Reviews!

I am still having a difficult time concentrating on reading a book, I hope to get back into it at some point. Still doing book promotions just not reviews Thank you for your understanding during this difficult time. I appreciate all of you. Kathleen Kelly July 2024

15 July 2019

The Turncoat by T.J. London Blog Tour and Giveaway! @TJLondonauthor @hfvbt #TheTurncoat #TJLondon #HFVBTBlogTours

The Turncoat by T.J. London

Publication Date: May 23, 2019
eBook & Paperback
Series: The Rebels and Redcoats Saga, Book 3
Genre: Historical Fiction
Spy. Redcoat. Traitor. After Captain John Carlisle’s dance with death, he’s retreated to the serenity of the Oneida village with his beloved Dellis McKesson, trying to hide from the inevitable truth: war is coming. But when duty calls, and John’s expertise is needed to negotiate a treaty between the Six Nations of the Iroquois and the Crown, he’ll once again be faced with a decision: his King or his conscience. Many truths that have yet to be revealed, and a deal with the Devil made in desperation, threatens to ruin Dellis and John’s hard-won love. As ghosts of the past resurface, and bitter family rivalry exposes betrayal from those closest to her, Dellis is dragged down a devastating path to the truth of her parents’ murders. Now, the die is cast as war comes to the Mohawk River Valley in the Summer of 1777. St. Leger and his native allies siege Fort Stanwix. They're also plotting a secret attack that will force the Rebels and the Oneida to face off against the Crown and their allies, further dividing John’s loyalties, leaving him on the precipice of another decision: Rebel or Redcoat?

Available in eBook and Paperback

About the Author

T.J. London is a rebel, liberal, lover, fighter, diehard punk, and pharmacist-turned-author who loves history. As an author her goal is to fill in the gaps, writing stories about missing history, those little places that are so interesting yet sadly forgotten. Her favorite time periods to write in are first and foremost the American Revolutionary War, the French Revolution, the French and Indian War, the Russian Revolution and the Victorian Era. Her passions are traveling, writing, reading, barre, and sharing a glass of wine with her friends, while she collects experiences in this drama called life. She is a native of Metropolitan Detroit (but secretly dreams of being a Londoner) and resides there with her husband Fred and her beloved cat and writing partner Mickey.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, July 8
Excerpt at The Lit Bitch
Tuesday, July 9
Review at Passages to the Past
Wednesday, July 10
Guest Post at Passages to the Past
Thursday, July 11
Review at Locks, Hooks and Books
Friday, July 12
Excerpt at Words and Peace
Saturday, July 13
Feature at Coffee and Ink
Monday, July 15
Feature at CelticLady’s Reviews
Tuesday, July 16
Review at Gwendalyn_Books_
Wednesday, July 17
Excerpt at Historical Fiction with Spirit
Review & Excerpt at Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals
Thursday, July 18
Review at Historical Fiction Reviews
Friday, July 19
Review at Broken Teepee
Feature at Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away some fabulous prizes! To enter, please use the Gleam form below. 1. A Signed copy of each of my Revolutionary books 2. A bag with my Revolutionary Author Logo 3. A Sterling Silver Tricorn hat charm, so you’re always in style 4. My favorite T-Shirt to wear when I write my Revolutionary tales, that says: The original New England Patriots, from 1630 in Boston 5. A stuffed founding father doll by Little Thinkers to inspire the Rebel in you 6. And a Founding Father book of quotes. Seditious banter from our brash Rebels! Giveaway Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on July 19th. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Giveaway is open to US only. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. – The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen. 

Bad Axe County by John Galligan Book Tour!


BAD AXE COUNTY by John Galligan
Atria Hardcover | ISBN: 9781982110703 | On sale: July 9, 2019 | 336 pages | $26.00
Atria eBook | ISBN: 9781982110727| On sale: July 9, 2019 | 336 pages | $13.99

About BAD AXE COUNTY:
Fifteen years ago, Heidi White’s parents were shot to death on their Bad Axe County farm.
The police declared it a murder-suicide and closed the case. But that night, Heidi found the one
clue she knew could lead to the truth—if only the investigators would listen.

Now Heidi White is Heidi Kick, wife of local baseball legend Harley Kick and mother of three
small children. She’s also the interim sheriff in Bad Axe. Half the county wants Heidi elected
but the other half will do anything to keep her out of law enforcement. And as a deadly ice
storm makes it way to Bad Axe, tensions rise and long-buried secrets climb to the surface.

As freezing rain washes out roads and rivers flood their banks, Heidi finds herself on the trail
of a missing teenaged girl. Clues lead her down twisted paths to backwoods stag parties,
derelict dairy farms, and the local salvage yard—where the body of a different teenage girl
has been carefully hidden for a decade.

As the storm rages on, Heidi realizes that someone is planting clues for her to find, leading
her to some unpleasant truths that point to the local baseball team and a legendary game
her husband pitched years ago. With a murder to solve, a missing girl to save, and a monster
to bring to justice, Heidi is on the cusp of shaking her community to its core—and finding out
what really happened the night her parents died.
“If Joseph Conrad had really wanted to find the heart of darkness, he’d have looked in Bad Axe
County. Lurking in the isolated coulees at the edge of the Mississippi River are some of the
meanest, foulest, cruelest hearts imaginable, and John Galligan evokes them with all the
intensity of a mad poet. But in county sheriff Heidi Kick, a woman chipped and broken on
every edge, Galligan offers a righteous force in opposition. Set in a landscape of the salvage
yards, two-bit taverns, and blink-and-you’ll miss-’em small towns of Wisconsin’s Driftless
Area, Bad Axe County is a dark beauty of a novel, nothing less than a mythic conflict between
flawed heroes and gargantuan evil. It’s not always an easy battle to watch, but I guarantee
you won’t be able to look away.”
—William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author of Desolation Mountain
and Ordinary Grace
"Fast-paced and utterly addictive. I loved Heidi kick, the Dairy-Queen-turned-sheriff.
Long may she reign."
—Lori Rader-Day, Edgar-Award-nominated author of Under a Dark Sky
Ya-Ling Tsai
About the Author
JOHN GALLIGAN is the author of the novels Red Sky, Red Dragonfly, The Nail Knot,
The Clinch Knot, The Wind Knot, and Bad Axe County. He lives and teaches writing in
Madison, Wisconsin.

14 July 2019

Book Tour Grand Finale for Sweet Home Alaska By Beth Carpenter! #SHAT

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Book Tour Grand Finale for
Sweet Home Alaska
By Beth Carpenter

We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops
you'll find snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:

Launch - Note from the Author

Welcome to the tour for SWEET HOME ALASKA. If you read AN ALASKA PROPOSAL, you might remember Volta, Leith’s sister. This is her story. Although part of the Northern Lights series, all the books are stand-alone, so feel free to jump in anywhere. . .


"I loved this book. A sweet, clean read at it's best!! . . . I truly enjoyed this author's story and her writing is wonderful!! I love trying out new authors and this wasn't disappointing. . . . I strongly recommend this book for people who want a sweet and clean read. . ."


Volta headed toward the exam room, but before she reached the door, another voice drifted out, reassuring and calm. “Good job, Lori. Not much longer now. Try to relax for a minute. Slow, easy breaths.”

Volta stopped in her tracks. She knew that voice, deep and smooth, with just a bit of drawl. But it couldn’t be. The owner of the voice she knew was working on the other side of the world. No doubt this was some other baritone-voiced doctor from Texas. The voice continued, “You’re at a ten. Doing great. Next contraction, you’ll be able to push.”


"In Sweet Home Alaska, Beth Carpenter delivers another wonderfully entertaining clean romance in the Northern Lights series. . . . Sweet Home Alaska is the complete package – a sweet romance filled with rich characters and depth. I enjoyed the chemistry between Scott and Volta, and learned a lot about the needs of people in rural Alaska. Here’s hoping for more stories in this engaging series!"


A surgical mask covered most of the doctor’s face, but he stared at Volta, his eyes wide in shock. Familiar brown eyes. It had been eleven years, but she remembered every detail. She knew if she got closer, she would be able to distinguish the little flecks of green sprinkled through the brown. What in the world was Scott Willingham doing in Sparks, Alaska?

From somewhere far away, Daniel’s voice made itself heard. “Dr. Willingham, Volta Morgan, flight paramedic.” Scott tugged the surgical mask from his face. “Volta?”


He’d tried to forget her. After all, Scott was the one who broke it off. Few marriages survived the sort of life he’d chosen, and with his background, he was a particularly bad risk. Just like his father, Scott was the sort of man who focused on a job and forgot to eat and sleep and spend time with his family. Volta deserved so much better than that. Once he realized their relationship was beginning to feel serious, he’d pulled the plug, and he’d never seen Volta again.

Scott’s life had turned out exactly the way he’d planned. He’d been with DEMA for ten years now, one of only a handful of full-time doctors ready to go wherever and whenever he was needed. Most of their medical staff consisted of volunteers who took a week or two off from their regular practices to volunteer with DEMA, but Scott worked year-round delivering babies and performing surgeries. And yet, even after all this time, Volta still appeared in his dreams.


"Sweet Home Alaska by Beth Carpenter was a delightful read. . . . The story takes place in Alaska which is like a different world for me, a Texas girl. I don’t like snow, but reading about the unique beauty of Alaska and the adventures makes me want to travel there. . . . It’s a clean romance with heart pumping moments. Enjoy reading Sweet Home Alaska."

E-Romance News - Excerpt

“Yeah, she had a mommy and a daddy and a horse. They’re a real family.”

That nagging sense of inadequacy pricked at Volta. “Real families come in all shapes and sizes, Emma. Just because your daddy died doesn’t mean we’re not a real family.”

“Well.” Emma peeked up from beneath her eyelashes. “If I can’t have a daddy, I should at least get a horse.”


"Such a fun story with Emma, who is Volta daughter. I would have never thought of horseback riding in Alaska."

Hallie Reads - Review

"I love to fictionally visit Alaska, and Beth Carpenter bring the state to life with her stories—when I pick up one of her books, it’s a trip I know I’ll enjoy taking. . . . A sweet, sweet story dealing with family drama, forgiveness, and the challenges of life in Alaska, Sweet Home Alaska is a treat. I enjoyed it, and if you like contemporary (Alaskan) romance, I think you will, too."


"Sweet Home Alaska will leave you with a warm heart and a smile on your face … and maybe travel plans to the gorgeous setting. Scott, Volta, and Emma are smartly-drawn characters with gentle but strong spirits who will quickly take up residence in your heart. You’ll feel the emotions of the story along with them, and you’ll cheer them on from that surprise reunion in the delivery room to the satisfying conclusion. (You may want to purse whomp Scott on occasion but stick with him. I promise.) If you love a gorgeous setting, great characters, and a little bit of adventure mixed in with your romance, this series – and Sweet Home Alaska – is for you!"

EmpowerMoms - Review

"I loved reading this sweet, heartwarming love story! . . . Clean romance, great characters, and interesting story line. Easy and fun to read-highly recommend!"


Emma skipped away. Her grandmother looked at Scott and then at Volta. When neither of them answered her unspoken question, she said, “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Scott. I’m going to go watch Emma and give you and Volta a minute to talk about...whatever it is you’re here to talk about. Excuse me, please.” 

“Nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Jordan,” Scott said quickly. 

As soon as she’d stepped away, Volta grabbed Scott’s elbow and dragged him to the far corner of the barn, away from everyone. “Once again. Why are you here?” 


"I definitely will be seeking out the rest of this Northern Lights series as I liked the pacing and the presentation of how Carpenter implores us to want to know more about this world she's created for us to find! She hugs us so close to the hearts of her characters, it is easy to feel what they're feeling and live a period of time in their shoes rather than our own. In essence, I love that this is another small towne series focused on family, hearth, home an a wicked dollop of romance! Best of all, she gave me a new reason to venture back to Alaska and that was the icing on the cake!"

Harlie's Books - Excerpt & Review

“Why was he dropping you off?” 

“I left my keys— It doesn’t matter. The point is, I’m eleven years older now, and I hope wiser. Scott is doing important work with this study and I can contribute. He doesn’t know Alaska, and I do. After I introduced Scott, the people we interviewed yesterday opened up and gave him valuable information.” 

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” 

“I think I’m mature enough to work alongside a man without falling in love with him. Besides, it’s only for a couple of weeks.” Volta laughed. “What could go wrong?”

"If I had to give out my best book of the year award right now, it would be this book. It is that good. This isn’t my first book by Ms. Carpent[e]r and she never disappoints. . . . This is a great second chance romance from the heart. . . . Peeps, you really need to read Ms. Carpentar and this series. She brings emotional depth, humor, great characters, and a setting to die for. I recommend Ms. Carpentar to anyone that will listen to me. And yes, this is a series but each book stands alone."


"Beth Carpenter has such a gentle way of building a story. Her books are easy to fall into and I always feel like I'm on a journey that will take me somewhere satisfying. . . . it was a good journey and I really enjoyed it. I could see this book becoming a TV series or a Hallmark movie."

Splashesofjoy - Review

"Sweet Home Alaska is a sweet heartwarming read. I didn’t read the first book in this series, but I think this one is fine as a stand alone. Author Beth Carpenter does a wonderful job of writing detailed scenes of Alaska throughout the story, and even though I’ve never been there, I felt as though I was in the middle of this story. . . . All in all, this is a wonderful, sweet and clean romance that will give you hours of enjoyment."


"I would give Sweet Home Alaska one hundred stars if I could. I highly recommend this book for readers who love a sweet, clean, and heartwarming story of second chances, forgiveness and redemption. I have got to read the other books in this series."


"This is a fun tale of a man looking for the love he walked away from so many years ago, in hope he could somehow rekindle that love.

It was somewhat predictable, but with a couple of "twists" and was so well-written. . ."

Remembrancy - Review

"Carpenter takes readers to these places, sharing the majesty and beauty of Alaska while highlighting a few of the difficulties involved with living in these remote areas, specifically prenatal care. Oh, but the author doesn’t stop there. There’s a second chance romance you can’t help but root for, a sweet little horse-loving girl, and a bit of family drama.

In fact, there was so much to love about this book, I can’t pinpoint what I enjoyed the most."


"Sweet Home Alaska is a wonderful book about two people getting a second chance at love. I really appreciated the fact that Volta and Scott already knew each other and had been in love before, so the romance that builds between them again doesn’t feel forced or rushed. . . . All of these characters really deliver and make this such an enjoyable book to read.

Of course, I love the Alaskan setting, and the story is fantastic. But I’ll leave it up to you to read this and find out just how great Sweet Home Alaska really is! Enjoy!"

Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post, if you haven't already...

Sweet Home Alaska
(Northern Lights #5)

By Beth Carpenter
Contemporary Romance
Mass Market Paperback & ebook, 368 Pages
July 1st 2019 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Some sparks last forever.

But once burned…

World traveler Dr. Scott Willingham is known for being calm and levelheaded—except where Volta Morgan is concerned. In the ten years since they parted, Scott still can’t forget her. Now he’s come to Alaska to find Volta and finally let her go, only to find their attraction is stronger than ever. Can Scott leave her behind one last time…or has he truly found a place to call home?


Other Books in the Series


About the Author


Once upon a time ...

when Beth Carpenter was a little girl, she read everything she could get her hands on, and entertained herself on the school bus by making up stories in her head. Not a lot has changed. She's still consuming books like M&Ms, and spends her days creating happily-ever-afters for her imaginary friends.

She lives in Alaska and Arizona with her husband and an aggressively affectionate fifty-pound lap dog. She loves to hear from readers.

Tour Giveaway


1 winner will receive:
- A copy of AN ALASKAN PROPOSAL
- A neoprene pansy-print lunch tote
- A $20 Amazon gift card

Please note: International entries welcome, but if the winner has no US mailing address, the substitute prize will be AN ALASKAN PROPOSAL and ALASKAN HIDEAWAY ebooks, plus a $20 Amazon gift card.

Ends July 17, 2019


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Grab Our Button!

13 July 2019

Disruption by J.B.Jamison Review!


In the midnight darkness north of New Orleans, the towboat’s routine trip up the Mississippi River becomes something far more deadly. Captain Charlie Graff is suddenly thrust into the middle of one of the most twisted domestic terrorist plots ever conceived. He has to use his skill as Captain to protect his crew, his boat, his river, and his country. But he is not alone.

On land, already overwhelmed FBI agent Emily Graham finds herself thrust into the role of leading the pursuit of the terrorists. Her journey leads to dead ends and dead witnesses. She discovers her trust in her team-members is wrong, the terrorists are not who they say they are, and that the people who actually initiated the attack don’t even exist.

This tense, fast-paced thriller is a thousand-mile journey with more twists and turns than the river that carries it. A story that begins and ends with betrayal. The betrayal that has but one goal: Disruption.



2017 was the year that John Jamison turned 65 and signed-up for Medicare. It was also the year that as J. B. Jamison, he published his first novel called Disruption, as Pops Jamison he published his first children’s book, and as John B. Jamison he signed a contract for his fourth collection of stories with C. S. S. Publishing. As Dr. Jamison, he taught as an adjunct instructor at LincolnLand Community College, redeveloped curricula, and continued developing eLearning activities through his company ImagiLearning. As John, he took care of his beehives, played his guitar, and enjoyed time with his wife of 45 years and his two grandchildren. A long-time believer in the power of stories, John saw sixty-five as just another bookmark in his personal story…a story of possibilities.

My Review
Disruption by J.B.Jamison is a story of secrets and betrayal on the Mississippi River. Towboats and their crew was a topic I had never read about. Never really thought about how goods are being delivered along the river. Very interesting.

Captain Charlie Graff is put into an untenable situation when his boat is taken over by a group of men who are domestic terrorists. Their mode of destruction is to blow up every bridge along the Mississippi River, thus splitting the country in half. Not only do they want to blow up the bridges but the canisters they are using also has anthrax in them. Why do they want to do this? They feel that the government is corrupt and Congress can't get anything done. Sound familiar? That is why this book was so believable. Terrorism is not the way but when people get disillusioned, some will go to extreme lengths. 

Emily Graham along with many people in the government and military get involved in trying to stop the terrorists from completing their plans with Emily as the leader. Clues don't make sense, people are not who she thought they were and she is in a fight against time plus she has a father who is battling the first stages of dementia. All of these things are becoming a distraction in her pursuit to stop the terrorists before there is a disaster such as this country has ever known. Can she figure out who is the leader of the terrorists, who the mole is and how will she stop the terrorists?

All of these things make for a very unputdownable novel that will keep the reader wanting more. I enjoyed it immensely and learned a bit about towboats and life on the Mississippi River to boot! Engaging and believable characters and a plot that could have been ripped from the headlines. I want to read more by this author, oh yes I have book two on board to read soon! Love a fast-paced political thriller?  Then this one is for you! 

I received a copy of this book for review purposes only.


Death in a Desert Land (Agatha Christie #3) by Andrew Wilson

Queen of Crime Agatha Christie returns to star in another stylish mystery, as she travels to the excavation of the ancient city of Ur where she must solve a crime with motives that may be as old as civilization itself.

Fresh from solving the gruesome murder of a British agent in the Canary Islands, mystery writer Agatha Christie receives a letter from a family who believe their late daughter met with foul play. Before Gertrude Bell overdosed on sleeping medication, she was a prominent archaeologist, recovering ancient treasures in the Middle East. Found near her body was a letter claiming that Bell was being followed and to complicate things further, Bell was competing with another archeologist, Mrs. Woolley, for the rights to artifacts of immense value.

Christie travels to far-off Persia, where she meets the enigmatic Mrs. Woolley as she is working on a big and potentially valuable discovery. Temperamental but brilliant, Mrs. Woolley quickly charms Christie but when she does not hide her disdain for the recently deceased Miss Bell, Christie doesn’t know whether to trust her—or if Bell’s killer is just clever enough to hide in plain sight.

With Wilson’s signature “strong characters, shrewd plotting and a skillful blending of fact and fiction” (Shelf Awareness, starred review on A Talent for Murder), this is a thrilling adventure set amidst the cursed ruins of an ancient land.

I'm a journalist and author. My work has appeared in the Guardian, the Washington Post, the Daily Telegraph, the Observer, the Sunday Times, the Independent on Sunday, the Daily Mail, the New Statesman and the Evening Standard magazine."

Source: https://www.andrewwilsonauthor.co.uk/


My Review
Agatha Christie is tasked, by letter, to what was then called Persia, now Baghdad, to investigate the death of Gertrude Bell. Her death was determined to be suicide. Gertrude was an English writer, traveler, political officer, administrator, and archaeologist. She played a major role in establishing and helping administer the modern state of Iraq, a very well respected woman in the Middle East. Gertrude felt that she was being followed and her life in danger so whether she committed suicide or was murdered has never been determined. 

She was also in competition with another archeologist, Mrs. Woolley. Katharine who had an official position as an illustrator for the excavation at Ur. Katherine's first husband committed suicide, many speculate it was because Katherine suffered from Complete androgen insensitivity syndrome, which meant that she could not have children. 

In Death in a Desert has Agatha trying to figure out why Gertrude died finds herself in a totally separate murder mystery. Agatha befriends Mrs.Wooley and while Mrs.Wooley is brilliant and temperamental Agatha is still able to have empathy for her. A young girl gets into an argument with Mrs.Wooley and ends up dead. Mrs. Wooley is leaning over the body of the young women and of course, Mrs. Wooley becomes a suspect and is locked into her room. When the investigators are able to get there, they find that there is a young man who says he killed Sarah Archer. 

Both suspects are kept locked in their rooms until the police can figure out who the true killer is. Agatha visits her in her room and begins to suspect Katherine's behavior to not be normal. Could she have been poisoned? There are substances that could be taken that would change a person's personality and that would explain a lot of things

There are a lot of well-fleshed characters that make this story very believable. I did not know until the end of the book, that this novel was based on the real lives of Gertrude Bell and Mrs.Wooley and her husband Leonard, and that the murder mystery was interwoven with the real events of these people. This is the first book I have read in this series and I think that I will go back and start from the beginning! A worthwhile read, a clean mystery but still a suspenseful who dun it. I really enjoyed the book and read it in a few sittings!

I received a copy of the book for review purposes. 


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