Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

.

The House On Xenia

A Mary Catherine Mahoney Mystery Series

by Rita Moreau


The House on Xenia (A Mary Catherine Mahoney Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Independently Published (May 8, 2019)
Paperback: 332 pages
ISBN-10: 1096120712
ISBN-13: 978-1096120711
Digital Print Length: 209 pages
ASIN: B07R9Q682Y

A government conspiracy. A life-threatening secret. Can a psychic accountant balance the books of justice?

Mary Catherine “MC” Mahoney prefers numbers to her supernatural powers. But when a cold-case corpse shows up under her cousin’s family home, the only calculations that add up are paranormal. And deep within the floorboards of the house on Xenia, MC and her madcap Greek family uncover evidence pointing to visitors from another planet…

Pursued by military agents intent on keeping the secrets buried, MC will have to play by the house’s rules to expose the alien mystery. And there’s only one member of the family who can get to the hidden truth…

Can MC reveal the cover-up, or will a dangerous hush job close her books forever?

The House on Xenia is a standalone novel in the Mary Catherine Mahoney cozy mystery series. If you like psychic female sleuths, crazy family antics, and long lost aliens, then you’ll love Rita Moreau’s quirky tale.

~~~~~

My Review

I am a huge fan of cozy mysteries and always looking for a different theme for them. A psychic and possibly aliens? I had to see what this was all about.

It was about the very likeable, funny and stubborn MC (Mary Catherine) and the predicament she winds up in. What is that predicament, you ask? Well, a corpse is found under her cousin’s house. It turns out to be from a cold case and when MC starts to investigate, she finds possible evidence of visitors from outer space. Aliens? Oh my!

This was just so much fun to read. There’s fun, zany characters, house included, and more than one mystery to figure out. Made me grin enough my face hurt.

It’s said that this is a stand alone in the series and you can enjoy it without having read previous books. I sure did. But, now I must go back and start at the beginning. I’m thinking I’ve missed a whole lot more fun.

symbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,sign

~~~~~

About Author Rita Moreau

.

Rita Moreau is the author of the Mary Catherine Mahoney Mystery series.

A workaholic by nature, upon retirement, Rita Moreau began work on her bucket list, writing a book. Traveling the national parks with her husband George in a vintage Bluebird motor home, (on George’s list), Rita completed her first novel Bribing Saint Anthony. Back home she completed Nuns! Psychics! & Gypsies! OH! NO, Feisty Nuns, The Russian & Aunt Sophia and The House on Xenia. Rita and her husband live in a postcard called Florida where he has fun telling everyone he is the author’s husband. When not writing she joins PatZi Gil on the Joy on Paper radio program with Book Buzz Mysteries or you can find her teaching fitness classes and doing her best to keep busy. She loves connecting with readers.

Visit her at www.RitaMoreau.com or find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RitaMoreauAuthor. She would love to hear from you.

Author Links

Website / Facebook / Blog / Goodreads

Purchase Links – Amazon 

~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

July 18 – Into the Abyss Reviews – REVIEW

July 19 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

July 20 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST

July 20 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT

July 21 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

July 22 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

July 23 – FUONLYKNEW – REVIEW

July 24 – Ascroft, eh? – GUEST POST

July 25 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

July 25 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

July 26 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST  

July 27 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

July 28 – Brooke Blogs – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

July 29 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST

July 30 – Teresa Watson’s Blog – REVIEW

July 31 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews– REVIEW

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?

Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!

.

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Welcome to my Monday Minis where I share shorter reviews of books I’ve read.

Today I’ve got a haunting story that left me questioning what was really happening.

~~~~~

 The Haunting Of Henderson Close

  by Catherine Cavendish

41427867

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Horror

 My  Review

Hannah lands a job as a tour guide, never expecting there to be any real ghosts. Henderson Close has a dark history from back in the 1800s and many people have claimed to experience strange things, but she thinks it’s all hype for the tourists. It isn’t long before the ghosts reveal themselves to her. She begins to doubt her sanity as the lines between the past and the present become blurred.

This was one of those slow burn stories, heavy in atmosphere. I enjoyed that as the author introduced the characters, built the backstory, and then proceeded to give me the chills. As Hannah began to question her sanity, I questioned it too. And the more I read, the darker the plot became.

The ending wasn’t what I was expecting, in an intriguing but confusing way. Still thinking about it and unsure if I liked it or I didn’t. I actually waited a couple of days and then read the end again and still wasn’t sure about it. But, I’m happy I read the book and would like to read more of this author’s work. And I think this would really work as a movie. The author sure did put me in the story both past and present. Spooky vibes.

symbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,sign

Thanks so much to Flame Tree Press and Author Catherine Cavendish for my complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.

~~~~~

Synopsis

Ghosts have always walked there. Now they’re not alone…

In the depths of Edinburgh, an evil presence is released.

Hannah and her colleagues are tour guides who lead their visitors along the spooky, derelict Henderson Close, thrilling them with tales of spectres and murder. For Hannah it is her dream job, but not for long. Who is the mysterious figure that disappears around a corner? What is happening in the old print shop? And who is the little girl with no face?

The legends of Henderson Close are becoming all too real. The Auld De’il is out – and even the spirits are afraid.

Amazon / B&N

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

bookshelves photo: Bookshelf bookshelves.jpg

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

I’m also linking up with The Sunday Post hosted by Kimberly @Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

~~~~~

Some chit chat.

They don’t call it the lazy days of summer for nothing. I have been so lazy! My house needs cleaning. I can see dust collecting. Cobwebs forming. Guess it is time to get off my bootie and get to it. I’ll get right on that. As soon as I finish the book I’m reading. Hey, I’m right at the part where…. LOL

So let me see. What new happened this week. My car broke down. What fun. I’m hoping it’s nothing too costly and I’ll get it back next week. Figures it happens with the weekend so close. I do have a loaner they gave me to drive though. It’s a little car and I’m used to my SUV. I feel like no one can see me on the road. LOL And there was a knock at my door. The city workers informed me that the tree in my front yard had gotten too big to trim back. It was interfering with the power lines. Could they remove it, for free? I loved that tree. But, the roots had already damaged my water line twice, costing a hefty chunk in repairs. So, yeah. They did it in one day and you can hardly tell it was ever there. I miss that tree and it looks strange when I drive up to my house.

Have a lovely Sunday everyone.

~~~~~

My new books this week. I went a bit crazy grabbing some freebies, buying some I had on my wish list and taking in a few new review books.

The Beautiful Ones by [Boye, Kody]  Silence in the Woods (Monsters in the Green Mountains Book 1) by [Choquette, J.P.]

  A Chain Across the Dawn (The Universe After Book 2) by [Williams, Drew]

Bug Out! Atlantic 1: City on Fire by [Boren, Robert]  Wanderers: A Novel by [Wendig, Chuck]

In the Shadow of Spindrift House by [Grant, Mira]  The Preying Mantis: A Sarah Killian Short Story by [Sheldon, Mark]

  The Town That Feared Dusk (Short Sharp Shocks! Book 17) by [Demmer, Calvin]

And I pre-ordered this one. Couldn’t help myself! LOL

Kittyzen's Arrest (Country Cottage Mysteries Book 1) by [Moore, Addison, Bloom, Bellamy]

An innkeeper who reads minds. An ornery detective. And a trail of bodies. Cider Cove is the premiere destination for murder.

My name is Bizzy Baker, and I can read minds—not every mind, not every time but most of the time, and believe me when I say it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

Bizzy Baker runs the Country Cottage Inn, has the ability to pry into the darkest recesses of both the human and animal mind, and has just stumbled upon a body. With the help of her kitten, Fish, a mutt named Sherlock Bones and an ornery yet dangerously good looking homicide detective, Bizzy is determined to find the killer.

Cider Cove, Maine is the premiere destination for fun and relaxation. But when a body turns up, it’s the premiere destination for murder.

*A laugh out loud cozy mystery by New York Times Bestseller Addison Moore and her partner in cozy crime, Bellamy Bloom*

~~~~~

And here are some FREEBIES for ya.

Click on the covers to get your copies. Remember to make sure they’re still free before you hit that buy button.

Pulse of the Goddess: American Blackout Book One by [Tribuzzo, Fred]  Jordan Quest: A Jordan Quest FBI Thriller by [Brown, Gary Winston]

Kiss of a Dragon (Fallen Immortals 1) - Paranormal Fairytale Romance by [Woods, Alisa]  Jaxson (Riverwise Private Security 1) - Wolf Shifter Paranormal Romance by [Woods, Alisa]

Oh, Henry (Henry Houdini Dog Detective #1): The first in the ‘Henry Houdini’ comic dog detective series - for the young in all of us by [Bailey, Morgen]  Lovestruck: A Romantic Comedy by [Monroe, Lila]

Hell's Children: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller (This Dark Age Book 1) by [Monk, John L.]  Shattered Skies: Beginning's End by [Linn, Heather]

Redemption Island (Island Duet Book 1) by [Dunbar, L.B.]  Girl in Trouble (An Alex Mercer Thriller Book 1) by [Claflin, Stacy]

~~~~~

Click on the cover for my review of A Monster Of All Time.

41724497. sy475  

~~~~~

Other posts on my blog this week.

Get your Furr on with……. Summer Snoops UNLEASHED

Sexy Aliens and Sassy Dragons ~ Ki’s Redemption ~ Blast and Giveaway

Blitz and Giveaway ~ Summer Bucket List by T.K. Rapp

Review and Giveaway ~ A Monster Of All Time by JT Hunter

Cover Reveal and Giveaway ~ Deadly Little Scandals

Michael Okon’s Witches Protection Program ~ Review and Giveaway

The Friday 56 #216 ~ The Invisible Heiress

Spotlight and Giveaway ~ Out Of Luck by Kendall Talbot

~~~~~

Leave your link and I’ll come visit you.

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

.
.
Witches Protection Program
by Michael Okon
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy 
.
michael okon witches
.

Poor Wes. He’s failed again and now he’s been given one last chance to prove himself qualified to be in law enforcement. He’s sure it’s a prank when he’s assigned to the Witches Protection Program.

It’s no hoax. But it takes some convincing for Wes to believe in witches. He gets it in spades.

His first assignment, protect a witch, heiress Morgan Pendragon, from her evil aunt. Her aunt is cooking up a diabolical scheme to rule the world.

Wes will have to catch on quick if he’s to save Morgan and himself from a witches brew of trouble.

This was a fun story with some likable and not so likable characters. Got to take the good with the bad.

Wes is a pain in the beginning. Then he finds his place and becomes someone to cheer for.

Morgan is a reluctant witch, wanting nothing to do with her aunt or the other witches and their schemes. They’re not going to give her a choice though.

There’s some cool weapons, compelling characters, and a showdown at the end that I wish I could see for myself. Just imagine the pile-up when drivers look up and see witches flying in the sky.

I like a good witch, but I have a thing for the bad ones too. There’s one, Morgan’s aunt, who will chill you to the bone. Too powerful for anyone’s good.

Grab a broomstick and hang on tight. It’s a bumpy ride.

.
symbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,sign
.
 
Wes Rockville, a disgraced law-enforcement agent, gets one last chance to
prove himself and save his career when he’s reassigned to a
232-year-old secret government organization.
The Witches Protection Program.
His first assignment: uncover a billion-dollar cosmetics company’s
diabolical plan to use witchcraft for global domination, while
protecting its heiress Morgan Pendragon from her aunt’s evil deeds.
Reluctantly paired with veteran witch protector, Alastair Verne, Wes
must learn to believe in witches…and believe in himself.
Filled with adventure and suspense, Michael Okon creates a rousing,
tongue-in-cheek alternate reality where witches cast spells and wreak
havoc in modern-day New York City.
 
Michael Okon is an award-winning and best-selling author of multiple genres
including paranormal, thriller, horror, action/adventure and
self-help. He graduated from Long Island University with a degree in
English, and then later received his MBA in business and finance.
Coming from a family of writers, he has storytelling in his DNA.
Michael has been writing from as far back as he can remember, his
inspiration being his love for films and their impact on his life.
From the time he saw The Goonies, he was hooked on the idea of
entertaining people through unforgettable characters.
Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, and a sucker
for self-help books. He lives on the North Shore of Long Island with
his wife and children.
 
 
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

A Monster Of All Time

by JT HUnter

41724497. sy475

Genre: True Crime
Published by: RJ Parker Publishing
Publication Date: September 4th 2018
Number of Pages: 304
ISBN: 1987902521 (ISBN13: 9781987902525)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

My Review

I’ve always had an interest in reading about serial killers. They say that many of us may know one, even be friends with one. Guess that saying about never really knowing a person is true, in a terrifying way.

Danny Rollins’ killing spree occurred during August of 1990. I had moved to the south in 1986 and find it hard to remember much about him. Perhaps it’s because Ted Bundy was executed in 1989 and that day, along with the many books and movies made about him, blurred my memory about Danny.

This book reads so smoothly. Almost like a work of fiction. But the author makes sure you remember it’s all true. Danny may not have the larger number of victims like Bundy, Gacy and several others, but if he hadn’t been caught, he would have added more victims.

Danny had a bad time of it growing up. I’m sure you could check off many serial killer indicators on the list after reading about his life. But at what point did he choose, yes, choose, to kill? Many people go through what he did and don’t kill. Why did he kill? That question is one I don’t think even he could really have answered. Bundy said he didn’t know why he was a serial killer. It was just who he was.

I was captivated by this story. And also horrified after reading about Danny’s crimes. The author did his research. He kept me turning the pages to learn more. And wrapped it up nicely. If you enjoy true crime books and reading about serial killers, this would be a good one for you.

symbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,sign

~~~~~

Synopsis

Ambitious, attractive, and full of potential, five young college students prepared for the new semester. They dreamed of beginning careers and starting families. They had a lifetime of experiences in front of them. But death came without warning in the dark of the night.

Brutally ending five promising lives, leaving behind three gruesome crime scenes, the Gainesville Ripper terrorized the University of Florida, casting an ominous shadow across a frightened college town.

What evil lurked inside him? What demons drove him to kill? What made him ‘A Monster of All Time’?

~~~~~

Prologue 

January 1987 

Parchman, Mississippi 

The prisoner raged in his lonely cell.

“When they let me out of here,” the prisoner swore to himself, “I’ll make them all pay.”

Years of condemnation and contempt had taken its toll, breaking him down, eroding his spirit, destroying all sense of hope. Now only the anger remained.

~~~~~

Cast into the bowels of Parchman Prison, the notorious Mississippi State Penitentiary, the prisoner had suffered daily torments during his confinement, each day falling deeper and deeper into despair. Raw sewage regularly seeped into his cell through the floor and flowed from a broken drain down the hall, flooding the cramped 8 x 10 feet concrete space with a revolting grey-brown liquid and an unrelenting stench.

Kept in this torturous isolation, his besieged brain had betrayed him, replaying the grievous moments of his life, all of the humiliations and feelings of helplessness, every piercing word, and every raw, painful memory. It was a constant reminder that the world had always been a hurtful place of violence, animosity, and aversion, never one of empathy or understanding.

Desperate to escape the unrelenting torment, he retreated ever deeper into the labyrinth of his own mind, creeping ever closer to madness. It was in that maze of insanity that he found himself. Or rather, something found him.

In the bleak, all-encompassing darkness, something whispered his name.

Faceless and formless, the voice seemed to emanate both from the impenetrable blackness surrounding him and from the shadowy depths of his own consciousness. The voice soothed and seduced him, its language both alien and familiar. It promised the strength to survive whatever nightmares awaited the remainder of his confinement. It offered the tools of revenge for his present condition, for all of the wrongs committed against him in the past, and for the scorn and mistreatment yet to come. Most of all, it promised the power to make others feel the suffering he had so long endured.

Then a name imprinted itself into his brain, uttered from an unseen shape in the darkness, or muttered from the murky depths of memory.

“Gemini,” an eerie voice proclaimed. “I am Gemini.”

At that moment, an infernal compact was crafted, a devil’s contract offering redemption for the damned, a demonic covenant accepted regardless of the terms. Caring nothing for the consequences, the prisoner embraced the assurance of vengeance, pledging revenge for the countless injuries inflicted upon him. Just as a cold, uncaring world had robbed him of his humanity and stolen years of his life, he would take the lives of others in an equal and equitable proportion. A new sense of purpose washed over him, bringing with it a rebirth, a recognition of what he needed to do.

And now he waited, marking the days with hidden malice, the bitter darkness of his cell matched only by the malevolence of his twisted, tainted soul.

~~~~~

Author JT Hunter

JT Hunter

J.T. Hunter is an attorney with over fourteen years of experience practicing law, including criminal law and appeals, and he has significant training in criminal investigation techniques. He is also a college professor in Florida where his teaching interests focus on the intersection of criminal psychology, law, and literature.

JT’s bestselling true crime books include:

Devil in The Darkness: True Story of Serial Killer ISRAEL KEYES
The Country Boy Killer: The True Story of Serial Killer Cody Legebokoff
In Colder Blood: True Story of the Walker Family Murder as depicted in Truman Capote’s, In Cold Blood
Deadly Deception: True Story of Tampa Serial Killer, Bobby Joe Long
Death Row Romeo: The True Story of Serial Killer Oscar Ray Bolin
The Vampire Next Door: True Story of the Vampire Rapist and Serial Killer


Author Links: Website / Goodreads / Bookbub / Facebook

~~~~~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Go HERE to visit more stops on the tour.

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

bookshelves photo: Bookshelf bookshelves.jpg

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

I’m also linking up with The Sunday Post hosted by Kimberly @Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

~~~~~

Some chit chat.

Something new this week and it ain’t good. Hurricane Barry developed in the Gulf and it came into Louisiana over the weekend. I can feel for those folks.  We felt some of those effects here. The Gulf was churning and the outer bands brought some strong rain storms along with coastal flooding, even though we weren’t hit directly by it. Just rain and a lot of it!

I did manage to squeeze in a little pool time earlier in the week. That was nice! Other than that it was work and more work. I need to get a life. LOL

And I’m collecting a lot of scary reads for my 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills feature in October. I review one book a day and have some creepy ones in store for you! I have to start now as that is a lot of books to read and review.

Have a lovely Sunday everyone.

~~~~~

My new books this week. I went a bit crazy grabbing some freebies, buying some I had on my wish list and taking in a few new review books.

Nana by [Massey, Brandon]  The Compound: A Thriller by [Follows, Ben]  The Absence of Screams: A Thriller by [Follows, Ben]

Humanity's Hope: Camp H by [Ferrell, Greg P.]  The Ghost Sensitive by [Gates, Lois Lee]  PREHISTORIC: A Dinosaur Anthology by [Shea, Hunter, Meikle, William, Curran, Tim, Wood, David, Waggoner, Tim, Jones, Geoff, Bible, Jake, Bracket, Jeff, Chesler, Rick, Baxter, Alan]

Turtle Cove: A Florida Gulf Coast Mystery by [Landau, Marc]  I Am Elle: A Psychological Thriller by [Kellen, Ditter]  The Experiment (The Kinship Series Book 3) by [Lamont, Robin]

~~~~~

And here are some FREEBIES for ya.

Click on the covers to get your copies. Remember to make sure they’re still free before you hit that buy button.

Eat, Drink, and Be Scary (A Ravenmist Whodunit Paranormal Cozy Mystery Book 1) by [Jaymes, Olivia]  Enchanting Blend (A Paramour Bay Cozy Paranormal Mystery Book 3) by [Layne, Kennedy]

Writing Mr. Right by [Leigh, T.K.]  The Last Single Girl (Brew Ha Ha #1) by [Quinlan, Bria]

What Hurts the Most: An engrossing, heart-stopping thriller (Mary Mills Mystery Book 1) by [Rose, Willow]  Hanover House: Kickoff to the Evelyn Talbot Chronicles by [Novak, Brenda]

~~~~~

Click on the cover for my review of PREHISTORIC.

PREHISTORIC: A Dinosaur Anthology by [Shea, Hunter, Meikle, William, Curran, Tim, Wood, David, Waggoner, Tim, Jones, Geoff, Bible, Jake, Bracket, Jeff, Chesler, Rick, Baxter, Alan]

~~~~~

Other posts on my blog this week.

Murder’s No Votive Confidence by Christin Brecher ~ Giveaway

Cozy Spotlight and Giveaway ~ Left Fur Dead by J.M. Griffin

Spotlight and Giveaway ~ Guilty As Charred by Devon Delaney

Books From The Backlog #14 ~ Six Of Crows

A Grudge. A Curse. A Gift. ~ Stranger Rituals ~ Spotlight and Giveaway

The Friday 56 #209 ~ The Experiment

Lady Luck by JA Huss as KC Cross ~ Blitz and Giveaway

The Shifter Chronicles by Michelle Areaux ~ Spotlight and Giveaway

No More Time by Suzanne Trauth~ Excerpt and Two Giveaways

Saturday Screams #64 ~ PREHISTORIC

~~~~~

Leave your link and I’ll come visit you.

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Welcome to my Saturday Screams where I share books that thrill and chill!

The moment I spotted this new release in Hunter Shea’s newsletter I rushed right over and grabbed me a copy!

~~~~~

PREHISTORIC – A Dinosaur Anthology #1

Edited by SJ Larsson

Written by multiple authors.by John F. Leonard

PREHISTORIC: A Dinosaur Anthology by [Shea, Hunter, Meikle, William, Curran, Tim, Wood, David, Waggoner, Tim, Jones, Geoff, Bible, Jake, Bracket, Jeff, Chesler, Rick, Baxter, Alan]

Genre: Horror / Thriller

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

My Review

I love my dinosaurs. Especially the mean and nasty ones. And you get plenty of those in this collection.  And I enjoy anthologies. You come across some authors you have enjoyed before and some new ones to explore.

It’s bloody mayhem from story to story. The dinosaurs rule and any man is a fool to think otherwise. Many characters meet their fate and a lucky few survive.

I found all of these enjoyable. Some were quick, bloody fun. And then were those that I wanted to continue. That I would have loved as full length books so I could connect even more with the characters, get more of the horrible, rampaging beasts and more of the atmosphere that had me so excited.

Something I took away from these stories was the new way the dinosaurs were presented. It’s a modern look at how dinosaurs are perceived now. How they might have really looked. It was long believed that they were cold blooded creatures and looked similar to lizards. You get something much different with most of these and I have a new respect for how terrifying they must have been.

I’m not one to play favorites so I won’t list any here. I will say some new authors have found their way to my must read more from list.

symbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,sign

~~~~~

Synopsis

PREHISTORIC is an action packed collection of stories featuring terrifying creatures that once ruled the Earth. Lost worlds where T-Rex and Velociraptors still roam and man is now on the menu. Laboratories at the forefront of cloning technology experiment with dinosaurs they do not understand or are able to contain. The deepest parts of the ocean where Megalodon, the largest and most ferocious predator to have ever existed is stalking new prey. Plus many more thrillers filled with extinct prehistoric monsters written by some of the best creature feature authors this side of the Jurassic period.

Amazon

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

bookshelves photo: Bookshelf bookshelves.jpg

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

I’m also linking up with The Sunday Post hosted by Kimberly @Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

~~~~~

Some chit chat.

I sure enjoyed those three days I had off this week. I spent some time in the pool. Took a few naps. Watched some movies and caught up on some shows. And relaxed, relaxed, relaxed! LOL

Is anyone feeling the HEAT? The heat index got as high as 111 this week. I couldn’t even stay in the pool too long as I was worried about getting fried and the water was actually more warm then cool. Whew, I fear what the summer will bring as it is only the beginning of July!

Have a lovely Sunday everyone.

~~~~~

My new books this week.

I grabbed this one up after reading Laurie’s review at Horror After Dark.

Sleep in the Dust of the Earth by [Hains, Anthony]

Sometimes they come back angry …

Ace’s life is satisfying in an ordinary sort of way. At twenty-five he’s deeply in love with his wife of two years, and he and Runa are expecting their first child. But when Ace’s mother-in-law passes away after a short illness, things take a turn for the weird.

Everyone in the family knows that Gretchen dabbled in the occult prior to her death, inviting friends over for occasional tarot card readings and séances. What most of them don’t know is that she spent a considerable amount of time training her grandchildren in the art of the uncanny. Now Brinn and Oliver appear to be experimenting with strange rituals—rituals linked to increasingly disturbing events.

To get a handle on what’s happening, Ace and Runa begin investigating Gretchen’s explorations into the supernatural. But it will take time, and a shocking series of developments, for them to discover how high the stakes are for their growing family.

~~~

And I came across this freebie on Amazon. Loved the cover and decided to try the author.

Unbound: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller Series (Dawn of Deception Book 1) by [Shaw, A. R.]

In a post-apocalyptic world, Sloane Delaney struggles to keep her daughters safe. With all her neighbors gone and her abusive second husband dead, Sloane and her daughters, Mae and Wren, maintain a dangerous charade to keep looters at bay from their neighborhood. When young Nicole shows up on their doorstep, nearly dead from dehydration and starvation as a result of her father’s growing paranoia, she joins the determined group as they adjust to life without most of the luxuries they had previously taken for granted. Aided by a pack of abandoned dogs, the women are able to project an image of an occupied and active neighborhood until corrupt FEMA agents arrive on the scene, threatening their hard-won sense of security. Fleeing their now-unsafe home, Sloane and her girls head for the woods and an abandoned old house Sloane is sure will be a safe haven for at least a few days. She doesn’t count on the handsome and helpful Dr. Kent having also taken refuge there. With her girls’ lives on the line, can Sloane learn to trust again in this dangerous new world?

The above cover is the one I own. Here’s the one on Goodreads.

40669713. sy475

Which do you like more?

~~~~~

And here are some FREEBIES for ya.

Click on the covers to get your copies. Remember to make sure they’re still free before you hit that buy button.

Fancy That: a contemporary romantic comedy by [Acosta, Marta]  Can I Be Frank? (Father Frank Book 1) by [Wyatt, Rob]

Fear the Wolf by [Butcher, Andrew]  Broken World: A Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Novel by [Mary, Kate L.]

The Boat Man: A Suspense Thriller (A Reed & Billie Novel Book 1) by [Stevens, Dustin]  His First His Second (An Alicia Friend Investigation Book 1) by [Davies, A. D.]

Paradise Crime Thrillers Box Set: Books 1-3: Vigilante Justice Thriller Series (Paradise Crime Thriller Box Set Book 1) by [Neal, Toby]

Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper Books 1-3: Three complete novels by [Bryan, JL]

~~~~~

My reviews this week. Click on the covers to check them out.

43533244  46638843. sy475

~~~~~

Other posts on my blog this week.

Once Upon A Death by Dzintra Sullivan ~ Spotlight and Giveaway

Blitz and Giveaway ~ See No More by W.B. Dineen

The Kid’s Korner #37 ~ Don’t Drink The Pink

Spotlight and Giveaway ~ The Sisterhood Series by Chelsi Arnold

Books From The Backlog #13 ~ Creatures Of The Storm

The Friday 56 #208 ~ Sweet Wild Of Mine

Rose by Rami Ungar ~ Spotlight and Giveaway

Saturday Screams #63 ~ Congeal

~~~~~

Leave your link and I’ll come visit you.

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Welcome to my Saturday Screams where I share books that thrill and chill!

Today I’m sharing an ooey gooey one!

~~~~~

Congeal

by John F. Leonard

46638843. sy475

Genre: Horror

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

My Review

I love a scary good read, whether in large doses or in nibbles. Congeal is a small book with plenty of big scenes. One in particular was sad and I wished hadn’t happened.

How do I describe the plot. I’m thinking equal parts The Blob and Cloverfield, the movies. With some touches of John Carpenter’s The Thing. Whatever it is that oozes up from the bowels of the earth and seeks to consume everything on the planet is terrifying.

The author sets up the story quickly, brings the characters to life and then unleashes some wild scenes. Many don’t survive.

Take a look at the fabulous cover. That’s just one of the things you have to worry about with this stuff. Is it sentient? What will stop it? Can it be stopped? All questions I had to know the answers to. Did I get those answers? Some, yes. Some, I drew my own conclusions. And that’s okay. A good book should keep me thinking about if afterwards.

I was wrapped up in this immediately and could easily have read Congeal as a full length novel. Short stories are meant to be read in gulps and the author did a great job.

symbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,sign

~~~~~

Synopsis

It starts with reports on the news of an inland lake turning semi-solid.
Surely, a media joke, some lame April Fool’s prank?
The before and after pictures are vaguely ludicrous and oddly disturbing, the contrast stark and strange.
First, darkly rippling water that hints at hidden depths. Slightly spooky and perfectly normal. Next, a putrid blotch of clotted sludge which bears little resemblance to anything aquatic.

It isn’t a joke.
And pretty soon, that greasy, sickening substance isn’t confined to an inland lake.
It’s spreading. Flowing over fields and filling streets.
Each morning brings a new revelation. Countryside denuded of life and towns empty and echoing.
The night is when it changes, becomes something that consumes. Something infinitely worse than a congealed impossibility.

CONGEAL is a short tale of apocalyptic horror. How the world ends may not be how you expect. Nuclear Armageddon or a zombie apocalypse could get beaten to the punch.
Our apocalypse may come from below.
An ancient, cosmic entity bubbling up to the surface in search of food.
It’s also the story of one individual and her fight to stay afloat in a sea of despair.

Amazon

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Welcome to The Kid’s Korner.

I decided to do this feature as I have so many great children’s books to share. From picture books, to books for beginning readers, to middle graders, I have plenty of fun ones.

Today I’m sharing Don’t Drink The Pink. What a magical, fun story.

~~~~~

 Don’t Drink The Pink

  by B.C.R. Fegan

43533244

 

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Children’s Book

My Review

I was enchanted by this book.

The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. So much detail and vibrant colors with lots to see.

And this is a rhyming book.  So smooth and fun to read, I almost sang it the second time around.

Don’t Drink The Pink is a magical story. From age one to fourteen, on Madeline’s birthday, her beloved grandfather lets her choose a potion, always warning her not to drink the pink. Each potion has a magical element, giving her abilities like invisibility and flying. On her fifteenth birthday we finally learn why her grandfather wanted her to wait to drink the pink.

As soon as I finished this I read it again. And I’ve read it several times since. I’ve also read a couple of other books by the author including The Day That A Ran Away and Don’t Ever Look Behind Door 32. I loved Don’t Drink The Pink just as much and can only imagine the delight on children’s faces once they’ve experienced this story too.

symbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,sign

Thanks so much to TaleBlade for a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.

~~~~~

Synopsis

Follow the special relationship between Madeline and her Grandfather as they both grow and share in the most magical birthday experiences. Filled with secrets to uncover and brimming with imagination, Don’t Drink the Pink explores a number of basic concepts including colors, numbers and the reality of growing older.

Amazon

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.