Fabulous and Brunette

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Justice Gone by N. Lombardi Jr. - Blurb Blitz - Book Review - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hey, lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to host N. Lombardi Jr. and his new book, “Justice Gone”! For other stops on his Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!! Also, come back daily to interact with Nick and to increase your chances of winning!

Thanks for stopping by! Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!

Justice Gone

by N. Lombardi Jr.

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GENRE: Legal Thriller

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BLURB:

WINNER OF THREE AWARDS

2019 AMERICAN FICTION AWARD

NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCY AWARD - Best Legal Thriller OF 2019

SILVER MEDAL WINNER 2019 READERS' FAVORITES AWARDS

Chosen by Wiki.ezvid.com among their list of 10 Gripping and Intelligent Legal Thrillers

The courtroom scenes are wonderfully written...the characters are well described and the author paints a picture of each in the mind of the reader...Strong plot, strong characters and a strong writing style that I really enjoyed. This one is a definite "thumbs-up." Strongly recommend! I look forward to reading additional works by N. Lombardi, Jr.

~ Kim M Aalaie, Author's Den

One of my favorite suspense novels of the year. It will make you question the legal system.

~ The Eclectic Review

The courtroom action is excellent, trimmed to the most gripping parts of the trial, with plenty of emotional impact...a fairly realistic portrayal of the way small-town US society works...a fast-moving story with plenty of dramatic moments, and a big twist in the final pages.

~ Crime Review

When a homeless war veteran is beaten to death by the police, stormy protests ensue, engulfing a small New Jersey town. Soon after, three cops are gunned down.

A multi-state manhunt is underway for a cop killer on the loose. And Dr. Tessa Thorpe, a veteran's counselor, is caught up in the chase.

Donald Darfield, an African-American Iraqi war vet, war-time buddy of the beaten man, and one of Tessa's patients, is holed up in a mountain cabin. Tessa, acting on instinct, sets off to find him, but the swarm of law enforcement officers gets there first, leading to Darfield's dramatic capture.

Now, the only people separating him from the lethal needle of state justice are Tessa and ageing blind lawyer, Nathaniel Bodine. Can they untangle the web tightening around Darfield in time, when the press and the justice system are baying for revenge?

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EXCERPT THREE:

“Mr. Bodine, I’m Hamilton Fiske, deputy district attorney. I’ll be prosecuting this case.”

“Didn’t we meet last year at the meeting of the New Jersey Bar Association?” Bodine asked, as his daughter collected their papers and put them in their briefcase.

“Yes, I believe we did.”

“Thought so. I never forget a voice.”

That comment threw Fiske off-center for a moment. “I just wanted to, well, shake hands so to speak, before we come out fighting.”

“Is your hand out there in the air, waiting for mine? Cause if it is, you can put it back wherever you had it. I don’t shake hands these days. And while you’re at it, you can remove that smug smile off your face. I don’t have to see it, I can tell by your tone. You’ve already pissed me off, and this is just the arraignment. So I’m not exactly in a gentlemanly mood. And if you try to set up my client by having him mingle with the others, there’ll be hell to pay. Getting my drift, son?”

Fighting words for sure, but the word that provoked Fiske the most was the condescending “son,” just as Bodine had figured it would. “Is that a threat, Mr. Bodine?”

Emily tugged at her father’s arm with the covert message that he quit this repartee. He turned to leave, but not before saying, “No, Mr. Fiske, just a consequence.”

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MY BOOK REVIEW:

This book was such an intriguing, suspenseful, thriller read that is truly ripped straight from the headlines!

This book is thought-provoking, compelling, well-researched, with complex characters, elaborate plot points, and touches on multiple topics including real-world issues.

I found myself thoroughly invested in the storyline and totally caught up with the character’s outcomes.

This book hit on one of America’s toughest tragedies that we are still working through today – the homeless population, especially that of our war vets vs. the police. It’s a very ugly battle and this book spares no detail on its case featuring this particular dilemma.

I liked the main characters, Dr. Tessa Thorpe, Donald Darfield, and his brilliant, witty lawyer, Nathaniel Bodine. It was not hard not to get wrapped up and invested in these characters, especially that of Donald and wanting to make sure he is treated fairly, and that the actual guilty person goes to jail not just the convenient or most obvious person. I enjoyed the feisty lawyer, Mr. Bodine. I was curious to see what he had up his sleeve next. I couldn’t help but wonder if him being blind was a play on justice. I liked Tessa, but I wanted more from her. I felt she could be this strong, fierce character and I am hoping in her upcoming books she takes on a more powerful role.

I really like that this book takes real-life issues head on and allows the reader to easily connect with the characters and explore their take on the case. This would be a great book for book club as it would easily spark over many intriguing debate topics!

This book has a great storyline that flows, terrific writing style with detailed scenes, well-developed characters, is fast paced, and keeps you completely entertained through the last page.

I really liked the in-depth amount of research the author did while constructing this book. It was clear Mr. Lombardi Jr. was very familiar and well-versed on criminal procedures, legal procedures, war veteran disabilities, mental health difficulties, PTSD, police brutality cases, mass media, etc. The author provided so much detail and such vivid descriptions it made the scenes easy to picture.

There are some predictable scenes. However, there are still a few very unexpected twists and turns that you won’t see coming!

I enjoy police procedural books and I have to say this book did seem to fall into that genre too, while still staying true to its legal thriller category. Since this book spends almost half of its pages inside the courthouse there is still quite a bit of legal jargon, but thankfully it’s done in an entertaining, tasteful, and understandable fashion, and without being overly dumbed down.

Warning! There are some very intense, graphic detail scenes in this book. I have to admit it was a bit hard to read some of those passages, as they were quite dark, and I’ll be honest I did skim past a few of those lines here and there.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book and would absolutely recommend it! I think all legal thriller, mystery, suspense, police procedural readers will like this book too! So, add it to your TBR List and get to reading - you won't be disappointed!

**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**

Did you find this review helpful?

If so, please, please, please mark it as helpful on Amazon here:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/R1HN1579KU7V3P

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AUTHOR BIO:

N. Lombardi Jr, the N for Nicholas, has spent over half his life in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, working as a groundwater geologist. Nick can speak five languages: Swahili, Thai, Lao, Chinese, and Khmer (Cambodian).

In 1997, while visiting Lao People's Democratic Republic, he witnessed the remnants of a secret war that had been waged for nine years, among which were children wounded from leftover cluster bombs. Driven by what he saw, he worked on The Plain of Jars for the next eight years.

Nick maintains a website with content that spans most aspects of the novel: The Secret War, Laotian culture, Buddhism etc. http://plainofjars.net

His second novel, Journey Towards a Falling Sun, is set in the wild frontier of northern Kenya.

His latest novel, Justice Gone was inspired by the fatal beating of a homeless man by police.

Nick now lives in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

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CONNECT WITH NICK:

Website:

http://www.plainofjars.net

Email:

nick@plainofjars.net

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/nick.lombardi.9400

BookBub Book Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/books/justice-gone-by-n-lombardi-jr

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6982373.N_Lombardi_Jr_

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40398725-justice-gone

Amazon Author Page:

https://amzn.to/2X9XVn3

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/2KE7V6A

Amazon Paperback:

https://amzn.to/2KDPuz9

Amazon UK eBook:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Justice-Gone-N-Lombardi-Jr/dp/1785358766

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/justice-gone-n-lombardi-jr/1129942645?ean=9781785358777

Barnes and Noble Paperback:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/justice-gone-n-lombardi-jr/1129942645?ean=9781785358760

Kobo eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/ww/en/ebook/justice-gone

Apple iBooks eBook:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/justice-gone/id1450319598

Google Play eBook:

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/N_Lombardi_Jr_Justice_Gone?id=YMuEDwAAQBAJ

The Book Depository Paperback:

https://www.bookdepository.com/Justice-Gone-N-Lombardi-Jr/9781785358760

BAM! Books-A-Million eBook:

https://www.booksamillion.com/product/Q703949203

BAM! Books-A-Million Paperback:

https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Justice-Gone/N-Lombardi-Jr/9781785358760

Waterstones Paperback:

https://www.waterstones.com/book/justice-gone/n-lombardi-jr/9781785358760

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Nick will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog. This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions. Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Sophie Washington: Mismatch by Tonya Duncan Ellis - Book Tour - Book Review - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hey, lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to host Tonya Duncan Ellis and her new book, “Sophie Washington: Mismatch”! For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!! Also, come back daily to interact with Tonya and to increase your chances of winning!

Thanks for stopping by! Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!

Sophie Washington: Mismatch

by Tonya Duncan Ellis

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GENRE: Children's Middle Grade

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BLURB:

Game. Set. Match.

Sophie Washington is trying out for the tennis team, and she’s excited to get a chance to play with her good friends Chloe and Mariama. That is until wacky Coach Quackenbush matches her with school misfit, Mackenzie “Big Mac” Clark, and things quickly go downhill. Sophie has nothing in common with her partner, who does odd things like run off the court in the middle of practice, and she’s disappointed when Mackenzie shows no interest in the secret handshake she made up. After getting called out by the coach, being hit on the head with a tennis ball, and jokingly called the “most valuable player,” by mean older girls on the team, when she’s clearly not, Sophie’s ready to throw in the towel. Trying to fit in with the mean girls by making fun of Mackenzie behind her back makes things worse. Mackenzie starts skipping practice, and then gets sick at school, and Sophie realizes that there’s more to her doubles partner than meets the eye. What started out as a total mismatch could be the best partnership of all.

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EXCERPT TWO:

To get us ready for our upcoming match against our rival school, St. Regis, Coach Quackenbush has us play practice matches. Valentina’s grandma has to work late and is picking her up at four-thirty this afternoon, and Toby and Nathan’s track practice was cancelled because their coach is out of town, so they come to watch us.

“Do good for me guys!” says Valentina from the nearby mini bleachers. “Let’s go! Vamanos!”

“All right, we’ve gone over the rules of tennis earlier today, so you know how to keep score,” says Coach Quackenbush. He’s wearing a whistle around his neck and carries his usual clipboard. “I want you to play each other, and the team that wins two out of three games will be declared the winner. Since we only have three singles players, I’ll work with Kennedy while Lindsey and Jackie go against each other. All right. Let’s see how we do, team!”

“All right!” we all parrot.

“Good luck in your matches, guys,” Chloe says to the eighth-grade girls.

“We don’t need luck unlike you little sixth graders,” says Kennedy. “We have talent.”

She and the older girls flounce off to their courts.

“Whatever,” says Chloe with a roll of her eyes.

“They think they are ‘all that’ just because they were on the team last year,” says Mariama. “I’d love to beat them in a game.”

“Forget them,” I say and pick up a can of new tennis balls Coach Quackenbush left on the court for us. “Come on, let’s get going.”

“Okay, let’s get started,” says Chloe. Her frilly red tennis skirt swings around her hips as she smacks the ball to us for the first serve. It bounces high in the air toward me.

“I got it!” I race forward.

“Mine!” Mackenzie comes over to my side of the court from the other direction. Surprised at her quick movement, I stumble.

Wham!

We run into each other. The ball bounces off my head, and I stagger to keep from falling.

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MY BOOK REVIEW:

This book is such an enjoyable, entertaining, charming, and adorable read!!!

It was great catching back up with Sophie and her friends for another exciting adventure!!!

This book was a fun, quick, easy read that I was unable to put down! The pages just flew right by and before I knew it, I was already on the last page!

