Archive for the ‘giveaways’ Category

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Jump in and enjoy the water!

I have a fun post for you today.

Learn all about JUMP ZONE : Cleo Falls and the author Wylie Snow.

I have an interview and excerpt to share with you.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaways!

That’s right. I have two giveaways for this exciting new series!

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JUMP ZONE: CLEO FALLS

By Wylie Snow

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Jump Zone: Cleo Falls by Wylie Snow (Jump Zone #1 )
Publication date: September 9th 2013
Genres: Dystopia, New Adult
Synopsis
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All Cleo wants, all she’s ever wanted, is the acceptance of her tribe and the love of her family… and she almost dies trying to earn it. But the man who saved her, who found beauty in her flaws and loved her without condition, has cruelly betrayed her, and she’s dying all over again.
Was it all lies? His words, his promises, his kisses? Lost in unfamiliar territory, Cleo will fight the forces that conspire to destroy her homeland, even if she has to do it alone.
Libra longs for freedom—from prison, from pretense, and from his birthright… but he’s caught in a political game where only greed and power can win, and Cleo Rush is the pawn. How much is he willing to sacrifice for liberty? His morals, his principles, the woman he loves? No matter which path he chooses, people will die, their blood on his hands. And it could be hers.
To save themselves and their world, Cleo and Libra must overcome the double tragedy that binds their families in hatred. Together, they might live. Apart, Cleo will fall.
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Get to know more about  Wylie Snow and Jump Zone in this fun interview!
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1)     What’s the scoop on the romance? Why can’t the hero and heroine get on with their sweet loving?

You’d think, since he saved her life, that Cleo would instantly fall into Libra’s arms in a heap of grateful, quivering lady-love. The physical chemistry is undeniable, but she doesn’t trust the urbanite as far as she could spit.

Cleo is a ‘triber’ from the Taiga forest and Libra hails from the city of Gomeda. They have some serious misconceptions to overcome and it doesn’t help that they’re both lying through their teeth about, well,… everything.

2)     What the heck is a Taiga?

Also known as a boreal forest, the Taiga (pronounced ty-guh) is the world’s largest land biome and comprises 29% of the world’s forest. It circles the globe, with the largest bits located in Russia and Canada. The winters are long, cold and harsh. In Jump Zone, the Taiga is divided into regional tribes named for common animals like wolverine, beaver, bear, wolf, moose, etc…

Survivalists by nature, the tribers are protective of their lands, and their resources. Especially their energy source. Shhh… spoilers!

3)     What makes Jump Zone’s hero sexy?

Libra is the Robin Hood of Gomeda. Born into a wealthy, powerful family, he eschews his high-born status and fights for the marginalized citizens living in the slums of Gomeda. His idealism gets him a sentence of hard labor in the penal colony but it also gives him the hardened edge he needs to survive the coming turmoil.

4)     Fave line?

“For the record, I’ve never killed another human being. Not even a Banger.” Cleo Rush says this when defending her reputation against Libra’s assumptions that she’s some kind of savage. Second fave is, “You’ve never had bacon? You poor, deprived soul.”  Because… obviously!

5)     Where did you get the idea for your story? 

I had an idea for a post-apocalyptic Romeo and Juliet type of story but the world didn’t begin building in my head until a family vacation took us on a drive through Northern Ontario. The untamed beauty of the landscape literally took my breath away. Miles and miles of uninhabited land, a stunning palette of greens and dark blues, harsh rocky outcrops. I thought, “What if I had to survive out here…”

6)     Is this a stand-alone or part of a series?

Cleo Falls is book one of the Jump Zone trilogy. Libra Rising is scheduled to release in December 2013, followed by the series conclusion in the spring of 2014.

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Enjoy this peek inside Jump Zone!

Taiga Forest

I’d always presumed the moments before death would be fuzzy and warm.

They’re not. Death is painful. And cold.

Death is terrifying.

For me, there are no sepia vignettes of my childhood, no sign of my mother’s smiling face to usher me into a blissful afterlife, open armed. There’s nothing to distract me from the fright that slams me every time my mouth fills, every time my head slips under.

No matter how hard I kick or thrash, the current is merciless, dragging me downriver, closer to the edge, closer to the—

I can’t even think the word.

I claw for the surface, flailing desperately for something to grab onto. But there’s nothing. Not a rock, not a log, not even a stray root. Even if by some miracle I don’t drown, there is nothing to save me from the fall.

Seventy feet, straight down.

And the rocks at the bottom… I’ll be smashed.

My chest burns so bad, I want to scream from it. Can’t, don’t dare. I bite down on the inside of my lips to seal them from another mouthful of icy water and taste the copper of my blood. I will my legs to get me to the surface for another breath, but I’m tumbling through the blackness, not sure which way is up.

The rapids twist and toss me, pull me fast and hard as if they’re doing me a favor in getting me to the edge quickly. It’ll be over soon. Yet every agonizing second feels never-ending.

The more my muscles ache from cold, the heavier my limbs become, the slower time goes. Death is a cruel bitch.

My lungs are on fire. And no matter that my eyeballs feel like they’ve been dunked in acid, panic won’t let me close them.

There’s a legend amongst my people of a Ghost Warrior, a survivalist from Old Canada who lost his life in the Polar Wars. They say he guides folks home in their time of need, gives them a second chance. Where is this phantom rescuer for me? Am I not worthy?

I already know the answer…

The pressure in my chest begins to crack me open. I acknowledge my fate, look it in the eye, welcome it. The thought frees me. The simple act of mental acquiescence releases my fear, replaces it with regret. And anger. I’ll never get a chance to make amends to my tribe, to Jaegar or my father, never feel the love I’ve tried so hard, so damned hard, to earn.

Anger fuels my strength, gives me a final burst of energy. My anaesthetized legs push off of something solid. My head breaches the surface.

I scream in Death’s face.

Then water fills me, douses my fire. I am numb, unable to feel my extremities, unable to feel anything. Like a piece of flotsam, the current tosses me over the precipice toward the jagged rocks below. My world goes dark.

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Purchase Links
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AUTHOR BIO
Almost every author says they wanted to write from a very early age. Not me. I wanted to be a detective like Nancy Drew, or a wildlife expert like Jim Fowler or an archaeologist like Indiana Jones. Or have my own island resort and make fantasies come true!
I didn’t do too badly with any of those… I married a detective, worked in a zoo, explored ship wrecks instead of old ruins, and spent 18 glorious years living on a sunny island.
As for those fantasies… I also write erotic romance as Wylie Kinson. Happy reading!
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Author Links:

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Two Giveaways!

My giveaway:

I have one ebook copy of Jump Zone: Cleo Falls to give away (International)!

To enter, please leave your email address along with a comment.

Something about the book or the interview would be wonderful!

This giveaway ends September 30th.

AND

For the rafflecopter giveaway:

Two Winners. A $25 Amazon Gift Card for each.

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go HERE.

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This is my own version of a weekly bookhaul post where  I’ll be telling you about all of the books I got this week, whether print or e-book plus all things new on fuonlyknew.

I got a few books this week, some free, some for review, and some I purchased just for my reading pleasure.

I also post reviews on another blog aknifeandaquill . It’s all about horror. If someone doesn’t die, we don’t do it here!

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Here’s some I picked up to review on both blogs. Double exposure for the author:)

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Here are some I picked up to review on fuonlyknew.

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And this is free on Amazon. Get your copy HERE.

Got some good ones!

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Some freebies for ya!

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Get your copy HERE.

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Spine Tingling Tales! Free HERE as of posting.

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Books for Review.

Dark Migration

Also will be reviewing 3 new ARCs, but can’t tell you anything yet!

I had to have these!

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Books I won.

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I won a print copy of Blood of the Lamb by Sam Cabot from a giveaway on My Bookish Ways.

Thanks so much Kristen and Sam!

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Reviewed this week.

The Devil's Walk

You can read my review on my Monday Minis Post HERE.

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You can read my review and help celebrate the release of Beck Sherman’s Goodbye Nothing HERE.

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Resilient

Catch my ARC Review of Resilient by Patricia Vanasse HERE. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway! A chance to win a KINDLE!

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Catch my ARC Review of Falling Stars and interview with author H.D. Gordon HERE. All will be revealed!

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Scheduled reviews for this coming week.

The Man in the Fire

You can read my review on my upcoming Monday Minis post.

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Curse of the Chupacabra cover

Read my review and enjoy my interview with Mickael Hebler on Tuesday, September 10th. Then enter the super giveaway!

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Read my review of Hidden Gates,Book One by D.T. Dyllin and enjoy my blog tour post and giveaway on Friday, September 13th.

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Several more reviews and awesome giveaways coming this next week. Be sure to stop by!

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Other posts this week. Just click on the links to see the posts.

Kat Scratched Trilogy ~ Cover Reveals

Release Day ~ Stripped ~ Win a Kindle!

New Release and ARC Review ~ Goodbye Nothing by Beck Sherman

Giveaway and Guest Post ~ The Witch on Twisted Oak

Teaser Tuesdays #38 ~ 13 Drops of Blood

Giveaway Blitz and Free Book ~ Audrey’s Promise

Giveaway and ARC Review ~ Resilient ~ Win a Kindle!

WWW Wednesday  #17~  As The World Dies ~ ombies Everywhere!

Grand Finale Giveaway ~ Samantha Durante’s Shudder!

Thursday Theatre #16 ~ You’re Next!

Trailer Reveal ~ Sanctuary

ARC Review plus interview ~ Falling Stars by H.D. Gordon

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Go here to find all of my giveaways. Enter one or enter all of them!!

Go here for a list of free e-books.

Busy, busy, busy. So many delicious reads! Some I’ve read and will be posting my reviews soon.

So what did you get this week? See something you like? Do you have any of these? Leave a comment and let me know.

The Highlight Tour with Prism Book Tours

& Samantha’s Summer Tour

Shudder

348 pages

Published June 15, 2013

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It’s only been three days, and already everything is different.

Paragon is behind her, but somehow Alessa’s life may actually have gotten worse. In a wrenching twist of fate, she traded the safety and companionship of her sister for that of her true love, losing a vital partner she’d counted on for the ordeal ahead. Her comfortable university life is but a distant memory, as she faces the prospect of surviving a bleak winter on the meager remains of a ravaged world. And if she’d thought she’d tasted fear upon seeing a ghost, she was wrong; now she’s discovering new depths of terror while being hunted by a deadly virus and a terrifying pack of superhuman creatures thirsting for blood.

And then there are the visions.

The memory-altering “stitch” unlocked something in Alessa’s mind, and now she can’t shake the constant flood of alien feelings ransacking her emotions. Haunting memories of an old flame are driving a deep and painful rift into her once-secure relationship. And a series of staggering revelations about the treacherous Engineers – and the bone-chilling deceit shrouding her world’s sorry history – will soon leave Alessa reeling…

The Highlight Tour

8/24 – 9/1

Sharing some of the best of the summer-long tour

Shudder by Samanth Durante Blog Tour - June 15th to Sept 1st

24 – The Reading Diaries – The Mystery!

