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$20 GC – Stellar Heir by Scott Killian @goddessfish @authorsekillian

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STELLAR HEIR by Scott Killian

GENRE:  Science Fiction

MY REVIEW

Stellar Heir by Scott Killian is an action packed space opera. The more I read, the more involved I became as Jael Ked’Korhva traveled the galaxy, running from those who want what he has, an alien artifact.

“Others had the artifact, had the chance to become the Stellar Heir, but none took the simple step of putting it on.”

I loved the descriptions and the alien world Scott Killian has created. The author’s imagination amazes me. The mismatched group of characters that end up helping Jael grow with each stop along the way. We even manage to find a little romance, that spices up the novel.

I was disappointed that the story didn’t end with Stella Heir, but I would love to know what happens next.

I’d like to thank Scott Killian for the opportunity to read and review Stellar Heir.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

BLURB

Jael Ked’Korhva hadn’t anticipated becoming the galaxy’s most wanted.

He hadn’t planned on picking up a strange alien artifact, either, but once it was clasped around his wrist, Jael was granted extraordinary abilities. His senses were heightened, his reflexes faster, and he could now regenerate from damage that would spell the end for others, which was a boon, considering he was just a derelict scavenger.

That was until forces from every corner of the stars wanted Jael’s artifact for themselves, and they’ll stop at nothing to take it back. What initially appears as a boon swiftly transforms into a weighty charge. Yet, it’s a charge Jael accepts without hesitation, understanding the catastrophic potential should the relic fall into the wrong hands.

Prodded onward by visions of an ancient ally and a mysterious enemy, Jael becomes a pivotal piece in a vast interstellar play of power and dominion.

An action-packed space opera, perfect for science fiction fans of Sun Eater by Christopher Ruocchio or The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey.

EXCERPT

Jael’s world shifted, reality melting away as the woman’s touch transported his consciousness across the vastness of space. The galaxy unfurled before him, countless stars and vibrant worlds.

A creeping darkness emerged from the fringes, seeping into the cosmic fabric like spilled ink. Jael watched in horror as the void engulfed entire star systems, extinguishing their light with terrifying efficiency.

Planets that once teemed with life withered under the encroaching shadow. Lush forests crumbled to ash, oceans boiled away, and sprawling cities crumbled into dust. The screams of billions echoed across the vacuum, abruptly silenced as the darkness consumed them.

Stars flickered and died, snuffed out like candles in a gale. Nebulae collapsed, their swirling colors fading to a dull, lifeless gray. The galaxy’s spiral arms now resembled dark skeletal fingers reaching into nothingness.

As the last remnants of light faded, Jael found himself suspended in an endless, inky void. The darkness was not still, but writhed and pulsated. Shapeless entities, darker than the blackness surrounding them, twisted and coiled through the emptiness.

The woman’s voice echoed in his mind, “This is the future that awaits if you fail. The enemy comes, and with it, the end of all things.” She moved in close and placed a hand on his cheek. “Find me on Dusrist before it is too late.”

As the woman began to fade, behind her, another figure began to materialize. A shadow Jael hadn’t thought about in years.

Jael’s breath caught in his throat, his heart pounding against his chest. The figure’s face slowly came into focus—a sharp jawline, weathered by time and countless wars, gray, ashen skin, a tell-tale sign of genetic alteration and eyes that Jael would never forget. Those predatory, multi-pupiled eyes that had haunted Jael’s nightmares since he was a child.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Scott Killian grew up in California where he consumed every bit of sci-fi and horror media he could find. Delving deep into the works of Thomas Harris, Stephen King and H. P. Lovecraft to name a few, those dark portals in his mind were opened and his obsession with the macabre began. Story telling, in any form, is his greatest passion.

  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Scott.E.killian
  • Twitter: https://x.com/authorsekillian
  • Email: saltnsulfurpublishing@gmail.com
  • Newsletter signup: https://mailchi.mp/9f595cbdc394/author-scott-killians-newsletter
  • Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DF1RLYLB
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$10 GC – On The Threshhold by M Laszlo @goddessfish

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On the Threshold by M. Laszlo

GENRE: Historical Science Fiction

BLURB

Obsessed with learning the origins of the cosmos, the actual meaning of life, and the true purpose of civilization, a fine Scotsman named Fingal T. Smyth dedicates himself to the study of Plato’s most extraordinary ideas. Convinced of Plato’s belief that humankind possesses any and all innate knowledge deep within the collective unconscious mind, Fingal soon conducts a series of bold, pioneering occult-science experiments by which to resolve the riddle of the universe once and for all. However, Fingal forgets how violent and perilous the animal impulses that reside in the deepest recesses of the unconscious mind. And when Fingal unleashes a mysterious avatar of his innate knowledge, the entity appears as a burning man and immediately seeks to manipulate innocent and unsuspecting people everywhere into immolating themselves. Now, with little hope of returning the fiery figure into his being, Fingal must capture his nemesis before it destroys the world.

EXCERPT

Autumn, 1907: late one morning, some kind of torrid, invisible beast seemed to wrap itself all around Fingal T. Smyth’s body. Each one of his toes twitching fiercely, he exited the castle and scanned the distant, Scottish Highlands. Go back where you came from. As the entity wrapped itself tighter all about his person, Fingal blinked back his tears. I’m melting, I am. Aye, it’s the heat of fusion.

Gradually, the beast’s heartbeat became audible—each pulsation. At the same time, too, the illusory heat of transformation emitted an odor as of oven-roasted peppercorns dissolving in a cup of burnt coffee.

Over by the gatehouse, Fräulein Wunderwaffe appeared—the little German girl wearing a plain-sewn robe and square-crown bowler. In that moment, she no longer seemed to be a sickly child of seven years: her inscrutable expression resembled that of a wise, indifferent cat.

Perhaps even some kind of lioness. Fingal cringed, and he recalled a fragment of conversation from three weeks earlier.

“She suffers from a most unnatural pathology, an anguished, maniacal obsession with cats,” Doktor Hubertus Pflug had explained. “Ever since the poor girl was a baby, she has always regarded it her fate to one day metamorphose into a glorious panther, for she believes herself to be ein Gestaltwandler. Do you know this word? It means shapeshifter and refers to someone who possesses the power to take the form of anything in nature.”

The heat radiated up and down Fingal’s spine now, and his thoughts turned back to the present. Aye, it’s a change of phase. I’m melting into a chemical compound. Despite all, he greeted the girl and willed himself to flash a grin.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

M. Laszlo is an aging recluse who lives in Bath, Ohio. Rumor holds that his pseudonym is a reference to Victor Laszlo, a character in the classic film Casablanca. On the Threshold is his first release with the acclaimed, Australian hybrid house AIA Publishing. Oddly, M. Laszlo insists that his latest work, On the Threshold, does in fact provide the correct answer to the riddle of the universe. 

Buy link: https://aiapublishing.com/product/on-the-threshold-m-laszlo/

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$25 GC Giveaway – Dying For Monet by Claudia Riess @goddessfish @ClaudiaRiess

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DYING FOR MONET Claudia Riess

GENRE:  Mystery

BLURB:

Dying for Monet, book 5 of Riess’s art history mystery series, opens on a gala evening auction at Laszlo’s, an upstart auction house in New York City. After a much sought-after Impressionist still life painting is without notice withdrawn from the auction block, its broker is found dead at the foot of an imposing statue in Laszlo’s courtyard. Amateur sleuths Erika Shawn and Harrison Wheatley are once again drawn into an investigation involving an art-related homicide, this time with one sharing an unnerving coincidence with violent crimes occurring abroad.

EXCERPT

Greenwich, Connecticut  January 5, 1927

It was time. The mavericks, all thirty of them represented at the first Impressionist Exhibition in Paris, 1874, had passed away. Not that a clean sweep was essential to the plan, but there was a sense of closure about it, as useless yet gratifying as an account ledger balanced to the penny.

The framed canvases were propped up against the far wall of the living room like hostages awaiting their release. The overstuffed couch with its mesmerizing pattern of exotic birds had been moved into the dining room to clear the wall space for them. The drapes were drawn and the room was bathed in artificial light, yet the paintings seemed to be standing out in the open, beneath the sky. It was the sheer vibrancy of color that created the illusion, Elizabeth Barden thought, as she surveyed the display, guilt creeping into her enjoyment of it. Though there’d been no law against it, it had been criminal to have kept these luminous visions in the dark all these years. If only she hadn’t been bound by a promise!

She remembered her parents sitting her down at the kitchen table in this very home, thirty-three years ago it was, the two of them planting themselves opposite her, looking more grimly serious than she’d ever seen them. She was fourteen years old at the time and not yet settled on what to make of herself, looks and intelligence ratings still torturously pending. She imagined she was about to hear that she’d been adopted or had three months to live. What they told her was less dire, but required a more sustained focus to take in. The paintings would be her legacy, they said, but in order for this to be the case, she must follow their instructions down to the letter. She had to clasp their hands in hers—as good as swearing on the bible—and promise to do so. The mood lightened only once during the interview, and that was when she’d pronounced the artist’s name as if it rhymed with “bonnet.” “Monet,” her mother had corrected, grinning. “Mow the grass. Neigh says the horse.”

The memory did not draw a smile. How could it, when these prisoners stood before her in dutiful formation? How brilliantly they’d persevered without a trace of reproach marring their freshness! And wasn’t it curious, how her gaze seemed to be drawn—and return when it wandered elsewhere— to the still life of a Wedgewood vase teeming with flowers—gladioli, lilies, wildflowers; a riot of color she would hardly call “still.” Not her favorite genre, still life, but she’d felt the same sort of instant affinity to this painting as she’d had with her lover, Jacob, not at all her type, but upon an exchanged look, bound to him body and soul. And of course, in a manner of speaking he, too, like the painting, had been hidden for far too long from the embrace of natural light. She must free him, too, from the dark. She had been intending for a year—what was she thinking, more than a year—to tell her most dear but tiresome husband of her affair and the necessity for a divorce. The imminence of the afternoon’s scheduled eve

nt strengthened her resolve. She would end the secrecy tonight.

