He Had a Vision – Shepherd’s Warning by Cailyn Lloyd @cailynrox

Posted on February 19, 2020 by fundinmental

Last year I took in numerous books from new to me authors. None were disappointing, though some were better than others. Shepherd’s Warning by Cailyn Lloyd was a delightful surprise.

Cover by Rose Miller

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

A house in the woods. The man. The woman. A hidden entity.

Who doesn’t love a good haunted house story?

Lucas and his brother, Nate, had inherited the MacKenzie mansion in the small town of Lost Arrow. It had sat deserted for years and they were there to make it their home. HGTV would be along for the ride, documenting the transformation.

They had no knowledge of it’s reputation, the accidents, the things that go bump in the night.

Tom Wolfe had sworn to protect the house, while he waits for the owner, his love, Elizabeth, to return. He wonders why, now, they are people here. Is it at her whim? He likes that they are fixing it up, but once they are done, he wants them gone.

A premonition brought Kenric Shepherd to Wisconsin. His vision warns of danger, but he must wait for more to be revealed.

As soon as the chainsaw did it’s thing, I would have been long gone.

Laura had been treated for epilepsy and was bullied and teased growing up. She learned to enjoy her own company. I guess now she’ll learn it was so much more than epilepsy.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Shepherd’s Warning by Cailyn Lloyd.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

See the fabulous book trailer HERE and then tell me…can you resist it?

GOODREADS BLURB

For years the abandoned MacKenzie mansion remained hidden in rural Wisconsin. Rumors and stories of apparitions, odd noises, accidents, and strange deaths in or near the property were enough to convince the townsfolk it was haunted and they stayed away.

Lucas MacKenzie and his brother Nate know nothing of this when they inherit the property and decide to bring their families to Wisconsin for a major renovation project with HGTV stardom in mind. As they tear out old fixtures and open shuttered windows, the house begins to reveal secrets of a terrible past and it soon becomes clear the MacKenzies are in grave danger. In the end, only one person can save them.

ABOUT CAILYN LLOYD

A lifelong writer, Cailyn Lloyd, spent three years living in a truly haunted house and experienced first hand the nuances of strange and eerie places. Shepherd’s Warning is her first book.

In addition to writing, Cailyn is an accomplished weather photographer and her work has appeared in several publications including Life Magazine and Time Magazine. She is also a composer and musician with three album releases to her credit. Cailyn lives near the Kettle Moraine State Forest in Wisconsin and when she’s not writing spooky stories, loves hiking with her children and dogs.

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Another #5StarReview from Jaye Frances for The Kure by @jayefrancesnews

Posted on February 18, 2020 by fundinmental

Jaye Frances can write some fabulous stories that go places I never thought I would be…and I love it!

Amazon / Goodreads

Due to mature content, this book is best suited for a Mature YA/New-Adult or Adult reader.

John looked at the sign, Lucius D Harwell.

He approached the doctor’s door and knew he had to go in…now. Before anyone saw him,

“So”, the doctor said, “Are you ready?”

When he saw the bucket full of the slithering slime he remembered the woman he had brought in a while back. It hadn’t ended so well for her.

What would become of him? There had to be another way. He couldn’t bring himself to let the doctor begin. He had heard stories whispers, quickly hushed when someone approached. The doctor tried to talk him into beginning but he thought it couldn’t hurt to hypothetically discuss other options. The doctor tried to explain that it wasn’t like an elixir or ointment, couldn’t be found in a battle or jar – more like a potion, it was witchcraft. It went against church and state, but John couldn’t help himself.

Three conditions would let the doctor begin his recommended treatment, after he told him he would have to “cast away his good name and denounce all things holey and pure”. He would never speak of the books or what was contained in the pages. He agreed. The doctor retrieved the book and John watched him place it on the desk.

He saw only one word, KURE. The doctor gave him one more chance to change his mind, but he placed his hand on the cover of the book and felt an evil. As the book turned its pages on its own volition the doctor began reading.

How did Jaye Frances go there? It makes me wonder how her mind works.

Jaye France’s books have taken me on some wild journeys I never could have imagined, and I always breathe a sigh of relief, for leaving with my sanity, when the story is told.

GOODREADS BLURB

“In vain thou shall use many medicines, but thou shalt not be kured. And even though you search for a virgin to lay upon her balm, there is no healing for you. You multiply your remedies in vain as your cries fill the earth, and you will stumble, one over the other, and both will fall down together.” – The Book of Eternal Regret

John Tyler, a young man in his early twenties, awakens to find a ghastly affliction taking over his body. When the village doctor offers the conventional, and potentially disfiguring, treatment as the only cure, John tenaciously convinces the doctor to reveal an alternative remedy—a forbidden ritual contained within an ancient manuscript called the Kure.

Although initially rejecting the vile and sinister rite, John realizes, too late, that the ritual is more than a faded promise scrawled on a page of crumbling paper. And as cure quickly becomes curse, the demonic text unleashes a dark power that drives him to consider the unthinkable—a depraved and wicked act requiring the corruption of an innocent soul.

Ultimately, John must choose between his desperate need to arrest the plague that is destroying his body, and the virtue of the woman he loves, knowing the wrong decision could cost him his life.

ABOUT JAYE FRANCES

Jaye Frances is the author of “World Without Love,” a suspense thriller series with an erotic edge, including “Betrayed,” “Reunion,” and “Redemption.” Her other books include “The Beach,” a sci-fi supernatural tale about the possibilities—and horror—of wishful thinking, “The Kure,” a paranormal-occult romance novel, “The Possibilities of Amy,” a coming-of-age story of first love, and “Love Travels Forever,” a collection of poignant short stories. When not absorbed with her writing, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and taking pictures-lots of them. Jaye lives on the gulf coast of Florida, sharing her home with one husband, six computers, and several hundred pairs of shoes.

Website / Author Facebook Page / Series Facebook Page / Twitter

MY JAYE FRANCES REVIEWS

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New Release – Past Deeds by Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold @HibbertStiles

Posted on February 17, 2020 by fundinmental

Carolyn Arnold does a fantastic job of writing cozies and police procedurals. Past Deeds is due for release on the 18th, so I am glad to give you a sneak peek.

Past Deeds (Brandon Fisher FBI series Book 8) by [Arnold, Carolyn]

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Carolyn Arnold writes in multiple genres and her police procedurals are my favorites. She puts her characters in impossible situations and I always look forward to following the process to capture. Her stories remind me of Criminal Minds, and that is a very good thing. It makes it easy for me, along with Carolyn’s writing, to follow the process they go through to catch the criminal.

A sniper. A death. Is the sniper a hired gun? A vigilante? I am very curious. I love when I can relate to the villain, finding out their motivations for their actions, what drives them to do the evil that they do. It’s always the why for me.

Jack Harper and the rest of the BAU team are on the case. Each character has a unique personality and a history that drives them.

Brandon and Paige have a tenuous working relationship and Jack throws them together, time and time again. Brandon has problems with looking past the personal and dealing with the case. It strikes a little too close to home and the guilt that he carries. It’s his own fault. I want to slap him upside the heads. Can’t undo your Past Deeds, and they play a part in who you are now. May have you asking some questions of yourself. I love a thought provoking novel.

Kelly is new to the team, but not to Jack. Jack keeps the newbies close to him, working side by side. She questions herself and every word that comes out of her mouth, second guessing herself. I loved watching her grow confidence and learn what it means to be a member of the team. Her past gives her the ability to empathize with the unknown subject, which is a valuable tool.

I agree with Kelly’s thoughts about men in service. They deserve more than they get, once they come home. They are the forgotten heroes and the government doesn’t do enough for them when they are in need.

I love how Carolyn Arnold weaves reality with fiction, her ability to make me want to know the characters, want to watch them grow and struggle with their personal issues, along with the cases they work on.

As the search for the unknown subject continues, Carolyn Arnold creates a twist I didn’t see coming, a sickening twist, as the suspense builds and I read quicker. It saddens me. It can’t end good, but….the desire for the lost to be saved is still there for me.

The unknown subject is a soldier, on a mission. What happens when the mission is complete?

Past Deeds is a thought provoking story and my mind feeds on it. All our past experiences create the person we are today, but what if….

I voluntarily read an ARC of Past Deeds by Carolyn Arnold.

GOODREADS BLURB

Some consequences can’t be predicted…

A sniping takes place in Arlington, Virginia, less than fifteen minutes from Washington, D.C., and nets several minor injuries but only one casualty. FBI Agent Brandon Fisher and his team with the Behavioral Analysis Unit are called in to determine if the threat is still active and whether they’re looking at an act of terrorism, an isolated incident, or the first in a planned series of shootings. All that seems clear from the ground is they’re looking for a skilled sniper who is former military.

As the FBI investigates, one possible motive has Brandon battling his own demons as the consequences of past choices resurface with a vengeance. He will come to discover how one decision can not only haunt us for the rest of our lives, but spread out and have long- and far-reaching repercussions we couldn’t even begin to imagine.

Past Deeds will have you joining the FBI in following clues and unraveling the psyche of a killer. This book will make you think and reflect—and you just might wonder if any past decisions you’ve made are stalking you, ready to strike.

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online: Website / Twitter / Facebook

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

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New Release – The Celestial Assignment by Theresa Braun @tbraun_author

Posted on February 16, 2020 by fundinmental

I first read a Theresa Braun novel, when I read Fountain Dead. See my review HERE. I can’t remember how I got my hands on the book, but I loved it. So….when I got a chance to read her latest, I had to have it.

I love covers. Though this cover doesn’t do a lot for me, I can’t say the same for the short story inside. AND, if you want a few laughs, be sure and read her bio. 🙂

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Celestial Assignment by Theresa Braun is a very quick read at 28 pages. It’s hard to review a short story without giving anything away, but, here we go.

Will is assigned to baby girl, Celeste, for his angel training. He is not exactly the angel you may want watching over your child, but, hey, God is a forgiving god, right? Giving us opportunities to redeem ourselves?

I love characters like Will. He had no idea what the future had in store for him and I loved watching him learn, grow, and…

I didn’t see the end coming. I smiled at the twist.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Celestial Assignment by Theresa Braun.

GOODREADS BLURB

After a sudden death, Will, a misguided angel, is tasked with protecting a baby girl. Watching over her as she grows up and navigates the world appears a harsh punishment for his past failings. Can he redeem himself, or will he fall further from grace?

ABOUT THERESA BRAUN

Hmmm. What’s this? Looks like Ms. Braun left her computer on and her Goodreads bio open.

This should be fun.

What can we say about Theresa? I mean other than the fact that she’s weirdly obsessed with smiley faces :-). Like, seriously obsessed >:-*. It’s kinda scary :-O.

I think she thinks she’s from Renaissance England or Venice or something. I never could figure out which one it was. (She’s really bad at doing accents.)

She likes romance novels and crime TV, which are pretty much the same thing when you think about it. Ha! Am I right?

She has a hell of a singing voice. Seriously. It’s, like, seventh circle of hell bad.

She likes editing. A lot. Just wait till she get’s aload a this.

Cats. Shoes. Chips and salsa. In that order.

Yeah, that last part didn’t make sense to me either.

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Murder & Mysticism – Snake Oil by Pamela Fagan Hutchins @pameloth

Posted on February 14, 2020 by fundinmental

Snake Oil is Book II in the Patrick Flint series. I am ready for another adventure, knowing trouble will always find him and his wife will come to his rescue. A man is only as strong as the woman behind him. LOL

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

A blizzard…oh yeah. I love a book that starts out with some natural disaster. And with Patrick Flint, I know there is trouble on the way

Patrick Flint is a doctor that goes above and beyond his duty. Today he is on his way to the Wind River Indian Reservation, while Susanne is having the family in for Christmas and dealing with her teenage daughter’s love life… Brandon plays a part in the first book of the series, Switchback, so I won’t tell you his story. Pamela Fagan Hutchins does highlight the events, so you miss nothing, except another wonderful love story with some mystery thrown in. Each book can stand alone.

I do love when an author includes some native mysticism.

A life is taken, a life is born.

Due to the blizzard, Susanne is unable to contact Patrick. He is trapped in town with no phone, no internet, no way to let her know he arrived and is okay. That’s all right, though. Susanne is coming to the rescue…along with the family, mom, dad, son, daughter, and a stowaway.

I love this feisty, courageous wife and mother.

I am loving this series that is loosely based on Pamela Fagan Hutchins personal life. I guess that’s why the characters come through as authentic and real.

There are so many suspects, I can’t find the guilty party. I love when an author keeps me guessing.

Pamela Fagan Hutchins’ writing is easy to read and engrossing, with a mystery that grows on every page and true to life characters that mature and develop throughout each book. I look forward to finding out what will happen next, seeing Patrick Flint’s middle name should be Trouble, with a capital T. LOL

A man is only as strong as the woman behind him. LOL

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Snake Oil by Pamela Fagan Hutchins.

GOODREADS BLURB

From USA Today bestselling author Pamela Fagan Hutchins, the second in a series of thrilling Western mystery novels.

A doctor on a quest to make a difference. A flirty widow with a suspiciously dead husband. Stranded on the Wind River Indian Reservation in a deadly blizzard, Patrick Flint is about to figure out just how much of an outsider he really is.

ABOUT PAMELA FAGA HUTCHINS

I like big butts and I cannot lie: horse butts that is. As in draft cross horses, which I ride with my hunky husband way up in the frozen north of Snowheresville, WY and deep in the heart of Nowheresville, TX. I am a wannabe barrel racer afraid of going fast, an eater of ribeye, and the author of the USA Today bestselling What Doesn’t Kill You world of romantic mysteries.

{By the way, to get free exclusives, first looks, and special deals with my newsletter, go to https://bit.ly/pamelaNL.}

When I’m not writing or riding, I’m passionate about hiking, always with a couple of rescue dogs (and an occasional goat and donkey), bear spray, a mountain lion knife, and my Judge. NO ANIMALS HAVE BEEN HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS LIFE ADVENTURE (but don’t sneak up on me).

I’ve made some lists and won some awards, yada yada. 2018 USA Today Bestseller. 2018 #1 Amazon Bestseller. 2018 Top 50 Amazon Author (Romantic Mystery, Romantic Suspense). The 2017 Silver Falchion for Best Adult Mystery WINNER (Fighting for Anna), the 2016 and 2015 WINNERS for USA Best Books Fiction: Cross Genre (Hell to Pay, Heaven to Betsy), and others. With downloads of nearly 2,000,000 for the What Doesn’t Kill You world, readers seem to enjoy my smart, sassy female sleuths—I think they have exceptionally good taste. {insert silly grin here} Lots of them follow my podcast, too, where I fangirl my favorite authors and interview them for your listening pleasure.

If after all that you still want to learn more about my books, my podcast, or me, then God Bless Ya, and do drop in on my website, http://pamelafaganhutchins.com.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY PAMELA FAGAN HUTCHINS REVIEWS

Saving Grace
Puppalicious
Switchback (a patrick flint novel)

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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The Infection Is Spreading – Day 3 by Nick Clausen @NickClausen9

Posted on February 13, 2020 by fundinmental

Another wildly entertaining day in the Dead Meat series by Nick Clausen.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

“Perhaps it’s only just begun.”

“Perhaps I’m one of the first to meet the undead?”

William is right. The zombie apocalypse is in the early stages. You won’t find it on social media. I love this tidbit.

Dan had woke up to a normal day, until…It was too late to stop it. A moments hesitation ended the possibility. Now, it’s a matter of who will survive.

William…oh man.

Millie…were any of her friends left alive?

Holger…mentally impaired, or is he? After all his paranoia and prepping, the time is at hand to make use of it.

Bad things happen to good people. Sometimes helping comes with a mortal, lethal cost.

I can hardly wait to find out what happens next and who will survive to tell the story.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Dead Meat: Day 2 by Nick Clausen.

GOODREADS BLURB

The dead have awakened.
Driven by insatiable hunger.
In eternal search of fresh meat.
The infection spreads like the plague.
Nothing stands between the undead and humanity.
Is it too late to save the world from disaster?

Day 3 of the zombie apocalypse

The story picks up from Day 2. We meet William who works at the hospital. His workday starts out like any other—until he finds two zombies locked in a utility room in the basement. From there, things quickly escalate.

By Day 3, the infection is picking up speed, the zombies are spreading rapidly, and very soon everything could spiral out of control. Is it too late to save the world?

ABOUT NICK CLAUSEN

Born 1988 in North Jutland, where I still live with my wife, who also happened to be my earliest childhood girlfriend. From 2017 I have lived as a full-time writer. Up until then, I had different jobs beside the writing. I have been studying as a carpenter for three years, and have also read two years of psychology at Aalborg University. It turned out that the writing had a much more powerful pull on me.

I decided early on that I would be an author when I grew up. In fact, the decision came to me already when I read my first book, Snevampyren by Dennis Jürgensen. My first “real” stories I wrote at 14-15 years of age. They were rejected by the publisher, but still got praise. There were some years when I was busy with being a teenager and trying to get an education before I suddenly remembered that I should be an author.

That day I made a promise to write 1,000 words a day until I got a book published. I sat down and started writing. I continued to write every single day for a year and a half. I sent the finished manuscripts to different publishers, and the rejections piled up. Twelve of them by the end. But each time I could feel it was a little bit better. The criticism became more positive. The thirteenth story was called Tidevandet, and it was adopted by the publisher and came out a year later.

I have always enjoyed writing, although in the beginning I put a lot of pressure on myself. My approach to the process has become much more free over the years. For example, I no longer plan my stories. That way, I feel that I’m experiencing the story while writing it and the characters feel like real people. I do not know where the ideas come from, but I’ve never had trouble finding them.

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MY NICK CLAUSEN REVIEWS

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Lovin’ Alien Skies by Carmen Webster Buxton @CarmenWBuxton

Posted on February 12, 2020 by fundinmental

Alien Skies by Carmen Webster Buxton is the third novel in the Wankanrean science fiction series and I am lovin’ it. The out of this world romance is filled with intrigue and characters that grew on me the more I read.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Aliens Skies is the third book in the Wankanrean science fiction series by Carmen Webster Buxton and I have become engrossed in the characters lives. We have romance and intrigue that arises because of their desire to be together, even though they are different races. Not races like ours, but of the alien kind.

There are many who feel like people should stick to their own kind and will go to extremes to keep it that way. They will kidnap and kill to accomplish their goals.

BUT, there are those that feel a prophecy will be fulfilled because of it and do whatever they can to protect them.

We do have humans amongst the Wankanreans, Milorans, Terrans, and other species.

It all started with Yulayan’s mother marrying a Terran, a human. No one considered the possibility of her becoming pregnant and delivering not one, but two part human/part Wankanrean babies.

Alien Skies is Yulayan’s story and it is filled with love, romance, intrigue and danger.

Them, and the characters that surround them, have quickly grown on me as I learn their differences and likenesses to each other. Their love is so deep, yet filled with problems, politics, insecurities, work, kids, cooking, laundry and things that we all deal with on a daily basis.

The best way I can describe the mating habits of Wakanrean’s is that it’s like imprinting for werewovles. They don’t have a choice, it is a biological occurrence that doesn’t end until one of them dies. Not so for us humans, so part of the couple’s problems is navigating the ins and outs of the Wakanrean’s shagunrah and the human’s marriage.

I do recommend reading the books in order because each book leads to the next. I did accidentally read the second book first, went back to the first book, then read the third book and didn’t get lost, but felt I missed out on the full story.

I have gotten lost in this wonderful series that brought to mind Star Trek and Star Wars because of the different species and worlds, though we spend most of our time on Wakanreo. The characters are richly developed and grow as the story is told, becoming more real in my mind. Now, that’s some great writing.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Alien Skies by Carmen Webster Buxton.

GOODREADS BLURB

Kamuhi Hailoaka’s desire to see other worlds led him to Wakanreo, the only world in the galaxy where the dominant species mates for life. Kamuhi met and married half-human, half-Wakanrean Yulayan Bellaire. After the Third Confederation of Planets rescued Yulayan from Inchauro Perduay, the man she found herself mated to, Kamuhi enlisted in ThreeCon. Now constrained by their rules and regulations, he and Yulayan work at being married and raising a child. Kamuhi has always excelled at academic subjects, but simultaneously navigating the pitfalls of bureaucracy, interspecies politics, marriage, and fatherhood at the same time is more of a challenge. Once he is assigned back to Wakanreo, the challenge becomes not only harder but more dangerous. For one thing, Inchauro Perduay still sees Yulayan as his mate.

ABOUT CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON

Carmen Webster Buxton spent her youth reading every book published by Ursula LeGuin, Robert Heinlein and Georgette Heyer. This combination of far-future worlds, alien cultures, and old-fashioned courting customs influenced her writing, especially in her ThreeCon series.

Carmen was born in Hawaii and experienced a childhood on the move, as her father was in the US Navy. Having raised two wonderful children, she now lives in Maryland with her husband Charlie, and a beagle named Cosmo. She writes science fiction and romance, mostly set in the far future, and the occasional fantasy.

She has published several books, including THE SIXTH DISCIPLINE and its sequel NO SAFE HAVEN. TRIBES, SHADES OF EMPIRE, and THE NOSTALGIA GAMBIT are in her ThreeCon series; these books are set in a shared universe but do not share any characters. WHERE MAGIC RULES (a novella) is her only published fantasy. KING OF TREES crosses genres, as it is a time travel/alternate history/science fiction novel with fantasy overtones. SARONNA’S GIFT is her first book to be available as a paperback as well as an ebook, and the first overt romance. TURNABOUT is young adult dystopian science fiction that starts in the real world. ALIEN BONDS is another science fiction romance, the first book in a planned trilogy. The second book is ALIEN VOWS. The third book ALIEN SKIES will come out in 2019.

Carmen often blogs about ereaders, digital publishing, writing, and speculative fiction. Visit her blog to see what’s coming out next! To send her feedback on her books, send email to carmen.webster.buxton (at) gmail.com.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON REVIEWS

Where Magic Rules (on Goodreads)
Tribes (on Goodreads)
Shades of Empire (on Goodreads)
Alien Bonds
Alien Vows

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Lovin’ The Title for My Dead Blue Caterpillar by #RDMurray

Posted on February 11, 2020 by fundinmental

The title for My Dead Blue Caterpillar by R D Murray was the first thing to hook me, then I saw the great cover and read the blurb. I got it on an Amazon free day on 1.19.18, and I am really glad I added it to my reading list.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

For a debut novel, R D Murray rocks with My Dead Blue Caterpillar.

I feel we all have two sides to our personalities, sometimes more, but Karen? She got my attention quickly and I have a felling she won’t be letting me go. She scares the hell out of me, but I am looking forward to finding out what she will do.

Harold has her isolated and so in love she sees no faults…until…

Hell hath no fury like Karen when she is scorned and someone’s going to pay.

Psychological thriller fits My Dead Blue Caterpillar to a T. These characters are so twisted, I’m not sure if they are crazy or just plain evil.

Sex slaves, whether as a totally controlled wife or a kidnapped, raped and tortured underage girl, there is plenty to fill me with rage and disgust.

Oh man, the ending….I believe there will be more to come and I can hardly wait to read it.

GOODREADS BLURB

Nothing is what it seems! No one is who they claim to be!

Everyone has secrets but no one has secrets as big as Harold’s. When Karen Pine finds out her husband is sleeping with a multitude of women, and has a book full of their names and addresses, she has to decide if she: A.) wants to kill him. B.) wants to punish his women or C.) all of the above.

As she struggles with the discovery of a secret book, the reality of what it all means, and searches for answers, more and more secrets start to come to life about her husband.

Karen is soon sucked into a mind-bending, mysterious, and devious revenge story. But it isn’t until Harold suddenly disappears, that things take a turn for the worse. Leaving Karen to fight a battle she could never imagine, even in her wildest dreams.

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Dark & Twisted – Review – Missing Him by Leah Penn @leahpenn7

Posted on February 10, 2020 by fundinmental

Missing Him by Leah Penn is another book where the author approached me. After checking out other reviews, I felt I had to know….

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Til death us do part sums up this dark, twisted love story. They lived hard and loved hard.

Not a lot to say without spoiling the story.

The characters are totally committed to each other. I felt it was a very unhealthy relationship and as Emery Pearson tells the prison therapist her story, she never talks about the abuse she suffers at other inmates hands.

Life on the inside is brutal, dangerous.

I didn’t figure out the ending until I got there. That’s unusual for me. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting and I do love a book surprise.

The characters are way past dysfunctional, but I felt like they thought everything was as it should be…until that fateful day.

Choices, some are good and some are bad and some just are.

Who am I to judge someone else’s life?

Even though Missing Him by Leah Penn is fiction, it reads like a true story

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Missing Him by Leah Penn.

GOODREADS BLURB

The much maligned and misjudged, Emery Pearson, sits facing prison therapist, Dr Susan James, in order to make a last ditch attempt to win her freedom after the chance of happiness with the only man she ever loved is cruelly cut short, in this roller-coaster tale of passion told through revealing flashbacks. Contains adult themes.

ABOUT LEAH PENN

Hi! My name’s Cassandra and I write fiction and nonfiction under the author name, L Penn.

I was born in Leicestershire, UK, during the 60’s, and some of my writings have raised eyebrows from literary peers. I won’t complain as I’m non-conventional myself (given the general rule).

Since the start of time I was always informed, write what you know and what you want to read, and I’ve followed that ideal since.

As a kid, I loved collecting ‘film stills’ by cutting out promotional posters of movies advertised in local newspapers and Film Review magazines. I was struck how beautiful these stills were and the short messages they conveyed were magnetic. Remember Ridley Scott’s ALIEN? “In space no one can hear you scream.” You don’t get that kind of magic anymore. Movies and soundtracks were far more memorable back then.

From my diverse background witnessing social ills, some get reflected in my work hence the love I have for my lead characters who go through “hardship and adversity“. Quite often I wish I had their resolve. I admire those who can sit and wait for justice when they’ve been wronged; be it through faith or the courts. That kind of discipline has to be admired.

This is just part of her bio and I hope you will take the time to visit her website.

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New Release – Cracked Sapphire by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor

Posted on February 7, 2020 by fundinmental

Cracked Sapphire, Book I in the Broken Gem series, is Jane Blythe’s newest release, fresh off the press. She is an amazing author and never ceases to give me hours of reading enjoyment and book surprises. I can hardly wait for the next one.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Every time I open a Jane Blythe book, I do so with high expectations and she did not let me down in her newest release, Cracked Sapphire. The book is filled with triggers that many people will want to avoid, but NOT ME! I want to walk the dark side. I want to be disgusted and outraged…and I am. WOW. Jane can sure deliver the shock factor!

I have more than a full page of notes and I know I can’t share all my thoughts, so what do I do, other than encourage you to walk the dark side with me and find out for yourself.

Amelia…I felt something was coming, but not that. Truly frightening when I believe it can be all too true. Jane Blythe has a wonderful ability to weave ‘it can really happen’ with her fiction.

Jane’s character descriptions make them easy to visualize, bringing them to life…or in some case, death.

Now, let’s talk about the series character’s names. They are all precious gems, like the characters themselves. They have been put through a horrendous experience with human traffickers, but they are determined to have a ‘normal’ life. How they were saved was the first of many book surprises.

“I like you,” he drawled. “I like the strong ones; they always have a better chance of surviving.” What the hell does that mean? I have a feeling a twist is coming.

Sapphire has made it her mission in life to catch as many criminals as possible. She devotes her life to it. The only friends she has is her sisters. She keeps tight control of her emotions, feeling she has to be strong for them. Her life is her sisters, catching the bad guy, and then…death. No marriage. No children. But, that’s okay, until…

She doesn’t always play well with others, and definitely has no respect for shrinks. She sees Dr Gideon Barlow as a necessary evil, when he is assigned to work the serial killer case with her. Dr Barlow does like a challenge and he knows Sapphire will be a big one, considering he is immediately attracted to her.

Jane never ceases to amaze me with the depth of depravity her villains will go to to satisfy their itch. It’s not surprising that this villain is not a people person. The suspense level rises as he slips through their fingers. They had him, but…well, I can’t tell you what happens. And that makes their case even harder to solve, because, now he knows, they are hot on his heels.

I loved watching Sapphire grown and change, quit taking the blame for everything that happens, letting the ‘normal’ be a possibility.

Romantic suspense has a push/pull, give/take wrapped up in miscommunication. But, Jane Blythe has written a unique take on the issue of keeping the suspense alive, the problems coming in an original way. I didn’t find myself saying, “well, I knew that was coming.” She didn’t prolong the agony by creating the romance conflict we are all so familiar with and I LOVE IT! Kudos for handling the romance in such an awesome way!

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Cracked Sapphire by Jane Blythe.

GOODREADS BLURB

Betrayed. Sold. Tortured. Now she’s fighting to rebuild her life.

Detective Sapphire Hatcher was sold to human traffickers when she was sixteen. She was lucky. She was rescued, and now she has dedicated her life to saving others. When a criminal psychiatrist is brought in to work alongside her, she tries to ignore the way he makes her feel, but he won’t let her.

Gideon Barlow travels the country working with police departments on the most depraved of cases. When he meets Sapphire, the attraction is instantaneous, but if he can’t help her realize that there is more to life than her job, she might end up losing not just her chance at happiness but her life as well.

↝ Trigger warning – mature content, issues of sexual assault/abuse, violence ↜

ABOUT JANE BLYTHE

Jane has loved reading and writing since she can remember. She writes dark and disturbing crime/mystery/suspense with some romance thrown in because, well, who doesn’t love romance? She has one completed series, Detective Parker Bell, and one new series, Count to Ten.

When she’s not writing Jane loves to read, bake, go to the beach, ski, horse ride, and watch Disney movies. She has a black belt in Taekwondo, and a 200+ collection of teddy bears. She has the world’s two most sweet and pretty Dalmatians, Ivory and Pearl. Oh, and she also enjoys spending time with family and friends!

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MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS