5 Star Review – A Shadow In The Ember by Jennifer L Armentrout @JLArmentrout #blueboxpress #ashadowintheember

Posted on March 26, 2026 by fundinmental

MY REVIEW

In this whacked out world we live in, I can sure use a break, an escape, and I can think of no better way than to enter a fantasy world. A world of riveting, engrossing Flesh And Fire in A Shadow In The Ember by Jennifer L Armentrout. I spent two unforgettable days in Seraphena’s world, an enemies to lovers, spicy fantasy romance.

Serephena is a Princess, but she isn’t treated like one. Her life is not her own. She is the Chosen. A Consort. An assassin. A weapon. In her own eyes she considers herself a monster, willing to sacrifice herself to save others. Of course there is a prophecy, but who knows what kind of games the gods are playing.

She is promised to the Primal of Death, Ash if you are close to him. When he denied her, Serephena thought all was lost. She had been touched by Life and Death. She is reckless, but mighty with the Shadowblade she always carries. She is fearless and I love their lively banter.

I will warn you. Make sure you have plenty of time before you crack open A Shadow In The Ember, because, if you are like me, once you start you won’t want to stop. Sure, some things are predictable, but there is plenty of fresh and original twists and turns.

My thanks go out to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for the opportunity to review A Shadow In The Ember by Jennifer L Armentrout.

GOODREADS BLURB

Born shrouded in the veil of the Primals, a Maiden as the Fates promised, Seraphena Mierel’s future has never been hers. Chosen before birth to uphold the desperate deal her ancestor struck to save his people, Sera must leave behind her life and offer herself to the Primal of Death as his Consort.

However, Sera’s real destiny is the most closely guarded secret in all of Lasania—she’s not the well protected Maiden but an assassin with one mission—one target. Make the Primal of Death fall in love, become his weakness, and then…end him. If she fails, she dooms her kingdom to a slow demise at the hands of the Rot.

Sera has always known what she is. Chosen. Consort. Assassin. Weapon. A specter never fully formed yet drenched in blood. A monster. Until him. Until the Primal of Death’s unexpected words and deeds chase away the darkness gathering inside her. And his seductive touch ignites a passion she’s never allowed herself to feel and cannot feel for him. But Sera has never had a choice. Either way, her life is forfeit—it always has been, as she has been forever touched by Life and Death.

Genre: Enemires To Lovers, Fantasy, Fiction, Fantasy Romance, New Adult, Romantasy, Spicy
647 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 19, 2021 by Blue Box Press
Series: Flesh & Fire #1, Blood & Ash #4

ABOUT JENNIFER L ARMENTROUT

Hey Guys! Please note: I don’t send out ARCs for review. If you’re interested in reviewing a book of mine before release date, please contact the appropriate publisher. I also do NOT check my Goodreads email.

To email me, please use the below addy.
jenniferlarmentrout@live.com

# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Charles Town, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more.

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Review – Willow Rose by M Kevin Hayden #mkevinhayden #willowrose

Posted on February 26, 2026 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

“Yes, Mrs Dodd? Are you feeling better?”

“Why, yes, I am, thanks to you! I can’t believe how constipated I was.” She waves her hand. “It just hung there…I thought I would just die! I figured, if only I could reach right up there, I could get things moving.”

OMG. Right out of the gate, M Kevin Hayden had me laughing out loud. I didn’t see anything about humor, when I checked out Willow Rose. I did become curious about the Comet Goodwin, the bull elk that he sees standing in the middle of the road, not looking quite right, and the young girl that comes knocking on his door and a nurse that could lead to a love interest.

We have a mashup of horror, science fiction and the paranormal. We have an ER doctor needing to get away from his hectic life to a remote cabin in Minnesota. The atmosphere is eerie, mysterious, bloody and gory. Do you believe in monsters? Of aliens or alternate dimensions?

Willow Rose had its moments, and it did keep me flipping pages, wanting to know what was going on and how M Kevin Hayden would wrap things up.

GOODREADS BLURB

For lovers of Stephen Graham Jones, Jeff VanderMeer, and Nick Cutter, Willow Rose is a compulsively readable, literary ode to the terror of the unknown that comes for all of us in the depths of night.

A knock on the cabin door on indigenous land in the wintry woods of Minnesota.

Tap tap tap.

Driving down the boreal roads of rural Minnesota to his one-room cabin after a long ER shift, Dr. Alder’s eyes snap open, his old Civic screaming to a stop in front of a massive bull elk, its head tilting back unnaturally, its maw open. Comet Goodwin, the closest comet to Earth in history, lights up the sky in an otherworldly greenish tint with its long, jagged tail of fire.

Tap tap tap.

Alder’s world ignites in a blinding white flash. The car windows shatter inward. The elk is gone.

If he can get the car started again and get back to his cabin, maybe he can make sense of all this…but first he must survive the frozen silence of the night and the evil that stalks within it.

We must stay together always.

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Supernatural
206 pages, Hardcover
Published October 28, 2025 by Muse of the Moon Books

ABOUT M KEVIN HAYDEN

M. Kevin Hayden is a novelist from the South Side of Chicago, where he grew up among storefront churches, corner stores, and the quiet echo of stories waiting to be told. His work blends emotional realism with speculative mystery, grounded in memory, place, and the uncanny moments that flicker through ordinary lives.

His debut, An Old Soul, is a slow-burn tale of love, memory, and unraveling reality set in 1996 Chicago. His second story, Willow Rose, leaves the city for the snowbound wilderness of northern Minnesota, where a weary doctor and a mysterious child confront a cosmic, ancient terror.

He writes for anyone who has ever felt out of step with the world, hoping his stories offer a sense of connection and wonder. He now lives somewhere quiet, surrounded by trees and the occasional flash of something just beyond the veil.

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Review – The Convergence: Broken Magic by Richard French #richardfrench #theconvergence #brokenmagic

Posted on February 20, 2026 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Convergence: Broken Magic by Richard French is about fated mates, enemies to lovers, second chance and forbidden romance. Samantha Reed is tasked by the Federation with finding and destroying Connor Blake. but when she meets him…again…her soul cries out to his. She has been lied to and what she does next could either save their world or destroy it.

The story is fast paced with lots of action. Circumstances bring together an unlikely group of characters that will do what is necessary, what is right, to save their world, no matter the consequences. I was wrapped up the danger that surrounded them…and that ending. It was a blow that I wasn’t prepared for, but, there is Book II, The Convergence: Restoration, so we shall see what comes next.

I have read some of Richard French’s work and felt it was very likely that The Convergence series would be a good one, and I wasn’t wrong.

GOODREADS BLURB

Federation Enforcer Samantha Reed has orders to kill Connor Blake—the one person whose soul was torn from hers when the Federation shattered magic itself.Enemies to lovers. Fated mates. A bond the universe refuses to let die.

Reality is fracturing across the galaxy as the Convergence approaches—a cosmic force trying to heal what was broken. The Federation claims Connor’s rebellion is causing the breakdown, but when Samantha confronts the man she’s been sent to destroy, stolen memories their connection isn’t coincidence. It’s the echo of a soulmate bond artificially severed centuries ago.

What begins as a mission to capture a traitor becomes a forbidden second chance neither expected. Their unified magic doesn’t combine separate powers—it remembers what they were before the Federation broke everything apart. But every moment they spend reconnected awakens the truth the Federation desperately the artificial separation is failing, and only their restored unity can stabilize reality’s collapse.

With a band of unlikely allies who become family, Samantha and Connor must outrun the Federation’s hunters while unraveling centuries of lies. As the cosmos continues to unravel, the Federation’s leader plans to weaponize the Convergence’s healing energy to make the separation permanent—even if it destroys existence in the process.

The choice isn’t between order and chaos, but between artificial control and natural wholeness.

For readers who devoured Shadow and Bone, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, and A Court of Mist and Fury, this is star-crossed lovers, forbidden magic, and found family—with the fate of reality hanging in the balance.

When remembering their true connection means choosing between Federation loyalty and cosmic healing, will Samantha embrace what was stolen from them—or let the universe fracture forever to preserve a lie?

Get your copy now and discover why some bonds refuse to stay broken.

Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fantasy, Fiction, Military
184 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2025 by Indie Pen Press
Series: The Convergence #1

ABOUT RICHARD FRENCH

Richard French writes at the intersection of technology, transformation, and storytelling. A former executive at Oracle and Nokia, and a serial startup leader, Richard brings decades of leadership experience to his books.

His non-fiction works include Daniel as a Blueprint for Navigating Ethical Dilemmas, The Journaling Mastery Series, and The Journaling Prompts Series. In fiction, his Convergence Series explores quantum physics, high fantasy, and human connection in richly imagined worlds.

Richard lives in the Pacific Northwest, where he writes full time and races GT cars on weekends. He believes in challenging limits—on the track, in business, and on the page.

Website

MY RICHARD FRENCH REVIEW

The Emotion Collector

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Review – Caged In Desire by Sadie Winchester #sadiewinchester #cagedindesire

Posted on February 10, 2026 by fundinmental

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I will start off by saying that Caged In Desire by Sadie Winchester is recommended for those eighteen and over. When you read the sexy scenes, you will know why.

Caged In Desire by Sadie Winchester is a story about gods and godesses and I loved it. It has a very pretty cover. We meet Charlee Amoretti, who is better known as Cupid. It’s Valentine’s Day, so she is happily delivering the Double Tap, where two hearts will beat as one. She knows it will never happen for her…When she meets a grouchy Eryx Nightvale, the God of Discord, both their lives will be changed forever.

The story may be a quick read, but it is full of love and laughs. That twist at the end…I love it! Makes me want more of Sadie Winchester’s world of gods and godesses.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Born among the gods and bound for eternity as a matchmaker to the mortals, my life has been dedicated to pairing hearts and souls. But these powers come at a high cost. By bonding couples together, I’ve been robbed of having that same connection with another.

Valentine’s Day has come around, as it always does, filling people with a deep desire to find true love. And just when I think this will be another successful year, I find myself on the doorstep of a man whose heart and life have been cast in darkness.

Eryx Nightvale isn’t just any man—he’s the god of discord, everything I’m not, and he’s determined to break everything I represent.

Now I’m caged, my heart and body trapped behind bars. Will I be able to charm my captor into opening the lock keeping me prisoner? Or will we both be lost to the shattered remains of our own making?

*This book is intended for mature audiences 18+ years. Please check the trigger and content warnings on the author’s website.*

Genre: Enemies To Lovers, Fantasy, Fiction, Mythology, Romance
162 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 2, 2026

ABOUT SADIE WINCHESTER

A dark romance author, Sadie Winchester is looking forward to sharing the stories living in her head rent-free with the rest of the world. She writes across a variety of sub-genres, including mafia romance and paranormal romance.

During her high school years, she fell in love with writing short stories which continued on/off into adulthood. Finally, she decided to pursue her dream in 2023, and the rest is history.

Sadie lives in the Pine Barrens with her husband and son. When she’s not reading and writing, she enjoys spending time outdoors, sipping local brews, and binge-watching her favorite shows.

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Review – Detour by Jeff Rake & Rob Hart #jeffrake #robhart #detour

Posted on January 13, 2026 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart is the first book in the science fiction Detour series.

Ryan, a Washington DC policeman, was in the right place at the right time to save John Ward, a billionaire, from assassination. Because of that, John has offered him a chance in a lifetime, to go into space. Myself, I would have said thanks, but no thanks. I can’t imagine being trapped in a tin can, floating through space, hoping nothing goes wrong.

Ryan Crane, Padma Singh, Alonso Cardona, Della Jameson, and Mike Seaver will share their points of view, as they struggle from the aftermath of their trip. Lies and betrayal flow smoothly throughout the story. None of them know what is really going on, so that puts them in danger. Secrets are to be kept…and John Ward will do anything to keep them.

I do have a problem with all the series I get caught up in. Now, I’m hooked and I really want to now what comes next. The suspense and danger increased as the story unfolded, making me curious about where the authors will take the next book in the series. Is it a cliffhanger? Not in an urgent sense of the word, but I will still need to read the next book to find out how the character’s stories end. And, I do want to know. My mind is already running through scenarios. So, Jake and Rob, I hope you are writing fast.

GOODREADS BLURB

A space shuttle flight crew discovers that the Earth they’ve returned to is not the home they left behind in this emotional, mind-bending thriller from the creator of the hit Netflix series Manifest and the bestselling author of The Warehouse.

“If The Martian and The Twilight Zone had a baby, it would be Detour—a thriller that messes with your head as you scramble to piece together what’s really going on.”—Steve Netter, Best Thriller Books

Ryan Crane wasn’t looking for trouble—just a cup of coffee. But when this cop spots a gunman emerging from an unmarked van, he leaps into action and unknowingly saves John Ward, a billionaire with presidential aspirations, from an assassination attempt.

As thanks for Ryan’s quick thinking, Ward offers him the chance of a lifetime: to join a group of lucky civilians chosen to accompany three veteran astronauts on the first manned mission to ******’s moon Titan.

A devoted family man, Ryan is reluctant to leave on this two-year expedition, yet with the encouragement of his loving wife—and an exorbitant paycheck guaranteeing lifetime care for their disabled son—he crews up and ventures into a new frontier.

But as the ship is circling Titan, it is rocked by an unexplained series of explosions. The crew works together to get back on course, and they return to Earth as heroes.

When the fanfare dies down, Ryan and his fellow astronauts notice that things are different. Some changes are good, such as lavish upgrades to their homes, but others are more disconcerting. Before the group can connect, mysterious figures start tailing them, and their communications are scrambled.

Separated and suspicious, the crew must uncover the truth and decide how far they’re willing to go to return to their normal lives. Just when their space adventure seemingly ends, it shockingly begins.

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction
290 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 13, 2026 by Random House Worlds

ABOUT JEFF RAKE

Jeff Rake recently served as creator, executive producer, writer, and showrunner for NBC/Netflix’s Manifest. He previously developed and Executive Produced The Mysteries of Laura, which aired for multiple seasons on NBC and in more than 100 countries. His past credits include consulting producer on The CW’s Beauty and the Beast, TNT’s Franklin & Bash and Hawthorne, and Fox’s Bones. Jeff also executive produced ABC’s Cashmere Mafia and Boston Legal. On the feature side, he has written screenplays for MGM and Disney. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and many children.

ABOUT ROB HART

Rob Hart is the author of the USA TODAY bestseller ASSASSINS ANONYMOUS. He also wrote THE PARADOX HOTEL, which was nominated for. Lambda Literary Award, as well as THE WAREHOUSE, which has been sold in more than 20 countries. He also wrote the Ash McKenna crime series, the short story collection TAKE-OUT, the novella SCOTT FREE with James Patterson, and, with Alex Segura, the comic book BLOOD OATH and the novel DARK SPACE.

His short stories have been published widely, including “Due on Batuu,” set in the Star Wars universe, which appeared in FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and “Take-Out,” which appeared in BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES 2018.

He’s worked as a political reporter, the communications director for a politician, and a commissioner for the city of New York. He is the former publisher at MysteriousPress.com and class director at LitReactor. He lives in Jersey City. Website: http://robwhart.com/

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Review – The Emotion Collector: Awakening by Richard French #richardfrench #indiepenpress #theemotioncollector

Posted on November 17, 2025 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

In The Emotional Collector: Awakening by Richard French, we meet Senior Collector Emma Thorne. Emma is the state’s most powerful weapon…until she opens herself up to a four year old’s feelings of love. She has been conditioned to collect feelings, which are considered waste, not to empathize or sympathize. Now she was beginning to question her purpose.

