One Sentence Review – Slenderman by Willow Rose @willowredrose

I have read some of Willow Rose’s work and loved it, so when I saw this freebie on Amazon, I had to grab it.

What a creepy, fantastic cover!

Slenderman (Emma Frost Book 9)

Amazon  /  Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Harassment…oh, it is so much more than that…and I wonder if Brutus will go all Cujo on her as the past comes back to haunt her with characters that are so far out there, entitled, mean, cruel, deadly, and the mystery of Slenderman seems to come out of the computer and walk in real life…

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB:  An engrossing thriller from an Amazon bestselling author! Ever heard of Slender Man?

They say he is always there. They say he is always watching. A tall guy in a suit and tie, with no face, and arms like tentacles.

Some say he is an online myth; others will go very far to prove he is real, so far that they might even kill for him.

Fanoe Island is busy with the mayoral election coming up, when suddenly, the sitting mayor is found killed. Rumors tell that a faceless man dressed in a suit and tie did it.

In Emma Frost’s house that she inherited from her grandmother, a box of letters is found that tells a story from a long time ago. A terrifying story revealing a painful chapter in the life of her own family half a century ago.

– Slender Man is a spine-chilling mystery from the bestselling author Willow Rose. It is the ninth in her Emma Frost-series.

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Bah…Humbug by Tony Bertauski @tonybertauski

I have been reading Tony Bertauski’s Christmas stories since the very beginning and have loved each and every one, so I was eager to get my hands on Humbug.

Be sure and check out his other books below, where you can find my review links.

Humbug: The Unwinding of Ebenezer Scrooge (Claus, #4)

Amazon  /  Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Fantastic twist on a familiar tale.

Tony Bertauski has come away with another winner in Humbug. This is one of those books that is hard to review without giving away all the goodies inside.

You may think you know the story, but when Tony Bertauski spins a tale, he creates a world of his own, original, unique and highly creative.

I immediately thought steampunk because of all the technology involved, but cyberpunk will do just fine.

Ebenezer is constantly riding around his castle on a Segway. He is overweight and a bit lazy. He wants what he wants when he wants it and expects his androids to deliver. He doesn’t leave his castle and doesn’t want any human contact. No one knows what he looks like because he projects a created image when he talks ‘face to face’.

At times I felt like Ebenezer got what he deserved and other times I felt sorry for him. After all, we don’t always know what happens to shape a person into who they have become.

We do travel to the future, visit the present and go back to the past to find out his story.

The twists and turns kept me entertained and I surely never saw the end coming. I loved it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Humbug by Tony Bertauski.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos4 Stars

AMAZON BLURB:  Jacob Marley is dead. His business partner, Eb Scrooge, is left to run Avocado, Inc., an innovative technology business, all alone. An introverted shut-in locked away in a Colorado mansion, he changes the company’s mission statement. Only his servant droids keep him company.

Until the gifts arrive.

Each Christmas, a messenger forces Eb to look at his life in hopes he will change. But change does not happen in a single night. And only Eb can make it happen.

But who is sending the messengers?

ABOUT TONY BERTAUSKI

Tony BertauskiGet my books FREE. Tell me where to send them at http://bertauski.com

My grandpa never graduated high school. He retired from a steel mill in the mid-70s. He was uneducated, but he was a voracious reader. I remember going through his bookshelves of paperback sci-fi novels, smelling musty old paper, pulling Piers Anthony and Isaac Asimov off shelf and promising to bring them back. I was fascinated by robots that could think and act like people. What happened when they died?

I’ve written textbooks on landscape design, but that was straightforward, informational writing; the kind of stuff that helps most people get to sleep. I’ve also been writing a gardening column with a humorous slant. That takes a little more finesse, but still informational for the most part.

I’m a cynical reader. I demand the writer sweep me into his/her story and carry me to the end. I’d rather sail a boat than climb a mountain. That’s the sort of stuff I wanted to write, not the assigned reading we used to get in high school. I wanted to create stories that kept you up late.

Fiction, GOOD fiction, is hard to write. Having a story unfold inside your head is an experience different than reading. You connect with characters in a deeper, more meaningful way. You feel them, empathize with them, cheer for them and even mourn. The challenge is to get the reader to experience the same thing, even if it’s only a fraction of what the writer feels. Not so easy.

My reviews for Tony Bertauski’s books:


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One Sentence Review – Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent #RachelVincent

I won a signed copy from fiktshun some time ago and even though this is Book VI of The Soul Screamers series, I don’t feel it affected my enjoyment of Before I Wake.

Check out this gorgeous cover.

Before I Wake (Soul Screamers, #6)

Amazon  /  Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Kaylee struggles to find her ‘place’ in this new world of the undead…reapers, extractors, necromancers…she wonders how she will fill the minutes, hours, days…and I loved following her in her struggles to kill the demon that haunts her, following her deeper and deeper in this wonderful tale of death and ‘life’, with well written twists and turns that kept me going, though I was disappointed not to find out how it all ends.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB:  I died on a Thursday— killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul.

The good news? He didn’t get it.

The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school…

Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent “recovering,” she’s back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.

But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won’t keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn’t just gambling with her own life….

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Giveaway & Review – Threading The Needle by Gabriel Valjan @GValjan @NouveauWriter

roma-series-horizontal-befunky-collage

I was drawn into the Roma Series because of the fabulous covers and the storyline.

It made me think of Kathy Reichs and the the TV series, Bones, with her forensic anthropology, only for a character that specializes in forensic accounting.

We continue our adventure in Milan, Italy and bullets will fly.

.threading-the-needle

 

Amazon  /  Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Roma Series continues in Threading The Needle by Gabriel Valjan. I am excited to see what Bianca and her band of cohorts will encounter next in Milan, Italy.

We are back with some familiar characters and the stakes are higher than ever. Conspiracy is alive and well.

The infighting between the police for territory and jurisdiction and the political machinations dog down their investigation into the murders and mystery. Politics is a dirty business and heads will fall, bodies too.

Gotta be pretty sharp to run the gauntlet and find the answers.

A little manipulation can be in order, and it does keep me on the hook as I try to figure out why they do what they do sometimes..

As the mystery unfolds, I think Bianca, a forensic accounting cyber nerd, has the answers, but…

Sometimes there is so much going on, I lose track of where I’m going. Am I purposely being mislead so I can’t find the answers?

Is it just me that I feel like I am being schooled rather than on a journey for my own entertainment? If you enjoy step by step police procedurals and some a glimpse into Italy’s history, this is for you.

I love the concept of this series so much, I wonder why I am having such difficulty with it. Is it because of the location…Italy and all that entails, their customs and history?

I took a little time and read other things between the books, but to see if it makes a difference, I will be diving right into Turning To Stone, Book IV. I believe these books can stand alone, but if you want to know all the details of the continuing characters, start at the beginning.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Threading The Needle from Gabriel Valjan.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos3 Stars

SYNOPSIS

Threading The Needle, Book III

Milan, Italy. Bianca’s curiosity gets a young university student murdered, but not before he gives her a file that details a secret weapon under development with defense contractor Adastra. Guilt may drive her to find justice for the slain Charlie Brooks, but she is warned by the mysterious Loki to stay away from this case that runs deep with conspiracy. Bianca must find a way to uncover government secrets and corporate alliances without returning Italy to one of its darkest hours, the decades of daily terrorism known as the “Years of Lead.”

ABOUT GABRIEL VALJAN

gabriel-valjanGabriel Valjan lives in Boston, Massachusetts. He is the author of the Roma Series, available from Winter Goose Publishing. Gabriel has also written numerous short stories and essays found online and in print.

Connect with the author:  Website ~Twitter  ~ Facebook

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GIVEAWAY

  • 5 winners get a paperback copy of CC
  • 5 winners get an ebook copy of CC
  • 1 winner gets whole set of Roma series in paperback (signed)
  • 1 winner gets whole set of Roma series in ebook format
  • 12 winners total
  • Print copies open to USA and ebooks open international
  • Giveaway ends Dec 17

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Tag Team Event – Tainted Cure by Ashley Fontainne @AshleyFontainne

 

taguritfinal2Welcome to my Tag Team Tag Team Events & Giveaways Page!

This is where myself (Sherry at fundinmental) and Laura at fuonlyknew tag team authors and their books.

We share our reviews and giveaways, giving you two views and two chances to win!

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 Is it a cure or a curse? The cover for Tainted Cure by Ashley Fontainne is only one of the things that drew me to this novel. I have read several amazing books by Ashley and she always leaves me wanting more. This author is at the top of her game and any book by her will be a MUST READ for me.

Some of her novels have been made into or optioned for film.

Tainted Cure is PermaFree on all sales channels, so Ashley will be offering multiple copies of her new book, Ruined, for the giveaway. Be sure and scroll down to see this beauty.

Cover design by One of a Kind Covers

ashley fontainne tainted cureAmazon  /  Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Tainted Cure by Ashley Fontainne is a unique and original look at drug addiction and the search for a cure for it. People are very creative and Tainted Cure will show you how something lifesaving and good can become twisted and evil. Do you believe in conspiracies…you may when you are done reading this.

Dr Everett Berning had been recruited to work for the covert program – Rememdium.

Their goal: find a cure for addiction.

A meth head had taken out his entire family, so how could he refuse?

Word gets out about a possible cure and the story takes an unexpected turn. Is it a cure or a curse?

At the beginning, I wondered where Ashley Fontainne could take a story about drugs. Haven’t we read all the storylines? She writes such great stories, I still expect a high level of entertainment and suspense with a unique and original twist and she did not let me down.

OMG. I didn’t see this grisly and horrific twist but I love it. They created monsters, monsters that may be the end of the world. Would anyone survive or would this be the apocalyptic event that wiped mankind from the face of the earth? The epidemic that creates the apocalypse is not what is foreseen by the doctors and medical community of today.

I never saw Tainted Cure going in this direction, fanfrickintastic. I love it and I will not tell you much, because I refuse to spoil it for you.

They don’t care who is good or bad, they just take whoever is unlucky enough to get in the way.

The twists and turns, the suspense, thrills and terror of what would come on the next page kept me reading at a rapid pace.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Tainted Cure by Ashley Fontainne.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 5 STARS

Goodreads Blurb: Dr. Everett Berning, a leading researcher into the causes of addiction in the brain, spent ten years of his life dedicated to one thing: finding the cure. Recruited after a strange encounter with the enigmatic Dr. Roberta Flint, Director of Research on Code Name: Rememdium, Dr. Berning is sent to work in a secret lab as part of the research team.

When the moment the scientists waited on for years arrives, Dr. Flint and her team are ecstatic.

Unfortunately, not everyone in the world feels the same way.

Benito San Nicholas isn’t ready to give up his lucrative business. When the news of a cure arrives on his doorstep from a crooked informant, Benito enlists the help of other drug lords from around the world to stop the cure from hitting the streets and destroying their livelihoods.

What happens next ends up uniting the globe–just not the way society ever intended or hoped.

ABOUT ASHLEY FONTAINNE (from her website)

Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne is an avid reader of mostly the classics. Ashley became a fan of the written word in her youth, starting with the Nancy Drew mystery series. Stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters that lurk within us are her favorite reads.

Her muse for penning the Eviscerating the Snake series was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Ashley’s love for this book is what sparked her desire to write her debut novel, Accountable to None, the first book in the trilogy. With a modern setting to the tale, Ashley delves into just what lengths a person is willing to go when they seek personal justice for heinous acts perpetrated upon them. The second novel in the series, Zero Balance. focuses on the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge has on the seeker. For once the cycle starts, where does it end? How far will the tendrils of revenge expand? Adjusting Journal Entries answered that question: far and wide.

Her short thriller entitled Number Seventy-Five, touches upon the sometimes dangerous world of online dating. Number Seventy-Five took home the BRONZE medal in fiction/suspense at the 2013 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards contest and is currently in production for a feature film.

Her paranormal thriller entitled The Lie, won the GOLD medal in the 2013 Illumination Book Awards for fiction/suspense and is also in production for a feature film entitled Foreseen.

Ashley’s decided to delve into the paranormal with a Southern Gothic horror/suspense novel, Growl, which released in January of 2015. The suspenseful mystery Empty Shell, released in September of 2014. Ashley will be teaming up with Lillian Hansen (Ashley calls her mom!) to pen a three-part murder mystery/suspense series entitled The Magnolia Series. The first book, Blood Ties, is due out the Summer of 2015.

Ashley also hosts The WriteStuff, a popular BlogTalk Radio show, each Friday night at 10 p.m. CST.

GIVEAWAY

Because Tainted Cure is PermaFree, Ashley is offering a copy of her new novel, Ruined Wings, to be released in December.

tainted-cure-giveaway

Eleven (11) Winners

1 hardback copy (US) and 10 copies of Ruined Wings by Ashley Fontainne, 5 ebooks and 5 audiobooks (INT).

Entry is easy peasy. Leave your email and what format you would like.

Do you believe in conspiracies?

Be sure and hop on over to see Laura @ fuonlyknew for another chance to win.

Ends 11.23.16

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Ashley Fontainne’s writing is so spectacular, I am always anticipating the next book I will read of hers. Here are my reviews…so far:

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The Ground Shook – Seismic Crimes by Chrys Fey @ChrysFey

I was super eager to get my hands on Seismic Crimes by Chrys Fey.

I have enjoyed her stories and I got to name a character in this one.

I can hardly wait to meet Jackson Storm.

seismiccrimes_w10160_750Amazon Goodreads

Seismic Crimes by Chrys Fey

Publisher:  Wild Rose Press

Cover design:  Kim Mendoza

MY REVIEW

Chrys Fey is a fantastic author who is always on the top of my reading list. She did not let me down in Seismic Crimes. Seismic Crimes picks up where Hurricane Crimes left off. The recap does not require you to read it first, though I would recommend doing so.

Beth’s journey continues with Donovan, which began in Hurricane Crimes, and now they are caught in an earthquake in San Francisco, being chased by a killer.

Is there such a thing as love at first sight? She risks a lot for him after knowing him for a day. It works for me.

Beth is an independent person, able to take care of herself, but Donovan easily fits into her life. He is hunky…hot…and action oriented, in more ways than one. Lots of romance and action, along with plenty of mystery and suspense, as Beth and Donovan take their relationship to a new level.

I am familiar with hurricanes and they don’t really scare me. There is plenty of time for preparation and if it’s going to be a big one, ya just get out of the way. Not so with earthquakes. I cannot imagine how terrifying it is to have your whole world shaking beneath your feet.

I could not help but chuckle at Beth’s thoughts while she is at the police station. It’s not starting out so well for them.

What can I say about Jackson Storm…? I love that Chrys made him a…and I see some deliciously good stuff coming next.

Humor  and romance go well together and Chrys Fey does a great job of blending them while keeping the suspense percolating.

Some sexy, hot scenes. I would recommend this for adults.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Seismic Crimes by Chrys Fey.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 Stars

ABOUT THE BOOK

An Internal Affairs Investigator was murdered and his brother, Donovan Goldwyn, was framed. Now Donovan is desperate to prove his innocence. And the one person who can do that is the woman who saved him from a deadly hurricane—Beth Kennedy. From the moment their fates intertwined, passion consumed him. He wants her in his arms. More, he wants her by his side in his darkest moments.

Beth Kennedy may not know everything about Donovan, but she can’t deny what she feels for him. It’s her love for him that pushes her to do whatever she has to do to help him get justice, including putting herself in a criminal’s crosshairs.

When a tip reveals the killer’s location, they travel to California, but then an earthquake of catastrophic proportions separates them. As aftershocks roll the land, Beth and Donovan have to endure dangerous conditions while trying to find their way back to one another. Will they reunite and find the killer, or will they lose everything?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR .

Chrys Fey is the author of Hurricane Crimes and 30 Seconds. She is currently working on the sequel to Hurricane Crimes that’ll serve as book two in the Disaster Crimes series.

When Fey was six years old, she realized her dream of being a writer by watching her mother pursue publication. At the age of twelve, she started writing her first novel, which flourished into a series she later rewrote at seventeen. Fey lives in Florida where she is waiting for the next hurricane to come her way.

You can connect with her on Facebook and her blog, Write with Fey. She loves to get to know her readers!

Author Links: Facebook / Blog / Website / Goodreads

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Memories From The 70’s – False Starts by Ken La Salle @KenLaSalle

Ken La Salle is an amazing author that dips his feet into many genres.

I have enjoyed everything I have read by him, so to get a glimpse into what makes him tick is an opportunity I can’t pass up.

Are you ready to take a blast to the past…The 1970’s coming up.

False Starts: Mistakes & Missteps Growing Up In The 70s

Amazon  /  Goodreads

Normally I am getting lost in make believe, but now and then I feel a need to gain insight into the real world, and to learn more about an author that I enjoy is an opportunity I can’t pass up.

I have read several of Ken La Salle’s wonderful, wacky and creepy books, so to learn where all that talent came from is something I was more than happy to do.

A box of memories started this journey.

“It was the hippest of times. It was the funkiest of times. It was the 1970s.”

What would your box of memories hold?

In False Starts, Ken La Salle shares his life during the 70s. Do you remember what you were doing?

His talk of TV and music strikes home to me. A lot of people think the 60s was a time of change, but the 70s brought so many more options for our viewing and listening pleasure. Do you remember Hot Wheels, 45s, or the Smother’s Brothers, who were only on one season because they were too disrespectful?

Ken La Salle grew up poor with his mom and siblings. I cannot understand from personal experience the lack of enough food, going hungry and no clothes to wear. It wasn’t like I had a lot, but I had what was needed and an occasional goodie or two.

It’s hard to feel sad for Ken when I was reading the book, because of his writing style. Is it a positive spin he puts on it or is it his drive to find what he was good at, what would work for him and make his life a good one. I find myself nodding and smiling as I read along sharing similar memories.

He finds those moments of light and happiness that shine through the darkness.

I thoroughly enjoyed this trip down memory lane and getting to know an author I plan on following for a long time.  I think it is because of his upbringing that he is able to write so well in very different genres with his humorous bent shining through the written words.

As long as you are moving forward in life, it can appear to you as though it were a series of False Starts.

I can only imagine what fun it would be to listen to this in as an audiobook., which is available.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of False Starts from Ken La Salle.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 Stars

Memories…Some things I was familiar with, others not so much. How about you?

GOODREADS BLURB:  I recently opened up my chest of childhood memories, faced a decade I had long since forgotten, and wrote these words:

“It was the hippest of times. It was the funkiest of times. It was the 1970s.”

And I grew up right there in the middle of it. I won talent shows. I went to camp. I fought the school bully for the honor of the girl I loved. I lost my father…

But having just turned 50, I decided the time had come to take an honest look at those years without the tinted lens of nostalgia, which allowed me to remember so much more. I never told the girl I defended that I loved her. I barely survived camp. No amount of talent show victories brought my father back and, to be honest, my memories weren’t as accurate as I thought they were.

The 70’s were a swirling minefield filled with a family destroyed by poverty and divorce, horrible TV shows, bad disco on AM radio, wretched food… and the only saving grace a child like me had was Pong. My teachers tried to put me on drugs. My sister taught me the art of shoplifting. My best friend was Burp Boy. Life was a series of constant set-backs, a barrage of defeats, embarrassments, and false starts.
And I wouldn’t change a thing.

ABOUT KEN LA SALLE (From Amazon)

Ken La SalleAuthor and Playwright, Ken La Salle grew up in Santa Ana, California and has remained in the surrounding area his entire life. He was raised with strong, blue collar roots, which have given him a progressive and environmentalist view. As a result, you’ll find many of his stories touching those areas both geographically and philosophically. His passion is intense humor, meaningful drama, and finding answers to the questions that define our lives.

Website  /   Twitter  /  Facebook  /  YouTube  /  Goodreads

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One Sentence Review – Leave Tomorrow Behind by Judy Clemens @judyclemens1 @PPPress

I won Leave Tomorrow Behind by Judy Clemens and want to thank her and Poisoned Pen Press for this fun, farm fresh cozy.

Leave Tomorrow Behind: A Stella Crown Mystery

Amazon  /  Goodreads

MY REVIEW

There is more than manure in the pile and the comical dialogue with the diverse characters like Stella, a Harley riding, tattooed woman with a distinct sense of right and wrong, made this a fun and relaxing romance that is a part of a stand alone series.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB:  She’s back! Tattooed, hard working, and often crabby dairy farmer and biker Stella Crown is hot—both in temperature and temperament. Her sister-in-law is a nag, her fiancée Nick is ill, and her bank account is in the red. But when a local country star turns up dead at the county fair, where Stella’s teenage employee Zach is an exhibitor, things turn from hot to ugly.

Stella wasn’t friends with the victim. In fact, she’d only seen her from a distance. But seeing how Stella was the one to dig her out from her deathbed in the calf barn’s manure pile, the cops are on her like flies on…well…honey.  Why on earth would Stella want to kill a young singer she’d never spoken to? She’d much rather kill the annoying helicopter dad in the fair’s dairy barn. Or the fifty percent fake girl in the Lovely Miss Pennsylvania Pageant. Or her banker.

Sick to death of annoying cops and entertainment folks, Stella figures the only way to get her life back is to aim law enforcement in the right direction. If that means having to endure a manicure with her soon to be sister in law at the dead singer’s favorite salon, or stopping by the recording studio to check out the talent, Stella figures there could be worse things. Can’t a simple farm girl just get married in peace?

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Review – What Happened on Beale Street by Mary Ellis #MaryEllis

I would like to take a moment to thank Mary Ellis and Harvest House Publishers for sending me a paperback copy of What Happened on Beale Street, the second book in the Secrets of the South Mystery series.

You can see my 5 Star review for Midnight on the Mississippi, Book I, by Mary Ellis HERE.

I have gotten heavily involved in this stand alone Secrets of the South Mystery series because of its location…I love to read books that take place in an area I am familiar with and the Secrets of the South Mystery series does that. Also, I love a good mystery and it has plenty of that too.

Check out this intriguing cover…reeking of menace…ya never know what might happen on the dark and deserted street…or who’s watching.

Cover:  Lucas Art and Design

What Happened on Beale Street (Secrets of the South Mysteries #2)

Amazon  /  Goodreads

MY REVIEW

What Happened on Beale Street by Mary Ellis is my second foray into the stand alone Secrets of the South Mystery series and I am so happy to embark on another adventure through the southern states of America.

I love familiar locations and mysteries, so when I won the first beautiful book, I was ecstatic and I want to tell you how ‘marvelous’ the continuing journey has been.

A childhood pledge takes impulsive but lovable Nicki and her gang from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Memphis, Tennessee.

Nate, her uptight but competent and loyal cousin and private investigator partner are on the case. It helps to have the wealthy and hunky Hunter to finance their trip and they are on their way in style. I love it. Made me think of Hart to Hart, the crime solving TV duo, only they are married.

The characters are ‘real’, with all their good and bad exposed. They have big hearts and are there for each other.

What do murder, stalking and a scavenger hunt have in common? What Happened on Beale Street.

The mystery is not mind blowing, but the tension and pacing kept my curiosity peaked, turning page after page, until I was done. Not only did I want to know who the murderer was, but I was even more concerned and curious about Isabelle. BUT that’s a mystery you’ll have to find out for yourself.

I thought I knew exactly how it would end, but Mary Ellis seems to be able to surprise me to the very last page. The suspense makes this hard, if not impossible, to stop reading once you start. I see more stories coming with this wonderful cast of characters and I am curious where we will travel to next.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of What Happened of Beale Street from Mary Ellis.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 Stars

ABOUT THE BOOK

GOODREADS BLURB:  What Happened on Beale Street is an exciting addition to the Secrets of the South Mysteries from bestselling author Mary Ellis. These standalone, complex crime dramas follow a private investigator’s quest to make the world a better place…solving one case at a time.

A cryptic plea for help from a childhood friend sends cousins Nate and Nicki Price from New Orleans to Memphis, the home of scrumptious barbecue and soulful blues music. When they arrive at Danny Andre’s last known address, they discover signs of a struggle and a lifestyle not in keeping with the former choirboy they fondly remember.

Danny’s sister, Isabelle, reluctantly accepts their help. She and Nate aren’t on the best of terms due to a complicated past, yet they will have to get beyond that if they want to save Danny.

On top of Danny’s alarming disappearance and his troubled relationship with Isabelle, Nate also has to rein in his favorite cousin’s overzealousness as a new and eager PI. Confronted with a possible murder, mystery, and mayhem in the land of the Delta blues, Nate must rely on his faith and investigative experience to keep one or more of them from getting killed.

ABOUT MARY ELLIS

Mary EllisMary Ellis has written twelve award-winning novels set in the Amish community and several historical romances set during the Civil War. Her latest, Midnight on the Mississippi, first of a new mystery series, Secrets of the South, is set in New Orleans. Before “retiring” to write full-time, Mary taught school and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate, a job with amazingly sweet fringe benefits. Mary enjoys traveling, gardening, bicycling and swimming, and lives in Ohio with her husband, dog and cat. She can be found on the web at: www.maryellis.net or
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mar…

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I won the book Midnight on the Mississippi by Mary Ellis and embarked on a journey through the Secrets of the South Mystery Series. These stand alone novels are right up my alley and I hope you find them as enjoyable as I did.

Check out the gorgeous covers. Don’t they draw you right in…I want to sit on the dock, walk the street and cross that bridge!

My review for Midnight on the Mississippi

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Darkly Delicious Review for Perfectly Tortured by Kristine Mason @KristineMason7

This sizzling cover for Perfectly Tortured by Kristine Mason was done by Elle J Rossis of EJR Digital Arts.

Do you like your flawed heroes HOT?

Well, step right up and meet Harrison!

perfectly-torturednew2-ibooks-kobo

Amazon / Goodreads

Kristine Mason writes dark romantic suspense that leaves me with my jaw hanging open thinking, how does she come up with such amazing stories and characters.

Kristine Mason’s characters are all hotties, male and female alike and I like that. If I’m going to fantasize, why not make the fantasy gorgeous?

Perfectly Tortured is appropriately titled and I am so happy to be home with some familiar characters…but, knowing Kristine, I think Harrison Fairclough is in for the ride of his life.

Working for Above The Law makes his life difficult. What happened to him in Georgia haunted him, made him dangerous. It was all he could do to hold back the demons in his mind wanting out, wanting to kill. Poor Harrison. He is such a good man, I can’t believe what Kristine has done to him. She has taken him to the depths of hell and I am loving it. I thought she would let him heal, but that is not to be. How will he exorcise the demons?

Perfectly Tortured is a continuing story from the previous book, but enough information is shared for this book to stand alone. If you want to know more, you’ll need to read Perfectly Toxic.

Harrison may be a hottie, naive about the ladies, but not about being in the law’s crosshairs. He is surely a flawed hero, but oh so lovable. He’s like the runt of the litter, I just want to take him in my arms and love him. I want to swoop him up and protect him. He’s quick with flirty dialogue.

No one was looking for Liam, but Harrison would. He didn’t trust himself any more, but he would do this alone.

I can even feel sorry for Liam. He struggles to control his anger, his impulse to kill….He’s a damaged guy through no fault of his own. Just the same, he needs to be locked up and the key thrown away, or put down like a rabid dog.

Secrets…Liam and Harrison share so much, even their nightmares. How they handle it will determine their outcomes.

Vlad his best fried is a former hitman and wanted by the Russia, the US, Interpol. He is such a unique and quirky character, one of the most loyal people ever. I love him and can’t wait til he gets a story of his own. Will he, Kristine? Inquiring minds want to know!

Kristine Mason’s writing of human horror is sprinkled with humor. The peripheral characters all have their place and some will break your heart.

Even the romance comes from a dark and twisted place.

The tears came from an unexpected source, a twist I never saw coming. Kristine continually amazes me with her ability to take a simple story and twist and turn  it, making me wonder how she can come up with so much darkness and suspense, developing it more, adding more, and I wonder how I will ever last long enough to reach the end. Every time I think the story is over…there’s more….and more….and more

I am SOOOOO looking forward to reading more of her work and I am ecstatic to go wherever she wants to take me.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

What happens when you fall in love with the sister of the serial killer you’re hunting? Something perfectly tortured…

ATL agent Harrison Fairclough has one thing on his mind: stopping a serial killer. He knows who the man is, where he lives and who he’s murdered. The problem? He can’t prove Liam Forrester is a killer without exposing ATL—an agency that isn’t supposed to exist. Needing to get close to Liam, and lead investigators to him before someone else dies, Harrison comes up with the perfect solution…he dates the serial killer’s sister. Except his plan quickly derails once he meets the curvy physical therapist. He’s drawn to her sensual smile, comes to crave her kisses and touch, until the body count rises.

Kiera Forrester’s schizophrenic brother, Liam, has occupied the past ten years of her life. He still does, so much that she’s moved to Florida to watch over him. When she meets her new neighbor, Harrison, she’s instantly attracted to the sexy web designer. But as their relationship heats up and Keira realizes she’s falling in love with Harrison, she’s afraid there’s no future for them. The dark secrets of Liam’s past can’t be hidden away, especially when those secrets lead to murder…

ABOUT KRISTINE MASON
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AuthorPhoto_PerfectlyToxicKristine Mason is the bestselling author of the popular romantic suspense trilogies, C.O.R.E. Shadow and Ultimate C.O.R.E. She is currently working on her next trilogy, C.O.R.E. Above the Law, along with a series of Psychic C.O.R.E. novellas.

Although Kristine has published a few contemporary romance novels, she focuses most of her energy on her romantic suspense stories, which she loves for their blend of dark mystery/suspense and sexy romance. She is fascinated with what makes people afraid, and is famous for her depraved villains whose crimes present massive obstacles for her heroes and heroines to overcome.

Kristine has a degree in journalism from Ohio State University and lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband, four kids, and two dogs. If she’s not writing, she’s chauffeuring kids, gardening, or collecting gnomes. Oh, and she makes a mean chocolate chip cookie!Connect with Kristine on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kristinemasonauthor, Twitter https://twitter.com/KristineMason7 or email her at authorkristinemason@gmail.com. You can also find out more about Kristine’s books at http://www.kristinemason.net

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MY REVIEWS FOR KRISTINE MASON’S NOVELS

Shadow of Danger  /  Shadow of Perception  /  Shadow of Vengeance

Ultimate Kill  /  Ultimate Fear  /  Ultimate Prey (review coming soon)

Celeste Files: Unlocked

Perfectly Twisted  /  Perfectly Toxic  /  Perfectly Tortured

All covers link to Amazon and I am an affiliate, BUT I cannot help but tell you. Kristine Mason is a master storyteller and I would highly recommend buying the book sets, because you will want to read them all! Except, I have yet to read the Reality TV series.

The Celeste Files of the Psychic CORE series are paranormal and supernatural novels that star Celeste, from the very first book in the CORE Shadow Trilogy, Shadow of Danger. I love the mix of psychics and ghosts, with murder and thrills. Check them out below.

Perfectly twisted is the beginning of another series, CORE Above the Law, that takes the characters even further than I thought they would go. I am LOVING it!!!



  • To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

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