Tag Archives: read in 2019

A Bad Day For Sunshine by Darynda Jones @Darynda

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I have seen Darynda Jones name bandied about for a long time now, so I am glad to finally pick up one of her books and have an introduction into her world with A Bad Day for Sunshine. I couldn’t resist this fabulous cover. I want to thank Darynda Jones and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review my first Darynda Jones novel.

It will be released on April 7, 2020 and is available for preorder HERE.

A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram, #1)

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have been wanting to read a Darynda Jones novel for some time now, so when I saw the chance to grab this advanced review copy from NetGalley, I jumped all over it.

Sunshine Vicram is back in town after some shenanigans pulled by her parents, getting her elected as the sheriff of Del Sol, New Mexico, and supplying her with an adorable home for her and her daughter, Aurora.

Right off I liked Sunshine and Auri’s relationship, their verbal banter leads to some very humorous dialogue, and I could see there are some underlying problems.

  • Sunshine has a past that demands answers and she is going to find them
  • Auri has seemed a bit off since the New Year’s party she went to when they arrived.

Del Sol is a small town with all kinds of crazy going on. We have some unique, quirky, entertaining characters and lots of secrets surround them. There is a sense of mystery underlying every event that transpires and no one gives answers easily.

I enjoyed the beginning of the book, but began to wonder what all the hoopla was about Darynda Jones’ work. The fun writing and character’s personalities had me liking them and the undercurrent in town made me think there was danger coming, but where is that feeling that I can’t stop reading until I have all the answers? At 30%, I became more involved, but the verdict is still out.

At 62%, Darynda Jones got my attention with a twist and I even teared up thinking about Auri…and the rest of the pack. After this it moved quickly. I know how this will end, but the last third of the book is what made it all worthwhile, keeping me glued to the pages.

Well…I love it and, even though this story is told, I am sure there is more to come for these fabulous characters and I hope to be there with them.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of A Bad Day For Sunshine by Darynda Jones.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

New York Times bestselling author Darynda Jones is back with the brand-new snarky, sassy, wickedly fun Sunshine Vicram series!

Sheriff Sunshine Vicram finds her cup o’ joe more than half full when the small village of Del Sol, New Mexico, becomes the center of national attention for a kidnapper on the loose.

Del Sol, New Mexico is known for three things: its fry-an-egg-on-the-cement summers, its strong cups of coffee—and a nationwide manhunt? Del Sol native Sunshine Vicram has returned to town as the elected sheriff–an election her adorably meddlesome parents entered her in–and she expects her biggest crime wave to involve an elderly flasher named Doug. But a teenage girl is missing, a kidnapper is on the loose, and all of it’s reminding Sunny why she left Del Sol in the first place. Add to that trouble at her daughter’s new school and a kidnapped prized rooster named Puff Daddy, and Sunshine has her hands full.

Enter sexy almost-old-flame Levi Ravinder and a hunky US Marshall, both elevens on a scale of one to blazing inferno, and the normally savvy sheriff is quickly in over her head. Now it’s up to Sunshine to juggle a few good hunky men, a not-so-nice kidnapping miscreant, and Doug the ever-pesky flasher. And they said coming home would be drama-free.

ABOUT DARYNDA JONES

Darynda Jones

NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious RITA, a Golden Heart, and a Daphne du Maurier. As a born storyteller, she grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press, the Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. Darynda lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of more than 25 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.

Website / Facebook / Twitter

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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Through The Lens – Review – Hollow by Rhonda Parrish @rhondaparrish

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I was inundated with review requests over horror season in 2019. Hollow by Rhonda Parish was one of the ARC’s I chose.

Cover by Guillem Mari

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love books that involve photography in some way, so when I read the blurb, I had to check out Hollow by Rhonda Parrish.

The accident changed her world.

Her only solace was running…and Sevren.

An abandoned hospital. An evil doctor. A camera. A magpie.

Life is full of ups and downs, good times and bad times, good people and some not so good, but we all have a story to tell.

