Archive for March, 2015

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.

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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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My Tease for this week is from

A Fright To The Death

A Family Fortune Mystery #3

by Dawn Eastman

 

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My Teasers from pages 54 and 106 in the paperback.

From page 54:

Vi had been known to interview dogs, cats, and even woodland creatures to try to solve a mystery.

From page 106:

The bear bounded off the snowmobile and let out a very canine woof.

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Synopsis

From the author of Be Careful What You Witch For, here is the newest Family Fortune Mystery, starring former cop Clyde Fortune, who—snowbound with her kooky family in a creepy castle—is climbing the walls and combing the halls, looking for a cold-blooded killer…

After their flight to Mexico is cancelled, Clyde and her detective boyfriend, Mac, end up snowed in with their families at a supposedly haunted hotel. Clyde’s tarot card reading mother, Rose, is making dire predictions for the weekend, and self-proclaimed pet psychic Aunt Vi is enchanted by the legend of the hotel’s ghost—until the power goes out and a body turns up.

With a hotel full of stranded suspects, Clyde will have to draw on all her skills—both the police ones she’d rather forget and the psychic ones she’d rather ignore—to solve the bone-chilling mystery before someone else gets iced…

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I’ll be reviewing this in April for the tour and can’t wait to tell you about it. It’s equal parts scary good and funny. What a cast of characters and great scenario! I’ve been giggling like a school girl:)

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Pouraka Banner 851 x 315

You are now entering the undersea world of Pouraka.

Take a dip and meet the mer folk.

Enjoy the awesome trailer and excerpt.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Pouraka

Book One

Dianne Lynn Gardner

 

Genre: Fantasy romance

Publisher: Dianne Lynn Gardner

ASIN: B00T0PED40

Number of pages: 242 / Word Count: 75369

Cover Artist: Dianne Lynn Gardner

 

Book Description:

Pouraka is a magical sea cavern tucked under the rocky cliffs near Barnacle Bay. Cora, a Pouraka mer, is torn between her friends in the seaside town, and her true love Tas, a foreign mer whose people fled when men invaded their waters.

Life becomes difficult for all mers when an arrogant oil rigger’s son, Tom, finds the bay and the rich aquatic life it harbors. When Tas attempts to rescue a pod of dolphins from Tom’s gill net, he is captured and taken away as a prize to be sold to a theme park. When Cora hears of his capture she changes into human form and travels south to find him, risking her life to free him.

Time away from Pouraka leaves the cavern vulnerable, and a new threat arises when tourists discover its magic.

 

Book Trailer:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkSwqips0D0]


 

Available at Amazon

Pouraka sea cover

Excerpt:

 

The sand was cool, the shells sharp and prickly, making her toes itch. She strolled to the wet sand where the foam still bubbled into clam holes and the remnants of waves frothed over her feet. Seagulls clustered, pecking at shellfish and welcoming the end of day. Farther out the ocean throbbed, constant and carefree. Ever faithful, the sea rocked back and forth over the earth as it harbored its creatures, protecting them from the sun’s vicious heat, feeding them, nourishing them and cradling them. Cora should be in its belly, accepting its nurturing. She was the oceans’ charge and yet here she was, walking the land as though she were human. She’d been denying her heritage all this time.

A surge of shame swept over her. Why did she even want to be human? Merpeople were so much kinder to each other, and to the animals they lived among. Why did she ever doubt that she should live as a mermaid?

Cora took the basket off of her back and unfastened the lid. The water inside was so clear she could see the interior weave of kelp even in the fading sunlight. Scooting closer to the surf so that the waves rolled over her, she held the basket above her head.

Pouraka’s water dripped over her hair, onto her shoulders and her face. She lifted her chin and let it run down her neck, her chest, her belly. Cora poured the water over her hips, her legs, and her toes as the sea rumbled and came to her, a white roll of salt water rushing to immerse her. Cora leaned back and let the ocean swallow her human body. The sea wanted her home, grabbing her form and pulling her far away from shore. She tumbled in the breakers until she was saturated and far from land. Cora came to the surface and viewed the vanishing shoreline one last time. Sunset shined its face on her scales as golden fragments of evening glitter. She hadn’t felt so alive in a long time. She felt good, and somehow she would bring this freedom to Tas. She had to.

pouraka sea

 

About the Author:

Dianne Lynn Gardner

 

Dianne is an author and illustrator of YA adventure fantasy with a dab of historical content thrown in. Building worlds that might resemble the forests of her home in the Pacific Northwest, or the shimmering deserts of Arizona, add to that a pinch of magic dust and a few million stars and you just might find the portal to another Realm.

Happily married to a man that puts up with her celestial wanderings and wonderings, she is the mother of seven lovely adult children and grandmother to sixteen gorgeous boys and girls.

Dianne loves writing, painting in oils and living in other dimensions. She finds life much more colorful that way! Her books are middle grade to young adult adventure fantasies with dragons and wizards and sorcery and battles on the high seas. Her grandchildren are a big inspiration for her stories. There’s a shared camaraderie, something akin to what C.S. Lewis said about someday being old enough to enjoy fairy tales again.

Dianne’s newest series Pouraka dives into the depths to explore life as a mer. She also has a series that is being re released by PDMI publishing called the Ian’s Realm Saga.

Stretching her tent stakes, she is working on an Indie Film production of her V book Cassandra’s Castle.

 

Website ~ Blog ~ Twitter

Rebel Mouse ~ Pouraka on Facebook ~ Dianne on Facebook

Goodreads ~ Amazing Stories Magazine

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Tour giveaway

1 ebook copy of Sasha which introduces the story.

5 8 X 10 prints of Pouraka’s cover without the text, autographed by the author

1 digital copy of dystopia novel Altered

pouraka earrings

1 pair of earrings open to US Shipping

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Kaylen TourBanner_KaylensRising copy

Thanks for visiting my stop on the Tour for Kal;en’s Rising by Yves Robichaud hosted by Goddess Fish Book Tours!

This sounds like it’s going to be such a fun and creepy fantasy adventure.

Come on in and enjoy the excerpt.

You can also get your own free copy March 30th thru April 3rd. Click the link provided further into the post.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway

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BLURB:

Kaylen has been in the dark for fourteen years – in every sense. His people are hunted, so they must struggle to survive within underground caves. His community despises his family, taunting him constantly. His parents keep him housebound, forbidding him from wielding sword or wand.

When he is finally allowed to attend school, the harsh truth reveals he has much to learn – including a unique magical ability. Kaylen can summon and control skeletons!

With surface-dwellers threatening war, he will need every friend he can make, and to stay true to himself if he is to survive what is to come.

~~~

Enjoy The Excerpt

Chapter 3: Kaylen summons his first skeleton

As Kaylen repeated the words, the strangest thing happened. The earth in Kaylen’s hand started moving. At first it was very slow but then much quicker, in a circular motion like a tiny tornado. The small twister then hopped off of Kaylen’s hand and headed straight for the ground. Once it hit the ground, it disappeared into the floor.

As this was the first sign that Kaylen had any magical powers, he was smiling brightly when he asked the professor what was going on.

“Wait,” said the professor, not looking up at the boy. His eyes were still trained on the floor.

Suddenly, the ground started shaking. In the middle of the floor where the dirt had disappeared, a skeleton hand popped out from the ground. Then a second skeleton hand popped out. The hands seemed to brace themselves on the floor to pull up the rest of the body as the head, torso, and, eventually, the legs magically appeared from below. The full skeleton stood up in the middle of the room. It was at least six feet tall, with sparkling white bones, and… strangely enough… it had Kaylen’s bright green eyes.

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***You can get your free copy of Kaylen’s Rising from March 30th thru April 3rd HERE.***

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Author

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Kaylen AuthorPhoto_KaylensRising

Yves Robichaud is originally from the small Acadian community of Grand-Barachois, New Brunswick, Canada. He has studied Business Administration and Information Technology, currently works for the federal government, and is the proud father of one son: Jeremy. Inspired by a love of fantastical, magical tales, Kaylen’s Rising is Yves’ first attempt to share this literary passion with his son and the rest of the world.

Links:

Author Website ~ Book Facebook Page ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click on the banner below to follow the tour and comment.

The more you comment, the more chances to win.

Goddess Fish Promotions

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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This is my favorite part!

It’s time to announce the winners!

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For the giveaway of Northern Bites, Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter

by Nikki Jefford

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The winner is: Emma

*****

For the giveaway of Elevated

by Daniel Solomon Kaplan 

Elevated cover

The winners is: Debby

 

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Congratulations!

Winners have been notified.

Thanks to everyone for your comments.

I do love reading them and hope you continue to visit fuonlyknew!

Thanks so much to the tour hosts and the authors for these wonderful books!

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I’d love to keep telling ya’ll about some really great books.

Subscribe by email and lets talk!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew.

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Stifled Release
Today we’re celebrating the release of STIFLED, book two in the SUMMONED series by USA Today Bestselling author, Rainy Kaye. A dark twist on genie folklore, SUMMONED follows a reluctant criminal as he unravels the mystery of the paranormal bond controlling him. In STIFLED, Dimitri trails an elusive jinn and finds himself in the middle of a community keeping dark secrets. The SUMMONED series is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA.

Scroll down to pick up your copy of STIFLED, get SUMMONED for free for a limited time, and enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card.

Stifled Final 2 PSDDimitri would like nothing more than to live a low-key life in Naples, Italy. His girlfriend, Syd, has other plans.

After three months of researching, she is positive she has found a jinn on a killing spree in San Diego, California. Since Syd gave Dimitri the one thing he thought was out of reach, he feels obligated to use his ill-gained talents for her cause.

A few hours back in the US proves that Dimitri and Syd didn’t quite make the clean escape they had thought. As they trail the elusive jinn, someone else trails them. What should have been a simple trip to confirm once and for all if the jinn are living among humans, instead reveals a community keeping dark secrets.

Unfortunately for Dim, the only way out is in.

 

 

Get your copy here!

Haven’t read book one yet? No problem! It’s currently FREE on Amazon.

 

summoned_cover_final_biggerTwenty-three year old Dimitri has to do what he is told—literally.

Controlled by a paranormal bond, he is forced to use his wits to fulfill unlimited deadly wishes made by multimillionaire Karl Walker.

Dimitri has no idea how his family line became trapped in the genie bond. He just knows resisting has never ended well.

When he meets Syd—assertive, sexy, intelligent Syd—he becomes determined to make her his own. Except Karl has ensured Dimitri can’t tell anyone about the bond, and Syd isn’t the type to tolerate secrets.

Then Karl starts sending him away on back-to-back wishes. Unable to balance love and lies, Dimitri sets out to uncover Karl’s ultimate plan and put it to an end. But doing so forces him to confront the one wish he never saw coming—the wish that will destroy him.

 

summoned free banner
 

about_rainy_kaye
rainykayeRainy Kaye is an aspiring overlord. In the mean time, she blogs at RainyoftheDark and writes paranormal novels from her lair somewhere in Phoenix, Arizona.

She is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA. Someone told her she’s a USA Today Bestselling author. She thought there would be cake.

 

Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
tour-organized-by
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Darkness Within Banner 851 x 315

My title for the post suggests a paranormal twister. I’m not referring to a tornado. I mean how this story is so twisted.

Can’t wait to tell you about so enjoy the peek inside and my review!

Darkness Within

The Darkness Series

Book One

Candis Vargo

 

Genre: Paranormal Thriller

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Date of Publication: March 10

 

My Review

After the death of her young son. Mia continues to act like he’s still alive. Her husband, Mike, is at the end of his rope. Nothing will convince her otherwise and  he feels like he’s going crazy.

To save his marriage and his sanity, Mike goes to a psychiatrist and she has something she wants him to try with his wife. Not long afterwards strange things start happening. Something is haunting them, something dark and dangerous.

You may think you know what’s happening since we’ve all read books or seen movies with this plot. I thought I knew what was happening. Then I didn’t. Then I did. And so on.

The author kept me guessing and the story got creepier as the darkness got more violent.

I knew Mia was crazy. Then I thought Mike was crazy. It about drove ‘me’ crazy trying to figure things out.

While I was reading the end I knew what was coming. Then I didn’t. Then I did.

The entire book had be jumping back and forth between knowing and not knowing what was going on. It was as if the author put me in Mike’s shoes, and I was as confused and scared as he was.

This is a creepy story and I recommend it to anyone looking for a paranormal thriller with a great mystery thrown in. Just be prepared to think you do… Then you don’t… Then you do…

4 Stars

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Book Description:

 

Tragedy strikes the Roseburg family and leaves Mike struggling to help his wife, Mia. After losing their only child in an accident, Mia is far from emotionally distraught…instead, she continues on like their son is still alive.

Four months passed since the accident…

Mike begins to work with a psychiatrist to help his wife with her delusions when a darkness begins to haunt them. As this dark presence becomes violent, making itself known, Mike wonders if the illusion of their child that his wife is seeing is something far more demonic.

With the dark force looming over them, Mike is left questioning his own sanity as he tries to unravel what is real and what is not.

Soon he realizes…

Something is dreadfully wrong.

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A Glimpse inside Darkness Within

Chapter One

The force of the impact with the truck thrust the Jeep forward, throwing Mia deep into her seat as they went nose first into a ditch. What was left of the back of the jeep rolled up over the front. It continued to flip over several times before seeming to levitate in the air after rolling off the embankment. It felt like an eternity, the world moving in slow motion, before it smashed against the icy cold river sending shards of glass and ice throughout the vehicle. As it slowly began to sink Mia automatically reached down to unbuckle herself. After struggling to free herself from the seat belt she reached back for her son.

Her long, dark hair floated through the thickness of the icy water and streams of blood swam around her face. As she turned around everything became hazy and the darkness fought to take away her control. A panic began to set in as her heart raced. She needed to get back to Eli, to unbuckle him…she needed to save her son.

Being a mother she couldn’t care less if she was hurt, she just needed to save her son. Like a tiger protecting her young, it was a mother’s first priority.

As she tried to move into the back seat she reached out to Eli again.

He gently placed his outstretched hand into hers. His eyes, so soft and gentle, stared into his mother’s, whose were full of pain and fear for him. He smiled his sweet innocent smile as if telling her that things were going to be okay.

It was the end of February, a time the weather was supposed to be warming up as it was readying for spring. Supposed to…but of course it wasn’t.

Mia had been trying to avoid what happened. Just moments ago she was talking to her husband on the phone through the Bluetooth she managed to con him into installing, stating that she was going to wait for the storm to pass.

“Hello,” Mikes groggy voice had echoed through the car.

“Hi, Daddy.” Eli’s enthusiasm rang throughout the vehicle. “Dad…Dad, I’m out of school, Dad. And it’s snowing!”

“Oh yeah, buddy,” Mike replied. “Well, I guess I will see you soon then.”

Mia had angled her rear view mirror down to look back at Eli. She placed her index finger in front of her mouth to shush him but smiled underneath it.

Eli puckered his lips out and grabbed them with one hand to keep himself from talking as he gave her a thumbs up.

“Yeah, it’s snowing like crazy.” Mia took her time as she drove. She was never a fan of the winter weather and only liked snow on Christmas Eve and

Christmas Day, any time before or after that she’d prefer it be seventy degrees and sunny. “We’re going to be late for dinner. I think I’m going to pull over when I can manage to even see anything so I don’t slide into a damn ditch.”

When Mia left to pick Eli up from preschool there were just a few flurries floating in the icy wind. Now it had come to near white out conditions, causing her to curse winter even more.

“All right, just take your time and watch out for the crazy people out there. And I came up with an awesome idea for big man’s birthday party. Turning the big five soon, eh, buddy.”

Mia looked in the mirror and saw Eli’s deep brown eyes light up. He hopped up and down in his booster seat with excitement. “Do I get a guitar,

Dad? Daddy, I want a guitar!”

“You’ll have to wait and see, buddy, but I better let you guys go so you can get home. Maybe this snow will be good enough to take you snowmobiling later.”

Mia rolled her eyes and shook her head in frustration. “See you when we get home.”

She was still upset with him over what had happened the night before. She could swear that sometimes it seemed like he’d rather be anywhere but where the man of the house should be at night…home. Gender roles were never really her thing, but to her it always seemed like the man did a better job of protecting the family from intruders.

“Stay safe,” Mike said before he hung up.

After Mike hung up Mia had slowed down even more, trying to find a place to pull over before she got anywhere near the upcoming bridge that crossed the river. She wanted to be out of the way of any oncoming traffic but with the snow falling as hard as it was, it was nearly impossible to see anything.

After a few more minutes of driving the snow let up ever so slightly, enough for her to spot a place where she could pull over. Slowing down to a near stop, she started to turn the wheel.

The distinctive sound of a big rig’s horn snapped her attention to the rear view mirror, still angled for her to see Eli. She snapped her head to the right side mirror and saw a tractor trailer turned sideways, sliding towards her. Her heart raced as she pushed the gas pedal, trying to get out of the way as fast as she could. The wheels seemed to turn in pace and the air horn blared again, but was drowned out by the screeching of metal as it collided.

Everything went black.

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About the Author:

Candis Vargo

 

Growing up on an old dirty road in the middle of nowhere, as a child Candis used her love for books as a way to escape reality (and her brother constantly trying to kill her—literally). She blames her love of all things Horror on being born on Friday the 13th and will always find joy in scaring her friends.

 

You will find a little piece of her in every book she writes. She loves a good happy ending, but most of the time she prefers one she never saw coming.

 

When she’s not writing or reading, she can usually be found chasing her children around. She currently lives in Rome, Pennsylvania with her husband and three children. And her fat cat.

Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Welcome to The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

 

This is a really fun meme!

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!

My 56 for this week is from

Retaliation

by Imogen Rose

25088176

 

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My 56

Humans are like bees to the supernatural population – an important factor for survival. Similar to the human attitude toward bees, the death of an individual human is of no consequence, but the threat of extinction of the entire race is another matter.

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Synopsis

Ever since Bloody Fall, humans have lived in fear.

Even though the apparently senseless massacres have ended, President Elizabeth Ryan’s administration has been under a cloud of disapproval for failing to bring the terrorists to justice.

She braces herself as a new spate of carnage is unleashed.

Cordelia and Faustine are recruited back into action as the supernatural agencies go on high alert. Has their nemesis re-emerged?

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I’ll be reviewing this for the tour in April. I’ve just started it and I’m hooked already.

I didn’t know it was the third book in the Bonfire Chronicles Series.

I’m enjoying this one so much I plan to go grab the first two books too.

8898748  22103735

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Leave your link and I’ll drop by your 56.

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Click on the widget to friend and follow me!

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M9B-Friday-Reveal

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are revealing Chapter 3 of

Hunted (Sinners #2) by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Hunted

HUNTED is the electrifying sequel to the bestselling debut BRANDED, A Sinners Series, by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki.

It’s been three months since the revolt against the Commander’s fifty-year-old regime failed.

Under a new ruler, things were supposed to change. Get better.

But can anyone really be trusted?

Lexi and Cole soon find out, as life takes an unexpected turn for the worse.

In this ever-changing world, you must hunt or be hunted.

Lives will be lost.

Dreams will be crushed.

Fears will be realized.

Secrets will be exposed.

When Cole is once again faced with losing Lexi at the hands of a monster, one encounter will change everything.

Forever.

Connect with BRANDED fans on Instagram at:
#abiandmissy
#Sinnersfandom
#Sinnersseries
#Colexi
#Sinnersseriesbranded
#Brandedofficialfanpage
#Brandedfandom
#Lexihamilton

add to goodreads

Title: Hunted (Sinners #2)
Publication date: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki

Available for Pre-order:
amazonB&N

excerpt

You can read Chapter Three HERE!

Happy Reading and Enjoy!

About-the-Author

Abi and Missy 2

Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumbler

Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Fluency

by Jennifer Foehner Wells

Publisher: Blue Bedlam Science Fiction (June 18, 2014)
ISBN: 978-0990479826
Category:  Science Fiction: Space Opera, First Contact, Action-Adventure, Alien, Romance
Tour Date: March 2-April 30, 2015
Available in: Print & ebook, 373 Pages

My Review

Here’s the thing. Since the 1960’s NASA has known about the stationary alien spacecraft in the Greater Astroid Belt. They’ve kept quiet about it while waiting for technology to be developed to reach it.

Six astronauts launch into space to explore the ship in hopes of reverse engineering it’s technology. With no signs of life in all those years, they presumed it was empty. They were wrong.

I’ve just recently started reading science fiction again so I didn’t know what to expect with this book. What I got was action almost from the start. Once the crew enters the ship, actually right on the threshold, an alien presence makes itself known.

Jane Holloway, a linguist specializing in ancient languages, was selected to be our Earth Ambassador, and the alien communicated with her. Just her. No one else could hear it.

When the crew starts showing strange symptoms of an alien disease,  the group dynamics crumble. They become paranoid. Delusional. Dangerous.

I couldn’t help but compare parts of the book to Sphere and First Contact. An invisible alien, alien contamination, mind warping.  You add all this together and you get humans thinking aliens will be like us, think like us.

This story wouldn’t have worked without Jane. She’s the one who is quick to remind the others that this is an alien intelligence. It won’t act the way we expect. It’s far advanced from us. It will have it’s own agenda.

When the author described the ship and some of the alien technology, I once again drew from many movies so I could visualize for myself. Mainly from the Alien movies.  For the alien, I actually visualized from an old Star Trek episode.

Being able to ‘see’ the story, I became immersed in the mission and characters. Most of them I could take or leave. They had their roles to play in the mission, but weren’t all that fleshed out.

Jane was the star and I enjoyed watching her move from being insecure to taking charge.

Bergen, the aeronautics engineer, was her love interest. The romance wasn’t a big deal, and could probably have been left out. It did make sense though. Isolated for ten months in space, someone is bound to connect with someone else.

There’s Walsh, the commander. He’s the self important type. His way is the right way and all that. A pain in the butt, is what he is.

Gibbs is what I call a handy man. He can do a little bit of everything and he plays the role of comic relief. I figured if anyone was going to die, he’d be first.

Ajaya is the flight surgeon, and I didn’t feel anything about her one way or the other. She seemed to follow the most popular opinions.

Tom Compton is the pilot and he too came across as wishy washy. That worked though, as he’s trained to fly machines, not to deal with the drama of the group.

I mentioned the alien. There’s more than one kind on the ship. The others are the ones I compared to a Star Trek episode. Quite nasty, and I wouldn’t be happy if I didn’t have some deadly aliens.

The technology and jargon are easy to understand, the characters make the story work, the action gets intense, and the alien is unique and really out there.

I’m glad I read this book, as it’s a good taste of science fiction, and I hope the author takes the story further.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

NASA discovered the alien ship lurking in the asteroid belt in the 1960s. They kept the Target under intense surveillance for decades, letting the public believe they were exploring the solar system, while they worked feverishly to refine the technology needed to reach it.

The ship itself remained silent, drifting.

Dr. Jane Holloway is content documenting nearly-extinct languages and had never contemplated becoming an astronaut. But when NASA recruits her to join a team of military scientists for an expedition to the Target, it’s an adventure she can’t refuse.

The ship isn’t vacant, as they presumed.

A disembodied voice rumbles inside Jane’s head, “You are home.”

Jane fights the growing doubts of her colleagues as she attempts to decipher what the alien wants from her. As the derelict ship devolves into chaos and the crew gets cut off from their escape route, Jane must decide if she can trust the alien’s help to survive.

Praise for “Fluency”

“Author Jennifer Wells’ writing genius comes from her vast knowledge of the highly technical subject matter and her ability to put the reader in the middle of it without losing him/her in technical jargon while creating characters that seem completely natural and believable.”Jean Fisher for Independent Publisher News

“With her first novel, Jennifer Wells adds a fresh voice to the sci-fi genre and distinguishes herself as an author to watch.”Theresa Kay, author of Broken Skies

“One of the runaway sci-fi hits on Amazon this year has been Jennifer Foehner Wells’ space thriller Fluency and quite frankly it’s a welcome addition to the genre.
Fluency moves at a breakneck pace in a very cinematic fashion,  the narrative mostly linear with some minor flashbacks to fill in gaps in the back story. Wells does a fine job of dealing with the technical side of proceedings without resorting to complicated jargon (I know I know, some geeks love the jargon but not this one!) The human technology is believable and the alien technology while advanced, is also impressively practical.
While the strong female character has become a bit of a cliché in sci-fi over the past few years, it’s worth noting that many of these female characters have been written by men. What makes Fluency so refreshing is that Holloway’s character develops in a much more believable fashion given her circumstances. Sure she has to eventually toughen up and fight, but she’s much more than that. She’s a brilliant mind faced with a life-changing event and not just her life but the entire planet’s and her decisions will have monumental consequences. Her ability to focus is paramount and though it may seem she is being manipulated at times, she quickly takes control of her relationship with Ei’Brai. As the story reaches its gripping conclusion it also lays the groundwork for an exciting continuation of this rapidly unfolding saga.
Littered with plenty of nods and winks to classic sci-fi and some clever pop culture references, Fluency is a thrilling, bumpy ride that rarely falters and firmly cements Jennifer Foehner Wells’ standing in the indie scene as an innovative and refreshing new voice in modern sci-fi.”Eamon Ambrose, Eamo The Geek

“A book that is just as appealing to women as it is to men. I’ll admit, I saw the beautiful cover and thought it was going to be old-school, hardcore sci-fi with lots of technobabble and women in service roles rather than command ones. By the time we got into space I was hooked, and only got more engrossed the further I went.
There’s no flab in this book. It starts out strongly and each scene is carefully considered in how it develops the characters and advances the plot. The pitch rises gradually until leveling off at the end, just as it should.
The prose is straightforward and lets the reading just flow. Dialogue made sense and there weren’t too many narrative sequences. Again, Jennifer Foehner Wells has taken care in crafting a balance of elements.
This is a pretty special book. It’s a modern take on sci-fi, and has a lot to offer. There’s a light romantic subplot, a first-contact scenario, and a high-stakes situation that seems unclear, then clear, then unclear again. This story isn’t predictable and it doesn’t rely on any timeworn tropes. Fluency is something new in fiction, and that always excites the hell out of me.”Zen, Women of Badassery

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About Jennifer Foehner Wells:Jennifer Foehner Wells

Jennifer Foehner Wells lives an alternately chaotic and fairly bucolic existence in Indiana with two boisterous little boys, a supportive husband, a mildly unhinged Labrador retriever, and three adorable pet rats as housemates.

Having studied biology, Jen’s possessed with a keen interest in science and technology. She’s 100% geek and proud of it.

FLUENCY was Jen’s debut. It spent weeks in the Kindle Top 100, going as high as number 4. It remains prominent in several Science Fiction categories. It has garnered 848 five star reviews, to date.

 

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Buy Fluency

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Reading Romances Mar 9 Review

The Book’s Buzz  Mar 10 Review

What U Talking Bout Willis? Mar  11 Excerpt

Joy’s Book Blog Mar 12 Review, Interview, & Giveaway

Paradise Found Mar 13 Review, Interview & Excerpt

Literary R&R Mar 17 Review

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Pinky’s Favorite Reads Mar 18 Interview & Giveaway

Cassandra M’s Place Mar 24 Review & Giveaway

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TrulySimplyPink Mar 27 Review & Excerpt

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My Tangled Skeins Book Apr 1 Review, Guest Post, Excerpt,& Giveaway

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Mary’s Cup of Tea Apr 7 Review

Books and Quilts Apr 8 Review

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Inspire to Read April 10 Spotlight

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Brooke Blogs Apr 24 Review

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

T4T-Banner

Hello and welcome to this week’s Two for Thursday Book Blitz #T4T
presented by Month9books/Tantrum Books!

Today, we will be showcasing two titles that may tickle your fancy,
and we’ll share what readers have to say about these titles!

You just might find your next read!

This week, #T4T presents to you:

Fledgling (The Dragonrider Chronicles, #1) by Nicole Conway
and
Avian (The Dragonrider Chronicles, #2) by Nicole Conway

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

cover

Can one boy stand between two kingdoms at war?

Jaevid Broadfeather has grown up as a wartime refugee, hiding from the world because of his mixed racial heritage. He feels his future is hopeless, until a chance encounter with a wild dragon lands him in Blybrig Academy—a place usually forbidden to anyone but the rich and royal. But Jaevid’s case is special; no dragon has voluntarily chosen a rider in decades, so the proud riders of Blybrig must begrudgingly let him join their brotherhood despite his bloodline. Lieutenant Sile Derrick, a sternly tempered man with a mysterious past, becomes his instructor and immediately takes a peculiar interest in Jaevid’s future.

While struggling through the rigorous physical demands of training, things begin to go awry. Jaevid witnesses the king’s private guards kidnapping Sile in the dead of night. When none of the elder riders are willing to help him, Jaevid begins a dangerous adventure to save his instructor.

Everything Jaevid learned at the academy will now be put to the ultimate test.

add to goodreads


Available for Purchase:

amazon B&N

What Readers Are Saying:

 

“The author has taken the dragon concept putting her own unique spin and creating a captivating new series that spark the imagination.”Mandy, The Reading Diaries


Nicole Conway does a fantastic job creating her world and describing it in a way that the images fill my head while reading.”
Cassandra – Lost in Books


“It was a nice, fast read and I’m really hoping that we learn more about the Grey Elves, the war and the Dragons in future books because this series has the potential to be really great.”
Natalie – Book Lovers Life

 

Avian-Cover

What kind of power is lurking inside him? After a year of training to become a dragonrider, Jaevid Broadfeather has been sent home to rest during a three-month interlude. But when he returns to find the king drake has chosen Beckah Derrick as his new rider, Jaevid realizes something big is about to happen. Every fiber of his being is pushed to the breaking point as Jaevid battles through his avian year, preparing for the final graduation test of the battle scenario. But there is more standing in his way than a few pushups and fancy sword moves. Jaevid must face a new fear as he is tormented by a gruesome nightmare of a mysterious gray elf warrior murdering the royal family of Maldobar. It seems obvious to him that this is some kind of message about how the war started long ago—until Felix assures him the king is very much alive. With his strange powers growing stronger by the day, and that violent dream replaying in his mind every night, Jaevid no longer wonders if he will pass his avian year or not—he wonders if he will even survive it. The truth will soon be set loose.

add to goodreads

Available for Purchase:
amazon B&N

What Readers Are Saying:

 

“I highly recommend this series to fans of Eragon and Lord of the Rings because those movies jump to mind a lot when I’m reading this series.”Cassandra – Lost in Books


“This was a very exciting book two that kept me turning the pages as fast as I could to see what would happen next.”
Jasmyn – Bitten by Romance


“This is a sequel of pure perfection!” – Nay – Nay’s Pink Bookshelf

about-the-author

NicoleConwayPhoto

Nicole is the author of the children’s fantasy series, THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES, about a young boy’s journey into manhood as he trains to become a dragonrider. She has completed the first two books in the series, and is now working on the third and final book.

Originally from a small town in North Alabama, Nicole moves frequently due to her husband’s career as a pilot for the United States Air Force. She received a B.A. in English with a concentration in Classics from Auburn University, and will soon attend graduate school.

She has previously worked as a freelance and graphic artist for promotional companies, but has now embraced writing as a full-time occupation.

Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, shopping, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves watching children’s movies and collecting books. She lives at home with her husband, two cats, and dog.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter for a chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg