Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review very short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about Beginnings

The Prequel to The Guardians of Vesturon Series 

by A.M. Hargrove

Beginnings: Prequel to The Guardians of Vesturon

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You met the Guardians of Vesturon in Survival and Resurrection.  Now read about how their parents, Rowan and Annalise met in Beginnings, the novella Prequel to The Guardians of Vesturon.  Learn more about Rowan and how Annalise unwittingly captured his heart and how his chance meeting of her took him on a journey of forbidden love.

My Review

I was thrilled when the this book was released. I’ve read the entire Vesturon Series and this back story about Rowan and Annalise and how they met was like cheese cake with strawberries drizzled all over it. A sweet, tasty morsel to satisfy my craving for more.

When Rowan first lay eyes on Annalise, he was a goner. But when he approached her, she discouraged his advances.

First-Born and lower- born were not allowed to fraternize and Annalise could lose her job, or maybe worse if caught even speaking to Rowan.

But Rowan is not to be denied and sets out to change the out of date , prejudicial laws set by the Council of Elders, not just for him, but for everyone. Even standing up to his father, the Great Ruler of Vesturon.

I tore through this book in about an hour, not pausing until the end.

I admired Rowan and his fight for change. He was dogged in his determination and so tender with Annalise.

Annalise will melt your heart like she did Rowan’s when he gazed into her eyes. She’s gentle but not timid and supports Rowan’s fight.

It was also interesting to read about Rowan’s training as a Guardian. It was very brutal and reminded me of what soldiers go through in our special forces elite units.

I couldn’t imagine being tortured until I broke, and that’s knowing that they really won’t kill you. Scary stuff.

Now that I’ve read Beginnings I just may have to read the whole series again. I remember just how much I love this world and its many characters.

When you read The Guardian’s of Vesturon series you’ll see how these two loving people instilled their self-confidence and strong beliefs in their children.

4 STARS

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Other books in The Guardians of Vesturon Series

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My Review

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My Review

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Reviewing soon

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Reviewing soon.

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A Praestani Series Novel

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My Review

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The Edge Series

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My Review

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My Review

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My Review

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My Review

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About A.M. Hargrove

A.M. Hargrove

One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn’t do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life.  So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase.  Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodge ball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head.  Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what laptop out the window.  She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone, called her boss and quit her job.  Grinning, she made another call to her hubs and told him of her new adventure (after making sure his heart was beating properly again).

So began A. M. Hargrove’s career as a YA/NA and Adult Romance writer. Her books include the following: Edge of Disaster, Shattered Edge and Kissing Fire (The Edge Series); The Guardians of Vesturon series (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant, reEmergent and Beginnings); Dark Waltz and Tragically Flawed.

Other than being in love with writing about being in love, she loves chocolate, ice cream and coffee and is positive they should be added as part of the USDA food groups.

Author Social Media Links:

http://www.amhargrove.blogspot.com

http://www.amhargrove.com

http://www.twitter.com/@amhargrove1

http://www.facebook.com/anne.m.hargrove

http://www.facebook.com/guardiansofvesturon

http://www.goodreads.com/amhargrove1

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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.

   

and Bleeker Hill is free to download thru Sept. 30th

Click on the cover to get your copy.

Got some good ones!

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Got some freebies for ya!

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

   

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Books for Review.

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And a  mystery book! Mind Shadows, Book One: Shattered by Patrick Royale

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And another mystery book. It’s the second book in a serial by V. Shaw. I’ll be doing the cover reveal for her release day on Wednesday, October 2nd and will be having a giveaway and a free book too! Mark your calendar.

You can read my review of the first installment, the fragile things HERE.

The Fragile Things

I had to have these!

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Books I won.

🙁 Nothing this week.

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Reviewed this week. Busy writing more!

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You can read my review and enter the giveaway HERE.

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Catch my review and enter the giveaway HERE.

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You can read my review and enter the giveaway HERE.

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Scheduled reviews for next week.

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You can read my review of Tragically Flawed and enter the giveaway on Wednesday, October 2nd.

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Several more reviews and awesome giveaways coming this next week. Be sure to stop by!

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

I missed a lot of my weekly memes this week. Busy having fun with my mother now that she’s here! Will be back to normal this coming week.

Release Day Giveaway Celebration ~ Tragically Flawed by A.M. Hargrove

Giveaway and My Review ~ Special Offers and Special Rewards

Winners Here! The Twelfth Child by Bette Lee Crosby

Teaser Tuesdays #41 ~ Beneath the Burn by Pam Godwin

Giveaway Celebration for the release of The Jamieson Collection

Giveaway Blitz for Skye Callahan’s Upcoming Release of Fractured Legacy

Blast Giveaway ~ The Violet Hour

Giveaway and My Review ~ My Ex From Hell

A Giveaway and My Review ~ Skeleton & Dust

Flash Sale for Tragically Flawed

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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.

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A great thing about Skeleton and Dust is that it’s a prequel to The Ferryman and the Flame series. You don’t have to have read the other books to grasp and enjoy this one.

What it will do is make you want more! I do.

And just feast your eyes on the cover art. There’s no mistaking Aria in her ethereal form. She will steal your heart.

Keep reading to learn more and enjoy my review.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Title: Skeleton & Dust

Series: The Ferryman + The Flame #0.5

By: Rhiannon Paille

Expected Publication: October 1st, 2013

Blurb

In the First Era, before Kaliel and Krishani fell in love, Tor runs. He escapes the Land of Kings and the tyrannical Valtanyana. In the depths of Tempia he forges weapons– The Flames– strong enough to oppose the Kings he betrayed.

Aria, The Amethyst Flame, cannot touch the living or the dead and her kin are silent ghosts. Hidden in a cairn deep in the haunted forest, Aria becomes obsessed with the Ferryman, the only boy who can feel her touch.

Before Aria knows it, The Flames, The Ferryman and Tor are swept up in the first war against the Valtanyana.

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My Review

The villagers of Tempia know little about the gray skinned man who washed in from the sea.

Tor liked it that way. The less they knew about who or what he was, the safer they’d be.

But now the star cloud, its emerald and green mass edged in gold, is looming ever larger, ever closer, bringing war to the village.

Tor must face the enemy inside, the Valtanyana ,or the village and Desaunius, his soul mate, will be destroyed.

The Voltanyana want Tor. His power will make them strong enough to rule the world, and they won’t take no for an answer.

I am a people person. I like plenty of characters to connect with.

While I liked Tor and Desaunius and would like to read more about them, the true stars in this story, for me anyway, were Aria and the Ferryman, Kallow.

Her being the Amethyst Flame, a weapon and something more, and him being the Ferryman, the usher of spirits, got my curiosity revving up.

I wanted to know more about them. What are they, really? Are they good or evil? Why can Kallow feel Aria when no one else can?

Yep, they stole the show for me.

I would have liked to be a fly on the wall, watching when Tor absorbed the dust and called for the weapons, the flames, from the volcano’s magma. That would’ve been something to see. Especially when he got something he didn’t ask for.

I’ve had my eye on this series and now that I’ve sampled it, I’ve got a craving for more of this world and it’s many diverse characters. You can bet I’ll be reading the other books.

4 Stars

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About Rhiannon Paille

Rhi Pie

Rhiannon is an up and coming Indie Author that writes Young Adult Fantasy books and some non fiction. She has a PhD in Metaphysical Science and Parapsychology. When she’s not writing books she’s reading minds, singing karaoke, burning dinner and sipping iced cappuccino despite her allergy to coffee. Some day she’d like to own a unicorn—as long as it doesn’t eat her. She’s sold over 25,000 copies of her books worldwide.

Links-

Amazon Author Page- http://www.amazon.com/Rhiannon-Paille/e/B004NPY784

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/RhiannonPaille?fref=ts

Goodreads- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4653530.Rhiannon_Paille

Smashwords- https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/rhiannonpaille

Twitter- https://twitter.com/RhiannonPaille

Website- http://www.yafantasyauthor.com

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Facebook Event- https://www.facebook.com/events/21522303134977/

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What you can win:

Signed Paperback Edition of the trilogy – US ONLY

Signed Print Package with 21 11×17 prints from all three books

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

http://www.girlsheartbookstours.com

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Welcome to my stop on the tour!

My Ex From Hell is a fun romp with plenty to entertain for all ages.

Keep reading to learn all about it and enjoy my review.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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My Ex From Hell by Tellulah Darling (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy #1)

Publication date: April 1st 2013
Genres: Young Adult
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Purchase: Amazon / B&N
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Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Sophie Bloom wishes she’d been taught the following: a) Bad boy’s presence (TrOuBlE) + teen girl’s brain (DraMa) = TrAuMa (Highly unstable and very volatile.) b) The Genus Greekulum Godissimus is notable for three traits: 1) awesome abilities, 2) grudges, and 3) hook-ups, break-ups, and in-fighting that puts cable to shame.
Prior to the Halloween dance, Sophie figures her worst problems involve adolescent theatrics, bitchy yoga girls, and being on probation  at her boarding school for mouthy behaviour. Then she meets bad boy Kai and gets the kiss that rocks her world.
Literally.
This breath stealing lip lock reawakens Sophie’s true identity: Persephone, Goddess of Spring. She’s key to saving humanity in the war between the Underworld and Olympus, target numero uno of Hades and Zeus, and totally screwed.
Plus there’s also the little issue that Sophie’s last memory as Persephone was just before someone tried to murder her.
Big picture: master her powers, get her memories back, defeat Persephone’s would be assassin, and save the world. Also, sneak into the Underworld to retrieve stolen property, battle the minions of Hades and Zeus, outwit psycho nymphs, slay a dragon, rescue a classmate, keep from getting her butt expelled from the one place designed to keep her safe …
… and stop kissing Kai, Prince of the Underworld.
My Ex From Hell is a romantic comedy/Greek mythology smackdown. Romeo and Juliet had it easy.

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My Review

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I’ve always had a thing for Greek Mythology. Gods and Goddesses and fantastical beings, what’s not to love.
So, meet Sophie. A normal teenage girl, shuffled off to boarding school and dealing with all that goes with it.
She has two close friends, Theo and Hannah.
Theo is more like a big brother figure, being over protective. You’ll find out why.
Hannah is any girls dream friend. She’ll always have your back and never try to steal your boyfriend.
Can’t forget Kai. I’ll let you discover if he’s a good guy or bad guy.
The thorn in her side, her nemesis is Bethany. It’s not any one thing that started the bullying. Bethany just picked her as her target.
When Sophie eaves drops on a phone conversation between Bethany and some mysterious guy, she begins to form her plan of revenge.
As with all plans, Murphy’s Law kicked in, and her plans came back to bite her in the you know what.
If it weren’t for Theo, she’d be in a world, or worlds, of hurt. Now, she discovers she’s Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, trapped in a young girls body with no memories of her past. No longer your typical girl, she has to be careful who she trusts and get her memories back, quick, as the Gods are coming for her.
Sophie is terrific. She’s smart, funny, and not afraid to stand up for herself. Not a shrinking violet at all. She won’t be putting up with any bullying, neither humans nor Gods.
There’s plenty of action and a blooming romance to keep you turning the pages.
And the world building, both on the school grounds and in the underworld, is incredible and fascinating.
From middle graders, to teens, to mature adults, I’d recommend this book. It’s a quick read, and has lots of adventure, and fantastical beings, good and bad.
Set aside your belief and enjoy this story, It’s good, clean fun.
4 STARS
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A little tease from the beginning:
To: ????
From:  bloominggoddess@gmail.com
Subject:  Seriously?
Dear Your Royal Imperialness Demeter, Goddess of Grain and Fertility, Preserver of Marriage, and Bringer of Seasons.
Or can I just call you Mom?
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Author Tellulah Darling
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my Ex 1Author
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Tellulah Darling
noun
1. YA Novelist
2. Alter ego of former screenwriter and instructor
3. Sassy minx
Geeks out over: cool tech.
Squees for: great storytelling.
Delights in: fabulous conversation.
Writes about: where love meets comedy.
Awkwardness ensues.
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I have one ebook copy of My Ex From Hell to give away.
To enter, please leave your email address and answer this question.
“Who is your favorite mythological being?”
Giveaway ends October 4th.
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You can follow the tour for more fun posts by clicking on the banner below.
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!
For all of my giveaways go HERE.

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I’m thrilled to be hosting M.L. Ryan’s Coursodon Dimension Series, Special Offers and Special Rewards, on my blog today.

I have a fun excerpt from Special Offers and my reviews for both books!

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

SPECIAL OFFERS

By

M.L. Ryan

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You can read my 5 STAR Review and Interview with M.L. Ryan HERE.

BLURB  

Meet Hailey – possessed by an otherworldly being who was trapped in her Kindle.

Hailey Parrish was quick-witted, irreverent, and hadn’t had a date in three years. She only wanted an eBook reader because her collection of paperbacks threatened to take over her small living space. Little did she know that the “special offers” that prompted the purchase included much more than a reduced price in exchange for a few ads. The device came pre-loaded with the essence of Sebastian Kess, an erudite womanizer with magical abilities from a parallel dimension. When she inadvertently releases him and he inhabits her body, she finally has a man inside her, just not in the way she imagined. And soon her predicament introduces her to yet another supernatural, the handsome could-be-the-man-of-her-dreams Alex Sunderland. Can Alex and Hailey find a way to return Sebastian to his own body, stay one step ahead of the criminals who want to keep him where he is, and not lose their sense of humor?

Special Offers, the first book of the Coursodon Dimension Series, combines paranormal romance, urban fantasy, a bit of science fiction and a healthy dose of quirky humor.

                       

ENJOY THE EXCERPT:  

 

If Sebastian could see that Pancho’s looked like a dump, then he can see what I’m seeing.  There was no way in hell that I would be comfortable taking a shower knowing that he could see me naked.

I frantically racked my brain for a solution and finally settled on the only thing that seemed to make sense.  I turned out the lights.  The little glow from the clock radio on the shelf above the toilet emitted too much illumination, I decided, so I quickly removed the batteries.  That was better; I could barely see anything I wouldn’t want Sebastian to see, so I figured I was safe.  I removed my clothes, pulled back the shower curtain and adjusted the water temperature before climbing in.

When I finished showering and washing my hair, I shut off the water and stood there dripping.  Shit.  In my haste to eliminate any chance of supernatural voyeurism, I had forgotten to put my towel on the hook next to the tub.

I pushed open the curtain and carefully lifted one leg over the side of the tub.  Damn it was dark.  I rotated my body slightly to facilitate what I hoped would be an easy journey to the other side of the bathroom where the towel was located.  Unfortunately, I slipped.  Without visual landmarks to guide me, I reflexively yanked at the thin vinyl panel in a vain attempt to prevent myself from falling.  The shower curtain tore from the hooks, plunging both me and it to the floor.

“Are you alright in there?” I heard Alex shout on the other side of the bathroom door.

If I had been smart, I would have answered him immediately.  Instead, I groaned and tried to disentangle myself from the wet, plastic mess that surrounded me.

Alex burst through the door, the light from the hallway illuminating the jumble of my naked-self sprawled on the tile atop the now shredded drape.

I have to give him credit; he chivalrously turned around almost immediately.  But I could still see his shoulders shaking as he tried, with only moderate success, to stifle the laughter that threatened to overwhelm him.

“Wow.  You seem to fall down a lot,” he finally managed to say.

“Just toss me the towel, please,” I croaked out in embarrassment.

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Special Rewards

 Book Two of the Coursodon Dimension Series 

Special Rewards 1000X1600 Kindle

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Blurb

What would you do if you discovered there was a parallel dimension?

Hailey Parrish used to be an average, everyday human. Boring, in fact. After being possessed by Sebastian Kess, a magically inclined enforcer from the parallel dimension Coursodon, her life took a decidedly less mundane turn. Besides coming to grips with the existence of supernatural beings, she risked her life helping Sebastian and her heart falling for his protégé, Alex Sunderland. Now, Hailey has to deal with the bit of arcane power that Sebastian left behind when he returned to his own body and try to stay out of the crossfire when an unknown assailant seeks revenge against Alex.

MY REVIEW

I approached this book with caution. I adored Special Offers and didn’t want my balloon to be burst by setting my expectations too high.

My balloon is intact and flying high! I had just as much fun with Special Rewards as I did with the first book.

Now that Sebastian is out of Hailey’s body and back in his own. Hailey and Alex are heating up their romance.

But just because she’s rid of Sebastian doesn’t mean he’s not still too close. He’s staying with her and Alex, training her to control her new power.

When Sebastian was expelled from Haileys body, he left a little bit of his Courso power inside her. Now she has to get it under control quickly. Otherwise, anything and anybody could become a pile of ash or blown to smithereens when she loses her temper.

On top of that, the animals of the desert are drawn to Hailey, hanging out beyond her walled property. On any given day there can be tarantulas, hawks, deer, coyotes and many other creatures and they show no interest in each other. They just calmly stand and watch and eventually drift back into the desert.

When someone sets a tree on fire outside their rented ranch, Alex and Hailey are determined to get to the bottom of who did it. Could it be Alex’s mother? She did summon him to visit her by throwing a talisman through their window. Or is it someone else? Do they have an enemy? And who were they after, her or Alex?

And that’s just the beginning.

I’m happy to tell you, this is every bit as good as the first book!

I like that Alex and Hailey are fogging up my Kindle with their steamy romance. Now that they’ve put humpty-dumpty back together again they are busy getting to know each other a whole lot better.

And Sebastian is his usual smug and charming self.

There’s a whole lot of action and we get to go to Coursodon! It’s similar to our dimension in some ways, but quite different in others.

Hailey discovers Alex’s roots and gets quite a surprise. And Sebastian gets in a heap of trouble that requires her help.

With so much to entertain, I flew through this book. I hope the author is a fast writer because I really want more soon.

5 STARS

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Here’s a  little excerpt I want to share with you.

This is about her inherited powers from Sebastian:

“I had a STD – a supernaturally transmitted deposit.”

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M.L. RYAN

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M.L. Ryan is a profes­sional woman – not that she gave up her amateur status, but rather that she is over-educated with a job in which she spends a lot of time writing dry, science non-Fiction. In an effort to strength­en the less logi­cal side of her brain, she decided to write some of the many stories rolling around in her head.  She lives in Tucson, AZ with her husband, son, four cats, two dogs and an adopt­ed Desert Tortoise.

 

eBook Formats:  SPECIAL OFFERS

Amazon / Barnes & Noble /  Smashwords  /  iTunes / Kobo

Trade Paperback: SPECIAL OFFERS

Amazon / Create Space 

 

eBook Formats:  SPECIAL REWARDS

Amazon  /  Barnes&Noble  /  iPad / Smashwords / KoboBooks

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

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M.L. Ryan is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

So leave a comment. Have you read either book? What do you think of the synopsis? Or just leave a nice comment for M.L. Ryan!

Follow the tour for more fun posts by clicking on the banner below, and remember to leave a comment. The more you comment, the more chances to win!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

And thank you to Goddess Fish for this awesome tour!

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For all of my giveaways go HERE.

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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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and..

This book was free at time of posting. Go HERE to get yours.

Got some good ones!

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Got some freebies for ya!

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

   

and one more

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Books for Review.

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I had to have these!

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Books I won.

From The Shadow of Perception book tour for Kristine Mason, I won a signed print copy of Shadow of Danger and a garden gnome.

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Thanks so much Kristine!

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I won a signed copy of The Angel Connection by Judith Anne Barton from Free Book Friday!

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Go HERE to check out FBF and enter to win some awesome books! Thank you FBF!

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Reviewed this week. Not too many but busy writing more!

The Man in the Fire

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

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Read my review and enter both giveaways HERE!

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You can read my review HERE.

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Scheduled Reviews for next coming week.

You can read my review on my Monday Minis post on September 23rd.

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You can read my review and enter the giveaway on Tuesday, September 24th.

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Catch my review and enter the giveaway on Thursday. September 26th.

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You can read my review and enter the giveaway on Friday, September 27th.

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Several more reviews and awesome giveaways coming this next week. Be sure to stop by!

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

Giveaway Blast ~ The Elements Series

New Release ~ Daughter of Nothing

Monday Minis #13 ~ The Man In The Fire

Teaser Tuesdays #40 ~ Tragically Flawed by A.M. Hargrove

Blast Giveaway ~ Contingency and Relativity

Blast Giveaway ~ The Prodigal

WWW Wednesday  #19 ~ Empaths, Guardians, and Magi….Oh My!

Trudy, Madly, Deeply ~ A fun, cozy giveaway and review

Death Lies Between us ~ Giveaway Blitz

And the winner of Ruin by C.J. Scott is…

The Three Travelers by Nicole Pickens ~ My Review

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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.

The Three Travelers by Nicole Pickens

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Three travelers journey on life’s road of love, justice and redemption.

A young man stumbled upon a haunted tree on a wayside rural road whose tormented ghosts plea

for his assistance.

A little girl invited a traveler to her home to meet her family with some unusual results.

A soul accepted the gift to move among the living from sunset to sunrise. He tries to alter the

circumstance of his loved ones but time is never enough.

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My Review

Blood Tree

Duane is on the way to visit his great-aunt Cindy when his beat up old truck decides to die on him.

On the hot and dusty walk, he spies a huge oak tree and settles in its shade to cool off.

He awakens to  several people peering down at him. They part to make way for an old man, his face wrinkled with time.

The old man wants something from Duanne and shows him a vision. One of murder and suicide.

Could he be dreaming?

The author did a good job with this one. It felt surreal. I felt like I had stepped out of this world and into one with spirits, ghosts from long past.

What do the spirits want? Why do they stay?

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Dinner at Marguerite’s

Mason and Rochelle are struggling just to put food on the table. Not an easy thing with three young children and very little money.

Rochelle’s morning begins as usual. Get everyone fed and out the door. Then it’s just her and Marguerite, her 5-year-old daughter.

Marguerite runs in from outside bursting with her announcement, Jesus is coming to dinner!

Okay, Rochelle is thinking. Who could this be?

The afternoon is busy and Rochelle puts the thought aside.

While Rochelle is trying to scrape together dinner, there is a knock at the door and a tall, slender man is standing there holding a bag.

He introduces himself as Yeshua, and deciding he isn’t dangerous, Mason invites him in.

In the bag is some bread and wine, but then, the bag gets heavier, and now there’s some fish.

This is where it gets amazing. Strange things happen with Rochelle in the kitchen and Mason is deep in conversation with Yeshua about faith and family.

You may wonder why they let a perfect stranger in their house, but you will understand when you get to know this family.

~~~

Visiting, the third story,

It reminded me of Scrooge. Hank came back to see what his mean, bitter self, had reaped on his family.

He visits different family members, trying to mend the fences.

I was confused at times until I got all of the characters straight in my head.

With only the one night, I didn’t see how Hank could redeem himself and be forgiven. There were so many bad memories, so much pain.

~~~

It took me a bit to realize these were going to be stories of faith. I don’t normally read books with a religious element.

Each story is almost like a test. Which road will you travel?

My favorite was Dinner at Marguerite’s. The family is happy, loving, and strong. despite much hardship.

I was as surprised as Rochelle at what’s cooking in the kitchen.

With Blood Tree, the author took a darker, turn. This is a sad, disquieting tale of tragedy.

What I liked most was when Duanne finally figured out what was wanted of him. What he needed to do.

I wasn’t as fond of Visiting.

I felt like I was missing something, like I had missed an important part of the story.

The idea was good, but I never connected to Hank.

~~

I usually read horror and supernatural stories, so The Three Travelers was me reading outside the box.

I’m glad I did. These stories got me thinking, wondering what road I’m on and if it’s the right one.

4 Stars for The Three Travelers

~~~

I wanted to share this from the book:

“Hope is the seed,

Faith is the water,

and Love is the sunshine needed for growth and harvest.”

~~~

About Nicole Pickens

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Nicole was born in Los Angeles, California. Her father was a jazz musician and her mother was a waitress. She has lived in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and currently resides in North Georgia. She enjoys movies, art, music, and cooking. She is the mother of one child.

Nicole holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and English from Piedmont College in Demorest, Georgia. She is currently working on her first novel in the genre of family/fantasy. Her current published work is The Three Travelers. It is a collection of supernatural short stories, published by Silver Tongue Press.

You can find her books HERE.

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 Nicole’s book is currently being promoted by Celestial Book Promotions.  They offer ebook tours and other services for promoting new authors.  If you are interested in having a book promoted or hosting a book on your blog, please visit their website here.  Www.celestialbookpromotions.com.

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew.

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Don’t you just love cozy mysteries? They always have quirky, loveable characters, and fun cover art.

I have a fun review for you and two, yes, two giveaways!

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  Trudy, Madly, Deeply (Working Stiffs Mystery Series)

Publisher: Corvallis Press (July 27, 2013)

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Number of Pages: 260 (ebook)

This book is due to come out in print to coincide with this tour.

Purchase Links: Amazon /  B&N

Synopsis

After human lie detector Charmaine Digby scores a job as the County Coroner’s new investigative assistant, the unthinkable happens—a doctor reports the suspicious death of Trudy, a family friend and one of several elderly patients at the hospital whose heart mysteriously stopped.

With no physical evidence of foul play, Char’s on the case, much to the irritation of Detective Steve Sixkiller, who doesn’t want her to stick her pretty nose for trouble in his investigation. But she’s a woman on a mission to uncover the truth, and she’d better keep her eyes open or the next body on the way to the morgue could be hers.

My Review

This book will make you laugh, a lot.

Char is quite a character. She’s carrying a few extra pounds and leaps before she looks. This made her very real for me. We all wish we could be like the women on those fashion magazines, but in reality, most of us don’t. And when we hit the mid twenties and up, us women tend to carry a few extra pounds.

I’m like Char, and really don’t worry about it. She tries to diet, but filling in at the local restaurant and helping bake all those yummy muffins doesn’t help there.

The most important part of any story or movie is the characters. I like plenty of them and got that with this book.

From the senior center and Tango Tuesday, to the local gym, to the local restaurant, Duke’s Cafe,  where you can catch the latest gossip, there are so many characters to fall in love with.

My favorites, besides Char and her sexy best friend Detective Steve Sixkiller, are Char’s gram and the raucous elderly waitress, Lucille, at Duke’s Cafe.

These two ladies take no sass, steal the show when they enter a scene, and remind me so much of people I know and love. You can relate to all of the characters and may even recognize a few from your own neighborhood!

Char’s leap first, look later, way of investigating gets her in pickle after pickle in her new job at the prosecutor’s office , and Steve has his hands full keeping an eye on her and keeping her out of trouble. She may be a human lie detector, but her ability to tell if someone is lying or not could also make her a target.

And there’s Char’s mom, Marietta, the actress and diva of drama. She becomes Char’s back up. There’s a scene in the book with a taser that I could see clearly and had me laughing out loud.

I didn’t forget about Trudy. You know, Trudy from the title of this book? Well, she doesn’t have a big part in this story because she’s already dead when it starts. Her death is just the beginning as it may not be from natural causes. Char is personally connected, as Trudy is her great-aunt Alice’s close friend, and she plays nosy parker to find out the truth.

Suspicious death, maybe murder, a rumor of romance, tango anyone. All fun ingredients for this cozy mystery.

Something really great about this story. It doesn’t end here as this is the kick off book for The Working Stiffs Mysteries series. More fun, quirky characters to fall in love with.

I have a soft spot for cozy mysteries and Trudy, Madly, Deeply stole my heart.

5 Stars

~~~

A couple of scenes I liked:

“You’re blushing.”

“I know.”

“It’s cute.”

“Yeah, well, I’m a cute girl.”

and

“I’ll bring dessert.”

“Chow mein, you’ll be the dessert.”

~~~~~

About Wendy Delaney

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Wendy Delaney writes fun-filled cozy mysteries and is the author of Trudy, Madly, Deeply, the launch book of her Working Stiffs Mystery series. A long-time member of Sisters in Crime, Romance Writers of America, and Mystery Writers of America, she’s a Food Network addict and pastry chef wannabe. When she’s not killing off story people she can be found on her treadmill, working off the calories from her latest culinary adventure. Wendy makes her home in the Seattle area with the love of her life and has two grown sons.

Website: http://www.wendydelaney.com/

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/list/7191068.Wendy_Delaney

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WendyDelaneyAuthor

~~~

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Giveaways. That’s right, I have two giveaways!

I have one ebook copy to give away.

To enter, please leave your email address and answer this question,

“Are you an amateur sleuth?”

Giveaway ends September 30th.

The second giveaway is for a signed print copy.

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

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Tour Participants

September 16 – Melina’s Book Blog Review & Giveaway

September 17 – Books are Life – Evita Libri Review

September 18 – fuonlyknew Review & Giveaway

September 19 – Mochas, Mysteries and More Interview & Giveaway

September 20 – Cozy Up With Kathy Review, Interview & Giveaway

September 21 – Darla King Series Review

September 23 – THE SELF-TAUGHT COOK Review

September 25 – Brooke Blogs Review & Interview

September 26 – readalot Review & Giveaway

September 28 – My Devotional Thoughts Review & Giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review very short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about The Man In The Fire

by Brian Harmon

The Man in the Fire

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Fire lives. It breathes, It needs oxygen to continue to consume.

Fire followed Daniel all of his life, taking from him everything he loved, everything he lived for.

Now it’s come for him.

Can he beat it? Can the fire be killed?

Fire is mesmerizing and terrifying.

The flickering flames are warm and welcoming, until you touch them.

The man in the fire is impervious to the burning touch and relentless in his pursuit of Daniel.

How could you fight something like that?

That’s what I kept thinking as I read this story.

The answer is breathtaking, just like the fire. Sucking your breathe out of your body and shocking your senses.

The story starts at the final confrontation and gives you the back story as you read along.

I felt for Daniel and if I was in his shoes, I would probably do what he did.

For such a short story, I did a lot of thinking. That’s a sign of good writing. Taking something implausible and making you believe it, feel it, and contemplate it.

Well done, Brian.

5 Stars

~~~~

I got all of these as free downloads from Amazon. They”re still free right now so head over HERE to get yours.

The Devil's Walk

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Click on the link below for my review.

My Review

As she sits at her dying grandfather’s bedside, Amanda is told an incredible tale.  But are these disturbing revelations of his life merely the addled fabrications of a cancer-ridden mind, or is there any truth to his frightening claim that a dark and menacing figure has been roaming the land all these many years.

~~~

I’ve also read another short story by Brian

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Click on the link below for my review.

My Review

In the six years Allan has owned his house, it has never been even remotely haunted. But after his wife is startled by an unknown noise, he begins to notice very strange activity throughout the house. At first, he’s excited by the idea of a ghostly visitor, but his enthusiasm quickly turns to dread as he realizes that his phantom guest has also begun to notice him.

~~~~

Brian Harmon

Brian Harmon is a writer of horror fiction, suspense and dark adventure. He grew up in Missouri and currently lives in Southern Wisconsin with his wife, Guinevere, and their two children.

You can find Brian and all of his books HERE.

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Happy Release Day to H.D. Gordon and Falling Stars!

To celebrate, Heather is offering Falling Stars, Book Two and Shooting Stars, Book One for the awesome price of 99 cents each! Don’t miss out on this amazing deal!

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I’m reposting my review so you don’t have to leave to read it. You can go HERE for my interview with Heather.

When H.D. told me she had completed writing Falling Stars and asked if I’d like to read it I did this

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I was all over this book and finished it in record time.

Now I get to tell you all about it, and I promise there will be no spoilers, as this is the second book in the series.

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Only 99 cents today!

Get your copy by a simple click on the button below!

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Synopsis

Surah Stormsong’s life has fallen down around her in the past week. Her father is in a coma induced by demon poison, two Highborn Sorceresses have been murdered, and a crazed Sorcerer by the name of Black Heart has made it his mission to take the kingdom for his own. As princess, and next in line to the throne, Surah is his primary target. But he’s not the only one she has to look out for. Now, Surah is on the run, having just helped Charlie Redmine escape from the castle dungeons. This makes her a traitor in the eyes of many, as Charlie is not only a common man suspected of murder and treason, but also Black Heart’s younger brother. The stars are crossed against the two lovers, the universe trying to keep them apart. In the end, will the stars align for Surah and Charlie, or will they fall from the heavens, dead and lifeless, like the tears of angels?

My Review

H.D. has done it again!

I’ve read her Alexa Montgomery Saga, every one, and just like with them, this series just keeps getting better.

I loved Shooting Stars, just loved it. Now that I’ve read Falling Stars, I’ll tell you, it’s so much better. Not to say the first book wasn’t awesome, but with each book, H.D. ups her standards and rises above it every time.

This book grabs hold of you with the first sentence and never lets you go.

My favorite books are character driven and the stars of the Surah Stormsong Series are incredible.

Surah is wonderful. She’s smart yet impulsive, self-confident yet vulnerable, scared yet double-tough. And Charlie has her acting all girlie.

“…this man, just had a way of making her feel like a silly teenager, which was ridiculous considering she was older than most creatures on Earth. For the first time in a very long time, she felt as young as she looked, which was no older than twenty.”

I had such a great time getting to know Surah better. Wait until you read how she cleans house. Wish I could do that.

Charlie. Charlie is delectable. Sexy and sardonic, confident,and shy. How could I not love Charlie. What worries Charlie, worries me too. Will Surah still feel the same about him when she learns his secret. A secret that will shoot straight to her heart?

“The Charlie Effect.”

Another thing H.D. does really well is the romance. This is the second book and Surah and Charlie are slowly falling in love. It’s not instant love but a fondness built on getting to know each other. That makes it much more fun to read. You want them to finally say it, to admit their feelings, and that keeps you pouring over the words, looking for it.

Then there’s Black Heart, Charlie’s brother. He goes deeper into his lust for revenge and is hooked up with Tristell, the Fae Queen. Boy, what a twisted affair that is. Neither one shows any feelings for others. That makes them the perfect diabolical companions.

Follow one of their conversations if you can.

“Michael is always thinking inside of boxes,” she said.

He sighed, “And Tristell is always speaking in riddles.”

I can’t forget Samson, Surah’s tiger. He’s been left behind at the castle while Surah and Charlie are on the run and he’s being very sneaky, staying in the shadows, watching and listening as sorcerers whisper and conspire in dark places. I love reading his thoughts. He’s almost human sometimes, then his tiger side comes through. Wouldn’t want to be on his bad side.

There are some wicked creatures and extreme action in this story. I wouldn’t expect anything less from H.D. Her fight scenes are almost graceful when described. You can practically see the action, feel it, and hear it. Just like her characters, it’s all so real.

Some scenes remind you that Charlie and Surah both can be cold-blooded and it chills you when they exact punishment. And at some points in the story you almost can’t discern their individual voices. That’s how well this is written. You begin to understand how similar these two are, how they think alike, how well they go together, like soul-mates.

“I can only breathe right when you’re breathing beside me.”

Most excellent writing.

As the story races to the finish, you wonder how anything can be alright, how anything good can happen. Each time you think it’s going okay, something goes horribly wrong, taking you in another direction. I felt as Surah so eloquently put it,

“However this ends, wherever this is going, it’s going to effect a lot of people. Innocent people. I can feel that in my blood…I just hope whatever role I play isn’t one that causes heartache and pain.”

There’s so much more I want to tell you. I have nine pages of notes. But I’m going to let you read this super awesome story and find out for yourself.

One more thing. Watch out for the ending. It will rip you up one side and down the other. This ain’t over.

Prepare to be enthralled. I was and still am.

5 Stars

~~~

A quote I just have to share with you. So Poignant.

“Because she was, after all, a princess, and she wanted so badly to believe her story would end in happily ever after.”

~~~

Shooting Stars, Book One

Shooting Stars

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Click on the button below to get your copy for only 99 cents right now!

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My 5 Star Review

Synopsis

Surah Stormsong is one of the most powerful Sorceresses in the world. She is a princess who is next in line for the throne. As someone who has lost almost everything to this world, she only wants to pull away from it and live a normal life, but when Highborn ladies start being murdered and the Black Stone-a weapon that is capable of great destruction-goes missing, she is called upon to solve the issues and return her people to a state of safety. But danger lurks inside the castle walls as well, and when she runs into Charlie Redmine, a common Sorcerer Surah met once as a child, things grow complicated very quickly. He is the main suspect of the murders, but Surah is powerless against the connection she feels to him. Time is ticking, and if she doesn’t figure out what’s going on things will go from bad to worse, and an entire kingdom will suffer for it. From the author of the bestselling series, The Alexa Montgomery Saga, comes a tale of star-crossed lovers and magic, of hope and love and loss. The greatest question is, can love overcome all?

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About H.D. Gordon

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H. D. Gordon is the author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga. Blood Warrior, the first book of the Alexa series was her debut novel and has held a spot in the top 100 fantasy bestsellers for over a month. Half Black Soul is the second book in this series and H. D. plans to complete Alexa’s tales by the end of 2012. In June of 2012, Joe, a fantasy novel about a young clairvoyant, was released as well. H. D. is a lifelong reader and writer, a true lover of words. When she is not reading or writing she is raising her two daughters, playing a little guitar, and spending time with her family. She is twenty three years old and lives in the northeastern United States.

You can follow H.D. Gordon at:

Blog

Author Facebook Page

Twitter

Goodreads Author Page

H.D.Gordon Facebook page

Webpage

Goodreads Fan Club

H.D. Gordon’s Books

The Surah Stormsong Series

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The Alexa Montgomery Saga

       

JOE