Archive for October 30, 2018

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #30 ~ Short Tales Of Horror

Posted: October 30, 2018 in horror, reviews, Short stories and collections
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2018! I did this last year and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

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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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Short Tales Of Horror III

by Regina Puckett

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Genre:  Horror / Short Stories

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My Review

I’d read another collection Of Regina’s and really enjoyed them so I was quick to grab this one when I came across it.

There are fifteen stories here and I liked every single one. Some were scary. Some were very twisted. And some even made me laugh at their wickedness.

In these pages you’ll come across a possessive ghost with deadly intent, creepy dolls that have a few tricks up their sleeves, homeless people that should be wary of a helping hand, a husband who won’t be raising a hand to his wife again, a hitchhiker with a twist, an inheritance with strings attached, a re-encounter with the possessive spirit, a resentful new father, thirteen black cats who might not add up to a lucky number, how being late for school can have dire consequences, what happens when a miracle diet pill comes with side affects, why imaginary friends can feel all too real, what occurs when an alien spacecraft brings nothing good and what a vampire does when you don’t clean up after yourself.

I’d be hard pressed to choose a favorite. The author penned some creative and curious tales and they were well executed. All of these were either 4 or 5 star reads. I devoured them in one sitting and could have read more. It’s like tiny horror M&Ms. I couldn’t read just one, or two….

If you enjoy horror collections, you’ll certainly enjoy these. I sure did.

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Synopsis

My collection of short stories of ghosts, evil spirtis, werewolves, a few mentally ill people and I’ve even thrown in a few zombies and vampires into the mixture.

I’ve taken your every fear and written a story about it, so they can be examined in the bright light of day. Of course if your prefer, you’re welcome to read them at night too. I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether you want your horror now or later.

Amazon / B&N

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The cover above is from Goodreads.

Here is the one I own.

Short Tales of Horror Part III by [Puckett, Regina]

Which do you prefer?

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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.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Murder By Perfection by Lauren Carr ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: October 30, 2018 in giveaways, Mystery, reviews
Tags: , ,
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I’m a big fan of Lauren Carr’s and it’s my pleasure to share another one of her thrilling books.

Check out Murder By Perfection.

Enjoy my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Book Title: Murder by Perfection by Lauren Carr
Series: Thorny Rose Mystery Series (Volume 3)
Category: Adult fiction, 322 pages
Genre: Murder Mystery
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Release date: May 31, 2018
Tour dates: Oct 8 to Nov 2, 2018
Content Rating: PG (mild violence and sexual suggestion)

 

My Review

It had been a while since I visited these character’s but I quickly found my footing on who was who, both human and other. One year into their marriage, Jessica and Murphy have hit a bump in the road. It’s push me pull me with so many things consuming all of their time. The murder of Murphy’s friend is sure to take even more of his time. But, a bone is tossed and they can work this case together. They just need to join a cooking class and warn the person instructing it that they’re in danger. She may be a clue to get the case moving again. If they can keep her alive.

Having read many of Lauren’s books, I knew there would be more than one mystery to solve. There was also character growth, loads of laughs and some fun critter antics, including a cocky rooster.

And Nigel. I’d forgot all about Nigel. He’s the A.I. that keeps the smart house in order and things running smoothly. He’s also a huge help with solving cases as he has a font of information at his fingertips, kind of. He may be artificial, but he’s still got a personality. A charming one, in fact.

There’s more than one mystery, as I mentioned at the beginning. And a kidnapping that had me all twisted inside. As the investigation deepens, more character’s are involved, more suspects join the list and the suspense builds. You’ll need your thinking cap and an assistant to figure this one out. It’s not an obvious resolution.

Character driven stories are my favorite. I don’t have to love them, I just need to be to relate to them. And Lauren gives me character’s from all walks of life. And her critters. They hop, skip and jump throughout the book. Each one has their own personality with quirks that keep you laughing and loving them. I’m not talking about just cats and dogs either.

Once again, Lauren managed to immerse me in her story quickly. And while I couldn’t wait to see how things concluded, I also tried to savor all of the little bits in between.

Murder, kidnapping, mystery, romance and laugh out loud moments are what this is all about. Never a dull moment and another excellent story from Lauren.

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Synopsis

Perfection can be a fatal endeavor.

Frustrated with their busy schedules, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday attempt to find togetherness by scheduling a weekly date night. The last thing Jessica Faraday expected for her date night was to take a couple’s gourmet cooking course at the Stepford Kitchen Studio, owned by Chef Natalie Stepford―the model of perfection in looks, home, and business.

When Natalie ends up dead and Murphy goes missing, the Thorny Rose detectives must peel back the layers of Natalie Stepford’s life to discover that the pursuit of perfection can be deadly.

To read reviews, please visit Lauren Carr’s page on iRead Book Tours.

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Buy the Book:
 
Watch the book trailer:
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Meet Author Lauren Carr

 

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Now, Lauren has added one more hit series to her list with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries. Set in the quaint West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry, Ice introduces Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who joins forces with other law enforcement retirees to heat up those cold cases that keep them up at night.

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

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Enter the Giveaway!
Ends Nov 10, 2018
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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.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

But is she…… Alive? ~ Author Interview and Giveaway

Posted: October 30, 2018 in apocalypse, Author Interview, giveaways, YA
Tags: , , ,
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Alive banner

Alive?
by Melissa Woods
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Alive cover
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(The Alive? Series, #1)
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: October 30th 2018
Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction,Young Adult, Zombies
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Synopsis
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Everyone knows the first rule of the zombie apocalypse: Don’t. Get. Bitten.

Too bad Violet has never been great at following the rules. Walking home after a night of partying, she manages to let one of the Dead take a chunk out of her only hours after they’ve begun walking again. Fortunately for Violet, she doesn’t die. Unfortunately for Violet—she’s not exactly alive, either.

Violet’s body is undergoing changes, and suddenly the taste of human flesh is not as revolting as it once sounded. Controlling her new urges will be hard. Living with survivors who have no idea will be even harder. And the real zombies? They still want to eat her, too…

Surviving the zompocalypse is tricky when you play for both teams.

New from author Melissa Woods, Alive? is a heart-pounding adventure with suspenseful plot twists, complex characters, and a dash of dark humor. Gritty and raw, Alive? is sure to keep you guessing, and will delight zombie apocalypse fans everywhere.

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / iBooks / Kobo
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Check out the Author Interview

Can you describe your book in one sentence?

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It’s the story of a seventeen year old called Violet, who makes the unfortunate mistake of getting bitten by a zombie, and discovers that while she’s lucky enough not to die, she now has a couple of interesting quirks, making her an unwanted guest at most dinner parties!

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

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Averages are hard, because I wrote the first draft of Alive? when I was sixteen years old, which would suggest it takes me twelve years to go from first draft to publication! But if I look at when I went back to the book and made the major changes, and how long it’s taken me to draft the sequel, I’d say it’s about nine months to a year to go from a blank page, to something I’m ready to send to the editor for fresh eyes.

What is the first book that made you cry?

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I think it was probably Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. You probably already know the part, but spoiler alert; Cedric Diggory dies! It was the first time I’d felt actually angry and upset about the death of a character; not angry at JK for writing it, of course, but angry with Pettigrew for killing him. I was angry at one fictional character for killing another, which is ridiculous really, but just shows how touched you can be by the written word.

Have you ever gotten reader’s block?

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Absolutely. There have been times where I’ve picked up and put down six books in a row, because my mood changes. One minute I want to read a thriller, then I want sci-fi, then I get a craving for young adult diary-style humour. It drives my husband crazy, because he’s someone who picks up a book and doesn’t read anything else until it’s finished. I suppose that’s part of the reason that Alive? has a bit of horror, a bit of suspense, and a bit of humor, because I’m trying to keep myself happy as well as anything else!

Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?

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It crossed my mind, because I’m a teacher, and I wasn’t sure how I would feel about parents of the children I teach reading the book, hating it, and then having to make awkward eye-contact on the playground where they look at me and think “She’s in charge of educating my child, and her book is the worst thing I’ve ever read in my life!” But I realised that it’s just my own anxiety, and that even if they didn’t like the book, the parents of children I have taught would hopefully be unlikely to make judgements about my teaching based on my writing about the zombie apocalypse!

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

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Just keep writing. Try to focus on one project at a time, but it’s okay need to move onto something else, because sometimes that’s exactly what helps you realise what’s missing from your work in progress. Don’t worry about having six half-finished projects, it’s better than staring at a blank chapter for weeks on end because you don’t know where it’s going next.

Alive slow

How do you think you’d fare in a zombie apocalypse?

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It totally depends on the type of zombies. If we’re going George Romero’s slow shufflers, then I think I’d do okay! I’ve read a lot of zombie books, and watched a lot of movies, and think I’d avoid some of the typical ways to be killed off early on. But if the zombies were fast, like in Alive? or movies like 28 days later, then I’m pretty sure I’d be dead within about half an hour. I’m not someone who runs, which is something I decided to grace Violet with, just to make her life a little harder!

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Enjoy this peek inside

Violet Winter was dead.
Probably.
Possibly.
To be honest, she wasn’t quite clear about it yet. All she knew was that ever since being bitten by the zombie, things had started to get weird.
As she stood there with warm blood drying on her fingers and bits of someone’s face in her teeth, she decided that making the choice to take the shortcut through the woods might not have been the best one.

Alive teaser

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Author Melissa Woods

Alive author

Writer, primary school teacher, zompocalyptic obsessive.

Melissa Woods is the author of ‘Alive?’, a young adult zombie adventure story, set for release on October 30th 2018.

When she’s not writing or teaching, Melissa can usually be found walking her three dogs, playing video games, or, occasionally, spending time with her husband.

Author links:  Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads
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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.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.