Friday 56 #134 – Bullet by Laurell K Hamilton @lkhamilton

Posted on May 26, 2017 by fundinmental

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The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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Bullet by Laurell K Hamilton is another book I picked up from a grocery store bin.

It must have been fate, because I rarely step foot in a grocery store. LOL

I am always up for one of her novels. How about you?

Amazon / Goodreads

My 56

“If my choice is between opening a vein to you with Jean-Claude and Anita, or making that sadistic bastard Narcissus the animal king of St Louis, I’ll donate the blood.”

( page 56, in hardback,1st edition, published in 2010)

Book Beginnings

I was worming my way through a mass of parents and children with a tiny clown hat clutched in one hand. In my navy blue skirt suit I looked like a dozen other mothers who had had to come straight from work to the dance recital. My hair was a little curly and a little too black for all the blond mothers, but no one gave me a second glance. The one saving grace as I threaded my way through the crowd of parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents and siblings was that I wasn’t one of the parent. I was just here as moral support and last minute costume rescuer.. It was just Monica Vespucci’s style to leave part of her son’s costume at her house and need an emergency save. Micah and I had been running late with client meetings so we got to ride tot the rescue, and now since the vast majority of the performers were female I was the only one safe to go backstage without scandalizing the mothers. What did little girls who only had male relatives do at things Like this? My dad would have been at a loss.

GOODREADS BLURB: The music came back up and the next group of little girls, slightly older, came out. There was a lot of that in the next hour and change. I liked dance, and it was no reflection on the kids, but my will to live began to seep away on about the fifth group of sequined children…

Anita Blake is back in St. Louis and trying to live a normal life-as normal as possible for someone who is a legal vampire executioner and a U. S. Marshal. There are lovers, friends and their children, school programs to attend. In the midst of all the ordinary happiness a vampire from Anita’s past reaches out. She was supposed to be dead, killed in an explosion, but the Mother of All Darkness is the first vampire, their dark creator. It’s hard to kill a god. This dark goddess has reached out to her here-in St. Louis, home of everyone Anita loves most. The Mother of All Darkness has decided she has to act now or never, to control Anita, and all the vampires in America.

The Mother of All Darkness believes that the triumvirate created by master vampire Jean-Claude with Anita and the werewolf Richard Zeeman has enough power for her to regain a body and to immigrate to the New World. But the body she wants to possess is already taken. Anita is about to learn a whole new meaning to sharing her body, one that has nothing to do with the bedroom. And if the Mother of All Darkness can’t succeed in taking over Anita’s body for herself, she means to see that no one else has the use of it, ever again. Even Belle Morte, not always a friend to Anita, has sent word: “Run if you can…”

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I have the second cover and some of the differences are very subtle.

Which do you like the best?

FREE 5 Star Read & Guest Post for A Human Element by Donna Galanti @DonnaGalanti

Posted on May 25, 2017 by fundinmental

I am so happy to have Donna Galanti, a fabulous author who can spin a tale that will keep you reading into the small hours of the morning, here to share her thoughts and a FREEBIE.

A Haunted Place in A Human Element By Donna Galanti

I often get asked if the characters in my paranormal suspense book A Human Element are “me”. Yes they are…in some ways.

I was a photographer in the U.S. Navy stationed at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, as Ben Fieldstone is in A Human Element. I worked in Fleet Intelligence processing top secret film in “the building with no windows”, as Ben did.

The beauty of Oahu is amazing with its violently defined landscape, a place to find–and keep–secrets in its hidden spots. I also lived off base in Honolulu. Likini, the wife of Ben’s friend, in A Human Element is actually named after the street I lived on, Likini Street (where I got around in a Herbie-styled 1972 white VW bug).

But in A Human Element, book 1 in the Element Trilogy, you’ll find Hawaii is not all palm trees and Mai Tais. Ben finds himself in dire circumstances there as a sailor on Oahu one terrifying night.

I also know of the dangers sailors can find themselves in on the island of Oahu if they’re not careful. I was told not to go to the Pali Lookout alone, a spot far above Honolulu in the Koolau Mountains that is set on cliffs with treacherous falls awaiting those who aren’t careful.

Or those who jump off…

Or those who are tossed off…

It’s known for its moaning, howling winds. People have disappeared up there, they’d say. It’s a haunted place where the ghosts of Hawaiian ancestors are said to roam.

But back to Ben and his night of terror at the Pali Lookout. Can he be saved? More importantly, can he be saved from himself?

Ben meets the Man in Black at the Pali Lookout:

He closed his eyes and forced himself to find a dark place with peace and no pain. The two men continued to taunt him, but they echoed far away in a tunnel. He held his breath, willing himself to pass out. The wild wind of the mountaintop raged around him and shrieked in his ears.

Then two loud cracks shot out over the howling wind. The hands on him fell away. He let out a huge sigh, dizzy from holding his breath.

Ben opened his eyes and craned his head around to see what had happened. Under the bright moonlight the outline of the two big Samoans rose up from the overgrown road. They didn’t move. The wind whipped the giant leaves of the banyan and guava trees about like sails on a great clipper ship. The buzz of traffic from the new Pali road carried up to him from below. He scanned the area. What had happened? Who else hid out there? He pulled at the stakes. His hands shook as he tried to break free.

“Forget it, kid, they’re held down in cement,” a deep voice said. “These stupid locals make up these playgrounds just to mess with us haoles.”

Ben swallowed the saliva stuck in his throat and focused on his surroundings. There stood the green-eyed man, hidden in the swaying banyan trees. His black outfit blended into the dark forest. He moved toward Ben and holstered his gun, then popped open a switchblade from his back pocket.

“I am not here to hurt you,” the man said when Ben shrunk into the rock. “I’m going to cut the ropes.”

In a few swift movements he slit the ropes binding Ben, who staggered back. The man caught him and held him up, then ripped off the duct tape.

“Who are you?” Ben’s body trembled from the rush of fear and a fierce headache pounded in his temple.

The man didn’t answer. He bent over one of the dead Samoans and pulled out a wallet. He looked inside and threw it at Ben. “It’s yours.” Then the man led him by the arm down the overgrown road where he handed Ben his clothes from the brush. He tried to put them on but his hands shook so bad the man had to help him. He winced from the whip marks brushing against his jeans and shirt.

“Come on,” the man said. Ben looked back at the dead men sprawled face down. They oozed like two fat walruses sunning themselves in the moonlight. “Don’t worry about them. I’ll dump them later, somewhere they’ll never be found.”

In a daze, Ben followed his savior up the rough road, stumbling behind him in the dim moonlight. Those men had carried him unconscious down this road.

“I’ll take you back to base then you’re on your own,” the man said once they reached his car, parked off the main road. “Don’t speak of this to anyone. Understand?”

Ben nodded and climbed in the car. He looked over at the stranger in black who had saved him. “You were at my foster mother’s funeral. Why are you following me? Why save me?”

“I’m an interested party. Leave it at that.”

“I can’t. I would have died up there for sure.”

The man didn’t respond.

“Thank you.”

The man looked at Ben. His green eyes glowed in the moonlight that filtered into the car. “Someday you might not thank me. Someday you may not survive.”

Thanks so much Donna. And now, without further ado, here is what you’ve been waiting for.

A Human Element is an amazing fantasy that will have you screaming for more.

The beautiful cover is only a prelude to the wonderful story inside.

Amazon / Goodreads

A Human Element by Donna Galanti

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GENRE: Paranormal Suspense

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

REVIEW

To see my full review, go HERE, but I will give you a taste…

I felt such tension, suspense, fear and dread for the characters, that I was talking to them. Shouting at them. Telling them to watch out. He’s coming.

I had thought A Human Element was paranormal, but it is so much more. They come from another place. A place out of this world.

I never saw the ending coming. Fantastic. I kept trying to figure it out and felt tortured and pained as I raced through the pages – I HAVE to know – now!

I am sitting here, finished, looking at nothing, in complete disbelief. Awesome! Donna Galanti’s imagination knows no bounds.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 5 Stars

BLURB

Evil comes in many forms…

One by one, Laura Armstrong’s friends and adoptive family members are being murdered, and despite her unique healing powers, she can do nothing to stop it. The savage killer haunts her dreams, tormenting her with the promise that she is next. Determined to find the killer, she follows her visions to the site of a crashed meteorite in her hometown. There, she meets Ben Fieldstone, who seeks answers about his parents’ death the night the meteorite struck. In a race to stop a madman, they unravel a frightening secret that binds them together. But the killer’s desire to destroy Laura face-to-face leads to a showdown that puts Laura and Ben’s emotional relationship and Laura’s pure spirit to the test. With the killer closing in, Laura discovers her destiny is linked to his, and she has two choices—redeem him or kill him.

Get A Human Element for FREE May 25-29 A HUMAN ELEMENT
Now available as an audiobook! myBook.to/AHumanElementAudio

Book 2, A Hidden Element: A HIDDEN ELEMENT

Praise for A Human Element:

“An elegant and haunting first novel. Unrelenting, devious but full of heart. Highly recommended.” –Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author

“Lyrical and creepy, A Human Element tugs on our heartstrings and plucks the gut-strings of horror. This debut thriller author is a true storyteller, highly reminiscent of Dean Koontz.” –Dakota Banks, Author of the Mortal series

ABOUT DONNA GALANTI

Donna Galanti is the author of the suspense Element Trilogy (Imajin Books) and the children’s fantasy adventure Joshua and The Lightning Road series (Month9Books). Donna is a contributing editor for International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine and blogs with other middle grade authors at Project Middle Grade Mayhem. She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. Visit her at www.donnagalanti.com.

Website: www.ElementTrilogy.com
Blog: http://www.elementtrilogy.com/blog/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DonnaGalanti
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DonnaGalantiAuthor
YouTube: http://goto.yourawesomeauthorlife.com/YouTube

$10 Amazon Rafflecopter Giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

MY DONNA GALANTI REVIEWS

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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Shapeshifters Rule the Shadowcat Nation in Tieryn’s Fury, Book 3 by Abigail Owen @AOwenBooks

Posted on May 18, 2017 by fundinmental

I love the Shadowcat Nation Series and am very happy to be learning about Tieryn in Tieryn’s Fury by Abigail Owen.

Check out this gorgeous cover!

Cover: Debbie Taylor

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Tieryn’s Fury smacks of realism in the shapeshifter world of The Shadowcat Nation. This series can stand alone, but I love them so much I would recommend beginning at the beginning. ‘grinning’

Politics and power hungry Alphas of 10 Dares will face off.

Tieryn is a Healer, a princess that is unprepared for the battle ahead, but she has a secret, one she has never told a soul.

Shane is her bodyguard. He’s hot, sexy and irritating.

Gods and Goddesses, shapeshifters…cougars, lions and mountain lions, polar bears, pumas, deer, grizzlies…healers, seers, seducers…so many wonderful glimpses into the world of the supernatural.

The descriptive writing makes it easy to relate to the story. A couple examples:

She is a ‘cheerful waker’. Don’t ya just hate those people who wake up ready to face the day?

‘Cub shifter in cat form….swatting a ball’. Such a cute visual

Tieryn’s Fury spotlights Tieryn’s time to shine in the Shadowcat Nation Series and Abigail Owen does a fabulous job letting her.

The on again, off again, romance can be frustrating at times, but not surprising. Isn’t that like real life? I love how they sexually torture themselves, especially in the swamp.

The verbal, snarky foreplay makes me smile. Their playful tumble in the snow had me grinning like a fool. Abigail describes the ‘wonderful’ smell of New Orleans, and anyone who has ever been there knows I say that with sarcasm. I love that she mentioned a helicopter-parent. I heard that for the first time on the Christley’s TV show.

Based on Shane’s experience, ‘fate just loved to kick you down and then kick you in the balls.’ He sounds like a realist to me.

I have loved this series from the very beginning, with Andromeda’s Fall. The characters are complex, loving, giving, sacrificing, some greedy, some selfish and out to get what they feel is theirs for the taking. Gage is the most surprising character to me and that proves why he would be a great leader. I didn’t see that outcome.

Their world is believable, at times making me forget they are magical. I can hardly wait to read Seneca’s story.

Could these novels stand alone? Sure, but why would you want to miss anything. so I recommend starting at the beginning

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The day Shane Callahan lost his wife and was forced to run from the only home they’d ever known was the day he’d vowed he’d kill every last man responsible. He’s waited years in hiding, but is finally on the verge of taking his revenge. Until he is assigned to protect a Healer and is forced to halt in his quest.

As the Alpha’s daughter and the Healer in her Dare of mountain lion shifters, Tieryn McGraw has enjoyed a privileged life. As the fiancé of the next Alpha in line, she expects that to continue. But then she ends up on the run with a man determined not to like her…and who makes her question everything about her decisions and her future.

Shane needs her to heal more than his body. But can Tieryn heal his soul and prove to him that love is a higher purpose than revenge?

ABOUT ABIGAIL OWEN

Award-winning paranormal and contemporary romance author, Abigail Owen was born in Greeley, Colorado, and raised in Austin, Texas. She now resides in Northern California with her husband and two adorable children who are the center of her universe.

Abigail grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. A fourth generation graduate of Texas A&M University, she attempted to find a practical career related to her favorite pastime by earning a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing). However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it.

MY REVIEWS FOR ABIGAIL OWEN

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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Teaser Tuesday #94 – Born of Water by A L Knorr @ALKnorrbooks

Posted on May 2, 2017 by fundinmental

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday hosted by The Purple Booker, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

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I love mermaids and Born of Water by A L Knorr is a refreshing and novel glimpse into their life, both in and out of the sea.

I picked this up on a free day, so be sure and check for the “0”.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY TEASE

‘”You’re playing with fire, Antoni. You think You’re in control here?…”

(48% on Kindle)

GOODREADS BLURB: Everything you thought you knew about mermaids is wrong.

Life for a small-town high school kid in Saltford should be simple and straightforward – for 17-year-old Targa MacAuley, it’s anything but. Navigating life with a supernatural mother is tricky enough, but dealing with the feelings of guilt that she’s never been able to ‘change’, and confusion that she doesn’t seem to be attracted to boys (or girls for that matter), Targa feels like she’s got more demons than the average kid.

When the opportunity to salvage a mysterious wreck in the Baltic arises for her mom, a professional salvage diver by day, Targa jumps at the chance to go abroad for the summer. But it’s when she meets Antoni Baranek, and a boating accident puts them both in danger, that Targa’s world turns completely inside out in more ways than one.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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One Sentence Review – Patenting Peter by Jason Werebeloff @JasonWerbeloff

Posted on April 22, 2017 by fundinmental

The cover for Patenting Peter by Jason Werebeloff has a crisp, simple cover that makes me want to walk with Peter…until…

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Who is to say what the future holds and the road to success in Patenting Peter by Jason Werebeloff is twisted and perverted, leading to much anguish in Peter’s life in this eerie, creepy, futuristic, science fiction short story that left me a bit disgusted, amused and thinking, “Am I really paranoid if Someone Is Watching Me?”

3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB: My wife says the Bureau isn’t watching me. She says there aren’t cameras in my contact lenses. No microphone in the ‘vitamin pill’ they made me swallow on the submarine into Tokyo.

She says I’m paranoid. That I should get off the couch, and find a job.

But there’s a glowing number in the bottom-right corner of my vision. And each time I move, each time I yawn, or slouch, or laugh too loudly, the number ticks upwards.

My wife says the Bureau isn’t watching me.

She would say that. She works for them.

Plunge into Patenting Peter, a psychological sci-fi thriller.

MY JASON WEREBELOFF REVIEWS

Investing Isobella

Giveaway – Shearwater by D S Murphy @Creativindie @yaboundtourspr

Posted on April 22, 2017 by fundinmental

Shearwater
by D.S. Murphy
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance/Mermaids
Release Date: January 26th 2017

Summary:

They found the dead girl on my birthday.
And I’m not entirely sure that her killer isn’t the boy I just tried to kiss.

The longer I spend in Ireland, the deeper my life seems to unravel. Whisperings of a dark secret that caused my mother to flee from her homeland. Run-ins with a pair of undeniably handsome and strangely mysterious guys. A sleep-walking adventure that nearly got me killed. The nearness of the moon and the ocean would be almost romantic, if I wasn’t being hunted for powers I didn’t know I possessed.

Not everything in mythology is just a story.
Not every fairy-tale is harmless.
Magic is very, very real… but so are the monsters from your worst nightmares.

Now I’m being chased by immortals, hunted by wizards, and forced to pick sides in a supernatural war I want no part of.

I might be the only one who can stop it.

But it will mean giving up the one thing my heart can’t bear to lose.

Shearwater is on sale for only $0.99! Buy a copy HERE!

About the Author

I wrote my MA thesis on Harry Potter and am working on my PhD in literature, while secretly writing YA fantasy novels and designing book covers. I blog about self-publishing, book design and book marketing, and am renting a castle for Nanowrimo 2016. I hope you like my writing!

Author Links:

photo iconfacebook-32x32_zps64a79d4a.png

GIVEAWAY:

You can enter to win a paperback copy of Shearwater HERE!

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
To see all my reviews, go HERE.
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Laughs and Tears – Review for Outsider by Becca Campbell @beccajcampbell

Posted on April 18, 2017 by fundinmental

Becca Campbell hooked me with Empath, The Flawed Series Book I, and I was super excited when a won a copy of The Outsider, Book II.

I am always interested in who does covers for the stories I love to read.

Great job, Steven Novak. Hop on over and check him out.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Becca Campbell has outdone herself with the fabulous Flawed Series and Outsider, Book II, just keeps me craving more. If you love to get lost in magical realism, where the characters tug at your heartstrings and you feel their pain, you will want these books on your reading list.

All his life, Josh felt like an Outsider.

Why were Josh’s family and friends empowered with supernatural abilities and not him? As many supernatural books as I have read, I think he is being saved for something special. Am I right? I shall have to read on to find out and so will you.

Alex came into his life. Her mom was too busy for her, her friends…out of sight, out of mind, so it’s time to make new ones. She’s not a plain Jane, she just doesn’t feel the need for makeup and likes her casual clothes. Alex gets along well with men and has few women friends. That makes it easy for me to relate to her, because I am the same way.

When Nic met Alex, it wasn’t what he anticipated and I love it. His power of captivation didn’t work this time. LOL When he poured water over his eyes, I laughed even louder.

Ah…young love and longing.

We have college teenagers, hanging out, some of them in a band, some of them with superpowers. It starts out with teenage angst and doesn’t take long for some action and danger to rear its ugly head..

Alex had no idea she had made an enemy and I see big trouble on the horizon.

OH MAN Becca! WTF are you doing? How could you? And, as if it wasn’t already bad enough…THE DOOR!

The blend of reality and fantasy, with engrossing characters who are growing and developing, becoming more complex as the story unfolds, ramps up to a white knuckle ending and I must have more.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

After a psychopath tried to kill his friends, Josh Schuyler figured ‘normal’ was far off. The real problem: Josh’s friends have all acquired supernatural abilities, while he’s still the same average guy.

Josh has always believed he was destined for greatness, but he’s been out of college for two years without a clue of his purpose. After watching his friends and siblings develop superhuman traits, he wonders if he might be meant for something grand, too. Can Josh even hope for an extraordinary event in his own future? And how long must he wait for this transformation – if there is one?

