOR - D.E. HAGGERTY

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter

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I was born and raised in Wisconsin, but think I’m a European. After spending my senior year of high school in Germany, I developed a bad case of wanderlust that is yet to be cured. My flying Dutch husband and I have lived in Ohio, Virginia, the Netherlands, Germany and now Istanbul. We still haven’t decided if we want to settle down somewhere – let alone where. I’m leaning towards somewhere I can learn to surf even though the hubby thinks that’s a less than sound way to decide where to live. Although I’ve been a military policewoman, a commercial lawyer, and a B&B owner, I think with writing I may have finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up. That’s assuming I ever grow up, of course. Between playing tennis, running much slower than I would like, trying to adopt every stray dog within a 5-mile radius, traveling to exotic new locales, singing off tune, drinking entirely too many adult beverages, addictively watching new movies and reading books like they are going out of style, I write articles for a local expat magazine and various websites, review other indie authors’ books, write a blog about whatever comes to mind and am working on my seventh book.

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GIVEAWAY!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Click the banner to go to the tour page, where you will find more reviews, as well as interviews with the author and guest posts by her!  You can also find out how to become a book tour host yourself!

(Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book from the author and publishers via Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.)

Murder in a Two-Seater by Billie Thomas #review

A cheating wife in a classic car drives someone to murder.

Interior decorators turned amateur investigators, Chloe and Amanda Carstairs have spent the summer transforming their client’s creepy old castle into a luxury hotel. But before the first guest checks in, the owner’s wife checks out – with the help of a bullet to the head.

When Chloe’s dad is accused of the crime, there’s no time for the ladies to drown their sorrows in the hotel’s mini bar. Instead, they have to contend with a sneaky blackmailer, an unsolved murder from the past, and a cunning killer with nothing to lose.

The second Chloe Carstairs Mystery is filled with the same clever twists and hilarious mother-daughter relationship that made Murder on the First Day of Christmas such a fun, fast-paced read for an appreciative readership. The mystery will keep you guessing, but as any good decorator will tell you, even a beautiful setting can’t hide the ugly truth.

Look Both Ways by Carol J. Perry - #review #giveaway

In Salem, Massachusetts, there are secrets everywhere–even in the furniture. . .

When Lee Barrett spots the same style oak bureau she once had as a child on the WICH-TV show, Shopping Salem, she rushes to the antiques shop and buys the piece. Just like the beloved bureau she lost in a fire, this one has secret compartments. It also comes with an intriguing history–it was purchased in an estate sale from a home where a famous local murder took place.

The day after the bureau is delivered, Lee returns to the antiques shop and finds the owner dead. The police suspect the shop owner’s unscrupulous business partner, but Lee wonders if the murder is connected to her new furniture. At least part of the answer may be revealed through a mirror in the bureau, tarnished and blackened, allowing Lee to tap into her psychic visions. Using this bureau of investigation, Lee may be able to furnish her policeman beau with the evidence needed to catch the killer–before the next one to be shut up is her. . .

GoodReads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble 

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MY REVIEW

I got a different feeling from Look Both Ways by Carol J. Perry than I have from other cozy mysteries, and view that as a good thing!  It's probably something akin to what Maralee (aka Lee) felt when she passed by a shiny object.

Lee's a scryer, you see, which means she can see things in shiny surfaces other than her reflection.  Nostradamus had his bowl of water.  Lee has her tarnished desk mirror, clear desk mirror, patent leather shoe decoration, candlestick, full-length mirror.  In the course of this book (#3 in the Witch City Mystery series), Lee sees multiple visions of messages from two murder victims (one years old, one quite recent) that enable her to solve the crimes.

Of course, when the guilty party doesn't like you poking around and decides to *ahem* intervene ... well, that kind of seals her suspicions.

I liked the descriptions of the difficulty Lee had of revealing her gift to Pete, her lawman boyfriend.  Unless someone is already a believer in the paranormal, claims to certain 'abilities' can draw at best skepticism from people and at worst persecution.  Lee's worry with Pete was that his being grounded in the real world of crime would not leave him any room to 'accept' her gift ... and that this could cause them to break up.

Sometimes you read paranormal fiction and it has a "Bewitched" or "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" kind of feel - kind of light-hearted and with little real 'evil'.  (Not that there's anything wrong with that - as I loved both shows!)  But there was a real-world gritty feel to Look Both Ways that I found very appealing.   

Also loved the nod to live theatre, where Lee works during the school year at a theatrical school in town, and she's doing a volunteer gig as propmistress for the summer season.  Before my kids came along, and after that nasty business where a professor told me I should find something else to do, other than theatre, because I had no future - I spent 5-6 years doing 5-6 plays a year, mostly acting, but also various behind-the-scenes and front-of-house duties.

So here I am, sitting in front of my living room window with the light on in the room behind me and looking more at the reflections i/o the darkened yard.  And I'm seeing more Carol J. Perry books in my future!

Oh, and be nice to your cats.

Seriously. (Cue the spooky movie music.) ;) *meow* 

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MEET THE AUTHOR

Website * GoodReads

Carol J. Perry knew as a child that she wanted to be a writer. A voracious reader, whose list for Santa consisted mostly of  book titles, she never lost sight of that goal. While living in Florida, Carol was on assignment for Southern Travel Magazine, preparing an article on the world’s tallest sand castle which was being built near her home. That combination  of events inspired her first young adult novel, Sand Castle Summer. That book was soon followed by half a dozen more. Always an avid reader of mysteries, Carol Perry’s debut mystery novel is set in Salem and involves a mysterious cat, several witches and some strange Halloween happenings. Appropriately enough, this Salem-born author celebrates her birthday on Halloween eve!

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GIVEAWAY!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Click the banner to go to the tour page where you will find more reviews and information on how to become a virtual book tour host for yourself!

(Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book from the author and publishers via Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

The Persian Woman by Thomas Booker - #bookblast

A tough Navy SEAL and a beautiful Persian woman clash before working together to confront a ferocious common enemy. It is a tale of jihad, terror, and forbidden love. A Jeffrey Quinn novel.

“I stayed up late reading this book a second time. I read it first for the intriguing story and the second time for the wonderful language. Mr. Booker has crafted a timely and compelling story filled with a cast of characters from the slimy to the sublime. I would like to have a friend like the main character, Jeffrey Quinn . . . a man with a past and his own demons . . . honest . . . loyal . . . .” -Rebecca K. McWhorter (5 Star Amazon Review)

The Great Bravura by Jill Dearman - #review

Since adolescence, Bravura and salt of the earth Susie have been partners in magic and best friends, as well as occasional bedmates. But when the two performers hire the mysterious and alluring Lena as a third banana to jazz up the act, Bravura falls madly in love. Lena believes in magic and not just the rabbit-out-of-a hat kind. She encourages Bravura to believe in her own supernatural powers, and when Susie balks, conflict ensues. Things really go south during the classic Disappearing Box act, when Susie disappears for real. With her pal presumed dead, and Bravura the prime suspect, the magician must act quickly to find Susie hopefully alive! To prove her innocence, Bravura must uncover the holes in her own story even if it means incriminating herself, and her precious Lena, in the process."

GoodReads * Amazon 

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MY REVIEW

The Great Bravura has a gritty noir feel of a 'Perry Mason' (the old b&w series) or to use a more recent example, the 'Mad Men' series.  The characters are stark and larger than life, and I could see and feel the early to mid 20th century when I read the book.

I do have an issue or two with the book, though.  There is way too much emphasis on sex for my taste.  Some may say it's because it features a romance between or amongst, if you count Susie) women.  The truth is I don't want to see any graphic PDAs (public displays of affection), regardless of who makes up the participants. 

Once Lena enters the picture, Bravura behaves like a love-struck teenager.  The only thing (or person) she can think of is Lena.  For me, the storyline begins to get muddied in and secondary to the description of sexual attraction, fantasies and acts.  Does the author seek to entertain or arouse her audience?

Once Susie takes a powder, the story gains top hand again.  I stuck with it because I made an agreement to review the book.  If I had not, I might not have made it past Susie's disappearance.

I'm not saying Bravura is not a good book, and want to make that clear.  Just because a book is not something I might search out, has no bearing on the quality of the book.  (Ok, there is one exception, but this book is not it.  That is another story for another day.)

I felt a lot of sympathy for Susie.    She is like the wife who watches her marriage fall apart in front of her eyes.  Been there, done that.  It sucks.

Bottom line for me?  If you like a noir story with a lot (!) of heat and are not put off by the fact that it is all female, you will like The Great Bravura.  If any of those elements are not your cup of tea, keep looking through the shelves.

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MEET THE AUTHOR

Website

Jill Dearman is the author of Bang the Keys (Penguin), a book for writers, as well as Queer Astrology for Men and Queer Astrology for Women (St. Martins), which will be reissued by MacMillan. She is a broadly published journalist and award-winning prose writer whose work has been published in New York Stories, North Atlantic Review, The Portland Review, Lilith, and numerous other publications. A native New Yorker, mystic-about-town, and lifelong film fanatic, she enjoys taking imaginative forays along the seedy side of the street.

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Disclosure:  I received a print copy of this book from the author and publishers via BookSparks in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.  Click on the banner to go to the tour site.

46.6K Facebook Shares - Are You KIDDING ME???

I was working on the Blog Ahead Challenge and received an email notification from Neil Patel of a new blog post he had written, "23 Snazzy Blogging Tools Every Successful Content Marketer is Using".  Now, if you've ever read any blog post of Neil's, you know that it is like attending the biggest smorgasboard all-you-can-eat for one low price - there is SO MUCH information in each post you could spend a couple of days on it.

So, I went to 'snazzy blogging tool #1" - BuzzSumo.

On Neil's first suggested use of Buzzsumo as a content marketing tool, he mentioned getting inspiration from popular headlines - one that has received a huge amount of social shares.  As I write a lot of book reviews, and I always seem to be in the dark about what new books are coming out when, I typed in "new book releases".

There was no shortage of information - 715 p.a.g.e.s. of links to popular shares with a total of 14,300 entries!  The top share was a story from CafeMom.com about how E.L. James is re-releasing her "50 Shades" series - but from Christian's point-of-view.  Want to guess how many shares it got on Facebook?  Go ahead.  Guess.  (Of course, if you read the title of this post, you already know.)  That's right:  approximately 46,600 shares on Facebook alone.

OMG.

I have not read any of the books.  I did not see the movie.  I have no intention of ever doing either, unless someone forces me to "A Clockwork Orange"-style.

To me, that series should not qualify as literature at all - it seems to me to be more of an outlet for people who are upset that Playboy will no longer be featuring pictures of naked women anymore.  Or, it may be for people who cannot tell the difference between sexual arousal and other forms of entertainment; or for people whose lives are devoid of sexual experience and have to get it from literature or the movies.

Obviously, I am not a fan of the work.  Just as obviously, so many other people were enamored of it to the point that they bought the books and a movie was made.

But I also know I am not alone in my dislike of "50 Shades".  People who actually live the bondage-domination-submissive lifestyle in real life roundly criticizes both the book and the movie - saying it was an inaccurate representation.  But then, would an accurate depiction have been so commercial?  Probably not.

OK.  I think my rant has run out.  (I haven't been on this big a tsunami since I read the story about that woman who sued her 12 year old nephew for $127,000 for giving her too forceful a hug at his 8th birthday party and causing her to break her wrist and even now be unable to hold her hors d'oeuvres plate at cocktail parties.  Seriously, and now she's trying to backpedal, putting the blame on her insurance company.  *sheesh*)

OK.  Now my rant has really run out.  For now.

My point is, I used the tool and found out an area that definitely needs better things to talk about!  HUZZAH!  Thank you Neil and Buzzsumo!

Now I could probably go to one of the frequent yard sales they have down at the corner of Hwy 150 and Hwy 39 near Crab Orchard, Kentucky, pick up a used and tattered graphic novel and write a review of that comic book that would be more edifying than anything connected with "50 Shades".  But I am fortunate to work with a number of quality virtual book tour companies (Great Escapes, Historical Fiction, iRead, Sage's, TLC, and Premier Virtual Author to name but a few) that keep me well stocked in new book releases and allow me to post reviews help match my readers to books they will enjoy.

And, despite everything I have written here, I'm not saying E.L. James is a bad writer.  I wouldn't know.  I've never read anything she has written.  I'm just exercising my right to express my dislike of and disappointment in 'that book'.

So, dear reader, if you have gotten all the way through this post, thank you!

One thing I hope you take away from this post is that if you find content you like online, share it!  It helps the content creator with a virtual pat on the back.  And you can show your desire to find things of interest to your own readers.

One thing I hope you leave before you go is a comment with the best book you have read so far this year.  I need something to get the 50 Tastes of Yuck out of my mouth.

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This post was actually written on October 20, 2015, as part of my participation in the "Blog Ahead Challenge" hosted by Anna at Herding Cats and Burning Soup and Kimba at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.