This is the sixth book I’ve read and reviewed in The Sophie Washington Book Series, and this is the seventh book in the series that I’ve featured on my blog! I have absolutely enjoyed every one of them! So, I was thrilled to read and review Tonya’s latest book in this series, “Mismatch.”

Tonya’s impressive writing skills only continue to improve, grow, and expand with each book!

I totally love the characters!! Sophie, her friends: Chloe, Mariama, Valentia, Rani, Toby, Nathan; her new tennis partner, Mackenzie; her tennis coach, Coach Quackenbush; mean girls: Kennedy, Lindsey, and Jacqueline; her mom and dad, her little brother, Cole, and their adorable family dog Bertram. They were all enjoyable, genuine, realistic, and relatable.

I was so happy to see so many returning characters!! I tend to get invested in my characters – especially in a book series, so I was glad to see everyone come back and pick right up where we left off from the last book.

I always tend to bond more with Sophie and this book was no different. However, I also felt a bit of a connection with Sophie’s new friend and tennis partner, Mackenzie. Mackenzie is keeping a big secret about her health from everyone at school and on the tennis team. When I was in seventh grade I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and was constantly in pain. But at only eleven years old it’s hard to explain that feeling and what I’m going through to fellow classmates. They don’t understand. Especially when your illness is internal, as is Mackenzie’s too, if people – even more so at a kid’s age don’t see bruises or broken bones or some injury that requires a Band-Aid, they don’t get how you can be experiencing pain inside. So, I totally get why Mackenzie wanted to keep her illness private, but it certainly led to some confusion, misunderstandings, and misjudgments.

Health issues when you’re a kid can be really embarrassing so I also get why Mackenzie wanted to keep it secret. Besides the Fibromyalgia I also had severe Asthma which made it difficult to participate in P.E. and exercise. When I was in school twice a year in gym class they would weigh and measure us, and the gym teacher would yell out our stats to his assistant to write down and the entire class could hear the results – it was humiliating!!! Now a days, kids are still measured in gym class, but their results of their weight, height, BMI, etc., are printed on their report cards!!! How horrifying??!! If I wasn’t in good shape, I certainly wouldn’t want to keep that report card no matter if those stats were next to all A+’s!!! Why would I want that reminder or want anyone to accidentally see that?? Yes, there is a huge problem today with kids and obesity but embarrassing them into losing weight is not the right answer!!!

I really liked the scene of the assembly presentation and when the nutritionist taught the kids smart, healthy, easy to make, delicious after-school snacks. That was a fun and creative way to integrate smart and healthy food choices that can help lead to future better eating habits!!! That is a great way to help fight childhood obesity!!! A big part of the problem is lack of education and understanding of how calories work and knowing about alternatives – besides just beets, kale, and broccoli – which no kid truly wants to eat lol.

I also have to mention how captivated I was by Valentina in this book! Even though she had been recently injured and on the sidelines for most of the book, she was still her loud, entertaining self! You can’t take the cheer out of the cheerleader lol as she rooted on Sophie and Mackenzie from the bleachers regardless that tennis matches usually prefer the audience hold their applause so the players can concentrate lol.

I love that this book takes real-life issues head on and allows the reader to easily connect with the characters and the situations they get into at home, at school, and on the court.

This book really focused on mean girls, bullying, not judging someone before you have all the facts, peer pressure, sibling rivalry, working family households, keeping secrets, miscommunications, misunderstandings, and health and wellness.

This book is full of valuable lessons that readers of ALL ages can enjoy, appreciate, and learn from!

I also love the family scenes with Sophie, her younger brother, Cole, and their parents. It’s refreshing, uplifting, and inspiring! Whether they’re going on bike rides, attending church, or just gathering around the table for dinner – it’s quality family time that every family should strive to have some form of – regardless how small or big one’s family is.

I liked that this book touched on so many topics such as friendship, family, love, forgiveness, bullying, torment, health and wellness, sibling rivalry, misjudgments, misconceptions, false impressions, sportsmanship, peer pressure, support, overcoming challenges, perceptions, self-esteem, respect, compassion, appreciation, acceptance, recognition, and so much more.

This book has a creative story line, structured outline, evenly paced plot points, detailed scenes, relatable characters, important and useful life lessons, instilled valuable morals, and keeps you engaged through the last page – regardless of your age!

I really enjoyed reading this book and wish these books were around when I was a kid. I look forward to being able to share this book series with my kids that I hope to have one day in the future!!

I think the best part of this book being for middle graders, is that it’s a fun, cool, intriguing book for them! It’s not a dumbed down kid’s book and it’s not a book that a parent can be worried that their kid is reading. It’s a book that a kid will want to read, won’t be embarrassed to read in front of their friends or their parents. It’s the right kind of a book a kid should be reading and the right kind of book their parent will be glad they are reading!

This book is book nine of the Sophie Washington Book Series. Although I have read many of the other books in this series, this book can absolutely be read on its own as a standalone without any fear of getting lost or confused. However, I totally LOVE this book series, and would definitely recommend the whole series!!!

This book is “G” rated as there is no swearing, no violence, no adult situations, and no sexual content.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book and would absolutely recommend it! I think all children’s middle grade readers and in all honesty readers of all ages will like this book too – and this book series! So, add it to your TBR List and get to reading - you won't be disappointed!

**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**

Did you find this review helpful?

If so, please, please, please mark it as helpful on Amazon here:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/R19XTHLMX8OC9A

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MY ADDITIONAL BOOK SERIES POSTS & REVIEWS:

Check out my other Sophie Washington Book Series Posts & Reviews:

Sophie Washington: Queen Bee – Book One – Review

https://fabulousandbrunette.blogspot.com/2018/03/sophie-washington-queen-of-bee-by-tonya.html

Sophie Washington: The Snitch – Book Two – Guest Post https://fabulousandbrunette.blogspot.com/2018/01/sophie-washington-snitch-by-tonya.html

Sophie Washington: The Gamer – Book Four – Review

https://fabulousandbrunette.blogspot.com/2018/03/sophie-washington-gamer-by-tonya-duncan.html

Sophie Washington: Hurricane – Book Five – Review

https://fabulousandbrunette.blogspot.com/2018/08/sophie-washington-hurricane-by-tonya.html

Sophie Washington: Secret Santa – Book Six – Review

https://fabulousandbrunette.blogspot.com/2018/11/sophie-washington-secret-santa-by-tonya.html

Sophie Washington: Code One – Book Seven – Review

https://fabulousandbrunette.blogspot.com/2019/05/sophie-washington-code-one-by-tonya.html

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AUTHOR BIO:

Tonya Duncan Ellis is the author of the Amazon bestselling, Readers' Favorite "Five Star" rated, Sophie Washington children's books series, geared toward readers ages 8 to 12, and is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She has received awards for literary excellence, worked as a journalist and freelance magazine writer, and is a graduate of Centre College of Kentucky and Washington University in St. Louis.

The Sophie Washington book series recounts the adventures of a precocious African American preteen from Houston, TX and her diverse group of friends. Each funny and heartwarming story teaches lessons about friendship, responsibility, truthfulness and perseverance. Books in the series include Queen of the Bee, The Snitch, Things You Didn't Know About Sophie, The Gamer, Hurricane, Mission: Costa Rica, Secret Santa, Code One and Mismatch.

Tonya loves to travel and has visited 49 American states and three continents, but some of her best journeys have been between the pages of a novel. As a girl she could always be found with a book in her hand, and reading is still one of her favorite hobbies. When she's not reading or writing, the author likes to ride her bike, swim, and spend time with her husband and three children. She lives in Missouri City, TX.

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CONNECT WITH TONYA:

Website:

https://tonyaduncanellis.com

Email & Newsletter:

https://tonyaduncanellis.com/contact-us

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/tonyaellisbooks

Twitter:

https://www.twitter.com/TonyaDEllis

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/tonyaellisbooks