Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.
Top Ten Tuesday: Debut Novels I Enjoyed
July 23, 2024 By 38 Comments
Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
This was kind of a tough one for me because I tend to read more series than anything. And, because I’m a creature of habit, I tend to continue those series rather than seek something new out. However, I have read some pretty good debut novels recently, several of them leading me to new series.
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala. I love cozy mysteries but food themed ones are my favorite. Lots of strong, family connections in this story.
A Spell for Trouble by Esme Addison. Another cozy, but this time paranormal. Bonus: mermaids and magic!
Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies by Misha Popp. Okay, so maybe I read more cozy mysteries than I thought, because here we have another. More magic, but with pies this time!
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. I didn’t even know that cozy fantasy was a genre until I picked up this book. And now? I need to read them all. This, and it’s sequel, Bookshops & Bonedust, is one of the best books I’ve read this year.
The Fields by Erin Young. A mystery/police procedural that was both graphic and intense. There is a bit of brutality in this one, however, so if you’re sensitive, you might want to pass. But I am anxious for the next in the series.
Off the Air by Christina Estes. A local reporter looking into the murder of a radio personality uncovers something much larger than a murder. I really enjoyed this one, despite the main character really losing her way at one point in the book.
Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate. A twisty psychological thriller told in two timelines. I love stories about small towns with a secret and this fit the bill for me.
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas. In an effort to read more diverse authors, I found this. And while I had never thought to intentionally seek out Mexican gothic horror, it’s now one of my favorite genres. Her follow up novel, The Vampires of El Norte, is fantastic as well.
The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse. Another type of theme I like is stories set in old mental institutions, hospitals, etc. So, this was right up my alley. Really intense and gripping. This is a fantastic series with a new book due out next month.
Sign Here by Claudia Lux. A different sort of horror novel, this deals with the bureaucracy in Hell and how it affects those of us still on the mortal plane.
What debut novels have you read and loved?
Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for July 17, 2024
July 17, 2024 By 2 Comments
Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.
Something you might not guess about me
Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Things I Loved About Waiting for Spring
July 16, 2024 By 25 Comments
Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
I wrote a glowing five-star review for Sonya Rhen‘s Waiting For Spring from the Jelly Beans and Spring Things Series a while ago. Shayla is the protagonist, and the setting is an annual spring parade where she happens catches the attention of a handsome stranger this time around.
Here are ten things I loved about that short story:
1. Shayla’s kindness extended to everyone, including herself.
2. The romance was an unexpected but welcomed surprise in her life.
3. There can never be enough stories about parades in my opinion.
4. A plot twist that I will not go into detail about here was a delightful surprise.
5. Plenty of room was left for a sequel if one is ever written.
6. The belly dancing. I know almost nothing about that style of dance, so it was fun to learn more.
7. Procrastination as a plot device. Let’s just say that Shayla struggles with this flaw and it does play into how the parade works out for her.
8. Resourcefulness as a plot device. She is also a resourceful person, though, and I enjoyed seeing how she solved a problem of her own doing while under a time crunch!
9. The important of great body language. Parades aren’t exactly the best place for a conversation, but smiles and winks can go a long way in communicating one’s intentions.
10. The crowd’s energy. Half of the fun of parades is seeing how people react to them!
If you like contemporary romance – or even if you’re like me and only occasionally dip into that genre – I highly recommend checking out this tale. It was delightful.
AUTHOR PROMO OPPORTUNITY! Our 17th Anniversary Bash!
July 10, 2024 By Leave a Comment
Long and Short Reviews is having a big 17th Anniversary Bash!!
This celebration is for all fiction genres we feature and review (romance, erotic romance, YA/Middle Grade/Children’s Fiction, Mystery/Suspense, SFF and mainstream fiction) as well as non-fiction books (memoirs, self-help, etc.) and poetry, and will run August 19 – 23, 2024. We expect a huge turnout, with thousands of visitors, just like we’ve had every year on our anniversary! It’s a chance for some significant exposure. We’ll also be heavily promoting on all our social media accounts. Additionally, this year we’ve partnered with Goddess Fish Promotions to help promote the event even more through features on their book blog tour host partners and promotion on their social media accounts!
