Sherry’s Shelves 4.17 – 4.23.22

Hi Everyone.

Well, I had a busy week. Went to my mother in law’s for Easter.

May be an image of bird and nature
Ruby throated hummingbird. My mother in law has many guests at her feeders.

We went to the Birmingham Stallion’s USFL football game.

May be an image of 4 people, stadium and outdoors
Mr Wonderful, Me, Ashley and Ricky Trull, Mr W’s cousin and his wife, at the Birmingham Stallion USFL football game. I am wearing his 40 year old Stallion jacket and he is wearing his 40 year old hat. A fun time was had by all.

My mother in law prepared a small dinner for Mr Wonderful’s brother, his cousin and us.

She always has nice table decor.

We did some work around the house, had some barbecue, and headed home. On Thursday we went to the Pensacola Blue Wahoo’s minor league baseball game. My brother in law threw out the first pitch.

Here we are on the field with Kazoo.

We always managed to keep ourselves at a distance and wore a mask when necessary, but my stress level was off the charts. I feel even less confident being in direct contact with people, but I am glad to have gotten out. I think it will be easier to be out and about, but I will stay vigilant. Now, I am ready to stay home for a while. I feel tired and I think a lot of it was to do with being around people.

Stay safe and wear a mask..

LAST WEEK ON fundinmental

COMING UP ON fundinmental

  • Sherry’s Shelves
  • Giveaway – Can’t Stop Loving You by Eve Kasey
  • Florida’s Gulf Coast – Fishing The Local Waters by Jim Hoskins
  • Giveaway – Fauxmance by Cookie O’Gorman
  • Giveaway – Bridges by Linda Griffin
  • Giveaway & Review – The Undine’s Tear by Talena Winters
  • Giveaway – Monster Inside by River Starr
  • Tackling The TBR
  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
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  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Tackling The TBR 4.16 – 4.22.22

I got the idea and the motivation to start doing Tackling The TBR from All The Book Blog Names Are Taken. It has helped me to keep track of my reading shelf as far as current events and I also started doing a post for Books From The Backlog, from Carole’s Random Life in Books, to tidy up my shelves. I feel better about my out of control TBR and have even knocked off a couple of those old ones that had been hanging around for years.

COME ON….JOIN IN.

Previous Total: 2136

Currently Reading

The Galston House by Marc Layton is linked to Goodreads

The Galston House
Protected in Darkness (In Darkness #2.5; Special Forces: Operation Alpha)

Books Read

Books Added

Books DNF-ed: 0

Books Deleted: 3

Duplicates Removed: 0

New TBR Total: 2130

  • 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 – Virtual Reality Bites by Ava Wixx @AvaWixx @XpressoTours

Virtual Reality Bites
Ava Wixx
Publication date: April 19th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Science Fiction

What happens when a romance author agrees to test romance tropes in virtual reality?

Following divorce number two, Zoe Woods is jaded, bitter, and unable to write her latest novel. For an author whose brand is all about finding true love, that’s kind of a problem.

Desperate to revive her romantic optimism, Zoe accepts an offer from an unlikely place to beta test virtual reality romance tropes. Unfortunately, Zoe jumps in too fast, and instead of a fun romp in virtual Romancelandia to rekindle her creativity, she finds one debacle after another.

Regretting her choices, Zoe realizes nothing is ever what it seems when it comes to love and romance and fantasy vs real world. The only thing she does know for sure is that virtual reality definitely bites.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

“What the hell is going on?” I danced from foot to foot as if I could keep my private bits blurry by not remaining still. In theory, it could work, but I was pretty sure I’d have to do my little embarrassed jig a lot faster.

Xander cupped the back of his neck, his eyes darting everywhere but on me. “I was getting to this part. To simplify it for you, this is like the setup part of a video game where you get to pick your main outfit for your avatar, gear up, and—”

“I don’t play video games! I’m not you and Adam! Just tell me how to not be naked right now, Xander!” It might have been virtual reality, but I didn’t want to be standing around sans clothes regardless. It simply felt too real, which meant the accompanying mortification was as well.

“Picture yourself in clothes.”

Squeezing my eyes shut, I imagined my favorite comfy jeans and a soft, navy-blue T-shirt.

“Are you doing it?”

“Yes.” I glanced down the length of my still very naked body. “Why isn’t it working, Xander? Are you … you’re punking me, aren’t you? This is like that time you walked in on me when I was getting out of the shower when I was seventeen.” Anger surged through my veins, heating my blood, scorching away all traces of embarrassment. Balling my fists at my sides, I marched toward Xander. “This is not funny. At all. Asshole. And I swear on all that is holy that if you don’t—”

“It’s not my fault!” Xander stumbled back a few steps. “You have full control of this!”

“Then why am I still naked? Huh?”

“I-I don’t … hold on a second.” He pixelized briefly before vanishing.

I spun in a circle. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” I stood there naked and alone, not exactly sure if the alone part was an improvement. “I should have at least gotten a towel,” I grumbled. “Not even romance heroines drip dry straight out of the shower. There’s no way I did this to myself.” I wrung out my hair, the simple act miraculously evaporating all moisture from my tresses. Huh.

Author Bio:

Ava Wixx escaped into books at a young age and decided to stay there. It was only a matter of time before she was driven to create her own fantasy worlds from fear of running out of places to explore. Reader, writer, dreamer … Ava only toils in reality when absolutely necessary. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, and spoiled mini-poodle.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by:
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  • 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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  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

The Spotlight is on Maggie Shayne – Forgotten, The Littlest Cowboy and Twilight Guardians @MaggieShayne

.

I had these freebies by Maggie Shayne sitting on my Kindle. I am confused about Forgotten. I found it on Amazon under Forgotten Vows as a paperback and a cover I didn’t like as well as this. You can check it out for yourself on Amazon. I would love to know what you think because I think this one is fantastic. Though Goodreads has it as a Kindle cover, I couldn’t find a Kindle link.

Forgotten (Shattered Sisters, #2)

MY REVIEW

A serial killer brought them together…Joey rides a Harley, packs a cannon, has two nieces that are cute as a button and Ash, who wants Suzy Homemaker make an unlikely couple, so I found the characters added to the pacing and suspense that kept me flipping the pages.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

The Littlest Cowboy by Maggie Shayne was an Amazon freebie. How cute a cover is that? The Amazon cover is different,but I think this is sooooo darn cute. Check out Amazon and let me know which you like best.

The Littlest Cowboy (The Texas Brands #1)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Not a genre I read a lot of but, I couldn’t resist the cover and the manly family quickly draws me in with the humorous dialogue…smiles, giggles, sweetness…and everything happens quickly in this romance with a hint of danger…one for all and all for one.

“She isn’t a stray dog, Jessi…You can’t just decide to keep her.”

“i’ve already decided. Now all I have to do is convince her she belongs.”

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 stars

Twilight Guardians was another Amazon freebie.

Twilight Guardians (Wings in the Night: Reborn, #1)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The first half or so of the book had me thinking she was a moron, but she was a young naive girl in a hopeless situation with people pulling on her in many directions, and the last half of the book brought it to an action packed, enemies to friends conclusion of this part of her life…making me want to know more.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 stars
  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
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  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Product images are linked/I am an Amazon affiliate.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – Ten Thousand I Love Yous by Lisa Slabach @iReadBookTours @LisaSlabach

 


Join Us for This Tour from March 28 to April 22!

Book Details:

Book Title:  Ten Thousand I Love Yous by Lisa Slabach
Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 303 pages 
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Publisher:  BookBaby
Release date:  February 2022
Content Rating:  PG-13 + M for handful of f-bombs and semi-explicit sex scenes; mature themes discussing sexual mores and adult relations; no abortion, violence or abuse.

Book Description:

In this humorously touching novel by the critically acclaimed author of Degrees of Love, a woman is blindsided when her high school sweetheart abandons her after eighteen years of marriage.

At sixteen, Kimberly Kirby thought the only thing she needed to be perfectly happy was to spend the rest of her life with Jay Braxton. Twenty years later, she still believes it. As they proudly watch their daughter, Haley, graduate from high school, she imagines her life is as perfect as anyone could reasonably expect. Jay is a formidable attorney, she a freelance writer, and their love as strong as ever. With Haley heading to UC Berkeley in the fall, Kimberly fantasizes about making love on the kitchen table. She has no clue that Jay’s bags are already packed.

Now divorced and determined to squelch her love for Jay, she accepts a gig writing a sex and dating blog for divorcees. As the Virgin Dater, she is on the hunt for love. No-strings-attached nights with a sexy fireman and moving to San Francisco are just what she needs to boost her battered ego and mend her shattered heart.

But just as she falls hard for a talented young chef, Jay fights to win her back. Torn between her bold new life and the comfort of Jay’s strong arms, she questions if there is too much to forgive. The ten thousand I love yous that had passed Jay’s lips can’t be dismissed, but nor can her newfound freedom and the knowledge that her happiness doesn’t depend on Jay.

Buy the Book
Amazon ~ Apple
Barnes & Noble ~Target ~ Google
Blackwells.uk
add to goodreads


 

 

Meet the Author:


Ten Thousand I Love Yous is Lisa Slabach’s second novel.

Prior to publication, her first novel, Degrees of Love was recognized as a Best Book of 2014 by Kirkus Review. Degrees of Love made its publishing debuted December 1, 2017 and was nominated for a 2017 Reviewer’s Choice Award by RT Book Reviews.

In addition to writing, Lisa is a Fintech Relationship Executive for a Fortune 500 Company. She is a long-time resident of Northern California and lives with her husband, one-hundred-forty-pound puppy and numerous goldfish. In her free time, she enjoys wine tasting, shopping with her daughters, and cooking in her pink kitchen.


connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ twitter ~ goodread ~ bookbub

Tour Schedule:

Mar 28 –
Working Mommy Journal – book review / giveaway
Mar 28 – Cover Lover Book Review – book review / giveaway
Mar 28 – Kam’s Place – book review
Mar 29 – Sadie’s Spotlight – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Mar 30 – Ravenz Reviewz – book review / author interview / giveaway
Mar 31 –The Phantom Paragrapher – book spotlight / giveaway
Mar 31 – Deborah-Zenha Adams – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Mar 31 – JB’s Bookworms with Brandy Mulder – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
April 5 – My Fictional Oasis – book review / giveaway
April 5 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
April 6 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
April 7 – She Just Loves Books – book review / giveaway
April 8 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
April 8 – Viviana MacKade – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
April 11 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway
April 12 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – book spotlight / giveaway
April 12 – @twilight_reader – book review / giveaway
April 13 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
April 13 – StoreyBook Reviews – book review / giveaway
April 14 – The Page Ladies – book review
April 15 – Bookish Trisha – book review / author interview / giveaway
April 19 –Splashes of Joy – book spotlight / giveaway
April 20 – mysweetenedlifebychix – book review / giveaway
April 20 – Celticlady’s Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
April 21 – My Reading Getaway – book review
April 21 – The Eclectic Review – book review / giveaway
April 22 – Adventurous Jessy – book review / giveaway
April 22 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway

Enter the Giveaway:

TEN THOUSAND I LOVE YOUS Book Tour 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’ 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 – Not Your Child by Lis Angus @Lisangus1 @XpressoTours

Not Your Child by Lis Angus Banner

Not Your Child

by Lis Angus

April 1-30, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Not Your Child by Lis Angus

When Ottawa psychologist and single mother Susan Koss discovers that a strange man has been following her twelve-year-old daughter Maddy, she fears he’s a predator. But it’s worse than that. The man, Daniel Kazan, believes Maddy is his granddaughter, abducted as a baby, and he’s obsessed with getting her back.

Susan insists on a DNA test to disprove Daniel’s claim, but the result is one she can’t understand or explain: it says she’s not Maddy’s mother.

Then Maddy vanishes. Susan’s convinced Daniel has taken her, but he has an alibi, and two searches of his house turn up nothing. The hunt is on—police are on full mobilization, and Susan fears the worst.

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense
Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication Date: April 18, 2022
Number of Pages: 308
ISBN: 978-1-5092-4118-7
Book Links: Amazon.com (Amazon.ca) | Barnes & Noble | AppleBooks | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

As I was putting on my coat, the doorbell rang. I looked out the window.

What the hell?

Daniel Kazan stood on my doorstep.

I went cold. How dare he? I flung open the door. “What are you doing here?” I exploded.

Confronting him, I saw that he was a few inches taller than me, and exuded a tense energy that raised my hackles. He raised his hands, palms out, a placating expression on his face. As if he were trying to calm me down or reassure me.

“I just want to talk to Hannah. I came early to catch her, before she leaves for school.”

I squared my shoulders. “Get out of here! You’ve been told to stay away from us!”

His face was in shadow. “I think it’s fair to want to see Hannah. I’ve waited a long time.”

The guy is nuts. “She’s not Hannah—she’s my daughter. Maddy.”

“You’re keeping her from me.” He was leaning toward me, and I had to keep from falling back. I couldn’t let myself seem weak. If he thought he’d intimidated me, what would be his next move?

My heart pounded. My hands were curled tight, my nails biting into my palms. “Damn right I’m keeping her from you. Now get off my porch before I call the police!”

What if he wouldn’t leave? I should call for help—but my phone was inside, and I didn’t want to leave him on the porch unattended.

***

Excerpt from Not Your Child by Lis Angus. Copyright 2022 by Lis Angus. Reproduced with permission from Lis Angus. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Lis Angus

Lis Angus is a Canadian suspense writer. Early in her career, she worked with children and families in crisis; later she worked as a policy advisor, business writer and editor while raising two daughters. She now lives south of Ottawa with her husband.

Catch Up With Lis:
LisAngus.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @lisangusauthor
Instagram – lisangus459
Twitter – @lisangus1
Facebook – @lisangusauthor

 

 

Tour Participants:

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

 

 

ENTER TO WIN

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Lis Angus. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

  • 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 – Kai The Dancing Butterfly by Crystal Z Lee @iReadBookTours


 

Join Us For This Tour From:  April 11 to April 22 
Book Details:

Book Title:  Kai the Dancing Butterfly by Crystal Z. Lee
Category: Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7), 38 pages
Genre: Children’s Fiction
Publisher: Balestier Press
Publication Date: February 2022.
Content Rating: G
 

Book Description:

Kai and Ami are dancing butterflies from Taiwan! They have a performance coming up at the Winter Festival dance show in the southern part of the island. They are currently in northern Taiwan, so they need to hurry and start flying south. That’s far for a butterfly! Kai is worried about the long journey, and about the big show too. Can Kai step up to the challenge?

Kai the Dancing Butterfly celebrates Taiwan’s natural scenic wonders, amazing animal species, and incredible Indigenous cultures. This children’s book is a marvelous read for all those who love Taiwan, or for those who’d like to learn more about Taiwanese culture. This elaborately illustrated picture book makes an ideal gift:

*Real locations in Taiwan make for an inspiring geography, history and cultural lesson

*Storyline sparks dialogue around empathy, kindness, courage, faith, perseverance, friendship, and the support between siblings

*Exquisite illustrations of Taiwan’s majestic animals and endangered species fosters learning around ecological conservation and habitat protection

BUY THE BOOK:
AMAZON ~ B&N 
IndieBound ~ BAM
add the goodreads

INTERVIEW WITH CRYSTAL Z LEE

Topic: Writing an “Own Voices” Story


Q: What was your inspiration for Kai the Dancing Butterfly? Why butterflies?

A: Taiwan has over 400 species of butterflies, 50 of which are endemic to the island! Taiwan is also home to the beautiful purple crow butterfly population, which makes up one of the planet’s largest butterfly migration overwintering congregation. My children and I adore butterflies, so I was inspired to write a children’s book about this unique butterfly species from Taiwan, where I grew up as a child. The illustrator, Allie Su, was also raised in Taiwan, so this is very much as “own voices” story!

Q: What was your inspiration for the emphasis on Taiwanese Indigenous tribal clothing in the illustrations? 

A: Along with illustrator Allie Su, we researched special Taiwanese Indigenous attire and incorporated them into the story. It’s our hope that this story can shed light on the plight of Indigenous tribes in Taiwan.

Q: Why was writing this book so important or personal for you?

A: I grew up in Taipei and had always dreamt of sharing the beautiful sights and facets of Taiwan in a book. There are some excellent children’s books about Taiwan out on the market right now, but most of them focus on holidays, relatives, or food. I love all of these aspects too, but wanted to highlight Taiwan’s natural scenic wonders and amazing animal species!

Q: Fun facts about Taiwan you’d like to share?

A: -Taiwan is the size of Belgium but has twice as many people.

     -Taiwan ranked as the eighth-strongest democracy in the world, according to the     Economist Intelligence Unit’s new 2021 Democracy Index.

     -Taiwan implements a National Health Insurance program which is considered one of the best universal healthcare systems in the world. 

     -Half a million people in Taiwan identify with a Taiwanese Indigenous tribe.

     -Taiwan is home 400 butterfly species, 50 of which are endemic. 

Q: Favorite Taiwanese films based in Taiwan?

A: Some recent Taiwanese movies I’ve enjoyed: American Girl, Dear Ex, My Missing Valentine.

Q: Tell us about your personal history with Taiwan.

A: My paternal great-grandfather was a journalist in Taiwan who aided the anti-Japanese colonial efforts. My maternal great-grandfather was a school principal in Taichung, and my maternal grandmother was a teacher in Taipei. My maternal grandfather worked at a bank, and his brother was a famous painter who held gallery shows. I grew up hearing all of their stories.

;”>
 

Meet the Author:


Crystal Z. Lee is a bilingual writer who grew up in Taiwan and California. She has called many places home, including Taipei, New York, Shanghai, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Crystal is also the author of the children’s book A Unicorn Named Rin, and the novel, Love and Other Moods. 

connect with the author:  instagram ~ goodreads

Meet the Illustrator:

Allie Su was born and raised in Yunlin county, Taiwan. She attended Nanhua University in Chiayi city, majoring in Visual Arts. She is a professional illustrator, specializing in oil painting and ink painting. 
 
Tour Schedule:

April 11 – Working Mommy Journal – book spotlight / giveaway
April 11 – Cover Lover Book Review – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
April 11 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
April 11 – My Reading Getaway – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
April 12 – Bookworm for Kid – book spotlight / giveaway
April 13 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight / author interview
April 14 – A Mama’s Corner of the World – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
April 18 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
April 19 – Library Lady’s Kid Lit – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
April 20 – GIna Rae Mitchell – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
April 21 – fundinmental – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
April 22 – Writer with Wanderlust – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
April 25 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
April 26 – I’m Into Books – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
April 27 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
April 28 – The Phantom Paragrapher – book spotlight / giveaway
April 29 – Lisa’s Reading – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

Enter the Giveaway:

KIA AND THE DANCING BUTTERFLY Book Tour 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’ 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 – Not Your Child by Lis Angus @Lisangus1 @partnersincr1me

Not Your Child by Lis Angus Banner

Not Your Child

by Lis Angus

April 1-30, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Not Your Child by Lis Angus

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense
Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication Date: April 18, 2022
Number of Pages: 308
ISBN: 978-1-5092-4118-7
Book Links: Amazon.com (Amazon.ca) | Barnes & Noble | AppleBooks | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

As I was putting on my coat, the doorbell rang. I looked out the window.

What the hell?

Daniel Kazan stood on my doorstep.

I went cold. How dare he? I flung open the door. “What are you doing here?” I exploded.

Confronting him, I saw that he was a few inches taller than me, and exuded a tense energy that raised my hackles. He raised his hands, palms out, a placating expression on his face. As if he were trying to calm me down or reassure me.

“I just want to talk to Hannah. I came early to catch her, before she leaves for school.”

I squared my shoulders. “Get out of here! You’ve been told to stay away from us!”

His face was in shadow. “I think it’s fair to want to see Hannah. I’ve waited a long time.”

The guy is nuts. “She’s not Hannah—she’s my daughter. Maddy.”

