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 changed the book I am going to share today, because after I posted the review for Kristine Mason’s Perfectly Toxic novel, she offered to do a $5 GC giveaway.
Check it out below and then follow the link to enter the giveaway.
When the old woman turned away, he stared at the back of her gray head. If he were a different man, the mad scientist the press had claimed him to be, he’d sic Adeline on Gramma and give new meaning to the Big Bad Wolf.
A tap at his shoulder had him flinching. He quickly turned and glared at Adeline. “How long have you been here?” he asked.
(app. 56% in Kindle)
MY BOOK BEGINNINGS
“I THINK I broke her.”
(The first sentence of the book)
If you aren’t already freaked out enough, read the synopsis.
Go ahead. I dare ya! Then continue down for a chance at a $5GC.
SYNOPSIS
What do you get when you mix a mad scientist, a psychopath, an ice cream lady and a repo man? Something perfectly toxic…
Melanie Scarlet is a knife-wielding badass who knows how to dispose of a body, and make evidence disappear. But Mel, a.k.a., the Ice Cream Lady, draws the line at one thing: she refuses to live with her husband, Cash Maddox, unless he quits the repo business that nearly got him killed—no matter how much she loves him.
To thaw Mel’s heart and convince her to leave the Everglades and move back home to Tallahassee, Cash is finally ready to retire from his adrenaline-fueled job…until homeless men begin vanishing. As Mel investigates the disappearances, Cash’s temper goes into overdrive when he realizes his wife has been keeping a dangerous secret from him. She’s been doing more than scooping ice cream—she’s a cleaner for the underground criminal investigation agency, Above the Law.
Mel isn’t the only one with a secret. A scientist has created a drug that will cure psychopaths by deadening the urge to dominate, hurt and murder. To prove his chemical combination works, he uses the homeless as test subjects. He breaks and scrambles their minds, turns them into killers, then tries to fix them. But what if the scientist creates a killer he can’t fix? A true psychopath he can’t control? As Cash joins Mel and the ATL crew, they learn firsthand, the results could be…toxic.
Lauren Carr’s novel, Kill and Run is the first book in her new A Thorny Rose Mystery series. I have read numerous books by her and just reviewed Three Day To Forever. a Mac Faraday Mystery. Whenever I see her name, I grab the book.
The cozy cover of Kill and Run by Lauren Carr is not quite so cozy. Mystery and danger encompass the pages as the search for the serial rapist takes an impossible turn.
Let’s meet Lauren’s newest couple Lieutenant Murphy Thornton and Jessica Farady in her newest series, The Thorny Rose Mysteries. Jessica is the daughter of multimillionaire Mac Farady, from Lauren’s Mac Farady Mystery series. We shall meet more of the characters from that series and I enjoy revisiting old friends.
Murphy and Jessica’s lively sexual banter as they learn about each other is in the honeymoon phase, but something tells me it will continue for a long, long time. Lauren makes her characters authentic with similar problems to our own.
I love the NCIS and other similar TV shows. I can relate to Kill and Run because of it. Murphy just happens to be the liaison between the military and civilian staff.
We have carnivores, vegetarians and pescatarians. Do you know what a pescatarian is? I didn’t and had to look it up. I love when I learn something new from a novel.
A serial rapist has been active and on the loose for more than 13 years and the past is coming back to bite Murphy. Politics and the military, conspiracies and cover ups, put Murphy and those close to him in danger.
Murphy and Jessica are newly married and they end up with a house full of quirky critters. They are a unique cast of characters! We have Spencer (Candi or Blue), whose name depends on the person calling him, is a Blue Sheltie. Irving is a cat that snubs most people and they are glad for it, he looks like a skunk. Irving has a big heart for a certain young girl that enters his life unexpectedly. Newman, now he is the man. He’s a couch potato, I mean REALLY a couch potato. He not only watches TV, he controls the remote. And going for a walk, that’s for those other dogs. Let’s not forget Monique, a tarantula. EEK!
Izzy becomes a temporary member of the family after her mother is murdered and Murphy promises to find out who did it and protect her in the process. Izzy has a way with the critters, a special connnection. I had immediate empathy for her. She is a strong, open hearted/open minded child/woman.
Lauren has a way with her characters, human and animal alike. They are complex and well developed, fiercely protecting each other as they struggle to find answers before they run out of time. Will they find the answers to the nightmares that keep them awake at night?
I am so pissed off at the injustice of the haves and their own set of rules, the feeling of entitlement they have. They do see evil. They do hear evil. They do speak evil. Where do they draw the line…or do they? It is bad enough there is a monster running loose, but what makes it even more terrible is the people that know about it, overlook it and pass the problem on to the next HIGHER level. The problem does not go away, it only grows bigger.
Kudos Lauren. Kill and Run looks like another mystery series that will be on my reading list for some time to come. Thanks for expanding on the family.
“You’re not a wimp Buttercup. Basically, what you need to do is learn how to press your bitch button.”
“…My bitch button?”
“Everyone has one.”
“…You have a bitch button?”
“I have a bastard button.”
This is an ARC, so the quote may be different than it appears here. From page 218.
I received the ARC of Kill and Run by Lauren Carr in return for an honest and unbiased review.
4 Stars
SYNOPSIS
Five women with seemingly nothing in common are found brutally murdered in a townhome outside Washington, DC. Among the many questions surrounding the massacre is what had brought these apparent strangers together only to be killed.
Taking on his first official murder case, Lieutenant Murphy Thornton, USN, believes that if he can uncover the thread connecting the victims, then he can find their murderer.
ABOUT LAUREN CARR
Lauren Carr is the best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Three Days to Forever is the ninth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.
In addition to her series set on Deep Creek Lake, Lauren Carr has also written the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, which features prosecutor Joshua Thornton with homicide detective Cameron Gates, who were introduced in Shades of Murder, the third book in the Mac Faraday Mysteries. They also make an appearance in The Lady Who Cried Murder.
Three Days to Forever introduces Lauren Carr’s latest series, detectives, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday in the Thorny Rose Mysteries. Look for the first installment in this series in Spring 2015.
The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. This year, several books, over a variety of genre, written by independent authors will be released through the management of Acorn Book Services, which is currently accepting submissions. Visit Acorn Book Services website for more information.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.
She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
Perfectly Toxic by Kristine Mason is a thriller that stars Melanie Scarlet. I love the CORE and am so excited to finally read Mel’s story. The language and sex scenes are pivotal to the story and I think Kristine handled them well.
“I think I broke her.”
With a start like that, I knew I was in for a horrific ride into the twisted psyche of Adeline. I can hardly wait to dive into all the creepiness to come, and I know there will be plenty of it. As I read along, mini movies played in my head. When I was done reading, I felt like I needed to take a shower.
Well, what can I say about Perfectly Toxic. I had three pages of notes, but it just wasn’t working for me. So…I tossed them out and here I am, just telling you about my feelings about this, hmmm, horrifying thriller and the sadistic, psychopathic, crazy as a loon villain, Adeline and her cohort, Rodney.
I laugh at Frankenstein. that was a comedy compared to what these two were up to. What they were doing goes so far past that, I am finding it difficult to put into words the events in Perfectly Toxic. The lives lost and the torture suffered under their hands remind me of the evil men behind human testing during the holocaust. Both of them belong under the jail, not in it.
The most repulsive thing of all, Adeline revels in it. She loves to watch her toys squirm. There is nothing she won’t do to get what she wants. Feelings…what are those? She sure doesn’t have any warm and fuzzy ones. She is ice cold and beware, to be near her could be hazardous to your health. She is very smart, well educated, manipulative and broken. Something is very wrong with her. OMG, she is not just a psycho, she is bat shit crazy and evil beyond words.
I love all the CORE characters, but I can relate well to Mel, an ass kicking, swamp raised, don’t look at me cross eyed kind of gal. She is the Ice Cream lady. She is also a cleaner. You need something to disappear, just contact Mel. She hides her girlie girlness behind a really sharp knife. She’s the type to stab you with the knife, then cook dinner with it. She is married to Cash, but it doesn’t seem to be going so well. They are both stubborn and have strong personalities. She hangs with men more than women and I do that too. I love that she goes to the dock when she has heavy thinking to do. The water calms her and it has the same effect on me. I have spent many a day Sitting on the Dock of the Bay…wasting time.
Mel’s cousin, Bobby turns up missing and the mystery begins.
When Mel takes Harrison to meet Cash for help, the scenario could be hazardous to Harrison’s heath, but it is laughable. The who’s dick is bigger scenario had me cracking up. Cash’s mantra to control his anger is Unicorns are magical. Imagine seeing a huge hunk of a man repeating those words over and over. His therapist had called his and Mel’s relationship – TOXIC.
Cash buys Mel flowers from the gas station just because. I can relate to that. Mr Wonderful, my hubby, brings home flowers from the grocery store. The element of realism is coming through loud and clear. I love their snarky and sensual dialogue.
Cash’s housemate is a German Shepherd named Dolly. They served in the Army together and she is the one who came home in a wheelchair. I love dogs, so I had to mention her.
Kristine ramps up the suspense as the search for Adeline takes on new meaning. Each of Kristine Mason’s stories read as the most twisted Criminal Minds on steroids episode. They are unique and original.
I am totally engrossed in the love story and then Kristine shocked me, woke me up and the pacing reached a level of urgency I hadn’t felt before.
I would love to be one of her characters, kicking ass, fighting evil and having some hot and heavy sex with a stud. What an adventure and one I only live through in Kristine’s words, hanging on each one.
NOW, we get to the best part, the last quarter of the book. I know how the story will end, villain 0 vs good guys 1 and the guy gets the girl, but, man oh man, the rollercoaster ride to get there leaves me breathless. The nail-biting, rapid breathing, sitting on the edge of my seat is the suspense reading an armchair junkie like myself lives for. I read a lot of mystery and suspense thrillers and it is books like Toxic and authors like Kristine that feed my need for thrills.
I can’t believe that the story lasted only six days. So much happened, so many emotions ran AMOK as I read, my head was spinning. I had to turn around and read it again. I would apologize for rambling on and on, but eh, I can’t help myself.
I received a copy of Perfectly Toxic by Kristine Mason in return for an honest and unbiased review.
5+++++ Stars
BLURB
What do you get when you mix a mad scientist, a psychopath, an ice cream lady and a repo man? Something perfectly toxic…
Melanie Scarlet is a knife-wielding badass who knows how to dispose of a body, and make evidence disappear. But Mel, a.k.a., the Ice Cream Lady, draws the line at one thing: she refuses to live with her husband, Cash Maddox, unless he quits the repo business that nearly got him killed—no matter how much she loves him.
To thaw Mel’s heart and convince her to leave the Everglades and move back home to Tallahassee, Cash is finally ready to retire from his adrenaline-fueled job…until homeless men begin vanishing. As Mel investigates the disappearances, Cash’s temper goes into overdrive when he realizes his wife has been keeping a dangerous secret from him. She’s been doing more than scooping ice cream—she’s a cleaner for the underground criminal investigation agency, Above the Law.
Mel isn’t the only one with a secret. A scientist has created a drug that will cure psychopaths by deadening the urge to dominate, hurt and murder. To prove his chemical combination works, he uses the homeless as test subjects. He breaks and scrambles their minds, turns them into killers, then tries to fix them. But what if the scientist creates a killer he can’t fix? A true psychopath he can’t control? As Cash joins Mel and the ATL crew, they learn firsthand, the results could be…toxic.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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.
The Celeste Files of the Psychic CORE series are paranormal and supernatural novels that star Celeste, from the very first book in the CORE Shadow Trilogy, Shadow of Danger. I love the mix of psychics and ghosts, with murder and thrills. Check them out below.
Perfectly twisted is the beginning of another series, CORE Above the Law, that takes the characters even further than I thought they would go. I am LOVING it!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
ATTENTION ATTENTION ATTENTION
GIVEAWAY
Kristine Mason has generously offered a print copy of Perfectly Twisted (US only) or a $5 Gift Card, your choice. Click for my review of Perfectly Twisted to help make your choice.
Ask Kristine a question and leave your email!
To those who left a comment before I added the giveaway, Kristine and I want you to know how we much we appreciate you, so you will be automatically entered.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of adailyrhythm.
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!
I live in Florida, so anything to do with a hurricane interests me. I have been through more than one hurricane, but unlike Beth in Hurricane Crimes, I have not been through a Category 5 hurricane like Sabrina. As if the storm isn’t enough, there is a murderer on the loose.
The evacuation order had been given, but Beth had nowhere to go and no way to get there, so she stocked up on necessities and hunkered down to weather it out.
As she watched the storm out her window, she saw the car slam into the tree. Of course, she had to go out and check on the driver. What would you have done?
Its not necessarily the wind and water that will kill you, but the blowing debris.
As the power struggled to stay on, she heard, Donovan Goldwyn – murder suspect.
Uh oh, he was here, in her home. What would you do? It’s almost like you have no choice but to play along. There is no one to help, no one to call, no one …
Would the storm affect your emotions and your libido…the danger, the adrenaline, the fear of death.
Chrys had me on a seesaw, yes he’s a murderer, no he’s not, yes he is, no he isn’t.
Chrys Fey does an excellent job describing Hurricane Sabrina and the destruction it brings in its wake. The ending is fantastic and I would wait out a hurricane with you, Chrys, any time.
This little novella has it all. A gorgeous cover, a captivating title, a hot guy and a not so defenseless woman stranded in a category five hurricane.
I picked this up on an Amazon free day and considered myself lucky.
4 Stars
SYNOPSIS
.
*Hurricane Crimes is a short story.*
After her car breaks down, Beth Kennedy is forced to stay in Florida, the target of Hurricane Sabrina. She stocks up supplies, boards up windows, and hunkers down to wait out the storm, but her plan unravels when she witnesses a car accident. Risking her life, she braves the winds to save the driver. Just when she believes they are safe, she finds out the man she saved could possibly be more dangerous than the severe weather.
Donovan Goldwyn only wanted to hide from the police, but the hurricane shoved his car into a tree. Now he’s trapped with a beautiful woman while the evidence that can prove his innocence to a brutal crime is out there for anyone to find.
As Hurricane Sabrina wreaks havoc, Beth has no other choice but to trust Donovan to stay alive. But will she survive, or will she become another hurricane crime?
Chrys Fey writes amazing short stories, novellas. Check out my reviews:
In rural Missouri, Crawford County has had more than its share of wildlife problems. Not even a year earlier the woods were home to a vicious killer brought back from extinction.
In the novel, The Wolf’s Moon, Mark Lansdowne and his pal, Warren Skruggs, sent them back…but at a cost. Now something is haunting the rivers in Crawford County.
The Missouri State Water Patrol must solve the deaths of several residents who died in The River but can they stop this menace before more people are killed?
The journey of a spellbound woman, her friends, and the men who vie for her affections as she falls headlong into a world of vampires, witches and Greek gods. Who will she choose as her one true love and how many lives will be turned upside down in her quest to fulfill her eternal destiny? Friends become enemies and enemies become deadly as each seek to find the one thing that will bring true fulfillment.
“Hello.” I held out my hand. “I’m Doctor Toni Hollander, but you can call me Toni.”
He stared at me as if he was looking right though me, ignoring my extended hand. A wave of embarrassment washed over me and I pulled my hand back. Maybe I imagined that stare thing with him a minute ago. My thoughts retreated to Kevin. He had only been the last in a long line of failed relationships and I was starting to wonder if my terrible taste in men had struck again.
“Where are my manners? I am Benjamin, but you may call me Ben” He pulled my hand into his, with a toothy grin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ABOUT LOLA JAMES
Lola is a fool for a love story, a sucker for a cupcake, and let’s not talk about what she’d do for a Klondike bar. She enjoys long walks on the beach and movies that involve chainsaws. By day she’s the HR Lady and by nightfall she puts on a cape to become a romance writer.
Lola will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn host.
Undercover agent Omar Zagouri has been ordered to Giza. A prominent Egyptologist was murdered, and a priceless artifact—the only complete version of the Book of the Dead—is missing. Omar is still reeling from the recent disappearance of his girlfriend, Mia Golding, but he puts his quest to find her on hold to track down the lost piece of history.
Omar’s mission is not just to locate the sacred book; he must also rescue the two archaeologists kidnapped and forced to translate its hieroglyphics under threat of death. Their kidnapper is determined to discover the text’s rumored explosive revelation: that Moses did not receive the Ten Commandments from God but instead copied them from the Egyptians. Though Omar’s need to find Mia grows more urgent, he must focus on finding the enemy who will stop at nothing to ignite a controversy that will change history, and the world, forever.
H.B. Moore is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than a dozen historical novels set in ancient Arabia and Mesoamerica. She attended the Cairo American College in Egypt and the Anglican International School in Jerusalem and received her bachelor of science degree from Brigham Young University. She writes historical thrillers under the pen name H.B. Moore, and romance and women’s fiction under the name Heather B. Moore. It can be confusing, so her kids just call her Mom.
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
**all images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**
**The small amount helps keep my blog running**
~~~
Class Heroes: Young Adult Thriller Books
Stephen Henning is the author of Class Heroes, a wonderful story about superheroes.
He has created these videos, mini movies, if you will, and I wanted to share them with you. What do you think? Is this something you would read?
James Blake has a tough choice to make. His life should be easy. He has extraordinary abilities and a hot girlfriend. Does it get any better than that for a teenage boy?
But where do his loyalties lie? With his twin sister Samantha? Or with his new girlfriend, Lolly Rosewood?
Here’s another one I picked up on an Amazon free day that I learned about through Michael Phillip Cash. I found this author through my sister, Laura, at fuonlyknew.
I found this free on Amazon through Book Bub. Do you follow them?
I found this for free from Masquerade Tours.
I subscribe to Joanna Slan’s newsletter and received notification that this was free on numberous platforms. Be sure and check for the “0”. B&N / Kobo
~~~
NEW to fundinmental
I learned of this on a free Amazon day by subscribing to Harman Cooper’s newsletter. It sound right up my alley.
This is the second book in the Forever Girl series. I am familiar with Rebecca Hamilton and love her work. I’m not sure if these stand alone or not. I’ll have to check them out further.
~~~
FOR REVIEW
I signed up to review Cypress Trap by J C Gatlin. Cypress, Florida, suspense, thrills, how could I possibly resist.
~~~
WINNINGS
I won Donna Galanti’s Hidden Element, but I already have a copy and have read it, so I passed it on. Happy reading to the second chance winner. This is the second book in a trilogy that is a MUST READ for me. Just need to get my review written. Bad blogger. How about you? Are you current on your reviews? LOL
I was so excited to win Midnight on the Mississippi through Fresh Fiction and the author, Mary Ellis. Everything about this books screams, READ ME.
Bleedovers by William Todd Rose is a dark fiction novella that will keep you awake at night, wondering, could it happen to you.
The title didn’t make much sense to me until I started to read. Then it became clear.
OMG! The elaborate details of William Todd Rose’s world building are amazing. I am thoroughly creeped out. I sure couldn’t figure out WTF was going on. I raced through the pages, sometimes forgetting to breathe.
Chuck is a Level I Recon & Enforcement Technician – Whisk. He works in a covert, underground facility. He loves puzzles, math equations and the process of finding solutions. Chuck was investigating an unnatural death. Would it take him too?
Meditation frees the mind from the body and sometimes someone gets stuck in a Crossfade. Imagine the horror of not knowing whether you are dead or alive.
The paranormal leads to science fiction horror. The experiments invade your privacy, they know all your thoughts. I cannot imagine what it would be like to feel someone crawling through my mind, ferreting out all my secrets.
There are ghosts who refuse to move on. They have unfinished business. They delight in terrorizing. Why did the ghost scare him more than Crossfades? Being haunted and tortured by a serial killer seeking revenge and you can do nothing about it.
The details take me into his head and I feel his paralyzing terror, his inability to move to save himself, as the hatred washes over him. The ghost can cause physical damage, maybe even kill. It is all powerful. It not only enters your sleep, but your reality, making you see things. How would you fight something you cannot touch?
What is real, what is illusion?
Poltergeist is a fairy tale compared to Bleedovers by William Todd Rose.
Bleedovers is a dark, and I mean dark, speculative fiction novella that kept me enthralled beginning to end. Oh, about the ending, I didn’t see it coming and I was let down. It had to happen that way, but I didn’t want it to. That makes it all the better. We can’t always get what we want.
I received a copy of Bleedovers by William Todd Rose in return for an honest and unbiased review.
4 Stars
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
William Todd Rose writes dark, speculative fiction from his home in West Virginia. His short stories have been featured in numerous anthologies and magazines, and his work includes the novels Cry Havoc, The Dead & Dying, and The Seven Habits, and the novellas Apocalyptic Organ Grinder and Crossfades. For more information on the author, including links to bonus content, please visit him online at www.williamtoddrose.com
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.
Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
Add me to Goodreads now.
4 Stars
Lauren Carr is the best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Three Days to Forever is the ninth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of 
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000035_00035]](https://i0.wp.com/www.fundinmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/BookCover_Spellbound.jpg?resize=584%2C913)
Lola is a fool for a love story, a sucker for a cupcake, and let’s not talk about what she’d do for a Klondike bar. She enjoys long walks on the beach and movies that involve chainsaws. By day she’s the HR Lady and by nightfall she puts on a cape to become a romance writer.
William Todd Rose writes dark, speculative fiction from his home in West Virginia. His short stories have been featured in numerous anthologies and magazines, and his work includes the novels Cry Havoc, The Dead & Dying, and The Seven Habits, and the novellas Apocalyptic Organ Grinder and Crossfades. For more information on the author, including links to bonus content, please visit him online at www.williamtoddrose.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~