Saturday, August 2, 2025

Showcase of Whispers by J. Herman Kleiger and TWO (2) US-ONLY winners of a $20 Amazon.com Gift Card

Whispers by J. Herman Kleiger Banner

WHISPERS

by J. Herman Kleiger

July 14 - August 8, 2025 

Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A Tale of Madness, Betrayal, and Revenge

What if one phone call could change your entire life?

With the page-turning suspense of Ava Strong’s FBI thriller Not Like He Seemed and gritty realism of Douglas and Olshaker’s New York Times Bestseller MindHunter, Whispers promises readers a nail-biting journey into the search for a serial killer and a window into the troubled mind of the agent who pursues him.

"They’re killing all the shrinks!" cries Nicola Kitts, now a special agent with the FBI’s storied Behavioral Assessment Unit. But why are prominent psychiatrists being targeted, and what secrets did they share?

Whispers by J. Herman Kleiger

In this sequel to Tears Are Only Water, Special Agent Kitts leads the hunt for a serial killer who leaves obscure mathematical formulas and twisted poems of retribution by the bodies. The FBI thinks they’ve figured it out, pointing to Raevyn Nevenmoore, a former gymnastic champion with a history of mania and delusions. But Raevyn hints that her twin brother Finch is involved in the killings. The only problem is, Finch died years earlier. Is Raevyn clinically insane or a clever psychopath? Haunted by her own traumas and hidden scars, Kitts struggles to piece together the clues and separate Raevyn’s madness from an even more troubling reality. Can she silence her own demons long enough to find the killer … and save herself?

Are you ready to uncover the truth? Dive into the chilling world of Whispers and experience a psychological thriller that intertwines madness, betrayal, and relentless suspense.

Grab your copy of Whispers today and join Special Agent Kitts in a race against time to piece together a puzzle that bridges the gap between madness and reality.

Praise for Whispers:

"J. Herman Kleiger’s new novel is equally gripping, moving along at a fast pace, as Kleiger’s sophisticated understanding of human psychology is on full display."
~ Richard M. Waugaman, M.D., Let’s Re-Vere the Works of Shakespeare

"An expert on the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder as well as on the Rorschach test, J. Herman Kleiger is also a fiction writer, author of the acclaimed novels The 11th Inkblot and Tears Are Only Water. His riveting new novel, Whispers, is a psychological whodunit that will maintain the reader’s interest from beginning to end. Readers will learn much about bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, conversion therapy, malignant parenting, and the lifelong impact of shame while trying to figure out the serial killer or killers responsible for the deaths of four psychiatrists. Just when readers believe that the diabolical murders have been solved, they are forced to think again. As with his other novels, Whispers instructs as it entertains, reminding readers that 'Hope is important for all of us who have walked in the shadows."
~ Jeffrey Berman, Distinguished Teaching Professor, University at Albany, and author of Clinical Fictions: Psychoanalytic Novels and Short Stories

"With Whispers, J. Herman Kleiger makes it a trifecta of his fine, psychologically astute novels. Picking up on several very interesting characters from his second book "Tears Are Only Water," as well as introducing a host of fascinating new ones, Kleiger takes us behind the scenes of the FBI Behavioral Science Unit delving into a series of confounding murders. The writing is taught and there are no easy answers in unravelling the mystery."
~ F. Barton Evans author of Harry Stack Sullivan (Marker of Modern Psychiatry)

"Kleiger’s third novel, Whispers, re-introduces us to Nicola Kitts, who we know well from his outstanding previous book, Tears Are Only Water. In this excellent new novel Kitts joins an elite FBI profiling team trying to solve a series of brutal murders of well known psychiatrists. Not a sequel, Whispers is a stand alone, gripping psychological drama that builds intensity and urgency as it flows inexorably towards its dramatic conclusion. With Kleiger’s deep knowledge of psychological theory, and interpersonal relationships, the book comes alive as the team of experts collaborate and compete to refine a workable theory about who the murderer might be, what might motivate him or her, and what hidden meaning the cryptic notes left at each crime scene might hold. We come to admire Kitt’s personal struggles and her ability to challenge her own demons even as she struggles to help solve these mysterious serial killings.."
~ Stephen Lerner, Filmmaker, Strangers in Town

Book Details:

Genre: Psychological Thriller, Mystery and Suspense, Serial Killer Crime Drama
Published by: Indie
Publication Date: May 5, 2025
Number of Pages: 270
ISBN: 978-1960299697 (pbk)
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle Unlimited | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

PART ONE

Comes the Whisperer

In the quiet of the night,
Silence prickles the skin and murmuring voices speak,
Telling stories in hushed tones of private lives and
Secrets buried so deeply that no one can hear,
Comes the Whisperer.
Tell me your secrets,
Speak to me of sin and shame,
And trust me with your soul.

—Anonymous

Chapter 1

They’re Killing All the Shrinks

The sirens were deafening, drowning out the heart-wrenching screams of frightened women and children. Around her lay the dead bodies of men from her platoon. Suddenly she was holding the limp body of her little brother Blue. The blaring sirens became the sound of her own scream. She awoke in a panic to the shrieking of her work phone.

Quickly orienting herself, she answered, “This is Kitts.”

“Wakey, wakey Kitts. Rise and shine. Hope you’re up. Doesn’t matter because we’ve got another dead shrink. It’s time to bring you in on this.”

Special Agent Nicola Kitts immediately recognized the brassy voice of her boss, Executive Assistant Director Giancarlo Bozzio Baldazzar. Boz headed the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Service Branch. Among his countless other jobs, he liked mentoring new agents. As a former Marine Captain, Boz had taken a shine to ex-gunnery sergeant Kitts. At 5’3,” he chewed out anyone who looked down when talking to him. Although he downplayed their Marine Corps connection, Kitts felt the strength of their invisible Semper Fi bond.

She glanced at her clock: 4:30 a.m. With a rush of adrenalin, she sat up straight and said, “Yes, Sir. Copy that.”

“Kitts, enough with the military, cop-speak bullshit. I’ve told you, we don’t talk like that around here. But listen . . . we’ve got another one. This makes three––Tamerlane, Fortunato, and now this guy in his Georgetown office. Same MO and signature as the others. Also left another calling card––the same wacky quote and a bunch of those crazy equations, like before. Looks like we have a serial killer who loves math as much as he does butchering shrinks. Anyway, this will be your first rodeo, kid. BAU-4 is staffing this in two days, so you have time to get up to speed. They’re a bunch of eggheaded profilers with egos to match, except for Sidd. He’s good people. So, Kitts, you’ll be there primarily to listen and learn. Their job is to profile. Yours is to keep a low profile.”

“You said this is just like the other two? Same MO?”

“Yeah, Kitts, that’s what I said. This last one was in DC. No suspects yet, but the local PD is working on this as a single homicide. They apparently don’t know about the others. The vic’s name is Linus Prokop. Maybe you’ve heard of him?”

“Yes, Sir. Isn’t he the guy on the cable news? I remember that name. Didn’t he do some kind of study on male adolescents?”

“That’s right. He’s a doozy. Been on the talk show circuit hawking his book about teenage boys and their hard-ons.”

Kitts smiled at his raw and uncensored expressions. Suddenly, she felt as if she were back in bootcamp with Boz as her drill sergeant.

“DC Metro is still working the crime scene. Probably won’t be too happy when we show up, but nothing new with that. So, get your rear in gear pronto and look at the files so you won’t seem like Doby the village idiot when you meet with BAU Number 4. Got it?”

“Copy––I mean yes, Boz Sir. I’ll be there by 7:00.”

“Make it 6:30. Oh, and Kitts, leave your damn bird at home this time. Now fuck off.”

She blushed as she remembered bringing Langston, her hyacinth macaw, to her office. He was not a hit since he wandered around, marked his territory, and chewed phone cords. Langston had been her sidekick for more than 15 years. If it hadn’t been for Langston, her old boss, Sheriff Oliver Burwinkle, would have killed her too after he shot an agent point blank in her living room.

Nicola microwaved a cup of day-old coffee while scarfing down a banana. She pulled Langston’s breakfast bowl out of the fridge, mixed in fresh fruit and vegetables, and topped it with large-shelled nuts.

The bird began to chatter and squawk to get her attention.

“Damn, cool it. Not in the mood this morning.” She noticed he was picking at the feathers on his chest again. “Stop picking at yourself. I ain’t got time for this shit now.” She reached for the spray the vet had given her and gave him a couple of squirts.

Kitts rummaged through a pile of clothes on her chair and grabbed a wrinkled jacket from the floor. Life had been this way since moving to DC two years ago.

“Alexa, play some . . . Tracie Chapman music. No, cancel that. Play––”

Alexa cut her off and said, “Here is some music by Tracie Chapman on Amazon Music.”

“Dammit, girl. Alexa, cancel that. Play music by Libba Cotton and turn up the volume by two.” She felt there was something enchanting about Cotton, an obscure left-handed folk and blues musician who taught herself to play upside down on a right-handed guitar. That Cotton didn’t begin recording until her 60s and won a Grammy at age 90 gave Kitts hope that people could successfully reinvent themselves in midlife.

She turned on the shower as Libba sang Ain’t Got No Honey Baby Now. The water was cold, but she didn’t have time for it to warm up. The chill jolted her senses. She threw on her clothes and hurried past Langston––still picking his chest feathers. “Langs! Stop that shit! I gotta cruise now. Won’t be back until dark ’cause this is a big one. You got plenty to eat, so be cool and STOP doing that to yourself.”

The thought of another dead therapist put her on full alert, especially with this last one being so close to home. On the way out the door, she stopped and reached out to Langston. “Damn boy, it looks like they’re killing all the shrinks…. Betcha, you’re glad I left shrink school, huh?”

***

It was still dark when she exited onto South Washington St. She opened the window, welcoming the chill of cool air on her face. She tried to focus on the killing of yet another psychiatrist, but the hangover from her nightmare was still taunting her. Her VA counselor told her that dreams about the war would never disappear entirely. He said she could learn to reprocess them to make them less frequent, vivid, and painful, but they would never disappear. Fucking nightmares.

In the darkness, surrounded by the hum of the tires, Kitts thought about the regular cast of characters who haunted her sleep. Her dreams were typically set in Afghanistan where her brother Blue, Burwinkle, or Pei would suddenly appear, always trying to speak to her in muffled voices. Desperate, she couldn’t move. Her counselors told her she’d be dealing with the long reach of PTSD for the rest of her life. She should expect early and subsequent losses to merge with nightmares of her final bloody firefight in the Musa Qala District.

At times, she dreamed only of Blue and his death when they were kids. No matter how much Nicola tried to come to terms with what happened, the guilt never wore off. Paradoxically, there was something oddly comforting about her nighttime visits from Blue, as if he were trying to tell her something.

She hated how the traitorous bastard Oliver Burwinkle forced himself into her dreams. Her former boss and mentor back in Colorado continued to stalk her in her sleep after his final deceit. Now, Professor Omar Pei had become the latest cast member to appear uninvited in her dreams, whispering lustfully to her about their forbidden affair at Smith College.

Kitts checked her speed as a highway patrolman passed her on the right. Cops. The cruiser reminded her of the Ford Interceptor she used to drive when she was the only deputy of color in the sheriff’s department in Colorado. She left law enforcement in 2014 after Burwinkle tried to kill her. Nicola’s stomach churned when she thought of the impostor. Burwinkle turned out to be a serious bad guy. Fortunately, thanks to Langston’s attacking him, Burwinkle dropped dead of a heart attack before pulling the trigger of the gun he had aimed at her head. Fucking Burwinkle.

Though she had long thought about leaving police work, the catastrophic events of 2014 and her subsequent treatment at the VA convinced her it was time to make a clean break and try something new, like becoming a social worker. Her decision to leave law enforcement always made her think of her quirky friend Carmine or “Books” as she called him. Nicola still felt embarrassed by his generous financial gift, which made it possible for her to go to Smith College of Social Work. She recalled their awkward conversation five years ago when she received a check from an anonymous donor that covered her tuition at Smith.

“I know it was you, Books. You’re always up to something sneaky like this. I will pay you back. Got that? Been saving up my money.”

But she hadn’t paid him back.

She had been a rising star at Smith, earning her MSW in just under two years. Nicola had begun working on a PhD when she suddenly became the headliner in the campus rumor mill. She mistakenly thought her involvement with one of her professors was a private affair.

Thoughts about Pei always reminded Kitts of her misplaced trust in Burwinkle whose words she couldn’t forget.

“Goddammit, Cole. You were like a daughter to me, girl.”

Then he tried to kill her.

The relationship with Professor Omar Pei began innocently enough. He was struck by her intelligence, fascinating resume, dogged curiosity, and innate insight, and mentioned in passing her striking good looks.

Looking her up and down, he’d intoned, “You’re special Nicola Kitts. I’ve had my eye on you. You have the intellectual gifts and instincts that most students can only dream of. I’ve taken a special interest in your academic development. Dine with me tonight so we can discuss your thesis.”

And she did.

Kitts’s internal signals told her she was straying into dangerous territory, but she ignored the warning lights. It felt good to be special.

Man, gotta figure out this shit with mentors, girl.

Their affair lasted less than three months but unleashed the hungry tabloid hounds within the small college community. Ultimately, the professor was dismissed, and his student branded with a scarlet letter. It didn’t matter that no one formally blamed Nicola for her mammoth lapse in judgment. She heard the whispers and saw the looks wherever she went. It became too much to bear. One morning, she decided she’d had enough. She packed everything that would fit into her car and left with Langston.

Nicola knew that even before the Pei affair, she’d been questioning whether social work was her true calling. Maybe her embarrassment at Smith was just an excuse to leave social work. Part of her wanted to be done with policing but it wasn’t done with her. Law enforcement was in her DNA. Her father and gramps had been Marines and then cops in the Wichita PD. Having no desire to return to the sheriff’s department in Colorado, Kitts applied and was accepted to the FBI Academy.

The traffic was light. Can’t keep Boz waiting. The final stretch of Richmond Highway reminded her of how she felt the first time she drove to Quantico. She had been filled with hopes about combining law enforcement with her curiosity about the workings of the mind. Even then, she aspired to someday become a profiler.

After completing the FBI Academy, Kitts worked as a junior agent before snagging an appointment to the BAU (Behavioral Assessment Unit). Only a year into her role as a special agent, Kitts felt she’d found a home where she could pursue criminals and discover the deep-seated pathologies that had turned them into killers and predators. She knew about the storied BAU-4 and its predecessor, the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit, popularized in one of her favorite books, Mindhunter. That someone at Boz’s level would select her to shadow this celebrated team of profilers and analysts was a pulse-quickening honor. She thought of his words several months back.

“Kitts, I’ve been watching you. I think you got what it takes to work with the BAU. When the time is right, I’m going to bring you in. I got faith in you. Just don’t try to act too much like a cop.”

Kitts checked her watch as she flashed her ID to the Marine at the gate. Six twenty-seven––three minutes to spare. She sprinted to the building; Boz would be watching the clock. Kitts wanted to impress him but knew he would quickly pick up her efforts to curry favor. Boz had apparently seen something in her that she was not aware of. But hadn’t Burwinkle and Pei? She was grateful that Boz was giving her a chance but determined not to make the same mistakes as before. All she needed to do was trust his judgment and not lose sight of hers. Just be yourself, whoever that is, and steer clear of whatever’s going on with mentors. She speed-walked into his office and reminded herself not to speak like a cop and never look down at the top of his head.

***

Excerpt from Whispers by J. Herman Kleiger. Copyright 2025 by J. Herman Kleiger. Reproduced with permission from J. Herman Kleiger. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

J. Herman Kleiger

J. Herman Kleiger (Dr. James H. Kleiger) is a board certified clinical psychologist and trained psychoanalyst living in Maryland. Born and raised in Colorado, he received a BA from Harvard University and a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Denver. He served as a staff psychologist in the Navy and received postdoctoral training at the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, KS, where he became Training Director of the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. He completed his psychoanalytic training at the Topeka Institute for Psychoanalysis and later relocated to Maryland. Dr. Kleiger opened a private practice and served as President of the Washington-Baltimore Society for Psychoanalysis in 2010. He lives with his wife and is blessed with wonderful children and grandchildren.

Writing about people and their struggles has been integral to his professional life. Dr. Kleiger has authored six professional books – Disordered Thinking and The Rorschach, 1999, followed by Assessing Psychosis, 2015, 2024 (coauthored with Ali Khadivi), Rorschach Assessment of Psychotic Phenomena, 2017, Psychological Assessment of Disordered Thinking & Perception, 2021, and Psychological Assessment of Bipolar Spectrum Disorders, 2023 (coedited with Irving Weiner).

Unable to resist the play of imagination, J. Herman Kleiger published his debut novel, The 11th Inkblot in 2020, followed by Tears Are Only Water in 2023, and Whispers in 2025.

People and their stories amaze and inspire. As a psychologist and psychoanalyst, his passion for listening to people tell their stories ripens with time.

Catch Up With J. Herman Kleiger:

JHermanKleiger.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
Substack
Instagram - @jhermankleiger
Threads - @jhermankleiger
LinkedIn - @JamesKleiger
Facebook - @JHermanKleigerAuthor

 

Tour Participants:

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Friday, August 1, 2025

Spotlight of The Alchemy of Flowers by Laura Resau


PHOTO SOURCE:
TYPORAMA

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THE alchemy Of flowers
 Laura resau
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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF KATELYNN DREYER | PUBLICIST | KAYE PUBLICITY 
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A broken woman. 

A mysterious job ad. 

A chance to heal in French castle gardens--but strange things are growing behind the ancient stone walls. 

This enchanting, modern-day take on The Secret Garden, sprinkled with magic, is Resau's adult debut from Harper Muse. 

It's perfect for fans of Sarah Addison Allen and is a magical combination of women's fiction, magical realism, and some mystery.

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July 29

Harper Muse

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ABOUT THE alchemy Of flowers:

Help Wanted: In search of a gardener for the ancient walled Jardins du Paradis in the South of France.

Unique and rustic lodging provided. Off the grid in all ways. One must grow flowers from one's merde . . .

Exhausted by fruitless attempts to make a family, Eloise takes the chance of a lifetime to answer an ad in a French gardening magazine.

To fly away from her life in the States and tend to both her shattered heart and the flowers of Paradise. And best of all for her . . .

Absolutely no children allowed on the premises.

Within the high garden walls, Eloise starts to learn the strange rules of the elusive estate owner.

Living and working in isolation with her three companions, she finds her heart opening again to friendship--and realizes she's drawn to the handyman, Raphael.

The flowers whisper to her, enchanting, delighting, healing. But why are the workers forbidden from going out during dusk?

Who is the "Goddess of the Garden"? Is her mind playing tricks on her, or does she see a woodsprite flitting through the trees? 

The giggles and glimpses of a little girl haunt her and make her question: What is real in Paradise and what is illusion?

Eloise tries to rationalize her uneasy feelings and the darkness she uncovers beneath the garden's lush beauty, but as she digs deeper into the mysteries of her sanctuary, she begins to suspect there's a child on the grounds--who may be in danger.

When Paradise becomes a deadly prison, she must risk everything to protect her newfound family and claim her second chance at happiness."

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PRAISE FOR THE alchemy Of flowers:

"Utterly captivating. This beautiful novel casts a whispery spell of dark enchantments, secrets, and myth."—Evie Woods, bestselling author of The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris


An impossible marvel… THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS by Laura Resau is a spellbinding journey of one woman's journey toward hope and healing, set amidst a garden of both promise and peril. Full of lush sensory detail, this tale is a vivid reminder that while the path to healing may be fraught with challenges, it is often through confronting the shadows that we find our true strength. A beautifully written, atmospheric novel that will leave readers both mesmerized and moved.’   ― Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Amalfi Curse

‘Set in a secret garden, The Alchemy of Flowers offers a lush blend of myth, magic, and mystery. Beautifully written and brimming with heartache, danger, and enchantment, this is a moving, memorable story about hope, healing, and starting over.’  Heather Webber, USA Today bestselling author of Midnight at the Blackbird Café

‘Laura Resau’s THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS is an immersive, sensory experience. Resau treats bone-crushingly-hard topics, like pregnancy loss, with love and sensitivity, all the while taking the reader on a mystical journey. Deftly crafted and imaginative; a rare treat of a book.’― Aimie K. Runyan, bestselling author of The Memory of Lavender and Sage and The Wandering Season

'THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS captivates the senses as well as the imagination in a magical tale of healing and forgiveness. Yet this Paradise harbors its own dark mystery that threatens the tranquility of the gardens and the well-being of its inhabitants. Resau has written with great heart an eerie yet deeply touching story that keeps the pages turning until the very end.' ― Melissa Payne, bestselling author of In The Beautiful Dark and The Wild Road Home

‘For everyone who has dreamed of teleporting to the paradise of Provence, do I have the book for you. THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS is a treat of transporting, incandescent storytelling, with a riveting undercurrent of suspense and mystery, too. With tender, heartfelt prose and characters who will break your heart and then stitch it back together, Resau’s adult debut feels like the modern French Provençal take on Under the Tuscan Sun we’ve all been jonesing for. Capturing the magic of beloved childhood reading experiences, while dealing with hard adult topics lovingly and achingly explored, the book is at once an enchanting journey and an unforgettable, page-turning read.’ ― Jaclyn Goldis, author of The Chateau and The Safari

'THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS is a pure magical and sensory delight. Like roots in soil, though, the gift of this book goes deeper. Resau's novel offers an honest and compassionate portrait of the physical pain and health-related sorrows that go along with being human. So many of us can relate, and we can also relate to the wondrous alchemy and healing found in nature. This gorgeous novel captures both the heartbreak and the true healing at our disposal, if only we seek to turn difficulty into blooms.' ― Laura Pritchett, author of Three Keys

‘Gorgeously written and threaded with herbal wisdom, floral intuition, and mythology of the feminine, The Alchemy of Flowers is a journey into how nature and friendship can deeply heal. Resau tangles sweetness and bitterness, tenderness and fierceness to offer a thrilling tale rich with emotion. A delight in every sense of the word.’ ― Bailey Cattrell, author of the Enchanted Garden Mysteries

‘This book made me want to sleep in a hammock in a treetop bungalow surrounded by the novel’s lush, magic-steeped gardens. Eloise’s journey to healing is poignant and tender—a testament to the strength of love, the power of tending to earth and growing things, and found family.’ ― Suzanne Nelson, The Librarians of Lisbon

'I devoured this in one sitting! Immersive, enchanting, and packed with mystery, THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS drew me in from page one. I was rooting for the curious and brave heroine, Eloise, and her cryptic compatriots in the Jardins du Paradis, as each finds friendship and healing after their own separate heartbreaks. The dreamy Provençal walled garden is the perfect escapist setting. Fans of Sarah Addison Allen will love this charming, feel-good novel.' ― Andrea Jo DeWerd, author of What We Sacrifice for Magic

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Laura Resau is the author of The Alchemy of Flowers, her debut novel for adults, and eleven acclaimed books for young people. 

Her novels won five Colorado Book Awards and appear on best-of booklists from Oprah, the American Library Association, and more.

Trilingual and with a cultural anthropology background, she’s lived in Provence and Oaxaca, and now teaches creative writing at Western Colorado University.

You might find her writing in her cozy vintage trailer in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she lives with her rock-hound husband, musician son, wild husky, a garden of healing flowers, and a hundred house plants.

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Friendly Fill-Ins - 8/1/2025

                                             

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FRIENDLY FILL-INS:

1. My plans for August include _______ and _________.

2. I exercise my brain by ____________.

3. I try not to let _______ go to waste.

4. I know it's going to be a good day when ______.

  MY ANSWERS:

1.  My plans for August include visiting my sisters and going to  the county fair there.

2.  I exercise my brain by doing Wordle and Connections each morning.

3.  I try not to let food go to waste.

4.  I know it's going to be a good day when I am reading a book I love.




Thursday, July 31, 2025

Summer on Lilac Island by Lindsay MacMillan

Gigi Jenkins had to come home to the place she couldn't wait to get away from.

She didn't know how it would work being with her mother since they really didn't get along.

When she arrived, her mother was already getting on her nerves.  She had made a blind date for Gigi.

Gigi said she would go on the date if her mother would go on a date with an author she met on the ferry.

Her mother surprisingly agreed.

How did both of these dates turn out and how did Gigi and her mother's relationship turn out?

Find out everything in this heartwarming book with great characters and set in Mackinac Island.

You will want to be on your way to Mackinac Island as you read about its magic and beauty.  

A lovely summer read - but just a bit too long and too many characters to keep straight.  5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book.  All opinions are my own.



Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Spotlight of Angel Down by Daniel Kraus


PHOTO CREDIT:
TYPORAMA
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ANGEL DOWN
DANIEL KRAUS
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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS TAKEN FROM THE PUBLISHER'S WEBPAGE. 
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The critically acclaimed author of the “crazily enjoyable” (The New York Times) Whalefall returns with an immersive, cinematic novel about five World War I soldiers who stumble upon a fallen angel that could hold the key to ending the war.

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July 29
Atria Books
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PRAISE FOR ANGEL DOWN:

"A thunderous gallop of a war novel, a new classic, a best-in-class example of speculative fiction. Mysterious and full of grace, rambling and ducking and shifting for 285 dizzying, blood-soaked, astonishing pages.” New York Times Book Review


"A bold and exceptional novel from the author of Whalefall. Kraus has taken the classic war story and crafted something completely unique." Library Journal (starred review)


"[Angel Down] unfolds like a chant, in short paragraphs each beginning with the word and, and readers will quickly fall under Bagger’s narrative spell as they see the visceral and gruesome toll war takes on the entire planet. Is Bagger going to survive through a miracle or by luck? A brilliant novel that will encourage its readers to live their best lives, despite the horrors that surround them. For fans of John Milas' The Militia House (2023) and thought-provoking tales that sow discomfort through story and narrative structure, such as Agustina Bazterrica's The Unworthy (2025)." Booklist (starred review)


"A vivid tale...Kraus ramps up the tension with the relentless cadence of his prose, offering no breaks from the action but finding room for glorious lyrical flights...With this vigorous narrative, Kraus breathes new life into the war novel." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)


"Disorienting and utterly sublime — a spiritually fulfilling literary gauntlet. This book is a miracle." —Eric LaRocca


"Kraus demonstrates what a seasoned author is capable of at the highest level of literary ambition. The most gripping, unforgettable account of war in recent memory -- American war fiction is certain to be haunted by this book for years to come." —John Milas


"An absolute revelation, a hymn that sings of the humanity found within history's horrors. Here is a novel that will restore your faith in what the written word is capable of capturing." Clay McLeod Chapman


"A literary masterwork of unparalleled dexterity and ingenuity. One of the best things I've ever read. I'm absolutely blown away." Josh Malerman


"Daniel Kraus has done it again. Angel Down is a dark and frenzied tale, set on the hellish landscape of WW1 France--where amid mayhem and death, something unexpectedly miraculous happens that will change the lives of several men, forever. Kraus writes with a prose that is at once witty in its observations and searing in its depictions, offering glimpses of humanity amid the brutally inhumane theatre of war. This is a story of the supernatural. But it is also a reminder that the horrors we most often face are the ones we create ourselves." —P. Djèlí Clark, author of Ring Shout


"This novel leaves you breathless. You can't guess where it's going, or how it's going to get there. Just, let it take your hand, pull you through these trenches, this war, this century, this . . . this life." —Stephen Graham Jones, New York Times bestselling author"A thunderous gallop of a war novel, a new classic, a best-in-class example of speculative fiction. Mysterious and full of grace, rambling and ducking and shifting for 285 dizzying, blood-soaked, astonishing pages.” New York Times Book Review


"A bold and exceptional novel from the author of Whalefall. Kraus has taken the classic war story and crafted something completely unique." Library Journal (starred review)


"[Angel Down] unfolds like a chant, in short paragraphs each beginning with the word and, and readers will quickly fall under Bagger’s narrative spell as they see the visceral and gruesome toll war takes on the entire planet. Is Bagger going to survive through a miracle or by luck? A brilliant novel that will encourage its readers to live their best lives, despite the horrors that surround them. For fans of John Milas' The Militia House (2023) and thought-provoking tales that sow discomfort through story and narrative structure, such as Agustina Bazterrica's The Unworthy (2025)." Booklist (starred review)


"A vivid tale...Kraus ramps up the tension with the relentless cadence of his prose, offering no breaks from the action but finding room for glorious lyrical flights...With this vigorous narrative, Kraus breathes new life into the war novel." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)


"Disorienting and utterly sublime — a spiritually fulfilling literary gauntlet. This book is a miracle." —Eric LaRocca


"Kraus demonstrates what a seasoned author is capable of at the highest level of literary ambition. The most gripping, unforgettable account of war in recent memory -- American war fiction is certain to be haunted by this book for years to come." —John Milas


"An absolute revelation, a hymn that sings of the humanity found within history's horrors. Here is a novel that will restore your faith in what the written word is capable of capturing." Clay McLeod Chapman


"A literary masterwork of unparalleled dexterity and ingenuity. One of the best things I've ever read. I'm absolutely blown away." Josh Malerman


"Daniel Kraus has done it again. Angel Down is a dark and frenzied tale, set on the hellish landscape of WW1 France--where amid mayhem and death, something unexpectedly miraculous happens that will change the lives of several men, forever. Kraus writes with a prose that is at once witty in its observations and searing in its depictions, offering glimpses of humanity amid the brutally inhumane theatre of war. This is a story of the supernatural. But it is also a reminder that the horrors we most often face are the ones we create ourselves." —P. Djèlí Clark, author of Ring Shout


"This novel leaves you breathless. You can't guess where it's going, or how it's going to get there. Just, let it take your hand, pull you through these trenches, this war, this century, this . . . this life." —Stephen Graham Jones, New York Times bestselling author


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ABOUT THE ANGEL DOWN:

Private Cyril Bagger has managed to survive the unspeakable horrors of the Great War through his wits and deception, swindling fellow soldiers at every opportunity. But his survival instincts are put to the ultimate test when he and four other grunts are given a deadly mission: venture into the perilous No Man’s Land to euthanize a wounded comrade.

What they find amid the ruined battlefield, however, is not a man in need of mercy but a fallen angel, seemingly struck down by artillery fire. This celestial being may hold the key to ending the brutal conflict, but only if the soldiers can suppress their individual desires and work together. As jealousy, greed, and paranoia take hold, the group is torn apart by their inner demons, threatening to turn their angelic encounter into a descent into hell.

Angel Down plunges you into the heart of World War I and weaves a polyphonic tale of survival, supernatural wonder, and moral conflict.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Kraus is a New York Times bestselling writer of novels, TV, and film.

His novel Whalefall received a front-cover review in The New York Times Book Review, won the Alex Award, was an LA Times Book Prize Finalist, and was a Best Book of 2023 from NPR, The New York TimesChicago Tribune, and more.

With Guillermo del Toro, he coauthored The Shape of Water, based on the same idea the two created for the Oscar–winning film.

Also with del Toro, Kraus coauthored Trollhunters, which was adapted into the Emmy-winning Netflix series. His also cowrote The Living Dead and Pay the Piper with legendary filmmaker George A. Romero. Kraus’s The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch was named one of Entertainment Weekly’s Top 10 Books of the Year.

Kraus has won the Bram Stoker Award, Scribe Award, two Odyssey Awards (for both Rotters and Scowler), and has appeared multiple times as Library Guild selections, YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, and more. 

His work has been translated into over twenty languages. He lives with his wife in Chicago.

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Asylum Hotel by Juliet Blackwell

How did Aubrey get into this mess?

One minute she was in an abandoned hotel taking photos, met Dimitri who was also taking photos, spent the night with him, and then found out he was at the bottom of a cliff.

Did the Seabrink Hotel really have a curse if you enter it and see a woman on the top floor? 

Did Dimitri see that ghost or was this foul play?

Aubrey has no idea what happened to Dimitri, and then she gets a warning message saying to stop looking for clues or she is next.

What is going on?  Then another warning message appears.

Aubrey has so much to deal with and now a mystery to solve about who Dimitri really was and if someone pushed him. 

Aubrey starts to investigate with a friend despite the notes and talks to a local historian hoping to find out more, but meanwhile she and her friend get into some hot water inside the supposedly haunted Seabrink Hotel.

Asylum Hotel is enjoyable and is a good mystery, but I am not a fan of paranormal and this book wasn't a favorite of hers for me, and it was bit long. 3/5

Her historical fiction books were marvelous and more to my liking. 

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of the book.  All opinions are my own.