Thursday, March 21, 2024

Blog tour and review: Nearly all the men in Lagos are mad by Damilare Kuku

 Title:  Nearly All The Men In Lagos Are Mad

Author:  Damilare Kuku

Genre:  Short Stories

Publisher:  Harper Collins

Rating: 💥💥💥💥



About the Book:

The anti-rom-com debut collection that took Nigeria by storm, featuring twelve bewitching and revelatory (The New York Times) and ridiculously entertaining (Booklist starred review) stories about the perils and pitfalls of dating men in Lagos, from a rising star of Nollywood

“Sharply observational, funny and profound, this book is dynamic sociological satire that is as universal as it is specific.” —Bolu Babalola, author of Reese's Book Club pick and national bestseller Honey and Spice

*INCLUDES A NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN SNEAK PEEK OF DAMILARE KUKU'S FORTHCOMING NOVEL*

One night, you will calmly put a knife to your husband's private part and promise to cut it off. It will scare him so much that the next day, he will call his family members for a meeting in the house. He will not call your family members, but you will not care. You won’t need them.

 In this remarkable short story collection, Damilare Kuku takes us deep into the heart of modern Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, and the lives of a collection of audacious women who cope with romantic difficulties by brilliantly turning the tables on the men who wrong them.

One hardworking married woman calmly threatens sharp-edged revenge on her lazy, hypocritical husband. Another skillfully protects her own business interests by shielding her pastor-husband from allegations of cheating that may or may not be true. A group of wealthy wives deceived by their husbands join forces in a WhatsApp support group called the Virtuous Wives Guild. And a discerning dater fed up with Nigerian men makes a vow to date only oyibos before discovering that white men can act just as badly.

A bestseller in Damilare Kuku’s native Nigeria, Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad is a raunchy, satisfying, and outrageous read steeped in the chaos and allure of sub-Saharan Africa’s largest city. It’s also a love letter to Nigerian women: the women in these stories may be confronted at every turn with liars, scammers, and cheaters in their quests for love, but they always figure out how to come out victorious.

My thoughts

These were some interesting stories.  Some thought provoking, all of them injected with a bit of humor and are showing women that they don't have to stay stuck and several red flags to run from.  My favorite stories are Cuck Up, Ode-Pus Complex and First times.  I really enjoyed.  The stories evoked all kinds of emotions as I was reading and I was not able to put it down until I was completely finished 


About the Author


Damilare Kuku has worked as a radio presenter, scriptwriter, film producer, actor and director. She holds bachelors and masters degrees in the arts. Her debut collection of stories, Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad, became a runaway bestseller in Africa upon its release in 2021, and was named the bestselling fiction title of 2022 in Nigeria, with international editions following in the UK (Swift Press), US (HarperVia) and Germany (Peter Hammer Verlag). Her first novel, Only big bumbum matters tomorrow, will be published in July 2024 by HarperVia in the US and Simon & Schuster in the UK.

According to Damilare- "Stories make the world a little less lonely. This is why I love storytelling."

Friday, March 15, 2024

Blog tour: Handsome Devil by Delaney Diamond

 



Handsome Devil

by Delaney Diamond
(Quicksand, #7)
Publication date: February 29th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance




Synopsis:

They might both get what they want in this marriage of convenience—if they don’t kill each other first.

Annabelle Buchanan waltzes into Dante Escarra’s office with a singular goal—to persuade him to accept her audacious one-year marriage proposal. Her objective? Taking control of her father’s real estate empire. But Dante is her ex-husband, and their past is littered with hurt and anger.

Dante never once contemplated reuniting with Annabelle, because she broke his heart and left him devastated years ago. But her offer is a tantalizing chance to add an iconic Houston building to his real estate portfolio—a prize he covets more than he’s willing to admit.

As they pursue their respective goals, the lines between business and heart blur. Can they make their marriage work the second time around, or will they both end up with broken hearts—again?


GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)
  • $25 Amazon gift card


AUTHOR BIO:



Delaney Diamond is the USA Today Bestselling Author of black romance and interracial romance in the contemporary romance and romantic suspense genres. She reads romance novels, mysteries, thrillers, and a fair amount of nonfiction. When she’s not busy reading or writing, she’s in the kitchen trying out new recipes, dining at one of her favorite restaurants, or traveling to an interesting locale. To get sneak peeks, notices of sale prices, and find out about new releases, visit her website and join her mailing list. Enjoy free stories on her website at www.delaneydiamond.com.

Author links:
-Website: https://delaneydiamond.com/
-Mailing list: http://bit.ly/DelDiam
-Readers group: https://bit.ly/3sRgyh5
-Facebook: facebook.com/delaneydiamond
-Twitter: twitter.com/DelaneyDiamond
-Pinterest: pinterest.com/delaneydiamond
-Podcast: http://podcast.delaneydiamond.com
-Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delaneydiamondbooks/
-Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B004HU9G3G

Friday, March 8, 2024

Blog tour and review: Love on the ninth floor by Aries Skye

 Title:  Love on The Ninth Floir

Author : Aries Skye

Genre:  Romance

Publisher: Black Odyssey Media

Publication Date:  October 24, 2023

Rating:  ðŸ’¥ðŸ’¥ðŸ’¥ðŸ’¥ðŸ’¥



About the book 

Trending on TikTok takes on an entirely new meaning when the ‘for you’becomes a viral love story in the making. Aries Skye makes a sizzling debut in this flirty feel-good romance, perfect for fans of Jasmine Guillory and Farrah Rochon.

Zany and vivacious Nissi Richards always had her sights set on one goal—her career. As the youngest doctor at Optimal Dentistry, Nissi is the epitome of Black Girl Magic and a #GoalCrusher. Dating, however, was a different topic, or rather more of a non-existent headline. Despite her best friend's botched matchmaking attempts and her meddlesome sisters who insist she hook a man, love and marriage were never on Nissi's to-do list—at least not that she'd admit.
 
Kannon Jordan was a man of simplicity. Unimpressed with the whims of every short skirt that flitted by, or the sexy social media prospects, the ravishing fireman was content with the bachelor's life. A cosmic shift in his beliefs takes a nosedive once he crosses paths with a dazzling doctor in distress.
 
When Kannon rescued Nissi from a malfunctioned elevator, she never thought she'd see the handsome fireman again. Suddenly, when a TikTok video goes viral, the two strangers are miraculously reconnected. Will Nissi and Kannon surrender to their feelings, or will they deny their chemistry and the possibility of love at first sight?
 
“You will root for Aries Skye’s swoon-worthy characters in this powerful testament to kindred connections and destined love!”N’TYSE, national bestselling author and film producer


My thoughts

First off, I had no idea this was based off a true event.  I flew through this story.  It was a fun read and such a wild ride.  And it had plenty of banter and funny moments.  I especially loved how she incorporated how things like this can go viral on social media.  And the family drama and the chemistry between the main characters , baby there was plenty of it.  I will be looking for more works in the future from the author.


About the Author

This fiery Aries lady—Aries Skye, believes in the power of black love. She sets her focus on highlighting the realities of beautiful black individuals finding their way in life through love. That’s exactly what her #SkyeStories bring—penning the beauty in Black romance. A natural-born writer, Aries Skye has been crafting stories since she was a preteen and went on to major in English – Creative Writing at ASU. When she’s not wielding her magical black girl pen, she’s cocooned in the peace and comfort of her family with her adoring husband of two decades and their four energetic and artistic womb fruits.

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Blog Tour And Review: The American Queen by Vanessa Miller

 


Title: The American Queen 

Author:  Vanessa Miller

Genre:  Historical Fiction 

Publication Date:  January 30, 2024

Publisher:  Thomas Nelson

Rating:  💥💥💥💥💥


About the Book 

There is only one known queen who truly ruled a kingdom on American soil.

Transformative and breathtakingly honest, The American Queen is based on actual events that occurred between 1865 - 1889 and shares the unsung history of a Black woman who built a kingdom as a refuge for the courageous people who dared to dream of a different way of life. As seen on Good Morning America: GMA 15 New Books to Read!

Over the twenty-four years she was enslaved on the Montgomery Plantation, Louella learned to feel one thing: hate. Hate for the man who sold her mother. Hate for the overseer who left her daddy to hang from a noose. Hate so powerful there's no room in her heart for love, not even for the honorable Reverend William, whom she likes and respects enough to marry.

But when William finally listens to Louella's pleas and leads the formerly enslaved people off the plantation, Louella begins to replace her hate with hope. Hope that they will find a place where they can live free from fear. Hope that despite her many unanswered prayers, she can learn to trust for new miracles.

Soon, William and Louella become the appointed king and queen of their self-proclaimed Kingdom of the Happy Land. And though they are still surrounded by opposition, they continue to share a message of joy and goodness--and fight for the freedom and dignity of all.

The American Queen weaves together themes of love, hate, hope, trust, and resilience in the face of great turmoil. With every turn of the page, you will be transported to a pivotal period in American history, where oppressed people become extraordinary heroes.


My Thoughts 

I am a historical girlie, and trust, every one I have read has been hitting, including this one. This was such a great book. Although not much is known about the actual area, the author has given us such a vivid story that was so well written. I really loved reading about most of the Characters, and Queen Louella's Journey. There were many things I was surprised about as I was reading the story. I was so happy to read this book and black authors showing us our history that is constantly being challenged and erased. I was captivated from beginning to and and It took me on such an emotional ride.


About the Author 



Vanessa Miller is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, playwright, and motivational speaker. She started writing as a child, spending countless hours either reading or writing poetry, short stories, stage plays and novels. Vanessa’s creative endeavors took on new meaning in1994 when she became a Christian. Since then, her writing has been centered on themes of redemption, often focusing on characters facing multi-dimensional struggles.

Vanessa’s novels have received rave reviews, with several appearing on Essence Magazine’s Bestseller’s List. Miller’s work has receiving numerous awards, including “Best Christian Fiction Mahogany Award” and the “Red Rose Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction.” Miller graduated from Capital University with a degree in Organizational Communication. She is an ordained minister in her church, explaining, “God has called me to minister to readers and to help them rediscover their place with the Lord.”

· Essence Bestsellers’ List March 2008; May 2008 (Former Rain)

· Essence Bestsellers’ List September 2008 (Rain Storm)

· Black Expressions Book Club Alternate Selection 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010

· #1 Ebook for fiction on Amazon.com November 2010 (Long Time Coming)

· #1 on BCNN/BCBC Bestsellers’ List November 2010 (Long Time Coming)

She has worked with numerous publishers: Urban Christian, Kimani Romance (Harlequin), Abingdon Press and Whitaker House. She is currently working on Something Good with Thomas Nelson (HarperCollins) which releases in March 2022.

In 2016, Vanessa launched the Christian Book Lover’s Retreat in an effort to bring readers and authors of Christian fiction together in an environment that’s all about Faith, Fun & Fellowship. To learn more about Vanessa, please visit her website: www.vanessamiller.com. If you would like to know more about the Christian Book Lover’s Retreat that is currently held in Charlotte, NC during the last week in October you can visit: http://www.christianbookloversretreat.com/index.html

Vanessa lives in North Carolina with her husband and family. She graduated from Capital University with a degree in Organizational Communication.

Most of Vanessa’s published novels depict characters that are lost and in need of redemption. The books have received countless favorable reviews.

“. . . Heartwarming, drama-packed and tender in just the right places.”—Romantic Times Book Review.

“Recommended for readers of redemption stories.” –Library Journal.

www.vanessamiller.com

Don’t forget to join my mailing list:

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Website: www.vanessamiller.com

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Book Tour and Review: Dysfunction Junction by Robin Pearson

 Title:  Dysfunction Junction

Author: Robin W. Pearson

Publisher:  Tyndale

Publishing Date: February 6, 2024

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction

Rating:  💥💥💥💥💥



About the Book:

When three women receive an unexpected phone call that leaves them reeling, they have no other choice but to reckon with a lifetime of memories they’ve long tried to bury. Only in facing the past will they find their path forward.

Frances Mae Livingston’s firm grip of her family’s destructive history makes her hold her husband and four children even closer. But she’s losing bits of herself while proving to everybody and her mama that she’s enough. There’s no way she’ll repeat her mama’s mistakes, even if it kills her.

Annabelle McMillan didn’t have trouble kicking the Eastern North Carolina dust off her feet. The tough part was replanting herself in familiar soil. Now she’s blending her old life with her new husband, stepson, and unborn child. And battling old memories of abandonment and new fears of rejection.

Dr. Charlotte Winters has built a career around helping others sort through their emotional baggage. She’s also spent a lifetime refusing to unpack her own. So what if Charlotte doesn’t recall all that her mama did to her and what her daddy didn't do 
for her? Her only mission is to help others help themselves…until the women from her past and the man in her future undo her well-sewn life.

At the junction of healed and hurting, broken and whole, and past and present, three women wrestle with their inability to forgive and forget in this riveting Southern family drama about sisterhood from award-winning author Robin W. Pearson.


My Thoughts:

Although I don't have any sisters, I am the oldest daughter, so I could relate to Frances's character with several things.  This was an emotional and powerful read.  It tugged on my heartstrings for each of the characters at different times throughout the story, and these characters won't leave me anytime soon.  I didn't want to put it down.  Forgiveness is a big theme throughout the story, and rightly so.  And I will surely be looking for more in the future from this author


About the Author:



Robin W. Pearson's A LONG TIME COMIN’ earned a 2020 Christy Award for First Novel. Both her debut and her second novel, 'TIL I WANT NO MORE (February 2021), earned a Publishers Weekly starred review. They show how man's timeless love affair with God affects day-to-day relationships. Robin's writing sprouts from her Southern roots, and she has corrected grammar up and down the East coast, starting with Houghton Mifflin Company. Her family’s faith, life lessons, and life’s longings inspire her as a wife, homeschooling mother of seven, and author, what she blogs about on https://robinwpearson.com/mommy-concentrated/. They're the source of all the characters living and breathing in the stories waiting to be told about her belief in Jesus Christ and the experiences at her own kitchen sink.

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Blog Tour: Last Seen In Havana by


Title:   Last Seen in Havana A Havana Mystery Book 4

Author:  Teresa Dovalpage

Genre: Mystery

Publisher:  SoHo Crime

Publishing Date:  Feburary 6, 2024

Rating:  💣💣💣💣

A Cuban American woman searches for her long-lost mother and fights to restore a beautiful but crumbling Art Deco home in the heart of Havana in this moving, immersive new mystery, perfect for fans of Of Women and Salt.

Newly widowed baker Mercedes Spivey flies from Miami to her native Cuba in 2019 to care for her ailing paternal grandmother. Mercedes’s life has been shaped by loss, beginning with the mysterious unsolved disappearance of her mother when Mercedes was a little girl. Returning to Cuba revives Mercedes’s hopes of finding her mother as she attempts to piece together the few  scraps of information she has. Could her mother still be alive?

Thirty-three years earlier, in 1986, an American college student with endless political optimism falls deliriously in love with a handsome Cuban soldier while on a spontaneous visit to the island. She decides to stay permanently, but soon discovers that nothing is as it seems in
Havana.

The two women’s stories proceed in parallel as Mercedes gets closer to the truth about her mother, uncovering shocking family secrets in the process . . .


Wow.  That was what came to mind by the time I got to the end of the book.  It definitely was a shocker by the time I got to that point.   This goes to show why I'm a firm believer of people not keeping secrets from their children/grandchildren.  I felt so sorry for Mercedes as I was going through the story.   My favorite part of the story was the dual timeline aspect.  It fit in right where it needed to be.  I would advise that you read book 3 in the series first, as it gives a little more to Mercedes background (The other two i believe do not contain her character, so they're not integral to this particular story.)  Although I do wish there was a little more with the ending, I do plan to go back and checkout the author's backlist.

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:
Amazon: https://a.co/d/2Bu7pXO

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/last-seen-in-havana/id6448879804

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/last-seen-in-havana-teresa-dovalpage/1143455932?ean=9781641295390

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Teresa_Dovalpage_Last_Seen_in_Havana?id=hIC9EAAAQBAJ

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/last-seen-in-havana

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/last-seen-in-havana-by-teresa-dovalpage

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/150065074-last-seen-in-havana





Title:  Death Under the Persedis, A Havana Mystery (Prequel to Last Seen in Havana)

Author:  Teresa Dovalpage

Genre:  Mystery

Publisher:  Penguin Randomhouse/ SoHo Crime

Publication Date:  December 7, 2021

Rating:  💣💣💣💣

About the book:

There’s no such thing as a free cruise in Cuban American author Teresa Dovalpage's addictively clever new Havana mystery.

Cuban-born Mercedes Spivey and her American husband, Nolan, win a five-day cruise to Cuba. Although the circumstances surrounding the prize seem a little suspicious to Mercedes, Nolan’s current unemployment and their need to spice up their marriage make the decision a no-brainer. Once aboard, Mercedes is surprised to see two people she met through her ex-boyfriend Lorenzo: former University of Havana professor Selfa Segarra and down-on-his-luck Spanish writer Javier Jurado. Even stranger: they also received a free cruise.

When Selfa disappears on their first day at sea, Mercedes and Javier begin to wonder if their presence on the cruise is more than coincidence. Mercedes confides her worries to her husband, but he convinces her that it’s all in her head.

However, when Javier dies under mysterious circumstances after disembarking in Havana, and Nolan is nowhere to be found, Mercedes scrambles through the city looking for him, fearing her suspicions were correct all along.

My Thoughts:

This one took me on an emotional ride.  I was not expecting that, but I have to say I enjoyed this read.  It shows how secrets can come to the surface even when you think they're burried.  

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads


Book Links:
Amazon: https://a.co/d/81gdI1X

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/death-under-the-perseids/id1557163005

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-under-the-perseids-teresa-dovalpage/1138980118?ean=9781641294058

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Teresa_Dovalpage_Death_under_the_Perseids?id=GBsiEAAAQBAJ

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/death-under-the-perseids

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/death-under-the-perseids-by-teresa-dovalpage

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59109228-death-under-the-perseids

**Don’t miss the rest of the series!**

Find them on Amazon-

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0881XQZPK

About the Author

Writer, translator and college professor, Teresa Dovalpage is a Cuban transplant firmly rooted in New Mexico. She is the author of twelve novels, among them the Havana Mystery series, three short story collections and four theater plays. She lives with her husband, one dog and too many barn cats. Her website is  http://teredovalpage.com



Author Links

Website * Facebook * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Website: https://teredovalpage.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dovalpage

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/teresa-dovalpage

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001K93DCW

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1214980.Teresa_Dovalpage




Giveaway

A hardcover copy of Death under the Perseids,

$10 Amazon giftcard – 1 winner each!

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://bit.ly/LastSeenInHavanaTour