Tag Archives: animals

Review – The Iris Code: A Tracker Novel by Anita Dickason @anita_dickason

Posted on by

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Iris Code is not my first Tracker Novel and I hope it won’t be my last. The men and women that make up the Trackers are highly specialized FBI agents. Anita Dickason supplies them with good looks and great personalities, adding in some thrills and a little romance to spice it up, all the things I look for in suspense and thriller reading.

Riley Phillips is a reporter and photographer for the Fredericksburg Register. She’s using an abandoned farm house as a search and rescue sight for her dog, Milo. At first Riley thinks something has gone wrong and Milo will fail at her SARs training. When she clears the debris, she finds a dead man. I love the connection Milo has with Riley.

The body disappears. All the Ws apply…Who? What? When? Where? Why?

The police force leaves a lot to be desired and Riley is on the wrong side of the law when it comes to needing their support. They are not solution for her, but part of the problem. That changes when Cody, a Tracker, enters the picture.

Ania Dickason creates some intriguing characters with intriguing traits, like Cody with his Native American, Apache, heritage and a photographic memory, and Nicki, a free spirited technological whiz that reminded me of Penelope on Criminal Minds, and, of course, Milo and Riley.

The title, The Iris Code, applies to the technology used as a layer of security for a new drug. The Iris is as unique as a fingerprint and the software creates an algorithm for future comparison.

As the investigation into the dead man grows, danger arises. The body count grows and someone has Riley in their sights. Can Cody protect her? You’ll have to read The Iris Code by Anita Dickason to find out for yourself. I highly recommend any of her work.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Iris Code by Anita Dickason.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A local reporter and photographer’s canine search and rescue training at an abandoned farm outside of Fredericksburg, Texas, takes a bizarre twist. Riley Phillips’ dog, Milo, alerts on the real deal—a corpse with a bullet hole in his head.

Riley’s nose for news is already twitching over the gruesome discovery. When the body turns up missing, her spider senses kick into overdrive. Who doesn’t want the man identified, and why? Are her crime scene photographs the only clue?

What Riley’s camera captured puts the FBI Tracker Unit on high alert, and Riley in a killer’s crosshairs. Learning the identity of the mystery man takes on an ominous urgency.

Can FBI Tracker Cody Lightfoot and Riley find the answer in time to stop a deadly attack? Or will they be the next victims?

  • Genre: Fiction, Medical, Suspense, Technothriller, Thriller
  • 320 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published June 17, 2024 by Mystic Circle Books

ABOUT ANITA DICKASON

Code Name: Trackers: The elite of the elite. FBI agents, each with a secret, an extra edge, that defies reason and logic.

Characters with unexpected skills—that extra edge for overcoming danger and adversity—have always intrigued Anita. Adding an infatuation with ancient myths and legends of Native American Indians, and Scottish and Irish folklore creates the backdrop for her characters.

Anita is a retired Dallas Police Officer. During—what she refers to as an extraordinary career—Anita served as a patrol officer, undercover narcotics officer, advanced accident investigator, and SWAT entry/sniper.

Upon retirement, she became involved in a research project that dealt with the death of a witness to the Kennedy assassination. The research led to her first book, JFK Assassination Eyewitness: Rush to Conspiracy, that details the results of her reconstruction of a 1966 motor vehicle accident that killed Lee Bowers, Jr., a key witness to the assassination.

Once the Bowers book was written, Anita reached the same point many authors ultimately face: I’ve written it, now what do I do? Answering that question has become another career, one she has wholeheartedly embraced. The publishing field is in a constant state of flux, offering unlimited possibilities for an author, but also endless landmines.

Anita started a new company, Mystic Circle Books & Designs LLC, offering cover design and manuscript services. In addition to her works as an author, she enjoys helping other authors see their dream become a reality.

Website / Twitter

MY ANITA DICKASON REVIEWS

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

$20 GCs (4) & Review – Elephant Safari by Peter Riva @partnersincr1me

Posted on by

Elephant Safari by Peter Riva Banner

ELEPHANT SAFARI

by Peter Riva

June 24 – July 19, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

MY REVIEW

I love critters of all types and sizes. I love adventurous travels through my reading. When I saw the title, Elephant Safari and the cool cover, I had to grab a copy. This is Book Four, but my first book of Peter Riva’s won’t be my last.

The details make me feel as if I am walking with them. I live in Florida, so I can feel the sun beating down on me and the thickness of the humidity making it hard to take a breath. Peter Riva blends facts and fiction into an adventurous walking safari as they follow the elephants.

I have watched TV shows and read other books about poachers and trafficking in the things that endangered animals can provide, the value of them making it impossible for some to resist. How far will they go to get what they are searching for? They will slay them all, including the humans who try and stop them.

I enjoyed the adventure and will have my eye on Peter Riva.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Elephant Safari by Peter Riva.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

Synopsis:

A MBUNO & PERO THRILLER

 

A documentary team hiking through East Africa collides with a gang of deadly poachers, in this gripping adventure by the author of Kidnapped on Safari.

Years of filming, extreme dangers, and daring rescues have taken their toll on documentary producer Pero Baltazar and his team. To relax and reconnect with the East African wildlife they love, Pero organizes a walking safari for him, his camerawoman Nancy Breiton, and their elite guide Mbuno Waliangulu. Still, Pero has trouble truly disconnecting from work. When the team comes across a herd of elephants making their annual migration north of Lake Rudolf, Pero decides the team will film their journey from Kenya into Ethiopia along the Omo River.

What begins as a peaceful trip quickly turns into a chaotic nightmare as the trio crosses paths with a crew of poachers whose ivory sales are financing terrorists. The three are determined to protect the endangered herd from slaughter, and Mbuno enlists the help of local tribesmen. But the corruption of ivory poachers has deep roots that stretch to UN refugee camps, Chinese gangs, and the Iranian elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard. Faced with overwhelming odds, the trio must now rely on Pero’s contacts in the CIA, as well as Mbuno’s skills in the bush, if they hope to ever return from this excursion alive . . .

Praise for Elephant Safari:

“If you’re in the mood for an African thriller series to add to your summer reading pile, Peter Riva has got you covered. Riva’s impressive career has provided him with plenty of inspiration for his novels, which he writes as a form of relaxation.”
~ The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News

“Many readers will enjoy this story for its fast pace, engaging characters, and insights into world politic. I particularly loved the depth of knowledge about the natural history and ecology of the East African landscape. This may be a thriller but it’s also an important book about the killing of elephants for their ivory tusks.”
~ Sharman Apt Russel- John Burroughs Medal winner

ELEPHANT SAFARI Trailer:

Book Details:

Genre: Action and Adventure Thriller
Published by: Open Road Media
Publication Date: January 30, 2024
Number of Pages: 302
ISBN: 9781504085335 (ISBN10: 1504085337)
Series: The Mbuno & Pero Thrillers, 4 | Each is a Stand-Alone Novel
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | BookaMillion | Goodreads | Open Road Media

Read an excerpt:

In modern Kenya and most of East Africa, elephant were dying out, Mbuno knew this and lamented. His chest ached for them. Gone were the innumerable small herds of his youth, mostly replaced by farms, settlements, human sprawl, and tourist attractions. What elephant remained had their age-old pathways and migration routes blocked, stopped, fenced, and constantly monitored. White men came and collared them, watched them on scopes, darted them, sampled them, and even shot them when they became a nuisance to farmers with cash. What elephants modern man did not manage in parks were easy prey for poachers. The days of the Liangulu hunter were over. Mbuno knew this, accepted this, and did not mind even half as much as he mourned the passing of the realm of the elephant.

All of Africa had once been the realm of the elephant. As the largest beast, immune to the normal prey and hunter battles going on all around, the elephant set the pace of the land, fertilized the forests, cropped the prairies, and paved the migration routes that all the migratory species followed. In times of drought, their superior intelligence showed where water could be found and even taught man to dig in dry riverbeds for a boundary layer of precious liquid. They created mud holes for mud baths to keep the insects at bay, used also by Cape buffalo and rhino. Over the millennia, they brushed aside acacia thorns and baobab saplings with equal ease creating the open plains. And, in time, Africa’s rhythm resounded to the beat of their feet and their migratory timekeeping. Without the elephant ruling the land, the land fell into the discordant rhythm of the upright apes and began to fracture. Mbuno had known the last best years of the elephant’s realm and, sadly, was now witnessing the fall of Africa’s harnessing stability. Without the elephant to freely roam, the balance of nature would be broken, herds would grow to enormous size in protected parks and, outside that protection, devoid of traditional hunters, herds could be led by weak leaders who would fail to protect them from ivory hunters. Mbuno had heard this had happened before. At the end of the slave and ivory trade, in 1911 there were fewer elephants than now and the herds were only brought back from extinction by White Hunters—led by Teddy Roosevelt—using farm and ranch husbandry methods – culling every senile cow and bull. Young, vibrant, herds repopulated the migration routes. But now the elephant and Mbuno’s tribal way of life were both threatened once again.

Mbuno looked back to make sure Pero and Nancy were crouched, waiting a few hundred yards away as he instructed. He then inched closer to the worrying herd, prone again, a sharp stone rolling under his hip painfully. He dared not move quickly, the bush above him would vibrate. He stopped any forward movement as he spotted feet, the small grey feet of a baby elephant, a mtoto.

One foot had an encircling, red, puss-oozing sore. Behind the mtoto’s feet stood the mother. Mbuno could see the way the weight was shifting on both mother and child that the mother was soothing the young one who would be in pain. Silent pain, the sign of a strong herd leader. Or a very frightened herd, one that is being hunted. The mtoto’s sore had been caused by a wire snare that had probably dropped off. Mbuno had seen this far too often. Now Mbuno felt compelled to do something, not just observe. It was now a matter of honor, duty, and common ancestry, not to mention his responsibility for the safety of his safari charges.

Mbuno’s mind made decisions quickly. In the bush, life and death were often just moments apart. Soundlessly, moving no bush or twig, he retreated the way he had come, donned his pants only, and set himself into a running crouch. It was his usual hunter’s pace, swift, determined, and ready for a change in direction. Circling the place where he knew the herd to be, he stayed four hundred yards away at least. Starting downwind and determinedly coming full half circle until he announced his presence to their sensitive noses, he tested their resolve. When he was sure they had smelled him, he knew there was real danger here because there was no charge, no bellowing threat, no foot stomp. The elephants could smell that he was only one man and also that he was a man of the bush. As Mbuno had feared, they clearly had a more dangerous enemy threat nearby, for they did not give themselves away. He continued his crouching circling run, sweating from adrenaline and the jini of the hunt. For he was hunting, but not elephant.

When he was three-quarters the way around his circle, he sensed, and then diving behind a fallen log on his stomach, he saw the men just outside the forest’s edge. One was sitting on a pickup truck’s hood and two stood in the flatbed. They wore no uniform. The man sitting was dressed as an Arab with a face scarf and camouflage trousers and bush shirt. He had binoculars but no gun. And two standing tribesmen looked like Pokot, Mbuno thought–northern, violent Maasai cousins. Hunters, not cattlemen. The two tribesmen had black rifles with yellow wood stocks and foregrips. Mbuno knew AK-47s when he saw them. Mbuno had seen these types of poachers before. They snared a baby and, in its squeals, it attracted the herd; close and closer until the slaughter would be efficient, deadly, machine gun rapid.

Standing behind a tree trunk on tiptoe, peeking out, Mbuno saw the panga (machete) on the flatbed tailgate, unsheathed, its 12-inch blade glistening, freshly sharpened. The back of the truck held two freshly drawn tusks; the brown blood still not yet black. The herd had been running and not just because of the mtoto.

Mbuno did not hesitate, did not reason, did not moralize. In the bush, the law of the land was kill or be killed. These men had killed, wasted the life of elephant, wanted to slaughter the rest, and were dishonorable. He saw them as little more than wanyama—vermin—to be stopped. Without altering his run, he circled behind the pickup and approached them from behind, soundlessly, before the men could even know he was coming.

***

Excerpt from Elephant Safari by Peter Riva. Copyright 2024 by Peter Riva. Reproduced with permission from Peter Riva. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Peter Riva

Peter Riva has traveled extensively throughout Africa, Asia, and Europe, spending many months spanning thirty years with legendary guides for East African adventurers. He created the Wild Things television series in 1995 and has worked for more than forty years as a literary agent. Riva writes science fiction and African adventure books, including the Mbuno & Pero thrillers. He lives in Gila, New Mexico.

Catch Up With Peter Riva:
www.PeterRiva.com
Goodreads
BookBub
Instagram – @peterriva_author
Facebook – @peter.riva

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway!

 

 

Win Big! Enter Now for Your Chance to Win!

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Peter Riva. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

  • 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!

#booksfromthebacklog – Bottled Abyss by Benjamin Kane Ethridge @bkethridge

Posted on by

Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

Amazon / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

Herman and Janet Erikson are going through a crisis of grief and suffering after losing their daughter in a hit and run. They’ve given up on each other; they’ve given up on themselves. They are living day by day. One afternoon, to make a horrible situation worse, their dog goes missing in the coyote-infested badlands behind their property. Herman, resolved in preventing another tragedy, goes to find the dog, completely unaware he’s on a hike to the River Styx, the border between the Living world and the world of the dead.

Long ago the Gods died and the River dried up, but a bottle containing its waters still remains in the badlands. What Herman discovers about the dark power contained in those waters will change his life forever…

  • Genre: Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror
  • 332 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published June 1, 2012 by Redrum Horror

Goodreads Ratings: 3.49 293 ratings 81 reviews

I added Bottled Abyss to my TBR on 3.14.13. I love the intriguing cover and have to find out if he locates his lost dog. I love books with animals in them. How about you?

  • 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!

#booksfromthebacklog – On A Wing And a Dare (Flying Horse Books, #1) by Linda Ulleseit

Posted on by

Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

Amazon / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

n Tremeirchson, a barn leader’s children are expected to follow their parents into the sky, becoming riders of the magnificent winged horses that are the medieval Welsh village’s legacy. Neither Emma nor Davyd, however, want to follow that tradition.

Sixteen-year-old Emma risks losing her family by following her heart. Eager to take her place in the air, she longs to ride a forbidden winged colt born in barn of her father’s biggest rival. She also dreams of the rival’s sons, not sure which she truly loves. Bold and exciting, Evan will someday lead his father’s barn. Davyd is quieter, more dependable, with an ability to get things done. Her father disapproves of both boys and pushes her toward an ambitious newcomer. He also insists she ride the colt he’s picked for her.

Davyd, also sixteen, is plagued with a secret—he is afraid of heights. Refusing to become a rider means public humiliation, his parents’ disappointment, and lifelong ridicule from his brother, Evan. He reluctantly prepares to join his family aloft in the Aerial Games that provide the entire village with its livelihood and tries desperately to think of an alternative.

As Tremeirchson’s barns prepare for the Rider Ceremony, winged horses suddenly start dying. Shocked, the adults hesitate, mired in tradition and politics. Is it a disease or poison? Accidental or purposeful? Someone must discover the answer and act before all the winged horses in the world are gone forever.

  • Genre: Fiction, Horses, Young Adult
  • 232 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published May 23, 2012

Goodreads Ratings: 4.2 on Goodreads 47 ratings

I added On A Wing And A Dare by Linda Ulleseit to my TBR on 3.14.13. I love horses, especially magical horses, and I do read a lot of Young Adult novels. I haven’t read anything by Linda Ulleseit, yet, have you?

  • 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 – Clowders by Vanessa Morgan @TravellingCats @xpressotours

Posted on by

Clowders
Vanessa Morgan
Publication date: March 1st 2018
Genres: Adult, Supernatural, Thriller

Clervaux, Luxembourg. This secluded, picturesque town in the middle of Europe is home to more cats than people. For years, tourists have flocked to this place – also known as “cat haven” – to meet the cats and buy cat-related souvenirs.

When Aidan, Jess and their five-year-old daughter, Eleonore, move from America to Clervaux, it seems as if they’ve arrived in paradise. It soon becomes evident, though, that the inhabitants’ adoration of their cats is unhealthy. According to a local legend, each time a cat dies, nine human lives are taken as a punishment. To tourists, these tales are supernatural folklore, created to frighten children on cold winter nights. But for the inhabitants of Clervaux, the danger is horrifyingly real.

Initially, Aidan and Jess regard this as local superstition, but when Jess runs over a cat after a night on the town, people start dying, one by one, and each time it happens, a clowder of cats can be seen roaming the premises.

Are they falling victim to the collective paranoia infecting the entire town? Or is something unspeakably evil waiting for them?

Their move to Europe may just have been the worst decision they ever made.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

—

FREE for a limited time only!

—

EXCERPT:

“Who is she?” Eleonore asked when Jess drove her to school Friday morning.

“Who’s who?” Jess countered, not sure what her daughter was talking about.

“The girl. The one who’s always watching us.”

“No one’s watching us,” Jess said.

“Yes, there is. All the girls in my baking class say the same.”

Normally, Jess wouldn’t have put much thought into such a remark – children can say weird things sometimes. But now it seemed Eleonore might be right. Jess felt like there was indeed someone watching them, no matter what they were doing.

She felt it everywhere she went. When she took Eleonore to baking class, when she was lying in bed at night, even in the shops. But not all the time.

Some of the time.

More often than not, everything seemed normal, and then all of a sudden, she felt as if someone was checking up on her. Sometimes it was only briefly, like a minute or so, but at other times, she could feel it for several hours.

Sometimes she could feel it on the streets.

But mostly at home.

And never outside Clervaux.

You’re imagining things, she told herself.

In fact, every day since she’d arrived in Europe, it had gotten worse. More and more, she’d get that tingly feeling, and know that someone behind her was watching her. She’d try to ignore it, tried to resist the urge to look over her shoulder, but eventually the hair on the back of her neck would stand up, and the tingling would turn into a chill, and finally, she’d turn around.

And nobody would be there.

Nobody, except for the cats. The sight of cats waddling along the pavement had never seemed eerie to her, but the fact that they were always there, no matter where she was – on the sidewalk, at the main square, in a café, in the forest – made her skin crawl.

Whenever she was running errands in Clervaux, she kept looking into store windows, but it wasn’t the merchandise she was looking at; it was the reflection in the glass.

The reflection of something sinister watching her.

Sometimes she could have sworn she saw something. The reflection of a small, squatting figure. But then she glanced over her shoulder and all she could see once more were the cats of Clervaux staring back at her.

She decided to not let her imagination get to her, to resist the urge to glance over her shoulder every few seconds.

And then her daughter muttered the words, “Who is she? The girl. The one who’s always watching us,” and the paranoia tightened its grip on her once more.


Author Bio:

Vanessa Morgan is the editor of the movie reference guides When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals, Strange Blood: 71 Essays on Offbeat and Underrated Vampire Movies, and Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children. She also has had one cat book (Avalon) and four supernatural thrillers (Drowned Sorrow, The Strangers Outside, A Good Man, and Clowders) published. Three of her stories have been turned into movies. She has written for myriad Belgian magazines and newspapers and introduces movie screenings at several European film festivals. She is also a programmer for the Offscreen Film Festival in Belgium. When she’s not working on her latest book, you can find her reading, watching movies, eating out, or photographing felines for her blog Traveling Cats.

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter 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!

The Spotlight Is On Catnip Plushie Balls And Q-Tips by M G Rorai @pumpupyourbook

Posted on by

Catnip, Plushie Balls, and Q-Tips

Virtual Book Tour

Media Kit

🙤 · ┈┈┈┈┈┈ · ꕥ · ┈┈┈┈┈┈ · 🙦

  About the Book:

 Title: Catnip, Plushie Balls, and Q-Tips

Author: M.G. Rorai

Publisher: Independent

Publication Date: September 30, 2023

Pages: 178

Genre: Poetry/Pets

Ever wonder why there are “mews” in “amewzing”?

This collection of cat poems will tickle your whiskers and your funny bone. They’re the purr-fect way to brighten your day and celebrate the furry friends in your life.

Prepare to laugh out loud as you read about cat adventures with magnets, candles, strawberry milkshakes, and plush balls—but don’t let me ruin the surprise, you’ll have to read to find out!

Get ready to laugh your tail off!

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple | Scribd | Smashwords

 Book Excerpt:

The magnets are so cute

that I must knock them off

but get yelled at for this,

so the new approach is soft.

I sit by the fridge

staring at those squares

and when Human isn’t looking

I lick with tongue hairs.

All was going good

until one was quite sticky

leaving a bad taste,

and I’m not so picky.

I bite at the air

to get rid of the taste

then knock down that magnet;

good riddance, post-haste.** 

About the Author

 M.G. Rorai enjoys hanging with her cats and annoying her husband. Her latest book is Catnip, Plushie Balls, and Q-Tips.

Author Links  

Website | 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!

Afterworld by Olivia Boothe & Victoria Liiv @TheOliviaBoothe #victorialiiv

Posted on by
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62083297-afterworld

Goodreads

MY REVIEW

WOW, such an amazing cover for Afterworld: Losing Salvation by Olivia Boothe and Victoria Liiv. There is no way I could say no when Olivia asked me if I wanted to read the series. Sure, there are a lot of trigger warnings that readers need to be aware of, but I love the dark world the authors have created.

Afterworld: Losing Salvation by Olivia Boothe and Victoria Liiv is not available for purchase. It is a bonus that I received from the Olivia Boothe and is included as part of a special edition Afterworld hardcover and Renegade City anthology.

I want to thank Olivia Boothe for allowing me to get my introduction to Jax and Kate through Afterworld: Losing Salvation, a prequel. I was immediately drawn into this dark world that made me think of Supernatural and The Walking Dead. I love it!

A virus is spreading throughout the city creating zombie like creatures that can only be killed by a blow to the head or decapitation. Sound familiar? But, how they came to be…well…

I love the dog!

Everything comes full circle and we are on to the next ‘adventure’ in the Afterworld series.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars
https://amzn.to/3PwWEog

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO, THE WORLD LEARNED THE UGLY TRUTH:
GOD EXISTS. HE JUST DOESN’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT US.

Afterworld: Road To Redemption by Olivia Boothe and Victoria Liiv is Jax and Kate’s love story. It was a traumatizing meeting for her…and him…

In the beginning, we bounce between Kate’s journal and Jax’s Grimoire in the year 2031.

I love one of Kate’s first entries…out scavenging and she scores some tampons. Aunt Flow still flows, even during an apocalypse. AND, she meets Hank, a service dog who lost his master. They become hard and fast companions. As they fight the beasts, there comes a blinding light…an angel, who gives his life to save hers.

Jax sees the light, knows it’s an angel, and races to get there. It’s his only hope of getting rid of the demon, War, one of The Four Horsemen, who resides inside him. When he sees her fight, he realizes she is more than a woman.

We do have that gruesome, brutal, blood and guts going on, The Walking Dead vibe, but we also have the, sort of, lightness of Supernatural. I found myself laughing in the middle of danger. Couldn’t help myself.

I would think if there is any kind of attraction, sex would arise. After all, how often do you come across a human that doesn’t want to kill you? She found it easy to trust him, but he has yet to tell all to her and how dangerous he can be. I feel there is even a dash of Fifty Shades of Grey…some smoking hot scenes.

At 65% an amazing surprise came to light…and I loved it.

There is one scene with rats in the sewers that The Walking Dead made it so easy to visualize. Also, the movie references made me think of Denizzo on NCIS. So many things I referenced to TV shows made the book even more special because it had those familiar elements that had me smiling or cringing.

Well, I read and read and read, slept, then read and read and read. It was so hard to put the book down, but I couldn’t get it read in one sitting. The pace and danger kept rising, the suspense off the charts, the action so fast paced near the end I was shouting out loud…NO, NO, NO…I was so fearful, but…well…all I can say is, if you love the dark side of paranormal romance, some Supernatural, some Walking Dead, some angels and demons, the Four Horsement of the Apocalypse…..this is a must read.

The story does end with a happy ever after, but there is more to come and I can hardly wait to begin. Bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Afterworld: Road To Redemption by Olivia Boothe & Victoria Liiv.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO, THE WORLD LEARNED THE UGLY TRUTH:
GOD EXISTS. HE JUST DOESN’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT US.

After a deadly virus wipes out most of the world’s population, those of us who survive are left as food for the Damned, the walking corpses ravaged by the infection.

Yet, something far more sinister stirs in the bowels of New York City. The Four Horsemen are prowling the streets, kidnapping young girls and dragging them back to their lair. And when a supply run becomes a rescue mission turned deadly, I’m left at the mercy of a sexy stranger.

Jax Constantine weaves himself into my life with blood tingling charisma and a smile that rekindles my hope in love. But a dark secret lurks beneath his penetrating gaze and sizzling touch. One he’s not willing to share, leading me to believe he might not be the man I thought.

Now, humanity’s last stand rests in my hands. To save a world consumed by evil, I must choose between stopping Lucifer from claiming an already scorched Earth as his own or saving the man I love.

The same man destined to curse my soul.

This is a dark apocalyptic paranormal romance and is intended for audiences 18 years+.

Please see below for the full list of content/trigger warnings:
Angels and demons, biblical lore, zombies, Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, blood and gore, PTSD, trauma, profanity, graphic violence, explicit sexual content, and kidnappings.

Reader discretion is advised.

While Afterworld can be read as a standalone and has a resolution, this is a planned series, and the book ends with a Happily For Now.

  • Genre: Angels and Demons, Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural
  • Format: 378 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published: September 16, 2022 by Three Brothers Press
  • Language: English
  • Series: Hell’s Angel, Book I

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

OLIVIA BOOTHE

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

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

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

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

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

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

Website / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / Bookbub

VICTORIA LIIV

Victoria Liiv is a writer, reader, nature lover and traveler at heart. She has been traveling through magical worlds since a very young age and wants more than anything to share the wonder with everyone else eager to escape from all things mundane. Let it be a magical adventure through slowly darkening Earth or a soul crushing fight for survival and love while the world burns. Sometimes all it takes is a little bit of romance.

She self published her debut novel Through Hell & Highwater on 2020 when the pandemics keeping her isolated gave her the reason to follow her dream of becoming an author. She hasn’t looked back since.
Afterworld: Road to Redemption is Victoria’s second novel. She is grateful for the opportunity to be able to co-write it with Olivia.
This February 2023, she’ll also be releasing Treasure Me, a contemporary romance, as part of Tease Me box set.
With many more ideas and characters keeping her awake at night this is only the beginning of her writing career.

In her everyday life she found the magic in her partner, who gave her courage to move out of Estonia, the country she was born in, to an equally small but more known The Netherlands. He was also the one who encourages and supports her throughout her writing process.

Website / LinkTree / Instagram / Facebook / Pinterest / Tumblr

  • 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 – She Who Rides Horses by Sarah Barnes #sarahbarnes @ireadbooktours

Posted on by

I won a paperback copy of She Who Rides Horses by Sarah Barnes in a tour giveaway and I immediately picked it up and began reading..and didn’t quit until the last word was read.

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly.

What is essential is invisible to the eye…

People have forgotten this truth…But you mustn’t forget it.

You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.

Antoine de St – Exupery, The Little Prince (1943) Chapter XXI

Everything about She Who Rides Horses by Sarah Barnes intrigued me. I love horses, all animals really, so I was super excited to read about a young girl with a connection to a young horse and how it will change their world forever.

Horses are a food source, but Naya wants to ride the red filly. Her patience pays off as she earns the filly’s trust and willingness to let her ride. Naya uses no ropes, no force, just asks permission, allowing the filly to choose the time. I have a feeling it won’t be long before her imagination comes up with more uses for the horses.

I love the visionary aspects, the psychic connection Naya has with the filly.

When Naya is injured and she and her mother are forced to accept the help of strangers, I watched her grow as they struggled through the winter. The filly, a stallion and a pregnant mare choose to stay close to them.

Naya is approaching adulthood. For the first time, she feels an awareness of her sexuality. Will she be able to make her own choice of a mate or will one be chosen for her?

I am hooked on the series and I had to read the intro to Book Two, to see what was over the cliff that had captured everyone’s attention in Book One.

She Who Rides Horses by Sarah Barnes is a must read for horse lovers…maybe even all animal lovers.

At the end of the book is a section on domestication and the language of the characters. a glossary, references, an acknowledgment and an intriguing afterword by Linda Kohanov.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of She Who Rides Horses by Sarah Barnes.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Set more than 6,000 years ago, She Who Rides Horses: A Saga of the Ancient Steppe (Book One) begins the story of Naya, the first person ever to ride a horse. Daughter of a clan chief, bolder than the other girls but shunned by the boys because of her unusual appearance, Naya often wanders alone through the vast grasslands where her people herd domesticated cattle, sheep and goats, and hunt wild horses for their meat. But Naya dreams of creating a different kind of relationship with the magnificent creatures. One day, while out roaming by herself, she discovers a filly with a chestnut coat as uncommon as her own head of red hair. With time running out before she is called to assume the responsibilities of adulthood, Naya embarks on a quest to fulfill her vision of galloping with the filly across the boundless steppe. Unwittingly, she sets in motion forces and events that will change forever the future of humans and horses alike.

  • Genres: Action and Adventure, Fiction, Historical Fiction
  • Kindle Edition
  • Published April 2, 2022 by Little House Press

ABOUT SARAH BARNES

Once upon a time there was a little girl who loved stories.  She especially loved stories that happened a long time ago, in a land far, far away.  At first, others had to tell her the stories, but then, like magic, she learned to read them for herself out of books.  And then, even more magical, she discovered that there were stories inside her that she could write down using her own words.  

But just as she made this discovery, the girl came under a spell that made her believe that the only way that she could tell stories about long ago and far away was to become something called an historian.  And so that is what she did.  What she was not told, but had to learn for herself, was that becoming an historian meant relying more and more on facts and evidence and less and less on her own imagination, and soon the girl forgot all about the stories that had once been inside of her, waiting to be told.  The girl – now a grown-up professor with a Ph.D. – wrote lots and lots of words but with less and less joy, for the stories were lost.  Then one day, a special creature appeared, beckoning to the girl to leave her life in the ivory tower where she had become imprisoned.  The creature came in the shape of a horse, for the girl had loved horses all of her life but never had one of her own.   Realizing she wanted to be with the horse far more than she wanted to keep on being an historian, the girl fled her old life and went to live with the horse in a barn.  There, little by little, the horse helped the girl to remember the stories long buried in her heart until one day, she began to write them down.  And the rest is history.

When Sarah is not writing stories, she practices and teaches riding as a meditative art.  She holds a Ph.D. in history from Northwestern University and spent many years as a college professor before turning full-time to riding and writing.  She has two grown daughters and lives with her husband, her dogs and her horses near Boulder, CO. She is currently working on books two and three of the She Who Rides Horses trilogy.

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 – She Who Rides Horses by Sarah V Barnes @ireadbooktours

Posted on by


Book Details:

Book Title:  She Who Rides Horses: A Saga of the Ancient Steppe (Book One) by Sarah V. Barnes
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+),  267 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction 
Publisher:  Lilith House Press 
Release date:  March 2022
Content Rating: PG.  It contains two kissing scenes and the death of an animal.
Book Description:

Set more than 6,000 years ago, She Who Rides Horses: A Saga of the Ancient Steppe (Book One) begins the story of Naya, the first person to ride a horse.

Daughter of a clan chief, bolder than other girls but shunned by the boys because of her unusual appearance, Naya wanders alone through the vast grasslands where her people herd cattle and hunt wild horses for their meat. But Naya dreams of creating a different kind of relationship with the magnificent creatures.

One day, she discovers a filly with a chestnut coat as uncommon as her own head of red hair. With time running out before she is called to assume the responsibilities of adulthood, Naya embarks on a quest to gallop with the red filly across the boundless steppe.

Unwittingly, she sets in motion forces and events that will change forever the future of humans and horses alike.
BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon 
Barnes & Noble ~ Bookshop.org
add to goodreads


Meet the Author:

Sarah V. Barnes, Ph.D. is both an historian and a horsewoman. When Sarah is not writing stories, she practices and teaches riding as a meditative art. She also offers equine-facilitated coaching and wellness workshops.

Sarah holds a Ph.D. in history from Northwestern University and spent many years as a college professor before turning full-time to riding and writing. She has two grown daughters and lives with her husband, her dogs and her horses near Boulder, CO.

connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~  goodreads




Enter the Giveaway:


SHE WHO RIDES HORSES 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 & Giveaway – Shadow Wolf by Natascha Birovljev @ireadbooktours

Posted on by

Book Details:

Book Title:  Shadow Wolf of the Rocky Mountains by Natascha Birovljev
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+),  484 pages
Genre: Adventure 
Publisher:  North Raven Books 
Release date:  March 27, 2023
Content Rating: PG for romantic elements

MY REVIEW

It is wonderful to be back in Spruce View with characters I have come to know so well. Shadow Wolf of the Rocky Mountains is the fourth book in the Rocky Mountain series. I have loved spending time with everyone, struggling through their issues ad the find their place in the world.

The Prologue shares a story of Two Wolves, loosely based on a Cherokee legend. I love that each book starts out with a different tribes legend. I love that we have an animal rescue center, and Kachina, a wolf pup is in dire need of their help.

We meet a new guy, Doug. All my spidey senses went on alert, but that could just be me. I am always looking around the corner for this or that bad thing or bad person to make an appearance.

I was able to spot some trouble coming and I had to know how everything would pan out. There is so much going on and so many new adventures for the characters, there was never a dull moment.

I have loved this series, reading one book right after the other. Natascha Birovljev is an amazing author, filling the book’s pages with vividly described environments, characters that had me laughing and even shedding a tear or two or three and mysteries to be solved. I feel like I have learned a lot about ranching and the Native culture.

Could there be more coming in the Rocky Mountain series? We could end here and I would be satisfied, but I would love to have more and keep up with the gang.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Shadow Wolf by Natascha Birovljev.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

Book Description:

What if the untamed wilderness held the key to unlocking the deepest desires of the heart?

In the shadow of the majestic Rocky Mountains, whispers of untold stories and hidden destinies come to life. Welcome to the world of The Shadow Wolf of the Rocky Mountains, the fourth installment in the gripping Willow Ranch series. Here, three humans and a she-wolf navigate a treacherous landscape of love, loss, and the unforgiving wilderness.

When fate intertwines the lives of Rosie, the resilient groom, Cody, the enigmatic cowboy, and Woodwind, the mystical Cree Indian, their fragile dreams and deepest fears are unearthed. At the heart of it all is the Willow Ranch, a place where passions ignite, and lives are forever altered. Can they trust the strength of their bond and the power of love to guide them through the storm?

In this haunting tale of self-discovery and the quest for redemption, each character is forced to confront their own demons. As Cody grapples with the crushing weight of his brother’s suicide, Rosie fights for her horses and her home amidst swirling deception. And Woodwind, haunted by self-doubt, must find the courage to save the she-wolf and the woman who has captured his heart.

As careless decisions threaten the future of the Willow Ranch, the rugged beauty of the Rocky Mountains presents a formidable challenge. With time running out, the friends and staff must pull together and believe in the magic of community to save their home and their happiness.

Dare to venture into the wild unknown, where heartache and hope collide, and where the call of the heart is a siren song that cannot be ignored. “Song of the Wild: Call of the Heart” beckons you to the Willow Ranch, where the secrets of the wilderness hold the key to love, courage, and the power of unity.

Embark on this unforgettable journey of love and self-discovery today – answer the call of the heart and unlock the secrets hidden within the wild. 

BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon ~ Amazon.ca / goodreads

Meet the Author:

Natascha Birovljev is a storyteller at heart and author of the “Willow Ranch” book series.

Growing up in Germany, horses were always part of her life. After getting her Master degree in Religious Studies and German Literature, adventure was calling and she traveled to Alberta. She fell in love with the wild beauty of the Rocky Mountains and immigrated from Germany to Canada in 2005.

Here she worked the first years as a guide for horseback vacations, exploring mountain trails and spending the summer months in tent camps in the wilderness.

Inspired by her adventures and connections to ranchers, cowboys and First Nation communities, she started writing her books. Natascha lives on her ranch in Alberta with her horses and dogs.

Her stories show her fascination with the beauty of the Rocky Mountain wilderness and her love for the people she encounters.

connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ youtube ~ pinterest ~ goodreads

WILLOW RANCH Book Series Tour Giveaway

MY NATASCHA BIROVLJEV REVIEWS

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