Carries Book Reviews

The Book Club Murders by Leslie Nagel
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Charley Carpenter will go to any lengths to further her clothing store business and drum up more sales. She’s even joined the stuffy Agathas Book Club group made up of the wealthy elite of their small town of Oakwood, Ohio. Although the company is a bit lacking in the club with only her one good friend in the group she does however enjoy the books so vows to stick around for her store.

When a body is found in the small town though the gossip starts flying around rather quickly. Charley finds herself running into an old family friend Detective Marcus Trenault when she keeps finding herself coming up on details that might help his case. But when Charley finds the murderer may have ties to the Agathas she really begins working with the detectives to help solve the case.

The Book Club Murders was a really nice fast paced sort of crossover between a cozy mystery and a mystery/thriller read. The main character in this story does do some investigating on her own like you would find in a cozy mystery but a lot of the book also involves the police investigation that you would find in a normal thriller.

I would warn that for fans of a cozy mystery this one may cross a few lines for readers that are used to a somewhat more clean read that you find in cozies. There’s some language and also a relationship developing in here that I don’t often find in those types of stories but for me I found I rather enjoyed this one being a bit of a mix of both types of books.

Overall, 4.5 stars, a bit of a mix of a cozy and thriller read. Great small town setting, characters and story line.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Terra Nova
Christine Hart
(The Variant Conspiracy Trilogy, #3)
Publication date: September 28th 2016
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Science Fiction

The end of the humanity and an unrecognizable future Earth are now days away. After their first glimpse of the Terra Nova virus, Irina and her variant friends know their former employer’s plans are almost at hand. Their failed attempt to publicize Ivan and Innoviro Industries’ horrific activities has left them utterly reliant on their own wits and weapons.

After surviving a catastrophic earthquake in San Francisco and destroying a secret viral testing facility, Irina’s crew has traveled by a variant portal to London. On the other side of the world, they begin tracking when and where Terra Nova will be unleashed on the world. They know stopping Terra Nova is only the beginning of unraveling Ivan’s plans to reinvent the planet, but if they can’t stop this virus, there will be no one left to save.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Faith appeared with four glowing green drinks in a cup holder tray. Clear plastic cups, lids, and straws let the liquid inside glow through. It looked like something that would spawn ninja turtles. “These are the Incinerator’s own toxic spills. They’re just vodka and sprite with a capful of that crap they put in glow sticks. Did you know you can drink that shit?”

Jonah reluctantly took a plastic cup. “Are you sure we should drink it?”

“It’s not going to kill us. No more so than the alcohol.” Ilya picked up a cup and took a long generous pull on his straw.

I took an experimental sip. It tasted like vodka and sprite. There was a mildly synthetic aftertaste, but nothing toxic. I took another, much larger sip. There it was – the warmth I’d been craving since my shower. I might stand a chance of sleeping tonight after all.

Jonah followed my lead and took a slurp on his straw, pausing to let the liquid do its work. He looked at me with a devilish grin and grabbed my hand, pulling me off to the dance floor. His touch radiated energy into me, right through my skin waking up every cell in my body.

He leaned down and kissed me, running his hands through my hair. His powerful grip felt restrained, as though his mind fought to control his body. The intensity surpassed our first night together. After we had spent so long mocked by his unstable mutation, first hurting me and then nearly killing him, we were both finally stronger than ever.

“I can’t help myself. I need to touch you. I don’t ever want to let you go. We’re going to make up for some lost time tonight.” His lips brushed my ear as he spoke. His fingers traced the line of my neck and it sent shivers down my spine. So much for sleep!

Author Bio:

Located on BC’s beautiful West Coast, I write from my suburban Burnaby home staring at North Vancouver’s iconic Coast Mountains. I love writing about places and spaces with rich history and visually fascinating elements as a backdrop for the surreal and spectacular.

In addition to my undergraduate degree in writing and literature, my background also includes corporate communications and design. I am a current member of the Federation of BC Writers and SF Canada.

When not writing, I have a habit of breaking stuff and making stuff – in that order – under the guise of my Etsy alter-ego Sleepless Storyteller. I share my eclectic home and lifestyle with my husband, baby daughter and preschool son.

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Welcome to the Release Day Celebration for

Operation Tenley by Jennifer Gooch Hummer

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Happy Book Birthday, Jennifer!

