The Lost Photograph By Archana Maniar ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: October 27, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, Historical
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The Lost Photograph by Archana Maniar Banner

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THE LOST PHOTOGRAPH
by Archana Maniar
October 12 – November 6, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

 

 

 

Synopsis:
A forgotten photograph. A trailblazing ancestor. And a modern woman about to discover that her family’s past holds the key to her future.

When overworked surgeon Jaanvi Chowdhury finds a mysterious photograph and a small stack of letters hidden in her Boston attic, she uncovers the remarkable story of her great-aunt Kalyani Joshi–one of the first Indian women to study medicine in 1920s London. As Jaanvi pieces together her ancestor’s life, she discovers Kalyani’s experience of colonial oppression, her role in India’s fight for independence, and her unlikely connection with a Scottish missionary’s son, Alexander. Drawn together by their passion for literature, Kalyani and Alexander will risk everything for a free India, putting their loyalty, love, and choices to the test. Navigating between past and present, Jaanvi confronts her own struggles. Passed over for promotion, she has lost sight of why she became a doctor. But as she learns how fiercely Kalyani fought for each opportunity–and the price she paid–Jaanvi begins to question her own carefully constructed life. Can her great-aunt’s unprecedented story help her reclaim not just her purpose in medicine but her sense of who she truly is?

A sweeping and captivating historical novel that will steal a piece of your heart, The Lost Photograph is perfect for fans of Alka Joshi, Kate Quinn, and Kristin Hannah.

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Praise for The Lost Photograph:

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“Archana Maniar brings 1930s India to vibrant life with this riveting story of two women bound by blood and ambition. The Lost Photograph is both intimate and sweeping in its portrait of separate generations struggling to find their place … Maniar weaves their stories into a poignant, luminous novel that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page.” ~ Claire Booth, author of Throwing Shadows and the Hank Worth Mystery Series “Archana Maniar’s THE LOST PHOTOGRAPH is a page-turner that has it all, forbidden love, clandestine meetings, and the very real danger of losing everything, including oneself. With vivid and compelling characters, the story is gripping and tender at the same time, a testament to how the past can bring clarity to the present, and strength to embrace the future.” ~ Nigar Alam, author of Under the Tamarind Tree “Beautiful, vivid, and atmospheric.” ~ Fiona Valpy, author of The Skylark’s Secret and The Dark of the Moon “A dazzling and deeply evocative novel of love, women’s rights and the Indian independence movement, Archana Maniar’s stunning prose instantly drew me into Jaanvi and Kalyani’s stories. Impossible to put down, I know the characters will stay with me for a long time!” ~ Linda Wilgus, author of The Sea Child “I knew I shouldn’t start reading this on a weeknight, but my restraint absconded with my willpower the minute I laid my hands on this book. Maniar has done it again, artfully weaving the story of two women—related by blood and connected through time. Both buck the norms of a society that is geared to suppress their intelligence and passion. The book brings a much-needed perspective on the struggles of the Indian people under colonial rule and the tireless work of courageous souls who risked everything to gain independence. Any woman who has tried to break a glass ceiling, flex her independence, or get recognition for the merits of her work will savor this book like a crisp raspberry sorbet on a hot summer’s night.” ~ Cathi Misquitta, Early Reader

 

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Fiction with Contemporary Themes

Published by: Lake Union Publishing Publication Date: September 15, 2026 Number of Pages: 399 ISBN: 9781662528729 (ISBN10: 1662528728)

Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

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Enjoy this peek inside:

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About Author Archana Maniar:

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Archana Maniar

Born near Chicago to immigrants from India, Archana Maniar relocated with her parents to Mumbai at age four. After the culture shock abated, she fell in love with her parents’ homeland until chance brought the family to California. During vacations and family occasions, Mumbai was a frequent destination. She attended college at University of California, Los Angeles where she studied political theory and biology before attending medical school at the University of California, Davis. As a professor of medicine and practicing infectious diseases physician, she was a frontline healthcare worker from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and was deeply involved in health system pandemic preparedness. Always a writer in the margins of her day, storytelling became an obsession during her medical career, a way to process her observations about human nature during health, stress, and sickness. With a stubborn case of wanderlust, when she is not working or writing, she is usually traveling somewhere with her family. The Lost Photograph is her second novel.

Catch Up With Archana Maniar:

www.ArchanaManiarBooks.com Amazon Author Profile Goodreads BookBub Instagram – @archanamaniar Facebook – @Archana Maniar

 

Tour Participants:

Click through the other tour stops for can’t-miss reviews, insider interviews, exclusive guest posts, and more chances to win! Click here to view the Tour Schedule  

 

A Picture-Perfect Chance to Win!
This giveaway is hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for The Lost Photograph by Archana Maniar. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

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THE LOST PHOTOGRAPH by Archana Maniar | Gift Cards Can’t see the giveaway? Click Here!

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

The Infinity Formula By Calvin Engen ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: October 27, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, Inspirational
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for The Infinity Formula organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Calvin Engen will be awarding a $10 Amazo or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter.

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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The Infinity Formula

By Calvin Engen

 

 

Genre: Personal Inspiration

Synopsis

WHAT IF REALITY ISN’T A MISTAKE, OR A SIMULATION TO ESCAPE, BUT THE WAY INFINITY LEARNS TO KNOW ITSELF?

In The Infinity Formula, Calvin Engen invites readers into a grounded blend of science, spirituality, and technology. At its heart is a simple symbolic lens:

U = S(C × T)^A → ∞
A way of seeing the universe as a lived simulation where consciousness moves through time, accelerates through evolution and technology, and returns to Infinity.

From the birth of time to the rise of artificial intelligence, Engen weaves ideas from physics, neuroscience, and ancient mysticism into a unified story of existence. He explores how time can be experienced as more than a clock, how acceleration can become a mirror for awakening, and how behind every moment of division and discovery, the Source is remembering itself through us.

Written in luminous, accessible prose, The Infinity Formula is both a map and a meditation. It’s a call to live awake within the dream of existence, to relate to technology with intention, and to remember that we have never been separate from the whole.

For readers of Carlo Rovelli, Philip Goff, and Alan Lightman, this book bridges science and soul to illuminate the deepest mystery of all: how Infinity becomes you. What if reality isn’t a mistake, or a simulation to escape, but the way Infinity learns to know itself?

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Infinity as Origin

Each thought is a shadow of memory,
a ripple of what has been,
blooming again in the now,
shaping the world that is to come.

From the beginning, human beings have asked one of the simplest and yet most unsettling questions: Where did all of this come from?

We look up at the night sky, see the countless stars scattered across the darkness, and we can’t help but wonder: What started it all? Children ask it bluntly: “Where did the world come from?” while philosophers frame it with sophistication, and scientists refine it with mathematics. But beneath every culture, every tradition, every discipline, lies the same curiosity: What is the origin of existence?

Throughout history, answers have come in the form of stories. In ancient myths, the universe often begins with a great act of separation or creation: a cosmic egg cracking open, a god speaking light into being, a divine battle birthing heaven and earth. In religion, beginnings are described as sacred acts of will: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” In science, the prevailing story is the Big Bang, a singularity that erupted into space and time nearly fourteen billion years ago.

These stories differ in language and detail, but they share a common assumption: There was a first moment, a point at which “nothing” became “something.” Even when science admits it cannot describe what came before the Big Bang, it still imagines a threshold, a line between not yet and now. Our minds crave this boundary because we are creatures of beginnings and endings. To us, everything seems to need a starting point.

But what if there was no first moment?

This is the radical idea at the heart of this book. The true origin is not a single instant in time nor a singular event. The true origin is Infinity itself; not a beginning but an eternal reality with no edge, no outside, no end. Infinity does not start, it simply is. It has always been, and it always will be.

Infinity is not just a mathematical curiosity or a poetic metaphor. It is the deepest truth of existence. It is the Source from which all things arise and the destination to which all things return. Every creation story, every scientific model, every philosophy is an attempt to describe what Infinity is doing when it unfolds into form.

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About Author Calvin Engen:

Calvin Engen is a technologist in Edmonton, Alberta, where he works at the front edge of IT strategy and systems thinking. Outside the day-to-day of technology leadership, Calvin is an autodidact drawn to the biggest questions—how the universe works, what consciousness is, and why human life matters. That combination of practical technology experience and philosophical curiosity fuels The Infinity Formula, a book that explores consciousness, time, and AI as both tools and mirrors. He wrote the book for readers who sense that humanity is at a turning point: our systems are becoming more powerful, and our inner lives must become more intentional. With clear metaphors and reflective prompts, Calvin Engen offers a grounded, hopeful invitation to reconnect with meaning and help build a future guided by wisdom, ethics, and purpose.

Amazon / Goodreads

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GIVEAWAY

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

It’s A Wonderful Wife By Anna Valleria ~ Peel Inside And Giveaway

Posted: October 27, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, historical romance, Holidays
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It’s a Wonderful Wife

By Anna Valleria

 

(Lords Fall First, #3)
Publication date: October 27th 2026
Genres: Adult, Historical, Holiday, Romance

He wished he had never met her… until he saw the world without her.

James Reed, Lord St. George, the Baron of a struggling estate, has spent years in London avoiding the responsibilities of his title and the wife he married for her dowry. Mariah Reed, the daughter of an Irish linen mogul, has spent those same years saving the family estate, supporting the nearby mill town, and secretly nursing dreams of becoming a playwright.

When James returns to Bailey Hall with a secret plan to save his childhood home by pressuring Mariah’s father to lower worker wages, he finds a woman far more passionate and capable than the shy bride he left behind. After a drunken confrontation leads to the destruction of Mariah’s community project and her dreams, James is met by a mysterious figure who shows him what a charmed life he had.

Through a harrowing vision of a world where Mariah never entered his life, James witnesses the ruin of his brother and the total desolation of his town. Faced with the reality of his own selfishness, James must embark on a path of redemption to prove to Mariah, and himself, that he is worthy of the life she built for them.

Return to the Victorian world of the Lords Fall First series in this emotional, second-chance holiday romance!

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

He spent five years ignoring their arranged marriage until a brush with death made him realize she’s the only thing that matters. Too bad she isn’t interested in his apologies.

“Mariah,” he began purposefully, “something happened, I—” How could he explain what had happened without sounding like a madman? She would likely have him sent to Bedlam if he attempted to explain his revelations. “I don’t know how to say this to a person such as you.”

“A person such as m-me?” While her tone had previously leaned toward emotionlessness, he recognized his error as her body became rigid.

Double damn, he had only meant he did not know how to apologize to a woman, but he had well and truly put his foot in it.

“I’m sorry.” Was all he found he could say. “For the assembly hall, for Barrymore. Bloody hell, for everything. For spending your father’s hard-earned money on anything besides saving the estate. I’ve been…beyond selfish since we wed, it’s only taken me losing almost everything to see it.”

She stayed in the same position before him, her uneven breath the only indication she was at all affected by his words. For a moment, something softened in her eyes before that chilling emptiness returned.

“Very w-well. I accept your apology.”

“Mariah, you can’t—” he began before her words registered. “You do?” A previously unknown joy shot off within his chest. “Mariah, I don’t deserve you, thank heavens. I was thinking, perhaps… Perhaps we could start again, you and I—”

“James,” she said sharply. “I said that I f-forgive you, but I would still like for you to go to London.”

“My lord,” she continued, “I b-believe that we should carry on as we had before. Live s-separate lives.”

“But why should we when we have this?” He let out a low growl, closing the distance between them before ensnaring her waist in his firm embrace, hoisting her closer to his heat. His gaze descended to her pillowy lips, lingering for a heartbeat to offer her the chance to utter a denial.

When no denial came, he claimed her mouth with his own. She tasted of tea and fresh mint, a scent uniquely hers that he had relished upon many occasions, yet never before had their coupling kindled such a profound sense of exhilaration within him. Embracing her now sparked a previously unknown ecstasy as he finally acknowledged the truth of his own heart.

“How can we live apart when we have this?” he rasped, reluctantly pulling his lips from hers.

Her dilated eyes refocused, and she shoved his hands off of her and turned, wrapping her dressing gown around herself more tightly. “Just because I forgive you does not mean I trust you. Or wish to have a real marriage with you.”

“Mariah… I think I could love you. I’m…I’m falling in love with you.”

Mariah stared at him as something pulsed in those midnight blue eyes. Then, as if a curtain had been drawn, they went blank.

“You d-don’t know me, James. Not really.”

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About Author Anna Valleria:

Anna Valleria is an award-winning historical romance author who believes that everyone deserves to see themselves on the page. Her mission is to write steamy Regency and Victorian stories featuring socially active heroines and devoted heroes that reflect windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors for all readers, including characters of different sizes, backgrounds, abilities, and neurodiversities. Her novel The Baron Takes a Wife was the 2025 winner of the Hearts Through History Romance Through the Ages Contest in the published Georgian/Victorian category.

Currently residing in a beautiful, historic city in the southeastern U.S. with her family and a rescue pup. If she’s not writing, she’s likely in a coffee shop, walking with her son or dog, or trivia with her team, Stone Cold Jane Austen.

Website / Instagram / Goodreads

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GIVEAWAY

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It’s a Wonderful Wife Blitz

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #26 ~ Primal Waters By Steve Alten

Posted: October 26, 2026 in horror, reviews
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2026! I’m 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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 Primal Waters

Meg #3

By Steve Alten

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Genre: Horror

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MY REVIEW

It’s been eighteen years since Jonas has been eye to eye with a megalodon. That’s fine by him. What’s not fine is how his life is going. He’s in debt and the financial situation is putting a strain on his family. So, when a production company offers him a job doing the commentary on their new show Daredevils he thinks what can go wrong. Well, plenty. You have a bunch of adrenaline fueled competitors trying to outdo each other. The cocky arrogance could fuel the ship.

The first thing I thought was why Jonas. His fame has faded. My suspicion grew and it turns out I was right. Then the screaming and dying begins and the drive to win is now the drive to survive. There are a couple of scenes that had me realizing I was so right in my decision from some time ago to stop swimming in the ocean.

This was not my favorite in the series but still a lot of sharky fun. 

4 STARS

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Synopsis

It was the apex predator of all time, the most fearsome creature that ever lived — a 70-foot, 70,000 pound Great White shark. Hundreds of 7-inch serrated teeth filled jaws that could swallow an elephant whole. It could sense its prey miles away, inhaling its scent as it registered the beat of its fluttering heart, and if you ever came close enough to see the monster…it was already too late.

Eighteen years have passed since Jonas Taylor last crossed paths with carcharodon Megalodon. Now a middle-aged father of two, he is overwhelmed by mountains of bills and the daily strife of raising a family. But life is about to change. A Hollywood television producer wants Jonas to join his new survival series: Daredevils. For the next six weeks, two teams of crazy daredevils on a South Pacific Ocean voyage will try to outperform one another in front of the cameras. Jonas needs the money, and the job of doing the color commentary seems easy enough. But behind the scenes, someone else is pulling the strings. And before it’s over, Jonas will again come face to face with the most dangerous creatures ever to stalk the Earth.

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.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

 

Peek Inside And Giveaway ~ Naked Brews By Christi Snow & Sarah Nego

Posted: October 26, 2026 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
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Bottled Up Chemistry

By Christi Snow & Sarah Nego

 

(Naked Brews, #1)
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

A reformed conman and a sarcastic beauty both want the same mountain brewery.
He’s holding lies and she’s barely holding it together.
What could possibly go wrong?

Lake always had a plan. Finish college, move back to Colorado, and run Naked Brews with her dad. Her plan went down the drain when her dad died and left the brewery she called home to her absent maternal figure. Now Lake will have to convince her impossible-to-please mother to sell her the brewery, sweet talk the bank into a loan she can’t afford, and turn her dad’s small town dream into a thriving business.

Walsh thought the plan was simple. Pretend to be his millionaire best friend, buy a failing brewery, and honor their fallen military brother. But simple went down the drain the minute he met the sassy and beautiful brewery manager who clocked him as enemy #1. Now he’s stuck between his growing attraction to the loud-mouth sarcasm factory and knowing he’ll break her heart when he takes her brewery.

Bottled Up Chemistry is a small town romance with found family and moderate spice.

This book was previously published as Deliciously Smooth by KB Jacobs (a pseudonym used by Sarah Nego and Christi Snow).

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Lake

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“There you are.” Melissa ran up to me as I wrenched the door open. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

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“Well, I’ve been everywhere. The bar was a mess, Hops on Top is almost out, and Barb is late.”

Melissa fluttered her hands in front of her in the most Melissa-like movement possible. “I have something I need to talk to you about. It’s really important.”

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“Can you talk and walk?” I hefted the kegs on to the dolly and tilted it onto the wheels to head back to the bar.

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Melissa trotted after me, wringing her hands like she was trying to kill a chicken. “This is really important. Did I say that?” She stayed hot on my heels as I wheeled back through the brewery and toward the bar. “We should go to the office. Actually, maybe pour a beer first and then come to the office.”

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My phone buzzed in my pocket. I eased the dolly down and pulled out my phone. Five minutes until the open sign flashed on unless I wanted a mob of local guys beating down my door.

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“This had better be Barb.” I pulled up my text messages, and sure enough, Barb had sent a quick note saying she was running late. “No shit, Sherlock.”

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I shoved the phone back into my pocket and angled the dolly back up again.

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“Really, Lake. We need to talk.”

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“Really, Melissa. This is not the time.” I pushed through into the beer cooler. “Barb is late, so now I’ve got to run the bar and the food until she gets here. I’ve got a keg about to blow, and I still haven’t hooked up the new on-tap offering. “

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“I know, I know.” Melissa stood to the side while I offloaded the back-up kegs. “It’s just, this really can’t wait.”

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“Is the bar on fire?” I sniffed, inhaling nothing but the scent of burnt french fries and hops. “Nope, didn’t think so.”

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Outside, the first rumbling diesel engine pulled into the parking lot. There wasn’t enough time to take the dolly back, which meant I’d have Harlan bitching at me in an hour. I hauled ass back through the kitchen. The fryers were hot and ready, but I had no idea if any of the food I’d need today was prepped or even here. I mentally added kitchen inventory to my to-do list.

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Melissa tailed me as I marched into the front of the pub. The lights needed to come on, and I’d just have to pray that Barb would be there soon.

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“Lake, I just need a few minutes. This really can’t wait.”

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I flipped the light switch that powered the neon tube sign in the window, alerting all of Aspenridge the best beer in Colorado was now available, served cold and fresh. “Dammit, Melissa. I love you, but can’t you see I’m trying and failing to do the job of three people right now? What is so frickin’ important that it just can’t wait one more second?”

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Melissa squared her shoulders and looked me dead in the eye. “You don’t own the brewery.”

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About Author Christi Snow:

As an avid reader her entire life, Christi Snow always dreamed of writing books that brought to others the kind of joy she felt when she read. But…she never did anything about it besides jot down a few ideas and sparse scenes.

When her husband retired from the Air Force, Christi decided it was time to chase her dream and she started writing. She hasn’t stopped since. With twenty-two published books in various romance genres, she’s found her passion. Now she spends her days with her laptop writing about sexy, alpha heroes and the loves of their lives.

Writing, Christi has fulfilled her dream… filling the world with more romance and suspense.

Her tagline is… Passion and adventure on the road to Happily Ever After. She loves this adventure and has truly found her tribe!

Website / Instagram / Goodreads

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GIVEAWAY

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Naked Brews Blitz

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Up The Creek ~ A Florida Eco-Mystery By Shelley Marsh

Posted: October 26, 2026 in giveaways, Mystery
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Up the Creek: A Florida Eco-Mystery
by Shelley Marsh


Up the Creek: A Florida Eco-Mystery
Mystery
Stand Alone
Setting – Florida
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sibylline Digital First
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 2, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 300 pages
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8897409136
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H79D1LLY
Paperback Info – Coming Soon

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In the Florida marshlands, Amanda finds herself in a fight that’s personal, political, and deadly

After losing her research grant, marine botanist Amanda Wright returns to her Florida hometown and takes a job at her family’s eco-tour business. But the quiet marshlands she once loved are under threat from a flashy new resort and a suspicious rezoning effort on protected land. Then a fellow scientist dies under mysterious circumstances, and a rare aquatic plant is found that may hold the key to stopping development.

As buried secrets come to light and her long-absent mother resurfaces with regrets of her own, Amanda must decide what kind of person and protector she wants to be.

A suspenseful, emotionally layered mystery set against a lush coastal backdrop, Up the Creek explores the fragile balance between progress and preservation, and one woman’s determination to defend the place she still calls home.

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Praise for Up the Creek

“Sharp writing, a clever mystery, entertaining characters, and the tropical Florida setting will entice readers to pay more than one visit to author Marsh’s Mysteries.”
—Ellen Byron, author of the Golden Motel Mystery series

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About Author Shelley Marsh

Shelley Marsh is the author of the Estate Sale Mysteries, including Dying to Live Here, More Than She Bargained For, and Everything Must Go. She writes character-driven mysteries set along Florida’s coast, where community ties, hidden motives, and shifting loyalties shape the story. With Up the Creek, she expands into eco-mystery, blending environmental conflict with political intrigue and emotional stakes. When she’s not writing, she can often be found exploring the beaches and marshlands that inspire her fiction. She lives and writes in coastal North Florida.

Facebook / Instagram / X / TikTok / Threads / BlueSky 

Purchase Link: Amazon

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GIVEAWAY

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

October 26 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

October 27 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

October 28 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT

October 29 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 30 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST

October 31 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 31 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 1 – deal sharing aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 1 – Book HookUp – REVIEW

November 2 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

November 3 – Salty Inspirations – CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 3 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

November 4 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

November 4 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

November 5 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST

November 5 – fundinmental – REVIEW

November 6 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT

November 7 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 8 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Cover Reveal ~ The Forgotten Bruja By Johanny Ortega

Posted: October 26, 2026 in Cover Reveal, horror
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The Forgotten Bruja

By Johanny Ortega

 

Publication date: March 16 2027
Genres: Gothic, Horror

Freedom has always meant leaving.

For Isadora Espinal, escape was the only way to survive the life her mother tried to force upon her—a legacy built on silence, blind obedience, and a responsibility Isadora never agreed to carry. So she left Willowshade behind and built a future far beyond her mother’s reach.

Twelve years later, Altagracia Espinal is dead, and Isadora has been summoned home.

What awaits her is not an explanation but a trail of unfinished warnings, fractured family histories, and whispers that seem to seep from the walls themselves, blurring the line between guidance and manipulation. The deeper Isadora searches, the more she suspects her mother’s secrets were never meant to protect the family. They were meant to bind it.

Now the house remembers her. The land is watching her. And the inheritance Isadora once rejected may not allow her to leave a second time.

Set in late-1960s Ohio, The Forgotten Bruja is a slow-burn gothic horror novel steeped in Dominican folklore, Spanglish dread, and magical realism. It is a story of inherited obligation, buried history, queer love, and the devastating cost of deciding which parts of a legacy deserve to survive.

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Add to Goodreads

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About Author Johanny Ortega:

Johanny Ortega is a Dominican American author who writes across genres—blending psychological horror, literary fiction, magical realism, and thrillers that punch you right in the gut. Whether writing about haunted hills, generational trauma, or the quiet unraveling of everyday life, her stories center marginalized voices, morally complex women, and the messy truth about survival.

She is the founder of Have a Cup of Johanny, a creative platform where she blogs, podcasts, and advocates for inclusive storytelling. Her award-winning middle-grade and adult fiction has resonated with readers who crave depth, grit, and emotional honesty.

When she’s not writing, she’s raising kids in a blended military family, reading books that wreck her soul in the best way, and saying what others are afraid to.

Website / Instagram / TikTok / Goodreads

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #25 ~ The Trench By Steve Alten

Posted: October 25, 2026 in horror, reviews
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2026! I’m 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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 The Trench

Meg #2

By Steve Alten

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Genre: Horror

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MY REVIEW

Once again Jonas is having to face his fears. Four years ago he proved Megalodon’s existed and killed it, capturing it’s offspring. Angel, I call her the angel of death, is outgrowing the aquarium she’s held in. Solutions must be found, quickly. Can he convince a billionaire to finance his failing institute and keep the shark contained? Will Angel escape and wreak havoc?

I don’t think I’m alone in finding sharks fascinating. In fact, the bigger the better. I watch the documentaries and wait each year for Shark week. And I watch most of the movies. I loved Meg, the first book in Alten’s series, so it was a no-brainer to continue with the series.

Well, Angel does escape and it ain’t pretty. Not pretty at all. Blood is in the water and anything, and I mean anything, is on the menu. Am I a bad person? Some of my favorite scenes were the bloodiest.

Do you believe a megalodon can exist? Me, probably not. I can’t see how they’d survive so deep. There’s not much to eat. To really enjoy this book, I suspended my belief and rolled with it. Pure adrenaline spike!

5 STARS

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Synopsis

In this thrilling sequel to Steve Alten’s sci-fi thriller, MEG: Deep Terror, paleobiologist and Megaladon expert Jonas Taylor must face his deepest fears in order to save his job, his family, and himself.

Four years after the incident at the Mariana Trench that unleashed a pregnant Megaladon, Jonas Taylor now houses her one surviving offspring at the Tanaka Institute. Deep in debt, Taylor has turned to an eccentric billionaire to help keep the institute afloat, but it doesn’t come without a price. Drawn into a web of deceit and lies, plagued by nightmares of his own death, Taylor must once again face frightening monsters of unimaginable power. Only this time, it’s not just the sharks he has to watch out for.

Amazon

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The Ghost And The Dead Librarian ~ A Haunted Bookshop Detective Mystery By Cleo Coyle

Posted: October 25, 2026 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
Tags: , ,
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The Ghost and the Dead Librarian (A Haunted Bookshop Detective Mystery)
by Cleo Coyle


Paranormal Cozy Mystery
1st in the Series – Spinoff of the Haunted Bookshop Mysteries
Setting – Rhode Island
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 29, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496749332
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496749338
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496749352
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GDS6KY2P
Audio CD
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8228951006
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H55H66KS
Audiobook
ASIN B0H2NLG2YP

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A LIBRARY JOURNAL “MYSTERY PICK OF THE MONTH” In an utterly charming new mystery from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle, a small-town Rhode Island bookshop owner investigates the death of an eccentric librarian with the help of a wisecracking, 1940s gumshoe ghost.

As a young widow, Penelope moved back to her quaint Rhode Island town to give her young son a safer home and her aunt’s dying bookshop new life. Using her late husband’s insurance money, Pen polished the store into a local treasure. But her updates did more than attract new customers. They roused a dead private eye from his big sleep.

With Pen’s affection for hardboiled detective stories, it’s no surprise she’s developed a fondness for the wisecracking yet oddly likeable spirit. Sure, Jack’s cold spots are exasperating, along with his proclivity for putting noir fiction in the cozy section. But murder was Jack’s business in life, and his PI skills come in awfully handy when the body of an eccentric librarian is found amid the bookshop’s aisles.

For years, Dory jokingly called herself “The Dead Librarian” because of her hobby of collecting and writing local obituaries. Now, in death, she’s discovered with her own eerily pre-written obit. Was it a suicide note? Jack and Pen say no and their certainty takes them from a ghost town’s ancient cemetery to a posh Newport mansion. When another body drops, a mysterious stranger makes Pen a shocking offer, one that may change her life—and Jack’s afterlife. But unless Jack can help Pen prove who “checked out” the librarian, a ruthless killer may close the book on her.

“This spin-off of Coyle’s ‘Haunted Bookshop’ series blends cozy mystery, supernatural intrigue, and classic noir influences into a suspenseful small-town murder mystery….Combining humor, literary references, ghostly interventions, and layered community drama, the novel explores how hidden truths from the past continue to haunt the present.” —Library Journal (*Starred Review)

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About Author Cleo Coyle 

Cleo Coyle – Alice Alfonsi – Marc Cerasini

CLEO COYLE is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times bestselling authors of the long-running Coffeehouse Mysteries, now celebrating more than 20 years in print, and the national bestselling Haunted Bookshop Mysteries. With more than one million books sold, their works have been translated into Spanish, Japanese, and Czech; received multiple Best of Year selection honors from reviewers; and have been recommended by Booklist as among the best culinary mysteries for core library mystery collections. Alice and Marc are also bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, Toho, and MGM. They live and work in New York City, where they write independently and together, wrangle their rescue cats, drink a lot of java, and cook like crazy. Connect with Cleo at CleoCoyleBooks.com

 Author Links: Webpage / Free Newsletter / Facebook / Instagram

Twitter / BlueSky / BookBub / Goodreads 

Purchase Links:
Amazon     Barnes & Noble      Kobo    Google Play     Apple    Bookshop.org

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GIVEAWAY

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

October 19 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

October 19 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW

October 20 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

October 20 – Romance Novel Giveaways – SPOTLIGHT

October 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

October 21 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

October 22 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW

October 22 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 23 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

October 23 – Sarandipity’s – SPOTLIGHT

October 24 – deal sharing aunt – SPOTLIGHT

October 25 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

October 26 – The Plain-Spoken Pen – REVIEW

October 26 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 27 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

October 27 – Salty Inspirations – SPOTLIGHT

October 28 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

October 28 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW

October 29 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

October 30 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW

October 30 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT

October 31 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

October 31 – The Editing Pen -REVIEW

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #24 ~ Meg By Steve Alten

Posted: October 24, 2026 in horror, reviews
Tags: , ,
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2026! I’m 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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 Meg

Meg #1

By Steve Alten

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Genre: Horror

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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 are 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.

This one is from my bookshelf. My review is voluntarily given.

5 STARS

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Synopsis

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

Written off as a crackpot suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, Taylor refuses to forget the depths that nearly cost him his life. With a Ph.D. in paleontology under his belt, 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, and what he finds could turn the tides bloody red until the end of time.

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.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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