Moms On Missions PreOrder Blitz by Jess Molly Brown

 Title: Moms On Missions

Series: Mommageddon Series #1

By: Jess Molly Brown

Publication Date: May, 2016

Genre: Contemporary/Humor Women's Fiction

Artist Vince Russo wants to advance his career but his devout mother, Diana, wants grandchildren. Vince lives in Niagara Falls, the Romance Capital of the World, and he doesn’t even date! Diana joins the Moms on Missions (“MOM”), who strive to better the lives of their clients’ kids. MOM installs Vince’s fantasy girl upstairs in the duplex where he lives. Their pick for Vince is sick of dancing to her mother’s tune, so she certainly won’t admit she finds her sensitive, playful neighbour sexy. However, she’d love to make him her pseudo-boyfriend to get MOM off her back. Will these young rebels come together organically, or is there no hope for their moms?

Amazon US - http://amzn.to/1WNiVgv

Amazon UK - https://goo.gl/6xz9hB

Amazon CA - https://goo.gl/lzRNsI

“Fuck you!” Drum Boy slams Mrs. P.'s door in his superintendent’s face. Vince stares open-mouthed at the door in front of him, then turns on the landing to find Paeng at the foot of the stairs, dressed for bed, with no glasses. Steaming, Vince tromps back down the stairs, in time to hear the drumming start again. “What a nerve this guy's got! Little shit.” Now Drum Boy is singing, too. Badly. Vince stops, wondering whether to turn around and march back up there to rattle his teeth. Instead, he stomps back into his unit, Paeng at his back, and calls Damon. “Vince, hey, how’s it hangin’?” Damon asks cheerfully. “Want to hit The Hill for a few beers? I’m dying to get out for a bit.” “No. Do you hear this?” Vince holds up his phone to the ceiling, hoping it picks up the noise. Boom boom chuck budda boom boom chuck budda “I don’t need a frickin’ girlfriend!” Boom boom chuck budda boom boom chuck . . . “My neighbour is an asshole!” “What is that?” Damon asks stupidly. “It's your new tenant,” Vince growls. “He drums twenty-four seven. I have explained this to you, Damon. Twice. The last time Paeng and I had two minutes’ peace was the day before he moved in. I am losing it, man. I’m going to go postal soon. If I do, you are going to have to explain why to our mothers, and you are going to have to comfort them both while I’m getting corn-holed in Kingston Pen for capping the little bastard, capisce?” “Whoa-ho-ho, there Vince! Did you say there's a guy living up there? It was supposed to be Mrs. Maggione’s friend Gloria’s daughter, Mary. She’s gor—” Damon checks himself, and Vince scowls. “Um, I mean uh . . . Trudy?” he calls to his wife. “Get me another beer!” Vince counts to ten. “Did Moms on Missions set this up?” There is silence for a couple beats. From Damon, not Drum Boy. The noise from above is as obnoxious as ever. Damon sighs. “Yeah, you know it. I didn't even meet the Chiclet.” “No, no, it’s a guy! And the name on the mailbox says D. Darren, not M. diGiordano. Why didn’t you come to check out the tenant?” “My mother wouldn't put a crackhead in there, ya know?” “And a drummer makes a better tenant because . . .”

Don’t be fooled by the seeming tranquility, Jess is scheming. There are a lot of characters in her head and all of them are yelling for attention.

She edits for professional authors and is always tutoring somebody. She got her start six years ago, in fan fiction, and is proud of it.

Four great kids, one husband *coughbiggestkidofallcough* and two dogs ensure that the house is always messy. The garden’s overflowing with blooms, but weedy. The grass always needs cutting, provided it’s not buried beneath snow. She lives in Canada, eh? The dogs are walked, the kids get fed, the hubbs hasn’t killed anybody yet, the books Jess reads she reviews, and somehow, the people in her head manage to make it into stories. Occasionally, she embarrasses her kids by doing Zumba in front of their friends. It’s just how she rolls.

Come join her quest for world domination at http://www.jessmollybrownauthor.com

Social Media Links

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/jessmollybrownauthor/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jess.molly.3

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7823017-jess-molly-brown

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmollyfanfic

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Carrying Albert Home: The Somewhat True Story of A Man, His Wife, and Her Alligator by Homer Hickam (SWE/ENG)

Carrying Albert Home: The Somewhat True Story of A Man, His Wife, and Her Alligator by Homer Hickam
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

SWEDISH REVIEW

Elsie Lavender och Homer Hickam går i samma highschoolklass i kolrika West Virginia under den stora depressionen i slutet av 1920-talet. Homer friar, Elsie tackar nej och flyttar till Florida där hon förälskar sig i skådespelaren Buddy Ebsen. Hennes dröm om en framtid med Buddy stannar vid en dröm när han drar till New York. Elsie återvänder hem och gifter sig med Homer.

I stället för glamorös skådespelarhustru är Elsie nu fru till en kolarbetare. Men hon blir ständigt påmind om det ljuva livet i Florida på grund av Buddys något udda bröllopspresent till Elsie: en alligator vid namn Albert. Elsie låter Albert bo i husets enda badrum. När alligatorn en dag hugger tag i Homers byxor och skrämmer livet ur honom, ställer han ett ultimatum till sin fru: Du får välja – antingen mig eller Albert. Elsie inser att det enda rätta är att sätta Albert i baksätet och köra honom tillbaka hem.

Med Albert i baksätet är en underhållande, galen och ibland lite tragisk berättelse om ett ungt pars 1000 mil långa äventyr med en alligator i baksätet.

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Vilken otroligt härlig bok! Från första sidan fastnade jag för denna bok och det var inte alls svårt att klämma den på två dagar. Berättelsen är besynnerlig, otroligt mysig men även lite sorglig. Jag måste erkänna att slutet var svårt att läsa för att jag verkligen hade blivit fäst vid Albert, Elsie, Homer och tuppen.

Kändes berättelsen lite väl fantastisk ibland? Javisst, men det är charmen med boken. Jag tyckte om att läsa om denna 1000 mila resa pga av att man både fick den nakna verkligheten av USA på 30-talet blandat med en knasig berättelse där både John Steinbeck och Ernest Hemingway gör inhopp. 

Denna bok är en sådan bok som jag utan tvekan skulle rekommendera till någon som vill ha en kul bok, som gör en glad men som även visar på att livet inte alltid är en dans på rosor och ibland så måste man välja mellan två saker man verkligen älskar. Och i det här fallet står valet mellan en man och en alligator...

Tack till HarperCollins Nordic för recensionexemplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

Elsie Lavender and Homer Hickam (the father of the author) were high school classmates in the West Virginia coalfields, graduating just as the Great Depression began. When Homer asked for her hand, Elsie instead headed to Orlando where she sparked with a dancing actor named Buddy Ebsen (yes, that Buddy Ebsen). But when Buddy headed for New York, Elsie’s dreams of a life with him were crushed and eventually she found herself back in the coalfields, married to Homer.

Unfulfilled as a miner’s wife, Elsie was reminded of her carefree days with Buddy every day because of his unusual wedding gift: an alligator named Albert she raised in the only bathroom in the house. When Albert scared Homer by grabbing his pants, he gave Elsie an ultimatum: “Me or that alligator!” After giving it some thought, Elsie concluded there was only one thing to do: Carry Albert home.

Carrying Albert Home is the funny, sweet, and sometimes tragic tale of a young couple and a special alligator on a crazy 1000-mile adventure. Told with the warmth and down-home charm that made Rocket Boys/October Sky a beloved bestseller, Homer Hickam’s rollicking tale is ultimately a testament to that strange and marvelous emotion we inadequately call love.

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What an amazingly book! I loved the book from the first page and it wasn't at all hard reading it in two days. The story is quirky, incredibly cozy, but also a bit sad. I must admit that I found the ending a bit hard to read because I had become attached to Albert, Elise, Homer, and the rooster.

Did the book feel a bit too fantastic now and then? Oh yes, but that's the charming part of the book. I loved reading this 1000 mile long journey because you got both the naked truth about life in the 30s in the USA together with a weird story where both John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway show up.

I would without a doubt, recommend to someone who wants to read something fun, something that makes one happy, but at the same time show that life isn't always perfect and sometimes you have to choose between two things you love. And, in this case, the choice is between a husband and an alligator...

Thanks to HarperCollins Nordic for the review copy!

#BookReview Burying the Honeysuckle Girls by Emily Carpenter

Burying the Honeysuckle Girls by Emily Carpenter
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Althea Bell is still heartbroken by her mother’s tragic, premature death—and tormented by the last, frantic words she whispered into young Althea’s ear: Wait for her. For the honeysuckle girl. She’ll find you, I think, but if she doesn’t, you find her.

Adrift ever since, Althea is now fresh out of rehab and returning to her family home in Mobile, Alabama, determined to reconnect with her estranged, ailing father. While Althea doesn’t expect him, or her politically ambitious brother, to welcome her with open arms, she’s not prepared for the chilling revelation of a grim, long-buried family secret. Fragile and desperate, Althea escapes with an old flame to uncover the truth about her lineage. Drawn deeper into her ancestors’ lives, Althea begins to unearth their disturbing history…and the part she’s meant to play in it.

Gripping and visceral, this unforgettable debut delves straight into the heart of dark family secrets and into one woman’s emotional journey to save herself from a sinister inheritance.

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Burying the Honeysuckle Girls is a great, although tragic tale about four generations of women that are said to always get schizophrenic by the age of 30. Althea Bell is turning 30 in a couple of days and she is worrying that it's her turn to become ill. She and a childhood friend set out to find out the truth about her mother, her grandmother, and great grandmother. Women that she doesn't know much about. But, there are those that want to stop her search no matter the cost.

I was instantly intrigued by the story. I found Althea a fascinating character and the mystery surrounding her family was tantalizing. It's a book that made me both sad and angry at the men that have in generations suppressed women, even in modern time as Althea's story will show. It's an engrossing tale, we both get to follow Althea as she learns about her family's past and her great grandmother Jinn whose independence, or wish for independence is thwarted constantly by her family.

I couldn't stop reading the last part of the book, despite how late it was and that I had to work the next day. It was so fascinating to read and part of me was sad when I turned the page because I really, really came to enjoy reading about Althea, Trix, Collie, and Jinn.

It's a fantastic book! I recommend it warmly!     

I want to thank Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!

Spotlight: Daddy Dearest by Paul Southern

An estranged father’s weekend with his beloved five-year-old daughter turns into a nightmare when she gets into the lift of a city centre tower block and goes down without him. She vanishes without a trace. It sets off a race against time, and a nationwide manhunt, to find her. As the police investigation closes in, suspicion falls on those closest to her - with devastating consequences. Daddy Dearest is a terrifying story of love, obsession and psychological meltdown.

'My daughter has always had a thing about lifts. There’s something about the thrill of pressing a button and seeing the lift doors close which excites her imagination. It terrifies me. Every time she walks in, I imagine it’s the last time I’ll see her. What if she hits the button before I get there? What if the lift doors close and I can’t get her out? It drives me nuts. There are eight floors in the Sears building, nine if you count the basement, and the lift is fast: more like a fairground ride, really. It does top to bottom in twelve seconds. I’ve timed it. Taking the stairs, I’ve done it in forty-two. That leaves a gap of thirty seconds. You’d be surprised what can happen in that time. I was.'

Released June 1st on Amazon / Smashwords.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Daddy-Dearest-Paul-Southern-ebook/dp/B01DC2EPOE

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/595549 

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/daddy-dearest-paul-southern/1123131529

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/daddy-dearest-1

Links

Website: http://www.paulsouthern.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/psouthernauthor

Smashwords interview: https://www.smashwords.com/interview/psouthernauthor

Turn the Page interview: http://espinolaeditor.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/paul-southernauthor-interview.html

Cover to Cover interview: https://liisthinks.wordpress.com/2016/04/01/author-interview-paul-southern/

Biography

Following an induced labour some time in the 1960s (due date: Halloween night), I had my subscription to a normal life revoked by itinerant parents, who moved from city to city. Lived in Liverpool, Belfast, London and Leeds, then escaped to university, where I nearly died of a brain haemorrhage. After an unexpected recovery, formed an underground indie group (Sexus). Met the lead singer through standing on a bee. Made immediate plans to become rich and famous, but ended up in Manchester. Shared a house with mice, cockroaches, and slugs; shared the street with criminals.

Five years later, hit the big time with a Warners record deal. Concerts at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Melody Maker front cover, Smash Hits Single of the Week, Radio 1 and EastEnders. Mixed with the really rich and famous. Then mixed with lawyers. Ended up back in Manchester, broke. Got a PhD in English (I am the world's leading authority on Tennyson's stage plays), then wrote my first novel, The Craze, based on my experiences of the Muslim community. Immediately nominated to the Arena X Club (the name Arena magazine gave to a select group of creative, UK-based men responsible for shaping the way their readers lived and enjoyed their lives). Wrote a second book, Brown Boys in Chocolate, which predicted the London bombings. Fell foul of the censors and subsequently gagged by the press. Got ITV interested in a story on honour killings and inter-racial marriages and was commissioned to write a screenplay (Pariah) based on my life story. ITV balked at the content.

Subsequently, trod the Wasteland before finding the grail again: a book deal with children's publisher, Chicken House. Killing Sound, a YA horror set on the London Underground, was published by them in September 2014. The book, originally written for older teens (16+) and adults, was censoriously edited by the publishers to fit a much younger demographic, and inevitably failed to reach either market; the grail proved elusive and I returned to writing something it was impossible to dilute. Daddy Dearest, a dark, psychological thriller, will be released in 2016.

Batman: Europa by Brian Azzarello

Batman: Europa by Brian Azzarello

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The greatest talents of American and European comics unite for a Batman story like none other! Written by Matteo Casali (CATWOMAN) and Brian Azzarello (DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE), BATMAN: EUROPA features art by superstar Jim Lee (JUSTICE LEAGUE) as well as European comics artist superstars Giuseppe Camuncoli (Spider-Man), Diego Latorre and Gerard Parel.

The Dark Knight is finally facing an enemy that even he can’t defeat—a deadly, custom-engineered virus that will drive him mad and then kill him within a week. But Batman isn’t the only one infected…the homicidal madman known as the Joker is also stricken.

Now, the two mortal enemies must rely on each other if either one is to survive. As they follow the clues, their search for the man who targeted them has them crisscrossing Europe—following clues in Berlin, fighting automatons in Prague, haunting the Paris catacombs and more.

Can Batman and Joker survive working together? Or will the Dark Knight and his deadliest enemy die together, far from Gotham City?

Collects BATMAN: EUROPA #1-4 of the 4-issue miniseries.

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You know you have procrastinated enough when you can't find the images you have screen capped for a graphic novel. But, never mind that, I can write a review without any images to accompany it. But, it makes the review a little less fun to do and I can't show you all the quality of the art. However, most of Batman: Europa was quite nice, the only part that I found a bit hard to see what has going on was when Batman and Joker were in Paris and they are starting to feel the effect of the virus and the art is showing that. Other than that, pretty much the whole volume was good.

However, the story was nothing really special, which surprised me because here we have two arch nemeses working together for a cure and one would think that it would be pretty cool to read about that, but I actually found myself not really overwhelmed with the story, a bit too much I need to finish this volume rather than I want to finish the volume. Sure, there were some good parts, the fact that the Joker and Batman were "working" together was a cool idea. 

Then we have the ending, to be honest. I was not really impressed with whom was behind it all. No real wow feeling. 

So, not my favourite volume, it had some good parts, the art was good, but the story was not fantastic. A good read, nothing more.

I want to thank DC Comics for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!

Cover Reveal‏: Breakfast at Poldark's by Samantha Tonge

DREAMING OF THE PERFECT MAN?

Kate Golightly needs to move forward and what better way to do that then with a trip to the Cornish coast with best friend and boss, Izzy.

The sea wind is just what Kate needs to finally relax and begin to let go of her past. Except she’s suddenly got one big reason to panic! She RSVP’d ‘yes’ to the Queen Bee of her high school’s wedding saying she’s bringing her boyfriend (she doesn’t have one) who looks just like Ross Poldark!

With only two weeks to find the Poldark look-alike of her dreams Kate is under a lot of pressure for the Cornish coast to deliver…

A hilarious and moving romantic novel from bestselling author, Samantha Tonge. A must-read this summer!

Links: 

Goodreads

Amazon UK 

Amazon US

About Samantha Tonge

Samantha lives in Cheshire with her lovely family and a cat that thinks it's a dog. Along with writing, her days are spent cycling, willing cakes to rise and avoiding housework. A love of fiction developed as a child, when she was known for reading Enid Blyton books in the bath. A desire to write bubbled away in the background whilst she pursued other careers, including a fun stint working at Disneyland Paris. Formally trained as a linguist, Samantha now likes nothing more than holing herself up in the spare room, in front of the keyboard. She has sold over 80 stories to women's magazines. Her bestselling debut novel, "Doubting Abbey", from CarinaUK HarperCollins, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award in 2014. Game of Scones won the 2015 Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category.

Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=423066221136190&fref=ts

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SamTongeWriter

Website: http://samanthatonge.co.uk/

#CoverCrush: The House of Hawthorne by Erika Robuck

Erin over at Flashlight Commentary is the one that came up with the cover crush idea and I loved it so much that I decided that every Thursday would I post a cover that I really love. 

Check out this week's cover crush over at Flashlight Commentary, 2 Kids and Tired Books, Layered Pages and The Maidens Court!

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This week's Cover Crush is for Erika Robuck's The House of Hawthorne. It's such a beautiful cover. I like the original hardcover cover as well, but I think like this lighter cover that they chose for the paperback version a bit more. But, both of them are covers eye-catching and would certainly make me stop in a bookstore to check them out.



Original hardcover cover:

Ordeal by Jørn Lier Horst (SWE/ENG)

Ordeal by Jørn Lier Horst
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

SWEDISH REVIEW

En kall januarinatt försvinner taxichauffören Jens Hummel spårlöst. Det går ett halvår utan att man hittar någon ledtråd. William Wisting, som ansvarar för utredningen, får kritik i media och av överordnade för uteblivna resultat.

Wistings dotter Line, som tagit ledigt från jobbet och snart ska föda sitt första barn, har fått en ny vän: Sofie, ensamstående mamma med en ettårig dotter. Sofie har ärvt ett hus efter sin morfar, Frank Mandt, som polisen länge misstänkt för diverse skumraskaffärer.

Line och Sofie träffas allt oftare, och när de hittar ett låst kassaskåp i källaren till Sofies hus blir Line nyfiken. I skåpet finner de en revolver och en mycket stor summa pengar med missfärgade kanter.

Polisen misslyckades med att sätta dit Frank Mandt så länge han levde och Line anser att de måste informera ordningsmakten om vapnet. Hon lämnar in det anonymt men kan inte undanhålla sanningen för sin pappa. Till Wistings förvåning visar det sig att revolvern har en koppling till ett ouppklarat mordfall, och dessutom till taxichaufförens Jens Hummels försvinnande.

Wisting ställs inför ett svårt val – ska han missbruka dotterns förtroende eller åsidosätta lojaliteten med den organisation han själv är en del av?

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Blindgång är den första boken jag har läst i William Wisting serien och trots att det är bok 10 så hade jag inga problem med att hänga med i handlingen. Jag kom att gilla William Wisting och hans dotter redan från början. Jag tyckte att de hade en väldigt fin relation och jag är nyfiken på Lines situation då hon är gravid och pappan till barnet är en amerikansk polis som bor i Amerika. Jag måste verkligen läsa de tidigare böckerna för att få reda på varför han var i Norge och arbetade och hur de träffades.

Handlingen var intressant, en försvunnen taxiförare, ett mord och ett upphittat vapen som har kopplingar med varandra. Jag gillade verkligen hur både William och Line är involverade i fallet på olika sätt och hur slumpmässiga möten och handlingar till slut ger svar på gåtan med vad som kände med taxichauffören Jens Hummel.

Boken är oerhört välskriven och spännande att läsa och jag tyckte att slutet i rättegångssalen är otroligt bra!

Tack till Lind & Co för recensionexemplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

The Hummel case has bothered William Wisting for more than six months. The investigation into what happened when taxi-driver Jens Hummel disappeared has been fruitless, and he has to endure criticism.

A crucial discovery directs suspicion at Dan Roger ‘Danny’ Brodin. The problem is, however, that Danny is already in prison, convicted of another murder. Wisting is accustomed to building up a solid case for the prosecution, but this time things are different. Now he has to use all his expertise and experience to unpick a case that other people already believe to be over and done with. He follows his own convictions - all the way into the courtroom.

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Ordeal is the first book I have read in the William Wisting series and, despite this being book, 10 didn't I have any problems getting into the story. Instead, I found myself instantly liking both William Wisting and his daughter Line. I thought that they had a very loving relationship and I was curious about Line's situation being pregnant and the dad is a cop from America who is still living there. I really need to read the previous book to find out why he was in Norway and how they met.

The story is interesting, a missing taxi driver, a murder and a found weapon that have connections with each other. I liked that both William and Line were involved in the case in different kinds of ways and thanks to random meetings and events finally the mystery with the missing taxi driver will be resolved.

The book is well written and engrossing and I think the ending in the courtroom is incredibly good! I liked this book very much and I will definitely read more books in this series.

Thanks to Lind & Co for the review copy!