I Love Rooting For The Rebels – Stuck by Samantha Durante @SamanthaDurante

Posted on December 20, 2018 by fundinmental

On Tour with Prism Book Tours
Book Tour Launch for Stuck By Samantha Durante
Note from the Author
I am *so* thrilled to be kicking off the Stuck (Stitch Trilogy, Book 3) tour! We’ve got lots of awesome stops planned with exclusive Stitch Trilogy content you won’t find anywhere else, plus a big giveaway to celebrate the arrival of the long-awaited conclusion of the series!
I’d be so honored if you would follow along with Prism Tours and share in the excitement!
In case you’re new to the series, here’s a short (fan-produced!) trailer to whet your appetite:

Hi Sherry! Thank you so much for having me back at Fundimental and for all of your support with the series! Your enthusiasm for the Stitch Trilogy has meant *so* much to me, and I hope your readers will love it just as much!

1. What made you decide to be a writer?

I don’t know if it was a *decision* so much as a compulsion! I’ve always loved to write, ever since I was a kid. I got away from it for a few years in college and afterwards, but even as a software engineer, I managed to“sneak” writing into my job. So when it came time for a major life change (moving back across the country to be near my family), I knew it was a good time to see if I could shift gears and get back to doing what I’d always loved.

2. Tell us how you choose your covers.

A LOT goes into choosing covers for my books – my cover designer must groan whenever my name pops up in his inbox. 🙂 The Stitch Trilogy has been particularly challenging since it spans the genres of dystopian sci-fi and paranormal romance, and (in Book 1 especially) has some major twists that completely change the direction of the story. So it was hard to find a design that incorporated all that, plus hinted at major plot points and introduced the characters, and created a theme that would still be relevant for the remaining books in the series. (In fact, I have a whole guest post devoted to this topic which you can find at another stop on this tour!) In the end, though, I think we managed it –readers have been very vocal about their love for the covers!

3. How do you choose names for your characters and do you have a favorite?

The names for my characters tend to just “come to me” – I can’t really explain it. It’s almost like apart of the character and not something I “choose.” But I do also try to be deliberate about looking up the meanings of the names to make sure they fit who that character is. I think my favorite would have to be Alessa,the protagonist in the Stitch Trilogy. (In fact, I’ve had loved ones tell me to just stop pretending like it isn’t my favorite and go ahead and give it to one of my children, lol.) I just think it’s such a pretty name and not very common, so it feels sort of futuristic and appropriate for science fiction. Also, the meaning is “defender of the people” which I think is pretty fitting for a heroine!

4. If the series were ever made into a movie, who would the actors/actresses be?

Ooohh, this is another one that I could (and, in fact, did) write an entire post about (in another guest post for this tour!). 🙂 My favorites for Alessa and Isaac are Emmy Rossum and Alex Pettyfer, who I chose specifically because they look like those characters (obviously) but they also aren’t household names, so they could really become Alessa and Isaac, if I was ever so lucky to see Stitch on the big screen. But it’s so hard to pick!! These characters all originated in my head, so no one is really perfect for the role, and I’m always open to suggestions! Who do you see when you picture these characters??

5. Do you have a favorite author? What are you reading now?

I have several favorite authors, but the one I’ve been most loving in recent years is Diana Gabaldon and her Outlander books. Her character building is just so, so good; I love all of her main characters and am so invested in everything that happens to them. I just can’t put those books down, and I wish they would go on forever and ever and ever. I’m also (like half the population of planet Earth) a HUGE Game of Thrones fan, so I am eagerly awaiting GRRM’s next release!

6. Tell us something personal about yourself.

Even though much of my series revolves around the characters’ grief, I actually did not have much personal experience in that department when I wrote the first two books of the trilogy. And then, shortly after I published Shudder in 2013, I lost my first child, Alana, at birth to a cord accident, just two days before her due date. Needless to say, I have since become intimately acquainted with grief and all of its ravages and quirks. (And reading back, I’m surprised at how well managed to capture the experience of grief in Books 1 & 2 – I have to chalk that up to reading what had been written about it from other, more talented writers!) So that enormous loss and learning to live with the absence of one of the people I love most in this world has really changed my perspective as a human being and given me a deeper level of insight into my writing. My hope is that that really shines through in Book 3 and resonates with readers who have experienced losses of their own. :’-)

Thanks for joining us!! Samantha

Stuck
(Stitch Trilogy #3)
By Samantha Durante
YA Dystopian, SciFi
Paperback & ebook, 306 Pages
December 15, 2018

MY REVIEW

I remember when I first saw Stitch, Book I of the Stitch Trilogy by Samantha Durante. I had to have it! I fell in love with the story and the characters and have patiently waited as each book became available, then devoured it.

The Engineers manufactured world is the total opposite of the dystopian world of poverty and desolation the rebels live in. Myself, I love rooting for the underdog and the rebels need my help. Here I come guys.

I love that Alessa and Isaac act together, but what about Joe? I think he will be playing a very important part in the story, I just won’t be able to tell you about it. LOL

“Poor bugger got stuck.”

And the monsters were born!

Extermination, extinction, a virus, the end of the world, a man-made apocalypse, secrets, unlikely allies, and a very special girl.

This is one of those books that gets my motor running into overdrive. The elite feel they are the be all end all and to hell with everybody else. OMG! I knew the evil bastards would do something, but I didn’t see that coming. Could it be true?

The writing of the trilogy took place over a five year time span. I think it would have been better if I went back and read the series from the beginning and I will be doing that some time. I have a feeling it will change my rating.

That being said, once the previous books began to come to mind, I was able to bring myself up to date. The story became intense and I was happy to add Alex and Deion to my group of friends. I found it easy to get lost in their world, their struggles, their regrets, loss, hope and love. the writing made the story unfold as if I was watching it on the big screen.

As Samantha Durante brings the trilogy to a close, it brought tears to my eyes. I felt happy with the characters endings. BUT, man oh man, Joe…well, I saw that , and Lizzie, oh Lizzie…I can’t tell you any more without ruining it for you.

If you love having your emotions ramped up to a fever pitch, if you love white knuckled reading, if you love apocalyptic/dystopian novels and are looking for an original storyline, you may want to grab the Stitch trilogy.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Stuck by Samantha Durante.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

ABOUT THE BOOK

3, 2, 1… BOOM.

Things are finally looking up for the Resistance. Sure, Alessa is still processing the revelation that the best friend she’d presumed dead is miraculously alive, though far from well… And her boyfriend is being manipulated under threat of blackmail. But her quest for justice against those behind the systematic extermination of the world population is so close to victory she can taste it.

And then in a matter of seconds, everything Alessa believes in is shaken to the core. Months of preparation are obliterated. The people she cares for most are lost.

But Alessa is still standing. And Paragon must pay.

The odds are grim, but unexpected allies surface in the most unlikely of places: A new pair of citizens still under the colony’s rule who notice something amiss in the latest drama. An old adversary who realizes the error of her ways. And a veritable army of inhuman power and terrible strength, with an insatiable thirst for vengeance. The trustworthiness of each of these factions is yet to be proven, but without many other options, Alessa may have to take what she can get. Especially since the Engineers, never to be outdone, also have a few more tricks up their sleeves…

The long-awaited final installment in the riveting Stitch Trilogy, Stuck will have readers gripping their seats as Alessa and a handful of intrepid survivors usher their harrowing journey to a close, risking everything as they endeavor – once and for all – to set things right.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Smashwords│Kobo

Tour Schedule

December 10th:
Launch
Andi’s Young Adult Books
Mythical Books
December 11th:
Candrel’s Crafts, Cooks, and Characters
Paulette’s Papers
December 12th:
Wishful Endings
December 13th:
Lisa Loves Literature
Coffee, Books and Cakes
Why Not? Because I Said So!
December 14th:
FUONLYKNEW
Bri’s Book Nook
December 17th:
Colorimetry
Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
December 18th:
Lovely Reads
Chapter Break
Words Are the Breath Of Life
December 19th:
Books & Such
Bri’s Book Nook
December 20th:
fundinmental
Coffee, Books and Cakes
December 21st:
Christy’s Cozy Corners
Oh Hey! Books.
December 22nd:
Grand Finale

Other Books in the Series

About the Author

Samantha lives in Westchester County, New York with four of the five loves of her life – her husband, son, younger daughter, and cat – and carries her fifth love, her stillborn daughter, in her heart. An avid reader herself, Samantha’s dream is to bring the same delight to readers that other authors have brought to her life. In addition to penning novels and writing candidly about grief, she is also a sometimes freelance writer/consultant – though more often than not these days she’s on full-time mom duty! A former software engineer, Samantha said goodbye to the corporate world in 2010 to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams and lifelong love of writing. Learn more at www.samanthadurante.com.

Website│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Instagram
Tour Giveaway

– 1 First Place Winner will receive: Signed Print Copies of All 3 Books in the Trilogy, a Limited-Edition Stitch Scarf, Bookmarks, and a $15 Amazon Gift Card – 3 Second Place Winners will receive: eBook Copies of All 3 Books in the Trilogy for You *and* a Friend, plus a $5 Amazon Gift Card – Open internationally – Ends December 27th

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MY SAMANTHA DURANTE REVIEWS

Stitch
Shudder

You can 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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God & Satan Fight For His Soul – When The Devil Calls by Anthony Renfro @atothewr

Posted on December 19, 2018 by fundinmental

I have been reading Anthony Renfro’s horror stories for some time now. I am always eager to get my hands on a new one, all while trying to catch up on the backlog of his work that I haven’t read yet. Just keep ’em coming Anthony.

Cover by James @ GoOnWrite.com

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

God vs Devil. Good vs Evil. Is man inherently good? Do we just stray occasionally, only to come back to our true selves?

Anthony Renfro has a way with words, showing me the haunted house. You know, the one the neighborhood kids talked about, daring each other to spend the night alone.

Satan fights to claim Tom’s soul. What would you do if you met Satan face to face?

One day Satan approached God and said he’s mine.

God said he’s mine.

Now, we will see what choices Tom makes. Satan will dog his every step to drag him down to Hell. He pops up here, there, leaving his messages.

tom is not a shining example of being a husband or father, but he’s not a serial killer wither. He had become a Ghost Buster, along the lines of Ghost Whisperer. He could see and talk to the dead, helping them to move on.

About halfway through, Anthony lets the shit hit the fan. Will this be the final push for the devil to win his prize?

“,,,I’ve gone on for so many years without it, and now, at one of my worst times, it seems to be the strongest it has ever been in my life.”

“…faith is a healer. It is during the dark times when we lean on it the most, even though it is just as strong during the good times.”

When The Devil Calls is different from his usual horror stories, though anything with Satan in it is filled with horror. It may even leave you questioning your own choices in life.

Bonus #I – Wasteland Delivery Driver – Wow What a fabulous start. If that’s a sample chapter, I want the book.

Bonus #2 – The Man From The Road- Curiosity creates a nightmare and the blood flows…4 Stars

Bonus #3 – Demon Energy – Sometimes, even when you win, you lose. 4 Stars.

GOODREADS BLURB

What would you do if the devil came calling?

Tom is a ghost hunter and a good one at that. He is a man without morals, without laws, a one man do-it-yourself kind of guy. Then the devil shows up, and Tom finds he is now face to face with pure evil. This sends Tom on a journey that will bring him into contact with all of those he has loved and lost throughout the years. He will reconnect with his ex wives, his kids, and himself. He will explore a side of himself that he never thought existed while the devil tries to regain the soul he is losing. In the end Tom must face down the devil or succumb to a fiery eternal damnation. Win or lose. Tom has no choice but to fight.

Bonus Short Story: The Man from the Road

A man suddenly appears on a road. He’s lost, confused, no clue as to how he got there. He starts to walk and stops suddenly. There’s a bonfire in a field nearby. He sees people dancing around this fire. They are performing some kind of ritual. He turns to flee, but he’s captured. No chance of escape. He hopes he is only dreaming, because all of this seems a bit too real.

Bonus Short Story: Demon Energy

A short story about 1 man possessed and tormented by a 1000 demons who must fight for a soul he is starting to lose. Will he ever find salvation or is his body now an eternal host of hell?

ABOUT ANTHONY RENFRO

Anthony Renfro lives in Apex, North Carolina. He is a reader, writer, runner, husband, father, and stay at home dad – one of the toughest jobs anyone could ever do. He was born in Bristol, Tennessee, and is a graduate of UNC-Greensboro.

You can find him at many spots on the web, but if you really need to find his center in the social media storm it would be at his blog.

Now reach out, just beyond the light, right into that big black space, and let him take your hand on a journey into cold dark places. You will be scared, and you may even be terrified, but in the end you might just find you liked the ride.

Stalk him at: Blog / Twitter

MY REVIEWS FOR ANTHONY RENFRO

You can 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’.
I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
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Nature Comes Alive in Puppalicious and Beyond by Pamela Fagan Hutchins @pameloth

Posted on December 18, 2018 by fundinmental

I am a dog lover, so when I saw Puppalicious and Beyond by Pamela Fagan Hutchins in her newsletter, I had to have it.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have enjoyed Pamela Fagan Hutchin’s writing before, and as soon as I read about the frogs, LOL, I new I made the right choice in reading Puppalicious and Beyond. I love critters and the fun cover, but I wasn’t prepared for all the wonderful, comical stories inside. From St Croix in the Virgin Islands, to Houston, Texas, I laughed and marveled at Pamela’s sense of humor. She shares her family, with their eclectic personalities. Oh man, the creepy crawlies in the Virgin Islands, I shivered thinking of them, in the house, crawling on me…OH NO! The guard dog…so sweet. Lots of love and fun with sadness and loss, but isn’t that the way of life?

GOODREADS BLURB

Puppalicious And Beyond
Life Outside The Center Of The Universe

Award winner in Narrative Nonfiction in the USA Best Books Contest

Available in print and ebook forms from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, SkipJack Publishing, and Smashwords.

Where the Red Fern Grows meets Wuthering Heights: A collection of inter-related fiction and narrative non-fiction stories about the amazing relationship of people to nonhumans that captures our collective imagination.

***

Do you rank Where The Red Fern Grows along with Wuthering Heights amongst your favorite books of all time? All Creatures Great and Small with Pet Sematary? If so, chances are you get it: there’s something magical about giving literary immortality and voice to the nonhumans that capture our collective imagination. If these are the stories that glue you to the page, then Puppalicious and Beyond: Life Outside The Center Of The Universe is the book for you. Set in the Caribbean and Texas, it tells the sometimes true and sometimes fictional tales of the magnificent and interrelated creatures – natural and supernatural — that passed through the author’s life, bringing her delight, fright, and every emotion in between.

ABOUT PAMELA FAGA HUTCHINS

I like big butts and I cannot lie: horse butts that is. As in draft cross horses, which I ride with my hunky husband way up in the frozen north of Snowheresville, WY and deep in the heart of Nowheresville, TX. I am a wannabe barrel racer afraid of going fast, an eater of ribeye, and the author of the USA Today bestselling What Doesn’t Kill You world of romantic mysteries.

{By the way, to get free exclusives, first looks, and special deals with my newsletter, go to https://bit.ly/pamelaNL.}

When I’m not writing or riding, I’m passionate about hiking, always with a couple of rescue dogs (and an occasional goat and donkey), bear spray, a mountain lion knife, and my Judge. NO ANIMALS HAVE BEEN HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS LIFE ADVENTURE (but don’t sneak up on me).

I’ve made some lists and won some awards, yada yada. 2018 USA Today Bestseller. 2018 #1 Amazon Bestseller. 2018 Top 50 Amazon Author (Romantic Mystery, Romantic Suspense). The 2017 Silver Falchion for Best Adult Mystery WINNER (Fighting for Anna), the 2016 and 2015 WINNERS for USA Best Books Fiction: Cross Genre (Hell to Pay, Heaven to Betsy), and others. With downloads of nearly 2,000,000 for the What Doesn’t Kill You world, readers seem to enjoy my smart, sassy female sleuths—I think they have exceptionally good taste. {insert silly grin here} Lots of them follow my podcast, too, where I fangirl my favorite authors and interview them for your listening pleasure.

If after all that you still want to learn more about my books, my podcast, or me, then God Bless Ya, and do drop in on my website, http://pamelafaganhutchins.com.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY PAMELA FAGAN HUTCHINS REVIEWS

Saving Grace

You can 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’.
I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – Library of Absolution by Jennifer Derrick @JDerrickAuthor @XpressoTours

Posted on December 17, 2018 by fundinmental

Library of Absolution
Jennifer Derrick
(Legacy of the Book Mesmer, #1)
Published by: Crimson Tree Publishing
Publication date: December 17th 2018
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Alarick Brandon is the powerful wizard who operates The Keep, a refuge for magical people fleeing the persecution of the Ministry. A bitter realist, Alarick knows it’s only a matter of time until the Ministry succeeds in eradicating magic from the world—and exterminating all magical beings—so he has been careful to avoid any personal involvement with the people who pass through his sanctuary.

But when Elissa Stone arrives at The Keep, her village a smoldering ruin, and only her magical talent and a forbidden library left to her name, Alarick’s ordered world descends into chaos. Elissa is a Book Mesmer, a magical talent long believed extinct. She can enchant books, making them indestructible, unreadable…even deadly to unauthorized readers. But while her magic can secure a legacy for future magical generations, it’s not a skill that’s good in a fight, and certainly not one that Alarick sees any real use for. But there’s something compelling about a woman who defies the Ministry’s edicts against female literacy, and she seems determined to prove that knowledge is a weapon in its own right…

The first installment in an enticing new fantasy series by author Jennifer Derrick, The Library of Absolution is a compelling story of perseverance and determination in the face of persecution, in a Dark Age where hope is lost—and knowledge is the only thing left to fight for.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

“You told me you left to look for books,” Alarick said.

“I did, in part. That wasn’t a total fabrication. I figured if I was leaving I might as well make the effort. If I was going to get killed by the Ministry, it should be in the service of something larger than myself. Fool that I was,” she whispered.

Alarick ignored the last part. She was only stating a fact. There was no need for him to comment further on her foolishness.

“But you had no intention of returning?” he asked. “Because of something you found in my library?”

The thought of her leaving with no intention to return gutted him. It was bad enough she’d wanted to leave at all; to put her safety at risk for the sake of some books. It was bad enough that he had failed to keep her safe; to understand what she meant to do until it was too late.

But even at the worst of it, he’d believed she intended to return to him. To the Keep. That was why he’d gone after her, because he believed she still wanted to be here. That she’d intended to run away forever was unthinkable. That he’d risked his life for someone who had run from him, who wanted nothing to do with him, was galling.

He choked back his rage and sorrow, replacing them with cool disdain.

“Well, then, are you going to tell me just what was so terrible that it would make you flee and never come back? I’m aware that nothing in that library paints me in a flattering light, but you already knew of my unpleasantness. Surely the disjointed ramblings of a young man could not be quite so damning,” Alarick said.

Of course, he knew the truth. There were some secrets in there so damning he could imagine exactly why she wanted to run from him. It was why he kept that room protected. Damn her for finding it. Damn her for finding him.

She turned her head away from him. Not that it mattered. She couldn’t see him. But he wasn’t going to let her damn his soul and cast him out of her life without at least facing him while she did it. He reached over and with gentle pressure turned her chin toward him.

“If you expect me to forgive you for your trespass, you will at least face me while you tell me exactly what sort of monster you believe me to be,” he said.

“I’d rather you tell me the story as the man you are now, not the boy who did the things I read. Tell me there’s a better ending to your story. Tell me that you are not the monster.”

He laughed at that.

“Would that I could,” he said. “But since you read my books, I’m certain you know there is no redemption for me. That is why you left, isn’t it?”

“No. I didn’t leave because I feared you to be irredeemable. My time with you has taught me that there is more to you than the boy in those books. I left because I feared there was no place for me in your story. And that I could not bear.”

He was about to say something, but suddenly he couldn’t remember what it was. What had she said? She hadn’t left because of his past deeds, but because she was afraid he had no place for her? Was that possibly right? He struggled to make sense of it in his brain. He’d expected condemnation, not… Was it disappointment he heard in her voice?

Before he could sort out a proper response, she said, “I’ve read your grimoire. It’s terrifying. Start with why you took such an interest in dark magic and go from there.”

Alarick said nothing at first. Why had he taken an interest in dark magic? The question was better phrased as, “Why not?” He looked at Elissa. She might not be able to see him, but she had an uncanny ability to focus on his face as though she could. And something in her eyes compelled him to tell the story that he’d never told anyone in its entirety.

Author Bio:

Jennifer is a freelance writer and novelist. As a freelancer, she writes everything from technical manuals to articles on personal finance and European-style board games. Her interest in storytelling began when she was six and her parents gave her a typewriter for Christmas and agreed to pay her $.01 per page for any stories she churned out. Such a loose payment system naturally led to a lot of story padding. Broken Fate, her first novel, earned her $2.80 from her parents.

Jennifer lives in North Carolina and, when not writing, can often be found reading, trawling the shelves at the library, playing board games, watching sports, camping, running marathons, and playing with her dog. You can visit her at her official website: JenniferDerrick.com.

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