Giveaway – That Guy and That Girl by Natalia Albrite @NAlbrite @GoddessFish

Posted on May 31, 2019 by fundinmental

I am a cover girl, so having Natalia Albrite sharing her thoughts on book cover is very appropriate. Welcome to fundinmental and let’s get started.

How do you choose a book cover and what importance do you place upon a book cover?

The Importance of Book Covers by Natalia Albrite

I place HUGE importance on a book cover and here’s why:

I only get one chance to make a first impression. Fair or not, we are a visual people who make all sorts of judgements based on looks. In the realm of personal interactions this can be very unfair. In the realm of professional work, it can still be unfair but fighting the reality would not be a good use of my time. The fact is that potential readers will make a judgement call about the quality of my work based on the cover of my book. I only get their attention for a few seconds and I want to entice them to stick around.
My covers need to reflect my brand. I strive for consistency across all platforms. I want to create a seamless experience for readers who look further into me and my work. I want them to explore freely without any jarring moments of, “oh that doesn’t fit.” I know that my books and I are not for everyone but if we are for you, I want you to stay and get comfy in my little corner of the romance world!

How I choose a book cover:

I use my gut. I decided to skip past any trend research. I picked something that I liked and reflected a larger sense of me. I want to sustain this career and I know that if I choose according to trend or market, that will wear me out in the long run. I would have a hard time staying excited about what other people like.
I want to be inspired. I sought custom cover design for That Guy and That Girl while still early in the revision process. I found my choice to be incredibly inspiring! I was inspired to make the best book I could so it would match up to a great cover!
I value the services of a professional. I love my writer’s lane and I respect the graphic designers’ lane. I like to think that I have a great sense of what I like but making it come to life visually is not a skill that I currently have. Fortunately, I had some savings that I set aside to hire a professional. I was so grateful for the work of Robin Vuchnich of mycustombookcover.com

What are your favorite covers? What catches your eye when you explore new authors and their books?

That Guy and That Girl by Natalia Albrite

GENRE: New Adult Contemporary Romance

PLEASE NOTE: this book will be $0.99 during the tour.

BLURB

Olivia Meadows is excited to finish her senior year of college as a volleyball national champion beside her teammates and best friends. A complication arrives in the form of John Hunter, that guy, her brother’s best friend whom she has had a secret crush on since she was eleven years old. Effortlessly charming and handsome, with a body honed by years of playing football, John initiates his charm offensive and Olivia finds herself unable to resist him.

John Hunter is pumped to finish his senior year of college as a football national champion beside his teammate and best friend. The only thing missing is that girl, Olivia Meadows, his best friend’s little sister. He needed to sow some wild oats before settling down with Olivia but now he is ready for something serious with the girl he has always admired.

Be careful what you wish for. John and Olivia find themselves dealing with adult consequences very quickly and wondering if their young love can endure the pressures of adulthood. Will they find deeper love or implode from the pressures of their own making?

EXCERPT

I spot Marcus in my dad’s hand-me-down Maxima with John in the front seat next to him. Oh jeez. John Hunter. He’s that guy. He’s the stuff of young girls’ dreams and I gave him up long ago by trying to turn my eyes to other guys. The way I see it, it’s like this: 1) he’s Marcus’s best friend and I have no interest in messing up their friendship; 2) he’s not an intentional player but he’s a player just the same; and 3) thank you, but I’ll skip the broken heart, please. I’ve grown up in proximity to this handsome devil for most of my life and he still manages to make my stomach drop when I see him.

It’s such a cliché to say that he’s tall, dark and handsome but clichés work for a reason—they’re inescapable kernels of truth. John is tall at a striking six feet and four inches. He’s dark with his almost-black hair and deep brown eyes. I can’t forget the handsome with his perfectly structured jaw line. Ridiculous. Just by looking at him, I can feel my adrenaline kicking in and the sweat gathering. Great.

I plaster an annoyed look on my face because that’s how we interact with each other. That’s part of our unwritten script. He plays the charming rogue and I play the cynical wallflower who is suspicious of all his kind gestures. He jumps out and does a half-bow. “Madame, your chariot,” he says as he gestures to the front seat.

Natalia is a lifelong reader and lover of romance novels. Before finally tapping away at her keyboard to create her own stories, she tried all sorts of professions: elementary school teacher, barista, seller of make-up, baker, and the list goes on. When she isn’t pursuing the arts, she’s hanging out with her husband, two wacky children, and full-figured Corgi.

Website: www.nataliaalbrite.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NAlbrite
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD-cYs7QgaRDMJMSy2QimNA
Instagram: http://instagram.com/nataliaalbrite
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nataliaalbrite/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Encourage your readers to follow the tour and comment; the more they comment, the better their chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2019/04/vbt-that-guy-and-that-girl-by-natalia.html

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Cozy Mystery – Murder She Uncovered by Peg Cochran @pegcochran @dollycas

Posted on May 30, 2019 by fundinmental

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Murder, She Uncovered
(Murder, She Reported Series)
by Peg Cochran

Peg Cochran crafts a story that takes you on a journey and this one is no exception, I certainly didn’t expect the final twist in the tale.
~A Wytch’s Book Review Blog

The author did a beautiful job of painting a picture of the past . . . Murder, She Uncovered is a perfect blend of mystery and historical fiction.
~The Book’s the Thing

You’ll find no recipes, crafts or yarn patterns in Peg Cochran’s MURDER, SHE UNCOVERED, just a good, authentic, well-told cozy mystery that you will find hard to put down.
~Here’s How It Happened

Peg Cochran easily transports readers to another time, New York of the late 1930s, to be precise . . . Dialogues and even conversation topics are also perfectly suited to the time period and also lend a touch of authenticity to the tale.
~The Cozy Pages

About the Book

Murder, She Uncovered (Murder, She Reported Series)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Alibi (May 28, 2019)
Print Length ~230 Pages
Digital ASIN: B07H1X2RT9

An intrepid 1930s Manhattan socialite uncovers deadly secrets during an assignment to the Hamptons in this riveting historical cozy mystery for readers of Victoria Thompson, Anne Perry, and Rhys Bowen.
Westhampton, 1938. To the dismay of her well-to-do family, Elizabeth “Biz” Adams is quickly establishing herself as a seasoned photographer over at the Daily Trumpet. Growing more confident in her decision to pursue a career, Elizabeth is thrilled when she and her reporter sidekick, Ralph Kaminsky, are sent to Long Island to cover the story of a young maid found dead in one of the glamourous summer homes in the devastating aftermath of the Great New England Hurricane—also known as the Long Island Express.
At first it’s assumed that the young woman was caught in the terrible storm, but when a suspicious wound is found on the side of her head, the police suspect murder. The maid’s death becomes even more tragic when it’s discovered she was pregnant, and with Elizabeth and Kaminsky at the scene of the crime, the Daily Trumpet scoops all the other papers in town.
The young woman’s boyfriend emerges as the likeliest suspect. But as Elizabeth follows the story, she begins to wonder whether someone in the household of the maid’s employers might be responsible—someone who’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth about the baby’s paternity hidden. . . .

About the Author

Mystery writing lets Peg indulge her curiosity under the guise of “work” (aka research). As a kid, she read the entire set of children’s encyclopedias her parents gave her and has been known to read the dictionary. She put pen to paper at age seven when she wrote plays and forced her cousins to perform them at Christmas dinner. She switched to mysteries when she discovered the perfect hiding place for a body down the street from her house.

When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading, cooking, spoiling her granddaughter and checking her books’ stats on Amazon.

A former Jersey girl, Peg now resides in Michigan with her husband and Westhighland white terrier, Reg. She is the author of the Sweet Nothings Lingerie series (written as Meg London), the Gourmet De-Lite series, the Lucille series, the Cranberry Cove series, and the Farmer’s Daughter series.

Author Links:

Website – http://www.pegcochran.com/

Newsletter Sign Up – http://www.pegcochran.com/newsletter-signup.html

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pegcochran

Twitter – https://twitter.com/@pegcochran

GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5352603.Peg_Cochran

BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/authors/peg-cochran

Purchase Links:

Amazon B&N Kobo

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

May 28 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

May 28 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW

May 29 – ❧Defining Ways❧ – SPOTLIGHT

May 29 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

May 29 – Here’s How It Happened – REVIEW

May 30 – The Cozy Pages – REVIEW

May 30 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

May 31 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

May 31 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW

June 1 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST

June 1 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 2 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

June 3 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW

June 3 – Readeropolis – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 4 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW

June 4 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 5 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

June 5 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

June 5 – 4covert2overt ☼ A Place In The Spotlight ☼ – SPOTLIGHT

June 6 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST

June 6 – eBook Addicts – REVIEW

June 7 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

June 7 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 8 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

June 8 – Kelly P’s Blog – SPOTLIGHT

June 9 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW

June 9 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

June 10 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

June 10 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW

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New Release – Murder In Red by Jon Land @jondland #MurderSheWrote

Posted on May 29, 2019 by fundinmental

Woo Hoo. Another Murder She Wrote story, Murder in Red by Jon Land. Jessica Fletcher never bores me and I look forward to each and every adventure with her.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love how Murder in Red starts. Maybe I’ll do the same for my passing.

Touches on one of my pet peeves…the health industry.

Jessica Fletcher has her posse, Mort, Harry and George, to help her get the justice she must have.

The great thing about cozies…they can deal with serious issues but keep the writing light with some humorous events and dialogue along with unique and quirky characters.

As I finish and all is revealed, I smile and close the cover, feeling cozy and content

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Murder in Red by Jon Land.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In the latest entry in this USA Today bestselling series, Jessica loses a loved one to unnatural causes and sets her sights on the mysterious local hospital before more people wind up dead on arrival…

Jessica Fletcher’s favorite gin rummy partner, Mimi Van Dorn, checks into the brand-new Clifton Care Partners, a private hospital that’s just opened up shop in town, for a simple procedure–one that leads tragically, and inexplicably, to her death. Seeking justice in her inimitable fashion, Jessica decides to pursue her own investigation on the hospital and its shadowy business dealings.

On the trail of what initially appears to be medical malpractice, Jessica digs deeper and learns her friend was actually a victim of something far more sinister. Death is bad for business, but murder is even worse, and Jessica will find plenty of both as she races to bring down Clifton Care Partners before someone else flatlines…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jon Land is the award-winning, critically acclaimed author of 36 books, including the bestselling Caitlin Strong Texas Ranger series that includes Strong Enough to Die, Strong Justice, Strong at the Break, Strong Vengeance and, most recently, Strong Rain Falling. The Tenth Circle marks the second return engagement of his longtime series hero Blaine McCracken on the heels of last year’s Pandora’s Temple which was nominated for a Thriller Award and received the 2013 International Book Award for Best Adventure Thriller. Jon’s first nonfiction book, Betrayal, meanwhile, was named Best True Crime Book of 2012 by Suspense Magazine and won a 2012 International Book Award for Best True Crime Book. He is currently working on Strong Darkness, the next entry in the Caitlin Strong to be published in September of 2014. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude from Brown University, where he continues to maintain a strong volunteer presence, in 1979.

Stalk Jon: Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY JON LAND REVIEWS

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Past Nightmares – Whispers In The Dark by Laurel Hightower #LaurelHightower

Posted on May 28, 2019 by fundinmental

I was approached by Laurel Hightower and given an opportunity to read and review Whispers in the Dark. Looking at the red cover with the girl in flames talked to me and after reading the blurb I couldn’t resist.

Cover Art and Design: Mikio Murakami

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I am blown away by Laurel Hightower’s first novel, Whispers in the Dark. Very impressive.

The fabulous cover fits the dark story on the pages inside…the doors of hell opening up to her, calling her, the dead demanding her attention. Some warn her, others want…something from her.

Is her son in danger? Her daughter? Her friends and coworkers? All the characters have their part to play and I must say, I wouldn’t mind killing a couple of them myself, in the book of course. lol

Her son, Tommy, is the sweetest, bravest four year old I have come across.

I love Laurel’s description of grandparents…if the children are bad, they had to sit on the couch, watch cartoons and eat chocolate while they thought about what they’d done. LOL

I love stories like Whispers in the Dark, insidious evil lurking…

Her past was filled with terror and torture…visions, ghosts and the whispers, and now I know why. Her job with SWAT had put them to bed, until…Charlie Akers.

Is that a whisper I hear? Is that a shadow in the corner? Are those footsteps climbing the cellar stairs? You know there has to be at least one cellar!

The rich detail of the writing made me almost feel them reaching out for me, seeing their eyes peering at me out of the dark corners.

To get the full effect, I recommend reading the story at night, when you are alone, turning off all the lights and letting your imagination run wild. HA HA HA

I couldn’t put down Whispers in the Dark by Laurel Hightower and it freaked me out. I love sneaky evil oozing its way off the pages, into my mind.

I was very happy with the ending, and I didn’t know what it would be. Laurel Hightower did a fabulous job with her first attempt at writing a novel and I can hardly wait to see where she goes from here. I am very impressed, can find no fault, and give it a giant stamp of approval…and, Laurel, I will be stalking you.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Whispers in the Dark by Laurel Hightower.

GOODREADS BLURB

Rose McFarland is a trained killer–a Memphis S.W.A.T. sniper with a secret. Her team knows about the burn scars that lurk under her clothes, a legacy of the house fire that killed her father and brother sixteen years before. Her supervisors know that she spent two years in a rehabilitative facility, healing and learning to cope with the emotional trauma of the fire. But no one knows about the visions that drove her there, angry spirits that consumed her childhood, alienated her from her family and made her doubt her own sanity–the Whispers.

When Charlie Akers, a half-brother she never knew, ends up on the wrong side of Rose’s rifle, she unwittingly sets off a chain of events that puts her family in the middle of increasingly dangerous paranormal visitations. Charlie won’t stay dead, and soon ghosts from Rose’s past are creeping back into her life. People she’s killed in the line of duty, family she thought long buried, every one of them under the influence of Rose’s greatest fear, the Whispers themselves.

As the walls between our world and the world of the dead grow thin, Rose will have to face her old nightmares to stop the Whispers from breaking free. If she can’t, it won’t just be Memphis that falls to the dead–there will be no safe place left on earth for the living.

ABOUT LAUREL HIGHTOWER

Laurel Hightower grew up in Kentucky, attending college in California and Tennessee before returning home to horse country, where she lives with her husband, son, and two rescue animals. She works as a paralegal in a mid-sized firm, wrangling litigators by day and writing at night. A bourbon and beer girl, she’s a fan of horror movies and true life ghost stories. Whispers in the Dark is her first novel.

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The Hollow Queen by Sherry D Ficklin @authorsherry @XpressoTours

Posted on May 28, 2019 by fundinmental

The Hollow Queen
Sherry D. Ficklin
(Stolen Empire, #5)
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: September 23rd 2019
Genres: Historical, Young Adult

As a princess of the Romanov Empire, Elizabeth has enjoyed a life of luxury and privilege. But the sudden deaths of her parents leaves her unprotected – awash in the dangerous tide of her family’s political rivals. When the supreme council crowns her half-nephew Peter II in her place, Elizabeth is left with no title, no power—and no allies. Now little more than a bastard in the eyes of the world, she is sent to serve in the palatial home of Prince Menshikov—the real power behind the boy king.

But Elizabeth won’t fade quietly into the background.

Determined to uncover the truth behind her mother’s murder and expose the men who mean to rule Russia in secret, she grows closer to the handsome young king, and swears to protect him and his rule at any cost. But the forces that oppose them are as dark as they are far-reaching–and this time, Elizabeth could lose more than just her title…

Add to Goodreads

Author Bio:

Sherry is the author of over a dozen novels for teens and young adults including the best selling Stolen Empire series. She can often be found browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she’s on deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is only seen in blurry photographs.
Sherry also writes contemporary romance under the pen name SJ Noble. You can find her at her official website, www.sherryficklin.com, or stalk her on her Facebook page www.facebook.com/sherry.ficklin.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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Giveaway – The Lady Raven by Rebecca Henry #RebeccaHenry @XpressoTours

Posted on May 27, 2019 by fundinmental

The Lady Raven: A Dark Cinderella Tale
Rebecca Henry
Publication date: December 5th 2017
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

In The Lady Raven, Rebecca Henry tells the tale of Zezolla, a little princess abandoned by her father into the hands of her evil stepmother and wicked stepsisters. A familiar fairy tale you may think but all is not as it appears. The reader is soon drawn into a web of witchcraft, lies and deceit, and gradually realises that this is no typical fairy tale but a dark and macabre take on one. Zezolla is treated with the utmost cruelty, neglected and vilified, and left to live in the damp cellars of the castle. The only friends Zezolla has are her beloved raven and her pet wolf. Her only comfort lies in the loyalty of the creatures of the forest and her mother’s hazel tree. Will Zezolla have the power to escape her torment and ultimately save herself from the unscrupulous clutches of the king? The Lady Raven is a compelling tale and one that is not for the faint-hearted.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Baldric bent down, whispering into his wife’s ear. “I am going to drown you in the river, my love. I want you to hear my words and know that it is I who will kill you. Do not think that I do not know what you did.” Before Avelina could protest, her face was plunged into the icy water. She tried pulling her head up, but Baldric was too strong. She began to buck her legs around like a mule, desperate to make contact with Baldric, anything to weaken his grip. Baldric climbed on top of her and pinned her body beneath his. “Die, Avelina.” he growled. Hands were flying all around him as he drowned his wife, the only woman he ever loved. Princess Avelina was a fighter and she determined to stay alive, but it was to no avail.

Baldric kept her head under the water well after her body stopped moving. Avelina’s betrayal caused Baldric’s love to turn to hate, just as water turns to ice in the frozen kiss of winter.

“Die, you lying witch. Die! You do not deserve the life you have. You do not deserve me. You have taken everything I’ve loved away and now I will take everything from you.” Baldric’s hands trembled with rage as he dismounted his wife’s limp body. Baldric arose, looking around the grounds to ensure that no witnesses could testify to his crime. Still, he would not suffer the consequence of murdering his wife. To seal his innocence, he gathered heavy rocks from the bank and shoved them in Avelina’s robes.

“They will think it a suicide and my hands will never be traced to her death.” He bent down to see her face one last time before kicking her corpse into the lake.

“I loved you mind, body, and soul. I would have loved you until my dying breath, but I will never think of you again. From this day forth, you no longer consume my heart. May you rest in hell, my love.” He watched her body sink; he was triumphant, sentencing her to the punishment that fitted the crime: death.

Before her body disappeared into the ultramarine water, he spat on her. One final act of defiance.

Author Bio:

Rebecca Henry is a newly published author. Her debut novel is The Lady Raven, A Dark Cinderella Tale, which was published in 2017. The Lady Raven, is for those who have an affinity for fairy tales retold with a link to witches, magic and the macabre. Her second novel, Louisiana Latte, a chick lit comedy was released February 28th 2019. Louisiana Latte, is a feel good comedy that focuses on the bonds of sisters, and how audacious life can be when you have a diva for one! Both books are available on amazon as well as Barnes & Noble.

Rebecca Henry is a world traveler living abroad in England. Besides being an author of two published books, Rebecca is also a podcast talk host on the show The Latte Talk. The podcast was inspired by her latest novel, Louisiana Latte and her diva sister Deb. She is a serious vegan, gardener, crafter, wife and mom who practices yoga. She loves to laugh, her drug of choice and loves all things witchy with a hint of the macabre. Her favorite holiday is Halloween and her favorite movie of all time is Practical Magic.

Website / Instagram / Goodreads

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Giveaway – Shantallow by Cara Martin @CKKellyMartin @XpressoTours

Posted on May 26, 2019 by fundinmental

Shantallow
Cara Martin
Published by: Cormorant Books
Publication date: May 26th 2019
Genres: Horror, Young Adult

Tanvi isn’t the girl of Misha’s dreams; she’s the girl from his nightmares. She has appeared in his chilling dreams before he even meets her; when he DOES meet her, he falls for her.

Their relationship turns stormy, bordering on abusive, and takes a dramatic turn when they are held captive by a group hoping to extract money from Tanvi’s wealthy family.

But there is something more sinister at work, and the kidnappers and their victims find themselves struggling for survival as a supernatural force from Misha’s nightmares makes itself known in the real world.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

—

EXCERPT:

Keion came in his cab when I texted him, like an indie 911. He shook his head at me as I dove into the front seat next to him. “I’ve never seen you in this sorry ass state,” he said. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” I told him.

“Yeah, you do.”

“Yeah, I do,” I admitted. I’d walked too far out on the ice and realized it could crack under my feet. “But not now, okay? I need to get home.”

Keion nodded as we pulled away from the curb. “I can see that, all right.”

I leaned my head back against the headrest and shut my eyes; I’d downed too many shots to keep them open. Sleep curved its velvety black wings eagerly around me. I didn’t fight it.

In some other place, Tanvi stared at me with eyes like a starless night sky. “Shantallow,” she said, her cheeks slick with blood and her lips not moving. “Run.” My shirt was torn at the elbow. It flapped as I ran, my ribs twitching underneath my skin, clawing me from the inside.

“We should have reached a road by now,” Tanvi said. Misery bent her voice, like a branch drooping under the weight of too much snow. “How can there be no road?”

I jolted myself free from sleep. Keion’s eyes were on the road ahead. “Shantallow,” he hissed. “We shall all be changed.” Sharp fingernails scraped violently against the passenger side of the car. Keion grinned maniacally, his teeth broken and gray. Only he wasn’t Keion anymore. My father was at the wheel. Soil spilled from his mouth. Chunks of his skull were missing, the glare from a passing car illuminating the clumps of raw, uneven flesh left in their place.

“Hey, hey!” a voice called. “Wake up, Misha.” A car horn blared. It sliced through my fear, hurling me back to the world. My head knocked back against the headrest, Keion’s right hand closed firmly around my arm. “Whoa. You were having a night terror or something. I couldn’t wake you up. You damn scared me.” He promptly released his hold, his right hand joining his left on the wheel.

“I’m okay,” I said unconvincingly. “Must’ve been all the beer.”

We were back in Balsam, a couple of blocks from my house. Keion sighed through his teeth, his concerned eyes worse than any lecture. Thirty seconds later we veered onto my street. About six houses down from mine a guy with his hood up sat on a neighbor’s steps, hunched against the wind. He cocked his head in my direction as I exited the car, like we knew each other.

Keion called after me, “Be good, Misha. Call me if you want to talk.”

I was as shaky as hell, freezing on the inside. The dream had been so real that I easily might have thrown myself from the car to escape it. One of my hands flew instinctively up in the air to wave off Keion, my feet pausing until the cab was gone and then padding me over to the neighbor’s front yard like they had their own ideas about what was supposed to happen next.

“Thought that was you,” the guy said from the stoop. He tugged his hoodie down, revealing a familiar face.

Author Bio:

Cara Martin is the author of several acclaimed novels for young people published under the name C. K. Kelly Martin. Her most recent novel, Stricken, was released in 2017. A graduate of the Film Studies program at York University, Cara has lived in the Greater Toronto Area and Dublin, Ireland. Within the space of 3500 miles she’s worked a collection of quirky jobs at multiple pubs and video stores, an electricity company, a division of the Irish post office, a London toyshop, and an advertising analytics company. She’s also been an image editor for a dot-com startup that didn’t survive the 90s, and a credit note clerk for Canada’s largest national distributor of General Merchandise. Cara currently resides in Ottawa, Ontario with her husband and is still afraid of the Child Catcher from the film adaptation of CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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Giveaway – Game of Revenge by Charlotte Larsen @SDSXXTours @AuthorLarsen

Posted on May 25, 2019 by fundinmental

Game of Revenge

Francis Scott-Wren Series Book 2

by Charlotte Larsen

Genre: Crime Thriller

“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves”— Confucius

Heart crushing international thriller from

a bestselling Scandinavian author.

In 1944 a snitch denounced a couple and their eldest son for resistance activities. The mother was separated from her husband and son and sent to Bergen-Belsen. The husband and son sent to Dachau. None of them returned.

Years later, their grandson, James takes on a revenging role towards the affluent descendants of the snitch. One by one he takes them down.

But along the way, Francis Scott-Wren picks up the scent and sends in his agent Jo Vermeer to stop the destructive rampage of James.

However, the relationship between her and her target brings her a dilemma of loyalty, that unstable her significantly.

As we travel with the characters through Copenhagen, Marrakesh and into a jungle monastery in Sri Lanka, we must ask ourselves: What are our true values? And how far will we go to defend them?

Game of Revenge is a nail biting standalone crime thriller and a gripping exploration of human nature.

If you like a passionate heroine, spine-chilling suspense, and a fight for what is right, then you’ll love Charlotte Larsen’s fast-paced thriller.

Buy Game of Revenge to be captured in a brave fight against evil today!

Goodreads * Amazon

Charlotte Larsen is a bestselling Scandinavian author of more than twelve books, including the bestselling crime thriller GAME OF GREED, and a series of management books.

A graduate of Aarhus University and University of New South Wales,

Charlotte is highly recognized as a specialist in managerial issues.

Besides working on her next novel, she serves as a high-end management consultant for high performing industries such as the legal profession, finance, and defense.

Charlotte keeps a blog on creativity, writes for a Danish broadsheet,

and is generally an opinion maker in the Danish business community.

She lives and writes in the Danish countryside and keeps a closet full of business suits in a flat in Copenhagen.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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Giveaway – The Divorce Planner by Angela Lam @authorangelalam @XpressoTours

Posted on May 24, 2019 by fundinmental

The Divorce Planner
Angela Lam
Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication date: May 20th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

When her daughter suggests Darcy Madison attend her ex-husband’s wedding, Darcy enlists the help of her colleague, divorce attorney Victor Costello, to pose as her dashing young date. But when Victor proposes to Darcy at the reception, Darcy forgets they are pretending and says, “Yes!” Between her false engagement to Victor and her daughter’s suggestion to have a double wedding, Darcy falls even further in the fantasy of being a blushing midlife bride. The longer the masquerade continues, the more Darcy starts to wonder what is love and can it last forever in a world where divorce is the only language she knows?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

“Are you leaving?” He stood.

“Yes.” A flash of disappointment descended over her shoulders. “I think I’ll go.”

“Let me walk you to your car.”

“But you’ll miss the live auction and the dancing.”

He offered his arm. “I’d rather spend the time with you.”

A touch of kinship united them.

She wove her arm through his. How delightful to find someone who enjoyed her company as much as she enjoyed his.

Matching strides, they walked around the tables of guests. A few people stopped them to comment on how cute a couple they made.

She blushed from the compliments.

He nudged open the double doors.

A gust of cool summer air blasted against her face. She shivered.

He tugged her closer. “Would you like my jacket?”

“No, thank you. I’m parked over there.” She waved toward the left.

They strode over to an ancient sports sedan.

Darcy unlocked her door and tossed her clutch inside. As she turned to say good night, she trembled with anticipation. Would he kiss her again?

Standing in silence, he gazed into her eyes.

A flicker of desire lapped at her feet and licked up into her belly. She had never seen eyes so big, so bold, and so beautiful. Oh, why wouldn’t he kiss her?

Author Bio:

Angela is a San Francisco Bay Area native.

She studied journalism at Northwestern University as a Cherub scholar. She received her B.A. in English and Creative Writing from Sonoma State University.

Her nonfiction articles on real estate, lending, and finance can be found online at SFGate.com. Her short stories, essays, and poetry are published in a number of magazines, newspapers, and anthologies, including The Dollar Stretcher, Foliate Oak , Kenwood Press, The Phoenix, Potpourri, The Sun, The Writer, and Women’s Voices.

When she is not writing, she is either painting, reading, running, or spending time with her family and friends.

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Alone and Targeted – Absolution by D V Berkom @dvberkom

Posted on May 23, 2019 by fundinmental

D V Berkom writes of strong female characters, so when Absolution came in the mail, I was very excited to begin reading. Whether she expects a review or not, doesn’t matter. I want to share one of my favorite authors with you, so a review is always forthcoming.

The great cover is done by Deranged Doctor Designs

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I got lost in the writing as I am drawn in deeper…and I am not surprised with D V Berkom.

This badass character faces danger in every story and this antagonistic villain has a personal agenda that places Leine Basso in her sights.

Leine Basso will stop at nothing to protect those she loves, so she isolates herself as she hunts Salome, the one that got away in Dark Return.

Danger…intrigue…

Never a dull moment.

Who’s the mole? I figured wrong and D V Berkom is great at surprising me that way. The betrayal is well hidden and the red herrings kept me guessing.

And Jinn. I would love to read more about Jinn, a very special young girl.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Absolution by D V Berkom.

GOODREADS BLURB

There’s one sure way to stop a terrorist…

Leine Basso has severed ties with everyone she loves to keep them safe while she hunts for the ruthless terrorist, Salome. There are rumblings that the French-born assassin is planning another attack, and Leine’s determined to stop her before it’s too late.

Leine must follow her instincts despite a cunning and merciless enemy determined to lure her down a deadly path. Can Leine thwart her plans, or will Salome’s own twisted vengeance mean the end for Leine and everyone she loves?

From London to Edinburgh to the City of Angels, Salome’s making a comeback—and that comeback includes killing Leine.

ABOUT DV BERKOM

DV Berkom is a slave to the voices in her head. As the author of two popular thriller series (Leine Basso and Kate Jones), her love of creating resilient, kick-*ss female characters stems from a lifelong addiction to reading spy novels, mysteries, and thrillers, and longing to find the female equivalent within those pages.

Raised in the Midwest, she received her BA in political science from the University of Minnesota and promptly moved to Mexico to live on a sailboat. Many, many cross-country moves (and several years) later, she now lives just outside of Seattle, Washington with the love of her life, Mark, an ex-chef-turned contractor, and writes every chance she gets.