“You’re keeping her from me.” He was leaning toward me, and I had to keep from falling back. I couldn’t let myself seem weak. If he thought he’d intimidated me, what would be his next move?

My heart pounded. My hands were curled tight, my nails biting into my palms. “Damn right I’m keeping her from you. Now get off my porch before I call the police!”

What if he wouldn’t leave? I should call for help—but my phone was inside, and I didn’t want to leave him on the porch unattended.

***

Excerpt from Not Your Child by Lis Angus. Copyright 2022 by Lis Angus. Reproduced with permission from Lis Angus. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Lis Angus

Lis Angus is a Canadian suspense writer. Early in her career, she worked with children and families in crisis; later she worked as a policy advisor, business writer and editor while raising two daughters. She now lives south of Ottawa with her husband.

Catch Up With Lis:
LisAngus.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @lisangusauthor
Instagram – lisangus459
Twitter – @lisangus1
Facebook – @lisangusauthor

 

 

Tour Participants:

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

 

 

ENTER TO WIN

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Lis Angus. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

  • 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 – Strange Love by T L Bradford @XpressoTours

StrangeLove
T.L. Bradford
Publication date: April 18th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

Archer

The year began great for me.

Became the starting quarterback for an NFL team – check.
Secured a multi-million-dollar contract – check.
Moved to LA and lived the glamorous life – check.

What could possibly cause me any issues?
Oh yeah, one more thing. I’m gay.

I was outed a couple of years ago to my former team and my family, but it hasn’t been made public knowledge yet. Well, that is, until now. I’ll be known as the first LGBTQ+ active player in the league’s history. And if I stick to the conditions of my contract, it won’t be a problem. The thing is, I’m not really a guy known for playing by the rules.

Most people think of my personality as the three B’s: bold, brash, and blunt. My mouth has gotten me into more predicaments than I can count. Even my best friends have told me I’m stubborn as a mule and have the delicacy of a bull in a china shop. This presents a big problem for me because I have my eyes set on winning over the guy who stole my heart years ago, only he doesn’t know it yet.

Getting his attention is going to be challenging. It’s a good thing I’m tenacious.
Unfortunately, it’s not great timing and could get me into a whole mess of trouble.
Why does falling for a guy need to be anyone’s business but mine?

Kai

The past couple of years were a whirlwind of activity. My career took off after my guest shot appearance in Americana. I appeared in a few indie features and finally got a shot at my first major motion picture release. The work came as a great distraction from my personal life, which took a further nosedive after I found out the guy I was falling for had already fallen for someone else.

Why should I be surprised? He was another in a string of failed relationship attempts. I swore I wouldn’t get involved with anyone else, choosing to stay focused on my career instead. That is, until the force of nature known as Archer McMillan came storming into my life.

To be the pursued instead of the pursuer was not in the cards. To top it off, he’s everything I’m not. Yet, there’s something to be said for a guy who can make you laugh when it’s the last thing you want to be doing. I’ll admit he’s got a playful and determined spirit. Archer also has one of the biggest hearts of anyone I’ve ever known. Not the mention the cute way he… Hold on. What am I doing? We cannot be a thing. Nope. Not gonna happen. Ever. Right?

**

Follow Kai and Archer as they cross the lines as friends, partners-in-crime, and confidants, to discover a love beyond boundaries that needs no definition.

(StrangeLove is a funny, heartwarming, slow-burn love story. It contains a cast of fully developed characters that encounter romance, laughter, and life lessons. It contains adult language, mature themes, and is best enjoyed by those over the age of 18. It can be read as a standalone; however, if you would like to know the backstories of some characters, check out the prior books in the series.)

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Peculiarities

He takes the mustard bottle, shakes it up, and then squirts a blob onto the corn dog. He takes a long, leisurely bite.

“How’s the corn dog?”

“It’s pretty good. Do you want a bite?”

“Nah, I’m good. I’ll take some of your fries though.”

He pushes the bag over to me. I dig until I find the ones I want.

He says, “This is why we work. You like the mushy fries on the bottom, and I like the crisp ones. Therefore, no fry goes uneaten.” He pops a big chunky one into his mouth.

“Our quirks work well together.”

“What quirks?”

I stop to stare at him. “You have to admit you have some… peculiarities.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he says indignantly.

“Are you being serious? You have a ton of quirks.”

“I most certainly do not. Name one.”

“Let’s start with the entire hand sanitizer thing.”

“What’s wrong with that? Lots of people use sanitizer.”

“You keep it in your pocket, your car, on the set, the bottles are freakin’ everywhere. It’s amazing you haven’t dissolved your fingerprints yet with that stuff.”

“Fine. I have one quirk.”

I throw up my hands. “Hold on. I’m not done. What about not being able to have your food touch? Your plates have compartments in them.”

“That’s… a justifiable quirk.”

I squint at him. “Is it?”

“Yes.”

Lifting my fingers, I start counting off his issues. “You freak out around animals.”

“I already told you about that one.”

“You’re terrified of glitter.”

“They were tossing that stuff around at Gay Pride Fest, yet they never tell you how harmful it can be to your health.”

I huff. “Were you hospitalized?”

“Yes! It was embedded in my eye. I needed minor surgery to have it removed. That was my first and last Pride.”

I sit back and chuckle.

“I had a bad infection! What’s so damn funny?” he asks me.

“You! You’re so damn high strung, I can’t see how you function.”

“I’m not high strung!”

“Dude, you get anxiety over trying to open those plastic bags in the produce section.”

“It was that one time!”

I bend over, howling at how incredulous he is about his own behavior.

“Are you done?”

“This conversation will never be over.” I hold my stomach and laugh out loud.

Author Bio:

T.L. always hated math, so it was a good thing she had a way with words. Since she was a shy and quirky kid; words were her best friends. She would imagine entire worlds in her head and talk to herself endlessly. Her mother wondered if she was speaking with ghosts for a while.

Her older sister was a voracious reader of trashy romance novels and would pass them down to her after she had finished them. T.L. was the only 10-year-old kid sitting in class reading “The Stud” by Jackie Collins during reading time. Oddly enough, she never got called out on it.

As she grew older, her tastes evolved, but one thing held fast; her undying attachment to love stories. One day out of the blue, she decided to write the love stories she always wanted to read instead of searching for her story. Since then, writing has been a dream fulfilled for her and she could not be happier.

She enjoys writing about love, regardless of gender and is a proud supporter of the LGBTQ community.

T.L. calls the Pacific Northwest her home and enjoys the quiet rural life of her little oceanside home with her playful/crazy husband and their giant dog Noah.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub


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Giveaway – Distorted Perception by Trish Arrowsmith @author_trish @partnersincr1me

Distorted Perception by Trish Arrowsmith Banner

Distorted Perception

by Trish Arrowsmith

March 28 – April 29, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Distorted Perception by Trish Arrowsmith

At twenty-six years of age, Kathleen has almost everything she needs: a fulfilling teaching career, a new car, and a recently purchased home. She dedicates her free time to her students, supporting them in a manner she never had growing up. Her days are filled with love and hope, but her nights are empty without a family to call her own. While spectating the first home baseball game of the season, she meets a man that she believes will change her evenings in the best possible way. With no children of his own, he committed his free time to bringing his young nephew to watch the game, hoping to encourage him to play. Kathleen is immediately drawn to him and sees him as a true family man.

Maxwell is handsome, successful, and charming. When he proposes marriage shortly after they begin dating, Kathleen is eager to accept as the desire to start her own family consumes her. Within months of their marriage, Maxwell’s sweet, doting personality gives way to a more sinister, controlling side. Kathleen quickly realizes that while she was looking for a partner, Maxwell was looking for someone who existed solely to fulfill his needs.

When he suggests a move to the country, Kathleen is hesitant to leave her job but believes the change of atmosphere will be an opportunity to bring them closer together. She soon realizes the isolation of the countryside only serves to enhance his power over her. It doesn’t take long for her to learn the devastating truth of who her husband really is, and she finds herself left with two choices: She can try to escape and hope he doesn’t find her, or she can stay and fight the battle in which all odds are against her.

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense, Domestic Suspense, Drama
Published by: Trish Arrowsmith Author
Publication Date: February 24, 2022
Number of Pages: 276
ISBN: 9781736755952
Purchase Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

He reached out and grabbed her hand like he used to when they were dating. “We’re moving. Next week.”

“What?” Kathleen cried. “What do you mean we’re moving?” She pulled her hand from his.

“We’re moving to the country. I bought us a house out there.”

Kathleen went from being the happiest she had been in a long time to livid in a matter of seconds. Her whole body begin to shake. “We can’t move next week, Maxwell. I own this house. I’ll need to clean it and put it up for sale. It could take months.”

“Already taken care of, beautiful. You don’t need to worry about a thing.”

She cringed at his choice of the word ‘beautiful.’ “It’s going to take me weeks just to pack everything.” She sounded like she was whining but she didn’t care, this was a huge decision he made for both of them without consulting her. He had never even mentioned a desire to move, and certainly not to the country. She had never been outside the suburbs of the city. She was already feeling lonely and now she would really be by herself.

“No need to worry. I hired movers. They’ll be here Tuesday.”

“Tuesday? Like five days from now?”

Maxwell laughed. “Well, yes. What did you think I meant when I said next week?” He continued eating his dinner like this was a normal conversation they would have on any given day.

Kathleen had lost her appetite. She slid her plate away from her and shook her head. She was upset that she hadn’t gotten to tell Maxwell her news. She wanted to make it a joyous occasion for them both and it had completely lost its appeal. At least for now. She got up and left the table without eating any more. She needed some time away to process what he told her.

She stood in the bathroom for five minutes fighting back tears before she went to stand in the doorway of the kitchen. She leaned against the frame with her arms crossed. “What do you mean it’s already taken care of? Did you sell my house? How is that even possible?”

Maxwell’s eyes rolled toward the ceiling. After all this time she still didn’t seem to get it. Her naivety both humored and annoyed him. “You seem to forget rather easily that I’m a lawyer. There are so many things that I can do, so many things that I have access to, it would make your head spin. And yes, to answer your question, I did sell it. Got a pretty penny for it, too.” He smirked at her. “Did you make any dessert?”

Kathleen was furious that he had managed to sell her house without her knowing about it. She was sure his job gave him access to information like that, but it didn’t mean he had to abuse the privilege. How did he even know she bought the house outright, maybe she had inherited it from her grandmother or bought it from someone else in her family? She didn’t, of course, and she guessed he had access to that information as well, but this was the first house she had ever owned. She was proud of her little house. And considering it was hers, she would have liked to have some say in selling it. She decided now was not the time to ask him for specific details, but eventually she wanted to know why he sold it and how much he got for it.

She dropped a plate with a slice of Boston crème cake in front of him. The fork rattled and bounced from the plate to the table. Kathleen crossed her arms over her chest again and stared at him. “I know you have access to a lot of information but how did you manage to sell my house without my consent?”

Maxwell straightened his posture, he pulled back his shoulders, puffed up his chest, and smiled so wide it made Kathleen want to slap it off his face. “As a lawyer, I should advise you to read all forms and documents thoroughly before you sign them.”

Kathleen squinted and shook her head. “But I never…”

Maxwell howled with laughter as he watched the realization hit her.

Her mouth hung open and she sighed with shame. “Our wedding day.” Her arms dropped to her sides; her head fell forward.

He nodded his head and shoved a fork full of cake into his mouth. “What’s yours’ is mine.”

***

Excerpt from Distorted Perception by Trish Arrowsmith. Copyright 2022 by Trish Arrowsmith. Reproduced with permission from Trish Arrowsmith. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Trish Arrowsmith

Trish recently moved across the country where she found her forever home, enjoying the desert sunshine and wildlife all year long. She was born and raised in a small town in northern Connecticut. Growing up, she was always fascinated by unsolved mysteries and true crime as well as the psychological elements behind them. As an avid reader, her go to books are thrillers, suspense, and true crime.

Catch Up With Trish Arrowsmith:
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Instagram – @trisharrowsmithauthor
Twitter – @author_trish
Facebook – @TrishArrowsmithAuthor

 

 

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