Tag Archives: 3 star review

True Crime – Among The Bros by Max Marshall #maxmarshall #fharperbooks

Posted on by

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I wanted to read Among The Bros by Max Marshall, mostly, because I love to see the elite face the consequences of their actions. I’m not sure that was accomplished here.

Max Marshall did his research, documented at the end of the book. He did give me many details, but the writing didn’t get me involved. I felt it was like reading a text book. It’s hard to relate to characters who feel they are entitled, that no matter what they do it’s no big deal. Just boys having fun.

I felt Max Marshall glossed over rape and murder, concentrating on the drugs and the never ending parties at the College of Charleston.

I find it interesting that so many Fortune 500 executives, Supreme Court Justices, and presidents have been fraternity members. What does that say about them, especially after reading a book like Among The Bros. AND that is why I love to read a book like Among The Bros. Is all the secrecy surrounding fraternities because the members do not want the members actions exposed? How far is too far?

The book left a bad taste in my mouth….and I expected that, so Max did deliver.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A brilliant young investigative journalist traces a murder and a multi-million-dollar drug ring, leading to an unprecedented look at elite American fraternity life. When Max Marshall arrived on the campus of the College of Charleston in 2018, he hoped to investigate a small-time fraternity Xanax trafficking ring. Instead, he found a homicide, several student deaths, and millions of dollars circulating around the Deep South. He also opened up an elite world hidden to outsiders. Behind the pop culture cliches of “Greek life” lies one of the major breeding grounds of American 80 percent of Fortune 500 executives, 85 percent of Supreme Court justices, and all but four presidents since 1825 have been fraternity members. With unprecedented immersion, this book takes readers inside that bubble. Under the live oaks and Spanish moss of Travel + Leisure ’s “Most Beautiful Campus in America,” Marshall traces several “C of C” boys’ journeys from fraternity pledges to interstate drug traffickers. The result is a true-life story of hubris, status, money, drugs, and murder—one that lifts a curtain on an ecstatic and disturbing way of life. With expert pacing and a cool eye, he follows a never-ending party that continues after funerals and mass arrests. An addictive and haunting portrait of tomorrow’s American establishment, Among the Bros is nonfiction storytelling at its finest.

  • Genre: Biography, Memoir, Mystery, NonFiction, Sociology, True Crime
  • 289 pages, Hardcover
  • First published November 7, 2023 by Harper

ABOUT MAX MARSHALL

Behind the pop culture cliches of “Greek life” lies one of the major breeding grounds of American power: 80 percent of Fortune 500 executives, 85 percent of Supreme Court justices, and all but four presidents since 1825 have been fraternity members. It is a world that most people thinktheyknow about. But what really happens behind closed doors, especially on some of America’s toniest college campuses,islargely hidden to outsiders. AMONG THE BROS: A Fraternity Crime Story (Harper Books; on sale November 7), the first book byjournalist Max Marshall,exposes this elite world,examining both its allureand dark underside.

Marshall, who has written for places like GQ, Sports Illustratedand The New York Times, arrived on the campus of the College of Charleston in 2018 as a 25-year-old fraternity alumnus hoping to write about Xanax. He intendedto investigatea small-time trafficking ringthat resulted in the arrest of 9 young individuals, most whowere students or formerstudents at the college withties to the Greek system. The group’s ringleaderwas Mikey Schmidt, a 21-year-oldmember of the Kappa Alpha fraternitywho had just been sentenced to 10 years without parole.But as Marshall started reporting,it became clear that the scope of the crimes wasfar bigger than what was made public:homicide, several student deaths,a nationwide trafficking network,and the seizure of 21 million dollars’ worthof black-marketXanax.

Telling this full story the first time, AMONG THE BROStakes readers underthe live oaks and Spanish moss ofTravel + Leisure’s “Most Beautiful Campus in America,” tracing several“C of C” boys’ journeys from fraternity pledges to interstate drug traffickers. Marshallinterviewed more than 120 people connected to the case, including Schmidtand his attorneys, fraternity and college representatives, family members of the murder victim, and many others. The result is a true-life story of hubris, status, money, drugs, and violence.

  • 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 Chaos Theory – The Ripple Effect by Cally Jackson @callyjackson

Posted on by

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I was looking for a pallet cleanser, a break from the dark and dangerous. A simple love story…But is love ever simple? Especially when you are a time traveler like Caitlyn in The Ripple Effect by Cally Jackson.

Caitlyn is a Gen Z girl, totally unprepared for what befalls her on her twenty first birthday. She finds she has inherited a disorder that causes her to time travel. She has no control over when it will happen. Imagine, you are here, then, POOF, you are gone.

