Archive for November 5, 2013

I had to be a part of this tour organized by Dragonfairy Press

Just wait until you feast your eyes on the stunning cover art.
This is an exciting series and I’m itching to tell you all about it.
Check out my reviews for all three books!
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Book one of the P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy

New Adult Paranormal Romance

299 pages

by D.T. Dyllin

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For P.J. Stone, being a “Seer” who has never seen anything is less than fun. And P.J. isn’t known for her patience.

To make matters worse, she must choose a suitable mate to continue the Seer bloodline. Duty always comes before her heart…at least that’s what her parents taught her. When she finds herself wanting someone who is considered off-limits, P.J. is forced to question everything she believes.

As if navigating her love life isn’t complicated enough, P.J. finally receives a vision—of a threat to her world that only she can perceive. But no one will believe a fledgling Seer’s warnings. With nowhere else to turn, she may decide to trust a stranger with her life, her world, and maybe even her heart.

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My Review

Poor P.j. She knows she’s going to have to submit to her mother and begin Suiridhe. It’s a form of courtship, like debutantes being introduced to eligible young men at a ball.

In P.J.’s world, as  a Seer, she can only marry another Seer. Parents arrange dates between them, hoping the results are a marriage to continue the bloodlines.

Problem is, P. J. loves another, someone forbidden, and she’s no way, no how, going to marry someone just because her mother says so.

On top of that, P.J. finally has a vision. She gets a glimpse of mysterious life forms slipping through the portal into her world. She feels something terrible is looming in the future, but when she tells others about her vision, they shrug her off, saying if something came through the portal, all Seers would have had the vision.

As events unfold, P.J. will have to make some hard choices. Her forbidden love, a mysterious stranger with glowing eyes, and beings from another world threaten hers.

First things first. There is one heck of a love triangle in this story. Not your typical one where the girl can’t decide which one she wants. P.J. knows who she wants but her choice is forbidden.

I can’t tell you who the guys are, but I can tell you they are all alpha’s, fine specimens, and I’m glad I’m not P.J. Each one of them has their own magnetism, drawing responses from P.J. she’s ill prepared to control.

Young hormones run rampant, keeping the sexual tension flowing without being too explicit. Boy did this bring back memories. Of course, I never had three hot guys vying for me. Jenna is P.J.’s best friend and would love to trade places with her. But even she gets fed up with the guys postering.

“No kissing and no fighting in my car? We’re on a mission here, people, and it doesn’t include a sword fight over who gets to mouth rape P.J. first!”

My favorite part of the story is the tangled relationships. The author keeps you worked up, hopping back and forth, never knowing for sure who will end up with P.J.

I had a favorite, or so I thought. Then the hot stranger with the glowing eyes had me thinking twice. And the other Seer had his own special charm.

I think I was as torn up and confused as P.J. but I could laugh about it. P.J. had to deal with it.

Character driven stories are my favorite and there are many in Hidden Gates. Each is well written with distinct voices, easy to tell apart.

There are many surprises in this first book. Lots of secrets. Some are revealed, and some continue into the next book. The author reveals just enough to satisfy you, while keeping you itching for more.

When I finished this book, I immediately began reading the next one, Broken Gates. I had to know what was going to happen next.

I gave this 5 stars because I felt compelled to keep reading long after I should have been asleep, thought about it while at work the next day, and went to bed early to finish it.

5 Stars

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Book two of the P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy

New Adult Paranormal Romance

241 pages

P.J. Stone is a Seer who saw too little, too late.

In the past, her biggest worries were boys and school—but war has a way of changing things. Now, the alien Riders are trying to overrun the world. As the last of their kind, P.J. and her friends must find a way to save humanity before there’s nothing left to save.

After choosing a mate, P.J. hoped she’d have time to enjoy her love life. But with everything changing so quickly and major secrets revealed, who knows what the future will bring?

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My Review

So now you’ll know who P.J. chose as her mate, but war has found her world. The aliens that slipped through the portal, the Riders, are bent on destroying all of the Seers, Guardians, Gatekeepers, and Speakers, leaving no one to defend the innocents.

This is an excellent continuation into P.J.s story.

More secrets are revealed, some puzzling events are explained, and the love triangle is broken.

P.J. learns some startling things about herself. I don’t know how she kept her head from spinning around with so many revelations.

There were several things that happened that stole my breath. I just couldn’t believe it and kept turning the pages, seeking an explanation.

Broken Gates will tear you down, carry you along, and lift you up as you read it. At times I felt helpless, just like P.J.

The authors writing is compelling. I can’t explain it well, but I couldn’t have stopped reading this if I wanted to. Something kept me glued to this story, reading until the wee hours and finally reaching the end.

What an ending! I just couldn’t believe it!

But the war is not over. It continues into Open Gates. And that’s where I went next.

5 Stars

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Expected Publication Date: December 19th, 2013 by Dragonfairy Press

Book three of the P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy

New Adult Paranormal Romance

by D.T. Dyllin

Bryn is gone. Jenna isn’t…herself, and the world has been taken over by the alien Riders. The only constant in P.J.’s life is Khol. But even he might not be able to help her pick up the shattered pieces of her life.

P.J. finally gets the answers to all of her questions, but will she be able to handle the truth? And will she be strong enough to face her own destiny when the time comes?

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My Review

You finally get all of the answers you’ve been seeking, just as P.J. does.

The war is raging, many people are lost, and P.J. struggles to fulfill her destiny.

I’m going to warn you, the beginning is a shocker, it happens so fast.

  P.J. is devastated. Her world is being destroyed and her heart has been shredded.

Her best friend Jenna is unavailable, so she turns to the one person who is always there, always

offering his shoulder to lean on, Khol.

How do you go on when all you love is being destroyed and taken from you?

P.J. has no idea how to continue. How she’ll find the strength to face the fight that is coming.

They’ve fought a tough battle, but things don’t look good for them. There is a clue to getting rid of the

Riders and P.J. has to draw on all that she is to find the one thing that can save them all.

I got everything I was looking for in this final book.

You’ll need to set aside enough time to read this straight through. I read this in about 3 hours, but

I’m a fast reader. I also reread a few parts that really touched me.

You’ll get a huge surprise with the ending. I haven’t read one that left me feeling like this

one did for a long time, maybe never.

I read it twice, then read it again, always thinking, “How did the author come up with this ending? Did

she know when she was writing the books that the end would be this?”

I liked it. I really liked it. And I’m still thinking about it. Still wondering…..

5 Stars

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Thanks go out to Dragonfairy Press and D.T. Dyllin for gifting me this series.

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About D. T. Dyllin

Cynical-Optimist. Chocolate-holic. Sarcasm Addict. Paranormal Believer. Self-Imposed Insomniac. Sci-Fi Geek. Animal Lover. Writer…are just a few words to describe D.T. Dyllin. She was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and now lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and two very spoiled GSDs.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

SupernaturalSix_BoxSet

Just check out all of these awesome novels!

This set includes 6 novels by 6 authors at a special sale price of .99 cents!

The regular price for all of these stories is $16.79, so you save a whopping $15.80!

Let’s learn more about these stories shall we?

I have one excerpt for you and a giveaway!

Read on!

SupernaturalSix_highres

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Supernatural Six
Allie Burton, Brenda Pandos, Elle Casey, Juli Alexander, L.G. Castillo, Tawny Stokes
Publication date: November 1st, 2013
Genres: Supernatural, Young Adult
Synopsis:

Secret powers, genies, mermaids, angels, vampires and demons. There’s something for every paranormal enthusiast. Supernatural Six brings you six novels from six authors who know how to raise the stakes and tame the darkness.

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Duality by Elle Casey (New York Times Bestselling Author) – Malcolm’s had a problem for as long as he can remember. No matter where he goes or what he does, he leaves misery in his wake. But then Rae shows up in his life, and everything changes. Darkness cleaves to light. Anger yields to joy. The question is whether she’ll be his salvation or his destruction.

Three Wishes by Juli Alexander – Not every seventeen-year-old girl works part time granting wishes, but when you’re a genie, you have obligations. Jen finally gets a shot as a drummer in her brother’s band.  Just when it’s looking good for her, Leo Fuller shows up, and this bad boy genie’ s after more than just her drummer gig.

Atlantis Riptide by Allie Burton – Teen runaway Pearl craves anonymity, but when she saves a toddler from drowning she draws attention to her special water skills. Unknown to her, a war rages under the ocean and each side wants to use her powers for their cause. Pearl must choose her own destiny—ignore the churning seas or swim into battle.

Lash by L.G. Castillo – Banished angel Lash seeks to redeem himself by protecting Naomi, a woman who has lost her faith. But when danger threatens — and his passion for her swells — will he choose his cherished home or his heart?

The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos – Julia Parker would trade her ability to feel others emotions in a heartbeat, especially half the boys in school. When a vampire hunter rescues her before she’s devoured by a bloodthirsty stalker, Julia discovers no one is safe. Unsure how to help, she seeks the advice of a psychic, only to find out she alone is the key to stopping the madness, problem is it’ll require her rescuer’s life.

Static by Tawny Stokes – Salem, a teenage groupie for the punk band Malice, gets more than she bargained for after a night of partying with the band–a headache, a stomachache and a sickness that’s turning her into something inhuman. Only Trevor, the roadie, can help her navigate her new world of danger, darkness, and love.

Buy Links

Goodreads / Amazon / B&N

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I have a great excerpt for you.

I had to choose just one from any of the novels so I did eenie meenie minie moe and landed on:

Duality by Elle Casey

My name is Malcolm.  For as long as I can remember I’ve brought nothing but misery to those around me.  Pain.  Sadness.  A loneliness so bone-deep it smothers any thoughts of joy or hope that might try to seep in from reality.

I don’t do this on purpose.  In fact, I’d do anything to change it, this effect I have on people.  Some kids might think they want to be an agent of darkness, so they dress up in black clothes and dye their hair and do drastic things to their wardrobes, shocking people with their angry, outlandish attitudes.  But if they were to walk a day in my shoes, they’d change their minds in a second.  They’d join the Latin club and study hard and do everything they could to make their parents proud.  No one truly wants to be me; they just think they do.

I call myself that – the agent of darkness – but I don’t really know what I am or what my problem is.  What I do know is that it’s real and it’s nothing I can control …

…I’m just Rae.  And for as long as I can remember, I’ve had this problem.  It follows me everywhere like a faithful dog at my heels.  People who get near me become happy. Too happy.  They become so full of joy, they eventually get to the point that they can’t not be around me.  And in their need to be close, they get too close.  They smother me.  They scare me.  They become a danger to everyone.

Or at least, that’s what my dad thinks.  The problem is, he suffers as much as the strangers do from the effects of being in my presence.  He thinks he’s just being a protective, loving father, but I know the truth.  He’s under my thrall.  He can’t be without me, just like my mom can’t.  Just like the kids at my last school and the one before it and the one before that one…

The only thing keeping my parents from homeschooling me on an island in the middle of nowhere is my threat that I’ll leave them.  It’s a threat I have to reissue every time they pull me from another school.  Eight times in the last three years, I’ve stared my parents in the face and warned, “If you don’t enroll me in a public school somewhere, I’m going to disappear and you’ll never see me again.  Ever.”

And so they enroll me, because they have no choice.

Neither of them wants me to leave.  In fact, they both believe they’d die if I ever did.  It’s been a burden of mine that I’ve been unable to shake, try as I might, since I was old enough to understand what was going on.  I hate to say this even just to myself, but one of these days, I am going to leave.  I’m going to disappear forever and never look back.

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Goodreads Links For Each Author 

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Giveaway is International

Win a $50 Gift Card from Amazon, B&N, or iTunes

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways click on the crystal ball below!

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On Tour with Prism Book Tours

The Exotic Tour Grand Finale

  

Happy Festival of Lights!

 

diwali lamps
Diwali

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An Incurable InsanityAn Incurable Insanity

by Simi K Rao

Paperback, eBook, 376 pages

Published October 8, 2013 by Tate Publishing

Her heart fluttered when she heard the sound of the key turn in the lock. She quickly adjusted her maroon silk sari with the yellow border, the one that had caught his eye, and waited eagerly for his footsteps.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven… Yes, exactly seven steps before he stopped, hesitated for a few moments, then removed his shoes one by one and arranged them neatly side by side on the shoe rack.

She smiled. He had been mindful of taking his shoes off every day now… 

 

* Read an Excerpt *

We offer flowers in traditional welcome.

You are our honored guest on our tour…

 

10/20: Launch – Tressa’s Wishful Endings

 

In Rao’s debut novel an arranged marriage sets the stage for an intimate look at the exasperating madness of love….An often intoxicating…will-they-won’t-they tale.”- KIRKUS REVIEWS

 

10/21:

#Dawat-Recipe Intriguing Reads

 

No discussion on India would

be complete without mentioning its food which is as rich and colorful as its

residents. And I am not kidding when I say that travelling from one region to

another will not only introduce you to different

languages and dialects but

also to markedly varied cuisines.

 

I still have very fond

memories of my Grandma’s kitchen where food used to be prepared the way it

should be—from scratch. It was labor intensive but also a lot of fun. I know

because I used to help.

10/22:

#Vivaah-Marriage Ritual

The Wonderings of One

Person

 

Exotic wedding_handsHindu marriages are

all about customs and rituals. There are several both before and after the

wedding ceremony making it a very elaborate affair. But the most important of

them all is the Seven Vows or Saath Pheras which occur during the ceremony

because they are said to contain the essence of the practice of marriage.

Without them a marriage is considered meaningless.

 

‘Ruhi quietly and

blissfully followed Shaan around the sacred flames carefully listening to and

reciting the Saath Pheras in her mind.’ – An Incurable

Insanity

10/22: #Desi-Indian Culturevvb32 reads

 

 

Indians in general are deeply rooted in tradition. Our culture

gives us our identity. Most of us (especially those living away from the

homeland,) cling to it, even though several aspects especially in these modern

times, make no sense at all.

10/24: #Vivaah-Marriage Ritual Giveaway Breaking News for  Indonesia

 

Cherish your

wife as a blessing sent to you from heaven; let the kindness of your behavior

endear you to her heart.

 

10/25: #Desi-Indian CultureChristy’s Cozy Corners

“Unclasping the sacred marriage necklace from around her neck, she

laid it down carefully on the counter. Then, wiping off the vermilion dot from

her forehead, she examined her face again.



She smiled. Finally, she knew who

she was. She was Ruhi Sharma, and there was no looking

back.” –  An Incurable Insanity

 

10/25 – #Desi – Shakti “the Divine Woman” – A Casual Fling with the Keyboard

 

She is bold and liberated. She speaks her mind. She is tough and vibrant. She knows what she wants and doesn’t compromise on her values.

 

10/26: #Dawat-Recipe Book Babe

“Chai?”


“Huh? Yes please with just a pinch of sugar. Thanks!” He took the cup from her hands, careful not to touch her fingers. – An Incurable Insanity
 

 

A cup of this refreshing brew served piping hot, awakens the senses and drives the blues away.

 

10/27: #Dawat-RecipeBrooke Blogs

Kheer“It was the best puddinghe’d ever tasted…for obvious

reasons.” ~ An Incurable Insanity

 

After all the spicy heat of chai and parathas, let’s cool the

tempers with something sweet and delish!

 

10/28: #Dawat-RecipeLiving a Goddess Life

 

“Standing in front of

the large bathroom mirror, she combed her long thick hair. Should I leave it

loose or braid it? Should I put on makeup or go bare? Should I wear all my

bangles or just a couple of them? So many questions! Why don’t all men come with

a user guide?”

 

10/29: #Desi-Indian Culture Sun Mountain Reviews

She had gone through all the

miscellaneous ceremonies associated with the typical grand Indian wedding—the

engagement, the Mehendi, the Sangeet, the Haldi, and the grand finale; her

father had spared no expense… – An Incurable

Insanity

Wedding Henna

Mehendi

(Henna) is derived from the ancient Sanskrit word Mendika. The tradition of

applying it is several thousands of years old and is perhaps the most

traditional form of body art. It is meant to ‘awaken the inner

light’.

10/30: #Vivaah-Marriage RitualMel’s Shelves

 

The bombshell had dropped on their wedding night. He had walked into the room late as she sat there, a shy bride in all her wedding finery waiting, nervous yet excited at the same time, to meet the man she had hardly spoken to or looked at. What would he say, talk about, or do?

She had heard a lot of stories about what to expect, some factual and some fabricated (her friends had prepared her well), but she wanted her own to be special, unique, and it was…

 – An Incurable Insanity

10/31:

#Desi-Indian Culture Shannon McDermott

 

“Go ahead, Shaan,” Bee said softly, giving him

permission.

 

He pinched a small amount of the red powder and placed it firmly in

the parting on her forehead. Not entirely certain why, but this makeshift

ceremony appeared more meaningful to him than the one on his wedding

day.

“Perfect! Now my mishti

bon looks like a bride, a very

beautiful bride.”

 

11/1: #Dawat –  Beck Valley Books

Paratha [par-AA- THA] Hindi पराठा is one of the most popular types of unleavened flat breads in Punjabi North Indian Cuisine and Pakistan.

 

Prepared from pan frying whole wheat dough which usually has ghee (clarified butter) or cooking oil in it, parathas are often stuffed with vegetables such as mashed boiled potatoes or aloo, cauliflower (gobhi), radish (mooli), other vegetables and or paneer (fresh Indian cheese).

 

Parathas, particularly the stuffed ones, are simply eaten with pickles, chutneys and or yogurt on the side and make for a wholesome meal at any time of the day.

 

In my book ‘An Incurable Insanity’ my protagonist Ruhi, when she first arrives in America, longs for home, the feel of her mother’s pallu (sari’s edge) and for the taste of fresh homemade parathas and piping hot chai. 

 

11/1 – #Dawat – “Bashful Bride” – A Casual Fling with the Keyboard

She sits on the rose strewn bed

A bashful bride

In all her jeweled splendor

Hennaed hands resting on drawn up knees

Innocent and uninitiated

Awaiting the approach of her beloved

the shy bride

 

11/3 – 11/5: Grand Finale – Giveaway runs through 11/11

Happy Diwali!

Go read the #Talk on Simi’s Facebook 

as she has walked us through the beautiful backdrop to her amazing book… 

Simi K. Rao

Simi K. Rao was born in India and has been living in the United States for several years. The inspiration for An Incurable Insanity came from what she has seen transpire among and within the immigrant community. Some of the experiences included are her own; some have been garnered from friends and casual conversations with acquaintances…

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Giveaway:

$100 Gift Card to Amazon

5 eCopies of An Incurable Insanity

October 18 – November 11, 2013. International giveaway. Must be able to download winnings. Must be 18 to enter. See Rafflecopter for additional restrictions.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Grand Finale design by Laura of Colorimetry

Content by Simi K Rao

Quotes from blog posts

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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review very short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about The Shed

by Paul Levas

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I picked this up as a free download while looking for short stories to review on my Monday Minis post.

There are two different covers for this book.

I like this one from Goodreads the best.

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And here is the one from Amazon.

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My Review

The last thing Steve wanted to be doing was cleaning out the shed. He’d rather be sitting on the couch watching football, but his wife is counting on him.

He does odd jobs in the yard, stalling entering the shed.

Vivid flashbacks to what happened in there almost knock him to his knees.

No, he doesn’t want to go in there.

As you can guess, Steve does go in the shed.

It goes from weird to bad very quickly.

While I enjoyed this story, I felt the ending was just a bit disjointed or rushed. I seemed to stumble a little while reading it. Could be just me.

However, I did enjoy it, and even though I had an idea of what would happen to Steve, I had no idea how. The author got creative.

This is Book Two in a series, but from what I can tell, they don’t need to be read in any order. Each is a separate story with different characters.

I’ll read more from this author.

3 STARS

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Author Paul Levas

Paul Levas

Paul Levas was born and grew up in Antioch, IL, but has lived in Phoenix, AZ, for the past twenty years. He is a writer specializing in the horror genre, and cites Stephen King and Dean Koontz as his major influences. He has three short stories published: The Shed, Sweet Temptation, and Shadows. He is also included in the anthology titled Grave Robbers. His story in that is titled Richie’s night out at The Hills Cemetery. He is currently working on a novel titled SHADOWLANDS, and a short story collection.

Go HERE for more about the author and his books.

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