Review – Below Dark Waters by Katie Zaber @Zaberbooks

Posted on November 24, 2020 by fundinmental

MY REVIEW

The Dalya series by Katie Zaber needs to be read in order.

Below Dark Waters is told by three points of view.

Princess Mega is on the run, with her friends by her side, running from her father, who wants her dead. Does it get much worse that that?

Carmia is a free spirit, an adventurer. She felt the call of the sea and had Octavia built so she could take to the sea, where she felt at home. A woman pirate, gotta love it. She is on the hunt for treasure, leaving her family behind, though they didn’t miss her much.

Lily…love her. She is a master of disguise.

Seeing this is Book II, I don’t want to spoil the wonder of Princess Megan’s world. I want to be at her side, saving children, being taken to an underwater world where evil is afoot, growing, changing, evolving into the leader she never asked or wanted to be. She has devoted, loyal friends and gathers more, as they see her for who she is, a warrior, a fair and determined woman who knows right from wrong. She grabs what moments of happiness and love that are at her fingertips, knowing she may have to sacrifice her own desires and do the right thing for their worlds to survive and prosper.

The end is not here and I can hardly wait to see where we go to next.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Below Dark Waters by Katie Zaber.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Princess Megan, who never had a reason to assume she was anything but human, has been on the run, protected by her friends. With each step toward the city of Delmont, she hopes they will have time to regroup before setting sail to the Ka’Pamau Islands, their final destination. Instead, her bad luck shadows her and chaos continues to ensue everywhere she goes—including a new part of the world that most air breathers have yet to explore.

Confronted with another royal family and a smitten prince whose advances turn cold, she faces another life-altering decision with ramifications she can’t possibly begin to guess at.

Back on land, Lilly reveals more of her secrets, her story, and her goals. Monumental changes and challenges are headed her way as she embraces her new role in life.

On the sea, Aunt Carmia is stirring up trouble while continuing her hunt for the treasure she most desires. She experiences upheavals, but she is always prepared for the unknown.

As their stories unfold, they remain unaware how fate connects them in the world of Dalya

ABOUT KATIE ZABER

Katie Zaber is originally from Southern New Jersey. Her childhood home is just minutes from the Long Beach Island Bridge. When not writing, Katie can be found at wine tastings, sun bathing at the beach, going for hikes, screaming at Six Flags, reading, or in her favorite place, her kitchen, baking desserts and breads. She currently lives in Morris County, New Jersey with her boyfriend.

Website

MY KATIE ZABER REVIEWS

Blood and Ashes (Dalya)

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Ghostly Happenings & The Haunting of Hacket House by Astrid Addams #AstridAddams

Posted on November 19, 2020 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

“When the shit hits the fan, that’s when having a God to pray to or curse is really satisfying…”

No Hacket House or the town of Bramley showed up on the internet when Jane researched the offer for a live in caregiver, but the lucrative paycheck had her packing and moving. Maybe the lack of information should have been a warning?

There are clocks of every variety cluttering the house. What’s up with that? It made me think of my father in law. He loves tinkering with clocks and has them all over his house, but, they are not like these clocks.

The house sounds more like a mansion or museum, with twisting, turning hallways and hundreds of rooms.

Jane is running from someone and thought Hacket House would be a great place to hide. If she can’t find anything about the house and town, maybe nobody else could either. The reason she is running is even sadder than I anticipated.

The man she is there to take care of is in dire straits, uncommunicative. He has dementia (?), with hands like claws and his body stuck in the fetal position. Is it dementia? Is he being tormented? Haunted? And who…or what…is Nark?

As the secrets are revealed, I wonder about Jane and what will become of her. Looming clocks that seem to move on their own, shadows running from clock to clock, people in robes…

The Haunting of Hacket House is a creepy, deliciously spooky tale that kept getting creepier and creepier as I read. It would make a fantastic movie.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Haunting of Hacket House by Astrid Addams.

GOODREADS BLURB

Some places don’t let go….

Offered a lucrative job at the mysterious Hacket House, Jane agrees to travel across country to live at the mansion. After all, a fresh start is just what she needs. Besides, the remote house is a long way from the past she is still running from.

Arriving at her new home, she finds a strange red house set in a wood of red, gnarled trees. The same trees used to build the house and the grandfather clocks that haunt every room and dark corridor.

Jane quickly realises that there is something very wrong at Hacket House and the village of Bramley.

Why is there a graveyard in the garden of Hacket House? Who are the people in hoods who haunt the house at night? What are they doing with the old man in the bed? Why is somebody moving the grandfather clocks? Who is the strange woman no one will admit exists? What are the shadows that scoot across the walls like cockroaches? Who is Erazmus Nark whose grave nothing will touch?

As the sinister behaviour of the village escalates and her own past closes in around her, Jane learns that just because something is dead, doesn’t mean that it’s gone.

MY ASTRID ADDAMS REVIEWS

The Haunting of Hope House

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Dead Meat: Day 5 by Nick Clausen @NickClausen9

Posted on November 18, 2020 by fundinmental

I received an email from Nick’s Reader’s Club with all those beautiful covers lined up in a row. Do you wonder who’s watching you now? LOL

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Dead Meat series started out as novellas and I am so excited that Nick Clausen has so much to share that now he has a full scale novel.

Nick Clausen takes a view from current events and expands on his Zombie virus, crossing borders and hop skipping across the water. He introduces new characters, some that I quickly grew to care for, and, of course, he is not afraid to kill them off. Goes to show ya, when your time is up, it is up.

Bloody, gory, horrific, people come and people, go, zombies walk and zombies fall, everything I look for in a good zombie story. Non stop blood and guts action, killing those who get bitten or scratched.

City to city, country to country, the virus spreads like wildfire, with no one able to curb the spread, let alone stop it.

You will want to read the series in order and I can hardly wait to see where Nick Clausen takes me next.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Dead Meat: Day 5 by Nick Clausen.

GOODREADS BLURB

Mille is aboard the ferry headed for Sweden, and so is the living dead. She tries desperately to stop the infection from spreading before the ferry reaches its destination.

By Day 5, the infection has reached several countries across Europe, leaving death and chaos in its wake. The fate of the world seems still closer to the brink.

ABOUT NICK CLAUSEN

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

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

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

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

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

MY NICK CLAUSEN REVIEWS

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Children’s Book – Poppy Needs A Puppy by Pamela Fagan Hutchins @pameloth

Posted on November 17, 2020 by fundinmental

Poppy Needs a Puppy (Poppy & Petey Book 1)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have been reading Pamela Fagan Hutchin’s Patrick Flint novels and I love her writing, so when I saw Poppy Needs A Puppy I thought it was the perfect time to share. We can all use some good feelings, smiles, and some hints for Christmas giving for the youngsters.

I highly recommend grabbing the paperback because it will be easier to read and share. The illustrations are wonderful, as is the story of a young girl wanting to make sure her sick Poppy gets lots of hugs. When they go to the shelter, she has to find the perfect one for her Poppy, and as soon as she saw him, she knew they were going to give him a forever home. Poppy Needs A Puppy by Pamela Fagan Hutchins has all the feels.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of Poppy Needs A Puppy by Pamela Fagan Hutchins.

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

Caitlin loves her grandfather, Poppy. When he gets sick, she knows he needs extra hugs, more even than she can give him. She visits a shelter and picks out the perfect puppy to help her give hugs to her Poppy.

Written by USA Today bestselling author Pamela Fagan Hutchins, who makes her home in the frozen wilds of Snowheresville, Wyoming. Pamela loves her blind Boston terrier Petey and her dad (Poppy to his grandkids). One day she was feeling tired of writing suspense, mystery, and thriller books for grown-ups, and the Poppy & Petey series was born.

Illustrated by Laylie Frazier.

ABOUT PAMELA FAGA HUTCHINS

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

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

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

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

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

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY PAMELA FAGAN HUTCHINS REVIEWS

Saving Grace
Puppalicious
Switchback (a patrick flint novel)
Snake Oil (a patrick flint novel)
Sawbones (a patrick flint novel)
Scapegoat (a patrick flint novel)

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True Crime – Pretty Evil New England by Sue Coletta #TrueCrime @SueColetta1

Posted on November 12, 2020 by fundinmental

Pretty Evil New England: True Stories of Violent Vixens and Murderous Matriarchs

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I find True Crime books, like Pretty Evil New England by Sue Coletta, hard to rate. Research is vital, but also, the way the book is written can make it easier or harder. Since the murders took place in the late 1800s and early 1900s, I can see why research materials would be lean. Time, fires, and many other things can contribute to that.

I love to hear the characters speak in their own words, and Sue Coletta gave them voices. I love looking into their minds, even though I know I will never understand them. Bad upbringing, nature/nurture…no excuses…whether they are sociopaths, psychopaths, or just plain evil, playing with their victims, it doesn’t matter. A choice is a choice.

Five women: Jane Toppan, Lydia Sherman, Nellie Webb, Harriet E Nason and Sarah Jane Robinson are five people you would never want to be friends with or related to them. They were responsible for more than one hundred deaths.

Males hunt, females gather, and that is how they choose their victims too.

We get the lowdown on the serial killers with their own words, interviews, court transcripts, newspapers, libraries, historical societies…Sue shared glimpses into these five women’s lives. I love learning where they came from, their childhood, their family, marriages, children, friends…

Even when they confess, there is doubt if they are telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Myself, I doubt it. I think they revel in the attention they receive.

Sue Coletta has included some medical and other related trivia from the times. I love when an author does this. For example, Mercury was a common medical treatment, but when Abraham Lincoln used it and found out for himself how harmful it is, he stopped its use.

Not all questions will be answered, but isn’t that why we read? We want to figure things out for ourselves.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Pretty Evil New England by Sue Coletta.

GOODREADS BLURB

Nineteenth century New England was the hunting ground of five female serial killers: Jane Toppan, Lydia Sherman, Nellie Webb, Harriet E. Nason, and Sarah Jane Robinson. Pretty Evil New England tells the story of these five women, from their humble origins through the circumstances that led to their heinous crimes.

ABOUT SUE COLETTA

ABOUT SUE COLETTA Member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers, Sue Coletta is an award-winning, multi-published author in numerous anthologies and her forensics articles have appeared in InSinC Quarterly. In addition to her popular crime resource blog, Sue co-hosts the radio show “Partners In Crime” on Writestream Radio Network every third Tuesday of the month from 1 – 3 p.m. EDT/EST (see details at www.suecoletta.com). She’s also the communications manager

for the Serial Killer Project and Forensic Science, and founder of #ACrimeChat on Twitter. She runs a popular crime website and blog, where she shares crime tips, police jargon, the mind of serial killers, and anything and everything in between. If you search her achieves, you’ll find posts from guests that work in law enforcement, forensics, coroner, undercover operatives, firearm experts…crime, crime, and more crime. For readers, she has the Crime Lover’s Lounge, where subscribers will be the first to know about free giveaways, contests, and have inside access to deleted scenes. As an added bonus, members get to play in the lounge. Your secret code will unlock the virtual door. Inside, like-minded folks discuss their favorite crime novels, solve mindbender and mystery puzzles, and/or relax and chat. Most importantly, everyone has a lot of fun. Sue lives in northern New Hampshire with her husband, where her house is surrounded by wildlife…bear, moose, deer, even mountain lions have been spotted. Course, Sue would love to snuggle with them, but her husband frowns on the idea.

Website * Facebook Author Page * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest Google+ * Youtube * Amazon * Goodreads

MY REVIEWS FOR SUE COLETTA

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The Rose by P D Alleva @PdallevaAuthor #Dystopian #Thriller

Posted on November 11, 2020 by fundinmental

All I had to do was look at the awesome cover for The Rose by P D Alleva and know I want to read it. I have high expectations and my fingers crossed that it will be a good dystopian thriller.

The Rose (Vol. 1) A Dystopian Science Fiction Thriller

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

As soon as I saw the cover for The Rose by P D Alleva, I had to have it. Alien vampires…don’t see a lot of those and I am looking forward to finding out WTH is going on.

Sandy, who is pregnant, and Phil are hiding out in a demolished hotel, watching the American, Russian, and Chinese soldiers kill everyone, men, women and children.

Phil tells Sandy his mission is to find her and bring her to Atlanta. Why is she so special? Or is it her unborn child? No matter, he will lay his life on the line for them.

So far, I am loving where this is going…Alien vampires with evil intent. And the government? No surprise they sell out the little guy is there? What are the ancestor Dracs true intentions, the ones kept hidden from humans and their subordinates?

The Rose is magic and both humans and Dracs have access to it. Indigo is a threat to the Dracs, a human threat they are determined to find and eradicate.

Tesla, a Drac, immediately caught my attention. I think she could be one of the good guys, but we will have to wait and see if I am correct.

Well, that was an action packed adventure that had me quickly flipping the pages, wondering what was going to happen to who.

Alien vampires, werewolves, and other wicked creatures, and the humans who have become involved with them since the war and destruction of Earth. Why are they here? What do they want? Creatures, battles, fights for their lives, caves and pits…It will take another novel to tell the tale and I am very curious to know.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Rose by P D Alleva.

GOODREADS BLURB

A masterful, dystopian science fiction thriller of, telepathic evil greys, mysterious rebellion, martial arts, and Alien Vampires.

Sandy Cox believed WWIII was over. But for those Alien Vampires, War Has Just Begun.

Forty-eight hours after a World War III treaty is signed, Sandy Cox awakens in an underground compound unable to move. Tied to machines she screams for help but no one answers. At least no one human.

And they’ve taken her unborn child.

Phil is a rebel freedom fighter who has had more than his share of Alien Vampires. Armed with THE BLADES, a sacred alien martial art, he enters the compound on a mission to find Sandy. But as he battles through the compound, Phil discovers Sandy has her own agenda. Finding her stolen child is all that matters.

But the vampires have their own plan and Sandy’s baby is at the heart of their diabolical plot. Joined by a crew of rogue soldiers, they must navigate the underground compound, battling genetically mutated humans, aliens and monsters.

When battling Alien Vampires, one thing is certain…Get Ready To Bleed!

Fans of The Hunger Games, George RR Martin, VE Schwab, Star Wars, and Ancient Aliens will be fascinated by this high-powered, intelligent, edge of your seat dystopian sci-fi action thriller.

ABOUT P D ALLEVA

“This ambitious novel plays unashamedly in the pulp-SF sandbox. . . A conspiracy mavens dream, packed with gory alien-vampire action.” ~ KIRKUS REVIEWS

“An action packed no holds barred adventure with cinematic flair. Great for fans of Jeff Vandermeer’s Annhilation, L. Ron Hubbard’s Battlefield Earth, and John Ringo’s A Hymn Before Battle.” ~ Booklife Reviews

“Forget what you know about vampires and prepare to get a new bite from the tastefully different rules in The Rose Vol. 1. Bringing a new twist to a well-known genre is usually a riskWebsite, but PD Alleva has found a brilliant way to make it work. The Rose Vol. 1 is a fantastic recommendation for fans of vampire, fast-paced action, heart-racing, and dark-themed novels.” ~ Readers Favorite

Born in Brooklyn, New York, raised in Westchester County, New York, living in South Florida since 1992. A child of the 90’s PD has coined a new genre, Alternative Fiction. Why? Because Multi-Genre Author sounds like you’ve got marbles between your cheeks.

An avid reader who loves to talk books, PD will write short reaction reviews for the books he has finished and has not one issue answering questions from readers as they come.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn / Instagram / Bookbub

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Madison Knight #10 – What We Bury by Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold @HibbertStiles

Posted on November 10, 2020 by fundinmental

I have been reading Carolyn Arnold’s work for some time now and always eagerly open the book, looking for a good time, some murder and mystery.

What We Bury (Detective Madison Knight Book 10)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have read many books by Carolyn Arnold and I really wanted to love What We Bury, but for some reason my mind kept wandering. Whether it is because of the times (presidential election time in the US), Covid 19, it was an ARC, or it just felt flat, I cannot say. BUT…

When a book starts out with “She’s dead” it definitely gets my attention. And, Madison is on the case. She is a detective with Major Crimes for the Stile Police Department, Her boy toy is Troy. He leads the SWAT team. Her love life takes blow after blow because she can’t stop working long enough to give the relationship the attention it deserves. They have both been burned in their past relationships, but I think it affects Madison more than Troy. I can only imagine how hard it would be to reconcile both their demanding jobs with a home life.

Madison loves chocolate and, at times, she made me think of Brenda Lee on the Closer. She even named her dog Hershey.

She had expected a phone call from her real estate agent, Estelle, but not to tell her she found a body at a home where she was supposed to hold an open house. Guess that’s cancelled.

When Madison sets her mind on something, she is tenacious. She, not only, has a murder to solve, but she is secretly investigating corrupt cops working for the Russian Mafia.

Okay, I think I know what’s going on with Madison and the end result of her secret is so sad. But, that is life and it adds a little bit of realism to the story. Like real life, everything isn’t the way we would sometimes want it to be.

I am getting frustrated with Madison and her insecurities over her relationship with Troy and the doubts she has that he will stick with her. In novels, we come across the issue of communication a lot and it usually involves personal relationships.

I have read many books by Carolyn Arnold and have always been satisfied and nothing has changed in that respect. There is a lot going on and I do enjoy trying to discover the answers to her mysteries myself, but for some reason, What We Bury fell a little flat, though the bad surprise at the end caught me totally off guard and I love when an author can do that. The convoluted identities of the characters made it hard to get a handle on them, but it will become clear once the murder mystery is solved and more of Madison’s side investigation is exposed.

I love Carolyn Arnold’s work. It is more a mystery than a suspense/thriller, which is my favorite, but I do love her step by step process to exposing her villains. I think some of my wandering issues may be remedied when the final product is released, so why not find out for yourself?

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of What We Bury by Carolyn Arnold.

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

She’s dying, and she knows it. If only she can stay alive long enough to leave one last message. As the rain beats against the metal roof, she uses her blood-soaked fingertip to scrawl on the floorboards… The letters GB.

Detective Madison Knight has been house hunting, but a call from her real estate agent has nothing to do with finding the perfect property. She’s found a woman’s body, stabbed multiple times. Madison arrives on scene and is presented with an unknown Jane Doe and two letters written in blood. There’s no murder weapon, and it seems Doe was attacked somewhere else.

As Madison works to find justice for the victim, Madison’s own life is put at risk. What she comes to discover is some people will go to extreme lengths to protect their secrets—even as far as murder. But will learning that lesson come too late for her?

Buy this international bestselling book today and join the investigation! Uncover clues, follow leads, and catch a cop killer like thousands of readers have done before you.

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

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

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

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

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

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online: Website / Twitter / Facebook

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

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

In The Line Of Duty (Madison Knight)
Power Struggle (Madison Knight)
Shades of Justice (Madison Knight)
City of Gold (Matthew Connor Adventure)
The Secret of the Last Pharaoh (Matthew Connor Adventure)
The Legend of Gasparilla and his Treasure (Matthew Connor Adventure)
Eleven (Brandon Fisher FBI)
Silent Graves (Brandon Fisher FBI)
Remnants (Brandon Fisher FBI)
On The Count of Three (Brandon Fisher FBI)
Past Deeds (Brandon Fisher FBI)
Halloween Is Murder
Exercise is Murder

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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Sherry’s Shelves 11.1 – 11.6.20 #sundaymemes

Posted on November 8, 2020 by fundinmental

Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Sunday Salon is hosted by Readerbuzz
Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews
**images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**

Hello fellow bloggers. Not much new and different. Still doing some yard work, but now it’s normal, not storm, cleanup. The weather has been great, cool morning temps to work in and lots of sunshine to get my Vitamin D. Been cleaning shelves in the guest room, trying to organize….stuff…and figure out what I have to have and what can gooooooo…out the door. Too much stuff! Frickin’ arm is still giving me fits and starts. I no sooner get one arm working and the other arm goes out on me. LOL A physical therapist friend of ours told me it is quite common in older women that the shoulder gives us problems. It’s so weird because I woke up one morning and it sucked. I think part of it is too much time on computers and I am trying to take more breaks and do some of the exercises I have from when I messed up my right arm. Oh well, it is what it is.

How about you? Something good to talk about? Something bugging you?

Hope you have a good week. Stay safe and I’ll be seeing you.

LAST WEEK ON fundinmental

COMING UP ON fundinmental

Sherry’s Shelves
Tackling The TBR
Music Monday – Cheap Sunglasses by ZZ Top
Giveaway – How To Pack For the End of the World
Madison Knight #10 – What We Bury by Carolyn Arnold
Review – The Rose by P D Alleva
Books From The Backlog – Maui Widow Waltz by JoAnn Bassett
Review – True Crime – Pretty Evil New England by Sue Coletta
Giveaway – Our Friendship Matters by Kimberly B Jones
Giveaway – The Venturi Effect by Sage Webb

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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Giveaway & Review – Eye for Eye Trilogy @jk_franko @partnersincr1me

Posted on November 4, 2020 by fundinmental

Eye for Eye Trilogy

by JK Franko

October 19 – December 31, 2020 Tour

If you like smart, fast-paced thrillers with unexpected twists, then you’ll love J.K. Franko’s Eye for Eye Trilogy!

MY REVIEW

The Eye for Eye trilogy by J K Franko kept me reading long into the night….and the next night….and the next. Once I started I didn’t stop until I had finished. Each book brought more surprises and mystery as I wonder how many people’s lives are going to be affected and who will be left standing. I love vigilante scenarios and replays of familiar story lines, especially when it is as chock full of danger and suspense as the Eye For Eye trilogy was. This proves the chaos theory, so be careful about throwing that pebble into the pond. It’s not necessary to read the prequel: Trial of Joe Harlan Jr, though you may find it interesting. It is, however, best to read the trilogy from the beginning, with Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth, and Life for Life. When it comes to the wrapup…fanfrickintastic. Even when I thought the story was pretty much over, J K Franko kept the surprises coming. He even had me feeling sorry for Roy…and most of the other characters. I mean, what do you do when the justice system fails you? Do you take the matter into your own hands? What if it was your child? Your son? Your daughter? Your best friend? How far would you go to protect them? Seek vengeance for them? And is it so wrong?

I highly recommend picking up this series, but be sure and set aside the time. Once I started I didn’t want to stop, and you may feel the same way.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Eye for Eye Trilogy by J K Franko.

“REALISTIC & CHILLING!” – Mystery Thriller Week

Amazon | Goodreads

Eye for Eye

“NEW TWIST ON STRANGERS ON A TRAIN”
~ THE SUNDAY TIMES

Amazon | Goodreads

The Trial of Joe Harlan Junior

Amazon | Goodreads

Tooth for Tooth

What would YOU do?

Amazon | Goodreads

Life for Life

What would YOU do if someone threatened your family?

Eye for Eye Trilogy Details:

Genre:	Thriller, Suspense, Crime, Legal
Published by:	Talion Publishing
Publication Date:	October 5, 2020
Number of Pages:	1050
ASIN:	B08KSCHTRX
Series:	Talion Trilogy #1
Find out more or get your copy:	Amazon & Goodreads

Read an excerpt from Eye for Eye:

When I try to piece together how this whole mess began, a part of me thinks it may have started over thirty years ago. At least the seeds were planted that far back, in the early 1980s. What happened then, at that summer camp in Texas, set the stage for everything that was to come.

Odd, how something so remote in time and geography continues to impact me here, today.

Sometimes I try to imagine her, how she felt—that eleven year-old girl—as she ran, stumbling and tripping through the woods that night. I try to put myself in her shoes. When I do, I wonder if she was frightened.

Did she understand the consequences of what she’d gotten herself into? I imagine it felt otherworldly to her, like a dream. But not a good dream. No, one of the bad ones—the ones that make your heart machine-gun as you try to outrun some dark thing that’s chasing you. But the faster you try to run, the slower you go, your legs feeling leaden, clumsy, useless.

Panic sets in. Tears of frustration form. Fear takes hold and won’t let go. You open your mouth to scream but realize, to your horror, that you’re paralyzed. It’s not that you can’t scream; you can’t even breathe. Not a dream—a nightmare.

Then again, all that may simply be my imagination. It could just be me projecting what I might have felt onto Joan. Maybe she wasn’t scared at all.

True, it was dark out. The night smelled of rain, but there was no lightning, only the far-off rumble of thunder hinting at a distant storm. There were no trail lights, no visibility but for the moon peeking out intermittently from behind a patchwork of clouds. But, Joan had been down this trail before. She was running toward the main cabin.

She had been at Camp Willow for almost two full weeks. She had been up and down that trail at least ten times a day, every day. Of course, that was during the day, and always with her buddy, or a camp counselor (the children called them troop leaders). Joan had never been on the trail at night. And never alone.

Maybe I imagine Joan was scared because, as an adult, I believe that she should have been. I would have been terrified.

***

Author Bio:

J.K. FRANKO was born and raised in Texas. His Cuban-American parents agreed there were only three acceptable options for a male child: doctor, lawyer, and architect. After a disastrous first year of college pre-Med, he ended up getting a BA in philosophy (not acceptable), then he went to law school (salvaging the family name) and spent many years climbing the big law firm ladder. After ten years, he decided that law and family life weren’t compatible. He went back to school where he got an MBA and pursued a Ph.D. He left law for corporate America, with long stints in Europe and Asia.

His passion was always to be a writer. After publishing a number of non-fiction works, thousands of hours writing, and seven or eight abandoned fictional works over the course of eighteen years, EYE FOR EYE became his first published novel.

J.K. Franko now lives with his wife and children in Florida.

Catch Up With JK Franko On:
jkfranko.com, Goodreads, Instagram, Bookbub, Twitter, & Facebook!

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews and giveaways!

Enter To Win!

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for JK Franko. There will be Six (6) winners for this tour. Two (2) winners will each receive a $10 Amazon.com gift card; Two (2) winners will each receive 1 print edition of Eye for Eye, book 1 of the Talion series, by JK Franko (US and Canada Only); and Two (2) winners will each receive 1 ebook edition of Eye for Eye, book 1 of the Talion series, by JK Franko. The giveaway begins on October 19, 2020 and runs through December 21, 2020. Void where prohibited.

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Strong From The Heart by Jon Land @jondland #CaitlinStrong

Posted on November 3, 2020 by fundinmental

Strong From The Heart by Jon Land is the eleventh book in the Caitlin Strong Texas Ranger series and I have been loving spending time with her. I usually receive an ARC, but this time I received a beautiful, signed, hardcover and I am so excited to add it to my collection of Jon Land books.

Strong from the Heart (Caitlin Strong #11)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Many of us are aware of the opiod epidemic and Caitlin Strong will be facing it in Strong From The Heart by Jon Land. I wouldn’t want to be the culprits that she is seeking.

The Prologue reeled me in and my mind was whirling with the possibilities.

We start out with a wayward mailman who is on a mission, but it’s not to deliver his mail.

WTH…happened in Camino Pass? Caitlin Strong is on the case and will get to the bottom of it.

She has stepped into a snake pit and I am rooting for her, as she defuses a volatile situation at the Canyon Ridge Elementary School, where ICE attempts to pick up six children. We have the usual posturing between law enforcement divisions for control of the situation. She will not allow that, and her trusty friend Guillermo Paz is by her side. I love Caitlin’s attitude and the humor that Jon Land adds to his thrillers.

“Kids are safe and I didn’t even have to shoot anybody.”

Cort, her outlaw boyfriend is at the hospital after a call telling him his son ODed on opiates. Caitlin would stop at nothing to trace who was providing the drugs to him and the other kids at school. I love that Jon Land tosses in current events.

“Just one Texas Ranger, son?”

“You ever hear the motto, one riot, one Ranger? Because it’s damn near true.”

“You are like human flypaper Ranger, and wherever you go, the worst of the worse just sticks to you.” An apt description of Caitlin Strong, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Jon Land’s writing makes the story flow smoothly, increasing the danger and suspense over the course of the story. We have more than one story line going on and the past creeps into the present. Jon Land always gives us tidbits of Texas Ranger history and I love that.

I worry for some of my favorite characters, because they do not run from trouble and danger, they run towards it.

I had been waiting to read Strong From The Heart by Jon Land for when I really needed a pick me up, a get lost for hours book. I started reading during College Game Day (and anybody that knows me, knows I don’t want to be disturbed during football) and figured I would read during those dull moments, commercials, and half time. I finished it shortly after the Alabama vs Ole Miss game. I got so involved that I couldn’t put it down..

I needed some distraction from current events and I want to thank you, Jon, for helping me to get lost and escape through your words.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Strong From The Heart by Jon Land.

GOODREADS BLURB

In what Brad Meltzer calls a “savory Tex-Mex tale, seasoned with all the ingredients of a great thriller,” Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong digs for the truth behind the Opioid Crisis in the next installment of Jon Land’s critically acclaimed series

Mexico, 1898: Texas Ranger William Ray Strong arrives in the border town of Camino Pass to transport a young Pancho Villa to stand trial, but his plans are waylaid when he learns all of the town’s children have been kidnapped.

The Present: The drug crisis hits home for fifth generation Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong when the son of her outlaw lover, Cort Wesley Masters, nearly dies from an opioid overdose.

Determined to make those responsible pay, Caitlin sets out to track down the dealer and pusher, while trying to solve the inexplicable tragedy of a small Texas town where all the residents died in a single night. When she realizes these two pursuits are connected, she finds herself following a trail to the truth of the crisis nestled hard in the center of America’s power base.

That power base, comprised of politicians, Big Pharma, along with corrupt doctors and drug distributors, has successfully beaten back all threats in the past. But they have no idea what’s in store when the guns of Texas come calling.

ABOUT JON LAND

Jon Land is the award-winning, critically acclaimed author of 36 books, including the bestselling Caitlin Strong Texas Ranger series that includes Strong Enough to Die, Strong Justice, Strong at the Break, Strong Vengeance and, most recently, Strong Rain Falling. The Tenth Circle marks the second return engagement of his longtime series hero Blaine McCracken on the heels of last year’s Pandora’s Temple which was nominated for a Thriller Award and received the 2013 International Book Award for Best Adventure Thriller. Jon’s first nonfiction book, Betrayal, meanwhile, was named Best True Crime Book of 2012 by Suspense Magazine and won a 2012 International Book Award for Best True Crime Book. He is currently working on Strong Darkness, the next entry in the Caitlin Strong to be published in September of 2014. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude from Brown University, where he continues to maintain a strong volunteer presence, in 1979.

Stalk Jon: Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY JON LAND REVIEWS

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