Book Review - A Tender Hope by Amanda Cabot

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After Thea Michener's husband was murdered and her baby stillborn, Thea decided there was nothing left for her in Ladreville. She moves with her friend, Aimee to Cimarron Creek to take the open midwife position. Thea has no interest in remarrying and having more children after her husband and child passed. However, when she arrives in town a Texas Ranger is waiting for her on her doorstep.

On his way to town, Ranger Jackson Guthre finds an abandoned baby and takes the child with him to town.  Since he was investigating Thea, he decides this is the perfect opportunity to get to know her better. Jackson is convinced that her late husband was involved in the robbery that killed his brother. As Jackson befriends Thea, he realizes the situation is more complicated than he could imagine. He realizes he will need Thea's help if he wants to catch the criminals behind his brother's murder.

This was my first time reading anything by the author and I found the book to be an enjoyable read. I didn't read the other books in the series and I was still able to follow along with the story.  I enjoyed the mystery elements in the book as it added depth to the novel. I feel like a lot of romance novels just have a bit of back and forth with the main characters without any actual story or character development. The only thing I didn't like or found realistic is that right off the bat, Jackson knew that Thea was innocent. Part of me hoped that she was at least involved the robbery to add in some more drama. Overall, I enjoyed the novel and look forward to reading more by the author.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Crimson Lake (Crimson Lake, #1) by Candice Fox

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Ted Conkaffey was a prominent detective on the Sydney drug task force, a beloved husband and a soon to be a father. All it took was six minutes in the wrong place at the wrong time to ruin everything Ted holds dear to him.  Ted is accused but, not convicted of a brutal abduction of a young child. He is a free man but, he becomes public enemy number one when he is released. However, he staunchly maintains his innocence and goes up north to lie low.

Upon his arrival to Crimson Lake, Ted's lawyer introduces him to a private investigator Amanda Pharrell. Amanda is an eccentric convicted murderer. However, Ted has a hard time believing that Amanda is a cold-blooded killer. He agrees to help with her investigation of a missing author. While digging into the case, he secretly digs into Amanda's past.

I am torn after reading this book. After reading the positive reviews online and on the book cover, I was actually expecting a bit more from this book. I found Ted to be very "weak" of a character and relies on Amanda for support but, then he questions her innocence. Amanda's character seemed a bit weird that she is oddly outspoken but, refused to talk about her trial or defend herself. I felt if the story wasn't as slow, I would have enjoyed it better.

 **Disclosure - I received a free  copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no any extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Tribal Affairs by Matt Dallmann

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Dahlia is a centuries-old powerful genie, who is helplessly trapped in a damaged golden locket. The locket is a family heirloom that was passed on to Liana by her beloved dead mother. She wears the locket during her father, Jamison's opening night performance. The locket causes a chain of unfortunate events which leads to a showdown between Liana and  Dahlia's nemesis, Stefan. Will Liana be able to defeat Stefan? Will Dahlia be able to escape her prison?

 I found the novel to be an interesting read. It was quite enjoyable to learn about different versions of genies. I found the dynamic between Taffi and Liana was fun to read. I enjoyed that when Taffi was in peril all he could think about was Liana's purple bedroom instead of his pending doom. The novel was narrated by Dahlia and I felt like it took away from the story. Dahlia seemed very involved in the beginning and was curious about Taffi but eventually disappeared after a few chapters. We only got to hear about her history through Liana's dreams. I would have enjoyed the book better if the book was narrated by Liana instead.  Overall, I found it to be an interesting book to read especially if you are interested in reading novels about genies.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Tribal Affairs

By Matt Dallmann

Genre: YA Fantasy

Brief Description

Dahlia, a centuries old genie, lies hopelessly trapped in a damaged golden locket charm attached to an ankle bracelet. Its owner, sixteen-year-old Liana, wears it for the first time during her father Jamison’s opening night illusion spectacular. Not only does its presence cause Jamison to folly his performance, but it also starts a chain of bizarre events that lead to a showdown with Dahlia’s mortal enemy, Stefan, and an unsuspecting romance between Liana and his son.

About the Author

Matt Dallmann has a background in acting and holds a BFA from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. His films and screenplays have been featured at film festivals across the United States including Cinequest, Big Apple Film Festival, Seattle’s True Independent Film Festival, DragonCon and Zero Independent Film Festival. His piano compositions have been published for commercial use and he is a member of ASCAP. Matt is also the Co-Founder and Vice President of the boutique medical billing firm VGA Billing Services, Inc. in New York City. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and two daughters.

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Book Review - Sneaking Out (The Chased Series) by Chuck Vance + Giveaway

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Luke Chase is a modern day hero who managed to escape when he was held hostage by utilizing several survival tactics. When he was sent to St. Benedict's prep school, he was hoping to leave that all behind him and have a normal life, including hooking up with hot girls. He, however, didn't expect to get caught up in a murder investigation especially when his roommate is accused of murder. Luke will have to use his famous survival skills to outwit the murderer and bring him/her to justice. Who is behind the murder? Why would they try to kill someone from the school? Is someone from Luke's past trying to hurt him?

At first, I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised on how much I enjoyed this book. The plot was perfect and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time along with being surprised by the ending. I liked how well developed the characters were even though I felt some of the characters were a bit too trusting. If I was in Luke's position, I would consider everyone a murderer and stay very far from them! I definitely can't wait to read more books from these amazing series!

**Disclosure - I received a free unedited copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Title: SNEAKING OUT

Author: Chuck Vance

Pub. Date: March 6, 2018

Publisher: Dunemere Books

Pages: 404

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Find it: Amazon, B&N, TBD, Goodreads

Could you sleep next to a murderer?

Luke Chase—yes, that Luke Chase, a modern hero ripped from the headlines—didn’t mean to get caught up in Mrs. Heckler’s murder. He just wanted to hook up with the hot new British girl at St. Benedict’s, and if that meant sneaking out to the woods after hours, then so be it. But little did he know someone would end up dead right next to their rendezvous spot, and his best friend and roommate Oscar Weymouth would go down for it. With suspects aplenty and a past that’s anything but innocent, Luke Chase reluctantly calls on his famous survival skills to find the true killer.

For fans of “A Study in Charlotte” and boarding school lit, “Sneaking Out” (book one in the “Chased” series) immerses readers in the privileged prep school world, with a mystery that exposes the dark side of life on a residential high school campus. 

About Chuck:

Chuck Vance is a pseudonym for a bestselling writer of both adult mysteries and novels for young adults. Vance attended boarding school in Connecticut and graduated from Columbia University. Vance has lived in New York, Moscow, London, Paris and Los Angeles and is frequently on the move.

Website | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of SNEAKING OUT & a $30 Amazon GC, US Only.

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Tour Schedule:

Week One:

3/26/2018- BookHounds YA- Interview

3/26/2018- Bookish In Bed- Review

3/27/2018- Christen Krumm- Guest Post

3/27/2018- Between the Pages- Review

3/28/2018- The Desert Bibliophile- Review

3/28/2018- Twirling Book Princess- Excerpt

3/29/2018- Crandom- Interview

3/29/2018- Blushing Bibliophile- Review

3/30/2018- Novel Novice- Guest Post

3/30/2018- two points of interest- Review