Thursday, December 29, 2016

Review: The Bourbon Kings by: J.R. Ward

Title: The Bourbon Kings
Author: J.R. Ward
Publisher: Penguin Publishing
Series: The Bourbon Kings #1
Pages: 400
Format: Kindle e-book
Source: Personal Purchase

Description:

For generations, the Bradford family has worn the mantle of kings of the bourbon capital of the world. Their sustained wealth has afforded them prestige and privilege—as well as a hard-won division of class on their sprawling estate, Easterly. Upstairs, a dynasty that by all appearances plays by the rules of good fortune and good taste. Downstairs, the staff who work tirelessly to maintain the impeccable Bradford facade. And never the twain shall meet.

For Lizzie King, Easterly’s head gardener, crossing that divide nearly ruined her life. Falling in love with Tulane, the prodigal son of the bourbon dynasty, was nothing that she intended or wanted—and their bitter breakup only served to prove her instincts were right. Now, after two years of staying away, Tulane is finally coming home again, and he is bringing the past with him. No one will be left unmarked: not Tulane’s beautiful and ruthless wife; not his older brother, whose bitterness and bad blood know no bounds; and especially not the ironfisted Bradford patriarch, a man with few morals, fewer scruples, and many, many terrible secrets.

As family tensions—professional and intimately private—ignite, Easterly and all its inhabitants are thrown into the grips of an irrevocable transformation, and only the cunning will survive.

My Thoughts:

This book follows the Bradfords and all their ups and downs from Lane and his marriage which he's been hiding from his wife in New York gets called back the estate, to his brother Edward who has been hiding in his shell of a body after a kidnapping occured to Gin the wild daughter who drives her father nuts with all the ups and downs she goes through to Max the son who no one can locate.  When the Bradfords start to fall apart the kids get advice from all sorts.  Lane seeks it out in the head gardener Lizzie King who dated and screwed up with when he married his wife.  Edward gets advice in the way of an old friend's daughter who tries to help Edward even though he's very broken.  Gin does what she can to survive at any rate.

This book reminded me of shows like Dallas with it's ups and downs and just as it's getting good bam the book ends I really hate that but I couldn't put it down it just pulled me in wanting to know what was going to happen next and I'm so glad I got it after buying The Angels' Share so that I can hop back in with the Bradfords to see what is next.

Great writer Ms. Ward is she pulls you in and has you gripping the book hoping it won't end.  But as with any book they do end, and I look forward to what she has to offer next in this trilogy. Next in the series is: 


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Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Happy Holidays and all that

It's that time of year again when we at Community Bookstop wish everyone a Happy Holidays since not everyone celebrates Christmas!  This blog has been very busy this year promoting all sorts of great authors and books.  Here are somethings coming in 2017:


  • More Great Book Tours: Sofie Ryan, Tonya Kappes, Nancy G. West, Tracy Weber,  Nancy J. Cohen, Lynn Cahoon and many more...
  • My great and awesome Coupon for authors and publicists for free publicity what a great treat
  • More Awesome Giveaways
  • Guest Posts
  • Book Spotlights
  • Author Q & A
  • and much much more
If you are stuck on a great gift idea why not consider a incredible cozy mystery they bring a smile to authors and the gift receiver.  There are so many to choose from!  

I hope you and your family and loved ones have a great and safe holiday this season.  Take time to cherish this time you never know what could happen!  I know I will be spending the remainder of the season with my family enjoying Christmas movies, food, and great company along with some great books too!

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Review: All I Want For Christmas is Fudge by: Nancy CoCo

Title: All I Want For Christmas is Fudge
Author: Nancy CoCo
Publisher: Kensington
Series: Candy-Coated #3.5
Pages: 74
Format: Kindle e-book
Source: Personal Purchase


Description:

This Christmas, event planner Jenn Christensen has come back to the winter wonderland of Mackinac Island, Michigan, to race for charity in the Santa Fun Run, rekindle her love for CSI tech Shane Carpenter, and indulge in her BFF Allie McMurphy’s fabulous fudge. But there’s one event she didn’t plan—chasing down a killer. After finding a deceased Santa in a snowbank, she’s shocked to discover the police suspect her of murder. It’s up to Jenn, Allie, and a helpful golden retriever named Marley to catch the killer and find out who’s at the top of the naughty list.

My Thoughts:

This book follows Jenn and Allie as they look into the murder of a Santa and a beautiful dog named Marley. Marley is connected to the murdered victim. Who killed Tim and dumped him on the Santa run? Jenn is also trying to reconnect with Shane. Unsure of where their relationship is left at when Jenn went back to Chicago and hoping Shane wants to be with her. Where will it all lead to?

I enjoyed this story very much it was a great novella to bring readers into this series even if they haven't read other books this one will have you wanting to learn more about the characters offered. I found myself enjoying this series and wanting to learn more about everyone!

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Review: The Christmas List by: Richard Paul Evans

Title: The Christmas List
Author: Richard Paul Evans
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 353
Format: Hardcover
Source: Personal Purchase

Description:

Dear Reader,

When I was in seventh grade, my English teacher, Mrs. Johnson, gave our class the intriguing (if somewhat macabre) assignment of writing our own obituaries. Oddly, I don't remember much of what I wrote about my life, but I do remember how I died: in first place on the final lap of the Daytona 500. At the time, I hadn't considered writing as an occupation, a field with a remarkably low on-the-job casualty rate.

What intrigues me most about Mrs. Johnson's assignment is the opportunity she gave us to confront our own legacy. How do we want to be remembered? That question has motivated our species since the beginning of time: from building pyramids to putting our names on skyscrapers.

As I began to write this book, I had two objectives: First, I wanted to explore what could happen if someone read their obituary before they died and saw, firsthand, what the world really thought of them. Their legacy.

Second, I wanted to write a Christmas story of true redemption. One of my family's holiday traditions is to see a local production of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. I don't know how many times I've seen it (perhaps a dozen), but it still thrills me to see the change that comes over Ebenezer Scrooge as he transforms from a dull, tight-fisted miser into a penitent, "giddy-as-aschoolboy" man with love in his heart. I always leave the show with a smile on my face and a resolve to be a better person. That's what I wanted to share with you, my dear readers, this Christmas -- a holiday tale to warm your season, your homes, and your hearts.

My Thoughts:

This book follows James Kier whose working hard at being a class rate jerk and has lost his way and hurt a bunch of people in his life when he reads his obituary in the paper it's made clear that someone screwed up what is worse is when James goes online and reads the comments some of them really harsh his only defender is his soon to be ex-wife Sara who he left when she got sick with Cancer!

I enjoyed this book so much I couldn't put it down and was glad I got it the story was very similar to a christmas carol James has alot to learn about the true meaning of Christmas and fixing things he did wrong and how some of what he did put other people on their paths whether it be destruction or being as evil as he was.  In the end James learns that trying to make amends is not as simple as one thinks it is.  It's a tough road but if you work at it you can help others.  Totally worth checking out!
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Review: Death on Lily Pond Lane by: Carrie Doyle


Title: Death on Lily Pond Lane
Author: Carrie Doyle
Publisher: Dunemere Books
Series: Hampton Murder Mysteries #2
Pages: 394
Format: Paperback ARC
Source: GEBT

Description:

Springtime in the Hamptons comes late, but it’s worth it! Brisk walks on the bright chilly beach, cinnamon buns at tea time, blooming forsythia and….murder? 

Innkeeper Antonia Bingham has hit her stride as the proprietor of East Hampton’s Windmill Inn. After solving a series of murders, Antonia has taken on more work as an estate manager, giving her entree her into some of the area’s most glamorous homes. Once inside, Antonia checks the heat, looks for leaks or damage, and finds the occasional dead body. As the police can’t be trusted, it’s up to Antonia—a modern day Miss Marple, with an overly enthusiastic adoration of carbs and a kamikaze love-life—to put her skills of deduction to use. Nestle in with a steaming mug of your favorite tea and get ready to peek behind the gates of the mansions of the Hamptons, as Antonia Bingham solves another shocking and devastating murder. 

In the second book of the “Hamptons Murder Mystery” series, bestselling author Carrie Doyle Karasyov (The Right Address; Wolves in Chic Clothing) has brought to life a lovable character with whom readers of all ages will be dying to spend time.

My Thoughts:

This book follows Antonia Bingham whose a innkeeper in the Hamptons she spends her days checking on houses of the rich and famous and running her inn.  When she hears that someone is still staying in one of her houses she goes to let him know he's got to check out when she finds him he's really checked out of life.  Who killed Warner the guy whose been going around town doing a documentary and causing lots of trouble?  Was it one of the people he was interviewing or someone else?

I enjoyed the look into the Hamptons and how they are and how the locals deal with them.  I also enjoyed learning more about Antonia and how she wound up as an innkeeper in the Hamptons!  This book was great and really kept me on the edge of my seat.  Definitely reminds me of those reality shows about the rich and how they live.  Especially adding murder to the mix really kept me entertained.  Can't wait to read the next book in this series!
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Monday, December 12, 2016

Review: Self-Serve Murder by: D.E. Haggerty


Title: Self-Serve Murder
Author: D.E. Haggerty
Publisher: Smashwords
Series: Death by Cupcake #3
Pages: 150
Format: Kindle e-book
Source: GEBT

Description:

Book 3 in the Death by Cupcake series. Can be read as a standalone.

Kristie is kind with a capital K, so it’s quite the surprise when she wakes up next to a dead man with no recollection of the previous night. Even worse? She’s naked. Kristie may be a sweetheart out to save the world, but sticking her nose into an investigation of rapes across campus makes her the target of a murderer. Before she knows it, Callie is smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation with her colleagues Callie and Anna. If that’s not enough to drive a sane person up the wall, a friend has decided he’s going to keep her safe whether she wants him to or not. And, oh yeah, he’s her man and that’s that. 

Come join us at Callie’s Cakes, where murder investigations are on the menu. You are most welcome, but you may need to serve yourself as our barista Kristie is busy trying to save the world. 

Warning: Although there are plenty of moments that will make you shake your head and laugh at the antics of the ladies of Callie’s Cakes, the subject matter – rape on college campuses – is very real and somewhat darker than your usual cozy mystery.

My Thoughts:

This is the third book in Death by Cupcake series and this one follows Kristie who wakes up naked with a dead guy in her bed and totally falling apart trying to piece together the night before! Unfortunately the night before is a bad blur.  Of course the guys Ben and Logan both cops are eager to piece together what happened with Kristie and protect her at the same time.  When Kristie friend's Alex online she learns that there are women out there being attacked at the same college Kristie goes to.  Will they find the murderer in time and is it connected to the attacks at college?

I commend Ms. Haggerty for dealing with tough situations in this book.  This book handles a big issue that happens at college and doesn't make fun or demean the women in this situation but the reality that women face.

This story was great I loved how the women try their best to investigate on their own even if it drives their men nuts.  I loved how Kristie found a great guy even through bad situations.  I really enjoyed this book without it getting weird or really describing the situations in the violence that can occur.

This book is great and worth the read I really hope she comes up with more stories for this series as it's alot of fun and a great quick read that really pulls you in and won't let you go! All I can say is keep on writing and I will keep on reading!
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Book Blast: Self-Serve Murder by: D.E. Haggerty

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Book Blast - Self Serve Murder by D.E. Haggerty

self-serve-murder_cover  
Book Series: Death by Cupcake, Book 3 – can standalone
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Humor
Published: December, 2016
Word count: 43,000
 

Synopsis:

Book 3 in the Death by Cupcake series. Can be read as a standalone.
Kristie is kind with a capital K, so it’s quite the surprise when she wakes up next to a dead man with no recollection of the previous night. Even worse? She’s naked. Kristie may be a sweetheart out to save the world, but sticking her nose into an investigation of rapes across campus makes her the target of a murderer. Before she knows it, Callie is smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation with her colleagues Callie and Anna. If that’s not enough to drive a sane person up the wall, a friend has decided he’s going to keep her safe whether she wants him to or not. And, oh yeah, he’s her man and that’s that.
Come join us at Callie’s Cakes, where murder investigations are on the menu. You are most welcome, but you may need to serve yourself as our barista Kristie is busy trying to save the world.
Warning: Although there are plenty of moments that will make you shake your head and laugh at the antics of the ladies of Callie’s Cakes, the subject matter – rape on college campuses – is very real and somewhat darker than your usual cozy mystery.
  Buy links: Amazon     Smashwords    Barnes and Noble    Kobo   author-photo-2016

Author bio:

I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom's Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Women. When I wasn't flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage, every once in a while, to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. After surviving the army experience, I went back to school and got my law degree. I jumped ship and joined the hubby in the Netherlands before the graduation ceremony could even begin. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. But being a lawyer really wasn’t my thing, so I quit (again!) and went off to Germany to start a B&B. Turns out being a B&B owner wasn’t my thing either. I decided to follow the husband to Istanbul for a few years where I managed to churn out book after book. But ten years was too many to stay away from ‘home’. I packed up again and moved to The Hague where I’m currently working on my next book. I hope I’ll always be working on my next book.

Author links:
  Website: http://dehaggerty.wordpress.com
  Blog: https://dehaggerty.wordpress.com/category/mymusings/
  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dehaggerty
  Twitter: https://twitter.com/denaehaggerty
  Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DEHaggerty/posts
  Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/denahaggerty/
  Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7210211.D_E_Haggerty
  Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/D.E.-Haggerty/e/B00ECQBURU/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_5?qid=1438239628&sr=8-5


December 12:
Book Babble – REVIEW

December 13:
Laura's Interests – REVIEW

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Friday, December 9, 2016

Review: Egg Drop Dead by: Laura Childs


Title: Egg Drop Dead
Author: Laura Childs
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Series: Cackleberry Club Mystery #7
Pages: 336
Format: e-book ARC
Source: NetGalley & GEBT

Description:

In Laura Childs’s New York Times bestselling mystery series, Suzanne, Petra, and Toni—co-owners of the Cackleberry Club Café—are back to track down another bad egg… 

Maintaining good personal relationships with their suppliers is one of the secrets of the Cackleberry Club Café’s success, so Suzanne doesn’t mind going out to Mike Mullen’s dairy farm to pick up some wheels of cheese. She’s looking forward to a nice visit with the mild-mannered farmer before heading back to their hectic kitchen.

But when she arrives, Mike’s nowhere to be found. The moaning of his cows leads her to look in the barn, where she discovers a bloodcurdling sight—the farmer’s dead body. Apparently not everyone was as fond of Mike Mullen as the Cackleberry Club.

Churning with grief and outrage, Suzanne, Petra, and Toni vow to find the farmer’s murderer—but as they get closer to the truth, the desperate killer gets whipped into a frenzy and plans to put the squeeze on them...

My Thoughts:

In this book we meet Suzanne who is over at Mike Mullen's Dairy Farm to pick up some wheels of cheese but can't find Mike anywhere when she enters the past the cows who are distressed she finds Mike in the workshop but he's dead and Suzanne is stunned to find him in such a bad way!  Who wanted to kill Mike Mullen and why?

Add to the mix Julian Elder is trying to sell horse meat in town which is, disgusting so many residents including Suzanne and a young boy named Noah who wants to save the animals.  Add to this Suzanne's friend Toni's husband Junior trying to investigate on  his own.  Which leads to Junior winding up in trouble of his own!

This book was great it was such fun to follow Suzanne and the people that live in town seeing how they all add to Suzanne solving the mystery and I especially liked Noah and how Suzanne was with him when they finally talked.  Such a great mystery for anyone who loves small towns and quirky residents!  Can't wait to see what is next for Suzanne, Toni, Petra, Sam, Noah and everyone else in the Cackleberry Club mysteries!
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Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Book Blitz: Christmas with An Angel by: Debbie Mason



CHRISTMAS WITH AN ANGEL Release Day Blitz Assets

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: CHRISTMAS WITH AN ANGEL: A Short Story
Author: Debbie Mason
Series: Harmony Harbor, #1.5
On Sale: December 6, 2016
Publisher: Forever Yours
eBook: $.99 USD

It's been eight long years since Michael Gallagher has laid eyes on Shay Angel, back when he was a boy from the most prominent family in town and she was a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. But he hadn't cared about their differences—until one bad decision landed her in jail.

That was years ago and now he's back in Harmony Harbor for the holidays. So when Shay goes missing, Michael is intent on finding her—and finding out if their sizzling attraction is still there. But he's now a district attorney, and it looks like Shay is once again on the wrong side of the law.

BUY THE BOOK HERE



THE SERIES

Mistletoe Cottage, #1
Christmas With An Angel, #1.5
Starlight Bride, #2
Primrose Lane, #3



ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debbie Mason is the bestselling author of the Christmas, Colorado and Harmony Harbor series. Her books have been praised for their "likable characters, clever dialogue and juicy plots" (RT Book Reviews). When she isn't writing or reading, Debbie enjoys spending time with her very own real-life hero, three wonderful children, two adorable grandbabies, and a yappy Yorkie named Bella in Ontario, Canada.



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The Series
Series Page on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2dEusLY

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Author Website: http://bit.ly/1tArzDq

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