Archive for the ‘apocalypse’ Category

WWW Wednesday

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

Hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading

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

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

~~~~~

What are you currently reading?

 Zombie Cruise by Janiera Eldridge

Zombie Cruise (Zombie Vacations #1) 

goodreads-badge-add-plus

Brenda Lawson signed up for a relaxing cruise but never thought she would be sharing the sea with the undead! As Brenda’s paradise turns into a nightmare, she must care for a little girl who lost her mother to the darkness. Will Brenda be able to save her life and the life of a precious child or will the new monsters of the sea have two new members?

Zombie Cruise is the first short story in the Zombie Vacations serial series, which features relaxing vacations that quickly turn into zombie hells!

~~~~~

What did you recently finish reading?

Piercing Undead by T L Decay

Piercing Undead

goodreads-badge-add-plus

“So you think you know how the world ends? Think again! With Piercing Undead, T.L.Decay offers an alternative look at a very different apocalypse scenario. Tom and Melisa return from a week long camping trip to discover a world very different from the one they left behind. Narrowly escaping the claws of the Undead, they find themselves at a local Race track where they meet fellow survivors, Shawn and Kara. And it is here that they begin to realise that, in order to stay one step ahead of the piercing claws of death, they need to band together in order to survive…

~~~~~

What do you think you’ll read next?

Rizen: Tales of the Zombie Apocalypse

by Kirk Anderson

RIZEN: Tales of the Zombie Apocalypse

goodreads-badge-add-plus
.
RIZEN is a chilling collection of stories that will have you on the edge of your seat!A plague has caused the dead to rise and stalk the living…
~~~~~~~~~
THE CHOSEN: Ten years after the zombie apocalypse, Dan and his family try to stake out a new life for themselves in rural Wyoming. When he encounters a mysterious group of survivors who call themselves The Chosen, Dan is unsure whether he can trust them.
THE WHITE FIST: Five years after the first of the infected reach Texas, pockets of survivors are reminded that the living can be even more dangerous than the dead.
ROAD TRIP AT THE END OF THE WORLD: A middle aged couple, cut off from civilization for months, decides to strike out into the ruined world and make for the West Coast.
FLIGHT 124: Air Thailand Flight 124 threatens to bring a gruesome and unwelcome passenger to Los Angeles International Airport.
~~~~~

So, whatcha readin?

question mark photo: Question Mark Question-1.jpg

theatre stage photo: Theatre Stage TheatreStage.png

Welcome to Thursday Theatre

Here is where I’ll be posting video clips about books and movies and fun stuff.

~~~

If this trailer is any indication, it looks like season four is going to be darker and more intense.

You’ll need to get in shape to watch it.

Get out your grips and start working those hands so you can get a firm grasp of the edge of your seat!

~

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSi2fJALDyQ]

~

I can’t wait for Season 4 to begin!

~~~~~

sign the end photo: The End the_end_sign_webpic.jpg

Shudder by Samanth Durante Blog Tour - June 15th to Sept 1st

I am beyond thrilled to be a part of the tour for Shudder, Book 2 of the Stitch Trilogy

I have an exciting sneak peek for you, along with my review!

And, a giveaway! Don’t forget to enter.

17617373

goodreads-badge-add-plus

Genre/Keywords: Dystopian, Paranormal Romance, Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult, New Adult, Psychic Abilities, Empath, Clairvoyance, YA, NA
Length: ~80,000 words (348 pages)
Sample Chapters: Ch1-4 (31 pages)
Release Date: June 15th, 2013

Shudder Synopsis

It’s only been three days, and already everything is different.

Paragon is behind her, but somehow Alessa’s life may actually have gotten worse. In a wrenching twist of fate, she traded the safety and companionship of her sister for that of her true love, losing a vital partner she’d counted on for the ordeal ahead. Her comfortable university life is but a distant memory, as she faces the prospect of surviving a bleak winter on the meager remains of a ravaged world. And if she’d thought she’d tasted fear upon seeing a ghost, she was wrong; now she’s discovering new depths of terror while being hunted by a deadly virus and a terrifying pack of superhuman creatures thirsting for blood.

And then there are the visions.

The memory-altering “stitch” unlocked something in Alessa’s mind, and now she can’t shake the constant flood of alien feelings ransacking her emotions. Haunting memories of an old flame are driving a deep and painful rift into her once-secure relationship. And a series of staggering revelations about the treacherous Engineers – and the bone-chilling deceit shrouding her world’s sorry history – will soon leave Alessa reeling…

The second installment in the electrifying Stitch Trilogy, Shudder follows Samantha Durante’s shocking and innovative debut with a heart-pounding, paranormal-dusted dystopian adventure sure to keep the pages turning.

Shudder Purchase Links

Amazon (Kindle $2.99, print $8.99)

Barnes & Noble (Nook $2.99)

Smashwords (multiple e-book formats $2.99) Also available ($2.99 e-book) in the iTunes store, Kobo, and wherever e-books are sold

Buy Stitch on Amazon!

EXCERPT

Alessa looked back to Isaac, who was crouched and picking among the broken glass.  She watched him slip something into his pocket, but before she could ask what he’d found, a loud bang echoed from down the hall ahead of them.

Isaac looked up at her at once and they both froze, waiting.  The tension of the silence clotted in the air as Alessa held her breath in suspense.

When no other sound came, Isaac stood tentatively and inched over to Alessa, placing a gentle hand on the small of her back and motioning ahead with a nod.

She pointed the flashlight in the direction of the sound and they set off with quiet footsteps in search of its source.

As they reached the department store at the far end of the hallway, they paused, staring into the blackness beyond the threshold.  Alessa gripped the flashlight and felt Isaac’s hand slide on top of hers, the pressure of his fingers pointing the torch downward and flicking off the light with a click.

They were plunged into night.

They stepped tentatively into the dark room and gave their eyes another moment to adjust.  From what Alessa could tell, it seemed the clothing racks had all been pushed to the sides, leaving a big open space in the center of the room.

She took another few steps to get a better look.

And that’s when it hit her – an abrupt slam in the face as if she’d pivoted into a wall of brick, and the full-body crash of a tidal wave of pain.

Alessa sunk to her knees, a soul-crushing rush of sorrow and terror flooding her consciousness and draining every ounce of strength from her body.

Like a blow to the gut, the air raced from her lungs and she crumpled over, her face smacking against the cool linoleum of the floor.

A thousand images flashed before her eyes, people and places she didn’t recognize jumbled with thoughts and feelings that she knew were not her own.  Alessa squeezed her eyes shut, her mind pressing outward against the onslaught barraging her senses, but it was no use.

The torrent pounded through her, raging.  Helpless against it, Alessa poured her concentration into the only thing she could think to do – the simple act of breathing.

In, out.

In, out.

In, out.

She drank each shallow breath and waited in agony for the deluge to end.

