Tag Archives: 4 star review

New Release – One More Kill by Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold @HibbertStiles

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YEAH! TODAY IS RELEASE DAY FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD’S LATEST BRANDON FISHER FBI NOVEL, ONE MORE KILL

One More Kill (Brandon Fisher FBI #9)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Carolyn Arnold’s opening pages for One More Kill made me cringe and I love that she pulls me into the story so quickly.

FBI Special Agent Brandon Fisher of the BAU, along with his cohorts, Paige Dawson, Kelly Marsh, their new boss, Tony Manning, and, of course, we cant leave out Nadia Weber, the gang”s Penelope Garcia from the Criminal Minds TV show, are called in. As they discuss their next case, Jack, their boss before he was temporarily replaced by Tony Manning, steps through the door and says, “”Wheels Up.” They believe The Leopard is back and the higher ups have let Jack return for the case. He was there when The Leopard first hit their radar. It was his first major case and it haunts him. For Jack, it’s personal. Could his career be on the line?

The Leopard has not been heard of for fifteen years, and Jack has been diligent about keeping his ears open and constantly on the alert for anything that could hint he was active. He is back and they are headed to Huntsville, Arkansas.

His targets are Caucasian couples and his modus operandi is always the same. His signature is cats eye marbles and he puts them to a gruesome use.

The Leopard is a chameleon, easily shedding one persona for another. He is charming, but his life is a facade. He kills for the sheer joy of it. He felt life was survival of the fittest and he doesn’t shy away from a challenge. In fact, it gets his blood boiling. For Jack it was personal, and before it’s over, it will be for The Leopard too.

One More Kill unravels like a Criminal Minds episode, as does much of Carolyn Arnold’s Brandon Fisher series. Does she do her research? That is a definite YES. That is also why she is highly respected by law enforcement. I have watched and still watch reruns of Criminal Minds, so it is easy to follow along and visualize their journey, beginning to end.

While the story was quick to grab me, it slows down as the investigation begins. We have to do some research of our own for the case and things are not always action, action, action. Carolyn Arnold paints an accurate description of events through her words. She is a must read author for me.

I voluntarily reviewed and ARC of One More Kill by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

He told her to run. And she did. As fast as her legs would take her, but it wasn’t fast enough…

The bodies of a husband and wife are found in a patch of woods in small-town, rural Arkansas by a neighboring farmer. They were shot with an arrow, gutted, and left to bleed out. The killer also removed their eyes and replaced them with large cat’s-eye marbles. The murder method and signature are too bizarre to point toward an isolated incident, and FBI Special Agent Brandon Fisher recognizes this right away. His boss with the Behavioral Analysis Unit, Supervisory Special Agent Jack Harper, confirms that he’s crossed paths with this killer several years ago, and he has a voracious appetite for blood. In fact, Jack’s seen his work firsthand—six times, three couples, in three states.

Brandon, Jack, and the rest of the team head to Arkansas for one purpose: to bring down the ruthless and elusive serial killer who calls himself “the Leopard.” Versatile and adaptive, this madman hunts his prey like a wild, hungry cat—tracking them, then striking with swift viciousness. But just as the FBI think they might finally be getting closer to the Leopard’s true identity, he adapts his method and starts killing people faster than ever before.

Racing to catch up, and struggling to get one step ahead, the FBI comes to uncover buried family secrets that aid the investigation—while at the same time, flipping it on its head. Suddenly, the hunters are now the hunted. And while this case has haunted Jack since he joined the Bureau, things are about get more personal and dangerous than he ever would have imagined. If he and his team aren’t careful, one of them—or someone they love—may become the Leopard’s next victim.

A totally gripping and heart-pounding crime thriller. Perfect for fans of Lisa Regan, Robert Dugoni and Catherine Coulter.

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Carolyn Arnold

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt 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 just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:  Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

  • 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!

The Teacher is … Malignant by Michaelbrent Collings @mbcollings

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COMING SOON

Expected publication: October 25th 2021 by Written Insomnia Press

Malignant

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Michaelbrent Collings writes some amazing novels and I never hesitate to say YES when I see a new one to read. Gimme Gimme.

…for this lesson he would be called teacher…death, destruction, instruction.

Already I have chills running up and down my spine at 4%, because from past experience with Michaelbrent Collings writing, his villains are at the top of my worst ever list. I am shoring myself up for the Teacher’s visit…I know it won’t be a pleasant one.

I began my journey into blackness thinking this is like a Criminal Minds episode and Michaelbrent Collings can take me to a place I have never been before, so dark and disturbing that sometimes I have to wonder what my fascination is with such criminals, psychopaths and sociopaths. They fascinate me.

“Is it just me or did he actually act like a human?” “He did….

But, the human monster can be the worst monster of all, the one you may not see coming. For me, I like reading about monsters and I like my stories dark and disturbing, hitting on humanities best and worst traits, making me uncomfortable and questioning…why…what is my fascination with the human mind, a human’s ability to inflict so much damage to another human being baffles and intrigues me.

I want to warn you…read the Prologue. Check out some reviews. This may not be a book for you…graphic brutality and triggers.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Malignant by Michaelbrent Collings.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Global bestseller and multiple Bram Stoker Award and Dragon Award Finalist Michaelbrent Collings brings you his most thrilling tale yet!

***

When armed commandos storm an elite boarding school, the police think it’s a plot for ransom, or an attempt to extort favors from the teens’ powerful parents.

But the men, led by a killer who calls himself ‘‘Teacher,” have much darker plans in mind.

Teacher intends to give a lesson unlike any taught before. Written on flesh, inked in blood.

A lesson about monsters.

The bell has been rung, the lesson begun. And the lesson is this:

The monsters are real, and to them… you are just a plaything.

ABOUT MICHAELBRENT COLLINGS

Michaelbrent Collings

Michaelbrent Collings is an internationally-bestselling novelist, multiple Bram Stoker Award nominee, produced screenwriter, and one of the top indie horror writers in the United States.

He hopes someday to develop superpowers, or, if that is out of the question, then at least to get a cool robot arm.

Michaelbrent has a wife and several kids, all of whom are much better looking than he is (though he admits that’s a low bar to set), and also cooler than he is.

Michaelbrent also has a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MichaelbrentC… and can be followed on Twitter through his username @mbcollings. Follow him for cool news, updates, and advance notice of sales. You will also be kept safe when the Glorious Revolution begins!

STALK MICHAELBRENT: Website / Twitter

MY MICHAELBRENT COLLINGS REVIEWS

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’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!

New Release – Some Trust Can Be Rebuilt by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor

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Some Trust Can Be Rebuilt (River's End Rescues #5)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I feel like I am on the verge of reading burnout. Soooo, I am going to a tried and true author that never lets me down…Jane Blythe and the next book in the Saving Seals series, Some Trust Can Be Rebuilt.

I have met Mia and Shark before and I am excited to get their story. Shark caught my eye early in the series, and even though the books can stand alone, I have enjoyed getting those early glimpses of him and Mia before their story was told.

Mia is the head of Search and Rescue in Rivers End. She has been involved in hundreds of searches, but there was something different about this one. They were looking for a ten year old boy. She knew what he was going through, because she had been lost in a forest for ten hours when she was eight years old.

STCBR teaser 1

Mia feels as if someone is watching her. You know, those feelings that make the hair on the back of your neck stand up and goosebumps rise on your arms. Knowing Jane, someone probably is…and who will be the one to come to her rescue? Julian, better known as Shark to his Seal teammates.

STCBR teaser 2

If you have been following the series, you will know why he had blown it with her. Can he win her back? They were high school sweethearts and he wants her, asking himself why has hasn’t gone after her? What is holding him back? What does he have to lose by trying to woo her back into his arms?

The break up was mutual. At least that is how Mia saw it. She missed him terribly, but, like him, she won’t make the first move. Why do WE make it so complicated? Communication seems to be at the center of many a misunderstanding.

The flowers….

A second boy goes missing…

Some Trust Can Be Rebuilt is like a Criminal Minds episode rolling through my mind. Hey Jane, I think you could be a writer for their show. Or how about having a movie of your very own? I can see Mia walking through the forest, trying not to show her unease. Would we pan around to see if…

I love visiting River’s End, but I’m not to sure about living there. For a town of a little over ten thousand people, they sure do get their fair share of evil dropping by. Thank goodness my friends are still in one piece.

Even though each book can stand alone, which I love if I find myself reading a series out of order, I love this series so much, I highly recommend beginning at the beginning for hours of suspense, love, tears, and laughter.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Some Trust Can Be Rebuilt by Jane Blythe.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Trust is fragile.

Mia Taylor-Black loves her job as the head of the River’s End search and rescue team. When the children of the town start going missing, turning up unharmed in the forest, she starts feeling like someone is watching her. She’s been there before, had a stalker whose reign of terror ended up costing her everything, and the idea of going back to that dark time in her life terrifies her.

Julian Black loves his wife but guilt over not protecting her tore them apart. Seeing his brother get a second chance with the woman he loves makes him hope that he might get that same chance with Mia. He knows it won’t be easy to regain her trust, but nothing worth having in life is easy and he vows that nothing and no one is going to stop him from reclaiming his marriage.

ABOUT JANE BLYTHE

Jane has loved reading and writing since she can remember. She writes dark and disturbing crime/mystery/suspense with some romance thrown in because, well, who doesn’t love romance? She has one completed series, Detective Parker Bell, and one new series, Count to Ten.

When she’s not writing Jane loves to read, bake, go to the beach, ski, horse ride, and watch Disney movies. She has a black belt in Taekwondo, and a 200+ collection of teddy bears. She has the world’s two most sweet and pretty Dalmatians, Ivory and Pearl. Oh, and she also enjoys spending time with family and friends!

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS

  • 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 – Worlds Apart by Carmen Webster Buxton @CarmenWBuxton #sciencefiction

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I fell in love with Carmen Webster Buxton’s Wakanreo Science Fiction Series, so I am very eager to go on another adventure with her. Carmen….take me away….

Worlds Apart (ThreeCon)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have read some of Carmen Webster Buxton’s work, of which her Wakanreo series was my favorite, so far. She builds worlds that are easy to visualize with her creative writing and her characters quickly draw me into their lives, as I struggle right along with them.

We start out with a wild west gunfight, but it’s out on the plain, not at the OK Corral. Out of the sky comes a flash…and Praxiteles’ life is changed forever.

Praxiteles is a Mercouri, an unsophisticated man who lives a primitive life on the plains. The Mercouri are language refuges, colonists who left the city instead of giving up their language. Praxiteles is naive, loyal, trustworthy, and committed to the debts he owes.

I love watching him grow and learn, adjusting to his new circumstances, his new world.

I got lost in the fabulous world Carmen Webster Buxton created with her ability to show me through words the planets and characters. I lived and loved as Praxiteles and Rishi lived and loved. The peripheral characters were as interesting and vital to the story as the principles. I am looking forward to spending more time in their world and am curious to see what will happen next.

Love can conquer all in their world, but it wasn’t easy getting there.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Worlds Apart by Carmen Webster Buxton.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

“Meet cute” is one thing, but “meet dangerous” is something else. Praxiteles Mercouri’s people live a low-tech, nomadic existence on the plains of the planet Celadon. When they are attacked by well-armed merciless marauders, they are saved from annihilation by the timely intervention of a visitor to Celadon, the very wealthy Rishi Trahn. In the ensuing celebration, Rishi overdoes the potent local wine. A sense of duty makes Prax agree to her request that he go with her to her world, Stone cold sober the next morning, Rishi is appalled at her own actions. But while she feels terrible for taking Prax away from his people, she doesn’t feel bad enough to send him back. Now if they can just get past his gratitude and her scruples.

ABOUT CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON

Carmen Webster Buxton

Carmen Webster Buxton spent her youth reading every book published by Ursula LeGuin, Robert Heinlein and Georgette Heyer. This combination of far-future worlds, alien cultures, and old-fashioned courting customs influenced her writing, especially in her ThreeCon series.

Carmen was born in Hawaii and experienced a peripatetic childhood, as her father was in the US Navy. Having raised two wonderful children, she now lives in Maryland with her husband Charlie, and a beagle named Cosmo. She writes science fiction (often including a romance, and mostly set in the far future), and the occasional fantasy.

Carmen has published many books:

WAKANREO SERIES
Alien Bonds
Alien Vows
Alien Skies

HAVEN SERIES
The Sixth Discipline
No Safe Haven

THREECON SERIES (can be read in any order)
The Nostalgia Gambit
Saronna’s Gift
Shades of Empire
Tribes
Worlds Apart

ALTERNATE HISTORY
King of Trees

YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION
Turnabout
Drifters

FANTASY
Where Magic Rules
Bag of Tricks
Hidden Magic

THE NAMELESS WORLD SAGA (coming in 2021)
The North Edge of Nowhere
Oaths and Promises

Carmen often blogs about ereaders, digital publishing, writing, and speculative fiction. Visit her blog to see what’s coming out next! To ask questions or to provide feedback on her books, send email to carmen.webster.buxton (at) gmail.com.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON REVIEWS

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’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!

Shark’s Story – Saving Logan by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor

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TODAY IS RELEASE DAY! Be one of the 1st to get your copy.

Woo Hoo…If the tent is rockin’, don’t come a knockin’.

Saving Logan (Saving SEALs, #4)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Shark”s story…I have been waiting for it. For some reason, this character really caught my attention in the previous novels. He is the perfect example of the strong, silent type. Action starts from the opening pages and never lets up. My favorite….so far.

Logan hopped a ride on the chopper, to join his team in Afghanistan, after his mother’s funeral. He is a pro at keeping his feelings to himself, but Claire picks up a vibe from him. Could he be the one after her? What, if any, are his intentions? She is gorgeous, but it is not her looks that get Logan’s attention. He can sense the fear radiating off her. He feels the need to know more. After all, he is a protector.

His Seal team mates, and the women who love them, are his friends, his family, but there is something about Claire that draws him in. He uses his size and gruffness to create distance from people and convey a sense of menace. It doesn’t take a lot of effort on his part. It seems to come naturally.

I love how he got his nickname in school….Shark. Should I tell you? Can you guess? Hint: what do sharks do? Cruise around and…

When the helicopter went down, Claire’s badass side came out. I am impressed, and surprised, and I love it. Her and Logan are the only two who survive and neither one trusts the other. They need to figure it out…and soon. They would have to work together to survive long enough to be rescued. Logan knew his Seal team would come looking, they just had to last long enough for the team to find them.

Claire Bear…walls collapsing…feelings coming out….taking over…BUT, it’s all in or nothing with Logan. He tries to use his ‘shark face’ on her, but she can see right through it. We do have some of the back and forth angst, the push and pull, but they have only known each other for days, not weeks or years. Still, the intense situation can put things in perspective.

When Logan and his team were sitting around a scrounged up barrel that created a makeshift fire pit, I immediately thought of a Seal Team TV episode. From them on, it was easy to visualize the action, making the suspense and thrills even more intense.

Terrorists, HIM, the traitor…I don’t understand their ideology and motivations. Does HE truly believe, or does he want revenge for some slight he feels?

Shark’s story was worth the wait. AND, with Jane Blythe’s tease about Chaos coming home and finding a woman in his bed, she has me eager for the next Seal team story. This was my favorite, no bones about it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Saving Logan by Jane Blythe.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

They’ll have to trust each other if they want to survive.

When Claire Barrett decided to dedicate her life to helping those who serve in the military deal with the horrors they experience, the last thing she expected was that she would wind up lost in the middle of Afghanistan. The only other surviver of the helicopter crash is a sexy SEAL with dark, empty eyes. She isn’t sure that she can trust him, but if she wants to survive she doesn’t have a choice.

Logan “Shark” Kirk knows that Claire is afraid of him, and that she’s keeping secrets. He has to wonder if she knows why their helicopter was shot down. As she fights alongside him, his respect for her grows, along with it feelings he’s completely unprepared for. Things between them heat up, but with Claire in the sights of a terrorist cell, their fight for survival has only just begun.

ABOUT JANE BLYTHE

Jane has loved reading and writing since she can remember. She writes dark and disturbing crime/mystery/suspense with some romance thrown in because, well, who doesn’t love romance? She has one completed series, Detective Parker Bell, and one new series, Count to Ten.

When she’s not writing Jane loves to read, bake, go to the beach, ski, horse ride, and watch Disney movies. She has a black belt in Taekwondo, and a 200+ collection of teddy bears. She has the world’s two most sweet and pretty Dalmatians, Ivory and Pearl. Oh, and she also enjoys spending time with family and friends!

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS

  • 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 – Our Moon Festival by Yobe Qiu @byyobeqiu @iReadBookTours

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Join us for this tour from September 7 to September 27
 

MY REVIEW

Our Moon Festival is a beautifully illustrated children’s book that shares a glimpse into the moon festival in Japanese, Vietnamese, and Chinese cultures. The oversize book is easy to share while reading with your children. Multicultural families make everyone feel welcome. The little ones (and us older ones) will get a glimpse into other cultures and may even be curious enough to want to know more. Isn’t that what all us book lovers want, more readers?

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Our Moon Festival by Yobe Qiu.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars
Book Details:
 
Book Title:  Our Moon Festival by Yobe Qiu
Category:  Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7),  30 pages
Genre: Children’s Picture Book 
Publisher:  Yobe Qiu LLC
Release date:  January 2020
Content Rating:  G
 
Book Description:
 
“Our Moon Festival” is a beautifully illustrated children’s book celebrating the unique ways the Japanese, Vietnamese, and Chinese communities celebrate the Moon Festival. The story highlights different families and their traditions as they observe Zhong Qiu Jie, Tết Trung Thu, and Tsukimi!
 
 
 
Meet the Author:
 
Yobe is an educator, entrepreneur and mom who lives in NYC. As an educator, she focused on teaching families to embrace love, diversity and different cultures. Through the years working in the classrooms and closely with other educators, she noticed the lack of multi-cultural resources that represented children of color. That is when Yobe decided to create multicultural children stories that feature Asian children, families and cultures! Yobe loves spending time with her daughter, reading to children and taking long walks during the day!

Connect with the Author:  Website ~ Facebook ~ Instagram
 
Tour Schedule: 

Sep 7 – Cover Lover Book Review – book review / giveaway
Sep 7 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book review / giveaway
Sep 7 – Kam’s Place – book review
Sep 8 – Splashes of Joy – book review / giveaway
Sep 8 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review / giveaway
Sep 9 – I’m Into Books – book spotlight / giveaway
Sep 10 – Writer with Wanderlust – book review / giveaway
Sep 13 – fundinmental – book review / giveaway
Sep 14 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Sep 14 – The Adventures of a Traveler’s Wife – book review / giveaway
Sep 15 – Chit Chat with Charity – book review / giveaway
Sep 15 – She Just Loves Books – book review / giveaway
Sep 16 – Deborah-Zenha Adams – book spotlight / giveaway
Sep 16 – Bound 4 Escape – book review / giveaway
Sep 17 – Nighttime Reading Center – book review / giveaway
Sep 20 – Fictional Vixen – book review
Sep 21 – A Mama’s Corner of the World – book review / giveaway
Sep 21 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Sep 22 – 411 ON BOOKS, AUTHORS, AND PUBLISHING NEWS – book spotlight 
Sep 22 – The Momma Spot – book review / giveaway
Sep 23 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / giveaway
Sep 23 – Laura’s Interests – book review / giveaway
Sep 24 – Westveil Publishing – book review / giveaway
Sep 27 – The Phantom Paragrapher – book review
 
Enter the Giveaway:

OUR MOON FESTIVAL Book Tour Giveaway


 

  • 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 For New Release – City of Prey by Blake Pierce #BlakePierce

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City of Prey (Ava Gold Mystery #1)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have read quite a few of Blake Pierce’s first in a series novels that he offers for free. He writes some wonderful mystery, suspense, thriller fiction, and I am happy to be here to share City of Prey with you. The simplicity of the cover still manages to give me a creepy feeling, a sense of foreboding.

Blake Pierce quickly got my attention. My spidey senses were tingling as soon as HE walked in the door.

Let’s step back in time…the 1920s in New York City, to be precise. Women had their place…at home, in the kitchen. Not so for Ava Gold. At her husband’s funeral, when the captain asked if there was anything he could do for her, she blurted out, “…I’d like a job.”

Ava’s father had been a boxer, until he broke his hand. He’s a trainer…and he taught Ava, so beware. This may be the 1920s and women were thought to be helpless, but not Ava. Once she starts working, he helps her with her ten year old son. She doesn’t realize it, but he has the utmost respect for her.

I could rant and rave about how the women were treated, but I want you to feel the same frustration and disgust that I felt at the stupidity of it all. Of course, I believe so much of this still goes on today, so it should be easy to imagine.

Ava has to deal with racism and sexism and understands neither. She loves Jazz and singing. She’s not afraid of Harlem and ignores those that frown at her independence. She is a natural investigator, whether because of her husband’s insight while discussing police business with her, or her own abilities to think like the criminal she is chasing. Investigating was not as sophisticated in the 1920s, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t those who stand above the rest, not willing to accept the easy way out. Piece by piece she puts the puzzle together to catch him.

I had a few issues with City of Prey, but overall they were minor. I loved the character of Ava and those who surrounded her had their place. History shows, it takes characters like these, willing to step outside the box and push the boundaries, to help us all progress.

City of Prey by Blake Pierce touches on racism, prohibition, and women’s rights.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of City of Prey by Blake Pierce.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In the rough streets of 1920s New York City, 34 year-old Ava Gold, a widower and single mom, claws her way up to become the first female homicide detective in her NYPD precinct. She is as tough as they come, and willing to hold her own in a man’s world.

But when a psychotic serial killer unleashes a rampage, murdering young women across the city, Ava will have to search the dark canals of the twisted killer’s mind if she has any hope of hunting him down. With psychological profiling still in its infancy, and mocked by most, Ava will be even more alone as she follows her instinct, and hunts him down in a dangerous game of cat and mouse.

Just when it seems the stakes couldn’t be higher, Ava comes to an awful realization: she herself may be the next target.

Amidst the speakeasies, jazz clubs, mafia-run prohibition rings, horrific mental asylums and dangerous back alleys of the city, can Ava achieve what all the men cannot: enter the sick mind of a killer, and stop him before more women die?

A heart-pounding suspense thriller filled with shocking twists, the authentic and atmospheric AVA GOLD MYSTERY SERIES is a riveting page-turner, endearing us to a strong and brilliant character that will capture your heart and keep you reading late into the night.

Books #2 and #3 in the series—CITY OF FEAR and CITY OF BONES—are now also available.

ABOUT BLAKE PIERCE

Blake Pierce is the USA Today bestselling author of the RILEY PAGE mystery series, which includes seventeen books. Blake Pierce is also the author of the MACKENZIE WHITE mystery series, comprising thirteen books (and counting); of the AVERY BLACK mystery series, comprising six books; of the KERI LOCKE mystery series, comprising five books; of the MAKING OF RILEY PAIGE mystery series, comprising six books; of the KATE WISE mystery series, comprising seven books; of the CHLOE FINE psychological suspense mystery, comprising six books; of the JESSE HUNT psychological suspense thriller series, comprising seven books (and counting); of the AU PAIR psychological suspense thriller series, comprising two books (and counting); of the ZOE PRIME mystery series, comprising three books (and counting); of the new ADELE SHARP mystery series; and of the new EUROPEAN VOYAGE cozy mystery series.

ONCE GONE (a Riley Paige Mystery–Book #1), BEFORE HE KILLS (A Mackenzie White Mystery–Book 1), CAUSE TO KILL (An Avery Black Mystery–Book 1), A TRACE OF DEATH (A Keri Locke Mystery–Book 1), WATCHING (The Making of Riley Paige–Book 1), NEXT DOOR (A Chloe Fine Psychological Suspense Mystery–Book 1), THE PERFECT WIFE (A Jessie Hunt Psychological Suspense Thriller–Book One), and IF SHE KNEW (A Kate Wise Mystery–Book 1) are each available as a free download on Amazon!

An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Blake loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.blakepierceauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.

MY BLAKE PIERCE REVIEWS

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Library Review – Into The Water by Paula Hawkins #Librarylove @PaulaHWrites

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I grabbed Into The Water by Paula Hawkins from the library and I am so glad I did. It was a 2017 Goodreads Choice winner. I actually wrote this review last year and saved it for a ‘rainy day’.

Into the Water

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Into The Water by Paula Hawkins touches a lot of serious, sensitive topics, and she handles them so well. Her portrayal of what secrets and misunderstandings bring about could be a warning to us all. Secrets do not stay buried.

I feel for all the lives forever changed.

I had some confusion switching to so many points of view, especially early on. My head was spinning, there is soooo much happening, so many angles, but Paula Hawkins wraps the story up nicely.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The author of the #1 New York Times bestseller and global phenomenon The Girl on the Train returns with Into the Water, her addictive new novel of psychological suspense.

A single mother turns up dead at the bottom of the river that runs through town. Earlier in the summer, a vulnerable teenage girl met the same fate. They are not the first women lost to these dark waters, but their deaths disturb the river and its history, dredging up secrets long submerged.

Left behind is a lonely fifteen-year-old girl. Parentless and friendless, she now finds herself in the care of her mother’s sister, a fearful stranger who has been dragged back to the place she deliberately ran from—a place to which she vowed she’d never return.

With the same propulsive writing and acute understanding of human instincts that captivated millions of readers around the world in her explosive debut thriller, The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins delivers an urgent, twisting, deeply satisfying read that hinges on the deceptiveness of emotion and memory, as well as the devastating ways that the past can reach a long arm into the present.

Beware a calm surface—you never know what lies beneath.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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New Release – Midlife Psychic by Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold @HibbertStiles

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Carolyn Arnold writes some of the best police procedurals I have ever read. Midlife Psychic is her first foray into the paranormal world, but I have no doubt it will be an entertaining read, because of her ability to pen a wonderful story.

Isn’t this a fun cover?

Midlife Psychic

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have read a lot of Carolyn Arnold’s work and I am excited to delve into the psychic world with her first paranormal story, Midlife Psychic. I love that the female character is older and it is a refreshing change from the young adult novels I love so much. Along with hot flashes, come psychic visions.

Carolyn Arnold writes wonderful mysteries and police procedurals, so I am excited to begin this journey with her…AND…of course, we have to start with something that I am already afraid of…a plane crash.

Erin Stone is a Catholic, so anything to do with the paranormal smacks of Satan worship. She cannot talk to any family about this, but thank goodness her best friend, Trisha, has a very open mind and believes in all kinds of new age things, like the power of intuition, the laws of attraction and lucid dreaming. I love that Erin and Trisha have such different upbringings and beliefs, yet are best friends.

She is a 911 operator for the Toronto Police Services. Her parents had died in a plane crash 28 years earlier and as the anniversary of the date approaches, her brother talks her into going to the memorial, where she runs into the NTSB agent who investigated their parents crash. For some reason, she finds it easy to talk to him, and she does need help to investigate her dream and the plane crash. A little attraction makes it easier. Karma at work?

We are just cruising along, doing some talking, some investigating, maybe falling in love…until…about 60% and Carolyn Arnold takes it up a notch. Danger rears it ugly head.

There is a religious tone to the story and if you don’t believe in visions, clairvoyance, lucid dreaming and psychics, here is the chance to walk a mile in Erin’s shoes and learn how she comes to accept that a fact is a fact, a truth a truth.

Be sure and catch Carolyn Arnold’s inspiration for writing Midlife Psychic and her acknowledgments and find out how much of her personal life she shares.

I bounced a bit on the rating, but the when Carolyn Arnold added danger to the mix, it gave me that extra bit I was looking for. The ending seemed a bit off to me, but I can’t quite put my finger on why? Did I want more details? Did I want a different ending? I don’t know. If you get a chance to read Midlife Psychic, I would love to know you thoughts. Maybe it is just me wanting…MORE.

I voluntarily reviewed and ARC of Midlife Psychic by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Hot flashes in my forties? Expected. Waking up psychic? Not in my wildest dreams.

My name is Erin Stone. I’m forty-three with a daughter away at college and a successful career as a communications officer with the 911 dispatch center for the Toronto Police Service. My life had just returned to new normal after my divorce and everything was going along smoothly. Then BOOM! Turns out the universe had other plans for me.

I dreamed of a plane crash—only it wasn’t just a dream. The crash happened in real life. Eighty-three dead. A vision, plain and simple. Not exactly. My family certainly wouldn’t understand. And me…psychic? I’d dabbled in new-age spirituality in the past but never plunged into the deep end. Now I’m in over my head.

Why was I given this vision, and does it hold clues as to what caused the crash? My best friend Trish is convinced it does, and a handsome stranger with the National Transportation Safety Board is willing to partner with me to solve the mystery. But if I’m going to embrace the vision as telling of newfound psychic abilities, I will need to keep my paranormal gift a secret from my daughter, brother, and aunt. Little good that might do them though.

Someone out there has their own secrets and is willing to go to great lengths to protect them. Now the very gift I was given has put the lives of my loved ones at risk. Will my psychic abilities be strong enough to save them?

This work of paranormal women’s fiction features a strong-willed heroine in her forties with enough baggage to check some, along with a heavy dose of magic and a splash of romance.

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Carolyn Arnold

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt 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 just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:  Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

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  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Review – Saving Owen by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor

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Jane Blythe’s covers for the Saving Seals series is filled with eye candy. What do you think?

Saving Owen (Saving SEALs, #3)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Owen was at a loss. His wife, Maya, had died of cancer. Why was it her, instead of him? After all, he is a Navy Seal and puts his life on the line every time he goes on a mission.

He was heading to his apartment when he saw an open door. He entered to rescue the maiden, Evie, from being raped. She reminded him of Maya, so even though they lived in the same building, he was determined to put distance between them.

Of course, it’s romantic suspense, so it isn”t hard to figure out they will get together. The thing is, Jane Blythe throws twists and turns willy nilly, so we can never be sure how they will get there. And so…

Owen comes home from a mission to find Evie packed and ready to go. She is leaving him. His past came back to smack him in the face and it was too late to come clean. She had always felt like second best. Now, she felt used, was crushed, and, until the cartel came knocking at her door, she wanted nothing to do with him.

She becomes a threat to the Perez Cartel and the entire Seal team knows just how deadly they can be. They have dealt with them before. The cartel is deadly, dealing in kidnapping, torture, trafficking and murder, to keep the drugs running.

Every move they make to hide and protect her, they are found. How can he keep her safe and have a chance at winning her back?

The suspense builds and even though I have a good idea how it will end…wink, wink…the nonstop action and danger was one wild ride. I am tired and ready for bed, but I have to know…

…and Jane Blythe has me wanting to hear Shark’s story. He deserves a happy ever after too. What do I see when I reach the end? It is like Jane read my mind. Shark’s story is next in line. Hoorah.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Saving Owen by Jane Blythe.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

His secrets ruined their marriage, can she trust him now to keep her safe?

Evangeline “Evie” Walter always looks for the good in people, a trait that usually ends up with her being used and hurt, just like it did in her marriage to Navy SEAL Owen. But when she finds herself in the sights of a ruthless cartel she doesn’t see any other choice but to risk getting hurt again by turning to the only people she trusts to keep her safe; Owen’s SEAL team.

Owen “Fox” LeGrand was grieving his wife when he met Evie, he saved her life and friendship grew between them before they fell in love. Then he ruined it. He’s waited two years for a chance to make things right but he never expected that opportunity to come because Evie’s life is in danger. Now getting her to trust him again has taken on a whole new importance, because if he can’t fix what he broke then Evie could wind up dead.

ABOUT JANE BLYTHE

Jane has loved reading and writing since she can remember. She writes dark and disturbing crime/mystery/suspense with some romance thrown in because, well, who doesn’t love romance? She has one completed series, Detective Parker Bell, and one new series, Count to Ten.

When she’s not writing Jane loves to read, bake, go to the beach, ski, horse ride, and watch Disney movies. She has a black belt in Taekwondo, and a 200+ collection of teddy bears. She has the world’s two most sweet and pretty Dalmatians, Ivory and Pearl. Oh, and she also enjoys spending time with family and friends!

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS

  • 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!