On Tour and a Giveaway: Banana Split by Josi S. Kilpack

Sadie Hoffmiller has survived eighteen months of nonstop adventures filled with murder, deceit, and danger. She could really use some rest—and maybe even some time to heal—relaxing in the tropical paradise of Kaua'i. However, palm trees and sunshine are not as effective a medication as Sadie had hoped. And when she finds herself entangled—literally—with a dead body, she is forced to face the compounding fears and anxieties that are making her life so difficult to live.

Her determination to stay out of danger and to focus on overcoming her anxieties soon takes a backseat when she meets eleven-year-old Charlie, the son of the woman whose body she discovered near Anahola Beach. Charlies has some questions of his own about what happened to his mother, and he is convinced that only Sadie can help him. If only Sadie were as confident in her abilities as Charlie is.

With the help of her best friend and a local social worker, Sadie dives into another mystery with the hope that, at the end, she'll be able to find the peace and closure that has eluded her. ~~ synopsis from Goodreads 

My thoughts on Banana Split ~~ 

I have not read any of this author's works before Banana Split. This series did catch my eye when I noticed the book published right before this one, Pumpkin Roll. Yummy! Banana Split is number seven in the Culinary Mystery series by Josi S. Kilpack with number eight, Tres Leches Cupcakes coming out in Fall 2012.

Just from reading this one book, I can tell this is a series that I want to be a part of. I immediately liked Sadie, the main character. As she once said to her therapist, "I am a magnet for murder." Sadie is just trying to live her life and get through what has happened to her in the past but dead bodies just seem to show up. She can't just walk away for the ordeal, she cares about the people involved in the situation and has to figure out a way to help them.

Sadie has a great support system; a loving, caring boyfriend, a great, best friend and a couple of children who are there for her. They all love and care about her and as a reader, I came to feel the same way.

I am one of those people who think series should be read in order and since I jumped into this series at number seven, I felt a little lost. There was something that happened in Boston previously, that affected Sadie and those around her. I am not sure what it was so I felt I was missing something. That happens with series and I don't expect author's to go back and rehash previous books. I guess I am going to have to go back to book one and 'catch up'. I also like to see the characters and their relationships develop over a number of books and I missed that by just reading the one book.

Overall, I enjoyed my glimpse into Sadie's world very much. And I definitely want to go back. I guess I should start with book number one, Lemon Tart, and read them all. So many books .... so little time!

Oh, and the author shares recipes in the book that correlate to the story. Awesomeness!!

Author's website

Here is a link to the post where she talks about Banana Split.

The Story Behind the Story Behind the Story

 Purchase on Amazon

I received a copy of this book for the Tristi Pinkston Book Tour

If you don't see the Rafflecopter for the giveaway, 
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RetirementQuest by John Hauserman

RetirementQuest: Make Better Decisions was written by a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner who has been counseling clients since 1992. Drawing from his twenty years of experience, John Hauserman has developed a unique ability to communicate complex financial subject matter in easy to understand terms.

Readers are guided through the basics of financial planning, while threads of politics, history, and psychology are woven together to create a tapestry of deeper understanding into the financial planning world. Complete with hard hitting insight into the practices and sometimes abuses of the financial services industry, John has created a masterpiece designed to help those responsible-minded investors who are seeking to avoid common planning mistakes. ~~synopsis from Amazon.

My thoughts on RetirementQuest ~~ 

Okay, I am going to be perfectly honest here. I have not thought much about a retirement plan. I know I should, I should have done something a long time ago. My husband got a really late start getting his higher education degrees and was in school a long, long time, we had 4 small children, money was extremely tight ~ you know, excuses, excuses. And now, I try not to think about it because I know we are not prepared ~ head in the sand kind of thinking.

This book got me thinking about what we need to do to get prepared for our retirement. We are coming at it kind of late in the game but any kind of plan is better than no plan, right? And I checked out the RetirementQuest website and there is a lot of useful information there that I will be looking at as we start to get a plan in place.

The author states at one point ~ 'This book is intended for mature readers who have already achieved a reasonable level of financial security and responsibility, and for younger people who are actively in a wealth building mode.' I couldn't have said it any better. You should take a look at RetirementQuest!

RetirementQuest website

Purchase on Amazon

Blog Tour: No Holly for Christmas by Julie N. Ford

As Brian McAlister struggles to move past being jilted not once, but twice by the only woman he's ever loved, he's all but given up on relationships. Then, on special assignment for the DA's office, he crosses paths with ex-socialite turned social worker, Holly Cavanaugh Winter-and romance blossoms.
 
Widowed, practically penniless, and reduced to shopping at WalMart, Holly is dreading the approaching Holiday Season. However, her angst isn't due to her husband's untimely death the previous December 25th, but because of a secret that could reveal itself unless she can find a way to avoid the coming Christmas.
 
Love at first sight quickly turns frigid for Brian and Holly when Holly gets pulled into a manhunt for an accused murderer who now has his sights set on her. His case unraveling, Brian finds himself tasked with keeping Holly and her two daughters safe while bringing an assassin and the powerful man who hired him to justice.
 
A heart-warming story of suspense, healing, giving and receiving, No Holly for Christmas is the perfect addition to everyone's holiday reading list. ~~synopsis from Goodreads 

My thoughts about No Holly for Christmas ~~

I love reading Christmas stories this time of year. I am not sure why I just limit myself to reading them in November/December. This one would be good anytime of the year!

No Holly for Christmas is not your typical Christmas story. It is a great suspense romance. Both of the main characters start out as people I didn't like very much and then as I got to know them, I came to understand why they were the way they were.

Then the suspense part of the story took over and kept me up way too late reading, to make sure everything would be okay. Holly and Brian have to rely on each other to make sure they both stay alive. And by being dependent on each other, they learn to open up to each other and see that they really are meant to be together.

I had previously read another of Ford's books, Count Down to Love, (my thoughts about that book are here) and was so excited to read this one. I was not disappointed! A little Christmas, a little romance and a little suspense, all rolled into one - it doesn't get any better than that! Thanks Julie, for making my Christmas reading a lot more fun this year!

To learn more about the author, visit her website or blog.  

No Holly for Christmas is available on Amazon.

I received a copy of No Holly for Christmas for this 

Tristi Pinkston Book Tour in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Blog Tour: Deep Blue Secret by Christie Anderson

Synopsis ~~ California teen, Sadie James, thinks her life couldn't get any better. She has great friends, an energetic mother she adores, and the beach practically in her own backyard. But her carefree life is turned upside down when she's rescued by a mysterious and strangely familiar boy who won't even tell her his name. 

Each time the boy appears, Sadie's unexplainable attraction to him deepens along with her need to unravel his secrets. The boy is there to protect her. But as wonderful and exciting as it might be to have an irresistible boy with crystal green eyes protecting her every move, every minute of the day...why does Sadie need one? 

As Sadie finds answers, she realizes her life isn't as perfect as she thought. Not only is she caught in a world of dangerous secret agents she never knew existed, but it turns out her true identity may be the greatest secret of all.

My thoughts on Deep Blue Secret ~~ 

First of all, I have to say right up front, that this cover is so beautiful! Even if I wasn't reading this book for it's blog tour, it would have caught my eye. I am so shallow sometimes, a beautiful cover always gets me!

And then the book grabbed me! The story starts off pretty intense, with someone trying to escape from the area that he has been condemned to and left to die. He does manage to escape and the story leaves you wondering what he did and why he was there. 

After that, we are taken into the life of a high school girl, Sadie, who is trying to understand why things are changing in her life and why she, herself, is changing. Sadie has a great life, a wonderful, caring mother and good friends. But then things start to happen and a certain someone comes into her life. She is just trying to understand it all.

I immediately liked Sadie very much and admired how mature she was. Things become very tough for her but she just kept on going with her positive outlook.  

The last part of the book is very fast paced and action packed. I found myself reading much later than I should have because I just had to find out how it ended. I love that in a book! 

This is book #1 in The Water Keepers series. I cannot wait for book #2!! The author is currently working on it. 

Hurry up, Ms. Anderson! 

Watch the book trailer on YouTube ~~ It is amazing!

Author's website ~~ Christie Anderson

Purchase from Amazon ~~ eBook is only $.99, paperback $9.99

$.99 - really? It is so worth it! 

You better go get it - seriously!!

Thanks to Tristi Pinkston Blog Tours for a free review copy of Deep Blue Secret. 

Opinions expressed here are totally my own.

Blog Tour - Countdown to Love by Julie N. Ford

Synopsis ~~ Abandoned at the altar, Kelly Grace Pickens finds herself left holding not only the bouquet, but also the exorbitant bill for an A-list wedding. Homeless, a once-promising singing career floundering, and her life bearing an uncanny resemblance to one of her country music ballads, she reluctantly accepts a last-minute offer to appear on a reality TV show akin to The Bachelor. 

Pitted against silicon-enhanced supermodels in four-inch heels, Kelly feels confident that she will be among the first would-be fiancées to be excused. Only, when the mysterious bachelor from New York City, Dillon Black, invites her to stay, Kelly finds herself thrust into the vortex of a game she doesn’t have the first idea how to play. Nursing her hopelessly broken heart while avoiding the foils of her fellow contestants, Kelly is oblivious to Dillon’s affections as she wades through hurt and betrayal to discover, in the end, that she has landed firmly on both feet.

Leaving behind Nashville’s Music Row for the majestic Grand Teton Mountains, Count Down To Love takes readers on a journey from duplicity to sincerity as Kelly discovers that being true to oneself is the first step in finding happiness and everlasting love.

Count Down to Love is a great book! I'll just get that out of the way, right off the bat.

The premise of the story is based on the Bachelor reality show, one gorgeous cowboy trying to decide which beautiful woman he wants to fall in love with. I have to admit that I am not into these types of shows. I know some people that are, shall we say, addicted to them? But the fact that I don't watch them did not make any difference in how much I enjoyed this book.

Kelly agrees to go on the Count Down to Love reality show to make oodles of money to pay for her wedding that didn't happen. She never guessed that she would be so instantly attracted to Dillon, the bachelor on the show. The story has a lot of twists and turns and one is never sure if the story is going to have a happy ending or not, right to the very end.

This is a very enjoyable read with very likable characters and it is very well written. I lost myself in the story and and had a great time. It is a nice, clean romance with a little suspense thrown in. I highly recommend it and I will be checking out this author's other books.

Links:

Author’s site:  JulieNFord.com

Author’s blog:  Queries2Reviews.wordpress.com

Purchase on Amazon

I received an e-book copy of this book for review from Tristi Pinkston Book Tours. My remarks are my honest opinion.

Book Tour: Blank Slate by Heather Justesen

Adrianna Mueller may be a world-renowned concert pianist, but when she wakes from her coma after a serious car accident, her ability to perform has disappeared as completely as her lost memory. 

As she recovers from her injuries, she struggles with the expectations of everyone—her family, friends, and fiancé, Brock—who all want everything to go back to the way it was.

Everyone except Gavin, Adrianna’s brother’s business partner, who finds himself drawn to the woman she is now. But he has his own problems. As he tries to get a handle on a former employee’s embezzlement, he fights his growing feelings for Adrianna.

And then a trip to the emergency room shakes everything up, leaving her to stumble as she tries to regain her footing all over again. ~~ synopsis from Goodreads 

Okay, so this books starts off pretty predictable. I could see right from the get-go where this author was taking me, the reader. And I was thinking, 'Oh no, why can't this author be a little more original? This is going to be a long, boring read - I've got it figured out already, in chapter one, for gosh sakes!' 

Hang on, though, Ms. Justesen takes you on a ride you don't want to miss. Yes, you can figure out where the story is headed and you can pretty much predict the outcome but you just want to keep reading. The journey is in getting the characters where they need to be in their lives. 

There were parts of the story that were comical as Adrianna tries to fit back into her life and things just don't seem to fit. And there were parts, and characters, that made me so mad when they were faced with disappointment and wanted innocent people to suffer. And there were sweet parts as some of the people tried to rediscover those that they thought they knew.  

And yes, there were even parts that brought me to tears! That is a true sign of a good book for me - when I get so involved in the lives of the characters in a story, that I cry when they cry, I hurt when they hurt, and I am happy when they are happy. Job well done, Heather! 

Ms. Justesen has 3 published books already and has another one in the works. I will be checking out her other 2 published books and will be keeping my eyes out for any new books she writes in the future. 

And ........ I love the cover!! 

Author's website http://www.heatherjustesen.com 

Author's blog http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/ 

Purchase links for Blank Slate -- Paperback on Amazon, Kindle and Smashwords -- from now until the end of July, if you go to Smashwords and enter code WV49Z, you can download the book for only $1.49! What a deal!!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Tristi Pinkston Book Tours.