Supernaturalesque – Chasing Demons by C D Kester @CD_Kester

Posted on August 25, 2023 by fundinmental

I received an email from C D Kester with an opportunity to read and review The Bunker and Chasing Demons. If you check out the covers (find The Bunker here), you will see why I did not hesitate.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Just looking at the cover for Chasing Demons…and the one for the novella, The Bunker by C D Kester, made me jump all over these horror, paranormal, supernatural stories. You would benefit from reading The Bunker first. I will introduce you to the evil permeating these small towns. It is filled with detestable characters, heroic characters, and those that overcome their fears and make the ultimate sacrifice to save others.

I have so many highlights in my ereader, I had to sift through them and try to share only those that will tell you why I love the world that C D Kester has so vividly created. Thanks to the Supernatural TV show, it was easy to visualize many scenes and the actions of the demons that are called forth by vile humans that will do anything for greed and power.

I didn’t know what to rate the book, a four or a five, so I figured I would wait and decide while I write this review. Will it get my dander up, after it being a week or so since I have read it. Now, I will browse my highlights and we shall see. The point of view shifts from character to character, allowing us to experience their individual terror.

It has been ten years since The Bunker.

We are back in Texas, in a small town called Fairmont, right next door to Fern Hollow. If you are traveling in the area, don’t stop. Keep on driving. I am immediately drawn in as a body is dumped in a landfill. From there, the evil spreads, and spreads, and spreads. Blood flows and heads roll, literally.

The main characters are four youngsters, Tim, Mike, Logan and Dominic. They are in a band. They are bullied at school. Basically, just average kids, doing average things, until…

When Mike walked into the garage with a shadow following him, all I could think is…not Mike. He has been through so much. He doesn’t deserve this. And it goes downhill from here. It’s a good thing he has such good and loyal friends that will not turn their back on him.

Logan is sent to Camp Gensis for conversion therapy. I think most of us know what that means. Cruelty and torture, but this camp is run by a pedophile. A sheep in wolves clothing.

Nancy is the owner of the Halloween story and has become their friend. Her, on the airplane, I was terrified. I have a fear of flying and sure wouldn’t want to read this book while I was on a plane. LOL

There are so many evil, terrible characters that belong on the bottom of the pond, or that may be too good for them. They conjure evil worse than themselves and I can only hope it will demand a steep price from them for doing so. After all, demons are not your friend.

Every time I turned around, another evil popped up and I was terrified for all the characters I came to love. I was constantly surprised, shocked, saddened, devastated…and the ending. As I write this and check out my last note in my ereader…

She broke down into tears…

And so did I, at least, tears formed in my eyes…again. And that is worth a 5 star rating.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Chasing Demons by C D Kester.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 5 Stars

GOODREAD BLURB

Be true to yourself and stand up for what’s right. Michael, Tim, Dominic, and Logan are four buddies in the suburban town of Fairmont, Texas. Their lives are turned upside down when a demonic entity begins to terrorize their families and all of Fairmont as a whole. Logan knows that he is gay, but has to deal with his family that go to a hate-fueled church led by Johnny Cumberland, otherwise known as Johnny Gospel. The four friends must band together through thick and thin to stand up in the face of evil and hatred. Days and years may come and go, but one thing remains the same. When you’re at your lowest you shouldnt be afraid to admit you need help. And don’t forget, that we can get by with a little help from our friends. Thanks, Joe Cocker.

Genre: Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 17, 2022

ABOUT C D KESTER

C. D. Kester is an author of fiction who does most of his work in the horror genre. He lives in Kingwood, Texas with his wife and two children. Kester recently published his first full length novel, Chasing Demons. His first self-published work is a novella titled The Bunker. He has also had many stories published in anthologies, ezines, and read in podcasts and YouTube videos.

Website / Twitter / Instagram

MY C D KESTER REVIEWS

The Bunker

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Giveaway – Total Eclipse Of The Moon by Zoe Forward @XpressoTours

Posted on August 24, 2023 by fundinmental

Total Eclipse of the Moon
Zoe Forward
(The Crown’s Wolves, #3)
Publication date: August 21st 2023
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

If he doesn’t break the curse tying him and his brothers to the Crown of England as paranormal terrorist hunters, they’ll be forced to execute him.

An accidental demon possession erodes Shane Lanzo’s sanity. Sometimes he’s in control. Sometimes not. His only hope is the witch who cast the curse, which is a problem. The last two times he approached her, the feisty enchantress somehow tamed the demon inside him, but rendered him useless against his desire for her.

Madeline Edney sucks at being a witch. Her casting the curse on the lycan brothers was a fluke, and it destroyed her life. She’s been hunted by the Crown ever since to make sure she doesn’t try to undo the curse. She never expected Shane to find her so easily. He’s a temptation that promises zinger chemistry, her absolute weakness. One taste was gratifying. Two was foolish. Three has become an addiction. Lifting the curse requires she forfeit her life, but if the hunters kill her, it leaves Shane at the mercy of the Crown. Either way she dies.

Shane has a choice: freedom for his family, risking Madeline in the process or a chance at happiness with the witch who fated his brothers as prisoners for eternity.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

EXCERPT

“You feel this between us? It’s magnetic.” Her eyes shone with eagerness in the dim light from the single overhead lightbulb.

