Archive for the ‘Dark Fantasy’ Category

From my series wishlist ~ Which should I read first?

Posted: January 10, 2019 in Dark Fantasy, Dystopian, Mytery/Thriller, Science Fiction, Series
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Yesterday I posted about some series’ I had started and some I was planning to start.

Today I’m sharing some that I already have on my list. I have the first book in each series and its a mixed bag of genres. All of these have been on my wish list and I’m really anticipating some great reading.

This is going to be fun!

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Moon Called

Mercy Thompson #1

by Patricia Briggs

Moon Called (Mercy Thompson, Book 1) by [Briggs, Patricia]

THE FIRST MERCY THOMPSON NOVEL!

Moon Called is the novel that introduced Patricia Briggs’s Mercy Thompson to the world and launched a #1 bestselling phenomenon… 

Mercy Thompson is a shapeshifter, and while she was raised by werewolves, she can never be one of them, especially after the pack ran her off for having a forbidden love affair. So she’s turned her talent for fixing cars into a business and now runs a one-woman mechanic shop in the Tri-Cities area of Washington State.

But Mercy’s two worlds are colliding. A half-starved teenage boy arrives at her shop looking for work, only to reveal that he’s a newly changed werewolf—on the run and desperately trying to control his animal instincts. Mercy asks her neighbor Adam Hauptman, the Alpha of the local werewolf pack, for assistance.

But Mercy’s act of kindness has unexpected consequences that leave her no choice but to seek help from those she once considered family—the werewolves who abandoned her…

Amazon

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Extinction Horizon

The Extinction Cycle #1

by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

Extinction Horizon (The Extinction Cycle Book 1) by [Smith, Nicholas Sansbury]

The worst of nature and the worst of science will bring the human race to the brink of extinction…
 
Master Sergeant Reed Beckham has led his Delta Force Team, codenamed Ghost, through every kind of hell imaginable and never lost a man. When a top secret Medical Corps research facility goes dark, Team Ghost is called in to face their deadliest enemy yet–a variant strain of Ebola that turns men into monsters.
After barely escaping with his life, Beckham returns to Fort Bragg in the midst of a new type of war. As cities fall, Team Ghost is ordered to keep CDC virologist Dr. Kate Lovato alive long enough to find a cure. What she uncovers will change everything.
Total extinction is just on the horizon, but will the cure be worse than the virus?
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Called

Southern Watch #1

by Robert J. Crane

Called (Southern Watch Book 1) by [Crane, Robert J.]

A demon hunter without a home. A cop without a cause. A seemingly unstoppable evil rising in a small town…

WARNING: Contains violence, coarse language and sexual situations.

Archibald “Arch” Stan was a local cop in Midian, Tennessee that was good at his job, good at being a husband, and exceptionally good at hiding his disappointment at not being able to figure out what was missing in his life that made it all seem so empty.

Lafayette Hendricks looked like a drifter, a broken-down hitchhiker blown through Midian on the prevailing winds. When Arch catches him in a fight on the town square, though, things start to get weird, fast, because the guy he’s fighting doesn’t die when he gets shot. And Hendricks is carrying a sword.

Pretty soon, Arch’s whole life is turned upside down by Hendricks’s revelation that there’s a secret world operating under the one he’s been living in his whole life – one filled with demons, chaos, and unspeakable evils, one of which is already in town, stirring trouble. And if the two men don’t band together to keep watch on the darkness falling on Midian, then this small town might just get swallowed up by the forces of evil – with the rest of the world to follow shortly behind.

If you like Jim Butcher, Kevin Hearne, Stephen King, Michael Anderle, Shayne Silvers, Shannon Mayer, or J.R. Rain, you will LOVE the first installment of the Southern Watch series.

Amazon

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All Systems Red

The Murderbot Diaries #1

by Martha Wells

All Systems Red (Kindle Single): The Murderbot Diaries by [Wells, Martha]

A murderous android discovers itself in All Systems Red, a tense science fiction adventure by Martha Wells that interrogates the roots of consciousness through Artificial Intelligence.

“As a heartless killing machine, I was a complete failure.”

In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety.

But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.

On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid — a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is.

But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.

Amazon

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Tombyards & Butterflies

A Montague & Strong Detective Agency #1

by Orlando A. Sanchez

Tombyards & Butterflies: A Montague and Strong Detective Novel (Montague & Strong Case Files Book 1) by [Sanchez, Orlando A.]

A Missing Ferryman. An Undead Dilemma. An Immortal Detective.

An emissary from the Dark Council has just materialized in the office of the Montague & Strong Detective Agency, and makes Simon Strong an offer he can’t refuse. Charon is missing. The legendary ferryman responsible for transporting sorcerer souls across the river Styx hasn’t been seen in days. And with each passing hour, those unable to cross the river are left to walk among the living, tilting the world further out of balance.

Meet Simon Strong, an immortal, who is also the best private detective in New York City. Together with his surly partner-Tristan Montague, a mage of indeterminate age, they must find the Ferryman and get him back to work before another Supernatural War ravages the earth, destroys humanity, and Simon’s local coffee shop.

Time is running out. His landlord wants the rent and Karma with a capital K is paying him a visit, and she can be a real…

Join the Montague & Strong Detective Agency and help them locate Charon, so he can restore balance to the universe, put the dead sorcerers to rest, and maybe solve the age old conundrum-coffee or tea?

Amazon

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Killing Trail

Timber Creek K-9 Mystery #1

by Margaret Mizushima

Killing Trail: A Timber Creek K-9 Mystery by [Mizushima, Margaret]

When a young girl is found dead in the mountains outside Timber Creek, life-long resident Officer Mattie Cobb and her partner, K-9 police dog Robo, are assigned to the case that has rocked the small Colorado town.

With the help of Cole Walker, local veterinarian and a single father, Mattie and Robo must track down the truth before it claims another victim. But the more Mattie investigates, the more she realizes how many secrets her hometown holds. And the key may be Cole’s daughter, who knows more than she’s saying.

The murder was just the beginning, and if Mattie isn’t careful, she and Robo could be next. Suspenseful and smart, Killing Trail is a gripping read that will have readers clamoring for more Mattie and Robo for years to come. Fans of Nevada Barr and C.J. Box will love this explosive debut.

Amazon

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Have you read any of these?

And how about some help! Which do you think I should read first?

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Help me choose my first review for 2019!

Posted: December 27, 2018 in Dark Fantasy, horror, Mytery/Thriller, reviews
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I have so many reviews to share from some really great books. This year my first review was for Hell Divers by Nicholas Sansbury Smith and my last review for 2018 will be the latest in his series, Wolves.

Hell Divers (The Hell Divers Series Book 1) by [Smith, Nicholas Sansbury]  Hell Divers IV: Wolves (The Hell Divers Series Book 4) by [Smith, Nicholas Sansbury]

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I’m trying to decide which book to share as my first review in 2019. I’ve narrowed it down to five and would love for you to help me choose which one to do.

Here they are.

The Sorrows

by Jonathan Janz

39655749

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Synopsis

Ben Shadeland and Eddie Blaze are the hottest young music composers in Hollywood. Fresh off an Oscar nomination, they’ve just been chosen to score a big-budget horror movie by Lee Stanley, the most demanding director in film. But Ben, the creative half of the duo, hasn’t written a note since his wife divorced him and got custody of their three-year-old son.

Chris Blackwood is the gambling-addicted heir to the Blackwood fortune, which includes the Sorrows, an island off the coast of northern California. The island and its castle have been uninhabited since a series of gruesome, unexplained murders in 1925, but Chris needs money, and to get it he allows Ben, Eddie, Claire Harden (an aspiring composer), and Eva Rosales (Lee Stanley’s gorgeous assistant) to stay a month in Castle Blackwood.

Eddie is certain an eerie, isolated setting is just what Ben needs to find musical inspiration for a horror film. But what they find is more horrific than any movie.

Amazon

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Bane County

Forgotten Moon #1

by J.R. Rice

30521395

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Synopsis

The large river-island of Bane County has a troubled past; but some histories are eagerly forgotten, especially those written in blood.

Nestled into the foothills of the National Wildlife Refuge, the small rural town of Silver Canyon seems idyllic to most; but a long-slumbering evil is about to reawaken.

Seventeen-year-old Bryce McNeel is your average teenage boy, living on a cattle ranch with his grandparents. Well, average genius, but he prefers to keep that fact to himself, no one likes a know-it-all.

When Bryce learns of a series of grisly deaths and mutilations that occurred decades earlier, his curiosity gets the better of him. Together with his cousin Jackson, Bryce sets out to learn more about the macabre event; but as they delve deeper into the history and legends of Bane County, the two boys are horrified by what they find.

Unfortunately, history has a way of repeating itself.

As friends and neighbors begin to go missing, or worse, they find themselves embroiled in a battle for their young lives.

Amazon

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How To Save An Undead Life

by Hailey Edwards

36072667

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Synopsis

Grier Woolworth spends her nights weaving spooky tales of lost souls and tragedies for tourists on the streets of downtown Savannah. Hoop skirt and parasol aside, it’s not a bad gig. The pay is crap, but the tips keep the lights on in her personal haunted mansion and her pantry stocked with ramen.

Life is about as normal as it gets for an ex-necromancer hiding among humans. Until the society that excommunicated Grier offers her a second chance at being more than ordinary. Too bad no one warned her the trouble with being extraordinary is it can get you killed.

Warning: This book contains one ex-con/ex-heiress with a pet zombie parakeet who lives next door to her ex-army/ex-crush. Brace yourself, we’re talking more exes than a pirate treasure map here.

Amazon

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Devouring Dark

by Alan Baxter

41128507

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Synopsis

DEVOURING DARK is an urban horror novel about a man plagued since childhood by a malevolent darkness that threatens to consume him. After a lifetime spent wrestling for control over this onslaught, Matt McLeod has learned to wield his mysterious paranormal skill to achieve an odious goal: retribution as a supernatural vigilante.

When one such hit goes bad, McLeod finds himself ensnared in a multi-tentacled criminal enterprise caught between a corrupt cop and a brutal mobster. His only promise of salvation may be a bewitching woman who shares his dark talent but has murderous designs of her own.

The gritty thriller DEVOURING DARK is based on Baxter’s award-winning short story “Shadows of the Lonely Dead” and will be available worldwide on November 6, 2018.

Amazon

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The Current

by Tim Johnston

36387759

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Synopsis

A Stunning New Novel from the Bestselling Author of Descent

Tim Johnston, whose 2015 national bestseller Descent was called “astonishing” by the Washington Post and “unforgettable” by the Miami Herald, returns with another tour de force about the indelible impact of acrime on the lives of innocent people.

When two young women leave their college campus in the dead of winter for a 700-mile drive north to Minnesota, they suddenly find themselves fighting for their lives in the icy waters of the Black Root River, just miles from home. One girl’s survival, and the other’s death—murder, actually—stun the citizens of a small Minnesota town, thawing memories of another young woman who lost her life in the same river ten years earlier, and whose killer may yet live among them. One father is forced to relive his agony while another’s greatest desire—to bring a killer to justice—is revitalized . . . and the girl who survived the icy plunge cannot escape the sense that she is connected to that earlier unsolved case by more than a river. Soon enough she’s caught up in an investigation of her own that will unearth long-hidden secrets, and stoke the violence that has long simmered just below the surface of the town. Souls frozen in time, ghosts and demons, the accused and the guilty, all stir to life in this cold northern place where memories, like treachery, run just beneath the ice, and where a young woman can come home but still not be safe.

Brilliantly plotted, unrelentingly suspenseful, and beautifully realized, The Current is a gripping page-turner about how the past holds the key to the future as well as an unbreakable grip on the present.

Amazon

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All of these were great reads.

So, what do you think?

Which one do you think I should share for the start of a new year?

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

The Hidden Cities Series ~ Tour and Giveaway

Posted: December 26, 2018 in Dark Fantasy, giveaways, thriller, urban fantasy
Tags: , ,
7
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Mind the Gap
The Hidden Cities Book 1
by Christopher Golden & Tim Lebbon
Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy Thriller
 
“The super-fast pacing and creepy touches give this teen adventure plenty
of character.”—Publishers Weekly
Returning to her home in London, teen Jasmine Towne realizes just how long
she’s been training for the moment she would be on her own. Her
paranoid mother’s last words, scrawled in her own blood, demand her
action: JAZZ HIDE FOREVER. In this moment, the strange men who have
always hung around her family’s life—whom her mother called the
Uncles—become starkly sinister. And they’re on her trail.
Seeking cover in the Underground, Jazz slips through a mysterious gate, down
tunnels, and seemingly through time. Inside an abandoned city of bomb
shelters and forgotten Tube stations, she finds temporary refuge with
a gang of petty thieves. Flashes of the past, spectral and haunting,
share the tunnels…with no regard for the living. For how long can
Jazz hide from the terrors of both her worlds?
 
 
The Map of Moments
The Hidden Cities Book 2
 
To what lengths would you go to undo the pain of the past? 
“Golden and Lebbon have far outstripped their past efforts with this
wonderfully creepy thriller of a ghost story.”
—Publishers Weekly starred review
“Golden and Lebbon vividly evoke the rich, enduring character of New Orleans,
as well as spinning a compelling fantasy yarn that builds momentum as
Max works his way through the city’s history.” —Booklist
Max Corbett has returned to New Orleans for the funeral of his former
girlfriend, Gabrielle Doucette, but between the destruction wrought
by Hurricane Katrina and the devastation of his ruined relationship,
the city feels alien.
At Gabrielle’s graveside, Max meets Ray. Over a bottle of bourbon in a
dive bar, the two discuss Gabrielle’s unique connection to the city.
Ray suggests that this connection might mean her tragic death is not
truly her end. And he happens to know a real magic practitioner—not
some Bourbon Street phony—who could open a window to the past and
send a warning to Gabrielle. Maybe Max can even deliver the warning
in person? Ray offers him a cheap map and says the process is simple.
Follow the charted moments to build up a little bit of magical clout
and then find the man with the gift.
Surging with liquid courage, Max takes the ludicrous tourist map and sets
off. But it turns out this quest is not so easy. When Max enters the
First Moment, he is drawn into the fabric of history to witness dark
and violent periods, and with each passing step, a grim conspiracy is
revealed. Suddenly in too deep, there is nowhere for Max to go but
through. But when you trudge through a swamp, you’re going to get muddy.
 
 
The Chamber of Ten
The Hidden Cities Book 3
 
 
Archaeologist Dr. Geena Hodge is on the precipice of success: her team has found an
entrance to an underground chamber while searching for the Petrarch’s
lost library. A documentarian is joining her team for the descent
into the long-hidden structure and may be the key to extensive
funding. Best of all, she is able to share the excitement of this
momentous occasion with her assistant-slash-lover, Nico, whose
psychic presence resonates in her own mind.
Within a strikingly preserved room—unlike any Venetian excavation—the
team finds only one artifact: a small vessel that immediately
mesmerizes Nico. While the team investigates a slab of granite inlaid
in the floor, Nico becomes transfixed by the object, and before he
can be stopped, he has the urn in his hands. Then, it is broken open
on the ground. And with that, the impossibly withheld groundwater
begins to fill the chamber…
In the clamor to escape the rapidly flooding room and save the found
texts, the team is sent in all directions. And Nico’s mind, always
attuned to Geena’s, seems to go quiet. His actions in the days
after the incident feel unlike him, and his consciousness seems to
dissolve beneath the weight of his experience with the artifact. What
insidious force was within? And what can satisfy its restless will?
 
 
The Shadow Men
The Hidden Cities Book 4
 
From Beacon Hill to Southie, historic Boston is a town of vibrant
neighborhoods knit into a seamless whole. But as Jim Banks and Trix
Newcomb learn in a terrifying instant, it is also a city
divided—split into three separate versions of itself by a mad
magician once tasked with its protection.
Jim is happily married to Jenny, with whom he has a young daughter,
Holly. Trix is Jenny’s best friend, practically a member of the
family—although she has secretly been in love with Jenny for years.
Then Jenny and Holly inexplicably disappear—and leave behind a
Boston in which they never existed. Only Jim and Trix remember them.
Only Jim and Trix can bring them back.
With the help of Boston’s Oracle, an elderly woman with magical powers,
Jim and Trix travel between the fractured cities, for that is where
Jenny and Holly have gone. But more is at stake than one family’s
happiness. If Jim and Trix should fail, the spell holding the
separate Bostons apart will fail too, and the cities will reintegrate
in a cataclysmic implosion. Someone, it seems, wants just that.
Someone with deadly shadow men at their disposal.
 
 
 
 
CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN
is the New York Times bestselling author of such novels as Ararat,
Snowblind, Tin Men, The Myth Hunters, Wildwood Road, The Boys Are
Back in Town, The Ferryman, Strangewood, and Of Saints and Shadows.
He has also written books for teens and young adults, including
Poison Ink, Soulless, and the thriller series Body of Evidence,
honored by the New York Public Library and chosen as one of YALSA’s
Best Books for Young Readers.
Goldenco-created (with Mike Mignola) two cult favorite comic book series,
Baltimore and Joe Golem: Occult Detective. As an editor, he has
worked on the short story anthologies Seize the Night, The New Dead,
and Dark Cities, among others, and has also written and co-written
comic books, video games, screenplays, a BBC radio play, the online
animated series Ghosts of Albion (with Amber Benson), and a network
television pilot. A frequent speaker at conferences, schools, and
libraries, Golden is also co-host of the podcasts Three Guys with
Beards and Defenders Dialogue, and the founder of the Merrimack
Valley Halloween Book Festival.

 

Golden was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his
family. His original novels have been published in more than fourteen
languages in countries around the world.
 
 
TIM LEBBON
has been published for over twenty years and have written over forty
horror, dark fantasy and tie-in novels, including The Silence,
Relics, Coldbrook, The Cabin in the Woods, the Noreela series of
fantasy books (Dusk, Dawn, Fallen and The Island), the NY Times
Bestselling novelisation of the movie 30 Days of Night, Alien: Out of
the Shadows, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi – Into the Void, and several
books with Christopher Golden, including Blood of the Four, The Map
of Moments and The Secret Journeys of Jack London. He’s also written
hundreds of novellas and novels and have won several prestigious awards.
The movie of The Silence, starring Stanley Tucci and Kiernan Shipka, is
out summer 2018. Pay the Ghost, starring Nicolas Cage, was released
in 2016. More of his work is currently in development for the big screen.
 
 
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive content and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Tour Grand Finale and Giveaway ~ Bound Beauty

Posted: December 8, 2018 in Dark Fantasy, giveaways, YA
Tags: , ,
8


On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Book Tour Grand Finale for
Bound Beauty
By Jennifer Silverwood

We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops
you can see snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:

Launch – Note from the Author

…Bound Beauty is the third and (mostly) final volume in this series. Not only do we finally get a peek inside the true nature of the prince’s curse, but we get epic romance, epic journeys and one very epic beastly battle. And because this is Gothic fiction, plenty of ghosts, magic and heaving bodices. 😉 Thanks for coming on this adventure with me, fantasy avengers!

—Jennifer

Mythical Books – Guest Post

10 Fun Facts About Wylder Tales

1. Wylder Tales takes its name from the borderland between our world and the magical world across the Veil, Wylderland.

2. Vynasha’s journey is loosely based on Beauty and the Beast, but written more like a “the legend behind the fairy tale” than a strict retelling…

J.L. Mbewe – Excerpt

Vynasha stiffened as familiar sensations washed over her, the sound of dripping water on cobblestone, the scent of her beast. She opened her eyes in fear and released a breath of relief to meet a pair of emerald rather than silver.

“Baalor?” Her voice was scratchy from sleep, strained from more nightmares, no doubt.

Concern creased a faint line between his brow, but then his fingers brushed her curls from her face and he smiled. “I have missed your face, witch.”

Vynasha bit her lower lip and didn’t mind the prick of sharp teeth, not when his were sharper. “Wish I could say the same, brute.” She reached to touch his beard and took in his haggard look. “You just got back.”

Baalor’s smile widened, though it couldn’t disguise his fatigue. Or the darkness lingering in his eyes. “Do you always sleep by the fire when I am away?”

Rockin’ Book Reviews – Excerpt

It said something of the nature of majik, that Vynasha found Grendall’s amulet so easily. She clawed at the snow until she reached a hole in the dirt and uncovered Erythea’s hiding place. The sight of Old Ced’s towsack wrenched a dry sob from her chest.

“Nothing is as it seems…” Father had said before he died. Before she killed him.

She tore a hole in the sack in her haste to retrieve the amulet and snarled at the —-ed amethyst in her hands. Her hands shook as she fell back into the snow at her feet and gripped the talisman. Grandmother had once called this a key and a burden. Thea saw it as a weapon. Vynasha yearned to welcome the security of the bond, longed to feel in control of her majik again. She wanted to throw it as far as the east is from the west.

Wishful Endings – Guest Post

What’s in a Cover?

I have a very unique relationship with my cover designer. I first discovered Najla Qamber in 2012, when I was scouring Deviantart for talented artists. I had drawn a cover for one of my novellas, but knew it wasn’t quite up to snuff. Also, I wanted someone to design my cover for my current WIP, Silver Hollow. I stumbled across Najla’s profile, messaged her and the rest is history. Well, not quite. Najla has covered every single one of my novels (and recovered…bless her). Every time I gave her a concept stirring around in my brain, she broke through my expectations with her brilliance…

Locks, Hooks and Books – Review

“…I enjoyed this retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It ends with a cliffhanger that makes me want more. . . . Scarred Beauty is a pretty good addition to the Wylder Tales series. . . . I cannot wait to get my hands on Bound Beauty to see what happens next. I enjoy Jennifer Silverwood’s story telling.”

Colorimetry – Guest Post

Final Page from Soraya’s Journal

I suppose it best to finish an enchanted text with a proper introduction. After all, the spells shall not take effect without the name of the caster. Everything begins with a name. My name was Soraya Wenderdowne and I was born to the most noble royal house among all the Fayere of Lunnae. The other peoples call us “lightwings,” but only the royal houses still bore wings of honor. I had always been proud of my wings. Not only were they my most beautiful feature (and trust me when I tell you I was not unpleasant to look upon) but my wings allowed me to fly…

Declarations of a Fangirl – Excerpt

Vynasha sucked in a sharp breath of cold air and leaned heavily on her walking stick.

A firm, but gentle hand squeezed her shoulder. “Alright then, beasty?” Wolfsbane turned his head, before she could catch more than a glimpse of his concern.

Vynasha touched his glove with her clawed hand and smiled. “Just need a moment.” This was a lie, of course. Her calves no longer burned from endless days of hiking up and down mountains and through slippery brambles.

Reading On The Edge – Excerpt

“Aren’t you disgusted by me?”

He jerked back as though struck and she could feel his temper brewing. “Why would I be disgusted by you?”

Vynasha’s knee ached with a sharp pang and she closed her eyes, unconsciously squeezing his arm tighter.

His free hand clasped her waist as he came to face her. “Vynasha,” he beckoned her look at him. “Allies?”

She laughed so she wouldn’t cry, then held up her clawed hand. “Look at me. I’m not what I was before.” She grimaced and shook her head. “I have never been beautiful, I know, but…”

Book Butterfly in Dreamland – Review

“Embark on an epic retelling of Beauty and the Beast with a twist and a gothic flare!”

Bookworm Lisa – Excerpt

In the beginning, all the prince of Bitterhelm could see was the curse.

By day he walked the shadowed halls of his forefathers, the bitter remnant of his kingdom. By night his bones snapped in a moment of agony, until his cries fell into roars. He learned quickly, after wreaking havoc to all the furniture in his stately chamber, to confine himself to the dungeons. There, only the other beasts could hear his screams.

Once the night was through, his manservant, Odym appeared with keys to lead his master back to his chambers. The broken furniture had been discreetly cleared away by the other servants, replaced by pieces from the king’s vacant rooms. Grendall had been too weary to punish them, though his skin crawled for different reasons, lying in the bed of his father.

Books to Light Your Fire – Excerpt

Erythea’s sigh interrupted Vynasha’s darker thoughts. The girl was always chattering about every thought which entered her head. “I’ve never seen spring, did you know?”

Vynasha blinked and for a moment, saw the valley of Whistleande, carpets of fuchsia heather and sage grass.

Thea touched stray branches, infusing blue tendrils of energy into the sleeping buds. “My majik is tied to the earth like Mother’s. It wants to end this winter and let things grow.” She glanced over her shoulder at Vynasha with a crooked smile. “Did you know the last true spring hasn’t come in an age?”

Vynasha pressed her claws into her palms. “Since the curse,” she whispered. Her voice held a rasp she couldn’t shake, ever since the fire. Not even her transformation under the curse could hide what she was before.

We Write Fantasy – Guest Post

Finishing a Trilogy: Part 3

First off, apologies for the misleading title. This is not the third part of a blog serial. It is, however, a post about trilogies, specifically mine. Wylder Tales is a darker (often Gothic) fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast. When I approached what I simply titled “Vynasha” I wanted to tell the classic fairy tale with a legendary bend, much like Snow White and the Huntsman. My first incarnation of Volume 1 was a little different from what you know today. It was also extra heavy on the prose. I can’t help myself sometimes, being a life-long fan of L.M. Montgomery, to love the beauty of language. But I learned over the following two years that the story was too stagnant and bogged down. On the encouragement of my writing coach, I returned to Vynasha and added more characters like Hvalla, Wolfsbane and Resha, cut off most flashbacks and expanded the dialogue. Thus, Craving Beauty was born…

Nicole’s Book Musings – Excerpt

That night, they danced among the Hall of Mirrors, as summer moonlight filtered through the windows. He had kept them closed for so long, but wanted to see the way the stars played off her hair. She was light and laughter incarnate.

He proposed after their prancing steps fell into a sensuous lilt. She sucked in a breath, indeed every servant and even the walls seemed to still, waiting for her reply.

Her smile was soft as she whispered, “Yes.”

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway below, if you haven’t already…

Bound Beauty
(A Wylder Tale #3)
By Jennifer Silverwood
YA Dark Fantasy
Paperback & ebook
December 21st 2018

Beware the bond between blood and beasts…

Vynasha has united the warring human and forgotten clans of Wylderland, claiming her majik and power as curse breaker. Her brother, Ceddrych keeps their nephew safely hidden away while Vynasha and her new allies fight against the feral beasts roaming their borders.

Meanwhile, her friendship with the Iceveins family deepens, unveiling a love she never expected. But her majik is still bound to the cursed prince she left behind and he isn’t done fighting for her soul.

Darker forces walk in the forests, all drawn to Vynasha’s light and the shade of a corrupt Enchantress haunts her waking dreams. A war is about to begin, between the forgotten people of Wylderland and the evil power of Bitterhelm.

Prophecy and Forgotten unite in the epic third chapter of the Wylder Tales Series, a gothic re-telling of Beauty and the Beast.

The Wylder Tales Series
Craving Beauty (Vol. 1)
Wolfsbane’s Daughter (Vol. 1.5)
Scarred Beauty (Vol. 2)
Bound Beauty (Vol. 3)

Goodreads│iBooks│Barnes & Noble│Smashwords│Kobo

Other Books in the Series


Grab the first book, Craving Beauty, for FREE! You can find your preferred
format here. Or grab the compilation of volumes 1, 1.5, and 2 on Amazon.

About the Author

Jennifer Silverwood was raised deep in the heart of Texas and has been spinning yarns a mile high since childhood. In her spare time she reads and writes and tries to sustain her wanderlust, whether it’s the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania, the highlands of Ecuador or a road trip to the next town. Always on the lookout for her next adventure, in print or reality, she dreams of one day proving to the masses that everything really is better in Texas. She is the author of two series—Heaven’s Edge and Wylder Tales—and the stand-alone titles Stay and Silver Hollow.

Website│Blog│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Tumblr

Tour Giveaway

PRIZE PACK #1: Print copies of Wylder Tales Vol 1-2 along with a “Gothic fairytale” themed basket. (US only.)

PRIZE PACK #2: $10 Amazon eGift Card and winner’s choice of two of the author’s ebooks (if a novella series is pickes, i.e. Heaven’s Edge, then all three novellas will be included). (Open internationally.)

Ends December 12, 2018

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

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christmas tree photo: TreeLightsCat TreeLightsCat.gif

Saturday Screams #56 ~ My Halloween List Needs Some Help

Posted: August 18, 2018 in apocalypse, Dark Fantasy, horror, otherworldly
Tags: ,
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Welcome to my Saturday Screams where I share books that, well, make you scream!

Today I’m doing something different. Instead of sharing a review or two, I’m sharing some books for my Spooktacular Reviews that I did last year for Halloween. I share a review for a scary story each day of the month and I’m using some books from my TBR pile this year. This is my partial list so far, not including some ARCs and review books that I’ll be sprinkling in.

I’m also looking for suggestions, so lay em on me! I’m especially looking for some good werewolf, haunted house and creatures books.

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  25592925  40717795

31435447  Ghosts: The Complete Series by [Cross, Amy]

35493853

39669115  39704312

29481260  39401605

29567891

24924840  37645830

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Freakin Fridays #65 ~ Monsterland Reanimated by Michael Okon

Posted: March 30, 2018 in Creatures, Dark Fantasy, horror, New Release, Trailer
Tags: , ,
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Welcome to Freakin Fridays, where I share news and my reviews of books that scare you, thrill you, and get those endorphins pumping.

Can’t wait to share!

I was so excited to learn that Michael Okon has the next book in his Monsterland series releasing in April. On Friday the 13th!

And I’ve got the trailer for Monsterland Reanimated to share with you. Looks like all kinds of fun to me.

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So, what do you think? Have you read Monsterland? I did and it was a whole lot of fun.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Raw and Wriggling ~ Witch Creek by Laura Bickle ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: March 9, 2018 in Dark Fantasy, giveaways, reviews
Tags: , , , ,
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Witch Creek

The Wildlands Series

Book Four

Laura Bickle

35068639

 

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Date of Publication: Feb. 27, 2018

ISBN: 978-0062567314 / ASIN: B071VBHPW7

Number of pages: 384 / Word Count: 88,160

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My Review

So much drama. Petra is in treatment for cancer. Sig, her coyote sidekick, is lost without her. And her husband, Gabriel, is still missing. And now there’s a flesh eating mermaid on the loose.

 Petra is such a strong woman. She’s overcome some truly crazy obstacles in the world of alchemy and finally married her true love. It all sounds rosy, but the Big C is kicking her butt. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine cancer as her deadliest foe. As she weakens and all things point to a bad ending, she uses her remaining time and strength to find Gabriel. And nothing, not a crazy would be alchemist or a deadly mermaid, will stop her.

Witch Creek was an emotional rollercoaster for me. I adore Petra and always pictured her as a fierce warrior, strong and unstoppable. But cancer has weakened her. My heart went out to her. Her once strong body so gaunt and weak. The face staring back at her from the mirror, a stranger.  She may be down but don’t count her out, though. I loved that she still had a trick or two up her sleeve. And when the unthinkable happened, I had to stop, go back, and read it again, stunned.

Sig still brings a smile to my face. A loyal companion to Petra and always looking out for her. But he’s still a wily coyote and up to some fun antics.

And the mermaid, Muireen. She’s a nasty one. Tricky and not too pretty to look at, she likes her meals raw and wriggling. Don’t get too close. She lurks just beneath the surface. Hungry. Waiting.

While not as fast moving as the previous books, Petra’s story is still a strong one and the saga is still addictive.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

In the backcountry of Yellowstone, evil moves below the surface . . .

Following Nine of Stars comes the next chapter in Laura Bickle’s critically acclaimed Wildlands series.

As the daughter of an alchemist, Petra Dee has battled supernatural horrors and experienced astonishing wonders. But there’s no magic on earth that can defeat her recent cancer diagnosis, or help find her missing husband, Gabriel. Still, she would bet all her remaining days that the answer to his disappearance lies in the dark subterranean world beneath the Rutherford Ranch on the outskirts of Temperance, Wyoming.

Gabe is being held prisoner by the sheriff and heir to the ranch, Owen Rutherford. Owen is determined to harness the power of the Tree of Life—and he needs Gabe to reveal its magic. Secretly, the sheriff has also made a pact to free a creature of the underground, a flesh-devouring mermaid. Muirenn has vowed to exact vengeance on Gabe, who helped imprison her, but first . . . she’s hungry. Once freed, she will swim into Yellowstone—to feed.

With her coyote sidekick Sig, Petra must descend into the underworld to rescue Gabe before it’s too late . . . for both of them.

HarperVoyager       Amazon      Kindle

 BN     Books a Million      Indiebound

Enjoy this glimpse inside:

 

Peering through the cattails, she saw a man with a fishing pole, standing on an outcropping. He seemed alone, caught in a bit of reverie, gazing at his line skipping along the surface of the water.

She dipped below the surface of the water, toward the shiver of the fishing line. With green-spotted fingers, she lifted the struggling fish from the hook. The line jerked away.

The man swore.

Muirenn lifted her head above the water.

“Holy shit.” The man stumbled backward. “I didn’t realize you were swimming there . . . I . . .”

His expression changed from embarrassment to curiosity as he looked at her. The pupils of his eyes dilated. “Who . . . are you?”

Muirenn gripped the fish close to her chest, giving a small smile.

The fisherman crouched on the rock, setting his pole beside him. “Wow. You’re uh . . . green? Is that real?”

Muirenn cocked her head and slipped forward a bit in the water. The edge of her tail skimmed above the surface.

“Is that like . . . one of those tails that the girls have at that park in Florida? For a movie or something?” His suntanned brow wrinkled. “No. That’s real,” he decided. “You, um . . . want the fish? You can have it.”

She was within arm’s length of him. She released the squirming fish into the water.

“You wanted to let it go? Look, I . . .”

The man talked too much. She swam closer, tentatively.

The fisherman looked at her, at her dappled skin and the dark rust hair spreading into the water. She wouldn’t ordinarily have been so bold. The weight off her tail was going to her head. She let him take in the black of her eyes, the gills on her throat. He gazed in wonder, and his fingers twitched to a small square piece of plastic on top of his tackle box.

“Can I take your picture? What . . . are you?”

A smile played across her lips, and she spoke to him in a silvery voice. “I’m the Mermaid.”

“Wow. I . . . wow. I’m, uh, Norm. Do I, like, make a wish or something?”

“You can, if you want. I’ll listen.”

She reached up with delicate fingers to touch him. Her fingers brushed the pockets of his fishing vest, playing with wonder over the bits and baubles there meant to lure the attention of fish. The man forgot about his camera and stared, transfixed.

Muirenn reached up for his collar . . .

. . . and dragged him down into the water.

He splashed and flailed. She brought him down—down to the bottom of the creek. It wasn’t so far, but it was far enough for a land dweller. He couldn’t fight her for long. He thrashed until his lungs grew heavy with creek water. He convulsed as the lack of oxygen reached his heart and filtered up to his brain. And then he stopped.

Muirenn grinned, showing row upon row of shark-like teeth. She ripped off his arm and began to chew. It had been so long since she’d had anything but the errant fish that wandered into her realm . . . this was a meal worth waiting for.

The creek ran red.

Red as the idle red-and-white bobber drifting on the surface of the water.

 

About Author Laura Bickle:

Laura Bickle grew up in rural Ohio, reading entirely too many comic books out loud to her favorite Wonder Woman doll. After graduating with an MA in Sociology – Criminology from Ohio State University and an MLIS in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she patrolled the stacks at the public library and worked with data systems in criminal justice. She now dreams up stories about the monsters under the stairs, also writing contemporary fantasy novels under the name Alayna Williams.

 

Her work has been included in the ALA’s Amelia Bloomer Project 2013 reading list and the State Library of Ohio’s Choose to Read Ohio reading list for 2015-2016.

Website / Newsletter / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Laura’s series quickly became a favorite of mine! I never miss each new book.

22999188  25489955  25943818

Click on the covers for my reviews.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

The Friday 56 #177 ~ Witch Creek by Laura Bickle

Posted: March 2, 2018 in Dark Fantasy, The Friday 56
Tags: , , ,
36

Welcome to The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

 

This is a really fun meme!

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!

My 56 for this week is from:

Witch creek

A Wildlands Novel #4

  by Laura Bickle

35068639

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Dark Fantasy

My 56 from the eBook.

The world was much different than it had been when she strode through it on two legs.

It was poison.

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Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

In the backcountry of Yellowstone, evil moves below the surface . . .

Following Nine of Stars comes the next chapter in Laura Bickle’s critically acclaimed Wildlands series

As the daughter of an alchemist, Petra Dee has battled supernatural horrors and experienced astonishing wonders. But there’s no magic on earth that can defeat her recent cancer diagnosis, or help find her missing husband, Gabriel. Still, she would bet all her remaining days that the answer to his disappearance lies in the dark subterranean world beneath the Rutherford Ranch on the outskirts of Temperance, Wyoming.

Gabe is being held prisoner by the sheriff and heir to the ranch, Owen Rutherford. Owen is determined to harness the power of the Tree of Life—and he needs Gabe to reveal its magic. Secretly, the sheriff has also made a pact to free a creature of the underground, a flesh-devouring mermaid. Muirenn has vowed to exact vengeance on Gabe, who helped imprison her, but first . . . she’s hungry. Once freed, she will swim into Yellowstone—to feed.

With her coyote sidekick Sig, Petra must descend into the underworld to rescue Gabe before it’s too late . . . for both of them.

Amazon / B&N

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Leave your link and I’ll drop by your 56.

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Book Tour and Giveaway ~ Different Not Damaged by Andy Peloquin

Posted: November 13, 2017 in Dark Fantasy, giveaways, Short stories and collections
Tags: , , ,
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Different, Not Damaged
by Andy Peloquin
Genre: Dark Fantasy Short Stories
 
Strength from Weakness
Disability becomes Power
Some call them disabilities, but for others they are gifts:
– A voiceless child painting visions of death.
– A killer with a deadly message plagued by a burden of guilt.
– A priestess divinely empowered to absorb others’ pain.
– A soldier fighting for courage in the face of fear.
– A broken warrior-priest on a mission of vengeance.
– A thief desperate to escape the burden of his memories.
Betrayed by mind or body, these people struggle to
survive in a grim world that takes no pity on the weak. Yet they will
discover that they are simply different, not damaged.
This collection of dark fantasy short stories will keep you turning the
page as you experience life through the eyes of the
differently-abled.

 

Pick up this uniquely heart-wrenching
book today because you want to feel what it means to live with a
disability.
What Readers Are Saying:
This collection of stories keeps you engrossed right through to the end. –
S.S.

These stories about people trying to overcome, or at least come to terms
with, the hardships of their lives. Worth the read! – T.E.
This is one of those books that leaves you wanting more. – S.S
 
 
I am, first and foremost, a storyteller and an artist–words are my
palette. Fantasy is my genre of choice, and I love to explore the
darker side of human nature through the filter of fantasy heroes,
villains, and everything in between. I’m also a freelance writer, a
book lover, and a guy who just loves to meet new people and spend
hours talking about my fascination for the worlds I encounter in the
pages of fantasy novels.

Fantasy provides us with an escape, a way to forget about our mundane
problems and step into worlds where anything is possible. It
transcends age, gender, religion,race, or lifestyle–it is our way of
believing what cannot be, delving into the unknowable, and
discovering hidden truths about ourselves and our world in a brand
new way. Fiction at its very best!
 
 
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts and a giveaway!
 
 
 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Kindred by Tiffany Apan ~ Book Tour and Giveaway

Posted: November 5, 2017 in Dark Fantasy, giveaways, Romance
Tags: , , , ,
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Kindred
The Birthrite Series #2
by Tiffany Apan
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
 
It is the summer of 1933 and nearly two years since that fateful
Halloween night in Plains, New York.
Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, eighteen-year-old Cletus Blake spends his
days working to help his family through the massive economic
recession spreading throughout the United States and many other areas
of the world. As society struggles to accept that the economic surge
of the 1920s are long gone, Cletus also clings to the memory of his
last phone conversation with his cousin Dorothy. Having formed and
maintained a relationship with two of her close friends – the
recently married Reginald and Gail Carr Johnson – the three find
solace in regular communication with one another.
Like Dorothy, Cletus possesses supernatural abilities inherited through
his bloodline. His vivid dreams and visions – including ones of a
beautiful young Romani woman and twin baby boys – continue to
increase in strength. Meanwhile, Reginald and Gail begin falling prey
to dark adversaries that have been lying in wait.
Evil surrounds at every turn, old friends race to help, and ancient evil
re-emerges. A war between worlds brews beneath the surface,
threatening to rip the protective seams that keep the portals
sealed.
Then in the midst of it
all, Cletus happens upon a caravan traveling through his Ohio town.
The very familiar Romanichal family’s history ties not only to his
own past, but to all the kin of the four men that experienced worlds
outside of their own on that summer solstice in 1844. All are linked
to a future that will reunite the Blakes and the Livingstons, two
families that at one time, shared a very unlikely
friendship.
Kindred is the second
full-length novel in The Birthrite Series. Picking up from where
Descent and Sacred Atonement: A Novelette left off, the story
continues to challenge all that is known about light and dark, good
and evil. Passion, intrigue, and secrets abound as history unravels.
Revelations uncovered in previous installments are given new
perspectives, taking the reader on a thrilling ride into a world
where nothing is ever what it appears to be.
 
 
 
 
Don’t Miss the
Other Books in the Series:
DESCENT
The Birthrite Series #1
SACRED ATONEMENT: A NOVELLA
The Birthrite Series #1.5
MADE IN HEAVEN
A Birthrite Series Short
FREE on Smashwords
 
 
Tiffany Apan grew up among the thick forests of the Appalachian Mountains in
Northeastern Pennsylvania. It was there she began honing artistic
abilities and received much of her creative inspiration. A misfit
among her peers (she was the only one in her fifth grade writing
class obsessed enough with Vikings and Norwegian mythology to write
poems about them), Tiffany was highly active in the artistic
community in Wilkes-Barre, PA, involving herself in all music,
theater, visual arts, and writing. Eventually, she settled quite
comfortably into a role as “that artsy kid in black” who sits in
a coffee shop, drinking endless amounts of coffee and tea while
writing furiously in a journal or sketchpad.
After graduating high school, she left the Northeastern PA ghosts for the
Southeastern PA zombies (Pittsburgh). Upon the move, Tiffany became
involved with the indie film scene, landing supporting roles in a
couple films. This also gave way to the release of her music with
partner in crime, Jason English. Since then, she has gone on to act
in several films and theater productions with starring and supporting
roles, release music to critical acclaim, and receive accolades for
her writing and producing.
The Appalachian Mountains serve as a backdrop for many of her stories,
including The Cemetery by the Lake and The Birthrite Series.
You can check out more of her work (writing, music, film, etc) on
her website, blog, Amazon, and other social media.
 
 
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts and a giveaway!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

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