Sophia Rose Reviews: Strange Love by Ann Aguirre

 

Today Sophia Rose is here to share her thoughts on the first in a sci-fi romance series that she's been reading out of order.
Enjoy!

Strange Love by Ann Aguirre

#1 Galactic Love

Sci-Fi Romance

Publisher:  Self

Published:  1.15.20

Pages:  306

Rating: 4 stars

Format: ebook

Source:  purchased

Sellers: Amazon

ADD TO: GoodReads

GoodReads Blurb:

He's awkward. He's adorable. He's alien as hell.
Zylar of Kith Balak is a four-time loser in the annual Choosing. If he fails to find a nest guardian this time, he'll lose his chance to have a mate for all time. Desperation drives him to try a matching service but due to a freak solar flare and a severely malfunctioning ship AI, things go way off course. This 'human being' is not the Tiralan match he was looking for.

She's frazzled. She's fierce. She's from St. Louis.
Beryl Bowman's mother always said she'd never get married. She should have added a rider about the husband being human. Who would have ever thought that working at the Sunshine Angel daycare center would offer such interstellar prestige? She doesn't know what the hell's going on, but a new life awaits on Barath Colony, where she can have any alien bachelor she wants. 

They agree to join the Choosing together, but love is about to get seriously strange.

Harlequin Heats up August!

August HQN Romance Heats up Summer

Get Ready for an anthology from fave romance stars Susan Mallory, Synithia Williams, and Stephanie London

Plus a new series from Brenda Novak

Sophia Rose Reviews: Murder At The Serpentine Bridge by Andrea Penrose

Today Sophia Rose is here with her review of Murder at the Serpentine Bridge, #6 in Andrea Penrose's Wrexford and Sloane Historical Mystery series. Read on to see why she loves this series.
Enjoy!

Murder at the Serpentine Bridge by Andrea Penrose

#6 Wrexford and Sloane

Historical Mystery

Publisher:  Kensington

Published:  9.27.22

Pages: 370

Rating: 5 stars

Format: ebook

Source: purchased

Sellers: Amazon

ADD TO: GoodReads

GoodReads Blurb:

For fans of Bridgerton looking for a mysterious twist on the glittering ballrooms of the Regency—a masterfully plotted story from a USA Today bestselling author that combines engaging protagonists with rich historical detail and international intrigue, plus a touch of romance that readers of Amanda Quick and Deanna Raybourn will savor.

Charlotte, now the Countess of Wrexford, would like nothing more than a summer of peace and quiet with her new husband and their unconventional family and friends. Still, some social obligations must be honored, especially with the grand Peace Celebrations unfolding throughout London to honor victory over Napoleon.

But when Wrexford and their two young wards, Raven and Hawk, discover a body floating in Hyde Park’s famous lake, that newfound peace looks to be at risk. The late Jeremiah Willis was the engineering genius behind a new design for a top-secret weapon, and the prototype is missing from the Royal Armory’s laboratory. Wrexford is tasked with retrieving it before it falls into the wrong hands. But there are unsettling complications to the case—including a family connection.

Soon, old secrets are tangling with new betrayals, and as Charlotte and Wrexford spin through a web of international intrigue and sumptuous parties, they must race against time to save their loved ones from harm—and keep the weapon from igniting a new war . . .

 

Sneak Peek at Oceanview Publishing's August Offerings

 Take a look at what fantastic mysteries are available in August from Oceanview Publishing

Showcase: A Fatal Groove by Olivia Blacke

Today I'm showcasing, A Fatal Groove, by Olivia Blacke #2 in The Record Shop Mysteries.
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 9781250860101
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Release Date: 7-25-2023
Length: 304pp
The Record Shop Mysteries #2
Buy It: Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

Second in the Record Shop series by Olivia Blacke, A Fatal Groove is a mystery for the record . . .

CATCHING A KILLER WITHOUT SKIPPING A BEAT.

"A winning combination."–New York Times Book Review

It’s springtime in Cedar River, Texas. The annual Bluebonnet Festival is brewing and the whole town is in harmony. Juni Jessup and her sisters Tansy and Maggie thought opening Sip & Spin Records was going to be their biggest hurdle, but the Frappuccino hits the fan when the mayor drops dead—poisoned by their delicious coffee.

Since Tansy was the one to brew the coffee, and Juni was the unfortunate citizen who stumbled upon the mayor’s body, the sisters find themselves in hot water. Family is everything to the Jessups, so with Tansy under suspicion, the sisters spring into action.

Between the town festivities, a good old-fashioned treasure hunt, and an accidental cow in the mix, Juni will have to pull out all the stops to find the mayor’s killer.

#GIVEAWAY Showcase In the Shadow of the Bull by Eleanor Kuhns blog Tour a Partners in Crime Tour

In the Shadow of the Bull

by Eleanor Kuhns

July 17 - August 11, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Ancient Crete, 1450 BC. In a world of Goddess worship, sacred snakes and sacrifice, human jealousy, resentment, and betrayal still run wild . . .

When her sister Arge drops to the floor in convulsions and dies at her wedding, fifteen-year-old Martis, a young poet and bull leaper in training, is certain she was murdered. The prime suspect is the groom, Saurus, from the Greek mainland, but when Arge's shade visits Martis, swearing Saurus is not the murderer, Martis vows to uncover the truth.

As Martis begins asking questions, she discovers that while Arge may have had no secrets, many of the people around her certainly do.

Praise for In the Shadow of the Bull:

"This complex, character-driven mystery is loaded with fascinating historical details"
~ Kirkus Reviews

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Mystery
Published by: Severn House
Publication Date: July 2023
Number of Pages: 224
ISBN: 9781448310869 (ISBN10: 1448310865)
Series: An Ancient Crete Mystery (#1)
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Severn House

HQN Trade Publishing's Exciting Summer Line Up

Well roman-iacs summer has just started so whether you're looking for a beach read or a novel for your staycation look no further than the publisher that makes the world go round for some sensational summer selections.
Enjoy!

Sophia Rose reviews: Magic Claims by Ilona Andrews

Today Sophia Rose is sharing her review of Magic Claims by one of her favorite writing teams, Ilona Andrews.
Enjoy!

Magic Claims by Ilona Andrews

#3 Kate Daniels- Wilmington Years

Urban Fantasy

Publisher:  NYLA

Published: 6.13.23

Pages:  240

Rating: 5 stars

Format: ebook

Source:  purchased

Sellers:  Amazon

ADD TO: GoodReads

 

GoodReads Blurb:

A new town, new friends, new challenges…. And a new heart-stopping adventure from #1 New York Times bestselling author, Ilona Andrews. Kate, Curran, and Conlan may have left Atlanta for Wilmington, but the usual magic mayhem has also hitched a ride!

Kate and Curran have just settled into their new home and their 'low prolife,' when a local businessman approaches them with an offer they can’t refuse. A mysterious evil has spawned in the nearby forest and is holding a defenseless town hostage. The ‘due date’ is rapidly approaching.

It’s exactly the kind of fight the Lennarts can’t resist, not for the prize the town offers, but for the people who will surely die if they ignore it. If they succeed, they’ll be rescuing an entire community and can build a strong new base for their family and the Wilmington Pack. If they fail...well, fail is a four-letter word.

Nothing comes without a price. Now Kate must decide if she has what it takes to pay it.

 

Macmillan Audio review of: An Evil Heart by Linda Castillo

I was asked to review one of Linda Castillo’s Kate Burkholder novels for Library Journal a few years ago and was very pleasantly surprised because I wasn’t expecting the depth of crime drama and the incorporation of Kate’s past with the Amish into her policing. Needless to say I was hooked and from then on have enjoyed the Macmillan Audio editions of the series. They all have an edge, they’re all dark some darker than others and this one is one of those very dark ones and it was one heck of a story so read on to see what I thought.
Enjoy!

ASIN: B0BK2WX27X
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Release Date: 7-11-2023
Length: 9 hours-25 minutes
Source: Publisher for Review
Kate Burkholder #15
Buy It: Audible/Chirpbooks

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates the brutal death of a young Amish man in An Evil Heart, the latest installment of the bestselling series by Linda Castillo.

On a crisp autumn day in Painters Mill, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder responds to a call only to discover an Amish man who has been violently killed with a crossbow, his body abandoned on a dirt road. Aden Karn was just twenty years old, well liked, and from an upstanding Amish family. Who would commit such a heinous crime against a young man whose life was just beginning?

The more Kate gets to know his devastated family and the people―both English and Amish―who loved him, the more determined she becomes to solve the case. Aden Karn was funny and hardworking and looking forward to marrying his sweet fiancé, Emily. All the while, Kate’s own wedding day to Tomasetti draws near...

But as she delves into Karn’s past, Kate begins to hear whispers about a dark side. What if Aden Karn wasn’t the wholesome young man everyone admired? Is it possible the rumors are a cruel campaign to blame the victim? Kate pursues every lead with a vengeance, sensing an unspeakable secret no one will broach.

The case spirals out of control when a young Amish woman comes forward with a horrific story that pits Kate against a dangerous and unexpected opponent. When the awful truth is finally uncovered, Kate comes face to face with the terrible consequences of a life lived in all the dark places.

#GIVEAWAY- Showcase Hidden Pieces by Mary Keliikoa a Partners in Crime virtual Tour

Hidden Pieces

by Mary Keliikoa

July 17 - August 11, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Sheriff Jax Turner is staring down the barrel of his broken past. On the brink of ending it all, he feels like a failure following his daughter’s tragic passing and his subsequent divorce. But when a schoolgirl vanishes and her backpack is found in a sex offender’s backseat, the weary lawman drags himself into action and vows to nail one last sociopath.

Shocked to discover the teen’s aunt had lost her life in an abduction years prior, the devastating outcome that he’s taken personally, Jax believes the killer has returned with a vengeance. But as the desperate cop frantically hunts down a mysterious relative in search of a suspect, the girl’s time keeps ticking away…

Can the jaded sheriff take down the culprit in time to bring the young girl home alive?

Praise for Hidden Pieces:

"A multilayered psychological thriller...that is both poignant and engrossing."
~ Kirkus Reviews

"Hidden Pieces is an intense novel offering hair-raising twists and turns and differing plots making it difficult for the reader to discern the culprit. Surprises arise to give the story more power and excitement. A page-turner up to the conclusion this is an exhilarating and spine-tingling read."
~ New York Journal of Books

"Moody, evocative, yet propulsive."
~ Matt Coyle, Bestselling Author of the Rick Cahill crime series

"Wow! What a novel. It crackles with realism, a page turner that sucks you in and won't let you go till the last page... Domestic thriller and mystery fans will get their money's worth."
~ David Putnam, Bestselling Author of the Bruno Johnson seies

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedural + Mystery & Psychological Suspense
Published by:Level Best Books
Publication Date: October 2022
Number of Pages: 282
ISBN: 9781685121563 (ISBN10: 168512156X)
Series: Misty Pines Mystery, #1
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

Review: A Very Dinosaur Birthday by Adam Wallace

 Today I’m reviewing the delightful children’s book A Very Dinosaur Birthday by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Christopher Nielsen and I want to thank Smith Publicity for proving the book.

Enjoy!

• 
  
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1400242053
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1400242054
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 - 10 years
• 
  

• Your family will roar with laughter at this funny read-aloud from Adam Wallace, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the How to Catch series. What if dinosaurs showed up at your birthday party? From prehistoric presents to games crashing out of control and your snacks going extinct, it's a dino disaster!

  Dinosaurs are big, and strong, and scary, and farty, 

  So do you really want them coming to your birthday party?

  Watch out! Birthdays will never be the same with this silly picture book adventure featuring lively rhymes and hilarious illustrations!

  A Very Dinosaur Birthday is perfect for

  • boys and girls 4 to 10 years old and dino lovers of all ages
  • fans of Dragons Love Tacos and How to Catch a Dinosaur 
  • fun family story times and getting the giggles out before bed
  • a gift for birthdays and other celebrations

Cover Reveal Better Watch Out by Kate SeRine caffeinated pr

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Today I am excited to share the cover for BETTER WATCH OUT by Kate SeRine. This is the latest novella in the Transplanted Tales paranormal romantic suspense series.  In Better Watch Out, Seth "Big Bad" Wolf senses something dark in the winter wind....

#GIVEAWAY - Book Blast: The Carolina Variant by Brooke L. French a Partners in Crime blast

The Carolina Variant

by Brooke L. French

July 11, 2023 Book Blast

Synopsis:

Tess Oliver’s memory is a killer.

When the lead that could save her law practice is destroyed in a suspicious fire, only her recollection of it remains. Tess can relive memories, but her gift comes at a cost. The last time she used it, she nearly died.

This time, she only takes a peek. A single moment spent in her memory of the defendant’s encoded document gives her a brutal migraine and a phone number.

Luke Broussard answers her call from the wreckage of his downed plane. His charter passenger is dead. And a mutated virus seeps from the man’s broken cargo, making Luke an unknowing carrier. When rescuers take Luke to an Atlanta hospital, the virus comes with him.

Tess follows her lead to Luke’s bedside, where she finds an instant connection. As they try to outrun a psychopath who’ll stop at nothing to retrieve the document, the city falls apart around them. The code hidden in Tess’s mind may be the only thing that can keep the outbreak contained, but using her gift to decipher it could kill her. If the virus — or whoever engineered it — doesn’t get to her first.

Praise for The Carolina Variant:

"Filled with compelling characters fighting not only for their lives, but humanity itself, you won’t be able to put it down."
~ Jeffrey Jay Levin, author of Watching, Volume 1, The Garden Museum Heist

"The Carolina Variant is a taut thriller that terrifies with a too damned frightenedly plausible story about what happens when a deadly virus escapes. It’s the kind of book that makes you afraid to turn the page, but you will. You definitely will."
~ Christopher Amato, author of Shadow Investigation and A Letter from Sicily

"What a ride! The Carolina Variant is Blake Crouch’s Upgrade with the pacing of Fox’s 24."
~ Cam Torrens, author of STABLE

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller, Medical and Conspiracy
Published by: Black Rose Writing
Publication Date: June 2023
Number of Pages: 347
ISBN: 9781685132187 (ISBN10: 1685132189)
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

Sophia Rose Reviews: Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

 

Today my pal Sophia Rose shares her review of Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood, a fantastic sounding rom-com and #4 in her STEMinist series. Now read on to see how Sophia Rose thought.
Enjoy!

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

#4 STEMinist

Romantic Comedy

Publisher:  Berkley

Published: 6.13.23

Pages: 368

Rating: 4stars

Format: Trade Paperback

Source:  Berkley

Sellers: Amazon

ADD TO: GoodReads

 

GoodReads Blurb:

The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.

Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and broody older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And that same Jack who now sits on the hiring committee at MIT, right between Elsie and her dream job.

Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?

#MacmillanAudioReview of Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini

I fell in love with Eragon and the fantastic storytelling of the teenaged author Christopher Paolini so when I was offered the opportunity to review the Macmillan Audio edition of Fractal Noise Paolini's new science fiction novel I couldn't say yes please fast enough. Read on to see what I thought of this author who's now all grown up.
Enjoy!

ASIN: B0BH9DXLZF
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Release Date: 05-16-2023
Length: 9 hours 57 minutes
Source: Publisher for review
Buy It: Audible/Chripbooks

AMAZON BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR SO FAR for 2023

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

This program features sound design and special effects to enhance your enjoyment of Fractal Noise. Listen out for the sounds of the anomaly at the center of Talos VII and original music evoking the barren landscape.

"Narrator Jennifer Hale's outstanding performance brings this story of alien invasion to life....every unique voice enhances the listening experience." AudioFile, on Earphones Award winner, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars.

"Jennifer Hale's narration of this sci-fi novel is exemplary work. Her variety of voices and characterizations, as well as her grasp of the intense drama, is stunning. And just when you think she can't get better, she sings in character, and it transforms her entire performance into art. The combination of Paolini's gripping drama and Hale's voice acting should not be missed."- AudioFile on Fractal Noise

A new blockbuster science fiction adventure from world-wide phenomenon and #1 New York Times bestseller Christopher Paolini, set in the world of New York Times and USA Today bestseller To Sleep in a Sea of Stars.

July 25, 2234: The crew of the Adamura discovers the Anomaly.

On the seemingly uninhabited planet Talos VII:a circular pit, 50 kilometers wide.

Its curve not of nature, but design.

Now, a small team must land and journey on foot across the surface to learn who built the hole and why.

But they all carry the burdens of lives carved out on disparate colonies in the cruel cold of space.

For some the mission is the dream of the lifetime, for others a risk not worth taking, and for one it is a desperate attempt to find meaning in an uncaring universe.

Each step they take toward the mysterious abyss is more punishing than the last.

And the ghosts of their past follow.

The Fractalverse Series
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars
Fractal Noise

The audiobook is read by Jennifer Hale, a prolific and highly acclaimed Canadian American voice actress and singer, who has performed an impressive array of characters for video games, audiobooks, and animated television shows. Hale is renowned for her portrayal of Commander Shepard in the Mass Effect series and as Rivet in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, for which she was nominated for a BAFTA. She made her audiobook debut with Christopher Paolini’s To Sleep in a Sea of Stars.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.

Sophia Rose Reviews: Knight Awakening by Rebecca Zanetti

 

Today Sophia Rose returns to share her review of, Knight Awakening by Rebecca Zanetti, one of her faves and an author I've been longing to try for awhile.
Enjoy!

Knight Awakening by Rebecca Zanetti

#6 Scorpius Syndrome

Dystopian Romance

Publisher: RAZ Ink LLC

Published:  2.25.20

Pages:  372

Rating:  4 stars

Format: ebook

Source: purchased

Sellers: Amazon

ADD TO: GoodReads

 

GoodReads Blurb:

The Line Between Obsession and Love has Disappeared

The world has changed. Any rules that might’ve been in place before the Scorpius bacterium ripped through civilization and decreased its population are no longer in place. Obsession and survival are the new reality. So, Marcus Knight, after a hellish time in captivity that stole most of his memory and all of his soul, has one focus, and that’s keeping Dr. Penelope Kim safe in the aftermath. She’d risked her life to save him once, and she’s all that matters. For months, he’s kept his distance, protecting her from afar, because he knows that one touch—one sigh—one kiss—from her will never be enough.

Passion is a Dangerous and Deadly Temptation

Penny Kim is one of the few doctors still living, and she alone holds the key to ensuring the human race continues. Several of her friends are pregnant, and the clock is ticking down on their survival. Her days are filled with experiments and hope, while her nights are consumed with visions and dreams of the hard-bodied and powerful soldier who’s made her safety his one and only mission. She should be wary of him; she should be terrified of him. Yet all she feels is an unreal craving for his touch that gets stronger every day. Life is short, and she’s unwilling to wait, unaware of the danger already hunting them both. Some risks are worth it, even in this new and dangerous world.

 

At The Ready By Sharon Michalove Book Blast a Partners In Crime virtual blast

Welcome to At The Ready by Sharon Michalove book blast. Read all about it then don't forget to enter the FAB #Giveaway at the end sponsored by Partners in Crime 
Enjoy!

At the Ready

by Sharon Michalove

July 3, 2023 Cover Reveal

Synopsis:

Micki Press agrees to a date with JL Martin when her long-term, seemingly stable relationship with an artist implodes. Now her unfaithful former lover is stalking her, and JL, who is the CEO of WatchDog, Inc. has more than one reason to feel protective.

Micki isn’t ready for a new commitment, especially since she’s trying to get promoted at one of the top corporate law firms in Chicago. But her social activist proposal to create a pro bono division in the firm doesn’t go over well with the conservative partners.

JL has his own complications with a mother who wants him move back to Vancouver and marry someone French-Canadian, Catholic, and young enough to produce grandchildren. Micki won’t tick any of those boxes. And JL wants to get his deadbeat uncle out of his mother’s house and persuade her to move to Chicago.

Are JL and Micki ready to negotiate the twists and turns or will the challenges make them sing the Chicago blues?

Book Details:

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Published by: Coffee and Eclairs Books (self-published)
Publication Date: August 2023
ISBN: 978-1-7369187-6-0
Series: Global Security Unlimited, 3
Book Links: Amazon | Book Bub | Goodreads