Archive for July, 2017

Welcome to My Monday Minis where I share short reviews about books I’ve read.

It’s time for some urban fantasy. Carmen Fox has a thrilling series, The Silverton Chronicles, and today I’m sharing the first two books, Guarded and Bound.

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Guarded

The Silverton Chronicles #1

by Carmen Fox

25688183

Genre:  Fantasy / Urban Fantasy

 

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My Review

This book was a blast. You have humans, vampires, werewolves, fae, demons and so on, all butting heads. There’s so much going on. So many different agendas. And a whole lot of surprises in store for you.

And then there’s the characters. too many to focus on just one or two. I can say that I really liked the friendship between Ivy and Florian. They are so opposite. Florian is a guy and he’s more concerned with fashion than a lot of women, whereas Ivy is all business. As things get going, they all get caught up in the action. The dialogue is very well written. And the snark had me snorting.

There’s some love interests too. The blurb might have you thinking there’s a love triangle, which I sometimes find annoying, but there isn’t one here. And while the romance isn’t the main focus, it sure adds some hilarious moments with Ivy and spices things up.

I think what I appreciated most was how easily the story flowed and how visual it was. It’s almost like you can see everything as it happens. I even had some idea of what I thought the characters should look like, which added to the fun.

A solid beginning to the series, and I’m on to the next one.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

When everyone’s existence depends on the lies they tell, trust doesn’t come easy.

Ivy’s neighbors have a secret. They aren’t human. But Ivy has a secret, too. She knows. As long as everyone keeps quiet, she’s happy working as a P.I. by day and chillaxing with her BFF Florian, a vampire, by night. When a routine pickup drops her in the middle of a murder, her two worlds collide. While Florian knows how to throw a punch, deep down he’s a softie. His idea of scary? Running out of hair product. It’s time Ivy faced facts. Even with a vampire on stand-by, one gal can only kick so many asses.

For help, she must put her faith in others. A human, who might just be the one. A demon, who will, for a price, open the doors to her heritage. And a werewolf, who wants to protect her from herself.

Torn between these men, Ivy must tread carefully, because one wants her heart, one wants her body, and one wants her dead.

Amazon / B&N

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Bound

The Silverton Chronicles #2

by Carmen Fox

29996760

Genre:  Fantasy / Urban Fantasy

 

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My Review

I adored Florian when I met him in the first book, Guarded. He’s a bit nutty and naive, has a healthy dose of charm, and is loyal to a fault. It’s fun that he now gets his own story, his time to shine.

In the first book, Florian was quirky and flamboyant, yet at loose ends. Now he’s found his place with the werewolves, but what happens when it’s discovered he’s a vampire? The pack might make an example of him. A wicked mess, and all in the name of love.

On top of that, a pack consisting of all females enters their territory and they’ll not be bossed around by a bunch of males. Tempers flare and it takes determination and finesse for Keely, their pack leader, to get Parker and his pack to not come in and try to claim them. These female wolves have been through some horrendous treatment by male leaders and want to find their own males.

This is where it gets sticky for Flo. He’s on Keely’s side, is juggling the situation with his own pack, and his Sire has shown up wanting to reunite the family. He’s old style vampire and sees Flo’s life as nonsense.

There’s more action, romance, and some consequences in this second book.  I’d recommend reading Guarded first so you have a feel for who’s who and you can dive right in and just enjoy the ride. A great follow up and I’m hoping there’s more to come.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Bound by blood. Bound by loyalty. Bound by love.

Florian has it all: excellent fashion sense, a kickass job with his best friend, and a hard-won place among Silverton’s werewolves. When a pack of females pads into their territory, Flo’s alpha dispatches him to handle a merger. Total cakewalk. Except Keely, their alpha, has no intention of submitting her wolves to Flo’s larger pack. Worse, a single glance from her baby blues sends his eloquence on vacation and his heartbeat into overdrive. His flirtations seem welcome too, but there’s a snag. She doesn’t know he’s a vampire.

While Flo struggles with his conflicts–obey his alpha or win over Keely–his estranged sire blasts into town with a catalog of radical ideas. And hanging out with unsophisticated werewolves didn’t make the list.

With violence in the air and all sides testing his loyalties, Florian must bite back, even if showing his fangs costs him the girl.

Amazon / B&N

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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This is my own version of a weekly book haul and all things new on fuonlyknew.

I’m also linking up with The Sunday Post hosted by Kimberly @Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Sunday Post

Some chit chat.

It’s been a busy week. Work wasn’t too bad so I had a lot of time in the pool. Also been watching Shark Week. I don’t know about y’all, but I’m very disappointed. Not much new content. And do you notice how different shows use the same small film clips. If they are going to cheat, at least don’t make it so obvious. I saw the same clip for a great white in three different shows. And the shows weren’t even about the same area. I’ll keep watching as I’m fascinated by sharks, but I feel let down. How about you?

I won’t be sharing the list of free books this post. I love browsing and trying to find something for everyone to choose from. But, my brother is coming down to visit this weekend and we are all going to be busy having fun. Since I like to make sure the books I share are still free, I won’t be around to check my post before it’s published and decided not to share any.

I might be late but I’ll be around to visit your posts. Happy Sunday!

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My new books this week.

The Mechanic's Mate (The Diesel War Series Book 1) by [Howard, Mikea]  32796253

And some audibles.

   

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No free books this week. But I’ll be sharing some next time. In the meantime….

and another one that just brings out all of those good vibes!

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Books I reviewed this week. Click on the covers to read my reviews.

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Print  TheHouseOnDevilsBar cover  35249284

13594889  105744  22542136

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Other posts on my blog this week.

Check out the Cover Reveal for Watertight and enter the giveaway

Pink Lock Picks And Sequined Witch Hats ~ Two Giveaways!

Reviewing Hounded and Hounded 2 and a giveaway

It’s Hump Day ~ I think I’ll share some reviews ~ Iced and Behold!

An Accident….Or Murder? The House On Devil’s Bar

A YA Dystopian Sale and Giveaway ~ The Union Series

They’re not gonna take it anymore ~ Hunger Moon ~ Blitz and Giveaway

The Friday 56 #161 ~ Refuge For Masterminds

Freakin Fridays #54 ~ One Pissed Off Shark….Shark….Shark!

Come Helen High Water ~ Cozy Mystery Giveaway

Not His Werewolf ~ Blitz and Giveaway

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Leave your link and I’ll come visit you.

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

 

Not his Werewolf
Annie Nicholas
(Not This Series, #2)
Publication date: July 24th 2017
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Synopsis

After being disowned and labelled human because she can’t shift, Betty Newman rescues unwanted dogs to fulfill her need for pack. Being rejected by her birth pack was enough pain for a lifetime and she’ll do anything to avoid subjecting herself to their prejudices.

Things change when Ken Birch wakes in her kennel still in wolf form and declares she’s his soul mate. His presence wakes her feral heart and makes her long for a life she can’t have. Old wounds are opened and she refuses to listen to instinct.

But only a shifter can be a soul mate and now her life is in danger by New Port’s pack. Either Betty learns to shift or she dies. Problem is the only one willing to help is Ken, the last person she wants.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Author Annie Nicholas

Annie Nicholas writes paranormal romance with a twist. She has courted vampires, hunted with shifters, and slain a dragon’s ego all with the might of her pen. Riding the wind of her imagination, she travels beyond the restraints of reality and shares them with anyone wanting to read her stories. Mother, daughter, and wife are some of the other hats she wears while hiking through the hills and dales of her adopted state of Vermont.

Annie writes for Samhain Publishing, Carina Press, and Lyrical Press.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Come Helen High Water banner

Come Helen High Water

A River Road Mystery

by Susan McBride

Come Helen High Water cover

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Synopsis

Helen Evans returns in Susan McBride’s fourth River Road Mystery!

 

Spring has sprung, the river is rising, and when Luann Dupree, the head of River Bend’s Historical Society, vanishes into the night everyone in town is convinced she’s run off with her Internet Romeo. But her lifelong friend, Sarah Biddle, is convinced Luann is the victim of foul play. No one believes her-not even her husband, the local sheriff, so she turns to Helen Evans for help.

 

As River Bend’s resident puzzle-solver, Helen’s tackled many a local mystery before. So she agrees to help Sarah, even though she’s not so sure herself that Luanne is really in trouble. But as the town’s flood waters slowly recede, dead fish and muck aren’t the only things Helen finds. She begins to uncover town secrets, false identities…and the very real chance that Luanne might not be discovered alive…

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Check out the Excerpt

The “walk of shame,” wasn’t that what they called it?

Despite the hangover that played timpani drums in her head, Luann Dupree cracked a smile as she locked her car and scurried toward her front door in the gray light of early morning. She’d always been such a straight arrow that it tickled her to envision herself being labeled a hussy. Unfortunately, it appeared that no one was around to witness her predawn homecoming.

She glanced right and left, checking an all-but-deserted Main Street beneath the still-glowing streetlamps. It felt very much like a ghost town, though there were a few signs of life: the lights flickering on at the diner down the block; a whip-poor-will calling out from a nearby tree; and a cat with a bell on its collar darting beneath a parked car. Otherwise, the town slept, not to awaken until the morning newspaper landed hard upon front porches.

“No one here but us chickens,” she murmured, shaking her head.

She let herself into the building that had, half a century ago, been the Spring Creek Hotel. Through the years the hotel had fallen into disrepair. When its owners died and their heirs placed it on the market for a pittance, the town council had scooped up the property for the River Bend Historical Society. Walls had been torn down to create vast space on the first floor for a museum. The second floor held countless documents and photographs that needed scanning into the system. Its unoccupied rooms also provided storage for the dozens of boxes found in the attic during the renovation and an extensive inventory of items left to the Historical Society by deceased town residents.

The renovation had been fully completed a year ago, and Luann was still sorting through the jumble.

She’d assumed the helm of the Society a decade before and had spent so much time in the building that it felt like home. Heck, it was her home. Before the town council had pushed forward plans to turn the attic into a tiny one-bedroom apartment, she’d often slept on the couch in her office. Though her brand-new living space was hardly bigger than a breadbox, it was all that she needed, seeing as how she was single without even a pet to her name.

One of these days, Lu imagined moving into a cottage perched atop the bluffs above the Mississippi River. How glorious it would be to wake up every morning and see the sunrise dapple the water! It would be even better if she had someone to share it with, she mused wistfully.

Not that there was anything wrong with living alone. Luann had been alone most of her fifty-two years. If she’d liked pets, it might have been a different story. But she was bored to death of herself and itched to share her passion with someone else, hopefully before another decade passed her by while her nose was buried in census tomes or dusty old photographs.

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Author Susan McBride

Come Helen High Water author

SUSAN MCBRIDE is the USA TODAY bestselling author of Blue Blood, the first of the Debutante Dropout Mysteries. The award-winning series also includes The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, The Lone Star Lonely Hearts Club, Night of the Living Deb, and Too Pretty to Die. She’s also the author of The Truth about Love & Lightning, Little Black Dress, and The Cougar Club, all Target Recommended Reads. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri, with her husband and daughter.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Purchase on Amazon

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

The more you comment, the more chances to win!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Welcome to Freakin Fridays, where I share my reviews of books that scare you, thrill you, and get those endorphins pumping. In Honor of Shark Week, I’m sharing some books about the dead eyed creatures for ya.

I’ve got a few good ones to share today.

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One Pissed Off Shark

by Zack Scott

13594889

 

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Genre: Horror

My Review

This has B-movie written all over it. Young people, booze, sex, and one pissed off shark. And what’s really fun is it’s written like a screenplay, kind of. Having seen so many movies, I easily visualized the scenes and it all played out in glorious chomping and gnashing.

Sometimes it’s fun to not give a damn about the characters and just keep reading to see how they meet their bloody end. LOL There’s plenty of chum here. I was making a list and adding the character’s in the order I wanted them eaten. None have any real redeeming factors.

If you like man eating sharks and lots of silliness and characters you could care less about, this would be a fun one for ya. I read it straight through and it flew by. Some scenes made me squirm, but mostly I just grinned madly and enjoyed the show.

  3  Stars

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Synopsis

Ray and his friends have anger issues. So does the shark hunting them.

This book is free on Amazon. You can click on the cover to grab a copy.

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MEG

MEG #1

by Steve Alten

105744

 

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Genre: Horror / Thriller

My Review

I don’t even know how many times I’ve read this book and the rest of the series. It’s one of my go to books when I want to just relax and enjoy the story. Plus, I love anything sharks. Who doesn’t.

Jonas Taylor is one the best in deep sea submersible dives. When he’s sent down on a secret dive into the Marianna Trench, he barely makes it back alive. His claims that a Megalodon almost ended his life is met with derision by his peers and he sinks into depression. After years trying to prove he’s right and waking up screaming from freakish nightmares, Joans is compelled to once again brave the deep, and what happens next is worse than any nightmare he’s ever had.

Oh yeah, I loved this book. From the character’s, to the shark, and everything in-between, it was awesome. Steve is a wonderful storyteller and has you believing Megs do still exist. There’s much argument about that, which I won’t go into, but I choose to say, who knows? The ocean is the least explored place on our planet and new species are discovered all the time.

I myself, hope they do but, then I don’t. After reading books and seeing movies about Great White Sharks, I think they’re bad enough. For something that could use a 20 footer as a toothpick to arrive in our waters is truly terrifying.

Dive into MEG. Meet her up close and personal. Once the action starts, it’s a whole lot of gnashing and blood. If your a fan of sharks and horror, you’ll eat this up.

 5  Stars

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Synopsis

Revised and Expanded. On a top-secret dive into the Pacific Ocean’s deepest canyon, Jonas Taylor found himself face-to-face with the largest and most ferocious predator in the history of the animal kingdom. The sole survivor of the mission, Taylor is haunted by what he’s sure he saw but still can’t prove exists – Carcharodon megalodon, the massive mother of the great white shark. The average prehistoric Meg weighs in at twenty tons and could tear apart a Tyrannosaurus rex in seconds. Taylor spends years theorizing, lecturing, and writing about the possibility that Meg still feeds at the deepest levels of the sea. But it takes an old friend in need to get him to return to the water, and a hotshot female submarine pilot to dare him back into a high-tech miniature sub. Diving deeper than he ever has before, Taylor will face terror like he’s never imagined. MEG is about to surface. When she does, nothing and no one is going to be safe, and Jonas must face his greatest fear once again.

Amazon

I kept hearing this was going to be made into a movie for years. And now, it’s happening. And there is a great cast for the characters too. It’s due to release in 2018. Check out the trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEFdn4kad-A

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While this isn’t part of Steve Alten’s megalodon series, it does have prehistoric sharks in it. And a bunch of other nasty sea beasts. Loads of action and fun.

Vostok

The Loch #2

by Steve Alten

22542136

 

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Genre: Horror / Thriller

My Review

   

I loved Steve’s Meg series. Who wouldn’t love a prehistoric shark loose in today’s oceans. I’ve read the complete series and then moved on to The Loch. Another winner with a prehistoric creature lurking in Loch Ness.

Steve has brought two amazing characters together from these books. Marine biologist Zachary Wallace and Dr. Jonas Taylor. Both of these men have drowned and come back from meetings with giant terrors of the deep seas. Neither ever thought they would enter primal waters again, but here they go.

From the village of Drumnadrochit, Scotland,  to America, and back to Scotland to battle and defeat the beast of Loch Ness,  Zachary is now about to jump down the rabbit hole into the coldest place on earth. Antarctica. But not on the surface. He’s going two and a half miles below the ice cap to an undersea lake called Vostok.

No man has ever gone there before and Vostok has been undisturbed for over 15 million years. Here be monsters. Behemoths of unimaginable size and voracious appetite.

Imagine it if you can. Lasers burn the way, forming a narrow tube for the sub to pass through the ice cap. You break through and fall, plunging into a vast undersea lake over a thousand feet deep. A beast rises, mouth gaping wide, teeth taller than you, so huge you can’t grasp it.

When things go wrong, which they do, who do you call for help? How long will it take for them to get there, if they even can?

And what if there is another reason for sending you down there? Something ancient, powerful, non terrestrial that you have to retrieve. Big brother has their sticky fingers in this expedition. They want what’s down there. No one knows what they are up to. You get it or die trying. Sounds like a conspiracy doesn’t it?

The cast of characters is diverse and many. Some were old favorites and some were new to me. I crossed my fingers the good guys would survive, but you never know with Steve. He’s not above killing some off. And the bad guys. Some were just annoying, and some I’d drop through the tunnel myself.

By the time I reached the third part of the book, I was feeling the terror, the frustration, the courage of these characters. And then the author took the story in yet another direction. I stumbled  a bit. Partly because it was hard for me to grasp how it worked at first. And partly because I didn’t want it to go in that direction. I was dragged kicking and screaming away from my beasts. I went with it though, and soon was engrossed and into it.

Vostok is the crossover book that brings The Loch and The Meg series together for the upcoming release of Meg 5: Nightstalkers. The title alone has me imaging all types of monsters.

 I follow Steve’s newsletter and have been waiting years for his Meg book to be made into a movie. It will be coming soon and I’m sure it will be a huge hit. From there, maybe we’ll be meeting these beasties on the big screen.

Thanks so much to Steve Alten and Rebel Press for gifting me a Limited Edition Hardcover copy for my honest review.

What a strange, terrifying, spectacular ride it’s been from the first Meg book to Vostok and beyond!

5 Stars

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Synopsis

East Antarctica: The coldest, most desolate location on Earth. Two-and-a-half miles below the ice cap is Vostok, a six thousand square mile liquid lake, over a thousand feet deep, left untouched for more than 15 million years. Now, marine biologist Zachary Wallace and two other scientists aboard a submersible tethered to a laser will journey 13,000 feet beneath the ice into this unexplored realm to discover Mesozoic life forms long believed extinct and an object of immense power responsible for the evolution of modern man.

In this sequel to The Loch and prequel to the upcoming MEG 5: Nightstalkers, New York Times best-selling author Steve Alten offers readers a crossover novel that combines characters from two of his most popular series.

Steve Alten is the New York Times and International bestselling author of fourteen novels, including the MEG series about Carcharodon Megalodon, the 70-foot, 100,000 pound prehistoric cousin of the Great White shark and Domain trilogy, a series about the Mayan Calendar s 2012 doomsday prophecy. His work has been published in over 30 countries and is being used in thousands of middle and high school curriculum as part of Adopt-An-Author, a free teen reading program, which he founded with teachers back in 1999.”

Amazon

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

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:

Refuge For Masterminds

Stranje House Series #3

  by Kathleen Baldwin

31702803

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My 56 from the hard cover book

“They only have three choices.” I tick the possibilities off on my fingers. “They must either attempt to steal the steamship, waylay it on its voyage, or abduct Mr. Sinclair and beat the actual plans out of him.”

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Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

It’s 1814. Napoleon has escaped his imprisonment on Elba. Britain is at war on four fronts. And at Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, five young ladies are secretly being trained for a world of spies, diplomacy, and war…

Napoleon’s invasion of England is underway and someone at Stranje House is sneaking information to his spies. Lady Jane Moore is determined to find out who it is. If anyone can discover the traitor, it is Jane—for, according to headmistress Emma Stranje, Lady Jane is a mastermind.

Jane doesn’t consider herself a mastermind. It’s just that she tends to grasp the facts of a situation quickly, and by doing so, she’s able to devise and implement a sensible course of action. Is Jane enough of a mastermind to save the brash young American inventor Alexander Sinclair, her friends at Stranje House, and possibly England itself?

Amazon

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

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE



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Hunger Moon
Alexandra Sokoloff
(The Huntress/FBI Thrillers #5)
Publication date: October 24th 2017
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Revenge has no limits.

Special Agent Matthew Roarke has abandoned his rogue search for serial killer Cara Lindstrom. He’s returned to the FBI to head a task force with one mission: to rid society of its worst predators. But as the skeletal symbols of Santa Muerte, “Lady Death,” mysteriously appear at universities nationwide, threatening death to rapists, Roarke’s team is pressured to investigate. When a frat boy goes missing in Santa Barbara, Roarke realizes a bloodbath is coming—desperate teenagers are about to mete out personal, cold-blooded justice.

Hiding from the law, avenging angel Cara Lindstrom is on her own ruthless quest. She plans to stay as far away from Roarke as possible—until an old enemy comes after both her and the FBI, forcing her back into Roarke’s orbit. This time, the huntress has become the hunted . . .

Goodreads / Amazon

Pre-order today!
PLUS: Books 1-4 are on SALE for $1.99 each for a limited time only!

Previous books in the Huntress/FBI Thrillers Series:

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EXCERPT

A bleak sky, streaked with white, stretches over the desolate South Rim of the canyon. There will be snow tonight.

The grinding of a pickup truck grates through the silence.

A four-door Tundra. Tonneau cover over the bed. Two men dressed in camouflage inside. Fast-food and jerky wrappers litter the wells at their feet. In the back seat, a cooler packed full of beer.

And three rifles, three-inch twelve-gauge magnums, strapped to the padded back-seat gun rest.

Hunters, driving the rim.

The front-seat passenger sets his sights on something moving ahead of them, leans forward greedily. “There we go, there we go.”

The driver follows his gaze, fixes on what he is tracking. Not a deer, but a young girl, shining black hair underneath the hood of her parka. Schoolgirl’s backpack on her shoulder.

On the men’s faces, something crude and capering.

“That’s some tasty-looking pussy.”

“Oh, yeah, that’ll do.”

“Let’s go.”

“Get her.”

The driver swerves the truck over to the side of the road, squealing brakes.

The girl hears the sound, stiffens, is starting to run before she even completes the glance back.

The truck skids to a stop in the snow. The doors fly open; the men are out of the car, grabbing for their rifles.

The girl runs for the rocks, but her pursuers are bigger, faster. Two of them, grown men, against a teenage girl.

They move forward into the strong wind, a military-style formation, heavy boots crunching in the sandy snow.

They pause at the rock outcropping, looking out over the boulders. The girl seems to have disappeared. Then a scrabble on the rocks betrays her. Hearing it, the men grin at each other.

The driver rounds the rock first, his mouth watering. He is already hard in anticipation . . .

The tire iron bashes him across the face, breaking his jaw. He staggers back, howling inarticulate pain.

The girl kicks him viciously in the knee, crumpling him, then swivels as the second hunter rounds the edge of the rock. She slams the tire iron against the side of his head.

Now both men are collapsed on the ground, moaning and cursing.

She steps forward, no longer feigning that youthful, hesitant gait.

She lifts her arm and uses the tire iron on their skulls. Two, three, four blows, and there is no more moaning. Thick crimson drops spatter the snow. Her breath is harsh. Her face is ice.

There is only the wind, swallowing the sound of her breathing.

Cara stands at the edge of the canyon, looking out at the spires of Spider Rock, the vast open gorge.

Below her is an icy crevasse. The canyon has any number of them, deep splits in the rock wall where whole sheets of the cliff have broken away. Behind her is the hunters’ pickup truck.

Their bodies lie at her feet.

She drags one, then the other, to shove them over the cliff’s edge, stepping back to watch each body hurtle down into the crevasse, tumbling into oblivion.

The snowfall tonight will cover all trace of them. Later, birds and animals will pick the bones clean.

Another offering to the canyon, and the gods and ghosts that haunt it.

 

Author Alexandra Sokoloff

“Some of the most original and freshly unnerving work in the genre.” – The New York Times

ALEXANDRA SOKOLOFF is the Thriller Award-winning and Bram Stoker, Anthony, and Black Quill Award-nominated author of the Amazon bestselling Huntress/FBI series (HUNTRESS MOON, BLOOD MOON, COLD MOON, BITTER MOON, HUNGER MOON – now in active development as a TV series), and the supernatural HAUNTED thrillers (THE HARROWING, THE PRICE, THE UNSEEN, BOOK OF SHADOWS, THE SHIFTERS, THE SPACE BETWEEN). The New York Times Book Review called her a “daughter of Mary Shelley,” and her books “Some of the most original and freshly unnerving work in the genre.”

As a screenwriter she has sold original horror and thriller scripts and adapted novels for numerous Hollywood studios. She has also written three non-fiction workbooks: SCREENWRITING TRICKS FOR AUTHORS, STEALING HOLLYWOOD, and WRITING LOVE, based on her internationally acclaimed workshops and blog (www.ScreenwritingTricks.com), and has served on the Board of Directors of the WGA West and the Board of the Mystery Writers of America.

Alex is a California native and a graduate of U.C. Berkeley, where she majored in theater and minored in everything Berkeley has a reputation for. In her spare time (!) she performs with The Slice Girls and Heather Graham’s all-author Slush Pile Players, and dances like a fiend. She is also very active on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. But not an addict. Seriously, it’s under control.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

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The Union
T.H. Hernandez
(The Union #1)
Publication date: November 18th 2014
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult

After global warming and a second civil war devastated the former United States, two different societies rose from the ashes – the Union, a towering high-tech utopia, hugging the perimeter of the continent, and the devastated, untamed midsection known as the Ruins.

Seventeen-year-old Evan Taylor has an easy, privileged life in the Union. What she doesn’t have is any idea what to do with the rest of her life. She only knows she wants to do something meaningful, to make a difference in the lives of others.

When she’s kidnapped and taken into the Ruins as a pawn in a dispute involving her boyfriend, Bryce, her ideal world is turned upside down. What she learns while in the Ruins shakes her faith in everything she’s ever known, from Bryce, to her family, and even the Union itself.

Now Evan must choose whether to stay with Cyrus, the sexy, resourceful survivor who believes she’s in the Ruins for a reason, or return to the only life she’s ever known. But when she stumbles upon a dangerous plot that threatens both worlds, her decision could tear her apart.

The Union is a futuristic young adult romantic adventure.

The complete series:

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The Union – book 1 – is only 99¢ for a limited time!

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EXCERPT FROM THE UNION:

My eyes flutter open to complete darkness, my brain cloudy. My shoulders ache and my arms are numb from sleeping on them. When I try to sit up, the moments before I blacked out come rushing back, filling me with dread.

My hands are tied behind my back, so the best I can do is roll to my side. I strain into the darkness to make sense of my surroundings. I’m inside something that’s moving. It’s too dark to make out anything, so I rely on my ears. A train. But not the L-Train, nor a commuter train. Maybe a cargo. My pulse throbs behind my eyelids and I fight the urge to vomit.

Shit, shit, shit. Tears fill my eyes, but I can’t afford to cry. I need to figure a way out of this mess. Lisa and Colin must have looked for me when I didn’t come back. That only provides small comfort though, since I have no idea where I am or how they’d find me.

None of this makes any sense. The only kidnappings in the Union are due to custody disputes. Maybe Eddie had me kidnapped. Except that’s completely crazy. If he was going to do that, why wait until I’m almost an adult and already on my way to see him?

This must be about money. A ransom or something. That seems so fantastic though, like straight out of a movie. There was that one kid who disappeared a couple of years ago, but it turned out he’d just run away.

Maybe it’s got something to do with my Uncle David. As one of only seven governors, he has an incredible amount of power. Only the Prime Minister has more. Unfortunately, it’s the only thing that makes sense. If I have any hope of surviving, he might have to give them what they want.

 

Author T.H. Hernandez

T.H. Hernandez is the author of young adult books. The Union, a futuristic dystopian adventure, was a finalist in the 2015 San Diego book awards in the Young Adult Fiction category.

She loves pumpkin spice lattes, Game of Thrones, Comic-Con, Star Wars, Doctor Who marathons, Bad Lip Reading videos, and all things young adult, especially the three young adults who share her home.

When not visiting the imaginary worlds inside her head, T.H. Hernandez lives in usually sunny San Diego, California with her husband and three children, a couple of cats, and a dog who thinks he’s a cat, affectionately referred to as “the puppycat.”

You can find her online at http://thhernandez.com

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The House On Devil’s Bar

The Linn House Mysteries #1

by Jessie McAlan

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Genre: US Amateur Sleuth

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My Review

There’s no one thing that makes me like this book. I do like a good mystery. Especially one with no real obvious suspect. I also enjoy humorous and snarky dialogue between characters. And it sure adds to my enjoyment when the scenes are visually written, putting me there in the story. And last, but not least, the surprise reveal of who did it and why. This book had all of this, and something else. This is where I wish I was a writer so I could spit it out. Something just really charmed me. Maybe the compelling prose.

Rona is finally seeing progress with her bakery and events business. When a mysterious woman shows up at Linn House asking questions and then disappearing, Rona shrugs it off. But the strangeness of it keeps niggling at her. And soon she’s thinking all kinds of things. And her fears are justified when the woman’s body is discovered drowned in the river.

Not one to sit on her hands and wait, Rona delves into the woman’s life, feeling duty bound to prove her death wasn’t an accident and see justice done. This leads to some threatening occurrences. The success of her business, and her life are now in question.

Rona is very likable. She’s kind and professional, stubborn and determined.  And while she’s a bit lonely, she doesn’t feel she has to have a man to be happy. Then her ex shows up and their back and forth banter comes naturally. She’s now having second thoughts. Can’t help but like a second chance romance. Even if it doesn’t go the way you want. Won’t tell you how it goes with these two.

Lots of lovely scenery, plenty of mystery and false trails, and humor and romance, what more could you ask for. I hope you try The House On Devil’s Bar. You’ll want to read more about these characters.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

The police verdict of a woman’s accidental drowning in the Mississippi River does more than set tongues wagging in the small Missouri town of Klim; it starts a flood of cancellations that threaten to sink Rona Murray’s bakery and events business. And blacken her good name. Determined to save both, she starts her own investigation to prove she and her property are blameless.  Barbara Lindborg had stopped by Linn House to consider renting it for a party. Yet, when Rona returned from accepting a delivery, the woman had vanished.

Rona’s preliminary search for Barbara yields nothing more than suggestive footprints on the Bar.  Did the woman accidentally fall into the river?  Was she pushed – and if so, why?  A later hunt reveals Barbara’s cell phone in the woods. How did it get halfway up the hill if the woman drowned a hundred feet below? The phone’s camera holds snaps of Klim, its residents, and the Bar. Do any of these hold a clue to her death? Or did her and Rona’s earlier conversation about history and treasure have a different meaning?

Suspects and motives pop up like bubbles in yeast. Is Matt, an employee, still bitter about his and Barbara’s divorce? What about Rona’s own ex, Johnny? Is he trying to drive her out of business, or is his current girlfriend, Crystal, jealous of their relationship and trying to eliminate the competition? A bit like calling the kettle black, for Crystal seems very friendly with Frank, the bad boy neighbor. Frank isn’t lily-white, either. He dislikes Rona; is he behind the pranks on her property or mixed up in Barbara’s death?  It isn’t until Rona’s life is threatened one stormy night that she learns the killer’s identity and her true feelings about Johnny.

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Excerpt

Clouds cloaked the moon, and the darkness in the woods closed around her. She increased her pace. The ground and leaves were slick, causing her to lose traction. When she slid downhill the second time, she heard the whispers.

She remained where she was, her back against a tree trunk, her palms on the ground. The wind had kicked up while she’d started back from the Bar, and it sighed as it wandered through the pines. A cricket chorus grated beneath the melody, strident and sharp, punctuating the wind’s fluid lament. A crack, like someone stepping on a branch, bore through the song, and Rona froze. Was someone walking through the woods, walking without a flashlight?

Which could only mean he was sneaking up on her.

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Author Jessie McAlan

A family trip to the Big Spring area in the Missouri Ozarks introduced Jessie to the wonders of nature.  Her summer stints as a camp counselor and canoeing instructor cemented her enthusiasm.  This love of the natural world and the river flows through her Linn House mysteries.

In 2001 Jessie graduated from Webster University with a BA degree and departmental honors in English.

She lives in the St Louis, MO area and spends as much time as she can camping and watching the barges on the river.

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It’s time for some Hump Day Reviews.

Got a couple of good ones for you.

Check out Behold! and Iced

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Behold! Oddities, Curiosities and Undefinable Wonders

edited by Doug Murano

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Genre: horror / fantasy/ Short Story Collection

My Review

The moment I got my greedy little hands on this book I was giddy with glee. I love the strange, unusual and creepy and this had it all.

The story has three parts, Oddities, Curiosities and Undefinable Wonders. Not wanting to risk spoilers, I’d say that sums it up nicely. Creepy gardens, gnomes, clowns, mysterious whatevers and more all await your curiosity.

There is just too much awesomeness in this collection to single out any favorites. Some of these talented authors are old friends and some are new to me. All of them are in top form, entertaining me with their various tales.

Make sure you don’t skip past the foreword. It’s a smart piece of work in itself, explaining what awaits you when you get to the meat of the book. As R.L. Stine says, “Beware. You’re in for a scare.”

Loved every bit of this book. I bet you will too. Try it and see. And remember to breathe.

5 Stars

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 I received my ARC copy of BEHOLD! from Crystal Lake Publishing. Thanks so much and thank you to these amazing authors.

Synopsis

Crystal Lake Publishing and Doug Murano, the Bram Stoker Award-nominated editor of GUTTED: BEAUTIFUL HORROR STORIES, are proud to present BEHOLD! ODDITIES, CURIOSITIES AND UNDEFINABLE WONDERS.

Slide into the spaces between the ordinary. Embrace the odd. Indulge your curiosity. Surrender to wonder. Witness as the finest talents of our time bring you tales of the strangeness at the edges of existence.

Featuring:

Clive Barker, John Langan, Neil Gaiman, Ramsey Campbell, Lisa Morton, Brian Kirk, Hal Bodner, Stephanie M. Wytovich, Erinn Kemper, John F.D. Taff, Patrick Freivald, Lucy Snyder, Brian Hodge, Kristi DeMeester, Christopher Coake, Sarah Read, and Richard Thomas.

With a foreword by Josh Malerman.

Pre-order on Amazon

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Iced

A Resort To Murder Mystery  #1

by Avery Daniels

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Genre: Mystery

 My Review

I have a fondness for cozy mysteries. They have such quirky titles and colorful covers. And there are so many themes. Food, pets, sewing, clothing and more. The theme for this book is new to me.

It’s never a dull moment for Julienne. She works at a luxurious resort as an event planner. Everything must run smoothly and last minute changes will be accommodated. Except when it’s a dead body. Somebody killed the beloved Pastor Tom. Ran him through with an ice sculpture.

Julienne had an earlier incident with the pastor so she’s suspect number one in the eyes of Detective Lawrence. If it was up to him, they need look no further for the killer.

She knows she didn’t kill the pastor and Julienne enlists the help of some friends and the sexy new neighbor to sort things out and bring the killer to justice.

Quite the mystery. There was no clear suspect. My radar pinged on one, but then I didn’t read about that person again until way further in the story. And I was wrong.

I enjoyed reading about Julienne’s personal life as much as I did the mystery. She’s fighting for her independence. Her dad thinks she should get married and have babies. And her boyfriend seems to have her future all mapped out for her. When she’s finally had enough and puts her foot down, or rather stamps it, I applauded her. I like strong female protagonists and I was with her all the way as she carved out her own life.

You don’t have to be a cozy fan to enjoy this book. It’s got lots of colorful characters, fun dialogue, and an ending that comes out of left field. It’s good clean fun.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Julienne has her ideal job as an event planner at a prestigious resort. During a luncheon event she coordinated, a renowned celebrity pastor is killed next to the buffet. All eyes turn to her as the suspect. If she wants to stay out of jail or even keep her job, Julienne needs all the help she can get to solve the crime.

She has her work cut out for her with a vengeful high school rival now reporter, the public demanding she be fired, plus family who knows what’s best for her, and a boyfriend who doesn’t understand her. She turns to friends and a new ally to uncover who wanted to put the pastor on ice.

Julienne goes undercover and investigates a local swingers group as she follows the trail of clues before they go cold. Can she gather enough suspects and motives to convince the police to widen their investigation? Can she do it before the killer sets his murderous sights on her? Will her personal life ever be as simple as unveiling a murderer?

Amazon

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