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Archive for the ‘middle grade’ Category

From Wild To Mild by Sunny Weber ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: November 26, 2019 in fiction, giveaways, middle grade, reviews
Tags: animals, giveaway, middle grade fiction, pets, review

From Wild to Mild: A Dog in Two Worlds

by Sunny Weber

Category: Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 196 pages
Genre: animals/pets
Publisher: Pups & Purrs Press
Release date: August 23, 2019

My Review

Kaya is just a pup, too young to be afraid of the creature that approaches her, and the coyote snatches her up, proud of an easy meal to take home to his hungry family. Things don’t go so well when his litter mate refuses to eat her and instead takes her in. That saying, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, also applies to Kaya the pup. She has dogs instincts and can’t seem to find her way in the wild life of her coyote family, no matter how hard she tries. Things become even more complicated when Kaya is returned to the world of humans and has to learn a whole new way of living.

I became so wrapped up in Kaya’s story that I often forgot the character’s involved were animals. I could easily relate to her confusion, fears and determination as she tries to find out where she belongs.

From Wild To Wild was an emotional and uplifting read. As with the first two books, I was teary eyed many times. I also felt proud of Kaya. She wasn’t a quitter and kept trying until she finally found her place. And, as with the other books, I’m happy to be able to recommend this to readers of all ages.

5 STARS

~~~~~

Synopsis

Eight-week-old Australian Shepherd Kaya is kidnapped by a nasty coyote to be food for his mate and puppies. Instead, the loving mother raises Kaya with her own pups. But as hard as she tries, Kaya can’t completely fit in—she can’t kill prey or stay awake for night hunts. Why can’t she make herself a true coyote? Constantly criticized by her coyote father, Kaya finds support in her new mother and siblings. She also figures out how to contribute through teamwork with her brother and sister. Trapped by a dog rescue, Kaya re-enters the human world and learns the differences between how dogs and coyotes live. When freed to roam again, does she return to her forest freedom—or remain with her farm family? Can Kaya forever straddle between the Wild and the Mild?

Amazon

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About Author Sunny Weber

Author Sunny Weber

Sunny Weber has over 25 years of experience in animal welfare advocacy. She is a professional humane educator and believes compelling storytelling reflects her passion for seeing the world through the eyes of the animals she teaches about.

Real stories are Sunny’s key to making deep impressions on young minds, for the future of animal welfare lies in sensitive people who will have the power to alter the negative impacts of previous generations and bring about positive change for all inhabitants of our planet.

Sunny has developed educational programs regarding compassion, respect, and care of domestic and wild animals. She writes extensively on animal issues in fiction, non-fiction, and blogs.

Sunny lives in Colorado with dogs and cats. Their yard is a Certified Backyard Habitat for birds, squirrels, rabbits, pollinators, and any other creature with fur or feathers who wanders in.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Linked-In

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Hurricane Dog by Sunny Weber ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: November 22, 2019 in fiction, giveaways, middle grade, reviews
Tags: animals, giveaway, middle grade fiction, pets, review

Hurricane Dog: A Tale of Betrayal, Redemption & Change

by Sunny Weber

Category: Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 221 pages
Genre: animals/pets
Publisher: Pups & Purrs Press
Release date: Aug 8, 2019

My Review

I read and loved Sunny Weber’s A Dog At The Gate. It brought out all the feels and plenty of tears, so I prepared myself for Hurricane Dog by keeping a supply of tissues close at hand.

Life is good for Gator, a pitbull mix. Adopted by Gavin and his parent’s, he is sheltered and loved. And soon is joined by a special companion, Magnolia, a rescue from a puppy mill. Life is grand, until a hurricane strikes and the dogs have to be left behind in the evacuation. From here on, I suggest you grab the tissues.

The story takes place over the course of several years and is told from Gator’s point of view. You go through a wide range of emotions. Fear, anger, and a loss of hope. But Gator doesn’t give up. So I didn’t. Even though it sometimes seemed like all hope was lost.

Living on the Gulf coast, I’ve experienced many hurricanes. Some I stayed and suffered through. Talk about terrifying. And some I fled from. I recall Ivan, which came through my home town in 2004, I think it was. At the time, my sister and I had two dogs, two birds, two cats and seven guinea pigs. We took them with us to Atlanta when we were ordered to evacuate. Bless the people at the hotel for allowing animals. I couldn’t imagine leaving them behind. It tore me to pieces when Gator and Magnolia had to be left behind. The owners had no choice. It was government ordered. I watched several shows about animals that were being rescued, nursed back to help, and placed in new homes after the hurricane in Louisiana. This didn’t happen quickly. The emotional trauma must have been huge for those animals.

There was quite the pile of used tissues sitting next to me when I reached the end of this story. I cried tears of loss and tears of joy. What an incredible journey this was. And it gives me so much pleasure to be able to recommend it to story lovers of all ages.

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Synopsis

Pit bull mix Gator and puppy mill survivor Magnolia are abandoned during a Louisiana hurricane. They suffer dehydration and starvation after rescuers take their people to safety but leave the pets behind.

Saved from their flooded house, Gator and Magnolia recover but remain homeless. Nobody wants a pit bull. Gator’s resentment festers into intense hatred for Gavin, the boy who left them to die. He vows to never trust again.

Transported to Colorado with other refugee pets, Gator and Magnolia face the uncertainty of a new life. Eventually they are fostered by a kind woman who seems mysteriously familiar. Both dogs relax in their new lives until upheaval again throws them into chaos.

Overwhelmed by trauma, Gator and Magnolia cling to one another through change after change. Will they be separated? Will Gator forgive the Great Betrayal and love again?

What will happen to pets and their people in the next natural disaster? Can Gavin change the rules of rescue? Will Gavin and Gator reunite?

Amazon

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About Author Sunny Weber

Author Sunny Weber

Sunny has developed educational programs regarding compassion, respect, and care of domestic and wild animals. She writes extensively on animal issues in fiction, non-fiction, and blogs.

Sunny lives in Colorado with dogs and cats. Their yard is a Certified Backyard Habitat for birds, squirrels, rabbits, pollinators, and any other creature with fur or feathers who wanders in.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Linked-In

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

The Dog At The Gate by Sunny Weber ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: November 19, 2019 in fiction, giveaways, middle grade, reviews
Tags: animals, giveaway, middle grade fiction, pets, review

The Dog at the Gate: How a Throwaway Dog Becomes Special

by Sunny Weber

Category: Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 246 pages
Genre: animals/pets
Publisher: Pups & Purrs Press
Release date: Oct 6, 2017

My Review

Being a huge dog lover I can count on one hand how many years I’ve not had a canine companion in the last 40 some years. Most of the dogs I brought home were either from shelters or they were abandoned by my home. I took them in, loved them and got back way more than I gave. To read about Max was heart breaking. Taken from his mother, abused and neglected by his adopted owners, I wept for this brave dog and couldn’t stop reading his story, hoping he’d find his happy forever home.

I normally avoid books about abused animals like the plague. Something compelled me to give this series a try. It touched me in so many ways and I’m thrilled to be able to recommend it to readers of all ages.

~~~~~

Synopsis

Can a dog like Max go from years without a bath to unconditional love and acceptance?
Or will his new family abandon him again?

Puppy Max doesn’t have the easiest start in life. He faces hunger, living alone outside, a vicious dog next door, and menacing raccoons. Just when he thinks it can’t get any worse, he is abandoned at an animal shelter.
Max is rescued and fostered in a home complete with canine companions – Miles, a benevolent fellow Australian Shepherd, and cantankerous, bossy little Muffin. He also lives with three cats, two parakeets, and one incredible mistress.
Fans of classics like Black Beauty, Thomasina, and Beautiful Joe, which feature redemptive bonds between animals and people, will find The Dog at the Gate: How a Throwaway Dog Becomes Special offers a touching tale of love and triumph.

Amazon

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About Author Sunny Weber

Author Sunny Weber

Sunny has developed educational programs regarding compassion, respect, and care of domestic and wild animals. She writes extensively on animal issues in fiction, non-fiction, and blogs.

Sunny lives in Colorado with dogs and cats. Their yard is a Certified Backyard Habitat for birds, squirrels, rabbits, pollinators, and any other creature with fur or feathers who wanders in.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Linked-In

~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #12 ~ Hill Haven Creeps And The Halloween King

Posted: October 12, 2019 in horror, middle grade, reviews
Tags: Horror, middle grade, review

Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2019! I did this the last couple of years and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

day of the dead photo: Dancing Skeleton dancing_skeleton.gif

I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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Hill Haven Creeps And The Halloween King

by Brandon Berntson

Genre: Horror / Middle Grade And Older

My Review

I came across this while looking for some Halloween books and had to grab it. It sounds creepy good and that cover is wicked.

Hill Haven Creeps is a small town where not much happens. Until… a carnival mysteriously appears at the fair ground. Stranger still, no one appears to be running it. Soon, people start disappearing, and dying. A group of young boys must get to the bottom of things before they too disappear.

Yep, sounds scary good. This gave me vibes similar to Something Wicked This Way Comes. And with a name like All Hallows Eve Midnight Traveling Spook Show, you know dark deeds are afoot.

The book took me back. Felt like where I grew up. And the cast of characters could have been in my school and neighborhood. We all used to help each other do our chores so we could set off together on new adventures. When a carnival came to town, we would be first in line. Enjoying the rides, munching on carnie food, and unable to resist entering the scary exhibits. Luckily, the carnivals weren’t anything like the one at Hill Haven Creeps.

Loads of atmosphere and genuine characters made this a scary good read for me. I eagerly turned the pages, excited to see what was coming next and how it would end. Just when I thought I knew something, the author would turn it all around. Great Halloween reading for the younger crowd and the young at heart.

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Synopsis

It’s Halloween in Hill Haven Creeps, and the All Hallows Eve Midnight Traveling Spook Show has come to town. Empty tents flap in the breeze, but there’s no sign of the carnies.

For a group of close friends, the festivities have just begun. A masked figure haunts Trevor Sheevis in every reflection. Cole Reagor’s dream of being a stand-up comedian suddenly isn’t so funny, and Tommy Gallaghan’s cell phone makes ominous threats.

At school, Angela Rayburn is smiling at Mathew Potts, and for Ashley Gifford, the monster he fears most sleeps under his very same roof.

When their friend, Steven Delhomme, turns up missing, their worst fears come true.

The smell of autumn leaves is in the air, the first pumpkins are aglow, and the crows are gathering in the cornfields. The moon is full, and something is visible beyond the veil between the living and the dead calling itself the Scarecrow King.

As Halloween approaches, the dead exchange places with the living, and the All Hallows Eve Midnight Traveling Spook Show opens its doors.

In Hill Haven Creeps, every fear will come to life, and every dream will turn into a nightmare.

But will Halloween will have the final say?

Or is something more ominous on the night wind?

Amazon

This was free at time of posting. Click on the cover or Amazon link above to grab a copy.

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Spotlight and Giveaway ~ Misadventures In Auckland by Barbara Russell

Posted: October 5, 2019 in Fantasy, giveaways, middle grade
Tags: fantasy, giveaway, middle grade

Mummy Dearest – A Pharaonic Adventure

Misadventures in Auckland Book 1

by Barbara Russell

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

During a school trip to the museum, thirteen-year-old Tess wakes up an
Egyptian mummy.

Cursed by a necromancer, Prince Seth has been inside a sarcophagus for two
thousand years. Now, he has no intention of going back into his tomb.
He wants a normal life, friends, and fresh food. So, he follows Tess
home, bandages and all.

Ancient Egyptian mummies bring bad luck. Since Seth’s arrival, a car has
almost run Tess over, and a lamppost nearly squashed
her. With Tess’s soccer team, the Wolverines, qualified for
the New Zealand Junior Soccer Championship, this curse could destroy
its chances of winning. Even worse, evil Egyptian spirits chase her
and Seth to take their souls into the world of the dead.

Unless they find the two-thousand-year old necromancer, who controls the
spirits and who gained eternal youth by cursing Seth, Tess and Seth
will be doomed forever.

Goodreads * Amazon

The Boy Who Killed Santa Claus

Misadventures in Auckland Book 2

While other thirteen-year-old kids think about playing and riding their
bikes, Hau has to deal with fairies. He sees them everywhere—small,
green, tiny wings, with pointed ears like Legolas. And they talk to
him as well. In fact, they don’t want to shut up.

No one believes him, not even his mother or his best friend. Kids at
school call him names, and he’s just as popular as a visit to the
dentist.

On top of that, he’s the only one who knows the truth about Santa
Claus. Santa isn’t the nice, fatherly elf everyone believes. He’s
a bloodthirsty villain. Yep. Newt witnessed it with his own eyes when
Santa killed his father in cold blood right under the Christmas tree.
But again, no one believes him.

Goodreads * Amazon

The Doom & Despair Entertainment Agency

Misadventures in Auckland Book 3

Welcome to the Doom & Despair Entertainment Agency where fear is always
guaranteed. Do you want a bunch of zombies for your next birthday
party? Vampires and ghosts at your wedding, frightening your guests?
No problem. The Doom & Despair Entertainment Agency organises the
scariest events in all New Zilla.

Except that, since the ghost of MacBatt Castle disappeared, business is
slowing down at the agency. A new, young ghost, Gwen, haunts the
castle, and she’s too nice to scare the customers. So, it’s up to
Orlando, a thirteen-year-old orphan who works for the agency, to help
Gwen in becoming scarier before his employer decides to send him back to
the orphanage.

Goodreads * Amazon

The Girl with the Dragon-Raccoon

Misadventures in Auckland Book 4

While other fifteen-year-old girls dream about having a blood-sucking
boyfriend like in Twilight, Tyro has nightmares about vampires.

She has her share of vampires, zombies, and werewolves because her mum is
a dentist who attends to these monsters’ teeth.

So, when her mother and a vampire client disappear from the dental
clinic, leaving only a trail of blood, trashed furniture, and ripped
clothes behind, Tyro suspects one of the monsters kidnapped them or
worse that the vampire attacked her mum.

Either way, she’s in deep crap.

The police don’t believe her, and Jack, the vanished vampire’s son,
wants to take Tyro to Underworld City where hags, zombies, and all
kind of were-beings live. He plans to talk with the underworld police
that control supernatural creatures.

That’s his chance to show her that not every monster is a thug, and perhaps,
she’ll accept his invitation for the Disemboweller Ball. If only he
could keep his true nature secret. No girl would be attracted by a
guy who can turn himself into a half-dragon, half-racoon beast, with
no fire to speak of, no super-strength, and very tiny wings. How lame
is that?

Tyro would rather go to school wearing only her underwear than be alone
with Jack. What if going to Underworld City is a trap? What if he
wants to eat her?

But unless she teams up with him, she’ll never know what happened to
her mum. Armed with her courage and a bottle of garlic spray, she
accepts to travel to Underworld City with Jack.

After a monster killed her dad, her mum is all that is left of her family,
and she won’t leave her in the hands of brain-eating, blood-sucking
creatures.

Goodreads * Amazon

I’m an entomologist and a soil biologist, which is a fancy way to say
that I dig in the dirt, looking for bugs. Nature and books have
always been my passion. I was a kid when I read The Lord Of The Ring
and fell in love with fantasy novels.

When I discovered cosy mystery and crime novel, I fell in love with
Hercules Poirot and Sherlock Holmes. Then I grew up and . . . Nah,
I’m joking. Don’t grow up, folks! It’s a trap.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Free Pizza by G.C. McRae ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: May 15, 2019 in giveaways, middle grade, reviews
Tags: fiction, giveaway, middle grade, review

Free Pizza

by G.C. McRae

.
Category: Middle-Grade Fiction, 360 pages
Genre: Humorous Fiction
Publisher: MacDonald Warne Media
Release date: May 1, 2019
Tour dates: May 1 to 17, 2019
Content Rating: PG (No sex or drugs, just mild expletives such as “hell” and “damn”.)

My Review

This book took me back to when I was a youngster. Brought up a lot of fun memories and reminded of how the highs were high and the lows were low. All that excitement and angst.

The story revolves around twelve year old Brian and events leading up to when he receives a birthday card for a free pizza. It’s also about how he deals with his older parents who, after adopting him, later had two young boys of their own. He questions his connection with all of them and turns to his best friend for companionship, which lands him in a few pickles.

There’s plenty to make you chuckle and the book also has some depth to it. I was quickly caught up in it and had a really good time.

The only real glitch was the use of cuss words. I didn’t expect that in a middle grade book. Sure, our kids swear when they can get away with it. Just a word of caution to those that are sensitive about this in their kids reading material.

I’m glad I read Free Pizza and would be interested in other books by this author. The writing was strong, the characters were genuine and the scenes were very visual for me. Plus, I laughed out loud on more than one occasion.

Synopsis

.

Brian McSpadden is always hungry. Does he have a disease? Worms? Does it have something to do with his being adopted? He spends his days at his crazy friend Danny’s house, hoping for snacks, but nothing seems to fill the void.Then Brian receives a mysterious birthday card that says, Free Pizza. He soon discovers the card has nothing to do with food and everything to do with the big questions in his life: where did I come from, why did my mother give me up and is there anyone out there who will like me the way I am?To read reviews, please visit G.C. McRae’s page on iRead Book Tours.

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

G.C. McRae is the bestselling author of two young adult novels, three illustrated children’s books and a collection of original fairy tales. His writing is fall-down funny, even when the theme is darker than a coal miner’s cough. McRae reads to anybody at any time, in person or online, for free, which probably explains why he meets so many people and sells so many books.

In his latest work, Free Pizza, McRae spins the highly emotional themes from his decidedly unfunny childhood into a brilliantly comic yarn. After being given up for adoption by his teenage mom back when single girls were forced to hide unplanned pregnancies, his adoptive parents didn’t exactly keep him under the stairs but, well, let’s just say, there were spiders.

A lot has changed since then. McRae’s own children have now grown and he runs a small farm with his wife, who is herself an award-winning writer.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ LibraryThing

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends May 25, 2019

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

The Kid’s Korner #36 ~ The Krampus

Posted: April 10, 2019 in Children's books, horror, middle grade, reviews
Tags: Horror, middle grade, review

Welcome to The Kid’s Korner.

I decided to do this feature as I have so many great children’s books to share. From picture books, to books for beginning readers, to middle graders, I have plenty of fun ones.

Today I’m sharing another spooky tale from Nancy Gray’s Spine Chillers!

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The Krampus (Spine Chillers)
by Nancy Gray

The Krampus

Genre: Horror
Age category: Middle Grade
Release Date: December 12, 2018

My Review

Nick was a good kid. He stayed out of trouble. But then he gave into the urging of his friends and got caught skipping school. He got way more punishment than it called for and now Krampus has him in his sights. And he isn’t the only thing Nick has to worry about. He’ll need help to survive Christmas.

I could feel Nick’s confusion. He hangs out with the bullies so he won’t be bullied. He doesn’t do anything bad except for skip classes and refuses to have anything to do with what they’re cooking up next. But something has been watching him. Now he’s in a big pickle. Krampus is a scary creature and he’s hungry. I was pulling for Nick. Hoping he would see the right path and not get eaten.

There’s a part in this book that made me wonder if their was more than one fairy tale going on. A strange girl that was much more bad than Nick. It felt connected to another dark tale, and the more I read, the more sure I became. Though the author gave it her own spin.

One of the best things about this series is that the kids can’t rely on the adults to save them. They would brush off their claims of monsters as too much imagination. So, the kids have to think and solve on their own. And they do get creative!

Another scary good story in this series.

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Synopsis

Christmas is a time of peace and good dreams, but for Nick it would soon become a nightmare. When he starts skipping classes to hang with the bullies at school, strange things begin to happen.

A horrifying apparition haunts his dreams and tears his Christmas stocking into shreds! Finally, the beast crashes through Nick’s bedroom window, throws him in a sack, and spirits him away to its lair.

Nick finds himself in a world of perpetual twilight where he will have to find his way home before becoming trapped forever, or worse. THE KRAMPUS is hungry, and the oven awaits a fresh meat pie!

You can find The Krampus on Goodreads

You can buy The Krampus on Amazon

About the Author:
Nancy Gray has published a number of works including her young adult fantasy series Blood Rain. Her short story “Chosen” appeared in Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal Author Quest: a Penguin Special from Grosset & Dunlap. Her work also appears in various anthologies.
Nancy Gray has been writing for over ten years. Gray lives in South Carolina with her husband and two daughters. She enjoys books, video games, anime, manga, and horror.

Other Works by Nancy Gray:
Blood Rain
Blood Moon
Blood God
Spine Chillers: The Scarecrow
Spine Chillers: Big Bad Wolf
Spine Chillers: The Beast of Black Pond
Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes
Spine Chillers: The Firefly

You can find and contact Nancy Gray here:
– Website
– Blog
– Facebook
– Goodreads

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

The Gimmal Ring by Karen Koski ~ Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

Posted: March 20, 2019 in Action/Adventure, giveaways, middle grade, urban fantasy
Tags: Adventure, giveaway, MG, urban fantasy

She wants the ring and she wants it bad!

The Gimmal Ring

by Karen Koski

Genres: Urban Fantasy / Adventure / Middle Grade

Page count: 124

Mirror World Publishing

Synopsis

Gwendolyn Gimmal desperately wants an invitation to the mysterious Gimmal Gala where her family’s coveted ring is bestowed upon new inductees. It’s not that she particularly likes bling, but because she knows it will unlock exciting secrets and reveal what she believes will be her true life’s path. Her younger brother, Gage, also wants to attend the party, but mostly for the food.

After finding her way into the hidden gala, Gwen learns that The Gimmal Ring is not only a piece of jewellery, but also a secret society of people. Things go awry when their parents are kidnapped from the Gala and held for ransom. Gwen and her brother must solve the clues and find the hidden formula the kidnappers have demanded by midnight, or they will never see their family members again.

Their newly discovered enhanced abilities, while fun, are not completely reliable. Cracking newspaper codes, deciphering invisible maps, and playing a high stakes game of Enigma Machine Twister, are just some of the challenges they must overcome if they are to succeed in time. The adventure starts when they flush themselves in The Tele-Potti, a teleporting commode, and it all goes down the drain from there.

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Exclusive Excerpt

Gage was still trying to figure out how he felt about going away to camp. His dad thought it would be good for him to get out of the house this summer and have an adventure, but he got all the adventure he needed hanging out in the garage with Uncle Stan. He liked magic tricks well enough, he guessed, he just didn’t understand the trick part of it. For example, last week, Grandpa Gimmal had turned three cups upside down on a table, while Gage looked away.
“Now tell me which one the coin is under,” he had said, with excitement.
As soon as Gage had looked at the cups he could see it was under the middle one. Grandpa hid the coin several more times and each time Gage would see where it was. Where was the trick in that? Gage wondered, but then Grandpa said the strangest thing.
“Great job my boy. I always knew you would be able to do this eventually. I just didn’t think it would start so young.”
Then another strange thing happened. His sister Gwen came in. She was strange but that wasn’t the strangest part. Grandpa had asked her to find the coin, but she kept getting it wrong! She was supposed to be the smart one, with all her advanced classes and stuff, blah, blah, blah. Every few tries she would get ‘lucky’, as she called it, and pick the right cup. Then she would clap her hands looking all pleased. Okay, that was strange, too. She could be such a geek sometimes. The coin was right there in front of her. He wondered if everyone at magic camp would be able to see the coin too. What had Grandpa Gimmal meant by ‘start so young’? What started so young and how come he missed it? Grandpa seemed so pleased with Gage that he didn’t want to spoil his good mood, so Gage kept his questions to himself. If it made his grandfather happy to believe Gage was the only one who could see the coin, he would play along. He didn’t want to be the one to spoil the fun, but he wasn’t a baby anymore. He was a man of nine. Soon he would be driving a car and shaving, with a real blade. Maybe he would have a man-to-grandpa talk and let him down easy.

~~~~~

Author Karen Koski

Karen Koski writes stories set in magical Windsor and Essex County, Ontario where she was born and raised. Karen’s love of a good mystery inspired her to become a licensed Private Investigator. She is intrigued by anything that is not what it appears to be.

Karen resides in Windsor, Ontario with her husband, two daughters and a Moose.

Purchase Links: Amazon / MW Paperback / MW eBook / Kobo

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

The Kid’s Korner #35 ~ Spooky Twisties III

Posted: March 13, 2019 in horror, middle grade, reviews, Supernatural
Tags: Horror, middle grade, review, Supernatural

Welcome to The Kid’s Korner.

I decided to do this feature as I have so many great children’s books to share. From picture books, to books for beginning readers, to middle graders, I have plenty of fun ones.

Today I’m sharing another spooky fun children’s book by Author Terri Bertha!

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Spooky Twisties III

13 Tales Of Terror

by Terri Bertha

Genre: Middle Grade / YA / Supernatural

My Review

Having read and enjoyed the first two books in the series, I was expecting more spooky fun as I ventured once more into a town of supernatural occurrences with a group of stalwart friends.

Terri had a great idea when she interconnected the stories in her books. The tales are all different, but the outcome and events leading up to them are intertwined throughout.

I prowled the library when I was young, looking for books like this. I still do as an adult and get just as much hair raising enjoyment out of them.

Terri brings on the eerie without being too scary and surprises you around every corner. These tales are spooky twistie indeed and a whole lot of fun.

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Synopsis

Spooky Spine-Chilling Tales for Children/Teenagers

Spooky Twisties III is the third book in the series offering 13 interconnected short stories for middle grade readers (9 and above). These short, scary, spine-chilling, yet humorous tales, are recommended for children/teenagers and all young readers who enjoy R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps. The quick, fun reads find a group of friends encountering the creepy and supernatural in their hometown which has become a magnet for the strange and paranormal.

House of Puzzles: Will Chris and Nick be able to solve the puzzles to save their lives?

The Best Book Ever: Can a school book report prove to uncover a little too much for one student?

Pretty Voodoo Doll: What will one of the girls resort to in order to make the cheerleading squad?

A Needed Friend: Why does the mysterious boy seem to be drawn to the girl who visits the graveyard?

Ghost Catcher: Lindsay meets a woman with some amazing abilities at the old-age home. Can you catch a ghost?

Saving Cardinals: Does Amy’s love of birds and animals prove to be a life-saver?

Two Bloke Boys: Will Nick and Chris find gold at the end of the rainbow?

Candle Sense: A thoughtful gift provides a haunting experience.

Would You Believe?: The science fair and a revolution. Seriously, that’s why I didn’t turn in my homework.

Dronepocalypse: Buuuzzzz… did you hear that?

The Promenade: A trip to the historical museum and an old photo help solve the question of how to ask a girl to the spring dance.

Dire-Rama: WOW! That model looks so real!

Hello Me, It’s Me Again: Will an unexpected family reunion finally put things to rest?

The hidden references in these short ‘horror’ stories foreshadow future encounters and/or connect back to events of previous stories, and the twists in the story endings make reading the tales even more fun for ages 9 and above.

Amazon / B&N

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Click on the covers for my reviews of Spooky Twisties I & II

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Author Terra Bertha

Terri Bertha

Terri Bertha is author of the Spooky Twisties Series for Middle Grade/YA. Each book consists of thirteen interconnected stories which follow a group of friends as they navigate their way through supernatural events in an idyllic community during the course of a ‘normal’ day. A mix of horror, humor and ‘twisted endings’ make for fun and entertaining reading.

Terri has lived her entire life in the rolling hills and three rivers of western Pennsylvania and the majority of her working years as a Systems Engineer for a large corporation. When her sons were born, she took a hiatus from work, and tutored math and reading while being a substitute teacher in local schools. She returned to the workforce and retired a few years ago.

Besides writing, Terri enjoys watercolor painting, sketching, puzzles, exercising, and golf.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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The Haunting Of Elmwood Manor ~ Spotlight and Giveaway

Posted: March 1, 2019 in giveaways, middle grade, Mystery
Tags: giveaway, middle grade, mystery

The Haunting of Elmwood Manor
by Pamela McCord
(a Pekin Dewlap Mystery)
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: March 1st 2019
Genres: Middle-Grade, Mystery

Synopsis

Pekin Dewlap hasn’t seen a ghost since she was twelve. But she’d do anything to get them back. Starting a ghostbusting business with her two best friends, Amber and Scout, seems like the perfect way to accomplish her goal. Of course, playing with ghosts isn’t high on their wish list, so Pekin has to do some arm-twisting to get them on board.

Once committed, Pekin and her friends find themselves in deep, trying to solve the disappearance of fourteen-year-old Miranda Talbert. Miranda went missing in 1918, and her spirit has wandered the halls of Elmwood Manor for the last hundred years.

In the midst of finding Miranda, discovering her budding feelings for Scout, and consoling a terrified Amber, Pekin is met by an angry ghost set on thwarting her plans. Will the Ghosties be able to help Miranda, or will Pekin’s business die before she solves the mystery?

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / iBooks

Author Pamela McCord

Pam was born in Arkansas several decades ago. She’s not sure if that makes her a Southern Girl or if moving to Southern California when she was five revokes her Southern Girl card. She started writing later in life when she was challenged by a friend to create a book out of his story idea. Reaching the first 5,000 words was a milestone, but with time and hard work she managed to finish an entire book, much to her surprise. Since then, she’s written several novels, in several genres. Romance, middle grade and paranormal comprise most of her work. Pam has spent over 40 years working as a legal secretary at a law firm in Orange County, California. Aside from writing, she follows the stock market, buying, selling and trading stocks and options. In contrast to that, she loves trips to Las Vegas where she can spend many happy hours at the Pai Gow tables. She shares a condo with her very own My Cat From Hell TV star, Allie, who manages to exude just enough affection to make her scary feral ways tolerable.

Author links: Website / Facebook

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

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Archive for the ‘middle grade’ Category

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