Category: iRead Book Tours

April 1, 2019

The High Court Book Review

In a race against time and beasts, Zeus and his friends must find a way to survive not only the toxin ravaging Zeus’ body, but also the giants who grow stronger after every attack, and somehow make it to The High Court alive.

About The High Court

High atop Mount Olympus, as dawn breaks on a new academic term, normalcy returns to campus following a harrowing expedition into The Underworld to rescue kidnapped students.

Zeus and his fellow Olympians now prepare to testify in The High Court where Hyperion will be tried for the attack on Crete and death of Anytos and Kronos will stand trial for the murder of MO Prep’s Headmaster Ouranos.

As the trial draws near, the MO Prep students and faculty are besieged repeatedly by a race of gargantuan stone and earth giants. Under heavy assault, the Olympians are forced to flee to the volcanic island of Limnos to regroup. Meanwhile, a toxic poison Zeus has carried with him since a prior fight with a dragoness creeps toward his brain.

My Thoughts

This is the exciting sequel in this new series by Chris Ledbetter. I could not put this book down as I had to know what happens next to our young heroes.

In this book, we have our young heroes and future Olympians that we all know and love, preparing to testify in The High Court against Hyperion and Kronos for the crimes that they committed in the first book. The book jumps in where the story left off, so I would strongly suggest reading the first in this series (you can find my review here).

If you thought our characters would get an easy ride – no way. They face struggle after struggle in this book. It seems that someone would do anything to stop them from reaching The High Court to stand against Hyperion and Kronos. Enemies are at every turn and it is hard to know who to trust. They face multiple challenges with strength, wisdom and resilience. When it looks as though they may fall apart, they rally around each other and protect each other.

I loved the character development in this book. We are getting to really know and understand what makes each of the Olympians tick and how they developed into the Gods we know. Zeus is becoming the leader and I love watching him grow in maturity and wisdom. He constantly puts the needs of others ahead of his own. I am excited to see where the third installment will take this young group.

This is a perfect book for young adults and adults alike as you will enjoy the suspense, challenge and humour throughout.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Ebay and Indiebound.

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

Chris Ledbetter is an award-winning author of short fiction and novels for young adults. “Jason’s Quest,” a short story retelling of the Jason and Medea Greek myth was published in the anthology, Greek Myths Revisited. His first full-length novel, Drawn earned him two awards, Library of Clean Reads Best YA 2015 and Evernight Publishing Readers’ Choice Award Best YA 2015, as well as a USATODAY “Must Read” recommendation. His second novel, Inked, concludes that duology. The Sky Throne is his newest young adult novel.

He’s a proud member of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) and a strong supporter of the Need for Diverse Books. He now writes and lives in Wilmington, NC with his family, including three cats.

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

March 18, 2019

From An-Other Land Spotlight

From An-Other Land dives deep into immigration today for the diaspora and its many facets with characters who seek to define themselves in an intercultural setting that is less and less sure of itself.

About From An-Other Land

Never has been the conversation on immigration more pertinent than now, post 2016 US elections. From cancellation of refugee protection and zero tolerance to undercurrent crackdown on H visas to the border wall – the resurgence of nationalism is hitting the globalized population head-on.

But what is immigration today? A question of life or death – fleeing of persecution? A compulsion? Or a mere pursuance of privilege? And what is the US today? A land of opportunities? Or a quagmire impossible to comprehend, inherently racist and selfish?

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author

Tanushree Ghosh works in Tech and has a Doctorate in Chemistry from the Cornell University. She is also a social activist and writer. Her blog posts, op-eds, poems, and stories are in effort to provoke thoughts, especially towards issues concerning women and social justice.

She is a contributor (past and present) to several popular e-zines (incl. The Huffington Post US, The Logical Indian, Youth Ki Awaaz, Tribune India, Women’s Web, and Cafe Dissensus). Her literary resume includes poems and stories featured in national and international magazines (Words Pauses and Noises, UK; TUCK, Glimmer Train Honorable mention) as well as inclusion in seven anthologies such as Defiant Dreams (Oprah 2016 reading list placeholder) and The Best Asian Short Stories 2017 (published out of Singapore by Kitaab). Her first single author book, From An-Other Land is on immigration.

She has held different leadership roles in non-profits (ASHA and AID India) and is the founder and director of Her Rights (www.herrights.website), a 501(3) c non-profit committed to furthering the cause of gender equality. She is often an invited speaker or panelist for both corporate and non-profit endeavors.

Connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

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March 4, 2019

Trials and Trails Book Review

Through trials along their trails, LeRoy and Johnny B transform people they meet, brand the world a better place, and reap the benefits.

About Trials and Trails

With a past of slavery and compliance, LeRoy has learned to pick his battles carefully. Johnny B, a quick-tempered Sioux, is still learning to control his anger. When dangerous circumstances bond them together, the pair learn to navigate Reconstruction Era America and all its prejudices. They save an innocent man from hanging, reunite two old friends, assist in an honorable death for an elder Indian, and discover their worth as they steadily assimilate self-respect into their lives.

From Jim Halverson’s debut novel comes a tale of adventure, purpose, and the pursuit of self-actualization. Cowboys and psychology ride hand in hand, traveling a journey from living life on the edge to finding a place of belonging, joy, vulnerability, and distinction. Through trials along their trails, LeRoy and Johnny B transform people they meet, brand the world a better place, and reap the benefits.

My Thoughts

In this novel, we are introduced to two characters whose pasts seem so different but at the same time they are so much alike as they try to make a way in a world that just doesn’t quite accept them yet.

LeRoy is a past slave who carries the scars of his past with him. He is quite and gentle, puts a lot of thought into his words and has a good heart. He is slow to anger and has learned to pick his battles carefully. In contrast, Johnny B is Sioux who witnessed the death of his family and was raised by a white family. He was left on his own when the man who took him passed away and this man’s wife could no longer care for him. He is quick to anger and doesn’t tend to hold back his feelings.

The two are making their way through the West in the 1870s and are met with racism, hurtful comments and distrust. Throughout this, they stay true to their morals, beliefs and values. They are two genuine, good hearted men who care about others around them regardless of what has happened to them. They face misconceptions head on in a respectful manner and command respect from these same individuals with their determination, kindness, knowledge and respect for others.

This is a feel good novel full of life lessons for those reading the novel and a reminder to us that at the end of the day we are all the same and to treat each other with respect and kindness.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Jim Halverson grew up in the rural, gold-mining town of Mokelumne Hill, CA and received his MBA from Golden Gate University. He spent part of his life on a ranch and is an avid student of psychology. He recognizes the struggles of all men and women seeking equality and respect. Jim and his wife, Gail, spend their time traveling from their small farm in Forestville, CA.

The Giveaway!

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

February 11, 2019

The Chef’s Secret Spotlight

With luscious prose that captures the full scale of the sumptuous feasts for which Scappi was known, The Chef’s Secret serves up power, intrigue, and passion, bringing Renaissance Italy to life in a delectable fashion.

About The Chef’s Secret

A captivating novel of Renaissance Italy detailing the mysterious life of Bartolomeo Scappi, the legendary chef to several popes and author of one of the bestselling cookbooks of all time, and the nephew who sets out to discover his late uncle’s secrets—including the identity of the noblewoman Bartolomeo loved until he died.

When Bartolomeo Scappi dies in 1577, he leaves his vast estate—properties, money, and his position—to his nephew and apprentice Giovanni. He also gives Giovanni the keys to two strongboxes and strict instructions to burn their contents. Despite Scappi’s dire warning that the information concealed in those boxes could put Giovanni’s life and others at risk, Giovanni is compelled to learn his uncle’s secrets. He undertakes the arduous task of decoding Scappi’s journals and uncovers a history of deception, betrayal, and murder—all to protect an illicit love affair.

As Giovanni pieces together the details of Scappi’s past, he must contend with two rivals who have joined forces—his brother Cesare and Scappi’s former protégé, Domenico Romoli, who will do anything to get his hands on the late chef’s recipes.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, Kobo, iTunes and Google Play.

About the Author

Crystal King is an author, culinary enthusiast, and marketing expert. Her writing is fueled by a love of history and a passion for the food, language, and culture of Italy. She has taught classes in writing, creativity, and social media at several universities including Harvard Extension School and Boston University, as well as at GrubStreet, one of the leading creative writing centers in the US.

A Pushcart Prize–nominated poet and former co-editor of the online literary arts journal Plum Ruby Review, Crystal received her MA in critical and creative thinking from UMass Boston, where she developed a series of exercises and writing prompts to help fiction writers in medias res. She resides in Boston but considers Italy her next great love after her husband, Joe, and their two cats, Nero and Merlin. She is the author of Feast of Sorrow.

You can connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

Enter to win in a grand prize package of 2 paperback books by Crystal King (Feast of Sorrow and The Chef’s Secret) and a $25 Amazon GC (1 winner) or you could win a paperback copy of The Chef’s Secret (5 winners) here.

February 4, 2019

A Postmodern Love

Have you ever fallen in love and then had not just your life but your conception of life altered forever?

About A Postmodern Love

Have you ever fallen in love and then had not just your life but your conception of life altered forever? Come and find out more in A POSTMODERN LOVE, a contemporary adult novel–romance, noire, psychological suspense.

In the end, a man is shot through the heart. Another man is driven to the edge of madness. Caught between them is Lana Fauves, a beautiful, intelligent woman, but one who is haunted by her past and the loss of her true love, a musical genius. In this fast-paced novel–romance, thriller, and noire–Thomas Wilde, a doctor and veteran of the Iraq War, will stop at nothing to win over the woman he has desperately fallen in love with. But amid the machinations of the modern world, will he find true love, or only heartache, deception, and murder?

My Thoughts

In this novel we are introduced to Thomas Wilde, a successful ENT physician working in LA. He has quite the past having been to Iraq and returning home not quite the same as when he left. He had been married in the past but his marriage failed due to multiple reasons. He does not seem to have a strong relationship with family and we can see throughout the novel that he has an obsessive personality, which has gotten him in trouble in the past.

Lana, our other main character and Thomas’ obsession, is much more difficult to read. She is mysterious, manipulative, secretive and has many layers to both her history and personal life. Throughout the novel, I never knew quite what I should expect from her or what she would do next.

Thomas meets her by chance and she becomes an instant obsession for him. He has to know her, to speak to her and to help her. She brings out this different side to him, a side that will stop at nothing to reach his end goal. He is met with obstacle after obstacle and as we turn each page, we unravel more ghosts from Lana’s past. What starts off as an innocent attraction quickly dives into a world of lust, money, power, obsession and murder.

This is a well written novel that I enjoyed from start to finish. Lana’s story and her developing relationship with Thomas was a bit hard to follow at times but this is in line with her personality. She only reveals what others need to know when they need to know (or if she wants you to know) and this is how the novel read. I truly enjoyed every minute and didn’t want to put this novel down in fear of missing something.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

Nick Totem has been a practicing physician for more than a decade, and he has been writing all his life. He combined real experience in medicine with a love for writing to create compelling fiction.

The Giveaway!

Enter here to win an Amazon gift card: https://goo.gl/NVa5Hy

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.