When Alex met the Schuylers, she was grateful for new friends to whisk her away from her lonely life in California and give her an escape from her divorced, bickering parents and aimless future. But Josh won’t drop his defenses, and Alex isn’t sure she wants to trade her old life for this new, uncertain one.

Nicodemus has an amazing ability he’s been milking for years to get whatever or whomever he wants. Things are going great until a young woman – Alex – inadvertently busts his latest swindle. Nic is furious when he discovers his power has been disabled, and he vows to find her in order to wreak his vengeance. She will be punished. All he needs is a little help from his friend, Ethan Black.

Josh has been waiting for his big break, or for the chance to be a hero, or just the opportunity to stand out in his own, extraordinary way.

Will Josh discover his purpose in time to stop Nic?

ABOUT BECCA CAMPBELL

Becca J. Campbell writes New Adult (twenty-somethings) fiction that varies from Urban Fantasy to Thriller to Science Fiction. Her stories typically blend a taste of the fantastical with real-world settings and add a dash of romance for good measure.

She’s always looking for a great speculative fiction read, and she holds a special place in her heart for any story that involves superpowers or time travel. Her passion is defying the limits of her own creativity.

Becca is also the co-creator of JuNoWriMo.com, where you can join a vibrant community and write a novel during June.

To join Becca’s writing journey and be notified when her next book is released, sign up for her author newsletter.

MY REVIEWS FOR BECCA CAMPBELL

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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She Won’t Stop Til She Finds Her Bestie – Shade by Marilyn Peake @marilynpeake

Posted on April 12, 2017 by fundinmental

Shade by Marilyn Peake is more than just a supernatural/paranormal mystery.

It is a look inside a trouble teenager’s life and how she more than rises to the challenge.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Shade is a YA Paranormal mystery that includes some difficult subject matter, such as cutting and alcohol and drug abuse. More than anything it is the journey of Galactic Shade Griffin as she struggles with life and the danger and difficulties that cross her path.

A drug addict, a ghost, faeries, a troubled teen girl, her missing friend, a messed up mom, an amulet…will Shade be the hero she created in her graphic novel?

Shade has pretty much raised herself and hasn’t done too bad of a job, considering…no father and a mother who drank and drugged herself into oblivion.

Her mother moved them again, and things changed for Shade. She met Brandon Yates, a ghost that haunted their new home. When her best friend turns up missing, they band together to figure out the mystery.

More girls go missing…

I love how Shade struggles and grows to develop. I knew a girl who cut herself and I cannot stress how upset and sad I was for her. I could not understand how hurting yourself could make you feel better. Or maybe it was just so she could feel…something.

I love a good mystery and the paranormal is a nice touch. It adds an extra element I always appreciate. The danger rises and the the mystery is darker than Shade could have imagined. I have read of what can happen to girls who go missing and I fear how vulnerable the female species is…how unprepared and innocent we can be about the evil men do.

Marilyn can spin a wonderful tale that is easy to read and contains lovable characters that will wiggle their way into your heart. I would love to have Shade as my best friend too.

Amongst the dark, there is light.

In the tragic and sadness, there is hope and love.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Finalist in the 2015 National Indie Excellence Book Awards, Young Adult Fiction category

Thanks to her offbeat mother, Shade’s full name is Galactic Shade Griffin. Having a name like that while being the new girl in school is pretty much catnip for bullies. The summer before Shade’s junior year of high school, her mother breaks up with yet another boyfriend and moves them once again to a new town.

This time, they move into a dilapidated old house where Shade has an entire attic bedroom to herself—at least until she discovers it’s haunted by the ghost of a teenaged boy named Brandon Yates. When Shade’s best friend goes missing, her life becomes even more complicated. With the help of Brandon who’s struggling with his own issues in the world beyond, Shade faces the question of whether or not she has what it takes to become a true hero.

Although this novel deals with a number of serious issues—drug and alcohol abuse, cutting, and disturbing world events—it’s primarily a novel about a teenaged girl finding out who she really is and that she’s capable of so much more than she ever thought possible.

Shade is a Young Adult Paranormal Mystery novel.

ABOUT MARILYN PEAKE

From Goodreads:

Marilyn Peake is the author of both novels and short stories. Her publications have received excellent reviews. Marilyn’s one of the contributing authors in BOOK: THE SEQUEL, published by The Perseus Books Group, with one of her entries included in serialization at THE DAILY BEAST. In addition, Marilyn has served as Editor of a number of anthologies. Her short stories have been published in seven anthologies and on the literary blog, GLASS CASES.

Awards: Silver Award, two Honorable Mentions and eight Finalist placements in the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards, two Winner and two Finalist placements in the EPPIE Awards, Winner of the Dream Realm Awards, and eight Top Ten Finisher Awards in the Preditors and Editors Readers Poll.

Stalk Marilyn Peake: Website / Twitter

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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MY REVIEWS FOR MARILYN PEAKE

One Sentence Review – Investing Isobella by Jason Werbeloff @JasonWerbeloff

Posted on April 8, 2017 by fundinmental

The Creepy cover for Investing Isobella by Jason Werbeloff makes me eager to begin reading this sci-fi and horror short story.

How about you?

You can get it FREE.

Amazon / Goodreads

ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

Investing Isobella is a creepy and unsettling story of a man’s careless decision that may cost him the thing most dear to him, until he makes an even dumber mistake that I revel in while my emotions go from anger and being super pissed off to a smile on my face and a sense of satisfaction at the end.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB: Paul Sanders is a desperate man. He and his daughter, Isobella, are weeks away from living in the Gutter.

Enter Jono Falanges, a greasy stockbroker who promises Paul all the money he needs, and more. The only catch is, Paul must invest Isobella’s health on the stock market.

Plunge down the slippery slope of morality with Investing Isobella, a horrifying sci-fi novella. You won’t look at your investments the same way, ever again.

Jason also has some other freebies you can check out HERE.

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Short Story Anthology – Worlds of Wonder by Emily Martha Sorensen @CleanYAFantasy

Posted on April 3, 2017 by fundinmental

I have recently found author Emily Martha Sorensen and am loving her writing, so when I was offered a chance to read this short story anthology, I couldn’t resist.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

These sixteen short stories will have you traveling, flying high, using magic, and having action and adventure in bite sized pieces. We have some science fiction, some fantasy and some life lessons, with choices to be made.

Many of them are fairy tale remakes with morals to the stories that may leave you thinking…

A few of my favorites:

Beauty and the Brave: A fun twist on the Ugly Duckling. The young female dragon becomes the hero.

The Dragon and the Santa: What would you think if you heard a clatter on the roof top at Christmas, only to see Santa claus and a dragon? The ending…oh so good, you bad bad dragon.

Invoice: Ya gotta read that yourself. It is a HA HA HA morbid moment.

4 STARS

GOODREADS BLURB

A bunch of science fiction and fantasy short stories aimed at young adult and middle grade readers. There are fairy tale retellings, time-traveling, giant babies, dragons, and even a short story set in the middle of Black Magic Academy.

Contains the following short stories:

“Rite of Passage”
“A Phone Conversation”
“The Spinning Talent”
“Unicess”
“Cindy’s Fairy Godmother”
“Monster Under the Bed”
“Time Switch”
“The Apple of Discord”
“Advanced Precognition”
“Beauty and Brave”
“The Dragon and the Santa”
“Invoice”
“Interplanetary Edition”
“Schedule TMTR”
“On the Way Through the Woods”
“When the Wilkinsons Grew”

The anthology is about 26,500 words

Emily Martha Sorensen

ABOUT EMILY MARTHA SORENSEN

Emily is a prolific writer with many titles to choose from. She writes of fairies, dragons, fantasy, science fiction, steampunk, world peach in short stories and flash fiction.

You can find her on Goodreads & Amazon