Heartbreaking & Uplifting – Heaven Enough @KenLaSalle

Posted on February 5, 2016 by fundinmental

Heaven Enough by Ken La Salle is so different from the other books of his I have read, I wasn’t sure I would like it. I have read Wormfood Island, a zombie vacay horror story and Cookies: Sluts of the Snack World, an adult picture book that had me in stitches.

What a wonderful surprise. This lovely cover opens up to reveal an amazing story that lingers long after I close the pages.

MY REVIEW

The title for Heaven Enough and one of the opening lines of the blurb:

“What would it be like if I had heaven enough?

confused me in the beginning, but as I read on it all came together.

Matt Murphy’s wife had been run down by a speeding driver. The questions asked when the death of a loved one comes so unexpectedly, may bring to light things you never knew. We all have our secrets and when all of them are brought to light, we can wonder how well we really know someone.

Her brother, Neal, is a monk…but not that kind of monk. He kept saying that to Matt but would never explain further. Well, all kinds of warning signs went up for me and I took great satisfaction in being right. I saw what was in store for Matt and I guess he was too self involved to see it for himself. I love trying to figure things out before the author gets me there.

It’s funny, not funny ha ha, but ironic that a chance encounter could have such a life changing effect. Would you reinvent yourself if the opportunity arose?

When you read Heaven Enough, you will be walking “a mile” in Matt’s shoes. Sometimes I wanted to smack him upside the head and tell him to man up and get over it, but his journey of guilt and regret turns into a chance to grow and realize the important things in life.

I like that the story was not lose a wife, meet someone new, and live happy every after. He struggles to make it through the day, and he is not the only one.

I probably would never have read this, except I love Ken La Salle’s writing and would give anything he pens a try. The story did slow a bit in the middle, but now that I am finished, I find it added to a sense of reality. The details and information about hiking the trails and foraging for food and water were interesting and pivotal to the story.

Heaven Enough is thought provoking and reflective, bringing forth emotions of sorrow, guilt and, most important, hope. We never know what tomorrow brings, so never give up. It has a touch of religious intonation, but it never got preachy or bothered me in any way. Just seemed to fit right in.

OMG. I sure did not see this one coming and I was shocked, stunned. Then…the ending. Oh man, it caught me so off guard I sat with my mouth hanging open. My emotions ran AMOK as I tried to write notes for this review. I am at a loss for words and cannot express how amazed I was at Ken’s writing and where he took the story. Excellent job, Ken, even though I am a bit pissed off at you!!! I NEVER saw that coming. A heartbreaking and uplifting novel that I cannot recommend strongly enough.

This is a book that will stick with me, reminding me of the time I was questioning what was most important to me. I found my answers. Have you?

Thank you, Ken, for asking me to read Heaven Enough! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Is a poem about longing, about wishing for something more. “What would it be like if I had heaven enough?” it reads.

Matt Murphy reads these words for the first time at his wife’s funeral. After a death shrouded with mystery, it is the first time he learns that she wrote poetry. He and Diva were married for nearly twenty years, yet he did not “know” her. A poet and lover of culinary delights, she is struck by a car and killed instantly—randomly—on the wrong side of town.

When her brother, the “monk,” appears for the funeral, Matt is set on an unprecedented course. The two find Diva’s computer filled with preparations to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. Over 2600 miles from Mexico to Canada…and she was leaving without her husband.

Matt takes it upon himself to hike the trail and sprinkle her ashes along the way. What happens in the first two hours is dumbfounding.

What happens next changes his life forever…

ABOUT KEN LA SALLE

Novelist and Playwright, Ken La Salle grew up in Santa Ana, California and has remained in the surrounding area his entire life. He was raised with strong, blue collar roots, which have given him a progressive and environmentalist view. As a result, you’ll find many of his stories touching those areas both geographically and philosophically. He’s also very funny.”.

Blog / Website / Twitter / Facebook / G+ / YouTube / Smashwords

MY REVIEWS OF KEN LA SALLE”S NOVELS

Giveaway, Guest Post & Review – Cookies: Sluts of the Snack World by Ken La Salle

Zombie Vacay – Wormfood Island by Ken La Salle

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

To see all my Giveaways, go 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’.

