Tag Archives: 2023 netgalley group challenge

Review – Forge Of The Assassin by Ross Harrison #ForgeoftheAssassin #NetGalley @AuthoRoss

Posted on by

How have I not read any Ross Harrison novels, or heard of the Nexus series? After reading Forge of the Assassin, I grabbed the FREE copy of the first book, Shadow of the Wraith.

I came across Forge of the Assassin by Ross Harrison by scrolling through NetGalley. The cover and the word Assassin in the title made me grab it, more so than the blurb. I mean, look at that badass protagonist holding the child’s hand? What’s not to like?

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

OMG! I had never read any of Ross Harrison’s novels or the Nexus series, but the cover and title drew me in and I had to have it. It is a long read, but every chance I got I was picking it up. I had to know about Ares. Because I was new to the Nexus world, it took me a moment or two to gather the necessary facts, but, once I did…

She became a character that grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. Most believed she was a ghost, buried in rubble. We know they are wrong. So wrong. And she will wreak her vengeance on them all. Never believe everything you are told. Things are not always as they seem.

Juni, a five year old girl thinks of Ares as her mother. In all sense of the word, she is.

The action is brutal, intense, catastrophic. Bodies fall, I mean, literally fall, only to rise again. I love the science fiction aspects and Ross Harrison took me deeper into the story than I thought I would go. I had moments when I thought, OMG, she is really dead. Then, I would think, no, she can’t be. What will happen to the little girl that someone is determined to make her an assassin at seven years old, like Ares.

Imagine a five year old girl saying:

I fell on it and now I’m wounded because you let go!”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Juni stole my heart and the dialogue and her thoughts made for some sweet, yet heartbreaking moments. Her belief that Ares would always be there kept her moving forward, trying to do the right thing. At times, I thought things were too grown up for her, but we have to remind ourselves where she comes from and the lessons Ares has taught her. They move constantly, barely staying ahead of those that want to kill them both. Ares has instilled in her the necessity of being aware of her surroundings at all times.

She felt a warm little hand on top of hers, and her hearts fluttered. “It’s not about the destination,” Juni said earnestly. “it’s about the journey.”

Isn’t that real life?

WOW! Forge of the Assassin by Ross Harrison wasn’t what I expected and I love it. Even though it took me a while to figure out all the players and what was going on, the constants were Ares and Juni. If anything happened to me I would love having either or both of them at my side. Just because Juni is a child, don’t count her it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Forge of the Assassin by Ross Harrison.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Codename Ares. A legend. A ghost story. They say that seven years ago, she rained down hell from the stars, cutting through everyone in her path: cops, intelligence officers, assassins. All for a baby girl. They say that if she really was just one person, she died under a thousand tonnes of rubble.

They’re wrong.

Alexiares has kept Baby safe for seven years, staying one step ahead of assassins and hunters. But one step isn’t enough. Not when their new enemy reveals himself. Her worst nightmare becomes reality: Baby is ripped from her. Taken to be made into the perfect assassin – something Alexiares promised she wouldn’t allow.

The clock’s ticking and her failure is almost complete. She must work out why she’s still alive while staying ahead of the assassins, a government task force, and the malevolent whispers of her own broken mind. She must find a way to rescue Baby. And she must remind them all of one thing…

She is the only thing they fear.

  • Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction, Series, Stand Alone, Suspense, Thriller
  • 580 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication July 15, 2023 by Shadow Archer Publishing

ABOUT ROSS HARRISON

Ross Harrison is the author of novels and short stories in the realms of science fiction – specifically space opera and science fantasy – thriller, noir, and steampunk. He has been writing since childhood, and occasionally likes to revisit those old stories for a good cringe and nervous laugh. He also talks about himself in the 3rd person because it seems more professional.

Ross lives on the UK/Eire border in Ireland, where he moved from England in 2001, hoping the rain will help his hair grow back.

  • 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 – Dead Of Winter by Darcy Coates @darcyauthor @NetGalley

Posted on by

I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of Dead Of Winter.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Darcy Coates had me until the last head rolled and that was fantastic and very unusual. This dark and disturbing, graphically suspenseful novel had me so wrapped up I couldn’t stop reading until the last word was read.

I don’t even have the breath to scream. My face is to the sky, my back to the empty white void beneath me as I plunge, carrying a wave of snow in my wake.

And that is only the beginning of Christa’s nightmare. Nine people begin the tour and only one person will be left standing. I figure…it has to be her…doesn’t it? But, how will the others be taken out and who is the one doing it that is the question.

At first I rated Dead Of Winter by Darcy Coates a four, but as I wrote this review, seeing the novel had everything I could want in a suspense novel and an ending that deserves a star of it’s own, I had to raise my rating to a 5. I mean, I love a good storm, whether in the cold climes leading to a blizzard or the warm climes leading to a hurricane, an isolated location, a killer amongst them, bloody, gruesome and graphic deaths…I mean, what more could I possibly require for a mind numbing thrill ride into the depths of depravity and revenge?

We have those ‘don’t go out there’ moments…and I love it.

The writing and pacing keeps the suspense at a high level, the story flowing seamlessly. The list of suspects included all of the tour goers, Darcy Coates making me suspicious of them all, at one time or another. I couldn’t eliminate anyone, except Christa. Did I see who the villain was and the need for revenge? Sure, there was a hint or two here and there of the reason, but it did not lead me to the villain…until Darcy Coates exposed him. I bow to her for a job WELL DONE.

OH, I forgot to mention the gorgeous cover and the intriguing title that screams, “Read me!”.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From bestselling author Darcy Coates comes Dead of Winter, a remote cabin in the snowy wilderness thriller that will teach you to trust no one. There are eight strangers. One killer. Nowhere left to run.

When Christa joins a tour group heading deep into the snowy expanse of the Rocky Mountains, she’s hopeful this will be her chance to put the ghosts of her past to rest. But when a bitterly cold snowstorm sweeps the region, the small group is forced to take shelter in an abandoned hunting cabin. Despite the uncomfortably claustrophobic quarters and rapidly dropping temperature, Christa believes they’ll be safe as they wait out the storm.

She couldn’t be more wrong.

Deep in the night, their tour guide goes missing…only to be discovered the following morning, his severed head impaled on a tree outside the cabin. Terrified, and completely isolated by the storm, Christa finds herself trapped with eight total strangers. One of them kills for sport…and they’re far from finished. As the storm grows more dangerous and the number of survivors dwindles one by one, Christa must decide who she can trust before this frozen mountain becomes her tomb.

  • Genre: Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
  • 384 pages, Paperback
  • Expected publication July 11, 2023 by Poisoned Pen Press

ABOUT DARCY COATES

Darcy Coates is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen horror and suspense novels.

She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates

Website / Twitter

  • 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!

Epic Fantasy Saga – The Stolen Throne by Abigail Owen @AOwenBooks #TheStolenThrone #NetGalley

Posted on by

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I am an avid fan of Abigail Owen’s and will read anything she writes! That being said, The Stolen Throne, Book 2 in the Dominion series, is even better than The Liar’s Crown. Each book has grown in depth and detail, from the world building to the characters growth. There is no shortage of action and danger.

I am a huge fan of book covers. Once I read that someone saw a lobster on the pretty cover of The Stolen Throne, I couldn’t stop looking at it. Check it out for yourself. Great cover, Elizabeth Turner Stokes. And, I love maps. Kellerica did a great job on the maps of Nova.

I read a lot of teen and young adult novels. Many times I cannot give them a five star rating, through no fault of the author or the story. It’s just not deep enough, engrossing enough, sexy enough, violent enough…well, you get the drift.

The Stolen Throne by Abigail Owen is an exception to my normal. The book was long, so I couldn’t finish it in one sitting, but I would have if my eyes didn’t start to cross, blurring the words. I was so engrossed in the details, wandering the worlds with Meren and her unlikely group of heroes, traveling through portals to places I never would have dreamed of on my own. I feel their pain, their struggles, their love, their loyalty…to the twin of the Queen, who was meant to be disposable.

I have a people to protect. I have a bondmate to save. I have a king to destroy.

We have moments to smile, even laugh. Moments to drown our sorrows in those lost. Moments of hope and inspiration, like Abigail Owen’s inspiration for this novel, which starts with an obscure Hans Christian Anderson fairytale about a man who shed his shadow, and when the shadow turned real, he took over the man’s life. She found her villain and her hero. I love when one character can fit both roles. It makes for a more interesting character.

I loved everything about The Stolen Throne by Abigail Owen.

I can hardly wait for The Shadows Rule, Book 3, due for publication in January 2024.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Stolen Throne by Abigail Owen.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

My twin sister is the true queen of Aryd. She survives, hiding and clinging to life in the desert, while I reign as the false queen alongside the monstrous King Eidolon. There’s only one escape from this gilded prison: Reven. My Shadowraith. My heart. Only the shadows that he struggles to control are growing more sinister, more powerful.

It’s just a matter of time before they turn on him…and on me.

Even escape doesn’t mean true freedom, though, when we’re still on the run from Eidolon’s unstoppable armies. And when we discover there’s a traitor among us, I have no choice…I must become the queen I was never meant to be.

Because as one evil hunts me, the other loves me more than himself.

And my fate lies with both.

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

460 pages, ebook

Expected publication May 2, 2023

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

  • 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!

Giveaway & Review – Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold #NetGalley @Carolyn_Arnold #BowledOverAmericano @dollycas

Posted on by

Bowled Over Americano (Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery Series) by Carolyn Arnold


Bowled Over Americano (Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – New York
Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc. (April 11, 2023)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 263 pages
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BKQC62FH

MY REVIEW

Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold is a departure from her normal writing of police procedurals and thrillers, veering off into the world of cozies, and I am eager to see how she does. The cover looks fun…sooo….let’s go bowling.

Sara Cain is a detective by day and a writer by night. An evening run has her meeting Magnum, a beagle, who leads her to his murdered owner. Cliff Cunningham was a championship bowler. Douche Detective Davenport is on the case. He is incompetent, choosing the easy way out to close his cases. She is drawn into the case, when her mother makes the request.

Sara and Sean are partners….and that’s all. They both acknowledge their attraction, but she won’t let it go any further. No mingling in the work place.

Sean is a kind and compassionate person and a kindness given reaps Sean more than he ever could have imagined. He is so romantic, so sweet. How has he not been snatched up yet? Sara better be careful.

Carolyn Arnold handles her foray into cozy mysteries with the same panache as her police procedurals and thrillers. The writing flows smoothly, leading me from page to page, devouring the words, becoming involved with the richly developed characters, walking with them step by step to the very end…enjoying every minute of it.

I am eager to see what adventure comes next for Sara and Sean.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

Sara Cain isn’t your typical thirty-two-year-old woman. Murder detective by day, writer and… sleuth by night? Just as long as there’s enough coffee to keep her going…

When her first novel gives her trouble, Sara goes for a walk to clear her writer’s block and ends up stumbling right into a real-life murder mystery. Magnum, an adventurous beagle, comes running off leash toward her in the local park, and she returns him home only to find his master dead on the entry floor.

Cliff Cunningham was a championship bowler with a mean streak and a temper, and police are pegging his Golden Pin bowling trophy as the murder weapon. While any number of people could have clocked a strike by knocking him on the noggin, the prime suspect is a friend of Sara’s mother—and she expects Sara to prove the woman’s innocence. A tall order, as the case isn’t officially hers and belongs to a rival detective.

But a promise is a promise, and Sara soon finds herself sleuthing undercover—and off the clock—in a world of polyester shirts and rental shoes. It’s not all bad, though, as she’s taking her friend and partner Sean McKinley along for the ride. They are better together than they’ve ever been split, and they’re not amateurs at finding killers.

Despite being up against small-town hijinks and colorful characters who threaten to roll their efforts into the gutter, they are having fun. That is, until they get close to the killer and a dangerous twist puts their lives at risk.

A completely addictive caper full of twists that offers up a serving of murder, a dollop of romance, and a dash of humor. This perfect blend of robust and sweet is bound to hit the spot with readers who are fans of Verity Bright, Tonya Kappes, and Agatha Frost.

About Carolyn Arnold

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an internationally bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has many published books. Her genre diversity offers readers police procedurals, hard-boiled and cozy mysteries, thrillers, and action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.

Author Links

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

a Rafflecopter giveaway ;

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!

  • 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 – Blind Spots by Thomas Mullen #netgalley #thomasmullen #blindspots

Posted on by

.

I want to thank St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Blind Spots by Thomas Mullen. I thought this futuristic science fiction thriller had elements that could be all too true.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Wow, what a concept. I love the cover for Blind Spots by Thomas Mullen and when I read the blurb, I knew I had to read it. I mean…check it out…Seven years earlier everyone went blind. Technology steps up to fill the gap, creating a device that allows people to see and downloads information directly into your brain. NOW…WHAT CAN POSSIBLY GO WRONG?

Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely is an observation Lord Acton made in a letter to Bishop Creighton on April 5, 1887.

With our technological advances in the health care field, Blind Spots by Thomas Mullen may be a warning. I mean, everything is hackable. Why someone would want to do that? There can be many motivations. Greed, hate, power…

The book started out predictable and slow for me. Those who want…everything…take advantage of a bad situation and go for broke. They will stop at nothing to have it all.
Abuse of power, corruption, greed, and all those things that corrupt the corruptible.

The Blinding. The cause is not known for sure. Could it be a bioweapon? Could it be a virus? Think pandemic. What happened when Covid hit, taking down one country after another until it spread worldwide. Did the elite and moneyed get preference? Were those who wanted to take advantage of the situation able to do so? How long does it go on? Years? Decades?

I felt for Homicide Detective Mark Owens, but couldn’t quite connect with him, or any of the other characters. I love the plot of a story, but my reading enjoyment has changed and I want, no, I need, that character connection.

I wanted to love it, but the writing, though I cannot say exactly what it was, did not grip me, did not keep me hanging on by my fingertips. BUT, it did keep me involved. I thought I would be raving while reading it, maybe even throwing my ereader, but that didn’t happen. No matter how badly I wanted to rage, I was thinking, yep. Figured that. Knew that. I wonder if maybe I have become so enured to the CRAP floating around these days that I am immune.

For the rating…First of all, this is an ARC. Things can be changed, twisted and tightened up to improve your reading experience. I flipped between a 3 and a 4. If I did halfsies, it would be 3 1/2.. In that case, I round up to a four. I loved the premise, the technology, and the abuses that follow. I don’t know if it is me or the writing lacked that something extra to get my emotions ramped up, but it is a book I would recommend. It can be a warning, in a way. Technology and all its goodness, can be misused. How do we get the benefit without paying the price? Would you get a vidder, a device that gives you sight and downloads information directly to your brain?

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Blind Spots by Thomas Mullen.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A riveting crime novel with a speculative edge about the ways our perceptions of reality can be manipulated.

Seven years ago, everyone in the world went blind in a matter of months. Technology helped people adjust to the new normal, creating a device that approximates vision, downloading visual data directly to people’s brains. But what happens when someone finds a way to hack it and change what people see?

Homicide detective Mark Owens has been on the force since before The Blinding. When a scientist is murdered, and the only witness insists the killer was blacked out of her vision, Owens doesn’t believe her—until a similar murder happens in front of him. With suspects ranging from tech billionaires to anti-modernity cultists—and with the bodies piling up—Owens must conduct an investigation in which he can’t even trust his own eyes.

Thomas Mullen, the acclaimed author of Darktown and The Last Town on Earth, delivers an unputdownable crime novel about one man’s search for truth in a world of surveillance and disinformation that’s all too recognizable.

ABOUT THOMAS MULLEN

Thomas Mullen is the author of Darktown, an NPR Best Book of the Year, which has been shortlisted for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Southern Book Prize, the Indies Choice Book Award, has been nominated for two Crime Writers Assocation Dagger Awards, and is being developed for television by Sony Pictures with executive producer Jamie Foxx; The Last Town on Earth, which was named Best Debut Novel of 2006 by USA Today and was awarded the James Fenimore Cooper Prize for excellence in historical fiction; The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers; and The Revisionists. He lives in Atlanta with his wife and sons.

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’ 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 & Giveaway – Star Tangled Murder by Nancy Cohen @nancyjcohen #cozymystery #StarTangledMurder #NetGalley @dollycas

Posted on by
Star Tangled Murder (Bad Hair Day Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
18th in Series
Setting – Florida
Orange Grove Press (March 14, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 284 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1952886252
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1952886256
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BQS68WS7

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have read a couple of Nancy Cohen’s Bad Hair Day mysteries and really enjoyed them. They are fun and educational. I love the location is set in Florida and we are visiting Pioneer Village, a living history village. There will be a reenactment of a Seminole battle (a massacre really). Nancy Cohen has me surfing the web, checking out all the historical tidbits and locales she shares.

Star Tangled Murder by Nancy Cohen takes place over the Fourth of July weekend. The celebration will be marred by the death of the town marshal with a tomahawk to his head. It’s too obvious for it to be the shaman of the village, but he still has to be checked out.

Marla Vail has a hair salon and day spa…but still manages to be an amateur sleuth, though Star Tangled Murder is her eighteenth mystery to be solved. Be careful when you venture out with her. You never know what might happen. There may even be a treasure involved.

We learn some Indian history, how to make a fire, we learn a little about dolls and hats, how buttons came into being…want to know why men and women button their clothing from opposite sides? I went from reading to surfing the web, back to reading. I was so curious, I couldn’t help myself. Star Tangled Murder by Nancy Cohen deserves a star for that alone.

You never know when inspiration may strike, and Nancy Cohen found her inspiration for Pioneer Village (which is a real place in Florida) from Yesteryear Village. She shares some wonderful recipes at the end of the book, so you may want to whip something up before you start the mystery, because it will keep you reading until you solve the mystery.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Star Tangled Murder by Nancy Cohen.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Hairstylist Marla Vail and her husband get tangled up in murder when their Fourth of July visit to a living history village ends with a bang—and a body.

Salon owner Marla Vail and her detective husband Dalton are having a blast visiting a Florida living history village over Fourth of July weekend. But when a Seminole battle reenactment turns up a real dead body, it sets off fireworks among the villagers. One of the cast members has gone off script to murder the town marshal with a tomahawk in his head.

As Dalton gets involved in the investigation, Marla determines to help him solve the case. Her flare for uncovering secrets reveals that everyone in the village is a suspect. Instead of celebrating the holiday with red, white, and barbecues, she discovers secrets, lies, and false avenues. Did the marshal’s murder have anything to do with a lost Confederate payroll, or did his plans to renovate the park light a fuse that he couldn’t snuff out?

In a place where history comes alive, the dead bodies are piling up. Marla would rather be chilling and grilling, but somebody’s mind is on killing. If she’s not careful, her sleuthing might blow up in her face like a faulty firecracker and she’ll become the next victim. Recipes Included!

“Another delightful installment … Star Tangled Murder finds Marla facing more changes in her life as she investigates a murder that connects to history while she balances motherhood, the salon, and sleuthing.” Readers’ Favorite

BUY LINKS:

Amazon Kindle   Amazon Print   Apple Books    BN Nook    BN Print    Google Play    Kobo    Books2Read    IndieBound   Smashwords   Goodreads  BookBub 

ABOUT NANCY J COHEN

Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. Titles in this series have been named Best Cozy Mystery by Suspense Magazine, won a Readers’ Favorite gold medal, placed first in the Chanticleer International Book Awards and third in the Arizona Literary Awards. Nancy’s instructional guide, Writing the Cozy Mystery, was nominated for an Agatha Award and won a gold medal at the President’s Book Awards from the Florida Authors and Publishers Association. When not busy writing, Nancy enjoys cooking, fine dining, cruising, visiting Disney World, and shopping.

Author Links:

MY NANCY J COHEN REVIEWS

a Rafflecopter giveaway ;

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

  • 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 imgaes are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

New Release Review – Red Queen by Juan Gomez Jurado #netgalley @JuanGomezJurado

Posted on by

.

Because of the information at the end of the book, after this story is finished, I felt a need to share William Blake’s “The Tyger.” Blake is having a discussion with Evil in the form of the tiger.

The Tyger

By William Blake

Tyger Tyger, burning bright, 

In the forests of the night; 

What immortal hand or eye, 

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies. 

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand, dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat.

What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain,

In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? what dread grasp.

Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears 

And water’d heaven with their tears:

Did he smile his work to see?

Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger Tyger burning bright,

In the forests of the night:

What immortal hand or eye,

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Blake, William. “The Tyger.” ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Songs of Experience. ​​​​​​​Facsimile reproduction of the 1794 illuminated manuscript, published by The William Blake Trust and the Tate Gallery, 2009, in ​​​​​​​William Blake: The Complete Illuminated Books.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The title Red Queen made me curious, but it was not what I expected. The author is unfamiliar to me, but the cover made me curious, with #1 International bestseller. Then, I read the blurb, and thought this could be a winner for me. And boy was it. Antonia Scott was so much more than I expected and I love that her ‘partner’ is a disgraced police officer. I love when a characters can find redemption, and I feel he will.

Antonia Scott allows herself to think of suicide no more than three minutes a day.

Does that intrigue you? It sure did me. Why did she think of suicide at all? Isn’t she a gifted forensic investigator? A personal tragedy leaves her with a heavy sense of guilt that she cannot escape. I am not going to tell you why. You will have to discover that for yourself.

Inspector Jon Gutierrez is a disgraced police officer, suspended from work. He has always been harassed because of being gay in a male driven society. He loves to cook. He is not fat, just rock solid. I think a lot of cooks love to eat. For others, like me, it is more like fuel. He has been tasked with bringing Antonia out of her self imposed isolation and has no idea what he is coming his way.

“My brain…isn’t normal. I can do things others find impossible.”

When I found the reason for that, I had ambivalent feelings. I guess, if it was what she wanted, who am I to judge.

Red Queen started out slow for me, but I think that is Juan Gomez Jurado’s way of preparing me for what is to come. The only problem I had was when he went back and forth between Jon and Inspector Gutierrez. It was early in the book and took me a little while to go with it and quit questioning whether he was talking about two people instead of one.

‘You sacrifice a pawn for the sake of continuing the game. Because the only thing that matters is to keep on playing.’

As we delve into the mystery, the suspense slowly rises. The story deepens. The sacrifices are costly, the players out for themselves

When Jon brings a rubber plant to her place, trying to make the barren room feel like a home, I cracked up. And…well, I can’t say. I will say this, though, the story kept getting better, the characters more real, foibles and all.The last quarter or more of the book was unputdownable. My desire to know them better, to work another case with them, intrigued me.

After the story is over, Juan Gomez Jurado shared some information that had me going to the internet to find out more for myself. Now…that is the sign of a great writer.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Red Queen by Juan Gomez Jurado.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Introducing Antonia Scott – the most compelling and original detective since Lisbeth Salander – in the international bestselling thriller that has taken the world by storm.

Red Queen is the first book in a trilogy that has sold over 2 million copies in Spain, sold to seventeen countries, and is the basis of an Amazon streaming series to debut in 2023.

Antonia Scott—the daughter of a British diplomat and a Spanish mother—has a gifted forensic mind, whose ability to reconstruct crimes and solve baffling murders is legendary. But after a personal trauma, she’s refused to continue her work or even leave her apartment.

Jon Gutierrez, a police officer in Bilbao—disgraced, suspended, and about to face criminal charges—is offered a chance to salvage his career by a secretive organization that works in the shadows to direct criminal investigations of a highly sensitive nature. All he has to do is succeed where many others have failed: Convince a recalcitrant Antonia to come out of her self-imposed retirement, protecting her and helping her investigate a new, terrifying case.

The case is a macabre, ritualistic murder—a teen-aged boy from a wealthy family whose body was found without a drop of blood left in it. But the murder is just the start. A high-ranking executive and daughter of one of the richest men in Spain is kidnapped, a crime which is tied to the previous murder. Behind them both is a hidden mastermind with even more sinister plans. And the only person with a chance to see the connections, solve the crimes and successfully match wits with the killer before tragedy strikes again…is Antonia Scott.

ABOUT JUAN GOMEZ JURADO

Juan Gómez-Jurado (December 1977 Madrid, Spain) is an award winning journalist and bestselling author. He is one of the three most successful contemporary Spanish authors along with New York Times bestselling authors Javier Sierra and Carlos Ruiz Zafón. In 2016, Juan celebrated the mark of 6 million readers worldwide.

Juan is the author of nine international bestselling novels: GOD’S SPY, THE MOSES EXPEDITION, THE TRAITOR’S EMBLEM, THE LEGEND OF THE THIEF, SCAR, RED QUEEN, BLACK WOLF and WHITE KING. They have been translated into more than 40 languages. He is also the author of the young adult science-fiction series, ALEX COLT SPACE CADET.

Juan is an avid reader and traveller. He lives in Spain with Sam, his bad behaviored dog.

Website / Twitter / Instagram / Facebook

  • 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!

Review – On The Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel #OntheSavageSide #NetGalley

Posted on by

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The fantastic cover for On The Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel made me think of twins or multiple personalities. It made me read the blurb and grab a copy. You can judge this book by the cover, because it tells of what is to come, psychological chills that made many emotions rise to the surface. Sorrow, disgust, happiness, wonder.

In the beginning, and throughout the book, we smell the stink of the papermill. Arcade and Daffodil, along with their mother and aunt, live on the wrong side of town and when it snows, it snows ash from the papermill. I worked at one in Alabama, so I know exactly what she is talking about, the indescribable stench and the car being covered in ash. It creates its own ecosystem.

I was confused, and I believe that was a good thing. It meant I wasn’t able to figure out what the hell was going on half the time. Getting lost in the mind of drug addicts I find unable to describe.

The family are drug addicts, and I think you can guess what everyone thought of them…disposable. When the first girl was found in the river, they rolled right by it. Add another, and another, and another….Who will find out what happens to the lost and the forgotten. Everyone deserves a life, for someone to care about them.

Arcade and Daffodil broke my heart. They pretty much raised themselves, with the help of a loving grandmother who painted a future full of dreams and imagination. Their father had died when they were six years old. Their mother and aunt were sex workers and drug addicts, so that doesn’t bode well for them and their friends. That doesn’t mean they don’t deserve being acknowledged as human beings.

Tiffany McDaniel paints pictures, some pretty and some ugly, but she does it with such panache the characters come to life. The evil oozes off the page as much as the sweetness of the girls and the love of their grandmother, who is the most positive person in their life.

Tiffany draws me in deeper and deeper. The more I read, the more involved I get. I cannot say enough about the writing, getting lost in the words. I am having difficulty describing all my thoughts and feelings. It’s wondrous and awful, disturbing and inspirational.

The sketches gave me the creepy crawlies, and that sure fits the story. Six young girls, living a horrible life but finding moments of brightness and love, breaking my heart and for those who preyed on them there is nothing bad enough. Sometimes I saw those spiders moving…my skin crawling and tears in my eyes.

Tiffany McDaniel had me surfing the internet, not only for The Chillicothe Six, but references to other things that made me curious.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Six women—mothers, daughters, sisters–gone missing. When the first is found floating dead in the river, it reveals the disturbing truth of a small Ohio town. Inspired by the unsolved murders of the Chillicothe Six, this harrowing and haunting novel tells the story of two sisters, both of whom could be the next victims, from the internationally-bestselling author of Betty.

Arcade and Daffodil are twin sisters born one minute apart. With their fiery red hair and thirst for an escape, they forge an unbreakable bond nurtured by both their grandmother’s stories and their imaginations. Together, they create a world where a patch of grass reveals an archaeologist’s dig, the smoke emerging from the local paper mill becomes the dust rising from wild horses galloping on the ground, and an abandoned 1950s convertible transforms into a time machine that can take them anywhere.

But the two sisters can’t escape the generational chaos that grips their family. Growing up in the shadow of the town, the sisters cling tight to one another. As an adult, Arcade wrestles with these memories of her life, just as a local woman is discovered drowned in the river. Soon, more bodies are found. While her friends disappear around her, Arcade is forced to reckon with the past while the killer circles ever closer. Arcade’s promise to keep herself and her sister safe becomes increasingly desperate while the powerful riptide of the savage side becomes more difficult to resist.

Drawing from the true story of women killed in her native Ohio, acclaimed novelist and poet Tiffany McDaniel has written a powerful literary testament and fearless elegy for missing women everywhere.

ABOUT TIFFANY MCDANIEL

TIFFANY MCDANIEL is an Ohio native whose writing is inspired by the rolling hills and woods of the land she knows. Drawing from her Cherokee heritage, she is a poet, a novelist, and a visual artist. Her debut novel, THE SUMMER THAT MELTED EVERYTHING, won the Guardian’s Not the Booker award and the Ohioana Reader’s Choice Award. She is the author of BETTY, an international bestseller and a Friends of American Writers Chicago, the Society of Midland Authors, Nautilus Book Award, and Ohioana Library Readers’ Choice Award winner. She lives with six cats and a dog surrounded by the trees and wildlife that she loves. When not writing, she may be found in the garden or walking in the woods.

Her third novel, ON THE SAVAGE SIDE, is forthcoming 2023.

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’ 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!

Giveaway & Review – Pretty Evil by Zoe Rosi #PrettyEvil #NetGalley @XpressoTours

Posted on by

I want to thank NetGalley and AmazonPublishingUK for the opportunity to read and review Pretty Evil by Zoe Rosi. Doesn’t this cover speak to you?

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Everything about Pretty Evil by Zoe Rosi spoke to me, the fabulous cover and title, the blurb that did nothing but whet my appetite. I love villains, especially when there is a strong, female protagonist to make them pay. I love diverse characters, and Camilla qualifies.

I love the cat and mouse game between Camilla, a vigilante serial killer, and Detective Wheelan, who never gives up once he sinks his teeth into a case. I couldn’t see how Zoe Rosi would make me happy, but she did. If I was watching this as a movie or TV series, I would have been talking to Camilla, and she would probably tell me to shut up and sit down. She’s got this. LOL

I love a character that walks to the beat of her own drum. Camilla has remade herself into a fashionista, the editor of Coutoure magazine. Money can make things possible and she takes full advantage of it. She dons a mask, like the clothes she wears.

I’m not into raping rapists. Sometimes I murder them….

The feeling is strange: I feel powerful, knowing he’s at my mercy…is this why men use date rape drugs? I’d always thought it was about getting a guaranteed fuck, but now I see it’s about having a sense of complete control. It’s about being godlike.

Julian…and the roof scene…I had to do a little research to get the gist of what Camilla was going for and I love it. For me, gruesome and brutal, is good. It makes me feel satisfied in a way that real life, many times, does not. If do unto others as you would have others do unto you really applied, maybe people would rethink their actions. That is the wonderful thing about fiction, anything goes.

In Chapter 18, at 94%, I had to put my ereader down. I was reluctant to find out what comes next. I was afraid for her. How can this end in a way where I will be satisfied? Camilla…watch out…but, I should have known that Zoe Rosi was three steps ahead of me…and I LOVE IT! The story can end here, but the character is fascinating, complex, driven, so I could see more coming. Is Camilla talking to you, Zoe? I certainly hope so.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Pretty Evil by Zoe Rosi.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

You’ve done a bad thing. She has you in her sights. Now you’re going to pay.

Meet Camilla Black: an affluent, respected, influential fashion magazine editor, who lives it up in her beautiful Mayfair apartment. But Camilla’s glamorous life is a lie. Behind her poised exterior beats the cold dark heart of a vigilante killer, a murderer hell-bent on wreaking vengeance upon bad men.

Camilla expects to get away with murder. She’s careful. And anyway, it’s worth the risk. She’s making the world a better place with each predator she kills. But when one of her victims’ bodies is unexpectedly found, his gruesome death is splashed all over the papers.

To make matters worse, she’s now being pursued by Detective Wheelan, a new addition to the Met with laser-sharp focus and a worrying habit of solving impossible crimes…

She knows she should stop, but she can’t. Some men just deserve to die. Will Camilla’s insatiable appetite for justice be her downfall, or can she outsmart the police?

Revised edition: Previously published as Predator, this edition of Pretty Evil includes editorial revisions.

Purchase:

ABOUT ZOE ROSI (from NetGalley)

Zoe Rosi has a background in journalism and copywriting. She worked as a reporter for local and national newspapers before moving into the fashion industry as a copywriter. Zoe had four romantic comedies published before writing her debut thriller. It was while working as a fashion copywriter that Zoe had the idea for Pretty Evil, which she describes as The Devil Wears Prada meets American Psycho.

Author links:

a Rafflecopter giveaway