Month: August 2021

The Ninth Session by Deborah Serani

FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Partners In Crime Book Tours in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

The Ninth Session by Deborah Serani was a great audiobook.  I loved the narrator of this story and how the audiobook was recorded.  I loved that after each session and was writing her notes you could hear someone writing, so it was like I was listening to a real show or movie and just not paying attention to what was happening on the screen.  I love when audiobooks include things like someone writing because it helps me get even more into what is happening in the story.  I also thought that the narrator’s voice fits this story and the characters in the story. I loved that the plot of this book was something that I hadn’t come across before that this is always a hard thing for me to find.  Because I usually read books in this genre, it is hard to find a unique plot, and this book was so different from anything else that I have read or listened to.  This book did have a good amount of suspense that made me want to listen to this book without stopping.  Just when I thought I had this book figured out, something else would happen, and I would realize that I had it all wrong.  If you love suspense novels, I know you will love this book as much as I did.

About The Book

Genre: Suspense Thriller
Published by: TouchPoint Press
Publication Date: September 26th 2019
Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins

An edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller that brings a unique mix of psychotherapy and sign language and Coda culture. Just when you think you have it figured out, think again!

Dr. Alicia Reese takes on a new patient. Lucas Ferro suffers with crippling anxiety, and as sessions progress, he begins to share the reasons why he’s struggling. As Ferro’s narrative becomes more menacing, Reese finds herself wedged between the cold hard frame of professional ethics and the integrity of personal truth. And, finally, when Ferro reveals his secrets, Reese learns how far she’s willing to go, willing to risk and willing to lose to do the right thing.

About The Author

Deborah Serani, Psy.D. is psychologist in practice 30 years. She is also a senior professor at Adelphi University and has been published in academic journals on the subjects of depression and trauma. Dr. Serani is a go-to expert for psychological issues. Her interviews can be found at ABC News, CNN, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, Forbes, Reader’s Digest, The Washington Post and USA Today, and affiliate radio station programs at CBS and NPR, just to name a few. She is also a TEDx speaker and has lectured nationally and internationally. Dr. Serani has worked as a technical advisor for the NBC television show, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit – where a recurring character, Judge D. Serani, was named for her. Dr. Serani is an award-winning author, writing about psychological topics in many genres.

Catch Up With Deborah:
http://www.DrDeborahSerani.com
Goodreads
BookBub
Twitter – @DeborahSerani
Facebook – @Dr. Deborah Serani

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This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Deborah Serani. There will be ONE winner who will receive (1) Audible promo code for The Ninth Session (U.S. addresses only). The giveaway runs from August 9 through August 30, 2021. Void where prohibited.

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The Journalist by David Gardner

FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Partners In Crime Book Tours in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

The Journalist by David Gardner was an entertaining read.  I love I pick up books on a whim because, more than not, I fall in love with the books.  I don’t think I would have picked this book up if it weren’t because this isn’t a genre of books that I am drawn to.  This author did a great job of hooking me right from the first page.  I spent a chunk of time laughing as I read, and I loved that about this book.  You never knew what was going to happen next, and I loved that about this book.  I also enjoyed that this book wasn’t super dark because lately, I have wanted to read fun books.  With all the crazy things happening right now, I have been more drawn to books that are funny and easy to get lost in.  I read this book pretty quickly, and I was sad when it was over.  If you are looking for a fun book to read this fall, I would recommend this one because I know you will love it as much as I do.

About The Book

Book Details:

Genre: Humorous Paranormal Thriller
Published by: Encircle Publications, LLC
Publication Date: February 10th 2021
Number of Pages: 322
ISBN: 164599144X (ISBN13: 9781645991441)

If Jeff can’t save his ghostly ancestors from disappearing, so will he.

Writing for a cheesy Boston tabloid, Jeff Beekle fabricates a whimsical tale about a mob-built CIA prison for ghosts.

Which turns out to be true.

Now both the mob and the CIA have Jeff in their sights.

Even worse, Jeff discovers that his great-grandmother is an inmate and that she and the other spectral residents are being groomed as CIA spies. (And why not? They’re invisible, draw no salary, and won’t hop into bed with enemy agents.)

To his horror, Jeff learns that ancestors held too long in earthly captivity will vanish as if never born, taking with them all their descendants, which includes him.

Can Jeff outwit the mob and the CIA, free his ghostly ancestors, destroy the prison and save himself?

About The Author

David Gardner grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm, served in Army Special Forces and earned a Ph.D. in French from the University of Wisconsin. He has taught college, worked as a reporter and sold women’s shoes.

He coauthored three programming books for Prentice Hall, wrote dozens of travel articles as well as too many mind-numbing computer manuals before happily turning to fiction.

He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, Nancy, also a writer. He hikes, bikes, messes with astrophotography and plays the keyboard with no discernible talent whatsoever.

Catch Up With David Gardener:
DavidGardnerAuthor.com
Goodreads
Instagram – @davidagardner07
Twitter – @dgardner_author
Facebook – @david.gardner.33483

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This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for David Gardner. There will be THREE (3) winners for this tour. Each winner will ONE (1) signed print edition of The Journalist by David Gardner (US Mailing Addresses Only). The giveaway begins on August 1 and runs through September 2, 2021. Void where prohibited.

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A Cure For Deceit by Margie Miklas

FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Audiobookworm in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

A Cure For Deceit by Margie Miklas was a fantastic book.  I enjoyed everything about this audiobook.  I don’t know that I can even come up with anything bad because I loved this book that much.  I also really enjoyed the narrator of this audiobook.  I felt like her voice fit the characters in this book.  I wouldn’t recommend this book to you if you get grossed out by medical things because this book is full of that.  I loved that about this book because medical stuff has always interested me.  This book combined the two things that I love in books a great medical story and suspense that kept me listening.  I can’t wait to read other books by this author in the future because if her other books are anything like this one, I know I will love them.  The author did a great job explaining things that were happening, but she didn’t include so many details that you get bogged down.  The author also made the characters come to life as I was listening as well.  This book made me wonder if things like this happen in the real world.  I love when an author makes me stop and think about things that happen in the book and wonder if they have ever occurred in the real world.  If you love a good medical thriller, then I am sure you will love this book.

About The Book

Author: Margie Miklas

Narrator: Blair Seibert

Length: 7 hours 16 minutes

Publisher: Margie Miklas⎮2021

Genre: Medical Thriller

Release date: Apr. 28, 2021

Synopsis: What happens when a top surgeon begins to crack under the strain of his personal life and patients start to die? A sudden spike in patient deaths drives an impassioned ICU nurse to launch a clandestine investigation, targeting a powerful cardiac surgeon whose corrupt connections could destroy her career. 

Allison Jamison, an experienced intensive care nurse, becomes suspicious when a recent wave of major surgical complications results in unnecessary patient deaths. She enlists the professional expertise of her friend, Detective Mark Derning, whose interests include more than an investigative role. When her probe targets Dr. Gary Tamarino, the powerful, narcissistic chief of cardiothoracic surgery at San Francisco Bay Hospital, she encounters a staggering level of deceit and revenge while delving deep into his far-reaching web of corruption. 

Abuse of power, manipulation, callousness, and desperation drive the dark side of a man who also saves lives on a daily basis. Will he destroy her career before she can do anything to stop him?

About The Author

An award-winning author, Margie Miklas writes medical thrillers and travel memoirs about Italy. Creator and owner of the travel blog, Margie in Italy, and a contributing writer for an Italian-American newspaper, she is a member of the Florida Writers Association and makes her home in Florida.

In her medical thrillers, Margie’s years of experience as a critical care nurse provide the foundation for the realistic storylines inside a hospital. Her characteristic conversational, storytelling approach in her travel memoirs makes readers feel as if they are traveling beside her.

Margie has won numerous awards, including two from the Florida Writers Association, Readers Favorite, and Book Excellence awards. A Cure for Deceit won the Silver Award in the thriller genre in the 2020 Royal Palm Literary Competition from the Florida Writers Association, along with the Bronze Award in the 2020 Reader’s Favorite Competition in the thriller category.

Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Instagram

About The Narrator

Blair is a full-time voice actor living in Los Angeles, CA with 20+ previous years’ experience as a green building architect. That experience draws her to books that offer the listener new knowledge about things of interest to her: relationships, women’s issues, medicine, psychology, and environmental issues, while also being entertained.  

Blair recently completed a ten-hour non-fiction book for Penguin Random House called “New Women In The Old West”. Genres she narrates are: romance, Rom-Com, cozy mystery and non-fiction.

When Blair is not narrating, she’s gardening, cooking, recycling, biking or quilting (the skill she learned during the COVID shutdown). She’s passionate about books and is typically listening to one fiction and one non-fiction at a time while also reading a non-fiction book.  

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The Academy Saga II: Cadet-In-Training by CJ Daly

FTC: I received a free copy of this book from iRead Book Tours in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

The Academy Saga II: Cadet-In-Training by CJ Daly was an exciting read.  Parts of this book made me think of the Divergent series of books.  This is the second book in the Academy Saga series, and you need to read the books in order because each of the books builds on the previous one.  There is a third book in this series, and I went out to buy it because I have to know what happens next in this series.  I would get so wrapped up in what was happening in this book that I would stay up way too late reading because I never wanted to put it down.  You will be lost if you don’t read them in order.  Kate got on my nerves because of the stupid things that she did and how she acted.  This book kept me on the edge of my seat as I was reading it, and I loved that about it.  This author did a great job of making all of the characters come to life as I was reading.  If you are looking for a different type of book to read this year, I would check out this series because I am sure that you will love it.  If you enjoyed the Divergent series, I think you would also enjoy this story.

About The Book

Book Title:  The Academy Saga: Cadet-in-Training by C.J. Daly
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 yrs +),  441 pages
Genre: Suspense Romance
Publisher:  BrandyLight Ink
Release date:   July 2020
Format available for review:  ebook (mobi file (for Kindle), ePub, PDF)
Tour dates: July 12 to August 6
Content Rating:  PG-13. My book has some adult themes, language, and a few slow-burn romance scenes.

Another Readers’ Favorite 5-STAR Suspense Romance. Begin the journey today.

Kate’s destiny has been determined for her.

Hidden out in the country for most her life, Kate Connelly suddenly wakes up, handcuffed to a hospital bed, in the psyche ward of The Academy. Her crime? Being “gifted.” And it’s Officer “Ranger” Nealson’s job to make her adhere to The Academy’s agenda for her. Even though he’s the one who drugged and dragged her in. Kate’s hate for Ranger, and his academy, is at an all-time high. Ranger has his work cut out for him . . . and Kate does too. She has to fight through the rigors of the Cadet-in-Training program, and quickly. If not, she’ll lose the one privilege she’s been given at The Academy—access to her precious little brother.

And until she graduates from the CIT program, Officer Nealson is banned from Missions. When General Weston finally offers a juicy recon to Ranger, he wants to jump at the chance to prove himself again. After all, catching bad guys is his thing. Almost all pros for doing it. One con—Cadet Connelly has to ride along.

The hardened officer finds he’s slowly been growing a soft spot for his mentee. But he’s determined not to end up like his father, and former Elite Cadet Pete Davenport—throwing away their career for a girl (not even a woman). And Kate has lingering feelings for Pete, who risked his life to warn her, and conflicting feelings for Ranger. She has to set both aside to focus on completing her first mission.

When the dust settles, old alliances are broken and new ones are formed. But one thing remains the same: Kate’s destiny has been determined for her by The Academy. Ready or not . . . she’s set for Missions. Will one of the former elite cadets step in to help change her fate, or will she be left to fight the Academy’s agenda alone?

About The Author

CJ Daly grew up on the scrabbly plains of Eastern New Mexico. When she was supposed to be helping her six siblings with chores on the family ranch, she was really sneaking behind dusty haystacks to read. And dreaming about becoming a writer.

After graduating high school, CJ moved to Big D, where she quickly put herself through college while trying to rid herself of her country accent. She had better luck with college, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in English literature. After teaching a few years and pausing to have back-to-back boys, she began writing in earnest.

A few years later, “The Academy Saga” was born. It instantly earned a Readers’ Favorite 5-STAR seal of approval and became an Amazon best seller.

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

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Loser Baby by Jason Bovberg

FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Partners In Crime Book Tours in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

Loser Baby by Jason Bovberg was an interesting book.  I did have a hard time keeping track of who was talking, and I am sure that is because there were quite a few characters who were similarly acting.  I did think that this book was well written.  I didn’t find that this book was super suspenseful, and because of that, it did take me a little while to finish this book.  This is one where I would read it for an hour or so, and then I would walk away and come back to it later.  I enjoyed the plot of this book, and I wouldn’t mind reading other books by this author in the future, even though I am not the biggest fan of this book.  The author did do a great job of making the characters come to life as I was reading.  I can say that he did a great job of making me hate several of the characters.  If you are looking for a different type of book to read this fall, I would pick up a copy and check it out.

About The Book

Genre: Suspense
Published by: Dark Highway Press
Publication Date: August 2nd 2021
Number of Pages: 322
ISBN: 9780966262988
Series: This is not a part of a series.

Jasmine Frank is missing.

It’s a humid summer morning in Santa Ana, California, and her twin brother Jordan abruptly finds himself on a desperate search—fearing the worst. The party last night got way out of hand, and his brain is still chemically fried. But this is Jasmine’s story. She’s awakened far from home to her own mystery: She’s unwittingly stolen something from the most dangerous person she’s ever known. Tommy Strafe. And now Tommy is raging through the sunbaked streets, gathering illicit forces to seek brutal retribution. But all Jasmine really wants is to get out of Orange County, escape her past, and find a measure of redemption.

Loser Baby is a propulsive blast through the streets of the SoCal melting pot, a breakneck dark-comic neo-noir populated by misfits and malefactors, criminals and innocents, down-and-outers and spun-out dreamers. Prepare yourself for an adrenaline rush of rat-a-tat he-said-she-said narrative twists—all in service of a giddily slam-bang shock ending.

Book Praise:

“Jason Bovberg’s Loser Baby is a beautiful noir novel for the 21st century! It’s a wild, frantic ride through shady Southern California, a desperate drug-fueled search for a girl who only wants to escape a sordid life.”
—Scott Phillips, author of THE ICE HARVEST and THAT LEFT TURN AT ALBUQUERQUE

“Loser Babyis the real deal for hardcore crime fiction fans. This one grinds with the engine over the red line all the way. Hang on tight!”
—Eric Beetner, author of ALL THE WAY DOWN

“Loser Baby is one cool book! Bovberg writes characters who get into your head and under your skin. You won’t shake this one easily: It’ll stay with you long after you read it!”
—Terrill Lee Lankford, author of SHOOTERS and ANGRY MOON

“Jason Bovberg’s Loser Baby is a high-octane thriller that moves like greased lightning! The beauty of this book is its motley collection of despicable characters whom you come to love by the end. Loser Baby is Bovberg’s greatest book and one of the best of the year.
—Gary Phillips, author of BLOOD AND ASPHALT and BIRDS OF FIRE

About The Author

Jason Bovberg is the author of the Blood trilogy—Blood Red, Draw Blood, and Blood Dawn—as well as The Naked Dame, a throwback pulp noir novel. His forthcoming books include Tessa Goes Down, a border noir, and A Small Poisonous Act, a suburban crime novel. He is editor/publisher of Dark Highway Press, which published the controversial, erotic fairy tale Santa Steps Out and the weird western anthology Skull Full of Spurs.

He lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, with his wife Barb, his daughters Harper and Sophie, and his canines Rocky and Rango. You can find him online at http://www.jasonbovberg.com.

Catch Up With Our Author:
JasonBovberg.com
Goodreads
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Instagram – @jasonbovbergauthor
Twitter – @JasonBovberg
Facebook – @CriminalVintage

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Black Label by James L’Etoile

FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Partners In Crime Book Tours in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

Black Label by James L’Etoile was an exciting book.  I love that there were medical aspects in this book because those always interest me.  There wasn’t a ton of medical things going on, so if that is something that you don’t like, then I would still check this one out. This book did have quite a bit of suspense running throughout most of the book, which I loved.  The more tension that book has, the more I am going to enjoy the story.  The author did a great job of making the characters and the story come alive as I was reading.  I read this book in just a couple of days.  This book had just about everything that I love in an excellent psychological thriller.  This book kept me on the edge as I was reading, and I was sad when the story ended because I wasn’t ready to move on from these characters or this story.  If you love super suspenseful books, then I know you will love this book like I do.

About The Book

Genre: Thriller
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: July 20, 2021
Number of Pages: 300
ISBN: 978-1-953789-14-3

Sanity is something you don’t miss until it’s gone. Hard charging pharmaceutical executive Jillian Cooper fears she’d destined to inherit her mother’s history of mental illness when she finds herself accused of murdering her boss. All the evidence tells her she’s either a murderer, or insane. When Jillian struggles to find the truth, she uncovers a web of black market pharmaceuticals, prison gangs, and greed. She begins to believe she may have killed to cover up the off-the-books drug operation.

Can she discover the truth before she’s condemned to life in prison, or a mental hospital?

Praise

“Tight, terrific, terrifying. BLACK LABEL delves into the murky world of pharmaceuticals where profit is prioritized above all else. L’Etoile creates a strong female lead in Jillian Cooper, a woman who faces obstacle after obstacle, but still charges into the abyss. More unnerving than a fistful of amphetamines. Unputdownable.”
—K.J. Howe, international bestselling author of SKYJACK

“James L’Etoile’s BLACK LABEL is a delightfully complex and twisty thriller with a ripped-from-the-headlines plot that will make you think long and hard before you swallow your next dose of medication. Add in an intrepid heroine willing to do whatever it takes to uncover the truth no matter the cost, and L’Etoile’s newest offering is a winner!”
— Karen Dionne, author of the #1 international bestseller THE MARSH KING’S DAUGHTER and THE WICKED SISTER

“Relentlessly fast-paced and compellingly twisty! The talented James L’Etoile sets up an irresistibly high-stakes situation: a woman is certain to be charged with murder and doesn’t remember a thing. Can she prove her innocence before she’s silenced forever? A dark journey through the world of big Pharma and big money—you will turn the pages as fast as you can.”
— Hank Phillippi Ryan USA Today Bestselling author of THE FIRST TO LIE

“If this book had a tag, it would say ‘proceed with caution’ because nothing is what it seems. Told with a vivid and visceral style, this is le Carré’s Constant Gardener meets The Fugitive. As the title suggests, BLACK LABEL is a top of the line thriller.”
— Gabriel Valjan, Agatha & Anthony Award nominated author

About The Author

James L’Etoile uses his twenty-nine years behind bars as an influence in his novels, short stories, and screenplays. He is a former associate warden in a maximum-security prison, a hostage negotiator, facility captain, and director of California’s state parole system. He is a nationally recognized expert witness on prison and jail operations. He has been nominated for the Silver Falchion for Best Procedural Mystery, and The Bill Crider Award for short fiction. His published novels include: At What Cost, Bury the Past, and Little River -The Other Side of Paradise.

Catch Up With James L’Etoile:
http://www.JamesLEtoile.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @jimletoile
Instagram – @AuthorJamesLEtoile
Twitter – @JamesLEtoile
Facebook – @james.letoile

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This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for James L’Etoile. There will be Seven (7) winners for this tour. Two (2) winners will each receive a $20 Amazon.com gift card; Three (3) winners will each receive a $10 Amazon.com gift card; and Two (2) winners will each receive 1 signed print edition of At What Cost and Bury the Past by James L’Etoile. The giveaway begins on July 12 and runs through August 10, 2021. Void where prohibited.

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