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Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

What’s New On My Bookshelf #190 and The Sunday Post

Posted: January 15, 2017 in Freebies!, giveaways, reviews, What's New on My Bookshelf
Tags: my weekly book news, The Sunday Post

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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 seems like the weather is a HOT topic these days. LOL Here in the south we have a saying, “If you don’t like the weather, stick around, it’ll change.” That sure rings true. Christmas was freezing cold. Now it’s in the 70s, the sun is shining, and I’m longing for summer. This won’t last. Winter here is tricky. I know February will be cold, and we always get a few surprise blasts in March. But my plants don’t seem to know that. Some are starting to come up, some are trying to bloom, and some are growing leaves already. I hope the blasts of cold to come don’t kill them as I have big plans for planting this spring.

A quick question. Do any of you have suggestions? I want to plant a few miniature fruit trees. Just not sure what to get. I have an orange tree and it’s loaded up right now. I need something to fill a few empty spaces.

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New books this week.

This is where I broke my goal of not grabbing as many free books. LOL I just couldn’t resist!

I got these beauties from a huge free book promotion. If you like science fiction and fantasy go HERE to claim some freebies! There’s a bunch and a chance to win a Kindle Paperwhite! It ends tonight so go check them out now!

You can click on the covers for descriptions.

And click HERE for a whole bunch of horror books!

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Sherry and I have a new Tag Team Event starting tomorrow with some reviews and a great giveaway.

The grand prize is a $25 Gift Card, and available for anyone in the U.S. or Internationally, where legal. Also giving away 4 ebooks ( U.S. and/or International, in whichever available format you prefer). And two paperbacks (US Only).

Be sure to stop by Monday and enter!

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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.

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

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Saturday Screams #23 ~ I Am Not A Serial Killer: John Cleaver #1

Posted: January 14, 2017 in audible, horror, reviews
Tags: audible book, Author Dan Wells, I Am Not A Serial Killer, review

Welcome to my Saturday Screams. This is where I share my love of horror and things that go bump in the night.

Today I have something different. I’m reviewing an audible book. I just started getting into audibles and, or course, I chose a scary good one. LOL

TITLE: I Am Not A Serial Killer: John Cleaver #1

AUTHOR: Dan Wells

NARRATOR: John Allen Nelson

PUBLISHER: Tantor Audio

PUBLICATION DATE: March 30, 2010

FORMAT: Unabridged Audiobook

LENGTH: 7 hrs. and 37 minutes

GENRE: Horror

My Review

It’s kind of scary that I can somewhat relate to John Wayne Cleaver, the 15-year-old boy in this story. He has a fascination with serial killers and so do I. Where we differ is, while we both wonder what makes them tick, I just wonder why, but he worries he might become one.

His therapist says he’s a sociopath and has plenty of the predictors pointing towards a serial killer. That’s why John has rules. He made them so he won’t become one. But there’s something inside him, sleeping now, but soon to stir. You see, there’s a serial killer operating in his town. But it’s not your normal one, or, I should say it’s not human.

As more people fall victim to the beast, the one inside John struggles to be unleashed. It may take a monster to kill a monster. And John worries that he won’t find his way back once it’s let out.

The first I heard of this story was I came across the movie. Being a horror fan, I watched it. It reminded me of Dexter, the serial killer show on Showtime. I’m sure you’ve seen it or heard of it. John could be a young Dexter, almost. He hasn’t taken to killing people, yet.

John is a fascinating young man. He’s intelligent and creepy at the same time. I worry whether he can keep his urges contained. He’s constantly fighting with his mother. She pushes him too hard, worried about what he might do and what he might become. I’d probably be the same way, thinking I could change him, make him normal. He knows he’s not normal, practices to appear that way, and tries to fit in. It’s a pressure cooker under that roof, waiting to let off steam. I just hope he uses that steam on the monster and not on someone trying to help him.

The first part of the story is mostly about John. About half way in you start to learn about the killer. Then it really gets going and the hairs on your arms will stand on end. It’s a race to the finish with plenty of action and a great ending. About that ending. I felt like it was kind of a vindication. Well done.

This is a study on character and humanity as much as it’s about serial killers and beasts. I found it thrilling and down right horrific, both must haves in horror.

I’m on to the next in this series, worried and excited about where John goes from here.

5 Stars

I received a complimentary copy from Tantor Audio.

My review is voluntarily given.

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Narration.

This is narrated by John Allen Nelson. He was not what I was expecting. The stories told from a teenage boys point of view so I would have preferred a younger voice. His inflection is okay, but I just couldn’t help but feel like he was reading more than telling the story. If he’s the narrator in the second book, I’ll still give it a try. Maybe he’ll grow with the stories and grow on me.

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Synopsis

John works in his family’s mortuary and has an obsession with serial killers. He wants to be a good person but fears he is a sociopath, and for years he has suppressed his dark side through a strict system of rules designed to mimic “normal” behavior.

Then a demon begins stalking his small town and killing people one by one, and John is forced to give in to his darker nature in order to save them. As he struggles to understand the demon and find a way to kill it, his own mind begins to unravel until he fears he may never regain control. Faced with the reality that he is, perhaps, more monstrous than the monster he is fighting, John must make a final stand against the horrors of both the demon and himself.

Click HERE to listen to a sample.

Purchase on: Amazon / Tantor

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Author Dan Wells

Dan Wells is an American horror fiction writer and the author of the John Cleaver series. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University, earning his bachelor’s degree in English with a writing and editing emphasis. He currently resides in Orem, Utah, with his wife and four children.

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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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Freakin Fridays #41 ~ The Spirit In St. Louis ~ From the Files of the BSI

Posted: January 13, 2017 in Fantasy, reviews, urban fantasy
Tags: Mark Everett Stone, review, The Spirit In St. Louis, urban fantasy

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

Got a good one today. It’s the sixth in a series but could easily stand alone.

The Spirit In St. Louis

From the Files of the BSI #6

by Mark Everett Stone

Genre: Fantasy / Urban Fantasy

My Review

I ain’t afraid of no ghost. Yeah, right. An office building is taken over by an evil entity and everyone runs for cover. Who you gonna call? The BSI. And when they send a team and the team never comes out, who do they call? Kal Hakala, that’s who.

Kal is one of the best agents in the BSI (Bureau of Supernatural Investigation), but he’s been riding a desk since a dust up and some bad decisions on his last mission. He takes the assignment and hand picks his team. All except for one. A magician is required for every team. It only makes sense to fight magic with magic.

Kal picks a motley crew, but he has his reasons.

Rat. The magician. Not picked by Kal. A pervert and totally unlikable. Hopefully he’ll have the right stuff when the going gets tough.

Dove. A hell cat. She’s double tough and a match for any man. But it’s no man waiting inside that building.

Ghost. With an IQ off the charts, he joined his mind with the internet. The go to guy without a body, he’s linked to each team member by their headsets.

Billings. A diagnosed sociopath who, so far, has curbed his impulses to killing what needs to be killed and not his own team.

Ng. To look at him, you’d think he has no business being on the team. But he’s calm in a crisis with a fight tooth and nail attitude.

And then there’s Buffalo. Super smart. Competitive and goal oriented. Built like a tank and a good guy.

They enter the building. What awaits them is anyone’s guess. Who will come out? Maybe nobody.

Hang on to your boot straps. This is one hell of a ride. The thing in the building isn’t a ghost. It’s something much worse. Not long after entering, the team becomes separated and each must face their own horror. They go to hell and back, not all of them making it out alive.

There’s something about a book that won’t let go. That keeps you focused on the next sentence, paragraph, page. I tore through this, fearing the worst and getting plenty of it.

If you’re a fan of horror and thriller movies, there’s lots of quips you’ll recognize. I caught myself looking for them.

My best description of this book: Predator meets Doom. There’s lots of cool gadgets and monsters.

And while I may have jumped into this series late, with it being the 6th one, I had no problems following along. There were brief mentions of previous events that cleared up any confusion and made me curious to go back and read the earlier books.

This is a sneaky story. The cover doesn’t reveal what’s waiting inside, but once you read the book, you’ll see it works. I had a blast and would recommend this to anyone that enjoys urban fantasy with a dose or two of horror.

5 Stars

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Some favorite quotes:

“God, you’re such a pain in the ass.”

“Part of my undeniable charm.”

and

“Think of Q Branch in the Bond films, but with more explosions and things being turned into puddles of goo.”

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Synopsis

The whole world now knows of the existence of the World Under, thanks to fallout from the terrible events in Omaha a year back. As the World Under’s most effective foe, Kal Hakala performed actions that were both heroic and horrific. Now, sidelined as an Agent, he serves the Bureau of Supernatural Investigation as its public face, charming talk show hosts and training new recruits known as “Green Peas.” However, the World Under never rests, and events force Kal back into action. A malevolent spirit occupies St. Louis’s Quint Building, and the team sent in to combat it disappears after their leader is driven to suicide. The BSI has no choice but to send in Kalevi Hakala and his team to solve the problem. As each of the individual members of Kal’s team is isolated and dumped into his or her private hell, Kal begins to wonder if he hasn’t finally met his match: the most powerful force the World Under has to offer. Book 6 in the From the Files of the BSI series.

Amazon

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Author Mark Everett Stone

Born in Helsinki, Finland, Mark Everett Stone arrived in the U.S. at a young age and promptly dove into the world of the fantastic. Starting at age seven with the Iliad and the Odyssey, he went on to consume every scrap of Norse Mythology he could get his grubby little paws on. At age thirteen he graduated to Tolkien and Heinlein, building up a book collection that soon rivaled the local public library’s. In college Mark majored in Journalism and minored in English. Mark is feverishly working on his next book, The Judas Line, while his amazingly patient wife, Brandie, keeps him and their two sons, Aeden and Gabriel, in check.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

By Tonya Kappes ~ A Ghostly Reunion ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: January 9, 2017 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews
Tags: A Ghostly Reunion, Cozy Paranormal Mystery, giveaway, review, Tonya Kappes

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A GHOSTLY REUNION
by Tonya Kappes

This light, ghostly murder mystery is filled with humor and quirky characters with large personalities.
~fundinmental

A Ghostly Reunion: A Ghostly Southern Mystery
Series: Ghostly Southern Mysteries (Book 5)
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Witness (December 27, 2016)
ISBN-13: 978-0062466952
E-Book ASIN: B01DSV6ULA

My Review

It all started when a large plastic Santa fell off the roof and knocked Emma Lee for a loop. She starts seeing the ghosts of murdered people. People in town thinks she’s gone round the bend when they spot her talking to something that isn’t there. She’s getting used to that.

What she’s having trouble with is the newest ghost, Jade Lee, a prom queen diva with no manners and an ego as big as Texas, who has her eyes on Emma’s man, the sexy Sheriff Jack Henry Ross. Emma wastes no time diving into the case, more then ready to send Jade on to greener pastures. But Jade has other plans and the fun begins.

I live in a small southern town and every time I dive into another book in this series I feel like I’m welcomed with open arms. Tonya nails it with her descriptions of a southern town. Her character’s are the perfect blend of eccentric, opinionated, charming, and did I say eccentric. LOL And the mystery is rib ticklin’ fun and as sticky as a humid afternoon.

Keep ’em coming, Tonya. This southern gal would love some more, please.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Emma Lee Raines sees dead people.

Proprietor of the Eternal Slumber Funeral Home, Emma Lee can see, hear, and talk to ghosts of murdered folks. And when her high school nemesis is found dead, Jade Lee Peel is the same old mean girl—trying to come between Emma Lee and her hot boyfriend, Sheriff Jack Henry Ross, all over again.

There’s only one way for Emma Lee to be free of the trash-talking ghost—solve the murder so the former prom queen can cross over.

But the last thing Jade Lee wants is to leave the town where she had her glory days. And the more Emma Lee investigates on her own, the more complicated Miss Popularity turns out to be. Now Emma Lee will have to work extra closely with her hunky lawman to get to the twisty truth.

author-photo

About the Author

For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been self-publishing her numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plotlines and quirky characters, but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans. Be sure to check out Tonya’s website for upcoming events and news and to sign up for her newsletter! Tonyakappes.com

Also by Tonya Kappes

Kenni Lowry Mystery Series

Fixin’ To Die

Olivia Davis Paranormal Mystery Series

SPLITSVILLE.COM

COLOR ME LOVE (novella)

COLOR ME A CRIME

Magical Cures Mystery Series

A CHARMING CRIME

A CHARMING CURE

A CHARMING POTION (novella)

A CHARMING CHRISTMAS (novella)

A CHARMING FATALITY

A CHARMING DEATH

A CHARMING GHOST

A CHARMING VOODOO

Grandberry Falls Series

THE LADYBUG JINX

HAPPY NEW LIFE

A SUPERSTITIOUS CHRISTMAS (novella)

NEVER TELL YOUR DREAMS

A Laurel London Mystery Series

CHECKERED CRIME

CHECKERED PAST

CHECKERED THIEF

A Divorced Diva Beading Mystery Series

A BREAD OF DOUBT SHORT STORY

STRUNG OUT TO DIE

CRIMPED TO DEATH

Bluegrass Romance Series

Women’s Fiction

Young Adult

A Ghostly Southern Mystery Series

A GHOSTLY UNDERTAKING

Enjoy a free ebook from Tonya when you sign up for her newsletter by clicking here.

Visit Tonya:

Facebook at Author Tonya Kappes

Kappes Krew Street Team

Webpage

E-mail

Recipe Submission Email

Goodreads

Twitter

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

Tonya has a fabulous giveaway for you!

She’s giving away a Kindle and the first four books in her Ghostly Southern Mysteries Series.

Click Here To Be Taken To The Giveaway

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 6 – fundinmental – REVIEW

January 7 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT

January 7 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

January 8 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

January 8 – Queen of All She Reads – SPOTLIGHT

January 9 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW

January 10 – Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf – SPOTLIGHT

January 11 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 12 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

January 13 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT*

January 14 – Community Bookstop – INTERVIEW

January 15 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – SPOTLIGHT

January 16 – Readeropolis – INTERVIEW

January 17 – Varietats 2010 – REVIEW

January 18 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW

January 19 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

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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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

What’s New On My Bookshelf #189 and The Sunday Post

Posted: January 8, 2017 in Freebies!, giveaways, reviews, What's New on My Bookshelf
Tags: fuonlyknew, Laura Thomas, my weekly book 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.

What????? It’s freezing! How can that be? I live on the Gulf Coast and we’re not used to such cold weather.

Check this out. Even when the sun finally shone down, this ice didn’t melt. Crazy!

xmas-and-snow-018

The wind is howling, so cold your cheeks feel frozen. I braved the weather and went to the grocery store. I know, I sound like a wimp. Just not used to such cold temps.

The only smart ones were my dog and cat!

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They snuggled up on the comforters and pillows on the couch.

What’s funny is the temps will be back up in the 70s by Tuesday. At least we have that. The cold snaps usually only last a couple of days and then warmer weather returns. I’m already watching the sunsets and checking the time. Watching as each day gets a little bit longer and longing for spring. LOL

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New books this week.

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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.

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

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Freakin Fridays #40 ~ A Christmas Tale ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: January 6, 2017 in giveaways, horror, reviews
Tags: A Christmas tale, A Horror Novelette, Author Austin Crawley, giveaway, review

It’s a brand new year and time to share some new horror!

I’ve got a good one for ya.

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A Christmas Tale

by Austin Crawley

Genre: Horror

My Review

I’ve always enjoyed stories based on Charles Dickens tale A Christmas Carol.

Three good friends spend Christmas Eve together. They may live to regret it.

I remember gathering with my friends on the Eve of Christmas. I don’t think it entered our minds to do a seance. These three girls should have known better.

As each is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and yet to come, they must face some horrible truths.

I liked where the author went with his story. There are no happy moments. All of the girls are forced to face things they fear, things they want to forget.

The atmosphere is eerie, the story unpredictable, and the ending is a shocker. What more could I ask for!

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Few Christmas stories hold as much fascination as the story, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

Inspired by the Dickens tale, A Christmas Carol, three young women decide to hold a séance to raise the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future. They don’t expect a result, but what they call out of the aethyr gives them a creepy holiday they will never forget, if they live to tell the tale!

Amazon

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Author Austin Crawley

Austin Crawley has written stories for more than ten years, usually involving ghosts, demons or spirits in some form. In 2015, he decided it was time to publish. He is currently working on a Dystopian series with a supernatural twist.

Blog / Facebook / Twitter

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

Austin is giving away three eBook copies!

Choice of format – Mobi – ePub – PDF

Entry is easy. Please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win and answer this question:

If you were given a choice, would you want the Ghost of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, or Christmas Yet To Come to visit you?

Giveaway ends January 16th.

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Other books.

Genre: Horror

Synopsis

In a small English village, an abandoned black post box stands testament to the failing Royal Mail service where post box collections have ceased and letters must be delivered to the post office in the local shop.

However, the residents of this village continue to drop irregular letters into the black box. Messages to dead relatives are not only delivered, but often requests for supernatural intervention are acted upon in the world of the living where the dead and damned can only enter by special invitation.

When a visitor learns of the black post box, he dismisses it as local superstition and chides the villagers for their simple beliefs, until he accepts the challenge to test the box for himself. What would you ask for, if you could send a message to the damned?

Amazon

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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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

My 2016 Reading Challenges Wrap Up

Posted: January 3, 2017 in Books, Reading Challenge, reviews
Tags: fuonlyknew, Laura Thomas, My 2016 Reading Challenges Wrap Up

It was a fantastic year of reading! I’ve already signed up to do some of these again and found a few ones.

Check out my challenges for 2016.

My Completed Reading Challenges for 2016

Click on the badge above to see the rules and sign up!

I had such fun with this last year, I’m going to do it again!

A. Address To Die For

B. Braking For Bodies

C. Candidate For Murder

D. The Deepest Black

E. Eyeshine – Murder In Stoker Hills

J. Joshua and the Arrow Realm

K. Kaitlin’s Tale

L. The Lobby

M. Memory House

N. No Such Thing As Werewolves

O. Over Easy

P. The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum

Q. Masquerading Magician

R. Red Dot

W. Who Walks The Night

X. Onyx Webb

Y. Young Adult Fiction – Killer Box Set

Z. Mutation Z

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2016 Horror Reading Challenge

I had such fun this year. I went for Horror Hound – 16- books.

And I actually read and reviewed 63. Guess you can tell I love my horror. LOL

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I found this challenge, hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews, on my friend Stormi’s blog @ Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! . Thanks Stormi! I read so many cozies that the Cruisin’ thru the Cozies Reading Challenge is definitely one for me! Click On Yvonne’s blog link for rules and to sign up.

I went with Level 3 – Super Sleuth – Read 13-20 books.

And I actually read and reviewed 23. I did it!

death goes to the county fair 25361858 28245754

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Reading challenge banner

I also completed my Goodreads Challenge to read 125 books. I completed my challenge and actually read 210 books.

You can see all of my reviews HERE.

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And I set a personal goal to read more books from my own TBR shelves.

I was able to read and review 68 books.

Here’s my list.

The Martian, Rattlesnake, Outage 1-3, The Woman In Crimson, The Grown Up, Mutation Z 1-6, The Lie, Onyx Webb 1-6, Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper 2-5, The Gleaners, Memory House, Descent, Forest Of Memory, Extinct, The Scorpio Races, Mercury retrograde, Creepy Christmas 2 books, A Hidden Element, Pandemic, Diary Of A Haunting, Witches, Tortures Of The Damned, Below, The Flip, Stillwell, The History Major, Who Walks The Night, Death Catch, Insects, Dawn Of The Spiders, Pale Rider, Allies & Enemies, The Army Of The Night., The Dead Of Winter, Every Color Of The Night, Uninvited Guests, Listen To Me Speak, Psychopathia, West Of Dead, Station 331, 332, and 333, Weird 1-3, Shallow Graves, Wally The Warm Weather Penguin, They Rise, Space Cowboys & Aliens, Chasers Of The Light, No Such Thing As Werewolves, NightShoft, The Northwoods.

This includes series reads, short stories, and children’s books spanning all genres.

I believe that comes to 68 books. The only problem is I probably added a bunch too. LOL

You can find the reviews on my Review Page HERE.

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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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

My Monday Minis Reviews #51 ~ Ink and Bone and Ink and Bone

Posted: January 2, 2017 in Fantasy, horror, Monday's Minis, Mytery/Thriller, reviews, YA
Tags: 4 Star Review, Ink and Bone, Lisa Unger, Rachel Caine

Welcome to My Monday Minis Reviews where I share short reviews of books I’ve read. For today I’ll be sharing two books with the same titles but different authors and story lines.

Ink and Bone

by Lisa Unger

Genre: Mystery / Thriller / Horror

My Review

After reading the synopsis for this book, no way was I not reading it.

A father and son shot, left wounded in the Hollows while the daughter, Abbey, is dragged away by her abductor.

A young woman, haunted by dreams and ghosts, paints her body with tattoos, slowly losing control of her gifts.

The Hollows, buried in winter snow, not giving up it’s secrets.

A mother struggling to stay sane, makes a last desperate attempt to find her daughter.

I enjoy it when a story pulls me in right from the beginning and the author did just that. I lost track of things going on around me and kept reading …. kept reading, until I was done.

The character’s are strongly developed and drive the story, and the plot is busy and exhilarating, reminding me of a dangerous winding road. You race around each bend, never knowing what waits in the road to send the story out of control.

A real page turner for anyone looking for a thriller with some suspense and horror, plus a bit of the paranormal thrown in.

4 Stars

Synopsis

An instant page-turner (Lisa Gardner) that straddles the line between thriller and horror…sure to appeal to a wide range of readers, including Stephen King fans. (Booklist, starred) A young woman’s mysterious gift forces her into the middle of a dangerous investigation of a little girl’s disappearance.

Twenty-year-old Finley Montgomery is rarely alone. Visited by people whom others can’t see and haunted by prophetic dreams, she has never been able to control or understand the things that happen to her. When Finley’s abilities start to become too strong for her to handle – and even the roar of her motorcycle or another dazzling tattoo can’t drown out the voices – she turns to the only person she knows who can help her: her grandmother Eloise Montgomery, a renowned psychic living in The Hollows, New York.

Merri Gleason is a woman at the end of her tether after a ten-month-long search for her missing daughter, Abbey. With almost every hope exhausted, she resorts to hiring Jones Cooper, a detective who sometimes works with psychic Eloise Montgomery. Merri’s not a believer, but she’s just desperate enough to go down that road, praying that she’s not too late. Time, she knows, is running out.

As a harsh white winter moves into The Hollows, Finley and Eloise are drawn into the investigation, which proves to have much more at stake than even the fate of a missing girl. As Finley digs deeper into the town and its endless layers, she is forced to examine the past, even as she tries to look into the future. Only one thing is clear: The Hollows gets what it wants, no matter what.

Amazon

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Ink and Bone

by Rachel Caine

Genre: YA Fantasy

My Review

A book about the Great Library of Alexandria, and a fantasy to boot. I was sold and knew it would be a good fit for me.

Owning books is forbidden in this world. You can view and read books through the use of alchemy, but can’t actually own a book.

I don’t know about you but I love my physical books. I just know I’d break the rules and something terrible would happen. And so it goes with this story. Jess breaks the rules with his illegal cache of books. How interesting as he’s assigned to spy on those who break those very rules. When something wondrous and potentially dangerous is created it could change the world. Chaos ensues and it’s not just books that will be burned.

Ooh, now how does that grab ya? Once I got familiar with this world I was quickly swept away. Lots of intrigue and suspense kept me enthralled right to the finale.

This is an exciting beginning to a promising fantasy series. I’ll be visiting it again.

4 Stars

Synopsis

In an exhilarating new series, “New York Times” bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time.
Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.
Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family. Jess has been sent to be his family spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library s service.
When his friend inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe knowledge is more valuable than any human life and soon both heretics and books will burn.”

Amazon

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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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

What’s New On My Bookshelf #187 ~ It’s a brand new year!

Posted: January 1, 2017 in Freebies!, giveaways, reviews, What's New on My Bookshelf
Tags: fuonlyknew, Laura Thomas, my weekly book 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.

Happy New year!

I don’t know about you, but, boy, am I ever ready for 2017. I sure hope it’s a good one.

I have so many plans for change this year, in my personal life and with my reading and blog. I’ll be out there looking for a new job. Cross your fingers and toes for me! And I plan to make some changes with books and my blog.

I want to try to winnow down my TBR. Been working on that already. In order to accomplish that ginormous task, I need to stop taking in as many review books. I plan to be a bit more selective and still take in ones from authors I’m already reading.

I also plan to TRY to quit grabbing freebies. I know there will be some I can’t resist, but I need to tone that down or my TBR will just keep growing.

And I want to work on my blog some. I won’t be changing the look. I’ve had it a long time and it’s me! But I plan to add some new post features, one of them being a Kid Korner meme so I can review all of the fun children’s and young reader’s books I’ve enjoyed.

I’m also going to focus more attention on my Monday Minis Reviews, Freakin Fridays, and Saturday Screams review posts and keep them more regular. That helps out a lot with my TBR mountain too.

Got more ideas but I need to see how they fit in before I commit.

How about you? Got any big changes you plan to make?

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New books this week.

And this audible book. I had to have it after watching the wicked movie.

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I completed all of my reading challenges. You can click on the banners or go HERE to view them. Sure had fun this year.

I was stuck on the letter Y but finally found a book that fit.

Had fun with this in 2015 and did it again for 2016. I chose Horror Hound and pledged to read 16 books, and I had a feeling I’d have no trouble with this one. I read and reviewed 63 books.

I went with Level 3 – Super Sleuth : 13-20 books and read and reviewed 23.

And no problem completing this either as I love my cozies.

I completed my Goodreads Challenge. Pledged to read 125 books and actually read 210.

And had my own personal TBR challenge and read and reviewed 68 books.

I’ll be signing up for the Goodreads Challenge again this year along with doing my personal TBR challenge. I also signed up again for the 2017 Alphabet Soup Challenge and found a new cozy challenge to try.

Click on the banners to check out my pledges and sign up if you want to join in!

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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.

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

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Saturday Screams #22 ~ Vincent, Survivor

Posted: December 31, 2016 in Fantasy, reviews, urban fantasy
Tags: 4 Star Review, Author O.L. Eggert, fantasy, urban fantasy, Vincent-Survivor

Welcome back to my Saturday Screams.

Got a good one to share with you today, so let’s get to it!

Vincent, Survivor

Vincent Series #1

by O.L. Eggert

Genre: Fantasy / Urban Fantasy

My Review

This is a gritty read to sink your teeth into.

The story goes….Vincent Li isn’t the nicest guy. He’s had to do some bad things to survive in Oakwood. Not the best of neighborhoods. He’s thrilled when his brother Dante shows up. Been doing a stint in prison.

They’re on their way to go see Grandma and not looking forward to it. Bette is affectionately known as Grandma to many in the neighborhood and helped the brothers survive the streets when they were left on their own. She may look frail, but her tongue lashings are sharp as a whip.

Shortly after arriving and taking the heat from Grandma, they discover she actually has a real granddaughter, Elise. There’s no time to get into the fact that Grandma always said she didn’t have family because things go sideways.

Minotaurs appear on the streets. And other strange beings start emerging everywhere. Gates have been opened and creatures from another world are pouring through them, hell bent on taking over the planet for their own.

This is one of those books where the pace and action starts fast and never slows down until the finish. It’s filled with strange creatures and some genuine characters.

I’d have to say Vincent, Dante, and Grandma are my favorites. Vincent and Dante have a tight bond, not just because they’re brothers, but also because they’ve had to go through and do some bad things to survive. They’re rough around the edges, but fierce when things turn to crap.

And Grandma is a tough cookie. She may be in her sixties, but she’s full of spit and vinegar. Her tough love helped to keep Dante and Vincent from being statistics on a police blotter.

One other to add to the list is Flea. A pint sized enigma. He’s from another world and seems a bit clueless at times, but he comes in handy when things get ugly.

There are plenty of other characters, some minor and some major, that flesh out and add to the plot. Too many for me to mention here. And more than one storyline, which I’m hoping I’ll learn more about in upcoming books. This is the first book in the series, and I’m sure we’ll meet many of the characters again in the other books. At least those that survive this one.

With ghouls and killer sentient Minotaurs, along with some other mythical beings rampaging through this story, I’d tag this as an urban fantasy with a pinch of science fiction added in. Lots of action and danger and some well developed characters keep the plot moving fast and the suspense building. And, while this is a series, and the story doesn’t end here, there’s not a huge cliffhanger. You get answers along the way, and an opening for more.

4 Stars

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Some favorite quotes:

“Have you ever known life to be fair? I’d say it’s a downright bitch.”

“Nothing binds us together tighter, nothing makes us fight harder, than a healthy dose of hope.”

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Synopsis

Vincent Li always assumed he’d die in Oakwood. If the local gangs didn’t get him, then cigarettes and alcohol eventually would.

Now, he’s pretty sure minotaurs will kill him instead, and if not them, the ghouls dragging people into the dark will.

In the wake of an unexplained spike in homicides, a masked figure opens portals to another world—a world filled with dangerous magic and mythological monsters. Creatures that shouldn’t exist suddenly do, and they don’t mix well with humans. Vincent is trapped in Oakwood as the city is torn apart, but he’s no stranger to violence and will do whatever it takes to survive.

Amazon

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Author O.L. Eggert

O.L. (Oliver Leland) Eggert has always been a reader of fantasy and sci-fi. His love of the genre spread to everything else in his life, so he ultimately became a big game/book/movie geek. He also enjoys the occasional anime.

He currently resides in the Silicon Valley with his soon-to-be wife and two dogs: Arya and Dexter. Can you guess which characters the dogs are named after?

To learn more about his current writing projects, follow him at:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook

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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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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What’s New On My Bookshelf #190 and The Sunday Post

Saturday Screams #23 ~ I Am Not A Serial Killer: John Cleaver #1

Freakin Fridays #41 ~ The Spirit In St. Louis ~ From the Files of the BSI

By Tonya Kappes ~ A Ghostly Reunion ~ Review and Giveaway

A GHOSTLY REUNION
by Tonya Kappes

About the Author

What’s New On My Bookshelf #189 and The Sunday Post

Freakin Fridays #40 ~ A Christmas Tale ~ Review and Giveaway

My 2016 Reading Challenges Wrap Up

My Monday Minis Reviews #51 ~ Ink and Bone and Ink and Bone

What’s New On My Bookshelf #187 ~ It’s a brand new year!

Saturday Screams #22 ~ Vincent, Survivor

Follow Blog via Email

Recent Posts

categories

Find me on X

Follow me via Bloglovin

Say hi on Facebook

My Pins

Books I’ve Read

Archives

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

A GHOSTLY REUNION by Tonya Kappes

About the Author

A GHOSTLY REUNION
by Tonya Kappes