A Spooky Town Visit – Echoes Of Other Times by Kathryn Meyer Griffith @KathrynG64

Posted on October 7, 2023 by fundinmental

MY REVIEW

Echoes of other Times is the eighth book in Kathryn Meyer Griffith’s Spook Town Mystery series. I have been loving these intriguing characters and reading about their eventful lives. There is never a dull moment in Spooky Town, so let’s begin.

We start off with a homeless young man. There is something unusual and special about him and when he meets Myrtle…well…he may find his place in this world.

The residents of the town are beginning to come out of their hibernation after the pandemic. Myrtle…scootering around town…I love this woman. I can see her, motoring around, singing a Perry Como song at the top of her lungs. Her heart is so big, as are many others in the town. They have suffered many horrors, but never turn their backs on those in need. I love where Kathryn Meyer Griffith takes this part of the story. I had an idea of what would happen, but it is so much better than I anticipated. My heart went out to the boy, as did others.

Glinda is a psychic and the spirit world is talking to her…loudly. She reads tarot cards and the messages she’s receiving are warnings of what is to come.

Abigail has a big role to play too. She is an artist and when she meets an older woman and offers her a ride, her world expands, as does Theodora’s. That saying, ‘There but for the grace of God go I’ applies. I love the Pay It Forward aspect that makes an appearance.

I have fear for the characters. I have known Kathryn Meyer Griffith to take them out on occasion and I have a heavy sense of trepidation the more I read. Their hearts are so big and welcoming, they stick with you long after the book is read.

It’s great writing like:

…the loss had again driven home the truth that no one lives forever and life was brief. A person should try to be happy. If one wanted to do something, they should do it now. Treat each day as if it were one’s last.

I feel Kathryn Meyer Griffith puts her heart into her characters and they shine.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

GOODREAD BLURB

Frank and Abigail, and the town of Spookie, have survived the last horrific year and a half and are moving on with their lives. They’re sending their two children, Laura and Nick, off into the world to seek their futures. Abigail is preparing for another art gallery show, her theme this ghosts . Frank is preparing to fully retire, for the final time, from his part-time deputy’s job at the sheriff’s department…after he helps the sheriff solve one last case. A missing husband. A case that doesn’t end up anything like either of them expect, when it leads to vile murders. Then Myrtle, while scootering around in town, is befriended by a strange barefoot boy who seems to be homeless…and special in many unusual ways. Glinda, Myrtle’s grandniece, the psychic, has a secret. All the other quirky citizens of Spookie are here as well living their everyday lives amidst the fog and the mysteries. There are now nine Spookie Town Murder Mystery books.

Genre: Fiction, Ghosts, Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural, Witches and Wizards
383 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 18, 2022
Series: Spooky Town Murder Mysteries, 38

ABOUT KATHRYN MEYER GRIFFITH

Since childhood I’ve been an artist and worked as a graphic designer in the corporate world and for newspapers for twenty-three years before I quit to write full time. But I’d already begun writing novels at 21, over fifty-one years ago now, and now have had thirty-six (romantic horror, thrillers, SF Thrillers, horror novels, romantic SF horror, romantic suspense, romantic time travel, historical romance, and murder mysteries) novels, and thirteen short stories, published from many traditional publishers since 1984. But since 2012 I’ve gone into self-publishing in a big way; and upon getting some of my older books’ full rights back for the first time in 36 years, self-published all of them along with my newer novels. My seven Dinosaur Lake novels and nine Spookie Town Murder Mysteries (Scraps of Paper, All Things Slip Away, Ghosts Beneath Us, Witches Among Us, What Lies Beneath the Graves, All Those Who Came Before, When the Fireflies Returned, Echoes of Other Times, and Waiting Beyond The Veil) are my best-sellers.

I was married to beloved Russell (who passed away on August 27, 2021) for over forty-three years; have a son, two grandchildren, and a great granddaughter, and I live in a small quaint town in Illinois. I have a quirky cat, Sasha, and live in an old house in the heart of town. Though I’ve been an artist, and a folk/classic rock singer in my youth with my late brother Jim, writing has always been my greatest passion, my butterfly stage, and I’ll probably write stories until the day I die…or until my memory goes.

2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *Finalist* for her horror novel The Last Vampire ~ 2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS * Finalist * for her thriller novel Dinosaur Lake.

Novels and short stories from Kathryn Meyer Griffith:

Evil Stalks the Night, The Heart of the Rose, Love Is Stronger Than Evil, Vampire Blood, The Last Vampire (2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS*Finalist* in their Horror category), Witches, Witches II: Apocalypse, Witches plus bonus Witches II: Apocalypse, The Nameless One erotic horror short story, The Calling, Scraps of Paper (The First Spookie Town Murder Mystery), All Things Slip Away (The Second Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Ghosts Beneath Us (The Third Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Witches Among Us (The Fourth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), What Lies Beneath the Graves (The Fifth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), All Those Who Came Before (The Sixth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), When the Fireflies Returned (The Seventh Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Echoes of Other Times (The Eighth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Waiting Beyond The Veil (The Ninth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Egyptian Heart, Winter’s Journey, The Ice Bridge, Don’t Look Back, Agnes, A Time of Demons and Angels, The Woman in Crimson, Human No Longer, Spooky Short Stories Collection, Haunted Tales, Forever and Always Romantic Novella, Night Carnival Short Story, Dinosaur Lake (2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS*Finalist* in their Thriller/Adventure category), Dinosaur Lake II: Dinosaurs Arising, Dinosaur Lake III: Infestation, Dinosaur Lake IV: Dinosaur Wars, Dinosaur Lake V: Survivors, Dinosaur Lake VI: The Alien Connection, Dinosaur Lake VII: The Aliens Return, Dinosaur Lake VIII: For Love of Oscar…coming soon. Memories of My Childhood (short story collection) and my Christmas Magic 1959 non-fiction autobiographical short story.

Stalk Kathryn Meyer Griffith:

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Smashwords / Pinterest

MY KATHRYN MEYER GRIFFITH REVIEWS

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Anything For Family – The Squandered by David Putnam @daveputnam @oceanviewpub

Posted on October 6, 2023 by fundinmental

I was so excited when I won hardcover, signed copies of The Disposables, The Squandered, and The Heartless, and a signed paperback of The Scorned by David Putnam.

Today, I am going to share The Squandered in the Bruno Johnson Thriller series by David Putnam.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

In The Disposables, things become very personal for Bruno Johnson when his brother’s grandchildren are kidnapped. Children Bruno never knew existed because he had been estranged from his incarcerated brother. Why is always the big question. As they dodge arrest, kidnappers, drug dealers and government agents, secrets will be exposed and we know some will go to any lengths to keep them under wraps. I twisted and turned with the characters as the danger dogs their every step. Bruno and Marie’s relationship will be tested, but I have confidence they will stand together. The action and suspense is nonstop. I was frantically turning the pages, on pins and needles, as I was gulping down words.

GOODREADS BLURB

“The Squandered “propels Bruno into an emotionally charged high-speed chase as he and Marie leave their rescued kids in Costa Rica and risk returning to the U.S. at the request of Bruno s terminally ill father. Bruno s estranged and incarcerated brother needs Bruno to help rescue his abducted young grandchildren, children that Bruno hadn t known existed.

Bruno cannot deny his father, and Marie will not let Bruno go alone. As fugitives, they return to the U.S. to face not only imminent arrest, but also to confront ruthless kidnappers, drug dealers, and government agents who will stop at nothing to keep a secret from the past buried forever.

Glimpses of Bruno s law enforcement past shed light on the mayhem they encounter once they are discovered in L.A. It seems that Bruno s brother, Noble, has inadvertently kicked a hornet s nest of criminals, both in and out of prison, and among various law enforcement agencies looking to find a long missing load of nine million dollars worth of cocaine. And Noble s grandchildren are caught in the crosshairs.

The chase, the brutality, and the emotional stress tests Bruno and Marie s relationship and forces them to define family what s okay to forgive, and what should never be forgotten. Armed with a new moral code, will they live long enough to put it into practice?”

Genres: Action and Adventure, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Vigilante
336 pages, Hardcover
First published February 2, 2016 by Oceanview Publishing
Series: Bruno Johnson #3

ABOUT DAVID PUTNAM

Best-selling author David Putnam comes from a family of law enforcement. During his career, he did it all: worked in narcotics, served on FBI-sponsored violent crimes teams, and was cross-sworn as a US Marshall, pursuing murder suspects and bank robbers in Arizona, Nevada, and California. Putnam did two tours on the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s SWAT team. He also has experience in criminal intelligence and internal affairs and has supervised corrections, patrol, and a detective bureau. In Hawaii, Putnam was a member of the real-life Hawaii Five O, serving as Special Agent for the Attorney General investigating smuggling and white-collar crimes.

Putnam lives in Southern California with his wife, Mary.

Website / Twitter

MY DAVID PUTNAM REVIEWS

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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 – Hopeless by Melissa Haag @MelissaHaag #Supernatural

Posted on October 4, 2023 by fundinmental

Hope(less) (Judgment Of the Six, Book I) by Melissa Haag, was added to my TBR on 2.16.20. I thought this would be the perfect time to share it. It was a nice introduction to her work and I will be keeping my eye open for more.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I find it easy to let myself go when it comes to the paranormal world. I love to get lost in a make believe world of the supernatural, so I did enjoy reading about Gabby and Clay in Hopeless by Melissa Haag. I have to be in the mood for clean, young adult reading, and I read Hopeless at the perfect time. The characters came alive on the pages, and it was fun watching Gabby figure things out, find those who she can relate to, and find a home, a place to belong.

Seeing this is the first book in a series that looks like it will spotlight an individual character in each book, and it is clean, targeted at the younger crowd, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. For those looking for steamy romance, this may not be for you. BUT, if you are like me, allowing the author to take me where they want me to go, you may want to give it a try.

GOODREADS BLURB

Freedom is so close Gabby can taste it. After years of meeting single werewolves and successfully dodging the mating bullet, she’s on her way to her last Introduction to say “No, thanks” one final time. As a human, she has no plans to attach herself to a werewolf. But, she didn’t count on meeting Clay.

With a single look, Gabby knows Clay is the one. And, unfortunately, he knows it too. The silent, ruggedly-handsome werewolf is determined to win his mate by any means necessary. Gabby does what any sane girl would do and runs. Not only does Clay follow, but something truly dangerous does as well.

Now, hunted for the secrets she’s spent her whole life protecting, Gabby must turn to the one man she didn’t want for the help she needs. Time is running out to discover who or what wants her, and Gabby’s just starting to realize there’s more at stake than the heart and freedom of one human girl.

ABOUT MELISSA HAAG

I love to write! Sharing the worlds I’ve created is beyond amazing . Want to read a book for free? Check out my website at:
http://melissahaag.com/free-ebook/

Connect with me on:
https://twitter.com/MelissaHaag
https://www.facebook.com/author.MelissaHaag

I also write adult books under the pen name M.J. Haag. Happy reading! (less)

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A Japanese Classic – Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again by Shigeru Kayama @UMNews @NetGalley

Posted on October 3, 2023 by fundinmental

Text: The first English-language translations of the original Shigeru Kayama novellas reveal...

I want to thank NetGalley and the University of Minnesota for the opportunity to read and review Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again by Shigeru Kayama.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

After watching the movies, over and over again, I had to grab me a copy of Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again by Shigeru Kayama, when I had the opportunity. I didn’t even know there were novellas out there and Jeffrey Angles did a great job translating this Japanese classic into English. The stories flowed smoothly and rolled out like the movies I’ve seen. That always makes it easier to visualize the action as Godzilla leaves his devastating mark on Japan. Of course, he may never have risen, if we didn’t create nuclear weapons, and that is Shigeru Kayama’s statement against the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

I learned some of the facts that are shared in the part of the book about the author, Shigeru Kayama and the how and why of his desire to create a monster that is payback for humans disregard for the world around them. His ‘bio’ is about a third of the book, and though I found it interesting, I wanted more of Godzilla and the other creatures he comes up with.

All in all, it was worth the read and I recommend grabbing a copy for yourself. It may be a fluff piece, but it is loaded with action and a quick read. If you are a creature feature lover, like me, this is a must have. HA HA HA HA HA

GOODREADS BLURB

The first English translations of the original novellas about the iconic kaijū Godzilla

Godzilla emerged from the sea to devastate Tokyo in the now-classic 1954 film, produced by Tōhō Studios and directed by Ishirō Honda, creating a global sensation and launching one of the world’s most successful movie and media franchises. Awakened and transformed by nuclear weapons testing, Godzilla serves as a terrifying metaphor for humanity’s shortsighted destructiveness: this was the intent of Shigeru Kayama, the science fiction writer who drafted the 1954 original film and its first sequel and, in 1955, published these novellas.

Although the Godzilla films have been analyzed in detail by cultural historians, film scholars, and generations of fans, Kayama’s two Godzilla novellas—both classics of Japanese young-adult science fiction—have never been available in English. This book finally provides English-speaking fans and critics the original texts with these first-ever English-language translations of Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again. The novellas reveal valuable insights into Kayama’s vision for the Godzilla story, feature plots that differ from those of the films, and clearly display the author’s strong antinuclear, proenvironmental convictions.

Kayama’s fiction depicts Godzilla as engaging in guerrilla-style warfare against humanity, which has allowed the destruction of the natural world through its irresponsible, immoral perversion of science. As human activity continues to cause mass extinctions and rapid climatic change, Godzilla provides a fable for the Anthropocene, powerfully reminding us that nature will fight back against humanity’s onslaught in unpredictable and devastating ways.

Genre: Classics, Fiction, Japanese Literature, Novella, Science Fiction
Format: 243 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication: October 3, 2023 by Univ Of Minnesota Press
ISBN: 9781452969855 (ISBN10: 145296985X)
Language: English

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Giveaway & Review – How To Self Publish by Hank Quense @ireadbooktours @hanque99

Posted on September 29, 2023 by fundinmental

Join Us for This Tour from Sep 25 to Oct 12!

Book Details:

Book Title:  Creating Stories by Hank Quense
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 106 pages
Genre: Self Help,
Publisher:  Strange Worlds Publishing
Release date: April 1, 2017
Content Rating:  G

Book Description:

Do you have a story in you?

Do you know how to write it or how to tell it? Creating Stories has the answers. Hank Quense, the author of more than twenty books, tells you how to do it. He believes that stories come from the melding of three elements: getting ideas, story design and story-telling. Ideas have to come from the author. Creating Stories covers the last two. The book concentrates on developing characters including such rarely discussed requirements such as a dominant reader emotion and the character’s biography. Plots are also covered in depth and a number of graphics are included to illustrate complex points. Another topic discusses subplots and how to utilize them and how to nest them within the main plot. A separate chapter discusses the relationship between the plot and the emotional arcs. Other topics covered are: character arcs, scene design, point-of-view, writing voice.

Buy the Book:
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Add to Goodreads

After Creating Your Story:

Book Details:

Book Title:  Self-Publish a Book in 10 Steps: And Market It by Hank Quense
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 88 pages
Genre: Self Help
Publisher:  Strange Worlds Publishing
Release date: Dec 1, 2021
Content Rating:  G

MY REVIEW

Self Publish A Book In 10 Steps by Hank Quense is a nonfiction guide to publishing and marketing your novel. I found the book easy to understand and laid out in a way that makes it easy to follow a step by step process of all the things necessary to make publishing and marketing your book a success.

Hank Quense includes charts, websites, groups, and other bits of information, where help can be found. He includes cost estimates for each step, and warnings about the pitfalls and perils of self publishing. We all know there are many out there wanting to scam you for your money, so do your due diligence.

I found Self Publish A Book IN 10 Steps by Hank Quense to be chock full of vital information and all the things necessary to market and publish your book, but that doesn’t mean you can take a pass on doing your own research. It is a daunting task, but worth the effort to make your book a success.

Book Description:

Self-publishing a book is difficult.

This book simplifies it by breaking down a self-publishing and marketing project into 10 steps. This step-by-step process will get your book published and initiate the pre-launch marketing.

Hank Quense has written and self-published over twenty books, both fiction and non-fiction. He is the author of the Author Blueprint Series of books. The Series concentrates on providing valuable guidance on fiction writing, self-publishing and book marketing. Self-publish a Book in 10 Steps is Book 6 in the series.

The book details such vital tasks as developing a compelling book description, building an author platform and getting book reviews to list a few.

Learn the ten-step process that will self-publish and market your book!

Buy the Book:
Amazon
Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Hank Quense has self-published his books for over 12 years. His non-fiction books cover fiction writing (Creating Stories), self-publishing (How to Self-publish and Market a Book, Self-publish a Book in 10 Steps), marketing (Book Marketing Fundamentals) and author business (Business Basics for Authors).

He also lectures on these subjects in schools, libraries and on webinars.

Hank recently started https://hankquense.podia.com/ The site provides solutions to pain points (problems) for fiction writers, self-publishing authors and authors who are trying to market their books.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ X ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ YouTube ~ BookBub ~ Goodreads

Enter the Giveaway:

Defiant Dragons – Book I – Unleashed by Aria Glaski @AriaGlazki

Posted on September 28, 2023 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Isn’t that a beautiful cover for Unleashed by Aria Glaski. It depicts the story inside to a T, and I love it when that happens. I feel the author does the book justice by representing it as it is. Unleashed is a bit on the dark side, so adult warnings apply.

We start with a map. I love maps, referring back to them as I travel through the pages.

I have been reading Aria Glaski for a while now (See my review links below) and she writes some great books BUT I will say, Unleashed seems outside her norm, and I was surprised at how quickly I became engrossed in the story. Unleashed is by far my favorite Aria Glazki book. AND, it’s a series. It could end here, but I am so very happy it doesn’t. Oh, yeah!

It starts with a one night stand…is there such a thing with a dragon? I doooon’t think so. Who can say no to that animal attraction?

I realize it is very difficult to come up with an original idea for an oft told tale, but Aria Glazki did it. I love that the main character, Tia, has been living as a human for hundreds of years to avoid the ritual. The ritual where her and her brother would fight to the death. She won’t do it. But, what if…

Azur was determined to find her and bring her back. It is a duty she must fulfill…

Seraphina is so much more than he bargained for and he is rethinking his position, but a cow does follow the herd and he makes a mistake. She is kidnapped out from under him.

Things are not as she imagined in Azhidar Zher…and neither is her brother.

I thought it was interesting that Aria Glazki pointed out a similarity to us humans. There is a double standard, one set of rules for males and another for females. Guess who makes out the best?

Sexual tension permeates the pages and I devour the words as Azur devours Seraphina.

Sure, many things are familiar, but Aria Glazki did an amazing job bringing a fresh look into the life of dragons. It’s not all lollipops and rainbows, but it’s not all war and killing either. We always have time for some romance, right?

Aria Glazki shares her thoughts at the end of the book :

…never intended for it to become Fantasy…..I wanted to play around with dragons…Alas, such is the life of a “pantser” – the story goes where it wants…

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Unleashed, Defiant Dragons, Book I, by Aria Glazki.

GOODREADS BLURB

A one-night stand with the sexy new dragon in town could force her into a fight to the death. Still, worth it?

Tia’s been hiding among the humans for hundreds of years, evading her so-called birthright. But when a hot new dragon arrives in her city, she doesn’t run fast enough. The pull to be with her own kind is just too strong. Too bad the newcomer is determined to drag her back for the ritual she escaped.

Did she say “ritual”? Make that “fight to the death.”

Azar never dreamed he’d be the one to find her: the spoiled, selfish royal who doomed all the dragons. Only it turns out the Zubir’s sister is nothing like he was told. She’s fierce, shrewd, and stunning, and she throws everything he believes into question.

The one thing Azar knows without a doubt? Bringing her home is dragonkind’s only hope.

—
Unleashed is a sizzling dragon shifter romance featuring a strong heroine fighting magic and politics to save a species that wants her dead. Then there’s her one-night-stand-turned-hostage, igniting all sorts of sparks she can’t ignore. Too bad even a dragon can end up burned.

Genre:

336 pages, ebook

Expected publication September 27, 2023 by Anika Press

ABOUT ARIA GLAZKI

Aria Glazki’s first kiss technically came from a bear cub. Though no fairytale transformation followed, she still believes magic can happen when the right people come together—if they don’t get in their own way, that is. So now Aria writes heartfelt romances about relatable people overcoming real-world obstacles to build love that lasts.

Website / Newsletter / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads

MY ARIA GLAZKI REVIEWS

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Splatterwestern – The Longest Thirst by Roxie Voorhees @theb00kslayer

Posted on September 27, 2023 by fundinmental

I want to thank Roxie Vorhees for the opportunity to read The Longest Thirst.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

When I woke up this morning, I didn’t expect to be killing my father by sunset, but here we are.

That’s the first sentence of the book and the hook was set. I thought this might be a good one, but I wasn’t prepared for how good. I love the dark side of life, but if you are a bit squeamish, you might want to think twice. We have brutality, racism, rape, torture…

Lillian had had enough when she took her father’s life. She rescued the woman tied to the stake, and has been on the run ever since. I love her thought, ‘I am so sick of men sticking their penis where it isn’t welcome.’ I would think twice, if I were a man, about putting it in an unwilling woman’s mouth. Could you resist the temptation to give him a what for?

I cringed, laughed and was shocked at the the levels of depravity…and that ending… WHAT…WHAT…marvelous, simply marvelous. Roxie Vorhees doesn’t hold back. It’s a short book, at 111 pages, and you won’t want to quit once you start.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Longest Thirst by Roxie Voorhees.

GOODREADS BLURB

he Quick and the Dead meets Carmilla.

When Lillian killed her father, getting the blood out of her dress was the least of her worries. The young Native woman to her left would soon prove to be a blessing or a curse. Just as hope is all but evaporated on the cracked earth of the Mojave, a beacon of light beams in the center of Calico.

Born into the rigidity of classism, Lillian struggles to trust the welcoming hospitality of the town and its inhabitants. Convinced this respite is brief, Lillian prepares to return the woman to her people, and flee from her crime. Even so, Calico softens her heart and Lillian soon feels truly at home.

But a stranger gallops into Calico. His presence commands obedience and soon he finds what he is looking for, Lillian.

And they have unfinished business.

Genre: Fiction, Horror, Splatterwestern, Western
111 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 26, 2023 by Book Slayer Press

ABOUT ROXIE VOORHEES

Roxie Voorhees (she/he/they) is a tangled threesome of Gag me with a Spoon, Welcome to the Darkside, and Catch me Outside. When she isn’t writing, she is hyperfocusing on whichever of the many hobbies her ADHD demands.
A California native, he resides with his service dog, Bellatrix, in Little Rock, where he refuses to use the word fixin’, battles pollen, and fantasizes of using a public bathroom without it being a political stance.
They are the co-editor of MINE: An Anthology of Body Autonomy Horror published by Creature Publishing and READER BEWARE: A Fear Street Appreciation Anthology to be published October 2023, by DarkLit Press.

Instagram: @the.book.slayer
Twitter: @theb00kslayer
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/rvthebookslayer
Website: www.roxievoorhees.gay

Roxie has come out as gender fluid! She prefers any pronouns and doesn’t mind being included in women specific lists, but asks you please note their fluidity.

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Sci Fi Romance – Vanishing Bodies by Moses Yuriyvich Mikheyev @BookSirens

Posted on September 26, 2023 by fundinmental

I want to thank Book Sirens and Moses Yuriyvich Mikheyev for the opportunity to read and review a copy of Vanishing Bodies.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

“Daddy, Daddy! Can we keep him?” I could see her tugging at his shorts, begging for me like I was a puppy that she wanted for her birthday.

That put a huge smile on my face. The reason she thought he could be her gift was because he appeared as if by magic. He is a vanisher. He dies over and over and over again, only to appear in another city, in another state, on another continent, naked, with no memory.

At times, the story seemed to drag. He would die, come back, and struggle to remember who he was. Then he would die again and it would start over. After so many times, we need something else to happen…and it does when he meets Lilyanne. As he figures some things out, learns of the dangers that await him, falls in love..for the first and only time in his life. BUT…of course, one night he disappears.

I had wondered how the book would end and it took me by surprise. At times I was fascinated, at times bored, but Moses Yuriyvich Mikheyev would bring me back into the story. I wanted to love it. I found it original, different, and at times intriguing. The ending…well…I was satisfied and hopeful.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Vanishing Bodies by Moses Yuriyvich Mikheyev.

GOODREADS BLURB

Many people dream of starting over. For Adam Micah, it is an unending nightmare.

On a February morning, a naked young man grabs the New York Times from a woman eating breakfast at a sidewalk cafe, scans the obituaries, uses her revolver to shoot himself, and vanishes.

He is Aristotle Zurr-McIntyre, also known as Adam Micah. He discovers he’s a vanisher—someone who disappears when he’s killed, only to resurface elsewhere with nothing but hazy memories. An entity known only as The Wisher is hunting him, and he’s involved in a game he doesn’t understand. Sometimes they shoot him outright. Sometimes, he does it to evade them. But each time, he loses a little more of himself.

When he rematerializes in Atlanta, he meets Lilyanne and, for the first time, is shown love. In her presence, he is home, and life finally makes sense. But Lilyanne has ties to a past neither one of them knows about…one that could destroy everything.

Taking on the boundaries of science, physics, and the catastrophic consequences of immortality, Adam takes a dangerous dive into interpreting mortality, conspiracy, desperation, and his own natural need for answers.

A highly original and suspenseful science fiction thriller with a romantic twist.

Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction
407 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 26, 2023

ABOUT MOSES YURIYVICH MIKHEYEV

Moses Yuriyvich Mikheyev is a Russian American novelist who studied theology and philosophy at Whitworth University before obtaining his graduate degree in theological studies from Emory University. He is the author of numerous novels, including The Hack, Vanishing Bodies, This Time Next Summer, and the fantasy children’s book Olivia & the Gentleman from Outer Space. He is currently working on his sixth novel Of All Things Sacred, a collection of poetry A Fire in the Sunset, and a collection of essays titled The End of Human. He is also an alternative rock musician recording his debut album I Only Have a Hundred Years to Love You (forthcoming 2023). He lives and loves in Los Angeles.

Instagram / Bookbub

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Giveaway & Review for Creating Stories by Hank Quense @ireadbooktours @hanque99

Posted on September 25, 2023 by fundinmental

MY REVIEW

Creating Stories by Hank Quense caught my eye because I have been writing for a long time. Not a novel, or anything like that, but journals. My mind pens a story and I jot down ideas. Isn’t it the follow through that is the difficult part? Where do I even begin?

Creating Stories by Hank Qunense is chock full of everything I need to know to write that novel I feel is buried deep, deep, deep inside. LOL The biggest problem was the amount of information.

That means, taking a step by step process. Beginning at the beginning. Hank Quense gives references, graphs, maps, and his process for writing in a 150 page book. It was not a quick read, because I find myself pausing, thinking. He gave examples of his work to clarify. A bit self serving, using his books for examples, but that’s okay. I would do it too.

I read an ebook, but if I ever do decide to write that novel that is buried deep, deep, deep inside me, I will be purchasing a physical copy. I love having things at my fingertips, laid out before me so I can easily move from one thing to another, whether it’s a book, a graph, or a Castlesque workboard. I can see myself laying things out like a murder board in a crime movie or TV show. I can see myself with a swivel chair, numerous boards surrounding me, and my computer at the forefront.

I highly recommend picking up a copy of Creating Stories by Hank Quense if you are writing. A book like Hank’s is hard for me to rate, as a novice. I didn’t understand some of it. I think it was a bit over my head. So, rating this for an author that is experienced and needs to refine their craft, I think this would be a 5 Star read. For someone like me, I would rate it a 4 Star read. I would think I would grow into it if I wanted to become a full time author.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Creating Stories by Hank Quense.

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After Creating Your Story: