Category: iRead Book Tours

June 21, 2016

Interlude to Sentimental Me Book Spotlight

In this book spotlight, we have two books from author Michael Judkins: Interlude to Sentimental Me and Sentimental Me.

About Interlude to Sentimental Me: Volume Two

A collection of emotionally driven poetry that covers the story of pain, tribulations, happiness, self-esteem and self discovery through love and heartache. The Interlude will take readers on a journey of determination and imagery, which leads to the formation of short stories and performances.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Google Play, Smashwords, Kobo and Aois21market.

About Sentimental Me: Volume One

Sentimental Me – displays his ability to wrest good from bad, to display the courage to dig deep within himself to help others. Through an inspired melding of his unique voice and inspiring photographic images of nature, Michael provides the reader with a unique perspective of the human condition, inspiring others to follow their own creative paths without boundaries.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Poetry Lyric Video

About the Author

Michael Barry Judkins was born in the Bronx, New York, along with his four brothers and sisters. Michael’s childhood memories, although bittersweet, provided a rich foundation for him to draw upon later in life as an accomplished author.

Delightful memories of trips to the zoo or picking apples with his mother contrast greatly to daily reminders of what any hard-working family must battle in building a life in an urban setting. Domestic violence. Drugs. Gangs. All play their part in shaping a person – whether for good or bad is often an individual’s choice.

After spending years immersed in typical, reactive adolescent behaviors like skipping school, smoking and drinking, Michael began experimenting with other alternatives to developing new relationships and helping resolve social issues. As he took these first, proactive steps to be part of the solution, and not the problem, the germ of the idea for his first book – Sentimental Me – was born.

Graduating from high school a year early, and after a foray into the music business, Michael completed a BS degree in Human Services and MS in Mental Health Counseling. A daydreamer for as long as he can remember, Michael’s inability to forge a relationship with his beloved father before he passed when Michael was only two years old still haunts him today. His mother’s cherished memories of his father’s spirit and honored Armed Forces service, while providing some solace, also serve to make Michael wonder what might have been, if only.

Today, with several poetry collections and short stories in the works, Michael’s first release – Sentimental Me – displays his ability to wrest good from bad, to display the courage to dig deep within himself to help others. Through an inspired melding of his unique voice and inspiring photographic images of nature, Michael provides the reader with a unique perspective of the human condition, inspiring others to follow their own creative paths without boundaries.

Michael now resides in Allentown, P.A., and welcomes all readers to feel free to contact him at judkins_michal@yahoo.com to discuss your reaction to his work, or learn more about upcoming releases. You can connect with him on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

June 20, 2016

Candidate for Murder Book Spotlight

In Candidate for Murder, it’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent years, the small resort town has become divided between the local year-round residents who have enjoyed their rural way of life and the city dwellers moving into their mansions, taking over the town council, and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed gate community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed limits to clothes lines.

About Candidate for Murder

When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral nominees on the town residents, Police Chief David O’Callaghan decides to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd, to run as mayor of Spencer!

What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight Gnarly becomes the front runner—at which point his political enemies take a page straight out of Politics 101. What do you do when you’re behind in a race? Dig up dirt on the front runner, of course.

Seemingly, someone is not content to rest with simply embarrassing the front runner by publicizing his dishonorable discharge from the United States Army, but to throw in a murder for good measure. With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a killer, and save Spencer!

About the Author

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries. The twelfth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series, Candidate for Murder will be released June 2016.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. You can connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Trailer

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post. I loved the book description and wanted to share it with you my readers!

June 13, 2016

Live Self-Sufficiently Book Spotlight

Learn how to live your life self-sufficiently with this new twelve step book!

About Live Self-Sufficiently

This is a twelve-step guide to living self-sufficiently with lessons on personal growth, self love, health and wellness, financial stability and healthy relationships.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Alibris.

About the Author

Tisha Marie Payton is a certified life and relationship coach. She holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma. Her education is in human relations with an emphasis in art therapy. For over twelve years Ms. Payton provided service to her community as a Girl Scout, has competed in pageants, fitness and swimsuit modeling, and landed the cover of Playboy Magazine. Throughout her collegiate and modeling career, she found that many people live dependent upon others and aren’t truly living happily. She began a nonprofit organization called Building ME in Texas to build enlightened minds in youth and provide pertinent life skills to stop the cycle of dependency. This is a twelve-step guide to personal growth, self-love, health and wellness, financial stability, and healthy relationships.

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

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour post, I received no compensation for this post. I loved the book’s description and wanted to share it with you my readers!

May 10, 2016

The Berlin Package

In this fast-paced sequel to Murder on Safari, The Berlin Package, finds Pero in Berlin on a brand new assignment.

About The Berlin Package

Film producer Pero Baltazar thought he was taking a Berlin filming assignment. He needed the work, needed to get back in the saddle after fighting off a life-threatening experience in East Africa—alShabaab had attacked his crew, intent on a much larger terrorist attack. Suddenly he finds himself under orders from his part-time employers at the State Department and the CIA when he is handed a mysterious package. It’s an assignment he doesn’t want. The problem is, it’s a job contracted by mysterious patrons who are prepared to kill him if he doesn’t deliver.

Pero—now in far too deep—turns to friends, old and new, to help him unravel the mystery of the package, uncover connections to Nazi concentration camp gold recently sold by the US Treasury, and thwart the ex–Stasi chief, now head of a powerful banking group.

In this fast-paced sequel to Murder on Safari, Pero calls on Mbuno, his friend and East African safari guide, to anticipate the moves of his enemies as if they were animals—dangerous vermin—who have kidnapped both the film star and director. Mbuno’s tracking skills may keep them from getting killed—provided Pero can rope in more help and keep the CIA at bay.

My Thoughts

Wow – this novel was just as stunning and fast paced as Murder on Safari, I fell in love with this novel and could not put it down. While it is a sequel to Murder on Safari, you don’t necessarily have to read the first novel to understand this one (but trust me you will want to because the first novel is just as great!).

The plot line is incredible and slowly unfolds piece by piece, only giving you what you need when you need to know (which I love!). Pero after his experience in Africa felt he was done with the CIA and their missions. He wants to get back to his film producing so he jumps on a story based in Germany. It is only when he is there, that he becomes trapped into a mysterious assignment that he never wanted.

As he tries to deliver the package, he finds out unbelievable truths about Nazi concentration camp gold, individuals in power and his mysterious package. He must use his skills to thwart an enemy that he is never too sure who they are, to discover the details of the package and to ensure it remains out of the hands of his enemy (not to mention save his friends!).

The Berlin Package is beyond exciting, full of surprises that you never quite see coming and an exciting plot line that will have you unable to put the novel down. Peter Riva writes exceptional novels that are fresh, thrilling and full of adventure. I can not wait to see if we have another novel featuring Pero!

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

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Peter Riva has spent many months over 30 years travelling throughout Africa and Europe. Much of this time was spent with the legendary guides for East African hunters and adventurers. He created a TV series in 1995 called Wild Things for Paramount. Passing on the fables, true tales, and insider knowledge of these last reserves of true wildlife is his passion. Nonetheless, his job for over forty years has been working as a literary agent. In his spare time, Riva writes science fiction and African adventure books. He lives in Gila, New Mexico. You can connect with him on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

Enter now to win one of five copies of Murder on Safari and The Berlin Package. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

May 4, 2016

Kathryn Kelly: The Moll Behind “Machine Gun” Kelly

Kathryn Kelly: The Moll Behind “Machine Gun” Kelly is a biography of the woman who made a career of crime.

About Kathryn Kelly: The Moll Behind “Machine Gun” Kelly

With a lust for danger, she masterminded the crimes that took her and her husband, and others who included her own mother and stepfather, on a spree across Minnesota, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Texas. Starting with smaller crimes the included bootlegging, smuggling liquor onto an Oklahoma Indian reservation and other petty crimes, she encouraged her husband, George Barnes aka Georgle Kelly, toward a life of more serious criminal activity that escalated into bank robberies, kidnapping and extortion.

Many believe that it was Kathryn, after giving him a machine gun, who developed George’s feared persona and the name of Machine Gun Kelly. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover was even convinced that the two were somehow connected in the Lindbergh kidnapping. Kathryn and Machine Gun Kelly were eventually captured after kidnapping Charles Urschel, a wealthy Oklahoma City oilman, and collecting a $200,000 ransom the largest ransom ever paid at that time.

Eventually, the two were captured in Memphis, where Kelly had grown up as boy. During their trial in Oklahoma City, movie cameras were allowed into the courtroom for the first time as curious spectators across the nation watched. Kathryn, while claiming to be an innocent victim in a bad marriage, remained unrepentant, smiling and primping for the cameras, and writing threatening letters to the judge and attonrys assigned to the case as well as her victims.

Convicted in 1933, Kathryn served twenty-five years of her life sentence at FPC Alderson, West Virginia, when in 1958 she was finally released into obscurity. Although much has been written about Machine Gun Kelly, there is very little known about Kathryn.

Through narrative, FBI files, rare quotes from George Kelly’s son and other relatives and associates, extensive research, and several photographs, Kathryn Kelly ¬The Moll behind Machine Gun Kelly is the first book ever written about a woman who chose to follow a life of crime during the Prohibition era.

My Thoughts

This is one of my first biographies that I have read and reviewed. When I first saw the cover and read the book description, I knew I had to read this book. A woman who was confident, courageous, dangerous and a criminal? I had to find out her story, especially as I had never heard about her before.

The book starts off by giving us some insight into how and whom Kathryn and George grew up. It showed us the turning points for both of them and how they went from small crimes to the one crime that made them famous. We see this intimate side of Kathryn and how she may have helped masterminded the kidnapping. I wasn’t even aware that at the time in history, kidnapping was common for ransom money! We are given very detailed information about the kidnapping, their hideout afterwards and their subsequent apprehension and trial. I was amazed that during this whole time, Kathryn had no fear – she believed she would be out in no time that George would save her.

I loved the amount of detail and research that went into this book. The depth that Barbara goes into is amazing. You feel as if you really know Kathryn, her struggles, fears and what she loves. This novel was an incredible journey into a dangerous time in history full of crime, love and passion.

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

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Barbara Casey is a partner in Strategic Media Books, and president of the Barbara Casey Agency, representing authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. She is also a manuscript consultant and the author of numerous articles, poems, and short stories.

Her award-winning novels have received national recognition, including the Independent Publishers Book Award. Her novel, The House of Kane, was considered for a Pulitzer nomination, and The Gospel According to Prissy, also a contemporary adult novel received several awards including the prestigious IPPY Award for Best Regional Fiction. Her most recent young adult novel, The Cadence of Gypsies, received the Independent Publishers Living Now Award and was reviewed by the Smithsonian for its list of Best Books.

Ms. Casey makes her home on the top of a mountain in northwest Georgia with her husband and three dogs who adopted her: Benton, a hound-mix, Fitz, a miniature dachshund, and Gert, a Jack Russel terrier of sorts. You can connect with her on her website.

The Giveaway!

You can now enter to win one of five copies of Kathryn Kelly! Enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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