"Maya & Filippo Visit San Francisco" by Alinka Rutkowska

NEW RELEASE and REVIEW

Maya & Filippo
Visit San Francisco

by Alinka Rutkowska

Maya & Filippo Visit San Francisco is the latest in Alinka Rutkowska's Maya & Filippo series. 

Also available: Maya & Filippo Make Friends in Auckland (read my blog post), Maya & Filippo Play Chef at Sea, Maya & Filippo Look for Happiness in Tauranga (read my blog post), Maya & Filippo Look for Whales, Whale Watching Coloring Book, Maya & Filippo Visit a Glacier (FREE when you sign up for the newsletter), Alaska Coloring Book, Maya & Filippo Separate in Skagway, Maya & Filippo Talk Business in Seattle, and Maya & Filippo See Impossible Things in the Garden City (read my blog post), and Maya & Filippo Learn about Careers in Dunedin (read my blog post), and Maya & Filippo Show Aloha (read my blog post).

Description

Maya & Filippo dock in San Francisco but they only have one day to visit and both kids want to see different things. Learn about Alcatraz, go on a cable-car ride, take a stroll through the Yerba Buena Gardens, and marvel at the skyscrapers of Union Square. Then they go for a quick walk on Fisherman’s Wharf and admire the sea lions. But soon it’s time to sail away and the kids still haven’t seen the Golden Gate Bridge. What can they do?

Praise for the Book

"The author's way of introducing readers to information about the place is simple and endearing. The illustrations are very bright and colorful and they give pace and movement to the story and scenes, and breathe life into the characters. All the books in this travel series are worth having in one's personal collection. This story makes a perfect bedtime read for kids and it can also be used for read aloud sessions in classrooms and libraries." ~ 5.0 Stars from Readers' Favorite

"The pictures have a nice bright stylized appeal, and if Mom sometimes sounds like she’s swallowed the guidebook, it’s really not a problem. Sentences are short and sweet. Information is nicely given. And the adventure ends with a pleasing quiz, plus the conclusion that there are no right or wrong ways to visit a new place. Maya and Filippo Visit San Francisco would be a good addition to a Maya and Filippo collection, and a fun book to share before visiting the city with kids." ~ Sheila Deeth

"The author, Alinka Rutkowska, has written another book in her series of visiting different cities in all parts of the world. Her stories are full of fun and information. [...] The illustrations by Konrad Checinski, are bright and colorful, depicting all of the sites and scenery and the activities Maya and Filippo were able to see. [...] This series of books by Alinka Rutkowska are a joy to read. My 5 year old granddaughter looks forward to each new book. She can tell her friends about the new city she visited via these books." ~ prisrob

"It's a pretty lovely book. Once again, Alinka Rutkowska has captured the beauty of the location and included all sorts of little details that I'm sure kids will enjoy. The illustrations are just as great; they show lovely scenes of Maya & Filippo having a great time in the city. Despite the things that go wrong for the children, it all turns out fine in the end. It's quite happy, upbeat and any child is sure to enjoy it!" ~ Catherine

"My two year old really enjoyed this book. It's a really cute story." ~ Dea

My Review

By Lynda Dickson

Maya and Filippo are a sister and brother pair who travel around the world with their parents and their cat Otello on the Fun Princess cruise ship. Today Maya and Filippo dock in San Francisco. With so much to see and do, how are they going to fit it all in? After a busy day sight-seeing, Maya and Filippo learn that there is "no right or wrong way to visit a city."

This is another bright and cheerful offering from Alinka Rutkowska and illustrator Konrad Checinski. Your children will learn about the sights and landmarks of San Francisco. The story is followed by additional information on San Francisco and a short quiz to check your child's understanding of the story.

Fun and educational.

About the Author

Alinka Rutkowska is an award-winning and best-selling Children's Author of over twenty books. She is the winner of the prestigious International Readers' Favorite Book Award Contest and her book series received the acclaimed Mom's Choice Book Award.

Alinka has been featured on Fox Business Network, Examiner, She Knows, She Writes, Blog Talk Radio, The Writer's Life, and many more.

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"Asking for Trouble (The Kincaids, Book Three)" by Rosalind James

NEW RELEASE

Asking for Trouble
(The Kincaids, Book Three)

by Rosalind James

Asking for Trouble, the third book in The Kincaids series by Rosalind James, has just been released. Also available: Welcome to Paradise and Nothing Personal (ON SALE for $0.99 to 15 February; read my earlier blog post.)

This book blitz is brought to you by Reading Addiction Book Tours. Be sure to visit the other participating blogs as well.

Description

Sometimes you go looking for trouble. And sometimes, trouble finds you.

Alyssa Kincaid knows she needs to make some big changes. A move to San Francisco is the first step. Now it's time to get serious, and to get the rest of her life on track. If only her messy life would cooperate. And if only it had Joe Hartman in it.

Joe knows one thing for sure: Making a move on his best friend's little sister, the beloved youngest sibling in the closest thing to a family he's got, would be asking for trouble. Unfortunately, Alyssa always does seem to be asking for trouble. And it's getting harder and harder for Joe to resist answering.

Note: Despite the fog, San Francisco does get pretty hot at times. If you prefer your romance without steam, this may not be the book for you.

Excerpt

She hit the door, heard the chime behind her, and knew her new boyfriends were following right along. Until they realized that she was meeting the bike rider, because she could sense them slowing to a stop.

Joe barely looked at her, just reached for her arm and swung her behind him. She peered around from the shelter of his broad back, saw the three guys stopped halfway between the bulk of Joe and the liquor store entrance, looking like they weren't quite sure what to do next.

"You should take better care of your lady," Tall Guy said at last. "Not leave her all alone and lonely like that. She might get into trouble."

"I'm here now," Joe said.

The guy laughed, showing his bad teeth. "What? You looking for a fight? Three of us, man."

"I'm not looking for anything," Joe said, and she could see his hands flexing, could sense the readiness in him, like he was poised on his toes, even though he was standing solid. "But I'm happy to take anything that comes my way."

"Hey, man," the guy said with a shrug, taking a half-step back. "Just hanging out." He turned, would-be casual, and the three of them sauntered off, back to their pals, Alyssa presumed.

Joe stood still a moment, watching them go. Then he turned to Alyssa. "You OK?"

"Yeah," she said, her arms wrapped around herself, shivering with cold and tension. "Just freezing." She smiled, and could feel her teeth chattering. She'd really thought he was going to fight. Three guys.

He unzipped the heavy jacket and handed it to her. "Put this on." He watched her struggle with the zipper for a minute, her fingers too shaky for the task, then brushed her hands aside and zipped the jacket for her as if she were a child. Then he took off the helmet and gave her that, too. "I don't have another one with me. Wear this."

She hefted the weight of it. "Uh, Joe. I can't ride a motorcycle. Maybe you could just wait for a cab with me."

"You don't have to ride a motorcycle," he said. "I'll do the riding. You just have to hold on."

Review

By Patsy

I don't normally even review the books I read but I LOVE Rosalind's style, and this third book in the truly wonderful series about the Kincaids was a treat from start to finish. I pre-ordered it so it arrived on Feb 1 and I have already read it twice - some parts more than that (and it's only Feb 3!!)

I wasn't really sure how Joe was going to emerge in this book, but I fell in love with him from the start, and Alyssa was the perfect match ... It was such a fun read, with plenty of character complexity and the thrilling climax points (no pun intended!) that occurred along the way. My only disappointment was in realizing that I really HAD read it through and now I have to wait for another offering from this superb writer with a real gift for creating great characters and mixing in just the right amount of sizzle to have you squirming while you love reading it! What's next, Rosalind??!

About the Author

Rosalind James is the author of the Kindle-bestselling Escape to New Zealand series (currently five titles strong), as well as the new U.S.-based The Kincaids series. Her first book, Just This Once, has sold tens of thousands of copies in the year since it was published, eventually reaching #85 in the Amazon store. A marketing professional and publishing industry veteran, Rosalind has lived all over the United States and in a number of other countries, traveling with her civil engineer husband. Most recently, she spent several years in Australia and New Zealand, where she fell in love with the people, the landscape, and the culture of both countries. She loves trying new things in her writing, most recently the mystery and suspense in Nothing Personal.

Rosalind credits her rapid success to the fact that “lots of people would like to escape to New Zealand! I know I did!”

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"Nothing Personal (The Kincaids, Book Two)" by Rosalind James

EXCERPT

Nothing Personal
(The Kincaids, Book Two)

by Rosalind James

Nothing Personal is Book 2 in The Kincaids series by Rosalind James. Also available: Welcome to Paradise. The third book in the series, Asking for Trouble, will be released February 2014.

  

Nothing Personal is currently on tour with Reading Addiction Book Tours. The tour stops here today for an excerpt. Be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.

Description

When you wish upon a star ...

Alec Kincaid has never met the obstacle he couldn’t overcome - or the woman who could resist him. And it’s not going to happen now, not with his star shining more brightly than ever in the high-stakes arena of San Francisco’s software industry.

Desiree Harlin doesn’t believe in fairy tales, and she doesn’t waste time wishing. She’s learned the hard way that dreams don’t come true. And with her reputation and hard-won security on the line, succumbing to temptation isn’t an option.

But things aren’t always what they seem. And even stars sometimes fall.

Note: Despite the fog, San Francisco does get hot at times. If you prefer your romance without steam, you may want to visit a different city ... er, book.

Excerpt

She’d spooned up every bit of the rich broth, the chunks of beef and vegetables, had dipped a second and then a third piece of bread in olive oil. Alec had watched it all without comment, while dispatching his own dinner with an alacrity that confirmed to Desiree that he really hadn’t had dinner yet tonight.

And when they’d finished, he’d insisted, together with Giuseppe - of course the waiter’s name was Giuseppe, because this wasn’t romantic enough, the white tablecloth and the single red rose and the candle and the worn brick against her shoulder - he’d insisted that she order cannoli for dessert.

“Just one,” he coaxed. “If you don’t want it, you don’t have to eat a single bite. But I think you need to taste whipped cream tonight.”

“Don’t you think she needs some whipped cream?” he demanded of the waiter, who smiled back at him, sensing, Desiree thought through a satisfied haze of red wine, succulent beef, and way too much potent testosterone, a truly magnificent tip.

“Definitely, the signorina needs whipped cream,” Giuseppe agreed. “And we have the best.”

She wasn’t sure how you had better whipped cream than anyone else, but when the dessert arrived, she had to concede that this was the best.

Amaretto, one still-sane corner of her practical brain suggested, but that sensible voice was drowned out, oh so rapidly, by the sensation on her tongue, the silky smoothness of cream, the almond sweetness of the liqueur, the delicate drift of pastry and the deep dark pleasure of chocolate. And Alec, watching her as she allowed the rich concoction to drift between her lips, over her tongue, down her throat. Watching her, enjoying the sight of her enjoying herself, as if it were his tongue. His throat.

By the time he’d slapped a hand against the door of the cab that had again been waiting when they’d stepped out of the restaurant’s front door, leaped back onto the sidewalk and raised that same hand in farewell, she’d been so lost in fatigue, wine, and lust that she could only sit back against the scarred leather and thank heaven that she hadn’t actually kissed him. Or begged him.

Review

By Ilovebooks

Thoroughly enjoyed this novel! It was nice to follow Rae and Alec's journey and have flash backs to their teen years. It also had a "whodunit" too, which added to the attraction of this book for me too. I enjoyed the mention of the characters from the first Kincaids book too!! Love this author have not read a book by her that I didn't like and I have read them all and will continue to read them.

About the Author

Rosalind James is the author of the Kindle-bestselling Escape to New Zealand series (currently five titles strong), as well as the new U.S.-based The Kincaids series. Her first book, Just This Once, has sold tens of thousands of copies in the year since it was published, eventually reaching #85 in the Amazon store. A marketing professional and publishing industry veteran, Rosalind has lived all over the United States and in a number of other countries, traveling with her civil engineer husband. Most recently, she spent several years in Australia and New Zealand, where she fell in love with the people, the landscape, and the culture of both countries. She loves trying new things in her writing, most recently the mystery and suspense in Nothing Personal.

Rosalind credits her rapid success to the fact that “lots of people would like to escape to New Zealand! I know I did!”

Links

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon US author page

Amazon UK author page

Blog

Facebook

Goodreads

Pinterest

Twitter @RosalindJames5

Website