Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

The Chupacabra Is Here And It’s Hungry!

Posted: October 17, 2012 in Book Promos, Creatures, Dark Fantasy, fiction, horror, Mystery, reviews, Series, thriller, Uncategorized, Western
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Night of the Chupacabra

The Chupacabra Series – Book One

16085981

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Author:  Michael Hebler

Style:  Anthology

Theme:  Dark Fantasy / Thriller / Western

Length:  300 pages (print) / 68,000 words

Binding:  Perfect bound & digital (.mobi, .epub, .pdf, .rtf, .lrf, .pdb

~~~~

I’m thrilled to be able to tell you about this brand new release!

The men huddle around the campire. The glow from the flames refelcts on their faces. A friendly game of poker between the two brothers is interupted by little Jessica, Drake‘s daughter.  Gavin grins, knowing Drake still can’t figure out how she is sneaking out of the wagon.

Fearing Lucy’s wrath, Drake tucks Jessica back in bed and then stops to talk with his wife. That’s when it starts. The animals are an early warning. They jerk loose and tear off into the desert. Then an unholy roar comes from one of the wagons, soon accompanied by screams of terror.

The brothers race to get their guns, but before they can reach the wagon, something too fast to follow leaps from one wagon to the next and the screaming starts again. The chupacabra easily leaps from wagon to wagon, killing in a blood lust. All goes quite.

Then they get their first look at the creature. It’s the size of a man, but there the resemblance ends. It’s covered in brown fur, it’s spiked tail flicks back and forth, it’s red eyes glow, and it’s stench can be smelled from across the fire.

Then it leaps into Drake’s wagan. He dives in after it. The wagon shakes, rocks and bursts into  flames. The creature bursts forth, engulfed in flames, and runs right into Gavin, pinning him to the ground. Gavin is being burned alive.

chupacabra photo: Chupacabra chupacabra.png

Impossibly, the thing is alive and leaps up to run off into the darkness, leaving Gavin mortally wounded. Lucy runs away into the night, driven hysterical by the loss of her daughter.

All this Drake sees as he lies helpless on the ground, horribly burned.

I can’t believe this all takes place at the beginning of the book. From the first sentence, you get to meet the Chupacabra and by the second chapter, he gets up close and personal.

If this story didn’t take place in western days, say it took place now, I still don’t know what could have been done. The thing is just too fast.

Drake did survive the attack. He’s horribly disfigured, his face a fright to gaze upon. He  has traveled from dusty town to dusty town looking for his Lucy. Each time he thinks he’s found her, it’s a false lead.Then he enters Dillmore Valley, A Fine Community. A strange welcome as the town is hidden in a valley, away from view.

He’s not alone. Something has followed him. He doesn’t want it dead. It has it’s uses.

I just can’t resist this kind of tale. I love scary stories of creatures in the night. I have for as long as I can remember.

Michael Hebler is a fine writer. I can feel the heat of the flames, smell the reek of the Chupacabra, and taste the dust of the trail in my mouth.

When Drake rides into Dillmore Valley it reminded me of Clint Eastwood appearing out of the desert and riding into town in the movie High Plains Drifter. Drake has that same aurora around him. No one in their right mind would mess with him, it’s better to avoid his attention.

I can’t tell you a whole lot about the characters as it would reveal too much of the plot. What I can tell you is they are a diverse lot, just like any small town. You have your nosy parkers, the town drunk, the belligerent bully and then you have the ladies. Each character brings a genuineness to the story, keeping you engrossed and curious. I love character driven stories.

Of course, let’s not forget the Chupacabra. He is something else! You don’t just get a little bit of him here and there. He is very busy, rending, ripping and terrorizing throughtout the book.

Okay. I’ll stop here. I could ramble on and on, but then I’d be telling everything. I don’t want to ruin it for you.

Michael Hebler gave me more than I ever expected. I’m thrilled to know he is making this a series. It will be interesting to see where it goes next.

  I loved it and need more!

Check out this great trailer!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRiCp9MKQ6g]

.

SPOTTED!!!  ‘NIGHT OF THE CHUPACABRA’ NOVEL

Press Release

Newport Beach, CA, XXXX XX, 2012 —On October 17, Fiction writer Michael Hebler, author of the acclaimed crypto-zoological short story “Hunt for the Chupacabra” publishes his first novel entitled, “Night of the Chupacabra” about a scarred man – on the inside and out – who searches endlessly for his missing family while the creature that separated them is never far behind.

Synopsis:  There is a creature that lurks in the vast open deserts of the west.  It can only survive on blood and, although it prefers to prey on the weak and young, it will slaughter anyone or anything, once provoked.  It is unnatural, deceptive, and difficult to kill.  Word about the existence of this elusive beast has not spread since anyone who has crossed paths with it did not live long enough to tell of their account.

“Night of the Chupacabra” is a profoundly moving story about one man’s determination to reunite with his beloved family while the lethal creature that separated them, the mysterious and ravenous chupacabra, is on his trail.  “Night of the Chupacabra” is not only a gruesome regale of carnage, but also a unique combination of science fiction bloodshed with a more poignant tale of lost love set against a Western backdrop.  The plot is an unflinching look at the impossible choices that are made for love, while knowing the consequences would ultimately lead to a fate worse than death.

Recently made famous by reports of sightings throughout the western United States, “Night of the Chupacabra” is the first novel in a new dark fantasy/thriller anthology that will span from the Old West to modern times, based on the cultural phenomenon, el chupacabra.  “The chupacabra has always fascinated me because nobody can explain exactly what the chupacabra is.  Is it an animal or a monster?  A mutant or an alien?  Where did it come from?  The only agreement there seems to be is that it feeds on blood.  Even the name ‘chupacabra’ translates to ‘goat-sucker’,” states Hebler.  “I love genre fusing but the reason why I decided to begin this soft horror anthology in the Old West was to go back in time far enough to give the chupacabra some roots.”

Author Hebler is already hard at work completing “Curse of the Chupacabra“, the second novel in the Chupacabra Series, which he would like to publish in 2013, and currently has plans to extend his anthology to five novels, with additional side short stories.

“Night of the Chupacabra” will be available in print and eBook formats.  More information can be found at Michael Hebler’s official author page, www.michaelhebler.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Hebler was raised and lived all of his life in beautiful Southern California.  He spent a handful of years as an international film publicist before guiding his career path towards writing.  To date, Hebler’s previous published works include, “The Night After Christmas,” a timeless holiday picture book for believers of all ages, and the free Chupacabra Series short story, “Hunt for the Chupacabra“.  In addition to writing his series of chupacabra thrillers, Hebler also runs a blog, “My Little Obsessions” where he likes to muse about what distractions life has to offer.

CONTACT DETAILS

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Facebook

email: info@michaelhebler.com

You can purchase all of Michael Hebler’s books by clicking on the images below.

Other places to purchase his books:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/245526

http://www.amazon.com/Night-Chupacabra-Michael-Hebler/dp/0983388407/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_2

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/night-of-the-chupacabra-michael-hebler/1112983451?ean=9780983388401

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16085981-night-of-the-chupacabra

http://www.librarything.com/work/13142070/book/90794552

http://www.shelfari.com/books/31629753/Night-of-the-Chupacabra

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?y=0&isbn=0983388407&x=0&afn_sr=para&para_l=0

http://books.google.com/books?id=zBigMQEACAAJ&source=gbs_ViewAPI

http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780983388401

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Still Lovin This Series!

Posted: October 16, 2012 in apocalypse, Creatures, fiction, horror, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Romance, Series, Vampires
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Two Riders (Blood Run Trilogy, Book Two) by Christine Dougherty

Two Riders

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I love the title for this book. It really is about two riders.

In First Promise (Book One) Promise has a sleek black stallion named Ash and Peter (half-vampire also called half-and-half) has a stocky white mare named Snow. You can read my review here .

In Two Riders (Book Two) Promise and Peter join a group of soldiers from the National Guard. They are being escorted to New Jersey.  There is a scientist working on a cure for vampirism, and Promise is hoping to bring that cure back for her little brother, Chance.

She lost her parents to vampires and not long after her brother was turned after being bitten.  She is doing everything she can to keep her promise to him. To make everything alright again.

The soldiers are a mixed bag of volunteers and enlisted. There is one that is causing lots of problems for Peter. Evans is drawn to Promise, but despises Peter and uses every opportunity to make this known. He is always one step away from putting an arrow through Peter. As Peter is finding it more and more difficult to resist the dark urges of the virus running through his veins, the journey is fraught with tension. These two are dangerously close to killing each other.

The trip is slow and arduous, the soldiers having to keep their humvees moving at a pace that the horses can maintain. With the vampires getting more brazen, it wouldn’t do for the riders, Promise and Peter, to be left behind.

Without giving too much away, I’ll tell you that not everyone makes it to Jersey. Three will fall, but I won’t tell you who.

Of course, I’m very fond of Peter and I love Promise. She is young and vulnerable, and recognizes this. She’s also intuitive and very quick thinking. She is growing up fast.

Evans, the cantankerous, gruff soldier, really got on my nerves at first. I was thinking, this is the bad apple. There is one in every story, the one you love to hate.

But that changed over time. I learned his story as he revealed it to Promise. He actually became likeable, someone I would want on my side. I would love to read a book about him.

The writing is smooth, with no wasted words. The vampires are more vicious, the scenes more bloody, and the characters are becoming my friends. I am completely involved in this series.

Christine wraps it up nicely. I like how she gives you an ending in each book and also a lead in to the next one. I guess you could read each one by itself, as she gives a recap at the beginning of the second and third book. But I recommend you read them in order and get the complete experience. I wouldn’t want you to miss out on that.

  Still loving this series!!

I’m finished reading Last Chance (Blood Run Trilogy, Book Three), the last book in this series. I’ll be back to tell you about it soon!

About Christine Dougherty and where to find her.

Christine Dougherty

Christine Dougherty is at home in South Jersey with a husband, dog, and two cats. She has published short stories in The Absent Willow Review, Necrotic Tissue, Fiction at Work, and Niteblade.

Christine’s greatest influences are Stephen King, Margaret Atwood, Anne Tyler, Dean Koontz, Wally Lamb and a fascination with the scarier aspects of life, be they paranormal or criminal.

Christine writes in the genres of horror, paranormal, and psychological thriller and is never happier than when she is tackling the undead, the walking dead, werewolves, vampires, zombies, ghosts, aliens, spooky scenes, scary characters, psychics, demons, devils, and quirky heroes and heroines.

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Amazon

Facebook

To purchase the Blood Run Trilogy click on the images below.

Christine has written many books. You can find them all here .

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A Free Traumatizing Tale!

Posted: October 13, 2012 in fiction, Freebies!, horror, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Short stories and collections, suspense
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Clouds by Matt McAvoy

I spotted this on Amazon as a free download. Seeing it was only 10 pages long, I thought why not, and nabbed this puppy.

You can purchase it by clicking on the cover image.

Being only 10 pages, I figured it would be quick and over. Those 10 pages felt like an eternity!

Imagine waking up and you’re falling. Falling from the sky. The rate of your fall causes the friction to rip at you, trying to tear out your hair and rip off your eyelids. It’s freezing cold, so cold it burns. Have you ever felt that burning sensation when your hands are wet and freezing? Imagine feeling that all over your body.

Your body tumbles from the sky in an out of control descent, making it hard to tell if you’re falling up or down to the clouds that are looming closer. And you have no parachute!

You have the insane hope the clouds will buffer your fall, maybe cradle you. It’s irrational, but your mind races for a solution, a way to change the inevitable.

Most people have had that dream where you’re falling and you jerk awake before you hit the ground. That’s how I felt while reading Clouds, but I couldn’t wake up, I didn’t wake up.

If you’re looking for a quick, intense story, I recommend you grab Clouds. There are no wasted words, it’s well written, and don’t you want to know how  this could happen and what the end is?

  Terrifyingly good!

Go get Clouds now. I don’t know how long it will be free to download. Just click here and it’s yours.

Matt has written two more stories I plan to read really soon.

One of Matt McAvoy’s “Modern Tales of Horror”, available as a complete works,
and the author’s first foray into supernatural horror.

Modern day London
– a proud day for a very proud man, and why shouldn’t he be? Boris has worked so
very hard, and is now launching his new driver-less tube train on the pioneering
Tower Line. But while some consider the line a triumph, not all are as pleased;
in fact some, the more spiritually-attuned perhaps, are downright terrified.

For the line, along with its creators, hides a secret… a secret darker
than the tunnels under the Thames, and darker than the stories around the bodies
buried there. As dark as the blackest evil of which man is capable. Bear witness
– in the tunnel there is no way out.

WARNING – ADULTS ONLY

I can’t wait to read this one! It’s around 60 pages and sounds like it’s packed with scary goodness, or I guess you’d say badness. And it’s only 99 cents or free for Prime members. Click on the cover to buy a copy.

Meet Ollie. Well-educated and spoilt – a rich kid, fun-loving party-goer and
brutal sociopath.

Ruthlessly arrogant Ollie takes what he wants, when he
wants it. But Ollie’s going to learn, the hard way, that for every action
there’s a consequence, and for every bounty a price.

Because living with
Granjy isn’t the bed of roses he thought it was going to be; the blind old lady
sees everything – sees him – and most of all sees the monster he is becoming, in
a way that nobody else can. And that strange and terrible perception that surely
only she has frightens Ollie more than he’ll ever admit.

It was she that
spoilt him rotten-to-the-core, and now his payment is due. Her sightless eyes
and her creepy, knowing smile will compel him to tear apart his own dark
soul.

Granjy will teach him new meaning of the word ‘remorse’.

Ooh! Scary! I can’t wait to read this one either! It’s a bit longer than the others, around 100 pages Click on the cover to buy it. Only 99 cents or free for Prime members.

This contains all three of the tales from Matt McAvoy. Click on the cover to get your copy. It’s less than three dollars.

About the Author

Matt McAvoy was born in Hertfordshire in 1974. As a child he moved with his family to Devon where he attended the Torquay Grammar School for Boys and started writing fiction at an early age. He has studied screen-writing and production, and has graduated from the Open University (which he recommends highly) in psychology, social policy and criminology. Although he originally undertook the studies, he says, to make him a better writer in his favoured subject, since their completion he has spent many years working with young offenders as a mentor/project worker, and adult offenders as an officer with the public protection team; he is also the founder and chairman of the web-based organization for victims of violent crime justice4victims.org, which he uses as a platform to campaign for changes in the criminal justice system.ting fiction at an early age. Matt enjoys writing dark, often comical, usually violent and sometimes even romantic fiction in the drama and thriller genres (though recently departed temporarily into horror, after being bought a cool, gothic, bound parchment journal as a gift); he writes in a variety of formats, including short stories, novels and screenplays. He is equally content publishing theses and essays on criminal behaviour and the British criminal justice system. All of his diverse work can be downloaded from his website – most of it for free. Matt lives in London with his wife Katherine.
You can visit Matt here .
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FREE on Amazon!! Payback’s a Bi??h!

Posted: October 12, 2012 in Book Promos, fiction, Freebies!, horror, Mytery/Thriller, reviews, Short stories and collections, suspense
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Pay Back by Evans Light is free to download from Amazon right now, October 12th through the 16th!

Go here to get your copy!

PAY BACK


Stephen Hill has been heaping abuse on poor Joe King since second grade.
Now grown men with nothing in common, the pair continue to get together once a year, and Joe still patiently endures Stephen’s unrelenting ridicule.
But when friendship is only a matter of perspective, PAY BACK might be just around the corner.

Excellent choice for the cover art!

I just recently read and reviewed two of Evans books, Whatever Possessed You? and Crawl Space. You can read my reviews here. Loved them. They really creeped me out.

A strange encounter leaves Gerard Faust a changed man. Now with sanity slipping away, he finds himself caught in a race against time to uncover what happened that night – before it possesses him completely.

Fooling around on your wife can be hazardous to your health.

Just ask Tom.

He’s a man who has a lot to juggle: a frustrated wife, a secret new girlfriend, and the unpleasant task of trying to keep his deteriorating farmhouse from falling down around him.

Now with his wife out-of-town for the week, Tom is eager to get busy under the covers with his beautiful new lover – but first there’s something he has to finish up…in the CRAWLSPACE.

This thrilling, full-length short story is a hair-raising adventure for cheating husbands, cheated-on wives, and everyone in between.

I am reading Pay Back right now and will be telling you all about it real soon!

About the author

Evans Light has lived here and there across the United States, from the mountains to the beaches to the desert, and currently chooses to reside in a warm, southern state where the living is easy.

Frequently drawn to uncommon experiences, Evans has thrown himself headfirst into a wide range of unusual situations, from testing low-level-entry parachutes with British Army Airborne units to travelling the vast reaches of inner space using sensory deprivation tanks. He is the proud father of fine sons and the lucky husband of a beautiful wife.

Evans Light has been in love with the written word from an early age, and works in a wide variety of genres, including horror, thrillers, sci-fi and humor – but stories of the “Weird Tales” variety still remain his favorite. Evans is currently hard at work completing a collection of short stories entitled “Obsessive Deceptions”. Each story from this compilation is being released as a stand-alone title on Amazon as it is finished. The first five have been collected in the anthology “Stories, Inc.”.

Evans is also writing his first full-length novel, which is expected to be released sometime before his death.

Author contacts

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You can find all of Evans Light’s books here.

Evans Light

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How Far Would You Go? / My Review of Heart Search

Posted: October 11, 2012 in Blog Tour, fiction, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Romance, Series, Vampires, Videos
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10

Welcome back to the blog tour! As I promised. It’s time for my review of Heart Search. There’s so much to tell you.

Heart Search: Lost (Heart Search, #1)

Only two weeks until the wedding. Joshua is anticipating Remy’s return tomorrow. This is the first time they’ve really been apart and he is looking forward to holding her in his arms again.

While walking through the country park, Joshua spies a secluded bench and stops to rest for a bit. The next thing he knows, it’s dark out and the park gates are locked. He’ll have to sleep in his car until the park rangers open up in the morning.

Remy disembarks from the plane and searches the crowd for Joshua.  Her heart leaps when she meets his warm gaze. Rushing to him, she’s crushed in his embrace. His enthusiastic kisses turn painful and sensing Remy’s discomfort, he apologizes for getting carried away.

After a passionate night of lovemaking, Remy awakens to unusual soreness. Her reflection in the mirror shows bruises all up and down her body. After the way they pounced on each other last night, she figures they both got a little crazy after two weeks apart. Then it happens again, only this time she has scratches and abrasions all over and she’s stiff and achy.

When Joshua sees what he’s done, he’s shattered. He would never hurt Remy. Why is this happening? Remy assures him she’s okay but Joshua won’t be consoled. He rushes out the front door, calling to Remy that he loves her and he’s sorry.

With little time to worry about Joshua’s sudden departure, Remy heads off to work. When she returns home later, she senses something is not right. She spots the letter on the table. She reaches for it with shaking hands, fearing what’s inside.  It’s goodbye. Calling himself a monster and a danger to her, Joshua has left, never to return. She races through their home and sure enough, all of his clothes and toiletries are gone.

Her world crumbles and she faints.  Some time later she awakens and finds the strength to call her twin sister Becky, who rushes right over. Becky consoles her through the long night.

By morning, Becky has a plan of action. She knows how much Remy and Joshua love each other and she urges Remy to fight for that love, to find Joshua and bring him home. It sounds like a good plan, but Remy has no way of knowing how long it will take, and what surprises lie in store on her path.

All Joshua knew was he couldn’t stay with Remy any longer. He was a danger to her.  Stopping at a rest area to collect himself after his emotional departure from what was once home, he starts to remember some of that day in the park. He’d donated blood and taken a peaceful walk in the park, resting on the park bench for a bit. He’d awakened in the dark, the arm he’d donated with hurting more than it should.  He peeled back the bandage to see not one, but two punctures.

He’d noticed changes in himself, many changes, but his conclusions about them couldn’t possibly be right. He goes to an internet cafe, goes on-line , finds the site he is searching for and compares his notes about his changes to what is listed on the web page.

Eyes sensitive to light, especially the sun

Skin much paler than normal

Incisors much sharper and more pointed

Eye colour changing

Excellent night vision

Normal food makes me sick

Prefer uncooked or barely cooked meat

Hearing so much sharper

Much stronger

He laid the pen next to the keyboard, put his hand on the mouse and moved it to click on another page. Cross-referencing the information on the screen with the list he had compiled, a new understanding swept over him, a huge wave crashing onto a cliff face in a storm. Now he knew what he was becoming . . . a vampire.

And this is just the beginning of Remy and Joshua’s story.

My heart went out to Remy. I’ve had my heart broken before and it still hurts when I think about it, even though it was long ago. She cries at the drop of a hat. Anything can set her off, which I find very believable.  Her decision to fight for Joshua, to hit the road and find him, bring him home, is quite brave. Remy drives from town to town, checking all of the places where he could be staying.  Soon the search starts to break her down. Each negative response she gets when she inquires as to whether they have seen him, is another dagger to her weary heart. But she won’t give up. She knows he is out there somewhere, and she will not stop until she finds him.

Poor Joshua. His visions of the future are not to be. He can’t be with Remy, can’t be her husband.  Especially now that he knows what he is becoming, a vampire. He will disappear from Remy’s life, let her forget him and find someone who can be the husband she deserves. He should have known she wouldn’t give up on him that easily.

A voice speaks to Joshua, speaks to him in his mind. It tells him to come home. What home? Where? He finds himself driving, heading to who knows where, with no conscious thought as he makes turns and exits. It’s like he is being guided to his destination.  He is anxious to get there. Anxious to have answers to his many questions. Why me? Now what do I do? Those are just some of the questions racing through his mind as he draws nearer.

I now understand why this book is titled Heart Search. But there are really two hearts searching in this story.

I can’t tell you much more than I have already. I can’t wait for you to read this book. You may think it is a love story, and you’d be correct. But lets not forget that Joshua is now a vampire, and the ones you meet in Heart Search are not vegetarians! I really loved how Carlie portrayed them and their lack of empathy for their victims. To them, they are just doing what they do, feeding to stay alive.

I cried at times, got mad, rolled my eyes, gasped and had some Oh, I see moments while reading. There is so much to entertain you in Heart Search. I am thrilled to know that this is just Book One in the  series.

I’ll warn you right now, the ending is a killer! Carlie better write fast.

After finishing Heart Search I was “gobsmacked” as Carlie puts it!

 Loved it!!

You can check out the other stops on the blog tour, catch all of the great reviews, excerpts, interviews and a huge giveaway here .

You can purchase your copy by clicking the links below.

Amazon US http://amzn.to/OLwU59

Amazon UK http://amzn.to/PhC0Gu

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You have to read this book! First Promise by Christine Dougherty

Posted: October 10, 2012 in apocalypse, Creatures, fiction, horror, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Romance, Series, Vampires
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8

Behind this innocent looking book cover is one hell of a great vampire story. Don’t let this cover art fool you!

First Promise (Book One in the Blood Run series)

By Christine Dougherty

First Promise

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I nabbed this book for free off of Amazon. The blurb made me curious. I am so glad I did.

First Promise sat in my kindle for a few days, and as I was browsing to see what I might like to read, I happened on this book.  I opened it up, started reading, and a couple of hours later, I was finished. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want it to end. I was so pumped up I wanted to hit something! Just kiddin. But I was anxious to read more of this series.

I hopped over to Goodreads to check out Christine Dougherty. I was surprised that I had not friended her. Her books are my kind of reading, wonder how I missed her. Be sure, I friended her now! And I spotted the next two books in the series. They are available on Amazon and now I don’t have to wait to dive back in!

Let me tell ya’ll about this story.

It started in 1983.  News reports and rumors about vicious attacks trickled into the small town of Willow’s End. The townspeople soon start to believe the reports are true as the outbreak escalates, spreading to all corners of the Earth by the end of 83.

It takes a while for the infected to reach Willow’s End.  It’s now 1985. People start to go missing and some are found dead, their bodies ripped apart. Then the worse happens. The vampires get Promise’s parents. Promise, only eighteen years old, now has to protect and care for her nine-year old brother Chance. They are all each other has.

One week later, she loses Chance also. The survivors of the surrounding towns have taken shelter in the high school. It is a secure outpost, like many scattered throughout the country. They should have been safe. Then someone leaves a door open, and the vampires come pouring in from the darkness outside. It’s a bloodbath. So many die. And Chance is bitten. It doesn’t take long for him to change into a bloodsucker.

The others want to stake Chance, but Promise forbids it. As he howls and gnashes his long incisors in her face, Promise cries out to him to stop. He seems to have enough humanity left in him to hear her, and he dives out the window and runs off into the night.

Promise was not  always her name. She changed it from Destiny because she made a “promise” to her little brother. Since she first laid eyes on him as an infant, she always felt like he was her child. Now she has to hunt him down and end his pain.

Her promise, “I’ll fix everything. Until the day I rest in my grave, I will look for him.”

Now she shares a room with her horse, Ash, and her friend Lea, a quiet, shy girl, head-over-heels in love with Mark, who is hopelessly in love with Promise. Quite the pickle they are in. Promise has no interest in Mark besides friendship and they all manage to remain close, looking out for each other.

Then a newcomer arrives. A handsome young man, several years older than Promise. They seem drawn to each and not just because Peter has a horse also. The stories going around that he’s half-and-half are true. He has been bitten and survived, unchanged. The fact that his dreams are filled with a lust for blood will remain his secret.

Okay, I have to stop here. It is really going to get cranking now.

This little jewel is screaming at me to keep telling you more.

I am so glad there are two more books in this series. I have fallen hard for Promise and Peter, along with Lea and Mark. There are some periphery characters I like also and they help keep the story flowing and make it plausible.

I love how the author describes Promises’s feelings about vampires. They echo my own, and I’ve never seen it mentioned before.

“It still felt weird on her lips and in her ears. Vampires. The word was squirmy and old-fashioned and almost… embarrassing.”

There is one other moment in the story where this happens. It is like the author knows how I feel. It has to do with Peter and Promise, and what she discovers about his life before the outbreak. See if you catch what I mean. It’s like the author read my mind.

This would be a great read for young adult and more mature readers.

I’ve only touched on this story. There is so much in store for you. You have to read First Promise!

 

5 for 5 plus a pinch more because I don’t have to wait for the next two books. They are available now!

My review of Two Riders (Book Two in the Blood Run Series) is coming soon!

About Christine Dougherty and where to find her.

Christine Dougherty

Christine Dougherty is at home in South Jersey with a husband, dog, and two cats. She has published short stories in The Absent Willow Review, Necrotic Tissue, Fiction at Work, and Niteblade.

Christine’s greatest influences are Stephen King, Margaret Atwood, Anne Tyler, Dean Koontz, Wally Lamb and a fascination with the scarier aspects of life, be they paranormal or criminal.

Christine writes in the genres of horror, paranormal, and psychological thriller and is never happier than when she is tackling the undead, the walking dead, werewolves, vampires, zombies, ghosts, aliens, spooky scenes, scary characters, psychics, demons, devils, and quirky heroes and heroines.

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Amazon

Facebook

To purchase the Blood Run Trilogy click on the images below.

WORMWOOD by DH Nevins only 99 cents!

Posted: October 9, 2012 in angels, Book Promos, fiction, horror, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Romance, Series, Videos
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2

I  love this book. I have hosted two giveaways, done an interview with Danielle, gave it a Beyond 5 Stars rating and review, and now I get to tell you about this amazing deal.

For the next two weeks, Wormwood is on sale for 99 cents !

Wormwood

Against a devastated landscape, a legion of one hundred fierce half-angels is hell-bent on purging the Earth of all humans. But one of them, the tormented Tiamat, struggles against his mission, and when he rescues a beautiful woman named Kali, he finds the attraction as troubling as it is miraculous. Can Kali trust the one creature who could be responsible for her ultimate demise? Beautifully written and excitingly told, Wormwood creates a world that is as strange as it is compelling. Filled with brilliantly executed twists and turns on every page that are guaranteed to keep you guessing, Wormwood is one of the most exciting debuts of the year.

You can read my review and interview with DH Nevins here.

Check out this awesome Wormwood book trailer!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_TmOuZ8iO4]

..

Danielle just reduced Wormwood’s price to 99 cents on both

Kindle http://www.amazon.com/Wormwood-ebook/dp/B005V55BQM/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1316797748&sr=1-1

and
Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/91587

in appreciation of all the lovely comments from  her readers. We had such a huge response to the giveaways and review post and I agree with Danielle that it was very special.  Just click on the links to get your copy! Here’s to ya’ll!

D. H. Nevins was born in Toronto and currently lives in a relatively remote area of Ontario, surrounded by forests and lakes. By day she is a personable, friendly school teacher. By night, she silently chuckles as she writes about angels destroying the world. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys hiking, camping, flying around on her motorcycle or dabbling in live theatre.

She loves to connect with others and can be contacted or followed a number of ways:

Website: http://www.dhnevins.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/dhnevins

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/133020440053518/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5158514D_H_Nevins

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Scary Good Stories. Tis the season ya know!

Posted: October 5, 2012 in Book Promos, Creatures, fiction, giveaways, horror, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Short stories and collections, suspense
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14

I just recently discovered this new author.

CRAWLSPACE


Fooling around on your wife can be hazardous to your health.

Just ask Tom.

He’s a man who has a lot to juggle: a frustrated wife, a secret new girlfriend, and the unpleasant task of trying to keep his deteriorating farmhouse from falling down around him.

Now with his wife out-of-town for the week, Tom is eager to get busy under the covers with his beautiful new lover – but first there’s something he has to finish up…in the CRAWLSPACE.

This thrilling, full-length short story is a hair-raising adventure for cheating husbands, cheated-on wives, and everyone in between.

My review

Tired of being nagged repeatedly by his wife, Tom finally gets around to spreading the lime underneath their old house.  He assures her that by the time she returns next week, he will have it finished and the house will be protected from moisture. After being used as a fall guy at work and losing his job, he really can’t afford to hire someone, so it’s up to him.

It’s a given that Tom is a jerk. A big one. That’s why he finds himself trapped under the house.  With his wife gone for the week and no neighbors in screaming distance, he’s in a heap of trouble.

Warning

If you’re claustrophobic this book will have you squirming.

Not a long book. Took me about an hour and a half to finish, minus some interruptions. But in that time, I was suffering from distress. I felt stuck, like the walls were closing in. Ever had tunnel vision? That’s how I felt. I could imagine how cold and dank it was. How dark and tight. Not to mention all the creepy crawlers under there. I hate spiders, ick!

Crawlspace freaked me out. If you like a story that makes you squirm, I recommend this one.

c

Gave this 4 spiders . Scary good!

I just started reading another book by Evans, Whatever Possessed You? and it’s looking really good so far! It’s about…Wait, I’ll tell you about it in my next review

.

Whatever Possessed You?


A strange encounter leaves Gerard Faust a changed man. Now with sanity slipping away, he finds himself caught in a race against time to uncover what happened that night – before it possesses him completely.

My review

Struggling author Gerard Faust never thought his trip to the book store would go down the way it did. He’s approached by a scruffy young man asking for his help. The man hands him a scrap of old parchment and tells him to read it. It’s in a language unknown to Gerard and he politely declines, but the man insists it’s to be read aloud. That’s the only way it could be understood. So Gerard reads it aloud.  Maazo Maazo…

Gerard feels something enter him, nestling deep inside. The stranger runs off and Gerard writes him off as disturbed, feeling surprisingly good after the odd encounter.

Now he’s writing like a man obsessed, or possessed. He types until his fingers ache, with no memory of what he’s written. Are the words even his own?

He has stopped taking care of himself, neglects his supportive wife and young daughter,  and is experiencing missing time. Something has control of his mind and body.

He may be writing that coveted ”best seller”, but what is he writing?

I love stories about authors. Even in fiction I love to hear about their thoughts and writing processes. I just hope this story is all fiction. Wouldn’t want to pick up a book and run into this problem.

I enjoy stories that start off innocently and slowly pull you into the abyss. This book gets darker and darker and I feel sorry for Gerard. You hope it won’t end badly for him, but it’s probably not in the cards with a last name like Faust.

Like a relentless,suspense? I recommend you get Whatever Possessed You? and  ride the ride.

 Gave this 4 for creepiness.

About the author

Evans Light has lived here and there across the United States, from the mountains to the beaches to the desert, and currently chooses to reside in a warm, southern state where the living is easy.

Frequently drawn to uncommon experiences, Evans has thrown himself headfirst into a wide range of unusual situations, from testing low-level-entry parachutes with British Army Airborne units to travelling the vast reaches of inner space using sensory deprivation tanks. He is the proud father of fine sons and the lucky husband of a beautiful wife.

Evans Light has been in love with the written word from an early age, and works in a wide variety of genres, including horror, thrillers, sci-fi and humor – but stories of the “Weird Tales” variety still remain his favorite. Evans is currently hard at work completing a collection of short stories entitled “Obsessive Deceptions”. Each story from this compilation is being released as a stand-alone title on Amazon as it is finished. The first five have been collected in the anthology “Stories, Inc.”.

Evans is also writing his first full-length novel, which is expected to be released sometime before his death.

Author contacts

Goodreads

Facebook

You can find all of Evans books here .

Evans Light

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A Murder of Crows or a Murdering Crow? The Nest by Ben Lokey

Posted: September 29, 2012 in Creatures, fiction, horror, reviews, suspense
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7

I have a book I want to CROW about!!

The Nest by Ben Lokey

The Nest

Monday: The beginning.

It’s finally moving day. Mark, Lanie, and her young son David are moving into their new house. Since Mark and Lanie aren’t married, it took a while longer for the loan to go through but now they are starting their new life together.

Mark doesn’t feel ready for marriage, so he feels buying the house together is a commitment of sorts. Lanie feels that buying it is either going to bring them closer together or break them apart. Either way, it’s something at least.

The house is beautiful and the view of the Pacific Ocean is to die for. There’s one slight problem. Mark keeps finding dead birds, their bodies torn apart and scattered around under the only tree on their pristine front lawn, a very tall palm tree, it’s lean trunk stretching almost to heaven.

Something is killing these creatures in a calculated and vicious way. Thus begins Mark’s quest to solve the mystery.

Old man Cauffield, his neighbor, gives him a huge clue. His sweet german shepherd Maxine is a victim of the murderer. She lost her eyes to the tenant in the penthouse of the palm tree.

Seems there’s a crow’s nest in the top of the tree and the bird has claimed his territory.

I’ve always been a little creeped out by crows. Think about it. They call a group of them a “Murder of Crows.” They are very big, very loud, and very bold. It’s said they are the harbinger’s of death. Enough said.

This war between Mark and the crow starts slowly but by the end, five days later, it’s a battle  for survival.

Everything Mark tries to rid them of the crow fails and fails with deadly and disastrous results.

You have Mark on one side and the crow on the other, both claiming the same territory and both protecting their families by any means.

Even when you think you know what’s coming, it still shocks you and makes you cringe.

And the crow! He has staked his claim and isn’t going anywhere. He is cunning, determined and extremely deadly.

The Nest made me think of a favorite movie called Of Unknown Origin starring Peter Weller. While his wife and child are away for the weekend he is terrorized by a huge rat. The final face-off in the end is just fantastic.

The last two days in this book are like that movie. The action is relentless. You don’t have time to relax as the war escalates in intensity and frequency. Whew, are you in for it when you read this one.

Take some Stephen King, add some Dean Koontz and John Saul, and you have a very scary good book in The Nest.

  Very Scary Good!!

You can find Ben here:

Goodreads

Website

About Ben Lokey

Ben Lokey is a member of The Screen Actors Guild (SAG), The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), Actor’s Equity Association (AEA), and the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA). Ben has a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in dance and choreography, and a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Directing, from the University of Utah.
For 20 years Ben lived in Los Angeles working in the film and television industry with such stars as John Travolta, Ben Vereen, Francis Coppola, George Burns, Cher, George Lucas, Danny Kaye, Martin Landau, Lucille Ball, Brooke Shields and Sylvester Stallone. While in New York, Ben studied acting at the H.B. Studios, under Herbert Berghoff. In Los Angeles, he studied at the Actor’s Studio, and with Martin Landau and Jeff Corey.
Ben began his professional career as a principal dancer with Ballet West and a soloist with the Pennsylvania Ballet. He went on to star in  A Chorus Line on Broadway, and danced with Ann Margret in Las Vegas. He starred in the film Breaking and was a dancer in the films Staying Alive and Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. He danced with Michael Jackson in his videos Thriller and Captain EO, and with Olivia Newton John in her video Lets Get Physical. Ben has choreographed, directed and performed in film, television, video, commercials, opera, ballet and theatre.  He choreographed the New Zealand national touring production of the hit musical Chicago, as well as performing the role of Amos in that production. Ben directed and choreographed a production of Singin’ In The Rain, in Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as performing the famous Gene Kelly role in that production. Ben directed and choreographed two new productions for the world famous Casino De Monte Carlo, on the French Riviera, co-produced and performed in a production of Tennessee Williams Night of the Iguana, for the Mississippi Repertory Theatre Company, and produced, directed and performed in My Way, a tribute to Frank Sinatra, at Casino Magic. And he directed and choreographed The Rat Pack Is Back, a tribute to Frank, Sammy, Joey and Dean, presently running in Las Vegas and touring nationally. He will soon be seen performing the role of John Adams in the musical production, 1776.
Ben began writing at the suggestion of film director/writer Francis Ford Coppola.
He presently has five books in print, available on Amazon.com.
Beauty Possessed
Beneath The Butterfly Tree
Joe’s Treasure
The Nest
The Adventures of Dolph Heyliger

To purchase, just click on the images.

I purchased this book for free on Amazon. My thoughts are my own.

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Today Only!!! All These Goodies For 99 cents

Posted: September 25, 2012 in Alert!!, Book Promos, fiction, Paranormal or fantasy, Release day, reviews, Romance, Series, Vampires, werewolves
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8

Look what I just bought!!!

Happy Release Day for HD Gordon and The Rise: The Alexa Montgomery Saga, Book Three!

For today only HD has priced all of her books at 99 cents!

The Rise (The Alexa Montgomery Saga #3)

Click on this link to buy it: http://www.amazon.com/Rise-Alexa-Montgomery-Saga-ebook/dp/B009GBDMHW/ref=sr_1_6?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1348601966&sr=1-6

The supernatural world in which Alexa Montgomery has found herself is on the brink of war. She is charged with the task of raising an army, defeating an evil dictator, and struggling to contain the bloodthirsty monster that lives within her.

These are things Alexa can handle, but when the person she loves most in the world takes a turn for the worst, Alexa’s loyalty and determination will be tested in the most horrifying of ways. Will she be able to rise to the challenge, or will her love for her sister kill her once and for all?

Go to http://hdgordon.com/?p=493 for a teaser!!!

Sign-up for Updates at http://hdgordon.com/ to get information on this series right from the source as soon as she has it!

Check out the first two books in the series!

Blood Warrior: The Alexa Montgomery Saga, Book One

To purchase, click on the cover.

When her home is attacked by murderous vampires, 17-year-old Alexa is forced to leave her mother for dead in order to save her sister. She soon learns that she is the last known member of an elite race of supernatural Warriors, and is thrust into a world full of vampires and werewolves who all seem to regard her as some sort of savior. Meanwhile, Alexa battles a monster within herself that seeks to gain control; a monster that seeks blood.

The hidden city she finds herself in appears perfect, but Alexa’s instincts tell her that all is not right within its walls. When she is asked to attend a school of fighters, whose exams consist of gladiator-style competitions, she must decide who she can trust among the smiling faces. And, when she meets Kayden, a vampire she feels undeniably drawn to, she must decide if she can trust herself.

Read my review here

Half Black Soul: The Alexa Montgomery Saga, Book Two

To purchase, click on the cover

In the past few weeks Alexa Montgomery has had her entire world flipped upside down. She’s gone from living a semi-normal teenage life to a life full of vampires and werewolves who all expect her to deliver them from the control of an evil dictator.

Alexa is the last of her kind; a Sun Warrior, and now she has left the safety of Two Rivers to search for her mother, but she’s left her sister behind to do so, and Nelly is the one person that she was told that she must always protect. Kayden, a vampire who is Alexa’s other half, has followed her on her journey. But, secrets are about to come out, relationships will break and danger lies just up ahead. Will Alexa be able to get through all of this and make it out alive? And, will she be able to protect Nelly from danger when she is so far away?

Read my review here

JOE by HD Gordon (not part of the series)

To purchase, click on the cover

From the author of the Alexa Montgomery Saga, comes a book that will take you into the mind of a geniune pyschopath, the lives of six ordinary people, and the world of a very special girl named Joe.

Joe is seemingly an ordinary college student. She works, studies and reads. But in between these activities Joe has a gift that promises to add a dose of color to her life at any given moment. Joe sees things before they happen. Bad things, and the worst thing she has ever faced is just around the corner. Someone is planning a massacre at the college university that Joe attends, and the only person with a hope of stopping the pyschopath is her.

Oh, the beauty of foresight. More like a curse. Joe has four days to figure out the mystery, make plans to take down the pyscho, and save the lives of people. People like you and me. Ordinary people.

Don’t Delay! The sale is only for TODAY!

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