 Why does Alessa keep feeling something following them through the woods? – Review at Here’s the Story

Shudder is filled with surprises around every corner, keeping me guessing till the very end.

 

– The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl – Raving Fans!

Can I just freaking say how much I LOVE this series?! Stitch was good. Shudder? AMAZINGLY AMAZING!!! I can’t even express how much I just LOVE LOVE LOVED this book. Everything about it was perfection. – Review at Literary Meanderings 

– Rose & Beps Blog – Crushing on Side Characters!

Lizzie: I’ll support whoever can deliver that future, whether it’s the rebels or even the leaders of Paragon, if they were willing to change. I do believe in second chances. – Character Interview  at Mousehead & Tales

25 – Chapter Break – Vile Villainy!

Samantha: …the Engineers(the bad guys) are based on a variety of people I’ve met and disliked over the years for their general arrogance and lack of ability to connect with people (though I’m not naming names, haha). – Interview at Joanna In the Sky With Books:

Review:

 I enjoyed the merging of genre and thought it was a unique twist on sci-fi and dystopia, with a little paranormal aspect until we learn otherwise. 

– Wonderings of One Person – Review

Shudder by Samantha Durante is a deeply touching and sensational story of discovery and freedom laden with heavy doubts and uncomfortable choices. I was swept away…

– Mortal Moments – Crushing on Characters!

Do YOU have any favourite fiction crushes or book boyfriends? Care to share them… so we can all swoon together! 🙂

Issac is one to add to the list of “book boyfriends”. – Review at A Thousand Lives

26 – A Tiffyfit’s Reading Corner – Review

…what an ENDING! This story is keeping my head bent to my kindle. Ms Durante has IT, ladies and gentlemen. That thing that some authors have that just keep you turning the pages…

27 – Kindred Dreamhart – Catch some STYLE!

 

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– The Bookish Daydreamer – OMG Endings!

Samantha: My favorite scene to write in Shudder was definitely the big revelation in the very last chapter. Heart-wrenching. – Interview at Lovely Reads

– Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf – Developing Deep Characters

Things get even more complicated when Alessa discovers something new about herself, a twist that I sure never saw coming. Again kudos Samantha for a great job well done. ~Review at Total Book Nerds

28 – YA Book Addict – Review

The one constant thought that kept coming at me while I was reading Shudder was the originality of it. I remember feeling the exact same way while I was reading Stitch. Personally, I have never read anything like it before and I have to give huge applause to an author who can create such a fantastically original, well written, engaging piece of writing.

– Library of a Book Witch – POV Perfection!

…the transitions between character to character are smooth and never feel unnatural or jarring, each character’s situation has a different aura to it, I could immediately tell which character I was currently reading about… Review at Book Adoration.

– Mommasez… – Writerly Wisdom

Do what you love. – Guest Post “Celebrating the Stitch 1 Year Anniversary” at Head Stuck in a Book

Imagine the world ended tomorrow. – Guest Post “Family & Relationships in a Dying World” at My World in Words and Pages 

Review

Samantha teases us with two girls, one stoned by an angry mob, the other in a prison cell. We don’t know who is who. And it’s deliciously mysterious!!

29 – Mel’s Shelves – Praise for Pacing!

Fast paced with not a single dull moment, this book will have you turning pages until the end. – Review at Little Hyuts

Review

Oh, my! Dystopia at its finest! A quick word on Stitch (book 1): It had been a while since I’d read what it was about so I just started reading. It seemed like a nice time travel romance with a hint of something else and then BAM!, in came the dystopia element. At that point, I couldn’t put it down…

– Fundinmental – Painstakingly Plotted World

The complexity of the plot and the dynamics have you wondering what exactly Samantha has in her mind to be able to imagine this complex world. I never one time imagined that what happens in the book could actually happen but now the idea is planted firmly in my mind. It is a little freaky. – Review at Cynthia Shepp Book Reviews & Editing

Review:

 Shudder… has so many things going on that, at times, I was torn about where I wanted the story to go. 

 

30 – Literary Meanderings – Top Ten Raving Fan Moments!

Shudder is one of the best dystopians I’ve read so far! It’s so intense, so captivating. There’s a lot in it, and it’s so well written. The action, the suspense, the thrill… All of it will leave you begging for more. I know I am! Samantha, you’ve really set the bar with this one. I enjoyed every second of it. ~ Review at City of Books

31 – My Devotional Thoughts – More Crushing On Characters! 

 

Isaac Sttich Trilogy

Interview with Isaac at Always YA at Heart

– Green Mountain Couple – More Vile Villainy!

“The memory alteration research mentioned some, well, unfortunate side effects…” – Guest Post at Crys Book Reviews

Review

I absolutely LOVE LOVED this book. It was one of those books that I picked up and didn’t want to set back down even after it was finished.

Sept. 1 – The Book Rogue – Review

Some things were not that unusual for a Dystopian, but there were also some shocking aspects — in the regard that I don’t find them too absurd to actually happen, like right now. Genius and insanity are utterly and truly a very fine line that tends to blur a lot.

Quote:

“What we haven’t told you yet–“

He paused, searching her eyes before he dropped his bombshell.

 

“– is that the outbreak wasn’t exactly a mistake.”

See what you’re missing… read Stitch & Shudder now!!

Stitch (Stitch Trilogy, #1)  Shudder (Stitch Trilogy #2)

Also available in the iTunes store, Kobo, and wherever e-books are sold!

Samantha Durante, Author of the Stitch Trilogy

Samantha Durante

Tour-Wide Giveaway:

5 Winners. August 24 – September 16, 2013

* Signed print copy of Stitch & Shudder for you and two friends (USA only)

* Signed (via Authorgraph) e-book copies of Stitch & Shudder for you and two friends (Int’l)

* Signed Stitch & Shudder bookmarks + e-book copies of Stitch & Shudder (Int’l)

* $10 Amazon Gift Card (Int’l)

* $5 Amazon Gift Card (Int’l)

Enter the Giveaway HERE!!!

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Have I got a New Release for You!

It’s my stop on the tour for Resilient and I get to tell you all about it!

Check out Resilient, enjoy my review and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Resilient Book Description:

Livia has never felt like she fits in. As normal as it sounds, Livia is anything but ordinary. She can feel every emotion of every single person around her, and it’s maddening. In pursuit of some psychic quiet, she moves with her family from New   York City to Whidbey Island in the lush and sleepy Pacific Northwest. But when a horseback riding accident in her new home gives her a broken leg that heals in a day, she finds that another unexplainable ability has manifested, and her life isn’t about to get any easier. Adam has no problem fitting in and making friends. In fact, he’s the top of the school, the boy everyone knows and loves. However, people only see what he allows them to. No one knows what Adam is truly capable of. After witnessing Livia’s accident, Adam sees something intriguing in her quick recovery, something that gives him hope that he’s not alone. Adam is the only one whose emotions Livia can’t read. Afraid of not knowing what goes on behind his dark eyes, Livia decides to keep him at a distance. Yet the more she tries to ignore him, the more alluring he becomes, and while their personal quests for identity will inevitably bring them closer together, it is the confirmation of what they really are that threatens to tear them apart.

Resilient, told in alternating point of views, is a gripping story of survival and romance, in which two teenagers face the consequences of being anything but normal.

GoodReads | Amazon

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My Review

It would be difficult to be around people if you were an empath. Imagine feeling everyone’s anxiety, fear, and anger. It would be overwhelming. I could see where this would be especially difficult for a teenager. It’s hard enough dealing with all the angst of becoming an adult. Add to that constantly fighting to keep up a barrier and anticipating and dreading a birthday.

Every few years, around her birthday, Livia develops a new ability.

That’s why Livia’s parents moved the family to the Pacific Northwest. To Seattle. They could live on their large estate, far from crowds, and Livia could have some peace of mind.

Her Uncle Henry helps her with her abilities and she’s discovered that when she’s underwater, the only emotions she feels are her own. So even saying the word water over and over in her mind helps to drown out the emotions.

Then there is Adam.

Unbeknownst to anyone except his family and his best friend, he also is an empath. He can feel people’s anger and uses his ability to calm them down, like tamping out a fire. You could call it mood control

He trains horses and that’s how he meets Livia. Her parents bought some horses from his parents farm and he’s stilling training Livia’s so they have to work together.

Their first meeting doesn’t go so well, but they grow on each other.

Livia wonders if not being able to read Adam is the only reason he gets on her nerves or is it that he seems to have the upper hand that puts a burr under her saddle.

As they get to know each other, their feelings change. They begin to like each other, a lot.

They both have secrets and fears. They have more in common than they know.

Will these two be able to trust each other? Be able to set aside their fears and reveal their secrets?

And are they prepared for the danger that’s approaching fast?

I enjoyed when Livia and Adam swapped quotes to each other.

“A mistake is just another way of doing things.”

“A compliment is something like a kiss through a veil.”

I looked forward to these.

The transition from one point of view to the other was smooth and easy to read. I never felt like I didn’t know who was speaking. It worked well for this book.

Livia and Adam are very strong characters and won a place in my heart.

I’m still not too sure about their parents though. I’ll have to see how they are in the next book.

Livia’s Uncle Henry is mysterious and keeps things close to the vest. Getting information out of him was work. I’d like to know more about him. Read his story.

There are many more characters that add to this story. Some I thought were villains were actually good guys and sometimes I had my doubts about others. Kept me on my toes and curious.

A good story makes you ask questions. Resilient made me ask many. I got some answers but not all, and the ending raised more. That’s why I’ll be watching for the next book. I need to know what happens next.

I was surprised to learn this was Patricia’s debut novel. When you read this book you’ll enjoy her easy writing style and eloquent phrases. Resilient reads like writing comes naturally to her.

One of my favorite parts of this story was the ending. I read it twice and I’ll probably read it again.

4 stars

Thought from Livia that I really liked:

“With Adam, I can only see what is on the outside. Reduced to the limitations of any normal person, I’m left wondering: How does anyone ever learn to trust?”

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About Patricia Vanasse:

Patricia Vanasse was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Now she lives on Whidbey Island in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two adorable children, and two crazy dogs. She has been trough Culinary Arts, Psychology, LawSchool, and now has finally found her passion in creative writing. She also loves traveling, cooking, and is an avid reader. Her strength- believes that everything is possible.

Author Sites:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

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Prizes:

Kindle Paperwhite (US)

Signed Resilient paperback (INT)

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Audreys Promise Blitz

I do enjoy a good love story.

Audrey’s Promise sounds promising.

Sorry, I just had to say that!

Find out more about Audrey and Ethan and don’t forget to enter the giveaway.

Also,Audrey’s Promise is FREE on Amazon right now!

Go HERE to get yours

Audrey's Promise Cover

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Title- Audrey’s Promise

By- Susan Sheehey

Publication Date- July 24, 2013

Published By- The Wild Rose Press

Synopsis

Audrey Allen is poised to become the youngest Texas senator, a position that fits her nickname, The Peacemaker. But she’s unable to make peace with many in her hometown, where memories and grudges run deep from a decade-old tragedy.

Ethan Tanner, an ambitious and tantalizing journalist, joins her at Thanksgiving for an in-depth look at the promising candidate. But he has an agenda of his own that’s not entirely honorable.

Ethan could stir up trouble for her budding career, or awaken the deep passions she’s buried for so long. Will Ethan find that he values love more than getting the story?

Links-

Goodreads / Amazon

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Join the Facebook Event!

Blitz- https://www.facebook.com/events/172285792973504/

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About Susan Sheehey

Audreys promise Susan Sheehey

Susan writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense and women’s fiction. After spending six years in the corporate world, her true passion wouldn’t let go and she’s been writing ever since. She lives and laughs in Texas with her husband and son.

Links-

Goodreads-http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7189847.Susan_Sheehey

Website- http://www.SusanSheehey.com

Twitter- https://twitter.com/SusieQWriter

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/SusanSheehey

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Prizes:

2 Fall Themed Raffle Prizes

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Check out The Witch On Twisted Oak.

I have a lot to show you today.

Susan is talking about her book covers and I have a sneak peek from inside her book.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Enjoy this guest post by Susan Muller

I recently had the good fortune to attend a workshop by Mark Cocker, founder of Smashwords. While his talk was geared toward indie publishing, his advice applied to everyone.

His most important piece of advice was to write a fantastic book. Then do it again.

Next, he said that writing is a business and most writers don’t make much money, so be careful what you spend your money on. Professional editing and your book cover are not places to skimp. Your book cover is the first thing people see. Be sure it makes the right impression.

This was a subject I heard discussed over and over at RWA Nationals Atlanta.

Some of the advice I knew, but hearing it again made an impression. For instance: your cover should target your reader. If you have vampires on your cover, there better be vampires in the story. If your cover features a couple in a deep lip-lock, the story shouldn’t be a sweet romance. It’s the feel or impression the cover gives that’s important.

Your covers should bear some similarity to each other so that the reader can recognize your work. The picture can be different, but keep the same font and placement of the title and author name.

One piece of advice surprised me. Your name is more important than the title of the book. That should be the first thing the reader sees.

I didn’t know any of these things when my first book came out. I wish I had. The font for the title of that book is hard to read in the thumbnail version. When my second book came out, I realized this was a series and the two covers should resemble each other. I even made sure the title hinted at a connection.

When my publisher sent me the two page questionnaire for cover information, I filled it out in excruciating detail.

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In my first book, The Secrets on Forest Bend, the cop is standing on the left, looking toward the right. In the next book, The Witch on Twisted Oak, the cop is standing on the right, looking toward the left. The image of a badge and gun are switched, also.

The Witch on Twisted Oak (Occult Series #2)

Both covers feature the silhouette of a woman walking away and a building in the background. On one cover, it’s a house, and on the other it’s a lake cabin, indicating where the story takes place. On the second cover, my name is featured inside a box, making it more prominent.

I got lucky on the cover of The Witch on Twisted Oak. My hero is a 6’8” Hispanic guy. Photos don’t show height, so I didn’t have to worry about that part. I was very specific about who I wanted on the cover, and I got him. I even found the exact photo that would fit, and my cover artist, Rae Monet, did just what I asked.

Last February I attended a workshop on marketing and branding. The speaker was cover model and founder of Romance Novel Covers (RNC,) Jimmy Thomas. I already knew he had a wide fan base. Books sold on the basis of his photo alone.

When I saw him, I realized I had found my Ruben Marquez.

Here are my two covers, my first book, The Secrets on Forest Bend, and my new release, The Witch on Twisted Oak. Tell me what you think. Did I manage to convey what I wanted?

The next book in the series, Voodoo on Bayou Lafonte, will be out in January. My cop is half Jewish and half Cajun with a touch of Native American thrown in. If you know a model who will fit that description, let me know. This might be a tough one.

**Here’s a short excerpt from The Witch on Twisted Oak.**

 

Ruben’s desk looked just as it had when he left on Friday. No little elves had come in and cleared it for him.

“Morning, partner. You look like shit.” Adam gazed at him over the rim of his coffee mug.

“Thanks. You look like sunshine yourself.” Actually, Adam did look pretty good. Smiling. Who smiled at 8:00 on Monday morning? Someone who’d had a better weekend than he had.

“Ready to go catch us a bad guy?”

“Couldn’t happen too soon for me. Someone broke into Tessa Reyna’s house on Saturday. I’ve had her stashed at my cabin all weekend.”

Adam’s eyebrows rose. “Was she hurt? Any idea who did it?”

“No, and no. Not unless I have a report hidden here somewhere about fingerprints.” Ruben shuffled through his in box. Nothing.

He glanced at Adam. “I’ll call Tessa and make sure she’s okay before we head out to question Jacinto.”

“She’s a witness, Ruben.” Adam sat his mug down and stared at him.

Wow, he must be serious. He let go of his coffee. He wouldn’t dare give me the same lecture I gave him about Jillian. Would he?

“I know exactly what she is and I don’t need a Romeo, even a reformed Romeo, to remind me.” I also know what she thinks she is; a witch with magical powers.

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Synopsis

A powerful psychic is brutally murdered.  Secrets are revealed.  An old enemy is out for revenge.

Detective Ruben Marquez is thrust back into his childhood memories when he investigates a gruesome murder that occurs only feet from his mother’s home.  Is the killer somehow connected to his own past?  Is the beautiful, mysterious daughter of the victim, someone he can trust?  Or is her revelation that she’s a witch a sign he should stay clear.  But how can he, when it appears she’s next on the murderer’s to-do list.

In the ultimate test of courage, he uses himself as bait to protect all he holds dear . . . his career, his family, and the Witch on Twisted Oak.

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Here’s a glimpse inside

Ruben stood beside her shattered back door, a huge mountain of a man in his bulletproof vest. A gun as large as he was hung from his side. His gold detective’s badge clipped to his belt looked out of place with his jeans and t-shirt.

“I’ve phoned this in, but you can’t stay here.”

What did he mean, not stay here? This was her home. The only place she’d ever felt truly safe. “It’ll be okay. I’ll get someone out to fix the door.”

He took her arm and placed her in front of the back door. “Look at that door. You had it locked, but one good kick and he was inside.” He turned her toward him and stared into her eyes. “You can’t stay here. It’s not safe until we catch him.”

He wasn’t going to keep her from her own house. She twisted out of his grip and ran inside. Her eyes darted from side to side, seeing the destruction but not taking it in fully.

She sank to the floor in the middle of her bedroom when he caught up with her.

“Who would do a thing like this?” She held up pieces of a broken orange and gold necklace. “I made this myself. And the shower curtain he ripped down in the bathroom? I hand painted that.”

He made a strange sound and she looked up. His face was flushed. Maybe he wasn’t as cold as she thought.

“You need to pack a small bag. Nothing much, just a few casual clothes. I’ll take you someplace safe.”

She glanced around the room. How could she pack? She’d never find two pieces that matched, or both of a pair of shoes. Her eyes fell on a pile of her underwear and bras, scattered across the floor and her breath caught.

Who did she mind the most seeing her underthings, a nameless, faceless intruder, or the man standing next to her?

Him. She knew him. He had no right to look at the contents of her drawers, her closets.

~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

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Susan C. Muller is a fourth generation Texan. She attended StephenF.AustinStateUniversity where she majored in Business Administration. She started her first novel at age eleven, but it wasn’t until after she had worked many years and raised a family that she returned to her first love, writing. She is a member of Northwest Houston RWA, Kiss of Death online RWA, and The Houston Writers Guild. Her novel, The Secrets on Forest Bend, has won several awards.

Susan and her husband, Sid, live in Spring, Texas with their rescue dog, Buster, a 120 pound black lab of advanced age. They have two children and four grandchildren. They love to travel and have been fortunate to see much of the world. Her favorite places include Kenya, New Zealand, and the Galapagos Islands. When not writing, she can be found doing volunteer work at a local hospital. She loves to read, travel, snorkel and take long walks.

Website:   http://susancmuller.com/

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Susan will be awarding a $20 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a $20 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn host.

So leave a comment. What do you think about the covers? Who would be a good model for Susan’s next book? Just leave some comment love!

Remember, the more you comment, the more chances to win!

Follow the tour for more fun posts by clicking on the banner below.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Celebrating the release of Stripped (A Ferro Family Novel), author H.M. Ward is offering an amazing giveaway PLUS we have an excerpt! In Stripped, we get to know another Ferro brother, Jonathan Ferro!

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Title: STRIPPED – A Ferro Family Novel

Author: H.M. WARD

Publisher: Laree Bailey Press

Release: September 2, 2013

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Group:  New Adult

Event organized by: AToMR Tours; http://atomrbookblogtours.com

Links to the book:

   

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Book Description:

By New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling New Adult author H.M. Ward.

The V Card. Virgin. Most of us want to punch that sucker ASAP, and hide the fact until then, but not Cassie Hale. Three years ago she frickin’ covered hers in glitter and laminated the thing, proudly telling me that she’s waiting for the perfect guy.
So when I see her half naked, tangled together, rolling around on the floor with another stripper, I’m kind of shocked. Okay, that’s an understatement. I’m enthralled. I have to know what cracked her picture perfect world and landed her here, and I hope it’s something horrible-an event that broke her the way she broke me. Because, that’s who Cassie Hale is–the woman who stole my heart and crushed it in her hand.

Genre: New Adult Romance
Related Works: DAMAGED & THE ARRANGEMENT

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Here’s a peek inside Stripped

CASSIE (3 YEARS PRIOR)

My jackass cousin is speed-walking in front of me. She hauls through the glass mall doors and talks to me over her shoulder. “It won’t be that bad. My shift is only a few hours. You can shop the whole time and then we can meet up and hang out.”

I struggle to keep up with her long legs. Robyn is the only person who’s even close to my age that I know in this entire state. My mom sent me to Mississippi for the summer to give me a break from the city. Like I needed a break from New York? Please. She was just sick of looking at me. “What the hell am I supposed to do for that long? I don’t have money to shop for hours every day. You said you didn’t have to work, Robyn.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t, but things changed, Yankee. Suck it up.” I roll my eyes and mutter things. Robyn suddenly stops short and glances over her shoulder at me. “Don’t be mad, but I think I have the solution to your problem.” I raise an eyebrow at her. This can’t be good. Robyn’s solutions typically make more problems. “You have nothing to do, and he has nothing to do…”

“What are you talking about?”

“He’s cute, and a friend with benefits is a promise if you hang out with him.” I must appear horrified because she gives me a funny look. I’m a couple of years younger than her, barely eighteen. “You’ve had sex before, right?”

I blink at her like she has two heads. I hiss in a low voice, “No, I haven’t and I don’t want to. Robyn, did you seriously tell some random guy to come to the mall so I’d have sex with him? Are you insane?”

A slow smile creeps across her face. “Oh my God! You’re a virgin! You’ve got to be kidding me?” She’s looking at me like I’m a toddler in a tutu—it’s that sweet endearing face. The problem is that she’s way too loud. People around us are looking as they pass by.

Just as she says it, a guy with dark hair and blazing blue eyes stops next to me. He’s smiling at her as he folds his arms over his chest. “So, I’m here. What’d you want?” The guy is beautiful, like completely and totally stunning. His face is perfection, his arms and chest are sculpted, and those eyes—are they even real? He glances at me like I’m not worth looking at and then back at Robyn. “Who’s this?” He jabs his thumb my direction.

“That’s my cousin Cassie, the virgin.” Robyn is still smiling at me. “Cassie, this is Jonathan Ferro.”

Hot guy turns abruptly and cocks his head to the side. His eyes travel over my body inch by inch before returning to my face. “Why is she a virgin?” His face scrunches when he says the last word, like it’s horrible that I’m not a slut. “She looks perfectly doable to me.”

My jaw drops open. “Excuse me?”

“Well, you do. You’re a beautiful woman.” His eyes sweep over me again as if he’s accessing whether or not he’d have sex with me, which makes my cheeks burn. He takes in my reaction and smirks. “She blushes. I love that. It’s so virginal.”

Robyn laughs and looks utterly amused. “I know, right?”

Up until that moment, I was very proud of my virgin status. I wasn’t putting out for everyone and anyone, but this guy is rattling me and I only met him a second ago. He’s arrogant and cocky and everything I can’t stand wrapped up into one beautiful body. “Hello, I’m right here.”

“I know,” he says. “With that body, I can’t see why you’d have a problem, unless…” There’s a questioning tone to his voice.

“Unless what?” I’m actually stupid enough to ask him.

“Unless you’re into girls.” He rubs his jaw lightly and looks me over again with a smile. “Is that the reason?”

“No,” I squeal a little too loudly as my face flames redder. People walking by stare at us, which makes it worse. My mouth opens and closes a few times before sputtering, “I haven’t done it yet because I wanted to wait.”

“Why?” He blinks at me like I’m absurd.

“Until I find the right person.”

“You’re waiting on purpose?” He glances at Robyn, truly entertained.

~~~

Author Event Giveaway:

(1) Kindle Fire Prize Pak: THE WINNER WILL GET: A Kindle Fire, Plus 32 of H.M. Ward’s hottest ebooks including: Stripped, NYT Bestseller Damaged 1 & 2, NYT Bestseller Scandalous 1 & 2,  NYT Bestselling Series Arrangement Vol 1-9,  Secrets 1-5,  The Secret Life of Trystan Scott 1-5, and Christmas Kisses. Demon Kissed 1-5, Bane 1 & 2 (Value $270US)

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Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

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About the Author

H.M. Ward is the #1 bestselling New Adult author in the world, having sold over 2 million books in 2013. This NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, USA TODAY, and Amazon #1 bestselling writer’s series include: THE FERRO FAMILY: DAMAGED, THE ARRANGEMENT, and STRIPPED; as well as SCANDALOUS, TRYSTAN SCOTT, and SECRETS. Ward was recently featured in FORBES, the WALL STREET JOURNAL, and the WASHINGTON POST.

You can interact with this bestselling author at: www.facebook.com/AuthorHMWard. Don’t want to miss a release date: Text AWESOMEBOOKS to 22828 and get an email reminder on release dates.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHMWard

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hmward; @hmward

Blog: http://Blog.DemonKissed.com

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go HERE.

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This is my own version of a weekly bookhaul post where  I’ll be telling you about all of the books I got this week, whether print or e-book plus all things new on fuonlyknew.

I got a few books this week, some free, some for review, and some I purchased just for my reading pleasure.

I also post reviews on another blog aknifeandaquill . It’s all about horror. If someone doesn’t die, we don’t do it here!

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Here’s some I picked up to review on both blogs. Double exposure for the author:)

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Here are some I picked up to review on fuonlyknew.

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Got some good ones!

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Some freebies for ya!

Stonewiser Series Banner Free Ebook Blitz 450 x 169

This series will be free August 31st thru September 2nd.

And more!

They will be free again September 6th and 7th

Get yours HERE.

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Free August 31st and September 1st. Get yours HERE.

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And more freebies for ya!

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Don’t know how long but free at time of posting HERE.

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Books for Review.

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and two more!

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I had to have these!

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Books I won.

I won  print copies of Emma and the Vampires by Wayne Josephson and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Ben H. Winters from a giveaway on The Book Monster.

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Thanks so much Kristen and the authors Wayne and Ben!

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And I won Switch by Janelle Stalder on Craves The Angst.

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Thanks so much Janelle and Hazel!

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And I won a copy of Unraveled by Doug Agostine from fundinmental.

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Thanks Sherry and David!

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Reviewed this week. Not too many reviews this week. Too busy reading!

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Don’t let this innocent cover art fool you. Behind this door lies something truly horrifying!

You can catch my review on my Monday Minis post HERE.

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Tag Team Review and Giveaway!

The Twelfth Child

Catch mine and Sherry’s reviews and enter for two chances to win this wonderful book HERE!

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Scheduled reviews for this coming week

The Devil's Walk

You can read my review on my upcoming Monday Minis Post

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You can read my review and help celebrate the release of Beck Sherman’s Goodbye Nothing on Tuesday, September 3rd.

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Resilient

Catch my ARC Review of Resilient by Patricia Vanasse on Wednesday, September 4th. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Falling Stars (A Surah Stormsong Novel, Book 2)

Catch my ARC Review of Falling Stars and interview with author H.D. Gordon on Friday, September 6th. All will be revealed!

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Several more reviews and awesome giveaways coming this next week. Be sure to stop by!

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Other posts this week. Just click on the links to see the posts.

So Top Secret I Can Only….Dragonfly

Teaser Tuesdays ~ Profiler by Mi Lei

Chupacabra Revealed!

Spotlight on The Legacy of the Redcape Women

WWW Wednesday ~  Falling Stars, Resilient, and Elysian Fields

Giveaway Blast ~ The Cadence of Gypsies

The Entire Stonewiser Series Free!

H.D. Gordon’s Shooting Stars

Giveaway ~ The Witches of Darkroot

Giveaway Blast ~ After Alex Died

Giveaway Blitz ~ Ruin by C.J. Scott

Fairplay by Janna Shay

Tag Team Giveaway and Review ~ The Twelfth Child by Bette Lee Crosby

Free! Start reading A.M. Hargrove’s The Guardians of Vesturon now!

Freebie Alert ~ Fanged Princess by Elisabeth Wheatley

Missing any memories? Taylor Dean’s I HAVE PEOPLE on sale!

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Go here to find all of my giveaways. Enter one or enter all of them!!

Go here for a list of free e-books.

Busy, busy, busy. So many delicious reads! Some I’ve read and will be posting my reviews soon.

So what did you get this week? See something you like? Do you have any of these? Leave a comment and let me know.

For the first time ever, you can download Elisabeth Wheatley’s YA paranormal novella, Fanged Princess,  FREE for your Kindles Saturday,August 31st and Sunday, September 1st.

A great way to celebrate your end of summer holiday!

So check out the blurb and book trailer below, grab your copy, and don’t forget to tell your friends!

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Reviewing Soon!

I will not let my brother suffer the same loss…

Hadassah’s father, the Vampire King, punished her harshly for her choice to love a human. Now her brother, the only person in the world who still matters to her, has fallen for a human girl. Determined to keep the girl safe, the three of them flee from their home in New England and find themselves cornered with their father’s minions closing in. If they want to escape, their only hope may be to join forces with the mortal enemies of their kind…

Be ensnared in this dark tale of enduring love, revenge, and suspense from teenage author, Elisabeth Wheatley.

Download for free!

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About Elisabeth Wheatley

Elisabeth Wheatley

Elisabeth Wheatley is a teenager of the Texas Hill Country. When she’s not daydreaming of elves, vampires, or hot guys in armor, she is reading copious amounts of fantasy, playing with her little brothers, studying mythology, and training and showing her Jack Russell Terrier, Schnay.
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For more about Elisabeth and her other books use the links below.
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Thanks so much Elisabeth and have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!!

If you haven’t read The Guardians of Vesturon series by A.M. Hargrove yet, I have exciting news!

You can get Survival: Book One and Beginnings: The Prequel Novella, FREE today on AMAZON!

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I read and reviewed this before I started my blog.

Wanting to tell more about awesome books, I started my blog and haven’t stop talking since!

My Review

“Maybe I was caught between the two worlds. I was having serious trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality.”

While on a backpacking trip in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, nineteen-year-old Maddie Pearce finds her world has been thrown into a vortex and is madly spinning toward the impossible. Abducted by a mad psychopath, Maddie narrowly escapes with her life. But that is only the beginning. Her mysterious rescuer introduces her to a world that Maddie has difficulty accepting as reality. Will this strikingly gorgeous stranger be the key to her future or will she return to her mundane world, scarred from her experience? Follow Maddie as she is forced to make difficult decisions that carry her to mysterious places.

Click on the icon below to get your copy now!

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Reviewing soon

You met the Guardians of Vesturon in Survival and Resurrection.  Now read about how their parents, Rowan and Annalise met in Beginnings, the novella Prequel to The Guardians of Vesturon.  Learn more about Rowan and how Annalise unwittingly captured his heart and how his chance meeting of her took him on a journey of forbidden love.

Click on the icon below to get your copy now!

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Other books in The Guardians of Vesturon Series

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My Review

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Reviewing soon

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Reviewing soon.

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A Praestani Series Novel

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My Review

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The Edge Series

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My Review

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My Review

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My Review

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Reading this now.

You can catch my review in the tour coming October 2nd!

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About the Author

Hargrove

One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn’t do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life.  So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase.  Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodgeball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head.  Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what lap top out the window.   She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone and hit #4 on her speed dial.

Boss:  Hello

A.M.:  Boss, is that you?

Boss:  Why yes, A. M., who else would be answering my phone?

A.M.:  Er… right.  Well, I’m calling to let you know you can pick up my luxury Ford Focus at Starbucks near the interstate.

Boss:  Why ever would I want to do that?

A.M.:  Because I quit!

A.M. hit the end button and speed dialed her husband.

A.M.:  Hi hubs, can you pick me up at Starbucks?

Hubs:  Sure… Having some car trouble?

A.M.:  Not at all.  I don’t have a car to have trouble with because I just quit my job.

Hubs:  WHAT?!

A.M.:  It’s time for a new career and I am going to be a very famous novelist.

So began A. M. Hargrove’s career as a YA/NA and Adult Romance writer! Her books include Kissing Fire, Edge of Disaster, Shattered Edge, the series the Guardians of Vesturon (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant, Beginnings and the upcoming reEmergent) and Dark Waltz.

Author Social Media Links:

http://www.amhargrove.blogspot.com

http://www.amhargrove.com

http://www.twitter.com/@amhargrove1

http://www.facebook.com/anne.m.hargrove

http://www.facebook.com/guardiansofvesturon

http://www.goodreads.com/amhargrove1