Sherry’s Shelves #16

 Sherry’s Shelves is my weekly update, where I will recap what I have been doing the past week:  August 24 – August 30, 2014.

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.Sunday Post is Hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
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Stacking the Shelves is Hosted by Tynga’s Reviews
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Bought, Borrowed and Bagged is Hosted by TalkSupe
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 ***all images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)***

***if listed as free, please check for the “0″***

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I hope everyone is enjoying the dog days of summer. I know I am. It has been very hot (high 90′s, but I swear it feels like the 100s to me) and sunny here. ‘They’ have issued heat index warnings, recommending limiting outdoor exposure.

I am loving every minute of it, but am careful about how long I am in direct sunlight. My pool is very inviting, but floating is not an option at this time. Doesn’t really matter to me, because I spend a lot of my time underwater.

You see, I was a mermaid in another life, so water is second nature to me..

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Picked up for FREE

THE STONE CUTTER (S. Lasher & Associates, Book I) by Scott Blade

I love serial killer books.

Thanks Laura @ fuonlyknew for making me aware of this freebie and thanks Scott for making it free.
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LONG HOLLER ROAD by David Lee Malone

A Dark Southern Thriller

A dark and spooky road in Alabama, where a killer lurks.

Thanks Laura @ fuonlyknew for making me aware of this freebie and thanks David for making it free.

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HALLOWED by Bryant Delafossie

The cover alone would make me grab this Halloween horror novel.

Thanks Laura @ fuonlyknew for making me aware of this freebie and thanks Bryant for making it free.

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 TOO CLOSE TO HOME (The Forensic Files, Book I) by Tressa Messenger

The cover alone tells me there is bad stuff coming our way.

Thanks Laura @ fuonlyknew for making me aware of this freebie and thanks Bryant for making it free.

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Received for Review

OCEAN’S JUSTICE by Demelza Carlton

I love Demelza Carlton’s work.

How intriguing is this cover?

Thank you, Demelza, for the opportunity to review the ARC of Ocean’s Justice.

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 A HIDDEN ELEMENT by Donna Galanti

I have just finished reading book one and will be doing my review soon.

I am ecstatic to be able to continue the story.

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WON

I am so excited to have won a $100 Gift Card from the Dark World Books, I Can See You Tour Giveaway.

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Thanks so much to Joss Landry for hosting the Giveaway.
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Last week on fundinmental

Sherry’s Shelves #15 – Music, Romance, Death and More

My Adventures #14 – Thunder on the Gulf

Monday Mini Review -The Modified by C A Kunz

Teaser Tuesday # 22 – Dying to Sleep – Awake by Matthew Blake

Harry Potter meet Hope – Killer’s Instinct by Dawn Dalton & Judith Graves – Review

Murder at the Retirement Home – Clam Wake by Mary Daheim – Tour Giveaway

5 Star Review & Giveaway for Ultimate Fear by Kristine Mason

Friday 56 #23 – Murder in Sin City – A Death in Vegas by Christopher Meeks

FREE – I’m With You by Taylor Dean

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This week on fundinmental

I do have some surprises in store for this week, so be sure and stay in touch..

I never know what might pop up, so upcoming events are always subject to change.

I will also be doing some of the memes that I love so much.

Cover Reveal for 10 Full Length Killer Romance Novels

FREE – Jackpot by Susan Fleet

Children Are Missing – Ultimate Fear by Kristine Mason – Review and Giveaway

Teaser Tuesday

Excerpt and Giveaway for The Revenant by Elise Abram

Friday 56

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How have you been spending your summer?

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Thanks for stopping by fundinmental.

FREE – I’m With You by Taylor Dean

I’m With You by Taylor Dean is FREE this weekend!

Happy Holiday.

If you are not familiar with Taylor Dean, now is your opportunity to pick up a FREE novel and get acquainted.

Her stories are full of love!

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Synopsis

Can three little words irrevocably change your life?

When the doctors inform Chloe Brennan that her pregnancy is “incompatible with life,” her subsequent choices will change her path forever.

She becomes one of the quiet, unsung heroes of this world, incredibly strong, yet somehow wrongly looked upon as damaged.

Three people will pierce Chloe’s existence: her husband, a stranger, and a precious baby.

One will say goodbye, one will say hello, and one will say both at the same time.

I’m With You is a novel about selfless love and the sacredness of life.

Please note: While this book is a romance novel, it also deals with the sensitive issue of baby loss grief.
The emotions are real, and sometimes dark.
If you are sensitive to this issue, this may not be the book for you.

Click on the cover to get you Amazon copy of I’m With You by Taylor Dean.

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook below or on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Thanks for stopping by fundinmental!

Friday 56 #23 – Murder in Sin City – A Death in Vegas by Christopher Meeks

The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find any sentence, or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

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A DEATH IN VEGAS by Chritopher Meeks

All I had to see was murder and Vegas and Christopher Meeks go my attention.

Plus, take a gander at this intriguing cover.

I will be reviewing this for a tour on October 1, 2014, so be sure and stop back.

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(page 56 in paperback)

They called out loudly, “Hank?” Stepping up onto the porch, one of them rang the bell. They both stepped inside. Moments later came the screams. Patton took off quickly, making sure his tires didn’t squeal.

(This was the only thing on page 56. lol)

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SYNOPSIS

In A Death in Vegas, the president of BenBugs, a company that specializes in beneficial bugs for organic gardening, discovers a young woman dead in his Las Vegas hotel suite. She had worked as a sexy lady bug at his convention booth—and he had nothing to do with her death.

While that’s being investigated, the FBI raids his booth on a money-laundering scam that he knows nothing about, either.

Soon, the coroner doesn’t have good news. The police and FBI are against him—and his wife cannot be found. He flees to find the answers.

 Click on the cover below to get your Amazon copy of A Death In Vegas by Christopher Meeks.

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What are you reading?

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook below or on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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5 Star Review & Giveaway for Ultimate Fear by Kristine Mason

Ultimate Fear by Kristine Mason is another awesome novel in the CORE series.

If you haven’t read any of her work, you are missing out on a fantastic romantic suspense writer.

An angel in the Book of Life wrote down my baby’s birth. And whispered as she closed the book, “Too beautiful for earth.”

Author Unknown

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CovertoCover Designs: Kari Ayasha.

MY REVIEW

The doll on the cover is pretty creepy, spine tingling. I found out, Kristine plans  all her covers ahead of time. I love them all. They are simple and uncluttered, speaking loudly to me – danger, Will Robinson, danger.

I am very bad. As soon as my copy hit my Kindle, I dropped everything to begin reading! Kristine’s writing keeps me on the edge of my seat, hardly able to contain myself.

Blood – the very first word in the book. This is why I love Kristine Mason’s writing. I know it’s going to be bad, but I am loving the bad……and the good I know will come. I am riveted from the very first word and it never lets me go.

My notes are so long, I don’t know how I am going to condense them down into a coherent review. I want so much to let you know the horror, heartache, anger and rage that someone goes through when the worst thing a parent can imagine happens. Some people isolate themselves, while others need the comfort of those close to them.

The POV shifts back and forth and I love being able to see through each characters eyes.

Wayne and Dimples are some messed up people. After he told her she could no longer have children, he promised her he would do whatever it took to make her happy. The only thing that would make her happy is to ‘replace’ their Elton. His promise took him so far over the line, he will never find his way back.

Detective Jessica Donavan works murders and suicides, since the kidnapping of her daughter, Sophia. It has been six years, two months and four days. Jessica had let the tragedy drive her and Dante, her husband, apart, instead of closer together. She is stubborn, full of rage and anger, unable to see past it. She seemed real to me. Who knows how we would react. Would we be able to see past our own pain and be able to help our mate cope?

Dante has gone from a badass SEAL to a Ghandi wannabe.

I love Dante. He is so patient with Jessica, taking her abuse and rage in stride, hoping they will find their way back to each other. He bends over backwards to show her that she is his world. Dante had been the first recruit into CORE – which is second only to the FBI and CIA. He always finishes what he starts.

Jessica had left the house. The memories were so bad, she couldn’t cope with them. She refuses to accept that, even though she can’t live with Dante, she can’t live without him either.

 Jessica would call to remind Dante to water the garden. Was that her excuse to stay in touch? I love the fact that Dante had put a timer on the sprinkler system for the garden, but he kept it a secret and used it to lure Jessica home, at least long enough to check on the garden.

Even though they live separately, Jessica kept in touch with another CORE employee, Rachel, their resident computer guru. Rachel kept her updated on missing children.

Dante thinks she is in deep psychological trouble, until he discovers she spends all her extra time, not just, looking for Sophia, but hunting down other missing children. She had been saving some, telling no one. She couldn’t hug her child, so she was determined to enable others with get their lost kids back. She has discovered a serial kidnapper. They will work together to chase him down.

I am already seeing their future. All the CORE men are sexy and deliciously yummy, all you want in an easy to love man package.

I loved the shower scene, each on different sides of the curtain. It seemed real. Their need to protect themselves, made it impossible for them to let down their defenses and communicate. Sometimes it is easier to if you are not face to face. Of course, we knew they will get back together, it is a romance suspense after all. The way Kristine has them work past their insecurities seems so real.

Kristine describes Jessica’s brown/green eyes to a Matuka fishing fly. Now that is some descriptive writing that enables us to visualize them. Funny Kristine, a fishing fly? LOL

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Photo from english fly fishing flies website

Kristine can segue from a deep passionate kiss in the here and now, to a gruesome crime scene they had visited earlier, seamlessly. It is writing like this that keeps even a lengthy book, so hard to put down. I can only read for so many hours before my eyes start crossing or my hubby says “Is that all you’re gonna do all day? Read? Life is too short, so let’s go out to the beach for dinner and a sunset.” Well, I can’t say no to that.

When the stories converge, an urgency comes with it. A woman and her child’s life hang in the balance. The kidnappers have Chloe. I have good feelings about the drug addicted pregnant prostitute. Sometimes we can walk through the Gates of Hell and come out better than we entered.

I should have seen the ending coming sooner, but I was so into what I was currently reading to look very far ahead. I was totally absorbed in this horrific story.

Ultimate Prey, Book Three of the Ultimate Core Trilogy is Lola’s story. Lola, is Dante’s partner and he is supposed to be training her. He is a bit neglectful, because he is spending so much time helping Jessica locate the serial kidnappers. I am eagerly awaiting the opportunity to read what’s up with her.

Sometimes we have to lose something to find what it is we’ve been really looking for.

“Always…and forever?”

How could she not realize she was his everything.

“Until the day I die.”

I received Ultimate Fear from Kristine Mason in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos   5 Stars – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

Are you afraid of the laundry room?

The laundry room evokes many emotions for me…frustration, disgust and, yes, fear. I’m afraid of what lurks inside, especially during football season. The shoulder pads that smell like sweaty, dirty boys, the jocks that had been tossed on the floor, the muddy, stinky cleats. This room frustrates me because I have baskets to house the football equipment, only my three boys can’t seem to grasp the concept that everything has a place. This room disgusts me (remember the jocks?). But am I really afraid of my laundry room? Okay, fear is a strong word, but I do dread going in there. Since it’s the easiest way to get to the garage, I have no choice but to face what I truly dread.

My three-year-old daughter doesn’t fully understand the concept of fear, but she’s finding things that do scare her and I’ve had to find ways to reassure her that, for example, the sounds at night are just crickets singing (she’s still unconvinced and refuses to sleep with the window open). Then there’s my middle son who won’t go to sleep with the window open because what if a robber uses a ladder to climb the roof and comes through his window (I’m seeing a trend with open windows)?

I recently Googled how to overcome fear and came across several articles that all gave similar advice: A: Analyze your fear and define it. In other words, what’s your fear and what triggers it? How does it affect you? Is it dangerous or life threatening? What would be the outcome if you faced your fear? B: Don’t let fear control you. Numb yourself to those fears and confront them. C: Don’t allow your fear to hold power over you. One site I looked at suggested to “make your fears a source of fascination” and discover why your fear holds so much power over you.

When I was a kid, like my middle son, I was afraid of someone sneaking into my room, and terrified of horror movies. I could remember hating Halloween because horror movies would be airing during that week. I would become physically sick when I checked the Sunday paper TV guide and saw that Halloween or Jaws was going to be airing. Don’t even get me started on The Exorcist. That fear stayed with me until college. I can’t remember what the course I’d taken was, but I do remember that the professor had analyzed The Exorcist as a way to give the class a better understanding of how subliminal messages can affect people and, in the case of this particular movie, arouse fear. If you pause The Exorcist at certain points in the movie you’ll see these creepy flashes of a white, skeletal face. The first time I saw it, my skin crawled with unease, but it did waylay my fears to a degree and it turned my fear of horror movies into a fascination. I began watching them, studying them and had come to love them. Now when I put on a horror flick, I’m ready, waiting and wondering…will this movie scare me? Some do, but most don’t. Slasher films are meh, demonic ones? Well, those tend to scare the crap out of me. The Paranormal Activity movies had me very tense. I think taking ordinary people, living in the burbs and having strange things happening in the house is beyond creepy.

Now, I don’t write horror. I write romantic suspense. But one of the great things about a good horror movie is the suspense. You know something is going to happen. The music is telling you to prepare yourself (or in the case of Paranormal Activity it’s the time stamp on the video camera), and yet when that scare moment happens, I still get all jumpy.

I might be over my fear of horror movies, but I have plenty of other fears. Bridges and heights terrify me. Going past my knees in ocean or lake water, being stranded on the side of the road late at night with nothing but woods surrounding me and no cell phone reception. But if you want to know what really scares me…it’s in my latest release Ultimate Fear (Book 2 Ultimate CORE). I’ll give you a hint. I’m a mother of four.

So…what’s your ultimate fear? One day next week I’ll be posting more of mine on Facebook and Twitter and asking people to tell me what they fear the most. One commenter will receive a signed copy of my new release Ultimate Fear. So like my Facebook page or follow me on Twitter. Tell me what scares you and enter for a chance to win a copy of my book. I’m anxious to read what people fear the most…dying, the dark, spiders, snakes…or maybe what lurks inside your laundry room?

– See more at: http://magicalmusings.com/2014/08/21/guest-author-kristine-mason/#sthash.bupGgOWp.dpuf

Are you afraid of the laundry room?

The laundry room evokes many emotions for me…frustration, disgust and, yes, fear. I’m afraid of what lurks inside, especially during football season. The shoulder pads that smell like sweaty, dirty boys, the jocks that had been tossed on the floor, the muddy, stinky cleats. This room frustrates me because I have baskets to house the football equipment, only my three boys can’t seem to grasp the concept that everything has a place. This room disgusts me (remember the jocks?). But am I really afraid of my laundry room? Okay, fear is a strong word, but I do dread going in there. Since it’s the easiest way to get to the garage, I have no choice but to face what I truly dread.

My three-year-old daughter doesn’t fully understand the concept of fear, but she’s finding things that do scare her and I’ve had to find ways to reassure her that, for example, the sounds at night are just crickets singing (she’s still unconvinced and refuses to sleep with the window open). Then there’s my middle son who won’t go to sleep with the window open because what if a robber uses a ladder to climb the roof and comes through his window (I’m seeing a trend with open windows)?

I recently Googled how to overcome fear and came across several articles that all gave similar advice: A: Analyze your fear and define it. In other words, what’s your fear and what triggers it? How does it affect you? Is it dangerous or life threatening? What would be the outcome if you faced your fear? B: Don’t let fear control you. Numb yourself to those fears and confront them. C: Don’t allow your fear to hold power over you. One site I looked at suggested to “make your fears a source of fascination” and discover why your fear holds so much power over you.

When I was a kid, like my middle son, I was afraid of someone sneaking into my room, and terrified of horror movies. I could remember hating Halloween because horror movies would be airing during that week. I would become physically sick when I checked the Sunday paper TV guide and saw that Halloween or Jaws was going to be airing. Don’t even get me started on The Exorcist. That fear stayed with me until college. I can’t remember what the course I’d taken was, but I do remember that the professor had analyzed The Exorcist as a way to give the class a better understanding of how subliminal messages can affect people and, in the case of this particular movie, arouse fear. If you pause The Exorcist at certain points in the movie you’ll see these creepy flashes of a white, skeletal face. The first time I saw it, my skin crawled with unease, but it did waylay my fears to a degree and it turned my fear of horror movies into a fascination. I began watching them, studying them and had come to love them. Now when I put on a horror flick, I’m ready, waiting and wondering…will this movie scare me? Some do, but most don’t. Slasher films are meh, demonic ones? Well, those tend to scare the crap out of me. The Paranormal Activity movies had me very tense. I think taking ordinary people, living in the burbs and having strange things happening in the house is beyond creepy.

Now, I don’t write horror. I write romantic suspense. But one of the great things about a good horror movie is the suspense. You know something is going to happen. The music is telling you to prepare yourself (or in the case of Paranormal Activity it’s the time stamp on the video camera), and yet when that scare moment happens, I still get all jumpy.

I might be over my fear of horror movies, but I have plenty of other fears. Bridges and heights terrify me. Going past my knees in ocean or lake water, being stranded on the side of the road late at night with nothing but woods surrounding me and no cell phone reception. But if you want to know what really scares me…it’s in my latest release Ultimate Fear (Book 2 Ultimate CORE). I’ll give you a hint. I’m a mother of four.

So…what’s your ultimate fear? One day next week I’ll be posting more of mine on Facebook and Twitter and asking people to tell me what they fear the most. One commenter will receive a signed copy of my new release Ultimate Fear. So like my Facebook page or follow me on Twitter. Tell me what scares you and enter for a chance to win a copy of my book. I’m anxious to read what people fear the most…dying, the dark, spiders, snakes…or maybe what lurks inside your laundry room?

– See more at: http://magicalmusings.com/2014/08/21/guest-author-kristine-mason/#sthash.bupGgOWp.dpuf

Ultimate Fear by Kristine Mason

SYNOPSIS

When a deranged mother’s grief drives her to replace her dead son over and over, obsession leads to murder…

Chicago detective Jessica Donavan will never stop looking for her missing daughter. Her obsession has destroyed her marriage, but the search is the only thing that helps keep her sane and her mind off of everything she’s lost—her husband and her baby girl. When she uncovers a string of unsolved disappearances and reappearances of a number of baby boys, Jessica turns to her soon to be ex, Dante Russo, a former Navy SEAL turned investigator for the private agency, CORE, to help her fit together the pieces in this perplexing puzzle. But as Dante helps her, she realizes just how much she still craves his support—and his touch.

Dante is still in love with his wife and would do anything to have her back in his life again. He’s been miserable since she left him to deal with the grief over their daughter’s abduction, never understanding how much he grieves as well. When Jessica tells him about the case she’s working, he jumps at the chance to take part in her investigation. He’s hoping not only to save their marriage and ease his personal pain over the loss of their daughter, but also to stop a serial kidnapper from taking another victim.

As Jessica and Dante work side by side, pregnant women begin to turn up missing or dead, and they start to uncover the consequences of another woman’s unfathomable grief. The childless mother doesn’t just want a baby. She wants a newborn straight from the womb.

And when forced to confront the dark and twisted perversion of a mother’s obsession, can Jessica and Dante find their lives again…or merely more death?

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AUTHOR BIO AND LINKS

AuthorPic I didn’t pick up my first romance novel until I was in my late twenties. Immediately hooked, I read a bazillion books before deciding to write one of my own. After the birth of my first son I needed something to keep my mind from turning to mush, and Sesame Street wasn’t cutting it. While that first book will never see the light of day, something good came from writing it. I realized my passion and found a career I love.

When I’m not writing contemporary romances and dark, romantic suspense novels (or reading them!) I’m chasing after my four kids and two neurotic dogs.

I’VE BEEN RUNNING A “CONTEST” ON MY WEBSITE. JOIN MY NEWSLETTER AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WIN A $50 AMAZON GC.

 Website  / Email: authorkristinemason@gmail.com,  /  Facebook  Twitter

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Click on a cover below to pick up an Amazon copy of a Kristine Mason novel now. If you are a thriller and suspense lover, this is an author you want to get to know.

 

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taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and PhotosGIVEAWAY

Kristine Mason is having a fantastic giveaway on her website. Four signed copies of the suspense/thrillers listed below are up for grabs. Visit her WEBSITE to enter.

Ultimate Kill by Kristine Mason

The Collector by Nora Roberts

When Day Breaks by Maya Banks

Finding Kate Huntley by Theresa Ragan

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Check out my reviews for Kristine Mason’s novels…….so far.

My 5 Star Review for Ultimate Kill

My Review of Shadow of Vengeance

My 5 STAR Review for Shadow of Danger

My 5 STAR Review for Shadow of Perception

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Murder at the Retirement Home – Clam Wake by Mary Daheim – Tour Giveaway


Clam Wake by Mary Daheim

A Bed and Breakfast Mystery

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Genre: Mystery

Published by: William Morrow

Publication Date: 8/12/2014

Number of Pages: 240

ISBN: 9780062317728

Purchase Link: 

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MY REVIEW

Clam Wake is a hilarious and enjoyable tale. Cozy mysteries are great summer reads, murder written with snarky dialogue and occurring in unusual places, like a retirement home.

Clam Wake is just such a novel. Mary Daheim, a USA Today and New York Times bestselling novelist, is a prolific writer and has many more mysteries just waiting to be read by me and you.

I saw the cover and it made me think of Cape Cod, so I had to read it. I have spent many summer vacations walking the flats and digging for clams. I can smell the odor of rotting vegetation when the tide goes out. I try to outrace the tide as it comes roaring in, much faster than most people anticipate. At first it is just lapping at my feet, then my ankles, then my knees……More than once, I have swam, instead of walked back in.

Cousins, Judith and Renie are house-sitting on Whoopee Island for their aunt and uncle, while they vacation.

Judith is an innkeeper and Renie, her best friend and cousin, works from home doing computer design. Even with their responsibilities, they have flexibility. Their many adventures seem to be because they are in the right place at the right time, or maybe, the wrong place at the wrong time. It depends on how you look at it.

Judith – funny, inquisitive and kind hearted. She seeks truth and justice with her amateur sleuthing. She is logical and a problem solver.

Renie – snarky with her sharp and cutting comments. She is very protective of Judith. She is always blurting out inappropriate jokes and I can’t help but laugh. She has a bottomless stomach and a vivid imagination. She is a character after my own heart and I fell in love with her.

Victim – hasn’t an enemy. Everyone liked him. Then why did a big knife take him out?

Judith even has her own fan club – FASTO – Female Amateur Sleuth Tracking Offenders. Her murder solving capabilities are well known, so when there is a murder at the retirement home, you can be sure her and Renie are going to be hot on the trail.

I know they are headed for trouble and I am eager to help them find their way out of it.

Clam Wake is a small town with all those pesky little secrets small communities harbor. The biggest hobby seems to be gossiping.

The retirement community does not have odd people, it has eccentrics.

I have listened to my hubby tell of the beach life on Cape Cod and the game of musical houses all the parents would play. His parents would host the cocktail hour one night, someone else the next, someone else the next….You get the idea. I am sure a great time was had by all. ^_^

Clam Wake is a fun mystery with a plot within a plot. Mary Daheim kept me wondering – who did it? I didn’t figure it out. Not because of a bunch of bells and whistles, just a lot of suspects that Mary twisted and turned around, keeping me guessing. Hmmmm, that doesn’t happen to me very often. Because of the great writing, easy reading and my inability to figure out the killer ahead of time, I must give this cozy mystery a 5 star rating.  Very good, Mary.

“I’m wondering about these Obsession Shores people. Do the retirees just sit around during the winter and wait for the cocktail hour?”

“Hey – I know a good game – ‘Categorize the killers.’ Let’s start with Crazy as a Bedbug and work our way up to Jolly as Old Saint Nick.”

I received this novel in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 5 Stars – Would Highly Recommend To Others

SYNOPSIS

Innkeeper and irrepressible sleuth Judith McMonigle Flynn and cousin Renie face off against a cold-blooded killer in a beach community in this delightfully charming Bed-and-Breakfast mystery from USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Mary Daheim.

With the holidays gone and Hillside Manor almost empty, Innkeeper Judith McMonigle Flynn has a bad case of the blues. A housesitting stint at her aunt and uncle’s retirement home on Whoopee Island with cousin Renie seems like the ideal pick-me-up. Surrounded by retirees in the off-season sounds peaceful and pleasant–or so the duo thinks. But it isn’t long before a dead body pops up in their vicinity. Not surprising in an area full of older folks—until they learn it wasn’t a bad ticker that did in the victim, but a very sharp knife. With clouds of suspicion hovering over her and Renie, Judith reluctantly begins sleuthing—if only to prove they didn’t commit the crime.

But what she finds is puzzling. The victim reputedly didn’t have an enemy in the world–except for the killer. Digging for clams and answers, the cousins discover that retirement can be deadly—at least among the eclectic, eccentric residents of Obsession Shores.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Seattle native Mary Richardson Daheim lives three miles from the house where she was raised. From her dining nook she can see the maple tree in front of her childhood home. Mary isn’t one for change when it comes to geography. Upon getting her journalism degree from the University of Washington (she can see the campus from the dining nook, too), she went to work for a newspaper in Anacortes WA. Then, after her marriage to David Daheim, his first college teaching post was in Port Angeles where she became a reporter for the local daily. Both tours of small-town duty gave her the background for the Alpine/Emma Lord series.

Mary spent much of her non-fiction career in public relations (some would say PR is fiction, too). But ever since she learned how to read and write, Mary wanted to tell stories that could be put between book covers (e-readers were far into the future and if she hadn’t seen her daughter’s iPad, she might not know they exist). Thus, she began her publishing career with the first of seven historical romances before switching to mysteries in 1991. If Mary could do the math, she’d know how many books she’s published. Since she can’t, she estimates the total is at least 55. Or something. See below—count ‘em if you can.

At the time of her husband and mentor’s death in February 2010, David and Mary had been married for over 43 years. They have three daughters, Barbara, Katherine and Magdalen, and two granddaughters, Maisy and Clara. They all live in Seattle, too. Those apples don’t move far from the tree…literally.

Catch Up With the Author

Click on the cover below to get your Amazon copy of Clam Wake by Mary Daheim

GIVEAWAY

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and PhotosThe giveaway is for one paperback copy of Clam Wake by Mary Daheim to one lucky commenter. US only, sorry to my international readers. Please leave your email and answer the question:

 What about the post spoke loudest to you?

Giveaway ends September 10, 2014.

Tour Participants

8/12 Review @ Melinas Book Blog

8/13 Review @ Wall-to-wall books

8/14 Review & Giveaway @ 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!

8/15 Review @ Melissas Mochas, Mysteries and More

8/18 Review & Giveaway @ Beas Book Nook

8/19 Review & Giveaway @ Book Dilettante

8/20 Review & Giveaway @ Buried Under Books

8/21 Review & Giveaway @ Thoughts in Progress

8/22 Review & Giveaway @ Deal Sharing Aunt

8/23 Review @ fundinmental

8/25 Review @ Jersey Girl Book Reviews

8/26 Review & Giveaway @ My Devotional Thoughts

8/27 Review & Giveaway @ Bless Their Hearts Mom

8/28 Review @ Deco My Heart

8/29 Review & Giveaway @ Once Upon A TIme

9/01 Review & Giveaway @ Marys Cup of Tea

9/04 Review @ Book Club Librarian

9/08 Review & Giveaway @ Brooke Blogs

9/10 Review @ Community Bookstop

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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Harry Potter meet Hope – Killer’s Instinct by Dawn Dalton & Judith Graves – Review

KILLER’S INSTINCT by Dawn Dalton & Judith Graves

Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal

The cover of Killer’s Instinct made me very curious about the story inside.

Harry Potter step aside, there’s a new girl in town and her name is Hope.

Sooooo, let’s head to the Most Wanted Monster school and learn the tools of the trade with Hope and her crew.

157318971771e-addtogoodreadsblackCover designer:  Gaetano Pezillo

Photo:  Siiri Kumari

Model:  Johanna Taiger

Interior Art:  Jeff Dalton

MY REVIEW of Killer’s Instinct by Dawn Dalton and Judith Graves

I did a tour for Killer’s Instinct a short while ago, because it sounded right up my alley. And we will be spending some time in alleys. I didn’t have time to review it then, but Judith Graves offered me a copy for review. Thank you so much Judith. I really wanted to read this.

OMG, I was right about Killer’s Instinct. I love it. It started out okay, but by the end I was bummed that I had no more to read. It is a young adult, paranormal novel that even us older folks can love.

I love the title, but the cover is creepy good. I saw the synopsis and it made me think of Harry Potter and Hogwarts. I was so looking forward to a fun adventure and I found it.

A teenage girl is determined to hunt down her zombie mom. I can read a bunch of psychological crap into that. LOL As she walks the streets, searching, she finds her training is not enough to battle the monsters she runs across. So it’s off to school……

Most Wanted Monsters Organization, like Hotel California, you can never leave.

Hope is special. She sees dead people. She can see behind the monsters mask. She was older than her years. She never had time to watch movies and read anything other than books her Dad thought she needed to be a hunter. Her defense had been avoidance, don’t let them know she could see them.

Hope – a hunter. She is strong, impulsive and alone.

Caddoc – privileged, arrogant and cowardly. His dad had been a hunter until he turned into an overweight drunk and drove his mother away.

Hyde – a fighter, a loner and full of rage. His parents gave him an ultimatum. It was either the psych ward or Le Manoir.

Kain – a machine, not social, as emotionless as a bioroid. He is a nerd, smart, strong, and dependable. His mother had died and his dad had dumped him at an orphange.

The jock, the geek, the rebel and the freak.

Why were such an unlikely group teamed together?

They were all fighting their inner demons and I saw early on they would come together.

As I read on, I began to wonder if there was more going on than meets the eye. Maybe the food wasn’t the only thing that was fake at La Manoir.

I am really enjoying Killer’s Instinct now, at 57%. It is written with a young adult Harry Potter feel, but the story is changing and coming together in a way I never saw. I am excited for the group. I can see all their potential……..maybe even their future.

Would Hope’s childish, impulsive need to prove herself turn out to be what saves them all? Reality was so much different from stories – the werewolves were bigger, the vampires meaner and their teeth sharper.

Imagine a vamp mesmerizing you, his gaze holding yours and you are unable to look away. His teeth gently brush against your neck as the hairs rise on your nape. A werewolf hovers over you, his saliva dripping off his teeth onto your face.

Zombies attacking vamps, heads falling, biting, chomping, blood and gore flying, slipping and sliding in body parts, the smell of blood and burnt flesh making it hard to draw a breath.

Sometimes the POV change confused me, but I quickly adjusted and read on.

I sit here, finished, trying to think of how to tell you how amazed I am at the writing and creative storyline. I never saw the story reaching such momentum that I hated for it to be over. I thought it would be a fun, young adult read for a summer day, but boy did it go down a different road. Harry Potter on steroids. The action is gruesome, but it is written in such a way that it does not make me cringe. I almost border on laughter at times. Written as if it could be included in a Supernatural, Sam and Dean, episode. ALMOST humorous.

“You have developed a Killer’s Instinct, Hope, but you must be prepared to face the consequences.”

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos   5 Stars – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

KILLER’S INSTINCT

SYNOPSIS

Where there is NO life – there’s HOPE.

Hope sees beyond the veil to where the dead walk among the living — creepy flashes from a never-ending macabre dream. But when her mother crawls from the grave and her zombified corpse goes MIA, Hope’s last thread of normal snaps with a vengeance.

Enrolling in a militia-style school for monster hunters seems her best bet for tracking down Mommy-dearest and putting what’s left of her mom to rest. But does Hope have a true killer’s instinct? The stakes are raised when she’s partnered with three unique male recruits, each with their own personal demons to slay if they want to survive basic training. In a place like Le Manoir, all bets are off.

Pick up a print or eBook version right now!

AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

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Dawn Dalton is the author of creepy young adult fiction. When she isn’t dodging monsters, you can find her at creepy crossroads with her husband and two hounds — you know, just skulking around. Dawn also writes adult thriller, romantic suspense ad contemporary young adult under the last name Ius. She is represented by Mandy Hubbard at D4EO Literary Agency.

BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM: DawnDalton

Judith Graves has multiple young adult novels and short stories published with Leap Books,  Orca Book Publishers, Compass Press, and, under the pen name, Judith Tewes, is also published with Bloomsbury Spark. In addition, Judith is abscreenwriter and playwright, writes freelance articles for literary magazines, and facilitates writing workshops for both adults and young adults.

 WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK 

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Click on the cover to get your Amazon copy of Killer’s Instinct by Dawn Dalton and Judith Graves,

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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Teaser Tuesday # 22 – Dying to Sleep – Awake by Matthew Blake

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page.

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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Awake by Matthew Blake

How would you like to see that in your mirror in the morning?

A good case of insomnia would mean you could get a lot of reading done.

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MY TEASE

(56% on Kindle)

They lay about for a few more hours, Lee trying unsuccessfully to get some more sleep. It was maddening. It was like only eating one small meal a day: just enough to keep him going, but not enough to ever fill him. He thought that he would have lost his mind already if it wasn’t for Ivy and Ben being with him. And he didn’t mind Stella as much anymore, either

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SYNOPSIS

What would you do if you were literally dying from lack of sleep? That’s what happens to Lee Fenton. A young, successful author, he seems to have it good. His books sell, and because of them he is well off and doesn’t have to work a 9-5 job.

But then, one day, he starts having a particularly bad bout of insomnia. It gets bad enough that he has to go to the doctor. The doctor tells him something terrible: that he has a rare, terminal form of insomnia called Fatal Familial Insomnia. He will sleep less and less until finally he won’t be able sleep at all, going insane and dying shortly thereafter.

Deciding to make the most of the time he has left, Lee buys a luxury RV, hires his best friend as his driver, and sets out on a trip across the United States. They meet a couple of girls along the way who join their journey, and for a short time things look bright again.

But as he sleeps less and less, Lee starts to see things, awful visions. There’s something following them, something evil and relentless…and it wants them all.

A story of terror, friendship, romance, and America, through the eyes of our new Lost Generation of twenty-somethings.

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WHAT ARE YOU READING?

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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Monday Mini Review -The Modified by C A Kunz

The Modified (the Biotics Trilogy, #1)  Earth is in a war with aliens – the Bringers – and they are losing. To change that, the Magnus Project was created. Kenley and Joey were chosen. Kenley’s father explained it to them this way, “Super soldiers. Basically, you’ll receive a series of implants that I’ve developed which will modify your biological composition leaving you with enhanced abilities. You’ll be changed forever.” Can you imagine your own father asking you to do such a thing? A small band of Magnus Academy trainees will help Kenley lead the fight. She will also have her faithful companion, an android named Galileo, that will stop at nothing to protect her. I feel there is something very special about him and am curious to find out if I am right. Kenley has an attraction to the war hero, Landon Shaw, but feels now is not the time to be starting a romance. I enjoyed The Modified. It lays the groundwork for the trilogy and I feel it will really take off in Book II.  I am looking forward to traveling the galaxy with Kenley’s band of soldiers as they strive to save Earth from those determined to destroy it.

I won this signed paperback in a giveaway by C A Kunz.

You can grab your copy or learn more about C A Kunz by clicking on the cover above.

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Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  3 Stars Would recommend to others

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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My Adventures #15 – Thunder on the Gulf

The weather has been beautiful, but very hot here on the Gulf. That does not stop us from enjoying outdoor activities.

There is always something going on here in our little piece of paradise:

Where thousands live like millions wish they could!!!

This weekend, Flora-Bama is sponsoring the 2014 Thunder Run Superboat Grand Prix.

The Gulf Coast Powerboat Association has put together the inaugural dual race format.

There are two races, in two cities, in two states – Orange Beach, Alabama and Pensacola, Florida.

Mr Wonderful and I went to downtown Pensacola, where the event was being held for day three of the Flora-Bama Shootout.

These are some of the fastest and biggest power boats in the world.

There are many classes of boats, but the main styles are Vee Bottom Boats and Catamarans.

The air is thick with moisture, making it hard to breath and we are immediately dripping wet. It is the cheapest sauna I have ever been in. LOL

We take our time as we walk through downtown and checking out all the action.

I love boats and I love speed. These amazing power boats put on a performance that had my heart pounding and my body vibrating with the roar of the engines. To watch the rooster tails shoot out of the water as the boats thunder by makes me wonder what it would be like riding along on race day.

Even though it was only practice, they put on a great show.

We wandered through Race Village, able to check out the boats up close and personal.

Music was playing and a good time was had by all.

Mr Wonderful freelances as a producer/director for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, our minor league baseball team. They delayed the game today, Sunday, due to Thunder on the Gulf. He will be going back to the races, then working the ballgame, so I chose not to go. That’s why I am sitting in my recliner, watching football (yeah, it is finally football season, lol) and blogging to you.

What did you do this weekend?

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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Sherry’s Shelves #15 – Music, Romance, Death and More

 Sherry’s Shelves is my weekly update, where I will recap what I have been doing the past week:  August 17 – August 23, 2014.

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.Sunday Post is Hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
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Stacking the Shelves is Hosted by Tynga’s Reviews
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Bought, Borrowed and Bagged is Hosted by TalkSupe
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 ***all images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)***

***if listed as free, please check for the “0″***

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I hope everyone is enjoying the dog days of summer. I know I am. It has been very hot (high 90’s, but I swear it feels like the 100s to me) and sunny here. ‘They’ have issued heat index warnings, recommending limiting outdoor exposure.

I am loving every minute of it, but am careful about how long I am in direct sunlight. My pool is very inviting, but floating is not an option at this time. Doesn’t really matter to me, because I spend a lot of my time underwater.

You see, I was a mermaid in another life, so water is second nature to me..

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Picked up for FREE

FINDING CINDERELLA: A Novella by Colleen Hoover

I have read some Colleen Hoover, even though it is not my usual genre, and am blown away by her amazing writing.

So, when I saw this on the Istyria Book Blog, I decided to give it a whirl.
Thanks Bieke and Colleen for the freebie.
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Still free at time of posting. Be sure and check for “0″..

Finding Cinderella (Hopeless, #2.5)

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In celebration of the dog days of summer, a little music for your listening pleasure.

I love the Drifters, so enjoy your time Under The Boardwalk!

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UNDER THE BOARDWALK by Barbara Cool Lee

A Parajo Bay Cozy Mystery and Sweet Romance

I LOVE this awesome cover!

This looks like the total package to me, so how could I resist?

Thanks Laura @ fuonlyknew for making me aware of this freebie and thanks Barbara for making it free.

Under the Boardwalk (Pajaro Bay #2)

 

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ADVENTURE IN TIME BUNDLE by Annie Seaton

I have seen Annie’s name bandied about, but have never read any of her work.

I received an invite to this freebie in her newsletter, so I thought, this is the perfect time to get acquainted.

Thanks Annie.

Adventure in Time is still free, but not for long, so get your copy now.

Be sure and check for the “0”.

Adventures in Time Bundle: de Vargas Family series  (Books 1 and 2)

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Received for Review

THE POOL BOY’S BEATTITUDE by DJ Swykert

This is a new author for me and I love the cover. I have a special affinity to water.

DJ Swykert had requested a review and this seemed a bit different from my normal reads.

Thanks DJ for the opportunity to share.

I like something different to shake me once in a while.


 

 A DEATH IN VEGAS by Christopher Meeks

I saw the intriguing cover and read on. What do you think?

There is so much I like about this book, I had to join the tour.

I will be reviewing and touring with A Death in Vegas with Premier Virtual Tours on  October 1, 2014. Thanks, guys, for the opportunity to share.

I hope you will stop by and check it out.

A Death in Vegas

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WON

ISOLATION by Denise R Stephenson

Touch has been outlawed.

Does that capture your attention?

This sounds so creepy good, I hope you will check it out too.

I won Isolation on a tour with Premier Virtual Author Book Tours.

Isolation

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Last week on fundinmental

The Ice Bucket Challenge

Sherry’s Shelves #14 – Murder, Paranormal and More

Teaser Tuesday #21 – Zombie Mom MIA – Killer’s Instinct by Dawn Dalton & Judith Graves

There’s a new Vampire in Town – Love Without Blood by Raz Steel

Blog Barrage for Tempted by a Rogue Prince by Felicity Heaton

Friday 56 #22 – Did you say Aliens? A Human Element by Donna Galanti

Winner of Avoidable Contact by Tammy Kaehler

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This week on fundinmental

I do have some surprises in store for this week, so be sure and stay in touch..

I never know what might pop up, so upcoming events are always subject to change.

I will also be doing some of the memes that I love so much.

Ultimate Fear by Kristine Mason – Review and Giveaway

Teaser Tuesday

Clamwake by Mary Daheim – Review and Paperback Giveaway

Friday 56

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How have you been spending your summer?

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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