Review – Fright by Kevin Bachar #kevinbachar #fright

Posted on August 1, 2026 by fundinmental

A book of scary horror short stories with ghosts haunted houses demons serial killers

Scary Horror Short Stories like Stephen King and Darcy Coates and Haunted Houses and Ghosts

MY REVIEW

Fright by Kevin Bachar is 218 pages of terror, horror, and fear. Great cover. You may want to brace yourself, turn on all the lights, and lock the door. I have read some of his work and it never fails to entertain me, leaving me wondering how he comes up with some of these short stories. He can take a rental car and a simple CD and make deadly. These fifteen tales kept me entertained. Some I enjoyed more than others, and I do look forward to reading more of Kevin Bachar’s work.

GOODREADS BLURB

A father and his two children visit a roadside attraction with a very special and very dangerous corn maze.

When a man rents a car with a CD stuck in its player, he decides to hit play and listen. Unfortunately, it’s a recording of a warning to the current driver, “Don’t leave the car.”

A lonely Fire Watch Ranger battles an unseen force that wants to enter her tower.

What happens when a NYC Detective interrogates a murderer who was supposedly executed years before?

From the writer who brought you the best-selling short story collections DREAD, CREEP, and CURSED comes a new set of tales that will force you to lock the doors and turn on the lights. FRIGHT is book three in the TRILOGY OF TERROR series.
FRIGHT is filled with the moments when our legs feel unsteady, and our hearts race, when the creatures and beings of the netherworld cross over and inhabit what we thought were safe spaces.

Genre: Anthology, Fiction, Horror, Short Stories
218 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2026

ABOUT KEVIN BACHAR

Kevin Bachar is a national EMMY award-winning natural history documentary filmmaker and WGA writer. The elevated horror film he wrote – The Inhabitant – https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/the-inh… – was released through Lionsgate and is available on most streaming services.

If you’ve watched National Geographic, PBS, or The Discovery Channel over the years you’ve seen his work. He’s the idiot in the water filming sharks or crawling into caves to photograph vampire bats. You can see Kevin at work filming sharks here – https://www.imdb.com/video/vi2703407897/…

The natural world has always captured his imagination and the supernatural world inspires his stories. Through his journeys, he’s interviewed scientists who’ve enlightened him, heard folk tales that have frightened him, and seen quite a few things that have challenged his skeptical mind.

His collection of short stories that weaves together the natural world and the supernatural world entitled, DREAD, is available on Amazon. He’s currently working on his second collection entitled – CREEP.

Complimenting his writing, Kevin has lectured and given presentations at prestigious institutions such as Rutgers University, American University, and the Rubin Museum of Art.
To keep up to date with Kevin’s movies, documentaries, and books –
www.kevinbachar.com
https://twitter.com/KevinPangolin
https://www.instagram.com/kevinbachar/
https://www.tiktok.com/@kevinbachar?l…
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjEKM_m…
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1423190/

MY KEVIN BACHAR REVIEWS

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Fantasy – The Loura Lure Book 2 by James McMahon #jamesmcmahon #austinmascauley #thelouralure

Posted on July 18, 2026 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Loura Lure, Book 2, by James McMahon picks up where Book 1 left off.

Dr Shamus Bergin and his ex-patient, Erladoch Dunbar, leapt into a portal and traveled 20,000 years back in time. Shamus comes from the Sacred Order Of Keepers, an army of part human and part angel warriors. It’s not enough that Shamus, as a man of science finds it hard to accept the magic around him, he also has to contend with the voices speaking in his head, talking of the past and the future.

It has been four years since Erladock Dunbar left Loura Lure and much has changed. The Evil King of Trborg is looking for the last Angel’s Itavo stone. He wants to open the gates of Hell and bring about the end of times.

I love books that deal with darkness and light, good and evil, angels and magic. The Loura Lure is a fabulous blend of the mystical and magical and time travel. Shamus becomes a more complex character as the story develops and the characters draw closer together through their struggles.

I’m so glad I have Book 3 on my stack so there is no wait to find out what happens next.

