Saturday, September 14, 2013

Blog Tour: Thirty and a Half Excuses by Denise Grover Swank




Blurb:



Life in Henryetta, Arkansas is turned upside down with the arrival of a televangelist, but it’s the death of a little old lady on Rose’s street that catches her attention. The Henryetta police deem her death natural causes, but Rose suspects foul play and so does an unlikely supporter–-the president of the Busy Body Club, her eighty-two year old neighbor Mildred.


But Rose is in the middle of opening her nursery with her sister Violet, who’s separated from her husband Mike, as well as stalling her boyfriend Joe’s family, rich socialites who are determined to meet her. Along with her multiple encounters with Fenton County’s new assistant DA, Mason Deveraux III, it’s just another day in the life of Rose Gardner–-chaos.





Buy Links:




About the Author:


New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Denise Grover Swank was born in Kansas City, Missouri and lived in the area until she was nineteen. Then she became a nomadic gypsy, living in five cities, four states and ten houses over the course of ten years before she moved back to her roots. She speaks English and smattering of Spanish and Chinese which she learned through an intensive Nick Jr. immersion period.  Her hobbies include witty Facebook comments (in own her mind) and dancing in her kitchen with her children. (Quite badly if you believe her offspring.)  Hidden talents include the gift of justification and the ability to drink massive amounts of caffeine and still fall asleep within two minutes. Her lack of the sense of smell allows her to perform many unspeakable tasks.  She has six children and hasn’t lost her sanity. Or so she leads you to believe.





Where to Stalk Denise:



Tour Schedule:

9/9 - Please Another Book

         Just My Opinion
9/10 - Made For You Book Review
9/11 - Brianna Lee Book Reviews
           The Secret Book Brat
9/12 - Just Julie Blogging Books
           Whirlwind Books 
9/13 - My Seryniti
          Le'Book Squirrel
9/14 - Books to Get Lost In
9/15 - Wine Books N Fringe
           Sofia Loves Books 
9/16 - The Phantom Paragrapher
           I Feel the Need to Read
9/17 - LK Gardner-Griffe
           Goose Girl Swes
9/18 - The Book Beacon
           Elizabeth Collins
           Oops I Read Again
9/19 - Crazy Bella's Book Blog
           Little Red's Book Reviews
9/20 - Smart and Savvy w/ Stephanie
           Rumpled Sheets Blog
9/21 - Tiffany Talks Books
           Books and Food and More
9/22 - Romancing Rakes



Meagan's Review:

Okay so I'm not sure where to start with this review because OMG what an awesome book!!!! Like I absolutely loved this book...it just pulled me in from the beginning and I couldn't put it down because I just had to know who did it. So I should start with the fact that this is the 3rd book in this series and while you could read this one without the other two, I would highly advise against that because it makes it so much easier to understand the characters. 

Speaking of characters let me list the important few and I'll go into more detail with each of them. Of course we have our main character, Rose. Then we have her boyfriend Joe, her sister Violet, the minister Rev. Jonah Pruitt, her best friend Neely Kate (always supporting her), Bruce Wayne, and assistant district attorney, Mason (by the way Mason is my favorite....I just can't explain it, but he stole my heart).

Okay so the story starts out with Rose talking about being scared, which is kind of funny compared to what she went through in the previous two books. Rose and her sister Violet are opening a nursery together with their love of flowers. It's pretty cool and Rose has a great eye for landscaping. Which brings up the first job the company is given. Rev. Jonah Pruitt wants to hire Rose (and I say Rose instead of the sisters, because that's how he approaches everything....always Rose) and help with the landscaping around the church. Now as the reader we are first told to be weary of the Reverend by both Joe and Mason, even though they can't tell us why. So that might have shaped my opinion if he wasn't so touchy feeling and all up in Rose's personal space. I mean for being a man of the cloth (and I'm not sure if he is allowed to date/take a wife) he just creeps my out because of his intense interest in Rose. 

After the store opens Joe has to leave on an undercover assignment, but hopefully won't be gone long and when he gets back he has plans for him and Rose to truly start a life together...awww....YEY how cute. And I'm happy for them, but I just...in this book I know they love each other and want to move on to the next step in their relationship, I just don't know how to explain it, it just doesn't do it for me. But that also might be part of my prejudice because I like Mason. Nope I lied I LOVE MASON. Like everything about him. His grumpy less than nice first meeting with Rose, but then everything after that I can't help it I just liked him. Now Joe and Mason have a secret past together that neither talks about and finally Joe tells her and I was very shocked and OMG it wasn't what I was expecting. But it explains so many things that are the complication of the relationship Joe and Mason share.  

So anyways Joe has to leave and life continues. Rose ends up hiring two guys to help with the manual labor around the church and she ends up hiring David and Bruce Wayne (heheh every time I hear that name all I hear in my head is...I'm batman *man puffs his chest out and his head slightly held high*) Which is an interesting choice, but I like the reasons behind it and it truly says a lot of about the type of person Rose is. Which is why I love her so much.

Anyways while all this is going on more mystery falls upon this small town. In a matter of two weeks three elder women die. There is speculation about whether it was natural causes or they were murdered. This is the basis that starts the story. Who is involved? A lot of suspicion is thrown at Rev Jonah, especially since he was pretty close with the women and they were all members of his congregation. Further, more the guy just again creeps me out and I don't trust him, he's hiding something. 

Violet...uggg....what a horrid sister. I can't stand her and her fakeness. Rose never called her on it, but I just don't like how she is to Rose. She constantly talks down to her, and I'd love to throw it at her that if it wasn't for Rose, Violet wouldn't have her little nursery shop to work at. When Rose wanted to buy a truck (for practicality of the shop) Violet turned her nose up at her and pretty much all but told her she was stupid for making such a suggestion. I love that Rose bought it anyways. :) And of course who helped Rose buy said truck, none other than my boy Mason.

Okay so Mason and Rose have an interesting friendship. First time they met he was a complete jerk and then they offered each other friendship. However, that was semi short lived because Mason pretty much ignored Rose. It wasn't until Joe left that Rose and Mason tried to work on their friendship. And I like them as friends. They banter with each other and when Rose tells Mason (with the help of Neely Kate) her secret, that she can see visions, he doesn't judge her and openly accepts it. To me that speaks volumes along with some of the things Mason says to Rose and sometimes the way he looks at her. Like I said I love his character, he may have his moments, but I have a gut feeling he is a truly genuine person and wants to help the side of good, while having that sweet romantic side to him (we've yet to really see this, I'm hoping for it in the next book). Having said that, while Joe is gone Mason is there for Rose during some pretty chaotic moments. 

As the story progresses we learn a lot about what is going on around the town and if possible even more mystery is brought up. I kept second guessing myself at who could be behind certain things and how many "different" things could be happening at one time in one small town. When Rose has one particular vision that rocked her world, I had a suspicion about it and it also answered a lot of questions. Of course Rose pokes her nose where she shouldn't and one day it is going to get her into more trouble that she's already gotten into. 

Ohhh and Rose finally meets Joe's family. OMG what a horrid bunch of people. I'm truly not sure how Joe came from those people. I don't care  how much money you have, being.....*insert lots of bad words* is completely uncalled for. And I was a little mad at Joe about the whole situation. Grow a pair already and stand up and speak your mind. Good grief. As the story continues things happen and questions get answered and freaking the end of this book rocked me. Huge heartbreaking cliff hanger. I was like OMG....but uggg....I kind of like that, but no. Especially with Rose and her last vision involving Joe. I just felt for her and I can't wait until the next book to find out what happens next with Rose. January cannot come soon enough. Overall this was an amazing read. I loved every minute of it because it had me guessing and re-guessing and questioning pretty much everything. I can't wait to read some more of Denise's works. So make sure to go get your copy.



Incinerate 



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