Great Escapes Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: Dead of Winter Break by Kelly Brakenhoff

 

 

Today I’m participating in the Dead of Winter Break Great Escapes Blog Tour.  In this post you’ll find information about the book and author along with my review.  And be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a Kindle copy of this title.

 

About the book . . .

  

Dead of Winter Break, A Cassandra Sato Mystery

Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Publisher: Emerald Prairie Press (November 17, 2020)
~340 Pages
Digital ASIN: B08KRG2T9D

  

Synopsis . . .  It’s beginning to look a lot like murder . . .

And Cassandra is knee deep in . . .

Suspects.

Her boss is dead, and the police are calling it burglary gone wrong. But when the killer comes after her, it’s going to take more than a pair of furry boots to keep the smart, witty Morton College administrator, Cassandra Sato, out of the deep. . .

Snow.

Her first Christmas in Nebraska could be her last unless her friends help unravel the mystery and housebreak her dog.

A fast-paced, holiday themed whodunit.

My review . . .  Cassandra Soto, Vice President for Student Affairs at Morton College, is an ambitious go-getter with dreams of an eventual college presidency. With the fall semester behind her, she is looking forward to a quieter winter term with fewer students and staff on campus. Cassandra needs a well-deserved rest after all the drama of the previous semester—from the culture shock and weather difference with her native Hawai’i, to navigating multiple bosses, to handling unexpected student accidents and death.  There is no rest for the weary, however, as trouble continues to plague the college administrator despite her dedication, organization, and attention to detail.  

 

The latest installment of this cozy series revolves around the murder of Gary Neilson, the former Morton president who has returned to the campus after retiring several weeks ago.  Why did Dr. Neilson agree to resume the role of president for the upcoming semester, and who would have reason to kill him?  A series of campus break-ins and robberies, a missing graduate student, and questions about what occurred on a good will trip to China by Morton students and associates draws Cass into a dangerous investigation.  Can she get to the truth without becoming a casualty herself?

 

Dead of Winter Break is an adventurous return to the town of Carson, Nebraska and its lively group of campus residents and townspeople.  The spunky Cassandra continues to show her ability to manage tricky town and gown issues while growing closer to a few of her colleagues.  She even adopts a furry sidekick—a dog named Murphy—further affirming her commitment to her new home.  But before Cassandra or readers of this series get too complacent, the story ends with the appointment of an interim president who is sure to give Cass a new challenge in the Spring semester.  I can hardly wait to see what’s in store in the next book in the series.

 

Giveaway . . .  Enter the Dead of Winter Break Giveaway for a chance to win a Kindle copy of the book by clicking here. 

 

About the author . . .  KELLY BRAKENHOFF writes the Cassandra Sato Mystery series including Death by Dissertation, a 2020 RONE Award Mystery Finalist; Dead Week, “a diverting whodunit,” (Publishers Weekly), and Dead of Winter Break, available in November 2020.

 

Kelly is an American Sign Language Interpreter whose motivation for learning ASL began in high school when she wanted to converse with her deaf friends. Never Mind and Farts Make Noise, her children’s picture books featuring Duke the Deaf Dog and illustrated by her sister, Theresa Murray, have quickly become popular with children, parents, and educators for promoting inclusive conversations about children with differences.

The mother of four young adults and a German Wirehair Pointer, Kelly and her husband call Nebraska home.

 

Author links . . . 

https://kellybrakenhoff.com/

https://twitter.com/inBrakenVille

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18964313.Kelly_Brakenhoff

https://www.facebook.com/kellybrakenhoffauthor/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kelly-brakenhoff 

Purchase link . . .    Amazon 

 

Tour Participants . . .

November 16 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

November 16 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

November 17 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

November 17 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 18 – Socrates Book Reviews– RECIPE

November 18 – Island Confidential – REVIEW

November 19 – Baroness’ Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

November 19 – Christa Reads and Writes – SPOTLIGHT

November 20 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 21 – I Read What You Write  – GUEST POST

November 21 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

November 22 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 23 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – GUEST POST

November 24 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW

November 25 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT

November 26 – Mysteries with Character – GUEST POST

November 27 – Literary Gold – CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 27 – Diane Reviews Books – SPOTLIGHT

November 28 – This Is My Truth Now – REVIEW

November 29 – Brooke Blogs -SPOTLIGHT 

Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Dead of Winter Break from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

This Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.  It cannot be republished without attribution.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . now hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring a recent blog tour read, Dead of Winter Break by Kelly Brakenhoff, the third book in the Cassandra Sato series.

 

Book Beginning:  Chapter One

December in Nebraska was best left to poets droning on about the dubious merits of frosty icicles and face-freezing temperatures.  Inside the stuffy Performing Arts Center, Cassandra Sato felt sweat rivulets slide down her back under her academic regalia.  Easing the light blue velvet sash a few inches away from her throat, she crossed her ankles and inhaled deeply to slow her heartbeat.

Moments earlier, while the Fall Commencement speaker--an economist who had graduated in the 1950s--launched the concluding salvo in his uninspiring remarks, Cassandra had glanced across the state at Board of Directors Chairman Alan Hershey, Master of Ceremonies and owner of an age-defying head of hair that never fell out of place.  Hershey had raised two fingers of his right hand and dipped his chin in a subtle greeting to someone in the audience.

 

 What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

Cassandra Soto, Vice President for Student Affairs at Morton College, is an ambitious go-getter with dreams of an eventual college presidency. The series is set in the town of Carson, Nebraska, where the ambitious native Hawai’ian finds herself dealing with the culture and climate shock of her new life in a small college town. 

 

 

 

 
This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.  It cannot be republished without attribution.    

 

 

Great Escapes Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway: Dead Week by Kelly Brakenhoff

 

Today I'm participating in the Dead Week Blog Tour.  In this post you'll find book and author information along with my review.  And be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a Kindle copy of the book.  


About the book . . . 

 

Dead Week (A Cassandra Sato Mystery)

Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Nebraska
Publisher: Emerald Prairie Press (December 7, 2019)
Paperback: 322 pages
ISBN-10: 1733742425
ISBN-13: 978-1733742429
Digital ASIN: B07ZHN2SMS
 

Synopsis . . . Will Dead Week kill Cassandra’s career? 

VP of Student Affairs Cassandra Sato has a desk full of problems and it’s not even Thanksgiving break.

A student’s injury and a deaf advocacy project brings national media attention to underfunded Morton College. 

Cassandra’s new boss talks to her dead husband. Cassandra’s mentor thinks he’s a superhero in a senior citizen’s body. And Cassandra, recently moved from Hawai’i, can’t crack the code of what to wear during November in Nebraska. 

Is there more to the Vietnam-era story of a student’s death? Cassandra’s search for the long-buried truth stirs up the wrath of those who want to keep the past forgotten. 

My review . . . Dead Week on a college campus is normally a time of quite study before final exams.  Yet this particular week is anything but calm for Morton College's Vice President of Student Affairs Cassandra Sato, who finds herself in a whirlwind of activity.  Cassandra is juggling various claims on her time, from consulting on a student advocacy project; to adjusting to the bizarre leadership style of the new interim college president; to responding to the neediness of helicopter parents; to re-entering the dating scene; to coping with her first Nebraska winter. 

As chair of the college's diversity council, Cassandra is determined to create a more inclusive campus environment for students and faculty of all backgrounds and abilities.  Working toward this goal, Cassandra immerses herself in the Deaf Studies Advocacy Project.  While the project is an important endeavor, it causes considerable growing pains to bring the entire college community onboard.  When Rachel Nagel, the outspoken student activist for the project is injured in two separate campus incidents, it seems that someone may be targeting her because of her activism.  Is Rachel the victim of an attacker who opposes improving the campus community?

In Dead Week Cassandra's administrative skills and personal tenacity are again put to the test. Just how far is she willing to go on behalf of the students--not only to advocate on their behalf, but to ensure their safety?  And as the circumstances of a long-ago student death appear to tie into the current situation, will the revelations of deeply buried campus secrets put Cassandra herself in harm's way?

Brakenhoff's second installment in the Cassandra Sato mystery series is a welcome return to the college community she introduced readers to in Death by Dissertation. Cassandra's drive to make her mark in the field of higher education is as strong as ever, despite the campus politics and personalities she must navigate for her professional survival. On the personal side, Cassandra's relationships with her core group of coworkers and friends get more interesting, and romance is a distinct possibility.  As her first semester at Morton draws to a close, I am eagerly anticipating Cassandra's further adventures in academia.  


Giveaway . . . Enter the Dead Week Giveaway of a Kindle copy of the book by clicking on this link.

About the author . . .  

 

Kelly Brakenhoff is an American Sign Language Interpreter whose motivation for learning ASL began in high school when she wanted to converse with her deaf friends. Her first novel, Death by Dissertation, kicked off the Cassandra Sato Mystery Series. She also wrote Never Mind, first in a children’s picture book series featuring Duke the Deaf Dog. She serves on the Board of Editors for the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf publication, VIEWs. The mother of four young adults and two dogs, Kelly and her husband call Nebraska home.

Her first mystery, Death by Dissertation, released April 22, 2019.

Author links . . .

Website    Amazon    Twitter    BookBub    GoodReads

Instagram:  @kellybrak

Purchase link . . .      Amazon 

  

Tour Participants . . .

January 20 – The Ninja Librarian – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
January 20 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
January 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW  
January 21 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
January 22 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT
January 22 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
January 22 – The Layaway Dragon – REVIEW
January 23 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
January 23 – Brooke Blogs– SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE
January 23 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW
January 24 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
January 24 – Jane Reads – GUEST POST
January 25 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
January 25 – Baroness’ Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
January 26 – Cozy Up With Kathy – GUEST POST
January 26 – Diane Reviews Books – SPOTLIGHT
January 27 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW
January 27 – Laura`s Interests  – SPOTLIGHT
January 28 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW
January 28 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
January 29 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
January 29 – My Journey Back – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE  
January 29 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW
January 29 – Reading Authors Network – REVIEW

Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Dead Week from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

This Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.  It cannot be republished without attribution.  Sharing this original post on Twitter and/or other book-related blogs with appropriate recognition is appreciated.

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

                                                      

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach, where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon.   

Today I'm featuring a recent blog tour read, Dead Week by Kelly Brakenhoff. The excerpt shared is from an eBook version I received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Chapter One 

 If Cassandra Sato had to pinpoint the moment enthusiasm for her dream job faltered, it was when her weather app displayed a morning temperature of thirty-eight degrees with a predicted high of forty-two.  Morton College in mid-November had more in common with the arctic tundra than a tropical paradise.  

No one in her native state of Hawai'i would consider forty-two degrees a high temperature.  Ever. 



What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

Cassandra Sato, Student Affairs Vice President at Nebraska's Morton College, is a highly motivated, talented young woman determined to make her mark in the field of higher education.  Leaving her native Hawai'i and adapting to life in Nebraska proves challenging--both in terms of physical weather and cultural climate--but Cassandra is up to the task, despite the campus politics and personalities she must navigate for her professional survival as she settles into a small college town literally and figuratively miles away from home.  











This First Chapter ~ First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution. Sharing this original post on Twitter with appropriate recognition is appreciated.

  

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings

It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts with:

• Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.  
• The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an eBook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them.

Today I'm featuring a recent blog tour read, Death by Dissertation by Kelly Brakenhoff.  It's the first book in the new Cassandra Sato mystery series. The excerpts shared are from the eBook I received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

Beginning: Chapter One

Cassandra Sato cradled her palms around her warm Morton College travel mug, hoping the coffee inside would calm the churning in her stomach.  Half anticipation, half impatience at wasting her time, uncertainty was the last thing she needed her boss to see at the start of their probationary coaching meeting.  She fixed a serene expression on her face, pretending to admire the view from his picture window, while reviewing her mental list of the issues he might raise.  As the youngest person to earn a doctorate in education from the University of Hawai'i at age 28, she had years of practice appearing more mature and confident than she felt.  Still, feeling confident in the tropical sunshine of Manoa was much easier than squirming on an antique wooden armchair in Carson, Nebraska--population 8,300--in an office that best resembled a British men's club.

********************

56% of eBook (approximately):  Normally, she would have immediately dismissed his suggestion and fled upstairs to work.  Some impulse--and Dr. Nielson's reminder to get out of her office more--led her to accept his invitation.

********************

My thoughts:  Death by Dissertation is an engaging mystery with puzzling clues that introduces readers to a plucky protagonist.   Insider observations and a realistic portrayal of campus politics and life in a small college town and the personable cast of characters make this novel a promising start to the series.

You can read my review here and enter a giveaway.

********************
From Goodreads:  Ambitious Cassandra Sato traded her life in Hawai'i for a dream position as Student Affairs VP at Morton College in tiny Carson, Nebraska. She expected the Midwestern church casseroles, land-locked cornfields, and face-freezing winters would be her biggest challenges, but it's her job that's rapidly becoming a nightmare.

A deaf student is dead and the investigation reveals a complicated trail of connections between campus food service, a local farmer's beef, and the science lab's cancer research. Together with her few allies, Cassandra must protect the students caught up in the entanglement.

Dealing with homesickness, vandalism, and a stalker, Cassandra is trapped in a public relations disaster that could cost her job, or more. No one said college was easy.

Get to know Cassandra and her new friends at Morton College. 

********************

This Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution. Sharing this original post on Twitter with appropriate recognition is appreciated.   

Great Escapes Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: Death by Dissertation by Kelly Brakenhoff

Today I'm participating in the Death by Dissertation Blog Tour.  In this post you'll find book and author information along with my review.  And don't forget to enter the giveaway via the link in this post.  


About the book . . . 

  

Death by Dissertation (A Cassandra Sato Mystery)

Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Nebraska
Emerald Prairie Press (April 17, 2019)
Paperback: 355 pages
ISBN-10: 1733742409
ISBN-13: 978-1733742405
Digital ASIN: B07PKRD658
 

Synopsis . . .  Ambitious Cassandra Sato traded her life in Hawai’i for a dream position as Student Affairs VP at Morton College in tiny Carson, Nebraska. She expected the Midwestern church casseroles, land-locked cornfields, and face-freezing winters would be her biggest challenges, but it’s her job that’s rapidly becoming a nightmare.

A deaf student is dead and the investigation reveals a complicated trail of connections between campus food service, a local farmer’s beef, and the science lab’s cancer research. Together with her few allies, Cassandra must protect the students caught up in the entanglement.

Dealing with homesickness, vandalism, and a stalker, Cassandra is trapped in a public relations disaster that could cost her job, or more. No one said college was easy.


My review . . .  As Vice President of Student Affairs, Cassandra's main duties are disciplining undergraduate students and mentoring thesis candidates.  When she is tapped to fill in for the college president while he travels abroad creating partnerships with foreign universities, Cassandra imagines an opportunity to showcase her administrative talents and advance her career goal of one day becoming a college president herself.  As it turns out, the experience will not only test her leadership abilities, it will endanger her own safety and that of several students.

Endless meetings and arrangements for Homecoming are somewhat stressful, but pale in comparison with the unfolding developments after the death of a student worker at the college laboratory where groundbreaking cancer research is being conducted.  Cassandra must put her own career on the line to protect the students and the school's reputation.  Will her actions earn her the respect and support of the college president and board of directors, or will she lose her dream job and the chance to realize her career aspirations?

Death by Dissertation is an engaging mystery with puzzling clues that introduces readers to a plucky protagonist.  Cassandra is a highly motivated, talented young woman determined to make her mark in the field of higher education.  Leaving her home and family in Hawai'i and adapting to life in Nebraska is challenging--both in terms of physical weather and cultural climate--but Cassandra's combination of natural grace and assertiveness serve her well.  A core group of campus friends stands by her, and together they form relationships that readers will be able to follow in subsequent books in the series.

Author Kelly Brakenhoff is to be commended for her insider observations and realistic portrayal of campus politics and life in a small college town.  These elements, along with the personable cast of characters, are a promising start to the series.  I look forward to following the further adventures of Dr. Cassandra Sato and her friends and colleagues.

Giveaway . . . Enter the Death by Dissertation contest by clicking on this link. 


About the author . . .  Kelly Brakenhoff is an American Sign Language Interpreter whose motivation for learning ASL began in high school when she wanted to converse with her deaf friends. As an American Sign Language Interpreter with more than twenty years of experience, Kelly’s worked in college classrooms for fifteen different majors. From traipsing across muddy farm fields to stomach-churning medical procedures, and stage interpreting for famous figures, Kelly’s community interpreting interactions number in the thousands. Unfortunately, once she’s stepped away from the job, she usually forgets 90% of what happened. Which helps her keep confidential information safe, but also makes it really hard to grocery shop for more than 5 items without a written list.  

Kelly wants to live in a world filled with peace, love, and joy, where people who can hear learn enough sign language to include deaf people in everyday conversations and work. Where every deaf child has early access to language and books with characters like them, and dark chocolate is cheap and plentiful.

When she’s not interpreting or writing, you can find Kelly cheering for her favorite Husker teams or training for half-marathons because she really likes dessert.

Her first mystery, Death by Dissertation, released April 22, 2019.

Purchase link . . .  Amazon  June 22 – 30 – Just $0.99!!

 
 

Tour Participants . . . 

June 17 – The Layaway Dragon – REVIEW
June 17 – Only By Grace Reviews – REVIEW
June 18 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE
June 18 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
June 19 – Island Confidential – REVIEW
June 20 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 20 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
June 21 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW  
June 21 – That’s What She’s Reading – GUEST POST
June 22 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW
June 22 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 23 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
June 24 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
June 24 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 25 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW
June 25 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 26 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
June 26 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
June 27 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW  
June 27 – I’m All About Books – GUEST POST
June 28 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
June 29 – The Ninja Librarian – REVIEW, GUEST POST
June 30 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Death by Dissertation from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

This Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.  It cannot be republished without attribution.  Sharing this original post on Twitter and/or other blogs with appropriate recognition is appreciated.