Giveaway – Sophia Freeman by T X Troan @GoddessFish

Posted on October 17, 2022 by fundinmental

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. T.X. Troan will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

EARTH AWAKENED … SEED PLANTED … PATH REVEALED.

What begins as a special trip for eleven-year-old Sophia Freeman and her father, leaves her trapped on a mysterious island with a tree boy and fantastical creatures. Later, she learns she is dying from an eternal curse and the only way to prolong her life is to drink the island’s sacred water. Can Sophia and her companions reach the fountain and defeat the guardian before time runs out?

THEY MUST RISK IT ALL TO REGAIN THEIR FREEDOM … OR BE SEALED AWAY FOREVER.

Sophia Freeman and her best friend, Tim Charnal, must beat all contestants in a three-round Beyond Event organized by the mighty arbiters to free him from the penalty of murder and gain the islanders’ trust. Entering the hologram and surviving environments filled with everything from hammer-throwing cave giants to a slimy tentacled sea monster, they will need all their courage, wits, and skills. But how are they going to win when magic is forbidden?

EVIL RISING … ISLANDERS MISSING … AND FRIENDS BETRAYING.

With the increase in deaths of Pandilone Islanders, the arbiters devise a strategy to free the god demon within five days to lift the Eternal Curse. All goes as planned until iron-masked creatures kidnap magic users, weakening the army. To gain reinforcements, Sophia Freeman, Tim Charnal, and rescued Allen Chan must gather all six items to cast the Dream Spell, connecting them with Sophia’s father and his air force. But how can the trio succeed in time while surrounded by enemies and traitors aiming to stop them at any cost?

Read an Excerpt from SOPHIA FREEMAN AND THE MYSTERIOUS FOUNTAIN (book 1 )

“So, what’s on your agenda today, my dear?” Grandma asked.

“Dad and I are going to explore his new island after this, “she replied, sitting on the edge of her seat.

“Oh, yes, your father told me about that on the phone last night,” said Grandpa, then gave Sophia a serious look. “My girl, do you know why all the previous owners vanished?”

Sophia shook her head slightly, but kept watching him without blinking.

“Rumors say the place possesses some sort of magical energy. As dusk arrives, the island comes to life: boulders begin to quake, monstrous trees uproot themselves, and mysterious creatures crawl out of their homes. They will do anything to protect their island … especially from humans.”

Sophia’s eyes widened and her hands began to sweat.

“Joe, that’s enough!” Dad ordered. “You’re scaring her.”

“That was very mean of you, Joe,” Grandma added.

Grandpa chuckled. “Well, it looks like I haven’t loss my touch. You’re still that innocent girl that I used to know.”

Sophia sighed with relief. He must have been teasing.

When she was a lot younger, Grandpa used to tell her ghost stories and it would frighten her every time. The all-time best story was about an invisible spirit that watches us from behind since the day we were born. It would one day transfer our soul to a magical place when we are ready to go. He told the little girl it was time for him to go and would never return. She burst into tears and tried to convince him it wasn’t time yet. She stayed with him that whole night and never let him out of her sight.

About the Author:

Thuan Doan was born in Indonesia, and grew up in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

Thuan has been fascinated by art from a young age, especially fantasy. He would wake up hours before school, sit outside the classroom, and scribble in his sketch book.

After college, he worked on a series of jobs, including: an advergaming association as a storyboard/concept artist, gaming company as lead concept artist, and graphic designer for various clients.

Thuan conceived his first middle-grade fantasy novel, Sophia Freeman and the Mysterious Fountain, during a trip to Gabriola Island, British Columbia in the summer of 2013. Then he took his work and settled in a small town of Enderby, where it’s peaceful and quiet. 4 years later, the story is complete. While book 1, 2 and 3 are being shared with the world, he’s writing and illustrating book 4 of the Sophia Freeman series.

Thuan is writing under a pen name of T.X. Troan. “X” stands for Xu, his grandmother’s name who passed away. And “Troan” is a combination of his parents’ names.

“No matter how this turns out, I want my family to be a part of this wonderful journey.”

T.X. Troan married Sarah, his original fan and longtime love, in 2016. They live in Enderby with their pack dogs and school of fish!

AWARDS

★ Entrada Publishing Incipere Award, 2020
★ Readers’ Favorite 5 star Badge, 2019, 2021 and 2022
★ Literary Titan Badge, 2020

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Giveaway – Academy of Magical Creatures by Megan Linski & Alicia Rades @XpressoTours

Posted on October 15, 2022 by fundinmental

Academy of Magical Creatures: Books 1-3
Megan Linski & Alicia Rades
(Hidden Legends Omnibus Collections, #1)
Publication date: June 9th 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHORS Megan Linski and Alicia Rades create a mythical three-book box set full of forbidden romance at a supernatural academy where magical creatures bond with powerful elementals and a hidden prophecy will decide the fate of all.

