August 8, 2023 · 12:01 am

Teen Tuesday: I’ll Tell You No Lies by Amanda McCrina

Teenage or adult readers who like Young Adult novels might enjoy this week’s spotlight:

Title: I’ll Tell You No Lies by Amanda McCrina
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Genre: Historical (50s), Young Adult, Romance, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 219 pages

Summary:

From Amanda McCrina, the acclaimed author of Traitor and The Silent Unseen, I’ll Tell You No Lies is a riveting YA novel of the Cold War era about a girl in post-World War II America who becomes entangled with an escaped Soviet pilot and must learn to decipher truth from lies.

New York, 1955. Eighteen-year-old Shelby Blaine and her father, an Air Force intelligence officer, have just been wrenched away from their old life in West Germany to New York’s Griffiss Air Force Base, where he has been summoned to lead the interrogation of an escaped Soviet pilot. Still in shock from the car accident that killed her mother barely a month earlier, Shelby struggles with her grief, an emotionally distant father, and having to start over in a new home.

Then a chance meeting with Maksym, the would-be defector, spirals into a deadly entanglement, as the pilot’s cover story is picked apart and he attempts to escape his military and intelligence handlers—with Shelby caught in the middle. The more she learns of Maksym’s secrets, including his detention at Auschwitz during the war, the more she becomes willing to help him. But as the stakes become more dangerous, Shelby begins to question everything she has been told, even by her fugitive friend. Allies turn into enemies, and the truth is muddled by lies. Can she trust a traitor with her life, or will it be the last mistake she ever makes?

Goodreads

Purchase Link: Amazon * B&N

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August 7, 2023 · 12:02 am

Mystery Monday: A Killer in the Family by Gytha Lodge

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

Title: A Killer in the Family by Gytha Lodge
DCI Jonah Sheens #5
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 405 pages

Summary:

A woman uploads her DNA online, searching for her father—but the man who contacts her is Detective Chief Inspector Jonah Sheens. From the acclaimed author of Little Sister, this endlessly twisty crime novel asks: What might a family do to protect or expose a serial killer in its midst?

When the police found the first body, left on a bonfire in the forest, they worried it had the hallmarks of a serial killer.

Now, as they find the second, they know for sure.

Panic about the “Bonfire Killer” quickly spreads through the sedate suburban area of Southampton. Women are urged not to travel alone at night, and constant vigilance is encouraged among the local residents. But single mom Aisling Cooley has a lot to distract her: two beloved teenage sons and a quest to find her long-lost father, whom she hasn’t seen since she was a teenager.

After much debate, she decides to upload her DNA to an ancestry website. When she gets a match she is filled with an anxious excitement that her questions about her father’s disappearance from her life might finally be answered.

But to her horror, it’s not her father who’s found her. It’s a detective.

And they say her DNA is a close match for the Bonfire Killer. . . .

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!

The Heatwave by Katerina Diamond: 3.5 stars. While I enjoyed the mystery, I found it to be a little slow-paced. The lead character was also a tad bit annoying as she tries to uncover information about what happened in the past that might have led to a current kidnapping in the present. Interpresed with the current day events are flashbacks to the pivotal summer when another teenage girl went missing. The dual storyline plot device works well and builds tension throughout the novel. The first person narration in the present reveals frustratingly little info about the protagonist’s connection to the past until the truly shocking conclusion.

Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena: 4 stars. Great storyline with some slightly irritating characters. The pacing is outstanding and keep the pages turning quickly. Both parents drove me crazy at different times throughout the novel. The mystery kept me guessing until the great plot-twist is revealed.

Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen: 4.5 stars. I loved this fantastic mystery! Fast paced with well-developed characters. The storyline is compelling with an outstanding conclusion.

Prom Mom by Laura Lippman: 4.5 stars. Ms. Lippman’s mysteries are sometimes hit and miss with me. But I was very intrigued by the novel’s premise so I decided to give it a read. The storyline is unique and the characters are vibrantly drawn. The unfolding story moves at a steady pace. Despite some of the characters’ actions, they are mostly likable. This brilliant mystery comes to an absolutely jaw-dropping conclusion.

The Edge of Summer by Viola Shipman: 4.5 stars. A woman trying to uncover the secrets of her deceased mother’s past finds much more than she is searching for. Set in Michigan in the aftermath of the pandemic, this heartwarming novel is full of secrets and introspection. Heartfelt and engaging characters, a beautiful setting and an emotional storyline bring this compelling novel brilliantly to life.

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

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August 6, 2023 · 12:01 am

The Week Ahead Aug. 7-12

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 (8/9) eBooks up for grabs:

A Perfect Pairing by Sheryl Lister
Right Where We Belong by Jackie Ashendon
Game Changer by Amy Aislin

Click here for more info on entering the eBook contests.

This week’s Saturday Series Spotlight is Jackie Ashenden’s Small Town Dreams 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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August 5, 2023 · 12:01 am

Saturday Series Spotlight & Giveaway: Amy Aislin’s Vancouver Orcas

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

Title: Game Plan by Amy Aislin
Vancouver Orcas Book One
Publisher: Amy Aislin
Genre: Contemporary, Gay Romance
Length: 294 pages

Summary:

As the new head coach of the Vancouver Orcas, Matt Shore has got his work cut out for him. Coming off a season where the Orcas came in last in the entire AHL, Matt’s job is to whip his new hockey team into shape for the oncoming season.

He doesn’t need any distractions, especially not one in the form of a tall, dark, and gorgeous antiques dealer.

Who’s also his ex—and his best player’s father.

Pierce Langley-Brown has a lot of regrets. The biggest? Leaving Matt behind two years ago when his son needed him. Now, with his son on Matt’s hockey team, there’s no avoiding the man who once owned his heart.

Not that Pierce wants to avoid him. And that heart? It still belongs to Matt.

But will Matt choose to keep it after all this time?

Title: Game Changer by Amy Aislin
Vancouver Ocras #2
Publisher: Amy Aislin
Genre: Contemporary, Gay, Romance
Length: 272 pages

Summary:

It’s Blair Brawsiski’s ride or die year. After a decade in the AHL, if he doesn’t get called up to the NHL this season, it’s time to hang up his skates and focus on other things. But between a second job and family priorities, his attention isn’t where it should be, and his dreams of making it to the big leagues are dwindling by the day.

Hiring a personal assistant to help out with day-to-day stuff? Probably the smartest move Blair’s made in a while.

But when that PA turns out to be an assertive baker who’s exactly Blair’s type? Blair can’t help but wish those dexterous hands would knead something other than pastry dough. Namely, him.

Charlie needs extra income. Desperately. With his expenses about to go up, it’s find a second job or get evicted. Getting hired as Blair’s PA is perfect: flexible hours, decent wages, and a scorching hot professional hockey player who’s willing to let him use his gorgeous kitchen for his baked goods.

Too bad that hockey player is exactly Charlie’s type. Too bad Charlie knows better than to date his new boss…

Giveaway

I am giving away one eBook from the Vancouver Orcas series-WINNER’S CHOICE. 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 of their choice in their preferred format. The winner will be posted HERE on Tuesday.

***The eBooks in this giveaway have been purchased by Book Talk & More with Kathy.***

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August 4, 2023 · 12:01 am

Friday Feature: Sit, Stay, Love by Amy Hutton

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

Title: Sit, Stay, Love by Amy Hutton
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 320 pages

Summary:

The most uplifting rom-com you’ll read this year – a fresh take on the friends-to-lovers trope, brimming with heart, joy and puppies!

Sera loves owning a pet shelter – even if it’s often tricky to make ends meet, and her mother thinks she’s wasting her life. Thankfully, she can always rely on her steadfast best friend, Toby, who just happens to be the local vet.

And then famous actor Ethan James enters the scene. After Sera ‘saves’ Ethan from a friendly German Shepherd, he confesses to a terrible fear of dogs. A canine co-star is all that stands between Ethan and the role of a lifetime – and he wants Sera to help him overcome his fear. As they bumble through a series of training sessions together, sparks fly and Sera’s surprised to find herself falling for Ethan. But not half as surprised as she is when Toby starts acting like a jealous boyfriend.

Now Sera’s juggling six dogs, a litter of kittens, a horse, a sheep, and two men intent on outdoing each other. But she’ll have to figure out what her heart truly wants … before her life goes completely to the dogs

Goodreads

Purchase Links: Amazon * B&N

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