Witch Weigh, Mine & Protecting The Dream @MSharpBooks #carolinemickelson @ReginaPucket

Posted on May 18, 2022 by fundinmental

Witch Weigh, Protecting The Dream and Mine are novella/short stories that were Amazon freebies.

How could I possible resist the cover for Witch Weigh by Caroline Mickelson.

MY REVIEW

“You want me to work with a FAIRY?”

That’s what happens when a witch feels entitled and acts like the spoiled brat she is. The fun character names fits the fun story inside. Easy reading, light hearted humor, laughs, love and some life lessons for an edgy witch.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 3 Stars

MY REVIEW

She couldn’t say no to James, when he said they were going ghost hunting at the mental hospital and I am sure no good will come of it. I remember the monster under the bed, the dark basement, the chilling nighttime outdoors with no lights, no moon…and she has it so much worse…it’s following her…truly frightening, wickedly creepy.

I don’t think the cover does Protecting the Dream by Michelle Sharp justice.

Protecting the Dream (A Dream Seeker Novella Book #2

How about this one? Which do you like better?

Protecting the Dream (A Dream Seeker Novella Book 2) by [Michelle Sharp]

MY REVIEW

The old farm, the weather vane…it spoke to her. She’s a Ghost Whisperer and a cop and I am loving her right out of the gate. Ty doesn’t know much, but as she opens up to him the story grows, as do the characters and I want more. She had been aloof, disconnected since the death of her family. Ty’s breaking down all the barriers. The story is not so much about her role as a cop as it is about their developing relationship and her role as a medium.

A lot packed into this novella and I love, love, love it.

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Giveaway – Craved By A Wolf by Felicity Heaton @XpressoTours @felicityheaton

Posted on May 18, 2022 by fundinmental

Craved by a Wolf
Felicity Heaton
Publication date: April 19th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Hella is one witch who is done with relationships. Having rid herself of a clingy nymph, she’s determined to stay single and savour everything her fae town in Geneva has to offer—with no strings attached. The trouble is, it turns out breaking up with a king isn’t as easy as she’d thought. Her ex just sent a legion to kidnap her and take her to the faerie realm of Lucia.

And he wants to make her his queen.

Grant MacKinnon is one wolf shifter who prefers a quiet life. His home in a glen in Scotland, his small wolf pack, and fine whisky is all he needs. The trouble is, a witch in the fae town in Fort William just cursed him to die if he doesn’t find his fated mate and bring her to her. Now he craves a female he’s never met, one he was convinced didn’t exist, and he refuses to believe she’s really his one true mate… until he sets eyes on the beautiful blue-haired lass.

And his wolf instincts howl that she was made for him.

And when he realises she’s in danger and another male wants her as his queen, MacKinnon will stop at nothing to protect her and claim her as his mate.

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

—

EXCERPT:

She stormed to the chair in the corner of the room, picked up his jeans and turned on him. She glared at him as she threw the jeans, hitting him in the face. He dragged them down, a stupid dumbfounded look on his face.

One that told her he couldn’t see what he had done wrong.

And he couldn’t believe she wasn’t doing as he wanted.

“Get out,” she snapped and flung her arm towards the bedroom door. “And never come back here.”

He growled, “I cannae do that. If I leave, I die.”

Colour her curious.

He pulled down a breath and his lips flattened, and he looked as if he was fighting himself.

When he spoke again, his tone was softer, his brogue less pronounced.

“If you don’t give me release, I die, Hella. You must accept me.” He cast a glance at his hips and then lifted his gaze to lock with hers again. “I’ll be gentle with you, if that’s what you fear.”

Hella rolled her eyes. “I had lion twins splitting me in two the other day. I don’t need a gentle man.”

He growled again, flashing his fangs this time, and tensed as he fisted his clothing. “How many males have ye accepted into your wee body? It matters no’. You’ll bed no more.”

His accent seemed to be an emotional barometer. The more heated he got, the less understandable he became. She was tempted to roll her eyes at him again to see just how deep into his Scottish roots she could push him.

“I’ll do what I want and who I want, and if you try to stop me—” She hesitated as the way he had reacted to the shackles filled her mind. She didn’t want to torment him like that again. Maybe she could try something else.

If he wouldn’t leave, then she would make him.

She pivoted on her heel and swept away from him, her shoulders tipped back and her head held high, the perfect image of a witch one would be wise not to mess with. The wolf’s gaze scalded her back, tracking down to her bottom, and he loosed a low, sexy growl.

Hella refused to let it affect her.

The wolf was about to be shown the door and if he had any sense, he would take the hint and leave her alone. She had her own problems to deal with and every second she wasted on the wolf was a second Ethyrian drew closer to realising she had escaped Lucia.

She hurried down the stairs to her shop.

The wolf followed.

Still naked.

Hella huffed as she glanced at him and he leaned against the wall, folded his arms across his chest and crossed his ankles. Shameless male.

“Put some clothes on,” she snapped and tried to shut him out as she unlocked a case behind the counter and plucked a book from the shelves.

When she turned back towards the counter, her gaze collided with his.

He grinned salaciously at her, irritatingly sure of himself while she was flustered and unsteady, rattled by his presence. “You don’t want that. I can see in your eyes you want me, lass. I can smell that you need your male.”

Hella gagged. “Gross.”

And diligently kept her eyes off the impressive hard-on he was still sporting as he pushed away from the wall and stalked towards her.

He was far too big.

If she did accept him, as he kept putting it, he would split her in two.

She was just considering possible spells that would help her get around that when his knees gave out, he went down hard and clocked his jaw on the edge of the wooden counter.

Ruining his carefully affected image of confidence and swagger.

Hella resisted the urge to peer over the counter and check on him, and continued leafing through the book instead as she dryly said, “Have a nice trip? Send me a postcard next time.”

The wolf’s arm shot up from behind the counter, his hand slammed down onto it and he hauled himself up. He growled as he shook off the blow to his ego but he looked groggy, which worried her.

Was he telling her the truth about the curse?

Would he really die if she didn’t add him to the tally of notches on her bedpost?

She intended to find out the answer to both of those questions.

Author Bio:

I’m a NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY and International Best-Selling Author writing passionate paranormal romance books and series for adults.

I love to create detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons! All of them alpha as you would expect in paranormal romance, and every book with a guaranteed HAPPILY FOREVER AFTER!

Sign up to my newsletter for exclusive sneak previews, freebies, special offers and more! (copy / paste link into your browser):

http://bit.ly/FH-VIPS

Fans of paranormal romance books by authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter, Larissa Ione, Kresley Cole and Christine Feehan will love my books too.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Youtube / TikTok / Bookbub

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Giveaway – Shadowed Horizons by Reily Garrett @XpressoTours

Posted on May 17, 2022 by fundinmental

Shadowed Horizons
Reily Garrett
(The Guardians, #1)
Publication date: May 13th 2022
Genres: Adult, Horror, Paranormal

Fate can have many paths. Which would you choose?

Kiera’s capacity to face death stems from training, begun when old enough to wield a knife. Befriended by wolves and raised by a group of psychic men sworn to protect humanity, she now faces mercenaries intent on reshaping the world using equal talents.

Prodigious keyboard skills and innate curiosity has led Wyatt McGlauklin to invent the unimaginable. He’s long since claimed status as the top computer science geek. Little do people know, there’s much more to Wyatt.

When a blonde spitfire steps out of nowhere to prevent his assassination, his life’s direction takes an extraordinary turn where his analytical mind can’t validate paranormal phenomena.

Fate decrees Kiera find her life partner, but she learns you don’t always get to choose whom you love. Wyatt’s arrival challenges destiny as they combine forces to preserve the world as they know it.

A must-read for fans of for fans of CM Sutter, Dale Mayer, Dean Koontz, LT Ryan, and Fiona Quinn.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Each flip of the key ring around his index finger tallied another reason to quit the world of high stake’s business. Work stemming from a far-fetched theory had taken form and flourished beyond his imagination.

Unlike the soundless steps of his bodyguard’s booted strides, Wyatt’s tennis shoes pealed squishy squeaks through the dimly lit parking garage.

“Adam, this does not make my list of top favorite places to visit. Next time I help an old college friend, maybe we could pick a drier day and find parking other than a creepy garage?”

A rat skittered across the floor in the shadows, its gimlet-eyed stare marking the intruders’ positions. Air redolent of filth, gas, and pizza from a nearby restaurant clogged Wyatt’s sinuses, reminiscent of the alley apartment occupied during college. Since those lean years, digital fluency and hard work had jettisoned him to the top of his field.

The clash of artificial dingy light and murky silhouettes added an ominous, prophetic feeling he couldn’t shake. Water stains mingled with shapeless apparitions to create fleeting two-dimensional monsters between vehicles, ready to attack unwary travelers.

He was not a fan of inkblot tests.

I haven’t been spooked like this in years.

Adam shrugged. “As far as security is concerned, it’s not an ideal location since the street side is open, but it is the closest available. Roadside parking leaves you too vulnerable. As much as you cherish you privacy, I’m surprised you offered to help him. Why couldn’t you do it over the net?”

“Hardware issues require hands-on assistance. He’s my ex-roommate. I felt sorry for him. Modern advances in technology left him in the dust.”

“Next time, suggest a meeting during daylight hours and a place of our choosing?”

Adam narrowed his eyes and tilted his head as if listening to a far-off sound. The combination spelled trouble. His steps slowed and adopted a deliberate edge even as his shoulders tightened in preparation to strike.

“A graveyard walk would be less creepy, and a proctologist’s exam more fun.” Sweat beaded Wyatt’s forehead despite the cool spring breeze drifting over the graffiti-covered knee wall.

“This place feels off to me. Let’s get the hell out of here—” Adam stopped, holding out his right arm to halt their progress.

Wyatt’s slip on a crudely patched piece of concrete necessitated his bodyguard’s steadying hand. Dirt and loose crumbles skittered underfoot, their audio report echoing off the walls.

“Watch your step, boss. No need to broadcast our location.”

“You know,” Wyatt muttered. “People think of me as a good analytical, concrete thinker. I guess whatever higher power gifted me with intuitive abilities for logistics and computers exacted a mental tariff—common sense.” His penchant for talking when nervous filled the quiet atmosphere.

“My instincts say trouble’s GPS has locked on. Stay close.”

The soft glide of his bodyguard’s gun from his shoulder rig compelled Wyatt to suck in chilled air that seared his lungs. Each step forward carried the expectation of death.

“Intuition is your best survival tool and seldom wrong. For an athletic geek, yours is pretty good.”

Wyatt didn’t argue the conciliatory assessment. Routine sparring with Adam revealed the bodyguard had reflexes that boggled the mind.

Sudden sharp beeps shattered the silence. A sequence of long and short chirps denoting binary code identified Wyatt’s caller. His heart rate shot into overdrive. Hair on his nape prickled as he fumbled the device. Swiping to ignore didn’t recall the audible beacon.

Massive pillars supported the five-story concrete structure that supplied parking space for the attached office building. Rounding one to his left, Wyatt stumbled as Adam snatched him sideways.

The colossal brute they almost bounced off had detached from the shadows with a stealth befitting a sixteenth century ninja. Colossal mass defied speed but personified malice with a savage gaze and gap-toothed smile.

“Jesus!” Wyatt’s split-second observation induced a rush of adrenaline with the hand holding his cell thrusting forward in self-protection. “Damn. You’re big.”

Deep chuckling inspired images of the worst villains in horror movies.

Brown hair pulled back in a ponytail swept the shoulder of the man bearing a gold tooth. A ridge of pitted, tanned skin separated the straight bushy unibrow deepening with a tilt of his head. Dark eyes retained terrible knowledge embracing and calculating endless methods for the most efficient kill.

After flicking a glance over the bodyguard in silent disregard, the brute’s appraisal raked Wyatt’s body head to toe. Thin lips widened in obvious glee.

“Time to meet your maker, prodigy.” He mimicked Wyatt’s sidestep in a lightning-fast move and knocked Adam’s gun from his hand. The pistol ricocheted under a nearby Toyota producing multiple tin-like clinks.

Time shattered into bits and pieces where each fractured instant unfurled another fragment of the ominous scene. Wyatt’s thoughts stuttered on a long blink.

Author Bio:

Reily Garrett is a writer, mother, and companion to three long coat German shepherds. When not working with her dogs, she’s sitting at her desk with her fur kids by her side.

Author of chilling suspense and snarky romance, her stories span the distance of romantic thrillers, paranormal romance, and erotic romance. Regardless of genre, each book delves into a dark and twisted imagination yet is tempered with romance and a touch of humor.

Reviews by Kirkus Reviews, San Francisco Bay Review, and BestThrillers.com best describe her work:

“This could be James Patterson, Lee Child, and Tess Gerritsen rolled into one, but the dark, twisted methods used by the serial killer could surprise even those readers…” – San Francisco Bay Review

“…steamy, seductive police procedural…” – BestThrillers.com

“…well-researched thriller that remains romantically genuine throughout.” – Kirkus Review

Prior experience in the Military Police, private investigations, and as an ICU nurse gives her fiction a real-world flavor. Find Reily below.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Amazon

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Giveaway – Oath Breaker by River Starr @XpressoTours @river_starr

Posted on May 11, 2022 by fundinmental

Oath-Breaker
River Starr
(Shadow Pact, #1)
Publication date: May 5th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

No one survives their meeting with the Angel of Death—except for me.

After being accused of rallying citizens to revolt against him and breaking the rules of engagement with demons to save my best friend—guilty as charged on both accounts—the Angel of Death demands to personally oversee my sentencing in his obsidian castle of demons and death.

I’m done for. This is the end. But my death won’t be in vain—I’ll die a martyr to the Paladins Order’s cause, and I’ll rescue my best friend at the same time. She’ll be safe and the paladins will pick a new leader. They’ll thrive and continue the fight.

Or so I think. When judgment day arrives and I’m knelt before the Angel of Death, with his onyx eyes, his ebony hair, and his seductively imposing stature, my soul doesn’t leave me.

It soars.

Because when I dare to look the Angel of Death in the eyes, everything changes. And what unfolds in my anger and vengeance’s stead is a thread of events I never could have foreseen.

I survived my meeting with the Angel of Death. But can I survive his love?

OATH-BREAKER is the first of a M/F paranormal demon romance duology full of steamy goodness.

Goodreads / Amazon

GUEST POST

I am a lover of book covers and am always curious how a cover gets chosen for a book. So, I would like to welcome River Starr to tell us about her cover for Oath Breaker.

Oath-Breaker and its sequel Oath-Maker were fun books to work on covers for! I worked with one of my favorite artists on trying to find a blend between the romance and action readers are to be promised. Working with cover artists on covers is one of my most favorite parts of being an indie author. What artists can do by bringing the story and characters to life is truly amazing.

For Oath-Breaker, I knew I wanted both main characters portrayed on the cover as well as the background to contain a castle. Throw in some wings and Ayla’s celestial sword, and we have the cover that exists today!

The cover for Oath-Maker includes a bit of a change… but you’ll have to check out Oath-Breaker for how it comes to be!

Thanks so much, River, for making an appearance on fundinmental,

Author Bio:

River Starr writes books that help you escape, especially fantasy romance full of magic and supernaturals. Favorite things: coffee, wine, chocolate, and a heavy dose of books to chase away the dark… or invite delicious darkness in.

Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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Giveaway – Kiss Of Darkness by Taylor Aston White @Tayastonwhite @XpressoTours

Posted on May 9, 2022 by fundinmental

Kiss of Darkness
Taylor Aston White
(Curse of the Guardians, #1)
Publication date: May 5th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

He despises her… almost as much as his beast craves her.

Kyra’s seen and survived the worst things imaginable, all because of the magic she was born with. Trapped by her secret, she has no choice but to serve Councilman Gallagher or risk everything she has tried so hard to build. Because despite black magic being banned, her very survival depends on it.

When she’s commanded to summon a Daemon, a Breed notorious for their corruption and brutality, she’s torn between keeping her secret and doing the right thing.

Xander’s hate for black witches was notorious, but nothing frustrated him more than the one witch that brings trouble with a capital T. With dark amber eyes, and a controlled strength that fascinated his beast – the monster he’s cursed to share a soul – Xander will do anything to push her away.

So when he’s forced into protecting her, he must put aside his prejudice and ignore his growing desire that’s an insult to his past.

Because he’s had an entire childhood to remember why you can’t trust black witches.

And he definitely can’t trust Kyra Farzan.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“Little girls shouldn’t be here.” A hand struck out, carefully circling her wrist with enough pressure to stop her, but not enough to hurt.

Kyra paused, the coin at the edge of the slot. She looked up, and Xander removed his sunglasses.

“That’s a rude comment,” she said, trying to tug from his grasp.

His mouth twisted, pale eyes narrowed as he released her wrist, only to grip her jaw. He angled her face against the light, her lip stinging when she frowned.

“What are you doing here, Kyra?” His white silver hair, just long enough to cover his unusually dark brows moved across his forehead, partially concealing his expression.

“Minding my own business!” she snapped, but the steel behind her reply lessened when she met his eyes, and flinched. “Don’t touch me.” The words came out quiet, desperate. His eyes had been blue, she was sure of it, yet she could see her own reflection in his irises made from a liquid silver.

His fingers opened, and she stumbled back, breathing heavily. She needed to get out of there before she suffered a full panic attack. Xander was just too much, his gaze too direct as she tried to look anywhere but him.

“Black witch,” he grunted, as if she were tainted.

Which she wasn’t, but she couldn’t explain why he was wrong. He wouldn’t care either way, his opinion on her already set in stone, and had been since they first met. Black witches were seen as evil because of their ability to gain power from death, and while many embraced that sordid side of magic it didn’t mean they were all evil. It did, however, make them illegal.

Ignoring him, or at least trying to as he seemed to press himself closer, always pushing her boundaries, she inserted the Ravyn into the slot, the portal opening with a flash of light. He said nothing as she stepped through, the package hugged tight to her chest, and as soon as the portal closed behind her she released a sigh of relief.

Author Bio:

Taylor Aston White loves to explore mythology and European faerie tales to create her own, modern magic world. She collects crystals, house plants and dark lipstick, and has two young children who like to ‘help’ with her writing by slamming their hands across the keyboard.

After working several uncreative jobs and one super creative one, she decided to become a full-time author and now spends the majority of her time between her children and writing the weird and wonderful stories that pop into her head.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub

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Giveaway – Liquid Foundations by Lisa Acerbo @XpressoTours @Apocalipstick

Posted on May 5, 2022 by fundinmental

Liquid Foundations
Lisa Acerbo
(Hell in a Handbag, #3)
Publication date: April 13th 2022
Genres: New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult, Zombies

Even the most solid foundation can be shaken.

No place is safe anymore, and I’m on the run from something new.

The putrid stink of zombies has been replaced by sulfur, feces, and wet dog. The High Point Inn has been abandoned, the landscape plagued by the unimaginable, animal-hybrids. Wolves and bears rise from the grave or maybe they never died. Sure, the hordes of undead humans are diminishing, but whatever lies in wait is faster, smarter, and spurned by the devil himself.

With Caleb, Lilly, and Eric at my side, I search for friends and suFictiorvivors. But the new evil has arrived.

I can’t run quick enough.

The wolves are here, and they’re hungry, not to mention cunning and cruel. Endless rains force my group underground and into a cave system. Lost in the interminable, pitch-black subterranean tunnels, I struggle to keep my sanity and my life. There’s only one place in the world that makes sense anymore, and that’s where my friends are.

If I can survive the dark and the zombie wolves, Hopewell, Maine, here I come.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Her eyes found the offending window, and the Streaker who launched through it. What had once been a squat man in a flannel shirt and jeans had turned into a distended corpse in blood-crusted rags, its bloated stomach exposed for all. The Streaker wore a wrinkled face with the consistency of a peach left too long in the sun. One arm hung limp, fingers gnawed away.

Did something do that to the Streaker, or did it eat away at its own flesh?

The monster staggered to the curb and stopped, pointing its chin to the sky, and taking in a breath through black, decayed nostrils. Its next meal had arrived, served up and ready to be consumed. Patches of skin had been torn away, exposing the rot that lived underneath. With a mewl, it lumbered at Jenna. The Streaker’s stare met her with singular intent. Eyes dead and unblinking, it closed the distance between them. She equaled food, and the risen dead was hungry.

In a practiced motion, Jenna released her bowie knife from the sheath on her belt. The monster stumbled over a garbage can in its path. Moving close, it reached out.

“What’s that smell?” Jenna ducked and swung low and hard. “Step back, foul one. God, you reek. Haven’t bathed in forever I’d guess. Personal hygiene not a priority these days?”

The Streaker growled in response and stretched a mottled, pus-clotted arm to grab her camo jacket.

“They’re slower than they used to be, Jenna, but don’t get too smug. The bite might not kill you, but the infection can.” Lilly tilted her head. “Need help?”

Eric moved closer, a similar knife in his hand. “Don’t worry. I got you covered.”

Jenna kicked at the creature. “Eric and I can handle this.”

The Streaker staggered back, but then surged forward again. “I’ll keep watch.” Lilly surveyed their surroundings. “Where there’s one, more to come.”

“Did you just make that up?” Eric asked.

“I like to rhyme,” Lilly said. “Appears clear.”

“One of your many talents.” Eric sent a smile her way and turned back to face the enemy.

“Come here, big boy.” Jenna took a step back into the center of the road where less debris meant less to trip over.

“Me or the monster?” Eric joked.

The Streaker trailed Jenna, the remains of its ragged flannel shirt fluttering open. Guts leaked out of its sliced chest cavity and slipped out of the tattered remains of clothing.

Jenna gagged. “There’s something no girl ever wants to see. Put it away and be a gentleman.”

“The gentlemanly thing to do would be to find dinner somewhere else.” Eric moved behind the creature. The undead mewled.

“That’s all you got for me?” She stepped back, hoisted the bowie blade, and slashed. The knife embedded itself between the creature’s eyes. She sliced higher. The blade released with a pucker. She stepped back. The zombie closed in. “Guess I missed my mark.” Jenna dodged the lumbering monster.

Eric’s knife slashed the Streaker’s back with a repeated, steady swing. Strips of skin and black goo melted to the ground.

Jenna sliced across the creature’s neck, stabbed, and drew her knife away, hearing the suck of release. She skidded back. “Why won’t it die?” Jenna eyed the creature for a weakness.

“Maybe you have bad aim.” Eric carved out new wounds, but the monster stretched its arm making it impossible to get close.

“Could be that it’s already dead.” Jenna frowned. “I have great aim and practice a lot more than you to make sure I never lose it.”

“I’m younger and more fit.”

“We’ll see about that.” Jenna moved behind the writhing creature. She hoped to catch it unaware, but the monster spun, its lifeless eyes meeting hers. Jenna jumped back and huffed out a breath. “So much for the element of surprise.” She’d better practice those battle skills a few more hours a day.

“What’s the plan?” Eric sidestepped to refocus the Streaker’s attention on him. “More firepower? Bring out the big guns?”

“Don’t want to attract more.”

Eric scooted close and then backed away. “I’ll draw its attention. You finish it from the rear.”

“Sounds like a firm plan.”

“Not in this case.”

Jenna eyed the undead. “True. Very saggy from this view.”

“Get on with it, you two.” Lilly waved a hand at them. “I don’t want to hang around here any longer than I have to.”

Author Bio:

Lisa Acerbo is a high school teacher and adjunct faculty at a local community college. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, daughters, two dogs, and horse. When not writing, she mountain bikes, hikes, and fosters dogs.

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You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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One Sentence Reviews for the Blood Courtesans #KindleUnlimitedSeries @Michell22340638 @SusanGriscom @kristenstrassel

Posted on May 4, 2022 by fundinmental

I am going to start the five one sentence reviews I will be sharing today with Refrain by Susan Griscom. I won an audible and kindle copy. I quickly got hooked, so scrolled through my Kindle and read every one of the Blood Courtesan Kindle Unlimited series stories that I had.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Oh Yeah…Vampires…I love when I see my name in a book, and even though Refrain, which is a complete story, is predictable, it is filled with enough steamy deliciousness to keep me reading more of the series and wanting more of her work.

Reborn (Blood Courtesans) by Michelle Fox was an Amazon freebie.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Reborn is a complete story, a novella, about the loss of innocence and I love Myra’s feistiness, the laughs, the kisses and bullets, though I did get frustrated with her casual stupidity, but my love of vampires keeps me reading most anything with them in it.

Wanted: Corynne by Kristen Strassel was an Amazon freebie.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

One way to deal with bullies is to become a vampire…LOL…she had been bullied to the point of murder and was counting on becoming a courtesan, offering blood and sex, to find a place to belong in this action packed story that filled all my bloody needs.

Needed by Ever Coming was an Amazon freebie.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Thank all that is vampire that someone wanted to pay their good fortune forward or Angelica may never have been accepted as a blood courtesan because she would would make a personal sacrifice, sell her soul for her sister, and I love her naive yet provocative personality filled with humor.

Ensnared: Star by Rebecca Rivard & Michelle Fox was an Amazon freebie.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

She had been set up for the theft of one hundred thousand dollars and her only out was to become a courtesan…one month with Remy de la Lune, but this hunkalicious vampire has met his match and I was happy to be along for the ride.

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Giveaway – Friends To The End by C L Colyer @CherieColyer @GoddessFish

Posted on May 2, 2022 by fundinmental

Friends to the End by Cherie Colyer

GENRE: Middle Grade Action Adventure

Hi, and thanks for having me on your blog!

I’m not sure if it’s common knowledge, but traditionally published authors have limited control over the cover of their books. The Wild Rose Press has a Cover Sheet with basic questions like genre, tone, elements an author would like to see on the cover, and hero/heroine descriptions. Once the form is submitted, their talented cover artists take over.

For Friends to the End, I felt the tone of the cover should be suspenseful, mysterious, and just a little spooky. It’s a ghost adventure, after all. And since Zach and his new friends are looking for a mysterious vanishing house, I suggested that the cover might include a spooky house or a room in a spooky house. And maybe even Zach’s silhouette or the silhouette of four kids. From there, it was a waiting game. I had no idea what the cover artist would do.

I was thrilled when I saw what cover artist Diane Carlile put together. I really couldn’t ask for a better cover for this book, and she included elements I hadn’t thought to ask for. The moon is full on the night Zach and his friends find the house, and their first glimpse of the old Victorian home is through the trees. Before they reach the house, they visited a graveyard. And I like that on the cover we only see the backs of the kids. This allows the reader to use their imaginations. The dark purple and yellows give an ominous feel. The cover is better than anything I had imagined. There isn’t anything I hate. I feel lucky about that, but then The Wild Rose Press does a wonderful job on their covers.

What do you think about the cover? Is it spooky, yet not too spooky to scare you away? I hope so because the adventure is worth braving ghosts.

Thanks for having me on your blog!

BLURB

Twelve-year-old Zach is convinced he’ll never be happy without his best friend Jeremy by his side. But both of their lives changed with a bang five months ago, and as far as Zach’s concerned, it’s his fault Jeremy will never see his twelfth birthday.

When Zach moves with his family to a Chicago suburb, he quickly becomes friends with a group of thrill-seeking kids trying to find a disappearing haunted house. But Zach’s not worried. He doesn’t believe in ghosts, so he follows them into a wild, dangerous encounter that becomes a battle to decide what’s real and what’s not.

Excerpt

We stopped a few yards from the cemetery, our mouths hanging open and our eyes wide.

“Please tell me you see that,” I whispered.

“If you mean the white lights floating above the ground,” Josh said, “we see it.”

“They’re orbs,” Morgan corrected, as if knowing the proper name for the glowing spheres made it okay to see them.

“Orbs?” Josh asked.

“Spirits of the dead,” I replied, remembering what Morgan had told me.

Dom scooted his bike closer. “Maybe we should ask them if they’ve seen the house.”

“Seriously?” Morgan asked.

“Yeah.”