GOODREADS BLURB

Dr. Shamus Bergin and his former patient Erladoch Dunbar have leapt into a time portal hurtling them backwards 20,000 years to Loura, a time and place erased from history. Before the seas rose up to separate Ireland and the British Isles from the rest of Europe, the Kingdoms of Loura thrived in peace.

Much has changed since Erladoch’s departure four years earlier. Enilorac, the Evil King of Treborg has already begun his invasion. He has come looking for the last Angel’s Itavo stone. If found, Enilorac will use it to open the gates of Hell and usher in the end of times.

Having accepted that his parents were descended from the Sacred Order of Keepers, Shamus must find his place amongst this army of part-human, part-angel warriors in their struggle to repel the encroaching darkness. Can this man of science come to terms with a world filled with magic, or will he lose his sanity in the presence of so many emerging voices seeking to direct his Will? These voices, whispers from the past and echoes of future battles, threaten to overwhelm him.

Burdened with so much, the answers he seeks may lie in the hands of a woman he has never met. He doesn’t know her, but her call grows stronger in his mind with every passing danger. With the weight of obligation crushing down on him, he must have faith that his allegiances will hold and that not all paths laid before him will ultimately yield the same destiny.

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
368 pages, Paperback
Published April 25, 2025 by Austin Macauley Publishers LLC
Series: The Loura Lure, Book 2

ABOUT JAMES MCMAHON

James is a lawyer, inventor, musician and life-long student of the Martial Arts. He and his family travel extensively and share a love for all things ancient. This first book in the series is inspired by an enduring curiosity about the lives lived, and the struggles overcome by ancient societies whose legacies continue to defy modern understanding.ames is a lawyer, inventor, musician and lifelong student of the martial arts.

Walk amidst the dolmens and stone circles of old and hear the whispers of those who lived there. Magic was everywhere!

MY JAMES MCMAHON REAVIEWS

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GC Giveaway – Royal Mayhem by Samantha Jayne Grubey #samanthajaynegrubey #royalmayhem @xpressotours

Posted on April 16, 2026 by fundinmental

Royal Mayhem
Samantha Jayne Grubey
Publication date: April 15th 2026
Genres: New Adult, Romance

Part one of a duet.

Melinda Brown doesn’t want much in life, graduate university and survive.

Prince Alexander has everything, surrounded be riches and spoilt to the core. Everything he’s ever wanted has been at the tip of his finger due to his prestigious status as future King of England.

Despite coming from two different worlds, they share the same university. One day everything changes when the two crash into each other’s lives, literally.

As they both enter each other’s worlds, they’re forced to make compromises for the sake of their growing attraction.

Will Melinda and Alexander be able to win people with their love, especially when it becomes clear that they both hide secrets? Or will Prince Alexander by denied for the first time by the first woman that he truly wants? Not everything is as it seems in Royal Mayhem.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Rolling onto my side, I was met with thin air falling to the floor letting out a groan as I hit the floor.

How did I fall out of bed?

I opened my eyes seeing I was in the living room. The memories of last night finally came rushing back to me. We had been binge-watching my favourite reality television show and fell asleep.

Looking behind me, Alex was still fast asleep. He looked so peaceful. With him asleep, I had time to admire him without him knowing it. It had taken a bit for Alex to get comfortable after the incident again. I could tell he was fighting with himself. There must’ve been a huge part of him that wanted to run and hide, whilst the other part of him wanted to stay.

What scared me the most is that I wanted to know both of those parts of him. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I wanted to know it all. I wanted to know him.

Then, there’s the secret.

Could I cope with not knowing what his secret was?

It was obvious he had one, no adult had a grown babysitter without a reason. The security that had suddenly appeared around the campus, it all coincides with when Alex started at university.

I couldn’t figure out what the reason was.

Did he have a famous and important family?

Was he secretly a political figure?

Would I end up hurt?

I wanted to google him so bad. I reached for my phone, opening up the browser and stared at it.

Could I break my promise?

I told him I wouldn’t.

I let out a groan, throwing my phone back on the sofa.

I stood up, made my way to the bathroom, and showered quickly. I wrap the towel around me heading to the bedroom changing into some clean clothes. My body ached so much. Sleeping on a small sofa with someone else was not the best way to sleep.

After finishing getting ready, I made my way downstairs, Alex was still asleep on the sofa, and into the kitchen. I grabbed a can out of the fridge, opening it and taking a small sip.

Maybe I should prepare some breakfast.

I know Alex brought breakfast things I couldn’t believe he went shopping for me. I don’t think anyone would top what he did for me. I walked into the living room and saw he was sitting up looking confused.

“Hey.”

“Hi,” he said. “I was really confused about where I was then.”

“Do you often wake up at random houses not knowing who you’re with?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Not happened in a few years,” he admitted. “Do you have plans today?”

I shook my head.

“Do you want to go on that date?”

“I’d love to.” Butterflies filled my stomach, this was my first real date.

“Great,” he smiled. “I’m going to go home and then I’ll come pick you up” he looked at his phone “around midday if that’s alright with you?”

“Yeah, that sounds good,” I said. He stood up, stretching his arms out.

I made my way over to the door and let him out. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Yes, you will. Just so you know, I had fun last night,” he said.

“Me, too.”

He got into his car and drove off.

I headed into the living room, grabbing my phone.

Megan answered straight away. “If this isn’t life or death, I’m going to fucking kill you, Melinda,” she mumbled.

“Does Alex asking me on a date count?”

Author Bio:

Samantha Jayne Grubey is an author of new adult romance.

When she’s not writing or reading, she will be playing sims or doing some diamond art and if she isn’t doing any of that she could be pole dancing or most likely working.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / X

GIVEAWAY!

Royal Mayhem Blitz

—

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

Posted on March 26, 2026 by fundinmental

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

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.

Website

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The Spotlight Is On Royal Mayhem by Samantha Jayne Grubey @xpressotours #samanthajaynegrubey #royalmahem

Posted on March 25, 2026 by fundinmental

Royal Mayhem
Samantha Jayne Grubey
Publication date: April 15th 2026
Genres: New Adult, Romance

Part one of a duet.

Melinda Brown doesn’t want much in life, graduate university and survive.

Prince Alexander has everything, surrounded be riches and spoilt to the core. Everything he’s ever wanted has been at the tip of his finger due to his prestigious status as future King of England.

Despite coming from two different worlds, they share the same university. One day everything changes when the two crash into each other’s lives, literally.

As they both enter each other’s worlds, they’re forced to make compromises for the sake of their growing attraction.

Will Melinda and Alexander be able to win people with their love, especially when it becomes clear that they both hide secrets? Or will Prince Alexander by denied for the first time by the first woman that he truly wants? Not everything is as it seems in Royal Mayhem.

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

Author Bio:

Samantha Jayne Grubey is an author of new adult romance.

When she’s not writing or reading, she will be playing sims or doing some diamond art and if she isn’t doing any of that she could be pole dancing or most likely working.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / X

—

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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.

Website

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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.

Website

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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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Short & Not Sweet – Gifts Between Us by C C Adams @MrAdamsWrites #giftsbetweenus

Posted on December 5, 2025 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The cover for Gifts Between Us by C C Adams is simple, yet effective. It sure caught my eye and the title made me curious. Of all the places the story could go, I was surprised at the blurb…and curious. I had to know what the low down was. The story is pretty gross. Not like vampires sucking your blood, or werewolves tearing you apart, but more like zombies, though Michael dines on something other than brains. Gifts Between Us by C C Adams was a quick read, and I read it within a couple of hours. It’s worth the read, and even though it didn’t bowl me over, I would still recommend it.

GOODREADS BLURB

Elderly Londoner Augustus has lived a long, miserable life. Having driven his few remaining loved ones away years ago, he now whiles away his time drinking rum and hoping for the end.

One night his death wish is nearly granted by a mugger, but a local youth called Michael intervenes. Much to the old man’s horror (and fascination) Michael promptly begins to devour the mugger’s body.

Slowly, Augustus and his mysterious saviour form an unlikely friendship, one built on sharing the gifts of trust, camaraderie, and acceptance.

And one last a secret. It is the cause of Michael’s cannibalistic nature. And, perhaps, a reason for Augustus to go on living…

Genre: Fiction, Horror, Novella
92 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 8, 2025 by French Press Publishing

ABOUT C C ADAMS

London native C.C. Adams is the horror/dark fiction author behind books such as But Worse Will Come, Misery And Other Lines, and Downwind, Alice. His work appears in publications such as Weirdbook Magazine, DeadSteam, and Corona Books of Horror Stories.

A member of the Horror Writers Association, he still lives in the capital. He lifts weights, cooks – and looks for the perfect quote to set off the next dark delicacy.

Website

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Sizzling Hot – Review – Watch Me Burn by V E Huntley #VEHuntley #watchmeburn

Posted on December 3, 2025 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Watch Me Burn. Book II picks up where Book I, Watch Me Break by V E Huntley, left off. We’ve met the cast of characters: Luna, the main female character, Damien, the main male character, Maren, Luna’s quirky and lovable best friend, Cade, Damien’s COO, Shadow, Luna’s wolf protector, Ricky, the boob loving raccoon, and more.

Luna and Damien’s romance is dark. They have a lot of kink in their love making, so if you are squeamish, Watch Me Burn may not be for you. Myself, I love dark and disturbing. I love that Damien is also a serial killer, meting out justice to those who torture and kill animals. We learn why he does what he does.

I was lost in the story. I couldn’t stop reading. My eyes were crossing and I felt like I needed a shower when I was finished. We do have some fun moments, where I found myself laughing out loud. I love Maren. She has a big personality and I would love to have a best friend like her. She has no judgments, but when secrets are exposed, she lays down the law to Damien.

I love Epilogues and V E Huntley wrapped up Luna and Damien’s story is a happy ever after way. I do love when the story ends on a positive note….And, In Watch Me Burn, we learn more about Cade, and I can hardly wait to see what V E Huntley does with him and Maren in Book III. I am so happy they will get their own story.

GOODREADS BLURB

She opened her curtains. He opened his heart. Now nothing will ever be the same. Damien Wolfe lives by three rules that have never failed him. But rules are made to be broken. And one smile from Dr. Luna Foster breaks them all. When she shatters everything he believes about control, Damien realizes he’s lost more than just his rules—he’s lost his soul to the one woman who sees his monster and calls him beautiful.

Luna thinks she understands predators—but when she becomes the obsession of a man who kills for a living, she discovers that terror and desire often share the same heartbeat. As she transforms from victim to willing participant in their twisted dance, Luna discovers that some stalkers’ violence is a form of worship.

But can love survive when built on secrets, lies and blood?

Watch Me Burn is the second installment in the dark, sensual Watched in Darkness Series, where fear becomes desire when the right monster is watching.

Fans of H. D. Carlton’s Haunting Adeline, Navessa Allen’s Lights Out, and Sheridan Anne’s Pretty Monster will devour this unforgettable series where love and violence go hand in hand.

This is a dark romance containing mature themes, graphic violence, explicit sexual situations, and morally ambiguous characters. Intended for adult readers who enjoy psychologically complex relationships and anti-hero love interests. Please see the author’s website for a full list of trigger/content warnings.

Genre: Dark Romance, Fiction, Vigilante Justice
417 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication December 3, 2025

ABOUT V E HUNTLEY

V.E. Huntley is a retired producer who has spent her life telling stories in one way or another. Just ask her cats. They had to endure a lifetime of her endlessly reciting entire dialogue scenes to them, even though all they desperately wanted to do was nap.

Her childhood fear of Dracula was so intense that she couldn’t sleep without the lights on and her mother guarding her bedroom door. Over time, this fear evolved into a lifelong obsession with the dark and twisted world of vampires and the concept of immortality. So, after more than two decades in the film and television industry, she ultimately chose to pursue her true passion—writing dark and sexy paranormal romance.

Besides writing, her hobbies include reading, watching movies, traveling, and keeping her husband busy with an endless honey-do list.

Website

MY V E HUNTLEY REVIEWS