Sophia is destined to be the savior of an ancient tribe, but controlling her Fire magic at a school where dragons fly and mystery is around every corner is more complicated than she thought. At Orenda Academy, power is absolute, and students are thrown into a dangerous competition to survive. The Elders who run the tribe are ruthless, and they see Sophia as the ultimate threat.

Liam is the outcast son of a Water chief who’s lost everything. He’s been given a chance to restore his honor… if he helps the Elders take Sophia down. Unfortunately, she’s the one person he’s chosen to protect.

Fire and Water aren’t allowed to be together, and if anyone discovers Liam’s love for Sophia, death will be imminent for them both. To fight back against the Elders, their forbidden romance must come into the light… and ignite a rebellion within the tribe.

***

Academy of Magical Creatures: Books 1-3 includes the first three books in an emotional and enchanting new adult academy series. Magical creatures, found family, and extraordinary worlds abound in this forbidden love story featuring a diverse cast and disabled main characters.

Over 1400+ pages of mythical creatures and memorable characters!

“Descriptive sections breathe life into the magic creatures, fantastical setting, and awe-inspiring magic spells.” -The BookLife Prize by Publishers Weekly

“I truly recommend this book for anyone looking to get sucked into a world; to lose sleep; become depressed that the world isn’t real but also enjoy a delicious read!” -Rebecca M., Reviewer ★★★★★

“I have no words for how this book made me feel. There is literally nothing else out there like it at the moment. You so need to read to believe.” -Sandra Kaye, Reviewer ★★★★★

“Best book I’ve read in a long time!” -Sarah Cox, Reviewer ★★★★★

This title is one omnibus in a set of Hidden Legend collections. The Hidden Legends Universe features college-aged protagonists attending magical academies, dual points-of-view, disabled and diverse main characters, and steamy, empowering romances. Omnibus sets connected to this series include University of Sorcery, College of Witchcraft, and Prison for Supernatural Offenders.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

Only 99c for a limited time!

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EXCERPT:

Liam took my hands in his. “Sophia, what you just said about us being together… I don’t think you understand.”

My brow furrowed. “What’s there to understand, Liam? It’s against the rules. So we’ll change the rules. No big deal.”

“No big deal?” Liam hissed. “Sophia, this is the way it’s been for hundreds of years.”

It didn’t matter what Liam said about the House rules. There was no turning back from the line we’d already crossed.

Liam raked his fingers through his hair. God, he looked sexy when he did that. I wanted to run my hands through his hair… and down his forearms… and in other places I probably shouldn’t be thinking about.

I raised an eyebrow. “I don’t care about the rules. I want to be with you.”

“Ancestors, Sophia. You can’t talk like that.”

“Why not? It’s the truth.”

“Because…” Liam sighed and glanced toward the castle. No one was close enough to hear. “Because if you say things like that, it just might come true.”

“I know. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t want it to happen.”

He stared down at me, his expression hard to read. He looked conflicted– like he wanted to agree with me but argue at the same time.

A thought suddenly occurred, and I drew away from him. “Do you… do you not want to be with me?”

Liam looked hurt by the question. “Of course I do. But we don’t have a choice.”

I relaxed slightly. “You always have a choice, Liam.”

His hands balled into fists, and his lips tightened until he couldn’t hold it in any longer. “Aw, Sophia.”

Liam growled. He honest to God growled. And then like a wolf trapping his prey, he pounced on me. One second he was standing a few feet away from me, and the next he’d swept me into his arms and claimed my lips for his own.

The world spun around me so quickly that I could no longer feel the stone path beneath my feet. Liam held me tightly to his chest. One hand tangled in the hair at the base of my neck while the other settled on my hip. His lips parted, and I took the invitation to deepen the kiss. My hands ran up his back until they climbed so high they reached the side of his face. I pulled him in even closer until every possible inch of our bodies were touching. My hands moved to his hair, tangling into the strands like he did with mine. He inhaled a sharp breath in response.

Heat exploded through my chest like fireworks. I didn’t even care if my Fire surfaced and burned my dress off of me. Liam would like that, I was sure. So would I. But my Fire didn’t escape. It hung out just below the surface, just enough to feel amazing and to warm Liam’s cool skin.

Heat traveled down my chest and settled between my thighs. Being with Liam like this was unlike anything else. It was so overwhelmingly amazing that I thought I might cry. Feeling this way should be illegal–

No sooner did the thought cross my mind did it hit me that that was exactly what this was.

It was illegal. Liam and I were breaking the law by kissing like this… by kissing at all.

Author Bio:

Megan Linski is a USA TODAY Bestselling Author who lives in Michigan. She is the author of more than fifty fantasy and paranormal novels which feature themes of friendship, community, and healthy romantic relationships. She has over fifteen years of experience writing books alongside working as a journalist and editor. She graduated from the University of Iowa, where she studied Creative Writing.

Her passions include ice skating and horseback riding. In her free time she enjoys dancing in the snow and drinking fancy coffee while at her natural habitat, the mall.

