Today's Special Guest Author Is:
Ashley Fontainne
A little about Ashley Fontainne taken from her website:
My earliest memories from childhood are of reading. Growing up as an only child, I found solace from the lonely times in books. I believe, at one time, I owned every Nancy Drew book available, and read them all numerous times. During those early years of my life, I became hooked into the world of mystery and suspense. I began to write poetry and short stories in high school, although I rarely shared my musings except to a few select friends and one lovely English teacher. It was a beautiful release for me to scribble down my thoughts in a journal, whether the words stemmed from joyous events or tragic ones.
As I grew, I discovered Stephen King, James Patterson, Robin Cook and John Grisham. I fell in love with all of their works, especially those of Stephen King. The way that gifted man strings words together is nothing short of amazing. By the time high school rolled around and I was introduced to classical literature, I was thoroughly addicted to the written word, especially thrillers that tugged at the heart strings.
Out of all the great classical texts that deal with revenge, the one that became a part of me, and what inspired me to pen Accountable to None, was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas. The physical and emotional pain suffered by Edmund Dantes left me an emotional wreck. His calculated plans against all those that used him as a pawn in their life-altering game fascinated me. Edmund's transformation from the meek, mild-mannered gentleman into a revenge-fueled creature is truly a dark glimpse into the ravaged remains of a ruined mind.
Revenge for injustices perpetrated upon us is a tightly interwoven thread of the human condition. Responding to immoral acts in a violent manner has been a part of society since the beginning of time. The only thing that has changed over the centuries is the means by which an avenger might seek to accomplish their redemptive plans.
Book 1 - Accountable To None
AMAZING READ!
The author of Accountable To None, Ashley Fontainne, took me on an emotional roller coaster ride, feeling everything from pain and heartache of a character that the reader finds themselves wanting to wrap in a warm embrace, to the evil sense of entitlement on one of the most brutal characters I have read about in a long time. I'm exhausted. I could not put this book down. It gripped me from the very beginning and the intensity level just kept building and building. I found myself holding my breath as I read. I suggest you start this book on a Saturday morning with nothing planned for the day, because once you start, you won't be able to stop. This is an AMAZING READ! I highly recommend it.
Book 2 - Zero Balance
I can't stop thinking about this book!
ZERO BALANCE is book two in the Eviscerating the Snake series. I highly recommend that you read book one, ACCOUNTABLE TO NONE, first, so you don't miss a thing.
I LOVED THIS BOOK! Often times a reader will pick up the second book in a series to be sorely disappointed because they enjoyed the first book so much. That is not the case with ZERO BALANCE by ASHLEY FONTAINNE. I'm going to try to write this review without giving too much of the story away. That's going to be tough, though, because I could talk about ZERO BALANCE for hours!
The story picks up one week prior to Olin's trial. Audra is starting to feel guilty about taking vengeance out on all the partners instead of focusing on Olin. Little does she know that she's awakened the sleeping psycho in the remaining partners at the accounting firm and they're out to get a little justice of their own. And then there's Piper, the unexpected villain.
When an author deals with a psychotic personality, it is sometimes difficult for the reader to get too close to that character. Through Ms. Fontainne's writing, we, as normal, well adjusted people, are taken into the mind of a truly demented mentally ill woman. This was done flawlessly through Ms. Fontainne's writing each chapter in ZERO BALANCE through the eyes of a specific character. For a short time, we, as readers, are thrown into a truly twisted mindset. I must say, I was very uncomfortable being there, but I loved the fact that the author was able to make me understand the depths of Piper's anger and excitement at taking another life through her mental illness.
If you ask me, ZERO BALANCE can't be pigeonholed into one specific genre. This is a suspense, thriller, dark fearsome horror story with a little romance thrown in. I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL THE THIRD IN THE SERIES COMES OUT!
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