Author Archives: fundinmental

Giveaway – Thunderstruck by Wren Michaels @AuthorWren @XpressoTours

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Thunderstruck
Wren Michaels
(The Thunderbird Brotherhood, #1)
Publication date: March 10th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Reseda Juarez is dead. Though she functions as a human, inside she’s an emotionless weapon, trapped between the living and the undead. Cold and unrelenting, she’s used as a super-soldier by the government in a special task force to hunt preternatural beings to the brink of extinction.

One night, five years ago, Kane killed an innocent and his brother lost the love of his life. The aftermath forces Kane to become the alpha of the legendary Thunderbirds. He now must protect what’s left of his family from the tribe of wolf shifters who ripped them apart.

When Reseda’s mother is bitten by a wolf, she and Kane are forced to work together to find the Mayan Pul Yah stone to heal her—the same stone that gifted Reseda to the life she now lives. But the journey is riddled with more than wolves, also searching for the stone. Something strange happens to their powers when they’re together, and they struggle to fight the intense attraction between them. The deeper they go, the more secrets unravel, until love is the only thing that can defeat an enemy no one saw coming.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Kane turned, thrusting his hands in the air. “I don’t even know who this Reseda is. How am I supposed to find her?”

“I’m sure I have a picture of her around here somewhere. But it’s quite old. She must be in her twenties by now.” Maquinna pressed the last of the herbs into the open wounds along Glenda’s arm and a phone slipped out of her apron pocket, crashing to the floor. The screen flashed with Reseda’s name.

“So, I’m just supposed to shout her name into the woods or something? I’ve got nothing to go on.” Kane stilled. Hair along his arms danced on an electric wave humming in the air around him. Closing his eyes, he inhaled a slow breath.

Adrenaline? No.

Sweat? No.

A scent he’d never encountered before, crisp and pure. Not fear, not heat, nor blood. Yet something distinctly feminine, clouded by wolf.

Kane shot out of the house in a blur. Following the scent, he kicked up speed as he dodged the enormous redwood trunks. The smell of rage and blood lust covered the faint scent of the female. The wolves had closed in on whoever it was. Triumphant howls rang out from the forest floor, and Kane zeroed in on the sounds.

Hair, long and dark as midnight, shone beneath the shimmer of moonlight as he caught sight of her. The same four wolves that he rescued Glenda from now chased this female, Castos out in front. She glanced over her shoulder, and for a moment Kane swore he caught a smile on her face before terror flickered in her eyes and she turned back around, increasing her sprint.

The thought disturbed and distracted him. He didn’t have time to transform into the Thunderbird as he caught up to one of the wolves. Continuing his chase, he stiffened his forearms and the edges of his tattoos lit up. A streak of lightning flashed from the ink, splitting the wolves’ path down the middle, singing the paws of two as they flipped over, rolling down the rim floor.

Castos glanced behind him. His yellow eyes pulsed blood-red as he released an ear-splitting howl catching sight of Kane. The wolf launched himself into the air, toppling the female to the ground. Kane leaped headfirst for the other wolf, barreling him to the Earth in a plume of dirt and pine needles. He gripped the creature by the head and twisted it in his hands, snapping its neck.

Castos walked around the female face down in the dirt, glaring at Kane from a distance. “You’ve now made yourself a true enemy, Kane. This was not your business.”

“What happens on my land is my business, Castos. Let the girl go.”

Castos howled with laughter. “You sound an awful lot like your father. Those same words got him killed.”

Rage boiled beneath Kane’s skin. Curling his fingers into his palm, the edges of his tattoos once again lit, brighter than before as he channeled everything into his powers. Something blurred to his right, and Kane snapped his focus to find the source of it. Castos released a whimpering growl as he flew through the air, soaring over Kane’s head, landing in a puff of dirt behind him on his back.

Kane whipped his head back to the girl. She stood facing him, bathed in moonlight, arms thrust forward ready to attack. The most intense and haunting blue eyes he’d ever seen flickered between the rays of light and darkness shadowing her face. Kane scrambled up from the ground to a stance, glancing back to where Castos landed, only to find him gone.

He turned back to the girl. “Are you hurt?”

“Are you?” She cocked her head, slanting a hip to the side.

He couldn’t tell if she was confused or teasing. “What kind of question is that?” Why would she ask if he was okay? He was the one saving her. Did she completely miss where he took out three of the four wolves?

“A valid one. I don’t know what happened to the other two, but I saw you tussling with Gage. He’s no easy match. That was Castos’ number one. So, again, are you hurt?” she asked.

“You’re on a first name basis with the wolves?” He sniffed the air around her, stepping closer. “You don’t smell like a wolf.”

“Chanel. It hides everything.” She circled in turn with his steps around her. “But no, of course I’m not a wolf. Thanks for the insult.”

He stifled a laugh. “Many pardons, ma’am.”

“Ma’am? Do I look that old?” Her lips fell into a pout. “It’s the moonlight, isn’t it? And the fact that I forgot to moisturize this morning.”

Kane cocked a brow. Who the hell was this girl making jokes moments after being savagely attacked by not only wolves, but the Alpha? She looked far from old. Dark hair that could rival the finest silk draped her shoulders, almost as long as his own. Olive skin that shone flawless under the light of the full moon was only put to shame by those stunning eyes.

Kane stepped back. “No. That’s not what I meant.”

“You hesitated. I do. I look old.” Her shoulders slumped as she folded her arms. “I’m too young to use night cream.”

Kane shook his head. “What the hell are you talking about? You just got jumped by a pack of wolves and you’re worried about wrinkles?”

Author Bio:

Wren hails from the frozen tundra of Wisconsin where beer and cheese are their own food groups. But a cowboy swept her off her feet and carried her to Texas, where she promptly lost all tolerance for cold and snow. Fueled by coffee, dreams, and men in kilts, Wren promises to bring you laughter, heart-fluttering romance, and action that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

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Giveaway – Body and Soul Food by Abby Collette @dollycas @AbbyVandiver

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Body and Soul Food (A Books & Biscuits Mystery) by Abby Collette

About Body and Soul Food


Body and Soul Food (A Books & Biscuits Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Timber Lake, Washington (Near Seattle)
Berkley (November 9, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593336178
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593336175
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08YWW1DCH

In this page-turning new mystery series, fraternal twins Keaton and Koby will pull double duty when they take down a killer while preparing to open their new bookstore and soul-food café, Books & Biscuits.

When Koby Hill and Keaton Rutledge were orphaned at age two, they were separated, but their unbreakable connection lingered. Years later, they reunite and decide to make up for lost time and capitalize on their shared interests by opening up a well-stocked bookstore and cozy soul-food café in the quaint Pacific Northwest town of Timber Lake. But this new chapter of their lives could end on a cliffhanger after Koby’s foster brother is found murdered.

The murder, which occurred in public between light-rail stops, seems impossible for the police to solve. But as Keaton and Koby know, two heads are always better than one, especially when it comes to mysteries. With just a week to go before the grand opening of their new café, the twins will use their revitalized connection with each other to make sure this is the killer’s final page.

About Abby Collette

Wall Street Journal bestselling author Abby Collette loves a good mystery. She was born and raised in Cleveland, and it’s a mystery even to her why she hasn’t yet moved to a warmer place. As Abby Collette, she is the author of the Ice Cream Parlor mystery series, about a millennial MBA-holding granddaughter running a family-owned ice cream shop in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and the  Books & Biscuits mystery series, starring a set of fraternal twins who reunite and open a bookstore and soul food café. Writing as Abby L. Vandiver, she is the author of the Logan Dickerson Mysteries, featuring a second-generation archaeologist and a nonagenarian, as well as the Romaine Wilder Mysteries, pairing an East Texas medical examiner and her feisty, funeral-home-owning auntie as sleuths. Abby spends her time writing, facilitating writing workshops at local libraries and hanging out with her grandchildren, each of whom are her favorite.

Author Links – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram– Website – 

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound –  Alibris – Penguin Random House

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Sherry’s Shelves – 3.6 – 3.12.22 #stackingtheshelves #thesundaypost #thesundaysalon

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Hi Everyone. It has been a quiet week. Mr Wonderful worked some freelance, we cleaned the pool, though it is full of leaves again. We had some great weather, but rain has moved in. We are supposed to have some severe weather in the next day or two, but that is normal for this time of year. Time to hunker down, binge on Below Deck and watch some of The Players Tournament, that is having lots of weather too.

Stay safe and wear a mask..

LAST WEEK ON fundinmental

COMING UP ON fundinmental

  • Sherry’s Shelves
  • Giveaway – Thunderstruck by Wren Michaels
  • Music Monday
  • Review – Whodunit – A House Of Ruin by Pamela Crane
  • Review – Unicorn Island by Donna Galanti
  • Giveaway – Deadly Broadcast by Kate Parker
  • Review – Protecting You by Amanda Siegrist
  • Giveaway – The Abdication by Justin Newland
  • Giveaway – Some Days by J L Lora
  • Books From The Backlog
  • Giveaway – Dead Amid The Dogwoods by Cassidy Salem
  • Tackling The TBR
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Tackling The TBR – 3.5 – 3.11.22

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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: 2158

Currently Reading

Shade and the Crystal Orb (Shade Series, #6)

Books Read

Future Tense by Michaelbrent Collings is linked to Goodreads. Expected publication date 3.23.22. It is a collection of short stories and a novella, showcasing the beginning of the Stranger series, which is fantastic.f I will read anything Michaelbrent writes!

Future Tense: Tales of Apocalyptic Vision

Books Added

Books DNF-ed: 0

Books Deleted: 3

Duplicates Removed: 0

New TBR Total: 2154

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Vice & Virtue by Justin M Kiska @JustinKiska @partnersincr1me

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Vice & Virtue by Justin M. Kiska Banner

Vice & Virtue

by Justin M. Kiska

February 14 – March 11, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Vice & Virtue (Parker City Mystery #2)

SYNOPSIS

Parker City, 1984…

Three years after the Spring Strangler case rocked the historic Western Maryland city nestled at the foot of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, life has returned to normal for Detective Ben Winters and his partner, Tommy Mason. With a new chief now leading the department and the city slowly crawling out of its economic distress, everything seems to be moving in the right direction. Until one sweltering summer day, a killer begins targeting police officers. Ben and Tommy find themselves once again leading an investigation the likes of which Parker City has never seen. The detectives quickly come to realize that until the shooter is found, everyone wearing a badge is in danger. To complicate matters even further, when a recently unearthed skeleton mysteriously connects to the string of police homicides, Ben and Tommy begin to think their current case may be tied to events twenty years earlier. But how could a skeleton buried two decades ago hold the key to solving their current case?

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: February 15, 2022
Number of Pages: 288
ISBN: 978-1-68512-069-6
Series:Parker City Mysteries, #2 || Each book is a stand alone novel.
Purchase Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Tall and athletic, Tommy Mason always reminded Ben of Tom Selleck’s Magnum P.I. character from television. Tommy always had that whole ruggedly handsome thing going for him. Mixed with a little bit of a “bad boy” vibe and he drove the women wild.

Next to Ben’s clean-cut, buttoned-down appearance, their pairing caused many to do a doubletake. At first glance, they appeared to be complete opposites. But as one got to know them, they were very much alike. Each brought out the best in the other and at the end of the day, it was all about getting the job done. Sure, each had his own style, but that’s what made them such a formidable team.

Tommy’s apparent willingness to skirt the rules was always offset by Ben’s ability to find ways to use the rules to their benefit. Just as Ben’s refusal to play the internal politics game allowed Tommy to use his charm to keep too many feathers from getting ruffled amongst the powers-that-be. They each knew the other’s strengths and weaknesses and how to adapt them to their own, which is why they’d been so impressive in getting the PCPD’s Detective Squad off the ground.

“What are you doing here?” Ben asked, more than a little surprised to see his partner.

“Shirley from Dispatch called me. She thought I’d be interested,” Tommy explained. “And before you say anything about what I’m wearing, I just want to remind you, it is our day off, so I didn’t think I needed to get dressed up to come to a potential crime scene. Especially when we don’t actually know this is a crime scene yet.”

He was referring to the fact he had on a T-shirt and comfortable pair of jeans, as opposed to the full suit and tie Ben was wearing.

“Besides, now you don’t have to worry about getting your fancy suit muddy. I have no problems getting down there in the dirt,” Tommy smiled, pointing at the fresh mud stains on his knees. With that, he knelt back down to take another look at the exposed skeletal remains under the floorboards.

“So, tell me. What do we have?” Ben asked, crouching next to Tommy so he could get a better look.

“You can see there’s a pretty big cavity here under this part of the floor,” Tommy pointed out. “It’s got to be a good ten by ten area where the ground has been eaten away, even though it’s not too deep, less than a foot in some places. It’s definitely because of water…there’s a lot of mud down there. As the earth under the floor eroded, it uncovered the skeleton. Partway, at least. Of course, no one could see what was happening under here until our friend Mr. Haggarty had the unfortunate experience of stepping on a board that was rotted through and it snapped, sending him falling through the floor. You can see where he landed in the mud.

“And right there,” Tommy pointed, “you see the skull and top portion of the skeleton sticking out of the ground.”

“You came face-to-face with that thing, man?” Tommy looked over at the construction worker who was leaning against the wall. “Not a good way to start the day.”

“Yeah. You’re telling me,” Haggarty answered.

Turning back to the skeleton, Tommy said, “I’m no expert, but that hole in the skull right there…see it, it looks like it could be a GSW from a pretty heavy caliber gun.”

Leaning down and twisting his head so he could try and get a better look at the skull, Ben saw the hole and wondered if his partner was right. Finding a skeleton buried under the floor was one thing. Finding a skeleton buried under the floor with a bullet hole in its skull was something else. It took everything to a different level.

Standing and stretching their legs, Tommy said, “When Shirley first called me, I thought this was going to have been some kind of prank. Some kids snuck into the site on a dare and left a skeleton for the crew to find.”

“You thought kids somehow buried a skeleton under this building in the hopes someone would fall through the floor and find it?” Ben asked, raising an eyebrow. “Not to mention having to figure out how to bury the thing under the floor?”

“In my defense,” Tommy started, raising a finger and shaking it at his partner, “I didn’t know the skeleton was buried under the warehouse. I just knew they’d found a skeleton at the warehouse.”

The first thing that needed to happen was to get the skeleton out of the ground. That would be up to the crime scene techs. Even though he could easily reach in and pull the skull out to get a better look, Ben didn’t want to disturb anything more than it already had been when Lance Haggarty crashed through the floor. Thankfully, he hadn’t actually landed on the skull itself.

“So much for our day off,” Ben said, looking at his watch, wondering where the crime scene guys were.

***

Excerpt from Vice & Virtue by Justin M. Kiska. Copyright 2022 by Justin M. Kiska. Reproduced with permission from Justin M. Kiska. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Justin M. Kiska

When not sitting in his library devising new and clever ways to kill people (for his mysteries), Justin can usually be found at The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre, outside of Washington, DC, where he is one of the owners and producers. In addition to writing the Parker City Mysteries Series, he is also the mastermind behind Marquee Mysteries, a series of interactive mystery events he has been writing and producing for over fifteen years. Justin and his wife, Jessica, live along Lake Linganore outside of Frederick, Maryland.

Catch Up With Our Author:
JustinKiska.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @JMKiska
Twitter – @JustinKiska
Facebook – @JMKiska

 

 

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Giveaway – Hippie Wagon Homicide by Mildred Abbott @MAcozymystery

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Hippie Wagon Homicide (Twister Sisters Mysteries) by Mildred Abbott

About Hippie Wagon Homicide


Hippie Wagon Homicide (Twister Sisters Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Small farming/tourist town in the Missouri Ozarks
Wings of Ink Publications, LLC (February 1, 2022)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 474 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8408091980
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 626 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8795278049
Digital Print length ‏ : ‎ 476 pages
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09K4ZPZ93

Cordelia Davis lives with no regrets, despite her life changing drastically a half century ago when a tornado altered the destiny of the little Ozark town of Willow Lane. The town grew back stronger and more beautiful, and Cordelia, her sister, Pamela, and her best friend, Wanda, built a life to treasure.

As Willow Lane honors the memory of those lost and celebrates all that has been achieved, tragedy refuses to remain in the past. News of murder rocks the pastoral countryside when Cordelia discovers a body on her farm, beneath her beloved willow tree. And while the police make an immediate arrest, Cordelia finds herself untangling a web of lies and long-ago secrets.

With suspects in every nook of her cozy town—and an old flame knocking on her door—it will take all Cordelia’s tenacity to face the past and to weather the mysteries of Willow Lane.

About Mildred Abbott

Preoccupied with everything found in cozy mysteries: Puppies, Books, Cozy Mountain Towns, and Baked Goods.  Although not obsessed with murder, however. At least not in real life (No contract killing here). But since childhood, starting with Nancy Drew, trying to figure out who-dun-it has played a formative role in everyday life.  Author of the Cozy Corgi series and the Twister Sister series.

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Frozen In Time – Girl In Ice by Erica Ferencik @EricaFerencik #GirlInIce #NetGalley

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.

LOVE LOVE LOVE that cover and the title is a perfect fit, or is it the other way around?

I wonder which came first, the title or the cover?

Girl in Ice

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

First off, I would like to thank Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Girl In Ice by Erica Ferencik. It blew me away. I loved everything about it, from the title, to the cover, to the story inside.

The Girl In Ice was thawed out by the research team studying climate change on an island off the coast of Greenland. The Arctic Circle…I can’t imagine being there at any time, let alone when danger lurks. Where will it come from? I figured it out pretty quick, but I could not be certain. Didn’t matter anyway. The writing kept me glued to the pages.

Valerie ‘Val’ Chesterfield was already somewhat acquainted with the research being carried out. Her brother, Andy, had been a part of it…until he was found outside, frozen. Well, that makes me very suspicious. When the Girl In Ice was found and no one could understand her, Val, being a linguist who specialized in Nordic languages, was called in to help. She didn’t believe the story about her brother, so now she can find out for herself what really happened.

The Girl In Ice is desperately trying to communicate with them.

I love when an author can include things that interest me, like climate change. It makes the story more believable, except for the girl in the ice coming to life. I don’t think I can believe that could happen, but hey, there are those that believe in cryogenics, so…….

I watched Val grow, change, develop into an strong, independent, loyal person that has yet to find her place in the world, but happy to be in it.

The world building was so realistically created that I almost believed I could feel the cold, hear the snow squeaking under my feet, and it made me wonder…about what research Erica Ferencik did. Her detailed descriptions allowed her to paint so vividly with words an environment so harsh, otherworldly…and I was lost in it.

A sense of danger arose early and hung on every page. I had a feeling about some things that come to pass, but Erica Ferencik supplied plenty of book surprises to keep me on my toes. I ignored everything around me, except coffee and restroom breaks. I read hundreds of books a year, so that is not any easy thing to do.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Girl In Ice by Erica Ferencik.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From the author of The River at Night and Into the Jungle comes a harrowing new thriller set in the unforgiving landscape of the Arctic Circle, as a brilliant linguist struggling to understand the apparent suicide of her twin brother ventures hundreds of miles north to try to communicate with a young girl who has thawed from the ice alive.

Valerie “Val” Chesterfield is a linguist trained in the most esoteric of disciplines: dead Nordic languages. Despite her successful career, she leads a sheltered life and languishes in the shadow of her twin brother Andy, an accomplished climate scientist stationed on a remote island off Greenland’s barren coast. But Andy is gone: a victim of suicide, having willfully ventured unprotected into 50 degree below zero weather. Val is inconsolable—and disbelieving. She suspects foul play.

When Wyatt, Andy’s fellow researcher in the Arctic, discovers a scientific impossibility­—a young girl frozen in the ice who thaws out alive, speaking a language no one understands—Val is his first call. Will she travel to the frozen North and meet this girl, try to comprehend what she is so passionately trying to communicate? Under the auspices of helping Wyatt interpret the girl’s speech, Val musters every ounce of her courage and journeys to the Artic to solve the mystery of her brother’s death.

The moment she steps off the plane, her fear threatens to overwhelm her. The landscape is fierce, and Wyatt, brilliant but difficult, is an enigma. But the girl is special, and Val’s connection with her is profound. Only something is terribly wrong; the child is sick, maybe dying, and the key to saving her lies in discovering the truth about Wyatt’s research. Can his data be trusted? And does it have anything to do with how and why Val’s brother died? With time running out, Val embarks on an incredible frozen odyssey—led by the unlikeliest of guides—to rescue the new family she has found in the most unexpected of places.

ABOUT ERICA FERENCIK

Erica Ferencik

Oprah chose Erica Ferencik’s debut novel, The River at Night as a #1 Pick, calling the book “the page-turning novel you’ve been waiting for, a heart-pounding debut.” Entertainment Weekly named it a “Must Read,” and calls the novel “harrowing…a visceral, white knuckle rush.” Miramax has recently optioned the novel for a film.
Her new novel, Into the Jungle, one woman’s terrifying journey of survival in the Bolivian Amazon, will be released on May 28, 2019. Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review, calling it: “[A] ferocious fever dream of a thriller…Ferencik delivers an alternately terrifying and exhilarating tale.” Her work has appeared in Salon and The Boston Globe, as well as on National Public Radio.

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Giveaway – The Gingerbread Curse by April Marcom @AprilMarcom @GoddessFish

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The colors on the cover for The Gingerbread Curse by April Marcom sure caught my eye and made me curious…and Run, run as fast as you can. The moment you stop, you’re a dead man…what the hell is that all about? LOL

Amazon

The Gingerbread Curse by April Marcom

GENRE:   Fantasy/Fairy Tale

BLURB

All her life, Falon’s grandfather told her the age-old tale of ‘The Gingerbread Man’. Even as a teenager, she’d fallen asleep to his favorite bedtime story, a special tradition she knew she’d never outgrow.  However, when he makes a dying wish, asking her to visit a secret underground world of magic to rescue the best friend he left behind fifty years ago, the tale begins to come to life.

Setting out with her self-obsessed cousin and a cure for the magicked man with skin like gingerbread, she finds herself tangled within an adventure nothing like the story her grandfather always told.

Once having found the long lost man of her grandfather’s youth, her only hope of ever returning home, or even surviving his world, lies in the talons of a deadly hybrid she scarcely trusts. Together they must face the animals taken from the children’s tale and magicked into monsters, a man who can move mountains who is bent on killing them all, and a labyrinth rumored to have never allowed a survivor.

AUTHOR GUEST POST

I am usually attracted to a book, first and foremost, by its cover. So, whenever I get the chance to have an author share firsthand their thoughts, and here is what April Marcom had to say:

Topic: Discuss your cover — how it came to be, what it represents, what you love or don’t love about it, etc.  Anything you’d like to share about it.

It’s been so many years, it’s hard to remember exactly what ideas or descriptions I sent to 5 Prince Publishing in the book cover request form. I’m sure I described the magical underground world and the poisonous, deadly maze Falon has to travel through for most of the story. But the cover came out great. It’s an underground image with Falon running toward the gold pool of immortality, taken from a scene early in the story. I love the ‘catch phrase’ of sorts printed across the top of the cover: “Run, run as fast as you can. The moment you stop, you’re a dead man.” My favorite part has got to be the beautiful gold lettering of the book’s title, though. 5 Prince Publishing always makes amazing book covers! They capture the story in one shot beautifully. 

A thrill shot through me as I approached the spectacular tree. Something wonderful was about to happen, or something I might very well regret for the rest of my life. Either way, I was simply too hungry, and there was too much time ahead of me with no food, to have a choice in eating it or not…

I stared at all the tear drops. None stood out especially. The ones closer to the trunk of the tree were the biggest. My appetite was pushing me in their direction. I followed one of the branches inward, wondering if a larger crystal meant a stronger ability. No amount of time trying to decide which one would make any difference. And part of me was terribly excited to discover which of Sierra’s ‘gifts’ I was about to inherit.

The leaves twinkled and sparkled against one another. I reached out for the largest one in sight, wondering if it might give me fearlessness or musical ability or wisdom beyond my years, but stopped at the last moment when I noticed the one hanging just above it. Frost-like patterns etched over the higher crystal created a perfect calligraphy F. It was as if my name was written on it. This was the one.

I reached out with both hands and cupped them around the leaf, catching nearly every purple petal. They had a chill to them, and felt damp as if they’d been painted with fresh morning dew. The rest liquefied, one by one, as they hit the ground.

Cautiously, I ate one petal. The sweet burst that erupted like grape juice inside my mouth was so delightful, I ate the rest without restraint.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

April Marcom works as a Pre-K teacher’s assistant, but her true passion is writing. When she’s not teaching or creating stories, she’s enjoying the country life with her car-obsessed husband and three fabulous children. She also enjoys rainy days, traveling, and her very rowdy dogs. April grew up a southern bell in Mississippi, but is now a proud Oklahoman.

Website / Twitter

Buy links: Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Apple

The book will be $0.99.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour HERE.

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Giveaway & Review – From Caterpillars to Butterflies by Raynelda A. Calderon @iReadBookTours

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Join Us for this Tour:  March 1 to March 21, 2022
Book Details:

Book Title:  The Mirabal Sisters: From Caterpillars to Butterflies by Raynelda A. Calderon
Category:  Children’s Non-Fiction (Ages 8-12)
Genre:  Children’s Book
Publisher:  Cayena Press, Inc., 48 pages
Release date:   March 2022
Content Rating:  G.  Suitable for all readers.

MY REVIEW

The Mirabel Sisters is a wonderfully illustrated look into a moment in time in the Dominican Republic during the rule of the dictator, Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. Because of these sisters, November 25th was declared International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in their honor.

Kudos to these brave ladies, and those that supported them. I am happy to share their story and the courage they showed. The book and illustrations work together to tell their inspirational story.

The sisters were just people, people who loved to read, paint, worked in the family store, and, even though the youngest, Dede, was not killed, she was left to raise the children and tell their story. They are the true definition of heroes, which I feel is bandied around all too easily nowadays.

Recommended age group: Grades 4 – 6, Ages 8 – 12. The MIrabel Sisters would be a great addition to any library.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Mirabel Sisters by Raynelda A Calderon.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars
 
 

 

Book Description:

Born in a small town in the Dominican Republic, the Mirabal sisters lived at a time when the country was under the merciless rule of a dictatorship. Their deaths on November 25, 1960 (at ages 36, 34, and 25), have received international coverage. In their honor, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is observed annually on November 25.

 Buy the Book:
Amazon
add to goodreads

Meet the Author:

Raynelda A. Calderón, a Dominican native who lives in Queens, NY, is a children’s book author who has worked in public libraries for more than 15 years. She holds a doctorate in leadership in higher education, and she has taught Information Literacy at various colleges, most recently at Bronx Community College. As a librarian, working with children inspires Raynelda to write about the accomplishments of Hispanic women in history. She hopes to inspire young readers to follow their passions and never take no for an answer. Raynelda is the creator of the first Hispanic Heritage wall calendar that honors the accomplishments of Hispanic Americans in the United States. She lives with an untamed Shih Tzu, Toby, and a much attached Chihuahua, Maya. She spends her free time thinking (and drafting) about books to write, or painting, crocheting, or crying over abused dogs.

connect with the author: author’s website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads 
 
Tour Schedule:

Mar 1 – Cover Lover Book Review – book review / giveaway
Mar 1 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Mar 1 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight
Mar 2 – Bound 4 Escape – book review / giveaway
Mar 2 – Lynchburg Reads – book review / guest post / giveaway
Mar 3 – Splashes of Joy – book review / giveaway
Mar 3 – A Mama’s Corner of the World – book review / guest post / giveaway  
Mar 3 – Deborah-Zenha Adams – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Mar 7 – Sefina Hawke’s Books – book spotlight
Mar 8 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Mar 9 – fundinmental – book review / giveaway
Mar 10 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Mar 11 – Westveil Publishing – book spotlight /guest post / giveaway
Mar 14 – Books for Books – book spotlight
Mar 15 – bujos_n_books – book review / giveaway
Mar 16 – Pause for Tales – book review / giveaway
Mar 17 – @twilight_reader – book review
Mar 18 – Lamon Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Mar 21 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway

Enter the Giveaway:

The Mirabal Sisters: From Caterpillars to Butterflies 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 – Nova’s Blade by Will SciFi @willscifi @iReadBookTours

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Join Us For This Tour From:  February 21 to March 11
Book Details:

Book Title:  Nova’s Blade: A Young Adult Dystopian Cyberpunk by Will Scifi
Category: YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 346 pages
Genre: YA Fiction (Ages 13-17)
Publisher: Will Scifi
Publication Date: February 1st 2022.
Content Rating: PG-13 + M: So there are no curse words or sex scenes in the book. There is violence such as people getting stabbed, limbs cut off, head cut off. There is a mention of an abortion in it, no depiction of it. No suicides’, but talks about it as well.
 

Book Description:

THIRTY-TWO WOMEN. ONE ARENA. A BATTLE TO THE DEATH.

After a long war, corporations have replaced countries. Sports are fought to the death. The most popular game is Last Valkyrie, a live tournament where women kill each other for marriage into a powerful family.

For Nova, living in poverty with her mother and sister is a harsh reality that she cannot escape. But when she is kidnapped and forced to fight on the show, her world changes. If she refuses to fight, the bomb in her head goes off. Now winning means her freedom.

With death lurking at every moment, Nova has no idea if her next fight will be her last. But one thing she knows for certain: only one is making it out alive.

Perfect for fans of Hunger Games, The Selection, and The Princess Trials. You won’t want to put down this exciting page-turner!

BUY THE BOOK
Amazon 
 
Meet the Author: 

Will Scifi is a pen name for an author from California. He loves reading and writing mainly science fiction that touches on themes surrounding American culture. He draws inspiration from the over 500 movies he has watched in the last 5 years, books, tv shows, and real life. When he is not writing, he can be found in the gym or watching movies at home or in the theaters. He thanks all of his fans for their support and highly encourages anyone who has read his work to always leave a review.

connect with the author:  website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads
 
Tour Schedule:

Feb 21 – Westveil Publishing – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Feb 22 – Girl with Pen – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Feb 23 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Feb 24 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Feb 25 –
Feb 28 –My Reading Getaway  – book spotlight / giveaway
Mar 1 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
Mar 2 – Sefina Hawke’s Books – book spotlight
Mar 3 – Books for Books – book spotlight
Mar 4 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Mar 7 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Mar 8 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Mar 9 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Mar 10 – Splashes of Joy – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Mar 11 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight
 
Enter the Giveaway:
 

Nova’s Blade: A Young Adult Dystopian Cyberpunk 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!