Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

Vamps, Weres and Warriors!

Posted: June 29, 2012 in fiction, Interview, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews
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I have two things to tell you about today. First is my review of Black Warrior by H.D. Gordon. Second is really exciting. H.D. is here on my blog today for an interview. I love interviews, don’t you? Also a peek at Book 2 and her upcoming new release at the end of this post!

Here is my review of Blood Warrior (Book 1 of The Alexa Montgomery Saga)

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Fighting is all Alexa has ever known. Her mother uses makeup to cover the bruises, the ones she herself caused. She never explains why Alexa has to learn, she only says it is necessary to be prepared.

Her younger sister Nelly couldn’t be more different. Always dressed in the nicest clothes, makeup tastefully done and not a hair out of place. She was slight of build, more delicate, and Alexa was glad Nelly did not have to fight their mother. Alexa adored her sister and would do what ever it took to keep her safe, but from what?

I admired how fiercely Alexa loved Nelly. Her protective instincts towards her sister were more lethal than a momma bear for her cub. I have three older sisters and they were  always standing up for me against others, but liked to tease me as older sisters do.

It was a good thing her mother prepared her physically for what was coming, but Alexa could have used some answers to the mysteries surrounding her.

They came late one evening. The Lamias.  They looked like humans, except they weren’t. Eyes completely black, pale white skin, emitting horrid shrieks. There for one reason only, to kill Alexa and her family.

Alexa and her mother fought well, shielding Nelly, but they were vastly outnumbered and when Alexa’s mother orders her to take Nelly and run, she knows there is no other choice. However much she hates leaving her mother behind,  knowing she can’t survive, Alexa must keep Nelly safe. There is no other choice.

I was a little confused in the beginning. It seemed like Alexa was being abused by her mother, but she was actually preparing her for what was surely coming. The Lamias – part demon/damned souls, their only purpose being to cause pain and to kill. Forced to leave their mother behind, the sisters seek refuge at Two Rivers, a spectacular city surrounded by water. They should be safe there. Lamias can not cross water.

At Two Rivers Alexa discovers who and what she is and some secrets are revealed.

Blood Warrior is a great introduction into this series about vampires and werewolves. There are several love interests for Alexa, but not what I would call a real love triangle, along with some intense fighting scenes-vividly written and a whole lot of mystery.

H. D. Gordon has built a marvelous new world. It is always amazing to me how an author can take something tried and true and make it unique and surprisingly fresh. Her writing is crisp, without a lot of fluff, and she tells the story fluidly, capturing you and putting you at the scene.

A great beginning to this series, Blood Warrior sets up the plot, introduces the characters and their world and fills you with anticipation. I already have Half Black Soul, the second book in this series, and am so glad I don’t have to wait to dive back into this world as this is not a stand alone book. I’ll tell you about it later!

I urge you to get Blood Warrior and enter a new world. You won’t want it to end.

4 STARS

And now for my interview with guest H. D. Gordon

How about we start by having you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am 23 years old and the mother of two beautiful girls. My children get the vast majority of my time, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. They both will begin school next year and I’m not sure what I will do with myself when that happens. Well, yes, I do. I will read and write more. Those are the two activities that take up pretty muck all the rest of my time, and I wouldn’t have that any other way, either. A mother and a writer, that just about sums me up. I also play a little guitar, long walks on the beach, etc, etc.

How did you pick this genre and where do you get your ideas?

This genre was always a passion for me. I love all things fantastical. Ever since I was a child and obsessed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer(I used to carve chopsticks into stakes and carry them around with me, in case I had to slay a vamp, of course) and the obsession never waned. Stories, ideas? Well, they come from everywhere and from nowhere. There’s really no other way to describe it. With Blood Warrior, all I had was an opening scene, which I handed to my father to read. He then advised me to take the next semester off of college to write this book. He is huge on school, and this was unheard of from him. I took his advice and am so happy I did. I now write full-time for a living. It’s the best thing that has ever happened to me, other than the birth of my children, of course.

Does your character Alexa resemble you in any way?

Alexa is pretty much me only way, way cooler. Basically, she is everything I wish I could be(except for the homicidal tendencies). More accurately, she is me before children; reckless, hot-headed and young. I think the biggest similarity is our loyalty to those we love. Loyalty is the most valued quality I think a person can have. When I wrote this book I honestly never expected the success it is having. I wrote it for me, and so it indulges my fantasies, and I wrote Alexa to be like me because I sort of wanted to live through her. She is my hero. When I get scared I think to myself “Alexa could handle this.”

What are you reading now?

Lots and lots of Stephen King. Him and Poe are my literary heroes. Poe influenced a lot of my writing as a child, and King embodies everything I aspire to be. I just finished The Stand(awesome btw, so read it) and my fav book of all time is The Shining. I am currently reading The Dark Tower Series and I can’t get enough. King’s attention to the words is just…well, amazing. Someday I hope to be as good as him, and I believe I’m getting there. My new book Joe, due out on June 30th, will hopefully show my growth. Give me a few years and I hope to rival all the males dominating the world of books(Koontz, Patterson, King). I hope to show them what a female writer can do. I guess we will just have to wait and see. But,  I’m getting there.

How do you spend your spare time, if you have any?

Sparetime? Lol, I don’t even know what those words mean. My children come first, but I have gotten used to reading and writing around them, which is to say the least, distracting. But really that’s it right now. I read and write like crazy and make sure my girls get my full attention. There isn’t much time for anything else. But. really, for me, it is like living the dream. I can read and write anywhere, and I do. It’s a dream job. I get to stay with my girls 24/7 and do what I love in between. I couldn’t imagine a better life. (My daughter just came in to tell me about a boy who turns into a turtle and a boy who turns into a “T-wex” as I write this). Gotta love em.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Yes, I am working hard to get books out. My new book, Joe, is my proudest work yet, and I hope to pull in a wider audience with it. After that, two more Alexa books will be released in 2012, the next one at the end of this coming August. I have a lot of stories to tell, and I plan to do just that. So, huge thank you to the fans! You guys have been so supportive, and for this I love you all.

Thank you for the interview!

You are welcome and thank you for being my guest and sharing with us today.

You can read an excerpt for Half Black Soul (Book 2 in the Alexa Montgomery Saga) at the end of the post. Also included is a blurb from her new book “JOE” scheduled to be released on June 30, 2012. That’s right. This week!

For more about H.D. Gordon and her books:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HDGordon?sk=wall

twitter: https://twitter.com/hd_gordon

Her blog: http://hdgordon.com/

You can sign up for her newsletter and get all of the latest news at the bottom of her blog.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5189455.H_D_Gordon

Mild Spoiler Alert

This is a blurb of book 2 in the Alexa Montgomery Series. If you have not read the first book , this contains mild spoilers.

 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?

Here is a blurb from Goodreads about Joe, H. D. Gordon’s upcoming new novel, scheduled to be released on June 30, 2012.

Joe
From the author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga comes a book that will take you into the mind of a genuine psychopath, 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 psychopath 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 psycho and save the lives of people. People like you and me. ordinary people.
You can find out more about Joe here: http://hdgordon.com/?p=436
Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

So Many Books, Which should I read first?

Posted: June 29, 2012 in Dystopian, fiction, historical romance, horror, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Short stories and collections, Uncategorized, Zombies
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I have so many books to read. I am reading several right now. There are many more waiting for me. I can hear them calling “Pick Me!”

Here is a list of some of the books up next for me to read and review. I would love it if you would help me pick which two I should start with.

These are just some of the books I need to read or finish reading for reviews. I am currently working on several reviews, interviews and giveaways.

It would be great if you could give me some suggestions on which two I should do next! Let me know!!

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The Dark Horde – They Number in the millions

Posted: May 6, 2012 in apocalypse, Creatures, Dark Fantasy, Excerpt, fiction, horror, otherworldly, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, suspense, thriller
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Title: The Dark Horde

Author: Brewin’

The Dark Horde

Book Description from Goodreads

Part thriller, part crime-fiction, all supernatural horror, The Dark Horde tells of the return of an ancient evil that is neither stoppable nor comprehensible…

My Review

From the opening page to the horror driven end, this story had me riveted.

Howqua Hills is under siege by something. Monster, demon, alien, or creature from another dimension, who knows? They have been waiting, but no more. Out of the shadows they come, the Dark Horde.  Hungry for flesh, they thrill to feel our terror and revel in our pain. Want a taste?

“The beast had an acute sense of smell, enabling it to smell the raw terror in the sweat of its quarry. The smell of this human was strong, indulging its senses with delectable wafts. Hungry for the kill, it gripped the wooden handle of the trap door and slowly teased it open. The shrieking cry of its hinges rang out, enhancing the fear of the cornered prey…It entered, scraping its clawed feet across each wooden step with calculated intent to terrify… Two down, one to go.”

The action is intense and relentless and the creatures are absolutely terrifying. Want a bit more?

“It glared at them with red, hate-filled eyes the shape of swollen slits as its bloodied snout curled to reveal a chaotic array of sharpened teeth. It grinned.”

Able to manipulate our minds, they invade our dreams with heart-stopping nightmares. I was worried they would invade my dreams. I read this book in one sitting and finished in the wee hours. Maybe it was because I was sleep deprived, but I didn’t remember dreaming. However, there are many more nights to come.

Brewin’ is a master at making you afraid of the dark. I suggest you sleep with a flashlight!

Here is the Unpublished Prologue

I was once an avid believer in many things… I believed in love, in compassion, in hope. I even believed in a God watching lovingly over us and that somewhere within the mystery of it all, there was a special place for us. This inclination towards a blind faith was strong in me, stamped upon my DNA and cultivated through my upbringing. I was sheltered from the brutal reality of this world, hidden from the horrible truths of our existence.

It is your choice to hear these words, but be warned, once you understand what they mean you will never be able to hide in the warm comfort of ignorance again.

Unless you’re prepared for this, it’s best you stop now. Time is short now, I sense them drawing close. Whilst blood flows through these shaking hands, I will tell you of them, in the hope that someone hears these words and know of what is inevitably to come.

I know not how to stop the Dark Horde, or how to stop the events I have set into motion. But I doubt it makes any difference, as mankind is doomed anyway.

It wasn’t always like this. Once I enjoyed a happy life too. Once I had  a life. my early childhood to the outsider seemed like any other. A child full of energy and confidence, and the world around me was of wonder. Then, when I was seven, came the visions. They were infrequent at first, like intermittent thunder before the storm, but by the time I was eight they were coming to me not only every night, but every hour of every waking day. Every child fears the dark, but who’s to believe that a child’s nightmares could possibly be real?

I was trapped alone in a world of nightmares, under constant assault from a force no one could see or believe. With time the cancerous visions only grew stronger and my parents grew ever more frantic in their attempts to find a cure. After numerous doctors and counselors, my parents finally found a psychiatrist to their liking. I was not yet ten when he gave his damning assessment; “Your son is suffering from temporary psychosis of a type that is treatable and not uncommon in boys his age. Nightmares and the fear of the dark occur in most children and have been known to be so intense that it results in delusions and even hallucinations. it is merely a product of the hormonal imbalance of puberty, of an over-active imagination…But he will be cured and in years to come he’ll look back at these days with humor and think how silly he’d been! Fear not, this psychosis will come to pass.”

I was to receive therapy and medication, and for a few mostly happy years, the treatment seemed successful. but always below the surface, dark forces gathered, revealing themselves in occasional “fits of madness”. My doctor was intrigued by this and sought to uncover what was best left alone. He put me under hypnosis, an event that was to forever alter my life. I was only thirteen. The hypnosis swept aside the clouds of consciousness, revealing my past in all its horror. I saw my previous life and the terrible deeds I had done. I realised then that the visions keep returning to haunt me because they are my past. In some archaic time I had brought them into this world, though what they were, I did not know. I only knew that they were alien to this world and meant only to destroy it…And I. in some “fit of madness”, had let them in.

I became resigned to the power of the visions, recognising my place in the scheme of things and realising the futility of it all. With time, I learned to hide the visions effects and ceased to even tell others of their existence. By the age of sixteen, I was deemed cured and ready to join the “real world”…But I had merely learned to wear the mask of sanity. Sometimes, however, the mask slipped…And deeds of darkness came to light.

I would wake alone in a dark forest, shivering. Then I’d realize…I dreamt this. Somehow I had sleepwalked into the forest at night, the black shapes of swaying trees crowded around me and the wind taunted in strange voices. Then I’d notice the candle-lit inscriptions in the dirt before me…If what I just dreamt was real, then I knew we were in great danger. Screaming, I’d run through moonless undergrowth until I found a road I could follow home, or someone found me, bruised and feverish, the next day.

My fate was inevitable. I was doomed to repeat history.

Neither drugs nor therapy would stop my sleepwalking and before long I was sleeping in restraints. At seventeen I left school and moved with my parents from Howqua Hills to far away Melbourne. With the move, my sleepwalking tendencies ended and I was able to begin a new life among strangers who did not know my past, nor care. They teased me for my country background, but accepted me as normal, as someone who was dependable. But never did the visions relent on my tortured mind, ever reminding me of who I was and who I was destined to be.

It is now five years later and things are no different. destiny is cruel when you are its slave. There is no privilege in this, no fortune in being chosen, there is only eternal damnation. but I cannot be held responsible for something that started and was predetermined before i was even born. And if I wasn’t their channel, it inevitably would have been another, if it wasn’t my past life, it inevitably would have been someone elses.

it is utterly useless to try to stop them. Their age is limitless, as is their knowledge and power. We are to them as ants on the Earth. An organized society that adapts and multiplies, but does not know of the world around it. We are not the most advanced creature in the universe, even on our own planet. Nor are we blessed in any way. Just as many other species of life succumbed to our dominance, so shall we succumb to others.

And now as I sit here making this recording of my final words; i know that i can restrain them no longer. Consciousness is fading, the lights grow dim and my voice faint. they are close now.

Calling…Calling…Calling…

“…..Come Dark Horde, remember, and once more be!

We are as one, as many are we,

Become one, once more be.

We are as one, as many are we,

Become one, once more be…”

After many hours of semiconscious chanting, I was startled awake by a sharp crack in front of me. Before me stretched a black void with depths beyond comprehension. A nauseating stench fell over me and I saw that within the nebulous darkness was a pair of eyes: red convex slits. They were a short distance away and staring directly at me, my mind naked before their gaze…

My God, what had I done?

About Brewin’

Brewin’ knew he wanted to be a writer when he was only seven and that has shaped his life. A gift from his brothers of a Role Playing Game Book was a pivotal moment in his life. Game books(along with role-playing games) made him the writer he is today. The last third of his first published novel, Evermore: An Introduction, is a choose-your-own-adventure and his second novel, The Dark Horde, has one of the characters from Evermore in it. For more about Brewin’ and his work visit:

http://www.thebrewin.com

Take the Dark Passage

Posted: April 15, 2012 in fiction, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews
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Title: Dark Passage “Chosen” 

Author: M.L. Woolley 

Every now and then I read a book that catches me by surprise. Expecting a haunted house story, I instead discovered a tale about the human struggle to find our place in this world. This story is told from multiple points of view which made it fun and easy to understand.

The story centers around an old Victorian house in Olalla, on the Dark Passage of the Puget Sound.

Bill has come to Olalla looking for inspiration about a book. He is drawn to an estate sale at an old house and for reasons unknown to him he feels compelled to buy it. It has a sense of familiarity to him. Before he can complete renovations he has an accident which puts him in a coma.  While unconcious, he sees a woman in a tunnel beckoning him.

Desperate  to escape the frequent, violent attacks of her abusive husband, Jen accepts an offer from her friend Peter to rent an old house. The strange man from her dreams, the one she loves in this other reality, has given her the confidence to leave her abusive relationship and take her life back. She senses something special about the house, something otherwordly, but is unsure if it is evil or good. There is something or someone watching her.

Strange forces have drawn Bill and Jen together through their dreams. They will need each other as they slowly come to understand what the house is and where their place is in the coming events.

There are many characters that have important roles in this story of darkness and light.

Bill’s cousin Lisa has been corrupted by something evil and commits unspeakable acts in her hunger for fortune. You will loathe her.

David is ensnared by Lisa’s manipulations and blindly follows her wishes, ignoring an inner voice that warns him not to.

Jen’s best friend Ivy gets drawn into the mystery of the house and discovers she has a very important part to play in the times ahead. She really endeared herself to me. the guilt she has carried around for years over the death of her brother and sister has led her to pick all the wrong men.

Peter has been friends with Bill since childhood and is his guardian in more ways than one while he lies in a coma. He begins to receive messages from Bill, but that is impossible. Bill is still in a coma.

John’s life spins out of control after Jen leaves him and, in his madness, dark forces control him for their own purposes.

I could write so much more about this book but then I would be telling too much. Now that the stage has been set and I have come to know the characters, I am ready to dive into the Guardians, the second book. Due to be released soon, you can read a little bit about it at the end of Dark Passages.

I am now hooked and the author has reeled me in.

A resounding 5 Stars for Dark Passages.

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Zombies And So Much More

Posted: March 23, 2012 in fiction, horror, reviews, Zombies
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Title: Wanted: Dead or Undead (The Zombie West Series, Book 1)

Author: Angela Scott

Published by: Evolved Publishing

WANTED: Dead or Undead (The Zombie West Series, #1)

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I received this ARC from the author in exchange for my review.

Wanted: Dead or Undead. I have to admit I started reading this expecting a zombie western with lots of eating and being eaten along with some humor. What I got was so much more.

The story starts with a nail-biting scene that leaves you with no choice but to continue reading.

Trace is an opportunist, a card shark, and a bit of a trickster. All he wants is to stroll through life with no complications. That wasn’t hard until the zombies started moving westward.

Red is a no-nonsense woman on a mission.  Traveling west towards California, she is hoping to find her brother. He joined the cavalry to fight the zombies and she hasn’t heard from him since.

The zombie plague has consumed the larger cities on either coast and is rapidly extending to the midwest.

Thrown together by a chance encounter, Trace and Red slowly begin to trust each other. They will have to in order to survive. As they travel westward their group of two slowly grows along with their attraction for each other. They both have secrets kept to themselves for fear they will shatter the tenuous bond growing between them.

Angela Scott takes her time developing the characters and establishing her story, weaving in new characters along with their stories and building genuine relationships. The scenes were so well written I could swear I was there. I shuddered in horror, feared the worst, and sighed in delight.

The cliff-hanger ending left my jaw dropping in surprise, already anticipating more. This ending is very satisfying and one of the best I have read.

I gave this book 5 stars and recommend it to anyone looking for a great read and a new series.

I will be watching for Survivor Roundup (The Zombie West Series, Book 2)

~~~

Angela Scott

deadplains angela scott

I hear voices. Tiny fictional people sit on my shoulders and whisper their stories in my ear. Instead of medicating myself, I decided to pick up a pen, write down everything those voices tell me, and turn it into a book. I’m not crazy. I’m an author. For the most part, I write contemporary Young Adult novels. However, through a writing exercise that spiraled out of control, I found myself writing about zombies terrorizing the Wild Wild West—and loving it. My zombies don’t sparkle, and they definitely don’t cuddle. At least, I wouldn’t suggest it. I live on the benches of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains with two lovely children, one teenager, and a very patient husband. I graduated from Utah State University with a B.A. degree in English, not because of my love for the written word, but because it was the only major that didn’t require math. I can’t spell, and grammar is my arch nemesis. But they gave me the degree, and there are no take backs. As a child, I never sucked on a pacifier; I chewed on a pencil. I’ve been writing that long. It has only been the past few years that I’ve pursued it professionally, forged relationships with other like-minded individuals, and determined to make a career out of it. You can subscribe and follow me on my website, where I blog obsessively about my writing process and post updates on my current works. I’m also on Twitter and Facebook, but be forewarned, I tweet and post more than a normal person.

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