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Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

We are not alone…. Fluency by Jennifer Foehner Wells ~ Tour Review

Posted: March 26, 2015 in Blog Tour, New Release, reviews, Science Fiction
Tags: Author Jennifer Foehner Wells, Fluency, Science Fiction

Fluency

by Jennifer Foehner Wells

Publisher: Blue Bedlam Science Fiction (June 18, 2014)
ISBN: 978-0990479826
Category: Science Fiction: Space Opera, First Contact, Action-Adventure, Alien, Romance
Tour Date: March 2-April 30, 2015
Available in: Print & ebook, 373 Pages

My Review

Here’s the thing. Since the 1960’s NASA has known about the stationary alien spacecraft in the Greater Astroid Belt. They’ve kept quiet about it while waiting for technology to be developed to reach it.

Six astronauts launch into space to explore the ship in hopes of reverse engineering it’s technology. With no signs of life in all those years, they presumed it was empty. They were wrong.

I’ve just recently started reading science fiction again so I didn’t know what to expect with this book. What I got was action almost from the start. Once the crew enters the ship, actually right on the threshold, an alien presence makes itself known.

Jane Holloway, a linguist specializing in ancient languages, was selected to be our Earth Ambassador, and the alien communicated with her. Just her. No one else could hear it.

When the crew starts showing strange symptoms of an alien disease, the group dynamics crumble. They become paranoid. Delusional. Dangerous.

I couldn’t help but compare parts of the book to Sphere and First Contact. An invisible alien, alien contamination, mind warping. You add all this together and you get humans thinking aliens will be like us, think like us.

This story wouldn’t have worked without Jane. She’s the one who is quick to remind the others that this is an alien intelligence. It won’t act the way we expect. It’s far advanced from us. It will have it’s own agenda.

When the author described the ship and some of the alien technology, I once again drew from many movies so I could visualize for myself. Mainly from the Alien movies. For the alien, I actually visualized from an old Star Trek episode.

Being able to ‘see’ the story, I became immersed in the mission and characters. Most of them I could take or leave. They had their roles to play in the mission, but weren’t all that fleshed out.

Jane was the star and I enjoyed watching her move from being insecure to taking charge.

Bergen, the aeronautics engineer, was her love interest. The romance wasn’t a big deal, and could probably have been left out. It did make sense though. Isolated for ten months in space, someone is bound to connect with someone else.

There’s Walsh, the commander. He’s the self important type. His way is the right way and all that. A pain in the butt, is what he is.

Gibbs is what I call a handy man. He can do a little bit of everything and he plays the role of comic relief. I figured if anyone was going to die, he’d be first.

Ajaya is the flight surgeon, and I didn’t feel anything about her one way or the other. She seemed to follow the most popular opinions.

Tom Compton is the pilot and he too came across as wishy washy. That worked though, as he’s trained to fly machines, not to deal with the drama of the group.

I mentioned the alien. There’s more than one kind on the ship. The others are the ones I compared to a Star Trek episode. Quite nasty, and I wouldn’t be happy if I didn’t have some deadly aliens.

The technology and jargon are easy to understand, the characters make the story work, the action gets intense, and the alien is unique and really out there.

I’m glad I read this book, as it’s a good taste of science fiction, and I hope the author takes the story further.

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

NASA discovered the alien ship lurking in the asteroid belt in the 1960s. They kept the Target under intense surveillance for decades, letting the public believe they were exploring the solar system, while they worked feverishly to refine the technology needed to reach it.

The ship itself remained silent, drifting.

Dr. Jane Holloway is content documenting nearly-extinct languages and had never contemplated becoming an astronaut. But when NASA recruits her to join a team of military scientists for an expedition to the Target, it’s an adventure she can’t refuse.

The ship isn’t vacant, as they presumed.

A disembodied voice rumbles inside Jane’s head, “You are home.”

Jane fights the growing doubts of her colleagues as she attempts to decipher what the alien wants from her. As the derelict ship devolves into chaos and the crew gets cut off from their escape route, Jane must decide if she can trust the alien’s help to survive.

Praise for “Fluency”

“Author Jennifer Wells’ writing genius comes from her vast knowledge of the highly technical subject matter and her ability to put the reader in the middle of it without losing him/her in technical jargon while creating characters that seem completely natural and believable.”– Jean Fisher for Independent Publisher News

“With her first novel, Jennifer Wells adds a fresh voice to the sci-fi genre and distinguishes herself as an author to watch.” –Theresa Kay, author of Broken Skies

“One of the runaway sci-fi hits on Amazon this year has been Jennifer Foehner Wells’ space thriller Fluency and quite frankly it’s a welcome addition to the genre.
Fluency moves at a breakneck pace in a very cinematic fashion, the narrative mostly linear with some minor flashbacks to fill in gaps in the back story. Wells does a fine job of dealing with the technical side of proceedings without resorting to complicated jargon (I know I know, some geeks love the jargon but not this one!) The human technology is believable and the alien technology while advanced, is also impressively practical.
While the strong female character has become a bit of a cliché in sci-fi over the past few years, it’s worth noting that many of these female characters have been written by men. What makes Fluency so refreshing is that Holloway’s character develops in a much more believable fashion given her circumstances. Sure she has to eventually toughen up and fight, but she’s much more than that. She’s a brilliant mind faced with a life-changing event and not just her life but the entire planet’s and her decisions will have monumental consequences. Her ability to focus is paramount and though it may seem she is being manipulated at times, she quickly takes control of her relationship with Ei’Brai. As the story reaches its gripping conclusion it also lays the groundwork for an exciting continuation of this rapidly unfolding saga.
Littered with plenty of nods and winks to classic sci-fi and some clever pop culture references, Fluency is a thrilling, bumpy ride that rarely falters and firmly cements Jennifer Foehner Wells’ standing in the indie scene as an innovative and refreshing new voice in modern sci-fi.”– Eamon Ambrose, Eamo The Geek

“A book that is just as appealing to women as it is to men. I’ll admit, I saw the beautiful cover and thought it was going to be old-school, hardcore sci-fi with lots of technobabble and women in service roles rather than command ones. By the time we got into space I was hooked, and only got more engrossed the further I went.
There’s no flab in this book. It starts out strongly and each scene is carefully considered in how it develops the characters and advances the plot. The pitch rises gradually until leveling off at the end, just as it should.
The prose is straightforward and lets the reading just flow. Dialogue made sense and there weren’t too many narrative sequences. Again, Jennifer Foehner Wells has taken care in crafting a balance of elements.
This is a pretty special book. It’s a modern take on sci-fi, and has a lot to offer. There’s a light romantic subplot, a first-contact scenario, and a high-stakes situation that seems unclear, then clear, then unclear again. This story isn’t predictable and it doesn’t rely on any timeworn tropes. Fluency is something new in fiction, and that always excites the hell out of me.”–Zen, Women of Badassery

~~~~~

About Jennifer Foehner Wells:

Jennifer Foehner Wells lives an alternately chaotic and fairly bucolic existence in Indiana with two boisterous little boys, a supportive husband, a mildly unhinged Labrador retriever, and three adorable pet rats as housemates.

Having studied biology, Jen’s possessed with a keen interest in science and technology. She’s 100% geek and proud of it.

FLUENCY was Jen’s debut. It spent weeks in the Kindle Top 100, going as high as number 4. It remains prominent in several Science Fiction categories. It has garnered 848 five star reviews, to date.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Google+

Buy Fluency

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Book Depository
Indie Bound

Follow the Tour:

Indie Review Behind the Scenes Feb 20 Live I 6 PM cst

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Mar 2 Spotlight & Giveaway

100 Pages A Day Mar 3 Review & Excerpt

Tea Talks Mar 3 Guest Post & Excerpt

Feminist Reflections Blog Mar 4 Review & Excerpt

Mindful Musings Mar 5 Review

BookJunkieMom @ Rainy Day Mar 5 Guest Post & Excerpt

Paranormal Romance Mar 6 Review

Not Now…Mommy’s Reading Mar 6 Guest Post & Giveaway

Reading Romances Mar 9 Review

The Book’s Buzz Mar 10 Review

What U Talking Bout Willis? Mar 11 Excerpt

Joy’s Book Blog Mar 12 Review, Interview, & Giveaway

Paradise Found Mar 13 Review, Interview & Excerpt

Literary R&R Mar 17 Review

The Goode Word Mar 18 Review

Pinky’s Favorite Reads Mar 18 Interview & Giveaway

Cassandra M’s Place Mar 24 Review & Giveaway

fuonlyknew Mar 26 Review

TrulySimplyPink Mar 27 Review & Excerpt

Deal Sharing Aunt Mar 30 Review

My Tangled Skeins Book Apr 1 Review, Guest Post, Excerpt,& Giveaway

Room With Books Apr 2 Review, Interview & Giveaway

Mary’s Cup of Tea Apr 7 Review

Books and Quilts Apr 8 Review

BK Walker Books Apr 9 Guest Post

Inspire to Read April 10 Spotlight

Rockin’ Book Reviews Apr 10 Review

Brooke Blogs Apr 24 Review

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

The Light At The End Of Judgement And Day ~ Review & Giveaway

Posted: March 25, 2015 in angels, Blog Tour, Demons, giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews
Tags: angels, Author Marcia Colette, demons, paranoramal, Supernatural, The Light at the End of Judgement and Day

The first thing I thought was that’s a long title. LOL

Then I spied the cover and went, OOOH!

Come on in and get to know Yvette.

Enjoy my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

~~~

My Review

Yvette lives two lives. One as an up and coming violinist. The other as a ghost buster of Heaven.

Her talent as a violinist gets her bookings all over and that works well for her night job as a land-walker, a witness, sending ghosts on their way. She can’t send them to Heaven or Hell but she can force them to face Judgement Day, where their fate is decided.

Yvette’s agent moves his office into the Folsom Building, unaware that many tenants are moving out. Bad things are happening, and her next mission is clear. Rid the building of the ghosts and keep her secret while doing it.

This becomes harder as a paranormal investigation team has been hired to clear the building and one of them is close to discovering her secret. She’s an angel and it’s death to those who discover what she is.

I liked Yvette. She was tough yet vulnerable. Going into the building, she faced a slew of ghosts and demons and engaged them with ninja wrath. A ninja angel, how cool is that?

I was a bit confused when Yvette ended up in the hospital so much and people too easily accepted her excuses. I’d be more suspect, push harder for the real reasons. Perhaps the author chose to do it this way to keep the story moving along as it isn’t a long book. It could also be because she doesn’t let anyone get too close. Her agent, Dennis, is more interested in dollars and bookings. And her nurse, Carson, while knowing there’s more to her injuries than meets the eye, concentrates more on getting her back on her feet.

Adding in the husband and wife team of paranormal investigators, Glenn and Albert, made the story more fun. I really liked them and they came close to stealing the limelight in the second half of the story. They knew Yvette was more than she appeared to be, and she had to be careful they didn’t find out, which made her vulnerable when battling the entities and added to her injuries.

I see potential for a really good series here. I do enjoy the idea behind this story and a kick butt heroine and would like to read more.

4 Stars

Synopsis

Violinist and angel, Yvette Mills has spent almost 200 years living among humans while rounding up ghosts to send into Judgment. Back on the mend from her last confrontation with a malevolent entity, she’s ready to reenter the classical-music scene. One problem. She’s not facing one ghost. She’s facing hundreds with a few demonic entities sprinkled in.

Dozens of tenants have left the Folsom Building in downtown Charlotte because of the strange goings on. When Yvette’s agent goes for the bargain-basement rental prices and now has an office there, her mission is clear. Rid the building of the paranormal vermin to keep him and the few tenants left, safe. It won’t be easy when a psychic, who’s leading a team of paranormal investigators, discovers she can see ghosts, too. If they discover she’s truly an angel sent from the heavens, she’ll be the first to find herself thrown into the pits of hell.

~~~

Check out the Excerpt

The elevator wobbled. I touched the wall to make sure there was something to hold onto in case the next wobble meant something else. I watched as the green numbers incremented by one on the wall above my head.

Another wobble.

What kind of rickety elevator was this? Surely, this wasn’t the top-of-the-line building on South Tryon Road, but the least I expected was to get to the nineteenth floor in one piece.

The lights blacked out and the elevator slowed to a stop. I stood on a dark, metal box with nervousness creeping across my shoulders. All sorts of horrible images about what could happen next assaulted my thoughts.

I should’ve been used to situations like this.

After a deep breath, I steadied my nerves. Death by elevator would be a new one, given the number of other ways I had died over the years. The only good thing about it would be I’d never feel the moment of impact. God was good.

Calmness blanketed me. I reached inside my purse and pulled out my cell phone. I pressed the button on the side to light up the screen.

A screaming, ethereal face appeared and disappeared with the speed of a flasher standing on a street corner and exposing himself to a pedestrian. That was why the elevator really stopped. Sighing, I slipped my phone in my purse and crossed my arms.

The lights on the panel lit up on all of the floors, the dim light giving my light brown skin a slightly darker hue than normal. I was only on the eighth floor.

“Are you done?” I asked, glancing at the dark ceiling. “Because I have to go.”

The lights came on, dousing me in brightness. However, the lights flashed and reshaped themselves into a downward arrow.

The elevator dropped…and slammed to a stop, throwing me off balance.

Pissed, I picked myself off the floor and dusted off any crumbs or dirt that decided to cling. “If you want to scare me, you might want to make sure I’m on a high enough floor that I won’t survive the fall. And by survive, I mean die and don’t come back…this time.”

A long pause and nothing happened. Then, the button for the nineteenth floor lit up and the elevator ascended at normal pace again. Whoever thought scaring someone like me was a good idea or was possible must have gotten a clue. I normally didn’t go around exposing my aura to anyone unless they pushed me to that point. I wasn’t pushed yet.

I got off on my floor and continued down the hall until I came to one of the smallest offices in the building. Maybe the entire block, for that matter.

I expected more of Dennis Furze, but I guess this was more his speed, since he preferred to work at home. This place was more for show whenever he needed to meet with people other than his clients. It was also the first time I visited in the three weeks that he had opened up his new digs for his clients.

When I entered, I let the elderly receptionist know my name and my appointment time.

“There she is.” Dennis traipsed into the lobby and gave me a firm handshake before pulling me close for a peck on my cheek. He reminded me of a spoiled, rich kid who looked somewhat naïve, but had the wheeling-and-dealing prowess of a stockbroker on the Wall Street floors. “How’s my girl? You practicing for your big day tomorrow? Your reentrance back into the classical music society?”

Despite my smile and the earlier attempt at a good scare, I wasn’t moved. “No worries, Dennis. You’ll have your meal ticket again tomorrow night—I swear.”

“Meal ticket? Is that all you think you are to me?”

“Yes, considering you’re my booking agent and you take a certain percentage of all the gigs you put together whether they’re for me as a soloist or my ensemble.”

“Okay, but I also care about you as a person.”

“I also happen to be one of your considerable draws.”

~~~

About Author Marcia Colette

Marcia Colette

Bestselling author Marcia Colette didn’t discover her love for reading until her late teens when she started reading John Saul and progressed to works by Bentley Little, Stephen King and Laurell K. Hamilton. Her reading tastes convinced her to write paranormals where curses cause people to shift into spiders, psychotic and telekinetic mothers are locked away in attics, and murderous doppelgangers are on a rampage. Let’s not forget about the hunky werecheetah coalitions who live throughout North Carolina. As long as she can make it believable, that’s all that matters.

Born and raised in upstate New York, Marcia now lives in North Carolina with her mom and beautiful daughter. They’re not raising zombies in the backyard. There aren’t any hellhounds living in the den, only a rabbit and a cockatiel. So where she gets her ideas is as much a mystery to her as anyone else.

The best place to find her–when she’s not stirring up trouble–is on her blog where she loves connecting with readers.

Website ~ Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Mochamemoirspress

~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Click on the banner below to follow the tour and comment.

The more you comment, the more chances to win.

~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

Risen II : The Progeny ~ Tour Review ~ I loved every drop!

Posted: March 25, 2015 in Blog Tour, horror, reviews, suspense, Vampires
Tags: Author Krystal Lawrence, horror/suspense, Risen II: The Progeny, series

Title: Risen II: The Progeny
Author: Krystal Lawrence
Publisher: Telemachus Press
Pages: 281
Genre: Horror/Suspense
Format: Hardcover/Kindle

My Review

When I first starting reading this I was worried becuase it’s the second book in the series and I hadn’t read the first one yet.

It made no difference as the author wove in the back story seamlessly in all the right places.

Imagine this. Lorna is only seven years old. She doesn’t remember much about her abduction by Francis Barclay, the vampire who wreaked vengeance on the town until he was finally destroyed..

Now she’s changing. She has a craving for raw meat, for blood. Being so small, without the strength to take down victims, she must get creative and get her blood with surprise attacks and while the prey is sleeping. Feeding off her baby brother isn’t enough and he’s so tiny she worries she’ll hurt him. Drinking from the homeless drunks in the park works for a while until something finally goes very wrong and Lorna could be exposed for what she is, or arrested for murder.

Risen from the ashes, and now mostly ash himself, Francis is coming back to rescue his progeny, little Lorna. His time is short and he senses she’s out of control. She’s waiting for him, but it might already be too late.

This book is so good. The writing is excellent, the back story is slipped in without slowing the reading momentum, and the characters are real. You can almost picture them.

Lorna is scary. She’s just a little slip of a girl, but her blood lust makes her a monster. With no guidance, she’s vicious, dangerous. She feels no remorse for what she does to get the blood, and she’s so close to reaching the point of no return.

Her mother notices her starnge cravings for raw meat and her change in character, but hasn’t quite connected the dots yet.

Her father is an adulterer. A real loser. Every time it seems like he’ll follow the right path, his other brain lands him in another affair, risking losing his family. I wouldn’t have minded if Lorna had fed on the loser.

New to Alder Lake, Beatrice moved there and opened a small antique shop, looking for a fresh start after her divorce. She begins a tentative romance with Detective Blaze. and she’s soon drawn into the madness when Lorna shows up at hetr door in the middle of the night covered in blood.

Blaze is lead detective in the murders and sees a connection to Francis Barclay. Could the vampire have risen? Was he back?

All of these characters are connected to each other through the murders that are popping up all over town. Each has flaws, some have secrets, and all of them fear Francis Barclay.

I’m always looking for something new in this genre and I got it. Have you ever heard of a vampire dog? I wonder if they can turn other dogs or humans? Lots to learn.

And the ending. Oh boy, it was a bonus all by itself.

You’d think vampire stories would get old, but not for me. Especially with Risen II. I drained this book in a matter of hours, much like a thirsty vamp, and loved every drop of it!

5 Stars

~~~

Sharing some parts I loved!

She fed as quickly as possible, then wiped her lips with the back of her hand. Backing away from the snoring figure, she said softly, “Thank you, sir.”

“Oh, you have to be kidding me,” he groaned. “Just what the hell is he doing with her?”

“If you have dolls, I can show you,” Bebe spat with pure venom.

~~~

Synopsis

Producers take note! Francis Barclay is back and he’s ready for prime time.

Fans of horror/suspense masters Stephen King and Dean Koontz are sure to delight in the return of Francis Barclay, the vengeful and bloodthirsty vampire resurrected from the dead after 200 years, in RISEN, by the “Mistress of Macabre,” Krystal Lawrence. Barclay, cremated at the end of RISEN, has once again returned from the ashes — and this time he’s not alone!

In Lawrence’s riveting sequel, RISEN II: THE PROGENY, Barclay is working his slow and agonizing way back to Alder Lake, determined to save the child he accidentally sired.

RISEN began the tale of Francis Barclay’s return to Alder Lake to avenge the centuries old

murder of his family. In this spellbinding sequel, Barclay is determined to save his progeny. When last we left Alder Lake, seven year-old Lorna was waiting patiently by the window for her blood-father’s return. Her wait is now over. She has inherited Francis Barclay’s luminous glowing eyes as well as his taste for blood.

Alder Lake is once again plagued by murder. Only this time, the suspect will surprise everyone!

The “Risen” books may remind readers of the SOOKIE STACKHOUSE NOVELS by Charlaine Harris or Stephenie Meyer’s TWILIGHT series, but Lawrence reaches farther back for inspiration in the undead genre. She calls her novels “vampires for grownups,” in the manner of Bram Stoker’s DRACULA, the most famous bloodsucker of them all.

The main similarity of the RISEN novels to Harris’ and Meyer’s books lies in their rich potential to be adapted into the kind of theatrical or television films that can’t miss in attracting hordes of dedicated fans.

For More Information

Risen II is available at Amazon.
Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Book Excerpt:

The sun was sinking behind the mountains as the dead boy walked on, every bone in his

over-taxed body aching from strain. The constant cloud of dust and ash that floated about

him like a grimy halo made flagging down car rides impossible. This journey would be

made on foot, and there was a very long way to go, especially for a boy who should have

been resting peacefully in his grave for some three hundred years.

As the boy felt the rising breeze lift his long hair from his brow, he raised his hands

to his face and groaned. He watched in silent horror, as his fingers dissolved into fine

grains of ash and floated off into the mild California evening. If he did not find shelter for

the night soon, there wouldn’t be much of him left to lie down tonight at all.

Five years before, Francis Barclay had been cremated and interred in a vault one

hundred miles east of his hometown. Though he was no stranger to rising from the dead,

the first time around he was given a fully formed body to work with. This time he was

comprised of hundreds of thousands of tiny flakes of burned ash, and they didn’t stay put

when the wind grew restless. Worse was the odor clinging to him like an unwanted lover.

He smelled like a poorly tamped-out brush fire, lingering cinders smoldering on his skin.

Francis stumbled. He watched with dismay as his left foot began evaporating into

fine powder, swirling in the air before him. It turned to mist, and rose into the sky above

him like a departing soul, taking that miserable burnt smell with it.

~~~~

Author Krystal Lawrence

Krystal Lawrence was born and raised in Southern California, where she was a child actress. In her late teens and early twenties she redirected her creative energy into radio, and hosted a successful talk show in Las Vegas for many years. She is the author of two previous books and numerous short stories. She now lives in Seattle where she is working on her fourth novel, PHONE CALL FROM HELL.

Her latest book is the horror/suspense, Risen II.

For More Information

Visit Krystal Lawrence’s website.
Connect with Krystal on Facebook and Twitter.
Find out more about Krystal at Goodreads.

~~~~

Tour Schedule

Monday, March 2

Interview at The Writer’s Life

Tuesday, March 3

Book Feature at My Life, Loves and Passion

Wednesday, March 4

Book Feature at Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews

Thursday, March 5

Book Feature at Confessions of a Reader

Friday, March 6

Book Feature at Bound 2 Escape

Monday, March 9

Character Interview at The Literary Nook

Tuesday, March 10

Guest Blogging at Bookingly Yours

Wednesday, March 11

Interview at As the Page Turns

Thursday, March 12

Book Review at Books, Reviews, ETC

Monday, March 16

Character Interview at Pimp That Character

Tuesday, March 17

Book Feature at CBY Book Club

Wednesday, March 18

Guest Blogging at Mythical Books

Thursday, March 19

Guest Blogging at Lori’s Reading Corner

Monday, March 23

Interview at Examiner

Tuesday, March 24

Book Feature at Undercover Book Reviews

Wednesday, March 25

Book Review at My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews

Book Review at fuonlyknew

Thursday, March 26

Book Review at Kristy Centeno

Friday, March 27

Book Review at Quirky Book Reviews

~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Monday Minis Reviews #38 ~ Trailer ~ They want inside!

Posted: March 23, 2015 in horror, Monday's Minis, reviews, Short stories and collections
Tags: Author Edward Lorn, short horror story, trailer

Welcome to My Monday Minis Reviews.

If you’ve been following my blog, I’m sure you’ll recognize this Author. I’ve read all but a couple of his stories and loved them!

For today I’ll be sharing Trailer

A Short Story by Edward Lorn

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My Review

Edward Lorn is a master of the short horror story. This one is no exception.

It’s not fit for man nor beast with a nor’easter raging outside, but Kay has no choice. She left her husband lying in a pool of blood, the frying pan she used to kill him sticking out of his face. Bullying her was one thing, but abusing her son, Tony, a boy with Down Syndrome, was not to be tolerated.

Now, on the road in the middle of the night in a blinding snow storm, Kay must find shelter from the storm when the car breaks down.

Her son had spotted a mailbox a ways back so they find it and follow a narrow path through the trees to a decrepit trailer.

But, before they can get to it, something rises from the snow. Something white, with glowing silver eyes and very sharp teeth and claws. Soon. more rise out of the snow and it’s a race to get to the trailer.

But will the trailer be protection from the screeching beasts outside?

Well, you know I can’t answer that question.

I’ll tell you this though. The beasts are determined to get inside and eat them up and the trailer has been long abandoned and falling apart.

The best thing about Edward’s short stories is his characters. He has this ability to flesh them out quickly. You feel you know them. But don’t get too attached to them. He’s not above knocking them off for a good scene.

Must not forget his creatures. They are all uniquely his own creations and bloody nasty too.

4 Stars

~~~

Synopsis

The less you know, the better.

~~~

About Edward Lorn and where to stalk him.

Edward Lorn is an American horror author presently residing in the southeast United States. He enjoys storytelling, reading, and writing biographies in the third person. Once upon a time, during a session of show and tell, a seven-year-old Edward Lorn shared with his class that his baby brother had died over the weekend. His classmates, the teacher included, wept while he recounted the painful tragedy of having lost a sibling. Edward went home that day and found an irate mother waiting for him. Edward’s teacher had called to express her condolences. This was unfortunate, as Edward had never had a baby brother. With advice given to her by a frustrated teacher, Edward’s mother made him start writing all of his lies down. The rest, as they say, is history. Edward Lorn and his wife are raising two children, along with a handful of outside cats and a beagle named Dot. He remains a liar to this day. The only difference is, now he’s a useful one.

For more about Edward Lorn and his books:

Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon

Edward’s page on RAP

Edward’s blog

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

What’s New On My Bookshelf #102 and The Sunday Post

Posted: March 22, 2015 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

Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

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

~~~

Some chit chat.

Happy Spring ya’ll. It’s officially here and boy am I glad!

I came home from work the other day and spotted this.

I was saying the other day that spring is not officially here until I see green buds on my pecan trees. I was so excited when I looked up into the tree and spotted these beauties. Sorry I couldn’t get a better picture. Took it from my phone. Trust me, they are a pretty green.

In about a week the trees will be fully green again. $tree budding leaves photo: Tree sheading it\'s leaves Treesheadingitsleaves.gif$ My spring fever is at a pitch and I’ve been cleaning gardens and mulching like crazy. It’s coming along nicely and I’ll take pictures when I’m done. Nothing fancy but I enjoy my little piece of heaven.

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

~~~

Here are my new books for review.

I have two new review books but can’t tell ya about them yet.

I’m surprised that’s all I’ve taken in this week!

~~~

New ones just because!

On my Kindle

New Print Books

I already have Doctor Sleep but I don’t think my sister does so I grabbed it. And I have Gone Girl as an eBook and had to have the hard cover. One Two Buckle My Shoe is a new author I want to try, and Unseen and The Bone Bed are both by authors I’ve been reading for years. I got all of these for less than ten bucks!!!!

~~~

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 this week.

Click on the covers for my reviews.

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Book s I’ll be reviewing next week.

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What I won.

I didn’t win anything this week. That’s weird! LOL

~~~

Fun news from around the web.

Rachel Tsoumbakos has a survey: How do readers find books in the digital age?

On Rabid Reads, Carmel asks: What do you do with your ‘read’ books?

Jenn reviews “Pro Blogging Secrets” by Bob Lotich on A Daily Rhythm.

Susan Russo Anderson Talks About Pets In Fiction Books

~~~

Too much of a good thing? Our Dried Voices by Greg Hickey ~ Tour Review

Posted: March 20, 2015 in Blog Tour, Dystopian, giveaways, reviews, Science Fiction
Tags: Author Greg Hickey, dystopian, Our Dried Voices, Science Fiction

Hi ya’ll It’s my stop on the tour for Our Dried Voices.

I’m excited to share my review with you.

And there’s also a glimpse inside the book.

Check out this dystopian, science fiction venture.

It’s out of this world!

Title: Our Dried Voices

Author: Greg Hickey

Publisher: Scribe Publishing Company

Publication Date: November 4, 2014

Pages: 234

ISBN: 978-1940368931

Genre: Dystopian / Science Fiction

Format: Paperback, eBook (.mobi / Kindle), PDF

My Review

It’s hundreds of years in the future. Cancer has been cured. The remaining humans now colonize the lovely planet, Pearl. It’s Utopia.

You never want for anything. No longer suffer illness. It’s so perfect you don’t even need to think.

Until something goes wrong. The machines that run the utopian existence are breaking down. Mysterious figures are roaming the crowds. One young man, Samuel must repair the machines and set things right or the last humans may perish.

This book defied a real description. I started it and stopped, started it and stopped. Something kept drawing me back. Maybe the author put in some subliminal messages. LOL Whatever it was, I’m glad I kept reading. It’s unlike anything I’ve read before.

The people were so strange. I call them The Stepford Shells. They have no minds of their own. The bells would toll, the colonists would line up for breakfast. The bells would toll and they would line up for lunch. And so on. They had a hive or herd mentality.

You can imagine how bad it got when the food ran short, or the shelter doors didn’t open. It was chaos.

Samuel studied the break downs. He noticed the strange figures, called them heroes, who would appear when a break down occurred and vanish just as quickly.

All of these colonists move through the days, repeat the same things, never even speak to each other. Why did Samuel awaken? Who was the girl he kept seeing wandering off on her own? What were the heroes up to? Were they good or bad for the colony?

I kept wondering why the title Dried Voices. Then I came to a point in the book and had an aha moment. I now knew why.

I reached the end and didn’t get all of the answers to my questions. There is an end, a clever one, yet a lot of this is left to your own interpretation. I’d like to know what happened to the thinkers, the producers of the machines. I’d like to know what happens after the end.

I sure hope there is a sequel as I’m anxious to know.

4 Stars

~~~

Synopsis

In 2153, cancer was cured. In 2189, AIDS. And in 2235, the last members of the human race traveled to a far distant planet called Pearl to begin the next chapter of humanity. Several hundred years after their arrival, the remainder of humanity lives in a utopian colony in which every want is satisfied automatically, and there is no need for human labor, struggle or thought. But when the machines that regulate the colony begin to malfunction, the colonists are faced with a test for the first time in their existence. With the lives of the colonists at stake, it is left to a young man named Samuel to repair these breakdowns and save the colony. Aided by his friend Penny, Samuel rises to meet each challenge. But he soon discovers a mysterious group of people behind each of these problems, and he must somehow find and defeat these saboteurs in order to rescue his colony.

~~~

Check out this excerpt!

The sound of the bells echoed across the colony.
They sounded five times, and by the end of the fifth peal everyone had stopped
what they were doing and started to walk toward the nearest source of the
noise. The bells had a tinny, hollow sound to them. To be sure, it was
unmistakably the sound of bells, but it lacked that rich, thunderous, rolling
swell once heard in passing by an old church at the top of the hour. Instead,
it was as though the sound of real bells had been recorded and re-recorded ad
infinitum until only bell-like sounds now remained.

The bells called the people to the midday meal. All
across the lush meadow, the colonists fell into a kind of reverie. Moments
earlier, they had been romping through the meadow or splashing in the river
with the joyful abandon of children, while others napped blissfully at the base
of a modest hill or fornicated with some momentary lover in the shade of a
spreading tree. But now their innocent laughter, their hushed excited voices,
their intermittent shrieks of pleasure all ceased for an instant as they moved
as one toward the sound of the bells. As soon as the fifth toll had faded in
the air, the human noise resumed as though it had never been silenced. The
colonists walked eagerly but unhurriedly, small, hairless, brown-skinned
people, all barefooted and dressed in simple, cream-colored smocks.

The bell sounds came from the seven meal halls
spread throughout the colony—long, tall, rectangular buildings erected from the
black, craggy rock characteristic of the mountains of Pearl, now smoothed down and
cut into bricks and painted a soothing off-white. Another smaller building
abutted one end of each meal hall. Their wan stone façades matched those of the
larger halls and there were no discernible entryways in their solid exteriors.

As the colonists entered each meal hall, they lined
up along the right-hand wall to wait for their food. The walls were painted a
pale sky blue, and on the far wall was a small square hole. One by one, each
diner stepped forward in line, a small, red light above the hole flashed, a
short clicking and whirring noise sounded and then a round, firm, dark brown
cake appeared at the edge of the opening. One by one, each colonist took the
proffered meal cake and carried it over to one of the many wooden tables or out
into the meadow.

Near the front of the line at one hall, a male
colonist turned to face the man behind him.

“Hellohoweryou?” said the first man.

“Goodthankshoweryou?” replied the second man.

“Goodthankshoweryou?”

The two men stared blankly at each other for a
moment. Then the first man blinked and said “Goodweathertoday.”

The second bobbed his head and grinned.
“Betterenyesterday.”

They continued to gaze at each other with vapid
expressions until the first man turned around and stepped forward in line. The
two men were right. It was Tuesday. It rained on Mondays. And thanks to the
colony’s weather modification system, it had rained every Monday, and only on
Monday, for hundreds of years.

***

When about half the colonists at this particular
meal hall had received their food, an adult woman moved to the front of the
line. A young boy, no taller than her waist, stood behind her. The woman
stepped up to the wall, the red light above the hole flashed… and nothing
happened. There was no clicking, no whirring, and no meal cake emerged from the
hole in the milky blue wall. Some people a few places behind the first woman,
by now so accustomed to the regular pace of the line, stepped forward in
anticipation of her taking the food and continuing on. When the line did not
move, they bumped awkwardly into the colonists in front of them, very much
surprised that there should be a fleshy, breathing, human body in their path
instead of empty space. Those closest to the front of the line fell silent when
they saw the woman had not yet received her meal, and then the silence spread
evenly and rhythmically down the line, like a row of pillowed dominoes falling
to the floor. Yet all the colonists continued to wear the same insipid
half-grin on their faces as they waited patiently for the food to be dispensed
and the line to creep forward once more.

A long, loud, whining shriek from the young boy
waiting with his mother at the front of the line broke through the stillness,
and it was this sound, not the actual interruption of the food service, which
seemed to have the greatest effect on those in the hall. The boy did not cry.
He shed no tears, and the sound which emerged from his mouth was not a
breathless and choked sobbing, or even the petulant howl of a child’s tantrum.
It was a primal, animal moan that rose from the depths of his unfilled stomach,
rushed up his throat with a cold and persistent ferocity and forced its way
over his teeth, throwing his head back as it broke from his lips. No one tried
to comfort the boy. His mother did not even turn around to look at him. Her
weak smile faded, but she continued to stare at the dark hole in the wall,
still waiting for her meal to appear. Then a child some dozen places back in
the line picked up the boy’s howl, and then a woman farther behind did the
same. Soon the entire line was wailing loudly.

Those colonists who had already received their
meals hunkered over their cakes and stuffed their last bites into their mouths.
One of them stood up, bumping hard into his table. The rest followed. They
walked hurriedly to the door, brushing past the onlookers from outside who had
gathered to see what all the noise was about. Those still in line stared
dazedly at the others around them, at the now half-empty hall, an incipient
question forming somewhere deep in their skulls.

A man in the middle of the line broke their
unsteady ranks first. He ran, stumbling over tables and chairs bolted to the
floor in his maddened dash toward the doorway. The rest of the line scattered
in his wake. Out through the door they went, cracking bony limbs on the wooden
furniture in their paths, pushing and trampling one another as they all tried
to force their way through the doorway at once, like blood cells pumped through
a clotted artery.

Those who had already finished their meals stood
outside in a loose ring several meters away from the entrance of the food hall,
and as the wild runners pushed their way through the door, they began to run as
well, picking up the wail of the unfed as they went. They ran in no particular
direction, a single mass exodus from the hall, teeming out across the gay green
meadows, up and over the soft, undulating hills, and their cries rippled
throughout the once-peaceful fields to fill the void left by the cessation of
the bells with a sound far more vibrant than those stale chimes which had just
called them to their uneaten meal.

Purchase The Book:

Amazon ~ B&N ~ Goodreads

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE

About The Author:

Greg Hickey was born in Evanston, Illinois in 1985. After graduating from Pomona College in 2008, he played and coached baseball in Sweden and South Africa. He is now a forensic scientist, endurance athlete and award-winning writer. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Lindsay. You can visit Greg’s website at www.greghickeywrites.com.

Connect with Greg:

Website ~ Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Our Dried Voices Tour Page Link

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Review & Giveaway ~ Out From Under, Pea Pod Girls Investigations ~ Ya gotta love em!

Posted: March 18, 2015 in Blog Tour, Cozy Mystery, giveaways, reviews, Series
Tags: cozy mystery, multiple authors, Out From Under, Pea Pod Girls Investigations #1

I was so excited after I finished reading Out From Under. I hope you’ll read it so we can talk about it. So many scenes had me laughing and I sure wish I had friends like these.

Come on in and meet the gals.

Enjoy my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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My Review

It’s never too late to start your life anew. Tallulah Dewy Townz, at 52 yrs. old, quits her investigator’s job at Child Welfare Services and opens her own investigation business. There’s plenty of cases to go around in Wenatchee, Washington.

Once she finds office space, it isn’t long before she has several new employees. Her 72 year old neighbor, Arizona Wyatt Zanderfield, offers her secretarial skills cheap.

And when Tallulah’s best friends, Gigi VanWey; Pea Pod Girl #1 and Babs Rosencratz; Pea Pod Girl #3 stop in to check out her new business, it feels natural, only right to hire the gals too. With Tallulah being Pea Pad Girl #2, now they can get down to the nitty gritty. And boy, do they.

I can’t count how many times I busted out laughing while reading this book. The author gave me some seasoned ladies to fall in love with.

Each of the Pea Pod Girls is tough, says exactly what they are thinking, and are like momma bears if anyone threatens the others. The author flashes back to show how the girls met, and the laugh riot never stopped.

And before I forget, wait until you get a load of Arizona. She’s hired as a secretary, but she’s not afraid to stick her nose in the case. Her shouts to the girls from the outer office had me snickering. I could just see her out there, leaning towards the inner office door, growing impatient, and shouting at them to get to the good stuff.

Their first case is a doozy. Cyndi Lou Montgomery gets caught with her pants down, literally. A recovering sugar daddy addict, she falls off the wagon and someone gets pictures and a video of her in some very compromising positions and they want money to keep quiet. The poor thing, She has a loving husband and this one lapse could cost her everything.

I don’t know what I loved more. The fact that these gals were around my age. That they were full of p#ss and vinegar. How tight there friendship was. Or how much snark they could sling.

All through the book I was thinking, “Bring it.” Cause these ladies are like terriers when they got their teeth into the case. Give them a wrecking ball and all obstacles fall.

I raise a glass to these authors. They gave me such a fun, thrilling read. I truly didn’t want it to end. Just loved the Pea Pod Gals.

5 Stars

~~~~~

Out From Under

Pea Pod Girls’ Investigations Book #1

By- Melanie Donithan, Dee Middleton-Taylor, and Suzanne Curry

Genre- Romance/Mystery/Humor

Expected Publication Date- March 2015

Three small town, middle-aged women with big town dreams open up The Pea Pod Girls’ Investigations. Gigi VanWey, the Amazon Queen, Tallulah Dewy Townz, the pint-sized rebel who can open a can of whoop ass, and Babs Rosencrantz, the Jewish Guru, had no idea how much trouble they could stir up with their first case. These extremely resourceful women are three peas in a pod who know how to get a job done.

Their first client, trophy wife and recovering-sugar-daddy-addict Cyndi Lou Montgomery, wants to find out how one minute she’s watching the Douglas County 4th of July celebration and the next, waking up in the Douglas County Prize Bull Barn in a most un-lady-like situation. Now Cyndi is being blackmailed, and given specific instructions to follow.

The Pea Pod Girls didn’t know that a home explosion, being shot at, missing evidence and unwanted help from the new town sheriff, Jackson Lee – who, by the way, is so hot you could fry an egg on his fine ass – would be part of the job.

The case comes to a head when the Pea Pod Girls set a trap for the blackmailer at the annual Midnight Madness Costume Ball.

Will the Pea Pod Girls be able to solve the mystery before the clock strikes midnight?

(more…)

Wanna be a goofy-footer? Aoleon The Martian Girl #3 ~ The Hollow Moon ~ Review

Posted: March 16, 2015 in Action/Adventure, Blog Tour, Children's books, Fantasy, reviews, Science Fiction
Tags: Aoleon the Martian Girl #3, Author Brent LeVasseur, The Hollow Moon

So here I am, into book three of Aoleon The Martian Girl series and having an out of this world fun adventure!

Come on in and see what kind of trouble Aoleon and Gilbert have zipped into now!

Please excuse any text stuff showing up in this post. No matter how many times I made a new post, some link messed it up!

~~~

And the saga continues…

Aoleon The Martian Girl Part 3 by Brent LeVasseur

Book Title: Aoléon The Martian Girl: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Saga – Part 3: The Hollow Moon, written and illustrated by Brent LeVasseur
Category: Middle-Grade, 120 pages
Genre: Science-fiction and Fantasy
Publisher: Aoléon Press
Release date: February 1, 2015
Available for review in: PDF
Will send books: Internationally
Tour dates: March
Content Rating: G
.

Description

Spying on the Luminon, Aoléon and Gilbert uncover his plot to steal Earth’s milk cows and make the disturbing discovery that the Martian leader plans to disrupt Mars’s galact supply. The duo races to warn Aoléon’s father, Deimos, a manager at the galactworks, before the Luminon’s saboteur can act.

While still on the run, Aoléon takes her pilot’s exam so she can join the Martian intergalactic exploration fleet. However, during the test-run, something goes horribly wrong. The two are put in a life-threatening situation and only Bizwat, Aoléon’s Procyon commando friend, can save them.

Gilbert finally gets his chance to learn to skyboard, but the lesson turns into a test of skill as he and Aoléon are chased by the Royal Paladin Guard.

Will they survive?

Don’t miss this exciting part 3 of 5 of the middle-grade scifi series Aoleon The Martian Girl.

Buy the Book:

Buy your copy today!

Watch the Trailer:

Meet the Author:Mr. LeVasseur enjoys crafting good stories based on lovable characters designed to translate well to multiple media formats such as books, games, movies, and toys. He is an associate member of the Children’s Book Council. He lives in New York when he is not commuting between Southern California and Olympus Mons, Mars. His hobbies include writing, 3D animation, musical composition, and intergalactic space travel. He also enjoys various sports such as skiing, running, and exospheric skydiving.Connect with Brent: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Aoleon The Martian Girl

My Review

Aah, the plot thickens. When we last left Aoleon and Gilbert they were knee deep in intrigue. Somethings not right on Mars.

We now join Aoelon and Gilbert as they crawl through the ventilation tubes to spy on the Luminon in his citadel. They witness a horrible interrogation by the leader and Gilbert once again sees something strange in the Luminon. The prisoner reveals a plot to sabotage the Galactworks where her father works and the two rush to warn him. If the saboteurs succeed it could stop milk production and incite an invasion of Earth.

As with the first two books, these two zip into and out of trouble as they struggle to save both of their worlds from evil plots.

Each book takes me deeper into Aoleon’s life on Mars. The friendship between Gilbert and the martian girl is growing stronger as they deal with multiple plots and their trust for each grows.

There are some new fierce creatures to meet too. The Sukr’ath is something else, with eight eyes, four arms, and of course, a mouthful of teeth. And then there’s the Draconian Warriors. Large reptilian things similar to our extinct velociraptors only intelligent.

I traveled a lot in this story too. From zipping to the top of the citadel, a two mile high tower, to Phobos Moon, home of the Draconians, and back again.

There was lots of fun along the way too. Aoleon takes her pilot’s exam. It’s similar to drivers education on Earth, except it’s in the air. Right in the middle of her exam, they are attacked and captured and have to fight there way free.

Then Aoleon takes Gilbert for a lesson in skyboarding. He’s a natural goofy-footer and they explore the city as he learns to control his board. They are once again attacked and barely escape.

Bizwat, the super elite and covert Martian commando, disguised as a pizza delivery man, comes to their rescue and he describes Aoloeon perfectly.

“If Aoleon’s ability for finding trouble could somehow be captured, you would have a weapon of mass destruction so deadly that not even bacteria would survive.”

I can’t recommend this series enough. The adventures are fast and furious, the humor makes you snicker, the danger makes you shiver, and the illustrations have you leaning close to your computer, drinking in all of the fantastic images that glow from the pages.

A superb science fiction and fantasy saga for all ages!

5 Stars

Buy the Book:

Amazon

Buy The Martian Girl Song!

Another World – Single

Featuring Élan Noelle

Download on iTunes

~~~~~

~~~

<strong>I hope you enjoyed the adventure and</strong>

<strong> thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!</strong>

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What’s New On My Bookshelf #101 and The Sunday post

Posted: March 15, 2015 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

Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

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

~~~

Some chit chat.

I must have sat for over half an hour trying to think of something to talk about. Nothing really new happened personal wise. Then I started thinking about summer. It looks like spring is finally arriving. I even had to run the AC this week. It was hot and humid. Looks like we’ll be skipping open window weather and jumping right into hot and sticky! This led to thinking about swimming.

When I first moved to the Gulf Coast almost 30 years ago, I didn’t think twice about swimming in the ocean. Well, Jaws was always on my mind. LOL I used to turn my back to the waves and pray there wasn’t some huge shark in there cruising for a meal.

It turns out the most dangerous thing I encountered was jellyfish. It seemed like every time I got in the water, I got stung. Some had tentacles so long you never saw it’s body when you felt that sting.

jellyfish photo: jellyfish jelly_fish.gif

After going on many deep sea fishing trips and seeing some of the sharks out there, my fear of the ocean grew and I finally gave up swimming in it all together. I don’t miss it one bit. That’s because I have a pool and now I can walk out my back door and dive in with no worries.

Except for the time I fell asleep while floating in the pool. I woke and saw the shadow of a shark on the bottom and freaked out until I realized where I was and that the shadow came from a child’s float. LOL

So, what about you? Do you swim in the ocean? Are you afraid when you do? Which do you prefer, pool or the sea?

Oh, and watch out! There’s a jelly or two floating around in this post!

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

~~~

Here are my new books for review.

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New ones just because!

On my Kindle

23276060

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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!

~~~

Books I reviewed this week.

Click on the covers for my reviews.

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Books I’ll be reviewing next week. jellyfish hunt photo: Jellyfish j.gif

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What I won.

I won both of these print books from a giveaway on Pure Jonel, Confessions of a Bibliophile.

Thanks so much Jonel and thank you to Author E. Michael Helms.

~~~

Fun news from around the web.

Enjoy Kristen’s post about Review Regret on Pretty Little Pages.

Mary at Cozy Chicks wants to know if you’re superstitious.

Why do you DNF a book? Lola asks you on Lola’s Reviews.

Check out the helpful advice on how to use Edelweiss from Jennifer on Bookshelfery.

~~~

Will she be able to fill her….Empty Cup ~ Blog Tour Review and Giveaway

Posted: March 9, 2015 in Blog Tour, Contemporary Literature, giveaways, reviews, YA
Tags: Author Suzanne Costigan, Empty Cup, YA Contemporary

I’m so glad you stopped by for my stop on the tour for Empty Cup.

This is Author Suzanne Costigan’s debut novel and I very much enjoyed it.

Please enjoy my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

~~~

Title: Empty Cup

Publication date: November 3, 2014

Publisher: Rebelight Publishing Inc.

Author: Suzanne Costigan

My Review

While this story delves into a traumatic and,sadly, common subject, it’s also about courage, hope, and strength.

Raven’s home life isn’t perfect but she manages. Until her birthday, when her step-father goes from the usual leers and innuendos to an attack that leaves her beaten and bloody. Saved by her mother arriving home, she’s mistaken to think she’ll be okay. Her mother refuses to believe her, blames her, and throws her out in the winter cold with nothing but a sheet wrapped around her naked body.

Raven now has to find a place to live and face what’s happened to her. She’ll need to be strong, rely on friends, and find the courage to begin her life again.

I was surprised to discover this was the authors debut novel. It’s powerfully written, and while it touches on a delicate subject, it also breathes hope.

Raven is so sweet and so broken. I loved her courage. The people she should have been able to trust and protect her, instead did the opposite, and and while she was ashamed and hurt by what happened, she turned to her friends and a kind teacher, drawing on their loyalty and wisdom.

This was a book I was hesitant to read as it’s a tough topic and one many avoid. The authors writing is tough where it needs to be and delicate too. I’d recommend this to teens and adults.

4 Stars

~~~~

Mom’s new boyfriend is creepy.

On the night of her seventeenth birthday, Raven finds out he isn’t just creepy, he’s dangerous. He leaves Raven broken and bleeding, but Mom blames her for what happened. She kicks Raven out of the house with nothing but a blanket to protect her from a frigid winter night.

Alone.

Devastated.

Abandoned.

As Raven struggles with the aftermath of the ultimate betrayal, she seeks solace in her imagination and a teacher who seems to understand her situation. She ultimately discovers that her world won’t change if she relies upon someone else to do it. Real change begins within.

“…Sure to prompt reflection and provocative discussions on important issues.”

-Allan Stratton, author of Leslie’s Journal

“Not an easy story, but an important one. Compelling, powerful, and engaging.”

-Eric Walters, author of Power Play.

~~~~~

ABOUT SUZANNE COSTIGAN:

Suzanne Costigan is a child welfare advocate, supporting high risk children in her home, and an active member of the Winnipeg writing community. Empty Cup is her first novel.

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

~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

We are not alone…. Fluency by Jennifer Foehner Wells ~ Tour Review

Follow the Tour:

The Light At The End Of Judgement And Day ~ Review & Giveaway

Risen II : The Progeny ~ Tour Review ~ I loved every drop!

For More Information

Monday Minis Reviews #38 ~ Trailer ~ They want inside!

What’s New On My Bookshelf #102 and The Sunday Post

Too much of a good thing? Our Dried Voices by Greg Hickey ~ Tour Review

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE

Review & Giveaway ~ Out From Under, Pea Pod Girls Investigations ~ Ya gotta love em!

Wanna be a goofy-footer? Aoleon The Martian Girl #3 ~ The Hollow Moon ~ Review

What’s New On My Bookshelf #101 and The Sunday post

Will she be able to fill her….Empty Cup ~ Blog Tour Review and Giveaway