Book Worm

The Murder at Astaire Castle by Lauren Carr

 

iRead Website new logo

FTC: I received a free copy of this audio 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 Murders at Astaire Castle by Lauren Carr was a good audiobook. I don’t listen to many audiobooks, so this was a nice change of pace for me. I like the narrator’s voice in this book, and I felt like he really could have been the main character in the book. I did at one point have to make it go faster because at times I felt like he was just talking to slow that I got bored or distracted as I will listening to it. After I had turned up the speed of the book, I did enjoy this book even more than at the start. I am starting to love listening to audiobooks like this one while I am driving to and from work each day. I have a pretty long commute, and I find when I am listening audiobooks I don’t get as angry at other drivers. I have read one other book in this series, but with that being said you don’t have to read them in order or even read them all if some of the books don’t interest you. At times I thought this book was trying too hard to be scary and I didn’t like that about the book. All in all, it was a good book and I am sure I will be checking out other books in this series because I am a huge of Gnarly in the series. If you love mystery books than I know, you will enjoy this book as much as I did.

the-murders-at-astaire-castle-audiobook

About The Book

Never tell Mac Faraday not to do something.

Spencer’s police chief, David O’Callaghan, learns this lesson the hard way when he orders Mac Faraday to stay away from the south end of Spencer’s mountaintop – even though he owns the property. It doesn’t take long for Mac to find out what lies on the other side of the stone wall and locked gate, on which hangs a sign warning visitors to Keep Out!

Topping the list of the 10 top haunted places in America, Astaire Castle is associated with two suicides, three mysterious disappearances, and four murders since it was built almost a century ago – and Mac Faraday owns it!

In spite of David’s warning, Mac can’t resist unlocking the gate to see the castle that supposedly hasn’t seen a living soul since his late mother had ordered it closed up after the double homicide and disappearance of Damian Wagner, a world-famous master of horror novels.

What starts out as a quick tour of a dusty old castle turns into another Mac Faraday adventure when Astaire Castle becomes the scene of even more murders. Mac is going to need to put all of his investigative talents to work to sort out this case that involves the strangest characters he has run into yet – including a wolf man. No, we’re not talking about Gnarly.

lauren-carr-2

About The Author

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries. The twelfth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series, Candidate for Murder will be released June 2016.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with Lauren: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

Buy A Copy

Amazon  ~  Audible

Add-On Goodreads

Let’s Be Friends

Book Trailer

Enter To Win

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2016 Margaret Margaret

October 2016 – Monthly Book Reviews

october-2016-book-reviews

I can’t believe that we are already in the month of October. Where in the heck has this year gone? I can remember how stressed I was when this year started because I was starting a new job and I had no idea if they would keep me or if they would lay me off because at the time they didn’t really have anything for me to do. I am so glad that they kept me because now I am starting to be trained to do dispatch with the service techs which I am sure will be fun but right now it is just stressful. Enough about my job let’s get right into the reviews that will go live during the month of October.

October 4th–My (Underground) American Dream by Julissa Arce

October 5th–The Kept Woman by Karin Slaughter

October 6th–The Murder at Astaire Castle by Lauren Carr (This is an audiobook review)

October 11th– Driving On The Left by Gail Olmsted

October 12th– Home On The Range by Ruth Logan Herne

October 13th– Just Fine With Caroline by Annie England Noblin

October 19th– Save The Last Dance by Eric Johnson & Eva Ungar Grudin

October 20th–A Sister’s Wish by Shelley Shepard Gray

October 20th–An Amish Family Christmas by Shelley Shepard Gray

October 25th– 23 Minutes Past 1 A.M. by Robert J. Dornan

October 26th– Killer In The Band by Lauren Carr (this is just going to be a promotional post about her new book. The review of this book will be live on November 29th. )

October 30th– Christian’s Hope by Ervin R. Stutzman

October 31st- A Wedding For Christmas by Lori Wilde (This is a promo post about this book.  The review will be posted on December 7th.)

Those are all of the reviews and promotional posts that I have scheduled so far for October. I am going to try and get an update up about my job and everything that is going on with that.

What book would you like to see me review in the coming months?

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2016 Margaret Margaret

Tears Of The Silence by Misty Griffin

We’re thrilled to be hosting Misty Griffin’s TEARS OF THE SILENCED Book Blast today!  Pick up your copy!

 

Title:
Tears of the Silenced
Author: Misty Griffin
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 444
Genre: Biography/Memoir
One freezing morning in early March I made a dash
for a tiny police station in rural Minnesota. I was a frightened Amish
girl with no where to go, a second grade education and no ID or social security
card…… Based on the authors tragic true life story.
When I was six years old my
family started to live and dress like the Amish. My sister and I were kept as
slaves on a mountain ranch where we were subjected to almost complete
isolation, sexual abuse and extreme physical violence. My step-father kept a
loaded rifle by the door at all times and we were to terrified to try to
escape. We knew that no rescue would ever come because only a couple of people
even knew we existed and they did not know us well enough to care.
In my late teens my parents
feared we would escape and took us to an Amish community where we were adopted
and became baptized members. I was devastated to once again find myself in a
world of fear, animal cruelty and sexual abuse. Going to the police was
forbidden. A few years later I was sexually assaulted by the bishop, I knew I
had to get help and one freezing morning in early March I made a dash for a
tiny police station in rural Minnesota. When I refused to recant my police
report I was excommunicated from the Amish and found myself plummeted into the
strange modern world with only a second grade education and no ID or social
security card.
To
all abuse survivors out there, please be encouraged, the cycle of abuse can be
broken. Today, ten years later, I am a nursing student working towards my
Masters degree and a child abuse awareness activist. This is my story…….

For More
Information

  • Tears
    of the Silenced is available at Amazon.

Book Excerpt:

I walked through the front door of
the tiny police station and went over to a heavy wood counter, where a
middle-aged policewoman sat at a computer. She looked up as I stood there, watching
her. I saw a surprised look on her face as she stared back at me. I imagined I
was very different from the people who normally walked up to her desk.
I was a young Amish woman, just a
little over five feet tall, wearing an almost ankle-length, plain, teal-colored
dress and apron, followed by knee-length black socks and black shoes. My coat
was a homemade denim coat with a high collar and hooks and eyes going down the
front. On my head was a stiff
white Amish kapp that covered nearly all my reddish-brown hair and was tied in
a small bow under my chin.
I was shaking as I stood there,
looking at the woman. I tried to get up enough courage to say something, I knew
I was going to be shunned by the Amish church for what I was doing. I could not
speak. The thought of being shunned was terrifying but I did not know what else
to do. My whole body was trembling….

About the Author
When Misty left the Amish she had a bare second grade
education and suffered severe PTSD caused by the horrifying abuse she suffered
as a child and later at the hands of the Amish bishop. Today, ten years later
she is a nursing student, wife and a Child abuse/Sexual assault awareness
activist.
For More Information
Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2016 Margaret Margaret

Breaking The Story by Ashley Farley

BreakingtheStoryBlogTour

FTC: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine.

Breaking The Story by Ashley Farley was an excellent book.  I reviewed the first book, and if you missed that review, you could click here to read it and find out more about it.  You don’t have to read the first book if you don’t want to understand this book, but if you want to read them both, I would suggest reading them in order.  You can read this book alone and be able to understand everything that is going on.  I love this author writing and how she can make me completely understand why the characters do what they do and why they make the choices that they do.  This book was an easy read and I loved that because there are times where I love reading books that you don’t really have to pay close attention to the details and not get lost or confused.  I would recommend this book to anyone who loves books that combine both romance and mystery in the same book.

28793180

About The Book

Release Date: March 17, 2016

Genre: Suspense

Passion, peril, and a scandal that will rock American politics.

Scottie Darden’s life is a disaster. Her marriage has become toxic, and her career as a photojournalist has stalled out. To attract the attention of the main players in the news industry, she needs a standout story with a unique perspective. What she finds is a scandal that could turn the 2016 presidential election upside down. But before she can release her damaging images to the media, Scottie must uncover the truth behind the photographs. She turns to handsome mystery man Guy Jordan for help. When they join the campaign trail in search of answers, their investigation quickly becomes deadly.

Hop on board for a wild ride of adventure where desire ignites, lives are threatened, and secrets are revealed.

6916019

About The Author

Ashley Farley is a wife and mother of two college-aged children. She grew up in the salty marshes of South Carolina, but now lives in Richmond, Virginia, a city she loves for its history and traditions.

After her brother died in 1999 of an accidental overdose, she turned to writing as a way of releasing her pent-up emotions. She wrote SAVING BEN in honor of Neal, the boy she worshipped, the man she could not save. SAVING BEN is not a memoir, but a story about the special bond between siblings.

HER SISTER’S SHOES—June 24, 2015—is a women’s novel that proves the healing power of family.

MERRY MARY a heartwarming story of the powerful connection between a caring soul and an innocent child in need released October 15, 2015.

 

 

Buy A Copy

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Add-On Goodreads

Excerpt

(more…)

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2016 Margaret Margaret

Kissed By A Cowboy by Debra Clopton

Book Review Graphic

Kissed By A Cowboy by Debra Clopton was an excellent book.  This is the third book in the series, and you can just read this one if it is the only one that interests you.  I do want to say that if you wish to read the entire series start at the beginning because this book will give things away if you start with it.  I think Jarrod is my favorite character from this series because he seemed like he was the most relatable to me and someone I could see myself getting along with in the real world.  I felt sorry for Cassidy and everything that she had gone through while growing up and even the things she went through as an adult.  I think this book is the most relatable and one that most people will love.  I can’t say enough great things about this series and this author writing.  I think that most people would enjoy this book and series.

Kissed By A Cowboy by Debra Clopton

About The Book

Cassidy was looking for a home and a place to belong . . . not for a cowboy to steal her heart.

Having lived through her parents’ endless string of “matrimonial bliss gone wrong,” Cassidy Starr knows when the odds are not in her favor. Divorced and humiliated, her faith on rocky ground, Cassidy is through with love. She’s been bucked off that horse far too many times. Instead, she returns to Wishing Springs, Texas, and the rundown farm she’s inherited from her great aunt Roxie. She’ll reopen the strawberry farm and a bed & breakfast and follow in her aunt’s footsteps, remaining forever-independent, happy . . . and single.

Rancher Jarrod Monahan’s hands are full running the ranch, looking after his ailing grandfather, and chasing down a group of rustlers on the loose. He’s pushed his longing for a family to the bottom of his list of priorities. Besides, he was in love once but ran scared and lost his shot at happiness. But suddenly, the biggest regret of his life has moved in next door with a wounded heart, determined to become a spinster . . . and that’s a challenge that Jarrod can’t pass up.

Jarrod sets his mind to breaking down the walls around Cassidy’s stubborn heart. How can he show her that a cowboy’s kiss lasts forever?  For the good folks of Wishing Springs, falling in love has never been so much fun to witness.

Debra Clopton

About The Author

Debra Clopton is a multi-award winning novelist and has written more than 22 novels. Along with writing, Debra helps her husband teach the youth at their local Cowboy Church. Debra’s goal is to shine a light toward God while she entertains readers with her words.

Find Debra online:website, Facebook, Twitter

Buy Your Own Copy

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2016 Margaret Margaret

Ian Leaf’s Fraud, Fraudsters and Scams #IanLeaf

Book Review 1-2016

Ian Leaf’s Fraud, Fraudsters and Scams was an interesting book to read.  I am glad it was a shorter book because I don’t know that I could have gotten through it if it had been longer.   This book walks you through setting up an Instagram account for your business as well as what to post on it and how to use hashtags and think like that.  I haven’t gotten into Instagram for my blog but after reading this book, I think I am going to try and see if it really will help me build a bigger audience.  This book is written in plain English and isn’t something that you wouldn’t understand if you are 100% knowledgeable on Instagram and how it works.  I am going to test out what this book says to do and in a few months, I will come back and let you know how it all worked out for me.

Ian Leaf's Fraud, Fraudsters and Scams #IanLeaf

About The Book

With the world around us changing at a seemingly breakneck pace and technological advancements radically altering the manner in which we communicate and do business with each other, far too many people are falling prey to fraudsters who understand all too well how to take advantage of our rapidly changing world. Ian Leaf’s newest work focuses on addressing this important issue by demonstrating how people can utilize new and innovative social media platforms like Instagram without placing themselves at risk of being scammed in some unforeseen way.

In “Fraud, Fraudsters and Scams – What to Watch for on Instagram,” Ian Leaf uses his professional expertise to demonstrate the safest methodologies available regarding the effective use of Instagram, Facebook and other social media platforms that are becoming increasingly critical communication tools for both personal use and for enhanced brand awareness. Through Leaf’s new book, consumers, brand managers, entrepreneurs and others can continue to experience the many benefits made possible through effective social media use while eliminating any concerns relating to being taken advantage of by those engaged in deceptive behavior and outright acts of fraud.

Leaf’s text begins by sharing similar circumstances he experienced with fraudsters taking advantage of consumers using Amazon’s platform, outlining how his efforts revealed this unscrupulous behavior and ensured that consumers were able to conduct business without the negative influence of scammers going to great lengths to manipulate product reviews for their own financial gain. His success in exposing this fraudulent behavior is not an isolated incident, as Leaf has enjoyed a long professional career in fraud detection and has assisted many consumers in learning how to recognize fraud and how to defend against being victimized.

The book also covers some of the more practical aspects of social media use, as Leaf takes the time to go through the step-by-step processes involved in registering for an Instagram account and setting it up for personal or professional use. The educational components cover both simple and complex issues relating to social media use, from explaining how to effectively employ the use of a hashtag to detailing how to link multiple social media accounts so they are thoroughly protected from the tactics commonly used by scammers and fraudsters. With practical advice, straightforward explanations and rare insight, Ian Leaf’s “Fraud, Fraudsters and Scams – What to Watch for on Instagram” provides valuable information for anyone who wishes to avoid the consequences of being victimized by fraudsters while using various social media platforms.

About The Author

My name is Ian Leaf, founder of Ian Leaf Corporation, which is built to serve those to feel safer in their communities. I am also the starter of Ian Leaf HFC which serves as an individual department within the corporation to stop scam, schemes and fraud. All schemes that have been found out and reviewed here are tagged with Ian Leaf Scam, Ian Leaf Tax and Ian Leaf Tax Fraud. This ruling also goes to shining the spotlight on the cons of these schemes by tagging them with the phrase, “Ian Leaf Fraudster”.

The purpose of this blog is to expose scams and cons with any information we have back home at Ian Leaf Corporation and Ian Leaf HFC in order to keep you and your loved ones safe from the threat fraudsters and schemes pose. Check back regularly as evil never sleeps and new information is published ASAP.

Buy Your Own Copy

Winter FTC

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2016 Margaret Margaret