Meet Tenley Tylwyth, an Elemental Teen born with the power to produce weather. Cool? Not really. Elementals who can create weather make Mother Nature angry. It’s time she got rid of them. Only one thing is standing in her way—Fair Ones. These ancestors of fairies keep kids like Tenley safe, but when rookie Fair One, Pennie, fails to do so, she’s forced to travel to Earth—a place where no Fair One wants to go. Now, Pennie has forty-eight hours to convince Tenley to give up her power. It won’t be so easy. Tenley’s got a way with wind. And after falling deep into Mother Nature’s gardens, where trees grow upside down and insects attack on command, a little wind might be just what Tenley needs to survive. Even if it kills her.

Operation Tenley (The Fair City Files #1)

by Jennifer Gooch Hummer

Publication Date: September 13, 2016

Publisher: Month9Books

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Mrs. Tylwyth stepped into Tenley’s room. “Actually, it’s a good thing you called. I forgot my catalogues anyway. Have you seen them anywhere?”

“You mean these?” Tenley looked up from the other side of the bed. Two pom-poms made of shredded paper were clutched in her hands. She clapped them together.

“Tenley. You said you had to come home because you ate a bad waffle.” Mrs. Tylwyth crossed her arms and frowned. “I left the store halfway open.”

“I’m sorry, Mom. But I didn’t think you’d let me come home if I told you the truth.”

“Which is?” Mrs. Tylwyth smoothed down the end of Tenley’s bedding before she sat.

“Cheerleading auditions. They’re today and I needed pom-poms. I didn’t want you to have to go buy me some real ones, so I made these. I might even use them in my nail tutorials.”

“Cheerleading? Why would they be holding auditions at the end of the school year?”

It was a little weird, considering it was June. “All I know is that this really cute guy was setting up auditions with Mr. Frimpy and told me I could audition too. Anyway, it’s the perfect place to get more votes.”

“Honey,” Mrs. Tylwyth started.

“Don’t worry, Mom,” Tenley brushed out a pom-pom. “I’m going to get it.”

“This is a small town, Tenley. These teens that you’re watching, the ones that actually get onto the show and win the nominations, they’re from big cities. ANMIT only takes one teen from each state. And these kids have moms and dads who work in big companies where they can get lots of votes, not at their own antique shop. I might only get one or two walk-ins a day, honey, and even though I put your signs up, well, I just don’t want you to be heartbroken.”

“I’m not going to be heartbroken; I’m going to be nominated.” Tenley clapped her pom-poms and stood. “I made these out of your Secret Antique Finds catalogues. I mean, am I inspirational or what?”

“A paper tutu, too?” Mrs. Tylwyth chuckled.

Tenley swiveled her hips. “Cool, huh?”

“How did you know how to make all that?”

“YouTube, Mom. DIY.”

Mrs. Tylwyth couldn’t help but look impressed.

“So you’re not mad at me?”

“No, I’m still mad, Tenley. And you’ll have to pay me back for those catalogues. But you are pretty clever.”

“Can you take me back to school now please?”

“Let’s go.” Mrs. Tylwyth walked to the door. “I hope this rain stops soon or I’m afraid you’ll be wearing a soggy ball of paper for a tutu.”

“It won’t rain on us,” Tenley said glancing out the window confidently. “I promise.”

Jennifer Gooch Hummer is the award-winning author and screenwriter of her debut novel, Girl Unmoored (SparkPress). Girl Unmoored has also been published in German (Carlsen). Jennifer has worked as a script analyst for various talent agencies and film studios. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three daughters.

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The Sweetheart Deal
Allison Morse
Publication date: June 5th 2015
Genres: Adult, Historical, Romance

Some people think Ellen Hamilton, the business savvy daughter of the largest employer in town, is too big for her britches. After all it’s the 1950s and women have no place running factories. But when the Hamilton company is threatened with takeover by John Adair, the man who broke her heart and was run out of town years ago, the game is on. Has Ellen met her match? Or, will this time be different and will Ellen win everything—including the handsome and mysterious John.

Goodreads / Amazon / Wild Rose Press / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

Nancy leaned toward her and whispered, “Isn’t John Adair handsome? Don’t you think he looks like that movie star Burt Lancaster?”

Ellen choked slightly. “No, not really.”

“John lives near Hollywood, you know,” Nancy said, her eyes alight. “Near the ocean!”

Ellen nodded politely. Even Boris Karloff would seem dreamy to Nancy if he could be her ticket out of Pitney.

“So, tell,” Nancy said.

“What?”

“Did you know him?” Nancy’s eyes widened. “I mean, when he worked for your dad.”

“I, ah…” Ellen patted down her dress’s exaggerated puff at her hips. “Yes, sure.”

The man himself strode to the dance floor with Ellen’s mother. Ellen’s throat tightened, and her pulse beat like a conga drum. Swallowing hard, she commanded her body to behave. It didn’t.

Damn. She was hardly some school girl to go all gooey at the sight of him.

Ellen had to admit she was impressed by the elegant way John led her mother around the dance floor, a skill he wouldn’t have learned on a farm or in a factory. His transformation from the boy she had known was complete. He was now perfectly groomed, his wavy red hair tamed by a generous application of pomade, his bulky shoulders filling up the black tuxedo jacket. He had made it. Good for him. But she prickled with irritation. Why did he have to come back?

John continued to whirl her mother around the dance floor. When the waltz was over, he escorted her straight to Ellen. Her mother withdrew a lace handkerchief from her beaded wrist purse and delicately fanned her face with it, as if it were the 1850s, not 1950s. Nancy arched her back slightly as John approached. Ellen crossed her arms.

Apparently oblivious to Nancy, he said, “Hi, Ellie. I was just telling your mother how much I appreciate the effort your family has made to welcome me here tonight.”

Ellen gave him a perfunctory glance, but then her breath caught. Shoot! Just the sight of him did that to her, as well as other reactions in her lower region she was trying to ignore.

It wasn’t just his broad shoulders or his handsome, rugged face that made her react. She’d been around plenty of attractive men. But John had an intensity of expression that had almost knocked her flat the first time she met the young factory worker, who spent his off hours, unbelievably, at the library. As she looked at his once much loved face, she saw he still had that effect on her. But that could be controlled. She’d will it to be so.

Her expression flat, her voice a monotone, she said, “Riesel Lang is an important distributor of Hamilton products.”

John scanned the room. “Quite a gathering. It almost matches the effort I know your family made with my departure.” Acid dripped from his words, which made no sense. What right did he have to be angry? After all, he was the one who had hurt her and jeopardized the family business.

“Oh, really?” Daisy perked up. “I don’t recall a party for you before.”

Author Bio:

Allison lives with her husband in a house in the hills that’s filled with books. The Sweetheart Deal is Allison’s debut novel. The Wild Rose Press will be releasing her second novel, a gothic mystery set in Hollywood entitled Fallen Star in September 2016.

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Welcome to the Release Day Celebration for

Poppy Mayberry, The Monday by Jennie K. Brown

presented by Tantrum Books/Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Happy Book Birthday, Jennie!

What if your teacher could read your mind just because she was born on a Thursday? Or the kid next to you in class could turn back the clock just because he was a ‘Wednesday”? In the quirky town of Nova, all of this is normal, but one thing is not—Poppy Mayberry. As an almost-eleven-year-old Monday, she should be able to pass notes in class or brush her dog, Pickle, without lifting a finger. But her Monday telekinesis still has some kinks, and that plate of spaghetti she’s passing may just end up on someone’s head. And if that’s not hard enough, practically perfect Ellie Preston is out to get her, and Principal Wible wants to send her to remedial summer school to work on her powers! It’s enough to make a girl want to disappear…if only she were a Friday.

Poppy Mayberry, The Monday

by Jennie K. Brown

Publication Date: September 13, 2016

Publisher: Tantrum Books

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The first time I knew for sure I was a Monday was sitting in one of Mrs. Flannagan’s boring English lessons last year in fourth grade. She wanted to know if anyone could tell her the difference between smiles and meteors (that’s what it looked like when I glanced at the board).

Of course, there was no way I could have possibly known the answer because I hadn’t been paying attention. Mark Masters had been picking at his nose for like the last ten minutes, and that always distracted me a little. Total gross fest. Mark’s in my class again this year and I feel sorry for him. Not because he still picks his nose, which he does, but because he is a Saturday. And Saturdays don’t have any special powers.

“Who can tell me?” Mrs. Flannagan asked for the third time now, pushing her bright purple glasses up her bulbous nose. Her face grew pinker by the second.

From the corner of my eye I watched Ellie Preston’s perfect little manicured hand shoot up. She always has the right answers. That’s because she’s a Thursday. And Thursdays read minds. Once, I thought that I wanted to be one too, but decided it would get exhausting always being in other people’s thoughts. Plus, I wouldn’t want to share Thursday with Ellie. I’d rather be forced to spend my evenings at Power Academy, or eat fried cockroaches with anchovy sauce. Yuck. Heck, I’d rather be a Saturday.

Jennie K. Brown is a high school English teacher by day, freelance magazine writer by night, and middlegrade/young adult author by late-night and weekend. When she isn’t teaching or writing, Jennie can be found reading a good book, traveling, or spending time with her awesome husband, amazing son and super-spoiled yorkie.In 2010, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) named Jennie the Pennsylvania English teacher of excellence, and she currently serves as President of the Pennsylvania Council for Teachers of English and Language Arts (PCTELA). She is also an active member of SCBWI, NCTE and ALAN.

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