It’s hard to talk about Hollow without giving too much away, but Morgan faces her fears and tragic events.

I enjoyed Hollow by Rhonda Parish and it kept me curious. This is an easy reading story that I finished in one sitting.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Hollow by Rhonda Parish.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A car accident shattered sixteen-year-old Morgan’s family. Now her brother’s dead, her mom’s paralyzed in more ways than one, her dad lives at work and her seven-year-old sister Amy tries too freaking hard to salvage everything. What’s more, high school is its own special kind of hell, where her ex-boyfriend delights in spreading rumors that shred her reputation and make her feel like a loser.

When she finds an old camera in a creepy abandoned hospital, it seems like her luck is finally changing. And it is changing–from bad to worse. Because of course it is. Each time Morgan photographs one of her classmates they become corrupted versions of themselves. It’s like the camera steals their goodness, their essence, and leaves them hollow.

Then her sister uses the camera to take a selfie.

No matter what the cost, Morgan will find a way to reverse the effects of the cursed camera and save Amy, before her already-fractured family completely self-destructs.

ABOUT RHONDA PARRISH

Rhonda Parrish

Rhonda Parrish is driven by a desire to do All The Things. She founded and ran Niteblade Magazine, is an Assistant Editor at World Weaver Press and is the editor of several anthologies including, most recently, Earth: Giants, Golems and Gargoyles, and Grimm, Grit and Gasoline.

In addition, Rhonda is an award-winning writer whose short work has been in publications such as the Rhysling Anthology and Imaginarium: The Best Canadian Speculative Writing (2012 & 2015).

Her YA Thriller, Hollow and her paranormal non-fiction title, Eerie Edmonton are both coming in 2020.

Her website, updated regularly, is at http://www.rhondaparrish.com

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Twofer One Sentence Reviews – Sunny Weber and Elizabeth McKenna @sunnyone24 @elizamckenna

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I won both these books through IReadBookTours. From warm and fuzzy to cold and dangerous, I loved both the books and want to thank IReadBookTours, Sunny Weber and Elizabeth McKenna for my beautiful copies. They look wonderful on the shelf.

From Wild to Mild: A Dog in Two Worlds

Amazon / Goodreads

MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

Told from Kaya’s point of view, From Wild to Mild by Sunny Weber is a wonderfully sweet and easy reading adventure story of a kidnapped puppy and how he makes hard decisions in order to find his place in the world.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars
Killer Resolutions

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

An isolated lodge in the woods, a blizzard, and I’m sure nothing can go wrong (LOL) as family and friends, along with one stranger, unite to put the past where it belongs in this novella that quickly turns into a mystery filled with suspense and a killer that goes on a rampage.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars
  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway for Heaven For Now by Ken La Salle @KenLaSalle

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Heaven for Now by Ken La Salle is book III in the Heaven series. His work is thought provoking, making me ask the question, what is my version of Heaven?

The series has some wonderful covers that hint at the story inside.

If you would like to read my review, you can find it HERE. You will also have another chance to win a copy for yourself.

Heaven For Now

Amazon / Goodreads

GUEST POST

I have been reading Ken La Salle’s stories for a while now and he covers many genres. He never ceases to entertain me. I just finished reading Heaven for Now, Book III in the Heaven series. He leads an interesting life, going on his own life affirming adventures and I think you will find his thoughts on Romance interesting. I know I did.

I don’t know the first thing about writing a romance novel.

But having gone through one divorce and having stood by my best friend as he lost his wife to leukemia, I guess I know something about heartbreak and loss.

How or why the idea for Heaven Enough originated as I hiked on the Pacific Crest Trail just outside of Warner Springs is something I’ll probably never figure out. The story came to me all at once and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was a simple, quiet story about a man who had lost everything, which is how you feel when you lose someone you love. Heaven Enough felt like such a departure for me that I even drove my wife, Vicky, out to Warner Springs and pitched the idea to her beside that same trail.

Most of my previous stories had been quite a bit louder.

And Heaven Enough picked up a few readers and a lot of great reviews. The book holds a special place in my heart precisely because I don’t know the first thing about writing a romance novel. Instead, I wrote the kind of love story that is born out of loss and pain and regret. Not a fairy tale but something real.

And when a few readers began asking me what happened after the events in Heaven Enough, I began to wonder as well. I had not planned a trilogy but that didn’t really matter. I wanted to see it happen.

You should know that I had a good laugh at the notion that I, an author who has forever disparaged any romantic fiction, would be releasing a trilogy of… again, not romance novels. How about this, instead: A trilogy about adult, grown up people who have been hurt by love, wondering if love is worth all the hype, and discovering that the value of love and meaning of life can only be measured by how much you’re willing to open your heart.

At least, those are my thoughts. Coming from someone who doesn’t know the first thing about writing a romance novel, you should expect the Heaven series to take you in different directions and even surprise you at times.

I’ve already been asked if Matt Murphy will return and I can assure you he will. But I’m gonna give him a few years off to rest. He’s gonna need it. Heaven Enough, Heaven Denied, and Heaven For Now are all available pretty much everywhere in ebook and paperback and you can also find Heaven Enough in audio wherever audiobooks are sold online.

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts Ken. I look forward to our next adventure, be it zombies, cookies, horror or romance. Bring it on!

GOODREADS BLURB

What would it be like to have heaven enough?
When Matt Murphy married his second wife, Heather, Paul and Neal were by his side. Neal, the brother of his first wife, Diva, had unwittingly sent Matt after Heather. Paul, also known as the cross-dresser Babette, was the only other person who knew Heather before her death.
Seeing two strands of his life come together at his wedding and fall in love made sense to Matt, somehow.
But it didn’t make sense to Neal. As far as Neal had been informed, he wasn’t gay. Though he could never deny his love for Paul, how can Neal grasp what such an admission would mean in his life?
Now, Paul has disappeared and Matt agrees to look in his last known location, Puerto Vallarta, home of sand and sun and – despite Matt’s searching – absolutely no sign of Paul. And when Matt Murphy meets Marisol Saucedo, a physical trainer who makes her living by teaching her students to beat people up, his search for Paul stops as his fascination for Marisol blooms.
What will become of Paul and Neal? How will Matt make sense of their lives when he can’t make sense of his own? Is love enough when it requires a leap of faith into a scary, new world? Can you use logic to find the answers? Or is it better to simply surrender to the moment, to the inebriating temptation that is love?
Any decision will change their lives forever…

ABOUT KEN LA SALLE (From Amazon)

Ken La Salle

Author and Playwright, Ken La Salle grew up in Santa Ana, California and has remained in the surrounding area his entire life. He was raised with strong, blue collar roots, which have given him a progressive and environmentalist view. As a result, you’ll find many of his stories touching those areas both geographically and philosophically. His passion is intense humor, meaningful drama, and finding answers to the questions that define our lives.

Website  /   Twitter  /  Facebook  /  YouTube  /  Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

Ken La Salle is offering one copy of Heaven For Now to one lucky reader. Entry is easy peasy. Simply answer the question:

What, to you, is the most important element in a romance novel?

You will also have a second chance on Wednesday, 3.26.20, so be sure and come back.

Giveaway ends 3.4.20.

MY KEN LA SALLE REVIEWS

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway & Review – Heaven For Now by Ken La Salle @KenLaSalle

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Heaven for Now by Ken La Salle is book III in the Heaven series. His work is thought provoking, making me ask the question, what is my version of heaven?

The series has some wonderful covers that hint at the story inside.

I will be sharing his thoughts on romance in an upcoming post scheduled for Wednesday, the 26th of February. I hope you will stop by, because I believe it will add to your reading enjoyment of the Heaven series and offer another chance to win a copy for yourself.

Heaven For Now

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Ken La Salle writes thought provoking novels with quirky characters and humor. He makes me question myself, right along with his characters.

Whenever I read a Ken La Salle story, I find myself reading between the lines, at times adding my own interpretation of events.

Matt has been dealt some tragic blows in his life and finds himself adrift, but he never gives up on love. No job, nowhere to go, no reason to get there, until Paul disappears. Where has he gone? Why has he gone?

Now, Matt is on a plane to Mexico, in search of Paul and the adventure begins as soon as he gets off the plane. How is he ever going to find Paul? He doesn’t know where to go or how he’s going to get there.

But, he is also on a journey of enlightenment, trying to find a purpose in his life. On an Australian walkabout, if you will. Lost, with no direction.

His friends are a comical group of characters and he finds himself in some humorous situations. At times, I could see the events unraveling right before my eyes.

Matt has come full circle and is so much better for it. It’s not one single event that makes us who we are, but a lifetime of journeys. We don’t stay the same, and each event adds to our makeup. We learn, we grow, we gather those who mean something to use, who make us a better person.

Ken La Salle takes us on a life affirming journey, through death and sadness, humor and laughs, love and contentment, and I always enjoy the ride. He has a distinctive writing style and unique characters. I find his stories eye opening, making me look at myself in a way I never thought I would while reading a fictional novel.

I kept flipping between a three and four rating. Seeing I don’t do half stars, I always round up.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Heaven For Now by Ken La Salle.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

What would it be like to have heaven enough?
When Matt Murphy married his second wife, Heather, Paul and Neal were by his side. Neal, the brother of his first wife, Diva, had unwittingly sent Matt after Heather. Paul, also known as the cross-dresser Babette, was the only other person who knew Heather before her death.
Seeing two strands of his life come together at his wedding and fall in love made sense to Matt, somehow.
But it didn’t make sense to Neal. As far as Neal had been informed, he wasn’t gay. Though he could never deny his love for Paul, how can Neal grasp what such an admission would mean in his life?
Now, Paul has disappeared and Matt agrees to look in his last known location, Puerto Vallarta, home of sand and sun and – despite Matt’s searching – absolutely no sign of Paul. And when Matt Murphy meets Marisol Saucedo, a physical trainer who makes her living by teaching her students to beat people up, his search for Paul stops as his fascination for Marisol blooms.
What will become of Paul and Neal? How will Matt make sense of their lives when he can’t make sense of his own? Is love enough when it requires a leap of faith into a scary, new world? Can you use logic to find the answers? Or is it better to simply surrender to the moment, to the inebriating temptation that is love?
Any decision will change their lives forever…

ABOUT KEN LA SALLE (From Amazon)

Ken La Salle

Author and Playwright, Ken La Salle grew up in Santa Ana, California and has remained in the surrounding area his entire life. He was raised with strong, blue collar roots, which have given him a progressive and environmentalist view. As a result, you’ll find many of his stories touching those areas both geographically and philosophically. His passion is intense humor, meaningful drama, and finding answers to the questions that define our lives.

Website  /   Twitter  /  Facebook  /  YouTube  /  Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

Ken La Salle is offering one copy of Heaven For Now to one lucky reader. Entry is easy peasy. Simply answer the question:

What, to you, is the most important element in a romance novel?

You will also have a second chance on Wednesday, 3.26.20, so be sure and come back.

Giveaway ends 3.4.20.

MY KEN LA SALLE REVIEWS

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

He Had a Vision – Shepherd’s Warning by Cailyn Lloyd @cailynrox

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Last year I took in numerous books from new to me authors. None were disappointing, though some were better than others. Shepherd’s Warning by Cailyn Lloyd was a delightful surprise.

Cover by Rose Miller

Shepherd's Warning

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

A house in the woods. The man. The woman. A hidden entity.

Who doesn’t love a good haunted house story?

Lucas and his brother, Nate, had inherited the MacKenzie mansion in the small town of Lost Arrow. It had sat deserted for years and they were there to make it their home. HGTV would be along for the ride, documenting the transformation.

They had no knowledge of it’s reputation, the accidents, the things that go bump in the night.

Tom Wolfe had sworn to protect the house, while he waits for the owner, his love, Elizabeth, to return. He wonders why, now, they are people here. Is it at her whim? He likes that they are fixing it up, but once they are done, he wants them gone.

A premonition brought Kenric Shepherd to Wisconsin. His vision warns of danger, but he must wait for more to be revealed.

As soon as the chainsaw did it’s thing, I would have been long gone.

Laura had been treated for epilepsy and was bullied and teased growing up. She learned to enjoy her own company. I guess now she’ll learn it was so much more than epilepsy.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Shepherd’s Warning by Cailyn Lloyd.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

See the fabulous book trailer HERE and then tell me…can you resist it?

GOODREADS BLURB

For years the abandoned MacKenzie mansion remained hidden in rural Wisconsin. Rumors and stories of apparitions, odd noises, accidents, and strange deaths in or near the property were enough to convince the townsfolk it was haunted and they stayed away.

Lucas MacKenzie and his brother Nate know nothing of this when they inherit the property and decide to bring their families to Wisconsin for a major renovation project with HGTV stardom in mind. As they tear out old fixtures and open shuttered windows, the house begins to reveal secrets of a terrible past and it soon becomes clear the MacKenzies are in grave danger. In the end, only one person can save them.

ABOUT CAILYN LLOYD

Cailyn Lloyd

A lifelong writer, Cailyn Lloyd, spent three years living in a truly haunted house and experienced first hand the nuances of strange and eerie places. Shepherd’s Warning is her first book.

In addition to writing, Cailyn is an accomplished weather photographer and her work has appeared in several publications including Life Magazine and Time Magazine. She is also a composer and musician with three album releases to her credit. Cailyn lives near the Kettle Moraine State Forest in Wisconsin and when she’s not writing spooky stories, loves hiking with her children and dogs.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Murder & Mysticism – Snake Oil by Pamela Fagan Hutchins @pameloth

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Snake Oil is Book II in the Patrick Flint series. I am ready for another adventure, knowing trouble will always find him and his wife will come to his rescue. A man is only as strong as the woman behind him. LOL

Snake Oil: A Patrick Flint Novel

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

A blizzard…oh yeah. I love a book that starts out with some natural disaster. And with Patrick Flint, I know there is trouble on the way

Patrick Flint is a doctor that goes above and beyond his duty. Today he is on his way to the Wind River Indian Reservation, while Susanne is having the family in for Christmas and dealing with her teenage daughter’s love life… Brandon plays a part in the first book of the series, Switchback, so I won’t tell you his story. Pamela Fagan Hutchins does highlight the events, so you miss nothing, except another wonderful love story with some mystery thrown in. Each book can stand alone.

I do love when an author includes some native mysticism.

A life is taken, a life is born.

Due to the blizzard, Susanne is unable to contact Patrick. He is trapped in town with no phone, no internet, no way to let her know he arrived and is okay. That’s all right, though. Susanne is coming to the rescue…along with the family, mom, dad, son, daughter, and a stowaway.

I love this feisty, courageous wife and mother.

I am loving this series that is loosely based on Pamela Fagan Hutchins personal life. I guess that’s why the characters come through as authentic and real.

There are so many suspects, I can’t find the guilty party. I love when an author keeps me guessing.

Pamela Fagan Hutchins’ writing is easy to read and engrossing, with a mystery that grows on every page and true to life characters that mature and develop throughout each book. I look forward to finding out what will happen next, seeing Patrick Flint’s middle name should be Trouble, with a capital T. LOL

A man is only as strong as the woman behind him. LOL

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Snake Oil by Pamela Fagan Hutchins.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From USA Today bestselling author Pamela Fagan Hutchins, the second in a series of thrilling Western mystery novels.

A doctor on a quest to make a difference. A flirty widow with a suspiciously dead husband. Stranded on the Wind River Indian Reservation in a deadly blizzard, Patrick Flint is about to figure out just how much of an outsider he really is.

ABOUT PAMELA FAGA HUTCHINS

Pamela Fagan Hutchins

I like big butts and I cannot lie: horse butts that is. As in draft cross horses, which I ride with my hunky husband way up in the frozen north of Snowheresville, WY and deep in the heart of Nowheresville, TX. I am a wannabe barrel racer afraid of going fast, an eater of ribeye, and the author of the USA Today bestselling What Doesn’t Kill You world of romantic mysteries.

{By the way, to get free exclusives, first looks, and special deals with my newsletter, go to https://bit.ly/pamelaNL.}

When I’m not writing or riding, I’m passionate about hiking, always with a couple of rescue dogs (and an occasional goat and donkey), bear spray, a mountain lion knife, and my Judge. NO ANIMALS HAVE BEEN HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS LIFE ADVENTURE (but don’t sneak up on me).

I like big butts and I cannot lie: horse butts that is. As in draft cross horses, which I ride with my hunky husband way up in the frozen north of Snowheresville, WY and deep in the heart of Nowheresville, TX. I am a wannabe barrel racer afraid of going fast, an eater of ribeye, and the author of the USA Today bestselling What Doesn’t Kill You world of romantic mysteries.

I’ve made some lists and won some awards, yada yada. 2018 USA Today Bestseller. 2018 #1 Amazon Bestseller. 2018 Top 50 Amazon Author (Romantic Mystery, Romantic Suspense). The 2017 Silver Falchion for Best Adult Mystery WINNER (Fighting for Anna), the 2016 and 2015 WINNERS for USA Best Books Fiction: Cross Genre (Hell to Pay, Heaven to Betsy), and others. With downloads of nearly 2,000,000 for the What Doesn’t Kill You world, readers seem to enjoy my smart, sassy female sleuths—I think they have exceptionally good taste. {insert silly grin here} Lots of them follow my podcast, too, where I fangirl my favorite authors and interview them for your listening pleasure.

If after all that you still want to learn more about my books, my podcast, or me, then God Bless Ya, and do drop in on my website, http://pamelafaganhutchins.com.

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

MY PAMELA FAGAN HUTCHINS REVIEWS

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

The Infection Is Spreading – Day 3 by Nick Clausen @NickClausen9

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Another wildly entertaining day in the Dead Meat series by Nick Clausen.

Dead Meat: Day 3 by [Clausen, Nick]

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

“Perhaps it’s only just begun.”

“Perhaps I’m one of the first to meet the undead?”

William is right. The zombie apocalypse is in the early stages. You won’t find it on social media. I love this tidbit.

Dan had woke up to a normal day, until…It was too late to stop it. A moments hesitation ended the possibility. Now, it’s a matter of who will survive.

William…oh man.

Millie…were any of her friends left alive?

Holger…mentally impaired, or is he? After all his paranoia and prepping, the time is at hand to make use of it.

Bad things happen to good people. Sometimes helping comes with a mortal, lethal cost.

I can hardly wait to find out what happens next and who will survive to tell the story.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Dead Meat: Day 2 by Nick Clausen.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The dead have awakened.
Driven by insatiable hunger.
In eternal search of fresh meat.
The infection spreads like the plague.
Nothing stands between the undead and humanity.
Is it too late to save the world from disaster?

Day 3 of the zombie apocalypse

The story picks up from Day 2. We meet William who works at the hospital. His workday starts out like any other—until he finds two zombies locked in a utility room in the basement. From there, things quickly escalate.

By Day 3, the infection is picking up speed, the zombies are spreading rapidly, and very soon everything could spiral out of control. Is it too late to save the world?

ABOUT NICK CLAUSEN

Born 1988 in North Jutland, where I still live with my wife, who also happened to be my earliest childhood girlfriend. From 2017 I have lived as a full-time writer. Up until then, I had different jobs beside the writing. I have been studying as a carpenter for three years, and have also read two years of psychology at Aalborg University. It turned out that the writing had a much more powerful pull on me.

Nick Clausen

I decided early on that I would be an author when I grew up. In fact, the decision came to me already when I read my first book, Snevampyren by Dennis Jürgensen. My first “real” stories I wrote at 14-15 years of age. They were rejected by the publisher, but still got praise. There were some years when I was busy with being a teenager and trying to get an education before I suddenly remembered that I should be an author.

That day I made a promise to write 1,000 words a day until I got a book published. I sat down and started writing. I continued to write every single day for a year and a half. I sent the finished manuscripts to different publishers, and the rejections piled up. Twelve of them by the end. But each time I could feel it was a little bit better. The criticism became more positive. The thirteenth story was called Tidevandet, and it was adopted by the publisher and came out a year later.

I have always enjoyed writing, although in the beginning I put a lot of pressure on myself. My approach to the process has become much more free over the years. For example, I no longer plan my stories. That way, I feel that I’m experiencing the story while writing it and the characters feel like real people. I do not know where the ideas come from, but I’ve never had trouble finding them.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

MY NICK CLAUSEN REVIEWS

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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Lovin’ Alien Skies by Carmen Webster Buxton @CarmenWBuxton

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Alien Skies by Carmen Webster Buxton is the third novel in the Wankanrean science fiction series and I am lovin’ it. The out of this world romance is filled with intrigue and characters that grew on me the more I read.

Alien Skies (Wakanreo Book 3)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Aliens Skies is the third book in the Wankanrean science fiction series by Carmen Webster Buxton and I have become engrossed in the characters lives. We have romance and intrigue that arises because of their desire to be together, even though they are different races. Not races like ours, but of the alien kind.

There are many who feel like people should stick to their own kind and will go to extremes to keep it that way. They will kidnap and kill to accomplish their goals.

BUT, there are those that feel a prophecy will be fulfilled because of it and do whatever they can to protect them.

We do have humans amongst the Wankanreans, Milorans, Terrans, and other species.

It all started with Yulayan’s mother marrying a Terran, a human. No one considered the possibility of her becoming pregnant and delivering not one, but two part human/part Wankanrean babies.

Alien Skies is Yulayan’s story and it is filled with love, romance, intrigue and danger.

Them, and the characters that surround them, have quickly grown on me as I learn their differences and likenesses to each other. Their love is so deep, yet filled with problems, politics, insecurities, work, kids, cooking, laundry and things that we all deal with on a daily basis.

The best way I can describe the mating habits of Wakanrean’s is that it’s like imprinting for werewovles. They don’t have a choice, it is a biological occurrence that doesn’t end until one of them dies. Not so for us humans, so part of the couple’s problems is navigating the ins and outs of the Wakanrean’s shagunrah and the human’s marriage.

I do recommend reading the books in order because each book leads to the next. I did accidentally read the second book first, went back to the first book, then read the third book and didn’t get lost, but felt I missed out on the full story.

I have gotten lost in this wonderful series that brought to mind Star Trek and Star Wars because of the different species and worlds, though we spend most of our time on Wakanreo. The characters are richly developed and grow as the story is told, becoming more real in my mind. Now, that’s some great writing.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Alien Skies by Carmen Webster Buxton.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Kamuhi Hailoaka’s desire to see other worlds led him to Wakanreo, the only world in the galaxy where the dominant species mates for life. Kamuhi met and married half-human, half-Wakanrean Yulayan Bellaire. After the Third Confederation of Planets rescued Yulayan from Inchauro Perduay, the man she found herself mated to, Kamuhi enlisted in ThreeCon. Now constrained by their rules and regulations, he and Yulayan work at being married and raising a child. Kamuhi has always excelled at academic subjects, but simultaneously navigating the pitfalls of bureaucracy, interspecies politics, marriage, and fatherhood at the same time is more of a challenge. Once he is assigned back to Wakanreo, the challenge becomes not only harder but more dangerous. For one thing, Inchauro Perduay still sees Yulayan as his mate.

ABOUT CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON

Carmen Webster Buxton

Carmen Webster Buxton spent her youth reading every book published by Ursula LeGuin, Robert Heinlein and Georgette Heyer. This combination of far-future worlds, alien cultures, and old-fashioned courting customs influenced her writing, especially in her ThreeCon series.

Carmen was born in Hawaii and experienced a childhood on the move, as her father was in the US Navy. Having raised two wonderful children, she now lives in Maryland with her husband Charlie, and a beagle named Cosmo. She writes science fiction and romance, mostly set in the far future, and the occasional fantasy.

She has published several books, including THE SIXTH DISCIPLINE and its sequel NO SAFE HAVEN. TRIBES, SHADES OF EMPIRE, and THE NOSTALGIA GAMBIT are in her ThreeCon series; these books are set in a shared universe but do not share any characters. WHERE MAGIC RULES (a novella) is her only published fantasy. KING OF TREES crosses genres, as it is a time travel/alternate history/science fiction novel with fantasy overtones. SARONNA’S GIFT is her first book to be available as a paperback as well as an ebook, and the first overt romance. TURNABOUT is young adult dystopian science fiction that starts in the real world. ALIEN BONDS is another science fiction romance, the first book in a planned trilogy. The second book is ALIEN VOWS. The third book ALIEN SKIES will come out in 2019.

Carmen often blogs about ereaders, digital publishing, writing, and speculative fiction. Visit her blog to see what’s coming out next! To send her feedback on her books, send email to carmen.webster.buxton (at) gmail.com.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON REVIEWS

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Dark & Twisted – Review – Missing Him by Leah Penn @leahpenn7

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Missing Him by Leah Penn is another book where the author approached me. After checking out other reviews, I felt I had to know….

Missing Him

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Til death us do part sums up this dark, twisted love story. They lived hard and loved hard.

Not a lot to say without spoiling the story.

The characters are totally committed to each other. I felt it was a very unhealthy relationship and as Emery Pearson tells the prison therapist her story, she never talks about the abuse she suffers at other inmates hands.

Life on the inside is brutal, dangerous.

I didn’t figure out the ending until I got there. That’s unusual for me. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting and I do love a book surprise.

The characters are way past dysfunctional, but I felt like they thought everything was as it should be…until that fateful day.

Choices, some are good and some are bad and some just are.

Who am I to judge someone else’s life?

Even though Missing Him by Leah Penn is fiction, it reads like a true story

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Missing Him by Leah Penn.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The much maligned and misjudged, Emery Pearson, sits facing prison therapist, Dr Susan James, in order to make a last ditch attempt to win her freedom after the chance of happiness with the only man she ever loved is cruelly cut short, in this roller-coaster tale of passion told through revealing flashbacks. Contains adult themes.

ABOUT LEAH PENN

L. Penn

Hi! My name’s Cassandra and I write fiction and nonfiction under the author name, L Penn.

I was born in Leicestershire, UK, during the 60’s, and some of my writings have raised eyebrows from literary peers. I won’t complain as I’m non-conventional myself (given the general rule).

Since the start of time I was always informed, write what you know and what you want to read, and I’ve followed that ideal since. 

As a kid, I loved collecting ‘film stills’ by cutting out promotional posters of movies advertised in local newspapers and Film Review magazines. I was struck how beautiful these stills were and the short messages they conveyed were magnetic. Remember Ridley Scott’s ALIEN? “In space no one can hear you scream.” You don’t get that kind of magic anymore. Movies and soundtracks were far more memorable back then.

From my diverse background witnessing social ills, some get reflected in my work hence the love I have for my lead characters who go through “hardship and adversity“. Quite often I wish I had their resolve. I admire those who can sit and wait for justice when they’ve been wronged; be it through faith or the courts. That kind of discipline has to be admired.

This is just part of her bio and I hope you will take the time to visit her website.

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