Graphic Novel – The Nightmare Brigade by Franck Thillez #FranckThillez #Papercutz

Posted on April 6, 2022 by fundinmental

I haven’t done many, if any, graphic novels, but The Nightmare Brigade by Franck Thillez, with Yomgui Dumont (Illustrations) made me think of Scooby Doo and the gang, so I had to have it.

Do you read grahic novels?

The Nightmare Brigade #1: The Case of The Girl from Deja Vu

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I jumped at a chance to read The Nightmare Brigade by Franck Thillez because it made me think of Scooby Doo and the gang and I love them.

I haven’t read a lot of graphic novels, but I used to read a lot of comics as a kid. Reading The Nightmare Brigade brought back those memories. The illustrations are awesome, so richly detailed that I found myself investigating each panel for clues as to what is terrifying Sarah in her nightmare. That’s when I found out that what happens to the dream brigade in the dream, happens for real, whether it’s an injury, death, or anything else. But, they do have special powers, whether it is walking for someone who can’t walk, being able to go through walls, or flying. Each power will be needed to help those who are having the nightmares…and, eventually getting rid of their nightmare permanently.

There is even more danger than them being real in the dream, they must prevent anyone or anything from following them out and, if things go terribly wrong, they could be stuck in someone’s dream…forever. The Nightmare Brigade deals with real issues, mystery and danger.

I think this is a fantastic glimpse into an adventure series that will delight middle graders. You will not get all the answers, but when I found out about Esteban it only whet my appetite for more. There is more going on than first meets the eye.

To sum it all up…I loved it. I think the youngsters will too. And, they will get a bit of knowledge on the brain, nightmares and dreams.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Nightmare Brigade by Franck Thillez.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The Nightmare Brigade is a dream team led by Professor Angus. With his two young sidekicks, 14 year-olds Esteban and Tristan, they have one goal: help people get rid of their worst nightmares. With unique skills, the team members can literally infiltrate their patient’s nightmare to seek its root and destroy the cause. Things are shaken up a bit, however, when they meet the young Sarah. The Brigade has a feeling they have seen her before… Then, an insomniac is invading other’s dreams. How does he do it and how can he be stopped? It’s a paranormal story you won’t want to sleep on!

This first volume in The NIghtmare Brigade features a diverse cast of adolescents tackling themes that everyone faces as they grow up: fears of aging, abandonment, and death. It creates page turning intrigue by weaving outer mysteries with character secrets. Intended for readers eight and up, this dazzling horror mix is perfect for fans of Stranger Things, Tim Burton, and Inception, and is sure to become a reader favorite for school and home libraries alike.

ABOUT FRANK THILLEZ

Franck Thillez, a former engineer in new technologies, is the author of about fifteen successful crime novels. With the adaptation of his novel “Room of Death” (wonner of the SNCF prize for French crime fiction), Franck Thilez is also a screenwriter.

ABOUT YOMGUI DUMONT

After having completed his studies in applied arts, Yomgui Dumont has worked wherever he was able to move a mouse and a pencil: cartoons, multimedia, advertising, and the press. His first series are Raph’ and Potetoz, Chamres noires, and E;cole de PAN. He has published around twenty graphic novels and teen novels.

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Series Finale – The Immortals by Jeff Altabef @jeffaltabef

Posted on April 5, 2022 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

‘Better to die with light than live in the darkness.’

“All great revolutions and movements start with a few people meeting in secret, hatching plans to change their worlds. More often than not, it ended in failure and the death of those involved.”

A prophecy: A boy made of light will end Eden from the darkness and break the curse that strangles it and the world.

It has been a while since I read the last book in the series, Ghost King, but everything came back to me pretty quick. It all began when someone dreamed up The Red Death (Book I), a plague that quickly took over the world.

“…We treated the world so shabbily that is was bound to fight back…”

I love books that hint at the real world, yet keep me living the fantasy.

I have almost two pages of notes and I know I can’t use them all. It would spoil everything for those who want to enter the world of The Red Death. The Red Death kills all those who were in their twenties and older. Everything is connected. If one world falls, they all fall, so the darkness must be faced head on. It starts with Eden.

We first meet Thorn and Rose, as they look out at Eden, hoping to have found a home, but it was not to be. As they travel through life, they are complete opposites and end up with opposing goals. Thorn had grown tired of war, but Rose was so driven to take Eden, he wondered why?

Thorn and Rose are the Immortals…chosen by the Devil. Wilky has come a long way, from a bumbling young man who couldn’t communicate, to a king. The Painted Ones, The Cursed Tribe…they were counting on Wilky and Aaliss to save them, and what they would do would cross all realms.

Aaliss had felt the Creator had deserted her because she was surrounded by death and then, Wilky returns from the Ghost Rider’s realm, a grown man. They needed to return to Eden to stop her uncle and his evil plans. He was a traitor. Aaliss is in love with Eamon, but when his father died, he became king and they both had a different road to take. Would they come together in the end?

I love this: Man had their chance and had screwed up the world so badly, it would take a girl to set things right. Could that apply to today?

“…for all who passed, so we can live in the light.”

I know not all will survive and when they called off the names of those who had fallen, I shared their sorrow. Much was sacrificed for those who chose to do the right thing.

The story was unpredictable, the battles crossed realms, the characters ranged from evil to angelic, the magic crossed all boundaries, the prophecy came to life and The Red Death…well, you will need to get the details for yourself. The series is complete, the story told and the characters live on…in everyone’s mind who has read it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Immortals by Jeff Altabef.

GOODREADS BLURB

Most believe the Immortals are a myth, a folk story meant to frighten children, but Wilky and Aaliss discover the truth is even more frightening than the myths.

Wilky, once a boy filled with light and a healer, is now the Ghost King, drawn to darkness and violence. As powerful enemies descend on Eden, he must find another, the true child of light, to help him save Eden and keep the world from descending into darkness. Does he have time? Can he still be trusted? Will he instead succumb to power and darkness?

Meanwhile, Aaliss is pushed to the limit to bring justice to Eden, and joins with the most unlikely of allies. In the end, she must accept the magic inside her, or all will be lost. Will she pass her ultimate test?

EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTS the thrilling conclusion to the multiple award-winning “Red Death” series of epic fantasy/dystopian adventures, with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the very last page.

ABOUT JEFF ALTABEF (from Amazon)

Jeff Altabef lives in New York with his wife, two daughters, and Charlie the dog. He spends time volunteering at the writing center in the local community college. After years of being accused of “telling stories,” he thought he would make it official. He writes in both the thriller and young adult genres. Fourteenth Colony, a political thriller, was his debut novel. Shatter Point, a thriller, published by Evolved Publishing was his second novel. It won the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for Best Thriller, Fall 2014.

Jeff’s first Young Adult novel, Wind Catcher: A Chosen Novel, is being published on March 23rd by Evolved Publishing. He’s very happy and proud that his co-author is his teenaged daughter, Erynn Altabef. Wind Catcher has won the 2015 Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal for Coming of Age Novels, the 2015 Beverly Hills Book Award for Best YA Fiction and a Mom’s Choice Award.

As an avid Knicks fan, Jeff is prone to long periods of melancholy during hoops season. Jeff has a column on The Examiner focused on writing and a blog designed to encourage writing by those who like telling stories.

You can follow Jeff on Facebook, Twitter, or join his newsletter!

MY JEFF ALTABEF REVIEWS

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Review – Bag of Tricks by Carmen Webster Buxton @CarmenWBuxton

Posted on April 4, 2022 by fundinmental

Carmen Webster Buxton is a fabulous storyteller. The wonderful cover fits the story inside perfectly, seeing they spend a lot of time on the road, so to speak.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Bag of Tricks was so well written, with original twists and turns that, even though for most of the book it would be a three star review, I had to give it four. The characters came to life in the magical, fantastical world that Carmen Webster Buxton created and I was lost. Though I never felt an urgent need to read on with white knuckles, my curiousity would not let me put it down. Another plus, no series. You get the complete story!!!!!!

When I went to write the review, I found I forgot to take notes. I was swept along with Aveline and Zarek. These two characters took the spotlight and I so wanted a happy ever after for them. They are selfless, loyal, giving, willing to put their life on the line to do the right thing.

We have royal machinations going on, betrayals and danger. The story is written with a lightness, no in depth details, with wars and blood and guts everywhere. Even the tragic events are written for young adults and I love all the little nuggets of wisdom woven throughout the story.

I feel Carmen Webster Buxton is such a fantastic writer, that no genre is beyond her. I feel she would be a success no matter what story she wanted to tell. I highly recommend any of her work and I hope you give her books a shot. I feel you won’t regret it and may even find a new favorite author for your bookshelf.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Bag of Tricks by Carmen Webster Buxton.

GOODREADS BLURB

Aveline is a trained magician, but Princess Inessa, the Heiress of Mazuria, hired her to pose as a lady-in-waiting, to protect her from court intrigues and literally sniff out lies. When a wicked duke tries to force Inessa into marriage, Aveline uses a spell to hide the princess. But even magic has limits, and when Aveline stumbles over Zarek, a man whose life has been cursed by more than one tragedy, she demands his help in getting the princess back to the capital. Zarek is on his own errand, and he’s suspicious of Aveline — magicians are feared — but he does help. As he and Aveline travel Mazuria in company with the princess and his wolf-dog Burden, they come to rely on each other and to respect each other’s skills. After Zarek leaves the two women in what he thinks is a safe refuge, he learns they’re in more danger than ever. So of course he and Burden go back to save them.

Now if only Aveline can bring herself to believe that Zarek wants to save her even more than he wants to save the princess — and admit to herself that what she feels for him goes way beyond gratitude.

ABOUT 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

Where Magic Rules (on Goodreads)
Tribes (Threecon) (on Goodreads)
Shades of Empire (Threecon) (on Goodreads)
Alien Bonds (Wakanreo Series)
Alien Vows (Wakanreo Series)
Alien Skies (Wakanreo Series)
Worlds Apart

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One Sentence Review for Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard by Rick Riordan @camphalfblood

Posted on March 31, 2022 by fundinmental

I won a hardcover copy of The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard) by Rick Riordan.

The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, #1)

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I know Rick Riordan has written 200+ books, but I think this is the first one I have read and this epic fantasy, with a vividly detailed world and characters come alive through his words, making this a wild action packed adventure…and you will be forced to pick a side.

GOODREADS BLURB

Magnus Chase has seen his share of trouble. Ever since that terrible night two years ago when his mother told him to run, he has lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, staying one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.

One day, Magnus learns that someone else is trying to track him down—his uncle Randolph, a man his mother had always warned him about. When Magnus tries to outmaneuver his uncle, he falls right into his clutches. Randolph starts rambling about Norse history and Magnus’s birthright: a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

The more Randolph talks, the more puzzle pieces fall into place. Stories about the gods of Asgard, wolves, and Doomsday bubble up from Magnus’s memory. But he doesn’t have time to consider it all before a fire giant attacks the city, forcing him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents. . . .

Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die.

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MOTHMAN – Below by Laurel Hightower #LaurelHightower

Posted on March 29, 2022 by fundinmental

I love creature features, and Mothman, I have read numerous books about Mothman and am always eager to add another. So, let’s check out Below by Lauren Hightower. I have read one other book by her, Whispers In The Dark and Loved it.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love the simple old time feel of the cover and creature features. Below, a terrifying novella by Laurel HIghtower, has all the requirements for a B movie. Whenever I come across a story like this, it unrolls through my mind like a piece of film, each frame worse than the last. I love it!

Mothman and a snowstorm! YAY! A whoosh in the air, a blackness…oh yeah.

I must say, she is a much nicer (or dumber) person than I am. I would have got the hell out of there. Something isn’t right. I can’t imagine how she feels, but I can see it through Laurel Hightower’s words. I love when an author can paint a picture through words.

She’s alone. In the dark. Something is out there. What is it and what does it want? She keeps on going. Pushing forward. What else is there to do? She won’t quit.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Below by Laurel Hightower.

GOODREADS BLURB

HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO HELP A STRANGER?

While driving through the mountains of West Virginia during a late-night snowstorm, a recently divorced woman experiences bizarre electrical problems, leaving her with little choice but to place her trust with a charismatic truck driver. But when an unexplainable creature with haunting red eyes gets between them, she is forced to make one of the toughest decisions of her life. Will she abandon the stranger who kept her safe—or will she climb down below, where reality has shapeshifted into a living nightmare?

ABOUT LAUREL HIGHTOWER

Laurel Hightower grew up in Kentucky, attending college in California and Tennessee before returning home to horse country, where she lives with her husband, son, and two rescue animals. She works as a paralegal in a mid-sized firm, wrangling litigators by day and writing at night. A bourbon and beer girl, she’s a fan of horror movies and true life ghost stories. Whispers in the Dark is her first novel.

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Work of Art II: A Reflection of Masks by Ken La Salle @KenLaSalle

Posted on March 25, 2022 by fundinmental

I love the cover for Work of Art by Ken La Salle. It fits the story to a T.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

“Art can be many things, a flower, a stage, and even a mask. We all wear masks. It takes an artist to see a reflection.”

Think about it…are you one person when at home alone, another when with a spouse or child, another at work…

Andy wondered, “Had I done it? Had I really taught kids something?” He hadn’t believed in art, but he is learning as much…or maybe even more…than the kids in his class.

It had all started with Joseph and one flower, blooming into a garden, gathering an unlikely cast of characters. It transcends the art. It was mutually beneficial as they all learn some of life’s lessons.

“…when has life ever been fair…?” Has it treated you fairly?

How do you teach, inspire, create without killing a child’s dreams? And what about the parents. Granted, this is not the best neighborhood, or the best school, but who’s raising the children? Even more important, who is feeding the children? My heart breaks for Joseph…and the others.

I have gotten to know the characters better in this second book and am more invested in their lives, their futures. These kids are labeled and I am sure some of them are considered ‘throwaway’ kids. What I loved the most about them, was how they came together, doing what they felt needed to be done, and figured it out on their own. Andy is drug along for the ride.

“Don’t ever say I don’t help. Do I back into it most of the time with no idea how I got there? Sure. But I do help.” And that describes Andy Hollis. He has his own struggles, has been to jail, been homeless…

I have so many notes for Work of Art by Ken La Salle. This is a difficult book for me to review. I am having a hard time expressing my feelings. I feel it is an indepth glimpse into humanity, showing the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I hope there are a lot more of these kids out there, refusing to acknowledge that ‘you can’t do that.’

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Work of Art by Ken La Salle.

GOODREADS BLURB

Joseph has painted his flowers.
A masterpiece sits in concrete.
Andy Hollis, ersatz instructor of art at Santa Ana High School, has won… if slightly.
He has inspired a classroom of artists, leaving him to decide who will be chosen for the next work of art. Can one high school art club keep shaking the world with its creations or will the art destroy the club? Every brush stroke is crucial and Andy doesn’t know how to paint.
Meanwhile, in a certain parking lot, Joseph’s flowers have taken on a life of their own, garnering unexpected interest with unbelievable results. Andy is faced with a restless artist with a surprising, new following and a work of art that refuses to stay put.
And what about the mysterious artist, Tom? Where has he disappeared to? How can he keep all of his promises? Or does he have something else in mind for the artists? For Andy? Something dark and devastating?
Andy Hollis is no artist but he may need to become one in ways he could never expect. Art can be many things, a flower, a stage, and even a mask.
We all wear masks.
It takes an artist to see their reflection.

ABOUT KEN LA SALLE

Born on an 18th century mining ship, Ken La Salle is not his name. He just likes it. He writes about whatever he damn well pleases, hoping to build more of a cult following than a readership just for a cut on the robes. Looking for the mainstream but sticking to the shore, you can find out more about Ken La Salle at the imaginatively named www.kenlasalle.com.

MY KEN LA SALLE REVIEWS

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Review – Ten Years Gone by H P Newquist @HPNewquist

Posted on March 18, 2022 by fundinmental

Ten Years Gone is my second book by H P Newquist and I have to admit, it has been lingering for far too long. It is not because I didn’t enjoy it, that’s for sure!

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

In Kerrville, on the 21st of November, for nine years, someone is found murdered, hanging from a tree. One the tree is 1/10, 2/10, 3/10….It’s not like the police haven’t tried to solve the crimes, but there isn’t much to go on.

A reality show, looking for something interesting, decided they would come to Kerrville and find the killer before he/she can claim their tenth victim and vanish.

Then, Marcy gets wind of it. She is ex FBI with a chip on her shoulder. She has an investigation firm and pressures her ‘contacts’ to come up with a suspect…any suspect. She is a piece of work and as the story goes on, the worse she gets. She doesn’t instill any confidence in me. I would hate to be depending on her…for anything. If you read the book, you will understand why I want to reach into the Kindle and punch her lights out.

H P Newquist exposes the human frailty in Ten Years Gone. The state of mind of someone needing to right the wrong in his own way, no matter how twisted or monstrous the solution. IT doesn’t have a grotesque face, easily spotted. It can look like your neighbor, a friend, a coworker….hiding in plain sight.

Reality TV (cough, cough), a disgruntled FBI agent, a cop that never gives up, a town that struggles through ten years of terror..

There is suspense, but I wasn’t biting my nails. It was more mystery…ya know, IT’s gonna strike, ya know when, but not why, or who.

The ending…surprising…and I LOVE IT!

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Ten Years Gone by H P Newquist.

GOODREADS BLURB

The new thriller from award-winning author HP Newquist!

Every November for nearly a decade, a body has been found hanging from a tree outside the town of Kerrville. As the tenth year approaches, the killer leaves clues that indicate there will only be one more murder. A reality show and its celebrity host decide that this last murder could be the ratings they’ve always wanted–and they are determined to find the murderer before the police do. But the killer thinks that is a very, very bad idea.

TEN YEARS GONE is currently available free in ebook format from Newquist’s site at: newquist.net

ABOUT H P NEWQUIST

HP Newquist’s books and articles have been published all over the world, and his writing has been translated into languages from kanji to farsi.
All told, he has written more than two dozen books and hundreds of articles, along with numerous awards and citations.

His writing spans a vast array of interests and issues. In the late 1980s and 1990s he wrote extensively about artificial intelligence (AI), compiling a body of work that is arguably the most extensive coverage of the AI business created to date.

Newquist became an editorial columnist for Computerworld, and a contributor to Newsweek, Popular Mechanics, the Financial Technology Report, and Music Technology magazine. These led, perhaps not so naturally, to the Editor-In-Chief position at GUITAR magazine. He contributed to a host of other music magazines, including Billboard, Guitar Player, Guitar Shop, InTune, and Musician’s Planet.

Along the way, he wrote two documentary films–one of which was nominated for an Emmy Award–and created technology entries for Microsoft’s Encarta encyclopedia, while writing architecture and travel pieces for The New York Press.

Meanwhile, his work was cited and reviewed in the New York Times, the Economist, Variety, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, and hundreds of other publications around the world. He won some awards in the process.

Newquist’s books cover the same array of topics as his magazine articles, from brain science and space exploration to legendary guitarists and the strangeness of the Internet. To date, he has written over two dozen books. And he’s already committed to writing many more.

Wesite / Twitter

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WhoDunIt – A House of Ruin by Pamela Crane @MentalMommyPam

Posted on March 14, 2022 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I first visited Execution House in A Slow Ruin by Pamela Crane. Now, we are going to find out the history, the slaughter of the Eyler family….And, if you were to ask me, I’d say maybe Karma came to bit them in the ass.

Did anyone like the family? The more I got to know them, the more I could understand how such a tragedy came to pass. BUT…who did it? Was it the butler? Was it the maid? How about the mailman? Or…well you get the point. There are so many suspects and so many motives that I wonder how we can ever really know.

Derl comes forward forty years after the execution with, what he believes, to be the answer. Derl had been the one to find them and it had haunted him ever since.

I love books where secrets are exposed. Pamela Crane makes her characters suffer..and I suffer right along with them. She had me going, with all the suspects and all the motives. When people treat others so cruelly, I always wonder how far a person can be pushed before they break.

What about you? With each suspect I wondered what I would do in their situation. It’s some great writing when an author can make me do that.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of A House of Ruin by Pamela Crane.

GOODREADS BLURB

A murder that stole 1982 national headlines: “Renowned Family Slayed in Home.” A case that remained cold for forty long years.

The Eyler family was anything but average. The father a top literary agent and the mother a duchess, they thrived in their prestigious Oakmont mansion surrounded by luxury…and secrets. Secrets that would eventually cost them their lives.

On a cold autumn night, their legacy ended with a grisly massacre in one of the most horrific scenes ever investigated. Soon details splashed across every newspaper of how the family of five lay slaughtered in their library, cursing the mansion as it became branded the Execution Estate. With no witnesses and no motives, the killer remained free. The case grew colder. Speculations grew darker. Answers grew dimmer.

Until now.

Former estate manager, Derl Newman, steps forward four decades later with a suspicion and a clue that could lead investigators to finally solve the puzzle of why a killer would murder a family yet leave the many priceless heirlooms behind. The gardener with a grudge? The bitter butler? The maid hiding her mischief? With insider knowledge of what happened that fateful night, Derl exposes everyone’s darkest secrets that brought this house to ruin.

A whodunnit mystery from the USA TODAY bestselling author of the hit psychological thriller A Slow Ruin.

ABOUT PAMELA CRANE

PAMELA CRANE is a USA TODAY best-selling author and professional juggler. Not one who can toss flaming torches in the air, but a juggler of four kids, a writing addiction, and a horse rescuer. She lives on the edge (her Arabian horse can tell you about their wild adventures while trying to train him) and she writes on the edge…where her sanity resides. Her thrillers unravel flawed women who aren’t always pretty. In fact, her characters are rarely pretty, which makes them interesting…and perfect for doing crazy things worth writing about. When she’s not cleaning horse stalls or changing diapers, she’s psychoanalyzing others.

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MY PAMELA CRANE REVIEWS

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Texas Horror Writers – Road Kill edited by Madison Estes @madisonestes

Posted on March 7, 2022 by fundinmental

Road Kill by Madison Estes is one of those books with a cover that stopped me in my tracks. So colorful and fun looking, I had to check it out.

Road Kill Vol. 6: Texas Horror by Texas Writers

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The cover for Road Kill definitely caught my attention! All the stories were worth the read, but below are some favorites.

The Teeth by Jacklyn Baker: My fear of the dentist is totally justified.
Cemetery Days by Patrick C Harrison III: Powerful….and sad.
The Chickens That Are Not Her Chickens by Mario E Martinez: Gross and terrifying.
Doll 538 by Sonny Zae: Pretty creepy. I knew there was a reason I didn’t like dolls.
Winter’s Breath by Al Hagen: Glad I don’t live in the snow any more.
Getaway Car by Madison Estes: They went that away.
We’re All Weeds by Kevin Hollaway: Well, my yard isn’t perfect…
Caro Comes Home by Patrice Sarath: Nice finish to the anthology.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Road Kill by Madison Estes.

GOODREADS BLURB

Diabolic chompers. A getaway gateway. A ghostly inheritance. A cemetery daze. A terrifying lovebug. A case of bizarre Big Bend bloodshed. Look both ways before you crack the cover. Road Kill is back with stories from Stephen Graham Jones, Jonathan Louis Duckworth, Patrick C. Harrison III, Lauran J. Campbell, Mario, E. Martinez, Bev Vincent, and many more.

ABOUT MADISON ESTES

Madison Estes writes horror and fantasy. She has had work featured in the award-winning anthology “Road Kill: Texas Horror by Texas Writers Vol. 3” (HellBound Books), Mad Scientist Journal, Mojave Heart Review, and anthologies by Transmundane Press, Twisted Wing Productions, Soteira Press, and others. She will be editing the next installment in the Road Kill: Texas Horror by Texas Writers series.

In her spare time, she enjoys reading, drawing, playing with her dogs, and running an authortube/booktube channel. She lives in southeast Texas.

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New Release – When She Disappeared by Steph Mullin & Nicole Mabry @NicoleAMabry @Steph_Mullin

Posted on March 3, 2022 by fundinmental

YEAH! TODAY IS RELEASE DAY FOR WHEN SHE DISAPPEARED BY STEPH MULLING & NICOLE MABRY

I love suspense/thrillers in any way, shape and form, so when I saw Steph Mullin and Nicole Mabry’s psychological thriller available on Net Galley, I had to have it. I mean, look at that enticing cover. Makes me wonder what’s inside the pages.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I must confess, every once in a while I scroll through NetGalley to see what’s available. When I saw the cover and title for When She Disappeared by Steph Mullin & Nicole Mabry, I thought OK. Then I read the blurb and I had to have it.

I love small towns, where everyone knows your name…and all the secrets. How can a killer hide in plain sight? I got curious to see if the author(s) could pull off the mystery of the culprit, or, at least, get and keep the suspense to a high level that would keep me flipping the virtual pages. No worries there. These ladies did that very well.

After her failed marriage, Margo put Wilmington in her rearview mirror and headed home, to Lake Moss and her ailing father. Memories flood her, and, as she pulled into the driveway, the radio announced that her best fried, who had been missing for many years, had been found. What a homecoming.

I wish Margo would confide in Austin about her fears. I would, and I fear it may be in her best interests if she does. I feel she is in danger, alone, vulnerable and by hanging her out there by herself, Steph and Nicole had me fretting more and more…every time there was a noise in the house, a light flickered, a dog barked, a bush rustled….

When She Disappeared by Steph Mullin & Nicole Mabry was so much more than I expected. The book was long enough that I had to put it down, unable to finish it in one sitting. I fought the urge to know…to finish the twisty trail to the end.

Well done ladies. I LOVED it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of When She Disappeared by Steph Mullin & Nicole Mabry.

GOODREADS BLURB

‘On May 26, 2004, Jessie Germaine went to school as normal and cheered at the end of year rally. That evening, she rode her bike into the forest and disappeared…into thin air.’

Margo hasn’t been back to Lake Moss since her school friend went missing. But as she returns, running from a failed marriage, the news breaks. Her hometown’s swimming hole has been Jessie’s grave for fifteen years.

Digging out her old diary, and steeling herself to face unfriendly ghosts of the past, Margo sets out to help a documentary crew as they investigate the infamous case the police bungled.

In a town where everyone knows everyone – but they all have secrets – the killer is certain to be close to home…

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Steph Mullin and Nicole Mabry met as co-workers in New York City in 2012, discovering a shared passion for writing and true crime. After Steph relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2018, they continued to collaborate creatively. Separated by 5 states, they spend countless hours scheming via Facetime and editing each other’s typos in real time on live Google docs. The Family Tree is the writing duo’s first co-authored crime novel. Their second novel, When She Disappeared, is set to release in 2022.

ABOUT STEPH MULLIN

Steph works by day as Creative Director for a Media, Entertainment and Digital Marketing Solutions company, using early mornings, nights, and weekends to write fiction. Steph’s dream of becoming a writer started at age 6, followed by winning scholastic writing awards and crafting articles for her university’s literary magazine. In her 20’s, she became engrossed in true crime podcasts and literature, which later became the perfect source of inspiration to launch her second career writing dark and twisty thrillers. In 2018, Steph relocated from NYC to Charlotte, North Carolina where she currently resides with her husband and her rescue puppy. Outside of reading, writing, and playing with her dog, you may find her sipping on a soy latte, watching a new movie, or trying out new recipes in the kitchen.

Follow Steph on Website / Twitter / Instagram

ABOUT NICOLE MABRY

Nicole works in television as Senior Manager of Post Production in the photography department. She is the author of Past This Point (2019, Red Adept Publishing), an award winning apocalyptic women’s fiction novel. Past This Point was chosen as Best Book of the Year by Indies Today and won First Place in the Global Thriller division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards. For more information on Past This Point, click here.

Follow Nicole on Website / Twitter / Instagram