Archive for the ‘Adult Fiction’ Category

Freakin Fridays!

Freakin Fridays is my own little meme. I’ll be posting about books, movies, and all things scary.

Feel free to join in and do your own Freakin Fridays posts!

Tune in every Friday. Get your scare on!

Let’s have some fun!

Last week I needed some help choosing which book to review for this weeks Freakin Friday post.

I showed you some covers and descriptions and which ever book got the most votes, I’d post my review this Friday!

It looks like the winner is #4 ~ BEDBUGS by LA Taylor

BEDBUGS (Can you see them?)

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SYNOPSIS OF ‘BEDBUGS – CAN YOU SEE THEM?’

‘NIGHT, NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT AND DON’T LET THE BEDBUGS BITE’ In 1977, an alien spaceship crashed down to earth, landing deep within the soil in a small County called ‘Lemonsville’. During the night people were slaughtered, but the next day the killers disappeared. In 2020, the area where the spaceship landed was levelled off and new houses were built over it. Many foreigners were now living in the UK, and so more houses needed building. A small earthquake shook Lemonsville in the year 2050. This was the opening needed for the new creatures of the night to attack the living. Deep, deep down beneath the ground, the alien queen had given birth to a new killer. The earth tremor had produced an escape route for her new babies to hunt for food. Human food…

My Review

I love horror and especially horror stories with creepy creatures.

Most horror stories have large, menacing monsters or creatures, which I do love.

With Bedbugs, you get these teeny-tiny critters that are almost invisible to the naked eye. But wait, there’s more. These aren’t your ordinary pesky bedbugs. These bugs are from outer space, alien sentient beings. They work like a fine-tuned military unit, going about their mission.

Their mission is to collect food, which is us, and take it back to their queen. Being so tiny, they can’t collect the food by themselves, so they attack us in numbers, silently plotting and attacking. They are vicious and determined, chewing our bodies into sizable pieces with the precision of a surgeon.

Take a close look at the cover art for Bedbugs. It doesn’t matter that these bugs are tiny. They are nasty and their very design is for the purpose of rending and eating.

I loved this story. What a great idea and well plotted out.

It starts with an atmosphere of anticipation and quickly captures your full attention.

The first chapter is grisly and horrifying. What’s great is, the author lays out the plot for the story throughout the first attack, giving you an idea of what and why the bugs are here.

A surprise is their mode of traveling from one scene of attack to another. Never would have expected it and it really made me take these bugs seriously.

It just keeps getting better and I only stopped reading for the night when my kindle fell in my lap and woke me up. I had drifted off as it was late. Glad I woke up and had to move around a bit. Maybe that’s what kept me from dreaming about these bugs!

5 Stars for BEDBUGS

I gave this my high rating because I know I will be reading it again. It also made me curious about our terrestrial bedbugs.

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Some interesting facts

Bedbug feeding physiology

A bed bug pierces the skin of its host with what is called a stylet fascicle, rostrum, or “beak”. This is a unit composed of the maxillae and mandibles, which have been modified into elongated shapes from a basic, ancestral style. The right and left maxillary stylets are connected at their midline and a section at the centerline forms a large food canal and a smaller salivary canal. The entire maxillary and mandibular bundle penetrates the skin.[5]

The mandibular stylet tips have small teeth and through alternately moving these stylets back and forth, the insect cuts a path through tissue for the maxillary bundle to reach an appropriately sized blood vessel. Pressure from the blood vessel itself fills the insect with blood in three to five minutes. The bug then withdraws the stylet bundle from the feeding position and retracts it back into the labial groove, folds the entire unit back under the head, and returns to its hiding place.[5] It takes between five and ten minutes for a bed bug to become completely engorged with blood.[25] In all, the insect may have spent less than 20 minutes in physical contact with its host, and will not attempt to feed again until it has either completed a molt or, if an adult, has thoroughly digested the meal.

Pretty nasty, eh?

I was also reminded of an extended story from Outer Limits starring Beau Bridges.

Maybe you’ve seen it?

Sandkings

Check out this video.

Trailer from Sandkings – OuterLimits

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGmLOji73B0?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent]

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About the author and where to find him.

L.A.  Taylor

My name is Lee Taylor, I was born on March 19th 1969, at ‘George Eliot Hospital’, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England…
I suppose I was always into writing from when I was a child. I remember writing children’s stories aged 10, which were read to younger children, & even at age 13-16, I would write school essays which were 10 pages longer than needed…..This would result in a no mark because of its length, but writer’s can’t help writing…
When I was 17 I bought a movie camera. I suppose I wanted to be the next ‘Spielberg’……lol….I would write ideas down & get the family over to make short films…
But it wasn’t until I was 24 that I dabbled in actual serious writing.
It was then that my first novel came to light – A story which I’m now re-writing for its 20th Anniversary release in 2013…
In 1999, my zombie novel idea came to light, but it took many, many years before it was passed around to the World. That novel has seen its title change 3 times in the past 10 years, but CLIFTON FALLS is now staying put as that name…..No more name changes……lol
I’ve now released 2 novels so far, with both available on amazon kindle…

http://www.amazon.com/CLIFTON-FALLS-e…

http://www.amazon.com/BEDBUGS-Can-you…

BEDBUGS (CAN YOU SEE THEM?) – Is based on man-eating insects from outer space…

My website gives more info on me, my stories, & what I am doing now..

Website

Twitter

Goodreads

Available Books and upcoming releases.

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A zombie story! Available now.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF THE TOWN YOU LIVED IN WAS INVADED BY FLESH EATING ZOMBIES?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF A LOVED ONE TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF THEM?

An experimental fertilizer used to improve the food grown on a local farm in CLIFTON FALLS is now the reason behind why the dead are rising to feast on the living.
Within a day bodies are piling up, but no one can work out how it’s happened.
The police force struggle to maintain the horde of “blood crazed” killers as they
battle the un-dead in the local HOSPITAL.
Three months before the zombie outbreak the local bank was robbed, leaving one victim dead. The robbers worked at the hospital and so buried the cash inside the victim’s coffin. Now they are back to dig up the cash before the police snoop around.
Unknown to them, the living dead are rising from their graves, including the victim from the bank. Now the police have to fight the zombies before they cause havoc at the local holiday village.
Can the Chief Inspector find a way of eliminating them before the virus spreads into the CITY and BEYOND?

This novel contains strong language & graphic violence….

Coming later this year. Can’t wait.

Rampaging killer rats that cause havoc in the farming town of Aaronsville.

Sounds like another winner.

I hear the author is working on the next book about these Bedbugs!

~

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Welcome to my stop on The Order of the Black Swan Blog Barrage.

Learn all about these collected tales, read some rave reviews and check out the awesome book trailers

Don’t forget to check out others stops on the tour to see what they’re saying.

You can find the list below.

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The Order of the Black Swan (Collected Tales, Books 1-3)

by Victoria Danann

Contemporary Paranormal/Fantasy Romance

Publisher: 7th House

Heat Level: Steamy

Word Count: 313,000 words

Buy Links

Amazon / Barnes&Noble / iTunes / Smashwords

 ~~~

Description

Discover a world of adult fantasy where modern day knights of a secret society interact with an alien, a witch, a demon, a psychic, a berserker, a most unusual vampire, werewolves, elves, and fae. Fairytales intersect adventure, romance, and emotion proving that true love can find you in the strangest places, even when you’re least expecting it, even when you’re far, far from home.

These are single titles presented in a bundle, the first three installments of the serial saga presented in anthology form. Included are:

Book 1, My Familiar Stranger: Romancing the Vampire Hunters. (Nominated for best paranormal romance of 2012 by the Reviewers’ Choice Awards.) Released April 2012. 241 reviews on Amazon. 663 ratings on iTunes.

Book 2, The Witch’s Dream: A Love Letter to Paranormal Romance. Released October 2012. Only available on Amazon. 111 reviews.

Book 3, A Summoner’s Tale: The Vampire’s Confessor. Released February 2013. Only available on Amazon. 56 reviews.

All three of the single titles have been in Amazon’s TOP 100 in their category EVERY DAY since release.

Warning: This title is intended for readers over the age of 18 as it contains adult sexual situations and/or adult language, and may be considered offensive to some readers.


Book Trailers

My Familiar Stranger: http://victoriadanann.me/my-familiar-stranger/

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The Witch’s Dream: http://victoriadanann.me/the-witchs-dream/

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A Summoner’s Tale: http://victoriadanann.me/a-summoners-tale/

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Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars An Epic Adventure you will not put down, By Christine Merritt

This review is from: The Order of the Black Swan COLLECTED TALES, Books 1-3 (Black Swan Anthology) (Kindle Edition)

“This series is written beautifully and with intelligence. Reading them together is the way to go – one story ends with the beginning of the next book picking right up where the last ended. I’ve read the three books separately MORE THAN ONCE. Having the three bundled together is brilliant.

 

I have rated the books in the series as they were published my number one read of 2012 and the best book I picked up in 2012. That is saying something, considering that my Kindle has over 900 books on it and I have read them all. The price is way too low for the three books – so consider it a bargain, read it and enjoy every moment. Whether you are a romance reader, a paranormal reader or contemporary chick lit reader, I promise this book will suck you right in from the first page.”

5.0 out of 5 stars Romance, vampires, werewolves – WOW, By Elizabeth Nix

This review is from: The Order of the Black Swan COLLECTED TALES, Books 1-3 (Black Swan Anthology) (Kindle Edition)

“While you can read these books as stand alones, this series is best read in order as they’re the continuing story of one group of the people of the Black Swan unit. There’s travel from other dimensions, a new outlook on vampires, elves, sexy warriors, romance, what more could you want? Each book is a bit different from the others as they deal with the lives and loves of these people and the trials they encounter. It’s a great series by a new writer.”

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Series!!!, By Cynthia J

This review is from: The Order of the Black Swan COLLECTED TALES, Books 1-3 (Black Swan Anthology) (Kindle Edition)

“I received a complimentary copy off the series for review, and simply could not put it down! The story grips you from the first page, and keeps going non stop. The characters are well developed and she manages to seamlessly weave fantasy, sci fi drama and romance into a very good read. I found myself tearing up at times, laughing out loud at others. I highly, highly recommend this series, can’t wait for the next!!”

 

About the Author

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For the past fourteen years, Victoria has illustrated and authored Seasons of the Witch calendars and planners and written several non-fiction books. She owns 7th House Publishing and contributes to its enterprises. In addition to art and writing, she plays Classic Rock music (keys, rhythm guitar, vocals) and manages one of Houston’s premier party bands. Married. Four children.

UPCOMING PROJECTS: The fourth book in the serial saga, Moonlight: The Big Bad Wolf, will release on the full moon May 25th.

Connect with Victoria Danann

Website: http://www.VictoriaDanann.com

Blog: http://VictoriaDanann.me

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vdanann

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/vdanann

Visit the other stops on the tour. See what others are saying.

April 18, 2013
Brianna’s Bookshelf
Bunny’s Review
Coffee Beans & Love Scenes
deal sharing aunt
It’s All About the Romance
Jody’s Book Reviews, Giveaways & Tours
My Reading Obsession
Penny For Them…
Queen of the Night Reviews
Wicked Readings by Tawania

April 19, 2013
A Book Lover’s Library
fuonlyknew
Illustrious Illusions
Readaholic’s Reviews
Regina May Ross’s
Sapphyria’s Steamy Book Reviews
Shayna Renee’s Spicy Reads

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and enjoy the tour!

BB Vegas Vacation Banner

Welcome to my stop on the Book Blast for Vegas Vacation.

After you read the synopsis and fun excerpt, enter the giveaway to win some great prizes.

BB Vegas Vacation Book Cover Banner

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BLURB:

It’s spring break, and a group of teachers from Half Moon Bay Middle School are planning to cut loose. History teacher Meg Phillips hadn’t planned on being one of them—Vegas isn’t really a town for a bookworm—but somehow she let her friend Anne talk her into it.

Though honestly, she’d rather indulge in some poolside reading than co-star in an R-rated edition of Teachers Gone Wild.

It took some major arm twisting for Finn Walsh to convince his fellow gym teacher, Anne, to do whatever it took to get Meg to Vegas. For over a year he’s been looking for the chance to get to know her outside of work. He’s drawn to her quiet beauty and intelligence—and the hint of fire beneath her understated exterior.

When he finally gets the opportunity to peel away those layers, the result is far more explosive than he ever fantasized. Now to convince her that the week isn’t a wildly out-of-character mistake, but the start of something amazing…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

 

Meg got stuck in the middle seat on the plane.

She should have known it was a bad sign. The seventh grade science teacher, Carla, dumped her rum and Coke all over Meg’s white shirt and tan capris on the flight to Vegas. No amount of dabbing in the miniscule airplane bathroom had managed to get the sticky stain out or removed the stink of distillery that floated in a cloud around her.

Awesome start to the vacay.

She slumped in her seat, feeling disgusting, and cranked up the volume on her iPod to drown out the two English teachers’ giggling. How had she let Anne talk her into this? How could her three best friends have conspired against her this way? She could be home with a glass of wine—in her hand and not on her clothes—reading the new Cleopatra biography, sitting in the wicker chair on her balcony with her feet propped on the railing. She clenched her teeth as turbulence made the plane shudder and her stomach flip.

Thank God this was a short flight.

Thirty minutes later, she was waiting for her luggage to come around the carousel. The flash of bright lights and jarring sounds from the slot machines made her head ache. The cacophony seemed to permeate every inch of the airport. She really should have stayed home and played a hermit—it had to be more fun than this. The rum and Coke had formed a stiff crust in her shirt, bra, and capris. All she wanted right now was a hot shower in the hotel. Her stomach rumbled loudly—a reminder that she’d been trapped in the plane during lunchtime. Food would be good too, but cleaning up and a new set of clothes came first.

She refocused on the luggage carousel just in time to see her bag go trundling past her. Leaning forward, she made a grab for it. And missed. “Crap!”

“Got it.” Finn plucked the heavy suitcase from the conveyer belt as if it weighed nothing.

Of course, it had to be him who came to her rescue. The smile he gave her was enough to melt any woman’s resistance and leave her panting after him. With his auburn hair, laser blue eyes, and body to die for, he was too gorgeous for words, and he clearly knew it. She stiffened her spine when he beckoned her toward him. She knew she needed to retrieve her bag, but getting anywhere near the man was a hazard to her mental health.

She wanted him. It was as simple and as complicated as that. She wanted to use his very fine body as her personal jungle gym. All night long. This kind of visceral reaction to anyone was completely foreign territory for her, but her hormones did a tango every time he was nearby, reminding her it had been a very long while since she’d made time to go on a date, let alone get laid.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Giveaway

Crystal will be awarding 5 digital copies of her backlist story, “All Tangled Up” to randomly drawn commenters during the tour, and a grand prize pack of a copy of “All Tangled Up”, a $10 Amazon or BN gift card, and a Vegas-inspired playing card necklace to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

So leave a comment for Crystal. Something about the cover or the book or just say hello!

Prize

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

CrystalJordanAuthorPhoto

Crystal Jordan is originally from California, but has lived all over the United States. Currently, she serves as a librarian at a university in her home state, and she writes contemporary, paranormal, futuristic, and erotic romance. Her publishers have included Kensington Aphrodisia, Harlequin Spice Briefs, Ellora’s Cave, and Samhain Publishing.

Links:

Website: http://www.crystaljordan.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/crystaljordan

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CrystalJordanFanPage

Buy links will be added to the book’s page on my website as they become available: http://www.crystaljordan.com/books/vegas-vacation

 

Freakin Fridays!

Freakin Fridays is my own little meme. I’ll be posting about books, movies, and all things scary.

Feel free to join in and do your own Freakin Fridays posts!

Tune in every Friday. Get your scare on!

Let’s have some fun!

This book should come with a warning on it.

“Read at your own risk!”

It’s truly not for the faint of heart.

The Clearing of Travis Coble

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Description

Travis Coble didn’t kill and eat his family. At least that’s what a jury decided twenty years ago. But like Lizzie Borden, Travis Coble was branded guilty by an angry public and consigned to a life of suspicious whispers and sidelong stares. Now, Professor Dick Myers wants to clear Travis’s name once and for all. An interview with the reclusive mountain man would not only bring Myers fame—it could save his job.

But Myers will find more than a good story in Coble’s isolated shack in the Smoky Mountains. He will find the truth about what happened twenty years ago…and the true meaning of horror.

My Review

I love character driven stories and there are some doozies in this one.

The author wrote each character so distinctly, their voices were so individual, I could pick them out without reading which was which, just like hearing their conversations.

Travis Coble is the stereotypical red-neck. He lives in the mountains in a ramshackle house. The yard is filled with rusted out junk and broken toys, and the weeds have taken over.

Professor Myers has his doubts about Coble’s guilt. He’s thinking how great it would be if he could prove the man’s innocence. What a big splash it would make.

The professor has an air of superiority about him, which doesn’t sit well with Travis, and he needs this story so he brings it down a notch. He’s researched Travis and his murder trial and knows the man is crafty, has an evil intelligence. He needs to keep his wits about him.

As the interview progresses, so does Travis’s belligerence.  Professor Myers is no match for him.

The suspense is subtle at first. It creeps up on you slowly and you become aware of something nasty coming soon. I swear I would have screamed if someone had spoken while I was reading the ending.

I was so wrapped up in the final scenes. While I was grossed out by what was happening and what I visualized was coming next, it was more suggestion than graphic description. That’s what made it so horrifying.

I swear I heard the whisper of dueling Banjo’s while reading this. If you’ve seen the movie Deliverance, you’ll know what I mean.

5 Stars for making my skin crawl!

Thanks to Brendan at untreed reads for providing me with this book.

And thank you, Jonathan, for making me afraid to go to sleep! That’s what a horror book should do.

About the author

Jonathan Janz

Jonathan Janz grew up between a dark forest and a graveyard, and in a way, that explains everything. Brian Keene named his debut novel The Sorrows “the best horror novel of 2012”. The Library Journal deemed his follow-up, House of Skin, “reminiscent of Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House and Peter Straub’s Ghost Story.”

Samhain Horror will also publish his third novel, The Darkest Lullaby, in April. Look for his fourth novel, an action-packed survival horror thriller called Savage Species, this summer. He has also written three novellas (The Clearing of Travis Coble, Old Order, and Witching Hour Theatre) and several short stories.

His primary interests are his wonderful wife and his three amazing children, and though he realizes that every author’s wife and children are wonderful and amazing, in this case the cliché happens to be true. You can learn more about Jonathan at www.jonathanjanz.com. You can also find him on Facebook, via @jonathanjanz on Twitter, or on his Goodreads and Amazon author pages.

Goodreads

Website

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WWW Wednesday

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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?

~

What are you currently reading?

To Iraq And Back

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My name is Jessica Scott. I am a soldier. I am a wife. I am a mother. This is my story. There are many like it but this one is mine.

In 2009, Army second lieutenant Jessica Scott deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. It was a year of many firsts.

This is the first person journey through a combat tour in Iraq, through being a woman in the army and learning to be an officer in the unforgiving environment of a brigade combat team.

This is the journey of a writer, learning to find her voice. This is the journey of a mother, confronting the emotions of leaving her children. This is the story of an inexperienced lieutenant, growing into a leader. This is the journey as it happened, without commentary.

This is her blog. There are many blogs from the Iraq war, but this one is hers.

~

What did you recently finish reading?

The Misunderstood and Other Misfit Horrors

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The world is filled with misfits. The world is filled with the misunderstood. Enter the shadowy underbelly of society where the outsider is king and learn why…

…the Death Angel visits a small town year after year

…an old collector of clocks holds the keys to Armageddon

…a nocturnal game turns deadly when an unexpected player joins

…a church of snake-handlers insist on introducing a visitor to their god

…a group of scarecrows reveal their true nature to the farmer who made them.

~

What do you think you’ll read next?

What Matters Most

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Louise Palmer is a settled-down person. A woman who wants nothing more than to remain in the same house until the day she dies.  When her husband, Clay, announces an intention to quit his job and move to Florida, her life is thrown into a turmoil of mixed emotions and strained loyalties. Torn between Clay’s desire for “the good life” and the lifelong friendships of her quilting club, Louise struggles with what to do…until her best friend hatches a scheme to thwart the move.

Before she discovers the truth of what matters most, a marriage will be tested, family relationships will fall apart and the friendships Louise tried to hold onto will change dramatically.

~

So, whatcha readin?

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Murder on Olympus Blog Tour Banner

I love greek mythology. So many fascinating beings and stories.

I just had to read this book and when I spotted the tour, I signed up immediately.

While I haven’t read the book, YET, I will be soon and I’ll be telling you all about it!

Murder on Olympus (Plato Jones #1)

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Description

At first glance, the Gods of Olympus are as different from one another as salt is from sugar. Despite their bickering, they share a universal bond, a thread of commonality that unites them.

They’re all jerks.

After a stint with the Olympic Bureau of Investigation, Plato Jones is through with the Gods and their political games. Against his protests, he’s drawn into a murder investigation, where the murderer’s targets are the Gods themselves.

Plato has cracked some tough cases: exposing cheating spouses, capturing treasonous heretics, hunting three-headed dogs. But this time he’s in over his head. How can he solve a crime that’s impossible to commit? And what chance does Plato—a mere mortal—have against something powerful enough to kill a God?

A Character Profile

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Zeus:

Zeus is the King of Olympus, and President of the Olympic World Council. Ageless and wise, he has brought about a golden age for mortals and immortals alike.  Along with his brothers, Poseidon and Hades, Zeus is one of the most powerful beings in existence, if not the most powerful. He possess a plethora of superhuman abilities, which include immense strength and speed, invincibility, flight, enhanced senses, astral projection, regeneration, telethapy, telekinesis, shape-shifting, mind-control and  teleportation. But most notable is his ability to wield lighting. Having defeated the Titans thousands of years ago, Zeus believed that no one would ever become strong enough to challenge his rule. But when a God of Olympus is slain, Zeus and his fellow Olympians must face the most dangerous enemy they’ve ever known: mortality.

Giveaway

I have one paperback copy of Murder on Olympus to give away!

Us/Canada Only ~ Sorry to my International friends.

To enter, please leave your email address and answer this question –

“Who is your favorite mythological being?

Giveaway ends April 14th.

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter to win an e-book.

It’s an International Giveaway.

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Thank you for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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About the author

A fan of thrillers, fantasy, and science fiction, Robert B. Warren has been writing stories ever since he could hold a pencil. In 2009, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and creative writing from the University of Alabama—Roll Tide! He currently lives in the South.

Links

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Murder on Olympus Blog Tour Button

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I’ve had this book for a while and when I spotted this tour, I just had to be a part of it.

Now that I’ve read it, I wonder how many other fantastic stories are awaiting me in my kindle.

It drives me crazy thinking about this book having sat in my eReader, waiting for me to find the time to open it up.

I may have to take time off of work to read the second book in this series, Halo of the Nephilim. It’s soon to be released and I can’t wait!

HaloOftheDamned - Book One

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A chain of advertising agencies, a new breed of humans, and a fallen angel to worship… Andel Talistokov is known for his slick advertising agencies across the globe. He is a fallen angel that uses advertising as a weapon for Satan‘s work. His growing power emboldens him to break several of Hell‘s Commandments. Furious with his arrogance, Satan commands him to return to Hell after finding his own replacement. Yezidism, an ancient angel worshiping religion, quietly expands throughout the West. Armaros appears as a guest of honor during their ceremonies. He mates with young women to produce nephilim, a mixed race of humans and angels. They are alone and unprepared for their supernatural power. Joanna Easterhouse, a recovering drug addict, steps out of prison shortly after her mother’s fatal accident. She and her sister, Kim, unravel their mother’s secretive past. Intrigued, they learn their bloodline is part of a celestial legacy. Both worlds collide. Halo of the Damned is a horrifying tale that weaves research together with suspenseful twists and turns.

 My Review

Armaros, or Andel as he likes to be called, has been around for a long time. If you asked him he’d tell you, “I was made at the very beginning, with all of God’s angels…. So to answer your question, I’m as old as old can be.”

Andel is one of the fallen. He was sent to Hell along with one-third of the rest of the angels, those who stood alongside Satan in a war to defy God. Which they lost.

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Now he’s got this huge advertising company, The Evil Empire, which he uses to trick and steal the souls of thousands. He sends these souls to his master, who adds them to his army of evil warriors.

Andel is despicable and so horrendous. He doesn’t have to eat his victims to obtain their souls. He does it because he enjoys it, revels in it.

This scene from the beginning shows his real colors behind the suave business man facade he presents to others.

You’ll find him sitting in his office, calmly gazing at the young woman lying dead on the floor in a growing pool of blood.

After he licks his knife clean, he slithers over, slurps up all of her blood and consumes most of her remains. He’d had high hopes for his daughter, but, she didn’t work out.

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Then he calls in his trusted assistant, Marcus, to clean up after him.

Marcus is the worst of humanity, if you could call him human. He’s been killing since he was 10 years old. And now he’ll do whatever Andel asks of him, with pleasure, because of the promise to be made like him.

Next, you’ll meet Joanna, fresh out of a two and a half-year prison term for intent to distribute cocaine. At least one good thing came of her incarceration. She’s clean for once.

Her sister, Kim, picks her up outside the prison and takes her to their mother’s house. It’s now theirs, since her mother left it to them when she died. Joanna is torn up about missing her funeral.

Joanna and Maria, Kim’s young daughter, hit it off right away and it looks like they might all be living together for now.

When they go for the reading of the will, both sisters are surprised to discover their mother had an estate on Lake Geneva. She’d had it all along and never told them about it. The lawyer reveals there is also a painting of celestial beings somewhere that is quite valuable. A stipulation in the will states they can’t sell the homes or paintings unless they are forced to financially. And she’s left her special collection of stones to Maria, knowing the young girl will keep them safe.

The girls soon discover the painting in the lake house and the secrets hidden in the wall behind it.

Right then I had an inkling what their mother, Lydia, was and where this story might be going. I couldn’t wait to read further . This was getting really good.

Coincidence, or maybe not, lands Joanna in an important  position at Andel’s Evil Empire. That’s when she starts to hear the voices again, the ones she’d drowned out with booze and cocaine.

Between the voices, the doll talking to Maria and the startling events with a séance, things really start ramping up.

The chapters are short and really make this a fast read. I never slowed down and learned a lot about Heaven and Hell and it’s denizens.

I loved this story. Good and evil angels, nephilim, family secrets, and mystery and terror aplenty. Halo of the Damned is an exciting and  gripping tale of light and dark, good and evil, and those that stand against the Lord of Lies.

Dina Rae’s Halo of the Damned gets 5 Stars

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~

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Sequel Halo of the Nephilim out May 2013

HalooftheNephilim - Book Two

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Dina Rae is running from website to website, trying to outrun the demons at her heels. Run with her on the Tour of the Damned and read special guest posts, excerpts, reviews and more from her hit novel Halo of the Damned. If you are lucky, you may be able to walk away… With a special prize pack from author Dina Rae herself.

Giveaway

Dina has a super giveaway!

Here’s what you can win.

1st Place(one winner):

Decorative box containing peacock themed items: file folders and holder, beaded shawl, scarf, brooch, silver wing earrings, note block, jeweled pic frame, hairband, hairclips, stationary.

2nd Place(one winner):

Rhinestone angel wing “Halo of the Damned” ladies black t-shirt.

3rd Place(two winners):

Peacock candle, dishtowel, pen and journal.

Go here to enter the giveaway and view all of these awesome prizes!

Tour of the Damned Stop List

April 7 – Krystal’s Enchanting Reads – Guest Post from author Dina Rae

April 8 – FUOnlyKnew – Review of ‘Halo of the Damned’

April 9 – Zombie A.C.R.E.S. – Excerpt from ‘Halo of the Damned’

April 10 – A Girl and Her Kindle – Excerpt from ‘Halo of the Damned’

April 10 – So Much to Write, So Little Time – Guest Post from author Dina Rae

April 11 – Free Book Dude – Excerpt from ‘Halo of the Damned’

April 12 – The Cerebral Writer – Guest Post from author Dina Rae

Biography of Dina Rae

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Dina Rae is a new author here to stay.  As a teacher, she brings an academic element to her work.  Her three novels, Halo of the Damned, The Last Degree, and Bad Juju weave research and suspense throughout the plots.  Her short story, Be Paranoid Be Prepared, is a prequel of sorts to The Last Degree, focusing on the James Martin character.  In the spring of 2013, her latest novel, Halo of the Nephilim, will be released.  Dina also freelances for various entertainment blogs.

Dina lives with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs outside of Chicago.  She is a Christian, an avid tennis player, movie buff, and self-proclaimed expert on several conspiracy theories.  She has been interviewed numerous times in e-zines, websites, blogs, newspapers, and radio programs.  When she is not writing she is reading novels from her favorite authors Dan Brown, Anne Rice, Stephen King, Brad Thor, George R.R. Martin, and Preston & Childs.

Links

http://dinarae.co

www.dinaraeswritestuff.blogspot.com

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dinaraebooks/

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DinaRaeBooks

@haloofthedamned

Eternalpress.biz

Book Buy Links

Amazon.com Buy Link

BarnesandNoble.com Buy Link

Welcome to my stop on the Virtual Book Tour for Grim by Joseph Spencer.

The first thing that grabbed me was the cover art.

I had to know what had happened to this man, to his face.

Now I know. And it ain’t pretty.

Grim

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Paranormal Crime Thriller
Date Published: 9/1/12
Grim is a complex, gritty, and often gory tale which follows a series of grisly murders in Prairieville. The blood trail leads to a reclusive millionaire Heath Grim, who wears a mask to hide his war scars from the world, but he harbors a darker secret on the inside. Virtuous detective Adam White almost always gets his man, but he’s haunted by the one case he’s never closed – his wife’s murder. When White is pushed to the limits of his sanity from a rising body count and a criminal kingpin who has turned crooked cops and corrupt politicians against him, will he be able to collar the killer? Or will a plot to tarnish his image and the killer’s information on a common enemy turn White into the type of man he’s hunted throughout his law enforcement career?
My Review
Not knowing what to expect as this is Joseph’s debut novel, I can tell you that I loved it.
The story moves back and forth between the characters,  and it works well as it helps you get to know them and connect.
Most of the characters aren’t nice, in fact, they’re pretty bad. In a western movie, they’d all being wearing black. They have their reasons for being the way they are and I was torn between supporting them and shuddering at the lengths they go to.
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The beginning was a bit confusing until I became familiar with the characters and got an idea what the story was about. After about a quarter of the book, it really took off and then there was no stopping until the end.
The author holds nothing back when the killing starts. So many different ways to take someone out. He got really creative and quite graphic. Good thing I have a strong stomach. I even laughed out loud at a few of the death scenes. I know, I’m morbid. Or maybe it’s just a release, like when cops joke over a dead body.
It’s weird to be cheering for the bad guys, but the good ones are in short supply in this story.
The action and suspense builds, more and more people die grisly deaths, and then you reach the big toe to toe ending.
I was quite happy with how the author wrapped it up, but I would have loved just a little bit more.
That’s why I gave Grim 5 Stars.
It left me wanting that next few pages, those couple more chapters. The next book?
~
Reading Addiction Blog Tours
~
Virtual Book Tour March 18 – April 12
March 18 – Reading Addiction Blog Tours – Meet and Greet
March 21 – My Reading Addiction – Review
March 22 – Comfortably Read – Review
March 24 – The Adventures Within – Review/Guest Post
March 26 – Author Ever Leigh – Review
March 28 – The Life and Lies of an Inanimate Object – Review/GuestPost
March 30 – Sinnful Books – Review/Interview
March 31 – Must Read Faster-  Review/Guest Post
April 1 – Words I Write Crazy – Review/Guest Post
April 4 – Book Reviews and More – Review
April 5 – Books and Needlepoint – Review/Guest Post
April 6 – FUOnlyKnew – Review
April 7 – One Page at a Time – Review
April 8 – Bean Counting Mommy – Review/Guest Post
April 8 –
April 9 – Cabin Goddess – Review
April 9 –
April 10 – Turning the Pages – Review
April 10 –
April 11 – Genuine Jenn – Review
April 11 –
April 12 – RABT Reveiws – Review
~

Joseph Spencer

Author Bio:

INTRO

Joseph Spencer is the author of the Sons of Darkness series launched by his debut novel, Grim, on September 1, 2012. Work on his second book of the series, Wrage, is already underway and is expected to be released some time in 2013.

THE ROAD HERE

The Sons of Darkness is a series of paranormal crime thrillers following investigations into mysterious deaths in the central Illinois city of Prairieville. Home of the notorious serial killer, The Reaper, Prairieville has had a history of violence centered on an ongoing feud between the Marino and Black organized crime families. When bodies start showing up again at the abandoned Marino State Hospital, many fear the Reaper has returned. The people of Prairieville are about to find out their problems stem from a supernatural source which has lurked in secret for decades.

THE STORYTELLER’S STORY

As a boy, Joseph Spencer immersed himself in the deductive logic of Sherlock Holmes, the heroic crime fighting of Batman and Spider-Man, and a taste for the tragic with dramas from poets like Shakespeare and Homer.

Before Joseph took to spinning his own tales, he pursued a career in print sports journalism, graduating with honors from Clinton (IL) High School in 1996 and summa cum laude from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 2000. He covered such events as NASCAR’s Subway 500 race in Martinsville, the NBA Draft Camp in Chicago, the Junior College World Series, and Minor League Baseball’s Midwest League All-Star Game during a ten-year career throughout the Midwest. Now, he works as an emergency telecommunications specialist with an Illinois police department. The combination of years of writing experience with a background working with law enforcement professionals gave rise to his writing aspirations.

Joseph was married Dr. Amy (Waggoner) Spencer, an accomplished veterinary doctor, on March 14, 2012. He received word his debut novel was accepted by his publisher, Damnation Books, the next day. Joseph and Amy look forward to their honeymoon in Paris in September 2012. Murphy, a 15-year-old orange tabby, is perhaps the most vocal member of the family. The Spencer family enjoys reading Charlaine Harris, George R.R. Martin, Mary Janice Davidson, and most paranormal stories. The Spencers also enjoy quoting movie lines from The Princess Bride, Rain Man, Bridesmaids, and Office Space.

Website: www.josephbspencer.com

Twitter: josephspencer00

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joe.spencer3

Buy Links

Damnation Books (ebook): http://www.damnationbooks.com/book.php?isbn=9781615727520

Amazon (Kindle ebook): http://www.amazon.com/Grim-ebook/dp/B0093Q8L9Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1358637199&sr=8-2&keywords=Grim+by+joseph+spencer

Amazon (trade paperback): http://www.amazon.com/Grim-Joseph-Spencer/dp/1615727531/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1358637199&sr=8-2

Barnes & Noble (Nook book): http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grim-joseph-spencer/1112783042?ean=9781615727520&itm=1&usri=grim+by+joseph+spencer

Barnes & Noble (paperback): http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grim-joseph-spencer/1112783042?ean=9781615727537

Freakin Fridays!

Freakin Fridays is my own little meme. I’ll be posting about books, movies, and all things scary. Tune in every Friday. Get your scare on!

Let’s have some fun!

I have four stories to tell you about today.

Most of you know how much I love short stories. What I found in this collection is excellent writing and stories that keep you reading, even when you fear what’s coming.

So let’s get started.

Four Tales for Midnight

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Description

Four tales of extreme suspense and mystery aimed at getting the heart pumping. Hard. A soldier on D-Day finds an enemy soldier acting very strangely indeed; a jilted husband creates a grisly scavenger hunt; a marriage reconciliation service ABSOLUTELY guarantees positive results—the question is, how? And more!

Turn out the lights and enter a bizarre world, but remember—don’t go in the basement!

First things first. Are you the type of person who ignores all the cliché warnings and does just what you shout at the character in the movie not to do? You know, don’t go in the basement, don’t go in the water, don’t open the door, Etc….

You are? Great! You’ll love these stories then.

Night Drop

Private John Larkin is lost. It’s the morning following D-Day and he’s stumbling around Norman trying to find a small town. During the night drop, he was separated from his unit. With no safe place to hide, he keeps moving, hoping to bump into his unit, hell, any unit.

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Instead, he finds a tiny village. Looks like it’s already been bombed. And just sittin’ there on a rock is a German soldier.

What looks like an opportunity, becomes something else all together for John.

Do you ever feel like yelling at the character in the story, saying, “Hey, wake up and look around!”

I wanted to ask John, “Don’t you watch the movies?”

Even though I had a good idea what was going on, the ending was still a blast!

Scavenger Hunt

I’m going to warn you right now, this one is grisly.

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This poor sap thought he was getting away with it. Then he discovers a card stuck on his front door. He’s been invited to a scavenger hunt and he has a good idea who did the inviting.

So, he plays along and follows the clues, each discovery more gruesome than the last.

He’s pretty sure he knows how it will end, but he is so wrong.

This one isn’t for those with a sensitive stomach. It’s brutal and nasty, but oh so clever.

I think this might be my favorite.

Reconciliation Services,Inc.

Both men are going through a divorce. Both have kids. And both have a wife who knows how to manipulate the judicial system to put the screws to them, but good.

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“Then one day, Pete comes into work happier than a puppy in a Milk-Bone bakery.”

Let’s just say, our guy should have stayed away from the kibbles.

The Problem of the Vanishing Bullet

This one felt like the author gave me a treat for being a good reader and finishing the book.

It’s a short story about Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.

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One man guns down the other and is arrested for murder.

The fiance says he did kill the guy, but it was in self-defense, the other man shot first. The problem is, no bullet. The room was searched diligently and no bullet or bullet holes were found.

The clever Holmes pulls a rabbit out of his hat, or should I say, a bullet out of a…..

I loved this one. I felt like I was watching a black and white episode on TV. I kept waiting to read, “Elementary, my dear Watson!”

Each story was so different. Each one has you going from the first few sentences and keeps you reading on for more. Each story almost has a moral to it.

I couldn’t give this collection anything less than 5 Stars.

The writing was excellent, the plots were so entertaining, and Lee Enderlin really hooked me when I wished they were longer.

I’m going to read The Dead of Winter next. It’s a full length novel. Just what I wished for!

The Dead of Winter

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College student Christy Brewer lives in a personal hell at home with an increasingly unreasonable and violent father while balancing school and a love life. Meanwhile, over a hundred miles away, in a small ski resort town, Police Chief Wayne Marski is suddenly dealing with a serial killer who is dispatching people in a particularly grisly manner. Worse, the few clues indicate that he is dealing with a human adversary.
Or is he?

Their stories coincide in a suspenseful and action-filled climax as a centuries-old curse comes home.

For more about Lee Enderlin and his books you can find him at Tales of Mystery and Midnight.

I’ve always loved reading stories about firefighters and investigators. It’s fascinating and terrifying.

Fire and Ash sounds like it will keep me on my toes, staying one step ahead of the flames!

Fire and Ash by Anne Patrick



Fire and Ash is the story of female fire investigator Sadie McGregor.  When she was a child, Sadie lost her family in a horrific fire that still haunts her.  She’s now been called in to investigate a fatality fire in her hometown of Emerald Point, Missouri. What Sadie and the handsome new police chief discover will not only affect those close to them, but will rock the entire community.
 
 
Reviews and Awards
“This is a beautiful, yet hard-hitting story, fluently written, presenting characters you fall in love with.” ~ Reviewed by Fennel at LASR
“A Top Pick! Another Fantastic Novel!!!! Anne Patrick’s novel, “Fire and Ash” is a well-written novel that flows wonderfully. A fantastic read!” ~ Night Owl Reviews
“A wonderful read, this book had me laughing and crying. True to life characters and vivid descriptions, along with comedy and heart stopping moments, make this a page turner you’ll want to read again.” ~ Happily Ever After Reviews
“As a forensics show enthusiast, I found that Anne Patrick, in her book, Fire and Ash, goes into great, minute detail of the fire investigation, that puts you on the scent of a perpetrator.  Her unique ability to incorporate multiple plots to throw you off course makes the pages fly by to connect the dots.”  ~ Onedesertrose’s Christian Book Reviews Blog
“As a retired fire investigator I have to say kudos to Ms Patrick on her research. I normally don’t read romantic suspense, but this book sounded intriguing so I couldn’t resist. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED” ~Review from ‘Fireboy’ at Christianbook.com


Received Four Stars from Romantic Times Book Reviews!
LASR BEST BOOK of 2010 Nominee!
‘Best Inspirational’ 2010 at The Romance Reviews!
#1 Bestselling Suspense eBook, and #1 Bestselling Romance eBook at Christianbook.com!
Amazon Top 100 Bestseller in Christian Fiction!
 

Author Anne Patrick

 
Anne Patrick is the author of more than a dozen novels of Romance, Mayhem & Faith, including the award winning and bestselling WOUNDED HEROES SERIES, FIRE AND ASH, and TIES THAT BIND. When she isn’t working on her next novel she enjoys spending time with family and friends, and traveling to foreign countries to experience new cultures and adventures. Born and raised in Oklahoma, she now makes her home in Kansas. 



She loves to hear from her readers!

Book Blast Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 4/10/13

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, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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