Archive for the ‘Blog Tour’ Category

The Tour:

January 26 @ Blogs everywhere: Launching the Tour
January 27 @ Mythical Books: Shadowskin by Bethany Cassel
January 28 @ Wonderings of One Person: Beyond the Hollow by Kristy Tate
January 29 @ I Am a Reader, Not a Writer: Enchanted Fairytales by Cindy C Bennett
January 30 @ A Backwards Story: Enchanted & Hero by Alethea Kontis
January 31 @ Bookworm Lisa: The Fairytale Keeper: Avenging the Queen by Andrea Cefalo
February 1 @ Blogs everywhere: The Grand Finale

January 27 @ Mythical Books

Shadowskin

Cursed with a deadly touch, Pomona never thought she would leave the royal gardens of Norarchland, where she uses her magic over plant life to make the gardens flourish. But when she discovers a magic mirror beneath the roots of an apple tree, she learns a horrifying truth: the life of the beautiful Princess Nevea is in danger, and Pomona is the only one who can save her. Pomona flees with the princess into the dark forest, where she is taken in by the mysterious Selene Magna and her huntress companion, Callisto. They claim that the Tenebrari-short, magical beings responsible for Pomona’s curse-are trying to conquer all of the kingdoms of Archland. Even more, Pomona is destined to play an important role in their defeat. The cursed gardener must now embark on a journey far beyond her imagination to stop the Tenebrari, or else she and all those she cares about will be cursed forever.

Goodreads * Amazon * Createspace * Barnes & Noble

Bethany Cassel lives in a land surrounded by forests and cornfields, and she was lucky enough to grow up in the same house all her life. Falling asleep to the sound of waterfalls and seldom-disturbed quiet provided the perfect environment for her to develop her passion for writing. Inspired by the beautiful landscape around her, Bethany created Archland, a world with deep forests, rolling hills, and fierce winters, home to dozens of fairy tale characters.

When she is not writing, Bethany is a voracious reader, known to finish the likes of “Seraphina” by Rachel Hartman in two sittings (it was a great book)! Her favorite writers are, in no particular order, Sir Thomas Malory, J.K. Rowling, John Keats, Victor Hugo, Kendare Blake, Jay Asher, Toni Morrison, and Marissa Meyer. This list is by no means complete. She is about to earn her Bachelor’s of Arts in English from SUNY Geneseo and plans to continue her education in literature in graduate school. Besides all things literary, Bethany enjoys archery and bow hunting, drawing, playing piano, and volunteering with ministries in her community. She currently lives in Western New York with four dogs, twenty-ish chickens (she lost count), a lizard, and a couple of frogs.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

January 28 @ Wonderings of One Person

Beyond the Fortune Teller’s Tent (Beyond #1)

When Petra Baron goes into the fortuneteller’s tent at a Renaissance fair, she expects to leave with a date to prom. Instead, she walks out into Elizabethan England, where she meets gypsies, a demon dog and a kindred spirit in Emory Ravenswood.

Emory must thwart the plans of religious zealots. His mission is dangerous, his enemies are fanatical, and Petra Baron is a complication that Heaven only knows he does not need. Or does he? Although Emory is on Heaven’s errand, he learned long ago that Heaven does not always play fair.

As Petra slowly falls for Emory, she wonders if he really is who he seems, or if he is just as lost as she is. How can they have a future while trapped in the past? Or is anything possible Beyond the Fortuneteller’s Tent?

Goodreads * Amazon

Beyond the Hollow (Beyond #2)

Petra Baron and her immortal boyfriend, Emory Ravenswood, are living their happily in modern day Orange County, California, until Dane shows up: a heart-stoppingly handsome man from Petra’s past. Petra can’t remember Dane, or anything else about her time in Tarrytown, New York two hundred years ago. But Emory does remember, and he knows she’s lucky to have forgotten all about Dane and the nightmarish episode in 1810.

After Emory disappears, Petra is determined to find him again. Yet she doesn’t know whether Dane can lead her to Emory, or to the nightmare she can’t remember. The one thing she does know is that once upon a time really means two hundred years ago, and that if she wants to find Emory the first place to look is Sleepy Hollow, 1810.

With a collection of Washington Irving’s writings in her hand, and a prayer that some nine-pin-playing ghosts will give her a drink of the same magic ale they gave Rip Van Winkle, Petra heads into another time-defying adventure.

Goodreads * Amazon

Kristy Tate

Kristy studied English literature at Brigham Young University and at BYU’s International Center in London. Although a long time resident of Orange County California where she lives with her family, Kristy’s heart belongs in her hometown of Arlington, Washington, AKA Rose Arbor–the fictional setting of her popular Rose Arbor series.

For updates on Kristy’s upcoming novels, please visit her blog at kristystories.blogspot.com and sign up for her newsletter, where discounts and freebies are sure to happen.

Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

Other books by Kristy:
The Rhyme’s Library (2013 Kindle Book Review Awards semi-finalist)
Hailey’s Comments (an Amazon Breakout Novel quarter-finalist)
Stealing Mercy
Rescuing Rita
A Light in the Christmas Café
Losing Penny

January 29 @ I Am a Reader, Not a Writer

Enchanted Fairytales

Enchanted Fairytales is a series of short stories based on beloved fairytales. The stories are written as if the fairytales never existed. are contemporary, some are paranormal, some have elements of fantasy or magic.

Beautiful Beast: After a cruel prank, Calli is forced to move into “Monster House” to befriend the beast. Alex is determined to hate Calli, who he believes is there to get a peek at the beast. Calli must convince Alex that she isn’t there to harm him, and that her feelings for him are very real.

Red and the Wolf: A sudden increase in the violence and frequency of wolf attacks in the forest surrounding Piera has all of the residents on edge. Ruby, contending with the news that Rafe has come home after leaving her three years earlier, and staving off the advances of his brother Lowell, doesn’t have time to deal with wolves – until she finds herself fighting against a wolf for her life.

Snow White: Snow White, sent into the forest to be killed, escapes. She stumbles upon a tiny, magical kingdom called Fableton, where time stands still for its trapped residents. Phillip, blinded centuries ago by a vengeful love, believes Snow is the key to breaking the curse and freeing them all.

The Unmasking of Cinderella: Forced into servitude by her wicked stepmother, Amella longs for the simple freedoms her stepsister takes for granted. When she bumps into Char – literally – her world is suddenly turned upside down. Amella begins to believe that she can have a life she previously thought nothing more than a dream with Char by her side.

The White Swan: Cursed to live as a swan by day by the jealous Benno von Rothbart, Odette desires nothing more than to tell Victor what’s happened, but can’t out of fear for what Benno might do to him. Victor discovers her secret and together they try to break the curse. But the cost of doing so might just be too much.

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Smashwords * Createspace

Cindy C Bennett is the YA author of several books. She lives in Utah with her two daughters. Both of her sons have married, giving her two more daughters (in-law). She loves gooey cookies, dark chocolate, and cheese popcorn. She hates housework and cooking, and has no plans to become a domestic goddess. She occasionally co-hosts a geek podcast with her son, called Geek Revolution Radio. Her favorite pastime—other than writing—is riding her Harley.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn

Other books by Cindy:
Rapunzel Untangled,
Heart on a Chain, Geek Girl,
The Experiment,
Whispers of Razari,
Immortal Mine,
In the Beginning,
Reluctance,
Watched

January 30 @ A Backwards Story

Enchanted

It isn’t easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.

When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.

The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past – and hers?

Hero

Rough and tumble Saturday Woodcutter thinks she’s the only one of her sisters without any magic—until the day she accidentally conjures an ocean in the backyard. With her sword in tow, Saturday sets sail on a pirate ship, only to find herself kidnapped and whisked off to the top of the world. Is Saturday powerful enough to kill the mountain witch who holds her captive and save the world from sure destruction? And, as she wonders grumpily, “Did romance have to be part of the adventure?” As in Enchanted, readers will revel in the fragments of fairy tales that embellish this action-packed story of adventure and, yes, romance.

New York Times bestselling author Alethea Kontis is a princess, a goddess, a force of nature, and a mess. She’s known for screwing up the alphabet, scolding vampire hunters, turning garden gnomes into mad scientists, and making sense out of fairy tales.

Alethea is the co-author of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter Companion, and penned the AlphaOops series of picture books. Her short fiction, essays, and poetry have appeared in a myriad of anthologies and magazines. She has done multiple collaborations with Eisner winning artist J.K. Lee, includingThe Wonderland Alphabet and Diary of a Mad Scientist Garden Gnome. Her debut YA fairy tale novel, Enchanted, won the Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award in 2012 and was nominated for both the Andre Norton Award and the Audie Award in 2013.

Born in Burlington, Vermont, Alethea now lives in Northern Virginia with her Fairy Godfamily. She makes the best baklava you’ve ever tasted and sleeps with a teddy bear named Charlie.

Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter * YouTube

January 31 @ Bookworm Lisa

The Fairytale Keeper: Avenging the Queen

Anonymous, nameless, Adelaide Schumacher should have been lost to history. Medieval girls do not make legends. If they are lucky to live long enough, they make babies.

Adelaide’s mother, Katrina was the finest storyteller in Cologne, but she left one story untold, that of her daughter, Snow White. A rampant fever claimed Adelaide’s mother just like a thousand others in Cologne where the dead are dumped in a vast pit outside the city walls. In an effort to save Katrina’s soul, Adelaide’s family obtains a secret funeral by bribing the parish priest, Father Soren.

Soren commits an unforgivable atrocity, pushing Adelaide toward vengeance, but the corruption in Cologne reaches far beyond Soren, and the cost of settling scores quickly escalates. Avenging the mother she lost may cost Adelaide everything she has left: her father, her friends, her first love, and maybe even her life.

The Fairytale Keeper casts the famous villains, heroes, and damsels of Grimm’s fairytales into Medieval lives. Seamlessly weaving historical events and Grimm’s fairytales into a tale of corruption and devotion, The Fairytale Keeper, leaves the reader wondering where fact ends, and fiction begins.

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Smashwords

Read the first part of the novel for FREE: Smashwords

Andrea Cefalo is the award-winning author of The Fairytale Keeper series. The Fairytale Keeper series is a Medieval tale of corruption, devotion, and the origins of Grimm’s fairytales. It was a quarter-finalist in Amazon’s 2013 Breakthrough Novel Contest and has been recommended by Riffle, Copperfield Review, and other various independent reviewers. The second novel in the series, The Fairest of All, will debut in 2014. When Andrea isn’t writing, she enjoys blogging and tweeting about the Middle Ages, teaching authors how to effectively use social media, and presenting in schools. She resides in Greenville, South Carolina with her husband and their two border collies.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

February 1 – Grand Finale

Tour-Wide Giveaway!!

January 26 – February 10
There are FIVE chances to WIN!!
Winners will be drawn randomly, entries will be validated and the IP Addresses checked for shipping qualifications to award winnings in order of preference, if indicated. See Rafflecopter entry. Additional restrictions on Rafflecopter apply.

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1 – Signed print copy of Shadowskin by Bethany Cassel plus a signed sketch of the Main Character by the author! (US Only)
2 – eCopies of both books in the Beyond series by Kristy Tate: Beyond the Fortune Teller’s Tent & Beyond the Hollow! (International)
3 – eCopy of Enchanted Fairytales by Cindy C Bennett! (International)
4 – FIVE Signed paperbacks of Enchanted by Alethea Kontis plus swag! (US Only) (That’s five winners. Woop!)
5 – eCopy of The Fairytale Keeper: Avenging the Queen by Andrea Cefalo! (International)

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Raffle button


Are you a blogger and want to receive information about new tours? Go HERE.
Are you an author or publisher and would like to have us organize a tour event? Go HERE.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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chameleon banner

Thanks for stopping by for the Chameleon Tour.

I have so much to share with you.

Please enjoy my review, read the first chapter, get to know Kenya Wright, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Genre: New Adult Urban Fantasy

Cameo lives in a caged supernatural city where all species are tagged at birth with silver brands embedded in their foreheads. Her X brand identifies her as a Mixbreed, but she’s so much more. Like a chameleon, she can shift from one person’s image to another.

It’s a great way to make money for a habitat street kid, or Cage Punk as most people call them. Wiz, her street partner-in-crime, finds her jobs to use her abilities. Some jobs entail changing into people to take academic tests. Others require more skill and involve higher risk.

When Wiz asks Cameo to stand in for a Were-wolf teenager who doesn’t want to go to her debutante ball, it seems like just another job, until a corpse is discovered and an old friend of Wiz appears.

Buy Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

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My Review

I’ve read Kenya’s adult Santeria Habitat books and loved them, so I was excited to try her New Adult book Chameleon.

When the supernaturals lost the war against the humans, they were rounded up and forced to live in caged cities called Habitats.

Each supernatural had their own particular brand placed on their forehead and a choice of which walled city they wanted to live in.

Cameo lives in Santeria. She has glowing white skin and hair, and her body is covered in scales.

She’s lived on the streets for most of her 17 years, hiding from her abusive mother, other more powerful supernaturals, and mean cage punks. That’s what the kids are called.

Wiz saved her, fed her, helped her to get where she could fend for herself. Now they work together.

Cameo has a secret only Wiz knows about. She has the power to look like anybody she wants. Wiz becomes known as the go to guy when someone needs a stand in for an original. They never suspect it’s a real person. And it proves to be lucrative, keeping them both fed and sheltered.

When a job that should have been easy goes very wrong, Wiz senses a set up. Sure enough, the Bearded Dragon is coming and he wants Wiz to keep his blood promise. The one that will occur on Cameo’s eighteenth birthday.

Cameo knows something bad is coming and when Wiz won’t or can’t tell her what it is, she races from danger to danger, trying to make sense of it.

Time is running out. Cameo’s birthday is approaching, and someone will die soon.

After reading the adult Habitat series, I was surprised by how well the author wrote this in a teenagers point of view. She kept in a younger voice, helping you to feel their emotions. The characters acted as teens would, impulsive, reckless, and emotional.

Cameo has a few friends she can trust, and maybe a new one with a vampire with a surprising secret.

Wiz was the adult, the go to guy for all of the cage punks, giving them sanctuary at the Haven.

It was interesting to read about how these unwanted kids lived. They resided on the rooftops, perhaps so they could see danger coming. It was a harsh life but Wiz helped to feed them and gave them some sense of safety.

There were a few scenes with some sexual tension. A few had me chuckling. But they are just attraction and frustration. Nothing unsuitable for young adults and it was appropriate as teens are either talking about sex or thinking about it, a lot.

A couple of characters from Kenya’s other books make cameo appearances and I was thrilled to know they were still alive and kicking while I wait for the next book.

Chameleon does have an ending. It’s not a cliffhanger. I was actually shocked, thinking, “No, this can’t be happening.” But it actually worked very well and I was happy with it.

There is room for more, but I would be content with the ending as it is.

Kenya has built this amazing world of caged cities, with so many different mixbreeds and purebreds. Powers abound and something is always happening.  There’s never a dull moment.

4 Stars

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Excerpt : Chapter 1

Police tape surrounded my mom’s studio apartment.

I stared at her feet as she hung, lifeless, from the mango tree. Sunlight hit her pale skin. She’d painted her toenails teal and used a marker to draw smiley faces on each one.

     It’s funny how people notice the craziest things in times of shock.

Each moment the wind blew, the branches swayed, and her dangling body twisted and turned. Death’s decaying fragrance hovered around her. Don’t cry. She didn’t love me anyway. Tears streamed down my cheeks. I rushed to wipe them away. So many emotions bogged down my brain. Grief suffocated me. I breathed in and out, but couldn’t calm down.

You’re an abomination!” My mom stumbled after me and held the worn-out leather belt in her hand. Her bushy chestnut hair bounced with the movement. “Lizard girl, I should have killed you when you were in my womb.”

I stood among the crowd in disguise as an earth witch, with almond skin instead of my pale, scaly complexion, curly black hair in place of my white bushy strands, and fuller breasts versus my nonexistent ones. Usually, the silver X brand embedded in my forehead identified me as a mixbreed and informed everyone that I had parents from different species. Human doctors had tagged me with the brand at birth, like all the other supernaturals. To help my disguise, I plastered an illegal brand cap with an illusionary spell over my X. When people saw my forehead, they spotted an upright triangle with a line going through it. It was a witch’s brand.

“That’s the crazy lady who talked to ghosts,” a woman whispered to a tall man.

“Too bad the ghosts never talked back.” The man covered his mouth with a folded newspaper to quiet his chuckle. “They would have told her to wash.”

     Even in your death, people make fun of you.

I tossed a pebbled candy in my mouth, sucked on the sweet cherry syrup, and struggled with not crying or showing pain on my face. Would Mom have cried for me if I died? I doubt it. I balled my hands into tight little fists. My nails dug in my skin. Instead of savoring the candy, I crunched it up into tiny pieces and then swallowed them.

“How long has she been up there?” someone asked another.

“Don’t know. They found her there this morning.”

I checked the two guys out from my peripheral view. Neither one looked familiar. They could have recently moved into the apartment complex. I’d run away from home three years ago, when I was fourteen. Every morning since I escaped, I walked by my mother’s house in another person’s image to make sure she was okay. I’d done my best to hide from Mom in this little caged city, and did a good job with avoiding her, until three months ago when she found me. It had been a big argument. I’d stood on the losing side, receiving her insults and abuse. It took a friend of mine to pull her away from me. As I raced away, she’d threatened to never leave me alone.

     But, I didn’t think you would kill yourself.

I edged away and bumped into the one person that I didn’t think I would meet on this end of Oya District. Wiz.

He towered over me. His short, sandy-blond hair brushed against the middle of his ears and blew in the wind, getting in the way of his unique eyes. The left one was emerald green, the right one sapphire blue. Although, only two years older than me, he looked more like a man than a teenager. He had a lightweight boxer’s frame, taut and curved but without all the bulk. Thousands of girls would’ve drooled at his feet if it weren’t for his trench coat. Patches of dried flesh formed the garment. Every time Wiz fought and won, he carved out a square of the loser’s skin and sewed it on. The coat hung below his knees. Were-lion fur bordered the hood.

“Excuse me.” I stepped around him and wondered if I could trick him this time. For some reason, he always knew it was me, regardless of what image I mimicked.

Wiz’s arm shot up and blocked my way. His citrus scent filled the air. Jagged scars covered every knuckle on his hands. Above each scar, black runes decorated his tan skin.

“Cameo, I have a job for you.” Sunlight shined over his X brand. “Let’s go to the playground over there.”

In all the years that I knew him, I never told Wiz where I came from or who my mother was.

    

     Maybe he knows why I walk by this way every day.

“How did you know it was me?” I asked.

“Does it matter?” He flashed me a crooked grin that displayed silver fangs. He’d had the fangs added by a guy that did black market enchantments. “Are you going to start hiding from me?”

“Nope.” I headed toward the playground. “I would never hide from you.”

I met Wiz the first month I ran away. It was during one of Santeria City’s notorious tropical storms. The whole supernatural city was encaged inside a large barred ceiling that shot up thousands of feet into the air and covered the city like a ceiling. Metal-bricked walls surrounded the whole place. We could never see the human cities that existed freely outside of ours. So, when it rained, Santeria flooded.

That night, the downpour had beat down on my head while I sat in a semi-flooded dumpster and shivered. I’d worn the image of a Hispanic boy. Out of nowhere, Wiz jumped into the dumpster, pulled me out, and carried me to one of the many small rooms he rented around Santeria. I figured he was going to hurt me, but I was too sick to put up a fight.

     But he never hurt me.

He wrapped me in a pile of fluffy blankets the rest of the week and declared I had a fever. And that was how he discovered my power. Because I was ill, it was difficult to maintain a disguised form. I passed out in Wiz’s arms and transformed from a little Hispanic boy to a pale teenage girl right before his eyes. We’ve been in business together ever since.

~~~

Kenya Wright – Author

Kenya

Kenya Wright always knew she would be famous since the ripe old age of six when she sang the Michael Jackson thriller song in her bathroom mirror. She has tried her hand at many things from enlisting in the Navy for six years as a Persian-Farsi linguist to being a nude model at an art university.

However, writing has been the only constant love in her life. Will she succeed? Of course.

For she has been coined The Urban Fantasy Queen, the Super Iconic Writer of this Age, The Lyrical Genius of Our Generation. Granted, these are all terms coined by her, within the private walls of her bathroom as she still sings the Michael Jackson thriller song.

Kenya Wright currently resides in Miami with her three amazing, overactive children, a supportive, gorgeous husband, and three cool black cats that refuse to stop sleeping on Kenya’s head at night.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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 A $10 Amazon Gift Card and 3 ebook copies from Kenya Wright’s backlist.

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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You can follow the tour for more fun posts by clicking on the button below.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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thrills&chills

I’m hosting a stop on  E.J. Wesley’s Winter Thrills and Chills Tour for his Moonsongs Series.  This tour is running January 6-17 and consists of reviews, interviews, top tens, guest posts and of course, giveaways!  Be sure to check out the tour page for the full list of stops.

Tour Schedule

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Blood Fugue

Moonsongs, Book 1

by E.J. Wesley

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“Some folks treated the past like an old friend. The memories warmed them with fondness for what was, and hope for what was to come. Not me. When I thought of long ago, my insides curdled, and I was left feeling sour and wasted.”

Jenny Schmidt is a young woman with old heartaches. A small town Texas girl with big city attitude, she just doesn’t fit in. Not that she has ever tried.

Life has pummeled her heart into one big, lonely callus. She has no siblings, both parents were dead by sixteen, and her last grandparent—and caretaker—was in the ground before she turned twenty-one. She’s the last living member of her immediate family. Or so she thinks…

“We found my ‘grandfather’ sitting at his dining room table. An entire scorched pot of coffee dangled from his shaky hand. His skin was the ashen gray shade of thunderclouds, not the rich mocha from the photo I’d seen. There were dark blue circles under each swollen red eye. A halo of white hair skirted his bald head, a crown of tangles and mats. Corpses had more life in them.”

Suddenly, instead of burying it with the dead, Jenny is forced to confront the past. Armed only with an ancient family journal, her rifle, and an Apache tomahawk, she must save her grandfather’s life and embrace her dangerous heritage. Or be devoured by it.

Blood Fugue is the first of the Moonsongs Books, an ongoing series of New Adult, paranormal-horror-action novelettes by author E.J. Wesley.

(These stories contain language and content better suited for readers 17+)

Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble| iBooks | Goodreads

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My Review

I just knew I was gonna love Jenny. She has serious attitude issues, wears radical clothes, and sports a purple mohawk. She doesn’t give a crap what anyone thinks about her.

Her mother died when she was 10 and her father lived for the bottle. The only good times they shared were when he took her to the gun range, teaching her how to shoot.

She became quite good at it. Never knowing she’d need to be.

Upon his death, she was raised by her grandmother, her last living family, who lived long enough to see Jenny become a grown woman.

Out of the blue she gets an email from her grandfather, Billy Moonsong, the one she’s been led to believe died many years ago. It was a short email.

“I would never contact you unless it was extremely important. It is. Please meet me tomorrow.”

Of course she goes to see him, but not alone. She takes her best friend Marshal.

Short stories and novellas have to grab me quickly. This one did. There’s the mysterious grandfather, a legacy, Native American (Apache) elements and flesh and blood characters.

Did I forget to mention the monster. Oh yeah, one very powerful, murderous creature.

Poor Jenny and poor Marshal. The handbook given to her by Billy Moonsong is supposed to help her understand her place in the family legacy. She’s a monster hunter and she better get with it quick.

What felt so authentic to me was how Jenny, and then Marshal. thought on their feet. They had no time to do research and no idea what creature was coming, so they were going to be very lucky to survive.

What comes is straight out of a horror movie.” Looks like Jenny’s going on the war path.”

5 Stars

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Witches’s Nocturne

Moonsongs, Book 2

by E.J. Wesley

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After receiving an ancient tribal journal from her grandfather, Jenny is sent on a mission of discovery in an attempt to unravel clues to her family’s monster hunting past. The journey becomes more than academic when she is asked to confront a coven of dangerous witches who plan to cast an insidious spell on the plains of West Texas.Witch’s Nocturne is the second volume of the Moonsongs Books, an ongoing series of New Adult, paranormal-horror-action novelettes by author E.J. Wesley
.(These stories contain language and content better suited for readers 17+)
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My Review

Jenny survived her first battle with a monster, but there are more to kill.

She does have a normal life too, but she’s not very good at it. Always wasting too much money on her energy drink addiction instead of paying bills, she’s never far from having something shut off.

Her one link to adult responsibility is Marshal, and he never lets her off easy. Marshal was her grandmothers nurse and left him in charge of collecting rent from Jenny when she inherited the house.

After cruising through life, keeping herself closed off, Jenny has now found her true calling. Thanks to her now dead grandfather, Billy Moonsong, she’s gotten an up close and personal tutorial on their family history and what part she has in it for the future.

The ancient tribal journal he’d left her was a how to of monster hunting. Now she has a calling and made it official. Moonsong PI as in Paranormal Investigator.

Marshal is becoming her partner in this and new characters and a love interest enter the mix, along with an unsavory witch.

If you think a witch isn’t all that scary, think again. They have access to lots of power and are always looking for more. That sometimes calls for blood.

This next installment in the Moonsongs Series is every bit as good as the first. And the author keeps you gasping at the action and grinning at the dialogue. I also like the bit of romance sneaking into this series.

5 Stars

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Dark Prelude

Moonsongs, Book 3

by E.J. Wesley

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Jenny Moonsong recently inherited the title of “monster hunter” and an ancient tribal journal/how-to manual passed down by her Apache ancestors. Unfortunately, a lot of on-the-job training is required to be a monster hunter, and unlike her computer repair business, this gig could literally kill her.Dark Prelude finds the feisty protagonist, Jenny, searching for her best friend Marshal’s missing father in the midst of a freak, West Texas winter storm. To survive the frigid night, she’ll have to deal with a hated town rival, face a monstrous creature no Moonsong hunter has ever encountered before, and undo a mysterious curse. Can she keep everyone alive? If not, who will pay the ultimate price?Dark Prelude is the third volume of the Moonsongs Books, an ongoing series of New Adult, paranormal-horror-action novelettes by author E.J. Wesley.
(These stories contain language and content better suited for readers 17+)
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My Review
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This is the third novella in the Moonsongs Series. The author does some reminiscing in the beginning, bringing you up to speed.

There was one thing that lingered from the first story to the next. Finally it’s discovered. It gnawed at Jenn and kept me curious. The way the author popped it up now and then, like she wanted me to remember, had me thinking it was significant. It could be good or it could be bad for Jenn

Jenny’s paranormal investigation business is in a slump, leaving her with idle time.  So Marshal becomes her coach, doing Q&A’s about monsters and how to kill them. They still haven’t had much luck with the tribunal journal her grandfather left her.

Things don’t stay quiet for long. Marshal’s dad is building the new town bridge. When Marshal and Jenn arrive at the site, no one is around. It’s like they all vanished. Until they spot the blood and follow the trail to a hand, just a severed hand. Further on they find the mangled, unidentifiable remains of a man.

The sheriff is quick to pass it off as a rogue bear, but Jenn knows better.

“We’d been down this road before, and there weren’t any bears waiting with porridge at the end of it.”

I didn’t catch on right away as to which monster this was going to be. Perhaps I should have. The author did give me a clue.

E. J. Wesley does an excellent job writing as a female protagonist. I was skeptical, but he was dead on with Jenn.

Another thrilling story every bit as good as the first two.

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5 Stars
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A quote I loved!
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“The next time Marshal called me boring and gave me shit about staying home and playing video games, I’d punch him in the giblets. Hard!”
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Dragon’s Game

Moonsongs Book #4

By E.J. Wesley

Dragon's Game (Moonsongs, Book 4)

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Jenny Moonsong recently inherited the title of “monster hunter” and an ancient tribal journal/how-to manual passed down by her Apache ancestors. She has already faced a werewolf, witches, and a troll. But nothing could prepare her for her latest confrontation…

Dragon’s Game, Moonsongs Book 4, finds Jenny out of her rural West Texas element, searching for an evil witch in an urban Houston nightclub. After attempting to help a handsome and mysterious stranger out of a jam, she finds herself on the run from a ruthless gang who are even more dangerous than they initially appear.

Forced into a twisted game of life and death, Jenny must navigate the complexity of a budding relationship, and somehow survive a night filled with unexpected horror and paranormal mystery.

Dragon’s Game is approximately 14,000 words or 45 pages, and is the fourth volume of the Moonsongs Books, an ongoing series of New Adult, speculative / urban fantasy novelettes by author E.J. Wesley.

(These stories contain language and content better suited for readers 17+)

Amazon  |   Barnes & NobleGoodreads

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My Review

Finally. Jenny runs into a mysterious man, a potential love interest.

She’s out of her element, seeking out another nasty witch. This time in a swanky pub. That’s where she meets the sexy, mysterious, and very persistent hunk of manflesh.

I was wondering when the author would do this. Marshal has his guy, but Jenn is still single. It would have to be someone special to see past her snarky attitude and purple mohawk.

Now we’re back to witches, but not just one. There’s a slew of them, and one in particular is very much the hag. She wants Jenn, or rather, she wants her dead.

With a whole gang after them, the race is on, and Jenn isn’t finding much to help in that handbook. She’s going to have to learn as she goes.

This one feels darker, more violent. There’s a couple of new supernatural beings introduced. Some real wicked ones.

One  could be unbeatable. That’s where the mysterious pub crawler comes in handy. I knew there was something going on with him.

I wish I could have seen this on the big screen. It would have been one epic battle.

5 Stars

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Vampire’s Ball

Moonsongs, Book #5

by E.J. Wesley

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Jenny Moonsong recently inherited the title of “monster hunter” and an ancient tribal journal/how-to manual passed down by her Apache ancestors. Being a girl of action, she has found herself particularly capable when it comes to battling the werewolves, trolls, and other supernatural denizens lurking in the Texas night. Until now.

Vampire’s Ball, Moonsongs book 5, finds Jenny and her best friend Marshal in their most harrowing adventure yet. Traveling by boat to an extravagant masquerade party located at a Galveston Island mansion, Jenny must parlay with an ancient vampire in order to secure the release of the dragon princess, Isis. The unexpected return of an old “friend” turns the evening into chaos, and leaves Jenny and company once again fighting for survival amidst a sea of supernatural foes.

Vampire’s Ball is approximately 12,500 words of humor, horror and paranormal mystery. It is the fifth volume of the Moonsongs Books, an ongoing series of New Adult, urban fantasy novelettes by author E.J. Wesley.

Amazon  |   Barnes & NobleGoodreads

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My Review

Now we get to the vampires.

This is the fifth and newest in the Moonsong Series, and it’s every bit as great as the other four.

It used to be just Jenn and Marshal, but now there’s also Rushdam and Ren, two guys with more muscle to help with the pesky monsters.

This isn’t just about going to a vampire ball. Jenn landed in a pickle in the last story and now she has to retrieve something to pay a debt. Or rather, trade something.

The vampires in this series aren’t sparkly. They are as cold as their skin and they have no compassion. We are just food to be played with and swiftly devoured.

If anything goes wrong with their plan, none of them may get out alive.

I thought the battle in book four was epic. This one is even wilder. It starts in the mansion and ends up in the middle of the lake. I was holding my breath, not seeing a happy outcome.

And this is where the author left me. With one heck of a cliffhanger I didn’t expect. But it’s a really good one.

5 Stars

~~~~~

~Moonsongs Anthology~

The Moonsongs Anthology 1 collects the first three Moonsongs books–a series of New Adult paranormal-horror-action novelettes–in one exciting volume. Follow Jenny and her best friend Marshal on their dangerous quest to unlock the secrets of her past.

Moonsongs Anthology 1 collects the three previously published Moonsongs adventures: Blood Fugue (Book 1), Witch’s Nocturne (Book 2), and Dark Prelude (Book 3).

Available in print & eBook via Amazon  | Goodreads

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About the author:

Growing up in small-town Oklahoma, there were limits on the amount and types of entertainment at my disposal. Perhaps that’s why I set my imagination free. After collecting degrees in psychology and counseling, life brought me to Missouri, Texas, and Northern California—where I currently read, write, and live. I fill my spare time playing video games, watching movies, planning for the zombie apocalypse, reading graphic novels, and playing with my dogs.
My passion for New Adult literature led me to producing the weekly New Adult Lit Chat on Twitter, and contributing to the NA Alley Blog. I’m also the author of the Moonsongs Books, a series of New Adult, speculative-rural fantasy novelettes.
Website ** Blog ** NA Alley (contributor) ** Goodreads ** Twitter ** New Adult Lit Chat (founder/producer) ** Facebook ** Google+ ** Linkedin

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Huge Giveaway!

$20 Amazon gift card

  • 2 $10 Amazon gift cards
  • Up to $20 Book Depository purchase (International only)
  • Signed Book Bundle: (North America Only US/Canada) – Hysteria, Sinfluence, & Sycamortem by D.A. Botta – Butterman, (Time) Travel Inc. Book 1 by PK Hrezo – The Moment We Began by Sarra Cannon – Moonsongs, Anthology 1 by E.J. Wesley Destiny Gift & Soul Oath by Juliana Haygert
  • INT- eBook Bundle: – Removed & Released (Books 1 & 2 of the Nogiku Series) by S.J. Pajonas  – Butterman, (Time) Travel Inc. Book 1 by PK Hrezo  – The Trouble With Goodbye by Sarra Cannon  – Tell Me When by Stina Lindenblatt  – Darkness Watching (Darkworld #1) by Emma L. Adams  – Jellybean Kisses by Amy Evans  – Clicks (The Pinhold Prophecy #1) by Amy Evans  – Daemons in the Mist (Marked Ones #1 ) by Alicia Kat Vancil
  • INT ebook Bundle- eBooks: Violet Night Trilogy by Lynn Rush  Strength & Courage (Mark of Nexus 1 & 2) by Carrie Butler  The Crimson Hunt by Victoria Smith  Destiny Gift & Soul Oath by Juliana Haygert

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DON'T CRY OVER KILLED MILK Large banner

I immediately became engrossed in this story and couldn’t put my Kindle down. ~Socrates Cozy Cafe/ Socrates Book Reviews

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Don’t you just love the catchy title? I couldn’t resist this cozy mystery.

Get comfortable and enjoy my review.

And remember to enter the giveaway. You can win your own print copy!

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Don’t Cry Over Killed Milk: A Damon Lassard Dabbling Detective Mystery

Cozy Mystery

Paperback: 240 pages

Publisher: Cozy Cat Press (August 28, 2013)

ISBN-13: 978-1939816184 E-Book File Size: 697 KB  ASIN: B00EV45NAS

Synopsis

Jeremiah Milk lived a life filled with emotional extremes. Amniotic band syndrome—a congenital condition—left his fingers and toes malformed. Ridiculed as a child, he became an adolescent hermit. As an adult, Jeremiah’s wounds healed when he landed a position as a park ranger and married a woman who loved him despite his physical appearance. But fate ripped his life to shreds when his wife and infant son died on the same night in separate calamities. Shortly thereafter, the tides turned once more as an act of Jeremiah’s ostensible benevolence translates into a financial boon. The book on Jeremiah’s life closes without mercy when he’s found murdered at Tripping Falls State Park.

Damon Lassard—Hollydale’s loveable civic leader, amateur sleuth, and Jeremiah’s neighbor—springs into action. He’s obstructed by a prickly lieutenant, but wriggles information unknown to the police from a colorful bevy of suspects. Aided by his best friend Rebecca and his reluctant ally Detective Gerry Sloman, Damon engineers a deep dive into Jeremiah’s past to solve the crime. Along the way, Damon strengthens his relationship with the breathtaking Bethany Krims, cracks a local horticultural mystery, and tries in vain to tame his wickedly sarcastic mother.

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My Review

There’s not one mystery to be solved in this book, there’s two.

Something is killing the crepe myrtles. People are treating their trees to get rid of bug infestations, but within a few days, the bugs re-infest the trees.

And someone killed Jeremiah Milk.

The author does a superb job of leading you through these two mysteries, keeping you following the clues, but not confusing you.  And I was just as eager to find out who was killing the crepe myrtles as I was about who killed Jeremiah Milk.

There are lots of clues, false trails, and some bumbling by Damon Lassard.

Damon kind of made me think of Columbo but not as shabbily dressed. He appeared amateurish, but had a keen mind and lots of curiosity.

This isn’t the first time he’s dabbled in a mystery and he’s got an enemy in Lieutenant Margaret Hobbes, but an inside source in Detective Gerry Sloman.

Damon helped Gerry solve a previous case but Hobbes wants him to keep out of police matters. These two bump into each now and then and Hobbes makes no bones about how she feels. I could just see her glaring, face all red, as she bellows at Damon. Good for a few laughs.

I was so engrossed in solving these mysteries, I never stopped reading until I had to. I had reached the end.

The writing is excellent, going from one mystery to the other with no awkwardness, flowing easily. You follow the bread crumbs from one false trail to the next, finally reaching each pot of gold.

You don”t need to have read the first Damon Lassard mystery to enjoy this one. The author does a quick recap a little ways into this one, giving you a bit of background without spilling the beans from the first mystery.

Once you’ve read Don’t Cry Over Killed Milk, you’ll want to read It Takes Two To Strangle .

I look forward to going back to the beginning.

4 Stars

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About The Author

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STEPHEN KAMINSKI is the author of the Damon Lassard Dabbling Detective series published by Cozy Cat Press. The first two cozy mysteries in the series are “It Takes Two to Strangle” (2012) and “Don’t Cry Over Killed Milk” (2013). Stephen is the winner of the 2012 Reader Views Literary Award for the Mid-Atlantic Region.  He’s a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Law School, has practiced law for over a decade, and currently serves as Senior Vice President and General Counsel to a national non-profit organization. Stephen is a lifelong lover of all types of mysteries and lives with his wife and daughter in Arlington, Virginia.

Author Links:

Blog / Goodreads / Facebook

Purchase Links:

Amazon B&N

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I have one print copy to give away.

US Only. Sorry to my International friends.

To enter, please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win, and answer this question:

“Have you ever done some sleuthing?”

Giveaway ends 1/25

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Tour Participants

January 13 –Socrates Book Reviews/ Socrates Cozy Café – Review, Giveaway

January 14 – Kelly P’s Blog – Interview

January 15 – fuonlyknew – Review, Giveaway

January 16 – readalot blog – Review

January 17 – My Devotional Thoughts – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway

January 19 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Interview

January 20 – A Year of Jubilee Reviews – Review

January 21 – Shelley’s Book Case– Review, Interview

January 22 – Brooke Blogs – Review, Giveaway

January 23 – Chloe Gets A Clue – Interview

January 24 – Omnimystery News – Guest Post

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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cassie scot banner Christine-Amsden--Banner

Cassie Scot Mystery Series

by Christine Amsden

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I have a really great series to tell you about!

Cassie Scot: Paranormal Detective, Book One and Secrets and Lies, Book Two.

There be witches and sorcerers, and some nasty vampires and even a werewolf.

A town full of supernaturals, magic everywhere, and a detective with no powers of her own.

Throw in some danger and romance, and stir slowly til the cauldron bubbles.

There’s a giveaway too!

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Book One

Cassie Scot: Paranormal Detective

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Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.

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My Review

Imagine you come from a large family of sorcerers. Everyone has a power, except you. That’s how it is for Cassie Scot. She doesn’t have any powers at all.

Now she’s 21 years old and it’s time to find herself. Taking a job at the sheriff’s department seemed like a good idea. Except, with no powers of her own, it’s hard to work paranormal cases. So she becomes a private investigator. Her plan is to only take cases that are not paranormal. Unfortunately, most of her calls are for spells, exorcisms, and other paranormal business.

When she’s offered a job to serve papers on a powerful witch, she figures it’ll be a quick job and she seriously needs the money.

What does she find when she gets there?  No witch, but lots of blood. Definitely a paranormal case. No human could get past the witches protective spell.

I liked Cassie right from the beginning. She’s full of sass, says what she’s thinking, and isn’t afraid to go for what she wants.

After spilling a lust potion, what she wants is Evan. He’s a powerful sorcerer and her best friend since they were little. When the potion takes affect, she sees Evan in a whole new light, noticing how sexy he is.

I could see why Evan thought this was funny. But I wonder if having Cassie lusting after him will make him see his best friend in a different light too.

This could be complicated as their fathers are blood enemies.

There is never a dull moment in this book. Between the murder, the nasty vampires, Cassie lusting after Evan, and her family throwing a huge curve ball at her, I rushed to turn the pages, excited to see what was going to happen next.

So much was happening, but I never lost my way. Christine led me from scene to scene, keeping me connected and curious. Humor was dabbled throughout the story, along with some romance and scares and a mystery that kept me searching for clues.

In the end, you get some answers, while the author leaves some things open for more in this series.

I’m very curious to see where things may go.

5 Stars

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Enjoy this excerpt for Book One

At random, I picked up a bottle of perfume from the top shelf and read: “Induces powerful lust. Spray on your intended and make sure you are the first person they see. Lasts about an hour.”

The thing you have to understand about any magic is that there are good ways to use it, and bad ways to use it. The concept of black magic is a hotly debated topic among sorcerers. Even death, in self defense, is a shade of gray. As I stood there, reading the functions of the various love potions, I thought of all the innocent and harmful ways they could be used. A couple in a committed relationship might have a lot of fun with a spray of lust. On the other hand, using it on an unwilling victim…

I shuddered as I replaced the bottle and accidentally knocked one of the neighboring bottles of perfume to the ground. It shattered, splashing perfume all over my open-toed sandals.

“Crap.”

“What happened?” Evan asked, his voice hard and alert. I could hear him moving closer.

“Stop! I don’t want to see you right now.”

“Which potion was that?” Evan asked, still in that hard-edged voice of command.

I pointed to the row of similar bottles on the top shelf. “Lust.”

One of the little bottles floated away from the shelf, but I did not turn around to see what Evan was doing with it. Instead, I started looking through my purse for a pack of tissues to clean the mess off my feet.

“Cassie, I have some bad news for you.”

“Worse, you mean?”

“This potion doesn’t take affect until you actually look at someone. Your hour starts then.”

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Just wanted to warn you that this next review is for the second book in this series. I’ll try not to put in spoilers.

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Book Two

Secrets and Lies

SecretsAndLies

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Cassie Scot, still stinging from her parents’ betrayal, wants out of the magical world. But it isn’t letting her go. Her family is falling apart and despite everything, it looks like she may be the only one who can save them.

To complicate matters, Cassie owes Evan her life, making it difficult for her to deny him anything he really wants. And he wants her. Sparks fly when they team up to find two girls missing from summer camp, but long-buried secrets may ruin their hopes for happiness.

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My Review

This story takes off with a bang and never lets up.

Struggling to make it on her own, Cassie latches onto a case of two missing girls. Evan works with her, worried about her safety. Sorcerers can’t find these girls with their powers, which means something paranormal is afoot, something strong.

Cassie now owes a blood debt to Evan after he saved her life. He wants Cassie. She’s unsure of her feelings. She did kiss him and his kisses have the power to make her swoon. Is it the magic or is she falling for him?

As they team up to search for the missing girls, their attraction intensifies. Things are further complicated by Cassie’s anger and hurt over something her parents did. Now the family is in chaos and Cassie doesn’t know if she can find it in herself to forgive them.

Danger is all around. No one can be trusted. Lives are in peril.

What a rush. There is so much happening.

I felt for Cassie. Imagine worrying about whether you’ll be given a choice or be forced to marry someone. On top of that, your family betrays you, you need money, and the case you take is turning out to be extremely dangerous.

Sometimes, when I start the second book in a series, I worry that it won’t be as good. Like a sequel in a movie.

My worries were null as soon as I started Secrets and Lies.

The back and froth between Cassie and Evan at turns kept me anxious, hopeful, and merry. These two are meant for each other.

I got to know these two a lot better and also got to understand the motivation behind their families.

As with the first book, there was a lot going on. I liked that. The author made it easy to follow along. I never stumbled over who was doing what. And the humor lightened the mood when things got heavy. Which they did.

The best thing for me was that the author kept to her character in Cassie. I didn’t want a flashy change, no sudden powers emerging. I do wonder about her though. There were times I thought I glimpsed something.

Secrets and Lies felt darker than the first book. There were some intense scenes, and some emotional moments when secrets were revealed.

Many things get resolved at the end. But there’s still more questions, more to come.

One more thing about the ending. I was shocked. I couldn’t believe what I read. I’m so glad the next book will be releasing this year.

5 Stars

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

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Award-winning author Christine Amsden has written stories since she was eight, always with a touch of the strange or unusual. She became a “serious” writer in 2003, after attending a boot camp with Orson Scott Card. She finished Touch of Fate shortly afterward, then penned The Immortality Virus, which won two awards. Expect many more titles by this up-and-coming author.

Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Google+

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

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$50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card

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Click on the banner above to follow the tour for Award Winning Novelist Bette Lee Crosby and her newest release Jubilee’s Journey!

Jubilee's Journey (Wyattsville #2)

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Synopsis

When tragedy strikes a West Virginia coal mining family, two children start out on a trek that they hope will lead them to a new life. Before a day passes, the children are separated and the boy is caught up in a robbery not of his making. If his sister can find him, she may be able to save him. The problem is she’s only seven years old, and who’s going to believe a kid?

Jubilee’s Journey is Book Two in the Wyattsville Series. This story of discovering lost family and finding love reconnects readers with Ethan Allen and the other heart-warming characters of the bestselling novel SPARE CHANGE.

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Please enjoy this guest post from Bette

 

Writing Jubilee’s Journey was somewhat of a trip down memory lane, not because of my own memories, but the memories of my mother, who so generously passed them down to me.

My mom was born in Coal Fork, West Virginia; as was her sister Ruth. They were two in a family of eleven siblings.  Times were hard and the family didn’t always have the luxury of living under the same roof. Once the girls were old enough, they were sent to live with relatives who needed house help; the boys went to work in the mines or became farm hands for neighbors.

When my mom was not yet twenty, she married a city boy from Charleston and moved away. Her sister Ruth married one of the men who worked in the mines. The part of Jubilee’s Journey that tells of life in the mining community is based on the truth of how it was.

After Ruth was married, she and her new husband moved into a tiny four room house wedged into the side of the coal-mining mountain. Did they own the house? No. Did they rent the house? No. In the little community of Coal Fork, there was no owning or renting; if a house stood empty and you had need of it…you simply moved in. Of course the house was little more than walls and a floor, there was no plumbing, no electricity, just a cast iron coal stove used for both cooking and heat.  But it was a house and it was free. It had a stretch of land suitable for some farming and a well that had a plentiful supply of cold clear water – water far better than anything you’ve ever tasted.

In Jubilee’s Journey, Ruth’s husband is named Bartholomew but in real life his name was Clifford. He was a miner who lived a life very similar to Bartholomew’s. He and Ruth had four children, the eldest of which was my cousin Paul. And the Paul I knew was my model for the one I created. He was wise, strong, loyal beyond belief, and filled with love and Faith.

I spent many summer vacations visiting my cousins and the memories I have are truly treasured ones. Despite the fact that Ruth’s family had very few material possessions, they were wealthy beyond compare. They were rich in the things that no amount of money can buy—love, faith, trust and hope. Like Bartholomew, Clifford hoped his boys would never see the inside of a mine…and they didn’t. All four of my cousins earned scholarships and went on to become professionals in the fields of education and ministry.

I have always been inspired by the goodness in the life they led, and that inspiration is what led me to write Jubilee’s Journey. I hope the book inspires others as the truth behind this story has inspired me.

Bette Lee Crosby

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My Review

I’ve read many of Bette’s books, and some things I know I’ll find in each new one are her strong southern prose, compelling situations very true to life, and characters so vividly depicted they become living beings, and I step into their story.

Another thing I’ve come to expect is her endearing cover art. You feel when you look at them.

The cover design for Jubilee’s Journey was done by Kathleen Valentine of valentinedesign.com. Bette Lee will also occasionally incorporate a friend or fan’s name into her novels.

I fell in love with Ethan Allen in Spare Change and was thrilled to return to Wyattsville and have his story continue in Jubilee’s Journey.

He is doing fine. That is until one day, he stops at a crime scene, doing a lookie-loo to see what was going down. Sent on his way, as he pedals off he spies a little girl sitting all alone on a bench, looking so sad and lost.

I just knew Ethan would mull about that girl. So when he’s riding his bike home from school it’s no surprise when he stops to help the girl still sitting there on a bench. He convinces her to come home with him. His grandmother will take care of her.

Poor Olivia. Ethan brings home a stray. First thing she does is feed her. Then gently, she pries her story from her.

She’s Jubilee, 7 years old, and she came to the city with her brother after their father died. Paul was determined to keep his promise to their father and they get off the bus in Wyattsville searching for their aunt. All they have is her first name.

Paul told Jubilee to wait on the bench while he went inside to check out a job. Hours later, he still hadn’t returned and that’s when Ethan came into the picture.

I felt such anguish for Jubilee. She depended on her older brother, trusted him to take care of them, and now he was just gone. She’s such a sweetie. So innocent yet so firm in her love for her brother.

Paul is such a mature young man, and such a good brother to Jubilee. When he entered that store, he had no idea  his path would converge with Hurt McAdams and he would find himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and wouldn’t be leaving the way he went in.

Ethan is still Ethan. Always pushing the limit, and working his grandmother, Olivia. She’s wise to his ways but knows sometimes it’s best to let him think he’s got one over on her.

Ethan and Jubilee become very close with Ethan filling the role of big brother and protector until her real brother returns.

I’m not sure if you could label one genre for this book. Bette blends several into her story. I call it life literature. The characters tell me their stories, let me share their lives, and I savor every moment.

Upon reaching the end of Jubilee’s Journey, I blinked, held the book to my chest, and sighed. I slowly left their world. So moving, so powerful was this story, I tried to hang onto it, to keep everyone close.

Thank you for gifting me Jubilee’s Journey, Bette. There is no better gift than words on a page.

5 Stars

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A couple of excerpts from this journey.

Ethan:

I didn’t want to tell Grandma this on account of she’s a worrier. Mama never worried about nothin’, but Grandma, she worries about everything. The sorry truth is I didn’t see no live people come out of that grocery store. Far as I could tell, they was all dead.

Jubilee:

I ain’t never had six dresses at one time. And I sure ain’t never had underpants with the day of the week spelled out so you don’t get mixed up and wear Tuesday’s pants on Wednesday.

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ABOUT Bette Lee Crosby

Bette Lee Crosby    Award-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby brings the wit and wisdom of her Southern Mama to works of fiction—the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery and romance along with a cast of quirky charters who will steal your heart away.

Crosby’s work was first recognized in 2006 when she received The National League of American Pen Women Award for a then unpublished manuscript. Since then, she has gone on to win several more awards, including another NLAPW award, three Royal Palm Literary Awards, and the FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal.

Her published novels to date are: Cracks in the Sidewalk (2009), Spare Change (2011), The Twelfth Child (2012), Cupid’s Christmas (2012) and What Matters Most (2013). She has also authored “Life in the Land of IS” a memoir of Lani Deauville, a woman the Guinness Book of Records lists as the world’s longest living quadriplegic.

Crosby originally studied art and began her career as a packaging designer. When asked to write a few lines of copy for the back of a pantyhose package, she discovered a love for words that was irrepressible. After years of writing for business, she turned to works of fiction and never looked back. “Storytelling is in my blood,” Crosby laughingly admits, “My mom was not a writer, but she was a captivating storyteller, so I find myself using bits and pieces of her voice in most everything I write.

Website  /  Goodreads  /  Twitter  Facebook

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There are two giveaways so be sure you enter both!

Giveaway on my blog.

I have one print copy to giveaway (US Only)

and one Ebook copy (International)

To enter, please leave an email address so I can contact you if you win, specify US or International, and answer this question:

“Do you ever find yourself thinking about the characters long after you’ve finished a book?”

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Visit Bette’s Blog HERE to enter the second giveaway.

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Other books by Bette Lee Crosby

Spare Change

My Review of Spare Change

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What Matters Most

My Review for What Matters Most

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The Twelfth Child

My Review of The Twelfth Child

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My Review of Cracks in the Sidewalk~ Coming soon!

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My Review of Cupid’s Christmas ~ Coming soon!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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The Triple Tour Grand Finale for Jade’s Cowboy Crush!

To post the Grand Finale Book Blast Jan 9 – 14 and add your Social Media to the Rafflecopter,

email Tressa at wishfulendings(at)outlook.com with “Jade’s Grand Finale” in the subject line!
The first 50 to sign up and post will receive an ecopy (.mobi or pdf) of Jade’s Cowboy Crush!
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On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Announcing Kimberly Krey’s new release!!
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January6 – Brooke Blogs Demons – Gavin Emerson’s Past

It was just while I was writing a particularly relevant scene, that I heard the song, Demons, by Imagine Dragons. It went along with the scene so perfectly that I bought the album (great album, btw) and played the song each time I was in the car so I could muse on it.

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A little more about Gavin Emerson: – He used to ride bull like nobody’s business and has the scars to prove it. – He left home after an ugly fallout with his father at eighteen years old, got involved with gambling, loan sharks, and later joined the mob he borrowed from. – He’s attracted to redheads and has several different nicknames for Jade, including his favorite, Freckles, due to the splash of freckles across her cheeks. – Last but not least, he’s got a sleeve of tattoos that represent parts of his past. Read more at Brooke Blogs.

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7 – Mythical Books – Jade Miller, Single Mother

Here’s a few facts about Jade Miller: – She has strawberry blond hair, pale skin, and a splash of freckles she’d do anything to hide. – She dunks almost everything she eats in Tabasco sauce. – She’s fiercely protective when it comes to her son. – She lost her loving father to a long battle with cancer when she was young. – She’s secretly in love with cowboys from the past, like Wyatt Earp. – She is snarky, witty, and avoids drama like the plague. – She’s just witnessed the murder of a co-worker and is about to enter a protection program on Emerson Ranch. Oh yeah, and she’s about to fall hard for rebel cowboy, Gavin Emerson. In this excerpt from Jade’s Cowboy Crush, Jade, upon butting heads with Gavin, reconsiders her plan to seek protection at Emerson Ranch: Jade had assumed that a grown, mature man would show up to take her and Luke to some secret hideaway. Instead she’d ended up with an immature, kid-hating, woman-ogling dirt bag. Probably back there hitting on that female cop. Yet as she glanced up to her rearview once more, puzzling as to why she couldn’t see him, two loud thumps tapped at her window. She jerked back in response before rolling it down partway. “What,” she demanded, glaring at him. Or rather – his chest. He was taller than she’d realized. And more muscled too. And there were those tattoos, the near-sleeve of them encasing one well-defined arm. She’d been drawn to that look back in the day. Not any more. With a slow, relaxed movement, he hunched down to look at her. “What are you doin’?” The slow drawl in his low, raspy voice made her blush and actually wonder just what the hell she was doing. His thick, blond hair bordered on unkempt in a way that might make a weaker woman swoon. But she was not a weak woman. Jade didn’t fall for things like that. “I’m leaving,” she announced. Read more at Mythical Books.

8 – I Am a Reader, Not a Writer – Smokin’ Hot Pizza Bomb
Before we get to the recipe, I’m going to start with an excerpt. Here, Jade and her four-year-old son, Luke are instructing Gavin (rebel cowboy offering witness protection on Emerson Ranch) on how to ready the dough:

  Luke’s big brown eyes were pasted on a lump of dough as he smashed it down with his small hands.      “Here. Put a few scoops on,” she said. “Just on one side, remember.”      Luke did as she said, and started piling toppings on next.      “You need help?” Jade asked.
      Gavin held her gaze. “Maybe.”      She smiled, seeming to hold a hint of that playful side she’d shown last week at the pond. “Okay.” Jade walked around the counter and stood beside him. Gavin didn’t miss the warmth of her arm as it grazed his. “You need to start with some flour.” She reached into the small measuring cup, pinching some in her fingers.      “And where does that go?” he asked.      Jade dropped it on the counter. “Here,” she said, “and here.” With movements too quick to stop, she smeared her fingers over one side of Gavin’s face.     Luke busted up.      “Oh,” Gavin said, reaching for the measuring cup next. “Like this?” He sprinkled the flour into his open palm, rubbed his hands together, and cradled her face. With the soft, white powder coating his hands, he ran his thumbs over the light splash of freckles on her cheeks. He liked the way Jade didn’t fight it. Only stood there and smiled as he drew a line from the top of her forehead down to the tip of her nose.      She batted her lashes at him. “Is that all you got?”      But his eyes were already set on something more – those lips. Without breaking his gaze, Gavin traced a finger over the smooth curves of her mouth. The top lip first, followed by that full, bottom pout. The powdery substance barely clung to the softness there, creating the lightest sheen over their pretty, pink color.      He ran a thumb over them next, willing himself to let go and step away, wondering if he’d ever been so hungry in all his life.

Get the recipe at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer.
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Jade's Cowboy Crush (Sweet Montana Bride Series #2)Jade’s Cowboy Crush Sweet Montana Bride Series by Kimberly Krey

Paperback, 320 pages
Published December 13, 2013
Single mother, Jade Miller, has just witnessed a murder. Now, set to testify against the cold-blooded killer, Jade must be placed under protection. While she is grateful to the kind folks who’ve offered to take in her and her son, Jade is surprised to find the man escorting them from L.A. to Montana is Gavin Emerson. A womanizing, far-too-attractive-for-his-own-good, rebel cowboy. Jade assures Gavin that she has sworn off men until her son is grown, but all too soon she finds herself fighting back feelings for the man who’s agreed to care for them.
Gavin wants nothing to do with ranch life. Not since the ugly fallout he had with his father over eight years ago. But when he agrees to come back, harboring Jade and her son for a time, Gavin falls in love with life on the land once again. Above that, he finds his heart has been captured by his lovely house guest, Jade Miller.
After reservations on both parts, the two are finally ready to open up and give their new-found love a try. Only they aren’t in the clear just yet, and as a dark and deadly threat falls upon them, Gavin finds that his bad-boy past may have led the danger right to their door.
Note: Though this novel is considered clean romance, it does contain passionate kissing scenes and a few mild curse words.
Purchase from: Amazon * Barnes and Noble

Kimberly Krey’s other books:
Cassie's Cowboy Crave (Sweet Montana Bride, #1)Cassie’s Cowboy Crave
Sweet Montana Bride Series
by Kimberly Krey
Published July 12, 2013

Evie's Knight (The Knight Series, #1)Evie’s Knight by Kimberly Krey Published September 11, 2012
Amazon Barnes & Noble

Writing Romance That’s Clean Without Losing the Steam!

Kimberly Krey

I’m a writer of contemporary clean romance, a lover of home, family, & friends, & the ultimate hater of laundry.
A few of my favorite things: Diet Coke, Cafe Rio, and novels by Marcia Lynn McClure.
I do not go anywhere without: SoftLips Chapstick and Altoids Smalls.

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Giveaway! Enter to WIN $100 Amazon Gift Card! January 6 – 21, 2014
Must be 18 to enter and able to receive winnings.
See Rafflecopter for detailed restrictions.
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Are you a blogger and want to receive information about new tours? Go HERE.
Are you an author or publisher and would like to have us organize a tour? Go HERE.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Rosemary and Crime by Gail Oust

All the elements of a Southern, Culinary, Cozy Mystery. ~Rantin’ Ravin’ and Reading

I really enjoyed this book, it was fast paced and kept me involved from the very beginning. ~Melina’s Book Blog

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Rosemary and Crime

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Cozy Mystery Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: Minotaur Books (December 17, 2013)

ISBN-13: 978-1250011046

E-Book  ASIN: B00DA7A0BO

Synopsis:

Piper Prescott, a transplanted Yankee living in the South, has got her sass back.  She might be down, but don’t count her out.  “Change of life?” she asks.  Bring it on.  Recently divorced, Piper decides to pursue a dream she’s secretly harbored:  owning her own business.  Spice It Up!, a spice shop in her adopted hometown, Brandywine Creek, Georgia.  But Piper’s grand opening goes awry when the local chef who’s agreed to do a cooking demo is found stabbed.  Not only did Piper find the body, she handled the murder weapon and doesn’t have a witness to her alibi, making the case look like a slam dunk to brand new police Chief Wyatt McBride.  Desperate to uncover the truth—and prove her innocence—Piper enlists the help of her outspoken BFF Reba Mae Johnson to help track down the real culprit.  The pair compile a lengthy list of suspects and work to eliminate them using their own creative brand of sleuthing techniques including stakeouts, breaking and entering, and one very unorthodox chocolate pie.  When Piper narrowly avoids being a victim of a hit-and-run, she knows she’s getting closer to the truth, but can she catch the killer and clear her name before she becomes the next victim?

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My Review

Fresh out of a divorce, Piper decides to go into business for herself, opening a spice shop. When Mario, the chef who was supposed to do a cooking demonstration for her grand opening is murdered, Piper becomes the prime suspect.

She discovered the body. She handled the murder weapon. And she was seen arguing with the victim earlier.

The fun begins when Piper and her best friend Reba Mae, a delightfully colorful gal, decide to do their own sleuthing. They are caught doing a stake out by the hunky Chief of Police, Wyatt.

I’m all for character driven stories. These characters are all flawed, all trying to make their way. This leads to lots of hi-jinx and laughs.

Piper is down to earth but also vulnerable. CJ, her jerk of a husband, dumped her for a woman almost as young as her daughter. Starting over at middle age is never easy and she has to contend with a daughter who is acting out, her butinsky ex, and a sexy policeman, while trying to prove her innocence and get her new business off the ground.

The author sets the stage, introduces her characters, drops in the crime, and sets you off to read and discover the clues, while adding in a budding romance and some very believable life situations.

Trying to solve this mystery was vexing. Each time I thought I had my suspect, I was wrong and had to continue sorting out the clues.

When I reached the end it was just what I wanted.

Anyone looking for a new cozy mystery series with an easy flowing writing style, colorful characters, and a crime to solve, should give Rosemary and Crime a go..

4 Stars

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About This Author

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Gail Oust is often accused of flunking retirement. While working as a nurse/vascular technologist, she penned nine historical romances under the pseudonym of Elizabeth Turner. It wasn’t until she and her husband retired to South Carolina that inspiration struck for a mystery. Hearing the words “maybe it’s a dead body” while golfing fired her imagination for writing a cozy. Ever since then, she spends more time on a computer than at a golf course. Author of the Bunco Babe mysteries, she’s currently working on a new Spice Shop mystery series.

Author Links:  www.gailoust.com, Goodreads

Purchase Links: AMAZON      Book World     B&N

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ROSEMARY AND CRIME tour banner

Tour Participants

January 6 – rantin’ ravin’ and reading – Review, Interview

January 7 – Melina’s Book Blog – Review, Guest Post

January 8 – fuonlyknew – Review

January 9 – Mochas, Mysteries and More – Guest Post

January 10 – A Chick Who Reads – Review, Guest Post

January 11 – Griperang’s Bookmarks – Review

January 12 – Books Are Life – Vita Libri – Review

January 13 – Chloe Gets A Clue – Interview

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An autographed copy of Rosemary and Crime

An apron similar to ont the character wears in her spice shop.

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Raffle button

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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tale spins tour

For more fun stops on the tour click on the banner above!

I’m delighted to be a part of this tour and to have read Tail Spins!

I was taken back to my younger years and let myself go.

Enjoy my review. And don’t forget to enter the giveaways. Yes, there are two!

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Tail Spins

by Michael Mullin

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Synopsis

A trilogy of alternative fairytales and retellings. Discover the real Snow White story through the eyes of Creepy, the unknown 8th dwarf! Meet a teen princess who hires “The Frog Prince” witch to get revenge on a Mean Girl at school! And learn how the giant, boy thief and magic beans tale truly went down!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

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Praise for Tale Spins

Not usually enamoured of either re-tellings or poetry I was totally taken aback by just how much I relished this trilogy of alternative fairytales and re-tellings aimed at the Young Adult market. ~Tracy (Goodreads)

TaleSpins was like walking into a vintage store and finding a true treasure. This book takes the fairytales we all grew up on and gives them an interesting and modernized version that I enjoyed. ~Rose (Goodreads)

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My Review

Tail Spins was a pure delight to read. Written in poetic form, it was fairly quick reading and the stories flowed smoothly. The author choosing to write these alternate tellings in such a way worked beautifully, making it fun and addictive.

I smiled from beginning to end and loved the different ‘spin’ put on each retelling. Who knew there was an 8th dwarf, what foolish girl would actually steal from a witch, and I do believe money grows on trees.

I wish I had a young child to read these tales to. I did read them to my 19 year old son and we had fun discussing the authors creativity.

Anyone will enjoy Tail Spins and you adult readers will be taken back to younger days when wonder was all around and all things were possible.

5 Stars

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Author Michael Mullin

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Michael Mullin is a native New Englander living in Pasadena. He is the author of TaleSpins, a trilogy of alternative fairy tales and retellings for YA readers. TaleSpins stories (in the 1-book collection) are “8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf”; “The Plight and Plot of Princess Penny”; and “Jack’d”. Michael is also the co-author of the successful “Larry Gets Lost” children’s book series. His screenplay “Zooing Time” was recognized by the WGA’s Written By magazine. Before all this writing, he taught preschool and college, two positions he found disconcertingly similar.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

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Tour Giveaways

Giveaway #1 – Open to US only

Mike Mullin Giveaway

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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Giveaway #2

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 1/21/14

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Teacup Turbulence by Linda O. Johnston

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Teacup Turbulence (A Pet Rescue Mystery)

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5th in Series Cozy Mystery

Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Berkley (January 7, 2014) ISBN-13: 978-0425259979

Purchase Links: Amazon     Book World      B&N

Synopsis

Los Angeles animal shelter manager Lauren Vancouver has a soft spot for animals in need—and a keen eye for crime. . .

Thanks to a savvy ad campaign featuring teacup pups sporting HotPets Bling—a new line of faux jewelry dog collars—small dog adoptions have skyrocketed across the city. So when Lauren discovers a shelter in the Midwest with more toy dogs than it can handle, she arranges a private plane to swoop in and fly the pups back to LA.

But Lauren didn’t count on rescue worker Teresa Kantrim coming along for the ride. Teresa has cared for the dogs since they were found and doesn’t trust anyone from La-La Land to take over the job. Her biting comments clearly haven’t earned Teresa any new friends, but when she turns up murdered, it’s time for Lauren to dig into Teresa’s past and find out who wanted her put down.

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My Review

I really enjoy cozy mysteries and am always on the lookout for a new author and series.

Teacup Turbulence is a spinoff from the Pet Sitter Series, which I plan to check out.

The first thing that drew me to this book was the cover art. I love dogs and the cuties on the cover caught my eye. Then the title just sounded so fun.

The title says it all. Lots and lots of teacup pups and turbulence.

While I didn’t particularly care for, Teresa, the murder victim, I did wonder if her frosty, rude behavior might be hiding something. It was as you’ll discover when you explore this mystery.

Lauren has her hands full with rescuing pups and also selling Bling. I never knew how big and competitive dog jewelry was.

Since the murder happened right under Lauren’s nose, she leaps in to solve it.

While I had an inkling early on what might be behind the murder, I still had to follow the clues and sniff out the false leads. There are many characters to fill the suspect list, some likeable, some I could take or leave.

The pups added an adorable factor to the story. And I loved how the author explains choosing the names for them. It added a lightness to the mystery and had me thinking up all kinds of names.

I wasn’t immediately hooked by the beginning, but was gradually pulled into the mystery and while I had a good idea of what was going on, I had no clue who the killer might be. That kept me turning the pages, searching for clues, and surprising me with the culprit in the end. I really didn’t see the murderer coming.

I’ll be reading more from this author and I’m sure I’ll be entertained.

4 Stars

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About Linda O. Johnston

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Linda O. Johnston’s first published fiction appeared in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for Best First Mystery Short Story of the year. Since then, Linda, a former lawyer who is now a full-time writer, has published more short stories, novellas, and 35 romance and mystery novels, including Harlequin Romantic Suspense as well as the Alpha Force paranormal romance miniseries for Harlequin Nocturne.

Linda’s Pet Rescue Mysteries, a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime, feature Lauren Vancouver, a determined pet rescuer who runs a no-kill shelter. In this cozy series, “no-kill” refers to pets, not people!

[Note that, at the time this is being submitted, I’ve had 33 books published but will have a Harlequin Romantic Suspense published in December, and my upcoming Pet Rescue Mystery TEACUP TURBULENCE will be a January 2014 release.]

Author Links: Website / Facebook

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I have one print copy to give away.

US Only. Sorry to my International friends.

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

“What do you like most about reading a mystery?”

Giveaway ends January 15th.

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Tour Participants

January 2 – StoreyBook Reviews  – Review

January 3 –>Chloe Gets A ClueInterview

January 4 – Books-n-Kisses – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway

January 5 – Melina’s Book Blog – Review

January 6 – readalot blog – Review

January 7 – fuonlyknew – Review, Giveaway

January 8 – Brooke Blogs – Review

January 10 – Reviews By Karen – Guest Post, Giveaway

January 12- Cozy Up With Kathy – Review, Interview

January 13 – My Devotional Thoughts – Review, Guest Post January 14 – StephTheBookworm – Review

January 14 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – Review

January 15 – Queen of All She Reads – Review, Giveaway January 15 – Mochas, Mysteries and More – Guest Post

January 15 – Dru’s Book Musings – Guest Post

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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