“I don’t feel anything.” Desire hot and thick made his hands shake. “If you’re weaving a spell on me, stop.” The one defining goal of the past few decades had been to hate this woman for what she’d done to him and his brothers, and to make her pay.

What was wrong with him? Why did he hesitate now that she was right here?

“Shane?”

He gritted out, “Yes?”

“You don’t look well. There’s something odd about your eyes.” She leaned close to squint at him.

“What do you want from me to reverse the curse?”

“Curse removal is complicated.”

Her scent, something citrusy and fresh, floated up his nose and aggravated his arousal further. She whispered, “I don’t understand what it is that draws me to you. Witches and lycans don’t mix, not just because our species warred for hundreds of years. It’s…we’re too different. With our complicated history this shouldn’t be here.”

“The curse.” Shane’s heart thrashed to the point his ribs hurt.

“That’s what makes this complicated.” She reached out but didn’t touch his skin this time. She blushed and lowered her gaze. For all her power, there was a vulnerability in the move that made Shane want to offer her a safe haven. He inherently sensed goodness in people and detected those in need of help. His kryptonite was someone good in genuine distress. Like her.

She wasn’t good. Couldn’t be. She’d screwed him and his brothers over for almost fifty years.

But something was wrong with her. Very wrong. Despite all she’d done to him in the past, he perceived her to be in danger, which melted his determination to be tough with her.

“You despise me for what I did. I’ve survived worse than your hate. I won’t apologize for the choices I had to make. Someday, perhaps you’ll forgive me?”

“Doubt it.”

“I deserve that.” She ran a finger across his lips. He sucked in a breath. “Do you want me to kiss you? Just so you know what it’s like? So you don’t have to wonder anymore? I’ve wondered.”

Shane glanced out the window.

She sighed. “There’s no one out there who will judge you for having a weak moment with a witch.”

Hells bells. She was right. He wanted a taste. With a trembling hand, he touched her chin. “You’re not just any witch. We can’t do this.”

“That’s not what you want,” she breathed out. “You want to kiss me, right?”

Shane lowered his mouth to hers. “Yes.”

Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author, parent, wife, veterinarian, chocolate lover. Author of spicy paranormal and contemporary romances. Zoe Forward brings readers the perfect combination of action adventure, romance, humor and a bit of magic.

Her novels have won numerous awards including the Prism, Readers’ Choice Heart of Excellence, Golden Quill, Carolyn Readers Choice Award, and the Booksellers’ Best Award.

You can find her residing in the South with a menagerie of four-legged beasts and two wild kids.

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Giveaway – Psycho Therapy by T G Wolff @partnersincr1me @tg_wolff

Posted on August 24, 2023 by fundinmental

Psycho Therapy

by TG Wolff

July 31 – August 25, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Diamond. One name for a woman who is faking it until she makes it. And she will make it. At least that’s what she’s telling herself.

Dr. Robin Ransom is a therapist to first responders, cops, and spies. She has a problem. She is being blackmailed via email by a nameless, faceless crook. Things go from bad to worse when the neighbor who helped deal with the threat is found dead and her newest patient tries water boarding her for information on the enigmatic Blue Devil. With no good options, she makes a desperate attempt at escape.

Diamond is a former CIA agent turned widow turned somebody whose services are most definitely not for hire. As she is struggling to figure out what is next for her, an intriguing case falls practically in her lap. From a video gaming Beastmaster in Michigan, to a suicide bomber in Virginia, to a psychiatric conference in the south of France, Diamond jumps in with her usual flair for destruction and chaos. But Fate isn’t satisfied, pushing Diamond into a position where it is either her or the person she cares for most.

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery
Published by: Down & Out Books
Publication Date: July 2023
Number of Pages: 247
ISBN: B0C4QW26H3
Series: Diamond Mystery, 3
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Down & Out Books

Read an excerpt:

Irish found me a hot therapist. To show my appreciation, I wouldn’t kill him.

Just maim him a little.

“Odd doesn’t begin to describe it.” I put my hands out to him. “So, what do you say?”

“Why don’t we leave those as is for now.” He leaned against the bathroom doorframe and gestured with a hand toward the couch. “You’re early.”

“I shouldn’t be here at all.” I went to the couch because I couldn’t stay bent over his moving boxes. “Call me Diamond, all the cool kids do. I don’t need to be here.”

“We should be able to wrap this up quickly then. No point in kicking a dead horse, now is there?”

“Exactly, I’m glad we—wait, are you insinuating that I’m a lost cause?”

“No, no, of course not. It’s a metaphor. It’s one of those parts of speech you Americans endlessly bastardize without understanding its linguistic origins. You, for example, have closed your mind to therapy. Ergo, your mind is a dead horse. Any attempt on my part to alter, change, or inform your perceptions is a waste of energy much in the same way of kicking a dead horse to get it to move. In short, no matter how hard I kick you, you are not going anywhere.”

I stood, flashing my charming smile. “There is a difference between being dead and playing dead. The first is confining, the latter liberating. As for kicking me, well, I wouldn’t want you to strain yourself. I understand your limitations. After all, those who can, do. Those who can’t, hang diplomas on the wall.”

He pulled his long body from its reclined position. “Are you suggesting I’m a fraud?”

“Not at all. I’m suggesting you’re a failure. Being a failure is not the same as being a fraud. It’s not your fault. Being ordinary is a handicap that can be overcome with delusions of grandeur and copious amounts of whiskey.”

“And you’re extraordinary? Please. I’ve met pigeons more unique than you. Look at yourself. Where do you shop? NYPD Blue wardrobe surplus?”

I rolled my eyes. “Elton John called and asked you return the shirt you stole.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Smart. Vicious. Enjoys a good fight. Thinks she’s unique when she is of the buy one, get two free variety. Poor baby. Life didn’t live up to your expectations?”

I mimicked his position. Well, I tried to, zip ties cramped my style. I settled for resting my hands on my hip. “That’s a mirror you’re looking in. Don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re not the only one who ekes out a living getting people to pay you for your attention. At least you get to keep your pants on.”

“Silk pants on. Only the best. When did the nightmares start?”

“I…”

“Don’t bother denying it. The circles under your eyes and lack of witty repartee are classic signs of sleep deprivation. How long has it been since you slept through the night? A month? Six months? Tell me about the nightmares.”

“I don’t have nightmares,” I snapped. “I don’t dream at all.” Immediately, I knew I had lost. I’d revealed too much. “And if I did, I could handle it.”

He sat down at his desk, pulling a few sheets of paper in front of him. He slashed across the top with a green pen. “Goodbye, Lucy Nutcase. Hello, Diamond.” He scribbled my name, then looked up. “Last name.”

“Tiara,” I said sarcastically, and the bastard wrote it.

He began reading. “Dead husband. Hmm. Hmm. Car chase. Pyrotechnics. Hmm. Baseball?”

“You had to be there.” I left the couch to creep up on his desk. The page was filled with printed text and comments in the same green ink.

Reckless.

Rash.(Doesn’t that mean the same thing?)

No regard for life.

Suicidal tendencies.

He looked up, pinning me with his gaze. “Care to talk about it?”

“No.”

“Fine. I don’t have time anyway.” He bent to a box behind the desk and began unpacking. “If you don’t have the stomach to deal with your issues, then you might as well kill yourself. Do it quickly and leave the air for the rest of us.”

I…He…Did he really? “You can’t tell people to kill themselves. That’s malpractice.”

He stacked books on the glass desktop. “Sue me. Oh wait, you’re gonna be dead. Haunt me. I’ve always wanted a pet ghost.”

“Maybe I have a good reason to want to die.”

“You’re taking up air.”

“Maybe I—”

“Bloody hell,” he said sharply. He turned, crossed the room in three long strides, and spun me toward the door. “I don’t have time for this. Out with you.”

I sidestepped right. “I thought I had an hour.”

“Had. Past tense.” He grasped my shoulders and steered me left again. “Your time is up.”

I planted a boot on the wall. “Oh no, it isn’t.”

“Yes, it is.” He put his shoulder into it, sweeping my leg, and sending me tumbling into the hallway. “Take two aspirin and don’t call me in the morning.”

Door slam.

“What the fuck?” I sprang to my feet and tried the door. It was locked from the inside. I pounded on the fucking beige panels. “Open. Up.” It’s not that I wanted back in, ’cause I did not want to talk to Dr. Robin Ransom, but nobody turns Diamond out like a cat at night. “I’m not through talking to you!”

“Yes, you are,” Ransom said, his voice muffled by an inch and a half of engineered wood. “Bloody nutter.”

“Bloody nutter? I’ll show him who’s nutters.” I would just circle around to the reception room and kick his ass with my hands tied together. Now, to get back. The hallway was a one-way trip to a staircase, which opened onto the parking lot. Irish was sitting in his SUV with the motor running, windows up. I kicked his door, startling the self-proclaimed super spy.

He shoved the door open and got in my face. “What the hell are you doing here? You still have forty-five minutes.”

“Your therapist is psycho. What did you expect from someone named Robin? Cut me loose. Now. I’m going to kick his ass using number eighteen.”

Irish pulled a knife from his pocket. “Hold still. You cut yourself. How hard were you pulling? And what do you mean ‘he’? Ransom is a she.”

“I shouldn’t have had to pull at all. And Ransom is definitely a he. A hot he, as if you didn’t know.”

“She’s a she.” He cut through the zip tie. “I know a woman when I see one.”

An unnatural noise drew our attention to the second floor. A woman was awkwardly climbing over one of the balconies. Her hands were bound behind her back and tape covered her mouth.

“We can’t get to her in time,” Irish said. Both of us saw the resolve in the woman’s face. She was gonna jump.

***

Author Bio:

TG Wolff writes mysteries for people who love to solve puzzles. Her books feature characters in situations mirroring the complexities of real life and real people, balanced with a healthy dose of entertainment. TG Wolff co-host Mysteries to Die For podcast with her son, Jack Wolff. She holds a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering and is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.

Catch Up With TG Wolff:
TGWolff.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @TG_Wolff
Instagram – @tg_wolff
Twitter – @tg_wolff
Facebook

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Couldn’t Stop Reading – Nobody by T Joseph Browder #TJosephBrowder

Posted on August 23, 2023 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The hunkalicious NCIS looking customer ordered a Chocolate Overdose and said, “Keep your head down.” Robyn Carr wondered why he kept hanging around after finishing his drink. Four clowns enter, begin blasting away with their automatic weapons, until the customer makes a stand. When Robyn asked who he was, he responded, “I am Nobody.”

And that is the beginning of the book. It took me by surprise, because I thought I had it all figured out early on, and I was sooo wrong. So wonderfully wrong. The writing flowed smoothly, leading me deeper into this fabulous story, making me unable to stop until the last word was read, shaking my head, and thinking….what an awesome ending! Sure didn’t see that coming.

Arianna Price was fourteen years old when Nobody had saved her life. Twenty five years later, she is a Special Agent of the FBI. A profiler. She has never quit searching for the man who appears at violent, traumatic events, saving some and letting others die. She has a question only he can answer, and she will not quit looking until she finds him. WHY? Why did he save her and her mother, but let her father and brother die? That is the question I always seek an answer to when I read a murder mystery, when I read about serial killers. Many times the why is never answered, but this time may be different.

Is she special…or is it more than that?

Arianna had fought for her position, being a black woman in a man’s world. When she met Goldenfeather, a Navajo woman, she was told her to stop searching. It is a fight between good and evil and it will destroy her. I love the addition of Navajo folklore, myth and legend, and voodoo.

The history of the pacemaker was fascinating.

The ‘In The Bank’ chapter was wonderfully inspiring.

I also learned about the immortal jellyfish, Turritopsis dohrnii. I love a book that has me going to the web for more information, and the author did his research.

If you love books about battles between good and evil, this is for you. I got so much more than I had anticipated, and I have read a couple other books by T Joseph Browder, so my expectations were pretty high. No worries. He met and surpassed them.

Be sure and read the Afterword and Acknowledgments and let us know if you think T Jospeh Bowder was prescient.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Nobody by T Joseph Browder.

GOODREADS BLURB

Fourteen-year-old Arianna Price, rescued, bloody and terrified, from a bathtub by a stranger after witnessing the brutal slaying of her father and brother during a home invasion, had no time to ask questions of the man who’d interceded on her behalf before disappearing, without a trace, into the night. Twenty-five years later, her future and profession dictated by that single event, Special Agent Arianna Price of the FBI is determined to bring the still unidentified vigilante, her erstwhile savior, in for questioning. Except he seems to have never existed. He has no name. No past. No identity. He appears during horrific acts of violence, intervenes, then vanishes like a wraith. Evidence suggests he’s been doing so for thirty years, or more. Yet, according to witnesses, he has never aged. He is punishment. He is vengeance. He is Nobody.

Genre: Angels and Demons, Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural, Vigilante
296 pages, Paperback
Published: June 5, 2023 by T. Joseph Browder

ABOUT T JOSEPH BROWDER

T. Joseph Browder was born in Lima, Ohio in 1969 and is the author of ‘Dark Matters,’ ‘Plague,’ and ‘Infernal,’ the first in a series of novels about the Multiverse and the age-old battle between good and evil.

Of writing T. Joseph Browder says, “I’m an addict. Some people are addicted to alcohol, some to marijuana, coke, or heroin. I’m addicted to writing. It’s my drug of choice and like the monkey on the back of the heroin user it compels me to sit down at my computer every day and check out of reality. Since I work a full-time job in the meat industry my time is limited. If I don’t ‘use’ often enough I suffer withdrawals. The pain is tangible. For me, writing is a high like no other. It’s one helluva buzz.”

A student of Psychology, T. Joseph Browder also holds Doctorates in Divinity, Metaphysics, and Religious Humanities. “I’m an ordained minister,” Browder says, “but that’s a prerequisite for the education I was pursuing. I’ve performed a wedding ceremony or two but have never felt the urge to preach before a congregation.”

Like his education, Mr. Browder’s writing is driven by an insatiable curiosity for what makes people behave the way they do, make the choices they make, and feel the way they feel. Drawing on an intimate knowledge of the evil alive in humanity his work centers on the darker aspects of life, the sudden changes and left turns life throws at all of us and how we react to those things that lurk around the next corner and go bump in the night.

Mr. Browder currently lives in Kansas with his wife, Marie, and is hard at work on a new novel.

Website

MY T JOSEPH BROWDER REVIEWS

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Giveaway – Dominion: First Blood by Richard Mann @rgmannauthor @SilverDaggerSxx

Posted on August 23, 2023 by fundinmental

Humans and Vampires unite in a holy war against an ancient alien menace.

Independence Day meets Underworld.

Hero

Dominion First Blood Book 1

by Richard Mann

Genre: SciFi, Apocalyptic Fantasy

Lost in the desert our modern day hero SAS Captain “Bullet Proof Pete” has strange visions of a priest and an ancient book of prophecy, and a sword of unspeakable power. The Archangel Michael appears when all seems lost and tells him his destiny and his ancient name.

His visions continue, a dark cave, something diabolical within, a blackened sky and an ancient race of aliens invade earth in a monstrous ship. A woman of strange beauty appears in his dreams trying to contact him.

A brilliant archaeologist makes a shocking discovery in modern Iraq.

The magnetic Lucia and Count Cassian – vampires since the dawn of civilisation meet with the US President to persuade him of the impending threat. They also seek the ancient Hero contained in the book of prophecy.

In a frantic race against time our hero goes to New York to find out aboutthe alien agenda, but surrounded by alien forces he is saved at the last minute by two mysterious vampires.

Former enemies, both human and vampire, must become friends. But can humankind learn to set aside their petty conflicts and unite in a common cause?

Issues of race, religion and class are now irrelevant in a fight against a common and vicious enemy – determined to conquer earth and enslave its people. And one human holds the key – Caius.

“I wanted to write something that plays out in the imaginations of readers like a movie,” explains the author. “At its core it’s fiction, but the novel also asks some much deeper questions about race, religion and the basic survival of humankind. I believe readers will turn the last page with plenty to think about.”

Continuing, “There’s lots for everyone – including hardboiled hallmarks of sci-fi and fantasy for those who like a solid read, as well as lots of technical descriptions and some rather advanced weaponry, for readers who have a taste for the unconventional!”

**Only .99cents!**

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Vendetta

Dominion First Blood Book 2

Our modern-day hero SAS Captain “Bullet Proof Pete” and East End gangster Vinnie find themselves in Los Angeles and discover the shocking truth about the alien agenda.

His waking visions continue – ancient battles by the Nile and a family in ancient Rome.

Lucia and Count Cassian – vampires since the dawn of civilisation finally meet the ancient Hero contained in the book of prophecy, “Bullet Proof Pete” aka Caius. Together they battle the aliens in a cruel guerilla war, but Peter soon finds himself torn between his wife Jennifer and the magnetic and sexy Lucia.

But Why is she familiar – is this the woman in his visions?

At last they discover critical information about the aliens and their monstrous ships as a counteroffensive begins, but then Lucia tells Peter Jennifer has been taken. But where is she and what is the connection between Jennifer and Lucia?

Meanwhile on the alien mothership a secret conspiracy is uncovered and something diabolical is released to Earth.

Our hero has a waking dream of a dark cave, with something terrible inside and is gripped by terror. He now realises that there are forces of darkness and light at work on both sides of the conflict. Can he fight his own battles and become the warrior everyone expects him to be?

The US President stands alone – all seems lost. But then our hero turns up with important new information and physic Lucia informs them of a shocking revelation that changes everything. In a frantic race against time former enemies, both human and vampire, must become friends.

But can humankind learn to set aside their petty conflicts and unite in a common cause?

Issues of race, religion and class are now irrelevant in a fight against a common and vicious enemy – determined to conquer earth and enslave its people. And one human, and his supernatural sword, holds the key – Caius.

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

Caius

Dominion First Blood Book 3

Lucia and Count Cassian – vampires since the dawn of civilisation team up with the ancient hero contained in the book of prophecy.

The nightmares of our hero, SAS Captain “Bullet Proof Pete” become a reality when he must face his ultimate challenge – only then will he become the warrior he is destined to be.

The leader of the alien cult shock troops steals the ancient book of knowledge so he can gain occult power over mankind and their ancient enemy the nightcrawler vampires. But it contains a secret that could change everything.

Peter, now Caius the demi-god and his lifelong friend Vinnie, are desperate for information about the whereabouts of their kidnapped wives, but then a befriended alien clone reveals vital information, raising their hopes.

The traitor US general is now beginning to regret his allegiance to the alien cause as the mothership retreats to a safe distance – He aligns himself with the alien cult leader as they make plans of their own.

Caius and his team prepare for the final assault. Will he find his wife Jennifer and will he find out what he has suspected all along about Lucia the femme fatale vampire and his wife?

In a nail-biting climax all will be revealed.

This Sci-Fi Thriller will grab you by the scruff of the neck and take you on a roller coaster ride…sometimes horrific, sometimes comic, always gripping – It will keep you guessing right until the climatic finale.

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

Richard Mann grew up in being an avid reader of books, even from an early age he loved the literary giants Tolkien, Michael Moorcock, Frank Herbert and Douglas Adams. He is also a big fan of Bernard Cornwell, the historical novelist and Frederic Forsyth, the great thriller writer. (Hint: If you love these authors you will love Richard’s books). He started writing at 16 but the dream faded until a few years ago when he started writing again. During his twenties he studied business studies and accountancy. During this time he also studied Shaolin and Wing Chun Kung Fu and even starting a school with a friend. He has worked as an accountant, Software developer in the City of London for banks and insurance companies, and is now an author.

HERO- Dominion First Blood is his first book. His mercurial book is action packed, fast paced, and guaranteed to keep the reader turning pages to the end. This wholly original book falls within the thriller, fantasy horror, and sci-fi genres. It combines incredible action, hair-raising scares and big laughs. It will shock the reader into thinking about his own place in the world. Warning: This book may keep the reader up all night!

Richard is a fellow Member of the Association of Accounting Technicians, Member of the Institute of Analysts and Programmers and a Member of the British Computer Society. He is 57, married to Brenda, has two sons and lives in Berkshire.

The best way to keep up with his latest news is to sign up for his newsletter.

www.richardmannblog.com

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway! a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Dark Net Horror – Mr Sticks by Jeffrey Hale @jhalehorror @SandsPressPub

Posted on August 22, 2023 by fundinmental

I want to thank Perry Prete for introducing me to Sands Press and Sands Press for the opportunity to read and review Mr Sticks by Jeffrey Hale.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The dark net is filled with monsters. It’s frequented by thieves, drug dealers, child predators, and cold-blooded killers. But Mr. Sticks is the most fearsome of them all.

Mr Sticks, Mr Sticks, master of tricks,
Tallas a shadow and wide as a mouse.
Call him and tease him, but don’t displease him…or you might end up stiff as Barb Klaus.

That was the hook for me. The cover makes me think supernatural horror, but the dark net makes me think horror of the two legged kind. Sure did make me curious and I pushed it to the top of my reading list.

