SHE Was His Obsession – Fyre and Ash by Logan Fox #LoganFox #FyreandAsh

Posted on October 23, 2023 by fundinmental

I got a copy of the complete series of Fyre and Ash by Logan Fox through Booksprout. Thank you Logan Fox and Booksprout for the opportunity to read and review Fyre and Ash.

MY REVIEW

I am reviewing each book individually and the collection as a whole.

Healing was my obsession… until *she* walked into my classroom.

I must confess, I love a good villain as much or more than a good hero. I find them fascinating. Both characters Fyre and Charlotte Ash have tragic pasts, but once Charlotte is in Fyre’s sights…I love that she fought him, regardless of the attraction. She knew it was wrong as he forced himself upon her. There are many triggers, so…if you don’t like diving into the depths of depravity in an erotic thriller that has no boundaries, step aside. This isn’t for you.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 3 Stars

The action ramps up and the danger rises for Charlotte Ash. Fyre has enemies and will use any means necessary to draw him in. We meet Arrow, Fyre’s faithful companion, who takes an immediate liking to Charlotte. We come to a point where all hell breaks loose and, well, I can’t say much more or I feel I will give too much away. I will tell you, the ending of this novella had me screaming, “No, no, no, no, no,” at my ereader. Logan Fox, what are you doing to me? I am so glad that I have the rest of the story, sitting here, waiting for me to take the next step. First, a breath of fresh air to brace myself for what is to come.

Boy, did Under Fyre end on a low note, so I am eager to begin Catching Fyre. Definitely an appropriate name, because someone’s going to burn. We learn how and why Fyre becomes a serial killer and there is so much to his story. I begin to look at him like another ‘villain’ I love so much, Mr Mayhem, from Sue Coletta’s Mayhem series. Things are not always as they appear to be and the saying: Don’t judge a book by it’s cover applies to Fyre. I have grown to love him and Charlotte and I am shocked at where we end up. Well done, Logan.

MY REVIEW FOR FYRE AND ASH: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION

For those girls who openly root for the hero…while fantasizing about the villain.

Each book starts with a Playlist and I was very curious what music inspired Logan Fox for these novellas.

I love for an author to take me to the dark side and wallow in depravity. I find myself smiling and laughing, all too often, so I am glad this is fiction and not real life. What does this say about me? That I love an author that can take me out of my comfort zone, have me squirming in more ways than one. The perverse and twisted characters reach a climax that made me hate it when I read the last sentence…until I found there was a bonus epilogue.

I’m not sure why I didn’t give this a five star rating. I think because it felt rushed? Like something was missing, but I don’t know what. I don’t think it could have taken me to a deeper, darker place. And, as far as healing her…or himself…I will definitely be checking out more of Logan Fox’s work. Shee hits all my discomfort zones. LOL

GOODREADS BLURB

Healing was my obsession…until she walked into my classroom.

For years, my art therapy classes have provided solace to trauma survivors.
I’ve never questioned my motives before. Then her file crosses my desk.
Charlotte Ash.
Battered. Bruised. Broken.
The devil who kidnapped her put this girl through seven days of hell before she could escape.
The torture she suffered shows in her dead eyes. Eyes that brighten with hope when our gazes lock.
She’s drawn to me.
And I’m obsessed with her.
I’m her teacher, but instead of healing her, I’m stalking her.
Instead of distancing myself, I’m watching her sleep at night.
It’s for her protection. To keep her safe from harm.
I will kill for her.
But the only monster hiding under her bed…is me.

From USA Today bestselling dark romance author, Logan Fox, comes a deliciously dark and twisted stalker romance collection. Fyre and Ash contains all three books in the series, along with exclusive bonus content.
* Playing with Fyre
* Under Fyre
* Catching Fyre
* Bonus content from the Fyre & Ash world

Trigger: This book contains graphic sex, violence, assault, abuse, murder, stalking, voyeurism, exhibitionism, knife play, breath play, primal play, age-gap, a possessive/obsessive morally grey antihero, dub-con, torture, drugs, suicide ideation, bondage, captivity, humiliation and degradation, mental illness, somnophilia. Please proceed with caution.

For fans of Haunting Adeline, That Sik Luv, and the Mindf*ck series.

Genre: Erotica, Fiction, Romance, Suspense, Thriller
314 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 26, 2023
Series: Fyre and Ash novellas

ABOUT LOGAN FOX

Logan Fox writes deliciously dark and twisted romance with damaged anti-heroes and kick-ass heroines.

Subscribe to her newsletter by heading over to her website at https://authorloganfox.com

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Rebirth – The Abduction Of Adrienne Berg by Cheri Krueger @LoveIsCool

Posted on October 5, 2023 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Have you every wanted to run away? Change your life? Escape from the chains that bind you? Walk away and start over? How far would you go to get your happy ending?

Adrienne and Gabriel met at the gala and it was an instant attraction. The problem, he is taken. I loved when they first met and made up stories about others at the party. My friends and I used to do the same thing when we were…out. It was fun, imaging the possibilities.

Adrienne’s husband, Dustin, and his friend, Jarrett, stole millions of dollars. Gabriel finds out about it and decides to take the money for himself. Himself and his pregnant girlfriend, Cindy. He wants the money to give his family a life. And, he takes Adrienne along for the ride. At first, she is an unwilling participant, but it doesn’t long for her to see an opportunity to recreate herself.

Driving through Mexico, on the deserted roads, Adrenne finds herself in dangerous and unanticipated situations. She finds a strength she never knew she possessed. She may never be able to let down all the defenses she built up and I wonder…

“I was never a kid. I had to fend for myself…”

It’s interesting when an author adds a bit extra into a character, like Cindy being pregnant and Adrienne having a life or death health condition.

I can only imagine the tension in the household. Two women who want the same man. One man with a single goal, to give his family the best life possible. Can the women become friends? Can they all have what they desire? That is what kept me reading. Of course, I wondered if the American authorities would care enough to follow them to Mexico, if the Mecali’s would care enough to come after them, if they could avoid Dustin and Jarrett, who want the money that Gabriel took from them.

Then, we have a surprise guest, a retired secret agent.

I loved the premise, ditch your old life and create a new one. Just…think…of all the possibilities. Shed your old life, create a new one. Take a bad situation and make it work for you. From ennui, to despair, to…happiness (?). All things are possible.

Even though I never felt any mind blowing moments, I enjoyed the ride.

GOODREADS BLURB

“It’s a wild ride. Choices and decisions. Some are good and some not so good. Cheri Krueger has woven an intricate plot and invites us along to follow this cast of characters-all seeking a better life but going about it all wrong.” -Karen Brees, author of Crosswind Restless housewife Adrienne meets charismatic pilot Gabriel and feels an instant primal attraction. When Gabriel abducts her and steals millions from her embezzling husband, she should be afraid, but street-survivor Adrienne thrills to the rush. Feeling betrayed by her husband’s secrets, she turns from hostage to accomplice. Gabriel’s firm commitment to another woman is simply one more obstacle for Adrienne to overcome. In a chaotic hunt from the suburbs of San Francisco across the hostile badlands of Mexico, their pursuers find more questions than answers, people die, and the lines between the good guys and the bad guys blur. Adrienne is determined to reach the paradise Gabriel has promised, and she’ll do whatever it takes to get her happy ending.

Genre: Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Thriller
250 pages, Paperback
Expected publication October 5, 2023 by Black Rose Writing

ABOUT CHERI KRUEGER

When not writing, Cheri Krueger can be found reading, traveling, or indulging her Scrabble obsession. Married with two grown sons and a grandson, Cheri lives in the beautiful San Joaquin Valley where she enjoys local music, craft beer, and playing with puppies.

Some of her favorite authors: Stephen King, Anne Tyler, Margaret Atwood, Alice Hoffman, Liane Moriarty, Kristin Hannah, Jane Smiley, Maeve Binchy, Jodi Picoult.

Visit OhCheri.com for news and links to my socials. Happy reading!

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Review – The Broken Heart by N J Gallegos @DrSpooky_ER

Posted on September 19, 2023 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

MMMMM All kinds of dark and delicious psychopathic goodness. Imagine hearing these words out of six year old child’s mouth: Fuck you, cunt and fucking bitch. You also have a useless drunken husband and an infant daughter to protect…for the six year old.

If you are on a matchmaking app, you may delete it after seeing how easy it is to be a fish in a barrel for a serial killer.

There are two story lines going on: Casey, with her psychopathic son, alcoholic husband, infant daughter, and heart failure. She will need an organ transplant and a serial killer is the one to save her. Or does he? Do you believe that an organ can pass the good or bad of the donor onto the receiver? What would happen if it did?

Of course, we know the serial killer has to die so she can get his heart, but the way it happens is sweet Karma at work. LOL He was a savage, reveling in his victim’s blood, so no matter what happened to him, I didn’t think it could be bad enough.

I was excited about the plot and wondered…would a good woman be negatively affected by a serial killer’s heart? Will she turn into a serial killer too?

The marvels of medicine do amaze me and creep me out at the same time. And after reading The Broken Heart, I am even more freaked out about hospitals. I’m sure I am not the only one that gets tensed up just entering one.

After the surgery she felt an icy cold in the center of her chest and would carry that for the rest of her life. She knew…things were going to be different now. No more doormat to Jack. No more shying away in fear from Owen.

Her rant in her therapist’s office…I could see it unfold and I loved it. He sits there in judgment, doing nothing to help a desperate mother save the life of her infant child from her psychopathic son. I couldn’t help but chuckle under my breath as I read on.

Her in laws sit in judgment, having no clue of the depth of her desperation and I don’t think they would have cared any way. Casey couldn’t do anything thing right, in their eyes. She has no one to support her, no one to lean, no help at all.

Their date night…I went back and forth between wanting to puke and laugh out loud.

I saw some of what was to come and eagerly devoured the words. N J Gallegos didn’t make it so easy to figure everything out and I am happy about that. I couldn’t imagine how the story would end. There are so many possibilities and I wondered what the author would choose. She chose well.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Broken Heart by N J Gallegos.

GOODREADS BLURB

Casey Philips has it all: a deadbeat husband, a psychopathic son, a beautiful newborn daughter, and catastrophic heart failure necessitating an organ transplant. When a serial killer becomes an unexpected organ donor, Casey gets a heart and a new lease on life.

But dark dreams plague the disgruntled housewife—visions of places she’s never been, chasing women she’s never met. Sometimes, Casey wakes up outside her kids’ rooms without realizing how she got there—knife in hand.

How far will a mother with a newly acquired taste for vengeance go to right the wrongs of an abusive husband, an increasingly violent son, and even her own sins? Only the heart knows what it truly wants.

Genre: Dark, Horror, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Thriller
340 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 19, 2023 by Winding Road Stories

ABOUT N J GALLEGOS

N.J. Gallegos is an Emergency Medicine Physician who enjoys horror, medicine, and wicked women looking for revenge. Put all three together? Now we’re talking! She lives in Illinois with her wife and two cats. In her spare time, she enjoys binging reality trash tv, brewing beer, and running while listening to EDM so she can drink said brewed beer.

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Giveaway – The Control by M W Layne @XpressoTours

Posted on August 4, 2023 by fundinmental

The Control
M.W. Layne
Publication date: June 5th 2023
Genres: Adult, Psychological Thriller

I didn’t kill my professor. But someone did…
It’s the dead of night when I regain consciousness in my psychology professor’s office. I don’t know what I’m doing here or why my favorite teacher is slumped over, dead at his computer with his head caved in.

When I stumble over to him on shaking legs, I bury my face in my sleeve to mute the smell of death. But as I lean in to see what he was working on when he was killed, the psych profile on his screen is what makes me wretch. The assessment is about one of his students–someone he describes as mentally ill, losing control, and capable of extreme violence. I scroll to the top of the document, and when I get there my stomach freezes because the name I see is my own.

Jim Straub.

I stagger away from my professor’s cold body, eyes filled with tears. He was my teacher and trying to help me. There’s no way I was the one who murdered him. But if it wasn’t me, who was it? And more importantly, why did the killer let me live?

The Control is a psychological thriller–a dark story of nightmares, deception, and love that will keep you guessing until its unforgettable, twisted ending.

Goodreads / Amazon

Get it FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

—

EXCERPT:

With two fingers, I lift Mooken’s icy hand from the keyboard, treating it like a disgusting bug I have to touch. I’ve watched enough television shows and read enough mysteries to know better than to disturb a dead body. But I need the letters on his screen to stop.

They remind me too much of how Mooken used to make his awkward hmmm sounds in the middle of his lectures when pondering a point his students weren’t getting.

Being this close to a dead person, my body revolts at the heavy cocktail of copper, feces, and urine in the room—a combination I’ve never encountered before.

Well, once before. But that was so long ago I sometimes wonder if it wasn’t another one of my nightmares.

But my stomach tells me the scene in front of me is real. My guts convulse and threaten to spew everything from inside of me, and I swallow hard, choking back my sickness…barely.

I bury my nose in my sleeve, breathing through my mouth. Other than the shallow in-and-out of my air, the room is quiet.

Inside my head, however, things are very loud.

Along with the loud buzzing, my father is telling me to run.

Leave now and save yourself, boy. Before they blame you for all of this.

I ignore him and stare down at Mooken.

After five minutes, his screen starts to fade to black, but I move the mouse, and the screen returns to full brightness.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I lean over my professor’s body like I’m showing a dead man something he might find interesting. I hold the mouse lightly in my hand and scroll up. There are so many pages of mmmms that the document appears to stand still as I scroll. I climb through a hundred pages of that single, lonely letter before I make it to the substance of the file and slow down to skim its contents. I scan blocks of Mooken’s text, reading snippets from the bottom up.

classic signs…

early schizophrenia…

chronic sleep deprivation…

acute depression…

disruptions in personal affairs…

My head throbs as I continue further up the document.

delusions…

romantic interest…

auditory and visual hallucinations…

sleep paralysis…

irrational anger and suspicion toward therapist…

potential for extreme violence…

formal evaluation recommended…

I speed to the very top of the document to see who Mooken was evaluating, and my stomach freezes when I read my name.

Jim Straub.

But this can’t be. I didn’t kill the professor. I know this for certain.

Professor Mooken was my teacher and trying to help me. That must be why I came here tonight—to get his help.

Not to kill him.

The delete key stares at me, cooing, tempting me to erase my name—to fix this.

But I can’t do that—not yet, at least.

I disable Mooken’s screen saver, stagger to the other side of his desk, and sink back into the leather chair.

When I check the clock on the wall, fifteen minutes have passed.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and on reflex, I check it. As happens so often lately, it’s a missed call from my father, who suffers from dementia and calls and texts daily.

I love and miss my dad, but I can’t deal with him and his altered, severe personality right now.

My present situation is too dire, although there are still a few hours before other professors and students begin entering the building to start their days.

I squeeze my eyes shut to help me remember the events that led me here, but when I do, I hear my father giving me advice again, yelling at me, ordering me.

Leave.

“Not yet,” I say through clenched teeth. “I need to remember what happened first.”

Author Bio:

When Mike writes twisted psychological thrillers, urban fantasy, or stories with a darker bent, he publishes it under the pen name “M.W. Layne” to differentiate it from his other books written as Michael W. Layne. Both Michael and M.W. apologize for any confusion this may cause readers, but this makes it easier to decide which set of books you can let your kids read. Michael W. Layne, yes! Great for any age. M.W. Layne, maybe not until they’re in their teens…

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

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Review – Don’t Look Away by Rachel Abbott #DontLookAway #NetGalley @RachelAbbott

Posted on August 3, 2023 by fundinmental

I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review Don’t Look Away by Rachel Abbott. This is my first Rachel Abbott book, but I have my eye on her.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Prologue is super creepy and I quickly began ‘flipping pages’. AND, I am going to start off by saying, if you don’t have blinds, curtains, drapes, or some kind of window covering and close them, especially at night, well…..read this. LOL

Nancy Holland had never wanted to come back to Cornwall, but her Aunt Helen had passed away and left the cottage to her. Nancy’s sister, Lola, had disappeared here and she had nothing but bad memories. She was alone. Her mother had passed away and her father had died in a car accident. She carries the guilt of the disappearance and deaths on her shoulders.

I had an instant dislike of her father, Ray. He heaps all the bad onto her, telling her it is her fault. He gives me the creeps and I wonder what the real story is. I think Rachel Abbott did a great job of describing him because I felt he was slimy, a snake, and I never waivered. Am I right? Am I wrong? I have to read on to find out.

She is not in Cornwall long before the search for her sister, Lola, is reopened due to new evidence. There was also a body found in a cave and even more questions arise.

Effie, I think she is a wonderfully developed character. Her personality comes through the pages and I love that she is there for Nancy.

Stephanie and Gus have a crisis and I must say, I would have been furious. I don’t want to say why, BUT, men need to wear a condom! Take some responsibility for your actions. I am not liking Gus very much. I feel he is arrogant, egotistical and patronizing towards her.

Don’t Look Away by Rachel Abbott started out slow for me. I kept getting the heebie jeebies though. I felt there were a lot of secrets, dangerous secrets buried in the pages. Men sure don’t come across as winners in this book. I felt rage, disgust, empathy, sadness, and hope, among a lot of other things as the story unfolded.

I am trying to describe how dark and disturbing many facets of Don’t Look Away by Rachel Abbott are, without giving anything away. I had ideas of what was going on, some were right and some were wrong and some I totally missed the mark.

The story is not over, and I saw that coming, sorta….so, I’ll be waiting for the next book.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Don’t Look Away by Rachel Abbott.

GOODREADS BLURB

She never wanted to come back. Now she’ll never leave.

Nancy Holland’s sister disappeared on a holiday in Cornwall eleven years ago. She hasn’t been seen since, and Nancy never returned. Until now.

Life has pulled her back to the seaside village and cottage where young Lola was last seen.

Back then, Nancy couldn’t see what was right in front of her eyes. Can she now finally uncover what happened to her sister?

But somebody doesn’t want her here, digging into the past. If she discovers the truth at last, they’ll never let her leave again.

Genre: Crime, Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Thriller
400 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication August 3, 2023Series by Bookouture
Series: Stephanie King #3

ABOUT RACHEL ABBOTT

I was born and brought up in the north of England, and worked for many years as the managing director of an interactive media company. I wrote every day – everything from creative proposals to user manuals – but most exciting of all was writing interactive dramas – including for the Cluedo (Clue in the US) interactive games. I was fortunate enough to sell my company in 2000 and we moved to Italy where we bought and restored an old country house.

I have published six full length novels and one novella, and my seventh Come a Little Closer is due for release in 2018. I now live on the beautiful island of Alderney in the Channel Islands, where I write full time.

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Review – Fear The Silence by Robert Bryndza @RobertBryndza #FearTheSilence #NetGalley

Posted on July 6, 2023 by fundinmental

I want to thank NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing for the opportunity to review another Robert Bryndza novel, Fear The Silence.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Fear The Silence by Robert Bryndza is one of those books where I bounced between a three and a four rating. I can’t state a specific reason for it. Was it the book or was it me?

I have read two other books by Robert Bryndza and enjoyed them, so whenever I see the opportunity to read another, I am all over it. Soooo, let’s begin.

Maggie’s husband, Will, committed suicide…or did he?

He blew me a kiss and made Luna wave her paw. He looked so content. Deliriously content is how I’ll always remember that last view of him.

And the mystery begins. She travels to their island home in Croatia. Oh yeah, I think an isolated island is where she should be…alone. She discovers why he changed careers six years ago. The past never stays buried and now it has put her life in extreme danger.

I can’t imagine the terror…huddled, cowering, in the dark as someone rifles through your home…hoping, praying, not to be seen. It was…maybe…my favorite part of the book. I felt I was there with her, just waiting to be discovered. What do you think happens?

We have a hellacious storm rolling through, so it is impossible for her to leave the island. So many times, when a read a book, I try to think of what I would do. Would it be the same as the character? It’s one of those things where you have to be there to know. I think we all wish we would do something better than what gets the characters in such deep trouble.

They live in a smart home and I love when I learn something. Had me doing some surfing to see if it was true. A book that can make me do that, adds a little something extra…for me.

I kept trying to think of who it could possibly be that would want her husband dead. There weren’t that many suspects and until I found the reason, I couldn’t decide. Once the person was in my sights, it all began to come together and it read a bit like a spy novel.

As I said earlier, I went between a three and four rating. Whenever that happens, I take it up a notch. As I thought about it while writing the review and going through the highlights on my ereader, I still can’t think of what was wrong, me or the book. I guess you will have to read it for yourself. Robert Bryndza’s writing is easy to read and flows smoothly, so give him a try.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Fear O Silence by Robert Bryndza.

GOODREADS BLURB

‘Do you believe Will took his own life?’

The question echoed off the white tiles in the hospital’s cold, cavernous morgue, and I studied my husband in peaceful repose. I leaned down and put my forehead against his. Silent tears ran down my cheeks. They felt hot, and he felt so cold. It was five days since his death, and my grief felt heavy, like a vast, dark mass pushing down on me.

When Maggie’s husband, Will, is shot dead in their London home, she thinks he is the victim of a burglary until the police tell her the shocking news that Will was the one who pulled the trigger.

Maggie is consumed with grief and questions. Will wasn’t suicidal. He had so much to live for.

After the funeral, Maggie travels to their holiday home on a small Croatian island to escape London. She finds a disturbing letter written by Will, containing clues to a dark secret.

As Maggie puts the pieces together, she discovers Will’s death is connected to someone from his past… Someone who will go to extreme lengths to keep Maggie silent.

Three can keep a secret… If two of them are dead.

The international multi-million bestselling author of The Girl in the Ice is back with his first stand-alone thriller, a heart-racing, hold-your-breath read that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

List: Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Thriller
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 6, 2023 by Raven Publishing

ABOUT ROBERT BRYNDZA

Robert Bryndza is an international bestselling author, best known for his page-turning crime and thriller novels, which have sold over five million copies.

His crime debut, The Girl in the Ice was released in February 2016, introducing Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster. Within five months it sold one million copies, reaching number one in the Amazon UK, USA and Australian charts. To date, The Girl in the Ice has sold over 1.5 million copies in the English language and has been sold into translation in 29 countries. It was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Mystery & Thriller (2016), the Grand prix des lectrices de Elle in France (2018), and it won two reader voted awards, The Thrillzone Awards best debut thriller in The Netherlands (2018) and The Dead Good Papercut Award for best page turner at the Harrogate Crime Festival (2016).

Robert has released a further five novels in the Erika Foster series, The Night Stalker, Dark Water, Last Breath, Cold Blood and Deadly Secrets, all of which have been global bestsellers, and in 2017 Last Breath was a Goodreads Choice Award nominee for Mystery and Thriller. Fatal Witness, the seventh Erika Foster novel, is now available to pre-order and will be published 7th July 2022.

Most recently, Robert created a new crime thriller series based around the central character Kate Marshall, a police officer turned private detective. The first book, Nine Elms, was an Amazon USA #1 bestseller and an Amazon UK top five bestseller, and the series has been sold into translation in 18 countries. The second book in the series is the global bestselling, Shadow Sands and the third book, Darkness Falls, has just been published.

Robert was born in Lowestoft, on the east coast of England. He studied at Aberystwyth University, and the Guildford School of Acting, and was an actor for several years, but didn’t find success until he took a play he’d written to the Edinburgh Festival. This led to the decision to change career and start writing. He self-published a bestselling series of romantic comedy novels, before switching to writing crime. Robert lives with his husband in Slovakia, and is lucky enough to write full-time.

You can find out more about Robert and his books at www.robertbryndza.com

MY REVIEWS FOR ROBERT BRYNDZA

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Review – Truly Darkly Deeply by Victoria Selman @VictoriaSelman #psychologicalthriller

Posted on June 27, 2023 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The cover and title grabbed me, and when I read the blurb I knew I had to have it. I love reading about serial killers, but Truly Darkly Deeply by Victoria Selman is different from the usual fair…it’s about those left behind that have to deal with the fallout of someone they loved being a vicious, cruel killer.

Sophie meets Matty Melaren when she is twelve years old and falls in love with him. She looks at him as her dad, seeing she never knew her real dad. Her mother keeps secrets from her, and we all know that secrets never stay buried. They may have, if Sophie wasn’t determined to get answers and makes a trip to Battlemouth Prison, where Matty is incarcerated. He delighted in spilling the beans.

Truly Darkly Deeply by Victoria Selman deals with the emotional turmoil and devastation that Sophie and her mother, Amelia Rose suffer when Matty is imprisoned. Friends and neighbors shun them. Many tear filled sleepless nights dog them both. Even reading about it, I cannot imagine the anguish they go through.

There was no secret that Matty Melaren was a serial killer. When I first began reading, I was a bit disappointed because Matty was not the star. The more I read, the more I found that Sophie is the star and to walk in her shoes, or try to, the more I loved her. It may seem there won’t be any twists and turns, but I can promise you….THERE IS! The ending was amazing!!!!!!! I never saw it coming!!!!!! I urge you not to peek, because the ending is worth waiting for.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Truly Darkly Deeply by Victoria Selman.

GOODREADS BLURB

12-year-old Sophie and her mother, Amelia-Rose, move to London from Massachusetts where they meet the charismatic Matty Melgren, who quickly becomes an intrinsic part of their lives. But as the relationship between the two adults fractures, a serial killer begins targeting young women with a striking resemblance to Amelia-Rose.

When Matty is eventually sent down for multiple murders, questions remain as to his guilt — questions which ultimately destroy both women. Nearly twenty years later, Sophie receives a letter from Battlemouth Prison informing her Matty is dying and wants to meet. It looks like Sophie might finally get the answers she craves. But will the truth set her free — or bury her deeper?

ABOUT VICTORIA SELMAN (from her website)

“Victoria Selman is an exciting and powerfully fresh voice”—PATRICIA CORNWELL

Victoria Selman is the author of the critically acclaimed Ziba MacKenzie series. Her debut novel, Blood for Blood, was shortlisted for the prestigious CWA Debut Dagger Award and an Amazon Charts #1 bestseller for five weeks, selling over half a million copies.

Victoria has written for the Independent, co-hosts Crime Time FM, compiles the Afraid of the Light charity anthology series and was shortlisted for the 2021 CWA Short Story Dagger Award.

Her first latest thriller, Truly Darkly Deeply, was published as Quercus’ flagship title in July 2022 and was an instant Sunday Times bestseller.

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Review – The Quiet Tenant by Clemence Michallon #TheQuietTenant #NetGalley.

Posted on June 20, 2023 by fundinmental

I want to thank NetGalley and Knopf for the opportunity to read and review The Quiet Tenant and the introduction to the author, Clemence Michallon.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I was happy to be on the front end of Clemence Michallon’s writing career with what I think is her debut novel, The Quiet Tenant. I wasn’t sure what I expected, but I loved her twist on the serial killer scenario. I am a huge fan of serial killers, reading about them, not hanging out with them, so any fresh plot is always welcome. Of course, I think we know that a serial killer could be hidden under the guise of your neighbor. Hell, it could even be a family member. Serial killer’s are not always male, though it is rare to find one that is female.

Imagine meeting a kind, young man who turns out to be your worst nightmare. He has murdered eight women and you are the ninth. Why has he kept you alive? Why doesn’t he take what he wants and dispose of you? What makes you different from the others?

‘Rachel’ is the tenant and he is the landlord. He has had her for eight years. Now, things have changed. His wife has died and he is being evicted. How can he incorporate her into his new life, keeping the specifics hidden from his thirteen year old daughter, Cecilia.

Rachel has a set of rules she has made to keep herself alive, hoping she will be saved.

I had wondered about his relationship with his daughter, seeing he rarely let her out of his sight, other than school. Was he molesting her, having her take the place of his dead wife and Rachel is just a side bit for some variety? At first, I thought it was because he knew just how dangerous the world can be, seeing he is a predator. But, the reason was much more personal than her safety.

There were a couple of hiccups in the story, but over all it kept me reading. I wondered how in the world they could all live together and how it would end. Clemence Michallon was able to keep me in suspense, never giving away the ending, even though I tried to figure it out for myself. The twists and turns along the way were new to me and as many books as I read, it is hard to come up with something novel and unique. Kudos go out to Clemence Michallon for being able to do that and leave me wanting more. I am eager to see what she will come up with next.

The ending was inspirational and hopeful. I always wonder how I will react in a situation some of these characters find themselves in, and I tell myself one thing and wonder if that is what I would really do. After all, I don’t think any of us can know until or if it happens.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Quiet Tenant by Clemence Michallon.

GOODREADS BLURB

ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED NOVELS OF 2023 • “A bravura feat of storytelling . . . a daring and completely satisfying mystery.” —James Patterson, #1 best-selling author

A PULSE-POUNDING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER ABOUT A SERIAL KILLER NARRATED BY THOSE CLOSEST TO HIS 13-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, HIS GIRLFRIEND—AND THE ONE VICTIM HE HAS SPARED

Aidan Thomas is a hard-working family man and a somewhat beloved figure in the small upstate town where he lives. He’s the kind of man who always lends a hand and has a good word for everyone. But Aidan has a dark secret he’s been keeping from everyone in town and those closest to him. He’s a kidnapper and serial killer. Aidan has murdered eight women and there’s a ninth he has earmarked for Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed, fearing for her life.

When Aidan’s wife dies, he and his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecilia are forced to move. Aidan has no choice but to bring Rachel along, introducing her to Cecilia as a “family friend” who needs a place to stay. Aidan is betting on Rachel, after five years of captivity, being too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. But Rachel is a fighter and survivor, and recognizes Cecilia might just be the lifeline she has waited for all these years. As Rachel tests the boundaries of her new living situation, she begins to form a tenuous connection with Cecilia. And when Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on the handsome widower, she finds herself drawn into Rachel and Cecilia’s orbit, coming dangerously close to discovering Aidan’s secret.

Told through the perspectives of Rachel, Cecilia, and Emily, The Quiet Tenant explores the psychological impact of Aidan’s crimes on the women in his life—and the bonds between those women that give them the strength to fight back. Both a searing thriller and an astute study of trauma, survival, and the dynamics of power, The Quiet Tenant is an electrifying debut by a major talent.

Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Thriller

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 20, 2023 by Knopf

ABOUT CLEMENCE MICHALLON (from Amazon)

Clémence Michallon was born and raised near Paris. She studied journalism at City University of London, received a master’s in Journalism from Columbia University, and has written for The Independent since 2018. Her essays and features have covered true-crime, celebrity culture, and literature. She moved to New York City in 2014 and recently became a US citizen. She now divides her time between New York City and Rhinebeck, NY.

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I Am Hooked on Devil’s Dolls by William Baker #wiliamblake

Posted on June 16, 2023 by fundinmental

OMG! I joined William Baker’s newsletter last month and have never looked back. His series of Devil’s Dolls short stories are to die for, and The Devil’s Origins is free, OR…if you have KindleUnlimited you can grab Season 1, or purchase for $5.97.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

This standalone novella/short story, The Devil’s Origins by William Baker has me hooked. I love a good vigilante story and the only thing I hate about the Devil’s Dolls series is that it is not a novel. I want more, more depth, more detail, more of K…just MORE!

The Devil’s Origins by Willaim Baker has everything I love in a thriller…a female main character who is a vigilante, edge of the seat suspense, dead bodies, a story that can stand alone but has more to come. Once I read it, I knew I wanted more!

GOODREADS BLURB

Blood, ashes, and bones.

That’s all she saw.

When she awoke amongst the debris and dead bodies drenched in a mysterious substance, she found two things.

A single initial on her half-burnt uniform’s nametag.

And all her memories erased.

Abandoned, confused, hungry, and cold, K trudges on into a small town she doesn’t recognize

Failing to consider that she looks like an escaped, dangerous convict…

That her appearance would turn heads, raising dangerous questions she had no answer to.

But there is something about her new self K learns the hard way.

Her powers are anything but human.

And they can get her in a whole lot of trouble.

Soon, all hell breaks loose, and K is entangled in a murder she never wished to commit.

As she tries to escape the consequences of her actions, K is met with a choice she never thought she’d have to make.

Follow the instructions of her anonymous benefactor, or starve, die, and worse…

There is only one thing K can be certain about.

Someone is watching her every move.

They know what she’s done.

And they won’t stop until she pays what she’s due.

K’s deadly chase has only just begun.

This is the standalone prequel to the Devil’s Dolls series by William Baker.

List: Mystery, Novella/Short Story, Psychological, Series, Suspense, Thriller, Vigilante
63 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 24, 2023 by Stories Of Wonder

MY REVIEW

Vengeance In Black by William Baker is a newsletter exclusive short story with a cliffhanger. I was ecstatic and disappointed at the same time. I was hooked when I read the standalone prequel, The Devil’s Origins, and was left hanging by my fingernails after finishing Vengeance In Black. I HAD TO KNOW what happened next and was ecstatic when William Black offered The Devil’s Dollmaker free for a limited time. YAY!

What’s is happening to all the women in town?

Look at that cover below…Doesn’t it make you want to know what the fuck is going on?

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I am soooo lovin’ this series of novella/short stories. It makes me think of Charlie’s Angels, except there is only one angel with an anonymous benefactor. K is the epitome of a female vigilante and I love her. In The Devil’s Dollmaker, a deliciously gruesome story of missing women, K shows her humanity. I hate that she remains a solitary action figure, yet a connection would make her a target. This way, she comes and goes, like a ghost in the night. The only downside to this action packed suspense novella/short story is the cliffhanger…and I am hanging on for dear life!

GOODREADS BLURB

Somewhere in the dark, the Dollmaker butchers another victim.
Going against her instincts, K decides to follow Lisa to the police, where she introduces her to Jerry, a cop that seems to distance himself from the corruption of the system. What surprises K more is that the task force has been expecting her arrival, addressing her as ‘special agent’ Rose. Is this another unexpected twist her anonymous boss has thrown her way, or could it be an elaborate scheme to trap her?

The lack of physical evidence on the case and her only unreliable witness leave her no time for caution. Thanks to Jerry’s tech skills and Lisa’s charm, they follow the missing women’s traces to the dark web, where a man called the Dollmaker deals in favors and twisted requests. But the most disturbing revelation of all is why these women answer his call…

What they find on that page scars Lisa, but K is hellbent on uncovering the man behind the operation. She knows whatever lies inside the sickest minds is best to remain hidden, but unless they act fast, more will die, and the killer’s trail will run cold.

This time there is no room for error. Not while the Dollmaker is out there mutilating his new toy.

List: Mystery, Novella/Short Story, Psychological, Series, Suspense, Thriller, Vigilante
77 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 31, 2022 by Stories Of Wonder

ABOUT WILLIAM BAKER

William Baker lives on the west coast, surrounded by misty mountains, together with his wife, his son, and their two cats Tiger and Panther. He is a dedicated reader of most genres, with mysterious thrillers being his favorite.

Since he was a young boy, Will has written stories of all sorts, starting with the adventure of a mysterious beheaded rider clad in black, wandering around the village after sunset, causing terror to any foe standing in his way. After high school, Will thought it wise to pursue a proper education and became an economist. However, the stories never disappeared, on the contrary, more and more started to play themselves out like movies in his head. At last, Will had no choice but to succumb and started writing again. He has never looked back since.

FACEBOOK

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Review – The Rising by Kerry Peresta @kerryperesta @partnersincr1me

Posted on May 19, 2023 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

First off, don’t ya just love that cover? Sometimes I will grab a book for that reason alone, but not so in the case of The Rising by Kerry Peresta. I loved her first book in the series, The Deadening, so I quickly dove into The Rising, which is an appropriate title as Olivia Callhan makes the most of her chance to remake herself after being in a coma following an assault and subsequent amnesia.

“You should’ve returned my calls, you idiot. It didn’t have to end like this.”

A great start to The Rising by Kerry Peresta, and I was immediately caught up in the mystery. And, of course, Olivia Callahan is smack dab in the middle of it.

Monty, her ex husband, is in prison, but that doesn’t stop him from manipulating people and complicating her life. She talks herself into visiting him. She is surprised at his appearance, Schwartzenegger in a room full of Danny Devitos. Had me laughing out loud. Her hope was to be able to move forward, but she needed some answers from him first. He is slick and I would be careful of anything he says.

‘Sherry’ plays a bigger part in each story and I love that my namesake is turning into a kickass character.

Olivia had written a book about her experiences and regrets doing so. It puts her in the limelight, recognized everywhere she goes. Her agent is constantly harping on her to write another one, but she has no interest in doing so.

Her love interest, Hunter Faraday, is a very patient man. He will have to be if he wants a relationship with her. She still doesn’t know who she really is, though her personality is done a three hundred and sixty degree turn and I am loving the new her. She falters now and then, but that is to be expected. She is still trying to learn her past.

Her girlfriends stick by her, but Hannah is now on my shit list. Can she redeem herself?

Bells and clangs and alarms sounded in my mind like a fire truck screaming down the freeway.

Want a profound quote. The whole book had me feeling that way. Murder, bombs, revenge, and a new start for Olivia. She’s not happy with the police investigation, so she is starting one of her own.

I was so sad for Niles. Can someone be all bad? Do they deserve a second chance?

Well, The Rising by Kerry Peresta was a wild rollercoaster ride of mystery and emotion, and I expected no less after reading The Deadening. We have so much action and intrigue, I couldn’t stop reading, t times wanting to wring her neck and punch out some of the other characters. Other times, the characters rose to the occasion, making me glad to know she has people like that around her. I will immediately be cracking open The Torching. I guess we’ll be seeing a fire…maybe two…maybe more, going by the title?

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Rising by Kerry Peresta.

GOODREADS BLURB

After an assault that landed her in a hospital as a Jane Doe two years earlier, Olivia Callahan has regained her speech, movement, and much of the memory she lost due to a traumatic brain injury. The media hype about the incident has faded away, and Olivia is ready to rebuild her life, but her therapist insists she must continue to look back in order to move forward. The only person that can help her recall specifics is her abusive ex-husband, Monty, who is in prison for murder. The thought of talking to Monty makes her skin crawl, but for her daughters’ sake and her own sanity, she must learn more about who she was before the attack. Just as the pieces of her life start falling into place, she stumbles across the still-warm body of an old friend who has been gruesomely murdered. Her dream of pursuing a peaceful existence is shattered when she learns the killer left evidence behind to implicate her in the murder. The only person that would want to sabotage her is Monty-but he’s in prison! Something sinister is going on, and Olivia is desperate to figure it out before another senseless murder is committed.

Fiction, Medical, Psychological, Romance, Suspense, Thriller

Published March 29, 2022 by Level Best Books

ABOUT KERRY PERESTA

Kerry Peresta’s publishing credits include a popular newspaper and e-zine humor column, “The Lighter Side,” and short stories in the published anthology, “That One Left Shoe,” and her first novel released in 2013 by Pen-L Publishing, “The Hunting,” contemporary women’s fiction. She spent twenty-five years in advertising as an account manager, creative director, and copywriter before deciding to devote more of her time to writing. She is currently working on her next novel, and the most current one, The Deadening, fiction, suspense; releases Feb. 23, 2021 and will be available for pre-order mid-January. Kerry has been published in several local magazines, including Local Life, Island Events, Bluffton Breeze, and Lady Lowcountry. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and Island Writers Network of Hilton Head. She enjoys participating in writing conferences, and has served as chapter president of the Maryland Writers’ Association. Learn more about Kerry at www.kerryperesta.net, https://www.facebook.com/klperesta or https://www.instagram.com/kerryperesta

MY KERRY PERESTA REVIEWS