Exclusive Cover Reveal & Giveaway~ Devil To Pay by Renee Bernard

Posted on January 27, 2015 by fundinmental

VBT_TourBanner_DevilToPay

Welcome to my stop for Devil To Pay by Renee Bernard.

I love covers and am so excited that Renee is going to share her thoughts with us and she would LOVE it, if you shared your thoughts with her. So please, let’s show this USA Today Bestselling author some love and leave a comment on how covers affect you.

She has some questions below to help and she does reveal her humorous side. You don’t want to miss this!

Renee is also sharing an exclusive cover reveal of Devil May Care, the next story in her wickedly romantic comedy series.

I am honored, Renee.

GUEST POST

Ooh, let’s talk covers! I think it’s one of those wonderful make or break subjects that authors either love or dread (depending on the amount of control they have over those fateful images!) Every author has his/her favorite covers of their books but also a few they wish had never seen the light of day—much less hit their readers’ square between the eyes.

I had some great covers and was Very Lucky and I’m generally known for my historical romances but here is one of my old covers that makes me cry…

I shouldn’t complain (everyone has the correct number of arms). Except that male model’s haircut is not even remotely close to being historically accurate for my hero. Sure, if he was a modern Navy S.E.A.L. but a doctor in the 1860’s… Let’s just say that the art department in NY let it slip that they’d dubbed this one the “Lucky Charms Cover” and let it go with that…but with traditional publishing, it’s so rare to have any power over what happens on your book cover. My editors would ask for physical character descriptions, suggestions, colors, you name it and I would have the illusion of having a voice/vote in the process but once they showed me what they had—the illusion ended. Small, tiny changes (hair color, etc.) were welcome but any hint of “why is she wearing a prom dress from the wrong century” was squashed.

Naturally, readers blame the author and wonder why they don’t know the difference between Regency and Victorian eras…or why the book they picked up based on a cover isn’t at all what they expected. It’s never fun and I try not to think about it too much for fear of being that growly, complaining person I never want to sit next to at luncheons.

So, when I started self-publishing my new historical novels, it was all about falling in love again with the notion that a cover could really be an extension of an author’s vision for their baby. I wanted something striking, non-traditional, where the heroine was the centerpiece with an artistic sensibility and Cora Graphics came through and took my breath away! Love Cora. She lives in Italy and is very glamorous…which apparently helps.

See the difference? The entire trilogy is out (and all three covers are gorgeous!) but I just wanted to have an example of the potential differences. And now with my contemporary paranormal romantic comedy, DEVIL TO PAY, I can be light, completely not-serious and frankly, step away from traditional layouts to let every reader imagine how the players will look…

Teresa Spreckelmeyer did the cover for DEVIL TO PAY and I don’t think I’m going to let her go…and just for you, Sherry, as a Fundinmental Exclusive, here is a sneak peek at the draft cover for DEVIL MAY CARE!

04_Devil_May_Care

I still believe that covers make a difference and that first impressions to readers can mean a lot and can make the difference between picking a book up to check out the synopsis/story and decide if it’s a purchase or making a quick pass based on an amateur/cheap looking image that hints that all might not be well starting with page one. Covers can be brand builders as books from one author all have a similar look and feel, or just to help distinguish from one series or another. If they are too similar though, readers can’t tell at a glance if they’ve read it already or not and may mistake a new release for an old one. It’s a very real challenge to find the fine line between new and striking and alluringly familiar.

But I’d love to hear from your followers on this one. Do covers matter? Do they make you pay attention or do you ignore them? If an author is new to you, does the cover hold more weight? Do you like the book on your shelves to “match” a bit? Or does it make no difference at all and you’d pick it up if it had dancing wallabies on there—so long as the story was good?

Thanks so much for the wonderful post, Renee.

I will share my thoughts. I know you want to hear them.

I will admit, I am a cover “whore”. I can be bought. Sometimes I see the cover and that is all I need. I pick it up or not. I will pick up almost any book with water or a tree. I know I have missed some good books because of the cover ~ it’s usually a man’s abs with no head. 😳 You know what I’m talking about. I understand a lot of authors may not have the luxury of choosing their covers, but COME ON publishers. I am so over the abs.

Would I be telling you too much if I said dancing wallabies (?), I’d probably pick it up. LOL I like critters.

What do you think? Will you pick it up, just because it has abs 🙄 or are you like me and demand more?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Devil To Pay by Renee Bernard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB

Workplace comedy is always fun but when the company in question in H.E.LLc (Hades Enterprises LLc) and your job is being Lucifer, let’s just say, there are some unique challenges beyond Casual Fridays and who keeps taking your lunch out of the break room. Even if Hell really is just a place where evil is tracked and analyzed in endless cubicles-no brimstone and not a human soul in sight-there’s no room for error. This Lucifer (who is the seventh unlucky archangel to get the position behind the black onyx desk) is about to have his entire world rattled when a very sweet and likable mortal woman crosses his path.

After all, angels can’t lie. And when Jayne Hamilton wants to know what he does for a living, all bets are off. Because “dating” isn’t exactly in the cosmic scheme of the Eternity Gambit, but Love… Well, Love is never really off the table.

Now, if Lucifer can just figure out how to win the girl and get himself fired, he’ll be one very very happy angel.

“Filled with sparkling wit and devilish charm, DEVIL TO PAY is a delightful visit to the Shangri-La of Hell!” — Erin Quinn, The Three Fates of Ryan Love, NYT Bestselling Author

“Only Renee Bernard could make dating Satan sexy as sin! Funny, fresh, irreverent and utterly adorable!” – Dakota Cassidy, National Bestselling Author

First book in the new Eternity Gambit series from USA Today bestselling author Renee Bernard. This is a romantic comedy series with an original paranormal twist that defies categorization and turns every notion of Heaven and Hell on its ear.

Amazon / Smashwords / B&N

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

“You’re mental, right?”

“I think if we were having this conversation in a basement decorated with torn out newspaper articles, black-light posters and me drooling about how I have conversations with dogs and wear tinfoil underwear, you might have a case.” Luke deliberately glanced around the room, silently pointing out the lack of “mental” revealed by his beautifully appointed modern office and furnishings. If it weren’t for the black onyx desk, it would be easy to mistake it for an extraordinary executive’s digs. “I think we can rule out insanity—on both sides of this argument.”

“Right, since I’m not the one proclaiming to be the Prince of Darkness,” she said with a touch of sarcasm she couldn’t prevent. After all, even pretending to take him seriously made her consider that she might not be firing on all cylinders. Her hands were shaking, so she pressed them together as firmly as she could. Were crazy people like bees? Could they smell fear? “Is it possible you’re just a very wealthy man in need of medication?”

“Sure. Anything is possible,” he conceded, his open smile disarming her as he was obviously beginning to genuinely enjoy the debate. “Jayne, I could be an eccentric billionaire intent on impressing you by pretending to be Lucifer. Stranger things have happened.”

“Name one thing stranger than this.”

“Besides the fashion of the 80’s and people who resemble their dogs?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

What in the world is a retired Navy chaplain’s daughter doing writing scorching hot historical romances and paranormal romantic comedies and even comic books? Renee Bernard is applying a great education from traveling all over the world to story telling and doing her best to keep her father proud. Truthfully, her father is her number one fan, even though he has sworn never to read a single word of her books (a vow he has kept to this day!) Nothing stops him from telling everyone he knows that his daughter is now a USA Today Bestselling author or from handing out bookmarks on the golf course. Love can make even a minister do strange things!

Renee Bernard is a freelance writer and host of “The Romance Bookmark” on Readers Entertainment, as well as a contributor to Romantic Times BookReviews magazine. Renee currently lives in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Northern California. (Note an interesting proximity to great wineries!)

DEVIL TO PAY is available now online wherever books are sold and is coming soon to Audio! The Eternity Gambit series is a fun departure from her well-known Victorian set historical romances and creates a new world for readers unlike any other. DEVIL TO PAY is the first book in this new series and is gathering up 5-Star reviews and momentum as more readers discover that office politics can hit a whole new level of crazy when you work at Hades Enterprises, LLc (or H.E.LLc).

