Blog Tour + Review + #Giveaway: Carmine by Alan Janney @alanjanney @yaboundtourspr

Carmine
by Alan Janney
Genre: YA Dystopian/Adventure/Romance
Sparkle Press

Summary:

She wakes as society crumbles

She wakes up with no memory

She wakes up a queen

The girl once known as Katie Lopez wakes up in an abandoned Wal-Mart with no memory, possessing only the vague sense that something has happened.  Where is her family?  Where is her boyfriend?  She has a faint recollection of him, a ghost of a memory.  The world, she discovers, is staggering from the weight of rampaging mutants, victims of a bizarre surgery gone wrong.  Once intended to bring about a utopia, now the victims threaten societal meltdown.  Much to her surprise, the girl with no memory discovers she is their queen.

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My Review:

Here we have a young woman who awakens in an abandoned Wal-Mart with no recollection of who she is. She has a feint feeling that she has a boyfriend but she doesn’t know who he is or where he is. She has also wonders where her family is. After wakening she starts to explore Wal-Mart and decides she needs to do a little “shopping” while she is there before she sets out on her journey. While she is shopping she sees other people there doing a little shopping of their own. It doesn’t take her long to realize that these people are watching her and begin to follow her.

She wonders why all these people have decides to follow her but she decides to keep quiet about it for the time being. She soon learns that they consider her their queen. She tries telling them that she is not a queen but they don’t listen. But with Carmine being the person she is with a big soft heart and someone who has always liked taking care of people and being like a mother to them just lets it go. Besides these people just need someone take charge and tell them what to do. So she does what she does best and that is to help people. So she becomes their leader and helps them to build up a new society and a new L.A.

While Carmine has a big heart and lots of people following her she still has a few enemies out in the world who what nothing more than to destroy her and take over their new home. But Carmine won’t back down to anyone. She may have a soft heart but she is very strong and becoming stronger everyday with the virus running through her body. Although she is strong her enemies are stronger.

She does have a few people out there that are like her or born with the infection who is on her side and wants to help her fight her enemies but Carmine does not trust easily and has no intentions of accepting help from anyone. She can fight her own battles. War is coming. Can Carmine fight her own battles or will she end up needing help from her new friends?

I liked the world that the author has created for Carmine and her new family. I like all the character well most of them anyways but I would like to know more about Carmine and her life before. I would also like to know more about the “Outlaw” who he is and what is his story? And what about Kayla and her life/story. I would also like to see more of Kayla and a certain someone get to spend more time together. I can’t wait to see what the author has instore for Carmine, the Outlaw, Kayla and all the rest of the characters. Where will they go next? 

Author Links:

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Book Blitz + #Giveaway: The Trouble With Ghosts by A.L. Kessler @A_L_Kessler @XpressoTours

The Trouble With Ghosts
A.L. Kessler
Publication date: November 7th 2016
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

Poltergeists, severed thumbs, and lies…

PIB agents Abigail Collins and Nick Averin are rattled when a handful of severed thumbs are found at an abandoned house, but neither of them expected it to link to a decades old murder with strange ties to the paranormal world. When Abby’s greatest enemy seems to be helping her from afar, it’s clear that there’s more to this case than the duo first believed.

Past cases come back to life…

Levi is avoiding questions and being even more vague than normal when a new vampire comes to town claiming to be on the case involving blood starved vampires. It’s a fight against time and lies for the two agents.

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—

EXCERPT:

“I’ll give you a lift.” Mason glanced at me. “And you can fill me in on everything I’ve missed.”

I nodded. “Deal. I want to walk around the house first and see if I can find anything else that indicates where the basements or the entrances were.” I looked at the crumpled papers in my hand. “There’s something about this house that isn’t right.”
“You mean other than the multiple ghosts?” Mason shook his head. “Have you heard anything back on the thumbs?”
“Nope, I think our lab and system are still back logged.” I looked over at the group getting back to work searching for bones. “I think this case takes the cake for strangest one in a while.”
“We have multiple crimes, and PIB has nothing to go off of. Should you call back up in?” He glanced at me.
I knew what he meant, I didn’t meet his gaze. “Maybe. It’s possible my contact could shed some light on one of the biggest mysteries so far in this house.” I pressed my lips together. “Assuming all my contacts synced to my new phone, I can call him today. I don’t know if he’s in town, but the number he gave me is a U.S. number, not an international one.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning, he’s not in Egypt where the Cult’s base is.” I started walking towards my car.
Mason walked with me. “And just where do you think you’re going?”
“To get my bag out of the wreckage. It currently has everything I own in it. I’d like to keep it.”
Mason walked with me in silence until we finally reached the car. We both slid down into the small crater towards the crunched up mess. My gaze went over the twisted metal and the shattered glass. Gray showed through where the paint had been scrapped off by debris and being banged into things. The wheels stuck up in the air reminding me of a helpless turtle that’d been flipped over. Mason was the one who finally reached in the car and pulled out my bag.
I shook off the glass that I could and wondered how much more I was going to be able to take. The meltdown last night had helped, but I hadn’t expected it to be followed up by my car being destroyed. “I’m going to need a new bag, nothing clings to fabric like auto glass.”
“Throw it in my truck for now and let’s walk the perimeter of the house.” He motioned back to the house and I stopped for a moment to take in the full picture of the house. It looked like any other farmhouse, with bits and pieces on the outside that didn’t match up due to add-ons as time went by. From this distance it didn’t look like it had a basement anywhere, but the codes were different then. Massive windows wouldn’t have been required, just small ones. Ones that could easily be boarded up and sealed.
“Come on, Abby.” Mason called over his shoulder, pulling me out of my zone. I trudged back to the house and threw my bag in the back of his truck. Mason met me by one of the corners by the house. “Ready?”
I nodded and started walking slowly along the edge of the house. Cracks marred part of the foundation, moving in a spider web pattern up to the siding. I took another step and the world rushed by me. Air flew over me as I fell and my body hit the ground.
“Aw fuck!” I sat up and flexed my fingers and wrists to make sure nothing broke. Stretched my arms and then slowly stood and looked up. I was going to feel the bruises tomorrow, but right now I was happy that nothing was broken from the eight foot fall.
“Abby?” Mason’s voice called down the small hole I’d made. “You okay?”
“Nothing’s broken, but toss me a flash light and watch your step.” I called back up. The stream of sunlight that came through the hole barely touched anything where I was. I batted dirt off my body, hoping no creepy crawler had decided to stick to me. I heard him calling out to people above me.
“Help’s on the way. Flash light coming down.” Mason dropped a flashlight in the hole. It landed with a thunk by my foot and I bent down to pick it up. I clicked it on and swallowed a scream.

Author Bio:
A.L. Kessler is a paranormal romance author residing in beautiful Colorado Springs, Co. Since she was a teenager she has loved spinning tales. She can easily be won over with gifts of coffee or chocolate. 

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PROMO Blitz: A Killer's Guide to Good Works by Shelley Costa @ShelleyCosta @RABTBookTours

A Val Cameron Mystery, Book 2

Mystery

Date Published:  September 2016

Publisher: Henery Press

Senior Editor Val Cameron is back at her desk in New York. When her curator best friend returns from an abbey in England, she invites Val to see a priceless relic that has mysteriously found its way into her carry-on.

But by the time Val arrives at the museum, her friend has been murdered -- and the relic is gone.Val soon learns that a young monk at the abbey has also been murdered. What dark purpose is attached to the relic that has led to two murders? When Val discovers her apartment has been broken into, her native New York feels like a place she no longer knows. Now she has to unmask a killer who will stop at nothing to fulfill an ambitious plan-- and Val Cameron is just the latest person to stand in the way.

Praise for A Killer's Guide to Good Works:

“In her second adventure (after Practical Sins for Cold Climates), feisty, intrepid Val balances her publishing and sleuthing lives with verve. Dan Brown fans will enjoy this puzzler.” – Library Journal

“A smart, even sly, tale of relics and rituals, truth and lies, prophecy and forgery that will keep you turning pages late into the night.” — Leslie Budewitz, Agatha Award-Winning Author of the Seattle Spice Shop Mysteries

“It’s a pleasure to see Shelley Costa, master of the taut, evocative short story, expand her range with this complex, multi-layered thriller.” - Linda Landrigan, Editor, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine

“A fascinating, if sobering look into the world of stolen antiquities, a black market that makes billions of dollars every year, and that many have indeed killed for.” – For the Love of Books

“In this edgy first in a new cozy series from Costa, Val Cameron, a senior editor at a New York publishing company, travels to the tiny town of Wendaban, Ontario…A strong plot and engaging characters make for a well-crafted mystery, and Val’s humorous attempts to cope with the wilderness do much to lighten the tension. The core of the story is Val’s discovery of her own self-worth.” – Publishers Weekly (on Practical Sins for Cold Climates)

“If you want to read a beautifully written story with a twisting and turning plot, this book is for you. Five stars out of five.” – Examiner.com (on Practical Sins for Cold Climates)

Other Books in the Val Cameron Mystery Series:

A Val Cameron Mystery, Book 1

Published: January 2016

When Val Cameron, a Senior Editor with a New York publishing company, is sent to the Canadian Northwoods to sign a reclusive bestselling author or risk losing her job, she is definitely out of her element. Val is certain she can convince Charles Cable, but first she has to find him.

Aided by a float plane pilot whose wife was killed two years ago in a case gone cold, Val’s hunt for the recluse becomes even more muddled. When all signs point to Cable as the killer, she must work to clear his name before the scandal sinks her career.

Trapped in a wilderness lake community where livelihoods collide and a killer lurks, the prospect of running into a bear could be the least of Val’s problems.

Praise for Practical Sins for Cold Climates:

“A strong plot and engaging characters make for a well-crafted mystery, and Val’s humorous attempts to cope with the wilderness do much to lighten the tension. The core of the story is Val’s discovery of her own self-worth.” – Publishers Weekly

“An engaging, deftly-plotted mystery with a smart, tough-minded heroine. Shelley Costa delivers a terrific series debut.” — Daniel Stashower, Author of The Hour of Peril

“Costa hits all the right notes—vulnerable but likable characters, a compelling plot, a clearly drawn setting, and a tangled web of past and present events.” – Sheila Connolly, New York Times Bestselling Author of A Gala Event

“Taut, well written and suspenseful, Practical Sins for Cold Climates draws readers into a community where the past haunts the present and residents’ motives are buried deep...just like the truth.” – Kylie Logan, Author of And Then There Were Nuns

“What a terrific surprise! Shelley Costa is a contender… a terrific book in which to bury oneself on a long, cold weekend. Not a bad beach read, either for that matter. Just buy it. Just read it.” – Seattle Book Mama

“Very well-written…this book reads as longer than typical cozies because it needs to, for honest character evolution. The mystery has a very satisfying conclusion…This is the first book I have read by Shelley Costa, and I am very impressed.” – Librarian at Jefferson-Madison Regional Library System

 About the Author

A 2004 Edgar nominee for Best Short Story, Shelley Costa is the author of A Killer’s Guide to Good Works, Practical Sins for Cold Climates, You Cannoli Die Once (Agatha Award nominee for Best First Novel) and Basil Instinct. Shelley’s mystery stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Blood on Their Hands,The World’s Finest Mystery and Crime Stories, and Crimewave (UK).  She teaches fiction writing at the Cleveland Institute of Art.

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Cover Reveal: Hi Jack by Karen Gordon @Joiedemidvivre @XpressoTours

Hi Jack
Karen Gordon
(Vivienne Series, #2)
Publication date: January 12th 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary

Overthinking-control-freak Vivienne Ramsey’s life is out of control.

She’s lost her dad, the man she thought she would be with forever moved away, and her best friend is about to get married. The only stable thing in her life right now is her job. Thank God for her job.

But even that might be up in the air.

She’s been summoned to meet with the CEO of the company and has no idea why. The handsome, married exec has had his eye on her. But is she ready for a move to the executive suites? Can she out play a big-time player like Joel Rockhurst?

HiJack is book 2 in the Vivienne Series, a continuing story of one woman trying to shatter the glass ceiling without her life breaking to pieces.

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Author Bio:
Karen Gordon is an indie author who loves supporting strong and sexy women in fiction and in real life. 

Born and raised in St. Charles, Missouri, she found her love of extraordinary stories about ordinary places by finding excitement in mundane suburbia. Although she currently writes romance and chick lit, you never know what she might do next. (You'll never find a woman-hating, bad-boy hero though.) 

She currently lives with the loves of her life, three very cool geeky men and one perfect puppy, just outside of Memphis, TN. 

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VBT + Review + #Giveaway: The Lizard’s Tale by Kurt Kamm @GoddessFish

The Lizard’s Tale

by Kurt Kamm

GENRE:  Mystery/Crime Thriller

BLURB:

Kurt Kamm has written a novel that's a literary crime novel, with a strong thread of non-fiction running through it. The Lizard's Tale is a tale of crime—with an a wide-ranging cast of characters.

When the DEA goes up against the Sinaloa Cartel, an orphan and an endangered lizard are caught in the conflict. The action moves from Guatemala to Mexico to Catalina Island off the coast of California.

Alejandro, a middle class Guatemalan, wants his share, and makes a deal with the cartel. Now he’s risking his life to deliver the goods.

El Dedo, a brilliant financier, is the Sinaloa Cartel’s banker. He worries about what to do with the billions of dollars collecting dust in his underground vault.

Ryan, a DEA Special Agent, needs to make a high profile case to get a promotion. Is the big yacht headed for California carrying a Mexican drug shipment?

Kate, a wildlife officer on Catalina Island, smells smoke. When she heads out in the middle of the night to investigate a fire, she makes an astonishing discovery.

Jorge, an orphan from the streets of Mexico, is abandoned in the United States. Will he find his way back home and track down his mother’s killer?

Excerpt:

The General’s tank was near empty. Alejandro stopped and took down one of the red plastic gas containers. After he filled the tank, he extracted the second of the three bottles of beer from his cooler. “Bienvenido a Mexico,” he said aloud and held the bottle up in an imaginary toast. The beer was warm, but he enjoyed it anyway. He had overcome the harsh Guatemalan roads and crossed the border safely with his cargo. Now all he had to do was survive the trip through Mexico.

Ahead of him lay 2,500-kilometers on Mexico Highway 200, the main road along the Pacific Coast. The trip north would take Alejandro past Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, and Mazatlan before reaching Culiacán. The condition of the road itself had been the challenge in Guatemala, but that was not the big risk on the journey ahead. Highway 200 was a winding, two-lane paved road. The real danger was what Alejandro might encounter. He had been warned not to travel at night. Drunk drivers, livestock, pedestrians, and unlighted farm equipment were some of the lesser hazards. The real threat, day or night however, was robbery and hijacking, and he had read several reports of travelers coming upon roadblocks set by bandits armed with machetes and machine guns, decked out in bulletproof vests draped with hand grenades. Alejandro planned to keep moving and cover about 800 kilometers. By evening, he hoped to reach Acapulco.

My Review:

Upon reading the summary for The Lizard’s Tale I wasn’t real sure how well I would like it but I thought hey, give it a try who knows I might like it and guess what I did more than I ever thought possible. My initial thoughts were maybe I can find out a little bit about the countries portrayed in the story while also finding out a little bit about the world of the drug cartel. You know what I did and a whole lot more.

Not only did I find out about the drug cartel and the people involved I also found out a lot about a very rare lizard. I have said this before and I am saying it again I really honestly and truly loved following along on this Lizard’s tale. I loved the chapters that gave me a little inside information on this wonderful and rare lizard. I think the lizard was my favorite character next to Jorge that is. I even found myself Googling this rare and beaded lizard to find out more about him.

Let me tell you this little or not so little lizard went on quite a journey and met quite a few characters along the way. He met a friend on his little journey; an eleven or twelve year old little boy who has had a rough life. Jorge has been living on the streets of Mexico after the death of his mother for a long time. Jorge travels with the lizard for a while and takes care of him and keeps him safe.

This has been an amazing journey with the beaded lizard and Jorge and all the other people that they meet along the way. I am so glad I gave this little lizard a try I think he will stay with me for a long time to come. Thanks little guy it has been great and I hope to see you in future tales.

  

AUTHOR BIO:

Malibu, California resident Kurt Kamm has written a series of firefighter mystery novels, which have won several literary awards. His newest novel, The Lizard’s Tale, provides a unique look inside the activities of the Mexican drug cartels and the men dedicated to stopping them.

Kurt has used his contact with CalFire, Los Angeles County and Ventura County Fire Departments, as well as the ATF and DEA to write fact-based (“faction”) novels. He has attended classes at El Camino Fire Academy and trained in wildland firefighting, arson investigation and hazardous materials response. He has also attended the ATF and DEA Citizen’s Academies. After graduating from the DEA Citizen’s Academy in 2014, he began work on The Lizard’s Tale.

Kurt has built an avid fan base among first responders and other readers. A graduate of Brown University and Columbia Law School, Kurt was previously a financial executive and semi-professional bicycle racer. He was also Chairman of the UCLA/Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center Foundation for several years.

Visit his author website at www.kurtkamm.com

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Kurt Kamm   LITERARY AWARDS

TUNNEL VISIONS  (MCM Publishing 2014)

2014 USA Best Book Award -Fiction: General – Finalist

HAZARDOUS MATERIAL  (MCM Publishing  2013)

Best Novel 2013 – Public Safety Writers Association

Winner of the 2012 Hackney Literary Award for best novel of the year ($5,000 PRIZE)

Reader's Favorite 2013 – Finalist – Urban Fiction

The 2012 Dana Award – Finalist

Eric Hoffer Award - Finalist (2014)

Excerpt published in Birmingham Arts Journal  http://www.birminghamartsjournal.com/pdf/baj10-2.pdf

ONE FOOT IN THE BLACK  (MCM Publishing  2012)

The 2012 USA Best Book Awards – Fiction: General  – Finalist

The 2013 Beverly Hills Book Awards – Fiction: General  – Finalist

Excerpt published in Felons, Flames and Ambulance Rides: Stories About America's Public Safety Heroes

CODE BLOOD  (MCM Publishing 2011)

Writer’s Type -  First Chapter Competition.  January 2011- First Place

2012 International Book Awards -  Fiction: Cross Genre Category –  First Place

National Indie Excellence Book Awards – Faction (fiction based on fact) -  Winner of the 2012 Award

The 2012 USA Best Book Awards -  Fiction: Horror  -  Winner

LuckyCinda Publishing Contest 2013  First Place – Thriller

Reader's Favorite  2013– Finalist – Horror Fiction

Knoxville Writer’s Guild -  2011 Novella or Novel Excerpt – 2nd Place

RED FLAG WARNING  Aberdeen Bay 2010

The Infinite Writer– Mystery 2010 – First Place

The Written Art Awards -  Mystery/Thriller 2010 – First Place

Royal Dragonfly – Mystery Category 2011 – First  Place

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