Category: iRead tour

Maxed Out Book Review

iRead Book Tours

The Owl’s Nest Couturier Shoppe is a huge success! Business is booming and Alexa Owl’s love life is heating up. Yet much to the seamstress’s dismay, Detective Bobby Starr is suddenly back again! 

About Maxed Out

The Owl’s Nest Couturier Shoppe is a huge success! Business is booming and Alexa Owl’s love life is heating up. Yet much to the seamstress’s dismay, Detective Bobby Starr is suddenly back again! Bobby isn’t your everyday gumshoe. Rather, he’s an angel who’s trying to earn a place in Saint Peter’s Guardian Angel Squad. He’s required to solve murders he had left unsettled from when he walked the earth in order to be accepted into this prestigious group. Of course, they will need to return to the time period in which the murder took place, and again, Alexa is a reluctant time traveler. Oh, and there’s one more little problem—this time, Bobby’s brought along a friend, Maxi Krogen, and she’s no angel!

My Thoughts

Alexa is back with her problem solving detective cap on, working alongside Detective Bobby Starr on a new case with a brand new twist and quite the layered plot.

Maxi was found guilty of murdering her husband and lived out the rest of her years in prison. She maintained her innocence right up until her death and continues to do so when she meets Alexa and Bobby. She is not your typical spirit and is quite angry, mischievous and at times downright rude (Alexa has the patience of a saint in this book!). You would think that she would really want to clear her name but she is the most uncooperative individual that I have seen! She is definitely her own worst enemy and does not make life easy for Alexa and Bobby.

What Alexa was not quite expecting (and neither was I) was the complicated plot that begins to develop around the death of Maxi’s husband and how it is tied to the disappearance of another man and the takeover of a favourite restaurant (and how this is tied to the future!). What seemed like a rather simple case, had quite the side plots which were slowly uncovered and kept you on the edge of your seat and guessing right up until the end.

I thoroughly enjoyed this laugh out loud novel that was full of surprises, humour and a great mystery. You never quite knew what to expect next from Maxi, Bobby and Alexa. It is a definite must read novel for the summer.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and B&N.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

For twenty-six years C.S. McDonald’s life whirled around a song and a dance. Classically trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School, The Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, and many others, she became a professional dancer and choreographer. In 2011 she retired from her dance career to write. Under her real name, Cindy McDonald, she writes murder-suspense and romantic suspense novels. In 2014 she added the pen name, C.S. McDonald, to write children’s books for her grandchildren. In 2016 she added the Fiona Quinn Mysteries. Presently, the Fiona Quinn Mysteries has nine books.

Cindy’s newest venture is The Owl’s Nest Mysteries. Once again, she has set her cozy mystery in Pittsburgh. The Owl’s Next Mysteries has a little grit, a little time travel, a little romance, and a whole lot of cozy!

Cindy resides on her Thoroughbred farm known as Fly by Night Stables near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Bill, and her poorly behaved Cocker Spaniel, Allister.

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

The Giveaway!

Enter the giveaway here.

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

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Spartan and the Green Egg Spotlight

iRead Book Tours

In Book 5, Land of The Midnight Sun, Egg, the friendly live alien spaceship, creatively uses an enchanting art gallery to reveal the young adventurers’ next destination.

Spartan and the Green Egg: Land of the Midnight Sun

In Book 5, Land of The Midnight Sun, Egg, the friendly live alien spaceship, creatively uses an enchanting art gallery to reveal the young adventurers’ next destination. Spartan, Katie, Max, Tor, and Grimm find themselves in Greenland, home to some of the biggest glaciers on earth, and known as The Land of the Midnight Sun because, in summer, the sun never sets. Greenland’s vast and daunting landscape is almost completely covered with ice and snow.

With the help of some friendly Greenland sled dogs, they arrive in the charming village of Siorapaluk and befriend a young Inuit, Malik, and his family. They soon learn that Malik’s father and his group have gone missing while on an expedition. The team goes in search of them, at their own risk. Before long, they are caught up in a treacherous avalanche and trapped on a glacier that has broken off from the mainland. Hope arrives from a powerful source as they bear witness to an astonishing and beautiful miracle from the Earth’s living creatures.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Full Cycle Publications.

About the Author

When her eldest son was a toddler, Nabila used to entertain him with made-up stories about a boy who traveled the world inside a live green egg that just so happened to be an alien from another planet. She turned the tales into a colorful children¹s graphic novel series, Spartan and the Green Egg, with the intention of introducing children to environmental and cultural themes around the world.

A portion of all proceeds from the Spartan and the Green Egg book series, toys and accessories is donated to The Children for Peace ONLUS. Based in Italy, this non-governmental organization helps young people worldwide who are living in challenging circumstances obtain their essential needs such as food, medical help and educational opportunities. Nabila currently lives in New York and has two sons.

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

The Giveaway

You can enter to win a signed copy of Spartan and the Green Egg and Kip the Letter X here.

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

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Kip the Letter X Spotlight

iRead Book Tours

Kip the Letter X searches far and wide trying to find his purpose.

About Kip the Letter X

Kip the Letter X searches far and wide trying to find his purpose.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Full Cycle Publications.

Book Trailer

About the Author

Kim Patrick was born in England, raised in Britain and South Africa, and now lives in the United States. She loves animals, books, films, the letter X, and much of the rest of the alphabet.

You can connect with her on her website and Twitter.

The Giveaway!

Enter to win a signed copy of Kip the Letter X and Spartan and the Green Egg here.

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

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Cerebral Palsy: ‘A Story’ Finding the Calm After the Storm

iRead Book Tours

Part memoir, part motivational guide, this is Ilana’s open and honest journey, from an angry confused child, knowing something was wrong, but not knowing what, to the ‘real’ her.

About Cerebral Palsy: ‘A Story’ Finding the Calm After the Storm

Born the second of premature twins, Ilana knew she was different from a young age, but for all the wrong reasons. Part memoir, part motivational guide, this is Ilana’s open and honest journey, from an angry confused child, knowing something was wrong, but not knowing what, to the ‘real’ her – a courageous woman using her experiences and lessons to create inspiring messages about mental and physical health, positivity, resilience and change.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, BAM, B&N, Indiebound and Waterstones.

About the Author

“Living with cerebral palsy is enormously difficult. But what if you never knew you had it? This is the incredible story of Ilana Estelle. Born the second of premature twins, an hour apart, from a young age Ilana knew she was different, but for all the wrong reasons. A child of the 60s, Ilana experienced first-hand the way that disability was, so often brushed under the carpet, not spoken about. Her constant physical and mental struggles made her feel isolated, alone, frustrated, and misunderstood… and it took 46 years for her to find out why. Part memoir, part motivational guide, Cerebral Palsy: a story ‘Finding the Calm After The Storm’ is Ilana’s open and honest journey from an angry, confused child, knowing something was wrong, not knowing what was wrong, what her disability was, or that there was a diagnosis, to the ‘real’ her – a courageous woman using her experiences and lessons to create inspiring messages about mental and physical health, positivity, resilience and change.”

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

The Giveaway

Cerebral Palsy: ‘A Story’ Finding the Calm After the Storm Book Tour Giveaway

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

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Again: Surviving Cancer Twice with Love and Lists

iRead Book Tours

“This no-nonsense debut memoir recalls Corrigan’s two-time battle with cancer and takes a pragmatic approach toward guiding other patients. Candid, sagacious writing on illness and adaptation.” –Kirkus Reviews

About Again: Surviving Cancer Twice with Love and Lists

A breast cancer diagnosis at forty-nine forces Christine Shields Corrigan, a wife, mom, and meticulous list-maker, to confront her deepest fears of illness, death, and loss of control as she struggles to face cancer again. From the discovery of a “junky” cyst, to chemotherapy and surgery, sleepless nights filled with rosaries and “what ifs,” and shifting family dynamics, her adult experience mirrors her teen bout with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, with one exception—she no longer has parents keeping her in the dark.

With the ghosts of cancer past hovering around her, Chris falls into the same overprotective traps her taciturn Irish-Catholic parents created, striving to keep her family’s life “normal,” when it is anything but, and soldiering through on her own, until a neighbor’s unexpected advice and gift move her to accept others’ help. With fierce honesty, poignant reflection, and good humor, Chris shares a journey filled with sorrow, grace, forgiveness, and resilience, as she winds her way through cancer for the second time. Again offers practical guidance and hope to individuals that they have the strength to forge a path beyond a diagnosis.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, B&N, BAM, Book Depository and Indiebound.

About the Author

Christine Shields Corrigan is a two-time cancer survivor, wife, mom, and author of Again: Surviving Cancer Twice with Love and Lists . In addition to Again , Chris has published a number of lyrical and practical essays where she gives voice to the beautiful ordinary. Her work about family, illness, writing, and resilient survivorship has appeared in anthologies, magazines, and other publications including, The Brevity Blog, Grown & Flown, Horn Pond Review, The Potato Soup Journal and Anthology, Purple Clover, Ravishly.com, Wildfire Magazine, and the Writer’s Circle 2 Anthology.

Chris’ essay, “Not Back to But Forward,” about how her cancer experiences helped her cope with COVID-19 is included in (Her)oics: Women’s Lived Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic (edited by Joanell Serra and Amy Roost), an anthology that draws together the stories of 52 women across the US during the Covid-19 pandemic (March 2021). A graduate of Manhattan College and Fordham University School of Law, Chris built a successful career as a labor and employment law attorney and as a legal writer and editor. After surviving cancer in midlife, Chris became a freelance writer. She also teaches creative nonfiction writing for an adult education program, provides writing workshops for cancer support groups, and is the chair of the programming committee of the Morristown Festival of Books. She lives in New Jersey with her family.

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

The Giveaway!

AGAIN: Surviving Cancer Twice with Love and Lists Book Tour Giveaway

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

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