Blog Tour: A Deception on Cold Hill by Robert W Kirby

A Deception on Cold Hill by Robert W. Kirby
Series: A Bartell Crime Thriller
Publisher: Robert Kirby Books
Publication Date: November 30, 2024 

 

About the Book: 

The rave scene is thriving, but behind the pulsing beats lies a deadly game of deception.

When Jack Bartell and Marcus Chillcott have a huge shipment of ecstasy tablets hijacked, it’s a desperate race against time to uncover the culprit and set things right.

Conrad Roman is panicking. As the newest member of Jack’s outfit, he’s suspect number one, especially with a rumour spreading fast that he’s been handling the stolen product. Now, he must find out who’s setting him up, and quickly.

As Conrad searches for answers, the net closes in. He can trust no one as he hunts for evidence to clear his name and protect himself from vengeful dealers seeking retribution.

What measures will Conrad take to keep himself and his loved ones out of harm’s way?

A Deception on Cold Hill is a dark crime thriller set in the ‘90s.

About the Author

Robert was born in 1979 and lives in Kent with his wife, children, and bonkers dalmatian, Dexter. 

He ran a private investigation agency for over fifteen years, dealing in cases that involved breach of contract claims, commercial debt recovery, and process serving. Robert’s agency also specialised in people tracing; so much of his work revolved around tracking down debtors, dealing in adoption matters, and locating missing persons. 

At times, he worked on some pretty bizarre cases and dealt with plenty of interesting and sometimes colourful individuals. 

Since 2014, Robert has worked self-employed in the pet care industry, and is a keen trail runner, mountain biker and kayaker. Robert has a huge passion for screenwriting for many years and started writing novels during the first lockdown. 

Find the Author

Facebook | Instagram | Website

 

Building the Book Pile #490

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Happy Sunday!

I hope you are well. It has been a long and tiring week. We are still working on potty training with Emma - she is getting there but slowly. The middle of the night and early morning let-outs are what is doing me in. I feel like I have not slept in weeks... probably because I haven't lol. 

Work is both slowing down for this season and ramping up for next cycle, it is a good time of year for us to take some time off, and I am hoping to do that in July. This month I am traveling for a conference - to Atlanta and as I type this I am headed to Indiana for a personal thing. The hubs is in charge of the doggos for a bit. 

My reading this week has been horrible, I have had the time but not the desire - I need to get back to it. Might need to switch up the book I am reading just to get excited... ya know? Does that happen to you? 

Linking up this week with the Caffeinated Reviewer and her Sunday Post series.

xo steph

Coming up on the Blog

Blog Tour: A Deception on Cold Hill by Robert W. Kirby (Adult)

Books Received Recently...  

For Review:

 Song of the Hell Witch by Taylor Hartley  - from the publisher for review.

Watch Out for Falling Iguanas by Edwidge Danticat  - from Librarything Early Reviewers program

Have you missed anything lately?

May 2025 Re-Cap

Recent Reads: When Plan A Fails by Diana Corbitt (Adult) - 4 stars

Recent Reads: The City of Lost Cats by Tanya Lloyd Kyi (MG) - 5 stars

Cover Reveal: The Reunion by Sonya Bateman

Donating Caffeine is greatly appreciated ... Donate on Ko-fi

What have you been reading?  How was your week? Feel free to leave a comment!

Happy Reading! 

Cover Reveal: The Reunion by Sonya Bateman

COVER REVEAL!

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The Reunion by Sonya Bateman

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The Reunion by Sonya Bateman
Publisher: Joffe Books
Publication Date:  July 17, 2025

 

About the Book

I almost didn’t come.

Even with the free champagne, the five-star resort, the promise of closure. Even though it’s fifteen years since we all finished high school.

But now I’m here. Snowed in.

And someone’s already dead.

It should’ve been a reunion. Laughter. Memories. Old friends — even if they never really saw me. But our old prom dates are waiting tables. Our teachers are lurking in corridors. And one by one, the people I once called friends are acting like we’re back in school. There are eight of us.

There were eight of us then.

But one vanished after prom.

And someone knows what really happened that night. They invited us here for a reason.

And they’re not going to let us leave.

About the Author

Sonya Bateman is an award-winning copywriter and novelist, a mid-eighties to late-nineties fantasy movie enthusiast, coffee hoarder, and collector of cool rocks who spent a not-insignificant portion of her childhood climbing trees in order to read books in peace. She grew up in Central New York, where the seasons are Winter and Road Construction and “not the city” is officially part of everyone’s address.

Sonya currently lives in a big house in a little city, still in Central New York (not the city), with her husband, son, and feline overlords. She writes twisty, shocking psychological fiction that may leave you suspicious of your friends and neighbors—and sleeping with the lights on.

Find the Author

Facebook | Website

Recent Reads: When Plan A Fails by Diana Corbitt

Source: From the Author for review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

When Plan A Fails by Diana Corbitt 
Series: An Izzy Santos Mystery #2
Publisher: Bedazzled Ink Publishing
Publication Date:  January 16, 2025

 

Format: Ebook


Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Izzy Santos’ new job as Rocky Harbor’s head detective is off to a rocky start when her Aunt Maggie is struck by a car and is laid up with a broken leg. On that same day, the wife of Officer Gabe Fox is in a coma after falling off a cliff. To top it off, Rocky Harbor has another murder for her to solve—a body with missing hands.

Before Izzy has a chance to process the facts of the murder, a second handless body is found—a teenage girl. When the body of a high school Spanish teacher is discovered with a missing hand, the small coastal community erupts in fear and growing anger.

Kylie, Gabe's teenage daughter, seems to have a motive for all the killings. But something just isn't adding up for Izzy as she scrambles to find the killer before they strike again.

 

Review: 

When Plan A Fails by Diana Corbitt is a fast-paced, twisty murder mystery that pulls readers straight into the chaos of Rocky Harbor. In this installment, Izzy Santos, the town’s newly appointed head detective, faces a crazy amount of chaos: her Aunt Maggie is hospitalized after being struck by a car, Officer Gabe Fox’s wife is in a coma after a mysterious fall, and the town is suddenly gripped by fear as multiple murder victims are discovered — including a teenager and a teacher.

What I really enjoyed about this book is how the focus shifted more deeply onto the cases themselves, compared to the first book, which was more about introducing Izzy’s character. While I missed seeing Aunt Maggie’s psychic gift playing a larger role, I appreciated watching Izzy’s detective work take the focus. Additionally, the multiple  POVs, especially Gabe’s and various other townspeople, kept the tension high and the plot moving quickly.

I will admit that the number of murders in such a small coastal town stretched believability a bit. It felt like Rocky Harbor had more violent crime than a big city. But Corbitt pulls it off, keeping the narrative tight and delivering a satisfying ending that wrapped up the various threads well. Fans of small-town mysteries with a touch of the eerie will definitely enjoy this one.

Recent Reads: The City of Lost Cats by Tanya Lloyd Kyi

Source: From Librarything Early Reviewers program. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 

The City of Lost Cats by Tanya Lloyd Kyi 

Publisher: Tundra Books
Publication Date: March 4, 2025 

 

Format: Hardback

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

A stubborn young girl named Fiona stumbles upon an abandoned house full of stray cats, just as it is threatened by a demolition team, a leadership crisis, and two potentially malicious budgies. Can Fiona save the house and all its inhabitants? A new middle-grade novel by critically acclaimed author Tanya Lloyd Kyi.

When Fiona wanders into an abandoned mansion down by the harbor, she discovers the house is full of stray cats (and two chaotic budgies). Fiona feels a great deal of sympathy for the animals; she understands what it's like to need a safe home. Ever since her parents died, she's been struggling to adjust to the tiny apartment where she and her Aunt Tanis now live. And Aunt Tanis has little time to spare for Fiona, between her job at The Municipal Hall and her horrible, hair-gelled boyfriend. 

When the mansion is threatened by a demolition team, Fiona is determined to save "The City" and its residents. But the cats have their own priorities. Cot (short for Cottonball Fluffikins Magnificent III, a name he refuses to acknowledge) has lived in the mansion for two years and is the self-proclaimed king. He's convinced the demolition effort has been organized by the recently arrived budgies. Those birds have got to go! 

Cot's feline rival, Piper, is sure she can intimidate the demolition team and force them to leave, if Fiona will simply stay out of her way. And the budgies . . . well, the budgies just want to go home.

As the demolition team begins tearing down the house next door, Fiona looks for any help she can find — at the library, the butcher shop, and even at The Municipal Hall. Can the efforts of one small girl and an assortment of animals stop a luxury condo development? Can they create something better in its place? 

It's going to take some quick thinking on the part of Fiona, not to mention the cooperation of all the cats, to give The City a future.

Review: 

The City of Cats is an utterly charming middle grade book that will steal the hearts of cat lovers (and animal lovers in general). Fiona lives with her self-centered aunt who doesn’t understand her, leaving Fiona feeling lonely and overlooked. When she decides to run away, she stumbles upon a crumbling old mansion...one that just happens to be home to a lively group of stray cats. Determined to save the house from demolition and protect the cats’ home, Fiona throws herself into a mission fueled by community spirit, activism, and peaceful protest.

The story is told not just through Fiona’s eyes but also through the perspectives of several cats (Cot, Piper, Tarantino) and even two birds, Fries and Gravy, which adds humor and heart to the narrative. Fiona herself is stubborn, determined, and wonderfully resourceful, especially when she enlists the help of her local library.

One of my favorite touches was the inclusion of illustrated town flyers sprinkled throughout the book — they were fun to read and gave a great sense of how the community was reacting various local events.

Overall, The City of Cats is a warm, delightful read about standing up for what you believe in, the importance of community, and the love we have for the animals around us. Highly recommended for young readers — especially those who adore cats! 🐾

Reading ReCap: May 2025

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

In May, I had a number of review books again, but sprinkled in some of the books off my physical TBR as well.

I read 9 books and DNFed Artemis Fowl.

StoryGraph for some Stats help again, I really like this visual 

~~Books I Read in May~~   

  

How was your May Reading? What books are you excited to read in June? Are you listening to any good audiobooks for Audiobook Month?

Feel free to share in the comments! I would love to know what you are reading! 

Building the Book Pile #489

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Good Morning. 

It has been a few weeks - I hope you are well. 

Since the last BTBP post, the hubs is home from Australia and New Zealand. He had a lovely time, and I am so happy he is back. Emma is still learning and potty training is ongoing, but we are slowly making progress. She does know sit pretty well now. 

On the reading front, I have been in a little slump and am feeling behind because of it. I also cataloged all my physical books that are unread and am going to work on those in addition to review books versus buying new ones (we will see how that goes, I love the Bookstore).

Happy June, by the way... this month in addition to my review books and working down my physical TBR I will also be joining the 2025 JIAM Audiobook Challenge. 

I will be putting my progress here.

Linking up this week with the Caffeinated Reviewer and her Sunday Post series.

xo steph

Coming up on the Blog

May 2025 Re-Cap

Recent Reads: When Plan A Fails by Diana Corbitt (Adult)

Recent Reads: The City of Lost Cats by Tanya Lloyd Kyi (MG)

Books Received Recently...  

For Review:

A Deception on Cold Hill by Robert W. Kirby - for Blog Tour/ Review

Empire of the Dawn by Jay Kristoff - from the Publisher for review. (AHHHH so excited)

North of Tomboy by Julie Swanson - from the publisher for review.

Suddenly Desired by Katie Evergreen - for Blog Tour/ Review

The Best Worst Mistake by Lily Parker - for Blog Tour/ Review

Have you missed anything lately?

Early Reader Review: One in a Vermilion May Live by Jennifer Jaxxon-Louis -1.5 stars

Cover Reveal: Once Upon A Crown by Leané Gilomee

Early Reader Review: All-Nighter by Cecilia Vinesse - 3.5 stars

20 Books of Summer Challenge

Donating Caffeine is greatly appreciated ... Donate on Ko-fi

What have you been reading?  How was your week? Feel free to leave a comment!

Happy Reading! 

20 Books of Summer Challenge

Thanks to Lisa of Lisa Love Literature for sharing/ participating. This Challenge is hosted by Emma of Words and Peace and Annabel of AnnaBookBel

So this is your first call to start planning…

• The #20BooksofSummer2025 challenge runs from Sunday June 1st to Sunday August 31st
• The first rule of 20 Books is that there are no real rules, other than signing up for 10, 15 or 20 books and trying to read from your TBR.
• Pick your list in advance, or nominate a bookcase to read from, or pick at whim from your TBR.
• If you do pick a list, you can change it at any time – swap books in/out.
• Don’t get panicked at not reaching your target.
• Just enjoy a summer of great reading and make a bit of space on your shelves!

We’ll have monthly summary posts where you can add progress reports and recommendations. The final one at the at the beginning of September will stay open for a while to catch all the last reviews.

If you’re planning to join in please do add your blog / planning post link to the Mr Linky the logos and bingo card now, which’ll help us keep track, and you can use the hashtag #20BooksofSummer2025 on your socials.

My Plan

 I am going to try to use this challenge to read some books of my physical and already-owned audiobook TBRs, so I am going for 10 books and might increase if things are going well. I love the flexibility of this challenge and really hope to get through some books!

Early Reader Review: All-Nighter by Cecilia Vinesse

Source: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 

All-Nighter by Cecilia Vinesse

Publisher: Quill Tree Books

Publication Date:  May 27, 2025

 

Format: Ebook


Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Booksmart meets Today, Tonight, Tomorrow in this page-turning romp about two archnemeses—the valedictorian and the class slacker—who band together for a whirlwind night after discovering that they need each other to achieve their very different sunrise goals.  

Autumn Povitsky is a high-achieving, booked and busy, straight-A nightmare. She’s currently having a crisis of self—she needs a fake ID ASAP—but because she’s a total square, she has no idea where to get one.

Enter buzzcut hottie Tara Esposito. She’s a rule breaker and party crasher of the highest degree, and if anyone knows where to get a fake, it’s her. But Tara has hung up her James Dean leather jacket for the night. If she doesn’t finish this godforsaken essay that’s already weeks late, she can kiss her upcoming graduation goodbye.

One brainy girl who needs a fake ID before sundown. One serial rebel who needs to turn in an essay before sunrise. It’s obvious what needs to happen here. But with a years-long feud keeping the girls from working together, this may be a night to forget…or one they’ll remember forever.

With razor-sharp dialogue and fiery tension perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Casey McQuiston, All-Nighter is a caffeine-fueled labyrinth of chaotic escapades—from prom after-parties to library séances to underground roller discos—led by two enemies who must decide if working together is better than their worlds falling apart. 

Review: 

A YA story with LGBTQ+ rep featuring high school seniors Autumn and Tara... sworn enemies who torment each other at every opportunity. Autumn is all perfection: top grades, rule-follower, tweed-wearer. Tara is pure chaos: the kind of person who does what she wants, when she wants, and serves as the go-to source for fake IDs, party supplies, and general mischief.

Despite their differences, the two are forced to team up. Autumn needs Tara’s help getting a college ID to visit a girl she’s crushing on, and Tara needs Autumn’s help writing an essay so she can graduate. The story unfolds over one wild night, which was a joyride through their town and its cast of colorful characters.

I enjoyed the premise and give it a solid 3.5/5 stars. Autumn and Tara’s banter was a highlight, both witty and fun. The character development was decent, though I didn’t feel as emotionally invested in them as I wanted to be. Some scenes and interactions felt a little forced, and not just because of the forced-proximity trope; there were moments that seemed thrown in without much context or payoff. A few more connective details could’ve made the story feel more cohesive.

Still, it was a fun ride, even if I didn’t race through it. That said, I’d absolutely read a whole spinoff about Franko and whatever chaos he gets into.