Posts Tagged ‘Horror’

Blood Prophecy by Barb Jones ~ Spotlight And Giveaway

Posted: December 28, 2023 in giveaways, horror, Romance, Supernatural
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Two strangers arrive in town, bringing with them a prophecy recorded more than three-thousand years ago, a prophecy that places Amber directly in the midst of a battle that has spanned a millennia.

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Queen’s Destiny

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Blood Prophecy Book One

by Barb Jones

Genre: Supernatural Horror, Paranormal Romance

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Amber Stone, once a child prodigy, has just become curator of a special collection of Macedonian artifacts for the Seattle Museum of Natural History. Chloe, a prodigy of a different sort, holds a position at the museum focusing on tribal art. The two become fast friends, united by Amber’s unsettling dreams and Chloe’s unorthodox ways of dealing with them.

Two strangers arrive in town, bringing with them a prophecy recorded more than three-thousand years ago, a prophecy that places Amber directly in the midst of a battle that has spanned a millennia.

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Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads

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Queen’s Enemy

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Blood Prophecy Book 2

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When you are in love with the one you fear and hate the most, it leaves you no options. How can you fight her, protect her, love her, when all it would do is leave you in pieces?

Amber and Chloe are pulled deeper into the Prophecy that reveals itself as the Blood Moon rises. Michael is pulled and torn into different directions. His choice is fated but is not known until Amber embraces her true destiny and is crowned Queen.

Together, all four embark on a journey, joined by new allies, enemies and the past. A child is born to be the instrument of the Queen.

This is the preparation for the upcoming Epic battle that has spanned a millennia.

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Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads

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Queen’s Ascension

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Blood Prophecy Book 3

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Bloodshed. Heartbreak. Revelation. When the darkness was compelling and the heart knew no bounds, was there really a right choice?

With Michael’s life hanging in the balance, Amber had a choice: save her star-fated love or keep on the crusade to unite the magical community. For Amber, her fate was sealed even before her birth and it was her destiny to fight the great battle ahead of her. But, when it came to her heart — her friends, her great love — Amber’s torn.

Not only was she the Queen, but she was a human in every sense of the word. She was vulnerable. And so the very people — Chloe and Michael — that gave her strength, quickly became her weakness. It wasn’t her fault she loved too much, was it?

Nevertheless, the Tall Dark Man had set a plan in motion that could threaten the very existence of the Blood Prophecy. Would he gather his dark forces and succeed in destroying Amber once and for all? Or, would she assemble her powerful friends and save the world?

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Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads

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Barb Jones is the award-winning and best-selling author of the Blood Prophecy Series, the Heaven and Hell Series, as well as standalone supernatural thrillers and horror. Having been born and raised in Hawaii, she calls upon her Hawaiian heritage when she writes because she grew up around the supernatural and legends of gods and goddesses. Jones is known for her world building and her exceptional way of creating characters that her readers can relate to. Today, she resides in Florida with her family and her rescue cat, Yuffie. When she isn’t writing, you can find her making live appearances across the US and internationally for book events, public speaking on various topics that are dear to her heart.

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Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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$25 Amazon,

$10 Amazon

– 1 winner each!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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Spread: Tales Of Deadly Flora Edited by R. A. Clarke ~ My Review

Posted: December 1, 2023 in Anthology, horror, reviews
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Spread: Tales of Deadly Flora

Edited by Rachel Clarke

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Synopsis

Green thumbs beware. Plants are beautiful, peaceful, abundant, and life-sustaining. But what if something sinister took root in the soil, awakening to unleash slashing thorns, squeezing vines, or haunting greenery that lured you in? Perhaps blooms on distant planets could claim your heart, hitch a ride to Earth on a meteor, or simply poison you with their essence. Imagine a world where scientists produced our own demise in a lab, set spores free to infect, even bred ferns to be our friends only to witness the privilege perverted. When faced with botanical terror, will humanity fight to survive, or will they curl and wither like leaves in the fall? Read ten speculative tales ripe with dangerous flora to find out.

Includes stories by: Alyssa Beatty, Katie Ess, Jen Mierisch, Josephine Queen, Lisa Fox, Katie Jordan, Melissa Mendelson, Andrea Goyan, Alex Grehy, and R.A. Clarke.

Foreword by: Holly Rae Garcia.

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MY REVIEW

The first thing I want to say about this anthology is brilliant. Positively astounding. The prose is excellent. The stories read like an artist painting on canvas. I was astounded by how compelling these tales were. Even though the subject might be dark, it felt like a light was shining when I read some of the passages.

I live in Alabama and we have this vine called Kudzu. It was brought in to help with erosion on the bluffs. They must not have done their research because the invasive species took over. It simply can’t be killed. Just keeps coming back. I often thought it would be great for a horror story. Something along the lines of The Ruins. That movie was terrifyingly brutal.  That said, I wanted to mention that while some of these tales are dark, they aren’t necessarily gory. It’s more of a let your imagination take you there, wherever that is.

Being a collection, I usually have a favorite. Though I don’t usually single it out in my review. I was hard pressed to choose just one this time. All of them blew me away. The forward by Holly Rae Garcia was equally captivating. As were the illustrations spreading between the stories.

I love anthologies. Especially in a genre I read voraciously, such as horror. They’re such a fun way to discover new authors, and I found several. Each of these author’s are true storytellers and I’d love to sit around a campfire and let them spin me a tale. Feel those icy fingers creeping up and down my spine.

5 STARS

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Edited by Rachel Clarke

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Purchase Link: Amazon

 

Social Media Links: Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook

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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.

Peek Inside And Giveaway ~ A Beast Within by Aidan Lucid

Posted: November 20, 2023 in Excerpt, giveaways, horror
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A Beast Within

by Aidan Lucid

 

Publication date: November 10th 2023
Genres: Adult, Horror

Have you experienced true terror? For three criminals, they’re about to face it head-on!

Fresh out of prison, Jeremy vows to steer clear of a life of crime and clean up his act. But he quickly realizes that to the world, he will always be an ex-con and plunges back into his old ways. The perfect opportunity presents itself in the form of his best friend, Stephen, and his spunky girlfriend, Natalie.

After a failed bank robbery, Jeremy and his accomplices’ identities are made. So, they find refuge in the home of a typical Christian family. Their getaway should have been smooth sailing…after all it was three armed criminals against the wholesome Boyd family.

But the Boyds are hiding dark secrets of their own…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Malcolm looked in his rear-view mirror at the car and its driver growing smaller by the second. “I feel bad about leaving him there.” He slowed to a stop, then shifted the stick into reverse.

“What are you doing? This is insane!” Helena protested as he reversed the Wagoneer.

“Yeah, but if anything happened to him, I’d never forgive myself. Besides, I can’t just drive past him.”

“Course you can. Just press the accelerator and go.”

He brought the Wagoneer to a halt a few feet from the Buick and yanked up the handbrake. “I won’t be long.”

“Malcolm. Malcolm!” Helena hissed as he got out.

The stranger stood staring at the front left wheel, not acknowledging Malcolm’s presence.

“Howdy, sir. Having car trouble?” he asked the chubby driver who appeared to be in his fifties.

“Got a flat. Can’t change it with my back.”

“I can do that if you like? Got a spare?”

“That’s mighty kind of you, fella. Uh . . . yeah, in the trunk.”

“Let me get my wrenching nut.” Malcolm opened his own trunk and took out the tool. He kneeled down and began unscrewing the nuts. “You from around here?”

“The next town a few miles ahead. You?”

“We live about three hours away. Hartford Town. Ever heard of it?”

“Never, sir. Thanks for doing this. I’m starvin’, I’m just waiting for my brother-in-law to come. Lazy bastard probably hasn’t even left the house yet.”

Malcolm chuckled. “Got one of those myself. Just don’t tell her I said that.”

“Yeah, God I’m hungry. Good thing you came along.”

As Malcolm continued to unscrew the nuts on the flat tire, he noticed the driver walk a short distance away from him. Next, he heard the cracking of bones and popping sounds, as if joints were being dislocated. Low grunts soon transformed into growls.

Malcolm turned to look at the man but stood up, his jaw hung in terror.

“What…the…fu—” he uttered while retreating slowly to the Wagoneer.

The stranger’s shoulders grew wider as his shirt tore. Black fur replaced the man’s chubby stomach.

“Holy crap!” Malcolm exclaimed.

The only reply he received was a quick snarl as the man turned around, no longer bearing a human face but a wolf’s instead. Sharp, yellowed teeth dripped with saliva.

Helena’s screams confirmed she saw it too.

“Hurry, Dad, get in,” David cried, as tears streamed down his pale face.

Malcolm threw the wrenching nut, hitting the beast on the forehead. It staggered back, shaking its head, momentarily dazed.

Malcolm dashed into the driver’s seat, his trembling hands fumbling for the keys. He jumped when the creature let loose a feral howl.

“Come on, start the damn car! David, honey, lock both doors and get down,” Helena said.

The werewolf started walking towards the driver’s door as the engine roared into life. As Malcolm pulled out onto the road, the beast ran after them, leaping into the air. A thud let them know he was on their roof.

“Oh, Christ. Lose him,” Helena shouted.

Malcolm let loose a few expletives as an enormous paw smashed into his window. He swerved left and right to throw the monster off. Malcolm then slammed the brakes.

The beast rolled forward, digging his claws into the metal to keep himself on the car. Malcolm feared that they were so sharp, if the werewolf reached the windshield, it would slice or tear off the roof.

“Crap,” cursed Malcolm as he drove again, unable to loosen the monster’s grip and knock it off.

The tormentor crawled up towards the windshield. When it was on the hood, the creature went on all fours. He reached back his arm, ready to smash into the glass.

“Oh no you don’t.” Malcolm slammed on the brakes again, catapulting the beast off the Wagoneer. When it hit the ground, the werewolf tumbled and rolled around before coming to a stop, its left arm bent out of shape.

All the Boyds stared on in disbelief. Helena glanced down at her skirt; shame washed over her face as a circular patch of urine soaked her crotch.

Malcolm gave another quick glance in the mirror. David’s face was whiter than normal, his eyes wide in horror. Malcolm grabbed his own right hand to stop it shaking.

They all jumped when the beast grunted again and raised its head, his bright green eyes locked menacingly on them.

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About Author Aidan Lucid:

Aidan Lucid began his author journey after a spiritual experience in 2002. Two years later, he sent several short stories, articles and poems to magazines and was published seven times that year. Having successfully completed courses in creative writing, writing for TV and radio, and freelance journalism, Lucid went on to have even more poems, articles and short stories appear in national and international magazines and anthologies over the years. Between 2019 and 2023, he published five books. Aidan is the author of a YA horror series titled, “The Hopps Town Series” and also a YA epic fantasy novel, – The Lost Son (Second Edition), the first in a YA fantasy quadrology – The Zargothian Saga. A few stand-alone stories have been released also. In his spare time, Aidan likes to listen to music (being a huge Elvis and Shakin’ Stevens fan!), read, go for walks and see the latest cinema releases with his wife, Claire.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

 

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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

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31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #31 ~ Sunset House And The Funtime Show by J.L. Bryan

Posted: October 31, 2023 in horror, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

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Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

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I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 Sunset House

Ellie Jordan: Ghost Trapper #18

by J.L. Bryan

Genre: Horror / Paranormal

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MY REVIEW

The title and cover are perfect for this one. An old mansion on a run down street that’s converted into a retirement home. Hence the eerie house on the cover and Sunset in the title. These people are living out their last years.

I’m always looking for horror stories with more mature characters. Got a lot of them in this book. And they aren’t going down without a fight. Some real tough cookies.  And some don’t think they need Ellie. That changes pretty quickly as events become more and more dangerous.

I loved some of these characters. I think they’d have taken on the evil presence with canes and  walkers. Any ghost should think twice before taking on these senior citizens. They’ve been around a long time. Got plenty in their bags of tricks.

I remember how much I loved this series when I started reading it and I still do. The author continues to give me new settings and evil beings to keep it fresh. Not that it could ever fall short for me. I’ll always be waiting for the next book.

5 STARS

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Synopsis

The old Heusinkveld mansion overlooks the mostly shuttered main street of the small town of Burdener’s Hill. Once a testament to local wealth and aspiration, the brooding edifice now clings to life as the Sunshine House, a retirement home inhabited by an eccentric collection of locals bound together by fond memories of their shrinking hometown.

When a newly arrived resident finds herself tormented by a threatening specter from her past, paranormal investigator Ellie Jordan is called in to confront it. The entity puts up a strong fight, resisting capture, and soon more residents are in danger. With nowhere else to go, they need Ellie to remove the ghost before it inflicts serious harm or death on those who have made the strange old house their home.

Amazon

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 The Funtime Show

Ellie Jordan: Ghost Trapper #19

by J.L. Bryan

Genre: Horror / Paranormal

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MY REVIEW

All of the Ellie Jordan books are scary, but I was seriously creeped out by this one. The lifeless eyes in dolls and puppets have always made me shudder. I imagine them suddenly blinking, their heads turning and something terrible coming out of their mouths. There’s this scene where Ellie puts her hand inside the puppet. Eew. What if it gets stuck or possesses her? See, they’re creepy.

Ellie and Stacey have their work cut out for them. The Calvert’s are in real danger. Something wants in. And something else already is. Once again, Ellie does her research and Stacey mentally paces back and forth, ready to get to the good stuff. The ghost trapping. And a ghost trapping they will go.

Still loving this series and the characters. And I’m really curious where it goes next. I’ll be waiting……….

5 STARS

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Synopsis

Come here, children, play with me,
I’m the friend in your TV…

The Calvert family’s new home used to belong to the recently deceased creator of a forgotten children’s program from the early days of television. The family’s younger kids are fascinated by the basement rooms, a chaotic wonderland of discarded stage sets, props, costumes, and puppets.

At first, the parents are glad to see the kids put down their screens and play creatively with the old theatrical elements, but their performances and their experiences grow more disturbing over time.

In this house, the reruns of a dark past never stop playing, and paranormal investigator Ellie Jordan must protect the family from a malevolent presence trying to draw them into the infernal show.

Amazon

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #30 ~ Dread by Kevin Bachar

Posted: October 30, 2023 in horror, reviews, Short stories and collections
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

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Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

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I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

 Dread

by Kevin Bachar

Genre: Horror / Short Stories

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MY REVIEW

You recognize a true storyteller when they can write short fiction that gives so much in so few words. Kevin is one of those. He’s taken his experiences with the natural world and written some unnatural horror stories.

Among my favorites is the telling of his first hand encounter with a sasquatch. I love that big, hairy cryptid. The author truly creeped me out and I’ll think about his encounter before setting foot in the woods again. Heck, I’ll never take nature for granted after some of these stories.

Whether super short or a bit longer, all of these had something going for them. I enjoyed the diversity and the lingering affect this collection had on me. I say to the author, bring me more. For you fans of horror, I suspect you’ll enjoy these as much as I did.

5 STARS

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Synopsis

A child died in an avalanche, and she won’t leave me alone.

A woman plagued by blood-draining mosquitoes on the Alaskan tundra figures out a horrific way to scratch her unending itching.

There’s something outside my tent…and I think it’s hungry.

A collector of rare tropical fish, receives a new species that is both fascinating and terrifying.

DREAD – Thousands of people have gone missing out in the wild and here is a collection of tales that offer up some horrifying reasons why. Emmy-award-winning National Geographic cinematographer Kevin Bachar has swum with sharks, climbed the peaks of mountains, and explored the darkest of forests. In DREAD, he weaves together terrifying true stories from his real-life adventures with twisted fiction from the depths of his frightening imagination. Flip open the pages to indulge in the dark side of nature— haunted forests, tree demons, monstrous snakes, and a search-and-rescue team terrorized by the ghosts of those they couldn’t save.

Read… if you dare.

Amazon

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About Author Kevin Bachar

Kevin Bachar

Kevin Bachar is a national EMMY award-winning natural history documentary filmmaker and WGA writer. The elevated horror film he wrote – The Inhabitant – https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/the-inh… – was released through Lionsgate and is available on most streaming services.

If you’ve watched National Geographic, PBS, or The Discovery Channel over the years you’ve seen his work. He’s the idiot in the water filming sharks or crawling into caves to photograph vampire bats. You can see Kevin at work filming sharks here – https://www.imdb.com/video/vi2703407897/…

The natural world has always captured his imagination and the supernatural world inspires his stories. Through his journeys, he’s interviewed scientists who’ve enlightened him, heard folk tales that have frightened him, and seen quite a few things that have challenged his skeptical mind.

His collection of short stories that weaves together the natural world and the supernatural world entitled, DREAD, is available on Amazon. He’s currently working on his second collection entitled – CREEP.

Complimenting his writing, Kevin has lectured and given presentations at prestigious institutions such as Rutgers University, American University, and the Rubin Museum of Art.
To keep up to date with Kevin’s movies, documentaries, and books –
www.kevinbachar.com
https://twitter.com/KevinPangolin
https://www.instagram.com/kevinbachar/
https://www.tiktok.com/@kevinbachar?l…
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjEKM_m…
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1423190/

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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.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #29 ~ The Swarm by Frank Schatzing

Posted: October 29, 2023 in horror, reviews, Science Fiction
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

.

Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

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I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 The Swarm

by Frank Schatzing

Genre: Science Fiction / Horror

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MY REVIEW

Our oceans have been called the last great frontier. Depths no man can enter. Could there be intelligent life? I can’t help but wonder. And what if that life resents us? Have had enough of our plundering and damage to an ecosystem they also depend on to survive? Could you blame them if they used the very thing we all need to defend themselves?

This is a huge book. I can’t remember if it was gifted to me or I bought it. The synopsis was intriguing and I love books where nature plays a vital role in humanities survival. The cast of characters is large. It couldn’t be otherwise with so many sciences needing to be included in order to explain what’s attacking and why. As each new species of marine life turns on us, those who specialize in that field of study are introduced. From Orca who attack and kill us, to whales who sink our ships and crustaceans that poison us, it’s a race to find answers. Man can’t live without the oceans.

When a mission is planned to try to communicate with the intelligence in the depths, many rose to the occasion. Sadly, some died. Some also chose to remain with their families and try to ride it out. Those who went out to meet the unknown had no guarantees they would ever come home. But, someone had to go.

I mentioned this was a large book. That said, I never lost interest or felt tempted to skip ahead. Even in the scientific bits. They were explained in ways a layman like me could understand. The scenes where marine life that we trusted turned on and attacked us were vicious. It made me angry at their betrayal. Then I was saddened when I learned what was behind it. And when the group goes down there. Where the enemy is. Those scenes were so suspenseful. I couldn’t get enough. Had to know what was down there. Whether it could be reasoned with. Wondered what the fate of mankind would be.

I loved this book and thought what a great movie it would make. They went one better. There is now a television series and I’m watching it now. Just a couple of episodes into it but I’m hooked already and can’t wait to see how closely the film follows the book.

5 STARS

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Synopsis

For more than two years, one book has taken over Germany’s hardcover and paperback bestseller lists, reaching number one in Der Spiegel and setting off a frenzy in bookstores: The Swarm.

Whales begin sinking ships. Toxic, eyeless crabs poison Long Island’s water supply. The North Sea shelf collapses, killing thousands in Europe. Around the world, countries are beginning to feel the effects of the ocean’s revenge as the seas and their inhabi-tants begin a violent revolution against mankind. In this riveting novel, full of twists, turns, and cliffhangers, a team of scientists discovers a strange, intelligent life force called the Yrr that takes form in marine animals, using them to wreak havoc on humanity for our ecological abuses. Soon a struggle between good and evil is in full swing, with both human and suboceanic forces battling for control of the waters. At stake is the survival of the Earth’s fragile ecology — and ultimately, the survival of the human race itself.

The apocalyptic catastrophes of The Day After Tomorrow meet the watery menace of The Abyss in this gripping, scientifically realistic, and utterly imaginative thriller. With 1.5 million copies sold in Germany — where it has been on the bestseller list without fail since its debut — and the author’s skillfully executed blend of compelling story, vivid characters, and eerie locales, Frank Schatzing’s The Swarm will keep you in tense anticipation until the last suspenseful page is turned.

Amazon

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The above cover is the one I own in hardback.

Here’s an alternative cover.

The Swarm: A Novel

Which do you like the most?

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

     

   

     

   

     

     

     

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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.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #28 ~ The Last Haunt by Max Booth III

Posted: October 28, 2023 in horror, reviews
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

.

Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

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I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 The Last Haunt

by Max Booth III

Genre: Horror

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MY REVIEW

I’m always the first one to suggest going to some haunted house attractions during the spooky season. My friends look at me like I’m nuts. I seem to forget that each time I make it through one I say I’ll never do that again. Some have been truly scary and some I think I scared myself worrying about what would happen more than what actually did.

McKinley Manor was supposed to be the scariest haunted house. And that proved to be true for one unlucky person. She ended up dead. A year later, we learn what happened through interviews with other people who entered the house that night. And some about what was involved in making the house and who was behind it. If you read the first paragraph of my review again,  you’ll know why reading this book might make me skip haunted houses this year.

Scary is as scary does. And this book did.

4 STARS

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Synopsis

On the one-year anniversary of a young woman’s tragic death, an extreme haunted house attraction reopened its doors to the public. What happened next would forever traumatize a small Texas town. The Last Haunt is an attempt to make sense of the mysterious brutality that occurred on that fateful Halloween night. Constructed from interviews with the survivors, this oral history is the closest anyone has ever come to documenting the truth behind the McKinley Manor massacre.

Amazon

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

     

   

     

   

     

     

     

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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.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #27 ~ The Year Of The Storm by John Mantooth

Posted: October 27, 2023 in horror, reviews
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

.

Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

.

I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 The Year Of The Storm

by John Mantooth

 

 

Genre: Horror

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MY REVIEW

Living in rural Alabama myself, I’m always looking for horror stories set in my neck of the woods. We have bayous, alligators, giant roaches and more venomous critters than you can shake a stick at. The most violent thunder storms, some water spouts and, of course, hurricanes too.

Right from the get go, I was welcomed by some great descriptive writing. And as the story progressed, I just new I was going to enjoy this book.

Danny’s mother and sister disappeared during one of Alabama’s violent storms. A scruffy looking man shows up on his doorstep claiming he knows where they are. Some readers will be thinking, been there, read that. I say, no you haven’t. The premise might be familiar. But, wait for it. Things aren’t what they seem.

I loved the inclusion of the invasive Kudzu. That vine was really brought into Alabama to help with erosion because of our tropical climate and all that rain. Right down the road, they’re putting in a new subdivision. They tore out the Kudzu, but when I drive by I see it creeping back. You can’t get rid of it. Always thought it would something cool to use in a horror story.

Told in more than one time line, I want to reassure you, it’s easy to tell which time the characters are in. It made me pause and think. What if it was true. Maybe that explains the deja vu I feel sometimes.

There’s so much I want to tell you about the characters and what all is going on in these pages. Not going to be one of those that spoils it for you. Grab the book. Give it a go. It lingers a while after you finish it. Scary good stuff.

 4 STARS

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Synopsis

In this haunting, suspenseful debut novel, John Mantooth takes readers to a town in rural Alabama where secrets are buried deep, reality is relative, and salvation requires a desperate act of faith.

When Danny was fourteen, his mother and sister disappeared during a violent storm. The police were baffled. There were no clues, and most people figured they were dead.  Only Danny still holds out hope that they’ll return.

Months later, a disheveled Vietnam vet named Walter Pike shows up at Danny’s front door, claiming to know their whereabouts. The story he tells is so incredible that Danny knows he shouldn’t believe him. Others warn him about Walter Pike’s dark past, his shameful flight from town years ago, and the suspicious timing of his return.

But he’s Danny’s last hope, and Danny needs to believe…

Amazon

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The above cover is the one I have. Here is another cover.

Which do you like best?

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

     

   

     

   

     

     

   

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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.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #26 ~ Dear Diary: Run Like Hell by James A. Moore

Posted: October 26, 2023 in horror, reviews
Tags: , ,
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

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Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

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I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 Dear Diary: Run Like Hell

by James A. Moore

 

 

Genre: Horror

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MY REVIEW

This is one of those times when I wanted to read the book after seeing the cover. Come on. Just look at it. How could I resist.

I went into this without reading the synopsis and the first thing it had going for it was how it was told. It’s presented as diary entries. I’ve read other books told that way and really enjoyed the idea. And the entries were written by a hitman. Talk about getting inside the characters head. Speaking of that. He didn’t sugar coat anything. He was brutally honest. And wait til you learn what his day job was.

An unstoppable foe, supernatural monsters, lots of bad guys and my own love of the different or macabre in horror made this a whole lot of fun to read.

4 STARS

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Synopsis

Confessions of a Desperate Killer

Sooner or later even the best prepared hitman is going to run out of bullets. Buddy Fisk has two new jobs, bring back a few stolen books of sorcery, and then stop the unkillable man who wants to see him dead. There are problems even the deadliest assassins can’t be prepared for, like supernatural entities looking for the same prizes he seeks, and mob bosses that refuse to die. The collateral damage adds up quickly and Fisk is looking to solve mysteries that border on the edge of madness…

Amazon

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

     

   

     

   

     

     

 

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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.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #25 ~ Fallen Wishes by J.L. Bryan

Posted: October 25, 2023 in horror, reviews, Supernatural
Tags: , , ,
1

Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

.

Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

.

I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

~~~~~

 Fallen Wishes

Ellie Jordan: Ghost Trapper #17

by J.L. Bryan

Genre: Horror

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MY REVIEW

I’ve always thought southern settings are perfect for paranormal horror stories. It could be because I live in the south myself. The author made me feel right at home. We have a lot of old plantation houses and I could easily see Canterbury Gardens, the setting for this next book in the Ellie Jordan series. The huge house, the beautiful gardens with fountains and meandering paths. And I would have loved to be able to attend one of the fancy balls. The glitz. The glamour. Southern style.

Once again a family comes under attack by something unexplained. When they decided to purchase the old plantation and restore it to it’s earlier grandeur, they didn’t know they would be disturbing something from the past. Ghostly apparitions roam the gardens. And when they start entering the house, things turn deadly. Time to call Ellie before someone gets killed.

I’ve loved this series from the very first book. Seventeen books in and I’m still as intrigued and excited. The author has so many different scenarios and settings for his series and that keeps each story feeling new. And I love reading about how Ellie does her research. She’s methodical and thorough. Now Stacey, her partner, is the opposite. She wants to get right to it. Start setting up the cameras and traps and catching some ghosts. It all works to make me a captive audience to the mystery as it unravels. And there’s also some pretty terrifying moments to feed my horror habit. I ending this feeling sated and happy. Bring on the next!

5 STARS

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Synopsis

Canterbury Gardens is a centuries-old plantation outside Charleston, South Carolina. Its aristocratic founders once hosted lavish banquets and balls among fanciful pleasure gardens, canals, and large-scale follies resembling ancient and medieval ruins.

Over generations of neglect, the winding paths of the gardens have become overgrown, its marble statues and columned buildings abandoned to the wild.

Now a family recovering from tragedy have devoted themselves to restoring the estate, but the ghosts of the past remain strong. Shadowy figures walk the labyrinth of overgrown gardens. A strange wishing well steeped in local legend attracts trespassers who climb walls and gates in their eagerness to throw in a coin and make a wish.

Paranormal investigator Ellie Jordan travels there to study and confront the dark entities who stalk the house and grounds by night, terrifying the family who now live there. The secret history of the plantation proves as shadowy and labyrinthine as its maze of gardens. Enchanting on the surface, Canterbury Gardens was founded on the darkest of wishes, and every wish that comes true has its price.

Amazon

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

     

   

     

   

     

     

~~~~~

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.

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