Tag Archives: 4 star review

Review – Blood Moon by Heather Graham & Jon Land @heathergraham @jondland

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The action-packed follow up to The Rising, from acclaimed thriller-suspense novelists Heather Graham and Jon Land, this is Blood Moon (from Goodreads)

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love the collaboration between Heather Graham and Jon Land in The Rising series. I was surprised that Jon was into writing science fiction and hooking up (lol) with Heather Graham, but it’s allllll good. Heather and Jon are two of my must read authors.

Why now?

What’s happening?

Two worlds collide and it is explosive.

He had been protecting the book for the past thirty years and thought he would do the same until time to pass it on to the next protector…But that was not to be. Raiff ran, but where was he going and why he didn’t know. What he did know is people sacrificed their lives for him.

Alex and Sam, high school seniors, are being called on….again…to save the world.

Elaine had discovered the existence of Earth and built up a force to send refuges there to ready themselves for the Great War.

Alex is an alien by birth, but he’d lived with humans his entire life. Raiff grew up in an alien world. Together, with Sam, a human, they work to defeat the evil that wants to exterminate humankind. Could their friendship grow into more, as the characters develop and mature?

Androids. Endoskeletons, Golem. An enemy who’s only goal is to stop them. What’s next?

Golems. How can they be defeated? I stopped and wallowed in my fear for a while. I love how Sam, who has no superpowers, dealt with them. It had me laughing, picturing it…once the danger was under control.

I have been to a Mayan city and climbed Chichen Itza. That the Blood Moon will take place in El Mirador, a Mayan City, added an extra element to the story, for me. I could visualize them running through the ruins, as they fight for their lives and the lives of all humanity. Sacrifices will be required, and, though, I knew what was coming, it didn’t make me any happier.

The story is not over. There is much more to come, and I plan on being there for it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Blood Moon by Heather Graham & Jon Land.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The recipient of RWA’s Lifetime Achievement Award and ITW’s ThrillerMaster Award, Heather Graham is at the pinnacle of her career. Now she’s teamed up with USA Today bestselling author Jon Land to continue the story of high school seniors Alex Chin and Samantha Dixon.

They may have managed to win a major battle against the powerful enemy determined to destroy civilization as we know it. But the war continues, with Alex and Sam embarking on a desperate journey to save mankind, even as their friendship blossoms into something much more.

The roadmap for their journey lies in a mysterious book, the language of which has never been deciphered, until Alex finds himself able to translate the words that may hold the keys to saving the future. Toward that end, Alex’s and Sam’s quest spirits them away to a myriad of locations around the world, each of which holds another piece of the puzzle that can defeat the alien invaders.

But an ageless foe, long the guardian of the secrets his race has left behind on Earth, arises to stop them at all costs. At his disposal is a deadly and merciless army that has been awaiting this very war, an army as unstoppable as it is relentless.

Over the ruins of the lost Mayan city of El Mirador, a blood moon is about to rise, triggering the end of mankind unless Alex and Sam can prevail in a struggle that will determine the fate of the planet. As forces both ancient and modern converge, as painful choices must be made and sacrifices accepted, two young heroes will rise again to stand as the final line of defense to preserve their world and their love.

ABOUT HEATHER GRAHAM

 Also published as Heather Graham Pozzessere and Shannon Drake.

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell’s Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette’s Shadows, and for Harlequin’s mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.

Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children’s charity.

She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards frorn Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.

Heather loves travel and anything have to do with the water, and is a certitified scuba diver. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living.

Website  /  Facebook  /  Twitter  /  YouTube

MY HEATHER GRAHAM REVIEWS

ABOUT JON LAND

Jon Land

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

Stalk Jon:  Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook 

MY JON LAND REVIEWS

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Review – The Sixth Discipline & No Safe Haven by Carmen Webster Buxton @CarmenWBuxton

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Carmen Webster Buxton writes some amazing stories. I am working my way through all her books. Today, I am sharing my reviews for The Sixth Discipline and No Safe Haven, a duology.

You can get The Sixth Discipline for FREE

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have numerous books by Carmen Webster Buxton. I love her writing so much, I am working my way through her entire body of work. The Sixth Discipline & No Safe Haven are a science fiction duology and I don’t want to waste any time getting right to it.

Kidnapped and dropped into a foreign world, Ran Del has no idea why he was taken.

Francesca’s father has a problem…and a plan. He feels Ran Del may be the answer.

Even though Francesca’s world is familiar to me through Carmen Webster Buxton’s writing, Ran Del’s is not. He is a Sansoussy, growing up in the Sansoussy Forest. The Sansoussy have a very distinct mental and physical Discipline. The world building makes me feel Ran Del’s world is a simpler world, more respectful of the nature that surrounds them. But, there are always complexities that are not revealed to outsiders. But Carmen is willing to share their hidden world.

The characters, especially Ran Del, are the stars. It was fun watching him and Francesca grow, mature, and develop into more well rounded characters through their experiences. He’s from the woods, she’s from the city. An arranged marriage. But, there was more going on than meets the eye. Isn’t that how it usually is?

As Ran Del learns about the city and Francesca learns about the Sansoussy way, I do too.

The writing kept the story flowing smoothly, danger and intrigue amongst the every day doings. Ran Del and Francesca feel each other out, learn to share their thoughts and feelings. Can they actually fall in love? Become a family? Hold the fort against those who are determined to take them down?

I have Book II, No Safe Haven, so I will begin that pronto.

I vacillated between 3 and 4 stars. I think it was more me than the book. When that happens, I round up, so 4 stars it is.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Ran-Del Jahanpur is a warrior of the Sansoussy Forest, trained in both the mental and physical Disciplines of his people. He thinks he’s prepared for any danger the forest might hold, but his skills prove useless when he’s caught in a hi-tech trap. Soon Ran-Del finds himself in a city so alien it might as well be another world—machines speak, vehicles fly, and his captors’ weapons can inflict pain without touching him. Every time Ran-Del tries to escape, he’s foiled by a technology he doesn’t understand. As terrifying as the city is, his kidnapper, the enigmatic Baron Hayden, exudes a jovial affability that worries the Sansoussy even more. What can such a powerful man want with a Sansoussy warrior, who can neither read nor write and knows nothing of city ways? The Baron’s daughter Francesca clearly knows more than she’s saying, but Ran-Del’s psy sense tells him only she’s being truthful, not what she’s thinking. And it’s only after it seems that Ran-Del has escaped the city and its dangers, that he finds out how thoroughly he has been caught.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I am now totally invested in Ran Del and Francesca’s lives…and so are they.

I have learned of Ran Del’s psy talents and Francesca’s ability to run the House of Hayden empire. They learn to work together and forge a marriage of love and commitment.

When danger strikes and life changing decisions have to be made, strange bedfellows will make for unlikely partners.

Freddie, as I learn about his situation, his heart, he doesn’t seem like such an arrogant, bad guy, as he did in The Sixth Discipline. Carmen Webster Buxton shows us that a book cannot be judged by its cover. People put up a front, give up when hitting a brick wall…or at least it seems they do. Give people a chance and they might surprise you.

Freddie will play an important role in the House of Hayden’s future.

The clan shaman had said Ran Del’s destiny was in the city and his life will come full circle.

As all the forces come together, I love how Carmen brought the story to an end. I did not see it happening the way it did, but it makes perfect sense. Well done Carmen.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Ran-Del Jahanpur still doesn’t know what his clan shaman foresaw in his vision of the future. Whatever the old man saw made him force Ran-Del to leave the forest and marry Baron Hayden’s daughter. In spite of minor jealousies, Ran-Del and Francesca have forged a strong marriage. Ran-Del is still a warrior, but he’s comfortable in the city partly because few people know of the psy abilities that make him so useful to the House of Hayden. Francesca is happy Ran-Del can see her thoughts well enough to know her feelings for her old flame Freddie Leong have cooled. Fortunately, psy talents are rare in the city, and no one knows the true circumstances of her marriage, not even Freddie. As heir to House Leong, Freddie has his own problems; he spends his days trying to escape his mother’s iron control and ensure she never kills his father.
But not all the dangers of Haven lie in the cities. In the mountains to the north, the fiercely independent people known as the Horde have changed their ways. Instead of fighting among themselves and raiding in force, they now use cunning to get what they need. When the Horde strikes, Ran-Del and Francesca face a threat far worse than either of them ever imagined. And then finally, Ran-Del confronts his destiny.

ABOUT CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON

Carmen Webster Buxton

Carmen Webster Buxton spent her youth reading every book published by Ursula LeGuin, Robert Heinlein and Georgette Heyer. This combination of far-future worlds, alien cultures, and old-fashioned courting customs influenced her writing, especially in her ThreeCon series.

Carmen was born in Hawaii and experienced a peripatetic childhood, as her father was in the US Navy. Having raised two wonderful children, she now lives in Maryland with her husband Charlie, and a beagle named Cosmo. She writes science fiction (often including a romance, and mostly set in the far future), and the occasional fantasy.

Carmen has published many books:

WAKANREO SERIES
Alien Bonds
Alien Vows
Alien Skies

HAVEN SERIES
The Sixth Discipline
No Safe Haven

THREECON SERIES (can be read in any order)
The Nostalgia Gambit
Saronna’s Gift
Shades of Empire
Tribes
Worlds Apart

ALTERNATE HISTORY
King of Trees

YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION
Turnabout
Drifters

FANTASY
Where Magic Rules
Bag of Tricks
Hidden Magic

THE NAMELESS WORLD SAGA (coming in 2021)
The North Edge of Nowhere
Oaths and Promises

Carmen often blogs about ereaders, digital publishing, writing, and speculative fiction. Visit her blog to see what’s coming out next! To ask questions or to provide feedback on her books, send email to carmen.webster.buxton (at) gmail.com.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON REVIEWS

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Review – My Daddy The Serial Killer by Cindy Kovacik #CindyKovacik

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The above cover is from an old like I found on Goodreads. The below cover is the newer one. Which do you like better? Me….the top one.

Amazon / Goodreads / B&N

MY REVIEW

OMG! I LOVE the cover and the title….well, it says it all. I knew I had to have it!

Brutal. Bloody. Savage.

An open basement door.

A beach ball.

She was six years old when she ‘met’ her first woman.

Her favorite toy was no longer. Would she be punished for destroying it?

Her daddy had changed…become mean.

Her father writes for the Harlington Post. At first the article would start out innocuous, then take a darker turn. Like the cat that falls out of a tree and is OK, but the boy that tries to save it falls and breaks his arm.

I felt the book could go one of three ways: Become him. Leave him. Kill him.

I quickly became immersed in the story of Katelyn Deason. My heart went out to her. At six years old, she can’t fight back. Even though I loved the story, I felt there were no surprises for me. The writing flowed smoothly. Katelyn grew older. I couldn’t imagine tip toeing around the house, flinching at just the sight of her daddy, no mommy, no friends, being bullied.

I do wonder what happened to her mother, but I think it is pretty easy to surmise her demise. Why does no one come to her aid? Her daddy is a sweet talker, a charmer…until he isn’t.

My Daddy The Serial Killer is the only book I see by Cindy Kovacik, but I must say she did a superb job of grossing me out, pissing me off and keeping me entertained (don’t judge me).

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of My Daddy The Serial Killer by Cindy Kovacik.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Katelyn Deason was young, naive, and innocent at six years old.

That is, until she made the mistake of descending those cellar steps and viewing the first of many horrors down below.

You see, her father wasn’t who she thought he was. He wasn’t the loving and “normal” daddy that all the other kids had. He was very different.

She soon realizes how different as the years pass and unspeakable things begin to happen.

Will Katelyn be able to cling to her sanity after witnessing all of Daddy’s horrors?

ABOUT CINDY KOVACIK

Words cannot express how much I love the horror genre. I have finally accomplished a life long goal of writing a horror novel and getting it published. It took a long time and a lot of hard work but was worth it in the end. I am a 35 year old mother who likes to push herself to always do better and work harder. Now that I have a published book, I would like to start writing book #2. My biggest influences have been Stephen King and Edgar Allen Poe. I have been reading and writing since I was a little girl and I hope to continue as I get older and wiser.

Amazon

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Review – Back In The USSR by Patrick D Joyce #PatrickDJoyce

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I think Back In The USSR by Patrick D Joyce is a book that young adults and teens would love, an adventure of mystery and political intrigue. AND, if you grew up with The Beatles like I did, and love adventure, I think you may interested too.

Harrison George and Prudence accidentally become involved in the search for the missing White Album by the Beatles. There are others that want it too, gangsters and spies. Harrison grows up quickly, as he and Prudence try to figure out WHY.

I would, normally, give a book like Back In The USSR, a three rating, but Patrick D Joyce gave me more than I expected. It is well written, with a pace that kept me turning pages, wondering what all the fuss is about. He includes much of the Russian culture, their ‘fear’ of the West and the music that could cause a rebellion.

Running through the streets of Russia, dodging the bad guys, Harrison and Prudence learn how far music lovers will go to feel a moment of freedom and joy.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Back In The USSR by Patrick D Joyce.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

They ban rock.

They breed fear.

But one record spins out of control.

When Harrison George, teenage son of American diplomats, arrives in Cold War Moscow for winter break, he plans to daydream and hang out with his friend Prudence Akobo, street-smart daughter of foreign correspondents.

Instead, he and Prudence stumble onto the trail of the Album, a long lost Beatles relic and priceless symbol of freedom in a country where rock music is banned.

Chased by treasure hunters, gangsters and spies, they don’t know who to trust. If they don’t find the Album first, they could end up missing — or dead — themselves.

Harrison and Prudence face a choice. Will they be pawns in a game of global conflict, or can they help a maverick KGB agent on a mission of personal redemption?

For fans of young adult thrillers like Alex Rider, Code Name Verity, and I Must Betray You, and readers of all ages who love the music of The Beatles.

ABOUT PATRICK D JOYCE

Patrick D. Joyce grew up in diplomatic outposts throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas. He writes thriller novels and poetry, and has been a newspaper reporter, political scientist, and medical practice manager. He’s a huge Beatles fan and loves all kinds of music.

Website

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

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MY REVIEW

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

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

Lesson #1: Kill or be eaten

Lesson #2: Trust No One

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

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

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

4 Stars

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

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

HER PLAN IS SIMPLE: FIGHT LIKE HELL!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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SNEAK PEEK:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is Bard healing me?

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

“What did you do?” I whisper.

“Sleep, Lake.”


Author Bio:

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

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

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

www.mimijean.net

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Giveaway!
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MY MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF REVIEWS

MY M O MACK REVIEWS

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Review – Born To Magic by David Wind @david_wind

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Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

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

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

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

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

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

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

ABOUT DAVID WIND

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review – The Wall Men III by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff @MimiJeanRomance

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

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

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

Lesson #1: Kill or be eaten

Lesson #2: Trust No One

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

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

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

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

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

HER PLAN IS SIMPLE: FIGHT LIKE HELL!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF

MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a New York Times bestselling author who’s sold over one million books around the world. Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dreams.

Mimi lives with her Latin lover hubby, two pirates-in-training (their boys), and their three spunky dragons (really, just very tiny dogs with big attitudes) Snowy, Mini, and Mack, in the vampire-unfriendly state of Arizona.

She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

MY MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF REVIEWS

MY M O MACK REVIEWS

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Review – Black Water by Ninie Hammon #BlackWater #NetGalley @niniehammon

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Black Water is my first Ninie Hammon book, but it won’t be my last. I want to thank NetGalley and Sterling & Stone for the opportunity to red Black Water.

Black Water by Ninie Hammon was free at time of posting, so, if this sounds interesting, check it out and pick up a copy for yourself HERE.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Well, I am sure glad I grabbed a copy of Black Water by Ninie Hammon. I have not read any of her work, until now. There is a lot going on and the story is told my multiple points of view. A novel like Black Water, with the title and the cover, lures me in. I love any books that deal with water, whether on it, in it, or under it.

It all starts with Bailey Donahue moving into the Watford House. She is on the run from the Mafia and Witness Protection landed her in the small town of Shadow Rock. She has no intention of being there for long…suicide is on her mind, but she has not met T J and Dobbs…yet.

This unlikely cast of characters, T J, Dobbs, and the sheriff, Brice, come together when Bailey shoots herself. I love the mix of the paranormal and supernatural world, along with realistic characters and the situations they find themselves in. Their need to do something about a danger only they can see does not allow them to turn their back. They risk their lives to save innocent people from losing theirs.

The whole ‘coal country’ crap had me so pissed off, I wanted to do…something. I believe this type of thing continues to this day, companies walking away, leaving their toxic waste behind, leaving it for someone else to clean up. This being the twenty first century, I am amazed that it still happens. What does that say about those who are supposed to be the watchdogs, keeping us safe? I could continue to rant about this part of the book, but there is more to the story and I want you to experience it for yourself.

Through the beginning of the book, I read along, no sense of urgency, but I was curious and the characters quickly began to grow on me. The slow build up made it easy for Ninie Hammon to catch me off guard when the danger overflowed the pages, making the last third or quarter of the book unputdownable. Even though it ended in a predictable manner, sort of, I was happy at the outcome and breathed a sigh of relief when the last word was read.

Bailey finds her purpose, as do T J, Dobbs, and Brice. I love that Black Water is part of the Through The Canvas series. I can see where the series is headed and hope to be along for the ride.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From Ninie Hammon, master of psychological suspense, comes the long-awaited thrilling new series you won’t be able to put down.

Bailey Donahue has to stay dead.

After witnessing her husband’s murder, Bailey is ripped from her life and placed in the Witness Protection Program in the sleepy town of Shadow Rock.

Believed dead by the mafia, Bailey is trapped in a torturous limbo, unable to return to her life — and her eighteen-month-old daughter — without risking the lives of those she loves most.

Losing all hope, she attempts suicide, only to wake in the hospital and discover that not only is she alive, she’s woken with a “gift” – she can paint portraits of events that haven’t happened… yet.

Her first picture: a girl drowning. She doesn’t know who or where the girl is, or how to stop her prediction from coming true.

When two locals offer their help, she feels like she must accept, even though her instincts are screaming that these good samaritans know too much about her.

Can Bailey find the girl and prevent a tragedy — without letting anyone know that she’s still alive?

Black Water is the first book of Ninie Hammon’s new series, Through the Canvas. A riveting psychological thriller series about an ordinary woman ripped from her life, and drawn into dark and thrilling tales by mysterious forces she can’t explain.

ABOUT NINIE HAMMON

I was born in Socorro, New Mexico, sometime shortly after the earth cooled off. It’s clear that from the outset my parents never intended for me to amount to anything. How could I? With a name like “Ninie?” Please.

Fame and fortune do not come to people named Ninie Bovell (My maiden name.) Gabriella Bovary? You could work with that. Even something as pedestrian as Madeline Bovell or Rebecca Bovell or (though you’d lose points here for lack of originality) Elizabeth Bovell. But Ninie? I never had a chance.

If I sound a mite hostile, bear in mind that in one decisive stroke my parents sentenced their precious newborn daughter to a lifetime of explanations that began my first day at Muleshoe Elementary School. (Yeah, Muleshoe. The hits just keep on coming.) After a painful week, I had a rap down that I still use today:

“No, it’s not Ninnie like skinny and penny. It’s Ninie—rhymes with tiny and shiny. 9e…get it? And no, it doesn’t mean anything, it isn’t short for anything, long for anything, or a substitute for anything. It just is. (Pause here for the inevitable ‘Why?’) You got me, pal, I couldn’t tell you.”

I grew up in Texas, got a BA in English and theatre from Texas Tech University and snagged a job as a newspaper reporter. Didn’t know a thing about journalism, but my editor said if I could write he could teach me the rest of it and if I couldn’t write the rest of it didn’t matter. I hung in there for a 25-year career as a journalist. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, but as soon as I figured out that making up the facts was a whole lot more fun than reporting them, I never looked back.

Now, I write suspense–every flavor except pistachio: psychological suspense, inspirational suspense, suspense thrillers, paranormal suspense, suspense mysteries.

In every book I write I try to keep this promise to Loyal Reader: I will tell you a story in a distinctive voice you’ll always recognize, about people as ordinary as you are–people who have been slammed by something they didn’t sign on for, and now they must fight for their lives. Then smack in the middle of their everyday worlds, those people encounter the unexplainable–and it’s always the game-changer.”

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Review – The Devil In Disguise by Cynthia Eden @cynthiaeden

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MY REVIEW

Ever since I binged on the Lucifer TV show, I look for books like The Devil In Disguise by Cynthia Eden. I loved everything about the TV show and this book. The writing was easy to read and the pace unputodwnable. The story sounded so familiar, yet was filled with twists and turns of its own. I loved the characters. Of course, we have the devil and his twin brother,good and evil, BUT, we also have a unique individual in Mina James. She is strong, determined, and in love with the devil. I hope to continue the series.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Don’t make the devil angry…

Luke Thorne loves having one hell of a good time. As the ruler of every dark creature to walk the earth, he certainly has more than a bit of a bad side. He lives for danger and isn’t the type to lose his heart—mostly because he doesn’t have one. Then she walks into his life.

Mina James is seduction in the flesh, a perfect temptation that the devil himself couldn’t pass up. Too late, Luke realizes he’s let a real siren into his life, a woman who is bent on using his dark powers to free herself from hidden enemies. Since Luke isn’t the type of man to be used, he should walk away from her, but…something about Mina draws him close.

Soon he’s realizing that she isn’t who she appears to be. Not dark and cold, but burning red hot. Mina is a woman fighting for her life—and the Lord of the Dark suddenly finds himself in an unlikely role…hero. Luke isn’t going to let her enemies destroy Mina. He will fight heaven and hell to keep her. But in the end, the secrets they both carry may just rip apart a love that should never have been…

There are Bad Things in the world…very, very bad. Are you ready for them?

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Review – Toyworld: Home of the Christmas Thief by Tony Bertauski @tonybertauski

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NEW RELEASE

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have been reading books in Tony Bertauski’s Claus Universe since Claus: Legend of the Fat Man came out in 2012. I have missed some of the books, but I am always eager to enter the fantasy realm Tony as created.

Hiro’s world expands when he finds the dreams he has been having are of Toyworld. He finds friends he never would have made, danger that could keep him trapped in Toyworld, and the reason the real world is so gray and dreary. Christmas has disappeared. Hope and happiness has been stolen.

Dreams aren’t just dreams, they’re windows. Not windows, doorways. Most nights we’re just looking through the, seeing what’s over there. But you can crawl through a window if you open it.

People say anything is possible even when we know it isn’t true.

It’s hard to review a book like Toyworld by Tony Bertauski without giving all the good parts away. The adventure is definitely something a reader would want to experience on their own. The world building is out of this world. HA HA HA The descriptions are vivid and detailed. The characters are richly developed, and, if you are anything like me, you will find it hard to choose a favorite. They all have a role to play and it will take all of them to save Christmas.

Can the villain be redeemed? Isn’t that always the question?

I find it hard to name an age group. I got lost in the adventure, but it has been so long since I have had a youngster in my home that I can’t remember their reading level. I did some searching, so I would recommend middle grade and up.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Toyworld: Home of the Christmas Thief by Tony Bertauski.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Book 10 in the Claus Universe.

Hiro’s parents rearrange the furniture every December.

They make space in the corner for something tall. They plug in string lights and leave them on the floor. Sometimes, they cut down a tree but don’t know what to do with it. It’s not just Hiro’s parents. Everyone does it. Come January, they all straighten up their living rooms and everything goes back to normal. They do this every year.

No one knows why.

Something’s missing and they all feel it, but they never wonder what it is. And every year that passes, the world becomes colder and grayer. Until Hiro has a dream.

It’s a world of magic, where he can taste sounds and hear thoughts, see things that defy the laws of physics and biology. It’s a place where trees are decorated and stockings are hung above the fireplace. Every day is celebrated with gifts.

It’s the last place where joy exists.

Someone has stolen the Christmas spirit from the universe and hidden it in the dream. Hiro doesn’t remember a jolly fat man or flying reindeer, or elves on the North Pole. No one in Hiro’s world remembers Christmas at all.

Hiro and others like him need to free the Christmas spirit. This is their one and only chance. If they fail, his world and all others like it will stay cold and gray without Christmas… unless they discover the thief’s true identity.

It’s closer than they think.

ABOUT TONY BERTAUSKI

Tony Bertauski

Get my books FREE. Tell me where to send them at http://bertauski.com

My grandpa never graduated high school. He retired from a steel mill in the mid-70s. He was uneducated, but he was a voracious reader. I remember going through his bookshelves of paperback sci-fi novels, smelling musty old paper, pulling Piers Anthony and Isaac Asimov off shelf and promising to bring them back. I was fascinated by robots that could think and act like people. What happened when they died?

I’ve written textbooks on landscape design, but that was straightforward, informational writing; the kind of stuff that helps most people get to sleep. I’ve also been writing a gardening column with a humorous slant. That takes a little more finesse, but still informational for the most part.

I’m a cynical reader. I demand the writer sweep me into his/her story and carry me to the end. I’d rather sail a boat than climb a mountain. That’s the sort of stuff I wanted to write, not the assigned reading we used to get in high school. I wanted to create stories that kept you up late.

Fiction, GOOD fiction, is hard to write. Having a story unfold inside your head is an experience different than reading. You connect with characters in a deeper, more meaningful way. You feel them, empathize with them, cheer for them and even mourn. The challenge is to get the reader to experience the same thing, even if it’s only a fraction of what the writer feels. Not so easy.

MY TONY BERTAUSKI REVIEWS

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