Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

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.

Another week of not much new. Been watching The Mist and Zoo and both of these aren’t doing anything for me. I rewatched Stranger Things and got caught up on Once Upon and iZombie.

As for books. I’ve finished a bunch and working on reviews. I’ve actually started working on my October posts. I want to have fun this Halloween. And doing some stuff for Christmas too. I have a bunch of holiday reads and want to share them and maybe have a couple of cute giveaways this year.

Other than that, been spending time with family. My brother and Mom head back north today and I’ll sure miss them. Time will fly, they’ll get fed up with the cold, and after the new year I expect a phone call saying they’re heading back down. LOL

I’ll be heading over to your posts soon. Happy Sunday!

*****

My new books this week.

25058360  34464085  28941920

34600023  35832396  32717348

*****

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.

Demon Street Blues (Wicked Good Witches Book 1) by [Silver, Starla, Quinn,Humphrey]  Alpha Knows Best (Wicked Good Witches Book 2) by [Silver, Starla, Quinn,Humphrey]  Bye Bye Bloodsucker (Wicked Good Witches Book 3) by [Silver, Starla, Quinn,Humphrey]

Ghast Me Gently (Wicked Good Witches Book 4) by [Silver, Starla]  Firemancer (Fated Saga Box Set Book 1) by [D'aigle, R. H.]  Magicante (Fated Saga Box Set Book 2) by [D'aigle, R. H.]

Serial Killers Encyclopedia: The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers from A to Z by [Parker Ph.D, RJ, Slate,JJ]  Forever Fifteen (The Lucia Alberti Series Book 1) by [Steele, Kimberly]  Harry Watt Bounty Hunter: 2150 AD - And Harry's Life Just Got More Complicated by [Guy, Rob]

Goliath (A Ryan Mitchell Thriller Book 1) by [Turner, Richard]  The Gates: An Apocalyptic Horror Novel (Hell on Earth Book 1) by [Wright, Iain Rob]  The Meek (Unbound Trilogy Book 1) by [Palmer, J.D.]

*****

Books I reviewed this week. Click on the covers to read my reviews.

25688183  29996760

32796253  15790934

*****

Other posts on my blog this week.

My Monday Minis reviews #63 ~ Guarded and Bound

Freakin Fridays #55 ~ Final Girls and ZOO

The Friday 56 #162 ~ Pulse: The Forever Man

A Tourist Trap Mystery ~ Killer Party by Lynn Cahoon ~ Tour and Giveaway

Ooh…Mermaids! Sink by M.E. Rhines ~ Excerpt and Giveaway

A Desolate Hour by Mae Clair ~ Tour and Giveaway

Book Blast ~ The Supernatural Pet Sitter: The Curse by Diane Moat

Vote for Updrift by Errin Stevens and enter the giveaway

*****

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.

 

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

I’ve got some thrillers to share today. Final Girls and ZOO.

Both of these were more like 3 1/2 stars but, since I don’t do half stars, I bumped them up.

~~~~~

Final Girls

by Riley Sager

32796253

 

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Mystery / Thriller

My Review

I’m always on the lookout for a new thriller and this has been making the rounds. I won a copy and dove right in.

I was pulled in by the beginning. Not so much by any action, as by the idea of this book. There’s three girls who’ve all lived through different homicidal massacres, each years apart. They are all lone survivors. All three are Final Girls.

From here, it’s predictable but still interesting. The first Final Girl dies a suspicious death and the other two girls band together for safety in numbers. Seems like a good idea. Or maybe not. One girl can’t remember her experience and the other seems to know more about it than she does. Okay, that sets up the suspense.

I’ve read a lot of thrillers. Seen a bunch of movies in the genre. So I kind of knew the formula. Even with some gruesome scenes and a twsit or two, I just wasn’t all that thrilled. Maybe it was my mood. Or perhaps I’ve been reading too many books in this genre.

I did like this book. Just never found that extra oomph to make me love it. I’d still recommend it.

   4  Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror movie–scale massacre. In an instant, she became a member of a club no one wants to belong to—a group of similar survivors known in the press as the Final Girls. Lisa, who lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout’s knife; Sam, who went up against the Sack Man during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and now Quincy, who ran bleeding through the woods to escape Pine Cottage and the man she refers to only as Him. The three girls are all attempting to put their nightmares behind them, and, with that, one another. Despite the media’s attempts, they never meet.

Now, Quincy is doing well—maybe even great, thanks to her Xanax prescription. She has a caring almost-fiancé, Jeff; a popular baking blog; a beautiful apartment; and a therapeutic presence in Coop, the police officer who saved her life all those years ago. Her memory won’t even allow her to recall the events of that night; the past is in the past.

That is, until Lisa, the first Final Girl, is found dead in her bathtub, wrists slit, and Sam, the second, appears on Quincy’s doorstep. Blowing through Quincy’s life like a whirlwind, Sam seems intent on making Quincy relive the past, with increasingly dire consequences, all of which makes Quincy question why Sam is really seeking her out. And when new details about Lisa’s death come to light, Quincy’s life becomes a race against time as she tries to unravel Sam’s truths from her lies, evade the police and hungry reporters, and, most crucially, remember what really happened at Pine Cottage, before what was started ten years ago is finished.

Amazon

~~~~~

ZOO

by James Patterson

with Michael Ledwidge

15790934

 

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Thriller

My Review

I read this back when it was first released. Actually, I won an ARC copy with three alternative covers. Pretty cool.

After reading so many books by this author I was really psyched to read Zoo. Something is affecting the animals. All of them. They rise up and turn their deadly attention on mankind. Sounds like fun to me.

And it was. I devoured it in a couple of hours.The only thing that slowed me down was pausing to savor each attack as it occurred. The character’s were okay. Liked some more than others.

I have to admit, the main reason I wanted to read this was for the horror aspect. My imagination ran wild. How and why would it happen? How many ways could humans die and from what kinds of critters. I got my answers and had some fun. What kept it from being a killer story, I’m not sure. Perhaps it bogged down in some areas. Too much character information in others.  Still well worth the read.

  4  Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Once in a lifetime, a writer puts it all together. This is James Patterson’s best book ever.

Total

For 36 years, James Patterson has written unputdownable, pulse-racing novels. Now, he has written a book that surpasses all of them. ZOO is the thriller he was born to write.

World

All over the world, brutal attacks are crippling entire cities. Jackson Oz, a young biologist, watches the escalating events with an increasing sense of dread. When he witnesses a coordinated lion ambush in Africa, the enormity of the violence to come becomes terrifyingly clear.

Destruction

With the help of ecologist Chloe Tousignant, Oz races to warn world leaders before it’s too late. The attacks are growing in ferocity, cunning, and planning, and soon there will be no place left for humans to hide. With wildly inventive imagination and white-knuckle suspense that rivals Stephen King at his very best, James Patterson’s ZOO is an epic, non-stop thrill-ride from “One of the best of the best.” (TIME)

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

Welcome to My Monday Minis where I share short reviews about books I’ve read.

It’s time for some urban fantasy. Carmen Fox has a thrilling series, The Silverton Chronicles, and today I’m sharing the first two books, Guarded and Bound.

~~~~~

Guarded

The Silverton Chronicles #1

by Carmen Fox

25688183

Genre:  Fantasy / Urban Fantasy

 

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

My Review

This book was a blast. You have humans, vampires, werewolves, fae, demons and so on, all butting heads. There’s so much going on. So many different agendas. And a whole lot of surprises in store for you.

And then there’s the characters. too many to focus on just one or two. I can say that I really liked the friendship between Ivy and Florian. They are so opposite. Florian is a guy and he’s more concerned with fashion than a lot of women, whereas Ivy is all business. As things get going, they all get caught up in the action. The dialogue is very well written. And the snark had me snorting.

There’s some love interests too. The blurb might have you thinking there’s a love triangle, which I sometimes find annoying, but there isn’t one here. And while the romance isn’t the main focus, it sure adds some hilarious moments with Ivy and spices things up.

I think what I appreciated most was how easily the story flowed and how visual it was. It’s almost like you can see everything as it happens. I even had some idea of what I thought the characters should look like, which added to the fun.

A solid beginning to the series, and I’m on to the next one.

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

When everyone’s existence depends on the lies they tell, trust doesn’t come easy.

Ivy’s neighbors have a secret. They aren’t human. But Ivy has a secret, too. She knows. As long as everyone keeps quiet, she’s happy working as a P.I. by day and chillaxing with her BFF Florian, a vampire, by night. When a routine pickup drops her in the middle of a murder, her two worlds collide. While Florian knows how to throw a punch, deep down he’s a softie. His idea of scary? Running out of hair product. It’s time Ivy faced facts. Even with a vampire on stand-by, one gal can only kick so many asses.

For help, she must put her faith in others. A human, who might just be the one. A demon, who will, for a price, open the doors to her heritage. And a werewolf, who wants to protect her from herself.

Torn between these men, Ivy must tread carefully, because one wants her heart, one wants her body, and one wants her dead.

Amazon / B&N

~~~~~

Bound

The Silverton Chronicles #2

by Carmen Fox

29996760

Genre:  Fantasy / Urban Fantasy

 

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

My Review

I adored Florian when I met him in the first book, Guarded. He’s a bit nutty and naive, has a healthy dose of charm, and is loyal to a fault. It’s fun that he now gets his own story, his time to shine.

In the first book, Florian was quirky and flamboyant, yet at loose ends. Now he’s found his place with the werewolves, but what happens when it’s discovered he’s a vampire? The pack might make an example of him. A wicked mess, and all in the name of love.

On top of that, a pack consisting of all females enters their territory and they’ll not be bossed around by a bunch of males. Tempers flare and it takes determination and finesse for Keely, their pack leader, to get Parker and his pack to not come in and try to claim them. These female wolves have been through some horrendous treatment by male leaders and want to find their own males.

This is where it gets sticky for Flo. He’s on Keely’s side, is juggling the situation with his own pack, and his Sire has shown up wanting to reunite the family. He’s old style vampire and sees Flo’s life as nonsense.

There’s more action, romance, and some consequences in this second book.  I’d recommend reading Guarded first so you have a feel for who’s who and you can dive right in and just enjoy the ride. A great follow up and I’m hoping there’s more to come.

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Bound by blood. Bound by loyalty. Bound by love.

Florian has it all: excellent fashion sense, a kickass job with his best friend, and a hard-won place among Silverton’s werewolves. When a pack of females pads into their territory, Flo’s alpha dispatches him to handle a merger. Total cakewalk. Except Keely, their alpha, has no intention of submitting her wolves to Flo’s larger pack. Worse, a single glance from her baby blues sends his eloquence on vacation and his heartbeat into overdrive. His flirtations seem welcome too, but there’s a snag. She doesn’t know he’s a vampire.

While Flo struggles with his conflicts–obey his alpha or win over Keely–his estranged sire blasts into town with a catalog of radical ideas. And hanging out with unsophisticated werewolves didn’t make the list.

With violence in the air and all sides testing his loyalties, Florian must bite back, even if showing his fangs costs him the girl.

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

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 been a busy week. Work wasn’t too bad so I had a lot of time in the pool. Also been watching Shark Week. I don’t know about y’all, but I’m very disappointed. Not much new content. And do you notice how different shows use the same small film clips. If they are going to cheat, at least don’t make it so obvious. I saw the same clip for a great white in three different shows. And the shows weren’t even about the same area. I’ll keep watching as I’m fascinated by sharks, but I feel let down. How about you?

I won’t be sharing the list of free books this post. I love browsing and trying to find something for everyone to choose from. But, my brother is coming down to visit this weekend and we are all going to be busy having fun. Since I like to make sure the books I share are still free, I won’t be around to check my post before it’s published and decided not to share any.

I might be late but I’ll be around to visit your posts. Happy Sunday!

*****

My new books this week.

The Mechanic's Mate (The Diesel War Series Book 1) by [Howard, Mikea]  32796253

And some audibles.

   

*****

No free books this week. But I’ll be sharing some next time. In the meantime….

and another one that just brings out all of those good vibes!

*****

Books I reviewed this week. Click on the covers to read my reviews.

34868566  34868580

Print  TheHouseOnDevilsBar cover  35249284

13594889  105744  22542136

*****

Other posts on my blog this week.

Check out the Cover Reveal for Watertight and enter the giveaway

Pink Lock Picks And Sequined Witch Hats ~ Two Giveaways!

Reviewing Hounded and Hounded 2 and a giveaway

It’s Hump Day ~ I think I’ll share some reviews ~ Iced and Behold!

An Accident….Or Murder? The House On Devil’s Bar

A YA Dystopian Sale and Giveaway ~ The Union Series

They’re not gonna take it anymore ~ Hunger Moon ~ Blitz and Giveaway

The Friday 56 #161 ~ Refuge For Masterminds

Freakin Fridays #54 ~ One Pissed Off Shark….Shark….Shark!

Come Helen High Water ~ Cozy Mystery Giveaway

Not His Werewolf ~ Blitz and Giveaway

*****

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.

Welcome to Freakin Fridays, where I share my reviews of books that scare you, thrill you, and get those endorphins pumping. In Honor of Shark Week, I’m sharing some books about the dead eyed creatures for ya.

I’ve got a few good ones to share today.

~~~~~

One Pissed Off Shark

by Zack Scott

13594889

 

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Horror

My Review

This has B-movie written all over it. Young people, booze, sex, and one pissed off shark. And what’s really fun is it’s written like a screenplay, kind of. Having seen so many movies, I easily visualized the scenes and it all played out in glorious chomping and gnashing.

Sometimes it’s fun to not give a damn about the characters and just keep reading to see how they meet their bloody end. LOL There’s plenty of chum here. I was making a list and adding the character’s in the order I wanted them eaten. None have any real redeeming factors.

If you like man eating sharks and lots of silliness and characters you could care less about, this would be a fun one for ya. I read it straight through and it flew by. Some scenes made me squirm, but mostly I just grinned madly and enjoyed the show.

  3  Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Ray and his friends have anger issues. So does the shark hunting them.

This book is free on Amazon. You can click on the cover to grab a copy.

~~~~~

MEG

MEG #1

by Steve Alten

105744

 

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Horror / Thriller

My Review

I don’t even know how many times I’ve read this book and the rest of the series. It’s one of my go to books when I want to just relax and enjoy the story. Plus, I love anything sharks. Who doesn’t.

Jonas Taylor is one the best in deep sea submersible dives. When he’s sent down on a secret dive into the Marianna Trench, he barely makes it back alive. His claims that a Megalodon almost ended his life is met with derision by his peers and he sinks into depression. After years trying to prove he’s right and waking up screaming from freakish nightmares, Joans is compelled to once again brave the deep, and what happens next is worse than any nightmare he’s ever had.

Oh yeah, I loved this book. From the character’s, to the shark, and everything in-between, it was awesome. Steve is a wonderful storyteller and has you believing Megs do still exist. There’s much argument about that, which I won’t go into, but I choose to say, who knows? The ocean is the least explored place on our planet and new species are discovered all the time.

I myself, hope they do but, then I don’t. After reading books and seeing movies about Great White Sharks, I think they’re bad enough. For something that could use a 20 footer as a toothpick to arrive in our waters is truly terrifying.

Dive into MEG. Meet her up close and personal. Once the action starts, it’s a whole lot of gnashing and blood. If your a fan of sharks and horror, you’ll eat this up.

 5  Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Revised and Expanded. On a top-secret dive into the Pacific Ocean’s deepest canyon, Jonas Taylor found himself face-to-face with the largest and most ferocious predator in the history of the animal kingdom. The sole survivor of the mission, Taylor is haunted by what he’s sure he saw but still can’t prove exists – Carcharodon megalodon, the massive mother of the great white shark. The average prehistoric Meg weighs in at twenty tons and could tear apart a Tyrannosaurus rex in seconds. Taylor spends years theorizing, lecturing, and writing about the possibility that Meg still feeds at the deepest levels of the sea. But it takes an old friend in need to get him to return to the water, and a hotshot female submarine pilot to dare him back into a high-tech miniature sub. Diving deeper than he ever has before, Taylor will face terror like he’s never imagined. MEG is about to surface. When she does, nothing and no one is going to be safe, and Jonas must face his greatest fear once again.

Amazon

I kept hearing this was going to be made into a movie for years. And now, it’s happening. And there is a great cast for the characters too. It’s due to release in 2018. Check out the trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEFdn4kad-A

~~~~~

While this isn’t part of Steve Alten’s megalodon series, it does have prehistoric sharks in it. And a bunch of other nasty sea beasts. Loads of action and fun.

Vostok

The Loch #2

by Steve Alten

22542136

 

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Horror / Thriller

My Review

   

I loved Steve’s Meg series. Who wouldn’t love a prehistoric shark loose in today’s oceans. I’ve read the complete series and then moved on to The Loch. Another winner with a prehistoric creature lurking in Loch Ness.

Steve has brought two amazing characters together from these books. Marine biologist Zachary Wallace and Dr. Jonas Taylor. Both of these men have drowned and come back from meetings with giant terrors of the deep seas. Neither ever thought they would enter primal waters again, but here they go.

From the village of Drumnadrochit, Scotland,  to America, and back to Scotland to battle and defeat the beast of Loch Ness,  Zachary is now about to jump down the rabbit hole into the coldest place on earth. Antarctica. But not on the surface. He’s going two and a half miles below the ice cap to an undersea lake called Vostok.

No man has ever gone there before and Vostok has been undisturbed for over 15 million years. Here be monsters. Behemoths of unimaginable size and voracious appetite.

Imagine it if you can. Lasers burn the way, forming a narrow tube for the sub to pass through the ice cap. You break through and fall, plunging into a vast undersea lake over a thousand feet deep. A beast rises, mouth gaping wide, teeth taller than you, so huge you can’t grasp it.

When things go wrong, which they do, who do you call for help? How long will it take for them to get there, if they even can?

And what if there is another reason for sending you down there? Something ancient, powerful, non terrestrial that you have to retrieve. Big brother has their sticky fingers in this expedition. They want what’s down there. No one knows what they are up to. You get it or die trying. Sounds like a conspiracy doesn’t it?

The cast of characters is diverse and many. Some were old favorites and some were new to me. I crossed my fingers the good guys would survive, but you never know with Steve. He’s not above killing some off. And the bad guys. Some were just annoying, and some I’d drop through the tunnel myself.

By the time I reached the third part of the book, I was feeling the terror, the frustration, the courage of these characters. And then the author took the story in yet another direction. I stumbled  a bit. Partly because it was hard for me to grasp how it worked at first. And partly because I didn’t want it to go in that direction. I was dragged kicking and screaming away from my beasts. I went with it though, and soon was engrossed and into it.

Vostok is the crossover book that brings The Loch and The Meg series together for the upcoming release of Meg 5: Nightstalkers. The title alone has me imaging all types of monsters.

 I follow Steve’s newsletter and have been waiting years for his Meg book to be made into a movie. It will be coming soon and I’m sure it will be a huge hit. From there, maybe we’ll be meeting these beasties on the big screen.

Thanks so much to Steve Alten and Rebel Press for gifting me a Limited Edition Hardcover copy for my honest review.

What a strange, terrifying, spectacular ride it’s been from the first Meg book to Vostok and beyond!

5 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

East Antarctica: The coldest, most desolate location on Earth. Two-and-a-half miles below the ice cap is Vostok, a six thousand square mile liquid lake, over a thousand feet deep, left untouched for more than 15 million years. Now, marine biologist Zachary Wallace and two other scientists aboard a submersible tethered to a laser will journey 13,000 feet beneath the ice into this unexplored realm to discover Mesozoic life forms long believed extinct and an object of immense power responsible for the evolution of modern man.

In this sequel to The Loch and prequel to the upcoming MEG 5: Nightstalkers, New York Times best-selling author Steve Alten offers readers a crossover novel that combines characters from two of his most popular series.

Steve Alten is the New York Times and International bestselling author of fourteen novels, including the MEG series about Carcharodon Megalodon, the 70-foot, 100,000 pound prehistoric cousin of the Great White shark and Domain trilogy, a series about the Mayan Calendar s 2012 doomsday prophecy. His work has been published in over 30 countries and is being used in thousands of middle and high school curriculum as part of Adopt-An-Author, a free teen reading program, which he founded with teachers back in 1999.”

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

TheHouseOnDevilsBar banner

The House On Devil’s Bar

The Linn House Mysteries #1

by Jessie McAlan

TheHouseOnDevilsBar cover

Genre: US Amateur Sleuth

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

My Review

There’s no one thing that makes me like this book. I do like a good mystery. Especially one with no real obvious suspect. I also enjoy humorous and snarky dialogue between characters. And it sure adds to my enjoyment when the scenes are visually written, putting me there in the story. And last, but not least, the surprise reveal of who did it and why. This book had all of this, and something else. This is where I wish I was a writer so I could spit it out. Something just really charmed me. Maybe the compelling prose.

Rona is finally seeing progress with her bakery and events business. When a mysterious woman shows up at Linn House asking questions and then disappearing, Rona shrugs it off. But the strangeness of it keeps niggling at her. And soon she’s thinking all kinds of things. And her fears are justified when the woman’s body is discovered drowned in the river.

Not one to sit on her hands and wait, Rona delves into the woman’s life, feeling duty bound to prove her death wasn’t an accident and see justice done. This leads to some threatening occurrences. The success of her business, and her life are now in question.

Rona is very likable. She’s kind and professional, stubborn and determined.  And while she’s a bit lonely, she doesn’t feel she has to have a man to be happy. Then her ex shows up and their back and forth banter comes naturally. She’s now having second thoughts. Can’t help but like a second chance romance. Even if it doesn’t go the way you want. Won’t tell you how it goes with these two.

Lots of lovely scenery, plenty of mystery and false trails, and humor and romance, what more could you ask for. I hope you try The House On Devil’s Bar. You’ll want to read more about these characters.

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

The police verdict of a woman’s accidental drowning in the Mississippi River does more than set tongues wagging in the small Missouri town of Klim; it starts a flood of cancellations that threaten to sink Rona Murray’s bakery and events business. And blacken her good name. Determined to save both, she starts her own investigation to prove she and her property are blameless.  Barbara Lindborg had stopped by Linn House to consider renting it for a party. Yet, when Rona returned from accepting a delivery, the woman had vanished.

Rona’s preliminary search for Barbara yields nothing more than suggestive footprints on the Bar.  Did the woman accidentally fall into the river?  Was she pushed – and if so, why?  A later hunt reveals Barbara’s cell phone in the woods. How did it get halfway up the hill if the woman drowned a hundred feet below? The phone’s camera holds snaps of Klim, its residents, and the Bar. Do any of these hold a clue to her death? Or did her and Rona’s earlier conversation about history and treasure have a different meaning?

Suspects and motives pop up like bubbles in yeast. Is Matt, an employee, still bitter about his and Barbara’s divorce? What about Rona’s own ex, Johnny? Is he trying to drive her out of business, or is his current girlfriend, Crystal, jealous of their relationship and trying to eliminate the competition? A bit like calling the kettle black, for Crystal seems very friendly with Frank, the bad boy neighbor. Frank isn’t lily-white, either. He dislikes Rona; is he behind the pranks on her property or mixed up in Barbara’s death?  It isn’t until Rona’s life is threatened one stormy night that she learns the killer’s identity and her true feelings about Johnny.

~~~~~

Excerpt

Clouds cloaked the moon, and the darkness in the woods closed around her. She increased her pace. The ground and leaves were slick, causing her to lose traction. When she slid downhill the second time, she heard the whispers.

She remained where she was, her back against a tree trunk, her palms on the ground. The wind had kicked up while she’d started back from the Bar, and it sighed as it wandered through the pines. A cricket chorus grated beneath the melody, strident and sharp, punctuating the wind’s fluid lament. A crack, like someone stepping on a branch, bore through the song, and Rona froze. Was someone walking through the woods, walking without a flashlight?

Which could only mean he was sneaking up on her.

~~~~~

Author Jessie McAlan

A family trip to the Big Spring area in the Missouri Ozarks introduced Jessie to the wonders of nature.  Her summer stints as a camp counselor and canoeing instructor cemented her enthusiasm.  This love of the natural world and the river flows through her Linn House mysteries.

In 2001 Jessie graduated from Webster University with a BA degree and departmental honors in English.

She lives in the St Louis, MO area and spends as much time as she can camping and watching the barges on the river.

Website / Amazon / Facebook / Goodreads

Purchase Links:

TRADE PAPER EDITION:

Amazon: US / CA / UK / FR / DE

E-BOOK EDITION:

Amazon: US / UK / CA / AU / FR / DE

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Click on the banner below to follow the tour and comment.

The more you comment, the more chances to win!

Goddess Fish Promotions

~~~~~

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

It’s time for some Hump Day Reviews.

Got a couple of good ones for you.

Check out Behold! and Iced

~~~~~

Behold! Oddities, Curiosities and Undefinable Wonders

edited by Doug Murano

Print

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: horror / fantasy/ Short Story Collection

My Review

The moment I got my greedy little hands on this book I was giddy with glee. I love the strange, unusual and creepy and this had it all.

The story has three parts, Oddities, Curiosities and Undefinable Wonders. Not wanting to risk spoilers, I’d say that sums it up nicely. Creepy gardens, gnomes, clowns, mysterious whatevers and more all await your curiosity.

There is just too much awesomeness in this collection to single out any favorites. Some of these talented authors are old friends and some are new to me. All of them are in top form, entertaining me with their various tales.

Make sure you don’t skip past the foreword. It’s a smart piece of work in itself, explaining what awaits you when you get to the meat of the book. As R.L. Stine says, “Beware. You’re in for a scare.”

Loved every bit of this book. I bet you will too. Try it and see. And remember to breathe.

5 Stars

~~~~~

 I received my ARC copy of BEHOLD! from Crystal Lake Publishing. Thanks so much and thank you to these amazing authors.

Synopsis

Crystal Lake Publishing and Doug Murano, the Bram Stoker Award-nominated editor of GUTTED: BEAUTIFUL HORROR STORIES, are proud to present BEHOLD! ODDITIES, CURIOSITIES AND UNDEFINABLE WONDERS.

Slide into the spaces between the ordinary. Embrace the odd. Indulge your curiosity. Surrender to wonder. Witness as the finest talents of our time bring you tales of the strangeness at the edges of existence.

Featuring:

Clive Barker, John Langan, Neil Gaiman, Ramsey Campbell, Lisa Morton, Brian Kirk, Hal Bodner, Stephanie M. Wytovich, Erinn Kemper, John F.D. Taff, Patrick Freivald, Lucy Snyder, Brian Hodge, Kristi DeMeester, Christopher Coake, Sarah Read, and Richard Thomas.

With a foreword by Josh Malerman.

Pre-order on Amazon

~~~~~

Iced

A Resort To Murder Mystery  #1

by Avery Daniels

35249284

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Mystery

 My Review

I have a fondness for cozy mysteries. They have such quirky titles and colorful covers. And there are so many themes. Food, pets, sewing, clothing and more. The theme for this book is new to me.

It’s never a dull moment for Julienne. She works at a luxurious resort as an event planner. Everything must run smoothly and last minute changes will be accommodated. Except when it’s a dead body. Somebody killed the beloved Pastor Tom. Ran him through with an ice sculpture.

Julienne had an earlier incident with the pastor so she’s suspect number one in the eyes of Detective Lawrence. If it was up to him, they need look no further for the killer.

She knows she didn’t kill the pastor and Julienne enlists the help of some friends and the sexy new neighbor to sort things out and bring the killer to justice.

Quite the mystery. There was no clear suspect. My radar pinged on one, but then I didn’t read about that person again until way further in the story. And I was wrong.

I enjoyed reading about Julienne’s personal life as much as I did the mystery. She’s fighting for her independence. Her dad thinks she should get married and have babies. And her boyfriend seems to have her future all mapped out for her. When she’s finally had enough and puts her foot down, or rather stamps it, I applauded her. I like strong female protagonists and I was with her all the way as she carved out her own life.

You don’t have to be a cozy fan to enjoy this book. It’s got lots of colorful characters, fun dialogue, and an ending that comes out of left field. It’s good clean fun.

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Julienne has her ideal job as an event planner at a prestigious resort. During a luncheon event she coordinated, a renowned celebrity pastor is killed next to the buffet. All eyes turn to her as the suspect. If she wants to stay out of jail or even keep her job, Julienne needs all the help she can get to solve the crime.

She has her work cut out for her with a vengeful high school rival now reporter, the public demanding she be fired, plus family who knows what’s best for her, and a boyfriend who doesn’t understand her. She turns to friends and a new ally to uncover who wanted to put the pastor on ice.

Julienne goes undercover and investigates a local swingers group as she follows the trail of clues before they go cold. Can she gather enough suspects and motives to convince the police to widen their investigation? Can she do it before the killer sets his murderous sights on her? Will her personal life ever be as simple as unveiling a murderer?

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

Who let the dogs out? I had to say that. LOL There be zombie dogs roaming the streets. It’s awesome. It’s horrific.

Check out Hounded and Hounded 2 by Ellie Douglas.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Hounded

by Ellie Douglas

Genre: Horror, Post-Apocalypse

34868566

My Review

It happens fast, with scarcely any warning. Man’s best friend changed. They’re no longer a loving pet. Now they’re dead and deadly. And humans are their favorite meal.

I do love a good zombie story, and dogs, how exciting. Never read about zombie dogs before. Zombie sharks, yes.

My favorite part in plots like this are the group dynamics. In Hounded you have Cal and his family, trying to fight off the zombie dogs and stay alive. When the daughter gets ill, they recognize the symptoms they’d been hearing about and rush her to the hospital. There, she falls into a coma, and they can’t leave. Wouldn’t be safe to do so anyway. The dogs are determined, and it’s probably only a matter of time before the hospital is overrun too.

Cal’s worries about the fate of his twin brother, Bellamy, lead him to do some stupid things. Others pay the terrible price and now he just wants to get back to the hospital. Will his family still be there? Will they be alive? He rushes to return and find out.

I enjoyed getting stories from Cal and his brother, Bellamy. Both of them are determined to find each other and both are fighting so many obstacles. It’s nerve wracking to turn the page and see what awful fate might await them. Hey, it’s zombie dogs and anyone is fair game.

Some of the things the character’s do had me snorting in derision. Why do they do that? Haven’t they watched the movies? Don’t they know the rules? Some of you may be thinking, nope, don’t want that. But, humans are flawed, we do dumb things. Only recognizing it later. The mistakes make this an edgy page turner.

Lots of gore, I mean lots. Just to warn you. Zombie fans should try this series. It’ll feed your craving and keep you on edge to the bitter end.

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

When Calloway Foster woke up that morning, he never expected it to be a deathblow to life on earth.

Nothing can prepare him for one of the world’s most loved species to turn into the undead. Four-legged zombies now run rampant-hungry and intelligent, they are merciless to those still struggling to survive.

Follow Cal on a turbulent journey filled with horrific loss, new love, and unbelievably terrifying events.

Will he find his twin brother in time? Can he keep his family safe?

A terrifying surprise twist will test the survivors to the brink of humanity’s very existence.

Previously published as Zombie dogs SB-16

Goodreads * Amazon

~~~~~

Hounded 2

34868580

My Review

I really enjoyed the first book and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. And I like reading Bellamy’s point of view. He’s still trying to find his twin brother, Cal, and things are more deadly than ever. It’s not just zombie dogs out there anymore. Something just as dangerous is prowling, wanting to feed.  Who finds who and who survives or dies is anybodies guess as the group tries to find a safe haven with the odds stacked against them.

I’m happy to tell you this is every bit as good as the first book. The hits just keep on coming. I’ve become quite attached to many of these characters too, and that worries me. Nobody holds the golden ticket for survival.

Another action packed, zombie bash. Be prepared. The author makes it a gore fest that’ll have you cringing, trying NOT to picture the scenes. There’s more than one kind of zombie and this should please all the fans out there.

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Bellamy Foster leads his group of survivors on a perilous journey. Not only must he find a sanctuary for them all, but he is also on a quest to find his twin brother, Calloway.

Currently being stalked by raging, hungry, vicious zombie dogs, they become aware of a new, more sinister, threat. The infected SB-16 coma patients are now becoming vile, ravenous, and monstrous human zombies.

Will the survivors find a new sanctuary in time to save themselves and what remains of the shattered world around them?

Hounded 2 is an explicit horror – full of spattered slaughter, love and loss, fast-moving action, and a maze of unexpected destruction, that is sure to keep you turning pages late into the night. In this, her second novel, Ellie Douglas proves there’s plenty of rot to ooze out of the zombie genre.

Previously published as Zombie dogs SB-16 Book 2

Goodreads * Amazon

~~~~~

Author Ellie Douglas

I’m Ellie Douglas, and like you, I love horror, everything about horror, the goriest and most gruesome of horrors is the ultimate. I can’t get enough. So much so that I write horror. That need to be graphic, and explicit with my horror scenes makes me stand out. I give what I want to read to others, so now they can enjoy a true horror story.

I’m not all about just being graphic, I also build characters that the readers will love and or hate, so they can feel pulled right inside of the story that they are reading. It gives me so much enjoyment when I hear remarks like, ‘You made me want to puke,’ ‘I have nightmares every damned night –thanks,’ and ‘Quentin Tarantino and Steven King made a baby, YOU!’ when I hear comments like that, I know then I’ve succeeded, that also pushes me into writing more and becoming even better.

I’m fun loving, generous and very mysterious. I enjoy spending time with my family, and have four children to keep the horror writing alive. I enjoy helping others and volunteer my services to help Autistic children, I love cosplay and the chance to dress up as a monster, zombie or some other gritty character is fun, oh so much fun.

I love summer, and well…I hate winter. I live in New Zealand and feel often too far away from all the cool stuff going on in the world. I love helping people all the time. I’ve got my hands dipped in a few things, I write books, but I also make professional book covers for other authors, I also create adult coloring books and I have a gambling app that I designed on the apple store :) I’ve always got a project going, be it writing or creating, that is who I am and I love it :)

My ultimate aim is to give back, paying it forward, to constantly better myself and give the audience amazing stories. Let me scare you…

Website * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

Follow the tour HERE.

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

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.

I’ve been so lazy this week. Aside from work, I’ve either been in the pool or on the couch. It’s weird that I feel tired when I don’t exert any energy. It seems to make me lazier. LOL

Now for the big question. What day is it? It’s the return of The Walking Dead and…..Shark Week! I have a bunch of the new shark shows set to record so I can get some stuff done. By the time evening rolls around I’ll be settled on the couch with a bowl of popcorn, bursting with excitement! Are you planning on watching these?

I might be late but I’ll be around to visit your posts. Happy Sunday!

*****

My new books this week.

Swamp! by [Tremayne, Peter]  Iudicium by [Orton, T.C.]  30971685

The Dog Who Watched TV (Creature Teachers - early readers Book 4) by [Horlock, Rob]  Church of the Holy Child by [Hale, Patricia]

And I won this super giveaway by Christina Leigh Pritchard!

C I N: "Lynn, Lynn, the city of sin." (The C I N Series Book 1) by [Pritchard, Christina Leigh]  TRAITOR (The C I N Series Book 2) by [Pritchard, Christina Leigh]  Ally's Secret (The C I N Series Book 3) by [Pritchard, Christina Leigh]

C I N's Puritan Series Bundled by [Pritchard, Christina Leigh]  The C I N Series Shorts Bundle by [Pritchard, Christina Leigh]  Ravenna Frost: A C I N Story by [Pritchard, Christina Leigh]

*****

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.

The Many Lives of Fitzwilliam Darcy by [North, Beau, West, Brooke]  Snake Skin: A Lucy Guardino FBI Thriller Novel (Lucy Guardino FBI Thrillers Book 1) by [Lyons, CJ]  The Crooked Straight by [Dudley, Ernest]

One Pissed Off Shark by [Scott, Zack]  A Place With Two Faces by [Mann, Josephine]  Cursed by Fire (Blood & Magic Book 1) by [Annett, Danielle]

Bookish by [Hawthorne, Olivia, Long, Olivia]  Captive: Beautiful Monsters Vol. 1 by [Lane, Jex]  Scorch Road: JT (Scorch Series Romance Thriller Book 1) by [Neal, Toby, Kimelman, Emily]

The Death Series (Books 1-3): New Adult Dark Paranormal/Sci-fi Romance by [Blodgett, Tamara Rose]  Crimson Worlds Collection 1: Crimson Worlds Books 1-3 (Crimson Worlds Collections) by [Allan, Jay]

*****

Books I reviewed this week. Click on the covers to read my reviews.

34605768    32713318

*****

Other posts on my blog this week.

The Caging At Deadwater Manor ~ Blitz and Giveaway

My Monday Minis Reviews #62 ~ The Conversationalist

Teaser Tuesday #213 ~ Black Beauty

Giveaway and Spotlight on ~ Seven Threads by Jason Atkinson

How to unclutter….Dead Storage ~ Book Tour and Giveaway

Somebody should….Tell On You ~ Reviewing Freda Hansburg’s New Thriller

The Friday 56 #160 ~ Exile For Dreamers

What’s Your Phobia? Fear Inducer ~ Review and Giveaway

An Adult Historical Fantasy ~ Veritas ~ Blitz and Giveaway

Love At First Crepe ~ Release Day Celebration!

*****

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.

 .
.
Fear Inducer
by Ellie Douglas
Genre: Psychological Thriller
 
They believed their phobias were just nightmares… 

They believed Dr Felix Bloom would cure them.
They were…SO WRONG!
Doctor Felix Bloom is a brilliant psychiatrist and pharmacologist who has
done a lot of good for humanity. But, he has a dark side as a serial
killer of some of his patients using their phobias against them. How
he gets his patients to kill themselves in some bizarre fashions
satiating his greed for death and mayhem you will have to discover.
But, nonetheless, if you love horror, you will love Dr. Bloom’s
methods and madness. Yes, he is as composed as they come, but maybe
more evil than most. He’s charming, considerate with his secretary,
Joanna, and his best friend, a doctor. But, beneath the elegant
exterior rages the thirst for blood as a serial killer.



Without going into the gory details or the method of Dr. Bloom, his patient’s
deaths are spectacularly staged (and gory) and witnessed by the good
doctor. The author does a great job telling why Dr. Bloom is a serial
killer and it may make you feel some empathy for the man. But, that
is a whole chapter worth exploring on your own. I was pleasantly
surprised at the intricate detail of the mind of Dr. Bloom. He’s
smart. Incredibly smart. The book is definitely worth your time. It
has everything a chilling horror novel should have. I would be remiss
if I didn’t mention the author’s other book about a serial killer
named Toxic Desire, which features a female serial killer. Who’s more
evil? Dr. Bloom by far. Why? I won’t spoil the novel for you. Fear
Inducer is more malevolent while Toxic Desire is erotically-charged.
Also, look for the subtlty in Doctor Bloom over the novel. He has a
lot of secrets worth discovering. Excellent book and a welcome
addition to my bookshelf.
P.S. – I forgot something. There are loads if images in the book at the
front of each chapter based on the fear the patient has. Really cool
visuals to put you in the mood for what you are about to read.

-from Amazon reviewer Cameron Rowe
 .
.

My Review

Who knew there were so many phobias. Some of the ones I ran into in this book were so out there. I want to say they were absurd, but I doubt the people who suffered them felt that way.

He’s the smartest man in the world and he’s not that way by accident. And there are side affects to that tampering. He’s got a dark side. One where he gets enormous satisfaction from killing. Killing a lot. Dr. Felix Bloom is a very bad boy. Supposed to help people with their phobias, he instead uses those fears against them, forcing them to kill themselves while he watches. The more he kills, the more he needs to kill. It’s  a deadly cycle and he doesn’t mind doing it.

What a sick twist. And such gory deaths. The doctor comes up with some grotesque ways to get his patients to kill themselves. Are you afraid of snakes? How about clowns? Yeah, a lot of us don’t like those.

I really enjoyed the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. They start with a new patient and represent their particular phobia. The one for spiders will creep you out. As will some others. And the author was very creative with the illustration for a fear of the dark. LOL You’ll “see” what I mean.

If you like some gore and lots of killer scenes, you’ll want to grab this book. There’s enough to satisfy all your needs. Just ask the doctor. He’ll cure what ails ya.

4 Stars

.
 
 .
.
 
 
I’m Ellie Douglas, and like you, I love horror, everything about horror,
the goriest and most gruesome of horrors is the ultimate. I can’t
get enough. So much so that I write horror. That need to be graphic,
and explicit with my horror scenes makes me stand out. I give what I
want to read to others, so now they can enjoy a true horror
story. 


I’m not all about just being graphic, I also build characters that the
readers will love and or hate, so they can feel pulled right inside
of the story that they are reading. It gives me so much enjoyment
when I hear remarks like, ‘You made me want to puke,’ ‘I have
nightmares every damned night –thanks,’ and ‘Quentin Tarantino
and Steven King made a baby, YOU!’ when I hear comments like that,
I know then I’ve succeeded, that also pushes me into writing more
and becoming even better.
I’m fun loving, generous and very mysterious. I enjoy spending time with
my family, and have four children to keep the horror writing alive. I
enjoy helping others and volunteer my services to help Autistic
children, I love cosplay and the chance to dress up as a monster,
zombie or some other gritty character is fun, oh so much fun.
I love summer, and well…I hate winter. I live in New Zealand and feel
often too far away from all the cool stuff going on in the world. I
love helping people all the time. I’ve got my hands dipped in a few
things, I write books, but I also make professional book covers for
other authors, I also create adult coloring books and I have a
gambling app that I designed on the apple store 🙂 I’ve always got
a project going, be it writing or creating, that is who I am and I
love it 🙂
My ultimate aim is to give back, paying it forward, to constantly better
myself and give the audience amazing stories. Let me scare you…
 
 

Follow the tour HERE!
 
 

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