Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Ruby Red Herring by Tracy Gardner

This is the first mystery in a new series. It took me a while to get engaged with the plot. Avery, the heroine, has taken over her parent's business of appraising antiquities and artifacts after their untimely death. The plot is methodical and slowly paced. There is not a murder until about half way through. Much of the narrative centers on the technique of appraisal and everything that is involved. The next time I go to a museum I'll have a new appreciation of the work necessary to establish the validity of the items on display.

It took me a while to get engaged with the characters, especially Avery. She's an anthropology major and how she quickly and successfully takes over the appraisal business seemed a bit unreasonable. I would have expected her to rely more on her co-worker Micah and his long term expertise. Aunt Midge was the most likable character for me and I'd like to see more of her.

Some of the plot seemed somewhat unreasonable, especially the bit about Avery's father. I also thought it unreasonable that Detective Art could spend so much time with Avery. There is some suspense and some budding romance in the book. Readers mostly interested in an informative novel will appreciate this one.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Tracy Gardner is the author of several cozy mysteries. You can find out more at https://www.tracygardnerbeno.com/.

Crooked Lane Books, 328 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

The Keepers by Jeffrey B Burton

I enjoyed this novel. Although it is the second in the K-9 Mystery series, it read well on its own. (You can read my review of the first in the series, The Finders, here.) I like the characters. Mace has a passel of dogs and does cadaver discovery work. He loves his dogs and they, in tern, will do whatever it takes to protect him. I like Kippy too. She is a gutsy policewoman.

The plot revolves around Chicago corruption in politics and law enforcement. There are some good twists and turns in the plot as corruption is revealed. And the suspense in the second half of the book is nearly continuous. There is a little language but only what fits the character. I appreciate that the novel is clean in that there are no sex scenes.

I appreciate learning about how the dogs do their work. I like Vira, the special dog who can recognize trace elements left by a murderer. Whether a dog can actually do that or not, it makes for an exciting story.

Much of the novel is from Mace's point of view. There are many scenes, however, where Mace is not present so the point of view is that of a narrator. Burton also introduces a new character and his story and only later shows how that character is part of the overall plot. That made for a disjointed reading sensation from time to time.

This is a good novel for those who love an amateur sleuth with two capable sidekicks, one a canine and the other a policewoman.

You can read an excerpt here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Jeffrey B Burton was born in Long Beach, California, grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, received hi BA in Journalism at the University of Minnesota. He has written three previous novels and his short stories have appeared in dozens of magazines. He is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and the Horror Writers Association. He lives in St. Paul with his wife, a Pomeranian and a Beagle. You can find out more at https://jeffreybburton.com/index.html Photo: Cindy Archer-Burton.

St. Martin's Publishing Group, 288 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Monday, June 28, 2021

Going South by Marcia Moston Blog Tour

About the Book

Book:  Going South

Author: Marsha Moston

Genre: Christian nonfiction—humorous, inspirational, Christian-living memoir

Release date: January 2021

When Bob and Marcia Moston told their friends they were moving south, they meant it as a geographical move. They didn’t expect their plans to go south too.

Trusting his wife’s previously sound judgment, Bob agrees to have Marcia go ahead of him and pick out a house—an efficient, low-maintenance one. It was a good plan. If only Marcia had stuck to it.

But when she veers from the plan, the couple find themselves overwhelmed with the consequences of a seemingly bad decision. Marcia looks for encouragement in the story of Jacob—the patriarchal bad boy, remembered more for the predicaments he got himself into than for his commendable deeds—and the God who is not deterred by our plots, plans, stratagems, and side trips.

Written with heart, humor, and biblical insight, Going South—with the God of Jacob’s and My Mistakes offers hope and encouragement to those who find their lives upturned by a geographical move, a chaotic economy, a backfired dream, or just a plain bad choice.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review 

This is a fun collection of stories and memories centering around buying, remodeling and selling houses. Moston is a good story teller and she knows how to add humor and give a good punchline to a story. I like how she is able to draw spiritual insights and life lessons from her experiences. While the focus is on houses, she also includes other stories, such as taking in an elderly parent and helping their daughter through a difficult time.

This is a good book for readers who like to gain wisdom from someone who has made mistakes and shares what she has learned from them. It's a good example for a potential writer who wants to share their own experiences and the life lessons learned. You'll also find a little humor thrown in along the way. I mean, it's not everyday we read about a seagull saving the disciples. (You've got to read the book.)

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author

Marcia Moston, the award-winning author of Call of a Coward—the God of Moses and the Middle-Class Housewife, has contributed to several magazines, anthologies, and newspaper columns. She loves to write about the possibilities of life in the hands of a very real God. Marcia teaches workshops in narrative nonfiction and makes home in South Carolina with her Bob.

More from Marcia

We were no superstar, sledgehammer-wielding, Fixer Upper Chip and Joanna Gaines. But I was confident my husband and I could handle the repairs that the house I had bought needed. After all, we were handy—solid do-it-yourselfers, excited about starting a new phase of life in a part of the country we’d never lived.

Armed with enthusiasm, experience, and degrees, we didn’t anticipate any problems finding jobs or making friends. And I certainly didn’t anticipate I’d be hanging telephone directories on doorknobs or stuffing vending machines to make ends meet. But our ravenous little fixer-upper had a bigger appetite than we expected and was devouring our funds in record time.

Before long we began to realize we’d left life as we knew it somewhere north of the Mason-Dixon Line. I wondered if, instead of running strong to the finish line of our lives, we would be crawling across it, covered in sheetrock dust and regrets.

It’s one thing to suffer for a noble cause, but quite another when you find yourself in messes and muddles of your own making time and time again. Like Jacob, some of us have to wrestle an angel of the Lord all night before we get to the end of ourselves and trust that the Lord can and will orchestrate all he’s appointed for us.

I wrote about our southern saga foibles in Going South with the God of Jacob’s and My Mistakes as an entertaining reminder for all of us trying to find our way home, that even when we make bad decisions and big mistakes, the Carpenter of Nazareth can fashion something beautiful from the dust and debris we trail behind.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 28

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, June 29

Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting, June 30

Debbie's Dusty Deliberations, July 1

Texas Book-aholic, July 2

Mary Hake, July 2

Inklings and notions, July 3

Cats in the Cradle Blog, July 4

For Him and My Family, July 5

deb's Book Review, July 6

HappyWhenReading, July 6

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 7

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 8

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 11


I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Sunday, June 27, 2021

Dead Tree Tales by Rush Leaming Blog Tour

  

Dead Tree Tales

by Rush Leaming

June 7 - July 2, 2021 Tour

Synopsis:

Set in Charleston, SC, and the surrounding islands, police are called to investigate the poisoning of a much-loved 1000-year-old tree, only to find evidence of a more brutal crime. From there, the story explodes into a fast-paced, multi-character thriller unlike any you\'ve ever read. Not for the faint of heart...

Dead Tree Tales by Rush Leaming is about a lot more than a dead tree. It’s a mystery. It’s a crime story. It’s a thriller. It’s a powerful comment on today’s society and politics… fast-paced, full of action and intrigue… It’s a real page-turner and just a fantastic read.” – Lorraine Cobcroft, Reader’s Favorite

My Review

This is an engaging novel right out of today's headlines. Racial tension in a southern city. Clashes between extremes on the right and left. Political ranting leading to violence. Police detectives with personal lives that interfere with their work. And it all starts with a dying tree.

The plot might seem to get of to a dull start. A dying live oak thought to be a thousand years old. But then evidence of a violent crime is found next to it and the plot is off and running. I like the plot design, a combination of investigative action and personal life events. Leaming is good at showing the human side of the detectives, including their sex drives, though nothing overly graphic was included. Leaming is also good at weaving the personal lives of the detectives and politicians into the ongoing investigation of a possible murder.

This is an engaging novel reflecting so many issues troubling the U.S. I found nothing offensive in this hard hitting novel but it is not for the faint of heart. The subject matter is serious and all too real. It's a good read even if it is somewhat heartbreaking. 


My rating: 4/5 stars.

Book Details:

Genre: Crime Thriller
Published by: Bridgewood
Publication Date: June 8th 2021
Number of Pages: 488
ISBN: 0999745654 (ISBN13: 9780999745656)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Goodreads

 

Read an excerpt:

CHAPTER ONE

It was known simply as The Tree; that is what the locals on Johns Island, South Carolina, called it. A Southern live oak born a thousand years ago (some even said fifteen hundred), its gargantuan limbs swirled and stretched as much as two hundred feet in all directions. The lower arms, heavy with age, sometimes sank into the earth only to reemerge. Other branches flailed recklessly in the sky, like some sort of once-screaming kraken turned to wood by an ancient curse.

Generation after generation had protected it. Rising from the center of a former indigo plantation, and now officially known as Addison’s Oak, The Tree had long been a source of pride, even fear, in the surrounding community, as well as James Island, Wadmalaw Island, and the nearby city of Charleston.

But now, The Tree was dying. It was not from natural causes either, not from time, nor gravity, nor the weather.

Someone had killed it.

“Is that a thing?” Detective Charlie Harper asked as he turned his head to look at his partner, Detective Elena Vasquez.

“I think so.” Elena squinted her eyes toward the top of the canopy, the leafy summit shadowed and backlit by the noon sun.

“Arborcide? That's a thing?” Charlie asked again.

An Asian-American man in his mid-twenties wearing wraparound sunglasses stood next to the two detectives. “Yep. You remember that incident a few years ago in Auburn? Toomer's Corner. Crazy Alabama fan poisoned the tree there.”

“Yeah,” Charlie said. “But I mean legally. Is it legally a crime to do this?”

“Cops were involved there,” the man said. “The guy went to jail. Has to be something. Why don’t you call them? See what they did.” He pulled a pack of spearmint gum from the front pocket of his jeans and stuffed five pieces in his mouth, noticing Charlie watching him. “Quitting smoking. Nicotine gum makes me dizzy.”

Charlie nodded. “Been there.” Six feet tall, with a closely trimmed beard under bright-blue eyes, he walked around the perimeter of the field.

Salt air swirled around him—they were only a couple of miles from the beach—and Charlie realized it was the first time he had been away from the city and out on the islands in months, maybe even over a year.

Elena Vasquez, an athletic five-ten with shoulder-length black hair bobby-pinned over her ears, stood in front of the young man and opened a new page in the Notes app on her iPhone. “So, you’re the one who called about this?”

“Yes. It took some digging to figure out who to contact. I didn’t know there weren’t any police stations out here.”

“That’s correct.” She typed the date 5/19/2015 at the top of the page. “Closest station is the Island Sheriff’s Patrol on James Island, but they don’t handle things like this. That’s why you got us from the city. And who are you again?”

“Daniel Lee.”

She looked up from her iPhone. “Daniel is a nice name. It’s my son’s name, though we call him Danny. Where are you from, Mr. Lee?”

“I’m originally from Maryland—Chesapeake Bay area—but now I live in Charleston. West Ashley. I’m a Ph.D. candidate at the college.”

“College of Charleston?” Elena asked and continued typing.

“Yes. Environmental science. Teach a couple of undergrad classes as well. And I’m president of the local Sierra Club chapter. Our service project for this year has been public park maintenance and cleanup. I came here a week ago and saw that broken limb—”

“This one?” Charlie pointed at a fat twisted branch about the length of a Greyhound bus lying near the base of the tree.

“Yes.”

“Well . . .” Charlie said. “How do you know it wasn’t lightning or something?”

Daniel went over to Charlie and squatted next to the fallen limb. “There are no burn marks. Lightning would leave those.”

“Maybe it’s just old age. Isn’t this thing like a thousand years old or something?”

“Possibly more. It is rotting,” Daniel said. “But not from old age. See this discoloration? The rust-colored saturation of the stump where it broke?”

Charlie leaned in a little closer. “Yes.”

“That’s from poison, from a lot of poison. And you can see spots like this forming and spreading all around the trunk and on other branches.”

Elena stood beneath The Tree, placing her hand on a dark-orange splotch on the trunk. The gray bark surrounding the stain felt tough and firm, but inside the color spot, it was soft and crumbling. “I see it.”

“It’s like cancer,” Daniel said. “The Tree is not dead yet, but it will be soon. I had the soil tested as well as samples from the broken limb. They came back positive for massive levels of DS190.”

“And that is?” Charlie said.

“A variant of tebuthiuron. A very powerful herbicide. Similar to what was used at Toomer’s Corner. Somebody has been injecting the tree as well as dumping it into the ground. Probably for a few months to reach these levels.”

“Injecting the tree?” Elena said.

Daniel pulled them over to the base of the trunk where a ring of jagged holes stretched just above the ground. “Yes. See these gashes? Somebody has been boring into the trunk, then filling it with DS190.”

Charlie took out a pair of latex gloves and put them on before touching the holes in the trunk. “You’re sure this is intentional?”

“Has to be. This stuff doesn’t just appear on its own. It’s man-made. Someone has been doing this.”

“But why?” Charlie asked.

Daniel held out a hand, palm up. “Thus, the reason the two of you are here.”

Charlie shook his head. “I don’t know about this. We usually work homicide.”

Daniel gestured towards the gashes in the trunk. “You have a murder victim. Or soon will. Right in front of you.”

“But it’s a tree!” Charlie said.

Elena looked up from her phone. “Okay, Mr. Harper. Easy.”

Daniel motioned for them to follow as he walked to the backside of the trunk. “There’s something else.” He came to a stop in a patch of grass ringed with dandelion sprouts and pointed to dark-red streaks spread across the blades. “That’s blood, isn’t it?”

Charlie bent down and touched his gloved hand to one of the blades. “Maybe.” He took out a plastic bag and a Leatherman multitool from his jacket. He pulled apart the hinged scissors, then clipped away about a dozen pieces of grass and dropped them into the bag.

“And another thing,” Daniel said and led Elena to a spot about ten feet away. He pointed to a white card lying in the grass. “I didn’t touch any of this, by the way. I didn’t want to disturb the crime scene . . . I watch a lot of cop shows. I know how that goes.”

“Doesn't everyone.” Elena squatted down, taking a plastic bag from her jacket. She used tweezers to pick up the card, muddy and frayed at the edges and turned it over to reveal a yellow cat emoji, just the head, whiskers, and a faint smile, printed on the opposite side. There were no words, just the image.

A strong breeze moved through the leaves of the great tree, a sound like rain showers mixed with groaning as the heavy limbs bent in the wind.

Charlie Harper removed his glove and rubbed the edge of his dark-brown beard. Looking at the massive branches, which did seem like the arms of giants, he began to understand why The Tree was such a big deal. “Have to say, it is beautiful here. Can't believe I've been in Charleston four years and never been here. I should bring Amy. She'd love it.”

Daniel looked at Elena for an explanation.

“His daughter,” she said, then turned to Charlie. “You should. My dad brought me here a few times when I was a kid.”

“Well, you better hurry,” Daniel said.

“There's nothing to stop it?” Elena asked.

“Probably not. I contacted a team of forestry researchers I know from Virginia Tech. They are going to send a team down to look at it, see if anything can be done. I sent a request to the Parks Department to pay for it. If they don’t, Sierra Club will hold a fundraiser.”

Charlie sighed. “Okay. While we decide what to do about this, I’ll call and have some signs and barriers put up to keep the tourists away.”

Elena turned to Daniel. “Thank you for meeting us here. Could you come to our station in the city today or tomorrow to give a formal statement?”

“Sure.”

“Bring copies of the lab work. We gonna find anything when we do a background check on you?”

Daniel shook his head. “No. Just some parking tickets . . . a lot of tickets actually. Parking at the college is a bitch.”

“That it is,” Elena said. “Here is my card if you think of anything else.”

“Thanks,” Daniel said. He stopped a moment as if to say something, then continued toward a white Chevy Volt parked near the road.

Elena looked at Charlie and raised her eyebrows. “So, Mr. Harper, what do you think?”

“Ehh . . . I mean I understand it’s old and rare and special and all that, but it’s a fucking tree. I don’t know anything about trees, do you?”

“No, but . . .”

“But what?”

“I don't know,” Elena said and looked around the field. “My Spidey-sense tells me there’s more to it than just some weird vandalism.” She took a step forward and winced.

“Back acting up?” Charlie asked.

“A bit,” she said.

“Lunchtime anyway. Let’s take a break. I’m starving. June and I got into it again this morning. Skipped breakfast.”

“Sorry to hear that.” Elena swept a strand of black hair behind her ear. She pointed with her chin down a two-lane road to a crooked sign with a faded image of a pagoda: The Formosa Grill. “Chinese?”

“Sure,” Charlie said.

The two of them began to walk toward their gray Ford Explorer when Charlie saw a flash of white out of the corner of his eye. He stopped and knelt in the grass. He used his Leatherman tool to again pry away several blades.

“What is it?” Elena asked.

Charlie’s head bolted upright, his blue eyes narrowing. “Mr. Lee!” he shouted. He pulled another latex glove from his pocket.

In the parking lot, Daniel climbed out of his car and made his way back to the field. “Yes?”

“Mr. Lee, when was the last time you were here before meeting us today?”

“Yesterday morning,” Daniel said.

Elena knelt next to Charlie, looked into the grass, and let a low whistle escape her lips. She used her phone to take a photo.

Charlie used tweezers to pick up a severed finger. Sliced just below the knuckle, the stump crusted in blood, the flesh covered with red ants, it ended with a sharp green fingernail. He looked at Daniel. “Did you happen to notice this?”

Daniel swallowed hard, turning his face to the side. “No. I did not.”

Charlie put the finger in a plastic bag.

Elena looked at him, her wide brown eyes giving him a knowing shimmer. “You interested in this case now, Mr. Harper?”

Charlie didn’t flinch. He stared at The Tree.

***

Excerpt from Dead Tree Tales by Rush Leaming. Copyright 2021 by Rush Leaming. Reproduced with permission from Rush Leaming. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

RUSH LEAMING has done many things including spending 15+ years in film/video production working on such projects as The Lord of the Rings films. His first novel, Don’t Go, Ramanya, a political thriller set in Thailand, was self-published in the fall of 2016 and reached number one on Amazon. His equally successful second novel, entitled The Whole of the Moon, a coming-of-age tale set in the Congo at the end of the Cold War, was published in 2018. His short stories have appeared in Notations, 67 Press, Lightwave, Green Apple, 5k Fiction, and The Electric Eclectic. He has lived in New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Zaire, Thailand, Spain, Greece, England, and Kenya. He currently lives in South Carolina.

Catch Up With Rush:
LeamingRush.wixsite.com/nightfall
Goodreads
BookBub - @RushLeaming
Instagram - @rushleaming
Twitter - @LeamingRush
Facebook

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

Click here to view Dead Tree Tales by Rush Leaming.

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours

 
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an honest and independent review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Saturday, June 26, 2021

The Extraordinary Power of Praise by Becky Harling

This last year has provided the potential of experiencing anxiety, perhaps like never before. What are we to do when we feel anxious? How do we deal with the troubling thoughts?

Harling is convinced praise is the answer. She has created a six week study of psalms she has chosen to particularly deal with anxious feelings. Each weekly study covers several psalms and includes five days of homework. The homework should take less than a half our to complete and includes a morning prayer, a guided study of a psalm, questions to help reflect on the psalm, verses to memorize, a suggested worship song to listen to, and a prayer of praise.

This is a great study. Harling writes from personal experience, not just lofty theory. She shares how she memorized Psalm 46 after she had been told she had breast cancer and faced a double mastectomy. Harling knows the power of studying and memorizing psalms. She knows the encouragement one can find in them. She does a good job of sharing what she has learned about fear and anxiety and how to rely on God's Word and rest in the encouragement and comfort found there.

This is a great study for individual or group use. There is a video series to purchase for this study and the book contains a listening guide for it.

You can read an excerpt here. You can watch the book trailer here.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

Becky Harling has a degree in Biblical Literature and is a popular speaker and Bible teacher. Her life experiences as a pastor's wife, parent, grandmother, women's ministry leader, and survivor of breast cancer and sexual abuse bring depth and transparency to her messages. She is the bestselling author of many books and studies. You can find out more at http://beckyharling.com/

Moody Publishers, 272 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Friday, June 25, 2021

Pint of No Return by Dana Mentink Blog Tour


About the Book

Book:  Pint of No Return

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Release date: May 25, 2021

The first in new dessert cozy mystery series! A murder in town is bound to shake things up…

After her divorce from her thrice-married embezzler husband, Trinidad Jones is finally ready for a fresh start. So when she’s left one of ex’s businesses in Upper Sprocket, Oregon, she decides to pack up her dog, cash in her settlement, and open her dream business: the Shimmy and Shake Shop, introducing the world to her monster milkshakes. And even with a couple sticky situations underway, namely that the other two ex-wives also call Sprocket home, Trinidad’s life seems to be churning along smoothly.

That is, until she discovers her neighbor, the Popcorn King, head down in his giant popcorn kettle. When one of Trinidad’s fellow ex-wives is accused of the murder and Upper Sprocket descends into mayhem, it’s going to take a supersized scoop of courage to flush out the killer.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

What a fun cozy mystery. I like the heroine, Trinidad. She has determination to make a new life. It is interesting that the new life also includes making friends with her ex's other exes. That makes for some interesting relationship experiences. I like the people around Trinidad, helping her in her new business and in solving the murder mystery. They are fun characters, including some quirky ones. My favorite is Noodles, the dog who failed his support training yet is a sensitive wonder-dog.

The plot is good, even if it is complex. It is the kind of entangled thing that would happen in a small town. And I like the small town setting with news getting around quickly, everyone knowing everybody's business. There is even a hint of romance in the novel. The only thing missing is an encouraging spiritual message.

My favorite aspect of the book was the setting. I've been to Joseph, the nearest town to the (fictional) Upper Sprocket, and seen the Wallowas. The area is absolutely beautiful and I can see why Trinidad would want to settle there.

This is a fun cozy mystery with engaging characters, a good plot, and a beautiful setting. And the best part is that there is going to be another in the series. I'll be watching for it.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author

Dana Mentink is a two time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award and a Holt Medallion winner. She is the Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of over forty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Harvest House, and Poisoned Pen Press. Besides writing, she busies herself teaching third grade. Mostly, she loves to be home with Papa Bear, teen bear cubs affectionately nicknamed Yogi and Boo Boo, Junie, the nutty terrier, and a chubby box turtle. You can connect with Dana via her website at danamentink.com, on Facebook, YouTube (Author Dana Mentink) and Instagram (dana_mentink.)

More from Dana

Freakshakes. The name says it all, right? Allow me to explain. A freakshake is a milkshake festooned with so many extras (sprinkles, cookies, candy, donuts, cake, slabs of pie) that it is hardly liftable. It is the stuff my sugar fantasy dreams are made of! Now picture a freakshake shop called the Shimmy and Shake in the quaint and quirky town of Upper Sprocket in Eastern Oregon. Known as the “Swiss Alps” of Oregon, this fictional place is the new home to a woman named Trinidad Jones, a lady starting out on the second phase of her life after her husband’s betrayal. Sprinkle in a dose of Papa Luis, her darling Cuban grandfather (inspired by my own Cuban grandfather) who drives a classic Buick, and a devoted service dog flunk out named Noodles. You know what’s missing? A murder, of course! That happens shortly after Trinidad opens her new shop, and from there on out it’s a sticky, spine tingling, sweet and satisfying and slightly funny adventure in mystery land. I had an absolute blast writing the first installment in this series, and I’m knee deep in the second as I write this. Thank you for coming along on the adventure and I hope it’s as satisfying as a monster milkshake!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 25

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 25

The Avid Reader, June 25

The Write Escape, June 26

Debbie's Dusty Deliberations, June 26

Texas Book-aholic, June 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 27

Blogging With Carol, June 27

Inklings and notions, June 28

Genesis 5020, June 28

Among the Reads, June 29

Daysong Reflections, June 29

Bigreadersite, June 29

For Him and My Family, June 30

Betti Mace, June 30

Worthy2Read, July 1

deb's Book Review, July 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 2

Through the Fire blogs, July 2

EmpowerMoms, July 2

Blossoms and Blessings, July 3

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 3

Lighthouse-Academy, July 4

Labor Not in Vain, July 4

Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 5

Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting, July 5

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 6

Vicky Sluiter, July 6

Simple Harvest Reads, July 6 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

She Lives To Read, July 7

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 7

KarenSueHadley, July 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 8


I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Thursday, June 24, 2021

Bridge of Gold by Kimberley Woodhouse Blog Tour

About the Book

Book:  Bridge of Gold

Author: Kimberley Woodhouse

Genre: Christian Historical

Release date: June 2021

Repairs on the Golden Gate Bridge Uncover a Century-Old Murder

Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.

Underwater archaeologist Kayla Richardson is called to the Golden Gate Bridge where repairs to one of the towers uncovers two human remains from the late 1800s and the 1930s. The head of the bridge restoration is Steven Michaels, who dives with Kayla, and a friendship develops between them. But as the investigation heats up and gold is found that dates back to the gold rush, more complications come into play that threaten them both. Could clues leading to a Gold Rush era mystery that was first discovered during the building of the bridge still ignite an obsession worth killing for?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

I enjoyed Woodhouse's engaging and informative book. I like the dual time plot, giving readers insights into the building of the Golden Gate Bridge as well as solving contemporary mysteries surrounding the bridge. I had no idea some of San Francisco was built over some 40 sunken ships. Many ships came into the harbor during the gold rush and some were abandoned. The wood from a few of the ships was used for building but the rest became landfill as the coastline of the city was expanded.

Woodhouse says she did much research on diving so we get a real sense of what it was like to help construct the underwater towers for the bridge around 1933 and investigate a sunken ship today.

Woodhouse has woven an entertaining plot around the two time periods. There is a good dose of suspense as we see how greed can be deadly when there is the possibility of gold to be retrieved from the sunken vessel. The characters are well developed and the plot moves well. This is a novel to read for entertainment and to learn a little history.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author

Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than twenty fiction and nonfiction books. A popular speaker and teacher, she’s shared her theme of “Joy Through Trials” with more than half a million people across the country at more than 2,000 events. Kim and her incredible husband of twenty-five-plus years have two adult children. She’s passionate about music and Bible study and loves the gift of story.

You can connect with Kimberley at: www.kimberleywoodhouse.com and www.facebook.com/KimberleyWoodhouseAuthor

More from Kimberley

BRIDGE OF GOLD was a blast for me to write. Not only do I love writing dual-timeline stories, but the present-day hero and heroine are named after my daughter and her husband. Steven and Kayla in the book are fictitious, but there are a few things in the book that do mimic their real-life namesakes.

One of them is food.

My son-in-law Steven in real life is six-foot-four and active military. The man can eat. It’s amazing to me how many calories it takes just for him to survive! Then there’s my daughter, Kayla. She was an elite swimmer for many years along with her brother. I could never keep them fed when they were at the height of their swimming careers. In fact, I joked that all I did was cook and load the dishwasher during those years.

To celebrate the release of BRIDGE OF GOLD, I’m going to give out a recipe that I created almost thirty years ago. It went through many revisions the first few months as I perfected it and now you get a special treat because I do not give this recipe out. In fact, one of my dearest friends begged for it when our kids were little. I gave in but made her promise to close her eyes while she made it (LOL) and to never, ever give it to anyone else.

Enjoy! And thanks for joining us on the tour for BRIDGE OF GOLD. I hope you love it.

Kim’s Chocolate Chunk Cookies – recipe by Kimberley Woodhouse

2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

¾ cup melted/browned butter (this is important! Don’t skip this step)

2 Tb. Hot chocolate mix

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 – 12 ounce package mega morsels (I use Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips)

Directions: combine the first three dry ingredients and mix well. In a small saucepan on the stove, melt and brown the butter. Medium heat is recommended but you’ve got to watch it so it doesn’t burn. You want a beautiful caramel color. Set aside and allow to cool to around 100 degrees F before continuing. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Once the browned butter is cool, add the hot chocolate mix to it. Transfer to a stand mixer and blend the butter mixture with the sugar. Whip it until well combined and frothy about 2 mins. Gradually add eggs and flour mixture, beating on low just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Using a cookie scoop, drop heaping TB scoops 2 inches apart on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Bake at 325 degrees for 12-14 minutes, watching carefully. Allow to cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to cooling racks. Enjoy!

For other fun tidbits about BRIDGE OF GOLD make sure you check out my blog at – kimberleywoodhouse.com

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I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)