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Giveaway & Review – Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold #NetGalley @Carolyn_Arnold #BowledOverAmericano @dollycas

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Bowled Over Americano (Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery Series) by Carolyn Arnold


Bowled Over Americano (Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – New York
Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc. (April 11, 2023)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 263 pages
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BKQC62FH

MY REVIEW

Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold is a departure from her normal writing of police procedurals and thrillers, veering off into the world of cozies, and I am eager to see how she does. The cover looks fun…sooo….let’s go bowling.

Sara Cain is a detective by day and a writer by night. An evening run has her meeting Magnum, a beagle, who leads her to his murdered owner. Cliff Cunningham was a championship bowler. Douche Detective Davenport is on the case. He is incompetent, choosing the easy way out to close his cases. She is drawn into the case, when her mother makes the request.

Sara and Sean are partners….and that’s all. They both acknowledge their attraction, but she won’t let it go any further. No mingling in the work place.

Sean is a kind and compassionate person and a kindness given reaps Sean more than he ever could have imagined. He is so romantic, so sweet. How has he not been snatched up yet? Sara better be careful.

Carolyn Arnold handles her foray into cozy mysteries with the same panache as her police procedurals and thrillers. The writing flows smoothly, leading me from page to page, devouring the words, becoming involved with the richly developed characters, walking with them step by step to the very end…enjoying every minute of it.

I am eager to see what adventure comes next for Sara and Sean.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

Sara Cain isn’t your typical thirty-two-year-old woman. Murder detective by day, writer and… sleuth by night? Just as long as there’s enough coffee to keep her going…

When her first novel gives her trouble, Sara goes for a walk to clear her writer’s block and ends up stumbling right into a real-life murder mystery. Magnum, an adventurous beagle, comes running off leash toward her in the local park, and she returns him home only to find his master dead on the entry floor.

Cliff Cunningham was a championship bowler with a mean streak and a temper, and police are pegging his Golden Pin bowling trophy as the murder weapon. While any number of people could have clocked a strike by knocking him on the noggin, the prime suspect is a friend of Sara’s mother—and she expects Sara to prove the woman’s innocence. A tall order, as the case isn’t officially hers and belongs to a rival detective.

But a promise is a promise, and Sara soon finds herself sleuthing undercover—and off the clock—in a world of polyester shirts and rental shoes. It’s not all bad, though, as she’s taking her friend and partner Sean McKinley along for the ride. They are better together than they’ve ever been split, and they’re not amateurs at finding killers.

Despite being up against small-town hijinks and colorful characters who threaten to roll their efforts into the gutter, they are having fun. That is, until they get close to the killer and a dangerous twist puts their lives at risk.

A completely addictive caper full of twists that offers up a serving of murder, a dollop of romance, and a dash of humor. This perfect blend of robust and sweet is bound to hit the spot with readers who are fans of Verity Bright, Tonya Kappes, and Agatha Frost.

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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Review – Her Final Breath by Carolyn Arnold #HerFinalBreath #NetGalley @Carolyn_Arnold @bookouture

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Anyone that has been hanging around fundinmental knows that I am a huge fan of Carolyn Arnold and her police procedurals. She always has great covers to go with the wonderful stories inside.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture fot the advance copy.

Releases tomorrow: 2.17.23, but you can preorder your copy HERE.

Amazon / Apple / Kobo / Google / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Her Final Breath is Carolyn Arnold’s seventh book in the Amanda Steele series. I love this strong female protagonist. She has a big heart and when Zoe’s parents were murdered, Amanda was on the case. She fell in love with the young girl and took her into her home. Amanda does work a lot, but she has a great support system and Zoe is a very happy young lady. Now, what about her love life? Well…we shall see. She is not in any hurry, though she has a couple guys hanging around. I know who I want, but, like I said, we shall see.

A mother and her daughter were found curled up in a park and the girl’s toy elephant hit a little close to home for Amanda, seeing her daughter had one just like it. Putting that aside, Amanda does not waver when it comes to finding the murderer, especially when another grave is found and another mother and daughter are missing.

Domestic abusers can fall through the cracks and those they are abusing pay the price. I find in real life, this is all too familiar. Our military may come home hurting, needing help, unable to adjust to our world after combat.

The ending was a bit different from the usual fare I get from Carolyn Arnold, but I am always up for something different and it works for the story.

Carolyn Arnold writes fantastic police procedurals, law enforcement acknowledging her accuracy with the details. She is a must read author for me, keeping me glued to the pages of her books for hours on end.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Her Final Breath by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Faint sunlight dapples the two figures lying on the ground. The mother cradles her daughter close to her side, a stuffed toy elephant next to them. Leaves from the tall trees fall onto their faces, but neither moves to brush them off.

When a dog walker in a local Virginia park finds the bodies of a mother and daughter, Detective Amanda Steele is first on the scene. Her own daughter has a toy just like the girl’s elephant and seeing the child like this is her worst nightmare come true. Heartbroken, she vows to get justice.

They quickly get an ID—Jill Archer and six-year-old Charlotte were reported missing last week, but interviewing Jill’s husband, Roy, Amanda’s gut tells her he is hiding something. When the autopsy reveals a terrible pattern of bruises, she’s certain that a domestic argument escalated out of control, and tiny Charlotte got caught in the crossfire. But just as Amanda is about to arrest Roy, another grave is found, containing another mother and daughter.

Desperate for a lead, she goes to every place the women could have been targeted, and learns from a concerned ER nurse about Leanne Reilly and her young daughter, Gracie, who haven’t been heard from in a week. Amanda hopes that Leanne has simply left her deadbeat husband, but she’s gripped by the fear that they are the killer’s latest victims. Now every second counts for Amanda to find the family and stop a little girl’s nightmare before it ends in tragedy…

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international 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 her readers everything from police procedurals, hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to 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.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

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

Early Review – Last Seen Alive by Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold @HibbertStiles

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Anyone that has been hanging around fundinmental knows that I am a huge fan of Carolyn Arnold and her police procedurals. She always has great covers to go with the wonderful stories inside.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Hibbert & Stiles Publishing for the advance copy.

You can preorder Last Seen Alive by Carolyn Arnold, which will be released 10.6.22

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I am always excited to read another Carolyn Arnold novel. She manages to hook me early and keep me flipping pages. I am just along for the ride, eager to go wherever the story takes me.

Amanda came home with more than fun after a night’s out. Too bad the romantic night she had anticipated is brought up short when a dead body is found on the bed they planned to use. Guess that would bring anyone up short. 🙂

Amanda is a detective , working homicide for the Prince William Sound County Police Department. Her first call is to dispatch, the second to her partner, Trent Stenson. Poor Trent. I feel the both have feelings for each other, but because they are partners, they fight the attraction.

Even though Logan is a suspect and Amanda is too close to be working the case, I know that won’t stop her.

The crime scene is too neat, too simple, all the clues lined up for them to see. They know crime is messy, complex.

Amanda is like a bulldog. She doesn’t give up until the case is closed. She may WANT to find the killer, but Trent NEEDS to solve the mystery. He has to find the answers, solve the puzzle.

Last Seen Alive is another success story for Carolyn Arnold.

I voluntarily reviewed and ARC of Last Seen Alive by Carolyn Arnold.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The woman lies so still as her blood soaks into the soft bedcovers beneath her. A tear runs down her face as she looks at the wedding band on her finger. She had loved her husband so much…

When Detective Amanda Steele unexpectedly reconnects with an old boyfriend, the last thing she expects to see lying on his bed is the dead body of his wife, Claire, who walked out on him four years ago.

Logan begs Amanda to believe he’s innocent. But she doesn’t miss the gun on a nearby table, and she’s torn when forensics reveal that not only was this the murder weapon, but Logan’s fingerprints are all over it… Could he have been framed? Or is he using his connection to Amanda to get away with murder?

Determined to uncover the truth, Amanda retraces Claire’s last steps and finds that she visited her best friend the day before her death. But Amanda is devastated to discover that the friend died in a car accident just hours after meeting with Claire. What deadly secret connected them, and could more women be in danger?

But the killer is closer than Amanda realises, and when her beloved daughter, Zoe, is threatened, she’s suddenly in a race to find the final clue before the person she loves most pays the price…

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Carolyn Arnold

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt 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 north of London, Ontario, with her husband and two beagles and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:  Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

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

New Release – Her Frozen Cry by Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold @HibbertStiles

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Anyone that has been hanging around fundinmental knows that I am a huge fan of Carolyn Arnold and her police procedurals. She always has great covers to go with the wonderful stories inside.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Hibbert & Stiles Publishing for the advance copy.

Her Frozen Cry (Detective Amanda Steele #5)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Gainsville. Prince William County. Virginia. A solitary cabin. A woman…dead. Alone…In a locked room. Amanda is on the case and I have every confidence that she will get her man, or woman, whoever it may be.

This murder strikes too close to home. She knows the dead woman’s husband, though it has been many years since she last saw him. They had been friends.

Her partner, Trent, she keeps at a distance. She has no time for romance, if he is even interested. She has her adopted ten year old daughter, Zoe, who has her own story in a previous book, The Silent Witness, and her work.

So many suspects. Though the perpetrator was right in front of me, I didn’t see it. I followed the clues through the pages, going wherever Carolyn Arnold led me. It is never easy to solve one of her mysteries.

I think Amanda Steele is my favorite character of Carolyn Arnold’s. To say she is spread thin is to put it mildly, but she doesn’t neglect anyone, sharing her love with all those close to her. Will she find Mr Right? I don’t want to hurry you along, Carolyn, but she deserves a life partner.

You have a satisfied reader, Carolyn. I can hardly wait to see what you comes next.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Her Frozen Cry by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The moon shines through the open window, bathing the woman in pale light. Blood-red wine from a shattered glass soaks into the cream blanket beside her, and her dull eyes stare vacantly at the framed photograph in her hand.

When beautiful wife and mother Alicia Gordon is found dead in a remote woodland cabin, Detective Amanda Steele is shocked to discover that she knows the husband. Amanda hasn’t spoken to Tony since she lost the love of her own life seven years ago, and seeing tragedy tearing her old friend’s family apart brings back so many painful memories.

Alicia was alone when she died, but she was so young, and Amanda can’t help feeling suspicious. Then she discovers that Alicia’s sleep medication had been tampered with, slowly poisoning her over several days. Amanda wants to trust that the sorrow on Tony’s face is real, but the more she digs into his marriage, the more it seems that he had opportunity, and motive…

Interviewing one of Alicia’s old colleagues, Amanda is shaken to her core when the woman suddenly collapses in her arms, dying in seconds from a lethal dose of the same poison that killed Alicia. But what could link this woman to Tony?

With her partner blaming Amanda for not arresting Tony immediately, she needs to prove that he isn’t the killer, or accept that the second woman’s death could be on her hands. She’s running out of time and leads when she discovers threatening messages sent to both victims. It’s the final clue to unmasking the most twisted killer Amanda has ever come up against, and to stop them she’ll have to risk everything…

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Carolyn Arnold

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt 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 north of London, Ontario, with her husband and two beagles and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:  Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

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

New Release – Girl On The Run by Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold @HibbertStiles

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I have read a lot of novels by Carolyn Arnold and she is on my must read list of authors. Girl On The Run was published this month and I was so happy to get a review copy. I love the cover and it fits the story inside.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Hibbert & Stiles Publishing for the advance copy.

Here’s a book fact…

Girl on the Run was inspired by a real-life experience I had at Union Station in Toronto.  ~Carolyn Arnold
Girl on the Run (Detective Madison Knight Series Book 11)

Goodreads l Amazon.com | Apple | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play | Amazon Universal

MY REVIEW

I love a Prologue. I am like a hungry fish, swimming around, looking for a juicy worm and with a good Prologue, I eagerly bite and get hooked. Girl on the Run by Carolyn Arnold definitely set the hook.

She runs, but there is no escape.

“You’ll be wishing for a bullet by the time she’s done with you.”

I am curious to know why.

Madison was in line for a coffee, when she heard of a shooting at the Liberty Train Station, suspected causalities. Madison is on the case seeing she works for Major Crimes. Two dead, one in the hospital.

Madison is tenaciious, a Bulldog. She felt putting bad guys behind bars was her legacy and made personal sacrifices to achieve it. She has her chocolate lab, Hershey and her fiancee, Troy Matthews, who works for the Stiles Police Department too, to keep her grounded.

Who is the girl with the orange backpack that seemed to Madison to be the trigger, and what does she have to do with the shooting?

Madison had been through hell due to corrupt cops, so when she saw the shooter, who had identified himself as a cop, she stood at attention. Could a corrupt cop and the Russian Mafia be behind the shooting? She had dealt with them on more than one occasion. They were prolific in Stiles.

The investigation deepens, spreading out in different directions. Carolyn Arnold is an expert at bringing all the pieces together.

Two dead, one wounded, a girl with an orange backpack, a victim that Madison recognizes from her past, the Russian Mafia, drug trafficking, infidelity, betrayal…Step by step, I follow Madison’s footsteps to the conclusion.

Most of the book, I was plodding along, accumulating clues with Madison, thinking three stars. I was complacent, knowing this is a police procedural so it may lack the in your face thrills and chills I love so much, then…KAPOW…I’m awake now. It’s those punches, book surprises, that add the extra star.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Girl On The Run by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Shivers tear through her, but she must be brave—for herself, for her future. She grips her coat tighter and steps into the night and the cold, pouring rain. Never to be seen again.

An ordinary Monday morning commute turns deadly when a gunman opens fire in the local train station. Detective Madison Knight rushes to the scene, but she’s too late for the victims. Two women were fatally wounded, including an expectant mother, and one is fighting for her life. But it’s the face of one of the dead that has Madison seeing a ghost from her past. She looks just like Madison’s college friend Courtney Middleton, who vanished over fifteen years ago. If it is her, where has she been all these years, and does her resurfacing have anything to do with the shooting?

Eyewitnesses say that a young woman triggered the incident, but both the shooter and the girl seem to have evaporated into thin air. Mounting evidence suggests they may be part of a drug-trafficking operation, the girl being one of their runners. But Madison’s not so sure the girl is the hardened criminal she appears to be.

As Madison races to track down the young woman, more people turn up murdered, and there’s still no sign of the girl. Is her body out there to find or is she on the run? If the latter, is it due to fear or guilt? Could it simply be that the shooting victims were caught in the crosshairs of organized crime? Madison’s not sure, but she can’t shake her niggling suspicion: what if it was something more than that?

An absolutely gripping and addictive crime thriller. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Lisa Regan, and Rachel Caine.

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Carolyn Arnold

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt 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 north of London, Ontario, with her husband and two beagles and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:  Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

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

New Release – Black Orchid Girls by Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold @HibbertStiles

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YEAH! TODAY IS RELEASE DAY FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD’S LATEST DETECTIVE AMANDA STEELE NOVEL, BLACK ORCHID GIRLS

I love the vibrant cover. Though the flowers on the cover are not black orchids, the black orchid is pertinent to the story. Does it make you wonder why?

Black Orchid Girls (Detective Amanda Steele #4)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love the cover for Black Orchid Girls by Carolyn Arnold, but it doesn’t matter what is on the cover when it comes to reading her books. I have read a lot of them and eagerly pick up each new story she has to share.

Amanda Steele and her partner, Trent, work for the Prince William County Police Department, and before she could even sit down at her desk, she and Trent, were called out to Leeslyvania State Park for a murder. A young woman was found, naked and cleaned of all traces of evidence, except a Black Orchid.

The gorgeous Black Orchid can represent positive and negative connotations. Can symbolize bad luck, death and black magic. Also, strength, virility, sexual desires and success.

Could the fact that Chloe Somner is deep into the environment and climate change be involved? She is a student at Geoffrey Michaels University and attends classes at the Potomac Center for Environmental Science and Policy. She is also involved with Planet Rebirth, an environmental group. She is studying the snails in Leesylvania State Park, where her body was found.

I love when a peripheral character takes center stage, and Zoe does just that. We have met her before. She has become an anchor for Amanda, a bundle of love and joy.

Also, does Amanda have romance on the horizon?

Twists and turns abound. Step by step, suspect by suspect, clue by clue…we investigate.

Characters from the Brandon Fisher FBI series make an appearance.

Carolyn Arnold is a master at penning police procedural’s that keep me on my toes, flipping pages, unable to quit reading until the last page is read. Black Orchid Girls was a quick, easy read, filled with heart in my throat suspense and edge of my seat moments that made it unputdownable.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Black Orchid Girls by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

The first rays of sun filter through the tall trees, casting a faint light on the girl lying at the water’s edge. Her tears have frozen on her pale face, a black orchid rests against her cold white skin.

When hikers find the body of a beautiful young girl on the banks of the Potomac River, Detective Amanda Steele is shaken and confused. What is the significance of the delicate flower resting on the girl’s torso? A sign of affection, or a twisted killer’s calling card?

The girl is Chloe Somner, a local nineteen-year-old ecology student well-known to the park rangers and loved by all her classmates. Searching Chloe’s home, Amanda can’t work out who could have tempted her to the water in the early hours of the morning, but a long night hunting through cold cases gives her a possible lead: twenty years ago another local girl was murdered, a red rose left on her body. But why would this killer strike again now?

Focused on the past, the last thing Amanda expects is the news that Chloe’s roommate has been found dead, another black orchid left. Terrified that more innocent victims will follow, can Amanda uncover the significance of the flowers and stop this cold-hearted killer before he returns for the next orchid girl…?

A totally compulsive crime thriller! Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine.

Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble | Apple | Kobo | Google Play

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Carolyn Arnold

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt 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 north of London, Ontario, with her husband and two beagles and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:  Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

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

New Release – One More Kill by Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold @HibbertStiles

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YEAH! TODAY IS RELEASE DAY FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD’S LATEST BRANDON FISHER FBI NOVEL, ONE MORE KILL

One More Kill (Brandon Fisher FBI #9)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Carolyn Arnold’s opening pages for One More Kill made me cringe and I love that she pulls me into the story so quickly.

FBI Special Agent Brandon Fisher of the BAU, along with his cohorts, Paige Dawson, Kelly Marsh, their new boss, Tony Manning, and, of course, we cant leave out Nadia Weber, the gang”s Penelope Garcia from the Criminal Minds TV show, are called in. As they discuss their next case, Jack, their boss before he was temporarily replaced by Tony Manning, steps through the door and says, “”Wheels Up.” They believe The Leopard is back and the higher ups have let Jack return for the case. He was there when The Leopard first hit their radar. It was his first major case and it haunts him. For Jack, it’s personal. Could his career be on the line?

The Leopard has not been heard of for fifteen years, and Jack has been diligent about keeping his ears open and constantly on the alert for anything that could hint he was active. He is back and they are headed to Huntsville, Arkansas.

His targets are Caucasian couples and his modus operandi is always the same. His signature is cats eye marbles and he puts them to a gruesome use.

The Leopard is a chameleon, easily shedding one persona for another. He is charming, but his life is a facade. He kills for the sheer joy of it. He felt life was survival of the fittest and he doesn’t shy away from a challenge. In fact, it gets his blood boiling. For Jack it was personal, and before it’s over, it will be for The Leopard too.

One More Kill unravels like a Criminal Minds episode, as does much of Carolyn Arnold’s Brandon Fisher series. Does she do her research? That is a definite YES. That is also why she is highly respected by law enforcement. I have watched and still watch reruns of Criminal Minds, so it is easy to follow along and visualize their journey, beginning to end.

While the story was quick to grab me, it slows down as the investigation begins. We have to do some research of our own for the case and things are not always action, action, action. Carolyn Arnold paints an accurate description of events through her words. She is a must read author for me.

I voluntarily reviewed and ARC of One More Kill by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

He told her to run. And she did. As fast as her legs would take her, but it wasn’t fast enough…

The bodies of a husband and wife are found in a patch of woods in small-town, rural Arkansas by a neighboring farmer. They were shot with an arrow, gutted, and left to bleed out. The killer also removed their eyes and replaced them with large cat’s-eye marbles. The murder method and signature are too bizarre to point toward an isolated incident, and FBI Special Agent Brandon Fisher recognizes this right away. His boss with the Behavioral Analysis Unit, Supervisory Special Agent Jack Harper, confirms that he’s crossed paths with this killer several years ago, and he has a voracious appetite for blood. In fact, Jack’s seen his work firsthand—six times, three couples, in three states.

Brandon, Jack, and the rest of the team head to Arkansas for one purpose: to bring down the ruthless and elusive serial killer who calls himself “the Leopard.” Versatile and adaptive, this madman hunts his prey like a wild, hungry cat—tracking them, then striking with swift viciousness. But just as the FBI think they might finally be getting closer to the Leopard’s true identity, he adapts his method and starts killing people faster than ever before.

Racing to catch up, and struggling to get one step ahead, the FBI comes to uncover buried family secrets that aid the investigation—while at the same time, flipping it on its head. Suddenly, the hunters are now the hunted. And while this case has haunted Jack since he joined the Bureau, things are about get more personal and dangerous than he ever would have imagined. If he and his team aren’t careful, one of them—or someone they love—may become the Leopard’s next victim.

A totally gripping and heart-pounding crime thriller. Perfect for fans of Lisa Regan, Robert Dugoni and Catherine Coulter.

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Carolyn Arnold

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt 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 just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:  Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

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

New Release – The Silent Witness by Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold @HibbertStiles

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Carolyn Arnold sure can write. I do not want to miss a book. She fills her novels with marvelous characters and plenty of thrills and chills to keep me on my toes.

The Silent Witness (Detective Amanda Steele #3)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Carolyn Arnold writes some fantastic stories and the tagline for The Silent Witness is an appropriate description of what’s inside, an absolutely unpudownable crime thriller. The first chapter set the hook and I was along for the ride.

It’s 4:03 am and everyone is asleep…until…

Zoe is only six years old when her parents are murdered. Amanda Steele is called on to handle the case, and she thinks of her daughter, who was Zoe’s age when she died in a car accident, along with her father, Amanda’s husband. She is more determined than ever to keep her safe, she just didn’t picture it happening quite the way it did. It makes things complicated for her, but once she settles into the decision, she never looks back.

Amanda spends more time with her work partner,Trent Stenson, than anyone, though she does have a boyfriend, Logan Hunter. She finds it hard to find a lot of time to spend with him. Isn’t that any cop’s story? Logan is a construction worker and has been through some perilous times with Amanda, but that is another story.

Sherry Hill is the police chief, Amanda’s boss. I love when I find a character with my name. That doesn’t happen very often. I do love that she’s a…not very nice person. Gives her more depth and makes for an interesting character. Why is she like that? And why in the world would she tell the media about…everything?

The clues are slow in coming, but Amanda is determined, diligent, and so am I. The case gets more complicated and more dangerous the deeper we dig.

At the end, Carolyn Arnold asks if the twists and turns glued me to the pages. My answer is an emphatic YES! I expect nothing less from her work and I have read a lot of it. The Silent Witness is a tale that keeps on giving suspense, thrills and chills, with characters that I love and love to hate, and what else could I want, except MORE.

“We just follow the evidence to wherever it leads without being swayed or bullied.”

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of The Silent Witness by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

It’s 4 a.m. when her mom shakes her awake. “Get up baby, we’re going to play hide and seek.” The little girl presses back into the dark space, holding her breath as she hears the shots ring out. She knows she’s next…

When the bodies of a local family are discovered on a quiet street in the small town of Dumfries, Virginia, Detective Amanda Steele takes charge of the case. Brett and Angela Parker were shot three times each, leaving no hope of survival, and their tidy suburban home has been ransacked. But there is no sign of their beloved six-year-old, Zoe.

Zoe is the same age as Amanda’s daughter was when she died, and Amanda can’t bear the thought of another little girl in danger. She’s organizing a search for the child, when she notices something strange about the ottoman at the foot of the Parkers’ bed. She opens it to find Zoe, mute and traumatized, but alive.

With Zoe completely uncommunicative, Amanda must find another way to untangle what destroyed this seemingly perfect family. It’s clear that the killer is searching for something the Parkers had, and until she has this monster behind bars, Amanda fears that he may return for Zoe. When she learns that Brett Parker cut short the family’s recent lakeside vacation, she wonders why. What happened at that lake house, and did it ultimately get them killed?

Amanda heads out to Lake Chesdin on the feeling it might be key to the case, and when she finds a cell phone in the murky waters next to the Parker cabin, she knows she’s made a breakthrough. But then terrible news reaches her from Dumfries; Zoe has been taken from her school playground.

Someone wants to silence the Parker family for good, can Amanda catch them before the little girl she’s desperate to protect pays the price?

A completely gripping and addictive crime thriller that will keep fans of Rachel Caine, Lisa Regan and Robert Dugoni entertained into the early hours.

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Carolyn Arnold

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt 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 just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:  Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

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

New Release – Midlife Psychic by Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold @HibbertStiles

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Carolyn Arnold writes some of the best police procedurals I have ever read. Midlife Psychic is her first foray into the paranormal world, but I have no doubt it will be an entertaining read, because of her ability to pen a wonderful story.

Isn’t this a fun cover?

Midlife Psychic

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have read a lot of Carolyn Arnold’s work and I am excited to delve into the psychic world with her first paranormal story, Midlife Psychic. I love that the female character is older and it is a refreshing change from the young adult novels I love so much. Along with hot flashes, come psychic visions.

Carolyn Arnold writes wonderful mysteries and police procedurals, so I am excited to begin this journey with her…AND…of course, we have to start with something that I am already afraid of…a plane crash.

Erin Stone is a Catholic, so anything to do with the paranormal smacks of Satan worship. She cannot talk to any family about this, but thank goodness her best friend, Trisha, has a very open mind and believes in all kinds of new age things, like the power of intuition, the laws of attraction and lucid dreaming. I love that Erin and Trisha have such different upbringings and beliefs, yet are best friends.

She is a 911 operator for the Toronto Police Services. Her parents had died in a plane crash 28 years earlier and as the anniversary of the date approaches, her brother talks her into going to the memorial, where she runs into the NTSB agent who investigated their parents crash. For some reason, she finds it easy to talk to him, and she does need help to investigate her dream and the plane crash. A little attraction makes it easier. Karma at work?

We are just cruising along, doing some talking, some investigating, maybe falling in love…until…about 60% and Carolyn Arnold takes it up a notch. Danger rears it ugly head.

There is a religious tone to the story and if you don’t believe in visions, clairvoyance, lucid dreaming and psychics, here is the chance to walk a mile in Erin’s shoes and learn how she comes to accept that a fact is a fact, a truth a truth.

Be sure and catch Carolyn Arnold’s inspiration for writing Midlife Psychic and her acknowledgments and find out how much of her personal life she shares.

I bounced a bit on the rating, but the when Carolyn Arnold added danger to the mix, it gave me that extra bit I was looking for. The ending seemed a bit off to me, but I can’t quite put my finger on why? Did I want more details? Did I want a different ending? I don’t know. If you get a chance to read Midlife Psychic, I would love to know you thoughts. Maybe it is just me wanting…MORE.

I voluntarily reviewed and ARC of Midlife Psychic by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Hot flashes in my forties? Expected. Waking up psychic? Not in my wildest dreams.

My name is Erin Stone. I’m forty-three with a daughter away at college and a successful career as a communications officer with the 911 dispatch center for the Toronto Police Service. My life had just returned to new normal after my divorce and everything was going along smoothly. Then BOOM! Turns out the universe had other plans for me.

I dreamed of a plane crash—only it wasn’t just a dream. The crash happened in real life. Eighty-three dead. A vision, plain and simple. Not exactly. My family certainly wouldn’t understand. And me…psychic? I’d dabbled in new-age spirituality in the past but never plunged into the deep end. Now I’m in over my head.

Why was I given this vision, and does it hold clues as to what caused the crash? My best friend Trish is convinced it does, and a handsome stranger with the National Transportation Safety Board is willing to partner with me to solve the mystery. But if I’m going to embrace the vision as telling of newfound psychic abilities, I will need to keep my paranormal gift a secret from my daughter, brother, and aunt. Little good that might do them though.

Someone out there has their own secrets and is willing to go to great lengths to protect them. Now the very gift I was given has put the lives of my loved ones at risk. Will my psychic abilities be strong enough to save them?

This work of paranormal women’s fiction features a strong-willed heroine in her forties with enough baggage to check some, along with a heavy dose of magic and a splash of romance.

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Carolyn Arnold

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt 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 just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:  Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

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

Stolen Daughters by Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold @HibbertStiles

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Stolen Daughters by Carolyn Arnold is the second book in the Amanda Steele series and I am really loving Detective Amanda Steele.

Stolen Daughters

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

WOW! I was expecting a great read when I opened Stolen Daughters by Carolyn Arnold, but I got more than I expected. I find that amazing, because I have been reading her work for some time now and loving it, so for her to write a novel that has me saying to myself (and you), “WOW, this is the perfect story for me.”, it hits all the spots.

Amanda Steele reminds me of Clarisse on the new TV show. I guess that shows how I feel about Carolyn Arnold’s work. It is suitable for the visual media, whether on TV or the movies. Who knows?

The romance is there, but not, and that is fine with me, because I was so involved with the characters I was reading about, I never really missed Logan. He did drop in for a minute or two here and there, just enough to let us know he is waiting….

I love that Amanda doesn’t jump into a relationship with Logan too quickly. I kinda like the one they have right now, taking their time to let it develop naturally, if that is possible in the world they live in. Danger is all around, and they never know when it will find them.

Carolyn Arnold does police procedurals proud. She gives the investigative details in a clear, concise manner, not slowing down the story in any way.

We have a lot of things going on in Stolen Daughters. Logan is trying to hook up with Amanda, but she is too busy trying to help her mother, find out who killed the girl in the fire and deal with her own personal issues.

I love when I can have empathy for the villain, but that does not excuse his actions. He knows right from wrong, he just loves doing wrong. The past is the past and I feel no one can use that for an excuse for their behavior, and when I remember his victims, well…you’ll have to read the book and then I think you may know what I feel.

I love when a fictional novel can draw me so far into it that I, at times, forget I am reading fiction. I had a bunch of notes, but after rereading the blurb, I had to wing it. I didn’t want to give anything away. I want you to experience it for yourself. It is well worth it.

I ignored everything going on around me and stayed up late to finish Stolen Daughters, so to say it was unputdownable is not doing it justice. When IT hits the road, Amanda Steele puts the pedal to the metal, no looking back and no second guessing.

I voluntarily reviewed and ARC of Stolen Daughters by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The girl looked so peaceful, she could have been asleep. Except her eyes were open, blankly reflecting the flickering flames spreading towards her…

When firefighters discover the body of a teenage girl at an abandoned house, Detective Amanda Steele hurries to the scene. Dumfries, Virginia is a small town, yet no one seems to have any idea who the dead girl is until Amanda finds a dragonfly pin with the name Crystal engraved on it.

Working tirelessly, Amanda traces the pin to Crystal Foster, a thirteen-year-old who disappeared three years ago from her wealthy parents’ home. Breaking the news to the distraught parents won’t be easy, but the loss of her own daughter still haunts Amanda, and she knows this will bring them closure. But when Amanda goes to see the Fosters, they do not recognize the girl. She isn’t Crystal.

Before Amanda can react to this new development, she gets an urgent call. A fire has consumed another vacant house, and the remains of two more girls have been found. Who are these girls, and why are they being picked off? Amanda must stop this killer before the pattern continues, and the death toll climbs.

When Amanda receives a taunting note from the killer, she realizes that she holds the missing piece of this puzzle. The victims are connected to Amanda’s past, to a case she can never forget, and which almost claimed her life. As she follows the clues to their deadly conclusion, can she save more innocent lives… even if it risks her own?

An unputdownable, pulse-pounding mystery. Fans of Rachel Caine, Lisa Regan and Robert Dugoni will be gripped.

e-book
Amazon.com |Barnes & Noble | Apple | Kobo | Google Play | Amazon Universal

Audiobook
Amazon | Audible

Paperback – 5.06 x 7.81 inches
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Indie Bound | AbeBooks | Book Depository

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Carolyn Arnold

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt 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 just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:  Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

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