Category: iRead tour

Oliver the Ornament Book Spotlight

iRead Book Tours

Oliver the Ornament is a heartwarming tale of one family’s cherished Christmas ornaments. 

About Oliver the Ornament

Oliver the Ornament is a heartwarming tale of one family’s cherished Christmas ornaments. The story centers on Oliver, who has been with this family since Mom and Dad’s very first date. Years later, Oliver, now injured and bullied, still has the magic of Christmas in his heart. “The story follows Oliver’s excitement for Christmas, his heartbreak, and his determination to overcome all odds to save the day. Oliver, along with his friends, will warm your heart with his kindness, humility, and love for his family and friends. We hope the story will bring families together to tell the stories of their own ornaments and the special meaning that so many of them possess. Because after all, “Every Ornament Tells a Story.”

You can purchase a copy of this book on their website here.

Book Trailer

About the Author

Todd Zimmermann, the creator and author of the “Oliver the Ornament” series, is on a mission to spread kindness and anti-bullying messages within his charming stories. The first story in the series focuses on a little ornament who faces challenges, but is able to overcome all odds to save the day. Charity is at the heart of Oliver the Ornament. A portion of proceeds from the sale of each book will be donated to various children’s charities. Starting with 5% from the first book, 10% from the second book, and increasing to 100% of the seventh book, Oliver the Ornament is committed to making a difference in children’s lives throughout the world.

You can connect with Todd on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Continue Reading

Don’t Look In Book Review

iRead Book Tours

The patients of psychiatrist Gus Young are turning up dead in Tom Saric’s new thriller, Don’t Look In, and he is the main suspect.

About Don’t Look In

Gus fled the big city to escape the shame, gossip and glares of his family, friends and colleagues after he tarnished his reputation. He ends up in a small, backwater rural town in Maine where no one will know him and he can start his life over. But someone is out to get him, and is framing him for the murders of his patients.

Wanda Flynn, the sexy town prostitute who is having an illicit affair with the married mayor, is demanding that he leave his wife for her. Her brother has just been released from jail after a ten-year sentence, and is back in town. It was Wanda’s testimony that was pivotal in sealing his conviction. Suddenly she is found dead, shot in the head in front of her apartment, shortly after she had unburdened her secrets, fears and desires to Gus Young. Because of patient-client confidentiality, Gus cannot reveal that she is his client, nor what she revealed to him, even if it will help to solve the murders, or clear his name as a suspect.

Then another patient, Ned, who is suffering from paranoia and is sure he knows the identity of Wanda’s killer, is found dead in his home after he had an altercation with Gus that left him bleeding on the floor. The police find bullets in both victims that match a rare gun, the Lee-Enfield No.4, which has mysteriously vanished from Gus’s basement. And they find Wanda’s turquoise necklace in his possession.

All the evidence point to Gus. He is the prime suspect in the murders, but in order to protect his clients’ confidentiality, even after they are dead, Gust doesn’t reveal information that can prove his —Over— innocence. Gus puts his own life in jeopardy in a desperate effort to clear his name and track down the real killer. When his estranged daughter comes to visit him, her life and the life of his trusted friend Sheila, are in jeopardy from the real killer who wants to do them harm. As a sinister plot unravels, Gus discovers a horrible secret about his past.

Tom Saric, who is a psychiatrist, packs his thriller with quirky characters: the cross-dresser, the married couple who don’t enjoy sex, the psychopath who is a petty criminal, the town sex-worker, and a love interest, the tall beautiful blonde who shares his love of country music and is the first woman to show an interest in him after his messy divorce.

My Thoughts

Wow! I loved every moment of this incredible book, it was suspenseful, exciting and kept me constantly guessing and on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

Gus is an amazing psychiatrist, going above and beyond to build trust, respect and open communication with his patients. He offers no judgement and I loved his honesty, frankness and caring nature to his patients. He is deeply involved with them (and is part of the reason for the breakdown of his marriage and relationship with his daughter) and honours the confidentiality agreement he makes with them. And this is where he gets himself in trouble when not one but two of his clients end up dead, and he becomes the main suspect.

Gus is determined to help solve the murders, not solely to clear his own name, but to help bring peace to his own mind for his patients. What begins to develop is this incredible plot that spans many years and includes a previous patient that he had treated. It is the connection between his patients and him that leaves you wondering why – why would someone try to frame him for murder? Why would anyone murder these patients that do not seem to be connected at all? What is the catalyst for this?

What I loved the most in this novel was that I never knew what was coming next. Right when I thought I had solved who had committed the murders, my theory was thrown right out the window. The story was fast paced but well developed and gave you just the right information at just the right time. Don’t Look In is a definite must read novel that you will not be able to put down.

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

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Tom Saric, a pseudonym, has been practicing psychiatry for ?? years. He has written several thrillers, including, Indicted, and Compromise. DON’T LOOK IN is the first in a series featuring psychiatrist Gus Young. Saric lives in Canada.

You can connect with him on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

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.

Continue Reading

Our Friendship Matters Book Spotlight

iRead Book Tours

Can they find a way to resolve their differences, putting them to the side and learn to accept each other’s viewpoints? Or is their long friendship finished for good?

About Our Friendship Matters

Leah and Sasha are 17-year-old friends who had been close to one another since elementary school, but as the summer approaches they find their friendship tested in ways they never anticipated. Following graduation, Sasha’s privileged life and perception of the world around her is suddenly altered when an old childhood friend persuades her to join in a campaign against an injustice after his best friend is killed by the police. But joining the protest has unforeseen consequences for Sasha, distancing her from Leah, who becomes jealous of Sasha’s new friends and finds herself on the opposing side, protesting alongside her group of new white friends. As the tension mounts between the two bitterly opposed factions, a tragedy strikes and threatens to make Sasha and Leah enemies. Can they find a way to resolve their differences, putting them to the side and learn to accept each other’s viewpoints? Or is their long friendship finished for good?

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

About the Author

Kimberley B. Jones is a small country girl from St. George, SC. She followed her heart in college writing children books. Recently she decided to challenge herself and branch off to novels. She is your typical nomad who moves from place to place. Not by choice, but her husband serves in the military. She has a bachelors and masters in early childhood education. Kimberley is represented by Rhetaskew Publishing company and is best known for her debut novel, Our Friendship Matters. ​ When she is not writing, she is either thinking of another topic or reading. She loves writing , it gives her a chance to escape into another human character and express herself, other than being your typical mother and wife. If you don’t want to be on her bad side, then she needs her white chocolate mocha every morning. Some days Folgers breakfast blend coffee is okay.

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

Book Trailer

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Continue Reading

Bones of the Redeemed Book Review

iRead Book Tours

A pit of corpses. An ancient cult. A quest for redemption that could leave her dead

About Bones of the Redeemed

A pit of corpses. An ancient cult. A quest for redemption that could leave her dead… New Mexico, 1952. Archaeology grad student Ruby Delgado is plagued by guilt after losing her son. So when her latest excavation drops her down a sinkhole filled with suspiciously mutilated bodies, she’s driven to bring the murderer to justice. But when digging deeper brings her dangerously close to a sinister religious sect, she could be their next sacrifice… Discovering some of the victims were crucified, Ruby pushes hard to give the evidence to the authorities. But when her trail crosses the path of a beaten man left for dead in the desert, she realizes she may be the only person who can save the community. Can Ruby stop the sacrifices and slay her inner demons, or will hers be the next body laid to rest? Bones of the Redeemed is a hair-raising standalone Southwestern mystery. If you like complex heroines, cult conflict, and hard-won redemption, then you’ll love Kari Bovee’s grisly tale.

My Thoughts

Bones of the Redeemed is a thrilling adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat as we watch Ruby uncover deadly secrets in a remote, religious community.

You will love Ruby’s character – she is a strong, confident, intelligent woman who will not take no for an answer. She stands by her beliefs and will not allow anyone to tell she cannot do what is right. She has had a difficult past, an event that almost destroyed her (the death of her son) and we watch as she struggles to move forward. She has a passion and skill in the field of archaeology that others are quite jealous of. It is this passion and skill that assists her as she uncovers murders, a religious sect and works to uncover the identity of the murderer (or murderers?) all while trying to keep herself alive.

I loved every moment of this fast paced novel. The plot was unique, and kept me on the edge of my seat as I never knew what to expect next. You could never quite tell who was a friend or who was an enemy. There were many intricate layers to the community, their religious beliefs, religious members and questions surrounding the murders and timelines. Her skills are constantly put to the test and I loved watching her work through the situations she found herself in. Bones of the Redeemed is a definite must read novel.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

When she’s not on a horse, or walking along the beautiful cottonwood-laden acequias of Corrales, New Mexico; or basking on white sand beaches under the Big Island Hawaiian sun, Kari Bovee is escaping into the past—scheming murder and mayhem for her characters both real and imagined, and helping them to find order in the chaos of her action-packed novels. Empowered women in history, horses, unconventional characters, and real-life historical events fill the pages of Kari Bovée’s articles and historical mystery musings and manuscripts. An award-winning author, Bovée was honored with the 2019 NM/AZ Book Awards Hillerman Award for Southwestern Fiction for her novel Girl with a Gun. The novel also received First Place in the 2019 NM/AZ Book Awards in the Mystery/Crime category, and is a Finalist in the 2019 International Chanticleer Murder & Mayhem Awards and the International Chanticleer Goethe Awards, as well as the Next Generation Indie Awards. Her novel Grace in the Wings is a Finalist for the 2019 International Chanticleer Chatelaine Awards and the International Chanticleer Goethe Awards. Her novel Peccadillo at the Palace is a Finalist in the 2019 International Chanticleer Murder & Mayhem Awards and the 2019 International Goethe Awards, as well as a Finalist in the 2019 Best Book Awards Historical Fiction category. Bovée has worked as a technical writer for a Fortune 500 Company, has written non-fiction for magazines and newsletters, and has worked in the education field as a teacher and educational consultant. She and her husband, Kevin, spend their time between their horse property in the beautiful Land of Enchantment, New Mexico, and their condo on the sunny shores of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

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

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Continue Reading

Braidy Von Althuis and the Final Fight (Book 5)

iRead Book Tours

“Your husband willingly signed over his life to Azra. Boris owes Azra his life and services. There’s nothing more to it than that.”

About Braidy Von Althuis and the Final Fight (Book 5)

Braidy von Althuis is going to get his father back, no matter the consequences. Mr. von Althuis has been abducted by Azra, Queen of Djinn, and the family is in shambles. Half of the von Althuises no longer have their magick, and an army of djinn awaits them at Azra’s gates. Somehow, despite all of the odds, Mrs. von Althuis, Uncle Rolo, Aunt Liz, Blockhead, and Braidy have to band together to retrieve Braidy’s father from the clutches of certain doom. Even though they hate each other, Braidy is determined to pull the fae and djinn together to fight against Azra’s tyranny. He will have to work with old friends, and old enemies, to finally end the war between djinn and fae that has come to a nasty head. Will Braidy be able to unite an army at his back and save his father, or will Mr. von Althuis belong to Azra forever? Braidy von Althuis and the Final Fight is a story about working past differences, justice, and morality. 

My Thoughts

I loved Braidy von Althuis and the Final Fight. I found it exciting, full of adventure and risk but not too fast paced that you became overwhelmed. The characters were well developed and you felt a strong connection to them in this installment.

In this novel, Braidy brings together his family in order to save his Father. His father had been abducted by Azra in book four (learn more about this book here) and Braidy will do anything to help him but is he ready for what this may mean? He is tasked with bringing together groups of individuals that have a long history of mistrust and dislike to work together for the greater good. Can he encourage the groups to look past their differences, their hate and work together for justice? Or will he lose everything that he loves?

This was an exciting, adventurous novel that I could not put down. I really loved how Braidy’s character developed in this story – you can see what a strong, good, kind hearted individual he has, it shines through in this story. He is the voice of reason in a sea of adult voices that do not seem to listen to reason at all! I found this novel easier to read than book four without knowing the full history of the characters and the previous plots, so I definitely believe it can be read as a stand alone novel.

Young adults will love the characters and the plot. They will be able to relate to Braidy and the struggles that he faces in this novel. Parents will love the important lessons this novel brings with it. A definite win-win for everyone.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

Book Trailer

About the Author

I’m Cassidy, and I love storytelling! I’m incredibly passionate about writing, art, and anything that allows me to create my own worlds. My goal is to write dreamy fiction for all ages that is unique, inspiring, and imaginative. I want my books to instill wonderment in the reader. I like to write about themes that include coming of age, magic realism, identity, relationships, and bullying. My books are intended for readers ages eight to twenty-five, and are meant to connect the world of the fantastical to everyday life. I currently live in Colorado and just got my MA in Publishing!

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

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.

Continue Reading