Freakin Friday #17 – Oh the horror…….Frostwalker by Brandon Luffman

Posted on February 21, 2014 by fundinmental

Freakin Friday!

Freakin Fridays is a meme brought to you by fuonlyknew. We will be posting about books, movies, and all things scary.

Feel free to join in and do your own Freakin Fridays posts!

Tune in Friday and get your scare on!

Let’s have some fun!

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Frostwalker by Brandon Luffman

Did you just glance at the cover and think, yeah a little spooky, feeling like the trees could reach out and touch you, but the deer is not afraid. The deer is………..

The Geek Shall Inherit The Earth – If They Live Long Enough

Grab a Free short story from Brandon Luffman (be sure and check for “0”)

For five nights in a row, Jake had seen the light, felt it calling him.

Tonight, he crossed into the forest.

It had called him and he was determined to solve the mystery.

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I knew something was coming just from the eerie cover. That was no bullet hole in that thar deer. And Dan. Poor Dan. That is when I was drawn in so deep, I had to know – what in the hell happened to him in the woods? I knew it was something bad just by the description of the gruesome, bloody and savage attack. Brandon Luffman did an excellent job of creating a feeling of impending doom in this horror novel of the creepiest kind.

There is an isidiuous evil worming its way through the people in town.

Have you ever approached something and balked at going through with it? A sense of something, intuition (?), saying it wasn’t right, that something was very wrong? That’s how Jake felt when he would approach the woods. His foot would not cross that barrier.

When the shit hit the fan, it did it with a vengeance. Every opening door, every creak of the floor, I thought something was going to jump out at me.

Jake and Eric are best friends. They are just regular Joes, nothing special about them. The evil they face will prove the lengths they will go to for each other.

I liked Nancy right off the bat. A no nonsense, do what must be done kind of gal. There wasn’t no monster gonna scare her away. She was strong and not a screamer. I hate those horror movies where all the women can do is cry and scream. Wendy is one of them. Will she step up when the time comes? Or Regina?

John Birdsong is a Shaman. He is Tsalagi, now known as the Cherokee. He is Frostwalker. As soon as John and his grandmother entered the story, I liked where it was heading even more, a twist that would make the story even deeper. I like the spiritual elements of the Native Indians sprinkled into the story.

The Grandmother is the the storyteller. The story she has to tell is almost beyond belief.

I always wonder how I would perform in such situations. I guess that means this is a good story, because it actually had me asking myself – what would I do?

Brandon did an excellent job in creating a tremendous amount of tension through anticipation. I knew it was coming, but he strung me out for so long, I couldn’t help but heave a sigh of relief when we finally got there. And it wasn’t where I thought I was going. Great ending!

4 Stars – Would Highly Recommend To Others

“Sounds like something’s gone bad wrong.” Boy was that an understatement.

‘I know I’m going to sound crazy, but they’re not just plain people any more, Sheriff.”

I received Frostwalker from Brandon Luffman in return for an honest and unbiased review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brandon R. Luffman Born in Statesboro, Georgia in 1976, Brandon Luffman was raised in rural North Carolina from the time he was old enough to walk. In the sixth grade he discovered “The Chronicles Of Narnia”. Soon after that, he was on to Stephen King and Arthur C. Clarke. At the same time, he was making his first forays into writing fiction. After creating a series of short fantasy pieces for a class assignment that were received with praise, he was hooked on writing fiction for the entertainment of others. Now Brandon writes supernatural horror as well as fantasy, science fiction, and other genres. His short fiction is available online in various formats. Brandon still lives on the family farm in northwestern North Carolina with his wife and family. Taking inspiration from his homeland, he brings southern sensibilities and a modern flair to these classic genre themes. His first novel, Frostwalker, was released in May of 2013.

Stalk Brandon here

Blog / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Grab a Free short story from Brandon Luffman (be sure and check for “0”)

To grab your copy of Frostwalker by Brandon Luffman, click on the cover below.

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

Look below or on the right sidebar at Home and let’s talk.

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A Zombie Apocalypse – RecruitZ by Karice Bolton – Book Blitz Giveaway

Posted on February 17, 2014 by fundinmental

RecruitZ by Karice bolton has been seen floating around the blog world. The cover had caught my eye and the more I saw it, the more I wanted to find out what the book is about. So, here we are.

Check out those eye popping colors and the Z s jump off the page. Could that be a hint of what is to come?

I love this beautiful cover. And Rebekah………. I love a hot, kickass female protagonist that takes no prisoners.

I have so much to share – the blurb, a fantastic excerpt that will leave you wanting more, an interview with Rebekah and a giveaway for a chance to win your very won copy.

So, let’s get started.

RecruitZ by Karice Bolton (Afterworld #1)

Publication date: December 27th 2013
Genres: New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic

SYNOPSIS

Scientists are the new rock stars. The infection has been contained for nearly three months, and the world is celebrating. But humans are still dying. Rebekah Taylor has seen it firsthand. Her husband was killed right in front of her by the very creatures that humans were told they no longer had to fear.

Rebekah is determined to find out who is responsible for the death of her husband and the obvious cover-up. Fueled with revenge, she begins to find answers that lead to one frightening conclusion. The apocalypse might be over, but the battles are just beginning.

Purchase

Amazon / B&N / Kobo

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EXCERPT

“One-Mississippi-two…” Gavin’s words wrapped around me.

I prayed silently to the same God I’d prayed to many nights before. He listened then and I hoped he’d listen now.

I grabbed two knives that were in the kit and flipped the blades open, locking them in place. The anodized orange handles were larger than the actual blades. Not comforting. I handed one to Gavin.

“There’s still a Louisville Slugger on the floor behind us,” Gavin said. His brown hair was cut short. That was one of the first things he did after we were vaccinated. A haircut and a shave to celebrate our survival. He still looked young but not as young as we both did before the outbreak.

I slid toward the center console, crawling as far from the passenger window as I could get. Gavin’s breathing was heavy, and I felt the heat rolling off him as he continued to struggle with what we were facing.

I dug around in the bottom of the bag for the zombie deterrent. My hand clasped around the ADD, also known as the Audible Distraction Device, and I dropped the kit to the floor.

The car rocked back and forth as the number of beasts grew on both sides, creating a trance-like rhythm that was terrifying.

“Grab the bat,” Gavin instructed, his voice low.

I slid my hand to his knee, squeezing it hard before I reached behind us and grabbed the wooden weapon.

The challenges we faced living off the land paled in comparison to what we faced confined in this car.

Gavin turned the engine on and sunk it into reverse, only to be stalled right where we were.

“Pedestrians in minimum safe distance,” the car warned again.

“Shut up!” I shouted at the car’s inhuman voice.

An oily residue smeared against the glass all around us from their bodies touching and gliding along the surfaces. They were crawling on the hood, metal pops sounded with every dent created. Their bodies slowly snaked up the windshield as they climbed toward the roof. Their mouths opening, jaws clicking as they tasted our scent. That was all we had separating us from zombies—glass. It would be only a matter of time before they mangled the metal above us and shattered the glass around us.

“If I get out of the car, I can distract them and you can run. I need you to run,” he said slowly, his eyes locking on mine.

“No way. I’m not—”

The glass shattered, interrupting my objection. The shards of glass crumbled down the door and into Gavin’s lap. Several mismatched arms shoved their hands through the nonexistent barrier, reaching for Gavin as I let out a scream and lunged with the knife in hand.

“Don’t watch what happens, babe. Promise me you’ll look away,” his voice pleading, as he struggled against the fleshy fingers that twisted and pulled at his shirt.

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CHARACTER INTERIVEW WITH REBEKAH

Do doubt your sanity with everything you’ve uncovered, after your husband’s death?

I still doubt my sanity. When I saw my husband taken by those creatures—targeted by those creatures—I knew something was deadly wrong. The outbreak had been contained to a point. We had all been vaccinated… yet I watched my husband die by the very beings we were told we didn’t have to fear any longer.

When even my closest friends didn’t believe what I saw my world became very fragile… I’d say there were many times I doubted my sanity and with everything I’ve continued to uncover, it’s hard not to wonder who the crazy one is. I’d like to think it’s not me, but that’s probably up for debate by some.

When you met Preston in the bar, did you expect him to become so important in your life?

I saw something that night in his eyes. The same pain and torment I wake up with every single day, but I didn’t expect him to hold so many answers. No. I really didn’t expect it. I just thought he was a bartender that ran with the wrong crowd.

And I still can’t believe what we’ve discovered about the Afterworld, and who we’re having to fight just to stay alive. I thought being on the run during the outbreak was behind me, but it seems to be just the beginning.

Did you think you might not survive the outbreak?

There were many days I didn’t think Gavin and I would make it. Then there were days when I saw that glimmer of hope and knew we could survive. It was the best feeling in the world when Gavin and I got vaccinated, but it was also one of the worst as we realized how many loved ones we’d lost. It’s a tough thing to handle. But that’s why I need to find the answers to what’s really going on in the Afterworld.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Karice Bolton lives in the Pacific Northwest and is a writer of Young Adult and New Adult books. She loves to read anything and everything. She also enjoys baking, skiing, and spending time with her wonderful husband and two English bulldogs.

Books currently available

*Beyond Love Series: Beyond Control (Book 1) Beyond Doubt (Book 2) Beyond Reason (Book 3) – Feb. 28th
*Afterworld Series: RecruitZ (Book 1)
*The Witch Avenue Series: Lonely Souls (Book 1), Altered Souls (Book 2), Released Souls (Book 3) Shattered Souls (Book 4)
*The Watchers Trilogy: Awakening (Book 1), Legions (Book 2), Cataclysm (Book 3), Taken Novella (Watchers Prequel)
*The CampKarice would love if you stopped by her blog or FB page to find out the latest news on giveaways and upcoming releases, or you can just send her an email. She loves hearing from her readers and responds as soon as she can.

Stalk the author

Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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GIVEAWAY

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos

My individual giveaway: 1 (one) ebook copy of RecruitZ. Open internationally. Please leave your email and answer the question:

“What do you want in your zombie killing kit?’

Blitz-wide giveaway

$10 Amazon Gift Card + a zombie kit (incl. an I heart Zombies tee and some other zombie things). Enter the rafflecopter giveaway below:

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Giveaway ends: March 14th, 2014. The winner’s prize will be sent out after March 17th.

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Pick up your copy of RecruitZ or learn more about Karice Bolton by clicking on the cover below.

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

Look below or on the right sidebar at Home and let’s talk.

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Monday Mini #9 – Chimera by David Wellington

Posted on February 10, 2014 by fundinmental

The title – Chimera – by David Wellington made me stop and investigate further. I thought it would be mythological, but was pleasantly surprised to see it was so much more that that.

Barbed wire, men in foxholes guarding a camp, an escape and the detainees running free, hmmmmm what could that mean? And who are the detainees?

BLURB

A fabulous new talent-the heir to Patrick Lee and James Rollins-delivers his first published novel: a wildly imaginative tale that combines elements of horror and science in the vein of Michael Crichton, in which a circle of unlikely heroes must uncover a nefarious cabal and prevent it from unleashing a diabolical threat that could destroy the world

7 fugitives escape from a secret military facility in upstate New York, leaving a trail of bodies in their wake.

7 super-soldiers gone rogue.

7 innocent citizens targeted for death.

Disabled Army Vet James Chase is drafted for a desperate mission to stop this lethal force. Aided by a mysterious woman named Angel and a courageous, beautiful veterinarian, Chase sets off on a hair-raising cross-country hunt.

But are the killers really rogue soldiers, or are they only the tip of a sinister conspiracy . . . the first piece of a shocking nightmarish plan that will lead to ultimate destruction?

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MY REVIEW of Chimera, A Jim Chapel Mission, by David Wellington

Chimera – an organism with more than one kind of DNA

David Wellington has been compared to Patrick Lee, James Rollins and Michael Crichton. That being said, I knew I would love this story and I wasn’t wrong. A sci-fi government conspiracy that will leave you shaking in your shoes. With all the genetic research being done, do you think that no one has thought about building the ultimate soldier?

Jim Chapel, a Special Forces veteran, is called in to save the day. The only clue – Chimera. The writing is excellent and the dialogue had me smiling and laughing, when I wasn’t pissed off and terrified. A sci-fi thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. I knew Jim would accomplish his mission, but how? Secrets, danger, an uncontrollable evil that must be prevented from escaping into civilization. The ending – not what I thought it would be – oh, so much better than I imagined. I had tears in my eyes and a smile on my face.

5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

I won a hardcover, first edition copy from Jessica at Jess Resides Here. YAY! Thank you Jessica and David. It looks beautiful in my collection.

“Is it not a glorious thing to be living in a George Jetson world?”

To get your copy of Chimera or another David Wellington novel, click on the cover below. David is a prolific writer and has many novels to choose from.

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

Look below or on the right sidebar at Home and let’s talk.

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No Maddie, you are not in Heaven and you cannot go Home – Survival by A. M. Hargrove

Posted on October 18, 2013 by fundinmental

An epic story of romance and science fiction that is out of this world.

I won some of A. M. Hargrove’s books on her blog a while back. I am so glad that I got the first three books in this series. I wanted to read one, review one, read another, review another, but I couldn’t quit. I must go on! So I read them all, except for the newly released ReEmergent, which I will be reading very soon. Follow fundinmental for the upcoming reviews of the rest of the series.

Beginnings, the Prequel Novella for the Guardians of Vesturon and Survival, Book I of the Guardians of Vesturon are free. Grab your copies and dive into the wonderful world of A M Hargrove.

A M Hargrove is offering the rest of the series for the giveaway at the end of the post.

There is another giveaway going for Tragically Flawed. Scroll down to the end of the post for the link.

Maddie awoke to a winter wonderland in the Smoky Mountains. She made snow angels, feeling like she was in heaven. She knew she needed to head down the trail, so she packed up and began walking. She saw the tracks in the snow and thought it was lucky for her that she wasn’t all alone in the forest. Until she met HIM.

My mother had died in car accident when I was 11. My father and I were close and we loved to hike the Smoky Mountain Trails. He taught me everything I would need to know to survive in the wild. While still in high school, my father died of a heart attack. Now I was truly alone.

I wanted to go to a college that was close to the Smoky Mountain trails that I loved so much. My first day at college, I was happy when Cat and I hit it off so quickly. I thought how lucky I was that Cat loved hiking too. But Cat was going home for Christmas, so I would be backpacking alone for New Years.

Darryl had come to the Smoky Mountains to hunt and it wasn’t four legged prey he was after. It was Maddie’s bad luck to meet him on the trail.

Because of a lax moment, I had been caught off guard. I fought to pull myself together and control my wild thoughts. If I was to survive, I would have to use everything I knew.

He had laughed as he tortured me. How could someone be so evil? The pain overwhelmed me and I grew weaker by the second. I knew my time was running out. I couldn’t take much more. If I was going to make a move, it would have to be now.

I knew I was going over the cliff. I couldn’t save myself. I knew I would not survive.

The lights woke me. Am I in heaven?

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“There are many things that are possible, if you only believe.”

A beautiful cover that quickly drew me into Maddie’s story of love, romance, tragedy and SURVIVAL.

All I have to see is serial killer and I will pick up the book. I knew this was going to be so much more than that. I couldn’t see how it would get to the sci-fi part, but Anne Hargrove’s writing made the story flow smoothly and seem so real, that I couldn’t put the book down.

If there are aliens, they would have to be so much more advanced than us. Who is to say what is out there. The Universe is a large place. Why are we so arrogant to think we are the only ones?

I can’t begin to describe the brutality of the attack on Maddie and the subsequent torture. Her strength and determination are qualities to be admired and Anne does a fantastic job in describing the scenes in detail. I can only think that it was her will to live that kept her alive long enough for a chance encounter to save her.

I know the answer to the mystery of her rescuer is coming and I am very curious.

I was so involved in the story, I couldn’t take the time to make notes.

As I try to put myself in her place, I can’t help but hope I would respond as well as she did.

Vesturions: “We are the peacekeepers of the universe, not the destroyers.”

To understand how the Vesturions fall in love so quickly, I must explain. Vesturions bond to their soul-mate and it is for life. It is a physical thing and it consumes them. They have a high regard and reverence for their mate. To a human it would seem they are overly possessive and that could cause many problems. I chuckle as I think about the things in store for a man of Vesturon who dares to fall in love with a human, especially one as strong and independent as Maddie.

A M Hargrove’s description of Maddie dancing made me think of Elaine on Friends. I could picture it in my mind as I laughed. The book contains a lot of humor and it is woven into the story so well it seems as if I am a part of it, laughing along with the characters.

Maddie tries to explain our sayings and slang to the Vesturions:

animal that ate the bird – cat that swallowed the canary

cow in a glass store – bull in a china shop

feel like we are heading into the wolves – being fed to the wolves

When I got to the last page, the last paragraph, the last sentence, the last word, I couldn’t stop. This book has an awesome cliffhanger. I HAD to know what would happen. So I grabbed the next book and jumped right in. And the next book.

Again I would like to thank Anne Hargrove for the giveaway that brought Survival and the Guardians of Vesturon to me!

5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Image of A.M. Hargrove One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn’t do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life. So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase. Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodgeball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head. Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what lap top out the window. She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone and hit #4 on her speed dial.

Boss: Hello

A.M.: Boss, is that you?

Boss: Why yes, A. M., who else would be answering my phone?

A.M.: Er… right. Well, I’m calling to let you know you can pick up my luxury Ford Focus at Starbucks near the interstate.

Boss: Why ever would I want to do that?

A.M.: Because I quit!

A.M. hit the end button and speed dialed her husband.

A.M.: Hi hubs, can you pick me up at Starbucks?

Hubs: Sure… Having some car trouble?

A.M.: Not at all. I don’t have a car to have trouble with because I just quit my job.

Hubs: WHAT?!

A.M.: It’s time for a new career and I am going to be a very famous novelist.

So began A. M. Hargrove’s career as an author of self-published books. Her books include the Young Adult/New Adult series, The Guardians of Vesturon (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant and the novella Beginnings) and the Adult novels Dark Waltz (A Praestani Novel) and Edge of Disaster. (It didn’t happen exactly like that, but you get the idea!)

Stalk A M Hargrove

A.M. Hargrove, Author / A.M.’s Blog / Edge of Disaster / The Guardians of Vesturon

Dark Waltz, A Praestani Novel / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

To purchase your copy of any of A.M.Hargrove’s books, simply click on the cover below.

To see my 5 STAR review and to enter the fantastic Giveaway for an Ipad mini and an original necklace designed like the one Shan gave Riviera in Tragically Flawed, go HERE.

My Review for Edge of Disaster

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GIVEAWAY

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos A M Hargrove has the first two books, Beginninngs and Survival free. She is offering for the giveaway the rest of The Guardians of Vesturon Series – Resurrection, Determinant and ReEmergent. Giveaway is International. Entry is easy peasy. Simple leave your email and answer the question:

Do you believe in Aliens?

Giveaway ends November 4, 2013.

WINNER!! The winner is Georgiann.

Congratulations and happy reading. I hope you enjoy the Survival Series as much as I did!

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Review of Rowan’s Story – Beginnings by A M Hargrove

Posted on October 15, 2013 by fundinmental

Beginnings is a novella, a prequel to the Guardian of Vesturon Series. It was written after Survival, Book I of the Series. A M Hargrove’s fans didn’t care very much for Rowan, the father of one of the main characters, and she wanted them to know why Rowan is the way he is.

Beginnings is free and you can get your copy HERE or by clicking on the cover below.

Beginnings will introduce you to the characters and customs of the Vesturons. Just because they are aliens, doesn’t mean we can’t relate to many of their ways.

I had already read Survival, Book I of the Guardians of Vesturon Serives, so I was familiar with the characters.

I found Beginnings captivating, because as a fan of A M Hargrove’s and the Guardians of Vesturon Series, I truly wanted to know Rowan’s story. I wanted to know why he was so hard on Rayn’s choice of a commoner for a mate, when Rowan, himself, had married a commoner.

Royalty is no different today, so I didn’t find the situation odd or wrong. It is just the way things are. Royalty is expected to act differently than the rest of us.

A M Hargrove has a way of drawing you in and making you feel as if you are there, sharing the thoughts and feelings of her characters. They come alive in her writing and you will laugh and cry as you travel through the series, going through their trials and tribulations.

Love crosses all boundaries and will not be denied.

The heart wants what the heart wants.

Where there is a will, there is a way.

Do you believe that love can conquer all?

3 STARS – Would Recommend To Others

The reason I gave it only three stars is because it is background, laying a foundation for what is to come. It will help us to understand and relate to the characters better.

There are no bells and whistles. Even though Rowan’s life is no picnic, it didn’t have me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next shoe to drop, but is well worth the read to get to know the ways of the Vesturon.

I picked this up for free on Amazon.

I will be posting my review of Survival, Book I, in the very near future, then Resurrection, Determinant and ReEmergent.

Follow me by email and travel the galaxy with the Guardians of Vesturon.

To get your copy of any book of A M Hargrove’s books, simply click on the cover below.

My 5 Star Review of Tragically Flawed with a Giveaway and Top Ten Vacation Guest Post

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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FREE – Survival and Beginnings by A M Hargrove

Posted on August 31, 2013 by fundinmental

If you haven’t read The Guardians of Vesturon series by A.M. Hargrove yet, I have exciting news! You can get Survival: Book One and Beginnings: The Prequel Novella, FREE today on AMAZON!

Take a look at these gorgeous covers. They only begin to hint at the goodies inside.

I won some of A M Hargrove’s books a while back, so be on the lookout for my upcoming reviews.

To grab your copy scroll to the end of the post.

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13563073

To get your copy, scroll to the end of the post.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn’t do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life. So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase. Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodgeball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head. Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what lap top out the window. She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone and hit #4 on her speed dial.

Boss: Hello

A.M.: Boss, is that you?

Boss: Why yes, A. M., who else would be answering my phone?

A.M.: Er… right. Well, I’m calling to let you know you can pick up my luxury Ford Focus at Starbucks near the interstate.

Boss: Why ever would I want to do that?

A.M.: Because I quit!

A.M. hit the end button and speed dialed her husband.

A.M.: Hi hubs, can you pick me up at Starbucks?

Hubs: Sure… Having some car trouble?

A.M.: Not at all. I don’t have a car to have trouble with because I just quit my job.

Hubs: WHAT?!

A.M.: It’s time for a new career and I am going to be a very famous novelist.

So began A. M. Hargrove’s career as a YA/NA and Adult Romance writer! Her books include Kissing Fire, Edge of Disaster, Shattered Edge, the series the Guardians of Vesturon (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant, Beginnings and the upcoming reEmergent) and Dark Waltz.

Author Social Media Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest l Blog

To get your copy of A M Hargrove’s books from Amazon, simply click on the cover below.

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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AToMR Tours Presents The Crimson Hunt by Victoria H. Smith – Giveaway

Posted on January 2, 2013 by fundinmental

Thanks to AToMR for letting me be a part of this amazing tour.

Title: The Crimson Hunt (Book One: Eldaen Light Chronicles)

Author: Victoria H. Smith

Release date: November 7, 2012

Genre: Science Fiction Romance

Age Group: New Adult

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords | Print

Book Description:

College junior Ariel Richmond is working on year three of Project Normalcy.

Her house reeks of keggers past and her bestie is just a slight bit vulgar. But the thing is—they both aid in making life refreshingly uneventful.

So much for hard-earned mediocrity when Luca Grinaldi appears on the scene.

Luca’s sudden presence on campus is hard to ignore. Those bright eyes act like a beacon to unsuspecting females, and with features like his, he’s got to be moonlighting for GQ. Luca hopelessly captivates Ariel with his confidence and charisma, but the mysteries surrounding him make him nearly untouchable. And just when Ariel grows close enough to unlock his secrets, a tragic event sends her life in a downward spiral.

That steady life is no longer an option and allies quickly become scarce. The mysterious Luca seems to be the only one willing to help her—but with that trust comes the burden of his secrets. He has a dark mission of otherworldly proportions, and is willing to sacrifice as many lives as it takes to see it completed.

Gone are the days of simply maintaining normalcy, and if Ariel isn’t cautious with her trust, so soon may be her future.

The Crimson Hunt is a New Adult Science Fiction Romance.

Excerpt

I continued my rigorous review of the material. But as the night went on, I didn’t gain much ground. There were about fifteen chapters in the first half of the semester’s lectures. I was only up to chapter eight. There’d never be enough time for me to get them down pat before the midterm tomorrow. I wanted to cry at the thought. Laying my head in my textbook, I hoped the words would materialize into my brain.

“I think the book works better if you are actually reading it.” A gentle laugh accompanied the words.

I jolted, startled by Luca’s sudden appearance. I quickly raised my head, hoping to God there weren’t any page marks indented into my face. I rubbed my eyes, and Luca’s beautiful face appeared before me. “Don’t be so mean. I’m stressing out here. The midterm is tomorrow.” I said this though I didn’t really mind that he poked fun at me. It was really cute to see him joke.

I couldn’t help but notice how hot he looked tonight with his strong build lining his t-shirt. He should never cover his beauty with clothes and such things. He also wore a heather-gray carpenter jacket. I hoped my cardigan was enough for the weather when I left tonight.

“I was not trying to be cruel. I was just stating a fact.” He laughed again and sat on the edge of the table.

I smiled, his laugher bringing my anxiety down a bit.

“What are you caught up on? May I be of any use?”

There were a lot of things he could help me with at this point, but none of them had to do with Zoology.

About the Author

Victoria H. Smith has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. She puts it to good use writing romance all day. She resides in the Midwest with her Macbook on her lap and a cornfield to her right. She often draws inspiration for her stories from her own life experiences, and the twenty-something characters she writes give her an earful about it.

In her free time, she enjoys extreme couponing, blogging, reading, and sending off a few tweets on Twitter when she can. She writes new adult fiction romance in the sub-genres of science fiction, urban fantasy, and contemporary, but really, anywhere her pen takes her she goes.

Author social media links: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway

(1) eBook copy of The Crimson Hunt (Book One: Eldaen Light Chronicles).

Open International.

eBooks will be in mobi, epub, and pdf formats gifted from Smashwords.

All winners will be sent to the author at one time after the Jan. 25th date.

If a winner does not have an e-reader they can download the Kindle app for free to their computers on Amazon.

To enter, please leave your email address and answer this question, “What did you think of the excerpt?”

Closed. The winner of The Crimson Hunt by Victoria H. Smith Giveaway is – Holly Letson

Contest ends Jan. 16th.

Thank you and Good Luck!

The Crimson Hunt Giveaway (fuonlyknew.wordpress.com)

Tony had me rolling on the floor, laughing out loud, when I wasn’t ticked off at Jack.

Posted on November 6, 2012 by fundinmental

Claus: Legend of the Fat Man by Tony Bertauski

At the North Pole, Nicholas couldn’t believe the Inuits had left them, taking all their gear and food. He left Jessica and Jon in the tent and went to investigate their disappearance. He had tied a rope around himself so he could find his way back. When it wrapped around his feet and tripped him, he realized it had been cut. He turned to walk back and fell through the ice.

Back at the tent, Jessica reeled in the empty line. When she stuck her head out of the tent to see if she could catch a glimpse of Nicholas, she was grabbed and thrown in the air. When she awoke, she found Jon with her in a warm room surrounded by ice. Where did the light come from?

She called out, “Hello” , and people-like creatures appeared. One of them, Merry, introduced herself and Nog. She said they needed to leave, now. Nog packed up the room and put it in a bag he had pulled from his pocket. What? How did he do that? How did the whole room end up in his bag.

Jon thought it was magic. Nog told him it was science. He said they were elven and had been around for more than 40,000 years. There was no time to explain right now. They had to relocate. The Fracture, war, had separated the elves, and the colony has to move every two weeks.

How would they travel? Why, reindeer and sleigh. Was there a reindeer with a red nose? What do you think?

Jack was the only elven with no sense of humor. When he was really upset, two words always calmed him, Silent Night, and he would repeat them over and over.

Pawn approached Jack to tell him they had found an injured warmblood. He had been caught in their trap, but the other two got away with the rebels help. He had been put in Claus‘ lab, because he had been injured and Claus was the only one who could heal him. Pawn told Jack the warmblood’s name was Santa.

Jack and Claus were twin brothers. Jack wanted to kill all the warmbloods and return the world to the Ice Age. He had been waiting to capture a warmblood and now he had one. He had held Claus prisoner, even though he was treated well, because he would need his help to turn the warmblood into a weapon.

Merry had a special relationship with the reindeer. She could hear them. When everyone found out, they all began ignoring her. No one would play games with her and they called her names. What a great twist on Rudolph’s story.

As she was calling out their names for Jon, he shouted out the last one, Blitzen. How did he know? He didn’t have an answer for her.

Claus tried to explain to Nicholas, that he could be their salvation or their destruction. He could bring distinction to the human race.

Of course Frosty the Snowman is there, but what part he plays, you will have to read to find out.

5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

There are two different covers for this book and I loved them both, so I used one at the beginning and another at the end of this post. The title speaks for itself. LOL

An amazing and awe-inspiring novel of how Santa came to be. I was stunned at Tony Bertauski’s descriptions of the characters, critters and their environment. It was nothing less than amazing. His descriptions of the environment, technology and science fiction involved in the writing of this novel had me……I can’t even think of the words to describe how impressed I was. As you can see, I am now repeating myself, so read the book and you will see what I mean.

His creativity with mixing so many genres – the environment, technology, science fiction, magic, fantasy, Christmas, etc. – was superb.

The book has an unexpected ending, but no peeking.

I can see this as a television Christmas special. I think it would be a classic.

I have read one other book of his, The Annihilation of Foreverland and was equally impressed with that novel. This is an author you want to place on your must read list.

I got the book for free, and whether Tony expected a review or not, here it is. LOL. I loved everything about this book and would have reviewed it no matter what.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tony Bertauski My grandpa never graduated high school. He retired from a steel mill in the mid-70s. He was uneducated, but he was a voracious reader. I remember going through his bookshelves of paperback sci-fi novels, smelling musty old paper, pulling Piers Anthony and Isaac Asimov off shelf and promising to bring them back. I was fascinated by robots that could think and act like people. What happened when they died?

I’ve written textbooks on landscape design, but that was straightforward, informational writing; the kind of stuff that helps most people get to sleep. I’ve also been writing a gardening column with a humorous slant. That takes a little more finesse, but still informational for the most part.

I’m a cynical reader. I demand the writer sweep me into his/her story and carry me to the end. I’d rather sail a boat than climb a mountain. That’s the sort of stuff I wanted to write, not the assigned reading we used to get in high school. I wanted to create stories that kept you up late.

Fiction, GOOD fiction, is hard to write. Having a story unfold inside your head is an experience different than reading. You connect with characters in a deeper, more meaningful way. You feel them, empathize with them, cheer for them and even mourn. The challenge is to get the reader to experience the same thing, even if it’s only a fraction of what the writer feels. Not so easy.

Goodreads / Website / Facebook

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taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos Giveaway – Tony Bertauski is offering up 2 ebooks for the giveaway. It is International and easy to enter, as always. Just answer the question:

Everyone roots for the good guy, the protagonist, the guy/girl that saves the word and never tells a lie. But there’s something to be said for a great villain. I’ve always found the most compelling bad guy is the really nasty one that has some redeeming quality — tiny as it may be — that makes me not hate him/her nearly as much as I should. Everything I write features an antagonist that, by the end, leaves the reader scratching his/her head.

Given this criteria, who is a REALLY good antagonist? And why?

Ends November 20, 2012.

GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

WINNERS!!!!! are: Alana and Denise Z

Thanks to all of you for the wonderful comments. I hope you will continue to follow fundinmental.