Dangerous & Stolen Memories by Amanda Siegrist @amanda_siegrist

Posted on May 22, 2020 by fundinmental

Today I have two of Amanda Siegrist’s novels to share, Dangerous Memories and Stolen Memories. I, especially fell for the Seth and Pepper characters. Pepper spoke to me and I listened. Each book spotlights a romantic couple, while keeping us updated on the rest of the gang.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

In Book I of the Lucky Town novel series, Escaping Memories by Amanda Siegrist, we met Logan and Aubrey. Now, I am excited to meet Danny and Kat.

I have loved spending time with this tight knit, yet dysfunctional group of friends and family. But, what is normal? I think we all have our own definition. They have been through some traumatic events and struggle to overcome the lingering fears and nightmares.

Danny’s sister, Aubrey, had been kidnapped. Even though they got her back, that doesn’t mean danger doesn’t seek them out. This time, his love interest, Kat, is the target.

Amanda Siegrist puts her characters through some perilous times, but she loves a happy ending. She just makes them take a twisted path to get there.

I love romantic suspense. The danger and love make my heart beat a little faster. I love seeing characters put through hell, but come out the other side, happy and, somewhat, healthy. What is life without someone special?

I immediately began reading Book 3, Stolen Memories, and if you are looking for love, I highly recommend Amanda Siegrist’s work.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Dangerous Memories by Amanda Siegrist.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From USA Today bestselling author Amanda Siegrist comes an intense romantic suspense that will make you swoon and hold you on the edge-of-your-seat until the very end.

Has a new evil arrived, or an old terror returned?

Agent Danny O’Rourke only wants one thing. His sister, Aubrey, to come home. He couldn’t save her from being taken, but the least he can do is help her through her turmoil. Except one thing is standing in his way—the Caldwell family. He wants to hate Kat Caldwell the most, but no matter how hard he tries, he doesn’t hate her. He wants her. So badly. When he starts connecting the dots in his latest murder case, all pointing to Kat as the next victim, he’ll do everything in his power to keep her safe. He won’t fail her like he failed his sister. The closer he gets to the truth, the more he realizes he might be all wrong in his assumptions. He already lost his heart to her, but he won’t lose her to a killer.

The entire Lucky Town Novel series: (Each book can be read as a standalone.)
Escaping Memories (Book 1): Logan & Aubrey
Dangerous Memories (Book 2): Danny & Kat

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Stolen Memories is Book 3 of the Lucky Town series by Amanda Siegrist. I really wanted to learn Seth’s story and be along for the ride as he finds his way to love…and it is not an easy journey.

Seth never got over his sister’s kidnapping. He felt he should have been there to save her. He feels betrayed by his best friend, Evan. He feels he is keeping secrets and turns his back on him. Will he find out what he is hiding? Can they repair their friendship? I understand Seth’s position, but I really hope they can work it out. His life is work, sleep, repeat and people need more than that.

Pepper came to town to fill the vacancy at the police station, since Derek left, which causes problems of its own. She comes across as a cold, uncaring person, but that is because she refuses to let anyone into her life. She has a secret and I can hardly wait to find out what it is.

When Seth went to her house the first time, he was so sweet and funny and cute.

Pepper and Seth make for a fantastic story. I fell for her character. I found it easy to relate to her and as the romance heated up, so did the danger.

I kept feeling something was coming, but Amanda made me wait, and wait, and when it came, it was so not what I was expecting. WOW, Amanda. I love that, even though I know romantic suspense is filled with angst and danger, you still managed to surprise me in a fabulous way.

I can definitely recommend this series.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Stolen Memories by Amanda Siegrist.

GOODREADS BLURB

From USA Today bestselling author Amanda Siegrist comes an intense romantic suspense that will make you swoon and hold you on the edge-of-your-seat until the very end.

You can run, but you can’t hide…from your problems.

As the baby of the family, Seth’s got the Youngest Child Syndrome down pat. Except, he doesn’t want to act like a spoiled brat and cause problems everywhere he goes. He needs to start by talking out his issues with his best friend, Evan—until he can’t. Evan’s gone missing, his boss murdered. Evan might be a liar—something Seth hasn’t forgiven him for—but he’s not a murderer. Life’s about to get messier when his brother asks him to find Evan with help from the new deputy. Pepper’s got a feisty attitude, a don’t-mess-with-me persona, and the beauty of a goddess. If he’s not careful, he might fall in love. But Seth suspects Pepper’s lying about something, too. And lying is an unforgivable offense.

The entire Lucky Town Novel series: (Each book can be read as a standalone.)
Escaping Memories (Book 1): Logan & Aubrey
Dangerous Memories (Book 2): Danny & Kat
Stolen Memories (Book 3): Seth & Pepper

ABOUT AMANDA SIEGRIST

Love! Gimme some love and heaps of romance. I have a sappy heart that just loves two people meeting, going through the cycles of a relationship, and ultimately, falling in love. Give me a good book like that and I’m a happy camper:)

I write contemporary and romantic suspense, but I am partial to suspense. I just love a good mystery.

Besides writing, I love baking, crafts, and baseball…oh, and meeting new people. *smiles*

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY AMANDA SIEGRIST REVIEWS

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Giveaway Tour for The Thorny Rose Mystery Series by Lauren Carr @TheMysteryLadie @iReadBookTours

Posted on May 22, 2020 by fundinmental

I have read all the books in the series…so far…so check out my review links at the end of the post.

“The plot was original, fresh and fast paced in spite of the “traditional elements” employed which can normally be found in any other thriller of this genre. The USP of this story would be its unpredictability. When you think you have it all guessed up, the plot would change its course keeping you hooked. There were a lot of suspense twists and turns that kept the momentum up. Needless to say, the writing was simply perfect. One thing that writer needs to be lauded for is the humor she inculcated in the book. Minus those humorous parts, the book would have been one serious read.” – Reviewer: Book and Ink

Join us for this tour from May 4 to Jun 5, 2020!

Book Details:

Book Title: Kill and Run by Lauren Carr
Series: Thorny Rose Mystery Series (Volume 1)
Category: Adult fiction, 422 pages
Genre: Murder Mystery
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Release date: September, 2015
Format available for review: audible (download code), ebook (mobi, ePub, PDF)
Tour dates: May 4 to Jun 5, 2020
Content Rating: PG (mild violence and sexual suggestion)

Book Description:

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.

The case takes an unexpected turn when Murphy discovers that one of the victims has a connection to his stepmother, Homicide Detective Cameron Gates. One wintry night, over a dozen years before, her first husband, a Pennsylvania State trooper, had been run down while working a night shift on the turnpike.

In this first installment of the Thorny Rose Mysteries, the Lovers in Crime join newlyweds Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday to shift through a web of lies and cover-ups. Together, can the detectives of the Thorny Rose uncover the truth without falling victim to a cunning killer?

Buy the Book:
Audible ~Amazon
Add to Goodreads

“Mysteries, murder, danger, and memories that threatens their lives keeps the action and suspense at a high level and even when the answers are found, it left me wanting more.” – Review by Sherry Fundin of Fundinmental

Book Description:

After ten months of marital bliss, Jessica Faraday and Murphy Thornton are still discovering and adjusting to their life together. Settled in their new home, everything appears to be perfect … except in the middle of the night when, in the darkest shadows of her subconscious, a deep secret from Jessica’s past creeps to the surface to make her strike out at Murphy.

When investigative journalist Dallas Walker tells the couple about her latest case, known as the Pine Bridge Massacre, they realize Jessica may have witnessed the murder of a family while visiting family at the winery near-by, and suppressed the memory.

Determined to uncover the truth and find justice for the murder victims, Jessica and Murphy return to the scene of the crime with Dallas Walker, a spunky bull-headed Texan. Can this family reunion bring closure for a community touched by tragedy or will this prickly get-together bring an end to the Thorny Rose couple?

Buy the Book:
Audible ~ Amazon
Add to Goodreads

Murder by Perfection is a wonderful read and a perfect to escape from the challenges of a busy day. Danger, intrigue, humor, and love all take their turn in this tale which will keep you reading into the wee hours.” Review by Marilyn R. Wilson, Olio by Marilyn

Book Description:

Beware: Perfection has a dark side!

Frustrated with their busy schedules, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday attempt to find togetherness by scheduling a weekly date night. The last thing Jessica Faraday expected for her date night was to take a couple’s gourmet cooking course at the Stepford Kitchen Studio, owned by Chef Natalie Stepford―the model of perfection in looks, home, and business.

When Natalie ends up dead and Murphy goes missing, the Thorny Rose detectives must peel back the layers of Natalie Stepford’s life to discover that the pursuit of perfection can be deadly.

Buy the Book:
Audible ~ Amazon
Add to Goodreads

Enjoy this latest Thorny Rose Mystery! Coming soon to Audible!

“Wow – this is one INCREDIBLE novel that I could not put down. It had me on the edge of my seat and I can honestly say that I never saw the end coming. It was full of suspense, action but also humour (done in a way that only Lauren can accomplish).” – 5-Star Review of THE NUTCRACKER CONSPIRACY by Working Mommy Journal

THE NUTCRACKER CONSPIRACY by Lauren Carr

Book Details:

Book Title: The Nutcracker Conspiracy (A Thorny Rose Mystery #4) by Lauren Carr
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 388 pages
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Release date: January 30, 2020
Format available for review: audible (download code), mobi, epub, PDF
Tour dates: May 4 to Jun 5, 2020
Content Rating: PG-13 (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!

Book Description:

Three years ago, the nation gasped in horror when the President of the United States barely escaped an assassination attempt that left two dead—the vice president’s wife and the attempted assassin. Even after numerous investigations proved otherwise, conspiracy theorists argue that the assassin was acting on orders from the CIA, FBI, and every federal agency within a hundred miles of the capital.

Aspiring Author Dean Conway is the last person Lieutenant Commander Murphy Thornton wants to spend his Saturday afternoon when they end up at the same wedding reception table. While their wives tend to bridesmaid duties, Murphy is trapped listening to Dean’s latest work-in-project—completing the manuscript of an investigative journalist who’d disappeared months earlier.

“She was number twelve,” Dean says.

“Twelve?” Murphy asks.

“Twelve witnesses connected to or investigating The Nutcracker shooting have died either in an accident or suicide.”

Two days later, Dean dies suddenly―but not before sending a text message to Murphy:

“13”

Buy the Book:
Amazon.com ~ Audible (coming soon!)
BookBub ~ Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson Cold Case, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: Webs ite ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

Tour Schedule:

May 4 – Hall Ways Blog – series spotlight / giveaway
May 4 – She Just Loves Books – series spotlight / giveaway
May 4 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – series spotlight / giveaway
May 4 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of Kill and Run / giveaway
May 4 – Michelle L. Bloodworth – Goodreads – audiobook review of Kill and Run
May 5 – Michelle L. Bloodworth – Goodreads – audiobook review of A Fine Year for Murder
May 6 – Buried Under Books – audiobook review of Kill and Run / giveaway
May 6 – Michelle L. Bloodworth – Goodreads – audiobook review of Murder by Perfection
May 7 – A Mama’s Corner of the World – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 8 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of A Fine Year for Murder / giveaway
May 11 – Locks, Hooks and Books – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 11 – Jazzy Book Reviews – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
May 11 – Merlot Et mots –series spotlight / giveaway
May 12 – Laura’s Interests – series spotlight / giveaway
May 12 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of Murder by Perfection / giveaway
May 13 – Bookish Quest – audiobook review of Kill and Run / giveaway
May 13 – Blooming with Books – audiobook review of Kill and Run / giveaway
May 13 – Lamon Reviews – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 14 – Buried Under Books – audiobook review of A Fine Year for Murder / giveaway
May 15 – Sefina Hawke’s Books – series spotlight
May 19 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 19 – Rosepoint Publishing – audiobook review of Murder by Perfection / giveaway
May 20 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
May 20 – Bookish Quest – audiobook review of A Fine Year for Murder / giveaway
May 20 – Blooming with Books – audiobook review of A Fine Year for Murder / giveaway
May 21 – Books for Books – audiobook review of Murder by Perfection
May 21 – La libreria di Beppe – series spotlight / giveaway
May 22 – fundinmental – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
May 25 – Buried Under Books – audiobook review of Murder By Perfection / giveaway
May 25 – T’s Stuff – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
May 26 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – series spotlight / giveaway
May 27 – Bookish Quest – audiobook review of Murder by Perfection / giveaway
May 27 – Blooming with Books – audiobook review of Murder by Perfection / giveaway
May 27 – Books for Books – series spotlight
May 28 – Bookish Quest – series spotlight / author interview/ giveaway
May 29 – Mystery Suspense Reviews – series spotlight / guest post
Jun 1 – Thoughts in Progress – series spotlight / giveaway
Jun 2 – Svetlana’s reads and views – series spotlight
Jun 2 – Kristin’s Novel Café – series spotlight
Jun 3 – Buried Under Books – series spotlight / giveaway
Jun 3 – Blooming with Books – series spotlight / giveaway
Jun 4 – Rosepoint Publishing – series spotlight / giveaway
Jun 4 –Splashes of Joy – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Jun 5 – The avid reader – series spotlight / giveaway

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MY LAUREN CARR REVIEWS

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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Sasquatch Sighting in White Anvil by Matt Betts @Betts_Matt

Posted on May 21, 2020 by fundinmental

I’m always up for a creature feature and Matt Betts has supplied one in White Anvil.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Reggie and Margo are seismologists that happened to appear at the same place as Frank, a park ranger, Adam, a local constable that are determined to get on THAT train. The one no one knows about or talks about. BUT, the train won’t be leaving due to….

In order to board, they had to give up their cell phones, laptops, anything that could connect to the outside world. Do you see where this is going? I think I do.

So far, things are pretty predictable, but I am hopeful we will have some twists.

In times of trouble, people’s true colors come to the surface. There is no shame in fear. I would be terrified. This is one of those stories that has me asking myself, what would I do? I hope I would act as well as Margo and Reggie, Denton, and some of the others, especially when they find out they are up against so much more than a derailed train and the snowy weather.

I knew right off that Frank was an ass, and he kept on proving it.

Nora, I don’t know what the hell she’s thinking. I’d love for her to be eaten first.

Government secrets, danger, survival, White Anvil is a safe lab and holding facility for things that go bump in the night and we all know it can’t be good when they break free, so buckle your seatbelts, because we are in for a bumpy ride.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of White Anvil by Matt Betts.

GOODREADS BLURB

As if the cold wasn’t enough…

Fleeing an approaching blizzard, a military train carrying prisoners and a handful of citizens derails in the mountains. The survivors fight to stay alive and regroup as the terrible storm buries them in snow. Only then do they discover the train also carried another cargo—two cars loaded with biological experiments—genetically-altered sasquatches conditioned to annihilate anything they find.

Can the few remaining soldiers team with a pair of sisters and a police constable to fight the relentless beasts, icy temperatures, and escaped prisoners long enough for help to arrive?

ABOUT MATT BETTS

I’ve been writing for a number of years and had some good fortune in getting my work in print and online venues. I’ve also contributed as a staff member to a few magazines. I’m a big fan of pop culture. I love old movies; good ones, bad ones, doesn’t matter. Actually, I sometimes prefer the bad ones.

My first book, Odd Men Out, was launched in the summer of 2013 from Dog Star Books. It has some steampunk, some alternate history, some horror and a giant lizard. That’s plenty for the first book, right?

My second book, Indelible Ink, is an urban fantasy crime story that’s sort of my homage to the late Elmore Leonard by way of the Dresden Files. I had so much fun writing this and I think it shows in the book.

Two of my novels were released in 2018: The adventure/kaiju/scifi book The Shadow Beneath the Waves, and the dark fantasy/comedy Indelible Ink.

I’ve also written two books of speculative poetry – See No Evil, Say No Evil and Underwater Fistfight.

I’m working on a sequel to Odd Men Out and a stand-alone monster book.

I love attending cons – I’ve been a panelist, moderator, invited guest, and presenter. It’s always a joy to interact with readers, other writers, and creators.

Website / Twitter / Facbook

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’s talk.
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Books From The Backlog – Christopher Smith & Shawnda Currie @CSThrillers @ShawndaCurrie

Posted on May 21, 2020 by fundinmental

Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

Right now, I have 2483 books on my Goodreads TBR. No matter how many books I read, the mountain grows taller and I am going through it…slowly. If I have the book, it stays, no matter what. I’m adding tags that I never even thought about doing at the time I added them. It would have been so much easier at the time.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

Description: A billionaire investor dealt a grisly death.

The suspects? Six of his seven children, all so desperate for their father’s money, they’d kill for it.

His seventh child, Camille, a former assassin who left that life behind to raise her now sixteen-year-old daughter Emma, must tap into old instincts to learn who killed her father and why. What she never sees coming are Emma’s plans to go into Manhattan and find out on her own.

Meanwhile, Camille must be found. Private investigator Marty Spellman is threatened by a mysterious man to find her. He has seventy-two hours or do so–or members of his own family die.

Over the course of one day, Spellman, Camille, Emma and Spellman’s own fifteen-year-old daughter, Beth, must intervene to finish this and shut it down. Twists abound. Few are who they appear to be. Soon, all parties are in a rush to violence, but in spite of how quickly they act, it’s clear that no one is safe.

Goodreads rating: 3.94 · 618 ratings · 48 reviews

I added this back on 10.2.12, but had downloaded it from Amazon on 8.14.12. It’s a mystery and I’m sure that’s why I grabbed it, along with it being an Amazon freebie. Back then I was verrrrrrry click happy and new to the blogging world. Were you like that too?

Altered - Revelations of the Evolved (The Evolved Trilogy, #1)

Amazon / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

Abandoned by her family, Lacey is sent to a juvenile detention center known as Clear Waters. Her teen years don’t look promising until she is befriended by a mysterious stranger named Taylor, a gorgeous guy whose captivating eyes seem to stare into her soul. Convinced she is in danger at Clear Waters, Lacey joins Taylor in a daring escape. As she meets Taylor’s group of friends, she discovers that they’re more than they seem – they’ve been sent from the future to head off an evil corporate plot that will lead to a world war unless averted. With Lacey as their only hope to prevent a grim future, Taylor shows Lacey how to tap into her
psychic abilities known in his time as evolved humans. Travelling with her new friends, she discovers the magic of love while she grows into the powerful warrior chosen to make the difference to the world!

Goodreads rating: 3.80 · 51 ratings · 34 reviews

I added this to my TBR on 10.2.12 and downloaded it from Amazon on 9.29.12. This may be a book I won. I have a record of all of that, but to find it???? I try to keep more current with books I win because it’s too hard to keep track.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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WSRE is having a Downton Abbey Marathon and You are Invited #downtonabbey

Posted on May 20, 2020 by fundinmental

Feel free to donate and have a copy of your very own…and a little something extra.

You can donate HERE

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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The Bone Collector (Lincoln Rhyme #1) by Jeffrey Deaver @jefferydeaver

Posted on May 20, 2020 by fundinmental

I have been reading Jeffrey Deaver’s work for a long time now and when I won this special copy of The Bone Collector from Goodreads, I was ecstatic. I have read some of the Lincoln Rhyme series, but it was fun going back to the beginning.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I was ecstatic when I found out I won from Goodreads this special copy of The Bone Collector by Jeffrey Deaver. I get, not only the first story of the Lincoln Rhyme series, but the short story, Captivated, where we meet Jeffrey Deaver’s new character Colter Shaw and an excerpt from his new Colter Shaw series, Book I, The Never Game.

I loved going back to the beginning with Lincoln Rhyme and how it all began. Even though I knew that outcome of his struggle to accept his life after becoming a quadriplegic, I felt his all the suspense and despair.

He finds a kindred spirit in Emilia Sachs. She has her own baggage she carries around, refusing to let anyone get close to her, searching for her place in life.

The serial killer, though I had a hunch he was ‘right there’, was a surprise to me. I love delving into the twisted minds of those who can do such wretched things to another person. At least he has some feelings, those it doesn’t stop him.

The Bone Collector by Jeffrey Deaver is everything I want in a novel. I love the deep dark world he takes me into and his ability to leave me feeling good about everything when it is all said and done….until the next time.

CAPTIVATED: I love an author bonus and I got a good one with this short story. Colter Shaw is a bounty hunter and he always gets his ‘man’, picking and choosing the jobs he will take on. Colter and Jeffrey were ahead of me every step of the way, keeping me in suspense, never giving away the bad guy until they step forward and expose themselves. I quickly fell for the character and eagerly flipped the pages…

…then moving on to the excerpt for the first book in the series, The Never Game.

He’s in the water, struggling to enter the capsized boat and save the pregnant woman inside. Will he succeed? And why is she in there…alone…

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

From the bestselling and award-winning master of suspense, the first novel in a thrilling new series, introducing Colter Shaw.

“You have been abandoned.”

A young woman has gone missing in Silicon Valley and her father has hired Colter Shaw to find her. The son of a survivalist family, Shaw is an expert tracker. Now he makes a living as a “reward seeker,” traveling the country to help police solve crimes and private citizens locate missing persons. But what seems a simple investigation quickly thrusts him into the dark heart of America’s tech hub and the cutthroat billion-dollar video-gaming industry.

“Escape if you can.”

When another victim is kidnapped, the clues point to one video game with a troubled past–The Whispering Man. In that game, the player has to survive after being abandoned in an inhospitable setting with five random objects. Is a madman bringing the game to life?

“Or die with dignity.”

Shaw finds himself caught in a cat-and-mouse game, risking his own life to save the victims even as he pursues the kidnapper across both Silicon Valley and the dark ‘net. Encountering eccentric game designers, trigger-happy gamers and ruthless tech titans, he soon learns that he isn’t the only one on the hunt: someone is on his trail and closing fast.

GOODREADS BLURB

Lincoln Rhyme was once a brilliant criminologist, a genius in the field of forensics — until an accident left him physically and emotionally shattered. But now a diabolical killer is challenging Rhyme to a terrifying and ingenious duel of wits. With police detective Amelia Sachs by his side, Rhyme must follow a labyrinth of clues that reaches back to a dark chapter in New York City’s past — and reach further into the darkness of the mind of a madman who won’t stop until he has stripped life down to the bone.

ABOUT JEFFREY DEAVER

#1 international bestselling author of over thirty novels and three collections of short stories. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. He’s received or been shortlisted for a number of awards around the world.

Website

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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Review – Bad People by Craig Wallwork @craigwallwork

Posted on May 19, 2020 by fundinmental

SHOOT!!!!! Forgot to share this great trailer:

I knew when I saw the cool cover for Bad People by Craig Wallwork, I had to read it.

What do you think?

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love the cover of Bad People by Craig Wallwork. I don’t know whether to laugh or freak out. We will see…OMG…freaking out is the answer.

Palmer had come to Stormer Hill for his novel about the missing girls. Four girls in four years. No clues, no suspects, no answers.

The characters could be taken from a Criminal Minds episode, as could the storyline. The villains are not for the feint of heart. Twisted, savage, evil.

More than a cozy, but less than the hard core, nail biting, spine tingling suspense novels I love so much.

I bounced between a three and a four rating for at least half the book, because, even though I loved the plot, it was predictable and slowed down, at times. BUT, the ending was a surprise and it took me almost until I got there to figure it out, though I felt something was up. It is a doozy and for that reason, a four star rating it is.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Bad People by Craig Wallwork.

BOODREADS BLURB

THREE MISSING CHILDREN. Over the past three years, the quiet Yorkshire village of Stormer Hill has lost three of its children. No bodies were ever discovered. No evidence found. No witnesses.
THE WRITER. Struggling to find inspiration for his new novel, celebrated crime author, and ex-police officer, Alex Palmer, believes the story of the missing children could end his writer’s block, but is he prepared for the story that’s about to develop?
THE DETECTIVE. Tom Nolan, a seasoned detective and loner involved in finding each missing child. Nolan is tasked with chaperoning Palmer and walking through each case. But as both men revisit the past, and dig deeper, neither are prepared for the chilling discovery to why the children were taken.
THE BRETHREN. A secret cult. Two men, and a series of brutal and unimaginable murders spanning over seven years with one intention; to show the world that death can be justified if it’s for a greater good.

ABOUT CRAIG WALLWORK

Craig Wallwork is the author of the novels, Bad People, and The Sound of Loneliness, as well as the short story collections, Quintessence of Dust, and Gory Hole. His stories have been nominated three times for the Pushcart Prize, many of which feature in various anthologies and magazines both in the U.K. and U.S. He currently lives in England.

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Giveaway – Single Chicas by Sandra C Lopez

Posted on May 18, 2020 by fundinmental

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Sandra C. Lopez will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Single Chicas is a collection of stories about modern Latinas being in, out, and around the zany hurdles of relationships. One woman receives strange calls from a lonely soul, another seeks advice on how to love herself, and another wakes up in a parallel universe to a man she’s never met. These chicas will make painstaking effort to survive the complexities with humor and grace. Once again, López dazzles audiences with her brilliantly candid craft. Smart, witty, and funny, these stories will explore the true endurance of singlehood.

Read the Excerpt

I’ll never forget the day my brother gave me a stroke. Of course, being that he was my little brother, a stroke should’ve been classified a recurring condition by then. Instead, the most he had ever given me was a chronic eye twitch, which, now that I think about it, may have been an indicator of an on-coming stroke. But, yes, it was definitely a stroke I had when Benito (I always called him Benny) came over that day to tell me he was getting married.

My brain blew a short and my whole body went numb. I think, at one point, the world before me was engulfed in a white flash, and then somehow I ended up on the floor. When I finally got the feeling back in my jaw, the only thing I could muster to say was: “Are you a moron?” The clear answer was “yes.” He was a moron. Getting married? Was he out of his freaking mind? Oh, hell yeah! Let’s put aside that he was only 19, not even old enough to drink, for god sakes; let’s put aside that he’d only known the girl for 6 months, at most; let’s even put aside how annoying the girl was and how I couldn’t stand her. Why in the hell would he want to hang himself like that? Had he forgotten that marriage is basically a prison? Had he not paid attention to all the disaster stories I’d told him? Broken marriages from all around the table, starting with our parents and going all the way to our grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, to damn near everyone else we knew. It all ended the same: divorce, the blissful release from a life sentence.

“Why, Benny, why?”

“Oh, Bea, don’t you even start,” he retorted with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I don’t want to hear your putdowns on marriage…again. I’ve heard them over and over and over.”

“Well, have you heard that marriages basically suck the big weenie?”

“I believe I did hear that from you, yes.”

“Well, then tell me why? Why the fuck would you do something like that!?” Oh, I could feel my poor blood pressure rising. Good grief, the boy was going to give me a heart attack. I tried taking in a few calming breaths, but the whole thing was basically useless. I was in total freak-out mode. “C’mon, Benny, tell me, please, because I’m not understanding here. What, did she pull that voodoo-hoodoo crap on you? Did you crack your head on something? Have you just completely lost your mind? C’mon, you gotta give me something here.”

With an easy shrug, he said, “Oh…you know.”

“No, I don’t know!” Okay…one, two, three…breathe. I shot him a stern glance and asked directly, “Did you knock her up?”

He looked at me accusingly, his dark eyes narrowing. “You would think that, wouldn’t you?”

“Well, I don’t know what else to think.”

Benny shook his head with a petulant eye roll. I know that eye roll. It’s the same one he pulls whenever someone tells him to pick up his socks or wash his hands. In a huff, he simply stated, “No. I didn’t knock her up.”

“Then why?”

“Because she’s just…”

“What? Say something.”

“You know…” At a loss for words, he paused then added, “she’s just so…you know…great.”

A literary master at work here. “Great? What’s so great about her?”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“That’s a good answer,” I inserted wryly.

“Well, I can’t think with all these questions,” he snapped.

“I’m sorry, do you need a minute? I mean, I know I’m throwing really hard questions at you. Worse than poking your nose or scratching your balls, evidently.”

“Why you gotta be like that, huh?”

“Hey, I’m not the one ruining my life here. I’m not the one going after those little titties.”

Pulling his “talk to the hand” gesture, Benny turned to walk away.

About the Author:

Sandra C. López is a writer, artist, blogger, and book reviewer. She is one of today’s funny and influential authors in YA and chick lit. Her first novel, Esperanza, was published in March 2008 WHILE she was still in college. Her most recent and bestselling book is Single Chicas, a collection of humorous short stories about zany chicas. She is currently working on the next installment of the Single Chicas series called Holiday Chicas. Release date coming soon! When not writing her stories, Sandra supports the art and literary communities with freelance work and book promotion.

Website: http://www.sandra-lopez.com
Book Review Blog: http://sandrasbookclub.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SandraLopezAuthorArtist/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArtistSandraL

Purchase Links: https://www.amazon.com/Single-Chicas-Sandra-C-Lopez-ebook/dp/B01KG85F1Y/

Please note: The book is free during the tour.

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Miranda and the D Day Caper by Shelly Frome @shelly Frome @partnersincr1me

Posted on May 17, 2020 by fundinmental

Miranda and the D-Day Caper

by Shelly Frome

on Tour May 1-31 2020

Synopsis:

Miranda and the D-Day Caper by Shelly Frome

A modern day mystery with WWII tactics, old-time heroes and values, and the efforts of two amateur cousin sleuths from the Heartland.

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Mystery
Published by: BQB Publishing
Publication Date: March 1st 2020
Number of Pages: 338
ISBN: 1945448571 (ISBN13: 9781945448577)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

“Okay, I get it,” said Miranda, assuming it was playtime as always. “We’re double agents. You keep reading the paper and light a cigarette. A minute later, you toss the cigarette and leave the book of matches on the table with the coded inscription Moscow rules. That’s when I take it and slip away awaiting further instructions.”

This was flippant Miranda. The one with the short bob, over thirty, just trying to set the tone on this glorious Saturday in the Blue Ridge and ease out of it. But at the moment, playful Skip seemed to have lost his way. His eyes were bloodshot, underscored by dark circles. And the signature mischievous smirk on that sliver of a face had been replaced by a worrisome twitch.

Folding the newspaper, with his cornflower blue eyes still gazing into the distance, Skip said, “I don’t know, kiddo. I tell you, I just don’t know.”

“Which makes two of us. So tell me why you couldn’t simply e-mail me?”

“Why? Am I holding you up or something?”

“No, you’re not holding me up. Look, what do you say we cut to the chase? Glancing around, taking his sweet time, making sure no one was within earshot, Skip said, “All right.”

“From the top.”

“Okay. Like I indicated, I was filling in, got a break on a prestige AM station.”

Getting more anxious by the second, his lanky body beginning to twitch, Skip said, “So, when opportunity knocks, you seize the day. Right?”

“Out with it. I am still waiting.”

Scrunching forward this time, Skip said, “One night I started to wing it. No more of this ‘Yup, it’s midnight, folks. Some of these homespun Indiana tales should ease you right off to sleep.’ I was antsy. I’d had it with Russ Mathews who’d signed off that night right before me, sounding more and more like some fear monger back in the day.”

“And what day was that?”

“World War Two.”

More glancing around on Skip’s part. More checking the flow of visitors coming and going.

Getting antsy as well, Miranda said, “Will you get on with it? Is there an upshot in our future? ”

“I’m coming to it,” Skip said, looking right at her this time. “Right after my kazoo rendition of I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash, I lean into the mic and say, ‘Guess what? Ole Russ Mathews must be on to something. I’m talking the plot against America. So I tell the insomniacs all over the Liberty Broadcasting system that, at first, I thought Duffy was pulling down on the blinds out of longing.”

“Duffy?”

“Just your average ginger house cat, left alone, separated from other felines on the prowl. But I come home to my sublet and notice he’s perched in the exact same spot, his green eyes staring across the street. So, over the airwaves, I said, ‘What if I told you night people something was up in a dilapidated rooming house in Hoboken? Right across the river from the Big Apple?’” “That does it,” Miranda said, getting to her feet. “How am I supposed to follow this? When you’re ready to get to the point, let me know.”

“Wait a minute. Don’t you see?” said Skip, getting to his feet as well. “I stumbled onto something. Before you know it, my ratings are starting to climb. But since the weather’s getting warmer, those guys across the street aren’t scurrying in and out of the cold. They’re loitering by the stoop, glancing across the shadows. Next thing I know, I’m getting negative call-ins. Listeners telling me to knock it off or else. Undaunted, I tell everyone in radio-land what’s going on out there may have far reaching consequences. Unless I intercept.”

“Oh, please,” said Miranda, walking away. “Listen to me.” Skip scurried over and held her arm. “I tell you, at the same time, those guys across the street were carting off concealed stuff.”

“I’m not listening anymore.”

“You’ve got to. You have obviously become a born tracker. Tracked down a poison pen perpetrator like the paper said.”

“Enough. Stop hyping everything up. Look at you. You’re coming down with full blown hysteria.”

“Exactly. Because it appears there’s no longer any line between entertainment and politics. While messing around, doing a take-off on Russ Mathews and boosting my ratings, I may have stumbled onto an actual plot utilizing WW II codes.”

***

Author Bio:

Shelly Frome

Shelly Frome is a member of Mystery Writers of America, a professor of dramatic arts emeritus at the University of Connecticut, a former professional actor, a writer of crime novels and books on theater and film. He is also a features writer for Gannett Media’s Black Mountain News. His fiction includes Sun Dance for Andy Horn, Lilac Moon, Twilight of the Drifter, Tinseltown Riff, Murder Run, Moon Games and The Secluded Village Murders. Among his works of non-fiction are The Actors Studio and texts on the art and craft of screenwriting and writing for the stage. Miranda and the D-Day Caper is his latest foray into the world of crime and the amateur sleuth. He lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina.

Catch Up With Shelly Frome:
ShellyFrome.com, Goodreads, BookBub, Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook!

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

Giveaway!!:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Shelly Frome. There will be 2 winners of one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card each. The giveaway begins on May 1, 2020 and runs through June 2, 2020. Void where prohibited.

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Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours

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Giveaway & Excerpt – Bad Boys Don’t Make Good Boyfriends @XpressoTours @MelASmithAuthor

Posted on May 16, 2020 by fundinmental

Bad Boys Don’t Make Good Boyfriends
Melanie A. Smith
(Life Lessons, #2)
Publication date: May 19th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

From best-selling author Melanie A. Smith comes the second book in a new series of steamy contemporary medical romance standalone novels about life lessons that break all the rules.

Even when you know better, sometimes it’s simply too tempting…

Hospital work isn’t for the faint of heart. Becca Dillon knows that firsthand, having worked as a medical assistant in the cardiac unit at Rutherford Hospital for longer than she cares to think about. What she does care to think about is having fun, gossip, and … guys. Her favorite of the three. And why stick to one, when you can sample them all?

That’s exactly her plan when a workplace crush on a mysterious bad-boy orderly unexpectedly takes a very steamy turn. But Vincent DeMarco turns out to be nothing like she expected, and before she knows it, she’s falling hard and fast. She wants him in ways she’s never wanted anyone before, but there’s something he’s keeping from her. Something that’s holding him back. And Becca is going to find out what.

Even though she knows that bad boys don’t make good boyfriends, he seems like he might be so much more. Will her quest unlock the truth behind who he really is? Or will it end their relationship for good? Either way, ready or not, Becca’s world is about to change.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT

I slip silently off the couch and tiptoe toward the door. A glance out the peephole shows me a shock of dark hair and a leather jacket that instantly raises my hackles. I slip the chain off and open the door, my indignation purposely on full display.

“Vincent,” I hiss, and his dark eyes snap up to meet mine. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

He runs a hand through his hair, his eyes tired. But he still looks like sex and sin. Bastard.

“I need to talk to you,” he says, sounding as tired as he looks.

I slip out the front door, letting it rest against the frame behind me and folding my arms over my chest as I glare up at him. “Well, I don’t need to talk to you,” I whisper-hiss. “How do you even know where I live?”

“Harper,” he says with a shrug, his voice low. “And why are we whispering?”

I roll my eyes. “Sasha’s asleep on my couch,” I reply, jerking my head back toward the inside of the apartment. “And I’m going to fucking kill Harper.”

“Don’t — I snatched your info off her phone when she wasn’t paying attention. She really needs to use a passcode,” he says. “So can we go inside and talk, or what? I’d really rather not do this out here.”

I raise my eyebrows. “I’m sorry, was I talking to myself a second ago? I’ve got nothing to say to you,” I reiterate.

He raises an eyebrow in return. “What happened to thinking about it?” he asks.

“Oh, I thought about it,” I assure him. “Not interested.”

A smirk settles on his gorgeous lips. “Yeah, well, as much as I doubt that that’s really true, I’ve been doing some thinking too,” he says.

I scoff a laugh. “I hope you didn’t hurt yourself,” I reply.

“Mmm, see, that right there,” he says, taking a step toward me with a glint in his eye that’s half smolder, half warning. “You wouldn’t be angry if you didn’t feel anything.”

He stops inches shy of me, and I instinctively pull away. But my back hits the doorframe. And there’s nowhere to go as he stares intently down at me.

“I didn’t say I didn’t feel anything. I said I’m not interested in doing anything about it,” I insist. But my voice sounds small and unsure. I try to tell myself it’s just the physical effect being so close to him has on me. But staring up into his eyes has a way of stripping me bare. The rawness in his gaze is impossible to hide from.

Author Bio:

Melanie A. Smith is the best-selling author of The Safeguarded Heart Series and other contemporary romance fiction. Originally from upstate New York, she spent most of her childhood in the San Francisco Bay Area before moving to Los Angeles for college. After that, she spent almost fifteen years in the Seattle Area, and now lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas with her family.

A voracious reader and lifelong writer, Melanie’s writing began at a young age with short stories and poetry. Having completed a bachelor of science in electrical engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a master’s in business administration at the University of Washington, her writing abilities were mainly utilized for technical documents as a lead engineer for the Boeing Company, where she worked for ten years.

After shifting careers to domestic engineering and property management in 2015, she eventually found a balance where she was able to return to writing fiction.

Melanie is also a Mensan and enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, and driving with the windows down and the stereo cranked up loud.

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