Category Archives: 5 Star Reviews

Review – The Loyalty Of Children by Chris Lewando @westcorkwriter

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Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Chris…you will always be a must read author for me! I love vigilante stories and Chris Lewando has outdone herself in The Loyalty of Children, Book III of the Suffer The Little Children series. I love walking on the dark side of life through words, wallowing in the filth of humanity, the dregs of society. I, also, like seeing them get their comeuppance.

Chris Lewando’s writing style speaks to me. Below is just one example of how in sync we are. She is talking about watching the news, which Dee and I don’t do.

“…What good does it really do to ‘know’ what horrible things are happening if we don’t act? And most of us don’t have that freedom, we’re too busy just hanging in there with our family and financial dramas to get out and make a difference. And I guess that’s just what the politicians need us to do.”

The Suffer The Little Children series may be fiction, but it has the ring of truth when describing the villains and the depths they will go to to scratch their itch. There are a lot of triggers in the series, so if you don’t have a strong stomach and a need for vengeance…BEWARE.

I love Dee, a character that I could never be. Feisty doesn’t begin to describe her. To face what she faces, a sense of humor does come in handy. Living on the run, constantly picking up her bag and moving to the next place. She knows how dangerous her life is, but that doesn’t stop her from doing what she feels needs to be done. She does not run from danger, but takes a methodical approach to meeting it head on. How will her story end?

…the criminal mindset is new to me; it’s a leaning curve. I wonder if I’ll live long enough to get the certificate.

Mikey…WTF…I don’t even know what to say. The author’s end note tells how Mikey came to be and I had to research it and find out more for myself. I love when an author has me doing research, arousing my curiosity, making me have to know more.

The ending….oh man, I did not see that coming. I couldn’t figure out how Chris Lewando would wrap it up and I love that she caught me so off guard. I would love to crawl around in her head. BUT, I hate that the story was over. I have to know what comes next for Dee, her father, Amy, Greg, and all the other characters that work together to save the children. I feel there must be more coming….

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Loyalty Of Children by Chris Lewando.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

If her family is going to survive, Dee needs to kill the bad dude, or die trying… Deirdre and her father rescue two children who are living rough. But are they what they seem? As she tries to find out why the boys ran from their foster home, the action escalates once again… ***** ‘It feels like a TV Netflix series the whole way through. There MUST be a sequel planned.’

Dee has saved her vigilante-father from the clutches of the FBI, and a long term of imprisonment, but in her moment of triumph, she learns that the man she calls ‘the pedo baron’ has infiltrated her sister’s home in the guise of a friend. This silent threat to her sister’s family means she has to take action, but what?

*It’s possible to read this as a standalone novel, but there are brief references to previous action, so the author recommends that the series be read in order.*

A feisty character with a crusty sense of humor, this unintentional heroine brings an original voice to a character-led story, and finds an inner strength even she hadn’t known about.

ABOUT CHRIS LEWANDO

Chris Lewando

I trained as an English teacher, but the planned storyline drifted off-track. I landed in an office, producing management statistics – a different kind of fiction. I have been writing for many years, with quite a few mainstream genre novels and short stories published while I was still working full time. I gained a Creative Writing Masters (hons), and have been a novel-writing tutor since lessons were sent by snail mail and the nearest thing to a mobile phone beamed Captain Kirk onto the Enterprise. I live in rural South West Ireland, play Irish music in pubs for tourists, drive a camper the same age as me, and self-publish standalone novels with multiple viewpoints and complex characters.

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MY CHRIS LEWANDO REVIEWS

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Review – Nunzio’s Way by Nick Chiarkas

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I won a copy of Nunzio’s Way, by Nick Chiarkas along with the first book in the series, Weepers.

Check out this EXCELLENT COVER. What do you see? Once you read the book, it will become even clearer. Artists at zebradog.com did an amazing job.

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Weepers series by Nick Chiarkas got even better than Weepers, Book I, in Book II, Nunzio’s Way. I have grown to love these characters, no matter what bad things they do. The series raises that age old question, nature or nurture. Are we a product of our environment? I cannot imagine what it would be like growing up in the housing projects, wondering, every time you step out your door, is this the day I die?

The Prologue will give you a glimpse into Nunzio Sabino’s life to catch you up, as told by Father Joe to Father Casimiro, a new man in town. Nunzio had been in love…It is tragic, heartbreaking, and brutal. It also explains why Nunzio trusts few people. He was thirteen and the five of them, Nunzio, Father Joe, Pompeo, George and Nick, meet every Tuesday, even to this day.

“Does Nunzio ever worry about some ambitious hooligan wanting to take over?”

“Nunzio is the top lion. He is constantly watched by the ambitious and the aggrieved. He can’t show weakness. He can’t let a single insult – especially a public one – go unchecked. Continued leadership requires constant vigilance and no margin of error. None.”

Angelo, I have been with him since he was seven years old, struggling to find his place in the violent world he lives in. He will have to fight for it, maybe even kill for it, and everything has a price to be paid.

I do love an author who isn’t afraid to kill off his characters, even some that I have come to care about. He took me by surprise and I was even a little ticked off. Well done.

Nick Chiarkas brings to light many problems that persist to this day. I felt their need to kill or be killed. If you read his biography, I think you will get the same impression I did. That the Weeper series feels all too real. Gang warfare in the 1960s…has it changed?

Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. I knew a lot of the characters from Weepers, so I was already involved in their lives, but Nick Chiarkas too me to a whole new level. The violence, the brutality, the love, loyalty and betrayal, the flawed characters that stole my heart, I will not soon forget.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Nunzio’s Way by Nick Chiarkas.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

“In this city, you can have anything you want if you kill the right four people.” ~ Nunzio Sabino

In Weepers (Book 1), Angelo and his gang, with a bit of help from his beloved “uncle” Nunzio Sabino, defeated the notorious Satan’s Knights. Now, in this standalone sequel to Weepers, it’s 1960 and Nunzio is still the most powerful organized crime boss in New York City, protecting what’s his with political schemes and ‘business’ deals.

Against this backdrop of Mafia turf wars, local gang battles, and political power-plays in the mayoral election, the bodies begin stacking up. An unlikely assassin arrives fresh from Naples after killing a top member of the Camorra to avenge the murder of her family. She blends seamlessly into the neighborhood and with the focus on the threat from the Satan’s Knights, no one suspects that Angelo’s father and Nunzio are next on her hit list. Nunzio has lived his entire life by the mantra; Be a fox when there are traps and a lion when there are wolves. Will Nunzio be a lion in time?

ABOUT NICK CHIARKAS

Nick Chiarkas grew up in the Al Smith housing projects in the Two Bridges neighborhood on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

When he was in the fourth grade, his mother was told by the principal of PS-1 that, “Nick was unlikely to ever complete high school, so you must steer him toward a simple and secure vocation.” Instead, Nick became a writer, with a few stops along the way: a U.S. Army Paratrooper; a New York City Police Officer; the Deputy Chief Counsel for the President’s Commission on Organized Crime; and the Director of the Wisconsin State Public Defender Agency.

On the way to becoming an author, he picked up a Doctorate from Columbia University; a Law Degree from Temple University; and was a Pickett Fellow at Harvard. How many mothers are told their children are hopeless? How many kids with potential simply

Website / Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / Bookbub

MY NICK CHIARKAS REVIEWS

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YAY…A New I Am Legion Novel: Stranger Sins by Michaelbrent Collings @mbcollings

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I was so excited when I got my hands on a copy of Stranger Sins by Michaelbrent Collings. I have been with Legion from the beginning and eagerly open each book, not knowing what is to come, but sure it will keep me on the edge of my seat.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Yes, Michael, I appreciate the warning your wife suggested you include, but I too like walking on the dark side. I do like being freaked out while I laugh, or laugh while I am freaked out. I love a villain I can be empathetic with, maybe even condone their actions? I do love the blood, guts and carnage that Legion will leave behind. This time, though, he won’t be alone when he does it. That makes Stranger Sins different from the previous books of the series and adds a wonderful element to a series that keeps me on my toes, eager for more.

He is used to pain. He is used to noise. He is used to confusion. But silence?

In this Dexterish style thriller, I am immersed, engulfed, lost, devouring the words, unable to stop reading.

I have been trying to figure out what made ‘Dinatha and Marnie’ so important. It took me a long time, about halfway through, for things to START to come together.

A mother of a nine year old girl, forced to learn things others could never dream of or need to to stay alive and face an evil that will stop at nothing to get all she desires…and needs to stay alive.

I LOVE a dark, disturbing story that can make me smile and give me hope amongst the carnage the ‘teacher’ leaves behind. At 70%, I laughed while wiping the tears from my eyes. It is so hard not to share why, but I WILL NOT spoil things for you. These characters and their lives are things that need to be experienced first hand.

The characters and storyline are so richly developed, the writing and pacing so smooth, the hours pass in a blur, everything around me ignored, because I have to know how it ends. Michaelbrent Collings is always able to surprise me at where his stories lead, making me know when I dive in that I am along for a wicked ride and an ending that leaves me with my mouth hanging open, thinking, wow, how does he dream this stuff up. I would love to be a fly on the wall of his brain. Wonder what a scan of his brain would look like. LOL

THE BEST ONE YET! I can see this series going on for a very long time…and I hope it does.

I believe Stranger Sins is written in a way that it ‘can’ stand alone. Michaelbrent Collings includes Legion’s history that can be a refresher for a faithful reader, or a glimpse into his world for a new reader. That being said, I have been with Legion from the beginning, and highly recommend grabbing the entire series if you enjoy walking the dark side of vigilante justice.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Stranger Sins by Michaelbrent Collings.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

What happens in Vegas…slays in Vegas.

Legion is a teacher. An avenging angel. A murderer.

A madman.

Raised in the underground hideout of an insane father, he now travels the world searching for those who torment the weak, who harm the innocent. He uncovers the secrets and sins of evildoers, and teaches them how to leave those mistakes behind.

Even if it means killing them to do it.

But this time, the tables have turned. The ghosts of Legion’s past have come for him; the victims of his madness have returned to torment and destroy him. Wounded, weak, near death: for the first time, Legion is not predator, but prey.

Now, aided by a woman and her daughter—who have themselves been surviving in secret terror for a decade—he must survive long enough to battle his past, to destroy the ghosts that have come for his sanity and soul…and to kill all who would harm his new friends.

Tracked by a crime family more twisted than anything he has ever seen, threatened by a madman whose strength is greater than anything he has ever experienced, Legion has never been closer to danger. They want his pain. They want his death. And they will stop at nothing to achieve their aims.

But Legion is a good teacher. So he will run. He will hide.

And then, when the students are ready…he will teach.

And his lessons are always murder.

ABOUT MICHAELBRENT COLLINGS

Michaelbrent Collings

Michaelbrent Collings is an internationally-bestselling novelist, multiple Bram Stoker Award nominee, produced screenwriter, and one of the top indie horror writers in the United States.

He hopes someday to develop superpowers, or, if that is out of the question, then at least to get a cool robot arm.

Michaelbrent has a wife and several kids, all of whom are much better looking than he is (though he admits that’s a low bar to set), and also cooler than he is.

Michaelbrent also has a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MichaelbrentC… and can be followed on Twitter through his username @mbcollings. Follow him for cool news, updates, and advance notice of sales. You will also be kept safe when the Glorious Revolution begins!

STALK MICHAELBRENT: Website / Twitter

MY MICHAELBRENT COLLINGS REVIEWS

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Giveaway & Review – Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex by Carole P Roman @ireadbooks @caroleproman

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MY REVIEW

Grady is in middle school with his best friend Aarush, who is on the autistic spectrum.

Kids…autistic, asthmatic, overweight, bullies, insecurity…This coming of age fantasy has it all. I was captivated with the world and characters that Carole P Roman has created. I loved watching them learn and grow.

Grady, Aarush and many of their classmates want to go to Templeton Academy, a place to discover your ‘hidden talents and develop them into formidable powers.’ Sounds a bit Hatty Potterish, doesn’t it?

The kids who gravitated to Grady learned to work together for a common goal. I can see a moral to the story and I feel all who read Grady Whill will leave with a smile on their face.

It is hard to describe the story without spoiling it, but I will say it was…unputdownable.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex by Carole P Roman.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 stars
Book Details:

Book Title:  Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex by Carole P. Roman
Category:  Young-Adult Fiction (18 +), 286 pages
Genre:  Action-Adventure/Fantasy
Publisher:  Chelshire
Release date:   July 30 2022
Content Rating: PG. The author thinks the book is G-rated. A reviewer said it had some curses. Some may consider “Holy crap” is a curse.



“If I were to give a book to every young adult in this world, I would give them Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex by Carole P. Roman without blinking. I absolutely loved every moment of this uplifting and fascinating story. It’s filled with valuable life lessons, adventure, peril, and highly relatable and lovable characters.” Reviewed by Emma Megan for Readers’ Favorite

“Harry Potter meets Sky High. If you’re a fan of young adult stories where protagonists go to mysterious schools to train their superhuman abilities, don’t miss out on Grady Whill and The Templeton Codex.” Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Reader’s Favorite
 
“Carole P. Roman has created a world that is unique, inhabited by characters that young people can easily relate to because of their similar concerns about growing pains… This book has a strong message and theme that deserves to be read.” Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Reader’s Favorite

Book Description:

Templeton Academy- the superhero high school is finally open! The prestigious institution is recruiting the best of the best to enroll in its student body. The school is as mysterious as it is exclusive.

Grady Whill thinks there is nothing special about him to make the grade. However, his best friend, Aarush Patel has been selected and thinks Grady has the right stuff. Even school bully Elwood Bledsoe is attending.

If Grady is fortunate enough to be picked, his guardian has forbidden him to attend. Will a family secret prevent Grady from becoming the superhero he was destined to be?
Buy the Book:
Audible ~ Amazon
B&N ~ BookBub
add to goodreads
Also from the Pen of Carole P. Roman:

Book Details:

Book Title:  Giggles Galore Jokes, Riddles and Fun Facts for Kids of all Ages by Carole P. Roman
Category:  Children’s Fiction , 170 pages
Genre:  Humor
Publisher:  Chelshire
Release date:   August 2022
Tour dates: Nov 7 to Dec 2, 2022
Content Rating: G. 
Book Description:

What’s more fun than a rainy afternoon?

A rainy afternoon with Giggles Galore!
Treat yourself and your child to this fun-filled book of jokes, riddles, and exciting bits of information.

Entertain your friends and family with a wide variety of jokes that include funny foods, animal antics, jolly jungles, farcical farms, dizzy dinosaurs, hilarious holidays, and a host of humor from all over our wacky world.

Fun facts are sprinkled throughout the book and give a welcome relief from all the giggles.
There’s even a section where budding comedians can learn to create new jokes.

Lastly, join Carole P. Roman’s beloved character, Susanna Maya Logan, for a short story about why we must use humor wisely, or it may not be considered funny by everyone.

A great tool to help a reluctant reader, Giggles Galore is the perfect way to practice social skills and develop friendships.
Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N 

Meet the Author:

Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of over fifty children’s books. Whether it’s pirates, princesses, spies, or discovering the world around us, her books have enchanted educators, parents, and her diverse audience of children of all ages.

Her best-selling book, The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids: 800+ Jokes! has reached number one on Amazon in March of 2020 and has remained in the top 200 books since then.

She published Mindfulness for Kids with J. Robin Albertson-Wren.

Carole has co-authored two self-help books. Navigating Indieworld: A Beginners Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing with Julie A. Gerber, and Marketing Indieworld with both Julie A. Gerber and Angela Hausman.

Roman is the CEO of a global transportation company, as well as a practicing medium.

She also writes adult fiction under the name Brit Lunden and has created an anthology of the mythical town of Bulwark, Georgia with a group of indie authors.

Writing is her passion and one of her favorite pastimes. Roman reinvents herself frequently, and her family calls her the ‘mother of reinvention.’ She resides on Long Island, near her children and grandchildren.

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

Enter the Giveaway:
GRADY WHILL AND THE TEMPLETON CODEX Book Tour Giveaway



MY CAROLE P ROMAN/ BRIT LUNDEN REVIEWS

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Gorgeous Cover Lured Me In – Green Shoots by Ben Westwood @benwestwood

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Green Shoots by Ben Westwood is his debut novel. I loved it soooo much. I want to thank Book Sirens and Cranthorpe Millner Publishers for the opportunity to read and review Green Shoots by Ben Westwood.

The beautiful cover caught my eye. The title made me curious. And this line from the blurb finished me off:

Green Shoots is a story of grief and revenge, a gripping crime thriller with an ecological heart.

Amazon / Kindle Unlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Green Shoots is Ben Westwood’s debut novel and it blew me away. Green Shoots is very well written with a storyline that captured me, making me flip pages as my emotions ran wild. Reap what you sow may be an appropriate description for these characters that worship the almighty dollar. I loved everything about Green Shoots by Ben Westwood.

Nightmares haunt him. He wants to die. He visualizes it. I’ve heard people mention, when they first wake up, there is a moment when all seems normal, then reality smacks them in the face, and their sorrow and despair hit them. John’s wife dies in South America and he feels he is not being told the truth. He has to know.

A USB drive. A file folder named Blakely. A voice on the phone breathes life into John, an investigative reporter. But, is the voice that of a good person? Made me think of Dexter and that is always a good thing.

A message: Out of their ashes, green shoots will grow.

I love books that deal with real life problems. Ecological fiction novels like Green Shoots grab me and never let me go. It gets all my emotions roiling, sadness, anger, despair, hope…logging, deforestation, mining, poisoned water, habitat loss…for animals and indigenous people.

By 7% I was fully invested in John’s story. As he checks out his wife’s blog, he realizes her research into ecotourism, community projects and good practice morphed into something sinister. Anger breathes life into John, and my rage escalated too.

He found his love in Ecuador, now he is going back to find out who or what took her away from him. There is danger from many sources.

So much of the book read like an expose, a documentary, with some fiction thrown in. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer…and sometimes they are eliminated because they are in the way. Definitely thought provoking.

I used to watch Whale Wars and when I read Green Shoots it made me think of it, the lengths the people would go to save a whale or butcher a whale, was an eye opener. Sure we all hear about it, but how often do we see it? Definitely a thought provoking novel.

It is hard for me not to go on a rant, but it is not about me. It is about John and his story.

If a debut novel can have such a WOW factor, I am eager to see what Ben will write next.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Green Shoots by Ben Westwood.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

OUT OF THEIR ASHES, GREEN SHOOTS WILL GROW

Green Shoots is a story of grief and revenge, a gripping crime thriller with an ecological heart.

Brought back from the brink of suicide by a mysterious phone call, grieving journalist John Adamson is desperate to know the truth about his wife Christina’s death in South America. The man on the phone gives John clues to what really happened, but also tips him off to investigate a spate of deaths of businessmen, all found with the same cryptic message: “Out of their ashes, green shoots will grow.” From the protest-filled streets of London to the ravaged jungles of Ecuador, John is unwittingly drawn into a lethal plot, but who is behind these murders and what is the connection to his wife’s death?

ABOUT BEN WESTWOOD

Ben Westwood is a journalist, author, lecturer and performer with more than 20 years’ experience in the media and education. His first novel, the eco-thriller Green Shoots, is available now.

Ben is a former Daily Telegraph journalist and has written several travel guidebooks on destinations from Ecuador, Galapagos and Peru to London. He currently combines freelance writing with lecturing at University of Brighton. Ben is also an experienced musician and has released two albums as a singer-songwriter.

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Review – Nursery Rhyme Killer by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love Jane Blythe’s ability to spin a tale of darkness and I am super excited to delve into her new series, Storybook Murders. Nursery Rhyme Killer takes those childhood poems we all know and love to a whole new level, and you will never look at them the same way. We will meet some familiar characters from a previous series, the Candella Sisters.

Summer and Luke both have tragic childhoods, but that is nothing surprising when it comes to a Jane Blythe novel. Summer has her secrets, lets no one know of her past. She has made friends in the past ten years, but, until Luke, let no one know the heart of her. Luke is the opposite. He has a check list and checks it twice, looking for the future Mrs Sleigh. 🙂 He wants the complete package…wife, house, kids, white picket fence….

The first part of the book, Jane Blythe lulled me into complacency. She has a tendency to do that. To let me think I know what’s coming next. Just reading along, a little mystery here, a little romance there, a little blood and guts. Then, WHAM! The plot thickens. Most of the time she has a couple of subplots going on at the same time, throwing out red herrings.

It’s hard for an author to catch me with my mouth open, but Jane Blythe can do it, Not only did the villain stay hidden for the longest time, Jane managed to throw me a couple twists that had me wanting to jump up and down with joy, though they were tragic and horrific. And she did it without Summer running off and doing something stupid. You know what I mean. In most romantic suspense novels, ‘she’ just can’t help doing something that gets in her deep shit. Am I twisted because I love the deeeeep, darrrrrrrk side of humanity? To wallow in the filth with some of fiction’s best villains?

WHEW! That ending was intense. The last quarter or so of the book bounced the rating an extra star. When you read the book, you will know why. I can hardly wait to get my hands on Fairy Tale Killer by Jane Blythe and see what damage she can to fairy tales and princesses. HA HA HA

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Nursery Rhyme Killer by Jane Blythe.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

How can she ever trust another man after what her ex-husband did?

Summer Height isn’t sure it’s worth it to risk her heart again in another relationship, not after what happened with her ex-husband and the debilitating guilt it left her with. When she meets her best friend’s husband’s brother she doesn’t know what to think, she likes him, but she’s not sure she wants to take a chance on him after what she’s been through, especially when it looks like history is repeating itself.

Luke Sleigh wants to find someone to love him, everyone else in his life has always walked away and he’s desperate to find that forever person. He has a list, when he meets a woman he mentally checks off whether or not the woman meets his criteria, but that gets thrown out the window when he meets Summer.

He might be swept off his feet but he’s about to face the challenge of a lifetime; proving that he’s not guilty of multiple murders in time to save Summer’s life.

ABOUT JANE BLYTHE

USA Today bestselling author Jane Blythe writes action-packed romantic suspense and military romance featuring protective heroes and heroines who are survivors. One of Jane’s most popular series includes Saving SEALs, part of Susan Stoker’s OPERATION ALPHA world! Writing in that world alongside authors such as Janie Crouch and Riley Edwards has been a blast, and she looks forward to bringing more books to this genre, both within and outside of Stoker’s world. When Jane isn’t binge-reading she’s counting down to Christmas and adding to her 200+ teddy bear collection!

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS

  • 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!

Ghosts and Legends Of Genesee & Lapeer Counties @RoxanneRhoads

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Ghosts and Legends of Genesee Lapeer Counties

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

As I read the history of Flint, Michigan, much of my life flashed before my eyes. I worked for General Motors for 15 years before taking early retirement. I took some college classes at Mott Community College. I very much remember when Michael Moore’s documentary came out about General Motors, sharing its faults as they left a city, perhaps an entire state, that was build on the automotive industry.

  • A haunted library
  • A party shoppe
  • The Genesee County Jail (I used to go to an A&W right across the street)
  • Crossroads Village and Huckleberry Railroad
  • A movie, Fatal Desire, made from a book, Fatal Error, is about a murder in Clio. It was also on Forensic Files, Season 9, Episode 4, and I do remember watching it. It was, possibly, the first murder where the internet played a part.
  • A salvage yard
  • Hurley Hospital (I was born there)
  • Linden Hotel (I lived in Linden after I got married, but that was a looong time ago, so I can’t remember it)
  • The Game Station in Fenton
  • Fenton Hotel Tavern & Grille (most haunted bar in Michigan)
  • White Horse in Metamora
  • Lapeer State Home (I found the history fascinating)
  • And more

I traveled many familiar roads, through familiar towns, and never had a paranormal adventure. I hate to think I am missing out on something.

Ghosts and Legends of Genesee & Lapeer Counties is chockfull of sites, with information and photos to lure you in. Lots of research and documented sources.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Ghosts and Legends of Genesee & Lapeer Counties by Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Roxanne Rhoads is an author, book publicist, mixed media crafter, and lover of all things spooky. Her books include Haunted Flint and Pumpkins and Party Themes: 50 DIY Designs to Bring Your Halloween Extravaganza to Life. She is the owner of Bewitching Book Tours, a virtual book tour and social media marketing company and she operates a Halloween blog- A Bewitching Guide to Halloween. She sells handcrafted jewelry, art, and home decor through her Etsy store The Bewitching Cauldron. When not reading or writing, Roxanne loves to craft, plan Halloween adventures, and search for unique vintage finds.

Joe Schipani is an integral part of Flint’s art community, with ties to local artists, galleries, bookstores, and the Flint Cultural Center.

As the executive director of Flint Public Art Project, he has curated an outdoor mural gallery in the City of Flint, with over 200 murals from artist all around the world. He also serves as the one of Flint’s Historic District Commissioners and loves learning about the history of old buildings. In 2019 he co-authored Haunted Flint with Roxanne Rhoads.

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Review – Cross Waves by Amanda Uhl @AuAuthor @GoddessFish

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I first saw the Mind Hackers series when a tour popped up for Dark Waves, a novella, by Amanda Uhl for Goddess Fish. I am happy to say I read both of them and will have them reviewed before the Dark Waves tour on 9.6.22. So be sure and check back.

Cross Waves (Mind Hackers Series, Book Two)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Cross Waves by Amanda Uhl is the second book in the Mind Hacker series. I must say, the books just keep getting better.

Peter is in charge of the CMU unit, the US government’s Cognitive Mind Unit, responsible for guarding the minds of scientists and leaders across the world.

Geneva is the most powerful trainer. Trainers aid Hackers while entering the minds from a distance. Every hacker works with a trainer.

Geneva and Rolf are a perfect match, though they both fight working together. Her brothers have no use for him, but his dark reaches for her light.

Now, Rolf’s sister is missing. Geneva has an extraordinary tracking ability, able to read someone’s aura, and is a human lie detector. They will have to work together if they hope to find her. All Rolf’s senses scream danger, but he and Geneva continue on.

The legend of the crystals: some of which were stolen from Geneva’s murdered mother. Julia had a dream talent and dreamt of Geneva’s mother’s murder. She is also Geneva’s best friend and Rolf’s sister.

At times, I worry about the CMU. Are they legit? Do they have an ulterior motive, an agenda of their own? Of course, any secret, clandestine government organization can be corrupted.

I am only half way through and my emotions are getting ramped up. I can’t relax and enjoy the book. I’m too tense, eager to read on, faster, gotta know. I can’t figure out what’s going on. Who is doing what? Who’s good? Who’s bad?

Geneva’s brothers really tick me off…dismissing her. It’s a wonder they don’t get her killed. But, they will sacrifice their lives to keep her safe. Will it come to that? There are more characters that have a role to play, some good and some bad. You will need to read Cross Waves for yourself if you want to know it all. 🙂

But, I will tell you that I love a good villain and we do get to know his thoughts and feelings while he is doing all his badness. I was kept in the dark for a long time about who he was, but I had plenty of time to revel in his badness. A good bad guy makes the story so much more interesting for me.

WOW! I could only quit reading to do the necessities. I quit taking notes and ignored Mr Wonderful and everything else that was going on around me. If Paranormal Romantic Suspense is your cup of tea, this is a must read series.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Cross Waves by Amanda Uhl.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

She can kill with a thought.
Gifted with an explosive psychic talent, Geneva Ericksen can’t risk letting Rolf Jorgensen in her life. If she does, she might accidentally kill him. But when Rolf’s sister goes missing, Geneva and her extraordinary abilities may be his only hope to find her.

He’s hiding a deadly secret.
Rolf‘s not about to let Geneva slip away from him, even if it means protecting her from his dark gift. As Rolf and Geneva trail his sister, they soon uncover a life-threatening plot: someone is attempting to profit from stealing and trapping their power in crystals.

To outsmart the enemy, it will take all their combined strength. But can they trust each other enough to survive?

ABOUT AMANDA UHL

Amanda Uhl

Award-winning author Amanda Uhl has always had a fascination with the mystical. Having drawn her first breath in a century home rumored to be haunted, you might say she was “born” into it. After a brief stint in college as a paid psychic, Amanda graduated with a bachelor of fine arts in theatre and a master’s degree in marketing. Over the past twenty years, she has worked as an admissions representative and graphic designer, owned her own freelance writing company, and managed communications for several Fortune 500 companies, most recently specializing in cyber security. Amanda is an avid reader and writes fast-paced, paranormal romantic suspense and humorous contemporary romance from her home in Cleveland, Ohio. When she’s not reading or writing, you can find Amanda with her husband and three children, gathering beach glass on the Lake Erie shoreline or biking in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Visit her online at www.amandauhl.com.

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5 Stars for Surviving Doodahville by Ashley Fontainne #AshleyFontainne

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I have been reading Ashley Fontainne’s novels ever since I won some. She is a must read author for me. AND, what an amazing cover!

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

WOW…Ashley Fontainne and Lillian Hansen can sure pen a novel. I only have a half page of notes, because the power of Doodahville was so intense, gripping me, not letting me stop to even jot a note or two. All my emotions came to life, at times overwhelming me.

An impending death, and Gail, Kevin, and daughter, Kassandra are off to Daltville, Arkansas. A small town, small minds, small everything.

I quickly grew to love Gail. She is badass, take no prisoners, kick your ass, leave me and mine alone. At times she cracked me up, other times I wanted to be beside her fighting the good fight.

Kevin and Lurlene are no slouches in planning ahead. Kassandra is a teenager moving from Southern California to small town Daltville, as if teenage angst isn’t already enough. It is a culture shock. At times she feels like life is over for her, but there are also many benefits, which she will learn in time.

The kitten…HA HA HA HA HA.

Racism rears its ugly head on many of the pages. It is the south, so I find that is no surprise and I love the way she handled it in the novel, along with all the nasty secrets and ongoing issues from them.

I have read a lot of Ashley Fontainne’s work, and she easily crosses genres. Her mother, Lillian Hansen did a fabulous job in this collaboration.

Looking at the fun cover, I underestimated the power of Doodaville. Southern living, fraught with danger and secrets that come to light with disastrous results for some, for others freedom. The marvelous characters rise above their situations, sharing love and hope with those who need it. I also went down memory lane from the 1980s. Many scenes were taken from Ashley’s personal experiences, so maybe that’s why they read like true life.

I CAN SEE THIS AS A GRAND MOVIE (along the lines of Gone With The Wind) OR A TV SERIES.

WARNING: Tissues may be required.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Surviving Doodahville by Ashley Fontainne.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

“Filled with powerful scenes and great characters! Brings the ’83 Old South to vivid life. One of my all-time favorite reads! Loved it! ~ Janelle Taylor, NY Times Bestselling author

The summer of 1983—the era of big debt, big hair, and big dreams. Seventeen-year-old Kassandra Lawson is excited about starting her senior year of high school. She has a crush on a local hunk, and her best friend, Valley Girl extraordinaire, Liz Hendricks, insists on helping her snag the hot guy—for sure!

July starts out uneventful for Kee and her parents. Her father, Kevin, is a partner at a CPA firm, and her mother, Gail, works as a secretary at the police department. The small family lives an idyllic life in sunny Hacienda Heights, California.

1983 also brings upheaval and strife for the Lawson clan. A death in the family forces Kevin and Gail to make the painful decision to pack up and move to Kevin’s hometown of Daltville, Arkansas.

Each face daunting challenges adapting to their new lives. Gail and Kee aren’t quite sure they can handle the culture shock. They encounter social and racial issues they never faced on the West Coast, strange food, weird dialects, odd customs, and wicked secrets that have the potential to destroy their family.

More than just a coming-of-age story, Surviving Doodahville explores family bonds, racial barriers, and just how much a person is willing to sacrifice for others. The tale is full of humor, action and a touch of mystery, making it a fun romp into the past.

ABOUT ASHLEY FONTAINNE

Ashley Fontainne

Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne enjoys stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters lurking within each of us. She writes in numerous genres including mystery, suspense, horror, sci-fi and sometimes poetry.

Ashley lives in Arkansas with her husband and is the proud mother of one son and grateful daughter of co-author, Lillian Hansen. To learn more about her books please visit https://ashleyfontainne.net/

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The Lonely Assassin by Jack Erickson @JackLErickson

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I received an email from Jack Erickson, asking me if I would like to read and review his latest thriller. After finishing it, I am even more glad that I read it…and that ending…

The Lonely Assassin (Milan Thriller Series Book 4)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Lonely Assassin by Jack Erickson was a frightening look at Putin, Russia, Assassins, and those who end up being the target. The Prologue was a recap of past assassinations ordered by Russian leaders. I was familiar with most of them and believe it is not beyond possibility today.

Komarov had been away from work at the bank for some time. When he returned, he found some discrepancies in the work load that his friend, Dimitri, had been covering while he was out for surgery.

Dimitri had been working at their Bern branch, where he was laundering money for the Russian oligarchs. What happens when you steal from them?

So much of The Lonely Assassin rings true, showing Jack Erickson’s research and drawing from his real life experiences. The details of both cultures, Russia and Italy, clash. Russia: cold, brutal. Italy: calm, relaxing.

At times, I felt empathetic with Egorov, but then his true personality would win out and I wished for his failure. He had been to Italy before. He had immersed himself into everything Italy to prepare for the assignment. He would take his time and enjoy not being in some place like Russia, or Syria, where he had been before. He felt free, at least for a little while. He would make the most of his time, eating, drinking, seeing the sights, while hunting Dimitri.

Simona and Dario work for DIGOS and are assigned with keeping Dimitri and his family safe. It will not do for them to be assassinated in their country.

I wonder…how will it end? Well, I will tell you this…the ending certainly wasn’t what I anticipated and I loved it. It’s hard for an author to surprise me but Jack Erickson did a fantastic job of it. My emotions covered the gamut. I twisted and turned with the characters.

I cannot think of one thing Jack Erickson missed, when writing The Lonely Assassin. I found it surprising that I have never read any of his many novels before this one.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Lonely Assassin by Jack Erickson.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

A Russian banker embezzles millions laundering money in Switzerland for Russian oligarchs. He flees with his Italian wife to a remote location on Lake Como near Milan, where their daughter lives.

Putin wants him dead and sends a GRU assassin to Milan to find and poison the banker.

But Milan’s antiterrorism police, DIGOS, cannot locate the assassin, Vasily Egorov, who is traveling with phony documents, carrying a vial of poison, and speaking Italian. Unexpectedly, Egorov meets an intriguing Italian woman who probes into his emotional life. On a dangerous assignment, Egorov realizes he’s an assassin in a deep personal crisis.

ABOUT JACK ERICKSON

Jack Erickson

My interest in fiction, especially mysteries, started when I was about ten years old and read my first Hardy Boys books, “Secret of the Old Clock,” I think the title was. I saved up from mowing lawns and running errands to buy every title I could. They were only $1.00 each, but when you’re only making 25 cents an hour, it takes time to save those nickels and dimes.

And then I discovered shelves of exciting books at my hometown Andrew Carnegie Memorial library just two blocks away from our middle class home in the Midwest. By that time I was reading “The Saturday Evening Post,” “Collier’s,” “Life,” “Look,” “Time,” “Argosy,” “True,” “Photoplay,” that my parents subscribed to and others I can’t remember. Needless to say, I skimmed through them all, and devoured short stories by John O’Hara, John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway, Herman Wouk, and Earl Stanley Gardner.

I believe my early interest in reading was a major factor in liking school. Writing term papers was no big deal, and we all know how important that is at university. I enjoyed the many choices available with a liberal arts education and sampled liberally from science, history, languages, art history, literature, and political science.

Those wide ranging interests are probably a factor in the careers I chose, including Russian specialist in U.S. government, legislative aide and speechwriter in U.S. Senate, free-lance writer, former publisher (Red Brick Press) and author of several craft brewing books in the early days of the industry. My most recent career was in financial services from which I recently retired to travel and write.

I’ve been writing fiction, mostly mysteries and romantic suspense, and have several projects that will be published in the next few months.

I’m always fascinated how people become readers and writers. I’d love to hear your stories how writing chose you.

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