Tag / novels

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Book Spotlight: Tea With Rasputin

Welcome to the blog tour for gripping, thriller, Tea with Rasputin by Rolf Richardson!

TeawithRasputinTea with Rasputin

Publication Date: July 22, 2020

Genre: Thriller

GRIPPING GLOBE-TROTTING THRILLER WITH SURPRISES AND UNEXPECTED EVENTS

It’s 1992 and during a routine layover in Anchorage Alaska, Greg Wilton (a First Officer with British World Airways) disappears without trace.

Back at airline HQ near Heathrow, Mr Halford, Head of Security, is tasked with finding someone to investigate Greg’s case. His team are working to capacity and no one can be spared. So he scrapes the bottom of the barrel and assigns recent recruit, Terry Jackson to the investigation.

Fresh out of training school and awaiting his first posting, Terry flies to Alaska, brimming with enthusiasm at being trusted with such a mission. There he discovers Wilton rented a small plane while on his layover and both are now missing. His last contact appeared to be with Coral, a waitress at the crew watering hole, The Golden Nugget, so with her help Terry sets out to find the missing airman.

Their quest appears to be hopeless, because Alaska is huge, but they do not give up. The action moves to Hong Kong, Miami, Oxford (England) and finally St. Petersburg for Tea with Rasputin, a ten year globe-trotting saga with many twists and turns.

Join Terry in his investigation, where intrigue, suspense, mystery, humour and even a little romance lie in wait.

Add to Goodreads

Available on Amazon!

About the Author

Rolf Richardson

ROLF RICHARDSON is a mongrel English/Norwegian who loves to travel, starting with service in the RAF, flying Britain’s first jet fighter, the Meteor; thereafter 25 years as a British Airways pilot on Argonauts, Britannias, VC10s and 747s.

He then became a roaming photographer, visiting around 110 countries, with over 15,000 photos now sold. He has worked his passage on cruise ships by giving lectures. Taken 3 months to drive round Australia.

A few years ago he set out to put his experiences to further use by writing a series of ‘Easy Read’ books: thrillers with a dash of history, romance and humour.

Rolf Richardson

TeawithRasputin

Blog Tour Schedule

October 19th

Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com

Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com

Debjani’s Thoughts (Review) https://debjanisthoughts.wordpress.com/

October 20th

I’m into Books (Spotlight) https://imintobooks.com

Inked & Blonde (Review) https://inkedandblonde.blogspot.com/

Banshee Irish Horror Blog (Spotlight) www.bansheeirishhorrorblog.com

October 21st

B is for Book Reviews (Spotlight) https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com

@BrendaJeanCombs (Review) https://www.instagram.com/brendajeancombs/

Just 4 My Books (Spotlight) http://www.just4mybooks.wordpress.com

Jessica Belmont (Review) https://jessicabelmont.wordpress.com/

October 22nd

Rambling Mads (Spotlight) http://ramblingmads.com

PoptheButterfly (Review) https://popthebutterfly.wordpress.com

The Faerie Review (Review) http://www.thefaeriereview.com

October 23rd

Book Dragons Not Worms (Spotlight) https://bookdragonsnotworms.blogspot.com/?m=1

Stine Writing (Review) https://christinebialczak.com/

Tsarina Press (Spotlight)  https://www.tsarinapress.com

Blog Tour Organized By:

R&R Button

R&R Book Tours

An author and friend of mine recently released another book that you should check out. It is called The Little Breadwinner: War and Survival in the Salvadoran Heartland by Lucia Mann.

The Little Breadwinner - Front 3D Cover

Synopsis: FROM 1980 TO 1992, A TURBULENT CIVIL WAR ravaged the Central American state of El Salvador, claiming the lives of approximately 75,000 Salvadorans. The Little Breadwinner is a story of tyrannized, frightened families—mostly poor peasants, indigenous peoples, and child farm workers—whose lives signified nothing to the military death squads.

Lucia Mann, who was in El Salvador at the time, recalls this vivid historical portrait of human rights violations during and after the “dirty” war between the military-led government and left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front. This brutal conflict was backed politically, economically, and militarily by the United States with CIA involvement.

Throughout these pages, you will experience intense trials of courageous survival with unforgettable characters who yearn for peace, justice, and normalcy. One of the brave women you will meet is Estella Godwin Lozano (a Waorani tribe descendant of the Amazon rain forest), who suffered terribly before her brutal demise in Laredo, Texas in 2019. She was a “little person” who became traumatically affected by the abuse perpetrated by National Guard soldiers outside her pueblo home. She heroically joined the Sandinistas (Cuban-backed guerillas) to seek revenge upon the villains of her country.

Buy the book on Amazon!


Thank you to our Patreon Supporters:

Get your name/blog added to our blog posts and Youtube videos by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/breakevenbooks

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

I created an original book tag and am super excited about it! I present to you the Barking Bout Books Tag!! My dog Max recently passed away and I decided to make this book tag in remembrance of him. I would love to see your renditions of this tag! Let me know in the comments below what you think of the tag. Check out the video below:

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Book Review: Then She Was Gone

OMG! Talk about a good book! I read this book as part of a buddy read with some close friends and we flew through it in about 3 days! This book was called Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell and it is not one to miss!

Synopsis:
THEN
She was fifteen, her mother’s golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone. 

NOW 
It’s been ten years since Ellie disappeared, but Laurel has never given up hope of finding her daughter.

And then one day a charming and charismatic stranger called Floyd walks into a café and sweeps Laurel off her feet. 

Before too long she’s staying the night at this house and being introduced to his nine year old daughter. 

Poppy is precocious and pretty – and meeting her completely takes Laurel’s breath away. 

Because Poppy is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age. And now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back. 

What happened to Ellie? Where did she go? Who still has secrets to hide?

All I can say is Wow! This was my first time picking up a thriller book by Lisa Jewell and I can gladly say that I will be reading more by this author.

This book had me pulled in from start to finish and I found myself wanting to jump back into it every time I had to put the book down to do other things. I felt so many emotions through this book and was so drawn in with it.

It was done really well by telling the story from the perspectives of Ellie and Laurel. You get to see the grieving mother trying to find her daughter and the daughter’s perspective of what is happening to her.

I did kind of call what was going to happen because my mind is dark and I was kind of joking when I said it but then it turned out to be what happened which was even creepier. That only made the book better for me because I have found an author that will go to those dark places and make the thrillers they right that much more scary.

I really look forward to picking up another book by Lisa and can’t wait to see what thriller she has next for me!

Book Rating: 5/5

You can buy this book on Amazon and find it on Goodreads.

Disclaimer: I read this book because I wanted to and was in no way compensated for my review.

An author and friend of mine recently released another book that you should check out. It is called The Little Breadwinner: War and Survival in the Salvadoran Heartland by Lucia Mann.

The Little Breadwinner - Front 3D Cover

Synopsis: FROM 1980 TO 1992, A TURBULENT CIVIL WAR ravaged the Central American state of El Salvador, claiming the lives of approximately 75,000 Salvadorans. The Little Breadwinner is a story of tyrannized, frightened families—mostly poor peasants, indigenous peoples, and child farm workers—whose lives signified nothing to the military death squads.

Lucia Mann, who was in El Salvador at the time, recalls this vivid historical portrait of human rights violations during and after the “dirty” war between the military-led government and left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front. This brutal conflict was backed politically, economically, and militarily by the United States with CIA involvement.

Throughout these pages, you will experience intense trials of courageous survival with unforgettable characters who yearn for peace, justice, and normalcy. One of the brave women you will meet is Estella Godwin Lozano (a Waorani tribe descendant of the Amazon rain forest), who suffered terribly before her brutal demise in Laredo, Texas in 2019. She was a “little person” who became traumatically affected by the abuse perpetrated by National Guard soldiers outside her pueblo home. She heroically joined the Sandinistas (Cuban-backed guerillas) to seek revenge upon the villains of her country.

Buy the book on Amazon!


Thank you to our Patreon Supporters:

Get your name/blog added to our blog posts and Youtube videos by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/breakevenbooks

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

I created an original book tag and am super excited about it! I present to you the Barking Bout Books Tag!! My dog Max recently passed away and I decided to make this book tag in remembrance of him. I would love to see your renditions of this tag! Let me know in the comments below what you think of the tag. Check out the video below:

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Book Spotlight: To Reap The Spirit

Congrats to author Sarah Lampkin on the release if the third installment in her Dead Dreamer series, To Reap the Spirit!

Read on for an excerpt, schedule details, and a chance to win a digital collection of all 3 books!

TO REAP THE SPIRIT

To Reap the Spirit

Publication Date: October 13th, 2020

Genre: New Adult/ Urban Fantasy

Sanguis daretur. Ignis invocavit.

The third installment in the haunting Dead Dreamer series.

Somehow Brenna Whit has survived to her junior year at Nephesburg College. Despite all odds, she’s fought against the Gatekeepers and lived. But the battle for the Fade has only just begun.

New pieces have been added to the board.

The Fade opens to the Veil.

And a Shade from the past returns.

With Brenna’s secret out, everyone is after her: dead and living alike. Those from across the sea have come and they’re determined to regain control of their broken faction.

Questions will be answers

Fires will be lit

Chaos will reign

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt

Angrily, I turned and rushed back to the lone tree of the cornfield. Without any hesitation, my arm dropped, releasing my built-up rage with my power. The seal instantly shattered, destroying all evidence of the Gatekeepers’ influence.

The voices quietly whispered their thanks as they were finally free. But one voice remained. The man wailed and cried, alone and trapped within me.

Something cawed from the branches above, and I glanced up. My left eye winced as I noticed a raven was staring at me. It cawed again, before flapping its wings violently, yet staying in place.

“Give it to me,” a voice demanded.

Before me stood a spirit. No, something else. Her energy radiated a power that felt familiar yet foreign. The energy almost matched the soldiers from the graveyard before. Her black hair was pulled back in intricate braids. And her ebony skin seemed to glow with markings unfamiliar to me. Her beauty was breathtaking, and so was her power.

“Give. It. To. Me,” she demanded once again.

Snapping out of my trance, I took a step back. “Give you what?”

The woman held her hand out, waiting. Biting my lip with narrowed eyes, I took a step forward, reaching for her outstretched hand. Immediately she snatched my hand, holding tightly before vanishing. The raven cawed loudly once more before everything went silent. I was alone again. The man’s voice no longer cried, and the woman was gone.

“What is going on,” I murmured.

The Parliament House | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Dead Dreamer Books

To Dream is to Die (Book #1)

untitled-design

Eighteen-year-old Brenna Whit is entering college as a freshman and starting to meet new people, but she hides a dark secret. Because of an accident that happened three years ago, her spirit wanders the Fade whenever she falls asleep. It’s something she wants to keep hidden from the world, but when she sees someone watching her in spirit form, she fears the secret’s out. With new friends, possibly new enemies, school, and a new crush, Brenna has too much to worry about for just her freshman year of college.

Perfect for those who enjoy Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatura

To Wake the Dead (Book #2)

untitled-design

Brenna Whit teeters the line between the living and the dead. Now that she’s back for her sophomore year at Nephesburg College, she’s determined to focus on the waking world. But when her own soul is trying to kill her and a new Dead Dreamer is fighting for power, Brenna is dragged back into the world of the dead.

The Gatekeepers are doing everything they can to restore the power they once held over the town of Nephesburg. With a mysterious set of twins arriving in town to help them prepare, Brenna must decide what’s important: continuing to hide her secret or reveal herself and fight for what she believes is right. The decision could end up leading to a permanent death for Brenna so she must choose wisely.

