September 11, 2023 · 12:02 am

Mystery Monday: Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong

If you love a good mystery then you should check out this week’s spotlight!

Title: Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Paranormal
Length: 296 pages

Summary:

A standalone horror novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.

Laney Kilpatrick has been renting her vacation home to strangers. The invasion of privacy gives her panic attacks, but it’s the only way she can keep her beloved Hemlock Island, the only thing she owns after a pandemic-fueled divorce. But broken belongings and campfires that nearly burn down the house have escalated to bloody bones, hex circles, and now, terrified renters who’ve fled after finding blood and nail marks all over the guest room closet, as though someone tried to claw their way out…and failed.

When Laney shows up to investigate with her teenaged niece in tow, she discovers that her ex, Kit, has also been informed and is there with Jayla, his sister and her former best friend. Then Sadie, another old high school friend, charters over with her brother, who’s now a cop.

There are tensions and secrets, whispers in the woods, and before long, the discovery of a hand poking up from the earth. Then the body that goes with it… But by that time, someone has taken off with their one and only means off the island, and they’re trapped with someone—or something—that doesn’t want them leaving the island alive.

Goodreads

Purchase Links: Amazon * B&N

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· 12:01 am

Book Talk: What have you been reading lately?

Welcome to this week’s Book Talk!

Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney: 4.5 stars. A brilliant mystery that is has plenty of twists and turns. The storyline is quite clever and the characters are wonderfully developed. An absolutely fantastic mystery!

Taken by Dinuka McKenzie: 4.5 stars. The second installment in the Detective Kate Miles series picks up several months after the events of book one. Kate is back at work following her maternity leave and chafing to get back in the field. Her first case is a kidnapping that has few leads. She has an idea who might have stolen the missing baby from her home but a lack of support in her theory leads to dicord. There is also lots of tension at home over her long hours and her husband’s concern for her safety. A newspaper article adds to her stress as she fears secrets from the past are on the verge of being revealed. A fast-paced and engaging mystery with colorful characters and a heartbreaking case to solve.

The Raging Storm by Ann Cleeves: 4.5 stars. I love the Two Rivers series so I’ve been eagerly awaiting this third installment. Matthew Venn and his team investigate a troubling murder in a village close to their own. The team are perplexed by the unusual circumstances of the victim’s death. Matthew is also a little concerned about his husband’s preoccupation with a problem he is wrestling with. Another murder and an unexpected disappearance leave the police scrambling to unmask the killer before it is too late. Another outstanding mystery that will delight fans on the the series.

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney: 4.5 stars. A claustrophobic mystery that takes places in an eerie, isolated setting. A married couple goes off for a weekend in the Scottish Highlands in an effort to save their marriage. Unsettling events keep them off guard as soon as they arrive. A series of letters written on their anniversary offer an intriguing peek into their marriage. This well-written domestic mystery comes a twist-filled conclusion.

The Damage by Caitlin Wahrer: 4.5 stars. A thought-provoking novel with complex characters. Sensitive subject matter is deftly handled. The plot is multi-facted and fast paced. The family dynamics are complicated due to dysfunctional childhoods. Unfolding in two timelines, the chapters are narrated by the key players. A heartrending novel that has plenty of unexpected twists.

A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Egan: I’m still reading this jaw-dropping book about the history of the KKK in the US.

Now it’s your turn. What have you been reading lately? Join the discussion by commenting below!

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September 10, 2023 · 12:01 am

The Week Ahead Sept 11-16

Here’s a look at what’s happening this week at Book Talk & More with Kathy:

Monday’s Book Talk: What have you been reading lately?

Spotlights

Mystery Monday
Teen Tuesday
Thrifty Thursday
Friday Feature

Winning Wednesday (9/13) eBooks up for grabs:

Wildflower Falls by Denise Hunter
Tempt Me Please, Cowboy by Megan Crane
Own Goal by L.A. Witt

Click here for more info on entering the eBook contests.

This week’s Saturday Series Spotlight is Single Dads of Gaynor Beach and contest for one of the books in the series (winner’s choice).

Have a great week!!

***All the eBooks in this week’s Winning Wednesday & Saturday Series Spotlight giveaways have been purchased by Book Talk & More with Kathy.***

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September 9, 2023 · 12:01 am

Saturday Series Spotlight & Giveaway: A.J. Pine’s Heart of Summertown

Here are the eBooks in this week’s Saturday Series Spotlight contest:

Title: The Second Chance Garden by A.J. Pine
Heart of Summertown Book One
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 382 pages

Summary:

A small town is the perfect place to find love—but first there’s work to do…

When a tornado tears through her hometown of Summertown, Illinois, wreaking havoc on the people she loves, social media manager Emma Woods has no choice but to head back home from her life in the big city to help rebuild. She’s determined to use her social media savvy to put Summertown back on the map in time for the annual Garden Fest with rival town Middlebrook. Summertown really needs that prize money now. And if she can only avoid Matteo Rourke—the reason she left Summertown in the first place—all the better.

Matteo can’t help what happened that broke up his and Emma’s relationship years ago. All he can do now that she’s back in town is avoid her, but of course everywhere he goes, Emma is there…

Giveaway

I am giving away the 1st eBook from the Heart of Summertown series. Here’s how to enter the Saturday Series Spotlight contest:

You must do the Following:

1. Sign up for e-mail updates (below). One email daily with the day’s posts.

Enter your Email:


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AND:

2. Be or become a fan of Book Talk & More with Kathy Facebook page

AND:

Make sure you have filled out the contest entry form:

3. To be eligible to enter contests on Book Talk & More with Kathy you MUST fill out the contest entry form (found HERE). This form only needs to be filled out ONCE. Your privacy is important to me, and I will not share your information.

And don't forget to:

4. Fill out the form below by 4 PM Mountain Time Monday afternoon.

CONTEST OVER

* I am the only person who will have access to info that is submitted to me UNLESS a publisher or author has donated an eBook for the giveaway. For a prize donated by an author or publisher, I will forward your e-mail and format selection to the person responsible for distributing the eBook. Please refer to the privacy page HERE if you have questions about how your information is used. In the event the contest form is not working, please leave your book selection in the comments below.*

It’s that easy! The winner will be selected using random.org. I will e-mail one lucky winner the eBook in their preferred format. The winner will be posted HERE on Tuesday.

***The eBook in this giveaway has been purchased by Book Talk & More with Kathy.***

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September 8, 2023 · 12:01 am

Friday Feature: Full Moon Over Freedom by Angelina M. Lopez

Do you love a good romance? Then you might like today’s Friday Feature!

Title: Full Moon Over Freedom by Angelina M. Lopez
Milagro Street Book Two
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Romance
Length: 342 pages

Summary:

Gillian Armstead-Bancroft—Pride of the East Side and once-perfect bruja, wife, and mother—is going to spend her summer getting good at being bad.

The first time she left Freedom, Kansas, behind, she did it by doing everything right.

This time, she’ll hide from the large Mexican American family welcoming her home and work in secret to break the curse that’s erased her magical life. Only by doing it all wrong can Gillian get herself and her two children away from the ghosts of her hometown by summer’s end.

Nicky Mendoza is an answer to her prayers. He was the practical solution to the problem of her virginity when they were younger, and now, as a gorgeous artist in town for only a weekend, he’s the ideal man to launch her down the path of ruination.

But Gillian isn’t the only one who’s cursed.

Nicky has been plagued by his furtive, enduring love for her as long as he’s been haunted by his cadejo, the phantom black dog that stalks his psyche. He’ll stick around to be whatever Gillian needs him to be this summer—but he won’t touch her. Touching her, then watching her leave again, would ruin him for good.

Milagro Street

Book 1: After Hours on Milagro Street
Book 2: Full Moon Over Freedom

Goodreads

Purchase Links: Amazon * B&N

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September 7, 2023 · 12:01 am

Thrifty Thursday: A Fall of Light by L.J. Greene

Do you love gay romances? Are you looking for a book that costs less than $5.00? Then you might want to check out:

Title: A Fall of Light by L.J. Greene
Publisher: LJ Greene
Genre: Contemporary, Gay, Romance
Length: 262 pages

Summary:

LJ Greene brings to life one of her most compelling characters: the intensely creative bass guitarist, Greg Van de Meer. A Fall of Light weaves together the strands of Greg’s private and public lives—a shattering personal history, a love affair with potentially disastrous consequences, and family bonds that are stretched to their breaking point.

It’s been fifteen years since Greg was outed by his fundamentalist father at age sixteen and sent from home, with devastating consequences for both he and his younger brother, Asher. Now unlaid ghosts from the past are stirring. With his band’s success on the world stage, Greg’s life takes a complicated turn when he develops a friendship with Louis Angel, an ex-Marine with a secret of his own, and finds himself facing familiar threats from an unexpected source.

Strained loyalties, a private affair, and Greg’s own guarded history collide dangerously until a visit from an old foe forces him to confront past wounds and present beliefs. Allegiances are called into question and he must decide whether the secrets he’s fighting to protect are worth the life he’s finally ready to have.

A Fall of Light is a standalone adult contemporary M/M romance.

Goodreads

Purchase Links: Amazon * Kobo

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