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Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

Book Blitz and Giveaway for Open Gates by D.T. Dyllin ~ I love this series!

Posted: September 28, 2015 in Blitz, giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Romance
Tags: Author D.T. Dyllin, NA paranormal/fantasy, Open Gates, P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy, romance

I fell in love with the characters in the P.J. Stone Gates Series.

Come on in and check them out.

Read my reviews.

And don’t forget to enter the easy giveaway!

Open Gates by D.T. Dyllin
(P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy #3)
Publication date: September 28th 2015
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

My Review

You finally get all of the answers you’ve been seeking, just as P.J. does.

The war is raging, many people are lost, and P.J. struggles to fulfill her destiny.

I’m going to warn you, the beginning is a shocker, it happens so fast.

P.J. is devastated. Her world is being destroyed and her heart has been shredded.

Her best friend Jenna is unavailable, so she turns to the one person who is always there, always

offering his shoulder to lean on, Khol.

How do you go on when all you love is being destroyed and taken from you?

P.J. has no idea how to continue. How she’ll find the strength to face the fight that is coming.

They’ve fought a tough battle, but things don’t look good for them. There is a clue to getting rid of the Riders and P.J. has to draw on all that she is to find the one thing that can save them all.

I got everything I was looking for in this final book.

You’ll need to set aside enough time to read this straight through. I read this in about 3 hours, but

I’m a fast reader. I also reread a few parts that really touched me.

You’ll get a huge surprise with the ending. I haven’t read one that left me feeling like this

one did for a long time, maybe never.

I read it twice, then read it again, always thinking, “How did the author come up with this ending?

Did she know when she was writing the books that the end would be this?”

I liked it. I really liked it. And I’m still thinking about it. Still wondering…..

5 Stars

Synopsis:

P.J. Stone gets the answers to all her questions, but will she be able to handle the truth?

Bryn is gone, Jenna isn’t herself, and the world has been taken over by the alien Riders. The only constant in P.J.’s life is Khol, but even he might not be able to help pick up the shattered pieces of her existence. Will P.J. be strong enough to face her destiny when the time comes? Or will she lose everything, herself included?

Goodreads / Amazon

About D.T. Dyllin

D.T. Dyllin is a bestselling author who writes both paranormal and contemporary romance. Anything with a love story is her kryptonite. Her obsession with affairs-of-the-heart is what first drove her to begin twisting her own tales of scorching romance.

D.T. was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Black & Gold for life, baby!) She now lives in Little Rock, Arkansas with her husband and two spoiled German Shepherds.

(Author photo credit: Stephanie Saujon of La Photographie Nashville)

Author links:

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

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I have one eBook copy to giveaway. Open Internationally.

To enter, please leave an email address so I can contact you if you win.

And leave some comment love. Tell me anything! Or ask the author a question.

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Here are the first two books in the trilogy.

Click on the covers for my reviews.

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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!

What’s New On My Bookshelf #130 and The Sunday Post

Posted: September 27, 2015 in Freebies!, giveaways, reviews, What's New on My Bookshelf
Tags: 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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Some chit chat.

I’ve been on vacation all week!

We left Sunday for Biloxi, Mississippi and did some wining, dining, and gambling. Then on to New Orleans for more fun.

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Came home for a couple of days and then we headed to Windcreek Casino for more. Didn’t get rich but didn’t lose my retirement either. LOL I’ll be sharing pictures of our adventures on next weeks Sunday Post. So tired and sore from this trip that I didn’t have the energy to put them together for today. LOL Especially as I missed last Sunday and this is a long post.

I like to share the cover art for the books I showcase and I have a bunch today! I’ve added my affiliate links to Amazon to the book covers in case you want to go over and grab any of them.

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

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Here are my new books for review.

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Some I grabbed just because, well, I wanted them!

Need Help? Hire a Ghost. She Cooks. Lottie Roberts is restless and lonely. She’s been sitting on her bones since the Civil War, waiting for her ticket to heaven until… Justine Hale and her family take up residence in Lottie’s two-hundred-year-old plantation house. Lottie senses in Justine a kindred spirit–filled with heartache and in reduced circumstances–which Lottie considers mirrors her own situation exactly. Yet Justine is trying to do the right thing. Else why is she burdened with a bankrupt mother without an ounce of common sense? Or an ex mother-in-law who looks like a pickled beet with a tongue sharper than a hatchet? And where is the father of the recalcitrant eleven year-old boy and the eight-year-old afraid of her own shadow? Justine needs help and Lottie is of a mind to provide it. But before Lottie can say squat and Justine even unlocks the front door, Tucker Highsmith shows up to steal her thunder. His dark eyes, lazy grin, and sexy Alabama drawl coupled with the dern braggart’s Mr. Fix-it talents just might be the answer to all of Justine’s problems. Or maybe not… Because Lottie has her own agenda, one she’s been hoping and praying for since she found her bones on a hidden staircase.

Sounded too good to pass up and it was free!

Click on the cover if you want your own copy. It’s free Sept. 25th – 28th.

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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.

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Books I reviewed the last two weeks. Click on the covers for my reviews.

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Books I’ll be reviewing next week.

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What I won.

eBooks

Print Books

I love the book marks for WHO R U REALLY? and the HYDRA coffee mug.

And all of these books were on my wish list!

Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell

Ink Calls To Ink by Nathan Crowder

The Angelnots by Elise Pehrson

Queen Of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Huge thanks to the blog hosts, authors, and tour organizers for these wonderful prizes.

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I asked and you answered! Saturday Screams ~ The Flip by Michael Phillip Cash

Posted: September 26, 2015 in horror, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews
Tags: Author Michael Phillip Cash, haunted house, Horror, paranormal, The Flip

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Welcome to my Saturday Screams!

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

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

The Flip was the top choice, so here ya go!

Come on in and get your scare on!

The Flip

by Michael Phillip Cash

22070838

My Review

I enjoy watching shows about flipping houses. It’s fun to watch the transformation from ugly to fantastic. If I had the money, I’d do some myself.

My luck I’d wind up in the same fix as Julie and Brad Evans.

They’re starting to get the hang of the flipping thing. Buy low, fix it up, sell for a nice profit. But Brad has his misgivings about the one Julie has her heart set on. It’s a monstrous undertaking and he’s getting bad vibes from the old mansion, Hemmings House.

Julie loves it, sees only the potential, and wants to turn it into a bed and breakfast. Brad caves and now he has to get his crew together and get the stinking trash hauled out of the place.

Weird things start happening. Doors open and shut on their own. Cold spots occur throughout the place. And Brad and the crew are being affected by the atmosphere. Something angry is rubbing off on them.

All the makings for a scary good haunted house story, right? The author delivers, giving you things that go bump in the night. You’ll meet these ghostly inhabitants and get to know their stories. I engaged with the ghosts as well as Julie and Brad and came to worry about all of them.

Welcome to Hemmings House. Where anything can happen, and does.

4 Stars

Synopsis

Julie and Brad Evans are house flippers. They buy low, clean out the old occupants’ junk, and try to make a profit. Enter Hemmings House on Bedlam Street in scenic Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island. Too good a deal to pass up, but with an ominous secret. The old Victorian Mansion has dwellers that do not want to be dispossessed. As the house reveals it’s past, will the couple’s marriage survive The Flip?

Trailer

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Stop back by next Saturday for your next choice!

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

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An Urban Legend from the past ~ Shadow Out Of The Sky by Brick Marlin

Posted: September 25, 2015 in Blog Tour, Dark Fantasy, horror, reviews, Series
Tags: Author Brick Marlin, Horror, Shadow Out Of The Sky

Shadow Out of the Sky

The First Book of the Transitional Delusions Series

by Brick Marlin

16040387

My Review

Just imagine…Children are changing. Changing into brutal, gleeful killers.

I’ve loved horror books and movies ever since I was young. Something about being scared by fiction gave me thrills. The creepy crawlie covers always jumped out at me from the shelves and I scoured libraries and book stores for the next big scare.

This one is disturbing. Just warning those of you who are sensitive about monster children doing terrible deeds. I often wonder, especially after watching my favorite TV show The Walking Dead, if I could pull the trigger and shoot a child. Even if I know it’s not really a child anymore and it will kill me.

Not to say these kids are zombies. Oh no. They’re something else. Something dark and evil has changed them.

You’ve seen those movies where you can hear a child giggling in the dark? Such a hair raising, evil thing. These kids not only giggle, they taunt, and then they attack. Not much can stop them either.

I didn’t have much time to care about most of the characters as they didn’t last long. The ones I did connect with? A couple I could care less about, not such good people anyway. I did feel sad about some that fell under the knives of the kids.

There were some fun illustrations in the book too. I always enjoy it when the author shares their view of things.

I’d recommend this to anyone looking for some old school, edgy horror.

3 Stars

I received this book for my honest review.

~~~~~

Synopsis

A scarecrow crucified on a wooden cross made from a pair of two-by-fours sits in a field of corn, placed there to frighten away birds and protect the crops. Under its straw hat large buttons pose as its eyes, placed there by child’s fingers, view something sinister in the grave sky, appearing in front of the full moon.

Twisting, it forms into a sleek black mass, peering down upon the town of Woodbury. Four demons called The Reckoning has pulled this shadow, this urban legend from the past, out of an unmarked grave to bring terror across the planet, shoving it toward an apocalypse.

Now it cuts through the air, as if it were opening wounds in flesh, peering down at the first house that it hovers over…

Amazon Links for Shadow out of the Sky

Print / Kindle / B&N

Shadow Out of the Sky is Book One of the Transitional Delusions Series

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About Brick Marlin: Brick Marlin has been writing since he was a child. From an early age he was exposed to older horror movies. The great ones making their mark in history. He also tackled reading the likes of Stephen King, Clive Barker, Ray Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut, Dean Koontz, Charles Dickens, Harper Lee, H.G. Wells, etc. Thus, he decided to engage himself and write horror, dark fantasy and dark sci-fi, scaring readers such as his parents, his friends, neighbors, and even leaving a few school teachers scratching their heads wondering if the boy should be committed or not with his gruesome tales of terror. Short story ideas continued to visit. A book idea or two sometimes stopped by for a sit. In 2007 he decided to take a more professional approach with his work. Hence, as a member of the Horror Writers Association, already having nine books published by small presses – this you hold in your hand, constant reader, makes his tenth – nearly thirty short stories published, adding to the few anthologies and collaborations with other authors, Brick Marlin trudges onward, hoping to achieve more creations, wallowing in the brain pans of his characters, giving them the choice whether to twist the knob and enter through the Red Door, or enter through the Blue Door where a group of servo monkey badgers are consuming packages of cinnamon-flavored Pop Rock Candy with a Kung Fu Punch of caffeine.

Author Links:

Website / Facebook / Twitter

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Tomorrow Comes Media

Follow the tour for more posts.

9/21 Erin Fanning Review
9/21 Beauty in Ruins Guest Post
9/21 Wag the Fox Guest Post
9/22 Novel-ties Review
9/23 Armand Rosamilia, Author Guest Post
9/23 Deal Sharing Aunt Interview
9/25 fuonlyknew Review
9/25 L. Andrew Cooper’s Horrific Scribblings Review
9/25 Bee’s Knees Reviews Guest Post
9/25 Azure Dwarf Guest Post
9/27 Sapphyria’s Book Reviews Top-Tens List

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Until the next time…..

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

It gets hairier and hairier ~ Kill And Run by Lauren Carr ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: September 24, 2015 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Mystery, reviews
Tags: A Thorny Rose Mystery, Author Lauren Carr, Kill And Run

As promised yesterday, I’m now sharing my review of Kill And Run, A Thorny Rose Mystery by Lauren Carr.

More laughs with these lovable characters, both human and furry. Lots of intrigue and action too.

Enjoy my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

My Review

Five women and counting… Who killed them and who’s next?

Lieutenant Murphy Thornton is assigned the case and at first finds no connection between the five murdered women. As he digs deeper, he finds iffy connections and one huge one that rocks many back on their heels.

After reading Three Days To Forever from The Mac Faraday Series, I was so excited to read this book. The Thorny Rose Mysteries are a companion series. I bumped into many of my favorite characters and this one features another fun couple.

Murphy and his new wife, Jessica, are still adjusting to married life, when all of a sudden their home is over run with guests.

Jessica’s brother, Tristan, needs a place to stay while having his place repaired after it was flooded. He brings his beloved pet, Monique, under heavy objections and much negotiation. For those of you unfamiliar with her, she’s a tarantula about the size of a dinner plate!

Now, that makes three people along with a giant spider, Murphy’s TV watching mixed breed dog Newman, and Jessica’s Shetland sheepdog, Spencer/Candi. Jessica calls her Spencer. Murphy calls her Candi. She answers to Candi.

When a connection is found between one of the murdered women and the cold case murder of State Trooper Nicholas Gates, his widow, Cameron Gates, their step-mother, comes to stay at the Thornton household.

Now, there are four people, a tarantula, and two dogs. Cameron adds to the furry mix with her opinionated Main Coon cat, Irving. She looks like a skunk, all black with a white stripe down her back from her head to the tip of her tail.

One more stray is added to the household. Izzy (Isadora Crenshaw). the young teenage daughter of one of the murdered women is brought to Murhpy’s and Jessica’s home under police protection. She’s wise for her age and quickly becomes a part of the gang. She also has a special affinity, seems to communicate with the herd of animals. They all adore her, even Monique.

Now there are five people, a giant spider, two dogs, and a large cat. How much more can one house hold.

So many connections must and do lead to deadly shootouts, stalkers, conspiracy, and cover ups.

The action is intense, the mysteries keep you engaged and eager to see how they connect, and the characters, both human and furry, keep you laughing and gasping.

The author includes a bio of each of the characters, including the animals, at the beginning of the book. I’d recommend you read them first. It just takes a few minutes and makes it so easy to follow and connect with them throughout the book.

This can easily be read as a stand alone book, but I’m betting you’ll be wanting more about Lauren Carr’s characters and will be grabbing more of her books.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Five women with seemingly nothing in common are found brutally murdered in a townhome outside Washington, DC. Among the many questions surrounding the massacre is what had brought these apparent strangers together only to be killed.

Taking on his first official murder case, Lieutenant Murphy Thornton, USN, believes that if he can uncover the thread connecting the victims, then he can find their murderer.

The case takes an unexpected turn when Murphy discovers that one of the victims has a connection to his stepmother, Homicide Detective Cameron Gates. One wintry night, over a dozen years before, her first husband, a Pennsylvania State trooper, had been run down while working a night shift on the turnpike.

In this first installment of the Thorny Rose Mysteries, the Lovers in Crime join newlyweds Lieutenant Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday to sift through a web of lies and cover-ups. Together, can the detectives of the Thorny Rose uncover the truth without falling victim to a cunning killer?

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Yesterday I reviewed Three Days To Forever, a Mac Faraday Mystery. It was my first encounter with some now much loved characters.

You can find my 5 Star Review HERE.

Author

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Open Season for Murder is the tenth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.

In addition to her series set on Deep Creek Lake, Lauren Carr has also written the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, which features prosecutor Joshua Thornton with homicide detective Cameron Gates, who were introduced in Shades of Murder, the third book in the Mac Faraday Mysteries. They also make an appearance in The Lady Who Cried Murder.

Three Days to Forever introduced Lauren Carr’s latest series detectives, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday in the Thorny Rose Mysteries. Look for Kill and Run, the first installment in this series, to be released September 1, 2015.

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. Visit Acorn Book Services’ website for more information.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.

She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

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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!

Will it be ’til death do us part?’ Three Days To Forever by Lauren Carr ~ My Review and a Giveaway

Posted: September 23, 2015 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Mystery, reviews
Tags: A Mac Faraday Mystery, Author Lauren Carr, Three Days To Forever

Thanks for visiting my stop on the tour.

Make sure to stop back by tomorrow for my review of Lauren Carr’s Kill and Run too!

Enjoy my review of Three Days To Forever.

Learn more about Author Lauren Carr and her other books.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

My Review

It’s Three Days To Forever. The countdown has begun. Will it be Til Death Do Us Part or Rest In Peace?

Day One.

It’s three days until Mac Faraday and Archie Monday tie the knot. Family and guests are arriving at the fabulous Spencer Inn, owned by Mac.

A stalker sends a picture to Mac. It shows the man with his arm around Archie and says, “I was this close.”

The stalker ends up dead, stabbed multiple times with a knife engraved with the Spencer Inn’s initials. Mac becomes a suspect.

While in contact with the police at the scene of the crime, Mac, along with Joshua, his best man, Agnes, his soon to be mother-in-law, and Gnarly, his faithful German Shepherd, come under attack as a hit squad shoots up the place.

Joshua is shot but they all make it out alive and escape to a safe house.

And Archie’s spitting mad about the hair-do she got at the salon. Not what she wanted at all, and too late to change it before the wedding. I must tell you, she’s not being shallow. She doesn’t know about the attack yet.

Day Two.

Time to figure out who attacked and why. Did stalker, Russell Dooley, now dead, hire the hit men? He was out for revenge after Mac got his wife locked up in prison. Once she learned her last appeal failed and she’d never get out, she killed herself. Dooley blamed it all on Mac and swore revenge on him and those he loved.

Or could it be something to do with Joshua? He has a lot of secrets. Really big ones.

Or could it be something else?

The men scramble to solve the mystery while the women scramble to keep their men in line and at their appointed destinations on time.

Day Three.

Ah, it’s the wedding day.

I wonder if it will happen. Will their be wedding crashers, with big guns?

That I can’t share with you. You’ll have to read the book to find out.

Wow. what a rollercoaster this was. Stalkers, black-ops, terrorists. Global connections keep you guessing as to who is doing what and why.

The character list is vast. A description of each one is provided at the beginning of the book. After reading each one, I quickly became familiar with their names and the story flew.

Aside from the violent parts of the book, there’s plenty of humor, romance, and fun pets. Especially fun is the furry Monique.

I had no idea when I started reading this book that it was the 9th book in the series, and had no trouble at all following the plots and connecting with the characters. I’ve put a face to most of them and now I want to go back to the beginning and see how they all first connected.

Lauren Carr has a few other mystery series with characters you’ll recognize. All of her books are stand alone reads so feel free to jump in anywhere you like.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

In this latest Mac Faraday Mystery from best-selling mystery author Lauren Carr, readers will embark on a rollercoaster adventure with old friends (including the Lovers in Crime team of Prosecutor Joshua Thornton and Homicide Detective Cameron Gates), but also meet new ones as Mac Faraday’s daughter Jessica Faraday and Joshua Thornton’s son Murphy Thornton join the team in the race to get the love birds to the altar!

With three days left to the year, Deep Creek Lake is hopping with holiday vacationers and wedding guests pouring into the Spencer Inn for Mac Faraday and Archie Monday’s huge wedding ceremony which is being touted as the social event of the year.

But droopy flowers and guests who failed to RSVP are the least of Mac’s and Archie’s problems when a professional hit squad hits Spencer Manor to send the groom, Joshua Thornton, Archie’s mother, and Gnarly running for their lives.

With time running out to the big day, Mac Faraday and Spencer’s small police force have to sort through the clues to figure out not only who has been targeted for assassination, but also who is determined to stop everything … FOREVER!

Author

She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

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!

Sometimes love finds you…Tag Team Review and Giveaways ~ For Nick by Taylor Dean

Posted: September 23, 2015 in giveaways, reviews, Romance
Tags: Author Taylor Dean, For Nick, romance, tag team event

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

I have some exciting news to share with you about For Nick by Taylor Dean. Read on to learn how you can win some books!

After reading Taylor’s guest post and my review, head on over to Sherry’s blog at fundinmental for more and check out her review. Two chances to win!

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For Nick

by Taylor Dean

My Review

Andie Parker needs a job . She’ll take anything. Do anything, for Nick. So upon someone’s urging, she applies at a Fortune 500 company. She’s the last of twenty girls to apply. Figuring she has no chance, she still stays for the interview. She’d do anything for Nick.

Her name is called. She’s greeted by the owner, Zachary Drake. He’s impeccably dressed and very handsome, but there’s a coldness in his eyes. He rocks her back on her heels with his offer and she quickly goes for her Mace.

This was my first laugh out loud moment. Taylor had me giggling when Andy pulled out her pepper spray. She was so ready to use it.

Zachary, a powerful and very rich man, is used to women falling at his feet. He’s in for a shock with Andie. Yet, she’d do anything for Nick.

After some hemming and hawing, Andie accepts the job. She has no other choice.

I don’t know what it is about Taylor Dean’s books. I’m not much into romance, yet her books captivate me. Perhaps it’s her characters.

Andie and Zach are both so genuine. They have flaws, insecurities. And these cause strong heart ache for both of them.

Both are determined, ready to do whatever it takes to obtain their goals. This also causes some turbulent times.

And both are lonely, in need of a shoulder to lean on, someone to trust. But how do you trust someone you hardly know? Trust them with something so personal, so dear?

This is where Taylor truly shines. She gives you living breathing characters. Ones so real, so full of foibles. You become connected to know them. Feel their joys, pains, and fears. Laugh with them. Worry about them. And yes, cry with and for them.

I knew going into For Nick that I’d need some tissues close by. I almost cried several times. Then, I reached a scene that touched me so deeply. As I was reading, my vision blurred, I could hardly read through the tears welling up in my eyes. As they streamed down my face, I paused, reached for a tissue, and got a hold of my emotions. I wondered if Taylor cried for her characters.

Andie and Zach might not have been looking for love, but love had a way of finding them.

A beautiful love story. I ‘felt’ every bit of it.

5 Stars

Synopsis

Zachary Drake had love in his life–and tragically lost it. He knows it won’t come his way again. Andie Parker would do anything for the love of her life.

Even marry a total stranger.

In spite of the unorthodox manner in which Zach and Andie come together, there is no denying that things are unexpectedly good between them, taking them both by surprise. However, when secrets come between them–and trust does not–Andie soon finds herself vowing to never make the same mistake again. But, she’d do it again in a heartbeat and she knows it. She’d marry a hundred strangers if it helped Nick.

She’d do anything for Nick . . . anything.

Purchase on Amazon

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From the Author

Do you like the cover for FOR NICK?

It’s not the first one.

When I first published FOR NICK, I fell in love with this illustrated image and used it as my original cover.

To this day, I still have readers message me, letting me know they loved my old cover.

I do too.

But, I decided to update all my book covers and give them a more modern flair.

I love the new image. It fits the heroine, Andie, perfectly.

After poring over countless images, we stumbled upon this one and I knew it was THE ONE immediately.

First of all, Andie has long black hair.

Check.

Secondly, I love that the woman is underwater. It speaks to the predicament Andie finds herself in. She’s in way over her head–and she’s metaphorically dying.

I also love that the image screams “bride.” After all, FOR NICK includes a marriage of convenience.

We used another image from the same photo shoot for the back cover.

I love that it’s not immediately obvious that she’s underwater in either image.

You have to look closely and pay attention. Everything is not as it seems.

And that’s what FOR NICK is all about.

About the Author

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense—you’ll find all sub-genres of clean romance in her line-up.

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GIVEAWAY

Three winners!

Up for grabs: The first winner will receive a signed paperback, bookmark, and tote-bag. (US only) AND the second two winners will receive a Kindle ebook. (INT. Sorry, kindle only.)

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

How do you like your romance? Love at first sight? Or do you like the love/hate kind? Or maybe you prefer the slow blooming kind? Then there’s the tear off your clothes kind too!.LOL Feel free to ask Taylor a question also!

Giveaway ends October 7th.

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

Now hop on over to fundinmental, check out Sherry’s review, and enter for another chance to win HERE.

More books from Taylor Dean.

Click on the titles to read my reviews.

Click on the covers to get your copy.

Lancaster House / The Middle Aisle

Sierra / I Have People / Joshua’s Folly

I’m With You

My review is pending.

Girl Of Mine

I can’t wait to get my hands on this one!

26301660

Chasing Fireflies / Power Of The Matchmaker

And these two are brand new. Will be reading soon!

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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!

She needs him. He scares her. ~ Madison’s Song ~ Tour review and Giveaway

Posted: September 22, 2015 in Blog Tour, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Romance
Tags: Author Christine Amsden, companion book to Cassie Scot Series, Madison's Song, paranoraml/fantasy romance

The Cassie Scot series has come to an end. But that doesn’t mean you can’t go back and bump into these characters again.

Check out Madison’s Song.

Enjoy my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Madisons Song

My Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Her voice is enchanting; his soul is black…

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

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

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

*Stand-alone companion to the Cassie Scot series

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Check out this exciting excerpt!

“Silence,” David commanded.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Buy Links

Amazon / B&N

Paperback Release: October 15

Audiobook Release: TBA

The Cassie Scot Series

Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective (Cassie Scot #1)

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My Review

Amazon / B&N / Audible

Secrets and Lies (Cassie Scot #2)

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My Review

Amazon / B&N / Audible

Mind Games (Cassie Scot #3)

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My Review

Amazon / B&N / Audible

Stolen Dreams (Cassie Scot #4)

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My Review

Amazon / B&N / Audible

Author Christine Amsden

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Christine Amsden has been writing fantasy and science fiction for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and relationships, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams. In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work. Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children.

Social Media Links

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

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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!

Eeny Meeny Miney Moe….Tell me which way I should go!

Posted: September 20, 2015 in Books, Holidays, horror, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Science Fiction
Tags: Author Michael Phillip Cash, Halloween reads, Horror, Paranormal/Fantasy, sci-fi

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Halloween is fast approaching and I’ve been reading some scary good books.

I won all of these books by Michael Phillip Cash in a giveaway and being my type of stories, I dove right in. I read all of them in one week. LOL

Now, I need your help. I’d like to review one book each week, leading up to Halloween. I thought it would be fun to let you choose in which order I should review them. So, starting with Brood X as number one and Darracia ending as number seven, help me decide!

Brood X

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Synopsis

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

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

Brood Ten is vicious and ready to invade.

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

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

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

Trailer

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The Flip

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Synopsis

Trailer

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The Hanging Tree

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Synopsis

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

Trailer

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The After House

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Synopsis

Remy Galway and her daughter Olivia are rebuilding their life after a failed marriage in a 300 year old cottage in historic Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island. Little do they know, another occupant is lurking in the haven of their own home. Will the After House be their shelter or their tomb?

Trailer

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Pokergeist

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Synopsis

Sometimes life, as well as death, is about second chances. Luckless Telly Martin doesn’t have a clue. An awful gambler trying to scrape by as a professional poker player, he becomes the protégé of world famous poker champion Clutch Henderson. The only catch…Clutch is a ghost.
Telly and Clutch must navigate the seedy gambling underbelly of Las Vegas learning to trust each other in order to win the elusive International Series of Poker, repair their shattered personal relationships and find redemption in this life and the hereafter.

Trailer

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Witches Protection Program

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Synopsis

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

Trailer

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The Battle For

Darracia 1 thru 3

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Synopsis

The Battle for Darracia Books I, II, and III, are now combined into one epic novel!

On the planet Darracia, an ever-widening social gap between its inhabitants is causing turmoil that is fracturing a once peaceful world. Struggling with his identity, nineteen year old Prince V’sair must harness the power of the elusive Fireblade, the secret to a warrior’s heart, in order to overcome his uncle Staf Nuen’s lust for supremacy. Will the energy of the Elements guide the young prince to his true destiny or will Staf Nuen conquer Darracia?

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Cast your votes!

And thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Saturday Screams ~ In The Eyes Of Madness ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: September 19, 2015 in giveaways, horror, reviews
Tags: Author Michael Pang, Horror, In The Eyes Of Madness

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Welcome to my Saturday Screams!

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

For today, I’ve got a scary good one.

Come on in and get your scare on!

In The Eyes Of Madness

by Michael Pang

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My Review

The synopsis gives you a clue about what lies within in the pages of this story. And it is creepy.

I remember the after affects of going to see The Exorcist when I was a teen. I slept with the light on for years.

You’d think after such an experience I’d shy away from horror, especially anything to do with demons, unseen evil, and possession. But, nope. It’s one of my favorite genres.

I’ve got to hand it to Declan. After what his mother did, and continues to do to him, you’d think the last thing he’d want to do was be closer to her. Yet, he takes a job at the institute where she resides, and it’s not just his mother he has to worry about now.

Unexplained things start to happen, evil is in the very air, and Declan could become a permanent resident, either insane or dead.

If you like the kind of horror that creeps up on you, makes you turn on the lights, that is, if you’re brave enough to get out of bed and cross the floor to the light switch, and won’t let you go until you’ve read ever chilling page, then this is one you should read.

Giving this a chill factor of:

4 Stars

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Synopsis

A near tragic incident at the hands of his psychotic mother left Declan Peters alone and with so many questions.

Years later, Declan is determined to find a way to be closer to his mother and takes a job at the institution where she’s being held. That fateful decision will be the impetus for a chain of events so terrifying that Declan will question his own grasp on reality.

What he finds will be more horrifying than anything he’s ever experienced and more dangerous than anything he’s yet known. In a place, rife with demonic possession and sadistic beings, will Declan finally be able to find the answers he’s longed for before its too late or will he succumb to the evil forces that inhabit the institution and all who live there?

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Author Michael Pang

Project manager by profession but modern Renaissance man by nature, Michael Pang has dabbled in many different areas in his career. From working with steam turbines to eventually switching into the world of IT, his plethora of experience highlights his personality – he’s a person always searching for more knowledge.

Michael was born in Hong Kong in 1983. His family immigrated to San Francisco when he was three and eventually landed in Florida. After graduating from high school, Michael gained his degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech. Despite his currently demanding work schedule, Michael is very involved in activities at his local Project Management Institute Chapter where he fulfills his passion for teaching as the Vice President of Education. But, his desire to serve and help others doesn’t end there, he’s an avid Christian and very active in his local church. He loves kids, with two daughters of his own with his lovely wife, and volunteers at children’s church in his ministry.

He speaks fluent Cantonese and Mandarin and in his free time enjoys reading, writing, eating, cooking, playing music, dancing, singing, and watching musicals. One of his mottos is “Everyday that he hasn’t learned something new is a day wasted.”

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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Michael is giving away two eBook copies of In The Eyes Of Madness

(iTunes of Google Play)

Also, a $15 gift certificate from SolaFide Publishing that can be used on any of their Marketing Packages (Bronze, Silver, or Gold) on their website (http://solafidepublishing.net).

Entry is easy. Just leave your email address so I can contact you if you win and answer this question:

“What is the scariest book you’ve read?”

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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!

fuonlyknew

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Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

Book Blitz and Giveaway for Open Gates by D.T. Dyllin ~ I love this series!

What’s New On My Bookshelf #130 and The Sunday Post

I asked and you answered! Saturday Screams ~ The Flip by Michael Phillip Cash

An Urban Legend from the past ~ Shadow Out Of The Sky by Brick Marlin

It gets hairier and hairier ~ Kill And Run by Lauren Carr ~ Review and Giveaway

Will it be ’til death do us part?’ Three Days To Forever by Lauren Carr ~ My Review and a Giveaway

Sometimes love finds you…Tag Team Review and Giveaways ~ For Nick by Taylor Dean

She needs him. He scares her. ~ Madison’s Song ~ Tour review and Giveaway

Eeny Meeny Miney Moe….Tell me which way I should go!

Saturday Screams ~ In The Eyes Of Madness ~ Review and Giveaway