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Archive for the ‘giveaways’ Category

What’s New On My Bookshelf #121 and The Sunday Post

Posted: August 16, 2015 in Freebies!, giveaways, reviews, What's New on My Bookshelf
Tags: my weekly book news, The Sunday Post

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This is my own version of a weekly book haul and all things new on fuonlyknew.

Another fun way to share your book news and enjoy others is The Sunday Post hosted by

Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Head on over and leave a link to your Sunday Post and hop around to visits others.

~~~

Some chit chat.

Good morning ya’ll!

It’s another Sunday and it’s raining. I always find it funny how when summer first gets here, I want beautiful clear skies so I can get outside and get a tan, enjoy the swimming, and putter in my flower gardens.

As the summer gets hotter, the weeds get neglected, the tan is good enough, and the cold AC beckons me back inside. LOL

Today I awoke to overcast skies and rain. And I was glad. I can’t think of anything better right now than to curl up in bed with a cup of hot English Breakfast Tea and my Kindle.

I’m reading Ella, The Slayer right now and can’t wait to finish the last chapter! Then I’ll be grabbing something from the stack next to my bed. Perhaps a thriller, some horror, another cozy, or an urban fantasy? So many choices! Isn’t life grand!!

I’ll be hopping over to check out your Sunday posts so be sure to leave me your link!

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Here are my new books for review.

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Last week I mentioned I’d not taken in any new review books. Well, that didn’t last long!

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And here are some freebies for ya!

Click on the covers to get yours and remember to make sure they’re still free before you click that buy button.

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Books I reviewed this week. Click on the covers for my reviews.

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Books I’ll be reviewing next week.

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What I won.

Got these beauties!

And I won all of these books by Michael Phillip Cash and some cool swag!

Some of his books were on my wish list, so double cool!

Huge thanks to the blog hosts, authors, and tour organizers for these wonderful prizes

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Blitz and Two Giveaways for A Killing Among Friends by Toni Morrow Wyatt

Posted: August 13, 2015 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Mytery/Thriller, YA
Tags: A Killer Among Friends, Author Toni Morrow Wyatt, YA Mystery/Thriller

Lots to share with you today about A Killing Among Friends.

Enjoy the Blitz.

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

A Killing Among Friends

by Toni Morrow Wyatt
Published by: Limitless Publishing
Publication date: August 10th 2015
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult

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Synopsis

Sennie Lacefield has always felt safe at her family’s peaceful mountain lodge . . .

The only break in her tranquil life was the death of her boyfriend Patrick Devon, which left her heartbroken and unable to understand Patrick’s sullen, withdrawn brother Lonnie. But when her best friend Reatha Alcoker disappears, her sense of security is shattered. With the help of Reatha’s boyfriend Milo Durham, she launches a search for her friend.

More girls disappear, and bodies begin turning up . . .

When one of the missing girls is found dead in a swamp with a symbol burned into her forehead, Sennie focuses on her growing list of suspects. She can’t count on help from the lazy, lecherous Sheriff Warford Cackley. She also has suspicions the sheriff’s son Rex and his nasty friend Ottis know more than they’re willing to share.

Someone is watching Sennie’s every move . . .

Refusing to believe Reatha is dead, Sennie and Milo continue their frantic search, and Sennie is plagued with threatening messages. When another girl’s body is discovered, she and Milo visit the site and find evidence that Reatha has also been there. Some aerial photographs might hold a vital clue . . . if they can find them in time.

As Sennie unravels a tangled web of secrets, arson, burglary, and murder, could it be that a desire to help Sennie has warped the mind of a murderer?

Purchase: Amazon

~~~~~

Mayrose Weekly News

Harland Chives – Editor

This edition of the Weekly News is coming to you from Craneneck Slough.

In an exclusive interview with Enso Norder and Duane Paxton, we were able to gather more details about the apparent murder of Mayrose resident, Sue Stimes.

Harland: Enso, let’s start with you. Tell us about finding Sue Stimes.

Enso: Bad news sure does travel fast. Seems like everyone wants to know about what happened down at Craneneck Slough. Just the other night a bunch of us were down by the river, and Sennie Lacefield and Milo Durham were asking us a bunch of questions about the same thing.

Harland: Is that right?

Duane: Sure did. It’s just like we told them. Enso and I were giggling for bullfrogs. Did you know that some of them are as big as cats?

Enso: Yeah, Duane and I weren’t having much luck. We were wearing a couple of those flashlight helmets to cut through the darkness. All of a sudden, there was Sue floating lifeless. She was face down at the time. It gave me the creeps.

Harland: What did you do?

Duane: We got the heck out of there. We went to get Sheriff Cackley, who, by the way, was none too happy about having to go out to the swamp that late at night. “Couldn’t this wait until morning, boys?” he asked.

Enso: When we got there, Sheriff Cackley never got out of the truck. It was Deputy Clyde Johnson who helped us pull her out of the water. We felt real bad when we saw it was Sue. She was always real nice to us.

Harland: What happened next?

Duane: Well, Deputy Clyde wrapped Sue up in a tarp, and we put her in the back of the truck. Sheriff Cackley made us ride in the back with her. You know, he just sat there drinking a cup of coffee and listening to KARK radio as if there hadn’t been a murder.

Harland: What makes you think it was murder?

Enso: Oh, there was no doubt about it. She had bruises and cuts. It looked like Sue had put up one heck of a fight. The worst part was how her head was caved in. Looked like someone hit her real hard.

Harland: Let’s go back to what you mentioned about Sennie Lacefield and Milo Durham asking you questions. Why do you think that is?

Duane: That’s real easy. Everyone knows Sennie and Reatha Alcoker are best friends. Since Reatha went missing on the 4^th of July from the Lacefield Mountain Lodge, Sennie’s been investigating all over Mayrose trying to find out who is behind it.

Enso: As for Milo, everybody knows he and Reatha are together. I’ve seen them flirting with each other when they thought no one was watching. I guess they think the person responsible for what happened to Sue might be behind Reatha’s disappearance.

Breaking News

Missing: Reatha Alcoker

Photo Courtesy of cutehairtrends.com

The granddaughter of Pearleen and Oldfield Alcoker is missing. If you have any information, please contact Sheriff Warford Cackley or Deputy Clyde Johnson.

Sixteen-year-old Reatha Alcoker was last seen at the Lacefield Mountain Lodge during the 4^th of July fireworks. According to witnesses, the youth went into the lodge to use the facilities and never returned.

This week’s Mayrose Weekly News has been brought to you by:

Toni Morrow Wyatt ~ Author

Late at night, the clicking of the typewriter often lulled her to sleep. Her mother would sit at a window in her bedroom typing out stories until sleep overcame her.

This was how she got Toni interested in writing. Her stories wove themselves in and out of her daughter’s dreams. When Toni would awaken, her mother would give her the story and ask her to add to it. They wrote many stories and even began to work on various novels, as Toni grew older. Her mother not only shared her love of writing, she also shared her love of reading. Books, books, and more books. Toni can never get enough.

She spent many happy hours creating stories and songs. Throughout her school years, she concentrated her creative energy into singing for school plays, Master Choir, Keynotes (swing choir), and Great Expectations (a swing choir sponsored by a local park district).

But, she never forgot her love for weaving stories. After the death of her mother, Toni did not write for nearly three years. One day, she sat down at the computer and pulled up a file she had started working on in her late twenties. It was called, Return to Rocky Gap.

She finished that manuscript, found a publisher, and danced with joy the day she held it in her hands. It was bittersweet to know that she had done all of this alone, but she knew her mother was with her, encouraging her, and pushing her forward. Since then, she hasn’t stopped writing. She knows her mother is with her through every word, every paragraph, and every page along the way.

As a child, Toni’s family spent nearly every summer visiting relatives in a small, rural community in Arkansas. Finding magic in this place, it is the setting for many of her novels. Her love for southern fiction led to the writing of A Killing Among Friends, and also, Return to Rocky Gap. Her work has appeared in From the Depths Literary Journal and Belle Reve Literary Journal. She writes an eclectic blog titled, A Pinch of Me, on Tumblr. She was previously an independent bookseller, owning and operating Kindred Books for seven years.

Her love for reading takes her to places far and wide, which is something she will always strive to do for her readers.

She is happily married with two children.

***Win a FREE e-book copy of the newly released

A Killing Among Friends***

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You can connect with Toni here:

Twitter Facebook Goodreads IAN

Authorsdb Blog Website Amazon

Don’t forget her historical novel

Return to Rocky Gap

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***Important Note*** All pictures herein are strictly images representing the author’s imaginings of the characters and places from

A Killing Among Friends

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There are Two Giveaways

The First Giveaway is for an eBook copy of A Killing Among Friends.

Entry is easy.

Please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win and leave a comment.

Tell me something about the cover. About the blurb or the guest post.

Why do you want this book?

The Second Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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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!

The Summer The World Ended ~ Blog Tour and Giveaway

Posted: August 12, 2015 in apocalypse, Blog Tour, giveaways, YA
Tags: Author Mathew S. Cox, post-apocalyptic, The Summer The World Ended, YA

I’m always looking for books about the apocalypse, whether it’s zombies or some other disaster.

This will be a good summer read.

Check out The Summer The World Ended.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

The Summer the World Ended

by Matthew S. Cox

Published by: Curiosity Quills Press
Publication date: June 29th 2015
Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult

Synopsis:

As far as Riley McCullough is concerned, her best friend getting ‘dragged’ off to Puerto Vallarta for the first two weeks of summer vacation was the end of the world―at least until the bombs fell.

Life in suburban New Jersey with her mother has been comfortable, not to mention boring, to an introverted fourteen year old. As if her friend’s surprise trip wasn’t bad enough, her expectations for the ‘best summer ever’ disintegrate when she gets sent across the country to stay with a father she hasn’t seen in six years. Adjusting to a tiny, desert town where everyone stares at them like they don’t belong proves difficult, and leaves her feeling more isolated than ever. To make matters worse, her secretive father won’t tell the truth about why he left―or what he’s hiding.

Her luck takes an unexpected turn for the better when she meets a boy who shares her interest in video games and contempt for small town boredom. In him, she finds a kindred spirit who might just make the middle of nowhere tolerable.

Happiness is short lived; fleeing nuclear Armageddon, she takes shelter with her dad in an underground bunker he’d spent years preparing. After fourteen days without sun, Riley must overcome the sorrow of losing everything to save the one person she cares about most.

Purchase:

Amazon / B&N

~~~~~

Author Mathew S. Cox

Born in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. He has several other projects in the works as well as a collaborative science fiction endeavor with author Tony Healey.

Hobbies and Interests:

Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.

He is also fond of cats.

Author links:

Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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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!

Pour me a cold one…In The Drink ~ A Mack’s Bar Mystery Review and Giveaway

Posted: August 11, 2015 in Blog Tour, Cozy Mystery, giveaways, reviews
Tags: Author Allyson K. Abbott, In The Drink, Mack's Bar Mysteries #3

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Another fun cozy to tell you about.

I just can’t help myself. I’m addicted to them. LOL

In the Drink
(Mack’s Bar Mysteries Book 3)

24945940

Cozy Mystery
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Kensington (July 28, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-0758280190

My Review

It starts out rather ominously.

Mack ( Mackenzie Dalton) receives an anonymous letter touting her claim to being a top dog in crime solving.

The person challenges her to prove it by passing a series of tests. As she passes each test, she’ll move on the next one. A catch – each one is timed.

And there’s a chilling warning:

“Fail it and I will leave a body for you somewhere here in the city…It will be someone you know, someone who is close to you…”

She must do this on her own, no police, including her kind of boyfriend Detective Duncan Albright.

The test starts now and the letter is the first clue.

First off, this is the third book in the series and I haven’t read the others, so I worried about what I didn’t know. The author quickly filled me in on past events and I had no trouble with this installment.

Mack assisted the police in the past, first with her father’s murder and then with the murder of her father’s girlfriend. She has no claims of being a master sleuth. She’s a bar owner. She just wanted answers.

Mack’s is a synesthete, it’s a neuro disorder where the senses are cross-wired. An example is she can taste or see things that she smells. Also, her senses are extra acute, hearing things others don’t, smelling things others can’t. These things can be a great asset when trying to solve a crime. This can also help her sense when someone might be lying.

She’s kept it to herself for a long time. You can imagine the taunting Mack got from her peers when she was young, when she mentioned “music is too green”, or “apple is too loud”.

Someone leaked Mack’s ability to the press and her boyfriend, Detective Duncan was suspended for using her on a case. He eventually got his job back, but wasn’t allowed to use her on new cases.

Their budding romance is on the back burner because he’s been told to stay away from her or lose his job.

Mack knows she can’t handle this by herself, so she uses her crime solving group, the Capone Club, at her bar. They use real and made up crimes and try to solve them. Kind of just for fun, but one man wants the group to help with the cold case of his sister’s murder.

Now they have two real cases to solve.

Since Duncan can’t officially help Mack, and the psycho warned her not to tell anyone, he has a friend, Mal, an undercover cop, pose as her new beau so she won’t be left alone.

The tangled webs are woven.

Mack has a strong personality despite her insecurity about her disorder. I felt she was brave to expose herself to ridicule to help solve a crime. I liked her from the beginning.

It took a bit to warm up to Duncan. He was torn between his job and his attraction to Mack. You don’t get much about him in the beginning, but once the story gets rolling, you learn more. And when Mack feels a strong attraction to Duncan’s friend, Mal, things get really interesting.

Mack tastes chocolate when she thinks of Duncan. She savors the sweetness melting in her mouth. She also has the same sensation when thinking of Mal. Uh oh!

The plot is fantastic. So wicked. So twisted. This would be a great episode for the show Criminal Minds.

And the characters. I loved Mack and quickly became fond of Duncan and Mal. The secondary characters are too numerous to mention. I felt like I new them, the bar employees, the regular patrons, and the Capone Club. I bartended for almost twenty years and I could see their faces, recognize personalities.

Now we’ve reached the end of the book. Obviously I can say a word about it. But, I can say two – No Way!

I love suspense, thrillers, and mysteries, the creepier the better. Add in a frustrated romance, a possible poacher on said romance, and one sick, twisted villain, and I’m hooked til the end.

5 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Mack’s Bar and its crime-solving clientele are quickly gaining notoriety for helping solve some high-profile cases. But Mack is learning the hard way that not all press is good press…

By day, Mackenzie “Mack” Dalton is the proprietress of a popular Milwaukee watering hole. But after last call, she uses her unique cocktail of extra perceptive senses to help solve some of the city’s most grisly homicides. Now, Mack and her barstool detectives are happy to help when Tiny, one of the bar’s newest patrons, asks them to look into his sister’s murder. Though the case has gone cold, Mack’s heightened senses quickly put her on the killer’s trail. But when a throng of reporters intrigued by her talents descends on Mack’s Bar, her efforts are muddled as a real-life Moriarty begins putting her infamous skills to the test, leaving Mack feeling shaken and stirred…

* Includes drink recipes *

Here’s one I get to share!

MILWAUKEE RIVER ICED TEA

1 oz. vodka

1 oz. gin

1 oz. tequila

1 oz. white rum

1 oz. Triple Sec

1 oz. lemon juice

Beer

Combine all ingredients except beer in a shaker half full of ice and shake for about thirty seconds. Pour into a glass and top off with a beer of your choice.

For a mocktail version, combine 4 oz. strong black tea with 6 oz. apple cider and 1 oz. of fresh lemon juice. Pour over ice and top off with ginger ale and a maraschino cherry.

Yummy!

~~~~~

About The Author

Allyson K. Abbott is the pseudonym of a mystery and thriller writer who also works as an emergency room nurse. She lives in a small Wisconsin town with her family.

Visit her at

Website / Goodreads

Purchase Links

Amazon
B&N / INDIE BOUND

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Follow the tour for more fun posts!

August 10 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Interview

August 11 – fuonlyknew – Review, Recipe

August 12 – deal sharing aunt – Interview

August 13 – Girl with Book Lungs – Review

August 14 – fundinmental – Review, Recipe

August 15 – readalot – Review

August 16 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – Review

August 17 – Babs Book Bistro – Review, Recipe

August 18 – Shelley’s Book Case – Review, Recipe

August 19 – Jane Reads – Review, Recipe

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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!

A Dish Best Served Cold ~ My Cozy Review and a Giveaway

Posted: August 10, 2015 in Blog Tour, Cozy Mystery, giveaways, reviews
Tags: A Dish Best Served Cold, An Italian Kitchen Mystery #3, Author Rosie Genova

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A Dish Best Served Cold
by Rosie Genova

This is an enjoyable, fast summertime read, which takes you to the jersey shore and beyond.
~Mystery Playground

If you’re a beach lover, and especially if you’re an aficionado of Italian cuisine, you’ll love this book (and the Italian Kitchen series) with the delicious recipes, busy kitchen, wonderful characters, and of course the Jersey Shore and Boardwalk! I highly recommend A Dish Best Served Cold by Rosie Genova, and grant it our highest rating of Five Kitties.
~Jane Reads

A Dish Best Served Cold:
An Italian Kitchen Mystery

23591053

Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: NAL (August 4, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-0451415165

My Review

First I want to mention that this is the third book in this series. Don’t let that stop you from reading this out of order. The author smoothly provided back story in the right places without slowing down the story and I easily became familiar with the characters and previous events.

Now to the book. How could I pass this up? A cozy mystery with the main character being a successful mystery writer.

Victoria Rienzi, or Vic, returned to Oceanside on the Jersey shore a few months ago. She’s trying to write the next book in her mystery series while working in the families Italian restaurant, Casa Lido.

The restaurant is preparing for it’s 70th anniversary, but it’s not looking to good. A storm is barreling down on New Jersey. Vic’s grandmother, Nonna, isn’t going to let a little ole hurricane ruin the outdoor dining and festivities. When the winds begin to bluster and the rain starts to fall, everyone is hustled inside to continue the celebration.

Like all hurricanes, it blows through and the morning is bright and clear. There’s lots of power outages along with some damage, but it looks like everyone came through it okay. Until they find the body.

Stinky Pete, the resident homeless man, is found dead at the historical carousel ride on the boardwalk. He was last seen after he stumbled into the restaurant celebration. Nonna gave him some food and water and guided away from the guests, sending him on his way.

Vic isn’t convinced it’s an accidental drowning and she just can’t help herself. She has to stick her nose in the investigation, drawing Nonna’s wrath. It’s not the first time Casa Lido has been at the center of a murder investigation.

One of my favorite parts of this book was the research. The research done by the characters. Vic and her sister-in-law, Sophie, dig deep and stumble upon a connection to Vic’s great uncle, Roberto. He was the black sheep in the family and thought to have died in Italy a long time ago.

They make a list of suspects and the list keeps growing. I tell you, these ladies left no one off that list.

And I have to hand it to Vic. I don’t know how she kept going. A deadline is looming on her new release, and she needs to get cracking on the next book. She ‘s dealing with issues at the restaurant and at home due to lack of electricity. And she’s having to work alongside the man who broke her heart and sent her running away many years ago.

Vic is persistent and starts asking questions, angering some people and setting herself up as a target.

Love lost and found, people who want to keep their skeletons in their closets, and a possible mob connection kept this mystery rushing forward and kept me on my toes, right along with Vic. That, and her Nonna, who brooks no slacking and no nonsense.

Good clean fun with lots of laughs and some intense scenes as the mystery unravels. Everything you need for a good cozy read.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

The national bestselling author of The Wedding Soup Murder returns to the Jersey Shore where a killer is stirring up trouble during a hurricane…

At the Casa Lido, the end of summer means a party, and hit whodunit writer Victoria “Vic” Rienzi and her family are cooking like crazy for the restaurant’s seventieth anniversary celebration. As they chop onions and garlic, old family friend Pete Petrocelli stops by, saying he knows something that would make for a good mystery novel. Curious, Vic asks Nonna to elaborate on Pete’s claim and learns of a relative who mysteriously disappeared back in Italy…

The night of the party brings a crowd—and a full throttle hurricane. When the storm finally passes, everyone thinks they’re in the clear—until the first casualty is found, and it’s Pete. Remembering his visit, Vic isn’t certain Pete’s death was an accident and decides to dig deeper into his story. What she finds is meatier than Nonna’s sauce…

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About The Author –

A Jersey girl born and bred, national bestselling author Rosie Genova left her heart at the shore, which serves as the setting for much of her work. Her new series, the Italian Kitchen Mysteries, is informed by her appreciation for good food, her pride in her heritage, and her love of classic mysteries from Nancy Drew to Miss Marple. Her debut novel, Murder and Marinara, was named a 2013 Best Cozy by Suspense Magazine and is a finalist for a 2014 Daphne Award. An English teacher by day and novelist by night, Rosie also writes women’s fiction as Rosemary DiBattista. She still lives in her home state with her husband and the youngest of her three Jersey boys.

Author Links

Website / Facebook / Goodreads

Purchase Links
Amazon B&N INDIE BOUND

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

Rosie Genova has an awesome giveaway for you.

Check out what you can win!

Genova prize offering

Enter the rafflecopter below for your chance at the goodies!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Follow the tour for more fun posts!

August 4 – Mystery Playground – Review, Interview

August 5 – Jane Reads – Review

August 6 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too ! – Review

August 7 – Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf – Guest Post

August 8 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review

August 9 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – Review

August 10 – fuonlyknew – Review

August 11 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Review, Guest Post

August 12 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – Review, Interview

August 13 – Melina’s Book Blog – Review

August 14 – A Blue Million Books – Interview

August 15 – Kimberly’s Bookshelf – Review

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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!

Mage Assassin by K R Yaddof ~ Book Blast and Giveaway

Posted: August 10, 2015 in Book Blast, Dystopian, giveaways, urban fantasy
Tags: Author K R Yaddof, dystopian, Mages Assassin #3, series, urban fantasy

A little magic.

A little danger.

Some villains.

Some romance.

A great time to be had by all!

Mage Assassin

Mages #3

by K R Yaddof

Synopsis

Lauren Trinidad is the best private security money in the League of European Nations can buy. She’s been trained by her father for her entire life to protect the good guys from the bad. But when the good guys seem to be working for the mad man responsible for blowing the world into chaos and her family is suddenly the bad, she is forced to choose between what she is taught to do and what she thinks is right.

Captain David Trinidad is the best soldier the New Republic of Texas can find to pull off a secret mission that will decide the fate of the small country. He’s been raised in his military family to do anything to help his homeland. But when he discovers he is the only chance at saving someone he loves, he has to choose between the only two things in his life that he’s never doubted.

Meagan Trinidad is the best assassin the United Countries of America has for hire. She has walked the tightrope between making her father proud and protecting those she cares about for a while. But when her work threatens to destroy her friends, she must choose between the familial loyalty that has guided her whole life and the promise of being loved for who she is and not what she does.

~~~~~

Enjoy the excerpt.

“I did, but I saw a few suspicious characters before I left, so I stopped them from killing everyone.”

“Oh, you did, huh?” He smiled that charming grin that made her forgive him for anything.

“Yeah, because I’m smooth like that.” She couldn’t help but smile back.

“Sure you are.” He laughed and crossed the room to her. “You’re hurt.”

“It’s nothing,” she lied. Even her teeth hurt.

“Here.” He gently took her face in his hand. He blew a thick lock of her chestnut hair back. He ran his finger over the bruise and whispered, “Curatio.”

White-hot magic radiated from his thumb into the center of the pain and slowly flowed over her face, leaving cool relief in its wake. Her hand joined his as she felt her healed face. Her skin was smooth and no longer sore.

“Thanks.” She kissed him softly. His lips felt warm, soft, and familiar. His hands immediately pulled her to him. She stopped him by putting her hands on his chest. “I need a shower.”

“Shall I join you?” He cocked a platinum eyebrow.

~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links

K R Yaddof was lucky enough to take a few writing classes at the University of Iowa Writer’s Workshop when she was there as an undergrad getting her degree in cinema. Now she lives in Denver, CO with her husband, two kids, and one fat cat.

KR is currently finds time to write while staying home with her two small children. If you want more MAGES, cross your fingers for her children to start sleeping through the night!

Author Links

Website / Amazon / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Pinterest

Buy Links

Amazon / B&N

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Click on the banner below to follow the tour and comment.

The more you comment, the more chances to win!

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

What’s New On My Bookshelf #120 and The Sunday Post

Posted: August 9, 2015 in Freebies!, giveaways, reviews, What's New on My Bookshelf
Tags: my weekly book news, The Sunday Post

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This is my own version of a weekly book haul and all things new on fuonlyknew.

Another fun way to share your book news and enjoy others is The Sunday Post hosted by

Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Head on over and leave a link to your Sunday Post and hop around to visits others.

~~~

Some chit chat.

I have been so frustrated this week. I was without my car for three days and finally got it back. Needed a new radiator. Only one day later, I watched it being towed out of my driveway. Back to the shop for a leak. I think it’s a small hose. Crossing fingers!

Needless to say, I was boiling over as was my car!

boiling teakettle photo: boiling pot boiling_pot.gif

It made me think what it would be like to not have a car. How would I get to work? To the vet? To buy groceries? So many things that you need a car for. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. Well, maybe I would. It’s not very fun.

My car is well over ten years old. I should be looking for a new one. But I’ve already put a lot of money in it. Much of the parts are new. The engine has been rebuilt. Which brings up the question, when do you stop pouring money into your car and go get another one.

There’s a hitch to that, though. I don’t have the money to buy another car. So it looks like for now I’ll be spending more money. I just want my baby back!

Something else new this week. The police have been out in force. They have cops dressed in plain clothes stand on the side of the road with cardboard signs. People think they are homeless men, begging for money. They don’t even read the signs that state they are cops and you’ll be ticketed for not wearing a seatbelt or for texting while driving. One lady was pulled over after she drove by a cop without her seatbelt on, putting on her mascara, and texting while driving with her knee.

I usually know when someone in front of me on the road is texting. They swerve all over the place, speed up and slow down, and drive me crazy. I stay way back from them so I won’t get caught up in the wreck if it happens. I tried one time to text and almost hit a mailbox. I was on an empty back road and just seeing what would happen. Are people nuts?!!!!

I’ll be hopping over to check out your Sunday posts so be sure to leave me your link!

~~~

Here are my new books for review.

A Big Fat ZERO!

I can’t believe it. It’s been so long. If you saw my schedule for now through the end of September, you’d understand why I didn’t take in any new ones. I even have some for October and November but trying hard to cut back and review books that I’ve won or was gifted or downloaded for free.

Not sure how long it’ll last, but we’ll see. LOL

~~~

And here are some freebies for ya!

Click on the covers to get yours and remember to make sure they’re still free before you click that buy button.

~~~

Books I reviewed this week. Click on the covers for my reviews.

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Books I’ll be reviewing next week

I have a couple more to choose from too. Trying to catch up on long overdue reviews.

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What I won.

eBooks

Print books

Huge thanks to the blog hosts, authors, and tour organizers for these wonderful prizes

~~~

A YA Sci-Fi Dystopian ~ Shadow Of Deception by Sophia L. Johnson ~ My Review and Giveaway

Posted: August 7, 2015 in Blog Tour, Dystopian, giveaways, reviews, Science Fiction, YA
Tags: Author Sophia L. Johnson, Science Fiction, Shadow Of Deception, The Kazumi Chronicles #1, YA Dystopian

SHADOW OF DECEPTION

(The Kazumi Chronicles #1)

by Sophia L. Johnson

YA Dystopian/Sci-fi

Published on April 19^th, 2015

My Review

Kazumi should feel lucky. She’s the only survivor of a plane crash that had over five hundred passengers. But she doesn’t. She feels lost, scared, hopeless. She’s lost her sense of self. Has no memory of who she is, where she comes from.

A nurse at the hospital tries to help her. She senses Kazumi is more than she appears. When it’s time for her release from the hospital, Linda sneaks her away to some people who might be able to help her. With nothing left to lose, Kazumi, though scared, goes along with it.

Deep inside the Rocky Mountains is a secret society of super humans, genetically advance people called Sarcomeres. Their enhanced strength and high tech toys fascinate Kazumi and she quickly becomes a part of the society.

Quick to learn, she trains diligently, preparing for the daunting tests to come.

She’ll need to learn quickly as the Sarcomeres old enemy, the Neuronics, are plotting world supremacy over humans and all other beings. Subterfuge, attacks, and Kazumi’s own hidden memories could bring about a catastrophe.

I should mention that Kazumi is referred to as Gabi for much of this book. The name was chosen for her in the hospital as she couldn’t remember her real one.

This books is intended for young adult readers, and as I’m much older, I worried if I’d appreciate it. I sure did. I enjoy science fiction and dystopian stories and this is a bit of both.

Kazumi is a scrappy young gal. She’s a quick study, bold, and still a bit girly. Especially around Finn.

The Sarcomeres stay hidden from society. Not because they are bad, but because of what they are and what they fight.

The Neuronics. Nasty beasts for sure. They can envelop you with their tentacles, reach into your mind and body, and control what you see and do. Quite creepy, indeed. And what’s a good villain without a plot to take over the world.

There’s lots of world building, but it flows easily in the story. The characters come to life with some well written descriptions. And the action is fast and furious.

Almost forgot. There are some sub plots too. A big one is about Kazumi’s past.

Young and mature fans of these genres will enjoy this new series.

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

2153, Toronto, United Nation of North America (UNNA)

A horrific plane crash kills all five hundred and forty-two passengers except one. Kazumi emerges from the wreckage physically unscathed but has lost all her memories. Her miraculous survival has the whole city buzzing but all she wants is to go home, wherever home is.

After waiting a month in the hospital with no one to claim her, Kazumi is deemed homeless. She is about to be sent to a nearby teenage shelter when the nurse she grew to trust ushers her down a mysterious path, one that promises safety and maybe even the chance to recover her memories. With no better options available, Kazumi takes her chance and finds herself in the headquarters of the Sarcomeres, a secret society of genetically advanced humans hidden deep inside the Rocky Mountains. The Sarc’s heightened physical abilities and high-tech gadgets are not the only things that fascinate Kazumi. Finnegan O’Riley, a fellow Sarc she meets along the way also gets her heart racing. When Kazumi discovers that she possesses the genetic potential of a Sarcomere, she jumps at the chance to train with them, not knowing the death defying tests that are involved.

Meanwhile, a centuries-old nemesis of the Sarcomeres begins to stir in the dark, setting their dark plans in motion. Just when Kazumi thinks she can help protect her new found home, past memories surface to threaten her new identity. She soon realizes that layers of deception run deep and everyone has a secret agenda, including herself.

Who can she trust when she can’t even trust herself? One wrong decision could bring forth consequences worse than death.

Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Indigo – Google Play
Add it to your Goodreads list!

_________________________

All royalties made in the first year will go to a charity

called Covenant House, to help homeless youth.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

With a degree in International Business Management, Sophia has worked in a major marketing firm where she realized the corporate world isn’t one she wants to be in. She then made the switch into the healthcare industry as a Registered Massage Therapist by day and a writer by night. She is now a Massage Therapy instructor and a published author living with her husband and daughter in Toronto. Her go-to genres are science fiction, fantasy, and dystopian; or anything that sweeps her away into a foreign world that promises adventure.

Website – Twitter – Facebook

~~~

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International Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~

Shadow of Deception by Sophia L. Johnson is now on tour!
Check the hosts and join the International giveaway running here and on each stop.

Shadow of Deception Tour schedule:

July 20th | Life of a Bookworm (Excerpt)
July 21st | The Tale Temptress (Review)
July 22nd | The Writing Greyhound (Review, Author Interview)
July 23rd | Happy Tails and Tales (Review, Excerpt)
July 24th | Darkest Sins (Guest Post)
July 27th | Mind Reader (Author Interview)
July 28th | Justified Lunacy (Review)
July 29th | Jody’s Book Reviews (Excerpt)
July 30th | Sapphyria’s Book Reviews (Guest Post, Excerpt)
July 31st | The Avid Reader (Review, Excerpt)
August 3rd | The Reader and the Chef (Review)
August 4th | White Sky Project (Review)
August 5th | Reader Girls (Excerpt)
August 6th | Much Loved Books (Guest Post)
August 7th | Fuonlyknew (Review)

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

Give ‘Em Pumpkin To Talk About ~ A Cozy Review and Giveaway

Posted: August 6, 2015 in Blog Tour, Cozy Mystery, giveaways, New Release
Tags: Authors Joyce and Jim LaVene, cozy mystery, Give 'Em Pumpkin To Talk About, new series release

give em pumpkin large banner640

Give ‘Em Pumpkin To Talk About

By Joyce and Jim Lavene

These skilled writers have done it again. They’ve penned a book that had me completely transfixed. Their style of writing feels as though it was so effortless to them. (I bet they would say different). It just flows across the pages.
~Lisa K’s Book Reviews

Well-tuned, with plenty of romance, mystery, suspense, history, legend–and some just plain ornery people. The book became a really fast read, because I couldn’t bear to stop before finishing!
~Mallory Heart Reviews

This is a great read, with wonderful characters and a great plot. You’ll want to read it all in one sitting. If you are looking for a great new mystery series then I highly recommend this one. I’m really looking forward to book two.
~Booklady’s Booknotes

With a romantic interest, a murder, lost gold and missing grandparents, not to mention a hard to deal with mother, this cozy mystery has all of my ingredients for a great read!
~Book Splurge

It is Amazing!…Each character brings something unique and has a charm about them that really bring this story to life.
~Shelley’s Book Case

Give ‘Em Pumpkin is a superb beginning to a new series. It’s cozy mystery; and it’s written by the Lavenes. What else could it be but great?
~Back Porchervations

This is a good cozy with a couple of mysteries. Lots of drama, treasure hunters, murders and talk about ghosts and Aliens.
~readalot

Give Em Pumpkin To Talk About
(Pumpkin Patch Mysteries Book 1)

25726901

Cozy Mystery
Print Length: 199 pages
Publisher: J. Lavene (August 4, 2015)
ASIN: B00Z7LUVZQ

My Review

I was so excited to read this book. I’ve read many books by these authors and have always started each series somewhere besides the beginning. This is the first time I’ve started one at the beginning! Now I don’t have to go backwards to go forward.

I’m beginning to suspect Joyce and Jim Lavene have special powers. How else can they write so many books so fast and make me fall in love with their characters so easily?

I loved Sarah Tucker. She’s a successful lawyer working for a senator. Rising up the ladder quickly. When her mother decides it’s time to sell her grandparents abandoned farm, Sarah takes time off to seal the deal.

Off she goes to Misty River, Virginia, and right into her childhood memories. Sarah loved her grandparents and cherished every minute she spent on their farm. From swimming naked in the river, to watching the pumpkins grow huge, she knew every inch of those acres.

Her analytical mind says seal the deal when a buyer offers a huge amount of money for the farm. Her whimsical mind says don’t do it. You love this place. It could be brought back to it’s former glory.

And what about her grandparents. They vanished without a trace many years ago, food still on the table, no signs of violence. If she sells the farm, she might never know what happened to them.

And where will Jack go. Her former childhood playmate, the boy who gave her her first kiss, lives on the farm. He’s been there for years, a squatter you could say, protecting the place and keeping it from falling to ruin.

Digging into the old investigation stirs up a hornets nest. Sarah and Jack arrange a meeting with a man who says he has a lead on her grandparents. Once they reach the farm, bullets fly and they find the man dead.

Sarah, along with Jack and many of the town folk, better dig faster for clues if they don’t want more bodies piling up.

Speaking of digging. There’s also the mystery of the buried Confederate gold somewhere on the farm. The plot thickens.

This is the type of writing that keeps me reading for hours, reading from beginning to end. Pausing to laugh. Diving back in. Wanting to know what happens. Not wanting it to end.

The romance is sweet and funny. Sarah is attracted to Jack in spite of herself. He loves to keep her off balance. These two are made for each and I crossed my fingers for a happy ever after.

The mystery is a good one. I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but it totally caught me by surprise.

The characters were wonderful. So many of them, yet it was easy to remember who was who.

The community is close. Everybody pitches in to help each other. And a bear can’t poop in the woods without someone knowing about it. You know those kind of towns.

The writing. How to describe it. These two authors have a way of keeping me engrossed even when they’re writing about something as mundane as walking from the farmhouse to the barn. No wasted word, just the right ones to show you the scene.

I loved every word. Can’t wait for more. And knowing how fast these two write, it probably won’t be a long wait.

5 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis:
Richmond attorney Sarah Tucker returns to sell her family’s abandoned farm in Misty River, Virginia despite unanswered questions about her grandparents’ disappearance sixteen years earlier. Sarah was only twelve when she went to visit and found her grandparents had vanished. No amount of searching has brought answers.
Now Sarah is faced with other issues when a man is killed who claimed to have information about what happened to her grandparents. She learns of a Confederate chest of gold that is said to be buried on the property, and treasure hunters who are willing to do anything to get their hands on it.
Were her grandparents murdered for the gold? Sarah can’t sell the land and go back to her life until she has answers. But the cost of the answers may be her life.
Includes farm-fresh recipes!

~~~~~

About These Authors

Joyce and Jim Lavene write award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon, and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family.

Author Links

Website / Facebook / Amazon / Twitter

Purchase Link
Amazon

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~

Check out the other stops on the tour for more fun posts!

August 3 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – Review

August 3 – Mallory Heart Reviews – Review

August 3 – Books and Authors – Review

August 4 – Booklady’s Booknotes – Review, Guest Post

August 4 – Kimberly’s Bookshelf – Review

August 4 – Book Splurge – Review

August 5 – Shelley’s Book Case – Review, Guest Post

August 5 – Back Porchervations – Review

August 5 – readalot – Review

August 6 – fuonlyknew – Review

August 6 – Girl with Book Lungs – Review

August 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – Review

August 6 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – Spotlight

August 7 – A Blue Million Books – Interview

August 7 – Queen of All She Reads – Review

August 7 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – Spotlight

August 8 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – Review, Guest Post

August 8 – MysteriesEtc – Review

August 8 – Griperang’s Bookmarks – Interview

August 9 – Community Bookstop – Review

August 9 – cuppa Tea With G – Review

August 10 – View from the Birdhouse – Review

August 10 – Cassidy Salem Reads & Writes – Review

August 10 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too ! – Spotlight

August 11 – Babs Book Bistro – Review

August 11 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – Review

August 12 – A Chick Who Reads – Review

August 12 – Book Babble – Review

August 13 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review

August 13 – Melina’s Book Blog – Review

August 14 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Review, Guest Post

August 14 – Moonlight Rendezvous – Review

August 15 – deal sharing aunt – Interview

August 15 – LibriAmoriMiei – Review

August 16 – Laura’s Interests – Review

August 16 – Brooke Blogs – Review

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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!

The Fall Of Icarus ~ My Review and A Giveaway

Posted: August 5, 2015 in Blog Tour, Fantasy, giveaways, reviews, Short stories and collections
Tags: Author N.R. Bates, fantasy short stories, The Fall Of Icarus

N. R. Bates is on Tour

July 31 thru August 9

with

The Fall Of Icarus

25357738

(Fantasy/Magic Realism/Short Stories)

Release date: March 31, 2015 at NR Bates Publishing

65 pages

ISBN: 978-0-9931905-6-8 (mobi)
ISBN: 978-0-9931905-7-5 (epub)
ISBN: 978-0-9931905-8-2 (print)

Website | Goodreads

***

My Review

An errant elevator, Greek myth, and a girl who can fly. Each of these stories can stand on their own. Together they make a strong statement for making our own choices, seizing opportunities, and following our own paths.

As these are short stories, I can’t give much more description.

I did get a feeling that some of these stories were left unfinished. Could have been given a real ending. That brought me back to their messages which I mentioned in the beginning of my review. Maybe leaving an open ending was so I could choose how it would go.

What I enjoyed was putting myself in each character’s shoes. What would I do? Would I succeed? Could I have done something different?

When a book can make me do that. Make me pause, think, ask questions, I know I’ve been reading some strong writing.

4 Stars

***

Synopsis

Three interconnected short-stories set in Paris explore the issue of choice, survival and transformation. In the first story, a young man on his first business trip is waylaid by an aberrant elevator. In the pivotal tale, a young scientist re-imagines the Greek myth of Icarus and his fall to earth. In the final story, a young woman who cannot recall her own name relates the fantastical tale of a girl who can fly.

***

Here’s a glimpse inside!

Fall of Icarus Excerpt two

***

About The Author

NR Bates was born in London, grew up in Wales, and lived in Canada and Bermuda. He shares his life with his wife and his house with seven cats, one dog and the subtropical wildlife of lizards, wolf spiders and ant colonies that seek out a better life indoors. He is an oceanographer and scientist, and has published more than one hundred and thirty scientific papers on ocean chemistry, climate change and ocean acidification. He is a Senior Scientist at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences and Professor of Ocean Biogeochemistry at the University of Southampton, UK. His novels focus on epic fantasy and magic realism, and inspired by his deep love of the ocean and environmental sciences.

Visit his website

Follow him on Twitter | on Facebook

Buy the book | on Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

***

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You can enter the global giveaway here
or on any other book blogs participating in this tour.
Be sure to follow each participant on Twitter/Facebook,
they are listed in the entry form below.

Entry -Form

Visit each blogger on the tour:

Tweeting every day of the Tour will give you 5 extra entries each time!
[just follow the directions on the entry-form]

Global giveaway open internationally:
5 participants will each win a digital copy of this book

***

Click On The Banner Below

To Read Other Reviews And An Excerpt

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

fuonlyknew

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Archive for the ‘giveaways’ Category

What’s New On My Bookshelf #121 and The Sunday Post

Blitz and Two Giveaways for A Killing Among Friends by Toni Morrow Wyatt

The Summer The World Ended ~ Blog Tour and Giveaway

Pour me a cold one…In The Drink ~ A Mack’s Bar Mystery Review and Giveaway

A Dish Best Served Cold ~ My Cozy Review and a Giveaway

A Dish Best Served Cold
by Rosie Genova

Mage Assassin by K R Yaddof ~ Book Blast and Giveaway

What’s New On My Bookshelf #120 and The Sunday Post

A YA Sci-Fi Dystopian ~ Shadow Of Deception by Sophia L. Johnson ~ My Review and Giveaway

Shadow of Deception Tour schedule:

Give ‘Em Pumpkin To Talk About ~ A Cozy Review and Giveaway

The Fall Of Icarus ~ My Review and A Giveaway

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