Along with several other prizes, we plan on giving away at least two $100 Amazon/BN GCs, and several smaller Amazon/BN GCs, all of which are sure to be a draw. Final number and dollar amount of prizes will be based on participation. The more authors who participate, the more and bigger prizes we’ll offer and the more eyes on YOUR book! So… share this invitation everywhere
To win one of the $100 GCs, we’ll be posting a blurb, book cover and buy link on a post, and in order to earn entries, our visitors must read the blurb and answer a question on a rafflecopter. The hope is that they’ll be intrigued by what they read and buy your book! Author participation will cost $7 per book, but you will receive a $7 credit toward any ad or service offered by Long and Short Reviews or by Goddess Fish Promotions. So, it’s practically free!
For the other $100 GC, we’ll be offering social media spots for participating authors. Our visitors may enter by visiting you (Facebook page) or following you (all other social media). Each social media link you want to feature will be an additional $1 fee.
It’s easy to participate. Simply complete this form: https://form.jotform.com/41804468836160
If you have any questions, please email us at lasreviews@gmail.com
Thank you,
Marianne and Judy
http://www.longandshortreviews.com
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Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for July 10, 2024
July 10, 2024 By 1 Comment
Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.
Do You Enjoy Shopping? Why or Why Not?
Top Ten Tuesday: Books that Make Me Hungry
July 9, 2024 By 45 Comments
Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
This isn’t my dog, but it sure is cute!
This topic originally came from August 31, 2020 which feels like a lifetime ago to me! So much has happened since then.
Here are ten titles that make me hungry. (And I wonder if anyone else will select this same theme this week?)
1.Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa
2. Love & Gelato (Love & Gelato, #1) by Jenna Evans Welch
3. Chocolat (Chocolat, #1) by Joanne Harris
4. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (Whistle Stop #1) by Fannie Flagg
5. Pomegranate Soup (Babylon Café #1) by Marsha Mehran
6. The River Cottage Bread Handbook (River Cottage Handbook, #3) by Daniel Stevens
7. Playing for Pizza by John Grisham
8. How To Bake A Chocolate Soufflé (Cherry Harbor, #1) by Carly Ellen Kramer
9. The Truth About Twinkie Pie by Kat Yeh
10. Miss Spider’s Tea Party by David Kirk
Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for July 3, 2024
July 3, 2024 By 1 Comment
Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.
My Thoughts on Social Media
June Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ The Dark Court by Vyvyan Evans
June 30, 2024 By 1 Comment
The Dark Court by Vyvyan Evans
Publisher: Nephilim Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rated: 5 stars
Reviewed by Rose
A genre-blending dystopian, sci-fi mystery-thriller that will make you think about communication in a whole new way.
Five years after the Great Language Outage, lang-laws have been repealed, but world affairs have only gotten worse. The new automation agenda has resulted in a social caste system based on IQ. Manual employment is a thing of the past, and the lowest soc-ed class, the Unskills, are forced into permanent unemployment.
In a world on the brink of civil war, a deadly insomnia pandemic threatens to kill billions. Lilith King, Interpol’s most celebrated detective, is assigned to the case.
Together with a sleep specialist, Dr. Kace Westwood, Lilith must figure out who or what is behind this new threat. Could the pandemic be the result of the upskilling vagus chips being offered to the lowest soc-ed class? Or are language chips being hacked? And what of the viral conspiracy theories by the mysterious Dark Court, sweeping the globe? Lilith must work every possible angle, and quickly: she is running out of time!
While attempting to stop a vast conspiracy on an intergalactic scale, Lilith also faces shocking revelations about her origin, coming to terms with her own destiny.
READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE!!
Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for June 26, 2024
June 26, 2024 By 1 Comment
Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.
