Gsmc Book Review Podcast

Sarah talks about Halloween! From the origins of the holiday to children's books to cozy mysteries to paranormal romance, this episode has a little bit of a lot (not everything, but a lot). If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Please remember to subscribe and give us a nice review. This way you will always be among the first to get the latest GSMC Book Review Podcasts. We would like to thank our Sponsor: GSMC Podcast Network Advertise with US: https://gsmcpodcast.com/advertise-with-us Website: https://gsmcpodcast.com/gsmc-book-review-podcast Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/…/gsmc-book-review-po…/id1123769087 GSMC YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-EKO3toL1A Twitter: https://twitter.com/GSMC_BookReview Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GSMCBookReview/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gsmcbookreview Disclaimer: The views expressed on the GSMC Book Review Podcast are

Sarah speaks with Stephanie LaVigne about her cozy mystery, Headlines, Deadlines, and Lies: "Family secrets. A handsome crime reporter. Can a single mom solve the case before her feel-good column gets killed? Piper Harrington’s life is a blur. Between raising two kids alone and scrambling to keep up at work, she craves a chance to prove her own dreams are still valid. When she’s given her lucky break to take over a feature column at the local paper where she works, she jumps at it...even though it requires telling one teensy, tiny lie. Digging deep into the world of genealogy, she’s determined to find out about her best friend’s long-lost father for the feel-good story. It can’t be that hard to figure out! All she has to do is use a DNA Testing Kit and the Family Found genealogy website to put the pieces of her story together. But between a Type-A boss, a distracting new crime reporter, racing between school drop-offs and pickups, she discovers that some secrets want to stay buried. Can Piper uncover

Sarah speaks with Kevin D. Miller about his award winning historical fiction novel, White Skies, Black Mingo: "In Ohio Country, 1854, twelve-year-old Margaret flees a terrible epidemic devastating her Ohio Seneca clan. Mentored in the ancient arts of medicine and healing at a young age, she travels to Wheeling, Virginia, in search of a new life with her mother and Shaman grandmother. When Margaret finds herself suddenly orphaned, she is thrust into the wilderness and an impending winter storm. Abandoned amid fur trappers, wild animals, and fierce weather, she struggles to survive the treacherous journey along with her two beloved wolves, Hato and Kake. An unexpected betrayal leads Margaret into servitude on a Virginia plantation. Her captivity changes the course of her life forever and sets her on a path of mercy as a medicine woman during the darkest hour of American History--The Civil War. A chance encounter with a Union soldier leaves Margaret torn between two very different worlds and one very forbid

Sarah speaks to Sadie Hoagland about her debut novel, Strange Children: "In a polygamist commune in the desert, a fourteen-year-old boy and a twelve-year-old girl fall in love and consummate that love, breaking religious law. They are caught, and a year later, she gives birth to his father’s child while the boy commits murder four hundred miles away—a crime that will slowly unravel the community. Told by eight adolescent narrators, this is a story of how people use faith to justify cruelty, and how redemption can come from unexpected places. Though seemingly powerless in the face of their fundamentalist religion, these “strange children” shift into the central framework of their world as they come of age." If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Please remember to subscribe and give us a nice review. This way you will always be among the first to get the latest GSMC Book Review Podcasts. We

Sarah speaks with Kathleen Shoop about her historical fiction novel, The Magician: "Donora 2019, Ninety-two year old Patryk Rusek is on the run, bath-towel flying off, with nothing but his new Nikes to carry him to freedom. His plan to escape from Blue Horizon Retirement Community is in motion. Except his great-grandson Owen isn’t at the pickup point. Resigned to his fate, Patryk returns to his room and reads from his incredible hand-drawn chronicle of Donora, luring half the nursing home’s employees and residents into the room, mesmerizing them with childhood tales of Stan F. Musial, beloved baseball hall of famer. Donora 1920. Mary Musial is expecting again. After four daughters, her husband Lukasz is losing hope for a son. But Jupiter is rising when Stanisław Franciszek Musiał is born on November 21, 1920, and the midwife predicts he will live an extraordinary life. Young Stanley’s physical talents show themselves at the Polish Falcons and on the baseball field. But rather than pride, Lukasz’s spirits

Sarah speaks with Clare Whitfield about her debut novel, People of Abandoned Character: "Marry in haste... Murder at leisure? London, 1888: Susannah rushes into marriage to a young and wealthy surgeon. After a passionate honeymoon, she returns home with her new husband wrapped around her little finger. But then everything changes. Thomas's behaviour becomes increasingly volatile and violent. He stays out all night, returning home bloodied and full of secrets. The gentle caresses she enjoyed on her wedding night are now just a honeyed memory. When the first woman is murdered in Whitechapel, Susannah's interest is piqued. But as she follows the reports of the ongoing hunt for the killer, her mind takes her down the darkest path imaginable. Every time Thomas stays out late, another victim is found dead. Is it coincidence? Or is her husband the man they call Jack the Ripper?" If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries po

Sarah speaks with Gale Massey about Rising and Other Stories: "In story after story in her diverse new collection, Rising and Other Stories, Gale Massey illustrates the moments that shape and alter destiny. Bringing each to life through interconnected themes of moving water and a sense of loss, Massey shares with us an unvarnished narrative of a world that objectifies women and the strength and resourcefulness required to attempt to overcome those limitations. From the panicked mother in Racine who escapes to the ocean and a young girl's last fishing expedition with a dying father in Glass to the inevitable end in Marked and the gamble in Not so Fast, these stories show how simple twists of fate can change a person forever. Ivy Waters and Long Time Coming both explore the loss of a father in very different ways, and how the identities of the daughters are rooted in those losses. And Elise's life in Rising is told in contrasts as she develops the use of her volition to pull her toward the

Sarah speaks with D. Hale Rambo about her high fantasy debut novel, Tools of a Thief: "How do you stop being a thief? Zizy assumed quitting her job, stealing from her boss, and flitting magically across the continent was one way to give it a go. Getting in and out of sticky situations is her specialty. A little spellwork here, a little deception there and she's home free. But even a quick-fingered, fast-talking, charming gnome can find danger . . . even if she does have the skills to keep herself from getting killed. Pressed into a mission she can’t say no to, Zizy feels desperate, out of place, and as lonely as before. But when she meets a charming book hoarder with bold curiosity, Zizy can’t help but want to bring her along on this one last job. She’ll just hide her past, her present, and the complicated info about herself. What could go wrong? Either she finishes the job and protects those she loves, or it all falls apart. Is this journey the final key to unlock a new path or just another sti

Sarah speaks with Susan K. Hamilton about her paranormal romance, The Devil Inside: "Mara Dullahan is a devil with a knack for sniffing out corrupt souls. Taunted for centuries about her lack of devilish wings, Mara has something to prove―and she’s determined to become Hell’s top Sales & Acquisitions devil. But her biggest rival, Kemm, will stop at nothing to steal the coveted top spot, including uncovering her darkest secret. When Mara meets a handsome angel stuck in a dead-end job, she knows he’s the kind of trouble that could ruin all of her ambitions. After all, rumor has it that Lucifer will rip the wings off any devil who falls for an angel. But Mara’s never been one to play by the rules. As their affair intensifies, Mara’s secret life gets more and more complicated, especially when Kemm starts to suspect that there might be more than one way to bring his competition down. Cornered, Mara is forced to take drastic measures to protect her secrets―and her angel―before all Hell breaks loose.&quo

Sarah talks to Richard Paolinelli about his book Galen's Way: A Starquest 4th Age Adventure: "Millions of years in the future, humanity has been driven out of the Milky Way and now calls the Andromeda Galaxy home. Lost in their murky past are the tales of great knights that held the line against the invasion of a dark force until the rest of humanity could escape their doom. The last and greatest of these knights was Galen Underwood. Long after that heroic stand, a mercenary by the name of Galen Dwyn has been hired to rescue a kidnapped princess. Enticed by a healthy down payment and a chance to settle an old score, Galen accepts the job, only to find out it's a lot more than he bargained for. Soon Galen finds himself weaving and dodging through a web of political intrigue as the very forces that chase him have set in motion plans that will throw the galactic alliance into civil war. To his surprise, he also finds that the rescued princess might not be quite the spoiled brat he rescued from

