Saving Paradise by Mike Bond @mikebondbooks

Posted on July 19, 2017 by fundinmental

Saving Paradise…..

I would like to thank Mike Bond and Mandevilla Press for the opportunity to read and review Saving Paradise.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

A tropical island location and murder, I can hardly wait for my journey to begin.

The opening page brought to mind the beauty and wonder of Oahu, Hawaii.

Surfing zero. Dead body one.

Sylvia, literally, bumped into Pono Hawkins, as he hit the surf. But she wasn’t breathing any more.

I love everything about the guy. He’s rough around the edges, loves critters…and the ladies…he served in Afghanistan and even did time in prison, but he is not the bad guy.

Love he’s got a surfing dachshund. Imagine heading off to the beach, two boards strapped to the top of the car, head hanging out of the window, the dog’s head not his, just two ‘guys’ going surfing.

I can visualize that now. Come on. Close your eyes, smell the salty air, hear the crash of the waves and see Mojo, riding the waves, with his tongue hanging out and his tail wagging a mile a minute. Mojo even liked to have a drink and a puff or two of Maui Wowie.

I loved the story about Prima, the cat, moving in and taking over.

The trouble began when he decided it was up to him to find Sylvia’s killer himself.

The danger mounts but he can’t figure where it’s coming from. Neither can I, but I do have a list of suspects. My head is spinning as I try to keep pace with him. I am confused with all the misinformation and setup going on.

Mojo…well, I sure didn’t see that coming. and I’m more pissed than ever.

Who to trust? Is everything a lie and everyone a liar? When he talks about vets, marijuana and the government, it makes me angry. We don’t take good enough care of the people who lay their lives on the line for us and we do own them a good life…no matter the cost.

The war talk made me angry but that’s for another day. We are here to solve the murders and expose corruption.

Big government, big business, greed and disregard for natural resources. Could it be the end of Paradise? How can you fight billions of dollars with nothing? How much is someones life worth? I get angry when corrupt government, big business and the greedy people involved think that money is worth more than someone’s life and our environment.

I liked the glimpse of Hawaiian history, the characters and the storyline. The story seemed a little rushed and fell a little flat, but Mike Bond did keep the mystery going and who doesn’t want to visit a tropical island and do a little surfing.

This isn’t my first Mike Bond read and it won’t be my last.

Hang loose.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of Saving Paradise by Mike Bond.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

When a beautiful journalist drowns mysteriously off Waikiki, Hawaii, Special Forces veteran Pono Hawkins, now a well-known surfer and international correspondent for surfing magazines, soon gets embroiled in trying to find out why she died. What he quickly learns makes him a target for murder or life in prison as a cabal of powerful corporations, foreign killers and crooked politicians places the blame on him. Haunted by memories of Afghanistan, and determined to protect the Hawaii he loves from dirty politics tied to huge destructive energy developments, Pono turns to Special Forces buddies and his own covert skills to fight his deadly enemies, trying to both save himself and find her killers. Alive with the sights, sounds and history of Hawaii, Saving Paradise is also a deeply rich portrait of what Pono calls the seamy side of paradise, and an exciting thriller of politics, lies and remorseless murder.

ABOUT MIKE BOND

MIKE BOND has been called the “master of the existential thriller” by the BBC and “one of the 21st century’s most exciting authors” by the Washington Times. He is a bestselling novelist, environmental activist, international energy expert, war and human rights correspondent and award-winning poet who has lived and worked in many remote and dangerous parts of the world. His critically acclaimed novels depict the innate hunger of the human heart for what is good, the intense joys of love, the terror and fury of battle, the sinister vagaries of international politics and multinational corporations, and the beauty of the vanishing natural world.

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Friday 56 #130 – Worst Fears Realized by Stuart Woods #StuartWoods

Posted on April 28, 2017 by fundinmental

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The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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I have been reading Stuart Woods for some time and to add Worst Fears Realized to my collection was a no brainer.

Amazon / Goodreads

My 56

Stone said goodbye and hung up. His stomach was growing and he hated missing this lunch.

( page 56, in hardcover,1st edition, published in 1999)

Book Beginnings

The pain lay buried somewhere in the depths of Stone Barrington’s upper body; a cross between a slipped disc and a coronary, it seemed. It had begun after a phone conversation early in the previous winter. The call,from Arrington Carter, had ended everything. Now she was the wife of another man, living in his house, rearing his son. He would never see her again, except in her husband’s company, and he would never think of her again without feeling the pain.

GOODREADS BLURB: Someone is Brutally killing the women in Stone Barrington’s life — and he doesn’t know why. His date, his secretary, and his neighbor are all murdered within 24 hours of one another. When the D.A. comes sniffing at his door, Stone, the New York lawyer-turned-investigator, enlists the help of his best friend, Dino, the N.Y.P.D. lieutenant, to clear his good name. When Dino gets involved, the cast of characters, shady and otherwise, grows as Dino’s Mafioso-type father-in-law, his beautiful daughter Dolce, and even the doorman get into the act. The plot twists from the front table at Elaine’s to the dark alleys where Armani-clad mobsters dwell, and Stone can only pray that his worst fears won’t be realized as he tries to save the lives of the women he cares about.

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Friday 56 #129 – Prime Evil – A Collection by Masters of Modern Horror #HorrorCollection

Posted on April 21, 2017 by fundinmental

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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If you are a fan of horror, Prime Evil by the Masters of Modern Horror is for you.

Amazon / Goodreads

My 56

From Blood Kiss by Dennis Etchison

“I told you. I’ve been waiting a long time.”

( page 56, in hardcover,1st edition, published in 1988)

Book Beginnings

From Night Flier by Stephen King

Dees didn’t really get interested – in spite of his private pilot’s license – until the third and fourth murders. Then he smelled blood.

GOODREADS BLURB: This stunning collection of novellas and short stories by masters of the macabre brings to fans and newcomers an unrelenting spell of horror and suspense. These are tales that strike beyond sheer terror, as their disturbing visions capture the dark reality we all fear. Features works by Stephen King, Clive Barker, Peter Straub, and more. “Gets the adrenaline flowing”.–Washington Post.

The night flier / Stephen King —
Having a woman at lunch / Paul Hazel —
The blood kiss / Dennis Etchison —
Coming to grief / Clive Barker —
Food / Thomas Tessier —
The great god Pan / M. John Harrison —
Orange is for anguish, blue for insanity / David Morrell —
The juniper tree / Peter Straub —
Spinning tales with the dead / Charles L. Grant —
Alice’s last adventure / Thomas Ligotti —
Next time you’ll know me / Ramsey Campbell —
The pool / Whitley Streiber —
By reason of darkness / Jack Cady

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Friday 56 #128 – The Collector’s Book of Science Fiction by H G Wells #HGWells

Posted on April 14, 2017 by fundinmental

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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If you are a fan of science fiction, The Collector’s Book of Science Fiction by H G Well is one you will want on your bookshelf.

The Collector's Book of Science Fiction by H.G. Wells Amazon / Goodreads

My 56

From War of the Worlds

“London in danger of suffocation! The Kingston and Richmond defences forced! Fearful massacres in the Thames Valley!”

( page 56, in hardcover,1st edition, published in 1978)

Book Beginnings

From War of the Worlds

No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that human affairs were being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man’s and yet as mortal as his own; that as men busied themselves about their affairs they were scrutinised and studied perhaps almost as closely as a man with a microscope might scrutinise the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water.

GOODREADS BLURB: You can now read H.G. Wells’ most famous science fiction exactly as it appeared in illustrated popular magazines at the turn of the century.

Presented here in their entirety – with all the original illustrations by leading artists of the day – are novels such as The War of the Worlds, The First Men in the Moon, and When the Sleeper Wakes; nearly two dozen short stories, including the well known The Country of the Blind, The Empire of the Ants, The Valley of the Spiders, and The Man Who Could Work Miracles; and as a bonus, the five unusual Stories of the Stone Age (science fiction not of the future but of the past).

The Collector’s Book of Science Fiction by H.G. Wells makes it possible to recapture the authentic flavor of the these thrilling stories – some not seen even by collectors for decades.

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Friday 56 #127 – Southern Gold by James Alan Vitti #JamesAlanVitti

Posted on April 7, 2017 by fundinmental

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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If you are looking for a mystery that leads to a asking questions about what a life is worth, check out Southern Gold by James Alan Vitti.

Southern Gold Amazon / Goodreads

My 56

So this, this is what it comes to? he heard himself thinking, wondering, calling out. Or will I get another chance? Just one more chance…

(From prologue, because only a partial paragraph on page 56, in paperback,1st edition, published in 1995)

Book Beginnings

Gavin Duke thought he was dead.

(From the Prologue)

GOODREADS BLURB: When a promotional scheme for First Southern Bank goes badly awry kidnapped marketing executive Gavin Duke, imprisoned in a cabin deep in the woods, has plenty of time to think about the course of his life and his relationships–when it may be too late for him to do anything about them.

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Friday 56 #126 – No Lesser Plea by Robert K Tannenbaum #RobertKTannenbaum

Posted on March 31, 2017 by fundinmental

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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If you like studies of the judicial system, No Lesser Plea by Robert K Tannenbaum is right up your alley.

I don’t see the cover for my paperback on Goodreads or Amazon, but this red cover jumped off the page at me, so I am sharing it instead.

Amazon / Goodreads

My 56

“No, I’m really sick,man. You gotta help me, like you said. I gotta get out of this shit hole…”

(Page 56 in paperback, published in 1988)

Book Beginnings

Two men were leaning against the yellow Firebird talking quietly, ignoring the street life around them. The two men were professional criminals and they were plotting a crime.

GOODREADS BLURB: In Book One of the bestselling Butch Karp legal thriller series, Karp must stop a murderer who is manipulating the law to escape punishment

Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Roger “Butch” Karp has been around New York long enough to realize that the judicial system can be dirty and cynical. But he still believes in justice. So when a vicious sociopath tries to dodge a brutal murder charge by convincing the court he is incompetent to stand trial, Karp teams up with firecracker Assistant DA Marlene Ciampi to unleash the full force of their relentless energy, hardboiled wit, and passion for the truth to put the killer away for good. They will accept no lesser plea.

This ebook features an illustrated biography of Robert K. Tanenbaum including rare photos from the author’s personal collection.

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Which cover do you prefer?

Friday 56 #125 – Night Things by Michael Talbot @Valancourt_B

Posted on March 24, 2017 by fundinmental

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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All I had to do is see the cover and I knew I wanted to read Night Things by Michael Talbot.

This is the cover for my hard copy, but there are a couple awesome ones below. Night Things Amazon / Goodreads

My 56

“They’ll probably be from the extraterrestrial equivalent of Holllywood, so by nature they’ll be aggressive.” He laughed.

(Page 56 in hardcover,1st edition, published in 1988)

Book Beginnings

“Are we almost there?” Lauren asked excitedly as the Porsche shifted gears to negotiate the increasing steepness of the mountain road. The highway they were on was one of the old two-laners, and together with dazzling mountain scenery and the verdant walls of tamaracks and pines that surrounded them, it seemed like a scene right out of a picture postcard.

GOODREADS BLURB: WELCOME TO LAKE HOUSE…

A sprawling Adirondack “great camp” with 160 rooms, each carpeted in evil and painted with human blood.

ENTER IF YOU DARE…

Explore the miles of dark, twisting hallways, reeking with the stench of death. Journey through a bizarre labyrinth into chambers of unearthly proportions, up creaking stairways leading nowhere. But never…never…venture into the black heart of the awesome edifice.

YOU MAY NEVER LEAVE!

For creatures roam the corridors of Lake House. Hideous beings older than civilization — restless, waiting…hungry! Blood-chilling denizens of Hell that emerge only under cover of darkness… “Things” that will haunt your dreams and devour your soul!

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Which cover do you prefer?

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Friday 56 #124 – Sucker Bet by James Swain @JSwainAuthor

Posted on March 17, 2017 by fundinmental

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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All I had to do is see the cover and I knew I wanted to read Sucker Bet by James Swain.

This is the cover for my hard copy, but there is another awesome one below.

Amazon / Goodreads

My 56

“Shoot the pickle?” Moon declared louly. “What in bloody hell does that mean?”

(Page 56 in hardcover,1st edition, published in 2003)

Book Beginnings

The mark’s name was Nigel Moon.

GOODREADS BLURB: A hardened ex-cop with great instincts, a sharp eye, and a short fuse, Tony Valentine still catches crooks, but a very special breed of them. He nabs hustlers who rob casinos, and finds the fatal flaw that allowed the place to get ripped off in the first place. Sometimes that means biting the hand that feeds him, but Valentine isn’t paid to sugarcoat the cold, hard truth. Along flashy strips and in seedy dives, if there’s a game to be fixed, Valentine knows how to spot the tricks, the scams, the sleight of hand. And with his new case, there’s definitely more on the table than meets the eye.

Harry Smooth Stone, head of security at the Micanopy Indian Reservation Casino in South Florida, desperately needs Valentine’s expertise. A blackjack dealer has rigged a game, dealt a player eighty-four winning hands in a row, and disappeared. Valentine’s gut tells him a different story: that the runaway dealer is alligator food and his employers are keeping secrets.

