Archive for the ‘Science Fiction’ Category

Wishing Stone

Having read several books by Tegon Maus, I’m thrilled to have him back on my blog and bursting with excitement to tell you about his series, The Eve Project.

Come on in. Browse for a spell.

The Wishing Stone has a special sale price of 99 cents for a limited time. Get your copy HERE.

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

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The Wishing Stone

The Eve Project #2

by Tegon Maus

22905785

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Publisher:  Tirgearr Publishing (August 10, 2014)
Category: Mystery, Soft Science Fiction, Technothriller, Humor, Quirky
ASIN:  B00MMQYLPU
Tour Date: Feb/Mar, 2016
Available in: ebook, 151 Pages

My Review

Welcome to Ben’s world. Where machines short out and go up in flames in his presence. He has this thing called Bio-Chemical Electrical Discharge, B.C.E.D., a real condition. He gives off electrical discharges that cause machines to go haywire. Ben’s brother-in-law, Roger, put together some inhibitors, but they are no longer helping.

Enter Warwick, an institute filled with zany geniuses, scientists of all shapes and sizes. Here’s where Roger claims he can help Ben. And here’s where the conspiracy and lunacy take place.

You know those books you glance at but never pick up? You don’t know the author, or the cover or genre might not grab ya? You might want to slow down and pick one of them up, give it a try. That’s what I did with Tegon Maus. And boy did I get some great reading.

Having read Bob and currently reading Service Before Self, I fell in love with Tegon’s humor, his ability to suck me into his stories quickly, and the wildly diverse cast of characters he comes up.

I especially enjoy the humor. I anticipate it with each turn of the page. While the first book in this series, Machines of the Little People, gave me some, I got a whole lot more in this one.

I actually got a whole lot more of everything. More conspiracy, more science fiction, more mystery. And more new characters.

I often wonder where Tegon’s characters come from. Ben has three new friends at Warwick and I loved them.

Digby, Marcie, and Peterson are a hoot. They actually believe Ben has X-ray vision and see through their clothes. More of that Tegon humor.

You’ll get a deeper story about Ben and Roger here too. Roger tests Ben’s friendship. He’s deep into his inventions and losing his humanity. While Ben is seeing a side of Roger that scares him.

I wouldn’t recommend you reading this without having read the first book. To get the whole experience you need to meet these characters and enter their world from the beginning.

Remember what I told you, don’t judge or a book by its cover or genre. You never now what gem you might be missing.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

During that last summer, as if in punishment for being happy, Kate was diagnosed with cervical cancer.

The last time we used the wishing stone was at the hospital the morning she died.

On that day, all three of us made a silent wish, certain the others had wished the same. Kate died that afternoon and I never thought about it again. It was the last time I believed in magic, in love or in the existence of God.

Then, after three miserable lonely years, the unthinkable, a second chance . . . Warwick.

Amazon

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Praise for The Wishing Stone (The Eve Project – Book 2)

“More great Sci-Fi adventure from Tegon Maus. He doesn’t just give us a good Sci-Fi story. He gives us a story with great characters and a unique story and is able to include many other genres in his Sci-Fi stories. Comedy, drama and action.  Let’s pray for a book three in the series.”-Erik Nelson, Author ‘Unlawful Protection’

“This is a great science fiction story, which follows on nicely from The Eve Project: Book 1, Machines of the Little People, however could easily be read as a stand-alone.
It has it all for science fiction fans, top secret scientific projects, a great storyline, twists and turns round every corner, yet, at its very core lies, dare I say it, a love story.
It has a great finish, however, at the end, all I wanted to know from the author – is there is another book in the series coming?  I hope so”-Susan Keefe, Author ‘Toby’s Tales’ Series

“I enjoyed The Wishing Stone even more than the first book, even though, again, it’s not my usual read. I really liked the eccentric scientist characters Ben meets at Warwick, and as with book one, Tegon Maus did a great job of keeping me guessing what was really going on right to the very end. I look forward to finding out what book 3 has in store!”-Nick Stead, Author ‘Hybrid’

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Machines of the Little People

The Eve Project #1

21957486

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My Review

I’ve read other books by Tegon Maus so I knew one thing for sure, you never know what you’re going to get with his stories.

So the story goes…Ben’s sister died of cancer and her husband, Roger, Ben’s best friend, up and vanishes, not even attending his own wife’s funeral.

Needless to say, that puts a strain on their friendship. Even more so when Roger reappears with a new wife, a carbon copy of his old one, and he’s acting all wiggy. Claims there are little people, calls them Katoy, living under his house, running strange machines.

Things go further south when Roger’s new wife is found murdered and he has vanished again.

So many characters in this story, it’s hard to choose a favorite, but I’d go with Ben. He has this thing called B.C.E.D., or Bio-Chemical Electrical Discharge. He makes electronics go haywire. He has his car, Margaret, specially shielded, but still has problems with her.

There’s some fun scenes because of his condition. People even close their doors when he approaches, not wanting their equipment to short out or burn up. This is where some of the authors trademark humor appears.

There’s a couple of old ladies that had me in stitches. One’s a psychic, and copious drinking is needed for her to use her ability. Nothing like some old birdies deep in their cups. LOL

As I’m huge on character driven stories, Tegon never fails to give me plenty to keep me entertained. Where he came up with the Katoy is a mystery in itself. Perhaps he sat down with those little old ladies.

I’d tag this a science fiction mystery with heavy doses of humor.

Seeing this is a series, I wanted to ease your anxiety. The author wraps up the mystery. There’s no cliff hanger. But there’s still plenty to be carried on in the next book. Looking forward to it.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Amazon

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Praise for Machines of the Little People (The Eve Project – Book 1)

“The plot is unique, I must say that I haven’t read a Sci Fi book so original in a long time. It has everything, mystery, suspense, romance, eccentric characters, conspiracy theories, and of course the little people with their machines!
Crazy, Wild, Excellent Written. Highly Recommended!!!”- Julia Damatto, Romorror Fan Girl

“the real joy of this book is not the plot itself. The real joy is the way in which Maus keeps his readers constantly off guard, stringing them along for pages before flipping the situation on its head and forcing readers to reevaluate whatever they thought they knew. Normally, that just pisses me off, but the way Maus manipulates his readers makes us squeal with delight at every turn. There is an energy to his novels, a sense of urgency tinged with wonder. We trust that wherever he takes us–and it won’t be somewhere we expect–it will be an adventure in the truest sense of the word.
And then we have the characters. At the end of the day, it’s the characters that make a Maus book what it is.
Definitely recommended for anyone who just wants a cracking good story. “-Jonathan Cook, Author ‘Youth and Other Fictions’

“Anyone who loves a good science fiction/fantasy story would have a hard time putting this one down.”- Lisa Binion, Author ‘Softly and Tenderley’

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About Tegon Maus

Tegon Maus

Tegon Maus was raised pretty much the same as everyone else… devoted mother, strict father and all the imaginary friends he could conjure. Not that he wasn’t friendly, he just wasn’t “people orientated”. Maybe he lived in his head way more than he should have, maybe not. He liked machines more than people, at least he did until I met his wife.

The first thing he can remember writing was for her. For the life of him he can’t remember what it was about… something about dust bunnies under the bed and monsters in my closet. It must have been pretty good because she married him shortly after that. He spent a good number  of years chasing other dreams before he got back to writing.

It wasn’t a deliberate conscious thought, it was more of a stepping stone. His wife and himself had joined a dream interpret group and we were encouraged to write down our dreams as they occurred. “Be as detailed as you can,” we were told.

He was thrilled. If there is one thing he enjoys it’s making people believe him and he likes to exaggerate. Not a big exaggeration or an outright lie mind you, just a little step out of sync, just enough so you couldn’t be sure if it were true or not.  When he writes, he always write with the effort of “it could happen” very much in mind and nothing, he guarantees you, nothing, makes him happier.

He has consistently placed in the top 3 in 189 writing contest in a variety of genres and has been featured in magazines a couple of times to raise money for Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

Tegon Maus Website / Author on Tirgearr Website

Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest / Google +

Purchase Links for Wishing Stone

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords

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I have one eBook copy of Wishing Stone to give away. (Open Internationally) 

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

“If someone told you they’d seen an alien, would you believe them, or have you encountered one yourself?”

Giveaway ends March 23rd.

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Follow the tour:

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Feb 15 Review & Giveaway

Second Book to the Right Feb 16 Excerpt & Giveaway

Father, Writer, Logistical Wizard Feb 17 Review & Excerpt

The Libromaniac & Bad Case of Libromaniac Feb 18 Review & Interview

Pomegranate Radio Feb 19 Podcast Review

Inspire to Read Feb 22  Review

Books, Books, and More Books Feb 23 Review

Christy’s Cozy Corners Mar 1 Review & Giveaway

Deal Sharing Aunt Mar 3 Interview

INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS Mar 10 Excerpt

fuonlyknew Mar 14 Review & Giveaway

Lisa’s Writopia Mar 17 Review

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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!

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Welcome to my Saturday Screams where I share reviews of all things scary.

For today I have a some good ones from my TBR that I’ve been wanting to share. For the past two weeks I’ve shared the first four episodes of Marilyn Peake’s zombie series, Mutation Z.. Check out One and Two HERE, and Three and Four HERE. This week I’m sharing books five and six, the final two.

Without further adieu….

Mutation Z

Dragon In The Bunker

Book Five

by Marilyn Peake

28073909

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My Review

Hunter puts his disguise to the test and it works. Good thing too. He escaped getting blown to smithereens when he went to a clandestine meeting in the middle of nowhere.

The information he received was so horrifying, yet it was detrimental to all of their survival. It looks bad and the virus can only keep spreading.

I’m still surprised by how much can happen in each of these short episodes. The conspiracy keeps getting deeper and uglier. And it’s so easy to believe it could happen. Big Brother is a bully.

What’s happening with the zombies will turn your stomach. Maybe they aren’t human any longer, but how they’re dispatched is truly evil.

As the world crumbles, many people die. How could it be any other way. I was saddened, though I knew it could happen.

I’m having a hard time clinging to hope for the characters and the world. The next book was just released and I’m ready to see where the author goes with this.

Zombie horror, big government, a little bit of science fiction, and some modern cyber twists. Too good to pass up.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Journalist Hunter Morgan gains an unlikely ally in his search for the truth about the origins of the zombie virus. Mark Chen, youngest son of a co-owner of Chen-Zamora Pharmaceuticals, shows him information more frightening than his greatest nightmares. Together, they travel all the way from an abandoned meth shack in the Mexican desert to China, evading the authorities by communicating with Mark’s contacts through a video game on the Dark Web. NOVELLA. GENRES: Apocalyptic Science Fiction, Zombie Fiction, Conspiracy Fiction, Horror.

AMAZON

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And now for

Mutation Z

Desperate Measures

Book Six

By Marilyn Peake

29054983

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My Review

I almost didn’t want to start this one as it’s the final book and I didn’t want it to end.

I wondered who would survive, if they’d find a cure, whether the world could be saved. I didn’t have a clue how all of my questions would be answered.

The author did a bang up job of doing just that. She gave me lots of endings for lots of characters.  I got a pretty good idea of what would happen with the bad guys. No real surprise there. It’s happened that way for a lot of them in real life, so it felt right. And I learned what would happen to the world.

Curious about how she would handle the two kinds of zombies, she explained that too.

 All that and Marilyn still found room to throw in some sea pirates. Not bad at all. Nothing felt rushed or disjointed. It all flowed easily to the end.

I hope you get a chance to read this series. I’d recommend you try the first one. If it’s you’re cuppa tea, grab the rest. The price is right and you’ll be able to zip through them without pause.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Sixth and final book in the series.

As things heat up in the United States with both the U.S. military and radical militias targeting those trying to develop a vaccine and cure for the Zombie Plague, more researchers flee to Mark Chen’s bunker in China. There, they will be free to carry on their research. Bringing patients afflicted with the Zombie Virus to China on a cargo ship, they’re attacked by pirates. It becomes very clear that they’re in a race against time to try and save the human race. NOVELLA. GENRES: Apocalyptic Science Fiction, Zombie Fiction, Conspiracy Fiction, Horror.

AMAZON

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These count towards my Horror Reading Challenge

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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Welcome to The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

 

This is a really fun meme!

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!

My 56 for this week is from

Forest Of Memory

by Mary Robinette Kowal

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Genre: Fantasy / Science Fiction

My 56 from the paperback.

If you’ve been paying attention, you know he lied about how long I was unconscious.

If you expect me to tell you what happened during that time, I hate to break it to you, but I don’t know.

And yes, I had to pee.

Read on if you want to know more.

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Synopsis

Katya deals in Authenticities and Captures, trading on nostalgia for a past long gone. Her clients are rich and they demand items and experiences with only the finest verifiable provenance. Other people’s lives have value, after all.

But when her A.I. suddenly stops whispering in her ear she finds herself cut off from the grid and loses communication with the rest of the world.

The man who stepped out of the trees while hunting deer cut her off from the cloud, took her A.I. and made her his unwilling guest.

There are no Authenticities or Captures to prove Katya’s story of what happened in the forest. You’ll just have to believe her…

Amazon

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This is a short read. Only 88 pages. But so fascinating. I’ll be reviewing it soon.

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Leave your link and I’ll drop by your 56.

Until the next time….

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!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

scary elves photo: scary 035.jpg

Welcome to my Saturday Screams where I share reviews of all things scary.

For today I have a some good ones from my TBR that I’ve been wanting to share. Last week I shared the first two books in Marilyn Peake’s zombie series, Mutation Z. Go HERE to check them out. This week I’m sharing books three and four, and next week I’ll share the final two.

Without further adieu….

Mutation Z

Protecting Our Own

  Book Three

by Marilyn Peake

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My Review

Holy crap!

Just when you think things can’t get any crazier, they do. This is one intense series. I loved the first two books and this one is just as good, if not better.

Don’t count on your favorite characters surviving. I read this episode knowing anything could happen. But I wasn’t prepared for how things would go down.

And what’s this about protecting the zombies? What could be the motive behind that, I wonder.

Hang on to your butts, people. This is a boat load of trouble with an ending that will rock you to your core.

I don’t see how the author can make this series any more horrifying or emotional, but we shall see.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Guerrilla warfare breaks out between armed militias and those perceived as protecting the zombies. Journalist Hunter Morgan becomes the target of Clay Dixon, the organizer of a militia in a Texas border town, when he advocates for protecting the zombies until a cure is found. The journalist has strong motivation for his beliefs: his daughter is suspected of having the disease caused by Mutation Z. This book ends with a devastating confrontation. NOVELETTE. GENRES: Apocalyptic Science Fiction, Zombie Fiction, Conspiracy Fiction, Horror.

Mutation Z: Protecting Our Own is the third book in the Mutation Z series. In the next book, Mutation Z: Drones Overhead, the people working in Dr. Rojas’s house to find a cure for Mutation Z hide from the U.S. government spying on them with helicopters and drones that constantly fly overhead.

AMAZON

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And now for

Mutation Z

Drones Overhead

Book Four

By Marilyn peake

27424783

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My Review

And this series gets even more intense.

The beginning grabs you, yanks you into Hunter’s nightmares, and gives you a little reprieve before sending you back into the horror.

After the horrific loss Hunter endured, I didn’t see a happy ending for him. I’m crossing my fingers things get better, but don’t see that in the foreseeable future. He’s on the run, hunted for what he knows. Desperate measures must be taken.

Well, the author did it again. Kept me tearing through this episode, cringing, cheering, and hoping.  Mutation Z is like zombie M&Ms. You can’t read just one and keep reaching for more.

Can’t wait for the next one.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Journalist Hunter Morgan comes face-to-face with terrible truths, both personal and political. Visiting a local hospital, he discovers firsthand that zombies aren’t being treated there. Instead, they’re being sent to a more sinister fate in a program organized by the government. Fearing he’ll be identified by the helicopters and drones flying constantly over the house where he’s staying, he sets about to permanently alter his appearance. Although a ray of sunshine exists in his life, he becomes filled with despair over the current state of the world. There are even rumors that the United States and Mexico will go to war. NOVELLA. GENRES: Apocalyptic Science Fiction, Zombie Fiction, Conspiracy Fiction, Horror.

AMAZON

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These count towards my Horror Reading Challenge

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!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

Welcome to The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

 

This is a really fun meme!

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!

My 56 for this week is from

Forget Tomorrow

  Forget Tomorrow #1

by Pintip Dunn

24804505

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Genre: YA science fiction / dystopian

My 56 from the hard cover.

I focus on their eyes. That’s where all the personality lies. Blue eyes, brown eyes, green….Blinking, narrowed, wide open and fearful.

Read on if you want to know more.

~~~~~

 I won a signed hard cover edition of this book in a giveaway.

My first time reading Pintip Dunn and so far, so good.

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Synopsis

Imagine a world where your destiny has already been decided…by your future self.

It’s Callie’s seventeenth birthday and, like everyone else, she’s eagerly awaiting her vision―a memory sent back in time to sculpt each citizen into the person they’re meant to be. A world-class swimmer. A renowned scientist.

Or in Callie’s case, a criminal.

In her vision, she sees herself murdering her gifted younger sister. Before she can process what it means, Callie is arrested and placed in Limbo―a prison for those destined to break the law. With the help of her childhood crush, Logan, a boy she hasn’t spoken to in five years, she escapes the hellish prison.

But on the run from her future, as well as the government, Callie sets in motion a chain of events that she hopes will change her fate. If not, she must figure out how to protect her sister from the biggest threat of all.

Callie herself.

Amazon

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Leave your link and I’ll drop by your 56.

Until the next time….

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!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

scary elves photo: scary 035.jpg

Welcome to my Saturday Screams where I share reviews of all things scary.

For today I have a some good ones from my TBR that I’ve been wanting to share.For the next three weeks I’ll be sharing two books from Marilyn Peake’s zombie series,Mutation Z.

Without further adieu….

Mutation Z

The Ebola Zombies

Book One

by Marilyn Peake

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My Review

Did someone say zombies? I can’t pass up a zombie story.

The apocalypse has already begun and it’s spreading quickly. Probably not the best time for a young lady like Emma to go to the front lines of the plague. She just graduated from nursing school and is looking for some adventure.

From the moment she arrives, she knows something’s wrong. Before long her fears are confirmed as horrific events unfold.  Now Emma is in for the fight of her life, literally.

Wow.  Powerful writing whisks you away, drops you into a dirty, steamy camp in West Africa, and bombards you with conspiracies, horror, and real life characters who could walk off the pages.

What goes on in the camp, after dark, hidden, is beyond imagining. Imagine the threat of Ebola. Now add in disease carrying zombies. A dark twist.

Though this is a short novella, it made a huge impression on me. Loved it and I now have the other five books on my kindle. The first book was free and the others were priced at a bargain I was happy to pay.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Ebola, one of the most feared of the hemorrhagic diseases, has begun spreading across the borders of West African countries. The CDC and the World Health Organization have admitted they are losing control over the disease. Some hint at a possible worldwide pandemic. At exactly this point in time, Emma Johnson graduates from nursing school. She takes a job in an Ebola treatment camp inside Liberia, West Africa. The camp is state-of-the-art. It’s run by the CDC and the World Health Organization, and protected by the U.S. military. Emma uncovers a secret about this facility: medical experimentation is being conducted along with treatment. Whether or not Emma can ever escape the camp, she’s determined to get the story out. She has intimate knowledge of a biological horror being secretly unleashed upon the world. NOVELETTE. GENRES: Apocalyptic Science Fiction, Zombie Fiction, Conspiracy Fiction, Horror.

Mutation Z: The Ebola Zombies is the first book in a series. In the next book, the zombie virus will cross geographical boundaries and go increasingly out of control.

AMAZON

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And now for

Mutation Z

Closing The Borders

Book Two

By Marilyn Peake

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My Review

If you read the first book, you probably thought it was horrific. Wait until you read this second one.

The author drops you right into the story. Even after mutilated bodies are found on the borders of Mexico and the US and they begin closing it down, journalists are allowed to investigate the scenes.  What they discover are horrors beyond their worst imagination.

Flash to West Africa and Emma. She’s still at the camp, still unable to leave, and not sure if she should. As she digs deeper into the conspiracy, she’s crushed by what she’s done, what she might become.

Hope arrives in one Hunter Morgan, a journalist chasing a story. When his young daughter becomes ill, he’ll do anything to get to the bottom of it.

Imagine knowing you’re turning into a zombie. Knowing what you’ve done. I can’t think of anything more horrifying. Be warned. The author gives you graphic details. Lots of gore. Maybe I’m morbid, but that’s what I wanted, and that’s what I got. Being a huge fan of The Walking Dead, I can handle it.

More conspiracy and corruption abound. I wonder how bad it can get. A zombie army?

This second book is as intense as the first one. And the addition of new characters and the spread of the disease build the suspense to a fever pitch.

I’m so glad I already have the next four books so I don’t have to wait to continue.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Eviscerated bodies are found along both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Military security is stepped up on both sides of the border. However, journalists are given free rein to explore the devastation. As more and more bodies are found, people begin to panic. Meanwhile in The Liberia Treatment and Research Camp of West Africa, Emma Johnson and Chibueze Koroma continue to receive experimental doses of Mutation Z. They also begin to remember the horrific things they’ve done. As journalist Hunter Morgan’s investigation leads him to that same Camp, his own little girl falls sick with fever. NOVELLA. GENRES: Apocalyptic Science Fiction, Zombie Fiction, Conspiracy Fiction, Horror.

Mutation Z: Closing the Borders is the second book in the Mutation Z series. In the next book, Mutation Z: Protecting Our Own, guerrilla warfare breaks out between armed militias and those perceived as protecting the zombies.

AMAZON

~~~~~

These count towards my Horror Reading Challenge

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!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

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Welcome to My Monday Minis Reviews where I share short reviews of books I’ve read. For today I’ll be sharing my review of Space Cowboys & Indians. I won this some time ago in a giveaway and had a fun read.

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Space Cowboys & Indians

Cosmic Cowboys Series: Episode One

by Lisa Medley

26268702

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AMAZON

My Review

Space cowboys, an asteroid, aliens, wormholes, time travel, and indians! never a dull moment here.

Add in a billionaire, a washed out wannabe astronaut, a sexy rival teammate, and things get bumpy pretty quick.

How could I resist this one. I watched the movie, Space Cowboys and Aliens, and really enjoyed it. So, I couldn’t pass this up. Right from the start I liked the characters, the back and forth humor and sarcasm, the romantic teasing, and the bets they make.

Once this team lands on the asteroid and discovers they aren’t alone, things happen quickly. They end up going through a worm hole and come out on Earth in the 1800s. As they try to figure out how to get home to their present time again, they must make friendly with the indians and fight off an extremely dangerous alien.

Strap on your six shooter, pilgrim. From the present to the 1800s, this book shoots you into action and dribbles humor throughout, keeping you laughing and dodging bullets, arrows, and acid spitting aliens.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

How can the chance of a lifetime go so horribly wrong? Mining Engineer Cole Hudson signed up for NASA astronaut training, but after washing out short of getting his gold wings, he retreats to Alaska where he stakes out a gold claim. When billionaire entrepreneur Duncan Janson offers him an opportunity to join a mining team on an asteroid, Cole jumps at the chance. But nothing is as it seems. Former NASA reject and rival classmate, Tessa Hernandez, is also a member of the team, and from the beginning of the mission test flight, things go wrong. They soon discover they’re not the only ones on the asteroid. As they try to escape, they are pulled through a wormhole and back to the early 1800s New Mexico desert where aliens and Apaches may be the least of their problems.

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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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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.

TeaserTuesdays2014e

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

.

My Teaser for this week is from

Allies and Enemies

Storm Of Arranon #3

by R.E. Sheahan

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My teaser from page 24 in the paperback.

Cace, his young face wet with tears, leaned against the counter between the tiny kitchen and the small parlor. Still and silent, he appeared to sink in on himself, shrinking inside the gray sweater he wore. His youthful innocence faded with each attack against what the boy held dear.

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I really enjoyed the first two books in this year. My review ill be posted later this week. It’s long overdue!

Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

A vicious attack on life and love. A race to deny death. Trust blurs and alliances break. The chase begins.
A powerful evil threatens the natural balance of Arranon, endangering all that lives. No less important to Captain Erynn Yager, a life treasured above her own hovers in a coma, close to death.
In a race to uncover a cure and stop the mounting peril, Erynn risks everything—becoming the hunted. She challenges authority and allies herself with a being others believe a mortal enemy. In pursuit of the true evil, Erynn finds the line blurred between those they trust and those set against them.
Answers remain beyond reach.
Erynn embraces her abilities, joining her will with the living consciousness of Arranon. Her authority and confidence rises, and she strikes out against a murderous cruelty—becoming the hunter.

AMAZON

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Other books in this series. Click on the covers for my reviews.

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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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

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Welcome to My Monday Minis Reviews where I share short reviews of books I’ve read. For today I’ll be sharing reviews for The martian by Andy Weir, the book and the movie.

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My Review

You’d never know it from the jocular beginning, but in moments, s#!t will hit the fan.

The author wastes no time in putting his characters in jeopardy. Beginning years away from home, the first to walk on Mars, these astronauts know the risks. When Mark Watney disappears and is presumed dead during a dust storm, the crew must abort the mission and return home without him.

Wouldn’t they be shocked and horrified to learn that not only did Mark survive, he’s actually colonized Mars.

With so many reviews already written, this won’t be a long one.

I loved this book. From the beginning, I couldn’t wait to read the next paragraph, the next chapter. The humor helps lighten the suspense the author puts you through. There’s no guarantee an author won’t kill off his characters, even the heroes, so you can’t relax, can’t count on anything. Each time something went wrong, I thought, this is it.

I used to think I’d love to travel in space. Not anymore. I’m too old and too fond of my life to endanger it. I fully expect us to one day walk on Mars. Look at all of the amazing things we’ve done already.

Until then, I’ll enjoy books like these, and when I’m done reading, I’ll turn off the light and dream of space from the comfort of my own bed.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.

Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.

Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old “human error” are much more likely to kill him first.

But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

AMAZON

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And now for the movie!

My Review

Holy cow! If you think the book is fabulous, wait until you see the movie.

The cinematography is out of this world, the casting is awesome, and the scenes you loved in the book come to life in dramatic and fun ways. Careful if you are drinking anything during the movie. I almost spit tea all over the place at one of those comedic scenes.

I’m not a huge fan of Mark Damon, cast as Mark Watney. His most memorable movies for me were The Talented Mr. Ripley and The Bourne series. He won me over with his superb acting. He had to carry most of the movie by himself.

For all of you ladies, I don’t know about you, but is he not ruggedly handsome now. I wonder why men get better looking with time, and we women fight gravity, literally. LOL

I read the book first. Usually do. I’d recommend you do that so you get more indepth info about the characters and their thoughts. Makes for a richer experience.

Bravo to Andy Weir. Out of this world!

5 Stars

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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!

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Welcome to the Infinite Ink $100 Book Blast Giveaway!

The Breeders by Katie French

“When the Breeders come for ya, there ain’t no escape. They strap ya to a bed and all ya hear is the thud of your heart and the cries of your friends as they wheel ya down to hell. Then the doctors come. You squeeze your eyes shut and pray you can forget. But ya never do.”

Sixteen-year-old Riley Meemick is one of the world’s last free girls. When Riley was born, her mother escaped the Breeders, the group of doctors using cruel experiments to bolster the dwindling human race. Her parents do everything possible to keep her from their clutches– moving from one desolate farm after another to escape the Breeders’ long reach. The Breeders control everything- the local war lords, the remaining factories, the fuel. They have unchecked power in this lawless society. And they’re hunting Riley.

When the local Sheriff abducts the adult members of her family and hands her mother over to the Breeders, Riley and her eight-year-old brother, Ethan, hiding in a shelter, are left to starve. Then Clay arrives, the handsome gunslinger who seems determined to help to make up for past sins. The problem is Clay thinks Riley is a bender– a genderless mutation, neither male nor female. As Riley’s affection for Clay grows she wonders can she trust Clay with her secret and risk her freedom?

The three embark on a journey across the scarred remains of New Mexico– escaping the Riders who use human sacrifice to appease their Good Mother, various men scrambling for luck, and a deranged lone survivor of a plague. When Riley is forced into the Breeder’s hospital, she learns the horrible fate of her mother—a fate she’ll share unless she can find a way out.

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KatieAuthor Katie French
Katie French imagined herself an author when her poem caught the eye of her second grade teacher. It was about birds and frankly, it wasn’t very good, but it sparked a love of literature. In middle school she spent her free time locked in her room, writing her first young adult novel. This thoroughly solidifying her status as a class-A nerd. She currently works as a high school English teacher, a job that she loves even when it exhausts her. In her free time she writes, reads great books, and takes care of her two beautiful and crazy children. Her young adult best selling series, The Breeders, is available now on Amazon. She also has a kids series starting with Portia Parrott and the Great Kitten Rescue for ages 5-9.

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Praise for The Breeders

Kindle Book Review, 2014 Kindle Book Awards Semifinalist

Over 45,000 downloads so far. More than 300 four and five star reviews. Top Ten in Free Kindle Teen & Young Adult Science Fiction Dystopian Romance.

“This is an Excellent book that should be published the writing is that compelling and suspenseful.” — The Book Runner, Amazon Vine Voice Reviewer

“Wow, just wow! I started reading the sample for The Breeders and before I was even halfway through it, I stopped and bought the book. I was completely enthralled after the first few pages.” — Amazon Reviewer

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Virulent by Shelbi Wescott

Lucy King is only an hour away from embarking on the most incredible vacation of her life: White sandy beaches in a tropical paradise, snorkeling and sunbathing in peaceful tranquility. But as Lucy looks forward to her trip, a sinister plot is unfolding that will demolish the world as she knows it.

An unknown bioterrorist group unleashes a virus that virtually wipes out the earth’s population—leaving Lucy, and a small faction of survivors, trapped inside her high school to wait out the apocalypse. War, looting, and death wreak havoc outside the school; inside, the students must contend with a tyrannical and paranoid principal and their own struggles of being orphaned, frightened, and unsure of what the future will bring.

What begins as a basic fight for survival turns into a search for answers that will challenge everything Lucy has ever known about her life and her family.

Virulent is the first book in the Virulent trilogy, an enthralling post-apocalyptic adventure that takes you from the end of the world to the formation of a new society.

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ShelbiAuthor Shelbi Wescott

Shelbi Wescott is a high school Language Arts and Creative Writing teacher, a mother of two, a television junky, and a board game connoisseur. Her first book, “Virulent: The Release” was born from a challenge issued by her students to write a book that would interest them. When she isn’t writing or teaching, Shelbi can be found throwing unnecessarily elaborate birthday parties and officiating weddings. She is a fan of: Spanx, bourbon, Powell’s Books, and tabloid magazines. Shelbi lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, her two sons, Elliott and Ike, and an affectionate hound dog named Darby.

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Praise for Virulent: The Release

“My favorite part was how realistic and authentic Wescott is about to make her characters. It is clear from the specific detail and the way she shapes her setting that Wescott knows her way around a high school. She also knows a thing or two about teenage minds.”
— Underground Book Reviews

“Great characters, amazing descriptions, suspense and the beginnings of a great conspiracy mark this beginning to a series that I look forward to following. I can’t wait for book two.”
— Cherie of Cherie Reads

 

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The Scourge by A.G. Henley

Seventeen-year-old Groundling, Fennel, is Sightless. She’s never been able to see her lush forest home, but she knows its secrets. She knows how the shadows shift when she passes under a canopy of trees. She knows how to hide in the cool, damp caves when the Scourge comes. She knows how devious and arrogant the Groundlings’ tree-dwelling neighbors, the Lofties, can be.

And she’s always known this day would come—the day she faces the Scourge alone.

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LauraAuthor A.G. Henley

A.G. Henley is the author of the BRILLIANT DARKNESS series. The first book in the series, THE SCOURGE, was a finalist for the 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Award.

A.G. is also a clinical psychologist, which means people either tell her their life stories on airplanes, or avoid her at parties when they’ve had too much to drink. Neither of which she minds. When she’s not writing fiction or shrinking heads, she can be found herding her children and their scruffy dog, Guapo, to various activities while trying to remember whatever she’s inevitably forgotten to tell her husband. She lives in Denver, Colorado.

 

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Praise for The Scourge

“Looking for a trenchant, imaginative, beautifully written novel to read? Look no further: it’s The Scourge, by A.G. Henley.”
— Sarah Cloots, former editor at Greenwillow Books, imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books

“The prose flows smoothly and easily but there are much deeper issues lying beneath the surface of the story that are captivating and will hold the interest of readers of any age . . . I was quickly transported into the world of The Scourge and plummeted breathlessly toward the resolution. This is a very good book and a good look at just what science fiction can achieve when in the hands of a capable writer.”
— Josef Hernandez, Examiner

“Lovable and relatable heroine? Check. Swoon-worthy, kick-butt hero? Check. Compelling romance that makes your heart melt and toes curl? Check. Captivating story and fascinating world? Check. Eagerly anticipating the next book? Check, check, check.”
— Refracted Light Reviews, blog review

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Contributor

Contributor by Nicole Ciacchella

When the Great Famine threatened the existence of mankind, the Creators saved humanity. Humanity has been their loyal subject ever since.

This history has been ingrained in seventeen-year-old Dara Morrow since her first day of Creator-sponsored school. Grateful for the life-giving necessities her Creator provides, Dara is thrilled to be one of three students chosen for an elite, year-long apprenticeship program. Now is her chance to prove herself a devoted Contributor.

But Dara’s competition is ruthless and will stop at nothing to win the competition. Worse yet, her exacting master has little patience for her.

Then Dara’s mother is seriously injured, and Dara realizes the price of being a Contributor: once you’ve outlived your usefulness, you’re discarded. Can Dara learn to manipulate the system to save not only herself, but everyone she loves?

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NicoleAuthor Nicole Ciacchella

Nicole has progressed from scribbling in notebooks to banging on keyboards, but she’s never managed to stop daydreaming at inappropriate moments.
Born and raised in Michigan, Nicole lives there still with her husband and two wonderful children. When not answering the demands of her characters, Nicole can often be found curled up with a good book or spending far too many hours acting the hero in whatever video game is her obsession of the moment.
Nicole rarely meets a genre she doesn’t like, and as a result has written contemporary romcoms, fantasy fiction, fairy tale retellings, and dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction. She’s the author of the Fairytale Collection books, the YA/NA crossover Contributor trilogy, and the Astoran Asunder series.

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Praise for Contributor

From the world of dystopia comes something different – The Contributor. A society set wherein all must either contribute or be nothing at all. Very intense story line with a daunting theme. This is a great read and I can not wait to see what happens in book 2.
— LadyLox

Mindblowingly good. This book is brilliantly constructed.
— Kelly Walker

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The Torturer’s Daughter by Zoe Cannon

When her best friend Heather calls in the middle of the night, Becca Dalcourt assumes it’s the usual drama. Wrong. Heather’s parents have been arrested as dissidents – and Becca’s mother, the dystopian regime’s most infamous torturer, has already executed them for their crimes against the state.

To stop Heather from getting herself killed trying to prove her parents’ innocence, Becca hunts for proof of their guilt. She doesn’t expect to find evidence that leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew about the dissidents… and about her mother.

When she risks her life to save a dissident, she learns her mother isn’t the only one with secrets – and the plot she uncovers will threaten the lives of the people she loves most. For Becca, it’s no longer just a choice between risking execution and ignoring the regime’s crimes; she has to decide whose life to save and whose to sacrifice.

It’s easy to be a hero when you can save the world, but what about when all you can do is choose how you live in it? The Torturer’s Daughter is a story about ordinary life amidst the realities of living under an oppressive regime… and the extraordinary courage it takes to do what’s right in a world gone wrong.

 

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ZoeAuthor Zoe Cannon

Zoe Cannon writes about the things that fascinate her: outsiders, societies no sane person would want to live in, questions with no easy answers, and the inner workings of the mind. If she couldn’t be a writer, she would probably be a psychologist, a penniless philosopher, or a hermit in a cave somewhere. While she’ll read anything that isn’t nailed down, she considers herself a YA reader and writer at heart. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and a giant teddy bear of a dog, and spends entirely too much time on the internet.

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Praise for The Torturer’s Daughter

“…a great read that plays with your nerves and sets great challenges before its characters…”
— Willing to See Less

“The society created by the author is incredibly oppressive and realistic in all its horror.”
— Le Chat de Bibliotheque

“My day stopped in its tracks once I picked up this novel, racing frantically towards the conclusion and the answers I needed to have.”
— Bookluvrs Haven

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Heartbeat Thief

The Heartbeat Thief by Ash Krafton

Haunted by a crushing fear of death, a young Victorian woman discovers the secret of eternal youth—she must surrender her life to attain it, and steal heartbeats to keep it.
Poe meets Austen in this haunting tale of death and endless devotion…
Being the most beautiful debutante in 1860’s Surrey isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. Senza Fyne knows all too well the expectations set upon a young Victorian woman—and she also knows that, in one fell swoop, death can just whisk it all away. When she meets the mysterious and mystical Mr. Knell, she is offered the chance to escape the chains of Life and Death and to enjoy the bliss of youth and beauty for all eternity.
But that takes magic…and a steep price. She’d have to surrender her life to gain an eternity and she’d have to steal the heartbeats of others in order to keep it.
She has everything to gain if she succumbs to his spell…but knows not what she might lose.
It’s a little bit Jane Austen, a little bit Edgar Allan Poe, and a whole lot of stealing heartbeats in order to stay young and beautiful forever. From the posh London season to the back alleys of Whitechapel, across the Channel, across the Pond, across the seas of Time…How far will Senza Fyne go to avoid Death?

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A.J.Author A.J. Crafton
The Heartbeat Thief is the first release for AJ Krafton, a New Adult speculative fiction author from the Pennsylvania coal region.
If she’s not writing, it’s probably because she’s distracted by all the cool junk on her desk or by the stacks of books that have grown up around it.
She also writes novels, short fiction, and poetry for adult audiences as Ash Krafton.

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Praise for The Heartbeat Thief
“It’s a supernatural story, but it doesn’t rely on the conventions and themes that have gone before it. To be honest, when I picked it up I was expecting witches and/or vampires, but I found something else entirely. I loved the story and the concept.”
“True to its word, “The Heartbeat Thief” is part Jane Austen, part Edgar Allen Poe. The author revives the best of the style of writing found in the classics: the introspect of characters, lovely allusions comparing characters to nature and life, beautiful alliteration and prose. Mixed with this is a deep foreboding of death, a macabre sensation that follows Senza throughout the story.”
“Beautiful imagery and language shape this intriguing story that spoke to me about the meaning of maturity and purpose in life. Lovely!”

 

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Book Blast Giveaway – $100 Amazon Gift Card or $100 in Paypal Cash

Ends 1/31/16

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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