Can She Save Them All – Cover Reveal for The Shadow Aspect by Melanie Karsak

Posted on July 10, 2014 by fundinmental

The Shadow Aspect by Melanie Karsak

Publication date: Summer/Fall 2014.

Genres: Dark Fantasy, Young Adult, Zombies

Cover designed by designed by Princess of Shadows

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Synopsis

When Layla took the final step through the labyrinth, she knew she was saving the ones she loved. She couldn’t have been more wrong.

The unwitting victims of a grudge seething for eons, Layla and the other survivors now find themselves in a war for our world. With vampires lurking and shapeshifters plotting vengeance, Layla must learn who to trust if humanity has any hope of survival: the carnie girl? The quiet doctor? The tarot reader? The stranger with alluring gold eyes? Or the man she loves? And then there are the voices. What does it forewarn if the dead can speak?

When the world burns, mankind’s shadow side rises. Do we deserve to survive?

AUTHOR BIO

Melanie Karsak grew up in rural northwestern Pennsylvania and earned a Master’s degree in English from Gannon University. A steampunk connoisseur, white elephant collector, and zombie whisperer, the author currently lives in Florida with her husband and two children. She is an Instructor of English at Eastern Florida State College.

Author links: Facebook / Blog

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Read my 5 Star Review for The Harvesting, Book I.

GIVEAWAY

The author is hosting a giveaway for The Harvesting, Book 1, signed, to celebrate the reveal.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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FREE – Spellls Gone Wrong? – Should have looked into Spell Check by Julie Wright

Posted on July 4, 2014 by fundinmental

Spell Check by Julie Wright looks like such a fun read, I had to share it with you guys.

Can never have too many books, so grab your now by clicking on the banner below.

Spell Check by Julie Wright

A skeleton is rattling its way out of the closet marked “FAMILY SECRET! KEEP OUT!”

Allyson Peterson believes that being hanged by the Salem High Witches is the absolute worst thing that can happen. But when her powers, wrested from the trolls of ancient Sweden, manifest themselves, she realizes that a prank hanging by vindictive cheerleaders is the least of her worries.

Ally accidentally sends her parents to the jungle to fight anacondas, turns her brother into a mute, and curses the entire cheerleading team with an illness that has no cure, proving that her spells need a little checking. Her Swedish grandmother shows up to help her through the worst part of all—surviving the Troll Trials and saving the guy of her dreams from a vengeance that has festered through-out generations.

The power is in her, if she can just get the magic right.

Grab your copy on Amazon

Author Julie Wright

Julie Wright (1972-still breathing) was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. She’s lived in LA, Boston, and the literal middle of nowhere (don’t ask). She wrote her first book when she was fifteen. She’s written sixteen novels–nine of which are traditionally published. Julie won the Whitney award for best romance in 2010 with her novel Cross My Heart. She is agented by Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger Inc.

She has one husband, three kids, two salamanders, one dog, and a varying amount of fish (depending on attrition).

She loves writing, reading, traveling, hiking, playing with her kids, and watching her husband make dinner.

She used to speak fluent Swedish, but now speaks only well enough to cuss out her children in public.

She hates mayonnaise.

Website

Click on the cover below to get your copy of Spellcheck by Julie Wright

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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Vamped – Who Me? – Wisconsin Vamp by Scott Burtness Tour & Giveaway

Posted on July 3, 2014 by fundinmental

I saw the cover for Wisconsin Vamp by Scott Burtress and thought to myself that I had to have this. Sounds a bit different from the norm and I am looking for stories that veer off the typical path.

Read the blurb and excerpt, then enter the giveaway at the end of the post.

Oh, out of curiosity, what is your favorite kind of vamp? The Twilight kind? How about Dracula? Is it a crossbreed – werewolf and vampire combined? Or is there something else that I missed?

BLURB

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“Midwestern nice” is hard to pull off when you’re a bloodthirsty monster.

Poor Herb isn’t even sure how he got vamped in the first place. With no one to guide him, Herb fumbles into his newfound abilities, courting disaster with each bumbling step. Sure, there are some perks. The local stripper wants him, he can do this whammy mind-control thing, and he is getting a lot better at bowling. But he can’t drink beer, the bodies are piling up, and his best friend Dallas is getting suspicious. When Herb and Dallas go for the same girl, keeping his dark secret becomes the least of Herb’s concerns.

Booze, billiards, babes, blood, bake sales, bowling, bar fights and karaoke. Who would’ve thought that being undead would make life so interesting?

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EXCERPT

Red tears flowing freely, he sat in the middle of the carnage, trying to sort-out just how in the hell he managed to get half a petting zoo into his house. The phone rang and rang again, causing Herb’s head to swing in a dazed circle, bringing his eyes to bear on where the phone stuck out from beneath most of a dead grouse.

“Um, hello. You’ve reached the Knudsen residence. Um. The Knudsen, Herb, I mean me, well it’s a recording of Herb. Me. Oh crap. Does this rewind? Uff dah. Aaah crap. Oh, ok. Sorry! Can’t take your call! I’d sure love to, and I hope I can take your call again. Later. When I call you back. Um. Ok den, thanks! So wait for the beep… um, the beep. It should be this one. Oh for chrissakes…” Beeeep!

It had been a long time since Herb had listened to his answering machine greeting, and found himself wondering when the suave and self-confident message he remembered had been replaced by a drunken Ole impersonator.

“Herb? Herb! Are you there? Why aren’t you at work? Ronnie’s furious and Hector is exhausted ‘cause he’s been here since like five o’clock last night.” Lois’s voice floated from the tinny speakers of the RadioShack machine, leaving Herb in awestruck wonder. She called me, thought Herb. She’s worried about me and she called. A smile cracked the caked blood around Herb’s mouth as he leaned toward the voice.

“Ronnie’s making me call since you haven’t picked up your phone all morning. He’s been calling and calling and thinks you’re trying to ruin him or something. You’d better call back or get your ass in here pronto, ok Herby? Seriously, it’s like 10:45 in the A. M. Just…”

Herb knocked the remains of the grouse off the phone and grabbed the receiver. “Lois! Hi, Lois. Um. Wow. Hi there. It’s Herb. Me. I’m Herb. Um…” Herb squeezed his eyes shut, slowly pounded his forehead on the lifeless grouse and took a deep breath.

“So. I’m here. You called. Me. Lois. Um, how are you?”

“How am I? Oh just peachy, thanks so much for asking. It’s busier than heck here but our morning cook has apparently decided to take the morning off, which means the exhausted overnight cook can’t leave since Ronnie only knows how to make Rice-A-Roni.”

“Ronnie.”

“That’s what I said.”

“No, Ronnie calls it ‘Rice-A-Ronnie.’ He ah. Adds cilantro, dill, some mayo. He thinks it makes it fancier.”

“Roni, Ronnie, whatever. Hector burned his hand when he dozed off near the deep fryer half an hour ago. Seriously, I don’t know what your deal is, but you really gotta get to work.”

For a few treasured moments after the phone was slammed into the cradle, Lois’s voice flittered on Cupid-wings through the fog in Herb’s brain. Gone were the dead animals, the blood-soaked couch, the gore-spattered Brett Favre bobble-head doll. Even Lady, Jerry and Pam’s poor little pug, flew from his conscious mind like dandelion fluff on a warm summer breeze. Herb bobbed in a sea of bliss, looking at the phone that had recently held her angel voice. Gently setting the receiver down on its cradle, he caressed it with a grimy finger.

A red 11 blinked at him from the answering machine, a stark reminder of the ten angry Ronnie’s and one blissful Lois waiting for his attention. Herb quickly stumbled to his feet, hit play and delete in rapid sequence, turning Ronnie’s messages into a staccato of angry reproachment.

“Come on, come on!” Jittering with anticipation, he hit play, delete. Play, delete. Reaching the final truncated message, he stopped, quivering in anticipation, and gently, reverently hit play. Lois’s voice again filled his senses, buckled his knees, and sent him sliding back to the floor. Oblivious to the fact that he was sitting in a half-congealed puddle of blood, Herb smiled, contentment incarnate. She had called him. Called his phone to talk to him. And she was waiting for him. All he had to do was get in the Pinto, go to work and…

Reality crashed down like kitchen knives from an overturned drawer.

Buy Links: Amazon

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Scott lives in the Midwest with his wife, Liz and their Staffordshire Terrier, Frank. Raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he spent many summer weekends in rural Wisconsin where a friend’s dad had about 50 acres of wooded land near a small town. Those magical summer days of Scott’s youth were spent shooting pop cans with a .22, playing Frisbee golf amongst the trees and sticking the collected wood ticks to rolls of duct tape on the fridge. Wisconsin came to represent idle days and entertaining nights, simple times complete with good friends and beef jerky.

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Years later (1998 to be exact), Scott had made a mess of college and moved to Chicago, IL. For six years, Scott drove back and forth between Minneapolis and Chicago. More than once, he wondered what it would be like to just take the next exit, drive north into the woods and settle down. He dreamt of running a small bar or bowling alley, living in a little rambler in the trees, and amassing a daunting collection of cassette tapes and flannels. Somewhere in those musings, the seeds for Wisconsin Vamp were planted, although Herb Knudsen wouldn’t appear for many, many years.

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Scott moved to Los Angeles, CA in late 2003. He quickly realized that only people who had written a screenplay were allowed to live in L.A., so he set about whipping one up. Looking for some easy subject matter, Scott catalogued the things he enjoyed. Drinking, bowling, karaoke, pining for cute waitresses and funny horror flicks topped his list. After not nearly enough consideration, Scott wrote half a screenplay about the things he enjoyed, set in the northwoods of Wisconsin and featuring a very atypical vampire named Herb.

