Category: book releases

Upcoming new book release: ‘The Devil May Dance: A Novel’ by Jake Tapper

‘The Devil May Dance: A Novel’ by Jake Tapper will be released on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. Photo: amazon

Jake Tapper is an American journalist and author. He is the Lead Washington Anchor for CNN and hosts the weekday television news show The Lead with Jake Tapper and co-hosts the Sunday morning public affairs program State of the Union. He is the author of “The Hellfire Club” which is being turned into a TV series by HBO Max and “The Outpost,” which became a celebrated film release in 2020. In his new book “The Devil May Dance: A Novel” (Charlie and Margaret Marder Mystery), Charlie and Margaret discover the dark side of Hollywood. It will be released on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. (amazon, 2021)

In “The Devil May Dance: A Novel,” Charlie and Margaret Marder, political stars in 1960s Washington DC, know all too well how the tangled web of power in the nation’s capital can operate. But while they long to settle into the comforts of home, Attorney General Robert Kennedy has other plans. He needs them to investigate a potential threat not only to the presidency, but to the security of the United States itself.

Charlie and Margaret quickly find themselves on a flight to sunny Los Angeles, where they will face off against a dazzling world of stars and studios. At the center of their investigation is Frank Sinatra, a close friend of President John F. Kennedy and a rumored mob crony, whom Charlie and Margaret must befriend to get the inside scoop. But in a town built on illusions, where friends and foes all look alike, nothing is easy, and drinks by the pool at the Sands and late-night adventures with the Rat Pack soon lead to a body in the trunk of their car. Before they know it, Charlie and Margaret are being pursued by sinister forces from Hollywood’s stages to the newly founded Church of Scientology, facing off against the darkest and most secret side of Hollywood’s power.

As the Academy Awards loom, and someone near and dear to Margaret goes missing, Charlie and Margaret find the clock is not only ticking but running out. Someone out there knows what they have uncovered and cannot let them leave alive. Corruption and ambition form a deadly mix in this fast-paced sequel to “The Hellfire Club.”

2021-05-11T13:47:00

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Release of ‘The Devil May Dance: A Novel’ by Jake Tapper

Book review: ‘From Ashes to Song’ by Hilary Hauck

‘From Ashes to Song’ by Hilary Hauck. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Hilary Hauck is a writer and translator whose work has appeared in the Mindful Writers Retreat Series anthologies, the Ekphrastic Review, Balloons Lit. Journal, and the Telepoem Booth. She moved to Italy from her native UK as a young adult, where she mastered the language, learned how to cook food she can no longer eat, and won a karate championship. After meeting her husband, Hilary came to the US and drew inspiration from Pennsylvania coal history, which soon became the setting for her debut novel, “From Ashes to Song.” Inspired by true events, “From Ashes to Song” is a story of unconventional love, hope, and the extraordinary gifts brought to America by ordinary people in the great wave of immigration.

“From Ashes to Song” begins in the family vineyard in Piedmont, Italy in 1911. Pietro’s idyllic life revolves around music and vineyards. He plays the clarinet and he is practicing his first composition that he wants to play at the end of harvest celebration. His grandfather, who he calls Nonno, has taught him everything he knows about music and Pietro is nervous about playing it for him first. His perfect life starts to unravel when news of a deadly disease spreading through the countryside reaches their vineyard. The family has no choice but to burn it and brokenhearted, Pietro’s grandfather passes away. Now that he has lost the two most important things in his life, Pietro leaves for America to start a new life. Faced with the grueling life of a miner in Pennsylvania, Pietro puts music on the backburner but when he meets Assunta, a friend’s wife, she becomes his musical muse. Admiring her from a distance, he begins writing music again but the harsh realities of everyday life threaten to end his musical aspirations for good. The story ends in 1952 as the years have taken their toll on Pietro but not before he experiences music’s amazing power to heal the soul. He develops miner’s lung, which affects his ability to play his clarinet: “whistling and wheezing filled his ears, drowning out the music.” He passes away peacefully surrounded by family, which by this point includes Assunta as his wife.

“From Ashes to Song” is a beautifully written novel that perfectly captures the hardships of turn of the century immigrant life in Pennsylvania. Using charming and lyrical prose which includes music metaphors: “From the vantage point of the courtyard, the hills rolled like the rise and fall of a tempo…,” the reader is immersed in Pietro and Assunta’s daily struggles to create a better life. The story is written in third person point of view and alternates between Pietro and Assunta; two separate stories until they collide in Pennsylvania. Helped along by exquisite poetic language, the story flows effortlessly through the pages until its heartbreaking yet happily ever after ending. The in-depth character development creates characters that are relatable and by the end, it is hard not to get emotionally invested in their turbulent lives. Throughout the years, Pietro is distant and patient with Assunta but after going through so much loss in their lives, when he finally plays his clarinet for Assunta, their relationship begins to heal: “Doubts and sorrow erased like a message drawn in the sand on an incoming tide.” Since it is inspired by true events, this story of heart break, survival, and triumph of the human experience might resonate with anyone with Italian ancestors. “From Ashes to Song” by Hilary Hauck is a captivating novel that combines the beauty of the Italian countryside and the determination of immigrants to build a better life in a foreign land. It is recommended for fans of historical fiction who appreciate the importance that music can play in someone’s life.

“He just played, eyes closed, his heart aching yet healing at the same time. Him, his clarinet, love. If his music had ever had the power to heal, now was the time to wield it for this woman he loved, who tolerated him by her side.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Upcoming new book release: ‘The Premonition’ by Michael Lewis

Michael Lewis’ new book ‘The Premonition’ will be released on May 4, 2021. Photo: amazon

Michael Lewis is the best-selling author of “The Undoing Project,” “Liar’s Poker,” “Flash Boys,” “Moneyball,” “The Blind Side,” “Home Game,” and “The Big Short,” among other works. He is a columnist for Bloomberg View and a contributing writer to Audible. His articles have also appeared in Vanity Fair, The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, Gourmet, Slate, Sports Illustrated, Foreign Affairs, and Poetry Magazine. In his new book “The Premonition: A Pandemic Story” he writes about how for those who could read between the lines, the censored news out of China was terrifying; but the president insisted there was nothing to worry about.  It will be released Tuesday, May 4, 2021. (amazon, 2021)

Fortunately, there are those among us who study pandemics and are willing to look unflinchingly at worst-case scenarios. Michael Lewis’ taut and brilliant nonfiction thriller pits a band of medical visionaries against the wall of ignorance that was the official response of the Trump administration to the outbreak of COVID-19.

The characters you will meet in these pages are as fascinating as they are unexpected. A thirteen-year-old girl’s science project on transmission of an airborne pathogen develops into a very grown-up model of disease control. A local public-health officer uses her worm’s-eye view to see what the CDC misses, and reveals great truths about American society. A secret team of dissenting doctors, nicknamed the Wolverines, has everything necessary to fight the pandemic: brilliant backgrounds, world-class labs, prior experience with the pandemic scares of bird flu and swine flu…everything, that is, except official permission to implement their work.

Michael Lewis is not shy about calling these people heroes for their refusal to follow directives that they know to be based on misinformation and bad science. Even the internet, as crucial as it is to their exchange of ideas, poses a risk to them. They never know for sure who else might be listening in.

2021-05-04T13:21:00

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Upcoming new release: ‘Moonlighting: An Oral History’ by Scott Ryan

‘Moonlighting: An Oral History’ will be released on June 1, 2021. Photo: amazon

Scott Ryan is the managing editor of The Blue Rose Magazine and the author of “thirtysomething at thirty: an oral history” and “The Last Days of Letterman.” He wrote about his bad luck in twenty comic short stories – Scott Luck Stories. Ryan is also the director of A Voyage to Twin Peaks and the host of The Red Room Podcast. His new book “Moonlighting: An Oral History,” tells the real story of the pioneering television series and the extraordinary behind-the-scenes challenges, battles, and rewards. It will be out on Tuesday, June 1 and is available for pre-order on amazon. (Black Château, 2021)

In “Moonlighting: An Oral History,” Actress Cybill Shepherd speaks openly for the first time about her time on Moonlighting, the pioneering television series broadcast by ABC in the 80s. Published by Fayetteville Mafia Press, the book also includes the memories of the creator, other stars, and the many key collaborators responsible for this benchmark of television history.

To get the details about the five-season saga, Ryan interviewed over twenty crew members. Among them are Glenn Gordon Caron, creator of Moonlighting, as well as the actors, writers, directors, and producers who made the TV series such a dynamic and unforgettable comedy-drama. Actors Cybill Shepherd, Allyce Beasley, and Curtis Armstrong are among those who speak openly to him about their time on the show. The fourteen chapters capture the initial excitement of the people making the series as well as the pain and sorrow of the creative and personal discord that tore it apart and doomed it. 

Author Scott Ryan promises readers, “Anyone who has any passing knowledge of how television is made, or who wants to know the truth about one of the most popular TV shows of all time, is going to be blown away by the stories of how Moonlighting was made.”

Aired from 1985 to 1989 on ABC, Moonlighting helped pave the way for today’s era of prestige television. Among the most buzzed-about shows in the country, it won three Golden Globe Awards. This was due largely to the bravado of creator Glenn Gordon Caron, who never met a TV-storytelling convention he did not want to break, as well as the sizzling on-screen chemistry between its unforgettable main characters: glamorous erstwhile film star Maddie Hayes (played by Cybill Shepherd) and irreverent private eye David Addison (played by an unknown New Jersey bartender named Bruce Willis). Their ceaseless bickering and flirting onscreen, and their epic battles off-screen, remain the substance of Hollywood legend.

 

“I will trust you to get this wonderful book, and delve into its pages to discover from multiple perspectives the ironic details of the behind the scenes machismo of this onscreen feminist fantasy.” – Martha Nochimson, Film Critic and Writer, 

 

Fayetteville Mafia Press is a dynamic new independent publishing house focusing on producing high-quality nonfiction books of all types by authors with distinctive voices and original insights into the world around them. The company specializes in pop culture, true crime, and sports. 

2021-06-01T11:07:00

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Upcoming new release: ‘Good Lookin” by T.L. Bequette

‘Good Lookin’,’ T.L. Bequette’s debut novel, will be out Monday, May 24, 2021. Photo: amazon

T.L. Bequette is a criminal defense attorney with degrees from The University of the Pacific and Georgetown Law School. He serves annually on faculty of the Stanford Law School Trial Advocacy Clinic.  Located in Oakland, California, most of his practice involves defending Oakland youths accused of murder. His writing is fueled by the criminal justice system’s need for reform and two decades of defending America’s youth on the front lines. Bequette’s writing is inspired by his time in the courtroom where he has tried more than 20 murder cases. His skill in delivering closing arguments and presenting the stories of his clients to the jury make him a master storyteller. “Good Lookin’” is his debut novel and weaves his expertise from the courtroom into the pages of a thrilling mystery. “Good Lookin’: A Joe Turner Mystery” will be out on May 24th, 2021 and is written from the protagonist’s first-person perspective and will hook readers with its storyline, authenticity, and unexpected twists and turns. It is available for pre-order in paperback and digital formats on Amazon. (Black Château, 2021)

“Good Lookin’” – From the gang-ravaged streets of inner-city Oakland to the rolling hills of Berkeley, California, attorney Joe Turner defends the most hardened criminals. Yet his latest case, representing Darnell Moore, a 19-year-old accused of a drive-by murder, seems impossible to unravel. Joe believes in his client’s innocence, but the defense is baffled by the snitch culture of the Oakland streets. Darnell refuses Joe’s pleas to name the actual shooter for fear of reprisal against his family.

A parallel story from twelve years ago follows the struggles of the identical twins Damon and Jesse, who suffer under the thumb of an abusive foster dad. The boys are forced to work, forage for food in dumpsters, and endure the random shoulder-punches of their beer-swilling guardian. They are reluctant to report the abuse for fear they will be separated, but eventually, retribution proves deadly. Over a decade later, the twins’ path crosses Darnell’s and the two tales merge into a rousing denouement of self-defense and vigilante justice.

At the heart of Bequette’s debut novel is a decade-old murder and a tangled web of family, loyalty, and devotion that has the trial hanging in the balance. “Good Lookin’,” the shorthand street term for “good lookin’ out,” examines the challenges of protecting a loved one in the snitch culture of the streets—all through the prism of the unique bond of twins.

“Good Lookin’” is a “zesty, addictive tale that incorporates plenty of criminal hijinks and courtroom melodrama and will satisfy fans of suspense novels and literary crime dramas.” – Kirkus Reviews

2021-05-24T13:25:00

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Upcoming new release: ‘Complicit’ by Amy Rivers

‘Complicit’ by Amy Rivers will be released on Tuesday, April 20, 2021. Photo: amazon

Amy Rivers writes novels, short stories, and personal essays and holds degrees in psychology and political science, two topics she loves to write about. She is the Director of Northern Colorado Writers. Her novel “All The Broken People” was recently selected as the Colorado Author Project winner in the adult fiction category. She has been published in We Got This: Solo Mom Stories of Grit, Heart, and Humor, Flash! A Celebration of Short Fiction, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inspiration for Nurses, and Splice Today, as well as Novelty Bride Magazine and ESME.com. Her new novel, “Complicit (A Legacy of Silence) is a tangled web of deception where predators are shielded by respectability and no one is safe. It is the first book in the A Legacy of Silence series and will be released on Tuesday, April 19, 2021. (amazon, 2021)

In “Complicit,” Kate Medina had been working as a forensic psychologist and loving every minute until a violent attack left her shaken to the core. Retreating to her hometown where it is safe, she accepts a job where the prospect of violence is slim to none. As a high school psychologist, Kate tends to the emotional needs of the students. It is not the career she envisioned for herself.

Five years later a student disappears, leaving the school in crisis and Kate at the helm of another traumatic event. Roman Aguilar, the lead detective, reaches out to Kate for assistance. Kate’s position at the school and her training make her an ideal ally, but her complicated relationship with Roman puts them at odds.

When the girl’s body is found, it changes the focus of the investigation to homicide and Kate finds herself in the middle of a situation she never anticipated. What started as her desire to help puts Kate directly in the crosshairs of an enemy who remains largely in shadows. As her past and present collide, Kate is dragged into the middle of a dangerous game where only one thing is clear-no one can be trusted.

2021-04-20T10:00:00

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Upcoming new release: ‘I Am a Girl from Africa’ by Elizabeth Nyamayaro

‘I Am a Girl from Africa’ is Elizabeth Nyamayaro memoir and first book. Photo: amazon

Elizabeth Nyamayaro is an award-winning humanitarian and former United Nations Senior Advisor on Gender Equality. Born in Zimbabwe, Elizabeth has worked at the forefront of global development for over two decades improving the lives of underserved populations and has held leadership roles at the World Bank, World Health Organization, UNAIDS, and UN Women. “I Am a Girl from Africa,” the inspiring journey of a girl from Africa whose near-neath experience sparked a dream that changed the world, is her first book. It will be released on Tuesday, April 20, 2021. (amazon, 2021)

When severe draught hit her village in Zimbabwe, Elizabeth, then eight, had no idea that this moment of utter devastation would come to define her life purpose. Unable to move from hunger, she encountered a United Nations aid worker who gave her a bowl of warm porridge and saved her life. This transformative moment inspired Elizabeth to become a humanitarian, and she vowed to dedicate her life to giving back to her community, her continent, and the world.

Grounded by the African concept of ubuntu—’I am because we are’—”I Am a Girl from Africa” charts Elizabeth’s quest in pursuit of her dream from the small village of Goromonzi to Harare, London, New York, and beyond, where she eventually became a Senior Advisor at the United Nations and launched HeForShe, one of the world’s largest global solidarity movements for gender equality. For over two decades, Elizabeth has been instrumental in creating change in communities all around the world; uplifting the lives of others, just as her life was once uplifted. The memoir brings to vivid life one extraordinary woman’s story of persevering through incredible odds and finding her true calling—while delivering an important message of hope and empowerment in a time when we need it most.

 

2021-04-20T14:29:00

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Book review: ‘Fatal Intent’ by Tammy Euliano

‘Fatal Intent’ is Tammy Euliano’s debut novel. Photo: amazon

Tammy Euliano, MD is a practicing anesthesiologist and tenured professor at the University of Florida. In addition to a prolific list of academic publications, YouTube teaching videos, and numerous teaching awards, she has also written award-winning short fiction. In her debut novel “Fatal Intent,” anesthesiologist Dr. Kate Downey must confront difficult situations when her elderly patients start dying at home days after minor surgery; is it end of life care, or assisted death.

“Fatal Intent” begins as anesthesiologist Dr. Kate Downey begrudgingly begins her Sunday by going to church with her great-aunt Irm. While there, Kate finds out that the VIP patient she was taking care of at the hospital has died days after being discharged, just like one of her neighbors who was also one of Kate’s patients. When she brings this information up to the surgeon who performed the surgeries, Dr. Charles Ricken, he ends up blaming her. Since she is currently on probation, her career is in jeopardy but she is determined to find out why patients are dying after they are sent home from the hospital. To make matters worse, her husband Greg is in a prolonged coma and his brother Adam is constantly urging her to pull the plug. Together with her Great Aunt Irm, a precocious medical student named Jenn, and Christian, the lawyer son of a victim, Kate launches her own unorthodox investigation of these unexpected deaths. As she comes closer to exposing the killer’s identity, she faces professional intimidation, threats to her life, a home invasion, and the suspicious death of someone close to her. The stakes escalate to the breaking point when Kate, under violent duress, is forced to choose which of her loved ones to save—and which must be sacrificed.

Some of the most authentic novels come from authors who write about what they know. Since the author is an anesthesiologist, this gives her outstanding debut novel the authenticity it needs to deliver an exciting medical mystery drama. It gives readers an intriguing look at the inner workings of hospitals, namely, after a patient dies, the staff holds a “root cause analysis” meeting where they analyze what happened. By using descriptive language “I ran down the hall, holding onto my bouncing lanyard,” readers can picture the drama unfolding in hospital hallways. When Kate gets overwhelmed and anxiety rolls in, “There was no air. I was suffocating. My heart pounded, faster and faster,” anyone who has been in such situations can relate. Written in the first person point of view, it contains likeable and relatable characters and the story flows easily from page to page. The action intensifies during Chapter Fifty when Kate is lured to the hospital basement and is forced to choose between saving her Aunt Irm, her friend Christopher, or her husband Greg. In the end, the killer turns out to be someone who was hired by relatives of ailing patients to “euthanize” them.  Aside from being a medical suspense novel, “Fatal Intent” deals with difficult end-of-life issues. In the Author’s Note at the end, Tammy Euliano stresses that her hope is that it will start an open dialogue about such issues and prompt families to consider Living Wills and Health Care Surrogates and directs readers to where they can find more information.  “Fatal Intent” is a must-read thrilling medical mystery novel and is recommended for fans of Robin Cook and Tess Gerritsen who appreciate medical thrillers. Hopefully, there will be more in the future.

“I broke down in his arms, overwhelmed by utter exhaustion and crippling guilt. But Aunt Irm and Christian had suffered too. Would my grief over Greg be construed as regret over the decision?”

 *The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

New book release: ‘The God Equation’ by Michio Kaku

‘The God Equation’ is the new book by renowned theoretical physicist and bestselling author Michio Kaku. Photo: amazon

Michio Kaku is a professor of theoretical physics at the City University of New York, co-founder of string field theory, and the author of several widely acclaimed science books, including “Beyond Einstein,” “The Future of Humanity,” “The Future of the Mind,” “Hyperspace,” “Physics of the Future,” and “Physics of the Impossible.” He is the science correspondent for CBS This Morning, the host of the radio programs Science Fantastic and Exploration, and a host of several science TV specials for the BBC and the Discovery and Science Channels. His new book “The God Equation: The Quest for a Theory of Everything” tells the story of the greatest quest in all of science. (amazon, 2021)

“The God Equation” – When Newton discovered the law of gravity, he unified the rules governing the heavens and the Earth. Since then, physicists have been placing new forces into ever-grander theories. But perhaps the ultimate challenge is achieving a monumental synthesis of the two remaining theories—relativity and the quantum theory. This would be the crowning achievement of science, a profound merging of all the forces of nature into one beautiful, magnificent equation to unlock the deepest mysteries in science: What happened before the Big Bang? What lies on the other side of a black hole? Are there other universes and dimensions? Is time travel possible? Why are we here? Kaku also explains the intense controversy swirling around this theory, with Nobel laureates taking opposite sides on this vital question. It is a captivating, gripping story; what is at stake is nothing less than our conception of the universe. Written with Kaku’s trademark enthusiasm and clarity, this epic and engaging journey is the story of “The God Equation.” **Read an excerpt here.**

Upcoming book release: ‘A Gambling Man’ by David Baldacci

‘A Gambling Man’ by David Baldacci is due out on April 20, 2021. Photo: amazon

David Baldacci is a global #1 bestselling author and one of the world’s favorite storytellers. His books are published in over forty-five languages and in more than eighty countries with 150 million copies sold worldwide. His works have been adapted for both feature film and television. David Baldacci is also the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across America. His new book “A Gambling Man (An Archer Novel)” will be out Tuesday April 20 and features Aloysius Archer, the straight-talking World War II veteran fresh out of prison. (amazon, 2021)

In “A Gambling Man,” the 1950s are on the horizon and Archer is in dire need of a fresh start after a nearly fatal detour in Poca City. So Archer hops on a bus and begins the long journey out west to California, where rumor has it there is money to be made if you are hard-working, lucky, criminal—or all three. Along the way, Archer stops in Reno, where a stroke of fortune delivers him a wad of cash and an eye-popping blood-red 1939 Delahaye convertible—plus a companion for the final leg of the journey, an aspiring actress named Liberty Callahan who is planning to try her luck in Hollywood. But when the two arrive in Bay Town, California, Archer quickly discovers that the hordes of people who flocked there seeking fame and fortune landed in a false paradise that instead caters to their worst addictions and fears.
 
Archer’s first stop is a P.I. office where he is hoping to apprentice with a legendary private eye and former FBI agent named Willie Dash. He lands the job, and immediately finds himself in the thick of a potential scandal: a blackmail case involving a wealthy well-connected politician running for mayor that soon spins into something even more sinister. As bodies begin falling, Archer and Dash must infiltrate the world of brothels, gambling dens, drug operations, and long-hidden secrets, descending into the rotten bones of a corrupt town that is selling itself as the promised land—but might be the road to perdition, and Archer’s final resting place.

2021-04-20T09:54:00

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