Tag Archive | book-reviews

Pinnacle Book Achievement Award

Congratulations!

Your book has been chosen as one of the NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award Winners for Fall 2023.

Each year, for the past 40 years, NABE, now known as the National Association of Book Entrepreneurs, awards fine books of quality.

Her Alibi by Mary L. Schmidt has won Best Book in the Category of True Crime.

 

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badges-heralibifrontcoverfinallarge3

Thanks to NABE. 

 

Visions of her Cherokee grandmother, Cordie, flashed through Mary’s mind as her mother, Marguerite, informed her that her stepfather shot himself and was in the hospital. Oh no! Did she use me last night? She’d never use her scapegoat! No, she couldn’t! Even Marguerite wouldn’t sink that low! Or would she? Marguerite had always been abusive and vile to most people, and especially to her children and husbands, but would she shoot Harold? Chills raked Mary and triggered her shuddering. Was she more shocked that her mother shot her stepfather with murderous intent, or that she left Mary as her alibi?

03 Sept 2022

On Amazon and all stores world wide! Book Link

Her Alibi – .99 cents only. On her third marriage to this man who didn’t deserve the traumas my mother dealt him. “Chills raked Mary and triggered her shuddering. Was she more shocked that her mother shot her stepfather, or that she left Mary as her alibi?”  #TrueStory #TrueCrime #HerAlibi #murder in real life. Living with a murderer! Finally, the truth comes out about the psyche of a woman known as the “Black Widow”! I, @MaryLSchmidt , had the bollocks to write this story from the perspective being her daughter. The psyche of Marguerite is one for the books… just like the psyche of #BTK and others, I never knew the REAL danger living with this woman. No slander or libel to family as the only one who could sue me has been dead for 10 years! #RealLife #LivingWithAKiller #memoir

I just want to say that the book “Her Alibi” had to come out. Harold mattered! Everyone matters! But Harold mattered, especially to his three children, Alan, Scott, and Darrel. I don’t know your faith or what you believe, but I know what I experienced yesterday morning. I had a Heavenly visit while in my recliner. Without words, no physical anything seen, my right foot was touched with pressure for several seconds. It was Harold letting me know he felt validated, finally. He appreciated my hard work (bad memories) and effort to get this book out. I’m NOT doing this for money. I have money and I donate to many things, causes, and to people in need. But this story needed to be told. Harold mattered. If family are offended, well, not the first time, nor the last time. HAROLD MATTERED! And I hated being used as her da#m alibi. The TRUTH had to come out!

Reviewed by Astrid Iustulin for Readers’ Favorite
Stories of abuse and domestic violence always shock you when you read them. This happens to anyone who reads Mary L. Schmidt’s book, Her Alibi. Here, the author tells the story of her family, focusing in particular on the abuses of her mother, Marguerite, who had always treated her as a scapegoat. After divorcing her husband, Marguerite marries Harold (she will marry him three times, to be exact) and is most likely responsible for his death. Is it possible she used her daughter as an alibi? And how will relations between Marguerite and her children develop? Her Alibi tells a disturbing story of an abusive mother and the consequences her mental condition and behavior have on her family and children, especially the daughter she treats as a scapegoat. Mary L. Schmidt tells us this story in a way that clearly depicts the world of abuse that characterized her childhood and gives the reader a precise understanding of what she and her siblings went through. Marguerite is represented in such a way that her personality deeply impresses the reader, especially considering what she may have done to Harold and her daughter, the alibi. I appreciated that Schmidt included many photos of her family because this makes you know the people she describes and makes you even more sympathetic to what they have experienced. Her Alibi is not a book for the faint of heart, and I recommend it to readers who have the courage to read it, to match the courage the author had in writing it.

Amazon Number One Bestseller – 2022

Literary Titan – Gold – 2022

SoCal Book Awards – Honorable Mention – 2022

Reader’s Choice Book Awards – Finalist 2023

London Book Awards – Honorable Mention 2023

Los Angeles Book Awards – Honorable Mention 2023

NABE – Gold – Best Book in the Category of True Crime Fall 2023

Author Shout Reader Ready Award Winner – Recommended Reads 2024

Clara’s Last Christmas

Book Link

From Amazon:

“Even the strongest blizzards start with a single snowflake.”

Just a few months ago, life seemed pretty rosy indeed…

With Lianna back in London for good, Clara had been enjoying every second with her best friend.

From blinged-up baby shopping with Eve to wedding planning with a delirious Dawn, Clara and her friends were happier than ever.

