A Merciful Fate by Kendra Elliot ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

Title: A Merciful Fate

Author: Kendra Elliot

Release Date: January 15, 2019

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Summary

Raised by preppers, survivalist and FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick has a deep-rooted need for a safe place. Her getaway in the Cascade Foothills is her secret. But when skeletal remains are unearthed—those of a murdered man linked to a notorious heist—Mercy realizes she isn’t the only one with something to hide.

Thirty years ago, an armored-car robbery turned deadly. The mastermind was captured. Four conspirators vanished with a fortune. One of them, it appears, never made it out of the woods alive. For Mercy and her fiancé, Police Chief Truman Daly, their investigation opens old wounds in Eagle’s Nest that cut deeper than they imagined. Especially when a reckless tabloid reporter draws fresh blood. It’s clear to Mercy that somebody in this close-knit community is not who they seem to be.

Some are still shattered by the heist. Some still have reason to be afraid. But which one will kill again and again to hide three decades of secrets? To land this case, it’s up to Mercy to unmask a familiar stranger before someone else dies.

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Excerpt: A Merciful Fate by Kendra Elliot

“Sit.”

Mercy sat on a stool that was too high for the makeshift table. She didn’t care. They could sit on the ground and she’d be happy with Truman. Currently the home had plywood subfloors and open framing, but part of Mercy loved the empty, bare look; it promised that something fabulous was coming.

Fabulous and practical.

Truman leaned over and poured red wine in the plastic cup by her paper plate. She sighed and buried her nose in her cup. The fragrance was deep and bold, with hints of plum and smoke.

“Italy,” she mumbled into the wine.

“What?” asked Truman.

“I want to visit Italy. How does a honeymoon in Italy sound?”

A grin filled his face, and the sensation of butterflies fluttered up her spine.

Or maybe it’s the wine.

She took a sip of her wine as she studied his face. So familiar and dear to her.

A smile to stop traffic. Eyes that crinkled in happiness. Several scars that testified to his love of law enforcement. Her attraction to him was more than skin deep. She was in love with the person he was. He was a natural leader and easily commanded respect. His people turned to him, followed him, admired him. His natural sense of honor was a magnet for her.

No. It’s not the wine.

He gets me.

He understood how her mind worked, and they fit together like a couple of complicated puzzle pieces. She’d been painfully aware of her missing puzzle piece when he’d been taken away, chained by men planning to kill him, and then rescued thanks to Ollie. The two weeks when no one knew his fate had been the worst of her life. When he’d been returned to her, she’d known she couldn’t waste any more time.

He’d been of the same mind-set and had proposed.

“I’ll try Italy.” He dished spaghetti carbonara onto their plates.

“And what’s on your agenda for tomorrow?” he asked over the rim of his plastic cup. She perked up. “The bank confirmed the money bags are from the Gamble-Helmet Heist. And I have the go-ahead to visit Shane Gamble at the Two Rivers prison tomorrow.”

“What are your thoughts on the remains?” Truman asked. “Did the medical examiner get to them yet?”

“Yes. They spent the afternoon removing the remains, and Dr. Lockhart was going to start an examination tonight. The woman never takes time off.”

“Same could be said for you.”

“Only when I’m deep in a case.”

“I guess this means your weekends are booked for a while?”

Mercy sighed. “I know. The two of us are supposed to be working on the interior of this place … We’ll get it done at some point. It’ll have to wait awhile.”

A grin filled his face.

“What?” she asked.

“You’re not the same person I met last fall. Back then, if the cabin had been in the half-completed state it is now, you’d be climbing the walls with anxiety because your safety net wasn’t perfect.”

“You’re right,” she agreed. “I had a similar thought earlier, but nearly all my supplies are still intact, so it’d be rough living but doable. I can temporarily live with that for now. Especially with this case to distract me.”

His lips twisted.

“Jealous?” she asked with a grin. “It’s an amazing case, isn’t it?”

“It is. Considering there have been no leads for decades, and the robbery is practically modern folklore. It’s like a buried treasure hunt, and Ollie found the first clue.”

“Is Ollie okay after his morning?” she asked with a small wince. She’d nearly forgotten the teen had made the grisly discovery.

“He’s okay. I spent some time with him and he was very quiet, but I could tell he was processing it. He’s dealt with death before.”

“He’s been through a lot,” sympathized Mercy.

They silently ate for a few moments until he glanced up and caught her staring at him. Longing shone in his eyes, an appetite and craving that had nothing to do with food, and she struggled to find her breath.

How does he do that to me?

“You know,” he said, his voice low and tempting, “this place hasn’t been christened yet.”

Mercy blinked. “People do that to homes?”

Patience filled his features. “That’s not what I meant.” His brown gaze held hers.

“Ohhh,” she breathed as heat flashed through her.

“Dessert.” His smile was sinful, and energy pulsed between them.

She melted. “Yes. Dessert.”

***

Author Biography

Kendra Elliot has landed on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list multiple times and is the award-winning author of the Bone Secrets and Callahan & McLane series, as well as the Mercy Kilpatrick novels: A Merciful Death, A Merciful Truth, and A Merciful Secret. Kendra is a three-time winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award, an International Thriller Writers finalist, and an RT Award finalist. She has always been a voracious reader, cutting her teeth on classic female heroines such as Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and Laura Ingalls. She was born, raised, and still lives in the rainy Pacific Northwest with her husband and three daughters, but she looks forward to the day she can live in flip-flops. Visit her at www.kendraelliot.com.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.kendraelliot.com 

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KendraElliot

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6150778.Kendra_Elliot

Giveaway

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This giveaway is sponsored by the publisher.  Stuck In Books is not responsible for selecting the prize or delivering the prize. 

A Stuck In Books Giveaway ~ Prettyboy Must Die by Kimberly Reid

A CIA prodigy's cover is blown when he accidentally becomes an internet sensation in #Prettyboy Must Die, inspired by the #Alexfromtarget story.

When Peter Smith's classmate snaps a picture of him during a late night run at the track, Peter thinks he might be in trouble. When she posts that photo--along with the caption, "See the Pretty Boy Run,"--Peter knows he's in trouble. But when hostiles drop through the ceiling of his 6th period Chem Class, Peter's pretty sure his trouble just became a national emergency.

Because he's not really Peter Smith. He's Jake Morrow, former foster-kid turned CIA operative. After a massive screw-up on his first mission, he's on a pity assignment, a dozen hit lists and now, social media, apparently. As #Prettyboy, of all freaking things.

His cover's blown, his school's under siege, and if he screws up now, #Prettyboy will become #Deadboy faster than you can say, 'fifteen minutes of fame.' Trapped in a high school with rabid killers and rabid fans, he'll need all his training and then some to save his job, his school and, oh yeah, his life.

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Val has a hardback copy of this one to give away!

US only

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The Amateurs Series ~ New Book Coming & Giveaway

Coming November 6, 2018 for Freeform Disney Books

The stakes are higher than ever in this third installment of The Amatuers, as Aerin finds herself kidnapped by the killer she knows all too well, and her friends must work to solve a puzzle laid out by the villain in order to save her.

At first, the mystery they're tasked with seems to have nothing to do with Aerin or her kidnapper. But as Seneca, Maddox, and Madison hit the Jersey Shore to gather clues, they begin to uncover the true background of the killer and the horrors that shaped him into who he is. The scavenger hunt leads them to the family of a recently kidnapped boy, a serial child-snatcher, and dark secrets they could never have seen coming. As Aerin struggles to play nice with the person who killed her sister in order to buy herself time, her friends work feverishly against the ticking clock that could mean her life, and every clue they uncover leads Seneca to suspect she's more connected to the killer's history than she ever realized.
With nail-biting suspense, twisted secrets, and non-stop action, this final installment in #1 New York Times best-selling author Sara Shepard's The Amateurs series will shock even the savviest of readers with its big reveal.

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The series

 Click image to find more on Goodreads

Stuck In Books is pleased to host a giveaway from the publisher for the first book in this series!

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Blog Tour: Shutter by Laurie Faria Stolarz ~ Review & Giveaway

Shutter by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Source: ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

THE FACTS
• Julian Roman, age sixteen, is an escapee from the Fairmount County Juvenile Detention Facility.
• His parents, Michael Roman and Jennifer Roman, are dead.
• Julian is wanted for murder.

THE QUESTIONS
• Why is Julian Roman on the run?
• Just how dangerous is he?
• And who did kill Michael and Jennifer Roman, if not Julian?

Seventeen-year-old Day Baker views life through the lens of her camera, where perspective is everything. But photographs never tell the whole story. After Day crosses paths with Julian, the world she pictures and the truths she believes-neatly captured in black and white-begin to blur.

Julian is not the "armed and dangerous" escapee the police are searching for, but his alibis don't quite add up, either. There is more to his story. This time, Day is determined to see the entire picture . . . whatever it reveals. Did he? Or didn't he?

Day digs deeper into the case while Julian remains on the run. But the longer her list of facts becomes, the longer the list of questions becomes, too. It's also getting harder to deny the chemistry she feels for him. Is it real? Or is she being manipulated?

Day is close to finding the crack in the case. She just needs time to focus before the shutter snaps shut.

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I've been a fan of Laurie Faria Stolarz's books for a while. She's one of the authors I read back in my early YA reading days---when I went from Twilight to L.J. Smith and branched out. I have such fond memories of reading both the Blue if for Nightmares books and the Touch series, and then later Bleed, so I was super excited when I got the chance to read Shutter. Lucky for me, Shutter did not disappoint.

The premise of Shutter was intriguing. A boy on the run accused of murdering his father and the girl determined to find out what really happened. It makes for a great mystery set up and I was drawn in right away. Then as the story proceeded and more information was given and things became unclear, it was literally impossible to put this book down. I read the entire thing in one sitting. No breaks or anything.

The writing was intense and paced well. Things were revealed at appropriate times where I didn't have a chance to get disinterested in the story. I had to keep reading to find out what was true, what was twisted, and who actually murdered that man. Plus, Stolarz's writing is great in general. There's a special quality to it that makes the novel feel so well crafted---because it is. This is a well written mystery that I enjoyed.

The main characters, Day and Julian, were so interesting. Day is the girl who decided to try to uncover the truth of Julian's dad's death, and while that may seem like an unwise endeavor (because DANGER), I'm actually kind of in awe. She's smart and determined and has a strong sense of what's right and what's wrong--and she stand up for what's right and fights against what's wrong. It's admirable.

As for Julian, he's on the run and accused of murdering his father. His story is murky and dark and I felt for him so much. It was a huge need for things to turn out how they should with him that added to driving me forward while reading. He was in such a terrible situation and I wanted him to be okay. I especially enjoyed the snippets of the novel that were in Julian's point of view---his journal writings. They gave great insight into his mind, even if they weren't always clear.

The minor characters, Day's friends, were less intriguing to me and while I understand that her moments with them helped in grounding her and setting her side of the story, I wasn't a huge fan some of the moments with them. Parts were necessary to the plot, which were good, but I found it hard to care about the parts pertaining to them that didn't have to do with Julian's case. That said, I do understand why they were included and they didn't really take away from my desire to continue reading the novel. I still read it in one sitting without a problem.

Overall, Shutter is a well crafted mystery that I was unable to put down. From the first page to the last, I was utterly invested in this story. Day and Julian were deep characters with complex stories whose relationship I loved watching evolve, and the murder case was intriguing. Shutter was enjoyable and well worth the read!

4 stars - An utterly captivating mystery I was unable to put down!

~About the Author~ 

Laurie Faria Stolarz grew up in Salem, MA, attended Merrimack College, and received an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College in Boston.

Laurie Faria Stolarz is an American author of young adult fiction novels, best known for her Blue is for Nightmares series. Her works, which feature teenage protagonists, blend elements found in mystery and romance novels.

Stolarz found sales success with her first novel, Blue is for Nightmares, and followed it up with three more titles in the series, White is for Magic, Silver is for Secrets, and Red is for Remembrance, as well as a companion graphic novel, Black is for Beginnings. Stolarz is also the author of the Touch series (Deadly Little Secret, Deadly Little Lies, Deadly Little Games, Deadly Little Voices, and Deadly Little Lessons), as well as Bleed and Project 17. With more than two million books sold worldwide, Stolarz's titles have been named on various awards list.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

~Giveaway~ 

Three (3) finished copies of Shutter (US only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~Tour Schedule~ 

Week 1:

10/10: Pretty Deadly Reviews - Review
10/11: The Irish Banana Review - Q&A
10/12: A Writer Named Charley - Review
10/13: Novelgossip - Guest Post
10/14: The Worn Bookmark - Review

Week 2:
10/17: Tales of the Ravenous Reader - Review
10/18: Bibliobuli YA - Guest Post
10/19: That Artsy Reader Girl - Review
10/20: In Wonderland - Top 10
10/21: Stuck In Books - Review

Blog Tour: Madame X by Jasinda Wilder ~ Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

~ About the Book ~

Source: Print copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Madame X (Madame X #1) by Jasinda Wilder

My name is Madame X.
I’m the best at what I do.
And you’d do well to follow my rules...

Hired to transform the uncultured, inept sons of the wealthy and powerful into decisive, confident men, Madame X is a master of the art of control. With a single glance she can cut you down to nothing, or make you feel like a king.

But there is only one man who can claim her body—and her soul.

Undone time and again by his exquisite dominance, X craves and fears his desire in equal measure. And while she longs for a different path, X has never known anything or anyone else—until now...

Releases TOMORROW!

Book Links:

Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Nook | Kobo | iBooks | Books a Million

Goodreads

~ Review ~

Jasinda Wilder is one of those authors that I haven't read much of, but I really, really WANT to. I hold her in high regard and I've heard great things about her books. I've even read a couple myself, and I so enjoyed them. So when Madame X was announced, I was intrigued. I remembered thinking it sounded interesting, but it wasn't until I started READING this book that it fully hit me just how much I loved the concept. It pulled me in and held me under, literally to the point where I was up all night reading Madame X. And it was an experience well worth it.

One of the most amazing things about this novel is how beautiful crafted it is. The writing is stunning, and the storytelling in general, how the entire thing was pieced together, was genius. It was an addicting experience where I truly could not turn the page fast enough to unravel this story.

Madame X herself was fascinating, in her demeanor and memories and just HER. I liked seeing how contrasting her outer appearance could be to what was really going on inside her head. I liked seeing her grow to question things, and attempt to gain understanding to the many facets of her seemingly simplistic life that were actually complete mysteries.

This novel in general is very mysterious. The characters, the story. Madame X doesn't know much about herself at all, and she doesn't know much more about the people around her. She knows how to handle herself, and as the story progresses she stands up for herself and pushes to learn more about what is important to her. That mysterious factor, and that urge to learn about everything, gave Madame X an addicting quality that I enjoyed.

I can't say much about the other characters. The most prominent of characters other than Madame X is Caleb, and he... well. I don't think I like him. But I'm fascinated by him anyway. Which probably isn't good, because the more I learn about him, the more twitchy I get. However, there could be hope for him in the next two books. I'm not sure yet. For now, I guess I love the puzzle he poses but dislike what he DOES.

There's another character who comes into play later in the story, and I'm not going to say much about him because of his lateness to enter and how much of a game changer he has been and may continue to be, but I will say that I am such a fan of him. He lit up the story in a way I was hoping for.

Madame X is a gorgeously written, captivating novel that had me up all night flying through the pages. Jasinda Wilder has knocked it out of the park with this one, and I cannot WAIT to see what comes next!

4 stars - A stunning, edgy story that had me captivated!

~ Excerpt ~

A knock on the door, the silent swing of hinges, and then heat and hardness behind me, a faint but intoxicating hint of cologne, the creak of leather. Hands on my waist, lips at my neck. Breath on my skin.

I don’t dare tense, don’t dare suck in a sharp breath of fear. I don’t dare pull away.

Strong, hard, powerful hands twist me in place, and an index finger touches my chin, lifts my face, tilts my gaze. I cannot breathe, don’t dare, haven’t been given permission.

“You are lovelier than ever, X.” A deep, smooth, cultured voice, like the purr of a finely tuned engine.

“Thank you, Caleb.” My own voice is quiet, careful, my words chosen and precise.

“Scotch.” The command is a murmur, barely audible.

I know how to prepare it: a cut-crystal tumbler, a single ice cube, thick amber liquid an inch from the top. I offer the tumbler and wait, keep my eyes downcast, hands behind my back.

“You were too harsh on Jonathan.”

“I must respectfully disagree.”

“His father expects results.”

I bristle, and it does not go unnoticed. “Have I ever failed to produce results?”

“You sent him away after less than an hour.”

“He wasn’t ready. He needed to be shown his faults. He needs to understand how much he has to learn.”

“Perhaps you’re right.” Ice clinks, and I take the empty tumbler, set it aside, and force myself to remain in place, force myself to keep breathing and remind myself that I must obey. “I didn’t come here to discuss Jonathan Cartwright, however.”

“I suppose not.” I shouldn’t have said that. I regret it as soon as the words tumble free.

My wrist bones scrape together under a crushing grip. Hard dark eyes find mine, piercing and frightening. “You suppose not?”

I should beg forgiveness, but I know better. I lift my chin and meet those cold, cruel, intelligent dark eyes. “You know I will fulfill the contract. That’s all I meant.”

“No, that isn’t all you meant.” A hand passes through artfully messy black hair. “Tell me what you really meant, X.”

I swallow hard. “You’re here for what you always want when you visit me.”

“Which is?” A warm finger touches my breastbone, slides into the valley of my cleavage. “Tell me what I want.”

“Me.” I whisper it, so not even the walls can hear.

“All too true.” My skin burns where that strong finger with its manicured nail traces a cutting line up to my shoulder. “You test my patience, at times.”

I stand stock-still, not even breathing. Breath whispers across my neck, huffs hot on my nape, and fingers toy with the zipper of my dress.

“I know,” I say.

And then, just when I expect to feel the zipper slide down my spine, body heat recedes and that hot breath now laced with hints of scotch is gone, and a single word sears my soul:

“Strip.”

My tongue scrapes over dry lips, and my lungs constrict, protesting my inability to breathe. My hands tremble. I know this is expected of me, and I cannot, dare not resist, or protest. And . . . part of me doesn’t want to. But I wish . . . I wish for the freedom to choose what I want.

I have hesitated too long.

“X. I said . . . strip.” The zipper slides down to between my shoulder blades. “Show me your skin.”

Reaching behind my back, I lower the zipper to its nesting place at the base of my spine. Hard, insistent hands assist me in brushing the sleeves from my shoulders, down my arms, and then the dress is floating to the floor at my feet. That’s all the help I’ll get. I know from long experience that I must make a show of what comes next.

I turn my head, and see tanned skin and the perpetual two-day stubble on a refined, powerful jawline, sharp cheekbones, firm, thin lips, black eyes like voids, eyes that drip desire. My hair drapes over one shoulder. I lift one knee so my now-bare toes touch the gleaming teak, curl my shoulders in, let my gaze show my vulnerability. With a deep breath, I unhook my bra, let the garment fall away.

I reach for my underwear.

“No,” comes the purr, “leave them. Let me.”

I let my fingers graze my thighs, wait. My underwear slides down slowly, and where fingers touch, so too do lips, hot and damp, touching my skin, and I cannot flinch, cannot pull away or express how badly I want only to be alone, to even once have the right to want something else.

But I do not have that right.

~ About the Author ~

Jasinda Wilder is a New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, bestselling author. She is a Michigan native and currently lives there with her family. Visit her official website at jasindawilder.com.

Author Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

~ Giveaway ~

There's a tour-wide giveaway for 5 signed copies of Madame X, along with a tote bag and lip balm! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below! :)

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Cover reveal ~ Breaking Glass by Lisa Amowitz

Available July 9, 2013

 

Breaking Glass

by Lisa Amowitz

On the night seventeen-year-old Jeremy Glass winds up in the hospital with a broken leg and a blood alcohol level well above the legal limit, his secret crush, Susannah, disappears. When he begins receiving messages from her from beyond the grave, he's not sure whether they're real or if he's losing his grip on reality. Clue by clue, he gets closer to unraveling the mystery, and soon realizes he must discover the truth or become the next victim himself.

Title: Breaking Glass

Author: Lisa Amowitz

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

ISBN: 978-1-937053-38-3

Release Date: July 9, 2013

Formats: Paper, e-book

Genre: Young Adult paranormal mystery

  

So this one looks interesting.  I'm not usually a mystery reader but this one draws my interest.  Gonna need to read it! 

 

What do you think?  Let me know.