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Since he didn’t finish the screenplay, he was politely asked to leave L.A. Returning to Minneapolis with his wife, he converted what he had to novel format. The rest is, as they say, is available for the reasonable price of $2.99.

Author Links: Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

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To get your Amazon copy, click on the cover below.

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GIVEAWAY

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos Win one of three autographed copies of Wisconsin Vamp, each will include a Wisconsin themed postcard from the main character, Herb. This giveaway is restricted to USA only, please! Enter through Goodreads.

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar at Home and let’s talk.

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Teaser Tuesday #15 – What Is A Weresnake?

Posted on July 1, 2014 by fundinmental

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

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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SHADOW MAN by Tara Fox Hall

I won this signed, first edition paperback some time ago.

Sometimes it takes me a while to read a book, but I will never miss reading a book that is staring at me from my bookshelf.

Intriguing cover. I do love the color blue.

What do you think the guy is doing?

Me thinks he might be up to no good or……..

(Click on the cover to get your copy)

This is Book II in the Lash Series.

I have not read Book I, but I checked out the blurb and think I’m good to go.

MY TEASE

(Page 119 of paperback)

Since I had his truck, he took mine. (I think we all know this isn’t going to be good.) Someone threw a grenade or some kind of explosive under the truck when he stopped at a light; he exploded along with the gas tank a moment later.

“One of my vampires saw it and reported it immediately,” Abraham said sadly from the door. “They weren’t able to identify who did it. I’m sorry, Lash.”

“It’s your fault!” Sam screamed at me, hitting me with her fists. “They thought he was you! He was killed because they thought he was you !”

SYNOPSIS

A renegade vampire begins amassing a flock of true believers, threatening America’s vampire hierarchy. Weresnake Lash partners with old enemy Danial and new allies Burl and Spiderboy to track down and annihilate them. Betrayed and left for dead, Lash reemerges the victor, edging ever upward in the Assassin’s Ranking, and catching the eye of the sultry nightclub singer Cassandra Nile. Drawn into drugs by Cassie, Lash begins to doubt himself, yearning to leave his life of violence, even as enemies close in from every side. When catastrophe strikes again, and Hill House is destroyed, Lash flees north to Devlin, again pledging service to a Vampire Ruler in return for both safety and revenge. Horrifically injured saving Devlin’s life, Lash is granted a potion to tremendously slow his aging, along with an evil request. Healed yet disheartened, Lash returns to his old friend Jasmine, who urges him to take Devlin’s offer.

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Click on the cover to get your Amazon copy now.

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar at Home and let’s talk.

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Amazing Cover Reveal for Beyond The Sea by Emily Goodwin

Posted on July 1, 2014 by fundinmental

The title for Beyond the Sea brought me up short. What? Could it be a mermaid book? How about an underwater world?

Oh, yeah. I’m in.

Then……….I saw this amazing cover.I’m in awe.

I can’t help but keep looking. Follow the bubbles ^ ^ ^

Then check out the old cover below. What do you think?

Beyond the Sea by Emily Goodwin

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(Beyond the Sea #1)

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Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

SYNOPSIS

After the brutal and mysterious murder of her sister, Melia is forced to leave her life as a merrow and live on land, pretending to be human. Feeling very much like a fish out of water, Melia struggles to fit in and to accept that the Pacific Ocean she loves so much may never again be her home.

Melia is unable to hide her fins from outsider Jamie Forester, who possess the gift to see into the Otherworld. Jamie—and everyone she knows—views her ability as a curse, isolating her from the rest of society. Melia sees the curse as a gift…and a way to find out what really happened to her sister.

Eighteen year old Peter Anderson thinks college is the most extraordinary thing that will ever happen to him, until he meets Melia. He is immediately bewitched by her beauty and spirit, sensing but not seeing that there is more to her than meets the eye.

Caught up in Peter’s affection and human affairs, Melia is too distracted to notice the darklings surfacing from the depths of the ocean. It isn’t until a body is found that Melia realizes parts of her old life have come back…with a vengeance.

AUTHOR BIO

Emily resides in Indiana with her husband,ferrets,horses and their beloved dog, a German Shepherd named Vader. Emily has a degree in psychology, likes anything paranormal, listens to too much 80’s rock and loves going on crazy adventures with her friends.

Author links:

Goodreads / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

Click on the cover below to get your copy of Beyond The Sea by Emily Goodwin.

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar at Home and let’s talk.

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A Badass Fallen Siren and a Sexy FBI Werewolf – Captured Release, Review & Giveaway

Posted on June 28, 2014 by fundinmental

S J Harper has just released the much anticipated Prequel to The Fallen Siren Series.

Like a badass fallen siren? How about a hot FBI werewolf?

Check out Emma and Zack.

I reviewed Cursed and loved it! Check out my review HERE.

The Fallen Siren Series, Prequel #0.5

AUTHOR NAME: S.J. Harper

GENRE: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance

MY REVIEW

I had read Cursed before this prequel came out and loved it. There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to read Captured and be a part of the tour.

How can you not love a fallen siren and a sexy werewolf as they use their special abilities to track down missing children? I found Emma and Zack captivating and easy to relate to. The novella is fast paced, easy to read and realistically written (aside from the paranormal aspect, or is it?). I felt a sense of urgency, wanting to tell them to hurry up, time is running out.

Emma is a fallen siren, cursed because she did not save Persephone from being kidnapped. She kept in mind that……

Redemption could be one rescue away.

I would also love to have a best friend like Liz, a super witch.

Zack is a sexy FBI werewolf that specializes in finding missing children.

Zack – more James Bond than Seeley Booth.

I think that is a fantastic description. I love Seeley Booth, but I watched James Bond before there was a Seeley Booth. They are two different kind of “super heroes” and there is always room in the world for another one.

When Emma and Zack come together, it is obvious there will sparks flying, but with two children dead and another one missing, their job is cut out for them.

Emma makes a Note To Self – When in the South, be sure to specify unsweetened tea. When I first moved down here, I came across the same problem myself. I don’t know how many times I would have to send back sweetened to get my unsweetened iced tea.

As Samantha and Jeanne talk about the heat in the South, I can vouch for stepping out and gasping for breath when the air is thick and heavy with humidity. It’s as if someone dumps a warm bucket of water over you, because you are immediately drenched and dripping from the moisture in the air. But….I love it.

Kidnapping, especially of children, brings peoples emotions to the surface, wondering how someone could hurt an innocent and trusting child. Family is always the first to be investigated, hopefully to rule them out.

Why can’t the bad guy look like a monster, instead of a handsome, charming guy who could be your next door neighbor?

I love crime stories, my fave. I love paranormal stories, not far behind. You put the two together and I am a very happy reader.

This is a great read, I loved it. I already knew Emma and Zack from reading Cursed, so I was predisposed to loving them and their story. Still, the story and writing must be good and entertaining, plus keep up a level of suspense that has me eagerly turning the pages, unable to put the book down until I find out the ending. Well done ladies! I look forward to reading Reckoning and being on another investigation with Emma and Zack.

4 Stars – Would Highly Recommend To Others

I received an ebook of Captured, the novella by S J Harper, for review in conjunction with the tour.

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SYNOPSIS

Join FBI Agents Emma Monroe and Zack Armstrong.

She’s a Siren. He’s a Werewolf.

Their mission is redemption.

Emma Monroe is a Fallen Siren, cursed by the gods and banished to Earth for her failure to prevent the kidnapping of Persephone. She’s had many names and many lives, but only one mission: redemption. Now she works for the FBI and is on temporary assignment in Charleston. Solving this next missing persons case could be the key to ending her ancient curse—unless the temptation that’s her new partner gets in the way.

Zack Armstrong is a Werewolf. Tall, dark, and dangerous, he currently works for one of the bureau’s elite Child Abduction Rapid Deployment teams. In many respects the man is every bit as mysterious as his secret and perilous past. But there are two things he’s certain about, that he’s going to get his man and his woman.

When Zack finds himself suddenly shy a partner and a third child goes missing in Charleston, Emma goes from consultant to CARD team member in the space of a few hours. The abductions of the first two boys ended in murder, an outcome that neither Zack nor Emma can abide. As they race against time to track down the kidnapper and rescue the latest victim, they find themselves fighting something just as treacherous—a growing attraction that can’t be ignored or denied.

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iTunes / ARe

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ABOUT THE BOOK

CURSED

The Fallen Siren Series, Book 1

Meet FBI Agents Emma Monroe and Zack Armstrong. 

She’s cursed. He’s damned.

Together, they make one hell of a team.  

I reviewed Cursed and loved it! Check out my review HERE.

Emma Monroe is a Siren, cursed by the gods and bound to earth to atone for an ancient failure. She’s had many names and many lives, but only one mission: redemption. Now that she works missing persons cases for the FBI, it could be just a rescue away. Unless her new partner leads her astray.

Special Agent Zack Armstrong just transferred into the San Diego Field Office. He’s a werewolf, doing his best to beat back the demons from his dark and dangerous past. As a former Black Ops sniper, he’s taken enough lives. Now he’s doing penance by saving them.

Emma and Zack’s very first case draws them deep into the realm of the paranormal, and forces them to use their own supernatural abilities. But that leaves each of them vulnerable, and there are lines partners should not cross. As secrets are revealed and more women go missing, one thing becomes clear: as they race to save the victims, Emma and Zack risk losing themselves.

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iTunes / ARe / Audiobooks

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EXCERPT

Upon waking I’m faced with the realization that a six-foot-plus werewolf is spooned up against me. His body is flush to mine. Head buried in my hair. Arm draped over my waist. Hand clasping my breast.

If the funny business happens while both parties are unconscious, does it still count as funny business?

Yikes. Was I so out of it that I actually invited Zack to sleep in my bed when there was a perfectly good couch in the room?

I lift my head off the pillow just enough to check the bedside clock red numbers flash, all zeros. The cable box next to the television seems to accurately display the time four fifty. Our wake-up call will be coming in ten short minutes. A wave of fatigue washes over me…along with memories of the last few days. I need another twelve hours sleep. No wonder my thinking was muddled. I move to slip out of bed when Zack stirs.

“Shit!” His hand moves off me so fast, you might have thought he’d been burned. He quickly puts distance between us. “Sorry.”

I roll over to face him. “It’s okay.”

“Really?” He places his hand on my hip. Gives it a gentle squeeze.

I gently remove it. “Not so fast, hotdog. Can’t help what you did when we were asleep. But we’re awake now. And we’re meeting with the committee in just over an hour. We need to get ready. And sex between you and me? Not a good idea.”

Zack sits up and reaches for the bedside lamp. Click.

The room is flooded with light.

He looks back at me over his shoulder. “I guess I’m going to have to agree to disagree with you on that point, Agent Monroe. I should probably confess, I’ve given the matter a great deal of thought and happen to believe sex between you and me is a fine idea.” He snatches the key card from the top of the nightstand and climbs to his feet. “You still up for dinner when we’re through? We can both pretend I didn’t feel you up. Wouldn’t want the evening to be awkward.”

I shrug. “Girl’s got to eat.”

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

S. J. Harper is the pen name for the writing team of Samantha Sommersby and Jeanne C. Stein, two friends who met at Comic- Con in San Diego and quickly bonded over a mutual love of good wine, edgy urban fantasy, and everything Joss Whedon.

Samantha Sommersby left what she used to call her “real- life” day job in the psychiatric !eld to pursue writing full- time in 2007. She is the author of more than ten novels and novellas including the critically acclaimed Forbidden series. She currently lives with her husband and terrier pup, Olive, in a century- old Southern California Craftsman. Sam happily spends her days immersed in a world where vampires, werewolves, and demons are real, myths, and legends are revered, magic is possible, and love still conquers all.

Jeanne Stein is the national bestselling author of The Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles. She also has numerous short story credits, including most recently the novella Blood Debt from the New York Times bestselling anthology Hexed. Her series has been picked up in three foreign countries and her short stories published in collections here in the U.S. and the U.K. She lives in Denver, Colorado, where she !nds gardening a challenge more daunting than navigating the world of mythical creatures.

AUTHOR CONTACT LINK

Website / Facebook Jeanne / Facebook Sam / Twitter Jeanne / Twitter Sam

Goodreads / Newsletter

Click on the cover below to get your copy of Cursed, Captured or Reckoning by S J Harper.

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GIVEAWAY

GRAND PRIZE: $50.00 Amazon Gift Certificate

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar at Home and let’s talk.

S.J. Harper’s CAPTURED Book Blast 6/23 – 7/27

6/23 Coffee Talk Writers

6/24 Musings In Fiction Alley

6/24 Addicted 2 Heroines

6/25 Binding Addiction

6/25 Night Owl Reviews

6/26 For Whom The Books Toll

6/26 Book Liaison

6/28 Under the Covers

6/28 fundinmental

6/29 Mythical Books

6/30 My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews

7/01 Eclipse Reviews

7/02 Fang Freakin Tastic

7/04 Tome Tender

7/05 In The Pages of a Good Book

7/06 I Smell Sheep

7/07 Book Monster Review

7/09 Karen Swart

7/11 Romancing the Dark Side

7/13 Dirty Girl Romance

7/13 Angels With Attitude Book Reviews

7/14 Talk Supe

7/14 Paranormal Romance Fans for Life

7/17 RomanceJunkies.com

7/21 Vampires, Werewolves, & Fairies, Oh My

7/23 Darkest Cravings

7/25 The Reading Cafe

7/25 LITERAL ADDICTION

7/25 Inner Goddess

7/26 Book Lovin’ Mamas

7/27 You Gotta Read

7/27 Dalene’s Book Reviews

Casey Keen is on tour with The Anna Wolfe Series with Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

Posted on June 18, 2014 by fundinmental

The Anna Wolfe Series by Casey Keen looks and sound like a fun read.

Anna’s sister is kidnapped and who comes to help Anna rescue her?

A werewolf and a warlock. What could possibly go wrong?

Read on for my review and a couple of awesome excerpts with a giveaway.

I’ll Be Damned, Book 1 of the Anna Wolfe Series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

ASIN: B00FM0NRKI

Book Length: 437 pages

Publisher: Nevermore Press

MY REVIEW OF I’LL BE DAMNED BY CASEY KEEN

I love the fun and colorful covers and the titles hooked me. Catchy, cute and appropriate. I’ll Be Damned is a sometimes comical look at the fight between good and evil, with supernatural fighters. God is a group of people called The Highers and Lucifer wants to wage war with the world.

Anna thinks things can’t get any worse. She tries to calm her mind to go to sleep, but her phone buzzes with a text message that her conscious won’t let her ignore.

“I’m coming for you.”

It is from her best friend, Kristy, who is the nicest person she knows. What the hell?

Can characters come alive? These do. You will love, hate and sympathize with them. I am going to let Anna, herself, introduce you to them.

Hi. I’m Anna Wolfe and I have an invisible traveler inside of me. I am different. I am supernatural. I run a coffee house called Deja Brew. I am rational, a bit nerdy and very career oriented. I do have a sense of humor. I was supposed to get married, but I was traded for a newer model. I was picked on at school and when the stress reached a toxic level and I was fed up with the crap, my powers came alive and so did I. I had always been plagued with nightmares, but recently they escalated and I saw a giant winged creature with lethal claws. Something told me it was real. (Anna made me think of Carrie.)

Cara is my younger sister. We have very different views of the world. She is superficial, a person that feels the world revolves around her. She only cares about men and money. She is getting married and driving me crazy with all the wedding details.

Janie is my older sister. We both feel the same about Cara, but she is our sister and we will do anything to protect her. Janie and I have similar personalities and we get along great. She literally bumped into her husband, Mike, and spilled her skinny caramel latte all over him. She set her sights on him and he didn’t stand a chance.

Martel is the owner/bartender of Wet Willies. (I couldn’t help but laugh at Anna’s description of him. He is a flamer and I fell in love with him. I had a friend just like him. One night, Anna goes to Wet Willies to meet her friend, Kristy. She wonders when the music became so loud and thinks she must be getting old. I couldn’t help but smile, because I can relate to her.)

Shane – when I met him I felt something was off about him, not quite right. The vibes coming off him were all bad and it set my spidey senses tingling.

Valen – I didn’t know it when I met him, but he is my guardian. One word can describe him– HOT. He is a beautiful, black werewolf.

Micah – I would find out the hard way that Micah is a warlock, a very determined warlock. He will do whatever it takes to get what he wants and he wants me.

Vulkodlaks – I met a new type of werewolf, or is it a vampire? They are a crossbreed.

The nuns should have handed out something useful, like a handbook To Hell: How To Defeat the Devil or The Survivors Guide in Hell.

“Anna, I’m here because of you.”

“You’re an anomaly.”

“You’re a witch, the most gifted of their kind.”

Anna’s friends and family stick by her, revealing secrets of their own as they battle the evil demons. Will they be able to stop them?

Just because we are in the supernatural world, that doesn’t mean that the does and don’ts of politics are forgotten. Everything has rules.

Anna thinks she’s see Jamie in the dark while looking out the window and chases after her. Oh man, with all the weird things going on, we all know better than that.

She annoys me going out in the dark alone, repeatedly only for something bad to happen to her. If she’s so immature or stupid to keep doing it, why aren’t her protectors following her out the door? Anna had temper tantrums and was acting like a lovesick teenager. More than once I wanted to smack her and tell her to grow up. She’s not a kid any more.

I reached the end and wanted more. Thank goodness, I have Book II of the Anna Wolfe Series, so I will be able to read on. Please come back in the near future to read my review of Saved by The Spell by Casey Keen.

4 Stars – Would Highly Recommend To Others

I received this book for review in conjunction with the tour. Thank you Casey Keen and Paranormal Cravings for the opportunity to review this ebook and give my honest and unbiased review. I look forward to reading and reviewing Saved By The Spell.

DESCRIPTION

A sister kidnapped.

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An impending war between Heaven and Hell looming around the corner.

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A Grand Witch who has no idea what she is.

The Prince of Darkness’s obsession in claiming her.

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Two sinfully gorgeous men pulling her in two different directions.

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As the owner of the coffee shop Deja Brew in Savannah, Georgia, Anna thought her life was ordinary. That is until her sister is kidnapped by a demon, prompting two handsome men to march into her life unexpectedly. Valen, the sinfully gorgeous, overprotective werewolf who is Anna’s sworn guardian and Roman, the most handsome and powerful Warlock in the entire Netherworld.

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Suddenly, her world is stripped of everything she knows and replaced with frightening news about who she really is – a powerful Grand Witch. Now, it’s up to her to draw out her dormant magic, rescue her sister and stop an impending heavenly war threatening to eradicate the human race all while staying alive.

EXCERPT

…Searing, damp stones press into my cheek, squishing my other eye closed. I sit up, wiping the nasty grime off my face. The slickness of it makes me wince. God knows what it is. I try to take a deep breath, but fail. Breathing is a chore in the dense, blistering air. It feels like I’m inhaling globs of boiling water. I stand, allowing my limbs time to regain their balance. Suddenly, I’m running down a passageway without any light to guide me… Thousands of butterflies take flight in my stomach as a current of air swiftly engulfs me. I’m falling at a high rate of speed, like the dip in a roller coaster, minus the excitement and safety harnesses. I try to scream, but panic hijacks my voice. I hit the bottom hard, miraculously unscathed.

I stand, wiping a sticky substance off my jeans. I try not to dwell on it. Lifting my arms, I extend them in front of me, searching for a doorway. My hands grope over the hundreds of clammy bricks surrounding me like the bottom of a well. In the loud silence, I hear my name, but Janie isn’t calling me. This voice is lower than a whisper, almost inaudible. Am I losing my mind? Confinement in closed quarters and pitch-black darkness have been known to do that. Again, I hear my name… Anna… It echoes off the tightly enclosed walls, and smacks my ears. It grows louder before abruptly stopping. A velvet voice soothes my sore ears, but makes me jump backwards. The back of my head rams the wall, forcing me to slink onto the ground. My muscles tense and my entire body begins to throb. I prop myself against the bricks, hoping it will cease. I attempt to fold my legs into my chest, but they rebel in pain. I focus my thoughts on survival, rather than the insects I know must be blanketing the ground…

Saved by the Spell, Book 2 of the Anna Wolfe Series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

ASIN: B00FS1RPLS

Book Length: 174 pages

DESCRIPTION

Two worlds in danger.

A Grand Witch behind bars.

A stunning Werewolf and a devilishly handsome Warlock’s pursuit for her affections.

You think you have it bad? Grand Witch Anna Wolfe awakens to find herself imprisoned by Micah, the Prince of Darkness. Micah’s on a quest for world domination—and it’s not just the Netherworld that’s in danger. The human world is threatened as well. Now, it’s up to Anna to escape from Micah’s clutches so she can locate The Scholars and an ancient book before both fall into the wrong hands.

With a fiercely loyal Werewolf and immensely powerful Warlock by her side, what can go wrong?

A lot apparently.

If fighting off the Prince of Darkness wasn’t enough, Anna’s emotions are a whirlwind, as she battles between what fate demands and what she actually wants.

EXCERPT

…His magic continues its course through me, draining all of mine. I need to resist… to fight him. I have to do something before he has the chance to completely snuff me out or find The Scholars. My jaw clenches and my hands roll into tight balls. My shoulders tense, preparing myself for the upcoming battle. I focus all of my energy into stopping him. Bit by bit, my magic shoves its way past his like a bully on a schoolyard. His grip stiffens. A trickle of blood glides down the side of my forearm from his piercing fingernails.

“Go ahead, Anna, fight me. I guarantee it will only hurt you more.”

I throw every memory and emotion Micah has created or tarnished, tossing them into the raging furnace of hate burning inside of me. I slam my eyelids shut and Valen’s face pops inside my head. I need to get back to him. I squeeze my eyes tightly, channeling all the vigor I have, hoping to push Micah out. A fissure breaks right down the middle of his magic, allowing mine to explode to the surface. I feel his power retreat as mine conquers his. I flip my eyes open, stealing a glimpse of his face…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I was born in Philadelphia, PA and grew up in the suburban outskirts of this amazing city. I love anything paranormal and/or supernatural – seriously I live in Philadelphia! For those of you who don’t know, this city is an awesomely haunted place! This healthy paranormal addiction has provided me the motivation to write my first book, “I’ll Be Damned.”

I graduated from Drexel University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and I’m currently working on the Anna Wolfe Series.

Buy Links

I’ll Be Damned on Amazon / Saved by the Spell on Amazon

Contact Links

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Amazon / You Tube

You can get your copy from Amazon by clicking on the cover below.

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GIVEAWAY

The Tour Giveaway will be: PDF copies of I’ll Be Damned and Saved by the Spell. To be entered, please leave your email and answer the question:

Which would you like to see Anna end up with – a werewolf or a warlock?

Giveaway closed. Winner – Kim @ Kimbacaffeinated

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar at Home and let’s talk.

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Mini Review – Twilight Hunter by Kait Ballenger

Posted on June 11, 2014 by fundinmental

Jace is a Hunter of the paranormal kind, but when he runs into Frankie his life is changed forever. Isn’t that how it usually goes? She is Alpha to the Rochester Pack, so the last thing he needs to do is get involved with a were. I lived in Rochester for ten years, so I was very familiar with the territory, but I never did run into a were or a hunter. Drat, I wouldn’t have minded running into Jace myself. He’s a good guy that gets a bad rap and a great example for the all males. I love books about serial killers and this had twists and turns that kept me turning the pages until the wee hours of the morning. Romance, lust, murder, jealousy and so much more abound in this novel of the paranormal.

I am looking forward to reading more about The Execution Underground. Rated for adults.

I won this signed first edition paperback on Dark Faerie Tales.

To get your copy of Twilight Hunter or learn more about Kait Ballenger, click on the cover above.

4 Stars – Would Highly Recommend to Others

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar at Home and let’s talk.

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Portals: A Fantasy Anthology Book Blitz Giveaway

Posted on June 5, 2014 by fundinmental

Happy Book Birthday to Portals!

(Grab your copy from Amazon by clicking on the cover)

Portals

Genre: Fantasy Anthology (mixed sub genres)

Release Date: June 5, 2014

Keywords: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Urban Fantasy, Steampunk, Short Stories, Picture Prompt

Description

No matter what world you call home, or what your station in life, there are just some paths that weren’t meant to be tread.

Ordinary World by Laurie Treacy

Imagine a new neighbor moves next door, a creepy guy who gives fifteen year-old Amy Silva the willies? Amy wonders what the stone archway in the backyard is for. Her life becomes even more stressful when her family reveals they’re witches.

Could Amy’s new neighbor have anything to do with a local girl’s disappearance or be a threat to her magical loved ones?

Maronda’s Quest by Christy Thomas

The Grand Wizard has decreed Maronda enter the Portal of Life to embark upon a quest of great importance, but despite her Ma’s claims it is a blessing, premonitions of danger persist.

Lenox works to prove his worth to wed her, his true love, but it appears a wizard plots to remove him from Maronda’s life forever. To secure their future together, Lenox decides to accompany her on the quest, even if forbidden. He must ultimately choose between using his dragon fighting skills which could lead to his death, or give Maronda her greatest desire.

In the end, it’s Maronda who must learn to live with the consequences of his decision.

Mexmur, the Huntress by Anna Simpson

Long ago a dragonkeeper betrayed his charges. To bring back magic, to set things right, Mexmur is sent through the portal.

Can she succeed armed with only a poem, talon and blade.

Entrance of Lost Souls by Echo Shea

A guardian to the entrances between worlds, Gladys has been called to bring a little girl back from Fairyland. Passing through the Entrance of Lost Souls is no fun, neither is hunting down a deranged banshee, but what is a guardian to do?

And, is the banshee really kidnapping the girl…or saving her from something else?

Where Once were Hearts by Havva Murat

After losing both his parents, his entire fortune and his childhood sweetheart, Master Bartholomew Battlesby sets out into the wilds of Northern England to make the acquaintance of his only surviving relation, the landed recluse, Mr. Horatio Grimsby who has an eerie penchant for both tinkering and clockwork. But, on finding his relation dead, with a gaping hole in his chest, and the beautiful, but scornful, Miss Evangeline Witherop ruling in his place, Bartholomew learns there is more than one way to lose your heart.

Can Bartholomew reignite the spirit of love and mercy within Miss Witherop, or will he suffer the same fate as his poor, heartless cousin?

The Lunatic Queen by Michael Siciliano

The land of Mershinka has been thrown into perpetual night. Their King is dead and a moon witch, known as The Night Queen, rules from the royal palace in Grosnov. An endless fog shrouds the land, killing crops and starving the populace. Cold-eyed enforcers put down rebellions while volksa, twisted wolf-creatures, roam the mists looking for prey. Many have given up hope and wait for the inevitable end. All seems lost.

Two teenagers, Pavel and Tamara, devise a plan to kill Vazya the Night Queen when the moons Kainsk and Seresnya are down, end the stifling enchantment, and bring the sun back to their dying land. But, they need a watch to tell time, a compass to guide them through the mists, weapons to fight off Vazya’s minions, and all the courage they can muster.

Purchase Links

PRINT

Roane Publishing / Createspace / Amazon

Digital

Roane Publishing /Amazon / Amazon (UK) / Barnes and Noble (Coming Soon)

Kobo (Coming Soon) / Smashwords / Bookstrand

OR, click on the cover below.

Tour Schedule

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GIVEAWAY

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos

Book Blitz and Tour-wide Giveaway

Paperback copy of Portals and a $10 Amazon gift card.

Ends 7/03/2014

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. No purchase necessary, but you must be 18 or older to enter. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter, and announced on the widget. Winner well be notified by emailed and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Roane Publishing’s marketing department.

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar at Home and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Awesome launch giveaway for Jennifer Armentrout’s LUX series: Beginnings and Consequences

Posted on June 3, 2014 by fundinmental

It’s here! Today is the day you can get the beautiful new bindups of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s LUX Series! Are you as excited as we are?

Doesn’t it look amazing? You don’t want to miss these or the bonus content included in each bindup! We have all the information for you below, and a fabulous giveaway for you. Make sure you check it all out and enter for your chance to win!

LUX: Beginnings

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble

LUX: Consequences

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble

ABOUT LUX: Beginnings

Now available together for the first time, don’t miss Obsidian and Onyx, the first two books in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s bestselling Lux series. Also includes bonus content exclusive to the print edition! “A thrilling ride from start to finish,” says RT Book Reviews.

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don’t kill him first, that is.

ABOUT LUX: Consequences

Now available together for the first time, don’t miss Opal and Origin, the third and fourth books in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s bestselling Lux series. Also includes bonus content exclusive to the print edition! “A thrilling ride from start to finish,” says RT Book Reviews.

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well… There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different… And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger…and they know it.

OPPOSITION Comes out August 5^th! Pre-Order It Now!

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble

About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.