Beware if Leine Basso has you in her sights – The Last Deception by D V Berkom @dvberkom

Posted on December 12, 2017 by fundinmental

The cover for The Last Deception by D V Berkom shows Leine Basso as I see her. I love when a cover fits the characters and the story.

I have been reading D V Berkom’s novels for some time now, and eagerly grab them and begin reading as soon as they arrive. Check out this and some of my other reviews and you will see why.

So…let’s not waste any more time.

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

I love kickass female protagonists and D V Berkom supplies me with one of my favorites in the Leine Basso series and The Last Deception. These books stand alone, so no worries there, but once you start, you won’t want to stop.

We start right off with action, kicking down doors and bullets flying, as she heads off to Libya to rescue 15 year old Munira from terrorists. She had been kidnapped, brutally abused, then when they were finished with her, they sold her to sex traffickers.

Leine thought she left her past behind, until a friend calls her for help.

Maskinovka – Deception. American lives are on the line and the clock is ticking. Danger and political intrigue. Who to trust. How do you find answers without tipping your hand to the wrong person?

Some would call Leine’s actions rash, but she called them expedient. Sometimes split second decisions must be made, to accomplish the mission. Leine will put her life on the line to do what is right. I know, or at least I think I know, that DV Berkom will not kill her off. 🙂

I love a character who knows who they are. I have been with her through many trials and tribulations and love the person she has become. BUT, I loved her before, too.

The cover depicts my image of Leine. I can see her, laden with all the latest military goodies, crawling through the jungle, reconning, taking fire and dishing it out.

The writing and pacing keep the story moving and I travel from place to place, danger to danger, reading and wondering where it will all end. Sometimes your enemy is your friend and I love D V Berkom’s ability to make the story and characters read true. She does her research and it shows through her words. Great job D.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Last Deception by D V Berkom.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Lies. Deception. A nation on the brink of war…

In the Cold War, you knew who your friends and enemies were. In war today, there’s no difference.

Just when former assassin Leine Basso thinks she’s free from the business of murder and deception, a desperate call from a friend drags her back into the dark world of espionage and arms dealers.

Leine uncovers information that implicates a well-known Russian businessman in a horrendous deception that affects national security and could have global repercussions. It’s up to the former assassin to persuade the powers that be to ignore the obvious and trust her, or disregard the information and bring the world to the brink of a devastating war. Can she make it in time to warn them before The Last Deception?

ABOUT DV BERKOM

DV Berkom is a slave to the voices in her head. As the author of two popular thriller series (Leine Basso and Kate Jones), her love of creating resilient, kick-*ss female characters stems from a lifelong addiction to reading spy novels, mysteries, and thrillers, and longing to find the female equivalent within those pages.

Raised in the Midwest, she received her BA in political science from the University of Minnesota and promptly moved to Mexico to live on a sailboat. Many, many cross-country moves (and several years) later, she now lives just outside of Seattle, Washington with the love of her life, Mark, an ex-chef-turned contractor, and writes every chance she gets.

For more information, please visit her website at www.dvberkom.com.
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Author Pages: Amazon / Smashwords / Barnes & Noble / itunes / Kobo

My Reviews DV Berkom’s Leine Basso Thrillers:

My Reviews for DV Berkom’s Kate Jones Thrillers:

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Sex Trafficking and High Fashion in Justice For Abby by Cate Beauman @CateBeauman

Posted on December 10, 2017 by fundinmental

I have been reading my way through Cate Beauman’s Bodyguard of LA County Series, and Justice For Abby is Book Six. I love romantic suspense and Cate can sure spin a tale that keeps me wrapped up in the mystery. I look forward to each and every one.

Cover by Demonza

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

Justice for Abby by Cate Beauman is Book VI of the Bodyguards of LA County Series and I have been eating these romantic suspense novels up, like the M&Ms I love so much. This may be the best one yet.

Abby is taken from the rest area parking lot, right in front of her sister, Alexa, and her daughter, Livy. With the threat of harm to her family, Abby is forced to work for them, but her eye is always on escape.

After her rescue, she has lingering affects, flashbacks and panic attacks, and fears that she won’t be able to come back if she loses herself…again.

She is the prime witness for the prosecution in the trial for the traffickers. She is single handedly bringing down the largest sex ring they’d ever seen, so she has a bullseye on her back. They want her DEAD.

The traffickers are brutal, savage, only interested in themselves. The women are possessions, bought and sold, passed around like a commodity. Imagine the threat of death and torture hovering over your head, day after day, month after month, year after year, with no relief in sight.

Abby is a fighter with a big heart. She is making a name for herself in the high fashion world and paying it forward by creating opportunities for those less fortunate, hiring some of the women she knew from her captivity.

Her bodyguard, Jerrod lives with her, protecting her. He is all business, but will the sexy little kitten win over his heart? Me thinks so. I love the recurring characters and the danger that surrounds them as I wait…for that terrible something to happen.

Margret…my heart goes out to Margret and I know there is nothing Abby won’t do to try and save her.

Shelby, beware of a woman scorned and a shallow one at that. Can a villain be redeemed? I always have hope, but you’ll have to read the book to find out.

Cate Beauman describes the scenes in such vivid detail that I can see Abby dancing, singing, and shaking her bootie as she cooks and I can’t help but smile even as I type these words. Makes me want to get up and dance.

When the shit hits the fan, I love how Cate Beauman handled it and she sure has me terrified, wondering…

I love how Cate Beauman twisted and turned the normal romantic suspense beast, you know, that push and pull of attraction, the dance between yes and no, making my rating of Justice For Abby over the top.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Justice for Abby by Cate Beauman.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Fashion designer Abigail Harris has been rescued, but her nightmare is far from over. Determined to put her harrowing ordeal behind her and move on, she struggles to pick up the pieces of her life while eluding the men who want her dead.

The Mid-Atlantic Sex Ring is in ruins after Abby’s interviews with the police. The organization is eager to exact their revenge before her testimony dismantles the multi-million dollar operation for good.

Abby’s safety rests in the hands of former US Marshal, Jerrod Quinn. Serious-minded and obsessed with protocol, Ethan Cooke Security’s newest agent finds himself dealing with more than he bargains for when he agrees to take on his beautiful, free-spirited client.

As the trial date nears, Abby’s case takes a dangerous turn. Abby and Jerrod soon discover themselves in a situation neither of them expect while Jerrod fights to stop the ring from silencing Abby once and for all.

ABOUT CATE BEAUMAN

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

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

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

Contact Cate: Amazon Author Page / BookBub

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

MY REVIEWS FOR CATE BEAUMAN

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Dark and Dangerous – Cold Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff @AlexSokoloff

Posted on December 7, 2017 by fundinmental

Alexandra Sokoloff has blown me away, with her Huntress/FBI Thriller Series. Huntress Moon, Book I (see my review here) continues through Blood Moon, Book II (see my review here) and I am unable to stop reading. It’s like Lays Potato Chips…you can’t eat just one. Well, I couldn’t read just one. I went through Book II, III and IV on a binge read. And…I see there is a Book V, Hunger Moon, and I aim to get my hands on that one too.

The covers are awesome and kudos to the designers. Cold Moon is done by…

Inkd

Goodreads / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

After reading Blood Moon, Book II, by Alexandra Sokoloff, there was no way I could stop. I kept on reading through Cold Moon and Bitter Moon. Now I see we have Hunger Moon, which would be Book V, and I will jump through hoops to get my hands on it.

The moon talks to Cara. Does it talk to you? What does it say?

We begin with Roarke’s nightmare, waking him. Cara…

She faces her own terror in the night, but vows IT will never take her.

“Fair as the moon and cold as ice.”

Roark’s team functions like a well oiled machine, even when personalities occasionally clash and opinions differ. They always get their ‘man’.

Cold Moon takes an even closer look into the depraved, the abused, the lost and those who care about them. Human trafficking of women and children, enslaved in prostitution, bought and sold, used and abused. Who will stand up for them, defend them, save them?

How can an online presence affect people, politics, legalities, courts…The anonymity of cyber activism.

I do not want to spoil any of the goodies contained in Cold Moon, the third book of Cara and Roarke’s story, so I will just throw out some hints and ask you…what would you do?

Evil…can you see it, smell it, touch it, feel it? Is it alive? Do you do something about it yourself?

Is it self defense, if you know evil is coming your way, and you take it out first?

My emotions are raging in anger and disgust. I know this goes on, day in and day out, and I wonder if those who, in real life, try to stem the flow of evil feel it is too big, there are too many. One by one they WILL fall.

“There is something larger at work…a force beyond the simply human. A female vengeance against outrages.” Santa Muerte

“Sometimes death for one is salvation for another.”

I love the dark and dangerous, unique and original, direction Alexandrar Sokoloff takes in this story. I am afraid to google some of the online forums she talks about. I am afraid of what I will find out. Will evil know I am looking and come for me? She continues to thrill and amaze me, disgust and frighten me, leaving me ALWAYS wanting more.

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

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The hunt for mass murderer Cara Lindstrom is over. FBI Special Agent Matthew Roarke has been working for this moment: the capture of a killer who savagely hunts the worst of humanity. But Roarke remains traumatized by his own near-death at the hands of the serial killer who slaughtered Cara’s family…and haunted by the enigmatic woman who saved his life.

Then the sixteen-year-old prostitute who witnessed Cara’s most recent murder goes missing, and suddenly pimps are turning up dead on the streets of San Francisco, killed with an MO eerily similar to Cara’s handiwork.

Is a new killer on the loose with a mission even more deadly than hers? In the pulse-pounding third Huntress/FBI Thrillers book, Roarke will have to go on the hunt…and every woman he meets, even those closest to him, may prove deadly.

ABOUT ALEXANDRA SOKOLOFF

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

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

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

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

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

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

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest

MY ALEXANDRA SOKOLOFF REVIEWS

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Giveaway & Review – A Pound of Flesh by Alex Gray @Alexincrimeland @partnersincr1me

Posted on December 6, 2017 by fundinmental

A Pound of Flesh

by Alex Gray

on Tour November 6 – December 6, 2017

MY REVIEW

A female vigilante. I love it!

Her friends death haunts her and she can find no relief, not even in the killing. Doesn’t matter. She will not stop until she finds HIM.

DS William Lorimer has been promoted to head of the Serious Crimes Squad. What’s on the agenda? Four murdered prostitutes.

BUT, when Deputy First Minister Edward Pattison is murdered, he must pass the prostitute murders to other divisions. He is not happy with it at all. Do some see the prostitutes as less valuable? They deserve justice as much as anyone else.

Instinct and compassion are two of William’s best traits. He cares about ALL victims. He would rather be on the streets, than shuffling paperwork, doing press conferences, and playing politics.

“Killing Time” has a double meaning for HER. SHE is smart, bold, and on a mission. I feel so much compassion for her. I know she has a tragic story and I can see why she did what she did. Sometimes we have to take justice into our own hands and I love that she did just that. My biggest worry…what will happen to her in the end?

As the investigation ramps up, connections are made. Police procedures unfold, piece by piece the clues are gathered. More than one persons secrets will be exposed.

The danger is subtle, yet permeates the pages, lingering, creating tension and a sense of urgency. Lily…what will become of her? Will she make it out alive? I have much empathy and concern for this young girl who doesn’t deserve what life has dealt her.

I LOVE the ending. Alex Gray did a fabulous job of leaving me satisfied.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of A Pound of Flesh by Alex Gray.

4 Stars

Synopsis:

In the depths of a freezing winter, Glasgow finds itself at the mercy of not one, but two serial killers

This is Detective Inspector Lorimer’s worst nightmare and beyond anything he’s faced in his many years on the force. Can he find a link between the brutal slaying of prostitutes in the back streets of the city and the methodical killing of several unconnected businessmen?

When the latest victim turns out to be a prominent Scottish politician, the media’s spotlight is shone on Lorimer’s investigation. Psychologist and criminal profiler Solly Brightman is called in to help solve the cases, but his help may be futile as they realize that someone on the inside is leaking confidential police information. Meanwhile two killers haunt the snowy streets and Lorimer must act fast, before they strike again…

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery & Detective
Published by: Witness Impulse
Publication Date: November 7th 2017
Number of Pages: 368
ISBN: 0062659227 (ISBN13: 9780062659224)
Series: DCI Lorimer #9
Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

Read an excerpt:

It wasn’t always easy to see the moon or the stars. This city’s sodium glow rose like yellow fog from its streets, blotting out any chance of star gazing. But she knew it was there. That cold white face dominated her thoughts tonight and she shivered as though it already saw her flesh naked and exposed to its unblinking watchfulness. Perhaps it was because she was trying to be seen that she felt such awareness. The red jersey pencil skirt folded over to create a too-short mini, those agonisingly high-heeled sandals cutting into her bare toes; spread across the bed back in the hotel they had seemed the garb of an adventuress.

Now, revealed in the glare of the street lamp on this corner she felt a sense of…what? Shame? Perhaps. Self-consciousness, certainly. But such feelings must be overcome if her plan was to work.

She had already overcome the blank indifference of the girls down in Waterloo Street, their body language both defiant and compelling. Her hips shifted, one slender foot thrust forwards, as she remembered how they had stood, languidly chewing gum, waiting for their punters. Their desperation drove them to return night after night, the price of a wrap of drugs equating to an hour with some stranger.

Her own need was just as strong, fuelled by a passion that would not be spent until she had fulfilled her desire. It was warm in this Glasgow summer’s night and her black nylon blouse clung to her back, making her uncomfortably aware of her own flesh. The thin cotton coat she’d worn to conceal these trashy clothes as she’d tapped her way across the marble foyer of the hotel was now folded into the black bag at her feet, along with her more sober court shoes. When it was over she would slip them on and return the way she had come, hair clipped in a businesslike pleat. She smiled thinly. Being a woman had some advantages; the facility for disguise was just one of them. Her carefully made-up face was stripped of colour in the unforgiving lamplight, leaving only an impression of dark eyes, darker hair tossed back to reveal a long, determined mouth. She recalled what Tracey- Anne, one of the girls at the drop-in centre, had told her: I get through it by pretending to be someone else for a few hours, then I can be myself again.

Tracey-Anne was lucky, though. After tonight she could never again be the person that she used to be. Glancing at the elegant façades around the square, the dark-haired woman suddenly saw these city streets through different eyes: the shadows seemed blacker, the corners harbouring ill intent. Her chin tilted upwards, defying those inner demons tempting her to turn back.

After tonight things would change for ever. When the car slowed down at the kerb her heart quickened in a moment of anticipation that astonished her. She had expected the thrill of fear, not this rush of excitement sweeping through her blood.

The man behind the wheel had bent his head and she could see his eyes flicking over her hungrily, appraising his choice. He gave a brief nod as if to say he was pleased with his first instinct to stop. Her lip-glossed mouth drawn up in a smile, she stepped forward, willing him to reach across and open the window, ask her price. For a moment he seemed to hesitate and she could see tiny beads of sweat on his upper lip, glistening in the light. Then the door of the big car swung open noiselessly and she lowered herself inside, swinging her legs neatly together to show as much thigh as she could. But the gestures were still ladylike, almost reserved, as if she knew that would quicken his senses.

‘How much?’ he asked. And she told him, one shoulder moving insouciantly as if to declare that she wasn’t bothered whether he could afford her or not: someone else would pay that price if he wouldn’t. She glanced at him briefly, catching sight of the tip of his tongue flicking at his lips like a nervous lizard, then he made a gruff noise of assent, looking at her again, as though to be sure of his purchase, before accelerating into the night.

***

Author Bio:

Alex Gray was born and educated in Glasgow. After studying English and Philosophy at the University of Strathclyde, she worked as a visiting officer for the Department of Health, a time she looks upon as postgraduate education since it proved a rich source of character studies. She then trained as a secondary school teacher of English. Alex began writing professionally in 1993 and had immediate success with short stories, articles, and commissions for BBC radio programs. She has been awarded the Scottish Association of Writers’ Constable and Pitlochry trophies for her crime writing. A regular on the Scottish bestseller lists, she is the author of fourteen DCI Lorimer novels. She is the co-founder of the international Scottish crime writing festival, Bloody Scotland, which had its inaugural year in 2012.

Connect with Alex Gray on her Website 🔗 & Twitter 🔗.

Tour Participants:

Visit the other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

Giveaway:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Alex Gray and Witness Impulse. There will be 3 winner of one (1) eBook copy of Alex Gray’s SLEEP LIKE THE DEAD. The giveaway begins on November 6 and runs through December 10, 2017.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours

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Not for the Faint of Heart – Christmas Hostage by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor

Posted on December 5, 2017 by fundinmental

I am so happy to be sharing Jane Blythe’s new novel, Christmas Hostage, just in time for the holidays.

Jane not only, writes some fabulous romantic suspense stories, but is an interesting person in her own right. Just check out her bio and see some of her many interests.

Cover: QDesigns

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

Action from the getgo.

Hannah’s friend is shot and killed in a jewelry store robbery and we are off and running in this suspenseful Christmas mystery. I got wrapped up in the characters, as well as the story and she kept the mystery alive with the villain mixed into a list of suspects. This is a story of second chances and maybe this time Hannah and Tom will get it right.

Hannah won’t let anyone help her, touch her. She sat on the floor, against the wall, and cried as the police did their work…Until…

Tom Drake, her FBI ex husband arrives on the scene and back into her life. He knew she was strong and wouldn’t want his help, but there are bad guys on the run and who knew where they would strike next.

As Christmas approaches, Hannah’s determined to carry on, business as usual in the jewelry store. She is focused, going step by step, keeping moving, life goes on. It doesn’t mean bad memories don’t haunt her.And Tom’s just as determined to solve the crime.

It wasn’t his choice to walk away from her, but they were no good together any more. It was what she wanted, or so he thought. Whatever happened to cause the split must have been horrifying and I am waiting, foot tapping, impatiently waiting, to find out what.

Perceptions are not facts.

“That’s not what happened.”

“Yes, it was.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“Yes, it was.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

I love how Jane Blythe’s writing allows the characters personalities to shine through. Now, if they would just learn to listen, to communicate. Maybe they never would have split up in the first place.

Jane Blythe has bounced me around, fooling me, several times now. As the suspects fall, one by one, I know there is more to come and only one will be left standing. This….this is the moment HE will be revealed…and I don’t know who HE is.

I have him in my sights now?

I hate when the woman refuses to be a victim, then puts herself in the hands of the one who wants her dead. BUT, I watch a lot of ID TV and it happens in real life all the time.

A horrific, unimaginable attack, but she is strong and will fight to her dying breath.

Jane Blythe writes some fantastic suspense thrillers and manages to keep me guessing. I like when I can’t figure out who the villain is. The characters grab hold of me and don’t let me go. The suspense and anticipation builds…and builds…

I do like my happy ever afters and Jane manages to supply those as well. Definitely left me with a warm fuzzy feeling and a Christmasy smile on my face, but this is not for the faint of heart.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Christmas Hostage by Jane Blythe.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Tragedy tore them apart now its giving them a second chance.

FBI Agent Tom Drake has been investigating a string of armed robberies at jewelry stores. The last person he expects to see when he arrives at the scene of the latest robbery is his ex-wife Hannah Buffy.

Hannah is conflicted about seeing her ex-husband again, especially when he starts claiming he thinks the robbery at her store isn’t related to the other ones. Is this just another excuse for Tom to treat her like a victim or could he be right?

** Warning: Graphic violence and themes of sexual assault/abuse **

ABOUT JANE BLYTHE

Jane has loved reading and writing since she can remember. She writes dark and disturbing crime/mystery/suspense with some romance thrown in because, well, who doesn’t love romance? She has one completed series, Detective Parker Bell, and one new series, Count to Ten.

When she’s not writing Jane loves to read, bake, go to the beach, ski, horse ride, and watch Disney movies. She has a black belt in Taekwondo, and a 200+ collection of teddy bears. She has the world’s two most sweet and pretty Dalmatians, Ivory and Pearl. Oh, and she also enjoys spending time with family and friends!

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS

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Teaser Tuesday #101 – Strong To The Bone by Jon Land @jondland

Posted on December 5, 2017 by fundinmental

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday hosted by The Purple Booker, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

~~~~~~

Strong to the Bone by Jon Land releases today, so I wanted to take a moment to tell you about this rootin tootin, smash bang novel of action and mystery that culminates in a rip roaring ending not to be missed. You can see my review HERE.

Goodreads / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

MY TEASE

The force of the water bursting out of the barrel nearly knocked her backward off the truck. But she managed to right herself and then repositioned herself, as she doused the tight cluster of students between the truck and the restaurant entrance with the gun’s powerful stream.

(page 32 in ARC published in 2017)

I love Caitlin Strong. I can just see her spraying everyone with the fire hose as she tries to clear a path to the building where she believes a girl is being raped. Nothing stand in her way!

GOODREADS BLURB

Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong takes on a gang of neo-Nazis in Strong Cold Dead, an action-packed novel of the critically acclaimed Caitlin Strong series by Jon Land

1944: Texas Ranger Jim Strong investigates a triple murder inside a Nazi POW camp in Texas.

The Present: His daughter, fifth generation Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong, finds herself pursuing the killer her father never caught in the most personal case of her career a conspiracy stretching from that Nazi POW camp to a modern-day neo-Nazi gang.

A sinister movement has emerged from the shadows of history, determined to undermine the American way of life. Its leader, Armand Fisker, has an army at his disposal, a deadly bio-weapon, and a reputation for being unbeatable. But he s never taken on the likes of Caitlin Strong and her outlaw lover, Cort Wesley Masters.

To prevent an unspeakable cataclysm, Caitlin and Cort Wesley must win a war the world thought was over.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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Wild Horses and a Legacy of Evil by Sharon Buchbinder @sbuchbinder

Posted on December 1, 2017 by fundinmental

Legacy of Evil by Sharon Buchbinder is the second book of the Hotel LaBelle series.

Both books will stand alone.

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

Legacy of Evil is Book II, but it can stand alone.

Emma Horserider is an ex marine, and her name is so appropriate because of her bond with animals, especially the wild horses she loves so much. She has a telepathic connection to them. She is a dog and horse whisperer.

The Native American mysticism crosses boundaries with the military and a bike riding hunk who goes by the name of Brandon Winchester.

Terrorism…enter Homeland Security in the form of Brandon Winchester. Emma’s brother, Bert Blackfeather, is his boss and sends him to help her, after a herd of wild horses is attacked and she almost loses her life. Brandon is a remote viewer in the Anomaly Defense Division, think of the old CIA Paranormal experiments. He also has a telepathic connection to his cat, Gaucho.

Sparks fly. I really enjoy the fun and flirty dialogue between them.

Dear God, how she loved an inked up wild man on a bike.

The wild cast of characters quickly won over my heart. I laughed with them, feared for them, and hoped they would make it through the danger okay. I love the warrior women. Strong female characters appeal to me and Sharon Buchbinder gives us some doozies. The supporting cast is just as interesting.

“You’re a Twerp whisperer Steph. Thanks for defusing the little hand grenade.”

I love her outrageous cousin, Stephanie. I wonder…will she have a story of her own? What do you say Sharon?

When it becomes too dangerous for her to stay home, she moves, temporarily, to Hotel LaBelle. To get the full story on Lucius Stewart, Tallulah Thompson and her pug, Franny you will want to read The Haunting of Hotel LaBelle.

Like fighting like, the upcoming battle hits close to home for both of them and Bronco’s past will come full circle.

Full of so much goodness, so many of the things I love, danger, suspense, humor and sadness, lives lost and lives saved.

The seriousness of the story still leaves time for humorous writing that keeps the pace flowing smoothly. Legacy of Evil is wrapped up in a happy ever after ending, yet left the story open for more…and I want it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Legacy of Evil by Sharon Buchbinder.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

When a wild mustang is shot in Montana, renowned horse whisperer and telepath, Emma Horserider, is called in to calm the herd and find out what happened. Once on scene she is almost killed by a bullet-spewing drone, and calls her black ops brother for back-up.

Emma’s help roars into her life covered in tattoos and riding a Harley. Remote viewer Bronco Winchester takes the assignment because he is ordered to, but he wonders what type of assistance, his boss’s sister needs. That is until he sees Emma, a valiant Warrior Woman proud of her Crow heritage.

Posing as a married couple, Emma and Bronco go undercover to infiltrate and stop a hate group. Both are anxious enough without the now growing attachment they feel for one another. When the lives of many are on the line, they are not sure if they will live or die—let alone have a chance at love.

ABOUT SHARON BUCHBINDER

After working in health care delivery for years, Sharon Buchbinder became an association executive, a health care researcher, and an academic in higher education. She had it all–a terrific, supportive husband, an amazing son and a wonderful job. But that itch to write (some call it an obsession) kept beckoning her to “come on back” to writing fiction. Thanks to the kindness of family, friends, critique partners, and beta readers, she is published in non-fiction, as well as contemporary, erotic, paranormal ,and romantic suspense. When not attempting to make students, colleagues, and babies laugh, she can be found herding cats, waiting on a large gray dog, fishing, dining with good friends, or writing.

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MY SHARON BUCHBINDER REVIEWS

The Haunting of Hotel LaBelle

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Skeletons in the Closet – Blood Loss by Ashley Fontainne @AshleyFontainne

Posted on November 24, 2017 by fundinmental

Bloss Loss by Ashley Fontainne has one of those covers that makes me realize…I must go into the forest. I love covers with trees, forests, and woods, so this makes me want to enter another of Ashley’s fantastic stories, jumping and skipping down the trail. I must follow that path, no matter that I am alone and there is danger.

Ashley has been writing this series with her mother Lillian Hansen. It is the second Magnolia novel and it is based on a true story. You can see my review for the first story by following the Blood Ties link at the end of the post.

Cover and Interior book design by One of a Kind Covers

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

I am so happy to be back with some familiar friends and am looking for another mystery to solve. Blood Loss by Ashley Fontainne and her mother, Lillian Hansen, is the second Magnolia story, based on a true one, and I don’t want to miss a thing.

We pick up where Blood Ties ended, but I believe you can read this as a stand alone. If this is your first foray into the Magnolia series, I do recommend starting at the beginning.

The Magnolia has become Karina’s home. She and her mother inherited the home for the elderly and it seems like mysteries and danger arise from the house itself.

Karina’s nightmare awakens her, but it’s nice having her hunkie boyfriend at her side. Bo tells her the nightmares will pass.

“They’re all dead thanks to you, so that makes you the predator, not the prey.”

Karina is a strong, determined ex cop, as is her mother. They have put that behind them, but it’s a good thing they have those skills to draw on.

She’s tough, snarky and has a potty mouth. Pull a gun on her and she’ll blow your head off, but she has a big heart and guards it well.

Death by dick wouldn’t fly anyway, though it would be a memorable obituary for sure, going viral in hours. (Karina’s thoughts about Bo’s insatiable libido).

I laughed out loud when I read her version of the song You Don’t Own Me.

Karina has me cracking up throughout the pages and I love being inside her head.

It is that kind of writing that gives Ashley’s stories a fun and humorous bent and keeps me coming back for more. I think humor goes hand in hand with romance and mystery.

My first big surprise I never saw coming. No warning, but at least it’s all good.

“Like the Good Book says, the love of money is the root of all evil. And it’s a thick root that runs deep into bloodstained dirt.”

Government conspiracies? Never underestimate the power of greed. Some will stop at nothing.

A home for old folks…not surprising there are skeletons in the closet and secrets hidden. In 1957 two women vanished without a trace and the game is afoot.

Karina misses the rush of the hunt, so when the mystery appears, she jumps on it, regardless of being warned off. It’s just not in her nature. She cannot resist the mystery and I know she will find danger.

I’m onto you Ashley. The second surprise is about Karina. I didn’t see this one either and I love when the author can surprise me. Ashley Fontainne has that ability, and so much more. She draws me into the story quickly and easily. The characters become my friends. I worry about them, want the best for them, and if I could climb into the pages of the book, I would help them. As it is, all I can do is read…

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Blood Loss by Ashley Fontainne.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Karina and LiAnn worked hard to put the awful memories behind them of the nightmare they walked into at The Magnolia and all the death and destruction caused by the former owners. As they settled into their new roles as managers of the upscale independent living facility, LiAnn reconnects with her true love and Karina continues to explore the new relationship with a sexy cowboy named Bo.

Each are haunted by the atrocities committed at The Magnolia and how close Karina came to dying at the hands of mafia monsters. With the help of her mother, beloved grandparents, new job, an enormous dog, and a hunky, younger man to keep her mind occupied, Karina lets her guard down, naively assuming the worst is over for her family.

Unfortunately, she’s wrong.

When one of the elderly residents of The Magnolia reveals the truth about a shady past, the entire Tuck family find themselves embroiled in one of Arkansas’s most notorious mysteries from 1957. The disappearance of a beloved attorney and her young charge was never solved, bodies never found, and even after over 60 years, Karina and LiAnn discover there are still those who intend to keep it that way.

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, is due out the Summer of 2015.

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

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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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Must Reads from Bestselling Author Vicki McKeehan @vickiemckeehan

Posted on November 22, 2017 by fundinmental

The Evil Secrets Trilogy by Vicki McKeehan sticks in my mind to this day. I love strong female characters and this stand alone romantic suspense series contains them in spades. Each novel tells one of the friends story, which is full of thrills and chills and hours of fantastic reading.

I read them early in my blogging days and it is fun to see the progression I have made in writing my reviews.

These fabulous covers create a brand for the trilogy. You sure don’t want to mess with these ladies and their lovable, hunky male partners.

MY 5 STAR REVIEWS: Just Evil / Deeper Evil / Ending Evil

I still love the cover for Just Evil the best. The colors are rich and vivid and the tree is descriptive of the story, encompassing all the characters and subplots, branching out from the main storyline. Which do you like best?

I have also read a couple other novels by her and loved them too. She is a fantastic writer and crosses genres with ease.

The Sky Cree romantic suspense series has another strong female character, a warrior, with a Nez Perce Indian heritage. These novels stand alone, but I look forward to continuing the series. You can see my 5 star review by clicking on the cover, which has the old cover. Which do you like best?

Vicki McKeehan’s Pelican Pointe romance series is another hit. I would have grabbed Promise Cove just because of this gorgeous cover and the location. The Goodreads book blurb says it will hold me breathless to the last page, how about the last sentence. You can read my 5 star review by clicking on the cover. What do you think of the cover? Does it make you want to grab it…NOW?

Which series appeals to you most and why? Did you grab one for yourself?

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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She’s Kicking Ass Again in Strong to the Bone by Jon Land @jondland

Posted on November 20, 2017 by fundinmental

Buckle your seatbelts, because Strong to the Bone by Jon Land is one rootin tootin, smash bang novel of action and mystery that culminates in a rip roaring ending not to be missed.

Goodreads / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

I am so happy to be back into a rootin’ tootin’ Caitlin Strong adventure. The Texas Rangers and Nazis…doesn’t bode well for the Nazis. LOL

Right off, Jon Land does what he does so well, makes me so curious and surprised about our prisoner of war camps in Texas during World War II, that questions arise. Why have I never thought of this before? Was I never taught in school? Is is true? I know a lot of people don’t care one way or another about prologues, but this one sure did it’s job. Sent me straight to Google. I had to know more.

I can picture Caitlin on top of the fire truck, spraying the rioters with the fire hose like Al Capone sprayed his enemies with his tommy gun. A young woman is in distress, possibly being raped, and nothing will stop Caitlin from going to her rescue.

If you are not familiar with Caitlin, let me introduce you. She comes from a long line of Texas Rangers, but until she was raped in college, she had no plans to follow in their footsteps. Now…she’s a kickass, no holds barred force to be reckoned with. She goes in with guns blazing, her fists and legs pumping, doling out justice.

I love that Jon Land is constantly challenging Caitlin in personal and professional ways.

She teams up with her sweetie, Cort Wesley. He’s an ex Green Beret, maybe a bit tarnished, but that will only serve him well when he meets up with Armand Fiskar. Armand is the son of the man who created the Aryan Nation, only he has more grandiose plans.

I am lovin’ Paz, an ex Venezuelan secret policeman, sent to kill Cort. Now they walk together. I love characters who have walked the wild side, yet are able to redeem themselves.

And neo Nazis…smacks of reality.

Cort, Paz, and even Caitlin, though she doesn’t acknowledge it, have a little bit of help from the paranormal.

Moments to laugh, moments of anger, smiles and frowns, humanity in all its glory and disgust.

Jon Land’s creative writing shows his humorous side, when he allows his characters to replace the Captain’s cigarettes with the candy kind. Do you remember eating them as a kid?

The Aryan Nation, neo nazis, bioterrorism, organ transplants, weapons of mass destruction…so many underlying plots culminate in a blown out ending. I am a lifelong fan and eagerly await each and every story Jon Land has to tell.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Strong to the Bone by Jon Land.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

To prevent an unspeakable cataclysm, Caitlin and Cort Wesley must win a war the world thought was over.

ABOUT JON LAND

JON LAND is the USA Today bestselling author of more than forty novels, including Strong Enough to Die, Strong Justice, Strong at the Break, Strong Vengeance, Strong Rain Falling (winner of the 2014 International Book Award and 2013 USA Best Book Award for Mystery-Suspense), Strong Darkness (winner of the 2014 USA Books Best Book Award and the 2015 International Book Award for Thriller), and Strong Light of Day (winner of the 2015 Books and Author Award for Best Mystery Thriller and the 2016 Beverly Hills Book Award for Best Mystery). Land is a graduate of Brown University. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

MY JON LAND REVIEWS