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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

Dec 9, 2022  
Check out the new updated 2022 version of the romantic suspense mystery novel STOLEN OBSESSION by Marlene M Bell, Author on my blog. Watch the book trailer, and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a Tapestry overnight bag; sterling necklace (handmade in Greece); an autographed copy of the updated 2022 version of the book; and a $50 Amazon gift card.

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2022/12/book-blitz-and-giveaway-stolen.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
PEOPLE DIE, BUT LEGENDS LIVE ON.

Manhattan antiquities appraiser Annalisse Drury dreams of a quiet life on the family farm among the sheep she loves, when her best friend is murdered. The police assume robbery is the motive because her friend’s expensive bracelet is missing. But the 500-year-old artifact is rumored to carry an ancient curse, one that unleashes evil upon any who dare wear the jewelry created for the Persian royal family—and Annalisse believes her friend is the latest victim.

Weeks later, Annalisse sees a necklace matching the stolen bracelet at a gallery opening. Convinced the necklace is part of the deadly collection, Annalisse begs the gallery’s owner to destroy the piece, but her pleas are ignored— despite the unnatural death that occurs during the opening. With two victims linked to the jewelry, Annalisse is certain she must act.

Desperate to keep the gallery owner safe, Annalisse reluctantly enlists the owner’s son to help—even though she’s afraid he’ll break her heart. Wealthy and devastatingly handsome, with a string of bereft women in his wake, Greek playboy Alec Zavos dismisses Annalisse’s concerns—until his parents are ripped from the Zavos family yacht during their ocean voyage near Crete.

Annalisse and Alec race across two oceans to save his mother, feared dead or kidnapped. As time lapses, the killer switches mode and closes in on the man who’s meant for Annalisse with the lifestyle she wants most.

But when it’s her turn as the hunted, will she choose to save Alec and his mother, or sacrifice everything to save herself?

Hold on for a heart-thumping adventure through exotic lands in this fast moving, romantic suspense mystery by Marlene M Bell.
     
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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

Sep 22, 2022  
Need a playlist to listen to while you pack your suitcase? Check out author Carrie Carter Writes' travelogue WHISKERS ABROAD: ASHI AND AUDREY'S ADVENTURES IN JAPAN on my blog as well as a fun playlist from Audrey! Enter the giveaway for a chance to win the eBook and a set of Ashi Stickers!

PS - The Kindle eBook is at a special pre-order price of only $0.99 if you buy it by October 2nd.

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2022/09/book-blog-tour-and-giveaway-whiskers.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
Whiskers Abroad is a lively and charming travelogue featuring a trip to Japan shared by two main characters, Audrey and Ashi, who alternate recounting their versions of events. Audrey, having won the chance to write a magazine article about traveling in Japan, takes along her cat, Ashi. Over the course of a twelve-day trip, the pair visit Tokyo, Wakayama, Shirahama, Kyoto, and Miura Peninsula. Food is of great interest to both, as they sample typical Japanese dishes from ramen to sushi to tuna specialties. They also explore Japanese culture, including food markets, a family farm, temples, and Tokyo nightlife.

Adventures abound, from Audrey losing Ashi in the fish market to Ashi slipping out of the hotel at night to go to a cat café, where he meets an alluring feline. Audrey is still trying to find her place in the universe, while Ashi believes Audrey would sink beneath the waves were he not present to rescue her time and again. Audrey is a dedicated reader of her horoscope, and the prediction for each day offers tantalizing clues as to what’s in store for the pair.

Written by author Carrie Carter and beautifully designed by Stacy Vickers, Whiskers Abroad is both an amusing travel story with unforgettable characters but also a useful guide for tourists going to Japan about such basic travel issues as how to get from the airport to central Tokyo, how to purchase a rail pass, what to visit in Tokyo, and what to eat. Lavishly designed with full-color photographs and arresting page layouts, Whiskers Abroad will delight both your eyes and your sense of adventure.
     
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Thank you to Mills & Boon, for sending me a copy of Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh, and for the opportunity to participate on this blog tour.

Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh is the second book in the Union of the Rakes series. It can be easily read as a standalone though.

<b><i>Synopsis:</i></b>

This is the story of Jessica McGale. Her family business is in need of investors, after it collapses due to a fire. Jessica is determined to acquire investors for her business at any cost. When she realises that London’s elite will never give a chance to a humble farm girl like herself, she does the unthinkable. She poses as “Lady Whitfield” and joins the elite on the table. She especially tries to get close to the Duke of Rotherby, as his influence and support could save her company. But one thing Jess never expected to happen, is to grow feelings for him.

Noel is the carefree and notorious duke, but only his close friends truly know him. When he meets Lady Whitfield at the business bazaar, his world shifts. She makes him want to obey every command she tells, which is something he never imagined doing. He struggles to trust people, but trusting Jess is so easy.

But what happens when the business bazaar is over, and so is the fake portrayal of Lady Whitfield? How do you cope when someone has lied to you, but you want them in your life forever? Read this amazing book to find out!

<b><i>My Thoughts:</i></b>

I was so hooked about this book, and I finished it in two days. While the plot is a bit predictable and it has a Cinderella vibe to it, I still enjoyed it a lot.

I could completely understand where Jess was coming from, and in order to save her business, I don’t think there were any other options, given how much rejection she faced in the first chapters. But as soon as she started developing feelings, she should’ve been honest with Noel. The person in me felt uncomfortable for her every single time she would deliberately put herself in an awkward situation and not tell the truth when she had a chance to. And the business trip to the farm? Oh, that got me biting my nails again. I also understand that continuing with the deception was a crucial part of the plot, to produce the drama that it did, but I am just not a fan of dishonesty.

<b><i>Noel was an amazing character, even though, at times, he seemed like the typical rich boy.</i></b>

I loved the way his relationship with Jess progressed during the couple of days, and how he started opening up. Honestly, I didn’t believe it at first, given that it was based on a lie. I thought that given the fact how much trust issues he had, he could never get past her betrayal. And for me, his way of coping and resolving the issue didn’t fit with his character. I have the feeling that people who are lucky enough to have a high income and live in the elite societies are much more wary of “gold diggers”, and everything Jess does (even though for a good reason), seems to be for her business. So I wouldn’t have blamed him if he reacted in a way more different way and just told her to “bugger off”.

Overall, I enjoyed Would I Lie to the Duke and it was a very pleasurable short read to get me away from reality. I don’t always dive into historical romance, and this was a surprising change that ended on a positive note. Honestly, I am glad that it sparks a debate in my mind and makes me think of “what I would have done” on either side of the relationship. I would have acted very differently. And maybe that’s the reason I’m not married to a duke (yet).
  
The Sunshine Sisters
The Sunshine Sisters
Jane Green | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
6
7.8 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
Ronni Sunshine was not a very good mother. Her career as an actress was always most important to her. But when life throws her a curve ball she isn't expecting, she will call her three daughters home together to try to make up for lost time.

Each daughter dealt with their mother's selfish ways the best way they knew how. Nell, the eldest,was unemotional; Meredith, in the middle, took everything to heart; and Lizzy, the youngest ignored her mother and did whatever she wanted to do anyway. They have all gone on to lead separate lives, and rarely spoke to each other. Their childhood and their relationship with they mother have shaped them into the women they became as women. Nell has lived her life being a mother to her son and running a farm, even though she loves her work and her son, is she really happy? Meredith is engaged to be married and has a great job, but is this the life she envisioned? Lizzy is a celebrity chef and is married with a son, but her life isn't as perfect as it looks from the outside.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I love Jane Green's books. They always send a wave of emotions. This book grabs at your heart strings and makes you feel for these characters How do you reconnect with family when you've been apart for so long. I don't think there has ever been a time when I didn't speak with my mom and my sister. I don't know what I would do if anything would happen to either one of them. The character I most connected with in this story was Meredith. I've always been the type of person to always make sure the people around me are taken care of before I've taken care of myself.

This book immediately makes you think of family and how to stay connected to them. Make sure your relationships are well maintained before it's too late. Life is so short and the next day is not promised to anyone. For those you love, you need to always keep them close so that when they go, as we all will someday, you will not feel as though there was something that you should have or could have done
  
The Dazzling Heights (The Thousandth Floor #2)
The Dazzling Heights (The Thousandth Floor #2)
Katharine McGee | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Thousandth Floor series is Gossip Girl set in a near-future world in which technology is fascinatingly advanced. The Dazzling Heights continues the story and follows the characters in the aftermath of the Thousandth Floor. As this is the sequel, there will be spoilers for the first book in the series but not the second book.

The varied cast of characters from the first book return with the addition of a new girl, Calliope Brown. I liked that the author changed perspective with each chapter because it allowed us to get to know each character better than we would have otherwise. With such a large group, it would have been difficult to achieve otherwise and some of the characters would have been relegated to forgettable, supporting roles.

The events in the Thousandth Floor have hit some of the characters much harder than others. We get to see and experience their emotional rollercoasters as they each try to cope. It was nice to see the continued development and evolution of the characters. Avery is not just the perfect, popular girl who lives on the top floor; Watt is not just the genius with a supercomputer friend; Leda is not just the addict with a penchant for revenge; Rylin is not just the poor kid from a lower floor that got roped into the highliers' lives.

The story takes place almost entirely in the Tower, but that's not a negative for the world building because the locale is like a world itself. The author vibrantly describes various floors and shows how the building houses almost anything imaginable from a farm to a school, parks to gyms, and anything you can think of in between.

The Dazzling Heights also ends with a cliffhanger and leaves you wanting more. The character most involved in the cliffhanger wasn't one that I particularly connected with, so I'm not as impatient to know what happened - but I am to know what happens to the rest of the characters in the aftermath of this new development.

Obviously, you need to read the first book the Thousandth Floor before you continue with this, but I would definitely recommend this series as it is a fun, intriguing, Gossip Girl-esque romp with the 1% set in a world more advanced than our own.