Archive for May 23, 2023

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Copper Waters: A New Zealand Cottage Mystery
(Annalisse Series)
by Marlene Bell

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Copper Waters: A New Zealand Cottage Mystery (Annalisse Series)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – New Zealand – South Island
Ewephoric Publishing (October 7, 2022)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 342 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0999539493
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0999539491
Digital Print Length ‏ : ‎ 280 pages
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BL42NBFY

A rural New Zealand vacation turns poisonous.

Antiquities expert Annalisse Drury and tycoon Alec Zavos are at an impasse in their relationship when Alec refuses to clear up a paternity issue with an ex-lover.

Frustrated with his avoidance when their future is at stake, Annalisse accepts an invitation from an acquaintance to fly to New Zealand—hoping to escape the recent turbulence in her life.

But even Annalisse’s cottage idyll on the family sheep farm isn’t immune to intrigue.

Alec sends a mutual friend and detective, Bill Drake, to follow her, and a local resident who accompanies them from the Christchurch airport dies mysteriously soon after. A second violent death finds Annalisse and Bill at odds with the official investigations.

The local police want to close both cases as quickly as possible—without unearthing the town’s dirty secrets.

As she and Bill pursue their own leads at serious cost, the dual mysteries force Annalisse to question everything she thought she knew about family ties, politics, and the art of small-town betrayal.

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MY REVIEW

I wonder if Analisse and Alec will finally seal the deal and get married. It seems Annalisse is wondering that also. Needing a break from the stress of it all, she heads to New Zealand to visit a family friend at his sheep ranch. Not able to go along, Alec sends his friend Bill Drake to accompany her on the flight. She’s no fan of flying and he’s proved handy when things go sideways. Which they quickly do.

Not one but two deaths occur and Annalise and Bill are right in the thick of it. Not exactly suspects, their help isn’t desired and in now way do the residents or authorities want them digging into things. The way ahead is going to be tricky and dangerous.

It’s been a whole lot of fun getting to know these characters. No many different personalities. And so many secrets and obstacles to overcome. I enjoyed each book as much as the other and would be quite happy if more were to come.

4 STARS

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About Marlene M. Bell

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Marlene M. Bell is an eclectic mystery writer, artist, photographer, and she raises sheep on a ranch in wooded East Texas with her husband, Gregg.

Marlene’s Annalisse series boasts numerous honors including the Independent Press Award for Best Mystery (Spent Identity,) and FAPA— Florida Author’s President’s Gold Award for two other installments, (Stolen Obsession and Scattered Legacy.) Her mysteries with a touch of romantic suspense are found at her websites or at online retail outlets.

She also offers the first of her children’s picture books, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! Based on true events from the Bell’s ranch. The simple text and illustrations are a touching tribute of compassion and love between a little girl and her lamb.

Author Links: Website / Twitter / Bookbub / Goodreads / Instagram

Facebook Author Page / Facebook Personal Page

Purchase Links – AmazonBarnes & Noble

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

May 22 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

May 22 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

May 22 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

May 23 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

May 23 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

May 24 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST

May 24 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

May 25 – I Read What You Write – AUTHOR GUEST POST

May 25 – Indie Author Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

May 26 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT  

May 26 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 27 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

May 27 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

May 28 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 29 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

May 29 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Angelbound organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Christina M Bauer will be awarding cute enamel book pins to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Angelbound

by Christina Bauer

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Synopsis

***Special Anniversary Edition With Bonus Story: Walker’s Love Connection***

Eighteen-year-old Myla Lewis is a girl who loves two things: kicking ass and kicking ass. She’s not your every day quasi-demon, part-demon and part-human, girl.

For the past five years, Myla has lived for the days she gets to fight in Purgatory’s arena. When souls want a trial by combat for their right to enter Heaven or Hell, they go up against her, and she hasn’t lost a battle yet. But as she starts her senior year at Purgatory High, the arena fights aren’t enough to keep her spirits up anymore. When the demons start to act weird, even for demons, and the King of the Demons, Armageddon, shows up at Myla’s school, she knows that things are changing and it’s not looking good for the quasi-demons.

Myla starts to question everything, and doesn’t like the answers she finds.

What happened seventeen years ago that turned the quasi-demons into slave labor? Why was her mom always so sad? And why won’t anyone tell her who her father is? Things heat up when Myla meets Lincoln, the High Prince of the Thrax, a super sexy part-human and part-angel demon hunter. But what’s a quasi-demon girl to do when she falls for a demon hunter? It’s a good thing that Myla’s not afraid of breaking a few rules. With a love worth fighting for, Myla’s going to shake up Purgatory.

Angelbound Origins Audiobooks

1. Angelbound
2. Scala
3. Acca
4. Thrax
5. The Dark Lands
6. The Brutal Time
7. Armageddon

Enjoy this peek inside:

The Choker’s eyes slowly scan me from head to toe, his creepy gaze lingering on the curves under my t-shirt and sweats. Rage shoots up my spine. What a scumbag. If he stopped thinking with his pants for two seconds, he’d notice my demon tail instead of my boobs and butt. Some quasis get stuck with pig- or bunny-bottoms, but I hit the jackpot: the long and thin variety with an arrowhead end. Even better, it’s coated in dragon scales, so the thing’s nearly impossible to block or cut.

But the Choker isn’t being smart. He stares into my big watery brown eyes and long lashes; I shamelessly blink in fake-terror. For trial by combat to be valid, the soul must have a chance at winning. They get three options, two of which are relatively easy to defeat. Then, there’s me, the one nobody should pick. Except they always do.

“I choose her.” His thick mouth stretches into a vicious smile. “I’ll fight Myla.” In a low voice, he adds: “You’ll find out why they call me the Choker.”

I jam my hands in my pockets and fake-shiver. And you’ll find out why they called me to fight you, dickhead.

Sharkie thumps his staff on the ground again, and the ghostly Choker turns into two-hundred fifty pounds of real human. “So be it.”

“Here are the rules,” announces Sharkie. “Upon the count of three, you shall battle onto the death. If the Choker loses, he goes to Hell.” The angels look at me with encouraging glances. “If the Choker wins, he goes to Heaven.” The demons let out a deafening roar.

I watch the demons cheer, my hands balling into fists. Those freakies would love for a purely evil soul to enter Heaven. If a spirit has even a smidgeon of good in it, they ‘go angel’ once they cross the pearly gates. A purely evil soul could cause no end of trouble for the angels, and demons love trouble.

The crowd quiets into a nervous hush. Sharkie waves his hand; Sheila, Walker, and XP-22 make a hasty exit into an obliging archway. I hop from foot to foot and crack my neck. This will be a hoot.

Sharkie raises his arms. “The battle begins in 3, 2, 1!”

About Author Christina Bauer:

Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter.

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Amazon

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.