Giveaway & Excerpt for The 52nd by Dela

Posted on August 31, 2015 by fundinmental

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Just looking at the creepy cover, I knew I had to share.

What does it say to you?

Add me to Goodreads now.

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Book & Author Details:

The 52nd by Dela
Publication date: October 27th 2014
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

SYNOPSIS

Not one of the sacrifices chosen over the long history had survived–until now.

On the tip of the Yucatan peninsula, the immortal Castillo family gathers in Tulum. Weary and haunted, they receive the names of fifty-two human sacrifices chosen once every fifty-two years for the Underworld, a tradition thought to have disappeared with the fall of the Aztec and Mayan empires.

Driving home one night, college freshman Zara Moss swerves to avoid hitting a ghastly figure in the road. Lucas Castillo witnesses the car crash, but when it comes time to supervise her abduction from the wreckage, he intervenes. Something is different about Zara: Lucas has been having dreams of her arrival for five hundred years.

As Lucas and Zara come together to put an end to the bloody sacrifices, they discover that the ancient tradition isn’t so easily broken. The gods are angry, and they have until the Winter Solstice to drag Zara to the Underworld.

Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

EXCERPT

“LOOK OUT!” she screamed, pointing to the front window.

A black figure stood in the beam of our headlights. I slammed my foot on the brakes, but they locked and the car began to skid. The smell of burning rubber filled the car as we screeched across the asphalt. The man didn’t move, and as we neared him, I cranked the wheel to the right as fast as possible to avoid him. We screamed as the car spun out of control.

As we skidded closer to the unmoving figure, I thought he was done for. I expected him to bounce up onto the windshield and shatter the window into thousands of tiny pieces. But the briefest second before impact, my door rushing directly at him, I saw—

It was not a man.

—-

AUTHOR BIO

Dela is the debut author of THE 52ND saga, a multicultural paranormal for young adults. Before tracing the minds of Aztec gods, Dela worked as a paralegal and could be found snowboarding at Brianhead, Utah. She currently lives in Las Vegas with her husband, three kids, and two exceptionally fat Chihuahuas. Her website is www.delaauthor.com.

Author links: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

One (1) ebook copy of The 52nd Open internationally.

Giveaway – Shadow in the Sea by Sheila A Nielson

Posted on August 25, 2015 by fundinmental

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I would like to welcome Sheila A Nielson to fundinmental. I love mermaids, so I am very eager to begin. What do you have to share with us today, Sheila?

Your newest book, Shadow in the Sea is a follow-up to the mermaid novel, Forbidden Sea, published by Scholastic Press. Do you have to read Forbidden Sea first in order to enjoy Shadow in the Sea?
Shadow in the Sea is more of a companion novel rather than a true sequel to Forbidden Sea. I knew this book would be the first time visiting Windwaithe Island for many readers—so I wrote Shadow in the Sea as a stand-alone. If readers decide they like Shadow in the Sea, they can always go back and read Forbidden Sea to find out what happened before.

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Why mermaids? Or should I say, mermaids and mermen—since one of the main characters in Shadow in the Sea is a handsome merprince.
I was first introduced to Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairytale, The Little Mermaid, as a child. My family had an illustrated version of the story and I used to look at the pictures in it again and again. I hated the whole lose-the-guy-and-turn-into-sea-foam-ending—so I would imagine my own mermaid stories to go along with the pictures. Ones with much better endings.
After I became a children’s librarian, I noticed that many girls who came in asked for mermaid books. We didn’t have a lot of them so the kids left looking very disappointed. I thought to myself, Someone needs to write more mermaid stories. That’s when I realized that person could be me. When I finally got around to writing my mermaid stories, I found myself revisiting some of the things I’d first imagined about mermaids back in my elementary school days.

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Do you think there are real mermaids out there in the ocean somewhere?
You would be surprised how often I get asked that question. I, myself, am a complete skeptic, though, nothing would make me happier than to be proven wrong. I will say this—while doing my research for Shadow in the Sea I discovered there are a lot of people who strongly believe in mermaids—both in present day and historically. In fact, the Orkney Islands have an extensive history when it comes to mermaid sightings. (Try Googling “Deerness Mermaid” sometime and see what you find!)

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What part of Shadow in the Sea did you enjoy writing most?
The Sea Prince, Araedyn, was the most complicated (and enjoyable) character to write in Shadow in the Sea. Because he speaks only merlanguage, I had to find other ways to communicate his story and personality to the main character, and the reader. As an author, I know a great many private details about my characters. Some of this information can’t be fit into the final story. In the first book, Forbidden Sea, I didn’t have time to flesh out Prince Araedyn the way I wanted to. Shadow in the Sea finally gave me a chance to bring the mysterious merprince front and center, the way I’d been dying to from the start.

Are any of your characters based on real people?
An author writes what she knows, so bits and pieces of real people do sneak in here and there. However, there is only one character in Shadow in the Sea who is completely based on reality. Dartemore, the horse. My grandfather owned an animal just like him while I was growing up. He was a one man horse who adored my grandpa and hated everyone else. If he could have slept at the end of my grandfather’s bed like a dog, he would have. When grandpa rode the horse, he lifted up his feet and let his tail fly high. When I got on him he tried to kill me. Every. Single. Time.

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Fictional characters often find themselves in situations they’re not sure they can get out of. Have you ever found yourself in a situation like that? What did you do?
I almost drowned when I was young. I was swimming in a lake all alone. (A really stupid thing to do!) I felt something swim into my legs under the water—either a good sized fish or a water snake—I ‘m not sure which. I panicked, started thrashing around, and quickly went under. I remember looking down through the water and realizing that I couldn’t see the bottom because it was so dark and deep. Luckily, I was able to calm down enough to stop flailing and float back up to the surface before it was too late. I’ve had a phobia of fish and deep water ever since. This made writing about merfolk who live fathoms beneath the surface of the ocean an interesting experience. There were times I had to take a break from writing because I would start to feel like I couldn’t breathe.

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You are a children’s librarian as well as an author. Do you find this affects your writing in any way?
Children want to share their joy when it comes to reading. I’ve had the plots of far too many novels spoiled for me by eager young library patrons who just wanted to tell me everything about their favorite book. I don’t mind one bit. This has given me a unique understanding of what kids do and don’t like when reading a book. Sometimes, I find myself thinking, What would the kids at the library like to see happen in this chapter? then I write the scene accordingly. Kids love fun little details that don’t necessarily have anything to do with the book’s main plot. The game of Quiddich is a great example of this. In Shadow in the Sea, the Sea Prince has eyes that change color based on his emotions and moods. I recently had a young fan write me an email to ask if I could please make a list of every eye color and its corresponding emotion and send it to her as quickly as possible.
There is one other perk to being a librarian author. Kids will sometimes come to the reference desk and ask me for one of my own books—never realizing I’m the one who wrote it.

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Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?
A couple of years ago, I wrote a paranormal romance story about a haunted doll museum. It was much scarier and darker than anything else I’ve ever written. It was so creepy one member of my writer’s group decided they didn’t want to finish it. That book is one of my favorites despite the fact that it may never be published.

What would Sadelyn, Shadow in the Sea’s protagonist, think about you if she could meet you?
After everything I put her through in this story–she would probably refuse to even speak to me. Sade would forgive me in time, but then find some sneaky way to let me know she didn’t approve of my methods of entertaining readers at her expense.

A very entertaining interview. Thanks so much for sharing, Sheila.

Add me to Goodreads now.

Book & Author Details:

Shadow in the Sea by Sheila A. Nielson
Publication date: July 15th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

SYNOPSIS

When sixteen-year-old Sadelyn Hanson washes up on the shores of Windwaithe Island, her beauty and the strange marks on her wrist make superstitious locals suspect she is a mermaid. Feigning amnesia, Sade hides a far worse secret: she was sailing to her own murder trial when she was thrown overboard by the real killer, the cunning and cruel Captain Westwood.

Sade’s quiet effort to rebuild her life on the island is threatened when she meets an actual young merman. Unable to speak his language, Sade still longs for the warm companionship he offers, despite the locals’ dire legends about merfolk and their dark magic. But her confused feelings for the impossible boy become the least of her problems when Captain Westwood’s ship docks at Windwaithe. With nowhere to escape, Sade must trust in the one person who doesn’t fear the merfolk. A woman who had dealings with them herself—years ago.

Purchase: Amazon / B & N / eBook Mall

ABOUT SHEILA A NEILSON

Sheila never did figure out what she wanted to be when she grew up. She graduated from college with a BFA in illustration, has worked as a children’s librarian for over eighteen years, and would eventually like to be a full-time author. Why pick one career when you can have many? Sheila lives with her two pets, a goffin cockatoo and a tiny toy poodle. She was born and raised in California but has come to also love her adopted home in Utah where she currently resides.

Author links: Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

GIVEAWAY IS OVER

(1) ebook copy of Shadow in the Sea. Open internationally.

Ends 9/8/15.

What was your favorite question/answer in the interview?

Winner is Laura Thomas.

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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.

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

Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

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Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L Reid

Posted on August 3, 2015 by fundinmental

Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L Reid is a paranormal series that will have you asking for more. I love the title and the cover spoke to me, kinda creeping me out. LOL

Check out the pretties and be sure to read to the end to enter the giveaway.

Add me to Goodreads now.

MY REVIEW

The Pretty Dark Nothing series has some of the most beautiful covers foreshadowing the story of the paranormal and supernatural. There was no way I was missing out on reading Pretty Dark Nothing, with a cover like that and the writing on the tombstone.

Quinn is being terrorized in her dreams, but the terror keeps escalating and now she lives in fear during the daylight hours. She is afraid to sleep, afraid to close her eyes, afraid to be alone, afraid of the dark, dark shadows that were after her. How long could she go without sleep, popping caffeine pills and sucking on energy drinks.

Aaron had died, along with his mother and sister, but he had been brought back to life. He came back with a gift and a curse. His music saved him after the accident. His father struggled at the loss, barely making it through each day.

Quinn was drawn to the new guy, Aaron. He was so mysterious and private, that he created interest for that very reason. He felt the connection too. Was it telepathy? Was it more than that?

Jeff is her ex boyfriend, even though it takes all her effort to stay away from him. He is now dating a snotty cheerleader and I think he is getting his due.

Marcus is Aaron’s best friend and has his eyes on Reese, Quinn’s best friend. He is a fun loving, big hearted, happy go lucky kind of guy. These two stick with Aaron and Quinn through thick and thin, half the time not even understanding what is going on. They are the yin and yang of friendships.

The love triangle in Young Adult is a common theme. As long as the story is written well and the relationships seem real enough, I can live with that. Teenagers can be dramatic and confused by such powerful emotions, but they are not alone. Love is love, no matter what age and being dumped is a personal rejection. I wanted her over the jock and moving on.

The novel is told from both Quinn and Aaron’s perspective. This caused the book to be drawn out and drag in parts, but it surprised me how quickly I became invested in Quinn, then Quinn and Aaron. Two damaged and lonely people drawn together. Heather kept the suspense and anticipation alive, even though I did not feel a sense of urgency. I was still very curious about why Quinn and Aaron seem to be so important – to who?

When Heather L Reid mentions Carl Sagan and Cosmos, I thought we had another connection.

Book II is available, so no waiting is necessary and I didn’t. I jumped right in to Pretty Dark Sacrifice.

I received Pretty Dark Nothing from Heather L Reid in return for an honest and unbiased review.

3 Stars

ENTER HERE FOR THE GIVEAWAY AND MY REVIEW OF PRETTY DARK SACRIFICE

SYNOPSIS

It’s been twenty three days since Quinn has slept for more than minutes at a time. Demons have invaded her dreams, stalking her, and whispering of her death. The lack of sleep and crippling fear are ruining her life. Energy drinks and caffeine pills don’t make a dent. When Quinn dozes off in the school hallway, Aaron, an amnesiac with a psychic ability, accidentally enters her nightmare. The demons are determined to keep them apart, and Aaron from discovering the secret locked away in his memory. Together, they could banish the darkness back to the underworld for good. That is, unless the demons kill them first.

ENTER HERE FOR THE GIVEAWAY AND MY REVIEW OF PRETTY DARK SACRIFICE

ABOUT HEATHER L. REID

Heather L. Reid is both American and British and has called six different cities in three different countries, home. Her strong sense of wanderlust and craving for a new adventure mean you might find her wandering the moors of her beloved Scotland, exploring haunted castles, or hiking through a magical forest in search of fairies and sprites. When she’s not venturing into the unknown in her real life, she loves getting lost in the worlds of video games or curling up by the fire with good story. For now, this native Texan is back in the Lone Star State, settling down with her Scottish husband and writing new tales of fantasy and horror.

ENTER HERE FOR THE GIVEAWAY AND MY REVIEW OF PRETTY DARK SACRIFICE

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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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Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

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Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Adventures in Freyna – Exile by Sally Ann Melia

Posted on July 23, 2015 by fundinmental

Sally Ann Melia caught me totally off guard with this awesome story of two young boys lives, in the Guy Erma and the Son of Empire series.

I have read and reviewed the first book, Kidnap, and fell in love with it., so now I am sharing Exile, Part III in the series. You can see my review for Kidnap HERE and my review for Hunter HERE.

Add to Goodreads

Cover: Nevena, Sugarbricks

MY REVIEW

Spoiler Alert: Even though Exile is Part Three of the Guy Erma and the Son of Empire series, I have tried to keep my comments general to keep from giving away any of the goodies contained between the pages.

Exile is Part Three of the Guy Erma and the Son of Empire series. If you are a fan of action and adventure with some science fiction thrown in, this is a series for you. Each book picks up where the other left off. I was fortunate enough to receive Hunter and Exile before I was done with Kidnap, so I was able to continue reading this fantastic series.

The artwork by Sally Dickson will help you see things as they really are, whether it be a character or one of the creatures. We have both probably watched some of the same movies that help to visualize the world and some of the action sequences Sally Ann Melia has created.

I love the combination of fashion, politics and thrills. At times I cannot help but smile and sometimes a chuckle passes over my lips. At least the characters will be fashionable dressed while they are fighting.

Each boy contributes a vital component that brings them together as friends and leaders.

My mother is visiting from out of state and I was very bad. I ignored her so I could finish this series and I loved it.

Kids of all ages will love meeting Teo, Guy, Des and Sebastian. I had characters that I rooted for and characters that I wanted to get what’s coming to them. Sounds like real life.

I find myself lost in the world of Freyna and want to return there as soon as possible. I was lucky enough to have all three of these, but now I have to wait. 😥 How many books will there be? When is the next one due out? Inquiring minds want to know.

I received Exile by Sally Ann Melia in return for an honest review.

5 Stars

SYNOPSIS

13-year-old Teodor has found a way to escape from kidnap, how long before he is safely home?

13-year-old Guy Erma has run away from everything he has even known and no longer knows what the future holds.

They escaped through dark tunnels and back alleys but they also discovered a hidden terror that now threatens their entire planet.

Two boys as different as two boys might be. Their adventure has forged an unexpected friendship, but do they really trust each other?

Dare they share their darkest, deepest secrets?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sally Ann Melia The author was born in Wallasey, England, in 1964, and moved to the South of France when she was eleven. She spent her teenage years living in the cosmopolitan city state of Monaco and became immersed in its many languages and cultures. An English girl in a French school, for three hours each week she would sit at the back of the class as her colleagues learnt English. To pass the time, she wrote stories. This led to a lifetime of writing novels, scripts, stories and articles.

In her working life, Sally writes marketing communications and manages large international websites.

In 2010, Sally joined the Hogs Back Writers, a club located on the outskirts of Guildford, and she set about turning an old manuscript into this novel: Guy Erma and the Son of Empire. Sally currently lives in Farnham, and she is married with two children.

Connect with Sally: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

Exile

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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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Awesome Mermaid Giveaway and Novella – How to be a Mermaid by Erin Hayes

Posted on July 8, 2015 by fundinmental

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I am so excited to be able to share Erin Hayes new novella, How To Be a Mermaid.

I have the option to share so many things, it was hard to choose. Everyone likes a bit of music, so I chose to share the song list. Here is a little something to listen to while you see the great things I have to share.

How to be a Mermaid Soundtrack:

Below is a list of songs that I listened to while writing How to be a Mermaid. Each of these songs helped to get me into the right mindset in order to pretend that I was a mermaid!

Go – Grimes featuring Blood Diamonds
Can’t Hold Us – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Never Let Me Go – Florence and the Machine
What the Water Gave Me – Florence and the Machine
Start a Riot – Jetta
Believe – Mumford and Sons
I Will Wait – Mumford and Sons
Dirty Paws – Of Monsters and Men
Anything Could Happen – Ellie Goulding
Part of Your World – Jodi Benson from The Little Mermaid ß No mermaid soundtrack would be complete without that song!

Check out the beautiful cover, keep scrolling to check out more about the story and enter the awesome giveaway! I want to wish you good luck in the giveaway, but I want to win it too. LOL

Add me to Goodreads now.

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How to be a Mermaid by Erin Hayes
(Falling in Deep Collection, #10)
Publication date: July 7th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

SYNOPSIS

All Tara ever wanted was to be a mermaid.

So she takes a year off between high school and college to don a fake tail and tour aquariums across the country in a professional mermaid troupe.

Everything’s great until she meets a gorgeous real-life merman named Finn. Suddenly, what she thought was a dream turns out to be a nightmare — she’s turning into a mermaid herself. For real.

Yet when she returns to the sea to seek out Finn and reverse her transformation, she finds herself in the middle of an impending war between the land and sea. Tara may have always wanted to be a mermaid, but now it’s sink or swim. In order to survive, she has to learn how to be one, too.

Summer 2015, award-winning, and best-selling authors will bring you romantic tales of mermaids, sirens, sprites, and other creatures of the deep! Keep in touch as we reveal each title in our collection!

Purchase: Amazon I B&N

ABOUT ERIN HAYES

CASTKatie_McGrath Sci-fi junkie, video game nerd, and wannabe manga artist Erin Hayes writes a lot of things. Sometimes she writes books, like the fantasy mystery novel Death is but a Dream, the sci-fi middle grade book Jacob Smith is Incredibly Average, and the Her Wolf paranormal series.She works as an advertising copywriter during the day, and she moonlights as an author. She has lived in New Zealand, Texas, and now in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, cat, and a growing collection of geek paraphernalia.You can reach her at erinhayesbooks@gmail.com and she’ll be happy to chat. Especially if you want to debate Star Wars.

Author links: Goodreads I Website I Facebook I Twitter

GIVEAWAY

Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)

A mermaid care package to help you be the best mermaid:
- A signed copy of How to be a Mermaid
- Tara’s necklace
- Two Mermaid Mix soaks
- A mermaid mirror compact
- Six starfish hairpins
- A mermaid wallet
- Mermaid perfume
- Mermaid Tail Nail Polish
- A mermaid makeup bag
- Four Little Mermaid Buttons
- And one mermaid handbag to carry all your dinglehoppers

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.

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

Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Can they save the Dome – Hunter by Sally Ann Melia

Posted on July 7, 2015 by fundinmental

Sally Ann Melia caught me totally off guard with this awesome story of two young boys lives, in the Guy Erma and the Son of Empire series.

I have read and reviewed the first book, Kidnap, and fell in love with it., so now I am sharing Hunter, Part II in the series. You can see my review for Kidnap HERE.

Add to Goodreads

Cover: Nevena, Sugarbricks

MY REVIEW

Spoiler Alert: Even though Hunter is Part Two of the Guy Erma and the Son of Empire series, I have tried to keep my comments general to keep from giving away any of the goodies contained between the pages.

Hunter is Part Two of the Guy Erma and the Son of Empire series. If you are a fan of action and adventure with some science fiction thrown in, this is a series for you. Each book picks up where the other left off. I loved Kidnap, Part One, so much, that I grabbed Hunter and started to read as soon as the package arrived.

I have watched movies that enable me to visualize the world Sally Ann Melia has created with her detailed and descriptive writing. Also, the artwork by Sally Dickson will help you see things as they really are, whether it be a character or one of the creatures.

We have a Dome, flying discs, fashion shows and models, cysects, poison pills, borgs and so much more.

There is political intrigue, betrayal, telepathy, thought control, even a telepathic shapeshifter that you better keep your eye on.

Sometimes your enemy will be your friend and ally, so do not be too quick to judge.

Would a romance among an unlikely pair save the Dome?

I love the world of Freyna that Sally Ann Melia has created. The characters, even though they are young, are brave and heroic. Even the bad ones are well developed and end up winning me over, except for the evil….well, I don’t want to spoil anything so I will leave it to you to find out.

Sally Ann Melia’s imaginative and descriptive writing describing the fight is amazing and I couldn’t put the book down until the last word was read. I have the next one, Part Three, Exile, and I want to pick it up right now, but it is late and tomorrow is another day.

My only complaint, Hunter seemed to start out a bit slow, but the ending was fantastic!

I received Hunter by Sally Ann Melia in return for an honest review.

4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

How dare you? How dare you hold me captive?

13-year-old Teodor was taken by the vicious Battle Borgs of Dome and now he must fight to survive.

13-year-old Guy Erma has been offered a chance to fight for his place in the Dome Elite. Only who will be his opponent? Will he face a Battle Borg of Dome?

Once they were heroes. These men died as heroes in battle. Now they have been reincarnated as the fearsome vanguard of the Dome Elite. They are the Battle Borgs of Dome.

Two boys as different as any two boys might be. They face the same enemy, the same danger, the same fear – dare they trust each other?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

In her working life, Sally writes marketing communications and manages large international websites.

Connect with Sally: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

Exile

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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.

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

Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Teaser Tuesday #44 – Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L Reid

Posted on June 30, 2015 by fundinmental

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

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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Pretty Dark Nothing, Book I, by Heather L Reid is a horror novel that’s a bit different from the norm. Sure there are demons and a battle between good and evil, but we also have a psychic and an amnesiac (why an amnesiac is a story in itself). I am really on Book II, Pretty Dark Sacrifice of the Pretty Dark series. It is available for pre order, so if you like Pretty Dark Nothing, you won’t have long to wait.

Add Me to Goodreads now.

TEASE ONE

It only took a second for the veil between reality and nightmare to rip.

TEASE TWO

Dragging Quinn through the splintered void, the fog suspended her in its web across the black abyss of the tunnel below, until, one by one, the tendrils unraveled and dissipated into the walls, leaving gravity to pull her into a long, terrifying free fall.(1% on Kindle)

SYNOPSIS

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I am a “cover girl”. What do you think of the cover for Pretty Dark Sacrifice by Heather L Reid by Mette Breth Designs?

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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.

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

Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

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Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

To Be Or Not To Be: Scales by Pauline Creeden

Posted on June 18, 2015 by fundinmental

Welcome to my stop for Scales by Pauline Creeden.

I am so excited to share this mer Novella.

I am loving the awesome cover, but I have so much more to share with you. Be sure and read my review and the excerpt we are sharing today.

Add me to Goodreads now.

Cover: Quirky Bird

MY REVIEW

Scales by Pauline Creeden is a mermaid novella and does not stand alone.

I love anything to do with mer people and when I see a book, I will grab it pronto. The cover is beautiful and the title catchy, makes me think I will enjoy Pauline’s writing.

The Reckoning has come for Verona. Will she choose the land or the sea?

I wonder…do mers go to school? Do they learn to read and write? Do they quote Shakespeare?

Pauline’s vivid and detailed description of Verona changing from breathing water to breathing air had me hanging on her every word.

I feel Verona’s sense of accomplishment when she catches her first fish. She has worked hard to learn something I had thought would come easily to her. Pauline does a great job of showing us her growth and development as she struggles to survive.

Verona has made friends with the horses of Chincoteague. When the annual roundup occurrs, she feels like she is losing her furry friends. At least they will be together, she thinks, but she is so alone. I have read about the horses and find it fascinating.

I do not see a lot of mer books, so I am always on the lookout for an original approach to the subject. Pauline’s writing kept my interest throughout the novella.

The novella ends abruptly and I was pissed. LOL Now I have to wait to find out what happens next, but I will be waiting.

I received Scales by Pauline Creeden in return for an honest review.

3 Stars

BLURB

Verona is a bottom feeder. She is the one mer in her clan who is considered the ugliest and least intelligent. Growing up with the constant bullying and abuse wasn’t the worst of what her kind had in store for her. At seventeen years old, she must now endure “The Reckoning.”

The scales will measure her worth to her clan. Will she endure thirty days as a land-walker to gather information and knowledge to appease her clan and return a valued member? Will she wait three years, until she is twenty, and find a mer of her kind to accept her and marry her? Or will she suffer exile for the rest of her life?

Genre: YA

Buy on Amazon Available May 26th

ABOUT PAULINE CREEDEN

Pauline Creeden is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. In her fiction, she creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.

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Giveaway ~ Fated by Joanne Kershaw

Posted on May 20, 2015 by fundinmental

2015-FatedBookBlitzBanner[1]

Welcome to my stop for Fated by Joanne Kershaw.

Add me to Goodreads now.

FATED (Vanguard Legacy #3)

by Joanne Kershaw

YA Fantasy

Published by Xchyler Publishing on April 25^th, 2015

Defeated but not vanquished, the foes of light have retreated. But victory came at a terrible cost to Elora Walker, with her friends lost and scattered. Eleven months later and just seventeen, she commands her own Vanguard quad but struggles with a past that won’t release her and a future she hesitates to embrace.

The barriers between worlds continues to weaken, Dark Seekers are emboldened, and David still plans to engulf humanity in eternal night. Elora means to end the threat once and for all but dreads the personal consequences. Will saving the world demand the ultimate sacrifice? And who must pay it?

Amazon UK – Amazon US

EXCERPT

I thought that, with this being book three, it might be a good idea to introduce you a little to Elora’s new world and the new cast of characters in her life. The main events of Fated take place almost a year after the conclusion of Reflected, and a lot has changed for Elora. Now an active Vanguard, she is finally living an ‘ordinary’ life—you know, aside from the mind-reading and exceptional speed, strength and senses! Enjoy!

My back slammed into the red brick wall, and a hot breath rushed out of me. Gasping, my eyes flickered shut for a second before I felt myself rise again. Cold, hard hands gripped my neck and lifted me until my face was level with a pair of menacing, soulless black eyes. I didn’t wriggle or squirm, not that I didn’t want to, but the hold the vampire had on my neck was choking the life out of me. Pushing out with my mind, I tried to find my back-up. Where on the Spirits was the rest of my quad?

My quad, however, seemed oddly absent, and I felt my heart beat grow a little more frantic—and probably more delicious-sounding considering my current company. Desperate now, I swung my legs up hard and punched my feet into the centre of the vampire’s chest. A dead thud reverberated through me. He snarled derisively while I pushed against him, trying to force him to release his grip on my throat. One shove, another. The third time, I summoned all of the Vanguard strength I had in me.

I caught the smug creature off-guard—my short stature often led my enemies into a false sense of security. His grasp loosened for a fraction of a second and I twisted away, both of us falling in a tangled heap on the floor while I gasped for breath. I scrambled away, the dirt from the alley pushing up under my fingernails as I skittered backwards. The vampire moved fast, and I was unable to put any real distance between us before his shadow loomed above me.

I cast my eyes towards the shadow, trying to anticipate the creature’s next move. It was not the vampire but my quadmate and commander, Marcus. He held his finger to his lips and I listened inside instead.

“The rest of the quad are behind you, Elora,” came Marcus’ calm, calculating voice. “We need to draw him that way if we’re going to take him alive.” This steady-in-the-face-of-danger attitude was something I had come to expect of Marcus during the last few months, and so I nodded, the panic fading as quickly as it had come.

Marcus slipped back behind a portion of the wall and continued his commands, relying on me to pass them around the quad. This was what I did, after all—human telephone. A sudden lump rose into my throat as the phrase fluttered through my brain, my assigned Vanguard Superior had coined it and he had died a little over six months ago whilst trying to protect me. He was an honourable man. I had trusted him and he had believed in me. It still hurt that he was gone. I had little time to think about it, though; the vampire had hold of my ankle and was slowly lifting me up. The tendons in my ankle popped, straining against my weight. My short, auburn hair slipped from its ponytail as I was lifted completely off the ground.

“They sent a little girl for me?” laughed a dry voice. We had reached the obligatory ‘just before you die’ gloating, and I steeled myself for the usual barrage of taunts and mockery. “Did they really think you would be able to take me down?” the vampire continued. I squirmed a little, making it look good. I knew the others were about to make their move and I was waiting as patiently as I could. “Little girl, I am Ramos. I have been alive probably ten times your lifespan! How dare you think you can kill me?” It was clear that Ramos needed this to be a two-way affair, so I joined in—if only to shut him up.

“Maybe I just look good for my age?” I coughed. It turned out it was difficult to speak when suspended upside down.

Marcus whispered to me that it was probably best not to antagonise the monster any more, but it was a little late for that.

“Good for your . . . ha!” Ramos mocked. “The lack of marks on your uniform show me just how little you are, girl.” The silver flecks on my sleeve were on the sparse side—but I was still new, really, so twelve was pretty good. With a sudden surge, the vampire wrenched me up and around, spinning me so that he once again gripped my neck rather than my ankle. Then he whispered darkly, “I think I will drink you slowly, painfully. Punishment for your arrogance.”

“Now would be a great time to perform your daring rescue!” I urged my quadmates silently. I saw them about the same time as Ramos heard them. They slipped in from three sides and completely surrounded him, like moths to a flame. His grip tightened on my neck for a moment and then he lowered me. Turning slowly, he looked to each of my team in turn. He was no doubt realising that I was the very junior of juniors when it came to Vanguards, and that my quad most definitely were not.

Marcus had his arms folded loosely across his chest. His forearms glistened in the faint orange glow from the distant streetlights. He had many more kills and captures to his name and he was not alone. Simon had an equally glittering past. Finally, Maria, who had been here only six months longer than I, certainly had her fair share.

“Well, well! I see this has become more of a banquet than a snack!” Ramos ran his tongue slowly over his teeth as if to prove his point. All at once, I lashed out with my foot, striking him in the back of the head and nudging him forward. Simon and Maria each grabbed an arm, and Marcus pushed his iron stake firmly through Ramos’ heart. He gasped a chalky breath before disintegrating gently into a fine grey powder. He really never saw it coming, how would he when the signal was invisible?
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Other books in the series
Foretold (Vanguard Legacy #1)
Reflected (Vanguard Legacy #2)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joanne_Kershaw[1] Joanne Kershaw lives in Wakefield, England, with her husband, four young children, and an uppity cat named Dipstick. As a teacher of five- to eleven-year-olds, she spends her days playing at being a grownup, then goes home to delve into Young Adult dark romance and being sixteen again. Joanne lives and breathes books, whether reading, writing, or marking them. She wrote her first novel in six weeks. Encouraged to submit her work by a friend and fellow YA novel addict, Joanne now finds herself a signed author at Xchyler Publishing.

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GIVEAWAY

GRAND PRIZE:

$10 Amazon Gift Card + E-copies of the Vanguard Legacy Trilogy

RUNNER-UPS:

E-copies of the Vanguard Legacy Trilogy + swag
E-copy of Foretold

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER 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.

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

Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Review: Kidnap by Sally Ann Melia

Posted on May 13, 2015 by fundinmental

Sally Ann Melia caught me totally off guard with this awesome story of two young boys lives, in Kidnap.

I will be making a note of this series so I will be sure and follow up with her future work.

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Cover: Nevena, Sugarbricks

MY REVIEW

I wasn’t sure about this book, but something kept pulling at me. It didn’t take long before I was fully involved in Teo and Guy’s world. I could not put it down and read it through in one sitting.

Teo is a recalcitrant prince, soon to be king and Emperor.

Guy Erma is an orphan who dreams of becoming one of the Dome Elite.

Two boys growing up, so different, yet the same. They have desires and insecurities, egos and jealousy.

When Teo has a nightmare of the tunnels…and finds himself taken there, I immediately tried to figure out who was behind the kidnapping. He just happens to be a pawn in the ‘game’ that is being played for the title of Emperor of Freyne.

The characters had me eating out of their hands and I think they will grow and develop into some exceptional people who think outside the box, making unpopular moves that take their world to a better place.

D’Elen McClain’s writing took me on a space odyssey that included all the things necessary to take me out of this world. We have shapeshifting aliens, telepaths and suicide fighters. Political intrigue, terrorism, plague. Wonderful writing, great world building and so much more.

I love the gorans, giant cats that are ridden like a horse, making me think of the creatures in Star Wars.

The thrill and suspense held my attention throughout and I love that D’Elen showed the good and bad of her characters, making them more believable.

I am curious how she will bring the different worlds together. This may be fiction, but it brings to mind some of the problems of our own world and the question of…will we ever learn to live in harmony with one another?

I want to know more of the story of Teo and Guy. Will Nell play an important part in the future? 🙂

I received this book in return for an honest review.

5 Stars

SYNOPSIS

I don’t want to go… Do I have to go? 13-year-old Prince Teodor of Freyne knows his duty to the memory of his father and his kingdom. Always, he must help those less fortunate than himself. Yet a frightening nightmare fills him with foreboding, but still he must go – into the Dome.13-year-old Guy Erma lives in the shadow of the Dome, he has no father and no mother and his future is uncertain, he must start earning a living when he turns 14. He knows not where he will live or even how he will eat, and his only dream is to enter the military academy – at the heart of the Dome.Two boys as different as any two boys might be. One act of cruelty will throw their lives together, but who dare they trust?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

In her working life, Sally writes marketing communications and manages large international websites.