Archive for the ‘Fantasy’ Category

A witching we will go…. Rehab Is For Witches ~ My Review

Posted: December 3, 2014 in Anthology, Blog Tour, Fantasy, reviews, Witches
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I’m so happy to share Rehab Is For Witches. I’ve had to wait for my stop on the tour to introduce you to these authors and their witches.

There’s snark and snortable humor galore in these pages. Plus some sweet and some steamy romance.

Beware the villain, a bad one indeed.

Come meet the witches of Little Raven. Discover their secrets. Find out why they ended up in rehab.

~~~

 Rehab is for Witches

Anthology

Various Authors

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Published By- SideStreet Cookie Publishing

Publication Date- October 31st, 2014

My review

Six authors. Six witches. And so much trouble brewing in their cauldrons.

Rehab is for Witches is just what it says. A place for witches to go when they misuse their magick. When the dark magick seduces them until they’re hooked.

There is no way I can pick a favorite story or a favorite character. Each story was so good and all of the characters came alive.

There was so much funny, so much sad, so much bad, and so much more. I loved this book.

A Diary Full of Names

Dierdre (Die for short) landed in rehab for selling bad love spells. Bear is like her probation officer. If I had to choose a favorite character, both of these would be at the top of the list.

The way her heart beats faster whenever he’s around, the way he ‘looks’ at her, listens to her, and the way he makes her blush when he teases her. These two make me feel happy.

Die is frustrated. No magick. It wasn’t her fault the penis exploded, yet she winds up in rehab with all of the other naughty witches.

Closet Full of Dreams

Behind those sunglasses and gloves hides Catherine. Sent to rehab for loving the dark side. For embracing the dark magick, for using it to control. It’s all about control with her.

Oran charms her. But Catherine is hesitant. He seems too good to be true.

And what’s with the waiter, Jorolf? He’s not a waiter, he’s something else, and he warns Catherine to watch out for Oran.

Full of attitude and bearing the scars of taking power that she shouldn’t, Catherine is half herself, half something less, or maybe more.

Cauldron Full of Goodbyes

Trista and Angus. Both duped. Both used and cast aside by someone. Someone so dark and malignant. They share that same someone.

Trista is in rehab for something really foul. She helped steal magick from a coven of witches. Drained them of their power. Not for herself though.

Angus needs her help. He’s appeals to her, hiding his true purpose. Playing on her guilt.

He did bad because of his mother. She did bad in spite of her mother.

Why did Trista’s mother throw away her magic? Maybe she should too.

His mother stole his magick. Can he get it back?

A Trunk Full of Peril

I bet a lot of people judge Circe by her looks. Lots of piercings and that blue hair. Maybe it’s her cover. A way to keep people away. She’s still in shock from a horrible loss.

Her parole office, Hadrian, wants to be so much more.

Her addiction still strong, can Circe resist the call?

Caring for her more than he should, will Hadrian set his job aside, or will he turn her in to save her?

A Basement Full of Secrets

Finally. I get to know what’s up with Gertie and her knitting needles. She’s weird but sweet.

And her love affair was tragic. Finally reunited with her childhood sweetheart, she lost him again.

Will she use her magick, her ability to bring the dead back, to have Mason again?

Should she?

A Suitcase Full of Revenge

Robie plays with fire, literally and figuratively. That’s why she stays at rehab.

She also knows things. Things about her father that could ruin his chances in the mayoral race.

Her decision on whether to expose her father is hers alone to make, as Jasper bailed on her.

Now they have come together to save someone. Can she trust Jasper? Will he bail on her again?

A Photo Full of Justice

At last we come to the end. Where all of the authors write together, each bringing their character to the grand finale.

This is where you meet the true villain, the one who can’t be mentioned.

All of the miscreants band together to face off against the dastardly foe who’s been stealing their magic. What a perfect villain.

This whole book was fantastic. Little Raven, a town for witches.

Each author gave their characters a strong voice, powerful personalities.

The therapy sessions were fun. That’s how each character is introduced as they tell why they were sent to rehab.

The snark, the dialogue, the sexy scenes.  The many quotable moments. It all charmed me.

Then the ending, which came to soon. I would love to read more about all of the characters. I’d like to know where they go from here. Do they get a happily ever after? Maybe some of them relapse. I want, I need more.

5 Stars

~~~

Blurb-

Welcome to Little Raven: an unsullied, beautiful woodland hamlet in the heart of the Midwest. The sort of place where furry creatures romp about and spend their days bursting into song.

Actually, that’s a giant pack of lies.

Little Raven is a town…for witches.

And some of those witches might have bent the rules. A teensy bit. When six magical miscreants dabble with black magic, they end up together at Incantations, the town’s rehab center for witches gone awry. It’s a slap on the wrist for naughty witches. Pretty much a daycare center so they don’t wander off and start turning people into newts on a whim. Each witch must work through her addiction to black magic, and follow the tenets designed to lead them back to the path of the straight and narrow, as boring as that sounds. Even if following the tenets sucks worse than a group round of kum-bay-ya. Which sucks. Horribly.

We will admit we are powerless over magic—that our lives have become unmanageable.

We will make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of the Goddess as we understand Her.

We will make a searching and fearless moral and magical inventory of ourselves.

We will admit to the Goddess, to ourselves, and to another being the exact nature of our magical wrongs.

We will make a list of all persons or beings we have harmed, and become willing to make amends to them all.

We will make direct amends to such beings whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

We are entirely ready to bow before the Goddess and have Her remove all our defect of character, even at the risk of being entirely stripped of our magic.

But this is just the start. There’s something rotten in Little Raven, something that seeks to take all the magic it can, and devour the inhabitants in the process. It will take the strength and power of all the witches to defeat the darkness seeping into their town, beat it back, and be rid of it forever…and maybe just make it through rehab while they’re saving the world.

The Authors & Titles-

Tara S. Wood – A Trunk Full of Peril

Tyffani Clark Kemp – A Diary Full of Names

Cynthia Valero – A Cauldron Full of Goodbyes

Miranda Stork – A Closet Full of Demons

  1. A. Howell – A Basement Full of Secrets

Elle J Rossi – A Suitcase Full of Revenge

Links-

Goodreads ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ B&N

About the Authors-

Miranda Stork-

I’m Miranda Stork, and I’m addicted. Addicted to writing and reading books, anyway. And chocolate, but that’s another issue – no interventions, please.

I live in the middle of a forest in North Yorkshire, spending my spare time as the wild woman of the woods, scaring small children and upsetting the sheep. On the days that I feel like being civilized, or I haven’t got any unicorns to ride, I sit down and pour the tumbling thoughts in my head out onto digital paper. Mainly the thoughts and characters come out in paranormal form, with a good smattering of romance, because everyone likes a good cuddle. But you can also find strong elements of thrillers, myths, and even dystopia amongst the pages of all my novels. I’ve wanted to write books ever since I first realised that fairytales were not the newspapers of the fairy kingdom, but the imaginings of actual people who wanted to tell fancy made-up stories to other people. From that moment, I was hooked.

Why do I write? Good question. It might be easier to just keep the stories in my head, or even just to write them for myself. But I want to share them. There is no greater delight for a writer than when a reader devours your book, and declares, “Something in that novel resonated with me. And I want MORE.” So grab your lucky clover and a baseball bat (there’s some nasty paranormal creatures where we’re going), eat the cookie with ‘eat me’ tagged on it, and enter through the tiny door into the world of Miranda Stork…

And here is an excerpt from A Closet Full of Demons
Counsellor Fitzsimmons finally appeared Catherine sneered down at the buffet of soggy finger sandwiches and half-baked sausage rolls. These meetings always brought out the food snob in her, and this one was no different. Swallowing back her distaste, she settled on a plastic cup of orange squash, hugging her grey woollen coat close as she reached for it. Her dark grey eyes hidden behind fashionable shades, she spun around to view the rest of the reprobates who had turned up.
None of them looked vaguely interesting, but they certainly were eclectic. Catherine stifled a yawn as she checked her silver watch for the twentieth time. It didn’t matter how often she looked, she was certain someone had cast a spell to make the time drag on. Her fingers tingled with the temptation to speed it up, but a droning voice in the back of her head reminded her of the warning she had received. Huffing to herself, she glanced away and curled her hand tightly once more. She winced as she took a sip of the badly mixed juice, scanning the peeling cracks in the ceiling of the building.
Little Raven was a dump, anyway. Catherine had no idea what she was really doing here, never mind getting into trouble here. The only reason she had travelled from England to this goddess-forsaken town was because she had felt it. An energy so strong it had called to her from the other side of the world. But it was dark, full of all the wicked things witches knew they shouldn’t touch. It’s probably why none of them answered its call when I did, Catherine smirked to herself, trying to hide it behind another slurp of tepid liquid. ‘Heavy Magic’, her mother used to call it. Black magic so intense you could lose your head over it, sink into it, drown in it. And never come up for air.
with a clipboard in hand, clearing his throat in the irritating way that only therapists were able to produce. “Ladies? Let’s sit down, shall we?” He smiled broadly, a fakery for the witches gathered in the sparse waiting area. Catherine held back rolling her eyes, and settled for squeezing the empty plastic cup in her hands until it crushed in on itself instead. Dropping it casually onto the table, she tucked a loose strand of her corn-blond hair behind her ear, stepping across to the ring of chairs in the centre with the others.
Catherine settled back in her chair, crossed her legs, and closed her eyes behind her shades. Hopefully I’ll die of boredom before they get to me, she thought to herself, letting out a soft sigh. Counsellor Fitzsimmons prattled on to one of the other witches, droning on about consequences and resolving them. It was all old hat to her—this wasn’t her first meeting of this kind. Rehab. Even the word left a bad taste in her mouth. If only she could spit it out. She was damn well sick of going into it.
It wasn’t that Catherine Middling was a bad person, quite the opposite, in fact. She loved her parents. She loved her friends. And cooing over kitten and puppy videos on YouTube was dangerously close to an online obsession. But she liked to be in control. Of everything. And control required power, lots of it. She had tapped so many sources of energy that she shouldn’t, it was a wonder her fingers were still attached to her hand. A hard shove on her shoulder woke her up, snapping her back into the room with a jolt. Catherine shook her head violently to wake up, and straightened herself in the chair, grunting in annoyance.
The mousey-haired witch next to her hissed, “He was talking to you. Wake up, or we’re going to be here forever.”
Casting the witch a cool stare, Catherine cleared her throat and jerked her head towards the group. “Yeah, uh…I’m Catherine Middling, I’m a magical miscreant, and I’m bored shitless already.” There were a few sniggers and smirks from the other witches, and Catherine gave a hard shrug to the counsellor’s deep frown.
“Now, Catherine…language. You know that’s not going to help. Why not tell us why you’re here?” He gestured towards her shades with a chewed biro. “And how about removing those so we can all see your face? Hmm?”
She sighed. “No way. I don’t remove anything on the first date, counsellor. Besides, why should I? People have turned up here with faces full of paperclips and safety pins, and you want me to take off my Dolce and Gabbana glasses? No chance.” Catherine pointed with one black leather glove towards a punky witch on the other side of the circle, who scowled at her fiercely before turning back to inspect the floor. “Fine. I’m here because I can no longer control my magic. I like to change the circumstances if they’re not working for me. Good enough for you, Counsellor Fitzsimmons?”
Her clipped northern British accent rang out into the room as she folded her arms, hoping to slip back into her nap.
The pen wagged in the air. “Not good enough, Catherine. Tell us a little more. What kind of magic?”
His persistence rankled her, and a pang of deep anger burned through her veins. She sprang forwards in the cheap plastic chair, whipping her glasses off to reveal her eyes. A collective gasp filtered through the witches as they took in the dark, blood-red stains around her grey irises, the sliced scar running across both eyes. The leather of her glove squeaking, Catherine pointed sharply towards them, her voice dripping with venom. “This is what kind. Black magic. This is why I’m here, sat in the middle of the ladies’ knitting circle, with my magical finger stuck up my arse.” She nodded towards a nervous-looking girl, sat literally with a pair of knitting needles in her lap. Goddess only knew what she thought she was doing here, she looked like she was as much out of place as Sandwich Girl. “Because real power, real control, frightens everyone. But it didn’t frighten me. I did something wrong with it, tapped into some real bad juju that split me in half. And my other half still wants to come out. Want to see her? She really doesn’t play well with others.”

 

Links-

Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website

Tara S. Wood-

Tara Wood divides her time between creating domestic bliss and creating hot paranormal romance with the occasional side of kink. When not playing June Cleaver for her hubby and daughter, she can be found at the local Starbucks slamming back Frappuccinos and plotting out her next idea. Or she’s watching the BBC. Tara resides with her wonderful and tolerant family in the suburbs of Houston, Texas. She is currently at work on several projects, one of them being the next book in her In Blood series.

Links-

Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ Facebook

Elle J. Rossi-

Elle J Rossi is a writer of Dark Paranormal and Fantasy Romance. Overly fond of the happily ever after, Elle lets her characters take control as they lead her down dark and twisted paths on their haunting journey toward love.

When not writing, you’ll more than likely catch her hanging with her husband, two kids and a cat who truly does rule the roost, or stealing the mic from her friends as the duel over country karaoke.

Links-

Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ Facebook

Cynthia Valero-

Cynthia Valero is an award-winning author of three paranormal romance novels and two anthologies written with Beth Ciotta as CB Scott. Her newest solo novella, A Cauldron Full of Goodbyes, is one of six dark and edgy stories in the anthology, Rehab is for Witches. A student of Natalie Goldberg, Zoetrope All-Story, and The Writers Studio, Cynthia is currently writing a rich tale of forbidden love and deadly feuds set off the coast of 1904 America. You can visit her on Facebook at Cynthia Valero Books or at cynthiavalero.com.

Links-

Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ Facebook

J.A. Howell-

J.A Howell is an office drone by day, and a writer by night. Her love of writing took off when she was eleven years old and decided to fill a composition notebook with stories to read to her friends. Many years (and notebooks) later, not much has changed. She still loves writing and sharing her works with others. When she isn’t writing, she can often be found trying her hand at whatever artistic pursuit strikes her fancy. J.A. Howell resides in Apopka, FL with her husband and their menagerie of animal children.

Links-

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest ~ Youtube ~ Amazon Author Page

Tyffani Clark Kemp-

Tyffani Clark Kemp might be the quietest person in the room, but that just means she’s probably the biggest freak too. She is a multi-genre author with a gift for the written word and a desire to help all Indies reach their full potential. In 2012, she and her best friend Kimberly Fudge started SideStreet Cookie Publishing for authors who want to remain independent, but don’t have the time or the knowledge to do it all themselves. From the age of eleven she dedicated her life to writing and making sure she was good at her craft. Now, she passes that knowledge on to others. Her friends would describe her as determined and giving. She may be quite, but she always has a story to tell.

Links-

Goodreads ~ Blog/Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

The Mystic Princesses and the Whirlpool ~ Blast Giveaway

Posted: December 3, 2014 in Action/Adventure, Book Blast, Children's books, Fantasy
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Girls Powers-front cover for Amazon

Title: The Mystic Princesses and the Whirlpool | Author: PJ LaRue | Illustrator: Aristides Rodriguez | Publication Date: June 28, 2014 | Publisher: Independent | Pages: 63 | Recommended Ages: 5 to 10

Book Description: Join Exciting Princess Adventures and Learn Life Lessons Along the Way

Have you ever wanted to ride a dolphin or dreamed of playing on a rainbow as if it were a waterslide? How would you feel if someone tried to kidnap you, and you were forced to move to Hawai’i to hide and live with people you don’t know? That happened to Harmonie. Come meet Harmonie, her new Mystic Princess friends, and find out what happens when her enemies, the Children of Ares, find her again.

Purchase * Goodreads

 

The Buzz About the Book

“The Mystic Princesses and the Whirlpool has a delightful plot. P. J. LaRue uses mythological characters to tell a lively story of bravery and friendship. The book teaches important lessons on strengths and weaknesses, conservation and safety. This is the first book in the Mystic Princesses series, and I cannot wait for the next princesses’ adventure to come. Young girls will love The Mystic Princesses adventure on their bedside table.” ~ Kelly Santana, Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews

“A lovely book for children with colourful pictures and any child who reads it will be looking for a sequel.” ~ 5 Star Review, Diane, Amazon

“‘The Mystic Princesses and the Whirlpool’ is a confidence boosting book for children, giving them important information. It is the first in a series and I look forward to reading more about Harmonie and her friends.” ~ 5 Star Review, Mary C., Goodreads

“This early chapter book is perfect for children ages six through ten. It does not portray wimpy princesses, but strong, respectful and independent female role models involved in many adventures in which they learn to overcome their weaknesses, act against bullying, and cooperate with friends and family to promote human welfare and peace. Short chapters interspersed with illustrations will maintain interest if the book is read aloud for younger children. Introduce your little princess to this one.” ~ 5 Star Review, Barbara M., Amazon

“The short chapters would make this ideal for younger girls who are newer to reading Chapter Books. The colourful illustrations are excellent, and compliment this warm story nicely. A new series for girls, offering a fun way to learn valuable life lessons.” ~ 5 Star Review, M.J. Kinsmen, Amazon

 

About the Author: PJ LaRue

PJ LaRuePJ LaRue wrote poetry in high school, but she discovered writing children’s books and short stories later in life. Her writing inspirations are hiking, photography and environmental consciousness, but she links these interests to much larger social issues. A person very close to PJ was molested as a child, making PJ passionate about providing child safety tips. And, PJ was bullied in the third grade by girls much larger than she, who demanded that PJ give them her lunch money. As a result, PJ is committed to spreading the word that bullying must be stopped.

One of PJ’s goals is to help educate children, parents and caregivers, in a fun way, using her children’s book series, The Mystic Princesses. Because PJ loves to travel, the princesses will visit many locales, learning about environmental concerns along the way.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Pinterest | Google+ | Goodreads

 

About the Illustrator: Aristides Rodriguez

Aristides Rodriguez has worked with clients to create websites, social media graphics, print graphics, and logos. His print media projects include cards, posters and magazine ads. He is comfortable working with a team, but has also designed client projects independently. While in school, Aristides participated in job shadows to Central Florida design community members including Disney Event Group, Orlando, SeaWorld, Orlando, and large offset and digital printing companies. Currently, Aristides is a Winter Park Tech Advisory Board member.

Website

 

* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

Amazon 25 gift card

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)

Contest ends: December 17, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author PJ LaRue and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send an email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

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Teaser Tuesdays #90 ~ Come Along With Me

Posted: December 2, 2014 in Action/Adventure, Children's books, Fantasy, Series, Teaser Tuesdays
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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

TeaserTuesdays2014e

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 tease is from

Come Along With Me

A Gracie Book: Volume #1

by Linda Lee Schell

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Here is my tease from page 16 of the paperback.

“My name is Gracie. I’m from a different place in a different space.”

and from page 41

…Gracie wondered aloud, “Do you think our little girl will blow our cover?” “No, Gibson replied. “But she’s got something up her sleeve. I just don’t know what.”

~~~

I hope you don’t mind if I share my review.

Gracie is a wee kangaroo from the thirty-sixth universe. And she’s so excited. She’s finally going to visit St. Petersburg, Russia.

When something goes wrong, she winds up on a farm in St. Clair, Pennsylvania. Not quite what she planned.

Once you meet Gracie, you’ll see why her travel plans went haywire. She’s a precocious little roo, plus she’s clumsy and absent minded.

She’s also very brave and arrives in time to save a rather bedraggled city cat from the ferocious farm dogs.

From then on, Gracie and the cat, Gibson, are in cahoots. Each trying to help the other. Gracie wants to go home. Gibson is trying to make the best of it and make the farm his new home.

This was very wordy in the beginning. The prose felt strange yet familiar. Then I got it. It felt like in Willa Wonka or Alice in Wonderland. Otherworldly and zany. I began to suspect much of this was coming from Gracie, the kangaroo from somewhere else. She is a bit rattle-brained and silly.

The last third of the book flowed more easily. And the plot came forward. There’s several other animals that help or hinder the two pals, and one little girl who teaches Gibson how to earn his keep.

I’d say because of the sometimes peculiar use of words, this would be better suited to the upper range of young children. But, I may be wrong. Kids now a days learn to read before starting school, so they may follow the context better than I give them credit for. But there is a rather dark scene on the farm, something that even shocked me. This book is suggested for kids 8 to 12 and I’d recommend it to those closer to 12.

As I read this adventure I was sure it would be a 3 star rating. But that last third of the book sucked me in and by the time I reached the end, I wanted more.  I felt that connection to the characters and wanted to know what kind of pickle they would land in next. I don’t give half star ratings and that’s why it went up to 4 stars.

4 Stars

~~~

Synopsis

Come Along With Me will transport eight-to twelve-year old children, their parents, and their grandparents to another world when they read Come Along With Me, an adventure about friendship and caring, the unfortunate consequences of jealousy, and the power of hope.

Meet Gracie, a ditzy dwarf kangaroo from the Thirty-sixth Universe–a creature who lives in a perfect realm. Because she is bored, Gracie longs for an adventure to St. Petersburg, Russia, a place she imagines is filled with beauty and enchantment. Much to the tiny ‘roo’s surprise, her ability to transport herself to the land of the czars has failed. She ends up at a dairy farm in St. Clair, Pennsylvania, where she saves the life of Gibson, an abandoned Maine coon cat.

The unlikely pair become fast friends. While Gracie tries to find her way back home, Gibson carves a life for himself on a farm with his newly adopted mistress, the farmer’s young daughter. There’s one hitch: The overworked farmer demands that Gibson earn his keep. Gibson’s task is thwarted somewhat when he experiences strange visions. But are these visions the result of a thrashing he received from the farmer’s two dogs? Or, maybe Gibson sees parallel universes?

As outsiders the little kangaroo and the cat from the city negotiate the perils of farm life. They meet two malicious rats who hate anyone who is happy. The two devoted friends must contend with stampeding cows and a barnyard of critters that have little use for newcomers.

Will Gibson keep his sanity and become the little girl’s pet? Will Gracie ever see the splendor of the Russian Versailles? Will the farmer survive the evil machinations of the rats, Bratwold and Eastman? Drift back to the days of Barbie dolls, hula hoops, and Sputnik to find out.

~~~

About the author


Linda’s favorite genre is fantasy/adventure, and her goal is to expand the imaginations of children while simultaneously exposing them to a variety of cultures and histories.

Combining childhood innocence with historical verisimilitude and a dash of magical fantasy–that was Linda’s impulse behind writing her first book, Come Along With Me.

Linda was born in Youngstown, Ohio and moved in 1977 to St. Clairsville, Ohio. Her husband of forty-four years and one son now live in Venice, Florida.

Linda is the daughter of an Ohio dairy farmer and an elementary school teacher. Her working years were in a competitive sales and business environment.

Active in Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce, she is a Paul Harris Fellow.

Entering the work force at age sixteen Linda is now retired, and is seriously devoting her attention to writing children’s books.

You can find her on Goodreads HERE.

Other books in The Gracie Series

20728903

~~~

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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If a mermaid could be so lucky… Under The Moonlight ~ Tour Giveaway

Posted: November 26, 2014 in Blog Tour, Excerpt, Fantasy, giveaways, Romance
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Under the Moonlight Banner

 Ever since I was a little girl I’ve loved mermaids. There’s something about them, an aura, that is so intriguing. Who wouldn’t want to be able to swim the depths of the ocean, a place more foreign to us than outer space?

Splash into Under The Moonlight. Discover Ashley Nemer’s mythological world of merfolk.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Under the Moonlight

Virtual Book Tour Dates: 11/24/14-12/1/14

Genres: Romance, Mythology, Fantasy (Mermaid Story)

add-to-goodreads-button

 

Blurb:

Zara’s fate had been decided thousands of years before her birth. She is now fighting against time and family to reclaim the decisions that will ultimately shape her destiny.

Sentenced to live an existence in the Underworld, mated to a man she despises, Zara must find a way to overcome the Gods and their curses, with love as her only guide.

Can James, a handsome and rugged sailor, help Zara break the bonds of magical spells or will she end up mated to Xander, the Son of Satan?

Take a dive Under the Moonlight to see where love can take you.

 

Excerpt:

Zara couldn’t help staring at the vessels that passed by her cove. Each one contained a different story and a different set of sailors. Her father had warned her that interacting with the humans, or even simply studying them, was an addiction, one she would soon have to learn to overcome. Each mermaid was presented with the same challenge on their twenty-second birthday. They each had to make a choice to stay in the waters and live with their families, or to give up everything they had always known, for love, and join the human race.

For thousands of years, the merpeople had joined the two-legged humans’ culture, going undetected. And it wasn’t as if mermaids could never go into the waters again afterwards. Each full moon they had the opportunity to dive into the

mermaids photo: mermaids-6-1.jpg

salty water of the ocean and join their fellow merpeople under the moonlight. However, each full moon that passed made that transition harder and harder for the mermaid to accomplish. The longer they were out of the ocean and away from their mer-form, the harder it was on their body to shift back to their original form.

She knew that her decision was about to be due. She hadn’t told anyone what she was thinking about choosing; she didn’t want the added pressure from King Triton, her father, and his brother, Poseidon, her uncle. Humans always got the lineage wrong in their stories. So many of the gods were intertwined that they all ended up being related to one another in some way or another, but the rules for joining the human race were strict. A merperson could only marry once, and it could only be for love. Any other reason wouldn’t be approved. You had to have King Triton’s blessing in order to make the final conversion into the human world.

“What are you looking at, Zara?”

Her head whipped around to the side to look at Sadie, her mother, who was swimming in the lagoon. “That ship out there. It comes by here every day around this time, like they are just waiting.”

“They are predators. Always remember that.” Her mother’s tone was adamant.

“You only say that because you don’t know them yet. Everyone is a shark to you,” Zara retorted.

“Men are men, Zara. They will kill to get what they want.”

“Is that what you tell Daddy?” Zara valued her mother and knew that she would always be there to support her, but she worried that her mother was constantly trying to sway her against all human men and make her change her mind about the choices she had spinning around in her head.

“Your father is different. Gods know how to treat their women,” she said flatly.

“No, they don’t, Mother. You are just blinded by love.” She watched the curve of her mother’s lips come up and form a smile. It was the truth. Her mother and father were very much in love, even after all these years and hundreds of children. Humans talked about having large families with nine or ten siblings. They should try having two hundred and fifty nine sisters and twice as many brothers.

“And what a blindness to have. You should be so lucky, young lady.”

“One day, Mother, maybe I will be.”

 

Buy Link:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
iTunes
Kobo
Smashwords

~~~

About the Author

 

Me

 

Ashley is married and lives in Houston with her husband Tony. They have two dogs named Toto and Doogie. They have been together for over 10 years and he brings her more joy than she could ever imagine as a child. She loves to read and has been hooked on the romance genre ever since her life long best friend gave her “Ashes to Ashes’ by Tami Hoag to read when they were younger.

Ashley finds her strength through her family, especially her parents. They always support her in life, they push her to strive for greatness. There once was a motto that Ashley heard in her youth through her Taekwondo life ‘Reach for the Stars’ and that is what Ashley has always done. It was through her upbringing that the values Ashley has and display’s came from. With her Parents always cheering her on in life she was able to grow up having faith in herself and her ability to conquer the world.

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Connect With The Author:

The Art of Safkhet 

Ashley’s World

Niki Becker

Ashley Nemer – Author Facebook

Facebook Friend Page

Memories in a Box Blog

Twitter

Ashley Nemer Amazon Author Page

Niki Becker Amazon Author Page

Ashley Nemer Goodreads

Niki Becker Goodreads

~~~

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Giveaway:

Enter to win a $15 Amazon GC on the Under The Moonlight: A Mermaid’s Tale by Ashley Nemer Book Tour & Giveaway!

Open Internationally.

This giveaway will run11/24/14-12/1/14.

Click on the link below to enter.

Enter through Rafflecopter.

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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Black Cats and Ballet Slippers ~ Blast and Giveaway

Posted: October 30, 2014 in Book Blast, Fantasy, giveaways
Tags: ,
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Black Cats and Ballet Slippers Tour Banner copy

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon gift card to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Black Cats and Ballet Slippers

by Iva Valentino

Gemma Mayfield feels like middle school is a lot to bite off and chew. School, ballet classes, and planning on how to get Trevor Davis to ask her to the Halloween Dance are a tough balancing act. On top of that, Gemma is convinced that her science teacher, Ms. Pruett, is a witch.

When things start getting fishy at school, Gemma knows that Ms. Pruett is behind it all! Students are getting spells placed on them and start to go missing. Gemma and her best friend, Izzie, vow to stop Ms. Pruett from doing any more damage. Will they be able to save Middleton Middle School from witchcraft?

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Enjoy an excerpt:

Today when I came home from school, Mungo greeted me at the door. He does this every day. He was carrying his favorite little yellow ball. So I played fetch with him for a bit, because even though he is a cat, he will never stop thinking he is a dog.

When Mom came home just a few minutes later, Mungo bounded toward the door and started growling. He always does this. He looks a bit scary with his super black fur and yellow eyes. Mom had to step around him so she wouldn’t get nipped. I believe that Mom must have made Mungo mad when he was just a kitten, because he doesn’t seem to have forgiven her. I always try to stay on his good side as well.

I told Mom about what happened today. The conversation went something like this:

Mom: “Hi, honey! How was your day?”

Me: “Not so good. Ms. Pruett put a spell on me. She totally controlled my mind for like five minutes!”

Mom: “Gemma! I think we know better than that. Ms. Pruett is just a nice old lady.”

Then she went to the living room to do her yoga. I am convinced that no one believes me about this witch thing.

~~~

About the Author:

Iva Valentino lives in Arizona with her husband and their dog, Lupo. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Master’s degree in Education. She loves living year-round in the warm desert.

Iva spent many years as a middle school teacher, where she enjoyed doing fun science experiments with her students. She currently works as a science editor at an educational publishing company. She loves travel, yoga, and photography. There is nothing that brings her more happiness than a good dance class!

Website: www.IvaValentino.com

Blog: www.ivavalentino.com/blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ivaavalentino

Buy the book at MuseItUp Publishing, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble. (on sale for $1.35 at publisher and Amazon)

~~~

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$25 Amazon Gift Card

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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Zoe + the Demon Slayer ~ Book Blitz and Double Giveaway

Posted: October 13, 2014 in Blitz, Fantasy, giveaways, New Adult
Tags: , ,
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I loved the premise of this book so I was thrilled to have a chance to showcase it!

Zoe is a blogger and a fellow word lover so I’m anxious to read her story. See how she does after being transported into a book.

Talk about being absorbed by a story. LOL

Come on in and check out Zoe and the Demon Slayer.

Enjoy the excerpt.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaways. Yep, there’s two!

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Zoe and the Demon Slayer
by Neel Kay
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Publication date: October 6th 2014
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult
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Synopsis:
Twenty-four year old book worm and blogger Zoe Graves was looking forward to the fourth and final instalment of her favourite book saga – The Augustin Chronicles. The evening was meant to be spent in line at the local bookstore with hundreds of other fans, getting the book, maybe even meeting the author, and ultimately spending the night with the dreamiest hero of them all, Lucien de Forest and the love of his life Noomi Augustin.

But somewhere someone thought otherwise.

Confused and hurt after a mugging by the bookstore, Zoe is somehow transported to another world, and suddenly finds herself in a snow-covered landscape witnessing a bloody fight far away from the English summer, and is left to rely on the help from the rather reluctant Matis, who just happen to be out to kill none other than Zoe’s favourite hero and heroine, Lucien and Noomi.

Although convinced she might be in some sort of limbo or maybe even in a coma, Zoe figures that her role in the story is to prevent Matis from killing her all-time favourite fictional couple.

Purchase:
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Enjoy this glimpse inside the book.
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His eyes were dark, so very dark, and the equally dark hair, although some of it was braided, didn’t look girly or weird at all. Well, maybe a little weird, seeing as men like him usually only existed in the fantasy books Zoe read and not in the real world. She gaped at the sort of Mohawk the tight braids along the sides of his head and the loose hair on top created.

He squinted. “Stop following me,” he said, practically biting at her. “I don’t have time to save odd damsels in distress.” He picked up a couple of dead rabbits from the ground, turned back around and walked away.

Zoe didn’t move. She could hardly feel her feet anymore. “But what about your cloak?” she yelled after him. “Don’t you need it?”

“Keep it.” He waved a hand in the air and kept up a determined walk on the path that led up to the top of a small hill.

Behind Zoe there was a small piece of forestland. Although she couldn’t be sure, she didn’t imagine anyone lived there. Besides, she wasn’t going back to those dead soldiers, not even to just walk past them. She couldn’t stomach the smell. Everywhere she looked, all that she saw were big black mountains far away in the horizon and the big orangey white sky sending down all that snow.

It was then that Zoe realised that she’d continued her pursuit of the man. She didn’t have any choice really. She’d never been much of an outdoor person, and she wouldn’t last an hour under these conditions.

“You’re still following me,” the man suddenly said. His back was still turned, but he had stopped at the top of the hill. “Even if you’re keeping your distance, you are still following me.” He turned his head and looked at her over his shoulder. “Like a damn cat,” he added, sending her a tired glance.

“But maybe my home is in that direction,” Zoe argued. She was out of breath and her dry throat was killing her. “You did tell me to go home. Maybe that is what I’m doing?”

“But it isn’t, though, is it? You said you were lost.”

“Why won’t you help me?” She’d finally climbed the hill, panting like she was completely out of shape, which she actually wasn’t thanks to Jason. Down there, by the foot of the hill, there was a small cluster of houses that didn’t exactly warrant the description of a village. It was just a few houses pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Wherever that was?

The man glanced at her casually and then suddenly did a double take. The brow curled up and suddenly without any warning, he grabbed her cheeks with both hands and tilted back her head.

Zoe tried to pull away, but found that she didn’t have the strength to fight. Instead, she felt a burning sensation behind her eyes, the very eyes that the man kept staring into.

“Your eyes are green?” he said, looking at her accusingly.

She didn’t know how to respond to that. Her nostrils flared and the cold tore at the insides of her nose. What she wouldn’t give for some warm clothes, a roaring fireplace and some hot chocolate. Oh, and that man out of her face. There was a strange familiar charm to his face, but still, he was a cold-blooded killer who was staring at her funnily.

“Is that a common thing where you’re from?” He let go of her while eyeing her suspiciously.

“I-I guess it’s not that uncommon. Why?”

He shook his head. “What’s your name?” He turned around and started to walk down the hill as if he didn’t really care about the answer to his question. But he kept peering back over his shoulder, his eyes squinted, exuding something resembling surprise.

“Zoe. What’s yours?” She followed him, feeling accepted somehow, and it was such a relief that her chin started to wobble.

He nodded and then stopped peering over his shoulder. “I’m Matis,” he said.

Zoe swallowed and fought hard to keep the tears at bay. “It’s nice to meet you, Matis.”

He stopped abruptly and turned. “Is that it?” he said. But before Zoe had a chance to say anything, he made a low grumbling sound, something resembling an ironic scoff, and then continued marching away.

Zoe was confused. “Um, does that mean you’ll help me?” She had to yell it after him, his long strides making the gap between them grow quickly.

“I’ll get you thawed up,” he yelled back, sounding annoyed again. “And get you into some other clothes, something a bit more seasonally appropriate.”

“Oh my god, you don’t know how happy that makes me.”

“You do know that I’m a killer, don’t you? You saw me kill those soldiers. If I were you, I wouldn’t be so fast to rejoice.”

“It’s either death by you or by hypothermia, and I figured you’d have killed me by now if you wanted to.”

Matis scoffed and then shrugged as if she had a point.

“Besides, I have a sneaking suspicion that I’m already dead and in some sort of purgatory or limbo. Or maybe I’ve just lost my mind.”

“Wonderful,” Matis exclaimed sarcastically, apparently not really paying too much attention to her. Zoe couldn’t be sure, but he actually seemed offended somehow.

~~~

Author Neel Kay
Zoe Neel
Introvert, creative, awkward.
Neel Kay lives with her husband and two kids in rural surroundings in the south of Denmark, not far from the German border. She’s a trained milliner, studied English at university, and now works a day job as a web editor. But she’s been writing always.Love coffee, scarves and sea views. Oh, and butt-kicking heroines who know how to swing a sword and aren’t afraid to get a little dirty.
Author Links:
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~~~

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I have two giveaways!

The first is for an eBook copy of Zoe and the Demon Slayer

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

“If you could be transported into any book, which would you choose?”

The second giveaway:

A pair of little book earrings.

Zoe earrings

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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Event organized by Xpresso Book Tours.

Click on the banner to learn more and become a host!

Xpresso Book Tours

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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Teaser Tuesdays #84 ~ The death of Death

Posted: October 7, 2014 in Fantasy, horror, otherworldly, Teaser Tuesdays
Tags: , ,
57

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

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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 Teasers for today are from 

The death of Death

by K.N. Parker

 17206795

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Genre: Fantasy/Horror

For ages 12 and up.

Teaser #1 from 26% of the eBook

“One does not apply for this position. One does not ask to be put in this situation. One just is and one just does.”

Teaser #2 from 59% of the eBook

But what she could see was a great figure that did indeed resemble a tree, a terrible old and frightening one draped in black, much more black than she wore; much more black then her tiny body would be capable of wearing.

~~~

Synopsis

Death guides usually have rather normal names like John, Mary, Harry, and Jessica. And even ones not quite so normal, like Bartholomew or Ambrosia. They also have the most interesting tales behind their deaths. But one particular death guide has a few problems: she cannot remember her name or the details of her demise, and thus has no story of her own. One fateful night, she meets a young girl that may change her death forever.

Inspired by and in the style of Children’s tales of old, The Death of Death is a tragic, yet sweet little tale about loss and acceptance.

Suitable for ages 12 and up.

~~~

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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It’s a 4 for Friday Blitz and Giveaway!

Posted: September 26, 2014 in Blitz, Dystopian, Fantasy, giveaways, Romance, Science Fiction, YA
Tags: , , , , ,
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4-for-Friday-Banner

Welcome to the 4 for Friday Blitz for Crown of Ice by Vicki L. Weavil, Fire in the Woods by Jennifer M. Eaton, Avian by Nicole Conway, and Branded by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki, presented by Month9Books!

Usually I have a Cover Reveal and Giveaway for ya. Instead I have the 4 For Friday.

Just check out these spectacular books with their amazing covers.

Authors Abi & Missy have put together a super giveaway too so don’t forget to enter!

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Crown-of-ice-Cover

Thyra Winther’s seventeen, the Snow Queen, and immortal, but if she can’t reassemble a shattered enchanted mirror by her eighteenth birthday she’s doomed to spend eternity as a wraith.

Armed with magic granted by a ruthless wizard, Thyra schemes to survive with her mind and body intact. Unencumbered by kindness, she kidnaps local boy Kai Thorsen, whose mathematical skills rival her own. Two logical minds, Thyra calculates, are better than one. With time rapidly melting away she needs all the help she can steal.

A cruel lie ensnares Kai in her plan, but three missing mirror shards and Kai’s childhood friend, Gerda, present more formidable obstacles. Thyra’s willing to do anything – venture into uncharted lands, outwit sorcerers, or battle enchanted beasts — to reconstruct the mirror, yet her most dangerous adversary lies within her breast. Touched by the warmth of a wolf pup’s devotion and the fire of a young man’s desire, the thawing of Thyra’s frozen heart could be her ultimate undoing.

CROWN OF ICE is a YA Fantasy that reinvents Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen” from the perspective of a young woman who discovers that the greatest threat to her survival may be her own humanity.

 

add to goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD | iBooks

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

Vicki Weavil 11

Vicki Lemp Weavil was raised in a farming community in Virginia, where her life was shaped by a wonderful family, the culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and an obsession with reading. Since obtaining her undergraduate degree in Theatre from the University of Virginia, she’s gone on to acquire two masters degrees, living in places as diverse as New York City and rural North Carolina. She’s currently the library director for a performing an visual arts university. Vicki loves good writing in any genre, and has been known to read seven books in as many days. She enjoys travel, gardening, and the arts. Vicki lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and some very spoiled cats.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumbler

Fire-in-the-Woods-Cover

When a plane crashes in the woods near Jess’s home, the boy of her dreams falls out of the sky—literally. But David’s not here to find a girlfriend. He’s from another planet, and if Jess can’t help him get back to his ship, he’ll be stuck on Earth with nothing to look forward to but the pointy end of a dissection scalpel.

But her father runs their house like an army barracks, and with an alien on the loose, Major Dad isn’t too keen on the idea of Jess going anywhere. Ever. So how the heck is she supposed to help the sweetest, strangest, and cutest guy she’s ever met?

Hiding him in her room probably isn’t the best idea. Especially since her Dad is in charge of the squadron searching for David. That doesn’t mean she won’t do it. It just means she can’t get caught.

Helping David get home while protecting her heart—that’s gonna be the hard part. After all, she can’t really fall for a guy who’s not exactly from here.

As they race through the woods with Major Dad and most of the U.S. military one breath behind them, Jess and David grow closer than either of them anticipated. But all is not what it seems. David has a genocide-sized secret, and one betrayal later, they are both in handcuffs as alien warships are positioning themselves around the globe. Time is ticking down to Armageddon, and Jess must think fast if she’s to save the boy she cares about without sacrificing Earth—and everyone on it.

 

add to goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | iBooks

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

Jennifer M. Eaton

Corporate Team Leader by day, and Ranting Writer by night. Jennifer M. Eaton calls the East Coast of the USA home, where she lives with her husband, three energetic boys, and a pepped up poodle.

Jennifer hosts an informational blog “A Reference of Writing Rants for Writers (or Learn from My Mistakes)” aimed at helping all writers be the best they can be.

Beyond writing and motivating others, she also enjoys teaching her dog to jump through hoops—literally.

Jennifer’s perfect day includes long hikes in the woods, bicycling, swimming, snorkeling, and snuggling up by the fire with a great book; but her greatest joy is using her over-active imagination constructively… creating new worlds for everyone to enjoy.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Avian-Cover

What kind of power is lurking inside him?

After a year of training to become a dragonrider, Jaevid Broadfeather has been sent home to rest during a three-month interlude. But when he returns to find the king drake has chosen Beckah Derrick as his new rider, Jaevid realizes something big is about to happen. Every fiber of his being is pushed to the breaking point as Jaevid battles through his avian year, preparing for the final graduation test of the battle scenario. But there is more standing in his way than a few pushups and fancy sword moves.

Jaevid must face a new fear as he is tormented by a gruesome nightmare of a mysterious gray elf warrior murdering the royal family of Maldobar. It seems obvious to him that this is some kind of message about how the war started long ago—until Felix assures him the king is very much alive. With his strange powers growing stronger by the day, and that violent dream replaying in his mind every night, Jaevid no longer wonders if he will pass his avian year or not . . . he wonders if he will even survive it.

The truth will soon be set loose.

 

 

add to goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD | IndieBound | iBooks

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

NicoleConwayPhoto

Nicole is the author of the children’s fantasy series, THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES, about a young boy’s journey into manhood as he trains to become a dragonrider. She has completed the first two books in the series, and is now working on the third and final book.

Originally from a small town in North Alabama, Nicole moves frequently due to her husband’s career as a pilot for the United States Air Force. She received a B.A. in English with a concentration in Classics from Auburn University, and will soon attend graduate school.

She has previously worked as a freelance and graphic artist for promotional companies, but has now embraced writing as a full-time occupation.

Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, shopping, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves watching children’s movies and collecting books. She lives at home with her husband, two cats, and dog.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Branded-Cover

Fifty years ago The Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society.

To punish the guilty, he created the Hole, a place where sinners are branded according to their sins. Sinners are forced to live a less than human existence in deplorable conditions, under the watchful eye of guards who are ready to kill anyone who steps out of line.

Now, LUST wraps around my neck like thick, blue fingers, threatening to choke the life out of me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit, and the Hole is my new home.

Constant darkness.

Brutal and savage violence.

Excruciating pain.

Every day is a fight for survival.

But I won’t let them win. I will not die in the Hole.

I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

 

add to goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

 

Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumbler

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---Giveaway

Two (2) winners will receive a paperback copy of Predator by Janice Gable Bashman, Crown of Ice by Vicki L. Weavil, Into the Fire by Ashleyn Drake, Scion of the Sun by Nicola Marsh, and To Bear and Iron Key by Jackie Morse Kessler with some Month9Books Swag (US ONLY)

  • Three (3) winners will receive digital copies of Predator by Janice Gable Bashman, Crown of Ice by Vicki L. Weavil, Into the Fire by Ashleyn Drake, Scion of the Sun by Nicola Marsh, and To Bear and Iron Key by Jackie Morse Kessler (INT)

 

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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Lycanthor the Werewolf: The Dragon Fyre Blade Adventures by Aiden Storm ~ My Review

Posted: September 18, 2014 in Action/Adventure, Children's books, Fantasy, reviews, Series
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About the Book

Title: Lycanthor the Werewolf (The Dragon Fyre Blade, Book 1)

Author: Aiden Storm 

Illustrator: McCartney Leopardi

Publication Date: July 1, 2014 | Publisher: Dreaming Empire

  Pages: 71 | Recommended Ages: 7 to 12

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MY REVIEW

Jack is bored to tears. The thirteen year old has been shuffled off to spend the summer with his great-aunt Alberta.

His dad says he’ll have lots of fun things to do, but all it’s done is rain, and the only entertainment is old reruns on the tube.

His aunt suggests he explore the old house. It was built in 1872 and back then people included hidden rooms. Maybe he’d stumble upon one. So he ends up in the attic.

Nothing but some old junk there, but he does spy a mural that extends all the way around the room.  It reveals a landscape with strange beasts and an active volcano. Climbing up to get a closer look, he’s startled by a bird and puts his hand up to the wall to steady himself, falling into another world.

Thus begins Jack’s amazing adventure. He becomes friends with Jasyra, the king’s daughter, and along with her friend, Evooku, embarks on a quest to recover the six shards of the Dragon Fyre Blade.

When the sword was broken, the Demon Emperor scattered the six shards throughout the kingdom and the quest will be fraught with danger as the group has to confront the spells and creatures that protect the shards.

Jack will have to face Lycanthor, a monstrous werewolf. He is no longer bored.

This book is a fun read aloud to share with your children but I see no problem with them reading it alone. I have no young children but my teen age son and I read it aloud, taking turns as different characters, masking our voices and such. We had a grand time.

The author created a magical world with fun illustrations, lots of action, and a quest that continues into future books. The story will be continued as Jack and his new friends must complete the quest to recover all of the shards and return the Dragon Fyre Blade to its former glory. All to save the kingdom from the evil Demon Emperor.

When I was young I created an imaginary world that I entered through an old tree stump in my yard. It was filled with magical beings and I spent many a summer day sitting on that stump and letting my imagination take me away.

This all came back to me as I read this book and I’m looking forward to more in this action packed adventure.

4 Stars

Summary:

Thirteen year old Jack is spending the summer at his Aunt’s house in the country. Unfortunately, it’s done nothing but rain and he’s stuck in her old mansion without cable or internet. Bored and alone, he sets out to explore the house. When he reaches the attic, he finds an intricate and unusual mural painted on the walls. Life for Jack gets turned upside down when he stumbles and is transported through a portal into a magical world.

For Jasyra, the daughter of the High King, life couldn’t be worse. Her father has been turned to glass, her kingdom has been taken over by the Demon Emperor, and she and her friend, Evooku, have been exiled. The only way to save the land is to reassemble the Dragon Fyre Blade, but the Demon Emperor has hidden all six pieces and each is guarded by great mythical beasts. There is only one person who can help restore peace, but it has been said that he is not of their land.

When Jack awakens in the Great Forest of Karandur, he encounters Jasyra and Evooku. He discovers the only way home is to band together to fight the evil Lycanthor, a giant werewolf that guards a piece of the Dragon Fyre Blade. But first they have to make it through an enchanted land full of danger.

The Queen of Light appears to Jack and delivers a gift, as well as a revelation. He, Jasyra and Evooku form an unlikely friendship along the way and lasting bonds are made when they realize they are Karandur’s only hope. Will the trio be able to defeat Lycanthor and save the kingdom from an eternity of despair?

The Dragon Fyre Blade: Lycanthor the Werewolf is the first book in a series of six and is written for children 7 – 11 years old.

The Buzz About the Book

“I am eight years old and I liked this book because of how the author described everything so well. It is a very exciting, adventurous and magical story about a 13-year-old boy named Jack and his usual companions as they struggle against Lycanthor the werewolf to get the Dragon Fyre Blade pieces to help them defeat the Demon Emperor. My favourite part was when the author described the mural painting that Jack fell into. It was unique and painted vivid pictures in my head. The book was magical and interesting to read which made it so much fun. I think this is a great book for anyone who is looking for a magical adventure, and I can’t wait to read the second book!” ~ 5 Star Review, Carolyn, Amazon

“Couldn’t put this book down. I had me on the edge of my seat for the whole book. I read it so fast I was sad when it was over. I can’t wait for book 2!! ” ~ 5 Star Review, Pedroluis, Amazon

“My nine year old son is a fairly reluctant reader but we came across The Dragon Fyre Blade: Lycanthor the Werewolf at amazon and decided to read it based on the reviews. It reminds me a lot of the Beast Quest series of books and has an action-packed approach that my son enjoyed. You find yourself cheering for Jack, Jasyra and Evooku the heroes of the tale. There are several cliff hanger chapters that had my son wanting to read more… A worthwhile read for boys.” ~ 5 Star Review, nickalous, Amazon

“This is an enchanting and amazing book. I read it to my daughter and we both loved it. It is a mythical tale and it is so gripping. The story line is great and the characters are very well formed.” ~ 5 Star Review, PaigeTurner, Amazon

“Aiden Storm has written a book that will no doubt be a hit with 8 to 12 year old readers. The first book in a new series, Lycanthor the Werewolf sees a modern day boy named Jack set forth to retrieve the ancient Dragon Fyre Blade. It’s a lighter read filled with magic, action and a terrifying werewolf. The heroes have to use all their skills and abilities to battle the beast. Highly recommend this book for anyone with boys. It’s a natural choice for reluctant readers.” ~ 5 Star Review, Nita, Amazon

About the Author: Aiden Storm

Aiden Storm Avatar

Aiden grew up a city boy, but always loved getting out into the country. As a kid, his great uncle always took him to old castles, famous battlegrounds and long hikes in the wilderness. These days, Aiden lives in old cottage next to the forest with his dog Blade. When not writing Aiden spends time exploring the woods, dead certain they’re full of fantastical creatures, long lost relics and ancient magic…

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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MDBR Book Promotion Services

Thanks so much to Mother Daughter & Son Book Reviews and the author for gifting me a copy for my honest review.

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WWW Wednesday #41 ~ H2O, Cannibals, and a Serial Killer

Posted: September 17, 2014 in Fantasy, horror, Meme, suspense, thriller, WWW Wednesday
Tags: , ,
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WWW Wednesday

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Hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading

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

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

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What are you currently reading?

AQUA

by M.A. George 

21806369

 

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Synopsis

Meet Layla McKelland:

Novelist (unpublished, but cut her some slack…seventeen is a bit early to despair), Slightly neurotic introvert (Alright, let’s be honest…there’s no “slightly” about it), International Woman of Mystery, and…

Okay, just scratch the bio.

The only real “mystery” in Layla’s life is why her father has never been on the scene. Or why her mother drags Layla to a new coastal home every year.

Nothing about the latest hometown seems too newsworthy…until a routine day at the beach leaves Layla questioning whether she’s read one too many paranormal fantasy novels. The plot thickens when a random guy claims to know things about her father—a bizarre claim he backs up with an equally impossible stunt. And Layla soon finds herself on the wrong side of a mysterious attempted drowning…on her own kitchen floor.

When all is done, Layla will attest that fact is far stranger than fiction. And nothing in real life is ever as transparent as it seems…Not even water.

Especially not water.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Eating Sarah

by Jaret Martens 

20555231

 

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Synopsis
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Ever since childhood, all Sarah wanted was to participate in the Hunt—a monthly ritual in which her people sneak into a nearby city to gather food. Only in Sarah’s world, that food is human.After her first Hunt ends in catastrophe, Sarah is forced to prepare their captives for slaughter. While this once would have been an easy task, recent events have caused Sarah to question whether or not she’s still capable of murder. Worse, she finds herself caring for Troy: a captive she knows she will be forced to kill.But she can’t leave. Doing so would mean the deaths of both Troy and her family. With cannibals turning up dead—and suspicions of mutiny rising—Sarah and her family must be more careful than ever.Yet there’s something not quite right about her family . . . Something that might just get her killed.
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What do you think you’ll read next?

Blood in the Paint

 Blood for Blood #1

by Jordanna East

20810004

 

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Synopsis

Ten Years Later…

Jillian Atford is a successful psychologist with a lavish office in Center City Philadelphia. Despite overcoming past trauma and anguish, she cannot shake loose from the feeling that her newest client reminds her of someone.

Lyla Kyle, an accomplished artist, lives a rather quiet life–except for nights when she lures married men into her tangled web and murders them, all in a never-ending quest to avenge her mother. Yet, the nightmares of her mother’s death prove unrelenting, leading her to seek professional help.

Jason Brighthouse Jr. is a young Philadelphia police officer who lives in his father’s shadow and is troubled by the constant ridicule that surrounds his ambition. As he sets out to make peace with his colleagues, he remains confident that the key to their respect lies in his ability to connect the recent spate of suspicious deaths to a certain dark-haired temptress. In a turn of events, he justifiably takes a man’s life while off-duty. Mandatory leave requires him to obtain psychological clearance prior to returning to the force.

As current circumstances bring them together and the truth of their pasts unfolds, who will be left standing?

Three lives. Three deaths connect them. The present unites them.

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So, whatcha readin?

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