Giveaway & Review – Marionettes by Kerry Alan Denney @KerryDenney

Posted on June 16, 2016 by fundinmental

Marionettes by Kerry Alan Denney

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GENRE: Supernatural thriller

Cover designed by Nicolle Brown

MY REVIEW

The creepy cover of Marionettes by Kerry Alan Denney hints at the story inside. This supernatural thriller has enough twists and turns to keep me reading and marveling at the thought provoking scenarios David is forced to work through as he battles the evil lurking around every corner.

David Flint awoke in a hospital bed, confused and struggling to remember what happened. All he could think was WTH is going on. Have you ever had an out of body experience? David Flint has, but it goes so much further than that…he is the Marionette Man. He can mind jump. He not only knows what people think and feel, but he can control their actions.

I loved the scene in the hospital with the junkie. I wonder if I would have done the same…or worse, but you will have to read the book to find out more.

The Marionettes takes place in Gulfport, Mississippi, a place I know very well. In fact I just returned from a trip there on Tuesday. I know the devastation of a hurricane, which is what killed David Flint. His wife had died in a senseless accident some time before but her family still welcomed him with open arms. Eleana, his mother-in-law, is a hurricane force of her own, giving and well intentioned. Benny, his father-in-law, has a funny streak and is quite the comic, but can be counted on when needed. Shaina, his sister-in-law, has always been in love with him, yet she is determined to be his best friend, if that is what he needs to recover from Karin’s loss. She suffers from Karin’s loss too. She is quite the character and I wonder what their relationship will be.

When David Flint pisses off the wrong guy who is capable of so much more than David, I wonder how he could come out of this alive. The evil grows and challenges every resource he has.

I chuckled at the shower scene…and it’s 5 0’clock somewhere, so if David’s having a beer, I don’t want him to drink alone…so CHEERS.

What would be the repercussions of mind jumping? What moral and ethical dilemmas would arise? Maybe some secrets are best kept.

Marionettes makes me ask the question, “How far would I go to save the ones I love?”

I haven’t read a story quite like Marionettes and I love it. Kerry Alan Denney’s imagination and creative writing lend the story a sense of reality and brought mind jumping to life as I wondered if I would be able to follow the straight and narrow or would I bend the rules for my own personal gain? As David deals with his demons Kerry Alan Denny gives me food for thought and I feel the questions will linger long after I finish reading

I will be checking out more of Kerry Alan Denney’s award winning work and I look forward to taking another fantastic adventure through the pages with him.

I received a copy of Marionettes by Kerry Alan Denney in return for an honest review.

5 Stars

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BLURB

Resuscitated after he drowns and dies in a flood, David Flint discovers he has returned from the other side with an uncanny ability: He can “jump” into people’s bodies and minds, and control their thoughts and actions.

David believes it’s a gift, and wants to use it to help people. Then four members of a ruthless drug ring savagely attack his fiancée and leave her in a coma, and David tries to use his new power to destroy the whole ring. But the ringleader, a voodoo priest known as the Zombie Master, is a formidable man with a deadly secret: He has the same incredible ability as David.

When the two human marionette masters clash in a brutal bloody showdown, using the ring’s members as their puppets, David discovers he’s battling for much more than his life—he’s fighting to rid the world of an evil human abomination.

Marionettes illuminates the greatest achievements of the human spirit and the darkest corridors of our minds, and answers the age-old question: What are the consequences of absolute power?

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EXCERPT

My whole life changed after I drowned and died in the flood.

Upon my resurrection, I thought I was dreaming. My head felt fuzzy. A little man inside it was drilling away at my brain with a tiny but immensely effective jackhammer. My mouth felt like it was glued shut, my tongue ten times normal size and made of sandpaper. A crew of little men sliced furrows in my throat with dull rusty swords, cackling merrily as they destroyed my trachea.

Some sadistic bastard apparently burned a branding iron into my corneas.

It was far worse than any hangover I ever had—and I’d had some doozies since Karin died and left me alone, lost, and unmoored in a callous world.

When I woke, the acrid tang of antiseptic mixing with an unpleasant odor stung my nostrils. Through a crimson haze, I saw a pretty nurse gaze down at me and smile. She looked like an angel.

“Hi, David!” she sang, her perfect white teeth gleaming as if lit from within. “Welcome back.” She caressed my face with a warm hand, glanced at some monitoring equipment beside the bed I lay in, and turned and hit a switch behind me. “Laura, page Dr. Yamaguchi. Mr. Flint’s awake.”

