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.

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?

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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

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.

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

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One Sentence Review – Eclipse Lake by Mae Clair @maeclair1

Posted on November 18, 2017 by fundinmental

.Goodreads / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

Eclipse Lake is a fully developed story with complex characters and detailed descriptions of a small town called Onyx, that is character driven, with romance the spotlight and suspense being the dot on the I, making me believe in second chances.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Small towns hold the darkest secrets.

Fifteen years after leaving his criminal past and estranged brother behind, widower Dane Carlisle returns to his hometown on the banks of sleepy Eclipse Lake. Now, a successful businessman, he has kept his troubled past a secret from most everyone, including his seventeen-year-old son.

But memories in small towns are bitter and long.

Ellie Sullivan, a nature photographer for a national magazine, has a habit of ping-ponging across the map. Her latest assignment leads her to Eclipse Lake where she becomes caught up in the enmity between Dane, his brother Jonah, and a vengeful town sheriff. When freshly-discovered skeletal remains are linked to an unsolved murder and Dane’s past, Ellie is left questioning her growing attraction for a man who harbors long-buried secrets.

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

Posted on November 14, 2017 by fundinmental

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

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

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

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

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

ABOUT AMANDA SIEGRIST

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

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

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

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY AMANDA SIEGRIST REVIEWS

Sunrise Awakening

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

Posted on November 13, 2017 by fundinmental

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

Goodreads / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

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

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

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

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

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

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Strawberries is the name he has been given.

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

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

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

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Friday 56 #144 – Kill and Run by Lauren Carr @TheMysteryLadie

Posted on November 10, 2017 by fundinmental

.
The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

~~~

I have been a huge fan of Lauren Carr for a long time. I love her fun writing style.

You can see my 4 star review Here.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY 56

Murphy was skeptical. “That’s what they always say when an attractive man gets onn the fast track anywhere.”

“I don’t think General Graham is all the attractive, do you?”

“Buttercup, I don’t think any man is attractive.”

Pressing her long, elegant index finger against his chest, she narrowed her eyes until there were violet slits framed in lush long eyelashes. “You were the one who called him attractive, Honey Buns.”

(Pages 56 in paperback published in 2015)

GOODREADS BLURB

Five women with seemingly nothing in common are found brutally murdered in a townhome outside Washington, DC. Among the many questions surrounding the massacre is what had brought these apparent strangers together only to be killed.

Taking on his first official murder case, Lieutenant Murphy Thornton, USN, believes that if he can uncover the thread connecting the victims, then he can find their murderer.

Before long, the case takes an unexpected turn when Murphy discovers that one of the victims has a connection to his stepmother, Homicide Detective Cameron Gates. One wintry night, over a dozen years before, her first husband, a Pennsylvania State trooper, had been run down while working a night shift on the turnpike.

In this first installment of the Thorny Rose Mysteries, the Lovers in Crime join newlyweds Lieutenant Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday to sift through a web of lies and cover-ups. Together, can the detectives of the Thorny Rose uncover the truth without falling victim to a cunning killer?

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Giveaway – Three Rivers Run Deep by Piper Stone @Piperstone01

Posted on November 9, 2017 by fundinmental

Welcome to my stop for Three Rivers Run Deep by Piper Stone.

Beware…may be to hot to handle. 😀

Goodreads / Amazon

Three Rivers Run Deep – Fire Devil Book One

by Piper Stone

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Romantic suspense/action/adventure

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB

Danger. It’s all I’ve ever known. All I’ve ever wanted.

Fighting fires soothes the raging beast that war created.

Allowing me to live

The rest? Maybe she can understand my hunger. For her. Dominating her. Owning her.

Maybe…

Danger. Domination. Destruction.

The Jackals

An elite team of smokejumpers nestled in the heart of Missoula, Montana.

By day they indulge in their penchant for danger.

By night they exude passion.

Are you ready for their brand of domination?

Prevent. Protect. Preserve. This is their motto.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

“Absolutely. This city, these mountains have my heart. This place will always be my home. I never want to leave. I’ve seen the ugly part of the world. I just want peace.”

The words were haunting, almost damning. She listened to the lull of the water as her life rolled past in nasty visions. She’d been doing nothing but living a lie. “You know, I thought I was in love with a member from my band. He was everything to me for years. Enough so, I didn’t see what was happening around me. I was so blinded by ambition that I lost myself, falling into the political world of music. Play this. Dress this way. Lose twenty pounds. Die your hair. Christ. I was drowning in a sea of bullshit.”

“But you’re a famous rocker.”

“No. I’m not certain I ever was.”

He gave her a wry smile. “I think so anyway. I finally looked you up.”

“You did?”

Laughing, he nodded. “Not my kind of music, but you’re damn good and pretty sexy too on those covers of yours. You had a couple number one records. Listen to me. I’m dating myself.”

“I still call them records. Gold records on your wall are much more impressive than a small CD,” she said as she rolled her eyes. “I think I’ve finally figured out I’m more of a country girl. And no laughing.”

“Oh yeah?” He winked as he gave her a surprised look. “I won’t say a thing, city slicker.”

“Hey, I’m on a horse, aren’t I? I have you to blame for my new-found love of the outdoors.” Jessica realized her words were true. “I could see living here.”

“Then you couldn’t regain your career.” His words were terse, challenged.

“I’m not certain what I want any longer in my life or my career. That’s why this time has been so important, precious in a way I didn’t understand when I came here.” She exhaled. “Maybe I’m fooling myself.” What could she possibly do here? Sing at Ziggy’s for the rest of her life? Maybe record a country song or two, that is if anyone was willing to take a chance on her ever again? Maybe she could be a housewife. The thoughts shoved fear into her heart.

They remained quiet for several minutes.

“You had a nightmare last night. You were talking in your sleep.”

The moment he spoke, she clenched her fists tightly around the reins. “Had them for years.”

“Who were you running from?” he asked as he turned his head in her direction.

Jessica closed her eyes and remained quiet. No daddy, you’re not going to ruin the rest of my life. “My father. He was a true monster. He beat me and my mother for years. I was so little when the violence started that I couldn’t protect her. When I was older, I had my needed revenge.” When she didn’t hear anything, she glanced in his direction. “I threw him out of the house at knifepoint. He tried to return twice, but I was very clear. My mother deserved to have a life and she did. She had friends and pretty clothes. I made certain of that. She even went on tour with me once. Just once before she got sick, but she said she was proud… of… me.” Choking back tears, she blinked several times as she tried to concentrate on the mountains. She’d never told Cody the entire story, had never believed he’d care.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Best Selling author, Piper Stone writes in several genres including romantic suspense, thrillers, erotic romance, dark erotic, Domestic Discipline, spanking, Domination and submission and traditional romance. She has a love of the non-traditional, preferring to create worlds that defy the imagination. Wine and sous vide cooking are only second to her love of golden retrievers and you might find all three nestled in the pages of a book or two.

She has several releases from Blushing Books including Truth or Dare, His Demands – Dirty Little Secrets, Submissive For Hire, His Hidden Girl – Dirty Little Secrets, Becoming – Power Exchange and upcoming books Rescue Me – Maverick and the series Fire Devil.

She will also have several releases with Bethany’s Woodshed in the upcoming months.

Find her at: Facebook / Blog / Twitter / Bookbub / piperstonecreations@gmail.com
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Badass Female Vigilante Serial Killer – Blood Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff @AlexSokoloff

Posted on November 8, 2017 by fundinmental

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

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

Cover: Brandi Doane

Goodreads / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT ALEXANDRA SOKOLOFF

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

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

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

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

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

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

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MY REVIEW FOR HUNTRESS MOON, BOOK I