Archive for the ‘Series’ Category

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Lots to share with you today about The Holy Dark.

This is the third book in The Black Parade Series.

I wasn’t scheduled to do a review but I had time to read this and I’m happy to share my thoughts today.

Come on in and check it out.

I love the cover art.

There’s a glimpse inside the story.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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The Holy Dark

The Black Parade Series

Book 3

by Kyoko M

25223962

 

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Date of Publication: April 24, 2015

ISBN 10: 1511543736 / ISBN 13: 978-1511543736

ASIN: B00VULGGBK

Number of pages: 346 (eBook) / 460 (paperback)

Word Count: 147,000

Cover Artist: Gunjan Kumar and Christopher Cold

 

My Review

I haven’t read the first two books in this series but that didn’t stop me from enjoying this book.

I became acquainted with demon slayer Jordan Amador very quickly. She’s a kick butt, ask questions later kind of gal.

A Seer, Jordan’s job is to guide newly departed souls to the afterlife.

The action starts from the first page. Jordan enters a bar full of demons. She just had one question. She leaves after getting an answer. The problem is the answer wasn’t the one she wanted. She knows demon are liars.

 Jordan joined her partner, Myra, in the truck outside, which they then proceed to crash into the bar. You can bet the demon gave her what she wanted after she sent over 60 others back to Hell.

From that point on, the thrills just kept on coming.  How could they not when you mix demons, angels, and seers in a quest for the long missing 30 pieces of silver that were paid to Judas Iscariot.

As the demons get more desperate to find the coins, they bring in Moloch, the nasty Archdemon of War, who proceeds to send the demons after Jordan and her husband Michael, an archangel. I wondered if the danger would help their strained marriage or forever tear it apart.

Will the death of the human race imminent, it’s throw out all the rules, kill or killed suspense, with no predictable outcome.

I’m a sucker for these kinds of books. I love a sarcastic, alpha female character and you get more than one in this story.

Jordan is sarcastic to the nth and she’ll be the first to tell ya, “If she’s going to die, she’ll go out a smart ass.”

Her partner, Myra, is tough as nails too. Ex military, Myra’s not happy unless she’s in the thick of the mass destruction. She’s got one mean hellhound too. Ace is huge, larger than a wolf hound, and more intelligent than a lot of humans. He hates everyone, even Jordan, though he tolerates her, making him the greatest of man’s best fiends, oops, I mean friends.

And the bad guys. There are so many and I had fun as they were dispatched in some very creative ways. You have the demons and the archdemons. Both are nasty, selfish things. And some of the humans are worse than the demons .

Jordan’s and Michael’s relationship is a rocky one and I had hopes for them, but sometimes what should draw couples together can also rip it apart. You’ll get some of Michael’s point of view on this too.

What I gathered was Jordan supposedly cheated on Michael, an archangel and her husband, with an archdemon, Belial. She denies it and I tend to believe her. I’ll find out soon enough.

This also explains why the angels are reluctant to help her in her quest for the pieces of silver. Angels value loyalty above all else and Jordan betrayed their commander.

Even though I hadn’t read the first two books, I had no trouble diving in and enjoying this story. With helpful mentions of past events placed in the right places by the author, the story drew me in.

There are a lot of characters, some new and some old. While bits of their previous exploits were mentioned in order to follow their part in this book, I needed to know more.

I’m big on character driven stories and knew almost immediately I would be going back to read the first two books. I wanted to learn the cause and affect that landed these characters where they are now.

With demons, archdemons, angels, archangels, seers, and hellhounds, and the imminent threat of the next apocalypse, what’s not to love in The Holy Dark.

4 Stars

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A couple of fun scenes I want to share with you.

This first one is Jordan taking down a nasty demon:

I whirled around and kicked him in the crotch. He howled in pain. Didn’t matter that he had superhuman strength. Nuts were nuts.

LOL

And this one is a conversation between Jordan and the other Seers on Skype:

“Is it just me, or can Jordan not stay out of trouble for two seconds?”

I sighed.

“It’s not just you.”

“Thought so.”

The other Seers in the Skype chat agreed…

This felt so normal, so human, yet they all battle demons and hang with angels.

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Book Description:

Sarcastic demon-slayer extraordinaire Jordan Amador has been locked in a year-long struggle to hunt down the thirty silver coins paid to Judas Iscariot. The mere touch of these coins is enough to kill any angel.

Jordan’s demonic opposition grows more desperate with each coin found, so they call on the ultimate reinforcement: Moloch, the Archdemon of War. Moloch puts out a contract on Jordan as well as her estranged husband, the Archangel Michael. Now Jordan and Michael will have to find a way to work together to survive against impossible odds and stop Moloch’s plan, or else he’ll wage a war that will wipe out the human race.

 

Available at Amazon

 

Excerpt:

Chattanooga had been a nice place to live for the past ten months, a fact proven by my utter disapproval of the hotel we checked in the following night we left. The safe house was in Montpelier, Vermont and by car it was an eighteen-hour drive. However, the two of us were exhausted from the recent fights we’d had and needed some sleep so we stopped in Newburgh, Connecticut. We’d camp out here for the night and then leave first thing in the morning.

Myra worked at an office supplies store back in Tennessee, which paid alright, but neither of us were exactly swimming in cash. The hotel we chose was not of the highest caliber. The only benefits it boasted were cable television and air conditioning. I missed my thin pillows and slightly lumpy mattress back home.

We were behind schedule, but only slightly. Myra went to buy some dinner while I opted for a long, hot shower. It wasn’t a nice place to stay, but it had one admittedly awesome amenity—a handheld sprayer with plenty of settings. I stayed in until my fingertips were pruny, mulling over recent events and hoping that a clear solution would arise. No such luck. We were still on defense. I didn’t like it, not one bit. The weight hanging off my soul was starting to make my knees buckle. I had to fix this. I had to save the angels. I owed them. They had shed blood for me more than once. I wasn’t going to disappoint them, not again. Never again.

I finished rinsing out my hair and groped for the towel with my eyes closed to avoid getting any residual shampoo in them. Weirdly, my fingers hit nothing but the moist air near the rack. Frowning, I reached out farther. It wasn’t there. Had it fallen onto the floor?

“Lose something?”

I froze. A deep, mocking, dry-as-sandpaper voice. No. Please, God, let it just be my imagination.

I pried my eyes open and ducked my head around the shower curtain. There, in front of the sink, stood a tall, pale-skinned man with shoulder-length hair as black as soot and a smile as sinister as the devil himself. His eyes were the lightest hue of blue that existed and the pupils were thin and diamond-like rather than round. His features were vaguely European—small forehead, narrow nose, thin but sensual lips, arched eyebrows—but I knew he didn’t have an accent.

He clutched my towel in his long-fingered hand, the other tucked in the pocket of his easily seven-hundred-dollar black suit pants. I recognized his favorite dark color scheme—a charcoal grey button up shirt, black silk tie, and Gucci dress shoes.

“Looking good, my pet.”

The archdemon Belial was standing in my bathroom.

Shit.

About the Author:

Kyoko M.

 

Kyoko M is an author, a fangirl, and an avid book reader. Her debut novel, The Black Parade, has been on Amazon’s Bestseller List at #5 in the Occult Horror category. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English Lit degree from the University of Georgia, which gave her every valid excuse to devour book after book with a concentration in Greek mythology and Christian mythology. When not working feverishly on a manuscript (or two), she can be found buried under her Dashboard on Tumblr, or chatting with fellow nerds on Twitter, or curled up with a good Harry Dresden novel on a warm central Florida night. Like any author, she wants nothing more than to contribute something great to the best profession in the world, no matter how small.

 

Website/Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Tumblr ~ Newsletter

 

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Demonic Ghost Blast

This series is on my summer reading list and I’m happy to be sharing the My Demonic Ghost Series with you today.

Just check out those scary good covers.

Learn what the books are about and meet the author.

And let us know what ya think!

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My Demonic Ghost Series

Title- My Demonic Ghost: Banished Spirits

Series-My Demonic Ghost Book #1

By- Jacinta Maree

Genre- YA Paranormal/Ghosts

Published By- Staccato Publishing

Demonic Ghost Banished Spirits

Blurb

Rachael has traveled to Whitehaven to visit her father, a trek she can not help but dread given his recent descent into madness. Upon her arrival she realizes his deterioration has not only been mental, it’s been physical as well. His death comes as no surprise, but what she discovers soon after, is shocking when his burden becomes hers.

Lock is a banished spirit who must attach himself to a human host in order to hide from those who would drag him back to hell to be destroyed. When he meets Rachael he finds more than a host, he finds an ally.

Together they must defeat each of the seven sins in order to guarantee Lock’s safe passage into the Third Realm, a loophole in creation that would allow him to escape hell and have peace at long last. Through their unlikely friendship, other banished spirits flock to them in hopes of a peace they hadn’t dreamt possible.

Links

Goodreads ~ Kindle ~ Nook ~ Smashwords

Trailer- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebtRW4wrSLw&feature=youtu.be

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Title- My Demonic Ghost: The Reapers

Series- My Demonic Ghost # 2

By- Jacinta Maree

Genre- YA Paranormal/Ghosts

Published By- Staccato Publishing

Demonic Ghost

Blurb

The day you die is meant to be the end, but for 18 year old Jordon Hastings, his death was only the beginning.

In a dark and twisted world, lost spirits known as Reapers remain behind after death to help collect the spirits from the realm of the living. A new Reaper, Jordon struggles to accept his fate and lingers in the shadows of his mortal life. But when a demon wolf starts to live through his shadow, hunting his family and friends Jordon has no choice but to leave. As soon as he accepts his new role the truth behind the relationship between Reapers and Angelic Hunters is revealed. His loyalty is tested, making him choose between a corrupted God and a single Banished Spirit.

Links

Goodreads ~ Kindle ~ Nook ~ Smashwords

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Title- Hunters and Creators

Series- My Demonic Ghost # 3

By- Jacinta Maree

Genre- YA Paranormal/Ghosts

Demonic Ghost hunters and creators

Blurb

It’s been five years since the phenomenon that shook the world’s belief in the supernatural. It has become a worldwide obsession as crowds flock together in hopes of catching a glimpse of the spirits. That is most… except Rachael Hastings.

Rachael, now at University, lives with a giant blank page in her memory from when she was fifteen years old. Plagued by nightmares of a green-eyed monster, Rachael tries to stay as far away from the paranormal as humanly possible. Despite her efforts, he stalks her through the shadows and appears in her dreams for reasons she can’t understand.

Along with friends from school, Rachael returns to Whitehaven. During her stay she is caught up in the ongoing war between heaven and hell she had unknowingly escaped from years ago.

Forced into the care of Gargoyle the Hunter, Rachael attempts to piece together her shattered memory. As emotions grow between them, a familiar green-eyed demon returns to her side, claiming that Rachael is his one true love. With the world falling apart around them, can Rachael remember who she loves and which side is right before it’s too late?

Links

Amazon ~ B&N ~ Kobo

About the Author

Demonic Ghost Jacinta Maree

 

Self confessed chocaholic, Jacinta was born and raised in Melbourne Australia with her loving family of five. Even as a child Jacinta had an itch to write. Writing was the one constant hobby she clung to, also trying her hand at piano, flute, tennis, horseback riding and drama.

Jacinta works full time in the family business and spends her afternoons either playing basketball, reading, writing or hanging out with friends. She is always happy to try something new; getting her real estate license, practicing ninjitshu, Zumba and parkour to name a few.

For her future, Jacinta sees herself writing. It is a large part of her identity and something she hopes to continue. Aside from her love of stories she loves Japan and its unique and beautiful culture and history. From their delicious sushi dishes right down to their wooden sandals and kimonos. She is also a huge cat person and loves to snuggle up in front of the fire for a good movie or book. Her favorite genres are paranormal and fantasy but she also loves anything written by thriller writer, Stephen King.

Social Media Links

Publisher ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Website ~ Blog ~ Twitter

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Until next time…

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

T4T-Banner

Hello and welcome to this week’s Two for Thursday Book Blitz #T4T
presented by Month9books/Tantrum Books!

Today, we will be showcasing two titles that may tickle your fancy,
and we’ll share what readers have to say about these titles!

You just might find your next read!

This week, #T4T presents to you the Atman City series by Michelle E. Reed:

Life, A.D.: Life After Dez
and
M.I.A.: Missing in Atman!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Life-AD-Cover

In Life, A.D. you have two choices: join the program or face the consequences.

Seventeen-year-old Dez Donnelly crashes headlong into fate on the side of a rural highway, her life ending in a violent collision of steel and screaming brakes. The train that delivers her newly departed soul to the crossroads of the afterlife won’t be carrying her to the sweet hereafter until she accepts her abrupt end and learns to let go of the life she’ll never finish.

Her new reality is conduct manuals, propaganda, and unrelenting staff, all part of a system to ease her transition from life to death, while helping her earn her way out of limbo. Atman City, beautiful and enticing, is an ever-present temptation that is strictly off limits to underage souls. The promise of adventure proves too strong, and beneath the city’s sheen of ethereal majesty, Dez discovers a world teeming with danger.

Welcome to Life, A.D. where being dead doesn’t mean you’re safe, and the only thing harder than getting out of limbo is getting through it.

add to goodreads
Available for Purchase:
amazon B&N

 What Reader’s Are Saying:

I loved this book. it takes on the aspect of death and afterlife, transforming it into a character driven story.” – Troy, Goodreads Reviewer

 

There was a theme threaded throughout the tale: Most people are busy living life preparing for the future instead of living in the moment. Gosh, I love that.”S.A. Larsen, Author

 

“I think Life A.D. holds high potential for a fantastic series. It was GREAT and I really do think that people would really get into it if it became a series.” – Olivia, Book Comet

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MIA-Cover

Dez is finally hitting her afterlife stride. She hasn’t missed a meeting or session in 42 days, and she’s put the adventures and danger of her first days at Atman behind her. Life after death is becoming tolerable, yet nothing is quite what she’d hoped. Confusion over her feelings for Charlie, residual resentment over losing Hannah, and a continuous stream of unwanted assignments leave Dez restless and argumentative. In a missed encounter with Crosby, her prying gaze lands upon a single entry in the datebook on his unoccupied desk. These few, hastily scribbled words reveal an enormous secret he’s keeping from her. Possessed by a painful sense of betrayal, she once again sneaks off to Atman City, determined to find answers to an unresolved piece of her life. It begins as all their adventures do, but as light falls into darkness, a stop in an unfamiliar neighborhood sets forth a chaotic series of events. Dez will have to fight for her very existence, and will face painful, irreparable loss in an afterlife teeming with demons wielding ancient powers.

add to goodreads
Available for Purchase:
amazon B&N

 

 What Reader’s Are Saying:

“This was a wonderful continuation to the Atman City series!”Bri, Books and Ashes

 

“I couldn’t put it down!!

Now I desperately await the next installment. I’m nowhere near the writer Michelle Reed is, so I won’t bother trying. I’ll simply say this book is a must read, following the first installment, “Life A.D.””Amy, Goodreads Reviewer

 

“M.I.A. had an interesting ending and I imagine there will be a third book in the series based on it. I look forward to reading it.” – Dawn, Bound 4 Escape

 

about-the-author

Michelle Reed

Michelle E. Reed was born in a small Midwestern town, to which she has returned to raise her own family. Her imagination and love of literature were fueled by a childhood of late nights, hidden under the covers and reading by flashlight. She is a passionate adoption advocate who lives in Wisconsin with her husband, son, and their yellow lab, Sully.

 

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter for a chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Ends April 30th.

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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wedding haters

Wedding Haters by Melissa Baldwin

The exquisite dress, the dazzling menu, the family drama . . . It’s the day every girl dreams of, and Madison Wales is no exception. Her wedding plans seem to be going perfectly thanks to her very talented wedding planner, Sienna Harris. That is, until her grandmother and her two overachieving, bullying cousins suddenly want to become very involved in her big day. But . . . why? Madison’s perfect wedding dreams are dashed as things slowly start to unravel. With family drama in her midst, she wonders if her cousins are behind each disaster or if she has truly become a paranoid bridezilla. Will Madison be able to withstand all of the pressure and finally stand up for herself? The idea of eloping with her fiancé, Cole, is looking better everyday, even if it means leaving her dream wedding behind. Will she make the right choice?

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

add to goodreads

 

Excerpt

“There you are. Why did you run off so abruptly?” She sounds very concerned. I contemplate explaining everything to her, but I’m not sure I want to share the skeletons in my closet just yet.
“I’m sorry. I’m just a little nervous about seeing my cousins. I haven’t seen them in a while,” I explain.
“Don’t you worry! When it comes to family, it doesn’t matter how much time goes by,” she says as she pats my arm.
This woman has no clue what is about to take place. My grandmother alone is a piece of work; thankfully, they have met and really got along well. I’m secretly hoping that the Ellie I spoke with on the phone is the Ellie that shows up tonight. Susan and Cole leave as I take a few more minutes to myself. As I stand, there in Susan’s perfect guest bathroom it occurs to me that maybe I’m completely over-reacting. Ellie and I did have a good conversation, and ultimately they have gotten their way by being asked to be in the wedding. That should be enough for them to be on their best behavior and not make themselves look bad in front of my new family.
Just then, I hear the doorbell ring and hear several female voices. Cole knocks on the door.
“All hell is about to break loose, are you ready?” he says, raising his eyebrows. He grabs my hand.
“I’m ready, but the question is, are you?” I lean up on my tippy toes to give him another kiss, and we head to the living room as if we are walking into a lion’s den.

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MelissaAuthor Melissa Baldwin

Melissa graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications; she has always had a love for writing. An avid journal keeper, she fulfilled her dream with her debut novel, An Event To Remember . . . Or Forget.
Melissa resides in Orlando, Florida, with her husband and young daughter. She is a master at organization and multi-tasking. Her daily jobs include mother, chauffeur, wife, PTA President, Fitness Trainer, and now Author.
When she has free time, she enjoys traveling, fitness, decorating, fashion, and taking a Disney Cruise every now and then.

Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Instagram

 

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$50 Blast Giveaway

Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/11/15

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 readinglight.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Fields of Elysium
by A.B. Whelan
Best seller in Teen & Young Adult Fantasy
4.3 stars on 86 reviews
Price: $0.00 Save $14.35

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Award-Winning Author


CAN LOVE MEND A HEART FULL OF HATE?
Small town girl, Molly Bennett, moves to Los Angeles where she becomes an outsider while attending Beverly Hills High School. It seems life cannot be any more dreadful.
Then one day after school, something magical happens. On a secluded hike in the Hollywood Hills, Molly chases her disobedient mutt and only friend into a hidden cavern. She stumbles upon a strange glimmering gateway that transports her to Arkana, a planet that is the cradle of an advanced human race. There, teenagers navigate amazing flying vehicles, compete in perilous games for glory, and possess supernatural powers.
While Molly tries to wrap her mind around this unbelievable discovery, she meets the alluring and mysterious Victor Sorren. He is a Sentinel Apprentice, whose hatred toward people from Earth is beyond understanding. Yet every time Victor unpredictably saves Molly’s life, his heart draws closer to hers, no matter how much he tries to fight against it. It further complicates things that their growing friendship is strictly forbidden. Earth people are prohibited in Arkana, yet Molly continues to cross through the portal to Arkana to see Victor.
Torn between their double lives, they go down a dangerous path, from where there is no return and multiple endings.
Would you fight to be with the one you truly love? What cost would you be willing to sacrifice for that love?
Fields of Elysium Dream Cast
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Fields of Elysium Book Trailer
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Fields of Elysium Playlist on YouTube
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Special Offer
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After reading this story you will find your heart racing whenever you enter a cave.
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For more free books check out my freebie list HERE
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Until the next time….
Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!
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Title: The Skeleton Lake
Series: The Hollow Series, Book One
Author: Angela Kulig
Publication Date: October 26, 2012
Genre: Dark YA Paranormal Romance

Synopsis

Unsure if she’s drowning or being saved, all Marlow wants to do is run away. Ensnared in a haunting love triangle, she realizes both boys have holes in their hearts; gaping spaces she can never hope to fill. Scars from loving the same girl, a girl who managed to stay dead. Now she is being hunted, for what she has become and what she never asked to be. Even as a Skeleton Marlow isn’t the worst thing in the night-she isn’t even close.

Buy Links

Amazon ~ B&N ~ Goodreads

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Angela Kulig recently moved from the desert to the beach, so she’s used to sand between her toes. Driven mad by the sun (or maybe all writers are mad), she produces stories faster than she can write them down. Journey into her world, where art schools harbor secrets whispered through the centuries, or skeletons with false flesh live among unsuspecting humans. At the very least, follow her on Twitter, where she can often be found communicating in the form of demotivational posters and book quotes.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads

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Masquerade Book Tours

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

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

Warpath

Jack Gunn #1

by Richard Blomberg

18105125

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My 56

Hunting, tracking and killing was what he was put on earth to do. His ancestors hunted buffalo. He hunted sick perverted insane men.

and one more

“Sounds good, Jack, but it’s like trying to track a turd floating down a shit river,” said Big Daddy.

Pardon their language. You know those military guys. LOL

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Synopsis

Warpath is Navy SEAL Jack Gunn’s action-packed story of relentless pursuit across the Middle East, leading his Ghost Team to hunt down Pakistani terrorists responsible for murdering CIA agents and taking his brother Travis, hostage. Jack incorporates instincts he inherited from his great, great, great-grandfather, Sitting Bull with twenty-first century technology, to become the President’s most feared Special Ops warrior.

Jack walks the fine line between his duty to kill terrorists, his duty to be at the side of his cancer-stricken wife, and his duty to fulfill the promise he made to his dying mother to “watch out” for his little brother Travis, the brother he despises. The fast-paced action in Warpath only intensifies when Jack is faced with an even greater challenge: stopping the implementation of Grand Jihad terrorist attacks worldwide. Readers will turn pages fervently to learn how he draws on his unique Indian talents and warrior mentality to save his family, his brother, and his honor.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

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

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Click on the widget to friend and follow me!

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Christmas Dragon and Strings gif banner

You don’t have to have read Sundered, Among The Mythos #1, to enjoy these stories. They take place long before, when the world was different.

I have reviews for A Christmas Dragon and Strings and an exciting excerpt to share with you, along with a guest post from the author about her writing and characters.

And a giveaway. So don’t forget to enter!

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Guest Post

Enjoy this wonderful guest post by author Ruthanne Reid.  I was  curious whether the characters came first or the plot when starting her stories and how she chose the characters names.

 

That’s a delightful question, and it has a funny answer. I wanted to be a plotter. I admire plotters with a fierce and fiery passion. Plotting and following an outline seems like weird and wonderful magic to me, I have absolutely no idea how they pull it off.

Every successful story I’ve written has come from characters themselves. The best ones blossom fully in my mind, usually without my permission, and most often name themselves after. Notte, for example (who has a cameo in Strings) told me his name meant night, and has changed throughout the centuries. He uses “Notte” right now because he likes Italian.

One of my recent short stories (“A Hotel Room, a Knife, and a Bottle of Chardonnay”) is a perfect example of character-plot-name: this young man showed up in my head, freaking out over blood and the fact that he couldn’t die. I wrote it down in a furious rush, and only when I’d finished the first draft did he give me his name: Joshua Run. I feel like this name will mean something in later books, too – as if he’s going to be told to run. I can’t wait to get there.

In The Christmas Dragon, Katie Lin named herself, though I didn’t know why she chose Lin at first because that’s not exactly a Welsh name (the reason tickled me pink when I figured it out). Grey also named himself, though it took a while to pry his “real” name out of him. In fact, he never gave me his name, technically; I read it on an envelope that magically appeared in his car!

The stories tend to follow the characters, as does world-building. When I see who they are, I want to know why. The answers to what drives and shapes these characters shows me their environment and the people of influence in their lives, and once you have that many characters running around, plot is inevitable. Desires, dreams, anger, love, and conflict blaze like fire.

Fun fact: the only name I wish I could change is Harry Iskinder’s, from my 2012 book, The Sundered. Why? Because there are already a lot of Harrys out there! Unfortunately, he gave me no choice, and the name stuck. Far be it from me to be the one in control here!

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The Christmas Dragon/ Strings

by Ruthanne Reid

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*The Christmas Dragon*

Christmas Dragon cover

My Review

In a world filled with all types of beings, Katie just wants to live a normal life. One without magic.

She’s doing just that until someone leaves a box on her doorstep. The box looks so innocent until it jumps. And jumps some more. To keep her neighbors from seeing it, she scoops it up and takes it inside.

Opening the box, she is instantly enchanted by the tiny irridescent dragon. It’s all cute and cuddly until it vomits fire and about burns her kitchen down.

Her attempt at a normal life might not have appeared to be a great success but she was happy. Now Katie’s being dragged back into the dragon war. She has something the Hunters want and an ancient relative may be the only one to save her.

Poor Katie. She’s a descendant of the great wizard, Merlin, so how could she expect to ever live a normal life. Can’t blame her for trying though.

Grey is an elf, but don’t let him hear you say that. He despises that tag and insists on being referred to as a Fae. He’s a preener, young, arrogant, and a bit reckless. I wondered if he and Katie might get together. Didn’t really see it in this short story but who knows.

My fav is Versavious. A perfect name for the little darling. A pearl white baby dragon who threw up on Katie and nearly set her shoes and house on fire. He’s so precious and Katie had her hands full sneaking him to Merlin’s island.

Never dull, no fluff. Just fun and danger on every page. I’m moving on to read Strings, the next short story, now.

4 Stars

*****

Blurb

All Katie Lin wants is to get away from her family: from the magic, from the mayhem, and from the never-ending war.

Unfortunately, someone has other ideas, and sends her a box. A box that jumps.

The tiny fire hazard inside may just force her back to Wales – and right into the path of a dragon war, the Crow King, and at least one reluctant elf prince. Sometimes, running away just doesn’t work as planned.

 

*Strings*

Christmas Dragon Strings cover

My Review

It appears John Grey hasn’t changed much since his adventure with Katie Lin in A Christmas Dragon. This story takes place some time later and Grey is marked by some deadly creatures. He can’t fight them in the Ever Dying land of Manhattan and needs the help of humans to defeat them.

This doesn’t sit well with Grey at first, The Ever Dying (us humans) have no place in his life. He doesn’t like them, prefers to avoid them.

So when Grey had to align himself with a group of humans I was curious if his feelings for them would change. They had to. He was fighting for his life and they were risking theirs to help him.

One in particular had Grey looking at humans differently. The bartender he escaped with from a horrific attack. But his distaste for humans makes him wary of him. Grey senses something’s not quite right about the bartender. He seems to know more than he should.

Notte is back. He really creeped me out in the earlier book. He’s kind of a vampire, but different, even scarier. In this story he shows a different side of himself, a nurturing one, as he tries to help his friend, Grey.

By the end of the story, I began to see some redeeming qualities in the arrogant, brash, John Grey. And his power that flows from his music and song is fascinating.

This is darker than the first adventure and added to my enthusiasm for this world. I’m hoping Grey and Katie bump into each other again in the next one.

4 Stars

*****

Blurb

Need help? You probably shouldn’t ask Grey.

A runaway Unseelie prince, Grey feeds on love –  a commodity he conjures via music and magic in late-night Manhattan. It’s a sweet gig, if lonely, and Grey is almost sure the dire warnings he was given about New York in December won’t come true.

Then a monster from his childhood attacks in the middle of the night, and everything changes.

He survived, but he’s marked, and more monsters are coming for him and everyone who survived. Grey has no plans to be a hero but fate doesn’t care what he wants. Sometimes, no matter what you do, you aren’t the one pulling the strings.

~~~~~

Excerpt

The Christmas Dragon

The box jumped!

Boxes are not supposed to jump. It’s a law somewhere, I think. Maybe Guyana. Apparently not in New Hampshire, because the box kept jumping.

I sat in my idling car, puffs of exhaust rising in my rear-view mirror, and stared at the uncoordinated box-dance. It was wrapped in the loveliest paper, too, which was a shame, because bouncing on my boot-scraper had roughened all the corners and torn one edge. The bow was big and purple and covered in small green somethings. I wasn’t close enough to make them out.

I didn’t want to be close enough to make them out.

If I didn’t do something soon, the neighbors would notice. The box probably hadn’t been jumping all morning, or there’d be a crowd. Or maybe it was already on YouTube. I didn’t know.

So much for a safe, boring life among the Ever-Dying. New Hampshire, you have failed me.

I turned off the car. Time to go see what invaded my (mostly) magic-free space.

~~~

About Author Ruthanne Reid

Christmas Dragon AuthorPhoto

Indie author Ruthanne Reid writes about elves, aliens, vampires, and space-travel with equal abandon. She is the author of the series Among the Mythos, and believes good stories should be shared. Subscribe to her free email newsletter for free books and more at http://amongthemythos.com. You can connect with her on Twitter (http://twitter.com/ruthannereid), Facebook (http://facebook.com/mythos), or Tumblr (http://ruthannereid.tumblr.com), where she looks at too many kittens and Avengers blogs.

Ruthanne’s love of magic, urban environments, and deep space birthed a strange world with undercurrents of faith, magic, villainy, and heroism (along with swords and lasers, on occasion). Among the Mythos showcases aliens with all-too-human feelings, entire societies on the decline due to greed and fear, protagonists who might actually be the bad guys (or vice-versa), and endings every bit as messy as the world that creates them.

Ruthanne knows from experience that endings are messy. No matter how exotic the setting, how many limbs the characters have or what (if any) genders, the problems and questions addressed by a good story are very real, and that’s why they have power. If she has a theme, it is this: keep fighting, and keep pushing toward hope, because the struggle is worth the finish-line.

Links

WebsiteBlog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Purchase Links for The Christmas Dragon

Kindle ~ NookKobo ~ Google PlayiTunes ~ Scribd ~ Oyster ~

Flipkart ~ Txtr ~   Smashwords ~ Paperback ~ IndieBound BookfinderPowell’s

Buy Links for Strings:

KindleNook KoboGoogle Play iTunes ~ Scribd ~   Oyster

Flipkart Txtr ~   Smashwords ~ Paperback ~ IndieBound  ~ Bookfinder Powell’s

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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

Bubba Done It

Dreamwalker #2

by Maggie Toussaint

22945341

 

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My 56

In my day-glo orange T-shirt, ponytail, and faded jeans, I wasn’t dressed for success. I plucked a few stray dog hairs off my shirt. There wasn’t anything I could do about the dried dog drool.

And I reversed the numbers and snatched one from page 65.

“I was down at the jail this mornin’, and they wouldn’t tell me a thing.  I ax you this, what am I going to do without my Bubba?”

I wanted to share a couple of characters and the southern flavor of this fun book.

~~~

Synopsis

Amateur sleuth and dreamwalker Baxley Powell is called in on a stabbing case. She arrives in time to hear the dying man whisper, “Bubba done it.”

Four men named Bubba in Sinclair County, Ga., have close ties to the victim, including her goofball brother-in-law, Bubba Powell.

She dreamwalks for answers, but the dead guy can’t talk to her. Baxley sleuths among the living. The suspects include a down-on-his-luck fisherman, a crackhead evangelist, a politically-connected investor, and her brother-in-law, the former sweetheart of the new widow.

The more Baxley digs, the more the Bubbas start to unravel. Worse, her brother-in-law’s definitely more than friendly with the new widow.

Between petsitting, landscaping, and dreamwalking, Baxley’s got her hands full solving this case.

~~~

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

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Stifled Release
Today we’re celebrating the release of STIFLED, book two in the SUMMONED series by USA Today Bestselling author, Rainy Kaye. A dark twist on genie folklore, SUMMONED follows a reluctant criminal as he unravels the mystery of the paranormal bond controlling him. In STIFLED, Dimitri trails an elusive jinn and finds himself in the middle of a community keeping dark secrets. The SUMMONED series is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA.

Scroll down to pick up your copy of STIFLED, get SUMMONED for free for a limited time, and enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card.

Stifled Final 2 PSDDimitri would like nothing more than to live a low-key life in Naples, Italy. His girlfriend, Syd, has other plans.

After three months of researching, she is positive she has found a jinn on a killing spree in San Diego, California. Since Syd gave Dimitri the one thing he thought was out of reach, he feels obligated to use his ill-gained talents for her cause.

A few hours back in the US proves that Dimitri and Syd didn’t quite make the clean escape they had thought. As they trail the elusive jinn, someone else trails them. What should have been a simple trip to confirm once and for all if the jinn are living among humans, instead reveals a community keeping dark secrets.

Unfortunately for Dim, the only way out is in.

 

 

Get your copy here!

Haven’t read book one yet? No problem! It’s currently FREE on Amazon.

 

summoned_cover_final_biggerTwenty-three year old Dimitri has to do what he is told—literally.

Controlled by a paranormal bond, he is forced to use his wits to fulfill unlimited deadly wishes made by multimillionaire Karl Walker.

Dimitri has no idea how his family line became trapped in the genie bond. He just knows resisting has never ended well.

When he meets Syd—assertive, sexy, intelligent Syd—he becomes determined to make her his own. Except Karl has ensured Dimitri can’t tell anyone about the bond, and Syd isn’t the type to tolerate secrets.

Then Karl starts sending him away on back-to-back wishes. Unable to balance love and lies, Dimitri sets out to uncover Karl’s ultimate plan and put it to an end. But doing so forces him to confront the one wish he never saw coming—the wish that will destroy him.

 

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about_rainy_kaye
rainykayeRainy Kaye is an aspiring overlord. In the mean time, she blogs at RainyoftheDark and writes paranormal novels from her lair somewhere in Phoenix, Arizona.

She is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA. Someone told her she’s a USA Today Bestselling author. She thought there would be cake.

 

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