Sarah speaks with Jodi S. Rosenfeld about her debut novel, Closer to Fine: "the story of Rachel Levine, a young, Jewish, bisexual woman finding her adult footing in a world full of uncertainties. Rachel has many teachers along the way―a stubborn grandfather, a progressive rabbi, a worldly girlfriend, a wise supervisor, and an insightful therapist―but in the end, it is her own anxiety that is the best teacher of all. As Rachel learns that accepting that which she cannot control is the mark of true growth, she becomes ever more connected to the people who matter most in her life." If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Please remember to subscribe and give us a nice review. This way you will always be among the first to get the latest GSMC Book Review Podcasts. We would like to thank our Sponsor: GSMC Podcast Network Advertise with US: https://gsmcpodcast.com/advertise-with-us Website: https:/

Sarah speaks with Seth Mullins about the first book in his Edge of the Known series, The Authors of This Dream: "Brandon Chane's life is spinning out of control. After an altercation outside a performance venue nearly proves fatal, he's feeling at the mercy of dark forces threatening to tear his life apart. Even as a gifted poet and musician, his efforts to channel pain, frustration, and thwarted love into his music may not be enough to save him. Then he meets Saul Mason, a crisis counselor with the soul of a medicine man, who insists that Brandon's life and destiny are of his own making. With Saul's wisdom and guidance, Brandon begins a turbulent path of healing and spiritual awakening. But as his band, Edge of the Known, looks forward to a high profile Battle of the Bands in NYC, heartbreak and a crisis of faith threaten to derail their first big break. Brandon finds that the dream he's worked so hard to achieve is not a cure-all for his wounds. Is there another more resoundi

Sarah speaks with Mark Leslie about the first book in his Canadian Werewolf series, A Canadian Werewolf in New York: "Michael Andrews seems to have it all. He's a successful author and a minor celebrity living in Manhattan. It's a pretty big step up from his humble Canadian upbringing. Of course, his lycanthropy poses a bit of a challenge. After waking up from his latest night of howling at the moon, he's naked, he's got a bullet hole in his leg, and he has a sneaking suspicion he ran into another wolf last night. A wolf that was stomping all over his home turf. If he's going to make an evening talk show appearance to promote his latest book, he'll need to figure out what happened the previous night without letting his occasional heroics sidetrack him. Standing in his way are an agent, an ex-girlfriend, a variety of goons, and a fellow wolf encroaching on his territory." If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or o

Sarah speaks with D. Eric Maikranz about The Reincarnationist Papers, the first book in a new series: "Discovered as three notebooks in an antique store in Rome at the turn of the millennium, The Reincarnationist Papers offers a tantalizing glimpse into the Cognomina, a secret society of people who possess total recall of their past lives. Evan Michaels struggles with being different, with having the complete memories of two other people who lived sequentially before him. He fights loneliness and believes he is unique until he meets Poppy. She recognizes his struggle because she is like him, except that she is much older, remembering seven consecutive lives. But there is something else she must share with Evan -- she is a member of the secretive Cognomina. They are, in effect, immortals -- compiling experiences and skills over lifetimes into near superhuman abilities that they have used to drive history over centuries. Poppy invites Evan into the Cognomina, but he must face their tests before entering

Sarah interviews Payal Doshi about her book, Rea and the Blood of the Nectar, the first book in her middle-grade fantasy series: "It all begins on the night Rea turns twelve. After a big fight with her twin brother Rohan on their birthday, Rea's life in the small village of Darjeeling, India, gets turned on its head. It’s four in the morning and Rohan is nowhere to be found. It hasn’t even been a day and Amma acts like Rohan's gone forever. Her grandmother, too, is behaving strangely. Unwilling to give up on her brother, Rea and her friend Leela meet Mishti Daadi, a wrinkly old fortune-teller whose powers of divination set them off on a thrilling and secret quest. In the shade of night, they portal into an otherworldly realm and travel to Astranthia, a land full of magic and whimsy. There with the help of Xeranther, an Astranthian barrow boy, and Flula, a pari, Rea battles serpent-lilies and blood-sucking banshees, encounters a butterfly-faced woman and blue lizard-men, and learns that Rohan h

Sarah interviews Carter Wilson about his suspense/thriller novel, The Dead Husband: "Twenty years ago an unspeakable tragedy rocked Rose Yates's small, affluent hometown... and only Rose and her family know the truth about what happened. Haunted by guilt, Rose escaped into a new life. Now she seems to have it all: a marriage, a son, a career. And then her husband is found dead. As far as Detective Colin Pearson is concerned, Rose is guilty. Her marriage wasn't as happy as she'd led everyone to believe, and worse, she's connected to a twenty-year-old cold case. She can play the part of the victim, but he won't let her or her family escape justice this time around. Grieving her husband and struggling to make ends meet, Rose returns home, hoping to finally confront her domineering father and unstable sister. But memories of a horrific crime echo through the house, and Rose soon learns that she can't trust anyone, especially not the people closest to her." If you enjoye

Sarah interviews Mia P. Manansala about the first book in her cozy mystery series, Arsenic and Adobo. "When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, her life seems to be following all the typical rom-com tropes. She's tasked with saving her Tita Rosie's failing restaurant, and she has to deal with a group of matchmaking aunties who shower her with love and judgment. But when a notoriously nasty food critic (who happens to be her ex-boyfriend) drops dead moments after a confrontation with Lila, her life quickly swerves from a Nora Ephron romp to an Agatha Christie case. With the cops treating her like she's the one and only suspect, and the shady landlord looking to finally kick the Macapagal family out and resell the storefront, Lila's left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Armed with the nosy auntie network, her barista best bud, and her trusted Dachshund, Longanisa, Lila takes on this tasty, twisted case and soon finds her own neck on th

Sarah and her niece, Risa, interview Christine Isley-Farmer about her children's book, Finding My Yip, the first in the Boomer's Tales series: "Boomer, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, is unable to yip. Boomer lives with Nana Weathers, a musician who possesses a magical ring. Boomer quickly bonds with Nana's nine-year-old granddaughter, Chloe, who has a stutter. Her big wish is to sing like Nana. Chloe and Boomer make new friends at dog obedience school and grow their confidence. By teaming up in the music room and gaining a little help from their friends, will Chloe and Boomer find their voices?" If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Please remember to subscribe and give us a nice review. This way you will always be among the first to get the latest GSMC Book Review Podcasts. We would like to thank our Sponsor: GSMC Podcast Network Advertise with US: https://gsmcpodcast.com/

Sarah speaks with returning guest, Kim Taylor Blakemore (Kim first joined the podcast on episode 217) about her new historical fiction thriller, After Alice Fell: "New Hampshire, 1865. Marion Abbott is summoned to Brawders House asylum to collect the body of her sister, Alice. She'd been found dead after falling four stories from a steep-pitched roof. Officially: an accident. Confidentially: suicide. But Marion believes a third option: murder." If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Please remember to subscribe and give us a nice review. This way you will always be among the first to get the latest GSMC Book Review Podcasts. We would like to thank our Sponsor: GSMC Podcast Network Advertise with US: https://gsmcpodcast.com/advertise-with-us Website: https://gsmcpodcast.com/gsmc-book-review-podcast Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/…/gsmc-book-review-po…/id1123769087 GSMC YouTube

Sarah speaks with brothers Ehsan and Shakil Ahmad about the first two books in their Wild Sun series. "On a world enslaved,, the last embers of hope are fading into an unrelenting darkness. Conquered and broken, the natives are forced to ravage their own lush planet of its natural resources—all for the glory of a mysterious empire they’ve never seen and barely comprehend. But not all light is lost. In the heart of one young woman alone, the gods have set a flame that cannot be extinguished. Cerrin remains as fierce and unyielding as the planet itself. And her chance to strike is fast approaching. Above the skies of her home world, soldiers of the empire are welcoming their new civilian commander—a vicious nobleman blinded by hidden ambitions. When the new face of darkness turns its eyes on Cerrin, the fate of countless worlds will change forever. If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Please re