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Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

Oh Yeah! Voodoo Child: Zombie Uprising ~ Video Interview and Giveaway

Posted: September 7, 2016 in Action/Adventure, giveaways, horror, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews
Tags: Author William Burke, giveaway, Horror, paranormal, review, Voodoo Child: Zombie Uprising

It’s almost fall and that means you’ll be seeing a lot of zombies roaming around on my blog.

Got a good one to share with ya today.

Check it out.

Enjoy the author ‘s video Q&A and my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Zombie Uprising

Voodoo Child

Book One

William Burke

Genre: Horror/Paranormal with Action/Adventure

Publisher: William Burke

Date of Publication: June 17th 2016

ASIN: B01H9E4HDA

Number of pages: 333 / Word Count: 96,000

Cover Artist: Deranged Doctor

My Review

You’ll be taken from the hot, arid sands of Iraq to the lush, tropical beauty of the Lesser Antilles Island of Fantamos, in this thrilling adventure.

There be demons and zombies, voodoo and the supernatural, and more evil character’s with their own agendas than you can shake a stick at.

Maggie’s blown up, shot, bitten, and literally stomped on, but like the Energizer Rabbit, she keeps on keeping on. Tough, snarky, and with no time for romance, forces enter her life that change everything.

I really liked Maggie. She’s a survivor and always quick with some sarcasm and humor. I’d say that’s a must when the plot is filled with danger, suspense, and death. Having those lighter moments and witty dialogue lighten the mood, bringing the character’s to life and give you someone to connect to. And she’s not the only one you’ll enjoy meeting.

This is a busy story. So much is happening. You travel across the world. And the blend of voodoo, demons, and zombies make it a super fast read. Lots to keep you on the edge and eager to reach the end.

It doesn’t end here, as it’s a series and leaves you with some questions, but this part of the story gets wrapped up and hints at things to come. And there’s a zinger at the end which connects to the beginning that, with all of the action, you might have forgot about. I should have seen it coming. It does explain what I thought was a plot hole. Nicely done.

4 Stars

~~~~~

Book Description

The forces of darkness are out to destroy mankind… Too bad they never reckoned on facing Maggie Child!

Army chopper pilot Maggie Child has a reputation for being fearless, professional and, above all, rational. But when she’s shot down over Iraq her well-ordered life spirals into a paranormal nightmare. Alone, wounded and surrounded by hostile forces, Maggie is rescued from certain death by a demon straight out of Dante’s Inferno. Then, barely alive, she’s abducted by a private military corporation conducting insidious medical experiments. Her escape from their covert hellhole lands her on a Caribbean island where an evil voodoo spirit and a psychotic female dictator are conspiring to unleash an apocalyptic zombie plague. Then she uncovers the most terrifying secret of all—her own destiny. It seems a Voodoo oracle has ordained her the only warrior capable of saving humanity from a supernatural Armageddon … whether she wants the job or not!

But saving the world isn’t a one-woman job, so she teams up with a trio of unlikely heroes—a conspiracy obsessed marijuana smuggler, a Voodoo priestess with an appetite for reality television, and a burnt out ex-mercenary. Together, they’ll take on an army of the walking dead, with the fate of humanity resting in their eccentric hands.

Voodoo Child, Book One: Zombie Uprising is the first novel in a new horror series packed with supernatural thrills, rousing adventure, dark humor, Voodoo lore and plenty of zombie stomping action. But a word of warning; don’t shoot these zombies in the head … because that just makes them mad!

It’s the legions of hell versus Maggie Child … and hell doesn’t have a prayer!

Amazon

Voodoo Child, Book One: Zombie Uprising by William Burke is a fast-paced horror novel with quirky characters…Reviewed by Kim Anisi for Readers’ Favorite

About Author William Burke

HEAD-AND-SHOULDERS

After two years of ghostwriting, William Burke has released his first novel VOODOO CHILD, Book One: Zombie Uprising. It’s the first installment of a new horror series chronicling the exploits of Maggie Child and her Voodoo priestess partner Sarafina as they battle to save the island of Fantomas from the wrath of evil Voodoo spirits.

The author was raised on a diet of late night creature features, comic books, Mad magazines and horror stories. As a result every volume will be packed with eccentric characters, dark humor, chills, zombies, ghosts, monsters, military hardware and plenty of stuff blowing up.

Prior to writing Voodoo Child he was the creator and director of the Destination America television series Hauntings and Horrors. He has also written scripts for two Cinemax television series, Forbidden Science and Lingerie, which he also produced. He has also written magazine pieces for Fangoria and the Phantom of the Movies Videoscope among others.

William began his film and television career as a perfectly respectable video engineer at the venerable United Nations. Budget cuts shifted him to becoming a production manager and assistant director on an array of New York based indie films. With that experience under his belt he relocated to Los Angeles where he eventually produced sixteen feature films and two television series for the Playboy Entertainment Group. After years of producing T&A extravaganzas, kickboxing epics and gangster rap videos, he created a self financed television pilot entitled American Mystery Tour. Canada’s CTV picked up the series under the title Creepy Canada, which was then re-titled Hauntings and Horrors in the USA. Since then he has successfully produced three series for HBO/Cinemax as well as documentaries and other … stuff.

After hundreds of hours of film and television production he is basking in the freedom of the written word, where small budgets and giant egos are only memories. He lives in Toronto.

If you enjoyed the first adventure please visit www.williamburkeauthor.com where you’ll find lots of interesting information about Voodoo and military hardware, along with excerpts from Sarafina’s personal diary AND, as a gift to readers, the author will be serializing a prequel novella.

Twitter / Goodreads / Website / Facebook

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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

Teaser Tuesday #169 ~ The Lobby

Posted: September 6, 2016 in Humor, reviews, suspense, Teaser Tuesdays
Tags: Author Randi M. Sherman, humor, review, suspense, Teaser Tuesday, The Lobby

Teaser

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB at Books And A Beat.

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

The Lobby

by Randi M. Sherman

Genre: Humor / Suspense

My teaser from page 35 in the paperback.

“C’mon, Natalie, take a risk with me. I promise to bring you back here after our day together. How about it? Let’s be two strangers enjoying a beautiful day together…..Nothing more, nothing less.”

~~~~~

Read on if you want to know more.

My Review

What a fun story.

It all takes place over a twenty-four period, with each chapter representing one hour.

The author invites you into her story with as much finesse and adept handling as the doormen who usher in guests to the posh Shipley Hotel.

I have to also hand it to the author for breathing life into her characters, of which there are many. From the employees to the most entitled of guests, you’ll be introduced to a menagerie of strangers rubbing elbows and staff adroitly handling the most difficult guests and embarrassing situations as the clock ticks down to a new day. If you ever wished you were a fly on the wall, here’s your chance.

I started this early in the morning and was finished in a couple of hours. From the opening scene to the final curtain call, it was fun and intriguing. This would be a great play. Or even a television show. I’d tune in for new episodes.

I would be remiss to not share how I felt about the ending. I realized I was down to the last two pages and there was no way the author could possibly give me a satisfying ending. I waffled over whether I even wanted to read the end then. But, I soldiered on and, low and behold, the author pulled it off. I wonder, did the author have the beginning and ending of the story first, and then filled in the middle? I knew for sure the ending was right when I realized I was smiling.

4 Stars

Synopsis

Welcome to The Shipley Hotel, where the perky and attentive staff provides the gold standard in artificial concern and comfort to all the colorful characters who pass through its polished brass revolving door and find themselves in The Lobby. Practically engineered for eavesdropping, San Francisco’s juiciest hotel lobby offers the perfect place to witness the comings and goings-and the most comedic intersections-of staff, long-term residents, and eclectic guests. Featuring over fifty stories all transpiring in a single twenty-four hour period and intersecting in the Shipley’s elegant lobby, readers will meet an eccentric and vast array of characters, most of whom will look awfully familiar and all of whom will speak to the heart. Employing acute skills in human observation and a keen understanding of the essential human needs-frequently unplanned and unexpected rendezvous, ready laughter at others’ expense, and maybe even a little love and acceptance-Randi M. Sherman’s unique wit and candor will surely make the reader sit up, stand up, roll over, or assume an interested leaning position and take notice. Get comfortable (on the exquisitely upholstered lobby couch) and spy on those checking in and out of the Shipley. Careful: you might just encounter a version of yourself among the ornate balconies and intricate woodwork.

AMAZON

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

stick out tongue photo: rr-sticking-out-tongue roadrunner-stick-out-tongue.gif

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Check out my list of reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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

What’s New On My Bookshelf #171 and The Sunday Post

Posted: September 4, 2016 in Freebies!, giveaways, reviews, What's New on My Bookshelf
Tags: my weekly book news, The Sunday Post

bookshelves photo: Bookshelf bookshelves.jpg

This is my own version of a weekly book haul and all things new on fuonlyknew.

Another fun way to share your book news and enjoy others is The Sunday Post hosted by

Sunday Post

Kimberly the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Head on over and leave a link to your Sunday Post and hop around to visits others.

~~~

Hello everyone and Happy Sunday!

Not going to keep you long. It’s a holiday weekend and I’m sure ya’ll have fun plans.

shopping spree photo: shopping 008aholic65.gif

I plan on doing anything but work! LOL Truly. I’m not doing yard work, cleaning house, or any other chores. I plan to read, eat, watch some television, and swim. Then I’ll repeat it again and again. I did all of my errands so I don’t even have to leave the driveway if I don’t want to. I’ll probably get an itch and maybe go do a little shopping. I do need a new purse! And some new shoes. And….! LOL

Have a safe and wonderful Labor Day Weekend!

I’ll be hopping over to check out your Sunday posts so be sure to leave me your link.

~~~

New books on my shelf. Some I won, some are for review, and some I just had to have.

~~~

And here are some freebies for ya!

Click on the covers to get yours and remember to make sure they’re still free before you click that buy button.

I spy lots of trees, Sherry! LOL

~~~

Books I reviewed this week. Click on the covers for my reviews.

I know. I’m so bad. I only posted one review this week. On a good note, I did get a bunch written ahead and will be sharing them soon.

~~~

Books I’ll be reviewing next week.

~~~

Who ya gonna call…..Witches Protection Program by Michael Phillip Cash ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: August 30, 2016 in giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews
Tags: fantasy, giveaway, Michael Phillip Cash, paranormal, review, witches, Witches Protection Program

I’ve read almost all of Michael’s books and enjoyed them immensely. This one was no exception. I had a rip roarin time and think you will too.

Enjoy the excerpt and trailer, along with my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Witches Protection Program

Michael Phillip Cash

Publisher: Chelshire, INC.

Date of Publication: May 14, 2015

ISBN: 1511411341 / ASIN: B00YANTA4K

Number of pages: 239 /Word Count: 45,518

Genre: Witches, Action, Adventure

~~~~

My Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4 Stars

Synopsis:

Wes Rockville, a disgraced law enforcement agent, is given one last chance to prove himself and save his career when he’s reassigned to a 232 year old secret government organization. The Witches Protection Program.

His first assignment: uncover a billion-dollar Cosmetics company’s diabolical plan of using witchcraft for global domination, while protecting its heiress Morgan Pendragon from her aunt’s evil deeds. Reluctantly paired with veteran witch protector, Alastair Verne, Wes must learn to believe in both witches and himself.

Filled with adventure, suspense and a rousing good time, Michael Phillip Cash creates a tongue-in-cheek alternate reality where witches cast spells and wreak havoc in modern day New York City.

Amazon BN

~~~~~

Check out the Excerpt

“Follow me, kid.” She led him down a gray hallway with mulberry-colored carpet, more plush than anything he’d ever seen in a governmental office. The place had to be a city block wide, with corridors branching off to other conduits. Here and there, a doorway opened. Wes saw that many were filled with groups of people sitting at polished conference tables. Some rooms were dark, with shades drawn, the light of a presentation on screens peeking through the slats of the blinds. Staff walked through the hallways, nodding to each other. Some were in pairs. All had a badge hanging on a chain or attached to a pocket. He squinted, but he couldn’t make out the impression on the shield. Forget about attempting to read it. He shrugged; while it looked official, it was unfamiliar. For a person who grew up with an entire family in law enforcement, he found it odd that he’d never seen it before.

“What is this place?” he asked.

“This is where the magic happens,” she told him cryptically.

She opened the door, whispering, “Prepare to be amazed.” Then, with a giant pop of her gum, she disappeared.

“Where…” Wes turned, looking for the woman, but couldn’t see her anywhere. “Where is…”

“Oh, she’s gone. Come in already,” a male voice ordered impatiently.

Wes spun to the speaker, his eyes settling on a small man seated at a glass desk. He was in a neat gray suit but wore a black turtleneck, which made him look like some odd, eccentric leftover from the beatnik generation. He was older than Wes’s father, Wes guessed somewhere north of sixty, with the thickening middle of a sedentary life, a tanned complexion, and silver hair. His chubby face sported a neatly trimmed goatee. Wes wondered where his beret might be. The man studied Wes with interested black eyes that glowed with merriment.

“What kind of department is this?”

“Mr. Wesley Paul Rockville. Son of Harris and Melinda, brother to Lauren and Andrew. Tough act to follow. Runt of the litter?”

Wes bristled, wondering where this pint-size dude got off calling him a runt. At six foot three, he was hardly considered small. “I fail to see what this has got to do with my reassignment,” he said icily.

The older man ignored him. “The young gun who had his free will sucked right out of him.”

“No one took my free will!” Wes shouted, his face hot.

“I think Miss Genevieve Fox did a pretty nice number on you.”

“What are you talking about?”

Alastair cocked his head, a smile playing on his lips.

“I don’t think this is funny, um…Alastair. I’m getting out of here.” Wes had had enough. He was pissed and hungry.

“Sit down, Agent Rockville. It’s time you learned about your new assignment.”

About the Author:

Michael Phillip Cash

Michael Phillip Cash is an award-winning and best-selling novelist of horror, paranormal, and science fiction novels. He’s written ten books including the best-selling “Brood X”, “Stillwell”, “The Flip”, “The After House”, “The Hanging Tree”, “Witches Protection Program”, “Pokergeist”, “Monsterland”, “The History Major”, and “Battle for Darracia” series. Michael’s books are on the Amazon best-seller list and have also won numerous awards. Additionally, he is a screenwriter with 14 specs under his belt. Michael resides on the North Shore of Long Island.

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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

What’s New On My Bookshelf #170 and The Sunday Post

Posted: August 28, 2016 in Freebies!, giveaways, reviews, What's New on My Bookshelf
Tags: my weekly book news, The Sunday Post

bookshelves photo: Bookshelf bookshelves.jpg

This is my own version of a weekly book haul and all things new on fuonlyknew.

Another fun way to share your book news and enjoy others is The Sunday Post hosted by

Sunday Post

Kimberly the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Head on over and leave a link to your Sunday Post and hop around to visits others.

~~~

Hello everyone and Happy Sunday!

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood! Sun is shining. Summer is really heating up here. Most people are wrapping up their summers. Here in the south, it’s now peak season and the humidity is so high, when you walk out the door your glasses fog up. Have you ever heard that if you walk out backwards your glasses won’t fog up? Sometimes it actually works! Must have something to do with the moist air not immediately hitting your lenses.

Aside from swimming and reading, I’ve been binging on Netflix again. Just got the new season of Once Upon A Time and decided to go back and start at the beginning. I’m on Episode 9 and only have 103 episodes to go. LOL I never seem to get enough of the television shows. Even with Fear The Walking Dead started now and The Walking Dead coming in a month, along with Survivor, I still want more. Got any good ones to recommend?

I’ll be hopping over to check out your Sunday posts so be sure to leave me your link.

~~~

New books on my shelf. Some I won, some are for review, and some I just had to have.

~~~

And here are some freebies for ya!

Click on the covers to get yours and remember to make sure they’re still free before you click that buy button.

~~~

Books I reviewed this week. Click on the covers for my reviews.

~~~

Books I’ll be reviewing next week.

~~~

Saturday Screams #17 ~ Zombies, Dinosaurs, Killer Bugs, and Zombie Sharks

Posted: August 27, 2016 in horror, reviews
Tags: horror reviews, Saturday Screams

Welcome to my Saturday Screams where I share reviews of all things scary. Recently I did a post asking for help in choosing the next book I should review.

You chose Pale Rider: Zombies Versus Dinosaurs. After doing my review, I got kind of busy with other things and didn’t get right back to the other books. I did read some more creepy ones and will be sharing them today, along with your next choice, Turning Grace.

Pale Rider: Zombies Versus Dinosaurs #1

This is free on Amazon. Just click on the cover to grab your copy!

Click Here For My Review

***

Next up, you chose –

Turning Grace

This book is free right now. Click on the cover to grab your copy!

My Review

I love a good zombie story. This isn’t a zombie apocalypse. It’s the story of one teenage girl, struggling with odd cravings and an escalating urge to commit violence.

I found some scenes disturbing on so many levels. And I loved it. I know, I’m twisted. But what’s a good zombie story without some truly ghastly scenes. Like when she eats the neighbor’s cat. Yuck.

I liked Grace. Felt sorry for her. And she scared the bejesus out of me. This made me wonder if I’d stand by her, best friend or not.

There’s a sweet romance beginning, but it doesn’t take over the whole story. It does add an important character to the mix and some lighter moments in between the gnashing and blood.

I was into this book from the opening to the finish. While there is an ending, there’s more to come. And I plan to see where this series goes.

A good one for zombie fans who want a more personal story, not an apocalypse.

4 Stars

Synopsis

**Medal Winner of the 2014 New Apple Book Awards in the E-Book Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror Category**

Life or death?
It all seems to be the same for Grace…

Some of us have been there before — falling for the hot, popular jock who just so happens to be dating the hot, popular girl in school.

Your snarky-but-always-right bestie insists you make a move, but you’re not so much into putting yourself out there.

Then it happens, and suddenly you find yourself eating a cat on your neighbor’s porch.

No? Never happened to you?

Well, Grace Watkins can’t say the same. Her hunger is growing with each day that passes and her urges are getting harder to control.
No one can explain why her body is changing, except one man.

Amazon

***

Now for those distractions I mentioned!

Insects

My Review

I must be a glutton for punishment. I just can’t resist when someone mentions man eating creatures. Especially the creepy crawling ones.
Imagine a bug that kind of looks like a cockroach. One of the big Palmetto ones. It is longer than your middle finger. Now imagine it’s not like any known insect. And it’s adapted. Changed. And we are now on it’s menu.
Then imagine you don’t know all this. Just that it’s a new species. You gather a team, go into the rain forest. And you find the insect.
And that’s where it gets ugly. Relentless. Kind of gory.
The forest works against you. The weather works against you. Your own fear works against you. And the bugs just keep on coming.
I had a scary good read with this book. And I’ve learned there are a couple more books in the series. Going to have to go see what happens next.

3 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

A deadly carnivorous insect.
A group of scientists trapped in the remote rainforest.
One horror filled night.

Entomologist Howard Duncan has a generous grant and a wealthy lover. Now he’s on the verge of a find in the Brazilian rainforest that will reenergize his career: the rarely sighted reptilus blaberus, an insect like no other.

But something has changed – nature has started producing an antidote to the fungal infection that previously held the insect population in check. Skeletons provide Duncan and his team with an ominous first clue about the potential consequences.

And as the hunters become the hunted, the team must fight for their lives if they want to survive the terror-filled night.

Amazon

~~~~~

and

Death Catch

My Review

I love zombie stories and anything that has killer sharks is alright in my book too. So, of course, I had to read Death Catch.

Zombie Sharks!

The saying, “No good deed goes unpunished,” sure fits this tale. After seeing fishermen slaughter countless sharks just for their fins, throwing the still living creatures back into the ocean to sink and die a slow, horrible death, one man does something to honor them. Thus the zombie sharks are born.

It’s a no holds barred fight to the finish as the sharks grow in numbers, bent on our destruction. And boy do they go at it. Flesh rips. Bodies are dismembered and crushed. The dead pile up. The sharks keep on keeping on.

A smorgasbord of characters carry the story to it’s end. A lot of them don’t make it. Some become unwilling heroes. And some just want some payback.

Death Catch is gruesomely fun. The suspense is intense. The writing is good. The plot is well thought out and researched. And the horror is top notch.

Here’s one for all of you who love your beasties mean and hungry.

4 Stars

Synopsis

Ex-Navy SEAL Alex Moss has settled comfortably into a life at sea, far removed from the wars of his past. He commands Fearless, one of the world’s premier science vessels. Along with his crew of special operations forces veterans, Moss now assists in the advancement of marine science, but the life he loves is about to be threatened in ways neither he nor his crew could ever imagine.

Dr. Thomas Falcon is a highly respected and widely published shark biologist with a powerful and ancient family history he knows almost nothing about. When Falcon’s best friend and colleague, the gifted shark researcher Dr. Peter Marsh, invites him to join his scientific expedition aboard the privately funded research vessel Fearless, Falcon jumps at the chance. Once Dr. Falcon arrives on board, however, history catches up with him when he unwittingly triggers violent events that will threaten all of their lives. Death Catch is a ripping action adventure that moves like a high speed chase, a wild ride that will send your pulse racing.

Amazon

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Stay tuned. Next Saturday I’ll be sharing my review of Hell’s Gate along with a couple of others I recently finished.

Hell’s Gate: A Victorian Monster Novel

Synopsis

Uncle Howard went looking for Hell. No-one imagined he might find it.

The locals say he sacrifices girls to demons at his estate on the remote coast of Victorian Ireland. But no-one has seen him for weeks before Hope and her family arrive to visit.

Did he leave on another quixotic quest, or does he have something more dangerous than fairies living at the bottom of his garden?

Amazon

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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

#Vote4Gnarly ~ Candidate For Murder ~ Review and Fire Tablet Giveaway

Posted: August 26, 2016 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Mystery, reviews
Tags: A Mac faraday Mystery #12, Author Lauren Carr, Candidate For Murder, giveaway, review

Candidate For Murder

A Mac Faraday Mystery #12

by Lauren Carr

Genre: Mystery

My Review

I’ve read several books in the Mac Faraday Mystery series and was so excited after reading the synopsis for this newest one.

Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s german shepherd and my favorite four-legged friend, is running for Mayor of Spencer. Most folks in town don’t care for either of the candidates running on the ballot. Sound familiar? They jump on board to vote Gnarly in. Of course, the other nominees aren’t taking this lying down, and they dig for the dirt. I don’t think they’ll find anything. After all, Gnarly is man’s best friend. Well, except for the thing about the disappearing food. His partner in crime, Storm, knows all about that, and she’s not talking.

What started as a lark snowballs, and the fun begins. Can you imagine Gnarly debating the other candidates? How about kissing babies and shaking hands? Gnarly is on the campaign fast track. I wonder if his four-legged companions will be allowed to vote.

In between all of the crazy political scheming, the gang is working a cold case. Secrets are uncovered and the town of Spencer might not survive the fallout.

I love that Lauren’s characters are all animal lovers and their pets go wherever they go. And they are just as individual in personality as the humans. It’s a load of laughs to see what they get into.

When an author can spin a good mystery and keep me in stitches at the same time, it’s all good. I loved this book and it’s now one of my favorites in the series.

5 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

It’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent years, the small resort town has become divided between the local year-round residents who have enjoyed their rural way of life and the city dwellers moving into their mansions, taking over the town council, and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed gate community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed limits to clothes lines.

When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral nominees on the town residents, Police Chief David O’Callaghan decides to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd, to run as mayor of Spencer!

What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight Gnarly becomes the front runner—at which point his political enemies take a page straight out of Politics 101. What do you do when you’re behind in a race? Dig up dirt on the front runner, of course.

Seemingly, someone is not content to rest with simply embarrassing the front runner by publicizing his dishonorable discharge from the United States Army, but to throw in a murder for good measure. With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a killer, and save Spencer!

Buy the book: Amazon

Author Lauren Carr

Lauren Carr 2

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries. The twelfth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series, Candidate for Murder will be released June 2016.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with Lauren: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

Win a Fire Tablet, 7″ Display, Wi-Fi, 16 GB (Open internationally)

Winner will be the person to use #Vote4Gnarly most often.

Gnarly Pic 2

Giveaway ends Sept 24.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Follow the tour

Aug 15 – Working Mommy Journal – review / giveaway

Aug 15 – Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin’ – review

Aug 16 – Olio By Marilyn – review / giveaway

Aug 17 – Life as Leels – review

Aug 18 – A Mama’s Corner of the World – review / giveaway

Aug 19 – The Journey Back – review / giveaway

Aug 22 – Jaquo Lifestyle Magazine – review

Aug 23 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – review / giveaway

Aug 24 – Book Reviews Nature Photos and everything in between – review

Aug 25 – Nighttime Reading Center – review / giveaway

Aug 25 – fundinmental – review / giveaway

Aug 25 – Sahar’s Blog – review / giveaway

Aug 26 – fuonlyknew – review / giveaway

Aug 29 – Heidi’s Wanderings – review / giveaway

Aug 30 – The Autistic Gamer – review / giveaway

Aug 31 – Library of Clean Reads – review / giveaway

Sept 1 – Deal Sharing Aunt – review / giveaway

Sept 2 – Readers Muse – review / giveaway

Sept 5 – Bound 4 Escape – review / giveaway

Sept 6 – Blooming with Books – review / giveaway

Sept 7 – A Bookaholic Blog – review / giveaway

Sept 8 – Allthingsbookie – review / giveaway

Sept 9 – Corinne Rodrigues – review / giveaway

Sept 12 – Books for Books – review

Sept 14 – Pause for Tales – review / giveaway

Sept 16 – Jessica Cassidy – review / giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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

More fun with the Continental Breakfast Club ~ Fresh Brewed by Pamela Ford ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: August 25, 2016 in Chick Lit, giveaways, Humor, reviews, Romance
Tags: Author Pamela Ford, chick lit, Fresh Brewed, giveaway, humor, review, romance, The Continental Breakfast Club #2

It’s time to see what the girls have been up to since they first appeared in Over Easy.

Check out Fresh Brewed.

Enjoy my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Fresh Brewed

The Continental Breakfast Club #2

My Review

I had such fun with Allie, Bree, and Megan in the first book, Over Easy. It was Allie’s story we got there. Now the gal pals are back and it’s Bree’s turn to find the man of her dreams.

Bree’s plans of a romantic seaside vacation go flying out the window, quite literally, when a tropical storm forces her to change her plans. And this is where she finds herself in a heck of a pickle.

A word or warning here. It’s not just the hangover you have to be worried about after imbibing in too much of the grape.

I swear, I snorted and giggled my way through the first book, and here I am doing it again. These girls may sound desperate for love. Who isn’t when you’re young and single. But they aren’t dumb, just do some dumb things. That’s where I actually laugh out loud.

Fun is to be had as The Continental Breakfast Club strikes again. Expect for things to sideways as these gals get up to their shenanigans once more. A clean, humorous romance. Perfect for a summer read.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Breanna Mitchell is on her way to a relaxing vacation at the ocean. Maybe she’ll even have a beachside fling to help her get over a recent breakup.

But when a tropical storm makes her destination hotel uninhabitable, a chance encounter at continental breakfast delivers a fabulous option—with a catch. She and her friends can stay at a privately-owned, three-story oceanfront home—if she pretends to be the girlfriend of the owner’s heartbreaker grandson, Ethan. Since he won’t even be there, how hard could it be?

Everything is going swimmingly until Bree drinks too much wine and regales the family with romantic tales about her relationship with Ethan. His adorable brother Adam gets suspicious. His marriage-minded grandma gets engagement fever. The beautiful woman next door gets teary-eyed.

And then, Ethan unexpectedly arrives. Suddenly Bree is about to get everything she’s ever wished for—but is it what she really wants?

Buy the book:

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Over Easy

The Continental Breakfast Club #1

by Pamela Ford

Genre: Chick Lit / Romance

Click Here For My Review

Synopsis

Allie Parker’s had enough. Just because she’s a dog groomer, her overachieving family of doctors and lawyers treats her like a child. She’s convinced that a successful husband is all she needs to change their attitudes. So when she and her friends come up with a brilliant new way to meet eligible men, Allie squeezes into her sister’s stylish clothes and sneaks into continental breakfast at an upscale hotel to find herself the perfect guy.

Before Allie has taken her last bite of syrup-laden waffle, she’s met the man of her dreams. But what she doesn’t know is that he’s a jewel thief who mistakenly thinks she’s his contact—and so does everyone else who’s after his stash of diamonds.

Suddenly Allie’s world is crazily upended. And as she scrambles to prove her innocence and get back to her old life, she discovers happily ever after sneaks up when you least expect it.

Buy the book:

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Author Pamela Ford

Pamela Ford

Pamela Ford is the award-winning author of contemporary and historical romance. She grew up watching old movies, blissfully sighing over the romance; and reading sci-fi and adventure novels, vicariously living the action. The combination probably explains why the books she writes are romantic, happily-ever-afters with plenty of plot – and often lots of laughter.

After graduating from college with a degree in Advertising, Pam merrily set off to earn a living, searching for that perfect career as she became a graphic designer, print buyer, pantyhose sales rep, public relations specialist, copywriter, freelance writer – and finally author. Pam has won numerous awards including the Booksellers Best, the Laurel Wreath, and a gold medal IPPY in the Independent Book Publisher Awards. She is a Kindle Book Awards finalist and a two-time Golden Heart Finalist. She lives in Wisconsin where she is working on her next novel.

Connect with the author: Website Twitter Facebook Goodreads

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

Five winners total:

2 winners will get a print copy of Over Easy + a $10 Starbucks gift card,

2 winners will get a print copy of Fresh Brewed + a $10 Starbucks gift card,

1 winner will get a print copy of both books + a $25 Starbucks gift card

Ends Sept 17

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Follow The Tour

Aug 1 – Library of Clean Reads – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

Aug 1 – All the Doodles ‘n Scribbles – review of Over Easy / author interview

Aug 1 – XoXo Book Blog – review of Over Easy / giveaway

Aug 1 – Working Mommy Journal – review of Over Easy / giveaway

Aug 2 – Bookishly Devoted – review of Over Easy

Aug 2 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – review of Over Easy / giveaway

Aug 2 – Room With Books – review of Over Easy / author interview / giveaway

Aug 3 – Library of Clean Reads – review of Over Easy / giveaway

Aug 3 – XoXo Book Blog – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Aug 3 – Room With Books – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Aug 4 – Sahar’s Blog – review of Over Easy

Aug 4 – Laura’s Interests – review of Over Easy / author interview / giveaway

Aug 5 – Working Mommy Journal – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Aug 5 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Aug 8 – Jaquo Lifestyle Magazine – review of Over Easy

Aug 8 – A Wondrous Bookshelf – review of Over Easy / giveaway

Aug 9 – Writing Pearls – review of Over Easy

Aug 9 – Tragically Dull Adventures of an Almost Librarian-review of Over Easy/ giveaway

Aug 10 – Being Tilly’s Mummy – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

Aug 10 – Writing Pearls – review of Fresh Brewed

Aug 11 – Sahar’s Blog – review of Fresh Brewed

Aug 11 – Laura’s Interests – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Aug 12 – Jaquo Lifestyle Magazine – book spotlight / author interview

Aug 12 – Tragically Dull Adventures of an Almost Librarian – review of Fresh Brewed

Aug 15 – Wondrous Bookshelf – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Aug 15 – The Travelogue of a book addict – review of Over Easy / giveaway

Aug 15 – The Writing Garnet – review of Over Easy / author interview

Aug 16 – Bound 4 Escape – review of Over Easy / giveaway

Aug 16 – A Bookaholic Blog – review of Over Easy / giveaway

Aug 16 – A Splendid Messy Life – review of Over Easy / giveaway / author interview

Aug 17 – A Holland Reads – review of Over Easy / author interview / giveaway

Aug 17 – Library of Clean Reads – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Aug 18 – Christa Reads and Writes – review of Over Easy

Aug 18 – fuonlyknew – review of Over Easy / giveaway

Aug 19 – Fascinating Quest – review of Over Easy

Aug 19 – Readers Muse – review of Over Easy

Aug 22 – The Travelogue of a book addict – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Aug 22 – A Bookaholic Blog – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Aug 23 – Corinne Rodrigues – review of Over Easy

Aug 23 – A Splendid Messy Life – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Aug 24 – Pause for Tales – review of Over Easy

Aug 25 – Bound 4 Escape – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Aug 25 – Fascinating Quest – review of Fresh Brewed

Aug 25 – fuonlyknew – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Aug 26 – #redhead.with.book – review of Over Easy / giveaway

Aug 29 – A Holland Reads – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Aug 29 – Genuine Jenn – review of Over Easy / giveaway

Aug 30 – Corinne Rodrigues – review of Fresh Brewed

Aug 30 – Bookaholic Banter – review of Over Easy / giveaway

Aug 31 – Pause for Tales – review of Fresh Brewed

Sept 1 – Thoughts on This ‘n That – review of Over Easy / giveaway

Sept 1 – Fantastic Feathers – review of Fresh Brewed

Sept 2 – Thoughts on This ‘n That – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Sept 2 – Book and Ink – review of Over Easy / giveaway

Sept 5 – Book and Ink – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Sept 5 – #redhead.with.book – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Sept 6 – Bookaholic Banter – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Sept 6 – Genuine Jenn – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Sept 7 – Bookishly Devoted – review of Fresh Brewed

Sept 7 – Readers Muse – review of Fresh Brewed

Sept 8 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – review of Fresh Brewed / giveaway

Sept 9 – The Writing Garnet – review of Fresh Brewed

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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

Tag Team Review and Giveaway ~ Deadly Catch by E. Michael Helms

Posted: August 23, 2016 in giveaways, Mystery, reviews
Tags: Author E. Michael Helms, Deadly Catch, fundinemntal, fuonlyknew, giveaway, Laura Thomas, mystery, review

$tag you're it photo: Tag! You\'re It! AnyOccasion-TagYoureIt-May2007.jpg$

This is a Tag Team Event hosted by myself and Sherry.

Read on to learn how you can win some great prizes!

After reading my review, head on over to Sherry’s blog at fundinmental. Check out her review and leave a comment for an additional entry!

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Deadly Catch

A Mac McClellan Mystery #1

by E. Michael Helms

Genre: Mystery / Thriller

My Review

Take a dip into southern waters. And watch out for dead bodies.

Mac McClellan has just retired after 24 years as a U.S. Marine . He hits the road, next stop the Florida panhandle, figuring to drop a line in the water and see what he’ll catch. What he doesn’t expect is a dead body on the end of the hook.

This puts him on the suspect list. Years in the military help Mac maintain his cool, but then a bag of marijuana is found on his boat. Now they add drug smuggling to his crimes and he’s hard pressed to explain it. The local authorities don’t take his claim of being framed too seriously. Looks like Mac will have to do his own digging to get to the bottom of it and clear his name before more bodies pile up, including his own.

Mac has easily found a spot on my list of favorite characters. He’s smart, yet he fumbles with the females. Tough, yet he has a soft side. I bet he cries at sad endings in movies. Intuitive, probably from all those years in service. Charming, without realizing he is. And dedicated. He will not stop when injustice stares him in the face.

This has everything you want in a good mystery. A character at loose ends who finds a purpose and can easily move into and around the law. A potential romance with fun and snarky encounters. The good cop/bad cop thing going on. It seems the law enforcement officials switch roles as needed.

And last but not least, some darn good writing. The author puts you on the southern coast. You’ll smell the fishy odor of the wind off the ocean. Squint your eyes from the suns glare off the placid surface of the water. And feel the sweltering humidity that’s so heavy the air is hazy with moisture.

Any mystery lover will enjoy this one. And there’s two more adventures with Mac. Also, a little birdie told me there’s more coming. Get started now so you’ll be ready.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

“The first cast of the day turned my dream vacation into a nightmare. . . .”

After twenty-four years in the U.S. Marines, recently retired Mac McClellan is happy to be a civilian again. He is enjoying a leisurely fishing vacation in the Florida panhandle when he hooks a badly decomposed body.
Then, when a bag of rare marijuana is discovered stashed aboard his rental boat, he realizes someone is setting him up to take the fall for murder and drug smuggling. Mac’s plans for a more laid-back life must be put on hold while he works to clear his name as the number one suspect.
Mac launches an investigation with the help of Kate Bell, a feisty saleslady at the local marina with whom he has struck up a promising relationship. Along the way he must butt heads and match wits with local law enforcement officials, shady politicians, and strong-armed thugs from the Eastern Seaboard to sniff out and bring the real smuggler and killer to justice.

Amazon

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Author E. Michael Helms

E.Michael Helms

I was born in Georgia way back in the last century but grew up and lived most of my life on the Gulf Coast of Florida in Panama City (beautiful beaches, girls galore–ah, the memories!). In 2004 my wife and I moved to the Upstate region of South Carolina in the shadows of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, a land of stunning vistas and numerous waterfalls.

I’ve been traditionally published since 1990 when my Vietnam War memoir, The Proud Bastards, launched. TPB chronicles my time as a combat U.S. Marine in 1967-68. It’s still in print after all these years, currently with Simon & Schuster/Pocket. I’ve since written a few novels in different genres. I’m also working on a collection of “Dinger, PI” short stories that are being published on Motive Means Opportunity, a crime/mystery blog I share with two other writers of the same ilk. Currently I’m writing the Mac McClellan Mystery series which is set along the coast of the Florida Panhandle where I grew up.

Links:

Amazon / Goodreads / Twitter / Website / Facebook / Mystery Blog

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E. Michael Helms has a fantastic giveaway for you!

A $20 Amazon Gift Card (International, where allowed)

Four pdf eBook copies of Deadly Catch (International)

and two print copies of Deadly Catch (US ONLY)

All you need to do to enter is answer the question below, also let us know if you are US or International, and leave your email so I can contact you if you win.

“Do you read books because of the setting?”

Giveaway will run from 8/23/16 – 8/31/16

This is a Tag Team Event hosted by myself and Sherry at fundinmental.

Now hop on over and check out Sherry’s review and leave a comment for an additional entry HERE.

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Other Books by E. Michael Helms

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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

What’s New On My Bookshelf #169 and The Sunday Post

Posted: August 21, 2016 in Freebies!, giveaways, reviews, What's New on My Bookshelf
Tags: fuonlyknew, Laura Thomas, my weekly book news, The Sunday Post

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This is my own version of a weekly book haul and all things new on fuonlyknew.

Another fun way to share your book news and enjoy others is The Sunday Post hosted by

Sunday Post

Kimberly the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Head on over and leave a link to your Sunday Post and hop around to visits others.

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Hello everyone and Happy Sunday!

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The sun is shining. The water is calling. And I’m outta here to go enjoy it!

Got lots of books to share with you. And a whole bunch of freebies I found. Tried to pick something for everyone.

And I have another Tag Team event hosted by myself and Sherry that starts next week. Fun reviews and an awesome giveaway. Check further down in the post for more info.

I’m heading outside to enjoy the beautiful weather. And I’m taking some of these books with me! Thanks for stopping by.

I’ll be hopping over to check out your Sunday posts so be sure to leave me your link.

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New books on my shelf. Some I won, some are for review, and some I just had to have.