Explosive – Lair Reckoning by D V Sullivan @bydvsullivan

Posted on December 23, 2024 by fundinmental

MY REVIEW

OMG, I sure didn’t see where this was going. Each book of the Lair series by D V Sullivan has been filled with action and I have loved every minute with Arie and Adrian. Each book drew me deeper and deeper into their world. I didn’t see a way for them to survive, let alone have a happy every after.

They are on a mission. A mission to take out Adrian’s maker, the cruelest vampire of them all. They will find out if he can become human again.

Arie was able to lure people to her side, risking life and limb. She had never considered herself a leader, but there are those that are willing to follow. Unfortunately, not all will survive. I do love an author that is so confident his story can stand after killing off a character or two or three or…

Wow, just wow. There were so many things I loved about Lair Reckoning. The whole premise, a ‘Below Deck’ world was a novel approach. Why would vampires want to live on yachts? Because D V Sullivan wanted them to. He was a deckhand in the Mediterranean, so he has first hand experience of what the workers go through. Then you just need to add vampires to the mix.

My thanks go out to D V Sullivan for passing along the first three books in the series. The ending of Lair Reckoning wrapped up one story, but I see more adventures on the horizon.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Will Arie finally free Adrian so they can be together? Things have not gone as planned. Aurora Strand has run away from an abusive past and fallen in love with billionaire yacht owner Adrian Voper—a vampire. In order to turn him back into a human so they can be together, she must hunt down and destroy his maker, the Commodore, leader of all seafaring vampires. But now that the Commodore is aware of their plan, Aurora must take matters into her own hands—by infiltrating the Commodore’s yacht as a stewardess so she can take him out herself. Little does she know that this boat is a horror show where women are hunted for sport, and that in facing the Commodore she will have to face her abuse. How? She must offer herself up as concubine in order to get close enough to assassinate the Commodore, and to do so she must first be tasted by his blood son, who may or may not be an ally. Will she be exposed? Or will she be tempted by possibilities that may just cost her Adrian?

Genre: Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural, Vampires
311 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2024 by Transmarinia Press

ABOUT D V SULLIVAN (from Amazon)

D.V. Sullivan has been a deckhand in the Mediterranean, a bartender in New York and an English teacher in China. Now that he’s no longer hosing salt off yachts during high-wind gales, he writes from his lair in the Pacific Northwest.

MY D V SULLIVAN REVIEWS

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Good vs Evil – Bound By Blood by Shawn David Brink #ShawnDavidBrink

Posted on December 20, 2024 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

WOW. I read Bound By Blood by Shawn David Brink at a breakneck pace. I was engrossed from the opening pages and could not stop reading. I love good vs evil and angels and demons. Brother was pitted against brother.

Seth had found salvation, but his twin, Jason had chosen to join the Kinship. The Kinship is a cult and they are vying for the human souls of the church, but they need the brothers to fulfill a prophecy.

Shawn does an excellent job describing the battles fought. I couldn’t ‘look’ away.

I do love how he wraps the ending up in a tidy package.

GOODREADS BLURB

A demonic cult and a Christian church battle for territory. Combat lines are drawn. Angels and demons square off as brother goes against brother. The spoils of war are human souls. Who will rise victorious, and at what cost?

Genres: Horror
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2024by Wise Words Publishing

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Awe Inspiring – Reckoning: Rise Of The Guardians by Olivia Boothe @TheOliviaBoothe

Posted on December 13, 2024 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

MAN OH MAN! I don’t even know where to begin. I have been loving the Hell’s Angel series since I cracked open the first book, Afterworld. I was overwhelmed in Descension, the second book in the series. My emotions were all over the place as they fought for survival. You do need to begin at the beginning or you will be lost.

An apt description is one already given in the description: Supernatural meets The Walking Dead in this retelling of Lucifer’s Fall dark fantasy romance.

Because I continue to watch Supernatural, and The Walking Dead series, it is easy to visualize the battles fought between good and evil, and angels and demons. Samael has taken Kate’s family. She knows she will have to meet him, face to face, but that’s okay, because she will do ANYTHING to get them back.

Kate feels God has forsaken them and I wonder about that too. Is he operating from the background, feeling the characters need to figure it out for themselves? Is he on vacation, not caring if they live or die? I wondered if he would step in when they were at the lowest. I absolutely love the way Olivia Boothe handled the issue.

Every time I read a book that blows me away, I wonder how an author even dreams the story up. After all, they are making up a world and characters that make me laugh and smile, and cry and berate all that is holy for allowing something to happen, to scream at the heavens. At times I held my breath, rapidly reading the words that spanned the pages, breathless, eager to know what’s coming, but hating to come to the end.

I have loved this series soooo much that I feel five stars is not enough, though that is all I have. I hate to see it end, but I feel Olivia Boothe ended it in a spectacular fashion. I would not change a thing. If you are a paranormal lover, I can not recommend this enough!

Thanks Olivia, for the opportunity to read and review Reckoning: Rise Of The Guardians.

GOODREADS BLURB

SURVIVING THE APOCALYPSE CHANGES YOU. BUT LOSING YOUR FAMILY? THAT’S WHAT SHARPENS YOU INTO THE BLADE THAT WILL CUT STRAIGHT INTO YOUR ENEMY’S HEART.

After recovering the four Creation Stones and sending Beleth back to Hell, we managed to secure the Guardians’ Eastern Headquarters, but we’ve only succeeded at patching up the wounds. Our numbers are depleted and our wards are weakening. Nowhere is safe. Not until we can end this war, and Samael is determined to win it.

He’s not only taken my family, planning to use my son as his vessel and holding Jax captive as collateral, but he’s unleashed his deadliest army yet. But I’m not leaving this battlefield until that infernal beast is nothing but ashes. Even if that means I have to bring the fight straight to his cursed kingdom.

Kate and her crew return in the heart-stopping finale to Olivia Boothe’s Best Selling Hell’s Angel series. Intended for mature audiences. Reader discretion is advised. For a full list of content warnings please check the author’s website.

Genre: Angels and Demons, Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural
Kindle Edition
Expected publication December 9, 2024 by Three Brothers Press
Series: Hell’s Angel #3

ABOUT OLIVIA BOOTHE

REAL LOVE AS IT IS. MESSY, COMPLICATED & SINFULLY ADDICTIVE.

Born in Colombia and raised in New Jersey since the age of eight, Olivia always dreamed of becoming a story teller.

If you enjoy deadly-hot romance novels with deep, layered plots, she’s your gal. Because it’s not just about the first kiss and the happily ever after, it’s about everything in between.

In addition to writing contemporary and paranormal romance, Olivia is currently working on an adult contemporary fantasy.

Fun Facts: When not locked away in her writing tower at the wee hours of the night, Olivia works a government 9-5 job and manages a house full of males (a husband, three sons, and a doggo named Hunter). On occasion, she summons her tribe for a night of wine and shenanigans. Dark chocolate is her kryptonite, she hates/loves to ugly cry during movies, and is a die-hard Bon Jovi fan.

Don’t forget to subscribe to her newsletter to receive exclusive news and updates such as book releases, giveaways, sales, events, sneak peeks and bonus material for upcoming projects.

Website / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / Bookbub

MY OLIVIA BOOTHE REVIEWS

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

What The ? Is Going On – First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston #ashleyelston #firstliewins

Posted on November 26, 2024 by fundinmental

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!

First Lie Wins is my first book by Ashley Elston, but it won’t be my last. I loved everything about First Lie Wins. I thought I knew what was going on, but Ashley had a few twists and turns that caught me offguard. I love when an author has me thinking…WTF and Ashley Elston does it in a big way.

Think having the perfect boyfriend, a white picket fence, the garden you always wanted and a wonderful group of friends is the be all end all? Think again. You can never be sure someone is who they say they are, because what you see is not always what you get.

If you are looking for a book that will fuck with you mind, grab a copy of First Lie Wins.

GOODREADS BLURB

REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK | INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“This fast-paced read has everything you could want in a thriller: secret identities, a mysterious boss and a cat & mouse game that kept me guessing the whole way through.”—Reese Witherspoon

Evie Porter has everything a nice, Southern girl could want: a perfect, doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence and a garden, a fancy group of friends. The only catch: Evie Porter doesn’t exist.

The identity comes first: Evie Porter. Once she’s given a name and location by her mysterious boss Mr. Smith, she learns everything there is to know about the town and the people in it. Then the mark: Ryan Sumner. The last piece of the puzzle is the job.

Evie isn’t privy to Mr. Smith’s real identity, but she knows this job will be different. Ryan has gotten under her skin, and she’s starting to envision a different sort of life for herself. But Evie can’t make any mistakes—especially after what happened last time.

Because the one thing she’s worked her entire life to keep clean, the one identity she could always go back to—her real identity—just walked right into this town. Evie Porter must stay one step ahead of her past while making sure there’s still a future in front of her. The stakes couldn’t be higher—but then, Evie has always liked a challenge…

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Format: 384 pages, Kindle Edition
Published: January 2, 2024 by Pamela Dorman Books

ABOUT ASHLEY ELSTON

Ashley Elston worked for many years as a wedding photographer before turning her hand to writing. She lives in Louisiana with her husband and three sons. Elston has written six young adult novels. FIRST LIE WINS, her adult debut, was a number one New York Times bestseller and was selected as a Reese’s Book Club pick.

Website / BookBub / Facebook / Instagram

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Library Love – What Lurks Beneath by Ryan Lockwood #ryanlockwood #whatlurksbeneath

Posted on November 22, 2024 by fundinmental

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I am loving Ryan Lockwood’s books, Below and now, What Lurks Beneath. They are a couple of fabulous creature features that gripped me and never let me go. I was on pins and needles, the suspense and anticipation off the charts. Action and adventure were on every page.

It’s not all creature, but I love that it was always on my mind. Even when Valerie was trying to figure out her love life with Will. He has fallen off the wagon and she’s not having it. I hope Will gets his shit together because I think they will make a great couple and I do like happy ever afters. I hope that means that you are hard at work writing more novels, Ryan.

If you are a fan of creature features, I can’t recommend Ryan Lockwood enough. His books are filled with danger and intrigue, dysfunctional characters and a hint of the paranormal. The writing is easy to read and flows smoothly. I think you have to walk outside the line to live the life Ryan’s characters do. So, come on. Let’s walk on the wild side together.

GOODREADS BLURB

From the acclaimed author of Below comes a new breed of terror that rises from the depths of the ocean. To hunt. To devour. To kill.

The first attack occurrs in the underwater caverns of the Bahamas. Two professional divers exploring the unknown. A monstrous flesh-ripping predator they never see coming.

Now the attacks are coming closer and closer to shore. A sun-soaked playground for sea-loving tourists. A human feasting ground for whatever lurks beneath.

Now, in a desperate race against time, Eric Watson, an expert on remote control underwater vehicles, and marine biologist Valerie Martell, must identify a savage new species of killer—and piece together one of nature’s most horrific mysteries. But the most terrifying discovery of all waits for Val and her team at the bottom of the sea. A discovery too shocking, to comprehend.

Because up till now, this creature existed only in mankind’s darkest nightmares. Not anymore.

Genre: Action and Advenure, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller

Format: 385 pages, Kindle Edition

Published: May 26, 2015 by Pinnacle Books

ABOUT RYAN LOCKWOOD

Ryan Lockwood experienced many interesting outdoor jobs before writing his first novel, requiring him to assist with mountain lion capture, scrape barnacles off submerged boat hulls, fight Western wildfires, and measure storm runoff in the middle of the night. He holds degrees in technical journalism and environmental science, and has been employed as a biological research assistant, professional editor and public relations coordinator. When not writing, Lockwood scuba dives, climbs mountains, hunts to fill the freezer, and strives to become a better sailor. He currently lives in Colorado with his family and assorted four-legged friends.