Evan Cross is part of the resistance. These are the kind of characters I find most interesting. They come across as real, fighting against suppression, wearing a white hat. He is immune to the dampening technology. And, of course, anyone that knows me, knows I love a good villain and I was surprised that it was Emma’s mother that surprised me the most.

The state had been updating the dampening technology, increasing the efficiency, causing the planet to die at a faster rate. Emma begins to think that her real purpose was not to destroy the planet, but to save it.

The Emotional Collector made me think of Avatar, how everything was connected. By killing emotions, they were killing the planet.

The state wants to study Emma, and we know what that means…nothing good for her. And…it’s her mother leading the way. She can save the people and the planet, but at what cost to her? Is the Awakening a good thing, or will it doom the planet and everyone on it? Doesn’t really matter because the state had begun Project Terminus and it would permanently cut out human feeling within hours, killing the plane anyway.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from The Emotion Collector, but I loved it. The more characters I met, the more characters there were to love and others to try to understand their motivations. It’s one of those things, just because you can do something, should you?

I love this thought provoking novel. Once I started, I didn’t want to stop. I love novels that surprise me, and I was surprised at the twists and turns that Richard French threw my way.

GOODREADS BLURB

In a world where emotions are harvested as hazardous waste, an elite Collector absorbs a child’s love—and awakens.Senior Collector Emma Thorne is the state’s most precise weapon until a four-year-old’s pure love fractures her conditioning. When her collection field fails on an immune stranger, everything she believes crumbles.

Emma discovers the brutal emotions aren’t waste—they’re living energy linked to planetary health, and the Council’s “peace” is killing the world. Her mother is the architect of suppression. Project Terminus will permanently sever human feeling within hours.

For readers who devoured Delirium and The Giver, but crave the hard science and hope of Nexus.

To save humanity, she must sacrifice everything she is to restore the world’s heart.

Genre: Apocalyptic, Cyberpunk, Dystopian, Fantasy, Fiction, Metaphysical, Science Fiction
393 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 17, 2025 by Indie Pen Press

ABOUT RICHARD FRENCH

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/

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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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Review The Witches Of Hant Hollow by D F Jones @Author_DFJones #thewitchesofhanthollow

Posted on October 22, 2025 by fundinmental

Fantasy Romance YA Fantasy Witches Wizards Time Travel Romance Magic Paranormal Bestseller ebook

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love the wonderful cover for The Witches Of Hant Hollow: Jonathon’s Curse by D F Jones. I also like the cute witch that’s at the head of each chapter. I picked it up on a free day, which I discovered through her newsletter. A perfect book for the upcoming Spooktacular season.

The characters run the gamut, from the best of the best, to the worst of the worst. It has an especially intriguing villain in Iris, the matriarch of the Doanhart Coven. We have poor Jonathon, who D F Jones puts through the wringer, and Jasmine, who’s heart is so big, she will sacrifice herself for the good of all. AND, there are a lot of peripheral characters that have an important part to play. We, also, have many supernatural characters that make an appearance.

The story begins in 1915 Rockvale, Tennessee. The action moves the story along, sometimes at a fast pace, other times the characters have a chance to treasure a moment in time. There is plenty of romance to go around, as the characters struggle to find their soul mates and overcome the obstacles put in front of them.

D F Jones has crafted a fantastic tale of magic and mayhem and I definitely want to continue my journey with The Witches Of Hant Hollow.

GOODREADS BLURB

Wickedly thrilling fast-paced tale of a family of witches power struggles over light and dark magic, and how one mortal man gets caught in the crosshairs of the feud causing upheaval in not only Jasmine’s love life but rife within the American Mage Alliance.

Will Jasmine save Jonathan at the risk of losing the one she loves most?

Genre: Fae, Fantasy, Fiction, Halloween, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural, Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, Wizards, Young Adult

ABOUT D F JONES

USA Today Bestselling Author, D. F. Jones began her career as a broadcast consultant at the ABC Affiliate in Nashville, which led her to open an advertising agency. Over the years, she’s created many campaigns for clients but fell in love with writing fiction.

Writing is a source of creative expression for DF. Jones, but it also releases stress. Writing takes D.F. Jones to a place where anything is possible, and fiction takes her to a place made of dreams..

Whether it’s angels or demons, time travel adventures, witches and wizards, mystery suspense, or ghosts, her books are action-packed with supernatural and romantic elements.

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MY D F JONES REVIEWS

Jingles

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Review – Cry Of Blood And Joy by M Guida #mguida #cryofbloodandjoy

Posted on October 2, 2025 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

M Guida had put out a call through her newsletter for ARC readers, for Cry Of Blood And Joy. When I read the blurb and saw the eye catching cover, I knew it was for me. That prompted me to buy the first book in the series, Oath Of Blood And Joy. I didn’t hesitate at the $.99 price. A steal, because Joy’s story just keeps getting better and better. The big thing is to not spoil anything for you. I am sure you will want to discover all the goodness between the pages for yourself.

Cry Of Blood And Joy by M Guida picks up where Oath Of Blood And Joy left off. Joy has no control over her powers, and when she hurts her best friend because of it, the vampire mafia king goes on a rampage . Serenity may be her best friend, but she is the vampire king’s wife. Joy, Enzo, and Joy’s brother, Steve, are running for their lives.

We have alternating points of view with Joy and Enzo.

There is nonstop action. The story unfolded at a rapid pace. The danger and suspense is off the charts, filled with nail biting moments, and times where I felt like yelling at the characters, don’t go there, don’t do that. Unputdownable. Amazing story with a fast tempo. Once it grabbed me, it never let me go.

I had saved the man I loved by potentially dooming the entire world.

We end with another cliffhanger, of sorts. If we have to have a stopping point, this is a good spot. BUT, when do we get a glimpse of Pride Of Blood And Joy? I do see it coming soon and I can hardly wait to get my hands on it.

GOODREADS BLURB

He fell first. She fell harder. Now they’re both falling into hell.
When Joy’s powers exploded and wounded the vampire mafia king’s mate, she signed their death warrant. Now she and her ruthless enforcer protector are the most hunted fugitives in New Orleans—and he’d burn the world down before letting anyone touch her.

Desperate, he makes a deal with the Dark Fae Mafia king. But when the fae’s prized stone disappears, every bloody death gets pinned on the enforcer. Someone’s playing puppet master, and they’re the perfect fall guys.

Then they take Joy’s brother.

Come alone or he dies.

She runs. He follows. They both get captured.

Big mistake.

Because now they’ve uncovered a conspiracy that makes vampire mafia politics look like child’s play—and the enemy has been pulling their strings from the very beginning.
Touch her and die was never just a threat. It was a promise.

Cry of Blood and Joy is the explosive second book in the French Quarter Vampire Enforcer series. A forbidden romance where star-crossed lovers collide with vampire mafia vendettas in a deadly game that will leave you breathless and craving more.

Genre: Angels And Demons, Fantasy, Louisiana, Nephilim, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural, Vampires, Werewolves
334 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 3, 2025
Series: French Quarter Vampire Enforcer #2

ABOUT M GUIDA

M Guida has always loved fantasy and romance, especially dragons. Growing up, she devoured fantasy books and all kinds of young adult books. And then she found romance and a whole new world opened up to her.

Now as an adult, she fell in love with academy romance and has blended all of her past loves into one compelling series. Dragons, vampires, elves, demons, and shifters all attend Legacy Academy.

When she’s not writing, she lives in the colorful Rocky Mountains with her fur baby, Raven, and enjoys taking her for walks.

Would you like to become a Legacy? Sign up for her mailing list and enter a world of the supernatural. https://geni.us/akJn

You can also join her private Facebook page-Legacy Academy https://geni.us/aksDhUZ You’ll become a legacy and find out about your special power and maybe even find some romance!

MY M GUIDA REVIEWS

Oath Of Blood And Joy

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Review – Oath Of Blood And Joy by M Guida #mguida #oathofbloodandjoy

Posted on September 30, 2025 by fundinmental

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I am so happy I am following M Guida, because she put out a call for ARC readers for Cry Of Blood And Joy. I jumped all over it…because, I love vampires! Seeing it’s Book II in the series, I had to see about Book I, Oath Of Blood And Joy. It was on sale for $.99. Yeah.

I love books that take place in familiar places and I have spent a lot of time in New Orleans. Sorry to say, I haven’t run across any supernatural creatures…yet. I do have my fingers crossed.

Girls are going missing in New Orleans and when Joy’s best friend, Stephanie was kidnapped, she made it her personal mission to find her. Unfortunately, during the process, she, herself, was kidnapped. Enzo is the vampire mafia’s most feared enforcer and he knows he has to save her. She doesn’t realize why, but he will burn everything down if he must.

For Joy I would burn the world to ashes.

The vivid, detailed descriptions had shivers crawling up and down my spine. The battles were ferocious and bloody and I loved it, but we do have moments of light and laughter. We have all kinds of creatures: vampires, dark demons, golden demons, werewolves, nephilim, angels, unseelie, dark fae….

I love everything about Oath Of Blood And Joy. I was so engrossed, I zipped through the pages. Before I knew it, I reached the end. There is a bit of a cliffhanger, but it was a good stoppping place. I’m not sweating it, because I have Book II, Cry Of Blood And Joy at hand.

GOODREADS BLURB

Missing girls in New Orleans have one they’re never found alive. I’m about to join their ranks. Unless the vampire enforcer tracking me can shatter every rule—and every precedent.My name is Joy, and I’ve always lived up to it—smiling through problems, finding silver linings, believing tomorrow will be better. But over a month ago, my optimism met its match when I was kidnapped while searching for my missing best friend.

Now I’m a prisoner of New Orleans’ most dangerous crime lord, thrust into a world I never knew existed. Vampires are real. Vampire mafia? Also real. And something is stirring inside me—a power I can’t explain that’s the only reason I’m still alive.

They say he’s coming for me. Enzo. The vampire mafia’s most feared enforcer. Cold. Ruthless. Merciless. The man leaves a trail of bodies wherever he goes. The whispers about him terrify even my captors.

But when his dark eyes find mine in the chaos of my prison, I see something impossible. Recognition. Possession. As if I belong to him. As if I’ve always belonged to him.

I don’t know this vampire. Don’t trust him. And I absolutely refuse to accept his ridiculous claim that I’m his “fated mate”—whatever that means. I didn’t even believe vampires existed, and now this terrifying man with perpetually furrowed brows thinks he owns me? I’ve spent weeks fighting my captors at every turn—I’m not about to stop now.

But when his cold eyes find mine, something deep inside me responds. No matter how loudly I tell myself this brooding, dangerous creature is my enemy, my stubborn heart won’t listen. And as my mysterious powers grow stronger, I’m running out of options for allies in a world I never knew was real.

The human mafia won’t let me go without bloodshed. And as ancient power awakens within me, I find myself caught between two worlds with ties to both.

My captor thinks I’m leverage. My would-be savior thinks I’m his. But neither of them knows what I’m becoming—or how my relentless optimism and newfound power might be the most dangerous weapon of all.

Oath of Blood and Joy is a steamy enemies-to-lovers vampire mafia romance featuring a joyful but fierce heroine and a gorgeous, grumpy vampire enforcer. Get ready for intense action, mind blowing plot twists, sizzling forbidden romance, and dark supernatural fireworks that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural, Vampires
360 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 11, 2025
Series: French Quarter Vampire Enforcer #1

ABOUT M GUIDA