Archive for the ‘Paranormal or fantasy’ Category

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

 The Inescapable

The Premonition Series #1

by Amy A. Bartol

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My 56

We walk together to the bookstore. We have little trouble purchasing what we need. It’s fortunate for me that Russell offers to help me with my books because when I have them all, I almost need a crane to get them back to my room.

I had to use this. It’s about books! LOL

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Synopsis

My name is Evie Claremont and this was to be the making of me–my freshman year of college. I’d been hoping that once I’d arrived on Crestwood’s campus, the nightmare that I’ve been having would go away. It hasn’t.
I may be an inexperienced seventeen-year-old, but I’m grounded…sane. I look for rational explanations to even the strangest circumstances. Since meeting sophomore Reed Wellington, however, nothing makes any sense. Whenever he’s near, I feel an attraction to him–a magnetic kind of force pulling me towards him. I know what you’re thinking…that sounds fairly awesome. Yeah, it would be…if he liked me, but Reed acts as if I’m the worst thing that has ever happened to Crestwood…or him. But get this, for some reason every time I turn around he’s there, barging into my life.
What is the secret that he’s keeping from me? I’m hoping that it’s anything but what I suspect: that he’s not exactly normal…and neither am I. So, maybe Crestwood won’t be the making of me, but it could be the breaking of me. I’ve been left to wonder if the dark future my dream is foretelling is…inescapable.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

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

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

TeaserTuesdays2014e

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!

~~~

My Teaser for this week is from

Ghosts Among Men

A Samantha Davidson Novella

by Laura Del

25623998

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My Teaser from 18% in the eBook.

“Would you please go away,” I almost begged her. Even for a dead person she was annoying.

Fine. But remember – “

“You’ll be back,” I finished. “I get it.”

~~~~

My Review

You’d think being able to see and talk to ghosts would be a handy thing if you’re a private investigator. But that doesn’t help Samantha Davidson.

Samantha is working a murder case with her assistant, Mark, and homicide detective, Lance MacDowell. She sees and interviews the murdered girl, Allison.  The problem is, Allison can’t remember what happened to her, who killed her.

Samantha has solved all twenty of her cases so far, from helping loved ones connect to catching adulterers. Not bad for only a year as a P.I. But this case could threaten that record.

Life gets complicated for Samantha. Things aren’t what they appear in this case. Lots of secrets. Lots of money. Lots of ghosts. And she’s trying to have a love life too, crushing on her sexy office manager, Mark.  Hey, a girl’s gotta try.

I’d call this a dark comedy mystery. Heavy on chuckles and mystery.

There’s a scene where Samantha is having dinner with the parents of Allison, the murdered girl. The father doesn’t want his wife to know he’s hired a private investigator, especially one who communicates with ghosts, so Sam poses as the dead girls friend.

Try to picture Sam, struggling to ignore Allison as the ghost butts into every conversation. It’s almost impossible not to blow her cover. Allison is a sassy lass and loves toying with her.

There’s a dark side too. Things got creepy while reading a scene where Sam is dreaming. In her dream, she’s Allison and reliving what happened the night she was murdered. Such an ugly betrayal.

I was surprised by how quickly I came to know the characters in this story. This isn’t a long book, but I easily connected to and liked many of them. They were easy to visualize, even the stereotypical jerks.

And the ending was something else. Bazinga was the first thing that popped into my head when the case unfolded.

I’d recommend this to mystery and paranormal lovers. It’s fast, fun, and you’ll want more.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Samantha Davidson sees ghosts for a living. More specifically, she sees ghosts as a private investigator, working alongside the Chicago Police Department to put away killers and put troubled spirits to rest.

When the daughter of one of Chicago’s wealthiest families turns up dead, Samantha and her assistant Mark team up with homicide detective Lance MacDowell to get to the bottom of the crime.

Allison Allen is tall, blonde, beautiful–and very much dead. As Samantha interviews the girl, who doesn’t remember anything about the circumstances of her own murder, it’s clear that there’s more going on behind the walls of this manicured home than anyone wants to let on—and that Samantha has her work cut out for her this time.

Juggling her own love life, tracking down troubled spirits, and evading attempts to thwart her investigation keeps Samantha on her toes. Good thing Samantha knows how to keep her eyes open, her wits about her, and her sense of humor.

A paranormal mystery that is both dark and funny, Ghosts Among Men will cause chills to run down your back even while you’re laughing out loud at the lovable, strong, and supernaturally sighted private investigator Samantha Davidson.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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I have a great series to share with you today, along with a fantastic giveaway and exciting excerpt.

And the author was kind enough to answer my questions about the fabulous cover art for her series.

Please welcome R. L. King

How did you choose your cover art? Did you design it or someone else?

The cover art for all the books in the Alastair Stone Chronicles series is from a company called Streetlight Graphics. I found them when I was searching for cover artists—I knew I wanted a full-service company familiar with my genre, and one that was willing to commit to doing all my covers. I looked around and asked some folks whose covers I liked, and it came down to either Streetlight or another company who also did good work, but who were much more expensive (and I actually liked Streetlight’s samples better).

The design was a joint effort—I have fairly clear ideas about what I want to see, and I know what I like and what I don’t, but I’m flexible as far as letting the designer come up with something that fits my basic parameters. For Stone and a Hard Place, I knew I wanted Stone to appear in his trademark outfit, I wanted a big spooky house, and I wanted the basic color scheme to be blue and black. Streetlight came back with a design that blew me away!

The only part where we had to go back and forth several times was Stone’s face—and I actually ended up accepting something I wasn’t entirely happy with because I felt like I’d been too nitpicky. Later on, though, after getting some feedback from readers that he looked too young, I went back to Streetlight and told Glendon, the designer, that I really wanted to try to fix the face. He pointed me at the stock-photo service they used and asked me to find something I liked—and it didn’t take me long to do just that! I found a model who was much closer to my vision than the one used, so Stone got a “face transplant” and now no longer looks young enough to be his own apprentice. I’m completely happy with the updated cover.

The second book, The Forgotten, took the design of an older version of the book and updated it to fit the style of the first Streetlight design. We changed the title color from blue to purple and added a few purple touches. Once again, I loved it, and once again the only issue was Stone. We did a silhouetted version this time, so it took a few tries to get the profile and hair right, but I am very, very happy with this cover, too.

I can’t wait to reveal the next one, for Book 3. It’s another winner!

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Stone And A Hard Place

Alastair Stone Chronicles #1

Alastair new cover

 

Dr. Alastair Stone, Occult Studies professor and powerful mage, has his hands full trying to keep the two sides of his life separate as he trains a new apprentice, deals with a malevolent entity trapped in the basement of a wealthy old woman’s massive home, and battles dark mages intent on enslaving it for their own ends.

Debut novel of the Alastair Stone Chronicles.

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The Forgotten

Alastair Stone Chronicles #2

Stone and BookCover_Bk2_Forgotten_AlastairStoneChronicles

 

Dr. Alastair Stone is back, this time teaming up with Jason Thayer, a young man hunting for his missing sister. Embroiled in a web of odd homeless people, a growing conspiracy, and deadly danger, they soon realize that even if they find Jason’s sister, they might not be able to help her.

What do you do when you discover an extradimensional plot that threatens the safety of the entire world, but you can’t tell anyone about it because literally anyone on Earth could be part of it?

Book Two of the Alastair Stone Chronicles.

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Excerpt

“Dr. Stone?”

The voice was trembling, female, and sounded terrified. It took him a moment to identify it. He stared as Megan stirred again, draping her arm back over him. “Mrs.—Bonham?”

Whoever was on the other end sounded like they were on the verge of hysteria. “Dr. Stone, is that you?”

“It’s me, Mrs. Bonham. What’s wrong? Is something wrong?” He sat up a little, propping himself up on his pillows. Megan’s arm slid down over his stomach, but he didn’t even notice that she was there.

“Something’s here,” she quavered. “Something’s…happening.”

He was fully awake now. Carefully, he moved Megan’s arm and sat on the edge of the bed. “Calm down, Mrs. Bonham, please. I’ll help you if I can, but you have to tell me what’s happening.”

“I don’t know,” she sobbed. “It’s like the whole house hates me. Noises—cold winds—things slamming—”

“Is Iona there? Can you put her on for a moment?”

There was a shuffling sound and then a different voice spoke, sounding almost as frightened as Adelaide Bonham had. “Dr. Stone? This is Iona.”

He took a deep breath. “Iona. What’s going on? Is Mrs. Bonham—”

“She’s not imagining things, Dr. Stone,” the woman said. In addition to sounding frightened, she sounded like she couldn’t believe what was going on. “I can hear them too. The noises. The feelings. It’s horrible, Dr. Stone. Something’s going on.”

~~~~~

Author R.L. King

R.L. King is an award-winning author and game freelancer for Catalyst Game Labs, publisher of the popular roleplaying game Shadowrun. She has contributed fiction and game material to numerous sourcebooks, as well as one full-length adventure, “On the Run,” included as part of the 2012 Origins-Award-winning “Runners’ Toolkit.”Her first novel in the Shadowrun universe, Borrowed Time, was published in May 2015.When not doing her best to make life difficult for her characters, King is a software technical writer for a large Silicon Valley database company. In her spare time (hah!) she enjoys hanging out with her very understanding spouse and her small herd of cats, watching way too much Doctor Who, and attending conventions when she can. She is an Active member of the Horror Writers’ Association and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and a member of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers.

Links:

Writer Website / Publisher Website / Facebook / Twitter / Amazon

Buy link for Stone and a Hard Place (Book 1)

Buy link for The Forgotten (Book 2)

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

TeaserTuesdays2014e

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!

~~~

My Teaser for this week is from

Onyx Webb

Book #1 – Episodes 1 thru 3

by Richard Fenton & Andrea Waltz

25414725

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My Teaser from page 36 in the Paperback.

Living people eat food and drink wine. The living can experience fun and joy and happiness. The living can cry real tears and have human hearts that beat.

And they feel love. Fpr a ghost, none of this is possible. To make my existence even worse, there is som ething I must do… something ugly, something inherently evil.

To maintain my existence in the living plane, I must…

KILL

~~~~

Synopsis

Best-Selling Authors Fenton & Waltz Welcome You to the World of Onyx Webb. This is Book One. (Episodes 1, 2, and 3)
One reviewer says, “Fabulous. Different. Odd. Crazy. Wonderful. I’ve never read anything like it. You’ve created the weirdest, coolest new genre of fiction and I love it.”
– It’s June, 1980 and piano prodigy, Juniper Cole is on the way to her senior prom.

– It’s January 2010, and Koda Mulvaney has blown through his 20 million dollar trust fund and is told by his father to return home and get to work.

– It’s August, 1904 and little Onyx Webb is on her way to the famous World’s Fair in St. Louis with her father, Catfish.

Two of the three will see a ghost, one will become a ghost and everyone will learn that life is hard to let go of even when you’re dead. And that’s just Book One. Designed to read like a supernatural soap opera, Onyx Webb is a paranormal suspense series, with supernatural romance, as well as a dash of historical fiction. The stories may haunt you, the darkness may disturb you, but ultimately you’ll be reminded to treasure every moment of your life because… If you think life is precious now? Just wait until you’re dead.

~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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M9B-Friday-Reveal Banner

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are sharing the

Month9Books Fall Books Preview!

Check out these amazing titles coming from Month9Books this Fall!.
They look amazing!

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

SerpentineEbook

SERPENTINE is a sweeping fantasy set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology.

Lush with details from Chinese folklore, SERPENTINE tells the coming of age story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing otherness. As she turns sixteen, Skybright notices troubling changes. By day, she is a companion and handmaid to the youngest daughter of a very wealthy family. But nighttime brings with it a darkness that not even daybreak can quell.

When her plight can no longer be denied, Skybright learns that despite a dark destiny, she must struggle to retain her sense of self – even as she falls in love for the first time.

“Vivid worldbuilding, incendiary romance, heart-pounding action, and characters that will win you over–I highly recommend Serpentine.” Cinda Williams Chima, best-selling author of the Seven Realms and Heir Chronicles fantasy novels

“Serpentine is unique and surprising, with a beautifully-drawn fantasy world that sucked me right in! I love Skybright’s transformative power, and how she learns to take charge of it.” ~Kristin Cashore, NYT Bestseller of the Graceling Realm Series

“Serpentine’s world oozes with lush details and rich lore, and the characters crackle with life. This is one story that you’ll want to lose yourself in.” ~ Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of Legend and The Young Elites

add to goodreads

Amazon | B&N | BAM | Chapters | Kobo | TBD | Mysterious Galaxy

 

About-the-Author

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Cindy Pon is the author of Silver Phoenix (Greenwillow, 2009), which was named one of the Top Ten Fantasy and Science Fiction Books for Youth by the American Library Association’s Booklist, and one of 2009′s best Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror by VOYA. The sequel to Silver Phoenix, titled Fury of the Phoenix, was released in April 2011. Serpentine, the first title in her next Xia duology, will be published by Month9Books in September 2015. She is the co-founder of Diversity in YA with Malinda Lo and on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books. Cindy is also a Chinese brush painting student of over a decade. Visit her website at www.cindypon.com.

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

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Nameless_450x675

Four clans have been at war for centuries: the Kodiak, the Raven, the Wolf and the Ram. Through brutal war tactics, the Ram have dominated the region, inflicting death and destruction on their neighbors.

Seventeen-year-old Zo is a Wolf and a Healer who volunteers to infiltrate the Ram as a spy on behalf of the allied clans. She offers herself as a Ram slave, joining the people who are called the “nameless.” Hers is a suicide mission – Zo’s despair after losing her parents in a Ram raid has left her seeking both revenge and an end to her own misery. But after her younger sister follows her into Rams Gate, Zo must find a way to survive her dangerous mission and keep her sister safe.

What she doesn’t expect to find is the friendship of a young Ram whose life she saves, the confusing feelings she develops for a Ram soldier, and an underground nameless insurrection. Zo learns that revenge, loyalty and love are more complicated than she ever imagined in the first installment of this two-book series.

add to goodreads

Amazon | TBD | Chapters | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

Jenkins brings edge-of-your-seat adventure to this intriguing new world. I can’t wait to read more!”~ New York Times bestselling author Jessica Day George

Wow….WOW, WOW, WOW! I have no words to describe how much I love this book. Jenkins writes characters who are just so easy to love, and when you love a character it makes the book so much better. And I loved all the characters. Zo, Tess, Joshua and Gryphon. Gryphon is definitely my favorite – but who wouldn’t love Gryphon? Of course I do have a soft spot for our heroine, Zo.” ~Bri, Blogger @ Once Upon A Twilight

Nameless destroyed me in the best way possible. The romance was subtle, but written beautifully. The plot was very intriguing and the pacing was spot on. I loved the entire cast of characters, every single one of them added to the story. Trust me when I say you should preorder it, add it to your TBR, request it from your library, do whatever you have to do to get this book in your hands because if you are a YA fantasy fan like me you need this book in your life!” ~Bridget, Blogger @ Dark Faerie Tales

NAMELESS is epic storytelling at its best. My mind is still reeling from the world that I have just been immersed in and I don’t want to leave it. Can I please have the sequel NOW? Because I need to know what happens next but in the meantime I’m just going to re-read it again and again. Is it that good, you may ask? Hell yes!!! And you will think so too. Trust me.” Nancy, Blogger @ Tales of A Ravenous Reader

To say that I love this book is an understatement. It completely blew me away! I am so happy that I took a chance on it. NAMELESS is one book that you can re-read over and over again and it will still feel fresh! I cannot wait for the world to read it and fall under the NAMELESS spell. Because that’s what I feel like I am under, a spell that has me trapped in Zo’s world and won’t let me out! I don’t want out!“~Damaris, Blogger @ Good Choice Reading

About-the-Author

Jennifer Jenkins

With her degree in History and Secondary Education, Jennifer had every intention of teaching teens to love George Washington and appreciate the finer points of ancient battle stratagem. (Seriously, she’s obsessed with ancient warfare.) However, life had different plans in store when the writing began. As a proud member of Writers Cubed, and a co-founder of the Teen Author Boot Camp, she feels blessed to be able to fulfill both her ambition to work with teens as well as write Young Adult fiction.

Jennifer has three children who are experts at naming her characters, one loving, supportive husband, a dog with little-man syndrome, and three chickens (of whom she is secretly afraid).

Visit her online at jajenkins.com


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

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Minotaur.v3

“Where shall I start?” asked Minotaur.

Ovid made an expansive gesture with both hands. “Where else but the beginning of course.”

Minotaur nodded his huge head. “Yes,” he said. “Yes,” his eyes already glazing over with the weight of thousand year old memories. And then he began.

So begins the story of Asterion, later known as Minotaur, the supposed half bull creature of Greek legend. Recorded by the famous Roman poet, Ovid, Asterion tells of his boyhood in Crete under the cruel hand of his stepfather Minos, his adventures with his friend, Theseus, and his growing love for the beautiful Phaedra.And of course what really happened in the labyrinth.

This is the true story of the Minotaur.

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Amazon | B&N | Kobo | BAM | Chapters | Indiebound | TBD | iBooks

 

Lovers of mythology will enjoy this coming-of-age adventure and be surprised by the believable, “true story” of the Minotaur.”~ School Library Journal

About-the-Author

Phillip W Simpson

Phillip W. Simpson is the author of many novels, chapter books and other stories for children. His publishers include Macmillan, Penguin, Pearson, Cengage, Raintree and Oxford University Press.
He received both his undergraduate degree in Ancient History and Archaeology and his Masters (Hons) degree in Archaeology from the University of Auckland.
Before embarking on his writing career, he joined the army as an officer cadet, owned a comic shop and worked in recruitment in both the UK and Australia.
His first young adult novel, Rapture
(Rapture Trilogy #1), was shortlisted for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards for best Youth novel in 2012.

He is represented by Vicki Marsdon at Wordlink literary agency.

When not writing, he works as a school teacher.
Phillip lives and writes in Auckland, New Zealand with his wife Rose, their son, Jack and their two border terriers, Whiskey and Raffles. He loves fishing, reading, movies, football (soccer) and single malt Whiskeys.

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

 

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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An Officer and a Mermaid
by Blaire Edens
Series: Falling In Deep
Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy RomanceCover Designer: Quirky Bird
Release Date: July 21, 2015

 

 

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When a slave uprising threatens the life of Syreena, the daughter of an eighteenth century plantation owner, a servant uses voodoo to transform her into a mermaid. The spell will be only broken when she returns to the beach where it was cast. After three hundred years of swimming, she’s ready to trade fins for legs.  The only problem is she can’t find her way home.

Dylan, a twenty-first century Coast Guard Officer, has sworn off love for the sea. When a wave throws him overboard, Syreena uses her amulet to ward off the sharks and save his life.

With Syreena and Dylan stranded on a remote cay, Dylan has the know-how to build a raft and navigate but his near-drowning has made him terrified of the water. Syrenna will use every charm she has to convince Dylan to take her home.

Even if it means falling in love. . .

 

.

It was a small amulet, about the size of a small Manonsillo fruit, painted with the image of Mami Wata, a mermaid-like deity venerated by the slaves. She was carefully painted, from the curls in her ebony hair to the scales of the snake wrapped around her neck.

Guilliame said, “Mami will show you the way.” He held up a leather pouch and threaded onto the thin leather strap that held the amulet. “Do not lose be without these until you are sure you don’t need them.”

“How will I know?”

“There will be no question. You will be safe.” The lyrical sounds of West Africa were heavy in his voice. “Do not be afraid, mademoiselle. Your papa and I are doing this because it is all we can do. When it is time,” Guilliame said, “you must return here, to this very spot. Do you understand?” His eyes were serious. “You must complete the circle.”

“I understand,” she replied in a whisper.

Guilliame stood behind her. He placed the necklace over her head. The leather pouch hung right above her breasts. She touched it with her finger. It felt warm, alive.

“Keep your fingers on it,” Guilliame said. He touched her shoulders, a familiarity unimagined only minutes ago.  “Good luck.”

His bass voice was hypnotic, drifting between the patois of the island and the stranger, foreign sounds of West Africa. Her eyelids became heavy; she was falling into a deep sleep.

The sounds of the beach became louder and Guilliame’s voice became more distant.

The last thing she heard was, “She will swim alone until the man who is her true equal comes to her.”

She whirled into a vortex of color, sound and wind. Her body felt lighter and lighter, weightless.

Then there was nothing but blue.

 

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Blaire Edens lives in mountains of North Carolina. She grew up on a farm that’s been in her family since 1790. Of Scottish descent, her most famous ancestor, John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch and Guardian of Scotland, was murdered by Robert the Bruce on the altar of the Greyfriars Church at Dumfries.

She has a degree in Horticulture from Clemson University. She’s held a myriad of jobs including television reporter, GPS map creator, and personal assistant to a fellow who was rich enough to pay someone to pick up the dry cleaning. When she’s not plotting, she’s busy knitting, running, or listening to the Blues.

Blaire loves iced tea with mint, hand-stitched quilts, and yarn stores. She refuses to eat anything that mixes chocolate and peanut butter or apple and cinnamon. She’s generally nice to her mother, tries to remember not to smack her bubble gum, and only speeds when no one’s looking.

She’s the past president of South Carolina Writers Workshop and an active member of Romance Writers of America.

 

 

 

 

 

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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 stop on the tour!

I have an awesome book to share with you.

Let’s get to it!

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

SPINNER

by Michael J Bowler

25353531

YA Horror/Paranormal

Published on August 5th, 2015

My Review

I felt an instant connection to Alex. Not because he was in a wheelchair. But because he and his gang of friends were are all deemed worthless. Each of them had a tic, a disability that landed them in the neverland of Special Ed.

I have a son with a social disabiilty. I can’t think of anything harder to deal with. Everything we do is social, is interaction with others. My heart broke one day. I was at the school to pick up my son and saw this boy coming down the hall. He was hunched into himself, trying to disappear, and there was no one else even in the hall. What crushed me was I realized it was my son. I couldn’t imagine how his days must be.

Alex and his friends endure bullying on a daily basis. They have each others back, the strong defending the weaker. And Alex and Roy have a special bond. It goes beyond friendship. It’s love. Love for a fellow human being. It’s unbreakable. I loved it.

Something that sets Alex apart is he’s a spinner. He can heal others, take away their pain. He can’t do it to himself, only to others. Some powerful people know about his ability. They want it. They want him. And they are coming.

I enjoyed how there were several different plots going at the same time.

The boys had to deal with the bullies. And Alex had to come to grips with a chance at young love.

Then there was the deadly hooded figure and the giant cat. Alex thought they were only in his dreams. But they almost kill him and Roy, and also go after his friends.

Mustn’t forget their new Special Ed teacher. Somethings hinky about her. Not sure who she’s working with, but she’s giving off some creepy vibes. The boys aren’t falling for it either.

Lots of surprises in this book too.  I think I was as surprised as Alex when he uncovered a secret from his past. A secret revealed by his deceased mother. Alex has endured 10 foster homes and now Jane, his current abusive foster mother. The one who kept the package from him.  She’s got plans for Alex.

So much is happening that the plot flies. It may sound confusing, but it’s not. Everything flows smoothly.

An unlikely band of heroes, these kids have a lot going on. Those who brush them off as dummies will think twice when these guys spring into action.

My son is reading this now. He got tired of me calling him out of his room to read excerpts to him. Told me to hurry up and finish so he could read it himself. Now, he’s coming out of his room to read parts of this book to me. Too funny.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Fifteen-year-old Alex is a “spinner.” His friends are “dummies.” Two clandestine groups of humans want his power. And an ancient evil is stalking him. If people weren’t being murdered, Alex might laugh at how his life turned into a horror movie overnight.

In a wheelchair since birth, his freakish ability has gotten him kicked out of ten foster homes since the age of four. Now saddled with a sadistic housemother who uses his spinning to heal the kids she physically abuses, Alex and his misfit group of learning disabled classmates are the only ones who can solve the mystery of his birth before more people meet a gruesome end.

They need to find out who murdered their beloved teacher, and why the hot young substitute acts like she’s flirting with them. Then there’s the mysterious medallion that seems to have unleashed something malevolent, and an ancient prophecy suggesting Alex has the power to destroy humanity.

The boys break into homes, dig up graves, elude kidnappers, fight for their lives against feral cats, and ultimately confront an evil as old as humankind. Friendships are tested, secrets uncovered, love spoken, and destiny revealed.

The kid who’s always been a loner will finally learn the value of friends, family, and loyalty.

If he survives…

Amazon

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael J. Bowler is an award-winning author of eight novels–A Boy and His Dragon, A Matter of Time (Silver Medalist from Reader’s Favorite), and The Knight Cycle, comprised of five books: Children of the Knight (Gold Award Winner in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards), Running Through A Dark Place, There Is No Fear, And The Children Shall Lead, Once Upon A Time In America, and Spinner. His horror screenplay, “Healer,” was a Semi-Finalist, and his urban fantasy script, “Like A Hero,” was a Finalist in the Shriekfest Film Festival and Screenplay Competition. He grew up in San Rafael, California, and majored in English and Theatre at Santa Clara University. He went on to earn a master’s in film production from Loyola Marymount University, a teaching credential in English from LMU, and another master’s in Special Education from Cal State University Dominguez Hills. He partnered with two friends as producer, writer, and/or director on several ultra-low-budget horror films, including “Fatal Images,” “Club Dead,” and “Things II,” the reviews of which are much more fun than the actual movies. He taught high school in Hawthorne, California for twenty-five years, both in general education and to students with learning disabilities, in subjects ranging from English and Strength Training to Algebra, Biology, and Yearbook. He has also been a volunteer Big Brother to eight different boys with the Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters program and a thirty-year volunteer within the juvenile justice system in Los Angeles. He has been honored as Probation Volunteer of the Year, YMCA Volunteer of the Year, California Big Brother of the Year, and 2000 National Big Brother of the Year. The “National” honor allowed him and three of his Little Brothers to visit the White House and meet the president in the Oval Office. He is currently working on a sequel to Spinner. His goal as a YA author is for teens to experience empowerment and hope; to see themselves in his diverse characters; to read about kids who face real-life challenges; and to see how kids like them can remain decent people in an indecent world.

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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

Grey Daze

A Lance Underphal Mystery

by Michael Allan Scott

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My 56

Frank asks, “You okay?”

I gather myself. “Just thinking.”

Frank remains silent, eyes on the road, the white lines flashing past.

Swallowing hard, I continue. “Thinking about my wife.”

Frank keeps his gaze straight ahead, lips pursed, saying nothing as we wind our way down by the dry riverbed.

I clear my throat. “My dead wife.”

More silent treatment from Frank, as if he’s waiting.

I turn to face him. “I didn’t do it.”

Frank turns his head to meet my glare, then turns back to his driving.

I nearly choke on it. “I didn’t kill her.

“Nodding gently, he says, “I was pretty sure you didn’t.”

I look down, shaking my head, repeating softly to no one, ” I didn’t do it…I didn’t do it.”

Frank lets me ramble.

Finally I look back at him. “Now what?”

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Synopsis

GREY DAZE descends. A fresh murder spins out of control, twisting into new realms of paranormal mystery.

Not for the faint of heart, the third in the Lance Underphal Mystery series, is an interplay of corrupt characters immersed in today’s world.

Paranormal twists and fast action in movie-like scenes set the story’s mystery/thriller elements apart from the typical whodunit/serial-killer thriller.

Guided by his dead wife, a reluctant psychic finds himself on a wild ride through a criminal underworld, slamming face first into corrupt police, gunrunning bikers, and a drug addicted killer–not to mention confrontations with the dead.

Layers of plots within plots twist this new thriller into a startling climax.

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

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Welcome to this week’s Two for Thursday Book Blitz #T4T
presented by Month9books/Tantrum Books!

Today, we will be showcasing two titles that may tickle your fancy,
and we’ll share what readers have to say about these titles!

You just might find your next read!

This week, #T4T presents to you:

The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold and
Of Breakable Things by A. Lynden Rolland

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

The Looking Glass

Find the diary, break the curse, step through The Looking Glass!

Fifteen-year-old Alice Montgomery wakes up in the lobby of the B&B where she has been vacationing with her family to a startling discovery: no one can see or hear her. The cheap desk lights have been replaced with gas lamps and the linoleum floor with hardwood and rich Oriental carpeting. Someone has replaced the artwork with eerie paintings of Elizabeth Blackwell, the insane actress and rumored witch who killed herself at the hotel in the 1880s. Alice watches from behind the looking glass where she is haunted by Elizabeth Blackwell. Trapped in the 19th-century version of the hotel, Alice must figure out a way to break Elizabeth’s curse—with the help of Elizabeth’s old diary and Tony, the son of a ghost hunter who is investigating the haunted B&B—before she becomes the inn’s next victim.

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WHAT READER’S ARE SAYING:

Curses, ghosts, betrayal and love. All elements to a perfect ghostly story..” – Jasmyn, Bitten by Romance

“I think one of the creepiest things about The Looking Glass was the way it made me feel so claustrophobic. It was similar to the way I felt when I read Stephen King’s Under the Dome–trapped and a bit panicked.”Kelly, Reviewer

“It was so different and so beautifully written and detailed that I really could not put this story down and I felt as though I was there with Alice throughout the story.” – Melissa, Simplistic Reviews

about-the-author

Jessica Arnold

Jessica Arnold writes YA, codes ebooks, and is currently a graduate student in publishing at Emerson College in Boston. She spends most of her time in class or work or slogging through the homework swamp. If she has a spare moment, she’s always up for a round of Boggle. Given the opportunity, Jessica will pontificate at length on the virtues of the serial comma, when and where to use an en dash, and why the semicolon is the best punctuation mark pretty much ever.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Of Breakable Things

A captivating debut about the fragility of life, love, and perspective.

When Chase dies tragically, Alex embraces her own mortality. What she didn’t expect was that she’d have to make a choice: forget the years of pain and suffering once and for all, or linger as a spirit and get another chance at life and love.

Alex doesn’t hesitate to choose; she’d follow Chase anywhere. But the spirit world is nothing like she expected, and Alex finds she’s forced to fight for her life once more. For even in a world where secrets are buried much deeper than six feet under, a legacy can continue to haunt you—and in a place this dangerous, no one is resting in peace.

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WHAT READER’S ARE SAYING:

“I am so in love with this story.”Linda, Lala Toadstone

“This is one book that I can see being turned into a film adaptation successfully!”Victoria, Escape into Pages

The concepts and worldbuilding are imaginative and fun–and so well written!–but it was the emotions and characters that really carry this from good to great for me.” – A.M. Supinger, Author

about-the-author

A. Lynden Rolland

A. Lynden Rolland was born and raised in Annapolis, Maryland, a picturesque town obsessed with boats and blue crabs. She has always been intrigued by the dramatic and the broken, compiling her eccentric tales of tragic characters in a weathered notebook she began to carry in grade school. She is a sports fanatic, a coffee addict, and a lover of Sauvignon Blanc, thunderstorms and autumn leaves. When she isn’t hunched behind a laptop at her local bookstore, she can be found chasing her two vivacious children. She now resides just outside Annapolis with her husband and young sons.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumbler | Pinterest | Instagram | YouTube

Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter for your chance to win!

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Yeah! It’s now my turn to share Madison’s Song with ya’ll!

Come on in and check out the stunning cover art.

Enjoy my review. I promise I won’t ramble much. LOL

Read the thrilling excerpt and check out the buy links to get your own copy.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Let’s go!

Madison’s Song

by Christine Amsden

Madisons Song

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My Review

I was so sad when I finished the Cassie Scot series.

Then I was so excited to get my hands on Madison’s Song. It’s a companion book to the series and features several characters I wanted to know more about.

Christine Amsden is a master at hooking you into the story from the first couple of sentences. The prologue captivated me right away. I pressed on, anxious to get to the whole story and excited to enter this world again.

I always thought Madison was stronger, more than she thought she was. Her power of song, her gift of evoking emotions through her singing, is a powerful gift. She is just discovering how handy it can be. Especially with werewolves slathering to eat her.

Her fear of werewolves is well founded. An encounter with Scott, the local pack leader, left her riddled with nightmares and dealing with lots of anxiety. To be around him terrifies her.

This is where she shows her toughness though. Her brother Clinton has vanished after calling and telling her he’s been bitten by a werewolf. The only one she knows might be able to help him is Scott.

Imagine Scott’s surprise when he opens the door and there stands Madison. He knows how she feels about him. He can’t blame her after what he put her through. That shes’ there at all stuns him.

Of course he’ll help her. He’s Clinton’s only chance at surviving the transformation and attacks from other packs. Plus it gives him time to be close to Madison. Maybe to change her fear of him to something else. Something more romantic.

But that’s a problem too as his best friend, Evan, a powerful wizard, is Madison’s half brother. His threats to rip Scott limb from limb if he so much as looks at Madison are not to be taken lightly.

I couldn’t wait for the road trip with Scott and Madison. These two are perfect for each other and I’ve been waiting a long time to see if or how they finally hook up.

Things get strange when they run across a rogue werewolf, Clara. She’s a werewolf but she wasn’t bitten. Using her to track down who took Clinton, they stumble onto something. It could be good for the werewolves, or it could be disastrous. I had a feeling it couldn’t be good so I read late into the night to find out.

I found out. I found out a lot of things by the end of the book.

I loved every bit of this and sure hope the author continues with more companion novels. I can think of many other characters who I’d enjoy getting to know better.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Her voice is enchanting; his soul is black…

Madison Carter has been terrified of Scott Lee since the night he saved her from an evil sorcerer – then melted into a man-eating monster before her eyes. The werewolf is a slave to the moon, but Madison’s nightmares are not.

Despite her fears, when Madison’s brother, Clinton, is bitten by a werewolf, she knows there is only one man who can help. A man who frightens her all the more because even in her nightmares, he also thrills her.

Together for the first time since that terrible night, Scott and Madison drive to Clinton’s home only to discover that he’s vanished. Frantic now, Madison must overcome her fears and uncover hidden strengths if she hopes to save him. And she’s not the only one fighting inner demons. Scott’s are literal, and they have him convinced that he will never deserve the woman he loves.

*Stand-alone companion to the Cassie Scot series

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Check out this exciting excerpt!

“Silence,” David commanded.

Her throat continued to work, but no sound emerged. She felt like a fish being gutted, choking and spluttering as David returned to the work of cutting into the soft, sensitive flesh of her belly. Yet even as tears refilled her eyes and fear devoured her heart, some part of her recognized that her guts remained intact. Whatever David was doing to her with the dagger involved tracing shallow patterns across the surface of her skin.

Fight the pain. Take deep breaths. Ground and center. She was not in the empty living room of a house she had not quite moved into yet, she was at church, singing in the choir. Above her, Jesus hung from a cross, a crown of thorns atop his head, a soft glow surrounding him. She usually found the magic within that glow. She reached for it…

“Stop that!” David slapped her hard across the face.

Once again her eyes flew open. She saw the dagger dripping with blood – her blood. Had her feeble grab for magic actually made a difference? David seemed to have noticed something, but what?

“You’re just making this harder on yourself,” David said.

“What do you want?” Madison tried to ask. Her mouth moved, her lips forming the question, but no sound emerged.

She didn’t think he would answer; he couldn’t even have heard the question, but to her surprise he only hesitated a moment before saying, “Your soul.”

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Author Christine Amsden

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Christine Amsden has been writing fantasy and science fiction for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and relationships, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.

At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that affects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams.

In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work.

Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children.

Website / Newsletter / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Google +

 

Purchase Links

Amazon / B&N

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