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Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

The Adventures Of Mitee Mite ~ Learning Can Be Fun

Posted: January 17, 2018 in Children's books, reviews
Tags: childen's picture books, review, The Adventures Of Mitee Mite

The Adventures of Mitee Mite Series

Author: David John

Publisher: Mitee Mite

Pages: 120 pages total in series

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

My Review

This is a set of five books teaching children about measuring, recognizing shapes, counting money, and learning to tell time, with the fifth book being an advanced book about time. Each page has a question and when you turn the page the answer is provided. And the pages are filled with brightly colored illustrations to add to the fun while learning.

I was surprised by how many questions I got wrong. Especially with measuring. My son, who is now grown, also had trouble with some of the questions. Do you know how many feet are in a mile? How about how many sides does a pentagon have? We went through all five books, having a good time and laughing at some of the fun pictures. If we had this much fun, imagine how much fun your little ones will have.

Parents and teachers will find these to be handy educational tools and the young ones will have so much fun they’ll forget they’re learning.

And Mitee Mite gives back. Each time a book is sold, one is given away and donations are made to teachers and children in need from book sale proceeds.

5 Stars

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Description

Building on a desire to teach children about time, shapes, measurements, and money, author David John created THE ADVENTURES OF MITEE MITE series. In the same way that many of us learned our ABCs, the book and app (available on Google Play and iTunes) collection helps young readers learn how many seconds are in a minute, the number of sides different shapes contain, and more, using a catchy tune that captures their attention and motivates learning.

Focusing on children from age 3 to 11 years old, THE ADVENTURES OF MITEE MITE book and app series offers its readers a dynamic female superhero, Mitee Mite, as their guide through the often tricky terrain involved with mastering time, shapes, measurements, and money. In her matching red cape and boots, Mitee Mite, accompanied by her alarm clock sidekick, Terry the Ticker, activates her superpowers by using her manners, respecting others, and accurately answering questions in the games she encounters during her adventures.

The five books in THE ADVENTURES OF MITEE MITE book and app series include The Time Frame Game and The Time Frame Game Advanced, which break down seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, and years to teach readers the fundamentals of time. The Measuring Game explores the components of feet, yards, and miles, as well as cups, pints, quarts, and gallons. Mitee Mite teaches kids about currency in The Money Game and dives into a colorful world of triangles, squares, hexagons, and more in The Shape Game. The companion song for this series (available at www.miteemite.com) helps kinds absorb the skills in an enjoyable and interactive way.

The idea for THE ADVENTURES OF MITEE MITE book and app series came about when David was faced with a dire challenge. “One day as I was babysitting my friends’ children, and not having any idea what to do, I made up fun games to help them learn,” David revealed. The goal of the series is to expose children to a variety of lessons in a manner that is fun, relatable, and memorable. David says, “Mitee Mite was created to help give children a head start on the basics of time, measurements, shapes, and money.”

David’s daughter, whom he calls his “Little Mite,” is the inspiration for the main character and the themes of the series. David’s desire to teach his daughter the basic skills featured in THE ADVENTURES OF MITEE MITE book and app series has expanded into the goal of sharing these lessons with other children through his “You Buy, They Read” program. “We plan to give away one book for every one bought to kids in need.” In addition, David will donate $1 for every $2 of the gross sales of apps to teachers “who are going into their own pockets to buy supplies.”

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkeJmSC1-Xw

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About Author David John

David John is the author of The Adventures of Mitee Mite book and app series. The series follows the adventures of superhero Mitee Mite and her sidekick, Terry the Ticker. The five titles in the series are The Time Frame Game (Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-9860919-0-2; Softcover ISBN: 978-0-9860919-6-4), The Measuring Game (Softcover ISBN: 978-0-9860919-2-6), The Money Game (Softcover ISBN: 978-0-9860919-4-0), The Shape Game (Softcover ISBN: 978-0-9860919-3-3), and The Time Frame Game Advanced (Softcover ISBN: 978-0-9860919-5-7). Complementary apps for each book are available on Google Play and iTunes. The companion song is available at the website: www.miteemite.com.

David lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with his wife and daughter. He enjoys spending time with his family, playing hockey, and creating new stories for The Adventures of Mitee Mite book and app series.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Twitter ¦ Facebook

Blog Tour Organised by:

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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

What’s New On My Bookshelf #241 and The Sunday Post

Posted: January 14, 2018 in Freebies!, giveaways, reviews, What's New on My Bookshelf
Tags: fuonlyknew, my weekly news, The Sunday Post

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.

Sunday Post

Some chit chat.

Well, the first week back at work was uneventful. As was anything else this week. I did read some good books and tuned in to the telly for some fun movies and shows. But it seems the weather is utmost on my mind. Crazy stuff this year. We had a nice warm up into the 70s. Then it started to get blustery and cold Friday. Dipped below freezing overnight and freezing winds out there now. It looks like most of next week will be freakish cold too. Please let spring come. Please! LOL

*****

My new books this week.

*****

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.

*****

This weeks reviews. Click on the covers to view them.

*****

Lullaby & The Keeper ~ More From The Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper Series

Posted: January 11, 2018 in horror, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews
Tags: Author J.L. Bryan, Ellie Jordan: Ghost Trapper, Horror, paranormal, reviews

I love the Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper series and got two new reviews to share with you. There’s no spoilers as I don’t reveal any events besides things already mentioned in the blurbs. Check out what the ghost trapping team have been up to.

The first book is free right now.

Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper by [Bryan, JL]

Click on the links below to grab a copy.

Amazon / B&N

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Lullaby

Ellie Jordan: Ghost Trapper #7

by J. L. Bryan

Genre: Horror / Paranormal

My Review

They say bad things come in threes.

Ellie was able to stop a murderous foe from killing her friends, but it came at a cost. Her boyfriend now languishes in a coma. The paranormal investigation business has new owners and her new boss is as deadly as some of the ghosts she comes up against. And her newest case pits her against a monster who’s sights are set on an innocent child. Ellie and her assistant and best friend, Stacey, will have to be creative to get through the times ahead in one piece.

Just like the previous books, the action gets going and never stops. Ellie is one tough cookie. Sleep deprived and physically battered and exhausted, she’s like the Energizer Bunny…she keeps on going. I love that she stands tall, even when she’s scared. And she has plenty to fear.

I couldn’t have stopped reading if I wanted to. I ate this up in one sitting, loving every creepy, nail biting bit of it. If you haven’t been reading this series yet, you should. And the first book is free. Go grab a copy and get started.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Life is more difficult than ever at Savannah’s only ghost-hunting detective agency. While Ellie copes with her mentor’s departure and other unwelcome developments, she also worries about the supernatural injuries keeping her boyfriend caught in an endless slumber.

At the same time, Ellie and Stacey are called in to investigate an eerie entity haunting a baby’s nursery room. The ghost appears late at night, its face barely visible on the baby monitor, and sings a chilling song.

Soon, Ellie learns there are more ghosts in the house, and at least one of them is a dangerous, child-hunting monster who must be stopped before it kills again.

Amazon / B&N / Audible

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The Keeper

Ellie Jordan: Ghost Trapper #8

by J. L. Bryan

Genre: Horror / Paranormal

My Review

As soon as I finished the previous book I downloaded this one and dove in. This time we’re following Ellie and Stacey as they investigate a haunting at a famous movie stars new home. Attached is an old lighthouse with a lot of history. Attached to all of that is some nasty spirits. Time to get trapping.

Ellie’s still tiptoeing around her nasty new boss. She’s putting up with an annoying new team member. And she’s unsure what her next move should be. That’s all put on hold while she deals with a whole bunch of angry ghosts that are threatening the lives of the new client and her family.

I always thought a lighthouse would be a good place for a ghost to haunt. It’s isolated and creepy, especially by the ocean, where there are only so many ways to run. I knew Ellie would ignore the warnings about staying away from it because its falling apart. What I didn’t expect was how smart and creative she was in going about it. Sure, it didn’t go as smoothly as she had planned, but it worked.

I had just finished the last book and dove right into this one, once again reading straight through without stopping. The suspense wouldn’t let go and I had to see how it all played out. A few things that had been worrying me worked out nicely at the end. I couldn’t see how the author would pull it off but he did a bang up job if it. I’m now on the next book, The Tower, and its promising to be just as good. Looks like another night of reading into the wee hours. But I don’t mind the lack of sleep. The stories are that fun.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

The South Channel lighthouse is a crumbling antique at the mouth of the Savannah River, abandoned and forgotten for generations. Local stories still tell of a mysterious woman in white who often stood at the old lighthouse, watching the sailors come into port…even long after she died.

Now the property by the lighthouse is owned by a famous movie star in search of a remote beach getaway on sleepy Tybee Island. Unfortunately, old ghosts haunt her new retreat, stirred up by the construction of a luxurious new mansion. Ellie, Stacey, and their team must remove the ghosts, who grow more dangerous and aggressive every night, threatening the lives of the client and her family and personal staff.

The lighthouse has a dark history, with many ghosts, and mysteries to unravel before Ellie can send them on to the other side.

Amazon / B&N / Audible

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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

The Kid’s Korner #27 ~ If You Were Me And Lived In …. Renaissance Italy

Posted: January 10, 2018 in Children's books, Historical, reviews
Tags: Carole P. Roman, children's book, historical, non-fiction, renaiisance italy, review

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 another fun book in the If You Were Me And Lived In… series by Carole P. Roman.

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If You Were Me And Lived In…

Renaissance Italy

by Carole P. Roman

Genre: Education / Adventure / Historical / Children’s Book

Grade Level: 5 – 14

My Review

Carole P. Roman once again takes us back in time. This stop, Renaissance Italy.

You’ll learn all about some of the famous people and artists of the times like Leonardo Da Vinci, Galileo Galalei, Michelangelo and many more. And the wonderful illustrations show you how people lived, what they wore and what they celebrated, among other things. And the glossary provided at the end of the book proves quite handy.

I particularly liked learning about what the people ate, and how the practice of art evolved. And I always wondered how they cleaned their clothes. They didn’t have washing machines. What I discovered was fascinating.

Just like the other books I’ve read in this series, I learned a lot and your children will too. This book is a wonderful teaching tool and also a grand adventure.

5 Stars

Here’s a glimpse inside.

You might have lived in a home like this, called a palazzo. This was fun to learn as I’d seen homes like these in many movies but never knew they had a name for the style.

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And here’s what you might have worn. It took a long time to get dressed, as there were many layers.

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Synopsis

Join Carole P. Roman and travel through time to visit the most interesting civilizations throughout history in the first four books of her new series. Learn what kind of food you might eat in Florence, Italy, the clothes you wore in the 15th century, what your name could be, and what children did for fun. If You Were Me and Lived in…does for history what her other award-winning series did for culture. So get on-board this time-travel machine and discover the world through the eyes of a young person just like you.

Amazon / B&N

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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

My Monday Minis #35 ~The Tannenbaum Tailors and the Secret Snowball

Posted: January 8, 2018 in Action/Adventure, Children's books, Freebies!, Holidays, reviews
Tags: Adventure, children's book, Holiday, review

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

Today’s book is one from my holiday list. So cute and fun.

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The Tannenbaum Tailors and the Secret Snowball

by JB Michaels

Genre: Holiday / Adventure / Children’s Book

My Review

Strap yourself in. It’s going to be a bumpy ride aboard the Icicle ship. Will Captain Brendan and the Tannenbaum Tailors be able to save Christmas from the Spiritless Elves?

Wouldn’t it be super if these wee folks were real? Imagine tiny elves scampering on your Christmas tree, making sure there’s no faulty wiring that will cause a fire and polishing the bulbs to make it merry and bright.

And with any good adventure, there’s usually a bad guy or two. The Spiritless elves try to ruin the festivities and that’s where the action really begins.

This was such a fun, action packed adventure and a whole new look at Christmas. I’d say it’s aimed at middle grade readers but don’t let that stop you mature readers from jumping in. I think you’ll find this joining your holiday reading list.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

They are the Tannenbaum Tailors: elves charged with maintaining Christmas trees in homes around the world. Without the Tailors’ efforts, families might lose their Christmas spirit. And this year, one team of Tailors will be tested like never before.

With the North Pole itself under attack, newly promoted Captain Brendan is assigned a special mission: conceal the source of Santa’s power within a Christmas tree in Chicago. On Christmas Eve, Santa will pick it up.

The job would be simple, but the Tailors find themselves facing a serious threat””the thieving Spiritless elves, already responsible for sabotaging the North Pole Home Tree, will do anything to gain control of the very thing that makes Christmas possible.

Equally bad, Christmas spirit is at an all-time low in the Chicago home where Brendan’s assigned.

The family’s mother even wants to take the tree down before Christmas Eve! To save Christmas, Captain Brendan and his Tailors will have to use every spirit-raising trick they know””and possibly even bend a few rules to pull it off.

Combining holiday cheer with action and thrills,

The Tannenbaum Tailors and the Secret Snowball reads like Raiders of the Lost Ark in a Christmas tree.

Amazon / B&N

I got this as a free download. Click on the links above to grab a copy.

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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.

What’s New On My Bookshelf #240 and The Sunday Post

Posted: January 7, 2018 in Freebies!, giveaways, reviews, What's New on My Bookshelf
Tags: fuonlyknew, my weekly news, The Sunday Post

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.

Sunday Post

Some chit chat.

It’s a new year and I’m hoping the rest of it is better than the start. These frigid temps are crazy. I know many may laugh at our dips into the 20s, but, if you’re not used to it, it’s horrible. Enough already! I can’t recall ever having a winter vortex last this long. I miss warm salty breezes, birds singing, flip flops and the pool. If I got in now, I’d probably die of shock. LOL

Remember this photo from last week? How beautiful and green this was?

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Well, after temps in the low 20s every night this week, it now looks like this. But, it will bounce back in the spring and probably be even larger.

20180103_121641

My banana trees got frozen. For those who don’t know, the trees are filled with water so they freeze easily. While these look dead now, once I trim them back in a couple of months they will grow quickly and hopefully I will get some bananas again this year. I’m thinking of doing a running feature about the process once I get started.

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The oranges are hanging in there. I’ve noticed the branches are dipping closer to the ground and I’m afraid they might have frozen. I’ll pick some and check them out this week.

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That’s it for this week. I hope you had a Happy New Year!

*****

My new books this week.

*****

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.

*****

This weeks reviews. Click on the covers to view them.

*****

Freakin Fridays #62 ~ Eight ….. Eight What?

Posted: January 5, 2018 in Freakin Friday, horror, reviews
Tags: Eight, Freakin Fridays, Horror, review, W W Mortensen

Welcome to Freakin Fridays, where I share my reviews of books that scare you, thrill you, and get those endorphins pumping.

Today’s book gave me the creeps!

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Eight

by W W Mortensen

Genre: Horror

My Review

What do a man trying to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps, an entomologist, the US Military and some drug runners have in common? Even they can’t imagine what it is. But its out there. Waiting to introduce itself.

What started out to be a race to discover a new source of energy turns into a death trap no one could have seen coming. The author really built on this, fleshing out his character’s so you form connections, dribbling in why each one would even be on this expedition, then dropping you into a tropical hell of mega proportions.

I can’t imagine too many things more terrifying than being in a tropical jungle, far from any chance of rescue, being attacked by huge…things. You get a front row seat. I live in a tropical state and can get the gist of what the stifling humidity must have been like. The swarms of mosquitoes too. But the bugs that burrow under your skin and make themselves at home? Nope. And who knows what’s out there watching you from the dark. So close and unable to be seen. Not to mention some nasty humans with their own agendas.

While the beginning of the book is all about getting there and the who’s who of the characters, just you wait. The last half of the book steamrolls with suspense and horror. Good thing I don’t get nightmares easily. Some of the scenes would have me peeking through my fingers if this were a movie..

The blurb does nothing to give away what lurks in these pages so I won’t either. Suspense, thrills and horror are the order of the day here. If that sounds like your cuppa tea, give this a go.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

TERROR HAS A NEW SPECIES

Deep in the Amazon, the solution to the global energy crisis has been found; a mysterious source of power set to end our dependency on oil.

When she receives stunning photographs related to the discovery – courtesy of expedition leader and former partner, Ed Reardon – entomologist Rebecca Riley finds herself on the next flight to Brazil, heading down to join the team of scientists assembling there. She hasn’t seen Ed for more than a year, and their relationship hadn’t ended well.

But his revelation is impossible to ignore.

What she and Ed uncover is beyond imagination: strange statues in the jungle… a ruined city built by the refugees of a lost Pacific continent… and a terrifying new species of animal.

Forced to confront a crippling childhood phobia she’d thought long dead and buried, Rebecca realizes this new species is no ordinary enemy.

It is an ancient enemy, one whose very existence has implications for all of humankind… and the planet itself.

Amazon / B&N

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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

My Monday Minis #34 ~ Hell Divers!

Posted: January 1, 2018 in apocalypse, reviews, Science Fiction
Tags: Hell Divers #1 and #2, Nicholas Sansbury Smith, post-apocalyptic, review, Science Fiction

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

It’s a new year and it was an easy pick on which book would be my first review for 2018. It’s actually two books from the Hell Divers Series by Nicholas Sansbury Smith.

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Hell Divers #1

by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

Genre: Science Fiction / Post Apocalyptic

My Review

World War III happened a long time ago. The Earth is now scorched and uninhabitable. The remains of humanity reside is large air ships that are slowly falling apart. Hell Divers are the only hope left. They make dangerous dives to the planet to scour for anything that could be used to keep the ships afloat. It’s a dangerous job. From the moment they jump they have to worry about massive storms. If they make it to the surface without being fried by lightning, they have to worry about the mutant life forms that now call the planet theirs.

This had everything I could have hoped for. Real life characters, danger and action leaping off the pages, and some nasty mutant creatures. It’s all presented in strong writing. And I used my imagination and several movies to visualize the story.

While I try not too choose a favorite character so I can enjoy them all, one just wouldn’t stop popping into my head. X. Oh, X. How I do love thee!

About the ending. Say it isn’t so! I had to know what would happen next and rushed right over to grab the next book. While there, I went ahead and pre-ordered the third book. Let the fun continue.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

More than two centuries after World War III poisoned the planet, the final bastion of humanity lives on massive airships circling the globe in search for a habitable area to call home. Aging and outdated, most of the ships plummeted back to earth long ago. Enter the Hell Divers—men and women who risk their lives by diving to the surface to scavenge for parts that keep their homes in the air. When one of the two surviving airships is damaged in an electrical storm, a Hell Diver team is deployed to a hostile zone called Hades. But there’s something down there that’s far worse than the mutated creatures discovered on dives in the past—something that threatens the fragile future of humanity.

Amazon / B&N / Audible

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Hell Divers #2

Ghosts

by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

Genre: Science Fiction / Post Apocalyptic

My Review

After the ending for the first book, which nearly killed me, I was clapping my hands in stupid glee when I read the beginning for this second book. I got all silly, talking out loud to myself about how good this was going to be.

It’s many years later and there’s some new divers in town. They don’t have much of a life expectancy and recruits are always needed. When disaster strikes the sister ship and a risky rescue is attempted, no one could have foreseen what was to come. The conspiracies that would be revealed. The secrets kept. And…what horrors waited below, on the surface.

Man, I hope they make these books into movies. They are freakin fantastic. Action explodes off the pages. Creepy things scare the crap out of you. Suspense has you chewing your fingernails. And the character’s grab hold of you and won’t let go.

Is this book as good as the first one? Hell yes! And I’ve already pre-ordered the third one. Now waiting anxiously for it to be released. Stay tuned.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Ten years ago, Hell Diver Xavier “X” Rodriguez fell to Earth. Those he left behind went on without him aboard the airship he once called home.

Michael Everheart — the boy once known as Tin — has grown into a man and the commander of Hell Diver Raptor Team. While Michael dives to help keep the Hive in the air, Captain Leon Jordan rules with an iron fist at the helm of the ship. But unrest stirs under his strict leadership as a prophecy of hope sweeps the lower decks.

When a mysterious distress signal calls the Hell Divers to the surface, Michael and his loyal team begin to uncover long-buried truths and the secrets Captain Jordan will do anything to keep. They dive so humanity survives… but will they survive the ultimate betrayal?

Amazon / B&N / Audible

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And coming this summer 2018!

Warning: Contains spoilers from the other books. Read on only if you’ve read the other books.

Hell Divers #3

Deliverance

by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

Genre: Science Fiction / Post Apocalyptic

Synopsis

They will dive, but will humanity survive?

Left for dead on the nightmarish surface of the planet, Commander Michael Everhart and his team of Hell Divers barely escape with their lives aboard a new airship called Deliverance. After learning that Xavier ”X” Rodriguez may still be alive, they mount a rescue mission for the long-lost hero.

In the skies, the Hive is falling apart, but Captain Jordan is more determined than ever to keep humanity in their outdated lifeboat. He will do whatever it takes to keep the ship in the air — even murder. But when he learns the Hell Divers he exiled have found Deliverance, he changes course for a new mission — find the divers, kill them, and make their new ship his own.

In the third installment of the USA Today bestselling Hell Divers series, Michael and his fellow divers fight across the mutated landscape in search of X. But what they find will change everything

Pre-Order Links

Amazon / B&N / Audible

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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.

What’s New On My Bookshelf #239 and The Sunday Post

Posted: December 31, 2017 in Freebies!, giveaways, Meme, reviews, What's New on My Bookshelf
Tags: fuonlyknew, The Sunday Post, weekly news

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.

Sunday Post

Some chit chat.

We’ve had some unusual weather this winter. Don’t normally see cold snaps until later in January and February and they don’t last long. So far we’ve had several brief forays into the 30s and even got a little bit of snow, though it didn’t last long. And I’ve been lucky as my plants and shrubs, which flourished this summer, have weathered the cold well, so far.

This beauty is the biggest I’ve ever seen it and I had to trim it back. Haven’t been doing much with my green things and looks like some creepers are trying to get warm under it. And Quigley snuck in for a bootie shot. LOL To give you an idea of its size, Quigley is 100+ pounds.

20171230_110714

And with winter comes oranges. My miniature orange tree is so full of fruit the branches are dipping towards the ground. You can glimpse some of my banana trees behind it. They usually turn brown and I trim them later so they’ll come back bigger and stronger in the spring. Hopefully I’ll get more bananas to show you and there won’t be a hurricane to kill them next year.

Sorry about the finger in the photo. Didn’t notice it until I downloaded the pictures and too lazy to go take more. LOL

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Here’s a picture displaying their size.

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They’re bite sized and so deliciously sweet. I eat them peel and all. LOL

It’s hard to believe it will be dipping into the 20s tonight. And I have a feeling some of my plants will go bye bye until the spring. Not the oranges though. Unless they get really frozen over many days, they stay happy.

That’s it for this week. I hope you had a Merry Christmas and wishing you a Happy New Year!

*****

My new books this week.

I read a bunch of Peter Tremayne’s books for my October Horror feature and had to grab Trollnight. What a cover, eh? And I finally broke down and ordered the paperback copies of Nightstruck and Night Magic.

And it looks like 2018 is going to be another year of the zombies! LOL

*****

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.

*****

This weeks reviews. Click on the covers to view them.

*****

Freakin Fridays #61 ~ Killer Spiders and Killer Whales

Posted: December 29, 2017 in horror, reviews, thriller
Tags: Freakin Fridays, Fury Of The Orcas, Horror, reviews, thriller, Zero Day

Welcome to Freakin Fridays, where I share my reviews of books that scare you, thrill you, and get those endorphins pumping.

Today I’m sharing a couple of scary good ones about freaks of nature.

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Fury Of The Orcas

by Hunter Shea

Genre: Thriller

My Review

Being a huge fan of Hunter’s books and having a fascination for the creatures of the sea, I was quite excited to get my hands on this book.

It starts quickly. Something is wrong with the Orcas. Incidents of the mammals attacking and killing humans isn’t just confined to the theme parks. They’re also focusing on ships at sea and oil rigs. The author spares no one and this is a favorite trade mark of mine. Hunter isn’t above killing off his main character’s and that keeps suspense at a maximum.

There’s plenty of gory bits to keep horror fans happy. For the first time, I was more on the whale’s side than the humans. I didn’t warm up to the characters and some scenes of Orca’s being massacred tugged at my love for the magnificent creatures. I felt they were more victims than monsters.

And there was a lot of sex. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against it, but most of the time it just felt like it interrupted the story and was unnecessary. And when I found out why the Orcas were going crazy, I was a bit confused. I was hoping for something more natural. Also, at times this didn’t feel like a Hunter Shea book. Perhaps because it was more of a thriller than straight up horror.

I enjoyed this book, but it’s not a favorite. That said, Hunter Shea is still one of my go to authors for horror. In fact, I’ve already pre-ordered his next release.

3 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

They call them the wolves of the sea.

From marine parks to the deepest oceans, the world’s killer whale population has turned against man and beast alike. Orca show trainers are ripped to pieces before stunned audiences. Ships are capsized. Oil rigs are bashed without mercy. What has driven the apex predators stark raving mad?

Chet Clarke has dedicated his life to preserving the health and dignity of orcas in captivity. Along with orca trainer Rosario Benitez, he embarks on a whirlwind journey across the globe to witness unconscionable carnage and uncover the mystery for the sudden outbreak of mania. Is this the start of a catastrophic pandemic? Or do the clues lead to an enigmatic experiment in the wilds of Alaska and shadow operations in a Russian ghost town? Time is running out faster than the lives of those in the path of the orcas.

Amazon / B&N

~~~~~

Zero Day

The Hatching #3

by Ezekiel Boone

Genre: Horror

My Review

To say that the world went to Hell in a handbasket is putting it mildly. America isn’t doing so well. The first spider outbreak was fast and furious, killing millions before the spiders mysteriously just died off. The second wave was worse, with the spiders coming at humans in new and sneakier ways. And now, with roads destroyed, communication iffy, the spiders still coming, and everyone pointing the blame at someone else, it’s not looking too good.

I really enjoyed the first two books and my imagination ran wild as to how the author would wrap up his series. There’s lots of characters and many I’d grown fond of. But, being a horror novel, I wouldn’t have been surprised to see some of them meet bloody, sticky ends. While I felt the author played it safe in the beginning, I never let my guard down.

My spidey sense was tingling as the book raced to its conclusion. I couldn’t see the ending and was happy with how the author wrapped it up. And while I wouldn’t have minded a bit more spider action, this was still a creeping, crawling thrill.

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

In the finale of Ezekiel Boone’s Hatching series, the United States goes to war against the queen spiders that threaten to overtake the human race forever.

The world is on the brink of apocalypse. Zero Day has come.

The only thing more terrifying than millions of spiders is the realization that those spiders work as one. But among the government, there is dissent: do we try to kill all of the spiders, or do we gamble on Professor Guyer’s theory that we need to kill only the queens?

For President Stephanie Pilgrim, it’s an easy answer. She’s gone as far as she can—more than two dozen American cities hit with tactical nukes, the country torn asunder—and the only answer is to believe in Professor Guyer. Unfortunately, Ben Broussard and the military men who follow him don’t agree, and Pilgrim, Guyer, and the loyal members of the government have to flee, leaving the question: what’s more dangerous, the spiders or ourselves?

Pre – Order Links

Amazon / B&N

~~~~~

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