Tag Archives: read in 2022

Giveaway & Review – From Caterpillars to Butterflies by Raynelda A. Calderon @iReadBookTours

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Join Us for this Tour:  March 1 to March 21, 2022
Book Details:

Book Title:  The Mirabal Sisters: From Caterpillars to Butterflies by Raynelda A. Calderon
Category:  Children’s Non-Fiction (Ages 8-12)
Genre:  Children’s Book
Publisher:  Cayena Press, Inc., 48 pages
Release date:   March 2022
Content Rating:  G.  Suitable for all readers.

MY REVIEW

The Mirabel Sisters is a wonderfully illustrated look into a moment in time in the Dominican Republic during the rule of the dictator, Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. Because of these sisters, November 25th was declared International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in their honor.

Kudos to these brave ladies, and those that supported them. I am happy to share their story and the courage they showed. The book and illustrations work together to tell their inspirational story.

The sisters were just people, people who loved to read, paint, worked in the family store, and, even though the youngest, Dede, was not killed, she was left to raise the children and tell their story. They are the true definition of heroes, which I feel is bandied around all too easily nowadays.

Recommended age group: Grades 4 – 6, Ages 8 – 12. The MIrabel Sisters would be a great addition to any library.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Mirabel Sisters by Raynelda A Calderon.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars
 
 

 

Book Description:

Born in a small town in the Dominican Republic, the Mirabal sisters lived at a time when the country was under the merciless rule of a dictatorship. Their deaths on November 25, 1960 (at ages 36, 34, and 25), have received international coverage. In their honor, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is observed annually on November 25.

 Buy the Book:
Amazon
add to goodreads

Meet the Author:

Raynelda A. Calderón, a Dominican native who lives in Queens, NY, is a children’s book author who has worked in public libraries for more than 15 years. She holds a doctorate in leadership in higher education, and she has taught Information Literacy at various colleges, most recently at Bronx Community College. As a librarian, working with children inspires Raynelda to write about the accomplishments of Hispanic women in history. She hopes to inspire young readers to follow their passions and never take no for an answer. Raynelda is the creator of the first Hispanic Heritage wall calendar that honors the accomplishments of Hispanic Americans in the United States. She lives with an untamed Shih Tzu, Toby, and a much attached Chihuahua, Maya. She spends her free time thinking (and drafting) about books to write, or painting, crocheting, or crying over abused dogs.

connect with the author: author’s website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads 
 
Tour Schedule:

Mar 1 – Cover Lover Book Review – book review / giveaway
Mar 1 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Mar 1 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight
Mar 2 – Bound 4 Escape – book review / giveaway
Mar 2 – Lynchburg Reads – book review / guest post / giveaway
Mar 3 – Splashes of Joy – book review / giveaway
Mar 3 – A Mama’s Corner of the World – book review / guest post / giveaway  
Mar 3 – Deborah-Zenha Adams – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Mar 7 – Sefina Hawke’s Books – book spotlight
Mar 8 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Mar 9 – fundinmental – book review / giveaway
Mar 10 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Mar 11 – Westveil Publishing – book spotlight /guest post / giveaway
Mar 14 – Books for Books – book spotlight
Mar 15 – bujos_n_books – book review / giveaway
Mar 16 – Pause for Tales – book review / giveaway
Mar 17 – @twilight_reader – book review
Mar 18 – Lamon Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Mar 21 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway

Enter the Giveaway:

The Mirabal Sisters: From Caterpillars to Butterflies Book Tour Giveaway

 


 

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

True Crime – The Cold Vanish by Jon Billman #TheColdVanish #NetGalley

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The cover for The Cold Vanish by Jon Billman makes it easy to see why someone could go missing and never be found. I’d like to thank NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read and review The Cold Vanish.

The Cold Vanish: Seeking the Missing in North America's Wildlands

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I saw the title and cover, then read the blurb, and my interest was peaked. I had to know what Jon Billman had to say in this true story of the missing across the country.

To tell the story, Jon Billman did walk in Jacob Gray’s footsteps, to a point.

The Schrödinger’s cat experiment…I had never heard the entire experiment, but the fact that it is neither, dead or alive, or both, dead and alive, until you open the box. I imagine it is the same with a missing person. I cannot imagine how the not knowing could mess with someone’s mind.

I do believe some of the problem is with those who are doing the investigating. The process has come a long way, but I think investigators can still get stuck on one person, zeroing in on them, making the suspect fit the evidence. Not only has technology aided the investigators, the investigators have become more sophisticated.

Unfortunately, there are still those who are out to make a name for themselves, to get elected to office. or just inept and unqualified for the job at hand. And the wilderness…such a large area where bodies could be easily hidden, make findng them like a needle in a haystack.

Cold Vanish…here one minute, gone the next. Aliens? Bigfoot? The Supernatural?

The book was written like a TV episode, hopping from one case to another, coming back again and again. It was confusing at times, but I do like that so many missings were shared.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Cold Vanish by Jon Billman.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

For readers of Jon Krakauer and Douglas Preston, the critically acclaimed author and journalist Jon Billman’s fascinating, in-depth look at people who vanish in the wilderness without a trace and those eccentric, determined characters who try to find them.

These are the stories that defy conventional logic. The proverbial vanished without a trace incidences, which happen a lot more (and a lot closer to your backyard) than almost anyone thinks. These are the missing whose situations are the hardest on loved ones left behind. The cases that are an embarrassment for park superintendents, rangers and law enforcement charged with Search & Rescue. The ones that baffle the volunteers who comb the mountains, woods and badlands. The stories that should give you pause every time you venture outdoors.
Through Jacob Gray’s disappearance in Olympic National Park, and his father Randy Gray who left his life to search for him, we will learn about what happens when someone goes missing. Braided around the core will be the stories of the characters who fill the vacuum created by a vanished human being. We’ll meet eccentric bloodhound-handler Duff and R.C., his flagship purebred, who began trailing with the family dog after his brother vanished in the San Gabriel Mountains. And there’s Michael Neiger North America’s foremost backcountry Search & Rescue expert and self-described “bushman” obsessed with missing persons. And top researcher of persons missing on public wildlands Ex-San Jose, California detective David Paulides who is also one of the world’s foremost Bigfoot researchers.

It’s a tricky thing to write about missing persons because the story is the absence of someone. A void. The person at the heart of the story is thinner than a smoke ring, invisible as someone else’s memory. The bones you dig up are most often metaphorical. While much of the book will embrace memory and faulty memory — history — The Cold Vanish is at its core a story of now and tomorrow. Someone will vanish in the wild tomorrow. These are the people who will go looking.

ABOUT JON BILLMAN (from Grand Central Publishing)

Jon Billman is a former wildland firefighter and high school teacher. He holds an MFA in Fiction from Eastern Washington University. He’s the author of the story collection When We Were Wolves (Random House, 1999). Billman is a regular contributor to Outside and his fiction and nonfiction have appeared in Esquire, The Paris Review, and Zoetrope: All-Story. He teaches fiction and journalism at Northern Michigan University in the Upper Peninsula, where he lives with his family in a log cabin along the Chocolay River.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
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Texas Horror Writers – Road Kill edited by Madison Estes @madisonestes

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Road Kill by Madison Estes is one of those books with a cover that stopped me in my tracks. So colorful and fun looking, I had to check it out.

Road Kill Vol. 6: Texas Horror by Texas Writers

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The cover for Road Kill definitely caught my attention! All the stories were worth the read, but below are some favorites.

  • The Teeth by Jacklyn Baker: My fear of the dentist is totally justified.
  • Cemetery Days by Patrick C Harrison III: Powerful….and sad.
  • The Chickens That Are Not Her Chickens by Mario E Martinez: Gross and terrifying.
  • Doll 538 by Sonny Zae: Pretty creepy. I knew there was a reason I didn’t like dolls.
  • Winter’s Breath by Al Hagen: Glad I don’t live in the snow any more.
  • Getaway Car by Madison Estes: They went that away.
  • We’re All Weeds by Kevin Hollaway: Well, my yard isn’t perfect…
  • Caro Comes Home by Patrice Sarath: Nice finish to the anthology.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Road Kill by Madison Estes.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Diabolic chompers. A getaway gateway. A ghostly inheritance. A cemetery daze. A terrifying lovebug. A case of bizarre Big Bend bloodshed. Look both ways before you crack the cover. Road Kill is back with stories from Stephen Graham Jones, Jonathan Louis Duckworth, Patrick C. Harrison III, Lauran J. Campbell, Mario, E. Martinez, Bev Vincent, and many more.

ABOUT MADISON ESTES

Madison Estes

Madison Estes writes horror and fantasy. She has had work featured in the award-winning anthology “Road Kill: Texas Horror by Texas Writers Vol. 3” (HellBound Books), Mad Scientist Journal, Mojave Heart Review, and anthologies by Transmundane Press, Twisted Wing Productions, Soteira Press, and others. She will be editing the next installment in the Road Kill: Texas Horror by Texas Writers series.

In her spare time, she enjoys reading, drawing, playing with her dogs, and running an authortube/booktube channel. She lives in southeast Texas.

Booktube/Authortube Channel / Instagram / Twitter / Website

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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New Release – When She Disappeared by Steph Mullin & Nicole Mabry @NicoleAMabry @Steph_Mullin

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YEAH! TODAY IS RELEASE DAY FOR WHEN SHE DISAPPEARED BY STEPH MULLING & NICOLE MABRY

I love suspense/thrillers in any way, shape and form, so when I saw Steph Mullin and Nicole Mabry’s psychological thriller available on Net Galley, I had to have it. I mean, look at that enticing cover. Makes me wonder what’s inside the pages.

When She Disappeared

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I must confess, every once in a while I scroll through NetGalley to see what’s available. When I saw the cover and title for When She Disappeared by Steph Mullin & Nicole Mabry, I thought OK. Then I read the blurb and I had to have it.

I love small towns, where everyone knows your name…and all the secrets. How can a killer hide in plain sight? I got curious to see if the author(s) could pull off the mystery of the culprit, or, at least, get and keep the suspense to a high level that would keep me flipping the virtual pages. No worries there. These ladies did that very well.

After her failed marriage, Margo put Wilmington in her rearview mirror and headed home, to Lake Moss and her ailing father. Memories flood her, and, as she pulled into the driveway, the radio announced that her best fried, who had been missing for many years, had been found. What a homecoming.

I wish Margo would confide in Austin about her fears. I would, and I fear it may be in her best interests if she does. I feel she is in danger, alone, vulnerable and by hanging her out there by herself, Steph and Nicole had me fretting more and more…every time there was a noise in the house, a light flickered, a dog barked, a bush rustled….

When She Disappeared by Steph Mullin & Nicole Mabry was so much more than I expected. The book was long enough that I had to put it down, unable to finish it in one sitting. I fought the urge to know…to finish the twisty trail to the end.

Well done ladies. I LOVED it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of When She Disappeared by Steph Mullin & Nicole Mabry.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

‘On May 26, 2004, Jessie Germaine went to school as normal and cheered at the end of year rally. That evening, she rode her bike into the forest and disappeared…into thin air.’

Margo hasn’t been back to Lake Moss since her school friend went missing. But as she returns, running from a failed marriage, the news breaks. Her hometown’s swimming hole has been Jessie’s grave for fifteen years.

Digging out her old diary, and steeling herself to face unfriendly ghosts of the past, Margo sets out to help a documentary crew as they investigate the infamous case the police bungled.

In a town where everyone knows everyone – but they all have secrets – the killer is certain to be close to home…

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Steph Mullin and Nicole Mabry met as co-workers in New York City in 2012, discovering a shared passion for writing and true crime. After Steph relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2018, they continued to collaborate creatively. Separated by 5 states, they spend countless hours scheming via Facetime and editing each other’s typos in real time on live Google docs. The Family Tree is the writing duo’s first co-authored crime novel. Their second novel, When She Disappeared, is set to release in 2022.

ABOUT STEPH MULLIN

Steph Mullin

Steph works by day as Creative Director for a Media, Entertainment and Digital Marketing Solutions company, using early mornings, nights, and weekends to write fiction. Steph’s dream of becoming a writer started at age 6, followed by winning scholastic writing awards and crafting articles for her university’s literary magazine. In her 20’s, she became engrossed in true crime podcasts and literature, which later became the perfect source of inspiration to launch her second career writing dark and twisty thrillers. In 2018, Steph relocated from NYC to Charlotte, North Carolina where she currently resides with her husband and her rescue puppy. Outside of reading, writing, and playing with her dog, you may find her sipping on a soy latte, watching a new movie, or trying out new recipes in the kitchen.

Follow Steph on Website / Twitter / Instagram

ABOUT NICOLE MABRY

Nicole Mabry

Nicole works in television as Senior Manager of Post Production in the photography department. She is the author of Past This Point (2019, Red Adept Publishing), an award winning apocalyptic women’s fiction novel. Past This Point was chosen as Best Book of the Year by Indies Today and won First Place in the Global Thriller division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards. For more information on Past This Point, click here.

Follow Nicole on Website / Twitter / Instagram

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway & Review – Lulu and the MIssing Tooth Fairy by S E Richey @jhonortizart @serichey @iReadBookTours

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Join Us for This Tour:  February 15 to March 7, 2022
 
Book Details:

Book Title: Lulu and the Missing Tooth Fairy by S.E. Richey
Category:  Children’s Fictions (ages 3-7), 38 pages
Genre:  Children’s Picture Book
Publisher:  Bright Meadow Press
Release date:   Feb 28, 2022
Content Rating:  G -Suitable for everyone.
 
“A clever, humorous, and joyful tooth story” – Kirkus Review
 

MY REVIEW

Lulu and the MIssing Tooth Fairy by S E Richey and Jhon Ortiz (Illustrator) is a wonderfully illustrated fantasy. Add a little humor and a young girl’s determination and patience waiting…waiting…waiting for the tooth fairy to show up and your youngster will learn that hope and believing in something that can’t be seen will be rewarded. Also, Trixie will learn what it takes to become a tooth fairy. She never gives up, no matter how many mistakes she makes. Just because something doesn’t go right the first time, it doesn’t mean you won’t get it right the next time. Sure to delight your youngsters.

I love that S E Richey includes the traditions of the tooth fairy across the world.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Lulu and the Missing Tooth Fairy by S E Richey.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars
Book Description:

Lulu cannot wait for a visit from the Tooth Fairy and get a pony with her Tooth Fairy money. And Trixie cannot wait to finally become an official Tooth Fairy. Everything would be perfect, if only Trixie would show up!

Will Lulu get her pony? Will Trixie ever become an official Tooth Fairy? Find out in this humorous yet heartwarming tale that encourages us to never stop believing and that everything is possible with a little will power. And learn a thing or two about tooth traditions and tooth collectors of the world! 
 
Pre-Order the Book:
S.E. Richey Books
add to goodreads
 
Meet the Author:

S. E. Richey was born in New York and moved to Puerto Rico with her family when she was four years old. She grew up in the mountains of La Cordillera Central of Puerto Rico. She spoke four-year-old English and Spanish, but soon forgot English. She loved running around her grandparents’ finca, picking wild strawberries, sucking on ripe coffee beans (so sweet!), sugar cane (so sweet!), and searching for cow pies with her siblings and cousins (not so sweet.).

At age eighteen, S. E. Richey swore she would never live in another small town in the country where she had to drive through a canyon with lots of curvy roads just to get to the city. Oh, how dizzy and nauseous those curves made her!

She moved to the United States where she attended college in a small town in Idaho, married and lived in a small town in California (her second home) with lots and lots of curves just to get to the city (yes, she got dizzy and nauseated), and now she lives in a small-ish town in Idaho with her husband and four children. Their two dogs, Roscoe and Cali, and Conan, the fat cat, complete the family. She loves to sing WAY too loudly in the car. She loves Dulce de Leche ice cream (even if it hurts her tummy). And she loves to read and write silly stories that make her giggle and stories that tug at the heartstrings.  

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads
 
 
Meet the Illustrator:

Jhon Ortiz is a 3D character animator and a children’s book illustrator born in Caracas, Venezuela and based in Valencia, Spain. A plant keeper and a coffee lover, Jhon also likes the sound of vinyl records. From an early age, Jhon felt a passion for drawing and storytelling. He has worked as an animator for the films The Nutcracker and the Four, and Moomios. And he has illustrated several books, including The One Great Gnome, LillyBelle: A Damsel NOT in Distress, and Lulu and the Missing Tooth Fairy.  

connect with the illustrator: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram
Tour Schedule:

Feb 15 – Cover Lover Book Review – book review / giveaway
Feb 16 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 16 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 16 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 17 – Bound 4 Escape – book review / giveaway
Feb 17 – Splashes of Joy – book review / giveaway
Feb 18 – A Mama’s Corner of the World – book review / giveaway
Feb 22 – Reading is My Passion – book review
Feb 22 – Lynchburg Reads – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 23 – Sandra’s Book Club – book review / giveaway
Feb 23 – @twilight_reader – book review
Feb 24 – icefairy’s Treasure Chest – book review / giveaway
Feb 24 – The Phantom Paragrapher – book review / giveaway
Feb 25 – Writer with Wanderlust – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 28 – Faith and Books – book review / author interview / giveaway
Feb 28 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Mar 1 – The Page Ladies – book review
Mar 2 – fundinmental – book review / giveaway
Mar 2 – Pause for Tales – book review / giveaway
Mar 3 – She Just Loves Books – book review / giveaway
Mar 4 – Kam’s Place – book review
Mar 4 – Westveil Publishing – book review / giveaway
Mar 7 – Lisa’s Reading – book review / giveaway
 
Enter the Giveaway:
 

LULU AND THE MISSING TOOTHFAIRY Book Tour Giveaway

 


 

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Shade and the Vampires of Romania by Marilyn Peake #MarilynPeake

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Shade and the Vampires of Romania (Shade Series, #5)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

It’s Shade’s junior year at Ocean View College and I am excited to begin another adventure with her and her magical friends. On the way to school, the go on a cruise. Shade had never been anywhere, so this was quite an adventure, and how fortunate that her BFF Kai is with her.

Shade is a Ghost Whisperer and I still watch The Ghost Whisperer TV show reruns in the mornings. I wonder how she will fare with vampires. She opened the pamphlet she was given, thinking it would be full of pretty pictures and ghosts. Not so. Instead she saw it was about vampires, strigori, troubled spirits that rise from the dead, causing her to have a panic attack.

The gang: Shade, Kai, Apple and Annie are together again and more excited about life than ever. They would be separated when they headed off on their student exchange adventure. She draws people to her, though if you asked her about it, she wouldn’t know what to say.

Dakota, Trinity, Summer, Maeve, Li…from ghosts whisperers to selkies…Whew…we dodged a bullet, along with Carrie and Selene. Ya know, the one where they go into the forest, into the cave, down in the basement…I couldn’t help but smile. I can see them in her cabin, scared…

WOW. Marilyn Peake created an amazing world filled with magic and wonder, danger and evil. I was so lost it was hard to come up for air. The characters may be young and inexperienced, but they are brave, courageous, loving and loyal.

How Marilyn merged ghosts and vampires together was creatively done, flowing seamlessly to the conclusion.

I love that I can get so wrapped up in a young woman’s life. Where there is no romance, no sex, but plenty of action and danger. I am finding it hard to express how wonderfully sweet it is. So much more than I expected.

I am so excited to head off to Scotland next.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The undead cannot be saved. Once bitten, you walk among them.

As a foreign exchange student in Romania, Shade must deal not only with ghosts, but also with the undead. Her first semester trains her to deal with the in-between worlds, including that space between the dead and the undead. No amount of training can prepare her, however, for stepping into a world where vampires and other undead such as the strigoi and moroi are so much more than legend.

SHADE AND THE VAMPIRES OF ROMANIA is Book #5 in a YA Paranormal Mystery / YA Urban Fantasy series.

ABOUT MARILYN PEAKE

Marilyn Peake

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

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

Stalk Marilyn Peake:  Website  /  Twitter

MY REVIEWS FOR MARILYN PEAKE

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Conversations With Dead Serial Killers by Ashley Lister #ashleylister @ashleylister

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Conversations with Dead Serial Killers

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I like the cover, but it was the title, Conversations With Dead Serial Killers, that reeled me in. I found the blend of fact and fiction interesting. I have read my share of nonfiction books about serial killers and lots of fictional ones, so to see an author bring them together in the same story had me curious how he would handle it.

Do you believe in psychics? Derek Turner proclaims to be a psychic, manipulates people into handing over money. His life changes when Sam comes into it. She will not leave him alone, dogging his every step, wanting him to do the right thing.

The more I see Sam, the more I like her.

Clive, his brother, helps with the readings. But, he has his own agenda.

The twists are not exposed until the end, and that is always a good thing. I didn’t see the total picture. Whether Derek knew or wanted things to go down the way they did, I don’t know. I think he just wanted to make money and didn’t care too much about the cost.

I think all too often people do glamorize serial killers. I find them fascinating, but ‘regular’ people are just as interesting. I enjoy delving into people’s minds, wanting to know the why of things.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Conversations With Dead Serial Killers by Ashley Lister.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

“A clown can get away with murder.”
John Wayne Gacy, the killer clown.

Derek Turner makes his living as a psychic. But, when he makes his first genuine contact with the spirit world, it is an encounter that starts him on a pathway to holding conversations with dead serial killers.

Someone is recreating the most infamous crimes of the world’s sickest serial killers: including Jack the Ripper, BTK, Charles Albright and Ed Gein. Derek learns that it’s within his power to either profit from this situation or bring it to a needed conclusion and prevent further unnecessary deaths.

But profit can be a compelling argument.

Blending the reports from true crime stories with the lies from a professional psychic, Conversations with Dead Serial Killers explores the danger and obscenity that comes from glamourising murderers.

ABOUT ASHLEY LISTER (from Amazon)

Ashley Lister

Ashley Lister is a prolific writer of fiction across a broad range of genres, having written more than fifty full length titles and over a hundred short stories. He is the co-host of Blackpool’s Pub Poets and a regular participant (and occasional winner) in their monthly Haiku Death Match.

Aside from regularly blogging about writing, Ashley also teaches creative writing in the North West of England. He has recently completed a PhD in creative writing where he looked at the relationship between plot and genre in short fiction.

Website

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
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One Sentence Reviews @_AlexaRiley @Annika_Martin @chambersjoanna @pattyloof

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I have a file of short stories/novellas on my computer and have started to go through them with the thought of writing one sentence reviews. This is the first three…some great covers with some intriguing storylines.

Pulling Her Trigger (Ghost Riders MC, #1)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

Pulling Her Trigger by Alexa Riley is a steamy erotic novella, with a hot FBI agent and a hard as nails biker chick that stands alone in The Ghost Rider series, and I was quickly drawn into their world, where their meetings are HOT and sexy, instalove is alive and well, and they struggle (just a little because it is a novella) to come to a meeting of the minds, and I want more.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars
Enemies with Benefits (Enemies with Benefits, #0.5)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Enemies With Benefits by Annika Martin and Joanna Chambers is a Prologue for the Enemies With Benefits series, an erotic M/M novella that is smokin’ HOT and I’m glad I got it for free if for no other reason than to meet a couple of hunkalicious men, that I wouldn’t have met otherwise, that steamed up my Kindle and left me hungry for more.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars
Vulnerable (Red Dog Conspiracy #0.5)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Vulnerable by Patricia Loofbourrow is a short story/novellas, a prequel to the Red Dog Conspiracy which does tease, has an awesome cover, and even though it was worth finishing, being a quick read and with an interesting storyline, I would buy the book instead.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
2 Stars
  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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One Sentence Reviews @trishben_books @hollyblack @CLCannonAuthor @SJMaas

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I won these three books from a giveaway. Because of all the pandemic issues, I will have to wait for Kingdom of Blood and Spirit by Trish Beninato and Riley Hunt, but Trish did send me Cruel Prince, A Court of Thorns and Unknown Realms to tide me over.

A COURT OF THORNS BY SARAH J MAAS

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas is a fantasy romance that quickly caught me up in the Feyre’s life as she struggles to survive and take care of those around her, joining forces with a mysterious masked man to face a common evil and I wasn’t even halfway through when the first tear formed.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

THE CRUEL PRINCE BY HOLLY BLACK

The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black was a total surprise to me, taking me so deep into the story I couldn’t put it down with a smart, independent, strongwilled character that puts her life on the line to create a better world, and now accepts a world she was forced into as her own…but be sure to read to the very end, because there is a special short story that left a smile on my face and eager for more.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

UNKNOWN REALMS

Unknown Realms

I love the cover for Unknown Realms, a collection of twenty short stories and novellas that can be read in small doses while standing in line at the store, etc, and had me traveling through magical realms, alternate dimensions, riding dragons, dodging monsters, holding on for dear life and loving every minute of it.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars
  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
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Giveaway & Review – I Celebrate My Voice by Nonku Kunene Adumetey @iReadBookTours

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Join Us for This Tour from February 14 to March 4!

Book Details:

Book Title:  I Celebrate My Voice by Nonku Kunene Adumetey
Category: Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7),  37 pages
Genre: Children’s Book
Publisher:  Nonku’s Corner Publishing 
Release date:  February, 2022
Content Rating:  Rated G. Suitable for everyone
 

 
 

MY REVIEW

I Celebrate My Voice. It is My Superpower.

I love the simple message with bright and colorful illustrations sure to stimulate a child’s mind…what is my voice? Limitless possibilities and it is never too soon to show your child that the world is their oyster. They can be and do so many things. Such a happy message with smiles, dancing and singing.

At the end of the book are a couple of coloring pages.

The book is recommended for children 3 to 7, but I think it is never too early to expose our children to what the world has to offer.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of I Celebrate My Voice by Nonky Kunene Adumetey.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars
Book Description:

I Celebrate My Voice is a fun and lovely introduction to what it means to use your voice. With breathtaking illustrations, this book shows young children how limitless their voices are. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from – you have a voice and it matters.
 
Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N
BookBub
add to goodreads
 
 
Meet the Author:

Nonkululeko Kunene Adumetey (also known as Nonku) is an award-winning author, loving wife and devoted mother of two happy toddlers. Her children both love singing, story time, and tasting home-cooked cuisines. When Nonku tastes delicious food, she hums a blissful tune, which she never realized until both her children started humming along.

Nonku was born in the Kingdom of Eswatini, where she lived until she was 16. She left to complete high school in Canada and later moved to the United States to pursue her college education.

Her passion is to inspire her children and all children to celebrate who they are, understand their differences are beautiful, know their diversity is a strength, and believe their voices are should be heard.

Her hero is her late father, Themba Micah Kunene, a man from humble beginnings who worked tirelessly to provide a full life for his eight children. Her father’s unconditional love, wisdom, selflessness, and work ethic inspire the core of Nonku’s principles and life mottos. One of his favorite mottos was “umtsentse uhlaba usamila”, a saying about a strong grass that gets deeply rooted during its early stages of development. The essence of this saying embodies the core of early intervention and teaching young minds early so that they grow up strong and informed about the world. This is what inspires Nonku to write children’s book, to inspire and empower young minds for a greater future.   

connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

Tour Schedule:

Feb 14 – Cover Lover Book Review – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 15 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 15 – A Mama’s Corner of the World – book review / giveaway
Feb 16 – Splashes of Joy – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 16 – The Phantom Paragrapher – book review / giveaway
Feb 17 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 22 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Feb 22 – Lisa Everyday Life – book spotlight
Feb 23 – Lamon Reviews – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Feb 23 – fundinmental – book review / giveaway
Feb 24 – icefairy’s Treasure Chest – book review / giveaway
Feb 24 – Older & Smarter? – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 25 – Pause for Tales – book review / giveaway
Feb 25 – Reading is My Passion – book review
Feb 28 – Kam’s Place – book review
Mar 1 – Westveil Publishing – book review / author interview / giveaway
Mar 2 – bujos_n_books – book review / author interview / giveaway
Mar 2 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Mar 3 – @twilight_reader – book review
Mar 4 – Lisa’s Reading – book review / giveaway
Mar 4 – Books for Books – book review
 
Enter the Giveaway:
 

I CELEBRATE MY VOICE Book Tour Giveaway

 


 

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!