A-Z Theme Reveal 2019...Are You In? #AtoZChallenge

It is that time of year where I gear up for the A-Z Blog Challenge. It is an annual challenge every April where 1000+ people blog about a variety of things. This year is the 10th year of the challenge. Wow! 

I have blogged for several years this challenge and I am excited to join in again. I will attempt two blogs again, although last year, I did not do so well. For this blog, I will once again be reviewing books. I will be tweaking things a bit than my usual norm due to time constraints.

My rules:
1. I will be mostly reviewing children's books. I have a huge TBR pile and I am also behind on book reviews for some authors. There may be other genres too. All books will be family friendly.
2. I will most likely just give the review and where to find the authors. I usually have a summary with my reviews too but to cut down on some time, I may not have the summary.
3. There may be repeat authors as some of my TBR pile the author's sent me multiple books written by them. This will not effect the challenge in the least.
4. I reserve the right to drop "A" or "The" from a title to make it fit for the letter of the day. However, if that is the case, I will have it in parenthesis in my blog title.
5. There may or may not be a giveaway attached to some of the books. Feel free to enter them.
6. I will try to visit as many people I can, especially those that comment each day. However, I work full time, and like other people, I am pre-posting some of the letters. Please comment though, I love a good comment like you do.

Please join in this year if you want to. You can join HERE.

Happy reading and Happy April!
~Michelle

#Review: The Bible Code by Michael Drosnin #nonfiction #secretcodes

Summary:
The first book in a series that claims a secret "code", written nearly 3000 years ago, has been hidden in the Old Testament, original Torah books, that reveal predictions for world events.

My review: It is not too often that I come across a book that I really don't care for. This happens to be one of those books. I got through chapter 7 and quit reading. Frankly it is just too much.  I had high hope for this book based on the fact the author is coming from a journalistic perspective and not one from religion (as he claims to be atheist). Here is why I could not continue.

First of all, I hate the repetitiveness of the author. It seemed to me he repeated himself so much that he was trying to convince even himself of what he is trying to prove.

Secondly, It seems that if it was a truly workable "code" that predictions would be seen/available before events happen. Everything that I have read with one exception has been after the fact.What use is a predictive code if you cannot prevent things from happening?  Even if the "code" is true, truthfully what good is it because most people are not going to base their life on what it says.

Finally, and frankly, unless you know Hebrew, the code is useless for the common person, the whole code is being interpreted (?) by people who know Hebrew and taken for their word.The author said that you cannot find the "code" in any other language. Honestly, the Hebrew they say are the "code" could be anything. I speak English and a bit of Spanish.  How am I to know?

Bottom line, I think this book (and apparently the next two books the author wrote) are a bunch of hooey. This gets a one star from me.

Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book for my own collections. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle

#Spotlight: Murder On Saint Patrick's Day by P. Creeden Get It Free Until the 18th! #CozyMystery

Get Murder on Saint Patrick's Day (A Ridgeway Rescue Mystery Book 3) FREE March 14 - 18 Ridgeway Rescue Mysteries can be read in 1-2 hours. Perfect for when you're waiting for an appointment or just want a fast read. Don't miss out on this quick, clean, cozy mystery that will keep you guessing until the end! It's St. Patrick's Day and 20-year-old Emma Wright is working hard at training five-month-old Molly, her foster puppy, to become a therapy dog. But her training coach and neighbor gets an emergency call, cutting the lesson short, and Emma volunteers to pick up her daughter at a St. Patrick's Day concert in town. When Emma arrives, the concert has just finished up, and the teenage girls are visiting with the band. Then the lead singer stumbles and falls to the ground, dead. Emma becomes the only level head in the crowd and calls for help. When the Sheriff and Colby arrive, they investigate it as a potential accident. But Emma finds subtle clues that something more sinister is going on. Did the leader of the band die in an accident, or was it murder?

Get it on Amazon (also in Kindle Unlimited)

Pre-order!

P. Creeden

P. Creeden is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. In her fiction, she creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.
Follow Pauline Creeden: Website | Facebook |

It's Coming Soon! Spring Into Horror Readathon #SpringHorror

                                                       Sign up and details HERE

#Spotlight & #Giveaway: Casting Stones by Jay Beck #Novel #Political

Jay Beck has continued writing about the fascinating adventures of political consultant, Mark Young, in his next book, "Casting Stones." Set in Greece during the 1985 elections, the historical novel pits the United States against the Soviet Union in a battle over Greece's future political economic soul.

The novel is set in the turbulent times of airline hijackings, terror bombing and assassinations. The Soviet KGB, Greek secret police and terrorists all conspire against Mark Young as he tries to win a national election while simultaneously rescuing the most valuable ancient sculpture ever created.

Mark is torn between the turmoil in Greece and a critical situation threatening to end his relationship with his girlfriend, Vicki back in Washington, D.C. All of these diverse threads come together in an unexpected and thrilling conclusion.

 Buy on Amazon Facebook /Website

By writing fiction, I’ve try to expand on my history and the events I have observed. I still have a long way to go in tapping into all of that rich material, particularly since politics and entertainment so often go hand in hand, as I hope I have demonstrated in my work. These will be exciting areas for me to investigate and discuss while I continue to write about them. As I mentioned earlier, the third book in the trilogy concerns the interactions between the campaigns and the time of history of Ross Perot, Bill Clinton, and George Bush, a vast political world for me to plumb. I have stories to tell.

Giveaway:  Enter to win a paperback, Michelle of Reading authors is not responsible for this giveaway. Please read rules from the promotional tour.

Entry-Form

Follow the Book Tour

#Review & #Giveaway: Nikki Loves Her Hair by Nailah Jones #picturebooks

Summary: Nikki is a young girl who loves everything about her natural hair. She loves all of the hairstyles she can do and matching with mommy and friends! Buy on Amazon

My review: This is a cute picture book about a girl who simply loves herself by loving her hair. She is able to style it in many ways which makes her happy and feel good about herself.

I thought the pictures, draw in line drawings, where simple enough to be understood without the use of words. The colors used were "girly" with mostly pastels of blues and pinks.

Since words were used, I actually would have like to have seen a bit more story telling. In the author's defense though, since the story is essentially about the characters hair, that may have been a bit hard to do too.

I liked "Nikki". She is an obviously fun loving girl who enjoys life, friends, and family.

I give the book 3 stars because I do like it, I just want to see more!

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book for review. The opinions expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle aka Naila Moon


About the author:


Nailah Jones is a natural haired girl from Snellville, Georgia. After years of getting relaxers, she realized her natural hair better fit her identity and later decided to go back to her natural roots. She has now had locks for two years and counting. Nailah thinks that it is important to let other natural girls in her community know how beautiful their natural hair is, so they never have to wonder!

 Follow on Facebook /  Website /

Giveaway: Win a paperback by filling out the form below to enter. Michelle aka Naila Moon is not responsible for this giveaway. Please see rules and regulations from the book tour.

Entry-Form

I am hostess.

#Review & #Giveaway : Out of the Darkness by Darcia Helle #Paranormal #CrimeBooks #MysteryBooks

Genre: Paranormal Suspense

Published by: Indie

Publication Date: February 12, 2019

Number of Pages: 300

ASIN: B07KJGZY9F

Series: Joe Cavelli, Paranormal PI Book 2

Purchase Links: Amazon |Goodreads

Summary: 

Gus wakes up in a dark void with no memory and no body. Screaming and cursing does him no good. He’s trapped, until he learns about one man who can help.

Joe Cavelli is a PI who hears ghosts, solves their murders, and sometimes fixes their personal problems. Now he finds himself pestered by an invisible, impatient, and brash amnesiac.

Solving cases for ghosts comes with a unique set of circumstances. This time, Joe can’t even claim to be investigating a murder, since Gus’s body is nowhere to be found. Together, Joe and Gus delve into Gus’s past, uncovering clues that lead to a startling conclusion.

My review:
I love a good paranormal book. This book delivers ghostly beings, murder, and mayhem wrapped up into a winner.

The author created the best ghost that I have ever seen. Gus, being no ordinary ghost, is a one-ghost wrecking crew. He is obnoxious, mouthy, and impatient. It was amazing to me that Joe, the PI, was able to get anything done or solved. What made him more interesting was the fact he really could not be classified as a "ghost". Weird, but true!

The author added just enough suspense at the right times to keep me wanting to keep on turning the pages. I was on pins and needles to find out exactly what was going on. The minor characters, if you really could call them minor, boosted the already great story line. The author is truly brilliant with development of characters.

The ending somewhat surprised me. I wish that I could reveal that but of course, I don't want to spoil it for you my dear readers.

This is one paranormal crime book that you should get for your shelves. 5 stars and a slap on the back to Joe for solving yet another crime and for the author to a well done book.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author. The review here is 100% my own opinions and may differ from yours. ~Michelle aka Naila Moon


Where to find the author:

Darcia Helle is a Massachusetts native, who escaped the New England winters to write in the Florida sunshine. She lives with her husband in a home full of spoiled rescue animals and an occasional stray lizard. She writes because the characters trespassing through her mind leave her no alternative.

Website & Facebook

Giveaway:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Darcia Helle. Michelle or Reading Authors is not responsible for this giveaway.
There will be 1 winner of one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card. The giveaway begins on March 1, 2019 and runs through April 1, 2019. Void where prohibited. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am a hostess.

#Review & #Giveaway: Broken Bone China by Laura Childs #CozyMysteries

Broken Bone China (A Tea Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
20th in Series
Berkley (March 5, 2019)
Hardcover: 336 pages
ISBN-10: 0451489632
ISBN-13: 978-0451489630
Digital ASIN: B07DMZPLWY

Summary: Theodosia Browning serves tea and solves crimes in Charleston, a city steeped in tradition and treachery in the latest Tea Shop Mystery. 

My Review:

With this book, the author is celebrating her 20th book for this series. The book is a stand alone and the first that I have read.

A tea party, a hot air balloon launch, a drone, and three people killed. The book began with the murder in just a few pages into reading. The author got right to it and took her time to develop well rounded and mysterious characters of the who-done-it. I found this to be refreshing because because many of the cozies I have read take quite awhile to get to the "murder" and then more time after that.

Her descriptions of Theodosia's tea shop, the local businesses, and other areas in Charleston were so well done that I felt like I was standing right in the middle of it. It was as if everything I could "see" was through Theodosia's eyes. I suppose that would make me either a snoop or a pretty good amateur detective as Theodosia is.

I loved the twists throughout the book. As if murder was not enough (minor spoiler alert), there was also a couple of thefts which added to the twist. Just as I thought I knew who the killer had to be...wham!...another twist. This kept me reading and wanting to get to the end.

On top of all of that, then there is the tea parties that are sprinkled throughout. The descriptions were fantastic and it was obvious that the author had done her homework on the different tea services. In fact, included in the back of the book are the different parties mentioned and how the reader can throw their own party. Also included, are the different teas, and food preparations, and her complete bibliography of where to find more information.

This is a well done book! Congratulations to Theodosia on 20 mysteries solved and to the author who helped her do it!  5 stars!

Disclosure:

I received a copy of this book from the author as part of her book tour. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle aka Naila Moon

Where to find the author:

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fundraising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries – set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries – a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.

Website 

Facebook 

Amazon   

Giveaway: Michelle aka Naila Moon of Reading Authors is not responsible for this giveaway. Prize distribution is solely responsible of the author and/or the tour coordinator. Please review their rules  for entry into this giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway