Review – Beautiful Brutal Bodies by Linda Cheng #lindacheng #beautiful brutal bodies #netgalley

Posted on November 4, 2025 by fundinmental

MY REVIEW

I saw the title and cover for Beautiful Brutal Bodies and was drawn into this fairy tale that walks on the dark side. I’m not sure what I was expected, but I was curious enough to read until the story finally woke me up the last quarter of the book.

The character, Tian, had me curious, with her being a singer/songwriter with an online following. It seems influencer novels are popping up here and there and I want to see what authors are doing with the subject and characters. Tian is isolated in a mansion with her friend and protector, Liya.

When several fans suffer injuries while listening to her online, she is packed up and shipped off, along with Liya, to an island in the South China Seas.

Tian finds Shenyu, her musical collaborator, is on the island too. That adds another piece to the puzzle that includes bizarre rituals and haunted forests. Could there be some romance in their future?

I didn’t read the first book, Gorgeous Gruesome Faces, so I don’t know if that is why the book seemed to drag a bit in the beginning. But once the story picks up, secrets, curses and danger threaten their survival.

My thanks go out to Roaring Book Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Beautiful Brutal Bodies.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Full of skin-crawling folk horror and sapphic romance, this feral fairytale and standalone follow-up to GORGEOUS GRUESOME FACES follows a reclusive songstress and her bodyguard who must unravel the occult mysteries of their past to escape from a cursed island.

Tian is a singer-songwriter with a massive online following, known for her hypnotic vocals and ethereal looks. But behind the glamorous façade is a disturbing reality: raised in an isolated mansion, Tian is a prisoner in her own life.

Liya is Tian’s childhood friend and her only close companion, tasked with protecting Tian at all costs. But hidden beneath Liya’s beautiful human exterior is a beastly secret: her teeth are far too sharp, and her appetite much too ferocious.

When several fans mysteriously suffer fatal injuries while watching her livestream, Tian, along with Liya, are sent to a spiritual healing retreat on a remote island in the South China Seas. They are joined by Tian’s musical collaborator Shenyu, a troubled idol whose recent brush with the law and string of bad boyfriends has him seeking his own new start. But the trio soon discovers that the island is no peaceful getaway. There is constant surveillance, bizzare rituals, and something terrifying lurking in the forest. Something not quite human.

In order to escape with her loved ones, Tian must uncover her connection to the island’s blood-drenched legend — and the truth behind Liya’s monstrous identity — before the island claims them all as its final sacrifice.

Genre: Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ, Young Adult
336 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication November 4, 2025 by Roaring Book Press

ABOUT LINDA CHENG

Linda Cheng was born in Taiwan and spent her childhood moving between cultures and continents. She received her BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design, and worked as an art director across South Carolina and Georgia where she developed a deep love for sweet tea, grits, and Southern Gothic stories. She currently resides in Vancouver, Canada with her family.

Website

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Review – Eternal Beauty by Ashley Fontainne & Andrea Emmes #ashleyfontainne #eternalbeauty #AndreaEmmes

Posted on October 31, 2025 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Eternal Beauty by Ashley Fontainne & Andrea Emmes is a little bit horror, a little bit supernatural and a whole lot of twisting and turning thrills told by three characters. We have Bridget Higgins, a young girl who wants to write and share horror stories online. Bridget is bewitched by Barbara, an online wellness influencer and Claire is Barbara’s resentful assistant.

All the reasons that you should be careful when placing your trust in a person’s online presence come to mind. The masks people wear can more easily present a false front.

Ashley Fontainne & Andrea Emmes has created a psychological horror story with a pace that had me glued to the pages, unable to look away. The more I read, the more I had to know what comes next. The suspense and anticipation had me shaking my head, wondering how Ashley came up with so many moments of unease, knowing something wicked this way comes. I love when an author can blend fact with fiction so seamlessly. That ending…Excellent!

My thanks go out to Ashley Fontainne & Andrea Emmes for the opportunity to read and review Eternal Beauty.

GOODREADS BLURB

“…a psychological horror story that keeps you flipping pages frantically to see what will happen next…the parallels and horror elements reshaped from mythology were impressively shifted into new contexts and put to great use in this timely exploration of online personas and buried trauma, making everything fresh and relevant for teenagers now.” –K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite

“What sets this book apart is its refusal to conform to easy it’s messy, raw, and unapologetically horrifying…a spectacular, genre-blurring novel…fiercely original and hauntingly beautiful read.” –Jamie Michele for Readers’ Favorite

“The plot is completely unpredictable, as wild twists and turns pull the rug out from under your feet…This book is a masterpiece, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you like supernatural thrillers, I highly recommend this one!” –Pikasho Deka for Readers’ Favorite

A supernatural thriller told in first person by three main characters over the course of eleven years, Eternal Beauty explores the lives of Bridget Higgins, a young girl grappling with grief, Claire Foster, a woman seeking physical perfection while battling her own inner demons, and Barbara O’Malley, a charismatic wellness influencer.

Fueled by her trauma of mysteriously losing her loved ones, Bridget connects deeply with Barbara as she devours her online videos looking for her own place in the world.

Claire, Barbara’s assistant, obsessed with physical beauty, seeks revenge for past tragedies, and her misguided actions affect the lives of others in unexpected ways.

The story explores the masks people wear, both online and in real life, blurring the lines between truth and illusion, and the lies we tell ourselves to justify wrong choices. Claire’s pursuit of beauty masks her inner turmoil. Bridget copes with her pain by creating an online alter ego. Barbara’s carefully crafted public persona hides the excruciating pain of past traumatic events.

Elements of Celtic mythology and folklore abound, adding a layer of mystery and otherworldly danger and creating a sense of uneasiness and impending doom, leading to a chilling climax that will leave readers breathless.

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural, Teen, Young Adult
299 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 31, 2025 by RMSW Press

ABOUT ASHLEY FONTAINNE

Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne enjoys stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters lurking within each of us. She writes in numerous genres including mystery, suspense, horror, sci-fi and sometimes poetry.

Ashley lives in Arkansas with her husband and is the proud mother of one son and grateful daughter of co-author, Lillian Hansen. To learn more about her books please visit https://ashleyfontainne.net/

Website / Facebook / Pinterest / Bloglovin

MY ASHLEY FONTAINNE REVIEWS

Night Court
Blood Ties (The Magnolia Series)
Blood Loss (The Magnolia Series)
Blood Stain (The Magnolia Series)
Growl
Tainted Cure (The Rememdium Series)
Tainted Reality (The Rememdium Series)
Tainted Future (The Rememdium Series)
Tainted World (The Rememdium Series)
Suicide Lake
The Lie
Ruined Wings
Fatal Agreements
Whispered Pain
Legion Novellas (Many, Madness, Mayhem)
Surviving Doodahville
Operation DFC
Operation S&D

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$25 GC – The Forest And The Sea: A Cinderella Retelling by Tracy Zumwalt @xpressotours

Posted on November 16, 2024 by fundinmental

The Forest and the Sea: A Cinderella Retelling
Tracy Zumwalt
Publication date: November 12th 2024
Genres: Fairy Tales, Retelling, Romance, Young Adult

Reynette is desperate to escape the servitude of her step family at Laudermann Manor and the lustful desires of the loathsome, Sir Bjorn.

Lord Ehrhart seeks to please his father and their subjects by securing a future wife and future Duchess of Badenberg.

Will a chance meeting in the woods lead them to find their hope and future within each other’s arms?

The people of Badenberg are preparing to celebrate the anticipated, Midsummer Festival.

In the worn hallways of Laudermann Manor, a young servant girl longs for freedom and love. Bound by duty to her cruel step family, she yearns to attend the festival and meet a kind, brave suitor who will seek her floral wreath and therefore, declare his intent to pursue her.

Her hope takes a turn when her wreath is sought by a mysterious, yet somehow familiar man.

Meanwhile, Lord Ehrhart, son of the Duke, is under growing pressure to find a bride. Trusting his future to the Duke’s advisor, Ehrhart agrees to a series of balls to seek the next Duchess of Badenberg.

But, behind the festivities and beautiful floral decor, a dangerous scheme unfolds— the Duke’s brother and his ruthless son, Sir Bjorn, conspire to seize the Duke’s position, putting love, power and loyalty to the ultimate test.

Help arrives through an unexpected ally as Reynette and Ehrhart seek to unravel the web of deceit and hidden motives.

Extravagant balls are thrown, secrets are revealed, and murderous plots are uncovered in thisreimagining of the Cinderella story.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

His father and Badenberg needed him to find a suitable wife. Ludwig’s solution was to host the two balls and hope Ehrhart found a wife among the wealthy and titled of Badenberg. But, though Ehrhart had agreed to such a plan, he couldn’t help but feel he’d find a wife on his own terms. Would that be Beatrice? He stared down at his hands loosely wrapped around the reins. Beatrice was certainly a plausible solution to his problem, but could she be a woman he’d love for the rest of his life? She appeared interested in him and his attention, but did he truly know her intentions? He had meant what he’d told his sisters, he was interested in more than just a pretty face.

Suddenly, a loud thud echoed through the trees, followed by another and another. Then he heard a piercing crack to his left. Ehrhart peered up just in time to watch a tree fall along the path. The jarring movement and sound caused Storm to rear.

With his hold on the reins so loose, the sudden jolt sent Ehrhart out of his saddle and towards the ground.

He closed his eyes and braced for the impact, which came quickly. The wind was knocked out of him. He gasped and breathed deeply to restore the air to his lungs, but his vision was slow to clear. Squeezing his eyes tightly, he tried moving his limbs and muscles. His legs and arms moved without pain, but his back felt stiff from the fall. He opened his eyes, staring at the trees above him. Streaks of sunlight pierced the canopy.

To his left, he heard light footsteps drawing near. Someone was attempting to sneak up on him. He was vulnerable while lying on his back. An urge to protect himself flooded his senses. He grunted as he lifted his head and reached for the dagger concealed within his boot.

After drawing the knife from its sheath, he pulled the weapon into a defensive position near his face. The hilt was held securely in his palm while the blade rested upon his skin, extending up and past his wrist. He was still on the ground, but the knife gave him hope in defending himself.

He waited for the steps to get closer.

When they did, he swung his arm from his face and rolled to his left side, allowing him to look into the eyes of his would-be attacker.

Author Bio:

Tracy Zumwalt abandoned her dream of writing a novel over fifteen years ago.

But, through her daughter’s newfound love of fairytale romance, Tracy has revisited her once discarded bucket list item and entered into the world of fairytale retelling. She is all about the happily ever afters and finding inspiration in the world around her, whether that’s through exploring new places or simply savoring moments at home.

When Tracy is not crafting new stories, she is either on the move, staying active, or in the kitchen, cooking up plant-based meals to share with family and friends.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two children. Together, they’ve created a life committed to love, adventure and finding the joy in both the simple and complex moments of life.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram

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Review – Grimmworld: The Witch In The Woods by Michaelbrent Collings @mbcollings

Posted on May 17, 2024 by fundinmental

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I felt like I was visiting worlds like Grimm (the TV show), Harry Potter (that speaks for itself), and Stephen Henning’s Class Heroes series. So much fun for me, so I feel middle graders would love to go on fantasy adventures with the twins, Willow and Jake. And, how about that amazing cover created by Alexander Jansson. I have an affinity to trees, so it speaks to me.

I am very familiar with Michaelbrent Collings’ thrillers, and I am a huge fan of his. This is a step outside his normal genre, but all I had to do was read the blurb to put a smile on my face. With his ability to spin fantastic stories, I anticipate an entertaining read. Good writing is good writing, so the fact this is middle grade fantasy instead of a dark and dangerous thriller, doesn’t put me off in the slightest. I feel Grimmworld will be easy to read, so I can relax and enjoy the fun.

Willow and Jack Grimm are twins, living in Los Angeles and they are happy with their lives. Their parents tell them they will be moving to New Marburg, Idaho. What? From glitzy glamorous Los Angeles, their friends, the beach, the library, to a town only a select few have ever heard of, will be a huge adjustment.

Their parents are scientists and will be working at the Tank. It’s all very hush hush.

I love that Willow and Jack are friends as well as siblings. They are opposites, that complement their abilities, which they will need when they enter their new world. The combination of their skills will allow them to overcome the obstacles put in their path. Their teacher seems to have it out for them. What a way to start their new life.

Things and people are not always what they appear to be and first impressions and assumptions can be misleading, as with Mr Eli.

Of course, we have the age old question, just because you can do it, should you?

I love that Willow and Jack are Grimmwalkers. I have been watching Grimm on TV and it allowed me to let Michaelbrent Collings stretch my imagination and travel to Grimmworld with him and the kids. We have monsters of every persuasion, fairies and witches and more.

“The Brothers Grimm weren’t ‘fairy tale guys.’ They were Grimmwalkers like me…People who see the truth…”

You will never look at mushrooms the same way.

Instead of a chip on her shoulder, Willow has a cricket. LOL

I love a book that allows me to let my imagination run wild and be there in the moment. I love to let an author take me wherever they want me to go, see what they want me to see and Michaelbrent Collings has that ability. I loved being in his magical world as he brought it and the characters to life with his mad writing skills. The impossible becomes possible in The Witch in the Woods of Grimmworld.

The first adventure into Grimmworld, The Witch In The Woods by Michaelbrent Collings, may be over, but Willow and Jack have a new reason to return…….

At the end of the book is a Reading Guide and Discussion Questions.

GOODREADS BLURB

Twins Willow and Jake Grimm are not prepared for the bizarre gadgets and scary changes in their new home of New Marburg, the location of the top-secret Think Tank where their parents now have jobs as scientists. In this town, people jetpack to work, robots direct traffic, and senior citizens duel with laser swords.

Yet nothing compares to what happens the day after lightning strikes the twins’ house. Their school building transforms around them, becoming a medieval castle—complete with moat, drawbridge, and a dangerous giant who looks strangely like the school’s overly aggressive hall monitor.

Barely managing to escape before a massive beanstalk lifts the castle above the clouds, Willow and Jake learn that their ancestors, the original Brothers Grimm, were more than storytellers. They were Grimmwalkers, able to travel from our universe to the universe where all fairy tales dare born.

Somehow, Willow and Jake have been transported to Grimmworld as well. But before the twins can figure out how to get back to their own universe, they discover that their best friends, Hank and Pearl, have morphed into the fairy tale characters Hansel and Gretel and been captured by a candy-obsessed witch deep in the Cursed Forest.

Now, aided by a mysterious wizard with shimmering golden eyes and a befuddled, talking naked mole-rat named Chet, the twins must trust in each other, believe in themselves, and find the courage to face their darkest fears in order to save their friends, return to their family, and maybe—just maybe—save the world.

Genre: Children’s, Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Fiction, Folklore, Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Format: 302 pages, Kindle Edition
Published: March 6, 2024 by Shadow Mountain Publishing

ABOUT MICHAELBRENT COLLINGS

Michaelbrent Collings is an internationally-bestselling novelist, multiple Bram Stoker Award nominee, produced screenwriter, and one of the top indie horror writers in the United States.

He hopes someday to develop superpowers, or, if that is out of the question, then at least to get a cool robot arm.

Michaelbrent has a wife and several kids, all of whom are much better looking than he is (though he admits that’s a low bar to set), and also cooler than he is.

Michaelbrent also has a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MichaelbrentC… and can be followed on Twitter through his username @mbcollings. Follow him for cool news, updates, and advance notice of sales. You will also be kept safe when the Glorious Revolution begins!

STALK MICHAELBRENT: Website / Twitter

MY MICHAELBRENT COLLINGS REVIEWS

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Cinderella Retelling Review – Only Until Midnight by Michael B Chikondi @M_B_Chikondi

Posted on May 15, 2024 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I don’t read a lot of fairy tale retellings, but when one comes my way by an author I enjoy, bring it on. That is the case with Only Until Midnight by Michael B Chikondi. It’s always fun to see what kind of spin an author can put on an oft told tale and Michael did a great job.

The mice running around the house added a fun touch.

There is not a lot to say on a subject that has been written about so much, but Michael added this and that, making the story his own. The Prince…that was nice touch, even though I had immediately caught the twist.

A quick, fun story that is sure to entertain, and it left me with a smile on my face.

GOODREADS BLURB

There are battles in this world which most people never see.

Sometimes the need to preserve our spirit, hope and dignity is the trial that we face, and love just the prize. This is one such tale.

Retelling the classic fairytale, this story focuses not on the quest to win the handsome prince, but on Cinderella before the ball, and the reality of life with a narcissist – the stepmother in whose ‘care’ the young girl is left after she becomes an orphan.

How does a person maintain their optimism and their sense of self in a hopeless situation that they cannot control, when even other people living in the house cannot see what is going on right under their noses? Some conflicts are fought over many years, lost and won without anyone knowing that a war was happening at all.

Only Until Midnight is at once a return to the traditional values of the fairytale and an unflinching look at the reality behind it, making the magical princess more relatable than ever as a woman in an impossible situation.

Genre: Fairy Tales and Folklore, Fantasy, Fiction, Romance
193 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 15, 2024

ABOUT MICHAEL B CHIKONDI (from Amazon)

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

“Can we approach?” we call.

“No soliciting.” the voice returns.

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

“Ask.” the dread voice responds.

“Alright, who are you?” we try.

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

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

“Yes, but now…I hunger…”

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

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

Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook

MY MICHAEL B CHIKONDI REVIEWS

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Enemies To Lovers – Blood Champion by Kay Widow @KayWidow @booksirens

Posted on January 23, 2024 by fundinmental

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

He calls me Lady Death. I am his weapon to wield as he pleases, sharpened like the fatal point of a wooden stake. In the ring, I am nothing but blood, bone, and fury.

I love the soft colors and sweet look of the cover for Blood Champion by Kay Widow. It hides the viciousness and savagery of the cage fights inside.

Monique feels a debt of gratitude to her master, Felix Fee, never questioning his demands. Because of her, his destiny as the heir to the Fee dynasty has never been questioned. He had saved her life, giving her everything she now has. But what exactly is that?

Now, he has given her a task that could end up costing her her life. She is not the only one given this task, and it will lead to changes she never could have anticipated. When she meets Noah, she is awakened to possibilities.

Noah, a werewolf, is in New York City, given the task to obtain the Book of Lilu from Lord Blackwood, the vampire hosting the games that Monique will participating in. I think we can all see what is on the horizon, but the journey will not be an easy one.

Noah is bold, determined, walking a very dangerous path by putting himself amongst the vampires, hiding behind cologne and the humans sprinkled throughout. He ends up playing a part in the fights that could be the end of him. He is not one to go down without a fight, but how can a werewolf survive being caged with a vampire, surrounded by other vampires.

The quotes below, at 20%, made me sit up and pay attention. The descriptions Kay Widow created are powerful and something I have not read before:

I hate crowded places. Most of my kind do…we remember just how much louder and brighter and more intense this world is now that we’re monsters. A simple breath of laughter becomes a shrieking whine to our ears, often accompanied by the stench of stomach bile or curdled coffee and cream. The muted glow from a chandelier becomes painfully blinding, overloading our senses with out mercy.
The never ending thirst hits at the peak of it all. Razor sharp claws raking down your throat. The ripping and shredding of your gums as you fight to keep your fangs at bay. That wild, primal part of you that seeks to satisfy those discomforts by orchestrating a bloodbath.

Amongst all the debauchery and violence, we do have our moments of lightness and laughter. I do like that the ‘love’ is not an immediate hop in the sack and, as Monique’s feelings for Noah develop, so does she. Possibilities….

Blood Champion is the third in the series, and, by far the best. Monique is a character that quickly became someone I couldn’t turn away from. She is challenged at every turn and I loved that she didn’t turn away from the hard questions, but opened herself up to the chance of a new life…and freedom. I want more.

GOODREADS BLURB

I’ve lived a warrior’s life defined by death, cage fights, and submission to my vampire master.So when commanded to infiltrate the underground fighting pits of Manhattan and retrieve a coveted tome, my mission takes priority.But that resolve is tested upon crossing paths with an infuriating werewolf who seeks the artifact for his own pack’s survival.Though we are sworn enemies, an electric attraction sparks between us that I find difficulty resisting.Noah’s defiant spirit and the thrilling risk of our affair make me feel alive in ways I’ve never experienced.Compelled into a shaky alliance by our common goal, we fight through sadistic opponents while confronting vampire lords at every turn.Both grappling between loyalty and our dangerous liaison that should not be.Dare I continue falling for a man from the enemy werewolf pack?Something or someone will break.Plunge into the seductive, gritty underworld of a vampire-shifter romance fused with lethal action today!

Genre: Enemies to Lovers, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Shapeshifters, Supernatural, Vampires, Werewolves
242 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 26, 2023
The Bloodline Dagger Series, Book 3

ABOUT KAY WIDOW

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

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

MY KAY WIDOW REVIEWS

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Giveaway – Queens Of Moirai by Rhiannon Hargadon @XpressoTours

Posted on September 4, 2023 by fundinmental

Queen of Moirai
Rhiannon Hargadon
Publication date: September 5th 2023
Genres: Adult, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy

Not every fairytale has a happy ending.

In QUEENS OF MOIRAI, the last descendant of The Three Fates will face her heart-stealing mother and take her rightful place as a Queen.

Buried alive just after birth, the next morning Morena is found in a blue blanket – still very much alive. Doomed with dark magic, imprisoned in a stone tower, her only friends are siblings similarly cursed.

To protect those she loves, Morena will wear a skull mask, becoming the one we know as the Grim Reaper. Her destiny seems certain until a stranger arrives, claiming to be her betrothed. All too willing to throw herself into his arms, she travels to his world, and is awed by the beauty, the glitter, and the beautiful people of his court. Some will love her. Some will protect her. Some will torment her. And one will claim every inch of her soul.

Before long, Morena’s wishes for freedom and her kingdom pale compared to her desire for revenge. She’ll fight to save her sister, control her destiny, and find the one who manipulates The Fates… before it’s too late.

This thrilling and fierce dark fantasy is what would happen if CIRCE met FOURTH WING. It’s a Greek mythology retelling, with Goddesses, folklore, and Fae.

Goodreads / Amazon

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Author Bio:

Rhiannon is a first time author and long-time reader and writer, whose love of reading was reawakened by Booktok and Bookstagram. She loves friends-to-lovers tropes and has been blissfully married to her bestie for ten years. She’s the mother of two children. When she’s not writing, you can find her curled up on the couch in front of the fireplace with a fantasy book or swimming. She lives in North Carolina with her family, and their rescued pitbull. Having worked three jobs through university, Rhiannon is passionate about higher education for low-income families, and on the side helps run an annual scholarship for high-school seniors.

Website / Amazon / Instagram / Goodreads

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$100 GC Giveaway – Twelve Hours In Manhattan by Maan Gabriel @xpressotours

Posted on April 18, 2023 by fundinmental

Twelve Hours in Manhattan
Maan Gabriel
Publication date: April 18th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fairy Tales, Romance

Two worlds. One heart. Twelve hours.

Bianca Maria Curtis is at the brink of losing it all when she meets Eric at a bar in Manhattan. Eric, as it turns out, is the famous Korean drama celebrity Park Hyun Min, and he’s in town for one night to escape the pressures of fame. From walking along Fifth Avenue to eating ice cream at Serendipity to sharing tender moments on top of the Empire State building, sparks fly as Bianca and Eric spend twelve magical hours far away from their respective lives. In that time, they talk about the big stuff: love, life, and happiness, and the freedom they both seek to fully exist and not merely survive.

But real life is more than just a few exhilarating stolen moments in time.

As the clock strikes the twelfth hour, Bianca returns back to the life she detests to face a tragedy that will test her strength and resolve—and the only thing she has to keep going is the memory of a man she loves in secret from a world away.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

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Author Bio:

Maan Gabriel is a mom, wife, dreamer, writer, and advocate for women’s stories in literature. She earned her BA in communications from St. Scholastica’s College in Manila and MPS in public relations and corporate communications from Georgetown University. She has lived in Manila, Brussels, Dakar, and Mexico City. During the day, she works in strategic communications. Gabriel, along with her husband and son, currently calls suburban Washington DC home. After Perfect is her first novel.

“I dream of a world full of hope, where believing is as important as life itself, and where love can move mountains. This is in the very core of my stories, and I wish in more ways than one that I can inspire you to see the world as I see it… a fairy tale.”

– Maan

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O M G Lost Girl by Michaelbrent Collings @mbcollings #PeterPan

Posted on February 1, 2023 by fundinmental

Michaelbrent Collings is an author that captured my heart, just don’t cut it out, PLEASE!

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

This is a true fairie tale. And like all true fairie tales, it is bloody, violent…and there is no guarantee that good will win in the end.

Michaelbrent Collings writes some of the darkest stories I have ever read and creating some of the most violent villains that I have ever ‘met’. I love that the stories are so original and unique, and I challenge you to figure out what is coming before it happens. I sure can’t. I am sure my review is not going to do Lost Girl justice, but I will do my best.

The stars are Eve, Peter Pan, Wendy and Hook, but don’t let the fairy tale fool you. Not all characters are as you expect them to be. Be careful who you trust. Be cautious who you let into your life. Who can you trust? It’s hard to say, because even her mother and grand mother have secrets they do not share.

I have read several books in the past few weeks where a character has asthma. That adds an extra level of danger. For Eve, it has gotten worse and she feels something is coming, something evil. How can she prepare for it if she has no idea who will bring it and what it will be? I never could have anticipated any of it, if I hadn’t read the blurb…vampires! Oooo, I love vampires. Don’t care if they are blood thirsty cannibals or soft and friendly.The big question is…who is the good guy and who is the bad guy? The Lost Boys are truly lost in this unconventional coming of age story.

Brutal, violent, savage:

Gaping holes. Hearts cut from their bodies. No blood. No blood no blood no blood because there was NO BLOOD MOMMY NO BLOOD AT ALL.

Eve has no father, an alcoholic mother and a grandmother with alzheimers who always wants Eve to read her favorite book, Peter Pan, to her. She is on her own. She abuses herself, just to feel alive. She is bullied and abused at school, but she continues to attend. She wants the education, regardless of no support, no friends, and teachers turning a blind eye. Dreams, or should we say, nightmares, haunt her sleep.

My heart breaks for her, but I had a feeling…somehow…she would find someone, something good would come out of her life. Well, it doesn’t work out like I thought. I was constantly surprised, if that is the correct word. Nothing is at it seems. No one is as they seem. The complexity of the novel kept me riveted, rapidly ‘flipping pages’, wanting to get to the end, but not. I wanted more…

Lost Girl by Michaelbrent Collings was published in 2012, but I feel there is more to be told. Give me more!!!!!! How about it M?????? Are the characters talking to you yet??????

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Lost Girl (Formerly Peter & Wendy: A Tale Of The Lost) by Michaelbrent Colliings.

GOODREADS BLURB

Eve has no father. An alcoholic mother. Abused at school. A loser. But when the new boy comes to school, things start to change. He’s popular, he’s good-looking, he’s smart. He likes her. And he wants to kill her. Because he’s Peter Pan. And he’s a vampire.

Eve is Wendy’s great-great-great-great-granddaughter, and Peter has made it his mission to seduce and destroy every woman in the Wendy line.

Eve can’t stay with him, but can’t stay away, either. Now, the only one who can save her is a young man, crippled and lonely, named Captain Hook: sworn protector of the Wendy line.

Eve has to uncover the mysteries that have roots in her past, and that will change her future. Mysteries that will determine whether she lives, dies… or suffers a fate worse than death.

Because Eve is changing herself. Becoming faster, stronger. More than her life is at stake. Her soul is up for grabs, and Eve will have to find more strength than she knows to stay alive… and to keep from becoming the thing she fears…

ABOUT MICHAELBRENT COLLINGS

Michaelbrent Collings is an internationally-bestselling novelist, multiple Bram Stoker Award nominee, produced screenwriter, and one of the top indie horror writers in the United States.

He hopes someday to develop superpowers, or, if that is out of the question, then at least to get a cool robot arm.

Michaelbrent has a wife and several kids, all of whom are much better looking than he is (though he admits that’s a low bar to set), and also cooler than he is.

STALK MICHAELBRENT: Website / Twitter

MY MICHAELBRENT COLLINGS REVIEWS

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Giveaway – Silk Malice by Eve Dangerfield @XpressoTours @Eve_Dangerfield

Posted on January 31, 2023 by fundinmental

Silk Malice
Eve Dangerfield
(Snow White, #2)
Publication date: January 31st 2023
Genres: Adult, Fairy Tales, Retelling, Romance

Once upon a time I was left with nothing. Betrayed by my stepmother and stolen by my ex-fiancé. Now I’m battered but intact, just like my prized innocence.

My heart tells me I don’t want to belong to one man. I belong to four.

But the criminals I love are proud. Too proud.

Their brotherhood is in tatters.

They fight for me. And they possess me, even as the enemies close in. Even as the foundation of our twisted family crumbles. Even as the dark legacy threatens to consume us all.

Book two in the SNOW WHITE trilogy. This is a scorching romance between a woman and four beautifully dangerous men in which she never has to choose.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

Author Bio:

Eve Dangerfield has loved romance novels ever since she first swiped her grandmother’s paperbacks. Now she writes her own stories about complicated women and gorgeous-but-slightly-tortured men. Her work has been described as ‘genre-defying,’ ‘insanely hot’ and ‘the defibrillator contemporary romance needs right now’…and not just by herself or those who might need bone marrow…OTHER PEOPLE! She lives in Melbourne with her boy and a bunch of semi-dead plants. She can generally be found making a mess.

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