Megan advocates for the rights of the disabled, and is an activist for mental health awareness.

Megan co-writes the Hidden Legends Universe with Alicia Rades. She also writes under the pen name of Natalie Erin for the Creatures of the Lands series, co-authored by Krisen Lison.

You can find out more by visiting www.meganlinski.com.

Alicia Rades is a USA Today bestselling author of young adult and new adult paranormal fiction. When she’s not dreaming up magical stories, she’s either binge-watching Netflix, meditating, or spending time with her family. She has an unhealthy obsession with psychic characters and writes with a deck of tarot cards next to her computer.

Never miss a new release. Sign up for Alicia’s newsletter at http://www.aliciaradesauthor.com/newsletter/

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Giveaway – Realm Of Darkness Limited Edition Fantasy and Paranormal Collection @XpressoTours

Posted on October 6, 2022 by fundinmental

Realm of Darkness
A Limited Edition Fantasy and Paranormal Collection
Publication date: October 4th 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

When darkness falls, beware of the creatures that come out to play…

Fall under their spell over and over again in this ultimate paranormal and fantasy romance boxset! Over 40 full-length novels with heart-melting heroes and devastating anti-heroes, full of romance, magic, mystery, and adventure can be yours for an insanely low price.

Ready to be swept away? Your book boyfriends are waiting… Enemies-to-lovers, alphas, fae, werewolves, dragons, shapeshifters, vampires, gods, angels, demons, and more: with novels ranging from sweet to spicy, there’s a flavor to sate your every craving.

You won’t find these exclusive novels anywhere else, so don’t miss your chance. Over ten thousand pages by New York Times, USA Today, and International bestselling authors and at less than three cents per book, this collection is a steal, but only for a limited time. Grab it today before it’s gone forever…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

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SNEAK PEEKS:

“Cosmic Honor” by Jade Waltz

“Yield,” he ordered.

Jaiya swallowed, feeling the sharp nick of the blade barely brushing her skin.

She turned her head to the side, exposing her neck to the dominant male, as blood trickled from her fresh wound.

“I yield,” she whispered, closing her eyes. Her voice barely registered to her own ears.

The weight of the blade lifted away as the prince trailed his nose along her neck, breathing in her scent.

She gasped when his smooth tongue lapped at her wound. Something hard pressed against her thigh, growing with each passing moment.

She was afraid to move, to fight. Here was a side of the prince that she had never seen before, as he went from an attacker to . . . an aroused caregiver?

—

Unblessed by Nia

Being flogged with a wire whip.

Carrying red-hot metal bare-handed.

Getting bitten by a nest of rattlesnakes.

Nia hadn’t enjoyed any of them. But she would rather relive any of those experiences than spend even one second with Xavier Rohesia. And here she was, preparing to spend the next five days with him. Alone. In a secluded cabin.

Inhaling the scent of jasmine courtesy of the nearby aromatherapy mister, she slid deeper into the warm bubbling water. I’m going to enjoy every second of this that I can before I have to meet up with that insufferable man.

Despite tightly braiding her long black hair and curling it into a tight bun on top of her head, strands had worked their way loose and clung to her damp neck and shoulders. As long as the rest stayed up — she’d no wish to wash and dry the thigh length mass of it after this soak.

Sunk in the water to her chin, Nia continued to expand her list of things that she would prefer to do rather than spend time with Xavier.

Running without cover to draw fire from my triad.

Shopping at a big box store the day before Christmas.

Nia shuddered at the last thought as she positioned herself to have jets of water massage her lower back. That trip had been horrifying. The things she did for her triad, her partners in all things…but joining them on a shopping trip during the Christmas season had stretched her bond with them to the limit. Adding their respective partners had nearly killed her. Nia would much rather be shot at.

And now she had to spend a week in a cabin shared by the asshole unicorn who did not live up to his last name – kindness. To make matters worse, there was a strict no killing rule. The mage may have saved the life of Amir’s lover, but this was still a steep price for it.

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Early Review – The Nightmare Man by J H Markert #TheNightmareMan #NetGalley @jamesmarkert

Posted on October 5, 2022 by fundinmental

Awesome cover! I usually wait until it is closer to release day, which is 1.10.23, but I thought this might peak your interest for October. I want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review The Nightmare Man by J H Markert.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The cover caught my eye and when I read the blurb, I thought of Stephen King. How can I go wrong? Blackwood Mansion. The Atrium. Oswald Asylum. A family, murdered, hung by the barn rafters in a cocoon. A book that comes to life.

I want to share so much, that I quit taking notes. I was afraid of spoiling the horror for YOU.

This is my first novel by J H Markert/James Markert and I thoroughly enjoyed the grim story. I love books that deal with the depravity of humanity. It also brings about the best in people. All I KNOW is that you won’t find me wandering around in the cornfield. You never know what might be out there.

I didn’t find any mind blowing moments, but I did find myself wondering what was coming next, at times rapidly flipping the pages because I had to know.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Nightmare Man by J H Markert.

GOODREADS BLURB

T. Kingfisher meets Cassandra Khaw in a chilling horror novel that illustrates the fine line between humanity and monstrosity.

Blackwood mansion looms, surrounded by nightmare pines, atop the hill over the small town of New Haven. Ben Bookman, bestselling novelist and heir to the Blackwood estate, spent a weekend at the ancestral home to finish writing his latest horror novel, The Scarecrow. Now, on the eve of the book’s release, the terrible story within begins to unfold in real life.

Detective Mills arrives at the scene of a gruesome murder: a family butchered and bundled inside cocoons stitched from corn husks, and hung from the rafters of a barn, eerily mirroring the opening of Bookman’s latest novel. When another family is killed in a similar manner, Mills, along with his daughter, rookie detective Samantha Blue, is determined to find the link to the book—and the killer—before the story reaches its chilling climax.

As the series of “Scarecrow crimes” continues to mirror the book, Ben quickly becomes the prime suspect. He can’t remember much from the night he finished writing the novel, but he knows he wrote it in The Atrium, his grandfather’s forbidden room full of numbered books. Thousands of books. Books without words.

As Ben digs deep into Blackwood’s history he learns he may have triggered a release of something trapped long ago—and it won’t stop with the horrors buried within the pages of his book.

ABOUT J H MARKERT/JAMES MARKERT

J. H. Markert is the pen name for writer James Markert, an award-winning novelist, producer screenwriter, husband, and father of two from Louisville, Kentucky, where he was also a tennis pro for 25 years, before hanging up the racquets for good in 2020. He graduated with a degree in History from the University of Louisville in 1997 and has been writing ever since.

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Giveaway – Green House Haunting by Olivia York @XpressoTours

Posted on October 1, 2022 by fundinmental

Green House Haunting: An Andy Watts Ghost Column
Olivia York
Publication date: September 29th 2022
Genres: Mystery, New Adult, Supernatural, Suspense

A terrible tragedy dead and buried. Can a young woman dig up the haunted truth without falling into madness?

Andy Watts needs a break. So when the struggling journalist is asked to revisit a fifty-year-old mystery, she jumps at the chance to move into an abandoned house and honor her long-gone mom by becoming a respected reporter. But she’s shocked when she discovers not only did a polio-stricken boy disappear from within its rooms, but his mother took a fatal tumble down the stairs.

Stonewalled by the locals and unnerved by unexplained events in the eerie home, Andy fears the town would rather bury evidence than admit one of their own could commit murder. And with the ghostly image of a youngster in leg braces persisting, she’s terrified by hints that the awful answer is calling from beyond the grave.

Can Andy deliver justice for the voiceless before she becomes the next victim?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Green house stood solemnly in a noiseless field of overgrown vegetation. The dim rays of daylight disappeared in the distance beyond, darkening the front while sharpening the jagged exterior outline with a looming violet glow. It rose above the ground, perhaps two floors high, but a lack of windows at the top told Andy it may not have an attic to speak of.

The house drew her closer. The windows appeared somewhat new, the lining freshly painted white. It contrasted the worn, splintered wood on the verge of collapsing from the weight of a perched bird. At the base of the sagging stoop was the frame of a crumbling, rusted bicycle, rendered useless by the rain and condensation.

Andy climbed the front steps. Two, three, four steps upward, each one creaking an undecipherable note of an ominous melody. An unraveling front door mat read “Home” in tattered, fading letters.

This isn’t so bad.

Andy winced, unable to swallow her own lie. Quickly, she found the key in the envelope before she could change her mind and turn back. The shiny silver looked brand new compared to the decrepit bronze lock on the door. Studying the door closer, she spotted the new keyhole. A stern-looking deadbolt glinting a couple of inches above what must have been the original lock.

She pushed the door open, and the weight dragged it all the way open to gently bounce off the interior wall. Andy peered inside, but her feet stayed glued to the mat outside the door. The interior contents were fuzzy in the fading light, yet she could spot the three glinting hooks on the wall for sweaters and hats. A little deeper inside was one wing of the house, and to the right was another. In the center was a semi-carpeted staircase leading upstairs, where what followed remained unseen around the corner.

There was nothing particularly extraordinary about the home. She was no expert on houses made in the ’30s and ’40s, but it looked about how she’d expect. The ceilings were low, and the wooden floor was dull. However, Andy couldn’t help but feel something was different. That there was something in plain sight she couldn’t see. She stood motionless at the door, searching for what she thought was missing. The house stood, too, waiting patiently.

Author Bio:

Olivia York writes supernatural suspense novels with family drama woven throughout (and hints of mystery). After a stint working for a local news station as reporter/anchor in the Midwest, she decided to make the switch to her imaginative side and write.

She is a lover of cats, road trips, and visiting old fashioned candy shops along the coast. Olivia lives with her husband and two cats, who are kind enough to humor her love of paranormal TV shows and never-ending collection of horror films.

Sign up for Olivia York’s Newsletter to find out about new releases, updates, cover reveals, and more!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

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Giveaway – The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven @GoddessFish @bohemienneivy

Posted on September 28, 2022 by fundinmental

The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven by Jennifer Ivy Walker

GENRE: Paranormal fantasy medieval romance

BLURB

In this dark fairy tale adaptation of a medieval French legend, Issylte must flee the wicked queen, finding shelter with a fairy witch who teaches her the verdant magic of the forest. Fate leads her to the otherworldly realm of the Lady of the Lake and the Elves of Avalon, where she must choose between her life as a healer or fight to save her ravaged kingdom. Tristan of Lyonesse is a Knight of the Round Table who must overcome the horrors of his past and defend his king or lose everything. When he becomes a warrior of the Tribe of Dana, a gift of Druidic magic might hold the key he seeks. Haunted and hunted. Entwined by fate. Can their passion and power prevail?

EXCERPT

He opened the brilliant blue eyes that she’d seen in the vision.

As she gazed into them, the earth tilted. Her heart raced; her bearings were lost. In the depths of his eyes, she glimpsed a fountain in a forest. The turquoise waters of the ocean. An underground well encased by sacred stones. She, the forest fairy, was immersed in the blue waters of the warrior’s eyes, the waves emanating from him flowing through her, cleansing her. Beckoning her.

In Tristan’s eyes, Issylte glimpsed a black bird—a sea raven—soaring over an open sea, hovering now before her. A small dove fluttered in her breast, called forth from her soul. White wings unfurled as she took flight, rising into the azure sky alongside the black seabird—-floating together through the diaphanous clouds scattered across the vast ocean.

In the breadth of an instant, Issylte was bound to this warrior, the Blue Knight of Cornwall, as if fate had indeed entwined them. Through the windows of his eyes, she peered into his soul, her own blending with his, as if they were the forest and the ocean, encircled now within the three layers of protective stones, the holy trinity of sacred elements of the Goddess.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Enthralled with legends of medieval knights and ladies, dark fairy tales and fantasies about Druids, wizards and magic, Jennifer Ivy Walker always dreamed of becoming a writer. She fell in love with French in junior high school, continuing her study of the language throughout college, eventually becoming a high school teacher and college professor of French.

As a high school teacher, she took her students every year to the annual French competition, where they performed a play she had written, “Yseult la Belle et Tristan la Bête”–an imaginative blend of the medieval French legend of “Tristan et Yseult” and the fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast”, enhanced with fantasy elements of a Celtic fairy and a wicked witch.

Her debut novel, “The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven”–the first of a trilogy– is a blend of her love for medieval legends, the romantic French language, and paranormal fantasy. It is a retelling of the medieval French romance of “Tristan et Yseult”, interwoven with Arthurian myth, dark fairy tales from the enchanted Forest of Brocéliande, and otherworldy elements such as Avalonian Elves, Druids, forest fairies and magic.

Explore her realm of Medieval French Fantasy. She hopes her novels will enchant you.

Website: https://jenniferivywalker.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferIvyWalker
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bohemienneivy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferivywalkerauthor/
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B0B91R2MJZ
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wild-rose-and-the-sea-raven-jennifer-ivy-walker/1141977954

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Giveaway – Bargain With A Beast by Grace Goodwin @XpressoTours @LuvGraceGoodwin

Posted on September 24, 2022 by fundinmental

Bargain with a Beast
Grace Goodwin
Publication date: September 27th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction

Adrian Davis thought getting on a real-life, ‘beam me up, Scotty’, transport pad was adventure enough. Visiting her mother—and the Atlan beast her mom had chosen as a mate—on another planet? Setting foot in an Atlan prison? Completely crazy.

Like totally, bat-shit, what-the-hell-was-she-doing-with-her-life crazy.

She was supposed to spend a few days wandering around with her twin sister, seeing the sights, expanding her horizons. The trip was supposed to be a much needed break from the hectic schedule she was keeping in school. She was only nineteen. She had plans. Finish college. Medical school. Husband. House. Two-point-five perfect kids and a golden retriever named Buddy.

All that changed with one roar of pain. She heard him. A beast. He was out of control, locked behind an impenetrable wall, alone. Suffering the agony of mating fever.

Ready to die. Forsaken.

Adrian can’t let him go. She will have to fight a centuries old system, warlords on another world, and the beast himself to get what she wants.

To save him.

To keep him for herself.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

Turning my head, I found my mate and her sister both staring at me, hands on their hips. Stances, identical. Adrian’s expression? Determined.

The other female had more sense. She had the decency to be nervous, biting her lower lip. “I don’t know about this, sis.”

“They won’t even realize where I am until tomorrow.”

“I know. But you know how much I hate lying to them. What if they check on us when they get home?”

Adrian chuckled. “They won’t. Mom can’t keep her hands off him. They’ll be too busy bumping uglies to worry about where I am.”

Bumping uglies? Ugly what? And why would they bump?

“I’ll worry.”

“That’s why you’re going to be back here in exactly four hours and let me out.”

Stephanie looked at me, inspected me from head to toe. I remained silent. “What about him?”

“I’ll figure it out. After.”

After?

Stephanie’s head dropped backward so that her face looked up at the ceiling. She groaned. “God. And you were making fun of mom for being a horny wench. This is insane. You know that, right?”

“I know. I don’t care. I’m calling in my twin card.”

“Oh, I know. You told me. Why the hell do you think I’m down here again? And low blow by the way. I used my twin card for that stupid calculus test.”

Twin card?

“Not my fault I saved mine for something juicy.” Adrian gathered her sister to her, their heads identical in height as well as form. In fact, the twins were remarkably similar except for my mate’s beautiful hair. “Look. I’m going in there. I know what I know. I can’t explain it, okay? You have to trust me.”

The brown-haired twin’s voice was muffled in her sister’s neck. “Okay. But if you die, I’m going to be really, really mad at you. Like, forever mad.”

I’m going in there?

Adrian’s words finally registered, and I moved forward to tower over them as much as I could with the energy barrier still between us.

“You will not enter this cell, my lady.” I was furious that she would take such a chance. Still, I could not force a threatening tone from my throat, not while I spoke to her.

And my lady? What evil spirit possessed me to speak those two words?

Fuck. What was happening to me? I should shout. Rage. Scream. Act like an out-of-control beast ready to rend and tear and kill. I could do none of those things. My beast, it seemed, had as tight a leash on me as I did on him. He would not allow me to frighten her. Would not allow me to disrespect her. Upset her. Injure her in body, mind or spirit.

Gods be damned. What the fuck was I going to do now? I could never offer her my mating cuffs. I could not. I would be executed in a matter of hours.

I could offer her nothing.

With a low rumble, my beast disagreed, shoving erotic images into my already fracturing mind.

Adrian released her sister and turned to face me. This close she was even smaller than she had at first appeared. Yet her eyes blazed with defiance. “Stephanie?”

“You sure? Really, really, really sure?” Her sister moved toward the control panel.

“Do not,” I ordered.

“Twin card. Playing it. Now.” Adrian ignored me.

Stephanie sighed. The energy barrier dropped.

Adrian took three steps forward. Her scent washed over me. My beast growled. My cock throbbed in pain. My vision blurred. I ordered my limbs to move, to remove this female from my cell. The beast took control of every cell, every muscle of my body. The transformation moved through me. My muscles screamed as they exploded, grew larger. My bones elongated. My beast shoved me aside as if I were no more than a wisp of fog in his peripheral vision.

The energy barrier reappeared, locking her inside the cell.

With me.

With my beast.

Author Bio:

Grace Goodwin is a USA Today and international bestselling author of Sci-Fi and Paranormal romance with nearly one million books sold. Grace’s titles are available worldwide in multiple languages in ebook, print and audio formats. Two best friends, one left-brained, the other right-brained, make up the award-winning writing duo that is Grace Goodwin. They are both mothers, escape room enthusiasts, avid readers and intrepid defenders of their preferred beverages. (There may or may not be an ongoing tea vs. coffee war occurring during their daily communications.) Grace loves to hear from readers.

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Review – Reckless by Maggie Shayne @MaggieShayne

Posted on September 20, 2022 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I found Maggie Shayne through some freebies. Can’t remember if it was her newsletter or someone else’s promoting her work. Doesn’t matter…because now she is a must read author for me. I find a little bit of her personal life leaks into her novels, so be sure and check her out. She writes in several genres, and does them all very well.

I love a series that follows each character in a complete standalone novel. Shattered Sisters has hooked me, and this is my second read in the series. Though it is the first book, it didn’t matter that I read Book II, Forgotten, first. The covers are all fantastic and create a theme.

I love that Toni is an author, writing about a character she wishes she could be. She is tenacious and when she makes up her mind, she does not waver.

Nick is on a mission, but never planned on meeting someone like Toni.

Two damaged characters, brought together by…fate? A mobster that both are determined to bring down.

Romantic suspense is one of my favorite genres. It doesn’t matter if I can figure out the ending ahead of time…boy meets girl, falls in love, happy ever after…maybe even a puppy. It is the journey that I revel in and I look forward to many hours of reading pleasure with Book III of the Shattered Sisters series, Broken.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Reckless by Maggie Shayne.

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

Toni del Rio specialized in turning real-life crime into bestselling fiction, and she was aware that danger came with the territory. This time, however, she was in over her head. While researching the New York underworld for her latest book, she’d witnessed a mob hit. Now a thug was pointing a gun at her in a shadowy alley, and she knew she was a goner….

Undercover FBI agent Nick Manelli wasn’t about to kill anyone, but if he didn’t hide the woman immediately, they would both be dead. So he brought her to the only haven he knew — his place.

Alone with Nick in close quarters, Toni couldn’t help fantasizing about her rugged captor — and the desire, she soon discovered, was mutual…

ABOUT MAGGIE SHAYNE

I live in the teeny, tiny town of Taylor, NY, (Alliteration Alert!) though my mailing address is Cincinnatus, my telephone exchange is Truxton and I pay taxes and vote in Cuyler. All of these are at least in the same rural county in the southern hills of New York State; Cortland County. There are more cattle than people here. The nearest “big” cities are Syracuse and Binghamton and they are an hour away, in different directions, and not really all that big by most standards, though they both seem humongous to me. I look out my window to see rolling, green, thickly forested hills, wildflower laden meadows and wide open blue, blue skies. My road is barely paved. The nearest neighboring place is a 700 acre dairy farm.

My house is a big, century old farmhouse. I moved in here after my divorce in 2006. Just a little over a year later, the house, which I had named, SERENITY, burned. It was 99% gutted, and I lost my two dogs, Sally, an 11-year-old great Dane, and Wrinkles, my 14-year-old, blind bulldog. This was the culmination of my Dark Night of the soul, which had seemed to hit me all at once in 2006-2007. My mother died that year, after a 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was only 60. The youngest of my five daughters had left home that same year, and while that’s not a tragedy at all, it felt like one to me. Then came the divorce. And finally there was the fire–it seemed my darkest night wasn’t quite finished with me after all. I had lost almost everything before that point, and as I poked through the wet ashes and soot the next day, I realized that I had now been stripped all the way to the bone.

No better time to start over. (And no, I didn’t come to that realization that day–there were a few days of wallowing in pity first, particularly the day after the fire, when I hit a deer and smashed up my car, which I was practically living in!)

That’s when I started to laugh. Just sat on the side of the road as the deer bounded, uninjured and carefree, out of sight, and laughed. It was just too ridiculous at that point, to do anything else!

And from there, I picked myself up, and brushed myself off, and said, okay, there’s only one way to go from here. Forward. And that’s what I did. There I was at the age of harrurmphemmph, living in my one, mostly undamaged remaining room, with a dorm-sized mini-fridge, a futon, a TV, my cat (nine lives!) and a laptop. And not much else. (Though thank goodness the room that survived the fire, was a room that had its own attached bathroom!)

Since then I have rebuilt my beloved home, which really has become my haven, my “Serenity.” I share it now with my fiancé, Lance, and we have accumulated quite the little family together. “Little” being a relative term. We have a pair of English Mastiffs, Dozer and Daisy, who weigh 203 pounds and 208 pounds respectively, and a little pudgy English Bulldog named Niblet, who is bigger than both of them, inside her mind. We also have the aforementioned cat, Glorificus (“Glory” for short,) who adores her canine pups and keeps them firmly in line. And we’ve acquired a pair of stray cats as well, a mother and son, Luna (Lulu for short) and Butters aka Buddy. Lulu showed up pregnant during a lunar eclipse, had a litter, and vanished again. We found homes for all the kittens except one. Butters. We got him fixed and kept him. A few months later, Lulu returned, again expecting. This litter was born on the “Monster Moon.” Again, all the kittens were spayed and neutered and placed in homes, and this time we got Lulu to the vet in time to spay her before the cycle could repeat.

Glory is not amused.

She has a story of her own, my old Glory cat, having been with me before the Dark Times descended, she went through it all with me, moved with me, survived the fire, and remains with me still. She’s tolerating the newcomers. Barely.

My partner is an artist, a mechanic, a welder and an inventor, and the rumors are true, he is much younger than I.

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MY MAGGIE SHAYNE REVIEWS

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Review – The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urquhart #NetGalley #AlainaUrquhart #ZandoProjects

Posted on September 13, 2022 by fundinmental

I want to thank NetGalley and Zando Projects for the opportunity to read and review The Butcher and The Wren by Alaina Urquhart.

I sooo love the cover. There is something about eyes that fascinates me.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

First off, a round of applause to Alaina Urquhart for her debut novel, The Butcher and the Wren. I am suitably impressed. I loved the title, but once I saw the cover, I had to have it. And the fact that there is something dark lurking in a Louisiana bayou, oh yeah. Just keeps getting better. I love when authors draw on their experiences to pen their work. It helps create a sense of reality, filled with accurate details, enriching my reading experience.

I love that Detective Leroux, who Wren works with to solve serial killer cases, is a bit different from the usual police officer, and you will need to find that out for yourself.

I love the way Alaina Urquhart wrote The Butcher and the Wren, because when I found out what really happened to Emily in the beginning of the book, I was about sixty percent and it hit me hard. I think I see what’s coming and it would have been too easy to see if she hadn’t written this the way she did.

Books like this is why I keep my ‘heavy’ drapes closed.

I would love for part of the book to be fleshed out more, more detail, more evil. I missed the cringing, spinetingling menace that oozes off a five star read, for me.

I must warn you, though. It isn’t a fingertip dangling cliffhanger, but you will need the next book to know the ending. I wish authors and publishers would make that known from the getgo. I look forward to seeing how Alaina Urquhart’s writing career develops and what the outcome will be for Wren and her fellow characters.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urquhart.

GOODREADS BLURB

From the co-host of chart-topping true crime podcast Morbid, a thrilling debut novel told from the dueling perspectives of a notorious serial killer and the medical examiner following where his trail of victims leads

Something dark is lurking in the Louisiana bayou: a methodical killer with a penchant for medical experimentation is hard at work completing his most harrowing crime yet, taunting the authorities who desperately try to catch up.

But forensic pathologist Dr. Wren Muller is the best there is. Armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of historical crimes, and years of experience working in the Medical Examiner’s office, she’s never encountered a case she couldn’t solve. Until now. Case after case is piling up on Wren’s examination table, and soon she is sucked into an all-consuming cat-and-mouse chase with a brutal murderer getting more brazen by the day.

An addictive read with straight-from-the-morgue details only an autopsy technician could provide, The Butcher and the Wren promises to ensnare all who enter.

ABOUT ALAINA URQUHART (From Amazon)

Alaina Urquhart is the science-loving co-host of the chart-topping show Morbid: A True Crime Podcast. As an autopsy technician by trade, she offers a unique perspective from deep inside the morgue. Alaina hails from Boston, where she lives with her wonderful husband, John, their three amazing daughters, and a ghost puggle named Bailey. She is about 75 percent coffee, and truly believes she and Agent Clarice Starling could be friends.

Before writing her first psychological horror novel, she received degrees in criminal justice, psychology, and biology. When she isn’t hosting Morbid, she hosts the Parcast original show Crime Countdown, and a horror movie podcast called Scream! Her days are usually spent either recording or eviscerating. The way she sees it, when she hangs up her microphone for the day, it’s time to let the dead speak.

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Giveaway & Review – Vampires and Villains by Elizabeth Pantley @dollycas

Posted on September 7, 2022 by fundinmental

Vampires and Villains: The Magical Mystery Book Club by Elizabeth Pantley

V ampires and Villains: The Magical Mystery Book Club
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Independently Published (September 1, 2022)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 219 pages
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B3WN3Z9M

MY REVIEW

The quirky, zany characters deserve a star, and the world Elizabeth Pantley created was like no other I have visited. I know I have said I love to travel through books, but the book club takes it to a whole new level….and I love it!

Paige and her Aunt Glo inherited a house with a magical library. They created a book club of oddball characters to learn about magic.

Of course, the cruise to Hawaii holds more than they bargained for, but that what’s happen when you skim the blurb. Vampires. It doesn’t matter to them. They are prepared to do what’s necessary to solve a cozy mystery.

Vampires and Villains is everything I expect in a cozy mystery, with a couple of bonuses, vampires and a talking cat, and the travel gives a whole new meaning to being caught up in a book.

Most cozies fall into a 3 rating, for me, but Elizabeth added enough extras to take it up a notch. Mystery, laughs, a funfilled cruise, the exploration of Hawaii, vampires, a talking cat, a novel way to travel and plenty of villains to keep me guessing.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Vampires and Villains by Elizabeth Pantley.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

About Vampires and Villains

Paige and her joyful Aunt Glo have learned that the home they inherited comes with a magical library. They put together a book club group of loveable kooks to explore the magic.
They’ve recovered from their first book journey, and they all agree on their next book which takes place on a cruise ship bound for Hawaii. Problem is, they were so excited about the cruising idea that they didn’t read the entire blurb on the back of the book. (“It was entirely too long,” explains Zell.) Once on the ship, they meet a charming and likable man who blends seamlessly into their motley group. Too bad they don’t know why he’s so scarce during the day but shows up to join them every evening for dinner, drinks, and a show. When a dead body shows up on board, their new friend is labeled a suspect. Can they help him out by finding the real murderer? Or is he the real murderer? The book club will need to solve the case to get off the ship, out of the book, and back to their home.

About Elizabeth Pantley

Elizabeth Pantley says that writing the Destiny Falls Mystery and Magic book series is the most fun she’s ever had at work. Fans of the series say her joy is evident through the stories she tells. Elizabeth is also the internationally bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and twelve other books for parents. Her books have been published in over twenty languages. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, the beautiful inspiration for the enchanted Destiny Falls world.

Author Links

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/24811.Elizabeth_Pantley
Website:  https://www.nocrysolution.com/books/
Newsletter Sign-up: https://www.nocrysolution.com/mailing-list/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DestinyFallsMysteryandMagic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethpantley/
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Blog:  https://elizabethpantley.com/