5 Stars for Surviving Doodahville by Ashley Fontainne #AshleyFontainne

Posted on August 29, 2022 by fundinmental

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.

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

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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MY ASHLEY FONTAINNE REVIEWS

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The Lonely Assassin by Jack Erickson @JackLErickson

Posted on August 3, 2022 by fundinmental

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

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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Amazeballs – Asylum by Susy Smith @susy8469

Posted on July 28, 2022 by fundinmental

I won a Gift Card through a giveaway for Susy Smith, so I bought a copy of Asylum.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

WOW! For a debut novel, Asylum by Susy Smith has knocked it out of the ball park. I am impressed and will be marking her as a must read author. I rarely buy books any more, but I had to have Asylum. The cover, title and synopsis has everything I need to lure me in. I am eager to see what she comes up with next.

Asylum immediately brought to mind The Walking Dead, without he zombies. It also reeks of real life possibilities. With an economic collapse, marshal law is declared. Think about it. I sure have.

A farm. A 19 year old girl. A sanctuary. Secession. Labor camps. Brother against brother. Jace and Zach are brothers of murdered parents. Complete opposites.

How do you help someone, when you can’t help yourself? You JUST DO IT. Even in doubt, Lacy moves forward.

Jace had always had a thing for Lacy and so does Travis, the first person to join her in the sanctuary. A love triangle. I know some people don’t like them, but in this world, it fits perfectly.

I was immersed in Asylum by Susy Smith from the opening pages and it never let me go. Through the entire book, shades of real world history came to life. I kept thinking…could this happen in our current world?

I smiled. I cried. I loved. I hated.

Susy Smith did an amazing job on her debut novel and I will be keeping my eye on her.

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

In the aftermath of the Big Crash, the President of the United States declares martial law. The National Guard rounds up citizens who are never heard from again. While fear and chaos reign, a small band of revolutionaries rise up to resist.

Lacy Monroe, barely out of high school, never saw herself as a leader. All that changed after the Big Crash. When the rest of her family fled, she remained on the farm, the last piece of land in the state holding out against the hostile government. Alone and vulnerable, she endures a horrific attack, yet survives and offers sanctuary to others like herself—until an old friend turns her world upside-down.

Jace Cooper has harbored a secret for years—he is completely in love with his best friend’s sister. The world is crumbling around them, no one knows how long they will survive, and all he wants is to protect Lacy and stay with her.

With the National Guard circling ever closer, hunger and sickness taking a toll, and betrayal and jealousy threatening to destroy the group from the inside, the struggle to hold onto the farm pushes them to the brink. And Lacy is keeping a secret so devastating it could drive Jace to unthinkable actions. Is the farm a safe asylum—or will the fight for freedom destroy them?

ABOUT SUSY SMITH

Susy Smith has a bachelor’s degree in English and is a language teacher for the Kanza Tribe. Her debut novel, Asylum, won the 2020 WriterCon contest in the novel category. She loves creating a home on paper for the characters in her head and dabbling in poetry. She lives in a small Oklahoma town with her husband, four grown children nearby, and two spoiled dog-children.

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New Release – Deadly Keepsakes by Anita Dickason @anita_dickason

Posted on July 8, 2022 by fundinmental

Such a lovely cover, don’t you think?

Deadly Keepsakes: A Tori Winters Mystery

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have loved all the books I have read by Anita Dickason, but Deadly Keepsakes is my FAVORITE. It all starts with the lovely cover, add in an historic house with hidden secrets, some wonderful characters that stole my heart, and I am hooked.

Alone. A hospice nurse. A mysterious death. A vicious dog. Sure did get me going, from the opening pages and I love when an author hooks me so quickly I am unable to look away.

It was the beginning of her descent into a living hell of fear

She knew the police couldn’t protect her. It was up to her to protect herself. Like her, I had thought danger would be over after the trial, but the story would have been over too soon and Anita Dickason wouldn’t have it. Now I know why. Thrills and chills coming up.

Anita Dickason didn’t take the story where I thought it would go. Well done, Anita. I do love when an author can throw a surprise my way and I should have known better than to leap to conclusions with an author like Anita.

The best thing that ever happened to Tori Winters was meeting MIa…and Cammie, Heidi and Tina. I loved watching Tori grow, along with her friendship with these amazing characters, so well fleshed out I wanted them for my friends too. I laughed and cried with them.

I was swept up in the intrigue that became Tori’s life. Who to trust? What the heck is going on? How much danger is she in? Where is it coming from?

I have to come back to the characters, so richly developed. I love the ladies. The more I read of them, the more I came to love them, their generosity, their desire to help a newcomer to their town, their selflessness, doing something good for someone and expecting nothing in return…but Tori will show them how much she appreciates and loves them.

The suspense is not in your face, fast paced danger and thrills, but an underlying current of menace and intrigue flows through the entire novel. I didn’t want to put the book down, but sleep was calling to me.

I love the historical elements, Benny Binion, Top O’Hill Terrace, Granbury, Texas. I love when an author adds elements that make the book special to me, touching on familiar things and introducing me to new things that make me want more.

WOW! I am blown away and super excited about more to come. I can’t say much more or I may include spoilers that are worth discovering for yourself, but I will repeat myself, WOW. I want more of these characters and I can hardly wait to see what is in store for them next.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Deadly Keepsakes by Anita Dickason.

GOODREADS BLURB

The past becomes a deadly future.

Stalked and nearly killed for her role in a murder trial, Tori Winters isn’t giving the killer a second chance. On the run, she’s desperate to find a place where she can’t be found. A puzzling phone call about a vague inheritance seems to be the answer. After all, who would look for her in a Granbury, a small, quaint Texas town?

Instead, Tori’s life is about to spin into an existence where nothing is as it seems. The historic house she inherits is steeped in secrets from the past. Secrets that could prove deadly. There is the disinherited step-grandson, and the lawyer and his son. What are they hiding?

When a killer strikes again, who can she trust? Tori’s newfound wealth may not be a blessing. It could be her death warrant.

ABOUT ANITA DICKASON

Code Name: Trackers: The elite of the elite. FBI agents, each with a secret, an extra edge, that defies reason and logic.

Characters with unexpected skills—that extra edge for overcoming danger and adversity—have always intrigued Anita. Adding an infatuation with ancient myths and legends of Native American Indians, and Scottish and Irish folklore creates the backdrop for her characters.

Anita is a retired Dallas Police Officer. During—what she refers to as an extraordinary career—Anita served as a patrol officer, undercover narcotics officer, advanced accident investigator, and SWAT entry/sniper.

Upon retirement, she became involved in a research project that dealt with the death of a witness to the Kennedy assassination. The research led to her first book, JFK Assassination Eyewitness: Rush to Conspiracy, that details the results of her reconstruction of a 1966 motor vehicle accident that killed Lee Bowers, Jr., a key witness to the assassination.

Once the Bowers book was written, Anita reached the same point many authors ultimately face: I’ve written it, now what do I do? Answering that question has become another career, one she has wholeheartedly embraced. The publishing field is in a constant state of flux, offering unlimited possibilities for an author, but also endless landmines.

Anita started a new company, Mystic Circle Books & Designs LLC, offering cover design and manuscript services. In addition to her works as an author, she enjoys helping other authors see their dream become a reality.

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The Art Of Fear (The Little Things That Kill, Book I) by Pamela Crane @MentalMommyPam

Posted on June 7, 2022 by fundinmental

I have read a few books by Pamela Crane and loved them, so I am happy to share The Art of Fear. I LOVE the creepy cover and…well, you’ll have to scroll down to get my thoughts about the story. BUT, how about that cover? What are your thoughts? Does it make you want to read it, or run screaming? LOL

The Art of Fear (The Little Things That Kill, #1)

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

WOW! I am speechless.

WARNING: Human trafficking and all the ugliness that goes with it.

Luckily for you, I’m a master of The Art Of Fear

The Art Of Fear has a morbid start and I love that Pamela Crane makes dishing out the crazy look so easy. She paints vivid pictures with her words. They flow at a pace that makes it impossible for me to stop. I have an urgent need to know…

I am only at 27%, but the villain is terrifying, and what’s more, I know there are real people like the villain walking among us. Next time you’re out, look around you…

Ari and Tina are complicated characters, as are those that surround them. Ari and Tina are suspicious, guarded, wanting answers and wanting something to give them a reason to go on. I am curious about Tristan and have my fingers crossed that he won’t be a bad guy. Ari deserves to have something good in her life. Children, betrayed by those who were supposed to love and protect them. I urge you to discover them for yourself.

There is so much going on, my head spins, I am confused. I found myself reading until my eyes crossed, because I had to know. White knuckled, heart pounding, emotions running riot. Intense, edge of your seat suspense. Great job, Pamela, keeping me guessing until the end. When I was done, I felt like I’d been ‘put through the wringer’, as my mother used to say…and I WANT MORE!

GOODREADS BLURB

“Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Paula Hawkins, Pamela Crane introduces a mind-twist that takes everything you love about thrillers, pushes it outside the box, and electrifies you with clever prose and a plot that will terrify you. A must-read thriller…” – Southern Editor Reviews

A life no girl should endure. A father no daughter could love. A twist no one would predict.

From USA Today best-selling author Pamela Crane comes a terrifying tale of small-town secrets and murder.

Ari Wilburn’s life ended long ago—the day she watched her little sister die in a tragic accident and did nothing to stop it. Crippled with self-blame and resented by her parents, she stumbles through life … and onto an unexpected clue that casts doubt on whether the death was accidental.

Now a psychological wreck, Ari joins a suicide support group where she meets Tina, a sex-enslaved escapee who finds her long-lost father dead. Suicide, police ruled it. But Tina suspects foul play. As a bond develops between the women in their shared loss, they’re dragged into playing a dangerous game with a killer.

A serial killer with a deadly message.

Faced with a murderous wake-up call and two possibly linked deaths, Ari’s investigation puts her next on the killer’s list. But she’s never been one to back down from a fight.

Needing closure, Ari must face her demons and the killer behind them … or lose everything she loves.

“If Dexter and Gone Girl had a love child, this would be it.” – reader review

ABOUT PAMELA CRANE

PAMELA CRANE is a USA TODAY best-selling author and professional juggler. Not one who can toss flaming torches in the air, but a juggler of four kids, a writing addiction, and a horse rescuer. She lives on the edge (her Arabian horse can tell you about their wild adventures while trying to train him) and she writes on the edge…where her sanity resides. Her thrillers unravel flawed women who aren’t always pretty. In fact, her characters are rarely pretty, which makes them interesting…and perfect for doing crazy things worth writing about. When she’s not cleaning horse stalls or changing diapers, she’s psychoanalyzing others.

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Review – His Affliction: A Desecrated Conclusion by C A Rene @IndieSagePR #CARene

Posted on May 31, 2022 by fundinmental

Warning: This is not for the faint of heart. The characters have issues, the sex is raw, graphic, including rape, bondage…

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

26 years later….

I loved reading these characters dark and disturbing stories. I don’t think I have ever been where they took me. How will it end? Nothing can stop me from finding out. My guess, they can’t all die…can they? Someone has to be left standing…don’t they?

I couldn’t put it down.

The explosive conclusion blew me away…

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of His Affliction: A Desecrated Conclusion by C A Rene.

GOODREADS BLURB

I heard he was crazy, that his feelings were all dead.

I heard the bad things he did was because of the monster in his head.

He likes to deal out pain, reveling in his victims’ screams.

He likes breaking hearts, ripping them apart at the seams.

Everything became better, because he went away.

But none of that mattered, since a part of him stayed.

Now he’s back, looking for what he left behind.

They all whisper the same things, about his affliction of the mind.

People say he’s broken, this man Brody Landry.

But I think he’s beautiful, a perfect Prince for me

ABOUT C A RENE (from her website)

First off… Call me Chrissy!

I’m so glad you’re here, whether it’s because you found me from reading my books or hit a link, I’m just ecstatic you decided to check me out.

In my books you will find complete inclusivity and I refuse to be kept in any specific box. I write across all genres and dabble in just about everything.

To keep up with all new releases and teasers for all my upcoming books, you can follow me on any social media platform!

Lover of all things dark. I love to read it, write it, own it, eat it, whatever it. My addictions include Coffee, books, and WINE, in that order.

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Fall River’s Filth – Unbalanced by Jason Parent @AuthorJasParent

Posted on May 26, 2022 by fundinmental

Jason Parent is one of those authors whose stories I eagerly anticipate and Unbalanced did not let me down. The cover does go with the story, giving a glimpse into Jaden Sanders despair.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love the character of Royo, and his life partner, Rickie, who is a bit flamboyant. I read about his purple Lycra pants and smiled at the picture that formed in my head. It reminds me of a couple of gay friends I had when I lived in Michigan. I have been reading about more diverse characters in the past year and am glad I have expanded my reading genres. Royo is incorruptible and loves nothing more than putting the pieces of a crime together, like a jigsaw puzzle.

Jaden lives across the hall from the dead woman. There is so much to Jaden’s story that I am not even going to try and tell it. I will tell you, my heart aches for him. His sister is his sole support system, since the death of his girlfriend. The more I read, the more I fear for his sanity. He is Unbalanced, but I do not see him being the cause of her death…but ya never know. Does he take his medication? Is it helping or harming him? I am so suspicious of the doctor, but I won’t tell you why. You will have to find out for yourself, and I do recommend doing so.

Prosecutor Heather Laughton is out to make a name for herself and is throwing Jaden to the wolves, when he kills the men who invaded his home. I felt disgusted and angry.

As more is revealed, I bounce back and forth about Jaden. Something wicked is going on and I need more pieces of the puzzle. My heart was in my throat through most of the book. The suspense, pacing and my need to know drove me on, searching for answers, wanting to protect him and take down those who wished him harm.

I read so many great books it’s hard for me to get so riled. I am only halfway through and I am so poed for him. I cannot imagine what I would do in Jayden’s place, but I doubt I could keep from standing up and losing it in front of one and all.

At times I felt Royo was like Columbo, bumbling and tenacious, like a dog with a bone. He won’t stop until he has the answers. I felt he was on Jayden’s side, but why doesn’t he follow the questions he has? What’s taking him so long to open his eyes, see their importance? I feel Jason Parent is torturing me…and Jaden. LOL He sure knows how to get my blood pumping, my heart pounding. Even when I had doubts, I felt Jason Parent was leading me where he wanted me to go.

Officer Megan Costa is a new recruit who Royo remembers from the a class he taught at the Academy. She is bright, diligent, not afraid to share her opinion. I would love to see more of her. Royo, I liked even more at the end. I know Jason Parent does stand alone novels and I have only seen him do one series, the Cycle Of Evil, but…

What do you think Jason? Could there be another story for Royo and Costa?

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Unbalanced by Jason Parent.

GOODREADS BLURB

By-the-book Detective Asante Royo can only clean up Fall River’s filth for so long without getting dirty. When he’s called to an apparent suicide at an apartment complex notorious for its prostitution and drug trade, he doesn’t shed a tear for the life wasted. Yet something about the scene haunts him, and when his investigation gets swept under the rug, he has a hard time living with the stain.

Jaden Sanders is an unstable loner who lives across the hall from the crime scene. When three men break into his apartment, Jaden is ready for a fight. He kills two of his attackers in self-defense then stalks and stabs the third in the back. Jaden is soon arrested for murder.

With no clear motives for the home invasion or Jaden’s violent response, Royo must uncover the true story before more people get hurt. His only leads are derived from the version of events extracted from a truly unbalanced mind. Is Jaden a victim being steamrolled by cold justice or a murderer capable of killing again?

ABOUT JASON PARENT

In his head, Jason Parent lives in many places, but in the real world, he calls New England his home. The region offers an abundance of settings for his writing and many wonderful places in which to write them. He currently resides in Southeastern Massachusetts with his cuddly corgi named Calypso.

In a prior life, Jason spent most of his time in front of a judge . . . as a civil litigator. When he finally tired of Latin phrases no one knew how to pronounce and explaining to people that real lawsuits are not started, tried and finalized within the 60-minute timeframe they see on TV (it’s harassing the witness; no one throws vicious woodland creatures at them), he traded in his cheap suits for flip flops and designer stubble. The flops got repossessed the next day, and he’s back in the legal field . . . sorta. But that’s another story.

When he’s not working, Jason likes to kayak, catch a movie, travel any place that will let him enter, and play just about any sport (except that ball tied to the pole thing where you basically just whack the ball until it twists into a knot or takes somebody’s head off – he misses the appeal). And read and write, of course. He does that too sometimes.

Please visit the author on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJasonP…, on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AuthorJasParent, or at his website, http://authorjasonparent.com/, for information regarding upcoming events or releases, or if you have any questions or comments for him.

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Two Nights In Lisbon by Chris Pavone #TwoNightsinLisbon #NetGalley

Posted on May 25, 2022 by fundinmental

I want to thank NetGalley and Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, Macmillan Publishing for the opportunity to read this this fabulous novel, Two Nights In Lisbon by Chris Pavone.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

WOW! Two Nights In Lisbon by Chris Pavone was a very pleasant surprise. I can’t say exactly why I grabbed the book. The cover is nothing special, though as I look closer there is more to see the more I look.

Ariel had remade herself after the end of her marriage. Now, she has found the last piece of the puzzle for her happy ever after…until…He’s gone.

She’s alone in Lisbon, Portugal with nothing but questions. Where is he? Apparently she doesn’t know him as well a she thought. Could something from his past come back to haunt him? Is he in trouble?

Ariel loves mystery novels, and it’s a good thing. She will need the knowledge she gained from reading them to plan her own investigation. She had been an actress and trained herself to be observant, aware of her surroundings.

Near the end, a flash, and my questions are answered about him….But, not really.

Two Nights In Lisbon by Chris Pavone may seem a bit slow, methodical, but it could also be a blueprint on how to take revenge and get justice.

So many twists and turns, and, best of all, book surprises. I love book surprises that keep me flipping pages and an author’s ability to shock and awe me, again and again.

The pacing was spot on, making me want to peek ahead, but I resisted the urge. Can you? The more I think about the book, the better it gets. Excellent job, Chris.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Two Nights In Lisbon by Chris Pavone.

GOODREADS BLURB

You think you know a person . . .

Ariel Price wakes up in Lisbon, alone. Her husband is gone—no warning, no note, not answering his phone. Something is wrong.

She starts with hotel security, then the police, then the American embassy, at each confronting questions she can’t fully answer: What exactly is John doing in Lisbon? Why would he drag her along on his business trip? Who would want to harm him? And why does Ariel know so little about her new—much younger—husband?

The clock is ticking. Ariel is increasingly frustrated and desperate, running out of time, and the one person in the world who can help is the one person she least wants to ask.

Tautly wound and expertly crafted, Two Nights in Lisbon is a riveting thriller about a woman under pressure, and how far she will go when everything is on the line. With sparkling prose and razor-sharp insights, bestselling author Chris Pavone delivers a stunning and sophisticated international thriller that will linger long after the surprising final page.

ABOUT CHRIS PAVONE

CHRIS PAVONE is author of four international thrillers: THE EXPATS (2012), THE ACCIDENT (2014), THE TRAVELERS (2016), and THE PARIS DIVERSION (2019). His novels have appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and IndieNext; have won both the Edgar and Anthony awards, and have been shortlisted for the Strand, Macavity, and Los Angeles Times Book Prize; are in development for film and television; and have been translated into two dozen languages.

He has written for outlets including the New York Times Book Review and Magazine, the Telegraph, and Salon; has appeared on Face the Nation, Good Day New York, All Things Considered, and the BBC; and has been profiled on the arts’ front page of the New York Times.

Chris grew up in Brooklyn, graduated from Midwood High School and Cornell University, and worked in publishing for nearly two decades at Dell Magazines, Doubleday, the Lyons Press, Regan/HarperCollins, Clarkson Potter, and Artisan/Workman, in positions ranging from copy editor and managing editor to executive editor and deputy publisher; he also wrote a (mostly blank) book about wine, and ghost-wrote a couple of nonfiction books. Then his wife got a job in Luxembourg, and the family moved abroad, where Chris raised their twin boys and started writing THE EXPATS. They now live again in New York City and on the North Fork of Long Island with an Australian Labradoodle named Wally.

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Horror and Humor – The Doll by J C Martin & Fing by Papa G @JCMartin_author #PapaG

Posted on May 24, 2022 by fundinmental

I picked up The Doll by J C Martin and Fing by Papa G from Amazon on the same free day, 6.26.16.

666 should have told me to read it. Don’t want any bad luck coming this way

Amazon / Goodreads

MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

The creepy cover for The Doll does fit the creepy story inside of a trip to an island of dolls that it is wise not to touch, but a young girl finds them so irresistible…so beware, what is done cannot always be undone and the ending undone me, which was worth a star on its own.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

An awesome, humorous, sad, optimistic children’s story with sketched illustrations that made me feel good, bad, hopeful and love for Fing!!!!!!

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Loch Ness Monster – Shade and the Crystal Orb by Marilyn Peake #MarilynPeake

Posted on April 8, 2022 by fundinmental

Shade and the Crystal Orb is the finale for the series by Marilyn Peake. I have enjoyed my adventures with her and look forward to what comes next for Marilyn.

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

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Shade and Kai are off to school…senior year at Ocean View College. Shade is a Ghost Whisperer and Kai is an empath. They are BFFs.

We are off to a good start. Shade has the same roommate, Carrie, who went to Romania with her, and they are in the same dorm room, #58. The familiar gives her confidence, makes her feel more comfortable coming back.

I love going to dinner with them. The servers and guests…well, ya have to read it to enjoy it as much as I did. Put a smile on my face, cracking me up. Yeah, it does bring to mind Harry Potter, but that just makes it easier to visualize and makes it that much more enjoyable.

Shade will be studying Kelpies this year and is off to Scotland for a research project. Her friend Li will be accompanying her. Will they see the Loch Ness Monster?

Kelpies are shapeshifting spirits inhabiting the lochs in Scottish folklore. It is usually described as a black horselike creature able to adopt human form. I love the shapeshifter that can become whatever she wants, whether whale, dolphin, fish… We have selkies, which are seal shapeshifters. That’s pretty darn cool too.

“The magical world is as complex as the real world.”

Things are going too smoothly and I am waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. I hope my spidey sense are wrong, but what would be the story in that?

Then, POW. Marilyn, you rocked my boat. I am amazed.

Marilyn Peake’s writing is enthralling, riveting. I cannot look away.

There are six books in the Shade series and I am sad to see it end. The books are not filled with gore, erotica, or savagery, but draw the reader into circumstances and characters and we have to know how it will end…and talk about surprises…the stories about the Loch Ness Monster are true, but..

I love how Shade came full circle.

I cannot imagine how Marilyn Peake could have done any better. The finale hit all the buttons and I am sure my review did not do it justice. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT!

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Shade and the Crystal Orb by Marilyn Peake.

GOODREADS BLURB

Crystal orbs are tricky things. They can be windows into the future or nothing more than smoke and mirrors.

During the first semester of her senior year at Ocean View College, Shade takes a class on the kelpies and begins researching their situation. This group of magical beings is confined to a very small area of the Earth: the lochs and pools of Scotland. The Blue Men of the Minch or storm kelpies are confined to an even smaller area: the stretch of water between the northern Outer Hebrides and mainland Scotland. The kelpies are considered dangerous. Having the power to control weather, they’ve been blamed for storms and shipwrecks. Shade wonders if they’ve been falsely accused and turned into scapegoats.

At the beginning of their second semester senior year, Shade and her friend Li Zhang receive financial grants to go over to Scotland to complete a research project on the kelpies. While there, they meet a number of these magical beings. Things take a dangerous turn when Shade and Li get swept up in a situation among the kelpies and two other magical groups, the Fin Folk and asrai. When Shade and Li meet Nessie the Loch Ness Monster, things take twists and turns that forever change the lives of everyone at Ocean View College.

SHADE AND THE CRYSTAL ORB is Book #6 in a YA Paranormal Mystery / YA Urban Fantasy series. This is the final novel in the main storyline of the SHADE series.

ABOUT MARILYN PEAKE

Marilyn Peake is the author of both novels and short stories. Her publications have received excellent reviews. Marilyn’s one of the contributing authors in BOOK: THE SEQUEL, published by The Perseus Books Group, with one of her entries included in serialization at THE DAILY BEAST. In addition, Marilyn has served as Editor of a number of anthologies. Her short stories have been published in seven anthologies and on the literary blog, GLASS CASES.

Awards: Silver Award, two Honorable Mentions and eight Finalist placements in the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards, two Winner and two Finalist placements in the EPPIE Awards, Winner of the Dream Realm Awards, and eight Top Ten Finisher Awards in the Preditors and Editors Readers Poll.

Stalk Marilyn Peake: Website / Twitter

MY REVIEWS FOR MARILYN PEAKE