Book Review: Wildwood Exit by Joel E. Turner

Wildwood ExitWildwood Exit by Joel E. Turner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Complex, compelling story I didn’t want to put down.

Wildwood Exit is a compelling new crime thriller by Joel E. Turner, featuring an out-of-work South Philly bartender who relocates to Wildwood on the Jersey Shore to manage a restaurant there for a friend whose messy personal life soon becomes his problem. As the plot unfolds, the story proves to be fascinatingly complex, with twists and turns at every corner.

John McGinty, “Ginty” to his friends, has known Lou Scolletta, his wife, Concetta, and son, Davy, for a long time, and when the bar he’s been working at for years is sold, he accepts a position as the manager of a restaurant Lou owns in Wildwood, down the Jersey shore. While this isn’t his forte, he feels like he owes Lou’s family for help in his past and is willing to do his best for his friend. However, his new role soon expands when Lou asks Ginty to complete other tasks of a questionable nature, including spying on Concetta, whom Lou suspects of having an affair. To assist Ginty with these off-the-books assignments is Lou’s man, Pinto, a scrappy guy from the old neighborhood, who is willing to do whatever it takes to keep Lou, whom Ginty begins to realize is more “connected” than he knew, happy. Ginty has a soft spot for the now-grown Davy, who is estranged from his father. a drug addict and failed drug dealer, hiding from the drug dealers he owes money to. Told from Ginty’s first-person point of view, he narrates with an engaging, often humorous voice as he is dragged into Lou’s troubles with his wife, son, and the local Mexican drug cartel.

Set sometime in the 1980s, the author recreates an earlier, but not necessarily simpler, time. Ginty’s love interest, Pauline, a French-Canadian paralegal vacationing in nearby Cape May, doesn’t have a phone in her rental, so keeping that relationship going has communication problems that are forgotten today with ever-present cellphones. The plot is complex and compelling as Ginty’s life becomes entangled with Lou’s disintegrating family and extracurricular business dealings. There are plenty of twists and clever misdirection that keep Ginty and the reader wondering about whom he can trust and where the story is headed. I didn’t want to put the book down.

I recommend WILDWOOD EXIT to readers of mysteries, thrillers, and crime fiction, especially those with an affinity for the Jersey shore.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

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Book Review: Weird Stories of Strange Women by Christine Hart

Weird Stories of Strange WomenWeird Stories of Strange Women by Christine Hart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great collection of spooky short stories featuring women at various stages of their lives.

Weird Stories of Strange Women by Christine Hart is an enthralling collection of unusual, spooky tales featuring women at various stages of adulthood: maiden, mother, crone. These bite-sized stories are perfect for reading when you don’t have a lot of time to delve into longer works, and are so well written and self-contained, you’ll still come away satisfied from every entry. Hart provides four stories of varying lengths and plots for each phase of women’s adult lives, and each delivers an entertaining reading experience.

While the maiden stories focus on younger protagonists and the mother tales, of course, feature women in their child-rearing era, the crone phase may be something of an oddity or unfamiliar to some readers. These stories tell of women in their middle or later years who have embarked on new independent lives, focused on themselves, having done their time as caretakers. I enjoyed all the stories, no matter the life phase they represented, though elements of some will resonate more with readers going through similar stages of life. “The Crystal Miners,” the first story in the book, and “Her Lunar Bloom” really gave me the shivers, though.

I recommend WEIRD STORIES OF STRANGE WOMEN for readers of short stories with a spooky twist.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

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Release Tour & Giveaway: Dragons of Mu by Pamela Ackerson

The Eternals, a non-magical woman as the Chosen One, Marfóir, and her best friend join in the battle to slay the most evil dragon on earth, whose plan is to take over the world.

Dragons of Mu

by

Pamela Ackerson

 

Genre: Epic Fantasy Adventure

 

Drakine is rising.
The only hope is the hero no one expected.

One non-magical woman is the Chosen One. Destiny won’t wait. With her fiercely loyal friend, Lottie, by her side, and Blaze’s army behind her, Amy is thrust into a war against the most evil dragon ever to preside over the dragon realm on the Island of Mu. A creature whose heinous ambition is nothing less than total annihilation of the mortal world and complete global domination.

To survive, they must fight the ancient powers and unite the fractured kingdoms. The Island of Mu is burning… and only she can turn the tide.

Grab your copy today.

 

**Releases June 26th – PreOrder Now for Only
99 cents!**

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She rubbed the back of her head, felt a small lump, and winced. Her head was throbbing. Her knee was yelling at her and now she heard angry, men’s voices.

One of them yelled, “Over there! There she is. Get her!”

Another pulled out a long knife and they ran toward her.

Amy rushed into the woods. Turning around, she could see they were catching up to her.

Up, Amy, up. They won’t be looking up.

She climbed an oak tree as high as she could. Pulling on the long skirt, she squatted on a branch.

The branch felt odd and slithered underneath her. A large, looming face in the shape of a dragon stared at her unblinking.

Holy cr—

The creature put a long claw to its mouth and said, “Shhh.”

Amy took a deep breath. A scream was building inside her but before she could release the ear-piercing screech, she was muzzled by the creature. Her heart jolted as its wing enveloped her and she lost consciousness.

A few moments later, she was gulping for air. Fully expecting to open her eyes and see the hotel lobby, she was stunned to be staring into the eyes of a dragon.

–A dragon, a huge dragon with big, green eyes.

You’re safe.

Amy shook her head. “No. No, I’m not. There’s no okay in this, whatever this is at all. This is crazy. Why is this happening?”

Where did you come from?

She stared at his mouth. It wasn’t moving.

This hallucination was freaking weird. A talking dragon that didn’t move his lips. They’re going to take her away and leave her in the psych ward for the rest of her life.

Her eye began twitching. It wasn’t real. None of it makes sense.

Think, Amy. Dragons aren’t real. How could a dragon talk?

Anything can happen in a hallucination. She repeated to herself. This isn’t real.

Was she dead? Is this purgatory? Her own personal nightmare of an afterlife? Could she have injured herself so badly that she died?

She wasn’t a bad person. It certainly wasn’t in Hades. Well, it better not be Hades.

A talking, psychic dragon communicating with his mind.

Of course, it makes soooo much more sense.

She watched as the men ran into the woods, searching for her.

The dragon spoke in a deep, soothing voice, “Why are you dressed in that garb?”

Amy stared at the huge beast.

The beast’s green eyes penetrated her with a questioning glare.

“A— a party. We were going to a party.”

He looked at the bracelet.

“Someone put them in my shopping bag.”

“Let’s go. We need to get you into normal clothing. I’ll take you to Bev’s.”

Amy started climbing down the tree.

“No, no.” The dragon grabbed her and placed Amy on his back before taking flight.

Amy squealed, inhaled and released another louder scream.

“Stop.” His body jolted. “Your obnoxious squawking is impaling my ears.”

Within a few moments, they soared through the air and flew from cloud to cloud.

Her stomach flipped and she swallowed the huge lump in her throat.

“Ugh, no ups and downs, please.”

He laughed. “No quick drops? You’re the slow-boat kind of person.”

Her heart was finally returning to its normal beat. She was getting comfortable riding on his back and was beginning to enjoy the view.

“Whoa! This is awesome. I never have flying dreams.”

The dragon huffed.

Amy was mesmerized. It was freaking fantastic. The warm heat from the sun and soft air on her face, the flapping of his wings, it was glorious.

She could do this. It was peaceful. He was gliding along and she was euphoric.

Hold on.

“Hold on? No, don’t ruin the moment!”

The dragon took a deep dive. Amy let out an earsplitting shriek and gripped the back of his neck tighter as he gracefully landed on the ground in front of a small, wooden cabin.

He grunted in pain.

“Your fingernails are cutting into my skin.”

“Sorry.” Amy dismounted him like she would a horse.

“You don’t look like you’re sorry.”

She gave him an angry side-eye.

He grumbled, “Go. Tell her I sent you.”

“Um. You want me to knock on a stranger’s door, in the middle of BFE, and tell her a dragon sent me?”

“We’re not in Egypt.”

She snapped, “What? We’re in the middle of freaking nowhere. That’s what BFE means!”

Ignoring her irritation, he responded, “We’re in Ireland.”

“Ireland? I’ve never been to Ireland. How am I dreaming that I’m here? I’ve only seen pictures and this in not anything like the pictures.”

“It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not fine. I don’t have a passport with me!”

She rubbed her forehead. Why would she need a passport in a dream?

“No worries.” He blew out a frustrated breath. “I’ll be back in a blink. In the meantime, tell her Blaze sent you.”

“Oh, look. A fairy circle.”

His wide-eyed, incredulous stare gave her pause. He shook his head. “Wow.”

She shrugged.

“I can’t keep up with you.”

“Yeah, I get that a lot. My mind goes really fast sometimes.” She limped toward the fairy circle.

“What are you doing?”

Amy chuckled. “Making a wish.”

He looked at her like she was growing horns.

“Um, yeah. Make a wish and the fairies will grant it only if they see fit. You have to watch out for all the fairies protecting the fairy circle. You don’t want to step on them, you know.”

Amy stepped back from the circle. “Hello, little fairies. I hope you’re having a pleasant day.”

He harrumphed and walked away.

“Hey, it’s my dream. I can do what I want.”

Amy raised her hand to knock, but never made contact. An elderly woman, in her mid-seventies, opened the door.

“Oh, I thought I heard Blaze’s voice.”

“I’m Amy. He told me to tell you—”

The woman opened the door wider. “Come in. The sun’s going to be setting soon and it’ll be a bit chilly.”

The elderly woman had light hair, dark blue eyes, and a wide, pleasant smile. Her hair was rolled up into a bun tucked on the back of her head. Amy’s memories immediately went to the cartoon with the grandma lady who owned the canary, Tweety.

Amy cautiously entered the house and as she turned to look about, a man rushed through the doorway.

He was an average-looking man except for his eyes. They gleamed an effervescent green. The man’s dark hair was a deep contrast to his light skin.

She never cared for the five o’clock shadow but it did do him justice.

“There you are, Blaze.” She handed him a mug.

“Thank you, Bev.”

“Mark on his way?”

“Soon. He has a few things he needs to take care of before he comes.”

Mark? As in Harlow?

Bev turned to Amy. “What would you like, dear? I’ve got some hot tea on the table or, if it pleases, I can pour another draught.”

“T—”

“She needs normal clothes.”

Amy glared at Blaze. “And who are you?”

“I’m the man who saved your skinny bum and brought you here.”

“And how, pray tell, did you do that? A dragon…” Her voice trailed off.

Bev looked puzzled. “So, she’s not from medieval times?”

“No.”

“She didn’t time-travel here?”

“No.”

Time travel? Amy interrupted, “I can speak for myself.”

“Really?” He snorted. “Go ahead, darling, and explain how you got here.”

“Fine. I was at a party.” Amy flipped her hand in the air. “I tucked the jeweled comb in my wig and the next thing I knew, these men attacked me and I’ve been having this dream or possibly been unconscious ever since.”

Blaze sat at the table. “You’re not unconscious.”

“Then you tell me what’s happening.”

Bev took her arm. “Oh, sweetie, it’s been a day for you, hasn’t it? Sit, relax, and have a cuppa. I’ll get you some clothes that should fit you. We’ll get you all sorted out.”

The concern in Bev’s voice was telling.

Wariness clung to Amy as a hesitant smile tugged at her lips, a stark contrast to how she was feeling.

“I don’t need clothes. I just want to wake up.”

Bev asked, “Wake up?”

Blaze waved Bev’s question off and spoke to Amy, “Somehow, you’ve managed to get two very powerful and magical relics to bring you here. People have gone to war to possess the magical comb and bracelet.”

Amy grunted.

“Those men stole the relics to take over Mu and conquer the magical world. They will not hesitate to kill you for them.”

Amy bit her upper lip, repressing a nervous giggle. “Not ruby-red slippers? Will lightning flash from the jewelry when you try to remove it from my hair and wrist? Do I repeat ‘there’s no place like home’ three times?”

Blaze glowered. “I don’t find your sarcasm amusing.”

She removed the jeweled comb and handed it to Blaze. “Here. Take it.”

Bev glared at Blaze and tapped Amy’s hand. “Blaze can get you back to where you belong and to your party whenever you’re ready.”

“Good.” Amy put her wrist toward Blaze. “I’m more than ready.”

Blaze reached to take the bracelet off her wrist. “It won’t come off.”

Bev put her hand to her chest. “What?”

Amy’s voice shook in panic. “No, no, take it off!”

“It won’t come off.”

“Fine, then I’ll do it.”

She fiddled with the clasp and finally threw up her hands in frustration. “It won’t come off!”

Bev walked over to the cabinet and brought back a bottle of Irish whiskey and three glasses, and said, “It has begun.”

 

 

 

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Wall Street Journal bestselling, award-winning author, Pamela Ackerson is a time traveling adventurer. She was born and raised in Newport, RI, where history is a way of life. She lives on the Space Coast of Florida, where everyone is encouraged to reach for the stars!

Her literary journey is as diverse and adventurous as the time-traveling escapades she writes about. With a rich tapestry of genres at her fingertips, she weaves stories that span from the wild frontiers of the Old West to the intricate cultural tapestries of Native American history. Her work doesn’t stop at fiction; she delves into the realms of history, self-help, and even marketing, showcasing a versatility that resonates with a wide audience.

Ackerson’s presence on the Space Coast of Florida reflects her forward-thinking approach to writing, always aiming for the next big leap in her storytelling odyssey. Her prolific output is a testament to her dedication to her craft, inviting readers to join her in exploring the vast landscapes of human experience and imagination.

Honest reviews of Pamela’s books are always appreciated.

Absolutely no AI programs were used to create any story she has written.

Thank you and have a good moments day.

 

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Book Review: The Last Orbit by Lance Jepsen

THE LAST ORBIT: A Sci-Fi Thriller of Erased Lives and Corporate ControlTHE LAST ORBIT: A Sci-Fi Thriller of Erased Lives and Corporate Control by Lance Jepsen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In a far-future universe where corporations control everything, including history, going along is the only way to stay alive.

The Lost Orbit is a new science fiction thriller by Lance Jepsen, set in a distant future where corporations control everything. Nicole Gordon is the pilot of the Tethys, a salvage ship held together by little more than hopes and prayers. With few resources, she’s barely scraping by as she plies the Graveyard Orbit on the fringes of known space, looking for salvageable wreckage that others have overlooked or passed on, when she encounters an arkship, a huge, mythical spacecraft with its cargo still aboard and viable. But even the outer edges of space have corporate eyes and ears, and she soon finds herself fleeing for her life with one of the greatest secrets of her time by her side.

Nicole Gordon is a solitary soul, cynical, and suffering the aftereffects of a corporate memory wipe she underwent after a mission gone wrong three years earlier. Things that shouldn’t be familiar to her are, and the mental manipulations done to her seem to be slowly reversing. Why this is allowed, other than the corporations are in charge, we do not know. Did she agree to having some technician physically drill into her head? Still, I enjoyed the action as critical memories continued to reestablish themselves and the mystery of her past was revealed.

Nicole is supported by interesting secondary characters such as her friend, Riya Bass, who arrives on the scene after miraculously capturing part of a distress signal. She is a talented communications expert, using available space junk and cobbled-together pieces of obsolete tech to make broken things work. Alton Virek becomes Nicole’s companion as she flees the security forces of the corporation after she discovers their dirty secret hidden in the Graveyard Orbit. Dr. Imani Abut, not to be confused with another character, Jora Imanin, is a medical doctor who’s seen it all while hiding on a derelict space station on the fringes of space for the previous 20 years. The characters are chased through off-limits space and treacherous debris fields by the corporate hunters, as they desperately attempt to get the word out about the corporation’s biggest lie of all.

While the plot grabs attention and the settings are atmospheric, the story’s pace is hindered by constant description of every move, thought, and scene in a noir style. This treatment initially entertained me, but it quickly grew stale and disrupted the flow of the action. I really needed the author just to move it along. The author repeatedly used the same descriptions over and over again. All machinery and ship features groaned and moved as if they suffered from arthritis. The constant blaring of klaxons was accompanied by flashing red lights, always described as the color of a slaughterhouse or abattoir. Pilot Gordon experienced everything in her environment through her molars or the soles of her boots, and there was entirely too much hand-smacking of buttons, scraped knuckles, and bleeding on keyboards. I began to wonder if the basic story idea had been fleshed out using AI. Still, I wanted to know how the story resolved, which ultimately determined my 3-star rating.

