**all images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**
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Spring has arrived in full force. The days are warmer and wetter. The grass is green and the azaleas are blooming.
Of course, with spring comes Spring Break and Easter. Mr Wonderful has the week off and we have been having a busy week, doing this and that, leaving little time for blogging. That being said, Happy Easter!
FREE
(at time of posting, look for the “0”)
I grabbed too many, as usual, but don’t have time to list them all.
**all images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**
**The small amount helps keep my blog running**
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Raindrops keep falling on my pool… (c) Sherry Fundin
We had a little bit of rain this week and cooler weather at night but I have been spending some time outside, getting a head start on the yard. The pool is sparkly clear and I feel like jumping in, very soon. I have also been going through my email files, moving and deleting, organizing them better. Spring cleaning my computer is as important as spring cleaning my house…but it takes so darn long and my eyes are crossing. I do feel a sense of accomplishment. Now…on to some more fun stuff.
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NEW TO fundinmental
I won Colton’s Surprise Heir by Addison Fox, Book II in The Coltons of Texas romantic suspense series on Freda’s Voice. Thank you ladies and I look forward to reading it…soon.
FOR REVIEW
Pam Garcia offered me a copy of Europa: Awakenings, the first book of the Eruopa series for review. When I saw the cover…and read the blurb, there was no denying, I HAD to have it. Science fiction and fantasy are taking me on a trip to the underwater world of Atlantis. After reading about the author and her love of the ocean and all its critters, I can hardly wait to get started. A woman after my own heart!
I read this first book, Betrayed by Jaye Frances and loved it (see my review and enter the giveaway here), so I am excited to get my hands on Book II of the World Without Love series, Reunion (erotica). It’s unusual for me to read erotica, but I love Jaye Frances’ writing and there is so much more to the story than sex. It deals with the subject of human trafficking and the enslavement of women.
I will be reviewing Silenced in the Surf by Kate Dyer Seeley for a tour in April. Available for Pre-order. This item will be released on March 29, 2016. This is the third book in the Pacific Northwest Mystery series and I am excited to dive right in. I got all three books signed by the author, so get ready for some cozy mystery murders. They are in the correct reading order in the pic below and normally I would begin with the first book in the series, Scene of the Climb, but I want to make sure I get Silenced in the Surf done in time for the tour…
**all images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**
**The small amount helps keep my blog running**
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Mardi Gras season is in full swing and all I can say is:
Laissezlesbonstempsrouler
(Let the good times roll)
This past week I was on the road, traveling to Mobile, Alabama, for the Senior Bowl, New Orleans for some Mardi Gras parades and Biloxi for a little bit of one armed bandit action. We had a great time and collected many goodies!
I am so excited and hyped by the Super Bowl. Have been keeping up with the latest news, commercials and interviews that have been shared on TV. Will you be watching?
Super Sunday will be a battle between the NFL’s best young quarterback (Carolina’s Cam Newton) and a legend probably playing his final game (Denver’s Peyton Manning). The game also pits two outstanding defenses and will feature clut…
I try not to grab all the freebies I see, but I went click happy and got all of these.
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NEW to fundinmental
Check this out –
We’ve discounted this breakthrough #1 bestseller to just 99 cents through Sunday, February 7th. Hurry and buy it now before the price goes up to $9.99!
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FOR REVIEW
I am a huge fan of Bette Lee Crosby’s and I am eager to dive into the latest Wyattsville’s story, Baby Girl
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WINNINGS
I won an awesome package from Amber Garr: a Kindle Fire and instead of ebooks she sent me signed copies of Waterfall, Waterproof and Soulless. Thanks so much, Amber.
**all images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**
**The small amount helps keep my blog running**
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We are having a cold spell with rain and thunderstorms. I know a lot of you are expecting snow and all I can say is…grab a good book, your comfie blanket, a hot toddy and enjoy being housebound.
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FREE BOOKS
Be sure and check for the “0”.
NEW to fundinmental
I couldn’t help myself and added all the freebies.
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FOR REVIEW
I have read Tainted Cure (no buy links yet) and will be reviewing soon. I am now reading the next in the series, Tainted Reality. I don’t have info to share right now…but soon. 🙂
I was approved through Net Galley for this dark fantasy/horror novel.
Makes me want to dive right in. 🙂
I got The Hatching from Edelweiss and all I can say is…creepy good.
**all images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**
**The small amount helps keep my blog running**
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Another busy week playing catchup. Writing reviews, doing my memes and trying to visit some of the blogs I have been neglecting. If yours is one of them, I will be there soon. 🙂
The sun is still shining, but I am snuggled up, trying to stay warm. Thank goodness I have a steady supply of reading material.
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FREE BOOKS
Be sure and check for the “0”.
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NEW to fundinmental
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FOR REVIEW
I have read Tainted Cure (no buy links yet) and will be reviewing soon. I am now reading the next in the series, Tainted Reality. I don’t have info to share right now…but soon. 🙂
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WINNINGS
Check out these beautiful goodies I won through a Great Escapes tour.
I won a $10 GC from Dweezel & Pallie through the Big Fat Mermaid giveaway.
**all images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**
**The small amount helps keep my blog running**
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Another busy week playing catchup.
Thank you Mother Nature, for some sunshine. It has been dark and gloomy for so long, although it helped the weather to stay warmer. Too bad she won’t put both of them together again…for a little while. 😥
Been doing a bit of yard work and cleaned the pool.
I even worked up a sweat and I am not complaining.
How is the weather in your neck of the woods?
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FREE BOOKS
Be sure and check for the “0”.
Sorry I didn’t have chance to find some freebies for you.
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NEW to fundinmental
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FOR REVIEW
I have one I was very excited to read by H D Gordon, but as yet, there is no information available to share. I will keep you updated.
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WINNINGS
I won a $10 amazon gift card from Jody Kessler’s Unwrapping Treasure blog tour.
**all images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**
**The small amount helps keep my blog running**
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Be sure and check my Giveaway page for anything that looks good to you.
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FREE BOOKS
Be sure and check for the “0”.
I found this freebie through D K Cassidy’s newsletter. Spilt Milk was voted 2015 Reader’s Favorite Gold Metal Winner in Fiction-Anthology. She writes Magical Realism, Urban Gothic, Science Fiction and Literary Fiction. Her goal? Messing with your mind by transforming the voices in her head into odd stories.
I saw this at Laura’s fuonlyknew blog and had to grab it.
The cover made me stop and check this psychological suspense novella.
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NEW to fundinmental
A J Cosmo’s book are so darn cute, how can I resist? I will be doing some reviews before the year is out, so if you are looking for children’s books for gifts for the upcoming holidays, be sure and keep in touch.
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FOR REVIEW
OMG, I am so excited to share this new book I have for review. Whispered Pain by Ashley Fontainne is already available, but she also slipped by the next one in line, but no information is available at this time, so I will share that with you later.
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WINNINGS
I won an ebook of Stranger at Sunset by Eden Baylee through Bestselling Reads. Thank you Eden and Bestselling Reads. I am eager to read this great looking psychological suspense novel.
I won a $25 GC for the Havoc Rising tour by Brian S Leon Candace at CBB Book Promotions. Thank you Candace and Brian.
Title: Three Days to Forever Author: Lauren Carr Publisher: Acorn Book Services Pages: 466 Genre: Mystery Format: Paperback/Kindle
Author Interview By Lauren Carr
Lauren, you have been averaging two to three murder mysteries a year—all of them best-sellers! This year, you have released three books. Obviously you write every day.
LC: Yes, I do write every day. I guess you could say I’m a workaholic—or maybe I’m a write-aholic. I am actually driven to write. As the author, I am the creator of my characters’ world. So, when I get going in a plot, I have a hard time walking away to cook dinner for my family because I myself want to know what is going to happen next. I especially have a hard time leaving my laptop in the middle of a shootout or when a bad guy is creeping up on one of my detectives to go clean up the kitchen. I feel like I’m leaving a friend hanging. Recently, a friend of mine reminded me, “It’s okay to leave one of your detectives bleeding out for a few days. He’s not real!” Well, he’s real to me.
What is your writing schedule?
LC: I do write full time—but I have the luxury of creating my own schedule. In the morning, I take care of business—answering emails, book promotion, interviews. The Mommy stuff gets taken care of in the afternoon—going to the gym, laundry, dinner. Then, after dinner, I’ll work on my next book. After everything is taken care of and everyone in my life settles down, I can escape into my characters’ world.
Where do you write? Do you have an office?
LC: Yes, I have an office on the top floor of our house with a built-in desk and a view of the valley that is to die for. But my teenaged son took it! So, I write in bed—propped up on a pile of pillows.
Is there a ritualistic thing you like to do when you’re writing?
LC: Not really. Some writers refuse to answer the phone. Me—I just plain tune it out! Really. I have had the phone ringing right next to me and my son or husband will hear it, but I’m so absorbed in what I am writing that I don’t. Other writers will use a laptop or computer that doesn’t have social media so they aren’t tempted to surf. Not me. I don’t know if it is disciplined or obsessive. I prefer to call it disciplined.
What about snacking? Do you come back to reality to eat a favorite snack when you’re writing?
LC: I never have been a big snacker. My favorite snack is Hershey kisses, or anything chocolate. I recently had to give up ice cream as an evening snack because I was starting to get as big as a house!
What books are you obsessing about now? Please tell us that you have not abandoned Mac Faraday and Gnarly.
LC: Oh, no! I will never abandon Mac Faraday. Gnarly won’t let me. Look for Cancelled Vows this winter.
In Cancelled Vows, David O’Callaghan’s wedding plans hit a huge snag when he discovers he is already married to an old girlfriend! With less than a week to his wedding day, David, Mac, and Gnarly go to New York City to have the marriage dissolved—only to end up in the middle of a murder mystery.
What’s next in store for Jessica and Murphy? Tell us that you are planning more Thorny Rose Mysteries.
LC: Sorry, but the next Thorny Rose Mystery is at least a year away. I’m now working on three series! However, readers who fall in love with Jessica and Murphy should be on the lookout for the next Lovers in Crime Mystery, in which they will make a featured appearance. Murphy and Jessica rush to Chester, WV, when J.J., Murphy’s twin brother, disappears after his girlfriend’s murder. This mystery will be released in Spring 2015.
I am familiar with Mac Faraday and his cohorts, so I was happy to be able to read to review this mystery novel. I felt Lauren Carr would not let me down and was right. I enjoyed the novel and look forward to reading more of her work.
I am loving the cover, simple, yet I sense an aura of menace.
Mac Faraday and Archie Monday are getting married. It will be the event of the season for the Spencer Inn and Deep Creek Lake, Maryland.
Just days before the wedding, Mac receives an envelope, containing a warning. As if that is not enough of a problem, he is attacked by a professional hit squad and the tale is off and running. Someone wants him dead. Or do they? Is he the real target? It seems so obvious, I am suspicious. I read on, getting deeper into the story, more involved with the characters as the danger spreads.
Plots within plots. There is so much going on, twisting and, turning, keeping me wondering how this will come together in a completed story. Who’s doing what to whom? Is it revenge for a perceived wrong? A terrorist threat from Iraq?
There are too many characters to mention, but they all contribute to the story in their own special way. We have met some of them before and will hear about some of them again and again, as we travel through the mystery series with Lauren Carr.
An invisible unit: Under the cover of anonymity, a secret unit, that does what no one else can do, what cannot be allowed to reach the light of day. They are cloaked in secrecy and deniability.
The politics are dirty, but necessary. This book will expose its biggest weaknesses, at the highest levels. Three Days To Forever by Lauren Carr reads as if it could be true. The good. The bad. The current events. Revenge, murder, terrorism, romance, love, loyalty and a determination to do what is right, regardless of the consequences.
Three Days To Forever is not a light read. The mystery and suspense kept me captivated, as I traveled from Iraq to the United States and back again. Lauren kept me guessing and on my toes. I never anticipated all the events that would ensue.
I did not sit on the edge of my seat with bated breath, or have to stay up all night until I finished it, but I did read the book, which is 434 pages in this ARC paperback, within a twenty four hour period.
I received Three Days To Forever by Lauren Carr in return for an honest and unbiased review.
4 Stars
SYNOPSIS
In this latest Mac Faraday Mystery from best-selling mystery author Lauren Carr, readers will embark on a rollercoaster adventure with old friends (including the Lovers in Crime team of Prosecutor Joshua Thornton and Homicide Detective Cameron Gates), but also meet new ones as Mac Faraday’s daughter Jessica Faraday and Joshua Thornton’s son Murphy Thornton join the team in the race to get the love birds to the altar!
With three days left to the year, Deep Creek Lake is hopping with holiday vacationers and wedding guests pouring into the Spencer Inn for Mac Faraday and Archie Monday’s huge wedding ceremony which is being touted as the social event of the year.
But droopy flowers and guests who failed to RSVP are the least of Mac’s and Archie’s problems when a professional hit squad hits Spencer Manor to send the groom, Joshua Thornton, Archie’s mother, and Gnarly running for their lives.
With time running out to the big day, Mac Faraday and Spencer’s small police force have to sort through the clues to figure out not only who has been targeted for assassination, but also who is determined to stop everything … FOREVER!
“Lauren Carr’s mystery novels are indeed one of my go-tos when I’m looking for a good whodunit.” –Reviewer: Shana Benedict, ABookVacation Book Reviews.
“Lauren Carr does a good job of moving the quirky storyline along nicely with an abundance of witty dialogue. And you have no idea who the good guys are and who the bad guys are until the end.” – Reviewer: Every Free Chance Book Reviews.
ABOUT LAUREN CARR
Lauren Carr is the best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Three Days to Forever is the ninth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.
In addition to her series set on Deep Creek Lake, Lauren Carr has also written the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, which features prosecutor Joshua Thornton with homicide detective Cameron Gates, who were introduced in Shades of Murder, the third book in the Mac Faraday Mysteries. They also make an appearance in The Lady Who Cried Murder.
Three Days to Forever introduces Lauren Carr’s latest series, detectives, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday in the Thorny Rose Mysteries. Look for the first installment in this series in Spring 2015.
The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. This year, several books, over a variety of genre, written by independent authors will be released through the management of Acorn Book Services, which is currently accepting submissions. Visit Acorn Book Services website for more information.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.
She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
I have been remiss in visiting all my fellow bloggers as I write, write, write reviews. When I get in the zone, I hate to change tactics, but I will be by soon.
Hope you had some goodies come your way. 😀
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LAST WEEK ON fundinmental
I got a bit carried away, but there were so many good books, I just had to share them with you. Be sure and look for the reviews and giveaways.
Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
Hope you had some goodies come your way. 😀
4 Stars
Lauren Carr is the best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Three Days to Forever is the ninth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.