~~~~

My Review

Alessa and Isaac set off to find a secure base for all of those wanting out of Paragon.

They worry that the virus may still be out there, but soon discover they are being stalked by creatures, swift moving things that remain in the shadows of the forest, shrieking their rage.

As they escape an attack, something happens to Alessa. She is frozen in place as her mind is overpowered with fear, frustration and fury. She doesn’t know how it’s happening, but she’s experiencing these creatures feelings and it terrifies her.

They have to hurry. People are waiting for them to return with a location for their safe haven and Alessa has to get her sister, Janie, out of the clutches of the Ruling Class.

~~

I finished reading Shudder in one sitting, never taking a break.

I could feel it in the authors writing, I was nearing the end of the book. No, not yet!

I needed to know why Joe featured so strongly in Alessa’s mind, what happened to her sister, and where the virus came from.

Samantha started to wrap up the ending while subtly layering in leads to the finale, Stuck. the last book in this trilogy. I liked that. Sure, I didn’t get all of the answers I wanted, but I did get a lot of insight into what the ‘stitch’ was and why and how it was used.

I also learned about the Ruling Class and their reasoning behind the stitch, even though I suspect some, if not most, of them were lying.

It’s no surprise that humanity didn’t learn its lesson. You’d think after all that has been written and studied, all of the wealth of info there is, they would know better. But no, the Ruling Class do the same things as before, believing they know what’s good for all. They buy into their own lies and block out the moral compass screaming stop, and do whatever is necessary to benefit the greater good. And we wonder why we don’t trust our government. Too many chiefs.

I felt twinges of The Matrix and Aeon Flux while reading this. Shudder reads like a dystopian, post-apocalyptic science fiction story. The author did an amazing job of blending these genre into an exciting, addictive series.

It makes me wonder. If Stitch and Shudder are so great, what is Stuck going to be like? I’m sure it’ll be thrilling.

5 Stars

~~~~

Haven’t read the first book in the series? Check out my review here

Just $0.99 at Amazon!

Stitch (Stitch Trilogy #1)

goodreads-badge-add-plus

 Blurb

Her heart races, her muscles coil, and every impulse in Alessa’s body screams at her to run… but yet she’s powerless to move.

Still struggling to find her footing after the sudden death of her parents, the last thing college freshman Alessa has the strength to deal with is the inexplicable visceral pull drawing her to a handsome ghostly presence. In between grappling with exams and sorority soirees – and disturbing recurring dreams of being captive in a futuristic prison hell – Alessa is determined to unravel the mystery of the apparition who leaves her breathless. But the terrifying secret she uncovers will find her groping desperately through her nightmares for answers.

Because what Alessa hasn’t figured out yet is that she’s not really a student, the object of her obsession is no ghost, and her sneaking suspicions that something sinister is lurking behind the walls of her university’s idyllic campus are only just scratching the surface…

The opening installment in a twist-laden trilogy, Stitch spans the genres of paranormal romance and dystopian sci-fi to explore the challenges of a society in transition, where morality, vision, and pragmatism collide leaving the average citizen to suffer the results.

Stitch Purchase Links.

Amazon (Kindle $0.99, print $8.99)

Barnes & Noble (Nook $0.99)

Smashwords (multiple e-book formats $0.99) Also available ($0.99 e-book) in the iTunes store, Kobo, and wherever e-books are sold!

Buy Stitch on Amazon!

~~~~

A little birdie told me the third book, will be releasing in 2014!

Stuck (Stitch Trilogy #3)

goodreads-badge-add-plus

Book 3 in the Stitch Trilogy.  Expected Publication: Summer 2014.  More information coming soon!

~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway giveaway.gif

I have an e-book copy of Shudder to give away!

To enter, click on the rafflecopter link below.

Rafflecopter Giveaway

~~~~~~

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Samantha Durante lives in Westchester County, New York with her husband, Sudeep, and her cat, Gio. Formerly an engineer at Microsoft, Samantha left the world of software in 2010 to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams and a lifelong love of writing. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology, Samantha is currently working full time for her company Medley Media Associates as a freelance business writer and communications consultant. The Stitch Trilogy is her debut series.

— Social Media Links —

Facebook: Stitch Trilogy | Author Samantha Durante

Goodreads: Stitch | Shudder | Author Samantha Durante

Twitter: @SamanthaDurante | Hashtag suggestions: #Stitch, #StitchTrilogy, #Shudder

LibraryThing: Stitch | Shudder | Author Samantha Durante

Shelfari: Stitch | Shudder | Author Samantha Durante

~~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go HERE.

reconnaissance-blastbanner

I love discovering new authors and their exciting stories.

Book tours are a fun way to do so.

How else would we find gems like Reconnaissance (Paradise Reclaimed #2)

Look at this cover art!

It creeps me out, but at the same time it pulls me in.

Lets see what its all about and don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a lovely jeweled necklace!

reconnaissance-cover

goodreads-badge-add-plus

Reconnaissance (Paradise Reclaimed #2)

by Aubrie Dionne

YA Sci-Fi/Futuristic Romance

Categories: Post-Apocalyptic/Dystopian

Publisher: Inkspell Publishing

Release Date: May 1, 2013

Heat Level: Sweet

Word Count: 50,000

Available at:

Amazon | ARe | B&N | Inkspell Publishing | Kobo

Description:

Nova Williams has lost her one shot at Lieutenanthood and at love. Lieutenant Crophaven has promoted her rival, Andromeda, all because her lifemate, Sirius, sacrificed their mission to win back Andromeda’s love.

While sneaking out to prove Andromeda is a fake, Nova finds an alien ship hovering over their colony. Lieutenant Crophaven assigns her to a reconnaissance mission, giving her a second chance to redeem herself. Sirius must fly her and a research team to the vessel to decide if they are a threat. Thrown together with the lifemate that betrayed her, she battles with her own jealousy while her team battles for their lives.

Can she forgive Sirius in order to save her team and warn her colony?

Aubrie grew up watching the original Star Wars movies over and over until she could recite and reenact every single scene in her backyard. She also loved The Goonies, Star Trek the Next Generation–favorite character was Data by far–and Indiana Jones. But, her all time favorite movie was The Last Unicorn. She still wonders why the unicorn decided to change back to a unicorn in the end.

Enjoy this Excerpt:

A drone, as deep and low as the growl of a primordial beast, resonated in my gut and I yanked my hand away. My heart sped like someone had fired a starter gun to a race, and my chest tightened until I couldn’t breathe.

That blaring blasphemy wasn’t from my ship.

The sound tapered off, leaving me in silence. I stared at the bones, wondering if I’d imagined it, or if I should hide here in the ruins in case the sound came back.

What am I doing? I’m a team expedition leader, for crying out loud!

I pulled myself back together. Everyone else was attending the ceremony on the ship. The thick hull, designed to protect us from deep space, blocked all sounds from the outside world. I was the only one who would have heard it. The only one who could investigate. I thought about going back for help, but every second I delayed, the source of the sound could disappear. Besides, I didn’t want the credit taken away from me. Not this time.

I scrambled to the window and climbed over the ledge, throwing myself down so fast my ankles exploded in pain. Cursing, I hobbled up the embankment of the excavation site. The sound boomed around me, vibrating the crystals underneath my feet. I fell to my knees and covered my ears. It reminded me of warping metal, growling monsters, and screeching alarms all at the same time.

The sound came from the jungle. I pulled myself up the incline and peered over the edge. A dry, fiery breeze blew my hair back, and I looked above the rustling canopy.

My heart stammered then beat into a frenzy. A massive ring of a ship, twice as large as the New Dawn, hovered over the jungle. Spires jutted from the top and the bottom, like a two-sided pin cushion. Blinking reddish lights adorned the ends. The hull was a dull gray shield of impenetrable metal with no sight panels or markings of any kind.

The buzzing sound made my eardrums throb. I pressed my nose up against the crystal ledge and peered over as my whole body shook. The lowest spire, thick as a nuclear reactor, lengthened from the belly of the ship until the tip hovered a meter from the jungle canopy. A trap door opened, and a beam of white light seared a hole in the foliage. The smell of burnt vines choked my throat, and I cowered against the side of the ledge.

I have to warn the ship.

 

About the Author:

recon adionne-authorphoto

Aubrie wrote in her junior high yearbook that she wanted to be “a concert flutist” when she grew up. She majored in flute performance at the University of New Hampshire on a full scholarship, then secured two teaching jobs at a University and a local community music school. While playing in orchestras and teaching, stories popped into her head, and she used them to make the music come alive for her flute students. Her students said they were so good, she had to write them down! Maybe they were right, who knows? Two careers seems to keep her busy. For now.

She is represented by Dawn Dowdle and writes sweet and adventurous fantasy, science fiction, and contemporary romance.

Connect with Aubrie Dionne:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads

~~~~~~~~~~

Giveaway

Look at this pretty jewel necklace you can win!

dionneprize

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

Rafflecopter Giveaway

 Contest ends July 13.

Follow the tour and check out what’s happening at the other stops here!

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go here.

cblspromosbtnew button

harvesting The Harvesting Banner 450 x 169

Have I got a treat for you!

The Harvesting  by Melanie Karsak is on tour and today I’ll be doing my review and giving you a peek inside the book!

There’s also an awesome giveaway, so don’t forget to enter!

Read on to see what I thought of this exciting apocalyptic, urban fantasy!

But beware, there be zombies, and something else!

Harvesting Printed Front vistaprint

goodreads-badge-add-plus

The Harvesting 

The Harvesting Series, Book 1
Melanie Karsak

Genre: Horror/Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Steampunk Press

ISBN-10: 1479327247

ISBN-13: 978-1479327249

ASIN: B009GI3YBY

Number of pages: 394

Word Count: 71000

Cover Artist: Michael Hall Photography

TV interview with book info:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGHrhTv5YAA

Amazon    Smashwords

Book Description:

When mankind finally consumes itself, can any spark of humanity survive? Layla fights to keep those she loves alive when the zombie apocalypse unfolds, but she soon learns that zombies are not the only problem. With mankind silenced, those beings living on the fringe seek to reclaim power. Layla must learn who to trust, fast, if she hopes to save what is left of our kind.

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

My Review

I enjoyed the beginning. I got to know a little about what made Layla tick and the descriptions about her sword play and discipline were important later on.

The story takes place at the beginning of the apocalypse, which I really liked.

You get to be a part of the confusion, panic, and disbelief. I know it would take a lot to convince me the zombie apocalypse had begun. Maybe one appearing on my front lawn would do it!

Layla gets an urgent phone call from her grandmother telling her she must come home.

When she arrives, the farmhouse has been turned into a gated compound, her grandmother is acting odd, and every available space is packed with supplies.

Her grandmothers cryptic explanations about why she’s doing this leave her confused, but Layla indulges her and helps to get the things on her list.

Before her grandmother can go into detail, people start getting sick.  You know the story, don’t panic, this will pass.

Well, it doesn’t and people start dropping like flies. But, then they rise and begin feeding on anyone unlucky enough to be in their path.

All hell breaks loose and even though Layla may be safe in the compound her grandmother built for them, she’ll have to venture out of the gate.

What Layla doesn’t know is, there are other things out there, things that are taking advantage of this world in chaos. They no longer feel they have to hide, and now there is not just zombies stalking the remaining survivors.

The Harvesting is fantastic!

I loved Layla and the author really helped me to connect with her. I liked her toughness, and no-nonsense attitude. You don’t have time to be flighty when the world is ending.

The zombies are zombies. Causing all kinds of mayhem and showing up at the most inopportune times, keeping the action and scares going throughout the book.

Then there are the others. The other things coming out of the woodwork.

I must say, the author really got me. I didn’t expect this story to take the turn it did, but this isn’t your typical zombie story. There’s a psychic element to it and the supernatural bleeds into the story as you read further.

You move from one thing to the next easily, and the author makes it believable, as long as you remember this is fiction.

About the ending. It leaves you hanging, yes. But in a good way, with just enough of a lead to make you have to read the next book.

I can’t wait!

28 Days Later meets 30 Days of Night, with a pinch of True Blood!

I recommend this book to all of you brave fans of horror and the apocalypse and the creatures that come with it.

5 Stars

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

Enjoy this peek inside The Harvesting!

Chapter One

“If you ever need to slice someone’s head off, this is the blade you want,” I said as I lifted a curved sword off the table in front of me. “We’ve been practicing épée and foil so far, but tonight I want to introduce you to the sabre.” The practice sabre’s curved blade reflected the orange streetlight shining in through the window. A grant from the Smithsonian where I worked allowed me to teach my two passions: ancient weapons and their arts. “The sabre is a slashing weapon,” I continued and then lunged, showing the wide-eyed and excited students a few moves. “And in general, it’s my favorite,” I admitted with a grin.

The students laughed.

“Is that why you have it tattooed on your arm?” Tyler, one of my best fencers, asked.

My hand went unconsciously toward the tattoo. The ink was a sword interlaced with other once-meaningful symbols. “That’s not just any sabre,” I said, mildly embarrassed. “Here, let me show you. I brought something special tonight.” Setting the training sabre down, I lifted a rolled bundle. I laid it down on the table and unrolled it to reveal weapons in various elaborate scabbards.

“Some are épée, foils—you can tell by the hilt—a broadsword, a claymore, a katana, a scimitar, throwing daggers,” I said, pointing, “but this, this is a Russian shashka.” I pulled the shashka from the bundle. “It’s like a traditional sabre, but has no guard. She’s light, single-edged, wielded with one hand, and good for stabbing or slashing. Not awkward in close quarters like a Scottish claymore, but it will kill you just as dead,” I said with a smile. I unsheathed the weapon and gave it an under- and over-hand spin around my head, shoulders, and back.

The students grinned from ear to ear.

I put it back in its scabbard and handed the shashka to them. “Pass it around, but keep in mind it is sharp enough to cut a blade of hair in half.” I then turned my attention to Tyler. “Now, since you’re so interested, let’s see how you do with the sabre.” I tossed one of the training swords to him.

Tyler, already in his gear, jumped up and lowered his fencing mask. “But you’re not in gear,” he said.

I shrugged. “Hit me–if you can.’”

We stood at the ready, made the ceremonial bow, and began. Tyler was not overly aggressive, which is partially why he was so successful. He waited for me, moving slowly. He was smart, quick, and often tried to over-tire his opponent.

I waited, dropped my sword a bit, and let him make the lunge. He took the bait.

The swords clanged together, and we clashed back and forth across the strip. He lunged and slashed while I dodged and blocked. He was fast. I was faster. When he lunged again, I ducked. With an upward movement, I went in.

“A hit,” Kasey called.

They clapped.

“Man, that’s what you get for taking on a former state champ—and the teacher,” Trey told Tyler with a laugh.

Tyler pulled off the mask and smiled at me.

Just then, my cell rang. I would usually ignore it, but something told me to answer.

“Everyone pair up and start working with the training sabres,” I said and pointed to the sword rack. I went to my bag and grabbed my cell.

Before I could say hello, she spoke.

“Layla, Grandma needs you to come home,” my grandmother’s voice, thick with Russian accent, came across through static. I was silent for a moment. My grandmother lived 500 miles away, and she never used her telephone. With the exception of her T.V., she hated technology. She’d cried and begged me to take away the microwave I’d purchased for her one Mother’s Day.

“Grandma? What’s wrong?”

“Come home now. Be here tomorrow,” she said. She hung up.

I lowered my cell and stared at it. Confused and worried, I dialed her back. The phone rang, but she did not answer. I had obligations: practice, bills to pay, groceries to buy, tons of work to do, and a date for god-sakes. But my grandmother was the only one I had left in the world.

“Sorry, guys. Emergency,” I called to my students.

Disappointed, they groaned.

“Sorry. Let’s pack it up for the night.” My hands shaking, I slid the shashka back into the bundle and rolled up the weapons. What had happened? Maybe Grandma was sick. Maybe she had some problem. Or maybe she had seen something.

The monuments on the Mall faded into the distance behind me as I made my way to my Georgetown apartment. It was Friday night. Wisconsin   Avenue was packed. The upscale shops and restaurants teemed with people. In the crowd you could see the mix of international tourists, Georgetown students, and designer-dressed hotties headed to clubs. I sighed. For the last month I had turned myself inside out trying to get the attention of Lars Burmeister, the German specialist the Smithsonian had brought in to consult on our new medieval poleaxe exhibit. He had finally asked me to dinner; we were going to meet at Levantes, a Turkish restaurant near Dupont Circle, at nine that night. I had dreamed of authentic dolma and a chance to sit across from Lars somewhere other than a museum. I had even bought a new dress: black, strapless, come-hither.

I circled my block three times before I finally found a parking space. Regardless, I loved Georgetown. It was early fall. The mature trees had turned shades of deep red and orange and were losing their leaves. The air was filled with an interesting mixture of smells: the natural decay of autumn, dusty heat from the old cobblestone streets, and the mildly rancid odor of too many people. In my 4th floor attic apartment of an old Brownstone, I could occasionally catch the sweet scent of the Potomac River. It reminded me just enough of home.

The apartment was ghastly hot. The small, one-bedroom had been closed up all day. I lifted the window and let the noise of the city fill the room. The street lamps cast twinkling light across my apartment. The weapons I had mounted on the wall, swords, shields, axes and the like, glimmered. I peeled off my sweaty practice clothes. Pulling a bag from the closet, I threw in several changes of clothes and a few other supplies. On my coffee table, my laptop light blinked glaringly. An overflowing email inbox, an article on bucklers that needed editing for a peer-reviewed journal, and a PowerPoint on Medieval Russian swords for a presentation for next week’s symposium all called me. My coffee table was stacked with paper. I was flooded with work; half my department was out on sick leave. There was a bad flu was going around. Thankfully, I had not yet gotten sick.

I pulled my cell out of my bag. I stared at the phone for a moment; Grandma’s recent call was still displayed on the screen. I dialed Lars’ number. My stomach shook when he answered.

“Guten abend, Lars. It’s Layla.”

“Ahh, Layla, good evening,” he replied.

I loved his German accent. He’d learned English from a British teacher; he said arse with a German lilt. It made me smile. I could tell by his tone he was trying to hide his excitement. I didn’t let him get far. I told him I had been called away for an emergency. I could sense his disappointment.

“I’ll be back by Monday. Let me make it up to you. Dinner at my place Monday night?”

