Archive for January, 2018

Welcome to Freakin Fridays, where I share my reviews of books that scare you, thrill you, and get those endorphins pumping.

Today’s book gave me the creeps!

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Eight

by W W Mortensen

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Genre: Horror

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My Review

What do a man trying to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps, an entomologist, the US Military and some drug runners have in common? Even they can’t imagine what it is. But its out there. Waiting to introduce itself.

What started out to be a race to discover a new source of energy turns into a death trap no one could have seen coming. The author really built on this, fleshing out his character’s so you form connections, dribbling in why each one would even be on this expedition, then dropping you into a tropical hell of mega proportions.

I can’t imagine too many things more terrifying than being in a tropical jungle, far from any chance of rescue, being attacked by huge…things. You get a front row seat. I live in a tropical state and can get the gist of what the stifling humidity must have been like. The swarms of mosquitoes too. But the bugs that burrow under your skin and make themselves at home? Nope. And who knows what’s out there watching you from the dark. So close and unable to be seen. Not to mention some nasty humans with their own agendas.

While the beginning of the book is all about getting there and the who’s who of the characters, just you wait. The last half of the book steamrolls with suspense and horror. Good thing I don’t get nightmares easily. Some of the scenes would have me peeking through my fingers if this were a movie..

The blurb does nothing to give away what lurks in these pages so I won’t either. Suspense, thrills and horror are the order of the day here. If that sounds like your cuppa tea, give this a go.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

TERROR HAS A NEW SPECIES

Deep in the Amazon, the solution to the global energy crisis has been found; a mysterious source of power set to end our dependency on oil.

When she receives stunning photographs related to the discovery – courtesy of expedition leader and former partner, Ed Reardon – entomologist Rebecca Riley finds herself on the next flight to Brazil, heading down to join the team of scientists assembling there. She hasn’t seen Ed for more than a year, and their relationship hadn’t ended well.

But his revelation is impossible to ignore.

What she and Ed uncover is beyond imagination: strange statues in the jungle… a ruined city built by the refugees of a lost Pacific continent… and a terrifying new species of animal.

Forced to confront a crippling childhood phobia she’d thought long dead and buried, Rebecca realizes this new species is no ordinary enemy.

It is an ancient enemy, one whose very existence has implications for all of humankind… and the planet itself.

Amazon / B&N

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

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

 

This is a really fun meme!

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

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

My 56 for this week is from:

Murder On New Year’s Eve

A Ridgeway Rescue Mystery #1

  by P. Creeden

37800398

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Genre: Cozy Mystery / Short Story

My 56 from the eBook.

Growing up with just the local sheriff as her sole parental figure, Emma had found herself at numerous crime scenes. From where she stood, she surveyed the damage. Her father continuously tried to convince her to join the force, so she enjoyed moments like these when she was able to get a feel for what it would be like.

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Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

Ridgeway Rescue Mysteries can be read in 1-2 hours. Perfect for when you’re waiting for an appointment or just want a fast read. Don’t miss out on this quick, clean, cozy mystery that will keep you guessing until the end!

It’s New Year’s Eve and 20-year-old Emma Wright has a date with her crush—well, not a real date, but she can dream! Colby Davidson, the K9 search and rescue deputy, is allowing her to accompany him while he’s on patrol at the Ridgeway Illumination Festival. Though they are just friends, she’s still hoping for a possible kiss at the end of the festivities.

When a stranger asks them to help take some pictures at the event, Emma and Colby are happy to oblige. But their assistance turns them into alibis for the man’s whereabouts while his girlfriend was killed. Most of the clues point to a robbery gone bad, but Emma doesn’t believe all of them point that way. Was it really a robbery or was it murder?

Amazon

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

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

 .
Girl Divided
by Willow Rose
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy
 

They think she’s a monster, but she’s their only hope…

In a divided nation, 14-year-old Jetta belongs nowhere. Her face is
split right down the middle: half-black and half-white. The non-white
residents of her New Orleans camp call her a demon. The white
oppressors who took over during the 2nd American Civil War have
called her much worse…
After years as an outcast, Jetta uncovers her true heritage as the daughter
of an African storm god and a Finnish death goddess. As she attempts
to harness her terrible new abilities to turn the tide in the war,
trouble comes to those she tries to help. Only Jetta has the power to
heal her divided homeland… or destroy everything in her path…
Girl Divided is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi novel infused
with magical forces. If you like immersive worlds, strong characters,
and a tale that reads like Neil Gaiman and Stephen King combined,
then you’ll love Willow Rose’s provocative story.
**On Sale for .99 cents!**
 
 
 
 
The Queen of Scream aka Willow Rose is a #1 Amazon Best-selling Author
and an Amazon ALL-star Author of more than 40 novels. She writes
Mystery, Suspense, Horror, Supernatural thrillers, and Fantasy. 

 

She lives on Florida’s Space Coast with her husband and two daughters.
When she is not writing or reading, you will find her surfing and
watch the dolphins play in the waves of the Atlantic
Ocean.  
Willow’s books are fast-paced, nail-biting pageturners.
Several of her books have reached the Kindle top 20 of ALL books in the US,
UK, and Canada.
She has sold more than two million books.
 
 
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Welcome to The Kid’s Korner.

I decided to do this feature as I have so many great children’s books to share. From picture books, to books for beginning readers, to middle graders, I have plenty of fun ones.

Today I’m sharing a fun adventure book in the If You Were Me And Lived In…  series by Carole P. Roman.

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If You Were Me And Lived In…

Elizabethan England

by Carole P. Roman

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Genre: Education / Adventure / Children’s Book

Grade Level: 3 – 9

 My Review

Ever wondered what it would be like to live during the Elizabethan era? The author spins the time travel dial and you are there. Walking among queens and kings, merchants and explorers. Those with money and those with less eat different foods, wear different clothes, but all follow the same religion, the one practiced by the royals.

A non fiction tale told from the view point of a child living in London during the 1600s, the author did her research. While this book is directed towards a young reading audience, I learned a lot, and your child will have fun while learning too.

And I thought it was a wonderful idea for the author to provide a glossary at the end of the book to help with word pronunciation and understanding their meaning, along with a list of renowned people from the era.

 I read and enjoyed another book in this series, The American West, and I’m thrilled that the author included fun little facts you wouldn’t normally think about in this book also. Highly recommend this one too.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Join Carole P. Roman and travel through time to visit the most interesting civilizations throughout history in the first four books of her new series. Learn what kind of food you might eat in Elizabethan England, the complicated clothes you might wear, what might influence your parents to choose your name, and what children did for fun. If You Were Me and Lived in…does for history what her other award-winning series did for culture. So get on-board this time-travel machine and discover the world through the eyes of a young person just like you.

Amazon / B&N

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday hosted by Ambrosia  @ The Purple Booker.

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!

 

My Teaser for this week is from

Better Homes And Corpses

A Hamptons Home & Garden Mystery 

by Kathleen Bridge

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Genre: Cozy Mystery

 My teaser from page

 I pushed open the bathroom door and smacked into something solid. A nose. A perfectly handsome nose.

“Owww!” Cole yelped.

“Oh my God. Are you alright?”

“No, I’m not alright. Geez!”

I went to touch his nose but he pushed my hand away. What else could go wrong? As that thought fluttered across my brain, a screech rang out from the top of the stairs.

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Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

After Meg Barrett found her fiancé still had designs on his ex-wife, she decided it was time to refurbish her life. Leaving her glamorous job at a top home and garden magazine, she fled Manhattan for Montauk, only to find decorating can sometimes lead to detecting…

In between scouring estate sales for her new interior design business, Cottages by the Sea, Meg visits the swanky East Hampton home of her old college roommate, Jillian Spenser. But instead of seeing how the other half lives—she learns how the other half dies. Jillian’s mother, known as the Queen Mother of the Hamptons, has been murdered. Someone has staged a coup.

When she helps a friend inventory the Spensers’ estate for the insurance company, Meg finds herself right in the thick of things. Cataloging valuable antiques and art loses its charm when Meg discovers that the Spenser family has been hiding dangerous secrets, which may have furnished a murderer with a motive. As Meg gets closer to the truth, the killer will do anything to paint her out of the picture…

Amazon / B&N

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

It’s time to get started on my reading challenges for 2018. I’m doing some repeats and starting some new ones. Here a few and I’ll be adding more.

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I’ve been meaning to try the Cloak And Dagger Challenge and this is the year!

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I read a lot of books in this genre group so I’m going big and shooting for Special Agent!

Levels:

5-15 books – Amateur sleuth

16-25 books – Detective

26-35 books – Inspector

36 – 55 – Special agent

56+ books – Sherlock Holmes

For complete rules and to sign up GO HERE.

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I’m going to do the 2018 Craving For Cozies Challenge.

I did this last year. I chose Level: Famished and completed my goal with 14 books.

Going to go with Famished again this year.

 

The challenge runs from January 1, 2018, and ends December 31, 2018

 Choose the level of which you would like to participate:

Levels

  • Peckish – 1 – 10 Cozy Mysteries
  • Famished – 11 – 30 Cozy Mysteries
  • Yearning – 31 – 50 Cozy Mysteries
  • Starving  – 51 – 75 Cozy Mysteries
  • Ravenous – 76 – 100 Cozy Mysteries
  • Voracious – 101 – 125 Cozy Mysteries 
  • Completely Satiated – 126 – 150 Cozy Mysteries
  • Overindulged – 151 – 200 Cozy Mysteries
  • Pigged Out – 201 or more Cozy Mysteries

 

  For complete Rules and to Sign Up go HERE.

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I’ve done the Alphabet Soup Challenge for several years and going to do it again. 2017 was the first time I didn’t complete the challenge.

I lacked titles starting with Q, V and Y. Maybe I’ll have better luck this year.

The Alphabet Soup Challenge means that by December 31, 2018
your bowls must be filled by one book for each letter of the Alphabet.

Each Letter Counts As 1 Spoonful

For more details and to Sign Up Go HERE.

This challenge will run from January 1st, 2018 until December 31st, 2018. You can join any time.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Welcome to my Monday Minis where I share shorter reviews of books I’ve read.

It’s a new year and it was an easy pick on which book would be my first review for 2018. It’s actually two books from the Hell Divers Series by Nicholas Sansbury Smith.

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Hell Divers #1

by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

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Genre: Science Fiction / Post Apocalyptic

My Review

World War III happened a long time ago. The Earth is now scorched and uninhabitable. The remains of humanity reside is large air ships that are slowly falling apart. Hell Divers are the only hope left. They make dangerous dives to the planet to scour for anything that could be used to keep the ships afloat. It’s a dangerous job. From the moment they jump they have to worry about massive storms. If they make it to the surface without being fried by lightning, they have to worry about the mutant life forms that now call the planet theirs.

This had everything I could have hoped for. Real life characters, danger and action leaping off the pages, and some nasty mutant creatures. It’s all presented in strong writing. And I used my imagination and several movies to visualize the story.

While I try not too choose a favorite character so I can enjoy them all, one just wouldn’t stop popping into my head. X. Oh, X. How I do love thee!

About the ending. Say it isn’t so! I had to know what would happen next and rushed right over to grab the next book. While there, I went ahead and pre-ordered the third book. Let the fun continue.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

More than two centuries after World War III poisoned the planet, the final bastion of humanity lives on massive airships circling the globe in search for a habitable area to call home. Aging and outdated, most of the ships plummeted back to earth long ago. Enter the Hell Divers—men and women who risk their lives by diving to the surface to scavenge for parts that keep their homes in the air. When one of the two surviving airships is damaged in an electrical storm, a Hell Diver team is deployed to a hostile zone called Hades. But there’s something down there that’s far worse than the mutated creatures discovered on dives in the past—something that threatens the fragile future of humanity.

Amazon / B&N / Audible

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Hell Divers #2

Ghosts

by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

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Genre: Science Fiction / Post Apocalyptic

My Review

After the ending for the first book, which nearly killed me, I was clapping my hands in stupid glee when I read the beginning for this second book. I got all silly, talking out loud to myself about how good this was going to be.

It’s many years later and there’s some new divers in town. They don’t have much of a life expectancy and recruits are always needed. When disaster strikes the sister ship and a risky rescue is attempted, no one could have foreseen what was to come. The conspiracies that would be revealed. The secrets kept. And…what horrors waited below, on the surface.

Man, I hope they make these books into movies. They are freakin fantastic. Action explodes off the pages. Creepy things scare the crap out of you. Suspense has you chewing your fingernails. And the character’s grab hold of you and won’t let go.

Is this book as good as the first one? Hell yes! And I’ve already pre-ordered the third one. Now waiting anxiously for it to be released. Stay tuned.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Ten years ago, Hell Diver Xavier “X” Rodriguez fell to Earth. Those he left behind went on without him aboard the airship he once called home.

Michael Everheart — the boy once known as Tin — has grown into a man and the commander of Hell Diver Raptor Team. While Michael dives to help keep the Hive in the air, Captain Leon Jordan rules with an iron fist at the helm of the ship. But unrest stirs under his strict leadership as a prophecy of hope sweeps the lower decks.

When a mysterious distress signal calls the Hell Divers to the surface, Michael and his loyal team begin to uncover long-buried truths and the secrets Captain Jordan will do anything to keep. They dive so humanity survives… but will they survive the ultimate betrayal?

Amazon / B&N / Audible

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And coming this summer 2018!

Warning: Contains spoilers from the other books. Read on only if you’ve read the other books.

Hell Divers #3

Deliverance

by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

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Genre: Science Fiction / Post Apocalyptic

Synopsis

They will dive, but will humanity survive?

Left for dead on the nightmarish surface of the planet, Commander Michael Everhart and his team of Hell Divers barely escape with their lives aboard a new airship called Deliverance. After learning that Xavier ”X” Rodriguez may still be alive, they mount a rescue mission for the long-lost hero.

In the skies, the Hive is falling apart, but Captain Jordan is more determined than ever to keep humanity in their outdated lifeboat. He will do whatever it takes to keep the ship in the air — even murder. But when he learns the Hell Divers he exiled have found Deliverance, he changes course for a new mission — find the divers, kill them, and make their new ship his own.

In the third installment of the USA Today bestselling Hell Divers series, Michael and his fellow divers fight across the mutated landscape in search of X. But what they find will change everything

Pre-Order Links

Amazon / B&N / Audible

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

BOOK THREE IN THE SOUND OF SILENCE SERIES IS NOW AVAILABLE!!!

Did you miss Book One, STONE SILENCE?

No worries. It’s FREE for five days, Jan. 1-5!!!

Grab it on AMAZON

 

HOTHOUSE FLOWER

by

TAYLOR DEAN

Hothouse Flower by Taylor Dean

I loved Jace Faraday with all my heart.

I loved everything about him, from his huge smile to his fabulous laugh. Another man never caught my eye. It was always Jace and Shay, together forever.

Until it wasn’t.

He devastated me, he ruined me. I’ve never gotten over it.

But, I’m a survivor. I’m not a precious flower that can only thrive if kept safe from the perils of the outside world.

Except now Jace has returned home. He’s just across the street from me, so close I swear I can actually feel his presence.

I can’t avoid him forever. At some point I have to face him. And when I do, I know sparks will fly.

To redeem himself for his past actions, I need major remorse. I need a profuse apology and maybe even a little begging for forgiveness. I won’t settle for anything less.

However, when the truth behind our break-up is revealed, I’m stunned. It leaves me reeling—and yearning for the six years that have been lost to us.

The thing is, once the truth is known, there’s nothing to keep us apart.

Absolutely nothing.

Dear Reader: This book deals with a sensitive issue.

 

The Sound of Silence Series is a three book series.

Book One: Stone Silence, Spencer’s Story
Book Two: Jailbird, Mia’s Story
Book Three: Hothouse Flower, Shay’s Story

Each book has a happy ending and there are no cliffhangers. They are not standalones and should be read in order.

Read an excerpt from HOTHOUSE FLOWER:

I’LL BE RIGHT down to help with dinner, Mom,” I holler. It will just be a few minutes because I’m busy staring out the window at the man I’ve loved nearly all my life.

He’s home. He’s actually home—just across the street from me, only yards away. I swear I can physically feel his presence and it’s killing me.

Jace Faraday. The love of my youth.

He just arrived at his mother’s house across the street. It’s early evening and I’m watching from my upstairs bedroom window just like I used to do as a teenager. All those old feelings I had for him are rushing over me just as strong as ever. Except now I’m a twenty-six year old woman and, sadly, I feel as though I’m too old to feel giddy over a man.

He is the one man in my life that I have ever truly loved. I loved everything about him from his huge smile to his soft voice to his fabulous laugh. I loved his brawny physique, yet the fact that he had such a gentle touch.

I loved his sense of humor the most of all. When we first started to say I love you to each other, they were serious moments and I knew he meant it as much as I did. As time went by, I would whisper I love you to him and he’d respond in a silly voice, “And I’ve grown fond of you.” It reduced me to a writhing mass of giggles every time.

I was young when I first met him. His family moved in across the street when I was in kindergarten. By the time I was in fifth grade, I was sure he was the man I would marry. I was just a little girl with stars in her eyes, someone who was in love with love. By then Jace was in the eighth grade and seemed larger than life to me.

That feeling of hero worship I felt as a little girl has never left me.

 

 

Stone Silence by Taylor Dean

Great big beautiful love.

Does it really exist?

Everyone tells me it does. They say, “Spencer Elliott, don’t worry, you’ll find it one day. You just have to find the right man and when you do, it will surprise the heck out of you.”

I’m still waiting for that heck of a surprise to hit. It has proven to be elusive thus far. I’m pretty sure the entire world is lying about love and the joke is on me.

I know I want a man in my heart and in my life. Unfortunately, most men immediately push my OFF button and I lose interest quickly.

Feeling pressure to prove I’m trying to find my soulmate, I finally give in and agree to a date. Huge mistake. Afterward I find myself abandoned in the middle of nowhere, in desperate need of help.

That’s when I meet Stony by chance.

He’s a silent and unsmiling man who intrigues me with his ability to keep going after life has knocked him down. Suddenly the abstract notion of love becomes tangible and within my reach. Once I experience it, I wonder how I ever lived without it.

That’s when I stay with Stony by choice.

But when Stony’s hidden past and present-day reality collide, his silence is broken. And the truth about his life nearly brings me to my knees. I can’t compete with ghosts from the past.

I refuse to fight for a man’s love. He either loves me or he doesn’t. It’s as simple and as complicated as that.

My only hope is . . . he does.

 

Catch Book Two, JAILBIRD.

 

Jailbird by Taylor Dean

My hometown decided to rename me Jailbird.

Every day I silently scream out, “My name is Mia Faraday!” My time in jail does not define me. I am so much more than one heated mistake.

And yet, my slip-up weighs on me. There’s so much more to the story than anyone realizes. I must face Stony, my ex, and confess everything.

I don’t want to. I’d rather have five teeth pulled. While I’m awake. Without anesthesia.

But this is something I have to do, something I need to do. Not just for Stony. I need to do it for me. Especially for me. I can’t move forward with my life until I gain closure from the past.

When I meet Grayson Elliott, I am easily pulled into his orbit and it’s exactly where I’d love to stay. He makes me laugh and not take life so seriously. He makes me want to live again.

But I don’t love me right now, and that healing needs to come first. I’m not relationship-ready or marriage material. My mind is focused on redemption. I want it. I need it.

Besides, when Grayson hears about my colorful past, I’m sure he’ll be gone before I have time to utter the word goodbye.

After all, who could ever love a jailbird?

 

Praise for JAILBIRD:

Mia’s story about forgiveness and redemption is packed with emotion and will leave you wanting more! -Jana, Amazon Review

An adventure from start to finish, a wonderful sequel to Stone Silence. -atvtnv, Amazon Review

Once I started reading, I just couldn’t stop! It has been a LONG time since a book has kept me up WAY past my bedtime! -KJ’s Book Nook

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Author Taylor Dean

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense—you’ll find all sub-genres of clean romance in her line-up.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads * Newsletter

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Blast Giveaway Details
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/21/18

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE