Afterworld by Olivia Boothe & Victoria Liiv @TheOliviaBoothe #victorialiiv

Posted on September 21, 2023 by fundinmental

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62083297-afterworld

MY REVIEW

WOW, such an amazing cover for Afterworld: Losing Salvation by Olivia Boothe and Victoria Liiv. There is no way I could say no when Olivia asked me if I wanted to read the series. Sure, there are a lot of trigger warnings that readers need to be aware of, but I love the dark world the authors have created.

Afterworld: Losing Salvation by Olivia Boothe and Victoria Liiv is not available for purchase. It is a bonus that I received from the Olivia Boothe and is included as part of a special edition Afterworld hardcover and Renegade City anthology.

I want to thank Olivia Boothe for allowing me to get my introduction to Jax and Kate through Afterworld: Losing Salvation, a prequel. I was immediately drawn into this dark world that made me think of Supernatural and The Walking Dead. I love it!

A virus is spreading throughout the city creating zombie like creatures that can only be killed by a blow to the head or decapitation. Sound familiar? But, how they came to be…well…

I love the dog!

Everything comes full circle and we are on to the next ‘adventure’ in the Afterworld series.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO, THE WORLD LEARNED THE UGLY TRUTH:
GOD EXISTS. HE JUST DOESN’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT US.

Afterworld: Road To Redemption by Olivia Boothe and Victoria Liiv is Jax and Kate’s love story. It was a traumatizing meeting for her…and him…

In the beginning, we bounce between Kate’s journal and Jax’s Grimoire in the year 2031.

I love one of Kate’s first entries…out scavenging and she scores some tampons. Aunt Flow still flows, even during an apocalypse. AND, she meets Hank, a service dog who lost his master. They become hard and fast companions. As they fight the beasts, there comes a blinding light…an angel, who gives his life to save hers.

Jax sees the light, knows it’s an angel, and races to get there. It’s his only hope of getting rid of the demon, War, one of The Four Horsemen, who resides inside him. When he sees her fight, he realizes she is more than a woman.

We do have that gruesome, brutal, blood and guts going on, The Walking Dead vibe, but we also have the, sort of, lightness of Supernatural. I found myself laughing in the middle of danger. Couldn’t help myself.

I would think if there is any kind of attraction, sex would arise. After all, how often do you come across a human that doesn’t want to kill you? She found it easy to trust him, but he has yet to tell all to her and how dangerous he can be. I feel there is even a dash of Fifty Shades of Grey…some smoking hot scenes.

At 65% an amazing surprise came to light…and I loved it.

There is one scene with rats in the sewers that The Walking Dead made it so easy to visualize. Also, the movie references made me think of Denizzo on NCIS. So many things I referenced to TV shows made the book even more special because it had those familiar elements that had me smiling or cringing.

Well, I read and read and read, slept, then read and read and read. It was so hard to put the book down, but I couldn’t get it read in one sitting. The pace and danger kept rising, the suspense off the charts, the action so fast paced near the end I was shouting out loud…NO, NO, NO…I was so fearful, but…well…all I can say is, if you love the dark side of paranormal romance, some Supernatural, some Walking Dead, some angels and demons, the Four Horsement of the Apocalypse…..this is a must read.

The story does end with a happy ever after, but there is more to come and I can hardly wait to begin. Bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Afterworld: Road To Redemption by Olivia Boothe & Victoria Liiv.

GOODREADS BLURB

EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO, THE WORLD LEARNED THE UGLY TRUTH:
GOD EXISTS. HE JUST DOESN’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT US.

After a deadly virus wipes out most of the world’s population, those of us who survive are left as food for the Damned, the walking corpses ravaged by the infection.

Yet, something far more sinister stirs in the bowels of New York City. The Four Horsemen are prowling the streets, kidnapping young girls and dragging them back to their lair. And when a supply run becomes a rescue mission turned deadly, I’m left at the mercy of a sexy stranger.

Jax Constantine weaves himself into my life with blood tingling charisma and a smile that rekindles my hope in love. But a dark secret lurks beneath his penetrating gaze and sizzling touch. One he’s not willing to share, leading me to believe he might not be the man I thought.

Now, humanity’s last stand rests in my hands. To save a world consumed by evil, I must choose between stopping Lucifer from claiming an already scorched Earth as his own or saving the man I love.

The same man destined to curse my soul.

This is a dark apocalyptic paranormal romance and is intended for audiences 18 years+.

Please see below for the full list of content/trigger warnings:
Angels and demons, biblical lore, zombies, Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, blood and gore, PTSD, trauma, profanity, graphic violence, explicit sexual content, and kidnappings.

Reader discretion is advised.

While Afterworld can be read as a standalone and has a resolution, this is a planned series, and the book ends with a Happily For Now.

Genre: Angels and Demons, Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural
Format: 378 pages, Kindle Edition
Published: September 16, 2022 by Three Brothers Press
Language: English
Series: Hell’s Angel, Book I

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

OLIVIA BOOTHE

REAL LOVE AS IT IS. MESSY, COMPLICATED & SINFULLY ADDICTIVE.

Born in Colombia and raised in New Jersey since the age of eight, Olivia always dreamed of becoming a story teller.

If you enjoy deadly-hot romance novels with deep, layered plots, she’s your gal. Because it’s not just about the first kiss and the happily ever after, it’s about everything in between.

In addition to writing contemporary and paranormal romance, Olivia is currently working on an adult contemporary fantasy.

Fun Facts: When not locked away in her writing tower at the wee hours of the night, Olivia works a government 9-5 job and manages a house full of males (a husband, three sons, and a doggo named Hunter). On occasion, she summons her tribe for a night of wine and shenanigans. Dark chocolate is her kryptonite, she hates/loves to ugly cry during movies, and is a die-hard Bon Jovi fan.

Don’t forget to subscribe to her newsletter to receive exclusive news and updates such as book releases, giveaways, sales, events, sneak peeks and bonus material for upcoming projects.

Website / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / Bookbub

VICTORIA LIIV

Victoria Liiv is a writer, reader, nature lover and traveler at heart. She has been traveling through magical worlds since a very young age and wants more than anything to share the wonder with everyone else eager to escape from all things mundane. Let it be a magical adventure through slowly darkening Earth or a soul crushing fight for survival and love while the world burns. Sometimes all it takes is a little bit of romance.

She self published her debut novel Through Hell & Highwater on 2020 when the pandemics keeping her isolated gave her the reason to follow her dream of becoming an author. She hasn’t looked back since.
Afterworld: Road to Redemption is Victoria’s second novel. She is grateful for the opportunity to be able to co-write it with Olivia.
This February 2023, she’ll also be releasing Treasure Me, a contemporary romance, as part of Tease Me box set.
With many more ideas and characters keeping her awake at night this is only the beginning of her writing career.

In her everyday life she found the magic in her partner, who gave her courage to move out of Estonia, the country she was born in, to an equally small but more known The Netherlands. He was also the one who encourages and supports her throughout her writing process.

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Quick Review for Quick Read – Vigorous Defense by Audrey Walker #AudreyWalker

Posted on September 20, 2023 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

“Every citizen deserv es a Vigorous Defense in a court of law.”

Vigorous Defense by Audrey Walker introduces us to Giselle Norwood, a forensic pathologist. Her husband has passed away from an illness and she was reluctant to take the job offered her in Washington DC. This had been their home and she wasn’t sure she wanted to leave it. Until…

She is approached by Bobby Kaminski, a personal injury lawyer who is representing an alleged murderer. She has a need to blend her work with her desire for justice.

A prequel, or short story that can be devoured (as I did) in a half hour or so, has to be pretty darn good and fast paced for me to give it a high rating. Audrey Walker also added an intriguing and unusual cause of death, which I found fascinating. I am eager to read more about Giselle Norwood and to dive into her future cases.

GOODREADS BLURB

When the courtroom becomes a battlefield, a young forensic pathologist is determined to shine a light on the truth.

In the gripping prequel to the Giselle Norwood Mysteries, Dr. Giselle Norwood’s peaceful life takes an unexpected turn when a quirky lawyer ropes her into a murder trial.
What appears to be an open-and-shut poisoning case reveals layers of deception and a battle between truth and motive, pitting Giselle in a race against time to unearth the facts before an innocent man is wrongly convicted.
“Vigorous Defense” is a thrilling tale of suspense that shines the light of truth on the shadows of deceit, exposing a corrupt system of justice.

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
33 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 25, 2023
Series: Giselle Norwood

ABOUT AUDREY WALKER

Audrey Walker is a young and rising international best-selling Author in the Mystery & Suspense niche.

Walker’s books are fast-paced, nail-biting pageturners with twists you won’t see coming.

Walker lives currently in south Germany with her husband and a newly born daughter. When she is not writing or reading, you will find her climbing up the Alps in Switzerland and walking aroung the Black Forest in south of Germany.

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Review – The Broken Heart by N J Gallegos @DrSpooky_ER

Posted on September 19, 2023 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

MMMMM All kinds of dark and delicious psychopathic goodness. Imagine hearing these words out of six year old child’s mouth: Fuck you, cunt and fucking bitch. You also have a useless drunken husband and an infant daughter to protect…for the six year old.

If you are on a matchmaking app, you may delete it after seeing how easy it is to be a fish in a barrel for a serial killer.

There are two story lines going on: Casey, with her psychopathic son, alcoholic husband, infant daughter, and heart failure. She will need an organ transplant and a serial killer is the one to save her. Or does he? Do you believe that an organ can pass the good or bad of the donor onto the receiver? What would happen if it did?

Of course, we know the serial killer has to die so she can get his heart, but the way it happens is sweet Karma at work. LOL He was a savage, reveling in his victim’s blood, so no matter what happened to him, I didn’t think it could be bad enough.

I was excited about the plot and wondered…would a good woman be negatively affected by a serial killer’s heart? Will she turn into a serial killer too?

The marvels of medicine do amaze me and creep me out at the same time. And after reading The Broken Heart, I am even more freaked out about hospitals. I’m sure I am not the only one that gets tensed up just entering one.

After the surgery she felt an icy cold in the center of her chest and would carry that for the rest of her life. She knew…things were going to be different now. No more doormat to Jack. No more shying away in fear from Owen.

Her rant in her therapist’s office…I could see it unfold and I loved it. He sits there in judgment, doing nothing to help a desperate mother save the life of her infant child from her psychopathic son. I couldn’t help but chuckle under my breath as I read on.

Her in laws sit in judgment, having no clue of the depth of her desperation and I don’t think they would have cared any way. Casey couldn’t do anything thing right, in their eyes. She has no one to support her, no one to lean, no help at all.

Their date night…I went back and forth between wanting to puke and laugh out loud.

I saw some of what was to come and eagerly devoured the words. N J Gallegos didn’t make it so easy to figure everything out and I am happy about that. I couldn’t imagine how the story would end. There are so many possibilities and I wondered what the author would choose. She chose well.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Broken Heart by N J Gallegos.

GOODREADS BLURB

Casey Philips has it all: a deadbeat husband, a psychopathic son, a beautiful newborn daughter, and catastrophic heart failure necessitating an organ transplant. When a serial killer becomes an unexpected organ donor, Casey gets a heart and a new lease on life.

But dark dreams plague the disgruntled housewife—visions of places she’s never been, chasing women she’s never met. Sometimes, Casey wakes up outside her kids’ rooms without realizing how she got there—knife in hand.

How far will a mother with a newly acquired taste for vengeance go to right the wrongs of an abusive husband, an increasingly violent son, and even her own sins? Only the heart knows what it truly wants.

Genre: Dark, Horror, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Thriller
340 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 19, 2023 by Winding Road Stories

ABOUT N J GALLEGOS

N.J. Gallegos is an Emergency Medicine Physician who enjoys horror, medicine, and wicked women looking for revenge. Put all three together? Now we’re talking! She lives in Illinois with her wife and two cats. In her spare time, she enjoys binging reality trash tv, brewing beer, and running while listening to EDM so she can drink said brewed beer.

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Trafficking Endangered Animals – The Tiger Temple by Steven Moore @StevenScribe

Posted on September 11, 2023 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Tiger Temple by Steven Moore was so much more than I anticipated. Sure, I saw the blurb that mentioned Clive Cussler and I have read many books by Clive, so I thought The Tiger Temple would be a good fit. At times, I felt like I was on an adventure with Indiana Jones.

It all begins when a young girl is kidnapped by a vicious crime lord, Jago. As the story unfolds, it becomes even more disturbing. The trafficking of the endangered Sumatran tiger is deplorable. It’s hard to come up with words to describe the senseless killing.

Hiram is friends with the family and by their side every step of the way, as the try to locate Ayu and rescue her. Ayu is a courageous, young girl who fights to survive, . She is dropped in a pit, left to drown when the rain begins to fill it. Besides the rain storm, we have a volcano about to erupt. I love when an author gives an innocent, sweet child a starring role. It sure does tug at the heartstrings, as if the senseless killing of the Sumatran tigers isn’t enough.

Steven Moore gets his ideas from his travels and experiences around the world. It shows in the details his writing provides, with vivid characters and surroundings that make me feel like I am a part of the adventure. An adventure that shares the good and bad of humanity. One family member makes the ultimate sacrifice, and I think Steven Moore handled the situation in the best way possible.

It took me reading The Tiger Temple and Hiram Kane to get me engrossed in the series. Sure, the blurb caught my attention, along with the vibrant red of the cover, but it was the story itself that drew me deeper and deeper into Hiram Kane’s adventure.

The disgust I felt over the graphic details of the trafficking of the Sumatran tiger and it’s ‘parts’ was very disturbing. We know these things go on today and maybe Steven Moore’s story can help in some way.

GOODREADS BLURB

A betrayed criminal. A kidnapped child. A deadly race against time.

On the Island of the Gods, expedition leader Hiram Kane is on holiday after a long season guiding in the Peruvian Andes.

When a good friend’s greed leads him to betray Bali’s most notorious gangster, their peaceful community is left shell-shocked after the six-year-old daughter of its leader gets kidnapped in a vicious and violent raid.

What follows is a whirlwind race across the paradise island to rescue the girl before ‘The Rooster’ takes his sadistic revenge, and with the waking giant of volcanic Mt. Agung threatening to destroy them all, Kane risks everything to prevent a devastating tragedy.

The Tiger Temple is the exciting new prequal to the Hiram Kane adventure series. For fans of Russell Blake and Clive Cussler, Steven Moore’s action thriller will leave you breathless.

Genre: Action and Adventure, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
372 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 20, 2017 by Condor Publishing
Series: Hiram Kane Adventure

ABOUT STEVE MOORE

Englishman Steven Moore grew up by the seaside, thus his first true joy was the great outdoors. His innate love of travel and a degree in anthropology, archaeology, and art history help inform his fiction writing. Steven also loves painting, photography, and both playing and watching sport.

The travel bug bit the now perpetual nomad early, and to date Steven has lived and worked on five continents, and visited almost sixty countries. Steven combines an age-old writing adage; Write what you know, with his own mantra; Write where you know, and sets most of his novels in places in which he has either lived or spent an extended period of time.

When not on the road with his writer wife Leslie, San Miguel de Allende in Mexico is home, which they share with their rescue cats Ernest Hemingway and F Scott Fitzgerald (Ernie and Fitz).

A lifelong love of food, wine, and beer have demanded a new-found love of yoga and hiking in order to fend off the imminent arrival of middle age.

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Animal Attraction – Denying My Wolf by Scarlett West @iamscarlettwest

Posted on September 9, 2023 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Denying My Wolfe is Book II in the Stone Mountain Wolf Shifter series by Scarlett West. It’s a pretty quick read at 165 pages in print, but it does not lack in animal attraction, steamy sex, and danger.

“Run her until she collapses,” my beta called out….

Julia is attacked by her pack, driving her to the enemy, Ethan’s pack. She is an alpha and he is a Beta, but she will bow down to save her sister. Can she find a home with the enemy? Can she save her sister?

Ethan is promised to another, prophesied by a seer. If, Julia can’t change that and create an alliance between the two packs, her sister will die. Of course, nothing is ever cut and dried and the past relationship comes to light when they cannot hide their attraction any longer.

Denying My Wolf by Scarlett West is a quick read, but the writing makes the wolf shifters world come to life. Julia running through the woods, the wind flowing through her fur, the smell of the forest as air rushed through her lungs…

The inner dialogue she has with her wolf has me cracking up, but I’ll leave that for you to find out for yourself. It is well worth the smiles.

Because of Twilight, I can see it all unfold before my eyes. Sure, there wasn’t any vampires, but the wolfie scenes came to life. The battles are fought to the death, new alliances are made and we are on to the next romance, Lydia and Jace, who sure do deserve something good in their lives.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Denying My Wolf by Scarlett West.

GOODREADS BLURB

Falling for the pack enemy could destroy us both.

Ethan

After my life was destroyed by a curse, the last thing I needed was a mate—especially from the enemy pack. Julia was dumped on our doorstep for me.

No one knows about the time we hooked up in our teens, and damn if I never got her out of my system. Old sparks ignite between us, igniting a feral hunger I can’t stop, driving my wolf to claim her for good.

But can I put aside an old grudge and accept the only woman who stirs my wolf?

Julia

Rejected by my pack as an outcast, I’m delivered to the enemy in an arranged marriage.

No one knows Ethan crushed my heart when we were younger, yet he’s become devastatingly handsome and reawakened an intoxicating attraction my wolf finds impossible to ignore. Still, that doesn’t mean I have to let him back in my heart. I’m determined to fight my wolf’s need to mark him, but Ethan won’t take no for an answer.

And I’ve got secrets of my own.

My father is responsible for the curse and if anyone finds out, I’m dead.

If you love moody alphas, sassy heroines, and hot paranormal romance with a heart, Denying My Wolf, is for you. It’s the first standalone book in the Stone Mountain Wolf Shifters Series. Scroll up and One-Click this steamy wolf shifter romance that’s bound to pull your heartstrings.

Genre: Fiction, Occult, Paranormal, Parapsychology, Supernatural, Shapeshifters, Werewolves
Format: 165 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication: September 21, 2023 by Passion Press
Language: English
Series: Stone Mountain Wolf Shifters

ABOUT SCARLETT WEST

Scarlett West writes steamy, paranormal romance featuring sexy Fae. Deep characters and hot romance are her thing.

An avid reader and writer who will never stop dreaming, Scarlett has traveled to many countries and been on tons of adventures. She draws her stories from these places, life experiences, and her grand imagination.

Besides writing, she’s a hobby herbalist and a dancer. If she’s not by the computer typing these things up, she can be found in a forest, on a mountain, or by the ocean.

Scarlett West would like to thank her three F’s: Fans, Family, and Friends. Thank you forever for your support.

Website / Facebook / Twitter

MY SCARLET WEST REVIEWS

Stolen In The Dark (Fae Bureau of Investigation)
Hunted In The Dark (Fae Bureau of Investigation)
Cursed In The Dark (Fae Bureau of Investigation)
Enemy In The Dark (Fae Bureau of Investigation)
Fated In The Dark (Fae Bureau of Investigation)
Dragon Craved (Dragon Shifter Island)
Entangled Darkness (Immortal Desire Series)
Defying My Wolf (Stone Mountain Wolf Shifters)

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Risen From The Dead – The Legend Of Rachel Petersen by J T Baroni #JTBaroni

Posted on September 8, 2023 by fundinmental

I was excited to get my hands on this book. I mean, look at that cover..and his inspiration for writing it. How cool is that? Welcome to fundinmental J T.

How did this book come about?

While hunting whitetail one year, I stumbled upon a weathered tombstone in the middle of the woods. Waiting patiently for that big buck to cross my path gave me plenty of time to think about that lone grave’s inhabitant and ponder her story, which I was then driven to write.

Eerily enough, this is the premise of The Legend of Rachel Petersen, my first novel that Damnation Books in California published in 2012, which I have just recently revised, then self-published. Between holding down a job as a transformer repairman, and life in general, it me took two years to write the original book back then.

However! I am now enjoying retirement; and in the first half of 2023, I revised the story by adding 165 pages and a new ending chapter. My ghost tale is now even more descriptive, has added details, and the final chapter comes out of left field and smacks you upside the head!

Describe your writing habits.

I simply write when it’s raining, or when the urge hits, but mostly when I think of a good scene and the thoughts are flowing. Sometimes the rough draft will sit on the shelf for a month or longer, then I’ll dust it off and look at it with a fresh perspective.Only after ten or more chapters when I get lost, do I start an outline.

Do you listen to music while writing?

Sometimes I tell Alexa to play Santa Esmeralda, Supertramp, Bob Seger, INXS, or the Golden Oldies, or the news. At times, silence, especially when I’m using the narrator function during editing.

Which authors influenced your writing?

I enjoyed Harold Robbins’s The Adventurers, Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer, and John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. I know I’m telling my age with that answer, but I enjoyed their books because they wrote captivating stories that held my interest to the last page.

Are there any projects in the works now?

I’m 32 chapters into a psychological thriller. The plot revolves around a psychologist and an attorney who are planning to rule the world; they both share the same dark secret, but one of them has a deadly, ulterior motive. Three more chapters should finish it. Then edit, edit, edit… Keep your eyes open for, “Tell Me about your Childhood.”

It’s funny, but when I asked you for your thoughts I left it up to you, and you covered all the things I was thinking of. I love when great minds think alike, don’t you? LOL I’m excited to see what you come up with next, since I think The Legend Of Rachel Petersen was a hit!

Amazon / Goodreads

UPDATE: J T Baroni now has an Apple audiobook available, created by AI.

MY REVIEW

I confess. It was the cover that drew me in. It had that horror, paranormal, supernatural feel to it and I investigated further. When I finished the book, I found where the author’s inspiration came from. He was deer hunting and came across a tombstone. As he sat there, waiting for that elusive big buck to come through, he had plenty of time to wonder and ponder…and that What If came to life.

Christian Kane is a sports writer for The Post Gazette. He doesn’t get the anticipated promotion he was expecting and quits to write fiction. The Legend of Rachel Petersen is about the characters finding a tombstone hidden in the briars on their property and what happens after.

“We are living in a house where a twelve year old girl went cuckoo, killed her family, an’ then hanged herself in our barn.”

A book in a book is always a fun concept. J T Baroni did foreshadow what was to come and I love that he did it in such a way that I never took notice. Well done. I found myself laughing…at myself. There are other moments of laughter and I love an author that incorporates fun into some doom and gloom.

The ending was worth a star alone. I love when an author can catch me so off guard I am left with my mouth hanging open. I highly recommend The Legend Of Rachel Petersen by J T Baroni and I would love to know what you think.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Legend of Rachel Petersen by J T Baroni.

GOODREADS BLURB

Did his book raise the dead? Outraged when The Post Gazette overlooks him for a promotion, thirty-nine year old sports writer, Christian Kane quits and moves to the country to write fiction. Inspiration flows from a grave he stumbles upon in the woods. He compiles The Legend of Rachel Petersen, a fascinating story revolving around the dead twelve year old girl lying beneath the weathered tombstone. His book becomes a Best Seller; then Hollywood makes it in to a blockbuster movie. Kane becomes rich and famous, but only to have Rachel rise from the grave to seek revenge on him for slandering her name!