The angel turned back to me. “I bet you’re thirsty. We’ll fix that shortly, okay? After the doctor sees you, maybe we can give you some ice chips.”

I shut my eyes to block out the combined glare of her smile and the overhead fluorescence. When I opened them again, an attractive Asian woman in her forties with close-cropped black hair streaked with gray stood over me. Her brow wrinkled, a tentative smile curling the corners of her lips upward.

“Welcome back, Mr. Flint,” she said. “I’m Dr. Yamaguchi. You’re lucky to be alive. It’s a miracle the couple who brought you in were able to resuscitate you. We almost lost you twice last night. Apparently you lead a charmed existence. Don’t try to speak yet.”

I tried anyway, but couldn’t. The miniature swordsmen in my throat were having a blast trying to cut their way out. I nodded, then grimaced as the movement made the mad Lilliputian with the jackhammer pound more little holes in my brain. I shut my eyes again and drifted off.

It was all surreal. I remembered my name and profession, but I couldn’t remember what happened to me. Every time I strained for the memory, it receded while raging torrents of dark waters overwhelmed me.

Consciousness was an assault upon my senses. But in what I initially mistook for dreams, my perception and sense of taste, touch, and smell were immaculate.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links

Colleagues and readers have dubbed Kerry Alan Denney The Reality Bender. The multiple award-winning author of the paranormal thrillers Dreamweavers (Juju Mojo Publications, August 2015) and Soulsnatcher (Juju Mojo Publications, April 2014), the post-apocalyptic sci-fi/ horror thriller Jagannath (Permuted Press, February 2015), and numerous short stories published online and in anthologies, Kerry blends elements of the supernatural, paranormal, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror in his work: speculative fiction at its wildest and craziest. With joy, malicious glee, and a touch of madness, he writes reality-bending thrillers, even when the voices don’t compel him to. His protagonists are his children, and he loves them as dearly as he despises his antagonists… even when he has to kill them.

On July 24, 2015, Jagannath became a #1 Amazon bestseller. On March 31, 2015, Soulsnatcher won 2nd Place as 2014 Book of the Year in The Drunken Druid’s International Book Award competition. Jagannath and Soulsnatcher each received a rave blurb from New York Times bestselling author James Rollins.

Kerry lives in Stone Mountain, Georgia with his golden retriever Holly Jolly, a veteran professional Therapy Dog, where he is currently writing his next supernatural thriller… and deciding who to kill in it.

Be on the lookout for Kerry’s new post-apocalyptic/ paranormal thriller A Mighty Rolling Thunder, coming December 3, 2016 from Burning Willow Press.

Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook / Amazon / Google+

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GIVEAWAY

Kerry Alan Denney will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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Free Book & Giveaway – Ghost Hope by Ripley Patton @rippatton @XpressoTours

Posted on June 15, 2016 by fundinmental

Ghost Hope
Ripley Patton
(The PSS Chronicles #4)
Publication date: June 15th 2016
Genres: Paranormal, Thriller, Young Adult

Olivia Black does not feel safe. Nightmares plague her sleep and haunt her days. If she has to endure one more minute stuck in a safe house in rainy Portland, she’s going to lose it. When Mike Palmer sneaks off to find her sister Kaylee without her, it’s the last straw. She has to do something.

Then Palmer’s hackers find the Dome on a satellite feed: dark, abandoned and smack in the middle of the Oregon desert three hundred miles from where it started. If they can reach it before anyone else, they can crack the computer systems and access every piece of information on PSS the CAMFers and The Hold have ever collected.

But in order to do that, Olivia must return to the origin of her fears in a race against all the forces that have ever pitted themselves against her. She must unravel decades of deceit to reveal the true origins of Psyche Sans Soma to the world at last.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Previous books in the series:

**Grab Ghost Hand (book 1) for FREE! Plus, book 2 & 3 are on sale for 99cents – until the end of June only!**

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EXCERPT:

“Olivia!” My mother’s voice jolted me awake.

I sat up in the rental van’s passenger seat, wiping drool from my cheek. Chase and T-dog’s Westfalia had stopped in front of us at a massive gate rising out of the darkness, topped with barbed wire and sporting several Danger: High Voltage and No Trespassing on Federal Land signs.

We had arrived at Umatilla, and I’d fallen asleep, like I always did in a moving vehicle, before I’d explained to my mother that I’d lied about our destination. We were not on a scenic over-nighter up the Columbia River Gorge. That had just been a cover story.

“Olivia Anne Black,” she said, pointing at the gate. “What is that?”

“Um—I don’t know,” I stammered. “We must have taken a wrong turn.”

“Is this the motel?” Grant asked groggily from the back. It sounded like I wasn’t the only one who’d taken a nap.

“No, it’s not,” my mother answered testily. “What the hell is he doing?”

She was referring to T-Dog, who had gotten out of their van carrying something bulky under his arm. When he set it down and started fiddling with a controller in his hands, I realized it was one of those personal drones. Suddenly, the little thing lit up and went whirling into the air, kicking up dust and flying over the gate. On the other side, it dipped down and stopped, a green light flashing on its undercarriage as it hovered over some kind of control panel. As I watched, a green light began flashing on the panel too, like they were communicating with one another. Because they were. T-dog was hacking into Umatilla. He was breaking into a federally-owned chemical depot.

I could feel my mother turning toward me, a question in her eyes, her lips parting to ask it.

Headlights, high and wide, flashed in the rearview mirror, blinding me. They were barreling down on us, but I only heard the rev of the engine just before the crunch of impact.

The whole van jerked forward, shoving us toward the back of the Westfalia and stopping only inches from its rear bumper.

“What the—?” Grant yelled, and I heard cries of alarm from Passion and Samantha.

My seatbelt dug into my waist and my shoulder, but the airbags hadn’t deployed, so that was good.

In front of us, T-Dog scrambled back into their van and slammed his door. The gate started to open, the drone hovering on the other side, still blinking green.

There was another crunching sound and a slight tug backwards. Then, more revving.

“Hold on. They’re coming again,” my mother said, jamming the van into drive and laying on the horn like a mad woman. We couldn’t go anywhere. The Westfalia was right in front of us and some lunatic was behind us, gearing up to rear-end us a second time.

“We have to go through,” I told my mom, gesturing at the gate.

“I know,” she said, glaring out at the windshield and revving our engine now. “Get out of my way, you two. What are you waiting for?” she mumbled under her breath, laying on the horn again and not letting up.

The vehicle behind was almost upon us. I could hear it coming.

Up ahead, T-dog glanced at me in his side view mirror, but it was too dark to read his expression. Had he and Chase set us up? Was this their doing?

The gate was open wider now, maybe wide enough for the Westfalia, but would it be enough for our bigger van?

“Hold on,” my mom said, glancing in the rearview mirror and slamming her foot on the gas.

I braced myself, this time for impact from the back and front, but it didn’t come.

We surged forward, gently kissing the back bumper of the Westfalia, both of us racing through the still opening gate. I heard a horrible sound, metal screeching against metal, and sparks flew in a shower away from us as the huge closures of the gate scraped down both sides of our van.

As soon as we were free and clear, Chase veered off to the right and pulled to a stop. As we drove past, I could see T-Dog holding the drone remote out his window, working it frantically, trying to close the gate before our attackers made it in. But he wasn’t fast enough. The pick-up truck that had rear-ended us roared forward, squeezing through just like we had. For a moment, I thought it had a really weird hood ornament, but then I realized it was the drone, flying low and toward us in front of the truck.

“Get higher,” I murmured to the little thing. As if hearing me, it did, rising above the front of the truck only to plummet a second later just as the vehicle overtook it.

And then it was gone, sucked under the huge wheel of the big truck with a soft crunch and a shower of shrapnel spraying from its undercarriage.

“Stop the van,” I told my mother, but she’d already turned and was pulling up alongside the guys.

“Who is that?” I shouted out my window at Chase, pointing at the truck as it pulled up, headlights blinding us all, the gate clanging shut behind it.

“I have no idea,” he shouted back. “But I think we’re about to find out.”

A truck door slammed.

A dark form moved, crossing the dusty swathe of its high beams, and a man emerged, tall, wrinkled, and tan, a long rifle dangling from his right hand.

Author Bio:

Ripley Patton lives in Portland, Oregon with one cat, two teenagers, and a man who wants to live on a boat. She doesn’t smoke, or drink, or cuss as much as her characters. Her only real vices are writing, eating M&Ms, and watching reality television.

Ripley is an award-winning short story writer and author of The PSS Chronicles, a young adult paranormal thriller series. The first book in the series, GHOST HAND, was a semi-finalist for The Kindle Book Review 2013 Best Indie Book Awards and a Cybil Award Nominee.

The second book in the series, GHOST HOLD, was released in September 2013.

The third book in the series, GHOST HEART, was released in October 2014.

And GHOST HOPE, the final book of the series will be released in the Spring 2016.

You can find out more about Ripley and her fiction on her website at ripleypatton.com.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Giveaway – The Wendigo Witchling by B Kristin McMichael @BKMcMichael

Posted on June 14, 2016 by fundinmental

I saw this fantastic cover and couldn’t resist checking it out further.

Skinwalkers…Wendigos…What kind of witch will she be?

Sherry’s Shelves #83

Posted on June 12, 2016 by fundinmental

Sherry’s Shelves #82 is my weekly update from June 5 – June 11, 2016.

Sunday Post #201 Countdown to Spring..

Stacking The Shelves {200}

Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews
Bought, Borrowed & Bagged is hosted by TalkSupe
**all images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**

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Here in Pensacola, this week has been all about our fallen pilot, Marine Captain Jeff Kuss, of the Blue Angels. He was brought back to Pensacola by Fat Albert and under escort by the #5 Angel, his partner solo pilot. You can read about Jeff Kuss HERE.

Mr Wonderful took these two photos.

A service was held for Jeff Kuss here before he was sent home to Colorado where he will rest in peace.

The photo below is the missing man formation pilots fly when one of their own has fallen. I was fortunate enough to grab this photo as they flew over my house. The Navy base is very close to us and there was a lot of activity as they did flyovers of Jeff Kuss’ service. It will be very easy for me to remember because it was my birthday.

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LAST WEEK ON fundinmental

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THIS WEEK ON fundinmental

I will have more posts and review, I’m just not sure what, so be sure and keep checking back.

Sherry’s Shelves
Giveaway – The Wendigo Witchling by B Kristen McMichael
Giveaway & Review – Marionettes by Kerry Denney
Friday 56 & BB – Fatal Tide by Iris Johansen

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Hope you are having a wonderful weekend.

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To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
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Kindle Giveaway & Review for The CleanSweep Conspiracy

Posted on June 9, 2016 by fundinmental

REVIEW

I love a good conspiracy novel and The CleanSweep Conspiracy by Chuck Waldron keeps my beliefs alive. The CleanSweep got my attention from the opening pages and if you don’t believe that there is more going on than meets the eye, you may want to get informed.

Matt is a blogger…do you post your true thoughts and feelings about controversial subjects? Would your name be on a watch list? Matt has a bulls-eye on his back and It is time for him to put all his emergency preparations into play. Will it be enough to save him?

We live Matt’s life. Those in power use the threat of terrorism and fear to watch us all. How much are you willing to give up? Are we…right now…being watched and listened to 24 hours a day? What do you think?

Who is to say who has value…the billionaire or the homeless. Whose life is worth sacrificing? Once the criminals, homeless, junkies…are gone, who is next? Where does it end?

The suspense builds, then relents, only to build again. My fear for the characters kept me reading and thinking about current events. Sure they might not be exactly the same as what Chuck Waldron has going on in The CleanSweep Conspiracy, but politicians are always muddying the waters, keeping us distracted, like a magician. If you are watching the right hand, you don’t know what the left one is doing. My conspiracy beliefs are alive and well and maybe yours should be too.

I received a copy of The CleanSweep Conspiracy by Chuck Waldron in return for an honest review.

4 Stars

Book Description for The CleanSweep Conspiracy:

Matt Tremain publishes Verité, a modest blog dedicated to writing about the truth and exposing scams. Currently, he’s following up on rumors concerning something called CleanSweep, a mysterious project in Toronto, Canada.

Matt gets his break when a whistleblower connects CleanSweep to billionaire Charles Claussen. Claussen plans to rid Toronto of undesirables, beginning with street people and extending to any citizens who don’t match Claussen’s restrictive screening matrix.

With the help of a high-ranking government official, Claussen plans to incite riots and violent unrest, conning Torontonians into sacrificing privacy and civil liberties for illusionary security and safety. Toronto will be reduced to a repressive city-state.

The information overwhelms Matt, who doubts he has the courage, skill, or readership to take on CleanSweep. But the murder of his source convinces the blogger to take a stand—although he’s too late to prevent chaos from gripping Toronto’s streets.

To get the word out, Matt’s going to need allies. He may have found some in a Toronto police detective and a local TV reporter pursuing the same story—presuming they aren’t allied with Claussen. If they are, Matt’s going to become yet another victim of CleanSweep, and the truth will be buried forever.

Buy the book: Amazon

Author’s Bio:

Born in Iowa, Chuck Waldron lived in Ontario, Canada, before relocating to Florida’s Treasure Coast. Over the years, he’s held many jobs. The ones he can mention in print include US Army soldier, truck driver, office manager, mailman, real estate salesman, social worker, hardware store clerk, and shuttle driver.

Fate played a crucial role when he walked into his first writing class, and he still honors the memory of the teacher, Henrietta. She gave him permission to write. That—along with countless writing groups, classes, seminars, and much sweat—has resulted in over fifty short stories and four novels.

Waldron often likes to pretend interest, lacks perseverance, and could generally use a good talking to—until it comes to his writing, that is. He and his wife Suzanne reside in Port St. Lucie, Florida. While keeping an eye out for hurricanes, alligators, and Burmese pythons, he’s busy writing his next novel

Connect with the author: Website Twitter Facebook

GIVEAWAY

1. Grand prize: Kindle Fire with 7” display from Amazon + copy of CleanSweep (1 winner)

2. 4 copies of CleanSweep (4 winners)

3. 5 copies of author’s previous titles (5 winners)

4. 2 X $15 Amazon GC + copy of CleanSweep (2 winners)

Total: 12 winners (Open to USA & Canada) Giveaway ends July 7, 2016.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Giveaway – June 9th by Emha Goliesh

Posted on June 9, 2016 by fundinmental

Pick up JUNE 9TH for only $1.99 and be entered to win a goodie bag full of prizes!

June 9th
Untouch Me #1
Author: Emha Goliesh
Publisher: INCLUDAS Publishing
Release Date: 9/29/16

Love at first sight? Not for studious college freshman Lacey Shyver. She knows everyone just pretends and acts nice to her face; no one could ever actually want her. It’s the same story every time, but no more false hope and shattered promises. She’s not going to trust anyone anymore — especially not flirtatious drummer Blake Nivey, the one person in her group project she can’t stand. She keeps staring, keeps complaining, keeps judging. She knows he’s just a charmer and a player, yet the more time they spend together, the deeper their connection becomes. Every time their eyes lock, his soul sucks her in. His touch alone unleashes a miracle she never thought she’d be able to feel. But Lacey struggles to understand if he’s acting overly friendly and nice or if these sensual feelings of connection and intimacy are actually love. And what does it all mean when he leaves to follow his dreams? Are their paths destined to cross again, or divert, only to remain alive through memories?

Add To Goodreads
PRE-ORDER NOW FOR $1.99!
B&N | iBooks |

About The Author

Shy and introverted, I never felt like I fit in, even though everyone saw me as a “social butterfly.” I moved around a lot in California, left people and met new ones, but nothing felt like home. Ever. Expect for writing. I grew up loving to write in small journals, under a desk, in a secret place. A place known to me and only me. I built a relationship with words in order to escape the reality that wrote about me—documents filled with all of my flaws and weaknesses. The reality that I didn’t understand at a young age and wanted to hide away from because my writing was something I could control. I could live in a secret place where every dream, fear, joy, and risk could be mine and only mine. My home. My safety. My love. http://juneninthbook.com/

Giveaway

Pre- Order JUNE 9TH and be entered to win $25.00 Starbucks gift card + a tote bag filled with everything you need for summer reading!
Must be 13+ To enter, open to US residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway.

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Ghosts and the Occult – Jericho by Alex Gordon

Posted on June 8, 2016 by fundinmental

I love a great paranormal and supernatural story, so Jericho by Alex Gordon was a no brainer. Even the cover makes me pause and look deeper. How about you?

Title: Jericho

Author: Alex Gordon

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Genre: Supernatural

Format: Ecopy/Paperback

MY REVIEW

After reading Gideon by Alex Gordon, my expectations were very high for Jericho. Any fears I had were unwarranted. Jericho is the second book of this supernatural thriller series and I was just as enraptured with Lauren’s continuing story as I had hoped to be.

Gavin should have heeded the warnings…Phantom orchids…shelf fungus…on his search for a photo of Jericho for his soon-to-be website. Being a photographer and blogger, I love it. Alex adds special bits throughout the story, making it a novel that rises above the rest.

In Gideon, Lauren was “called” from her home on the West Coast to Gideon, Illinois. Now she is being “called” back…to Oregon to be more precise.

The evil is subtle, whispering all the things you want to here, offering all the things your heart desires. I am captured, taken on the winds of flight, soon to be in Portland and meeting the Carmody Group. Which side are they on? Good or evil? I hope Lauren is fully prepared for Witch Camp.

Organized witchcraft is not Lauren’s forte. She operates by the seat of her pants. I loved watching her grow and develop from being unaware of her powers to laying her life on the line to take down evil and save us all.

Alex Gordon’s storytelling gift is alive and well in this wonderful novel of paranormal horror. Sometimes I forgot that it wasn’t real. I can hardly wait to read more as the ending left the story with plenty more tales to be told, all while wrapping up the current story.

I received a copy of Jericho by Alex Gordon in return for an honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos

5 Stars

For readers of Deborah Harkness, J.D. Horn, Lev Grossman, and any supernatural thriller, a young witch must risk death and damnation to defeat a powerful ancient evil in Alex Gordon’s follow-up to the masterful debut Gideon.

In unearthing her father’s secret past, Lauren Reardon discovered a shocking truth about herself. She is a Child of Endor, a sect of witches who believe they are the guardians of the “thin places”—areas across the globe where evil can seep through the divide between the worlds separating the living and the restless dead. At any time, she can be called upon to close one of these breaches and prevent demons from infiltrating our realm. When Lauren has a disturbing vision of an Oregon forest, she is drawn back to the familiar woods of the misty Pacific Northwest to investigate.

Locals had long whispered about an abandoned logging camp known as Jericho—of the strange disappearances and eerie sounds heard in the woods deep in the night. But these ghost stories only hint at the true evil lurking within the camp’s dilapidated buildings, a primeval malevolence far more terrifying than Lauren’s darkest imaginings. And now, Lauren must face this evil, even if it takes her life . . . even if it costs her soul.

Meet the Author

Alex Gordon resides in the Midwest. When she isn’t working, she enjoys watching sports and old movies, running, and playing with her dogs. She dreams of someday adding the Pacific Northwest to the list of regions where she has lived.

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Giveaway – Shotgun Justice by Abi Morgan @AngiMorganAuthr

Posted on June 7, 2016 by fundinmental

Shotgun Justice

by Angi Morgan

Series: Texas Rangers: Elite Force, #2

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: February 23, 2016

DUTY, DESIRE AND WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE

As a Texas Ranger, it was Jesse Ryder’s duty to protect her. As a man, it was all he could do to avoid the temptation of Avery Travis. The Snake Eyes Killer was on Avery’s trail, but the independent deputy didn’t want Jesse’s help. And he couldn’t blame her; he had walked away from her the night she’d offered him everything.

Avery knew Jesse would always think of her as his best friend’s little sister. However, she was fully capable of taking care of herself…and knowing what and who she wanted. Their lives might be in jeopardy, but the true tragedy would be to never have one more chance with the sexy Ranger.

Click here to read an excerpt.

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks ~ Kobo

Google ~ Book Depository ~ Harlequin

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks ~ Kobo

Google ~ Book Depository ~ Harlequin

Introduced to Harlequin romances by her grandmother, she went through Junior High waiting for the next visit to “Mommie’s” house. There, she’d search through the inside cover corners for checkmarks, aunt’s initials, and her favorite phrase: Okay for Angi. That’s right, her aunts and grandmother censored which stories she could borrow. Reading gave her a love for the Harlequin name and story. She still has a lot of her grandmother’s books. Angi keeps reading and thinking romance, falling in love with the “Happily Ever After” for each hero and heroine.

An 11th generation Texan, Angi utilizes her strong heritage to create passionate characters willing to risk everything. She writes Intrigues where honor and danger collide with love. When the house is quiet, she plots ways to engage her readers with complex story lines, throwing her hero and heroine into situations they’ll never overcome…until they find the one person they can love.

Angi had several jobs before taking the opportunity to stay home with her children and develop the writing she always wanted. Volunteer work led to a houseful of visiting kids and a joyful but on-the-go lifestyle. With their three children out of the house, Angi concentrated on her work, finding her dream agent and editor. She and her husband live in North Texas with only the four-legged ‘kids’ to interrupt her writing. Tex, Roxie & Little Dude keep Angi and her characters company, reminding her to occasionally take time off to play.

Facebook ~ Facebook Fan Page ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram

Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Blog A Picture a Day ~ YouTube Channel

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Teaser Tuesday #71 – Chasing Fireflies by Taylor Dean @taylordeanbooks

Posted on June 7, 2016 by fundinmental

Teaser

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of booksandabeat.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read. Open to a random page. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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Chasing Fireflies by Taylor Dean

I am a huge fan of Taylor Dean and her clean romance stories that leave me teary eyed and emotionally wrung out. If you are not familiar with her but love a happy ever after romance, please check out some of my reviews below.

My favorite is probably Sierra, but her ghostly vampiric paranormal story of Lancaster House and The Middle Aisle has an ending that sticks with me to this day.

Taylor Dean always delivers such a pretty package and this time she included some sweets to add to the romance.

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MY TEASE

Perhaps the element of surprise will enhance my romantic gesture and bring a smile to Paul’s face. And knowing the effort it takes just to knock on his door surely ought to count for major brownie points.

(page 158 in paperback)

I don’t know about you but I do not care for surprises very much. They do have a tendency to backfire sometimes and I have a feeling…What do you think will happen next?

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GOODREADS BLURB

My sisters think I’m crazy.

But, I’ve never forgotten the mysterious woman from my childhood who told me Paul is the name of my one true love.

She told me to search far and wide for him.

I haven’t stopped looking ever since.

When I stumble across an article about a successful American entrepreneur named Paul who lives and works in China, I’m intrigued. When the opportunity to teach English in China presents itself on the same day, I know it’s not a coincidence.

It’s destiny.

My sisters say I’m chasing a dream.

Just like the fireflies we tried to catch on the warm summer evenings of our youth, the dream seems beyond my grasp. Will my quest for the elusive Paul always be just short of fulfillment?

My sisters tell me it’s a fool’s errand.

Until I remind them of the day we saw the Red Bird.

The memory silences them.

The Red Bird Incident remains inarguable—and proves my search for Paul is not a silly fantasy.

I will find Paul . . . I will.

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MY REVIEWS FOR TAYLOR DEAN’S BOOKS

Loss, grief, sorrow and the love that binds – I’m With You by Taylor Dean (Book Trailer)
Making Hard Choices – I’m With You (Review)
A sweet romance – Joshua’s Folly by Taylor Dean (Review)
sierra by taylor dean – Come on over and take a peek (Book Trailer)
Missing Any Memories? i have people by taylor dean (Review)
sierra by taylor dean (Review)
the middle aisle by taylor dean (Review)
Is he a ghost? A vampire? Is he even real or just a figment of her imagination? (Lancaster House Review)

Giveaway – Endangered by @DaniHootsAuthor

Posted on June 6, 2016 by fundinmental

Welcome to my stop for Endangered by Dani Hoots.

Would you like to know more about the Underworld?

Well…come on in.

Endangered (Daughter of Hades #1)
by Dani Hoots

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

Release Date: May 13th 2016

***

Summary from Goodreads:

Chrys has been in the Underworld for thousands of years, hidden away by her father, Hades, from all of the other gods. He’s afraid that if someone finds out about her, they will destroy her because of the dichotomous power that she holds, the power of life and death. So she has remained in the Palace of Hades all her life, making very few friends and always bored out of her mind.

Huntley would have never guessed that after he died he would wake up with a beautiful girl standing over him. And that she would be the Dark Lord of the Underworld’s daughter. Yet, for some reason, she keeps him around as her tutor, as if he knows anything about the world. But Huntley knows that all she really wants is a friend; being trapped in the Underworld can get pretty lonely.

That is, until Chrys decides she wants to run away to the human world after a big fight with her mother Persephone. Chrys claims her father is just over reacting and that nothing bad will come of it. There’s no way that the gods will notice she’s there for only a couple of days…right?

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EXCERPT

CHAPTER 7

Chrys

The River Styx is really intimidating. Like, seriously.

I honestly never really realized it until now, being without someone who knew how to guide the boat for me. I had only taken a boat out a couple of times, but never this far, and never with this much risk. Now that I stood there, waiting for the others, I found myself questioning my decision a little bit. Not enough to turn back, but enough to realize that Father was going to be really pissed if he found out I had hijacked a boat and left the Underworld with two of my friends. I guess I knew that already but it was hitting me hard now.

I had left a note for him, telling him we were going to visit Maka and not to worry, that we would be back in a few days. He knew I needed to let off a little steam and that leaving me alone was the best choice. At least, I hoped.

I was already wearing my ring and waiting to give A.J. and Huntley theirs. I was almost past the point of no return, making a decision that could get me in the worst of trouble.

And it felt exhilarating.

I was surprised that Huntley wasn’t fully on board with this, but more cautious than A.J. and I were. He was only coming because he wanted to make sure I was safe. But if A.J. thought it would be fine, I really doubted it was going to end badly.

At least I hoped that it wouldn’t.

A.J. was the cautious one out of the three of us, so if Huntley thought it was fine, it was probably going to be fine. I trusted him, especially after all this time. He cared enough to stay in the Palace for me, so he had to be speaking the truth.

A.J. and Huntley showed up, checking behind them to make sure there wasn’t anyone following them. I nodded to both of them and handed them the rings. They slipped them on their fingers, and we quickly climbed in the boat to travel around the River Styx into the sky that was Oceanus.

The boat was like an old gondola that might simply crumble if we were going over actual water. It was beyond old, probably the same age as the Underworld itself. It creaked and cracked as we stood on it, rocking slightly back and forth. The three of us each grabbed a stick and pushed off the peer of the palace and into the river we went.

“How does this actually work?” Huntley asked. “I mean, it looks like we are traveling on clouds.”

“You really going to ask questions of how things work in the Underworld? Not just accept that things work differently here?” A.J. replied. We had barely been gone for a couple of moments and they were already arguing.

“The rivers here are more like air currents, trapping things that have been lost in the mortal realm,” I explained. “The river we are on now is the River Styx, the River of Hatred. It is but one of five rivers. Most of the dead come to this world via Acheron, the River of Pain. It is where Charon runs his service. The other rivers flow through the Underworld and serve as transportation to places throughout. But without a boat, all of the rivers will curse those who try to escape, so make sure the water doesn’t touch you.”

Huntley glanced over the water, his eyes wide. I probably should have mentioned that earlier, but it had completely slipped my mind. When you knew something for such a long time, it was hard to remember to tell others who might not know.

“Don’t worry, you’re fine. But because of this, no god from the other realms can get through Oceanus, which is why Father has hidden me away for so long. That is, except Hermes, he can travel between realms. Why that is, no one really knows. He kinda just appears some days and Father can’t figure out how he’s doing it. As for my mother, well, it’s really rare for anyone to come to the Underworld and be able to go back to Earth. In some legends the hero can, or antagonist, depending on your point of view. The River Styx was their greatest obstacle.”

“But she sneaks men in here,” Huntley countered.

I nodded. “Yeah, but they don’t come by themselves. She pays Charon to escort them. He will escort anything as long as he gets paid.”

“Oh. So which one is the River Styx?” Huntley asked.

I gestured in front of us. “This one. We will be going around the Underworld seven times and then be dumped into Oceanus.”

“Seven times? Won’t that take forever?”

I shrugged. “Space is weird here. Doesn’t take too long actually and the farther we get, the faster it starts to go.”

“Oh, I guess that makes sense,” Huntley said. “Then where is Oceanus?”

I nodded up. “You see the blue clouds that covers the entire realm? That’s Oceanus.”

He looked up at the sky. The molten blue shimmered in the light of the morning. Where the morning light really came from, I still wasn’t sure. This world was weird, I had to agree.

“Shit. How are we supposed to get through that?” he asked.

“Hence the boat, moron,” A.J. commented.

Huntley pointed up. “Yeah, but that doesn’t have a surface that we can travel on.”

I shook my head. “That’s because we don’t travel on it. We travel through it. Oceanus is like a shell between this world and Earth.”

“Oh yeah, that’s going to be fun. Do you even know where we are going to end up?”

I was silent. I actually didn’t. I figured, probably wherever my mother was last, but I couldn’t be sure. It wasn’t like I had a preference. Anywhere was better than here. Finally, I shrugged.

“We don’t even know where we are going?” Huntley exclaimed. “Chrys, seriously, get some sense in your head. This is a bad idea.”

He was right, I really didn’t know what I was doing. I should turn back now, I had let my emotions get the better of me. I was turning into my mother.

And I didn’t want that.

Buy Links

Amazon US│Amazon UK│Amazon CA│Amazon AU│Amazon DE│Barnes & Noble│Author Store (signed)

About the Author

Dani Hoots is a science fiction, fantasy, romance, and young adult author who loves anything with a story. She has a B.S. in Anthropology, a Masters of Urban and Environmental Planning, and is currently in the Your Novel Year Program through Arizona State University.

Currently she is working on a YA urban fantasy series called Daughter of Hades, a historic fantasy vampire series called A World of Vampires, and a YA sci-fi series called Sanshlian Series.

Her hobbies include reading, watching anime, cooking, studying different languages, wire walking, tinkering with her violin and concertina, and volunteering at the library. She lives in Seattle with her husband and two cats.

Author Links: Website│Twitter│Facebook│Goodreads