Monday, July 1, 2019

Emperors of the Deep ~ Book Blog Tour Spotlight & Giveaway!


EMPERORS OF THE DEEP
by William McKeever
Adult Non-Fiction, 320 pages
Environment, Ocean Wildlife, Marine Life
Publisher: Harper Collins
Release date: June 25, 2019
Content Rating: PG-13 + M
(Intense underwater moments and descriptions of interactions
with sharks both in diver and hunting situation)


BOOK DESCRIPTION:  In this remarkable groundbreaking book, a documentarian and conservationist, determined to dispel misplaced fear and correct common misconceptions, explores in-depth the secret lives of sharks—magnificent creatures who play an integral part in maintaining the health of the world’s oceans and ultimately the planet.

From the Jaws blockbusters to Shark Week, we are conditioned to see sharks as terrifying cold-blooded underwater predators. But as Safeguard the Seas founder William McKeever reveals, sharks are evolutionary marvels essential to maintaining a balanced ecosystem. We can learn much from sharks, he argues, and our knowledge about them continues to grow. The first book to reveal in full the hidden lives of sharks, Emperors of the Deep examines four species — mako, tiger, hammerhead, and great white — as never before, and includes fascinating details such as:

  • Sharks are 50-million years older than trees;
  • Sharks have survived five extinction level events, including the one that killed off the dinosaurs;
  • Sharks have electroreception, a sixth-sense that lets them pick up on electric fields generated by living things;
  • Sharks can dive 4,000 feet below the surface;
  • Sharks account for only 6 human fatalities per year, while humans kill 100 million sharks per year.

McKeever goes back through time to probe the shark’s prehistoric secrets and how it has become the world’s most feared and most misunderstood predator. He takes us on a pulse-pounding tour around the world and deep under the water’s surface, from the frigid waters of the Arctic Circle to the coral reefs of the tropical Central Pacific, to see sharks up close in their natural habitat. He also interviews ecologists, conservationists, and world-renowned shark experts, including the founders of Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior, the head of the Massachusetts Shark Research Program, and the self-professed “last great shark hunter.”

At once a deep-dive into the misunderstood world of sharks and an urgent call to protect them, Emperors of the Deep celebrates this wild species that holds the key to unlocking the mysteries of the ocean — if we can prevent their extinction from climate change and human hunters.

BUY THE BOOK:
WATCH THE TRAILER:
CLICK TO VIEW ON VIMEO

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Photo Credit: Debra Somerville
William McKeever is a writer and documentary filmmaker. He is the founder of Safeguard the Seas, an NGO dedicated to ocean conservation. He is the producer and director of the forthcoming feature-length documentary Man Bites Shark.

Connect with the author: 


Enter the Giveaway!
ONE COPY OF EMPERORS OF THE DEEP
US only. Ends July 20, 2019






Tuesday, June 25, 2019

The Lilac Code ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours Review & Giveaway!

 THE LILAC CODE 
by
BECKI WILLIS
Genre: Cozy Mystery / Romance / Women Sleuths
Publisher: Clear Creek Publishing
Date of Publication: June 25, 2018
Number of Pages: 262

Scroll down for giveaway!


Named 2019 Best Women’s Detective Fiction, Texas Association of Authors

Will a case of mistaken identity be the death of her?

Madison Reynolds is looking forward to a few days of rest and relaxation. Her best friend Genny is judging a celebrity bake-off near DC, so it’s the perfect opportunity for a girls' getaway. With fun-loving Granny Bert in tow, the trio heads to the very heart of the Intel community. Deep in alphabet soup territory—surrounded by CIA, NSA, FBI and more—it takes only moments for things to go awry.

A mix-up at the airport leaves Madison with the wrong luggage, and a last-minute change in accommodations lands them at The Columbia Inn at Peralynna. How can they know its ties to the spy world will soon spin them into its web?

Designed as a CIA safe house, the inn has a fascinating history. When it seems a mysterious man in a dark coat is following her, Madison scoffs at her over-action imagination. She’s listened to too many spy tales, spun by the innkeeper herself. The stories of espionage and agents are intriguing, but too incredible to be real. The Texans know nothing about secret codes and counterintelligence. They’ve never heard of The Lilac Code, or the illusive agent-for-hire known simply as Kalypso.

Back home in The Sisters, a drama is unfolding that involves Madison’s precious twins. She’s raised them to do the right thing, no matter the consequence, but will their quest for justice put them in danger?

Thrust into impossible situations of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, the twins risk everything to save their school, while deep in spy territory, Madison and Genny race against the clock—and the elements—to save Granny Bert’s life.

The award-winning The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series continues in this exciting Book 7. This is a stand-alone book but best when enjoyed as part of the full series experience.






HALL WAYS REVIEW: I make no secret that most of the time, what most entices me to read a book is its cover. (Because of my cover snobbery, I have missed or delayed reading some great stories.) From the time The Lilac Code had its cover reveal last year, I wanted to read it. The cover evokes mystery and a little danger and has an air of creepy to it that drew me right in. Alas, as the seventh book in a series that I hadn’t started, I thought the love affair with The Lilac Code ended with the cover. (I mean, who doesn’t start a series with book one and read a series in order? Is this even allowed?)

As luck would have it, Ms. Willis opted to bring the whole dang series to Lone Star for a Reviewapalooza to celebrate book eight’s publication. Since I have some influence *cough* with the book blog tours, I ended-up being assigned The Lilac Code for my stop on the tour. I was required to break book law and jump-in without reading the prior six books. Sometimes we have to do the tough stuff in life.

In The Lilac Code, the mystery stands alone and we learn a lot about the characters and their lives to this point as the stories unfold. Yes, stories, plural, as there are two complete storylines happening in The Lilac Code: one outside of Washington DC, the other in The Sisters, Texas. Author Becky Willis does a great job at getting readers up-to-speed by bringing in prior books’ events and characters in an organic way. But be warned: learning about all the adventures and escapades also piques the reader’s interest in learning more, so if you plan on reading this one, clear your schedule to read seven more books (six prior, one after). Hmmm. Maybe it IS a big deal jumping in at book seven.

For those concerned about leaving Texas to spend time in DC, don’t. With a high interest secondary plot happening in The Sisters, readers get a taste of the small-town Texas vibe, the tightly-knit community, and the colorful characters. It’s enough to satisfy but also enough to make a reader yearn for more.  Fortunately, in exchange for giving up some Texas time, what readers get is the very cool, and very real Columbia Inn at Peralynna, around which the mystery unfolds. Willis does an excellent job of casting the air of suspicion upon all aspects of the lodging and the people found there and does well in describing the myriad twists and turns contained within this place. (I’ve got to visit.) The “Note from the Author” at the end of the story gives more information about how this place came to be the setting of her book – and an interesting tidbit about the origin of one of the characters.

The book needs more proofreading to clean-up some SPAG errors, and at times, the characters veer into making political statements that may fit their viewpoints but don’t feel authentic and come off forced. However, those few shortcomings aren’t enough to negate the terrific tale that Becki Willis tells. Willis’s strengths are in writing believable dialogue and realistic characters to whom readers can relate. This story, and my guess is all of the books in the series, is character driven. At the end, it feels like you’ve spent time with good friends – and yeah, dodged some enemies.

Laced with intrigue, humor, and a dash of romance, I highly recommend The Lilac Code – and I don’t think I’m really going out on a limb to say the whole The Sisters, Texas series.  Spending time within these pages was time happily spent, and I can’t wait to read book eight, Wildflower Wedding and THEN go back and start with book one, Chicken Scratch, moving forward from there.

Thank you to the author and Lone Star Book Blog Tours for providing me an eBook copy – which I didn’t read. Instead, I bought my own print copy (THAT COVER) to have and to hold and to read! No regrets. In exchange, I share my honest opinion – the only kind I give.





Becki Willis, best known for her popular The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series and Forgotten Boxes, always dreamed of being an author. In November of '13, that dream became a reality. 

Since that time, she has published numerous books, won first place honors for Best Mystery Series, Best Suspense Fiction, Best Women’s Detective Fiction, and Best Audio Book, won the 2018 RONE Award for Paranormal Fiction, and has introduced her imaginary friends to readers around the world. 

An avid history buff, Becki likes to poke around in old places and learn about the past. Other addictions include reading, writing, junking, unraveling a good mystery, and coffee. She loves to travel but believes coming home to her family and her Texas ranch is the best part of any trip. Becki is a member of the Association of Texas Authors, Writer’s League of Texas, Sisters in Crime, the National Association of Professional Women, and the Brazos Writers organization. She attended Texas A&M University and majored in Journalism.

Connect with Becki below. She loves to hear from readers and encourages feedback!


-------------------------------------
GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!
GRAND PRIZE: Signed Copy of Wildflower Wedding + $20 Amazon Gift Card
2nd Prize: $10 Amazon Gift Card
June 20-30, 2019
(U.S. Only) 

VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

6/20/19
Chicken Scratch, #1
6/20/19
When the Stars Fall, #2
6/21/19
Stipulations & Complications, #3
6/22/19
Home Again: Starting Over, #4
6/23/19
Genny’s Ballad, #5
6/24/19
Christmas in The Sisters, #6
6/25/19
The Lilac Code, #7
6/26/19
Wildflower Wedding, #8
6/26/19
Wildflower Wedding, #8
6/26/19
BONUS Chicken Scratch
6/27/19
Wildflower Wedding, #8
6/27/19
Wildflower Wedding, #8
6/27/19
BONUS When the Stars Fall, #2
6/28/19
Wildflower Wedding, #8
6/28/19
Wildflower Wedding, #8
6/28/19
BONUS Stipulations & Complications, #3
6/29/19
Wildflower Wedding, #8
6/29/19
Wildflower Wedding, #8
6/29/19
BONUS Chicken Scratch
6/30/19
BONUS When the Stars Fall





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