He agreed.

“Gute nacht,” I said as sweetly as possible, hoping I had not pissed him off, and stuffed my phone into my bag. I stared out the window taking in the view. I did not want to go back, not even for a weekend. I loved my life. Hamletville was an old, ghost-filled place: too many memories, too much heartache. Yet I knew my grandmother. If she said I needed to come home, then I needed to come home.

I closed the windows, slid on a pair of jeans, a black t-shirt, boots, and a light vest. I looked again at the display on the wall. At the center I had crossed two Russian poyasni or boot-daggers. One dagger had the head of a wolf on the hilt. The other had the head of a doe. I grabbed them and tossed them in my bag. I then headed back downstairs and into the night. It was the last time I would lay eyes on D.C. for many years.

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

About the Author:

 harvesting KristyCN

Melanie Karsak, steampunk connoisseur, white elephant collector, and caffeine junkie, resides in Florida with her husband and two children. Visit the author at her blog, melaniekarsak.blogspot.com, to learn more about upcoming projects.

http://melaniekarsak.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/MelanieKarsak

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMelanieKarsak

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6539577.Melanie_Karsak

~~~~~~~~~~~

Giveaway

 A Tour wide giveaway
10 swag packs (as seen in the picture attached) which includes a t-shirt, an autographed hard copy of the novel, a bumper sticker, and postcards  (US Shipping Only)
10 ecopies of the novel (open internationally)
~~

harvestingGiveaway Pack

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

Harvesting Button 300 x 225

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!

I signed up to read and review this book through my Goodreads group.

I haven’t done that in a while, and after reading Mortality, I’m wondering what other wonderful books I could be missing.

This cover art is awesome.

Once you read the book, you’ll see how it ties into the story.

~

Mortality

goodreads-badge-add-plus

The zombie apocalypse has already happened. People are now living in small groups, struggling to survive. They have not one, but two kinds of zombies to fear.

You have your typical, shambling, mindless, rotting dead and then you have the living ones. Victims of a supposed vaccine, the Hitchhiker Strain.

If you’ve been given the vaccine, it’s supposed to protect you if bitten. Instead, once bitten you don’t die, but you do develop an uncontrollable urge to munch on anyone near you.

One town has gathered its survivors and taken refuge in the highschool. The adults do the supply runs and clear out any zombies that get too close, while the children and teens are restricted to the school.

Savannah chafes to do something, anything besides sitting and waiting, feeling useless. When given a chance to take some friends and go for more medical supplies, she’s all for it.

What should have been an easy task causes consequences and when they get back, the school has been overrun and those still living have fled.

Now Savannah wishes for those days of boredom.

Mortality is actually about two young women and two separate stories.

Savannah and her friends are now without a safe shelter and on their own, trying to find the rest of their people.

Zarah has seen her parents killed right before her eyes. She’s finally found her aunt, but loses her when she’s attacked and bitten.

Savvy and Zarah’s personalities are as different as night and day, but as you read their stories, you’ll see them become more and more alike as they both try to stay alive and protect the ones they love.

When their stories finally do come together, it won’t be the way you expect.

With each zombie story I read, I wonder how the author will hold my interest, will make me want to keep on reading a plot that has been written so many times.

The main characters may be younger people, but the author wizens them up fast, taking you with them as they are forced to make intelligent decisions. No more brash moves.

They stumble now and then, doing the wrong things, unsure of themselves and scared.

That’s what kept me reading, kept me wanting to know more. I became attached to these characters and feared what was going to happen to them.

And the ending! What an ending. I was so deep into it that I really didn’t see it coming.

Do yourself a favor and try Mortality. I’d love to see your face at the end. The author doesn’t disappoint.

4 Stars and ready for more.

I hear Duality, the next book in this continuing story is expected to be released later this year!

I’ll be waiting.

About Kellie Sheridan

Kellie Sheridan

I have been in love with stories in all of their forms for as long as I can remember. Admittedly, sometimes that means falling into places like Stars Hollow and Sunnydale, but books have always been my true love. In early 2011 I began writing a book blog in order to share my favorite reads with book lovers. From there, the bookish community encouraged me to stop sitting on my own stories and share them instead. Since then I’ve been madly devouring everything I can about digital publishing.

For the past two years I have been mainly obsessed with young adult books, but my favorite stories still come from the adult fantasy genre. As far as I’m concerned, Briggs, Bishop, Vincent and Vaughn are all must reads.

I spent part of my twenties living in Galway, Ireland and swooning after various lilting accents but am now back home in Ontario, Canada. My family includes two Glen of Imaal Terriers and a Green Cheek Conure.

Goodreads / Website / Twitter

To kick off the release of The Fragile Things, V. Shaw is giving away free ebook copies of the dark fiction collection, The Lady of Chains and Other Stories.

This offer is only available via Amazon,

and will run between April 23rd – 27th.

goodreads-badge-add-plus

Description from Amazon:
“Remember; you have seventy-two hours to do the deed and not a moment longer. Cut her throat and remove her heart. That, my girl, is the only way to destroy the wretched creature.”
Greylock. A city supported by a network of scaffolding, bleeding rust and wheezing steam.
Patrolled by an army of ‘metal men’ – creatures who’re designed for nothing more than to kill and destroy. Nothing grows. Nothing truly lives.
Viola, a young orphan girl, has been thrust into this nightmarish world by the devious Mrs Casket, caretaker of the mysterious tower and maid to the Lady of Chains, a woman imprisoned without a sentence. A woman who almost single-handedly destroyed the world . . .
Viola has been gifted with a task which could either see her demise or be her salvation.
But who is the Lady of Chains? And why does she insist that she is connected to Viola? With the clock ticking and the metal men drawing near, Viola is about to learn that not everything in Greylock is what it seems.
A spellbinding novelette with elements of steampunk.
****
ALSO INCLUDES THE SHORT STORIES; Hansel and Gretel Rogan and the Gargoyle The Silent World
BONUS MATERIAL: Also contains a preview of the up-coming horror serial, The Fragile Things.

You can read my review here.

The Fragile Things

goodreads-badge-add-plus

Two girls on the road to self-destruction.
A village upon the brink of collapse.
A past which refuses to die.
The beginning of an epic four-part horror serial.
At seventeen-years-old, Jennifer should have the world at her feet. Instead, she’s an ex-heroin addict living in a council estate with Tony, her boyfriend and former dealer. Shunned by her family and friends, she dreams of something greater than she’s been given.
Beautiful and strange, Ebony has moved in across the street. She’s just lost the one person in her lonely existence to cancer. She’s also a centuries-old vampire, struggling to cope with murderous outbursts and the desire to be something more.
When these two lost souls meet, an unusual friendship begins.
But with the news of Morris, Tony’s sadistic best friend and drug-dealing partner, being released from prison, Jennifer knows it’s only a matter of time before his path of vengeance leads to her and Ebony, too.
With a cast of memorable characters, a village full of secrets, and a gripping story, The Fragile Things is a layered tale of friendship, hope, survival and what it truly means to be human.
Part I of The Fragile Things is available on Amazon on April 30th, 2013. And will be FREE  April 30th – May 2nd.
Mark your calendar and as soon as links are available, I’ll add them.
~
For my giveaways go here.
For list of free e-books go here.

TerraBanner

On Tour with Prism Book Tours…
~

gretchen-001Hello there! My name is Gretchen Powell. I am 24 years old, half-Chinese, and the owner of two adorable miniature schnauzers. I am an occasional drinker of classy wines, and I wrote a book.

By day, I work for a government contractor in our nation’s capital.
By night, I binge on episodes of Doctor Who and sleep fitfully.
Sometime in the mid-afternoon, I write another blog called Honey, I Shrunk the Gretchen! about weight loss, food, fitness, and my life.
Some of my favorite things include polka dots, Harry Potter, pretty much any TV show that airs on Thursday nights (yep, I’m talking Vampire Diaries #notashamed), and playing the ukulele.

Terra (Terrestrials, #1)Terra

by Gretchen Powell

Paperback, 286 pages

Published December 12th 2012 by Hopewell Media

Premise:

A broken and desolate Earth. A young girl struggling to survive. A lost boy with a powerful secret.



A discovery that will change everything.



In the distant wake of a plague that has decimated the Earth’s population, humanity is split in two: The rich and powerful live in skycities that float overhead, while those who remain on the ground have gathered in settlements strewn across a dying planet. Eighteen-year-old Terra Rhodon is a terrestrial–a denizen of the barren groundworld–who makes her living as a scav. Long abandoned by her father, her caregivers gone, Terra supports herself and her younger brother, Mica, by scouring the earth for discarded scraps and metals to recycle for profit. One day, while on a routine scavenging run, she discovers something that shocks her home settlement of Genesis X-16. When the value of her discovery is revealed, Terra’s world is turned upside down.



Terra suddenly finds herself asking questions no one will answer. Her search for the truth leads her to Adam–a beguiling skydweller unlike any she has ever met. But Adam has secrets and a quest of his own, and with him by her side, the world Terra thought she knew begins to unravel. Soon her discoveries unearth a terrifying conspiracy that has the potential to shatter everything–a revelation that will test the bonds of loyalty, family, and love.

~

Terra Collection #2:

You found something while scavenging in the fields! Quick, hide it in your bag! What is it?

                         

Excerpt:

“Ooh,” I moan. My neck is stiff from the hours of staring straight at the ground. I cock my head from side to side in order to work out the kinks, and I hear a dull series of pops as my vertebrae resettle. I hang my head to the right for a few moments, stretching my neck muscles; from this new sideways perspective, something catches my eye. I see the vague outline of a small silver lump tucked under a raised root about a yard over.

I crawl over and gently dig around the object. After a minute of maneuvering, I pull out a small machine, comprised of dozens of little interlocking tubes and shafts. The device is slightly larger than the palm of my hand and surprisingly heavy. Underneath the caked-on dirt, it looks shiny—brand new, in fact. It’s missing that matte sheen, a telltale sign of having been processed through the recycling center. Some small pieces might be missing—a few loose wires hang out, a lonely peg sticks out from the side—but, for the most part, it seems intact.

“Jackpot,” I whisper aloud. This thing has got to be worth at least a hundred credits, easily. Enough to cover an entire month of Rations. Between this little machine, the plastic, and the myriad of generics already lining my bag, this is going to be a stellar Collection Day.

~

In Terra‘s world, resources are scarce and many people make their living as “scavs,” hunting for scraps to turn in on Collection Day in exchange for credits. For this tour, YOU are a scav, and there are scraps all over the blogosphere for you to find! On each participating blog, there will be one of 9 possible questions. Answer the question to receive a keyword that will get you an extra entry in the awesome giveaway!

~

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”forms/d/1Fc4Xl6BYXJoMtKs4tM13bIx2J5U_VxaiAOZiLZfBmNI/viewform” query=”embedded=true” width=”500″ height=”250″ /]

~

Giveaway April 1 – 26

One lucky scav will win a Terra prize pack! Get a signed copy of Terra, along with three exclusive (and gorgeous!) bookmarks, as well as a delicate silver watch–just like Terra’s!–all packed up inside a scav bag of your very own! US only.





An additional five (FIVE!) winners will get a digital copy of Terra in the format of their choice. International.

Open only to those who can legally enter. 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 on Rafflecopter and Grand Finale posts as well as emailed and the winner 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 Burgandy Ice @ Colorimetry and Prism Book Tours and sponsored by Gretchen Powell. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Terra on Tour!!

April 2013Check out the Reviews of Terra!! And become a “scav” and track down all the answers to the Collections questions hidden in the excerpts. 🙂  Plus, celebrate Gretchen’s birthday by bringing something fun to the party!!

1 – April Fool’s Day LAUNCH!

Colorimetry

I Am a Reader, Not a Writer  – Excerpt 1

fuonlyknew  – Excerpt 2

2 – A Tiffyfit’s Reading Corner –  Review

 – Pause TimeReview

3 – Jessie’s Book Place –  Excerpt 3

4 – Mel’s ShelvesReview

– The Reading Diaries – Excerpt 4

5 – Lovin’ Los LibrosReview

7 – Christy’s Cozy CornerReview

Total Book Geek Excerpt 5

8 – The Quiet ConcertReview

9 – LDS & Lovin’ It – Review

10 – Jessabella ReadsExcerpt 6

11 – Gretchen’s Birthday Party!!

Passion & Life – Excerpt 7

12 – Tressa’s Wishful EndingsReview

14 – Living a Goddess Life – Review

Books, Books and More BooksReview

15 – Marked by BooksExcerpt 8

16 – Blood, Sweat and BooksReview

My SerynitiReview

17 – Bookworm LisaReview

Mortality BitesExcerpt 9

18 – Getting Your Read OnReview

 –The Broke Book Bank –  Interview 10

19 – Grand Finale Blast!!

winners photo: winners winners.gif

It’s that time again!

Time to announce the winners!

Dead of Eve (Trilogy of Eve, #1)

goodreads-badge-add-plus

The winners of Dead of Eve are:

Kelly P.

Dale I.

Congratulations!

All winners have been notified.

Thanks to everyone for your comments.

I do love reading them and hope you continue to visit fuonlyknew!

Thanks so much to Pam for her wonderful book and for letting me host her giveaway.

*****For all of my giveaways go here*****

I’d love to keep telling ya’ll about some really great books.

Subscribe by email and lets talk!

Welcome to my stop on the Book Blast Giveaway for H.J. Daly’s PULSE

A Young Adult Fantasy

Seeking adventure and magic with a futuristic edge?
Chat LIVE with young adult author HJ Daly
March 21, 10:30 am EST
Twitter: #Pulse
(easiest way to join the chat is with tweetchat.com)
~
goodreads-badge-add-plus

Esa is a street girl living in a post apocalyptic world. A world that left her with nothing except the physical and mental scars that drive her to the person she is becoming.

Whilst searching for shelter, she encounters a creature known as a spinner who pulls her onto a perilous path. Now with a horde of goblins close on their heels, they must work together and enter the magical realm in search of answers. Why can she sense magic and why is a powerful sorcerer determined to end her life?

An exciting story of power, friendship and secrets – secrets that threaten to rip Esa’s world apart.
Join the Adventure!
~
Buy the book at Amazon
~
Here’s your chance to win a copy of Pulse plus swag & a $35 Gift Card!
Check it out!
~
prizepack
~
Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter to win!

A GWR Publicity promotional event paid for by Anchor Group Publishing. Giveaway is sponsored by the author.

About the author

HJAuthor pic

HJ has always loved books and read at every opportunity. At first reading with her own children and then at schools in a hope of capturing the hearts and minds of the young. Writing became a natural progression for her when her children attended full time education and she had a little free time. It wasn’t always about writing though, during her teens, HJ stepped up her Latin American dancing and travelled Europe competing.

Links:- http://redribbonwrites.blogspot.co.uk/  http://www.facebook.com/pages/HJ-Daly-Author/297742513610942?ref=hl  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17210738-pulse  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIFYM5L6MUE  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pulse-ebook/dp/B00B9J7X0G/ref=sr_1_11?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1359996973&sr=1-11