February 2017 ~ Nighttime Reading Center

February 16, 2017

Book Tour: Grimm Woods

Book Title: Grimm Woods
Author: D. Melhoff
Genres: FaryTales, Fables, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Publisher: Bellwoods Publishing
Publish Date: December 17, 2016 (384 Pages, Paperback)
Disclaimer: I received this book free for a Book Tour though +Laura Fabiani iRead Book Tours and from the author/publisher for an honesty review

Description: A remote summer camp becomes a lurid crime scene when the bodies of two teenagers are found in a bloody, real-life rendering of a classic Grimm's fairy tale. Trapped in the wilderness, the remaining counselors must follow a trail of dark children's fables in order to outwit a psychopath and save the dwindling survivors before falling prey to their own gruesome endings.

Drawing on the grisly, uncensored details of history’s most famous fairy tales, Grimm Woods is a heart-pounding thriller about a deranged killer who uses traditional children’s stories as tropes in elaborate murders. Set against the backdrop of modern-day Michigan, it’s a journey through the mind of a dangerous zealot and a shocking glimpse into the bedtime stories you thought you knew.

Gimm Woods is a good book. It tells the story somewhat of the fairy tales. Counselors come to help with children that are coming for summer camp. There are few kids coming for some fun. You and may people and kids know what the fairy tales are like now.

In Grimm Woods you will find out, what happens in some fairy tales. There are twist and turns and surprises throughout the book. I think it is a good book. What I like about it is it keeps you guessing who and why things are happening. There are crimes that happen throughout the book. Some counselors body shows up.

There is a dark ending to the children stories that you once thought you knew. I was surprised by this when two counselors put on a play for summer camp children. D. Melhoff does a good job on this book. I would though think that parents would take cautiously and only allow their children to read this book if they are 15 plus and older. I will let parents decide for themselves.

Prizes: Win a copy of GRIMM WOODS by D. Melhoff or a $20 Amazon GC (4 print copies for USA & Can, 20 ebook copies for international winners, GC open int’l) 25 winners total

Ends March 11

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D. Melhoff was born in a prairie ghost town that few people have heard of and even fewer have visited. While most of his stories are for adults, he also enjoys terrifying younger audiences from time to time, as seen in his series of twisted picture books for children. He credits King, Poe, Hitchcock, Harris, Stoker, and his second grade school teacher, Mrs. Lake, for turning him to horror. For more information, visit www.dmelhoff.com.

Connect with the author: Book Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

February 14, 2017

10:20 AM By Lindz No comments Edit This

Product Review: Suave Professionals® Avocado & Olive Oil shampoo and conditioner

Product Name: Avocado & Olive Oil shampoo and conditioner
Brand: Suave Professionals®
Description:
Salon proven to smooth your hair as well as Aveda® Smooth Infusion® shampoo and conditioner.
Made with 100% natural avocado and olive oil, which are known for their rich emollients, this fresh and gentle shampoo smooths as it cleanses, leaving dry, frizzy hair touchably soft and smooth. When used as a system of shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in conditioner, Suave Professionals Avocado + Olive Oil gives you:

10 times smoother hair (vs a non-conditioning shampoo)
Hair that stays smooth for up to 3 days
Protection from frizz, even in 95% humidity

Disclaimer: I received this product free from the brand and from +Crowdtap

Suave Professionals® Avocado & Olive Oil shampoo and conditioner

This product is really good. I have used the Suave Professionals® Avocado & Olive Oil shampoo and conditioner two times and It great. It leaves the hair nice and soft. It been nice to have shampoo and conditioner to use and have a decent hair. It lasted a few days which is good. Not oily or sticky. My hair looks shinier or healthy from Suave Professionals® Avocado & Olive Oil shampoo and conditioner.

Suave Professionals® Avocado & Olive Oil leave-in conditioner

The leave in Conditioner is good to have if you are in a hurry. It will work best during the summer months. I love the fact that you can use it on dry and wet hair. The Suave Professionals® Avocado & Olive Oil leave-in conditioner is worth having to just leave it in and not have to worry about it.

February 9, 2017

1:00 AM By Lindz No comments Edit This

Book Tour and Giveaway: The Order

The Order

The Order Book 1

by A.C. Donaubauer

Genre: Epic Fantasy

A clumsy step, the wrong branch to hold on to and a bump on the head to leave her unconscious – no more than that causes Eryn’s life to turn upside down and to suddenly find herself in the capital city as a prisoner to the king.

She is determined to keep her magical abilities a secret in a kingdom where magicians have only ever been male as long as anyone knows. That doesn’t work out that well, though. The Order, the governing body for magicians, and the king seem to have their own plans with her, none of them caring in the least that she just wants to leave that blasted city behind and return to the peace and quite of her profession as a healer.

And then there is Enric, a high ranking magician in the Order thanks to his considerable strength, who seems to find watching her struggles an amusing diversion.

Goodreads * Amazon * B&N * iTunes

Watch the Youtube Trailer Here!

https://youtu.be/TM0EIOATN4U

Commitments

The Order Book 2

Ram'an has, to Enric’s great relief, left Anyueel again to return to his home country - which leaves him to figure out the challenge that Eryn still presents to him in more than one area of his life.

Eryn is restless, unnerved by the Order’s demands and her own urge to do something useful. Thus an expedition into the woods to teach the herb gatherers in the city how to provide her with acceptable goods seems just the thing to do to pass the time until the new healer’s place is ready for use. Ten peaceful days of collecting plants far away from the city. Or at least that’s the plan.

Goodreads * Amazon * iTunes

Schemes

The Order Book 3

After the delegation's return not only the Old Kingdom has to face changes as a consequence of the contact with the Western Territories. Eryn and Enric, too, realise that their recently established bond is not without side effects. Eryn centres all her hopes on the healer from Takhan who is supposed to aid her for a few months and who is bound to arrive soon...

Goodreads * Amazon * iTunes

Astrid Christine Donaubauer - that’s me.I don’t normally use my middle name for any purpose whatsoever, but I thought that two initials look better on a book cover than just one. And thus, after more than 30 years of being either ignored or a nuisance when I had to fill in forms, my middle name has finally turned out to be useful for something.I was born and raised in Austria (not Australia, mind you – no kangaroos!) and still live there with my husband. You might have heard of that small country somewhere in the middle of Europe; we are known for Sound of Music, Lederhosen, Arnold Schwarzenegger and, lately, Christoph Waltz. Another recent claim to fame: In The Big Bang Theory Austria was mentioned as one of the countries that look like a Wiener... Isn’t that lovely. I haven’t managed to look at a map without giggling since.I would call writing a hobby, yet I am not sure if hobbies are supposed to drive you crazy and haunt you at night if you don’t give in to them. Calling it a vocation sounds a bit grand for my liking, so let’s just say it’s what I spend a lot of my free time on.In real life (I like to consider my writing activities as kind of a double life; not quite as grand as Batman’s secret identity, but you get my drift) I earn my keep as a freelance trainer and translator, pursuing the quest of helping people to improve and develop their communication and language skills.I have no wish to make writing my primary occupation – I am convinced that in my case sitting down and letting my fingers type what is going on in my head has so far only worked because I am not bound by any deadlines or financially dependent on producing anything halfway enjoyable. That’s how I would like to keep it.

Website * Facebook * Google+ * Twitter * Goodreads * Amazon

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February 7, 2017

1:30 AM By Lindz No comments Edit This

Book Tour and Giveaway: Neil Brand Thriller Series

The Ice Cream Blonde

A Neil Brand Thriller Volume 1

by Ray Dyson

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime

Neil Brand is a former World War I soldier and disgraced ex-cop, now running security for Harry York at York Brothers Studio in 1931 Hollywood. York has a problem with bad boy actor Johnny Cutter, who failed to show up on the set to finish his latest picture, and Brand is sent to find the star. In doing so, Brand uncovers a trail of white slavery, drugs, and murder, involving famous actors and wealthy businessmen—and a dirty cop who was once Brand’s partner on the force. As the body count mounts, Brand tries desperately to discover the truth—before he becomes one of the victims.

Goodreads * Amazon * B&N

The Naked Nymph in the Dark Flickers

A Neil Brand Thriller Volume 2

Rachel Ann Maddon is about to become America’s next great movie star. Adored by the camera, loved by her public, beautiful Rachel Ann has it all, including a dark secret from her past that threatens to blow up her promising future when her mentor and lover—a man old enough to be her father—turns up dead. Did he fall or was he pushed? Or did the bullet in him do the job? Either way, a homicide investigation will be deadly publicity for Rachel Ann and her family. Rachel Ann’s movie studio switches into high gear to protect her teetering career, but then Neil Brand, the studio’s security chief, uncovers a blackmail scheme over illicit sex films that threatens other major motion picture stars. As the heat builds, the rich and powerful scramble to get out from under. That’s when the bodies begin to pile up.

Goodreads * Amazon * B&N

Ray Dyson first took up writing in Evansville, Indiana, far enough back that not only is the house he was born in no longer there, neither is the street. He had a short career as a baseball player, but a long career as a newspaperman whose gigs included crime reporter, sports reporter and sports editor. He is also a noted Western historian. He is the author of the baseball book, Smokey Joe: A Baseball Fable, a tale of legendary pitcher Smokey Joe Hood. That book, and Bannon: The Scavenger Breed, involve members of the Bannon family: Joel Patrick the main character in Bannon, and his grandson, Henry Louis Bannon, an outfielder in Smokey Joe. His mystery novel, The Ice Cream Blonde, set in the Hollywood of the early 1930s, follows York Studios security chief Neil Brand as he solves the murder of a famous movie star mixed up in blackmail and white slavery. His latest Neil Brand tale, The Naked Nymph in the Dark Flickers, about a rising movie star caught up in a treacherous blackmail scheme that turns to murder, is now available. He lives in Mansfield, Ohio, with his family. In retirement, he works even harder on his golf game, but with less success.

Website * Facebook * Goodreads * Amazon

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February 4, 2017

12:30 AM By Lindz No comments Edit This

Book Tour: IM GOING TO GIVE YOU A BEAR HUG

Book Title: I'M Going to Give you a Bear Hug
Author: Caroline B. Cooney
Genres: Children, Animals, Picture Books
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Publish Date: 2016-12-27 (32 Page, Hardcover)
Disclaimer: I received this book from +Deanna Evans for honesty review.

Description: I’m Going to Give You a Bear Hug!, written by bestselling author Caroline B. Cooney, is a playful and comforting bedtime book that imagines all the wonderful ways a child might give and receive a hug.

Whether it’s a big bear, gasp for air, knock over a chair hug or a wet and drippy, slimy, slippy fish hug, children will giggle their way through all the imaginative examples. Cooney’s sweet and simple rhymes encourage playful interaction between parent and child and ultimately help them wind down before they snuggle into bed and drift off to sleep.

I am going to give you a bear hug, is a sweet adorable book. It has some rhymes in the book. It has animals and their cubs. This is good bedtime book for young readers. Young Readers could learn to read of this book as well.

It is done well. The pictures are well drawn. The pictures can tell the story themselves. It about giving a big hug and getting ready for bed.

February 3, 2017

1:00 AM By Lindz No comments Edit This

Spotlight: A Fine Year for Murder by Lauren Carr

After months of marital bliss, Jessica Faraday and Murphy Thornton are still discovering and adjusting to their life together. Settled in their new home, everything appears to be perfect … except in the middle of the night when, in darkest shadows of her subconscious, a deep secret from Jessica’s past creeps to the surface to make her strike out at Murphy.

When investigative journalist Dallas Walker tells the couple about her latest case, known as the Pine Bridge Massacre, they realize Jessica may have witnessed the murder of a family living near a winery owned by distant relatives she was visiting and suppressed the memory.

Determined to uncover the truth and find justice for the murder victims, Jessica and Murphy return to the scene of the crime with Dallas Walker, a spunky bull-headed Texan. Can this family reunion bring closure for a community touched by tragedy or will this prickly get-together bring an end to the Thorny Rose couple?

Buy the Book: Amazon ~ Add on Goodreads

One winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card (Open internationally)

Ends April 22

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Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with Lauren: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook