Review Tour: Letters From Lucca by Kim Baccellia

 LETTERS FROM LUCCA

by Kim Baccellia

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GENRE: historical dual timeline

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BLURB:

On the heels of Sammi's grandmother’s whispered deathbed wish, a package of letters from Italy arrives at her post box. Reading them makes Sammi recall whispers she heard in childhood of her grandmother’s wartime involvement, a past that Sammi's father and aunt would rather see remain closed. As if things couldn't get any worse, her long-time boyfriend, Hunter, dumps her. However, an opportunity arises that sends her to Italy to defend her grandmother, even if the truth might shatter all she believes. In a helpful twist, Joseph, her best friend’s Italian cousin, offers to help her. Despite the obvious growing attraction between Joseph and her, she tries to suppress it as she embarks on her mission to vindicate the grandmother she loves.

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EXCERPT:

2018

 Hunter: Meet me tonight. 7. Crystal Cove. 

Sammi: Looking forward to it. 

Time crept by in slow motion at the Saddleback Postal Shop. I kept re-reading Hunter’s message on my iPhone screen. The words staring back brought such a jumble of emotions. Excitement…anticipation…but also anxiety. He was insisting we meet later at Crystal Cove, an exclusive Newport Coast restaurant. Could this be it? What had I’d been hoping for? Fantasies of him leaning over the restaurant table with his adorable half-grin, asking me to marry him, collided with the task at hand. 

With a sigh, I turned back to the counter. A shoebox sized package was shoved to the back. Delicate cursive writing spelled out my grandmother’s mailbox number. Who wrote like that anymore? I couldn’t help but feel a little sad, as handwriting had a beauty to it and I was someone who loved receiving something more tangible than a text. 

The last name on the package, though, caught me off guard. 

Santagostino. 

My hands trembled, causing me to fumble the package. I knew that name. But where? I blinked twice and refocused. 

My gaze flitted to the top. 

Italia. Picturesque stamps of the legendary tower of Pisa and other Italian scenes stared back at me. Intrigued, I gave the package a shake. A light rustle answered back. 

“Sammi, what’s that?” Bev asked. I’d been so absorbed in what might be inside the package I hadn’t heard her enter. She held a collection of colorful boxes and wrapping paper. Bev prided herself on having the shop with the most holiday flare. Her Christmas decorations were often posted in the daily Saddleback Valley News.

 “Something for my grandmother.” I shook it again. 

Bev leaned in even closer, pointing at the postmark. “She knows someone in Italy?” 

A painful memory materialized of being that scared eight-year-old girl sworn to secrecy after overhearing an adult accusation against a family member. An ugly word I’d known as a child. 

Collaborator.

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My Review

I like how this book was set up. Sammi is heartbroken that her grandmother passed away. She has questions to ask her but it’s too late. What will she do to get those answers she desperately needs?

Normally I don’t read anything in the 1940s but I was intrigued by the blurb. I’m glad I decided to read this book. Through the eyes of Rosa, her young life 

wasn’t easy.

 Excellent!!

CAWPILE: 9.57

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Award-winning author. Author of YA paranormal CROSSED OUT and CROSSED FIRE. YA dystopia CANDLE IN THE WIND. Also, the author of the urban diverse fantasy EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA. Short Christmas Magic in the Holiday analogy MISTLETOE AND MAGIC. Re-releasing YA fantasy under new title-GODDESSES DON'T CARE in 2026. 

Links:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/baccellia

Bluesky: @ixtumea.bsky.social‬

FB: www.facebook.com/kbaccellia/

Website: kim-baccellia.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@kimrapier

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Kim Baccellia will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

Review Tour: The Tundra Passage: After the Dark by K.A. Jarvis

 

THE TUNDRA PASSAGE

by K.A. Jarvis

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GENRE: Post-Apocalyptic

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BLURB:

A birth certificate hidden in a dead woman's closet. A father Grace Campbell was never supposed to find.

Grace is a veterinarian and a survivor of a Florida trailer park childhood. She has made self-reliance her religion. When a shoebox reveals the father she was told never existed, a climatologist in the Alaskan wilderness, she boards a bush plane to find the truth.

The journey doesn't just change her life. It nearly ends it.

As coordinated cyberattacks bring the nation to its knees, Grace's plane is shot from the sky over the Alaskan tundra. Suddenly, she is a thousand miles from home and responsible for the survivors: an eleven-year-old girl with a fierce heart, a researcher with dangerous secrets, a hiker whose smile feels like a warning, and a wolfdog who has lost everything.

A hundred miles of Arctic wilderness stand between them and safety. Between glacial river surges, a stalking grizzly, and starvation, Grace realizes the greatest threat isn't the environment.

It is the person standing next to her, someone whose mission has nothing to do with survival and everything to do with the crisis tearing the country apart.

To protect the people she never expected to love, Grace will have to do the one thing she swore she'd never do again: trust someone enough to let them stay.

Perfect for fans of: The Dog Stars by Peter Heller, The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, and Where the River Ends by Charles Martin.

__________________

A standalone novel in The After Collection: A series of survival thrillers about resilience, hope, and found family in the aftermath of catastrophe.

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EXCERPT:

The food was gone. 

Grace split the last ration bar five ways at dawn. Four slivers for the humans, one crumbled into water for Siku, and watched each piece disappear in a single bite. From here on, they ate only what the land gave them. 

These skills were no longer supplemental. They were now the difference between functioning and collapsing. The Labrador tea, the fireweed shoots, the Eskimo potato roots. The same plants Grace had been foraging for days to stretch their rations were now the entire menu, and the math was brutal. She could keep them hydrated and fill their stomachs enough to blunt the worst of the hunger pangs. But she couldn't keep them fueled. Foraged plants provided bulk and micronutrients, not the caloric density that five bodies needed to sustain a forced march across rough terrain. 

She taught Addy to forage now. Real responsibility, not supervised lessons. She sent the girl ahead with a cloth bag to harvest fireweed shoots while Grace dug Eskimo potato roots from the boggy creek margins, doubling their collection rate. 

"How many do you need?" Addy called back, her bag already half full. 

"All of them," Grace said. "Every one you can find."

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My Review

Wow! Absolutely amazing book!!! I was on the adventure with Grace. Rooting for her to find her dad. To have that family she longed for. Could you do what Grace did? Going on a deadly adventure through the Tundra? Facing whatever is thrown at you? I'm not sure if the me of today could do that. The younger me I think I could do it.

CAWPILE: 10.0

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Recommend this book? Yes! Author? Yes!

Read more from this author? Yes!

Happy Reading!
Melissa 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

When the world falls apart, the characters hold on. To each other, to hope, and usually to a very good dog. 

K.A. Jarvis writes survival stories with women at the center. Flawed, ordinary women who don't have all the answers but figure it out anyway. These books blend edge-of-your-seat tension with warmth, found family bonds, and the quiet stubborn refusal to give up. 

If you like your survival fiction with heart, where the relationships matter as much as the danger, pull up a chair.

Website: https://kajarvisauthor.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KAJarvisAuthor 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kajarvisauthor

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kajarvisauthor 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/57254342.K_A_Jarvis 

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/k-a-jarvis 

The Tundra Passage: After the Dark: https://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B0GRX18Z7W

Universal Link for The After Collection: https://mybook.to/TheAfterCollection

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

 K.A. Jarvis will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

Book Talk: Book Reviews for Bering Sea Crabbers series by Jessica Buss

  I wanted to do a post about the entire series of the Bering Sea Crabbers series by Jessica Buss.  I absolutely love Jessica Buss's books.  (Please keep writing!!!)  I have read ???  books so far!!

I loved this series. Why? Because it's unique. I haven't read any books or series that have been centered around Bering Sea Crabbers prior to reading this series.

If you haven't checked out this series, go to Amazon and buy them or sign them out of Kindle Unlimited!  

Here is the Bering Sea Crabbers series:

Book #1: Baited - Henrik & Carina

Henrik is the grump of the 4 men, but I think Carina has a way to get Henrik to be not as grumpy!!

Book #2: Caught - Eirik & Amelia

Erik is Henrik's best friend. There is an unwritten bro code that says his best friend's little sister is off limits, but can he stay away?

Book #3: Released - Edgar & Simone

This book is my favorite of the 4. Edgar showed us readers, his creative side and with Simone, he will be unstoppable!

Book #4: Redeem- Brock & Courtney

Brock & Courtney's story is very emotional! 

Now go read this series!!

Happy Reading!

Melissa

Book Review: River's Reckoning by Kate Gable

                                                                   Book Review

River's Reckoning

Kate Gable

Here is a brief description from Goodreads:

The man who's haunted her for twenty years finally has a name.

Getting answers means looking evil in the eye.

FBI Agent River Collins just closed the biggest case of her career—a cult that murdered children in ritualistic ceremonies. But the investigation revealed something far worse.

The mastermind has been in federal prison for fifteen years.

And he's been orchestrating everything from inside.

The Shepherd. The man who trained River's childhood captors. Who's been tracking her FBI career through a network of devoted followers.

He believes River is the unfinished work that must be completed.

Now prison records reveal dozens of visitors. Years of correspondence. Instructions for operations River hasn't discovered yet.

And when people close to River start disappearing, she realizes that the Shepherd's endgame is already in motion.

River Collins survived once by running.

This time, she's done running.

This time, she's going to end it.

Perfect for fans of Mary Stone, Elle Gray, and dark psychological thrillers with complex female protagonists.

The explosive conclusion to The Shepherd arc.

—

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My Review

I picked this book out of the Kindle Unlimited program.

This was full of suspense. Each book gets better and better.

I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

CAWFILE: 9.71

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Recommend this book? Yes! Author? Yes!

Read more from this author? Yes!

Happy Reading!

Melissa 

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FTC Disclosure: The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company has provided me with a copy of this book for review or I have purchased the book with my own funds.  The opinion I share about the story are mine and have not been influenced by The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company if received for review.

Book Review: His & Hers by Alice Feeney

                       

Book Review

His & Hers

Alice Feeney

Here is a brief description from Goodreads:

There are two sides to every story: yours and mine, ours and theirs, His & Hers. Which means someone is always lying.

When a woman is murdered in Blackdown, a quintessentially British village, newsreader Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case. Detective Jack Harper is suspicious of her involvement, until he becomes a suspect in his own murder investigation. Someone isn’t telling the truth, and some secrets are worth killing to keep.

His & Hers is a twisty, smart, psychological thriller. A gripping tale of suspense, told by expertly-drawn narrators that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

—

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My Review

I picked this book out of the Kindle Unlimited program.

OMG! The Twists and turns. Suspense about who the killer is. Never saw that coming!

Netflix series: Very good.

CAWFILE: 9.29

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Recommend this book? Yes! Author? Yes!

Read more from this author? Yes!

Happy Reading!

Melissa 

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FTC Disclosure: The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company has provided me with a copy of this book for review or I have purchased the book with my own funds.  The opinion I share about the story are mine and have not been influenced by The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company if received for review.

Review Tour: A Superhero Called Doberman by John and Shami Stovall

 A SUPERHERO CALLED DOBERMAN

by John and Shami Stovall

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GENRE: Superhero Fantasy

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BLURB:

Leon Lewis is essentially the reincarnation of Anubis, but the idiot street thugs don’t know what a jackal is, so they call him “Doberman” instead…

Which works out, because in this new age of superheroes, most names are copyrighted.

It all started thirty-one years ago…

Humans began being born with a new organ called the “facet gland,” which mutated their bodies and granted them superhuman abilities. Each person’s power is unique, but one fact quickly emerged: these abilities were subject to progression and advancement, much like building muscles through exercise.

Complex powers even follow a tier system with multiple improvement paths. And while some use their gifts to benefit humanity, others embrace unprecedented villainy.

Leon grew up idolizing heroes like Nova, Glitter Ninja, and Japan’s fan-favorite Shine Shine Hero. But his own abilities are dangerous, and could harm random people, so he lives in isolation in a cramped apartment.

That is, until his neighbor, Rachel Anderson, is targeted by the Kings in Yellow—a mysterious street gang infamous for making people vanish.

Leon can’t stand by and do nothing, but activating his abilities might prove fatal…

Because Anubis is death to friends and foes alike.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

Two thugs waited in a dark alley behind a strip club and that was never a good sign.

Leon Lewis stood across the street, staring down the alleyway from a good fifty feet away, watching the two suspicious men. He waited, unblinking, in the safety of a moonlight shadow. 

The Eclipse Lounge, one of the few high-quality strip clubs in Sacramento, only operated from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. because only the saddest of sacks went to an adult entertainment lounge in the middle of the day. That meant it was always dark when Leon came to visit, and he was extra familiar with the dank surroundings, neon flashing lights, and overstuffed dumpsters.

He also knew who usually came and went. These gangbangers weren’t on the regulars list.

Don’t get the wrong impression, though. Leon never, not even once, went inside the strip club. He had no idea what the interior looked like, and he didn’t care.

He only came to the Eclipse Lounge to make sure one of the girls made it home safely.

Rachel Anderson, who went by the stripper name of Stella Velvet, was Leon’s next-door neighbor. Months ago, she had returned to her apartment with bruises after a long night of work. Since then, Leon had gone out of his way to make sure she got home safely whenever her shift was over.

This would be the third time strange men came to bother Rachel since Leon took up his bodyguard duties. Something was clearly going on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Review

This was my first book by these authors, and it won't be my last. The book is laugh-out-loud funny with a hint of sarcasm.  I really enjoyed the characters of Leon/Doberman, Rachel, and, of course, Flo. I think this book would be great to listen to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Shami Stovall was born in Utah, lived in California, and now resides in the wonderful state of Kansas. After graduating high school, she went on to earn his BA in History from Stanislaus State, and then her Juris Doctorate from the Laurence Drivon School of Law.

Stovall’s favorite novel as a child was Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. It opened her imagination to possibilities she had never considered, and to this day she can still remember the impact it had on her.

As an adult (albeit still a kid at heart), her favorite novel is Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein. Heinlein’s take on a perfect world again opened her mind to possibilities she had never considered, and Jubal Harshaw is the fictional character she most aspires to be.

Stovall loves telling stories, playing video games, John 3, John 4, and writing about herself in the third person.

If you want to contact her, you can do so at the following locations:

Website: https://sastovallauthor.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GameOverStation/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SAStovall/

Email: s.adelle.s@gmail.com

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

 Enter to win a $25 Amazon/BN gift card.

Book Review: Hot Mother Pucker by Sarah Smith

                           Book Review: Hot Mother Pucker by Sarah Smith

Here is a brief description from Goodreads:

Briar Bennett has always been my best friend, nothing more.

I’ve had a crush on her since high school, but we’ve never crossed that line.

Except when she transfers to Hollis U and asks me for a wild favor: Take her V-card and show her the ropes in the bedroom.

I agree to show her all the steamy stuff she wants. We promise to stay best friends, despite all the dirty things we do.

But the more time I spend in my bed with Briar, the more the lines blur…

Soon she’s sleeping in my bed every night. She’s wearing my jersey and cheering me on the ice.

And when I tell her about my secret sexy social media account outside of hockey, she helps me turn it into a life-changing opportunity.

When she confesses that she’s always had a crush on me too, my whole world turns upside down.

I’m falling hard for Briar…I think she’s falling for me too…

Maybe my beautiful best friend isn’t off limits after all.

Hollis U book 3! Blake and Briar's book!

Tropes:

Friends to lovers
Golden retriever MMC
Sunshine FMC
Spice coaching
Hand necklaces
He talks her through it
Slow burn
"Good girl"
Dirty talk
"It's always been you"
No 3rd act breakup!

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My Review

I received this as an ARC from The Smuthood.  I really liked Briar and Blake. Their chemistry is combustible. Best friends since high school. They both are too afraid to tell their true feelings to the other.

I want to read the other books in this series and check out other books from this author.

CAWFILE: 8.86 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5 ⭐️)

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Recommend this book? Yes! Author? Yes!

Read more from this author? Yes!

Happy Reading!

Melissa 

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FTC Disclosure: The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company has provided me with a copy of this book for review or I have purchased the book with my own funds.  The opinion I share about the story are mine and have not been influenced by The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company if received for review.

Book Spotlight with Review: River's Hollow by Kate Gable

                            Book Spotlight with Review

River's Hollow by Kate Gable

Here is a brief description from Goodreads:

She escaped once. Now they want to finish what they started.

Twin boys found dead in Virginia's mountains. Bodies arranged in ritual patterns. Symbols carved into ancient oaks.

FBI Agent River Collins has seen horrors before. But this case is different.

The victims attended programs run by a respected foundation.

The methodology matches a 1994 cold case.

And the killer knows details about River's childhood abduction that were never made public.

Twenty years ago, River was held captive for two years before escaping. She thought she'd left that nightmare behind.

She was wrong.

The deeper River investigates, the more she her abduction wasn't random. She was chosen. Prepared. And the same people who took her then are targeting children now—including her six-year-old nephew.

With the winter solstice approaching and more children at risk, River must stop a cult that's been planning this for decades.

But their leader believes River is the unfinished work. The bridge that must be crossed.

And he's been waiting twenty years to complete her transformation.

Perfect for fans of Melinda Leigh, Kendra Elliot, and Robert Dugoni. Book 3 in the River Collins FBI series—each book is a complete investigation with series-long character development.

—

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My Review

I picked this book out of the Kindle Unlimited program. This series just keeps getting better and better. 

I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

CAWFILE: 10.0

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Recommend this book? Yes! Author? Yes!

Read more from this author? Yes!

Happy Reading!
Melissa 

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FTC Disclosure: The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company has provided me with a copy of this book for review or I have purchased the book with my own funds.  The opinion I share about the story are mine and have not been influenced by The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company if received for review.