Website / Website / FaceBook / Twitter: @ReneeBernard

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found by clicking on the banner below.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Awesome Giveaway & Some Freebies from 5 Authors you will want to check out!

Posted on January 10, 2015 by fundinmental

Five amazing authors have teamed up to bring you this fun contest.Check out their books and sign up for their newsletters..Bonnie R Paulson’s Into The End is free at time of posting..So is Spurs and Lace, I / Barely Alive, I and A Date to Die for, I ..Be sure and check for the “o”..

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / iBooks.Pauline Creed’s Chronicle’s of Steel is free at time of posting..So is The Clockwork Dragon / Winter Fae / 101 Faith Notes and 101 Notes of Thanksgiving..Be sure and check for the “0”

Amazon

Dream Slayer is free at time of posting.

Be sure and check for the “0”.

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / iBooks / Kobo.

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo..

Amazon /Barnes and Noble / Kobo .

GIVEAWAY.

Each author is giving something awesome away.Check out the rafflecopter and enter to win.Open INT for digital and US for the wine tool set.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~~~~~~~~

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Spooktacular Seductions Tour Giveaway

Posted on October 31, 2014 by fundinmental

Spook_Tour_Button_3

Welcome to my stop for the Spooktacular Seductions tour.

Are you ready to be frightened straight into the arms of…?

I have a fun Guest Post and giveaway, so enjoy.

Publisher: Roane Publishing

Release Date: October 31, 2014

Key Words: Romance, Short Stories, Halloween, Paranormal

BLURB

Fiona Mikolas is an outcast, branded by her fiery red hair and a purple birth mark—both signs of the devil. Two years earlier, she survived an influenza outbreak that claimed her peddler husband, Gregos, and her baby son, Tito. Now she lives a solitary life, traveling a circuit of southern states in America and selling healing potions. Until the night of All Hallow’s Eve, when her lonely life is changed by the arrival of two strangers in her camp.

Beaten and robbed, rancher Hagan Fletcher stumbles toward the light of a campfire in south Texas, intent on finding a way to retrieve his stolen stallion. When he awakens, he’s forgotten his name and how he came to be in the company of an exotic beauty. Fiona’s ways are a mystery but when her quick-thinking saves his life again, he looks deeper beneath the surface to who she really is.

EXCERPT

Bewitching Gypsy by Linda Carroll-Bradd

“Ye invaded me campfire. Don’t ken what ye’ll be hearing.” She split her attention between feeding the baby and inspecting the stranger. Blondish hair, prominent nose, strong jaw. His shoulders filled out the broadcloth shirt that had a hole ringed in blood on his left side. His injury must be the cause of her head ache. “Are ye a thief?”

“I don’t think so.”

“But ye had a grip on me animal’s tether, did ye not?”

He winced and lifted a hand to his temple, his gaze shooting around the area.

Head lowered, Clancy crept a few inches closer to the stranger.

The man slapped a hand to his right hip where a holster hung empty. “I have no weapon. Call off your dog.”

The babe squirmed and arched her back, fists waving in the air.

Fiona set aside the cup and spoon and stepped down the ladder to the packed dirt. She lifted the babe upright, spreading an edge of the shawl over her shoulder. As she trod the space between the campfire and Rowan, she patted the infant’s back until she heard a burp and the wee body went limp. Each pass put her within ten paces of the stranger. He posed no threat, but the strengthening pain waves coming from him wrapped a vise around her head. Before she wakened the child with her increasing tension, she settled the wee one into the wash tub lined with a blanket and scooted it behind the spoked wheels.

After straightening to a standing position, she leaned an elbow on the wheel. “I sense yer hurt, and I have the power to help. Me name’s Fiona, and ye need to be telling me what be yer injuries.”

“Name’s…” With a shake of his head, he frowned and ran a hand down his face. “I can’t recall my name.”

Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes and Noble / Smashwords / Createspace

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As a child, Linda was often found lying on her bed reading about characters having exciting adventures in places far away. As an adult, she discovered romance books and read them at every spare moment. Upon reaching a landmark birthday, she decided to write one of those romances she loved so much. Easier said than done. Perseverance paid out and twelve years later, she received her first call from a publisher and a confession story was published. Now, Linda writes heartwarming contemporary and historical stories with a touch of humor and a bit of sass, and many have a tie to her previous home of Texas.

With interests as widespread as baking, crocheting, watching dog agility matches, and reading thrillers by Swedish authors, Linda is the mother to 4 adult children and grandmother to 2 granddaughters. She currently lives in the southern California mountains with her husband of 35 years.

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Goodreads / Amazon Author Profile

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Goodies Inside The Pages of Spooktacular Seductions

Bewitching Gypsy by Linda Carroll Bradd

Garden of Souls by Michelle Ziegler

Something, or someone, pulled Miranda to purchase the old carriage house. It was a great deal, most likely because of the cemetery or the unexpected resident, Thomas. The ghost she finds within the sanctuary of her new home should have scared her. Instead she finds herself falling in love with him.

Now, a few days from Halloween, Thomas continues to push her to live her life. He wants one night though; the one night of magic for the dead. Torn by her love for Thomas and her need for reality and human contact, Miranda takes a chance with Sean. Someone who’s alive. The guilt is eating away at her. Sean’s nice and he hasn’t run off yet, pushed away by her craziness. Miranda knows she can’t split her herself.

Choosing her heart’s desire doesn’t seem possible, but living and loving another seems like a life riddled with pain.

If This Be Madness by Echo Shea

Don’t let me go…

Those are words that break her. When the person you love most is gone, how do you let go?

And, more importantly, who will you be once you do?

Ghost of a Chance by Lily Carlyle

After years of having her college boyfriend Sean as an ex with benefits, Julie believes he is finally, irrevocably out of her life. Forever. And it breaks her heart.

Until one night he shows up at the neighborhood hangout—with a mysterious job, luxurious car, and fabulous digs. Not to mention a new determination to woo Julie.

Even as her mind says no, her heart—and other parts of her body—is saying yes, yes, yes!

Do You Believe in Ghosts by Anne Higa

Jeff Austin-LeGrange has been fleeing from the remnants of his dark and haunted childhood his entire life. The past always catches up to us, and his is no exception.

Alice Hopkins, Jeff’s high school sweetheart, has tried to forget him and tried to move on. You never forget your first love.

When Jeff’s mother dies and Alice’s father falls ill, the two are forced to confront their mutual history and their deepest desires. One thing is sure: neither of their lives will ever be the same again. Perhaps, the past can be overcome. Perhaps, it is not too late to believe in miracles. Perhaps, more than one couple will be reunited this Fall.

Who can say? With a little magic, anything is possible.

Encantado by Havva Murat

Spending Friday night in an abandoned amusement park sounded like an awesome idea to motherless, teenage track star, Remy Bordeaux—empty rides with no queues, and time alone with his best friend’s alluring sister, Rafaela, was sure to make for a memorable night.

But Friday night at Six Flags became memorable for all the wrong reasons when the park turned out to not be so abandoned after all. Rafaela goes missing after getting cozy with Remy, and everyone thinks that Remy is responsible, even his best friend.

It will take another trespassing trip to Six Flags for the truth of Rafaela’s disappearance to be revealed and for the riddle of Remy’s birth to be unraveled.

Where Angels Tread by Christy Thomas

Loralei takes extreme measures to prove her cheating husband has forsaken their bows by seeking confirmation from a fortune-teller. The truth revealed is that she’s been unfaithful in a six hundred year old spiritual marriage.

Samael, the Angel of Death must assist a young girl’s soul in ascending to heaven. An unexpected encounter with his estranged wife distracts him and the precious soul is lost.

Working together to save the endangered soul, they find the price to reach her is higher than they both anticipate.

Spooky Hollow Café by Lisa A. Adams

Aggie Pierce owns a quaint little spot, the Spooky Hollow Cafe’. Tourist come from all over the nation to her confections diner for the entertainment. Real live interacting ghosts make appearances once a day, you just don’t know when.

But, when a ghost’s crush becomes an obsession, just how far will a hero have to go to save Aggie’s life?

GIVEAWAY

$10 Amazon Gift Card & paperback copy of Spooktacular Seductions

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Click on the banner below to follow the tour.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

To comment, please sign in through your favorite social media.

This will only need to be done once. May need approval.

BOO_2

FREE Paranormal Thriller – Time of Death by Ellis Vidler

Posted on September 24, 2014 by fundinmental

TIME OF DEATH by Ellis Vidler is free today and tomorrow – September 24 – 25, 2014.

This is a fantastic paranormal thriller.

Look below for my review and an excerpt from Ellis Vidler.

Add ME to your GOODREADS reading list.

MY REVIEW

Do you believe in visions?

I love that the story starts out with Alex up a tree.

Her hand begins to itch, the urge to draw overwhelms her. She was hiding from the two men, but she heard a sound that made her look. She saw only one man on the dock and felt the urge to run, trying to keep out of sight. She didn’t know, but Jelly, the chauffeur, had seen her.

As soon as she got home, she sat down and began to draw, her hand moving on its own. It seemed it only happened when violence was near.

Alex was living on the island with her Aunt Chicora , because a tree had fallen on her house during a storm.

Storm Damage

She ran into Connor, the prosecutor, at the restaurant. He convinced her to join him for dinner. Rollins had followed her there, with Jelly. Rollins was the man she had seen alone on the dock. His plan was to take care of her now.

She had no idea how much dinner with Connor would change her life forever.

~~~~~~

“An enigma wrapped in a riddle”

I loved the cover. The colors and photograph captured my eye. I must confess, I do choose a lot of the books I read by the cover first. The title is appropriate and catchy .

I have a special fondness for trees. I am amazed at the number of books I choose that have a tree on the cover in some way, shape or form.

I fell into the book and couldn’t climb out until the last page was read. I really thought that was how it would be, before I even opened the cover. It has all the elements for a good book. A woman in distress, yet she is strong, loving, and forgiving. She has friends around her. The bad guys are after her. And she finds a man and his dog to ride off into the sunset with. Throw in some psychic abilities, numerous plot lines and characters, and you have a hit.

I read it in one sitting and it was every bit as entertaining as I thought it would be. The book was well written and Ellis kept the action rolling from cover to cover. I am eager to read more exciting stories from this wonderful author.

I won this book in a giveaway on fuonlyknew’s blog. I love to add signed, first editions to my book collection. Thank you Laura, at fuonlyknew, and Ellis for having the giveaway.

4 STARS – Would Highly Recommend To Others

~~~~~~

SYNOPSIS

Alex, the artist. After a tree falls on her house, she joins her aunt on an unspoiled island, but something wakens her family psychic streak. She draws eerily accurate scenes of violence, but she knows nothing about them.

Connor, the prosecutor. He’s building a case against a drug lord one piece of evidence at a time. For him it’s personal, and he can’t risk a relationship with a witness, especially a psychic who’ll blow his case out of the water.

Rollins, the killer. He’s a cog in a much bigger wheel, and the witness to his acts of violence threatens his operation and his life. He’ll do anything to see that doesn’t happen.

When violence is near, Alex is compelled to draw the scene. While she relaxes on an unspoiled island near Charleston, South Carolina, violence disrupts the tranquil scene when a dead man takes shape on her sketch pad. She knows nothing about the man, but the killer believes she witnessed the murder and sets his sights on Alex. After seeing her drawing, the police think she’s involved, and the prosecutor fears a psychic witness will destroy his case. Now, with danger at every turn, she must uncover a killer before he destroys her and her loved ones.

.~~~~~~

EXCERPT

Alex smoothed the paper on her board and took a number 2 stick of Payne’s gray from the box, gazing toward the water. The bleached skeleton of a tree lay on its side, smooth and ghostly in the fog. Thin light from the morning sun touched the trunk, giving it a shimmering, ethereal glow. She began drawing, selecting pastels without conscious thought. She worked steadily, intent on capturing the scene before her.

When she was satisfied, she replaced the used sheet with a fresh one and shifted so she could see the old pier. The last wisps of mist hung there, creating the image of a translucent walkway floating above the water. The fog hid the broken board—senseless violence. She sketched without thought, her hand moving automatically over the paper. The pier faded from her vision as her fingers flew. A face, swollen and distorted, took shape under the charcoal.

She blinked, startled by what she’d done. Not the mist-shrouded wooden structure, but a dead face. The face that belonged to yesterday’s body, so misshapen she couldn’t tell if she’d ever seen it. Shaken, she ripped the paper off her board and crammed it into her bag. Later she’d examine it, think about what she’d drawn. Now she wanted only to get away. She packed her materials and hurried from the cove, heading toward Chicora’s breezier ocean side to clear the images from her mind, to concentrate on happier things.

You can also get your Amazon affiliate copy of Time of Death by Ellis Vidler by clicking on the cover below.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Was this review helpful? If so, please consider voting for it on Amazon or like it on GoodReads!

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

To comment, please sign in through your favorite social media. This will only need to be done once.

There’s a new Vampire in Town – Love Without Blood by Raz Steel

Posted on August 20, 2014 by fundinmental

Love Without Blood is the debut novel by Raz Steel – the only male finalist in Romantic Times 2006-2007 American Title Contemporary Romance Contest for previously unpublished authors.

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Montlake Romance (June 25, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 147780840X / ISBN-13: 978-1477808405
Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars – 22 reviews

Raz Steel’s Website

MY REVIEW

Love Without Blood by Raz Steel is a fun and original slant on a vampire romance fantasy novel. The characters include Dr Lara West, a surgeon, a male vampire pretending to be gay, a gay male nurse who knows his secret and his parents, an evil vampire, and a government agency with an vampire agenda. Let the hunt begin.

“Dr West. I came to your house because I can’t go to a hospital. do what you can for me.”

And that is how Dr Lara West begins her journey into the world of vampires.

Lara’s dream was to be the youngest Chief of Emergency at Jefferson Memorial, smack in the middle of gangbanger territory. But she has something else to be afraid of.

A vampire working in a hospital and pretending to be gay, this has got to be good.

Raz Steel shifts the point of view between the past and the present, then and now. It caught me by surprise and confused me for a while, but I quickly caught on and became captured in the story.

She is approached and recruited by Jake Plummer after her run-in with Robert, the vampire who appeared at her home demanding she remove a bullet and then proceeding to set her house on fire with her in it. Jake works for the WPAVU – Witness Protect Agency Vampire Unit and recruits her, telling her he will keep her safe.

In the beginning it didn’t really make a lot of sense and kept repeating itself, scene after scene. I couldn’t understand her wilingness to go along with everything. Then I thought, it’s a novel, just let it go and let’s see where the story takes me.

I can’t help but laugh at Bobby/Roberre, even though he is quite the monster.

Lara seems to be the “dumb blond”, if you know what I mean, but she goes on and on, like the energizer bunny,

I know they will all cross paths and I think I know what’s coming. I am curious to find out if I am right. I can’t help but look at this in a comical way, like Supernatural and Buffy. You know, monsters, but having a good time chasing them. Gruesome, yet funny. Well, I was close to predicting the outcome, but there is a surprise or two and I definitely enjoyed the ride to the end. I would be interested in reading more about this team of hunters.

I won Love Without Blood by Raz Steel (a first edition paperback) in a giveaway. My thanks go out to Laura at fuonlyknew.

