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Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

Lycanthor the Werewolf: The Dragon Fyre Blade Adventures by Aiden Storm ~ My Review

Posted: September 18, 2014 in Action/Adventure, Children's books, Fantasy, reviews, Series
Tags: Author Aiden Storm, illustrated children's fantasy book, Lycanthor the Werewolf

About the Book

Title: Lycanthor the Werewolf (The Dragon Fyre Blade, Book 1)

Author: Aiden Storm

Illustrator: McCartney Leopardi

Publication Date: July 1, 2014 | Publisher: Dreaming Empire

Pages: 71 | Recommended Ages: 7 to 12

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MY REVIEW

Jack is bored to tears. The thirteen year old has been shuffled off to spend the summer with his great-aunt Alberta.

His dad says he’ll have lots of fun things to do, but all it’s done is rain, and the only entertainment is old reruns on the tube.

His aunt suggests he explore the old house. It was built in 1872 and back then people included hidden rooms. Maybe he’d stumble upon one. So he ends up in the attic.

Nothing but some old junk there, but he does spy a mural that extends all the way around the room. It reveals a landscape with strange beasts and an active volcano. Climbing up to get a closer look, he’s startled by a bird and puts his hand up to the wall to steady himself, falling into another world.

Thus begins Jack’s amazing adventure. He becomes friends with Jasyra, the king’s daughter, and along with her friend, Evooku, embarks on a quest to recover the six shards of the Dragon Fyre Blade.

When the sword was broken, the Demon Emperor scattered the six shards throughout the kingdom and the quest will be fraught with danger as the group has to confront the spells and creatures that protect the shards.

Jack will have to face Lycanthor, a monstrous werewolf. He is no longer bored.

This book is a fun read aloud to share with your children but I see no problem with them reading it alone. I have no young children but my teen age son and I read it aloud, taking turns as different characters, masking our voices and such. We had a grand time.

The author created a magical world with fun illustrations, lots of action, and a quest that continues into future books. The story will be continued as Jack and his new friends must complete the quest to recover all of the shards and return the Dragon Fyre Blade to its former glory. All to save the kingdom from the evil Demon Emperor.

When I was young I created an imaginary world that I entered through an old tree stump in my yard. It was filled with magical beings and I spent many a summer day sitting on that stump and letting my imagination take me away.

This all came back to me as I read this book and I’m looking forward to more in this action packed adventure.

4 Stars

Summary:

Thirteen year old Jack is spending the summer at his Aunt’s house in the country. Unfortunately, it’s done nothing but rain and he’s stuck in her old mansion without cable or internet. Bored and alone, he sets out to explore the house. When he reaches the attic, he finds an intricate and unusual mural painted on the walls. Life for Jack gets turned upside down when he stumbles and is transported through a portal into a magical world.

For Jasyra, the daughter of the High King, life couldn’t be worse. Her father has been turned to glass, her kingdom has been taken over by the Demon Emperor, and she and her friend, Evooku, have been exiled. The only way to save the land is to reassemble the Dragon Fyre Blade, but the Demon Emperor has hidden all six pieces and each is guarded by great mythical beasts. There is only one person who can help restore peace, but it has been said that he is not of their land.

When Jack awakens in the Great Forest of Karandur, he encounters Jasyra and Evooku. He discovers the only way home is to band together to fight the evil Lycanthor, a giant werewolf that guards a piece of the Dragon Fyre Blade. But first they have to make it through an enchanted land full of danger.

The Queen of Light appears to Jack and delivers a gift, as well as a revelation. He, Jasyra and Evooku form an unlikely friendship along the way and lasting bonds are made when they realize they are Karandur’s only hope. Will the trio be able to defeat Lycanthor and save the kingdom from an eternity of despair?

The Dragon Fyre Blade: Lycanthor the Werewolf is the first book in a series of six and is written for children 7 – 11 years old.

The Buzz About the Book

“I am eight years old and I liked this book because of how the author described everything so well. It is a very exciting, adventurous and magical story about a 13-year-old boy named Jack and his usual companions as they struggle against Lycanthor the werewolf to get the Dragon Fyre Blade pieces to help them defeat the Demon Emperor. My favourite part was when the author described the mural painting that Jack fell into. It was unique and painted vivid pictures in my head. The book was magical and interesting to read which made it so much fun. I think this is a great book for anyone who is looking for a magical adventure, and I can’t wait to read the second book!” ~ 5 Star Review, Carolyn, Amazon

“Couldn’t put this book down. I had me on the edge of my seat for the whole book. I read it so fast I was sad when it was over. I can’t wait for book 2!! ” ~ 5 Star Review, Pedroluis, Amazon

“My nine year old son is a fairly reluctant reader but we came across The Dragon Fyre Blade: Lycanthor the Werewolf at amazon and decided to read it based on the reviews. It reminds me a lot of the Beast Quest series of books and has an action-packed approach that my son enjoyed. You find yourself cheering for Jack, Jasyra and Evooku the heroes of the tale. There are several cliff hanger chapters that had my son wanting to read more… A worthwhile read for boys.” ~ 5 Star Review, nickalous, Amazon

“This is an enchanting and amazing book. I read it to my daughter and we both loved it. It is a mythical tale and it is so gripping. The story line is great and the characters are very well formed.” ~ 5 Star Review, PaigeTurner, Amazon

“Aiden Storm has written a book that will no doubt be a hit with 8 to 12 year old readers. The first book in a new series, Lycanthor the Werewolf sees a modern day boy named Jack set forth to retrieve the ancient Dragon Fyre Blade. It’s a lighter read filled with magic, action and a terrifying werewolf. The heroes have to use all their skills and abilities to battle the beast. Highly recommend this book for anyone with boys. It’s a natural choice for reluctant readers.” ~ 5 Star Review, Nita, Amazon

About the Author: Aiden Storm

Aiden grew up a city boy, but always loved getting out into the country. As a kid, his great uncle always took him to old castles, famous battlegrounds and long hikes in the wilderness. These days, Aiden lives in old cottage next to the forest with his dog Blade. When not writing Aiden spends time exploring the woods, dead certain they’re full of fantastical creatures, long lost relics and ancient magic…

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Thanks so much to Mother Daughter & Son Book Reviews and the author for gifting me a copy for my honest review.

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Monday Minis Reviews #32 ~Jezebel ~ Black as pitch and oh so deadly

Posted: September 15, 2014 in horror, Monday's Minis, reviews
Tags: Author Gordon A. Kessler, Horror, Jezebel

Welcome to my Monday Minis Reviews.

For today I bring you:

Jezebel

by Gordon A. Kessler

My Review

He figured he’d die of old age. Not with his throat in the mouth of his beloved Jezebel, his beautiful coal-black Great Dane.

Jezebel lover her master. Until she didn’t. And now she’s loose in the streets, in the dark.

Something is wrong with the dogs. They are turning on their masters, ripping and tearing, no trace of man’s best friend left in them.

We think we’ve tamed the long ago wolf that crawled out of the dark to share man’s fire. But it’s still in there, and now it’s at the fore. The sweet dog you cuddle with could rip off your face.

What could be the cause?

It’s up to Animal Control Officer Tony Parker to get to the bottom of it as more people are savaged and more die.

As a dog lover, I was worried about this story. I knew that the dogs would have to be stopped, that some would have to be destroyed, and that’s a bitter pill to swallow. But the author knew what he was doing. He put you right in the character’s shoes as they fought to survive. There could be no tender feelings, only kill or be killed.

And the animal control officer, Parker, was still humane, he still didn’t want to kill any dogs he didn’t have to.

The cause of all this was very interesting. You won’t be able to guess until the author gives you enough clues. It’s really quite creative and adds it own terror to the tale.

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Imagine it. Every other house has at least one dog. We feed them, love them, trust them. What if they turned? What if that pet became a killing machine? And what if they travelled in packs? No one would be safe.

This book puts you there. There’s no mercy from the dogs. They will not stop. Many die. Add in a few sub plots and it gets disturbing on many levels. A tough story, written so you can handle it.

5 STARS

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I love my horror and this book had plenty of it. But. I still I prefer my dogs thus:

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Synopsis

Sleep lightly tonight…A madman has come to town seeking a diabolical revenge and large dogs begin attacking their masters for no apparent reason and with heinous results. Animal Control Director Tony Parker must find out why and stop the murderous attacks. Meanwhile, Jezebel, a huge black Great Dane has killed her master and is loose, terrorizing the city and stalking Parker and his family. Parker and Sarah Hill, his beautiful and seductive young assistant, attempt to unravel the mystery and stop the terrible carnage while dealing with their own demons and lusty desires. The attacks must be stopped. Jezebel must be found-and soon, you see–there is one other complication. Parker seems to have come down with an annoying little virus. No, it’s not one of those irritating summer colds. It’s certain death. She’s a murderess, huge and black as a hell-bound night. Beware. Jezebel is on the loose!

~~~~~

Author Gordon A. Kessler

Image of Gordon A Kessler

Gordon Kessler is a thriller novelist living in the Kansas City metro area with his golden retriever, Jazmin (Jazzy Brass). He’s taught novel writing for several community colleges, worked over twenty years for the BNSF Railway, and is a former US Marine Recon Scout, Super Squad team leader, parachutist and troop handler. He enjoys SCUBA, sailing, snow skiing and sharing time with his kids and grandkids.

His thriller novels Jezebel, Dead Reckoning, and Brainstorm are all in both paper and eBook. His latest men’s action/adventure thriller series, “The E Z Knight Reports,” include the novels Knight’s Big Easy, Knight’s Late Train and Knight’s Ransom. Four or five more in the series are scheduled for release yet this year. These novels are about half the size of his big thrillers and are fast, fun reads.

Gordon’s also published two short story eBooks: a humorous piece called “Toothpick for Two” and a nostalgic romance called “Jack Baron”. Please check them out.

As a consultant and editor on numerous book and eBook projects over the past twenty years, Gordon has published three books for writers. Novel Writing Made Simple is a great primer for beginners and an excellent refresher for the experienced wordsmith. EBook Writing Made Simple focuses on the actual writing of eBook novels and how they can be crafted more effectively for the eBook novel reader rather than as a work written for the traditional publishing industry. How to Write a Novel–Storytelling, the Writer and the EBook Novel is his latest work, published especially with the beginning eBook novelist in mind.

Gordon is a founder and past president of the Kansas Writers Association, a seventeen-year-old organization of some very special people, and a current member of the Kansas Authors Club as well as a past president of their District Two. Last year, he started a group to help support independent authors called the Indie Writers Alliance–another group of great people.

Go HERE for more about Gordon and his books.

Image of Gordon A Kessler

What’s New On My Bookshelf #77 ~ Now that’s a lot of books!

Posted: September 7, 2014 in Freebies!, giveaways, reviews, What's New on My Bookshelf
Tags: book news and weekly posts, Laura Thomas

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

I got a few books this week, some free, some I won, some for review, and some because I just had to have them.

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For review on fuonlyknew

I’m trying not to take many new ones in. I owe so many and want to get to those first.

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Books I won

I won this from a giveaway hosted by Michelle at Book Briefs

Thanks Michelle and thank you to the authors of this collection!

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And I won this print copy from the giveaway tour organized by Prism Book Tours.

Thanks so much.

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These I picked up just for me!

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And here are some freebies for ya. Just click on the covers to get yours.

And remember to check the price before hitting that but button.

And a few more

Go HERE for more free books.

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These are books I reviewed this week.

Click on the covers to read my reviews.

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These are books I’ll be reviewing next week

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My Review of Forever Kinda Love by Clara Stone ~ Tour and Giveaway

Posted: September 4, 2014 in Blog Tour, Contemporary Romance, giveaways, Mature Young Adult, reviews
Tags: Author Clara Stone, Forever Kinda Love, Lovelly #1

Last month I was thrilled to be a part of the cover reveal for Forever Kinda Love.

Today, I’m part of the tour!

Got lots of fun for you. If the sweet cover doesn’t hook you, the blurb will surely reel you in.

Enjoy my review, check out the cast of characters, and don’t forget to enter the fun giveaway!

Title: Forever Kinda Love

Author: Clara Stone

Release date: August 15th, 2014

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Group: Mature Young Adult

Cover Design: Regina Wamba at Mae I Design & Photography

***

FOREVER KINDA LOVE

Lovelly #1

ForeverKindofLove_ebooksm

MY REVIEW

You are gonna love Heath and Ace.

They’ve been best friends ever since Heath met Ace at the hospital. Her mother had died and he reached out to a little girl, looking so lost and alone.

Now, ten years later and almost out of school, they are still best friends. But something is changing. They are becoming aware of each other in a different way. Or is it just that they are tired of fighting something that’s been growing for years.

Do they dare to risk their friendship? You’re not supposed to fall in love with your best friend.

Do you remember your first love? How you couldn’t think of anything but that person? What are they doing right now? Are they thinking of me too? Do they love me as much as I love them?

With Heath and Ace it’s even more intense.

Heath has been there for Ace through thick and thin, always thinking of her first, doing everything he can to make sure she is safe and happy. He melted my heart. His love for Ace was incredible and without question.

Ace knew Heath would always have her back, always be there when she needed him. And she’d always be there for him. I kept hoping she’d make her move. Finally admit her feelings and let love flow.

These two always told each other everything. There were no secrets between them, until now. Until how they felt for each other changed. And when Ace gets some disturbing news, I feared for these two young lovers. If ever two people were meant to be together, it was Heath and Ace.

I kept thinking, don’t you dare. Like the author could hear me and give me the ending I wanted, I demanded. As much as I wanted to know what would happen, I was almost afraid to find out.

Forever kinda love. You see it in the movies. You read about it in books. You hear rumors that it exists. You might even have found it or know someone who did. For those of you who haven’t found it, this book gives you hope.

4 STARS

***

I’ve read other books by this author and when she asked if I’d like to read Forever Kinda Love I was excited. Her other books were more fantasy, but this would be a romance. I had to give it a go.

Thanks Clara. Love rules!

***

Meet the characters!

Synopsis:

Life’s. Little. Surprises.

The last thing seven-year-old Carrigan “Ace” Casper foresaw was an eight-year-old Heath Lovelly walking into her life the day her mother died. From that moment on, Heath sticks by her side, slowly becoming her strength, her confidant, and her entire world. What she doesn’t know is, she’s his saving grace, too.

Ten years later, Ace is handed another crippling challenge that threatens everything in her almost perfect life. Only, this time, she doesn’t turn to Heath, hiding the truth instead. But Heath knows Ace too well and won’t back down easily. He’s ready to do whatever it takes and will stay by her side until she accepts that their love is the kinda love worth fighting for.

Will he be her forever triumph or her unexpected downfall?

Two lives.

One story.

And an unexpected journey to falling in love.

Buy Links:

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iBooks

Paperback from Amazon / Signed Paperback Directly from me –US ONLY

About the Author:

Priya Kanaparti lives in the beautiful city of Boise, ID. Unlike what most believe about Idaho, it’s more than a sack full of potatoes. When she’s not writing, you’ll catch Priya reading YA and NA books, mostly romance, and enjoying time with her family. She is a proud CW TV addict.

She also writes Mature YA and New Adult romance under the name Clara Stone. She is published through Reuts Publications.

Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads | Pinterest

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

Priya is doing something different! She decided to giveaway ebooks by other authors with similar themes to FKL–aka Friends to love– in addition to a handful of other books she really enjoyed reading in the YA contemporary Romance category!

Three winners (International) –

Each winner to pick an eBook of their choice from the following list:

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover;
Sophie & Carter by Chelsea Fine;
Fine Art of Pretending By Rachel Harris;
Biggest Flirts by Jennifer Echols;
Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally;
Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg;
Click to Subscribe by LM Augustine;
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins;

Crash by Nicole Williams;
When it Happens by Susane Colasanti;
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell;
Perfect Chemistry by Simone Alkalis;
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry;
Dante’s Girl by Courtney Cole

Two winners can win Swag (US Only) –

Jewelery : FKL Necklace, earrings, and bracelet plus keychain, magnet, and book mark.

Click on the Rafflecopter below to enter.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

Teaser Tuesdays #79 ~ An Apex Predator Novel ~ Shark Station Nyet by Carolyn McCray

Posted: September 2, 2014 in Action/Adventure, reviews, Teaser Tuesdays, thriller
Tags: Apex Predator Series #2, Author Carolyn McCray, Shark Station Nyet

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

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!

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My Teaser for today is from

Shark Station Nyet

An Apex Predator Thriller Novel

by Carolyn McCray

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Genre: Action / Adventure / Horror

Teaser from the first chapter in the eBook

Putin seemed kind of paranoid about a lot of things.

“Well, we got wind late last year that he asked his scientists to come up with some weaponized sharks. And what Putin wants, Putin gets.”

Trying to wrap his head around the concept of weaponized sharks, Callum frowned. Were not sharks weaponized enough? His lack of an arm and speaking Russian after a coma kind of confirmed that. The 100+ fatalities at Salechii only reinforced the concept.

Teaser #2 from the prologue in the eBook

A large black eye studied her from the porthole as she studied it. Then with a powerful push of its tail the shark moved away so quickly that she wondered if it had ever really been there.

~~~

I was getting my review together for Salechii and noticed in my highlights that this book series would be updated as each new story became published, at no extra charge! How cool is that! So, I crossed my fingers and checked, and yep, there was the newest addition, Shark Station Nyet, So needless to say, I was up late last night reading.

~~~

Book Description:

**Warning, if you ever hope to swim in the ocean again, this book is NOT for you!
Shark Station Nyet, the highly anticipated sequel to the blockbuster, Salechii!

From the #1 bestselling author in Action/Adventure, Men’s Adventure, Techno-thrillers, War, And Thrillers, Carolyn McCray comes the next greatest thing since Jaws!

A shark-fest for all of you Jaws, Jurassic Park, Shark Week and Sharknado lovers!

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I’m including my review of the first book today. I am just lovin me some sharks!

Salechii

Apex Predator #1

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My Review

Deep Blue Sea and Jurassic Park came to mind when I read the description for this book. I thought, this could be fun, and it was.

The very idea is probably impossible, but maybe not. They’ve built islands to make huge, fancy hotel resorts. Why not a shark park? So just let yourself go with it.

So they build the theme park, stock it with every kind of shark, and some other creatures. Then a category 5 hurricane blows it all to kingdom come.

As the island sinks, the sharks come out to play and things get very bloody very fast. Lots of people die and those lucky enough to still be alive have to brave the shark infested waters to escape the same fate.

One young boy is leading a group of survivors to safety, but where is safe on a sinking island?

There is tons of action and some cool robots. Not sure why the robots are in this story but they are put to good use. The story is fast and furious and there are plenty of colorful characters, including some of the critters in the park.

I live on the Gulf Coast and have been deep sea fishing. I’ve seen some of the monsters that rule the depths and even though the odds of being eaten by a shark are in my favor, I no longer swim in the ocean. I just don’t tempt fate. And after reading this book, I don’t think I’d visit the park either.

This series is addictive and bloody fun. Whether you love them or fear them, the sharks rule.

I bought this by itself, but I’d recommend you buy the collection to get the short prequels and sequels that come between each new novel in the series. You also get each new book free as the author updates the collection!

4 STARS

Synopsis

Salechii: A Shark Park is supposed to be all about learning to respect and protect sharks, however after a Level-5 Hurricane hits and the sharks get out of their pens, the only lesson learned is how fast can you swim?

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Synopsis

Included in this volume are…

Bullies, the prequel short story to Salechii

Salechii, the first full length book in the Apex Predator series

Open Water, the bridge short story between Salechii and Shark Station Nyet.

These three volumes will be downloaded immediately upon purchase.

In the summer of 2014 these other volumes will be uploaded at NO additional charge. In essence you are pre-ordering the rest of the series, for FREE. Follow the instructions in the afterword to sign up for the new and super easy Auto-update feature so you don’t miss a word!

Being added to the collection in Summer 2014…

Shark Station Nyet, the sequel to Salechii

Churn, the bridge short story between Shark Station Nyet and The Shayu Situation

In the Winter 2014 will be added…

The Shayu Situation, the final book in the Apex Predator Trilogy

Blood in the Water, the wrap up short story to the trilogy

If you are glued to Shark Week, Sharknado, Jaws, or Jurassic Park, the Apex Predator Thriller Trilogy is going to be your new feeding frenzy!

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Monday Minis Reviews #31 ~ Bones : The Complete Apocalypse Saga ~ What a ride!

Posted: September 2, 2014 in Anthology, horror, Monday's Minis, reviews
Tags: apocalypse, Author Mark Wheaton, Bones, cadaver dog

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Welcome to my Monday Minis Reviews

For today I bring you:

Bones

The Complete Apocalypse Saga

by Mark Wheaton

MY REVIEW

I’m a huge fan of apocalyptic and dystopian stories so I knew right away I wanted to read this book. I also like it when there is an animal featured and Bones, the cadaver dog, has a starring role.

He isn’t your ordinary search and rescue dog. His first owner saw something feral in Bones and trained him accordingly. And this comes in handy for many of the survivors he encounters on his journeys.

There are three stories with a new threat to humanity in each one. From zombies that morph into something deadly strange, to rats and birds that mutate and hunt us, to the most unlikely of threats, mans best friend.

You’ll follow Bones as he progresses through each story, hooking up with different groups of survivors and lending his canine smarts to each threat.

Now and then the dog encounters people who have heard of him and he even reunites with his beloved owner at one point. But as one disaster follows another, Bones travels further and further from home.

As the years go by and the world struggles to survive extinction, Bones has a new goal, one that will take all that he has if he’s to accomplish it.

As you follow Bones, you’ll meet all kinds of people, some good, some not so good. That’s to be expected when people are thrust into life or death situations.

Each story presents a different threat and while mother nature adds to that, it’s ultimately man’s stupidity that brings about their downfall.

I couldn’t choose a favorite story. Each one was as good as the next. The author took from nature, added in human culpability, and it all made sense. These things could happen.

There are many characters and I’m glad I didn’t get close to most of them, as this is an apocalypse and a lot of them don’t survive. One death in particular, a woman who survived through so much, was so horrific and sad. Be prepared for sudden death and it ain’t pretty. The author spares nothing in his descriptions, and, while I’m not the squeamish type, his ability to help you visualize the scenes will make you flinch.

I liked that the author put the prequel at the end of the book. I was still wanting more about Bones and the short story gave me some additional background and more of the hero dog.

5 STARS

Synopsis

When mankind is visited by Three Great Apocalypses, the only thing standing in their way is a feckless but loyal, easily distracted yet occasionally ferocious German shepherd named Bones, a one-time cadaver dog with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. This is his amazing story.

In Bones, our hero must battle a plague of dangerous parasites that brings the dead back to life with the goal of destroying the planet. Shepherd finds Bones delivered to earthquake-devastated Los Angeles to hunt for survivors only to run afoul of armies of rage-driven rats and birds emerging from the rubble. And when mankind reaches its final hour and a pocket of surviving Indians are all that’s left of humanity, it falls on Bones to save the species before civilization is wiped out forever in Alpha.

Three Apocalyptic novellas of nature run amok, three interwoven stories that feature a German shepherd at the center of the things, three stories with so much action you might just explode reading them.

Includes prequel short story, Mongrel.

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Do you like apocalyptic stories? Do you enjoy it when an animal is a character in the book? Tell me in the comments and thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Freakin Fridays #33 ~ Wherewolves by John Vamvas and Olga Montes ~ Bring on the movie!

Posted: August 29, 2014 in Freakin Friday, horror, reviews, werewolves
Tags: Author John Vamvas and Olga Montes, Horror, werewolves, Wherewolves

Freakin Fridays is my own little meme. I’ll be posting about books, movies, and all things scary.

Feel free to join in and do your own Freakin Fridays posts!

Tune in every Friday. Get your scare on!

Let’s have some fun!

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First I want to thank John and Olga for gifting me a copy of Wherewolves. I’m a creature girl at heart and a horror fan foremost so I knew I wanted to read this book.

Let me tell you what I thought!

Wherewolves

by John Vamvas and Olga Montes

My Review

I’m a huge fan of B- movies and this reads like a good one. As I read each scene I easily and gleefully visualized it, every bloody bit of it.

A group of troubled teens are taken into the woods for a survival weekend. The teacher leaves them to fend for themselves. I know. Seen ir or read it before…. you think.

The author brings a lot to the table, introducing you to the characters which consist of the typical jocks, bullies, and geeks. You get to know what drives them, what scares them, before they even enter the woods that night.

As dark approaches, they huddle around the campfire telling stories. It might not be a cozy gathering, but things aren’t too bad. Until they sense something watching them.

This is where the story gets gritty. I love character driven novels and how, when a group is faced with a life or death situation, the dynamics come into play. It takes just a few hours for the fight or flight instincts to consume the teens and chaos to reign once some of the group go missing.

The screaming and snarling from the deep dark of the woods scatters the group and they fear each other as much as what’s stalking them.

The authors brought it all to the table, the fear of the dark, the peer pressure, the teen angst, and the will to survive. This book may have teen characters, but I don’t think there’s much difference between how they acted and a group of adults would act. If you’ve watched Stephen King’s The Mist, you can see how quickly adults succumb to their own fears. In fact, I think the teens might be better prepared for something like this. They aren’t that far from when they feared the bogey man under the bed and may be quicker to believe the unimaginable.

From the title you get a clue to what’s stalking these teens. Feral beasts from your nightmares. These aren’t shifters. They don’t turn into humans and they are horrific in their maniacal glee as they rampage through the group.

I knew what was waiting out in the woods, I knew not everyone would survive, and I knew some would turn on each other and that filled me with trepidation, built the tension to a fever pitch, and had me jumping when my dog suddenly barked at something outside. His own special effects to set the mood for me.

I just love a good werewolf book without the shifter glamour and romance. It was a bloody frolic right to the deliciously wicked ending.

5 STARS

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKmQnzDiKoE]

Synopsis

Using a fun, explosive style, full of new slang and fresh dialogue, WHEREWOLVES is the story of a group of high school seniors, most “military brats”, who are headed for an army-type survival weekend.

The underdogs, Jeffrey and Doris, do not want to go as they fear for their safety among the disdain and cruelty of the popular students. Sergeant Tim O’Sullivan, their teacher, as well as their dysfunctional parents pressure them into going, but it is an unforgivable act by their peers that propels the pair to go. Likewise, Elie, a student resented because of his Arab roots, is even more determined to prove himself this weekend. In the background, a news report cautions of a wanted couple with alleged super-human strength supposedly brought on by a new drug on the streets.

In the woods, the students hike, hunt, camp, and soon act in unity as the forest brings them closer together. But does it? O’Sullivan leaves them alone for the night. The students bond, chant, tell campfire tales, and quickly lose their fears and inhibitions. HOO-AH! Though sexual tensions are high, it soon turns to violence and everything quickly turns sour.

When the kids start disappearing one after the other, the remaining begin to unwittingly “act like the natives” carving spears, ready to face whatever is out there. What has gotten into them?

Amid the blood-curdling growls and the gruesome deaths, the story’s underlying layers are revealed. We see how misconceptions, prejudice, greed, fear, and hatred bring out the worst and best in them.

What is out there? Can it really be werewolves?

~~~

Author John Vamvas

John Vamvas grew up in one of Montreal’s (Canada) roughest boroughs. His high school teachers always told him that he’d be in jail or dead by eighteen. Thank God for the Arts. Actor, playwright, screenwriter and now novelist, he has been writing with his writing partner/wife, Olga Montes, for over twenty years. He loves words, especially dialogue, and has a lot of fun coming up with new ways to say the same thing.

Author Olga Montes

Mother, preschool French teacher, avid reader, Olga dreamed of being a writer as a child and spent many high school lunch hours working on her writing with her English teacher. She has a college degree in Professional Theatre and a university degree in Spanish and French grammar and literature. She was on her way to becoming a translator for the UN when she heard of an open audition at one of Montreal’s biggest theatres. She almost didn’t get the role, though, because the director and co-star, John Vamvas, was scared of falling in love with the actress and ruining the play. That was 1992. She and John have been writing and working together on stage, screen, and in life ever since.

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So how do you like your werewolves? The shifters that can change back and forth, and retain their human intelligence? Or the beasts that stay in their monstrous form and kill for the thrill?

Let me know and thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew.

What’s New On My Bookshelf #75 ~ Now that’s a lot of books!

Posted: August 24, 2014 in Cover Reveal, Freebies!, giveaways, Meme, reviews, What's New on My Bookshelf
Tags: Laura Thomas, my weekly book news

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

I got a few books this week, some free, some I won, some for review and some for the fun of it.

I also post reviews on another blog A Knife and a Quill. It’s mostly about horror and thrillers. If someone doesn’t die, we don’t want it.

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This is for both blogs. Double exposure for the author.

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Books I won

I didn’t win anything this week.

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These are for review on fuonlyknew

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These I picked up just for me!

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And here are some freebies for ya. Just click on the covers to get yours.

Remember to check the price before hitting that buy button!

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And a few more.

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These are books I reviewed this week.

Click on the covers for my reviews.

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These are books I’ll be reviewing next week that I didn’t get to this week.

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And I might squeeze these in.

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I’ve been taking a breather on my blog and really trying to get my back list caught up so I’m not accepting many new review books or doing as many tour posts.

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Monday Minis Reviews #30 ~ The Rain Dancers and Communion ~

Posted: August 18, 2014 in horror, Monday's Minis, reviews, Supernatural, thriller
Tags: Communion, reviewing supernatural horror, The Rain Dancers

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Welcome to my Monday Minis Reviews

I have two for you today.

First up is

Communion

by Richard Freeland

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Genre: Horror

My Review

What first drew me to this book was the cover. Lovely and mysterious. Then I read it was about the ill-fated Donner Party and I got more curious. Then I read there was something evil stalking them. They had more to fear than freezing and starvation.

I wanted to know what it was.

Was it a yeti?

Was it a Windigo?

At only about 50 pages, it didn’t take me long to find out.

Even without a mysterious creature, this would be a chilling story. I’ve read the true reports of the fate of the Donner Party and the author has provided his own horrific account of the conditions and the ordeals the characters suffer through.

After reading about the frigid conditions, the slow starving of the children, the weakening of the men who struggled to provide shelter and food, I was glad I was here on the comfort of my couch. We take so many things for granted, and these people just wanted to survive, to save their families.

To also have to worry about the thing outside, sniffing around, scratching to get in and consume their bodies and souls only compounded the suspense.

I came away from this book wondering how I would have fared. Would I have given up?

Not only the freezing blizzard will chill you to the bone in this tale.

4 Stars

Synopsis

At the urging of Robert Teal, half-Cherokee John Nye, his pregnant wife Anna, and her father Ben Teal sell all their belongings to migrate to California. Along the way, they join with a wagon train heading the same way – the Donner Party.

After taking an unproven “short-cut” that leaves them a month behind, the emigrants are caught in the mountains by the freezing snows of an early winter.

Snowed in, unable to cross the divide, their food running out, and no relief in sight, the exhausted men, women and children of the Donner party settle in to survive.

But something else is out there. Something unseen. Something evil. And it’s stalking them.

John can deal with the elements. But can he save his family from starvation? Can he stop the demon of the frigid wastelands from taking his wife and child?

As food – and time – run out for the Donner party, John and Anna must make a decision. To stay, and starve with the others? Or attempt a harrowing trek out of the mountains – with a creature of myth on their trail?

There are some decisions you shouldn’t have to make.

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Next up is

The Rain Dancers

by Greg F. Gifune

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Genre: Supernatural,horror,thriller

My Review

The book cover really drew me in and I really wanted to read it after this read the blurb, so I grabbed it. I liked it from the opening passage. Made me think, “It was a dark and stormy night,” because it was. Creepy reading and very suspenseful.

If a stranger showed up at your door after dark, claims he knows you, and asks to come in, would you let him in? Not me, but Will and Betty did.

The old man, Bob Laurent, gave me the creeps. His insidious manipulation of Betty and his behind the back smirks at her husband, Will, set my teeth on edge. As they did Will’s. This guy was a liar and he was up to no good. But he seemed to have Betty under his spell.

At first she didn’t remember him, despite his claims he was friends with her late father, and his references to her calling him Uncle Bob. But then her memories started returning.

The night gets darker, the rain falls harder, and the devil dances.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the pacing. The author gives you a mystery right from the beginning, then he gives you some background on the characters, just enough to get you familiar with them, and then the discomfort creeps in like a cold mist, slowly.

At one point I thought the worst might be over, but the malevolence returned, creeping me out. And then I caught a little clue the author dropped in and had an idea where things might be going. I stayed up late, continuing to the end to see if I was right.

A good horror story that wraps itself around you and gives you a cold, ghostly hug.

3 Stars

Synopsis

He arrives in darkness, in the middle of a violent downpour…an affable old man with tales to tell…

When Will and Betty Colby return to Betty’s hometown to settle her late father’s affairs and prepare his house for sale, they assume they’ll be faced with some cleaning, basic repairs and making runs to the local dump. Will also hopes it will afford Betty a chance to reflect on the difficult relationship she had with her father. But something more is happening in this quiet little town, in this dark old house at the end of this seemingly deserted dirt road.

In the middle of a rainstorm, a man calling himself Bob Laurent appears in the night on their doorstep, claiming to be an old family friend. He seems harmless enough, only Betty has no memory of him. Yet he knows everything about her, her father and their lives. He even knows intimate details about Will and his life. While the storm rages on, a cauldron of tension, suspicion and fear builds between the couple and the stranger, dragging Will and Betty to the very brink of madness.

A vile and unrelenting evil has returned to claim what was taken from it long ago, and all the demons of the past, present and probable future have come home to roost. Before the storm clears and the sun rises, Will and Betty Colby will come to know the horrifying truth.

People live and die…but the evil they do is eternal.

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So, read any good books lately? Got any suggestions?

Leave a comment to let me know and thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!