Website / Facebook

MY RYAN LOCKWOOD REVIEWS

Below

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Review – Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni #netgalley @robertdugoni

Posted on November 20, 2024 by fundinmental

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I’ve seen and heard about Robert Dugoni but hadn’t read any of his work. When I saw Beyond A Reasonable Doubt on NetGalley, I grabbed it. Now I know what I’ve been missing.

Beyond Reasonable Doubt is a mishmash of genres: mystery, police procedural, courtroom drama, legal, suspense and thriller. It sure kept my attention, from beginning to end.

I saw where it was the second book in the series, but I never felt lost. Robert Dugoni filled me in on what I missed and what I needed to keep my head in the game. A head that Robert kept spinning as I tried to figure out all the details. We do have multiple suspects with motives for killing their fellow workers.

We have characters with their personal struggles and a sociopath that could be responsible for two deaths. Is she too obvious a suspect? I bounced back and forth between the suspects, just as I did for the rating for Beyond Reasonable Doubt. As you can see, I rate up when bounce around. I look forward to reading more of his work in the future.

GOODREADS BLURB

A master manipulator accused of murder. An attorney sworn to defend her. Keera Duggan returns in a riveting novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni.

When Jenna Bernstein, disgraced wunderkind CEO of a controversial biotech company, is accused of murdering her former partner and lover, she turns to Seattle attorney Keera Duggan to defend her. Keera is more than a master chess player who brings her intuitive moves into court—she’s Jenna’s childhood friend. But considering their history, Keera knows that where Jenna goes, trouble follows.

Three years earlier, Keera’s father successfully defended Jenna when she was tried for the killing of her company’s chief medical scientist who threatened to go public with allegations of corporate fraud. Keera knows Jenna too well. When she was a kid, Keera saw Jenna for what she a manipulative and frighteningly controlling sociopath. Now, with only circumstantial evidence against Jenna, Keera is willing to bury any trepidation she might have to defend a woman she believes, this time, to be innocent.

As the investigation gets underway and disturbing questions arise, Keera puts her trust in a client who swears nothing but the truth. If this is all just another devious game, Keera might be working to set a murderer free.

Genre: Fiction, Legal, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Format: 365 pages, Kindle Edition
Published: October 22, 2024 by Thomas & Mercer
Series: Keera Duggan
Setting: Seattle, Washington

ABOUT ROBERT DUGONI

Robert Dugoni is the critically acclaimed New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and #1 Amazon bestselling author of the Tracy Crosswhite police series set in Seattle, which has sold more than 8 million books worldwide. He is also the author of The Charles Jenkins espionage series, the David Sloane legal thriller series, and several stand-alone novels including The 7th Canon, Damage Control, and the literary novels, The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell – Suspense Magazine’s 2018 Book of the Year, for which Dugoni’s narration won an AudioFile Earphones Award and the critically acclaimed, The World Played Chess; as well as the nonfiction exposé The Cyanide Canary, a Washington Post Best Book of the Year. Several of his novels have been optioned for movies and television series. Dugoni is the recipient of the Nancy Pearl Award for Fiction and a three-time winner of the Friends of Mystery Spotted Owl Award for best novel set in the Pacific Northwest. He has also been a finalist for many other awards including the International Thriller Award, the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction, the Silver Falchion Award for mystery, and the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award.

Robert Dugoni’s books are sold in more than twenty-five countries and have been translated into more than thirty languages.

Visit his website at www.robertdugoni.com, and follow him on twitter @robertdugoni and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorRobertDugoni

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Fan – Frickin’ – Tastic – Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros @RebeccaYarros

Posted on November 14, 2024 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson

And that about sums it up. How many lives will be lost? Will I lose one of my favorite characters? Can the Fourth Wing stay whole?

Violet Sorrengail will be put to the test again and again, personally and professionally.

Once I started I didn’t want to stop reading. Unputdownable does not even begin to describe Iron Flame. It is riveting, engrossing, mind blowing, overwhelming…and looooooong, so be sure and put aside a lot of time. Lock the doors and hunker down in your favorite reading spot with your favorite beverage.

There is so much I want to say, but this is one of those times when I think less is more.

The cliffhanger ending is not unexpected. The problem is, waiting for my turn at the library.

GOODREADS BLURB

“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.

Genre: Dragons, Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural
Format: 895 pages, Kindle Edition
Published: November 7, 2023 by Entangled: Red Tower Books

ABOUT REBECCA YARROS

Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and coffee addict. She is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty novels, including Fourth Wing, The Last Letter and The Things We Leave Unfinished. She’s also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward. Rebecca loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for over twenty years. A mother of six, she is currently surviving the teenage years with all four of her hockey-playing sons.

Want to know about Rebecca’s next release? Check her out online at www.rebeccayarros.com.

MY REBECCA YARROS REVIEWS

Fourth Wing

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Review – The Shadows Rule All by Abigail Owen @AOwenBooks #netgalley #theshadowsruleall

Posted on November 12, 2024 by fundinmental

MY REVIEW

Well, we start off with a gorgeous cover (by Elizabeth Turner Stokes) for the finale of the Dominions series, with the final chapter being told in The Shadows Rule All by Abigail Owen and it was a doozy. Abigail included anything and everything you could possibly want for a fantasy romance. We have a struggle for leadership, some magical machinations, battles, death and romance. I was lost in the , but because it is such a long book, I couldn’t finish it in one sitting.

The Shadows Rule All is the third book in the series, so I’m not going to give you the lowdown. I definitely recommend beginning at the beginning, if this sounds like a winner to you. I do love when a series is complete, don’t you?

I will tell you that their worlds are crumbling with the loss of the goddesses. To set things right, they would have to release the goddesses from the amulets they are trapped in. For them to be released, they are sent on a quest to recover Allusion’s heart.

I went teary eyed more than once as character after character fell. By killing off some of my favorite characters, Abigail makes the story seem real (for a fantasy), because in battle not all will survive. Even the peripheral characters have a pivotal role to play, adding their magic to the story.

We have Meren, the main character, looking for her soulmate. Reven. He is lost in the Shadows. Is she going to have her happy ever after? Will she ever be rid of the Shadows who threaten her and Reven? Can they release the goddesses and save their Dominions?

For a finale, I think Abigail hit the nail on the head. She left me with a heavy heart, but a feeling of satisfaction. I wouldn’t change a thing.

GOODREADS BLURB

Darkness ascends the throne in this electrifying conclusion to the Domionions trilogy, all wrapped up in a gorgeous cover package! Preorder coming soon!

The hidden princess, must find a way to stop the ageless king—and the Shadowraith she’s fallen for—in the upcoming final installment of Abigail Owen’s sprawling, sexy upper YA fantasy.

The Dominions series is best enjoyed in order.
Reading Order:
Book #1 The Liar’s Crown
Book #2 The Stolen Throne
Book #3 The Shadows Rule All

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Supernatural
512 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 12, 2024
Series: Dominions, #3

ABOUT ABIGAIL OWEN

Multi–award-winning paranormal romance author, Abigail Owen, loves plots that move hot and fast, feisty heroines with sass, alpha heroes with heart, a dash of snark, and oodles of sexy shifters! Other titles include wife, mother, Star Wars geek, ex-competitive skydiver, spreadsheet lover, eMBA, organizational guru, Texan, Aggie, and chocoholic. Abigail grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. She attempted to find a practical career related to her favorite pastime by earning a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing). However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it. Abigail currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own personal hero (who she totally married!) and their two children, who are growing up way too fast.

Website & Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Bookbub

MY REVIEWS FOR ABIGAIL OWEN

Shadowcat Nation:
Andromeda’s Fall / Sarai’s Fortune / Tieryns’ Fury / Seneca’s Faith
The Svatura Series:
Blue Violet / Hyacinth / Crimson Dahlia / Black Orchid
The Fire’s Edge Series:
The Mate / The Boss / The Rookie / The Traitor
Inferno Rising Series:
The Rogue King / The Blood King / The Warrior King / The Cursed King
Dominions Series
The Liar’s Crown / The Stolen Throne
The Wolf I Want For Christmas

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

5 Stars for Originality – Golden Blood: A Vampire Story by Tim Vee @_Tim_Vee_

Posted on November 11, 2024 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The gorgeous, eye catching cover is only the beginning of the deliciousness of Golden Blood: A Vampire Story by Tim Vee. I grab any vampire books that come my way and Golden Blood is a fresh take of a familiar tale. It’s pretty hard to come up with a new slant, seeing there are thousands of books out there. Good job ,Tim.

Balthazar Jiménez de Quesada’s greed has him transformed into a vampire, one of the most grotesque I have ever come across. He’s definitely not sparkly. He turns the wrong person when he slaughtered Yvette’s family and left her for dead. She plots her revenge.

She devotes her vampiric life to finding Golden Blood, the rarest type of blood. It can break the vampire curse, turning her back into a human. There are some bloods that can give a vampire the human feeling for a short period of time, but she wants Golden Blood. So does Balthazar, after he gets his first taste. He wants to kill her and take over her ‘company’.

I love what Tim Vee has done with Golden Blood. I would not change anything. These are not your Twilight vampires. Tim has some of the most vivid descriptions and I can see the flies buzzing, skin sloughing off…

We have a bit of a history lesson with our horror and I was all in. The more I read, the more engrossed I was in the story. I would have read it in one sitting, if I could have, but I did read until the wee hours of the morning.

GOODREADS BLURB

In 1540, conquistador Balthazar Jiménez de Quesada embarks on a quest for gold but encounters an ancient evil in the jungles of Colombia, La Pastola, transforming him into an immortal vampire. Centuries later, as Napoleon’s army clashes with the British in 1815, a brutal massacre near Walloon births a new vampire desperate to break her curse. In present-day Los Angeles, a man with the rarest blood type—Golden Blood—enters a dangerous world where the line between predator and prey blurs, as a secret society of vampires hunts for the key to their salvation…or their destruction.
Golden Blood is a gripping tale of horror, history, and the eternal struggle for redemption, spanning from the New World’s blood-soaked jungles to the underbelly of modern L.A.

Golden Blood is the story about one vampire’s search for Golden Blood that can reverse the vampiric curse and her need for revenge against the vampire that slaughtered her family and turned her into a vampire centuries before. Set in the jungles of Colombia in the 1500s, the Caribbean in the 1700s, Europe in the 1800s and 1900s, and present-day Los Angeles, Golden Blood is a dark, bleak, and gothic story.

Genre: Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural, Vampires
231 pages, ebook
Expected publication October 31, 2024

ABOUT TIM VEE

My books are always free over at Smash Words. Download and have a read – and don’t forget to leave a review! https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi…

Tim works in digital marketing in Toronto and is well-traveled, having visited over 80 countries. When he is not working or writing he likes to spend time with his family and German Shepherd – and to go cycling.

Tim has written ten books; The Secret Policemen and The Secret Service – both dystopian dark comedies; as well as seven science fiction novels – Extinction, Annabelle, Fission, The Children of the Third Reich, The Child of Mars, and The Children of Andaalwaald.

Tim has also written Magpie – a dark and intense journey into the world of international espionage and terrorism.

Tim mostly enjoys writing transgressive fiction – mainly about aliens and psychopaths.

Comments and feedback are always welcome.

Website

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Don’t Let Her In – The Crone by Kevin Bachar @KevinPangolin

Posted on October 7, 2024 by fundinmental

The Crone Horror Book House of Horror series Witches and scary evil in a haunted house.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Crone by Kevin Bachar is one of the best horror novels I have read in a while. It’s part of his stand alone Houses Of Horror series. Most people think of their home as places of comfort and safety. Not so, Kevin Bachar’s homes. They are filled with horror and terror.

The fabulous cover hints at the horror awaiting new homeowners Paul and Tina Nimos. They are house flippers. Buying homes, fixing them up, and then selling them. This time, the house is in good shape and they are going to make it their forever home…Or so they think. The Crone will have something to say about that.

A sharp piece of wood, a drop of blood, and The Crone is released. What started out as hope for their forever home quickly feels like a curse. But the Crone never faced anyone like Tina before. Tina had served in Afghanistan, and she will put up one hell of a fight to protect her family and claim the house as their own.

I had moments of familiarity, like when she goes to the grocery store and has to put items back because she didn’t have enough money. I’m happy those days are over for me, I just hope it’s over for Tina too. It is small moments like this, that make the characters relatable and realistic…even The Crone…if you believe in that sort of thing.

I found myself smiling at the cute dialogue between Tina and her daughter, Katie.

“How about the Daddy doll? Does he listen to the Mommy?”

“No, he never does…..”He’s always in time out. Not very good at listening.”

Thrills and chills abound in The Crone by Keven Bachar. Sometimes the horror is subtle and anticipatory, other times it’s in your face. To add to the ambience, cozy up in your favorite reading place, turn out the lights, and read The Crone.

The Crone was unpudownable and has a great ending. I was soon flying through the pages, I read The Crone in one sitting, so take note, once you start you may not be able to stop.

GOOREADS BLURB

Paul and Tina Nimos are like a lot of young married couples, they’re madly in love but finances are putting a strain on their relationship. Their home renovation business is struggling, and with a new baby in the house, bills are piling up. When Paul finds a cheap house to buy and flip, he thinks their problems are solved. It’s an older New England home, with plenty of history and once it’s repaired it should command a great price.

But as Paul and Tina begin the daunting task of restoring the new house, they struggle with the reconstruction. It seems the home doesn’t want to be repaired. As they fall behind in their renovation they realize that unexplained forces are conspiring against them and that helpful friends might not be who they seem.

Soon the couple realizes that a Crone could be the source of their troubles. But it might be too late, as the house and the Crone prepare to extract a horrific toll from Paul, Tina, and their baby. Will they be able to fight back against a centuries-old evil? The Crone, don’t ever let her in.

Genre: Fiction, Horror
266 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 30, 2024

ABOUT KEVIN BACHAR

Kevin Bachar is a national EMMY award-winning natural history documentary filmmaker and WGA writer. The elevated horror film he wrote – The Inhabitant – https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/the-inh… – was released through Lionsgate and is available on most streaming services.

If you’ve watched National Geographic, PBS, or The Discovery Channel over the years you’ve seen his work. He’s the idiot in the water filming sharks or crawling into caves to photograph vampire bats. You can see Kevin at work filming sharks here – https://www.imdb.com/video/vi2703407897/…

The natural world has always captured his imagination and the supernatural world inspires his stories. Through his journeys, he’s interviewed scientists who’ve enlightened him, heard folk tales that have frightened him, and seen quite a few things that have challenged his skeptical mind.

His collection of short stories that weaves together the natural world and the supernatural world entitled, DREAD, is available on Amazon. He’s currently working on his second collection entitled – CREEP.

Complimenting his writing, Kevin has lectured and given presentations at prestigious institutions such as Rutgers University, American University, and the Rubin Museum of Art.
To keep up to date with Kevin’s movies, documentaries, and books –
www.kevinbachar.com
https://twitter.com/KevinPangolin
https://www.instagram.com/kevinbachar/
https://www.tiktok.com/@kevinbachar?l…
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjEKM_m…
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1423190/