Giveaway ~ Hope by Sam Rook

Posted on May 28, 2015 by fundinmental

MBB_TourBanner_Hope copy

HOPE by Sam Rook

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

BLURB

The winged knights—magically altered humans—are the only ones defending the portal from Av’lor to Earth. With defeat imminent, they find an unlikely source of hope in software engineer, Kathryn.

Kathryn doubts her life could get any worse after the death of her mother and daughter. She realizes her mistake after she arrives on Av’lor with only part of her house and hungry creatures looking for their next meal. Once the knights bring her under their protection, she discovers their angry commander is far from welcoming.

Sir Lanclor, Commander of the Knighthood, lives with the curse of betrayal. While the treachery occurred lifetimes before, few see past his guarded shell to the grim man beneath. Barely holding the Knighthood together, his grip tightens when Kathryn joins their ranks. Her stubbornness and surprising strength not only energizes the knights, but also makes Sir Lanclor question his self-imposed isolation.

With the approach of an invading army, Kathryn and Sir Lanclor must find a way to end centuries of war and save two worlds.

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

EXCERPT

“That reminds me. The Ball of Remembrance is coming up in a few weeks. We should go together.”

“A ball? You mean with dancing and stuff?” Kathryn remembered some of the best times in her life on a dance floor.

“Yes. Don’t sound so surprised. In the middle of a war, this is one of the few times we can relieve stress. You have to go. There’ll be dancing, singing, drinking and a ton of food. Everyone tends to relax their guard a little, maybe get a little…friendly, if you know what I mean?” Elena’s smile was infectious.

“Wait. They’re not going to be having sex on the dance floor, are they?”

“Kate, men of Av’lor aren’t like that. They’ll at least take us someplace private.” Elena’s laugh made Kathryn smile and eventually join in.

“I think it would be a little awkward. I don’t know what any of the other knights look like beneath their armor. What if I hooked up with someone I work with every day? That would make things a little strained during drill the next day.” An officer would be even more awkward. Sir Garrent or Sir Lanclor. Even worse, what if it was Jakara? Knife training would have a whole new meaning.

“Oh, rank is suspended for the one day and it’s pretty anonymous. Everyone’s wings will be the same color. License to party.” Elena laughed and started thrusting her hips towards the bathtub with a sponge in one hand and a bottle of cleaner in the other.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Sam Rook lives in Vermont with her husband and two children. Her passion for fantasy novels began in high school with her desire to write following shortly thereafter. Software engineer by day, fantasy author by night, she strives to give her readers a chance to enjoy worlds that transport them away from the stress of everyday life.

Website / Author Central page / Amazon

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

GIVEAWAY

Sam Rook will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER HERE

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Click on the banner below to follow the tour.

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

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’.

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

FREE – Natalie’s Revenge by Susan Fleet – A 5 STAR Read

Posted on November 11, 2014 by fundinmental

Natalie’s Revenge, #3 in the Frank Renzi mystery series, will be FREE November 10 -14, 2014.

Check out my 5 Star Review:

Dragon Lady Step Aside For Natalie

You can get it on Amazon here.

Two murders, twenty years apart.

Someone murdered Natalie’s mother and Natalie wants revenge!

But NOPD Detective Frank Renzi is hot on her trail.

Feathered Quill Book Awards named Natalie’s Revenge Best Mystery of 2014.

Universal link: myBook.to/NataliesRevenge

I am also happy to announce that Susan Fleet has a new novel coming out.

I have been eagerly anticipating the thrilling sequel to Natalie’s Revenge and here it is, Natalie’s Art.

I can hardly wait to get my twitchy little hands on it. 🙂

Get it from Amazon now.

Art heists, murder and revenge!

In 1990 two robbers stole paintings worth $500 million from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.

Twenty years later, a ruthless man plant to steal several more.

He forces Natalie to help him, but after the heist he intends to kill her.

Not onkly that, NOPD Detective Frank Renzi is hot on her trail.

Will Natalie escape?

Don’t miss the expolsive showdown between Frank and Natalie.

Feathered Quill Book Awards named Natalie’s Revenge Best Mystery of 2014.

Natalie’s Art is the thrilling sequel.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

For many years award-winning author Susan Fleet worked as a trumpeter in the Boston area. While teaching at Brown University and Berklee College of Music she began writing crime fiction. In 2001 she moved to New Orleans. Her first crime novel, Absolution, was named Best Mystery-Suspense-Thriller of 2009. Subsequent novels in her Frank Renzi series, Diva and Natalie’s Revenge, have won accolades from reviewers and readers alike. Jackpot is the fourth book in the series.

Susan blogs about true crime and has published twelve of her posts in an ebook. DARK DEEDS: Serial killers, stalkers and domestic homicides. http://darkdeeds.susanfleet.com/dark_deeds_book.html#.UYvV_MqYFaI

For nine years, Susan lived in New Orleans enjoying the music, food and ambiance of the French Quarter. She survived Katrina. She now divides her time between the Big Easy and Boston. Visit her at http://www.susanfleet.com

While teaching at Berklee, Susan created a course about 20th Century female musicians. Her book, Women Who Dared: Trailblazing 20th Century Musicians, spotlights violinist Maud Powell and trumpeter Edna White. http://susanfleet.com/women_who_dared-vol1.html See her profiles of other talented women at http://archives.susanfleet.com

You can stalk Susan at the links below:

Susan has some great book trailers. You can see them on her YouTube page.

Website / Goodreads / You Tube / Amazon Author Page

For more of Susan Fleet’s work, you can check out my reviews:

5 Star Review – Dark Deeds by Susan Fleet

5 Star Review – Is Winning the Lottery a Curse or a Blessing – Jackpot by Susan Fleet

5 Star Review – Diva by Susan Fleet plus a Free Thriller

5 Star Review – Absolution by Susan Fleet

5 Star Review – Dragon Lady Step Aside For Natalie

<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.

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

Thank you for visiting fundinmental!

Spooktacular Seductions Tour Giveaway

Posted on October 31, 2014 by fundinmental

Spook_Tour_Button_3

Welcome to my stop for the Spooktacular Seductions tour.

Are you ready to be frightened straight into the arms of…?

I have a fun Guest Post and giveaway, so enjoy.

Publisher: Roane Publishing

Release Date: October 31, 2014

Key Words: Romance, Short Stories, Halloween, Paranormal

BLURB

Fiona Mikolas is an outcast, branded by her fiery red hair and a purple birth mark—both signs of the devil. Two years earlier, she survived an influenza outbreak that claimed her peddler husband, Gregos, and her baby son, Tito. Now she lives a solitary life, traveling a circuit of southern states in America and selling healing potions. Until the night of All Hallow’s Eve, when her lonely life is changed by the arrival of two strangers in her camp.

Beaten and robbed, rancher Hagan Fletcher stumbles toward the light of a campfire in south Texas, intent on finding a way to retrieve his stolen stallion. When he awakens, he’s forgotten his name and how he came to be in the company of an exotic beauty. Fiona’s ways are a mystery but when her quick-thinking saves his life again, he looks deeper beneath the surface to who she really is.

EXCERPT

Bewitching Gypsy by Linda Carroll-Bradd

“Ye invaded me campfire. Don’t ken what ye’ll be hearing.” She split her attention between feeding the baby and inspecting the stranger. Blondish hair, prominent nose, strong jaw. His shoulders filled out the broadcloth shirt that had a hole ringed in blood on his left side. His injury must be the cause of her head ache. “Are ye a thief?”

“I don’t think so.”

“But ye had a grip on me animal’s tether, did ye not?”

He winced and lifted a hand to his temple, his gaze shooting around the area.

Head lowered, Clancy crept a few inches closer to the stranger.

The man slapped a hand to his right hip where a holster hung empty. “I have no weapon. Call off your dog.”

The babe squirmed and arched her back, fists waving in the air.

Fiona set aside the cup and spoon and stepped down the ladder to the packed dirt. She lifted the babe upright, spreading an edge of the shawl over her shoulder. As she trod the space between the campfire and Rowan, she patted the infant’s back until she heard a burp and the wee body went limp. Each pass put her within ten paces of the stranger. He posed no threat, but the strengthening pain waves coming from him wrapped a vise around her head. Before she wakened the child with her increasing tension, she settled the wee one into the wash tub lined with a blanket and scooted it behind the spoked wheels.

After straightening to a standing position, she leaned an elbow on the wheel. “I sense yer hurt, and I have the power to help. Me name’s Fiona, and ye need to be telling me what be yer injuries.”

“Name’s…” With a shake of his head, he frowned and ran a hand down his face. “I can’t recall my name.”

Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes and Noble / Smashwords / Createspace

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As a child, Linda was often found lying on her bed reading about characters having exciting adventures in places far away. As an adult, she discovered romance books and read them at every spare moment. Upon reaching a landmark birthday, she decided to write one of those romances she loved so much. Easier said than done. Perseverance paid out and twelve years later, she received her first call from a publisher and a confession story was published. Now, Linda writes heartwarming contemporary and historical stories with a touch of humor and a bit of sass, and many have a tie to her previous home of Texas.

With interests as widespread as baking, crocheting, watching dog agility matches, and reading thrillers by Swedish authors, Linda is the mother to 4 adult children and grandmother to 2 granddaughters. She currently lives in the southern California mountains with her husband of 35 years.

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Goodreads / Amazon Author Profile

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

The Goodies Inside The Pages of Spooktacular Seductions

Bewitching Gypsy by Linda Carroll Bradd

Garden of Souls by Michelle Ziegler

Something, or someone, pulled Miranda to purchase the old carriage house. It was a great deal, most likely because of the cemetery or the unexpected resident, Thomas. The ghost she finds within the sanctuary of her new home should have scared her. Instead she finds herself falling in love with him.

Now, a few days from Halloween, Thomas continues to push her to live her life. He wants one night though; the one night of magic for the dead. Torn by her love for Thomas and her need for reality and human contact, Miranda takes a chance with Sean. Someone who’s alive. The guilt is eating away at her. Sean’s nice and he hasn’t run off yet, pushed away by her craziness. Miranda knows she can’t split her herself.

Choosing her heart’s desire doesn’t seem possible, but living and loving another seems like a life riddled with pain.

If This Be Madness by Echo Shea

Don’t let me go…

Those are words that break her. When the person you love most is gone, how do you let go?

And, more importantly, who will you be once you do?

Ghost of a Chance by Lily Carlyle

After years of having her college boyfriend Sean as an ex with benefits, Julie believes he is finally, irrevocably out of her life. Forever. And it breaks her heart.

Until one night he shows up at the neighborhood hangout—with a mysterious job, luxurious car, and fabulous digs. Not to mention a new determination to woo Julie.

Even as her mind says no, her heart—and other parts of her body—is saying yes, yes, yes!

Do You Believe in Ghosts by Anne Higa

Jeff Austin-LeGrange has been fleeing from the remnants of his dark and haunted childhood his entire life. The past always catches up to us, and his is no exception.

Alice Hopkins, Jeff’s high school sweetheart, has tried to forget him and tried to move on. You never forget your first love.

When Jeff’s mother dies and Alice’s father falls ill, the two are forced to confront their mutual history and their deepest desires. One thing is sure: neither of their lives will ever be the same again. Perhaps, the past can be overcome. Perhaps, it is not too late to believe in miracles. Perhaps, more than one couple will be reunited this Fall.

Who can say? With a little magic, anything is possible.

Encantado by Havva Murat

Spending Friday night in an abandoned amusement park sounded like an awesome idea to motherless, teenage track star, Remy Bordeaux—empty rides with no queues, and time alone with his best friend’s alluring sister, Rafaela, was sure to make for a memorable night.

But Friday night at Six Flags became memorable for all the wrong reasons when the park turned out to not be so abandoned after all. Rafaela goes missing after getting cozy with Remy, and everyone thinks that Remy is responsible, even his best friend.

It will take another trespassing trip to Six Flags for the truth of Rafaela’s disappearance to be revealed and for the riddle of Remy’s birth to be unraveled.

Where Angels Tread by Christy Thomas

Loralei takes extreme measures to prove her cheating husband has forsaken their bows by seeking confirmation from a fortune-teller. The truth revealed is that she’s been unfaithful in a six hundred year old spiritual marriage.

Samael, the Angel of Death must assist a young girl’s soul in ascending to heaven. An unexpected encounter with his estranged wife distracts him and the precious soul is lost.

Working together to save the endangered soul, they find the price to reach her is higher than they both anticipate.

Spooky Hollow Café by Lisa A. Adams

Aggie Pierce owns a quaint little spot, the Spooky Hollow Cafe’. Tourist come from all over the nation to her confections diner for the entertainment. Real live interacting ghosts make appearances once a day, you just don’t know when.

But, when a ghost’s crush becomes an obsession, just how far will a hero have to go to save Aggie’s life?

GIVEAWAY

$10 Amazon Gift Card & paperback copy of Spooktacular Seductions

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Click on the banner below to follow the tour.

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

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.

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

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

To comment, please sign in through your favorite social media.

This will only need to be done once. May need approval.

BOO_2

FREE Murder – Dark Deeds I by Susan Fleet

Posted on October 13, 2014 by fundinmental

Susan Fleet is an awesome writer of the macabre.

I love murder and serial killers and Susan writes awesome books about them – fact and fiction.

I have read all of her work, except Dark Deeds I and I aim to correct that oversight right now.

Dark Deeds I is FREE – October 13 – 17, 2014 on Amazon.

If you love TV programs like Criminal Minds, you will love her work too.

Add ME to your Goodreads reading list now.

13 twisted true crime tales: serial killers, stalkers and domestic homicides. Stranger than fiction …
* Serial killers: A pretty farm girl feeds her victims to the hogs.
* Stalkers: You’re the one that I want … to kill! Two crazed men stalk Olivia Newton John.
* Domestic Homicide: A cross-dressing doctor murders his wife.
Bonus: Pretty Woman: Destroyed by an acid attack

ABOUT THE BOOK

Some experts believe serial killers murder as many as 180 people each year. Stalkers far outnumber serial killers. Many seriously injure or kill their “love object.” Some domestic homicides are crimes of passion. Others are carefully calculated. Why bother with a divorce when you can kill your spouse?

“In Dark Deeds, Susan Fleet immerses us in the world of serial killers, stalkers, and domestic homicides … haunting and educational.” – Arthur Smukler, MD, psychiatrist

“Very informative … a good resource for authors … very well written and moves along at a good pace.” Penny Holloway, author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

You can stalk Susan at the links below:

Susan has some great book trailers. You can see them on her YouTube page.

Website / Goodreads / You Tube / Amazon Author Page

For more of Susan Fleet’s work, you can check out my reviews:

5 Star Review – Dark Deeds by Susan Fleet

5 Star Review – Is Winning the Lottery a Curse or a Blessing – Jackpot by Susan Fleet

5 Star Review – Diva by Susan Fleet plus a Free Thriller

5 Star Review – Absolution by Susan Fleet

5 Star Review – Dragon Lady Step Aside For Natalie

<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.

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

Thank you for visiting fundinmental!

Murder at the Retirement Home – Clam Wake by Mary Daheim – Tour Giveaway

Posted on August 28, 2014 by fundinmental

Clam Wake by Mary Daheim

A Bed and Breakfast Mystery

Genre: Mystery

Published by: William Morrow

Publication Date: 8/12/2014

Number of Pages: 240

ISBN: 9780062317728

Purchase Link:

MY REVIEW

Clam Wake is a hilarious and enjoyable tale. Cozy mysteries are great summer reads, murder written with snarky dialogue and occurring in unusual places, like a retirement home.

Clam Wake is just such a novel. Mary Daheim, a USA Today and New York Times bestselling novelist, is a prolific writer and has many more mysteries just waiting to be read by me and you.

I saw the cover and it made me think of Cape Cod, so I had to read it. I have spent many summer vacations walking the flats and digging for clams. I can smell the odor of rotting vegetation when the tide goes out. I try to outrace the tide as it comes roaring in, much faster than most people anticipate. At first it is just lapping at my feet, then my ankles, then my knees……More than once, I have swam, instead of walked back in.

Cousins, Judith and Renie are house-sitting on Whoopee Island for their aunt and uncle, while they vacation.

Judith is an innkeeper and Renie, her best friend and cousin, works from home doing computer design. Even with their responsibilities, they have flexibility. Their many adventures seem to be because they are in the right place at the right time, or maybe, the wrong place at the wrong time. It depends on how you look at it.

Judith – funny, inquisitive and kind hearted. She seeks truth and justice with her amateur sleuthing. She is logical and a problem solver.

Renie – snarky with her sharp and cutting comments. She is very protective of Judith. She is always blurting out inappropriate jokes and I can’t help but laugh. She has a bottomless stomach and a vivid imagination. She is a character after my own heart and I fell in love with her.

Victim – hasn’t an enemy. Everyone liked him. Then why did a big knife take him out?

Judith even has her own fan club – FASTO – Female Amateur Sleuth Tracking Offenders. Her murder solving capabilities are well known, so when there is a murder at the retirement home, you can be sure her and Renie are going to be hot on the trail.

I know they are headed for trouble and I am eager to help them find their way out of it.

Clam Wake is a small town with all those pesky little secrets small communities harbor. The biggest hobby seems to be gossiping.

The retirement community does not have odd people, it has eccentrics.

I have listened to my hubby tell of the beach life on Cape Cod and the game of musical houses all the parents would play. His parents would host the cocktail hour one night, someone else the next, someone else the next….You get the idea. I am sure a great time was had by all. ^_^

Clam Wake is a fun mystery with a plot within a plot. Mary Daheim kept me wondering – who did it? I didn’t figure it out. Not because of a bunch of bells and whistles, just a lot of suspects that Mary twisted and turned around, keeping me guessing. Hmmmm, that doesn’t happen to me very often. Because of the great writing, easy reading and my inability to figure out the killer ahead of time, I must give this cozy mystery a 5 star rating. Very good, Mary.

“I’m wondering about these Obsession Shores people. Do the retirees just sit around during the winter and wait for the cocktail hour?”

“Hey – I know a good game – ‘Categorize the killers.’ Let’s start with Crazy as a Bedbug and work our way up to Jolly as Old Saint Nick.”

I received this novel in return for an honest and unbiased review.

