WHAT'S THE BUZZ: The McKenzie Sisters Mystery Series - SPOTLIGHT!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're spreading some BOOK BUZZ about a Historical Western Cozy Mystery series with just a touch of Romance that already has two titles under its proverbial belt, so they are ready and waiting for you! Sound interesting? Well then, I've got the post for you! Let's focus in that book spotlight on these two titles that just might take your flights of fancy on your next perfect ride/read...

The Case of the Peculiar Inheritance

A McKenzie Sisters Mystery Novel

by

Samantha St. Claire

Trappers Peak Publishing

BOOK TRAILER

About the book...

Witty and irascible Rose McKenzie tackles Denver’s criminal cases with a woman’s intuition and a loaded Smith and Wesson tucked in her skirt pocket.

Eager for adventure beyond her scientific experiments, Rose accepts her uncle’s challenge to become Denver’s first female private detective. When a wealthy woman employs her to track down a burglar, Rose zealously applies her unique investigative talents to prove she can handle any job. After two more home invasions turn violent, Rose races to find the perpetrator before another innocent shows up on a slab at the city morgue.

With the stakes raised, Rose employs the help of her friend, the attractive Dr. Taylor Whitman, to lure the perpetrator out of hiding—with Rose as the bait. What Rose fails to foresee is the complexity of the crime, involving more than one perpetrator tasked with silencing her. Will her cunning be enough to unravel the clues before it’s too late?

Step into Denver’s bustling city streets at the turn of the century with Rose McKenzie, a spirited private investigator and a woman brave enough to undertake any case. 

Don’t miss The Case of the Peculiar Inheritance, a stand-alone novel in the delightfully entertaining McKenzie Sisters Mystery series.

Add to BookBub | Add to Goodreads

AMAZON

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About the author...

Samantha St. Claire is the pen name of an author passionate about American history and the people whose legacies are woven into the fabric of a nation. She writes these characters to life in her novels of the western frontier, their trials and triumphs. Coming from a family of pioneers, she honestly claims her roots as a Daughter of the American Revolution and descendant of a Scottish Laird.

Never faint of heart, her signature protagonists face the hazards of the frontier with courage, wit, and a healthy pinch of humor. 

​

Sign up for Samantha’s newsletter at www.samanthastclaire.com for early notifications of new releases and interesting news relevant to readers of historical fiction.

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The Case of the Copper King

A McKenzie Sisters Mystery Novel

by

MK McClintock

Trappers Peak Publishing

About the book...

Clever and feisty Cassandra McKenzie engages her newest assignment for the Pinkerton Agency with a knack for deception and a blade in her boot.

Smart, skilled, and unafraid to get her hands dirty, Cassandra grudgingly takes on a new assignment in one of Colorado’s busiest mining towns, where murder and theft draw her deep into a puzzle of lies, quarries, and forgery. 

When the mysterious and handsome Quinn Morgan is enlisted to help solve the case, she reluctantly accepts his presence for an undercover scheme meant to draw out the crooks and retrieve the stolen money before they end up buried in a mountainside. Will their talents be enough to untangle truth from deceit before they run out of time?

Ride the rails to Durango at the turn of the century with Cassandra McKenzie, a woman cunning enough to solve the toughest cases in some of the Rockies most rugged and beautiful places. 

Immerse yourself in The Case of the Copper King, a stand-alone novel in the delightfully entertaining McKenzie Sisters Mystery series.

Add to BookBub | Add to Goodreads

AMAZON

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About the author...

Award-winning author MK McClintock writes historical romantic fiction about courageous and honorable men and strong women who appreciate chivalry, like those in her Montana Gallagher, British Agent, and Crooked Creek series. Her stories of adventure, romance, and mystery sweep across the American West to the Victorian British Isles, with places and times between and beyond. She enjoys a quiet life in the northern Rocky Mountains. 

MK invites you to join her on her writing journey at www.mkmcclintock.com, where you can learn more about her many books and series, explore reader extras, subscribe to receive the latest news, and browse the blog. 

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Special thanks to MK McClintock for the chance to participate in this blast. (THANKS!) For more information about either title, the series, or the authors, feel free to click through the links provided above. Both are newly available this month, so what are you waiting for? Click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

RRR presents... WHISPERS OF THE RUNES by Christina Courtenay - GUEST POST + GIVEAWAY!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're taking a chance on fate with a special spotlight on a title now touring with Rachel's Random Resources. We were lucky enough to score a Guest Post from the author herself featuring a closer look at the book's heroine (are you stoked...because I'm stoked), plus at post's end, or somewhere thereabouts, there's a chance to enter the tour wide giveaway for a SIGNED copy of the book plus a little something extra!  So, let's get this party started as today's featured title takes centerstage...

Whispers of the Runes

by

Christina Courtenay

About the book...

Time is no barrier for a love that is destined to be.

She couldn’t be sure that she had travelled through time … but deep down she just knew.

And her only way back had just disappeared.

When jewellery designer Sara Mattsson is propelled back to the ninth century, after cutting herself on a Viking knife she uncovers at an archaeological dig, she is quick to accept what has happened to her. For this is not the first Sara has heard of time travel.

Although acutely aware of the danger she faces when she loses the knife – and with it her way to return to her own time – this is also the opportunity of a lifetime. What better way to add authenticity to the Viking and Anglo-Saxon motifs used in her designs?

As luck has it, the first person Sara encounters is Rurik Eskilsson, a fellow silversmith, who is also no stranger to the concept of time travel. Agreeing that Sara can accompany him to Jorvik, they embark on a journey even more perilous than one through time. But Fate has brought these two kindred spirits together across the ages for a reason…

AMAZON US | UK

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~~~ Special GUEST POST with Author Christina Courtenay ~~~

The hero of my latest novel, WHISPERS OF THE RUNES, had already appeared in the previous story of this series, and therefore I knew he was a silversmith long before I started writing this. I am very partial to jewellery, especially earrings, so this was a definite bonus! To make it even better, I decided my heroine would also be a jewellery designer, but since she is from the 21st century and he’s from the 9th, their methods would be somewhat different. Not a problem as it’s always good to have conflict between the main protagonists. I enjoyed letting them teach each other a thing or two about their creative processes!

To most men from the past, a female jeweller might have seemed an impossibility (or even a threat) as for centuries women were only supposed to bear children and look after the home. Luckily for my heroine, Vikings weren’t that sexist. Their women were often entrusted with the running of farms or estates while the menfolk went raiding or trading. They were thought capable of looking after everything and even allowed to speak on behalf of the men at the thing (court of justice) if necessary. So my hero, although he’s surprised, doesn’t feel threatened by the heroine’s occupation. He’s more intrigued and eager to see what she can do. And once they start working together, he realises what a great team they make.

This couple get caught up with the so-called Great Heathen Army, whose participants had been looting all over Britain and amassing wealth for years. It must have been a golden opportunity (literally!) for any silversmiths as they had so much precious metal to be smelted down and made into new items. We have only to look at the Staffordshire Hoard, which although it is from a much earlier century, shows how items we would call treasure were merely valued for its metal and gemstone content by some. History buffs like me weep at the thought of for example treasured relics from monasteries and churches being turned into sword hilts, brooches or just hack-silver for bartering with. However, some of the objects created were every bit as magnificent too and Viking craftsmen were extremely good at what they did.

There are several different types of Viking jewellery/decorative styles, such as Borre, Jellinge, Ringerike and Urnes – my favourite is without doubt the Urnes. The patterns consist of elegant and elongated animalistic shapes, whose extremities and tails twine round, up and over each other like vines. The creatures are graceful and sometimes bite each other or themselves. Unfortunately, that style didn’t appear until the 11th century so I wasn’t able to incorporate that into my story, but the general themes were similar. Swirling creatures, both mythical and from real life, abound and seem to have fascinated the Vikings.

Viking women were extremely fond of beads and items made with amber, so of course my protagonists get to make things like that as well. In fact, they liked all sorts of gaudy things, colourful and bright. I can honestly say that doing the research for this book was an absolute joy!

Thank you very much for having me as your guest!

(My pleasure!)

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About the author...

Christina Courtenay writes historical romance, time slip and time travel stories, and lives in Herefordshire (near the Welsh border) in the UK. Although born in England, she has a Swedish mother and was brought up in Sweden – hence her abiding interest in the Vikings. Christina is a former chairman of the UK’s Romantic Novelists’ Association and has won several awards, including the RoNA for Best Historical Romantic Novel twice with Highland Storms (2012) and The Gilded Fan (2014). Whispers of the Runes (time travel published by Headline 24th June 2021) is her latest novel. Christina is a keen amateur genealogist and loves history and archaeology (the armchair variety).

SITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

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YOUR CHANCE TO WIN...

...a signed copy of Whispers of the Runes plus a pair of silver Viking style earrings!

(Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Special thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you and to author Christina Courtenay for the great guest post. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this promotion, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today and be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

RRR presents... THE RETURN OF HER LOST KNIGHT by Melissa Oliver - REVIEW!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're got another Rachel's Random Resources tour featuring a new Historical Fiction release via Mills & Boon / Harlequin! It's set in Medieval times and although I've not read as many in this particular period, I will admit to sorely LOVING this one! Ready or not, fair readers...time to draw your sword, and protect your lady love...or is that allow your lady love to protect you? Find out in today's ebook of choice and blog tour guest...

The Return of Her Lost Knight

by

Melissa Oliver

About the book...

Her second chance...

With her lost love…

To avoid a forced marriage, Lady Gwenllian plans to escape to a convent. She couldn’t possibly honor another when her heart still belongs to Ralph de Kinnerton, the man she had to betray to save his life—only to hear of his death shortly after. So how is it possible he’s here at this knight’s tournament? Now the pull of their unfinished past forces Gwen to question the choice she’d made for her future…

MILLS & BOON | HARLEQUIN

AMAZON US | UK

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Once upon a time, young love was in bloom...

...until those that would have things their own way threatened that happily-ever-after...

...and in order to save the one they loved, they had to sacrifice their own happiness.

How far would YOU go for the one you love?

Lady Gwenllian and Ralph de Kinnerton...a promising couple then, but an explosively brilliant couple now, if only they'd let each other in. Guess that's what happens when you've years that separate, but that's better than the veil of death that hung between them when they first met for the second time. You could sense that as much as Ralph wanted to draw his past connection to Gwenllian to a close, he never could completely sever the tie. He loved her, still did, and despite his good intentions to let her be free from the past, the question that begged to be answered, yet never spilled from his lips...did she WANT to be freed? The way I saw it, Gwenllian was as besought in her heart as he, but so set was she on her new path to escape the taint on her past, she wasn't willing to give herself, let alone him, a proper chance. Good thing that love is blind, and cares not what we want, but rather what SHOULD be...

I regarded Gwenllian with a full heart for her bravery, her determination, and her kindness. When she met young William, you can't help but smile at their time spent together. When she and Ralph try to move beyond the past pulled together by the connection that runs so deep between them, you can't stop yourself from hoping against hope that it will turn out brilliantly perfect. When trouble comes calling, the breath is taken from your lungs as you keep reading to see if everyone survives the fallout. When the final battle is waged, that same breath stolen will be held along with the most ardent wishes for truth and love to prevail. On the other hand, Ralph's return to the land of the living was nothing short of a miracle, making him equally worthy of our admiration, and while he was cloaking himself in mystery, it was very much warranted considering those he is trying to evade. The thing about him that stands out though isn't his battle scars, or knightly swordplay, but the power of his heart, his strength of spirit, and his desire to set things to right.

In the end, I loved the story for its darkness and light, spirit and heart, and most of all, its enduring love! It wasn't easy for any of them, and the trials they faced were all thanks to others that couldn't accept what was and was not theirs in life for the taking, but it made them who they were and for that, I wouldn't want it any other way! Fall under the spell of this once-upon-a-time, and see how much more the wages of love are worth than war...

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About the author...

Melissa Oliver is from south-west London where she writes historical romance novels. She lives with her lovely husband and three daughters, who share her passion for decrepit, old castles, grand palaces and all things historical. She is the winner of The Romantic Novelists' Association's Joan Hessayon Award for new writers in 2020 for her debut, The Rebel Heiress and the Knight. When she's not writing she loves to travel, paint and visit museums & art galleries.

TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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Special thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you as well as the ecopy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this promotion, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today and be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Breakfast is served!: THE GRUMPY FRUMPY CROISSANT by Mona K - REVIEW!

HI there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're starting the day right with the most important meal...or rather, characters that are a part of the most important meal...and now it sounds A LOT more sinister than it should've so Ill stop while I'm ahead. *ahem* Anywho..today's spotlight falls on a title perfect for breakfast or any other time of day and passes on a message good for all ages. Ladies and gents, tie on your bib and get ready for today's ebook of choice...

The Grumpy Frumpy Croissant

by

Mona K

Illustrations by

Korey Scott

9781951490966

9781951490973

Canoe Tree Press

About the book...

The Grumpy Frumpy Croissant is a children’s picture book with fun and colorful hand-drawn illustrations that teach a lesson about misunderstandings any child can grasp. Croissant learns how to let anger pass, and that yelling hurts others’ feelings. It's a simple story for parents to introduce ideas of managing feelings to children, illustrated by Korey Scott.

The book also features a delicious croissant recipe that parents can make with their children, and full-page coloring activities featuring the characters in the book (kindle and e-reader compatible too!).

"A quirky and engaging breakfast tale that stresses conflict resolution." - Kirkus Reviews

AMAZON | B&N

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The story tells about an accidental upset at breakfast while plating, and how hurt feelings turn into something so much bigger than it ever had to be. A cool head is kept by the fire dousing beverage in attendance, and once things settle enough to see through the smoky haze of anger, all is well. Simple enough, and yet much like the way the issue blows up in the first place, a whole lot more.

It's a way for kids to relate to hurt feelings like being slighted, displaced, or just plan put out. It gives them a grumpy croissant to see themselves in, or at least what their potential actions can have them looking like, minus the butter content, and shows them a better way to handle those spikey feelings. It can be hard enough to navigate that minefield of emotions as an adult and we're suppose to understand it...for kiddos just starting out in life, it can be extra confusing, so giving them techniques to deal with those moments that are bound to crop up throughout their lives is both beneficial now and later on for a happier, healthier, emotionally comfortable kiddo.

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About the author...

Mona K is a statistician by training and loves to weave stories with numbers in her day job as a health services researcher. She is also a children’s book author who believes that picture books are a source of both wisdom and silliness. Mona loves to bake in her free time, and her love for croissants and meditation inspired her to write this debut children's picture book. She lives in New Jersey with her seven-year-old son and husband.

SITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

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Special thanks to PR by the Book for the chance to bring this spotlight to you. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, or the illustrator, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now via Canoe Tree Press, a division of DartFrog Books, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

RRR presents... A SECOND-HAND HUSBAND by Claire Calman - REVIEW!

Hi there! 

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers. 

Today, we’re teaming up with Rachel’s Random Resources to bring you a stop along her current tour featuring a Contemporary Fiction title with a lot more than second-hand furniture. I mean, we all love bargain hunting, and antique shopping for that one thing that is just so perfectly us, but a husband? Umm, let me take a rain-check on that as we step between the epages of today’s featured title and blog tour guest... 

A Second-Hand Husband 

by 

Claire Calman 

About the book...

Natalie and Carl are newlyweds, but the honeymoon period is over already. 

Carl has just announced he has bought their first home at auction without telling Natalie where it is, never mind showing her a picture of it.

Natalie is horrified to discover that the dream home is in Little Wyford, mere minutes away from Carl’s ex-wife Antonia. And to make matters worse, Antonia’s palatial country mansion has a fully-functioning roof (and a heated swimming pool!), unlike the ramshackle cottage Carl has bought for them… 

Antonia is Little Wyford’s Queen Bee, mistress of the book club, organiser of the Christmas Fair and leader of the ladies-who-lunch. No matter how hard she tries, Natalie just doesn’t fit in, and when Antonia insists on referring to Carl as ‘Our Husband’, Natalie’s dreams of happily-ever-after take another nose dive. 

Second-hand furniture has much to recommend it, especially when doing up a country cottage, second-hand clothes can be ever-so chic, but second-hand husbands are proving to be a very bad idea indeed… Can Natalie ever escape the label of Wife Number Two or is she destined to share her husband forever? 

Hilariously funny, wickedly witty, but with a heart of gold and a warmth and wisdom that are all its own, A Second-Hand Husband is Claire Calman’s tour de force. 

AMAZON 

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Once upon a time, two people fell madly in love… 

...until, they weren’t. 

They divorced, shared time with the kids, and found their new someone’s… 

...only their connection was more like a competition to out do their replacement, causing much strain for some parties, and exasperation for others. Is the love they’ve found enough to see them through? Or is it better to call it quits while still ahead? 

Honestly, I don’t know how she did it. There are SO MANY reasons I would have said kiss my patooty and drove off into the sunset, I simply stopped counting. I guess it’s as the saying goes, love is blind...although, in this case, only just. Natalie does eventually stand her ground, albeit long after the blind house buy, work shenanigans, and manly shows of how manly he is between himself and his ex’s new “him”, but the point is...enough is enough for even her at some point! It wasn't even so much the first wife, although I admit, I wasn't a huge fan of her for most the story...read it, and you'll see why...and even the daughter's cold shoulder to Natalie was expected, or at least bearable; it was simply Carl.  Yes, Natalie...you had a much kinder heart than I would have, but it made us feel for you all the more...and I loved how she kept trying with those around her, both to understand where they were coming from as well as to make them feel welcome even if the same wasn't returned. 

So, if you’re looking for a story filled with swoon worthy courting, and marital bliss that leads to a happy ever after...wrong book! BUT...if you’re looking for a story with real people from every day life, seizing the day while still learning from their yesterday’s...this might just me the tale for you. 

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About the author... 

Claire Calman is a writer and broadcaster known for her novels that combine wit and pathos, including the bestseller Love is a Four-Letter Word. She has appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and Loose Ends. Her first book for Boldwood was published in June 2020. 

TWITTER | BOOKBUB | NEWSLETTER 

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Special thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you as well as the ecopy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this promotion, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today and be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Silver Dagger Book Tours presents... TWO KINDS OF US by Sarah Sutton - SPOTLIGHT + GIVEAWAY!

 

Two Kinds of Us

Love in Fenton County Book 5

by Sarah Sutton

Genre: YA Romance

DIAMONDS MEET ROCK 'N ROLL AND SECRETS MEET THEIR END.

In a life of diamond bracelets and country clubs, I’m the perfect daughter. I get all the right grades, volunteer at all the right organizations, apply to all the right colleges.

And I hate every second of it. At the rate my life is playing out, under the strict rule of my parents, politicians and housewives will be my future.

Until I meet Harry.

Harry’s a singer in a rock band with a voice so beautiful that I actually feel hypnotized. Doesn’t hurt that he’s hot either, and with the kind, flirty personality to match, it’s the perfect trifecta. And even better, he sees the me I want to be. He sees me as the girl who can break free of the life she’s trapped in, who can control her own future.

The only problem? He knows me as Stella, my fun, carefree alter ego—so drastically different from Destelle, the girl who is trapped in the life her parents rule.

But as we get closer, I realize Harry’s keeping a secret of his own, something related to the dark past that he’s trying to move on from, and when I find out, everything we’ve built could come crashing down.

This is the fifth book in the Love in Fenton County Series, but can be read as a standalone. Check out this Opposites Attract + Hidden Identities Romance today!

Add to Goodreads

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo

Sarah Sutton is the author of YA Contemporary Romance books from a tiny town in Michigan. These standalone novels can be read in any order and are sure to leave you swooning. She’s always loved the idea of falling in love; capturing the fall through words and heart-melting kisses is one of her passions! Meet-cutes? She’ll take all of them! Accidental touches? She lives for them! First kisses? Yes, please!

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$25 Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WHAT'S THE BUZZ: Fox & I by Catherine Raven - REVIEW!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're spreading a little pre book birthday BUZZ about a Non Fiction title set to release this July via Spiegel & Grau. New to you publisher? Here's there message of intent...“We are a new multi-platform publisher. We understand the power of stories to enhance meaning, deepen understanding, engage emotions, effect change, and enlarge our sense of humanity by connecting us to people and places we may never experience in our lifetimes.” ...and their inaugural  release certainly fits that to a "T".  Ladies and gents, please  make way for today's book of choice...

Fox & I

by

Catherine Ravine

Spiegel & Grau

RELEASE DATE: July 8th, 2021

About the book...

An unforgettable memoir about the friendship between a solitary woman and a wild fox.

When Catherine Raven finished her PhD in biology, she built herself a tiny cottage on an isolated plot of land in Montana. She was as emotionally isolated as she was physically, but she viewed the house as a way station, a temporary rest stop where she could gather her nerves and fill out applications for what she hoped would be a real job that would help her fit into society. In the meantime, she taught remotely and led field classes in nearby Yellowstone National Park. Then one day she realized that a mangy-looking fox was showing up on her property every afternoon at 4:15 p.m. She had never had a regular visitor before. How do you even talk to a fox? She brought out her camping chair, sat as close to him as she dared, and began reading to him from The Little Prince. Her scientific training had taught her not to anthropomorphize animals, yet as she grew to know him, his personality revealed itself and they became friends. From the fox, she learned the single most important thing about loneliness: we are never alone when we are connected to the natural world. Friends, however, cannot save each other from the uncontained forces of nature. Fox and I is a poignant and remarkable tale of friendship, growth, and coping with inevitable loss―and of how that loss can be transformed into meaning. It is both a timely tale of solitude and belonging as well as a timeless story of one woman whose immersion in the natural world will change the way we view our surroundings―each tree, weed, flower, stone, or fox.

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Every now and then I dabble in the land of truth; today's featured title is one of those dalliances.

It's received rave reviews in its pre pub days and I'm certain it will do so long after I've posted my thoughts, but the truth is...it just wasn't for me. I LOVED the fact that it is the kick off title for the emergence of Spiegel & Grau...and that the little fox even made itself at home in their logo. I ADORED the concept of this single solitary woman making her way in the world on her own terms, and befriending or perhaps being befriended by this naturally wild creature. I APPRECIATED her struggle to balance the continued meetings as they became familiar to one another with her scientific mind screaming against humanizing the little fellow. I was HEARTSORE when he disappeared, REJOICED when all wasn't found quite lost, and DASHED again when eventually, Mother Nature had her say in the whole matter. I REVELED in the peace she found for both herself, her past, and her present, while acknowledging that the future is still an unknown that has possibility. All of this I can say with an open heart because IT'S TRUE and the fact that she shared her journey with us is memorable too. But still...in the end, it wasn't for me.

I think I clung to hard to the relationship between her and the fox, and felt hard stung to draw my attention elsewhere in the world as relayed to us as readers. It's not that I was hoping for something more because it's fact not fiction and what happened happened, and yet my own connections to everything transpiring were not as passionate...and THAT'S OKAY! As I said, I could still appreciate it's beauty, it's uniqueness, and can certainly see that with the right audience, this will be one taken to heart and enjoyed for some time to come.

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About the author...

Photo by Henry Randel Chinn

Catherine Raven is a former national park ranger at Glacier, Mount Rainier, North Cascades, Voyageurs, and Yellowstone national parks. She earned a PhD in biology from Montana State University, holds degrees in zoology and botany from the University of Montana, and is a member of American Mensa and Sigma Xi. Her natural history essays have appeared in American Scientist, Journal of American Mensa, and Montana Magazine. You can find her in Fox’s valley tugging tumbleweeds from the sloughs.

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Special thanks to Meg at Tandem Literary for the ARC for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is set to celebrate its BOOK BIRTHDAY, July 6th, 2021 via Spiegel & Grau, so mark your calendar or pre order your copy today!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Rockstar Book Tours presents... ON THE WAY TO BIRDLAND by Frank Morelli - GUEST POST + GIVEAWAY!

 

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the ON THE WAY TO BIRDLAND by Frank Morelli Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my special GUEST POST below and be sure to enter the giveaway before you go!

 

Title: ON THE WAY TO BIRDLAND

Author: Frank Morelli

Pub. Date: June 8, 2021

Publisher: Fish Out of Water Books

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 300

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, TBD, Bookshop.org

Self-proclaimed teenage philosopher Cordell Wheaton lives in a sleepy, southern town where nothing ever happens; not since his hero, jazz musician John Coltrane, left some seventy years earlier to “follow the sound.” Cordy’s life has been unraveling since the night his father and his brother, Travis, exploded on each other. The night Travis’s addiction transformed him from budding musician into something entirely different. The night Travis took his saxophone and disappeared. When Cordy’s father falls ill, the sixteen-year-old vows to reunite the Wheaton family. He embarks on a modern-day odyssey with forty bucks in his pocket and a dream to find his brother and convince him to be Travis again—by taking him to a show at Birdland Jazz Club in New York City, and reminding him of the common bonds they share with their legendary hero. Cordy’s journey is soon haunted by ghostly visions, traumatic dreams, and disembodied voices that echo through his mind. He starts to wonder if the voices are those of the fates, guiding him toward his destiny—or if he’s losing his grip on reality.

Praise for ON THE WAY TO BIRDLAND:
“Engrossing story and sympathetic characters. Morelli…makes it worth the trip.”—Booklist

“With a haunting secret, a brave journey and fascinating characters, On the Way to Birdland will remind readers that when you take a giant step into the unfamiliar, you might just find yourself.” —Joelle Charbonneau, New York Times Best Selling author of VERIFY and DISCLOSE

“On the Way to Birdland is a work of tremendous heart.  It sings with the joys and pains of family, hope, and impossible dreams.  A must read for everyone trying to find their way back to what matters most.”—Adrienne Kisner, Author of DEAR RACHEL MADDOW, THE CONFUSION OF LAUREL GRAHAM, and SIX ANGRY GIRLS

“Listening to and believing in our fears keeps away from a life we wish for. On the Way to Birdland shows us what’s possible when we listen to something else.”—Angelo Surmelis, author of THE DANGEROUS ART OF BLENDING IN

“With balance, beats, and rhythm, this heartfelt coming-of-age story is bridged together like a Coltrane riff under Frank Morelli’s skillful hand. ON THE WAY TO BIRDLAND and its cast of diverse, fully fleshed-out characters are now included among My Favorite Things.” –Brenda Rufener, Author of SINCE WE LAST SPOKE and WHERE I LIVE

“A classic tale of choice and chance, with more twists than a Virginia mountain road, On the Way to Birdland is a guide to finding your true self by accepting that you are ‘completely destructible…desperate not to get destroyed.'” —Valerie Nieman, author of TO THE BONES and BACKWATER (Fitzroy, 2022)

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My Top Five Favorite Movies of All Time

By Frank Morelli

As an author and a teacher, I spend most of my time reading. Sometimes I have the time and headspace to read or reread classic works of literature. Other times, I only have the mental willpower for a gentle beach read. And then, of course, there are the times when my mind gets barraged by essays and research papers and grammar assessments written by middle school students. Those are the times when I need a little palate cleanser, when a movie is the only cure for what ails me. When I need a Hollywood director to take the weight off and do all of my thinking for me, these are the five films I go back to time and time again.

🎞   🎞   🎞   🎞   🎞   🎞   🎞

The Princess Bride (1987)

For me, it is literally INCONCEIVABLE to go a few months without re-upping my memory of this cult classic, which features one of my favorite characters in cinematic history: Inigo Montoya. A more loyal gentleman has never existed. I love the format of this film, in how it lends itself to a grandfather reading to his sick grandchild while the rodents of unusual size scurry around in our minds. Y’all, do me a favor: please do not remake this one or I’ll cry.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

I’m a huge fan of Morgan Freeman’s body of work, but nothing hits me harder than The Shawshank Redemption. If you are unaware, the film is actually an adaptation of Stephen King’s classic novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, and I’d be hard-pressed to deny this film brings together the talents of one of my favorite actors and one of my favorite horror novelists. To go even deeper, however, there’s no scene in film history that gets the waterworks flowing for me than the one in which Freeman’s character uncovers the money and the note left to him by his friend, the wrongly accused Andy Dufresne.

The Sandlot (1993)

If you know me personally, you know I live and breathe baseball. There’s no film in history that captures the childhood glow of the game better than The Sandlot. If you don’t fall in love with Squints, Ham, and Benny “the Jet” Rodriguez after watching this film for the first time, then I’d be forced to question your humanity. The Sandlot brings us back to simpler times, when kids could be on the ballfield playing from dawn until dusk and living out their World Series dreams just a stone’s-throw from their front porches.

The Artist (2011)

First of all, I love dogs and the dog in this film is easily the smartest and cutest pooch I’ve ever seen. Beyond the cuteness, however, is a film that takes us back to the silent film era and uses period cinematic techniques, lighting schemes, musical compositions, and even the toggling of color to set itself apart from every film I’ve seen in recent memory.

Groundhog Day (1993)

To words: Bill Murray. He’s a comedic genius and also the main attraction in one of the most popular movies of all time. What I love about Groundhog Day is that it’s basically a laugh a minute but, in true Bill Murray fashion, delves into some really deep philosophical questions. I mean, what would you do in a world where you (and only you) live the same day over and over? Sounds like a dream, right? Sounds like you could totally game the system, right? But then there’s the sequence in the film where Bill Murray’s character no longer wants to live, and the one where he kidnaps and attempts to murder Punxatawney Phil. Bottom line, this film makes you think...but only in the most gloriously comedic of ways.

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About Frank Morelli:

Frank Morelli is the author of the young adult novel, No Sad Songs (2018), a YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers nominee and winner of an American Fiction Award for best coming of age story. The first book in his debut middle grade series, Please Return To: Norbert M. Finkelstein (2019) is a Book Excellence Award finalist and provides young readers with a roadmap to end bullying. His fiction and essays have been featured in various publications including The Saturday Evening Post, Cobalt Review, Philadelphia Stories, and Highlights Magazine.

A Philadelphia native, Morelli now resides in High Point, NC with a brilliant illustrator and his fur babies. Connect with him on Twitter @frankmoewriter and on Instagram @frankmorelliauthor.

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Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of ON THE WAY TO BIRDLAND, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

5/24/2021	Rockstar Book Tours	Kickoff Post
5/25/2021	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt
5/26/2021	Jaime's World	Excerpt
5/27/2021	Jaimerockstarbooktours	Instagram Post
5/28/2021	YA Books Central	Guest Post

Week Two:

5/31/2021	Fire and Ice	Review
6/1/2021	Living in a Bookworld	Guest Post
6/2/2021	Rajiv's Reviews	Review
6/3/2021	@pagesofyellow	Review
6/4/2021	@barbs_bookland	Review

Week Three:

6/7/2021	Sj_bookshelf	Review
6/8/2021	The Keysmash Blog	Review
6/9/2021	Dorky Girl and Skeletor	Excerpt
6/10/2021	The Obsessed Reader	Excerpt
6/11/2021	Lady Hawkeye	Excerpt

Week Four:

6/14/2021	I'm Shelfish	Excerpt
6/15/2021	A Dream Within A Dream	Excerpt
6/16/2021	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Guest Post
6/17/2021	For the Love of KidLit	Excerpt
6/18/2021	The Momma Spot	Excerpt

Special thanks to Rockstar Book Tours for the chance to bring this tour to you as well as to the author for the film-tastic Guest Post!  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, this tour, or those to come, feel free to click through the links provided above.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!