Let’s talk characters: Lucia is the main character. Finley is her sixteen year old sister. Their parents are no longer together, and the fact that Finley has gone missing doesn’t affect them at all. If Lucia hadn’t come home, no one would be looking for her. Brian Van Pelt is her old boyfriend, and her sister’s current boyfriend. I immediately disliked him and everything I thought about him being a douche came to light. The only redeeming quality he had was that he was willing to help her search for her sister. Peter is a computer whiz and comes on board to help them navigate the dark web and search for Finley.

Lucia does exactly what I kept telling her (LOL) not to do and l lost a lot of respect for her, but she was willing to put her life on the line to find out what happened to Finley, so I have to give her kudos for that.

Mr Sticks was definitely creepy and not easy to figure out. I felt like yelling through my ereader at Lucia. Everyone knows you don’t go off on your own. Nothing good comes of it. But, if she didn’t stay persistent, she would have had no answers at all. I give her a lot of credit for going the distance, but, boy of boy, did she make some boneheaded moves.

My rating is what it is because of my inability to figure it all out…and I was still left shaking my head and thinking WTH. Seeing Mr Sticks is a series, the story is not over and I am curious where Jeffrey Hale will take it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Mr Sticks by Jeffrey Hale.

GOODREADS BLURB

The dark net is filled with monsters. It’s frequented by thieves, drug dealers, child predators, and cold-blooded killers. But Mr. Sticks is the most fearsome of them all.

Mr. Sticks uses the dark net to locate the lost and vulnerable; to lure young men and women into his web. And once he has a fly in his web, he doesn’t let go.

Nobody knows what happens to Mr. Sticks’ victims, after the dance is done, but Lucia, an office administrator from Eaton, Colorado, is determined to find out. Before her sixteen-year-old sister becomes another notch on Mr. Sticks’ belt.

Genre: Fiction, Horror
250 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 30, 2019 by Sands Press
Series: Mr Sticks #1

ABOUT JEFFREY HALE

Jeffrey Hale is no stranger to suburban horror. He’s been accosted by goat-human hybrids, chased by inbred wenches, attacked by giant killer bees, and survived countless hours of prime-time television. When he isn’t busy fighting for his life, he can be found reading, writing, playing the bass guitar, or otherwise making a damn fool of himself.

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Giveaway – Hungry Is The Night by Robin Jeffrey @XpressoTours @TheSidekick

Posted on August 22, 2023 by fundinmental

Hungry is the Night
Robin Jeffrey
(The Night Series, #1)
Publication date: August 22nd 2023
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

The werewolves of the world live in tight knit gangs, or “dens”, for protection from outsiders – and each other. Every major metropolis has one; to belong to a den is to have a family for eternity. However, Grace Holtz, next in line to lead the Seattle den called The Nameless, has had enough of living under the crushing weight of her den’s expectations. Having fled to a small, rural town in southeast Oregon, her goal is to blend in and be as “normal” as possible for the rest of her unnaturally long life.

But Marcus Bowen, a wolf from the UK-based Feóndulf den (and the closest thing Grace has ever had to a lover), has other plans. Reappearing thirty years after their affair came to an abrupt and bloody end, Marcus needs Grace. He needs her to return to Seattle and arrange an audience with Mama, the current leader of The Nameless and Grace’s estranged grandmother. The leader of the Feóndulf and his heir have both been brutally murdered, and Marcus suspects that Grace and Mama are next.

Teaming up to hunt for the killer in the Emerald City, the pair slowly begin to realize their romance may not be as dead as they thought. However, as it becomes clear that the person they’re looking for holds secrets about both their dens, Marcus and Grace must grapple with competing loyalties, conflicting desires, and ultimately decide what matters more: their dens or each other.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

The sensation of his lips against mine rippled through me like a shot of whiskey, warming and intoxicating, setting my blood dancing while at the same time making me shiver. When he reciprocated the gesture, when he reached out to hold my cheek with trembling fingers and shifted against my lips without withdrawing, the tight coil of control in my chest unraveled. I took a step forward, my body flush against his, and lifted my hands to grip at Marcus’ shoulders with a possessiveness I barely recognized.

Marcus mimicked my stance, but instead of pulling me closer, he took a step back, breaking the kiss with a small gasp. My eyes flickered open.

While he shook his head, Marcus’ eyes remained closed as he whispered, “Grace, we shouldn’t—”

“Marcus.” His eyes opened wide at the sound of his name. I gave a weak smile and lifted my hand to his face, trailing my thumb across his lower lip. “Don’t be so stupid as to make the same mistake twice.”

He blinked at me once, then twice. The corners of his mouth shot down into a frown and his hands dropped from my shoulders to my hips. He pulled me against his body while quietly whispering, “Ah, sod it, then,” before kissing me hard.

I answered in kind, my hands skittering unmoored across first his jaw, then his shoulders, then his sides, then his chest. I deepened the kiss with a flick of my tongue at his bottom lip, a teasing, tentative request that Marcus answered with unabashed eagerness, opening his mouth to my explorations.

Slowly at first, then in a progressively frantic tumble, I pulled Marcus back into my room toward the bed. I kicked off my shoes as I went, running the tip of my tongue along the top of his palate. He tried desperately to keep pace with me, capturing my lower lip between his teeth and biting down, not too hard, but just hard enough. Still, there was hesitation in his movements. No longer content with the skin available to my hands, I began easing his shirt up and over his body. Marcus tried to register a verbal protest, but it was lost in the crush of our mouths. It wasn’t until I relinquished his lips and began lavishing attention on his neck that he was able to say anything at all.

As soon as his mouth was free of mine, he breathed my name imploringly, caressing my back and shoulders through my thin sweatshirt. “Grace…”

“Don’t worry,” I answered, my words muffled as I pressed my lips against his carotid artery, my wandering hands pushing up under the hem of his T-shirt, fingers dancing over the newly exposed flesh at his side. “I’ll take care of you.”

Author Bio:

When Robin Jeffrey isn’t checking out books to students at the academic library where she works, she can be found cranking out punchy flash fiction, lyrical essays, and world-rich romances. Her writing has been published in magazines across the country and around the world. She currently calls the Pacific Northwest of the United States home, where she lives happily with her husband and their out of control comic book collection. She currently resides in the rainy Pacific Northwest. More of her work can be found on her website, RobinJeffreyAuthor.com.

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Techy Aliens – Xenome by Vivek Pravat @VPravat @booksirens

Posted on August 21, 2023 by fundinmental

I want to thank Book Sirens & Vivek Pravat for the opportunity to read and review Xenome.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

All I had to see was…a remote Pacific Island, something new birthed and not of this world, and I was curious. But, it was a little over my head when it came to the scientific information.

We started out with something I am familiar with, Holly’s mother being found dead. She goes to Melanesia to search for answers. All kinds of red flags were flying for me, and I asked myself, “Would I do it?” It doesn’t take long for danger to mount, guns blazing and bullets flying.

Holly needs to be on her toes, because danger and betrayal lurk around every turn. She has her boyfriend, David, at her side, and he is the only person she can trust. He is injured early on, and she is left to her own devices. As the story develops, other characters come into play that will be important to her.

The something new birthed is nothing I anticipated and I like that, but Vivek’s scientific explanations were confusing and stopped the flow of the story. I think others, more technically minded will grasp the concept quicker than I did, but once we got past that, the action ramps up, evil rises, betrayal and friendship come from unlikely sources, and savagery and death surround her.

I do love an author who isn’t afraid to kill off their characters, even ones I have come to count on and was saddened when they died a grisly death, but I have to consider the players in a game of world domination. Greed and power are at the forefront and the players will stop at nothing to go where no man has gone before. (LOL) Haven’t humans learned not to play God? Nothing good comes of it.

In the Afterword, Vivek Pravat shares elements of the story that are fact and fiction.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Xenome by Vivek Pravat.

GOODREADS BLURB

ON A REMOTE PACIFIC ISLAND, SOMETHING NEW HAS BEEN BIRTHED. SOMETHING NOT OF THIS WORLD…

Holly Truong is a field biologist on the verge of an experimental breakthrough on swarm intelligence. But when she receives news that her estranged mother has been found dead in faraway Melanesia, she is compelled to put everything on the back burner and go in search of answers.

Waiting for her there is an experiment of a completely unexpected kind: a recreation of alien life, made possible by a secret SETI program called Metis Eye. Earth is now host to a bizarre new life form—one utterly unlike anything the planet has seen in its four and a half billion years of existence.

However, as shocking as the revelation is, a deeper, far more terrifying secret lurks in the heart of the jungle. A secret that if left uncovered could mean the end of civilization itself.

Nature, red in tooth and claw, has returned to claim its dominion, and Holly is about to find out that she is the only one standing in its way.

Genre: Action and Adventure, Aliens, Fiction, Genetic Engineering, Horror, Science Fiction,Technothriller
450 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 31, 2023

ABOUT VIVEK PRAVAT (from his website)

Vivek writes books under the pen name Vance Pravat. Software engineer by profession, the author has been an ardent fan of science fiction since childhood. During the course of his work, he has lived and worked in several countries around the world, and prides himself on his ability to assimilate alien cultures and cuisines with all the gusto of some benign version of the Borg.

His love for fiction that doesn’t hesitate to ask big questions eventually compelled him to overcome the demands of his day trade and pen his first book.

His main areas of interest are AI, philosophy, history, physics, and geopolitics. When he is not too busy writing, reading, or entertaining his baby daughter, he likes to indulge in PC role-playing and collectible card games.

He is always happy to chat with his readers and can be found just an email or a PM away.

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Giveaway – Phantom Fire by Delta James @xpressotours

Posted on August 21, 2023 by fundinmental

Phantom Fire
Delta James
(Winged Warriors, #1)
Publication date: August 18th 2023
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

A night of passion and a positive pregnancy test will change everything.

Kessily Campbell, a rising star environmental lawyer, was not looking for a relationship when she met the mysterious Falkor at a conference. The attraction was instantaneous and powerful. She didn’t have time for commitment in her life so, she invited him to her room for a fun evening. When Kessily discovers she is pregnant, she must face the realities that come with this new life.

Falkor, dragon and alpha of the Phantom Fire, would lose too much if he committed to a woman. Tradition stated when a member of the Phantom Fire found their eternal flame they were to give up their position and immortality. In addition, they had to pledge their first-born son to the Winged Warriors when he reached age. There are not many human women who are willing to accept those terms.

As the head lawyer on an important case involving the Wind River Mountains, Kessily is very busy. Walking into a meeting with her boss to meet a new co-plaintiff, she is shocked to realize that Falkor will be joining her legal team. Now she has to figure out how to tell him he’s going to be a father in the next seven months.

As the trial heats up so does their relationship. Their relationship is tested as they fight to find a path forward. Will they be able to reach a compromise that will benefit everyone? Find out in this passionate and suspenseful tale of love and responsibility.

If you enjoy romantic suspense books by K.C. Crowne and Lillian Monroe you’ll love this story of a passionate night that changes everything.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

Along about dusk, she had her usual campsite within reach. As she rounded the corner, she realized it was in use. The woman emerging out of the bright orange tent smiled as she spotted Kessily and raised her hand.

“Hello, sister,” she called. She was dressed in jeans and a pretty sweater with Native American-inspired artwork intricately woven into the sweater. Her jeans were tucked into traditional moccasins instead of hiking boots.

Kessily looked all around her to see to whom the woman was referring.

The woman laughed. “Yes, I mean you. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“You have? Do we know each other?” Kessily asked as she reached into her pocket for the bear spray—if it could drop a grizzly, surely it could drop a medium-sized female.

“There is no need for violence or confusion. I am known as She Who Listens.”

“What do you listen to?” asked Kessily.

“To all the living things. They speak to me.”

Curious, Kessily moved closer. “What do they tell you?”

“Many things. For instance, they say you are on a great quest.”

Kessily smiled and approached her. There didn’t seem to be any reason not to. “I’m hiking up to the Cauldron of Fire.”

“Ah, it is the dragon you seek. He searches for you, as well.”

Okay, so the woman is a little bit crackers. Perhaps I’ll move along and hope she doesn’t follow.

“You think I’m not right in the head, but I am. There is a reason you feel at peace when you are within sight of the Cauldron. It is because he is there and has been waiting. He will come to you and you will bear his child.”

“I’m not quite sure how to tell you this,” Kessily said, politely, “but it is next to impossible for me to get pregnant. I have something called PCOS. It will prevent me from ever having children.”

“Dragon seed is strong. I can prove to you that what I say is true.”

“Short of producing a dragon, I don’t think that’s possible. But you have yourself a nice day.”

Kessily turned to leave, and she heard the woman scurrying back into her tent. She didn’t think anything good could come of that. She picked up her pace and began to put as much distance between herself and the mad woman as she possibly could. When the sound of the woman exiting her tent and starting after her reached her ears, Kessily broke into a run.

“Wait, sister! I mean you no harm,” the woman said as her hand closed around Kessily’s upper arm and spun her around. In her hands was a large deck of ornate cards. “Pick one.”

“No, thanks. I have friends waiting and want to get to them before they start to worry.”

The woman frowned and shook her head. “No, you don’t. There is no one who waits for you. Pick a card. Listen to the message the gods send to you, and I will leave you in peace. I am nothing more than their messenger. When you have listened, I will go.”

The woman held out the deck of cards, and hesitantly Kessily started to pick one but glanced at the woman’s face to see if there was any indication that she wanted her to pick a specific card. There was nothing. This woman would be hard to beat in a poker game. Her expression showed no emotion whatsoever.

“Pick.”

Kessily withdrew a card and handed it to the woman, who smiled. “You chose the silver dragon of imagination, possibility, and self-discovery.”

Looking at the card, all Kessily could see was a silver dragon flying high over the peaks of a set of mountains that looked oddly familiar. The sky above it was midnight blue with shining stars that cast their light on the snow-capped peaks.

“What are you trying to tell me?” Kessily asked.

“It is not I who speaks to you, but the dragon lord who will claim you. I wish you well, sister.” The woman turned around and returned to her campsite.

Wanting to put as much distance between them as possible, Kessily headed up the trail at a fast pace—just short of running. What a nut job. Nice enough, but clearly not quite right in the head.

Author Bio:

As a USA Today bestselling romance author, Delta James aims to captivate readers with stories about complex,curvy heroines and the dominant alpha males who adore them. For Delta, romance is more than just a love story; it’s a journey with challenges and thrills along the way.

After creating a second chapter for herself that was dramatically different than the first, Delta now resides in Florida where she relaxes on warm summer evenings with her loveable pack of basset hounds as they watch the birds, squirrels and lizards. When not crafting fast-paced tales, she enjoys horseback riding, walks on the beach, and white-water rafting.

More about Delta, including a full list of her books and audiobooks, can be found at www.deltajames.com.

Her readers mean the world to her, and Delta tries to interact personally to as many messages as she can. If you’d like to chat or discuss books, you can find Delta on Instagram, Facebook, and in her private reader group https://www.facebook.com/groups/348982795738444.

If you’re looking for your next bingeable series, you can get a FREE story by joining her newsletter https://www.subscribepage.com/VIPlist22019.

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Sherry’s Shelves 8.13 – 8.19.23 #weeklyupdate

Posted on August 20, 2023 by fundinmental

Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Sunday Salon is hosted by Readerbuzz
Stacking The Shelves by Reading Reality
**images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**

Hi Everyone. This has been a quiet week, with Mr Wonderful doing some freelance, me reading and reading and reading, and binging on more Lucifer. I see some great movies coming up once I have finished the Lucifer series. I love Tom Ellis as Lucifer. All I have to do is look at his face and it puts a smile on mine. Do you have a series or movie you watch over and over because of a specific character that intrigues you? Have a great week.

LAST WEEK ON fundinmental