But the missing dealer is part of an even bigger, far deadlier scheme. Valentine’s trail leads him to Rico Blanco, a ruthless gangster who once worked for John Gotti, his shady, elusive partner-in-crime, Victor Marks, and a bombshell named Candy Hart, a hooker with dreams of love, a combination tailored made to double-cross. It appears they have a con going down involving a cocky, filthy rich Brit and his millions of dollars. Valentine’s challenge: to figure out how all the pieces of the seamy puzzle fit together . . . before his luck runs out and his life goes bust.

In prose that sizzles with style and a wicked sense of humor, with plot twists that could cause whiplash, James Swain takes readers behind the neon-lit scenes of casinos and the gambling trade—and reveals a colorful cast of hustlers and con men, bookies and grifters. Make no mistake about it: on the crowded shelves of fiction, Sucker Bet is a sure thing.

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Friday 56 #116 – The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie @SalmanRushdie

Posted on January 20, 2017 by fundinmental

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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A messy bookshelf is the norm around the Fundin household. I just cannot help but pick up another book and another and another…

Today I will be sharing a book I bought when it became banned overseas.

The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie.

Any time I hear about a book surrounded by controversy, I must have it.

Amazon / Goodreads

My 56

“…No wonder I fell for you, sugar, when the local product is so low grade you get to like goods from foreign.”

(Page 56 in hardcover, published in 1989)

Book Beginnings

‘To be born again,’ sang Gibreel Farishta tumbling from the heavens, ‘first you have to die. Ho ji! Ho ji! To land upon the bosomy earth, first one needs to fly. Tat-taa! Taka-thun! How to ever smile again, if first you won’t cry? How to win the darling’s love, mister, without a sigh? Baba, if you want to get born again…’ Just before dawn one winter’s morning, New Year’s Day or thereabouts, two real, full-grown, living men fell from a great height, twenty-nine thousand and two feet, towards the English Channel, without benefit of parachutes or wings, out of a clear sky.

GOODREADS BLURB: One of the most controversial and acclaimed novels ever written, The Satanic Verses is Salman Rushdie’s best-known and most galvanizing book. Set in a modern world filled with both mayhem and miracles, the story begins with a bang: the terrorist bombing of a London-bound jet in midflight. Two Indian actors of opposing sensibilities fall to earth, transformed into living symbols of what is angelic and evil. This is just the initial act in a magnificent odyssey that seamlessly merges the actual with the imagined. A book whose importance is eclipsed only by its quality, The Satanic Verses is a key work of our times.

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Which cover would make you stop for more info?

These are some of the covers, but I did not see the one I have anywhere (below).

Is that a good thing? I think so. Makes mine rare, right?

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FREE Suspense Thriller – Natalie’s Revenge by Susan Fleet #SusanFleet

Posted on July 5, 2016 by fundinmental

Natalie’s Revenge Best Mystery – Thriller, 2014 Feathered Quill Book Awards

NATALIE’S REVENGE 169 reviews 4.4 rating

Book 3 in the stand alone Frank Renzi series, a New Orleans crime thriller

FREE July 5- 9, 2016

Dragon Lady Step Aside For Natalie (my 5 star review)

You can get it on Amazon here.

Two murders, twenty years apart.

Someone murdered Natalie’s mother and Natalie wants revenge!

But NOPD Detective Frank Renzi is hot on her trail.

Feathered Quill Book Awards named Natalie’s Revenge Best Mystery of 2014.

Universal link: myBook.to/NataliesRevenge

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

For many years award-winning author Susan Fleet worked as a trumpeter in the Boston area. While teaching at Brown University and Berklee College of Music she began writing crime fiction. In 2001 she moved to New Orleans. Her first crime novel, Absolution, was named Best Mystery-Suspense-Thriller of 2009. Subsequent novels in her Frank Renzi series, Diva and Natalie’s Revenge, have won accolades from reviewers and readers alike. Jackpot is the fourth book in the series.

Susan blogs about true crime and has published twelve of her posts in an ebook. DARK DEEDS: Serial killers, stalkers and domestic homicides. http://darkdeeds.susanfleet.com/dark_deeds_book.html#.UYvV_MqYFaI

For nine years, Susan lived in New Orleans enjoying the music, food and ambiance of the French Quarter. She survived Katrina. She now divides her time between the Big Easy and Boston. Visit her at http://www.susanfleet.com

While teaching at Berklee, Susan created a course about 20th Century female musicians. Her book, Women Who Dared: Trailblazing 20th Century Musicians, spotlights violinist Maud Powell and trumpeter Edna White. http://susanfleet.com/women_who_dared-vol1.html See her profiles of other talented women at http://archives.susanfleet.com

You can stalk Susan at the links below:

Susan has some great book trailers. You can see them on her YouTube page.

Website / Goodreads / You Tube / Amazon Author Page