National Parks Thriller – Leave No Trace by A J Landau @jondland

Posted on February 27, 2024 by fundinmental

MY REVIEW

Leave No Trace (National Parks Thriller, #1) is a collaboration between Jon Land and Jeff Ayers. I am excited to be on the adventure, traveling coast to coast to sniff out the danger.

The headers for each short chapter include snippets of the history of the National Parks. I love the combination of fact and fiction.

First stop on our adventure…Danny and his family are visiting the Statue of Liberty. He is very observant and notices something is not right. Before he can say or do anything, there is an explosion. The Prologue set the hook and I am looking forward to hanging out at the National Parks, even under such trying circumstances.

Agent Michael Walker of the National Park Service is on the case and he’ll be working with Gina Delgado of the FBI. I love diverse characters. Michael has a prosthetic foot. Gina is the youngest FBI ASAC and a Latina woman to boot.

A young boy walks up to Michael and asks, “Have you seen my parents?” He becomes the most important witness because of the vital information he has. Does it put a target on his back? What do you think?

The more they investigate, the deeper, more terrifying the conspiracy grows. No one or no thing can be one hundred per cent protected. Michael and Gina will be mobile, putting out fires and defusing catastrophic bombs.

Jeremiah is out for revenge after his family’s home was taken by the Park Service.From coast to coast, no national treasure is safe from those that want to tear them down, not caring how many innocent lives they take with them. A conspiracy surrounds the investigation and reaches within the government. What is their agenda?

I’m getting a terrible feeling. Hold on to you ASS people! Knowing Jon Land, I was waiting for the danger and suspense to ramp up. I was moseying along before thinking these rogue military terrorists were not alone, but now…I quit taking notes because from here on out, mum’s the word.

I felt jaw dropping suspense, anger and rage, and outright shock at the depths people go to and the reasons for it..I don’t know who to trust.

11Opposing forces will, eventually,collide. Who will be left standing? The addition of Danny appearing here and there, is a touch that I love. I feel there is a warning here. The government might want to rethink the selling of any old military equipment, bases, etc.

Explosive. Too real! I can let my mind go there.

The shifting points of view, can be a tool for creating suspense and a need to know, or a detriment, slowing down and interrupting the pace and tempo. For me, it was the former.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In a daring, brutal act of terrorism, an explosion rocks and topples the Statue of Liberty. Special Agent Michael Walker of the National Park Service is awakened by his boss with that news and sent to New York as the agent-in-charge. Not long after he lands, he learns two things – one that Gina Delgado of the FBI has been placed in charge of the investigation as the lead of the Joint Terrorism Task Force and two, that threats of a second terrorism attack are already being called into the media. While barred from the meetings of the Joint Task Force for his lack of security clearance, Walker finds a young boy among the survivors with a critical piece of information – a video linking the attackers to the assault.

As a radical domestic terrorist group, led by a shadowy figure known only as Jebediah, threatens further attacks against America’s cultural symbols, powerful forces within the government are misleading the investigation to further their own radical agenda.

Genre: Action and Adventure, Conspiracy, Mystery, Suspense, Terrorism,Thriller
352 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication February 27, 2024 by Minotaur Books
Series: National Parks Thriller, #1

ABOUT JON LAND

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.

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MY JON LAND REVIEWS

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Review – The Toymaker (Jake Pendleton #2) by Chuck Barrett @chuck_barrett

Posted on June 28, 2023 by fundinmental

I have had The Toymaker by Chuck Barrett on my TBR since 2012. I was so excited to grab it and don’t know why I waited so long to read it.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Toymaker by Chuck Barrett is a continuation of The Savannah Project, so this review will be short and sweet.

I LOVED IT.

Jake Pendleton will learn the all the grisly details of the ills that have befallen him, as he faces his worst foes. One is familiar, Ian Collings, the assassin. One is new, a terrorist, and will test all his skills. He will travel the world, dodging death with colleagues old and new.

The more I read, the more lost I got in the story, wondering who would live and who would die. Hopefully, it will be the villains, but with Chuck Barrett, you can never be sure.

GOODREADS BLURB

Former NTSB Investigator Jake Pendleton faces a dilemma as the line blurs between right and wrong. After his judgment comes into question, Jake is entrusted to his new mentor, an eccentric old man who sees beyond Jake’s flaws. A man who makes ‘toys for spies.’

A man known as The Toymaker.

Jake’s first assignment reunites him with Gregg Kaplan in a daredevil mission to rescue a fellow agent held captive in Yemen. He risks his life to stop the first attack of an al Qaeda mastermind. But now, with no one to trust but himself, can Jake stop the terrorist from destroying what is most precious to the free world?

Unfortunately, more trouble comes his way as a killer from his past threatens something more important to Jake than his own life, leaving him to make the hardest decision any man ever has to make—

Who to sacrifice.

Fiction, Action and Adventure, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Terrorism, Espionage

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 21, 2011

ABOUT CHUCK BARRETT

Chuck Barrett is the award-winning author of The Savannah Project, The Toymaker, Breach of Power, and Disruption of his Jake Pendleton series, and Blown, and Last Chance of his blockbuster Gregg Kaplan series. He is a graduate of Auburn University and retired air traffic controller. He also holds a Commercial Pilot Certificate.

He and his wife, DJ Steele (also an author) currently reside in Northern Colorado.

Awards:
—BLOWN
2016 Writers Digest Self-Published Book Awards

—Breach of Power
Winner of the 2013 Indie Excellence Award in Political Thrillers.
Finalist in the 2013 International Book Awards Thriller/Adventure category.

—The Toymaker
Finalist in the 2013 International Book Awards Thriller/Adventure & Mystery/Suspense categories.

—The Savannah Project
Finalist in the 2011 International Book Awards Thriller/Adventure category.
Second Place in the 2011 Reviewers Choice Awards Mystery/Thriller/Suspense/Horror category.
Honorable Mention in the 2011 ForeWord Reviews Book-Of-The-Year Awards Thriller/Suspense category.

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MY CHUCK BARRETT REVIEWS

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Tick Tock – The Pendulum Files by P M Terrell @pmterrell

Posted on March 1, 2018 by fundinmental

OMG! The colors for The Pendulum Files by P M Terrell will jump off any bookshelf. I would grab the book for that reason alone, but the story inside kept me reading long into the night.

Cover Design: Nightman1965/Shutterstock.com

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

The beginning of The Pendulum Files by P M Terrell slapped me awake!

Dylan’s Song was soooo good, I just had to jump right into The Pendulum Files by P M Terrell and it began with a sense of foreboding and danger that more than met my expectations. Reeled me in, hook, line and sinker.

Each book can stand alone, with recurring characters and occasionally a new one added. They have become my family and I don’t want you to miss anything, so I do recommend beginning at the beginning. I believe, once you start, you won’t want to stop.

I love P M Terrell’s ability to layer plots, with multiple storylines running throughout.

The story will take us back to WWII and the lost riches of the Germans.

A premonition…

Oops, they missed that one and I wonder what will bite them in the ass because of it. OH NO! We take a terrible twist and Vicki becomes a primary target.

Brenda may be a second tier character, but I love her. She is a badass, take no prisoner type of gal, tough as nails. She will not stand still and let HIM take her out. She has her issues, has crossed the line and back again, but no one can accuse her of sitting idly by and letting life happen to her. She would fight on her own terms.

She brought Christopher to life. She is wild, passionate, unpredictable, and there is nothing he won’t do for her.

In Chris’ apartment…Gabucci…Brenda…the balcony…the fall…OMG! I fought along with Christopher…I was terrified for Brenda…OMG…I don’t believe it. P M, what are you doing to them. The author is not afraid to put her characters through the ringer, and make me wonder who will be left standing in the end.

The pendulum haunts Vicki. She is the only one to hear it. What does it mean?

Dylan has some of the craziest, funniest, ridiculous superstitions and insists, “It’s true.” I smile and shake my head at each and every one. Now, that’s some great writing P.

The political machinations read as if they are current events and, of course, there is misconduct, conspiracy, maybe even treason.

Even though the bombing of the ships mystery is solved, the story is far from over. What this family will face in the next dangerous adventure I can only guess, and I am eager to find out. Sooo, I eagerly being reading Cloak and Mirrors.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Pendulum Files by P M Terrell.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

CIA operative Dylan Maguire joins forces with psychic spy Vicki Boyd to find out who is bombing merchant vessels bound for the United States from China. Their mission will lead them to Black Sites, the high seas and into covert operations. And when an assassin escapes from prison determined to finish the job he started, they find their personal lives and their missions are about to collide in ways they never could have imagined.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

p.m.terrell is the pen name for Patricia McClelland Terrell, the award-winning, internationally acclaimed author of more than 21 books in four genres: contemporary suspense, historical adventure/suspense, computer how-to and non-fiction.

Prior to writing full-time, she founded two computer companies in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. Among her clients were the Central Intelligence Agency, United States Secret Service, U.S. Information Agency, and Department of Defense. Her specialties were in white collar computer crimes and computer intelligence, themes that have carried forward to her contemporary suspense.

She has been a full-time author since 2002. Vicki’s Key was a top five finalist in the 2012 International Book Awards and 2012 USA Book Awards nominee, and The Pendulum Files was a national finalist for the Best Cover of the Year in 2014. The Tempest Murders was one of four finalists in the 2013 International Book Awards, cross-genre category.

Her historical suspense, River Passage, was a 2010 Best Fiction and Drama Winner. It was determined to be so historically accurate that a copy of the book resides at the Nashville Government Metropolitan Archives in Nashville, Tennessee.

She is also the co-founder of The Book ‘Em Foundation, an organization committed to raising public awareness of the correlation between high crime rates and high illiteracy rates. She is the organizer and chairperson of Book ‘Em North Carolina, an annual event held in Lumberton, North Carolina, to raise funds to increase literacy and reduce crime. For more information on this event and the literacy campaigns funded by it, visit www.bookemnc.org. She is also the founder of The Novel Business, mentoring authors in the business end and selling of books.

She sits on the board of the Friends of the Robeson County Public Library. She has also served on the boards of Robeson County Arts Council, Crime Stoppers and Crime Solvers and became the first female president of the Chesterfield County-Colonial Heights Crime Solvers in Virginia.

MY REVIEWS FOR P M TERRELL

The following books are lined up in order, first to last. I will be reviewing them all.

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Beware if Leine Basso has you in her sights – The Last Deception by D V Berkom @dvberkom

Posted on December 12, 2017 by fundinmental

The cover for The Last Deception by D V Berkom shows Leine Basso as I see her. I love when a cover fits the characters and the story.

I have been reading D V Berkom’s novels for some time now, and eagerly grab them and begin reading as soon as they arrive. Check out this and some of my other reviews and you will see why.

So…let’s not waste any more time.

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

I love kickass female protagonists and D V Berkom supplies me with one of my favorites in the Leine Basso series and The Last Deception. These books stand alone, so no worries there, but once you start, you won’t want to stop.

We start right off with action, kicking down doors and bullets flying, as she heads off to Libya to rescue 15 year old Munira from terrorists. She had been kidnapped, brutally abused, then when they were finished with her, they sold her to sex traffickers.

Leine thought she left her past behind, until a friend calls her for help.

Maskinovka – Deception. American lives are on the line and the clock is ticking. Danger and political intrigue. Who to trust. How do you find answers without tipping your hand to the wrong person?

Some would call Leine’s actions rash, but she called them expedient. Sometimes split second decisions must be made, to accomplish the mission. Leine will put her life on the line to do what is right. I know, or at least I think I know, that DV Berkom will not kill her off. 🙂

I love a character who knows who they are. I have been with her through many trials and tribulations and love the person she has become. BUT, I loved her before, too.

The cover depicts my image of Leine. I can see her, laden with all the latest military goodies, crawling through the jungle, reconning, taking fire and dishing it out.

The writing and pacing keep the story moving and I travel from place to place, danger to danger, reading and wondering where it will all end. Sometimes your enemy is your friend and I love D V Berkom’s ability to make the story and characters read true. She does her research and it shows through her words. Great job D.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Last Deception by D V Berkom.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Lies. Deception. A nation on the brink of war…

In the Cold War, you knew who your friends and enemies were. In war today, there’s no difference.

Just when former assassin Leine Basso thinks she’s free from the business of murder and deception, a desperate call from a friend drags her back into the dark world of espionage and arms dealers.

Leine uncovers information that implicates a well-known Russian businessman in a horrendous deception that affects national security and could have global repercussions. It’s up to the former assassin to persuade the powers that be to ignore the obvious and trust her, or disregard the information and bring the world to the brink of a devastating war. Can she make it in time to warn them before The Last Deception?

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.

For more information, please visit her website at www.dvberkom.com.
Facebook / Twitter / Blog / Pinterest / Amazon US / Amazon UK/ Newsletter
Author Pages: Amazon / Smashwords / Barnes & Noble / itunes / Kobo

My Reviews DV Berkom’s Leine Basso Thrillers:

My Reviews for DV Berkom’s Kate Jones Thrillers:

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Teaser Tuesday #97 – The Last Deception by D V Berkom @dvberkom

Posted on November 7, 2017 by fundinmental

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday hosted by The Purple Booker, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:

• 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! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

~~~~~~

I have read a lot of DV Berkom’s novels and enjoyed everyone tremendously. If you are looking for an author to follow, I recommend her. She has strong female characters that manage to get into some thrilling situations.

The Last Deception is D V Berkom’s sixth novel in the Leine Basso series. They can all stand alone, but I have loved each and every one, so I recommend starting at the beginning.

Goodreads / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

MY TEASE

“How would they know it their patient was my son? This letter states he was on a clandestine operation.If true, he would not have carried identification.If he had, then the bombing would have wiped out any credentials.”

(page 69 in paperback published in 2017)

GOODREADS BLURB

Lies. Deception. A nation on the brink of war…

Just when former assassin Leine Basso thinks she’s free from the business of murder and deception, a desperate call from a friend drags her back into the dark world of espionage and arms dealers.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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Horror of the SciFi Kind – Nomad by Matthew Mather @phuturenews

Posted on October 5, 2017 by fundinmental

Nomad by Matthew Mather is Book I of The New Earth Series.

This is one of those books that left me with tons of questions and what ifs.

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Action packed, thought-provoking, could this really happen novel that held my attention as the clocked ticked down.

“At most, we have a year, perhaps only months, until the anomaly reaches us.”

It’s the end of the world and I can’t imagine the fear and panic. All kinds of questions came to mind. Would I want to know, seeing as how there is nothing I could do? Would I want to be one of the last ones standing? How would I spend the last moments of my life? Who would I spend them with?

I quickly became involved with the characters, especially Jess. I love a strong, independent, kickass female, and she surely fits the bill. She is into extreme sports, served in Afghanistan, and left a leg there because of an IED. She may be a bit more than self-confident, maybe a bit reckless, but she does not have a death wish.There is nothing that will stop her from doing the right thing.

My first thought would be to let bygones be bygones, but would others think that? What about other countries? Would they want to take the last shot before the Earth ceases to exist?

A free for all, no holds barred human slaughter.

Matthew Mather did his research for Nomad. I don’t understand all the technical jargon, but he broke it down into easy to understand language. Well enough for me to me to be totally engrossed in the story, instead of thinking of it as a school subject.

The end of the world is coming and I felt it on every page, especially after watching the Solar Eclipse on 8.21.17. The danger and suspense just kept increasing, and it wasn’t just because of Nomad.

There is no ending. There are four books in the series, and I WANT THEM!

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Something massive is coming…

And it’s heading for Earth.

That’s what Dr. Ben Rollins, head of Harvard’s exoplanet research team, is told by NASA after being dragged out of bed in the middle of the night. His first instinct is to call his daughter, Jessica, who’s vacationing in Italy with his wife. “Something’s coming,” he tells them. “A hundred times the mass of the sun. We can’t see it, don’t know what it is yet, but they’re calling it Nomad–and in just months, the Earth may be destroyed.”

But what is it? And how did they miss detecting it until now? In a frantic race against time, Dr. Rollins must unravel Nomad’s secrets. A mysterious clue surfaces in his old research papers from the end of the Cold War, more than thirty years earlier…

The world erupts into chaos as the end approaches–and Ben discovers that his wife and daughter are trapped in Europe. The key to humanity’s survival rests in the final answers Dr. Rollins pieces together, in the midst of his desperate scramble across continents to find his family before Nomad swallows the planet.

MORE ABOUT NOMAD

A story of family and redemption set amid a brand new category of cataclysm–all the more plausible and terrifying as the science behind it is vetted by a team of world-class astrophysicists from CERN, SETI, the Keck Observatory and more. It even has its own simulation video, included at the end of the book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Matthew is the million-copy bestselling author of CyberStorm and Darknet, and the hit series Nomad and Atopia Chronicles. He started out his career working at the McGill Center for Intelligent Machines, going on to become one of the world’s leading members of the cybersecurity community. In between he’s worked in a variety of start-ups,everything from computational nanotechnology to electronic health records to weather prediction systems. He spends his time between Montreal and Charlotte, NC.

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One Sentence Review for Dark Waters by Chris Goff @christinegoff

Posted on August 26, 2017 by fundinmental

Dark Waters: A Raisa Jordan Thriller by Chris Goff is a wonderful debut novel that deals with conspiracy and terrorism in the middle east.

I won Dark Waters and the next in the Raisa Jordan Thriller series, Red Sky.

Thanks to Peg B and Chris Goff.

Goodreads / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

Bullets fly, while a very ill young girl and her father witness two murders in an exchange gone wrong, drawing in two fierce women warriors who must band together in a battle against time in this fascinating novel of conspiracy, murder, politics, hidden agendas and terrorism that smacks of reality.

4 Stars

Raisa “Rae” Jordan, an agent for the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, isn’t in Israel for more than a day before her predecessor is killed in a Tel Aviv square. Assigned to investigate the assassination of one of her own, she must also protect Judge Ben Taylor and his teenage daughter. They may be the sniper’s next target and are most certainly being threatened by a desperate cadre of terrorists with their sights set on the Secretary of State’s upcoming visit. But is an attack on the Secretary of State all that they have planned or is that just the beginning?

There are no protocols for this kind of a situation, and following the rules is exactly the kind of thing that could get the Taylors killed. To subvert an attack that could crush the fledgling peace in the Middle East, Jordan must trust her instincts and bring together a contentious team of agents from Israel, the U.S., and the Palestinian territories to uncover a conspiracy years in the making.

With millions of lives hanging in the balance, Dark Waters, Chris Goff’s explosive new thriller, is a series debut that mirrors global headlines and will have you frantically turning pages.

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Giveaway & Reviews for Marred & Cleaved by Sue Coletta @SueColetta1 @SilverDaggerSxx

Posted on April 27, 2017 by fundinmental

If you are looking for a fabulous and informative crime and thriller blog to follow, look no further. I have been a follower of Sue Coletta’s for some time now, so I was super excited to get my hands on Marred and Cleaved.

Just check out the covers by EJR Digital Art!

Cleaved

Grafton County Series, Book 2

by Sue Coletta

Genre: Thriller, Suspense

I just finished MARRED and it blew me away, so there was no way I was going to wait to read CLEAVED. I have to have more!

I love anything to do with water, and when I saw the Marine Patrol and Fish & Game would be involved, I became even more excited. I know what water can do to a dead body and I’m looking forward to finding out who put it there.

Sue starts her books out with a bang and I am gasping for breath right along with Sage. Then, Sue takes it to an even darker place and I excited to see how it will play out.

I feel as if the characters have become my friends and I worry for them as the serial killer adds body after body and the action continues non stop.

Sage has great instincts and after all she has been through, she listens to them.

Frankie has become my favorite character. She is humorous, brash, dresses as if she’s going out on the town instead of to a crime scene, hates authority and is quick with a sharp retort. Niko doesn’t think she would be good as the Sheriff because of these faults, so he is constantly grooming someone else to take his place when he quits.

Niko’s team has a Keystone Kop, Mayberry feel to them, but they are coming together, making constant progress.

The serial killer is back with a vengeance and I wonder if it is the same one…or is there more than one.

Sue Coletta takes us to a very dark place with a kidnapping that would make any of us cringe and rage at the villain and the world.

I love how creative Sue is in coming up with new ways for the serial killer to torture and kill his victims, really making them suffer and beg for death. She never thinks the evil is bad enough, so she piles on more and more and more…

Her ability to create so much tension and angst, at times left me white knuckled, gripping my Kindle so tight my hands hurt, making me want to reach through the screen and take matters into my own hands.

I voluntarily reviewed Marred by Sue Coletta.

5 STARS

Author Sage Quintano writes about crime. Her husband Niko investigates it.
Together they make an unstoppable team. But no one counted on a
twisted serial killer, who stalks their sleepy community, uproots
their happy home, and splits the threads that bonds their family
unit.

Darkness swallows the Quintanos whole—ensnared by a ruthless killer out for
blood. Why he focused on Sage remains a mystery, but he won’t stop
till she dies like the others.

Women impaled by deer antlers, bodies encased in oil drums, nursery rhymes,
and the Suicide King. What connects these cryptic clues? For Sage and
Niko, the truth may be more terrifying than they ever imagined.

Goodreads * Amazon

Marred

Grafton County Series, Book 1

Marred by Sue Coletta starts out with a baby’s funeral and a severely broken woman who is pissed off at herself and the world because of it. I can’t help but wonder WHY.

Sage is broken in more ways than one…blaming herself for her unborn baby’s death even though she had been tortured by a serial killer and was lucky to even be alive. She is MARRED for life and now I understand why.

NOW, he’s back, terrorizing her and she has nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

I cannot imagine what she has been through, though Sue Coletta’s writing makes me become totally engrossed in her story, filled with details that draw a too vivid picture in my mind. I think it is time she takes matters into her own hands and let him know she will not cow down…this time. I love when the character has been through a traumatic, life changing experience, and the past comes back to haunt them, demanding they take action to defend themselves.

Sage is a bestselling author, writing crime novels, and this adds an extra element, making it even more interesting. Does her writing bring the killer even closer, thinking of her as a challenge? She keeps secrets, pushing people away, even keeping her husband at arm’s length. She writes about crime and her husband investigates the.

The murders are described in detail and they are brutal, savage. The more gruesome the better for me. LOL I guess I am a little twisted myself.

The body count rises.

I’m almost at 50% and I see what you are doing Sue. I know what you set me up for and I think it’s going to get ugly. I am pissed off at both of them for not communicating, but if they did we wouldn’t be in this dark place, with a sense of urgency and danger making me want to read faster and slower all at the same time, savoring the story.

There is a touch of the paranormal, rape, brutal and mind numbing torture. Why do women and society place blame on the vivctim, when it is the villain’s fault?

At times I am so angry with Niko that I want to reach into my Kindle and slap him upside the head, cuss him out, and tell him, “It’s not about YOU!”

Having a couple of critters adds another element that I love. They’d put their lives on the line for her.

Uh oh, I am glad that what I was thinking at 50% was wrong. Sue…you did a great job of yanking my chain and it takes a lot to lead me down the wrong path. Fabulous!

Deputy Sheriff Frankie, a female, is becoming a favorite character for me. To say she is rough around the edges is putting it mildly. She is aggressive and a bit raunchy, but I wouldn’t want any one else by my side in a time of crises.

WOW, Sue. You can sure spin a tale that has a lot of suspense that keeps my emotions raging as I struggle to take a calming breath before moving on to more of the same. You twisted and turned the story, keeping plenty of surprises coming my way.

Marred is the first book in the Grafton County series. One villain is taken care of, but you will want to read more of the series, because one remains.

I voluntarily reviewed Marred by Sue Coletta.

5 STARS

When a serial killer breaks into the home of bestselling author, Sage
Quintano, she barely escapes with her life. Her husband, Niko, a
homicide detective, insists they move to rural New Hampshire, where
he accepts a position as Grafton County Sheriff. Sage buries secrets
from that night—secrets she swears to take to her deathbed.

Three years of anguish and painful memories pass, and a grisly murder case
lands on Niko’s desk. A strange caller begins tormenting Sage—she
can’t outrun the past.

When Sage’s twin sister suddenly goes missing, Sage searches Niko’s
case files and discovers similarities to the Boston killer. A
sadistic psychopath is preying on innocent women, marring their
bodies in unspeakable ways. And now, he has her sister.

Cryptic clues. Hidden messages. Is the killer hinting at his identity? Or is
he trying to lure Sage into a deadly trap to end his reign of terror
with a matching set of corpses?

Goodreads * Amazon

ABOUT SUE COLETTA

Member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International
Thriller Writers, Sue Coletta is an award-winning, multi-published
author in numerous anthologies and her forensics articles have
appeared in InSinC Quarterly. In addition to her popular crime
resource blog, Sue co-hosts the radio show “Partners In Crime”
on Writestream Radio Network every third Tuesday of the month from 1
– 3 p.m. EDT/EST (see details at www.suecoletta.com).
She’s also the communications manager for the Serial Killer Project
and Forensic Science, and founder of #ACrimeChat on Twitter.

She runs a popular crime website and blog, where she shares crime tips,
police jargon, the mind of serial killers, and anything and
everything in between. If you search her achieves, you’ll find posts
from guests that work in law enforcement, forensics, coroner,
undercover operatives, firearm experts…crime, crime, and more
crime.

For readers, she has the Crime Lover’s Lounge, where subscribers will be
the first to know about free giveaways, contests, and have inside
access to deleted scenes. As an added bonus, members get to play in
the lounge. Your secret code will unlock the virtual door. Inside,
like-minded folks discuss their favorite crime novels, solve
mindbender and mystery puzzles, and/or relax and chat. Most
importantly, everyone has a lot of fun.

Sue lives in northern New Hampshire with her husband, where her house is
surrounded by wildlife…bear, moose, deer, even mountain lions have
been spotted. Course, Sue would love to snuggle with them, but her
husband frowns on the idea.

Website * Facebook Author Page * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

Google+ * Youtube * Amazon * Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway & Review – Corporate Citizen by Gabriel Valjan @GValjan @NouveauWriter

Posted on December 8, 2016 by fundinmental

I have been reading my way through the Roma series and the mystery continues in Corporate Citizen.

We are back in Boston…but the danger seems to follow them wherever they go.

This is the best one yet and it was a punch to the gut.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I was one of the herd, led down the predictable path, forgetting to read between the lines…Slapped me in the face, woke me up!

The Roma Series continues in Corporate Citizen by Gabriel Valjan and I must say, this is the best one yet. We have action and murder from the opening pages.

I am so glad I stuck with this series. Gabriel Valjan’s writing style was difficult for me to read in the beginning, but now that we are on familiar ground it has become easier…more than that, it has become fantastic.

The complex characters have captured me as they struggle to have a normal life while solving dangerous mysteries. I am very concerned for all of them. I am afraid they may not all make it out of the book alive. Especially Nate, a new member of their team. What will become of him?

I am wondering who Loki really is…and the Magician? What are their objectives? Why are they feeding her info? And the bigger question…Is it good or bad?

Murder is always a component in the Roma series, but the conspiracy is what hooks me. Now…enter a designer drug…or two. Krokodiles. Barneys.

Bianca is the main character, but all the others are vital to the story. I do wonder if her love life will survive through all her and Dante’s trials and tribulations.

WOW. I am on page 236, approaching the end and everything is becoming clearer. I can see why things were so tangled and convoluted that I didn’t see where Gabriel Valjan was taking me.

I am thinking…I must reread this series and if you believe in conspiracies, like I do, and want to find out how misdirection and rogue government agents can affect your life, you will want to read this too!

Gabriel Valjan did an awesome job of leading me around in circles, so I didn’t see the outcome. I WAS one of the herd, led down the predictable path, forgetting to read between the lines. I was smacked in the face! Could this really happen? Is it happening now?

OMG…DAMMIT…I came to the end, but Bianca’s story is far from over. I’m ready for it! Where is it?

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Corporate Citizen from Gabriel Valjan.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Corporate Citizen

A call for help from an old friend lands Bianca and the crew back in Boston. On a timeout with Dante, due to revelations in the aftermath of the showdown in Naples, Bianca is drawn to a mysterious new ally who understands the traumas of her past, and has some very real trauma of his own. Murder, designer drugs, and a hacker named Magician challenge our team, and Bianca learns that leaving Rendition behind might be much harder than she thinks.

ABOUT GABRIEL VALJAN

Gabriel Valjan lives in Boston, Massachusetts. He is the author of the Roma Series, available from Winter Goose Publishing. Gabriel has also written numerous short stories and essays found online and in print.

Connect with the author: Website ~Twitter ~ Facebook..

GIVEAWAY

5 winners get a paperback copy of CC
5 winners get an ebook copy of CC
1 winner gets whole set of Roma series in paperback (signed)
1 winner gets whole set of Roma series in ebook format
12 winners total
Print copies open to USA and ebooks open international
Giveaway ends Dec 17

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You may see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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My Reviews for the Roma series by Gabriel Valjan:

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Friday 56 #51 & BB #27 – Books & Fun

Posted on August 21, 2015 by fundinmental

The Friday 56 is 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..

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

~~~~~~

I have tried to come up with a way to make things simpler for myself when it comes to choosing my next novel to share. This is what I have come up with.

I am starting with the first author on *this* bookshelf and…

now I am moving on to Goliath by Steve Alten

I have read numerous books by Steve Alten and revel in his creature features.

The Trench by Steve Alten

Add me to Goodreads now.

MY FRIDAY 56

A rustling of chairs as the crowd reenergizes.

Give ’em hell, Goode. Remember, it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.

(page 56 of a hardcover)

MY BOOK BEGINNINGS

“Come to course zero-nine-zero, ahead one-third. Make ship’s depth fifty meter.”

“Aye, sir, coming to course zero-nine-zero, making ship’s depth fifty meters.”

“Engage computer.”

“Ayes, sir, computer engaged.”

01010010010101001010010010100100101001010010010010

“Mr. Chau. Prepare to bring Sorceress online. Flood nutrient womb. Prepare bacteria for injection.”

SYNOPSIS

Commander Rochelle “Rocky” Jackson is aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan when the “unsinkable” naval vessel and its entire fleet are attacked from the depths and sunk. As Rocky struggles to stay alive, a monstrous mechanical steel stingray surfaces, plowing through the seas it now commands.

A U.S. Navy-designed futuristic nuclear stealth submarine the length of a football field in the shape of a giant stingray. Simon Covah, a brilliant scientist whose entire family were the victims of terrorism has hijacked the sub. Believing violence is a disease, Covah aims to use the Goliath and its cache of nuclear weapons to dictate policy to the world regarding the removal of oppressive regimes and nuclear weapons.

Could the threat of violence forge a lasting peace?

But there is another player in this life-and-death chess match. Unbeknownst to Covah and the Goliath crews, Sorceress, the Goliath’s biochemical computer brain has become self-aware.

And that computer brain is developing its own agenda.

I love covers!

What does this one say to you?

~~~~~~~~~~~~

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?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!