She will have a tough choice to make, seeing the condition is not permanent. It usually passes after a period of time. So, what would you do? Grasp every second in the past with the man you love? Throw caution to the wind, regardless of your present life? Could you even threaten your own life? Could it cause you to never to have been born?

What a quandary The Chaos Theory is and I appreciate a book that can get my mind spinning.

The Ripple Effect by Cally Jackson is a series, so be prepared for answers to be found at a later date. C’est la vie.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A Gen Z girl with a time travel disorder. A gorgeous 1980’s guy. Can she stop their love from rewriting history?

A quirky, touching and highly original Australian time travel romance.

When Caitlyn Richter turns twenty-one, she begins having strange, unsettling episodes. To her horror, she learns she’s inherited a disorder that causes her to travel through time uncontrollably, and to make matters worse, one small change to the past can have massive consequences for the present.

Caitlyn realises she must do whatever it takes to leave the past unchanged. But that’s easier said than done, especially after she meets Toby Beech, an attractive 1980’s carpenter who wants to spend as much time with her as possible, and who she finds herself falling in love with.

She has two choices. She can force herself to stay away from Toby and keep her life in the present intact. Or she can follow her heart and risk the ripple effect wreaking havoc on everything and everyone she loves.

The Ripple Effect is the first book in an addictive new series by Australian author Cally Jackson.

  • Genre: Fiction, Romance, Time Travel, Teen and Young Adult
  • Published September 14, 2023
  • Series: The Ripple Effect, #1

ABOUT CALLY JACKSON

Cally Jackson grew up in the small country town of Gatton, Australia. Her passion for fictional writing first emerged in grade two when she got in trouble for penning her own tale instead of copying directly from a story book as she was supposed to be doing – it was a handwriting exercise, after all.

Cally now lives in Brisbane with the two loves of her life – her husband, Mark, and their dog, Lucy. The Big Smoke is her first novel.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

  • 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 – Andrea Pearson & The Koven Chronicles, Books I & II @andreapearson2

Posted on by

Amazon / Kindle Unlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have been following Andrea Pearson for some time now. I love her sense of humor, which comes out in her writing style. Her books deal with danger in a light hearted manner. That is not to say that her characters don’t take the danger seriously, because they do.

Here’s an example:

She whacked me once as if chastising me for not obeying sooner, then scrambled off as I stretched.

Lizzie is talking about her cat and I couldn’t help but smile, letting a picture run through my head.

Lizzie is an Arete, a fourth born child with special powers, a Fire Impeder. She is able to micro manage fire, right down to individual molecules, preventing the sparks from igniting

Humans are aware of supernaturals, because they have been here before.

“…demons from other planets have come out of sheer curiosity. I’m worried they’ll like it enough to stay.”

They are back, because a Prophecy given many years ago said she would be born and would be a danger to all the demons. From the hellhounds to the fire vampires. I mean, aren’t regular vampires bad enough? Now, Andrea Pearson has to crank them up. 🙂

She must go the Alaska to learn of The Prophecy, found in the Akashic records. The Shade Amulet will help protect her.

Wowzers – he smelled good.

There is a triangle, of sorts, between Abel, Cole and Lizzie. When she lets Cole know there is another man she has feelings for:

“Good. Don’t underestimate the need a man has to conquer.”

I feel this is very much for teen and young adults and was a spin off of another series, though the description does not say that. The characters keep referring back to previous events and I feel like I’m missing out on something. That won’t stop me from continuing on to the next story in the Koven Chronicles, The Black Masquerade.

In a note from the author she states that every time someone leaves a review, Lizzie punches a hound in the face. See these hellhounds are a series problem, I’m all for that.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Who’s more dangerous—the brooding, attractive man she’s partnered with or the things they’re hunting?

Lizzie Ashton thought being a professional Fire Impeder was dangerous, but using her magic to stop bombs, guns, and fires before they start is nothing compared to what happens when Abel, an intense man she’s worked with previously, storms back into her life.

Abel needs assistance with a dangerous task that only Lizzie can do. She hesitates to accept his job offer, as what little she knows of his dark past unnerves her, despite their moments of attraction. But when the local police department calls her in on a disturbing murder investigation, Lizzie must put aside her misgivings and partner up with Abel.

Luckily, she has the Shade Amulet to help her. But as more people are murdered—and closer to Lizzie’s home—the case quickly becomes personal. Is this job worth her life?

If you enjoy edge-of-your-seat fantasy action, slightly snarky humor, and a hint of romance, you’ll love the first book in the pulse-pounding Koven Chronicles. The Shade Amulet will thrill you to the core. It will keep you up late into the night, devouring its pages. Grab it now.

  • Genre: Demons, Fantasy, Fiction, Ghosts, Paranormal, Supernatural
  • 272 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published December 11, 2017
  • Series: Koven Chronicles, Book I

Amazon / Kindle Unlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

We pick up where we left off in The Shadow Amulet.

I am tired just reading about all Lizzie’s activities. How she finds time to juggle several men on to of all her work calls and searches for answers to her personal dilemmas, amazes me.

We have hellhounds and fire vampires and Lizzie puts pressure on herself to save the whole town. Of course, she has some helpers, Abel, Alex and Cole, but Justin? I feel he is too perfect. Am I jaded from reading books about so much betrayal, or are my spidey sense spot on? We shall see.

I was suspicious about the ball. That night was magically deadly and the action was frantic. I have been waiting for the excitement and Andrea Pearson delivered at the end of The Black Masquerade. It was better than the first book, but I still wavered between a 3 and a 4. I am looking forward to reading more of the series and loved the action at the end, so 4 it is.

Andrea state that Lizzie will punch The Shade Amulet for not working properly for every review written. So, here is my review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

There’s nothing like a ghost visiting you while you’re waiting in line at the grocery store. Unfortunately for Lizzie, that isn’t the only supernatural visit she’ll receive… When an angry ghost named Angelo threatens Lizzie and sets her house on fire, she knows the time has come for her to step fully into her role as destroyer of evil supernatural creatures. But things turn out to be much trickier than the amulet doesn’t function as she thought it would and fire vampires with unknown motives have set up camp in a nearby canyon. Not only that, but the effigy that is distracting hounds from devouring her is still on the loose, and its shade owners want it back. They hand her an return the effigy, or they’ll command it to destroy her. And yes, it’s something they can do. Will Lizzie keep the ghosts happy while performing her sanctioned duties or will the hounds catch up to her before she’s safe? Find out now by downloading this edge-of-your-seat urban fantasy by bestselling author Andrea Pearson now!

  • Genre: Demons, Fantasy, Fiction, Ghosts, Paranormal, Supernatural
  • 272 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published December 11, 2017
  • Series: Koven Chronicles, Book I

ABOUT ANDREA PEARSON

Andrea Pearson is an avid reader and outdoor enthusiast who plays several instruments, not including the banjo, and loves putting together musical arrangements. Her favorite sports are basketball and football, though several knee surgeries and incurably awful coordination prevent her from playing them. Andrea Pearson graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor of science degree in Communications Disorders. She acted as the executive director for Indie Author Hub for a year and a half and frequently gets invited to teach marketing and promoting at writers conferences. Andrea is the author of many full-length novels (the Kilenya Chronicles, Mosaic Chronicles, and Koven Chronicles), and several novellas. Writing is the chocolate of her life – it is, in fact, the only thing she ever craves. Being with her husband and kids, family, and close friends is where she’s happiest, and she loves thunderstorms, the ocean, hiking, public speaking, painting, and traveling.

Receive several free books when you join Andrea’s Readers Group. For more information, click here.

Andrea also writes nonfiction books for authors. To learn more about those, and her marketing courses, please visit selfpublishstrong.com

Website / Twitter

MY ANDREA PEARSON REVIEWS

  • Shadow Hunter (Midnight Chronicles)
  • 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’s talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product imgaes are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

The Innocence of Children – Island Santa by Owen Thomas @OTFiction

Posted on by

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Island Santa by Owen Thomas is a cute, coming of age, holiday story about a child’s wishes, dreams and the innocence of her belief, at twelve years old, that Santa is real and how will he find them on vacation in Hawaii.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The Nelson family is spending Christmas in Hawaii, a dubious proposition for Peter and his ten-year old sister, Katie.

Katie still believes in Santa Clause. Embarrassing, but true. Having finally come to grips with the tragic “extinction” of unicorns and the senseless exile of the Tooth Fairy, little Katie now clings to Santa with a tenacity so grim and so combative that her older brother and her parents can only exchange worried looks across the dinner table. Someone should talk to her about the real world.

But no one quite seems to have the courage.

Needless to say, the idea of running off to Hawaii just as Santa is loading up his sleigh is met with more than just a little resistance. After all, how is it reasonable to expect that the red-suited fat man will know to look for them in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? What will he think when he parks his reindeer atop their dark and empty home?

Peter, fourteen, has his own concerns, less about Santa than the sacrifice of holiday tradition. What about the snow and stringing the house with Christmas lights? What about the first-person-shooter zombie video games at the neighbors’ Christmas Eve party? More importantly, how can a Christmas away from home not have a devastating impact on the volume of Christmas-morning loot?

Not that the Nelson kids have any real say in the matter. The tickets have been purchased. The bags have been packed. Peter will have to console himself with the belief that his friend Cody is right: that the Islands are teeming with topless women. Katie, meanwhile, will just have to trust that Santa is capable of adapting to rapidly changing circumstances.

Neither of them is prepared to understand why their father seems to have forgotten his true age, or why their mother is calling him a sex pony, or even why he pushed for the trip to Hawaii in the first place.

In the end, everyone is going to believe what he or she wants to believe about the world.

It’s going to be an interesting Christmas.

  • Genre: Christmas, Comedy and Humor, Coming of Age, Fiction, Holiday, Novellas and Short Stories
  • Format: 69 Pages, Kindle
  • Published: November 25, 2014 by BookBaby

ABOUT OWEN THOMAS

Owen Thomas is a life-long Alaskan living on Maui because life is too short for long winters. He has written six books: “The Lion Trees” (which has garnered over sixteen international book awards, including the Amazon Kindle Book Award, the Eric Hoffer Book Award, the Book and Author Book of the Year, the Beverly Hills International Book Award and, most recently, a finalist in the Book Excellence Awards); “Mother Blues,” (a novel of music and mystery set in post-Hurricane Harvey Texas); “Message in a Bullet: A Raymond Mackey Mystery,” (the first in a series of detective novels); “The Russian Doll” (the second installment in that series); “Signs of Passing” (a book of interconnected short stories, and winner of fourteen book awards, including the Pacific Book Awards for Short Fiction, also named one of the 100 Most Notable Books of the Year by Shelf Unbound Magazine); and “This is the Dream,” (a collection of stories and novellas that explore that perplexing liminal distance between who we are and what we want). Owen maintains an active fiction and photography blog on Facebook, Tumblr and on his author website at www.owenthomasliterary.com.

For the ninth consecutive year since he has been measuring his commercial success as an author, Owen has not won the Orange Prize for Fiction. Also, to great acclaim, he has not won the Man Booker Prize. Most recently, in April of 2020, Owen was not nominated for a Pulitzer.

Owen makes his home in Alaska and Hawaii. When he is not writing, Owen can be found recreating and taking photographs in the grandeur of these wonderfully picturesque locations. Some of these photos are posted on Owen’s photo blog, 1000 Words per Frame.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Tumblr / Pinterest / LinkedIn / YouTube

  • 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!

Flabberghasted – A Road To Nowhere by Ted Galdi @TedGaldi

Posted on by
https://amzn.to/3PQGPJ1

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

A Road To Nowhere is a short story, 25 pages, by Ted Galdi, so there isn’t a lot I can say about it. I was reading along, thinking I knew what was going on. A guy picks up an abandoned girl, offering her a truck ride to town. It’s all about the ending, and it was a surprise! Ted Galdi got me and I loved that. I do have another book of his, and after being caught off guard in A Road To Nowhere, I am eager to see what he has to offer in Lion On Fire, a novella.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Where nowhere is the only place to escape

An empty highway at midnight in Montana. A serial killer on the loose. An abandoned girl who desperately needs a ride. A man in a pickup truck offering to help. The surprising consequences of her getting inside.

Do you like quick reads?

Do you like hold-your-breath suspense?

Do you like shocking endings?

Then you’ll love A Road to Nowhere, the first short story by Ted Galdi, an Amazon #1 bestselling author who’s won Reader Views and Readers’ Favorite awards, and been featured by FOX, ABC, and iHeartRadio. He’s the author of the novels Elixir, An American Cage, and Lion on Fire, and the short stories Hazel Is Missing, Intrusion, and The Split.

Get your copy of this hit short story today and take a ride in a pickup truck so surprising you’ll be thinking about it for days.

  • Genre: Fiction, Suspense, Thriller
  • Format: 25 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published: January 7, 2017 by Precipice Books

ABOUT TED GALDI

Ted Galdi, an Amazon #1 bestselling author, writes suspenseful, smart crime thrillers. His goal is to get your blood and brain pumping when you read his novels and short stories.

He’s been featured by Kirkus magazine, ABC, FOX, iHeartRadio, and many other media outlets. He’s a winner of a Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award and a Silver Medal in the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards. Ted is a graduate of Duke University.

To learn more about him and download a free bestselling crime thriller, visit his website at tedgaldi.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’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Vampire Romance – Bloody Billionaire by Kay Widow @KayWidow @booksirens

Posted on by

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I keep getting confused about all the Bloody Billionaire’s by Kay Widow, but I keep grabbing the books. They are quick reads, filled with vampires and romance. Right up my alley.

Quinn is the king and feels like he can do as he pleases, slaughtering humans left and right, leaving them for others to clean up. One of the problems, he eliminates their food supply and his inability to control his thirst could be his downfall.

In comes Tessa, his blood therapist, but she has an ulterior motive. She wants immortality for her and her sisters, and she must kill the king to get it. There is one problem….her attraction to the king.

The steamy sex scenes are smoking hot, even when its only in her head. The violence is graphic and gruesome.

Become a servant they said. It will be fun they said. And gods, they had no idea how fun it had become.

They fight their attraction for different reasons. Quinn because he cannot marry a commoner and Tessa because she must kill or be killed. I love the twist that Kay Widow throws into the mix and I wondered how she would do it. Do what, you ask? Well, if I told you, it would give too much away, so you’ll have t find out for yourself.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

“My blood has never burned like this before…”

Tessa knows her mission: Infiltrate the estate of vampire king Quinn Rodin and end his undead life.

This deal with the ruthless King Marr will grant her and her sisters immortality, but only if Tessa kills Quinn, Marr’s enemy.

As Quinn’s personal “bloodbag,” Tessa lives in the vampire’s mansion while spying on her target.

Yet when Quinn sinks his fangs into her flesh, Tessa discovers unexpected heat raging through her veins. His bite stirs a dangerous longing that clouds her judgment and threatens her task.

The vampire king’s allure captivates her, even as his unearthly powers put her life at risk.
And Tessa struggles between restoring her focus and indulging the enemy’s temptation.

Each night Quinn’s bite unravels her and carnal hunger replaces duty. But at what cost?

Her sisters are counting on her, and King Marr does not tolerate failure.

With immortality on the line, Tessa must master her thirst for Quinn’s embrace and regain her wits before his wicked bite destroys her from within.

Bloody Billionaire is a supernatural romantic thriller that will keep you turning pages until the breathtaking end. For fans of dangerous trysts, forbidden passions, and lethal creatures of the night.

ABOUT KAY WIDOW

Kay Widow is a paranormal romance author. She writes page-turning romances that readers consume faster than she can produce.
If you love spicy romances with protective and dominant alphas who fall for sassy curvy women, then you might just love Kay’s novels.
Kay lives in Kansas with her husband, Irish twins, and all her book boyfriends.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

MY KAY WIDOW 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 – Death By Theft by Abigail Keam @dollycas

Posted on by


Death By Theft: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery
by Abigail Keam

About Death by Theft


Death By Theft: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery
Cozy Mystery
19th in Series
Setting – Kentucky
Worker Bee Press (October 30, 2023)
Number of Pages ~200
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BVJSY15M

MY REVIEW

I do enjoy a good cozy mystery now and then and have read some of Abigail Keam’s work. I enjoyed her writing, so when I saw Death By Theft, about a foal being stolen, I wanted to check it out for myself.

I really liked Asa, a complicated character that doesn’t seek out danger, but can be counted on to find out answers, especially when her family and friends have a problem. Josiah is a bit on the nosy side and dead bodies seem to appear whenever she is around.

I’ve mentioned the characters that stood out to me, but there are plenty more that have their place, adding depth to the story. After all, the more, the merrier, right?

Are the theft of the foal and the murder of Juan Gomez connected? Seems logical to me that they would be. But why? As the mystery unfolds, we have enough suspects to muddy the waters and things are not always as they appear to be.

When the Last Chance Mote in Key Largo is mentioned, I do remember a trip I took there, in The Mermaid’s Carol…and I enjoyed it very much. It is a magical place where you can relax and rejuvenate. Asa and her mother need it, after solving the mystery of the theft of the foal and the death of Juan Gomez.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

SYNOPSIS

Josiah is happy for her pals Lady Elsmere and Shaneika Mary Todd when broodmare Jean Harlow gives birth to a male foal sired by Comanche. The owners of both horses have high hopes the foal will become a stakes winner—maybe even win the Kentucky Derby. The foal has a broad chest, indicating significant lung capacity—important for winning races, but just like his daddy, the foal is ebony with a bad attitude.

Josiah and Shaneika visit dam Jean Harlow early one morning and are shocked to find the prized foal is missing. They frantically search Lady Elsmere’s and Josiah’s farms without success. It’s urgent they find the foal fast as he is not yet weaned and is too young to be separated from his mother. Who would snatch the feisty foal from his mother’s care? And equally important, why?

Death By A HoneyBee
Death By Drowning
Death By Bridle
Death By Bourbon
Death By Lotto
Death by Chocolate
Death by Haunting
Death By Derby
Death By Design
Death By Malice
Death By Drama
Death By Stalking
Death By Deceit
Death By Magic
Death By Shock
Death By Chance
Death By Poison
Death By Greed
Death By Theft

About Abigail Keam

Abigail Keam is an award-winning and Amazon best-selling author who writes the Josiah Reynolds Mystery Series about a Southern beekeeper turned amateur female sleuth. Besides loving history, Kentucky bourbon, and chocolate, Abigail loves honeybees and for many years made her living by selling honey at a farmers’ market like her protagonist, Josiah Reynolds. She is an award-winning beekeeper who has won many honey awards at the Kentucky State Fair including the Barbara Horn Award, which is given to beekeepers who rate a perfect 100 in a honey competition.

Miss Abigail has taken her knowledge of beekeeping to create a fictional beekeeping protagonist, Josiah Reynolds, who solves mysteries in the Bluegrass. While Miss Abigail’s novels are for enjoyment, she discusses the importance of a local sustainable food economy and land management for honeybees and other creatures.

She currently lives on the Kentucky River in a metal house with her husband and various critters. She still has honeybees.

AWARDS
2010 Gold Medal Award from Readers’ Favorite for Death By A HoneyBee
2011 Gold Medal Award from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Drowning
2011 USA BOOK NEWS-Best Books List of 2011 as a Finalist for Death By Drowning
2011 USA BOOK NEWS-Best Books List of 2011 as a Finalist for Death By A HoneyBee
2017 Finalist from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Design
2019 Honorable Mention from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Stalking
2019 Top 10 Mystery Novels from Kings River Life Magazine for Murder Under A Blue Moon2
2019 Honorable Mention from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Stalking: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery
2019 Top 10 Mystery Novels from Kings River Life Magazine for Murder Under A Blue Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Mystery
2020 Imadjinn Award for Best Mystery – Death By Stalking: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery
2022 Finalist in Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Finalist for Best Historical Category – Murder Under A Full Moon
2022 Finalist for the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award for Best Historical Category – Murder Under A New Moon
2022 Death By Chance: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Finalist for Best Cozy Mystery
2022 Top Ten Mystery Novel by Kings River Life Magazine for Murder Under A Bridal Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Mystery
2022 Top Ten Mystery Novel by Kings River Life Magazine for Murder Under A British Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Mystery

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!
Want to Book a Tour?
Click Here

MY ABIGAIL KEAM 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!

Planet Bizzaro is beyond Bizarre #planetbizarro #horror

Posted on by

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I came across this anthology because of Jamie Kort, the author of the short story A Puppet Scorned. Planet Bizarro picked up this short story to include in their anthology, so when Jamie told me I could grab a copy, I had to have it. I mean, look at that fabulous cover! Doesn’t it make you curious as to what is inside?

Of course, A Puppet Scorned was my favorite of the shorts. Who doesn’t remember sock puppets? BUT, I never had any like these.

It started out a bit flat for me, but anthologies can be like that. I may not care that much for all of them, but most of the time I can find a few that stand out. Another that stood out was the Special Tree. I felt what was coming, but it was a novel take on keeping up with the Jonses’.

It you are looking to be taken outside your comfort zone, you may find that special gem inside Planet Bizarro. To be sure, it kept me reading and I like that I could pick it up and put it down without losing my place. If you are a horror lover, I recommend giving these twelve shorts a try.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

IN A WORLD WHERE BODY AUGMENTATION IS THE NORM, A MAN IN NEED OF A NEW PAIR OF LIPS ENDS UP WITH MORE THAN HE BARGAINED FOR.

A CLASSIC TALE OF LOVE, FAMILY, AND BETRAYAL. PERFORMED BY SOCK PUPPETS.

A JEALOUS WOMAN VISITS A SPECIAL TREE TO GET A BABY. THE BABY IS NOTHING LIKE HER NEIGHBOURS’.

A WIFE RETURNS HOME TO FIND HER HUSBAND CUT IN HALF VERTICALLY. HE’S COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF IT.

THE BEST OF BIZARRO FICTION: VOLUME 1 FEATURES TWELVE INSANELY MEMORABLE TALES. YOU’LL NEVER LOOK AT LIFE THE SAME WAY AGAIN.

FEATURING STORIES BY MIKE JAMES DAVIS, LEO X. ROBERTSON, MADELEINE SWANN, BILL PURNELL, LEON SAUL, JAMIE KORT, XAVIER GARCIA, MEGAN STOCKTON, JAMES L. STEELE, BEN FITTS, SHAWN WAYNE LANGHANS, AND KEVIN SHAMELI

  • Genre: Anthologies, Bizarro Fiction, Fiction, Horror, Short Stories
  • Published December 9, 2022

REVIEW LINKS FOR JAMIE KORT

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.no
  • 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!

Sanctuary Motel by Alan Orloff #SanctuaryMotel #NetGalley

Posted on by

I want to thank NetGalley and Level Best Books for the opportunity to read and review Sanctuary Motel by Alan Orloff.

https://amzn.to/45TXsc2

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Sanctuary Motel by Alan Orloff caught my eye because of the colorful cover and the title. What kind of sanctuary? When I read the blurb, I loved the premise. He’s not rich and powerful, but what he does have, he is willing to share with those who are less fortunate and in need of a helping hand.

Many, like his parents and uncle, may think he really is a Mess, but Mess marches to the beat of a drummer they can’t understand. With the help of Cesar, who keeps the place running, and a few other unique friends, they are willing to put their life on the line when a woman and her teenage son come to stay. They never anticipated it would be as complicated as it became and the danger level rises with each turn.

The description of Sanctuary Motel by Alan Orloff being a noir crime novel fits to a T. It’s more than a cozy and less than a suspense/thriller.

Myself, I love staying in motels. Sure, they may not be the best accommodations, but I love that you can park your car right outside your door. No muss, no fuss getting to your room. They can have everything hotels have, just easier access to it. And….if they had an owner like Mess, it sure would make it interesting.

The story, for me, was Mess. A man that goes above and beyond. A man who gives more than he gets. Isn’t that outside the norm we hear about? Sure, it may seem like he lacks ambition, but I think he’s on hold until his true ‘mission’ in life appears. Could it be in the form of a woman? We shall see, since this is Book I in the Mess Hopkins series.

There is nothing wrong with Sanctuary Motel. It has all the elements for a good mystery. For me, it seems, well, not enough. I do enjoy a lighter story, a relaxing read, but I revel in white knuckled, life or death urgency that makes it impossible for me to put the book down. All that being said, I will have my eye on future Mess Hopkins novels.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Mess Hopkins, proprietor of the seen-better-days Fairfax Manor Inn, never met a person in need who couldn’t use a helping hand—his helping hand. So he’s thrown open the doors of the motel to the homeless, victims of abuse, or anyone else who could benefit from a comfy bed with clean sheets and a roof overhead. This rankles his parents and uncle, who technically still own the place and are more concerned with profits than philanthropy.

When a mother and her teenage boy seek refuge from an abusive husband, Mess takes them in until they can get back on their feet. Shortly after arriving, the mom goes missing and some very bad people come sniffing around, searching for money they claim belongs to them. Mess tries to pump the boy for helpful information, but he’s in full uncooperative teen mode—grunts, shrugs, and monosyllabic answers. From what he does learn, Mess can tell he’s not getting the straight scoop. It’s not long before the boy vanishes too. Abducted? Run away? Something worse? And who took the missing money? Mess, along with his friend Vell Jackson and local news reporter Lia Katsaros, take to the streets to locate the missing mother and son—and the elusive, abusive husband—before the kneecapping loansharks find them first.

  • Genre: Fiction, Noir Crime, Suspense, Thriller
  • Format; 301 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication: October 24, 2023 by Level Best Books
  • Language: English

ABOUT ALAN ORLOFF

Before Alan stepped off the corporate merry-go-round, he had an eclectic (some might say disjointed) career. As an engineer, he worked on nuclear submarines, supervised assembly workers in factories, facilitated technology transfer from the Star Wars program, and learned to stack washing machines three high in a warehouse with a forklift. He even started his own recycling and waste reduction newsletter business. Now he writes fiction.

His debut mystery, DIAMONDS FOR THE DEAD, was a finalist for the Best First Novel Agatha Award. He writes the Last Laff Mystery Series: KILLER ROUTINE (#1) and DEADLY CAMPAIGN (#2), and has three e-book originals, THE TASTE (horror/thriller), FIRST TIME KILLER (thriller), and RIDE-ALONG (suspense).

He wrote the thrillers RUNNING FROM THE PAST and PRAY FOR THE INNOCENT (winner of the ITW Thriller Award for Best E-Book Original).

His novel, I KNOW WHERE YOU SLEEP is a Shamus Award finalist for Best First P.I. Novel.

His YA thriller, I PLAY ONE ON TV, comes out July 19, 2021 from Down & Out Books.

His short fiction has appeared in numerous publications, including JEWISH NOIR, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, CHESAPEAKE CRIMES: STORM WARNING, Mystery Weekly, NOIR AT THE SALAD BAR, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, five consecutive issues of the BEST NEW ENGLAND CRIME STORIES, THE NIGHT OF THE FLOOD, MICKEY FINN, and MYSTERY MOST GEOGRAPHICAL.

His story, “Rule Number One” (SNOWBOUND, Level Best Books), was selected for the 2018 edition of THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES anthology, edited by Louise Penny.

His story, “Dying in Dokesville,” won a Derringer Award, and his story “Rent Due,” is an ITW Thriller Award finalist.

Alan recently moved to South Florida. He loves cake and arugula, but not together.

For more info, please visit his website: www.alanorloff.com

Alan is sorry he wrote this bio in the third person.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.no
  • 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!

HMMMM – Twas The Bite Before Christmas by David Rosenfelt #netgalley #twasthebitebeforechristmas

Posted on by

I want to thank NetGalley and MacMillan for the opportunity to read Twas The Bite Before Christmas by Davidrosenfeld. This is book 28 in the series, so I thought I couldn’t go wrong.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Okay, before I get into the story, I will tell you, it was the cover and title that hooked me. Yeah, I read the blurb and all, but I still ended up feeling a bit disappointed and misled. Sure, the dogs are there, but they don’t do like the ‘normal’ animals in a cozy mystery. And bite in the title?

Derek Moore is revealed as being in the witness protection program, when he is arrested for murder. As his friend, lawyer Andy Carpenter is on the case. Seeing this is book #28 in the series, I expected big things.

Sure, we have a mystery, but at times, it felt like a police procedural or a legal mystery. I did enjoy the story, but I doubt I would actively seek out another Andy Carpenter series book. With David Rosenfeld having such a huge collection of books, others may enjoy the books much more than I did.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In National Bestseller David Rosenfelt’s ‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas, all through the Carpenter house, five dogs are stirring, and not even Andy can get out of working this latest case at his door.

Reluctant lawyer Andy Carpenter is at the Tara Foundation’s annual Christmas party. The dog rescue organization has always been his true calling, and this is one holiday tradition he can get behind because every dog that’s come through the rescue—and their families—are invited to celebrate.

This year’s party is no exception. But before the stockings can be hung by the chimney with care, homicide detectives ruin the evening. Derek Moore, one of the foundation’s best foster volunteers, is arrested for murder.

Andy discovers Derek—whose real name is Bobby—is in the witness protection program after giving evidence against his former gang. The police believe Bobby murdered a member. But Bobby swears to Andy he didn’t do this. He’s built a new life, a new business, has two new dogs after being a double foster-failure.

There isn’t much Andy likes about this case, but he likes Bobby. If he’s innocent, Andy wants to help. Before Andy can settle down for his long winter’s nap, he has a client’s name to clear, a murderer to catch, and two new dogs to look after: a golden and a Dalmatian. Andy’s golden retriever, Tara, will have to adjust to not being the only golden at the house while Andy gets to the bottom of this one…

  • Genre: Christmas, Cozy Mystery, Holiday, Mystery,
  • 304 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication October 10, 2023 by Minotaur Books
  • Language: English
  • Series: Andy Carpenter #28

ABOUT DAVID ROSENFELT

I am a novelist with 27 dogs.

I have gotten to this dubious position with absolutely no planning, and at no stage in my life could I have predicted it. But here I am.

My childhood was relentlessly normal. The middle of three brothers, loving parents, a middle-class home in Paterson, New Jersey. We played sports, studied sporadically. laughed around the dinner table, and generally had a good time. By comparison, “Ozzie and Harriet’s” clan seemed bizarre.

I graduated NYU, then decided to go into the movie business. I was stunningly brilliant at a job interview with my uncle, who was President of United Artists, and was immediately hired. It set me off on a climb up the executive ladder, culminating in my becoming President of Marketing for Tri-Star Pictures. The movie landscape is filled with the movies I buried; for every “Rambo”, “The Natural” and “Rocky”, there are countless disasters.

I did manage to find the time to marry and have two children, both of whom are doing very well, and fortunately neither have inherited my eccentricities.

A number of years ago, I left the movie marketing business, to the sustained applause of hundreds of disgruntled producers and directors. I decided to try my hand at writing. I wrote and sold a bunch of feature films, none of which ever came close to being actually filmed, and then a bunch of TV movies, some of which actually made it to the small screen. It’s safe to say that their impact on the American cultural scene has been minimal.

About fourteen years ago, my wife and I started the Tara Foundation, named in honor of the greatest Golden Retriever the world has ever known. We rescued almost 4,000 dogs, many of them Goldens, and found them loving homes. Our own home quickly became a sanctuary for those dogs that we rescued that were too old or sickly to be wanted by others. They surround me as I write this. It’s total lunacy, but it works, and they are a happy, safe group.

Website / Facebook / Macmillan

  • 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!