Genre: Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural
Kindle Edition (Revised Edition)
First published November 23, 2011 by Sky Publishing

EXCERPT

Page 79

Staring back at him were two large empty eye sockets in a tiny skull, which rested on a satin pillow. Her facial skin, once having a flawless peaches and cream complexion, was now brown, deeply gouged with wrinkles, and drawn tight, exposing her baby teeth. Her nose was reduced to two narrow slits. Red hair, parted in the middle, covered her forehead before coming to rest in curls on her shoulders.

Page 80

While jumping up and down, he tripped over the shovel’s handle and fell face first over the freshly dug dirt pile back into the grave, landing three inches from Rachel’s mummified face; he swore he saw Rachel smile at him!

Page 82

His eyes widened and his jaw fell open. Floating on top of the broth were the words… ‘help me’… spelled out with the alphabet macaroni! Thaddeus quickly stirred his soup and watched in awe as the words reappeared amongst the chunks of chicken, chopped celery, and diced carrots — ‘help me.’

ABOUT J T BARONI (from Amazon)

Living in Western Pennsylvania all my life, I have been an avid Whitetail hunter since I was old enough to tote a rifle, which is also about as long as I’ve had a fondness for word games and literature. While hunting last year, I actually did stumble upon a weathered tombstone in the middle of the woods. Waiting patiently for any deer to cross my path gave me plenty of time to think about that lone grave’s inhabitant and ponder her story, which I was then driven to write. Eerily enough, this is the premise of The Legend of Rachel Petersen, my first published novel. I have also composed several songs that are currently signed with a music publisher.

My home is Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a small town outside of Pittsburgh, where my wife Becky and I are both proud members of the Lions International. We share our home with our son, Skyler, and an AKC boxer, Butkus.

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Creature Feature – What Doesn’t Kill You by Ken Brosky #KenBrosky #Horror

Posted on September 6, 2023 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The intriguing cover for What Doesn’t Kill You by Ken Brosky caught my eye and I had to check further. I am glad I did, because I love creature features and stories that put characters to the test…and they will be. Not all will survive and I love that too. (evil grin)

Emma rolls into town, bringing with her a gift that will change the town forever. It invades the town slowly, and has a sweetness to those who claim its gift. Don’t we all know that nothing comes without a cost, and no on knows what the cost will be.

Valerie and Danny are the stars, but they are not alone. Some of the most surprising characters are those staying at the halfway house, seeking help for their addictions.

In a small town, there are no secrets, and Seven Sisters is in dire need of anything that can help the people, since Highway 55 became the Old Highway 55. How many towns have died because progress has passed them by? Why do they stay, when there is no future? What would be the lure that would compel people to move on? Does Emma know?

For Seven Sisters to survive, residents will be put to the test, needing the courage to fight for what is their lives. They will need to work together. They will need to draw from deep inside and find the strength to overcome their fear.

What Doesn’t Kill You by Ken Brosky was not exactly what I thought it would be, but the more involved I became, the more the characters drew me in, the more the tension built. The pacing and action allowed the suspense to build and I did not see the end coming. I do appreciate an author that can make me say, “Well, I sure didn’t see that coming.”

I felt the rating jumping between a three and a four. Whenever that happens, a four it is.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of What Doesn’t Kill You by Ken Brosky.

GOODREADS BLURB

Valerie Miller and her younger brother have spent their entire lives in the dreary town of Seven Sisters, where most people are resigned to a bleak future of debt and despair. But when a mysterious woman with a dark past arrives, she brings with her a gift that could transform the town’s fortunes – and the lives of Val and Danny.

This extraordinary woman’s power is both awe-inspiring and terrifying, capable of unleashing a force that will shake Seven Sisters to its core. The stakes are high, and danger is omnipresent. Can Val and Danny rise to the challenge and seize the opportunity to finally break free from the suffocating grip of their hometown? Or will they fall victim to the terrors unleashed by this enigmatic figure? One thing is certain–when the sun rises on Seven Sisters, nothing will ever be the same again.

Part creature-feature, part survival story, What Doesn’t Kill You will keep you on the edge of your seat as Val and Danny fight for their lives and all of Seven Sisters.

Genre: Fiction, Horror
274 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 5, 2023 by Timber Ghost Press

ABOUT KEN BROSKY

Here’s the short and skinny:

I got my bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from UW-Eau Claire
I got my Master’s Degree in Writing from the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
I wrote a bunch of books and short stories.
Some got published, many did not.
I self-published a YA series, which was awesome.
More stuff got rejected.
I sold a book to Kindle Press.
I wrote a mystery novel.

Sometimes, in between this stuff, I do woodworking.

Website

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Vigilante Justice – The Disposables by David Putnam @daveputnam @oceanviewpub

Posted on September 1, 2023 by fundinmental

I was so excited when I won hardcover, signed copies of The Disposables, The Squandered, and The Heartless, and a signed paperback of The Scorned by David Putnam.

Today, I am going to share The Disposables in the Bruno Johnson Thriller series by David Putnam.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have read the Bruno Johnson series out of order, but now I am back with the first book in the series, The Disposables by David Putnam. David’s personal life bleeds into his fiction in a realistic fashion. His characters not only walk the Thin Blue Line, they cross it…repeatedly. Bad Boy Bruno Johnson is a disgraced Los Angeles policeman, recently released from prison for murder. He is constantly amazed to have a girlfriend like Maria, who only sees the good in him. Neither one can turn their back on the abused and neglected children that enter their lives. I love the lengths these characters will go to do the right thing. Vigilante justice is something I can understand, even though, if everyone took the law into their own hands, we would be back in the Wild West. I don’t have Book II, The Replacements on hand, so I will be skipping to Book III, The Squandered.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Disposables by David Putnam.

GOODREADS BLURB

Bruno Johnson, a tough street cop, member of the elite violent crime task force, feared by the bad guys, admired by the good, finds his life derailed when a personal tragedy forces him to break the law. Now he’s an ex-con and his life on parole is not going well. He is hassled by the police at every opportunity and to make matters even more difficult, his former partner, Robby Wicks, now a high-ranking detective, bullies him into helping solve a high profile crime – unofficially, of course. Meantime, Bruno’s girlfriend, Marie, brings out the good, the real Bruno, and even though they veer totally outside the law, he and Marie dedicate themselves to saving abused children, creating a type of underground railroad for neglected kids at risk, disposable kids. What they must do is perilous they step far outside the law, battling a warped justice system and Bruno’s former partner, with his own evil agenda.

Genres: Action and Adventure, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Vigilante
272 pages, Hardcover
First published April 26, 2014 by Oceanview Publishing
Series: Bruno Johnson #1

ABOUT DAVID PUTNAM

Best-selling author David Putnam comes from a family of law enforcement. During his career, he did it all: worked in narcotics, served on FBI-sponsored violent crimes teams, and was cross-sworn as a US Marshall, pursuing murder suspects and bank robbers in Arizona, Nevada, and California. Putnam did two tours on the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s SWAT team. He also has experience in criminal intelligence and internal affairs and has supervised corrections, patrol, and a detective bureau. In Hawaii, Putnam was a member of the real-life Hawaii Five O, serving as Special Agent for the Attorney General investigating smuggling and white-collar crimes.

Putnam lives in Southern California with his wife, Mary.

Website / Twitter

MY DAVID PUTNAM REVIEWS

The Scorned

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Shall We Play A Game – The Mystery Game by Michael Chikondi #michaelbchikondi #vampires

Posted on August 30, 2023 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Sinjen, the vampire, takes a vacation, his first time off in fifty years. He’s taking his Thrall, Jack, his human friends, Miriam and Richard, and his lost love, Carlotta to a caste where they will play a murder mystery game.

I love Sinjen. He’s a complicated vampire. He is needy, looking for love, for a reason to get up each night. He searches for a reason to live, and I think he found it when he met Miriam. He won’t change her, won’t keep her for himself. But, his friend, who he thought was his thrall, is in love with her and she seems to be attracted to him too. Will Richard and Miriam marry? Probably.

With Miriam he has found a new vocation? Solving mysteries. Their first, which was supposed to be a game, turned into exposing the rogue vampire that is killing people in a most gruesome and torturous way.

The event takes place in a castle, so will there be a ghost or two?

We have a snowstorm and they are cut off from the world. Is it Aster’s doing? Aster is a vampire that dominates all others. I thought it was him, but when they discover the group is not the only vampires, Aster finds it is better not to use his ability to control the weather. Still, a vampire is never stranded and I was surprised when Sinjen turned into a wolf. I knew they misted, which was cool. He also has the ability to hypnotize people, so he can take a sip or two and wipe their minds.

I am hooked on these characters. Sinjen is such a unique vampire. He is so needy, yet strong and savage when necessary. He is dominated by Eliza, a cruel mistress that revels in his pain, but now, since The Mystery Game, Aster has given him an out and he plans on using it to his advantage. I can hardly wait to see what his next adventure will be.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Mystery Game by Michael B Chikondi.

GOODREADS BLURB

With his first time off in fifty years, Sinjen Carlyle decides to take his friends, Miriam, Jack and the fair Carlotta out to enjoy a murder mystery play. It’s to be set over a week, at a castle in the Scottish Highlands. Their hosts, an eccentric mystery writer and his charming wife. Before they have even made it to their rooms, he begins to suspect that he and Carlotta may not be the only two vampires there. As a snowstorm rolls in, and the play begins to blend fantasy a little too closely to reality, could there be a more sinister cause? And, with three vampires penned into on building, can they solve the play, and manage their appetites, before a real death takes place?

Genres: Fiction, Idle Hands Series, Paranormal, Standalone, Supernatural, Vampires
209 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 26, 2023

ABOUT MICHAEL B CHIKONDI (from Amazon)

Michael B. Chikondi is not to be trusted, but the creature agrees to a meeting in its burrow. We enter with trepidation, given that the thing has no doorbell. As we crawl through the narrow tunnel, gored out by its own teeth, by the texture, we hear what can only be described as a hacking cough.

“Can we approach?” we call.

“No soliciting.” the voice returns.

“You sent for us; you told us to ask you questions. You know, for promotional reasons.”

“Ask.” the dread voice responds.

“Alright, who are you?” we try.

“A creature of mist and shadow, half-mad, I used to go out, I did, and know those…humans. Not now, not since…the pen.”

“You found a pen? That’s why you became a writer?” we ask, now terrified, trying to gauge how fast we can leave the burrow. The photographer has already left us, chewing off his own watch, caught on a tree root.

“Yes, but now…I hunger…”

We are not proud; we turn tail and flee, before it can leave its den. We aren’t paid enough to get a full bio. We can only pray someone buys its books, so that the thing never comes out on its own.

Ed. What the hell is this? This isn’t what we requested. Just some nonsense and an artist’s rendition of what one of my people saw before he contracted rabies? Eh, whatever. Plenty more writers in the sea.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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Giveaway & Review – Wedding Bells Brew Murder by Carolyn Arnold @dollycas @Carolyn_Arnold #WeddingBellsBrewMurder #NetGalley

Posted on August 29, 2023 by fundinmental

Wedding Bells Brew Murder (Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery Series)
by Carolyn Arnold

About Wedding Bells Brew Murder

MY REVIEW

Carolyn Arnold is always a must read for me. Cozies can be fun and mysterious, so I was excited to be able to get my hands on the second book, Wedding Bells Brew Murder, of the Sara And Sean Cozy Mystery series.

Sean McKinley had inherited a fortune and proposed to Sara. Since then, their lives have been a whirlwind. They quit their jobs as homicide detectives for the Albany Police Department and have spent their time traveling the world.

Tomorrow was on track to be a perfect day, their wedding day, but knowing Carolyn Arnold, it won’t stay that way. And it doesn’t. Sara and Sean are on the job, but not. They are told to stay out of the way, by an admirer and the the leader of the investigation, Ryan. He’d always had a crush on her, so maybe she did the wrong thing calling him.

Magnum is their trusty beagle and can sniff out all kinds of things. He can be a bit disobedient, but all in all, he fits right into their lives. He will prove very helpful.

The past comes a calling. Carolyn Arnold does visit the past to fill in the blanks and I love that about her books. They can stand alone, though I always recommend beginning at the beginning. Each one is enjoyable and adds hours of entertainment for your reading pleasure.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Wedding Bells Brew Murder by Carolyn Arnold.

SYNOPSIS

With all the guests at Sara and Sean’s wedding suspected of murder, her walk down the aisle will need to wait…
Everything is going perfectly on the big day until Sara opens the door of her bridal suite. Darlene Day, who made the wedding cake, falls into the room, a serving knife plunged into her back.
As the organists start to play “Here Comes the Bride,” Sara calls a pause to the proceedings. There’s a murder to solve, and the motive may be in the icing.
Darlene wasn’t the most loved person in the small town of Cotton Spring Falls, but rumor has it that she refused the offer of a big franchise to buy her bakery. Did they go so far as murder to put her out of business?
But when it’s discovered their wedding cake was poisoned, Sara and Sean could have been the intended victims all along. Did Darlene stumble upon the killer’s conspiracy and they silenced her before she could reveal their secret? Is it someone on the invitation list or the mysterious wedding crasher?
As long as the coffee is hot, and Sara has Sean and her beagle, Magnum, at her side, she isn’t going down in a heap of tulle and lace.
Wedding Bells Brew Murder is a closed-room mystery in the fashion of the great Agatha Christie that fans of Emma Davies, Verity Bright, and Helena Dixon will enjoy reading.

About Carolyn Arnold

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an internationally bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has many published books. Her genre diversity offers readers police procedurals, hard-boiled and cozy mysteries, thrillers, and action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

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

She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.

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