Unfortunately, they are brought back to reality when just weeks before Christmas, Oliver and Marc discover that their jobs are in jeopardy.

With Clara helping Eve to prepare for two new arrivals, news that Suave is going into administration rocks her to the core. It may be December, but the prospect of being jobless at Christmas means that not everyone is feeling festive.

Should they give up on Suave and move on, or can the gang work as one to rescue the company that brought them all together?

With so much at stake, can Clara and her friends save Suave in time for Christmas?

Jump into Clara’s world for a heart-warming and hilarious festive ride in Clara’s Last Christmas!

My Review:

This is the first book I’ve read from this author, Lacey London. This is also a book that is part of a series. I bought it because of the Christmas theme. There is enough back story that made for this book making sense to me. Anything and everything, /yet nothing can or does happen. I rooted for Sadie until the last page. The nuances of life not knowing your father, love ending, people changing, it’s real life yet also contains enough hilarity to equal out the emotions in this book. Not all writers can make that happen.

Redemption

Book Link

From Amazon:

REDEMPTION A QUEST: FROM VENGEANCE TO REDEMPTION

A Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy

Book III Of The Breach Chronicles

Amelia

She took on the mighty Peradorian dictator and lost. She loved Noah, but she might never see him again. Now she and Adrian are on the run. To make things worse, her shapeshifting ability has deserted her. What lies ahead for her?

Noah

He accepted that he was a monster to save the girl he loved, even if it meant losing her. The Heichi queen is determined to kill him and protect her throne at all costs. Now a sorceress has predicted great darkness in Amelia’s future. Will he be able to save her?

Adrian

He chose Amelia over his freedom and family. He protected her at all costs. Why does her heart still belong to another?

It’s all coming together in the exciting finale of The Breach ChroniclesRedemption. New enemies will rise, and old friends will rush to the rescue. Secrets will be revealed. Promises will be made. Promises will be broken. The lines will blur between friend and foe. Everyone is in a race against time, fighting for their life. But will they find Redemption?

My Review:

I found this book to be a great fantasy read and brilliant in how the characters were interwoven. Redemption? Is that possible? This is the third book in this series, and it’s woven tightly with complex characters who have tons of feelings and emotions that spill forth. Humans are humans, the supernatural war with each other, and there are hybrids and more realm wise. One sorceress finds out her fate when things go awry. Coexistence. Is that possible? Shifting strong pumas and other creatures with humans and more supernatuals fight for love and power. Love mingles with hate. Strong love is strong hate. Death is part of life, yet certain people come back from death. Magic is just that. Deep love mixes with deep pain. Redemption. That can be attained, but what characters will receive Redemption and those who won’t is for the next reader to find out.

Christmas Bizarre 

Book Link

From Amazon:

It’s the weekend before Christmas and the storyteller tradition at interior designer extraordinaire, Rikkhe St. Claire’s home on the cliffs of Malibu is in full swing. Kick back and gather with Rikkhe and her family and friends for an elegant night under the stars as they share five, holiday tales of mystery and ghostly intrigue from around the world. Which tale will capture your heart…or make your mistletoe twirl?

The cozy magic of Christmas is in the air!

Noel A Versailles
Millicent is a young lady with a mind of her own in 1920s Paris. When she decides to build a replica of Marie Antoinette’s regal playhouse, the Petit Trianon, many think she’s lost the plot. A mysterious Advent calendar brings glamorous gifts of the season, until one fateful night…


Lady H
The ruins of an antebellum home with a heartbreaking past are in need of a major renovation. Will the ghostly inhabitants help or hinder the latest heir of Plum Hill and his architect?


The Ornament
Two cousins are off to celebrate a recent graduation on a European river cruise. As they tour the city ports, they join the quest to find an ornament from an elderly woman’s childhood. The search seems hopeless, until the magic of Christmas lends a helping hand.


The Rocking Horse
A nanny takes her first assignment with an expat family living in an historic home in Stockholm. As Christmas approaches, strange happenings are going bump in the night. Will the ghosts of Christmas past finally get their peace?


Moving Pictures
A holiday gala gets a major boost when a beloved screen star agrees to participate. As she makes her guest appearance, a mysterious man comes to her side. Will heartbreak turn into Christmas joy?

My Review:

I found this short novel quaint and filled with vignettes of times past and Christmas. I don’t have a favorite as they are all nice works, thus, I can’t choose a favorite among favoritism of each story.

A New Award to Finish Out 2023

Her Alibi has been chosen by Author Shout as a Recommended read for 2024! Nice way to end the year.

Visions of her Cherokee grandmother, Cordie, flashed through Mary’s mind as her mother, Marguerite, informed her that her stepfather shot himself and was in the hospital. Oh no! Did she use me last night? She’d never use her scapegoat! No, she couldn’t! Even Marguerite wouldn’t sink that low! Or would she? Marguerite had always been abusive and vile to most people, and especially to her children and husbands, but would she shoot Harold? Chills raked Mary and triggered her shuddering. Was she more shocked that her mother shot her stepfather with murderous intent, or that she left Mary as her alibi?

Her Alibi – .99 cents only. On her third marriage to this man who didn’t deserve the traumas my mother dealt him. “Chills raked Mary and triggered her shuddering. Was she more shocked that her mother shot her stepfather, or that she left Mary as her alibi?”  #TrueStory #TrueCrime #HerAlibi #murder in real life. Living with a murderer! Finally, the truth comes out about the psyche of a woman known as the “Black Widow”! I, @MaryLSchmidt , had the bollocks to write this story from the perspective being her daughter. The psyche of Marguerite is one for the books… just like the psyche of #BTK and others, I never knew the REAL danger living with this woman. No slander or libel to family as the only one who could sue me has been dead for 10 years! #RealLife #LivingWithAKiller #memoir

I just want to say that the book “Her Alibi” had to come out. Harold mattered! Everyone matters! But Harold mattered, especially to his three children, Alan, Scott, and Darrel. I don’t know your faith or what you believe, but I know what I experienced yesterday morning. I had a Heavenly visit while in my recliner. Without words, no physical anything seen, my right foot was touched with pressure for several seconds. It was Harold letting me know he felt validated, finally. He appreciated my hard work (bad memories) and effort to get this book out. I’m NOT doing this for money. I have money and I donate to many things, causes, and to people in need. But this story needed to be told. Harold mattered. If family are offended, well, not the first time, nor the last time. HAROLD MATTERED! And I hated being used as her da#m alibi. The TRUTH had to come out!

Reviewed by Astrid Iustulin for Readers’ Favorite
Stories of abuse and domestic violence always shock you when you read them. This happens to anyone who reads Mary L. Schmidt’s book, Her Alibi. Here, the author tells the story of her family, focusing in particular on the abuses of her mother, Marguerite, who had always treated her as a scapegoat. After divorcing her husband, Marguerite marries Harold (she will marry him three times, to be exact) and is most likely responsible for his death. Is it possible she used her daughter as an alibi? And how will relations between Marguerite and her children develop? Her Alibi tells a disturbing story of an abusive mother and the consequences her mental condition and behavior have on her family and children, especially the daughter she treats as a scapegoat. Mary L. Schmidt tells us this story in a way that clearly depicts the world of abuse that characterized her childhood and gives the reader a precise understanding of what she and her siblings went through. Marguerite is represented in such a way that her personality deeply impresses the reader, especially considering what she may have done to Harold and her daughter, the alibi. I appreciated that Schmidt included many photos of her family because this makes you know the people she describes and makes you even more sympathetic to what they have experienced. Her Alibi is not a book for the faint of heart, and I recommend it to readers who have the courage to read it, to match the courage the author had in writing it.

Amazon Number One Bestseller – 2022

Literary Titan – Gold – 2022

SoCal Book Awards – Honorable Mention – 2022

Reader’s Choice Book Awards – Finalist 2023

London Book Awards – Honorable Mention 2023

Los Angeles Book Awards – Honorable Mention 2023

Author Shout Reader Ready Award Winner – Recommended Reads 2024

The Christmas Cameo

Book Link

From Amazon:

A lovely cameo brooch is discovered in Fiona’s late Uncle Wilbur’s house two days before Christmas. The pin bears a romantic Christmas message from Wilbur for his new wife with the initials, D.A.S. How very strange. To the family’s knowledge, Uncle Wilbur had never been married. So, who is this mysterious woman? Now, Fiona is on a holiday mission to locate D.A.S. and deliver the belated gift. Question is, what happened to the marriage? Is D.A.S. still alive after all these years? And if so, can Fiona find her before Christmas?

My Review:

This short story is a sweet Christmas read with a couple of cameos thrown into the mix. Love happens, and with love comes heartbreak, too. As a short story, I can’t write much, or I give the story away, and I don’t want that to happen.