Archive for the ‘Paranormal or fantasy’ Category

Happy Release Day to Carlie M A Cullen and the third and final book in her series, Heart Search: Betrayal

I loved the first two books in the Heart Search Series and am thrilled to feature the final book.

To celebrate her new release Carlie is offering Heart Search: Lost, Book One,  for FREE on Amazon on February 7th & 8th!

I’ve also got a thrilling book trailer to share.

And a giveaway! Don’t forget to enter.

Betrayal front cover

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Amazon

One bite started it all . . .

Joshua, Remy, and the twins are settled in their new life. However, life doesn’t always run smoothly. An argument between Becky and her twin causes unforeseen circumstances, an admission by Samir almost costs him his life, and the traitor provides critical information to Liam. But who is it?

As Jakki’s visions begin to focus on the turncoat’s activities, a member of the coven disappears, and others find themselves endangered.

And when Liam’s coven attacks, who will endure?

Fate continues to toy with mortals and immortals alike, and as more hearts descend into darkness, can they overcome the dangers they face and survive?

~~~

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtoJwwxtPak]

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About the author

Betrayal Photo of Carlie

Carlie M A Cullen was born in London. She grew up in Hertfordshire where she first discovered her love of books and writing.

She has always written in some form or another, but started to write novels in 2011. Her first book was published by Myrddin Publishing in 2012. She writes in the Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genres for New Adult and Adult.

Carlie is also a principal editor for Eagle Eye Editors.

Carlie also holds the reins of a writing group called Writebulb. They have published four anthologies so far, two for adults and two for children, all of which raise money for a local hospice.

Carlie currently lives in Essex, UK with her daughter.

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Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Linkedin

Amazon ~ About me ~ Wattpad ~ Goodreads

BOOKS:

Heart Search, book one: Lost

Heart Search, book two: Found

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About the other books

Heart Search: Lost

Book One

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Click on the cover for my review.

Go HERE to get your free copy February 7th and 8th.

**

Heart Search: Found

Book Two

18189790

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Click on the cover for my review.

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Here are some of the pretties you can win!

Along with signed print copies of the complete series.

Carlie jewelry

Carlie jewelry 2

Enter the rafflecopter now!

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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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 Promise

by Donna Boyd

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My 56

The pain came in slowly, like a tide filling an empty pool. When the pool was filled, when every part of him was saturated with awareness, the agony was so intense that all of his remaining strength was required not to cry out with it, to scream, to howl until his voice filled the heavens and turned the skies black.

~~~

Synopsis

“I saw the only woman I ever loved almost destroyed by my secrets. But it was the telling of them, in the end, that brought her to ruin.”From the journals of Matise DevoncroixHannah Braselton North has abandoned civilization to spend her life in the Alaskan wilderness. And now she holds in her hands the supposed “memoirs” of one Matise Devoncroix. It is a story of strange desires and forbidden love–the tale of a magnificent hidden race and a tortured, doomed relationship. And it is somehow connected to the critically injured male wolf Hannah pulled from the same airplane wreckage in which she discovered the diary.

But the deeper she delves into Devoncroix’s story–and the stronger her recovering “patient” becomes–the more the sad, reclusive scientist realizes that what she is reading is no mere fiction. The world’s true rulers have been revealed to her: fierce, strong, beautiful, and sensual creatures who have long dominated civilization in secret. The burned and bloody wolf she has taken into her small cabin is one of them: a living relation of the tragic Matise, Nicholas Devoncroix. And as his broken body mends, his awesome powers of attraction strengthen as well–as do his memories and his rage…and his lust for vengeance.

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I read this book many years ago and it still pops into my head now and then. I couldn’t remember the title or even the author, but the story stayed with me.

I was doing the happy dance when I picked up a book at the local thrift shop and read the cover flap. This was that book! And it’s a beautiful hardback copy in excellent condition. I had to dive right in and now I’m sharing it with you.

The writing is superb and the description doesn’t do the story justice. It’s rich, deep, and sensual.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

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

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Have you joined TSU yet?

Click on the widget to friend and follow me!

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Thanks for visiting my stop on the Blitz for Julie Kenner’s Find Me Trilogy!

I have some spectacular covers to share with you.

Plus a fantastic first chapter excerpt.

Come on in and check out the paranormal romance trilogy.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

FIND ME TRILOGY (Dark Pleasures)

by Julie Kenner

Paranormal Romance

Published on January, 2015

 

A doomed woman. A dangerous and mysterious man. And an epic passion that cannot be denied…

From the first moment I saw Malcolm, I felt his power shudder through me. Lithe and powerful, dark and controlling, he cast a spell over me that I didn’t understand, but to which I willingly surrendered.

One touch and I melted. One glance into his storm-swept eyes and I was lost. One kiss, and I was bound.

But sometimes passion can burn to hot, and it would take all of our strength for Mal and I to survive the fire that raged between us…

NOTE TO READERS: Each of the 1001 Dark Nights novellas is a stand-alone, be sure not to miss Caress of Darkness by Julie Kenner. The Find Me books are a true trilogy spanning Mal and Christina’s romance and are meant to be read in order.

 

FIND ME IN DARKNESS (Part 1)

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Published on January 13th, 2015

Amazon USAmazon UK

Add it to your Goodreads list!

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Excerpt #1 – Ch 1

 

​Mal stood by the bed and looked down at the woman he’d just fucked.

She was drop-dead gorgeous, lithe and strong with alabaster skin and hair as dark as his own. She was smart and funny, had good taste in wine, and had sucked his cock with rare skill.

Not a bad resume, when you got right down to it, and if Mal had even an ounce of sense he’d slide back into bed, sink deep inside her, and try once more to forget how goddamn lonely he was.

Shit.

She didn’t deserve that. Hell, none of the women he fucked deserved that. Which was why he had a strict one-time only policy. Shared lust and pounding sex to work out some of life’s kinks was one thing. But Mal didn’t do serious or personal. Not anymore.

He’d had serious. He’d had personal.

Hell, he’d had love. Epic, forever, everyone-else-can-just-melt-away love.

And not only love, but respect and humor and passion so intense that he felt alive only when he touched her.

He’d had all that.

Now, all he had was a nightmare.

On the bed, the woman shifted, then smiled up at him, soft and sultry. “Mal? What’s wrong?”

He said nothing, and she sat up, letting the sheet fall to her waist to expose her bare breasts as she held out a hand to him. “Come back to bed and let me make it better.”

If only it was that easy.

“I have to go.”

“Go?” She glanced at the clock and then pulled up the sheet to cover her nakedness. “It’s not even midnight.” Her voice was indignant.

“It can’t be helped.”

“You son-of-a-bitch.”

He didn’t wince, didn’t try to defend himself. What defense was there against the truth?

Instead, he moved to her side, then brushed his fingers lightly over her forehead. “Sleep,” he said, then stepped away as the woman fell back against the pillows, lost once again to the world of dreams.

He pulled the sheet up to cover her, then glanced around the room in search of his clothes. He’d brought her to the penthouse suite at the stunning Gardiner Hotel, a relatively new Fifth Avenue boutique in which he held a significant financial position. Now he moved through the bedroom and parlor, gathering discarded garments as he walked.

He pulled on his jeans, then slipped his arms into the white button-down that he’d worn that evening before going out in search of a woman to take the edge off. He let it hang open as he stepped out onto the patio, then moved to the stone half-wall that separated him from the concrete and asphalt of Fifth Avenue twelve stories below.

It would be easy enough to jump. To end his pain, even if only for a few moments.

And a few moments were all that he would get before the phoenix fire would surround and gather him, reducing him to ashes before once again regenerating him.

Immortality.

Had he truly once believed it was a gift? To have an eternity in this body that could touch and feel and experience such profound pleasure?

Three thousand years ago, it had been a gift, but that was when she’d been beside him, and it was Christina he’d been touching. Caressing.

Christina he’d held in his arms. Whose lips brushed gently over his skin. Who whispered soft words so close to his ear that even her breath aroused him.

But then everything had gone to shit and he’d realized that immortality wasn’t a gift. It was a curse.

He was immortal. He was alone. And every goddamn day was torture.

He closed his eyes and clutched the railing, his hands clenched so tight that the rough-hewn edges of the stone cut into his palms.

Christina

He reached out with his mind, searching for her as he did every night with equal parts dread and longing.

Sometimes centuries would pass before he felt her presence resonate through him, sometimes only decades.

It had been two hundred and sixty years since the last time he’d found her, her energy reaching out to him even from across the Atlantic, even though she never had a conscious memory of him, or even of herself.

He’d gone to her—and once more, he’d done what he had to do.

Since then, he’d grown complacent, expecting—no, hoping—that he would not feel her. That he would not find her out there in the world.

That he would not have to go to her yet again.

Christina…

Nothing. Not even the slightest tingle of awareness.

Thank god.

He breathed deep, relieved, and slowly let his body relax. He turned to go back inside, but the moment he did, everything shifted. The force of her essence lashed out, catching him unaware.

It surrounded him. Burned through him.

Hot. Powerful. Desperate.

And close.

This time, she was close. So close that it wasn’t just her essence that filled his mind, but her. The memory of her scent enveloped him, the sensation of her skin against his, the taste of her lips, of her flesh.

Oh, god. Oh, Christ.

He sank to his knees, wanting to run. Wanting to retch.

But he could do neither. And slowly—so painfully slowly—he stood.

He would do what he had to do, the same as he had done over and over again for millennia.

He would find her.

He would allow himself one moment to look at her.

And then, goddamn him, he would kill her.

 

FIND ME IN PLEASURE (Part 2)

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Published on January 20th, 2015

Amazon USAmazon UK

Add it to your Goodreads list!

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  FIND ME IN PASSION (Part 3)

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Published on January 27th, 2015

Amazon USAmazon UK

Add it to your Goodreads list!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and International bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres. Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, Victorian-era thrillers (coming soon), and paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, has been consistently in development in Hollywood since prior to publication. Most recently, it has been optioned by Warner Brothers Television for development as series on the CW Network with Alloy Entertainment producing. JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for him.” A three time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy). Her books have sold well over a million copies and are published in over over twenty countries. In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.

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INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY

PRIZES UP FOR GRABS:
$20 Amazon Gift Card
Signed copy of Caress of Darkness
Swag pack

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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I loved the first two books in the Heart Search Series so I’m very excited to share the cover for Heart Search: Betrayal!

I’m reading this now and will be sharing my review on the tour in February.

So without further ado…

 Love it!

Love it!

Betrayal front cover

One bite started it all . . .

Joshua, Remy, and the twins are settled in their new life. However, life doesn’t always run smoothly. An argument between Becky and her twin causes unforeseen circumstances, an admission by Samir almost costs him his life, and the traitor provides critical information to Liam. But who is it?

As Jakki’s visions begin to focus on the turncoat’s activities, a member of the coven disappears, and others find themselves endangered.

And when Liam’s coven attacks, who will endure?

Fate continues to toy with mortals and immortals alike, and as more hearts descend into darkness, can they overcome the dangers they face and survive?

~~~

About the author

Betrayal Photo of Carlie

Carlie M A Cullen was born in London. She grew up in Hertfordshire where she first discovered her love of books and writing.

She has always written in some form or another, but started to write novels in 2011. Her first book was published by Myrddin Publishing in 2012. She writes in the Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genres for New Adult and Adult.

Carlie is also a principal editor for Eagle Eye Editors.

Carlie also holds the reins of a writing group called Writebulb. They have published four anthologies so far, two for adults and two for children, all of which raise money for a local hospice.

Carlie currently lives in Essex, UK with her daughter.

.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Linkedin

 

Amazon ~ About me ~ Wattpad ~ Goodreads

BOOKS:

Heart Search, book one: Lost

Heart Search, book two: Found

~~~

About the other books

Heart Search: Lost

Book One

20659296

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Click on the cover for my review.

**

Heart Search: Found

Book Two

18189790

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Click on the cover for my review.

~~~

More coming soon!

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

RedAdeptPublishing.com

I’m thrilled to share this debut by Author Kelly Stone Gamble.

Who doesn’t love a southern gothic mystery? And this one twists you every which way as you try to get to the bottom of it.

Come on in. Grab a seat. Here’s some iced tea.

Now let’s get to my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

They Call Me Crazy

by Kelly Stone Gamble

They Call Me Crazy -800 Cover reveal and Promotional

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My Review

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I love it when everything comes together to make a really good mystery.

It was a dark and stormy night…Well, it was!

Cass, the town crazy lady, has finally had enough of her cheatin, beatin husband, Roland, and whacks him with a shovel, which she then uses to bury him in the fish pond.

When a torrential rain uncovers his body, Cass has to move him and gets caught red handed.  You’d think it was an open and shut case once she confesses to murdering her husband. But nothing is what it seems in this peculiar little town and Cass is crazy, isn’t she?

I pictured the town as shrouded in fog, never sunny and bright. I guess I got that from the beginning scenes and carried it through the whole story. Made it creepy and more mysterious too.

Each chapter is narrated by a different character and this added to the fun. How do you figure out what really happened? Ask a dozen witnesses to an event and each one sees something different. Cass may have confessed, but she’s touched in the head , so did she kill him?

In a small town where everybody knows everybody’s secrets, this one is trying to stay buried and things get more and more convoluted until the truth is revealed.

A great debut by this author and I will be waiting for her next book.

4 Stars

~~~

Synopsis

Cass Adams is crazy, and everyone in Deacon, Kansas, knows it. But when her good-for-nothing husband, Roland, goes missing, no one suspects that Cass buried him in their unfinished koi pond. Too bad he doesn’t stay there for long. Cass gets arrested on the banks of the Spring River for dumping his corpse after heavy rain partially unearths it.

The police chief wants a quick verdict—he’s running for sheriff and has no time for crazy talk. But like Roland’s corpse, secrets start to surface, and they bring more to light than anybody expected. Everyone in Cass’s life thinks they know her—her psychic grandmother, her promiscuous ex-best friend, her worm-farming brother-in-law, and maybe even her local ghost. But after years of separate silences, no one knows the whole truth. Except Roland. And he’s not talking.

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Author Kelly Stone Gamble

They Call Me Crazy Kelly Stone Gamble

Kelly Stone Gamble was born and raised in the Midwest… all over the Midwest. By the time she graduated from high school, she had run away from home twice and attended twenty-two different schools. To bring that total to twenty-five, she obtained an undergrad degree and two graduate degrees. There are stories in those experiences, and she chose to use them for fictional inspiration.

 

For the past twenty years, Kelly has lived in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, Nevada. She recently accepted a full-time position with Southeast Oklahoma State University to teach Literature and Professional Speech and will soon be a resident, again, of the Midwest.

 

Look out, tornadoes. You have competition.

Links where the book is sold:

Amazon ~ B&N ~ Apple ~ Kobo ~ Google Play 

Author page on RAP ~ Goodreads

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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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I fell in love with the cover for Blood Monarch.

Looking for something new with some Vlad the Impaler, Dracula himself?

Draco’s new release has so much to offer.

Come on in.

Check out Blood Monarch and get to know a bit about the characters!

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Blood Monarch

by Drako

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A king’s duty never ends, even when his kingdom changes. Vladimir Dracula is one of the most famous and misunderstood figures in all of history. One thing is true, he is a king, and he is a vampire. He is the true king and enforcer of the vampire race. Feared by all of his own kind, he is perhaps the most lethal of the Black Dragon God’s mortal born servants. At the same time, he personifies sex. None can resist his charms, save one.

Vax King is the Chosen of Hecate, the Heir of Mjolnir, and has no plans on a mate. When he’s called on to enter Fae lands, he’s surprised to find the legendary vampire there. Looking to aid the beautiful Fae, Anaya, and her soul mate, Galen, Vax must enter a world of sex of violence with only Vlad to accompany him. Here, there can be no denial, no hesitation. Only truth….and dominance.

A war is brewing in the Fae lands, as the fallen angels rise to lay claim to the power of their goddess, Verlaine and topple their higher brethren. Older than most, Vlad must accustom himself to having a soul mate, and use all his legendary power to stop the forces of darkness long believed to be controlled by him. A new kingdom is the prize, and none knows better than the famed Dracula that the secret to power lies in the blood.

Book Links:

Goodreads I Amazon

Meet the Characters:



Vladimir Dracula



AKA: Vlad, Vlad the Impaler, Dracula

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 315 pounds

Hair: shoulder length, brown

Origin: A human follower of Jarel, the Black Dragon god. He was caught in the crossfire of Jarel’s disagreement with a demon god and the result changed him into one of the first vampires. 

More info: Contrary to popular belief, he has never sired another vampire. The entire race descends from the married couple, Vacker and Deidre. He has functioned as the final enforcer of the race since its creation. He is lethal in battle, being one of those fortunate enough to have had Jarel’s favor in mortal life first. He is also extremely sexual, with an appeal that draws others to him. He should not be confused with the prince who became known as Vlad the Impaler. He’s far older and earned the name in a far different manner. 



Vax



Height: 6’4”

Weight: 220 pounds

Hair: long, red

Origin: A mortal born witch, servant to Hecate, the patron goddess of witches. He was chosen by the goddess himself to wield the legendary hammer Mjolnir to expel Lucifer from the mortal world.

More info: Vax originally had a bit of a self-confidence issue. Because he’s mortal born, he is not used to the strength and power gifted to him by the goddess. He’s a quick learner, and in fact, had a bit of conflict with Vlad in his first story. He’s the first person to resist Vlad’s charm when the vampire is really pouring it on. 



Anaya



Height: 5’3”

Hair: long, red

Origin: An orphaned Fae, she comes into contact with Brandon during his mortal life and the two have a son, Theo, who eventually becomes one of the Three Fates. She is actually the daughter of the Fae queen and the very first angel, Apollyon.

More info: Anaya was captured due to her softer and trusting nature in the second book, and the reasons are complicated. Her ties to the father of her child as well as her soul mate, in addition to her parentage, made her a target. But she’s certainly come into her own and is no damsel in distress



Galen

Height: 6’6”

Weight: 258 pounds

Eyes: blue

Hair: long, black

Origin: A warrior angel created by an ancient goddess, he has only known war and duty and has not adjusted to the idea of having a soul mate.

More info: Galen has loyalty that cannot be questioned, even falling from grace to aid in the fall of Lucifer. He’s powerful and ruthless in battle, but unfamiliar with the concept of love. It’s taken him a long time to accept Anaya.

About the Author:

Drako resides in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, which you may notice is part of the setting of this series. When he isn’t writing, he’s busy editing for other authors, reviewing books, working, going to college, and spending time with his friends and two nieces. He blogs often and is very active on Facebook while trying to readjust to activity on twitter. His subject matter varies as he likes to talk about more than just his writing. You can check out his posts at his website, drakosden.weebly.com

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Author Links:

Facebook I Twitter

theoriginals1

Welcome to my tour stop for The Originals: The Rise created by Julie Plec.

From the creator of The Originals, the hit spin-off television show of The Vampire Diaries, come three never-before-released prequel stories featuring The Original vampire family.

This tour runs January 12th-30th and it will consist of reviews, special content and spotlights. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.

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The Originals_The Rise_book 1_coverTitle: The Originals: The Rise
Author: Julie Plec
Series: The Originals, book 1/3
Release date: Tuesday, January 27
Format: Trade
Price: $12.95 U.S. / $14.95 CAN.
Pages: 352
ISBN: 9780373788897
eISBN: 9781460349731
Imprint: Harlequin HQN

Book Description:

Family is power. The Original vampire family swore it to each other a thousand years ago. They pledged to remain together always and forever. But even when you’re immortal, promises are hard to keep.
Arriving in New Orleans in 1722, Original vampire siblings Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah Mikaelson believe they’ve escaped their dangerous past. But the city is lawless, a haven for witches and werewolves unwilling to share territory. The siblings are at their mercy…especially after Klaus meets the beautiful and mysterious Vivianne. Her impending marriage is key to ending the war between the supernatural factions—and Klaus’s attraction to her could destroy the uneasy alliance. As Elijah works toward securing a piece of the city for his family, and Rebekah fights her unexpected feelings for a French captain, will Klaus’s volatile desires bring their world crashing down—and tear them apart for good?
  • An exclusive Originals cast poster to all who pre-order and complete the form using the above link!
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Originals Quote Image 12 - Jan.22,
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JuliePlec_AuthorPhotoAuthor Bio:
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Julie Plec is the co-creator & executive producer of The Vampire Diaries & the creator of The Vampire Diaries spin-off, The Originals. Plec got her start as a writer and producer on the ABC Family series Kyle XY. She also collaborated on the CW drama The Tomorrow People. Her screenplay adaptation The Tiger’s Curse is in development at Paramount, and she will produce the feature @emma with Darko Entertainment. Past feature production credits include Scream 2 and Scream 3.
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Giveaway:
15 prize packs including: A copy of The Originals: The Rise and a copy of The Originals season 1 on DVD.
US/Canada only
Ends Feb. 4, 2015

a Rafflecopter giveawayThe-Originalsbreak2This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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I’m in love. In love with Yancy Lazarus!

When Author James Hunter approached me about reading Strange Magic, the title had me curious.

I checked out his book and knew right away it was for me.

It’s just released and available HERE on Amazon.

Come on in and meet Yancy.

It’s some feaky deaky hoodoo!

Strange Magic

A Yancy Lazarus Novel

by James A. Hunter

23944302

 

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My Review

Yancy’s having one of those days, weeks…. Starts out innocently enough and then goes to s!#t.

It all started with a simple phone call from a friend in need. Now Yancy’s in a world of hurt and it ain’t gonna be getting better any time soon..

“I’d been pumped full of tranquilizers,busted a hole in the back wall of The Full House, got shot in the ass, and had, eventually, passed out in a dog pee under a car. Right?”

“So, how’d I end up Saran-wrapped to a table in white-picker suburbia?”

Yancy Lazarus (AKA The Fixer) He drinks too much. Smokes too much. And gambles too much. Or so they say. He just likes to live large.

He can do magic, using the VIS – Latin word meaning force or energy. Yancy’s neat trick is he can manipulate energy, using things like water and fire.  But a big gun comes in handy too when he comes face to face with the Rakshasa,  their face kind of like a hyena, with a mouth full of shark teeth, beady eyes, over long arms and gray flesh. Nasty things.

He’s 65 and looks 45 due to the longevity the Vis gives him. The FBI has his mug on a Most Wanted poster for domestic terrorism and murder, among other things. Sure, he’s killed, but most were of the non-human type.

Ya gotta love Yancy. He’s a shit-kickin, blues lovin, rambler and gambler, playing piano for drinks, gambling to feed himself, and living out of the back of his precious El Camino. A true nomad and bad ass.

From the first paragraph

“The piano keys bobbed and danced under the pressure of my fingers. Music – low, slow, and soulful – drifted through the club, merging and twirling with wandering clouds of blue-gray smoke. So many places have no-smoking laws these days, it seems like there’s nowhere in the country where a guy can take a drag from a cigarette in peace. Everyone is so worries about their health, they make damn sure you stay healthy by proxy.”

to the last I had a rip snortin time and can’t wait to see what kind of Hell Yancy winds up in next.

Strange Magic is Author James A. Hunter’s debut novel. They say a writer gets better with each books he writes. If this is true, I can’t imagine what he has in store for this series.

5 Stars

A Tip from Yancy Lazarus

“I cannot tell you the number of fights that start and end in back aleys. Tip: if you find yourself in a bar and about to walk into a dark alley with a guy who would like to do you violence, don’t. Just don’t do it. Not ever.”

“Here’s another tip: sometimes, bad choices are the only ones available.”

Fun tags.

McGoon. Thugzilla.

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Synopsis

Yancy Lazarus is having a bad day: there’s a bullet lodged in his butt cheek, his face looks like the site of a demolition derby, and he’s been saran-wrapped to a banquet table. He never should have answered the phone. Stupid bleeding heart—helping others in his circles is a good way to get dead.

Just ask the gang members ripped to pieces by some kind of demonic nightmare in LA. As a favor to a friend, Yancy agrees to take a little looksee into the massacre and boom, he’s stuck in a turf war between two rival gangs, which both think he’s pinch-hitting for the other side. Oh, and there’s also a secretive ass-hat with some mean ol’ magical chops and a small army of hyena-faced, body- snatching baddies. It might be time to seriously reconsider some of his life choices.

Yancy is a bluesman, a rambler, a gambler, but not much more. Sure, he can do a little magic—maybe even more than just a little magic—but he knows enough to keep his head down and stay clear of freaky-deaky hoodoo like this business in LA. Somehow though, he’s been set up to take a real bad fall—the kind of very permanent fall that leaves a guy with a toe tag. Unless, of course, he can find out who is responsible for the gangland murders, make peace in the midst of the gang feud, and take out said magical ass-hat before he hexes Yancy into an early retirement. Easy right? Stupid. Bleeding. Heart.

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About Author James A. Hunter

strange magic James A. Hunter Profile Pic

Hey all, my name is James Hunter and I’m a writer, among other things. So just a little about me: I’m a former Marine Corps Sergeant, combat veteran, and pirate hunter (seriously). I’m also a member of The Royal Order of the Shellback—‘cause that’s a real thing. And, a space-ship captain, can’t forget that.

Okay … the last one is only in my imagination.

Currently, I work as a missionary and international aid worker with my wife and young daughter in Bangkok, Thailand. When I’m not working, writing, or spending time with family, I occasionally eat and sleep. Strange Magic is my debut novel and the first in a planned series of books featuring Yancy Lazarus. Hope you enjoy.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Twitter

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The author is giving away three eBook copies of Strange Magic.

Mobi or ePub format (Winners Choice)

The entry is easy.

Just leave an email address so I can contact you if you win and answer this question:

“What magical power would you like to have?”

Giveaway ends January 30th.

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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 Hell banner 1  - Dark Scream Book Tours - Copy (3)

Welcome to my stop on The Mel Series Book Tour!

I have some gorgeous covers to share today.

You can read a bit about the books and enjoy the special glimpse inside Mel Goes To Hell.

Welcome To Hell

Welcome To Hell  one- Dark Scream Book Tours

 

“Good morning. Welcome to HELL.”

Mel hates job interviews – and this one’s shaping up to be the interview from Hell.

From the grumpy receptionist to the disturbingly demonic interview panel and the sleazy CEO, it seems landing her first job is the least of Mel’s worries.

Can she make it out of the office alive without selling her soul?

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Links

Amazon  ~Apple  ~ B&N  ~ Google PlayKoboSmashwords ~ Goodreads

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See You In Hell

welcome to hell 2  See You In Hell - Dark Scream Book Tours

 

A devilishly hot CEO. The angelic new office temp. A match made in Heaven or Hell?

Melody Angel takes a job as a temp at the HELL Corporation. Surrounded by eternal bureaucracy gone mad, demons who love making life miserable, and dying for a decent coffee, it may take a miracle for Mel’s mission to succeed. She must find out what evil plans Lucifer and his minions have in store and stop them, using any means necessary.

Adding trouble and temptation to Mel’s job is Luce Iblis, the damnably hot CEO, who has set his smouldering eyes on the new office angel and he’s determined to claim her, body and soul.

Can ultimate evil and angelic perfection escape a limbo of desire and find a paradise of their own?

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Links

Amazon  ~ Apple  ~ B&N  ~ Google Play~   Kobo ~   Smashwords ~Goodreads

 

Mel Goes To Hell

mel goes to hell use this

 

The ultimate forbidden love – when Lucifer falls for an angel.

Luce and Mel unearth an age-old conspiracy behind his fall from Heaven which could doom their love for eternity. Yet in the deepest levels of Hell lies a secret that could hold their salvation.

Eternal damnation awaits any angel who descends into the Pit of Despair, but Mel will move Heaven and Earth to save Lucifer’s soul. Armed with little more than the fury of a righteous angel, Mel will raise Hell in the name of love.

From the heights of Heaven to the depths of Hell, can love truly conquer all?

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Links

Amazon  ~ Apple  ~ B&N  ~ Google Play~   Kobo ~   Smashwords ~Goodreads

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Enjoy this glimpse inside Mel Goes To Hell

 

She wore white – an angel in the kitchen, contrasting with the honey-coloured timber cabinets. Her hair was pinned up as it usually was in the office, baring her neck so that it fairly begged him for a kiss. He couldn’t refuse her, so he moved as quietly as he could until she was close enough to touch. Maybe he hadn’t used up all his oyster influence last night…

“What is it about white that makes you look so angelic?” he murmured as he kissed her neck.

Mel jumped and gave a yelp. Liquid splattered on the bench.

Luce lifted his head and realised she’d been handling hot tea. She moved quickly to the sink, running her red hands under the cold tap.

“I’m sorry, Mel. I didn’t realise…” he began, wishing he’d thought to announce himself more safely. She was hurting because of him and he couldn’t stand it. He’d give anything to be able to heal her as she had him.

“It’s all right,” she said breathlessly. She nodded at the half-full cups. “You drink yours. I’ll get to mine in a minute, if I get time.”

“What’s the hurry?” Luce asked, slurping the steaming liquid. He hadn’t had a cup of tea in centuries until arriving at Mel’s place and now it seemed perfectly natural to drink several a day. He wondered if there was anything she couldn’t persuade him to do.

“Raphael called. He said he can get permission for you to enter Heaven again, but you’ll have to go through judgement, like any mortal. I said it was ridiculous and I fully intend to argue your case in person. Raphael evidently didn’t make it clear…” For the first time, Mel looked annoyed. No, like an angel filled with righteous anger, or at least indignation. He pitied whoever she’d be arguing with; they hadn’t a hope in Hell against her.

“Are you sure it’s worth the trouble?” he asked. “I mean, it’s been so long, I barely remember what it’s like up there. It’s not like I need to go in – the place is full of righteous angels, being sickeningly kind to each other with no idea of the reality down here. You know I have no patience for them, with their snowy-white reputations and ideals. I don’t belong there.”

“I’m one of them and so are you. You have every right to be there, just like they do. I have the same ideals, Luce, and you seem to like me just fine,” Mel said through gritted teeth as she shut off the tap, shaking her fingers dry in the sink.

Now he felt bad. She seemed so different to all the other angels he knew. None of them knew the conditions down here as well as she did. Delusional, living in their cloudy paradise…they’d never believe her, unless they saw him bleed for themselves. He’d spill his lifeblood for Mel, but not a drop for any of them, he swore. And they’d turn on her like they’d turned on him all those centuries ago. For doing what was necessary – stating the truth.

“I’m coming with you,” he announced.

She shook her head. “No, Luce. They’d…react differently to you. I’ll go on my own and smooth the way for you. It’s better this way.”

He snorted. “You expect me to sit here, like some damsel in distress, while you fight my battles for me? Why don’t I just wear one of your dresses and you can call me Lucia, too? Even then you’d have to chain me up here to keep me from coming with you. Oh Hell, that brings back memories…” He couldn’t help laughing.

“What memories? Do you have a torture room with chains somewhere that you haven’t showed me yet?” Mel asked. “Or did you just forget about it until now?”

Luce did his best to regain control of himself. “No, not any more. I did have a fun couple of decades as Madam Lucia, though, and we had a couple in the Lair. The things those girls could do…”

Mel’s face turned blank, almost deliberately, Luce decided. “You worked as a brothel madam? Why doesn’t that surprise me? I bet you could’ve filled up Hell with the people in your whorehouse…”

Luce sobered. “The customers, yes, but most of the girls were absolute saints. The things they put up with from the clients, the pay, the conditions…actually, I never saw their souls again, once they left my employ. Of course, there were a few…the ones who thought it was a fun idea to rob the customers and leave them in an alley somewhere, sometimes still breathing…well, Hell always needs a few more demons.”

“You…I’m sorry, Luce, I’m just trying to imagine you in a dress, let alone running a brothel…” Mel shook her head, as if trying to shake the image out of her ears.

Luce tried to smother his grin. “You know, I could show you,” he offered eagerly. “There was a lot of leather involved, but I believe some of my favourite designs are still in vogue in modern adult shops. I think they’d suit you better than they ever did me, though.”

“Luce.” Mel’s piercing gaze brought him out of his fantasy. “We weren’t discussing your fetish for leather. We were discussing how you should stay here while I’m in Heaven, at least for the moment.”

He met her eyes without flinching. “The only way you’ll get me to stay here while you’re fighting on my behalf is with a strong set of restraints – which brings us nicely back to leather.” He let his grin break free. “I fight my own battles in person, Mel. Later, we can celebrate with leather, if you like.”

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About Author Demelza Carlton

Demelza Carlton has always loved the ocean, but on her first snorkelling trip she found she was afraid of fish. She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray-drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.

Sensationalist spin? No – Demelza tends to take a camera with her so she can capture and share the moment later; shipwrecks, sharks and all.

Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world.

The Ocean’s Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed by her suspense thriller Nightmares trilogy. She swears the Mel Goes to Hell series ambushed her on a crowded train and wouldn’t leave her alone.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Today is the official release day for the paranormal/horror/suspense/thriller Growl!

Did you hear it? There! Now did you hear it?

I thought I heard a growl!

Come on in and celebrate the release of Growl.

Check out the creeptastic cover.

Read my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!


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My Review

Growl starts with a rumble, low and sinister. The rumble becomes a snarl, louder now and closer. The snarl becomes an ear splitting roar as the end rushes towards you.

At the tender age of 9, when her world should be one of innocence and wonder, Sheryl Ilene Newcomb (did you catch her initials- SIN) does something unspeakable. And she spends the second half of her life in fear. Fear of being found out. And fear of doing it again.

Any chance at a normal life, of happily ever after with the love of her life, is shattered by a voice. A voice in her head. When she finally meets the owner of that voice, she’s pulled, kicking and screaming, into her heritage. Her destiny.

But, someone else is out there. Someone like her, but not like her. And they won’t stop coming after her until she’s dead.

By the title, you are probably thinking werewolves, but you’d be wrong. This is something new in the paranormal genre, something steeped in Native American lore.

The author chose Mississippi as the setting for this story and it worked well. The southern dialect and culture were a perfect foil for this tale.

Part mysticism, part faith and family, and part horror, Growl kept me engrossed until the battery ran out on my Kindle. As soon as it was recharged, I jumped back into the story, not stopping until I finished.

You’re going to like the ending. And you’re going to want more.

5 Stars

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Synopsis:

My name is Sheryl Ilene Newcomb. And yes, my initials are
S.I.N. A funny little piece of whimsical humor my parents found amusing when I
arrived. Mom and Dad were two high school sweethearts who adored their guns,
their beer and their self-appointed titles of King and Queen of the Rebellious
Rednecks. The day I arrived, they didn’t think anyone in the town would have
the mental acuity to put two and two together to discover their little inside
joke. Shame on the pathetic excuses who called themselves teachers in this
dreary city, because Mom and Dad had been right: no one caught on to their
little attempt at humor.
Then, it turned out to be true. Looking back with wiser eyes
now, my family and I concluded that the events leading up to my transformation
started the summer I turned nine. But the day we realized there was a problem,
and no turning back, was a week before I started my senior year at Junction City
High. The day the fangs and claws appeared and the monster inside of me
emerged. When mutilated corpses appeared near a pile of brush down by Caney
Creek, everything changed.

 

That day, I changed, forever. Because evil woke up and
growled, its ominous rumblings heard by every living thing in Locasia County,
Mississippi.
 
Click the link above to get the book from Amazon.
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PLUS!
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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png
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The following prizes are available:
2 winners will receive a free code for the following audio
books:
Accountable to None; Zero Balance; Adjusting Journal
Entries; Number Seventy-Five; The Lie; Empty Shell
2 winners will receive signed paperbacks of the following
books:
Accountable to None; Zero Balance; Adjusting Journal
Entries; Number Seventy-Five; The Lie; Empty Shell
2 winners will receive ebooks of the following:
Accountable to None; Zero Balance; Adjusting Journal
Entries; Number Seventy-Five; The Lie; Empty Shell
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1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card.
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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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