5 Stars – Would Highly Recommend To Others

SYNOPSIS

Innkeeper and irrepressible sleuth Judith McMonigle Flynn and cousin Renie face off against a cold-blooded killer in a beach community in this delightfully charming Bed-and-Breakfast mystery from USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Mary Daheim.

With the holidays gone and Hillside Manor almost empty, Innkeeper Judith McMonigle Flynn has a bad case of the blues. A housesitting stint at her aunt and uncle’s retirement home on Whoopee Island with cousin Renie seems like the ideal pick-me-up. Surrounded by retirees in the off-season sounds peaceful and pleasant–or so the duo thinks. But it isn’t long before a dead body pops up in their vicinity. Not surprising in an area full of older folks—until they learn it wasn’t a bad ticker that did in the victim, but a very sharp knife. With clouds of suspicion hovering over her and Renie, Judith reluctantly begins sleuthing—if only to prove they didn’t commit the crime.

But what she finds is puzzling. The victim reputedly didn’t have an enemy in the world–except for the killer. Digging for clams and answers, the cousins discover that retirement can be deadly—at least among the eclectic, eccentric residents of Obsession Shores.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Seattle native Mary Richardson Daheim lives three miles from the house where she was raised. From her dining nook she can see the maple tree in front of her childhood home. Mary isn’t one for change when it comes to geography. Upon getting her journalism degree from the University of Washington (she can see the campus from the dining nook, too), she went to work for a newspaper in Anacortes WA. Then, after her marriage to David Daheim, his first college teaching post was in Port Angeles where she became a reporter for the local daily. Both tours of small-town duty gave her the background for the Alpine/Emma Lord series.

Mary spent much of her non-fiction career in public relations (some would say PR is fiction, too). But ever since she learned how to read and write, Mary wanted to tell stories that could be put between book covers (e-readers were far into the future and if she hadn’t seen her daughter’s iPad, she might not know they exist). Thus, she began her publishing career with the first of seven historical romances before switching to mysteries in 1991. If Mary could do the math, she’d know how many books she’s published. Since she can’t, she estimates the total is at least 55. Or something. See below—count ‘em if you can.

At the time of her husband and mentor’s death in February 2010, David and Mary had been married for over 43 years. They have three daughters, Barbara, Katherine and Magdalen, and two granddaughters, Maisy and Clara. They all live in Seattle, too. Those apples don’t move far from the tree…literally.

Catch Up With the Author

Click on the cover below to get your Amazon copy of Clam Wake by Mary Daheim

GIVEAWAY

The giveaway is for one paperback copy of Clam Wake by Mary Daheim to one lucky commenter. US only, sorry to my international readers. Please leave your email and answer the question:

What about the post spoke loudest to you?

Giveaway ends September 10, 2014.

Tour Participants

8/12 Review @ Melinas Book Blog

8/13 Review @ Wall-to-wall books

8/14 Review & Giveaway @ 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!

8/15 Review @ Melissas Mochas, Mysteries and More

8/18 Review & Giveaway @ Beas Book Nook

8/19 Review & Giveaway @ Book Dilettante

8/20 Review & Giveaway @ Buried Under Books

8/21 Review & Giveaway @ Thoughts in Progress

8/22 Review & Giveaway @ Deal Sharing Aunt

8/23 Review @ fundinmental

8/25 Review @ Jersey Girl Book Reviews

8/26 Review & Giveaway @ My Devotional Thoughts

8/27 Review & Giveaway @ Bless Their Hearts Mom

8/28 Review @ Deco My Heart

8/29 Review & Giveaway @ Once Upon A TIme

9/01 Review & Giveaway @ Marys Cup of Tea

9/04 Review @ Book Club Librarian

9/08 Review & Giveaway @ Brooke Blogs

9/10 Review @ Community Bookstop

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

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 at Home and let’s talk.

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

Sherry’s Shelves #15 – Music, Romance, Death and More

Posted on August 24, 2014 by fundinmental

Sherry’s Shelves is my weekly update, where I will recap what I have been doing the past week: August 17 – August 23, 2014.

.Sunday Post is Hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

.
Stacking the Shelves is Hosted by Tynga’s Reviews

Bought, Borrowed and Bagged is Hosted by TalkSupe

***all images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)***

***if listed as free, please check for the “0″***

~~~~~~

I hope everyone is enjoying the dog days of summer. I know I am. It has been very hot (high 90’s, but I swear it feels like the 100s to me) and sunny here. ‘They’ have issued heat index warnings, recommending limiting outdoor exposure.

I am loving every minute of it, but am careful about how long I am in direct sunlight. My pool is very inviting, but floating is not an option at this time. Doesn’t really matter to me, because I spend a lot of my time underwater.

You see, I was a mermaid in another life, so water is second nature to me..

~~~~~~

Picked up for FREE

FINDING CINDERELLA: A Novella by Colleen Hoover

I have read some Colleen Hoover, even though it is not my usual genre, and am blown away by her amazing writing.

So, when I saw this on the Istyria Book Blog, I decided to give it a whirl.

Thanks Bieke and Colleen for the freebie.

Still free at time of posting. Be sure and check for “0″..

In celebration of the dog days of summer, a little music for your listening pleasure.

I love the Drifters, so enjoy your time Under The Boardwalk!

UNDER THE BOARDWALK by Barbara Cool Lee

A Parajo Bay Cozy Mystery and Sweet Romance

I LOVE this awesome cover!

This looks like the total package to me, so how could I resist?

Thanks Laura @ fuonlyknew for making me aware of this freebie and thanks Barbara for making it free.

ADVENTURE IN TIME BUNDLE by Annie Seaton

I have seen Annie’s name bandied about, but have never read any of her work.

I received an invite to this freebie in her newsletter, so I thought, this is the perfect time to get acquainted.

Thanks Annie.

Adventure in Time is still free, but not for long, so get your copy now.

Be sure and check for the “0”.

~~~~~~

Received for Review

THE POOL BOY’S BEATTITUDE by DJ Swykert

This is a new author for me and I love the cover. I have a special affinity to water.

DJ Swykert had requested a review and this seemed a bit different from my normal reads.

Thanks DJ for the opportunity to share.

I like something different to shake me once in a while.

A DEATH IN VEGAS by Christopher Meeks

I saw the intriguing cover and read on. What do you think?

There is so much I like about this book, I had to join the tour.

I will be reviewing and touring with A Death in Vegas with Premier Virtual Tours on October 1, 2014. Thanks, guys, for the opportunity to share.

I hope you will stop by and check it out.

~~~~~~~

WON

ISOLATION by Denise R Stephenson

Touch has been outlawed.

Does that capture your attention?

This sounds so creepy good, I hope you will check it out too.

I won Isolation on a tour with Premier Virtual Author Book Tours.

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

Last week on fundinmental

The Ice Bucket Challenge

Sherry’s Shelves #14 – Murder, Paranormal and More

Teaser Tuesday #21 – Zombie Mom MIA – Killer’s Instinct by Dawn Dalton & Judith Graves

There’s a new Vampire in Town – Love Without Blood by Raz Steel

Blog Barrage for Tempted by a Rogue Prince by Felicity Heaton

Friday 56 #22 – Did you say Aliens? A Human Element by Donna Galanti

Winner of Avoidable Contact by Tammy Kaehler

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

This week on fundinmental

I do have some surprises in store for this week, so be sure and stay in touch..

I never know what might pop up, so upcoming events are always subject to change.

I will also be doing some of the memes that I love so much.

Ultimate Fear by Kristine Mason – Review and Giveaway

Teaser Tuesday

Clamwake by Mary Daheim – Review and Paperback Giveaway

Friday 56

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

How have you been spending your summer?

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

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.

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

Freakin Friday #18 – The Monsters ARE Real – The Montauk Monster by Hunter Shea

Posted on July 4, 2014 by fundinmental

Freakin Friday!

Freakin Fridays is a meme brought to you by fuonlyknew. We will be posting about books, movies, and all things scary.

Feel free to join in and do your own Freakin Fridays posts!

Tune in Friday and get your scare on!

Let’s have some fun!

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

THE MONTAUK MONSTER by Hunter Shea

I borrowed this book from my sister, Laura, @ fuonlyknew. We both love monster books and I could hardly wait to get my hands on this beauty. I was not disappointed.

OOOOOOOOOh my, what big teeth you have?

Oh yeah, loving the title. Simple yet effective, just like the awesome cover. Wowza! Is it a snake monster? Is it a water monster? Is it an alien monster? I open the cover eagerly and hunker down, ready for my journey of anticipation and terror to begin. ^_^ Have you ever heard of Plum Island? You know, the island where they do animal disease research? Or more? The writing is fantastic. Scary, suspenseful and humorous. I’ve heard of driving with eye one when drunk, have you? I couldn’t help but laugh, even though I know it is a big no-no. When Randy saw the monster and thought – What The Hell Is That – so did I. It brings to mind all the wonderful B movies I love to watch. I can hardly wait to find out what it is. I can hear the crash of the waves on shore and smell the heavy salt air. I know it well and love it. I live it, breathe it, so this book is really getting me excited. Thoughts of Jaws comes to mind as I race through the pages. Fast paced and easy reading. I can’t help but chuckle here and there. It is written with a light touch. A horror movie come to life. The Montauk Monster has all the elements of a great horror novel. Will you be a Montauk Monster meal?

(click on the cover to get your copy)

4 Stars – Would Highly Recommend To Others

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

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 at Home and let’s talk.

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

The aliens have landed – Against the Darkness, the Cimmerian Moon series by A M Griffin

Posted on June 14, 2014 by fundinmental

I’m not sure what made me stop and check out the Cimmerian Moon series, but after reading the synopsis and the author’s bio, I knew it was something I wanted to share.

After all, a couple of locations are Florida and Michigan, states that I am very familiar with. Then I read the author bio. She is open to the idea of mermaids in the oceans and aliens in the skies. What about you?

AGAINST THE DARKNESS

Cimmerian Moon, #1

Genre: Young Adult

Publication Date: June 4, 2014

To add the Cimmerian Moon series to your TBR on Goodreads, go HERE.

Seventeen year old Sinta Allen has one objective, to get from Tallahassee, Florida to her mother in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Seems simple enough right? Wrong. Hostile aliens have invaded Earth—and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that we’re losing the fight. While the aliens bring devastation and destruction and take people away to God knows where in their spaceships, Sinta, along with some of her classmates must rely on their survival instincts, a little luck and each other if they want to survive the venture across the country. The last thing she needs is for Wade, her school friend and Jason, her rescuer, to distract her along the way.

~~~~~~

Download the free prequel
Cimmerian Moon – Prequel

THE ASHES THAT REMAIN

Cimmerian Moon, #2
Release Date: August 6th, 2014

~~~~~~

IN DANGER’S EMBRACE

Cimmerian Moon, #3
Release Date: FALL 2014

~~~~

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A. M. Griffin is a wife who rarely cooks, mother of three, dog owner (and sometimes dog owned), a daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She’s a hard worker whose two favorite outlets are reading and writing. She enjoys reading everything from mystery novels to historical romances and of course fantasy romance. She is a believer in the unbelievable, open to all possibilities from mermaids in our oceans and seas, angels in the skies and intelligent life forms in distant galaxies.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Newsletter

~~~~~~

To grab a copy of the Against the Darkness, Book I of Cimmerian Moon series by A M Griffin, click on the cover below.

~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

GRAND PRIZE: $30 Amazon GC, t-shirt, handmade bookmark from Stone Soup Designs, signed cover flat, trading card and key chain light

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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

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 at Home and let’s talk.

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

Ghostly Tour for The Complete Good Luck Agency by K S Augustin with Giveaway

Posted on June 2, 2014 by fundinmental

This post contains all the tour information for The Complete Check Your Luck Agency by K S Augustin, along with a Guest Post and Giveaway. I would like to start with the Guest Post. So, let’s meet and talk with K S Augustin.

GUEST POST

Two fishes, both out of water.

Well, the first thing I need to do is thank Sherry for her lovely invitation to blog here. And the second is to tell you why I asked to be here in the first place!

I have a book. (You’ve probably guessed that already.) And it’s an urban fantasy, located in south-east Asia and based on some south-east Asian beliefs. I say “some” because, really, there are just so many, you can spend an entire life writing them all down and still not cover everything. But, you know, it was all so interesting that I knew I had to make something out of all of it, and that’s how THE COMPLETE CHECK YOUR LUCK AGENCY was born.

When you have a different world to what your readers are used to, the first thing you must do is build a bridge between the two, a way of linking both worlds so that you, the reader, can understand what’s going on and what it all means. So my protagonist, Ursula Formosa, is essentially a fish out of water. Her parents emigrated to the United Kingdom when she was little and now, after their deaths, she’s back, trying to make sense of a homeland that is really much stranger than she anticipated.

That’s where Ursula and I coincide because, as far as Singapore and Malaysia are concerned, I’m a fish out of water as well. My own parents emigrated (to Australia) when I was little and, although it’s taken more time, I’m back. I think this made it easier to write the books because everything had a “new to me” sheen. I could relive the moments when unwrapping a banana-leaf packet of nasi lemak (literally, “fat rice”!) or catching a scent of an equatorial rainforest. Being Western-educated, like Ursula, I was able to identify facets that are uniquely Asian, and explain them to my mostly Western readers. Of course, how well I did that is up to you, the reader, to decide.

Have you seen any commercials/advertisements on south-east Asia recently? Chances are, if you have, food was prominently featured. Here’s where I think I’ve got it over Ursula. She likes food but she also watches her weight (as the restaurant scene with ghost, Simon Oakland, illustrates). Me, I’m waaay past that. LOL I love food. The bigger the variety, the better. And, because it’s an intrinsic part of south-east Asia, food made its way into the book, to the extent that a couple of reviewers have described it as “food porn”. Ah, that term still tickles me!

Although Ursula and I are two completely different people (sometimes I felt like yelling at her: “Get on with it, already!”), we have some important elements in common. And it’s nice to know that, whatever scrapes Ursula gets into in the future, there’ll always be a bit of me tagging along.

“Food porn” I love the Guest Post and I feel my readers will enjoy it too. Thanks, Kaz for stopping by to entertain us. ^_^

The Complete Check Your Luck Agency by K.S. Augustin

BLURB

Sometimes life is stranger than fiction.

After the tragic death of her parents, and with nothing left tying her to the United Kingdom, Ursula Formosa returns to her homeland and a job with the eccentrically-named Singapore firm, “The Check Your Luck Agency”.

What begins as an attempt to stave off boredom turns into a new way of life as the scales drop from Ursula’s eyes and she tentatively enters a realm that contains vengeful ghosts, toyol, demons, pontianak and curses, not to mention old-fashioned fraud and larceny. As she befriends bomohs, mediums and a young woman already centuries old, Ursula’s ideas of friendship expand into a fresh view of the world that surrounds her.

But she isn’t going to be left to ease into things. A criminal mastermind, who is also a powerful sorcerer, is gathering mythical creatures to help him possess every living soul in Singapore, and he isn’t about to let the members of The Check Your Luck Agency stand in his way!

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

EXCERPTS

“Did you have any difficulty finding the house?” Evelyn Long asked as she led me up a short flight of concrete steps.

“Well, the taxi driver wasn’t too keen to drive down the lane.”

Evelyn nodded her head. “The ignorant fear what they don’t understand,” she said.

I made a noise that might have indicated I agreed with her sentiment, and left it at that.

“I’m afraid Alfred is still meditating,” she began.

“I’m sorry,” I cut in, a shade too quickly, “I knew I shouldn’t have come. Perhaps I could pay him another visit some other time?”

I turned as if to leave and Evelyn Long grabbed me by the arm. No, “grabbed” was too gentle a term for it. Although her movement was smooth and she appeared to hold me lightly, I knew I would not be able to wrench free of her grasp without breaking flesh or limbs, or both, all of them mine. I looked up at her, startled, but saw nothing beyond polite interest. There wasn’t an ounce of strain on her face, nothing to show that she had me manacled with her slim, delicate-looking fingers.

Who – or what – was Evelyn Long?

“He won’t be much longer,” she said, as if commenting on the weather. “He’s been waiting to see you for more than a month now. We’re both glad you visited.”

And I suddenly realised that nobody knew where I was. Long and his supernaturally strong wife could do whatever they wanted with me, dispose of my dead body no doubt in the acres of primeval jungle behind their house and nobody would be the wiser. A wave of energy suddenly thrummed beneath my feet, a surge so strong I was sure that Long’s wife was able to feel it pulse through my body and travel to hers at our menacing point of contact.

“Why don’t I get you something to drink? You can relax while I fetch Alfred.”

**Do you there is trouble ahead when you go alone on a supernatural call**

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

AUTHOR BIO AND LINKS

KS “Kaz” Augustin loves writing human stories, whether set on Earth or out among the stars. Malaysian-born, she has travelled a goodly portion of the world and lived to tell the tale! Her urban fantasy release, The Complete Check Your Luck Agency, consists of five books, exploring the myths and legends of the melting-pot that is south-east Asia. Come for the food, stay for the monsters! (Ghosts included at no extra charge.)

As if all that’s not enough, she’s also Chief Editor of the free online quarterly magazine, Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly. http://www.scifiromancequarterly.org/

Website / SandPressOnline / Twitter @SandalPress

The Complete Check Your Luck Agency is available from:

Amazon / Amazon UK / Apple / Barnes & Noble / OmniLit / Tomely

Get your Amazon copy of The Complete Check Your Luck Agency by K S Augustin by clicking on the cover below.

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

GIVEAWAY

The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

Please comment on the cover or guest post.

Follow the tour and comment; the more YOU comment, the better YOUR chances of winning. The tour dates can be found by clicking on the image below:

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

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 at Home and let’s talk.

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

Friday 56 #11 – New cover for Sierra by Taylor Dean

Posted on May 23, 2014 by fundinmental

The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find any sentence, or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

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

Taylor Dean has been revamping her covers for the novels.

New Lancaster House and The Middle Aisle covers with a Giveaway

I am going to share my Friday 56 for the Sierra novel. Taylor Dean has a way of ending books that will blow your mind. It’s not what you think it will be and your emotions may overwhelm you. Be prepared.

My favorite book of hers – so far – Sierra, also has a new cover and it is fantastic.

I am curious – which one do you like the best and why?

New Cover for Sierra