Archive for the ‘horror’ Category

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Welcome to my Saturday Screams!

With Halloween fast approaching, I’ve amassed a bunch of creepy stories to share with you.

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Recently I showcased several books I won from Michael Phillip Cash and I asked you to help me choose which order I should review them in.

The Flip was the top choice and you can read my review HERE.

Next up was The After House. Check out my review HERE.

Third up was The Hanging Tree. Check out my review HERE.

And then Brood X. Check out my review HERE.

I have two more for you today. Your next choice was The Witches Protection Program. And Michael just released his newest story, Monsterland. I had to grab it and will be sharing my review too.

Come on in and get your scare on!

The Witches Protection Program

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My Review

Poor Wes. He’s failed again and now he’s been given one last chance to prove himself qualified to be in law enforcement. He’s sure it’s a prank when he’s assigned to the Witches Protection Program.

It’s no hoax. But it takes some convincing for Wes to believe in witches. He gets it in spades.

His first assignment, protect a witch, heiress Morgan Pendragon, from her evil aunt. Her aunt is cooking up a diabolical scheme to rule the world.

Wes will have to catch on quick if he’s to save Morgan and himself from a witches brew of trouble.

This was a fun story with some likable and not so likable characters. Got to take the good with the bad.

Wes is a pain in the beginning. Then he finds his place and becomes someone to cheer for.

Morgan is a reluctant witch, wanting nothing to do with her aunt or the other witches and their schemes. They’re not going to give her a choice though.

There’s some cool weapons, compelling characters, and a showdown at the end that I wish I could see for myself. Just imagine the pile-up when drivers look up and see witches flying in the sky.

I like a good witch, but I have a thing for the bad ones too. There’s one, Morgan’s aunt, who will chill you to the bone. Too powerful for anyone’s good.

Grab a broomstick and hang on tight. It’s a bumpy ride.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Wes Rockville, a disgraced law enforcement agent, is given one last chance to prove himself and save his career when he’s reassigned to a 232 year old secret government organization. The Witches Protection Program. His first assignment: uncover a billion-dollar Cosmetics company’s diabolical plan of using witchcraft for global domination, while protecting its heiress Morgan Pendragon from her aunt’s evil deeds. Reluctantly paired with veteran witch protector, Alastair Verne, Wes must learn to believe in both witches and himself. Filled with adventure, suspense and a rousing good time, Michael Phillip Cash creates a tongue-in-cheek alternate reality where witches cast spells and wreak havoc in modern day New York City.

Trailer

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Monsterland

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My Review

The blurb ends with this question, “What could possibly go wrong?” Well, plenty can and does.

The zombie apocalypse has come and gone, for the most part. People now know vampires and werewolves exist.

Zombies are in camps, kept contained for our and their protection.

The vampires live in poverty, struggling just to exist as their numbers dwindle towards extinction.

And the werewolves live deep in the swamps and jungles, trying to avoid man at all costs.

When one man’s vision offers all of these beings a safe place to live and improve their station, they take his offer, one way or the other.

Imagine Jurassic Park, but not dinosaurs. Instead you get zombies, werewolves, and vampires. I don’t know about you, but I’d probably buy a ticket.

When you add important people and a bunch of kids to opening night, your mind should buzz with what could happen. With what could go wrong. That’s where it gets wild.

Take a walk with the zombies in Zombieville. Meet real vampires in Vampire Village. And run with the werewolves in River Run.

But beware, ye who enter. The monsters aren’t happy and you don’t ever want that.

I ate this story up in one sitting. The minute it was available to purchase I grabbed my copy and opened it immediately. I knew it was going to be great, and it was. I loved every bit of it. Michael gave me everything I was hoping for and expecting.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Welcome to Monsterland – the scariest place on Earth. All guests can interact with real vampires in Vampire Village, be chased by an actual werewolf on the River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville.

Wyatt Baldwin, a high school student and life-long movie buff is staring bleakly at a future of flipping burgers. Due to a fortuitous circumstance, Wyatt and his friends are invited to the star-studded opening of Monsterland. In a theme park full of real vampires, werewolves and zombies, what could possibly go wrong?

Trailer

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And…That’s all folks! I’ve now shared all of Michael’s books that I could by the time Halloween rolled around.

Now it’s here and it’s time to bump into the creatures of the night.

Until the next time….

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

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Life After The Undead by Pembroke Sinclair
Published by: Booktrope Publishing
Publication date: October 27th 2015
Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult, Zombies
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My Review
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I’ve become fascinated by zombies and apocalyptic stories. I love The Walking Dead and the show has helped me to visualize lots of scenes. From funny to gruesome.
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The author yanks you right into the apocalypse. Barely time to breath before they are everywhere.
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While I love the zombies, what really grabbed me in this story was the group dynamics. Ever seen the movie The Postman with Kevin Costner?
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Similar to the movie, you have opposite sides on the apocalypse. Those who want to help others and those who want to use others to save themselves. It comes as no surprise that some people choose to force their will on others, even to the point of killing.
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Krista lost her parents to the zombies and was out there alone. When she does find a safe haven, she feels lucky, even though she’s assigned a job as a maid to one of the top governing families. Anything is better than being out there, right? And the zombies don’t like the humidity and heat of the south, so there aren’t many around.
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She can’t believe her luck when she finds she has a living relative. He’s an officer in the military, if you can call it that anymore, and she jumps at a chance to go with him and fight for her new world.
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This is where the dynamics come in. Either place might have been safe for a while. But with leaders who are looking out for themselves first, trying to lord it over everyone else, and practically relegating them to slaves, there’s bound to be some discontent. And sooner or later something has to give.
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There’s plenty of zombie action and intrigue to keep the story moving quickly. Genuine characters that you’ll like or loath. And a satisfying ending. Not that it’s really the end. The author wraps up this chapter, but from the conclusion, I figure there will be more stories to come. I sure hope so.
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4 Stars
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Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Krista must quickly figure out how she’s going to survive in the zombie-destroyed world. The one advantage humans have is that the zombies hate humid environments, so they’re migrating west to escape its deteriorating effects. The survivors plan to construct a wall at North Platte to keep the undead out, and Krista has come to Nebraska to start a new life.

Zombies aren’t the only creatures she has to be cautious of—the other survivors have a dark side. Krista must fight not only to live but also to defend everything she holds dear—her country, her freedom, and ultimately, those she loves.

Join Krista in her quest to survive in this thrilling apocalyptic novel by Pembroke Sinclair.

Purchase: Amazon
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About The Author
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Jessica Robinson is an editor by day and a zombie-killer by night (at least in her books). Since the first time she watched Night of the Living Dead, she has been obsessed with zombies and often thinks of ways to survive the uprising. In addition to her nonfiction book, under the pen name Pembroke Sinclair, she has written YA novels about zombies and the tough teens who survive the apocalyptic world. She has also written nonfiction stories for Serial Killer Magazine and published a book about slasher films called Life Lessons from Slasher Films.

You can learn more about Pembroke Sinclair by visiting her at:

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 There are two giveaways.

The First Giveaway

Win an eBook copy of Life After The Undead.

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

“Are you ready for the zombie apocalypse?”

The Second Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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Most of you know of my love affair with horror. LOL

Well, I have some fantastic news. Anthony Renfro is celebrating Halloween in a big way.

Looking for something to read for Halloween? I’ve read all of these and can assure you, they fit the bill.

AND THEY ARE FREE! Yep, You heard me correctly.

Get your scare on ya’ll!

This: Straight to you from Anthony!!!

I decided to giveaway my “Halloween” related stories for free this week. Check out the schedule below if you want to add some spooky to your haunted holiday this season. After this, be on the lookout for my holiday themed horror stories most of which will be running free off and on from November through December.

Click on the covers to grab yours!

The Living Sand: October 27-31

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Joyride: October 27-31

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Killer Treads, Demon Energy, and Need to Feed: October 29-31

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That’s it.

Happy Halloween!

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What? Are you still here? Get over there and grab your copies!

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.

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Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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My Teaser for this week is from

 Maplecroft

The Borden Dispatches #1

by Cherie Priest

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My Teaser from page 53 in the Paperback.

First I would pound a million nails into the house, and do it gladly. First, I would let the whole town think I’m a madwoman and a murderer, let it scorn and reject me, let its children compose hateful rhymes to be sung whilst jumping rope, let the entire Atlantic bubble and boil and storm against our shores – throwing up with the tides a thousand such inhuman, unholy creatures as the one I killed that night.

Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks; and when she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one….

The people of Fall River, Massachusetts, fear me. Perhaps rightfully so. I remain a suspect in the brutal deaths of my father and his second wife despite the verdict of innocence at my trial. With our inheritance, my sister, Emma, and I have taken up residence in Maplecroft, a mansion near the sea and far from gossip and scrutiny.

But it is not far enough from the affliction that possessed my parents. Their characters, their very souls, were consumed from within by something that left malevolent entities in their place. It originates from the ocean’s depths, plaguing the populace with tides of nightmares and madness.

This evil cannot hide from me. No matter what guise it assumes, I will be waiting for it. With an axe.

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Baad Dog Tour Banner

Isn’t it cute?! Such a sweet little doggie.

Come on in and meet Queenie.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Baad Dog by Sal Conte

Publication Date: October 16th, 2015

Genre: Horror/Thriller

My Review

If you ask Harry why he went in the store, he’s tell you it’s because he’s always wanted a dog. And the kids would love it too. He figures he can get around his wife’s objections with this dog.

Queenie is a robot. She looks and acts like a dog. The plus is she doesn’t eat or drink, so Pam won’t get stuck having to take care of her. She doesn’t pee or poo so there are no accidents to clean up. And she comes fully programmed so you don’t have to train her.

There’s still a problem though. Queenie doesn’t seem to like Pam. How can that be?  And the robot dog comes with a warning. Don’t ever over charge her battery.

Well, you know what happens don’t ya? Queenie is left on the charger too long and has a melt down and starts to act weird. This is where Pam can and does say, I told you so.

A robot dog sounds ideal. Until you start thinking about all of those movies you watched and books you read. Nothing good can come of it.

I really got creeped out by this story. Once Queenie went bad, the horror began.

Imagine this cute little doggie, hiding in the shadows, setting traps, luring you into the dark. And then…..

I could see it. Lured outside by a sound, seeing this tiny dog appear from the shadows. It steps towards you. So little. So cute. So dang scary.

I almost felt sorry for Queenie, Almost. Then the terror began and all I wanted was to run her over with a big piece of farm equipment. Smash her flat. But I had a feeling she’d be too slippery for that to happen.

Queenie is a Baad Dog. If something seems to good to be true, don’t buy it!

There’s plenty of chills and hair raising scenes to make any horror fan a happy camper.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Don’t let the cute face fool you

Cujo has got nothing on this cute fuzzy faced little mongrel… or should I say fuzzy faced little killer?

Harry wanted a dog.  He’d wanted a dog ever since his mother gave away the pup they’d adopted when he was a kid. She gave her away because Harry and his brother, Lenny, wouldn’t take care of her.  Now Harry is a grown man with children of his own.  He brings home, Queenie, a miracle of modern robotics that looks and behaves just like a real dog.  Big Mistake.  Harry’s wife, Pam, feels there’s something off about Queenie right from the start.  But will Harry see the light before he and his entire family become dog food?

Excerpt

Some dogs are dangerous…

You can’t deny it. Everyone’s heard a story or two about the friendly pit bull, or the loveable Rottweiler who was the treasured family pet until the day he was playing with the kids in the yard and chewed little Liza’s fingers off.

But truth be told, those dogs— Rottweiler’s, Pit Bulls, Dobermans, aren’t born mean, they’re mean because they’ve been mistreated. A mistreated dog is nothing more than ticking time bombs just waiting for the right moment to go Cujo on an unsuspecting public lulled into a false sense of confidence by their giant gentleness.

But my, dog… my dog, the man thought. His dog was loved and cared for right from the start. His was a lap dog, cute and cuddly, and… perfect, which is why he was having the damndest time accepting the bitter truth— that his cute, cuddly, well treated dog was also a murderer.

So he lay there, his legs rendered useless, feeling as if they’d been set on fire like Christmas kindling. His world was spinning, spinning, spinning as if he’d been set down on a runaway merry-go-round. Through the pain and the spinning he heard the dog coming for him, coming to finish him off, her soft, doggie footsteps scratching gently toward him on the dust covered road.

Then she climbed up onto his body as he lay, eyes gazing up at the moon. She stood on his stomach, and teetered for a second before looking into his eyes.

Go get help, he thought. I need help. Of course, he knew better. She was the reason he was in this position in the first place. As the little dog began moving up his torso toward his chest, he thought of all the killer dogs he’d heard about or seen on the news over the years, and as his dog closed in for the kill, he wondered: since when did man’s best friend become his very own worst nightmare?

About the Author

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Sal Conte is the horror writing alter ego of Amazon #1 Teen Horror author, E. Van Lowe. As Sal Conte, the author turns his talents to gruesome horror with stunning results. Sal Conte is the author of 80s pulp horror classics “Child’s Play” and “The Power,” as well as recent shorts “The Toothache Man” and “Because We Told Her To.

“Baad Dog” is Sal Conte’s first solo ebook.  You can visit him at http://evanlowe.com/sal-contes-page/

Goodreads / Twitter / Website /Amazon Page / Facebook Fan Page

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Some scary Halloween fun to share before the giveaway!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The Tour

October 19th:

Wag The Fox– Promo Post
Awesome Book Assessment– Review
Book Wormie Spot– Promo Post

October 20th:
The Bookie Monster– Review

fundinmental– Promo Post
Read to my Heart’s Content– Review

October 21st:

Rainne’s Ramblings– Review & Promo Post
Bookwormia– Review

October 22nd:

Books! Books! Books!– Review
Book Crazy Lady– Promo Post

October 23rd:

One Book Two– Review
BooksChatter– Promo Post

October 24th:

fuonlyknew– Review

fundinmental– Review

October 25th:

BooksChatter– Review
Paranormal Sisters– Review

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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Welcome to my Saturday Screams!

With Halloween fast approaching, I’ve amassed a bunch of creepy stories to share with you.

halloween photo: EveryDayIsHalloweenPinkFlash EveryDayIsHalloweenPinkFlash.gif

Recently I showcased several books I won from Michael Phillip Cash and I asked you to help me choose which order I should review them in.

The Flip was the top choice and you can read my review HERE.

Next up was The After House. Check out my review HERE.

Third up was The Hanging Tree. Check out my review HERE.

And now for Brood X.

Come on in and get your scare on!

 Brood X

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My Review

I swear I was itching all over after reading this book. I’m not crazy about bugs and Brood X are huge cicadas.

I’m sure you’ve heard them in the summer, calling each other from tree to tree. They can get so loud it drives you indoors.

A lot of the people in Long Island heeding the warnings and packed up, heading to somewhere safe until the outbreak is over. The cicadas, Brood X, are due to hatch and they’ll number in the trillions.

Some people scoff and say it’s just bugs. Well, try this. Hold out your hand. Now picture a cicada as long as that hand. Have you ever seen one up close. They’re not pretty. And though they aren’t known to bite, the bugs don’t know that.

One bite from these buggers is excruciating. Imagine a swarm covering your body.  And the females are the worst. They have stingers, and will try to lay their eggs in any available orifice.

So, in the beginning. Seth and his pregnant wife aren’t leaving. He blows it all off as nonsense. This didn’t sit well with me. What if it gets bad? No water. No electricity. No one to rescue them. And his wife is very pregnant. He came off as selfish and and a boor. I never did warm up to him.

And sure enough, things get really bad. The neighborhood is unrecognizable. It’s coated with crawling cicadas. They are clogging up the water supply. Chewing through the electric wires. And are so thick you can’t see to drive, even if you dared to go outside.

This story moves quickly. It doesn’t take long for you to get to know the characters and once the cicadas enter the tale things go bad fast. You’ll think of this book whenever you hear a cicada’s call.

Are you itching yet?

4 Stars

Synopsis

Seth is laid off from work. His wife Lara just found out they are expecting a baby this summer. Seth plans on documenting the entire pregnancy with his brand new digital camcorder.

During an evening home watching television, the news reports that a swarm of cicada (Brood Ten) are expected to overwhelm the entire Northeast.

Brood Ten is vicious and ready to invade.

During a sweltering summer night, Brood Ten emerges and wreaks havoc with the electric grid, phone and cell service, wi-fi, food and water supply. Civilization as they know it is gone.

Seth and Lara are thrown back to the stone age in their own home with trillions of cicada trying to deposit their eggs and breed.

Fast paced and filled with tension, Brood Ten is the perfect summer read when you’re sitting outside listening to the cicadas sing.

Click on the cover to get your copy.

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EXTRA! EXTRA!

And I have one more I want to squeeze in before Halloween is over.

I’ve read all of Anthony Renfros’ stories and I’m thrilled to share his newest collection with you.

***And Anthony has a giveaway on Goodreads.***

Go HERE and scroll down for a chance to win a print copy!

Nightlight Tales

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My Review

It’s been my pleasure to read all of Anthony’s stories and now he has gathered them together in one volume.

I’d love to share my reviews of each story individually but that would be one huge review. So I’ll tease you instead.

Looking for some scary good reads?

From demon possession to fanatics.

From a cave dwelling monster to a haunted house.

From zombies to she devils.

There’s daylight vampires and sunrise werewolves.

And all things haunted and beastly.

There are plenty of ways to get your fright on in these pages.

These stories, spun from Anthony’s imagination, will fill you with wonder and hope and the darkness beyond.

Lots of action. Lots of suspense. Well developed characters. And terrific plots. There’s something for everyone in this collection.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

13 tales of terror.

13 tales that will have you reaching for the nightlight before you go to bed tonight.

The stories in this chilling collection are as follows.

1. The Man from the Road: A man suddenly appears on a road. He’s lost, confused, no clue as to how he got there. He starts to walk and stops suddenly. There’s a bonfire in a field nearby. He sees people dancing around this fire. They are performing some kind of ritual. He turns to flee, but he’s captured. No chance of escape. He hopes he is only dreaming, because all of this seems a bit too real.

2. The Living Sand: Two boys discover a hidden beach and the evil deadly secrets that lie within its soft white grains of sand.

3. SHe: A monster stalks the city of Tampa Bay. This monster is only attacking women taking only the one thing it needs. Tim Roberts, a detective, is hot on this monster’s trail. Will he catch this monster in time or will this monster feed until it has its fill? Be careful Tim, this monster has a secret yet to be revealed.

4. A Zombie Christmas: Three men risk life and limb in a Zombie Apocalypse in order to bring happiness to surviving kids on Christmas Morning.

5. Need to Feed: Another year. Another massacre looming. When the sun rises on the Old West town of Saltwater Junction this town will face head on two fierce predators. Vampires who stalk you in the sunlight and werewolves that transform with the sunrise. This short story rewrites the legends and all you’ve ever known about these creatures of the night. Where do you go when there’s no place left to hide?

6. A Haunted House Tale: Five college students on Halloween night set out to discover the secrets of the town’s most infamous haunted house. Will these students live to see the morning or will this house claim five more victims?

7. A Zombie Thanksgiving: A woman risks life and limb in a Zombie Apocalypse in order to keep the Thanksgiving tradition alive.

8. Sandy and The Stranger: A road racing champion meets his match in the form of a stranger who may or may not be the ghost of James Dean himself.

9. Demon Energy: A short story about 1 man possessed and tormented by a 1000 demons who must fight for a soul he is starting to lose. Will he ever find salvation or is his body now an eternal host of hell?

10. Killer Treads: A short story about a man who sees a flashy ad online advertising a twenty dollar treadmill. He buys the machine, too cheap to be scared, and realizes much to his dismay that this machine has a taste for blood. Big Bob better run like his life depends on it because in many ways it does.

11. A Zombie New Year’s Eve: Becky and Joe are separated in a Zombie Apocalypse and risk life and limb in order to reunite for their New Year’s Eve kiss.

12. Joyride: A Joyride in a Chevy Chevelle. The car was just sitting there for the taking. What could possibly go wrong? Vinnie and Mike are about to find out what can and will go wrong once they turn the key. Evil awaits.

13. A Vampire at Christmas: A Vampire uses his riches and immortal skills to bring joy to those in need during the Christmas Season.

Click on the cover to get your copy.

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You can click on the covers below to read my reviews.

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Be sure to stop back by for next Saturday’s choice.

And thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Welcome to The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

 

This is a really fun meme!

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!

My 56 for this week is from

 My Life As A White Trash Zombie

by Diana Rowland

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My 56

Usually if I craved something, I ate it. Simple. I didn’t need anyone else to tell me it was okay and that I should go for it.

But I’d been craving brains. The smell was like chocolate and cookies and biscuits and gravy and everything else that was delicious. It damn near drove me crazy every time I had to touch one. I’d been fighting the cravings the way I’d never fought the urge to take drugs or get drunk.

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My Review

Angel is no angel. She’s a pill popping addict with a felony record and she can’t hold down a job. She’s also a zombie.

When she wakes up in the hospital, she thinks she’s lucky to be alive after overdosing on pain pills. But then she starts getting these weird cravings, and she can’t seem to eat enough to get full.

An anonymous note leads her to apply for and land a job at the morgue. That’s when her craving shows it’s true colors. That sweet smell that’s making her stomach growl in hunger is brains.

What better job for a zombie than to work at the morgue. Nobody will miss a few brains here or there. I suspect any zombie would want the job. Another advantage is not having to worry about being so hungry you lose control and attack someone.

But someone does notice the missing brains. And someone made Angel a zombie for a reason. And even worse, there’s a serial killer racking up a body count and taking the heads. No more brains means Angel will have to find out who the killer is or she might graduate to full dead.

Angel isn’t the most likable character at first. I have little sympathy for drug addicts. Especially when they do harm to others to get their next fix.  Once she was turned into a zombie, I hoped she’d take the second chance she’d been given and do something good with her “life.” She has her work cut out for her.

And there’s a possible romance with a sexy deputy. I wondered what he’d think if he knew Angel craved brains.

Angel made me laugh. She made me shake my head in exasperation. Then she grew, accepted the role life gave her. She slowly won me over and made me care about her.

Looking for your next zombie fix. Try this series. It’s fun, kind of gross, (well, it’s about zombies and zombies eat brains), and has a killer plot. And there’s no cliffhanger ending, even though this is the first book in the series. Everything gets wrapped up. Yet it leaves you curious to know where Angel goes from here.

4 Stars

Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

Angel Crawford is a loser.

Living with her alcoholic deadbeat dad in the swamps of southern Louisiana, she’s a high school dropout with a pill habit and a criminal record who’s been fired from more crap jobs than she can count. Now on probation for a felony, it seems that Angel will never pull herself out of the downward spiral her life has taken.

That is, until the day she wakes up in the ER after overdosing on painkillers. Angel remembers being in an horrible car crash, but she doesn’t have a mark on her. To add to the weirdness, she receives an anonymous letter telling her there’s a job waiting for her at the parish morgue—and that it’s an offer she doesn’t dare refuse.

Before she knows it she’s dealing with a huge crush on a certain hunky deputy and a brand new addiction: an overpowering craving for brains. Plus, her morgue is filling up with the victims of a serial killer who decapitates his prey—just when she’s hungriest!

Angel’s going to have to grow up fast if she wants to keep this job and stay in one piece. Because if she doesn’t, she’s dead meat.

Literally.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Leave your link and I’ll drop by your 56.

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Welcome to my tour stop for Four (Their Dead Lives #1) by Zack Scott. This is a zombie apocalypse horror, comedy, action & adventure. The tour runs October 12-23 with reviews, interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.

FOUR

Their Dead Lives #1

by Zack Scott

A tragic past. A destined reunion. A decaying hope.
In Southern California, four friends must face a haunting nightmare from high school in order to save the future of humanity. But will their personal conflicts get in the way? Battling for survival, these fated four will choose whether to follow a destined path or continue their dead lives, while the zombie apocalypse feeds them one cliche after another.
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Enjoy this glimpse inside Four from the Evans Chapter!
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Roaring, Evans rolled on his side and unloaded most of his clip as the zombies neared. A few rotting corpses teetered off the dock, while too many others kept their pursuit.

Rolling back to the ocean, Evans reached in. Waves slapped his face. A hand broke the surface, snagging his wrist. He heaved to his feet and yanked Erica back on the dock with one tug. Thank you for being so light. Her body shivered against his and her lips shook the words, “We have to keep moving.”

Evans glanced at the sprinters closing in on them. A wave dragged a few more into the sea.

Erica’s body went weak and limp against him. He said, “We have to go!” But she seemed ready to pass out. He needed her alert, so he grabbed her head, wrapped his fingers through her drenched hair, and with his other arm outstretched, he aimed his pistol steadily, firing at the incoming sprinters.

Blocking out the storm, the bullets, and the onrushing undead, Evans pressed his lips to Erica. The world stilled as they stood in the eye of the storm. If only forever. The kiss seemingly helped Erica focus.

Feet slipped, moans swarmed, waves crashed, and then he finally saw it: the yacht at the end of the dock. Erica’s hand tightened around his, taut with hope. They glanced at one another and her wet lips parted into a beaming smile.

A strong urge gave him the desire to kiss—

The largest wave of them all rose high above the dock, then washed the yacht from their eyes.

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Author Zack Scott

Author Photo Zack Scott

Zack Scott is the author of THEIR DEADS LIVES, ONE PISSED OFF SHARK, and several short stories he wrote for the 2013 Flash Fiction Challenge, where he made it to the final round.Although he’s visited many areas in the world, Zack has lived in Southern California most of his life. He grew up in Los Angeles, attended undergrad at CSUCI in Ventura County, and completed law school down in sunny San Diego. More recently, he was living the startup life in Silicon Valley with the 500 Startups accelerator program. He is licensed to practice law in California, but more importantly he likes to hang his pants on his desk chair rather than his closet.

When he’s not writing stories, Zack can be found in a never-ending wrestling match with his dog Leo or cooking pasta while wearing a Chargers apron.

 
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$10 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
Ends Oct. 28th
This giveaway is sponsored by CBB Book Promotions, the hosts are not responsible for prizing.
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Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.
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Visit other stops on the tour.

10/12
Jael’s Reviews – Excerpt
10/13
Book Bookish – Review
10/14
10/15
fuonlyknew – Excerpt
Candace’s Book Blog – Guest Post
10/16
10/19
Natural Bri – Review
10/20
10/21
10/22
10/23
I Read Indie– Excerpt
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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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AliceThroughBloodstainedGlass

If the cover art doesn’t grab ya, the synopsis will!

Come on in and check this out!

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway.

Alice Through Blood-Stained Glass

by Dan Adams

Alice Through Bloodstained Glass Cover

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Blurb

Alice is minding her younger sister when the Zombie apocalypse hits. She has to find safety but is thwarted at every turn – by a strange man, by two stoners. The world has gone mad and she doesn’t know who to trust.

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Check out this thrilling excerpt!

Alice registered the confused look on her sister’s face and traced her line of sight along her outstretched arm to her finger that pointed to a man racing along the edge of the park. The sight was peculiar, if nothing else. Unlike the joggers Alice noticed on her way to and from school, who ran the circuit daily, this man was dressed in a fine grey suit. The perspiration had soaked all the way through the jacket, leaving a dark stain that was clearly visible even from this distance.

The man was running toward them and Alice instinctively stood and moved in front of her sister, resting her hands on her hips in an attempt to look as intimidating as possible. Last term she had adopted the same stance in the playground when Susie P had stormed up to her and accused her of snitching. She had held her ground then and Susie was a proper bitch — this guy looked like he had nothing on a pampered schoolgirl.

‘Oh dear, oh dear,’ he muttered as he saw them, huffing between words to catch his breath.

Alice didn’t know what he meant by that but even her little sister had risen, and now stood behind her, clutching her book to her chest like a makeshift shield.

He slowed, glancing over his shoulder, then to his phone, then back over his shoulder again before slowing and changing his direction to come their way. Behind him the street was empty, and the air hung heavy with static, a shimmering haze warped the road in the distance.

‘What are you doing outside?’ he asked in disbelief.

Alice thought it was none of his business and told him as such.

‘Didn’t you see the news?! It’s been all over the television and radio.’

‘Do you see any of either of those around here?’ she retorted, indicating with the wave of her hand the open expanse of the park.

He looked at her like she hadn’t heard a word he had said. ‘The infection … it’s been all over the news. They are telling everyone to remain indoors and people who display symptoms are … dangerous.’

‘What do you mean infection?’

The man was clearly getting frustrated, ‘The fatal kind.’

Alice’s sister let out a whimper behind her. It probably wasn’t as bad as he was making out. People died all the time from diseases.

At the sight of her questioning raised eyebrow, the man elaborated. ‘It’s worse than just death. Once they die, they get back up and start feeding on the closest human. If you don’t believe me check out YouTube. I’m sure someone’s posted something by now.’

Alice skimmed her finger along the screen of her phone, quickly thumbed in her password without taking her eyes from his face. He was looking nervous; his fingers were shaking and he kept looking back in the direction he had come from.

A moment later she had opened a browser and was skimming through videos labeled ‘zombie outbreak’, ‘woman eats child’ and ‘The apocalypse is here’. She clicked on the first and tapped her foot impatiently as the video loaded. The screen opened and was filled with a woman cradling a man in her arms, both covered in blood. At first it looked nothing more like some horrific accident, and the woman was grieving the loss. Until the woman leant down and tore a chunk of flesh from the man’s chest, ripping her head back and Alice could clearly see meat dangling from her mouth, her jaw moving up and down as she devoured it.

Alice put the back of her hand over her mouth to stop herself from vomiting. The video panned down the street behind the meal and a crowd of blood-covered monsters were shuffling toward the filmer’s location. Then someone muttered ‘Oh fuck’ and the video cut off abruptly.

Alice’s face was drained of colour as she slowly put her phone away. The man, who had stood patiently while she discovered the horrid truth for herself, was now jumping from foot to foot, scanning the distance.

‘Ok, I believe you now.’

‘Finally. They are evacuating the city at four different points. We’re closer to the south exit, at the school on Williams street. Do you know where that is?’

‘Yeah, I know.’

The man pulled his phone back out of his waistcoat pocket and looked at the time. ‘We’ve got 20 minutes before they quarantine the city and no one else gets out. The army will probably fire bomb the city if ground troops can’t deal with it.’

Alice wondered if he had formerly been in the military or if he was just repeating what he had heard on the news. It didn’t really matter, but she was curious, if only for a second. She was about to ask him when the sound of smashing glass resonated in the distance followed a split second later by a wailing car alarm. Then there was the high-pitched scream.

‘Fuck it, let’s go! I don’t want to be late,’ the man ordered, before turning and racing off south.

Alice looked at her sister then back at the man. She grabbed Elizabeth by the hand and raced after him, risking a glance back over her shoulder. She immediately knew she shouldn’t have. The first wave of the walking corpses came around the corner where the man had come from and her heart leapt into her throat.

Alice fixated on the man at the front of the pack. Perhaps ‘man’ was a loose description now.

Half his face was missing, exposing the whiteness of the jaw and teeth underneath the skin and muscle. Blood dripped from the remains of his dark goatee and covered the front of his white shirt. His head hung to one side and he seemed to be dragging his left foot along with each labored step of his right.

‘Don’t turn around sis, just keep your eyes focused on the man in front of us, the man in the waistcoat,’ Alice pleaded, making a bigger push to catch up to him.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Alice Through Bloodstained Glass Author

Dan Adams is a Sydney-based writer. When he’s not penning kick ass war stories, he’s working on his guns – the arm variety, rather than the weapons featured so prominently in his books. He loves slushies and always finds himself climbing too many stairs on Wednesdays. Follow him on Twitter at @DanAdamsWriter

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Purchase on Amazon

NOTE: Book is only $0.99

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

The more you comment, the more chances to win!

Goddess Fish 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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Welcome to my Saturday Screams!

With Halloween fast approaching, I’ve amassed a bunch of creepy stories to share with you.

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Recently I showcased several books I won from Michael Phillip Cash and I asked you to help me choose which order I should review them in.

The Flip was the top choice and you can read my review HERE.

Next up was The After House. Check out my review HERE.

Now for your next choice, The Hanging Tree.

Come on in and get your scare on!

The Hanging Tree

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My Review

A scary good tale.

The location, Long Island.  The setting, beneath the legendary Hanging Tree.

The characters.

Arielle, a seventeen year old girl. Frustrated and angry at her parents, she sneaks off to the tr to meet Chad.

Chad, one year older than Arielle, is there for her. Understands her. Cares about her. He meets her under the tree.

The tree.

A local legend and truly haunted.

The inhabitants of the tree.

Spirits, young and old, angry and sad, despairing and hopeful.

And one more thing. Watch out for the cat!

This was a short story but so well written. The characters, alive and dead, were so captivating. Arielle and Chad had me feeling their pain, their hope. And the spirits in the tress. Well, most of them really creeped me out.

How the author presents the spirits and their ties to the Hanging Tree is quite creative and eerie. Now I look twice when I see one of the massive Live Oaks that grow everywhere in the south. Their twisted branches, some growing right along ground are how I pictured the Hanging Tree. I wonder if they have spirits lingering, attaching to those branches, just waiting for someone to come along.

I still think about this story. About choices I’ve made. About choices I will make in the future.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Enter a world where spirits roam the earth in Michael Phillip Cash’s haunting new novella, The Hanging Tree. Set amid the eerie backdrop of Long Island, an area famously steeped in old legend, two young would-be lovers contemplate their future while visits from those who have come before them reveal the lure of fate…and the power of free will. At seventeen years old, Arielle’s relationship with her parents is slowly deteriorating. Angry and defiant, she is at a loss on how to cope with the tumultuous situation in which she finds herself. Arielle’s only comfort is Chad, an eighteen-year-old young man who seems to truly understand her struggles. Arielle and Chad meet beneath the low-hanging branches of what the local community has nick-named the “Hanging Tree”. An ancient and majestic landmark, it has long been rumored that the tree is haunted by ghosts. These ghosts span various centuries and vary wildly in age, but each one of them has one thing in common: their deaths are all somehow connected to the tree itself. As Arielle and Chad commiserate over their current situation and their precarious nature of their future, the spectral inhabitants of the Hanging Tree witness their conversation. One by one,the ghosts begin reminiscing about their own lives-and deaths- as they examine the inner demons with which their human forms long struggled. An eerie meditation on the oft-overlooked power of choice, Cash’s The Hanging Tree will stay with readers long after they turn out the light.

Trailer

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Be sure to stop back by for next Saturday’s choice.

And thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!