Giveaway – Mistle Text by Whitney Dineen & Melanie Summers @XpressoTours

Posted on by

Mistle Text
Whitney Dineen & Melanie Summers
(An Accidentally in Love Story, #5)
Publication date: September 25th 2021
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance

Twas the text before Christmas…

Twenty-eight-year-old Holly Snow is the only mother her four-year-old niece remembers. Three years earlier, when her sister and brother-in-law were killed, Holly’s dream of becoming an international flight attendant was put on hold so she could be home for baby Faith. Holly is doing everything she can to keep the rent paid, including working as an online travel agent, filing medical claims, and cleaning apartments in her building. When her friend Maggie tells her that her boss needs someone to buy his Christmas gifts, she leaps at the opportunity.

Tall, dark and Scroogy, investment banker, Archibald Harrington is too busy to do his own Christmas shopping. When his assistant tells him she knows of a professional shopper, he happily checks another dreaded task off his holiday list. The last thing Archie is expecting is for his hired elf to text him insistently to find out more about the people on list. The last thing Holly expects is to develop feelings for grumpy man who’s stealing her Christmas spirit.

Will there be a Holiday miracle, or will Holly and Archie miss their chance at love? Find out in the fifth installment of the Accidentally in Love Series.

Goodreads / Amazon

Only 99¢ for a limited time!

—

SNEAK PEEK:

“My boss needs a personal shopper for Christmas, and I’ve already told him I know the very best one in Manhattan.” Toni gives me an open-mouthed smile, clearly expecting me to jump up and down.

“Your boss. As in Archibald Snooty Pants the Forty-Second?” I ask, pursing my lips.

She opens her mouth, but I cut her off with one finger in the air. “You complain about the man all the time.”

“It’s not like he’s a horrible person, he’s just a one trick pony—all work and no play. Plus, it’s not like you’ll have to work side-by-side with him or anything. You probably won’t even have to see him.”

“I’m not a personal shopper,” I tell her. “Unless his family and friends want ramen noodles or discount t-shirts from the guy who sells them out of his trunk in front of my apartment building, I would have no idea what to buy.”

“Yeah, well, Archie doesn’t know that.” She pumps her eyebrows up and down like a comedian.

“Toni, you told me the guy was a rich stuck-up preppy from the Hamptons. While I would love nothing more than to make some extra money, I don’t have the foggiest notion how to shop for rich people.”

“So watch some holiday episodes of Real Housewives and see what they buy each other. He’ll tell you how much to spend on each person. Come on, Holl, it’s not brain surgery. It’s shopping. You know how to shop. And you need the money.”

“What if he hates me?” I despise feeling so pathetic, but I’m totally out of my league here.

“Then he hates you. So what? Believe me when I tell you, Archibald Harrington only thinks about work. You can’t take anything he says personally.”

Dread slams into me like a wrecking ball. “How much do you think I can make?”

“Enough to pay for Christmas and at least the next three months of Faith’s preschool tuition. How can you pass that up?”

The answer is, I can’t. And if it means working for a cranky billionaire, then Toni is right. I’ll do whatever I have to do in order to take care of Faith. I just can’t guarantee I’ll like it.

“Fine,” I tell her. “How many gifts am I supposed to buy?”

“He’ll need all of his family gifts, which include his godfather’s family. He’s spending Christmas with them in Newport. He wants you to cover his business gifts, as well. The VIPs are starred, meaning those particular gifts need to be extra-amazing. I’ve also made you a list of everything that I want, so I don’t wind up with another Monte Blanc pen. I’ve already sold three of those suckers on eBay and I only get a fraction of what they’re worth.”

“I don’t even know what a Monte Blanc pen is.” My chest tightens like I’m not getting enough oxygen.

She hands me a piece of paper. “This is a list of websites to check out. You can order everything and have it delivered here.”

“Why can’t I just have everything sent to his office? What am I going to do with it?”

After taking a healthy swig of white zinfandel, Toni says, “You’re going to wrap everything up and make it look like Santa himself cracked the whip on the gift-wrapping elves. Once you have everything purchased and ready, I’ll send a car to pick the gifts up.”

“You’ll send a car, will you?” I tease.

“Yeah, well, I can do those fancy things in the name of my boss.”

“How am I going to pay for everything?” I ask. “I have about two hundred dollars of credit left on my card. I don’t think that’s going to cut it.”

Toni opens her purse and hands me a shiny black credit card. “There’s no limit, so if you don’t mind doing a little jail time, you could have a lot of fun.”

“No limit? I can’t imagine such a thing.” I fantasize about what damage I could do with plastic like this. Not only could I pay for Faith’s school for the rest of the year, but I could also get my mom into one of those nursing homes that has a hair salon and restaurant. I could upgrade to a two-bedroom apartment so Faith doesn’t have to sleep in the closet anymore, and I could even splurge and buy myself some real leather gloves.

“You’re imagining, aren’t you?” Toni jolts me out of my daydream.

“I most certainly am. The first thing I’d do is buy Faith whatever winter coat she wanted and then I’d take her out to a nice restaurant.”

Toni rolls her eyes. “If you’re going down for a crime, you’ve got to think bigger.”

I stare at the card for a second, then look back up at Toni. “How can you stand working for someone who has so much? Don’t you just want to steal cash out of his wallet once in a while?” I don’t really have the heart of a felon, I’m just tired of always being broke.

“The nice thing about Archie is that even though he has the personality of a killer shark, he’s generous. He has a Friday lunch catered for his staff every week, and he makes sure to float us enough extras that none of us are tempted to steal from him. He’s a good businessman.”

“Even though he’s a stuck-up preppy?” I ask for clarification.

“Exactly.”

I look at the list of stores she thinks I should shop at—Tiffany’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Harrods, The House of Bijan … “What’s my budget?”

She hands me another piece of paper. The handwriting isn’t hers, so I’m guessing it’s Archie’s. “He wants me to spend four thousand dollars on his mother?!”

“Yup. He wants her to have two gifts. One of them needs to be the main. The other can be fancy ass chocolates or something.”

“Right, but probably not gas station chocolates.”

“Quit stressing, Holls, you’ve got this.”

I don’t know why, but for the life of me I can’t see this ending well…

Author Bio:

Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries — not always in that order.

Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.

She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.

Gold Medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2017.

Silver medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.

Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.

Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017.

Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017

Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017

Author links
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

—

Melanie Summers also writes steamy romance as MJ Summers.

Melanie made a name for herself with her debut novel, Break in Two, a contemporary romance that cracked the Top 10 Paid on Amazon in both the UK and Canada, and the top 50 Paid in the USA. Her highly acclaimed Full Hearts Series was picked up by both Piatkus Entice (a division of Hachette UK) and HarperCollins Canada. Her first three books have been translated into Czech and Slovak by EuroMedia. Since 2013, she has written and published three novellas, and eight novels (of which seven have been published). She has sold over a quarter of a million books around the globe.

In her previous life (i.e. before having children), Melanie got her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, then went on to work in the soul-sucking customer service industry for a large cellular network provider that shall remain nameless (unless you write her personally – then she’ll dish). On her days off, she took courses and studied to become a Chartered Mediator. That designation landed her a job at the R.C.M.P. as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for ‘K’ Division. Having had enough of mediating arguments between gun-toting police officers, she decided it was much safer to have children so she could continue her study of conflict in a weapon-free environment (and one which doesn’t require makeup and/or nylons).

Melanie resides in Edmonton with her husband, three young children, and their adorable but neurotic one-eyed dog. When she’s not writing novels, Melanie loves reading (obviously), snuggling up on the couch with her family for movie night (which would not be complete without lots of popcorn and milkshakes), and long walks in the woods near her house. She also spends a lot more time thinking about doing yoga than actually doing yoga, which is why most of her photos are taken ‘from above’. She also loves shutting down restaurants with her girlfriends. Well, not literally shutting them down, like calling the health inspector or something–more like just staying until they turn the lights off.

She is represented by Suzanne Brandreth of The Cooke Agency International.

Author links
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


Giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – Secrets of the Gold by Baer Charlton @PartnersInCr1me @baer_charlton

Posted on by

Secrets of the Gold by Baer Charlton Banner

Secrets of the Gold

by Baer Charlton

November 7 – December 2, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Concealed in his jacket are ingots of gold; he just doesn’t remember why.

A young girl running from an abusive foster home kidnaps the older biker with a mystery for a past.

Leaving the mining town in Colorado and crossing state lines, anything can happen.

What neither is looking for or expecting is friendship.

But in the cold of the desert night, life lessons can go both ways—even if they are not about a million dollars in gold.

Growing up is hard enough, even without the shooting.

 

Praise for Secrets of the Gold:

“kept me spellbound”

“you will have a very hard time putting this book down!”

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Coming of Age, Female Sleuth
Published by: Mordant Media
Publication Date: March 2022
Number of Pages: 374
ISBN: 1949316203 (ISBN-13 9781949316209)
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | Books2Read

Read an excerpt:

Eight Years Before

Someone unexpected at the front door is exciting—for a nine-year-old girl. But time and experience change people.

“I’ll get it,” she squealed.

The sound of cheap sneakers slapped on the cheap flooring. Military housing, even off-base, has never changed. Expensive big toys were always more exciting for congressional representatives than looking after the troops and their families.

“Check the peephole before you open the door.”

The polished brass belt buckles dully reflected the peeling white of the door. The dark blue of the uniforms wasn’t what she was used to seeing around the base, but she had seen them occasionally.

Pulling on the door, she yelled over her shoulder. “It’s a couple of marines like Daddy.”

The enormous crash at the back of the small apartment ricocheted off the rigid walls and out the open door. It hit the two lieutenants hard.

One with their mouth half open.

The man looked at his female companion as she hurried into the apartment. The man reached for the girl’s arm.

“Mom?”

* * *

The California sun did nothing to brighten the day. The two lieutenants in dress blues stood a short distance away. The casket sat draped with flowers, but only two adults and a young girl filled the fourteen chairs.

The girl’s hazel eyes appeared washed out—more watery-blue than green. The swell of her lower lip slowly sucked in and then released over and over. The blink had nothing to do with what the chaplain was saying. It had nothing to do with her world. The black dress didn’t fit her, but at least it covered the scrapes and scars on her knees. The long sleeves performed the same service for her arms. The rusty blonde hair, chopped at the center of her neck, was the only acknowledgment of her being less than delicate.

The deep low rumble of the officer’s voice left his Minnesota lips motionless. The sound carried only to his partner. “What now?”

The woman shrugged slightly.

“Any relatives at all?”

The woman turned her head slightly. “There’s an older uncle. He’ll be available, possibly in ten to fifteen—if he behaves this time.”

The man frowned and looked out from the side of his eye. They had worked together long enough for the silent shorthand.

“Aggravated homicide with extenuating circumstances.”

His eyes didn’t move. He was waiting for the boot to drop.

“Beat his wife and then cut off her breasts and legs to let her bleed out.” Her eyes moved to lock on his. “He caught her in bed with his best friend.”

The man’s frown furrowed deep. “And his friend? What did he do to him?”

The woman’s eyes snapped to a distant tableau—seven marines with seven rifles for a different burial. “You mean her. His best friend since high school. He beat her to death with the waffle iron.”

They both came to attention and saluted the three-shot salute of the honor guard from across the cemetery. The other funeral was well attended, even though it was unusual for military internment with honors to be held in a civilian cemetery. The passing thought was that the funeral was for a much-loved senior member of a large family.

“Did they cross-check the weapon of choice for a match…?”

If the dead were not theirs or family, they were fair game for lighthearted banter.

“The prints matched. The iron was still hot when he struck.”

The last rifle volley faded away as three riflemen gave their squad leader a cartridge. The two officers watched as the squad leader marched over to the casket and began folding the flag with the rest of the honor guards. The three shells folded into the flag forever. Some thought the seven riflemen firing three volleys was a twenty-one gun salute. But the tradition didn’t come from salutes of Man-O-War dreadnaughts but to let an opposing army know they had cleared the field of battle of their dead. The three spent shells also had a simpler meaning than many thought—the flag was from a military funeral. Nothing more. They presented the folded flag to the soldier’s spouse or parent.

The two officers couldn’t tell the woman’s age through the black veil. The man nodded his chin toward the small girl, who looked frightened by the whole proceeding. After that, they resumed standing at ease.

The female lieutenant spoke softly. “Child Services is picking her up this afternoon.”

“None of the family friends could take her? Keep her in the same school or with people she knows?”

The woman rolled her eyes shut and opened them again as she faced the man. “You grew up a navy brat. How many new schools did you go to before you got out of high school?”

“Fifteen or sixteen.” He looked back at the woman. “Dad was on the fast track. We lived on sixteen bases in seven different countries. He wanted dragons on both arms.”

She nodded. “Yeah. A double shellback. I’ve seen a few. The tattoos become muddy, ugly, and smeared by the time you’re eighty. But by then, who cares?”

***

Excerpt from Secrets of the Gold by Baer Charlton. Copyright 2022 by Baer Charlton. Reproduced with permission from Baer Charlton. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Baer Charlton

Baer Charlton, is an Amazon Best-Selling author, and a Social-Anthropologist. His many interests have led him worldwide in search of the unique.

As an internationally recognized Photo Journalist, he has tracked mountain gorillas, been a podium for a Barbary Ape, communicated in sign language with an Orangutan named Boolon, kissed a kangaroo, and had many other wild experiences in between. Or he was just monkeying around.

His love for sailing has led him to file assignments from various countries, as well as from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean aboard a five-mast sailing ship. Baer has spoken on five continents, plus lecturing at sea.

His copyrighted logo is “WR1T3R”. Within every person, there is a story. But inside that story, even a more memorable story. Those are the stories he likes to tell.

There is no more complex and incredible story than those coming from the human experience. Whether it is a Marine finding his way home as a civilian or a girl who’s just trying to grow up, Mr. Charlton’s stories are all driven by the characters you come to think of as friends.

Catch Up With Baer Charlton:
www.BaerCharlton.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @BaerCharlton
Twitter – @baer_charlton
Facebook – @WR1T3R

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaway entries!

 

 

GIVEAWAY:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Baer Charlton. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Product images are linked/I am an Amazon affiliate.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Gorgeous Cover Lured Me In – Green Shoots by Ben Westwood @benwestwood

Posted on by

.

Green Shoots by Ben Westwood is his debut novel. I loved it soooo much. I want to thank Book Sirens and Cranthorpe Millner Publishers for the opportunity to read and review Green Shoots by Ben Westwood.

The beautiful cover caught my eye. The title made me curious. And this line from the blurb finished me off:

Green Shoots is a story of grief and revenge, a gripping crime thriller with an ecological heart.

Amazon / Kindle Unlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Green Shoots is Ben Westwood’s debut novel and it blew me away. Green Shoots is very well written with a storyline that captured me, making me flip pages as my emotions ran wild. Reap what you sow may be an appropriate description for these characters that worship the almighty dollar. I loved everything about Green Shoots by Ben Westwood.

Nightmares haunt him. He wants to die. He visualizes it. I’ve heard people mention, when they first wake up, there is a moment when all seems normal, then reality smacks them in the face, and their sorrow and despair hit them. John’s wife dies in South America and he feels he is not being told the truth. He has to know.

A USB drive. A file folder named Blakely. A voice on the phone breathes life into John, an investigative reporter. But, is the voice that of a good person? Made me think of Dexter and that is always a good thing.

A message: Out of their ashes, green shoots will grow.

I love books that deal with real life problems. Ecological fiction novels like Green Shoots grab me and never let me go. It gets all my emotions roiling, sadness, anger, despair, hope…logging, deforestation, mining, poisoned water, habitat loss…for animals and indigenous people.

By 7% I was fully invested in John’s story. As he checks out his wife’s blog, he realizes her research into ecotourism, community projects and good practice morphed into something sinister. Anger breathes life into John, and my rage escalated too.

He found his love in Ecuador, now he is going back to find out who or what took her away from him. There is danger from many sources.

So much of the book read like an expose, a documentary, with some fiction thrown in. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer…and sometimes they are eliminated because they are in the way. Definitely thought provoking.

I used to watch Whale Wars and when I read Green Shoots it made me think of it, the lengths the people would go to save a whale or butcher a whale, was an eye opener. Sure we all hear about it, but how often do we see it? Definitely a thought provoking novel.

It is hard for me not to go on a rant, but it is not about me. It is about John and his story.

If a debut novel can have such a WOW factor, I am eager to see what Ben will write next.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Green Shoots by Ben Westwood.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

OUT OF THEIR ASHES, GREEN SHOOTS WILL GROW

Green Shoots is a story of grief and revenge, a gripping crime thriller with an ecological heart.

Brought back from the brink of suicide by a mysterious phone call, grieving journalist John Adamson is desperate to know the truth about his wife Christina’s death in South America. The man on the phone gives John clues to what really happened, but also tips him off to investigate a spate of deaths of businessmen, all found with the same cryptic message: “Out of their ashes, green shoots will grow.” From the protest-filled streets of London to the ravaged jungles of Ecuador, John is unwittingly drawn into a lethal plot, but who is behind these murders and what is the connection to his wife’s death?

ABOUT BEN WESTWOOD

Ben Westwood is a journalist, author, lecturer and performer with more than 20 years’ experience in the media and education. His first novel, the eco-thriller Green Shoots, is available now.

Ben is a former Daily Telegraph journalist and has written several travel guidebooks on destinations from Ecuador, Galapagos and Peru to London. He currently combines freelance writing with lecturing at University of Brighton. Ben is also an experienced musician and has released two albums as a singer-songwriter.

Website / Twitter / Instagram

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – The Whisperer’s Wish by Janilise Lloyd @XpressoTours

Posted on by

The Whisperer’s Wish
Janilise Lloyd
Publication date: March 21st 2023
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

For sixteen years, Laurelin Moore has been keeping a secret. She is a whisperer, and she knows that to reveal her gift now is a dangerous risk. Past whisperers have been exploited for their power. But Ausland’s queen is dead and acknowledging her magic is her only chance at becoming a Rook in the Pentax—a competition that will decide the kingdom’s next ruler. Laurelin isn’t in it for the crown, though. She’s after the wish that will be granted to the victor. A wish that would save her dying brother, Pippin.

Once chosen, Laurelin finds that there are dangerous undercurrents to the Pentax, and she is at the center of it. When she begins to search for answers, she discovers a secret with implications far beyond her brother’s life–or her own, for that matter. Now, she has to choose between saving Pippin or saving the kingdom she loves.

Add to Goodreads


Author Bio:

For most people, I think writing about oneself is difficult, and that’s no exception for writers. I must have written a dozen different versions of this. But hey, if you’re here, you must be interested in knowing a little about my life. If you’re curious about something that’s not covered here, shoot me a message through email or social media and I’ll be happy to answer!

I live in Northern Utah with my wonderful husband and our rambunctious toddler. We’re a family that likes to be on the go, so you’ll probably find us at the zoo, on a hike, or out for a run together. And yes, the housework suffers while we play. There are usually crumbs on the counter, dishes in the sink, and toys on the floor.

I graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in health education and history teaching. I taught junior high school for two years before switching careers. I now work from home for a local credit union and write down the stories in my head when I have time.

If you’re interested in seeing more about me, find me on Facebook or Instagram. @janiliselloyd

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway & Review – Wall Men III by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff @XpressoTours @MimiJeanRomance

Posted on by

MY REVIEW

Well, we have come to end of The Wall Men Trilogy, Wall Men III: A Vow Kept and I was not disappointed. I don’t know how Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes up with her original, creative stories, but I couldn’t stop turning the Kindle pages, devouring the words.

We start out with Lake in Monsterland, feasting on the blood of one of the giants. She’s now a vampire, the queen of Monsterland. She’s married to Alwar, King of the War People, and leader of the Wall Men. She has to get her blood lust under control or all will be lost. Her goal is to seal the wall between their worlds…after she gets back home.

Lesson #1: Kill or be eaten

Lesson #2: Trust No One

I was lost in Lake’s world that was so vividly created I could smell the rot. The supernatural creatures all posed their own danger. I wonder how Lake is going to find her way home, when she feels there is no one she can trust. She plugs along, making the best of the choices in front of her. Lots of action and danger follow her. As she discovers the truth, I too am amazed. The twisty road is full of surprises, and they kept on coming until the very end…which was…

Fantastic. BUT, it is open ended, so we will see if the characters have more to say.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Wall Men III: A Vow Kept by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff.

4 Stars

Wall Men: Book Three, a Vow Kept
Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
Publication date: October 29th 2022
Genres: Adult, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Suspense

From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes the third book of the Wall Men Trilogy, a suspenseful Dark Fantasy filled with monsters, vampires, giants, and love.

HER PLAN IS SIMPLE: FIGHT LIKE HELL!

I never asked for any of this. Not to be taken to a strange, violent land. Not to be married off to a giant or get stuck between warring kingdoms filled with ravenous monsters.

Nor did I ask to be turned into a vampire and placed on the throne. Ruler of them all. This is crazy!

But now that I see what these creatures have in store for my world, I have to step up, even if it terrifies me. Because no one is coming to save my little town back home or the rest of the world I love despite its flaws. I’m the cavalry.

Lucky me, I have a plan. Unlucky me, I just discovered that my fifty-foot-tall warlord husband might be the key to carrying it out.

If only I could trust him. But I can’t.

And if only I weren’t in love with the ghost of his dead brother. But I am.

And if only I knew how this is going to end. I don’t.

But today, I fight. Today, I risk it all for what I love.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

SNEAK PEEK:

He suddenly lunges and hurtles toward my mouth. Not for a kiss. For an invasion. I feel Bard’s ice-cold form slide down my throat and push inside me.
I scream, and Master barks loudly, protesting on my behalf.

Is he punishing me because I won’t do as he says? No Ones used to be the equivalent of the Monsterland police, the creatures who hunted you down if you broke one of the vows written on my body. Then they’d eat you, heal you, and eat you again. Apparently they’re gifted at healing and killing. I don’t know what their role is these days. Bard keeps his cards close.

“Get out of me!” The pain is intense as he passes through my organs, veins, and head. I feel him moving around like a blizzard beneath my skin. “What are you doing?” I bellow, throwing back my head, grabbing fistfuls of sheets.

Master doesn’t stop barking. Someone pounds at the door—probably one of the guards. I can’t get up or move.

Bard did this to me once before, back when I was human. He scratched around inside me, looking for something, until I ejected him.

That’s what I need to do. Push him out. I flex every muscle in my body, planning to squeeze him like an orange until he pops from my mouth, but suddenly, something happens. The burning hunger in my stomach cools. My mind calms. I almost feel like me again.

Is Bard healing me?

I exhale, and a plume of smoke comes from my mouth. Bard’s eerie face is over mine, a smile on his lips.

“What did you do?” I whisper.

“Sleep, Lake.”


Author Bio:

MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a New York Times bestselling author who writes insane plot twists that will have you burning through the pages. Whether it’s Romance, Suspense/Thriller, or Fantasy, there are always big heroes to root for, smart and resourceful heroines, and a ton of heart pumping excitement in every story.

Mimi lives with her extremely patient husband (“Be right there! Just one more page, honey!”), two pirates-in-training (their boys), and their three spunky dragons (really, just very tiny dogs with big attitudes) Snowy, Mini, and Mack, in the vampire-unfriendly state of Arizona.

Sign up for Mimi’s mailing list for giveaways and new release news!

www.mimijean.net

Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Instagram / Amazon / Bookbub / TikTok / Pinterest


Giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

MY MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF REVIEWS

MY M O MACK REVIEWS

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – Under The Cloud by B R Erlank @GoddessFish

Posted on by

Under the Cloud by B.R. Erlank

GENRE:   Thriller

BLURB

They call themselves The Settlement Bureau. A faceless, soulless organization coercing individuals with threats to expose their improprieties and vulnerabilities. Inhumanely persistent, they’ve secretly driven hundreds of victims into bankruptcy, despair – and several even to suicide.

But when this organization tries to blackmail IT expert Terry Reynolds, they make a serious mistake. Terry is down on his luck. He is penniless, divorced and in a dead-end job. Yet, the abuse of his personal information stirs Terry out of his lethargy and he fights back. He embarks on a digital game of cat-and-mouse with the cold, calculating minds behind The Settlement Bureau – and in doing so, uncovers a sprawling criminal conspiracy.

Under The Cloud is a chillingly plausible new thriller by B.R. Erlank. With a plot ripped straight from the headlines, advance readers warn, “this book delivers a roller coaster ride right up to the final pages.”

EXCERPT

Rajiv looked Terry directly in the eyes, “Tell me, how would you use our tools and data to improve the risk management at a bank?”

Terry walked to the window from where he could see the Bank of America pyramid in the fading light. Down below, cars and people were bustling along the street. Lights in various glass towers twinkled in random geometric patterns. Not random, Terry thought, in fact, quite the opposite.

He said, “What if I told you that it is entirely predictable when each light in that apartment complex will be turned on?”

Rajiv made an encouraging gesture.

“It’s really quite simple. All you need is to cross-reference the identities of the occupants with their smartphone or Fitbit geo data. If you then pulled in data from their car or even air travel, you could get longer-range predictions. Imagine what that could do for security and law enforcement. If anyone doesn’t show up where they’re supposed to be, instantaneous action can be taken.

“Now imagine the same principles applied to managing banking risk. By analyzing the individual’s personal and professional issues, you can update the risk profile in real-time. A car accident, job loss, an expensive health issue in the family, a child having to repeat a year at college. These are all predictors of financial risk. But to date, it simply hasn’t been possible to integrate that data fast enough to be meaningful. Well, now it is – we make it possible.”

Rajiv slowly clapped his hands and said, “Do it exactly like that tonight.”

Terry gaped, “What? Me?”

“You come across fresh, unrehearsed, authentic – that’s exactly what I want for the presentation to the bank.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Boris Erlank grew up in Southern Africa. He has lived and worked in places as diverse as Luanda, Cape Town, Singapore and San Francisco. Boris recently gave up his job as Global Privacy Manager with a Fortune 100 company to focus on writing full-time.

He has an extensive background in IT, data privacy and cybersecurity, and has drawn on that experience to craft his latest novel, Under the Cloud. His previous novel, Catch You Later, is a murder mystery set in Cape Town.

Boris lives with his family and two dogs in the foothills of Mount Diablo, east of San Francisco. He likes to cycle and hike. “Those solitary pursuits give me time to dream up the characters and plots for my novels,” he says. Boris also enjoys choir singing, travel, and listening to audiobooks.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found HERE. 

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway & Guest Post – Lady Reaper by Christina Bauer @XpressoTours @CB_Bauer

Posted on by

Lady Reaper
Christina Bauer
(Angelbound Origins, #10)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: November 12th 2022
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Young Myla and Lincoln Kick Ass and Take Names in This Prequel Novella for REAPER GAMES!

A part-demon girl fights Lady Reaper
Myla Lewis is a sixteen-year-old part-demon girl who fights evil souls in Purgatory’s Arena… and she’s always looking out for a good battle against evil. Enter Lady Reaper, the famous ghoulette who wields both a scythe and nefarious intentions. Myla discovers Lady Reaper will soon visit the Demon Woods ‘ride’ at Purgatory’s Annual Lust Festival. Time to visit the fest, kick ass and take names, right? Wrong. Lady Reaper has other plans for Myla and her bestie, Cissy…

A part-angel prince faces the Grim Reaper
Lincoln is a seventeen-year-old part-angel prince who protects humans from the denizens of Hell. On a routine trip to Earth, Lincoln uncovers clues that his best friend, Walker, might be allied to an evil ghoul named the Grim Reaper. Things go downhill from there…

***A 20,000-word novella***

Publisher Note: Originally, LADY REAPER was a full novel. However, the author fell ill with COVID and gave us this prequel novella instead. We have since locked Ms. Bauer into the basement with a charger cord, MacBook Pro and carton of Theraflu. Therefore, the full and epic conclusion of this story will definitely be delivered in the next release, REAPER GAMES.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play


I am excited to have Christina Bauer here to share her thoughts about her cover. The title of the post had me laughing out loud and I had to read on to find out what the hell happened.

How I Got Shit-Canned By My Old Cover Artist – The Story of the Lady Reaper Cove
By Christina Bauer

As part of the launch tour for my new book, Lady Reaper, the lovely folks at Fundinmental have asked me to share anything I can about the cover for Lady Reaper. So, here goes.

There was an artist I worked with since my very first cover. We did some great work together, although sometimes it took quite a few revisions to get things to where I was happy. But once it was all done, I’d look at the covers and think, Dang, I kicked her ass a lot on this but the final cover is so lovely… and she’s posting it a ton of places while saying she’s so happy with it… therefore, she must be as cool as I am with all this. We have a truly strong working relationship.

Now, I knew I was high-maintenance with what I wanted, so I paid double her regular rate. I figured that made it all good.

Damn, was I ever wrong.

It was during the work on the cover that would become Reaper Games (book 11) that the artist told me to take my business elsewhere because I was high-maintenance and pushed my vision over hers. Specifically, I was being a pain in the ass that Myla’s tail was coming out of her ass in a way that looked like poop. True story.

In retrospect, I probably should have read the cues and left a lot earlier—to save us both wear and tear. In the end, I found a new artist that’s delivered the Lady Reaper and Clockwork Igni covers. So far, revisions have been minimal. It’s also less money, not that it’s all about money… but it’s not-NOT all about money, either.

Just because I liked the final work—and maybe the artist said she liked it, too—didn’t mean that the relationship was healthy. Looking back, I should have pushed until I found someone whose aesthetic was closer to my own. Twisting an artist into being a Picasso when they’re a natural Rembrandt doesn’t work for anyone in the long run, if that makes sense.

In the case of the cover for Lady Reaper, I gave the artist some inspirational art and she put it together quickly. Technically, the monster on the cover is the Grim Reaper (Lady Reaper looks different) but I figure folks can learn that once they read the book.

Thanks for such an excellent question and I hope to stop by again on a future tour!

Author Bio:

Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates

Blog / Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn / Newsletter


Giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

The Spotlight Is On Ask Yourself by Mike Parker @askyourselfbook @iReadBookTours

Posted on by

 


Book Details:

Book Title:  Ask Yourself: Inspiring Questions for Health, Happiness, and Self-Discovery by Mike Parker
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+),  228 pages
Genre: Self-Help
Publisher:  Mascot Books
Release date:  Nov 1, 2022
Content Rating:  PG  
Book Description:

Join author, speaker, and coach Mike Parker in an inspiring journey of self-discovery as he reveals the keys to finding, keeping, and savoring your most gratifying, heartwarming, and rewarding memories. It all starts with his delightfully unique and uplifting questions for you to Ask Yourself in a guided journal format. These questions are specifically designed to help you focus on the best times and people from your past, present, and even future.

Ask Yourself is your guide to a happier, healthier life, full of inspiring self-discovery. With the turn of each page, you will rediscover the memories and people you never want to forget. This thoughtfully crafted guided journal will bring all of those memories to the forefront of your mind and help you store them in the perfect place to keep forever.
BUY THE BOOK:
Mascot Books
Amazon ~ B&N
add to goodreads
Meet the Author:

Mike Parker has been delivering motivational presentations for over twenty years. He is driven by his passion to help others achieve more than they ever thought was possible by igniting their full potential. Mike has a clear and inspiring message about the qualities found in overachieving people, teams, and organizations. Mike has been able to inspire thousands of individuals through his motivational presentations and his work as a Success Coach.

As a former track and field athlete at the University of Kansas, and now as a coach who built one of the country’s most successful programs, he has firsthand knowledge of what it takes to get to the top and enjoy the journey along the way. His girls cross country and track and field teams at Iowa City West High School have won eleven Class 4A team state titles.

Mike’s firsthand knowledge of how to ignite individual and team peak performances has helped thousands of individuals and many teams, organizations, and corporations reach amazing success. Due to the success of his teams, Mike has been selected as the Iowa High School State Coach of the Year or the At-Large Coach of the Year thirty-two times. Mike has been a finalist for National Coach of the Year awards three different times. In 2018, the National High School Athletic Coaches Association selected Mike as the Girls Track and Field National Coach of the Year, and in 2022 they inducted Mike into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

connect with the author: website ~ website ~ twitter ~ facebook  


  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Review – Born To Magic by David Wind @david_wind

Posted on by

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love the cover for the amazing adventure I had with Areena and Mikaal. The world David created is vividly detailed, filled with creatures, magic, evil, love and hope. Taking place in the future, sparks of our possible reality mesh seamlessly with the magical world. The danger is not over, but this adventure finished with a happy ending. I am curious about their next adventure, and hope to be there for it.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Welcome to Nevaeh— a world where technology no longer exists, but magic does.

Long ago, the violence and radiation of the terrorist wars killed America. Those left dwell in a world of ritual and magic where ten dominions struggle for supremacy and a dark power rises to claim all.

Areenna, the only daughter of the King of Freemorn, is barely eighteen, yet her psychic ability is strong. She is summoned to ‘The Island’ and learns that the fate of her world is in her hands. She must undertake a perilous journey to save Nevaeh from destruction. But she will not travel alone.

Mikaal, the son of the High King of Nevaeh, has as much at stake as Areenna. Their quest takes them through haunted wastelands filled with mutants while an evil force does everything in its power to stop Areenna and Mikaal—for it wants Nevaeh as its own.

ABOUT DAVID WIND

International award winning author and double B.R.A.G. Honoree, David Wind, has published forty-three novels including Science Fiction, Mystery, and suspense thrillers. He lives in Florida, with his wife Bonnie. David is the past President (2020) of the Florida Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America.

A Hybrid Traditional and Independent Author, David became an independent publisher, author, and writer in 2008 with Angels in Mourning, his ‘homage’ to the old-time private detective’s of the 50’s and the 60’s. (He used to sneak them from his parents’ night tables and read them as a young boy.) Angels is a contemporary take on the old-style noir detective and won the Amazon.com Book of the Month Reader’s Choice Award.

The first book of David’s Epic Sci-Fi Fantasy Series, Tales Of Nevaeh. Born To Magic, is an international Amazon genre Best Seller, a Kindle Review of Books finalist for Fantasy Book of the year, and winner of the Silver Award from Ireland’s Drunken Druid International Awards for Literary excellence. Over 80,000 copies of the Tales of Nevaeh series have been download. The first two books of David’s new series, (a prequel spin-off to Tales of Nevaeh) The Journals of Solomon Roth, is the story of how Roth became the Warlord of Nevaeh.

His mystery, suspense, Police procedurals, and thrillers are The Hyte Maneuver, (a Literary guild alternate selection); The Sokova Convention, The Morrisy Manifest, Out of the Shadows, and, Desperately Killing Suzanne. He wrote the Medical Thriller, The Whistleblower’s Daughter, with Terese Ramin. The idea for this Medical Legal Thriller came shortly after the death of a close friend. David said, “I couldn’t help but wonder about the medication….”

David’s Contemporary Fiction novel, published in December of 2017, and based on the Harry Chapin Song, A Better Place To Be, received the Bronze Award for Literary Excellence, from Ireland’s prestigious DD International Awards; A Better Place To Be was named a B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree, signifying a book of the highest literary quality and written by Independent writers.

David wrote his first nonfiction book, The Indie Writer’s Handbook, to help authors who have completed their manuscripts and want to publish Independently, navigate the online publishing experience. The Indie Writer’s Handbook was David’s second book to be awarded the B.R.A.G. Medallion for literary excellence.

David’s novels have been translated into 11 languages and published in 15 countries.
–Follow David on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/davidwindauthor
–Follow David on Twitter at https://twitter.com/David_Wind
–Visit David’s Website at http://www.davidwind.com

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
Product images are linked/I am an Amazon affiliate.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Tackling The TBR 11.5 – 11.11.22

Posted on by

I got the idea and the motivation to start doing Tackling The TBR from All The Book Blog Names Are Taken. It has helped me to keep track of my reading shelf as far as current events and to tidy up my shelves. I feel better about my out of control TBR and have even knocked off a couple of those old ones that had been hanging around for years.

COME ON….JOIN IN.

Previous Total: 2046

Currently Reading

I am super excited about Stranger Sins by Michaelbrent Collings. I love Legion.

Books Read

I couldn’t find this or the author on Amazon. Does anyone know her?

Books Added: 0

Books DNF-ed: 0

Books Deleted: 1

Duplicates Removed: 2

New TBR Total: 2040

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!