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

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Release Day Launch – Review for BLOOD ON THE BAYOU

Posted on January 26, 2016 by fundinmental

We are so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for BLOOD ON THE BAYOU by Heather Graham! BLOOD ON THE BAYOU is A Cafferty & Quinn Series Novella brought to you by 1001 Dark Nights. Grab your copy of this sexy novella today!

Amazon eBook ** Amazon Paperback

MY REVIEW

Just the name, Blood on the Bayou, makes me want to read this, but I am also a huge fan of Heather Graham. No way could I resist a trip to New Orleans. I am very familiar with the place. I have walked the streets, ate in the restaurants, listened to the music and drank the drinks.

The mix of cultures and myths and legends that surround the Bayou are full of superstition and monsters and a great location to dump some bodies. Critters and the elements will make quick work of any evidence left behind.

This novella builds in suspense and mystery as the body count grows. The creep factor rises. I race through the pages trying to figure it out. We have plenty of suspects to choose from, and the winner is…

I received a copy of Blood on the Bayou by Heather Graham in return for an honest review.

5 Stars

EXCERPT

Michael Quinn heard the hysterical crying the minute he entered the police station. The young woman creating the commotion was inside Detective Jake Larue’s office. Someone else was trying to soothe her while not becoming hysterical herself.

“This one is right up your alley,” Larue told him as he approached.

“My alley?”

“That young woman is certain she saw a rougarou. She was on a bayou tour in Honey Swamp last night.”

He smiled. No kid grew up in Southern Louisiana without hearing about the rougarou. Every region of the world had their own particular brand of monster. The rougarou belonged to the Cajun region of Southern Louisiana, stretching right into the city.

“Honey Swamp?” he asked. “Doesn’t a problem in that area go to the Pearl River police?”

“Yep,” Larue said. “But she’s here because she believes the rougarou followed her home, showing up in the window of her hotel last night.”

He arched a brow at the ridiculousness of the statement. “I’m assuming there’s more.”

“A dead man in the swamp. Head bashed in, throat ripped.”

Which grabbed his attention.

“I want you to talk to them,” Larue said. “I told them that you’re a rougarou expert and that you’ll get to the bottom of things. They were out on some night ghost tour in the bayou and their boat came upon the dead man. Right now, she’s so hysterical that she’s not making sense. But you rougarouexperts are used to dealing with that.”

He shook his head at Larue’s sarcasm. He was no more a rougarou expert than someone was a ghost expert. Once upon a time, he’d worked with Larue as partners in the NYPD. Before that, Quinn’s life had been anything but normal. He’d actually been a pretty horrible person, not as in deadly or criminal, but as in vain and egotistical. His prowess in sports had led to excess, which eventually led to him being declared legally dead.

Which changed everything.

About BLOOD ON THE BAYOU: A Cafferty & Quinn Novella

From New York Times bestseller Heather Graham…

It’s winter and a chill has settled over New Orleans, binding a stream of blood that leads a tourist to a dead man, face down in the bayou.

The man has been done in by a vicious beating, so violent that his skull has been crashed in.

It’s barely a day before a second victim is found . . . once again so badly thrashed that the water runs red. The city becomes riddled with fear.

An old family friend comes to Danni Cafferty, telling her that he’s terrified, he’s certain that he’s received a message from the Blood Bayou killer–It’s your turn to pay, blood on the bayou.

The two quickly become involved, and–as they all begin to realize that a gruesome local history is being repeated–they find themselves in a fight to save not just a friend, but, perhaps, their very own lives.

About Heather Graham:

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell’s Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette’s Shadows, and for Harlequin’s mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.

Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children’s charity.

She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards from Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter Sign Up | BLOOD ON THE BAYOU on Goodreads

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

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

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

Posted on January 21, 2016 by fundinmental

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

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

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

Cover: Extended Imagery

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Goodreads / Amazon

AUTHOR BIO

Jeff Jeff 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:

http://www.jeffgunhus.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/963702.Jeff_Gunhus

https://www.facebook.com/jeffgunhusauthor

https://twitter.com/jeffgunhus

GIVEAWAY

Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)

$50 Amazon Gift Card

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

<br />

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

To see all my Giveaways, go 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’.

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

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

There’s a storm coming – Esther’s Gift by Bette Lee Crosby

Posted on January 20, 2016 by fundinmental

Bette Lee Crosby writes heartwarming stories that will leave you laughing and crying.

The cover portrays the calm before the storm. Isn’t is gorgeous?

MY REVIEW

Esther’s Gift by Bette Lee Crosby is a heartwarming and uplifting novella that shows our ability to rise above our hardships and come out shining. The only thing that is different from her Southern fiction is the Hawaiian locale.

Esther has a gift…visions of what is to come.

She tries to warn the people of the coming hurricane, but most don’t take heed.

Ka’awai and its people are devastated by Iniki.

Life goes on, but not always they way we had planned. Humans have an amazing ability to adjust and adapt to any situation. I believe relationships enrich our lives and we work better as a “team.”

Bravery is having the courage to face your fear.

Bernie and Esther are from very different cultures, but their love grows and makes them wonder why they hesitate to acknowledge it. Should they deny their chance at happiness just because of their differences?

Bette Lee Crosby’s writing is filled with sadness, yet it leaves me with a good feeling, a feeling of hope and happiness.

Esther’s Gift is a wonderful novella that shows humans ability to weather any storm. The story and characters read as if they are real, making Bette Lee Crosby’s writing outstanding, engrossing and riveting, leaving me wanting more.

“Your breakfast rice is better than Mommy’s breakfast rice.”

“Your Mommy makes breakfast rice?”

“Rice Krispies.”

.

…we come from the earth and in time we turn to the earth. But if in the tie we are here we can touch other hearts, those memories will live long after we are gone.

I received a copy of Esther’s Gift by Bette Lee Crosby in return for an honest review.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In the days before hurricane Iniki hit the island of Kauai the forecasters predicted it would stay south of Hilo. But Esther Ka’awai, a psychic and gifted wise woman of the ancient culture has seen the future. She knows of the devastation that will come to the island. She has warned those she loves; now all she can do is pray.

As she struggles to accept this gift of knowing, Esther discovers that even the most wonderful gift can sometimes break your heart.

A story of love, faith and a belief in the future.

ABOUT BETTE LEE CROSBY

USA Today Bestselling and Award-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby’s books are “Well-crafted storytelling populated by memorable characters caught up in equally memorable circumstances.” – Midwest Book Review

The Seattle Post Intelligencer says Crosby’s writing is, “A quirky mix of Southern flair, serious thoughts about important things in life and madcap adventures.”

Samantha from Reader’s Favorite raves, “Crosby writes the type of book you can’t stop thinking about long after you put it down.”

“Storytelling is in my blood,” Crosby laughingly admits, “My mom was not a writer, but she was a captivating storyteller, so I find myself using bits and pieces of her voice in most everything I write.”

It is the wit and wisdom of that Southern Mama Crosby brings to her works of fiction; the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery and romance along with a cast of quirky charters who will steal your heart away. Her work was first recognized in 2006 when she received The National League of American Pen Women Award for a then unpublished manuscript. She has since gone on to win twenty awards for her work; these include: The Royal Palm Literary Award, the FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal, Reader’s Favorite Award Gold Medal, and the Reviewer’s Choice Award.

Crosby’s published works to date are: Blueberry Hill (2014), Previously Loved Treasures (2014), Jubilee’s Journey (2013), What Matters Most (2013), The Twelfth Child (2012), Life in the Land of IS (2012), Cracks in the Sidewalk (2011), Spare Change (2011). A Cupid inspired romance, Wishing for Wonderful, is scheduled for release in November 2014 and Book Three of The Wyattsville Series, Passing through Perfect, will be be available in January 2015.

MY REVEWS OF BETTE LEE CROSBY’S NOVELS

The Loft

Passing Through Perfect

Memory House

Jubilee’s Journey

Blueberry Hill

What Matters Most

Spare Change

Cupid’s Christmas

Cracks In The Sidewalk

The Twelfth Child

<br />

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

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go 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’.

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

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Teaser Tuesday #57 – Sugar Scars by Travis Norwood ( @TravisLNorwood )

Posted on January 19, 2016 by fundinmental

.
Teaser 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!

~~~~~~

Sugar Scars was on tour and I am so excited that I won a copy.

I love the ethereal cover that was designed by Greg Simanson.

MY TEASE

“You think that makes this okay?” I put my finger on the trigger. I remembered how easy it fired when I killed the pig. I had stood there in fear and it had surprised me. I still couldn’t bring myself to squeeze the trigger, but maybe I would slip. It would fire, and this would be over.

“You looked so you could prey on them.”

(page 179 in paperback)

MY REVIEW

Sugar Scars by Travis Norwood is an amazing post apocalyptic novel that concentrates on the survival on one nineteen year old girl, with diabetes. I raced through the pages, feeling all her emotions: fear, anger, sorrow, loneliness, joy and, yes, love.

A virus had killed off 99.9895833% of the world’s population. Some believe a virus will be the end of OUR world. With mass transportation, the virus would spread before there was time to contain it. Haven’t we had warnings? Something to think about.

SHE is a loner, a math whiz and a diabetic. HER life depends on math, math and insulin.

When the world ends…go to Walmart.

“Everytime. Even now. Every time I get the bad cart with a busted wheel.”

How true is that? I wonder what percentage of carts are damaged. 😆

I never learned her real name. She didn’t like it, so … why not change it? It’s not like it matters any more. You can be who you want to be. I love that she named her car and her house and her refrigerator…

I was so eager to read Sugar Scars that I was afraid I would be disappointed. Not to worry. Travis Norwood blew me away. If you love character driven stories, this is a MUST READ. The characters wrapped me in their arms and never let me go. Sure, we have some bad guys, but the good ones filled me with hope and the belief that there are more good people than bad in the world. Just like real life. I couldn’t wait to get to the end to find out what happens, yet I hated the thought of losing my new friends.

Sugar Scars struck me more as an adventure than a tragedy. Sure there is all the bad that comes with the end of the world, but the twists and turns, the originality of the writing, kept me racing through the pages, unable to put the book down. I read it in one sitting and I dare you to give it a try.

Do you believe a virus could be a threat to your survival? This will make you think…long after the story is read.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB: Living after the apocalypse really isn’t that hard for most of the survivors. The virus killed all but 1 in 10,000. The few remaining people are left in a world of virtually unlimited resources. Grocery stores overflowing with food and drink. Thousands of empty houses to pick from.

But one survivor, a nineteen-year-old girl, requires more than simple food, water and shelter. As a type 1 diabetic her body desperately needs insulin to stay alive. With civilization gone, no one manufactures it anymore. She hoards all the insulin she can find, but every day marches toward the end of her stash of vials. She has a choice. Accept her fate and death, or tackle the almost insurmountable task of extracting and refining the insulin herself.

Brilliant scientists struggled to make the first insulin. What hope does a high school dropout have?

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

To see all my Giveaways, go 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’.

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

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Monday Mini Review – Midnight on the Mississippi by Mary Ellis

Posted on January 18, 2016 by fundinmental

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.

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.

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

To see all my Giveaways, go 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’.

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

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Saturday Shorts – The Critters Fight Back – Zoo by James Patterson

Posted on January 16, 2016 by fundinmental

James Patterson is an awesome writer, but his books have become pretty predictable…

until ZOO.

I was so excited to see him break from his usual and venture out.

Add me to Goodreads

MY BOOK REVIEW

I was very eager to get my hands on Zoo by James Patterson and I was lucky enough to know someone with a copy to borrow, my sister, Laura @ fuonlyknew.

The animals are fighting back. Are you surprised? I’m not.

I empathize with the critters and feel we are getting our just desserts. How long can we go on using and abusing everything around us, taking it for granted that it is our God given right?

Innocents are killed when it comes to war.

I must tell you, when I say, “DON’T OPEN THE DOOR…DON’T!”

Action packed and riveting.

This is a must read for us thrills and chills junkies.

The ending…is it?

A raving 5 Stars

MY TV SERIES REVIEW

I had been eagerly waiting for the series to begin.

I was a bit disappointed, but knew it could never match the book. Sometimes there is no way to take the book details and transition them to the visual.

I still eagerly anticipated every episode, adjusting my schedule so I wouldn’t miss anything, or at least trying to. Sometimes life just gets in the way, know what I mean?

The storyline left out a lot of the violent scenes in the book, but that was to be expected.

The actors were nothing exceptional, but did the job. It was really the story I was after anyway.

Will there be a season two? You betcha and I would have been very ticked off if there wasn’t.

Have you been watching…on the TV, over your shoulder, the rustle in the bushes…

4 Stars

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

To see all my Giveaways, go 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’.

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

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Monday Mini – Pokergeist by Michael Phillip Cash @michaelpcash

Posted on January 11, 2016 by fundinmental

My sister, Laura, knows I love ghosts and playing poker, so she loaned me Michael Phillip Cash’s novel, Pokergeist. Looks super good to me!

“Shuffle up and deal”

Add me to Goodreads now.

I love ghosts, hauntings and poker and Pokergeist has all those things.

Pokergeist is a spine tingling novel that grabbed me and never let me go.

I felt for Telly Martin. If it wasn’t for bad luck, he would have none at all.

He reaches for the brass ring, only to be shot down time after time.

I thought I knew where this was going and I did, sort of.

Michael Phillip Cash held back a surprise that I didn’t see coming and I love surprise endings. I look forward to reading more of his work.

5 Stars

BLURB

From Goodreads: Sometimes life, as well as death, is about second chances. Luckless Telly Martin doesn’t have a clue. An awful gambler trying to scrape by as a professional poker player, he becomes the protégé of world famous poker champion Clutch Henderson. The only catch…Clutch is a ghost.

Telly and Clutch must navigate the seedy gambling underbelly of Las Vegas learning to trust each other in order to win the elusive International Series of Poker, repair their shattered personal relationships and find redemption in this life and the hereafter.

ABOUT MICHAEL PHILLIP CASH

Born and raised on Long Island, Michael has always had a fascination with horror writing and found footage films. He wanted to incorporate both with his debut novel, Brood X. Earning a degree in English and an MBA, he has worked various jobs before settling into being a full-time author. He currently resides on Long Island with his wife and children.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go 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’.

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

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Monday Mini – Mean Streak by Sandra Brown with Book Trailer

Posted on January 4, 2016 by fundinmental

Add me to Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Sandra Brown is one of those authors that are a must read for me. I have read many of her novels and enjoyed each and every one. She is a master at spinning tales.

WOW! Mean Streak by Sandra Brown, a mystery romance thriller, may be her best work yet.

The action began from the opening page and I was unable to put it down.

I was like a starving person, gobbling up the words as if I hadn’t eaten in days.

I love the handsome mystery man that Dr Emory Charbonneau believes whacked her over the head and kidnapped her.

What do you think? Guilty as charged?

If you want an unputdownable thriller that will have you racing through the pages, Mean Streak is for you.

5 Stars

BLURB

From Goodreads: Dr. Emory Charbonneau, a pediatrician and marathon runner, disappears on a mountain road in North Carolina. By the time her husband Jeff, miffed over a recent argument, reports her missing, the trail has grown cold. Literally. Fog and ice encapsulate the mountainous wilderness and paralyze the search for her.

While police suspect Jeff of “instant divorce,” Emory, suffering from an unexplained head injury, regains consciousness and finds herself the captive of a man whose violent past is so dark that he won’t even tell her his name. She’s determined to escape him, and willing to take any risks necessary to survive.

Unexpectedly, however, the two have a dangerous encounter with people who adhere to a code of justice all their own. At the center of the dispute is a desperate young woman whom Emory can’t turn her back on, even if it means breaking the law.

As the FBI closes in on her captor, Emory begins to wonder if the man with no name is, in fact, her rescuer.

ABOUT SANDRA BROWN

From Goodreads: Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including MEAN STREAK (2014), DEADLINE(2013), LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011), TOUGH CUSTOMER (2010), SMASH CUT (2009), & SMOKE SCREEN (2008).

Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.

In 2009 Brown detoured from romantic suspense to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving historical fiction story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.

Brown recently was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest / YouTube

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

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go 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’.

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

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

A 5 Star Shapeshifting Romance – Running Free by K Webster ( @KristiWebster )

Posted on December 28, 2015 by fundinmental

I fell in love with the cover for Running Free by K Webster as soon as I saw it.

I love Doberman Pinschers and have had several of them for pets.

Now…to find a Dobie shifter…I am LOVING it!

Add me to Goodreads

Cover: Jennifer Munswami

Adult: Strong language and sexual situations.

MY REVIEW

I am a Dobie lover, so just seeing the cover for Running Free by K Webster made this a must read for me. I am so very glad she is the Dobie shifter. I love the supernatural and paranormal world, so let’s see what’s happening in Woodland Creek, Indiana.

Frankie is a 12 year old foster kid, a coming of age young girl who is driven to Run Free.

It’s ten years later and the only person she cares about is an owl shifter named Otis. At least that is what she tells herself. OtisHe is the dad she never had. She wears a collar with a “bitch” tag. Love it! It’s special touches like the tag that takes a novel to an extra level for me. Frankie has the power of intimidation and a very protective nature towards the “people” that matter to her.

Detective Gunnar Mason has come to investigate Acey’s disappearance. He is one of the “rescued” that Frankie was looking out for. She is a badass, but kids are her weakness. She goes out of her way to help them. She finds them in animal shelters, where she had spent some time herself. I couldn’t help but smile and chuckle about that. I wonder…if her and Gunnar were to get together, what would they have? Humans or puppies? LOL

There is so much about Running Free that I loved and would like to share, but I am afraid of giving too much away.

I love that Frankie thinks of her new “family” as the Brainless Horny Idiot Pace. I love the witty and snarky dialogue that creates a tension felt through the written word. I love all the different types of shifters – we have owls, dogs, wolves, bears, tigers, swans, even a mouse. There is imprinting. Can you imprint on a mouse? I would love to tell you more about a couple of the shifters, but it is well worth your time to find out about them yourself.

I finished reading the book through teary eyes for the tragic/heartwarming end. A fabulous fantasy of shifters, love, sacrifice and a misplaced sense of revenge. The writing evoked a gamut of emotions, from anger and rage to sorrow and heartbreak to fun and laughter. And I LOVED every minute of it. LOL

My only complaint is…I WANT MORE and I want it now!

I received a copy of Running Free by K Webster in return for an honest review.

5 Stars

SYNOPSIS

Frankie Aleen, a Doberman-shifter, has lived her life in and out of both foster homes and animal shelters. Without a mentor to guide her through the trials of shapeshifting, she was left to struggle to find balance between that of human and dog. Five years ago, though, she ran away from Chicago and ended up in the quaint town of Woodland Creek, Indiana, at the age of seventeen and finally found a safe harbor. An owl-shifter, Otis Brock, took her in and has been a father figure to her ever since.

Even though Frankie, now a bartender, has a wild, rebellious streak, she feels obligated to seek out other abandoned shifters to provide mentorship of her own. Frankie’s safe haven is threatened, however, when teen shifters start turning up dead around Woodland Pond, and she makes it her mission to find the perpetrator and seek justice.

But when one of Woodland Creek PD’s finest, Detective Gunnar Mason, starts sniffing around, he begins to notice that each of the deceased teens are somehow linked to that of the sexy, mysterious bartender with a sharp tongue. He doesn’t want her out of his sight until he’s sure she’s not responsible for the deaths that are stacking up. Things aren’t what they seem in Woodland Creek and he’s sure that Frankie is harboring a dark secret—a secret that may be the key to solving the entire case.

Will Frankie become distracted from her quest for justice by the handsome detective that seems immune to her powers of intimidation? What will happen when Gunnar discovers secrets that weren’t ever meant to be uncovered by humans?

ABOUT K WEBSTER

K Webster is the author of dozens of romance books in many different genres including contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance, and erotic romance. When not spending time with her husband of twelve years and two adorable children, she’s active on social media connecting with her readers.

Her other passions besides writing include reading and graphic design. K can always be found in front of her computer chasing her next idea and taking action. She looks forward to the day when she will see one of her titles on the big screen.

Stalk K Webster: Website / Newsletter / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest

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

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go 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’.

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

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!