Hard to believe that barely one hour from now, unless God or chance intervened, the transaction would be under way. The wealthy young art collector, Lewis Keller, along with the gallery owner who had used his networking skills to nose him out and was serving as broker in the deal, would soon be rapping at the door of the sprawling old ranch-house where Elizabeth had lived all her life, half of it with her husband, Wallace. The gallery owner’s entourage of packers and transporters would be on hand as well. The collector, a bit wet behind the ears, she’d discovered when he’d first come to look over the paintings, had seemed to rely more on the gallery owner’s aesthetic judgment than on his own. Like a pet owner forced by circumstances to give up her precious charge, she hoped that the man to whom she was relinquishing the paintings would treat them with the care they deserved.

Before withdrawing to her room to freshen up, Elizabeth stepped into the kitchen to see how her husband was coming along with the needless crudité platter he was arranging for their guests.

“Ah, Wally,” she said rather sadly, thinking of what was ahead for the poor man tonight, “an unaccompanied champagne toast would have been quite sufficient.”

“I know, Liz, I know,” Wallace said, putting down the knife with which he had been slicing carrots into sticks. “But you must admit, a little gesture of thoughtfulness goes a long away.” He tapped his apron-bibbed chest for emphasis.

“You’re right, dear,” Elizabeth agreed, gritting her teeth at his habit of speaking in aphorisms. The knife was lying on the counter unattended, and she imagined, for an instant as fleeting and pleasant as a sunny landscape striking an Impressionist’s eye, of stabbing him with it.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Claudia Riess has worked in the editorial departments of The New Yorker and Holt, Rinehart and Winston, and has edited several art history monographs. Stolen Light, the first book in her art history mystery series, was chosen by Vassar’s Latin American history professor for distribution to the college’s people-to-people trips to Cuba.  To Kingdom Come, the fourth, will be added to the syllabus of a survey course on West and Central African Art at a prominent Midwestern university.  Claudia has written a number of articles for Mystery Readers Journal, Women’s National Book Association, the Sisters in Crime Bloodletter, and Mystery Scene magazine.  To read more about Claudia and her work, visit the author’s website.

  • Website: http://www.claudiariessbooks.com
  • Twitter: http://twitter.com/ClaudiaRiess
  • Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ClaudiaRiessBooks
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudiariessbooks/
  • Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/claudiariessbooks/
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$25 GC – The Legendary Mo Seto by A Y Chan @AYChanWrites @goddessfish

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THE LEGENDARY MO SETO by A.Y. Chan

GENRE:  Middle Grade, Martial Arts, Action/Adventure

BLURB

Mo Seto, martial arts movie star! Has a nice ring to it doesn’t it? Too bad there’s a height restriction to audition. But 12-year-old Modesty (Mo) Seto has never let her height get in the way before, not when she became a black belt, or when she fought the meanest boy in her class, and she’s not going to let it stop her this time! Now if only she can figure out a way to grow five inches and fool everyone at the auditions…and find time to search for her missing father (who just might be harboring a dangerous secret of his own). Join Mo on an adventure (and audition) of a lifetime and find out if powerful things really do come in small packages!

Publishers Weekly calls THE LEGENDARY MO SETO “Adrenaline pumping”, Kirkus Reviews says it “Packs a punch”, and Booklist calls it “Remarkably relatable.” Leap in and join the fun!

EXCERPT

I may be small, but I am fierce. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. Over and over again. Fierce.

“Charyeot,” the taekwondo tournament referee says in Korean. Attention.

I snap my arms to my sides.

“Kyeong-nae,” the ref says. Bow.

I turn to face my opponent, Dax Washington. His dark skin glistens with sweat. We dip our heads.

I look up to see Dax towering over me, his eyes stormy.

It suddenly occurs to me how much “fierce” sounds like “fears.” Not that I’m scared or anything. I’m not.

“Sijak!” The ref throws up his hand. Begin! Immediately Dax’s large fists hammer down like a hailstorm.

Well, maybe I’m a little worried.

Dax lunges. I block his front kick with my forearm. I flinch and reel back. The ref blows his whistle, but Dax doesn’t stop. I barely have time to move before—oof—another kick nails me in the elbow.

Okay, fine. I’m totally panicking.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

A. Y. Chan grew up in Canada’s Greater Toronto Area reading all the middle grade and young adult books she could get her hands on. To this day, those remain her favorite genres. After achieving her black belt in Taekwondo, she explored other martial arts, such as Wing Chun, Hapkido, and Muay Thai. These days, she continues her martial arts training some mornings, writes in the afternoons, takes long walks to muddle out plot points, and falls asleep reading.

Book Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Legendary-Mo-Seto-1/dp/1665937327

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-legendary-mo-seto-a-y-chan/1144226905

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-legendary-mo-seto-ay-chan/20699961

A.Y. Chan Social Links:

  • Twitter/X: https://x.com/AYChanWrites
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aychanwrites/
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aychanwrites/
  • About Book Links:
  • Website: aychanwrites.com
  • Simon & Schuster Author Page: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Legendary-Mo-Seto/A-Y-Chan/The-Legendary-Mo-Seto/9781665937320
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$20 GC & Review – Silver Bells by Sandy Lender @goddessfish @sandylender

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SILVER BELLS: A CHRISTMAS HORROR STORY

Sandy Lender

GENRE:  Horror

MY REVIEW

Such a great cover that hides the horror inside.

Ivy Light is visiting her best friend for Christmas. She will get more than she bargained, both good and bad.

The Harris’ have a security guard by the name of John Knightley, after the husband receives a threat. He will regret allowing the rest of his team to have the holidays off.

A fire next door leads to a full house, when they open their doors to the homeless family.

The spirits have a beef against those who built their houses on sacred ground. We all know what happens when the spirits take offense. They fight back.

Silver Bells by Sandy Lender is a quick read with enough horror to keep me curious, having to know how the story will end. So, if you are looking for something wicked for the holidays, you might want to take a looksee.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Star

BLURB

There’s more than the Christmas Spirit hovering around Reindeer Creek this holiday
season. An eerie backdrop to her dearest friend’s new home disturbs Ivy Light, but the Harris family’s personal security detail—the debonair John Knightley—intrigues her greatly. The handsome gentleman has his hands full with his client being stalked by more than unethical business moguls. There are hybrid wolf-bear creatures and a manipulative side chick to worry about, after all. It’ll take extra Christmas cheer for Ivy to bring comfort and joy back to her best friend amid the tragedies and paranormal threats this year. 

Join in the festivities at Reindeer Creek! And help the families at the Harris house divine what’s reality, who’s a foe, and how to thwart the evil side of a spiritual war.

EXCERPT

She clearly heard the click of the coat closet door as Harry finished depositing Professor Thackery’s outerwear and listened for their footsteps to join them. John would have a fit if he could see this. Each one of us lined up here at the window, exactly where he told me not to have us. Of course, John hadn’t indicated he was prone to fits of anger when his orders were balked. He rolled with the punches nicely. He’d probably smirk at her with that way too sexy mouth.

Enough of that thinking.

The snowman-gnome worker had made it half-way up the ladder and stopped. Because her attention was focused on Mr. Heggs, his plastic-looking hair, and the diminutive chainsaw he now fired up with a whine-and-whir, she lost track of his partner. Would that fellow try to approach the front door next? Try to breach the stronghold?

She wanted to move everyone to an interior room. “Maybe we should all—”

Lexie shrieked as a blur of gray wintery mix slammed into the worker outside. Both ladder and chunky gnome crashed over in a fast-motion slam to the ground.

Snow exploded along the footprint of the falling ladder. And as stark red sprayed up from the chainsaw’s grinding whir-and-scream against bone and metal, Ivy grabbed Lexie and spun her away from the gore. She buried the child’s face in her shoulder, away from the horrifying thrashing that ended long before the crimson shower.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Sandy Lender is an international best-selling poet and award-winning author of fantasy, literary fiction, poetry, and short story work. She’s a construction magazine editor by day and author of #GirlPower fantasy novels by night, living in Florida to help with sea turtle conservation and parrot rescue. You can follow her author page on Amazon, check her website at SandyLenderInk.com, or subscribe to her newsletter at https://bit.ly/SSReNews.

With a four-year degree in English and thirty-year career in publishing, Sandy’s successes include traditionally and self-published novels, hundreds of magazine articles, multiple short stories in competitive anthologies, a handful of technical writing awards, a handful of creative writing awards, and the 2023 Michael Knost Wings award. Sandy’s been writing stories since she was knee-high to a grasshopper when her great-grandmother shared her odd little tales of squeaky ghost-spiders around an apartment complex in Southern Illinois. The stories have developed to include strong young ladies working with dragons to save worlds from terrible fates, but those pesky spiders still show up from time to time.

There’s always something brewing at Sandy Lender Ink headquarters where some days, you just want the dragon to win.

  • Visit SandyLenderInk: www.SandyLenderInk.com
  • Subscribe to her free, monthly newsletter at bit.ly/SSReNews
  • Follow Sandy Lender on Amazon: amazon.com/author/SandyLender
  • Follow her on Twitter @sandylender
  • Follow her BookTube channel SandySaysRead on YT @SandyLender
  • Grab the ebook of Silver Bells: https://books2read.com/u/4Nlap6
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$25 GC – Time Marked Warlock by Shami Stovall @goddessfish @GameOverStation

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MY REVIEW

Everything about Time Marked Warlock by Shami Stovall appealed to me and I got more than I expected. I love the combination of private investigator and magic. I do love some light heartedness with my murder and Shami supplies plenty.

I really enjoyed the characters Adair Finch, a warlock and private investigator, a young girl, Bree, and Kull, a spirit. I love how they learned to work together. Bree brought Adair back to the world of the living. He had isolated himself after his brother’s death, feeling he was responsible. Bree came to him after her mother was murdered and her father was kidnapped. Her mother had told her that he could be trusted. She is so cute and determined. He soon finds he cannot deny her anything.

Adair also has the ability to turn back time, and it really came in handy. If something went hinky, he would rewind time and fix whatever didn’t work the first time. And it definitely came in handy, seeing there was so much going on he could never be prepared for everything.

Time Marked Warlock by Shami Stovall is fast paced, unputdownable.

If you like the paranormal and mysteries, Time Marked Warlock is sure to fit on your reading list. I feel this can stand alone, but there is more than one mystery and only one has been solved. Because I don’t know if I’ll be around to find the answers for the unsolved mystery, the book has to pay the price, the lack of that fifth star for an excellent rating.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

TIME-MARKED WARLOCK

Shami Stovall

GENRE:  Urban Fantasy

BLURB

Adair Finch is the most powerful warlock in the world, and one of the best private investigators for hire. He has dealt with corporate vampires, murderous werewolves, and even fae royalty. Everything was perfect until he lost one case—the case where he also lost his brother.

So Finch retired. From magic. From PI work. From everything.

Bree Blackstone, a twelve-year-old witch, doesn’t know or care about any of that except Finch’s reputation. In the middle of the night, she bangs on Finch’s door. Her mother has been murdered, and now the assassin is after Bree as well.

Reluctantly, Finch agrees to help, only to discover something sinister has been brewing in town while he ignored the world… He’ll need to dust off all his old skills and magic before it’s too late.

EXCERPT

Finch sighed.

Right as he was about to turn to head inside, a loud crack rang out across the parking lot.

Blood splattered across the Nissan. Dr. Colton hit the side of the vehicle and tumbled to the asphalt, a hole in the side of his chest, his brown outfit quickly soaking in crimson.

Another crack, and Finch understood what was happening. Someone was shooting at them. Somewhere far off. Only rifles made that harsh kind of bang that sounded like something cracking in half.

Bree didn’t even have time to cry out. She fell forward, shot in the back, and hit the ground hard.

A third shot was coming, but Finch didn’t give the shooter a chance.

Finch manipulated time itself.

Everything froze. The leaves in the trees, the cars on the distant road—even the wind.

Then the color drained from the world, turning it into a black-and-white movie devoid of all vibrancy. The shadows were pitch black, and the sky a pool of pristine white.

One by one, all the nearby objects melted away, unraveled by Chronos’s powerful and disturbing time magic. The university disappeared. The cars disappeared. Even the people—Bree and Dr. Colton—until there was nothing left but an empty, white void.

Finch’s body jerked. He blinked his eyes.

And then he was back in his bed, dressed in his ratty pajamas, flailing around in the sheets. He sat up, his heart hammering.

His phone displayed the time.

4:34am.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Shami Stovall is a multi-award-winning author of fantasy and science fiction. Before that, she taught history and criminal law at the college level, and loved every second. When she’s not reading fascinating articles and books about ancient China or the Byzantine Empire, Stovall can be found playing way too many video games, especially RPGs and tactics simulators, or hugging John.

If you want to contact her, you can do so at the following locations:

Website: https://sastovallauthor.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GameOverStation/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SAStovall/

Email: s.adelle.s@gmail.com

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3YVThw7

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Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour HERE.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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  • 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’.
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  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

$10 GC & Review – Crossing Day by William A Glass @goddessfish

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CROSSING DAY by William A. Glass

GENRE:  Young Adult/Alternate History

MY REVIEW

Crossing Day is a thought provoking novel that I think is a warning to us. It seems Germany won the war, as did the Confederacy. They work together against the United States in the North. Slavery is still alive and well, as are the Nazis (written with sarcasm).

Crossing Day is about a group of kids that want to right an injustice, when a slave they like is bought by a bully’s father. They may have different lives from each other, but they all want to be free. Free from the heavy arm of Nazism and slavery in the Confederacy.

When I first began reading, I was confused about what the Germans had to do with the Confederacy and slavery and why they were over here. I would have liked to read more about that to clarify the situation. I think, the Confederacy thinks they seceded from the union, but they only put themselves in a worse situation with Germany running the show.

I love the group of kids that refuse to bow down and accept their fate, escaping to the North. They only thing is, they have to get through the unoccupied zone, which is not unoccupied. Those that used to live there came back and it has become the Wild West. Slavery is still practiced. The group learned to walk in someone else’s shoes. They are so close to freedom they can see it. They just have to cross the river to get to it.

I first became interested in alternate history books when my father in law started reading them. He was quite the history buff and I used to read a lot about WWII and the Vietnam War, when I was younger. To see it from a different angle can make us realize how fragile democracy is. I mean, just look at current events.

I do love books that get my brain working and Crossing Day did that in a big way. I might have to check out more of William A Glass’ novels.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Crossing Day by William A Glass.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

BLURB

It’s been one hundred and sixty years since the Confederacy won its independence at the Battle of Altamaha Crossing. Slaves of African descent still perform most of the work in the South. This seems normal to Ryan Walters and his friends who attend high school in Huntsville, Alabama. Like teens everywhere, they enjoy sharing videos, playing sports, and hanging out with friends. Jaybird’s drive-in is their favorite gathering place. There, they befriend Mish, a slave girl who works as a car hop. When the drive-in’s owner sells Mish to a dirty old man, Ryan and his friends awaken to the injustice around them. Despite the danger, they decide to help Mish escape. Will they succeed?

EXCERPT

Melanie wanders into the dining room and finds her parents already seated at the table with their personal slaves standing behind them. Her mother, Dorothy, takes a sip of orange juice and replaces the glass on the lace tablecloth. Her servant, Natty, immediately gets a pitcher from the sideboard and refills the glass. Meanwhile, James is smiling at Melanie. “Morning, Miss,” he says. The white-haired Black man pulls out her chair. Once she’s seated, he spreads a cloth napkin over her lap.

“What was all the ruckus at Jaybird’s last night?” Dan Montgomery asks. He’s the mayor of Huntsville and knows everything.

“A German boy started it,” Melanie says defensively.

“Yes, and his father already called me to complain. He’s a big wheel at The Space Flight Complex.”

“Sorry!”

Montgomery points to the syrup. His slave, Parker, reaches for it and then pours. “Enough,” Montgomery snaps. He turns back to Melanie. “You and all the others will have a week of detention.”

Melanie gasps. “What about cheerleading practice?”

“You should have thought of that before you went to the drive-in. That’s where all the delinquents hang out and you with them.”

“I won’t go anymore. Please.” Melanie bats her baby blues at her father. His expression melts. “Go to detention after school today, and maybe we’ll see about tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

Montgomery cuts off a bite of pancake and pops it into his mouth. That reminds Melanie to eat as well. It’s almost time for the bus.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Bill is a retired business executive who now lives in a small southern town with his wife, Bettina. She’s a retired high school German teacher. Bill coaches soccer at a small college. Often, Bettina, who has a commercial driver’s license, pilots the soccer team bus to away games.

Bettina and Bill have three sons, Alex, Robert, and Gordon who have all graduated from college and moved away to pursue careers. Instead of having an empty nest, Bettina and Bill now host three rescue dogs. They enjoy finding promising hiking trails to explore with their dogs.

  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/william.glass.50767
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$20 GC – The Secret Truth by Barry Finlay @Karver2 @goddessfish

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THE SECRET TRUTH Barry Finlay

GENRE:  Mystery

BLURB

Retired investigative journalist Jake Scott narrowly avoids a collision with a speeding car on his way to a Bed and Breakfast where he plans to spend the night. Moments before his arrival, the peaceful atmosphere at the B&B is shattered by a devastating explosion, claiming the lives of five guests. While authorities initially chalk it up to a tragic gas leak, seasoned homicide detective Dani Perez can’t shake her suspicions. Given her overloaded schedule, she enlists Jake’s expertise to delve into the backgrounds of the deceased. As Jake pursues the investigation, he unearths a web of secrets hinting at a darker truth lurking beneath the surface of the seemingly idyllic B&B.

EXCERPT

The sound of a car engine starting in the distance interrupted the calm of the night. Warm rubber on pavement chirped as the car pulled away. A dog barked at the sudden sound. Oblivious to the revving engine, Jake jaywalked to the other side of the street about halfway down the block at exactly the time the car careened around the corner. The headlights bounced off the corner house and veered in Jake’s direction. A giant spotlight might as well have turned on him. For a split second, Jake stopped in mid-stride, staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed as the two brilliant headlights bore down on him at lightning speed.

Only instinct saved him. He leaped for the grassy area bordering the street as the car roared past, its engine screaming. Jake swore the driver’s front corner bumper grazed the heel of his shoe an instant before his body thudded on the unforgiving ground. First, his knees, followed by his arms, and then his face completed the maneuver. The gym bag he launched during his dive landed with a dull smack on the sidewalk.

Jake turned his head to watch the car from his prone position, but all he could tell as the vehicle raced around the corner at the end of the block was that it was big and dark. For a second, streetlights glinted off the wheel disks and reflected off the passenger side windows. Then it disappeared. He moaned and, without moving his extended arm, raised his middle finger in the general direction of the car’s path. While the car and its driver had vanished, the gesture gave him a measure of satisfaction.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Barry Finlay is the award-winning author of the travel adventure, Kilimanjaro and Beyond – A Life-Changing Journey (with his son Chris), the Amazon bestselling travel memoir, I Guess We Missed The Boat, the inspirational Just Keep Climbing, and five Amazon bestselling and award-winning thrillers comprising The Marcie Kane Thriller Collection: The Vanishing Wife, A Perilous Question, Remote Access, Never So Alone, and The Burden of Darkness. His new Jake Scott Mystery Series debuted with Searching ForTruth and The Guardians of Truth. He is now following that up with The Secret Truth. Barry was featured in the 2012-13 Authors Show’s edition of “50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading.” He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee medal for his fundraising efforts to help kids in Tanzania, Africa. Barry lives with his wife Evelyn in Ottawa, Canada.

Author Website: www.barry-finlay.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBarryFinlay

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Karver2

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Giveaway – The Mark Of The Salamander by Justin Newland @goddessfish @JustinNewland53

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THE MARK OF THE SALAMANDER Justin Newland

GENRE:  Historical Fiction

BLURB

1575.

Nelan Michaels is a young Flemish man fleeing religious persecution in the Spanish Netherlands. Settling in Mortlake outside London, he studies under Queen Elizabeth’s court astrologer, conjuring a bright future – until he’s wrongly accused of murder.

Forced into the life of a fugitive, Nelan hides in London, before he is dramatically pressed into the crew of the Golden Hind.

Thrust into a strange new world on board Francis Drake’s vessel, Nelan sails the seas on a voyage to discover discovery itself. Encountering mutiny, ancient tribes and hordes of treasure, Nelan must explore and master his own mystical powers – including the Mark of the Salamander, the mysterious spirit of fire.

THE MARK OF THE SALAMANDER is the first in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.

EXCERPT

It was midway through the afternoon watch. On a Monday. It wasn’t any old Monday. It was a special Monday. Not because of an extra beer ration; nor because of the smell of fish emanating from the galley. No – it was because, on that autumn day, nearly all fifty-eight surviving crew members hung over the gunwale, their eyes dripping with expectation and glued to the horizon. On occasion, they glanced up at the topmast and the barrel man as if waiting for a message from the heavens. None came, even after they’d passed the Isles of Scilly. Nor did it come after they passed Wolf Rock. It surely wouldn’t be long in coming.

As the creaking of the sails ceased, the Golden Hind glided serenely through the waters as if drawn forward by a divine wind. Even the gulls stopped squawking. A light rain shower washed the decks. The men gazed at the white flecks on the waves.

Amidst the quiet, a cry went out, and travelled down the mizzenmast, across the poop deck and into the soul of each crew member. “Land ho!”

Nelan stood next to Fletcher, who raised his hands like an Old Testament prophet and cried out, “Oh, my God!” Then he knelt on the deck, hands clasped in a prayer of thanksgiving.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

JUSTIN NEWLAND’s novels represent an innovative blend of genres from historical adventure to supernatural thriller and magical realism.

Undeterred by the award of a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (ISBN 9781789014860, Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies.

His second book is a historical thriller, The Old Dragon’s Head (ISBN 9781789015829, Matador, 2018), and is set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall.

The Coronation (ISBN 9781838591885, Matador, 2019) is an historical adventure and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution.

The Abdication (ISBN 9781800463950, Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.

His latest is The Mark of the Salamander (ISBN 9781915853271, Book Guild, 2023) and is the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels. Set in the Elizabethan era, it tells the epic tale of England’s coming of age.

The second in the series, The Midnight of Eights (ISBN 9781835740 330, Book Guild, 2024), charts of the uncanny coincidences that culminated in the repulse of the Spanish Armada and is due for publication in October.

Author, speaker and broadcaster, Justin gives talks to historical associations and libraries, appears on LitFest panels, and enjoys giving radio interviews.

He lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

  • Author Website: https://www.justinnewland.com/
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  • Video Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/qx39wZjXajU
  • Justin Newland’s Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Justin-Newland/author/B06WRQVLT8

BUY LINKS

  • Preferred Buy Link (no postage to pay on this one): https://wordery.com/mark-of-the-salamander-justin-newland-9781915853271
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  • Publishers Website (UK): https://www.bookguild.co.uk/bookshop/the-mark-of-the-salamander/
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  • WH Smith (UK): https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/the-mark-of-the-salamander-the-island-of-angels/justin-newland/paperback/9781915853271.html
  • Amazon (UK): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mark-Salamander-Island-Angels/dp/1915853273/ref=sr_1_2
  • Browns Books (UK): http://www.brownsbfs.co.uk/Product/Newland-Justin/The-mark-of-the-salamander/9781915853271#
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  • Barnes and Noble (US): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-mark-of-the-salamander-justin-newland/1144122989?ean=2940186006305
  • Kobo (US): https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-mark-of-the-salamander
  • Amazon Canada:https://www.amazon.ca/Mark-Salamander-Justin-Newland/dp/1915853273/ref=sr_1_1
  • Agenda Bookshop (EU): https://agendabookshop.com/products/the-mark-of-the-salamander
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$20 GC – Reflections Of Michael by L J Ambrosio @authorlambrosio @GoddessFish

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REFLECTIONS OF MICHAEL by L.J. Ambrosio

GENRE:  Literary Fiction/ Coming of Age

I am easily swayed by covers, so I am always curious of how they are chosen. L J Ambrosio is here to talk about his covers for the Reflections Of Michael series. Take it away L J.

Please tell us about the three covers and how they relate to the books.

RESERVOIR MAN

The title is a metaphor. The “reservoir man” is the darkness of corruption. He will tempt us with a banquet of debauched temptation. That temptation could be greed, hating your neighbor, violence, sexual abuse, all the seven deadly sins plus more.

This metaphor will remain in Michael’s life. In his childhood, he would go to a reservoir near his home, waiting for the next person to sit down at his bench to talk to. Michael wanted to hear about their adventures in life but some who sat were men looking to take advantage, sexually, of any young boy. One man who walked around the reservoir took a special interest in Michael and would not leave him alone;  he followed him home and attempted to get into Michael’s house. Michael ran to his sister’s house, but his pursuer followed him there as well, then attempted to break in. Michael gained the strength to push him away.

Michael carried this all his life. He had to admit he did get fooled at times, where some reservoir men came masked towards him and he did not see them for what they were. This metaphor remains consistent in three novels. In “Exiles,” the police officer beating Louie up, in “Reflections on the Boulevard,” the gang that beats up Ron and violently hurts Rhonda are examples.

REFLECTIONS ON THE BOULVARD

This a complicated metaphor as well.  I am quoting the book in the concluding chapter:

“They crossed the street to the other side, he felt the parallel lives of two men meeting, only for a moment. A car passed. In the reflections of the street, one may see the image of a young man and an older man, who had come together one more time, in this place. He felt him, it was a relief, he and Michael were one. He stood now on the Boulevard Saint-Michel.”

By reflecting Michael’s image, Ron found his truth as he became one with Michael’s memory. It was a relief to know that Michael would always be with him;  we all see reflections that give us the ability know what to do in our lives and what we are about.  In “Exiles,” when Louie and Lily imitate the old couple in the music room of the bookstore, they are reflecting the idea of a perfect love. Louie is growing, taking another step to understanding true love. It is a part of his rite of passage. Those trials confront all the characters in these stories. Louie’s pain is in finding who he is, the ability to become a partisan. In our journey, we all pass through these challenges, using reflections from our lives, avoiding the “Reservoir Man” around each corner.

The images on the book are our two journeymen sitting on the edge of le Sien with Notre Dame in front of them.  They are celebrating the incredible structure. The back cover is an image of Ron and Michel driving towards their next magnificent vista. This visual pairing of the two characters in friendship also represents the buddy story line.

EXILE

James Joyce was very clear in his beliefs that when the artist is oppressed and creatively cripple, they must leave to exile themselves. Joyce went to Paris and the continent for over 30 years before he went back to Dublin. He was not the only artist to leave, an entire generation of American artists left. They were called the Lost Generation, they found harbor in France.

Louie and Ron both find safe harbor at the bookstore, that is where they exile. I imagine the bookstore represents all the words they need to understand, they have the comfort of all those great writers.

They leave to go across America to finally find peace at Walden Pond. The native Americans believed that the dragonfly would take your soul to a resting place. Our characters do change; they are changing at the end of this novel and beyond it. Louie believes in this at the end, as he mourns Lily’s death.

To “Exile” is not to run away, but to find a new environment to grow and flourish as an artist and human being. The cover of the book “Exiles” represents this safe harbor for these individuals, the dim lights of safety and warmth, growth, and adventure as represented by the books by the many authors of the world. What better place to find a new life than at a bookstore, where many lives and stories and pathways are converging at once. The bookstore is a place with which these characters can all find a pathway to the life they individually need to live, with their own purpose.

Thanks so much for visiting us today and good luck with the tour.

A Reservoir Man

A Reservoir Man, critics have hailed this explosive and timely work as “a must-read coming-of-age story of 2022.” Twists and turns further pull the reader in to Michael’s action-packed tale, with powerful themes, from betrayal and family to secrets and identity. “Be sure not to blink because you just might miss a pivotal moment in Michael’s rousing, larger-than-life story.” —

R.C. Gibson, Indiestoday.com. “This book is a dream, a gamble, a utopia, even.” — Kalyan Panja, Bookmarkks.

Reflections on the Boulevard

Michael’s story continues from A Reservoir Man (2022) where we find him teaching at a university ready to retire. He unexpectedly meets a young man named Ron who becomes his protege and journeys in a haphazard adventure with him throughout America and Europe, each twist and turn of the road bringing unexpected adventures. The journey taken is one of joy, friendship and discovery.

Exiles

In this final chapter, Ron’s story concludes from Reflections on the Boulevard (2023). Michael’s wish was for Ron to exile himself in the heart of Paris with its beautiful culture and citizens as they protest and fight for the soul of the city. Ron’s journey is met with life-affirming friendships and lessons along the way. The final book in the Reflections of Michael Trilogy, which started with A Reservoir Man (2022).

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Louis J. Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies in Los Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer, running two major regional theaters for eight seasons. Ambrosio taught at seven universities. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career.

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  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI2XkCETDOj_VUtCFcB74ig
  • Buy the series on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C79G6BB3
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MY L J AMBROSIO REVIEWS

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