I recommend THE LAST ORBIT to casual science fiction adventure readers.

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Release Blitz & Giveaway – The Tales of Sidney and JoJo: Adventures in Thailand by Lauren Isaacson

 

The Tales of Sidney and JoJo:

Adventures in Thailand

by

Lauren Isaacson

Illustrated by Megan Heller

 

Juvenile Fiction / Multi-cultural / Animals

Publisher: Mission Point Press

Publication Date: June 23, 2026

Page count: 38 pages

SYNOPSIS:

Sidney and JoJo are off to Thailand, where Mama lives.

Join them on an adventure to faraway lands-by crate, van, car, conveyor belt, and airplane-as they discover the sights and sounds of a tropical new world. Along the way, they meet friendly Thai people, encounter a wise dog, and gaze in wonder at the golden Buddhas and temple cats standing guard. With a few bumps in the road-marked by meows, tail twitches, and new surprises-they journey onward until, at last, they arrive at their new home.

 

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 
Lauren Isaacson is an educator, business owner, and is excited to add children’s book author to her repetoire. Inspired by the real-life journey of her two adventurous cats during a move abroad, Lauren wrote this story to share with her students and families around the world. She is the founder of The Tutoring Hub: Tutoring & Advocacy, LLC, where she supports students, families, and educators. As her students learned about her two cats and their adventures, a desire grew to give them a story they could take home. Lauren is excited to continue the adventures of The Tales of Sidney and JoJo. You can contact Lauren at ljisaacson491@gmail.com.

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The Tutoring Hub

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ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:

Megan Heller is a Michigan-based contemporary artist who earned her BFA in illustration from the College for Creative Studies. Her work blends intricate detail with rich symbolism. Working primarily in mixed media, such as watercolors and colored pencils, with just a dash of digital magic, her pieces have been shown at Black Box Gallery’s Fantasy Exhibition in Dearborn, the Midland Center for the Arts, as well as galleries and exhibitions throughout Detroit and her hometown of Saginaw. This is her first foray into children’s book illustration.
 

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

Click HERE to enter for a chance to win

a Gift Card + eBook Copy – The Tales of Sidney and Jojo.

(a $10 value)

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Book Blast & Giveaway: Dreidels and Dead Ends (Bad Hair Day Mystery, #19) by Nancy J. Cohen

Dreidels and Dead Ends

Bad Hair Day Mysteries

by Nancy J. Cohen

About Dreidels and Dead Ends


Dreidels and Dead Ends (Bad Hair Day Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
19th in Series
Setting – Florida
Publisher: Orange Grove Press
Publication date: June 23, 2026
Print length: 246 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10: 1952886392
ISBN-13: 978-1952886393
Kindle
ISBN-13: 978-1952886409
ASIN: B0GWQMWF7Y
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A daring holiday heist at the local history museum sends hairstylist Marla Vail on her most tangled case yet.

When salon owner Marla Vail agrees to speak at the local history museum’s gala opening for a new exhibit, she expects applause—not a catastrophe. But shortly after she takes the stage, a thief steals the featured diamond-studded hairbrush, leaving behind an empty display case and a badly injured security guard.

Marla’s friend, museum curator Becky Forest, begs for her help in recovering the prized heirloom before the mayor uses this scandal as an excuse to cut their funding. To make matters worse, the antique hairbrush comes with a curse, and suddenly bad luck is spreading through town faster than a botched dye job. As Hanukkah festivities begin, Marla would rather be lighting candles than chasing clues, but with Becky’s job at stake, she takes on the case.

Her trail leads to a knot of suspects including the hairbrush’s owner, his greedy cousin, shifty museum staff, and a reclusive collector of mystical antiquities. Instead of enjoying menorah lights and latkes, Marla discovers murder, lies, and larceny. She’ll need sharp wits and a holiday miracle to save the museum and to keep the truth from being brushed aside.

Click to Purchase!

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| International Links |

About Nancy J. Cohen

Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. Titles in this series have been named Best Cozy Mystery by Suspense Magazine, won the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards and the RONE Award, placed first in the Chanticleer International Book Awards and third in the Arizona Literary Awards. Her nonfiction titles, Writing the Cozy Mystery and A Bad Hair Day Cookbook, have won the FAPA President’s Book Award, the Royal Palm Literary Award, and IAN Book of the Year. When not busy writing, Nancy enjoys reading, fine dining, cruising, and visiting Disney World.

| Website | Blog | BookBub | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram |

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Tour Participants

June 23 – Storybook Lady – SPOTLIGHT

June 23 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

June 23 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews

June 24 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 24 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 25 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

June 25 – Sarandipity’s – SPOTLIGHT

June 26 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

June 26 – Bea’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT

June 27 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

June 27 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

June 28 – Carla Loves To Read – SPOTLIGHT

June 28 – Deal Sharing Aunt – SPOTLIGHT

June 29 – Cozy Up With Kathy – SPOTLIGHT

June 29 – Romance Novel Giveaways – SPOTLIGHT

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

Click HERE to enter for a chance to win 

One signed print copy of Star Tangled Murder by Nancy J. Cohen, her July 4th mystery!

 

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Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: Ghost Cat and the Haunted House (Tenth Life Cozy Mystery, #4) by Mollie Hunt


Ghost Cat and the Haunted House (A Tenth Life Cozy Mystery)
by Mollie Hunt

About Ghost Cat and the Haunted House


Ghost Cat and the Haunted House (A Tenth Life Cozy Mystery)
Cozy Cat Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Ocean Cove, a fictitious town on the Oregon Coast
Independently Published
Print length: 277 pages
Publication date: June 30, 2026
Paperback
ISBN-13: 979-8272313546
ASIN: B0H339K7DS
Digital
ASIN: B0GXNY458L
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Ghost cat Soji draws Camelia into an age-old web of secrets when a body turns up in the long-abandoned house on the hill.

Decades ago, Ida Jacks died a tragic death in her old ancestral home. Since then, the place has stood empty, just another of Ocean Cove’s moldering landmarks. Now paranormal investigator Griffin Gage is about to change all that. But Gage’s plan is to contact dead Ida takes a tragic turn when, instead of a spirit, he finds a corpse.

Ghost cat Soji has been acting strange, trying to tell Camelia something, but what, the octogenarian cannot discern. Is it about Ida? The Jacks House? The murder? And why does her own cat Blaze keep disappearing to the guesthouse with no apparent means of transport?

Handsome Sheriff Jamie can’t figure it out, and neither can Camelia’s clairvoyant confidant Vera nor her very special friend Ellery. Camelia is on her own to uncover the killer, but can she solve the mysteries in time to save innocent lives, and maybe a ghost or two?

Click to Pre-Order or Purchase!

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About Mollie Hunt

 

Cat Writer Mollie Hunt is the award-winning author of two cozy series: the Crazy Cat Lady Mysteries featuring a sixty-something cat shelter volunteer who finds more trouble than a cat in catnip, and the Tenth Life Paranormal Mysteries involving a ghost cat. Her Cat Seasons Sci-Fantasy Tetralogy presents extraordinary cats saving the world. She also released a COVID memoir she calls, “an ode to the very real and healing presence of cats.” Her cat health memoir, “Creating Comfort for Your Senior Cat: Stories, Poems, and Illustrations of Cats in Their Golden Years,” recently won a Certificate of Excellence from the Cat Writers’ Association.

Mollie’s cat writing has earned her various other honors, including CWA Muse Medallions and World’s Best Litter-ary Awards. She is the recipient of the prestigious Michael Brim Distinguished Service Award (CWA) and the Catalyst Council Connect to Care Award, celebrating a true story of the profound connection between a shelter cat and its adoptive pet parent. Her mystery, Cat’s Paw, was a CIBA Mystery & Mayhem Semi-finalist.

Mollie is on the Board of Directors for Northwest Independent Writers Association (NIWA) as well as being the librarian for the Cat Writers’ Association. Additionally, she is a member of Sisters in Crime, Willamette Writers, and the Oregon Writers Colony. Mollie lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and a varying number of cats. Like her cat lady character, she is a grateful shelter volunteer.

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Tour Participants

June 23 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

June 23 – Romance Novel Giveaways – SPOTLIGHT

June 24 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 24 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 25 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 25 – Cozy up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 26 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 26 – Books1987– SPOTLIGHT

June 27 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

June 27 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

June 28 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

June 28 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 29 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 29 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT

June 29 – Salty Inspirations – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

Click HERE to enter for a chance to win

a signed paperback copy of Cold Case Cat (Crazy Cat Lady Mystery) by Mollie Hunt (U.S. ONLY)

 

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Teaser Tour: The Beauty of Individual Things by K. Thomas Yoo

The Beauty of Individual Things

by

K. Thomas Yoo

Historical Fiction / Jazz Age Romance

Publisher: Mission Point Press

Publication Date: July 14, 2026

Page count: 342 pages

SYNOPSIS:

The Beauty of Individual Things follows Margot Andrews, a young American woman swept from New York high society into the dazzling yet fractured world of 1920s London. When the transactional demands of privilege collide with betrayal and violence, leaving her disillusioned and adrift, she escapes to the freshwater shoreline of lost childhood summers.

With her past unrecoverable and her future uncertain, Margot searches for a different life amid Detroit’s dynamic and monied Prohibition era—with its yacht races, rumrunners, and industrial might. Set against a city on the rise, she must navigate her family’s ruthless pursuit of social standing, the magnetic pull of charismatic boat racer Ellis James, and the relentless echoes of her past. The story explores the weight of loneliness and the personal cost of love and reinvention as Margot decides whether to remain a fragile ornament of her family’s design or forge an identity that is beautiful, imperfect, and entirely her own.

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ENJOY AN EXCERPT:

No one tells a young woman that things usually happen because of money, sex, or power. We learn it on our own. Polite girls go on to elegantly suppress the notion, but most know it, and I was nothing if not polite. It was
different for Grace. She was a Maxwell. It wasn’t in their nature to suppress things. They blew them up.

An early lesson remains etched in my mind. It was a summer day in 1913. The Maxwells had secured a white clapboard weekly rental on the shores of Elk Lake, tucked among the rolling farmland and evergreen forests of northern Michigan.

The screen door slammed. I shaded my eyes as Uncle Fred crossed a narrow strip of beach, wearing a faded black-and-white-striped bathing costume.

“You’ll burn, Fred,” Aunt Lou clucked from her canvas sling chair under the shade of a lurid yellow umbrella.

Cousin Grace doubled over, shrieking with laughter. “You look like a ghost,” she sputtered. I suppressed my giggles by intently staring at a beached canoe.

Uncle Fred hadn’t brought any alcohol on that vacation.

“It’s called drying out,” Grace had whispered one night after we were tucked away in our shared bed. “The booze turns dusty and blows away … or something.”

I never saw the dust, but for two or three rocky days Uncle Fred kept to his room, scolding us through the door to lower our voices. Then one bright morning, the dust cleared. All breakfast table chatter quieted as he stood at the head of the table, bright-eyed and eager to lead us on bracing outdoor excursions involving tree identification—white pine versus red—campfires, and fish brought home on stringers. I felt sorry for the fish, but they were delicious.

Now, after nodding in acceptance of his daughter’s ribbing, Uncle Fred called to me, “Margot, I’ll see you at the end of the dock.”

I immediately stopped giggling. I had been forbidden from docks and floating canoes because I didn’t know how to swim. At ten years old, I was mortified by this humiliating precaution yet too frightened to do anything
constructive about it.

Aunt Lou had dismissed all petulant objections. “The water doesn’t care, child. It’ll drown you all the same.”

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Karen Thomas Yoo was born and raised in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. She graduated from the University of Michigan and received an MBA from Duke University. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found in her garden or on a paddleboard in Lake Michigan. A mother of three grown children, she lives in Grosse Pointe with her husband. This is her first novel.

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Filed under Book Blitz, Fiction, Historical fiction, Historical romance, Romance

Book Tour: Finish Lines by Sarah Broyles

Finish Lines

by

Sarah Broyles

YA Graphic Novel

Publisher: First Second

Publishing Date: June 16, 2026

Page count: 352 pages

SYNOPSIS:

Miranda needs something to write about in her college application essays. But what?

Miranda has a plan: ace her junior year, get into an Ivy League school, and skip anything that doesn’t look good on a college application. But the pressure is getting to her, and now her parents have cut her off from every club, competition, and committee she’s a part of.

Desperate to get back on track, Miranda sets her sights on the Texas Water Safari—a 260-mile canoe race her mom was set to do with her granddad. With her mom sidelined by an injury, Miranda joins her grandfather. It’s grueling, messy, and scorching hot.

Can a perfectionist survive the wild long enough to find out who she is outside of a college checklist?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sarah Broyles started reading graphic novels years ago with her kids and became hooked on stories told through sequential art. She has a dusty English degree from the University of Texas at Austin, where she continues to live in the city with her husband and their two daughters–who have, bittersweetly, long since outgrown story time with Mom. Finish Lines is her first book.

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June 15th
Bookcrushin – Review
Lin’s Perspective – Review

June 16th
unconventionalquirkybibliophile – Promotional Post
Paiges of Novels – 15 Reactions While Reading Finish Lines

June 17th
Twirling Book Princess – Top 5 Reasons to Read Finish Lines
Mx. Phoebe’s Viewpoint – Review, Favorite Quotes

June 18th
Confessions of a YA Reader – Promotional Post
The Book Dutchesses – Promotional Post

June 19th
The violet west – Review
Books1987 – Promotional Post

June 20th
Ilovebooksandstuffblog – Promotional Post

June 21st
Boys’ Mom Reads! – Promotional Post

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Filed under Book Blitz, Contemporary fiction, Fiction, Graphic novel, Young adult

Book Review: The Vivaldi Cipher (Vatican Secret Archive Thrillers, #1) by Gary McAvoy

The Vivaldi Cipher (Vatican Secret Archive #1)The Vivaldi Cipher by Gary McAvoy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A centuries-old art theft and forgery operation is uncovered at the Vatican.

The Vivaldi Cipher is the first book in author Gary McAvoy’s riveting new series, the Vatican Secret Archive Thrillers, and reunites two sleuthing partners from his earlier Magdalene Chronicles, Father Michael Dominic and Hana Sinclair. While on a working holiday in Venice with his good friend, investigative reporter Hana Sinclair, Jesuit priest Father Michael Dominic is consulted by his old seminary friend on a tricky matter regarding the sanctity of the confessional and the devastating information he received during a dying man’s last confession.

Father Carlo Rinaldi had been called to the bedside of the capo of the Veneta Camorra (Venetian Mafia), whose regular confessor was unavailable. With fear in his eyes, he revealed the details of a centuries-old art theft and forgery operation that had been swapping valuable works from the Vatican Museum’s collection for forgeries right under the nose of the Holy See. His last request is that his confessor put an end to it all. But if the man’s story is true, and how could it not, how could this have been going on undiscovered for so long… without insider help? The answers may come from an unexpected source, hidden within the musical works of the famed Venetian composer and priest, Antonio Vivaldi himself. But as Michael, Hana, and their friends begin to ask questions, they soon discover someone will do anything to keep this operation a secret, including committing murder.

Father Michael and Hana are both such engaging characters, long-time friends who’ve been through a lot together, and it was interesting watching them navigate their “strictly friends” relationship amid the suspense and danger that ensued. A warning: the author is not afraid to sacrifice high-profile characters for his story, and that really ups the stakes in an already high-stakes affair.

The plot escalates quickly, and the action keeps going nonstop. The author’s vivid descriptions of the iconic settings around Venice and during Carnival really brought the mental images I constructed to life (while also providing important tips for those considering a visit to the ancient city). As the reader knows from the start what the crime is, who at the Vatican is actually involved in this old, established scam becomes the important question.

Although this book continues a partnership from an earlier trilogy, it works well as a standalone, and readers new to the characters should be able to read and enjoy this new adventure without having to hunt down the previous books first. However, it sure did make me want to when I was done!

I recommend THE VIVALDI CIPHER to readers of mysteries and thrillers, especially those who enjoy stories involving the clergy or the Catholic Church.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

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Filed under Book Reviews, Mystery, Thriller, Conspiracy, Part of a series, First in a series