5 Stars for Surviving Doodahville by Ashley Fontainne #AshleyFontainne

Posted on August 29, 2022 by fundinmental

I have been reading Ashley Fontainne’s novels ever since I won some. She is a must read author for me. AND, what an amazing cover!

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

WOW…Ashley Fontainne and Lillian Hansen can sure pen a novel. I only have a half page of notes, because the power of Doodahville was so intense, gripping me, not letting me stop to even jot a note or two. All my emotions came to life, at times overwhelming me.

An impending death, and Gail, Kevin, and daughter, Kassandra are off to Daltville, Arkansas. A small town, small minds, small everything.

I quickly grew to love Gail. She is badass, take no prisoners, kick your ass, leave me and mine alone. At times she cracked me up, other times I wanted to be beside her fighting the good fight.

Kevin and Lurlene are no slouches in planning ahead. Kassandra is a teenager moving from Southern California to small town Daltville, as if teenage angst isn’t already enough. It is a culture shock. At times she feels like life is over for her, but there are also many benefits, which she will learn in time.

The kitten…HA HA HA HA HA.

Racism rears its ugly head on many of the pages. It is the south, so I find that is no surprise and I love the way she handled it in the novel, along with all the nasty secrets and ongoing issues from them.

I have read a lot of Ashley Fontainne’s work, and she easily crosses genres. Her mother, Lillian Hansen did a fabulous job in this collaboration.

Looking at the fun cover, I underestimated the power of Doodaville. Southern living, fraught with danger and secrets that come to light with disastrous results for some, for others freedom. The marvelous characters rise above their situations, sharing love and hope with those who need it. I also went down memory lane from the 1980s. Many scenes were taken from Ashley’s personal experiences, so maybe that’s why they read like true life.

I CAN SEE THIS AS A GRAND MOVIE (along the lines of Gone With The Wind) OR A TV SERIES.

WARNING: Tissues may be required.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Surviving Doodahville by Ashley Fontainne.

GOODREADS BLURB

“Filled with powerful scenes and great characters! Brings the ’83 Old South to vivid life. One of my all-time favorite reads! Loved it! ~ Janelle Taylor, NY Times Bestselling author

The summer of 1983—the era of big debt, big hair, and big dreams. Seventeen-year-old Kassandra Lawson is excited about starting her senior year of high school. She has a crush on a local hunk, and her best friend, Valley Girl extraordinaire, Liz Hendricks, insists on helping her snag the hot guy—for sure!

July starts out uneventful for Kee and her parents. Her father, Kevin, is a partner at a CPA firm, and her mother, Gail, works as a secretary at the police department. The small family lives an idyllic life in sunny Hacienda Heights, California.

1983 also brings upheaval and strife for the Lawson clan. A death in the family forces Kevin and Gail to make the painful decision to pack up and move to Kevin’s hometown of Daltville, Arkansas.

Each face daunting challenges adapting to their new lives. Gail and Kee aren’t quite sure they can handle the culture shock. They encounter social and racial issues they never faced on the West Coast, strange food, weird dialects, odd customs, and wicked secrets that have the potential to destroy their family.

More than just a coming-of-age story, Surviving Doodahville explores family bonds, racial barriers, and just how much a person is willing to sacrifice for others. The tale is full of humor, action and a touch of mystery, making it a fun romp into the past.

ABOUT ASHLEY FONTAINNE

Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne enjoys stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters lurking within each of us. She writes in numerous genres including mystery, suspense, horror, sci-fi and sometimes poetry.

Ashley lives in Arkansas with her husband and is the proud mother of one son and grateful daughter of co-author, Lillian Hansen. To learn more about her books please visit https://ashleyfontainne.net/

Website / Facebook / Pinterest

MY ASHLEY FONTAINNE 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’s 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 – Ponce by Jim Halverson @iReadBookTours

Posted on November 2, 2021 by fundinmental

Join Us for this Tour: November 1st to November 19th

Book Details:

Book Title: Ponce: What Actually Happened at the Fountain of Youth by Jim Halveron
Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 164 pages
Genre: Satire / Historical Fiction
Publisher: Gail Force Publishing
Release Date: November 2021
Content Rating: G – Mentions of violence, but nothing specific. No language.

Book Description:

Two Florida State geology students found the pages written by Ponce de Leon’s chronicler in a dry limestone cave in the northwest panhandle. The original Spanish papers, five hundred years old, were found in relatively good shape, protected from time and moisture in a heavy triple-walled leather case. They chronicle Ponce de Leon’s second expedition to Florida in search of the fountain of youth.

BUY THE BOOK:
AMAZON

Meet the Author:

Jim Halverson grew up in the rural, gold-mining town of Mokelumne Hill, CA and received his MBA from Golden Gate University. He spent part of his life on a ranch and is an avid student of psychology. He recognizes the struggles of all men and women seeking equality and respect. Jim and his wife, Gail, spend their time traveling from their small farm in Forestville, CA.

connect with the author: website ~ goodreads

Tour Schedule:

Nov 1 – Cover Lover Book Review – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Nov 2 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Nov 4 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Nov 4 – Westveil Publishing – book review / giveaway
Nov 5 – Kam’s Place – book review
Nov 8 – Splashes of Joy – book review / giveaway
Nov 9 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Nov 9 – Lisa’s Reading – book spotlight / giveaway
Nov 10 – Olio by Marilyn – book spotlight / author interview
Nov 10 – Olio by Marilyn – book review / giveaway
Nov 12 – The Lost Review Of Odd Books – book review / author interview
Nov 12 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway
Nov 15 – Cheryl’s Book Nook – book spotlight / giveaway
Nov 15 – Books for Books – book review
Nov 16 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Nov 16 – She Just Loves Books – book review / giveaway
Nov 17 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Nov 17 – Bigreadersite – book review / giveaway
Nov 17 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Nov 18 – I’d Rather Be At The Beach – book review / guest post
Nov 19 – 30-something Travel – book review / giveaway

Enter the Giveaway:

PONCE Book Tour Giveaway

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!

One Sentence Review – Just Different Devils by Jinx Schwartz @jinxschwartz

Posted on March 25, 2017 by fundinmental

I picked up Just Different Devils by Jinx Schwartz from Amazon on a free day.

How could I possibly turn my back on a nautical action adventure.

Here’s a joke for you:

“What do you get when you cross a dog and a dolphin?”

“A porposeful relationship.”

Amazon / Goodreads

MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

This humorous action adventure treasure hunting mystery has unique and lovable characters with attitude, that had me holding my breath one minute and laughing the next.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Hetta Coffey is a sassy Texan with a snazzy yacht, and she’s not afraid to use it—most of the time.

She’s an intrepid cruiser, but wild rumors of marauding gangs of flesh-shredding giant Humboldt squid on a rampage in the Sea of Cortez could keep even Hetta tied to an expensive dock. However, when the opportunity for an intriguing and highly lucrative charter arises she talks her best friend, Jan, into signing on for a mysterious cruise.
Damn the calamari! Full bank account ahead!

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’.
Problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Save

Book Blast Giveaway for beachy Paradise Coast by Renee Novelle

Posted on June 2, 2014 by fundinmental

This isn’t your average happily ever after…

Publication Date: 4/30/2014

Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Satire

Welcome to Naples, Florida! Where the beaches are perfect and every day is a vacation. But in this small town paradise that serves as a playground for the rich and elite, not everything is as beautiful as it first appears on the surface.

Offering an irreverent, and often sarcastic, glimpse into all the sexy scandals that go on behind closed doors, Paradise Coast, delves into the shadows of another way of life and proves that money doesn’t always buy happiness. Following five couples as they navigate their way through love, expectations and revenge, this story explores how different personalities react when faced with unsavory realizations about their current states of affairs.

Authors Note: This is not a romance. There are no alpha heroes who swoop in to save the day, or brooding bad boys who are easily converted into marriage material. If that’s what you’re searching for, then keep looking. Inside these pages is an unparalleled drama with many happy endings, but not so many happily-ever-afters. At least, not in the traditional sense… It’s a story about quick-witted women who find creative ways of empowering themselves and rising above their conflicting situations.

Purchase Paradise Coast

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Formerly a freelance journalist, Novelle has found placement of her pieces in both online and print publications since 2008. Additionally, she has written multiple screenplays, and contributed her writing to many non-profit and for profit organizations. She has launched several blogs over the years, which garnered international attention.

In 2013, Novelle returned to her first love – fiction. Writing under the names Renee Novelle and R.S. Novelle, she has a publication schedule that includes Psychological Thrillers, Suspense, Paranormal Fiction, Contemporary Women’s fiction, Chick Lit, and New Adult.

Though she received her Bachelor’s of Science in Communication, summa cum laude, she considers herself a constant student of the written word. She’s an avid reader, an enthusiastic quote poster, and rarely takes “no” as a final answer. She has an unhealthy obsession for theater, dance, music and art, and strongly believes that wine is simultaneously the beginning of, and resolution to, all of life’s problems. She believes in following dreams, and that in the end, you always end up where you’re meant to be.