October 2026
M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

What’s New On My Bookshelf #100 and The Sunday Post

Posted: March 8, 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.

Did anybody wake up this morning feeling like they had lost some time?

Guess what day it is!

spring forward photo: spring forward daylight-savings-1.gif

That’s right. Daylight Savings Time!

Do you set your clocks ahead before you go to bed or do you wait and do it when you get up? And does it affect you much?

I used to dread it when my son was younger and in school. He adapted pretty quickly though. Me now, that’s another matter. I’m always awake before dawn, and it takes my mind and body a while to adjust. I wish we could spring forward and NOT fall back!

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.

23165811 18068418 22117933

~~~

New ones just because!

On my Kindle

Print Books

I made a trip to Goodwill and snatched up these babies! All it excellent condition, like new!

And I’m waiting for these to come in the mail. I’ve been wanting to read the second 5th Wave book and start The Monstrumologist series, both by Rick Yancey.

~~~

And here are some freebies for ya!

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

~~~

Books I reviewed this week.

Click on the covers for my reviews.

~~~

Books I’ll be reviewing next week.

I’ll also be reviewing In Her Blood by G.V. Trent but I can’t show you the cover yet.

~~~

What I won.

I won both of these ARCs but can’t find where I won them from.

and this one too!

It came with some fun swag, including some severed feet gummy candy.

Sorry I don’t have links for the giveaway hosts but sending a warm thank you out there!

I won a signed print copy of Mean Streak by Sandra Brown.

along with a box of these delicious cookies from Cheryl’s!

There are a buncn of them and they are so delicious!

Thanks so much to Author Sandra Brown!

~~~

Fun news from around the web.

On The Book Swarm, Mary talks about reading suggestion on Twitter and the price of eBooks.

Lola asks how you rate books on Lola’s Reviews.

Snarky Mom, Michelle, gives tips on how to know when an author has a new release.

Have you ever played hooky to read? Carmel wants to know over on Rabid reads.

~~~

Never, Never Go…..In The Woods by Nancy Gideon ~ Tour Review & Giveaway

Posted: March 6, 2015 in Blog Tour, horror, reviews, suspense, thriller
Tags: Author Nancy Gideon, In The Woods

In the Woods (Based upon the original screenplay by Lynn Drzick)
Genre: Horror/Thriller/Suspense
Published by: Katharsys Pictures Publishing
Release Date: January 17, 2015
Length: 201 Pages

My Review

Horror is my favorite genre. Adding in something supernatural, not human, makes it even better. I had a great time reading In The Woods.

The very title, In The Woods, is scary. I can’t think of anything good coming out of there, and something very very bad does in this book.

Evil was born into the world a long, long time ago. A foul bargain was struck. One brother was rewarded, one condemned, and payment was made.

When the brothers clashed on the battlefield, a fiend from Hell was unleashed. To stay the beast, another bargain was struck. Again, payment was made. One beast is tasked with guarding the remains of the other. Deep in a forest, it keeps it’s vigil.

One day, many many years in the future, two firemen are out hunting and stumble upon a grave deep in the woods. They know a serial killer is stalking the people of their town, so they dig up the grave, sure they’ll find one of the killer’s victims. Instead, they find the bones of a beast, something that shouldn’t, couldn’t be. Now they’ve awakened the guardian, and luck is on their side when they escape it’s wrath. Or do they?

The beginning takes place long in the past and introduces the beast. Then you move into the present when the creature is unleashed again.

It gets creepy really quick. Something is leaving gifts for Alex, one of the firemen that survived the encounter in the woods. A bloody torso here, part of a shoulder there. Kind of like when a barn cat brings you the mice it kills. Such a pleasant surprise it is. My cat used to leave the feet and the tail by my bed. It was so gross when I’d get out of bed and step on the tiny body parts. I can only imagine how gruesome and terrifying it would be to find human body parts.

Soon the whole town is in danger. Don’t forget there’s also a serial killer out there, stalking his next kill too. The author ratchet’s up the suspense and thrills.

Alex goes from victim to suspect and the local chief of police has got his killer. Once he focuses on Alex, he looks no further. This could be big for him. Get his name in the papers, get him elected to a higher office. He’s such a jerk, you love to hate him.

Poor Alex. How can he prove he’s not the killer? Can he stay alive long enough to do that? Why is the beast following him, leaving his bloody gifts?

From the very beginning, I ate this book up, tearing through it, rubbing my hands together in glee. Creatures, a serial killer, suspense, thrills, terror. All things I love to read about.

I loved this bloody book and can’t wait for the movie!

5 Stars

~~~

Synopsis

Hundreds of years ago their battle began . . .

In an age of knights and sorcery, a good king must raise a monster to protect his people from the demon unleashed by a dark-hearted enemy determined to claim his kingdom. But once called forth upon blood-drenched fields, can such evil ever be truly laid to rest?

To a present day community held hostage by fear, a serial killer will soon be the least of its worries after two off-duty firefighters enter a forest and find a grave. What they dig up isn’t a victim or family pet. When they race from the woods, they bring a timeless hell with them . . .

Based upon the original horror screenplay IN THE WOODS by Lynn Drzick, now an independent motion picture.

.About Nancy Gideon. Author Picture - Nancy Gideon

With over 58 sales since her first publication in 1987, which was written in long hand then typed up on a manual Smith Corolla, Portage, Michigan author Nancy Gideon’s writing encompasses romance genres from historicals and regencies to contemporary suspense and the paranormal.Under her own name, she’s a bestseller in contemporary romantic suspense, has written an award-winning vampire romance series, and has a six book shape-shifter series with Pocket Books. Also listed on the International Movie Database (IMDB), she collaborated on Indie horror films In the Woods and Savage with screenwriting and ADR script credits, and even played a small role, that of “bar extra.”Writing historical romance as Dana Ransom, she’s a “Career Achievement for Historical Adventure” and “K.I.S.S.” award winner with books published in Romanian, Italian, Russian, Danish, Dutch, Portuguese, French, German, Icelandic and Chinese.As Rosalyn West, she’s a HOLT Medallion winner with nominations for “Best North American Historical Romance” and “Best Historical Book in a Series.”

A prolific writer, Nancy attributes her creative output, which once peaked at seven novels in one year, to her love of history and a gift for storytelling. She also credits the discipline learned through a background in journalism and OCD. The due date for her third book and her second son were on the same day . . . and both were early! When on deadline, she turns on the laptop between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m. to get a chapter in before heading in to her full time job as a legal assistant. She’s a member of GDRWA, MMRWA, FF&P and dotes on her critique group.

.

.

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!

Teaser Tuesdays #104 ~ Demon Energy

Posted: March 3, 2015 in Demons, horror, reviews, Teaser Tuesdays
Tags: Author Anthony Renfro, Demon Energy, Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

TeaserTuesdays2014e

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page.

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

~~~

My Tease for this week is from

Demon Energy

by Anthony Renfro

25034346

My Tease is from 18% in the eBook.

He felt his soul losing again. The demons were crawling around inside of him, pushing his soul back to the shadows.

~~~

My Review

I’ve always been fascinated and scared sh%!tless by stories of possession. I went to see The Exorcist when it came out and didn’t sleep good for years afterwards.

This poor man is possessed by a legion of demons. They will not leave. He weakens. They linger.

Not able to exorcise the demons, the people took him to a cave and chained him to a bed.

Three priests then arrived. They prayed over the man. They fought the demons. The battle waged on.

At around 20 pages, this only took me a few minutes to read. I’d love it if the author took this and made it into a full length novel. I’d like to know who the possessed man was. How he came to be possessed. And who the heck the three priests were. They were something else.

It’s really short but packs a punch!

3 Stars

~~~

Synopsis

1 Man – A 1000 Demons Possession. Redemption. Salvation. This short story is about one man tormented by evil, and his journey into the light.

~~~

I’ve read almost every book Anthony Renfro has written. I just love how he doles out his horror. Bring it on Anthony!

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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

What’s New On My Bookshelf #99 and The Sunday Post

Posted: March 1, 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.

~~~

I woke up this morning and there was this strange noise coming from outside. When I got out of bed to go investigate, I discovered my back yard and the trees were filled with birds. There were so many and they were so loud.

Most of them were big fat Robins and they looked so pretty. I couldn’t resist going outside to get a closer look and you won’t believe what happened!.

Yep, you might have guessed. bird poop photo: bird poop birdpoop.gif Right on my head! LOL

I love this gif. It even looks like a robin!

Some people say it’s a sign of good luck. That’s how I’m going to take it anyways. Maybe it means spring is right around the corner. If I could be that lucky!

That’s my big event for the week. Have you ever had a bird poop on you? Do you think it’s lucky?

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 a few more but I can’t reveal them yet!

~~~

New ones just because!

On my Kindle

Print Books

I read this book a long time ago and it got lost when I moved across country. I finally decided to see if I could find it on Amazon. I got a slightly used paperback in excellent condition and can’t wait to read it again. This is a true story and it terrified me.

~~~

And here are some freebies for ya!

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

~~~

Books I reviewed this week.

Click on the covers for my reviews.

~~~

Books I’ll be reviewing next week.

I have a few more ready. Just not sure which ones I’ll be posting.

~~~~

What I won.

O won this awesome hardback from a giveaway on A Dream Within A Dream.

Thanks so much Stephanie and Author J.R. Johansson.

I won this print copy from a giveaway on Jean Book Nerd.

Thanks so much Jean and thank you to Author Adolphus A. Anekwe.

~~~

Fun news from around the web!

Emily Guido gives it to you straight. Love ya Emily!

Jeann @ Happy Indulgence shares The Top Ten WordPress Plug Ins For Blogs

Over on Runaway Bridal Planner, Kristy talks about how to make money blogging.

And I found this awesome video trailer over on GirlZombieAuthors.

I have to share it with ya!

~~~

Sad to reach the end but loved it! Heart Search : Betrayal ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: February 27, 2015 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Series
Tags: Author Carlie M.A. Cullen, Heart Search: Betrayal, vampire series

All month long Carlie M A Cullen is celebrating the release of the third and final book in her series, Heart Search: Betrayal

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

Check out her wonderful cover art! Also included are the covers of the first two books. All of them are amazing!

I’m also sharing a thrilling book trailer.

And a giveaway! Don’t forget to enter.

Amazon

My Review

This series started with two young people in love. When Joshua went missing, Remy was inconsolable. She set out to find him and when she did both of their worlds changed forever. Joshua was now a vampire and she and the twins he hadn’t known about had no place in his world.

In the second book of this series, Joshua and Remy are together again and multiple plots put them and their twins in danger.

Now we get to the last book, the end of this awesome series. It’s always exciting and bittersweet when you read the last book. You can’t wait to see how it ends but you’re sad to say goodbye to the beloved characters and their world.

In case you haven’t met these vampires before I feel I should explain them a bit. They are as human as us in their love, loyalty, and struggles to survive. yet, once turned, they change. They have no trouble feeding on humans. They don’t just prey on the evil. They choose their dinner, feed until full, and dispose of the bodies with no thought about that person. Who they were, if they had loved ones.

They sometimes appeared cold and distant in their actions. This didn’t make them monsters to me. It actually made them more believable, which I appreciated. I also had no problem becoming attached to them.

Remy and Joshua love each other as much as any human can. Their devotion and adoration for their twins, Aidan and Ashley, is perhaps even more powerful, as they are predators and protect them like a momma bear would. Other members of the coven have loving relationships also.

There are the bad apples though, just like the humans. Vampires that relish the hunt, toy with the humans before feeding. And the ones who don’t hesitate to kill other vampires. To take what they have.

This is what is coming for them. Joshua and Remy, Samir and Jakki, Pavel and Iskra, and the rest of the coven. Liam, a vampire created by accident, has plans to destroy them, to take what is theirs. And he is creating an army of fresh vampires to kill them all.

This is just the tip of the iceberg with the story.

Josh and Remy have their hands full with the twins, Aidan and Ashley, half vampire and half human. They are unique and developing mutiple gifts. Intelligent and fast growing, they are small weapons in their own. A decision will have to be made whether to use them in the battle to come.

And the worst thing possible has happened. There is a traitor in their midst. Goes by the name of Phoenix. And this traitor has been sharing with Liam and his coven plans to their compound and security systems.

There are kidnappings, deaths, and distrust racing through this story. You become immersed in this world of vampires, you care about them or hate them accordingly. And the more you come to care, the more hurt and enraged you become.

I knew not everyone would survive the final battle, but I felt so bad when the deaths were revealed. One in particular had me near tears. This character was very important and I wonder if there is a story to be written there.

Carlie wrapped up her series in style. Lots of intrigue, action, and dramatic scenes. I couldn’t have asked for more.

5 Stars

One bite started it all . . .

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

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

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

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

~~~

About the author

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

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

Carlie is also a principal editor for Eagle Eye Editors.

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

Carlie currently lives in Essex, UK with her daughter.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Linkedin

Amazon ~ About me ~ Wattpad ~ Goodreads

BOOKS:

Heart Search, book one: Lost

Heart Search, book two: Found

~~~

About the other books

Heart Search: Lost

Book One

Click on the cover for my review.

Heart Search: Found

Book Two

Click on the cover for my review.

~~~

Here are some of the pretties you can win!

Along with signed print copies of the complete series.

Enter the rafflecopter now!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

Real life and movies ~ Horror Business ~ Blog Tour Review and Giveaway

Posted: February 26, 2015 in Blog Tour, giveaways, horror, reviews
Tags: Author Ryan Craig Bradfore, film making, Horror, Horror Business

Ready, set, action!

I have a great horror story to share with you today.

Like being scared? Afraid to keep reaching, but have to now what happens?

You’ll get a lot of this in Horror Business. Very emotional and creepy.

So come in in. Let’s dim the lights. And get rolling!

Oh yeah, don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

~~~

Title: Horror Business

Publication date: February 2015

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Author: Ryan Craig Bradford

My Review

Jason and his twin brother are into making their own horror films. They are trying to finish the latest when Jason’s brother disappears. He’s just the first.

As more and more teens go missing in Silver Creek, other strange things happen as well. Jason is no longer dealing with botched lines and fake blood. Reality is much scarier and he’ll have to be smart to find his brother and the other missing teens and not become a fatality himself.

Whether reality or fantasy, nothing can be more terrifying than missing kids. How people treat Jason after his brother goes missing is so genuine. Some people don’t mention it at all, while others over compensate and treat him like he’ll break. It’s hard to know what to say or do. And his parents aren’t doing much better.

I’m struggling to tell you about this book without spoiling it. So many creepy and awesome things going on. I want to tell you all about them. Since I can’t, I’ll tell you what the story is like.

It’s like a really good B-Movie. You know, the ones you love but don’t want to admit it. Why do they make so many of these movies? Because they scare the crap out of you, give you outrageous scenes to tear apart with your friends, and the really good ones take you back to when the atmosphere scared you as much as the monster or whatever did.

Horror Business has kids making horror movies. What a great set up. The author has freedom to take the story wherever and uses flashes of past and present to keep the suspense rolling. Anything can happen, and some strange and creepy stuff does. It sneaks up on you, jumps out at you, goes quiet, and then, cue the music, the ending is unleashed.

Horror Business is a horror/slasher/ zombie story, yeah there’s this zombie dog thing, he’s my favorite.

I also enjoyed the movie mentions, seen a lot of them, and discovered some new ones.

The book read super fast and made this horror fan very happy.

4 Stars

Armed with a passion for classic B-grade horror movies, a script co-written by his twin brother, and a wicked crush on his death-obsessed neighbor; hardcore horror fan Jason Nightshade must finish his student film.

But his plans are derailed when the children of suburban Silver Creek start disappearing – his twin brother among them. Battling a possessed video camera, a crazy zombie dog, a monstrous bully, and a frighteningly broken down family life, Jason embarks on a mission to find his lost brother so the two can write an ending for his story.

As any horror fan knows, saving the day won’t be easy, as Jason finds himself forced to face the real world where death isn’t just a splash of fake blood on a camera lens.

ABOUT RYAN CRAIG BRADFORD:

Ryan grew up in Park City, Utah. His fiction has appeared in Quarterly West, Paper Darts, Vice, Monkeybicycle and [PANK]. He currently lives in San Diego where he acts as Creative Director for the nonprofit literary arts organization So Say We All. He’s the co-editor of the anthology Last Night on Earth and founder of the literary horror journal, Black Candies.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter

~~~

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!

So that’s where they went! The Monster That Ate My Socks ~ Review and Giveaway Tour

Posted: February 25, 2015 in Blog Tour, Children's books, giveaways, reviews
Tags: Author AJ Cosmos, children's book, The Monster That Ate My Socks

Have you ever lost your socks? Sure you have. We all have.

Wonder what happened to them? We all do!

Learn what happens when two boys find out where those socks went.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

My Review

His mother has had enough and is threatening to ground him for the summer. What is Max to do? His dirty socks are there when he goes to bed and gone in the morning.

So, in order to avoid a grounding, he sets out bait, dirty socks, and waits to see what shows up that night. And in creeps a little green monster.

Max jumps on it but it squirms away and runs in his closet. His mother comes in, scolding him for still being awake and doesn’t believe his story about the sock eating monster.

The next day at school, Max tells his friend Ryan about the monster. They devise a plan to capture the little green guy and save Max’s summer. The trap works, but then the monster tells his story and they face two choices, help the monster or let him and his family go hungry.

Such a delightful story with vibrant and exciting illustrations, this story is meant to help children with their reading and has some lesson plans at the end of the book. Parents will have fun reading this with their kids, and the young ones will learn some valuable lessons.

I particularly liked the plan the boys come up with for the monster and his family. It was a funny one and I could see kids eyes lighting up and hear their giggles when they read it.

I hear Max and the monsters are in another pickle in the second book and look forward to seeing how they solve that one too.

5 Stars

~~~

Book Synopsis

A young boy, who is about to be grounded for going through so many socks, discovers that a monster has been eating them.

Max is a young boy who is constantly getting in trouble for his socks disappearing. He doesn’t know where they go, but he does know that if he doesn’t do something quickly his mom will ground him for summer. Max soon discovers that a little green monster is sneaking into his room at night and eating his sweaty socks. His mother, of course, doesn’t believe him, so Max calls on his best friend to come for a sleepover to catch the monster.
They devise a trap and capture the monster only to learn that the creature can speak. It hasn’t meant to cause any harm, it’s just trying to feed its family. The monster shows them his home and his three little children and begs the boys not to turn them over to the adults. Adults, he says, want to destroy monsters.

The boys are left in a pickle. Allow the monsters to be and get grounded, or turn the monsters in knowing what will happen to them? Neither idea seems good, so they come up with a new plan!

Author’s Bio

A.J. Cosmo’s stories are crafted to help parents teach their children simple everyday lessons in an easy to understand manner. By artfully marrying beautiful illustrations and language, children are challenged to explore his magical worlds. Written for the transitional reader, A.J.’s stories allow your child to develop and master a new level of reading.
Connect with A.J. Cosmos

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

Where to buy the book:

Amazon

~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~

Follow the tour for more fun posts!

Feb 9 – One Frugal Girl – review / giveaway
Feb 9 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – review / author interview / giveaway
Feb 10 – Library of Clean Reads – review / giveaway
Feb 10 – Bookroom Reviews – review / author interview / giveaway
Feb 10 – Hello, my name is Alice – review / author interview
Feb 11 – Book Dilettante – review
Feb 11 – Back Porchervations – review
Feb 12 – Nighttime Reading Center – review / author interview / giveaway
Feb 12 – Book Loving Hippo – review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 13 – Working Mommy Journal – review / giveaway
Feb 16 – Life as Leels – review / author interview / giveaway
Feb 16 – Genuine Jenn – review / giveaway
Feb 17 – Reading Authors – review / giveaway
Feb 17 – Bound 4 Escape – review
Feb 18 – Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks – review
Feb 18 – Deal Sharing Aunt – review
Feb 19 – Walking with Nora – review / giveaway
Feb 19 – Girl With Camera – review / giveaway
Feb 20 – View From the Birdhouse – review / giveaway
Feb 20 – Being Tilly’s Mummy – review / giveaway
Feb 23 – Just One More Chapter – review
Feb 23 – Kincavel Korner – review
Feb 24 – Pinky’s Favorite Reads – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Feb 25 – fuonlyknew – review / giveaway
Feb 26 – Did YOU Hear About the Morgans? – review
Feb 27 – DeDa Studios – review / author interview / giveaway
March 2 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – review / giveaway
March 3 – Life with Katie – review / giveaway
March 4 – 3 Partners in Shopping – review / giveaway
March 6 – I’d Rather Be At the Beach – review / giveaway

~~~~

Other books in the series.

~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

Lulupop says…Pants! No Chance! ~ Guest Post, Review and Giveaway

Posted: February 24, 2015 in Blog Tour, Children's books, giveaways, Guest Post, reviews
Tags: Author Susan Lanyi, children's book, Pants! No Chance!

Pants! No Chance! by Susan Lanyi is a fun picture book illustrated by Alexandre Rouillard.

Before we get to my review, I have a Guest Post by the author. She shares a freakish encounter with a masked bandit.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

~~~~

A Guest Post by Author Susan Lanyi

Sometime around my twentieth birthday my father left me home alone for the weekend, something any teenager would consider a gift of mega proportions. Saturday had been a full day of shopping. Happily, my friends and I stumbled through the front door of my house. The three of us were ready for some much needed relaxation. Instead, what we got was a large dose of excitement.

As we entered the house I noticed that a standing lamp lay flat on the couch. Perplexed, I moved towards the kitchen. There was garbage scattered all over the floor. Warning lights began to go off in my head. Something was terribly wrong. Then I saw it, a carpet of brown fur making elegant brush strokes on our shiny yellow kitchen floor. I admired my cat’s tail for a moment. Then I snapped out of it. In a flash, it occurred to me that we did we not own a cat. Even the more distressing however was when I concluded that this was no cat at all. No, this was one big fat raccoon. The front door seemed painfully far. “GET OUT!” my lips moved but nothing escaped my mouth. Luckily my legs did remember how to work.

Two men arrived with a big cage. Unsure if the beast would go quietly, I wished them luck. After about ten minutes they materialized with my fluffy friend. They explained that he would be set free. Overwhelmed with relief I thanked the animal rescue guys and watched them place the creature in the back of their truck. We said our goodbyes and they drove away.

My friend and I made plans for the evening. Two male friends decided to join us. I regurgitated all the elements of my coon story. When the evening came to an end my post trauma had me feeling nervous about going back into the house alone. The guys were quick to offer their protection services.

My friends went ahead of me. “Hey the lamp is lying on the couch.” One of them said, “Oh, stop being such a joker.” I responded. The other guy backed him up, “No it’s true.”

Was this a horror movie entitled “the night of the living dead rodents”? I was in total disbelief. “How can this be?” I cried out. The guys moved further into the house. “Awwww he’s so cute” one of them muttered. On my kitchen counter between the toaster and the blender lay a baby raccoon.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. I tried animal rescue but it was fruitless. No one was coming to get this raccoon at 2:00A.M. Luckily, the two guys managed to prod the little fur ball out the window with a broom.

In a flash, I grabbed a few items and asked my friend if I could crash at her house. There was no way I was going to risk running into another masked eyed animal on my way to the toilet that night.

It was not easy to return home the next day but I did take some comfort upon my fathers return. If there were any more animals lurking in the shadows, it would be his and his problem alone. Still, I guess the raccoons liked me more than him because they never showed their furry little faces again.

~~~~

My Review

Each morning, no matter what outfit her mother suggests she wear, Lulupop stubbornly insists on wearing a dress. It’s always a dress, even when it causes problems or she misses out on some fun stuff.

The pictures are delightful and fill the pages. You’ll see the consequences of Lulupop’s insistence upon wearing a dress in colorful, fun ways.

When her mother finally throws in the towel, Lulupop surprises her and comes up with her own solution. Kids are funny like that.

I see where parents can learn from this. Lulupop is showing her personality. Be patient. Let your child express themselves. My son used to always wear a stocking cap and matching cloth gloves. I have so many pictures of him with toese items on. It makes me smile now, but I remember the frustration when trying to get him to take them off.

Lulupop finally learned yet still kind of had her own way.

A delightful picture book to read aloud with your child. Sure to make you giggle.

5 Stars

~~~~

Book Synopsis:

Lulupop rarely puts up a fuss, except when it comes to wearing pants. Dresses, dresses, dresses, is all she will ever wear! With time, a little drama, and no lack of imagination, Lulupop realizes that wearing dresses is not always the best choice.

Author’s Bio:

Susan Lanyi lives in Montreal with her husband, three children and puppy. She is a writer and has previously been published in The Globe and Mail. When Susan is not busy writing or doing “mom stuff” she is shopping for dresses with her daughter….Too bad her daughter only wants to wear pants!

Connect with Susan: Website ~ Twitter

Where to buy the book:

Domnizelles Publications
Amazon.com
Amazon.ca
Barnes & Nobles

~~~

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!

Ladle To The Grave ~ Serving up a cozy mystery review and giveaway!

Posted: February 23, 2015 in Blog Tour, Cozy Mystery, giveaways, reviews
Tags: Author Connie Archer, Ladle To The Grave

Ladle to the Grave
by Connie Archer

The mystery is such fun and with old and new characters and an ending that will leave you hungry (pun intended) for the next book!
~A Chick Who Reads

Even though I knew there was going to be murder involved, Ladle to the Grave was simply a cozy (pun intended) comfort read from beginning to end.
~Read Your Writes

This was a cup of tea kind of mystery. This is an interesting story, great pacing, nice characters and soup. What more can you want!
~I Wish I Lived In a Library

I adored the characters Lucky and Sophie are a hoot. This book is indeed cozy from the first page. I wanted the pages to keep going and not end.
~Bab’s Book Bistro

LADLE TO THE GRAVE was just as wonderful as the first three books in this series. No, wait. Scratch that. LADLE TO THE GRAVE was even MORE wonderful than the first three titles.
~Lisa K’s Book Reviews

Ladle to the Grave
(A Soup Lover’s Mystery)
4th in Series
Cozy Mystery
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (March 3, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-0425273111
E-Book ASIN: B00LMGLY7E

22668776

My Review

I sure do enjoy cozy mysteries and I have a new one to share today.

When I first started reading this, mention of a pagan ritual had me going back to the cover on my Kindle to be sure I was reading the right book. Several local women have formed a coven and are performing the ritual of spring, the Beltaine, when one of their members dies after drinking a potion.

This is where Lucky, owner of By The Spoonful, a popular soup cafe, enters the story, as her grandfather, Jack, was the one who gathered the herbs and spices for the brew. She begins her own investigation to clear his name after he comes under suspicion of foul play.

As if that’s not enough, her best friend, Sophie, and her fiance, Sage, an employee at the soup shop, are planning their wedding and when the two women are visiting the site of Sophie’s future home, they stumble upon a man drowned in the stream that runs through the property.

As the bodies pile up and light of suspicion is cast upon family and loved ones, Sophie places herself in the middle of the investigation and paints a dangerous target on herself. It’s only a matter of time before things start boiling over.

There’s more than one plot to follow in this story, but the author kept it flowing smoothly. I don’t usually get caught by surprise in a cozy, but there were two big ones for me in this book. One made me cry. And one set me back as I realized I hadn’t solved this mystery. This kept me on my toes and emotionally engaged.

One part that had me chuckling was the wedding. Sophie and Sage are planning a small, private one. But the town folk are bombarding Lucky about what to buy the couple and when their invitations will arrive. I was anticipating a big pickle about this and wasn’t disappointed.

I enjoyed all of the colorful characters and a few became near and dear to me. A few others felt familiar, as I’m from a small town, much like Snowflake, where everybody knows everybody, and there are those few people that seem to be everywhere at once and know everything.

Even though this is the fourth book in the series. I easily got familiar with the characters and references to previous events had me curious to go back and read the series from the beginning. It’s always fun to begin at the beginning and find out how and why the characters ended up where they are.

A fun cozy and a series I”ll be following. I hope you give it a try.

4 Stars

***

Synopsis

By the Spoonful is Snowflake, Vermont’s most popular soup shop, but owner Lucky Jamieson doesn’t have any time to enjoy her success—she’s too busy trying to keep a lid on false accusations against her loved ones…

It’s almost May, and some of the local ladies have organized a pagan celebration in the woods to welcome spring. But the evening goes terribly wrong when one of the attendees winds up dead, apparently poisoned by an herbal concoction prepared by Lucky’s grandfather, Jack.

Lucky’s sure her grandfather could not have made such a tragic mistake. But before she can clear him of suspicion, her best friend, Sophie, is diverted from planning her wedding to By the Spoonful chef Sage DuBois when she finds a dead man floating in the creek on her property. Now it’s up to Lucky to get both Sophie and Jack out of hot water before a killer stirs up more trouble…

~~~~

About This Author

Connie Archer is the national bestselling author of the Soup Lover’s Mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime.

A Spoonful of Murder, [http://amzn.to/1pRKL9TA]

A Broth of Betrayal [http://amzn.to/1ofLs86] and

A Roux of Revenge [http://amzn.to/1ofLCMD]

are set in the imaginary village of Snowflake, Vermont.

The fourth book in the series,

Ladle to the Grave, [http://amzn.to/Zs1GGg] will be released on March 3, 2015.

Links:

Website: www.conniearchermysteries.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ConnieArcherMysteries

Twitter: @SnowflakeVT

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1y1CYeM

~~~

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!

What’s New On My Bookshelf #98 and The Sunday Post

Posted: February 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.

~~~

Am I glad this week is over. I swear, it was so cold I froze my butt off, literally! freezing photo: wind-und-schnee.gif I work outside and with the bitter cold and gusting wind, I felt like a human popsicle. I really shouldn’t be complaining as so many folks had it so much worse. My mother said last night it hit 20 below. I’m so glad I moved south!

Mardi Gras is over and now it’s on to the next big rush. Spring Break! Hard to believe it’s next month. Sure hope the weather cooperates and the beaches are sunny and warm.

I know I’m probably getting ahead of myself, but I’ve been getting my pool ready for swimming. I haven’t braved getting in, YET, but it sure looks sparkling clean and inviting. The gale force winds today are creating whitecaps. LOL

Here’s a cute video to warm you up:)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xvtEeiwy4g

Enough about the weather, already. Let’s talk books.

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.