Category: iRead tour

October 1, 2018

Joy To You and Me (At Work!) Book Spotlight

By sharing stories from the author’s 25+ years of making a joyful difference in the workplace and examples from truly kick-ass companies, Joy to You and Me (At Work!) is a life changing, fun read for anyone who wants to improve their work life.

About Joy To You and Me (At Work!)

Are you one of the 48% of employees worldwide who don’t like their jobs? Do you feel constantly stressed at the office? Or maybe you’re just feeling “blah” about your job and want to bring some life back into your workplace. If you talk to anyone about their careers or jobs these days, most of the time you won’t hear positive stories or excitement. You’ll probably hear words like “busy”, “stressed”, “exhausting”, and “mind-numbing.” And with the good old 40 hour workweek becoming a distant memory for many of us, this reality is just plain sad.

Joy to You and Me (At Work!) helps turn these situations around by giving the reader easy tips they can implement quickly to start making a positive difference in the workplace. Being joyful isn’t just a “fluffy-cutesy-nice” thing to do each day – it actually increases productivity and is good for any company or organization. The book helps anyone learn how to:

Be a more joyful person
Bring joy to co-workers
Bring joy to customers
Bring joy to networking

This fun, easy-to-read guide shows people of all ages and personalities how to make a difference immediately to make not only themselves happier, but to spread that happiness throughout the workplace – and beyond!

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

About the Author

Amy Thornton Shankland, GPC, has been bringing joy to her workplaces for over 25 years thanks to her innate enthusiasm. She is a former Dale Carnegie instructor, has been a grant professional for 17 years, is a former columnist for the Noblesville Daily Times, and is a current board member of Noblesville Main Street.

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

The Giveaway!

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

September 25, 2018

A Life by Design Book Review

In A Life by Design, Elena faces escalating danger to herself and to Francesco, she must fight for her freedom, her love, and her survival.

About A Life by Design

When 20-year-old Elena Allegro leaves the Italian village of Laurino to study Fashion Design in Milan, she’s certain her dreams are about to come true. Despite her father’s warnings that risk comes with her newfound freedom, she loves her studies and develops a love interest with Francesco, the handsome young entrepreneur who offers her a part-time job in a Milan clothing store.

It seems like an idyllic situation—until a stalker targets Elena, tormenting her with mind games and threatening her safety. In the face of escalating danger to herself and to Francesco, Elena must fight for her freedom, her love, and her survival.

My Thoughts

Elena has led the life of a typical Italian young woman (and I am sure many European girls), where life is dictated by her Father and she is not allowed the same freedoms as her brother and the other males in her life. She has big dreams of conquering the fashion world but will never be able to realize this dream unless she leaves her small town and head to Milan.

Through some help from her brother and Mother, she convinces her Father to let her head to Milan to study fashion. She is in awe of the big city, the clothes and her studies – she has found her niche and can’t wait to begin her life. She even finds love in her boss, Francesco! How could anything go wrong? All seems to be going well until someone starts threatening her and stalking her. This is when the book takes a turn and you are left constantly wondering who is threatening her? Is it the rejected boy from her class? Could her love actually have a darker past? Or is it someone from her families past?

This was a well written novel that I loved from start to finish. You couldn’t help but fall in love with Elena and her positive outlook on life. She is a dreamer who has the typical constraints on her of an Italian family. You want to protect her and feel outrage that someone could be trying to harm for what seems to be her following her dreams. The stalker throws a wrench in the story as you really aren’t sure who is the suspect. Your first thought is always to the young man in her class who she rejected but it doesn’t quite sit well. Lucy leaves you guessing and questioning even yourself.

This was a wonderful journey to Milan where we are immersed in Italian culture, fashion and love. A great read from start to finish!

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

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Lucy is an author of romantic suspense, historical fiction/coming of age, short story thrillers, and non-fiction books. She is also a Registered Counsellor/Wellness Coach, and works as a Rehabilitation Counsellor for the Australian Government.

Lucy enjoys reading romantic suspense, romance, thrillers, crime novels, family/historical drama, and sagas. She has enjoyed travelling to exotic places such as Madrid, Mauritius, and Italy, and draws on these experiences in her creative writing.

Lucy’s favourite authors include Kendra Elliot, Christiane Heggan, Theresa Ragan, Tara Moss, Nicholas Sparks, Adriana Trigiani, Erica Spindler, and James Patterson (to name a few).

Lucy’s interests include meditation, exercising, journal writing, reading fiction and nonfiction texts about writing, coaching, and counselling, ongoing professional development, spending time with her husband and two daughters, and socialising with friends and family.

Connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

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.

September 5, 2018

Sitting at the Kitchen Table with God Book Spotlight

Sitting at the kitchen table, Marianne closed her eyes, and then she prayed that, today, she would die.

About Sitting at the Kitchen Table with God

Marianne had plenty of time on her hands to do nothing, so she decided to clean the placemats that she had collected over the past fifty years. Fifty years of a wonderful life together with her husband and best friend, Andrew. Fifty years that should have turned into sixty, but would not even turn into fifty-one.

Her wonderful Andrew was dead. Andrew…her friend and caretaker of her soul and mind and being. Loneliness, darkness, and guilt extended their hungry fingers out for Marianne, desperately trying to pull her even further into their world…a world with no escape. How could she live without her Andrew? She had been so sure that she would be the first one to die in this relationship. But now there was a stronger component to her loneliness and darkness that was starting to make its presence known to Marianne. Anger.

Anger had been a companion of Marianne’s for a very long time, but usually she had the ability to quiet its demand to be set free. This time, though, Marianne was not sure she would be able to control this anger. It was different somehow…stronger. She was afraid and weak. She had lost her faith in God, and she was so angry with Andrew for leaving her behind. Leaving her all alone in this dark, insane world. A world that was in such a hurry to go nowhere. A world that was in such a hurry to destroy everything in its path. Marianne was in its path, but this time she was alone. Sitting at the kitchen table, Marianne closed her eyes, and then she prayed that, today, she would die.

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

About the Author

Sandi Smith spent her time as a young girl combing the shelves of the public library. She has always enjoyed the magic that books have to offer and was inspired by her high school English teacher, Mr. Coolidge to embrace the arts. The author found her calling as a writer early one morning as her first story came to her in the form of a poem. Since then she has written more than 15 children’s books, with her most popular series about the adventures of an adorable spider in the A.R. Achnid series.

Sandi is happily married to her inspiration and husband of 40 years, John. She continues to write for her two precious grandchildren. When she’s not penning a new story, Sandi and John like to camp, kayak and to enjoy the simple life in their home in Pembroke, NH.

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

The Giveaway!

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

September 5, 2018

We Meet With Manners Book Spotlight

We Meet With Manners is all about being polite and respectful to people throughout the day.

About We Meet With Manners

We meet with manners is all about being polite and respectful to people throughout the day. From people you know to strangers passing by, simple kind gestures not only lift the spirits of others but for ourselves too. The pictures demonstrate sign language to assist with the early communication and development.

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

About the Author

Cheryl Esposito has come from a corporate background and has since become a full time Mom with three children under 4 and an amazing husband. I have always enjoyed writing but my children are the one’s who inspired me to write about our everyday routines and family fundamentals. My husband provides me the support to believe in myself and never lose faith in who I am. I believe, if there is something you have always thought about doing, you should always follow through. Having children has given me one more reason to follow through. Sharing everything that is good in life is a reward by itself. I am blessed to be able to do just that. So please enjoy these books and I hope it can help your life with children be just a little bit easier.

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

The Giveaway!

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

August 15, 2018

The CleanSweep Counterstrike Book Review

In this sequel The CleanSweep Counterstrike, Matt Tremain is back, facing an even deadlier threat. Deceit and intrigue lie hidden behind the collapse of Operation CleanSweep. It’s time for revenge.

About The CleanSweep Counterstrike

In this sequel, Matt Tremain is back, facing an even deadlier threat. Deceit and intrigue lie hidden behind the collapse of Operation CleanSweep. It’s time for revenge.

Instrumental in exposing the evil behind Operation CleanSweep—a diabolical “cultural cleansing” plot masterminded by Toronto billionaire Charles Claussen—investigative blogger Tremain now faces the madman’s desire for vengeance. Claussen intends to settle the score personally by luring Matt into a deadly trap.

But the clock is ticking for Claussen, too. Fraternité des Aigles, The Brotherhood of Eagles—a shadowy group that secretly financed Claussen’s Operation CleanSweep—wants answers and their money back. Consumed with rage, Claussen risks everything to get to Matt before the Brotherhood gets to him. Tremain is once again partnering with a police detective, Carling. Knowing they are being lured into a possible trap, they decide to face their nemesis, Charles Claussen.

Across four continents, Claussen sets traps, pursues Tremain, and continues to execute his signature brand of global chaos. When his fiancé’s life is on the line, can Tremain stop Claussen’s madness and still avoid getting killed?

My Thoughts

The CleanSweep Counterstrike is book two in this series (find more information on book one here) and it starts off with the team realizing that Claussen did not commit suicide at the end of book one and that they were all still in grave danger.

Claussen is an evil master mind with a deep hatred for anyone that does not fit into his model of the perfect person. In book one, Matt and his group of friends managed to stop Operation CleanSweep but did so with great risk to their own lives and Claussen took the lives of many individuals in book one. Claussen is out for revenge in this book and he has his own life at risk not only from Matt and his team but also the backers of his CleanSweep plan. This begins a cat and mouse game with both sides trying their best to out smart the other and escape death.

Counterstrike is a fast paced, thrilling novel that builds off of the first novel. We are introduced to new characters as they help try to stop Claussen and put an end to the hateful plot of Operation CleanSweep. You have to pay close attention in this novel as it has a lot of moving parts but it is well worth every minute.

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

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Chuck Waldron is the author of four riveting mystery, thriller and suspense novels and more than fifty short stories. Inspired by his grandfather’s tales of the Ozark Mountains and local caves rumored to be havens for notorious gangsters, Waldron was destined to write about crime and the human condition. Those childhood legends ignited his imagination and filled his head with unforgettable characters, surprising plots and a keen interest in supernatural and historical subplots.

With literary roots planted in the American Midwest and South, and enriched by many years living in the fertile cultural soil of metropolitan Ontario, Waldron now resides on Florida’s fabled Treasure Coast with his wife, Suzanne. While keeping an eye out for hurricanes, alligators, and the occasional Burmese python, visitors will find Waldron busy writing his next crime thriller.

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

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.