Archive for the ‘giveaways’ Category

The Nancy Cat by M.R. Shields

Title: The Nancy Cat | Author: M.R. Shields | Illustrator: Martin Paterson | Publication Date: November 15, 2014 | Publisher: Independent | Pages: 140 | Recommended Ages: 8+

Book Description

Agent Rose is a secret Agent and the best in the business. Everyday he has to deal with the dangerously impossible, the risky and improbable. When tasked with infiltrating a super maximum security vault, Agent Rose calls upon help from an unusual source..

The Nancy cat!

A fantastic little story for children aged 8+.

Amazon * Goodreads

About Author M.R. Shields

M.R. Shields

M R Shields is a Children’s and Young Adult fiction writer from Perth, Scotland. He is best known for his ‘Chronicles of Astoria‘ Young Adult series and loves creating stories that make children smile or laugh, and not necessarily in that order.

Google+ | Goodreads

 

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* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

Amazon 25 gift card

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

Contest ends: December 20, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open: Internationally

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

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

MDBR Book Promotion Services

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways click on the  Southern Christmas Charm below.

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A themed tour through Prism Book Tours.

The Claus Box Set

Now you can purchase all three books in the Claus Series together!

AmazonBarnes & Noble

More About the Series

Claus: Legend of the Fat Man
(Claus #1)
by Tony Bertauski
YA Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Holiday
Paperback & ebook, 326 Pages
June 19th 2012

The Christmas story you never heard.

In the early 1800s, Nicholas, Jessica and Jon Santa attempt the first human trek to the North Pole and stumble upon an ancient race of people left over from the Ice Age. They are short, fat and hairy. They slide across the ice on scaly soles and carve their homes in the ice that floats on the Arctic Ocean. The elven are adapted to life in the extreme cold. They are as wise as they are ancient.

Their scientific advancements have yielded great inventions — time-stopping devices and gravitational spheres that build living snowmen and genetically-modified reindeer that leap great distances. They’ve even unlocked the secrets to aging. For 40,000 years, they have lived in peace.

Until now.

An elven known as The Cold One has divided his people. He’s tired of their seclusion and wants to conquer the world. Only one elven stands between The Cold

One and total chaos. He’s white-bearded and red-coated. The Santa family will help him stop The Cold One. They will come to the aid of a legendary elven

known as…Claus.

AmazonBarnes & Noble

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Jack: The Tale of Frost
(Claus #2)
by Tony Bertauski
YA Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Holiday
Paperback & ebook, 290 Pages
October 17th 2013

Sura is sixteen years old when she meets Mr. Frost. He’s very short and very fat and he likes his room very, very cold. Some might say inhumanly cold. His first name isn’t Jack, she’s told. And that’s all she needed to know.

Mr. Frost’s love for Christmas is over-the-top and slightly psychotic. And why not? He’s made billions of dollars off the holiday he invented. Or so he claims. Rumor is he’s an elven, but that’s silly. Elven aren’t real. And if they were, they wouldn’t live in South Carolina. They wouldn’t hide in a tower and go to the basement to make…things.

Nonetheless, Sura will work for this odd little recluse. Frost Plantation is where she’ll meet the love of her life. It’s where she’ll finally feel like she belongs somewhere. And it’s where she’ll meet someone fatter, balder and stranger than Mr. Frost. It’s where she’ll meet Jack.

Jack hates Christmas.

AmazonBarnes & Noble

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Flury: Journey of a Snowman
(Claus #3)
by Tony Bertauski
YA Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Holiday
Paperback & ebook, 300 Pages
November 15th 2014

Life hasn’t been kind to Oliver Toye.

As if juvenile diabetes isn’t enough, he’s forced to live with his tyrannical grandmother in a snow-bound house. He spends his days doing chores and the nights listening to the forest rumble.

But when he discovers the first leather-bound journal, the family secrets begin to surface. The mystery of his great-grandfather’s voyage to the North Pole is revealed. That’s when the snowman appears.

Magical and mysterious, the snowman will save Oliver more than once. But when the time comes for Oliver to discover the truth, will he have the courage? When Flury needs him, will he have the strength? When believing isn’t enough, will he save the snowman from melting away?

Because sometimes even magic needs a little help.

Enjoy this glimpse inside Flury

“You have grown.”

She doesn’t let go while looking him over: his hair, the stray whiskers on his chin, the insufficient winter clothing. She stares at the floor. His socks are loose at the ends of his frozen toes, specks of snow clinging to the fabric. Small puddles begin to bead on the polished floor.

“And how old are you?”

“Fifteen.”

She purses her lips like he just lied. “And your health?”

“Good.” That time he did. His blood sugar still isn’t right. “I’ll get the luggage.”

“Nonsense. It’s not going anywhere. You will come in and eat. Diabetics need a balanced meal.”

If his memory is correct, she’s called him “diabetic” more than she’s called him “grandson.”

She holds her hand out. Mom offers her elbow, and Grandmother takes it. They walk down the dim hallway. She’s wearing big, puffy boots but doesn’t slide them over the floor. Instead, her steps are carefully measured and silent. Dead silent.

Like outside.

Oliver quickly knocks the snow crystals off his feet and mops the water with his socks before following. The dim hallway feels like the house is swallowing him. Just past the stairway on the left is a doorway leading to the family room. A large picture window offers a panoramic view of the property. On the right side of the hallway, there’s a long table with three table settings, including a teapot.

Grandmother opens a drawer in a small table against the wall and takes out a towel. “You may join us once your mess is cleaned up, Olivah.”

His mom makes a silent apology as she guides Grandmother toward the dining table. He takes the towel to the front door and wipes up the little streaks of water. A gust of wind pushes against the door. A draft sneaks through the bottom. Oliver looks through the decorative pane of glass and sees the last wisps of snow swirling on the sidewalk.

A mess of twigs are scattered over the pavement.

He opens the door. The trees are still, and the silence is perfect. Not even the icicles hanging from the gutters are dripping.

“Close the door, Olivah. Come along.”

With damp towel in hand, he returns to the dining room for bitter tea and dry muffins in the place he’ll call home.

Temporary home.

~~~

AmazonBarnes & Noble

About Tony Bertauski

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During the day, I’m a horticulturist. While I’ve spent much of my career designing landscapes or diagnosing dying plants, I’ve always been a storyteller. My writing career began with magazine columns, landscape design textbooks, and a gardening column at the Post and Courier (Charleston, SC). However, I’ve always fancied fiction.

And I’m a big fan of plot twists.

WebsiteGoodreadsFacebook

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Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon gift card and the Claus Box Set ebook
Open internationally
Ends December 21st

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Tour!
1 – Launch
14 – Grand Finale

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways click on the  Southern Christmas Charm below.

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4-for-Friday-Dec-Banner

Welcome to the 4 for Friday Blitz for A Murder of Magpies by Sarah Bromley, Shadows Fall Away by Kit Forbes, Call Me Grim by Elizabeth Holloway, and Daughter of Chaos by Jen McConnel, presented by Month9Books!

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

A-Murder-of-Magpies-Cover

 

 

Winter in Black Orchard, Wisconsin, is long and dark, and sixteen-year-old Vayda Silver prays the snow will keep the truth and secrecy of the last two years buried. Hiding from the past with her father and twin brother, Vayda knows the rules: never return to the town of her mother’s murder, and never work a Mind Game where someone might see.

No one can know the toll emotions take on Vayda, how emotion becomes energy in her hands, or how she can’t control the destruction she causes. But it’s not long before her powers can no longer be contained. The truth is dangerously close to being exposed, placing Vayda and her family at risk.
Until someone quiets the chaos inside her.

Unwanted. That’s all Ward Ravenscroft has ever been. To cope, he numbs the pain of rejection by denying himself emotions of any kind. Yet Vayda stirs something in him. He can’t explain the hold she has on him–inspiring him with both hope and fear. He claims not to scare easily, except he doesn’t know what her powers can do. Yet.

Just as Vadya and Ward draw closer, she finds the past isn’t so easily buried. And when it follows the Silvers to Black Orchard, it has murder in mind.

add to goodreads

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

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

Sarah Bromley

Sarah Bromley lives near St. Louis with her husband, three children, and two dogs. She likes the quiet hours of morning when she can drink coffee in peace, stare into the woods behind her house, and wonder what monsters live there. When she’s not writing or wrangling small children, she can be found volunteering at a stable for disabled riders.

 

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Shadows-Fall-Away-Cover

Mark Stewart is one incident away from becoming a juvenile delinquent, and his parents have had enough. They ship Mark off to London England to stay with his eccentric aunt Agatha who is obsessed with all things Jack the Ripper. After a strange twist of luck, Mark is struck by lightning, and he wakes to find himself in 1888 Victorian London.

His interest in a string of murders Scotland Yard has yet to solve make him a likely suspect. After all, why would a young boy like Mark know so much about the murders? Could he be the ripper they’ve been searching for? Convinced the only way to get back home is to solve the murders, Mark dives headfirst into uncovering the truth.

Mark’s only distraction comes in the form of the beautiful Genie Trembly, a girl who is totally out of his league and who may have already caught the attention of the infamous ripper. To save her, he’ll endanger both their lives, and risk being trapped in the past forever.

add to goodreads

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

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

Kit Forbes

Kit Forbes has been a lover of books, history, and all things paranormal for as long as she can remember. She lives in Western Pennsylvania with her youngest daughter and an assortment of cats who give new meaning to the world bizarre.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Call-Me-Grim-Cover

The truck should have turned Libbi Piper into a Libbi Pancake — and it would have, too, if Aaron hadn’t shown up and saved her life. The problem? Aaron’s the local Grim Reaper… and he only saved Libbi’s life because he needs someone to take over his job. Now, Libbi has two days to choose between dying like she was supposed to, or living a lonely life as Death Incarnate. Talk about a rock and a hard place.

And the choice goes from hard to sucktastic when her best friend shows up marked: condemned as a future murderer. Libbi could have an extra week to stop the murder and fix the mark… but only if she accepts Aaron’s job as Reaper, trapping herself in her crappy town forever, invisible and inaudible to everyone except the newly dead. But, if she refuses? Her best friend is headed straight for Hell.

add to goodreads

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

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

Elizabeth Holloway

Elizabeth Holloway is a registered nurse living in Southern Pennsylvania with her two teen children, Bam-bam the dog, and Tinkerbell the cat. CALL ME GRIM is her first novel.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Cover

 

There comes a time in every witch’s life when she must choose her path. Darlena’s friends have already chosen, so why is it so hard for her to make up her mind? Now, Darlena is out of time. Under pressure from Hecate, the Queen of all witches, Darlena makes a rash decision to choose Red magic, a path no witch in her right mind would dare take. As a Red witch, she will be responsible for chaos and mayhem, drawing her deep into darkness. Will the power of Red magic prove too much for Darlena, or will she learn to control it before it’s too late?

DAUGHTER OF CHAOS is the first in the RED MAGIC paranormal YA trilogy.

add to goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | IndieBound

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

Jen McConnel

Jen McConnel now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. When she isn’t crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches writing composition at a community college. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---Giveaway

Three winners will receive all four eBooks!

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways click on the  Southern Christmas Charm below.

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slip banner.
This is my stop during the book blitz for Slip (Slip #1) and Grip (Slip #2) by David Estes. This book blitz is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours.

The book blitz runs from 1 till 5 December, you can view the complete blitz schedule on

the website of Lola’s Blog Tours.

I’m tellin ya, David is putting out books left and right. I can’t keep up with his new releases. This is one series I have to read and I can’t wait for you to check out the descriptions for Slip and Grip. You’ll be as giddy as me to get your hands on these, and they are available now.

Go get em!

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Slip coverSlip (Slip #1)
By David Estes

Genre: Dystopia
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: 1 December, 2014

Blurb:
Someone must die before another can be born…

As sea levels rise and livable landmasses shrink, the Reorganized United States of America has instituted population control measures to ensure there are sufficient resources and food to sustain the growing population. Birth authorization must be paid for and obtained prior to having a child. Someone must die before another can be born, keeping the country in a population neutral position at what experts consider to be the optimal population. The new laws are enforced by a ruthless government organization known as Pop Con, responsible for terminating any children resulting from unauthorized births, and any illegals who manage to survive past their second birthday, at which point they are designated a national security threat and given the name Slip.

But what if one child slipped through the cracks? What if someone knew all the loopholes and how to exploit them? Would it change anything? Would the delicate resource balance be thrown into a tailspin, threatening the lives of everyone?

And how far would the government go to find and terminate the Slip?

In a gripping story of a family torn apart by a single choice, Slip is a reminder of the sanctity of a single life and the value of the lives we so often take for granted.

You can find Slip on Goodreads

You can buy Slip here:
Amazon

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Grip coverGrip (Slip #2)
By David Estes

Genre: Dystopia
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: 1 December, 2014

In a tumultuous world of population control, one illegal child has slipped through the cracks. Now, as a teenager, Benson Kelly has escaped certain deaths at the hands of the Department of Population Control, only to find himself the symbol of a rebellion, something he never intended.

While trying to survive one day at a time, Benson seeks to unravel the tangled knot of secrets left behind when his father died, the key to which has something to do with his mother, Janice Kelly, recently escaped from the insane asylum.

As the rebel group known as the Lifers continue to use brute force to send a message to the government, Benson’s twin, Harrison Kelly, seeks to exploit a loophole that could be the key to freedom for his brother. All that’s required is a simple act of murder.

Meanwhile, Population Control’s attack dog, a sadistic cyborg known as The Destroyer, closes in on Benson and his family. His directive: Kill them all.

Faith, family and love will be pushed to the limits in the GRIPping sequel to Slip.

You can find Grip on Goodreads

You can buy Grip here:
Amazon

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Author Photo - David EstesAbout the Author:


Author of popular YA dystopian series, the Dwellers Saga and the Country Saga. Voted books to read if you enjoyed the Hunger Games on Buzzfeed and Listopia.

Join 2,400+ David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite in David Estes’ official fan group at:
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/70863-david-estes-fans-and-ya-book-lovers-unite

David Estes was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was very young. David grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually he moved to Sydney, Australia where he met his wife. They now live together in their dream location, Hawaii. A reader all his life, he began writing novels for the children’s and YA markets in 2010, and started writing full time in June 2012. Now he travels the world writing with his wife, Adele. David’s a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table.

You can find and contact David here:
WebsiteFacebook ~TwitterGoodreads

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There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Slip.

These are the prizes you can win:

– Winners choice of book to the value of $15.00 U.S. from The Book Depository
– A signed copy of SLIP plus bonus swag- U.S. entrants only
– A signed copy of BREW plus bonus swag- U.S. entrants only
– 3 ebook packs with three David Estes ebooks of your choice
– 4 signed packs of bookmarks

You can enter the blitz wide giveaway here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Lola's Blog Tours

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways click on the  Southern Christmas Charm below.

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A Year in the Secret Garden - cover

Title: A Year in the Life of the Secret Garden | Author: Valarie Budayr | Illustrator: Marilyn Scott-Waters | Publication Date: November, 2014 | Publisher: Audrey Press | Pages: 144 | Recommended Ages: 5 to 99

Book Description:

Award-winning authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters have co-created A Year in the Secret Garden to introduce the beloved children’s classic, The Secret Garden to a new generation of families. This guide uses over two hundred full color illustrations and photos to bring the magical story to life, with fascinating historical information, monthly gardening activities, easy-to-make recipes, and step-by-step crafts, designed to enchant readers of all ages. Each month your family will unlock the mysteries of a Secret Garden character, as well as have fun together creating the original crafts and activities based on the book.Over 140 pages, with 200 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. A Year In the Secret Garden is our opportunity to introduce new generations of families to the magic of this classic tale in a modern and innovative way that creates special learning and play times outside in nature. This book encourages families to step away from technology and into the kitchen, garden, reading nook and craft room.

 

Purchase

Great News!

You can purchase your very own copy of this gorgeous book for only $15 (a savings of $5) directly from Audrey Press between Dec. 1 and 7, 2014. PLUS, if you miss these dates, you can still purchase the book between December 8 and 31, 2014 for $15 using the code word “SECRETGARDEN”.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE BOOK NOW!!

Amazon * Audrey Press * Goodreads

 

Blog Tour Excerpts

The Blog Tour for A Year in the Secret Garden took place Nov. 1 to 30, 2014. Below you will find review excerpts from some of the participating blogs as well as links to a guest post by the author and an interview with the illustrator. Click HERE for the full Tour Schedule and the full list of participating blogs.

A Year in the Secret Garden is a treasure trove of activities, crafts, games, recipes and information all related to the classic children’s book, The Secret Garden, bringing to life this wonderful book to a new generation of readers. I cannot recommend this beautifully illustrated and detailed, information-packed book highly enough to parents, homeschoolers, teachers, and librarians.” ~ Mother Daughter Book Reviews

“The authors love of the Secret Garden book comes through SO clearly and I am a student of literature so I loved it for the explanations and history of what was happening.” ~ WS Momma Readers Nook

Guest Post by Author Valarie Budayr: “A brief article on A Year in The Secret Garden” ~ Coffee, Books & Art

“A perfect book not only for the summer activities but all through the year. Truly it shows the way into the SECRET GARDEN.” ~ Eloquent Articulation

“These ladies have created a fabulous book that can stand alone or be used as companion to the classic either in a classroom setting, or homeschool setting or for anyone that loves to share great literature and activities with their children.” ~ Adalinc to Life

“While the children enjoyed the activities associated with this book, I was entranced by the beautiful water color illustrations and the scrumptious looking images of foods to make. I am certain that any person who grew up hoping to find that secret key to let them into an enchanting garden will fall in love with the magic inside this book to share with their children.” ~ Books, Babies and Bows

Interview with Illustrator, Marilyn Scott-Waters: “A Year in the Secret Garden Interview” ~ Pragmatic Mom

“This would make such a nice Christmas gift for a young one to grow up with. Why not add a copy of the reading book and maybe even the DVD and some supplies to do an activity or two. ” ~ The Blended Blog

“It is a wonderful, hands on, practical way to take kids on a journey back in time and see how children and families lived in another era.” ~ Hide-N-(Sensory)-Seeking

 

Month by Month Guide

September

  • Indian Style Chicken Curry
  • Rangoli
  • Magic Carpets
  • Misselthwaite Manor
  • Character Study: Mary Lennox
  • Ploughman’s Lunch

 

October

  • Cutouts of the Secret Garden Characters
  • Planting Bulbs
  • The English Garden
  • Character Study: Mrs. Medlock

November

  • Hot Oatcakes
  • Jump Rope
  • Plastic Bag Jump Rope
  • Jump Rope Rhymes
  • Shovel, Shovel, Spade
  • Character Study: Ben Weatherstaff

A Year in the Secret Garden - Inside Pages 26 27

December

  • Bringing in the Evergreen
  • Yorkshire Pudding Toad-in-a-Hole
  • The Oak King vs. The Holly King
  • The Story of Mistletoe
  • Character Study: Martha Sowerby

January

  • Parkin Cake
  • Wutherin’ Wind Flags
  • Ice Disks
  • Yorkshire Phrasebook
  • Character Study: Dickon Sowerby
  • Perfectly Good Porridge with Treacle

February

  • Oaten Pipe
  • Garden in a Jar
  • Death in Victorian England
  • Character Study: Archibald Craven

A Year in the Secret Garden - February

March

  • Sticky Toffee Pudding
  • Nest Building
  • Seed Paper & Packets
  • Grow-Me Seed Paper
  • Seed Packets
  • Class of Hunger
  • Character Study: Colin Craven

April

  • Robin Cake
  • Dickon’s Felt Creatures
  • The World of Mason Bees
  • Making of a Mason Bee House
  • British Money
  • Old British Money
  • Character Study: Dr. Craven

 

May

  • Freezer Strawberry Jam
  • Planting a Rose Bush
  • Wheelbarrow Race
  • Wheelbarrow
  • Spot-Sitting
  • Character Study: Lilias Craven

A Year in the Secret Garden - Inside Pages 84 85

June

  • A Midsummer Garden Tea Party
  • Ladybug Sandwiches
  • Rainbow Fruit Kabobs
  • Simply Divine Lemon Cookies
  • Daisy Chain Crowns
  • Midsummer Dancing Ribbon Wreaths
  • Flower Pressing
  • Character Study: Victorian/Edwardian Family Life

July

  • The Secret Meal
  • Tin Foil Breakfast
  • The Cooking Campfire
  • Creating a Garden Journal
  • Colin’s Exercises
  • Blindfolded Garden Walk
  • Colin’s Magic Chant and Affirmations
  • Affirmation Stones
  • Character Study: Susan Sowerby

August

  • Scones and Ginger Tea
  • A Taste of Summer
  • Paper Garden Model
  • Garden Games for Family and Friends
  • Blind Man’s Bluff
  • Red Rover
  • Character Study: Frances Hodgson Burnett

 

About the Author: Valarie Budayr

Valarie BudayrValarie Budayr loves reading and bringing books alive. Her popular website, www.jumpintoabook.com, inspires children and adults alike to experience their books through play, discovery, and adventure.

She is founder of Audrey Press, an independent publishing house, as well as an Amazon and iTunes best-selling author. She has written The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden and The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Valarie is passionate about making kid’s books come alive and encouraging families and schools to pull books off the shelves and stories off the pages.

 

Book Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Pinterest | Google+ | Goodreads

 

About the Illustrator: Marilyn Scott-Waters

Marilyn Scott-WatersMarilyn Scott-Waters loves making things out of paper. Her popular website, www.thetoymaker.com, receives 2,000 to 7,000 visitors each day, who have downloaded more than six million of her easy-to-make paper toys. Her goal is to help parents and children spend time together making things.

She is the creator of a paper toy craft book series The Toymakers Christmas: Paper Toys You Can Make Yourself (Sterling), and The Toymakers Workshop: Paper Toys You Can Make Yourself (Sterling). She is also the co-creator with J. H. Everett of the middle grade nonfiction series, Haunted Histories, (Christy Ottaviano Books / Henry Holt Books for Young Readers). Ms. Scott-Waters illustrated The Search For Vile Things (Scholastic), and created paper engineering for Pop & Sniff Fruit (Piggy Toes Press).

Website | Facebook | Google+

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* $100 Book Blast Giveaway *

Amazon 100 gift card

Prize: $100 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)

Contest ends: December 31, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open: Internationally

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

MDBR Book Promotion Services

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways click on the  Southern Christmas Charm below.

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You are invited to the Bewitching Brews and Devilish Desserts Holiday Giveaway. We are giving away an autographed copy of the book, a vintage style frilled apron, and some awesome Bewitching Swag

Come see!

Bewitching Brews and Devilish Desserts 

A Collection of Cocktail and Dessert Recipes 
By Bewitching Book Tours’ Authors

Roxanne Rhoads, Sharon Bayliss, Ami Blackwelder, Cassandra Lawson, Susannah Sandlin, Cherrie Mack, Maggie Mundy, Suzanne Johnson, Katalina Leon, Kay Dee Royal, Sophie Avett, Elizabeth Loraine, G.L. Ross, T.W. Kirchner 
Book Description:
Stir up a little magic from our cauldron full of cocktails and desserts.
The authors of Bewitching Book Tours conjured a collection of delicious potions inspired by their books and characters.
Grab your wand (or spoon) and cast one of these spellbinding recipes today.

 

Available at Createspace and Amazon

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Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

Rafflecopter Giveaway

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways click on the  Southern Christmas Charm 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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I hope ya’ll had a marvelous Thanksgiving.

So now it’s the countdown to Christmas. Are you ready? Are you the type to get your shopping done early or are you the type who likes to wait til the last minute? Do you make a list and know what you are looking for or do you just get out there and browse the aisles?

I have a fun question for you and would love for you to participate. What is the most memorable present you received when you were a young child? The one you still feel that amazing awe about?

I’ll share mine. There were six of us kids and to keep us from knowing who the presents were for, my parents would choose a theme, putting characters names on the presents and keeping it secret until Christmas morning. Each year was different. Sometimes it would be cartoon characters names for each of us. Sometimes it would be Santa’s reindeer. You never knew which name on the gift was yours until they revealed the list. It made it so fun and really ramped up the excitement.

One year I accidentally walked in my mom while she was wrapping presents. There was this awesome set of children’s luggage and this sweet little stuffed turtle. Being the youngest girl in the family, I knew it was for me. Imagine my disappointment Christmas morning when I unwrapped all of my presents and there was no sweet, cuddly, soft turtle. I don’t recall saying anything. I do recall the crushing sadness. I really loved that turtle.

Imagine the joy, the bliss, when I opened one small piece of the new luggage and there was my turtle! I still feel that magical moment. My parents must have been smiling inside, waiting for me to find that turtle.

On a happy note, I just had a birthday yesterday. Yep, my son’s birthday was the 20th and mine was the 29th. His due date was on my birthday but he came early! I look at him, over 6ft. tall, and still see that little baby. I spent the day decorating for Christmas, then we had pizza and a bunch of movies. We stayed up way late and ate a lot of popcorn. Fun times!

Now for the book news. Got lots to show you and a bunch of freebies for ya!

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Here are my new books for review.

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New ones just for me!

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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.

22018588  23612082  My Ex From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy, #1)

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Books I’ll be reviewing next week.

These are ones I was going to review last week. But with the holiday, I decided to wait and post them this coming week.

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And these are more I’ll be reviewing this coming week.

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Interesting posts from around the web.

Candace had this to say on her blog – Making Peace with your To-Be-Read Pile.

How To Market Your Book – An interesting post by Beckie at Bittersweet Enchantment.

Dionne Lister’s post – Review Cheats – Shameful Author Behavior

Jessi’s post on Novel Heartbeat – Do you continue reading a series if you hate the first book?

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What I won.

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I won a signed print copy of The Scale from a giveaway at Tome Tender.

Thanks Dianne and thank you Mika Jolie.

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I won Standing By from a give away on Ali’s Books Blog.

Thanks Alison and thank you Claudia Burgoa.

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Other Posts this week.

Devil Music ~ A different kind of demon story by Carly Orosz

Teaser Tuesdays #89 ~ Rehab Is For Witches

The Trouble With Demons ~ Release Day Special Sale

Check out Tahlia Newland’s YA Fantasy Series ~ Diamond Peak

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

The Clock Strikes Midnight by Joan C. Curtis ~ VBT and Giveaway

A Zombie Thanksgiving

Can a pitcher catch her? A League Of Her Own ~ Pre-Release Giveaway

My EX From Hell ~ Giveaway and my review

The Bleaklisted Books ~ Teaser Tour and Giveaway

What are you worth? Meritropolis ~ Author Interview and Giveaway plus a special sale

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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.

In the mood for something different?

I have just the book for you.

Meritropolis has many diverse characters, and curious animal combinations.

Keep reading to learn more about this post-apocalyptic dystopian with science fiction and enjoy the author interview.

This is on sale for a limited time!

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

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In Meritropolis everyone is assigned a numerical Score that decides their worth to society and whether they live or die. After a young boy is killed because of a low Score, his brother plots to take down the System.

Meritropolis

Sounds good, right? Well, this exciting YA Dystopia is on sale for just 99 cents Thursday, November 27 through Monday, December 1. You can pick up your copy on Amazon.

To celebrate, we are offering a giveaway for an autographed copy and a $100 Amazon gift card—hooray!

Check out this interview with Joel Ohman, the author of the book critics are calling, “The Hunger Games meets The Village with a young Jack Reacher as a protagonist”, then scroll to the end of this post to learn more about the giveaway. Happy reading, and good luck!

 

 An Interview with Joel Ohman

Joel Ohman

Who or what was your inspiration to write about post-apocalyptic, dystopian sci-fi?

I’ve read a lot in this genre, so I would say it’s a mix of a lot of different things. I really just wanted to explore this question of, “What gives a person worth?” Is it their usefulness to society? Is it because someone loves them? Is it because of how they look? Is it because of their health or ability? As a Christian, I believe that all people have worth, because they are made in the image of God. I wanted to explore some different takes on this question. I think that the post-apocalyptic/dystopian/sci-fi genre was the best vehicle to tackle some of those deep philosophical questions in a fun and interesting way.

Why do you write? Is it for fun, or because you have something you need to say in your writing?

Some writers are loath to say their writing has a message, because maybe they think doing so diminishes their art (not true, in my opinion), but I think that everyone has a message in their writing, even if they aren’t as consciously focused on it—and that’s a good thing. My message is in my epigraph: “Because everyone matters – Psalm 139”.

Why the title Meritropolis?

I wanted a short one word title that was a clever—or at least semi-clever—play on two different words. I like “Meritropolis” because it combines “Merit” and “Metropolis,” two words that are great for describing a city where each resident’s worth is measured by a score given to them.

In Meritropolis how were the animal combinations decided upon? For example, I know you chose to write about a bion (bull-lion), as well as many other freaks of nature. So what I want to know is how did you decided which animals to meld together and why.

meritropolis Illustration, Festrel

I have a big list of animal combinations that I came up with before I began writing the book, and I tried to work in as many as I could. Sometimes the only criteria was that I liked the way the name sounded. Look for many more in the following books!

meritropolis Illustration, Rama

Can you tells us about your characters and who/what inspired them?

I am a big believer in John Truby’s approach to building a “character web”, because this deepens the relationships between characters and helps to make each of the characters more complex. Absent building a good character web, it can be all too easy to fall into the not-very-true-to-real-life good-person/bad-person false dichotomy where your protagonist devolves into this I-can-do-no-wrong character and your antagonist is just pure evil. I was very much aiming to show the imperfections and brokenness in each of the characters. My thinking as a Christian influences this to some degree, given that the Bible teaches that we are all essentially the same; we are all sinners—only God is perfect.

Do you have a favorite genre that you like to read?

I read pretty much everything! Fiction, non-fiction, you name it! I am of the opinion that, as an author, I can learn something from almost every kind of writing. Sometimes, it most definitely is a matter of learning what not to do—but, on the whole, I love to read a wide variety of writing styles, genres, etc.

Are there any books that have inspired your own writing?

I read A LOT so there are many different things that have shaped my writing over the years, but I wouldn’t say there was any particular book, or books, that I was consciously looking to for inspiration while writing Meritropolis. Looking back though I can definitely see different threads of influence in almost everything I have read over the years that contribute toward making Meritropolis what it is: the strong protagonist of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series, the philosophical bent of C.S. Lewis’ fiction, the dystopian setting of Hugh Howey’s WOOL series, and many more.

Are there any authors that have emerged in the last three years that have caught your interest?

Hugh Howey is an author that I really like that has caught my attention lately. I would highly recommend his WOOL series!

 

Don’t forget!

Meritropolis is marked down from its regular price of $5.99, but only for a limited time. Feed your Kindle by picking up a discounted copy for just 99 cents, but make sure you do it before December 2!

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

 

Now enter the giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card

Autographed copy of Meritropolis

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway.

RAFFLECOPTER

 

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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!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

 

Today I’m excited to share the teaser tour for The Bleaklisted Books by David M. Brown and Donna Brown. This is humorous non-fiction for every cat and animal lover. The Bleaklisted Books releases December 1st!

 

My mini-irons,

I urge you to embrace the goose-spell of Animal Farm and you will find sanctuary when our difficult war is over. I will add, of course, that given that conquering the world means a long, long, long, long, long war, I will permit you to read another book every now and again.

Just remember which books are bleak-listed; e.g. Barry Potterer, 100 Years of Silly Tudor, Prude and Perjury, The Hungary Olympic Games, The Chronicles of Nerdia and Of Mike and Ben.

In the meantime, here is a list of books I have vetted and will reconsider for approval if the appro… apprap… proper changes are made. Read this manyule carefully mini-irons.

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Your Cat-tain Charlie Brown

US Amazon | General link (diverts to relevant Amazon) | Goodreads
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Excerpt


What happens?

Some spy is told to carry out an assignment in East Germany to uncover a double agent but he falls for someone prior to this and love ultimately messes the operation up.

Reason for bleaklisting?

Proper spies don’t fall in love. Wimps they are!What should have happened?Eric is sent on an exclusive mission into East Germany to assassinate a double agent. Before setting off he is approached by an air stewardess named Fiz who fancies him but he turns her down. She does warn him that it’s cold in East Germany and gives him some cough syrup.Suspicious of the bottle labelled poison with a skull on it, Eric tosses the syrup and completes his mission. When he returns home to England he has a runny nose and is coughing a lot. Fiz realises he has seen through the poison expertly disguised as cough syrup and she runs away. She is shot and killed by a traffic warden who believes her car is parked on double yellow lines. Eric ends the novel by nipping to the pharmacy for some genuine cough syrup.Special instructionMake available at MI5, MI6, CIA, B&Q and M&S and rename The Spy Who Came Home with a Cold.

 
Mr B compares the stories

Dear me, Charlie, I thought you’d like John le Carré’s 1963 Cold War Novel. The Spy Who Came in From the Cold does deal with Communist East Germany where Alec Leamas is sent, under the pretence that he is defecting, and with the intention of locating Mundt, suspected of being a double agent. Alec has a romance with Liz which ultimately throws a spanner in the works. There isn’t anything about cough syrup thankfully and as with Charlie’s other efforts, this one is likely to disappear into the ether. My apologies to Mr le Carré for this despicable alternative to his story.
 
About the Authors: 

Donna: Donna is a longtime book lover and sometime book reviewer and has devoured books from

an early age. She writes short (or long) stories as and when inspiration hits and is married to fantasy author David M. Brown (Fezariu’s Epiphany, A World Apart). She was also co-contributor to David’s book, Man vs Cat, a humorous look at life with six rambunctious rescue cats.

Donna has lived in many different areas of the UK over the last 30-something years but has remained in Yorkshire for the past decade. She ardently disputes the misnomer that ‘It’s grim up north’. You can find Donna on Google+, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Goodreads, or visit her and her husband’s shared blog: B-Lines and Felines.

Website | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram 

David: David Brown could be considered a fantasy fanatic, especially since he has spent the last 10 years developing a 47,000-year history for his fictional world of Elenchera. When converting his obsession into literary form, David commits himself to a rigorous writing and editing process before his work can meet his approval. Combined with the critical eye of his wife and a BA Hons in History and English, David’s dedication leads him to his goal of inspiring readers through heartfelt stories and characters.

Although David is inspired primarily by fantasy fiction, he also finds his muse in the form of anime, world cinema, history, and biographies. His own books, Fezariu’s Epiphany and A World Apart, combine aspects from worlds both old and new into compelling tales of a world not soon forgotten., David himself certainly does not lack a spirit of adventure; in fact, he left his job in 2007 in order to spend a month travelling. Second only to meeting and marrying his wife, David counts this as one of the most amazing experiences of his life.

Feline Central
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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png
 
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$20 Gift Certificate for Amazon or B&N & paperback or audiobook of Man vs. Cat (INT)Ends December 16th.
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a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

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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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I hope ya’ll had a marvelous Thanksgiving!
I guess the rush for Christmas has begun.
Come on in and check out My EX From Hell.
It’s a hilarious and sweetly romantic YA Mythological Tale and the first book in The Blooming Goddess trilogy.
There’s a special sale and I’ve added my review.
Also, don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
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Title: My EX From Hell

Author: Tellulah Darling

Series: The Blooming Goddess Trilogy #1

Genre: Young Adult, mythological

Sixteen-year-old Sophie Bloom wishes she’d been taught the following:

a) Bad boy’s presence (TrOuBlE) + teen girl’s brain (DraMa) = TrAuMa (Highly unstable and very volatile.)

b) The Genus Greekulum Godissimus is notable for three traits: 1) awesome abilities, 2) grudges, and 3) hook-ups, break-ups, and in-fighting that puts cable to shame.

Prior to the Halloween dance, Sophie figures her worst problems involve adolescent theatrics, bitchy teen yoga girls, and being on probation at her boarding school for mouthy behaviour. Then she meets bad boy Kai and gets the kiss that rocks her world.

Literally.

This breath stealing lip lock reawakens Sophie’s true identity: Persephone, Goddess of Spring. She’s key to saving humanity in the war between the Underworld and Olympus, target numero uno of Hades and Zeus, and totally screwed.

Plus there’s also the little issue that Sophie’s last memory as Persephone was just before someone tried to murder her.

Big picture: master her powers, get her memories back, defeat Persephone’s would be assassin, and save the world. Also, sneak into the Underworld to retrieve stolen property, battle the minions of Hades and Zeus, outwit psycho nymphs, slay a dragon, rescue a classmate, keep from getting her butt expelled from the one place designed to keep her safe …

… and stop kissing Kai, Prince of the Underworld.

My Ex From Hell is a YA romantic comedy, Greek mythology smackdown. Love meets comedy with a whole lot of sass in book one of this teen fantasy romance series. Compared to Kai and Sophie, Romeo and Juliet had it easy.

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I had such fun reading this book and wanted to share my review!
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MY REVIEW
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I’ve always had a thing for Greek Mythology. Gods and Goddesses and fantastical beings, what’s not to love.
So, meet Sophie. A normal teenage girl, shuffled off to boarding school and dealing with all that goes with it.
She has two close friends, Theo and Hannah.
Theo is more like a big brother figure, being over protective. You’ll find out why.
Hannah is any girls dream friend.  She’ll always have your back and never try to steal your boyfriend.
Can’t forget Kai.  I’ll let you discover if he’s a good guy or bad guy.
The thorn in her side, her nemesis is Bethany. It’s not any one thing that started the bullying. Bethany just picked her as her target.
When Sophie eaves drops on a phone conversation between Bethany and some mysterious guy, she begins to form her plan of revenge.
As with all plans, Murphy’s Law kicked in, and her plans came back to bite her in the you know what.
If it weren’t for Theo, she’d be in a world, or worlds, of hurt. Now, she discovers she’s Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, trapped in a young girls body with no memories of her past. No longer your typical girl, she has to be careful who she trusts and get her memories back, quick, as the Gods are coming for her.
Sophie is terrific. She’s smart, funny, and not afraid to stand up for herself. Not a shrinking violet at all. She won’t be putting up with any bullying, neither humans nor Gods.
There’s plenty of action and a blooming romance to keep you turning the pages.
And the world building, both on the school grounds and in the underworld, is incredible and fascinating.
From middle graders, to teens, to mature adults, I’d recommend this book. It’s a quick read, and has lots of adventure, and fantastical beings, good and bad.
Set aside your belief and enjoy this story, It’s good, clean fun.
4 STARS
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My Ex From Hell will be on sale for 99 cents from November 28th to December 12th!
 

When the going gets desperate, the desperate send email 

          To: ????

From: bloomingoddess@gmail.com

Subject: Seriously?

          Dear Your Royal Imperialness Demeter, Goddess of Grain and Fertility, Preserver of
Marriage, and Bringer of Seasons,

Or can I just call you Mom?

Bet you never thought you’d be hearing from me. Sorry for not having written sooner,
but until about twelve hours ago, I didn’t know you existed. Nothing personal.

See, yesterday, I was plain old Sophie Bloom. My life sucked in your typical 16-year-old
ways. I was stuck here at Hope Park Progressive School on probation again (“mouthy
behavior”), dealing with cliquish poseurs, rampant hormones, blah blah blah.

Then I met a guy. I know that’s the worst cliché ever. But sadly, it’s true. And of course,
me being me, he couldn’t be just any bad boy. No. He had to be Kai, son of Hades, Lord of
the Underworld. Anyway, he was really hot and there was this bone-melting kiss and …
whatever. The point is, before he showed up, I thought I was human. Afterward, well, let’s
just say everything changed. Who knew when I was cramming Greek mythology for my
English final, I was studying the family tree?

They say when you die, your whole life supposedly flashes before your eyes. When Kai
and I kissed, here’s what flashed before mine—Mount Olympus, Zeus, the Underworld,
Hades, and you. But that wasn’t my life. Or was it?

Here’s the Wiki version. (Do you have Wi-Fi on Mt. Olympus?) Turns out I’m
Persephone. Me, Goddess of Spring and Embodiment of Earth’s Fertility? Ew! Which makes
me your kid, Hades’ target, and totally screwed. In the myth version, I’m the innocent
maiden, you’re the grieving mother, and we’re reunited with great joy. Guess that’s why they
call it a myth.

I know I sound like a nut bar. And maybe I’ll wake up in a padded room restrained for
my own safety. But in that moment with Kai, it felt real. Like I knew who I was. Or used to be. Those were my memories flashing before my eyes—not some fantasy or hallucination.
Part of me remembered those moments. But where do I go from here? And is there an online
tutorial I can take?

I don’t exactly have your email. But if you’re a goddess, maybe you’ll know I’m writing.
That I really need my mom right now. And if not—well, I guess I’ll save this for my
obituary. Which I’ll probably need pretty soon because of the gods-wanting-me-dead thing.

          Take care.

Sophie

a.k.a. Persephone

a.k.a. Goddess of Spring

a.k.a. Your Daughter

 

 

Tellulah Darling

noun

1. YA romantic comedy author because her first kiss sucked and she’s compensating.

2. Alter ego of former screenwriter.

3. Sassy minx.

Geeks out over: cool tech.

Squees for: great storytelling.

Delights in: fabulous conversation.

Writes about: where love meets comedy. Awkwardness ensues.

Sassy girls. Swoony boys. What could go wrong?

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 


Hosted by Good Choice Reading Blog Tours
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Good Choice Reading
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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!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg