Friday 56 #76 & BB #52 – Deep Water by S V Date

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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.

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Next up on the shelf is Deep Water by S V Date, author of Smokeout.

No question, I grabbed this because of the cover…and title!

Book design by Meighan Cavanaugh

MY FRIDAY 56

“Oh, right,” Armstrong agreed. “They contract for their own police and fire protection, they can build their own airport, without state approval, or set up their own  power grid or even build a nuclear power plant. They sure as hell don’t have to let me monitor their environmental compliance. They do, though, have to follow the general laws of Florida. So if I can show they’re violating water-quality laws, I can get a subpoena and bust ’em. I’m waiting on some water samples from a CI. If they show what I think they’ll show, then I can leak you the whole kit and caboodle You put it in the paper.”

(page 56 in hardcover)

MY BOOK BEGINNINGS

The blue sea kayak glided silently through tea-colored water as Irlo “Bobby” King let the paddle rest against his chest. Somewhere in the thick morning mist, not so far ahead now, was the lone acacia tree that, according to his earlier reconnaissance, marked the southern boundary of Africaland.

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

Smokeout’s bitingly entertaining portrait of a misbehaving Florida state legislature drew raves for both its inventiveness and timeliness, and the Providence Journal declared, “Carl Hiaasen may have an heir apparent.” Now, Date takes out after another cherished state institution, and the results are every bit as subversive.

In the “ideal” designed community of Serenity, Florida, pride of the late theme-park king Waldo Whipple, things are far from ideal. The houses are listing, the regulations are onerous, the mayor is lecherous, and the occasional Wild Dominion animal has started turning up dead. Graffiti is sprouting in odd places-“Serenityites Arise!” and “WWWS: What Would Waldo Say?”-and when a reporter begins poking around, he quickly discovers that Waldo’s successors have a decidedly different vision for America’s Hometown-and if certain people don’t stop interfering with it, animals won’t be the only things that start turning up dead. . . .

Filled with wicked humor and razor-sharp plotting, Deep Water is delightfully twisted-and maybe more plausible than any of us would like to think.

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I am a “cover girl”.

What do you like or dislike about the cover?

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Giveaway – Those Who Walk in Darkness @AuthorJLavene

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I am excited to have Joyce and Jim Lavene on fundinmental today, sharing

Those Who Walk in Darkness.

Scroll through my review before entering the giveaway.

THOSE WHO WALK IN DARKNESS
Those Who Walk In Darkness
(Jacks Jackson Mystery Book 1)

Historical Mystery
Print Length: 266 pages
Publisher: J. Lavene (March 8, 2016)
ASIN: B01AS8NN6Q

MY REVIEW

Westerns aren’t big on my hit list, but anything by the Lavenes and you can count me in. Those Who Walk in Darkness by Jim and Joyce Lavene is a step back in time, to the Wild West days of the Pinkertons. Beware, you’ll need a quick draw to survive.

Jacks is Julia. After her fiance died at her feet, she went to Allan Pinkerton. He said he would help her find the killer and hired her on the spot. Only two people know she is female, Allan Pinkerton, her boss, and Lil. Lil is a madame who recognized her femininity and felt a need to “mother” her. I can only imagine how hard it would be to change ALL your mannerisms. Cutting the hair and binding the breasts would be simple, but learning to walk, talk and act like a man would be much more difficult. She would have to be ever vigilant.

Jacks can take care of herself. She’s a cigar smoking, whiskey drinking, quick draw and is doing just fine, until Hume Boyd and Running Wolf. She preferred to work alone, but that would not be the case this time.

Now…what can I say about Hume. I can picture him, looking so young you wonder if he can even pick up a gun, naive, sweet and innocent and too eager for his own good.

I have a bad feeling about Boyd, but a good one about Running Wolf. With a name like that, I think we have some paranormal and mystical machinations coming up and I am looking forward to them. Jacks keeps denying the appearance of the raven, but we shall see.

The mystery unfolds and I am delighted to be teased…it can’t be him…too obvious, but he’s not a nice guy and that’s putting it mildly. So, what’s his beef? Okay, then how about…it could be him, and I waver back and forth. The big question is “Why?”

The characters are well developed and the mystery prolonged. I know something is coming…very soon. Even though I am expecting it, it’s still a shock when it happens. I jerk and gasp, laughing at myself for being caught off guard.

I have a love/hate feeling for the ending. The Lavene’s wrap this novel up in a neat package, but Jacks story lives on. There is no happy ever after and I will be more than glad to go on the next adventure to find out…who is the real Jacks.

This was a surprising 5 stars for me. When I began reading I was rating it a bit low, but it kept getting better and better. Fantastic writing and I would highly recommend Those Who Walk in Darkness by the Lavene’s for a great combination of multiple genres.

I received a copy of Those Who Walk in Darkness by Joyce and Jim Lavene in return for an honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 Stars

Synopsis

Three years ago, Julia Jackson was a well to do young woman from Boston whose fiancé, Jonathon, was killed right before her eyes. Obsessed with finding the killer, a man whose face she saw only in a flash as he walked up and shot Jonathon, she leaves her family and her life behind. She starts a new life as ‘Jacks’ Jackson—a cigar smoking, dead eye, female Pinkerton agent…pretending to be a man.

Now Allan Pinkerton needs Jacks to find the man who kidnapped the wife and son of a railroad official, David Boyd. Their only clues are the severed finger from the man’s wife, complete with wedding ring, and a map of the Qualla boundary, the Cherokee reservation in North Carolina.

Jacks doesn’t like the way the whole thing sounds from the beginning. David Boyd isn’t important enough to target for sherry fundina kidnapping. And why travel so far with two hostages?

But Pinkerton tells her that he believes the man responsible for the kidnapping worked with Jonathon’s murderer in a train robbery five years ago. Jacks agrees to go after the kidnapper with hopes of catching him before he can reach his home grounds.

Pinkerton insists that Jacks bring three men with her—Boyd, her new partner, and a Cherokee guide named Running Wolf, who’s always watching her, like he’s trying to figure it out.

Can Jacks catch the kidnapper with her secret—and her life—intact?

joycejim

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joyce and Jim Lavene write award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon, and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family.

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GIVEAWAY

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

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Teaser Tuesday #63 – The Body Market DV Berkom @dvberkom

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TeaserTuesdays-ADailyRhythm3Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of adailyrhythm.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following: 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!

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DV Berkom writes some amazing novels and Leine Basso, a retired assassin is my favorite character. This is a stand alone series.

In this novel…Everything’s For Sale…including women.The Body Market

Add me to Goodreads now

MY TEASE

Monday morning she was so going to ream Josh’s ass for wanting to go to that party.

Josh is dead, Elise.

(page 26 in paperback)

Fabulous giveaway at the link below:

OMG – They took her – The Body Market DV Berkom @dvberkom

GOODREADS BLURB

A retired assassin is called in when a celebration south of the border turns into a nightmare.

Former assassin Leine Basso is hired by a wealthy Beverly Hills power couple to find their missing daughter, Elise, last seen partying with her boyfriend at a club in Tijuana. At first, police believe the two teenagers are the victims of a carjacking. But when Leine finds their missing vehicle with the boyfriend’s mutilated body inside, and the local cartel warns her away, she knows if Elise isn’t already dead, she will be soon, or worse.

In the lethal world of organized crime, there’s always a worse.

As Leine races to uncover the reason behind Elise Bennett’s disappearance, she must also battle the powerful interests fighting to keep her from the truth.

Fabulous Giveaway at the link below:

OMG – They took her – The Body Market DV Berkom @dvberkom

  • To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
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Hidden Chamber of Death Giveaway @iReadBookTours

Hidden Chamber of Death by Hawk MacKinney is Book I of the Moccasin Hollow Mystery Series. I love murder, mystery and suspense, so let’s see if we can solve this one.

I love to learn more about authors than what is listed in their bio and Hawk MacKinney is here today to share some of his thoughts. Welcome, Hawk.

What is your next project?

The Cairnes of Sainctuarie Series sci-fi… Volume 3

The Moccasin Hollow Mystery Series…Book 2/Book 3

The 3 manuscripts are in edit. Try to keep 3-5 manuscripts going at the same time. Lets me edit one while the others are on the shelf.

What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you?

Funny in hindsight…at the time definitely NOT…early-teens…where one knows all the answers before learning one doesn’t even know the questions. Title this Halters and Bits. We raised horses and mules, mainly Quarter Horses…for rounding up/herding cows, calves, colts, heifers/heffers, & assorted yearlings. It was fall, corn cribbed; hay baled; fields ploughed & harrowed…which proved a good thing. My job…corral those brought from the pastures…among our colts—one young colt-stallion. Bareback was an okay-ride…NOT with the gaps down, a rope halter, no bit, and fence gates to the feed stalls wide open. It was plowed cornfield; the stallion decided he wanted me OFF; top of his stall would strike me right about my waist. He went to a full-out gallop. I bailed. Spit dirt clods, corn & corn shucks for a good 10 minutes. Never rode that sucker again without a bridle and spurs.

What is (your) writing schedule?

Up early before the crack of doom, 4-4:30a. Break for lunch, 3-4 hrs afternoon, another break, a couple of hrs. Turn in by 9:30-10p and loose my fantasies to resolve any conundrum dropped into the plot, or have a character I like do the unexpected. ALWAYS keep a note pad by my nightlight

What do you do for fun when not writing?

Read historical non-fiction or the latest quantum revelations out of CERN…there’s some outstanding quantum physics writers that have a gift few ‘scientist-researchers’ possess…their writing is understood by the person in the street.

Have you a favorite actor?

Ingrid Bergman, Katherine Hepburn, Ava Gardner…I’m dating myself, but these actresses don’t need paparazzi or media blitz of so-called stars. They let their craft speak for them…most certainly not available to cast as the young widow of a SEAL

Critters do have a mind of their own and sometimes let us know it. LOL Glad you made it through in one piece. Quantum physics? You lost me, but to know there are scientists out there wanting to reach a lay person, like me, and telling it in words that even I can understand is a great thing. Thanks so much, Hawk, for sharing bits of yourself. 🙂

Be sure and enter the great giveaway at the end of the post.

recreated in 3D with vintage drawings of the 18th centuryMY REVIEW

Don’t let the cover for Hidden Chamber of Death by Hawk MacKinney fool you. This story is darker than you think.

A death brings ex-Navy seal, Craige Ingram, and Terri, a recent widow and bank examiner, together. Embezzlement puts Terri smack dab into the middle of danger. Craige will come to the rescue, which is what I expect from a hero. 🙂 Craige is a great guy. He takes you as you are, no bigotry, no judgments.

A grizzly murder and a psycho serial killer always catch my attention. I find out early who the killer is but there is more going on than murder. A death starts an inquiry into the bank records that someone desperately wants to keep quiet.

A bit of romance, a psycho serial killer, greed, embezzlement…it’s all good to me.

I’m not sure what it was about the writing, but it seemed a bit slow and I stumbled off and on…BUT, the ending makes it all worth it, so read on. I will be looking for the next adventure into the Vault of Secrets.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  3 STARS

I received a copy of Hidden Chamber of Death by Hawk MacKinney in return for an honest review.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Hidden Chamber of Death is a compelling tale of intrigue, murder, deception and suspense that leads retired Navy SEAL/part-time private investigator Craige Ingram in search of the connection between seemingly random murders and a banking conspiracy.

​Working with the local homicide investigator, who just happens to be a former Navy buddy, Craige Ingram’s attempts to protect a lonely widow and solve the case before another person dies are only thwarted by a psychotic killer whose motivation is based on pure depraved pleasure. In this first book of the MOCCASIN HOLLOW MYSTERY SERIES, the instincts and skills Ingram and his buddy acquired as Navy SEALS are tested to their limits.

​Buy the book:  Amazon   Barnes & Noble

ABOUT HAWK MACKINNEY

Hawk MacKinneyInternationally acclaimed author and public speaker, Hawk MacKinney began writing mysteries for his school newspapers. Following graduation, he served in the US Navy for over 20 years. While serving as a Navy Commander, he also had a career as a full-time faculty member at several major state medical facilities. He earned two postgraduate degrees with studies in languages and history. He has taught postgraduate courses in both the United States and Jerusalem, Israel.

In addition to professional articles and texts on fetal and adult anatomy, Hawk has authored several novels that have received national and international recognition.Moccasin Trace, a historical novel, was nominated for the prestigious Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction and the Writers Notes Book Award. This was followed by the Craige Ingram Mystery Series. In a change of direction, October of 2012 saw the release of Hawk’s first science fiction novel, The Bleikovat Event, in The Cairns of Sainctuarie series. Volume II, The Missing Planets, was released in 2014 with Volume III in the works.

​Hawk’s latest project focuses on The Moccasin Hollow Mystery Series. Hidden Chamber of Death is Book 1 in the series.

​Connect with the author:  Website

GIVEAWAY

Win 1 of 5 ebooks or print copies of Hidden Chamber of Death and a $25 Amazon gift card (International)

 ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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Friday 56 #74 & BB #50 – No One Lives Forever @JordanDane

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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.

~~~

2016-02-25 05.16.31

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Next up on the shelf is No One Lives Forever by Jordan Dane, a romantic suspense.

Book III of the No One Series. The books will stand alone.

A simple cover that makes me wonder…is she dead or alive?

MY FRIDAY 56

“You trust this woman,”

“Yes, I do,” he lied.

Of course, he’d be the one to make the call on the payout, but he didn’t have the heart to tell her he’d be in Brazil to do it. And if the funds got paid early, Charboneau’s life would have no more value to the kidnappers. Timing would be everything.

(page 56 in paperback)

MY BOOK BEGINNINGS

Gripping in nine-millimeter Beretta, Nicholas Charboneau peered through the peephole of the penthouse suite, responding to a soft knock. The red and black uniforms of hotel personnel should not have given him any cause for alarm. And yet, the hair at the nape of his neck reacted to a rush of adrenaline. Two men stood by a rolling cart of white linen, covered with food platters and a bottle of Brazilian merlot with a distinctive label.

GOODREADS BLURB

Nothing Is What It Seems

Born to a childhood pitted by violence, Christian Delacorte is desperate for peace when he embarks on a new life with the woman he loves, Detective Raven Mackenzie. But soon his old life comes calling—in the tempting form of a mysterious woman assassin.

When a Deadly Seductress Comes Calling

Jasmine Lee is determined to collect an old marker from Christian. He owes her—big time—and she needs his help freeing her kidnapped lover, Nicholas Charboneau—a powerful mogul linked to Chicago’s underworld. Christian doesn’t trust her, but Jasmine entices him to leave Raven behind when she reveals his shocking connection to Charboneau.

And a Lethal Race Against Time Begins

Christian has seven days to attempt an impossible rescue of the father he never knew. And when a woman assassin with ulterior motives makes a lousy ally, Christian is alone to face the stark reality that no one lives forever . . . and he might be the next to die.
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I am a “cover girl”.

What do you like or dislike about the cover?

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  • To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

FREE THRILLER – Jackpot by Susan Fleet

Jackpot, a free thriller, by Susan Fleet is a prequel for the Frank Renzi series. Each novel can stand alone.

Jackpot tells how and why Frank made the move from Boston to New Orleans, a story no thriller lover will want to miss.

Jackpot is FREE: March 1-5, 2016 .

To see my review:  Is Winning the Lottery a Curse or a Blessing – Jackpot by Susan Fleet.

To see my reviews for more of Susan Fleet’s novels, scroll to the end of the post.

To get your copy, click on the cover or HERE.

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ASIN: B00FCCO4EE   Universal link: JACKPOT

227 reviews: Ave 4.4 out of 5 stars.

A serial killer murders lottery winners.

A compulsive gambler hits the jackpot and thinks his problems are over, but they’re just beginning. Homicide Detective Frank Renzi is hunting a serial killer who targets lottery winners. Feathered Quill Book Reviews called Renzi “The coolest detective in literature today!”

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My Reviews for Susan Fleet’s novels:

 

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

Evil Walks Among Us – Betrayed by Jaye Frances Guest Post, Giveaway & Review

Betrayed (World Without Love, Book I) by Jaye Frances had me sitting, with my mouth hanging open, wanting to throw my kindle at…something. I wanted to scream and rage at the degradation and cruelty that was heaped on Jewel.

Be sure to enter the giveaway at the end of the post.

I am so excited to have Jaye Frances here to share some hints about Betrayed, Book One in the World Without Love series.

Betrayed, Book One, World Without Love

A Suspense Thriller Series With an Erotic Edge

 PROLOGUE

We’re all captives, in one way or another . . .

I’m awakened by the sounds of creaking wood and straining rope—constant protests to the unsteady pitch and roll of the darkness.

Dizzy and disoriented, I take a breath, trying to dispel the nausea. But the air is laced with the pungent smell of damp rot, and its raw bite forces me to shallow my breathing.

Staring into the darkness, I search for a shape, a silhouette—anything to give me a clue about my surroundings. But there is only a thick layered blackness, as endless as the grave.

I’m plagued by the sensation of motion, of being rocked up and down. A flash of impaired logic tells me to dismiss it as a specter, an artifact from the nearly depleted dose of Halcion.

A minute passes—or an hour. I can’t tell which.

I hear something—a garbled voice, remnants of disconnected conversation. And from much farther away, the plaintive cries of a bird. The sounds seem genuine, missing that phantom-like quality associated with suspects from a barbiturate daze.

I take it as a sign—the drugs are finally leaving my system.

A prickly thaw sweeps the surface of my skin, bringing with it the nagging sensation that something is pulling at my limbs, tugging at me from both ends.

It’s not an after-effect of the drugs, I’m sure of that. It’s too strong, too constant. I have the sense it’s been there all along, waiting to break through the chemical cloud that kept me unconscious.

It’s growing stronger, getting worse, becoming a piercing burn stretching from my shoulders to my hips, cutting me to the quick.

I try to turn, to get away from the waves of searing heat raking at my arms and legs.

I can’t move.

The realization is as damning as if I’d awakened in the sulfur pits of hell. I’m bound like an animal, my wrists tied above my head, my legs strapped at the ankles—my body a living bridge of straining joints and wrenched sinew.

Even as my muscles scream at the draw of the restraints, I feel the bite of riveted steel against my back, the harsh, unforgiving surface running the length of my spine.

I’m naked.

It’s no accident. Whoever did this intentionally stripped me, leaving me exposed and vulnerable, determined to violate my mind as well as my body.

The blackness rolls then plunges, releasing something new into the shifting darkness. Slithering against me, it touches my skin with a bitter cold that breaks through the unrelenting agony of the rope. I hear my own tortured wheeze catch in my throat as I feel it scoring my stomach, the freezing nip and sting quickly followed by the unmistakable seeping of liquid, collecting in the hollow of my belly, running down my sides.

A rush of useless adrenalin floods my bloodstream, my chest threatening to explode as my racing heart frantically pumps blood to an unseen wound.

Even through the suffocating surge of panic, a vision of what I cannot see crystalizes with vivid detail: My arms and legs are tortuously drawn on a makeshift rack . . . a pendulum of biting chill slices across my naked torso . . . tiny rivers of fluid trickle down my sides.

I barely hear it over my pounding heartbeat—the sound of sloshing liquid.

In seconds, it becomes as familiar as it is terrifying.

I’m lying in water.

I take a halted breath as I realize the truth. The fluid running down my sides is not blood, but ribbons of over-wash from the frigid pool that surrounds me.

Rope and water.

Pain and fear.

It’s deliberate . . . to break me.

Again, the darkness lurches and rolls, churning the water, splashing it over my breasts and thighs. And although the icy burn forces me to gasp for air, it also sparks a moment of fleeting recognition—a vague memory from my past, a connection to the rise and fall of everything around me.

I’ve felt it before.

But where? When?

Stray thoughts flood my mind—the gentle climb, the momentary sense of weightlessness, the sudden drop . . . the unique motion of the sea.

It isn’t much, but it gives me something to hold on to, a starting point in remembering what has happened to me.

Thanks so much for the enticing peek into Betrayed, Jaye.

The cover only hints at the horror contained within the pages of Betrayed!

Betrayed

Add me to Goodreads now

MY REVIEW

WARNING: Graphic and explicit sexual scenes…kidnapping, sexual slavery, human trafficking, rape, abuse… I hesitate to call it erotica, because I view erotica as sex for sex’s sake. The scenes in Betrayed are pivotal to the story to show the savagery and brutality of the human trafficking of women.

I have read a couple of books by Jaye Francis, The Beach (review link below), Love Travels Forever (review link below) and The Kure (review to come soon) and they were quite different (wonderful paranormal and supernatural stories). I was caught off guard by the direction she took in Betrayed, but her writing is so fantastic, I will read anything she pens.

I love the cover and it screamed EVIL to me and I was soooooo right, BUT…I never anticipated just how EVIL it would be.

I find the review for Betrayed by Jaye Francis very difficult to write. I rarely read erotica, unless it is by an author I cannot resist, of which Jaye is one. I was talking to my sister about the book and how I could best describe it to get my point across. Human trafficking…one of the ugliest sides of “humanity”. The men who do this deserve the worst punishment possible…death! They are not fit to walk the face of the earth and you will meet some of them…especially her husband, Carl.

Jewel is shy and lacks self confidence. She marries Carl and his sense of adventure take them to exotic locales. I loved the thought of no nine to five, just going where their whims take them. Until…

I find it hard to believe she would let Carl do what he did, but I think her naivety and the inability to believe someone she trusted, should have been able to trust, allowed it to happen. After all, this is going on today, to intelligent women who end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. It makes me wonder…it is a desire in women to believe the best of everyone, to trust too much? I struggle to put into words what I am thinking and feeling. It’s one of those things…this could never happen to me. But, could it? Could it happen to you?

She would pay dearly for her mistake!

She would have to “learn to play the game” to survive. Does the Stockholm Syndrome play a part, or is it go along or die?

So many characters to hate and I wish I could climb through my kindle to make them pay. They should not be able to walk among us, living and breathing.

Betrayed by Jaye Frances is jam packed with action. I felt my emotions taking me into the depths of hell and she took me to a place I have never been before. I can only hope Jaye Frances will make them pay, in the worst possible way!

The storm descriptions were vivid and terrorizing, but I felt something good would come of it. I had a feeling I knew where Jaye was going and who Jewel would end up with to continue the story, but how that will play out…

The cliffhanger ending has me literally hanging on the edge…waiting to see where we will go next and I can hardly wait to get there. And I hope to see Carl again…soon.

I received a copy of Betrayed by Jaye Frances in return for an honest review. As I said earlier, I love her writing and will go wherever she wants to take me.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 STARS

Goodreads Blurb:  Jewel has everything going for her—a handsome husband, a promising future, and lots of time to explore an island paradise she now calls home.

But when a group of strangers accompanies her husband home for a friendly game of poker, her life quickly becomes a hellish nightmare of deceit and betrayal.

Now her very survival depends on entering a world where sex, domination, and money are inseparable, where women must obey all masters, and where every desire has its price.

“Betrayed” contains mature content and is intended for an 18 and over audience.

ABOUT JAYE FRANCES

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Jaye Frances, author of Betrayed

Jaye Frances is the author of “World Without Love,” a suspense thriller series with an erotic edge, including “Betrayed,” “Reunion,” and “Redemption.” Her other books include “The Beach,” a sci-fi supernatural tale about the possibilities—and horror—of wishful thinking, “The Kure,” a paranormal-occult romance novel, “The Possibilities of Amy,” a coming-of-age story of first love, and “Love Travels Forever,” a collection of poignant short stories. When not absorbed with her writing, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and taking pictures-lots of them. Jaye lives on the gulf coast of Florida, sharing her home with one husband, six computers, and several hundred pairs of shoes.

For more information visit Jaye’s website at www.jayefrances.com
her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jayefrancesauthor
and her Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/www.jayefrances…

GIVEAWAY

Jaye Frances has offered 1 (one) ebook of Betrayed, Book One of the World Without Love series, for the giveaway. Entry is easy peasy. Just answer the question and leave your email so I may contact you if you win.

“Have you ever been Betrayed by someone you loved and trusted?”

Giveaway runs 2/26 – 3/11/16.

I have read a couple of her books and Betrayed is quite different, but her writing is top notch, so I will grab anything she pens. If Betrayed sounds a bit much for you, check out The Beach, see my review link below, The Kure or The Possibilities of Amy.

MY REVIEWS OF THE BEACH AND LOVE TRAVELS FOREVER

  • Guest Post-Review of The Beach by Jaye Frances
  • Guest Post and Review of Love Travels Forever by Jaye Frances
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Monday Mini – Danger in the Shadows #DeeHenderson

Danger in the Shadows by Dee Henderson is a prequel to the O’Malley Series, and all I can say is WOW! If this is the kickoff, I can hardly wait to continue.

Such a simple cover for a not so simple story.

I won this book in a giveaway. Lucky me.

MY REVIEW

Are you afraid of the dark?

Sara is terrified!

The suspense is high from the opening pages of Dangers in the Shadow by Dee Henderson. Romance is budding…and the mystery of her stalker hangs over her head.

Imagine…security, changing your routines every time you walk out the door,constantly looking over your shoulder, wondering if today would be the day…

Dee Henderson’s writing makes me able to see and feel Sara’s terror. I love that she also writes lovely picture books for children and is a bestselling author for novels of murdered children. I think it shows her wonderful ability to shift focus from the good to the bad.

Dangers in the Shadows is an inspirational suspense novel that did it’s job well. I kept waiting for IT to happen. I know it has to!

The romance was slow to develop, just like most real life instances. This read as if it could be a true story and if you are a suspense/thriller lover, like me, you won’t want to miss Danger in the Shadows by Dee Henderson.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 Stars

BLURB

From Goodreads:  Sara is terrified. She’s doing the one thing she cannot afford to do: fall in love with former pro-football player Adam Black, a man everyone knows. Sara’s been hidden away in the witness protection program, her safety dependent on staying invisible—and loving Adam could get her killed! Introducing the O’Malleys, an inspirational group of seven, all abandoned or orphaned as teens, who have made the choice to become a loyal and committed family. They have chosen their own surname, O’Malley, and have stood by each other through moments of joy and heartache. Their stories are told in CBA best-selling, inspirational romantic suspense novels that rock your heart and restore strength and hope to your spirit.

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 I am a “cover girl”.

Cover design by Ron Kaufmann and Dean H Renniger

What do you think?

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To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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Jeff Gunhus has another hit with Killer Pursuit – Giveaway & Review

Jeff Gunhus writes some amazing stories and Killer Pursuit is another winner!

KillerPursuitTourBanner

I love covers and this one shows there is more going on than meets the eye.

KP

Killer Pursuit by Jeff Gunhus
(Allison McNeil)
Publication date: January 10th 2016
Genres: Adult, Thriller
Cover:  Extended Imagery
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MY REVIEW

The cover for Jeff Gunhus’ Killer Pursuit alludes to the intrigue inside. I love thrillers and suspense novels and this is my first foray into the Allison McNeil adventures. She is a favorite of Jeff’s and now she is a favorite of mine. An amazing and riveting suspense with moments of pacing that took the last quarter of the book into hyperdrive!

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Special Agent Allison McNeil is a loner. Some people think it’s by choice, but a nightmare from her past makes it difficult for her to open herself up to vulnerability. She will buck the system, doing what she knows to be right at whatever cost may come due. sAllison is a pro at entering the minds of some of the most dangerous people known to man. I love villains that are the epitome of evil. I want to know how they think and function, hiding their true nature. I want to dig and dwell in the mind of the most vicious, depraved people, trying to understand them…I don’t think I ever will, but I am not them.
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Politics…Jeff does tell it like it is – corruption, cover ups, intrigue and personal agendas abound. I think Jeff encompasses every down and dirty political machination known.
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Summerhayes is a character I love to hate. He wants to be President. A huge ego, greed and sex will take him down a long and ugly road. I would think politicians would learn that there are no secrets. But…they feel entitled, invincible. Power…what will they do to have it? Lying…it is a profession. Politicians make strange bedfellows and that is putting it mildly in Killer Pursuit.
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Jeff’s writing makes my emotions rise to the surface, roiling and boiling as I read along.
It flows so smoothly, full of surprises that I am drawn deep into the mystery and suspense that is doled out in such a way that I must read the next page…and the next…and the next. The details walked me through Allison’s research as she looked for the answers.
There is a romance and that makes the story even more believable. After all, love is a big part of all our lives. The sexual banter and flirtation came through loud and clear in the dialogue. It brought the complex characters to life.
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I followed the hints trying to solve the mystery before I reached the conclusion, but…I am TICKED OFF good when the killer is exposed and what happened next was a huge surprise. I knew it was coming, but Jeff, you kept me hoping I was wrong. OMG…I am blown away. It makes perfect sense, but I wanted it would be something else. Jeff, you manged to put a smile on my face and tears in my eyes. The story ends on a realistic “normal” family note.
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I received a copy of Killer Pursuit by Jeff Gunhus in return for an honest review and I am on pins and needles waiting for another Allison McNeil adventure.
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Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 Stars
SYNOPSIS

When a high-society call girl is murdered in her Georgetown home, investigators find two cameras hidden in the walls of her bedroom. One has its memory erased, presumably by the murderer. The second is connected to the Internet through an encrypted connection…and no-one knows who’s on the other end.

Special Agent Allison McNeil is asked by beleaguered FBI Director Clarence Mason to run an off-the-record investigation of the murder. The most direct path to apprehending the killer is to find the videos, but with rumors that the victim’s client list may have included Mason’s political enemies, Allison worries about the director’s motives. As she starts her investigation, she quickly discovers that she’s not the only one pursuing the videos. In fact, the most aggressive person racing against her might be the murderer himself.

AUTHOR BIO
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JeffJeff Gunhus is the author of thriller and horror novels for adults and the middle grade/YA series, The Templar Chronicles. The first book, Jack Templar Monster Hunter, was written in an effort to get his reluctant reader eleven-year old son excited about reading. It worked and a new series was born. His books for adults have reached the Top 100 on Amazon and have been Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Finalists.

After his experience with his son, he is passionate about helping parents reach young reluctant readers and is active in child literacy issues. As a father of five, he leads an active lifestyle in Maryland with his wife Nicole by trying to constantly keep up with their kids. In rare moments of quiet, he can be found in the back of the City Dock Cafe in Annapolis working on his next novel.

Author links:
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GIVEAWAY
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Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)
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To see all my Giveaways, go 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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Monday Mini Review – Midnight on the Mississippi by Mary Ellis

Midnight on the Mississippi by Mary Ellis just screams, “READ ME!”

This is the perfect time of year to be sharing a murder mystery on the Bayou – Mardi Gras season. So keep on your toes, keep your eyes open and Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez.

I love everything about the book and was ecstatic when I won a signed paperback for my collection. The cover is gorgeous and I love to read anything that takes place in the south.

Doesn’t the cover tell you there is a mystery inside the pages?

Cover:  Lucas Art and Design

Add me to Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Midnight on the Mississippi is the first book in a stand alone romantic suspense series that has everything I need to make it a must read series for me. Southern Belles, high risk investments, murder and mysteries abound. And then there is Nikki Price. I love her!

She is a badass chic who doesn’t take no for an answer and wants some for herself… from the Bayou.

It was so hard to put down the book, but it is 2am and I find myself losing my place because I keep nodding off.

The characters are rich and complex with the storylines to match. Sometimes I didn’t know whether to love or hate them. To me, that is a sign of great writing!

Midnight on the Mississippi is my first novel from Mary Ellis but it won’t be my last.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 Stars

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS

Midnight on the Mississippi begins the new Secrets of the South Mysteries from bestselling author Mary Ellis. These complex crime dramas follow an investigator’s quest to make the world a better place…solving one case at a time.

New Orleans–Hunter Galen, a stock and securities broker, suspects his business partner, James Nowak, may be involved in embezzling their clients’ money, but he’s reluctant to jeopardize their friendship based on suspicion alone. After James turns up dead, Hunter realizes his unwillingness to confront a problem may have cost James his life.

Nicki Price, a newly minted PI, intends to solve the stockbroker’s murder, recover the missing millions from the client accounts, and establish herself in the career she adores. As she ferrets out fraud and deception at Galen Investments, Hunter’s fiancee, Ashley Menard, rubs Nicki the wrong way. Nicki doesn’t trust the ostentatious woman with an agenda longer than the Mississippi River. Ashley seems to be hiding something, but is Nicki’s growing attraction to Hunter–a suspected murderer–her true reason for disliking Ashley?

As they encounter sophisticated shell games, blackmail, and murder, Nicki and Hunter’s only option is to turn to God as they search for answers, elude lethal danger, and perhaps discover love along the way.

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To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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

Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!