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Giveaway – The Soul Catcher Series by Mary Abshire @maryabshire @RoxanneRhoads

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Claiming the Evil Dead
Soul Catcher
Book 1
Mary Abshire
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Date of Publication: December 28, 2015
ISBN: 9781772336528
ASIN: B019YIILU4
Number of pages: 303
Word Count: 99,845
Book Description:
An evil vampire preying upon children is on the loose in Chicago. Destroying him isn’t enough. Half-demon Jessie Garrett wants to send his soul where it belongs…in Hell.
Jessie lives a normal life—office worker by day and paranormal investigator on the side. She keeps her true nature and unique gift hidden. When a vampire approaches her with knowledge of her ability, her world starts to change. Drake, a member of Vampires for the Ethical Treatment of Other Vampires, propositions her for a job.
Although Jessie doesn’t trust him, she can’t turn down the opportunity to serve the ultimate justice to an evil vampire. Trying to capture the devout killer comes with a few complications. But as she partners with Drake she learns not all bloodsuckers are bad and discovers the cold-blooded vamp is a temptation too difficult to resist.
Evernight Publishing    Amazon   ARe    BN
Excerpt  Claiming the Evil Dead:
“Jessie Garrett,” he said, capturing my attention. “Twenty-four, single, computer technician, paranormal investigator…” He paused and directed his attention from the road to me.
I stared back at him and waited for him to say the word.
“Demon,” he finished.
“That’s not on my birth certificate.”
His lips twitched. “You’re a mystery to me.”
“Let’s keep it that way.”
I shifted one leg over the other. From my peripheral vision, I saw him watching me. I wore a knee-length black skirt with small, blue floral designs and three-inch black sandals. I’d selected the skirt thinking I would stay cooler. Now that I realized I had exposed my bare legs to his eyes, I wished I’d worn jeans.
“I have met a few demons in my existence, and I have to admit that none compare to you.”
I silently chuckled. What a sweet compliment. Maybe he had a warm personality hidden within that cold body of his. Maybe.
“Tell me, Jessie Garrett, where have you been hiding all these years?”
“You followed me and seem to know a lot about me. Why don’t you tell me?” I crossed my arms.
“How about a deal?”
“Another one?”
“Consider it an exchange. You tell me about yourself, and I’ll tell you whatever you want  to know about me.”
His proposal appealed to me. Since I was stuck in a car with him for the next three hours, and I had limited knowledge of vampires, why not cash in on a golden opportunity to learn more about him?
“Okay,” I said with a shrug. “But I get to ask the first question.”
He grinned. “Always a concession with you.”
I flashed a smile at him. He should have known that bargaining with a demon was never easy.

 

Catching an Evil Tail
Soul Catcher
Book 2
Mary Abshire
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Date of Publication: February 26, 2016
ISBN: 9781772337464
ASIN: B01C2A2IO6
Word Count: 84,720
Book Description:
Half-demon Jessie Garrett longs to liberate herself from the debt she owes the demon yearning to seduce her. When Jeremy asks for her help, she jumps at the chance to make a new deal with him—one that will guarantee her freedom. The only catch? She has to send the soul of a werewolf to Hell.
As if Jessie didn’t have enough trouble in her life, her vampire lover remains out of the country. After Drake fails to offer an explanation as to why he hasn’t returned, she starts to wonder if she should move on without him. But when he finally shows up and defends his absence, his justification stuns and terrifies her.
Love, trust, and loyalty are on the line. Torn between her feelings for her vampire boyfriend, a hot Alpha wolf, and a demon vowing to protect her, Jessie must figure out her heart’s true desires and the best course of action to stay alive.
Evernight Publishing    Amazon   ARe    BN
Excerpt Catching an Evil Tail:
I sat on the floor of my fancy suite with my back against the sofa, drinking my third bottle of expensive vodka. One minute, I hated the world and everyone, especially men. The next, I wanted to ball my eyes out over being alone. Remote in one hand and
bottle in the other, I flipped through the channels, searching for something violent, something horrific, or something that would appease my inner demon. One thing I knew for sure was that I hated Jeremy.
The time on the news channel showed it was past 1:00 a.m. Thanks to my pity party, I’d drowned into a world I hadn’t seen in a long time—not since college when Christopher and I split. Men—couldn’t live with them and couldn’t live without them. And
turning into a lesbian wouldn’t work for me. I needed a man to hold me, kiss me, and love me in the most passionate way. Why couldn’t I find such a man?
I gulped down another fourth of the bottle. The fiery liquor raised my temperature. Sweat beaded on my face and neck. As I lowered the bottle to my side, everything in the room started spinning while all worries and cares drifted away. Hell yeah, I was feeling damn good!
Hearing the click of the adjoining room door, I turned my head. The room spun,  but I managed to see two figures. They headed toward me.
“Wanna drink?” I held up the bottle as an offering. Two seconds later, I withdrew my offer. Screw sharing.
Jeremy squatted at my side. His body moved sideways and I busted out in laughter.
“Are we in an earthquake?” The words came out slurred.
“Is she drunk?” the man behind Jeremy asked.
I leaned sideways to get a look at the man, only my control didn’t exist and I nearly
crashed into the floor until Jeremy caught me. I laughed, then recognized the person behind Jeremy.
“Hey, I know you,” I said, pointing the bottle toward Ryan. “You’re Jeremy’s werewolf friend. Here, wolfie-wolfie.”
“How much has she had?” the werewolf asked.
Jeremy jerked the bottle from my hand.
“Hey, that’s mine.” I reached for it.
The room tilted and everything moved so fast that I gave up trying to reclaim my bottle before I could fell face-first on the floor.
“Here.” I pushed two empty bottles toward him. “You can have these, too. I don’t want them anymore.”
“Damn!” Ryan shouted. “I don’t think we should have left her alone.”
I giggled. “I had a great time.” I slapped my hand on my thigh. “With me, myself, and I.”
Jeremy’s fingers grazed my cheek as he brushed aside the hair from my face. “Where did you get the liquor?”
“Your fingers are so warm.” The snake tattoo on his arm captured my gaze.
He lifted my chin so my eyes met his. “Where did you get the bottles, Jessie?”
I drew in a deep breath. “I visited the lounge, and the manager served me a bottle. I asked if he’d sell me a couple, but he turned me down.” I jerked my chin away from him. Suddenly, the room started moving.
Jeremy put his hands on the sides of my face and brought my gaze back to his. “How did you get the bottles?”
Everything stopped spinning. “I showed him a little ass, and he sold them to me.” I smiled.
Ryan chuckled behind Jeremy, but the sound turned into a cough. “Sorry.”
I stared into Jeremy’s soft brown eyes. “You’re a fucker, Jeremy. A mean motherfucker.”
His lips pulled into a bright smile. “Now there’s the woman I love.”
I shoved him and he fell backward on his ass.
Fighting Evil
Soul Catcher
Book 3
Mary Abshire
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Date of Publication:  March 15, 2016
ISBN: 9781772337747
ASIN: B01D1SF2FK
Number of pages: 271
Word Count: 86,480
Book Description:
Half-demon Jessie Garrett’s battles seem endless. While Jeremy, the demon out to win her heart, teaches her how to fight, Jessie’s relationship with her vampire lover, Drake, reaches a breaking point. Adding to her struggles, she must defend her life against a group of vampires who consider her a threat to their existence.
Held captive on a remote island with both Drake and Jeremy protecting her, she is tested in ways she’s never imagined. Jessie fights back; only her actions do more harm than good. The group offers her a choice, but no matter what she decides, her life will change forever.
Evernight Publishing    Amazon   ARe    BN
Excerpt Fighting Evil:
“Drake?” I gave him a questioning look with my brows closing in near my nose.
He approached me, threading his fingers through his long brown hair. His face was tight, his lips pressed together in a thin line. Dark eyes pierced me. “We need to talk.”
The tension claiming him had to be a result from my less than appropriate  appearance with Jeremy at the karate school.
“Is it about earlier?” I asked.
He stopped in front of me and gripped my shoulders. “What in God’s name were you doing without your clothes on?” His tone was deep, full of anger and concern.
“We were fighting. After he broke my neck—”
He growled, and he tightened his grip. “He broke your neck?”
“I made a stupid move—and that gave him time to remove my clothes. But when my bones healed, I beat the shit out of him. For once, I actually beat him.” I smiled, hoping Drake would find my accomplishment as worthy as I did.
The tightness in his face ebbed. “You created that bloody mess on his face?”
I lifted a shoulder. “He made me angry when he tried to take advantage of me.”
A smile spread across Drake’s face. “I hope I never make you that angry.”
“Don’t give me a reason, and you won’t have to worry.” Grinning, I recalled times when he had made me angry. After we’d first met, the ancient vamp and I had many communication issues. Add my lack of trust and our relationship went beyond tense. Yet, somehow, we worked out our problems and fell madly in love, a feat I never would have thought possible two months ago.
Drake’s gaze honed in on my mouth. He touched my chin and gently glided his thumb over my bottom lip, the repeatedly busted one. “I can heal this for you.” His voice was as soft as his touch and made my insides quiver.
My eyes drooped. “No, he’ll know.”
Slowly, he slid his hand down my arm, spawning an increase of goose flesh. “Are you saying we can’t even kiss now?”
Oh, I wanted to kiss his soft lips, enjoy the touch of his playful tongue, and feel his cool embrace wrapped around me. I hated we had to pretend we weren’t lovers. “Maybe when the cut is healed.” Denying a simple kiss felt worse than any hit or broken bone.
Drake wrapped his arms around me and crushed me to him. His energy passed through me in a peaceful wave. “My heart and soul long to be with you.”

 

I hugged him with all the strength I had while I breathed in his rosemary cedar wood scent. On the outside, his body was cool and solid, pleasing to my feverish flesh.  Inside, passionate love filled him. I wanted to hold onto him and his love forever. “You have no idea how much I want to forget about everything and just be alone with you.”
 
Love Conquers All Evil
Soul Catcher
Book 4
Mary Abshire
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Date of Publication: April 21, 2016
ISBN: 9781772338188
ASIN: B01EK4A916
Number of pages: 304
Word Count: 97,650
Book Description:
Hiding from the VETOV, Jessie and Drake move to a small town in Alaska—home to humans, demons, and werewolves. They soon discover a serial killer is on the loose and it’s a demon stealing good souls. Jessie longs to end the fiend’s rampage so she can send his soul to Hell. But finding the murderer won’t be easy, especially after she bumps into a werewolf who had kidnapped and tried to kill her.
Jessie reaches out to Alan, the Alpha she’d helped in Arizona. Alan and Drake work together to eliminate the threat against Jessie, but removing the werewolf may come with a steep price.
Over a roller coaster ride of events, Jessie battles for survival and her soul.
Through all her struggles, she maintains a feverish love for Drake. On Christmas Eve, he presents Jessie with a surprise. Eternity never looked better for the half-demon soul catcher.
Evernight Publishing    Amazon   ARe    BN
Excerpt  Love Conquers All Evil:
Lightly biting my tongue, I paced in the room. A violent demon stabbed people, then stole their souls and money. Why would a person—no, a demon—do such a thing? How long had they been killing? Did they just start, or was it an addiction? And why weren’t people fighting back? Was the demon taking their souls first? No, that couldn’t be the answer since the demon stabbed some of the victims in the back.
“You still have not told me what is on your mind,” Drake said.
I stopped pacing near the door. “I’m thinking about the kind of demons who steal
souls.”
“You know what I am talking about,” he said, smiling. “Our agreement from earlier. You owe me an answer and I intend to get it.”
Get it? Oh, I could give it, but why not make him work for it? “And I seem to recall
telling you to give me what I want and I will tell you. Well, Mr. Dark Eyes, you still owe me.”
“Mr. Dark Eyes?” Drake slowly rose from the chair. “I owe you?”
I took a step back, placing myself in the doorway. Any closer and I’d run. He’d have to catch me and work for the answer.
“I fulfilled my obligation,” he said, his head slightly tilted to the side. His pupils swelled.
I licked my lips. “Only to an extent. We were interrupted.”
“You are teasing me.” He took a step toward me.
Grinning, I darted down the hall, then raced down the stairs. Footsteps came fast behind me. I had no hope of escaping him, but that was all part of the fun. And he knew it.
Drake caught me two steps past the staircase. He picked me up and my legs flew in front of me. He carried me into the bedroom, all while I laughed, screamed a little, and wriggled in his arms. Reaching the bed, he let go and I fell onto the soft mattress.
I quickly twisted around to face him. Below his curled upper lip, two sharp teeth said hello. Amusement played on his face. He grabbed my legs and yanked me toward him.
“Do you refuse to tell me after we agreed—”
“Refuse is such a strong word. I don’t refuse. I simply want something in return,” I
said with a playful smile.
He lowered his body over mine, then rubbed his solid cock against me. Damn, he felt so good and ready.
“I intend to get my answer,” he said before he pressed his lips to mine. He kissed me tenderly.
I raked my fingers through his soft hair, brushing it away from his face. “Show me how badly you want it.”

 

After a quick tug, my shorts came off. He showed me how much he wanted my answer, repeatedly, until my body was sore, throbbing with ecstasy, and totally exhausted.
 
 
Freedom From the Evil Dead
Soul Catcher
Book 5
Mary Abshire                
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Date of Publication: May 18, 2016
ISBN: 9781772338577
ASIN: B01FTR0J4U
Number of pages: 269
Word Count: 87,790
Book Description:
Drake and Jessie have spent a few years hiding from the group of vampires who believe she is a threat to their existence. When Drake learns the organization may be willing to negotiate, he decides to take a chance and meet with them. For over three years, Jessie waits for her vampire lover to return. She fears the worst and seeks to locate him from the only man who can help her.
Jessie bargains with Jeremy, the demon she turned away so long ago. But locating Drake comes with many sacrifices. After Jeremy nearly pays with his life, Jessie takes matters into her own hands. Willing to surrender her own existence, she leaves to free Drake.
Through great heartache and suffering, Jessie struggles to survive. Fury gives her strength and she vows revenge. Given freedom and a chance to live a normal life she’s always dreamed, Jessie must decide her future.
Evernight Publishing    Amazon   ARe    BN
Excerpt Freedom From the Evil Dead:
Jeremy poured more vodka. “I missed our days of drinking together. We had some good times.” He set the bottle upright.
I stared at the glass. “You know I wouldn’t be here unless I needed your help. I’m putting your life in danger by coming here.”
“Yeah, well…” He gave a casual shrug with one of his shoulders. “I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for blue-eyed half-demons.”
I almost chuckled. Almost, then I grabbed the shot and downed it. The fluid warmed me again.
“In case you’ve forgotten, I’m quite capable of handling any vampires,” he said.
“The skill is a handy one.” I nodded.
He chuckled. “Nice choice of words.” He crossed his arms. “Now tell me what I can help you with.”
I breathed in deeply. “I want you to help me find Drake.”
The amusement on his face disappeared. “Seriously?”
“I don’t know if he’s alive—”
“He’s been dead for several centuries,” he interrupted, and I paused.
“I need proof he’s still here or…not. No pictures. No videos. I need to see with my own eyes if they destroyed him, or if they’re holding him hostage. If they are keeping him against his will, then I want him freed. And if they did destroy him…” I paused to gather more air. “I want them extinguished. And if by all means possible, I want to send their souls to Hell.”
Jeremy stared calmly at me, then he rose. He started pacing. “Let me get this  straight. You want me to help you find your old lover, whom I despise. And if he’s been burned to ashes, you want me to help you get revenge.” He stopped to look at me.
“In a nutshell, yes.”
He chuckled as he grabbed the bottle and filled the glass. “Not only am I risking  my life, I would be putting others in danger.”
“I realize this.” The notion of harm to other people bothered me greatly and I vowed to minimize the risk as much as possible. But ultimately, I realized someone could get hurt, or worse.
He took the shot fast, then set the glass on the counter. “Then you know this will cost you.”
I lowered my gaze as I nodded. “I know.”
He rubbed his hand over his mouth, then scratched his cheek. “What do think?  Should I shave?”
I gave him a quizzical look. How could ask me such unimportant questions when we were in the middle of a serious matter?
“I…I don’t know. It looks good on you.”
“You think? Doesn’t it make me look older though?” He sat on the stool.
I shook my head, disliking his pettiness. “So what if it does? It looks fine on you.”
“So you like it?”
I tossed my hands up. “Yes. Yes. Can we get on with negotiations, please?”
He grinned and slowly dragged his gaze down to my chest. I rolled my eyes. It was only a matter of time before his naughty mind would start working.

 

 

 
The Evil Next Door
Soul Catcher
Book 6
Mary Abshire      
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Date of Publication: June 13, 2016
ISBN: 9781772338898
ASIN: B01GZLO9BI
Number of pages: 220
Word Count: 69,820
Blurb/Book Description: Jessie is enjoying life as she settles into her new home with Jeremy in New Mexico. She’s ready to fulfill her agreement with the demon, but the doctor delays her plans. While she continues to recover from her ordeal with the VETOV, she learns women on the Indian reservation next door are being abused, raped, and sometimes murdered. Jessie starts her own investigation and with the help of a Chief, she’s able to trace years of mistreatment to three men.
But Jeremy doesn’t want her risking her life. Seeking to protect her, he pleads with her to let him handle the issue. Tension between the two escalates as she takes matters into her own hands. When he proves his devotion to her in ways she never imagined, she discovers her true feelings for the demon. Together, will they be able to end the violence toward women on the reservation?
Evernight Publishing    Amazon   ARe    BN
Excerpt The Evil Next Door:
The screen door squealed before we reached the kitchen. Jeremy stepped inside, then closed the front door.
“Is everything okay now?” I asked as I approached him.
He secured the lock before he faced me. “I don’t want you investigating this matter anymore.”
Staring at him, I felt as if I’d been punched in the gut. “Have you no compassion  for those women?”
“I do, but your life means more to me.”
His response didn’t surprise me given the extremes he’d taken to save me and  provide me a good life. But his excuse still angered me.
“I can’t stop. Those women need help.”
“Not from you.”
“Then who?” I asked in an elevated tone while I threw up my arms. “The police don’t do anything. Nobody helps them. Women are—”
“Stop,” he said loudly. “I will not let you get involved. You are mine to protect and I will do it as I see fit.”
His words lit a fire within me. I wouldn’t stand by and let him tell me what to do. Did he think he could control me because I didn’t have any money, a job, or any friends outside his circle? I didn’t have any of those things, but I was alive and free. While I would honor our deal, I would not allow him to push me around. And I refused to be treated like a glass doll. Temper shooting through the roof, I balled my hands and stepped toward him.
“You do not own me. I own my life and my soul. Not you.” Fury strengthened my voice. Staring into his eyes, I moved closer and he stepped back. “If you think for one second you can control me, think again.” He bumped into the door and I stood inches from him. “I am not afraid of you.”
His eyes widened as realization slapped him in the face. He grabbed hold of my arms, then spun me around until my back hit the door. Before I could take my next breath, he covered my mouth with his. The kiss stunned me and I didn’t want it. I was too outraged. Then, he claimed my tongue and sucked on it. I tried to ignore the intensity of his desire and pushed my hands on his chest. He wouldn’t budge. He took hold of my wrists, then pinned them to the door. Body pressed to mine, he rubbed his groin against my belly. My nipples hardened while heat swelled within me. The feel of his solid erection transformed my anger in a flash. When he pushed his length against me again, I wanted nothing more than to have him buried deep inside me.
I moaned under his kiss while I struggled to breathe. My fight to stop him quickly ended, but he continued to pin me to the door. Body wet with need, I yearned for him. He
stroked my tongue and I returned the same care. He let go of my wrists, then slid one of his hands between us. While he sought to touch me, I did the same to him. I slipped my hand into his sweat pants and quickly found my prize. It was thick and hard and I never wanted to let go.

 

About the Author:
Mary lives in Indiana and is a lifetime lover of the paranormal, sci-fi, and fantasy. When she’s not slaving away at her government job or binge watching TV, she creates fantastical worlds with vampires, demons, werewolves, angels, and other supernatural creatures. Dive into her books and find action, suspense, a dash of mystery, and seductive men with passionate hearts.
www.mary-abshire.com
www.facebook.com/MaryAbshire.Author
www.goodreads.com/maryabshire
www.twitter.com/maryabshire
www.Instagram.com/mary.abshire
.
GIVEAWAY

$15 Amazon Gift Card

3 winners total. Each winner can select ONE book from the series

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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A Tag Team Giveaway Event – Suicide Lake by Ashley Fontainne @AshleyFontainne

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Welcome to a Tag Team Tag Team Event & Giveaway!

This is where myself (Sherry at fundinmental) and Laura at fuonlyknew tag team authors and their books.

We share our reviews and giveaways, giving you two views and two chances to win!

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I am a huge fan of Ashley Fontainne’s and I am always eagerly awaiting whatever she comes up with next. That being said…check out Suicide Lake and the fantastic giveaway at the end of the post.

What a vibrant and gorgeous cover by One of a Kind.

Add me to Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Ashley Fontainne is a MUST READ bestselling author, to me, so…when Suicide Lake came up for grabs, I was all over it! I like a little romance with my murder, so Suicide Lake held all the must haves for me. Another hit not to be missed for all mystery/thriller readers.

Poor Renee.

Such a dark and dismal life. She has finally given up. As I read about her, I thought I might even be tempted to walk out on that beautiful dock, check out the heavily polluted water, think about all the suicides that have happened before…and dived in myself.

Ironic that a dead body would save her.

The small town must have a “dick” for a sheriff. Isn’t that mandatory? LOL

I get angry for her. It’s not like she doesn’t try. No education, bad situations and  bad choices can take control of our lives, don’t you think? I am very suspicious when she is offered a job at the mayor’s office.

Ashley Fontainne has a way of stringing me along, letting me become complacent, thinking all is good…then BAM…she kicks my teeth in… my heart beats faster and fear and suspense build to an almost unmanageable level. Her endings are the cherry on top of the sundae.

My only complaint…I am so spoiled by her novels that start with action at a fever pitch and go from beginning to end, fell a little flat in Suicide Lake. The first half of the novel seemed a bit slow and not up to her usual standards. Could this be me? Could it be my mood at the time of reading? Does that ever happen to you?

Doesn’t matter, Ashley Fontainne and Suicide Lake rocked and I expected no less.

I received a copy of Suicide Lake from Ashley Fontainne in return for an honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 STARS

AMAZON BLURB:  Those who have secrets…

Renee Thornton is on the brink of despair, ready to take a final plunge and join the other tragic souls at the bottom of Bradford Lake—known to locals as Suicide Lake.

Beneath the murky waters…

Her plans change when she’s startled back to reality after a body brushes up against her from the depths below. Terrified, Renee runs away and slams into her old flame Cliff Simpson, a deputy with Whitten County Sheriff’s Department.

Will stop at nothing…

Strange events unfurl after the discovery of the corpse. Renee and Cliff find themselves caught up in a web of lies, deceit, and mystery.

To keep them hidden…

Now instead of being able to slip away silently and become another anonymous statistic, Renee finds herself entangled in a murder investigation. Is Cliff her ally or enemy? Who can she trust? What other secrets will rise to the surface?

ABOUT ASHLEY FONTAINNE (from her website)

Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne is an avid reader of mostly the classics. Ashley became a fan of the written word in her youth, starting with the Nancy Drew mystery series. Stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters that lurk within us are her favorite reads.

Her muse for penning the Eviscerating the Snake series was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Ashley’s love for this book is what sparked her desire to write her debut novel, Accountable to None, the first book in the trilogy. With a modern setting to the tale, Ashley delves into just what lengths a person is willing to go when they seek personal justice for heinous acts perpetrated upon them. The second novel in the series, Zero Balance. focuses on the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge has on the seeker. For once the cycle starts, where does it end? How far will the tendrils of revenge expand? Adjusting Journal Entries answered that question: far and wide.

Her short thriller entitled Number Seventy-Five, touches upon the sometimes dangerous world of online dating. Number Seventy-Five took home the BRONZE medal in fiction/suspense at the 2013 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards contest and is currently in production for a feature film.

Her paranormal thriller entitled The Lie, won the GOLD medal in the 2013 Illumination Book Awards for fiction/suspense and is also in production for a feature film entitled Foreseen.

Ashley’s decided to delve into the paranormal with a Southern Gothic horror/suspense novel, Growl, which released in January of 2015. The suspenseful mystery Empty Shell, released in September of 2014. Ashley will be teaming up with Lillian Hansen (Ashley calls her mom!) to pen a three-part murder mystery/suspense series entitled The Magnolia Series. The first book, Blood Ties, which released in June of 2015.

Ashley also hosts The WriteStuff, a popular BlogTalk Radio show, each Friday night at 10 p.m. CST.

GIVEAWAY

Ashley Fontainne always has great giveaways. Check it out:

  • 2 ebook copies
  • 2 signed paperbacks copies
  • 2 audio books copies

To enter, all you have to do is answer the question:

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A DEAD BODY? WOULD YOU WANT TO?

FOR A SECOND REVIEW OPINION AND CHANCE TO WIN THE GIVEAWAY, VISIT LAURA AT fuonlyknew.

Giveaway will run 7/22/16 – 8/3/16.

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  • To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!.

Ashley Fontainne’s writing is so spectacular, I am always anticipating the next book I will read of hers. Here are my reviews…so far:

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Giveaway & Review for Saving Sophie by Cate Beauman @CateBeauman @candacemom2two

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Welcome to the blog tour for Falling for Sarah and Saving Sophie by Cate Beauman! The tour runs July 1-29 with reviews, excerpts, interviews and guest posts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.

Falling for Sarah is only 0.99 cents for a limited time!

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About SAVING SOPHIE:

Jewelry designer Sophie Burke has fled Maine for the anonymity of the big city. She’s starting over with a job she tolerates and a grungy motel room she calls home on the wrong side of town, but anything is better than the nightmare she left behind.

Stone McCabe is Ethan Cooke Security’s brooding bad boy more interested in keeping to himself than anything else—until the gorgeous blond with haunted violet eyes catches his attention late one rainy night.

Stone reluctantly gives Sophie a hand only to quickly realize that the shy beauty with the soft voice and pretty smile has something to hide. Tangled up in her secrets, Stone offers Sophie a solution that has the potential to free her from her problems once and for all—or jeopardize both of their lives.

MY REVIEW

WOW, on the edge of my seat, white knuckled reading. Action from the beginning to the end for Saving Sophie by Cate Beauman. This is the seventh book in the stand alone series and I didn’t find anything lacking by reading out of order, though now that I have read it I would have loved to have started at the beginning.

Eric is a wife beating bully…worse than the scum on the bottom of the pond. He knows just how to beat Sophie without it showing. I was only 7% in and ready to jump into my Kindle and beat the crap out of him myself! I love a book that gets my blood pumping and my emotions raging.

With the help of her only friend, Dylan, Sophie’s making a run for it.

The storyline is predictable…a damsel in distress and a hunky hero meet and fall in love. Sophie finds a janitor job at Cooke Security where Stone works. Of course, they will hook up, but the twists and turns, with the wonderful peripheral characters bring the story to life in a fantastic way that keep me reading…and reading…and reading…

Being with Stone, Sophie began to feel safe, able to trust a man again. Even though they are quickly thrown together, their relationship develops slowly, each enjoying the small things they learn about each other and do for each other. There will be some communication issues, but isn’t that real life?

A sense of danger and suspense lurks in the back of my mind, even as I get all warm and fuzzy with Sophie and Stone. Sometimes I almost forgot about HIM, though I know they will meet again, because Eric is pissed and he wants Sophie to pay. I can hardly wait until Stone meets him. LOL

At 39%, Cate threw a twist in there I didn’t see coming. Great job. I can hardly wait to see what other surprises are in store for me. All the juicy details and pacing kept the suspense at a high level, whether dealing with their relationship or the upcoming face to face meeting with Eric.

When Stone asked Sophie to kiss him, I almost melted into my lounger. So sweet and sexy.

My eyes teared up when I came to the happy ever after, even though I knew it was coming. That just shows me how fantastic the writing is and Cate Beauman’s ability to bring her characters to life make me totally invested in their outcome.

Saving Sophie by Cate Beauman contains everything required for a top of the line romantic suspense novel: passion, love, danger and death.

I received a copy of Saving Sophie by Cate Beauman in return for an honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 5 Stars


About FALLING FOR SARAH:

.

Widow Sarah Johnson struggled to pick up the pieces after her life was ripped apart. After two years of grieving, she’s found contentment in her thriving business as photographer to Hollywood’s A-list and in raising her angel-faced daughter, Kylee… until bodyguard and long-time friend Ethan Cooke changes everything with a searing moonlight kiss.

Sarah’s world turns upside down as she struggles with her unexpected attraction to Ethan and the guilt of betraying her husband’s memory. But when blue roses and disturbing notes start appearing on her doorstep, she has no choice but to lean on Ethan as he fights to save her from a stalker that won’t stop until he has what he prizes most.

CLICK HERE FOR MY REVIEW OF FALLING FOR SARAH

Only 0.99 for a limited time!

About the Author:

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.

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

 

GIVEAWAY:

$25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
Ends August 3rd
Prizing is provided by the authors, hosts are not responsible. Must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 18. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

 

  • To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

To read in order:

While reading the series in order is recommended, it is not necessary. Each story is a stand alone title featuring new primary characters with limited overlapping secondary characters. Click the highlighted link below to check them out:

Book Eleven: Deceiving Bella, the story of Isabella and Reed (In production)

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Giveaway & Review for Falling for Sarah by Cate Beauman @CateBeauman @candacemom2two

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Welcome to the blog tour for Falling for Sarah and Saving Sophie by Cate Beauman!  The tour runs July 1-29 with reviews, excerpts, interviews and guest posts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.

Falling for Sarah is only 0.99 cents for a limited time!

 

About FALLING FOR SARAH:

.

Widow Sarah Johnson struggled to pick up the pieces after her life was ripped apart. After two years of grieving, she’s found contentment in her thriving business as photographer to Hollywood’s A-list and in raising her angel-faced daughter, Kylee… until bodyguard and long-time friend Ethan Cooke changes everything with a searing moonlight kiss.

Sarah’s world turns upside down as she struggles with her unexpected attraction to Ethan and the guilt of betraying her husband’s memory. But when blue roses and disturbing notes start appearing on her doorstep, she has no choice but to lean on Ethan as he fights to save her from a stalker that won’t stop until he has what he prizes most.

MY REVIEW

Cate Beauman is a master storyteller, so I was very happy to have the chance to read Falling for Sarah. The rollercoaster romance with the lingering danger has captivated me.

Sarah has a new baby and her hubby will be home from deployment soon. Ethan, who owns Cooke Security, has been there to fill the gap until he returns. As he changes Kylee’s diaper, while Sarah showers, he talks to himself.

“This stuff’s like cement. I’d rather be in an alley with three Uzis pointed at my head.”

Paints a pretty sexy picture in my head. 😉 ,the macho man afraid of breaking the baby.

Then…their world came crashing down. My heart broke for Sarah.

I saw the conflict coming.   Sexual attraction and frustration. How long can they stay apart? Sarah and Ethan struggle to work through their feelings of doubt over moving on after the death of her husband, not wanting to lose their best friend. I want to slap them both upside the head with their on again off again, yes and no affair. Just get over yourselves. At times, I felt it went on a bit too long, but when you think about real life, how often have we all flipflopped over a difficult decision. I know I have.

A serial rapist is running rampant in her neighborhood and we all know where that will take us, but what a ride! Have you ever felt the hairs raising on the back of your neck, your spidey sense tingling, telling you someone is watching?

HE’s furious that he can’t get to her. All the serial killer cliches apply as he escalates to a fever pitch. He is obsessed, making plans for their special day. His sick and twisted thoughts made me think of Criminal Minds.

Oh no, I think I got on a ramble and I hope I didn’t share too much. What I talked about was predictable, so I don’t feel I spoiled anything. The real story is in the gritty details that kept me in suspense. I knew what’s coming, yet I could hardly wait to get there.

The pacing and suspense for Falling for Sarah by Cate Beauman kept me reading from beginning to end. Cate’s ability to write a story I have read before and still keep me on pins and needles is what makes her an author that will be on my radar.

I received a copy of Falling for Sarah by Cate Beauman in return for and honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 Stars

Only 0.99 for a limited time!
.

 About SAVING SOPHIE:

Jewelry designer Sophie Burke has fled Maine for the anonymity of the big city. She’s starting over with a job she tolerates and a grungy motel room she calls home on the wrong side of town, but anything is better than the nightmare she left behind.

Stone McCabe is Ethan Cooke Security’s brooding bad boy more interested in keeping to himself than anything else—until the gorgeous blond with haunted violet eyes catches his attention late one rainy night.

Stone reluctantly gives Sophie a hand only to quickly realize that the shy beauty with the soft voice and pretty smile has something to hide. Tangled up in her secrets, Stone offers Sophie a solution that has the potential to free her from her problems once and for all—or jeopardize both of their lives.

I will be reviewing Saving Sophie Thursday, 7/21/16, so be sure and stop back if you want to see more from this fantastic author.
About the Author:

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.

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

 

 

GIVEAWAY:

$25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
Ends August 3rd
Prizing is provided by the authors, hosts are not responsible. Must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 18. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

 

  • To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

To read in order:

While reading the series in order is recommended, it is not necessary.  Each story is a stand alone title featuring new primary characters with limited overlapping secondary characters. Click the highlighted link below to check them out:

Book Eleven: Deceiving Bella, the story of Isabella and Reed (In production)

Save

Save

Save

Save

Giveaway – Seismic Crimes by Chrys Fey

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Chrys Fey came to my attention when I had an opportunity to read Ghost of Death. I LOVED it and vowed to stalk her, looking for my next read. Now…Chrys Fey is back with her latest Disaster Crime story, Seismic Crimes. Be sure and read to the end to enter the giveaway.

She also comes up with some fantastic covers. What do you think? Would you pick it up just by looking at the cover?

SeismicCrimes_w10160_750

Want to know how Chrys chose the name for her villain, read on:

 How I Got the Name for my Villain
 .
Chrys FeyI believe all antagonists need a good name. A name that breathes evil, that can cause chills or ooze authority if the villain is a leader. Jackson Storm is one of the bad guys in Seismic Crimes and the worst of the worst. He kills without a thought, and he has committed every crime in the book, multiple times over. For fun. The leader of countless lesser criminals, he is responsible for the deaths of many innocent people and law enforcement officers alike. He even had ties to a police-killing Mob in Cleveland, Ohio.
 .
When I first wrote him into Seismic Crimes, I had no idea what to name him, so I left a line everywhere his name needed to be. 
 .
Ex: “Donovan isn’t here, but I can help you look for that bra.” He sneered at her. “I’m ___________ and you would be…”
 .
After I finished Seismic Crimes, his name still eluded me, so I came up with the idea of holding a contest on Facebook asking my followers for their suggestions. I got many great options, but one stood out for this notorious criminal—Jackson Storm.
 .
Thank you, Sherry Snider Fundin! Yes, YOU!!! 😉
 .
Jackson, usually a surname, makes a great first name. I’m a fan of using last names as first names (Donovan), but when you add “Storm”, a name that symbolizes chaos, you have a strong name that perfectly fits a man who
controls a horde of criminals.
.
YAY!!! The name just popped into my head when I read about the story and I was so excited when you chose Jackson Storm for your criminal. I love a good bad guy and the worst of the worst is the best. LOL Thanks so much, Chrys and good luck with this great series.
.
Want to know more about Chrys Fey, check out her website HERE.
 .
Title: Seismic Crimes
Author: Chrys Fey
Series: Disaster Crimes Series (Book Two)
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Format: Digital and Print
Page Count: 282
 .
 DIGITAL LINKS:
Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA
NOOK / KOBO / All
Romance eBooks
PRINT LINKS:
Amazon
US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA
 The
Wild Rose Press
 .
BLURB:
 .
An Internal Affairs Investigator was murdered and his brother, Donovan Goldwyn, was framed. Now Donovan is desperate to prove hisinnocence. And the one person who can do that is the woman who saved him from a deadly hurricane—Beth Kennedy. From the moment their fates intertwined, passion consumed him. He wants her in his arms. More, he wants her by his side in his darkest moments.
 .
Beth Kennedy may not know everything about Donovan, but she can’t deny what she feels for him. It’s her love for him that pushes her to do whatever she has to do to help him get justice, including putting herself in a criminal’s crosshairs.
 .
When a tip reveals the killer’s location, they travel to California, but then an earthquake of catastrophic proportions separates them. As aftershocks roll the land, Beth and Donovan have to endure dangerous conditions while trying to find their way back to one another. Will they reunite and find the killer, or will they lose everything?
 .
Want to know more about Chrys Fey, check out her website HERE.
 .
 
 .
HURRICANE CRIMES 99¢ SALE!
DIGITAL LINKS:
Amazon US / Amazon UK 
Amazon CA / NOOK / KOBO 
All
Romance eBooks
The
Wild Rose Press
.
.
.

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chrys Fey writes amazing short stories, novellas. Check out my reviews:

Ghost of Death

Witch of Death

Hurricane Crimes

.

Giveaway – Hastings’ Dead by Rohn Federbush

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 I am excited to have Rohn Federbush visiting fundinmental today. When I saw the setting for Hastings’ Dead, Michigan, I felt I had to share, seeing Michigan is my home state.

So…let’s get to it.

Hastings' Dead - Cover

About the Book
Hastings’ Dead by Rohn Federbush

Amazon
Genre: Mystery / Romantic Suspense
Release Date: November 10, 2015
Length: 136 Pages

MY REVIEW

Hastings’ Dead by Rohn Federbush takes place in Michigan and the main characters attend the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor…GO BLUE. I hail from Michigan and root for the Wolverines during football season, so I was happy to spend some time in the small town of Hastings.

The villain is exposed from the very beginning, and boy is he messed up. I can almost feel sorry for him. 

David wanted to stay in Hastings and Diane wanted to stretch her wings and fly. Well…

Arancia, nicknamed Range, and Ben, her boyfriend, attend the University of Michigan, but head to Hastings, Arancia’s home, for the Christmas holidays. She missed her small home town and planned to return there after college to teach. Ben wanted the big city life, where a lawyer can make a name for himself.

Problems arise immediately, but Range refuses to acknowledge them. I had a problem with Range. She ignores what her instincts are telling her. Is she just naive? Or is there more to the story?

Her brother, Coco is quite the character and I love his feisty personality. He could understand Ben better than Range, because he felt the same way. Until…

Hastings’ Dead reads like a cozy mystery. If anyone is the hero, it will be Range, but the peripheral characters supply a large part of the entertainment and contribute their problem solving to the story.

There was even a laugh or two and I loved when the brides to be made their grand entrance for the wedding. Very nice touch and it still puts a smile on my face as I write this.

I had some trouble with the writing, especially when dealing with Range. I didn’t like her very much and could not figure out what she was thinking. Was everything tainted by her need to live in Hastings? Well…the end was not what I thought and that is always a good thing and I enjoyed it. I really wanted more depth to the story, but Rohn Federbush threw in a twist or two to keep the story lively. If you like a quick read, murders to solve, and some romance, Hastings’ Dead could be for you.

“Since when is love a bad thing.”

“When demands snuff out freedom.”

I received a copy of Hastings’ Dead by Rohn Federbush in return for an honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  3 STARS

SYNOPSIS

What’s a guy to do when people don’t see things his way?

“Hastings’ Dead” is set in a small Michigan town, where a University of Michigan student, Range Goloso, has promised her father she’ll return to teach grade school.

In college Range falls in love with Ben Adler, a New York based law student who can’t very well start a lucrative practice without a substantial client base. She defends a local artist accused of pushing his girlfriend off the church bell tower when she wanted to leave town. Actually Range is upholding her town’s reputation and realizes her dreams of settling down in Hastings might be dead.

Hastings’ Dead – Excerpt

Prologue

Hastings, Michigan – Summer
St. Rose of Lima’s Bell Tower

David Dahlton encouraged his best girl to follow him up the narrow staircase. “Diane, you’ll love the view.”

Diane Pettergill shook her head. How many times must she wear herself out following him up creaking staircases to capture yet another view of their hometown? “Who’s going to look at your pictures?’

David sat down on the top step, realizing he had a problem. Photography would rescue him from farming drudgery without leaving the secure confines of Hastings. “Maybe I’ll publish a book someday.”

She smiled at him. “That’ll be the day.”

“Don’t you want to see our town become famous?” He noticed he hadn’t thoroughly cleaned the mud from his shoes. Maybe Diane was reacting to the smell of recycled pig food.

“I’m more interested in our future than this stupid town’s.”

“You don’t want to live here after we marry?” David’s mind spun out of control. He thought she loved him, wanted to have his babies and see them grow up in town. “Wouldn’t you miss your parents and your sister?”

“Betty said you wouldn’t listen.” Diane tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “We could visit, you know.”

Their life wouldn’t be the same. “We’d be strangers to everyone—even to our own folks if we stayed away too long.”

“You are a stick in the mud.” Diane turned her back on him.

He listened as she slammed the side door to the tower. David climbed up to the landing under the bell. Hanging over the side nearest the front door, he called to her. “Come back. I don’t want to lose you.”

Diane stopped her retreat down St. Rose’s front walk. She stood with her back to him. Then shaded her eyes as she looked up. “I’m not ready to say goodbye either.”

“Wait for me.” He wanted to ring the bell for the celebration in his heart. Instead he took several hurried photographs in each direction. He’d need to come back to get more shots. They’d known each other since childhood. Out on Route 43, only a corn field separated their farm houses. Both their families were among the first settlers of Hastings.

Once he reached her, Diane apologized, offering her hand. “I’m sorry. I know you love to take pictures. But, don’t you want to photograph the entire world?”

“It’s been done.” David dropped her hand. “I want the world to love our town as much as we do.”

“What makes you think I’d be happy in this dinky burgh?”

“Dingy?”

“Small. I said dinky.” Diane stretched her arms out. “I want to unfold my wings. Do something important before I die.”

That’s when David got the idea he couldn’t share. “Okay,” he lied. “I promise this will be the last time you ever need to climb a flight of stairs for me to click my camera in all four directions.”

“I knew I could convince you.” Diane smiled. “College will be more fun, together.”

David followed her up the stairs again. However as soon as they had both reached the landing, David lunged at her. He knocked her down against the west ledge, away from the view of any onlookers in town. For a second he wanted to turn her around to get a good look at her fear, but he decided she might survive and ruin his life.

“Let’s see how far you can fly with those important wings of yours.”

David watched her all the way down. In the struggling three-story fall, her body flipped over.

Diane stared right into his eyes until she hit the very hard pavement in the parking lot.

About Rohn Federbush

Rohn Federbush retired as an administrator from the University of Michigan in 1999. She received a Masters of Arts in Creative Writing in 1995 from Eastern Michigan University. Frederick Busch of Colgate granted a 1997 summer stipend for her ghost-story collection. Michael Joyce of Vassar encouraged earlier writing at Jackson Community College, Jackson, Michigan in 1981.

​Rohn has completed fourteen novels, with an additional mystery nearly finished, 120 short stories and 150 poems to date.

The Giveaway


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Novel Book Tours

 

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Last Vacation by Sarah Elle Emm @BookReviewTours

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Last Vacation by Sarah Elle Emm has a gorgeous cover, don’t you think?

About the Book:

Seven days have passed since Naples real estate agent Megan MacKenna has heard from her twin sister, Madeline, who was vacationing on the beautiful, Caribbean island of St. Croix. Though authorities are not convinced there is a case to solve, Megan knows with all of her heart something happened to Maddy. When Megan receives a direct warning to leave the island or end up like her sister, she turns to the only person who has taken her seriously since she arrived, Gabe, a breakfast cook at a local diner. 


Undercover DEA agent, Gabriel Walker has been building his cover for months, waiting for the opportunity to work his way into the infamous Torrez crime ring. When Megan shows up asking questions and Gabe realizes her twin’s disappearance might be linked to the Torrez men, he has to convince her to go back to Florida before she becomes their next victim. 


The closer Megan gets to the truth, the more Gabe begins to suspect he is missing a huge piece of the puzzle. And someone is closing in on Megan…

 
Buy Links:

Fun Fact: 

I grew up visiting the island of St. Croix with my family. As an adult, I lived in the U.S. Virgin Islands, on both St. Croix and St. Thomas. I always wanted to write a fiction story that took place there, but I never too the time to write until recently.

 Excerpt:

Megan peered out at the vast expanse of ocean gleaming in the bright morning sunshine before her. The turquoise waters seemed to go on forever. From the Caribbean Airways in flight map, she had noted theislands of Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, and St. John were in the far off distance. She had been told a faint view of the densely populated St. Thomas could sometimes be seen on a perfectly clear day, but no matter how she strained her eyes, she couldn’t quite see it today.Had Maddy hopped on a sailboat and continued her travels to another island as the police officer had suggested? It wasn’t like Maddy not to check in. Her cell phone had been going straight to voice mail since the last photo Maddy had sent, and according to the cell company, the cell phone was out of service range.

Something had happened to her sibling. The last communication with Maddy had been an unexplained picture of an iguana. No message, no text, nothing. Just an enormous, slimy, dragon-resembling lizard. Megan sunk her head to her chest.

Where in the world was her sister?

“Everything okay, Miss?”

Startled from her hopeless thoughts, Megan sat upright at the sound of the low voice. Her eyes scanned the length of the man standing before her, and she pursed her lips together. She guessed he was probably about six-foot-two.

As she sat silently, observing him, the man repeated his question, “Are you okay?” His tone bordered on cautious, but concerned.

“Everything’s fine,” she finally managed with a tight voice.

With a smile, his concern faded away, and he reached behind his back to untie a grease-spotted apron. He folded the apron up, pulled out a chair at the table right next to Megan’s, about a foot and a half from her, and sat down.

An internal alarm went off, making Megan feel extremely uncomfortable with his proximity, and she fidgeted with her hands as he stared at her, finally forcing them into her lap. How could a voice so soothing go with a gruff-looking character like him? And what in the world was he doing sitting down so close to her?

 
About the Author:
Sarah Elle Emm is the author of the HARMONY RUN SERIES, a young-adult fantasy and dystopian series, released in May 2012 by Winter Goose Publishing. (PRISMATIC, May 2012, OPALESCENT, February 2013, CHATOYANT, September 2014, NACREOUS, August 2015) Her debut fiction novel, MARRYING MISSY, was published by Bird Brain Publishing in October 2011. Sarah is a graduate of The University of Evansville, she has lived and worked in Mexico, Germany, England, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and has traveled extensively beyond. Sarah lives in Naples, Florida with her family. When she’s not walking the plank of her daughters’ imaginary pirate ship or snapping photos of Southwest Florida scenery, she is writing.

Stalk the Author:  Website I Facebook I Twitter I Goodreads I Amazon Author Page

  • To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
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Saturday Shorts – Stranger Than Fiction @EmelleGamble

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The title and cover for Stranger Than Fiction by Emelle Gamble are attention getters. They drew me in and I could not resist.

I love covers and think this one tells me there is trouble on the horizon.

Cover:  Tammy Seidick

What does it say to you?

Stranger Than Fiction

MY REVIEW

Claire had the feeling something was wrong…and she was right.

Claire is a buyer at a publishing house. Mr Harrison, her boss, sent her to investigate an accusation that a book they were getting ready to publish had been stolen, printed under another name. The dreaded word…plagiarism has reared it’s ugly head.

Claire considered herself boring, but to me she was one of us. You know, we are not rich, nor are we famous. We are just the average Joe helping the world go round. We all have a life and living it is not always exciting or adventurous.

The mystery grows the more I read. I’m not sure which characters are good or bad. Emelle Gamble is not giving me many clues to help me either, but I did know who the killer was early on. That’s okay, it’s all about the journey for me.

Hmmm…could we have the beginnings of a romance? I think so. But, is the player being played? Their affection in the office almost made me burst out in laughter. Love it.

The suspense is there and I am afraid for Claire. My only complaint is that when the suspense built, the pacing would slow, interrupting the flow.

3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB:  A Classic Tale of Romantic Suspense…Set in Manhattan and Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island in 1993….

If books could kill…Plagiarism is an ugly word. And Tony Nichols keeps repeating it. Claire Kennedy is forced to consider that her bestselling, reclusive author might have stolen her latest mystery novel from one of Tony’s college students. Was Claire’s reputation, and the future of her employer, Cauldron Press, in jeopardy? Or is Tony masterminding a hoax?

The mystery takes a terrifying turn when these uneasy allies, who each realize they are more than a little attracted to one another, discover a corpse. Claire realizes that the truth behind The Poison Pen Pal’s creation not only threatens her career, but her life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Release Day Launch – Review for BLOOD ON THE BAYOU

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Blood on the Bayou - RDL banner

We are so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for BLOOD ON THE BAYOU by Heather Graham! BLOOD ON THE BAYOU is A Cafferty & Quinn Series Novella brought to you by 1001 Dark Nights. Grab your copy of this sexy novella today!

Blood on the Bayou - coverAmazon eBook ** Amazon Paperback

MY REVIEW

Just the name, Blood on the Bayou, makes me want to read this, but I am also a huge fan of Heather Graham. No way could I resist a trip to New Orleans. I am very familiar with the place. I have walked the streets, ate in the restaurants, listened to the music and drank the drinks.

The mix of cultures and myths and legends that surround the Bayou are full of superstition and monsters and a great location to dump some bodies. Critters and the elements will make quick work of any evidence left behind.

This novella builds in suspense and mystery as the body count grows. The creep factor rises. I race through the pages trying to figure it out. We have plenty of suspects to choose from, and the winner is…

I received a copy of Blood on the Bayou by Heather Graham in return for an honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 Stars

EXCERPT

Michael Quinn heard the hysterical crying the minute he entered the police station. The young woman creating the commotion was inside Detective Jake Larue’s office. Someone else was trying to soothe her while not becoming hysterical herself.

“This one is right up your alley,” Larue told him as he approached.

“My alley?”

“That young woman is certain she saw a rougarou. She was on a bayou tour in Honey Swamp last night.”

He smiled. No kid grew up in Southern Louisiana without hearing about the rougarou. Every region of the world had their own particular brand of monster. The rougarou belonged to the Cajun region of Southern Louisiana, stretching right into the city.

“Honey Swamp?” he asked. “Doesn’t a problem in that area go to the Pearl River police?”

“Yep,” Larue said. “But she’s here because she believes the rougarou followed her home, showing up in the window of her hotel last night.”

He arched a brow at the ridiculousness of the statement. “I’m assuming there’s more.”

“A dead man in the swamp. Head bashed in, throat ripped.”

Which grabbed his attention.

“I want you to talk to them,” Larue said. “I told them that you’re a rougarou expert and that you’ll get to the bottom of things. They were out on some night ghost tour in the bayou and their boat came upon the dead man. Right now, she’s so hysterical that she’s not making sense. But you rougarouexperts are used to dealing with that.”

He shook his head at Larue’s sarcasm. He was no more a rougarou expert than someone was a ghost expert. Once upon a time, he’d worked with Larue as partners in the NYPD. Before that, Quinn’s life had been anything but normal. He’d actually been a pretty horrible person, not as in deadly or criminal, but as in vain and egotistical. His prowess in sports had led to excess, which eventually led to him being declared legally dead.

Which changed everything.

Blood on the Bayou - RDL teaser 1

 

About BLOOD ON THE BAYOU: A Cafferty & Quinn Novella

From New York Times bestseller Heather Graham…

It’s winter and a chill has settled over New Orleans, binding a stream of blood that leads a tourist to a dead man, face down in the bayou.

The man has been done in by a vicious beating, so violent that his skull has been crashed in.

It’s barely a day before a second victim is found . . . once again so badly thrashed that the water runs red. The city becomes riddled with fear.

An old family friend comes to Danni Cafferty, telling her that he’s terrified, he’s certain that he’s received a message from the Blood Bayou killer–It’s your turn to pay, blood on the bayou.

The two quickly become involved, and–as they all begin to realize that a gruesome local history is being repeated–they find themselves in a fight to save not just a friend, but, perhaps, their very own lives.

 

Blood on the Bayou - RDL Teaser 2

 

Heather Graham HeadshotAbout Heather Graham:

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell’s Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette’s Shadows, and for Harlequin’s mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.

Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children’s charity.

She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards from Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.

 

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PRE-ORDER BLITZ for BLACK CAT BLUES by JO-ANN CARSON

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by Jo-Ann Carson
Series: Vancouver Blues Suspense, #1
Genre: Mainstream Suspense, Strong Romantic Elements
Cover Designer: Steven Novak
Release Date: January 15, 2016

 

 

A nightmare waits in the alley…
Stabbed in an alley behind the Black Cat Blues bar, private investigator Jimmy Daniels clings to life just long enough to tell Maggy Malone a secret.
Maggy, a curvy, Blues singer with a sultry voice and a razor sharp mind is starting her life over after a lousy marriage. Reluctant at first to get involved with a murder, she tells no one the secret.
But when the murderer stalks her, she changes her mind.
Maggy teams up with Jimmy’s brother, Logan, a handsome suit with a tidy view of life. They figure out the killer is looking for gold buried on Gabriola Island by the notorious, cult-leader Brother XII.
As the murderer tracks down the gold, the body count rises. Will Maggy catch him? Or will she be his next victim?

And the lady sings the blues…
Black Cat Blues
An Award Winning  Suspense set in the Pacific Northwest.
Vancouver Blues Suspense Series, Book 1

 

 

 

The opening…Walking through a dark alley at three-thirty in the morning wasn’t smart, but Maggy Malone didn’t have a choice, or at least not one she liked. A bone-numbing, cold wind off the Salish Sea hit her face as she opened the back door of the Black Cat Blues bar. Pulling her jacket close to her body with one hand, and holding her guitar case in the other, she descended the stairs into the inky darkness of the night. But her first step, she checked over her shoulder.

Vancouver in November—endless grey skies and drizzle. The waning moon slipped behind layers of dark clouds leaving her little light to help her on her way. She quickened her pace. A warm glow beckoned from the street lamp, just a hundred yards away. Her scalp tingled as if a dozen spiders slipped across it. She took a deep breath of the salty night air.

What the hell. She could handle a few minutes of fear. Singing in the best blues bar on the coast had been her life dream. If it meant getting up close and personal with the creepy, back alley on occasion, then so be it. Her shoulders tightened.

Stepping over dirty needles, used condoms and Micky D wrappers left behind by the people who shared the alley, the prostitutes, the addicts and the homeless, she tried not to let the sadness of their lives reach inside her. But the stagnant stench of rotting garbage and urine turned her stomach. If only it would really rain, then the city would be washed clean.

Where are the street people? Usually there’d be one or two around at this time of night, huddled against the cold brick walls with only a blanket to keep out the cold and misfortunes of the night. Something felt wrong. She couldn’t put her finger on it… but something. She looked over her shoulder again. No one.

A chill crawled slowly up her spine. She adjusted the weight of her canvas guitar case into her other hand, and prepared herself to run. She wasn’t sure what she would be running from, but just in case. A woman in an alley has to be ready.

It had been a long night. She should never have descended into this God forsaken alley. Friggen Frank. It was his fault. She took a deep breath, as her eyes darting in every direction. The feeling of darkness, much darker than the night around her kept picking at her senses. Her throat tightened and she couldn’t swallow.

I’m just scaring myself. The lights of the street were only a few yards away. Everything will be fine.

Then she saw the body lying still in a pool of blood. A silvery spike protruded from his chest. Her breath stopped. It was the handsome stranger she had seen in the bar an hour ago. Maggy ran to him.

She checked his breathing. It was shallow, but he was still alive.

She punched 911 into her cell phone.

Waiting for the connection, she yelled into the dark night, “Help.” But no one came running.

Alone with a dying man. Was his murderer close by? No one gets a spike in their chest by accident. Was the murderer watching her? Tiny hairs on the back of her neck rose.

“911. State your emergency.” The operator’s toneless voice cut into the night.

“There’s a man. He’s been stabbed…” Maggy took her scarf off and pressed it on top of his wound around the spike. Could she stop the flow of blood? “Hurry.”

“Where are you ma’am?”

“In the alley behind the…” Her own voice sounded dry and robotic. She needed to get the words out. “The Black Cat Blues bar on Fifth.”

“An ambulance is on the way.”

Maggy looked at the man. Would they make it in time?

“You need to apply pressure to the wound…”

I’m friggen doing that. Bright red blood oozed through the scarf and onto her hand. The man’s face paled as his life force drained out of him. She put down the phone, swallowed hard, and used both hands to apply steady pressure on her scarf. “Hang in there, buddy. Don’t die on me.”

His eyelids moved just a fraction. But they moved.

Swollen and cut, his face looked like it had taken a beaten. She leaned down to listen at his mouth. His breathing was faint and ragged. Seconds ticked by slowly.

Then his lips moved. Maggy leaned in.

“Tell Logan,” he rasped. She waited for him to say more. Pain flooded his eyes. His lips trembled, but no sound came out.

She could barely breathe herself. The man’s life was sliding away in front of her, and there was nothing she could damn well do to stop it. She pressed down anyway, and his blood seeped through her fingers.

“Tell Logan,” he repeated. She bent closer. “The Emer…old…”

He made a horrid gurgling sound and a gush of blood flowed from his mouth. His muscles jerked and quivered. He was fighting to live, as his organs shut down.

As the sound of sirens pierced the night, Maggy sat up and met his dead eyes. Shivers ran through her body. Tears streamed down her face.

“May you find peace,” she said. She closed his eyes and waited.

 

 

 

 

Jo-Ann Carson has lived most of her life on islands off the west coast of Canada, surrounded by snow covered mountains, lush rain forests and pristine beaches.

Growing up, she dreamed of traveling the world like James Bond, searching for relics like Indiana Jones, and finding true love, so it’s no surprise that in her Mata Hari Series she combines elements of adventure, danger and steamy romance.

In her Vancouver Blues Series she slides into the realm of Urban Noir and explores the dark side of the city. These  books are mainstream suspense with strong romantic elements and are very-Vancouver.

 

 

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