Scared the crap out of me! – The Devil’s Walk by Brian Harmon

Posted on August 23, 2013 by fundinmental

Freakin Friday!

Freakin Fridays is a meme brought to you by fuonlyknew. We will be posting about books, movies, and all things scary.

Feel free to join in and do your own Freakin Fridays posts!

Tune in every Friday. Get your scare on!

Let’s have some fun!

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Last time I checked this book was FREE ON AMAZON.

The Devil’s Walk – A Short Story – by Brian Harmon

Carl Delsh lay in bed waiting to die.

He fell asleep and into his nightmare.

His family held vigil. Someone always there . His granddaughter was here now and he decided she was the one who would believe.

I want to tell you about my best friend, Lonnie.

5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

I was looking for a short story – a freaky short story – for my Freakin Friday post. I swiped my finger across my Kindle and this is where it stopped. I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw the trees. I love my trees and these trees had an air of the macabre about them. I could feel the evil rolling off them. I just knew this would be scary good and it was.

Brian Harmon’s descriptions drew pictures in my mind. I could hear the trickling of the water and feel the breeze brush against my skin.

I went from curiosity to terror, to a warm happy feeling, then horror and fright. Then, damn, it’s over. But Brian Harmon tricked me. There is more and it is even more horrible and heartbreaking than I anticipated. Could there possibly be more? I hope not. Enough already. I don’t think I can take any more.

Excellent storywriting. This short story has all the elements for a roller coaster ride into hell.

I picked this up free from Amazon when I was browsing for a short story. I have found a fabulous new author that reminds me of Evans and Adam Light, two brothers that define the word horror.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brian Harmon is a writer of horror fiction, suspense and dark adventure. He grew up in Missouri and currently lives in Southern Wisconsin with his wife, Guinevere, and their two children.

Stalk Brian Harmon

Goodreads / Website / Twitter / Facebook

Brian Harmon has many books available. To see more, simply click on the cover below.

At the time of this posting,all these books were free.Be sure and check for the “0”.

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Fact Or Fiction – Seeds of War by Rachel E Fisher

Posted on August 22, 2013 by fundinmental

Eden (Eden’s Root) WAS the beginning. Seeds of War is Book II of the trilogy, but I will do my best not to give away any secrets. These are books that you will want to discover for yourself.

This is a gorgeous cover and I can feel her eyes reaching into mine, saying “read me”. So, I did. I am so surprised at the response Rachel E Fisher has created in me through her books. Fi has captured my heart and it occasionally breaks for her because of all the sacrifices she has made and the circumstances that forced her to grow up so fast.

So, come on, read along with me and find out if Fi will live to find the peace and happiness she deserves.

“KD2B here, Is anyone listening?” crackled from the radio.

Two long years they have waited to hear something.

It is time for Reconnection.

5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them

I am loving these books and can hardly wait to get my hands on Emergence, Book III, of the trilogy. Rachel’s writing and imagination are top of the line. She has drawn me into Fi’s life and won’t let me go.

A stunning cover and the title is a great lead into the book.

So damn realistic, I am continually amazed as I read through the pages. I read this slower than usual, devouring every word. It reads more like a history book than fiction, and my mind keeps reaching, trying to figure out what I would do in a situation like that or like that. These books will stick with me for a very long time.

Current events – I do worry about growth hormones in meat and genetically modified food. If you look around, there is already a problem with non native species of plants and animals – just having the wrong thing in the wrong place can create a new ecosystem. For some things, it may already be too late. Just think about it – here in Florida, we have Kudzu, Snakes…..

What do you think would be the first order of business after the urgency of survival has passed? Surely there would be other pockets of survivors out there to reconnect to.

Rebuilding the world has begun. They started out as Seekers, looking for other survivors. Then Seeders, sharing the heirloom seeds that Eden had been protecting. In that way, others could start growing and producing a harvest, Truefood, which would then give them seeds of their own.

They also had solar radios pieced together and would show each group they approached with the seeds, how to work the radios. The Nets seemed to expand on their own and the Seeders would keep branching out. They knew there were more than just gangs topside and there is safety in numbers.

“…God did NOT make us in his image….thinking ourselves above our Maker.”

I wasn’t surprised when Rachel brought religion into the story. Truthers. Is it any surprise, really, that the religious, or those with ulterior motives would also rise to the top? Truther told the truth, someone did play God. But how much can they tell, before the people turn on them?

Rachel develops her characters in steps that makes it easy to relate to and sympathize and empathize with them, rooting for them to win the battle for survival and find love. She also introduces us to a new female protagonist, who I immediately fell in love with. I always want everything to end happy ever after, but first I need to read about the terrible, heart wrenching, dangerous road they travel.

Fi -Fast/Defense.

Sara- Ruthless/Offense.

Rachel has Asher documenting everything since the end of the world as they knew it. She made it a living book. Others would add their story to it. I love it. How cool is that? Would you have thought of that? She also has the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. When you read the book, you will know what I mean. The battle of Hearts and Minds. Truth or Lies. Corporate greed. We all know about the greed, but Rachel takes the betrayal even further.

The only monsters in this book are the human kind.

“Necessity is the mother of invention.” LOL Oh Rachel. You are just too good.

Photo from Backyard Heirloom Seeds

Of course they had to learn and depend on medicinal herbs, but when Rachel tells about Fi starting her period, I cracked up. That is what I call REALISM. lol. I can’t help myself. I just keep laughing as I picture the situation. HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!

Snail mail had begun. It was the Wild West all over again, except, instead of horses and wagons, mail was delivered by runners and bicycle. The cliche – History repeats itself. It would be so true. We would start with the things we know about and fumble our way through the rest.

“What if you could yank only one person with you into the forest….Who would it be?”

Now, when I look at the cover for Emergence, I REALLY get it. If you are as curious as I am to find out who she’s looking at, come back for my review of Emergence and maybe I will give you a hint or two.

I won Eden’s Root and Seeds of War by Rachel E Fisher, signed first edition paperbacks, in a giveaway on The Autumn Review. I am doing this review, because I love these books and want to share them with everyone.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rachel E Fisher

I am a wife and entrepreneur living and working in Florida. I am also a graduate of Mount Holyoke College, where I majored in Biology. It was always my assumption that I would end up making research my life. Though it did not work out that way in the end, my passion for Biology remains intact.

I have always loved biology-based science-fiction and the young adult genre. It is in this vein that I offer my work.

www.rachelefisher.com * @edensroot * Facebook * Goodreads

In Rachel Fisher’s dystopian world, natural grown food has turned to poison or died before it can produce fruit. This idea was partly inspired by her own life and the necessity of creating vegan and gluten-free meals.

To pick up your copy from Amazon, simply click on the cover below.

To see The Emergence Launching – The Recipe Book Tour and Giveaway, go HERE.

To see my 5 STAR Review of Eden’s Root and the Emergence Giveaway, go HERE.

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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WINNER!! – Starkiller by Eric Kent Edstrom

Posted on August 22, 2013 by fundinmental

My favorite time of any giveaway is announcing the winner. So without further ado, the winner of Starkiller by Eric Kent Edstrom is:

Taylor Dean

Congratulations !

Thanks to all of you for the wonderful comments. I hope you will continue to follow fundinmental.

To see my Review, go HERE.

To pick up you copy from Amazon, click on the cover below.

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Giveaway – A Kiss to Die For by Gail Barrett

Posted on August 21, 2013 by fundinmental

BUY LINKS

Amazon / B & N

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BLURB

Homeless Army veteran Sullivan Turner is nobody’s hero. His failure to save his fallen comrades proved that. So when a gutsy social worker gets caught in a drug gang’s crosshairs, he knows he’s the last man who can safeguard her and the pregnant teenagers she’s trying to protect.

Former debutant Haley Barnes learned the hard way how to survive. After witnessing a cold-blooded murder, the terrified teenaged runaway changed her identity and hid to save her life. But when the killer tracks her down and attacks the girls in the homeless shelter she now runs, Haley knows the time has come to stand and fight. But to bring down the powerful killer she must confront her high-society family’s darkest secrets — and convince wounded warrior Sully Turner he’s the hero she believes.

EXCERPT

“I nearly got you killed tonight.”

“That wasn’t your fault. You didn’t bring the gang to the house.”

“But I wasn’t there to protect you when they showed up.”

“You were there when it counted.”

“But what if I hadn’t been?” Raw fear rang in his voice, his eyes so bleak that a heavy lump wedged in her throat.

And suddenly, she realized he wasn’t talking only about her. His fears went beyond the gang, beyond the danger shadowing their heels, to whatever had caused those flashbacks that plagued his nights. He believed that he’d failed someone. This courageous man was tortured by guilt.

But she knew him. Maybe she didn’t know much about his childhood or family. Maybe he hadn’t shared many details about his past. But she knew the essence of who he was.

And she’d bet her life on one immutable fact. Sully would fight to the death to protect the people he loved. He would never willingly give up. Whatever had happened in Afghanistan wasn’t his fault. How could he ever have doubts about that?

Unable to resist him, she tossed off her blankets and cupped his jaw with her hand, willing him to understand. “Sully… You’ve saved me so many times. Even when you didn’t know me, you risked your life for mine. You’ve come through for me time after time. And you’re the bravest man I’ve ever met.”

“You’re wrong. I’m not who you think I am.”

“You’re exactly who I think you are.”

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gail Barrett is the award-winning author of thirteen romantic suspense novels. A former RITA® and Daphne finalist, Gail has received the Book Buyer’s Best Award, the Holt Medallion, the Booksellers Best, The National Readers’ Choice Award, and numerous other awards. She lives with her husband in Western Maryland. For more information, visit her website: www.gailbarrett.com.

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GIVEAWAY

Gail will be awarding a $25 Amazon gift certificate and either a signed print copy (US ONLY) or an electronic copy of Fatal Exposure (Buried Secrets book one) to one randomly drawn commenter during this tour and her other Super Book Blast on August 27th.

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

TOUR SCHEDULE

Gail Barrett has many books to choose from. To get your copy of A Kiss To Die For, or to check out her other selections, just click on the cover below.

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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Review of Eden’s Root by Rachel E Fisher

Posted on August 20, 2013 by fundinmental

I won Eden’s Root and Seeds of War by Rachel E Fisher, signed first edition paperbacks, in a giveaway on The Autumn Review. So I began to read and read and read. Now, I need the other two, Blight and Emergence to finish off my collection.

For a run down on each book in the series, go HERE to see the Launch for the Recipe Tour.

Also, Laura has asked me a few questions. After reading the review, check out my interview and let me know what you think.

Fi Kelly was now the matriarch of the family. Famine had desecrated the population. Hunger, desperation, violence – tens of millions dead. It was up to her to ration food to family members most likely to survive.

2033 – Fi was smart and a bit of a loner. Now, even more so. She knew what was coming and couldn’t share it with anyone.

As her dad lay on his death bed, he told Fi……..about Eden. Why her? She was only 13. She was the one, because she was the smartest and fittest. That would be vital to survival in the days to come.

Fi was frightened, but ready. Her losses had helped prepare her for the warrior she would become. She was a natural. Martial arts and shooting a gun and bow came to her naturally. She would do what had to be done to survive.

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

This book gave me food for thought.

Eden’s Root is a dystopian novel that will have you thinking. Man played God one too many times and brought destruction down on itself.

To me the scenario is totally believable. I read the book slower than I usually read, almost as if it was a history book.

Armegeddon. One day you awake to the sound of automatic weapons. You look out your window to see fires – burned out cars, houses on fire, dead and burned bodies. Ghost towns. Lawlessness, violence, starvation.

The storyline seems so real to me. We are currently messing with our food supply with growth hormones and genetic engineering. Do you notice how a tomato from your garden tastes compare to one from the grocery store?

I always wonder what is happening to us right now. How many times have we been told something is good, only to be told ten years later it causes cancer, or something else.

Can you imagine – one day going about your normal business, the next having to defend yourself against people who want what you have? Can you pull the trigger and kill another person? Would you be able to hunt, gather and fight? It would be like going back in time to the Wild West or worse yet, the caveman days.

Not enough food to go around. Would it be right to starve the sick to save the healthy? The only food available is tainted, unless you can hunt and gather for yourself. How would you survive the harsh climate with no shelter?

Would you trust the government? Yeah right. They have already proved they will throw us to the wolves. Would the haves leave the havenots to fend for themselves?

So many people dead. Your family dead. You are alone. As you venture out, being as inconspicuous as possible, you find small pockets of survivors and begin to rebuild. They become your expanded family because of need. You gather people that can contribute, people with some specialty.

Fi’s world was now all about one thing, survival. She knew they would have to form groups. You cannot survive alone. And the saying, only the strong survive was more true than ever.

Fi – Leader/Child. Warrior/ Healer. Hard/Soft.

When you read the book, you will know why I included this music video.

QUOTES

“Love is like water. You can’t squish it down and make it smaller. No matter how you squeeze it…it just keeps bursting out. So when you lose someone, you don’t lost the love. It stays with you, just as big in your heart as it always was.”

“What would you do if you weren’t sure that you could feed everyone?…..Think about it.”

“Who gets the last space on the life boat? What would you do to get that spot?”

I won Eden’s Root and Seeds of War by Rachel E Fisher, signed first edition paperbacks, in a giveaway on The Autumn Review. Thanks so much to Rachel E Fisher and Autumn.

MY INTERVIEW

Laura: How often do you think about the health and safety of the foods you eat?

ME: This is not something new to me. I have often wondered what growth hormones in our meat and genetically modified grains were doing to us. I often wonder if our children seem to be growing bigger and faster because of the foods they eat. And, how about the taste of some of our grocery store bought fruits and vegetable? Do you think they lack taste?

Laura: Do you have an adventure to share about trying to eat good food?

ME: I guess this isn’t really an adventure, but I am skeptical about good food. If you don’t grow it yourself, does the food you eat contain enough of the vitamins and minerals that it used to before they started growing it bigger and faster and out of season?

Laura: Imagine Rachel’s world really happened for a moment… what sort of pickle would you be in?

ME: No matter what I want to think, I imagine I would be in deep shit. I have watched preppers and I am no where near as prepared as they are. I have been hunting, but I used a camera instead of a rifle. I love plants, but am not much of a gardener. A plant has to be pretty hardy to survive in my world. LOL

Laura: Do you have a RECIPE (or idea for one) you can share?

ME: Since I married my wonderful hubby, I think I have cooked – maybe – half a dozen times. Unless I have a craving, to me food is like fuel for my car. Something I have to have to keep going. I can guarantee you my hubby has something good in his repertoire.

Find your apron and roll up your sleeves… it’s time to celebrate the Eden’s Root Trilogy.

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To pick up your copy of a Rachel E Fisher novel, 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?

Look below or on the right sidebar at Home and let’s talk.

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Monday Mini – A delicious tale – Bellyache by Crystal Marcos

Posted on August 19, 2013 by fundinmental

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

A ten year old in a candy store? I can only imagine Peter’s excitement when his parents say he will be spending the day with his grandpa, helping out at the candy store. Candy as far as the eye can see. MMMMMM. YUMMY. Chocolate, squishy gummy bears, strings of licorice, peanut butter cups…..I think we all know where this is going, but it was a great ride getting there. This is a fun and quick read that your inner child may enjoy, as much as the youngsters in the family. Excellent writing. I smiled and laughed as Peter got more than he bargained for. A delicious book with a delicious tale for the delicious child in you or someone you know. I won this signed, first edition paperback of Bellyache from Crystal Marcos. The cover is so cure I couldn’t resist it. I look forward to reading the sequel.

To pick up an Amazon copy of Crystal Marcos’ books, simply click on the cover below.

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

Beware of Rest Areas – Stranded by Alex Kava

Posted on August 17, 2013 by fundinmental

I have been a fan of Alex Kava for a long time. I recently went to a book signing. Alex Kava was discussing Stranded and Erica Spindler was telling us about Justice For Sara. Be on the lookout for my upcoming review of Justice For Sara. To see more about the book signing, go HERE.

HE did his research, taking meticulous notes of what worked best.

HE considered himself an expert on serial killers.

Ted Bundy, Edmund Kemper, Henry Lee Lucas, Jeffrey Dahmer – they all got caught by doing something stupid. Of course, HE thought he was above that. HE was, oh so much, smarter. Don’t they all think that, before they are caught?

5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

My favorite genre is murder, especially serial killers. I am baffled by the cruelty a person will inflict on another for their personal pleasure. I also watch all the TV shows, CSI, NCIS, The Closer, Major Crimes, Castle……..for entertainment. I love to watch the true life crime shows too. I find their problem solving skills and tenacity fascinating. Climbing into a killer’s mind takes a special person, very detail oriented and meticulous in their tracking down every lead and putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

I love Alex’s books. They are fast paced and easy to read.They are well written and heavily researched. Alex has talked about her love of doing the research. She is up to date on the latest police and FBI tools that help to apprehend criminals and find the lost.

Cadaver dogs. I remember being surprised the first time I heard they could smell decomposed bodies that were underwater. They make our sense of smell seem non-existent.

The FBI Highway Serial Killer Initiative – came about because an analyst in Oklahoma noticed a pattern when he was investigating the dumping of women’s bodies along Interstate 40, which crossed four US states. The suspects are usually long haul truckers and their victims women like Lily, the Lot Lizard, who hang around rest areas, truck stops and service stations.

I love when the book is placed in locations I am familiar with. Waffle House. Everyone knows Waffle House, home of the best breakfast in the South. You cannot live in the Pensacola area and not know about Sacred Heart Hospital. Black Water River State Park. I have swung on a tree rope, launching into the water to swim and canoe down the Blackwater River.

Alex Kava says this would be a great dumping ground for bodies. Between the weather and the critters, it wouldn’t take them long to decompose. Not like in the colder, northern climates, where a body could be dumped in the winter and not be found until the spring thaw. Ya gotta love an author that thrives on murder and has a great sense of humor.

Blackwater River by Ebyabe

Maggie – independent. FBI profiler. Living her life surrounded by dogs. Is she ready to add a lover to her life? She is a white knuckled flyer. I hate flying and turbulence makes more than my knuckles white.

Grace is a Jack Russell terrier. Alex loves the scrappy little dog. Grace has drive and is a workaholic. She loves her squishy, squeaky, pink elephant toy. Maybe it was because Alex had talked about loving Grace, that she became a huge part of the story for me. I think she will capture your heart too. The same with Creed, but I think I would have fallen for him anyway.

Creed- strong, determined, yet hurt and vulnerable. A damaged hero. A man after my own heart. How about you? He rescues dogs and trains them for use in his work, finding lost ones. He was always looking for his lost sister. Alex described Creed loving to dive into the water and feel it flowing over his body. I love the water and knew exactly what she was saying. My hubby calls me his mermaid.

Lily the Lot Lizard. Sounds like a song. Alex delved into the trucker culture. Her research surprised me, as she describes their world. Next time you are at the rest area, be sure to keep your eyes open at all times. Maybe you’ll even spot a Lot Lizard.

Alex also does a great job of describing our weather here in the South. Crashing thunder is part of our usual afternoon storms, as it rattles the windows in their frames. Florida has the most lightening strikes per year than anywhere else in the world.

Thunderstorm by Bidgee

QUOTES

Occam’s razor – the easiest explanation is often the correct one.

Asparagus – “….these look like penises.” LOL. And that’s all I’m gonna say.

Smorgasbord of travelers – his victims.

“…..legend that says when you can’t sleep its because you’re awake in someone else’s dream.”

I have read numerous books by Alex Kava, both bought and checked out of the library. I purchased this book at the book store where Alex Kava and Erica Spindler were doing a discussion and book signing. I love having a signed, first edition hardcover to add to my collection.

To get your copy of Alex Kava;s books, simply click on the cover below.

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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BB Giveaway for Midnight Masquerade by Marcia Lynn McClure

Posted on August 16, 2013 by fundinmental

Midnight Masquerade

Stavos Voronin was not as blind-eyed as many nobles and royals. Evony’s physical gestures—even the simplest movement of her hands—revealed that she had not always been destitute. The same was true of the children—of their polished manners and the boy’s knowledge of horses and tendency to be bold and fearless of strangers.

Ah yes, Stavos enjoyed a good mystery. After all, interest in the inexplicable circumstances surrounding the royals of Abawyth was the very thing that had lured him to the kingdom—the enigma of Abawyth’s twelve sleepy princesses. And yet now—now his mind was all the more intrigued. Not only was the obscurity of what had caused the profound and baffling torpidity of Abawyth’s princesses laid out before him, but also he found his curiosity intensely piqued over the riddle surrounding the very lovely Evony and her siblings.

As Stavos strode through the village resting on the outskirts of Abawyth Castle, his mind reeled with possibilities. His musings were drawn back to why he had come to Abawyth at all—to solve the conundrum surrounding the twelve beautiful princesses of Abawyth kingdom—to solve the seemingly impenetrable crux and thereby win the hand of one of Abawyth’s princesses, as his father, King Letholdus of Ethiarien, had commanded.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kindle

Author Marcia Lynn McClure

Marcia Lynn McClure’s intoxicating succession of novels, novellas, and e-books, has established her as one of the most favored and engaging authors of true romance. Her unprecedented forte in weaving captivating stories of western, medieval, regency, and contemporary amour void of brusque intimacy has earned her the title “The Queen of Kissing.”

Marcia, who was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has spent her life intrigued with people, history, love, and romance. A wife, mother, grandmother, family historian, poet, and author, Marcia Lynn McClure spins her tales of splendor for the sake of offering respite through the beauty, mirth, and delight of a worthwhile and wonderful story.

Website * Twitter

Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 9/13/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Giveaway/Review-Lucky Phoo by Stacia Deutsch and Rhody Cohon

Posted on August 15, 2013 by fundinmental

I couldn’t resist this book when I saw the cover. It is not a genre I usually review, Children’s Mid-Grade, but Phoo was just so cute I couldn’t resist him. How can you look him in the eye and say no. LOL. What a fun cover!

Lucky Phoo

Stacia Deutsch and Rhody Cohon

Genre: Children’s Mid Grade

Publisher: Imajin Books

Date of Publication: August 1, 2013

Number of pages: 109

Word Count: 43,000

Cover Artist: Ryan Doan

imajinbooks.com, amazon.com, luckyphoo.com and www.staciadeutsch.com

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Seventh grade best friends, Caylie Jiang-Kahn, Lauren Blindell, and Sabrina Robinson have busy middle school lives.

Sabrina wants to make a movie about their friendship, but a stray dog shows up and ruins the day. In frustration, Lauren curses, “Oh Phooey.” The name sticks. The crazy mutt will forever be named Phoo.

Sabrina pieces together bits of the footage she shot. She highlights Phoo’s silly antics and puts the video up on a movie contest website.

The video goes viral and suddenly, Lauren, Caylie, and Sabrina are celebrities at school. When a volunteer at the dog shelter sees the film, she assumes the dog belongs to the girls and calls them to come collect Phoo.

The girls arrange to take turns caring for Phoo until he can be adopted.

While sharing Phoo, Caylie, Sabrina and Lauren begin to notice that if the dog is around, lucky things seem to happen. The moment he’s gone…the luck disappears.

When they all need the dog’s magic at the same time, it’s up to the girls to decide once and for all: Is Phoo truly a lucky dog?

REVIEW BLURBS FOR LUCKY PHOO

“With punchy dialogue and a fast moving pace, LUCKY PHOO takes readers on a wild adventure as three friends try to share fostering duties of a lovable stray dog.” —Marianne Mitchell, author of FIREBUG

“Stacia Deutsch and Rhody Cohon are two very best friends who write books together, which is very lucky for their readers. You’ll want to share LUCKY PHOO with all your friends, too!” —Jennifer J. Stewart, author of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF A THIRD WORLD KIND, Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award List; Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award List; Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award List

“LUCKY PHOO is a great story about friendship, love and responsibility–Phoo, the lucky dog who wanders into Sabrina’s, Caylie’s and Lauren’s world is indeed lucky–although maybe not as lucky as these girls whose life he changes.” —Terry Trueman, Printz Honor Author of STUCK IN NEUTRAL

“Okay, full disclosure: I LOVE good, strong, dog stories–Lucky Phoo is precisely one of those!” —Terry Trueman, Printz Honor Author of STUCK IN NEUTRAL

EXCERPT

Mrs. Salinas was ready to go. “So if you girls are sure you can’t take him any longer, I’ll just head on over to the van―” She took a few steps forward then turned back to the girls. “You’re sure you can’t foster him any longer?”

“I can’t,” Sabrina said, her voice tight and sad.

“Not me,” Lauren confirmed.

“I might be able to squeeze out another weekend,” Caylie said, “but we’d be back here on Monday.”

“Right,” Mrs. Salinas said. “And at least this way he has a chance of getting adopted in Fresno.”

She took a few more steps towards the van. The rain, to Lauren, seemed to be coming down harder. The drops blended in with her tears now. And looking at Caylie and Sabrina, Lauren couldn’t tell, but was pretty sure they were crying, too.

Mrs. Salina’s stopped one more time, just at the edge of the parking lot. “It was great having him,” she said. “Wasn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Lauren agreed. “Great.”

“We had fun,” Caylie said.

“Fun,” Sabrina repeated the word. “Yeah. We had a good time.”

Mrs. Salinas nodded. “I thought so.” She looked down at the dog, then back at the girls. “Tell me,” she said, her voice soft, drippy like the rain. “Weren’t things better when Phoo was around?”

The remark caught Lauren off-guard. What was Mrs. Salinas talking about?

“I think she’s right,” Lauren said, turning to Caylie and Sabrina. “Things have been going better than usual for me lately.”

“You don’t think he might have some kind of powers?” Sabrina looked over at Mrs. Salinas who was now at the van, loading Phoo inside.

“Well,” Caylie said, considering.

“I think maybe,” Lauren said tentatively. “I saw this show about luck and how―” Lauren stopped herself mid-sentence when she saw Mrs. Salinas push Phoo into an empty carrying cage. His voice joined the choir of barking dogs and was the loudest of them all.

In a sudden move, the girls rushed forward to stop the truck, shouting together, “Mrs. Salinas! Wait!”

MY REVIEW of Lucky Phoo by Rhody Cohon and Stacia Deutsch

Sabrina was directing Caylie and Lauren in her movie – VBF’s (very best friends).

“CUT,” Sabrina yells.

The dirty, mangy looking dog walked into view, peed on a tree, then made himself cozy right in the middle of her shot.

Her three minute movie went viral.

5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

The book is all about three best friends and the trials and tribulations of growing up.

I am a dog lover, so when I saw the cute cover, I couldn’t resist. Sometimes a book outside my usual genres is a nice change of pace. This book has all the elements of a great read-characters that are realistic, a storyline that is believable and descriptions and details that make me able to visualize things as they are happening. Plenty of humor to make this a very fun read.

The authors do a great job of describing the growing pains of a tween. How mean and cruel twelve year olds can be and how things can seem like the end of the world.

But the authors also show us how creative children are and how they believe their dreams can come true, believe nothing is impossible.

Phoo – is he their lucky charm? Everything seems better when he is around. It seems like he was talking to them and trying to help them.

Fifi – foo foo dog in a bag.

Sabrina – her dad was grooming her to be a world champ tennis player.

Lauren – her mother has cancer – the C word. When most people hear that they think it is a death sentence. As scary as that is for adults, imagine how terrifying it can be for a child.

Caylie – needs a job. Her parents are divorced and she is shuttled back and forth. .

Quotes

“Oh Phooey on you, little picnic party pooper!”

“So long to you, Phoo! That name fits hims perfectly.”

“Everybody needs a little phoo.” Fu means luck in Chinese.

The tour and author provided an Arc for review.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Stacia Deutsch Rhody Cohon wishes she could adopt a million pets! Until her house is big enough she’ll pamper the few she has and help others find the perfect home.

Find Rhody at www.rhodycohon.com.

Stacia Deutsch sits at the keyboard crafting stories all day and then, plays with her own crazy, lucky, dog at night. She and her three kids live in Southern California. You can visit Stacia at www.staciadeutsch.com or on twitter at @staciadeutsch.

Stacia’s Website / Rhody’s Website / Stacia’s Blog / Stacia’s Twitter

Author Facebook Page / Post your pet photos and videos Facebook Page

Stacia’s LinkedIn / Stacia’s Goodreads / Stacia’s Amazon Author Page

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TOURWIDE GIVEAWAY

Be sure and check out this awesome giveaway for the child in your family or in YOU.

4 bracelets- US Shipping Only

1 full set of 8 titles of Blast to the Past (Blastothepast.com) US Shipping Only

1 set Smurfs Movie Novels- US Shipping Only

4 plush dogs with Lucky Phoo dog tags- US Shipping Only

3 Copies of the Lucky Phoo Ebook for download- international

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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Review & Guest Post-Shadow of Perception by Kristine Mason

Posted on August 13, 2013 by fundinmental

I saw the cover for Shadow of Perception (Core Trilogy, Book II_ by Kristine Mason and knew I had to participate in the tour. I was also lucky enough to get Shadow of Danger to review, another knock out cover and book you don’t want to miss. To see my 5 STAR Review, go HERE. Even though this is a trilogy, each book stands alone. But once you read one, you will want to read them all.

I have packed a lot into this post and I hope you will take the time to scroll through it all. I have included the blurb, an excerpt from the Bad Guy’s POV, a guest post from Kristine about her favorite character, my Review and a Giveaway. Plus a special little surprise at the end of the post for your musical enjoyment!

BUY LINKS

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes

BLURB

What happens when negligent plastic surgeons receive a taste of their own medicine…?

Chicago investigative reporter, Eden Risk, receives an unmarked envelope containing a postcard ordering her to watch the enclosed DVD…or someone else dies. No Police. After Eden watches the DVD, a gruesome, horrifying surgery, she turns to the private criminal investigation agency, CORE, for help. Only she hadn’t expected that help to come with a catch. Her former lover, Hudson Patterson, has been assigned to the case.

Hudson would rather have another CORE agent handle the investigation. Two years ago, he’d screwed things up with Eden…bad. And as more DVDs arrive, Eden and Hudson find themselves not only knee-deep in a twisted investigation, but forced to deal with their past, and the love they’d tried to deny.

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

EXCERPT

Bad Guy’s POV

The alarm on his watch beeped, reminding him what he’d already known. His patient would be waking soon, and by the low moan from the other room, he would have to act fast before the bastard regained full consciousness. Sure, he’d strapped the man down, but he didn’t want to miss the look on the shithead’s face when his eyes fluttered open, only to discover he’d just woken up in hell.

As he was about to exit the office, though, shame suddenly clouded his judgment. What he’d spent seven long years preparing for went beyond immoral and had his conscience battling with his anger and need for revenge. Sweat coated his skin and trickled down his back. His heart quickened and his head grew dizzy with the onslaught of a panic attack. Until he glanced at the letter he had framed and hung on the wall. The final contact he would ever have from his beloved daughter. While he’d memorized Eliza’s words, each bold and bubbly stroke of her script, he honed in on one line in particular for encouragement.

Make them listen, Daddy.

Another moan, this time even louder, filtered into the office. His head cleared, his heart slowed to normal, and an eerie calm settled over him.

“They’ll do more than listen, baby,” he whispered, rage suddenly sweeping away any thoughts of immorality or ethics or principles. Screw those things. Screw those quacks who had destroyed his daughter’s life.

Without hesitation he left the office and entered the main section of the thirty-by-fifty steel garage. He hadn’t needed the entire space and had chosen to fulfill his plans in the west corner of the building, where the lighting was best and the bathroom and utility sink were closest. Things would become messy after all.

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

Kristine Mason – My favorite character…

I love flawed characters. I’m not talking about a random scar that makes the sexy, badass hero sexier. I’m talking about the flaws that run deeper than the physical. Give me characters that have internal issues. Maybe they have a learning disability they’re hiding, or they’re struggling with anxiety, fear, trust or rejection. Or maybe a character’s arrogance and how they treat others is their flaw. Regardless, I want these characters to be motivated. I want to be able to get inside their heads and understand why they act the way they do.

I have four kids (11, 10, 7 and 2). Between my family and career, I’m extremely busy. When I have the time to sit down and read I want to be engaged by the characters. I want to fall in love with the hero, be the heroine and, if there is a bad guy, be afraid.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I didn’t pick up my first romance novel until I was in my late twenties. Immediately hooked, I read a bazillion books before deciding to write one of my own. After the birth of my first son I needed something to keep my mind from turning to mush, and Sesame Street wasn’t cutting it. While that first book will never see the light of day, something good had come from writing it. I realized my passion, and had found a career that I love.

When I’m not writing contemporary romances and dark, romantic suspense novels (or reading them!) I’m chasing after my four kids and two neurotic dogs.

STALKING LINKS

FACE BOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE

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MY REVIEW of Shadow of Perception by Kristine Mason

“There’s no such thing as perfect, only perception.”

“Look at me Daddy.”

He was watching as the images crawled across the screen. Eliza in her cheerleading uniform. Eliza being crowned homecoming queen. Eliza on her first modeling assignment. Eliza DEAD. The note she left said, “Make them listen, Daddy.”

Well, they will listen now he thought, as he dropped off the first DVD to Eden Risk.

Eden is an investigative reporter and he knew she would make it right.

Eden knew she needed help. She contacted CORE,a private criminal investigation agency. Ian and Hudson were watching the DVD.The horror that was taking place was too obscene to comprehend. The violence and mutilation the victim suffered was one of the worst they had seen. When the torture stopped, the doctor looked into the camera.

“Eden, take care of yourself….While I’ve been watching you, someone else has been, too.”

5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

The covers and tag lines for The Core Trilogy are so intriguing, I was hooked as soon as I laid eyes on them. I didn’t need anything else to make me want to pick up the books and read them as soon as I could get my hands on them.

After reading Shadow of Danger, the first book in the CORE “Shadow” Trilogy, my expectations are high. There are multiple storylines and Kristine kept the suspense at a very high level.

The violence and torture is very graphic. I was amazed at Kristine’s ability to describe the brutality so vividly. Maybe she should be a profiler. She sure got into the mind of this serial killer.

Eden – a confident and ambitious investigative reporter for , with dark secrets. She had a need to control everything in her life. Obsessive-Compulsive. Stubborn. Sexy. Her pets, Fabio the cat and Brutal the rat dog, are unique and show that under her hard exterior there is a heart.

Hudson – a Marine and a CIA operative, doing Black Ops work. Looked like a kickass biker dude. An air of danger surrounds him. Hmmm, I like that. He could be a GB- Golden Boy- or a DB – Douche Bag.

I am a dog lover and find it adds another element to the story. It makes the characters seem more human and easier to relate to. Kristine did a fantastic job of integrating the animals into the story and giving me some chuckles.

The relationships between the characters smack of reality. They fail to communicate, which causes all sorts of problems and I think we can all relate to that.

QUOTES

“……a front for some eighties big hair band.” “..that explains all those hot groupies folowing me around and throwing their g-strings at me.

“I’ve only seen cats that size at the zoo or in the jungle. What the hell is it? Besides big and ugly.”

“Don’t talk like that, putting her hand over the cats ears.” “He’s sensitive.”

“So sorry if I hurt your widdle feewings.” Then she flipped him the bird.

“Hell is exactly where you are…….Welcome.”

“Slow down, Speed Racer.” I laughed out loud. I remember watching the show all the time.

“..what’s wrong?” “I’ve never owned a week whacker.” “What would you weed whack anyway? The dead plants in your apartment?”