Archive for October, 2018

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Rising Tide: Dark Innocence
The Maura DeLuca Trilogy Book 1
by Claudette Melanson
Genre: YA Paranormal
 
Rising Tide will sink its fangs into you, keeping you awake into the wee
hours of the night
Could Maura’s life get any worse? …turns out it most certainly can.
Isolated and sheltered by her lonely mother, Maura’s never been able to make
friends. She seems to drive her classmates away—except for the odd
times they pay enough attention to torture her—but she doesn’t
understand why. Maura considers herself to be a freak of nature, with
her unusually pale skin and an aversion to the sun that renders her
violently nauseous. Her belief is only worsened by the fact that
almost everyone around her keeps their distance.
Even her own father deserted her before she was born, leaving Maura alone
with her emotionally distant mother, Caelyn. Even though Maura is
desperate for answers about her unknown parent, Caelyn remains
heartbroken and her daughter can’t bring herself to reopen her
mother’s wounds. Or is there a more sinister reason Caelyn refuses
to utter a word about her long-lost love?
When a cruel prank nearly claims Maura’s life, one of her classmates,
Ron, rushes to her rescue. Darkly handsome & mysteriously
accepting, Ron doesn’t seem to want to stay away, but Maura is
reluctant to get too close, since her mother has announced she’s
moving the two of them to Vancouver…nearly 3,000 miles away from
their hometown of Indiana, Pennsylvania.
If life wasn’t already challenging enough, Maura begins to experience
bizarre, physical changes her mother seems hell bent on ignoring,
compelling Maura to fear for her own life. Vicious nightmares, blood
cravings, failing health and the heart-shattering loss of Ron—as
well as the discovery of a tangled web of her own mother’s
lies—become obstacles in Maura’s desperate quest for the
unfathomable truth she was never prepared to uncover.
2015 Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Winner for YA Mystery
2015 RONE Award Finalist for YA Paranormal

2015 New Apple Top Medalist for Young Adult Ebook

Chosen as one of 400 for the second round of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel
Award for 2014!!!

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freebie rising tide

Praise for Rising Tide:
“This captivating and commendable work had me immersed from the beginning.
The story flows from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows
exceptional skill when it comes to storytelling.”
“Mrs. Melanson’s writing is so descriptive and talented. Throughout the
entire story, I felt like I was watching a movie.”
“Melanson grabs you from page 1 and doesn’t let you go until the very bitter
end, only bitter because the book is finished.”
“I found pure delight in this book and will recommend it to other
readers.”
“The writing by Claudette Melanson in this novel is top notch and I can
see the movie rights for this being grabbed in no time.”

˃˃˃ Sure to become one of the Books to Read of the year, Rising
Tide: Dark Innocence 
isn’t the usual YA tale of vampires.
Full of Mystery and Suspense, this Vampire Mystery Thriller packs
just enough Romance & Humor, while delivering plenty of Dark
Fantasy served with a side of the Supernatural. Maura, in the midst
of her vampire awakenings is unarguably a vampire in denial. It is a
novel that is certain to become one of the classic paranormal and
fantasy books of its time–the series is not only for Teen &
Young Adult readers, but has been well-received by many adult
readers, as well. Maura doesn’t live in Castle Dracula in
Transylvania, but she must still discover the bloodlines constructing
the creature she is destined to become, while overcoming social
issues, such as bullying, that rock her world while coming of age.
She is an strong Urban Scienece Fiction & Fantasy female
protagonist readers love.

**Get it FREE!!***
 
 
 
 
 
Undertow: Death’s Twilight
The Maura DeLuca Trilogy Book 2
 
Maura finally found the truth she was always seeking…or has she?
After being left in the dark for all of her life, Maura’s father,
Maxwell, has finally returned to reveal sinister family secrets Maura
could never have dreamed possible—including his revelation that she
is one of The Born. But his daughter soon discovers both he and her
mother are keeping pieces of her reality hidden, still. As Maura
struggles to unravel the mysteries surrounding her new existence and
discover every piece of the cryptic puzzle, life appears intent on
casting stumbling blocks across her path with every step forward.
Tragedy seems to stalk Maura, and those around her, as she stumbles along,
altering the young changeling’s family, just when they have all
come back together. The changes left in its wake could be for the
better, or may threaten their existence, entirely.
With the arrival of Christmas comes the opportunity for Maura to draw
close to everyone she loves—and finally reunite with Ron, the man
she loves. But permanence has always eluded her, and in her current
state of flux this pattern endures, as fate seems intent on snapping
the threads that bind her to those she holds most dear. Maxwell’s
good intentions pave a road for Maura, littered with misery, while
her mother, Caelyn’s, desire to shield her family from pain may
tear her away from them, altogether. The perfect happiness in the
young vampire’s grasp is so easily swept away and dragged under,
out of reach. Can Maura erupt from the darkness and confusion to
break the surface and find the life she’s always dreamed of?
In the midst of chaos, assistance materializes in the form of another of
her kind—ephemerally beautiful, yet explosively volatile, this new
vampire may prove capable of unlocking the puzzle-box Maxwell seems
intent on securing from her sight. Maura will discover the darkest
parts of herself in her quest to understand the being she is destined
to become. Her newfound friend has some shady intentions of his
own—such as thwarting the love that has grown between Maura and
Ron. Following in the wake of the impulsive vampire’s misguided
instruction may further pull a naive Maura down into the depths of
ultimate despair, heartbreak…and even destruction.

2015 Readers’ Favorite Honorable Mention for YA Horror

2016 New Apple Summer eBook Solo Medalist for YA Horror

Praise for Undertow:
“This series offers so much: the heartwarming family moments, the comedic
back and forth banter between characters, life lessons tragically
instilled.”
“I actually cried during a few parts of the story.”
“The story is well written and gripping until the very end.”
“If it’s written by Claudette Melanson, you’re guaranteed to have an
amazing piece of literature that anyone can enjoy.”
 
 
Riptide: Betrayal of Blood
The Maura DeLuca Trilogy Book 3
 
Maura has never felt so alone in her life…nor has her existence ever been
so overshadowed by peril…
Not only do both her parents—her distant but loving mother and
recently- returned father—remain absent from her life, but due to
the hideous error in judgement executed in collusion with her best
friend, Valdamir, and adoptive sister, Susie, Maura has been cut off
from the pair’s friendship and support, forbidden by both her
father and the fallout from the dire outcome to see either of them.
The heartbreak she suffers, brought on by the weight of these
estrangements, is only intensified by the continued mysterious
absence of her supernaturally-destined mate, Ron…whose
disappearance delivers grave consequences Maura would have never
dreamed possible…
Despised by her vampire cousin, Aldiva, for reasons Maura cannot yet
comprehend, the young changeling will be forced to guard her back
with every step, as she comes to realize this member of her vampire
family would love nothing more than to bring about her demise.
Aldiva’s wrath calls forth other members from both Vancouver
covens, forcing them to rush to Maura’s aid—even though her
father, their king, has expressly forbidden the other vampires to
initiate contact with his daughter. Will her extended family on
Vancouver Island obey, abandoning Maura to her doom, or will they
instead rebel against Maxwell’s wishes in order to save her life?
 
In addition to the menace personified in her unsolicited enemy, the
unlikely vampire princess will find herself drowning as she is pulled
down into the depths of a far more devastating crisis…one which may
condemn her to a fate she considers much more undesirable than death.
But in order to tear herself free from the deadly pull which is
drawing her under, Maura must enlist the help of her preternatural
family, exposing her newfound friends to a danger none of them have
ever had the misfortune to face before. Can she be saved or will the
riptide drag Maura under…along with those she loves the most…
2017 New Apple Solo Medalist for Summer eBook – Young Adult General Fiction
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riptide teaser
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Praise for Riptide:
“I will scream it from the rooftops how much I love this series.”
“I can only say that Riptide is one of the best modern vampire stories I
have ever read, and I read them all from Stephen King to Ann Rice to
Stephenie Meyer.”
“Riptide was action packed and the fight scenes were well written but more
than that it was the story of family and love, of taking
responsibility, and dealing with hate when all sane avenues fail.”
“The lore is superb, as is the writing. I can’t wait to catch up with
Maura again!”
 
 
Claudette Melanson writes dark fantasy, horror and children’s books in
Kitchener, Ontario with seven bun babies at her side: Tegan, Pepper,
Butters, Beckett, Sansa, Daenerys & Caramel. She graduated from
Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a BA in English, BS in
English Education and an MA in Literature. Harboring a deep
admiration of vampires since the age of five left her with the desire
to eventually become one, and now fuels the creation of her favorite
paranormal characters. She hopes to one day work full time as an
author, since there are many, many stories playing out inside her head.
In her very scant spare time, she enjoys watching Japanese Anime and
reading vampire stories…along with other genres of great fiction,
as well as riding every roller coaster she encounters in both her
hometown and away at signings. An advocate for good health and
ketogenic eating, her favorite foods are bulletproof coffee,
cashew-flour crust pizza and treats made with xylitol and almond,
coconut or cashew flours.
Future dreams include a cabin boasting a roaring fire, isolated inside a
snow-filled wood in the Yukon—the perfect writing spot—and the
completion of dozens of future novels and stories. A Rabbit Rescue
fanatic and loving bunmom, she also hopes to help rescues all over
the world save many innocent lives.
 
 
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive content and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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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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Gretel

Gretel #1

by Christopher Coleman

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Genre:  Horror / Retelling

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My Review

I enjoyed Christopher Coleman’s They Came With The Snow horror series and when I discovered he’d written a modern retelling of Hansel and Gretel, I was intrigued.

 It started out creepy enough and the author created some eerie atmosphere while also changing up the original story quite a bit. I was expecting some brutal scenes. The original tale was quite dark. I certainly got those. However, I did feel this book could have been shorter or the author could have done more to liven it up. The pacing in the middle slowed down quite a bit. I was intrigued enough to continue and got a good ending.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes. It had me rethinking driving at night in isolated areas, for sure.Would I read this author again? I already have the second book and I’m told the series gets better.

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Synopsis

There is an ancient evil in the Back Country, dormant for centuries but now hungry and lurking. When it sets its sights on an unsuspecting mother one routine morning along an isolated stretch of highway, a quiet farming family is suddenly thrust into a world of unspeakable terror, and a young girl must learn to be a hero.

Amazon

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You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

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Red Harvest
The Haunted Hollow Chronicles #1
by Patrick C. Greene
Genre: Horror
In the epic tradition of
Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Jonathan Maberry, a chilling new
masterwork of small-town evil, centuries-old traditions, and
newly-risen terror…
Red Harvest
Every year at harvest
time, something strange and wonderful happens in the sleepy farm
community of Ember Hollow. It comes alive. Truckloads
of pumpkins are sent off to be carved into lanterns. Children
scramble to create the creepiest, scariest costumes. Parents stock up
on candy and prepare for the town’s celebrated Pumpkin Parade. And
then there is Devil’s Night . . .
But this year, something
is different. Some of the citizens are experiencing dark, disturbing
visions. Others are beginning to wonder if they’re losing their
minds, or maybe their souls. One newly sober singer with the voice of
a fallen angel is tempted to make a deal that will seal his fate. And
one very odd boy is kept locked in a shed by his family—for reasons
too horrible to imagine . . .
Whatever is happening to
this town, they’re going to make it through this Halloween.
Even if it kills them . . .
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Check out this peek inside:
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A Preamble

“Trick or treat! Rotten meat! That is what we want to eat!” One of the troupe of tweens was out of harmony.

“Hm.” Lola, costumed in a short leather nun’s habit, smiled and saluted the kids with her wine glass.

She was decidedly not mortified by this variation of the traditional rhyme, and only mildly amused, more interested in the TV party a few rooms away. “Well, no rotten meat I’m afraid, but I think I still have a few…”

She twisted almost sideways and presented a near-empty candy bowl from just inside, dumping the last of the treats into the bags and buckets. “Here you go, kiddies!”

Lola ignored the disappointed expressions the kids cast at her and at one another, her bleary gaze drawn to the figure standing across the street, just outside a vague circle of street light.

The figure, wearing an odd costume of rainbow fright wig, Lone Ranger–style eye mask, and an oversized brown raincoat, wasn’t moving, except for his shoulders, which rose and fell as if from suppressed laughter. He hunched over and covered his mouth with both hands, like a toddler who had just stolen a cookie. Did he think she couldn’t see him? How silly.

“Is this all you got, lady?” asked the kid in the…whichever superhero wore black tights with green trim. She had stopped trying to keep up.

“Um, well…” She looked inside again. “No more candy,” she said. “But how about this for your chaperone?”

From the four canisters of silly string beside the candy bowl—in the event of a prank war—she held one over the heads of the children, to offer it to the man on the street. But he was gone.

“Where’s your grown-up?” she asked.

The kids turned to see what she meant. “What grown-up? We’re old enough to be without,” explained a rubber-worm-infested zombie, quite indignantly.

Her wine glass was empty. She didn’t care about the funny skulker anymore.

“Okeydoke, then,” she said. “Have at it!” She tossed the silly string at the group, then half waved, half shooed, until they shuffled away. Before closing the door, she decided to blow out the jack-o’-lantern.

Lola re-wined her glass and started back to the den to rejoin her friends in giving old horror movies the MST3K treatment. She was stopped by the doorbell.

She stepped to the door, unsteady on her spike heels. “Sorry! All out! Happy Halloween!”

She moved to walk away but stopped upon hearing a giggle—silly yet eerie—just outside the door. “Hey!” she shouted. “You better not be TPing our lawn out there!”

The doorbell rang again.

“Okay!” Lola grabbed a can of silly string. “I warned you!”

She yanked open the door and poised the canister, finding only blowing leaves, on and all around the front stoop.

She listened for the sound of giggling or leaves crunching under running feet, bracing for a good hearty “Boo!” as well.

“Ding dong ditch,” she muttered. “Not even a flaming bag of doggy doo. Kids these days…”

She closed the door—and felt the icy tingle of intuition. Something was very, very wrong.

She turned fast.

It was the man from across the street, now less than two feet away.

He had entered through the rear kitchen door.

The fright wig he was wearing, vaguely haloed by the hallway, did its job. From there down, it only got worse.

His Lone Ranger–style mask framed eyes filled with something like joy—but more like hopeless insanity. His face was white, as if bleached.

Then there was the blood.

Streams of it ran down gaunt cheeks to cracked smiling lips from the staples that held the mask on.

The figure raised a meat cleaver with a blade the size of a notebook.

Lola’s heart skipped a beat, until she saw that the weapon was mere plastic—a toy. Lola smiled, issuing a relieved, “Whew!”

“So funny, Greg.” She leaned forward to look more closely at him. “Where’s the ol’ ball and chain?”

As she reached for his mask, the figure stepped back from her grasp. He lowered the cleaver and slid the toy plastic blade—merely an improvised sheath—off of a very shiny, very real butcher knife blade.

The oversized trick-or-treater displayed the implement.

“Oh, my God, Greg.” Lola rolled her eyes and raised both middle fingers.

The trickster slashed the knife in a sideways arc, severing the fingers.

She was too breathless to scream, trying to reconcile the sight of her shortened digits and angry that Greg had taken his little joke this far.

Not-Greg squatted to gather the fingers and drop them into his treat bag.

Trying to back away from her own ruined hand, Lola fell like a toddler onto her rump, sucking breath for a scream she would never have time to release.

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Patrick C. Greene is
a lifelong horror fan who lives in the mountains of western North
Carolina. He is the author of the novels Progeny and The
Crimson Calling
, as well as numerous short stories featured in
collections and anthologies.
 
 
 
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

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.