Going Covert in Dead Cold by Jennifer Chase @JChaseNovelist @pumpupyourbook

Posted on November 16, 2017 by fundinmental

We’re really excited to be part of Jennifer Chase’s DEAD COLD Blog Tour!

Fabulous cover for a fabulous story!

Title: DEAD COLD
Author: Jennifer Chase
Publisher: JEC Press
Pages: 326
Genre: Crime Thriller

MY REVIEW

WHOA. Why haven’t I read any Jennifer Chase and Emily Stone? I cannot say how excited I am now remedying that! Intense from the very beginning. The writing went where I wasn’t expecting and I love it. I can hardly wait to see what other surprises await me.

I took a break from murderous mayhem and serial killers, for a short while. All the books started to run together, but I felt right at home when I began reading Dead Cold by Jennifer Chase. Made me wonder why I ever took a break.

Emily and her partner, Rick Lopez, work outside the law, but they use all the skills they had learned in their time with the federal government to pursue criminals. Rick loved Emily and hunting the bad guys with her. They are so much more than partners. They are friends and lovers too.

Emily is like a female Sherlock Holmes. She is patient, meticulous, methodical, a natural when it comes to profiling. But she does have a bit of a problem with surveillance. She wants to go right for the take down. There is absolutely nothing Emily wouldn’t do to accomplish her goal, to save a life, to rescue a friend. Instincts, intuition, deductive reasoning, step by step, piece by piece, she weaves together the facts and data. Each piece of evidence is a part of the puzzle. Then…

She looks death in the eye and spits at it.

They are covert, letting the cops take the credit while vanishing into thin air when they arrive.

Now her sights are set on a serial killer she dubbed the Ice Puzzler.

Jordan is her go to guy for information they can’t get on the own. He’s smart, playful, fun and annoying. I smiled at his antics. When he meets Gunner, he insists he is not a dog guy, but Gunner adopts him. Rick is antagonistic to Jordan. Do they need to put ‘it’ on the table and measure? Is he jealous, threatened? Does Rick have a reason to be concerned about Jordan’s feeling for Emily?

Oh man. A shift of perspective. Right at a crucial moment. One minute I was with Emily and Rick, and Emily is in deep danger, then I was pulled away to be with Detective Daniel Starr. Now I have to wait…to see what comes next. A great way to build suspense and anticipation and I love it.

Uh oh. Kayla cannot let sleeping dogs lie and is persistent in her pursuit of Emily. I can understand it, but I think nothing good can come of it. You’ll need to read the book to find out who Kayla is and what becomes of her.

Enter HER. Who is SHE? What does SHE have to do with anything? Other than being a sad and damaged woman with some very serious issues?

I feel empathy for the villain. I sometimes find myself rooting as much for the villain as the hero. I just can’t seem to help myself. It takes some fantastic writing to make that happen.

Told from multiple perspectives, there’s an underlying mystery running. I’m deciphering the implications and coming up with my own conclusion. Let’s see if I’m right.

As the pieces come together Jennifer Chase delivers a surprise or two or three. She created a wonderful feeling of suspense, and anticipation. My eagerness to find out kept me reading at a rapid pace, but I told myself to slow down…I wanted to savor each delicious morsel of Dead Cold. Danger oozes off the pages. Action and intrigue overwhelm me. Love everything about it. Can’t get enough of it. I need more!

For more fun, be sure and check out her bio.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Dead Cold by Jennifer Chase.

5 Stars

What happens when one California community has a disturbing spike in homicides? It catapults cops into a deadly game of murder. Frozen human body parts hideously displayed at the crime scenes offers a horrifying interpretation that only a sadistic serial killer could design—and execute.

On the hunt for a complex serial killer, vigilante detective Emily Stone must face her most daring case yet. Stone’s proven top-notch profiling skills and forensic expertise may not be enough this time.

Young and ambitious, Detective Danny Starr, catches the homicide cases and discovers that it will test everything he knows about police work and the criminal mind. Can he handle these escalating cases or will the police department have to call in reinforcements—the FBI.

Emily Stone’s covert team pushes with extreme urgency to unravel the grisly clues, while keeping their identities hidden from the police. With one last-ditch effort, Stone dangles someone she loves as bait to draw out the killer. She then forces the killer out of their comfort zone with her partner Rick Lopez, and with help from a longtime friend Jordan Smith. A revelation of the serial killer’s identity leaves the team with volatile emotions that could
destroy them.

The killer continues to taunt and expertly manipulate the police, as well as Stone’s team, and as they run out of time—they leave behind everyone and everything—in Dead Cold.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

ESCAPE WAS IMPOSSIBLE. TEARS STREAMED down her face as she sat in the darkness and waited for the man to return. There was no other choice—but to wait.

She hadn’t eaten anything in three days and had only a limited amount of water—her strength continued to fade with every hour. With her wrists and ankles secured with duct tape, her skin stung with pain every time she struggled to move. At least the man had peeled the tape from her eyes and mouth so that she could see something besides pitch-blackness.

Even if she could escape, the only way to safety was jumping into the frigid water, but she could not swim and would drown before ever reaching the shore.

The only thing thirteen-year-old Kayla Swanson thought about was home. Fond memories flashed through her mind of her parents, her little brother, and her dog Charlie. She was never going to see them again. Their smiling faces were forever etched in Kayla’s mind, and she constantly held them close to her heart.

The boat rocked, and seemed to sway more violently as the tide flooded in and out of the harbor. Kayla could hear a consistent clanking noise above her as the boat rolled back and forth. The sound had a hypnotic quality, and kept her mind on something else besides when the man would return and what he would do next.

Her lips were dry and cracked as she bordered on dehydration.

Even her tears dried on her cheeks, leaving her skin stiff and drawn. Her body began to shake, not only from fear, but also because of the extreme exhaustion and the constant dampness all around her.

The boat rocked more, but this time it shifted from the opposite sides. Kayla heard soft footsteps above, which she knew wasn’t her captor’s heavy walk. She strained her eyes in the darkness and thought she saw a thin shadow stealthily move along the upper deck.

Was it a ghost?

Kayla remembered a television series where a team of people hunted ghosts and they had said that ghosts could occupy any type of space, house, property, and even a boat.

She blinked her eyes several times and hoped that she could catch a glimpse of the ghost again. With every ounce of declining strength, Kayla scooted her body closer to the narrow stairs leading to the upper deck.

Painfully craning her neck, she strained to see something up in the darkness.

The dark shadowed areas played tricks on her eyes—it was there, then it wasn’t.

She waited for several minutes.

Nothing appeared.

The only sounds she heard were the usual boat noises she had grown accustomed to hearing. Whatever she thought she heard was gone now. It was most likely her imagination trying to give her some hope and a few moments break from her dire circumstances.

As she relaxed her shoulders and leaned back against the wall, the reality of her world pressing down hard. Tears streamed down her face. She tasted the saltiness that settled around her mouth. Her last moments were approaching, and there was nothing she could do.

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning crime fiction author and consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent sociopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists.

Her latest book is the crime thriller, Dead Cold.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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Is There A New Killer In Town – Sunset Darkening b Amanda Siegrist @amanda_siegrist

Posted on November 14, 2017 by fundinmental

I have another fantastic story to share from Amanda Siegrist, Sunset Darkening.

Has the serial killer returned or is there a new murderer in town?

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

I love visiting familiar characters and seeing what trouble they can get into now. Amanda Siegrist does not let me down in Sunset Darkening.

Lucas works for the Wadena Police Department. He is awakened by a pounding on his door. He is hyper vigilant and answers with a weapon in his hand, only to find…a vulture, Elle Conners. She is an investigative reporter, wanting answers about the Trick Killer, Clarence Owens. The case: Clarence killed three women and Lucas’ sister, Maddie, was almost the fourth. You can see more about Clarence in the first book, Sunrise Awakening.

As soon as Lucas laid eyes on Elle, he felt an immediate attraction. But cops and reporters don’t go well together and they come from different worlds. She’s a big city girl with lots of money and he’s a small town cop with small town pay.

Does she share the same attraction? She has her own story and even though she wants his, she will not use sex to get the interview. It’s not her style. Hard work, persistence and determination is her motto. Lucas doesn’t know it, but she respects his desire to protect his family, his town.

Another murder in Wadena…is Clarence back, or is there a new killer walking among them?

It has been three months since Clarence’s escape. He is super intelligent, vanishes into disguises where he looks, acts, and sounds like a different person and they will not see him coming. Lucas is obsessed and hopes it is him. He wants him…and I don’t think he cares if its dead or alive.

I love the characters and the story. They are not wusses and stick together.

When Elle and Maddie take on a mission of their own…Psycho beware. You cannot hide.

Amanda Siegrist is making me wonder how many women will go down, before I have my answer. How does he choose his victims? I have my suspect early on and I’ll be curious to see if I’m right. There’s a niggle of doubt and as I read along.

A good bit of misdirection and great suspense coming from it. Amanda Siegrist can sure ramp up the suspense, anticipation, and surprise, leaving me with a fantastic ending and happy ever after.

I can’t pinpoint why this doesn’t blow my socks off. I want to be drawn into the killers evil mind, used, abused and beyond disgust, because he is THAT guy. I want to feel their pain, their fears, Lucas’ desire and Elle’s too. Amanda does that, but…Maybe it’s just an off day for me. Why don’t you grab a copy and let me know what you think.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Sunset Darkening by Amanda Siegrist.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Lucas Dalton just wants to move on—do his job. He wants to focus on finding the man who killed three women and nearly took his sister’s life. It remains difficult with all the reporters flooding his door, especially from Elle Conners, investigative reporter. She’s looking for an exclusive interview, something Lucas and his sister have never provided. He surely isn’t going to start now. It doesn’t matter how gorgeous or tempting she is.

When a new murder rocks his small town, he assumes the killer has come back for more. Until the dots start connecting to Elle, the one woman he can’t seem to get out of his mind. He discovers why she needed that exclusive so badly, to rebuild her life from an attack two years ago. Now she needs him for so much more—to keep her safe. He’ll not only catch this new killer, but try to win her heart.

ABOUT AMANDA SIEGRIST

Love! Gimme some love and heaps of romance. I have a sappy heart that just loves two people meeting, going through the cycles of a relationship, and ultimately, falling in love. Give me a good book like that and I’m a happy camper:)

I write contemporary and romantic suspense, but I am partial to suspense. I just love a good mystery.

Besides writing, I love baking, crafts, and baseball…oh, and meeting new people. *smiles*

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY AMANDA SIEGRIST REVIEWS

Sunrise Awakening

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Monday Mini – Not So Sweet – Strawberries by Casey Bartsch @ecclectic22

Posted on November 13, 2017 by fundinmental

I love the fabulous cover of Strawberries by Casey Bartsch, that was done by Jennifer Chang. Great job. So simple, yet it says so much. Made me want it. Then I read…serial killers. Oh yeah!

Goodreads / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

Strawberry is a serial killer that loves coming up with new and creative ways to murder someone. He is a psycho, even doing himself harm, while murdering at random. His signature mark…a strawberry.

He dodges capture, leaving a trail of bodies in a zig zag path he travels, striking when the moment hits him.

The characters are…unusual. At times I felt sorry for them, other times I couldn’t help but smile.

Forces draw them together in a frenzied ending, bodies dropping, blood flowing and some people I like…well, you’ll need to read about it for yourself. I like authors who do the unexpected, regardless of how I might feel about it.

I had made a comment on fuonlyknew’s blog about how much I wanted to read this, and, voila, Casey Bartsch sent me a copy. Thanks so much, Casey.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Strawberries is the name he has been given.

When they let him out, they had no way of knowing what he was. A psychopath. A killer. The body count is at twenty already, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.

Agent Harry Bland can’t see one anyway. He doesn’t have a single clue to go on. It doesn’t help that his mind won’t focus. His heart just isn’t in it anymore. Half way across the country, Sylvia is in a different state of mind. When she isn’t selling sex to the rich, she is doing her best to disappear. She lives a life of assumed names, one night stands, and a constant stream of narcotics. Sylvia has heard of Strawberries. Of course she has. So has everyone who has turned on the television or surfed the net. Yet, she has no way of knowing just how much his life will affect hers.

Seedy hotels, cross country truckers looking for the meaning of life, homemade pie, a reporter with her own secret agenda, obscenely expensive champagne, and plenty of spilled blood await our cast. But make sure to read fast…..Strawberries has killed number 21

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An Island Mystery – The Secrets of Islayne by Kari Lynn West @karilynnwest

Posted on November 9, 2017 by fundinmental

An island, a mystery, and the beautiful and intriguing cover of The Secrets of Islayne by Kari Lynn West drew me in. I had to know what the story was.

Cover design by Ebook Launch

Goodreads / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

Ronan is an iluminator. That’s all he desires in his life. He’s no slacker, though his boss at the book store may have another opinion. He’s a diligent student, loves the training, pouring his heart and soul into his studies. He has his apprenticeship, graduating near the top of his class, until…

Luminators are endowed with the power to see and restore memories. The rich used to dominate the luminators, until hard times forced them to sell some of their land. The power comes from the land itself. Now, even families and second class citizens, a common islander, like Ronan, may have the power. The rich think it’s wrong. Sound familiar to present day circumstances? The rich and empowered want it all to themselves.

Cassie is a long time friend, along with Eli. She’s bold, daring, maybe a bit headstrong, (lol, very understated description of her) a daredevil. Eli’s family was wealthy. Somewhat of a surprise that he is friends with Ronan and his snooty parents hates it. They felt only the wealthy should have the power. The same goes for Cassie. She is not a luminator, but her father is.

Eli and Ronan met at the Academy. Cassie met them there, when they befriended her. She needs to think twice about her playful suggestions of entertainment, which can be dangerous and foolhardy.

They believed all they did was good, but everything can be misused and abused. Power can be a seductive thing and abuse of power can be easy to fall victim to for some of our characters. Some danger is hidden and some is in your face.

Some things had a ring of familiarity and I had to see if check I’d read it before. Once I got into the book, it didn’t take long to realize that I hadn’t. I have read thousands of books, so maybe that’s why some things rang familiar.

When everything Ronan has strived for is at risk, when his friends memories are on the line, I wonder if Ronan will do the right thing. What do you think? Well….I’m not telling. Find out for yourself by reading the book.

The Secrets of Islayne by Kari Lynn West is filled with fabulous characters and I loved each and every one of them, even the bad ones. It was great watching the gang grow and rise to the occasion. The world on the Island of Islayne was filled with action, intrigue and danger that I would definitely recommend.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A powerful island. A dangerous mystery. An impossible choice.

For centuries, the island of Islayne has given certain residents the ability to revive other people’s memories. These gifted individuals are known as luminators, and sixteen-year-old Ronan Saunders desperately desires to join their illustrious ranks. As he struggles against the prejudice of the old, powerful families who have an iron grip on the trade, Ronan falls under the tutelage of a reclusive luminator, rumored to be insane.

kari . As they delve deeper into the mystery, what they find forces them to question their loyalties, doubt long-held beliefs, and wrestle with the dire consequences of revealing the truth. Ronan finds himself torn between everything he loves and the only future he’s ever wanted. The entire fate of the lumination trade hangs in the balance of his decision.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kari Lynn West writes contemporary YA fantasy—normally while drinking far too much coffee. She likes to create character-driven stories that are set in the real world with a twist, weaving fantastical elements into everyday life. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two daughters

Website / Twitter

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Badass Female Vigilante Serial Killer – Blood Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff @AlexSokoloff

Posted on November 8, 2017 by fundinmental

Alexandra Sokoloff has reeled me in, hook, line and sinker, with her Huntress/FBI Thriller Series. Huntress Moon (see my review here) blew me away and she has kept it up in Blood Moon, Book II.

The covers scream out to me…and I do not hesitate to answer…I’m coming.

Cover: Brandi Doane

Goodreads / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

I am so excited to be back with Special Agent Matthew Roarke, kicking down doors and taking down the bad guys, as his hunt for Cara continues. I love action from the opening page, getting me fully invested in the story and Blood Moon has it in spades.

This book picks up where Huntress Moon, Book I, left off. It does fill in some blanks from the first book, but I will tell you now, I am so happy I started at the beginning. I don’t want to miss a thing and I don’t think you will either.

Cara is a female serial killer, but she is so much more than that. She is a vigilante that Roarke has been chasing since Huntress Moon, Book I of the series. Cara was not born this was, she was created…by The Reaper. She touched me deeply. Right or wrong? Who are we to judge? She is exorcising her demons the only way she knows how, saving innocent lives along the way.

Life is not black and white, but many shades of gray. Blood Moon makes many questions come to mind as man’s inhumanity to those unable to protect themselves is shoved in your face. Is evil alive? Does it have a physical presence?

How far should they, the FBI, go to draw her out? Roarke has conflicting feelings, but comes up with the plan. Cara was Roarke’s incentive to become an FBI agent, since he learned about the tragedy surrounding her at when he was nine years old.

Alexandra Sokoloff has written a story that pushes and pulls me in so many directions making me question myself. My morals and ethics. Who is right? Who is wrong?

She skillullly weaves the past and the present, sharing the storyline from Cara and Roarke’s perspective. The investigation takes them to surprising places, the clues and evidence leading them in unexpected ways. This is not your typical police procedural. Reading all the evidence takes a meticulous and detailed mind, thinking outside the box. I think it takes a special kind of person, whether you are deciphering the clues as a reader or creating them as a writer.

Alexandra Sokoloff is able to ramp up the intrigue, my curiosity, the suspense, and my anticipation to a horrifying, frantic level, making me wonder how this can possibly end.

Would you care if the traffickers, rapists, and pimps were offed? Would you go out of your way to find the vigilante who protects children who are unable to protect themselves and others have cast aside?

The characters come to life in a way I never anticipated. I loved them, I hated them, I worried about them, I raged at them, I fretted with fear and terror, and I wished they would go down in flames, and I mean that literally.

I love/hate the ending, BUT don’t think for a minute that the story is done, because Alexandra Sokoloff has so much more coming in Cold Moon, Book III, and I do not want to miss one second of Roarke’s and Cara’s story. I didn’t wait…I immediately began to read it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Blood Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Book II in the Thriller Award-nominated Huntress/FBI series

Twenty-five years have passed since a savage killer terrorized California, massacring three ordinary families before disappearing without a trace.

The haunted child who was the only surviving victim of his rampage is now wanted by the FBI for brutal crimes of her own, and Special Agent Matthew Roarke is on an interstate manhunt for her, despite his conflicted sympathies for her history and motives.

But when his search for her unearths evidence of new family slayings, the dangerous woman Roarke seeks – and wants – may be his only hope of preventing another bloodbath.

It is highly recommended that you read Book 1 of the series, Huntress Moon, first.

ABOUT ALEXANDRA SOKOLOFF

I’m the Thriller Award-winning and Bram Stoker and Anthony Award-nominated author of the Amazon bestselling crime and supernatural thrillers The Harrowing, The Price, Book of Shadows, The Unseen, The Space Between, and the new Thriller Award- nominated Huntress/FBI thriller series: Huntress Moon, Blood Moon, Cold Moon. Bitter Moon, Hunger Moon. The New York Times Book Review has called me “a daughter of Mary Shelley” and my novels “some of the most original and freshly unnerving work in the genre.”

I’m a California native and a graduate of U.C. Berkeley, where I majored in theater and minored in everything that Berkeley has a reputation for. After college I moved to Los Angeles, where I’ve made an interesting living doing novel adaptations and selling original thriller scripts to various Hollywood studios.

In my stories I like to cross the possibility of the supernatural with very real life explanations for any strangeness going on, and base the action squarely in fact. THE UNSEEN is based on real paranormal research conducted at the Duke University parapsychology lab, and BOOK OF SHADOWS teams a Boston homicide detective and a practicing Salem witch in a race to solve what may be a Satanic killing. THE SPACE BETWEEN, is an edgy supernatural YA about a troubled high school girl who is having dreams of a terrible massacre at her school, and becomes convinced that she can prevent the shooting if she can unravel the dream.

I also have written paranormal romance (THE SHIFTERS, KEEPER OF THE SHADOWS) and the non-fiction workbooks SCREENWRITING TRICKS FOR AUTHORS and WRITING LOVE, based on my internationally acclaimed workshops and blog (http://screenwritingtricks.com)

I live in Los Angeles and in Scotland, with Scottish crime author Craig Robertson.

When I’m not writing I dance: jazz, ballet, salsa, Lindy, swing – I do it all, every chance I get.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest

MY REVIEW FOR HUNTRESS MOON, BOOK I

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Monday Mini Review – Fiery Edge of Steel by Jill Archer @archer_jill

Posted on November 6, 2017 by fundinmental

I was surprised by the originality of Jill Archer’s A Fiery Edge of Steel and wonder why I have not read any of her work before. My loss…

If you are looking for a fantastic demons and angels series, look no further.

Goodreads / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

A wonderfully original magical adventure and I am loving this mismatched band of travelers that gave me a laugh here and there as Noon Onyx and her band of angels battle to save The Shallows, fighting fabulous demons with their magic. I love how Noon Onyx grows and develops while on their mission and there are plenty of surprises and second chances along the way that kept me reading til the early hours of the morning. I won this book and now I wonder why it took me so long to read it.

I won this book and have not read the first Noon Onyx story, Dark Light of Day, by Jill Archer. Even though this is the second book in the series, I felt it filled in enough blanks, that my reading enjoyment did not suffer because of it. The result of their mission is wrapped up, but there is more to come and, if you are like me, you will want to know what happens on their next adventure and to know…what about Ari?

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Lucifer and his army triumphed at Armageddon, leaving humans and demons living in uncertain peace based on sacrifice and strict laws. It is up to those with mixed demon and human blood, the Host, to prevent society from falling into anarchy.

Noon Onyx is the first female Host in memory to wield the destructive waning magic that is used to maintain order among the demons. Her unique abilities, paired with a lack of control and reluctance to kill, have branded her as an outsider from her peers. Only her powerful lover, Ari Carmine, and a roguish and mysterious Angel, Rafe Sinclair, support her unconventional ways.

When Noon is shipped off to a remote outpost to investigate several unusual disappearances, a task which will most likely involve trying and killing the patron demon of that area, it seems Luck is not on her side. But when the outpost settlers claim that an ancient and evil foe has stepped out of legend to commit the crimes, Noon realizes that she could be facing something much worse than she ever imagined…

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How to Get a Millennial to Clean a Toilet – Permission To Screw Up by Kristen Hadeed @KristenHadeed

Posted on November 3, 2017 by fundinmental

If you want to know how to get a millennial to clean a toilet, try reading Kristen Hadeed’s Permission To Screw Up.

Have some laughs and learn how she succeeded, regardless of the mistakes she made along the way.

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

First off, I want to say I enjoyed Permission To Screw Up by Kristen Hadeed and had my share of laughs and chuckles while reading it and shaking my head. BUT, I would not classify this as a guide to success. It reads more like a biography than a How To Succeed story. I feel Kristen Hadeed had a great idea and stumbled her way into success, but many others would fail if they followed her path.

It all started with a pair of $100 jeans, that her parents wouldn’t buy for her, and an ad on Craig’s list to clean houses. Just goes to show, where there’s a will, there’s a way.

I tossed most of the notes I took as I sat here trying to write this review. Like any nonfiction book, you take the information that works for you and you leave the stuff that doesn’t.

Millennials – 1982 to 2004. I like that Kristen was upfront about her mistakes and her feelings about millennials. It’s just like any generalization, it doesn’t apply to everyone.

When she blew off checking into her trademark before using it, I thought that about summed up my opinion of some of the pitfalls of millennials. They can be lazy. They are handicapped, only have one hand available, because they have their phone in the other one. They think Google has all the answers and their parents will take care of everything for them. But, again, this is only a generalization and doesn’t apply to all millennials.

I like that she wasn’t too proud to ask for help, and find the place to get the answers she needed, though it’s not like she didn’t try to have someone do it for her…at times.

I like that she talks about the Participation Generation, where you get rewards just for showing up. Helicopter parents – parents who hover, overprotective, over involved, and over indulging their children. How can a person like that accept criticism. Kristen learned that there is “a time for pep talks and a time for reality checks.”

I like that at the end of each chapter is a quick summary that hits the highlights.

I do look at this as her story, not so much a business book. She does share some helpful hints and reminds us that even the most experienced leader can learn something new and improve their leadership style. She does share her thoughts about the value of employees being happy, even while mopping floors or cleaning toilets.

Would I recommend Permission To Screw Up? Yes, especially for the younger generation and the beginning entrepreneur, to show that mistakes are not failures, just learning experiences. Also, for anyone who likes to read biographies, Kristen Hadeed does have a fun and interesting story to tell.

I borrowed a copy of Permission To Screw Up by Kristen Hadeed from a friend.

3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The inspiring, unlikely, laugh-out-loud story of how one woman learned to lead–and how she ultimately succeeded, not despite her many mistakes, but because of them.

This is the story of how Kristen Hadeed built Student Maid, a cleaning company where people are happy, loyal, productive, and empowered, even while they’re mopping floors and scrubbing toilets. It’s the story of how she went from being an almost comically inept leader to a sought-after CEO who teaches others how to lead.

Hadeed unintentionally launched Student Maid while attending college ten years ago. Since then, Student Maid has employed hundreds of students and is widely recognized for its industry-leading retention rate and its culture of trust and accountability. But Kristen and her company were no overnight sensation. In fact, they were almost nothing at all.

Along the way, Kristen got it wrong almost as often as she got it right. Giving out hugs instead of feedback, fixing errors instead of enforcing accountability, and hosting parties instead of cultivating meaningful relationships were just a few of her many mistakes. But Kristen’s willingness to admit and learn from those mistakes helped her give her people the chance to learn from their own screwups too.

Permission to Screw Up dismisses the idea that leaders and organizations should try to be perfect. It encourages people of all ages to go for it and learn to lead by acting, rather than waiting or thinking. Through a brutally honest and often hilarious account of her own struggles, Kristen encourages us to embrace our failures and proves that we’ll be better leaders when we do.

ABOUT KRISTEN HADEED

Kristen Hadeed is the founder and CEO of Student Maid, a cleaning company that hires students. She spends much of her time helping organizations across the country improve their own workplace cultures.

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Friday 56 #143 – Castles On The Sand by E M Tippetts @EMTippetts

Posted on November 3, 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.

~~~

Amazon / Goodreads

MY 56

I skim the words. “Carson threatened Jean-Pierre? Greeeeat, and then what? Tatiana and Belinda got into a fight? And then…what?” The page details all kinds of vigilante action against the people who hurt me. Jean-Pierre got his car keyed and Tatiana had her locker vandalized.

GOODREADS BLURB

“A fast-paced blend of high-stakes drama and average teenage concerns (sex, appearance, friends), capped with a welcome message of hope.” ~Kirkus Reviews

If there’s one thing Madison Lukas understands, it’s pain. The pain she feels when her mother ignores her completely. The pain her best friend endures as her parents starve her as punishment. The pain of a dangerous boy whose mother has to be carried away by law enforcement on a regular basis.

She gets it. She feels the pain of others as if it were her own.

But when a mysterious man claiming to be her long lost brother appears with promises of relieving her suffering, trusting him could reveal more truths than Madison is ready for. Because the truth can hurt, too.

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Welcome to the Body Farm – Flesh and Bone by Jefferson Bass #JeffersonBass

Posted on November 2, 2017 by fundinmental

I love reading forensic novels and Flesh and Bone by Jefferson Bass is a great one.

Goodreads / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

The body farm is easy to imagine because I watch Bones, the TV show.

I love Jessamine Carter, the ME for Chattanooga, currently filling in for Knoxville as well. She drives a red Carrera, that fits her personality and allows her to cut travel time off her commute.

“Do men really believe that’s what six inches looks like? Try three and a half.”

Humor and death do go hand in hand, don’t they?

Dr. Brockton, is a forensic anthropologist and professor at the University of Tennessee and stages bodies at the body farm for research. I found myself chuckling at the writing even though the scenes were gruesome.

Jess and the doc are an item. She takes charge of that too. The banter between them is is humorous, snarky and fun, the teasing laced with sexual innuendo. They are complex characters and Jefferson Bass does a great job of bringing them to life. I must warn you though, he isn’t afraid to kill off his characters, so be careful who you become attached to.

Oops…didn’t see that coming. Now the real investigation begins. The details of deciphering clues, step by step, are stories I love to read about.

The writing is not as heavy and dark as some of the thrillers I have read, but it does raise a serious question for me. Why do we feel that by refusing to talk to the police, without a lawyer present, automatically makes us guilty. Just because you’re innocent, doesn’t mean the justice system will find that. Sometimes, instead of using clues to find the answer, they assume the answer and look for clues to make the pieces fit. I watch enough True Crime, and the crime TV shows to know this. That makes it easy for me to relate to what is coming down and it truly pisses me off.

Tragedy, love, sacrifice, revenge, anger and rage. Complex and fully developed characters allow me to sympathize and empathize with them, hoping they will find the answers they are looking for.

I didn’t see the ending happening the way it did, but I loved the dramatic flourish. Full of all the details for a great murder mystery with some thrills and suspense thrown in, along with characters to die for.

Talk about being close to your work, be sure and check out the bio of this fantastic writing duo.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Flesh and Bone by Jefferson Bass.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Anthropologist Dr. Bill Brockton founded Tennessee’s world-famous Body Farm—a small piece of land where corpses are left to decay in order to gain important forensic information. Now, in the wake of a shocking crime in nearby Chattanooga, he’s called upon by Jess Carter — the rising star of the state’s medical examiners — to help her unravel a murderous puzzle. But after re-creating the death scene at the Body Farm, Brockton discovers his career, reputation, and life are in dire jeopardy when a second, unexplained corpse appears in the grisly setting.

Accused of a horrific crime — transformed overnight from a respected professor to a hated and feared pariah — Bill Brockton will need every ounce of his formidable forensic skills to escape the ingeniously woven net that’s tightening around him… and to prove the seemingly impossible: his own innocence.

ABOUT JEFFERSON BASS

Jefferson Bass is the pen name of Jon Jefferson, writer, and Dr. Bill Bass, renowned forensic anthropologist. Jefferson and Bass have collaborated on 2 nonfiction books and 6 crime novels; their 7th novel, The Inquisitor’s Key, will be published in May 2012. Dr. Bass, founder of the University of Tennessee’s “Body Farm,” is an author on more than 200 scientific publications. Jefferson is a veteran journalist and documentary filmmaker; his two National Geographic documentaries on the Body Farm were seen around the world.

Website

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HE is a Stalker and he is Waiting for Wren by Cate Beauman @CateBeauman

Posted on November 1, 2017 by fundinmental

Oh yeah, I am back for more Cate Beauman in Waiting for Wren. I am so loving these ladies that come to Ethan Security for protection and eagerly anticipate each new story I receive. A million thanks to you, Cate Beauman.

Each book will stand alone, and if you are into Romantic Suspense, this is a series you will want on your reading list.

I love the covers for the series. The subject matter pertains to the stories and the colors are so bright and vivid, I know I would never be able to pass by them on a bookshelf.

Cover: Streetlight Graphics

Goodreads / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

As soon as Tucker heard the rustles in the woods, I knew what was coming and I am so POed. The mystery has begun and I wonder where Ethan Security comes in.

Right from the getgo, we have plenty of danger, sexual tension, and verbal foreplay. My anticipation is at a foot tapping, sitting on the edge of my seat level.

Wren is independent. No wonder, her parents might as well have been nonexistent for the attention they paid her. She wasn’t used to being afraid, having a babysitter, and she could do a lot worse than Tucker.

Wren only has one suspect, but I have several. I think I’ve figured it out and if I have, he is truly evil, watching and reveling in her suffering. I wonder if he steps away and laughs. At least Tucker and Ethan, her brother, have not ruled out anyone, but I don’t think they see him…or do they?

Lots of stuff going on and it is torture as I wait for HIM to make his move on her and Wren to let Tucker in.

HE is jealous, determined, on the attack. I hope she doesn’t do the usual and go off without Tucker. She does get the hell out of Dodge, but it is with Tucker, as he takes her to the only safe place he can think of, Park City and the bad memories from his past.

“At some point during the drive from Salt Lake City, Rico Suave vanished and, Broody Bummer Man appeared. She wanted Rico back.”

It’s Cate Beauman’s writing that keeps me coming back for more. I love some humor with my suspense…and romance. We all know it’s coming, but…so far…it’s hands off for both of them, though the dance has begun. How long can she hold out, because one move from her and he’ll be putty in her hands. She can deny the pull as much as she wants, but I know it will win out.

Tucker has his own problems…I love multiple plots and wonder…are they related? Will they come together in the end? Will the mystery that’s haunted Tucker finally be solved and Wren set free at the same time? When’s it coming? I’m waiting…

I love that Cate Beauman makes me wait…Dragging out the suspense on every page. I think doom is coming. This ominous feeling hangs on every word, on every page and I am at 50%, on pins and needles…I can only imagine what evil Cate is bringing my way.

I loved when Wren finally ‘manned up’ and told Laura off. I could picture Wren stomping around the room, cussing her out in Italian…Is she a spitfire or a fireball?

It’s too soon to make life changing plans. Wren needs to stay in Limbo, for now, and I didn’t like this part at 52%.

HE’s getting more and more angry. Stalking is no longer enough. It is time to up the ante.

I do hate, that at 77%, Wren is still running from Tucker, but that is the nature of the romantic suspense beast. Gotta keep that sense of anticipation and fear for the characters at a high level, and Cate Beauman does that in a superb fashion.

I wonder what she has on the table for me next. *rubbing my hands together in eager anticipation* 😈

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Waiting For Wren by Cate Beauman.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Wren Cooke has everything she’s ever wanted—a thriving career as one of LA’s top interior designers and a home she loves. Business trips, mockups, and her demanding clientele keep her busy, almost too busy to notice Ethan Cooke Security’s gorgeous Close Protection Agent, Tucker Campbell.

Jaded by love and relationships in general, Wren wants nothing to do with the hazel-eyed stunner and his heart-stopping grins, but Tucker is always in her way. When Wren suddenly finds herself bombarded by a mysterious man’s unwanted affections, she’s forced to turn to Tucker for help.

As Wren’s case turns from disturbing to deadly, Tucker whisks her away to his mountain home in Utah. Haunted by memories and long-ago tragedies, Tucker soon realizes his past and Wren’s present are colliding. With a killer on the loose and time running out, Tucker must discover a madman’s motives before Wren becomes his next victim.

ABOUT CATE BEAUMAN

International bestselling author Cate Beauman is known for her full-length, action-packed romantic suspense series, The Bodyguards of L.A. County. Her novels have been nominated for the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, National Indie Excellence Award, Golden Quill Award, Writers Touch Award, and have been named Readers Favorite Five Star books. In 2015, JUSTICE FOR ABBY was selected as the Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Gold Medalist, while SAVING SOPHIE took the Silver Medal. SAVING SOPHIE was also selected as the 2015 Readers Crown Award winner for Romantic Suspense and FALLING FOR SARAH received the silver medal for the 2014 Readers’ Favorite Awards.

Cate makes her home in North Carolina with her husband, two boys, and their St. Bernards, Bear and Jack. Currently Cate is working on Deceiving Bella, the eleventh novel in her popular Bodyguards series.

For information on Cate’s new releases, monthly giveaways, and upcoming events, sign up for her newsletter at: http://www.catebeauman.com/author/home.html#!newsletter-sign-up/c9td

Contact Cate: Amazon Author Page / BookBub

Social links: Twitter / Website / Facebook / Goodreads / Instagram

MY REVIEWS FOR CATE BEAUMAN