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Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

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

~~~~~

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

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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

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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.

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

~~~~~

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!

Freakin Fridays #39 ~ Review, Guest Post & Giveaway ~ When Animals Attack

Posted: December 30, 2016 in giveaways, Guest Post, horror, movies, reviews
Tags: Edited by Vanessa Morgan, giveaway, guest post, review, When Animals Attack

I have time to squeeze in one more batch of horror before the new year!

Do you like to watch horror movies? I sure do! Watch them all the time. Have tons of DVDs, and am always browsing Netflix and On Demand for new ones.

For today, I have a special treat.

Check out When Animals Attack, edited by Vanessa Morgan. There’s 70 horror movies to be shared in the pages. You might recognize many of them, and find some you’ve missed.

I also have a fantastic guest post from Vanessa.

And there’s a giveaway, so don’t forget to enter!

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Enjoy the guest post from Vanessa Morgan!

ANIMALS ON THE RAMPAGE – FROM NOVEL TO MOVIE

best-animals-on-the-rampage-novels

“Animals on the rampage” has always been a popular theme in both books and movies. To celebrate the release of the new movie reference guide, When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals, I want to tell you about six of the most popular “animals on the rampage” novels that have become movies.

Jaws by Peter Benchley

Jaws by Peter Benchley is without a doubt THE most popular “animals on the rampage” novel ever. Steven Spielberg turned this book about a great white shark into a movie, and the rest is history. In When Animals Attack, Warren Fahy (author of Fragment) discusses how he became obsessed with Jaws. It’s a fun, true story about DIY censorship, chocolate sharks, and beastly bestsellers.

Cujo by Stephen King

Stephen King considers Cujo to be one of his weakest novels. He was battling an alcohol addiction at the time and doesn’t remember writing it. However, the beloved family dog that gets bitten by a rabies-infected bat has always been a reader’s favorite.

The Birds by Daphne du Maurier

Technically, The Birds is only a short story and not a novel, but it’s impossible not to mention it in this list as Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 film adaptation made such an impact on the history of cinema. In 1994, this story about a small town where flocks of birds suddenly start to attack people got an unfortunate sequel called Land’s End.

Deadly Eyes by James Herbert

British author James Herbert is one of the most renowned names in the horror literature. I’m sure you’ve all heard of his novels Haunted, The Fog, The Rats, and The Magic Cottage. The Rats got a film adaptation in the 1980s called Deadly Eyes in which the ravenous rats on steroids were portrayed by dogs in costumes.

The Hephaestus Plague by Thomas Page

Based on the 1973 novel, The Hephaestus Plague by Thomas Page, Bug begins with cockroaches emerging from the fissures in the earth and setting humans on fire. You can’t consider The Hephaestus Plague (or Bug) one of the best horror stories about animals on the rampage because of its many unbelievable elements (such as bugs leaving written messages), but you can’t deny that it’s one of the most interesting and uncanny ones.

The White Buffalo by Richard Sale

This story about an albino buffalo on the rampage is more an adventure novel instead of a horror book, but one that is packed with a large amount of punch. The 1977 movie based on the novel has become a classic starring Charles Bronson, Jack Warden, and Kim Novak.

You can read in-depth essays on these books and movies (and many others) in When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals.

What are your favorite books and movies about animals on the rampage?

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When Animals Attack

The 70 Best Horror Movies With Killer Animals

Edited by Vanessa Morgan

Published by Moonlight Creek Publishing

My Review

I’m a huge fan of horror. You throw in some creatures that run, creep, crawl, slither, fly, and swim, and I’m in heaven.

This collection lists the 70 best movies that feature killer animals that actually exist in nature. No ghosts, vamps, weres, or demons are in it. How about lions, tigers, and bears. Bats, sharks, and piranhas. The list goes on.

I read this from front to back, realizing when I finished that I’d seen all but a few of these movies and many of them have a home on my DVD shelves. They go back quite a ways too. Feel free to skip around when reading. You might spot some favorites you want to check out first.

As it says in the description, some of these are quite horrific, some are eerie, and some are just plain fun.

I love B- movies. I don’t expect the best in CG, and often enjoy it when I can clearly see that the creature isn’t real. My sister and I love to pick the movies apart and try to never miss a one.

Some of my favorites are Day of the Animals, Frogs, Empire of the Ants……well, the list could go on and on. And I was thrilled to see that The White Buffalo was included in this list. It’s definitely a favorite of mine. Has almost a mystical tone to it. And Charles Bronson pulls off a fabulous performance, as does the “buff.”

Writers and authors come together to share about their featured movies and it gets quite interesting.

A must have for horror movie buffs. There’s something for everyone in these pages. You may find yourself surfing for some of these movies afterwards.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

The definitive horror movie guide for fans of killer animals and “revenge of nature” films.

When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals provides a fascinating and entertaining insight into the cinematographic world of animals on the rampage. From well-known predators such as sharks and lions to unusual killing machines like turkeys, elephants, frogs, cats, and rabbits, there is no shortage of the species on display in this book.

Leading horror writers and filmmakers present their favorite “animals attack” films through in-depth essays. Some of the films are touching, some are repulsive, and some are just plain silly. Not all of these horror movies line up with the critical consensus, yet they have one thing in common: they have made the heart of the writer beat faster with excitement.

Purchase links for When Animals Atttack

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon FR / Goodreads

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Author Vanessa Morgan

Vanessa Morgan is an author, screenwriter, and blogger. Three of her stories (The Strangers Outside, Next to Her and A Good Man), have become movies. When she’s not working on her latest book, you can find her reading, watching horror movies, digging through flea markets, or photographing felines for her blog Traveling Cats (www.traveling-cats.com).

Social media links

Facebook / Twitter / Google + / Amazon / Newsletter

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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!

Nine Of Stars by Laura Bickle ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: December 21, 2016 in Fantasy, reviews, urban fantasy
Tags: Author Laura Bickle, Dark Alchemy #3, fantasy/urban fantasy, Nine Of Stars, review

Nine of Stars

A Wildlands Novel

by Laura Bickle

On Sale Date: December 27, 2016

ISBN: 9780062437662

Genre: Contemporary Fantasy

Publisher: Harper Voyager

My Review

Wow. Petra and Sig, her adorable coyote companion, are up against a wolf killing Wendigo. You just never know what they’re going to bump into which each new book.

This is the third book in the series. I’ll do my best not to spoil it for you. Just sayin.

The wolf pack Nine Of Stars goes up against a creature that collects the skins of wolves. It ends badly for one and they’re now being hunted down. A magical being, it’s relentless and darn near unstoppable in its pursuit.

Petra is grappling with some personal issues but that takes a second seat when wolves are being attacked and killed in the park. She’s also having to deal with the new sheriff, an odd duck who’s set his sights on Gabe as the killer. And Gabe has problems of his own. Human ones, to be exact.

It’s going to take everything they have and then some to stop Skinflint Jack. The bitter cold and a huge winter storm add to the struggles for these characters. I like when the elements come in to play. A reckoning is coming, and who survives the battle isn’t certain.

I loved this book. I’ve loved all of the books in this series. Petra is bad to the bone and loves with such intensity. And Sig is, well, Sig. What can I say about the wily coyote. He’s something else.

So much has happened in this series and I wonder what’s coming next. Can’t wait to find out.

5 Stars

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About the Book:

Following on the heels of her critically acclaimed prequel novels Dark Alchemy and Mercury Retrograde comes the first installment in Laura Bickle’s dark contemporary fantasy series, Nine of Stars, a Wildlands Novel

Winter has always been a deadly season in Temperance, but this time, there’s more to fear than just the cold…

As the daughter of an alchemist, Petra Dee has faced all manner of occult horrors—especially since her arrival in the small town of Temperance, Wyoming. But she can’t explain the creature now stalking the backcountry of Yellowstone, butchering wolves and leaving only their skins behind in the snow. Rumors surface of the return of Skinflint Jack, a nineteenth-century wraith that kills in fulfillment of an ancient bargain.

The new sheriff in town, Owen Rutherford, isn’t helping matters. He’s a dangerously haunted man on the trail of both an unsolved case and a fresh kill—a bizarre murder leading him right to Petra’s partner Gabriel. And while Gabe once had little to fear from the mortal world, he’s all too human now. This time, when violence hits close to home, there are no magical solutions.

It’s up to Petra and her coyote sidekick Sig to get ahead of both Owen and the unnatural being hunting them all—before the trail turns deathly cold.

Amazon HarperCollins Kobo GooglePlay BN

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Enjoy this glimpse inside.

He’d run as far as he could, into the summer grass that came up almost to his chest. He fantasized for a brief moment about what it would be like to hide in this grass, to build a fort and live among the cows and the ravens that always seemed to mass over the land in swarms, like flies.

He crouched in the grass, making a nest. No one could see him here. He could be out here forever, and no one would ever find him. This world of sunshine and grass and sky would be far preferable to dealing with Sal’s petulant wrath and the anger of his aunt and uncle, who treated Sal like he was the heir to the universe, a young King Arthur wielding a Popsicle stick.

Maybe he was. Owen remembered peering through the grass walls of his hideout into the valley below, at all the vast land and green and gold. He felt a pang of jealousy, but then he saw it.

Something weird.

A man walked along a beaten-down path in the grass along a barbed-wire fence. He looked odd—like he had no arms. The sleeves of his plaid shirt hung at his sides like wet laundry, and he trudged along, looking up at the sky. Ravens swarmed overhead in a seething mass, cawing.

And then Owen saw them dive toward the man.

Owen gasped and clapped his hand over his mouth. The ravens were about to attack that poor crippled man, were going to tear him apart. He crawled forward out of his nest, terrified but compelled to watch.

The ravens slammed into the man, a dozen of them, one after the other, whacking into his body from the front and back. The man stumbled in the flurry of feathers, turning like a scarecrow in a storm as they assaulted him. But that was the funny thing—they didn’t bounce off with chunks of meat in their beaks. They just . . . disappeared.

The man staggered upright, surrounded by a miasma of dust and a few feathers. With a start, Owen realized that his arms had grown back. They’d grown right down past his sleeves, with pale hands that opened and closed.

Owen squeaked.

As if he heard him, the man in the field turned toward Owen with a black and distant gaze.

Owen scuttled backward in the grass, clawing through the stems, and scrambled to his feet. Keeping his head down, he ran as fast as he could back toward the house. His aunt and uncle’s punishment were nothing compared to . . . to that. Whatever that was.

nine-of-stars-teaser-3

About Author Laura Bickle

Laura Bickle

Laura Bickle grew up in rural Ohio, reading entirely too many comic books out loud to her favorite Wonder Woman doll. After graduating with an MA in Sociology-Criminology from Ohio State University and an MLIS in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she patrolled the stacks at the public library and worked with data systems in criminal justice. She now dreams up stories about the monsters under the stairs. Her work has been included in the ALA’s Amelia Bloomer Project 2013 reading list and the State Library of Ohio’s Choose to Read Ohio reading list for 2015-2016.

More information about Laura’s work can be found here

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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Win a signed print copy.

US Only

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Other books in the series.

Click on the links below for my reviews.

Dark Alchemy

Mercury Retrograde

~~~~~

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 Flamingos below!

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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

Freakin Fridays #39 ~ Review, Guest Post & Giveaway ~ When Animals Attack

Nine Of Stars by Laura Bickle ~ Review and Giveaway

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Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

A GHOSTLY REUNION by Tonya Kappes

About the Author

A GHOSTLY REUNION
by Tonya Kappes