Classes have begun…
The battlefield is set…
Let the fight for the Fade begin.

About the Author

GDTC4RiC

A native of Richmond, Virginia, Sarah Lampkin is a 2015 graduate from Lynchburg College [University of Lynchburg] with a master’s degree in English. Since graduation, Sarah now lives in Northern Virginia working in the IT field as a Technical Writer while continuing her research for her graduate school thesis. When she isn’t working, Sarah continues her Celtic mythology research and Gaelic studies, while working on the Dead Dreamer series.

Dead Dreamer | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Click the link below for a chance to win a digital collection of the Dead Dreamer series!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ToReaptheSpirit

Book Tour Schedule

Reads & Reels (Guest Post) http://readsandreels.com

It’s a Novel Life (Review) https://lifesanovelty.blogspot.com/

The Faerie Review (Guest Post) http://www.thefaeriereview.com

 Cocktails & Fairy Tales (Spotlight) https://www.facebook.com/CocktailsFairytales

@bearpiglovesbooks (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/bearpiglovesbooks/

October 13th

@the.b00kreader (Review) https://www.instagram.com/the.b00kreader

I Smell Sheep (Guest Post) http://www.ismellsheep.com/

Dark Whimsical Art (Spotlight) https://www.darkwhimsicalart.com/blogs/news

PoptheButterfly (Spotlight) https://popthebutterfly.wordpress.com

October 14th

@a.p.reading (Review) https://www.instagram.com/a.p.reading/

@joanna.zoe (Review) https://instagram.com/joanna.zoe?igshid=1xipr7pa6a9zl

@dreaminginpages (Review) https://www.instagram.com/dreaminginpages/

@BETTER_OFF_READ (Spotlight) http://WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/BETTER_0FF_READ/

Rambling Mads (Spotlight) http://ramblingmads.com

October 15th

Dash Fan Book Reviews (Spotlight) https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/

Tranquil Dreams (Review) https://klling.wordpress.com/

Horror Tree (Guest Post) https://www.horrortree.com

Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com

Misty’s Book Space (Spotlight) http://mistysbookspace.wordpress.com

October 16th

The Magic of Wor(l)ds (Guest Post) http://themagicofworlds.wordpress.com

Book Dragon Girl (Interview) https://bookdragongirl.com

Entertainingly Nerdy (Review) https://www.entertaininglynerdy.com

Lunarian Press (Spotlight) https://www.lunarianpress.com/

Sophril Reads (Spotlight) http://sophrilreads.wordpress.com

Blog Tour Organized By:

R&R Button

An author and friend of mine recently released another book that you should check out. It is called The Little Breadwinner: War and Survival in the Salvadoran Heartland by Lucia Mann.

The Little Breadwinner - Front 3D Cover

Synopsis: FROM 1980 TO 1992, A TURBULENT CIVIL WAR ravaged the Central American state of El Salvador, claiming the lives of approximately 75,000 Salvadorans. The Little Breadwinner is a story of tyrannized, frightened families—mostly poor peasants, indigenous peoples, and child farm workers—whose lives signified nothing to the military death squads.

Lucia Mann, who was in El Salvador at the time, recalls this vivid historical portrait of human rights violations during and after the “dirty” war between the military-led government and left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front. This brutal conflict was backed politically, economically, and militarily by the United States with CIA involvement.

Throughout these pages, you will experience intense trials of courageous survival with unforgettable characters who yearn for peace, justice, and normalcy. One of the brave women you will meet is Estella Godwin Lozano (a Waorani tribe descendant of the Amazon rain forest), who suffered terribly before her brutal demise in Laredo, Texas in 2019. She was a “little person” who became traumatically affected by the abuse perpetrated by National Guard soldiers outside her pueblo home. She heroically joined the Sandinistas (Cuban-backed guerillas) to seek revenge upon the villains of her country.

Buy the book on Amazon!


Thank you to our Patreon Supporters:

Get your name/blog added to our blog posts and Youtube videos by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/breakevenbooks

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

I created an original book tag and am super excited about it! I present to you the Barking Bout Books Tag!! My dog Max recently passed away and I decided to make this book tag in remembrance of him. I would love to see your renditions of this tag! Let me know in the comments below what you think of the tag. Check out the video below:

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

5 Tips on How to Pack Antique Books for Moving

Antique books are sensitive pieces. Not only because they are susceptible to damage, but also because of their very nature. As you know, these are not your ordinary books.

The value of antique books goes beyond the content they hold inside, you see, but as limited as a copy may be, that value hinges a lot on the condition of the book.

Which is another way of saying when it comes to moving, antique books – like fine art – particularly need special attention.

If you’re hiring the services of professional movers and packers to do the packing for you, then the mover should be well-versed with the art of packing and moving books.

However, it never hurts to have them walk you through their procedure, considering antique books are not something you want to gamble with by entrusting them in the hands of everyone who knocks on your front door.

Having confidence in the mover’s ability to get the job done should give you some much needed peace of mind, knowing your precious items are in safe hands.

If you’re planning to go DIY with your packing, however, there are some tips you can borrow to minimize the likelihood of damage to your antique books.

1.     Protect the covers (Ideally with this type of paper)

Wrapping is the most important aspect when it comes to packing antique items in general.

With leather being one of the most commonly used coverings on antique books, wrapping takes even greater significance.

That’s because the leather tends to get sticky over time, so what could happen when you place the sticky bindings alongside each other is they may rip apart when you pull the books out.

If your leather book coverings have never been treated, it’s likely they are showing signs of red rot as the leather dries out. Placing these books next to each other could result in further deterioration as a result of the friction.

Wrap your books well to minimize the effect of sticking or rubbing against each other. The best material to use is one that will not stick to the covers – a coated type of paper such as freezer paper or glassine paper, for example.

Opt for the former in the case of antique books that are not worth much or those that haven’t started to show signs of significant wear.

Glassine is designed specifically for conservation purposes when moving items like books, so is more suited to your more prized copies or those that have started degenerating.

2.     Put them spine down or on their sides

Regarding the best way to place antique books in their moving box, you could opt for spine down, although we would advise instead for side positioning which is the best option.

This is due to their characteristically weak spines, so placing your antique copies spine up – as we’re predisposed to doing – can cause the spine to crumble, and we don’t want that.

3.     Slot a stiff cardboard between the books

Inserting a stiff cardboard between each book renders extra support to your antique books when moving, helping preserve their weak spines and covers.

It doesn’t have to be a big cardboard – just something wide enough to bolster the books without extending beyond the size of the book.

4.     Add some form of padding

This might be considered over the top after the meticulous wrapping and addition of cardboard, but in the event the case ferrying your books falls over, the consequences could be disastrous.

Anything can happen during a move, so to be on the safe side, it’s not a bad idea to throw in an additional level of protection on top. Towels and scarves can form a good protective barrier around the books, with packing peanuts or wrapping paper stuffed in the spaces to avoid any movement inside.

5.     The best type of moving box for antique books?

Books carry some weight, so it’s not advisable to put them in one big box. Instead, the better strategy would be to opt for small boxes (or suitcases with wheels).

As to the exact type of box, triple-walled boxes make for a good choice in place of wooden boxes, but double-walled ones should work fine if you’d rather not spend a fortune on the boxes.

The boxes should have fluted sides, and if you can get C-fluted boxes, you’ll be laughing.

____

This was a guest post provided to you by Seka Moving!

An author and friend of mine recently released another book that you should check out. It is called The Little Breadwinner: War and Survival in the Salvadoran Heartland by Lucia Mann.

The Little Breadwinner - Front 3D Cover

Synopsis: FROM 1980 TO 1992, A TURBULENT CIVIL WAR ravaged the Central American state of El Salvador, claiming the lives of approximately 75,000 Salvadorans. The Little Breadwinner is a story of tyrannized, frightened families—mostly poor peasants, indigenous peoples, and child farm workers—whose lives signified nothing to the military death squads.

Lucia Mann, who was in El Salvador at the time, recalls this vivid historical portrait of human rights violations during and after the “dirty” war between the military-led government and left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front. This brutal conflict was backed politically, economically, and militarily by the United States with CIA involvement.

Throughout these pages, you will experience intense trials of courageous survival with unforgettable characters who yearn for peace, justice, and normalcy. One of the brave women you will meet is Estella Godwin Lozano (a Waorani tribe descendant of the Amazon rain forest), who suffered terribly before her brutal demise in Laredo, Texas in 2019. She was a “little person” who became traumatically affected by the abuse perpetrated by National Guard soldiers outside her pueblo home. She heroically joined the Sandinistas (Cuban-backed guerillas) to seek revenge upon the villains of her country.

Buy the book on Amazon!


Thank you to our Patreon Supporters:

Get your name/blog added to our blog posts and Youtube videos by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/breakevenbooks

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

I created an original book tag and am super excited about it! I present to you the Barking Bout Books Tag!! My dog Max recently passed away and I decided to make this book tag in remembrance of him. I would love to see your renditions of this tag! Let me know in the comments below what you think of the tag. Check out the video below:

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Book Spotlight: Emergence

Welcome to the tour for exciting medical thriller, Emergence by Shira Shiloah MD! Read on for an exclusive excerpt and a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card!

EMERGENCE 2D CoverEmergence

Publication Date: September 15th, 2020

Genre: Medical Thriller

A SCALPEL WIELDING VILLAIN.

A HEALTHCARE SYSTEM THAT FAILS.

A WHISTLEBLOWER THAT PROTECTS HER PATIENTS – NO MATTER THE COSTS.

Trusted anesthesiologist, Dr. Roxanne Roth, is healing from the loss of her fiancé by consuming her time with work. It doesn’t hurt that her new love interest, Dr. Justin Kirkland, spends almost as much time at the hospital as she does.

Entranced in the throes and complications of new love, Roxanne looks forward to work every day. Her time at the hospital would almost be cathartic if not for Dr. D.K. Webb, a neurosurgeon, who is quickly amassing a pile of complaints – and bodies.

Despite trying to avoid Webb, Roxanne finds herself working alongside the doctor during a routine, low-risk surgery. Fueled by cocaine and ego, Webb intentionally sabotages the case, leading to the patient dying on the operating table.

Roxanne’s tenuous grip on recovery is shattered with her patient’s death, quickly replaced by anger and a drive for justice. Now Roxanne will do anything to protect her patients from the killer on the other side of the sterile surgical field—before he can silence her as well.

In this gripping, sinister medical thriller, Dr. Shira Shiloah will leave readers wondering about the potential evil lurking behind every surgical mask.

“Authentic characters and a vivid hospital setting enhance a tense medical tale.”
– Kirkus Review

Add to Goodreads 

Excerpt

D.K. wasn’t concerned that Mrs. Welty, his grossly obese patient, was unable to swallow. His surgery had cured herdisc and he’d functionally given her a gastric bypass for free. She would lose all that weight, so she and her husband should be thanking him. The med exec board had already flagged the lumbar fusion from last month that woke paraplegic. Now they’d flagged Welty as well and he’d been “invited” to a review next week.

He sauntered into the sushi restaurant and found Crystal, as instructed, waiting for him at the bar. Her outfit was to his specifications as well. A white see-through leotard with the thong clearly visible on her perfect booty; her red skin-tight pants hung low. She wore a white choker further accentuating her perfect deep ebony complexion. Her nails and eyelashes were as long as they were fake. Costume jewelry bracelets decorated her wrists.

He caressed her pierced left nipple and kissed her neck. She smiled and kissed his cheek.

Purchase Here!

About the Author

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Dr. Shira Shiloah is an anesthesiologist and author of the debut thriller, Emergence, that details Dr. D.K. Webb, a neurosurgeon who intentionally maims and kills his patients in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. Shiloah bring both a personal and professional perspective for what may happen when a sociopath holds a scalpel.

Shira Shiloah MD | Twitter | Instagram 

Giveaway: For a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card, please click the link below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Emergance

Blog Tour Schedule

October 12th

Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com

LoopyLouLaura (Review) https://www.loopyloulaura.com/

@the.b00kreader (Review) https://www.instagram.com/the.b00kreader

I Love Books and Stuff (Spotlight) https://ilovebooksandstuffblog.wordpress.com

October 13th

Cup of Books (Review) https://cupofbooksblog.wordpress.com/

Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com

PoptheButterfly (Spotlight) https://popthebutterfly.wordpress.com

October 14th

I Smell Sheep (Spotlight) http://www.ismellsheep.com/

@burlingtonbibliophagist (Review) https://www.instagram.com/p/CC6Qy6yABBJ/?igshid=1gadff8igjmwv

Jessica Belmont (Review) https://jessicabelmont.wordpress.com/

The Consulting Writer (Spotlight) https://theconsultingwriter.wordpress.com

October 15th

@ace.blackmore (Review) https://www.instagram.com/ace_blackmore/

B is for Book Review (Spotlight) https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com

Tsarina Press (Spotlight) https://www.tsarinapress.com

October 16th

Rambling Mads (Review) http://ramblingmads.com

Stine Writing (Review) https://christinebialczak.com/

Just 4 My Books (Spotlight) http://www.just4mybooks.wordpress.com

Blog Tour Organized By:

R&R Button

R&R Book Tours

An author and friend of mine recently released another book that you should check out. It is called The Little Breadwinner: War and Survival in the Salvadoran Heartland by Lucia Mann.

The Little Breadwinner - Front 3D Cover

Synopsis: FROM 1980 TO 1992, A TURBULENT CIVIL WAR ravaged the Central American state of El Salvador, claiming the lives of approximately 75,000 Salvadorans. The Little Breadwinner is a story of tyrannized, frightened families—mostly poor peasants, indigenous peoples, and child farm workers—whose lives signified nothing to the military death squads.

Lucia Mann, who was in El Salvador at the time, recalls this vivid historical portrait of human rights violations during and after the “dirty” war between the military-led government and left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front. This brutal conflict was backed politically, economically, and militarily by the United States with CIA involvement.

Throughout these pages, you will experience intense trials of courageous survival with unforgettable characters who yearn for peace, justice, and normalcy. One of the brave women you will meet is Estella Godwin Lozano (a Waorani tribe descendant of the Amazon rain forest), who suffered terribly before her brutal demise in Laredo, Texas in 2019. She was a “little person” who became traumatically affected by the abuse perpetrated by National Guard soldiers outside her pueblo home. She heroically joined the Sandinistas (Cuban-backed guerillas) to seek revenge upon the villains of her country.

Buy the book on Amazon!


Thank you to our Patreon Supporters:

Get your name/blog added to our blog posts and Youtube videos by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/breakevenbooks

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

I created an original book tag and am super excited about it! I present to you the Barking Bout Books Tag!! My dog Max recently passed away and I decided to make this book tag in remembrance of him. I would love to see your renditions of this tag! Let me know in the comments below what you think of the tag. Check out the video below:

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Book Spotlight: Summer of Sundaes

Welcome to the blog tour for Summer of Sundaes by Amey Zeigler!

perf5.000x8.000.inddSummer of Sundaes

Publication Date: September 11th, 2020

Genre: New Adult/ Romance

After dropping out a semester short of college graduation, Bailey Madison inherits the management of her family’s struggling ice cream shop in Seward, Alaska. When Kingsley Tours needs her prime location to expand their business into the Last Frontier, Bailey must use her wits and creative ice cream recipes to save her shop.

Usually carefree and self-centered Brahms Kingsley must prove to his father he can buckle down and lead Kingsley Tours as the company grows. But how can he close Bailey’s shop when she still holds a place in his heart?
Brahms must choose between pleasing his father and earning the love of a woman he never forgot.

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Excerpt

Her stomach flipped. Energy trilled through her.

With hands inside his pockets, he held his jacket together against the wind. “Listen, I want to apologize. I didn’t know your shop was involved in this deal. I want to be friends again. What can I do to make it right?”

But even his attractive appearance couldn’t soften her. She thrust out her chin and crossed her arms. “You can find another location to rent.”

His face pinched. “I can’t. Jack already signed the papers. Once we get the go-ahead from the City Council, the deal’s done.”

Ache burned in her chest. “Then nothing you’ll do can make it right.” She climbed the hill overlooking the entrance to the bay. The closer she got to her store, the more the wind died. The sun peeked from the milky clouds and warmed the town.

Brahms jogged next to her. “Bailey, I don’t want to fight you.”

She faced him and placed her hands on her hips. “You don’t know what you’re taking from me. My family has run this shop for four generations. Then you come in with your big business. You throw around your money and get what you want.”

“I have a secret for you.” He stepped into her space.

His eyes blazed. Bailey gulped. He was too near. Being close to him weakened her.

A partial grin slipped over his lips. “I always get what I want.” He stood straighter. “Money has nothing to do with it. And I want to be friends.”

His breath tickled her forehead. The familiar scent of his spicy cologne wafted between them. Attraction tugged at her.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the Author

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Amey loves writing about different places because she grew up moving all around the United States. In her books, she explores the whole world. She is also the author of Baker’s Dozen, a Romantic Suspense Mystery. The Swiss Mishap, a romantic comedy, won a Swoony for 2019’s Best New Adult Contemporary Romance and is a finalist in the Book Buyer’s Best Contest.

She lives with her husband and three children near Austin, TX. Follow her on BookBub @ameyzeigler and sign up for her newsletter at www.ameyzeigler.com

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An author and friend of mine recently released another book that you should check out. It is called The Little Breadwinner: War and Survival in the Salvadoran Heartland by Lucia Mann.

The Little Breadwinner - Front 3D Cover

Synopsis: FROM 1980 TO 1992, A TURBULENT CIVIL WAR ravaged the Central American state of El Salvador, claiming the lives of approximately 75,000 Salvadorans. The Little Breadwinner is a story of tyrannized, frightened families—mostly poor peasants, indigenous peoples, and child farm workers—whose lives signified nothing to the military death squads.

Lucia Mann, who was in El Salvador at the time, recalls this vivid historical portrait of human rights violations during and after the “dirty” war between the military-led government and left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front. This brutal conflict was backed politically, economically, and militarily by the United States with CIA involvement.

Throughout these pages, you will experience intense trials of courageous survival with unforgettable characters who yearn for peace, justice, and normalcy. One of the brave women you will meet is Estella Godwin Lozano (a Waorani tribe descendant of the Amazon rain forest), who suffered terribly before her brutal demise in Laredo, Texas in 2019. She was a “little person” who became traumatically affected by the abuse perpetrated by National Guard soldiers outside her pueblo home. She heroically joined the Sandinistas (Cuban-backed guerillas) to seek revenge upon the villains of her country.

Buy the book on Amazon!


Thank you to our Patreon Supporters:

Get your name/blog added to our blog posts and Youtube videos by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/breakevenbooks

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

It’s time to talk about all the books I read in September! I only managed to read 8 out of the 10 that I had set out to read but I think that I did pretty well. Let me know in the comments if you have read any of these books and what you thought of them! Check out the video below:

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Book Spotlight: Lyrical Chaos

Today I am excited to share the follow-up novel to Prodigal, Lyrical Chaos by Samantha Sanchez!

received_277950946760138Lyrical Chaos

Publication Date: August 13th, 2020

Genre: Contemporary/ Urban Fiction

The cameras are off but the world is still watching. The BFC have gone their separate ways and Lyric is learning that life in the spotlight isn’t as fun as it seems. She is publicly maligned by her fiancé’s family, and privately disrespected by the man himself. His paranoia and possessiveness hint at a far deeper issue than just mere jealousy, as she struggles with the decision of whether or not to follow through with their marriage. Lyric’s attempts to legitimize herself as an actress is less than ideal but her vocal talents catch the attention of one of the biggest rap duos of the day. While her celebrity status begins to create enmity within her church social group. How will the chaos in Lyric’s life affect her heart? Will the pressure turn her into a diamond? or will the flame prove too hot, and shatter her mind like glass?

Excerpt

The audience applauded and the music started. I sang the first verse, with Anthony grunting and “yea”-ing in the background. Then it was his verse and I sang background repeating certain lines he would say. A couple of “Oh’s and a few “Yea’s” then came the hook which I
sang while he repeated key words and phrases in the background. Everything went flawlessly, as rehearsed until the very end. The music stopped, everyone applauded, we got a standing ovation and that should have been the end of it.

“Hold on!” Anthony called out. “Hold on, ya’ll” I started to walk away but Anthony grabbed hold of my hand. “Wait a minute, Lyric.” I snatched away but stayed still. He put his arm around my shoulder. Trey looked pissed. I was annoyed and I couldn’t hide it. I shrugged his arm from around me and tried to step away but he kept pulling me back. He wrapped his arm tightly around my waist, so tight that it hurt. I pinched the inside of his arm and he moved it to pin my arm to my side. His girlfriend looked confused too. Then he started rapping again.

“You know, I really gotta get this off my chest, this woman right here really is the best. I can tell you not happy, ya man not doin his job. F–k that nigga man he’s just a slob. When I had you I didn’t know what to do but MiMi, I’m sorry, I love you too.”

Before I could even process what he just said he swooped me up, dipped me and put hismouth on mine in a kiss. I felt his tongue trying to separate my lips and I tried to pull away but he had one arm tight around my shoulder and another arm tight around my waist. My arms were
pinned to my side. I turned my face but he followed. I could hear the audience hoot and holler at the spectacle. I grabbed his lip with my teeth and bit down as hard as I could. I could taste his blood in my mouth. He yelped in pain and moved one of his arms to hold onto his mouth. With
one hand free, I smacked him hard across the face and spit his kiss out of my mouth just as Trey rushed onto the stage with a fist to Anthony’s jaw.

Security moved to break up the fight between the two, just as Natalie snuck up behind me and grabbed me by my hair and hit me in my face. One hand reflexively went to the hand holding my hair. She pulled but the only thing that came out was the extensions the glue hadn’t
really dried all the way yet so I didn’t feel the pain when she pulled it out. I managed, even in heels which made me very proud to side step duck and swoop out of her reach and land a jab to her nose, and in quick succession a straight shot to her eye and a hook to her jaw. Did nobody
warn her that I took boxing lessons?

Natalie staggered backward and then tried to lunge at me. I moved out her way, she missed and I grabbed her in a headlock. I squeezed, not to kill but to cause her to lose consciousness. She beat against my hold scratching at my arm and my face, security got to me trying to get me to let her go, but got distracted when Anthony stumbled into them. Natalie’s friend managed to sneak past security and attack me to defend her friend. I was outnumbered but not for long. Cas distracted security by pretending that he was about to jump on stage and fight too. Keisha ran past the guy restraining Cas, jumped in and took off on the friend
and I started in on Natalie again.

Everyone was fighting, it was chaos. Kendrick ran up on stage, trying to  get to me. Hepulled me away while I was still swinging at Natalie. Another security guard carried Keisha away and they finally managed to separate Trey and Anthony. I was pissed, Trey was pissed,
Keisha was having fun and Kendrick was laughing with pride.
We were escorted off the stage. Kendrick finally put me down when we got far enough away from the melee.

Availble on Amazon!

About the Author

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A native of San Diego, Samantha Sanchez is currently finishing a degree in psychology as well as in social and behavioral science. Having a background in both church and drama, she hopes to use her degree and creativity to reach and relate to many people in her community and beyond helping them learn to understand themselves and each other.

Samantha Sanchez

Big thanks to these amazing hosts!

Phoebe Matthews

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Book Blitz Organized By:

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An author and friend of mine recently released another book that you should check out. It is called The Little Breadwinner: War and Survival in the Salvadoran Heartland by Lucia Mann.

The Little Breadwinner - Front 3D Cover

Synopsis: FROM 1980 TO 1992, A TURBULENT CIVIL WAR ravaged the Central American state of El Salvador, claiming the lives of approximately 75,000 Salvadorans. The Little Breadwinner is a story of tyrannized, frightened families—mostly poor peasants, indigenous peoples, and child farm workers—whose lives signified nothing to the military death squads.

Lucia Mann, who was in El Salvador at the time, recalls this vivid historical portrait of human rights violations during and after the “dirty” war between the military-led government and left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front. This brutal conflict was backed politically, economically, and militarily by the United States with CIA involvement.

Throughout these pages, you will experience intense trials of courageous survival with unforgettable characters who yearn for peace, justice, and normalcy. One of the brave women you will meet is Estella Godwin Lozano (a Waorani tribe descendant of the Amazon rain forest), who suffered terribly before her brutal demise in Laredo, Texas in 2019. She was a “little person” who became traumatically affected by the abuse perpetrated by National Guard soldiers outside her pueblo home. She heroically joined the Sandinistas (Cuban-backed guerillas) to seek revenge upon the villains of her country.

Buy the book on Amazon!


Thank you to our Patreon Supporters:

Get your name/blog added to our blog posts and Youtube videos by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/breakevenbooks

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

I did an Avatar Character Tier Ranking due to popular demand. I recently finished watching all 3 seasons of the show with Markus and it was so much fun. Let me know in the comments down below if you agree with my character ranking s and who your favorites are!! Check out the video below:

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Books Review: Hard Place

I read this book way back in June and it was my TBR jar pick of the month! It was called Hard Place by Douglas Stewart and it was a crime thriller.

Synopsis: In this first of series, free-wheeling London detective Todd “Ratso” Holtom is on the front-line against a ruthless international gang that imports drugs into the UK and Europe. His nephew has died from drug abuse and Ratso is obsessed with bringing down the London king-pin who seems immune from arrest. The trail leads to the USA and the Bahamas where he is helped by Kirsty-Ann Webber, a svelte Florida detective who has troubles of her own. Mayfair club-land and the Mediterranean feature as Operation Clam races to a climax in a series of dramatic confrontations. Inspired by the facts of true crime and set against the background of the war in Afghanistan from where the drugs are coming, Ratso enters a political minefield involving London and Washington D.C.

I enjoyed this book for the most part. It was a pretty interesting crime thriller that kept my attention most of the way through. I do think that the book could have been a bit shorter and it still would have been just as good but I can see why the author wanted to have more in there to flush out the detective parts and make it feel like a case was being solved.

The diversity in characters was nice and it made it more fun to follow along with because you got to use all the different perspectives to piece together the puzzle.

I thought it was very funny that the main character is named “Ratso” because they are a detective and they literally have the word “rat” in their name.

I have the next book in this series and look forward to seeing where it goes!

Book Rating: 3.5/5

You can buy this book on Amazon and find it on Goodreads.

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me in physical paperback format by the author to read and give an honest review.

An author and friend of mine recently released another book that you should check out. It is called The Little Breadwinner: War and Survival in the Salvadoran Heartland by Lucia Mann.

The Little Breadwinner - Front 3D Cover

Synopsis: FROM 1980 TO 1992, A TURBULENT CIVIL WAR ravaged the Central American state of El Salvador, claiming the lives of approximately 75,000 Salvadorans. The Little Breadwinner is a story of tyrannized, frightened families—mostly poor peasants, indigenous peoples, and child farm workers—whose lives signified nothing to the military death squads.

Lucia Mann, who was in El Salvador at the time, recalls this vivid historical portrait of human rights violations during and after the “dirty” war between the military-led government and left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front. This brutal conflict was backed politically, economically, and militarily by the United States with CIA involvement.

Throughout these pages, you will experience intense trials of courageous survival with unforgettable characters who yearn for peace, justice, and normalcy. One of the brave women you will meet is Estella Godwin Lozano (a Waorani tribe descendant of the Amazon rain forest), who suffered terribly before her brutal demise in Laredo, Texas in 2019. She was a “little person” who became traumatically affected by the abuse perpetrated by National Guard soldiers outside her pueblo home. She heroically joined the Sandinistas (Cuban-backed guerillas) to seek revenge upon the villains of her country.

Buy the book on Amazon!


Thank you to our Patreon Supporters:

Get your name/blog added to our blog posts and Youtube videos by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/breakevenbooks

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

I did an Avatar Character Tier Ranking due to popular demand. I recently finished watching all 3 seasons of the show with Markus and it was so much fun. Let me know in the comments down below if you agree with my character ranking s and who your favorites are!! Check out the video below:

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Book Spotlight: Five Wives

I’m thrilled to share award-winning novel, Five Wives by Joan Thomas with all of you today. Read on for more details and a chance to win a print copy of the book!

FiveWivesCoverArt_GG

Five Wives

Publication Date: September 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Harper Collins CA

In the 1950s, in the aftermath of World War II, five American families moved to Ecuador, determined to take the Christian gospel to a pre-Neolithic Amazonian tribe they called “the Auca.” The Waorani (proper name) were just as determined to maintain their isolation, and killed the missionary men at their second meeting. Four of the wives remained in Ecuador and one, Elisabeth Elliot, went further into the rainforest with her three-year old daughter to live with the Waorani.

Joan Thomas’s fictional treatment of this incident explores themes that are both eternal and immediate: faith and ideology, autonomy and self-protection, cultural understanding and misunderstanding, grief and doubt, and isolation. Five Wives rises out of immaculate research, including a visit to the ruins of the Elliot house in Ecuador, and out of the author’s own experience with the thinking and imperatives of evangelical missions. The novel sinks into the points of view of characters who are bound by past choices, yet make their own personal bargains in the midst of a crisis.

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Available on Amazon and Indigo! 

About the Author

Joan-Thomas-hi-res-600x543

Joan Thomas’s fourth novel Five Wives won Canada’s prestigious Governor General’s Award for Fiction. Described by the Globe and Mail as “brilliant, eloquent, curious, far-seeing,” it is an immersive dive into a real event, the disastrous attempt by five American families to move into the territory of the reclusive Waorani people in Ecuador in 1956.

Joan’s three previous novels have been praised for their intimate and insightful depictions of characters in times of rapid social change. Reading by Lightning, set in World War 2, won the 2008 Amazon Prize and a Commonwealth Prize. Curiosity, based on the life of the preDarwinist fossilist Mary Anning, was nominated for the 2010 Giller Prize and the IMPAC Dublin Award. The Opening Sky, a novel about a family navigating contemporary crises, won the 2014 McNally Robinson Prize and was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award.

Joan lives in Winnipeg, a prairie city at the geographical center of North America. Before beginning to write fiction, she was a longtime book reviewer. In 2014, Joan was awarded the Writers Trust of Canada’s prize for mid-career achievement.

Joan Thomas | Facebook | Twitter  

Giveaway: Click the link below for a chance to win a copy of the book. This giveaway will run from today until September 21st.

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Book Blitz Organized By:

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An author and friend of mine recently released another book that you should check out. It is called The Little Breadwinner: War and Survival in the Salvadoran Heartland by Lucia Mann.

The Little Breadwinner - Front 3D Cover

Synopsis: FROM 1980 TO 1992, A TURBULENT CIVIL WAR ravaged the Central American state of El Salvador, claiming the lives of approximately 75,000 Salvadorans. The Little Breadwinner is a story of tyrannized, frightened families—mostly poor peasants, indigenous peoples, and child farm workers—whose lives signified nothing to the military death squads.

Lucia Mann, who was in El Salvador at the time, recalls this vivid historical portrait of human rights violations during and after the “dirty” war between the military-led government and left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front. This brutal conflict was backed politically, economically, and militarily by the United States with CIA involvement.

Throughout these pages, you will experience intense trials of courageous survival with unforgettable characters who yearn for peace, justice, and normalcy. One of the brave women you will meet is Estella Godwin Lozano (a Waorani tribe descendant of the Amazon rain forest), who suffered terribly before her brutal demise in Laredo, Texas in 2019. She was a “little person” who became traumatically affected by the abuse perpetrated by National Guard soldiers outside her pueblo home. She heroically joined the Sandinistas (Cuban-backed guerillas) to seek revenge upon the villains of her country.

Buy the book on Amazon!


Thank you to our Patreon Supporters:

Get your name/blog added to our blog posts and Youtube videos by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/breakevenbooks

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

I did a video that I have been wanting to do for a very long time. I assembled my top 10 favorite Batman graphic novels to share with you. Let me know if you agree with these choices and comment down below any other Batman graphic novels you like! Check out the video below:

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Book Review: Spellslinger

Another fantasy series to start? Yes please! This time I read Spellslinger by Sebastien De Castell because my boyfriend strongly suggested it and I did enjoy it quite a bit!

Synopsis: Kellen is moments away from facing his first duel and proving his worth as a spellcaster. There’s just one problem: his magic is fading.

Facing exile unless he can pass the mage trials, Kellen is willing to risk everything – even his own life – in search of a way to restore his magic. But when the enigmatic Ferius Parfax arrives in town, she challenges him to take a different path.

One of the elusive Argosi, Ferius is a traveller who lives by her wits and the cards she carries. Daring, unpredictable, and wielding magic Kellen has never seen before, she may be his only hope.

The first novel in a compelling six-book series, bursting with tricks, humor, and a whole new way to look at magic.

This book was a whole new twist on fantasy that I wasn’t expecting but really ended up enjoying. It was kind of told in a western style with a mix of X-men feels. And by that, I mean like Gambit because they use a lot of cards and decks of cards as weapons.

The series starts off with your main character learning that they are not like everyone else and instead of having lots of magical abilities, they barely have any. So they have to do what they can to fit in and try to convince everyone that they have magical abilities so they can fit into society.

There were some fun creatures introduced that make this book a lot of fun and one of them in particular had an attitude similar to Danny Devito as the Penguin in Batman. It was very entertaining and I can’t wait to see more of them later on in other books in this series.

I really enjoyed how this book gave you a main character that has no idea what they are doing with their life and then you get to follow along with them as they figure out what they are going to do and where they are going to go. I guess the part I really enjoyed was the self discovery. That being said, there were some characters that I despised. Not sure if that was intentional by the author but we will see how it plays out in the rest of the series.

I think there is so much potential for the rest of this series and I am looking forward to seeing where it goes.

Book Rating: 4/5

You can buy this book on Amazon and find it on Goodreads.

Disclaimer: I read this book because I wanted to and was in no way compensated for my review.


Thank you to our Patreon Supporters:

Get your name/blog added to our blog posts and Youtube videos by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/breakevenbooks

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

I once again make an attempt at doing a weekly reading vlog! I clearly need more practice with these but hopefully, you enjoy this video of me being chaotic. Let me know how you do you reading vlogs in the comments down below! Check out the video below: