Savvy Saturday: New Year's Ebook Giveaway

This week on Savvy Saturday we have a bunch of ebooks to giveaway!! Let's see what you can win, and then enter below! One winner per book will be chosen Friday the 12th.

A Sister's Secret

Brooke Rawlings's life is turned upside down after the death of her sister. Brooke's life as a tough investigative reporter hasn't prepared her for the challenge of being the guardian of her teenaged nephew Jeremy. When he withdraws from everyone, Jeremy's oh-so-attractive-but-arrogant teacher, Matthew Grant, is concerned that Jeremy is involved with drugs. While investigating Jeremy's behavior, Brooke and Matthew uncover surprising information about her sister's death and the disappearance of another student. She soon comes to realize there was much more to her sister than met the eye. Can she unravel the web of secrets and lies and find happiness with the man at the top of her suspect list?

Blade Dancer

Emerging from an ancient civil war with only a patchwork of once-powerful technologies, the Qurls are threatened by new weapons in the hands of old enemies. Driven by the guilt of a comrade’s death, Mikial reaches out through her own divided heritage to discover the humans behind the guns. The one enemy she didn’t expect to face was her own people. The one ally she didn’t plan on being saved by was human.

D.I.C.K.s Case One: Holy Murder

Three friends and co-workers stumble upon a murder. They decide to hide the body until they can find their kidnapped Pastor before he meets the same fate. With humor and a little love along the way, the newly formed D.I.C.KS., Dames Investigating Crimes and Killers, stumble upon a prescription drug ring that leads them to break and enter buildings, follow criminals to an adult bookstore, and be betrayed by the most unlikely of suspects.

Dawn of Love

Fiona would sooner risk the wrath of a legendary beast than submit to the brigands who chase her to the walls of Burgis Keep. There, she finds herself under the protection of the most unlikely guardian. When the rumors of a vampire stalking the halls of the crumbling castle prove true, will she have the courage to discover the truth of the curse?

The Beast of Burgis Keep likes his privacy. Cursed by the gods seven hundred years ago, Alasdair is almost a vampire, but fights his ever present hunger with each breath. Until Fiona Buchanan stumbles into his castle. She calls to him like no other woman has, and he is lost when confronted with her subtle beauty and ever-present charm.

A legend exists which speaks of a way free of his bloody curse, but is Alasdair capable of trusting Fiona enough to find the path to love?

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Review of A Wicked Truth by Kelli Keith

Name:
Kelli Keith

Date:
November 12, 2017

Book Title:
A Wicked Truth (Book 3 in the Cady Delafield Series)

Book Author:
Joyce Proell

Date of Publication:
September 7, 2015

Number of Pages:
284

Main Characters:
Arcadia “Cady” Delafield is the administrator for the Women’s Prepartory School. With the wedding date set, one nefarious act after another threatens her happily ever after.

Doyle Flanagan is a wealthy businessman continuously cloaked in controversy. He was shunned from high society when his wife’s, Millicent, suicide was investigated as a murder—with him as the prime suspect. After his name was cleared, life seemed to be getting back to normal, when he is drawn into a new mystery.

Other Important Characters:
Sophie Newberg was the best friend of Doyle’s deceased wife. She comes to him seeking help in locating her missing sister.

Inspector Jack Dinsmore is the lead detective on the kidnapping and homicide cases.

Faith and Hope Delafield are twins and sisters to Cady.

Victor Masters is the voice coach to Sarah and Faith. He is also the unwitting liaison for the kidnappings.

Hollis Grover is a greasy conman climbing the societal ladder along with his brother, John (Grover) Gilbert. Gilbert is the long-time foe of Doyle, seeking revenge any chance he can.

Setting:
Chicago, Illinois; May, 1881.

Synopsis:
Young girls are being kidnapped into a brothel to service Chicago’s elite. When someone from Doyle Flanagan’s past requests his assistance, he becomes a reluctant detective into the seedy underworld of human trafficking, brothels, and cover-ups. When Cady’s sister becomes a victim, time is running out to solve the crime. Is it revenge against Doyle or happenstance?

Key Points/Conflict:
It should be noted that I have read the other two books in the series and will attempt a standalone review of A Wicked Truth.

Book 3 of the Cady Delafield series begins by setting a scene within a brothel. A young girl awakes, groggy and disoriented, only to remember she has been sexually assaulted and is now being held captive. A portly man (Police Chief, Vernon Lester) enters the room to repeat the previous night’s escapades, which robbed the girl of her innocence. Armed with only a weapon of opportunity, she stabs the man. The girl’s captor enters and throws her, causing her death. The captor disposes of Vernon and Sarah, by the river.

Doyle Flanagan is visited by Sophie Newberg, a friend from his past. She is seeking his assistance in locating her missing sister, Sarah. Rumors were flying that Sarah had run away with Patrick Driscoll, to elope. Due to Sophie and Sarah’s elite status in society, going to the police was out of the question. Doyle agreed to help because his sister is roughly the same age and he would hope someone would help if it were she that was missing. All the while, Doyle and Cady are planning a wedding for June 18th, much to the dismay of Cady’s grandmother.

We are introduced to Hollis and John (Grover) Gilbert, two half-brothers who have conned their way into a societal position. They began with nothing, scheming and lying their way to the top. Hollis is the mastermind behind all the dirty dealings, while John is the one who arranges for the kidnappings. We learn they are responsible for Sarah’s death and are on the lookout for a new virgin to service their clients. While John seems hesitant and quick to blame Hollis’s temper for the snafu, he goes along with the plan, especially because it may exact revenge on his main rival, Doyle Flanagan.

Detective Jack Dinsmore is the lead homicide officer on the cases. He enlists Doyle’s help to question Sarah’s family and on the cases in general. Sarah’s family decided to keep her death under wraps and tell people she eloped to keep suspicion and gossip at bay.

When a little girl (Molly) is kidnapped from the orphanage, John is suspected and thrown in jail. Upon his release, Cady’s sister Hope is also kidnapped. These events coincide with Cady’s grandmother having a horrible accident that results in a broken hip and a lengthy hospital stay.

With time running out to save Molly and Grace, Cady and Doyle must break societal rules to find them.

Analysis/Evaluation:

The prologue immediately draws the reader into the heart of the story, which begins May 12, 1881. Each chapter is subsequently labeled with a day of the week so the reader is able to keep close tabs on the timeline of the story. (Chapter 16, about 50% through the story, is one day short of two weeks from Sarah’s murder.) Although, this reader lost track of how many days had past!

As part of the series, this novel was the best as a standalone. The continuity was on point and the characters were well-developed. I found myself breathlessly waiting for the other shoe to drop.

When Cady’s grandmother had an accident, it felt misplaced and more like filler. Four to five chapters later, it became clear it was being used as a way to repair the damaged relationship between Doyle and Mrs. Prentice—which was necessary for a successful marriage and family life for Cady.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is, by far, my favorite out of the series. It truly stands on its own and would not require any additional reading.

A Wicked Truth is available on Amazon, Kobo, at Barnes & Noble, and at the Champagne Bookstore.

Review of Traitor Knight by Linda Workman-Crider

Book Review: Traitor Knight by Keith W. Willis

Review by: Linda Workman-Crider

Morgan James McRobbie—Knight-Commander of the Legion of Kilbourne, Viscount of Westdale, damsel defender, friend to the king, and …traitor to the kingdom?

For Morgan McRobbie, being known as the Dark Knight due to his mixed heritage wasn’t that bad, but the new double meaning that included “traitor to the kingdom” was quickly becoming an issue. This becomes obvious when he rescues Marissa from the impending jaws of a dragon, an event which she treated as almost trivial, only to be horrified at discovering the identity of her rescuer. Still Marissa agrees to the obligatory dinner to show her gratitude, which turns out to be heart-flutteringly enjoyable for the both of them, until she questions Morgan’s loyalty to Kilbourne, a matter he has made an oath to the king not to discuss. A second date finds Morgan stabbed, Marissa kidnapped by Morgan, and both of them brought face to face with the Rhuddlani spy whom Morgan was trying desperately to avoid. From here, this mostly fast-paced tale includes enough court intrigue, espionage, murder, and mayhem to satisfy the intellectual, while the seemingly star-crossed romance and well-timed humor keep the rest of us involved and entertained. This is a Knight’s tale that satisfies childhood fantasies, as well as the adult mind.

The plot-line for this book is much more intricate and detailed than I had expected. While being an excellent knight’s tale, this is also probably one of the best spy plots that I have ever read. At one point, I had a mini-mental war with myself over if this might be more of an espionage novel that could work in any setting. I was surprised that I couldn’t untangle this plot from Morgan and Kilbourne. Willis has wed them together so naturally that it felt wrong, on many levels, to try to tear them apart. If you are a plot-driven reader, this plots for you.

A quote of self-description from Morgan: “I am no spy. I don’t have the subtlety necessary for intrigue. I certainly don’t have the thick skin required. Of course I’ve gotten used to the whole ‘half-breed’ thing over the years. But that’s something I have no control over—I am what I am, for good or ill.” Morgan will prove himself wrong on the first three sentences. He is delightfully rounded, containing as many human qualities as he does heroic traits.

A quote to understand Marissa: “Snaring a man is not my ambition, as you well know. And, considering the current crop of eligible men in Caerfaen,” Marissa observed with some asperity, “such a task doesn’t rate a particularly high priority. Peacocks in dress, peacocks in brains, the lot of them…” Marissa is no easy target for affection for any man, regardless of his station. Still she finds herself falling for a traitor, enough so that this damsel will desperately try to save her knight (a fact that I hope both the author and the reader will forgive me for revealing. This role reversal is just too good to leave unmentioned).

Keith W. Willis gives us almost complete backstories on our main characters. I could probably reveal more about Morgan and Marissa than I even know about some of my own family members. These characters are not just well-rounded, they are heftily weighted with history, experience, and emotion. Even the side-characters, of which there are many, hold dimension through unique traits, mannerisms, and styles of voice. They are intricate ingredients to the settings, scenes, and tone of passages. Willis creates believable textualized humans and not just merely props to propel the story. The only way a reader would avoid becoming embedding within this community, is if they suffer from anxieties which may leave them feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of people they are being surrounded with. These are not characters that are easily ignored.

I recently read an online article in The Conversation entitled, “How Kazuo Ishiguro Won the Nobel Prize in Literature – According to Research.” A portion of a quote from Ishiguro shared in this article comes to mind when I contemplate Keith W. Willis’ world-building in Traitor Knight. Kazuo Ishiguro said, “…We live in small worlds and big worlds at the same time and we can’t … forget one or the other.” Ishiguro and Willis (who graduated from Berry College with a degree in English Literature) must have this one thought, at least, in common when it comes to their writing and word-building. The world of Traitor Knight reaches outside of the bubble of our main characters, outside of court, spills out into the streets of Kilbourne, and reaches distant lands and leaders to span through time, generations, and history. On top of this expanse, lay tiny bubbles of smaller worlds, like the Legion, the Council, or the Watch. The amount of skill, effort, and talent to communicate these interconnected worlds to the reader is not small. As a creative writing student, I am in awe of Willis’ ability to keep all of these little worlds contained in a way that never harms, but only adds to, the telling of the main story. I would nominate Keith W. Willis for a Nobel Prize in world-building, if I could…though he might want to do something with the first two pages beforehand.

The first two-pages of this book are not any indication of the depths we will soon be diving within the realm of Kilbourne. In fact, the first two pages seemed a bit over-the-top and cliché. However, they are extremely important to the rest of the story. I look back upon them as a portal of sorts that allowed me entry to into Kilbourne. I view them as a key to and a caricature of the world that soon follows where humor and sharp wit abound, but where the reader has a bit of work to do to keep up. There is, as mentioned, a large number of names to keep track of, especially during a scene that contains a meeting of the Council. It is impossible to know who among these many names will be majorly important later on in the story. I feel strongly that if you are up to taking on this type of challenge, the enjoyment found in this book is well worth every effort. I also recommend buying this particular book in print form. Not only will there will be passages that you will wish to highlight and read again, I think that there is a unique quality to this book that deserves a physical presence. Keith W. Willis has earned himself a fan with Traitor Knight. I believe you may find yourself becoming a fan, too.

Traitor Knight is available for purchase on Amazon, Kobo, at Barnes & Noble, and at the Champagne Bookstore.

Review of A Burning Truth by Kelli Keith

Book Review

Name:	Kelli Keith
Date:	October 28, 2017
Book Title:	A Burning Truth (Book 2 in the Cady Delafield Series)
Book Author:	Joyce Proell
Date of Publication:	February 3, 2014
Number of Pages:	276
Main Characters:	Arcadia “Cady” Delafield is the administrator for the Women’s Prepartory School.  The devotion to her students leads Cady to unsavory places, putting her in danger.  The relationship she’s developed with Mr. Flanagan is strained and on the verge of ending. Doyle Flanagan is a wealthy businessman continuously cloaked in controversy.  He was shunned from high society when his wife’s, Millicent, suicide was investigated as a murder—with him as the prime suspect.  After his name was cleared, life seemed to be getting back to normal, when another murder occurs at his factory. Other Important Characters: Addison Brown is a dodgy English business owner (and direct competitor of Mr. Flanagan’s) that recently relocated to Chicago.  He courts Cady’s mother in a whirlwind romance that leads to an even quicker engagement. Inspector Middendorf is the lead investigator of the murder cases.  His contempt toward Flanagan, again, interferes with his objectivity.  His only goal is to arrest Flanagan and put him behind bars, forever.
Setting:	Chicago, Illinois; April, 1881.
Synopsis:	Doyle Flanagan is yet again thrust into the center of controversy.  Two murders and a theft occur at his factory, seemingly tied to the International Worker’s Party.  With union rumblings nearing an eruption, Doyle and Cady must solve the mystery behind the factory murders. They must discover the puppet master who is pulling the strings before everything comes unraveled.
Key Points/Conflict:	Five weeks after Edward Villard admits to a series of murders and ends his life, we find Cady and Doyle still recovering from the events--Cady is having nightmares and Doyle is tender from his a gunshot wound.  Just as they believe life is settling into an even pace, Doyle’s office is robbed of its accounting ledgers and the night watchman is discovered, brutally murdered.  Clues left behind at the scene point to the International Worker’s Party (IWP.)  With union rumblings on the verge of erupting, Doyle who considers himself a fair businessman, finds himself the target of their wrath.  Addison Brown has become a fixture in the Prentice household, wooing Mimi with rabid enthusiasm.  Cady and Grace are underwhelmed by the man and sense is intentions are dishonorable.  When Cady sees him exiting the infamous Hibernia Club, her suspicion is further piqued.  The involvement of a man known as Hibernia Joe (Joe Malone, owner of Hibernia Saloon,) in the murders and IWP upheaval becomes more and more evident.  Is Brown in collusion with the IWP?  Is he the puppet master? Many unanswered questions surround the Englishman. Inspector Middendorf is the lead investigator in the murders and also in charge of wrangling the IWP rallies—the biggest scheduled next to Doyle’s factory.  Although the police’s inquiries into the murders is going through the motions, there seems to be no advancement made.  Mr. Flanagan believes Middendorf’s grudge prevents him from properly investigating the matters.  As the eve of the rally looms, the suspicion, fear, and chaos intensifies.  Cady seeks out Doyle and ends up finding Mr. Brown. The intentions of Brown are revealed and he they are nefarious.  He attempts to cover his dirty deeds by disposing of Cady.  Will Doyle arrive in time to save her?
Evaluation:	Again, the reader is immediately thrust into the meat of a murder/mystery; we find our two main characters out for the evening, where they stumble upon the body of the night watchman to Doyle’s factory. This scene sets the tone for the remainder of the book.  The descriptions and dialogue are on par with the Victorian period, with some verbal anachronisms.  The characters are unevenly developed throughout the book.  Cady’s character was well defined in the first book of the series. If read as a standalone, a reader may find her character a bit flat and neurotic.  Doyle, on the other hand, is more developed and interesting.  His character takes center stage and relieves Cady of her starring role. The back-and-forth of Cady and Doyle’s relationship will give the reader whiplash.  It seems more erratic than necessary, leaving the reader to wish they would go their separate ways.  At times, the dialogue of their tiffs take away from the storyline and causes the reader to become a bit distracted. Throughout the book there were few issues with continuity, the main one in chapter 24, when Cady refers to the night watchmen as Potter instead of Tatter.  Some of the minor characters that disappeared throughout the first book did not reappear, leaving unanswered questions.  If this is read as a standalone, it is not an issue, and the reader will be none the wiser.

A Burning Truth is available on Amazon, Kobo, at Barnes & Noble, and the Champagne Bookstore.

Review of A Deadly Truth by Kelli Keith

Book Review
Name:
Kelli Keith

Date:
October 21, 2017

Book Title:
A Deadly Truth (Book 1 in the Cady Delafield Series)

Book Author:
Joyce Proell

Date of Publication:
July 1, 2013

Number of Pages:
234

Main Characters:
Arcadia “Cady” Delafield is the newly appointed administrator for the Women’s Prepartory School. Her pursuit of a career ruffles the family matriarch’s, Ophelia Prentice, feathers and is considered a near-spinster at the age of 24.

Doyle Flanagan is a wealthy businessman cloaked in controversy. He was shunned from high society when his wife’s, Millicent, suicide was investigated as a murder—with him as the prime suspect. His mother-in-law, Constance Langford, had spared no expense to sully his reputation and seek revenge for the death of her daughter.

Other Important Characters:
Inspector Middendorf is the lead investigator of the strangling cases. His contempt toward Flanagan interferes with his objectivity. His only goal is to arrest Flanagan and put him behind bars, forever.

Edward Villard is in charge at the Bank of Chicago, he his ordinary in appearance—a wolf in sheep’s clothing. A childhood rival of Flanagan, Villard has held a grudge that will ultimately be his undoing.

Setting:
Chicago, Illinois; 1881.

Synopsis:
Victorian era Chicago, was no stranger to murderous deeds. When Cady Delafield discovered the body of her student in the home of Doyle Flanagan, they accuse each other of murder. Although Mr. Flanagan is no stranger to murder allegations, having been the prime suspect in his wife’s death three years prior, Cady reluctantly joins him to hunt for the killer. Putting her reputation, career, and life at stake, Cady will stop at nothing to bring justice to her students.

Key Points/Conflict:
Cady Delafield was informed that her student, Fiona, was missing. A little investigative work leads her to the door of Doyle Flanagan. No one is home at the elaborate townhome and the door is ajar. After calling out, Cady enters to find Fiona, strangled, in the parlor. Enter Mr. Flanagan; he is startled to find the women in his home, sending a cabby to fetch the police, and frantically begins searching for clues. Cady assumes Mr. Flanagan is the murderer and reveals that Fiona left behind a note stating she was to meet someone at this address. Mr. Flanagan is arrested by Inspector Middendorf, who feels that Flanagan got away with murder three years prior, and is determined to keep him in custody this time.

When Flanagan’s salacious alibi for the prior night is confirmed, Middendorf begrudgingly releases him from custody. Cady seeks out Flanagan to ask more questions about his relationship with Fiona. In this conversation it is revealed that another of Cady’s students, Mary “Velvet” O’Hara, was also murdered—and has a connection to Flanagan. With mounting suspicion, Flanagan becomes more determined to find the killer and clear his name.

Over the course of two weeks, Cady and Flanagan push the boundaries of propriety, forming a unique bond despite the societal hurdles placed before them. Flanagan’s reputation, and their (now public) association cause many hardships that force Cady to choose between what is right and what is proper. Defying her upbringing to find the truth could lead Cady to poverty and no marital prospects. The pair gather evidence and search for witnesses.

When Flanagan’s “salacious alibi” is murdered—bringing the body count to three—it seems there is no way to exonerate him from the crimes. Cady, puts herself in danger to bring the real killer to the authorities and to clear the name of the man, with which, she is falling in love. One close call after another leads the reader on an exciting chase to find the killer.


Analysis/Evaluation:

The reader is immediately thrust into the meat of the mystery; introducing the two main characters and setting the tone for the remainder of the book. The descriptions and dialogue are on par with the Victorian period, with very few anachronisms. The characters were well defined, interesting, and the dialogue adequately highlighted the brewing chemistry between them.

Throughout the book there were issues with continuity.

• When Cady was introduced, it alternated between “Arcadia” and Acadia” so the reader may be confused as to her accurate name. 

• Ophelia was described as “raising her silver eyebrow” upon her introduction to the character list. Later, she was described as “lifting her rose eyebrow”. 

• The very first time she dressed to attend a function, the gown was described as velvet and a page later, as satin. 

• Flanagan kissed Cady, stopping himself so he would “not remove the innocence that made her so appealing”. Yet, a page later, his inner dialogue stated that they had made love. This appeared multiple times throughout the remainder of the book. 

• The necklace and pendant, found on the third victim, is referred to a bracelet in a conversation with Constance. The next sentence calls it a necklace again. 

Some of the minor characters disappear throughout the book and significant questions remain regarding the main characters, however, this is a series, so it is safe to assume these issues will be resolved later. The love portion of the story was a bit too quick-paced but, it does not detract from the actual story line (and will still satisfy admirers of the romance genre).

Overall, the book was likeable. It is apparent the author put considerable amounts of time into research of the period (and probably the H.H. Holmes murders). Despite the continuity issues, it was a good Saturday afternoon read that will remove you from reality for a spell. 

A Deadly Truth is available at Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and the Champagne Bookstore.