Archive for the ‘giveaways’ Category

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It’s my pleasure to share The Kingdom Within by Samantha Gillispie with you.
All week long, Samantha is celebrating and donating a percentage of book sales to a wonderful cause, Friends For Life.
Please join us and enter the giveaway.
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Title: The Kingdom Within

Author: Samantha Gillespie

Series: The Kingdom Within Series #1

Genre: YA, Fantasy Romance

Princess Meredith’s eighteenth birthday is fast approaching, but unlike other girls, she is not looking forward to it. Upon her coming of age, she is to marry the prince of Alder, the most powerful kingdom in the world. Though the idea of marriage to a complete stranger is appalling, she knows she has no choice. Without the marriage contract, Stonefall’s alliance with Alder will be lost, and her people will be safe no longer; Theros, King of Talos, has set his eyes of conquest on Stonefall and he wants Meredith dead.

Connor, an elite soldier entrusted with Meredith’s safety, arrives at the palace just as things begin to take a turn for the worst. Together, they will embark on a journey of survival, in which Meredith will find that the only thing she never prepared for was falling in love.

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Prologue
“Their fear is your weapon.” The old man’s words ring loud and true within the walls of the banquet room. They display eloquently against the pale face of his latest target—or rather, his latest conquest. The rebellious nature of the fugitive landowner before him crumbled to an embarrassing spectacle of soiled trousers and desperate pleas.
“I’ll pay double,” he says through hasty breaths.
The old man smiles. “Your debt is no longer a concern.” He gestures to the two armored men who hold the landowner captive. “Guards, please introduce him to Eva.” The landowner throws nervous glances at the guards as they usher him across the room. Like all the others before him, it takes him a moment to realize who Eva is. I watch him stiffen, throwing his legs out in front of him to stall the guards, his heels dragging uselessly against the polished wood. He gives in to a series of screams as they reach the human shaped cabinet. It stands open, the long, sharp internal spikes ready to impale its next victim.
“Life is a cradle of victories and failures, my son,” the old man says over the man’s screams, raising his cup to me. “The more victorious you are—”
“The longer I shall live,” I finish flatly. “I can recite your teachings in my sleep, old man. When will I get to do anything with them?”
He takes his time to answer, enjoying the last of the landowner’s melody as Eva’s iron door grinds to a close. He welcomes the ensuing silence with a sigh. “You are young still, boy. But if you are ever to do my bidding, you must work on your patience; revenge is not to be rushed.”
I snort. “What is it now, thirty years? I’d wager you are in no danger of rushing anything.” The old man stares back through zealous eyes.
“Patience, son. The best poison is that which spreads through unsuspecting veins, killing slowly and gradually. The kind that tastes sweet to the tongue and doesn’t bitter until the very end.”
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Book Trailer

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About the Author

Samantha Gillespie is a creative, helpless romantic who was born in Mexico, where she grew up with her family until they returned to the States at age eleven. An avid reader from a young age, Samantha finally gave into her passion for writing, making her debut with The Kingdom Within.

Samantha considered pursuing a degree in English Literature while in college but despite her family and friend’s encouragement, she opted for a more practical career in Business. Now, with the publication of her first book under her belt, she occasionally hits herself on the head for it. Samantha currently lives in Houston, TX, and besides being a sucker for romance, she has a soft spot for helpless kittens, and all things Pride & Prejudice.

 

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Giveaway
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a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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This is a Tag Team Event hosted by myself and Sherry.

 I have some exciting news to share with you about Dinosaur lake II.  Read on to learn how you can win some books!

After reading my review, head on over to Sherry’s blog at fundinmental for more and check out her review. Two chances to win!

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Dinosaur Lake II

Dinosaurs Arising

by Kathryn Meyer Griffith

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My Review

Here we go again. Chief Park Ranger Henry Shore thinks its over. They killed the dinosaur and he’s pretty sure they destroyed all of the eggs. But when strange things start happening in the park, when another ranger has to fight off a large creature to save some visitor’s, it looks like it’s not over.

Things go from bad, to horrific when one of the trolleys, full of tourists, is attacked by something huge, like the thing in the park, yet larger, and it has wings.

It looks like Henry will have to do battle with dinosaurs again, and he’ll have help from his rangers, along with some soldiers and his son-in-law.

Winged gargoyles, that’s what they look like, but much larger.

They are breeding. They fly and are no longer confined to Henry’s beloved park. They are hungry and they need food for their offspring. The park and surrounding towns become their feeding ground.

No one is safe.

I couldn’t wait to read this after finishing the first book. I love books and movies about dinosaurs, especially when they appear in modern times.

There’s so many things Kathryn does really well in her stories. Let me explain.

She gives you authentic characters. They have their flaws, foibles. You like them or you don’t.

When the town sheriff scoffed at the idea of dinosaurs, refused to believe they exist even after the town gets attacked, I could picture him. Standing there, shaking his head, a sneer on his lips, a posture of superiority. I figured he’d get eaten.

And this is my favorite thing she does. She kills off her characters. You don’t want to become too fond of them, but with some you will. And just because they may survive a first encounter, don’t count on them surviving a second one. I’m not saying the sheriff died. I’m not saying they all die. But I wouldn’t want to be in any of their shoes when the dust settles.

The author also doesn’t waste any time getting the carnage going. She quickly drops you in the middle of the mayhem and scares the bejesus out of you. The story never slows down. The suspense and dread builds and builds, and knocks you on your butt. You’ll want to look away, but you won’t be able to. You’ll have to keep reading, find out what happens.

Let’s get to the monsters now. They are just that, monsters. They may be dinosaurs, but they’re unlike the ones from history. They’ve evolved, are very different. I like that Kathryn chose to liken these dinosaurs to gargoyles. The first thing you think of when flying dinosaurs are mentioned is Pterodactyl’s. But not these. They are giant gargoyle like things. And they are blood thirsty, cunning, and relentless. They never stop coming for you.

Every book Kathryn writes is like this. She never lets you down. All of her characters, strong or weak, are genuinely written. We may scoff at their actions, but they are theirs not ours. It’s important to remember that.

And the action and suspense are almost immediate and it’s always a mad dash to the end. Usually with lots of people screaming. LOL

I loved this every bit as much as the first book. I missed some characters that didn’t survive the first one. Loved some of the new ones. I know I shouldn’t have. Lots of people die. But that’s what made this so good. It was unpredictable and the idea of where the creatures came from was plausible. That’s what really creeped me out.

This is everything I hoped for from the author and now I’ve just finished the third book. Holy hell, it’s awesome too!

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Prehistoric creatures have again invaded Crater Lake National Park
…and this time there’s more than one.

DINOSAUR LAKE II: Dinosaurs Arising
by Kathryn Meyer Griffith
Henry Shore has been Chief Park Ranger at Crater Lake National Park for thirteen years now and thought the days when he’d had to fight a rogue dinosaur that lived in the caves below the lake were long over.
Until one of his park rangers, to save a visitor’s life, is in a deadly struggle out in the woods with a new breed of dinosaur worse than the last one. It’s as big as a man, but this one is a young one. And growing.
Then more of the creatures begin to show up everywhere, threatening people and destroying the tranquility and safety of his beloved park.
A tourist trolley filled with fifteen people is snatched up off the crater’s rim by another version of the younger one…but this one has grown into a giant with fangs, claws and a deadly tail.
And this one has wings.
Ugly Gargoyles, Henry calls them.
For this one isn’t alone.
They’re flying beyond the park’s boundaries into the neighboring towns.
So Henry, with the help of his son-in-law, a paleontologist named Justin, and a band of brave park rangers, and a few good soldiers, must not only protect his park and his people from monsters once more but find their lair and destroy it and them before the creatures kill again.

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 Dinosaur Lake

by Kathryn Meyer Griffith.

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My review

Enter at your own risk. There be a huge freakin dinosaur here.

I love books with creatures in them. This one has a dinosaur. A dinosaur that tasted humans and put them at the top of its list. We may be noisy, what with all the screamin, but we’re oh so tasty.

Chief Ranger Henry Shore likes to get out from behind his desk. He enjoys taking out tours now and then. The park is his love and he jumps at any chance to get out there.

The threat of an earthquake has him concerned. It’s predicted they’ll be hit with a major one, and if the tremors he feels are any indication, it could be soon. The rumors of a giant creature seen in Crater Lake make him pause. Maybe the earlier earthquake released something from the caverns under the lake.

When a couple of the boat captains from the lake tours go missing and all that’s recovered are their shattered boats, Henry begins to believe in the rumors. And when a group of campers are attacked, people are missing, blood and bits of gore are strewn around, and a trail of shattered trees leaves a huge trail to the lake, Henry has no choice but to believe the witnesses testimonies of a gigantic monster, a dinosaur, that attacked and ate their friends.

The creature has come on land and is ranging further and further from the lake to find the tasty morsels he craves and needs. No one is safe and Henry wonders how far the evacuation should go.

Henry has big problems. Will it go into the towns? Where is its lair? When will it strike again and how the hell can he stop it? He wants his park back. With the help of fellow rangers and one strange ex- FBI agent who deals in the unusual, he takes the fight to the monster and many die.

Dinosaur Lake starts out tranquil and quickly becomes a nightmare. When the creature discovers how tasty we are, it wants more. It’s intelligent and cunning and likes to play with its food.

I can’t imagine what is scarier, knowing it’s going to eat you, or having it play cat and mouse with you before crunching you between its giant teeth. A couple of the munching scenes had me squirming, feeling so sad for the victims. I knew they were goners.

The author slowly builds the terror, lulling you and then springing out at you, just like the creature.

Some characters I liked got killed off. Some survived. I kept fearing the worst as the pages flew by. I know the author has to kill off some of the characters, but I wish I could’ve saved a couple. This definitely makes for emotional and suspenseful reading.

Great writing, an awesome creature, likeable and diverse characters, chaos and terror. Everything I require in a creature feature.

Five Stars for Dinosaur Lake

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Dinosaur Lake III

Infestation

by Kathryn Meyer Griffith

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Reviewing soon!

Synopsis

Chief Park Ranger Henry Shore has dealt with and fought real live dinosaurs at his beloved Crater Lake National Park for over six years. With the help of his rangers, a few brave FBI friends and army soldiers he’d been victorious over a prehistoric lake creature and years later some particularly fiendish, and clever, specimens of the flying variety. He and his newspaper publisher wife, Ann, thought their park was finally rid of the monsters and they could reclaim their tranquil life in a place they cherished. Not so. For suddenly across the park new and even more malevolent mutant species of dinosaur begin to appear and create havoc, attacking the park’s visitors and threatening its peace. And this time the primeval scourge isn’t confined to just their park. The creatures have moved into the nearby towns, across the western United States and up into Canada. They are so much more aggressive, smarter and hungrier than any that have come before and the infestation is spreading further and faster than Henry and Ann can even imagine. This time there’s no easy way to defeat the dinosaurs. There’s too many of them and they’re too devious. This time it’s full out war and the victor will someday claim Earth.

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About Author Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Photo_black_capSince childhood I’ve been an artist and worked as a graphic designer in the corporate world and for newspapers for twenty-three years before I quit to write full time. But I’d already begun writing novels at 21, over forty-three years ago now, and have had twenty-two (nine romantic horror, two horror novels, two romantic SF horror, one romantic suspense, one romantic time travel, one historical romance, two thrillers, and three murder mysteries) previous novels, two novellas and twelve short stories published from Zebra Books, Leisure Books, Avalon Books, The Wild Rose Press, Damnation Books/Eternal Press; and I’ve self-published my last six novels with Amazon Kindle Direct and my dinosaur novels and Spookie Town Mysteries are my best-sellers.

I’ve been married to Russell for thirty-six years; have a son, James, and two grandchildren, Joshua and Caitlyn, and I live in a small quaint town in Illinois, which is right across the JB Bridge from St. Louis, Mo. We have three quirky cats, ghost cat Sasha and Cleo and live cat Sasha (Too), and the five of us live happily in an old house in the heart of town. Though I’ve been an artist, and a folk singer in my youth with my brother Jim, writing has always been my greatest passion, my butterfly stage, and I’ll probably write stories until the day I die…or until my memory goes.

2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *FINALIST* for my horror novel The Last VampireRevised Author’s Edition ~ 2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *FINALIST* for her thriller novel Dinosaur Lake.

*Click here to check out Kathryn Meyer Griffith’s.

Novels and short stories from Kathryn Meyer Griffith:

Evil Stalks the Night, The Heart of the Rose, Blood Forge, Vampire Blood, The Last Vampire,

Witches, The Nameless One short story, The Calling, All Things Slip Away, Egyptian Heart,

Winter’s Journey, The Ice Bridge, Don’t Look Back, Agnes, Before the End: A Time of Demons, The Woman in Crimson, Human No Longer, Four Spooky Short Stories Collection, Scraps of Paper, Dinosaur Lake, Dinosaur Lake II: Dinosaurs Arising and the just released Dinosaur Lake III: Infestation.

Kathryn’s Links

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kathryn-Meyer-Griffith/579206748758534  

http://www.authorsden.com/kathrynmeyergriffith

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/889499.Kathryn_Meyer_Griffith

 

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I have one eBook and one audible book of Dinosaur lake II to give away thanks to Kathryn!

This can be read without having read the first book.

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

“The dinosaur is about to eat you. You have two choices, stand and fight, or run like hell. If you choose to run, there’s only one place to go, into the park. And that’s where the dinosaurs are. If you choose to fight, it’d be pretty hard to take down a dino. So which is it, fight or run?!

Giveaway ends February 28th.

This is a Tag Team Event hosted by myself and Sherry at fundinmental.

Now hop on over to fundinmental, check out Sherry’s review, and enter for another chance to win  HERE.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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M9B-Friday-Reveal

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Joshua and the Lightning Road by Donna Galanti

presented by Month9Books!

I’m tickled opink to share this cover with you.

I’ve read Donna’s adult series, A Human Element and A Hidden Element, and loved them.

So, I’m eager to get my hands on this young readers story and have some fun!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Joshua and The Lightning Road

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Stay away from the window, don’t go outside when it’s storming and whatever you do, do not touch the orb.

Twelve-year-old Joshua Cooper’s grandpa has always warned him about the dangers of lightning. But Joshua never put much stock in his grandpa’s rumblings as anything more than the ravings of an old man with a vast imagination. Then one night, when Joshua and his best friend are home alone during a frightful storm, Joshua learns his grandpa was right. A bolt of lightning strikes his house and whisks away his best friend—possibly forever.

To get him back, Joshua must travel the Lightning Road to a dark place that steals children for energy. But getting back home and saving his friend won’t be easy, as Joshua must face the terrifying Child Collector and fend off ferocious and unnatural beasts intent on destroying him.

In this world, Joshua possesses powers he never knew he had, and soon, Joshua’s mission becomes more than a search for his friend. He means to send all the stolen children home—and doing so becomes the battle of his life.

add to goodreads

Title: Joshua and the Lightning Road
Publication date: May 19, 2015
Publisher: Tantrum Books/Month9Books
Author: Donna Galanti

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

Donna Galanti

Donna Galanti writes murder and mystery with a dash of steam as well as middle grade adventure fiction. She is the author of books 1 and 2 in the paranormal suspense Element Trilogy, A Human Element and A Hidden Element, the short story collection The Dark Inside, and Joshua and The Lightning Road (Books 1 and 2, 2015). She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. She now lives in Pennsylvania with her family in an old farmhouse. It has lots of writing nooks, fireplaces, and stink bugs, but she’s still wishing for a castle again—preferably with ghosts. For more information on Donna and A Human Element, please visit: http://www.ElementTrilogy.com AND http://www.donnagalanti.com

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Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

(Winners will receive their book on release day)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Button.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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Title: Final Stand

Author: Rose Garcia

Series: The Transhuman Chronicles #2

Dominique is still alive after killing Tavion, the Tainted who’s hunted her for lifetimes. Yet her protectors still fear for her life. They force her to flee Houston and abandon the friends she loves. But they can’t protect her from herself. When Dominique starts hearing Tavion’s voice in her head, she realizes that her personal connection to the Tainted still exists. And when her car is ambushed, she discovers another frightening truth—someone close to her is a traitor.

Desperate for answers, Dominique seeks the aid of first lifers Trent and Infiniti. With their help, she hopes to find her new enemy. But things get complicated with Trent when she finally accepts her eternal love for Farrell, and even more complicated when the whispers in her head threaten her loved ones. Determined to live, Dominique decides to make a final stand against the forces that want to end her. For good.

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks 

 

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Excerpt
            Our eyes locked. Like magnets, our bodies leaned in. Even though I had felt a connection
with Trent back in Houston, my mind always took me back to Farrell. But I kept
resisting him because he represented a part of me I didn’t know, a part of me
that didn’t exist anymore.
            My body trembled. Even though I wanted to be with him, I wasn’t sure if I could trust
my emotions. “Farrell, I don’t know if the feelings I have for you are really
mine. Or if they’re glimpses of another version of me.”
            He traced the side of my face with his warm fingertips. “It’s you, Dominique. Here. Now.
And nobody else. I promise.”
            Desire coursed through my veins, and I knew, without a doubt, he was right. I wanted
him. I needed him. In this life. Right now. And I was tired of fighting it.
“Farrell,” I whispered.
            He brought his face within inches of mine and stared deep into my eyes before brushing his
warm, soft lips against my mouth. Tingles erupted all over my skin. Warmth
spread throughout my cold body. He wrapped his strong arms around me and
brought me closer. Our kiss was slow and deep. His breath and taste drew me in,
and I wished I could melt into him.
            He moved his mouth down to my neck, sprinkling kisses all over me. “I’ve waited so long
for this,” he whispered.
            I ran my fingers
through his thick hair and moaned. “Oh, Farrell.”
            Footsteps crunched in the distance, killing the moment. We separated fast, pretending
like nothing had happened even though everything had happened.
            I was his, and he was mine.
— — —
 
About the Author
Rose Garcia is a lawyer turned writer who’s always been fascinated by science fiction and fantasy. From a very young age, she often had her nose buried in books about other-worlds, fantastical creatures, and life and death situations. More recently she’s been intrigued by a blend of science fiction and reality, and the idea that some supernatural events are, indeed, very real. Fueled by her imagination, she created The Transhuman Chronicles–a series of books about people who have overcome human limitations.
Rose lives in Houston with her husband and two kids. You can visit Rose at www.rosegarciabooks.com

 

 

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you would like to participate in the Cover Reveal for book 3 in the series, FINAL DEATH, you can sign up HERE!
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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Happy Release Day to Carlie M A Cullen and the third and final book in her series, Heart Search: Betrayal

I loved the first two books in the Heart Search Series and am thrilled to feature the final book.

To celebrate her new release Carlie is offering Heart Search: Lost, Book One,  for FREE on Amazon on February 7th & 8th!

I’ve also got a thrilling book trailer to share.

And a giveaway! Don’t forget to enter.

Betrayal front cover

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Amazon

One bite started it all . . .

Joshua, Remy, and the twins are settled in their new life. However, life doesn’t always run smoothly. An argument between Becky and her twin causes unforeseen circumstances, an admission by Samir almost costs him his life, and the traitor provides critical information to Liam. But who is it?

As Jakki’s visions begin to focus on the turncoat’s activities, a member of the coven disappears, and others find themselves endangered.

And when Liam’s coven attacks, who will endure?

Fate continues to toy with mortals and immortals alike, and as more hearts descend into darkness, can they overcome the dangers they face and survive?

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About the author

Betrayal Photo of Carlie

Carlie M A Cullen was born in London. She grew up in Hertfordshire where she first discovered her love of books and writing.

She has always written in some form or another, but started to write novels in 2011. Her first book was published by Myrddin Publishing in 2012. She writes in the Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genres for New Adult and Adult.

Carlie is also a principal editor for Eagle Eye Editors.

Carlie also holds the reins of a writing group called Writebulb. They have published four anthologies so far, two for adults and two for children, all of which raise money for a local hospice.

Carlie currently lives in Essex, UK with her daughter.

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Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Linkedin

Amazon ~ About me ~ Wattpad ~ Goodreads

BOOKS:

Heart Search, book one: Lost

Heart Search, book two: Found

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About the other books

Heart Search: Lost

Book One

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Click on the cover for my review.

Go HERE to get your free copy February 7th and 8th.

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Heart Search: Found

Book Two

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Click on the cover for my review.

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Here are some of the pretties you can win!

Along with signed print copies of the complete series.

Carlie jewelry

Carlie jewelry 2

Enter the rafflecopter now!

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!

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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.

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It’s time for another Sunday Post!

The sun is shining, it’s warming up to be a beautiful day, and “I’m Alright.” stretching photo: stretching stretching.gif That song is stuck in my head!

Do you remember the gopher in Caddy Shack? The battle between that furry pesky rodent and Bill Murray cracked me up. I have to share a few favorite scenes!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR0sWU1HzTE

I have watched this movie so many times and I still laugh so hard I almost pee my pants. LOL

I’ve got some awesome books to share with you today. But first lets talk about review ratings.

The other day I was talking with my sister and she asked me a question I’ve been pondering myself. It’s about the Amazon review rating system. You know they changed how the ratings work, what the stars mean. Their rating description doesn’t reflect mine on my blog and my sister asked, do I give a book 5 stars on Amazon when I gave it 4 stars on my blog.

I mostly review books on my blog that I really like. So my ratings are between 3 and 5 stars. A really good book gets a 4 star rating from me but Amazon’s description for a 4 star rating doesn’t coincide with mine. It’s like I need to give it 5 stars to show how I felt about it. So far I use the same star rating as on my blog but each time it bothers me.

The question I have today is, do you change your ratings when posting on Amazon?

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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New ones just because!

On my Kindle

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Print Books

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From the library.

These are some rereads. This series is why I first started reading cozy mysteries and began my love affair with them!

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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 cover for my review.

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I know! Only one this week.

I had several others ready but decided to wait as I had a lot of tour posts this week.

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Books I’ll be reviewing next week.

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What I won.

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Not the greatest picture but it would have covered the whole table if I spread out all of these goodies!

I won this big box of awesome swag from a giveaway on Angela Roquet’s Website.

Thanks for the lovelies, Angela!

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Fun news from around the web!

On Happy Indulgence, Jeann has a fun Chatterbox: Do you remember book specifics?

Ron from Painting With Light talks about, Why Review Your Own Blog?

On A Daydreamer’s Thoughts, Faye talks about review books.

Carmel at Rabid Reads wants to know if you ever peek at the endings?

At Lola’s Ramblings she asks: Do you Reply to Review Requests?

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Other Posts on my blog this week.

Three Two One ~ Blast Off! Giveaway Blitz for JA Huss and her Steamy Romantic Suspense

Teaser Tuesdays #100 ~ One More Day ~ What If Tomorrow Never Happens

Game on for…Ultimate Prey by Kristine Mason ~ Blurb Blitz and Giveaway

Blitz Giveaway ~ Rescue me ~ Second Chance Ranch Series by Catherine Mann

Find Me Trilogy ~ Paranormal Romance Blitz and Giveaway

Friday Cover Reveal and Giveaway ~ Summer of the Oak Moon

The Friday 56 #51 ~ The Promise

Skeletons ~ Everyone Has One ~ Tour Review

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Have you joined TSU yet?

Click on the widget to friend and follow me!

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For all of my 2014 reviews go HERE

For a list of free books go HERE

For all of my giveaways go HERE

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So, what did you get to read this week?

Got any recommendations?

I’d love to know and thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew.

Skeletons Banner

Thanks for stopping by for my stop on the tour for Skeletons by Kenneth Buff.

I have some scary good stories to share with you.

Enjoy my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

I forgot to mention!

You can get this FREE on Amazon HERE for a limited time!

Skeletons

by Kenneth Buff

Skeletons cover

My Review

I’ve become hooked on short stories and collections and these are some good ones.

I’m going to break it down a tell a little about each one and then give an overall rating.

And Then There Was Only Us

They say sometimes psychopaths will be drawn to each, like a shared sickness. These two lovers find a portal to other dimensions and take their killing games to a new level.

They enter a dimension and torture and kill their other selves.

“You wouldn’t believe the shock on their faces the first time they saw us. You wouldn’t believe the pleasure on ours.”

Sooner or later something has to happen. The fun stops being fun, at least for one. Then what?

This was the first story and pretty horrific. Twisted psyches and a lust for pain and blood doesn’t make for happy ever after. Even killing yourself gets old.  I kept waiting for one to turn on the other.

Re – Tailoring You

2PM. Punch the clock. Work. Punch out. Go home. Repeat.

The man is stuck in his dead end job at All-Mart, the store that has, “Everything you need.” Days, weeks, months, years pass in a blur, and he dies a little each day.

It didn’t come to him all at once. But gradually he realized the other employees were acting strange. They stopped talking. Some of his co-workers noticed too. They started calling them the pod people. I guess that’s from the movie, The Body Snatchers. I called them The Stepford Clerks.

Knowing its becoming dangerous, the group that hasn’t changed split up, trying to reach others like them. Trying to warn them and make their escape.

But, like with all good horror stories, it’s not going to be easy.

I kept waiting for Bruce Campbell to jump on a counter with his boom stick and shout, “Shop Smart. Shop All-Mart!”

Mom’s House

When Henry’s mother dies, Alice knows she has to go with him. She’s all out of excuses for not going to that house. Who would want to. They siblings claim they commune with the ghosts that haunt that place. What would Alice have to say to them?

The funeral is over and the days pass. Alice waits for them to go through their mothers stuff, but soon gets bored. They sit at the breakfast table every morning relating the ghostly visits they had the night before. Felling left out, she takes Henry’s advice and goes for a walk.

Something, a niggle of doubt, causes her to sneak back and peek in the window. They are sitting around laughing, not packing things up.

When Alice confronts them, things get ugly. Then dangerous. It seems Henry had a big secret. One about why he truly brought her there.

This one creeps up on you. Then the secret is revealed and the action kicks in. Alice didn’t strike me as tough or resourceful, but she fooled me. Let’s hope she fools them too.

The Second Coming Of Cortes

He’s come! Jesus has come to Pike’s Peak in Colorado.

It came straight from Jesus on the TV. He appears, inviting all the people of Colorado to climb to the top of Pike’s Peak, to be received by him and enter heaven. There’s a catch. They only have three days to get there.

Brian and Karen drag their son, Alex, to the greatest show on earth. He scoffs at this person. Would Jesus pull a stunt like this? Why Colorado and Pike’s Peak? Why only three days?

His parents are bound and determined he make the climb with them, but Alex wants nothing to do with it. Can he hold out or will he be dragged kicking and screaming to the top of the peak? And who or what awaits them there?

This was creepy. I’d be with Alex. I hardly think Jesus would appear on TV telling us to come to him. Yet again, modern times call for modern measures. Who knows.

You can imagine how bad it gets. All those frenzied people crawling over each other to get to the top, to Jesus and heaven.

It became a bloody mess, people crushed or shot to death. Makes you wonder how they ever thought those actions would get them anywhere but a fast drop to Hell.

The Decoder

Everyone is required to use their decoder until noon. Most of them keep it on until the mandated shut off time of 4 PM. But not him.

He can’t wait for noon so he can shut of the decoder. When it’s on, by the time you think about what you are going to do, it’s done. Time flies by in a blur.

A normal day for him is work, then home. Mow the lawn, do laundry, vac and dust, maybe paint the walls. It’s only 11:30. Imagine watching time crawl while everything you do flies by.

Noon. Done. Decoder off. He sits down to work on the book he’s writing. It’s a good story. Opposite from his, where the decoder slows time down.

I got dizzy just reading this. I’ve seen some movies where they show a person standing still while everything rushes by in a blur of shapes and colors. That’s how this story felt.

I felt the man’s  book was about his wish. Perhaps he should write a story about no decoders at all.

All of these were good. I don’t usually play favorites but several scenes in re-Tailoring You got my blood pumping.

For most of you, all of these will creep you out.

Scare a few minutes off your life.

Or at least give you some nightmares.

Horror is as horror does.

4 Stars

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BLURB:

Skeletons, everyone has one, and in this collection of dark short stories they’re scratching their way to the surface for the world to see. In Skeletons you’ll meet a man who confesses his secret time traveling fetish, a cashier who investigates the eerie behavior of his retail co-workers, a torn lover who travels to her boyfriend’s haunted retreat, a teenager who’s town undergoes some unusual changes, and a father who’s personal time is moving a little too fast.

~~~~~

Excerpt

And Then There Was Only Us

I’m not sure how it started. I know it was me that showed her the portal, but I can’t remember whose idea it was to start killing them. I believe it was hers, but I honestly don’t remember anymore. That’s part of using the portal. You go in too many times and it fries your brain. I couldn’t even pretend to know how many times we’ve gone in. I just know that each time we go back we kill them a new way. That’s one thing I do know. I could lie to you and tell you I didn’t enjoy it, but I did. No woman in the world is kinkier than my Stephanie. Once I showed her the portal, it didn’t take long for her to change the way we dealt with the doubles. Prior to our trips, I had always just waited till my double used the portal before exploring the past. That way there would only be one of me. Steph changed that. You wouldn’t believe the shock on their faces the first time they saw us. You wouldn’t believe the pleasure on ours.

We took full advantage of the fact that no one would ever know about their disappearances.

~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Skeletons author pic

Kenneth Buff was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas. He moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma in 2007 to attend Oklahoma State University. He graduated in 2013. He currently spends his days working as an elementary special education teacher and his nights at Aspen Coffee, writing his next novel.

 

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Amazon 

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Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Summer of the Oak Moon by Laura Templeton

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Summer of the Oak Moon

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Rejected by the exclusive women’s college she has her heart set on, Tess Seibert dreads the hot, aimless summer ahead. But when a chance encounter with a snake introduces her to Jacob Lane, a black college student home on his summer break, a relationship blooms that challenges the prejudices of her small, north Florida town.

When Jacob confesses that Tess’s uncle is trying to steal his family’s land, Tess comes face to face with the hatred that simmers just below the surface of the bay and marshes she’s loved since birth. With the help of her mentor Lulu, an herbal healer, Tess pieces together clues to the mysterious disappearance of Jacob’s father twenty-two years earlier and uncovers family secrets that shatter her connection to the land she loves.

Tess and Jacob’s bond puts them both in peril, and discontent eventually erupts into violence. Tess is forced to make a decision. Can she right old wrongs and salvage their love? Or will prejudice and hatred kill any chance she and Jacob might have had?

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Title: Summer of the Oak Moon
Publication date: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Laura Templeton

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

Laura Templeton

Laura Templeton lives near Athens, Georgia, with her husband, son, and a menagerie of animals. When she’s not writing, she enjoys gardening, learning to figure skate, and taking long walks on the quiet country roads near her home. Something Yellow is her debut novel, and her creative nonfiction has appeared in various publications.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Thanks for visiting my stop on the Blitz for Julie Kenner’s Find Me Trilogy!

I have some spectacular covers to share with you.

Plus a fantastic first chapter excerpt.

Come on in and check out the paranormal romance trilogy.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

FIND ME TRILOGY (Dark Pleasures)

by Julie Kenner

Paranormal Romance

Published on January, 2015

 

A doomed woman. A dangerous and mysterious man. And an epic passion that cannot be denied…

From the first moment I saw Malcolm, I felt his power shudder through me. Lithe and powerful, dark and controlling, he cast a spell over me that I didn’t understand, but to which I willingly surrendered.

One touch and I melted. One glance into his storm-swept eyes and I was lost. One kiss, and I was bound.

But sometimes passion can burn to hot, and it would take all of our strength for Mal and I to survive the fire that raged between us…

NOTE TO READERS: Each of the 1001 Dark Nights novellas is a stand-alone, be sure not to miss Caress of Darkness by Julie Kenner. The Find Me books are a true trilogy spanning Mal and Christina’s romance and are meant to be read in order.

 

FIND ME IN DARKNESS (Part 1)

23731804

Published on January 13th, 2015

Amazon USAmazon UK

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Excerpt #1 – Ch 1

 

​Mal stood by the bed and looked down at the woman he’d just fucked.

She was drop-dead gorgeous, lithe and strong with alabaster skin and hair as dark as his own. She was smart and funny, had good taste in wine, and had sucked his cock with rare skill.

Not a bad resume, when you got right down to it, and if Mal had even an ounce of sense he’d slide back into bed, sink deep inside her, and try once more to forget how goddamn lonely he was.

Shit.

She didn’t deserve that. Hell, none of the women he fucked deserved that. Which was why he had a strict one-time only policy. Shared lust and pounding sex to work out some of life’s kinks was one thing. But Mal didn’t do serious or personal. Not anymore.

He’d had serious. He’d had personal.

Hell, he’d had love. Epic, forever, everyone-else-can-just-melt-away love.

And not only love, but respect and humor and passion so intense that he felt alive only when he touched her.

He’d had all that.

Now, all he had was a nightmare.

On the bed, the woman shifted, then smiled up at him, soft and sultry. “Mal? What’s wrong?”

He said nothing, and she sat up, letting the sheet fall to her waist to expose her bare breasts as she held out a hand to him. “Come back to bed and let me make it better.”

If only it was that easy.

“I have to go.”

“Go?” She glanced at the clock and then pulled up the sheet to cover her nakedness. “It’s not even midnight.” Her voice was indignant.

“It can’t be helped.”

“You son-of-a-bitch.”

He didn’t wince, didn’t try to defend himself. What defense was there against the truth?

Instead, he moved to her side, then brushed his fingers lightly over her forehead. “Sleep,” he said, then stepped away as the woman fell back against the pillows, lost once again to the world of dreams.

He pulled the sheet up to cover her, then glanced around the room in search of his clothes. He’d brought her to the penthouse suite at the stunning Gardiner Hotel, a relatively new Fifth Avenue boutique in which he held a significant financial position. Now he moved through the bedroom and parlor, gathering discarded garments as he walked.

He pulled on his jeans, then slipped his arms into the white button-down that he’d worn that evening before going out in search of a woman to take the edge off. He let it hang open as he stepped out onto the patio, then moved to the stone half-wall that separated him from the concrete and asphalt of Fifth Avenue twelve stories below.

It would be easy enough to jump. To end his pain, even if only for a few moments.

And a few moments were all that he would get before the phoenix fire would surround and gather him, reducing him to ashes before once again regenerating him.

Immortality.

Had he truly once believed it was a gift? To have an eternity in this body that could touch and feel and experience such profound pleasure?

Three thousand years ago, it had been a gift, but that was when she’d been beside him, and it was Christina he’d been touching. Caressing.

Christina he’d held in his arms. Whose lips brushed gently over his skin. Who whispered soft words so close to his ear that even her breath aroused him.

But then everything had gone to shit and he’d realized that immortality wasn’t a gift. It was a curse.

He was immortal. He was alone. And every goddamn day was torture.

He closed his eyes and clutched the railing, his hands clenched so tight that the rough-hewn edges of the stone cut into his palms.

Christina

He reached out with his mind, searching for her as he did every night with equal parts dread and longing.

Sometimes centuries would pass before he felt her presence resonate through him, sometimes only decades.

It had been two hundred and sixty years since the last time he’d found her, her energy reaching out to him even from across the Atlantic, even though she never had a conscious memory of him, or even of herself.

He’d gone to her—and once more, he’d done what he had to do.

Since then, he’d grown complacent, expecting—no, hoping—that he would not feel her. That he would not find her out there in the world.

That he would not have to go to her yet again.

Christina…

Nothing. Not even the slightest tingle of awareness.

Thank god.

He breathed deep, relieved, and slowly let his body relax. He turned to go back inside, but the moment he did, everything shifted. The force of her essence lashed out, catching him unaware.

It surrounded him. Burned through him.

Hot. Powerful. Desperate.

And close.

This time, she was close. So close that it wasn’t just her essence that filled his mind, but her. The memory of her scent enveloped him, the sensation of her skin against his, the taste of her lips, of her flesh.

Oh, god. Oh, Christ.

He sank to his knees, wanting to run. Wanting to retch.

But he could do neither. And slowly—so painfully slowly—he stood.

He would do what he had to do, the same as he had done over and over again for millennia.

He would find her.

He would allow himself one moment to look at her.

And then, goddamn him, he would kill her.

 

FIND ME IN PLEASURE (Part 2)

23731745

Published on January 20th, 2015

Amazon USAmazon UK

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  FIND ME IN PASSION (Part 3)

23731733

Published on January 27th, 2015

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and International bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres. Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, Victorian-era thrillers (coming soon), and paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, has been consistently in development in Hollywood since prior to publication. Most recently, it has been optioned by Warner Brothers Television for development as series on the CW Network with Alloy Entertainment producing. JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for him.” A three time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy). Her books have sold well over a million copies and are published in over over twenty countries. In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.

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I’m thrilled to have Kristine Mason back on my blog and excited to share her newest Ultimate Core Novel, Ultimate Prey.

From what I’ve read, the tables get turned and the hunter is now the hunted in a twisted game of cat and mouse in the steamy Everglades, where every step could be life or death.

I have an exciting excerpt to share with you and her spectacular cover art.

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

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Ultimate Prey

((Book 3 Ultimate CORE)

by Kristine Mason

Ultimate Prey use this cover

 

BLURB:

When the hunter becomes the hunted…who will become the ultimate prey?

CORE agent Lola Tam has two things on her mind, quitting her job as a criminal investigator and baking a frozen pie for Thanksgiving dinner without burning it. But a midnight call forces a change of plans. Her boss and future stepfather, Ian Scott, has been kidnapped from his Florida vacation rental—along with her mother. The kidnapper’s plan? Drop Ian and her mom in the Everglades and hunt them like animals. Terrified for her mom, Lola takes the bait and travels to Everglade City, Florida where she’s determined to end the hunt before it begins.

Ryan Monahan, former Navy SEAL turned airboat captain is used to taking tourists through the Everglades, not guiding a sexy agent on a rescue mission. After spending years dealing with a past filled with guilt and regret, he needs a little action and adventure in his life—he needs to prove he could still be a hero. What he doesn’t need? Falling for a woman he has no business wanting, especially when the hunt takes a deadly turn…

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Excerpt

From the bad guy’s point of view, just before the hunt:

 

His prey stirred against the bald cypress. Not much, considering the way he’d tied the cords around their necks and torsos. He turned on the flashlight, then pointed it in their direction. Cami shifted her bottom, causing the bed of tropical ferns she sat on to shiver and whisper. Ian, on the other hand, rubbed his feet together as if trying to scratch an itch. Which wouldn’t surprise him. Although the locals had told him that they were at the tail end of the wet season, the mosquitoes were still bad. They’d been buzzing by him for the past two hours. Between the ski mask and insect repellent he’d sprayed on himself, so far none of the little bastards had taken a bite. He’d guarantee they were feasting on his prey, though.

He set the flashlight on the ground next to his pack, angling it toward the prey, then quickly stood. With his knife in one hand, and his Browning in the other, he approached the cypress, cut the cord, then took a step back. “Don’t move. I’m going to remove your bindings, and then you’re going to run west,” he said, pointing in the direction he wanted them to go. “The first leg of the hunt will be mostly wooded and dry. In about four miles, that’s going to change.”

After he removed the handcuffs, he shoved Cami to her side, then cut the duct tape surrounding her wrists. Her hands free, she ripped the tape covering her mouth. “Bastard,” she said, her voice hoarse, likely from lack of water, along with all her damned screaming.

“I’ve been called worse,” he responded, knocking Ian to the ground. After he sliced through Ian’s bindings, he aimed the gun at his head. “Don’t take the tape from your mouth. Anything you have to say will only piss me off and make me trigger-happy.” He waved the gun at Cami. “Get up, Screamer. You too, Prick.”

Ian glared at him as he used his palms to rise from the ground. He then offered his hand to Cami and helped her to her feet. Once she was standing, she rubbed the front of her neck. The glow from the flashlight didn’t expose much, but he wouldn’t be surprised if the cord had chafed her throat. She’d better hope that she hadn’t rubbed the skin raw. The bugs would have a grand ol’ time feasting on an open wound.

“Why are you doing this?” Cami asked, reaching for Ian’s arm. “You don’t have to do this. We haven’t seen your face, we don’t know who you—”

“Ian knows. Don’t you?”

The little prick shook his head and grunted.

“By the time I put a bullet in your head you will. Speaking of which, it looks like we’re still on schedule. Dawn will be breaking in less than an hour.” He quickly glanced at his watch. “Actually at six-ten, forty-eight minutes from now—if we want to be exact. And that’s when I’m coming for you.” He motioned them toward the trail that would send them into the heart of the Everglades. “So, I suggest you run.”

Ian stepped in front of Cami. His chest rose and fell quickly, and the way he breathed hard through his nostrils had him sounding more like a snorting bull preparing to attack, than a multi-million dollar businessman on the verge of being hunted. The little prick’s narrowed eyes told him he wanted to say something. Although curious as to what bullshit argument or excuse Ian might make to talk his way out of being hunted, he had no intention of letting the man speak. Ian was, and always would be, a lying, manipulative son of a bitch.

Thanks to the prick, his life had reached an all-time low. But he’d reached an epiphany. Death had a funny way of making him realize that life sucked. That sometimes there wasn’t a better tomorrow. That when you have nothing to lose and everything to gain, you could do anything you want.

Like hunting a man.

Like hunting a man who’d taken everything from him.

~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Ultimate Prey author

 

Kristine Mason is the bestselling author of the popular romantic suspense trilogies C.O.R.E. Shadow and Ultimate C.O.R.E. She is currently working on her next trilogy, C.O.R.E Above the Law, along with a series of Psychic C.O.R.E. novellas—all to be released in 2015.

Although Kristine has published a few contemporary romance novels, she focuses most of her energy on her romantic suspense stories, which she loves for their blend of dark mystery/suspense and sexy romance. She is fascinated with what makes people afraid, and is famous for her depraved villains whose crimes present massive obstacles for her heroes and heroines to overcome.

Kristine has a degree in journalism from Ohio State University and lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband, four kids, and two dogs. If she’s not writing, she’s chauffeuring kids, gardening, or collecting gnomes. Oh, and she makes a mean chocolate chip cookie!

Connect with Kristine on Facebook, Twitter or Goodreads. And be sure to sign up for her newsletter for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card!

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