BOOK SPOTLIGHT & REVIEW: Big Shoes By Jack Getze

Big Shoes
By Jack Getze
Genre: Mystery, Humor

Book Description

Jersey Shore broker Austin Carr wants out of the stock and bond business but un-hooking from his mobbed-up partner won’t be painless. Angelina “Mama Bones” Bonacelli is best known for professional consultations that deteriorate into criminal violence, breakfast appointments raided by the FBI and one particular Power Point presentation to a Jersey state racing commission that ended in automatic weapons fire. Good thing she likes Austin.














My Review:

Austin Carr is a smooth investigator who uses his humor and wits to get him through some racy situations. This novel is jammed pack with action. We meet a motley crew of mobsters who are making Carr’s attempt to shake them pretty darn hard. This story had me snickering and rooting for Carr’s survival. Getze knocked this one out of the park. Four Stars for thrills, adventure, and laughs!

Author Bio

A former reporter for The Los Angeles Times, Jack Getze is Fiction Editor for Anthony nominated Spinetingler Magazine, one of the internet's oldest websites for noir, crime and horror short stories. His Austin Carr Mysteries BIG NUMBERS, BIG MONEY, BIG MOJO and this fall's BIG SHOES are published by Down and Out Books. His short stories have appeared in A Twist of Noir, Beat to a Pulp, The Big Adios and Passages.

Links:

Website: http://austincarrscrimediary.blogspot.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jack.getze
On Amazon: http://amzn.to/1LVwK54 
On Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26783711-big-shoes

The author is giving away 20 copies of his book, Big Shoes! 

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BOOK BLITZ: In the Dark By Chris Patchell

In the Dark
By Chris Patchell
Genre: Thriller, Suspense

When the worst happens and her daughter goes missing, a mother will do anything to find her…

Marissa Rooney’s daughter, Brooke, has been missing for days. Her roommate hasn’t seen her since that night in the bar. Standing in the middle of her daughter’s dorm room with a half-used vial of insulin clenched in her hand, Marissa comes to the terrifying realization that if she has Brooke’s insulin, it means that Brooke does not.

The missing person’s investigation takes a sudden and deadly turn when the police discover the body of another college student who went missing a week before Brooke. Desperate to find her daughter, Marissa fears time is running out.

But she isn’t alone in her terror. A phantom from Marissa’s past is lurking in the shadows, waiting in the night, and holding her family captive…In the dark.

"An edge-of-your-seat suspense novel. It scared the hell out of me. Read it with the lights on!"–Robert Dugoni, Amazon #1 and New York Times bestselling author of My Sister's Grave

Author Bio

When Chris Patchell isn’t hiking in the Cascade Mountains or hanging out with family and friends, she is working at her hi-tech job or writing gritty suspense novels. Why suspense? Chris blames her obsession with the dark on two things: watching Stephen King movies as a kid and spending ridiculous amounts of time commuting in Seattle traffic. Learn more about Chris and her books atwww.chrispatchell.com or follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authorchrispatchell/?fref=ts.

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/chris_patchell 
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Chris-Patchell-ebook/dp/B00YNKHFI8/

BOOK SPOTLIGHT & REVIEW: Beautiful Carnage--a Neo Geisha novel By Monica L Patton

Beautiful Carnage--a Neo Geisha novel
By Monica L Patton
Genre: Steamy Psychological Thriller

Orphaned and brain-washed from the age of six, Philomene Doucette is a beautiful assassin programmed to be a soulless killing machine by the CIA— and death has never looked so good.

In the, steamy, psychological thriller, Beautiful Carnage, Philomene is given her most important assignment yet: executing Haruto Mori, the leader of a deadly Japanese clan. To conceal her identity, Philomene is smuggled into Japan under the guise of being a sex worker and is presented as a gift for Haruto. Philomene’s mission to kill Haruto becomes an inner battle as she struggles between her conditioning, the affection she feels for Haruto and her increasing desire for Tadakai, her CIA handler.

When Haruto is unexpectedly murdered, Philomene uses her deadly training to find answers. She learns of a shocking government plot for mass murder at an upcoming Yakuza Summit—where Tadakai will be in attendance.

Philomene rescues Tadakai, and together they find a haven in a remote, abandoned farmhouse. As they forge a deeper connection, the two make a life-changing decision to leave this dangerous lifestyle behind to create a new life together...but their past misdeeds will not be absolved without exacting bloody sacrifices.


My  Review:

Author Monica Patton brings readers into a dark underworld of drugs and sex trafficking. Assassin, Philomene Doucette, has worked her way up to a position of power and respect. While performing unspeakable duties for her boss, she begins to fall for someone she isn’t supposed to. In this violent thriller, the author delivers love in a way that we usually don’t see. 5 stars!

Author Bio

Currently performing in the Broadway National Tour of The Book of Mormon, Monica has worked with such notables as Jesse Norman, Diahann Carroll and Freda Payne. She covered Eartha Kitt as the Fairy Godmother in Rodgers and Hammerstein's’ Cinderella and sang opposite Jon Secada as the Narrator in the National Tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Her other credits include; Broadway: Finian’s Rainbow, Abby’s Song, and Ragtime. Off-Broadway: Little Ham. National Tours: Disney’s The Lion King, Annie 30th Anniversary; City Center Encores! productions: On The Town, Pipe Dream, Fanny, Anyone Can Whistle, Purlie, Finian’s Rainbow and Applause. The Distinguished Achievement in Production award was presented to Here in Harlem: Poems in Many Voices, by Walter Dean Myers. Monica was honored to have been a featured Narrator on the production. when she is not onstage, you can find her in a quick change booth--writing, playing video games with her daughter or perched on a stool, having a craft cocktail.

Links:

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/neogeishaforever/ 
Twitter: Monica Patton @neogeishaforeve 
Website: monicapattonforever.com  

BOOK BLITZ: On My Way to Someplace Else By Sandra Hurtes

On My Way to Someplace Else
By Sandra Hurtes
Genre: Essay Collection

The essays in this collection were written after I’d begun pondering a divide in myself, one separating me into two selves: a daughter of Holocaust survivors and an average, liberated American woman.  Born  in  1950  in  Brooklyn,  I  was—at  least  on  paper— American. But even as a young girl I understood that being American meant being lighter and freer than I often felt. I was a painfully self- conscious child, consumed with concern for my family’s welfare.

The first piece in this collection is my first published essay. In it, I begin exploring my relationship with my mother—a gorgeous and painful presence in my life and a touchstone for much of my work—and the complex impact her Holocaust experiences had on me. This was the essay that helped me gain a third identity, as a writer. The rest touch on a range of themes. Some address the Holocaust; others spring from my experiences as the American Everywoman I’ve always longed to be. All are in some way about growing up, taking cues from society and peers, trying to make a life outside the life that had been ordained for me.

This collection contains my earliest essays.  I offer them, believing that no matter how unusual my circumstances have been, they will resonate with anyone who has searched for an identity and found it in more than one place.

Author Bio

Sandra Hurtes has written essays and features for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Poets & Writers, Writer's Digest and numerous other publications. She's taught creative nonfiction workshops and currently teaches English at John Jay College and Marymount Manhattan College.

Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAmbivalentMemoirist/?ref=bookmarks
Website: sandrahurtes.blogspot.com 


Purchase Links: 

http://amzn.to/1SaYarq 
http://bit.ly/1UixJ2l

BOOK SPOTLIGHT & REVIEW: The Weight of Guilt By Jon Ripslinger

The Weight of Guilt
By Jon Ripslinger
Genre: Young Adult

Book Description

Driving home from a bonfire party, eighteen-year-old John Hawk crashes, killing his girlfriend, Riley. Bullied and tormented at school, his guilty conscience crushing him, John transfers to a school on the banks of the Mississippi River, where he attracts the eye of the principal’s daughter, Megan Jones. Though he’s reluctant, she convinces him to be her prom date. The morning after prom, Principal Jones reports Megan missing. Four days later, her body is recovered from the Mississippi River, and John becomes the prime suspect in her death, a rape and murder case.

Charley Cotton, Megan’s best friend, knows that Megan had a secret, but she doesn’t trust John because of his past. John is desperate to avoid adding to the shame he carries for Riley’s death—it’s destroying his life.  With Charley’s help, he learns that others in Megan’s life have a motive to keep her quiet. But every effort they make to uncover the truth edges them closer to a desperate murderer with everything to lose.


My Review:

The Weight of Guilt is YA novel with adult crossover appeal. I was struck how author Jon Ripslinger didn’t shy away from discussing hardcore events that teens may face. The characters are well-developed and each have their positive and negative attributes which makes them believable.  Lead character John has been dealt an unfortunate hand in life and works towards starting over in a nearby town. Tragedy follows. This book is chock full of suspense, drama, and emotion. The ending of the story was quite the shocker. I’d recommend this book for both young adult and adult readers who like a solid mystery story. Four stars! 

Author Bio

After Jon retired as a public high school English at Davenport West High school, he began a career as a young adult author. His credits include eight published YA novels, and he has signed a contract with Red Adept publishing for a ninth YA novel. Jon has been a presenter at the Pen-in-Hand workshops for the Midwest Writing Center, Davenport, IA, and for the David R. Collins Writers' Conference held yearly at St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa. He has also published numerous short stories in Woman's World, a leading woman's weekly magazine. Jon and his wife live in Davenport, where their six children and their families also live. When not working on his computer crafting another story, Jon enjoys collecting music from the '40s and '50s playing pool, and spending time with his family.

Links:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ripslinger 
Twitter: @YAwriterRip 
Website: one-minuteromance.blogspot.com 
On Amazon: http://amzn.to/1IlcsEf 
On Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1Zm44bx 
On Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1PjNhmB 
On Red Adept: http://bit.ly/1Zm4639 

The author is giving away 3 $10 Amazon Gift Cards! 

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT & REVIEW: Two Tales of the Moon By Jennifer Sun

Two Tales of the Moon
By Jennifer Sun
Genre: Literary fiction

Two lives converge over a high stake international deal between U.S. and China - Will Donovan, a successful cyber technology business owner and Lu Li, a Wall Street investment banker. From New York City to Washington, DC, to Shanghai, together they have to face ethical dilemmas, make life choices, and come to terms with their past.

East meets West, past clashes with present. Blending romantic suspense with ethical intrigue. TWO TALES OF THE MOON is a compelling story that reveals that human struggle is the same regardless one's past or cultural upbringing.

Clarion/Forward gave the book a four star rating, calls it "a thoughtful portrait of a modern woman who must choose between the burden of memory and a future of her own making...the writing takes on the sharpened focus of a play... the work effectively captures the effects of communism in searingly personal ways. 

BlueInk Review says:

"Jennifer  Sun  draws  on  personal  knowledge  of  China  and  a  former  career  in telecommunications/finance  for  her  well-crafted  debut  novel  about  the  meeting  of  East  and West. Blending romance and  ethical  intrigue,  Two Tales of the Moon  is  a  unique  novel, with characters of psychological depth. 

My Review:

Two Tales of the Moon is a remarkable story where the history of east meets west through several generations. Lu Li struggles with traveling to China after her father and grandmother were persecuted there years earlier. Through this period she meets Will and connects with her mother and sister. A heart wrenching story of letting go in order to move forward. Five Stars.

Author Bio

Jennifer Sun has a MBA from George Washington University and a B.A. in English Literature from Fudan University in Shanghai, China. She has held several executive financial management positions at Fortune 500 companies in telecommunication and web technology industries. She currently writes full time and lives with her husband in Vienna, Virginia. She is also an avid reader, a runner and a foodie.

Links: 

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/JenniferSunAuthor 

Twitter: @JenniferSun8

Website: www.JenniferSunAuthor.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14554078.Jennifer_Sun 

Available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Ns0irQ 

The author is giving away a digital copy of Two Tales of the Moon. 

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT & REVIEW: A Turtle Roars in Texas By Russ Hall

A Turtle Roars in Texas
By Russ Hall
Genre: Thriller/Suspense
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing

Trouble rides through Texas. 

Detective Al Quinn had hoped to spend his retirement fishing at his lakeside home and taking care of the local deer. That bubble pops when Gladys Sanders, the sixty-year-old co-owner of an organic farm, is found dead by her two sisters, her body displayed like a scarecrow. On the same day, her son is run over in his kayak.

Evidence slips away from the scene right under the noses of two deputies, so Sheriff Clayton asks Al to mentor a younger detective. That simple task explodes into raw danger when three rival biker gangs with ties to Mexican cartels start mixing it up in earnest.
ICE Agent Jaime Avila tells Al that old turtles ought to leave the fighting to the young. But when the danger involves Al’s brother, Al dives into the heart of the ruckus. Before the war is over, the gangs just might get to hear the turtle roar.




My Review: 

One of the main characters, Al Quinn, is supposed to be a retired cop but finds himself in the middle of a murder case involving a female organic farmer, rough bikers, and drugs. I found myself admiring Al for being an old cop who shows the new guys that he still has it in him to physically hold his own and mentally navigate the crime. Hall throws in humor, a dramatic past, and action into this already fast-paced plot. Do yourself a favor and get a copy of this suspenseful novel! Five Star Thriller, for sure!

Author Bio

Russ Hall is author of fifteen published fiction books, most in hardback and subsequently  published in mass market paperback by Harlequin's Worldwide Mystery imprint and Leisure Books. He has also co-authored numerous non-fiction books, most recently 
Do You Matter: How Great Design Will Make People Love Your Company (Financial Times Press, 2009) with Richard Brunner, former head of design at Apple, Now You’re Thinking (Financial Times Press, 2011), and Identity (Financial Times Press, 2012) with Stedman Graham, Oprah’s companion. 

His graduate degree is in creative writing. He has been a nonfiction editor for major publishing companies, ranging from HarperCollins (then Harper & Row), Simon & Schuster, to Pearson. He has lived in Columbus, OH, New Haven, CT, Boca Raton, FL, Chapel Hill, NC, and New York City. Moving to the Austin area from New York City in 1983. 

He is a long-time member of the Mystery Writers of America, Western Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime. He is a frequent judge for writing organizations. In 2011, he was awarded the Sage Award, by The Barbara Burnett Smith Mentoring Authors Foundation — a Texas award for the mentoring author who demonstrates an outstanding spirit of service in mentoring, sharing and leading others in the mystery writing community. In 1996, he won the Nancy Pickard Mystery Fiction Award for short fiction. 



On Red Adept Publishing: http://bit.ly/RAPTurtle 
On Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1OBCi7I
On Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ldEy9T

BOOK SPOTLIGHT & REVIEW: Fixed By Doug Piotter

Fixed
By Doug Piotter
Genre: Dark comedic memoir

Fixed is a darkly comedic memoir that spans my unsupervised youth, drug and alcohol addiction, bank robbery, life in prison and ultimately my release and re-entry into my life’s new and sober orbit. With the perspective gained from more than two decades of sobriety, I give an accounting of my debauched life with humor and irreverence.
I grew up with alcoholic parents trapped inside their own lonely skins, a painful childhood full of cold shoulders and broken furniture. I burst onto the drug scene at age eleven and thrived before slowly finding out that it wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be. With addiction taking over and dictating my every move, I tried to make sense of it all while gathering five felonies along the way.
At thirty-three, after a long string of bank robberies and my bad guy impersonation had run its course, I was brought back to life with the gift of prison and given the opportunity to re-invent myself and start my life over, from scratch. Upon release, I learned that the universe is a kind and forgiving place, often strange and funny with plenty for everyone as long as I don’t forget where I came from.

My Review:

FIXED is a gritty memoir about the cycle of addiction, plain and simple. This is a fantastic exploration into the mind and drug-crazed activities of an addict, from the beginning:  serious family dysfunction, poverty, and heredity. I relate to this book deeply on a personal level as my own life has made very many parallel twists and turns in a location quite a ways to the south of Mr. Piotter’s Seattle locale.  He exhaustively explores the demons in his own psyche, and is painfully honest about his actions, the resulting penalties for his actions, and ultimately, his recovery. I don’t think I’m being a spoiler here as this book would never have been written had it not been for Doug’s ability to recover. I loved this book, and encourage everyone to read it!  A spectacular book of CHANGE. Yes, it is possible.  Thank you, Doug. Five stars.

About the Author                                           After two decades of reckless behavior, gripping drug addiction and petty crime evolving into bank robbery ended on the day he started a 115-month prison sentence in 1993. He has been clean and sober and crime-free ever since, a remarkable turnaround against long odds that such a change was possible. Upon his release, Piotter built a successful construction company and became an active member of his recovery community. He lives in Seattle with his wife, artist Terrell Lozada.

Links:

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/www.douglaspiotter/ 

On Twitter: @dougpiotter

On Website: dougpiotter.com

On Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1QwB7a0 

On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fixed-Dope-sacks-packs-welcome/dp/099658000X

COVER REVEAL: Beautiful Carnage--a Neo Geisha novel By Monica L Patton

Beautiful Carnage--a Neo Geisha novel
By Monica L Patton
Genre: Steamy Psychological Thriller

Orphaned and brain-washed from the age of six, Philomene Doucette is a beautiful assassin programmed to be a soulless killing machine by the CIA— and death has never looked so good.

In the, steamy, psychological thriller, Beautiful Carnage, Philomene is given her most important assignment yet: executing Haruto Mori, the leader of a deadly Japanese clan. To conceal her identity, Philomene is smuggled into Japan under the guise of being a sex worker and is presented as a gift for Haruto. Philomene’s mission to kill Haruto becomes an inner battle as she struggles between her conditioning, the affection she feels for Haruto and her increasing desire for Tadakai, her CIA handler.

When Haruto is unexpectedly murdered, Philomene uses her deadly training to find answers. She learns of a shocking government plot for mass murder at an upcoming Yakuza Summit—where Tadakai will be in attendance.

Philomene rescues Tadakai, and together they find a haven in a remote, abandoned farmhouse. As they forge a deeper connection, the two make a life-changing decision to leave this dangerous lifestyle behind to create a new life together...but their past misdeeds will not be absolved without exacting bloody sacrifices.


Links: 

facebook: https://m.facebook.com/neogeishaforever/ 
twitter: Monica Patton @neogeishaforeve 
website: monicapattonforever.com