Ten Books for the Best Quarantine Gifts to Give for the Holidays

With the holidays approaching, the Coronavirus is still here and keeping us stuck at home. To celebrate the holidays, you can give books to your favorite relative, friend, or associate and bring joy during these uncertain times.

Following are legal thrillers, murder mysteries and everything in between that will take the recipient to a world of make-believe, all written by spectacular authors. To order, just click on the titles:

Sleepless Nights by Norwood Holland - A lawyer faces danger while defending a client accused of taking part in the murdering of three people.

The Closet Case by Tawanna Sullivan - A web-developer is roped into a blackmail situation.

Murder with Collard Greens and Hot Sauce by A. L. Herbert - A successful woman who creates hair care products is murdered.

Queen City Ruby by Alex Cage - A group wanted by the FBI is planning to steal a precious stone worth over one hundred million dollars from a bank.

The Dentist by Tim Sullivan - A homeless man, declared legally dead several years ago, turns up murdered.

You Can’t Know This by Dwayne Alexander Smith - A financially strapped woman cannot believe how fortunate she is when she meets a wealthy man.

The Mono by Benson Nyangiro - A teenager faces some harsh realities while attending a boarding school in Kenya.

Behind The Hill by B. Ivy Woods - A computer developer suspects someone, with dire intentions, is shadowing her.

Blind Sight by Tanya R. Taylor - A blind woman becomes an armchair detective when a guest at her anniversary party plunges a terrace to her death.

Lethal Love by Perri Forrest - A wife sets her husband up for the murder of his mistress.

Books, Videos and Tees That Make Great Holiday Gifts

With the holidays approaching, we thought we would list some great books, videos and tees to check out for your holiday shopping. To purchase any item, just click on the link.

Books

Brooklyn’s Song by Sydney Arrison - The author takes a detour from her usual engaging interracial romance stories and introduces the reader to an absorbing story that seems to delve into political conspiracy and an attempted assignation. It is an authentic narrative with some adorable and quirky multiracial/multi-ethnic characters, a true representation of New York City.

Royal Cowries by Stella-Eromonsere-Ajanaku - This romance saga takes place during the late 1400s in Igodomigodo, an ancient city in Nigeria where men rule and women are beholden to the statutes of the land, a time where tradition, religion, combat, loyalty, principles, romance, love, and passion define a nation.

Betrayal by Dwayne S. Joseph - The author never fails to grab a reader’s attention when it comes to writing narratives that are packed with drama, deception, envy, betrayal, sex, revenge, and murder, and this story is no different.

Corporate Thugs by Bridget Renay - Gives a true view into the lives of two best friends since childhood, but when jealously, greed, betrayal, manipulation, lies, scandal, and murder come into play, the narrative elevates into a stirring cat and mouse drama.

Lush by Sasha White - There are three short stories focusing on several authentic and complicated characters. Readers will root for the uncompromising and independent women who go after what they want, framing their own course of action when it comes to their careers, sex, love, intimacy, and romance.

Pleasantville by Attica Locke - This political thriller provides an authentic view of a community known as Pleasantville, a suburb in Houston, made up of prominent and affluent African Americans, where old money, class, power and activism rule, rocked by the disappearance of a campaign worker.

Attorney-Client Privilege by Pamela Samuels Young - The plot centers on a sex discrimination lawsuit brought on by three female employees against a large discount chain, but when one of the plaintiffs is murdered, the reader is taken on a whodunit roller coaster ride, filled with drama, back stabbing, immoral activities, deception, fraud, and scandal.

Murder On The Down Low by Pamela Samuels Young - Successful African American men are being murdered; a lawyer is being sued for the wrongful death of his fiancée, and a relative is hell bent on getting retribution for her cousin’s demise.

When The Heart Turns Cold, It Bleeds Ice and Ice 2 by Charlotte Marshall-Murray - This is a 2 in 1 box set. A renowned, criminal psychologist studies the state of mind of serial killers and lectures at a prestigious university, exploring what makes a serial killer, and simultaneously, draws you into a sinister plot with unthinkable twists and turns, complex characters, shocking revelations and murder. When The Heart Turns Cold 3 by Charlotte Marshall-Murray - Kindle Edition. This is the final installment.

Forbidden Dance by Stella Eromonsere-Ajanaku - The author knows how to hold a reader’s attention when it comes to cross-cultural romance that takes you from London to Casablanca, where the reader is taken on a whirlwind affair, filled with pleasure, lust, sensuality, and desire and sweltering lovemaking.

One Eye Open by Karen Whiddon - A werewolf/shape-shifter theme centering on a rogue DEA Agent that is on the hunt for a man, who killed his family. The plot delves into drug trafficking, gang violence, murder and mayhem, and hot sexual tension between a human and a werewolf.

Eye for an Eye by Dwayne S. Joseph - The author draws you into a world of sex, lust, manipulation, deception, betrayal, violence, revenge, and murder.

Every Reasonable Doubt by Pamela Samuels Young - This plot twisting story brings together lawyers Vernetta Henderson, and Neddy McClain who are assigned to defend a socialite accused of murdering her wealthy, philandering husband.

Deception in Plain Sight by Vivienne Diane Neal - A wealthy naive woman falls for a handsome, charming and cunning man who will awaken her sexual inhibitions and set into motion a sinister plot that will leave her and her parents financially ruined.

Videos

72 Hours, a film by Christopher Nolen - This film focuses on relationships, true friendship, love and commitment. A restaurateur has to make amends within 72 hours to all the women he has mistreated in the past.

Four Seasons - a successful computer analyst is seeking a soul mate and believes dating a different woman during each season is the best way to go.

Tees

The Tee Store -  A collection with non-offensive, humorous, and thought-provoking messages that will promote HIV/AIDS/STDs awareness and prevention, and draw attention to other diseases, such as breast cancer and colon cancer.

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Tips for Smart Holiday Shopping

With the holidays here, many of us will be purchasing gifts for our family, friends and business associates and using debit or credit cards to make these purchases. Most of us will be shopping either online or at brick and mortar establishments. However, with debit and credit card use, comes credit card fraud and identity theft? Because consumers are so preoccupied during this time of the year, individuals may tend to let their guard down when it comes to using their credit card or debit card. Following are some simple tips to safeguard you from credit card fraud and identity theft.

Never give your credit card number to anyone who calls you without verifying his or her identity.

Always keep your PIN (Personal Identification Number) private. Never give it out, and never keep it on you.

Some establishments have been caught adding digits to credit card slips after consumers sign them. For example, you think you are paying $25.00 for an item, but when you look at your credit card receipt, you will see $125.00.

After a purchase, make certain the card you get back is yours.

You should report cards, which have been lost or stolen immediately. Credit card companies can freeze your account and issue you a new card without delay.

Review your monthly statements promptly and carefully for unauthorized purchases.

Merchants, who accept payment by credit card, must also disclose any limitations on the use of that card. Disclosure must be conspicuous at the entrance to the store and in any ads, which indicate the credit card acceptance. New York State law prohibits surcharges on credit card purchases.

Retailers who accept payment by credit card cannot set a minimum purchase amount for credit card use.

If you use a debit card to withdraw money from an ATM machine, make certain you take your receipt with you and review it for accuracy. Never leave or discard the receipt in a public receptacle.

Avoid using ATM machines that are located on public streets or in remote areas. Try to use an ATM machine in a bank lobby during banking hours.

If you are shopping online:

Never purchase items on sites that do not have the secure icon, usually located at the bottom window at the right side. The address bar that carries the https is securer than the http prefix.

Try to shop at reputable e-commerce sites. A good clue is to look at the copyright year; if it says © 1999 and the current year is 2014, select another site or check out the company with the Butter Business Bureau. You can also send an email question to the company. If they do not respond within 48 hours, select another site.

Never give your social security number to any site.

If you suspect fraud, contact the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint, and order a copy of your credit report from each of the three national credit agencies and once a year from annualcreditreport.com

Happy Smart Holiday Shopping!