Fanged Mania #6 – Giveaway/Review – Being Mrs Dracula by Faith Marlow

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(To see the complete rules for Fanged Mania, go to the end of the post)

Being Mrs. Dracula

When Van Helsing died, he left a diary. That, in turn, led to more diaries by the Mrs. Dracula‘s. The story is told from the wives perspective.

Valeria’s father aligned their family with Count Dracula by Valeria’s marriage to him. The Count was a good man, but he scared her very much. He had courted her for a short time, so they weren’t strangers when the wedding finally took place. The sex was more wonderful than she could imagine. Afterwards, she lay with her head on his chest and listened to his heart beat.

As Hungary and the Turks fought, he had to go into battle. When he returned at the first of the year, he was a different man. Rumors that he slaughtered thousands of men women and children ran rampant.

She feared him, but couldn’t fight the attraction she had for him. He had changed. She touches him and he feels so cold. His teeth seem longer and he is stronger, even though she never sees him eat. The light shines on his red eyes.

red eyes Pictures, Images and Photos

She had been ill, but recovered while he was gone. When he had come home, she seemed to get ill again. She also noticed, she had another “love” bite. It seemed as they made love, he could read her mind. He fed off her, which was her illness. She has such love for him, that she doesn’t mind. He is now a man-creature, who comes home from battle in the middle of the night and enters through the window.

The servants were terrified and many of them fled, but she didn’t care. Valeria and the Count fed off each other, sharing their life force – blood. She loved him, even though she thought she would die because of him. Even she thought herself odd.

When he left with the peasants, she realized she had been abandoned. She sent the rest of the servants away and she was now all alone. She would kill herself before she would let the Turks take her.

As she dies, she is reborn. Like her husband, she is now a vampire.

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She is vicious in her revenge of the Turks looting her home. She tells of her anger when she is abandoned by Vlad. She rampages through her home, and the carnage and savage killing of the Turks are beyond description.

After two years, she takes up her pen and begins her diaries.

http://i-love-cartoons.us/snags/clipart/christmas/looney-toons/Christmas-Taz.jpg    5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

A vampire book like no other. It is told in the form of diaries, and begins with his first wife, Valeria. Needless to say, he is immortal, so one wife would never be enough. Vlad’s callousness, cruelty, and betrayals are so selfish and self-centered, it makes you wonder how the wives are able to keep their sanity. Or do they?

The story is told from the wives points of view. The confusion, loneliness, hatred, grief, love, pain, and betrayal they experience will leave you feeling emotionally drained.

When I first opened the book, I wasn’t sure how I would feel about it. I’m not huge on books written as diaries. It didn’t take long for me to become totally engrossed in it. You must keep reading or you will miss a truly unique story of a love like no other.

I fell in love with Valeria. Even though she is a vampire and has the capacity to be truly vicious and savage, her love encompasses so much more than she thought she would ever be able to give. The horrible things she goes through would make you think she would be incapable of what she does at the end of the story. The ending blew me away and I can hardly wait to read the sequel. I hope you are a fast writer Faith. lol

Faith Marlow takes vampires to a whole new level. I never saw where this book was going and I am so glad, because the surprise was well worth waiting until the last page to discover. I loved where she went with the book and the journey was well worth traveling.

As I sit here writing the review, all I can think of is WOW. I am still caught up in the story, trying to think how to describe it to you, so that you will be sure to pick up your copy and enjoy Valeria’s story.

I was given this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

About the Author

Faith MarlowIn the fifth grade, Faith Marlow discovered a fondness and talent for writing and has considered herself a storyteller ever since. The notion of transporting a reader into another place or time, to allow the reader to experience life from the perspective of the character is as intriguing is it is challenging and is at the heart of any project she undertakes. In addition to writing, she is an avid reader (a dedicated student of Dean Koontz), movie connoisseur, and a veritable repository for all manner of useless yet entertaining knowledge.

Faith lives in Tennessee with her high school sweetheart/ husband, Scottie, their son Avery, and Moses the loyal family turtle. As often as their schedules and weather will allow, the Marlow’s take a break from the stress of everyday life and all its technology and escape into the natural beauty of the Appalachian countryside to hike, camp, and take countless photographs.
Faith sincerely hopes you will enjoy her first novel, “Being Mrs. Dracula”, which chronicles the lives of Count Dracula’s three beautiful, yet very different wives. She is currently working on its sequel “Being Dracula’s Widow”.

To stalk Faith Marlow, follow the links below:

Website

Goodreads

Giveaway

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos  Faith Marlow is offering 5 e-books for the giveaway (must be able to download from Smashwords). Entry is easy, as always. Just leave an email address, so I can contact you if you win, and answer the question – Would you be able to share your vampire husband with another wife?

Closed. Winners will be announced on confirmation.

Giveaway runs 12/21 – 1/4/2013.

Please tweet it out to share with your friends, family and followers, not required.

It is always appreciated if you follow my blog, also, not required.

To order the book from Amazon US, just click on the cover below.

Can also be ordered through the links below:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007UK4FE0#_
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view…
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/being…

Fanged Mania rules:

To join in, copy and paste these rules and the above banner into your Fanged Mania post and add your link to this week’s Fanged Mania post at Elisabeth Wheatley’s Blog. Fanged Mania is a Friday meme counting down to the release of Fanged Princess and displaying all things vampire and awesome. Fanged Mania posts can be a review of a vampire book, a quote from the latest Vampire Diaries episode, a showcase of a cool vampire book’s cover, or whatever you like so long as it is vampire related. Don’t forget, participants will be entered in the drawing to win a fanged-abulous prize pack!

The prize pack I mentioned includes Vampire Diaries and Breaking Dawn posters as well as a paperback copy of Erica Steven’s Captured (my review here) and the complete collection of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter stories by Jennifer Malone Wright, in paperback, too! =D

Oh, and the contest is international. And the more Fanged Mania posts you have, the more entries you get! So what are you waiting for? Hop on the bandwagon!

Giveaway/Review of Stitch (Trilogy, #1) by Samantha Durante

.Stitch (Stitch Trilogy, #1)

Alessa has seen him numerous times. When the nightmares started, she found it hard to concentrate on anything else. The ghost was in her nightmares. Does that mean he really exists? He seemed so familiar to her. Did she know him? How was that possible?

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Alessa fell apart after her parents died, but managed to get into Eastern State University. She thought it would help her, so she joined a sorority. She chose it because of the house. She thought that was how she had found her best friend, Janie and the ghost. She never saw that there was something else going on.

She did wonder why no one else could see him. She was afraid, frozen by her feelings of longing and sorrow. Should she talk to him? She felt a connection. Janie joked that maybe her and the ghost shared a past. Could that be why she was so attracted and drawn to him? That night in her dream, she saw him. He blamed himself for what happened to her family. How could that be?

There was an odd incident with security and her teacher, but she shrugged it off. She really should have paid more attention. Janie even hinted at it, but she didn’t pick up on it

The sorority was holding a party and it was Alessa’s job to pass out invitations. That was how she met Nikhil. For the first time in a long time, she was excited about meeting a guy and invited him to the party.  Her and Janie were on their third beers when Nikhil and Josh showed up. They stared dancing with the guys and when Nikhil started to kiss her, she looked into his eyes, but they were Isaac’s eyes. She ran to her room.

The next day, the showers were full when Alessa went in, so she told Janie that she was going to take a bath in the attic bathroom. Isaac appeared and sat on the edge of the tub. When he turned to her, she realized he was really looking at the her. She reached for him and he disappeared. Now she was more motivated than ever to find out what was going on. She was shocked at what found. Isaac was so much more than just a ghost.
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Janie knew more than she was telling. She was afraid for Lessa. When Alessa heard Janie say, “her stitch seems to be holding strong”, Alessa was past being afraid. She was confused and terrified.

http://i-love-cartoons.us/snags/clipart/christmas/looney-toons/Christmas-Taz.jpg    5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

Stitch is Samantha Durante’s debut novel. I love it when I am so surprised by the quality of the writing and story from a writer’s first novel. She is currently working on the second book in the Trilogy, Shudder, and is happily considering any suggestions readers have for Book II. What would you like to see? Follow the link to her blog, below, to see what others are looking for in Book II.

I loved the title and cover. The blurb and excerpts I’d seen made me feel like I had to have this book. I tweeted day after day, determined to win the giveaway. I was right. The book surpassed my expectations.

I thought it was gonna be a haunted house story, but it took a great, surprising twist. Made me smile and delve deeper into story to see where it went. It just kept getting better and I kept reading faster as the plot twisted and turned through the pages.

Even though Alessa is the main character, I became enamored with Janie. A true blue “friend” that would risk it all for Alessa as she tries to make her aware of all that is going on.

Wow. Samantha led me down a twisted road. What a great journey. I loved it. I wondered where the idea came from to start with this, then go here, then there. Wow again. I haven’t read a book quite like this and am eagerly anticipating the next one.

I won the book through a blog tour where nomisparanormalpalace.blogspot.com was a participant. Naomi and Samantha noticed that I tweeted so much and offered me a signed paperback, instead of the ebook I had won, which I eagerly accepted. Thank you Naomi and Samantha.

About the Author

Photo of Samantha Durante, author of StitchAs an avid lifelong reader of fiction of all sorts, there’s nothing I find more engrossing than an epic sci-fi/fantasy/romance series. I’ve whiled away countless weekends of my life immersed in richly-woven worlds that someone else was kind enough to put on paper, and I’ve always felt a debt of gratitude to these wonderful authors – J.K. Rowling, Stephanie Meyer, Suzanne Collins, Christopher Paolini, Sharon Shinn, C.S. Lewis, Jane Austen, and most recently Lauren Oliver and Veronica Roth, to name a few.

Stitch – my very first novel, and part one of an upcoming trilogy – is my humble attempt to return the favor. My dream is to bring the same enjoyment and delight to readers that these authors have brought to my life. If you find yourself staying up just a little too late to finish another chapter, or sneaking into the bathroom at work to read when things are slow, I will know I have done my job!

I currently live in New York with the two loves of my life – my husband, Sudeep, and my cat, Gio. In addition to penning novels, I am also a freelance business writer and communications consultant at my company, Medley Media Associates.

Prior to pursuing my passion for writing full time, I spent three years in software engineering at Microsoft, as a Program Manager first on the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) developer platform team and later on the Zune for Xbox LIVE team. I am a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology, where I studied Systems Engineering, Management, Entrepreneurship, and Operations & Information Management at Penn Engineering and Wharton business school.

I love to hear from readers! I do my best to answer each and every email I receive, so please don’t hesitate to send me comments, questions, or even suggestions for what you’d like to see in future books.  You can also find me on Facebook at my author and Stitch fan pages, on Goodreads and Twitter, and on my Amazon Author page.

Giveaway

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and PhotosSamantha is offering 1 e-book for the giveaway (format of the winner’s choice – mobi/Kindle, epub/Nook, or pdf). Entry is easy, as always. Just leave an email address, so I can contact you if you win, and answer the question – If you were to meet a ghost, who would you want it to be and why?

Closed. Winner is Kari. Congratulations Kari and I would like to thank everyone who stopped by and commented.

Giveaway runs 12/18 – 1/2/2013.

Please tweet it out to share with your friends, family and followers, not required.

It is always appreciated if you follow my blog, also, not required.

To order the book, simply click on the cover.

Fanged Mania #4 – Giveaway/Review of Half Black Soul by H. D. Gordon

(To see the rules for Fanged Mania, go to the end of this post)

Half Black Soul: Book II of The Alexa Montgomery Saga by H. D. Gordon

Just a month ago, I’d been a  pretty normal teenager. I was seventeen and I lived in a small town in Missouri. Now I am a killing machine, a warrior or a murderer. Or both. Happy birthday to me.

Half Black Soul (The Alexa Montgomery Saga, #2)

Spoiler Alert: This is Book II in the Alexa Montgomery Saga.

I was driving through Pennsylvania, in the rain, when hunger hit me. I just happened to be at an exit, so I took it and went into the diner at the convenience store. After eating, as I walked to my car, I should have paid more attention to my senses. I knew I never should have left my sword in the car. It wouldn’t happen again. I knew he was there and I knew he was going to attack me. It would be the last thing he did. I let the monster deal with the man and felt a euphoria as he lay dying.

As I drove away I thought about how I came to be here.

I knew I was different, but a Sun Warrior? The Last One? My mother had taught me how to fight and told me to protect Nelly. Nelly wasn’t just a Searcher, but so much more. After the attack at the house, Nelly and Jackson, who was a werewolf and my boyfriend, and I ran to Two Rivers in Pine Barrens, NJ.

It was magnificent until you saw underneath it. When I met Soraya, she exposed the truth Libra the Scales Balanceto me and I vowed to change it. But one good thing had come of it. I met Kayden, the only Libra left. Like me, the last of his kind. Would we end up together?

The first thing on my agenda was to find out if my mother was still alive.

After the incident at the convenience store, I stopped at a rest area to regroup. The monster was in total control of me. I was horrified. I jumped out of the car and ran. I ran for the exit and as normal feelings started to come back to me, I felt hope. I ran straight into Kayden. I felt his goodness wash over me. My desperation led me to go one step further, a kiss so deep the monster was driven away. I turned to the car and waited for him to enter.

I was going to Olivia’s’, my mother’s friend who had sent us to Two Rivers, to find out about my mother, and anything else I could. She told me I was meant to lead a revolution. I had to go to Dangeon to find my mother.

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Nelly was bereft when she read the note Alexa left for her.

Nelly’s mind sent out a blanket search, seeming of its own free will. She could sense a feeling of fear from everyone in the village.

She was called before the Queen and asked about Alexa being missing. Nelly fed the her the lie she had been working on, only to be assaulted by the Queen’s attempt to search her. She could block her, but that would alert the Queen to the fact Nelly was a searcher and may put her in danger.

That night Nelly dreamt of Alexa’s death.

http://i-love-cartoons.us/snags/clipart/christmas/looney-toons/Christmas-Taz.jpg    5 –  Would Buy It For Them (lol)

The ending blew me away. I can hardly wait to get my hands on the next book to see what happens.

The cover is beautiful and the title is so very appropriate.

The writing needs some editing, but the story is so good and so wonderfully told that it is easy to overlook. The plot is so detailed that it drew me into the story and didn’t let me go. It captured me from the very beginning. Even after I read the last page, the last sentence, the last word, I was craving more.

The characters are as well-developed and detailed as the plot.

It is so easy to fall for Alexa, who has to fight her battle with her monster within. Don’t we all have our own inner battles? I found it easy to empathize with her because it.

Kayden, what can I say about Kayden? Wouldn’t you like to have your very own (smoking hot) Guardian?  He is always there for Alexa. And, of course, Nelly, who is so sweet and innocent.

I can’t decide who Alexa will end up with and I’m not sure who I want her to end up with. My fist thought is always Jackson, he has been with her through thick and thin. He would lay down his life for her. Her own private, and also smoking hot, werewolf.

The Rise, Book III, is on it’s way to me as we speak and I can hardly wait to pick it up and start reading. I love Alexa and I am rooting for her, wanting her to have everything her heart desires. Now I just have to find out if she gets it.

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

H. D. Gordon is the author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga. Blood Warrior, the first book of the Alexa series was her debut novel and has held a spot in the top 100 fantasy bestsellers for over a month. Half Black Soul is the second book in this series and H. D. plans to complete Alexa’s tales by the end of 2012. In June of 2012, Joe, a fantasy novel about a young clairvoyant, was released as well. H. D. is a lifelong reader and writer, a true lover of words. When she is not reading or writing she is raising her two daughters, playing a little guitar, and spending time with her family. She is twenty-three years old and lives in the northeastern United States.
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To follow H. D. Gordon, use the links below:
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taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos    H.D. has been generous enough to offer up 5 ebooks of the first book in the Alexa Montgomery Saga: Blood Warrior. If you haven’t read any of her books, this is a great starting place. International. Entry is easy, as always, simply leave an email address I can contact you at if you win and answer the question – If you were a Warrior, what would be your weapon of choice?
Closed. Winners are:  Shana – Susan – Martha – Emily – Jennifer
GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.
To see my Review of Blood Warrior, go HERE.

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Please tweet this out and share it with your friends family and followers, not required.
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It is always appreciated if you follow my blog, but not required.
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To order any of the books, simply click on the cover below.

To join in, copy and paste these rules and the above banner into your Fanged Mania post and add your link to this week’s Fanged Mania post at Elisabeth Wheatley’s Blog. Fanged Mania is a Friday meme counting down to the release of Fanged Princess and displaying all things vampire and awesome. Fanged Mania posts can be a review of a vampire book, a quote from the latest Vampire Diaries episode, a showcase of a cool vampire book’s cover, or whatever you like so long as it is vampire related. Don’t forget, participants will be entered in the drawing to win a fanged-abulous prize pack!

The prize pack I mentioned includes Vampire Diaries and Breaking Dawn posters as well as a paperback copy of Erica Steven’s Captured (my review here) and the complete collection of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter stories by Jennifer Malone Wright, in paperback, too! =D

Oh, and the contest is international. And the more Fanged Mania posts you have, the more entries you get! So what are you waiting for? Hop on the bandwagon!

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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?

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A Joyous Romp at North Pole High by Candace J. Kringle

.North Pole High: A Rebel Without a Claus

Yeah, my Dad’s Santa, but to me, he’s just Dad. I’m sixteen and he acts like any other dad. Everything that comes next, is all his fault. If he wouldn’t have made me go to the Welcoming feast, none of it would have happened. Christmas Pictures, Images and Photos

Once Rudy arrived, Candycane started doing things she had never done before and going places she had never even thought of. It was not surprising that Santa became very displeased with her and Rudy.

Her teacher put her and Rudy together, the school project was making a Christmas tree. She had always been the best tree maker, but her confusion over how she felt about Rudy, made it difficult for her to work with him.

santa & sled, sleigh, reindeer Pictures, Images and Photos

When Candycane took Rudy on a sleigh ride, it turned into a nightmare. Little did she know, but Tinsel, her boyfriend, had a hand in it.

They loved their food – eggnog, gingerbread cookies, bubble gum, baked Alaska, gazpacho, Sno Cones, stuffing and almost any sweet thing their hearts desired.

The North Pole:

Where a tan is not a healthy thing.

Where Elfnip is keebler viagra.

Where tickle fights are a form of punishment.

Where does the best chocolate come from?

http://i-love-cartoons.us/snags/clipart/christmas/looney-toons/Christmas-Taz.jpg    4 Would Highly Recommend To Others

What a great and original idea. A memoir of Santa’s daughter. Had me cracking up all the way through.

I knew when I read the blurb, the book would be hilarious. I can see this as a Christmas special on TV. All the little kiddies would love it.

A coming of age story for the “Princess” of the North Pole. But there is so much more.

The names applied to the characters were funny and the roles of the characters are so creative. The characters are humans, polar bears, seals, walruses, elves, penguins, pandas, puffins, and anything else that you can imagine would live at the North Pole.

Check out what they eat, even for breakfast. Who wouldn’t love having a menu and diet such as theirs, other than having to live in the cold. lol

What a fun read, perfect for the season. A great Christmas gift for the young and old alike. It will definitely brighten your day.

I was given this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

About the Author

Candace Jane Kringle

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Candace Jane Kringle is a junior at North Pole High. She likes candy canes, unicorn races, and making snow angels. Her father is the most well-known and beloved toymaker and toy distributor in the world. Her memoir, North Pole High: A Rebel Without a Claus , is her first book. After high school, she plans to enroll at North Pole University and write more books, maybe even some fiction. 🙂

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Twitter

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GIVEAWAY

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos  Candace is offering 1 ebook – mobi/Kindle or EPUB –  for the Giveaway. International. Easy entry as always, just answer the question – What do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas? – and leave your email address.

Closed. The Winner is – Ann Herrick.

Giveaway will run from 12/13 – 12/22, 2012.

To see all my Giveaways, click HERE.

Please tweet it out and share it with your friends, family and followers, not required.

It is always appreciated if you follow me by email, but not required.

To get your copy, simply click on the cover below.

Dragon Lady Step Aside For Natalie – Review

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Natalie’s Revenge – A Frank Renzi Novel by Susan Fleet

Natalie's Revenge (Frank Renzi, #3)

1988 – As soon as she woke up, she knew something was wrong.

Natalie was only ten, but she doubted her mom when she said she worked so late because she was a hostess at some fancy restaurant. Natalie was always home alone and never opened the door for anyone. When the doorbell rang, she looked out the peephole. It was a woman cop and she knew Natalie’s name. She went on to tell her that her mom was dead.

July 2008 – Renzi was called out in the middle of the night for a body with a bullet hole in the middle of his forehead. It was a hit. Renzi’s partner, Kenyon Miller was on his way. When he arrived, he told Renzi that he knew him. He was a bigwig at the new casino – The BABYLON.

The victim, Arnold, had been a good father, but a womanizer. He and his wife lived separate lives and it came out that he had a gambling problem. Could it be a disgruntled husband? A Business partner? His Wife? A Loan shark?

As they went over the security tapes from the Hotel Bienvenue, where Peterson was staying, Renzi saw her. She entered Peterson’s room. Her hat and sunglasses covered her face, but he noticed her walk, that she was fit and athletic. He also noticed a tattoo on her ankle. High priced hooker?

At the Sunshine Inn, June Carson was preparing to leave town. Her next stop was Circle K for travel supplies. She saw she was being watched by a guy in a cowboy hat. She left quickly, but he followed her, then called her name “Natalie”. It was an old classmate, Tex Conroy, from Pecos, Texas.. He had recognized her firebird pendant – her good luck charm. Not so good now. She knew what she had to do, get him off in an isolated place.

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After her mother’s death, she was sent to her Uncle, Jerome Brixton in Pecos Texas.  She liked to watch America’s Most Wanted and wondered what it would be like to run from the law. She researched her Vietnamese heritage and chose birds and mountains to protect herself. If she didn’t avenge her mother’s death, would angry spirits ruin her life?

Her cousin, Randy, called her slant eyes and gook. When she adopted a kitten, Randy killed it. She vowed she would make him pay.

Chinese proverb – All warfare is based on deception. Natalie learned Tae (strike) Kwon (strike with fist) Do (means way). She learned Jiapsul – pressure points. Part of the Tae Kwan Do oath was,  “I shall be a champion of justice and freedom”.” She liked that. Justice for her mom. Freedom for herself. She learned to shoot guns because sometimes martial arts wouldn’t be enough.

As Renzi investigated Tex’s death in Pecos, the name Natale came up. She was accused of killing her cousin, Randy. He fell off a cliff at a family picnic. She wasn’t charged, but Renzi felt she was the one.

She knows he is closing in on her, but nothing was going to stop her from fulfilling her destiny.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos    5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

I love the cover. Red is very eye-catching and who doesn’t love a shoot ’em up female protagonist. She even holds the gun properly. The title speaks for itself. The “package” made me want to pick it up and read it the moment I got it.

New Orleans. I’ve spent a lot of time visiting New Orleans. I love to read about places I’ve been to and am so familiar with. It seems to add something extra.

Once Renzi got to Pecos, I read faster and faster, learning about Natalie and her life in Pecos. I could feel the suspense building as I wondered how Renzi would catch her and wishing he wouldn’t. Very well written. I was unable to put it down. I had to know what was going to happen to her.

I love when the character, whether a book, TV show or movie, has to seek justice for themselves, like Death Wish . I have watched them so many times, I feel like I know all the characters intimately. I loved all the Death wishes, so I knew I would love this book. Of course, if everyone did it, we’d be like the Wild West.  I rooted for her to exact her revenge and get away with it, even though she might have went too far.

I loved that Natalie went about her life, doing what she had to do to accomplish her goal, made me feel more empathy for her. Stripping, hooking and sacrificing her life, so she could put things right. Feeling as if her heritage demanded it  or she would be haunted for the rest of her life. She became an actess, a chameleon.  She had seven words to live by – Be what they want you to be. She trusted no one and relied only on herself.

I loved her single-mindedness to achieve her goal and the sacrifices she made, but then what? She really wanted what we all want, but she needed answers to be able to move on. And after all she had done, how could she have a “normal” life?

How far would you go to make sure someone paid for destroying a loved one’s life? Would you be able to do whatever it takes to make them pay?

Loved it when Vobitch kicked Hammer out of his office. I loved the dialogue between Renzi, his partner Kenyon and his boss, Vobitch. A verbal jousting match. Sarcastic, back and forth bantering, like Lisbon and Jane on The Mentalist.

Multiple story lines throughout the plot. Renzi is in love with Kelly who is also a cop. Hurricane Gail is heading for New Orleans. Guess a lot of us know what that entails.

Ending? Loved it. I sat there with my mouth hanging open, thinking…….Let me………………… Nope, you’ll have to find out for yourself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan Fleet  Music & Mayhem is my game. Started my trumpet career in my teens, got into the mayhem later. My print journalist father taught me how to play pool in the police station. Maybe that’s how I discovered my dark side.

After gigging on trumpet in the Boston area for many years (while teaching at Brown University and Berklee College of Music), I moved to New Orleans, which became the setting for my crime thrillers. Scroll down and check the video trailers for DIVA and ABSOLUTION.

I survived Katrina, but moved back to Boston in 2010. On my website I post profiles of women musicians and just began a blog, DARK DEEDS, about serial killers, stalkers and domestic homicides. Please come visit!!

SUSAN’S HANGOUTS

Website  /  Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos  Susan is offering 2 ebooks for the Giveaway – one for the US and one for the UK. Easy entry as always, just answer her question – New Orleans has many local coffee shops, but one is particularly famous. Not only that, I set one early scene at the coffee shop in Absolution, my first Frank Renzi mystery.   What’s the name of the coffee shop? Have you ever been there? – and leave your email address.

Closed. Winners are Laura Thomas and Emily Guido.

Giveaway will run from 12/12 – 12/26.

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My Reviews for Natalie’s Books

Dragon Lady Step Aside For Natalie – Review

Is Winning the Lottery a Curse or a Blessing – Jackpot by Susan Fleet

Review of Diva by Susan Fleet

Review of Absolution by Susan Fleet

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To order any of the books, simply click on the cover below.

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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?

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Fanged Mania #3

To join in, copy and paste these rules and the above banner into your Fanged Mania post and add your link to this week’s Fanged Mania post at Elisabeth Wheatley’s Blog. Fanged Mania is a Friday meme counting down to the release of Fanged Princess and displaying all things vampire and awesome. Fanged Mania posts can be a review of a vampire book, a quote from the latest Vampire Diaries episode, a showcase of a cool vampire book’s cover, or whatever you like so long as it is vampire related. Don’t forget, participants will be entered in the drawing to win a fanged-abulous prize pack!

The prize pack I mentioned includes Vampire Diaries and Breaking Dawn posters as well as a paperback copy of Erica Steven’s Captured (my review here) and the complete collection of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter stories by Jennifer Malone Wright, in paperback, too! =D

Oh, and the contest is international. And the more Fanged Mania posts you have, the more entries you get! So what are you waiting for? Hop on the bandwagon!

The Master

The Master

If I am up early enough, Angel jump starts my morning on TV reruns.

GIVEAWAY

Taylor Dean is offering up this wonderful giveaway:

A signed set of lancaster house and the middle aisle to one lucky winner. There will be only one winner chosen, either US or International.

If the winner is from the US, they will receive their choice of signed paperbacks or ebooks.

If the winner is international, they will receive a set of ebooks.

Entry is easy, as always. Simply leave your email and answer the question – Do you believe in ghosts ? Have you ever had a supernatural experience?

Go HERE to enter and read my review.

Giveaway runs from 12/6/12 – 12/2/0/12.

If you can’t wait, simply click on the cover to order.

Fanged Mania #2 Look what I’ve been reading!

To join in, copy and paste these rules and the above banner into your Fanged Mania post and add your link to this week’s Fanged Mania post at Elisabeth Wheatley’s Blog. Fanged Mania is a Friday meme counting down to the release of Fanged Princess and displaying all things vampire and awesome. Fanged Mania posts can be a review of a vampire book, a quote from the latest Vampire Diaries episode, a showcase of a cool vampire book’s cover, or whatever you like so long as it is vampire related. Don’t forget, participants will be entered in the drawing to win a fanged-abulous prize pack!

The prize pack I mentioned includes Vampire Diaries and Breaking Dawn posters as well as a paperback copy of Erica Steven’s Captured (my review here) and the complete collection of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter stories by Jennifer Malone Wright, in paperback, too! =D

Oh, and the contest is international. And the more Fanged Mania posts you have, the more entries you get! So what are you waiting for? Hop on the bandwagon!

The Master

The Master

If I am up early enough, Angel jump starts my morning on TV reruns.

MY READS

These are some of my vampire favorites. Do you see something you like?

To see a Review for any of the books below, scroll down to the Review listing.

 Simply click on the cover to order, or see more, about the book.

REVIEWS:

lancaster house

Goddess of the Moon

The Awakening

Revamp

Dark Dealings

Black

What Kills Me

Is he a ghost? A vampire? Is he even real or just a figment of her imagination?

Giveaway and Review

of

lancaster house by taylor dean

Lancaster House

Zoe was in Serenity Hills because she had tried to kill herself. She was also accused of killing two men. Dr. Channing had taken over her care and was weaning her from the heavy medications she had been on since her admittance.  When he told her there was  no such thing as ghosts, she told him they had nothing to talk about. He asked her to tell him about Lancaster House. He didn’t think she would answer, but she slowly began to tell him how she fell in love with the house and why she was so desperate to return to it.

The realtor explained about the old Victorian home. It needed a lot of work. She tried to discourage Zoe from going in, let alone buying it, but Zoe could feel the house calling to her. For the second time she thought she saw someone in the window. She laughed with delight at the unexpected finds and oddities of the house. She was intrigued by its idiosyncrasies, the hidden rooms and secret passageways. She loved it. The real estate agent, Barbara, called the builder, Andre Lancaster, peculiar, but Zoe thought him amazing.

The neighbor lady, Mrs Pearson, had come in with them and, while Barbara was busy on the phone, she told Zoe the story of the house. The builder’s wife and a vagrant were found dead in the house. The husband was never found. Everyone thought the house was haunted. But that wasn’t going to stop Zoe.

After making the place livable, her first project was the banister. She worked late into the night, and even though she wanted to finish it, she quit with ten rails to go. In the morning she found it was done. She thought she must have been high from the fumes and turned her mind to the next project.

Halloween Small GhostWhen she arose the next morning, the piece of wallpaper she had deliberately left unhung, was put up. Also, during the night a blanket had been placed over her. Did she have an uninvited quest living with her? As she thought about it, all the acts were helpful and caring towards her, so she wasn’t afraid, was she?

Still… She went to the courthouse and got the original blue prints. She found the builder had intentionally created an illusion on the outside of the house to hide the additional room. She tore through the wall and found the wife’s bedroom and knew she had been murdered  there. But the room was covered in dust and no one could have been in there for a long time. So where was her elusive guest staying?

That night someone broke in and attacked her. Zoe was surprised when another man came to her rescue.

He was shocked that she could see him and speak to him. It wasn’t long before she was wanting more than his help with the house. She wanted him. She wanted to see him, speak to him, be held by him.

Where in the house did he Live? Why can’t he leave? He had told her his name was Andre, but she had never done her research on the house, so the name held no meaning for her.

She questioned if he really existed, but she felt his presence. He was physical, because she saw him, talked to him, touched him, loved him. She couldn’t be imagining him, could she?

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos     4 – Would Highly Recommend To Others

This was definitely a different twist on a vampire (?), ghost (?) or madwoman (?) story. I got about halfway through and thought WT. Never saw that coming. Now I get it, or do I?

A psychological thriller that will keep you guessing. The minute you think you have the answer, you better think again.

The plot had me guessing if HE was real or not, but I’m a reader, not Zoe, so it is totally feasible to me. The book was well written and I liked that it took a twist here and there. Not your typical vampire or ghost story. Or even that of a locked up mad woman. As soon as  I thought I had it figured out, something else would happen and I would be wondering, what now? Definitely messed with my mind, had my head spinning. And still does.

What would you do if you had an uninvited guest in your house? Would you believe it was supernatural or would you think your mind was playing tricks on you? Even though you felt him, touched him, kissed him, would you be able to hold to your belief while everyone is telling you that you are wrong? That is Zoe’s situation.

Zoe was confident in her knowledge of Andre, no matter what anyone else tried to tell her. All she cared about was being with Andre. He tried to make her see they couldn’t have a relationship, that they lived in different worlds – his was supernatural and she couldn’t join him there, or could she?

I felt the doctor was arrogant and controlling, and I really didn’t like him. He became obsessed with Zoe and lost his perspective. Maybe he’s the one who needs help. lol

Shortly into the book, I thought, this will be a three. It quickly turned into a four, for the simple reason I began to read faster and faster. I had to know what was going to happen next. The writing was captivating and took me deeper into the story as it built to its suspenseful ending.

The end will take you away. Just hope you don’t end up in Serenity Hills with Zoe.

I received this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Book II: the middle aisle has just been released. To get your copy of either book, scroll down and click on the cover.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Taylor Dean

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Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding that she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense-you’ll find all sub-genres of romance in her line-up.

To find out what Taylor Dean is up to, follow the links below:

Website

Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos   Taylor Dean is offering up this wonderful giveaway:

A signed set of lancaster house and the middle aisle to one lucky winner. There will be only one winner chosen, either US or International.

If the winner is from the US, they will receive their choice of signed paperbacks or ebooks.

If the winner is international, they will receive a set of ebooks.

Entry is easy, as always. Simply leave your email and answer the question – Do you believe in ghosts ? Have you ever had a supernatural experience?

CLOSED. WINNERS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED AND CONFIRMED.

Giveaway runs from 12/6/12 – 12/2/0/12.

Be sure to tweet it out to your friends, family and followers, not required.

Always appreciated if you follow my blog, not required.

To order any book, simply click on the cover.

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

To keep updated on the latest happenings here on fundinmental, follow by email.

BTS Tour Presents The Protectors

Come join us on this review tour and see what everyone thinks of this book!!! Reviews Only. For links to the other tour participants, look at the bottom of the post.

The Protectors by Bernard Lee DeLeo

The Protectors has it all: political intrigue and corruption, gangbangers, drugs, terrorists – and that’s just the bad guys. But sometimes even the good guys walk a line that can become blurred. Are they now a bad guy too?

Ellie and Connor responded to a call of a disturbance. After subduing and arresting the couple, Ellie spotted a half-naked boy running down the street. The man chasing him carried a sap. She scooped up the boy as Connor went after the man.

The boy said his name was Billie, but because Fred didn’t do birthdays, he didn’t know how old he was. He told Ellie that he had been with Fred a long time. He, also, told Ellie and Connor that there were more kids. The monsters had them.

Haunted

Ellie and Connor knew they couldn’t wait for backup. Once the “monsters” realized Fred had been gone too long, they would pull up stakes and leave. Ellie knew there was no stopping Connor.

Connor did what he does best and brought the children out. He not only killed Fred, he killed the others too. But Ellie was happy he did. Connor had taken the law into his own hands, but what if we all did that? Would it be anarchy? Would we end up like the Wild West, where everyone had a gun and wasn’t afraid to use it?

Dr Morrison went on a ride along with Ellie and Connor to assess Connor actions. She had no idea what she was getting into.

Ellie and Connor were given leave to go out on their off hours and catch parolees who had just gotten out of prison. They knew they would be at the same place doing the same thing.

At 4:00 in the morning, they made a drug bust. Councilman Stennis came to them, telling them to stop what they were doing. They knew it was highly unusual for a politician to come to the station, especially at 4:00 in the morning, and start throwing threats around. Then they found out his son was one of the kids they busted for drugs. Ellie recorded him on camera. They knew it wouldn’t bode well for them, so they took it to their boss. Donaldson backed them, but warned them there was only so much he could do. Be sure to COA.

As the plot develops, Ellie and Connor find themselves drawn deeper and deeper into a situation that is beyond their control. They find themselves involved with the FBI and terrorists. They get in way over their heads, with no on but their boss, Donaldson, on their side. Who could they trust?

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos    4 STARS – Would Highly Recommend To Others

The cover and title both caught my attention. I thought it was right up my alley

The story started strong and stayed that way. After the incident with the kids, I wondered where the story would go, but I was not to be disappointed. I could feel the suspense building as Ellie and Connor were drawn deeper and deeper into a world of political intrigue, disgusting criminals, gangbangers, drug dealers and terrorists that would stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

The dialogue was, at times, down right hilarious. The banter between Ellie and Connor made me think of Lisbon and Jane in The Mentalist and Temperance and Booth in Bones, only on steroids. I think you must have  a sense of humor when dealing with the dredges of society. I was happily surprised when the light touch in the writing style took the story to the level it did.

Connor was army special forces and used his skills to achieve his goals and to save their life, and others, over and over again. I love these books, even though you know it can’t be like that in real life. The guy would be crucified because of the deaths. It seems the justice system caters more to the criminal than the victim.

I loved Ellie and Connor. They were unique individuals. Jules came into her own, after hanging with them. I couldn’t figure out if Connor would end up with Ellie or Jules. Boy was I in for a shock.

I love vigilantes. Death Wish has always been one of my favorite series. I can’t even begin to count how many times I have watched it. Charles Bronson is the man. lol But Connor didn’t go looking for it, he just took care of business when it crossed his path.

I received this book in return for an honest and unbiased review. I can hardly wait to read more from Bernard Lee DeLeo.

My Favorite Quotes

“I’ll hit you so hard your whole family will pass out in pain.” Made me burst out laughing.

“The kids made me start thinking about how I want folks to look at us. I don’t care anymore to visit someone to tell them we found the people who broke into their business or house and robbed them blind. I want them to wave at us from their house or business as we go by because we prevent the gangbangers, drug dealers, and thugs from terrorizing them.”

“I’m so PC, if Santa’s sleigh ever pauses on Christmas Eve over my house it’s so Rudolph can take a piss on my roof.”

“You know my mom feeds on the mention of marriage like a cockroach in a sugar bowl.”

I’m not leaving you two! I’ve read horror novels. The monster always gets the idiot who goes for help.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I own a one man automotive repair shop in Oakland, CA. I write adventure fiction and have thirteen of my novels offered for Amazon Kindle. My three latest novels are: COLD BLOODED published by Wild Child Publishing, HARD CASE published by RJ Parker Publishing, and THE PROTECTORS published by RJ Parker Publishing. My new paranormal novel LANCELOT was released in October of 2012. I published my humorous paranormal romance, LAYLA, in November of 2012. I served aboard the USS Ranger (CVA61) from 1969 until November of 1972. I earned an AA degree in Auto Technology from Chabot College in Hayward, CA, and a BA degree in English from Cal State Hayward. My hobbies are basketball, backpacking, and scuba diving. My favorite dive spot is Point Lobos near Pacific Grove, CA.

To order a copy of the book, simply click on the cover.

FOLLOW THE TOUR, LINKS BELOW:

November 13: So Many Books, So Little Time
November 20: Bad Barbs Place

November 27: Close Encounters With the Night Kind
December 3: Fundinmental
December 10: Chronicles of a Book Addict
December 17: Stefani’s World of Words
December 30: Bookend 2 Bookend