Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

thrills&chills

I’m hosting a stop on  E.J. Wesley’s Winter Thrills and Chills Tour for his Moonsongs Series.  This tour is running January 6-17 and consists of reviews, interviews, top tens, guest posts and of course, giveaways!  Be sure to check out the tour page for the full list of stops.

Tour Schedule

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Blood Fugue

Moonsongs, Book 1

by E.J. Wesley

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“Some folks treated the past like an old friend. The memories warmed them with fondness for what was, and hope for what was to come. Not me. When I thought of long ago, my insides curdled, and I was left feeling sour and wasted.”

Jenny Schmidt is a young woman with old heartaches. A small town Texas girl with big city attitude, she just doesn’t fit in. Not that she has ever tried.

Life has pummeled her heart into one big, lonely callus. She has no siblings, both parents were dead by sixteen, and her last grandparent—and caretaker—was in the ground before she turned twenty-one. She’s the last living member of her immediate family. Or so she thinks…

“We found my ‘grandfather’ sitting at his dining room table. An entire scorched pot of coffee dangled from his shaky hand. His skin was the ashen gray shade of thunderclouds, not the rich mocha from the photo I’d seen. There were dark blue circles under each swollen red eye. A halo of white hair skirted his bald head, a crown of tangles and mats. Corpses had more life in them.”

Suddenly, instead of burying it with the dead, Jenny is forced to confront the past. Armed only with an ancient family journal, her rifle, and an Apache tomahawk, she must save her grandfather’s life and embrace her dangerous heritage. Or be devoured by it.

Blood Fugue is the first of the Moonsongs Books, an ongoing series of New Adult, paranormal-horror-action novelettes by author E.J. Wesley.

(These stories contain language and content better suited for readers 17+)

Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble| iBooks | Goodreads

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My Review

I just knew I was gonna love Jenny. She has serious attitude issues, wears radical clothes, and sports a purple mohawk. She doesn’t give a crap what anyone thinks about her.

Her mother died when she was 10 and her father lived for the bottle. The only good times they shared were when he took her to the gun range, teaching her how to shoot.

She became quite good at it. Never knowing she’d need to be.

Upon his death, she was raised by her grandmother, her last living family, who lived long enough to see Jenny become a grown woman.

Out of the blue she gets an email from her grandfather, Billy Moonsong, the one she’s been led to believe died many years ago. It was a short email.

“I would never contact you unless it was extremely important. It is. Please meet me tomorrow.”

Of course she goes to see him, but not alone. She takes her best friend Marshal.

Short stories and novellas have to grab me quickly. This one did. There’s the mysterious grandfather, a legacy, Native American (Apache) elements and flesh and blood characters.

Did I forget to mention the monster. Oh yeah, one very powerful, murderous creature.

Poor Jenny and poor Marshal. The handbook given to her by Billy Moonsong is supposed to help her understand her place in the family legacy. She’s a monster hunter and she better get with it quick.

What felt so authentic to me was how Jenny, and then Marshal. thought on their feet. They had no time to do research and no idea what creature was coming, so they were going to be very lucky to survive.

What comes is straight out of a horror movie.” Looks like Jenny’s going on the war path.”

5 Stars

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Witches’s Nocturne

Moonsongs, Book 2

by E.J. Wesley

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After receiving an ancient tribal journal from her grandfather, Jenny is sent on a mission of discovery in an attempt to unravel clues to her family’s monster hunting past. The journey becomes more than academic when she is asked to confront a coven of dangerous witches who plan to cast an insidious spell on the plains of West Texas.Witch’s Nocturne is the second volume of the Moonsongs Books, an ongoing series of New Adult, paranormal-horror-action novelettes by author E.J. Wesley
.(These stories contain language and content better suited for readers 17+)
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My Review

Jenny survived her first battle with a monster, but there are more to kill.

She does have a normal life too, but she’s not very good at it. Always wasting too much money on her energy drink addiction instead of paying bills, she’s never far from having something shut off.

Her one link to adult responsibility is Marshal, and he never lets her off easy. Marshal was her grandmothers nurse and left him in charge of collecting rent from Jenny when she inherited the house.

After cruising through life, keeping herself closed off, Jenny has now found her true calling. Thanks to her now dead grandfather, Billy Moonsong, she’s gotten an up close and personal tutorial on their family history and what part she has in it for the future.

The ancient tribal journal he’d left her was a how to of monster hunting. Now she has a calling and made it official. Moonsong PI as in Paranormal Investigator.

Marshal is becoming her partner in this and new characters and a love interest enter the mix, along with an unsavory witch.

If you think a witch isn’t all that scary, think again. They have access to lots of power and are always looking for more. That sometimes calls for blood.

This next installment in the Moonsongs Series is every bit as good as the first. And the author keeps you gasping at the action and grinning at the dialogue. I also like the bit of romance sneaking into this series.

5 Stars

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Dark Prelude

Moonsongs, Book 3

by E.J. Wesley

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Jenny Moonsong recently inherited the title of “monster hunter” and an ancient tribal journal/how-to manual passed down by her Apache ancestors. Unfortunately, a lot of on-the-job training is required to be a monster hunter, and unlike her computer repair business, this gig could literally kill her.Dark Prelude finds the feisty protagonist, Jenny, searching for her best friend Marshal’s missing father in the midst of a freak, West Texas winter storm. To survive the frigid night, she’ll have to deal with a hated town rival, face a monstrous creature no Moonsong hunter has ever encountered before, and undo a mysterious curse. Can she keep everyone alive? If not, who will pay the ultimate price?Dark Prelude is the third volume of the Moonsongs Books, an ongoing series of New Adult, paranormal-horror-action novelettes by author E.J. Wesley.
(These stories contain language and content better suited for readers 17+)
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My Review
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This is the third novella in the Moonsongs Series. The author does some reminiscing in the beginning, bringing you up to speed.

There was one thing that lingered from the first story to the next. Finally it’s discovered. It gnawed at Jenn and kept me curious. The way the author popped it up now and then, like she wanted me to remember, had me thinking it was significant. It could be good or it could be bad for Jenn

Jenny’s paranormal investigation business is in a slump, leaving her with idle time.  So Marshal becomes her coach, doing Q&A’s about monsters and how to kill them. They still haven’t had much luck with the tribunal journal her grandfather left her.

Things don’t stay quiet for long. Marshal’s dad is building the new town bridge. When Marshal and Jenn arrive at the site, no one is around. It’s like they all vanished. Until they spot the blood and follow the trail to a hand, just a severed hand. Further on they find the mangled, unidentifiable remains of a man.

The sheriff is quick to pass it off as a rogue bear, but Jenn knows better.

“We’d been down this road before, and there weren’t any bears waiting with porridge at the end of it.”

I didn’t catch on right away as to which monster this was going to be. Perhaps I should have. The author did give me a clue.

E. J. Wesley does an excellent job writing as a female protagonist. I was skeptical, but he was dead on with Jenn.

Another thrilling story every bit as good as the first two.

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5 Stars
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A quote I loved!
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“The next time Marshal called me boring and gave me shit about staying home and playing video games, I’d punch him in the giblets. Hard!”
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Dragon’s Game

Moonsongs Book #4

By E.J. Wesley

Dragon's Game (Moonsongs, Book 4)

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Jenny Moonsong recently inherited the title of “monster hunter” and an ancient tribal journal/how-to manual passed down by her Apache ancestors. She has already faced a werewolf, witches, and a troll. But nothing could prepare her for her latest confrontation…

Dragon’s Game, Moonsongs Book 4, finds Jenny out of her rural West Texas element, searching for an evil witch in an urban Houston nightclub. After attempting to help a handsome and mysterious stranger out of a jam, she finds herself on the run from a ruthless gang who are even more dangerous than they initially appear.

Forced into a twisted game of life and death, Jenny must navigate the complexity of a budding relationship, and somehow survive a night filled with unexpected horror and paranormal mystery.

Dragon’s Game is approximately 14,000 words or 45 pages, and is the fourth volume of the Moonsongs Books, an ongoing series of New Adult, speculative / urban fantasy novelettes by author E.J. Wesley.

(These stories contain language and content better suited for readers 17+)

Amazon  |   Barnes & NobleGoodreads

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My Review

Finally. Jenny runs into a mysterious man, a potential love interest.

She’s out of her element, seeking out another nasty witch. This time in a swanky pub. That’s where she meets the sexy, mysterious, and very persistent hunk of manflesh.

I was wondering when the author would do this. Marshal has his guy, but Jenn is still single. It would have to be someone special to see past her snarky attitude and purple mohawk.

Now we’re back to witches, but not just one. There’s a slew of them, and one in particular is very much the hag. She wants Jenn, or rather, she wants her dead.

With a whole gang after them, the race is on, and Jenn isn’t finding much to help in that handbook. She’s going to have to learn as she goes.

This one feels darker, more violent. There’s a couple of new supernatural beings introduced. Some real wicked ones.

One  could be unbeatable. That’s where the mysterious pub crawler comes in handy. I knew there was something going on with him.

I wish I could have seen this on the big screen. It would have been one epic battle.

5 Stars

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Vampire’s Ball

Moonsongs, Book #5

by E.J. Wesley

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Jenny Moonsong recently inherited the title of “monster hunter” and an ancient tribal journal/how-to manual passed down by her Apache ancestors. Being a girl of action, she has found herself particularly capable when it comes to battling the werewolves, trolls, and other supernatural denizens lurking in the Texas night. Until now.

Vampire’s Ball, Moonsongs book 5, finds Jenny and her best friend Marshal in their most harrowing adventure yet. Traveling by boat to an extravagant masquerade party located at a Galveston Island mansion, Jenny must parlay with an ancient vampire in order to secure the release of the dragon princess, Isis. The unexpected return of an old “friend” turns the evening into chaos, and leaves Jenny and company once again fighting for survival amidst a sea of supernatural foes.

Vampire’s Ball is approximately 12,500 words of humor, horror and paranormal mystery. It is the fifth volume of the Moonsongs Books, an ongoing series of New Adult, urban fantasy novelettes by author E.J. Wesley.

Amazon  |   Barnes & NobleGoodreads

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My Review

Now we get to the vampires.

This is the fifth and newest in the Moonsong Series, and it’s every bit as great as the other four.

It used to be just Jenn and Marshal, but now there’s also Rushdam and Ren, two guys with more muscle to help with the pesky monsters.

This isn’t just about going to a vampire ball. Jenn landed in a pickle in the last story and now she has to retrieve something to pay a debt. Or rather, trade something.

The vampires in this series aren’t sparkly. They are as cold as their skin and they have no compassion. We are just food to be played with and swiftly devoured.

If anything goes wrong with their plan, none of them may get out alive.

I thought the battle in book four was epic. This one is even wilder. It starts in the mansion and ends up in the middle of the lake. I was holding my breath, not seeing a happy outcome.

And this is where the author left me. With one heck of a cliffhanger I didn’t expect. But it’s a really good one.

5 Stars

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~Moonsongs Anthology~

The Moonsongs Anthology 1 collects the first three Moonsongs books–a series of New Adult paranormal-horror-action novelettes–in one exciting volume. Follow Jenny and her best friend Marshal on their dangerous quest to unlock the secrets of her past.

Moonsongs Anthology 1 collects the three previously published Moonsongs adventures: Blood Fugue (Book 1), Witch’s Nocturne (Book 2), and Dark Prelude (Book 3).

Available in print & eBook via Amazon  | Goodreads

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About the author:

Growing up in small-town Oklahoma, there were limits on the amount and types of entertainment at my disposal. Perhaps that’s why I set my imagination free. After collecting degrees in psychology and counseling, life brought me to Missouri, Texas, and Northern California—where I currently read, write, and live. I fill my spare time playing video games, watching movies, planning for the zombie apocalypse, reading graphic novels, and playing with my dogs.
My passion for New Adult literature led me to producing the weekly New Adult Lit Chat on Twitter, and contributing to the NA Alley Blog. I’m also the author of the Moonsongs Books, a series of New Adult, speculative-rural fantasy novelettes.
Website ** Blog ** NA Alley (contributor) ** Goodreads ** Twitter ** New Adult Lit Chat (founder/producer) ** Facebook ** Google+ ** Linkedin

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Huge Giveaway!

$20 Amazon gift card

  • 2 $10 Amazon gift cards
  • Up to $20 Book Depository purchase (International only)
  • Signed Book Bundle: (North America Only US/Canada) – Hysteria, Sinfluence, & Sycamortem by D.A. Botta – Butterman, (Time) Travel Inc. Book 1 by PK Hrezo – The Moment We Began by Sarra Cannon – Moonsongs, Anthology 1 by E.J. Wesley Destiny Gift & Soul Oath by Juliana Haygert
  • INT- eBook Bundle: – Removed & Released (Books 1 & 2 of the Nogiku Series) by S.J. Pajonas  – Butterman, (Time) Travel Inc. Book 1 by PK Hrezo  – The Trouble With Goodbye by Sarra Cannon  – Tell Me When by Stina Lindenblatt  – Darkness Watching (Darkworld #1) by Emma L. Adams  – Jellybean Kisses by Amy Evans  – Clicks (The Pinhold Prophecy #1) by Amy Evans  – Daemons in the Mist (Marked Ones #1 ) by Alicia Kat Vancil
  • INT ebook Bundle- eBooks: Violet Night Trilogy by Lynn Rush  Strength & Courage (Mark of Nexus 1 & 2) by Carrie Butler  The Crimson Hunt by Victoria Smith  Destiny Gift & Soul Oath by Juliana Haygert

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Raffle button

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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!

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DON'T CRY OVER KILLED MILK Large banner

I immediately became engrossed in this story and couldn’t put my Kindle down. ~Socrates Cozy Cafe/ Socrates Book Reviews

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Don’t you just love the catchy title? I couldn’t resist this cozy mystery.

Get comfortable and enjoy my review.

And remember to enter the giveaway. You can win your own print copy!

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Don’t Cry Over Killed Milk: A Damon Lassard Dabbling Detective Mystery

Cozy Mystery

Paperback: 240 pages

Publisher: Cozy Cat Press (August 28, 2013)

ISBN-13: 978-1939816184 E-Book File Size: 697 KB  ASIN: B00EV45NAS

Synopsis

Jeremiah Milk lived a life filled with emotional extremes. Amniotic band syndrome—a congenital condition—left his fingers and toes malformed. Ridiculed as a child, he became an adolescent hermit. As an adult, Jeremiah’s wounds healed when he landed a position as a park ranger and married a woman who loved him despite his physical appearance. But fate ripped his life to shreds when his wife and infant son died on the same night in separate calamities. Shortly thereafter, the tides turned once more as an act of Jeremiah’s ostensible benevolence translates into a financial boon. The book on Jeremiah’s life closes without mercy when he’s found murdered at Tripping Falls State Park.

Damon Lassard—Hollydale’s loveable civic leader, amateur sleuth, and Jeremiah’s neighbor—springs into action. He’s obstructed by a prickly lieutenant, but wriggles information unknown to the police from a colorful bevy of suspects. Aided by his best friend Rebecca and his reluctant ally Detective Gerry Sloman, Damon engineers a deep dive into Jeremiah’s past to solve the crime. Along the way, Damon strengthens his relationship with the breathtaking Bethany Krims, cracks a local horticultural mystery, and tries in vain to tame his wickedly sarcastic mother.

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My Review

There’s not one mystery to be solved in this book, there’s two.

Something is killing the crepe myrtles. People are treating their trees to get rid of bug infestations, but within a few days, the bugs re-infest the trees.

And someone killed Jeremiah Milk.

The author does a superb job of leading you through these two mysteries, keeping you following the clues, but not confusing you.  And I was just as eager to find out who was killing the crepe myrtles as I was about who killed Jeremiah Milk.

There are lots of clues, false trails, and some bumbling by Damon Lassard.

Damon kind of made me think of Columbo but not as shabbily dressed. He appeared amateurish, but had a keen mind and lots of curiosity.

This isn’t the first time he’s dabbled in a mystery and he’s got an enemy in Lieutenant Margaret Hobbes, but an inside source in Detective Gerry Sloman.

Damon helped Gerry solve a previous case but Hobbes wants him to keep out of police matters. These two bump into each now and then and Hobbes makes no bones about how she feels. I could just see her glaring, face all red, as she bellows at Damon. Good for a few laughs.

I was so engrossed in solving these mysteries, I never stopped reading until I had to. I had reached the end.

The writing is excellent, going from one mystery to the other with no awkwardness, flowing easily. You follow the bread crumbs from one false trail to the next, finally reaching each pot of gold.

You don”t need to have read the first Damon Lassard mystery to enjoy this one. The author does a quick recap a little ways into this one, giving you a bit of background without spilling the beans from the first mystery.

Once you’ve read Don’t Cry Over Killed Milk, you’ll want to read It Takes Two To Strangle .

I look forward to going back to the beginning.

4 Stars

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About The Author

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STEPHEN KAMINSKI is the author of the Damon Lassard Dabbling Detective series published by Cozy Cat Press. The first two cozy mysteries in the series are “It Takes Two to Strangle” (2012) and “Don’t Cry Over Killed Milk” (2013). Stephen is the winner of the 2012 Reader Views Literary Award for the Mid-Atlantic Region.  He’s a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Law School, has practiced law for over a decade, and currently serves as Senior Vice President and General Counsel to a national non-profit organization. Stephen is a lifelong lover of all types of mysteries and lives with his wife and daughter in Arlington, Virginia.

Author Links:

Blog / Goodreads / Facebook

Purchase Links:

Amazon B&N

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I have one print copy to give away.

US Only. Sorry to my International friends.

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

“Have you ever done some sleuthing?”

Giveaway ends 1/25

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Tour Participants

January 13 –Socrates Book Reviews/ Socrates Cozy Café – Review, Giveaway

January 14 – Kelly P’s Blog – Interview

January 15 – fuonlyknew – Review, Giveaway

January 16 – readalot blog – Review

January 17 – My Devotional Thoughts – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway

January 19 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Interview

January 20 – A Year of Jubilee Reviews – Review

January 21 – Shelley’s Book Case– Review, Interview

January 22 – Brooke Blogs – Review, Giveaway

January 23 – Chloe Gets A Clue – Interview

January 24 – Omnimystery News – Guest Post

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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!

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cassie scot banner Christine-Amsden--Banner

Cassie Scot Mystery Series

by Christine Amsden

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I have a really great series to tell you about!

Cassie Scot: Paranormal Detective, Book One and Secrets and Lies, Book Two.

There be witches and sorcerers, and some nasty vampires and even a werewolf.

A town full of supernaturals, magic everywhere, and a detective with no powers of her own.

Throw in some danger and romance, and stir slowly til the cauldron bubbles.

There’s a giveaway too!

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Book One

Cassie Scot: Paranormal Detective

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Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.

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My Review

Imagine you come from a large family of sorcerers. Everyone has a power, except you. That’s how it is for Cassie Scot. She doesn’t have any powers at all.

Now she’s 21 years old and it’s time to find herself. Taking a job at the sheriff’s department seemed like a good idea. Except, with no powers of her own, it’s hard to work paranormal cases. So she becomes a private investigator. Her plan is to only take cases that are not paranormal. Unfortunately, most of her calls are for spells, exorcisms, and other paranormal business.

When she’s offered a job to serve papers on a powerful witch, she figures it’ll be a quick job and she seriously needs the money.

What does she find when she gets there?  No witch, but lots of blood. Definitely a paranormal case. No human could get past the witches protective spell.

I liked Cassie right from the beginning. She’s full of sass, says what she’s thinking, and isn’t afraid to go for what she wants.

After spilling a lust potion, what she wants is Evan. He’s a powerful sorcerer and her best friend since they were little. When the potion takes affect, she sees Evan in a whole new light, noticing how sexy he is.

I could see why Evan thought this was funny. But I wonder if having Cassie lusting after him will make him see his best friend in a different light too.

This could be complicated as their fathers are blood enemies.

There is never a dull moment in this book. Between the murder, the nasty vampires, Cassie lusting after Evan, and her family throwing a huge curve ball at her, I rushed to turn the pages, excited to see what was going to happen next.

So much was happening, but I never lost my way. Christine led me from scene to scene, keeping me connected and curious. Humor was dabbled throughout the story, along with some romance and scares and a mystery that kept me searching for clues.

In the end, you get some answers, while the author leaves some things open for more in this series.

I’m very curious to see where things may go.

5 Stars

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Enjoy this excerpt for Book One

At random, I picked up a bottle of perfume from the top shelf and read: “Induces powerful lust. Spray on your intended and make sure you are the first person they see. Lasts about an hour.”

The thing you have to understand about any magic is that there are good ways to use it, and bad ways to use it. The concept of black magic is a hotly debated topic among sorcerers. Even death, in self defense, is a shade of gray. As I stood there, reading the functions of the various love potions, I thought of all the innocent and harmful ways they could be used. A couple in a committed relationship might have a lot of fun with a spray of lust. On the other hand, using it on an unwilling victim…

I shuddered as I replaced the bottle and accidentally knocked one of the neighboring bottles of perfume to the ground. It shattered, splashing perfume all over my open-toed sandals.

“Crap.”

“What happened?” Evan asked, his voice hard and alert. I could hear him moving closer.

“Stop! I don’t want to see you right now.”

“Which potion was that?” Evan asked, still in that hard-edged voice of command.

I pointed to the row of similar bottles on the top shelf. “Lust.”

One of the little bottles floated away from the shelf, but I did not turn around to see what Evan was doing with it. Instead, I started looking through my purse for a pack of tissues to clean the mess off my feet.

“Cassie, I have some bad news for you.”

“Worse, you mean?”

“This potion doesn’t take affect until you actually look at someone. Your hour starts then.”

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Just wanted to warn you that this next review is for the second book in this series. I’ll try not to put in spoilers.

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Book Two

Secrets and Lies

SecretsAndLies

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Cassie Scot, still stinging from her parents’ betrayal, wants out of the magical world. But it isn’t letting her go. Her family is falling apart and despite everything, it looks like she may be the only one who can save them.

To complicate matters, Cassie owes Evan her life, making it difficult for her to deny him anything he really wants. And he wants her. Sparks fly when they team up to find two girls missing from summer camp, but long-buried secrets may ruin their hopes for happiness.

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My Review

This story takes off with a bang and never lets up.

Struggling to make it on her own, Cassie latches onto a case of two missing girls. Evan works with her, worried about her safety. Sorcerers can’t find these girls with their powers, which means something paranormal is afoot, something strong.

Cassie now owes a blood debt to Evan after he saved her life. He wants Cassie. She’s unsure of her feelings. She did kiss him and his kisses have the power to make her swoon. Is it the magic or is she falling for him?

As they team up to search for the missing girls, their attraction intensifies. Things are further complicated by Cassie’s anger and hurt over something her parents did. Now the family is in chaos and Cassie doesn’t know if she can find it in herself to forgive them.

Danger is all around. No one can be trusted. Lives are in peril.

What a rush. There is so much happening.

I felt for Cassie. Imagine worrying about whether you’ll be given a choice or be forced to marry someone. On top of that, your family betrays you, you need money, and the case you take is turning out to be extremely dangerous.

Sometimes, when I start the second book in a series, I worry that it won’t be as good. Like a sequel in a movie.

My worries were null as soon as I started Secrets and Lies.

The back and froth between Cassie and Evan at turns kept me anxious, hopeful, and merry. These two are meant for each other.

I got to know these two a lot better and also got to understand the motivation behind their families.

As with the first book, there was a lot going on. I liked that. The author made it easy to follow along. I never stumbled over who was doing what. And the humor lightened the mood when things got heavy. Which they did.

The best thing for me was that the author kept to her character in Cassie. I didn’t want a flashy change, no sudden powers emerging. I do wonder about her though. There were times I thought I glimpsed something.

Secrets and Lies felt darker than the first book. There were some intense scenes, and some emotional moments when secrets were revealed.

Many things get resolved at the end. But there’s still more questions, more to come.

One more thing about the ending. I was shocked. I couldn’t believe what I read. I’m so glad the next book will be releasing this year.

5 Stars

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

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Award-winning author Christine Amsden has written stories since she was eight, always with a touch of the strange or unusual. She became a “serious” writer in 2003, after attending a boot camp with Orson Scott Card. She finished Touch of Fate shortly afterward, then penned The Immortality Virus, which won two awards. Expect many more titles by this up-and-coming author.

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

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

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$50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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For more fun stops on the tour, click on the banner below. Remember to comment. The more you comment, the more chances to win.

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

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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about Drop Dead Tavern

by Chad P. Brown

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My Review

You’d think after watching Walking Dead nothing would shock me.

This short story should have come with a warning. “Brace yourself.”

All Kent wants is a bottle to swill away his grief. To forget about the loss of his brother, the zombies gnashing around, and his loneliness.

He pulls his bike up to the tavern and after making sure the coast is clear, he enters.

Aah, right there amid the broken bottles stands one survivor. Looks like he’ll sleep good tonight. Maybe there’ll be no dreams.

Suddenly, he’s confronted by a boy. He looks like a street urchin, filthy and haggard.

Once Kent establishes the boys trust, he gets his story.

Any zombie fans would love this short tale.

It didn’t take me long to read it, but by the end it felt like forever. Like those dreams you have where you are running and running and never seem to get anywhere.

I must have been lulled somehow, because what happened in that tavern really tore me up.

Without fluff or wasted words, Chad got right to the matter, dragging me in.

You have to remember, this is a zombie apocalypse. It ended leaving me torn and wishing there was more. I really liked Kent and wondered what would become of him.

4 Stars

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About Chad P. Brown

Chad P. Brown was born in Huntington, WV. Once he outgrew his childhood fears of haunted houses, clowns, and toy monkeys with cymbals (although those still creep him out a little bit), he discovered a dark love for writing and an affinity for macabre and eldritch matters. He holds a Master’s in Latin from Marshall University and is an Affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association. In October 2011, he released his first horror novel, The Jack-in-the-box. He has appeared in the anthologies SPIDERS (August 2012 by May December Publications) and Gothic Blue Book Vol. 2 – Revenge Edition (October 2012 by Burial Day Books). His current projects include a recently released zombie novella, Messiah of the Zombie Apocalypse, and various short stories, as well as a dark fiction novella, The Pumpkin House, which is in submission.

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Click on the banner above to follow the tour for Award Winning Novelist Bette Lee Crosby and her newest release Jubilee’s Journey!

Jubilee's Journey (Wyattsville #2)

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Synopsis

When tragedy strikes a West Virginia coal mining family, two children start out on a trek that they hope will lead them to a new life. Before a day passes, the children are separated and the boy is caught up in a robbery not of his making. If his sister can find him, she may be able to save him. The problem is she’s only seven years old, and who’s going to believe a kid?

Jubilee’s Journey is Book Two in the Wyattsville Series. This story of discovering lost family and finding love reconnects readers with Ethan Allen and the other heart-warming characters of the bestselling novel SPARE CHANGE.

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Please enjoy this guest post from Bette

 

Writing Jubilee’s Journey was somewhat of a trip down memory lane, not because of my own memories, but the memories of my mother, who so generously passed them down to me.

My mom was born in Coal Fork, West Virginia; as was her sister Ruth. They were two in a family of eleven siblings.  Times were hard and the family didn’t always have the luxury of living under the same roof. Once the girls were old enough, they were sent to live with relatives who needed house help; the boys went to work in the mines or became farm hands for neighbors.

When my mom was not yet twenty, she married a city boy from Charleston and moved away. Her sister Ruth married one of the men who worked in the mines. The part of Jubilee’s Journey that tells of life in the mining community is based on the truth of how it was.

After Ruth was married, she and her new husband moved into a tiny four room house wedged into the side of the coal-mining mountain. Did they own the house? No. Did they rent the house? No. In the little community of Coal Fork, there was no owning or renting; if a house stood empty and you had need of it…you simply moved in. Of course the house was little more than walls and a floor, there was no plumbing, no electricity, just a cast iron coal stove used for both cooking and heat.  But it was a house and it was free. It had a stretch of land suitable for some farming and a well that had a plentiful supply of cold clear water – water far better than anything you’ve ever tasted.

In Jubilee’s Journey, Ruth’s husband is named Bartholomew but in real life his name was Clifford. He was a miner who lived a life very similar to Bartholomew’s. He and Ruth had four children, the eldest of which was my cousin Paul. And the Paul I knew was my model for the one I created. He was wise, strong, loyal beyond belief, and filled with love and Faith.

I spent many summer vacations visiting my cousins and the memories I have are truly treasured ones. Despite the fact that Ruth’s family had very few material possessions, they were wealthy beyond compare. They were rich in the things that no amount of money can buy—love, faith, trust and hope. Like Bartholomew, Clifford hoped his boys would never see the inside of a mine…and they didn’t. All four of my cousins earned scholarships and went on to become professionals in the fields of education and ministry.

I have always been inspired by the goodness in the life they led, and that inspiration is what led me to write Jubilee’s Journey. I hope the book inspires others as the truth behind this story has inspired me.

Bette Lee Crosby

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My Review

I’ve read many of Bette’s books, and some things I know I’ll find in each new one are her strong southern prose, compelling situations very true to life, and characters so vividly depicted they become living beings, and I step into their story.

Another thing I’ve come to expect is her endearing cover art. You feel when you look at them.

The cover design for Jubilee’s Journey was done by Kathleen Valentine of valentinedesign.com. Bette Lee will also occasionally incorporate a friend or fan’s name into her novels.

I fell in love with Ethan Allen in Spare Change and was thrilled to return to Wyattsville and have his story continue in Jubilee’s Journey.

He is doing fine. That is until one day, he stops at a crime scene, doing a lookie-loo to see what was going down. Sent on his way, as he pedals off he spies a little girl sitting all alone on a bench, looking so sad and lost.

I just knew Ethan would mull about that girl. So when he’s riding his bike home from school it’s no surprise when he stops to help the girl still sitting there on a bench. He convinces her to come home with him. His grandmother will take care of her.

Poor Olivia. Ethan brings home a stray. First thing she does is feed her. Then gently, she pries her story from her.

She’s Jubilee, 7 years old, and she came to the city with her brother after their father died. Paul was determined to keep his promise to their father and they get off the bus in Wyattsville searching for their aunt. All they have is her first name.

Paul told Jubilee to wait on the bench while he went inside to check out a job. Hours later, he still hadn’t returned and that’s when Ethan came into the picture.

I felt such anguish for Jubilee. She depended on her older brother, trusted him to take care of them, and now he was just gone. She’s such a sweetie. So innocent yet so firm in her love for her brother.

Paul is such a mature young man, and such a good brother to Jubilee. When he entered that store, he had no idea  his path would converge with Hurt McAdams and he would find himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and wouldn’t be leaving the way he went in.

Ethan is still Ethan. Always pushing the limit, and working his grandmother, Olivia. She’s wise to his ways but knows sometimes it’s best to let him think he’s got one over on her.

Ethan and Jubilee become very close with Ethan filling the role of big brother and protector until her real brother returns.

I’m not sure if you could label one genre for this book. Bette blends several into her story. I call it life literature. The characters tell me their stories, let me share their lives, and I savor every moment.

Upon reaching the end of Jubilee’s Journey, I blinked, held the book to my chest, and sighed. I slowly left their world. So moving, so powerful was this story, I tried to hang onto it, to keep everyone close.

Thank you for gifting me Jubilee’s Journey, Bette. There is no better gift than words on a page.

5 Stars

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A couple of excerpts from this journey.

Ethan:

I didn’t want to tell Grandma this on account of she’s a worrier. Mama never worried about nothin’, but Grandma, she worries about everything. The sorry truth is I didn’t see no live people come out of that grocery store. Far as I could tell, they was all dead.

Jubilee:

I ain’t never had six dresses at one time. And I sure ain’t never had underpants with the day of the week spelled out so you don’t get mixed up and wear Tuesday’s pants on Wednesday.

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ABOUT Bette Lee Crosby

Bette Lee Crosby    Award-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby brings the wit and wisdom of her Southern Mama to works of fiction—the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery and romance along with a cast of quirky charters who will steal your heart away.

Crosby’s work was first recognized in 2006 when she received The National League of American Pen Women Award for a then unpublished manuscript. Since then, she has gone on to win several more awards, including another NLAPW award, three Royal Palm Literary Awards, and the FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal.

Her published novels to date are: Cracks in the Sidewalk (2009), Spare Change (2011), The Twelfth Child (2012), Cupid’s Christmas (2012) and What Matters Most (2013). She has also authored “Life in the Land of IS” a memoir of Lani Deauville, a woman the Guinness Book of Records lists as the world’s longest living quadriplegic.

Crosby originally studied art and began her career as a packaging designer. When asked to write a few lines of copy for the back of a pantyhose package, she discovered a love for words that was irrepressible. After years of writing for business, she turned to works of fiction and never looked back. “Storytelling is in my blood,” Crosby laughingly admits, “My mom was not a writer, but she was a captivating storyteller, so I find myself using bits and pieces of her voice in most everything I write.

Website  /  Goodreads  /  Twitter  Facebook

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There are two giveaways so be sure you enter both!

Giveaway on my blog.

I have one print copy to giveaway (US Only)

and one Ebook copy (International)

To enter, please leave an email address so I can contact you if you win, specify US or International, and answer this question:

“Do you ever find yourself thinking about the characters long after you’ve finished a book?”

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Visit Bette’s Blog HERE to enter the second giveaway.

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Other books by Bette Lee Crosby

Spare Change

My Review of Spare Change

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What Matters Most

My Review for What Matters Most

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The Twelfth Child

My Review of The Twelfth Child

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My Review of Cracks in the Sidewalk~ Coming soon!

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My Review of Cupid’s Christmas ~ Coming soon!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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Took some time off for the holidays so this is a shorter posting about bookish news since December 16th, 2013.

This is my own version of a weekly bookhaul post where  I’ll be telling you about all of the books I got this week, whether print or e-book plus all things new on fuonlyknew.

I got a few books this week, some free, some for review, and some I purchased just for my reading pleasure.

I also post reviews on another blog aknifeandaquill . It’s all about horror. If someone doesn’t die, we don’t do it here!

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Here’s some I picked up to review on both blogs. Double exposure for the author:)

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Here are some I picked up to review on fuonlyknew.

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Got some good ones!

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Got some freebies for ya!

Tried to find a little something for everybody.

Just click on the covers to get yours. Make sure they are still free. Were at time of posting.

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And a few more.

 

 

You can also find more free books HERE.

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Books for Review.

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I’ll be reviewing this in March.

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I’ll be reviewing these in April.

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I’ll be reviewing these in March.

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I’ll be reviewing this in May.

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Exquisite Betrayal

And last but certainly not least. A.M. Hargrove’s newest book! Been waiting for this!

I have too many review books!

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Books I won.

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I won a signed print copy of Midnight Spell from Rhiannon Frater.

Thanks so much Rhiannon!

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I won Gadget Girl from The Book Nerd Tour.

Thanks so much and thank you Susan!

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Reviewed this week

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You can read my review on my Monday Minis post HERE.

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You can read my reviews and enter the giveaway HERE.

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You chose it for week two of my Freakin Fridays January reviews. See it HERE. Then help me choose the book to review next week.

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You can read my review and enter the giveaway HERE.

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Reviewing this coming week

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I’ll be reviewing this for my Monday Minis post January 13th.

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Jubilee's Journey (Wyattsville #2)

Read my review and enter the giveaway Monday, January 13th.

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ParaNormal Detective cover  Secrets and Lies (Cassie Scot, #2)

Read my review of both books and enter the giveaway Tuesday, January 14th.

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Read my review and enter the giveaway Wednesday, January 15th.

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You can read my review and enter the giveaway on Thursday, January 16th.

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You can read my reviews of all five novellas in the Moonsong’s Series and enter the giveaway on Thursday, January 16th.

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And on Friday, January 17th I’ll be reviewing the readers choice. Won’t know which book ya’ll chose until Thursday. Go HERE to cast your vote!

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And I’m hoping to have my review ready for Sworn to Raise, Book #1 on the cover reveal day, Friday, January 17th for Book #4, Sworn to Secrecy.

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Several more reviews and awesome giveaways coming this next week.

Not sure yet which ones I’ll be posting. Be sure to stop by!

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Other posts this week. Just click on the links to see the posts.

Spotlight on The Dragon Legacy

Monday Minis #20 ~ The Basement ~ Don’t ever say you’ll be right back

Teaser Tuesday’s #52 ~ Vampire’s Ball ~ Shall we dance?

Tail Spins ~ Delightfully Poetic ~ Reviews and Giveaway

Rosemary and Crime ~ A Cozy Mystery Review and Giveaway

WWW Wednesday #29 ~ Cassie Scot and The Zombie West

Some Apocalyptic Muscle For Ya ~ M-DAY by D.T. Dyllin On Sale Now!

Matt Archer: Bloodlines ~ More Monster hunting! Book Blast and Giveaway

Thursday Theatre #23 ~ Abominable Land Shark

The Friday 56 # #12 ~ Freaky Jules: Hellhounds

Freakin Friday’s # 26 ~ Your next choice ~ Four Spooky Stories

Relativity by M.A. George ~ Birthday Bash

Jade’s Cowboy Crush ~ Triple Tour Grand Finale and Giveaway

Cover Reveal ~ Ruth Silver’s ORENDA ~ A universe of frightening creatures and magic

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Go here to find all of my giveaways. Enter one or enter all of them!!

Go here for a list of free e-books.

Busy, busy, busy. So many delicious reads! Some I’ve read and will be posting my reviews soon.

So what did you get this week? See something you like? Do you have any of these? Leave a comment and let me know.

Freakin Fridays!

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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With the new year here, I’ve started  implementing my new plans for my blog.

While I’ll still be doing my memes and posting for book tours and giveaways, I’m going to be doing a lot more reviewing.

 I asked you to help me with this. Below are the 5 books I’ll be reviewing for the 5 Fridays in January. You’ve let me know which one you want me to review first. The book with the most votes for my first 2014 Freakin Fridays review was The Little Mermaid of Death!

There is a link further down in the post for my review if you missed it.

Your next pick was Spooky Short Stories. So here is my review.

Don’t forget to explore the next three books afterwards and choose which one I should review next week! Just leave me a comment:)

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Spooky Short Stories

by Kathryn Meyer Griffith

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Four contemporary spooky short stories:

Ghost Brother… So what happens after you die? Do you go to heaven, or hell? Or do you go to a special place fashioned just for you based on the life you’d lived in the real world? Based on how you treated people? What you did to them? And do ghosts exist? Do they roam the earth and plague the living, persuade them to do things they shouldn’t do? Two brothers and their tale follow; their journey through life and death. Do you believe in ghosts? Some do.

Running with the Train… Sarah has always been lonely. Searching for a love she’s begun to believe will never come. Her family and friends depend, need her…but they can’t give her what she wants. True, eternal love. Like the wolves have. So she goes on an adventure of a lifetime to the Grand Canyon; rides the train from Williams to the South Rim and sees these huge wolves running alongside in the evening twilight; scurrying unbelievably below on the Canyon’s ledges among the trees. She’s told there are no wolves but she hears their haunting cries. No one else sees or hears them. Just her. Has her loneliness made her crazy?

The Banshee and the Witch… What would you do to live forever, stay young forever? To find true love again? And if you were a white witch with the magical powers to make it happen…and the secret of how to do it, would you? So when the banshee comes calling for you one rainy dark night you’ll do what you have to do to get what you desire the most. More time.

Too Close to the Edge… Artist Penelope had been looking forward to going with her husband, sister and brother-in-law to see the Grand Canyon…even though she was terrified of heights and, when she got there, couldn’t bear to get too close to the edge. She watched people balancing on one foot, acting foolish, taking photos, oblivious of the death waiting below them. It scared her. Especially when a woman relates a story of a small child that fell into the Canyon the day before. Over the edge. Then she sees a young girl go over the rim and no one will believe her. For there was no child that had died–that day anyway. Was she seeing things that weren’t there, or was there another explanation?

My Review

At first I was thinking Running with the train was my favorite. Then I thought the Banshee and the Witch. Then I thought..well you know how that goes. I can’t pick a favorite as each of these stories are unique unto themselves and very, very good.

Ghost Brother

A man wakes up in a graveyard one night. He has no memory of how he got there or why.

He trudges home but finds he can’t get in his house, so he sits and contemplates, trying to recall what happened.

Bobby’s dead brother, Gerald, has haunted him for a long time. He’s evil incarnate and goads Bobby into doing some really bad things.

Now Bobby’s done something truly horrid and it’s time to face the music.

I’m always up for something dark and twisted. This story sure is. I tried to guess ahead as to what had happened to Bobby, but when I reached the end of the story, I was way off.

The author pulled one over on me. Not bad Kathryn, not bad at all.

Running With The Train

This one has a mystical feel to it.

Sarah is unlucky in love and all she does is work. Wanting something, but not knowing what, she takes a vacation, going to the Grand Canyon by herself.

Things start getting mysterious while she’s on the train. She sees something, shadowy figures, running alongside the train. But nobody else sees them.While enjoying the view at the South Rim, just before dark, she meets a compelling, and very handsome man. Something about him draws her and she talks with him, telling him about herself. As quickly as he appears, he is gone.

She encounters this man again, and he tells her why he came to her and what he wants. Now she has a choice to make. But what about her family. They need her.

I felt some folklore in this one. The author built up the mystery, making me anxious to see the wonder she would reveal to Sarah and to me.

I couldn’t wait to get to the end and find out what choice Sarah made.

The Banshee and the Witch

Another good one.

Cleona is a witch. The most powerful witch. She has lived a long time.

She’s loved well and lived well, but she’s not ready to leave this world yet. She wants more time.

When the banshee comes calling, she knows she doesn’t have much time left. She’s able to use her magic and send the banshee away several times, but soon that won’t work anymore. There are consequences to using her magic this way. Her familiar, her cat, warns her of this.

So the next time the banshee comes, she has to try something else, something clever.

This was such a fun story. I really like witches. And Cleona’s familiar,Precious, has attitude and all the sass and independence of a cat too. Their exchanges were comical and gave me a few chuckles.

The ending was unexpected. The author caught me completely by surprise. I think you’ll like it too.

Too Close To The Edge

This tale isn’t scary as much as it is haunting.

Penelope has always been afraid of heights. She gets close to the edge and vertigo sets in, along with an irrational fear.

The trip with her husband, along with her sister and brother-in-law, to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon was a step toward getting past her fear. It proves difficult as she sees others clowning around, teetering near the edge, with this it can’t happen to me attitude.

When she spies a little girl, alone, leaning out to clutch a flower, her fears are confirmed when the girl teeters, then slips over and out of sight.

I liked that Penelope tried to get past her fear, to confront it and vanquish it for good.

What she experiences on the rim is haunting and wonderous at the same time.

The very end of the story made me smile. It was perfect.

5 Stars

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Last weeks choice!

The Little Mermaid of Death

by Kevin Richey

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Tired of her life with the other swamp hags, Ariel strikes a bargain to obtain a mask so realistic she could pass for human. But can she trick anyone into marrying her before the mask deteriorates—and all without saying a word?

My 4 Star Review

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Here are the books to choose from for next week. Let me know which one I should review next!

#1

The Monster Man of Horror House

by Danny King

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Local oddball, John Coal is the town oddball. Old, crotchety, pungent and solitary, he lives in a scary old house that is almost as rundown as he and sees out his days shuffling around the streets harvesting his neighbours’ skips for scrap.

The local kids take great delight in plaguing him morning, noon and night but they’ve chosen the wrong old coot to mess with because John Coal is no ordinary man. He knows where the bodies are buried. He’s been to the outer limits. He is a keeper of dark secrets. Murder, monsters, demons and bi-polar vampires, he has seen them all and lived to tell the tale.

Now, if he is to rid himself of his woes he must dig into the deepest recesses of his past and use these terrible experiences to convince his tormentors he’s not just an old man to be pushed around.

He is John Coal – the Monster Man of Horror House.

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#2

Cold Blood

by Donna Ansari

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As the winter holiday season descends on New York City, vampire Emma Hammond is anticipating celebrating with Tammy and David, her witch and werewolf roommates. But when an odd Christmas ornament unleashes waves of the undead from her neighborhood graveyard, Emma finds herself as an unwilling shield between ravenous zombies and an unsuspecting city. Even worse, despite having everyday dealing with supernatural creatures, Emma finds that she has an unnatural aversion to the shambling dead, and must get to their source and stop the invasion before she’s forced to cancel her holiday party!

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#3

Days with the Undead

by Julianne Snow

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It’s a journal of survival.

Five people set out to escape the Undead who have risen too close to home. Join the emotional and physical struggle as they began on the third day after the awakening of Brooks VanReit, as they are recorded from the point of view of Julie, a former pathologist and part-time survivalist.

Each entry is geared toward helping those who want to help themselves and maybe give a few that don’t a swift kick in the ass.

Join our group of survivors on their journey through these Days with the Undead.

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So tell me. Which one should I review next?

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Rosemary and Crime by Gail Oust

All the elements of a Southern, Culinary, Cozy Mystery. ~Rantin’ Ravin’ and Reading

I really enjoyed this book, it was fast paced and kept me involved from the very beginning. ~Melina’s Book Blog

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Rosemary and Crime

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Cozy Mystery Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: Minotaur Books (December 17, 2013)

ISBN-13: 978-1250011046

E-Book  ASIN: B00DA7A0BO

Synopsis:

Piper Prescott, a transplanted Yankee living in the South, has got her sass back.  She might be down, but don’t count her out.  “Change of life?” she asks.  Bring it on.  Recently divorced, Piper decides to pursue a dream she’s secretly harbored:  owning her own business.  Spice It Up!, a spice shop in her adopted hometown, Brandywine Creek, Georgia.  But Piper’s grand opening goes awry when the local chef who’s agreed to do a cooking demo is found stabbed.  Not only did Piper find the body, she handled the murder weapon and doesn’t have a witness to her alibi, making the case look like a slam dunk to brand new police Chief Wyatt McBride.  Desperate to uncover the truth—and prove her innocence—Piper enlists the help of her outspoken BFF Reba Mae Johnson to help track down the real culprit.  The pair compile a lengthy list of suspects and work to eliminate them using their own creative brand of sleuthing techniques including stakeouts, breaking and entering, and one very unorthodox chocolate pie.  When Piper narrowly avoids being a victim of a hit-and-run, she knows she’s getting closer to the truth, but can she catch the killer and clear her name before she becomes the next victim?

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My Review

Fresh out of a divorce, Piper decides to go into business for herself, opening a spice shop. When Mario, the chef who was supposed to do a cooking demonstration for her grand opening is murdered, Piper becomes the prime suspect.

She discovered the body. She handled the murder weapon. And she was seen arguing with the victim earlier.

The fun begins when Piper and her best friend Reba Mae, a delightfully colorful gal, decide to do their own sleuthing. They are caught doing a stake out by the hunky Chief of Police, Wyatt.

I’m all for character driven stories. These characters are all flawed, all trying to make their way. This leads to lots of hi-jinx and laughs.

Piper is down to earth but also vulnerable. CJ, her jerk of a husband, dumped her for a woman almost as young as her daughter. Starting over at middle age is never easy and she has to contend with a daughter who is acting out, her butinsky ex, and a sexy policeman, while trying to prove her innocence and get her new business off the ground.

The author sets the stage, introduces her characters, drops in the crime, and sets you off to read and discover the clues, while adding in a budding romance and some very believable life situations.

Trying to solve this mystery was vexing. Each time I thought I had my suspect, I was wrong and had to continue sorting out the clues.

When I reached the end it was just what I wanted.

Anyone looking for a new cozy mystery series with an easy flowing writing style, colorful characters, and a crime to solve, should give Rosemary and Crime a go..

4 Stars

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About This Author

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Gail Oust is often accused of flunking retirement. While working as a nurse/vascular technologist, she penned nine historical romances under the pseudonym of Elizabeth Turner. It wasn’t until she and her husband retired to South Carolina that inspiration struck for a mystery. Hearing the words “maybe it’s a dead body” while golfing fired her imagination for writing a cozy. Ever since then, she spends more time on a computer than at a golf course. Author of the Bunco Babe mysteries, she’s currently working on a new Spice Shop mystery series.

Author Links:  www.gailoust.com, Goodreads

Purchase Links: AMAZON      Book World     B&N

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Tour Participants

January 6 – rantin’ ravin’ and reading – Review, Interview

January 7 – Melina’s Book Blog – Review, Guest Post

January 8 – fuonlyknew – Review

January 9 – Mochas, Mysteries and More – Guest Post

January 10 – A Chick Who Reads – Review, Guest Post

January 11 – Griperang’s Bookmarks – Review

January 12 – Books Are Life – Vita Libri – Review

January 13 – Chloe Gets A Clue – Interview

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An autographed copy of Rosemary and Crime

An apron similar to ont the character wears in her spice shop.

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!

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tale spins tour

For more fun stops on the tour click on the banner above!

I’m delighted to be a part of this tour and to have read Tail Spins!

I was taken back to my younger years and let myself go.

Enjoy my review. And don’t forget to enter the giveaways. Yes, there are two!

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Tail Spins

by Michael Mullin

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Synopsis

A trilogy of alternative fairytales and retellings. Discover the real Snow White story through the eyes of Creepy, the unknown 8th dwarf! Meet a teen princess who hires “The Frog Prince” witch to get revenge on a Mean Girl at school! And learn how the giant, boy thief and magic beans tale truly went down!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

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Praise for Tale Spins

Not usually enamoured of either re-tellings or poetry I was totally taken aback by just how much I relished this trilogy of alternative fairytales and re-tellings aimed at the Young Adult market. ~Tracy (Goodreads)

TaleSpins was like walking into a vintage store and finding a true treasure. This book takes the fairytales we all grew up on and gives them an interesting and modernized version that I enjoyed. ~Rose (Goodreads)

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My Review

Tail Spins was a pure delight to read. Written in poetic form, it was fairly quick reading and the stories flowed smoothly. The author choosing to write these alternate tellings in such a way worked beautifully, making it fun and addictive.

I smiled from beginning to end and loved the different ‘spin’ put on each retelling. Who knew there was an 8th dwarf, what foolish girl would actually steal from a witch, and I do believe money grows on trees.

I wish I had a young child to read these tales to. I did read them to my 19 year old son and we had fun discussing the authors creativity.

Anyone will enjoy Tail Spins and you adult readers will be taken back to younger days when wonder was all around and all things were possible.

5 Stars

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Author Michael Mullin

mike mullin

Michael Mullin is a native New Englander living in Pasadena. He is the author of TaleSpins, a trilogy of alternative fairy tales and retellings for YA readers. TaleSpins stories (in the 1-book collection) are “8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf”; “The Plight and Plot of Princess Penny”; and “Jack’d”. Michael is also the co-author of the successful “Larry Gets Lost” children’s book series. His screenplay “Zooing Time” was recognized by the WGA’s Written By magazine. Before all this writing, he taught preschool and college, two positions he found disconcertingly similar.

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Tour Giveaways

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$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 1/21/14

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Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about The Basement

by Chad P. Brown

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My Review

I’ve seen the movies. I’ve read the books. But, I just can’t say it enough. Don’t go in the basement! There’s always something bad just waiting to make you dead.

So the story goes, Heather takes a dare and enters the Blackwell House. Everyone knows it’s haunted, and really bad things happened. But, like the foolish girl she is, I guess she figures it can’t happen to her. She’ll show her friends there’s nothing to be afraid of and that’ll be the end of it.

Not quite. Heather doesn’t run into the Blackwell family ghosts. Instead, she’s confronted by her dead mother.

What the author did really well was hook me in right from the beginning. This isn’t a new scenario. I’ve read many similar stories, but the author made it different. The ghost Heather thought she should be worried about isn’t the one that appeared.

The atmosphere is set, from the door slamming shut after she enters, to the creaking and moaning of the old house settling.

Another thing that I liked was how the author let me into Heather’s head as she tried to dispel her own fears and find logical explanations for what was occurring. It enabled me to feel her fear, her disbelief, and finally her terror.

Kudos to Chad for his surprising ending. After I read the last sentence I said to myself, “Got ya!”

3 Stars

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About Chad P. Brown

Chad P. Brown was born in Huntington, WV. Once he outgrew his childhood fears of haunted houses, clowns, and toy monkeys with cymbals (although those still creep him out a little bit), he discovered a dark love for writing and an affinity for macabre and eldritch matters. He holds a Master’s in Latin from Marshall University and is an Affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association. In October 2011, he released his first horror novel, The Jack-in-the-box. He has appeared in the anthologies SPIDERS (August 2012 by May December Publications) and Gothic Blue Book Vol. 2 – Revenge Edition (October 2012 by Burial Day Books). His current projects include a recently released zombie novella, Messiah of the Zombie Apocalypse, and various short stories, as well as a dark fiction novella, The Pumpkin House, which is in submission.