3 Stars – Would Recommend To Others

Click on the cover below to get your Amazon copy of Love Without blood by Raz Steel

~~~~~~~~~~~~

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar at Home and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Guest post for Heartsearch: Found, Book II by Carlie M A Cullen

Posted on July 25, 2013 by fundinmental

Carlie M. A. Cullen’s Heartsearch: Found, Book II has arrived and so has the trailer. All I can say is WOW. I loved this trailer and it nearly broke my heart as I listened, bringing tears to my eyes. Now I know why the books are so outstanding. Thank you, Carlie, for sharing a heart breaking event of such a personal nature.

Check out this cover beauty and let Carlie tell you what character from her book she would choose to be and why.

To see my 5 STAR Review of Heartsearch: Lost, Book I, go HERE.

SYNOPSIS

One bite started it all . . .

Another mysterious disappearance sparks a frightening chain of events for Remy and her family. Events foretold come to pass, and more strange and alarming occurrences assail her life. Where can she turn?

Coven politics continue to threaten Joshua’s existence, but an even bigger menace looms

And Remy’s life hangs in the balance – can Joshua save her?

Fate still toys with mortals and immortals alike, as hearts torn apart by darkness confront perils which could lead to their doom.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon US / Amazon UK

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi Carlie. Welcome to my blog. I have been anticipating which guest post suggestion you would choose and what you would have to share with us. I love learning about authors and characters, so this was an excellent choice.

When Sherry asked me to write about which of my characters I’d like to be and why, I had an “oh, poop!” moment. Which one do I choose? It would have been far easier to wax lyrical on the person I’d least like to be!

Every one of my main characters has their good and bad points, their admirable and not so admirable qualities. Some of them even possess some rather cool powers. So which one do I pick?

After heaps of soul-searching and hours of contemplation, I think I would have to go with Remy – my main female protagonist.

Remy is a beautiful, intelligent young woman. She’s got a great job, a wonderful fiancé who loves her to bits, a nice home and is on the verge of getting married. Sound too good to be true? Well it was. It was after Joshua vanished, Remy really began to find herself – who she is inside.

Despite all the heartache, emotion, pain and loneliness Remy suffers, she also finds an inner strength she didn’t know she possessed. It keeps her going on her long journey to try and find Joshua.

I admire Remy for the courage she showed to embark on such a difficult journey – not just because of how taxing it would be physically, but also the mental strain it would place upon her. The strength of her love for Joshua is intense and magnificent. How many of us would have the strength of character to put our life on hold and set off alone with only a vague plan and a raging desire to find our loved one? And to have the will to keep going after multiple rejections in every location visited?

Even when strange and frightening things begin to happen to Remy, leaving her questioning her sanity, she never once considers giving up the search. When she’s physically forced to abandon her voyage, she clings onto the love held so dear and the hope that she’ll find Joshua before too long. (I’m not giving away any spoilers, so you’ll have to read the books to find out if she does!)

Remy still maintains her sense of humour through it all, which I think is wonderful. It would be too easy in her situation to become completely melancholy and self-absorbed, yet she doesn’t. Her family, especially her twin, help to keep her spirits up; the relationship she has with Becky is fabulous and quite typical of identical twins. I grew up as an only child and envy Remy and Becky their closeness.

She isn’t perfect; like any human, she experiences doubts, has negative thoughts and days when it’s a struggle to take that next step. In her frustration she injures herself, gives into crying jags and drowns her sorrows a couple of times. But she can be forgiven for all of this and so much more, as her good points far outweigh the bad. And let’s face it – who among us wouldn’t react badly when nursing a broken heart?

In summation, Remy has the courage of her convictions and finds the inner strength to see them through, regardless of what’s thrown across her path. How can I not admire someone like that?

I hope I’m never in her position, but if I was, would I be as strong as Remy? I’d like to think so.

That was awesome Carlie. Thanks so much for stopping by and chatting.

BE SURE AND CHECK OUT CARLIES WEBSITE FOR MORE GOODIES!!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carlie M A Cullen was born in London. She grew up in Hertfordshire where she first discovered her love of books and writing. She has been an administrator and marketer all her working life and was also a professional teacher of Ballroom and Latin American dancing until recently.

She has always written in some form or another, but Heart Search: Lost is her first novel. This was launched 8^th October 2012 through Myrddin Publishing Group and book two, Heart Search: Found, is due out early July 2013. She writes mainly in the Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genres for YA, New Adult and Adult.

Carlie is also a professional editor.

Carlie also holds the reins of a writing group called Writebulb. Their first anthology, The Other Way Is Essex, was published September 2012 under Myrddin Publishing Group. Their second anthology is in editing.

Carlie currently lives in Essex, UK with her daughter.

For stalking purposes, find Carlie M. A. Cullen at the links below:

Website / Twitter: @carlie2011c / Facebook / Linkedin / Amazon / About.me

Wattpad / Goodreads

To get your copy or learn more about Carlie Cullen, check out my reviews and the book links below.

Review of Heartsearch: Lost, Book I

Guest post for Heartsearch: Found, Book II

Review of Heartsearch: Found: Book II

~~~~~~~~~~~~

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for stopping by fundinmental!

Review of Heartsearch: Lost, Book I by Carlie M A Cullen

Posted on July 17, 2013 by fundinmental

Be sure and take a gander at the Found book trailer at the end of the post. Carlie tells her story of how Heartsearch came to be.

My Review of Heartsearch: Lost, Book I. I will have to apologize before hand for getting so carried away and rambling on in my review about this book. If you love Vampires and haven’t read these, you will not regret picking up a copy today. I want to tell you, so much, how this book ends, but then………………

SYNOPSIS

He had waited so long for THIS human.

Joshua had visited South Weald Country Park many times. He had no idea that this time would be life changing.

As I thought of becoming Mrs. Joshua Grant, I couldn’t help but smile. Joshua met me at the airport. His kiss was very passionate. We made love that night and I awoke to find bruises all over my body. I guess he really did miss me. I managed to keep it from him, but when we made love again, I awoke in the morning feeling even more pain. It wasn’t just bruises this time. There were long, raw scratches down my arms and thighs. Before I could cover up, he came in the room. He saw what he had done and fell to his knees, crying. He ran from the house.

After Remy left for work, Joshua returned to the house. He saw the wedding lists on the table. He grabbed a pen and pad and wrote, “Dear Remy………….”

MY REVIEW

I had heard a lot about this book from my sister at fuonlyknew. She fell in love with it. Myself, I thought, oh another vampire book. I take my Vampires in small doses. Thrillers and mysteries are my favorites, with the paranormal and horror next in line. Was I in for a huge surprise. I have read thousands of books, so to surprise me is huge kudos to the author.

I was immediately drawn in and the story never let me go. It is so well written that the pages passed quickly beneath my eyes. I was in a hurry to find out how this would go.

The story is told from two different points of view, Remy’s and Joshua’s. Carlie did really well blending them together so I didn’t loose track of what was happening going back and forth.

Remy’s love was so strong that she couldn’t let him go. She went in “Search” of him. As Remy starts to dream, my hand reaches to turn the page. Oops, no page, it’s my Kindle. How would you “Search” ? Where to begin once the obvious is done? I guess that is why a show like America’s Most Wanted is such a hit. John Walsh, the host, is a prime example of how far some people will go to get an answer.

At first I really didn’t like how callous the vampires were, then I thought, that’s how they are supposed to be. Cold, self-centered, unfeeling. Carlie’s vampires seemed more realistic. Realistic? LOL. Before I knew it, I was laughing at myself. Is there such a thing as a nice vampire? I think I fell for Joshua. How could that be? Can a Vampire be a good guy?

Remy had been bubbly, outgoing, an extrovert, the life of the party type. As Carlie talks about the pain of her loss, I could feel her determination to find him.

When Remy was people watching, I smiled. I remember my girlfriend, who is no longer with us. We used to sit and watch people, trying to figure out who they were, what they did for a living, what car they drove…..I still love to people watch, but it just isn’t the same. I love a book that gets my mind working and I get more from the book than just the author’s story. Thanks Carlie for stretching my mind.

I FREAKED OUT at the ending. Caught me totally off guard. A huge surprise. I thought it was going to be one thing and it was another. I laughed out loud because I never saw it coming.

Carlie is awesome at throwing you a curve ball, so don’t think you know what is going to happen before it does. You are sure to be shocked and amazed. Her ability to tell a story about vampires that is so unique is mind blowing. I have never read a vampire book like this and I loved where she took it. I cannot even guess where she will take me next. I am so glad I have Book II so I don’t have to wait.

5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

I received this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.