BLOG TOUR: Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnon

I am very excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnon. I am always game for a new thriller. I received a free copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to MIRA and Hannah Mary McKinnon for letting me be a part of this tour!

Title: Sister Dear

Author: Hannah Mary McKinnon

Published by: MIRA

Released: May 26, 2020

Source: Review Copy from the Publisher

Goodreads   Amazon

Synopsis: Beauty. Wealth. Success.

She’s got it all.
And it all should’ve been mine. 
When Eleanor Hardwicke’s beloved father dies, her world is further shattered by a gut-wrenching secret: the man she’s grieving isn’t really her dad. Eleanor was the product of an affair and her biological father is still out there, living blissfully with the family he chose. With her personal life spiraling, a desperate Eleanor seeks him out, leading her to uncover another branch on her family tree—an infuriatingly enviable half sister.

Perfectly perfect Victoria has everything Eleanor could ever dream of. Loving childhood, luxury home, devoted husband. All of it stolen from Eleanor, who plans to take it back. After all, good sisters are supposed to share. And quiet little Eleanor has been waiting far too long for her turn to play. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: That synopsis sold me. I'm always on the lookout for a new thriller to read and Sister Dear was pretty fun.

It did start out a little slow, so you need to have a little patience. When the story does get going though, it goes pretty good and pretty hard. There was a twist that got me.

I just liked the whole vibe of it. Creepy sisters, jealousy, and danger.

I feel like I can't say too much, because that's part of the fun that comes with reading a thriller. It's more satisfying if you're surprised by it.

I enjoyed Sister Dear and I definitely plan to look for more books by Hannah Mary McKinnon.

I was born in the UK and grew up in Switzerland. Unsurprisingly I love chocolate, mountains and cheese, and books, of course. 

When I moved to Canada with my husband and three sons in 2010 I went through an (early) mid-life crisis. Maybe it was the failed attempt at a start-up company, but one morning I decided to follow my oldest passion; writing - and never wanted to look back. 

My first novel, TIME AFTER TIME, a lighthearted, romantic read, was published by HarperCollins AVON in June 2016. I subsequently moved over to the dark side. THE NEIGHBORS, a domestic suspense story, was published by MIRA in March 2018. HER SECRET SON followed in May 2019. My fourth book, SISTER DEAR, arrives May 26, 2020, and I'm working on my fifth and sixth.

To find out more please visit:
www.HannahMaryMcKinnon.com
Twitter - @HannahMMcKinnon 
Instagram - @HannahMaryMcKinnon
Facebook -ww.facebook.com/hannahmarymckinnon
Bookbub - www.bookbub.com/authors/hannah-mary-m...

Thank you for stopping by my Blog Tour Stop for Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnon. Thanks so much to MIRA and Hannah Mary McKinnon for giving me the opportunity to read this fun book and be on this tour.

BLOG TOUR: The Summer Set by Aimee Agresti

I am so excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for The Summer Set by Aimee Agresti. I needed some summertime vibes with this Covid-19 craziness that is happening. I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Graydon House and Aimee Agresti for letting me be a part of this fun tour!

Title: The Summer Set

Author: Aimee Agresti

Published by: Graydon House

Released: May 12, 2020

Source: Review Copy from Publisher

Goodreads   Amazon

Synopsis: The real drama happens backstage in this juicy novel about an idyllic summer theater where hot stars, has-beens and hopefuls chase roles—and each other.

Charlie Savoy was once Hollywood’s hottest A-lister. Now, ten years later, she's pushing forty, exiled from the film world and back at the summer Shakespeare theater that launched her career—and where her old flame, Nick, is the artistic director.
It’s not exactly her first choice. But as parts are cast and rehearsals begin, Charlie is surprised to find herself getting her groove back, bonding with celebrity actors, forging unexpected new friendships and even reigniting her spark with Nick, who still seems to bring out the best in her despite their complicated history.

Until Charlie’s old rival, Hollywood’s current it girl, is brought in to attract theater donors, threatening to undo everything she’s built. As the drama amps up both on the stage and behind the curtains, Charlie must put on the show of a lifetime to fight for the second chance she deserves in career and in love. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: So much juicy drama! I enjoyed my time reading this. I love the set up of the story. It has stars, it has a summer theater, it has romance. It just ticks all the boxes of a really fun beach read.

I enjoyed Charlie's journey in the story. She had a really up and down life story. At one time, she was an A-list star, but now her fortunes have changed. She hopes that this summer Shakespeare theater will give her back her spark. It's also not the worst that her old flame is the artistic director.

I really enjoy books that have movie stars and drama. It's a world that I will never be a part of, so it's just really fun for me to read about it.

I liked Aimee Agresti's writing. She crafted a very juicy story that I couldn't seem to stop reading.

It also had a nice romance that was very sweet to read.

The Summer Set was a fun time. It's a great read for those looking for a good time.

Aimee Agresti is a novelist and entertainment journalist. A former staff writer for Us Weekly, she penned the magazine's coffee-table book Inside Hollywood. Her work has also appeared in People, Premiere, DC magazine, Capitol File, the Washington Post, Washingtonian, the Washington City Paper, Boston magazine, Women’s Health and the New York Observer. Aimee has made countless TV and radio appearances, dishing about celebrities on the likes of Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, E!, The Insider, Extra, VH1, MSNBC, Fox News Channel and HLN. The author of The Gilded Wings trilogy for young adults, she graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in journalism and lives with her husband and two sons in the Washington, DC, area.

Thanks for stopping by my Blog Tour Stop for The Summer Set by Aimee Agresti. If this book sounds like something you'd enjoy, I'd definitely recommend giving it a read. Thanks so much to Graydon House and Aimee Agresti for letting me be a part of this fun tour!

BLOG TOUR: A Hidden Heir to Redeem Him by Dani Collins

I'm pretty excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for A Hidden Heir to Redeem Him by Dani Collins. I received a free copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Harlequin Presents and Dani Collins for letting me be a part of this tour.

Title: A Hidden Heir to Redeem Him

Author: Dani Collins

Published by: Harlequin Presents

Released: May 1, 2020

Source: Review Copy from Publisher

Goodreads   Amazon

Synopsis: She kept their child hidden…

Now the secret’s out!
Valentino Casale is outraged to find Kiara kept their daughter a secret from him for two years! Forever branded by his own illegitimacy, the hardened billionaire wants to do things differently…

Kiara could never regret the consequence of her one delicious night with Val. Even if he turned out to be every bit as coldhearted as their night was hot! Yet behind Val’s reputation is another man—revealed only in their passionate moments alone. Could she give that man a second chance? (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: This relationship is a little complicated. A one night stand, a secret baby, and a billionaire who wants to do things right.

Valentino and Kiara definitely had a lot of heat and some history. Their relationship was pretty interesting to follow. I don't think either character was perfect. Valentino is kind of bossy. He doesn't really leave Kiara much of a choice when it comes to their arrangement.

I definitely don't think it's a bad thing that Valentino wanted to be in his daughter's life and wanted her to have his name.

I enjoyed watching Kiara and Valentino's relationship grow.

I liked A Hidden Heir to Redeem Him. It was a fun story to follow and I'm interested in seeing more from this family.

Award-winning and USA Today Bestselling author Dani Collins thrives on giving readers emotional, compelling, heart-soaring romance with some laughter and heat thrown in, just like real life. 
Mostly she writes contemporary romance for Harlequin Presents and Tule's Montana Born, but her backlist of nearly sixty books also includes self-published erotic romance, romantic comedy, and even an epic medieval fantasy.

 When she's not writing--just kidding, she's always writing. Social Isolation is her normal. 
Try before you buy! Join Dani's newsletter and receive Cruel Summer, a short story ebook written exclusively for her subscribers. Get Dani’s Free eBook

Thanks for stopping by my Blog Tour Stop for A Hidden Heir to Redeem Him by Dani Collins. Thanks so much to Harlequin Presents and Dani Collins for letting me be a part of this fun tour. If you're looking for some secrets and romance, I'd definitely say give this one a read.

Review: Railhead by Philip Reeve

Title: Railhead (#1)

Author: Philip Reeve

Published by: Switch Press

Released: 2016

Source: Library

Synopsis: The Great Network is an ancient web of routes and gates, where sentient trains can take you anywhere in the galaxy in the blink of an eye.

But the Network is also a hazardous mess of twists and turns, and nothing is as it seems. So when petty thief and railhead Zen Starling is hired by the mysterious Raven, the job appears simple enough. Steal one small box from the Emperor’s train, live the rest of his days in luxury. Secrets and danger lie in wait on the rails, and that little box might just bring everything in this galaxy—and the next—to the end of the line. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: This was great! Railhead was really imaginative, really intriguing. It was just a cool world, a cool story, and I was into it. I need to know what happens next, so I will be picking up the sequel.

The trains were really something to behold. Magnificent is a word that could definitely describe them.

Zen Starling's story was really interesting the whole way through. It felt like I was experiencing a movie.

I really enjoyed Railhead. It had all these cool, different worlds. An awesome space thing going on. I liked it a lot.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4.5/5

Awesome!

Reading Right Now! (255)

What I'm Reading Right Now! is...

The Mansion by Ezekiel Boone -- I started this one a couple days ago and I'm intrigued. I've heard that it might be a little like The Shining by Stephen King (I've never read that one, but it's on my never-ending tbr list, and I know things about it). 

What I think I know about The Mansion is that it's a creepy, recently renovated old hotel that's been installed with an artificial intelligence. This artificial intelligence might be a little evil though.

I'm about 40 pages in, and so far, it's going a little slowly. There's a lot of info about characters and past events being revealed. It's almost a little info dumping. We are also going between three characters POV's.

I am excited to read more of this, because I think once we get past the initial set up and character history, it might go pretty fast.

I've read two other books by this author, part of his Hatching Series, and I did enjoy them. I need to read the last book in that series, again, it's on my never-ending tbr list.

So that's what I'm Reading Right Now! What are you reading?

BLOG TOUR: This Is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf

I'm really excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for This Is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf. As soon as I read the synopsis for this book, I was in. I received a free copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Park Row and Heather Gudenkauf for letting me be a part of this tour.

Title: This Is How I Lied

Author: Heather Gudenkauf

Published by: Park Row

Released: May 12, 2020

Source: Review Copy from Publisher

Goodreads   Amazon

Synopsis: Gudenkauf proves herself the master of the smart, suspenseful small-town thriller that gets right under your skin.” —Gilly Macmillan, New York Times bestselling author of The Nanny 

Everyone has a secret they’ll do anything to hide…
Twenty-five years ago, the body of sixteen-year-old Eve Knox was found in the caves near her home in small-town Grotto, Iowa—discovered by her best friend, Maggie, and her sister, Nola. There were a handful of suspects, including her boyfriend, Nick, but without sufficient evidence the case ultimately went cold.

For decades Maggie was haunted by Eve’s death and that horrible night. Now a detective in Grotto, and seven months pregnant, she is thrust back into the past when a new piece of evidence surfaces and the case is reopened. As Maggie investigates and reexamines the clues, secrets about what really happened begin to emerge. But someone in town knows more than they’re letting on, and they’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth buried deep. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: Winner Winner Chicken Dinner! This was one good read. I was hooked from the start. I love a good mystery thriller. I always want to read them. Heather Gudenkauf writes good mystery thrillers.

I loved how this was a cold case story. There's just something so wrong about a case that is shelved because it can't be solved at the time. By wrong, I mean it gives such a hopeless sort of feeling. These people deserve justice, their families deserve it. So, I really enjoyed that this story gave us a cold case. I also really liked going back and forth in time, being able to experience what happened in the past and how it has shaped these characters' lives.

This Is How I Lied has some very grim subject matter. It definitely gives the story a really dark tone and just makes everything more compelling.

Twisty twists appeared and really did shock me. I enjoyed that a lot. I like when a mystery really throws me a curveball I wasn't expecting.

I thought This Is How I Lied was great! I definitely enjoyed it from the first page to the last. Heather Gudenkauf writes a great mystery and I'm definitely going to be reading more from her.

Heather Gudenkauf

Heather Gudenkauf is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of many books, including The Weight of Silence and These Things Hidden. Heather graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in elementary education, has spent her career working with students of all ages. She lives in Iowa with her husband, three children, and a very spoiled German Shorthaired Pointer named Lolo. In her free time, Heather enjoys spending time with her family, reading, hiking, and running.

Author Website

Twitter: @hgudenkauf

Instagram: @heathergudenkauf

Facebook: @HeatherGudenkaufAuthor

Goodreads

Thanks for stopping by my Blog Tour Stop for This Is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf. Thanks so much to Park Row and Heather Gudenkauf for having me on the tour. I'd definitely say give this book a read if mystery/thrillers are your thing.

BLOG TOUR: Claimed by a Steele by Brenda Jackson

I'm really excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Claimed by a Steele by Brenda Jackson. We get to see another Steele brother fall in love. I received a free copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Harlequin Desire and Brenda Jackson for letting me be a part of this tour.

Title: Claimed by a Steele

Author: Brenda Jackson

Published by: Harlequin Desire

Released: May 1, 2020

Source: Review Copy from Publisher

Goodreads   Amazon

Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson brings you a brand-new story in the Forged of Steele series. Perfect for fans of the popular Westmoreland series and readers of passionate contemporary romances!

This Steele man is always in the driver’s seat…
But is this playboy ready for the wildest ride of his life?
Agreeing a PR stunt would be good for business, trucking CEO Gannon Steele invites reporter Delphine Ryland to hitch a ride cross-country. Soon, he’s keeping his eyes on his sexy passenger instead of on the destination ahead, and when the trip turns from strictly business to strictly pleasure, the consequences might be more than this rough-and-ready bachelor can handle…

From Harlequin Desire: Luxury, scandal, desire—welcome to the lives of the American elite. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: Hot Hot Hot! Gannon Steele's story was definitely a trip to remember. The romance was good and steamy.

I really enjoyed the set up of this one. I'm really a fan of romances that start out with people kind of forced to share the same space, and then feelings ensue. It was just done the way I like it.

I think Delphine and Gannon had a lot of chemistry. I enjoyed seeing it ignite. I liked how they came together. Nothing is better than a road trip. A road trip story is also a lot of fun to read.

I definitely enjoyed seeing another Steele brother find love. I'm really enjoying this series and these brothers.

In 1994, Brenda Jackson’s first novel, Tonight and Forever, was released. Since then she has had more than 100 novels and novellas published (the first African-American author to accomplish such a feat) and has over 3 million books in print. 
A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Brenda is the first African-American author to have a book published by Harlequin Desire and the first African-American romance author to make the New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller lists within the series romance genre. 
In 2012, Brenda received the Romance Writers of America’s Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award—one of the highest literary awards a romance author can receive. In 2013, she was recognized by the mayor and the city of Jacksonville as being a Trailblazer in the literary field. 
In 2010, she collaborated with Five Alive Films to turn her Truly Everlasting title into a feature film. Brenda’s 2011 novel A Silken Thread is scheduled to be filmed with Debbie Allen attached as director in 2015.
Email Brenda at authorbrendajackson@gmail.com or visit her on her website at brendajackson.net.

Thank you for stopping by my Blog Tour stop for Claimed by a Steele by Brenda Jackson. Thanks so much to Harlequin Desire and Brenda Jackson for letting me be a part of it.