Blog Tour Kick Off and Giveaway! Solomon's Whisper by Sandra Brannan

Solomon's Whisper (Book 5 in the Liv Bergen series) 
by Sandra Brannan

As Liv Bergen investigates the long-ago murder of her niece, she uncovers a well-guarded secret—and stumbles into one the most prolific killer she’s faced yet.

Once an amateur sleuth, Liv “Boots” Bergen has now found her footing as an official FBI agent. It should be Liv’s dream career—she’s working closely with a bureau legend, Agent Streeter Pierce, as well as the exotic Agent Jack Linwood, with whom she shares a growing romance. Liv has proven to be an adept agent, and the whole office has been moved to a brand new, state-of-the-art facility in central Denver.

And yet, doubt plagues her. Liv is tormented by the knowledge that her work with the FBI could endanger her extended family—and has almost resolved to leave the bureau as a result. Agent Streeter Pierce, who harbors an affection for Liv that sometimes transcends the professional, comes up with an unorthodox plan to keep her around: she can investigate a cold case that’s especially important to her, the kidnapping and murder of her ten-year-old niece, Brianna.

Liv jumps at the chance, but her focus on finding Brianna’s killer is soon diluted. Piece by piece, the case reveals itself to be just one point in a harrowing series of murders. Spanning decades and the country, the web of crime Liv uncovers causes her to question everything—including the integrity of her own colleagues. (author website)

I'm told there will be 7 books in this series and I am grateful to have been a part of recommending them to a world of readers. I met the author back in 2010 at the Book Expo in NYC. We were both  new to that scene but hit it off and I, in turn, became a huge fan of her books. I am lucky to have been able to "kick off", so to speak, her blog tours of the last four books and I couldn't imagine not doing it again this  year. So here I am.

My reading and blogging pace has definitely slowed in the last few years but I am still an active reader and recommender of all the literary things I love. I am happy to report the all the Liv Begen fans out there, that #5 is a winner. I've liked all of the books but only the first and the fourth so far have really WOWED me. 

Book 5 Solomon's Whisper is just as personal as Noah's Rainy Day, this time dealing with the disappearance and the murder of her niece. I liked that family angle again, it brought even more depth to Liv's character. We see more of a romantic side to Liv, with her relationship with Jack and her partnership with Streeter in the FBI. She's not as clunky as she has been in past books. She is quick witted and becomes a bit more sure of her role, having now become an official agent with the FBI. And the ending? Well, that I did NOT expect. 

It's necessary to read these books in order, because of the simple evolution of Liv's character  and her relationships with those around her. This book is a bit dark dealing with child abduction, murder, rape and pedophilia. It's tough at times but any good thriller is going to have a bit of that graphic nature in it. 

If you are new to Sandra's books, check out my past reviews. In the Belly of Jonah, Lot's Return to Sodom, Widow's Might, and Noah's Rainy Day.

Sandra has a lot of fun things going on in conjunction with the release of this book. She has a fantastic giveaway going on.

*Readers, you may choose to enter to win either an Amazon Fire or a Nook Glo Light, along with a piece of Black Hills Gold Jewelry (worth $50).

Please leave a comment if interested and an email address. Winners will be chosen by September 2! 

Find out more about these great books and the author at the links below.

Author Links below:

Author Website

Twitter 

Facebook

Goodreads

Virtual Tour Page 

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

Review and Giveaway: Noah's Rainy Day by Sandra Brannan

I've done the cover reveal, showed you the book trailer, reminded the virtual world that it was coming and now I give you a review and a giveaway. 

I really don't think you have any more excuses as to why you have not read her yet.

Really. 

:)

This is book four of the Liv Bergen series and do you need to read the others in order to get it all? I would say yes. I'm a fan of having back story and character progression and if I start something mid series, I do tend to feel left out. 

Liv's character goes through quite a change in each book leading up to this one and this one is quite personal. It's more about her family and a bit about her family's past.

I saw Sandra at a library event in my state just last night and I told her this was one of my favorites along with the first book, In the Belly of Jonah. I liked the grit, the suspense and the rock solid psychological terror of it all. I felt for the little boy. I was screaming at the pages, "Listen to him!!!!". I felt the closeness of the crime and just wanted to reach in to the pages and shake people. That's good writing!

Me and Sandra

Liv's character continues to progress and surprise me as well.  I want to see her succeed and I look forward to seeing what her next step is. Because her family is so much a part of her character, she has a realness about her that is identifiable.

I will continue to champion Sandra Brannan and her books until she knocks Kathy Reichs and Patricia Cornwell off those bestsellers charts and takes their place. She is a talent and I really do look forward to more of Liv Bergen but also for other stories she has up her sleeve (cuz'  I know they are there and coming!)

I have an extra copy to give away of Noah's Rainy Day and due to how slow I can be to get to the dang post office, y'all have plenty of time to read the first three books before you receive this one (if you have not already done so)

Leave a comment and your email please.

Contest runs through September 3, the official release date of Noah's Rainy Day.

Author Website: Sandra Brannan

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

Noah's Rainy Day by Sandra Brannan Release Week Kick-Off!

It is my pleasure to be a part of kicking off another amazing thriller by Sandra Brannan. Book 4 of her Liv Bergen series released this week and if you haven't read them yet, please start!

Description from Goodreads:
From birth, Noah Hogarty has lived with severe cerebral palsy. He is nearly blind, unable to speak, and cannot run, walk, or crawl. Yet his mind works just as well as any other twelve-year-old’s—maybe even better. And Noah holds a secret dream: to become a great spy, following in the footsteps of his aunt, Liv “Boots” Bergen.

Now, freshly returned from training at Quantico, FBI agent Liv Bergen is thrown into her first professional case. Working side by side with veteran agent Streeter Pierce, enigmatic agent and lover Jack Linwood, and her bloodhound Beulah, Liv must race to find five-year-old Max—last seen at the Denver International Airport—before this Christmastime abduction turns deadly. Meanwhile Noah, housebound, becomes wrapped up in identifying the young face he sees watching him from his neighbor’s bedroom window, but he can neither describe nor inscribe what he knows.

And his investigation may lead to Noah paying the ultimate price in fulfilling his dream.

Noah’s Rainy Day (the fourth novel in Brannan’s mystery series) combines classic Liv Bergen irreverence and brainpower with an unflinching look at the darkest of human motivations, all while a whirlpool of increasingly terrifying events threatens to engulf Liv and Noah both in one final rainy day.


I will have the pleasure of seeing Sandra this weekend at a library event in my neck of the words called Wine and Words, hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. I can't wait!

Noah's Rainy Day can be purchased at Indie Bound.

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

Want to see something a little frightening?

 

 Check out the book trailer for Noah's Rainy Day by Sandra Brannan.

#livbergen

Be prepared for chills.

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

Cover Reveal: Noah's Rainy Day by Sandra Brannan (Book #4 in the Liv Bergen series)

Who's excited about this upcoming release? This girl right here. The cover is haunting. The story sounds thrilling. And I'm sure, once again, Brannan's writing will pull me in.

Mark your calendars!

Available September 3, 2013!

Newly minted Special Agent Liv Bergen races against time to solve a child kidnapping (which could take a fatal turn) with the help of her gifted nephew Noah.

From birth, Noah Hogarty has lived with severe cerebral palsy. He is nearly blind, unable to speak, and cannot run, walk, or crawl. Yet his mind works just as well as any other twelve-year-old’s—maybe even better. And Noah holds a secret dream: to become a great spy, following in the footsteps of his aunt, Liv “Boots” Bergen.

Now, freshly returned from training at Quantico, FBI agent Liv Bergen is thrown into her first professional case. Working side by side with veteran agent Streeter Pierce, enigmatic agent and lover Jack Linwood, and her bloodhound Beulah, Liv must race to find five-year-old Max—last seen at the Denver International Airport—before this Christmastime abduction turns deadly. Meanwhile Noah, housebound, becomes wrapped up in identifying the young face he sees watching him from his neighbor’s bedroom window, but he can neither describe nor inscribe what he knows.

And his investigation may lead to Noah paying the ultimate price in fulfilling his dream.

Noah’s Rainy Day (the fourth novel in Brannan’s mystery series) combines classic Liv Bergen irreverence and brainpower with an unflinching look at the darkest of human motivations, all while a whirlpool of increasingly terrifying events threatens to engulf Liv and Noah both in one final rainy day.

Click on JKS Communications for details of the upcoming blog tour.

Visit SandraBrannan.com to learn more about the Liv Bergen Mystery Series!

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

Widow's Might Book Trailer Contest!

Widow's Might Book Trailer Contest!

Marissa from JKS Communications shared this fabulous contest with me to share with all of you. These details are from the website.

If you haven't heard of Sandra Brannan, you must check her out. Widow's Might is the third mystery/thriller in her Liv Bergen series.(I am SO excited for my copy!) And she is a delightfully wonderful person to boot!

Author Sandra Brannan is getting ready to release, Widow’s Might, the third book in The Liv Bergen Mystery Series, and she needs your help in creating a book trailer!

Interested? Here’s how to enter:

1. E-mailSami@JKSCommunications.com with your name, address and contact info. Be sure to enter ”Widow’s Might Book Trailer Contest” in the subject line. Deadline to enter is April 10, 2012.

2. All entrants will be sent one advance reader’s copy so contestants can get brainstorming and have time to create a 30-60 second book trailer for Widow’s Might.

3. Book trailers must be submitted to Sami@JKSCommunications.comby June 15th, 2012. Sandra Brannan will pick her top 5, which we will feature on The New Book Network for fans to vote on their favorite.

4. The five finalists will receive the entire Liv Bergen Series (In the Belly of Jonah, Lot’s Return to Sodom and Widow’s Might) signed by author Sandra Brannan. One grand prize winner will be announced onJuly 1st, 2012 and treated to a round trip airline ticket and one over-night stay in downtown Rapid City, SD for the book launch at Mitzi’s Books on Main Street Square on August 11th where the winning trailer will be featured!

I would love for one of my readers to win this wonderful contest. You could get the opportunity to meet Sandra and see what a wonderful lady she really is!

Good Luck to everyone!

Happy reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

A Very Special Sandra Brannan Giveaway

I am deeply honored to be able to give away an exclusive CD to one of my readers. This CD is a special song sung by Sandra Brannan's sister, Stephanie Lien D'Urso. It is the song

Nessun Dorma, most known for being sung by Luciano Pavarrati.

From Wikipedia: (because they know all, right?)

Nessun dorma (English: None shall sleep)^[1] is an aria from the final act of Giacomo Puccini's opera Turandot,^[2] and is one of the best-known tenor arias in all opera. It is sung by Calaf, il principe ignoto (the unknown prince), who falls in love at first sight with the beautiful but cold Princess Turandot. However, any man who wishes to wed Turandot must first answer her three riddles; if he fails, he will be beheaded.

It comes up in the middle of Lot's Return for Sodom, where Liv is having a tense stand off against the motorcycle gang. This song comes into her head.

Sandra was kind enough to send me a copy for one of you!

I would love this to be given to someone who has read the books or plans on soon, so this song can mean a lot when listened to.

If you are not familiar with the song, click here to listen to Luciano.

Contest Rules:

* Follow my blog, please.

* Reside in the United States

* Leave an Email Address

* Comment on whether or not you have read the books or plan to soon!

Winner will be chosen at the end of the month, June 30.

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

Lot's Return to Sodom by Sandra Brannan winner

I had to pull myself out of bed to announce the winner of this fabulous book by this fabulous author. It also goes on sale today, so for those of you who did NOT win it, please go buy it!

I had another wonderful time in NYC with Sandra and I will post about that later. I finished this one on the plane ride home. It does not disappoint! A full review to come later this week.

Thank you to all of those that entered!

The winner is...

"thanks for the chance to read this novel...

i haven't had the opportunity to read 'belly of jonah' (yet!)."

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Congratulations Karen!! I hope you pick up In the Belly of Jonah soon!

Author Website:

Sandra Brannan

My roomie from BEA is giving away another copy! Check her out.

A Novel Source

Purchase at:

Indie Bound

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Borders

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

The Year of Mysterious Giveaways: May

I am very excited this month to give away this new mystery. For those of you who have followed my blog before, you know how big of fan I am of Sandra Brannan. She was one of the authors I met last year the Book Blogger Convention. I read her first mystery novel, In the Belly of Jonah, on the plane ride home and I lOVED it!

I was lucky enough to kick off her blog tour last September for its release and I am lucky and honored to be here giving away an ARC of her second book in this series starring Liv Bergen.

I started this book right when I got it but I wanted to save it for my plane ride to NYC and have it fresh in my mind when I see Sandra again! She will be at the Book Blogger Convention again this year and she was kind enough to offer to take me to dinner in thanks! Can't wait!

Here is the description from Amazon. The book is out in June and I hope to have more to give away at that time and do other fun posts about it and about her!

The Annual sturgis Motorcycle Rally is no place for buttoned-down citizens - unless, of course, they are trying to hide a murder or two. In this second book in the eponymous series, Liv Bergen is back with a vengeance - a righteous one. The gutsy, sharp-witted amateur sleuth pulls out all the stops as she solves the murder of her brother Jens' fiancee, Michelle, and clears his name. As it turns out, more than one person in Liv's sleepy hometown wanted Michelle dead. A trail of clues leads Liv through the Black Hills, where she encounters half a million hardcore bikers and sideline gawkers - many clad in nothing but black leather thongs and bikinis - who have turned the place into a sodomitical playground saturated in booze. Further complicating matters, Liv is an eyewitness to a second homicide, which calls down upon her the uninvited attentions of the men- acing leader of a biker gang called Lucifer's Lot. The cat-and-mouse game that ensues puts Liv in the path of her admirer Streeter Pierce, who has gone undercover with a fellow FBI agent to find both Michelle's murderer and a perp the agency calls the Crooked Man. Liv taps every ounce of brains and brawn she has to avoid becoming the killer's next victim, which wins her the further respect of Streeter. By the end of "Lot's Return to Sodom", Streeter has shown his admiration for Liv by giving her Beulah, an FBI bloodhound who is certain to help them track down the still-at-large Crooked Man in book three.

Here is my review of In the Belly of Jonah if you are new to it.

Contest Rules:

* Please be a follower of my blog.

*Please reside in the United States.

*Please leave an email address

* Let me know if you have read In the Belly of Jonah

Contest runs May 3- May 31

Happy reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

A Book Signing, some shameless promotion, Adele and some Tea

What do these things have to do with one another?

Well, they sum up my weekend.

First, a book signing. Above you see a very fuzzy, snowy picture of a bookstore called

Once Upon a Crime. This is one of my favorite little shops to pop in every now and then in Minneapolis. They are exclusively a seller of all things mystery. It's tiny. Very tiny. But it works. I never leave there without a list a mile long. And they have amazing author events. They get the big local authors, sure but they also get a lot of the well known national authors as well.

On Saturday they had both local, to me, and national author, Laura Childs. She was there to sign her newest book in her Tea Shop mysteries. I was there to see her and also to partake in a little of the tea action. Yes, there were treats. Finger sandwiches, scones, yummy Chai tea. Delicious!

I have only read her first two books in her Cackleberry Club series and her first book in the Tea Shop series. I brought all of those and she was lovely enough to sign them for me. I also brought the one copy I had of her scrapbooking series as well, which I have not read.

She was incredibly delightful and kind. Her husband tried to take our picture but it didn't quite turn out. Too fuzzy! That's okay. It was a pleasure to see her as she is becoming a favorite cozy mystery author of mine.

Fun fact: She is actually from my dad's hometown and her father knew my grandpa.

Small world, isn't it?

Overall, it was a pleasant way to spend a bit of my afternoon.

Which leads me to the shameless promotion piece...

For those of you new to my blog, you will not know that I met a fabulous new mystery author last year at BEA. Her name is Sandra Brannan. She was at the Book Blogger Convention and we had a chance to have breakfast and chat a bit. Well, long story short, she is delightful and I read her book, In the Belly of Jonah, on the plane ride home. I LOVED IT and I was lucky and honored to be the blogger that kicked off her book release that September.

At that time, I tried to get her book in the bookstore I was working at then and also suggested to the publisher to try Once Upon a Crime. I thought maybe with some of my contacts and whatnot I could put in a good word. Well, it didn't happen.

So, being that a I was there, I decided I was going to go for it and tell them all about Sandra Brannan's book. (I had just received ARCs of the second book and was totally stoked to read it!). I basically talked the owner's ear off for a bit about how they should stock it and told them how wonderful Sandra is, yada yada.

Cross your fingers that it works out and they carry her book. It's an amazing bookstore with an amazing reputation. To be a mystery author and have your book there is a good thing.

More on Sandra later. I will be having a giveaway of her second book in May and lots more fun stuff. So keep your eyes open for it all. I hope to spread the word even more with this second book because Sandra deserves all the success she gets!

Whew! Must wrap this up. Last thing of the weekend was my recent discovery of Adele. Do we all know her and her wonderful music?? Holy cats, is she amazing! I have been listening to the song Someone Like You over and over again. (please click on the link and listen) Of course, I am also crying my eyeballs out a bit too remembering how bloody full of angst I was as a young twenty something and how much I would have been ALL over this song back then.

Anyhoo, there is my weekend in a nutshell. Reading? Well, I did finish one book.

That's something, right?

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child