Giveaway & Excerpt – Grave Humor by R J Blain @rj_blain @XpressoTours

Posted on May 15, 2020 by fundinmental

Grave Humor
R.J. Blain
(A Magical Romantic Comedy)
Publication date: May 12th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Paranormal, Romance

Most days, Anwen regrets working at a funeral home despite the good pay. With the residents no longer inclined to stay in their coffins where they belong, she’s got her hands full making sure everyone follows the rules:

In the funeral home, there is no screaming, no murdering, no mutilation, no possessions, no kidnappings, no resurrections, and no cursing of any type. Be quiet and stay polite.

The day Old Man McGregor decides to take a walk and disturbs her peace, Anwen learns there’s a lot more to the basement in the funeral home than a vampire and a handsome gentleman on ice.

If she’s not careful, she’ll learn first-hand why ‘eternally yours’ is the most potent of threats.

Warning: this novel contains romance, humor, bodies, shenanigans, and mythological puppies. Proceed with caution.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Google Play

EXCERPT

Had I been smarter or wiser, I never would’ve accepted the job offer at the funeral home. With my prospects few and far between, I hadn’t had a choice, not really. Who else would hire an eighteen-year-old high school drop out?

I could type.

Dead bodies didn’t bother me.

When the dead started chatting up a storm, I ignored them until the priest arrived. I almost liked the days when the corpses got talkative. The boss paid me triple the normal hourly rate per incident, and if nobody screamed, a gift card would magically appear on my desk the following morning. Without fail, the gift card would be for the grocery store, and it would offer me the rare opportunity to enjoy a luxury.

Luxuries came few and far between.

Tomorrow, I would take my gift card, fondle some honey rocks until I found the perfect pair to take home with me, and I’d crack them open and go to town on their sweet, sweet insides. I sighed happily at the thought of two perfect melons all for me.

It really was the little things in life.

“It’s no fun if you don’t scream, Anwen m’dear,” Old Man McGregor groused. “Must you suck all the joy from my funeral?”

“Your funeral is at noon tomorrow,” I reminded him. That was the problem with the newly dead. They got lost on the way, refusing to leave their bodies until someone came to lay them to their final rest. Old Man McGregor could make my life a living hell if I wasn’t careful.

In life, he’d enjoyed yanking on chains for the fun of it.

In death, all he had to do was sit up to yank on the entire town’s chain.

Author Bio:

RJ Blain suffers from a Moleskine journal obsession, a pen fixation, and a terrible tendency to pun without warning.

In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until satisfied.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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.
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 & Review – Killer Deadline by Lauren Carr @TheMysteryLadie @iReadBookTours

Posted on May 14, 2020 by fundinmental

“Lauren Carr’s books are never boring, that’s for sure. They entertain, give us a good mystery to dig into, keep the reader guessing, give us a few good laughs and make us eager for the next book. Warning: Lauren Carr’s series are addictive, so be ready to read more than just one book!” – Laura Fabiani, Library of Clean Reads

Join us for this tour from April 20 to May 22, 2020!

MY REVIEW

With the fun cover for Killer Deadline by Lauren Carr, I was pretty sure I would have some laughs with my mystery, and she did not fail to deliver.

Nikki had left home to go to college and study journalism and never came back. It has been twenty years, and she has come back to run the TV station her family owns…and see if HE is still available.

Also, Her father’s murder has never been solved and she is on the case.

It wouldn’t be a Lauren Carr novel without a dog, and Elmo is a perfect fit. He is a social icon,a party animal, a ham. He loves to have his photo taken and has a huge following through his social media. I love this touch. So real.

Nikki is an investigative journalist. She doesn’t waste time with make up and dressing up, doesn’t care about shopping, and loves to sit down and read a good mystery. I can relate to her easily and that makes for better reading.

Trudy, the cook at the family B&B, is a real hoot and plans on fattening her up.

Ashleigh Addison was a high school rival and nothing seems to have changed about that.

AND, now we come to Ryan, who has definitely changed from the skinny, glass wearing high school nerd she had always had a crush on. He’s filled out from the military and Elmo immediately fell in love with him. It’s always been a bit creepy…considering he is her step brother. BUT, WAIT, they are not related other than through marriage, so not so creepy…right?

And, who is NerdyGuy that she has been ‘talking’ to over the internet. Even though it was easy to figure out, I loved it.

Do you need some household chores done? Elmo’s your guy. I thought his antics were hilarious and different from the normal critter antics I’ve read in novels. So much fun.

AND what are those hairless things? Will Elmo ever win them over and become friends?

Lunch at the gazebo…it’s these kind of moments that add those laughs I look for, especially in a cozy mystery.

I have read many of Lauren Carr’s novels and always prefer walking on the dark side, but I couldn’t resist that cover and laughing at the critter’s antics while walking down one misleading path after another searching for the answer.

I voluntarily reviewed and ARC of Killer Deadline by Lauren Carr.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

Book Details:

Book Title: Killer Deadline (A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 232 pages
Genre: Mystery/Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Release date: April 23, 2020
Content Rating: G. This is a true cozy mystery. No sex. No on-stage violence. No swearing. Just good clean fun!

“Here we go! Carr is a master storyteller who always offers a plot full of twists and turns, a bit of humor to offset the dark, and a unique cast of characters. In Killer Deadline that cast includes – handsome Ryan, her first love (who is now her step-brother); a mysterious social media friend called Nerdy Guy; Elmo, a super smart dog, a boxer, she rescued who has become asocial media star and has a penchant for cleaning; a TV station full of suspicious employees; and more.

“This book is a wonderful read to pick up at the end of a long day. It truly is a “cozy murder mystery.” I promise, it’ll draw you in right from page one and keep you turning the pages until you reach the very last page. I can’t wait for the second book in this series.” – Marilyn R. Wilson, Olio by Marilyn

Book Description:

Folks in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, claim that where Nikki Bryant goes, trouble is not far behind. Her refusal to back down from a challenge has made Nikki Bryant a top investigative journalist.

When an online friend nudges her to join him in a pact to reconnect with their first loves, Nikki and her boxer dog Elmo leave the bright lights of Las Vegas for the charming town of Pine Grove. There, she must face the biggest challenges in her career and life—the first love she had left behind and her father’s unsolved murder.

But before she has time to unpack her car, Nikki stumbles upon the dead body of local news anchor, Ashleigh Addison, her childhood rival. Could Ashleigh’s death be connected to an explosive news story that she had teased about airing live? Did that explosive story have anything to do with the murder of Nikki’s father?

With the clues in her father’s cold case hot again, Nikki intends to chase down the story of her life until she catches his killer—no matter what it takes.

Order Your Copy Today!

Amazon.com
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!

Killer Deadline marks Lauren’s first venture into mystery’s purely cozy sub-genre with a female protagonist.

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 ~ Pinterest

Tour Schedule:

April 20 – Olio by Marilyn – book review / giveaway
April 20 – Working Mommy Journal – book review / giveaway
April 20 – Michelle’s Goodreads – book review
April 21 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
April 21 – The avid reader – book spotlight / giveaway
April 22 – Thoughts in Progress – book spotlight / giveaway
April 22 – Brooke Blogs – book spotlight / giveaway
April 23 – My Reading Journeys – book review / giveaway
April 23 – Christa Reads and Writes – book review / giveaway
April 23 – Sefina Hawke’s Books – book spotlight
April 23 – Books for Books – book spotlight
April 24 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / giveaway
April 27 –Cassidy’s Bookshelves – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
April 28 – It’s All About the Book – book review / giveaway
April 28 – Down the Rabbit Hole – book review / author interview / giveaway
April 29 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway
April 29 – Laura’s Interests – book review / guest post / giveaway
April 30 – I’m Into Books – book spotlight / giveaway
April 30 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
May 1 –
May 4 –
May 5 – She Just Loves Books – book review / giveaway
May 6 – A Madison Mom – book review / giveaway
May 7 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
May 8 – Adventurous Bookworm – book review / giveaway
May 11 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
May 12 – Bound 4 Escape – book review / giveaway
May 12 – Leels Loves Books – book review / giveaway
May 13 – FUONLYKNEW – book review / giveaway
May 14 – fundinmental – book review / giveaway
May 15 – Splashes of Joy – book review / author interview / giveaway
May 15 – Adventurous Jessy – book review / giveaway
May 18 – Mowgli with a book – book review
May 19 – Pause for Tales – book review / giveaway
May 20 – Peaceful Pastime – book review
May 20 – eBook Addicts – book review
May 21 – Books and Zebras – book spotlight / giveaway
May 22 – Sahar’s Blog – book review

Enter the Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

MY LAUREN CARR REVIEWS

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!

Books From The Backlog – Ashley Fontainne & Elena Aitken @AshleyFontainne @elenaaitken #booksfromthebacklog

Posted on May 14, 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.

I have three I am going to share today. I have another Elena Aitken story and two books I won from Ashley Fontainne. All the books have numerous covers. If you have the time to check them out, I would love to know which are YOUR favorites. Hope you find something that looks good to you.

Nothing Stays In Vegas (Vegas Series Book 1) by [Elena Aitken]

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas…except when it doesn’t.

Lexi Titan has mastered the art of pretending everything’s fine. After all, how else could she ignore the fact that her husband is never home, her son barely knows him and the last time she had sex, well, who can remember?

With her life crumbling, the last thing she wants to do is go on a trip, especially back to Vegas; a city full of glitz, excess, and Leo, the man she’s spent the last six years trying to forget. But when her best friend announces she’s getting married, Lexi doesn’t have a choice. Besides, it’s ridiculous to avoid an entire city because of one guy. Even if he is the father of your child.

Face to face with memories of the past and the gorgeous man who started it all, Lexi can no longer deny the truth to anyone, especially Leo. But honesty will come at a price, and Lexi must decide if she’s wiling to take that risk. And what exactly will she tell her husband?

Because as she now knows, NOTHING STAYS IN VEGAS.

Goodreads ratings: 3.65 ·2,713 ratings · 224 reviews

Any time I see anything to do with Vegas, I grab the book. I have been there many times and am always up for a visit. I added this to Goodreads on 10.1.12 and picked it up on 10.11.12.

Accountable to None (Eviscerating the Snake, #1)

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

What if the unspeakable happened to you? Would you fantasize about seeking personal vengeance? How far would you go…and how much would you sacrifice to hold those responsible that believe they are accountable to none?

Welcome to the prestigious accounting firm of Winscott & Associates. Welcome to Audra Tanner’s personal hell. She had heard the rumors about her employer. The whispered secrets. But she had thrown herself into work to escape the pain of her miscarriage and demise of her marriage. Idealistic, she thought if she worked hard she would be rewarded. She thought wrong.

Savagely initiated into the brutal underbelly of the firm, Audra learns too late that the rumors are true. Now after five years of careful plotting, Audra is ready to push the wheels of justice in motion. Her goal of retribution has turned into an obsession and she will stop at nothing until everyone responsible pays. Will revenge set her free or is Audra’s quest for personal justice only beginning?

Goodreads Ratings: 3.74 · 415 ratings · 82 reviews

I won Accountable to None by Ashley Fontainne and added it to Goodreads on 10.2.12. I have read a bit of her work and love it, so why this is still sitting on my shelf I can’t say. Guess it just got buried under all the others.

Zero Balance (Eviscerating the Snake, #2)

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

Nine months ago, Audra Tanner exposed the hidden secrets locked away at the prestigious accounting firm of Winscott & Associates. No one escaped her wrath. And once the smoke had cleared, everyone watched as the diabolical Olin Kemper was led away in handcuffs. Now Audra’s meticulous revenge has thrust her into the role of managing partner.

But the firm is struggling to survive amidst the turmoil and media attention surrounding the shocking arrest and upcoming murder trial of Olin. And Audra must face the fallout left from her explosive revenge while trying to heal and recover from the trauma of her past.

Audra thought she had ended the evil lurking within and that her revenge would set her free. Unfortunately, it’s only the beginning. Because evil never dies, it only assumes a new form. Soon everyone at the firm will discover that no one is safe when you are dealing with a psychopath that has zero balance.

Goodreads Ratings: 4.26 · 126 ratings · 41 reviews

Zero Balance by Ashley Fontainne is another book of hers I won and added it to Goodreads on 10.2.12. I guess I’ll probably binge read them both…soon. 🙂

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!

The Forbidden Door by Dean Koontz @deankoontz #librarylove

Posted on May 13, 2020 by fundinmental

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Forbidden Door takes a wicked turn and proves that just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Now the real Dean Koontz shows his face.

‘They’ have been unable to capture Jane. Even when they catch up to her, she is quick and manages to escape by the skin of her teeth. So…they have set their sites on her five year old son. I love the character that is introduced here…Cornell…is absolutely fabulous.

Dean Koontz brings his characters to life and I root for the good guys who lay it all on the line. Regardless of what could happen to them, they feel compelled to do the right thing.

This is the fourth book in the Jane Hawk series. I am so disappointed I will have to wait for the next one from the library, The Night Window, the finale. I have been binge reading them and I sooooo much want to know what happens next. This is a 5 book series and needs to be read in order. The books are looooong but I have been devouring them.

GOODREADS BLURB

“We’re rewriting the play, and the play is this country, the world, the future. We break Jane’s heart, we’ll also break her will.”

She was one of the FBI’s top agents until she became the nation’s most-wanted fugitive. Now Jane Hawk may be all that stands between a free nation and its enslavement by a powerful secret society’s terrifying mind-control technology. She couldn’t save her husband, or the others whose lives have been destroyed, but equipped with superior tactical and survival skills—and the fury born of a broken heart and a hunger for justice—Jane has struck major blows against the insidious cabal.

But Jane’s enemies are about to hit back hard. If their best operatives can’t outrun her, they mean to bring her running to them, using her five-year-old son as bait. Jane knows there’s no underestimating their capabilities, but she must battle her way back across the country to the remote shelter where her boy is safely hidden . . . for now.

As she moves resolutely forward, new threats begin to emerge: a growing number of brain-altered victims driven hopelessly, violently insane. With the madness spreading like a virus, the war between Jane and her enemies will become a fight for all their lives—against the lethal terror unleashed from behind the forbidden door.

ABOUT DEAN KOONTZ

Acknowledged as “America’s most popular suspense novelist” (Rolling Stone) and as one of today’s most celebrated and successful writers, Dean Ray Koontz has earned the devotion of millions of readers around the world and the praise of critics everywhere for tales of character, mystery, and adventure that strike to the core of what it means to be human.

Dean R. Koontz has also published under the names Leigh Nichols, Brian Coffey, David Axton, Owen West, Deanna Dwyer and Aaron Wolfe.

Dean, the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirit of their goldens, Trixie and Anna.

Website

MY DEAN KOONTZ REVIEWS

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!

True Crime – Devil in the Darkness by J T Hunter @JTHunter6

Posted on May 12, 2020 by fundinmental

True Crime novelist J T Hunter has another terrifying story to tell and I am eager to share it. I love reading crime, fiction and nonfiction, and this confirms for me the monsters that are the scariest are of the human kind.

Devil in The Darkness: The True Story of Serial Killer Israel Keyes

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The lead detective, George Murtie has a varied and fascinating life story, but Israel Keyes, an Army veteran, loving husband and father, and small business owner turned serial killer is the star of the performance.

Information was cultivated from reports, videos, court documents, interviews, newspapers and Facebook postings..

We will be traveling from Vermont to Alaska, with some stops in between.

Samantha Koenig…bad luck and what ifs would plague me if I were her loving father. Israel Keyes didn’t choose her specifically, he chose the place. She just happened to be there.

IF his story is true, she was compliant, having many opportunities to try and escape, but Israel has convinced her not to. I always wonder how I would act and I can only hope it would be immediate and violent, a fight to the death, seeing he (?) would probably kill me anyway, might as well fight and go down on my own terms.

The more I read, the more I think I have seen this on TV.

Sounds to me like he was exactly what he wanted to be, the guy next door….but, no emotions. Everything he did was for fun. He played the authorities and took his own way out.

Devil in the Darkness by J T Hunter is written in an easy to read format. There is some repetition, but that is to be expected when gathering information from people and places at different times, being true to the facts as J T knows them.

All in all, a well written, grimly told story of evil that walks the earth in the guise of a man.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Devil in the Darkness by J T Hunter.

GOODREADS BLURB

He was a hard-working small business owner, an Army veteran, an attentive lover, and a doting father. But he was also something more, something sinister. A master of deception, he was a rapist, arsonist, and bank robber, and a new breed of serial killer, one who studied other killers to perfect his craft. He methodically buried kill-kits containing his tools of murder years before returning to reclaim them. Viewing the entire country as his hunting grounds, he often flew across the country to distant locations where he would rent a car and drive hundreds or even thousands of miles before randomly selecting his victims. Such were the methods and madness of serial killer Israel Keyes. Such were the demands of the ‘Devil in the Darkness’.
INCLUDES PHOTOS

J.T. Hunter is the bestselling author of “The Vampire Next Door” and “The Country Boy Killer”

ABOUT J T HUNTER

J.T. Hunter is an attorney with over fourteen years of experience practicing law, including criminal law and appeals, and he has significant training in criminal investigation techniques. He is also a college professor in Florida where his teaching interests focus on the intersection of criminal psychology, law, and literature.

Catch Up With J.T. Hunter On:
jthunter.org, Goodreads, BookBub, Twitter, Instagram, & Facebook!

MY J T HUNTER REVIEWS

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.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
I am an Amazon affiliate/product imgaes are linked.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Dark Celebrations by Calvin Demmer @CalvinDemmer

Posted on May 11, 2020 by fundinmental

I have read some of Calvin Demmer’s stories and Dark Celebrations is an anthology that may make you want to party…or not.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Dark Celebrations is not my first foray into Calvin Demmer’s world and I look forward to going wherever he wants to take me in this collection of stories.

I was going to review each story separately, but with Covid -19 around and being cooped up for six weeks now, I find my motivation running a bit empty. So…

I enjoyed all the stories and spending time in the world of horror and the supernatural. Calvin Demmer is skilled at crafting tales that give me the creepy crawlies,making me glad that it is fiction.

Wantta party? The door is open. Come on in. But, lock the doors and turn on the lights.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Dark Celebrations by Calvin Demmer.

GOODREADS BLURB

Each year, people all over the world celebrate special festivals and days, shining light on what they wish to remember and revere. But sometimes, inhabitants of the dark arrive with the desire to disturb proceedings. Dark Celebrations is a collection of twelve short stories… and the holidays will never be the same.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Calvin Demmer is a dark fiction author. His debut collection, The Sea Was a Fair Master, was released in June 2018. When not writing, he is intrigued by that which goes bump in the night and the sciences of our universe.

You can find him online at http://www.calvindemmer.com or follow him on Twitter @CalvinDemmer.

MY CALVIN DEMMER REVIEWS

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’.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Music Monday – Rolling in the Deep by Adele #musicmonday

Posted on May 11, 2020 by fundinmental

Happy Monday everyone and welcome back to Music Monday! Let’s share some songs we’ve been enjoying lately! If you would like to play, and I really hope you do, please see the rules and link up below HERE

Rolling in the Deep was a number one song in 2011.

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!

Happy Mother’s Day

Posted on May 10, 2020 by fundinmental

Image may contain: flower, plant, nature and outdoor

One Sentence Review – Pawned by Laura Bickle @Laura_Bickle

Posted on May 9, 2020 by fundinmental

Pawned is not my first book by Laura Bickle and it won’t be my last.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

Pawned by Laura Bickle is a wonderfully done fantasy of angels and demons, dragons and the mob, and the humans that inhabit a richly developed world, where everything revolves around Raz, his cousin, Carl, and Bert, a demonic lizard, and the magical pawn shop that he lives in, where things are sold and bought, and traded for favors.

GOODREADS BLURB

For fans of Stranger Things and the works of Neil Gaiman, Pawned is a Young Adult novel that blends dark fantasy adventure and noir — on the New Jersey boardwalk.

You can hock almost anything at my family’s pawn shop…even your own soul.

You think running a pawn shop full of cursed objects with your dad and grandpops is cool? Try it for a week and get back to me. Now try picking up any random object and seeing its creeptastic history play out right before your eyes — yup, that’s my little “gift.” It’s my job to sort out what’s haunted and hexed from what’s not, and do my best to keep all of us — including Bert, our ice-cream-truck-driving-lizard demon — employed.

So it wasn’t all sunshine, roses, and possessed samurai swords even before grandpops’ heart attack — but now things are garden-gnome levels of bad. Dad made a deal with the wrong end of the dark side to save grandpops’ life, putting my whole family smack dab between the forces of evil and our friendly local blow-your-pawn-shop-to-smithereens mobsters. And Lily next door…I shouldn’t even be thinking about Lily.

All I ever wanted was to get out of this crap town and away from my messed-up family, and instead it looks like I’m gonna have to use every scrap of magic in this joint or there won’t be any family left to leave behind…

ABOUT LAURA BICKLE

Laura Bickle grew up in rural Ohio, reading entirely too many comic books out loud to her favorite Wonder Woman doll. After graduating with an MA in Sociology – Criminology from Ohio State University and an MLIS in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she patrolled the stacks at the public library and worked with data systems in criminal justice. She now dreams up stories about the monsters under the stairs, also writing contemporary fantasy novels under the name Alayna Williams.

Her work has been included in the ALA’s Amelia Bloomer Project 2013 reading list and the State Library of Ohio’s Choose to Read Ohio reading list for 2015-2016.

Stalk Laura Bickle: Website / Facebook / Twitter

MY LAURA BICKLE REVIEWS

The Dragon’s Playlist

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.
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!

The Kelping by Jan Stinchcomb @janstinchcomb

Posted on May 8, 2020 by fundinmental

The Kelping by Jan Stinchcomb is a quick, entertaining read at 67 pages, so let’s jump in and get the skinny.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Kelping by Jan Stinchcomb is a novella, a quick read at 67 pages.

Just looking at the cover made me want it. Who doesn’t love a mermaid and The Kelping reads like a B movie.

Craig Bo wanted to be Sea King, got to be Sea King….and so much more.

The Kelping is a different kind of mermaid story. Not really a romance, not really humorous, not really suspenseful…hard to describe but a mermaid memoir of a wife, husband, two kids and the life in the beach town of Beachside.

I always enjoy a good mermaid story and finding a new to me author. Good job, Jan.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Kelping by Jan Stinchcomb.

GOODREADS BLURB

Doctor Craig Bo has everything: a perfect wife and children, a thriving dermatology practice, and a house in a lovely coastal town. Nobody is surprised when he is chosen to be the Sea King of Beachside in his hometown’s annual festival.

But after the festival Craig’s world turns upside down. Something starts growing on his skin. His son tells him a story about a sinister mermaid who lives in the attic of the local history museum. And his beautiful wife, Penelope, can no longer hide her dark connection to the sea.

As Craig grapples with his own secrets and misdeeds, he finally understands the woman he married and the plans she has for him.

Book 9 in the Rewind-or-Die series: imagine your local movie rental store back in the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, remember all those fantastic covers. Remember taking those movies home and watching in awe as the stories unfolded in nasty rainbows of gore, remember the atmosphere and textures. Remember the blood.

ABOUT JAN STINCHCOMB

Jan Stinchcomb was born in San Francisco. She has a doctorate in Comparative Literature and has taught at the University of Oregon, Austin Community College and the University of Texas Extension Program. Currently living in Santa Monica, she is a story editor for Paper Darts. She has appeared in The Best Small Fictions 2018 and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, the Best of the Net and the Wigleaf Top 50 Longlist. THE KELPING, a horror novella, can be preordered from Unnerving. THE BLOOD TRAIL, a chapbook of dark fairy tales, is out now from Red Bird Chapbooks. Her novella, FIND THE GIRL, is available through Main Street Rag Publishing.

Website / Twitter