Archive for the ‘Fantasy’ Category

My Monday Minis Reviews #51 ~ Ink and Bone and Ink and Bone

Posted: January 2, 2017 in Fantasy, horror, Monday's Minis, Mytery/Thriller, reviews, YA
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Welcome to My Monday Minis Reviews where I share short reviews of books I’ve read. For today I’ll be sharing two books with the same titles but different authors and story lines.

Ink and Bone

by Lisa Unger

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Genre: Mystery / Thriller / Horror

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My Review

After reading the synopsis for this book, no way was I not reading it.

A father and son shot, left wounded in the Hollows while the daughter, Abbey, is dragged away by her abductor.

A young woman, haunted by dreams and ghosts, paints her body with tattoos, slowly losing control of her gifts.

The Hollows, buried in winter snow, not giving up it’s secrets.

A mother struggling to stay sane, makes a last desperate attempt to find her daughter.

I enjoy it when a story pulls me in right from the beginning and the author did just that. I lost track of things going on around me and kept reading …. kept reading, until I was done.

The character’s are strongly developed and drive the story, and the plot is busy and exhilarating, reminding me of a dangerous winding road. You race around each bend, never knowing what waits in the road to send the story out of control.

A real page turner for anyone looking for a thriller with some suspense and horror, plus a bit of the paranormal thrown in.

4 Stars

Synopsis

An instant page-turner (Lisa Gardner) that straddles the line between thriller and horror…sure to appeal to a wide range of readers, including Stephen King fans. (Booklist, starred) A young woman’s mysterious gift forces her into the middle of a dangerous investigation of a little girl’s disappearance.

Twenty-year-old Finley Montgomery is rarely alone. Visited by people whom others can’t see and haunted by prophetic dreams, she has never been able to control or understand the things that happen to her. When Finley’s abilities start to become too strong for her to handle – and even the roar of her motorcycle or another dazzling tattoo can’t drown out the voices – she turns to the only person she knows who can help her: her grandmother Eloise Montgomery, a renowned psychic living in The Hollows, New York.

Merri Gleason is a woman at the end of her tether after a ten-month-long search for her missing daughter, Abbey. With almost every hope exhausted, she resorts to hiring Jones Cooper, a detective who sometimes works with psychic Eloise Montgomery. Merri’s not a believer, but she’s just desperate enough to go down that road, praying that she’s not too late. Time, she knows, is running out.

As a harsh white winter moves into The Hollows, Finley and Eloise are drawn into the investigation, which proves to have much more at stake than even the fate of a missing girl. As Finley digs deeper into the town and its endless layers, she is forced to examine the past, even as she tries to look into the future. Only one thing is clear: The Hollows gets what it wants, no matter what.

Amazon

~~~~~

Ink and Bone

by Rachel Caine

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Genre: YA Fantasy

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My Review

A book about the Great Library of Alexandria, and a fantasy to boot. I was sold and knew it would be a good fit for me.

Owning books is forbidden in this world. You can view and read books through the use of alchemy, but can’t actually own a book.

I don’t know about you but I love my physical books. I just know I’d break the rules and something terrible would happen. And so it goes with this story. Jess breaks the rules with his illegal cache of books. How interesting as he’s assigned to spy on those who break those very rules. When something wondrous and potentially dangerous is created it could change the world. Chaos ensues and it’s not just books that will be burned.

Ooh, now how does that grab ya? Once I got familiar with this world I was quickly swept away. Lots of intrigue and suspense kept me enthralled right to the finale.

This is an exciting beginning to a promising fantasy series. I’ll be visiting it again.

4 Stars

Synopsis

In an exhilarating new series, “New York Times” bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time.
Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.
Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family. Jess has been sent to be his family spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library s service.
When his friend inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe knowledge is more valuable than any human life and soon both heretics and books will burn.”

Amazon

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Saturday Screams #22 ~ Vincent, Survivor

Posted: December 31, 2016 in Fantasy, reviews, urban fantasy
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Welcome back to my Saturday Screams.

Got a good one to share with you today, so let’s get to it!

Vincent, Survivor

Vincent Series #1

by O.L. Eggert

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Genre: Fantasy / Urban Fantasy

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My Review

This is a gritty read to sink your teeth into.

The story goes….Vincent Li isn’t the nicest guy. He’s had to do some bad things to survive in Oakwood. Not the best of neighborhoods. He’s thrilled when his brother Dante shows up. Been doing a stint in prison.

They’re on their way to go see Grandma and not looking forward to it. Bette is affectionately known as Grandma to many in the neighborhood and helped the brothers survive the streets when they were left on their own. She may look frail, but her tongue lashings are sharp as a whip.

Shortly after arriving and taking the heat from Grandma, they discover she actually has a real granddaughter, Elise. There’s no time to get into the fact that Grandma always said she didn’t have family because things go sideways.

Minotaurs appear on the streets. And other strange beings start emerging everywhere. Gates have been opened and creatures from another world are pouring through them, hell bent on taking over the planet for their own.

This is one of those books where the pace and action starts fast and never slows down until the finish. It’s filled with strange creatures and some genuine characters.

I’d have to say Vincent, Dante, and Grandma are my favorites. Vincent and Dante have a tight bond, not just because they’re brothers, but also because they’ve had to go through and do some bad things to survive. They’re rough around the edges, but fierce when things turn to crap.

And Grandma is a tough cookie. She may be in her sixties, but she’s full of spit and vinegar. Her tough love helped to keep Dante and Vincent from being statistics on a police blotter.

One other to add to the list is Flea. A pint sized enigma. He’s from another world and seems a bit clueless at times, but he comes in handy when things get ugly.

There are plenty of other characters, some minor and some major, that flesh out and add to the plot. Too many for me to mention here. And more than one storyline, which I’m hoping I’ll learn more about in upcoming books. This is the first book in the series, and I’m sure we’ll meet many of the characters again in the other books. At least those that survive this one.

With ghouls and killer sentient Minotaurs, along with some other mythical beings rampaging through this story, I’d tag this as an urban fantasy with a pinch of science fiction added in. Lots of action and danger and some well developed characters keep the plot moving fast and the suspense building. And, while this is a series, and the story doesn’t end here, there’s not a huge cliffhanger. You get answers along the way, and an opening for more.

4 Stars

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Some favorite quotes:

“Have you ever known life to be fair? I’d say it’s a downright bitch.”

**

“Nothing binds us together tighter, nothing makes us fight harder, than a healthy dose of hope.”

~~~~~

Synopsis

Vincent Li always assumed he’d die in Oakwood. If the local gangs didn’t get him, then cigarettes and alcohol eventually would.

Now, he’s pretty sure minotaurs will kill him instead, and if not them, the ghouls dragging people into the dark will.

In the wake of an unexplained spike in homicides, a masked figure opens portals to another world—a world filled with dangerous magic and mythological monsters. Creatures that shouldn’t exist suddenly do, and they don’t mix well with humans. Vincent is trapped in Oakwood as the city is torn apart, but he’s no stranger to violence and will do whatever it takes to survive.

Amazon

~~~~~

Author O.L. Eggert

O. L. Eggert

O.L. (Oliver Leland) Eggert has always been a reader of fantasy and sci-fi. His love of the genre spread to everything else in his life, so he ultimately became a big game/book/movie geek. He also enjoys the occasional anime.

He currently resides in the Silicon Valley with his soon-to-be wife and two dogs: Arya and Dexter. Can you guess which characters the dogs are named after?

To learn more about his current writing projects, follow him at:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook

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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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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The Friday 56 #132 ~ Guarded

Posted: December 30, 2016 in Fantasy, The Friday 56, urban fantasy
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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:

 Guarded

The Silverton Chronicles #1

by Carmen Fox

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Genre: Fantasy / Urban Fantasy

From page 56 in the paperback.

He grinned. “Am I the best friend, or what?”

I chuckled. “You are. Remind me to get you a mug that confirms that.”

“Another one? Yeah, alright.”

I’m going to be reviewing Guarded and the second book, Bound, next week. I hope you stop back by. This series is such fun.

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Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

When everyone’s existence depends on the lies they tell, trust doesn’t come easy.

Ivy’s neighbors have a secret. They aren’t human. But Ivy has a secret, too. She knows. As long as everyone keeps quiet, she’s happy working as a P.I. by day and chillaxing with her BFF Florian, a vampire, by night. When a routine pickup drops her in the middle of a murder, her two worlds collide. While Florian knows how to throw a punch, deep down he’s a softie. His idea of scary? Running out of hair product. It’s time Ivy faced facts. Even with a vampire on stand-by, one gal can only kick so many asses.

For help, she must put her faith in others. A human, who might just be the one. A demon, who will, for a price, open the doors to her heritage. And a werewolf, who wants to protect her from herself.

Torn between these men, Ivy must tread carefully, because one wants her heart, one wants her body, and one wants her dead.

AMAZON

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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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Nine Of Stars by Laura Bickle ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: December 21, 2016 in Fantasy, reviews, urban fantasy
Tags: , , , ,
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Nine of Stars

A Wildlands Novel  

by Laura Bickle

On Sale Date: December 27, 2016

ISBN: 9780062437662

Genre:  Contemporary Fantasy

Publisher: Harper Voyager

25943818

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My Review

Wow. Petra and Sig, her adorable coyote companion, are up against a wolf killing Wendigo. You just never know what they’re going to bump into which each new book.

This is the third book in the series. I’ll do my best not to spoil it for you. Just sayin.

The wolf pack Nine Of Stars goes up against a creature that collects the skins of wolves. It ends badly for one and they’re now being hunted down. A magical being, it’s relentless and darn near unstoppable in its pursuit.

Petra is grappling with some personal issues but that takes a second seat when wolves are being attacked and killed in the park. She’s also having to deal with the new sheriff, an odd duck who’s set his sights on Gabe as the killer. And Gabe has problems of his own. Human ones, to be exact.

It’s going to take everything they have and then some to stop Skinflint Jack. The bitter cold and a huge winter storm add to the struggles for these characters. I like when the elements come in to play. A reckoning is coming, and who survives the battle isn’t certain.

I loved this book. I’ve loved all of the books in this series. Petra is bad to the bone and loves with such intensity. And Sig is, well, Sig. What can I say about the wily coyote. He’s something else.

So much has happened in this series and I wonder what’s coming next. Can’t wait to find out.

5 Stars

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About the Book:

Following on the heels of her critically acclaimed prequel novels Dark Alchemy and Mercury Retrograde comes the first installment in Laura Bickle’s dark contemporary fantasy series, Nine of Stars, a Wildlands Novel

Winter has always been a deadly season in Temperance, but this time, there’s more to fear than just the cold…

As the daughter of an alchemist, Petra Dee has faced all manner of occult horrors—especially since her arrival in the small town of Temperance, Wyoming. But she can’t explain the creature now stalking the backcountry of Yellowstone, butchering wolves and leaving only their skins behind in the snow. Rumors surface of the return of Skinflint Jack, a nineteenth-century wraith that kills in fulfillment of an ancient bargain.

The new sheriff in town, Owen Rutherford, isn’t helping matters. He’s a dangerously haunted man on the trail of both an unsolved case and a fresh kill—a bizarre murder leading him right to Petra’s partner Gabriel. And while Gabe once had little to fear from the mortal world, he’s all too human now. This time, when violence hits close to home, there are no magical solutions.

It’s up to Petra and her coyote sidekick Sig to get ahead of both Owen and the unnatural being hunting them all—before the trail turns deathly cold.

Amazon     HarperCollins       Kobo       GooglePlay       BN

~~~~~

Enjoy this glimpse inside.

He’d run as far as he could, into the summer grass that came up almost to his chest. He fantasized for a brief moment about what it would be like to hide in this grass, to build a fort and live among the cows and the ravens that always seemed to mass over the land in swarms, like flies.

He crouched in the grass, making a nest. No one could see him here. He could be out here forever, and no one would ever find him. This world of sunshine and grass and sky would be far preferable to dealing with Sal’s petulant wrath and the anger of his aunt and uncle, who treated Sal like he was the heir to the universe, a young King Arthur wielding a Popsicle stick.

Maybe he was. Owen remembered peering through the grass walls of his hideout into the valley below, at all the vast land and green and gold. He felt a pang of jealousy, but then he saw it.

Something weird.

A man walked along a beaten-down path in the grass along a barbed-wire fence. He looked odd—like he had no arms. The sleeves of his plaid shirt hung at his sides like wet laundry, and he trudged along, looking up at the sky. Ravens swarmed overhead in a seething mass, cawing.

And then Owen saw them dive toward the man.

Owen gasped and clapped his hand over his mouth. The ravens were about to attack that poor crippled man, were going to tear him apart. He crawled forward out of his nest, terrified but compelled to watch.

The ravens slammed into the man, a dozen of them, one after the other, whacking into his body from the front and back. The man stumbled in the flurry of feathers, turning like a scarecrow in a storm as they assaulted him. But that was the funny thing—they didn’t bounce off with chunks of meat in their beaks. They just . . . disappeared.

The man staggered upright, surrounded by a miasma of dust and a few feathers. With a start, Owen realized that his arms had grown back. They’d grown right down past his sleeves, with pale hands that opened and closed.

Owen squeaked.

As if he heard him, the man in the field turned toward Owen with a black and distant gaze.

Owen scuttled backward in the grass, clawing through the stems, and scrambled to his feet. Keeping his head down, he ran as fast as he could back toward the house. His aunt and uncle’s punishment were nothing compared to . . . to that. Whatever that was.

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About Author Laura Bickle

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. 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.

More information about Laura’s work can be found here

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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Win a signed print copy.

US Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Other books in the series.

22999188  25489955

Click on the links below for my reviews.

Dark Alchemy

Mercury Retrograde

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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 click on the lucky Flamingos below!

The Heartbeat Thief ~ Fangs For The Holidays Giveaway

Posted: December 19, 2016 in Fantasy, giveaways, Holidays
Tags: , , , ,
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No matter which holiday you observe at year’s end, they all share something in common: traditions. 

I grew up in the four seasons of northeast Pennsylvania, where Decembers were snowy and cheer-filled. We wore skiddoos and went sleigh-riding and came in the door pink-nose and snow-crusted. 

On Thanksgiving night, the borough would light the holiday street decorations for the first time. We’d sit at the front windows, cheeks against the glass, straining to see down the block to the main street, waiting for the moment the bells and candy canes would light up. 

Those lights meant one thing:  Christmas was almost here!

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Some of my fondest memories are from our family Christmases, which were brimming full of special traditions. 


Many of them came from my Polish grandparents, involving the crèche and the special Christmas Eve dinner. I think that I will forever see Christmas through the lens of my dad’s old 8mm camera, sounds of laughter and singing replaced by the whir of the projection reels and the occasional comment about our early-seventies fashion sense. 


Holidays have always held sentimental value, a sense of community and family and simple togetherness—not just for my Pennsylvania family in the plaid-stricken seventies, but for so many people and places, across the span of centuries.

In my voracious research of the Victorian era (while writing my historical fantasy THE HEARTBEAT THIEF), I encountered an entirely new world of Yuletide traditions. 

Some are still widely celebrated (thanks to Doctor Who Christmas specials, my kids adopted a love for crackers) while some have largely fallen out of practice (such as a parlour game called Snapdragon, which seems like a good way to get a burned finger! Talk about dangerous drinking games…) 

One Victorian tradition that has always appealed to me is Wassail. A verb, to wassail means to go singing door to door, after which one is invited to drink punch from the family’s Wassail bowl. 

A noun, wassail is the punch itself—and every family had their own recipe (kind of like Boilo recipes here in northeast PA). The punch was served in a wassailing bowl. A greeting, “wassail” was a wish for good health to those we cherish. 

Everyone would drink the hot spiced cider together, fostering a lovely sense of community and togetherness, which is the truest spirit of the holidays.

Since immersing myself in the culture and traditions of THE HEARTBEAT THIEF, I wanted to find a recipe for my own family and promptly found about six million different versions (thanks, Google).

They all seem to have a few elements in common, though: apples, spices, and warmth. Some contain ale or wine while others are more kid-friendly; some involve baking whole apples and placing them in the punch bowl; some even contain a whipped egg mixture (like this one from Alton Brown. Considering he is the Einstein of food, I would NEVER refute his wisdom.) 


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I like this one the best, though—the tanginess of orange juice and the lemony zing of fresh ginger make my mouth water just thinking of it. 


Plus, the convenience of a slow cooker is a must with my crazy schedule…not to mention that it’s like potpourri you can drink while warming your hands! All wonderful things, especially when the weather turns chilly and grown-ups are stuck in the house, too old to go sleigh-riding or playing outside in the snow. 


Recipe from A Spicy Perspective



 Ingredients: 

• 1 gallon Musselman’s Apple Cider

• 4 cups orange juice 

• 4 hibiscus tea bags 

• 10 cinnamon sticks 

• 1 tsp. whole cloves 

• 1 Tb. juniper berries 

• 1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, cut into slices 

• 1 apple, sliced into rounds 

• 1 orange, sliced into rounds 

 Directions: 

1. Place all the ingredients in a slow cooker and cover. 

2. Turn the slow cooker on high heat and cook for 3-4 hours, until the color has darkened and the fruit is soft. 

Remove the tea bags and serve hot. 

Maybe when my kids are older, I’ll adjust the recipe to a more adult version. For now, I’d like to make something the whole family can enjoy. It’s tradition, after all, and where’s the fun in a tradition that excludes some of us?

Happy holidays, everyone. Be sure to raise a glass to your loved ones!

Wassail…Drink Hale!


My Victorian fantasy THE HEARTBEAT THIEF follows the journey of the Forever Girl, Senza Fyne. Terrified of death, of growing old, of being forced into an arranged marriage, she makes a deal with the mysterious Mr. Knell and learns the secret of eternal youth and beauty…
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I can picture Senza at a Christmas ball, in high London society, her hair upswept in a pile of curls the color of winter fire, her forever 18-year old figure trimmed out in a luscious gown of emerald silk and taffeta.

 
She’d be the girl with whom every gentleman must dance, the one with whom everyone sought introduction. If you were lucky enough to speak with her, she might treat you a glimpse of her wit and wisdom, far beyond her years…to the sound of her charming laugh…and perhaps she’d touch your hand in a personal gesture.
 
 One touch, and your heart might skip a beat. An entire dance and you just may be left reeling, your senses spinning. Senza Fyne tends to have that effect on a person… 
 
Soon it would be time to gather around the wassail bowl, the spicy sweet scents of apple warming the air, reminding us all of the bounty of harvest and fortune, the cheer of friends gathered for Yuletide. 
 
You might be tempted to raise a glass to her in particular…but your wish for good health would be better spent on someone else. Senza Fyne had no need for wishes, not when her immortal youth, beauty, and perfection were secured by the strongest of magicks. 
 
 But you wouldn’t know that because it’s a secret she’d never tell. If she did, the heartbeat thief would be caught.

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Seek out THE HEARTBEAT THIEF

Haunted by a crushing fear of death, a young Victorian woman discovers the secret of eternal youth—she must surrender her life to attain it, and steal heartbeats to keep it.

In 1860 Surrey, a young woman has only one occupation: to marry. Senza Fyne is beautiful, intelligent, and lacks neither wealth nor connections. Finding a husband shouldn’t be difficult, not when she has her entire life before her. But it’s not life that preoccupies her thoughts. It’s death—and that shadowy spectre haunts her every step.
 
So does Mr. Knell. Heart-thumpingly attractive, obviously eligible—he’d be her perfect match if only he wasn’t so macabre. All his talk about death, all that teasing about knowing how to avoid it…
 
When her mother arranges a courtship with another man, Senza is desperate for escape from a dull prescripted destiny. Impulsively, she takes Knell up on his offer. He casts a spell that frees her from the cruelty of time and the threat of death—but at a steep price. In order to maintain eternal youth, she must feed on the heartbeats of others.
 
It’s a little bit Jane Austen, a little bit Edgar Allan Poe, and a whole lot of stealing heartbeats in order to stay young and beautiful forever. From the posh London season to the back alleys of Whitechapel, across the Channel, across the Pond, across the seas of Time…
 
How far will Senza Fyne go to avoid Death?

 


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About
the Author:
 
AJ (Ash) Krafton writes because
if she doesn’t, her kids will…and NOBODY wants that. A speculative fiction girl
through and through, Ash writes paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels as
well as poetry and short fiction. Her work has won a bunch of awards and was
even nominated for a Pushcart Prize. When she’s not writing, she’s practicing
Tai Chi, listening to loud rock and metal, or crushing on supervillains.
 
Most recently, she’s re-released
her urban fantasy trilogy THE BOOKS OF THE DEMIMONDE because she never really
left the world of Sophie and her Demivamps.
 
Find out more when you visit www.ashkrafton.com
 
Blog: http://ash-krafton.blogspot.com/
 
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ashkrafton
 
Facebook: http://facebook.com/ashkraftonauthor
 
Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/Ash_Krafton
 
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/demimondeash
 
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ash_krafton
 
Website: http://www.ashkrafton.com/
 
Newsletter: http://www.subscribepage.com/b1w9p1
.
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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 click on the Southern Christmas below!

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Teaser Tuesday #183 ~ Mercury Retrograde

Posted: December 13, 2016 in Fantasy, reviews, Teaser Tuesdays, urban fantasy
Tags: , , ,
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Ambrosia  @ The Purple Booker is the new host of Teaser Tuesday.

Head on over and bookmark her website as she will be hosting the meme from now on.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

My Teaser for this week is from

 Mercury Retrograde

Dark Alchemy #2

by Laura Bickle

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My Teaser from 78% of the eBook.

Gabe held the coyote while she succeeded in sticking duct tape to his fur. When she was finished, it looked like she had a coyote dressed in a pink poodle suit. He glowered at her, clearly resenting the loss of the last bit of street cred he owned.

She grabbed him one last time and wrapped a piece of welding blanket around him like a cape.

“There. Now you look like a Jedi.”

This seemed to be acceptable. Sig snorted.

I’ve read several of Laura’s books and always love her characters. Sig is a favorite of mine.

This is from a scene where they are about to go up against the basilisk and she’s trying to protect Sig from it’s venom.

~~~~~

My Review

Lots of stuff happening in this second book. Too much to tell without spoiling it for you. I’ll do my best.

We’re back with Petra and her loyal coyote companion, Sig, and they are quickly drawn into the mystery of a giant serpent slithering through the park, killing in horrific ways. The hunt is on.

And Gabe and the other Hanged Men are also hunting the Basilisk. They need its blood to save the alchemy tree that gives them life. It’s dying and the serpents blood might be their last chance to save it, and themselves.

Something kept me from falling immediately in love with this one. Not sure what, but by the end, the author got five stars out of me. I adore Petra, Sig, and Gabe. And she always gives me the most spectacular villains to vote off the island.

I’m in luck and have the third book sitting right beside me. Off to more mad adventures and danger with some favorite characters.

5 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Something venomous has come to Temperance …

It’s been two months since Petra Dee and her coyote sidekick Sig faced off against Temperance’s resident alchemist, but things are far from quiet. When an Internet video of a massive snake in the backcountry of Yellowstone goes viral, a chase for the mythical basilisk is on. Monster hunters swarm into the area, and never one to pass up the promise of discovery, Petra joins in the search.

Among the newcomers is a snake cult on wheels―the biker gang Sisters of Serpens. Unlike some, the Sisters don’t want to kill the basilisk―they want to worship it. But things get complicated when the basilisk develops a taste for human flesh that rivals the Sisters’ own murderous skills.

Meanwhile, the alchemical tree of life is dying, and the undead Hanged Men of Temperance who depend on it know the basilisk may be their last chance for survival.

With time running out for everyone around her, Petra will be forced to decide who survives and who she must leave behind in this action-packed sequel to Dark Alchemy.

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I’ve read the first book, Dark Alchemy. Click on the cover for my review.

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And I’ll be reviewing the third book, Nine Of Stars on December 21st.

I’ve also read the first book in her Hallowed Ones Series.

And enjoyed the first two books in her Anya Kalinczyk Series.

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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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 click on the Southern Christmas below!

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Poisonous Whispers ~ Happy Book Birthday & Giveaway

Posted: December 9, 2016 in Fantasy, giveaways, Romance
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Happy Book Birthday to

Poisonous Whispers!

 
Poisonous Whispers
A Fantasy Romance Novel
By Jana Begovich
Publisher: Roane Publishing
Release Date: December 5, 2016
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Keywords: Fantasy, Romance, Saga, Reincarnation, Destiny, Betrayal, Past lives, Passion
 
“Don’t you ever forget about me…,” he whispers during their secret encounters. Like a curse, these simple words now haunt Leandra, a reputable psychiatrist, who finds herself in emotional chaos after the sudden breakup of her illicit affair. Unable to heal on her own and tormented by dreams in which supernatural forces create havoc with her fate, she desperately turns to David, a colleague psychiatrist, asking him to take her through past-life regression therapy. She hopes that this unorthodox and somewhat suspect technique will explain her profound connection to the lover who has abandoned her so abruptly.
The sessions take Leandra through 17th and 19th century Ireland, Italy and England, where love, loss and betrayal are the leitmotifs in an ambiance of co-mingled fantasy and reality. In her hypnotic state, Leandra recounts a saga of intoxicating love, dizzying passion, flaming lust and profound heartbreak. Despite the painful answers she finds under hypnosis, Leandra still cannot let go of the hope to reunite with her lover. Ultimately, the shattering revelations from her past-life incarnations, along with the turmoil over her ruined marriage, become the stepping stones of her introspective path to healing, self-discovery and an appreciation of true love.

With its seamlessly interwoven sub-plots, “Poisonous Whispers” lures the reader from one continent to another, from past to present. The affair at the center of the story is an anatomy of the heart in which the heroine’s sorrow-laced journey reflects the universal themes of love and loss.
 

PURCHASE LINKS

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EXCERPT:
 
A tiny streak of pale light is cascading softly down the cell window and making a shy sliver in the veil of darkness. I open my eyes, disoriented. I do not move; I do not even dare blink until I get my bearings. Then I remember and freeze in horror. I sit up, an aching all over my body and cold dread in my heart. Instinctively, I try to disentangle my matted hair with my fingers, but it is hopeless. All around me, I smell mold, decay and death. How can I survive another day in this hole? The sound of the door opening with a screech makes me jump in terror.
 
The gaoler walks in; a heavy set of keys dangling and jingling in his hand.
 
“Come. You are being moved in preparation for tonight’s execution. A verdict was reached.”
 
I speak not but follow him. We climb a steep staircase. Below us, I hear moans and yells and what sounds like the death throes of those hopelessly lost to the world and forgotten by justice, compassion and mercy. Again, I am feeling dissociated from the event of my calamity; I see my body walking, but my soul is not in it and indifference over what might happen floods me. Death is not the end. Death offers me salvation from pain, from the torment of living a human life.
 
We leave the jailhouse and enter the house across the street to the village inn. The inn owner, James Bourke, looks at me with hatred and disdain. He also always hated my husband because his wife had hoped my husband would marry her. She was in love with him, and when he married me she tried to kill herself. James married her later, but has always known that she never stopped loving my husband.
 
The gaoler takes me upstairs to one of the guest rooms and locks the door behind me. The room is wide and clean even though sparsely furnished. The bed is large and looks inviting and I realize how exhausted I am. On the bed is a white, thin chemise and I immediately understand this is what I will wear tonight when I am pushed off the bridge into the water that is cool even on the hottest of summer days. Will I have the strength or the will to swim and save myself? What surprises and almost delights me under such grave circumstances is a bathtub in the corner of the room. There is steam rising from it and I immediately undress and slip into it, relieved to be able to wash off the dirt, the grime, and above all the horrible stench on my body. I rub myself raw trying to clean my skin. Washing my hair is more difficult because at home I have servants who help me with bathing, dressing and undressing. I have been spoilt by marrying a man of wealth and power. Where is my husband now? I crave his protection. If he saved me now, would I give up Kieran, would I give up love in order to live? I surmise I would.
 
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
 

 

As far back as she can remember, Jana has been fascinated by storytelling and intoxicated with the written word. As a young child, she began spinning stories, talking to an imaginary friend and devouring fairy tales. As a teenager, she wrote maudlin love poetry; and as a young mother, a collection of fables. Her love of reading and writing drove her to study languages and literature, resulting in B.A. degrees in English and German Languages and Literature, an M.A. Degree in Literary Studies, as well as a B.Ed. Degree in English and Dramatic Arts. She works for the Government of Canada in the field of military language training and testing and her work, as a subject matter expert, has taken her all over the world. She was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina but has lived in Canada since 1991.

“Poisonous Whispers” is her debut novel. Currently, she is working on her second novel, as well as a collection of short stories.
She lives in Ottawa, Ontario with her husband.s so much in advance.
Jana

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GIVEAWAY!

A $10 Roane Publishing Gift Card!
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use a RoanePublishing.com Gift Code.  No purchase necessary, but you must be 18 or older to enter. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter, and announced on the widget. Winner well be notified by emailed and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Roane Publishing’s marketing department.

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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 click on the lucky Flamingos below!

The Friday 56 #130 ~ Grudging

Posted: December 9, 2016 in Fantasy, Magic, The Friday 56, Witches
Tags: , , , , ,
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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:

 Grudging

Birth Of Saints #1

by Michelle Hauck

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Genre: Fantasy

From Page 56 in the paperback.

He’s picked Sancha out as a colt when he’d first begun his apprenticeship with the peleton. Or perhaps Sancha had picked him. Whichever the case, only death would part them now.

~~~~~

Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

A world of chivalry and witchcraft…and the invaders who would destroy everything.

The North has invaded, bringing a cruel religion and no mercy. The ciudades-estados who have stood in their way have been razed to nothing, and now the horde is before the gates of Colina Hermosa…demanding blood.

On a mission of desperation, a small group escapes the besieged city in search of the one thing that might stem the tide of Northerners: the witches of the southern swamps.

The Women of the Song.

But when tragedy strikes their negotiations, all that is left is a single untried knight and a witch who has never given voice to her power. And time is running out.

A lyrical tale of honor and magic, Grudging is the opening salvo in the Book of Saints trilogy.

AMAZON

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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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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From Gods ~ The Descendant Prophecies by Mary Ting ~ Freebie & Giveaway

Posted: December 6, 2016 in Fantasy, Freebies!, giveaways, YA
Tags: , , , ,
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from-gods-newFrom Gods by Mary Ting

***2013 InD’Tale RONE Award Finalist for YA****
Did you just see a flash of lightning across the sky on a clear sunny day?
Don’t blame Mother Nature.

Skylar Rome can’t wait to spend her last summer before college with her cousin, Kayla. Everything changes when they meet the Grand brothers. Skylar is sure she should stay away from Mason Grand, but their attraction is undeniable. Then Skylar’s life erupts into turmoil. She steps into a world where descendants of ancient gods have super powers, evil beings chase her, and questions arise about her own identity. She is running out of time and running for her life, while trying to unravel the mystery of what they want from her.

Forced into a battle set into motion long before she was born, will Skylar find the answers she seeks, or will she die trying?

 

From Gods by Mary Ting is FREE from December 6th to 8th

ebook-free

Praise for the Series
“From Gods takes mythology to a whole new level of imagination with its incredible plot and amazing characters. It’s full of hotness that you never want to end!” Michele, Insane About Books

“From Gods by the AMAZING AUTHOR Mary Ting is OMGods good!! If you even LIKE Greek Mythology, set aside some time because you will DEVOUR Mary Ting’s Demi Gods and Vultures!!!” Mindy, Books Complete Me

add to goodreads

 

Mary TingAuthor Mary Ting
International Bestselling, Award-Winning, Author Mary Ting/M. Clarke resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.

Social Media Website Social Media Blog Social Media Facebook Social Media Twitter Social Media Pinterest Social Media Goodreads
 

 

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Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 12/18/16

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

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, click on the lucky Christmas kitty below.

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The Ghost Of Christmas Past by Michael Hebler ~ Special Sale and Giveaway

Posted: November 23, 2016 in Fantasy, giveaways, Holidays, Mystery
Tags: , , , , , ,
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The holidays are upon us and what could be better than a holiday story!

Michael has the perfect one to take you away for a little while.

I had such a great time reading The Ghost Of Christmas Past and I think you’ll be surprised when you read it.

There’s a lot to share today so I’ll get to it.

Michael has a special sale.

And there’s also a giveaway, so don’t forget to enter!

The Ghost Of Christmas Past

A Novella

by Michael Hebler

20503218

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My Review

The title probably has you thinking this a retelling. Wait, though. It may start that way, but very quickly the author steers you in another direction. The focus shifts from the person being visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past to the ghost itself.

In order to save lost souls, the ghost needs its light to guide them. When the light is lost, the ghost must now go on a journey of its own. Go into the past and discover who it once was and regain its light to save Christmas.

In many places written in prose similar to Charles Dickens, it reads like a classic. As the characters are introduced, past and present, their lives deepen the story, and it tempted to skip ahead to see their stories conclusions. I resisted though.

For me to enjoy a story, I require strong, genuine characters who’s welfare means something to me. They need to have flaws, and I don’t have to like all of them or approve of what they do. But, they need to be believable and the author needs to keep them true to their personalities.

Michael’s characters could walk off the pages. I tried to picture them in my head from his descriptions and they came to life. Once that happened, I couldn’t put the book down.

I’ve read Michael’s Chupacabra thrillers and very much enjoyed them so I was curious about reading a story in a different genre.

Strong writing and atmospheric detail made this a fulfilling read and I enjoyed the direction the author chose with his tale.

The Ghost Of Christmas Past gets my highest recommendation for all readers.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Based on Charles Dickens’ character of the same name, the first of three spirits from A Christmas Carol is the center of its own story when taken on a spiritual journey to find meaning for its existence.

The Ghost of Christmas Past has had its fire extinguished.  Lost souls cannot find their way to righteousness without the Spirit’s luminescence to guide them through their shadowed memories.  To rekindle its flame, the Ghost of Christmas Past must journey back to a life long forgotten.  Guided by the Christmas Angel, the Spirit braves witness to how it lived as a boy in life, and learns what will become of Christmas should it fail.

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EXTRA!  EXTRA!

Michael running a KDP promotion from Wednesday until the end of Cyber Monday. The e-book for The Ghost of Christmas Past will be $1.99 (from $4.99) the entire promotion.

Grab your copy HERE.

‘The Ghost of Christmas Past’ placed as a Finalist in the 2016 Beverly Hills Book Awards.

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Intended Audience

The Ghost of Christmas Past is unique.  The novella has appeal to readers of all ages, nationalities, and gender. Thanks to Mr. Charles Dickens, the main character name, Ghost of Christmas Past, is already as recognizable as Mickey Mouse, and the general population has shown remarkable interest in learning the backstories of supporting characters from popular works of fiction.  The most notable example would be the novel Wicked by Gregory Maguire, the backstory of the witches from Oz. The Ghost of Christmas Past will appeal to fans of drama, mystery, fantasy, Literary Fiction, the supernatural, and Christianity.

Like A Christmas Carol, The Ghost of Christmas Past is not heavily religious but a story based around a Christian holiday.  In 2014, more than 52 million religious books sold in the U.S., representing an increase of over 10.5% from the previous year. (Nielsen.com: Focusing On Our Strengths: Insights into the Christian Book Market)

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Enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win a paperback copy of the coloring book

A Christmas Carol: A Holiday Classic

and a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Author Michael Hebler

Michael Hebler

Prior to becoming an award-winning author of his dark fiction Chupacabra Series, Michael was a full-time international film publicist who had worked on multiple titles for Walt Disney, Pixar, Lionsgate, Lakeshore Entertainment, Warner Bros., Summit Entertainment, and the 2013 Academy Award-winning Best Foreign Language Film, “La grande bellezza” (The Great Beauty).

Born in the early 1970’s in Los Angeles County to a salesman and homemaker, Michael dreamed of following his passions for entertainment and storytelling by acting. It was while studying theatre arts at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California, did he realize his penchant for stories were better suited on the page rather than the stage. But creating tales with suspense, laughter, and heart is not Michael’s only love. Hebler also enjoys volunteering in his local community, as well as aid in the capture/spay/neuter/release feral program.

To date, Michael’s publications include NIGHT OF THE CHUPACABRA, CURSE OF THE CHUPACABRA, and LEGEND OF THE CHUPACABRA (Books I, II, & III of the six-part Chupacabra Series) as well as his first publication, THE NIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS, a holiday picture book for believers of any age. Michael’s fourth book in the Chupacabra Series, DAWN OF THE CHUPACABRA will be available in print and for ebook on October 13, 2015.
Michael currently resides in Southwest Florida.
Author Links:
Email:

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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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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