Giveaway & Reviews for Static & Kinetic by S K Anthony

Posted on November 7, 2015 by fundinmental

Title: STATIC

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: The Luminaries #2

Release Date: September 17 2015

Synopsis: Kevin Pierce is a teleporter, a ladies’ man, and a loyal friend . . . or so he thought.

As a genetically altered Luminary, he helps the government bring down some of the most dangerous criminals. Not very challenging if you have his special abilities. But when a group of rebel Luminaries attacks his Organization the fight for survival begins.

One shattering event after another tests the depth of his relationships, his sanity, and his powers. Emotionally torn, Kevin must choose carefully where his loyalty lies. In the middle of all the unexpected chaos he gets the biggest shock of his life when he’s faced by a betrayal he never saw coming. Angry, injured, and ready to even the score, Kevin goes Static . . .

Add it to your Goodreads *here*

MY REVIEW

Static is Book II of The Luminaries. It picks up where Kinetic, Book I, leaves off, telling Kevin’s story.

The children’s genetic makeup is altered to develop special abilities.

They are superheroes with a magical twist.

The government wants the children working directly for them – to control and study.

The rebels want to use their powers for personal gain.

Annie is getting good at passing her energy to the others.

Kevin is impulsive, arrogant and a teleporter. How would you like to hop through a portal and be somewhere else in the snap of a finger? He is the star and the rebels are the enemy, but they are not the only one. Kevin is STATIC.

Kevin met Ryan while training. She is a sensor, she can tell when people lie, and an amplifier, able to expand the others power.

Kevin is confused about his love life, but you don’t turn your back on your friends. Are guys really that dense? Sometimes I wonder. LOL

Hormones, misunderstandings, youth and cowardice are not all that is going on.

Choice have to be made. There are betrayals and death.

Who will survive?

It was hard for me to like Kevin, but in the end, he won me over. I felt I was able to understand the characters and their motivations as they struggle to have a life that is not dictated by others who want to use them.

I received a copy of Static by S K Anthony in return for an honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos

3 Stars

S. K. Anthony is a writer, a reader and a make-stuff-up-er who lives in New York with her husband and toddler twins. She is a wine connoisseur, which just really means she knows she loves it, and a caffeine addict. When she isn’t busy with her family she finds herself being transported into the world of imagination. Well, either that or running away from spiders…she is convinced they are out to get her!

Blog ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Google + ~ Pinterest

ABOUT BOOK 1

Being strong is one thing. Being an unlimited source of power is quite another.

Genetically altered by the Organization, Annie Fox takes down criminals CIA-style with her luminary strength. With nothing to mend but her broken heart, she is relentlessly pursued by her boss Derek Lake. Just when Annie is about to give him a chance, her ex-husband unexpectedly comes out of hiding.A wanted man, Nick Logan is a cold-hearted murderer who is considered enemy number one, and orders are clear: kill on contact. He is more powerful than ever and threatens the lives of those she holds most dear. His plan? Get his hands on Annie and use her Kinetic energy to destroy them all. When Annie finds herself with an opportunity to end him, she pauses, horrified by the scars covering the face she once loved. A split second that will cost her everything…

MY REVIEW

I was confused in the beginning. What is a Luminary?

Children are chosen when they are in their teens and receive injections to develop their abilities. Not everyone can be altered and join the Organization.

Annie is called to investigate a breach in security at Worldsafe, where the rich people secreted the most secret of secrets.

She is a badass and loves her work with the organization. She is KINETIC. She has a great teammate in Beth. Annie has strength and Beth has speed. Beth can catch the perpetrator and Annie can kick their ass. Beth has her back and covers for her when she refuses to kill Nick.

The characters – some good, some bad and some down right evil.

We have conspiracies and betrayals. Who do you believe and who do you trust?

Who is lying and who is telling the truth?

I am not sure what I was expecting from Kinetic, but it wasn’t what I found. There were no big surprises, but the “children’s” struggle to grow up and make the right decisions tested them. They had to grow up fast and had only themselves to rely on.

I love superheroes and magic and enjoyed my time reading Kinetic. I will be going on to read Book II, Static.

I received a copy of Kinetic by S K Anthony in return for an honest review.

3 Stars

Grab your copy HERE

(All physical prizes only in the US or Canada, please)

(1) $25 Amazon Giftcard

(2) Signed hardcopy of Kinetic, signed hardcopy of Static, a Kinetic or Static notebook (winner’s choice of which notebook).

(1) Signed hardcopy of Static with Static notebook.

(2) Kinetic and Static ebooks

(2) Static ebooks

(1) Kinetic ebook

(2) Static & Kinetic notebook with Kinetic pen & bookmark

a Rafflecopter giveaway
I changed Jack’s diaper early on Sunday morning and let his tired parents sleep in. After giving him his bottle, he went back to la-la-land. I then made coffee and sat outside drinking it while texting Ryan. Our training session had been canceled because Derek wanted to see us at the Org at ten in the morning. I heard a noise inside and went back through the kitchen door to find my tiny sister-in-law trying to reach coffee mugs from the cabinet above her. She was getting on a small step I’d given her years ago as a present. “Why do you insist on keeping things so high up when your head is hardly past the counter?” I asked as I reached around her to get the mug and set it down. I should have known better. As soon as I did that, her elbow connected with my rib and had me wincing. “Stop making fun of me or I’ll break a bone next time,” Annie said. “But you are perfect for it, Anniewee. You’re already fun-sized,” I said, grabbing a cup for her. “Whatever. It’s up there because it’s Nick’s job. Obviously.” “Go sit down, I’ll mix your cup. Where is he?” “Sleeping. It was his turn for night duty.” “Technically you can fix that by hitting him with some energy.” I personally loved when she transferred her energy to me. It was perfect for those all-nighters I was so fond of. Annie had this ongoing Kinetic energy that could give the rest of us an extra boost to our own powers. It could also give me a certain oomph that kept me energized enough to last me a week or so. Sadly, I no longer got the chance to enjoy the benefits of her powers. I enjoyed Ryan’s instead. I met Ryan in my last year in training. She’s a sensor and an amplifier. As a sensor, she could tell Luminaries apart from ordinary people, and because she was in tune with other people’s emotions she could tell if they were lying. As an amplifier, she couldn’t do much for herself, but she helped expand everyone else’s powers, times five. With Annie, it was different: our energies would last a while and we’d keep going. But with Ryan, it was in the moment. She was a drug to us all. The strange thing was that she and Annie couldn’t do anything for each other. They were too evenly powerful in an unbalanced way. It didn’t matter, though; they never went on assignments together. Annie and Nick were now partners with Derek, and they helped run the Org. But their idea of managing was turning Derek down whenever he brought up something they didn’t agree with. Before they had the baby, they went on assignments frequently and left Derek to run his own show. Adrenaline junkies was what they were. I looked at her. “I’m telling you, Annie. You two should stop trying to deal with a baby like normal people.” “No,” she said, taking a sip while the cup was still in my hand. “Well that’s stupid; you are Luminaries. Take advantage.” I put my empty cup in the sink and smiled. “Speaking of, would you be a doll and charge up my new babe for me?” She crinkled her nose. “That doesn’t sound like something I want to do.” “Relax. As a birthday present to myself, I turned in my Prius for a Tesla S . . . S for sexy hybrid car. I can’t believe I forgot to show you guys. She’s like my bride, beautiful in white.” “You and your hybrids. You could have just plugged in your car the whole time you were here. There’s a reason you installed a charge port in my garage.” “Come on! Please?” “If you want to be so environmental you should just teleport everywhere. You know, take advantage of being a Luminary yourself, instead of using me for your shenanigans.” “First, Ryan is the environmental one. I would never hear the end of her yapping away if I didn’t get hybrids. Second, I have to keep up appearances that I’m normal for those who don’t know our secrets. How would you explain to your nosy neighbors why I was sitting outside if I didn’t walk or drive here?” “Stop going outside where they can see you.” I shook my head. “But I needed fresh air.” “Uh huh, in February?” She raised her eyebrow. “Like I don’t know you were checking out their daughter?” “Look at me. I run on heat. February air does nothing to me. And she just happened to be out there wiping snow off her car, that’s all. I even helped.” “How, exactly?” Annie asked, putting both hands on her hips. “When she wasn’t looking, a big chunk suddenly slid off. It was discreet, I promise.” She sighed. “Fine, but this is the last time I charge it. And only because I’m curious to see your new car. Stop smiling.” “You know your special touch will make it last for double the time, right? Your touch, Annie, is the key.” I ducked right on time to avoid her punch. Footsteps behind me alerted me that Nick was up. “My wife’s touch is the key to what now? Keep flirting with her and I’ll make sure you’re unable to wake up next to girls for at least a month.” “Whoa, hey, hey. No harm done,” I said, then teleported next to Annie to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Dunno what’s the use of being a teleporter if you’re going to be driving around,” Nick said. “I love to drive.” “You love to speed.” “What’s the difference?” I asked him. “Stop it, you two. Let’s go charge your car up,” Annie said, pulling me toward the front door. ~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Amazing Giveaway with Review: The Right Wrong Thing by Ellen Kirschman

Posted on November 5, 2015 by fundinmental

The Right Wrong ThingEllen Kirschman

Genre: Mystery, Crime

Published by: Oceanview Publishing

Publication Date: October 6, 2015

Number of Pages: 256

ISBN: 978-1-60809-154-6

Series: Dr. Dot Meyerhoff Mystery, 2

Purchase Links:

Add to me Goodreads now.

MY REVIEW

The Right Wrong Thing is a great title and once you read the book, you will see how appropriate it is. Ellen Kirschman does a great job with this police procedural novel that tells Randy Spelling’s story, when she does The Right Wrong Thing.

The Kenilworth Police Department needed women officers and Randy Spelling fit the bill. She gets in deep from the getgo and I can see only bad things happening for her. The game of second guessing an officers actions and reactions has begun. Does it play a part in their future actions, causing them to hesitate or jump the gun?

Dr Dot Meyerhoff is a police psychologist for the department and must get involved whenever there has been an incident.

The childish and, what I consider to be, stupid pranks by the male officers towards the new police chief, Jacqueline Reagan only show their immaturity and chauvinism. I do believe a lot of this still goes on, in light of all the “rogue” incidents we have seen since cell phones and police car cameras.

My emotions let me know they were aIive and well. I was pissed at the disrespect the officers showed to the chief. It doesn’t matter if they are male or female, black or white…it is showing respect for the position and keeping a united front for the public. How confident will we be in their actions, if they play like children in a sandbox?

When the second incident with Randy Spelling happens, all hell breaks loose. It’s really bad and reads as if it really could have happened. The biggest question for Randy, can she live with it?

This review is hard to write because of my cynicism. I am hesitant to believe the victim’s family in a situation like this because I don’t trust their motives and the victim’s innocence. The family is looking for someone to blame.,

In this case…when the cop says STOP…STOP! Why don’t people listen? How many times do we see them run, stick their hands in their pockets, start walking toward the officer…Why do people do that?

As the circus begins, it’s hard to tell who is the slimiest, the media, the lawyers…It reads as if it is nonfiction. Ellen Kirschman’s descriptions of the people, the things they said, the progression of events makes me think I have seen it all before. If the book was longer and more in depth, I think my head would have spun like the girl in The Exorcist. lol

It is awful and tragic but Randy Spelling did nothing wrong. She may not have done everything exactly right, but that is what training, rules and experience are all about. It really surprises me that it doesn’t happen more often.

The Right Wrong Thing takes a twist that adds to the tale. It is a small book, but it contains a wealth of issues, information, and characters covering what happens when…

The Right Wrong Thing by Ellen Kirschman is a thought provoking novel that stayed with me long after the reading was done.

I received The Right Wrong Thing by Ellen Kirschman in return for an honest review.

4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

Hesitate or Respond—Either Choice Can Lead to Disaster

Officer Randy Spelling had always wanted to be a police officer, to follow in the footsteps of her brothers and her father. Not long after joining the force, she mistakenly shoots and kills Lakeisha Gibbs, a pregnant teenager. The community is outraged; Lakeisha’s family is vocal and vicious in their attacks against Spelling. Suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and filled with remorse, Randy is desperate to apologize to the girl’s family. Everyone, including the police chief, warns her against this, but the young police officer will not be dissuaded. Her attempt is catastrophic. Dr. Dot Meyerhoff, police psychologist, plunges herself into the investigation despite orders from the police chief to back off. Not only does the psychologist’s refusal to obey orders jeopardize her career, but her life as well, as she enlists unlikely allies and unconventional undercover work to expose the tangled net of Officer Spelling’s disastrous course.

Praise for Ellen Kirschman & the Dot Meyerhoff Mystery Series:

“Ellen Kirschmann’s Dot Meyerhoff is the most intriguing character in contemporary fiction. Her narrations remind me of a cabbie I had in Istanbul. He drove too fast, took me down dead ends and through dangerous neighborhoods. He yelled at pedestrians and cursed at dogs. And just when I finally decided he was hopelessly lost, he delivered me safe and sound to just they place I wanted to be and left me on the sidewalk, shaking and smiling.”

—J. Michael Orenduff, award-winning author of the “Pot Thief” murder mystery series

“Ellen Kirschman is a no-nonsense writer. She manages to set the scene smartly, populate it with sharply drawn personalities, and pour the story over us without wasting a word. Her confident wit, energetic prose, and special insight into the workings of the human mind make The Right Wrong Thing an outstanding read. In this timely novel of strained community relationships, where police department psychologist Dr. Dot Meyerhoff is held hostage in a way, there’s no relief from the suspense and the exciting journey into the motivations of people on both sides of the law. But even as Dot is pushed to the limit, she’s determined to do the next right thing, no matter the cost.

—Camille Minichino, physicist and award-winning author of the Periodic Table mystery series

“[A] breathtaking first novel by an author with the writing skills of a seasoned veteran. . . . Burying Ben rings with authenticity, about real cops and a real cop therapist that everyone will enjoy.”

—Allen R. Kates, author of CopShock: Surviving Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

ABOUT ELLEN KIRSCHMAN

Ellen Kirschman, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist in independent practice. She is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Society for the Study of Police and Criminal Psychology, the American Psychological Association, and the International Association of
Women in Law Enforcement. She is the recipient of the California Psychological Association’s 2014 award for distinguished contribution to psychology as well as the American Psychological Association’s 2010 award for outstanding contribution to the actice of police and public safety psychology. Ellen is the author of the award-winning I Love a Cop: What Police Families Need to Know, I Love a Fire Fighter: What the Family Needs to Know, and lead author of Counseling Cops: What Clinicians Need to Know (2013). Her debut novel, Burying Ben: A Dot Meyerhoff Mystery (2013) is about police suicide told from the perspective of the psychologist. Ellen and her husband live in Redwood City, California.

Catch Up:

Please, note, in no way does Ms Kirschman condone unjustified brutality at the hands of police. She offers insight into the other side of a possible situation. The possible outcome is very moving, and thought provoking.

Tour Participants:

WOW! An Amazing Giveaway!:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours for Ellen Kirschman & Oceanview Publishing. There will be 1 winner for this tour. The winner will receive 1 Oceanview Publishing Thriller each month for 1 year. This giveaway is for US residents only. The giveaway begins on November 1st, 2015 and runs through December 2nd, 2015.

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Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours

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To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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I think I broke her – Perfectly Toxic by Kristine Mason with Giveaway, Review & Excerpt

Posted on November 2, 2015 by fundinmental

I am so excited to share Kristine Mason’s Perfectly Toxic.

For all you hardcore thriller lovers, this is a MUST READ!

Sooo, buckle your seatbelts because this will be a wild ride into the mind of one of the most wickedly evil villains I have ever had the “pleasure” of meeting.

Add me to Goodreads

Perfectly Toxic by Kristine Mason

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GENRE: Romantic Suspense

MY REVIEW

Perfectly Toxic by Kristine Mason is a thriller that stars Melanie Scarlet. I love the CORE and am so excited to finally read Mel’s story. The language and sex scenes are pivotal to the story and I think Kristine handled them well.

“I think I broke her.”

With a start like that, I knew I was in for a horrific ride into the twisted psyche of Adeline. I can hardly wait to dive into all the creepiness to come, and I know there will be plenty of it. As I read along, mini movies played in my head. When I was done reading, I felt like I needed to take a shower.

Well, what can I say about Perfectly Toxic. I had three pages of notes, but it just wasn’t working for me. So…I tossed them out and here I am, just telling you about my feelings about this, hmmm, horrifying thriller and the sadistic, psychopathic, crazy as a loon villain, Adeline and her cohort, Rodney.

I laugh at Frankenstein. that was a comedy compared to what these two were up to. What they were doing goes so far past that, I am finding it difficult to put into words the events in Perfectly Toxic. The lives lost and the torture suffered under their hands remind me of the evil men behind human testing during the holocaust. Both of them belong under the jail, not in it.

The most repulsive thing of all, Adeline revels in it. She loves to watch her toys squirm. There is nothing she won’t do to get what she wants. Feelings…what are those? She sure doesn’t have any warm and fuzzy ones. She is ice cold and beware, to be near her could be hazardous to your health. She is very smart, well educated, manipulative and broken. Something is very wrong with her. OMG, she is not just a psycho, she is bat shit crazy and evil beyond words.

I love all the CORE characters, but I can relate well to Mel, an ass kicking, swamp raised, don’t look at me cross eyed kind of gal. She is the Ice Cream lady. She is also a cleaner. You need something to disappear, just contact Mel. She hides her girlie girlness behind a really sharp knife. She’s the type to stab you with the knife, then cook dinner with it. She is married to Cash, but it doesn’t seem to be going so well. They are both stubborn and have strong personalities. She hangs with men more than women and I do that too. I love that she goes to the dock when she has heavy thinking to do. The water calms her and it has the same effect on me. I have spent many a day Sitting on the Dock of the Bay…wasting time.

Mel’s cousin, Bobby turns up missing and the mystery begins.

When Mel takes Harrison to meet Cash for help, the scenario could be hazardous to Harrison’s heath, but it is laughable. The who’s dick is bigger scenario had me cracking up. Cash’s mantra to control his anger is Unicorns are magical. Imagine seeing a huge hunk of a man repeating those words over and over. His therapist had called his and Mel’s relationship – TOXIC.

Cash buys Mel flowers from the gas station just because. I can relate to that. Mr Wonderful, my hubby, brings home flowers from the grocery store. The element of realism is coming through loud and clear. I love their snarky and sensual dialogue.

Cash’s housemate is a German Shepherd named Dolly. They served in the Army together and she is the one who came home in a wheelchair. I love dogs, so I had to mention her.

Kristine ramps up the suspense as the search for Adeline takes on new meaning. Each of Kristine Mason’s stories read as the most twisted Criminal Minds on steroids episode. They are unique and original.

I am totally engrossed in the love story and then Kristine shocked me, woke me up and the pacing reached a level of urgency I hadn’t felt before.

I would love to be one of her characters, kicking ass, fighting evil and having some hot and heavy sex with a stud. What an adventure and one I only live through in Kristine’s words, hanging on each one.

NOW, we get to the best part, the last quarter of the book. I know how the story will end, villain 0 vs good guys 1 and the guy gets the girl, but, man oh man, the rollercoaster ride to get there leaves me breathless. The nail-biting, rapid breathing, sitting on the edge of my seat is the suspense reading an armchair junkie like myself lives for. I read a lot of mystery and suspense thrillers and it is books like Toxic and authors like Kristine that feed my need for thrills.

I can’t believe that the story lasted only six days. So much happened, so many emotions ran AMOK as I read, my head was spinning. I had to turn around and read it again. I would apologize for rambling on and on, but eh, I can’t help myself.

I received a copy of Perfectly Toxic by Kristine Mason in return for an honest review.

5+++++ Stars

BLURB

What do you get when you mix a mad scientist, a psychopath, an ice cream lady and a repo man? Something perfectly toxic…

Melanie Scarlet is a knife-wielding badass who knows how to dispose of a body, and make evidence disappear. But Mel, a.k.a., the Ice Cream Lady, draws the line at one thing: she refuses to live with her husband, Cash Maddox, unless he quits the repo business that nearly got him killed—no matter how much she loves him.

To thaw Mel’s heart and convince her to leave the Everglades and move back home to Tallahassee, Cash is finally ready to retire from his adrenaline-fueled job…until homeless men begin vanishing. As Mel investigates the disappearances, Cash’s temper goes into overdrive when he realizes his wife has been keeping a dangerous secret from him. She’s been doing more than scooping ice cream—she’s a cleaner for the underground criminal investigation agency, Above the Law.

Mel isn’t the only one with a secret. A scientist has created a drug that will cure psychopaths by deadening the urge to dominate, hurt and murder. To prove his chemical combination works, he uses the homeless as test subjects. He breaks and scrambles their minds, turns them into killers, then tries to fix them. But what if the scientist creates a killer he can’t fix? A true psychopath he can’t control? As Cash joins Mel and the ATL crew, they learn firsthand, the results could be…toxic.

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EXCERPT

“You’re seriously not staying here?” Since she’d left him, there hadn’t been a time that she hadn’t stayed with him when she’d returned to Tallahassee. And those times had been great, until the topic of their marriage and his job had come into play. Then they’d fight, she’d leave and they wouldn’t speak for weeks. A vicious cycle, but one he’d become familiar with—until now. She was changing things up on him, and he didn’t know how to react. He did, but his therapist would likely have a frickin’ stroke.

“Well, you’re seriously not going to change and I seriously want a divorce. So, yeah. I think it’s best if I stay at a hotel.”

He pulled her close. “Stay with me.”

Her gaze dropped to his mouth. “No.”

He pressed his body against hers and slid his hand along her rear. “Give me a few days.”

“I’ve given you two years,” she said, breathless, her gaze shifting from his mouth to his eyes.

She had him there, and he had nothing to counter her argument. She had given him two years, and he arrogantly figured she’d eventually come back to him.

“You’re right,” he said honestly.

“I’m right?”

He nodded and walked her backward. “I don’t want a divorce, but we can’t keep going on the way we’ve been.” He pressed her against the foyer wall. “Give me the time you’re here to prove we can make this work.”

“I’m here to find Bobby, not deal with our marriage.”

“I know, baby. We’ll find him. I promise. I’ve already put word out on the street that we’re looking for him.” He leaned closer. “Just give us a chance.”

Her eyes filled with tears again. “I can’t keep doing this. It hurts too much.”

Knowing he was hurting her left him hollow and shameful. “I’m sorry.”

She punched him in the arm. “You’ve said you’re sorry more times than I can count. Do something about it.”

He kissed her.

She pushed him away. “Not with sex.”

“That’s right. You have your period.”

“I lied.”

“And I just want to kiss you.”

She stared at him, her eyes unreadable. “Sometimes I hate you,” she said, then shoved her hands through his hair and captured his lips.

His therapist would tell him to end the kiss, that they weren’t solving anything, only prolonging the hurt. His therapist could go fuck himself. He had his woman in his arms and she was kissing him. Running her hands through his hair in that possessive way he loved. Pressing her breasts against his chest as if she couldn’t get close enough. Skimming her tongue along his in a way that him hard and ready.

The damned horn beeped again. Mel tore her mouth away from his, then gave him a push. “I’m leaving.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ABOUT KRISTINE MASON

Kristine 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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GIVEAWAY

Kristine Mason will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN to two randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

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Was this review helpful? If so, please consider voting for it on Amazon or like it on GoodReads

FREE Zombies – Mutation Z by Marilyn Peake @marilynpeake

Posted on October 30, 2015 by fundinmental

I am so happy to have Marilyn Peak here with her Mutation Z zombie novellas.

Book III has just come out, so you are in the catbird’s seat.

Mutation Z: The Ebola Zombies is FREE

Goodreads / Amazon

Cover Art: Mike Tabor

MY REVIEW

The first book I read from Marilyn Peake was The Fisherman’s Son, a middle grade fantasy. I was so surprised to find that she does adult horror, Mutation Z zombie horror, as a matter of fact. Her writing is so good, it doesn’t matter what genre she writes, I will be reading.

The Mutation Z series is a post apocalyptic look at life after zombies.

Emma Johnson is a spoiled, rich kid who sets off the adventure of a lifetime, as a volunteer nurse in Africa. The Ebola crisis is so much more than she could have ever imagined.

Dr. Gustavo Tovar is the tour guide for the new recruits. She picked up bad vibes from him, but shook them off. He stressed the necessity of never wandering off on their own. With such a highly infectious disease, they must proceed with extreme caution.

Well, hell, we all know they are going to fuck up and fuck up in a big way.

Something struck me wrong from the very beginning. The creep factor was running on high.

This conspiracy, horror novella scared the bejesus out of me. It started out fast and never let up. Every time I turned around, something was there to creep me out. I mean, think about it, a highly infectious disease is lurking, just waiting for you to make a mistake. A conspiracy is operating behind closed doors and when Emma stumbles in there is no turning back. I love this series and would highly recommend it to all horror lovers.

If Zombies are your thing, Mutation Z, Book I is free on Amazon.

4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

From Goodreads: First book in a series.

Ebola, one of the most feared of the hemorrhagic diseases, has begun spreading across the borders of West African countries. The CDC and the World Health Organization have admitted they are losing control over the disease. Some hint at a possible worldwide pandemic. At exactly this point in time, Emma Johnson graduates from nursing school. She takes a job in an Ebola treatment camp inside Liberia, West Africa. The camp is state-of-the-art. It’s run by the CDC and the World Health Organization, and protected by the U.S. military. Emma uncovers a secret about this facility: medical experimentation is being conducted along with treatment. Whether or not Emma can ever escape the camp, she’s determined to get the story out. She has intimate knowledge of a biological horror being secretly unleashed upon the world. NOVELETTE. GENRES: Apocalyptic Science Fiction, Zombie Fiction, Conspiracy Fiction, Horror.

Mutation Z: The Ebola Zombies is the first book in a series. In the next book, the zombie virus will cross geographical boundaries and go increasingly out of control.

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

Mutation Z: The Ebola Zombies is free and I received Book II in return for an honest review.

SPOILER ALERT

Emma is now part of the experiment to create a zombie army. It wasn’t bad enough for her in Book I, now she has traveled to the furthest reaches of HELL and knows it.

In NYC, journalist Hunter Morgan smells a rat when Chen-Zamora Pharmaceuticals gets an exclusive government contract to develop the Ebola vaccine. I mean, wouldn’t they want competition? Why an exclusive contract? Corruption? Conspiracy? Greed? And why was he given such easy access to a crime scene?

The scene with Hunter and his daughter is so sweet. Marilyn Peake has an ability to make her characters come to life, human and zombie alike.

Hunter gets more involved and could be making the biggest mistake of his life or becoming the savior of the planet.

Imagine being aware of turning into a zombie, aware of your shambling walk, bumping and jostling each other, your skin falling off in sheets, and the worst of all…

Can a shred of humanity remain?

Mutation Z is gross, horrific, outrageous, infuriating, corrupting…heads are cracked open, entrails pulled from shredded abdomens, body after body, young and old alike.

I am so into Mutation Z, I am wringing my hands with an evil grin on my face as Marilyn Peake tells me Mutation Z: Protecting Your Own, Book III, has just come out and I can have a copy for review. YAY!!!!

5 Stars

SYNOPSIS

From Goodreads: Second book in the series.

Eviscerated bodies are found along both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Military security is stepped up on both sides of the border. However, journalists are given free rein to explore the devastation. As more and more bodies are found, people begin to panic. Meanwhile in The Liberia Treatment and Research Camp of West Africa, Emma Johnson and Chibueze Koroma continue to receive experimental doses of Mutation Z. They also begin to remember the horrific things they’ve done. As journalist Hunter Morgan’s investigation leads him to that same Camp, his own little girl falls sick with fever. NOVELLA. GENRES: Apocalyptic Science Fiction, Zombie Fiction, Conspiracy Fiction, Horror.

Mutation Z: Closing the Borders is the second book in the Mutation Z series. In the next book, Mutation Z: Protecting Our Own, guerrilla warfare breaks out between armed militias and those perceived as protecting the zombies.

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

The story continues and gets more horrific with every page.

The monsters are not only zombies, but humanity when it lets fear take over.

In the opening scene, I breathed a sigh of relief when I felt the Dixon family dodged a bullet.

Well…

Hunter Morgan, the journalist striving to expose the truth of the zombies, has an emergency of his own.

The disease does not care if you are young or old, good or bad.

It is spreading and Hunter smells the RATS. His suspicions are growing and so are mine.

As the story develops, Marilyn Peake breaks my heart. Not everyone can live, I know that! But, damn it, why…

Fear can make people do things they never anticipated.

Zealots, hunters, and their victims. Who is good and who is bad?

I think stories like Mutation Z are food for thought. I always wonder what I would do if my life were threatened and I had to take action. Would I? Would you? And would it be the right kind of action. Would fear drive me? Would I sacrifice others for my own?

The Mutation Z series is a must read for horror and dystopian lovers everywhere. The story grows better and better with each novella.

I received a copy of Mutation Z: Protecting Our Own by Marilyn Peake in return for an honest review.

5 Stars

SYNOPSIS

From Goodreads: Third book in the series.

Guerrilla warfare breaks out between armed militias and those perceived as protecting the zombies. Journalist Hunter Morgan becomes the target of Clay Dixon, the organizer of a militia in a Texas border town, when he advocates for protecting the zombies until a cure is found. The journalist has strong motivation for his beliefs: his daughter is suspected of having the disease caused by Mutation Z. This book ends with a devastating confrontation. NOVELETTE. GENRES: Apocalyptic Science Fiction, Zombie Fiction, Conspiracy Fiction, Horror.

Mutation Z: Protecting Our Own is the third book in the Mutation Z series. In the next book, Mutation Z: Drones Overhead, the people working in Dr. Rojas’s house to find a cure for Mutation Z hide from the U.S. government spying on them with helicopters and drones that constantly fly overhead.

ABOUT MARILYN PEAKE

From Goodreads:

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

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Giveaway & Reviews for Waterfall & Waterproof by Amber Garr

Posted on October 28, 2015 by fundinmental

Add me to Goodreads

Cover: Emma Michaels

MY REVIEW

The premise for Waterfall and Waterproof reads like nonfiction and perhaps contains a warning. People have fought over water rights since they began claiming land as their own and the fights continue into present day. This series is a thought provoking look at a future that we could be living.

Zach and Vivienne live in a government run complex. When the facility is attacked, the big question is, will they stay or will they go.

“Why anyone thought the idiots in Washington could manage this disaster is beyond me.”

Zach’s comment has a ring of truth to it, don’t you think?

Pollution and terrorism make Vivienne’s decision for her.

Vivenne and Zach’s sexual banter had me chuckling, even though they are only “just friends”.

Does Vivienne’s desire to be a sword wielding, ass kicking ninja type come true?

As their world falls down around them and the country becomes a military state, it is the same old story, the rich survive and the poor are…well, it is not good. Who can you trust in such desperate times?

I loved Waterfall from the beginning to the end. It grabbed me early and I held on for the ride of sadness. loss, fear, terror, confusion and the struggle to survive in a world gone crazy.

The cliffhanger had me reaching for Book II, Waterproof. I think it will do the same to you.

I received Waterfall by Amber Garr in return for an honest review.

4 stars

Book & Author details:

Waterfall & Waterproof by Amber Garr
(The Water Crisis Chonicles, #1)
Genres: Dystopia, New Adult

Synopsis book 1 – Waterfall:

The water is gone. The wars have begun.

Clean water is a luxury most can no longer afford. Climate change, industrial sabotage, and greed have turned country against country as each one tries to provide for its citizens. Terrorist groups target desalinization plants and frustrated governments hunt those who work against them. Rationing, sequestering, and patrolling have become routine at a time when there are too many people and not enough resources.

While the world around them disintegrates into chaos, Zach and Vivienne hope that their life in a government-run complex will retain some semblance of normalcy. But when attacks on their water supplies bring war to their sheltered community, they must accept their new fate. Stay and fight or flee and endure—it’s a difficult decision with lasting consequences.

Will they choose what’s safe? Or will they choose to survive?

Waterproof(1) Add me to Goodreads

Cover: Emma Michaels and Amber Garr

MY REVIEW

Waterproof kicks off with action that had me racing through the pages.

Anyone who bucked the system was considered a deserter and dealt with “appropriately.”

Pollution, population overcrowding, terrorists destroying the desalinization plants, greed, nuclear holocaust, disease, martial law, the draft – once in, never out – who will survive?

The groups dynamic changes as the characters come and go, whether by choice or death. I do wonder who will be left standing.

The horror is unbelievably grotesque. The mad scientists are on the loose.

This is one of those stories that will give you food for thought. In an apocalypse, who will survive? Is it the haves or have nots? Is it the strongest or the smartest? Is the sacrifice of the many for the survival of the few the rule of thumb? How do people twist their minds into thinking heinous acts are acceptable? Will there be any humanity left on the planet?

How far would you go to save the one you love?

Science fiction meets horror and it ain’t pretty.

The writing was so detailed I could see it, feel it, and it gave me shivers. The characters are well developed and become more complex as they grow and learn to survive and love in a new world.

I am very curious to see where this ends, to find out how many of their makeshift family will survive.

I do love a happy ever after, but we will have to wait and see. Waterproof has no cliffhanger, but it does make me eager to read the next book in the series, Watermarked.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 stars

Synopsis book 2 – Waterproof:

Dying of thirst is the new reality.

Five years after the last drop of clean water disappeared, global societies collapsed and nuclear war shattered all hope of recovery. In a place now only a skeleton of its former self, survivors fight to avoid capture by the government. Forced to work in factories that produce the only drinking water available, those who go in, never come out.

Zach and Vivienne have lived as deserters since they were teenagers. Fighting amongst their own and scrounging for the necessities of life, they’ve learned to rely on each other in every way. Yet when tragedy strikes and the true objectives of the government facility are revealed, their world is ripped apart. A fate once thought to hold their demise may be the sole answer to their survival. Who can they trust? Who can they believe?

In this life, it pays to be waterproof.

Disclaimer: Waterproof is a new adult dystopian with sex, violence, and language that may not be suitable for a younger audience.

ABOUT AMBER GARR

Amber Garr spends her days as a scientist and nights writing about other worlds. Her childhood imaginary friend was a witch, Halloween is sacred, and she is certain that she has a supernatural sense of smell. Amber is a multiple Royal Palm Literary Award winner, author of the bestselling novels The Syrenka Series, the award-winning Water Crisis Chronicles, The Leila Marx Novels, and the Death Warden Series. When not obsessing over the unknown, she can be found dancing, reading, or enjoying a good movie. Find out more at www.ambergarr.com.

Author links: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Giveaway

Tour-wide giveaway

Kindle Fire HD (US Only)
Ebooks of Waterfall and Waterproof (INTL)

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Friday 56 #59 & BB #39 – Gator Bait by Adam Howe

Posted on October 23, 2015 by fundinmental

The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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This has been a busy week that included a road trip to Biloxi, Mississippi with my mother. As the summer season comes to an end 🙁 I am “trying” to prepare for the upcoming holidays. That means blogging ahead and doing some yard cleanup so I can begin some projects. Because it is so hot here in Florida during the summer, I try to do my bigger projects in the fall and winter. I find if I wait until spring, I end up behind, because spring is so shortlived, it quickly becomes summer…And I must have my quota of sand, sun and water play.

Today, in celebration of the Halloween season, I have a real live monster to share with you. I must warn you, it is very dangerous in the swamps of Louisiana. The monsters are both animal and human, so tread lightly.

Add me to Goodreads now.

Cover: Inkubus

MY FRIDAY 56

Croker nudged my ribs. “See, what he’ll do now is, he’ll tuck ole Johnson under the tree stump. Let him turn good and ripe before he snacks on him later.” He chuckled at the wonder of nature. “Ain’t that something?”

(56% in Kindle)

MY BOOK BEGINNINGS

I fled the city: Two fingers short and sworn off dames for life.

(LOL, like I’m going to believe that!)

MY REVIEW

Gator Bait by Adam Howe has such a fantastic cover, I knew I had to read this novella. I was sure it would be full of grisly horror and I was not disappointed. The creature feature was inspired by true events and that only added to my eagerness to read on.

Adam Howe spun a tale that had me laughing at the tone of the writing, all the while cringing, waiting for the bad to snap at me from the pages I read. The action began from the opening pages and took me to the bad place I knew I was going to visit.

The Grinnin’ Gator, a honky tonk in the swamps of Louisiana, can only contribute to Smitty’s, well, I would say bad luck, but he tends to bring it on himself. Of course, there is a dame, and she belongs to the “club” owner. He has a very interesting pet and a very bad reputation.

I don’t think there is a good person among the lot, so maybe they all get what they deserve.

Gator Bait starts with blood, torture and murder. It continues with the evil and twisted “fun” the characters of The Grinnin’ Gator do for entertainment. After all, it is in the isolated swamps of Louisiana during Prohibition, which is as bad or worse than the Wild West.

It ends…

OMG! The ending blew me away and I couldn’t help but laugh. I never could have seen ALL that coming and I love it. The best laid plans often go awry and boy, oh boy, do they.

This is my first adventure with Adam Howe and I can only tell you, it will not be my last!

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Prohibition-era 1930s… After an affair with the wrong man’s wife, seedy piano player Smitty Three Fingers flees the city and finds himself tinkling the ivories at a Louisiana honky-tonk owned by vicious bootlegger Horace Croker and his trophy wife, Grace. Folks come to The Grinnin’ Gator for the liquor and burlesque girls, but they keep coming back for Big George, the giant alligator Croker keeps in the pond out back. Croker is rumored to have fed ex-wives and enemies to his pet, so when Smitty and Grace embark on a torrid affair…what could possibly go wrong? Inspired by true events, Gator Bait mixes hardboiled crime (James M. Cain’s The Postman Always Rings Twice) with creature horror (Tobe Hooper’s Eaten Alive) to create a riveting tale of suspense.

What does the cover say to you?

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Giveaway, Review & Teaser for Diner Knock Out by Terri L Austin

Posted on October 22, 2015 by fundinmental

Diner Knock Out by Terri L. Austin

Diner Knock Out
Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Henery Press (October 20, 2015)
Paperback: 302 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1943390090
E-Book ASIN: B012B59QM4

Rose Strickland’s life is complicated. Besides her waitressing gig, she works part-time for Andre Thomas, a PI with no faith in Rose’s ability to investigate, her love life with Sullivan has stalled, and her BFF, Roxy, has found a new bestie, leaving Rose out in the cold.

Determined to prove herself, Rose takes a case on the sly. As she searches for a missing MMA fighter, Rose discovers an illegal fight club, a group of ruthless businessmen, dead bodies, and a trail of drugs.

Hunting down clues that lead too close to home, Rose finds herself in the fight of her life. Can she beat the killer to the punch before she gets knocked out for good?

Related subjects include: cozy mysteries, women sleuths, murder mystery series, whodunit mysteries (whodunnit), amateur sleuth books, book club recommendations, humorous murder mysteries.

MY REVIEW

Diner Out is the fourth book in the Rose Strickland cozy mystery series. I love the humorous writing style and snarky dialogue that kept me entertained, “cover to cover.” This is my first book of the series, but it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story, though I would love to go back and find out what I missed.

Rose Strickland loves playing superhero, sometimes landing herself in some very hot water. She gave up her ritzy life, not to slum on the south side, but because she knew that was where she belonged.

Rose works for the Thomas Detective Agency, when she isn’t waitressing. Her boss, Andre is the yin to her yang, when it comes to work. She has a mind of her own, is a “bit” cocky and by going rogue, she is playing with fire.

When I first heard of her boyfriend Sullivan, the scene was so romantic and sexy. The details were left to my imagination and that worked very well for me. She’s good, him not so much. She is drawn to bad boys. The heart wants what the hearts want and she cannot deny him.

The peripheral characters have unusual names to go with their unusual personalities that make reading Diner Knock Out so much fun. Her pseudo family is unique, interesting and lovable, keeping the story lively. As her family grows, so does the fun and adventure.

Terri Austin is a master at misdirection, as I danced from one suspect to another. The suspense and mystery kept me reading, questioning and laughing while I worried and fretted over the outcome.

I received an ARC of Diner Knockout by Terri L Austin in return for an honest review.

4 stars

Books in the Rose Strickland Humorous Mystery Series:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

As a girl, Terri L. Austin thought she’d outgrow dreaming up stories and creating imaginary friends. Instead, she’s made a career of it. She met her own Prince Charming and together they live in Missouri. She loves to hear from readers. Drop her a note at www.TerriLAustin.com.

Author Links:

Twitter, FB, Goodreads, TerriLAustin.com, and Henery Press.

Purchase Links
Amazon B&N

GIVEAWAY

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Tour Participants

October 19 – Jane Reads – Review

October 20 – Babs Book Bistro – Review, Guest Post

October 21 – Musings and Ramblings – Review

October 22 – fundinmental – Review

October 23 – View from the Birdhouse – Interview

October 24 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too ! – Spotlight

October 25 – A Blue Million Books – Interview

October 26 – Back Porchervations – Review

October 27 – Book Babble – Review

October 28 – Chloe Gets A Clue – Interview

October 29 – Queen of All She Reads – Review, Guest Post

October 30 – A Fold in the spine – Review, Spotlight

October 31 – Frankie Bow – Interview

November 1 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Interview

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Looking for a pet? Take home Baad Dog by Sal Conte

Posted on October 20, 2015 by fundinmental

Welcome to my tour stop and review for Baad Dog by Sal Conte.

Be sure and enter the giveaway at the bottom of the post!

Just looking at this cute and cuddly dog made me want to read the book.

I mean…how bad can it be?

Deadly!

Baad Dog by Sal Conte

Publication Date: October 16th, 2015

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Pages: 128

~Summary~

Since when did man’s best friend become his very own worst nightmare?

Harry wanted a dog.

He’d wanted a dog ever since his mother gave away the cute little mongrel pup he and his brother adopted when they were kids. His mom gave the dog away because Harry and Lenny didn’t take care of her as promised.

Now Harry is a grown man with children of his own. He brings home Queenie, a miracle of modern robotics who looks and acts just like a real dog. Big Mistake.

“One of the beauties of the K9-233 is that they don’t eat or poop.”

Harry’s wife, Pam, feels there’s something off about Queenie right from the beginning. And then strange things begin to happen: Harry’s five-year-old says Queenie talks to him. There’s the near fatal car accident after Harry makes Queenie spend the night in the garage for being naughty. But Harry loves Queenie—maybe a little too much. Will Harry realize there’s a murderous monster living under his roof before his entire family becomes dog food?

Baad Dog is a horror, sic-fi thriller with a twist from the author of 80s pulp horror classics Child’s Play and The Power. Sal Conte has been dubbed “the modern master of the surprise ending,” and this one is full of surprises.

Amazon

~My Thoughts~

I was excited to receive the ARC for Baad Dog by Sal Conte. It has such a cute cover, but beware, this is a horror novel, so I know it will be baad.

What I am wondering is how Harry got into the situation he is in in the opening chapter. It’s like a B movie playing in my head. He had lots of warning, why didn’t he listen and face the facts, as unbelievable as they are.

I loved the opening pages and knew this was going to be a unique and original story. It creeped me out and I smiled in anticipation.

Harry didn’t know why he walked into the store, or why he allowed the salesman to talk him into buying a dog, and a mechanical dog at that. I could sense a problem as soon as Queenie met Harry’s wife, Pam.

Kinda gives me the creeps, AI, artificial intelligence. It is food for thought. Do you believe it is possible? Do you want it to be possible?

Harry wrote TV shows and maybe he would have been better off if he would have written this one. He could have become rich. Instead, he had money troubles. As a distraction, he thought a trip to the cabin in the woods was in order. Oh yeah, this will be good.

“The nerves rippling her gut told her to turn back.”

Then do it, damn it. Don’t open the door, don’t got in there! Oh no, she’s going to the basement. We all know that is never a good thing, but I too, saw no other option.

Queenie is like the energizer bunny, she keeps going & going…

Loved the ending. I so much want to tell you more, but you will have to read to find out for yourself. If you want to be scared at hidden noises around you, at doors opening and closing, at rustling in the bushes…this is a book for you.

I received Baad Dog by Sal Conte in return for an honest and unbiased review.

4 stars

~About the Author~

Sal Conte is the horror writing alter ego of Amazon #1 Teen Horror author, E. Van Lowe. As Sal Conte, the author turns his talents to gruesome horror with stunning results. Sal Conte is the author of 80s pulp horror classics “Child’s Play” and “The Power,” as well as recent shorts “The Toothache Man” and “Because We Told Her To.

“Baad Dog” is Sal Conte’s first solo ebook. You can visit him athttp://evanlowe.com/sal-contes-page/

Goodreads / Twitter / Website /Amazon Page / Facebook Fan Page

GIVEAWAY

5 ebook copies of Baad Dog

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Hosted by:

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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A Touch of the Supernatural in The Cypress Trap by J C Gatlin Review

Posted on October 19, 2015 by fundinmental

Do you believe in luck? Are you superstitious? Do you have a lucky rabbit’s foot?

I couldn’t resist sharing a few laughs with my fellow Supernatural lovers. For those of you not familiar with the TV show, Sam and Dean are the hunters you want to have protecting you from the monsters of the supernatural..

GUEST POST

I am so happy to have JC Gatlin dropping in for a quick chat. Welcome, JC.

Eight Life Lessons: Ideas for themes and character arcs

Several people have asked, “What is the theme of The Cypress Trap?” Several reviews have pointed out that the story is about overcoming sorrow, as all the main characters are holding onto devastating events in their past. Another critic described the theme as “not appreciating your loved ones until it’s too late.” Either way, it made me think: Does an author go into writing a story with a theme in mind? Or does the story’s theme just evolve somewhere within the undercurrent of the plot and character interactions?

I read an interesting article in Psychology Today magazine titled “Life Lessons: 5 Truths People Learn Too Late.” (October 2012) Several of these lessons inspired plot ideas for future stories, especially within the context of the article — learning the lesson too late. But the article also really got me thinking about themes in general.

When it comes to the book’s theme, especially if the author has a theme in mind when writing the book, the old adage of “show, don’t tell” becomes even more critical. Showing allows the reader to sieve the theme from the plot and analyze the author’s underlying feelings or influences. Telling turns the story into “A Very Special Episode of Blossom.”

These are seven Life Lessons I’ve come across that naturally lend themselves to themes and character arcs.

You can’t fix the ones you love, so focus on fixing yourself
It’s more harmful to overprotect than to under-protect
Sometimes you must put your wants aside and just do what’s best for the one you love
The strength of your friendships is as critical for your health as the lifestyle choices you make
Lust diminishes, but love remains
Truly growing up means forgiving your parents for their mistakes and accepting responsibility for your own actions
Doing what’s right isn’t always easy or popular
Sometimes you must find the strength to say “Yes” when saying “No” would be easier, and “No” when “Yes” is safer.

I didn’t start writing The Cypress Trap with a theme in mind. However, if I had to pick one, I think it’s about letting go. All the main characters are haunted by their pasts, and that’s like acid eating them up inside. Sorrow and regret is a trap that’s difficult to escape. In the end, I think Rayanne, the protagonist, let’s go of her past and her life and moves on.

It is a pleasure having you here, JC. Thanks for the wonderful post.

Add me to Goodreads now.

MY REVIEW

The Cypress Trap by J C Gatlin was a wild ride through the cypress swamps of Florida. I love the location. The pacing was superb. J C had me racing through the forest, bobbing and weaving, chased by evil of the human kind. Just when I thought I could take a breath, J C Gatlin had me up and running again.

I knew from the beginning Owen was going to do something stupid, but I didn’t see it coming back to bite him like it did. Watch out for Karma, curses, whatever, because it can be a bitch.

Owen and Rayanne’s vacation turned into a nightmare. He’s not very happy and he hides his anger behind the dark sunglasses he wears. She tiptoes around him, trying not to set him off. The tragedy that they dance around is destroying them.

Why is Darryl, Owen’s best friend, there?

If you are a Supernatural TV show fan, you know about the rabbit’s foot.

Beatings, running, truck crashing, abduction, escape but nowhere to go, hurt can’t run. Rayanne doesn’t quit, doesn’t give up. She is determined to save her husband.

Terror mounts, as each time Rayanne hides, she is found again, through her own fault, making noise and giving herself away, on the run again. That was my only complaint. But it did keep the suspense and fear for her survival racing through the pages, just like she was racing through the cypress forest.

Rayanne is running through the swamp, dodging coyotes, gators, snakes, the wicked teens, Luger and, could we say, bad luck?

The suspense built during Raynne’s heart pounding run for her life, like the Energizer bunny, kept going and going. Every time I thought I could take a breath, she was discovered and on the run again.

I gave The Cypress Trap by J C Gatlin a four rating, because I was frustrated at her inability to get away and her lack of procuring a weapon, when she had more than one opportunity. But, I tell myself, it had to be that way to come up with the great ending and I do love the ending. I wasn’t sure what would happen and kudos to J C Gaitlin for pulling that off.

Maybe I was just having an off day. If you are a suspense lover like me, this is one you will want to read.

I received The Cypress Trap by J C Gatlin in return for an honest and unbiased review.

4 Stars

ABOUT THE CYPRESS TRAP BY J C GATLIN

When Rayanne commandeers her husband’s weekend fishing trip, she knows it’ll take work to adjust Owen’s attitude. She has no choice. Since the tragedy, they lost so much. They need to reconnect.

Without her knowledge, Owen texts his best buddy, Daryl, to join the getaway. The three of them aren’t alone in the backwoods of Georgia, though. Owen took something that didn’t belong to him. Something that changed their lives. And now the owner wants it back. By any means — including a posse led by a killer dog.

At first, Rayanne is clueless about the item and its value. One thing becomes crystal clear: If it’s not returned, they might not make it home alive.

Goodreads | Amazon | YouTube Book Trailer

ABOUT J C GATLIN

JC Gatlin lives in Tampa, Florida. In addition to regular fishing trips, he wrote a monthly column for New Tampa Style Magazine, then began penning several mystery/suspense stories. He also maintains a blog about the art of spinning a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat mystery yarn.

Coming from a large family with five brothers, JC grew up in Grapevine — a small Texas town just outside of Dallas. He moved to Tampa in 1999, and most of his stories feature the rich landscapes of Texas and Florida as backdrop.

Website | Amazon Page | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

$10 Amazon Gift Card (INT) Ends Oct. 28th

Prizing is provided by CBB Book Promotions, hosts are not responsible for prizing.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Giveaway & Review: The Corpse with the Diamond Hand @AceCathy

Posted on October 15, 2015 by fundinmental

Welcome to my stop for the Corpse with the Diamond Hand by Cathy ace.

Just looking at the cover made me want to book a cruise.

How about you? Have you ever been on a cruise?

The Corpse with the Diamond Hand
(A Cait Morgan Mystery)

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Series: A Cait Morgan Mystery (Book 6)
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: TouchWood Editions (October 13, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-1771511445

Amazon / B&N

MY REVIEW

The Corpse with the Diamond Hand by Cathy Ace had so many elements that appealed to me, I had to have it and share it. I have cruised and I have been to Hawaii and loved them both, but I never crossed a dead body before.

Cait Morgan is a professor of criminal psychology and her husband, Bud, is a retired law enforcement officer. They have recently married and are on a cruise for their honeymoon, when Tommy Trussler collapses and dies while playing cards. They both know dead bodies and this was no natural death.

Cait has an eidetic memory and it comes in very handy as they are called upon to help solve the mystery. I love that she watches Hawaiii Five O. We both have watched the old and the new. And I love that Cait “doesn’t play well with others”. Neither do I.

I am really curious about Tommy, trying to figure him out for myself before Cathy Ace does it for me.

The Corpse with the Diamond Hand by Cathy Ace brought back so many wonderful memories of cruising and Hawaii, that I got lost in the pages. I felt like I was having a cocktail at Duke’s in the Outrigger Hotel and walking Waikiki Beach, with the sand between my toes and the salt air on my skin.

There are so many suspects and motives, so many possibilities. The ending caught me by surprise and that doesn’t happen often enough. I loved cruising down memory lane with Cait and Bud and I would recommend The Corpse with the Diamond Hand for all you readers who want to travel into the mystery of murder on the high seas.

Food for thought:

Experience all you can, to learn, to grow. Sometimes there will be disappointments, sometimes maybe sadness but to never take a chance?

I received a copy of The Corpse with the Diamond Hand by Cathy Ace in return for an honest and unbiased review.

4 Stars

About The Author –

Originally from Wales, now-Canadian Cathy Ace writes the Cait Morgan Mysteries. Her series has found her criminal psychologist, foodie sleuth stumbling upon Corpses with a Silver Tongue, a Golden Nose, an Emerald Thumb, Platinum Hair, Sapphire Eyes and, now, a Diamond Hand during her globetrotting. The winner of The Bony Blithe Award for Best Light Mystery in 2015, when not helping Cait solve traditional, closed-circle mysteries, Cathy’s a keen gardener, ably assisted by her green-pawed chocolate Labradors.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Twitter: @AceCathy / Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

3 PRINT COPIES – U.S. AND CANADA

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

~~~~~~~~~~~~

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look 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!

Skull and Crossbones (c) Sherry J Fundin