Category: iRead Book Tours

May 15, 2018

The Dan Diaries Book Review

In The Dan Diaries, Dan Sullivan was the best friend of Olivia Henry when his life was taken in a tragic car accident. Shocked to be on the other side, Dan navigates his way by learning his new role in eternal life.

About The Dan Diaries

Dan Sullivan was the best friend of Olivia Henry when his life was taken in a tragic car accident. Shocked to be on the other side, Dan navigates his way by learning his new role in eternal life. His first assignment is as Olivia’s guardian angel. He has the crucial role of guiding her to her pre-defined destiny. Dan’s death throws Olivia into a tail-spin which causes her to veer way off course. He understands the enormity of the challenge when he hears the mechanism by which he can communicate. He’s only allowed to use signs and symbols to get her attention and cannot interfere with her free-will.

Every time he thinks he’s close, something throws her off track. He’s forced to start over by convincing her to trust in their enduring, unbreakable bond. Olivia can feel Dan’s presence but is still reluctant to believe the messages he’s sending. She is fearful of falling in love again at the risk of losing another soul mate. Can Dan persuade her to trust in his love from afar so she can finally receive the happiness she truly deserves?

My Thoughts

I loved the Beyond Series and this book gives a different angle for readers – Dan’s view instead of Olivia’s journey (although Olivia plays a huge role in this book as well).

The book starts off with Dan’s accident and transition – we feel his pain and confusion but being who he is, his worry is for his family and Olivia. He doesn’t want his death to permanently destroy the people he loves, which sometimes a death can do especially when someone so young is taken, we struggle with the whys and unfinished dreams. He is tasked with a very important mission, to help Olivia learn to believe again but it comes with a set of rules set out by God.

Dan has to come up with ways to reach out to Olivia (Hank) without it being direct. He uses unique ways to reach out to her – their favourite songs, a waiter with the same name and so on. While Olivia may not believe in the beginning she begins to realize that her best friend is still there with her and looking out for her like he did when he was alive.

I really liked this angle of the book having read the other books in this series. It helps fill the gaps of the important relationship the two had and how connected they were. It fills in a lot of information on Dan and his personality. If you loved the other books in this series – this one is a definite must read.

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

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

D.D. Marx is a contemporary romantic fiction writer and blogger. Marx is a graduate of the University of Dayton, as well as the Second City program in Chicago, where she currently resides. A proud aunt and self-described hopeless romantic, Marx has always had a knack for humorous and engaging storytelling. Her pen name is a dedication to her beloved friend Dan, who continues to guide and inspire her in her daily life.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

April 23, 2018

A Penny Lost Book Review

In A Penny Lost, Penny searches for answers, she must fight to survive the tragedies of both the past and future in order to get back home.

About A Penny Lost

Penelope Grace, usually forgotten under the shadow of her twin sister’s perfection, tries her hardest to hide her freakish ability to see into anyone’s soul.

Until she senses an unusual energy like a human-shaped void in the universe. When Penny investigates the source, she gets tossed through a crack in time along with the cute boy next door. The Void follows them through history, increasing the dangers as if testing Penny. But what is it testing for? And why does it claim to know her better than even she knows herself? Even as Penny searches for answers, she must fight to survive the tragedies of both the past and future in order to get back home.

My Thoughts

This book is an exciting adventure that follows Penny as she travels back and forward in time in order to stop the mysterious Void that has taken her through a crack in time and the mysterious boy next door who was hosting the Void in his basement.

Penny is an exceptional young lady who has the ability to see into a person’s soul and see auras. Her family doesn’t believer her not even her twin sister. Penny has always felt out-of-place and forgotten especially beside her twin. When she is sucked into the Void along with her neighbour she learns that her powers become even stronger as she is able to control the Void, open doors in time and use her powers to protect herself and the boy whose name he can not remember.

This was an interesting plot that was constantly evolving and changing as the story continued on. The two young children are forced to travel back and forwards in time in order to solve the mystery of the Void, end the darkness and return them home to their own time. Every time they seem to be a step closer, the Void ensures they are a few steps behind again. You are left wondering is the Void really bad or is Penny altering time for the worse? Who is really in charge in this time travelling adventure and what is the ultimate goal? What roles do each of them play? While we receive some of the answers by the end of the book, it leaves you needing to know more especially when the Boy remembers what he had forgotten.

This book is a great read for young adults who will love the adventure and constantly evolving plot. You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Aspen Bassett works at a library, telling stories and suggesting books. When she’s not working, she’s usually sipping hot cocoa and wondering what would happen if she had superpowers. She’s been published in multiple anthologies including Oomph: A Little Super Goes a Long Way and Inaccurate Realities.

Aspen grew up learning about chakras and auras and the true power of imagination which slips into her writing whether she intend it to or not. In college, when she wasn’t busy working on her degree in Creative Writing, Aspen also got her certificate in Women’s Meditation (basically general energy work).

Now, she’s working toward a diploma in Integrated Healing Arts with a certificate in Hypnotherapy.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

April 9, 2018

Ralphie, Always Loved Spotlight

Ralphie, Always Loved is the story of the life, love, and adventures of a beloved family dog, and how he delighted and touched his family and everyone he met.

About Ralphie, Always Loved

This is the story of the life, love, and adventures of a beloved family dog, and how he delighted and touched his family and everyone he met.

Ralphie was born with a heart on his belly.
He loves food, his family, his friends, his neighbors.
He loves pretty much everything and everyone.
And they love him back.
And that’s how it is all through his life.
Read the book and fall in love with him too.

Rambunctious and hyperactive, Ralphie had already been returned to the animal shelter three times, but when Andrea and her husband adopted him and gave him a loving home where he was understood, accepted, and taught, he learned fast. As Ralphie’s human family grew, so did his capacity for love and the ways he could express it. He remained a loving and beloved family member who touched the hearts of the whole neighborhood until he was ready to say goodbye at the grand-old age of sixteen. Ralphie, Always Loved will remind you of all that is good, and reaffirm your belief in love’s power to uplift and transform.

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

About the Author

Andrea has always been an avid reader and that jumpstarted her imagination at a very early age. In fact she escaped to the Land of Make Believe more often than her mother liked.

She is a former marketing professional who is a mom to kids both with and without fur. Andrea says that it helps to have one foot planted firmly in reality while the other is foot loose and fancy free in Imagination Land. She enjoys the best of both worlds.

In 2013, Andrea and her husband started About Something Good (ASG) as a vehicle to curate, inspire and share goodness in the world. In a world where negative images flood the media, and words like “hate” get tossed around so easily, Andrea felt she needed a space that encouraged and focused on the words like “love” and the beauty that is life. Andrea is committed to finding the good in everything, and believes: that a sense of belonging to someone’s heart is what makes us feel complete, that kindness goes a long way, and that keeping your mind and heart open can help when things happen that you don’t understand.

Andrea lives in New Jersey with her husband and children. You can connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Question and Answer with Andrea

Q: How did you come up with the character of Ralphie?

A: Ralphie is based on my real-life dog named Ralphie. He was a rescue dog, and we were his fourth and forever family. Ralphie was a character: full of life and love, and always up to something. He made us laugh and stressed us out by “exploring the neighborhood” on a regular basis. Thankfully we always found him and brought him home. He was always underfoot, demanding attention and treats and never giving up till he got some. Ralphie loved everyone he ever met. He was an amazing dog and was very, very loved.

Q: But he’s no longer with you?

A: Ralphie passed away in October 2016, from cancer. He was diagnosed at age sixteen and was unable to be treated in any of the traditional ways. He lived for three months after he was diagnosed, and those are some of my most treasured memories. I will always love my Ralphie.

Q: Why did you write a picture book?

A: Ralphie had a very animated face. It’s almost like you could tell what he was thinking by looking at him. When it came time to writing his story, it was easy for me to visualize it in picture form, and that is why a picture book made sense to me. Picture books also have a way of eliciting emotions from children and the parents who read the books to them. I think any parent who has loved and lost a dog would understand the story on a deeper level and be able to associate with the book.

Q: How did you come up with the idea for the story?

A: I always wrote little stories about Ralphie. When I had children, I told them those stories. As Ralphie got older, I felt the need to make his story official and enduring, so I decided to write an actual book. The beginning of the book was pure imagination, based on the real-life Ralphie’s actual markings. The rest of the book was based on what actually happened. The ending was shaped by the fact that Ralphie’s long life was coming to an end, and I wanted a chance for closure. Also, the way the book ends, the reader can assume that Ralphie is still with us or that he is back up with the angels, painting clouds.

Q: Would you consider yourself to be a dog person?

A: I am definitely a dog person. I have rarely if ever met a dog I didn’t like. Over the past twenty years I have been a dog mom, and it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

Q: Rescue or buy?

A: There is no real right answer; to each his own. However, I am a proponent of rescuing. There are so many dogs abandoned in shelters around the world, not to mention strays who could enrich any home. When you rescue, you save a life; you give hope and love a chance. I would always rescue. I hope everyone who is considering getting a new puppy would consider it too.

Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour, I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

April 2, 2018

ICE Book Review

Lauren Carr has added a new series with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, ICE.

About ICE

The clues for a close-to-the-heart missing person’s case heat up when Chris Matheson starts chipping away at the ice on the cold case.

When Sandy Lipton and her unborn child disappear, the court of public opinion finds young Chris Matheson guilty. Decades later, the retired FBI agent returns home to discover that the cloud of suspicion cast over him and his family has never lifted. With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris Matheson starts chipping away at the ice on this cold case to uncover what had happened to Sandy and her baby and the clues are getting hot.

My Thoughts

Lauren spins an amazing web of lies, murder and love that will have you on the edge of your seat.

In this story, a young woman who has a fascination with Chris Matheson states he is the Father of her unborn child. While some know the truth, before he can prove his innocence with a DNA test both Sandy and her unborn child disappear never to be heard from again. Even after years of a successful career in the FBI, a marriage that did not quite work out and being the Father of a group of smart young ladies, this incident is still hovering over him like a dark cloud.

When he returns home after the death of his wife to give his daughters some normalcy, he is drawn to a group of former law enforcement officers who have retired but still love the thrill of solving a case. This group has a wide range of shockingly amazing skills! They assist him with this cold case that as they begin to unravel the case, leaves you shocked and in horror. We follow a story of deceit, betrayal, murder and family lies. These events from the past lead into a string of current deaths in an interesting twist that constantly leaves you guessing to who is the real culprit.

I love the way Lauren spun this novel – I could not put the book down! I had to know what happened to Sandy and her unborn child and how this disappearance was tied into a string of other murders. I never saw the end coming but it was perfect and suited the novel. A definite must read novel!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns.

Now, Lauren has added one more hit series to her list with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries. Set in the quaint West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry, Ice introduces Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who joins forces with other law enforcement retirees to heat up those cold cases that keep them up at night.

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Book Trailer

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

March 26, 2018

The Progeny Book Spotlight

From New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee comes a story of love, ancient secrets, and survival. Book One, The Progeny, in the House of Bathory duology.

About The Progeny

When you wake up, you remember nothing. Not your name, or where you were born, or the faces of the people you knew. Just a single warning written to yourself before you forgot it all:

“Emily, it’s me. You.

Don’t ask about the last two years… Don’t try to remember and don’t go digging. Your life depends on it. Other lives depend on it.

By the way, Emily isn’t your real name. You died in an accident. You paid extra for that.”

You start over in a remote place with a new name, a fresh life. Until the day a stranger tells you you’re being hunted for the sins of a royal ancestor who died centuries before you were born.

You don’t believe him, until they come for you. Now you’re on the run.

Every answer you need lies in a past you chose to erase. The only thing you know for sure is that others are about to die and you need those memories back.

But first, you have to stay alive.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Book Excerpt

No one speaks when you enter the Center for the last time. There’s no need. You’ve gone through the counseling, tests, and a checklist of preparations to get the plastic bracelet you wear the day of treatment. The one that saves a life. They don’t need to know why you’re doing it any more. Or that you lied about it all. Just the scratch of the stylus as you sign your name on the screen one last time.

A nurse takes me into a room and I lie down on the table. I give her the sealed packet—the only thing I brought with me. There’s cash, meds, and an address inside, the one for “after.” It’s a thousand miles away. She’ll pass it to the companion assigned to me. No point meeting her now.

I’m 21 years old and my name doesn’t matter because it’s about to be erased forever. I’m choosing to forget the ones I love, and myself, in the process.

They say your life flashes before your eyes when you die. But they don’t tell you that every detail comes screaming back to life. That you taste each bite of every meal you savored, feel the shower of every rain you walked in… smell the hair against your cheek before that last, parting kiss. That you will fight to hold on to every memory like a drowning person gasping for poisoned air.

Then everything you knew is gone. And you are still alive.

For now.

Read the next four chapters here.

About the Author

Tosca Lee is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of the House of Bathory Duology (The Progeny and Firstborn, currently in development for television), Iscariot, The Legend of Sheba, Demon: A Memoir, Havah: The Story of Eve, and the Books of Mortals series with New York Times bestseller Ted Dekker (Forbidden, Mortal, Sovereign). A notorious night-owl, she loves watching TV, eating bacon, playing video games and football with her kids, and sending cheesy texts to her husband.

You can find Tosca at ToscaLee.com, on social media, or hanging around the snack table. (And be sure to check out Ismeni, the free e-short prequel to The Legend of Sheba!).

Get your copy of The Progeny here: http://toscalee.com/product/the-progeny/ (Kindle readers: now you can enjoy special insights in the author’s highlighted comments!)

Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This is a spotlight post, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.