Archive for September, 2014

The Friday 56 #37 ~ Eating Sarah by Jaret Martens

Posted: September 19, 2014 in horror, The Friday 56, YA
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Welcome to The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

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.

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My 56 for this week is from

Eating Sarah

by Jaret Martens

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My 56

To save myself, I would have to sacrifice him.

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Synopsis

Ever since childhood, all Sarah wanted was to participate in the Hunt—a monthly ritual in which her people sneak into a nearby city to gather food. Only in Sarah’s world, that food is human.

After her first Hunt ends in catastrophe, Sarah is forced to prepare their captives for slaughter. While this once would have been an easy task, recent events have caused Sarah to question whether or not she’s still capable of murder. Worse, she finds herself caring for Troy: a captive she knows she will be forced to kill.

But she can’t leave. Doing so would mean the deaths of both Troy and her family. With cannibals turning up dead—and suspicions of mutiny rising—Sarah and her family must be more careful than ever.

Yet there’s something not quite right about her family . . . Something that might just get her killed.

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This is such an odd story. Don’t get me wrong, I’m loving it. It’s just I’m liking these cannibals, a lot!

Who woulda thunk it? LOL

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew.

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

Friday Cover Reveal and Giveaway ~ I Heart Robot by Susan van Rooyen

Posted: September 19, 2014 in Cover Reveal, giveaways, Romance, Science Fiction
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M9B-Friday-Reveal

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

I Heart Robot by Suzanne van Rooyen

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presented by Month9Books!

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

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I HEART ROBOT Cover Art from Suzanne van Rooyen

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I’m not the most artistically inclined. While I do love art and have been known to bust out the pencils and paints myself, it’s not an area where I’d consider myself particularly talented. In short, I knew that cover design was something best left to the professional and I had every confidence in Month9Books.

I am so grateful to Georgia McBride for allowing me to have the amount of input I did when it came to cover creation for I Heart Robot. This is a novel that is as much about a civil rights struggle in a futuristic, post-war city as it is about romance, and we wanted a cover that reflected both elements. Finding the right balance between romance and science fiction was a tall order, but Month9Books delivered in spades by presenting me with two stylistically different covers. I loved elements of both, and by working closely with the cover artist and with Georgia we managed to combine all the best parts of both original covers into what we have today: a cover that reflects the gritty world my characters live in while emphasizing the fact that this is above all, a love story.

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I really like the cover art. It’s whimsical, yet bold.

Especially with the textured background.

Wait until you read the blurb. You’re gonna want this!

Check out I Heart Robot

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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I Heart Robot

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Sixteen-year-old Tyri wants to be a musician and wants to be with someone who won’t belittle her musical aspirations.

Q-I-99 aka ‘Quinn’ lives in a scrap metal sanctuary with other rogue droids. While some use violence to make their voices heard, demanding equal rights for AI enhanced robots, Quinn just wants a moment on stage with his violin to show the humans that androids like him have more to offer than their processing power.

Tyri and Quinn’s worlds collide when they’re accepted by the Baldur Junior Philharmonic Orchestra. As the rift between robots and humans deepens, Tyri and Quinn’s love of music brings them closer together, making Tyri question where her loyalties lie and Quinn question his place in the world. With the city on the brink of civil war, Tyri and Quinn make a shocking discovery that turns their world inside out. Will their passion for music be enough to hold them together while everything else crumbles down around them, or will the truth of who they are tear them apart?

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add to goodreads

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Title: I Heart Robot
Publication date: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Suzanne van Rooyen

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Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

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Suzanne is a tattooed storyteller from South Africa. She currently lives in Finland and finds the cold, dark forests nothing if not inspiring. Although she has a Master’s degree in music, Suzanne prefers conjuring strange worlds and creating quirky characters. When not writing, she teaches dance and music to middle schoolers and entertains her shiba inu, Lego. Suzanne is represented by Jordy Albert of the Booker Albert Agency.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Chapter-by-Chapter-header---Giveaway

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One eBook copy of I Heart Robot (International)

Click on the Rafflecopter below to enter.

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(Winners will receive their book on release day)

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Lycanthor the Werewolf: The Dragon Fyre Blade Adventures by Aiden Storm ~ My Review

Posted: September 18, 2014 in Action/Adventure, Children's books, Fantasy, reviews, Series
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About the Book

Title: Lycanthor the Werewolf (The Dragon Fyre Blade, Book 1)

Author: Aiden Storm 

Illustrator: McCartney Leopardi

Publication Date: July 1, 2014 | Publisher: Dreaming Empire

  Pages: 71 | Recommended Ages: 7 to 12

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MY REVIEW

Jack is bored to tears. The thirteen year old has been shuffled off to spend the summer with his great-aunt Alberta.

His dad says he’ll have lots of fun things to do, but all it’s done is rain, and the only entertainment is old reruns on the tube.

His aunt suggests he explore the old house. It was built in 1872 and back then people included hidden rooms. Maybe he’d stumble upon one. So he ends up in the attic.

Nothing but some old junk there, but he does spy a mural that extends all the way around the room.  It reveals a landscape with strange beasts and an active volcano. Climbing up to get a closer look, he’s startled by a bird and puts his hand up to the wall to steady himself, falling into another world.

Thus begins Jack’s amazing adventure. He becomes friends with Jasyra, the king’s daughter, and along with her friend, Evooku, embarks on a quest to recover the six shards of the Dragon Fyre Blade.

When the sword was broken, the Demon Emperor scattered the six shards throughout the kingdom and the quest will be fraught with danger as the group has to confront the spells and creatures that protect the shards.

Jack will have to face Lycanthor, a monstrous werewolf. He is no longer bored.

This book is a fun read aloud to share with your children but I see no problem with them reading it alone. I have no young children but my teen age son and I read it aloud, taking turns as different characters, masking our voices and such. We had a grand time.

The author created a magical world with fun illustrations, lots of action, and a quest that continues into future books. The story will be continued as Jack and his new friends must complete the quest to recover all of the shards and return the Dragon Fyre Blade to its former glory. All to save the kingdom from the evil Demon Emperor.

When I was young I created an imaginary world that I entered through an old tree stump in my yard. It was filled with magical beings and I spent many a summer day sitting on that stump and letting my imagination take me away.

This all came back to me as I read this book and I’m looking forward to more in this action packed adventure.

4 Stars

Summary:

Thirteen year old Jack is spending the summer at his Aunt’s house in the country. Unfortunately, it’s done nothing but rain and he’s stuck in her old mansion without cable or internet. Bored and alone, he sets out to explore the house. When he reaches the attic, he finds an intricate and unusual mural painted on the walls. Life for Jack gets turned upside down when he stumbles and is transported through a portal into a magical world.

For Jasyra, the daughter of the High King, life couldn’t be worse. Her father has been turned to glass, her kingdom has been taken over by the Demon Emperor, and she and her friend, Evooku, have been exiled. The only way to save the land is to reassemble the Dragon Fyre Blade, but the Demon Emperor has hidden all six pieces and each is guarded by great mythical beasts. There is only one person who can help restore peace, but it has been said that he is not of their land.

When Jack awakens in the Great Forest of Karandur, he encounters Jasyra and Evooku. He discovers the only way home is to band together to fight the evil Lycanthor, a giant werewolf that guards a piece of the Dragon Fyre Blade. But first they have to make it through an enchanted land full of danger.

The Queen of Light appears to Jack and delivers a gift, as well as a revelation. He, Jasyra and Evooku form an unlikely friendship along the way and lasting bonds are made when they realize they are Karandur’s only hope. Will the trio be able to defeat Lycanthor and save the kingdom from an eternity of despair?

The Dragon Fyre Blade: Lycanthor the Werewolf is the first book in a series of six and is written for children 7 – 11 years old.

The Buzz About the Book

“I am eight years old and I liked this book because of how the author described everything so well. It is a very exciting, adventurous and magical story about a 13-year-old boy named Jack and his usual companions as they struggle against Lycanthor the werewolf to get the Dragon Fyre Blade pieces to help them defeat the Demon Emperor. My favourite part was when the author described the mural painting that Jack fell into. It was unique and painted vivid pictures in my head. The book was magical and interesting to read which made it so much fun. I think this is a great book for anyone who is looking for a magical adventure, and I can’t wait to read the second book!” ~ 5 Star Review, Carolyn, Amazon

“Couldn’t put this book down. I had me on the edge of my seat for the whole book. I read it so fast I was sad when it was over. I can’t wait for book 2!! ” ~ 5 Star Review, Pedroluis, Amazon

“My nine year old son is a fairly reluctant reader but we came across The Dragon Fyre Blade: Lycanthor the Werewolf at amazon and decided to read it based on the reviews. It reminds me a lot of the Beast Quest series of books and has an action-packed approach that my son enjoyed. You find yourself cheering for Jack, Jasyra and Evooku the heroes of the tale. There are several cliff hanger chapters that had my son wanting to read more… A worthwhile read for boys.” ~ 5 Star Review, nickalous, Amazon

“This is an enchanting and amazing book. I read it to my daughter and we both loved it. It is a mythical tale and it is so gripping. The story line is great and the characters are very well formed.” ~ 5 Star Review, PaigeTurner, Amazon

“Aiden Storm has written a book that will no doubt be a hit with 8 to 12 year old readers. The first book in a new series, Lycanthor the Werewolf sees a modern day boy named Jack set forth to retrieve the ancient Dragon Fyre Blade. It’s a lighter read filled with magic, action and a terrifying werewolf. The heroes have to use all their skills and abilities to battle the beast. Highly recommend this book for anyone with boys. It’s a natural choice for reluctant readers.” ~ 5 Star Review, Nita, Amazon

About the Author: Aiden Storm

Aiden Storm Avatar

Aiden grew up a city boy, but always loved getting out into the country. As a kid, his great uncle always took him to old castles, famous battlegrounds and long hikes in the wilderness. These days, Aiden lives in old cottage next to the forest with his dog Blade. When not writing Aiden spends time exploring the woods, dead certain they’re full of fantastical creatures, long lost relics and ancient magic…

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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MDBR Book Promotion Services

Thanks so much to Mother Daughter & Son Book Reviews and the author for gifting me a copy for my honest review.

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…until Death took a life for pleasure ~ The Fall by Stephen Cost ~ Highlight and Giveaway

Posted: September 18, 2014 in Book Promos, giveaways, New Release, Paranormal or fantasy, YA
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With Halloween right around the corner, I’ve been looking for some thrillers for the season.
I found ya’ll a good one.
This brand new release of The Fall has Reapers!
Come on in and check it out. You might want to add this to your holiday list.
And don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the bottom of my post!
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Title: The Fall

Author: Stephen Cost

Publication: September 16th, 2014

For thousands of years, Death walked behind the dark veil of the living, waiting to ferry the dead. That is, until the day that Death took a life for pleasure rather than duty. On that day, the first Reaper fell to Earth. Now, Reapers live among us, craving the taste of death, forcing them to kill to satisfy their immortal hunger.

Giles Reid fell more than 300 years ago starving for the taste of death, only to find himself drowning in a sea of the living and blinded by a hunger that forces him to kill. In the centuries since his fall he has tried to be more human, desperate to live a life that makes up for what he is and the wrong he has done. Driven by his guilt over killing, he has chosen to feed only on evil; humans that have never been a threat to him but who are always a danger to others. That is, until the day he tries to feed on a human as strong, fast and cunning as himself; a human who, it turns out, has been hunting him. Now he is being pursued by the very evil he has fed on for centuries, embroiled in a deadly cat-and-mouse game, where friends and other Reapers connected to him are simply pawns on a chessboard waiting to be sacrificed. Giles is left with a choice, save the life of the women he loves, the daughter of his mentor, or betray her for his own survival.

To save the woman he loves, Giles will have to be the monster he is.

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Purchase:
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Amazon | B&N | Kobo
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Excerpt
 
“By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done.” The day that is the basis for The Fourth Commandment. (Genesis 2:2-3) 
The following text was found in 1947 in a synagogue in Cairo, Egypt and rejected by the Church as heresy.
“By the seventh day God had created all life and the Earth, but He knew life could not exist without death and so Death was born to provide passage for his Children of Earth to his Kingdom of Heaven.  This, he completed before the setting of the sun on the seventh day and so He rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on this day He celebrated his creation of life and Death, He rested from all the work of creating that He had done.  (Geniza fragments, found Cairo, Egypt, 1947)

 

“Death is the beginning of immortality”
—   Maximilien Robespierre, July 26, 1794
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People say they love the smell of fresh cut daisies, but I far prefer the scent of what pushes them up, the dead. You see, death has a scent all to itself, slightly tangy and bitter, pleasing and calming on the palate. Sure there are other aromas I love too, not just that of death, which can chase the chill from my heart, or would, if I had a heart; at least one that could beat and warm the night’s cold from my blood.
Every day I crave the smell of death and evil, I have since my birth. But living in a sea of flesh and blood, I have developed an appreciation for other human and earthly scents; Like the ocean, its sea salt assaulting my senses with a clean, pure bouquet, quite unmatched by anything manufactured. Or the first morning smell of fresh-cut, wet grass and, of course, women. Women smell so much sweeter than men. They, over the millenniums, have refined their scents out of necessity as much as pleasure, each expertly adapting their sultry, seductive and secret combinations of body lotions and perfumes. Honing this craft throughout the ages, to tempt and seduce men out of their minds.
But these are not the only olfactory delights to curl my toes and tickle my senses. For nothing—not the tangy stench of death, nor the sweet scent of a woman—compares to the most inspired aroma of all. Coffee. Nothing in my three-hundred-plus years of experience has compared. Sure, coffee itself has evolved, from non-filtered to filtered, from espresso to cappuccinos, and now from mochas to Frappuccinos, but the essence is the same. The intoxicating sweetness, the mild-to-bitter flavors that leave you wanting more—needing more. 
You see, that’s my drug. Some people need cocaine, others heroin, and some crave cigars or alcohol. I, on the other hand, have the most decadent, refined and expensive vice of all. And it’s because of this little addiction—or weakness—that I can be found most nights here, sitting on the dimly-lit, damp, covered balcony of Martin’s Books and Coffee.
I sip my overpriced drug while the not-so-distant smell of the ocean creeps its way through the maze and tangled web of Seattle’s wet streets. The cars filing by below enhance the scent of the ocean sitting not too far from here, as the sound of their tires splashing through wet, potholed roads echoes that of the rush of a wave over a rock and the sound of ocean spray.
On most days, Martin’s tends to be a good place to relax. One of the few independently-owned book stores left in Seattle, the atmosphere here is calming and the lighting muted. Not so dark that you cannot read a book and enjoy your coffee, but just dim enough so that someone of my, let us say fair complexion, can go unnoticed by the everyday person stopping by for a fix and a good book. 
The décor is modern contemporary, although the designer clearly relied far too much on his collection of old IKEA catalogs, with a thousand shades of tans and browns with brushed steel accents scattered throughout, for effect. I do think that they might have gone a little overboard with the alternating redwood and pine floor boards. The effect is still pleasantly calming if not somewhat dull.
So, why so critical, you may ask? It’s an occupational hazard, I’m afraid. We all, Reapers and humans alike, must have a day job and mine happens to be that of a wine critic. The crème de la crème of critics, although, truth-be-told, I’m not a big fan of wine. However, I have been gifted with a palate most French chefs would give their sous chef’s right hand for. Not their own hand, of course. No French chef I have ever met, and I have met more than my fair share, would ever think of giving that much for their craft.
“Mr. Reid, would you like another?”
The sound of her sing-song voice pulls me back to the moment, temporarily suspending my hazy, drug-induced stupor.
The question comes from Sarah, one of my favorite wait-persons here at Martin’s. Yes, I said wait-persons. Living—if you can call what I do living—in a world of political correctness, I’ve learned it is no longer appropriate to refer to someone as a ‘waitress’. That would be such denigration. Sarah is just the typical twenty-something coffee house wait-person who can be seen in any of the hundred or so coffee houses that pepper the Seattle Landscape—not Sarah herself, of course, but the type. Tall, but not too tall, with long blonde hair. A lightly tanned complexion and the body, a perfectly sculpted masterpiece. I’m not sure about the other Sarahs out there, but my Sarah has one defining attribute that I find hard to resist, her smell. The bouquet that wafts around her is subtle and ambiguous, what is that? Lavender with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon, perhaps?
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Trailer
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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUAzR9mc-J0]

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About Stephen

 

Stephen Cost was born in Wexford Ireland and raised in a small seaside town not far from Dublin. From a young age he would spin dark tales and write them down for his own amusement.  At the age of 13 he moved from his home in Ireland to America and his love of dark American cinema took root.

He passes his free time, when not writing, by reading horror and fantasy genre novels in addition to watching science fiction and horror movies.

He graduated from University with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Sociology.  A computer engineer by trade, he specializes in integrated system services and uses the knowledge gained from his degree to write emotionally captivating urban fiction.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
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Giveaway
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$25 Amazon Gift Card
eBook Copy of The Fall
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Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.
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Hosted by Good Choice Reading Blog Tours

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Good Choice Reading

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Cozy Mystery Cover Reveal and Giveaway ~ Meet Your Baker by Ellie Alexander

Posted: September 17, 2014 in Cover Reveal, Cozy Mystery, giveaways, Series
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Today we’re excited to announce the cover reveal of Meet Your Baker by Ellie Alexander. This is a cozy mystery that releases December 30th by St. Martin’s Press. This is the first in the Bakeshop Mystery series!
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I’m a huge fan of cozies and can’t wait to read this one!
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The great thing about cozies is their cover art and titles. They always have fun, quirky titles and the cover art s always so colorful.
As is the cover for Meet Your Baker. The title cracked me up and the cover charmed me.
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What do you think?!!!
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Also got a great giveaway so don’t forget to enter.
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MeetYourBaker
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About the Book:

Welcome to Torte—a friendly, small-town family bake shop where the treats are so good that, sometimes, it’s criminal…After graduating from culinary school, Juliet Capshaw returns to her quaint hometown of Ashland, Oregon, to heal a broken heart and help her mom at the family bakery. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is bringing in lots of tourists looking for some crumpets to go with their heroic couplets. But when one of Torte’s customers turns up dead, there’s much ado about murder…



“Sure to satisfy both dedicated foodies and ardent mystery lovers alike.”―Jessie Crockett, author of Drizzled with Death

The victim is Nancy Hudson, the festival’s newest board member. A modern-day Lady Macbeth, Nancy has given more than a few actors and artists enough reasons to kill her…but still. The silver lining? Jules’s high school sweetheart, Thomas, is the investigator on the case. His flirtations are as delicious as ever, and Jules can’t help but want to have her cake and eat it too. But will she have her just desserts? Murder might be bad for business, but love is the sweetest treat of all…



“Alexander weaves a tasty tale of deceit, family ties, delicious pastries, and murder.” ―Edith Maxwell, author of A Tine to Live, A Tine to Die

About the Author:

Ellie Alexander is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing pastry recipes in her home kitchen or at one of the many famed coffeehouses nearby. When she’s not coated in flour, you’ll find her outside exploring hiking trails and trying to burn off calories consumed in the name of research. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter to learn more.
Links: 
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Giveaway:
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Prize package of goodies (US only)
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MEET YOUR BAKER giveaway
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Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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And Justice For Some by Joanne Sydney Lessner ~ Book Blast and Giveaway

Posted: September 17, 2014 in Book Blast, giveaways, Mystery
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Hi ya’ll. Thanks for stopping by my spot on the Book Blast Tour for And Justice For Some.

This is going to be a fun read. I remember when the murder mystery dinners were all the rage. I even participated in one.

I’m ready to put on my sleuthing suit.

Check out And Justice For Some.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

And Justice For Some

 by Joanne Sydney Lessner

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Synopsis

Dinner theater can be a death sentence—literally.

Actress Isobel Spice and her best friend Delphi Kramer are thrilled to finally have an opportunity to perform together, even if it’s just a cheesy interactive murder mystery at a judge’s lifetime achievement dinner. But when Isobel’s dramatic death scene is upstaged by a real murder and Delphi is left holding the still-smoking gun, Isobel drops the role of victim and assumes the role of detective. With the help of her precocious brother Percival and her reluctant temp agent James Cooke, Isobel peels back layers of deception to reveal a shocking abuse of power—and no shortage of suspects eager to deliver justice to a man who denied it to so many.

Excerpt

The gun went off with a resounding report, and Isobel Spice staggered backward with a gasp. She tried to scream, but her breath caught in the back of her throat and all that came out was a gurgling, choking sound. Her eyes widened in horror as her hands, clutching her chest, came away red and sticky. She swayed precariously for a moment, but then her eyelids collapsed, her head fell back, and her knees gave way. She sank to the ground, arms and legs splayed at unnatural angles.

All was silent.

“Okay, that was way over the top.”

 Isobel sat up in the middle of the dance floor, wiping her hands on her stained shirt. She frowned at her friend, Delphi Kramer, who was still aiming the old-fashioned-looking derringer at her.

 

“That’s not your call.” Isobel turned to Peter Catanzaro, the burly, broad-shouldered, perennially stubbled producer and star of Murder à la Carte. “Was it too much?”

“Are you kidding? The cheesier, the better.” Peter offered a hand and pulled her to her feet. “Shakespeare it ain’t.”

Isobel snuck a glance at Delphi, whose blue eyes grew stormy. Isobel knew Delphi prided herself on her facility with the Bard’s iambs, and she, more than Isobel, felt they were slumming doing murder mystery dinner theater. Having won her point with Peter, however, Isobel took pity on her friend and, grabbing her arm, whispered a reminder: “A hundred bucks. And dinner.”

Delphi shook her off, and the gun bumped Isobel’s arm. Isobel let out a little shriek.

“Give me the gun,” Peter ordered. “That’s why you don’t get to handle the weapons except during rehearsal and performance.”

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Author Joanne Sydney lessner

Joanne Sydney Lessner is the author of BloodWrites Award-Winner The Temporary Detective (Dulcet Press, 2012), which introduces Isobel Spice, aspiring actress and resourceful office temp turned amateur sleuth. Isobel’s adventures continue in the novels Bad Publicity (Dulcet Press, 2013) and And Justice for Some (Dulcet Press, 2014). The Ghosts’ High Noon (Dulcet Press, 2014), an Isobel Spice short story, is available on http://joannesydneylessner.com as a free download. Inspired by the true story of the world’s most expensive bottle of wine, Joanne’s debut novel Pandora’s Bottle (Flint Mine Press, 2010) was named one of the top five books of 2010 by Paperback Dolls. Her play, Critical Mass, winner of the 2009 Heiress Productions Playwriting Competition, received its New York premiere at the Lion Theatre on Theatre Row in October 2010. She has written the book and lyrics to several musicals with her husband, composer/conductor Joshua Rosenblum, including the cult hit Fermat’s Last Tango, which received its Off-Broadway premiere at the York Theatre Company in November 2000, and Einstein’s Dreams, based on the celebrated novel by Alan Lightman. They are currently developing a musical based on Wilkie Collins’s The Haunted Hotel for the Signature Theatre Company in Arlington, Virginia. Joanne is also a regular contributing writer to Opera News.

Blog / Facebook / Twitter

Amazon / B&N / Kobo

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$30 Amazon Gift Card

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To follow the tour for more fun posts and more chances to win, click on the banner below. And remember to comment. The more you comment, the more chances to win.

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WWW Wednesday #41 ~ H2O, Cannibals, and a Serial Killer

Posted: September 17, 2014 in Fantasy, horror, Meme, suspense, thriller, WWW Wednesday
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WWW Wednesday

looking out a window photo: girl looking out the window girl-looking-out-the-window.jpg

Hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

WWW_Wednesdays4

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What are you currently reading?

AQUA

by M.A. George 

21806369

 

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Synopsis

Meet Layla McKelland:

Novelist (unpublished, but cut her some slack…seventeen is a bit early to despair), Slightly neurotic introvert (Alright, let’s be honest…there’s no “slightly” about it), International Woman of Mystery, and…

Okay, just scratch the bio.

The only real “mystery” in Layla’s life is why her father has never been on the scene. Or why her mother drags Layla to a new coastal home every year.

Nothing about the latest hometown seems too newsworthy…until a routine day at the beach leaves Layla questioning whether she’s read one too many paranormal fantasy novels. The plot thickens when a random guy claims to know things about her father—a bizarre claim he backs up with an equally impossible stunt. And Layla soon finds herself on the wrong side of a mysterious attempted drowning…on her own kitchen floor.

When all is done, Layla will attest that fact is far stranger than fiction. And nothing in real life is ever as transparent as it seems…Not even water.

Especially not water.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Eating Sarah

by Jaret Martens 

20555231

 

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Synopsis
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Ever since childhood, all Sarah wanted was to participate in the Hunt—a monthly ritual in which her people sneak into a nearby city to gather food. Only in Sarah’s world, that food is human.After her first Hunt ends in catastrophe, Sarah is forced to prepare their captives for slaughter. While this once would have been an easy task, recent events have caused Sarah to question whether or not she’s still capable of murder. Worse, she finds herself caring for Troy: a captive she knows she will be forced to kill.But she can’t leave. Doing so would mean the deaths of both Troy and her family. With cannibals turning up dead—and suspicions of mutiny rising—Sarah and her family must be more careful than ever.Yet there’s something not quite right about her family . . . Something that might just get her killed.
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What do you think you’ll read next?

Blood in the Paint

 Blood for Blood #1

by Jordanna East

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Synopsis

Ten Years Later…

Jillian Atford is a successful psychologist with a lavish office in Center City Philadelphia. Despite overcoming past trauma and anguish, she cannot shake loose from the feeling that her newest client reminds her of someone.

Lyla Kyle, an accomplished artist, lives a rather quiet life–except for nights when she lures married men into her tangled web and murders them, all in a never-ending quest to avenge her mother. Yet, the nightmares of her mother’s death prove unrelenting, leading her to seek professional help.

Jason Brighthouse Jr. is a young Philadelphia police officer who lives in his father’s shadow and is troubled by the constant ridicule that surrounds his ambition. As he sets out to make peace with his colleagues, he remains confident that the key to their respect lies in his ability to connect the recent spate of suspicious deaths to a certain dark-haired temptress. In a turn of events, he justifiably takes a man’s life while off-duty. Mandatory leave requires him to obtain psychological clearance prior to returning to the force.

As current circumstances bring them together and the truth of their pasts unfolds, who will be left standing?

Three lives. Three deaths connect them. The present unites them.

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So, whatcha readin?

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Teaser Tuesdays #81 ~ Free Short Story ~ Raker by Christopher A. Gray ~ Move Over Robocop

Posted: September 16, 2014 in Fantasy, Science Fiction, Short stories and collections, Teaser Tuesdays
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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

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Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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My Teaser for today is from

Raker

A short story follow up to Dark Nights

by Christopher A. Gray

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Genre: Science fiction/fantasy

Teaser #1 from 14% in the eBook

Plato was enormous by any measure. Shoulders nearly a meter wide, a main torso almost as wide, two meters in height…enough weaponry and ordinance to start a full scale police action..

When he entered a room, a building or street scene, everybody knew it.

Teaser #2 from 32% in the eBook

Both policemen noticed the man’s frozen stare and turned around. Through the drizzle they saw the large shape of the android. Everyone went silent.

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A while ago, I hosted a blog tour for Christopher A Gray’s novel Dark Nights.

Since then he has written a short story follow up, RAKER, which is available for FREE on Amazon til September 21st and he’s going for perma-free.

Some of the characters in Dark Nights make an appearance in the short, but RAKER was written as a stand-alone, without you needing to have read the novel first.

However, if you like the short story, you may be intrigued enough to read Dark Nights.

Go HERE to get your free copy.

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Book Description:

RAKER
1. noun

Remote Armed Kinesthetic Engagement & Reconnaissance android, used primarily by Fire Departments and Police Departments in the United States. RAKERs are deployed for rescue, bomb disposal, and other tasks which are deemed too dangerous for humans. Some models are being manufactured for the armed forces to serve as offensive battlefield weapons.

Christopher A. Gray’s RAKER follows an incident one evening when Dr. Norman Stravinsky sends his RAKER android out to deliver a sensitive file to a colleague. When it encounters a crime in progress, the android must decide whether to interrupt its primary duties as bodyguard to Stravinsky in order to prevent the crime from continuing. The decision results in a confrontation between itself and the Seattle Police Department.

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Sybrina by Amy Rachiele ~ Book Blast and Giveaway

Posted: September 16, 2014 in historical romance, Paranormal or fantasy, Vampires
Tags: , , ,
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It’s my pleasure to host the Book Blast for Sybrina by Amy Rachiele.

I have the stunning cover art and a fun excerpt for ya.

Also, a giveaway, so don’t forget to enter.

Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

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sybrina cover ebook

Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance

Fleeing for her life, Sybrina leaves behind everything to escape the dark and ominous creature that killed her family.

It wants to finish what it started.

Sybrina stows away aboard a clipper ship and poses as her recently murdered brother, Paul.

The year is 1866, an age in which science is a man’s game.

Can Sybrina solve the mystery of the creature that exsanguinates it victims?

Got a thrilling excerpt for you!

War. It is a societal domination that never dies with the progress of mankind. It crafts a vampiric buffet table, blood-soaked earth the tablecloth. The meal encased in shiny metals forged to futilely protect its fragile hosts. Hunting is easy and enshrouded in the mayhem, despair, and fear that accompany battle. It disguises the vampires’ unnatural feast making us undetectable. The remnants left behind are contorted in some bizarre repose. The only indication of its death being of unnatural causes.A fruitless meandering brought me to the Russo-Turkish war. The plain lines of unremarkable uniforms jumbled against the ground piled two to three deep was like walking through a meadow of flowers, crowded together and all the same. My unhurried walk is slow for my kind. I have nowhere in particular to be or wish to be, filling my deathless body my only task.

A gloved hand rises, black and torn, changing the terrain before me. I walk to it and bend down. I know not what draws me to the dying Cossack but the hand beckons to me among the dead. The irony interests me. I flip off the rubble that is charred limbs and body parts of his deceased comrades. A young, clean, unlined face, chiseled as though made of marble, stares back at me. Eyes not clouded with the shadows of death, but vibrantly blue and warm with life.

In the cavalry’s haste, someone tasked with the gruesome ordeal of clearing the dead has mistaken this wounded man as a corpse. I shuffle more debris and expose the man’s legs. Beneath, they are attached barely by sinew and fragments of broken bone. My original thought of this man’s happenstance, being mistaken for dead, is quelled. The condition of his injuries, blood loss, and damage make him a worthless endeavor for a surgeon. Others in this situation would be pallid and unconscious, rapping on the door of death. This man’s spirit is strong.

“Are you death?” he asks me.

Contemplating his question, I stifle a sardonic chuckle. In the truth of my existence, I can be either, take life or give it, eternally. I take more time, as if I am drawn to this soldier, to examine him closely. His body is ready to face the other side, but his mind is not.

“No.” I smile weakly.

“What are you then?”

“What do you think I am?” I question back curiously.

“A wraith,” he surmises, looking thoughtful.

A ghost would be too easy of a life, I think as I laugh at his response. A phantom to walk among the living and not have to partake of their company, but watch them with curiosity and indifference, having no substance or feelings to interfere. I would welcome such an existence.

“I am neither wraith nor human.”

“Do you have a soul, sir?”

“I do. A spirit like any other man.”

A small breeze travels past our intimate meeting and the Cossack’s blond hair dances around his face. He casts his eyes away from me and peers up into the cerulean sky, thinking.

“Are you here to save me?”

“What do you need saving from? To be able to leave this world and pass on to another is the gift of being human.”

“That path… it doesn’t seem to be the right one.”

“I have seen a great deal of death in my long days, and I know very few are ever ready for it when it comes.”

The maimed soldier contemplates and answers surprisingly again. “I would say very few are ready for love when it comes.”

My cheek lifts, forming a half grin in amusement. “I believe that is true as well.”

“I feel nothing from my waist down. Can you help me?”

“I can. But what I have to offer comes with a heavy price.”

“Name it.”

“Eternal existence in this world.”

Buy Links: Amazon Smashwords

Sybrina VBT Banner

~~~

Author Amy Rachiele

Amy Rachiele is a military spouse and brat who spent many years volunteering and on staff for the Army National Guard and Department of Veteran Affairs with Family Support, Family Readiness, as well as, Families of the Fallen.

Amy devoted 10 years to teaching English to at-risk students in the Providence School System. She holds a Master’s degree from Rhode Island College in English and Secondary Education. Amy published book one in the Mobster Series, Mobster’s Girl, in 2012, and has continued to self-publish since. Her novels have climbed to the bestseller lists nationally and internationally on Amazon.com for romantic suspense and family saga. She is an active member of New England Independent Writers and has volunteered her time at her local library facilitating a writer’s group in the hope of inspiring other writers.

Amy hosts a public access cable show called Book Talk. Besides writing, she enjoys scrapbooking, sewing, and traveling. Amy lives in Massachusetts with her son and husband.

Author Links:

Site Twitter Facebook Facebook Mobster Series Tumblr Goodreads

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Amy is giving away an ECopy of Mobster’s Girl

For a chance to win please fill out the rafflecopter below.

Raffle button

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Book Blast Hosts For September 16th

The Snarkology

Bitches Be Writin

New Age Mama

Queen of the Night Reviews

SapphyriasBookReviews

A Book Addict’s Delight

Fantasy Pages

The Saucy Reviewer

Booklover Sue

fuonlyknew

London Scribbles

Reader Girls

Musing of an Addicted Reader

Tamaria Soana

Reading, Writing, and Roses

Owltastic Promotions

The eBook Promotions

To Pen a Dream

Sassy Moms Say: Read Romance

Laurie’s Paranormal Thoughts & Reviews

Intriguing Reviews

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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Dear Carolina by Kristy Woodson Harvey ~ Cover Reveal and Giveaway

Posted: September 16, 2014 in Adult Fiction, Contemporary Literature, Cover Reveal, giveaways
Tags: , ,
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 Thanks for stopping by the Cover Reveal for Dear Carolina by Kristy Wood. I can’t wait to show it to you!

There’s also a giveaway, so don’t forget to enter.

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Dear Carolina
by Kristy Woodson Harvey
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Published by: Berkley
Publication date: May 5th 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary
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Synopsis:

One baby girl.
Two strong Southern women.
And the most difficult decision they’ll ever make.

Frances “Khaki” Mason has it all: a thriving interior design career, a loving husband and son, homes in North Carolina and Manhattan—everything except the second child she has always wanted. Jodi, her husband’s nineteen-year-old cousin, is fresh out of rehab, pregnant, and alone. Although the two women couldn’t seem more different, they forge a lifelong connection as Khaki reaches out to Jodi, encouraging her to have her baby. But as Jodi struggles to be the mother she knows her daughter deserves, she will ask Khaki the ultimate favor…

Written to baby Carolina, by both her birth mother and her adoptive one, this is a story that proves that life circumstances shape us but don’t define us—and that families aren’t born, they’re made…

(No author photo/bio available)
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Share Dear Carolina’s Cover and enter to win 10 Fabulous Novels!
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Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.
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Raffle button
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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