November | 2021 | Book Talk & More with Kathy (2024)

← Older posts

To help celebrate the upcoming holidays and keep you curled up inside with a good book where it’s nice and warm, I am giving an eBook a day away from December 1-December 24. Today’s eBook is:

Title: Never Judge a Duke by His Lover by Merry Farmer
After the War Series Book Two
Publisher: Oliver Heber Books
Genre: Historical, Gay, Romance
Length: 270 pages

Summary:

Lord Barrett Landers, Viscount Copeland, is at loose ends after being decommissioned as a naval officer at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Instead of going home to Wiltshire, his family, and the marriage that his mother will inevitably attempt to force him into, he is happy to idle away the summer with his friends at Wodehouse Abbey in Yorkshire.

And then temptation arrives in the form of the estate’s owner, Lord Anthony Wodehouse, Duke of Malton.

Widower Anthony wants nothing more than to live his life in the country, as far away from London and his duties as a peer as he can get. He has children to raise, an estate to manage, and a family’s expectations to uphold. He thought that hosting his youngest brother’s friends for the summer would be nothing more than a minor inconvenience and a chance to expand his tiny circle of acquaintances.

Until handsome and charming Barrett stirs feelings in him that he never thought he could have.

Anthony and Barrett embark on an eye-opening love affair that makes both of them reconsider their ideas about duty and family. But when Anthony’s meddlesome aunt arrives with far more traditional plans for her nephew, and when she invites a passel of marriage-minded guests to stay with Anthony without asking him, the resulting shenanigans could land both Anthony and Barrett in heaps of trouble as they decide whether to follow their hearts or their families’ wishes.

PLEASE BE ADVISED: Steam Level – Smokin’ hot! This includes explicit scenes between male lovers, so if that isn’t what you want to read, please feel free to pass on this book.

Here’s how to enter the Winter Wonderland Giveaway:

You must do 2 of the Following:

1. Sign up for e-mail updates (below). One e-mail per day.

OR:

2. Be or become a fan of Book Reviews & More by Kathy Facebook page.

OR:

3. Follow me on Twitter (@BookReviewsMore)

Make sure you have filled out the contest entry form:

4. To be eligible to enter contests on Book Reviews and More by 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:

5. Fill out the form below by 4 PM Mountain Time the next day.

CONTEST OVER

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. Winners will be posted daily. Please check back HERE for a complete and ongoing list of daily winners.

The list of books to be given away during the upcoming week will be posted in Sunday's "The Week Ahead" post.

Oh, and did I forget to mention the extra prize giveaways to be selected on December 24? Prize winners will be selected from the Winter Wonderland Giveaway contest entries for: Kindle Fire 7 tablet, 7" Display (US shipping ONLY), $15 Gift Certificate (Amazon or Barnes & Noble), 4 eBooks-Winner's Choice, 3 eBooks-Winner's Choice, 2 eBooks-Winner's Choice (all eBooks will be selected from the Winter Wonderland Giveaway). Twenty-four books will be given away so say, for example, you enter all twenty-four daily contests, you will have twenty-four entries for the extra giveaways.

Stay inside where it's warm, enter the daily Winter Wonderland Giveaway, curl up with a good book and enjoy the holiday season!

***All of the eBooks in the Winter Wonderland Giveaway have been purchased by Book Reviews & More by Kathy.***

Comments Off on Winter Wonderland Giveaway #1: Never Judge a Duke by His Lover by Merry Farmer

Filed under Contest, Winter Wonderland Giveaway

Title: Autopsy by Patricia Cornwell
Kay Scarpetta Series Book 25
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Length: 408 pages
Book Rating:

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

In this relaunch of the electrifying, landmark #1 bestselling thriller series, chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta hunts those responsible for two wildly divergent and chilling murders.

Forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta has come almost full circle, returning to Virginia as the chief medical examiner, the state where she launched her storied career. Finding herself the new girl in town once again after being away for many years, she’s inherited not only an overbearing secretary, but also a legacy of neglect and potential corruption.

She and her husband Benton Wesley, now a forensic psychologist with the U.S. Secret Service, have relocated to Old Town Alexandria where she’s headquartered five miles from the Pentagon in a post-pandemic world that’s been torn by civil and political unrest. Just weeks on the job, she’s called to a scene by railroad tracks where a woman’s body has been shockingly displayed, her throat cut down to the spine, and as Scarpetta begins to follow the trail, it leads unnervingly close to her own historic neighborhood.

At the same time, a catastrophe occurs in a top-secret laboratory in outer space, endangering at least two scientists aboard. Appointed to the highly classified Doomsday Commission that specializes in sensitive national security cases, Scarpetta is summoned to the White House and tasked with finding out exactly what happened. But even as she works the first potential crime scene in space remotely, an apparent serial killer strikes again very close to home.

Review:

Autopsy by Patricia Cornwell is a thrilling mystery starring medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta.

Kay and her husband Benson Wesley have returned to Virginia and they have barely unpacked before she is hard at work. Now the chief medical examiner for the state, Kay is also doing clean up from her predecessor’s tendency to sweep cases under the rug for political reasons. While she has competent staff, her secretary, Maggie, is a holdover from the last CME and she is used to running the office her way. Kay is trying to be patient, but she fears she cannot trust Maggie. Kay brushes aside her misgivings as she works on her newest victim who turns out to be a neighbor of her sister Dorothy and her husband, former police officer turned private detective Pete Marino.

Just as Kay’s victim has been identified and the forensic team are searching for evidence, she and Benson are called to the White House for a top-secret meeting. A strange turn of events at secret laboratory in space calls for Kay’s expertise. This investigation also turns up an unexpected link that leaves more questions than answers.

Autopsy is an intriguing mystery with fascinating yet seemingly disparate story arcs. Kay and Pete team up just like old times as they easily slip into their former rhythm working together. Benson’s job as a forensic psychologist for the Secret Service gives him a mysterious air. Kay is concerned about her niece Lucy whose life has been touched by the Covid pandemic. Kay faces a political quagmire at the M.E. office as a situation with someone from her past is a source of increasing tension. The storyline is fast-paced as Kay and Pete try to find evidence a serial killer might responsible for Gwen’s murder. Although Patricia Cornwell brings the mystery to shockingly fast denouement, the epilogue is sure to satisfy readers. Although this latest release is the twenty-fifth installment in the Kay Scarpetta series, it can easily be read as a standalone. However, I highly recommend the entire series.

Comments Off on Review: Autopsy by Patricia Cornwell

Filed under Autopsy, Contemporary, Kay Scarpetta Series, Mystery, Patricia Cornwell, Rated B+, Review, William Morrow

Family secrets and fresh romance collide in this heart-pounding Richter series installment by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee.

Title: An Unexpected Distraction by Catherine Bybee
Richter Series Book Three
Publisher: Montlake
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Suspense
Length: 365 pages

Summary:

Family secrets and fresh romance collide in this heart-pounding Richter series installment byNew York TimesandUSA Todaybestselling author Catherine Bybee.

Jacqueline “Jax” Simon knows how to expose secrets: she’s a skilled operative with MacBain Security and Solutions. When Jax hears her parents are divorcing, she races to London to find out why. She’s determined to learn the truth, especially when her investigation uncovers why her parents sent her to Richter, the German military school that made her a fighter.

Andrew Craig collects Jax at Heathrow Airport as a favor. He’s heard she’s a handful, but he didn’t know she’s dangerously gorgeous too. His instant attraction could change his life…or end it.

Jax doesn’t want to fall for Andrew, but soon he’s worming his way into her life. Together, they infiltrate Richter to discover if it has returned to its covert purpose: training children to be spies and assassins and blackmailing parents to look the other way. As the attraction between the two intensifies, so do the secrets exploding all around them. How deadly are those secrets—and who will survive?

Add to Goodreads.
Add series to Goodreads.

Purchase Links: Amazon * B&N (Paperback) * BAM! * Book Depository

Praise for the Richter Series

“Bybee delivers plenty of twists and turns on the way to a shocking ending while keeping forgiveness, love, and redemption at the story’s heart. The result is an emotional page-turner.” —Publishers Weekly, A Thin Disguise

“When it comes to writing contemporary romance with an edge of suspense, Catherine Bybee can do no wrong. Changing the Rules was an intense but fun novel where ancillary cast members from previous series found it was finally their turn to shine.” —Harlequin Junkie, Changing the Rules

Excerpt

She placed a finger to her lips, a silent signal to stay quiet, and nodded toward the bathrooms. Without checking to see if he would follow, she turned away so that all Harry or her dad would see was her back if they looked.

“Good to see you again,” Jax heard him say before she turned to look at him.

“Imagine my surprise to see the cabbie drinking with my family.”

His eyes widened along with his smile. “That was your assumption.”

“That you didn’t correct.”

He rolled his eyes. “Technicality.”

“Who are you?”

He opened his mouth and she stopped him. “I’d avoid any technical lies this time around.” She glanced at her watch. “In about thirty minutes I’ll know just about everything there is to know about you down to your last credit card transaction. Choose your words wisely.”

“My credit card?”

“I’m waiting.”

Andrew shifted from one foot to the other, arms folded over his chest. “Harry, my friend, asked me to pick up his handful baby sister at the airport and then watch over her to make sure she didn’t show up unexpectedly at his flat and stumble on her father before he could talk to her.”

She tried to find a weakness in his story. “Oh.”

“Yeah, oh!” He moved aside so someone could walk past to the toilets. “Now, what are you doing here?”

“Confronting my father.”

“In a pub.”

“I went to Harry’s, but you guys were leaving.”

He took her elbow and moved her to the side as more people shoved past them. “Your confrontation will have to wait.”

“Why?”

“Gregory doesn’t know I know what’s going on.”

“What? Why?”

“He thinks I showed up to ask my friend to join me here.”

“Is that all you’re up to?”

Andrew looked at the ceiling. “A harmless beer or two.”

There was more to his story than that. “I’ll be sure and keep up the ruse.” She moved toward the bar.

“You’re staying?”

“I’m going to find out what’s going on with my parents, with or without them telling me.”

He grinned. “Like their credit card transactions?”

“Exactly.” She turned away. “And I’m not a handful.”

Her comment was met with a short laugh. “You passed out.”

“And woke up without pants on.” They made their way to her brother and dad, dodging other patrons en route.

“I thought you’d sleep better. I didn’t do any—”

“I didn’t say you did.” She stopped walking and turned to look at him. “Just don’t expect another peep show.”

Author Bio

Catherine is a #1Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and Indie Reader bestselling author. In addition, her books have also graced TheNew York TimesandUSA Todaybestsellers lists. In total, she has written thirty-six beloved books that have collectively sold more than 10 million copies and have been translated into more than twenty languages.

Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full time and has pennedThe Not Quite series,The Weekday Brides series,The Most Likely To series, andThe First Wives series.

Author Links: Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

2 Comments

Filed under Blog Tour, Excerpt

Title: The Collective by Alison Gaylin
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense, Thriller
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

TheUSA Todaybestselling and Edgar Award–winning author ofNever Look BackandIf I Die Tonightplumbs the dark side of justice and the depths of diabolical revenge in this propulsive novel of psychological suspense that melds the driving narrative ofThen She Was Gonewith the breathtaking twists ofThe Chainand the violent fury ofKill Bill

“Alison Gaylin’sThe Collectiveis an astonishing feat. In the tradition of Ira Levin’s unforgettable social thrillers (Rosemary’s Baby, Stepford Wives), it’s a nerve-shredding, emotionally harrowing ride that also speaks volumes about our current moment, the dangers of our digital world, the potency of female rage. Don’t miss it.”—Megan Abbott

Just how far will a grieving mother go to right a tragic wrong?

Camille Gardener is a grieving—and angry—mother who, five years after her daughter’s death, is still obsessed with the privileged young man she believes to be responsible.

When her rash actions draw the attention of a secret group of women—the collective— Camille is drawn into a dark web where these mothers share their wildly different stories of loss as well as their desire for justice in a world where privilege denies accountability. Fueled by mutual rage, the collective members devise and act out retribution fantasies via precise, anonymous, highly coordinated revenge killings.

As Camille struggles to comprehend whether this is a role-playing exercise or terrifying reality, she must decide if these women are truly avenging angels or monsters. Becoming more deeply enmeshed in the group, Camille learns truths about the collective—and about herself—that she may not be able to survive

Review:

The Collective by Alison Gaylin is a pulse-pounding thriller that moves at a blistering pace.

Five years ago, Camille and Matt Gardener’s fifteen-year-old daughter Emily was sexually assaulted and left in the woods during a bitter cold snap. Her last words described what happened to her and the perpetrator’s name. Camille’s hopes for justice for Emily are shattered by a not guilty verdict and she remains mired in her grief and anger. She and Matt are divorced and while he has moved away and started over, Camille still lives in the family home.

When she discovers her daughter’s assailant, now a senior at nearby Brayburn College, is receiving an exclusive award, Camille makes a scene at the ceremony that goes viral. Afterward, she receives an invitation to join a Facebook group for moms whose dead children were denied justice. Soon after, she is invited to a site on the dark web where mothers can express their darkest feelings for those responsible for killing their children have escaped any consequences. Camille is soon addicted to this chat group that she originally believes is just a safe place to express anger and grief. Even when she is asked to participate in seemingly harmless tasks, Camille continues to believe no one would act on anything posted to the chat. In fact, she finds these excursions calming and give her something to focus on instead of her pain. But she soon learns that getting into this chat group is much, much easier than leaving it…

Camille’s world is shattered with Emily’s death and while Matt discovers a way to move forward, she does not. She relives her memories of her daughter and finds some things too painful to do because of their association with Emily. In the years since Emily’s death, neither her anger nor her grief have lessened. The visible proof that her daughter’s attacker has moved on with his life is a painful reminder that her teenage daughter will never achieve these normal milestones. Joining the dark web chat room provides her an outlet for her simmering hatred but Camille realizes too late that she has possibly made a horrible decision that is impossible to undo.

The Collective is an edge of the seat thriller that is quite suspenseful. Camille’s pain, grief and fury are palpable as she revels in expressing her dark fantasies. The storyline is unique and the first person narrative is extremely effective in drawing readers into Camille’s quest for revenge. With jaw dropping twists and cunning turns, Alison Gaylin brings this riveting thriller to a poignant conclusion.

Comments Off on Review: The Collective by Alison Gaylin

Filed under Alison Gaylin, Contemporary, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Collective, Thriller, William Morrow

Title: As the Wicked Watch by Tamron Hall
Jordan Manning Series Book One
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

The first in a thrilling new series fromEmmyAward-winning TV Host and JournalistTamronHall,As The Wicked Watchfollows a reporter as she unravels the disturbing mystery around the deaths of two young Black women, the work of a serial killer terrorizing Chicago.

When crime reporter Jordan Manning leaves her hometown in Texas to take a job at a television station in Chicago, she’s one step closer to her dream: a coveted anchor chair on a national network.

Jordan is smart and aggressive, with unabashed star-power, and often the only woman of color in the newsroom. Her signature? Arriving first on the scene—in impractical designer stilettos. Armed with a master’s degree in forensic science and impeccable instincts, Jordan has been able to balance her dueling motivations: breaking every big story—and giving a voice to the voiceless.

From her time in Texas, she’s covered the vilest of human behaviors but nothing has prepared her for Chicago. Jordan is that rare breed of a journalist who can navigate a crime scene as well as she can a newsroom—often noticing what others tend to miss. Again and again, she is called to cover the murders of Black women, many of them sexually assaulted, most brutalized, and all of them quickly forgotten.

All until Masey James—the story that Jordan just can’t shake, despite all efforts. A 15-year-old girl whose body was found in an abandoned lot, Masey has come to represent for Jordan all of the frustration and anger that her job often forces her to repress. Putting the rest of her work and her fraying personal life aside, Jordan does everything she can to give the story the coverage it desperately requires, and that a missing Black child would so rarely get.

There’s a serial killer on the loose, Jordan believes, and he’s hiding in plain sight.

Review:

As the Wicked Watch by Tamron Hall is an intriguing mystery that does not shy away from social issues and racial injustices.

Broadcast journalist Jordan Manning has been covering the disappearance of fifteen-year-old Masey James. The Black teenager vanished without a trace and the police are treating the case as just another runaway. Masey’s mother, Pamela, insists something has happened to her daughter and Jordan makes sure this case stays in the public eye. While filming an update on the missing teenager, Masey’s body is discovered in an abandoned, overgrown playground. Jordan becomes fully invested in learning the identity of Masey’s killer and she puts herself in harm’s way as she searches for answers.

Jordan is confident, intelligent and ambitious. She is dedicated to ensuring Masey does not become another forgotten missing Black girl. She is willing to put in long hours as she interviews family members and people in Masey’s neighborhood. Jordan also reflects on how under represented Black women are in positions of power in broadcast journalism.

When the police make an arrest, Jordan and the rest of the community are outraged and believe they have made a mistake. With a degree in forensic science, Jordan follows her instincts as she investigates the information she has uncovered. Certain she knows who killed Masey, she sometimes acts a little recklessly as she tries to locate the person responsible.

As the Wicked Watch is a clever mystery with an interesting lead protagonist. Jordan is tenacious as Masey’s case tragically turns into a murder investigation. She is a mostly appealing character but she is not without flaws. The police are a little quick to dismiss viable leads and their eventual arrests bring national attention to the case. The storyline is unique but the pacing for the first third of the book is very slow. With a plethora of characters, it is sometimes not easy to keep up with who everyone is. Jordan sometimes goes off on unexpected thought tangents that are a little repetitious. With unexpected plot twists, Tamron Hall brings this engaging mystery to a satisfying conclusion. All in all, a decent first installment in the Jordan Manning series.

Comments Off on Review: As the Wicked Watch by Tamron Hall

Filed under As the Wicked Watch, Contemporary, Jordan Manning Series, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Suspense, Tamron Hall, William Morrow

Here’s a look at what’s happening this week at Book Reviews & More by Kathy:

This week’s book reviews:

Review schedule subject to change

The Collective by Alison Gaylin (Nov. Release)
A Little Hope by Ethan Joella (Nov. Release)
Autopsy by Patricia Cornwall (New Release)
As the Wicked Watch by Tamron Hall (Oct. Release)
Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult (New Release)
All Her Little Secrets by Wanda M. Morris (Nov. Release)

Blog Tours:

November 29: Catherine Bybee
December 1: Reading Challenge

Winter Wonderland eBooks up for grabs this week:

November 30: Never Judge a Duke by His Lover by Merry Farmer
December 1: The Christmas Wedding Guest by Susan Mallery
December 2: Salvaging Christmas by Brian Lancaster
December 3: Keep Me Warm at Christmas by Brenda Novak
December 4: Custody Battles by Gregory Ashe
December 5: A Lot Like Christmas by Jennifer Snow

Click here for more info on entering the eBook contests.

The Winning Wednesday eBook Giveaway will resume December 29th.

The Friday Feature will resume December 31st

The Saturday Series Spotlight will resume December January 1st.

Have a great week!!

***All the eBooks in this week’s Winter Wonderland giveaways have been purchased by Book Reviews & More by Kathy.***

Comments Off on The Week Ahead Nov. 29-Dec. 5

Filed under The Week Ahead

← Older posts