Morgan shook her head, causing her ponytail to swing from side to side. “Oh, no! I learned my lesson the last time we were here. I’m not stepping one foot off the shoulder of the road.”

“Your right foot is in the grass,” Dom said, shining his flashlight on her sneaker.

Morgan scowled and repositioned herself to have both feet on concrete.

Three iridescent orbs floated over headstones. I thought about the movies that warned people to stay away from the light. Maybe they weren’t warning us about a bright beam of light, but instead small glowing balls. Maybe if one of them touched you, the spirit would take over your body. Maybe they were waiting for someone to be stupid enough to come closer. I suddenly wondered if I’d met anyone who’d been possessed by a spirit and immediately thought of Olivia and her strange habits.

Then I told myself I was being ridiculous.

Or was I? Think about it. How would anyone know if a ghost hitched a ride with the person in front of him or her?

AUTHOR Bio and Links

C.L. Colyer found her love for writing in first grade when her class was sent to the library and asked to find a book for their first book report. While she doesn’t still have this book report, she’s very proud to say she got an A on it. Her favorite thing about the book was that it had no words. That’s right, not one! That gave her the freedom to interpret the pictures in any way she wanted and write her own story.

This sparked her love for writing essays. It wasn’t until she was an adult that she sat down and penned her first novel. This story has a special place in her heart because it’s the story that helped her discover her passion for writing. She has since written several books, many of which may never see the light of day, but all of which helped her learn to combine her passion for writing with her fascination with all things mythical. You’ll find examples of this in her novels.

She lives in Illinois with her family.

Keep in Touch:

Website: https://cheriecolyer.com/children/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cherie-Colyer-author-250631921629169
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CherieColyer
Instagram: www.instagram.com/cherie_colyer/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21748654.C_L_Colyer
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/C-L-Colyer/e/B09C6JPT3X/
Bookbub author page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cherie-colyer

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Giveaway – Monster Inside by River Starr @XpressoTours

Posted on April 29, 2022 by fundinmental

Monster Inside
River Starr
(Shadow Pact, #1)
Publication date: April 21st 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Sometimes the most enchanting monsters are the ones you can’t see, only feel…

I am a survivor. For the past ten years, I’ve been forced to give every part of me to sinister vampires in a feeding community. But when I touched an ancient book and recited a spell out of sheer desperation and zero arcane knowledge, a dark entity came to me. Rescued me. Mrak helped me escape.

I have no idea what I’ve gotten myself into. But Mrak has been at my side for the last three months—well, inside me, anchored to my existence and lovingly tender with his ethereal touches. It’s not quite possession, not quite a haunting. But it’s real, it’s sexy as hell, and he’s mine. Or I’m his. Either way, we’re now in this life together.

Mrak is distracting, seductive, and powerful, but he’s also keeping a secret. One that’s now put me in immense danger despite his claims he’ll do anything to protect me. Because the cops have come calling. Bodies have turned up. And despite his reassurances, I’m starting to wonder if Mrak has a hidden agenda that he’s somehow kept secret from the inside.

My life might be in my monster’s debt. My body might be his for pleasure. But my future is mine no matter how much he wants and uses my body. I’m no longer the weak woman he saved from a vampire lord, and it’s time to take my body—and my life—back.

MONSTER INSIDE is the first of a M/F paranormal monster romance duology.

Goodreads / Amazon

Author Bio:

River Starr writes books that help you escape, especially fantasy romance full of magic and supernaturals. Favorite things: coffee, wine, chocolate, and a heavy dose of books to chase away the dark… or invite delicious darkness in.

Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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Giveaway – Ice Floe by Melissa Birling @melissabirling @XpressoTours

Posted on April 29, 2022 by fundinmental

Ice Floe
Melissa Birling
Publication date: April 28th 2022
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

SECRECY IS SAFETY. SISTERHOOD IS EVERYTHING.

Seventeen-year-old Glacia didn’t plan to track a kidnapper, stick a middle finger to the government, and fall into a forbidden summer fling. This is simply what happens when you’re the resident odd girl out, in a shoal of all-female mermaids whose values are a little cracked. Or a lot cracked, if you consider government-endorsed murder and the seizure of male infants to be an issue.

When society rules, family, and romance collide, Glacia fights back the best way she knows how: by taking the matter into her own combat-trained hands and kicking some tail. The problem is, no amount of training can prepare Glacia for the crime circle she discovers, secrets she unveils, and human guy she can’t get out of her head. Glacia finds herself at a crossroads where she must decide whose rules to follow. Who she can trust. And ultimately…who lives and who dies.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

We’ve been sitting on the ledge a while now, mostly staring at the view. I steal occasional glances at Tucker. I can’t shake the feeling that there’s a force between us. Energy. A pulse. A magnet. Something. Every time I focus my thoughts elsewhere, he pulls me back in. It’s distracting.

“You ready to head down?” he asks.
“You might as well get started. I can’t climb down with all your equipment in the way.” “I have an extra harness. You should come down with me.” He reaches for his pack and stands up.

I jump up to join him. “No way. I’m not hooking myself into that death trap.” “Glacia, come on. This cliff is super challenging, and it’s way more difficult to climb down than up,” he says, his voice growing louder. Here we go again.
“I’ll be fine once you get your stuff out of the way.” I raise my volume to match his. “It’s not safe. I would feel horrible if I let you climb down and you got hurt.”
“Let me?”
“Not let you. It’s your choice.”
“I choose NO.”
He clenches his jaw tightly and grinds his teeth. I take a few steps back in preparation.

There’s enough room up here to land a solid kick to the face. That should knock him out, then I’ll have to figure out a way to climb down his cat’s cradle setup. Tucker crosses one arm over his chest and raises a hand to cover his mouth. We glare at each other – at an impasse.

“Let’s make a deal,” he offers. “You climb down with me using a harness and rope, and I’ll take you on a boat ride.”

This catches my attention.

“That’s right, I saw you light up when I mentioned my dad’s boat shop,” he continues with a cocky air.

He’s more perceptive than I gave him credit for. Volatile and perceptive. A hefty combination.

“Have you ever been on a boat?” he asks.

I shake my head. I would love to go on a boat. Tucker knows how to fix them and can teach me everything a trainer could, plus more. What am I thinking? This is crazy. I can’t go on a boat with a human. What excuse would I give if I got caught? I can’t pretend I’m seducing. Everyone knows that’s not high on my priority list, and you’re not supposed to seduce alone. Maybe I could say that I’m collecting information to share with the girls I teach… Hmm. That’s almost believable, given my dedication to the studio.

Tucker can tell I’m on the fence about it and ups the ante. “I’ll teach you to drive the boat.”

Unfair. Of course, I want to learn how to drive a boat. That’s a beyond useful skill in my back pocket. I peek down the cliff face to assess the reliability of Tucker’s wedge-rope system. Stupid. Like I know what I’m looking for.

“Fine,” I agree. “We need to be hooked together, so if I die, you die.”
“Seems reasonable.”
“AND I get to drive the boat.”
“Deal. Let’s see, today is Monday, and I already have plans tomorrow. Wednesday?” “What time?”
“Eleven a.m. on the Ula pier.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
Tucker flips his pack around, unclips a belt, and offers it to me. “Do you know how to wear a harness?”
I snatch it from him, compare it to his gear, and step into the leg holes. When I have it all clipped in, I throw my hands on my hips. “Now what?” I ask.

Tucker leans in toward me, rope in hand, then pulls back and reconsiders. “That’s not quite right,” he says haltingly. “Can I fix your harness?”

“I already agreed to this mess, didn’t I?”

He rolls his eyes. “I think that’s a yes. Pull the harness up – it has to sit higher on your hips.”

I follow his instructions, and he flops the rope over one arm. He moves in closer and bends down to reposition the harness. His fingers wrap around the loop against my leg as he pulls it up below my hip. My heart beats faster and my insides twists. I evaluate the top of Tucker’s head in an effort to distinguish these sensations from other emotions. He secures the loop and raises his gaze to meet mine.

“Is that too tight?” he asks. His hazel eyes penetrate mine. The edges are a deep brown that blend into a murky green with an amber starburst around the pupil.

I shake my head and look away. I hope he can’t tell how disoriented this is making me. “Pull the tabs on your waist tighter,” he instructs.
I cinch the waist while he rearranges the other loop on my leg. Why is this making me so agitated? He’s only fixing my gear so I don’t fall to my death. Tucker gathers the rope into his hand and reaches out to tie it to the front belt loop. As he does, his fingers brush my skin just below my belly button. A jolt of electricity shoots through my body. I take in a small gasp of air and hold my breath. He freezes, his fingers lingering on my stomach. Did he feel that too?

Author Bio:

Melissa Birling strives to experience life from a “both and” rather than “either or” perspective. She enjoys living in metropolitan cities and on a small farm. She appreciates burn-your-tongue Mexican cuisine and delicious London pub food. Lately, Melissa spends her time engaging with cyber security professionals and mermaids. Not actual mermaids, although if you know any, she’d love to meet them.

The revelation that one can be both a successful corporate consultant and a fantasy author who writes about mermaids, encouraged Melissa to finish her debut novel, Ice Floe. The emotional high of typing “The End” at the completion of her first draft, triggered a writing spree that hasn’t stopped since. On any given Saturday or Sunday, you will find Melissa writing. She won’t respond to any attempts at human engagement, because she’s “at a good part,” but you’ll find her typing away, nevertheless.

Melissa lives with a ceaselessly supportive husband and their dog who enjoys hunting neighborhood skunks.

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