Review ~ Peaches and Dreams (Green Valley Heroes #4) by Juliette Cross ~ @Juliette__Cross @SmartyPantsRom

About the Book:

Marly Rivers is not crazy. No matter what everyone says. They may think her dream is foolish, but she plans to prove them all wrong—one jar of moonshine at a time.

Single dad Wade Kelley is just fine. No matter what his best friend Jed says. He doesn’t need a woman in his life. But when his son Jake breaks a jar of moonshine, he sets something in motion that neither Wade nor Marly are prepared for.

A friendly favor turns into late nights, long dinners, and a romp in the woods. And in a deer stand too. By the time Wade realizes he’s fallen hard and deep for Mad Marly, it may be too late to tell her. When she falls into real and sudden danger with poachers, he may not even be able to save her.

‘Peaches and Dreams’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #4 in the Green Valley Heroes series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.

My Review:

Peaches and Dreams is a fun contemporary romance. I not only enjoyed Marly and Wade, but the secondary characters, as well, especially Wade's son, Jake. The small-town setting was near and dear to my heart since I, too, am from a small town. Everyone knows everyone else's business but the community is tight knit.

Marly's dream is different but none-the-less important. I loved that she stayed resolved even in the face of adversity (I'm look at you, Marly's dad). Marly is quirky and fun and the way she was written totally fit with the character I envisioned. I loved Marly and Wade together, even with their vast differences, and getting to know them from the small interjections from their past and during their navigation of the present.

I love Juliette Cross’s writing style and the way she tells stories. Her ability to create stories with romance and a solid plot is what keeps me coming back. I can't wait for Juliette's next book, in any series or standalone. She is a favorite one-click author for me!!

I was provided a copy of this book.

My Rating:



My Review was originally posted here:

https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/2023/09/release-day-review-peaches-and-dreams.html 

Purchase from Amazon US: https://amzn.to/465F0xv

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Release Day #Review ~ Ultimate Heavy Metal Guitars by Pete Prown #Guitars #Guitarists #HeavyMetal #RockGods

Sure to strike a chord with guitarists and heavy metal fans, this authoritative and photo-filled volume surveys more than 80 of the genre’s greatest axe-slingers from the 1970s to present.

From metal pioneers like Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, and Deep Purple’s Ritchie Blackmore to today’s hottest shredders, thrashers, and riffers, Ultimate Heavy Metal Guitars is your guide to the instruments and musicians that made metal. Author and guitar journalist Pete Prown presents his subjects by metal-defining eras and subgenres, early metal, hard rock and arena rock , prog rock , Euro metal, hair metal, shred, thrash, and more.

Prown’s knowledgeable discussions examine specific noteworthy guitars each player made famous, as well as effects pedals , amplifiers , and career overviews that include the players’ first-person revelations and insights.

Illustrated with photos of the guitarists in action, the book features an early chapter on influencers who set the stage for the genre (think Clapton, Hendrix, and Beck), plus sidebars so you don’t miss out on any of metal’s nooks and crannies, touching on grunge, math metal, nu metal, doom metal, and the genre’s roots in blues and early rock.

Book Details:

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Motorbooks (September 12, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 192 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0760377758
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0760377758

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3sieDFU

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/78534292-ultimate-heavy-metal-guitars

Guitarists Included in the Book:

Eric Clapton
Jeff Beck
Jimi Hendrix
Pete Townshend
Jimmy Page
Tony Iommi
Ritchie Blackmore
Leslie West
Martin Barre
Mick Box
Johnny Winter
Joe Perry & Brad Whitford
Brian May
Robin Trower
Don “Buck Dharma” Roeser
Rick Derringer
Ronnie Montrose
Frank Marino
Mick Ralphs
Eddie Van Halen
Ace Frehley
Tom Scholz & Barry Goudreau
Nancy Wilson
Neal Schon
Angus & Malcolm Young
Pat Travers
Michael Schenker
Scott Gorham & Brian Robertson
Glenn Tipton & K.K. Downing
Rudolph Schenker, Uli Jon Roth & Matthias Jabs
Dave Murray & Adrian Smith
Randy Rhoads
Kerry Livgren & Rich Williams
Alex Lifeson
Michael Wilton & Chris DeGarmo
John Petrucci
Phil Collen & Steve Clark
Gary Moore
Joan Jett
Lita Ford
Brad Gillis & Jeff Watson
Mick Mars
John Sykes
Vernon Reid
Yngwie Malmsteen
Steve Vai
Joe Satriani
Vivian Campbell
Jason Becker
Paul Gilbert
George Lynch
Tony MacAlpine & Vinnie Moore
James Hetfield & Kirk Hammett
Dave Mustaine
Kerry King & Jeff Hanneman
Scott Ian
Slash
Zakk Wylde
Dimebag Darrell
Ty Tabor
Jerry Cantrell
Tom Morello
Kim Thayil
Mark Tremonti
Alexi Laiho
Herman Li
Brent Hinds & Bill Kelliher
Nita Strauss
Nili Brosh

My Review:

As a heavy metal and hard rock enthusiast, this book was right up my alley. I read about each and every guitarist featured in Ultimate Heavy Metal Guitars. I grew up listing to what is now classic rock and as I've gotten older, my tastes have gotten harder. I can't wait to see Parkway Drive tomorrow (September 13, 2023). Reading about each guitarist took me to the front row of the concert in my imagination. The way the author wrote this book made the guitarists come to life. Those I've seen and those I've wished I could see. 

While I've never seen Aerosmith live, and since this year is their farewell tour am not likely too, I have seen Brad Whitford. He came on stage and rocked the house during the Godsmack concert I attended on May 26, 2023. He was absolutely amazing - and Sully even rocked an Aerosmith song.

I saw Bad Company on tour about 20 years ago. They opened for David Lee Roth. Another fantastic concert I'm glad I was able to attend.

Megadeth rocked the stage on September 24, 2021, headlining a show that also included Trivium and Lamb of God. Dave Mustaine didn't put on an active show but his guitar playing was rhythmic. I was captivated by the live versions of the songs I'd only ever experienced on the radio.

I saw the magic that is Jerry Cantrell in 2022 with the amazing William Duvall on lead vocals at an Alice in Chains concert. I, unfortunately, never saw them with Layne Staley and know that would have been a hell of a show. Jerry's vocals blended seamlessly with William's, just as they did with Layne. Jerry's guitar solos were mesmerizing and I spent most of my time watching him sing and play. I typically watch all members of a band throughout a show but watching Jerry play a guitar is magical and I didn't want to miss anything.

Each section is clearly labeled and provides fascinating information, facts, and photos. The only sections of the book that didn't truly interest me were death metal and black metal. I'm not into either of those heavy metal genres and skipped the majority of those short sections. 

I was provided a copy of this book.

My in progress Live Song Bucket List can be found here: https://reviewsbysaph.blogspot.com/p/live-song-bucket-list.html. There are a lot of concerts missing (I attended several in 2022 and 2023 but haven't had time to add them to the list) but I hope to get back to the list soon.

My Rating:

Book #Review ~ The Demons of Montmartre by Laurence Raphael Brothers (Nora Simeon Investigations, Book 4) ~ @lbrothers @MirrorWorldPub #UrbanFantasy #UF

Mirror World Publishing and Sapphyria's Book Promotions present the 1-week virtual book tour for  The Demons of Montmartre by Laurence Raphael Brothers, book four in the Nora Simeon Investigations series.

About the Book:

Private Investigator Nora Simeon and her partner Eyre work for the Commission, the secret organization that regulates the summoning of demons in the financial industry. It’s the Commission’s job to suppress all public knowledge of sorcery. So when a mysterious letter from a person who calls themselves l’Invocateur threatens to expose the secret to the world, it’s Nora’s job to track him down.

In search of L’Invocateur, Nora and Eyre are off to Paris, but before they go, Madame Villiers, Nora’s mother and one of the Commission leaders in New York, reveals that Nora’s father may be in danger.

Nora has never known her father, a man named Simeon who disappeared when she was an infant. Spurred by her mother’s warning, Nora hunts both her father and l’Invocateur in France. From the elegant halls of the Société Générale to the altar of the Sacré-Cœur, Nora and Eyre find the threads of their search coming together in The Demons of Montmartre.

My Review:

The Demons of Montmartre is the excellent fourth book in the Nora Simon Investigations series.

Nora and Erye are off to save the world in The Demons of Montmartre. After the Commission receives a letter from a mysterious person threating to expose the sorcery and demon summoning lifestyle to the mundane world, Nora is put on the case. Now they are off to Paris to search for the mysterious person behind the threats. 

Nora is also commissioned by her mother to locate Nora's father. The man disappeared when Nora was young and her mother fears he's in danger. Both objectives begin while they are in New York but Nora and Eyre find themselves on a journey back across the pond. 

Full of surprising twists and turns, The Demons of Montmartre kept me on my toes. The author does a fantastic job weaving a suspenseful story with a wonderful plot, interesting characters, and realistic world-building. The author's writing style and interesting plot kept me entertained as I devoured this book.

I was provided a copy of this book.

My Rating:

Follow the Tour:

https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/2023/08/book-tour-schedule-demons-of-montmartre.html

Purchase Links:

Mirror World Publishing: 

https://mirror-world-publishing.myshopify.com/search?q=The+Demons+of+Montmartre

Amazon

https://amzn.to/3qQIPaC

Meet the Author:

Laurence Raphael Brothers is a writer and a technologist. He has published over 25 short stories in such magazines as Nature, the New Haven Review, PodCastle, and Galaxy's Edge. His WWI-era historical fantasy novel Twilight Patrol was just released by Alban Lake. For more of his stories, visit https://laurencebrothers.com/bibliography, or follow him on twitter: @lbrothers.

Meet the Publisher:

https://mirrorworldpublishing.com/

Tour Presented by:

https://saphsbookpromotions.blogspot.com/p/book-promotions-information.html

#Review ~ Midnight at the Shelter by Nanci Turner Steveson ~ @ponywriter7

 

Book Details:

Publisher: ‎ Quill Tree Books (November 1, 2022)
Hardcover: ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10: ‎ 0062673211
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0062673213
Reading age: ‎ 8 - 12 years
Grade level: ‎ 3 - 7

Amazon: https://amzn.to/482U7cz

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60323093-midnight-at-the-shelter

About the Book:

After a hard life on the streets, Rescue dog MahDi is happy helping his human partner, “MomDoc,” with the important work at her vet clinic and the local animal shelter. The two of them make a good team, caring for the town’s pets and matchmaking rescue animals with the families who need them. Though lately, more dogs have come through the shelter than usual - and things are getting crowded.

When the shelter is suddenly down a staff member, the animals have to deal with a new caretaker: Huck, an unpleasant man who clearly doesn't like dogs. MahDi doesn't like him either; especially because Huck seems to have no problem threatening the animals he’s supposed to care for. And if MomDoc isn’t around, there is no telling what Huck might do.

With three perfectly good legs, the heart of a true leader, and his pack mates - terrier Ozzie and the toothless, tailless, one-eyed cat Domino - by his side, MahDi is willing to risk everything to save his shelter-friends from an uncertain future. But how?

My Review:

Midnight at the Shelter is a heartwarming story perfect to teach children about pets, shelters, and responsibility. Told from a dog's point-of-view, this story unfolds as a shift in personnel takes place within a local animal shelter. There story had a wonderful plot, cute animals, and nicely rounded characters (2- and 4-legged). 

The only issue I had was that the conflict with the temporary shelter director was underwhelming. As this book is geared toward children, I didn't expect there to be anything traumatic (and I'm glad there wasn't) but Huck really just faded off into the night. There wasn't any accountability for his attitude or actions. 

I was engaged in Midnight at the Shelter as soon as I opened the book. This book is engaging and fast-paced. I was drawn in by the author's writing style, the unique point-of-view, and who wouldn't love that cover!?

I was provided a hardcover copy of this book.

My Rating:

#Review ~ The Grave Robber by Darynda Jones - 1001 Dark Knights #CharleyDavidson #Novella

 

ASIN: ‎ B0BJ9T1HCX
Publisher: ‎ 1001 Dark Nights Press (September 5, 2023)
Publication date: ‎ September 5, 2023
Print length: ‎ 132 pages

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Z62O1N

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63029654-the-grave-robber

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Darynda Jones comes a new story in her Charley Davidson series…

Eric Vause is done.

Done with ghosts. Done with hellhounds. And definitely done with asshole demons, mostly because he’d been possessed by one. Even now, five years later, the rage he absorbed from the creature has yet to wane, so he decides a road trip is in order. Surely some cool air, great scenery, and a case of Dos Equis will shake things loose. Unfortunately, supernatural events happen everywhere. When he meets up with a friend whose partner’s daughter needs help with a pest problem—aka, a ghost—Eric takes that as his cue to leave.

Until he sees her.

He can tell Halle’s house isn’t the only thing that is haunted. The hopelessness behind her eyes tugs at something deep inside him. Something all too familiar. The fact that she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen has nothing to do with his change of heart. And he vows to leave her in his rearview the minute he takes care of the poltergeist. Then again, vows were never his strong suit.

My Review:

The Grave Robber is a novella set in the Charley Davidson world and boy do I love being back. The Grave Robber features Eric Vause, previously possessed by a demon, saved by Charley. Now he's in Idaho for a quick visit to a friend. This same friend has a business partner whose daughter is have a problem with the supernatural. Eric doesn't want to help. He no longer wants to acknowledge the "gift" he was given, but when he sees Halle, all bets are off.

Eric and Halle's story is filled with suspense as Eric investigates Halle's haunting. The more he digs, the more Eric suspects there is more to Halle's issues. The Grave Robber is a wonderful addition to the Charley Davidson series. The book is fast-paced, engaging, and well-written.

 I was provided a copy of this book.

My Rating: