It’s Monday! What are you Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn from Book Date, a place to share and discuss what we’ve read in the past week and what we’re in the middle of or are planning to read this week.
What I read / listened to last week:
First Strike by Angela Haas -this is a mix of superhero fantasy and space opera sci-fi with lots of action. Light, fun, tongue-in-cheek, Star-Treky (is this a real word?)-don’t forget November is a sci-fi month!
If you love the genre, check out Imyril and Lisa’s Sci-Fi November 22 posts.
Savoring Christmas by Shanna Hatfield- a clean, wholesome romance for anyone who loves hard-working, modest, responsible characters, and thinks tater tots are delicious.
What I am reading/listening to now:
Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan- its’s a beautiful book and I’m savouring every page of this charming story.
What I’m reading /listening to next:
The Sweet Spot by Adriana Locke
How did your last week go and what are you reading this week?
Baggage Claim Juliana Smith Publication date: November 26th 2022 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Olive Moore has been avoiding her hometown for three years now. But a phone call with her mom has her agreeing to spend the holidays back home with her family, she lets it slip she will be bringing a boyfriend with her. The only problem with that is she has no boyfriend. That is until she meets a handsome—albeit annoying—stranger on the plane who makes her an offer she can’t refuse.
Finn Beckett has always had good luck, as demonstrated by the gorgeous blonde he’s seated next to on a flight to Aspen. One drink too many leads to Olive spilling her problems in his lap, and he feels compelled to help. So he makes her an offer: he’ll pretend to be her boyfriend to keep her family off her back and make this the best Christmas ever.
Olive and Finn spend the next two weeks going on spirit-filled Christmas dates with her family. Their ruse is working perfectly, but Finn can’t help but notice Olive is holding something back. Something that could ruin everything.
Their relationship may have taken off smoothly, but with all this turbulence, will they ever make it to baggage claim?
Juliana Smith is an author in a small town in Alabama. She is a full-time realtor, and part-time author, but she spends a lot of her time with her husband and daughter. Juliana writes heartfelt romance filled with laughter and warm fuzzies. She can usually be found in a Chic-fil-a drive-thru or listening to Star Wars theory podcasts, often at the same time.
Thank you to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for A Summer Escape, book 3 in the Isles of Scilly series by Hannah Ellis.
The Summer Escape
Single-mother Beth desperately needs a break.
Grieving the loss of her mother, she sets off to the Isles of Scilly with her five-year-old daughter, Ellie.
Their holiday cottage is utterly charming, but it’s meeting Trystan – the owner of the cottage – that makes Beth’s stay so perfect.
When their holiday fling starts to feel like something more, she knows she’s in trouble. Her life is in Plymouth, while he lives in London. Besides, Trystan has already admitted he’s not ready for a family.
Is he prepared to take a leap of faith for Beth and Ellie? And with the odds stacked against them, can they find a way to make their relationship last beyond the lazy days of summer?
Purchase Link
Author Bio – Hannah Ellis spent many years working in childcare before deciding she’d like to write books. When she’s not busy writing she likes to read, drink tea and eat chocolate. She also enjoys yoga and jogging.
Today I’m delighted to participate in the cover reveal for Your Place or Mine?, a new romcom by one of my favourite authors Portia MacIntosh.
About the Book:
Two reluctant housemates. One question: Is this your place or mine…?
When Serena is kicked out of her flat, an offer from her friend, Taylor, to house sit for her while she and her husband go travelling could not be better timing. But unfortunately for Serena she’s not the only one to have received this offer…
Enter Ziggy: arrogant, messy (and annoyingly handsome) musician, and friend of Taylor’s husband. Living with him is far from ideal, especially when he claims the best room, has loud parties – and the least said about his kitchen manner the better…
There’s just one solution for Serena – drive him out of the house by being twice as difficult to live with than he is! But Ziggy knows Serena’s game and as war ensues between them, being forced together under one roof may result in some unexpected consequences…
Portia MacIntosh is the bestselling author of over 20 romantic comedy novels. From disastrous dates to destination weddings, Portia’s romcoms are the perfect way to escape from day to day life, visiting sunny beaches in the summer and snowy villages at Christmas time. Whether it’s southern Italy or the Yorkshire coast, Portia’s stories are the holiday you’re craving, conveniently packed in between the pages. Formerly a journalist, Portia has left the city, swapping the music biz for the moors, to live the (not so) quiet life with her husband and her dog in Yorkshire.
Unanimity Alexandra Almeida (Spiral Worlds, #1) Publication date: October 18th 2022 Genres: Adult, Science Fiction
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
The Series Story
Shadow is a reluctant god with a broken mind and a death wish. He used to be Thomas Astley-Byron, an affluent young screenwriter whose creativity and idealism saved a world from the brink of collapse. Together with Henry Nowak, an AI expert, Tom created heaven on earth by inventing a Jungian simulated reality that helps humans confront their dark sides. The benevolent manipulation platform turned the two unelected leaders into beloved gods, but now everything is failing. The worlds suffer as a sentimental Tom descends into his own personal hell, becoming the embodiment of everything he despises and a shadow of who he used to be.
His journey from optimistic, joyful Tom to a gloomy Shadow is paved with heartache and sinister interference from emerging technology. Humans and bots fight for his heart, but their aims differ: some want to own it, some to dissect it, and others to end its foolish beat. Estranged from the love of his life—the activist poet Nathan Storm—Tom fails to realize the biggest threat comes from within. None of the sticky stories that steer his life end well.
Now, a young goddess—Estelle Ngoie—has been appointed to replace him, and unlike Shadow, Stella takes no prisoners, and her heart bleeds for no one.
Who’s pulling on Shadow’s heartstrings? Are their intentions malign or benign? It’s all a matter of perspective, and Shadow has none left.
The Series Themes
An epic tale spanning across six days—one per book—and forty past decades of life lived across ten worlds and two universes.
Weaving hard sci-fi elements with social commentary and queer romantic suspense, Spiral Worlds explores the nature of consciousness and how it’s connected to a not-so-secret ingredient—story. As software consumes the world, intelligence is nothing but the appetizer; the human heart is the main course.
There is no black or white in this story about a contrast-making machine.
Alexandra Almeida has over 25 years of experience in technology, strategy, and innovation. In her role as Chief Transformation Officer, she acts as a senior advisor to enterprise executives. Alexandra is an experienced speaker at events such as SXSW, Gartner Symposium, and the Women in Tech Series.
For the time being, and to protect her creative freedoms, Alexandra prefers to write using a number of pen names.
Her debut fantasy novel, released under another pen name, has received the following awards and recognition:
– Reader’s Favorite Awards – Gold Medal Winner – Young Adult – Fantasy – Epic
– Reader Views Awards – 1st Place – Fantasy
– CIPA EVVY Book Awards – 2nd Place – Fiction – Mythology
– B.R.A.G. Medallion Recipient
– Eric Hoffer’s Da Vinci Eye Awards Finalist for Best Cover Artwork
– The Wishing Shelf Book Awards Finalist – Books for Adults
Hunted V.M. Nelson (The Dhampyr Series, #1) Publication date: October 25th 2022 Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
Tasi, an eighteen-year-old, head-strong, blood-drinking, dhampyr, has been hidden away in a small town in Maine since the death of her parents. Though she had trained to fight and kill vampires, she never believed those skills would be useful in her mundane life. That’s where she’s wrong.
In one moment, her life changes forever, and her aunt’s final words ring in her head.
They want your blood.
Now orphaned and charged with protecting her sister, Emily—a sister who doesn’t know what they are or that she’s about to endure a life-threatening change—Tasi has no other choice but to follow directions left for her. She is to find an ally who lives in New York City. This is the only way Tasi will figure out why she and Emily are being hunted before they end up drained of their blood.
V. M. Nelson is the author of The Dhampyr Series. She writes upper young adult paranormal, urban fantasy with a touch of romance thrown in. When she isn’t writing, you can find her playing video games.
Virginia resides in Minnesota with her partner and three children. She has always had an obsession for myths, legends, and fairytales. If asked, she would prefer to live in an alternate universe with vampires and fairies.
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. If you’re continuing with WOW, feel free to link those up as well! Find out more here.
And the book I am waiting for is…
From the blurb:
Rachel Krall, the true crime podcaster star of Megan Goldin’s acclaimed Night Swim returns to search for a popular social media influencer who disappeared after visiting a suspected serial killer.
Terence Bailey is about to be released from prison for breaking and entering, though investigators have long suspected him in the murders of six women. As his freedom approaches, Bailey gets a surprise visit from Maddison Logan, a hot, young influencer with a huge social media following. Hours later, Maddison disappears, and police suspect she’s been kidnapped—or worse. Is Maddison’s disappearance connected to her visit to Bailey? Why was she visiting him in the first place?
When they hit a wall in the investigation, the FBI reluctantly asks for Rachel’s help in finding the missing influencer. Maddison seems only to exist on social media; she has no family, no friends, and other than in her posts, most people have never seen her. Who is she, really? Using a fake Instagram account, Rachel Krall goes undercover to BuzzCon, a popular influencer conference, where she discovers a world of fierce rivalry that may have turned lethal.
When police find the body of a woman with a tattoo of a snake eating its tail, the FBI must consider a chilling possibility: Bailey has an accomplice on the outside and a dangerous obsession with influencers, including Rachel Krell herself. Suddenly a target of a monster hiding in plain sight, Rachel is forced to confront the very real dangers that lurk in the dark corners of the internet.
**************
Expected Publication Date: August 8, 2023
Publisher: St:Martin’s Press
Thriller / Suspense
ISBN 9781250280688, 1250280680
**************
About the author:
MEGAN GOLDIN worked as a correspondent for Reuters and other media outlets where she covered war, peace, international terrorism and financial meltdowns in the Middle East and Asia. She is now based in Melbourne, Australia where she raises three sons and is a foster mum to Labrador puppies learning to be guide dogs. She is the author of The Escape Room, The Night Swim, and Stay Awake.
Happy Publication Day to Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe Liese!
From the blurb:
Opposites become allies to fool their matchmaking friends in this swoony reimagining of Shakespeare’s beloved comedy, Much Ado About Nothing.
Jamie Westenberg and Bea Wilmot have nothing in common except a meet-disaster and the mutual understanding that they couldn’t be more wrong for each other. But when the people closest to them play Cupid and trick them into going on a date, Jamie and Bea realize they have something else in common after all—an undeniable need for revenge.
Soon their plan is in place: Fake date obnoxiously and convince the meddlers they’re madly in love. Then, break up spectacularly and dash their hopes, putting an end to the matchmaking madness once and for all.
To convince everyone that they’ve fallen for each other, Jamie and Bea will have to nail the performance of their lives. But as their final act nears and playing lovers becomes easier than not, they begin to wonder, what if Cupid’s arrow wasn’t so off the mark? And what if two wrongs do make a right?
Chloe Liese writes romances reflecting her belief that everyone deserves a love story. Her stories pack a punch of heat, heart, and humor, and often feature characters who are neurodivergent like herself. When not dreaming up her next book, Chloe spends her time wandering in nature, playing soccer, and most happily at home with her family and mischievous cats.
It’s Monday! What are you Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn from Book Date, a place to share and discuss what we’ve read in the past week and what we’re in the middle of or are planning to read this week.
What I read / listened to last week:
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn- a buddy read with Yesha! We both loved this one-of-a-kind fantasy novel and can’t wait to read the sequel.
Dead Silence by S.A.Barnes- a very engaging sci-fi/horror story. While we’re on the subject, don’t forget November is a sci-fi month, so if you love the genre, check out Imyril and Lisa’s Sci-Fi November 22 posts.
What I am reading/listening to now:
Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan
Savoring Christmas by Shanna Hatfield
What I’m reading /listening to next:
Firewalkers by Adran Tchaikovsky- tackling my sci-fi tbr one by one!
The Luminaries by Susan Dennard
An enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
How did your last week go and what are you reading this week?
Today I’m delighted to present a guest post by Helen Golden, the author of a new exciting whodunnit For Richer, For Deader.
About the book:
For Richer, For Deader
Is the Wedding Between Sir Hewitt Willoughby-Franklin’s Step-Daughter and Billionaire’s Son Off?
Rumours are that the recent death of Kelley Lindsell (29), the personal chef of tycoon Rudy (68) and Sheri Trotman (65) at Sir Hewitt’s Fawstead Manor country estate in Fenshire, has spooked Sybil Bransgrove (36) so badly she’s considering cancelling her nuptials.
Meanwhile the bride and her mother, Lady Grace (61), are being supported by family friend Lady Beatrice (36), the Countess of Rossex, who, alongside her business partner Perry Juke, is currently managing the project to refurbish the Manor House and Lodge on the estate.
Not again! Now that Lady Grace has asked Lady Beatrice to liaise with the police during the investigation into Kelley’s death, she’ll have to cooperate with boorish Detective Chief Inspector Richard Fitzwilliam whether she likes it or not. Her only relief will be solving the murder with the help of her friends Perry and Simon and her dog Daisy to get rid of him faster. But with so many wedding party guests staying on-site, any one of them could be the killer. Can they find out who it is before Sybil calls off the wedding…
Dead animals with a threatening notes attached have been found at Fawstead Manor, the recently purchased country home of TV’s Sir Hewitt Willoughby-Franklin and his wife Lady Grace. Lady Beatrice, the Countess of Rossex, who is seventeenth in line to the British throne, and her business partner Perry Juke, are there working on the refurbishment of Fawstead in preparation for the arrival of the wedding party for the marriage of Lady Grace’s daughter Sybil to Otis Trotman, the son and heir of the American billionaire Rudy Trotman. Detective Chief Inspector Richard Fitzwilliam from Protection and Investigation (Royal) Services (PaIRS for short) has been sent to overseeing the local investigation and is upset when he arrives and finds out Lady Grace has banished the investigation teams to nearby Francis Court. Determined to overrule her ladyship, Fitzwilliam goes to confront her. Fortunately for Lady Beatrice and Perry they overheard the conversation from the room next door.
Extract
Walking into the sitting room a short while later, Lady Beatrice was curious to see Perry leaning up against a connecting door at the far end of the room, the side of his face pressed hard against the crack where the door met the frame. He saw her and, raising his forefinger to his lips, beckoned her over.
“This is great,” he whispered as she leaned in, frowning. “I think Fitzwilliam has met his match.”
Although, feeling slightly guilty about eavesdropping on a private conversation taking place in the room next door, Lady Beatrice’s curiosity overruled her misgivings. Bending towards the door below Perry, she pressed her ear against the crack.
“I don’t care if the king himself is in danger. I will not have you and your men setting up here, chief inspector. As I’ve already explained to you, I’ve very important guests arriving tomorrow, and I don’t want them upset by the police running around all over the place day and night—”
“But, Lady Grace, if we’re on-site, we have a much better chance of wrapping this up sooner, and then we’ll—”
“I don’t care, chief inspector. It’s bad enough having you here at all. I won’t agree to allowing you to set up an office here and that’s final. Lady Beatrice has kindly offered you somewhere to park yourselves at Francis Court, and I think that’s a more than adequate arrangement.”
“But, Lady Grace, if I could just—”
“No, you can’t, chief inspector! Now I’m sure you have better things to do than stand here and argue with me. I certainly do!”
This is just brilliant. I wish I was a fly on that wall right now. I would so dearly love to see his face.
“Well, Lady Grace. I’m disappointed that you will not co-operate, but at your request, we’ll remain at Francis Court for the moment. But I need to warn you—”
“Before you warn me of anything, chief inspector, I should probably tell you that my husband is a very good friend of Nigel Blake’s, who I believe is your boss—”
Oh yes, we like a bit of ‘I know your boss’ play. It was something her mother did so well too. It was a brave man who went up against the formidable women of the British aristocracy.
“—and I’m sure a quick call to him will resolve this if you’d prefer?”
There was a deadly silence on the other side of the door. Perry looked down at Lady Beatrice, a huge grin on his face.
“That won’t be necessary, your ladyship. Thank you.”
Perry and Lady Beatrice jumped up and ran to the door of the sitting room. Peering around the frame, they were just in time to see Fitzwilliam stomping across the hall and disappearing into the corridor at the far side.
About Helen Golden
Hello. I’m Helen Golden. I write British contemporary cozy whodunnits with a hint of humour. I live in small village in Lincolnshire in the UK with my husband, my step-daughter, her two cats, our two dogs, sometimes my step-son, and our tortoise.
I used to work in senior management, but after my recent job came to a natural end I had the opportunity to follow my dreams and start writing. It’s very early in my life as an author, but so far I’m loving it.
It’s crazy busy at our house, so when I’m writing I retreat to our caravan (an impulsive lockdown purchase) which is mostly parked on our drive. When I really need total peace and quiet, I take it to a lovely site about 15 minutes away and hide there until my family runs out of food or clean clothes
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