Archive for the ‘thriller’ Category

The Friday 56 #30 ~ I Can See You by Joss Landry

Posted: August 1, 2014 in Meme, The Friday 56, thriller
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The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find any sentence or a

few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

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His hold on her dropped for mere seconds, and this was all the time she needed. She ran, trying not to think how much faster a bullet flew when compared to the speed of her skinny legs.

~~~

I Can See You

by Joss Landry

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Synopsis

Emma stuck her face to the window to watch the rain. Lightning in the background drew a fiery specter in the sky while her eyes traced the water droplets running down the pane like tears.” Emma Willis is ten years old and has a secret. She not only inherited her grandmother’s power of sight, she can accomplish much more. Like most children without siblings growing up amongst adults, she is precocious yet at times lonely. When a murderer is loose in Newark, a maniac with a thirst for killing little girls, she begins to understand why her Granny Dottie called her sight a curse. She will need all her powers to catch a killer and help the people in her life: Detective Hank Apple, her teacher Christina Tyler, and her little family of three. Only … the madman knows who she is!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Ultimate Fear Cover Reveal ~ The Ultimate CORE Trilogy, Book Two

Posted: July 31, 2014 in Cover Reveal, giveaways, reviews, Romance, suspense, thriller
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I recently finished reading Ultimate Kill, Kristine’s first book in the Ultimate CORE Trilogy and had a tremendous read.

I’ve included my review in this post.

I’m thrilled to reveal the cover art and synopsis for the second book in the trilogy, Ultimate Fear.

What do you think? Does it creep you out? Does it give you a clue what the story is about?

Leave me a comment. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Ultimate Fear cover

Ultimate Fear—Kristine Mason

When a deranged mother’s grief drives her to replace her dead son over and over, obsession leads to murder…

Chicago detective Jessica Donavan will never stop looking for her missing daughter. Her obsession has destroyed her marriage, but the search is the only thing that helps keep her sane and her mind off of everything she’s lost—her husband and her baby girl. When she uncovers a string of unsolved disappearances and reappearances of a number of baby boys, Jessica turns to her soon to be ex, Dante Russo, a former Navy SEAL turned investigator for the private agency, CORE, to help her fit together the pieces in this perplexing puzzle. But as Dante helps her, she realizes just how much she still craves his support—and his touch.

Dante is still in love with his wife and would do anything to have her back in his life again. He’s been miserable since she left him to deal with the grief over their daughter’s abduction, never understanding how much he grieves as well. When Jessica tells him about the case she’s working, he jumps at the chance to take part in her investigation. He’s hoping not only to save their marriage and ease his personal pain over the loss of their daughter, but also to stop a serial kidnapper from taking another victim.

As Jessica and Dante work side by side, pregnant women begin to turn up missing or dead, and they start to uncover the consequences of another woman’s unfathomable grief. The childless mother doesn’t just want a baby. She wants a newborn straight from the womb.

And when forced to confront the dark and twisted perversion of a mother’s obsession, can Jessica and Dante find their lives again…or merely more death?

~~~

And now for my review of Ultimate KIll, Book One of the Ultimate CORE Trilogy.

ULTIMATE KILL cover

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My Review

Jake finally found Naomi, after five years of searching. Taking a job at CORE, a private investigation company allowed him better access to information. He liked his job and was good at it. Using his new position and his former training as a Marine, he tracked her down. Now, he only has to ask her, why? Why, when they’d planned to be married, have children, grow old together, did she run?

Naomi is shocked when she looks into the eyes of the man she loves. She knew the day could come when he’d find her, but she’s still not prepared. How does she explain leaving him, running and hiding from him? She can’t tell him the truth. About how a monster killed her parents and her brother. A man who’ll stop at nothing to possess her. Jake would have wanted to hunt the man down. And she couldn’t risk losing him to.

Jake still loved Naomi, Lisa, or whatever her name was. They’d been together for three years before she vanished. They’d planned on getting married, having children, and growing old together. Those feelings were still there, as binding as ever, but he’s disappointed. She’s still lying to him. Still trying to protect him.

Mickey has got himself and his twin brother, Harrison, into something really bad. Harrison should have broken this chain some time ago. Mickey pulls him into a job, it goes bad, they end up in prison. Only this time, it won’t be a stay behind bars. It’ll be a permanent dirt nap.

Harrison has a good idea what the devices he helped plant across the country will do, if not the reason why. Only a select few know that, and they never allow the brothers to be alone. It can end only one way. Especially after they meet the boss face to face, and recognize him.

The boss is a very influential, famous man, with an insatiable need for power and that one woman he needs to possess, if only to break her. No one defies him, not even her.

Ultimate Kill has it all. A megalomaniac sacrificing countless innocents just to get that one woman. Two brothers caught in the middle, trying to get out alive. And the woman, trying to hide, to stay alive, and the man who loves her, who’ll do whatever it takes to protect her.

Lots of action, suspense, and some steamy sex scenes will keep you riveted, as the ultimate finale rushes at you. Brace yourself for the Ultimate Kill.

4 Stars

~~~

Synopsis

When the past collides with the present, the only way to ensure the future lies in the ultimate kill…

Naomi McCall is a woman of many secrets. Her family has been murdered and she’s been forced into hiding. No one knows her past or her real name, not even the man she loves.

Jake Tyler, former Marine and the newest recruit to the private criminal investigation agency, CORE, has been in love with a woman who never existed. When he learns about the lies Naomi has weaved, he’s ready to leave her—until an obsessed madman begins sending her explosive messages every hour on the hour.

Innocent people are dying. With their deaths, Naomi’s secrets are revealed and the truth is thrust into the open. All but one. Naomi’s not sure if Jake can handle a truth that will change their lives. But she is certain of one thing—the only way to stop the killer before he takes more lives is to make herself his next victim.

~~~

Author Kristine Mason

I didn’t pick up my first romance novel until I was in my late twenties. Immediately hooked, I read a bazillion books before deciding to write one of my own. After the birth of my first son I needed something to keep my mind from turning to mush, and Sesame Street wasn’t cutting it. While that first book will never see the light of day, something good came from writing it. I realized my passion and found a career I love.

When I’m not writing contemporary romances and dark, romantic suspense novels (or reading them!) I’m chasing after my four kids and two neurotic dogs.

LINKS:

Website ~ Email ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

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Win a copy of Ultimate Kill

Click on the Rafflecopter below to enter.

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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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Chilling new cover art for A Human Element by Donna Galanti ~ The author’s character interview and giveaway

Posted: July 29, 2014 in Cover Reveal, giveaways, New Release, Paranormal or fantasy, thriller, Uncategorized
Tags: , , ,
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I’m thrilled to once again showcase Donna Galanti and her book, A Human Element.

Donna has just re-released A Human Element with new scenes and a chilling new cover!

There’s all kinds of goodies awaiting you so read on. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

~~~~~

A Human Element: Character Interview
by Donna Galanti

Meet Ben Fieldstone, a Character from Donna Galanti’s newly re-released paranormal suspense novel, A Human Element, book 1 in the Element Trilogy.

Ben’s Fabulous Features
Tall at 6’1″
Lean and tough
Dark looks, brooding
Intense gray eyes
Broken by evil influence
A loner
Closed off from love

a human element ben

Ben Tidbits…
Feisty. Can go looking for a fight, for no reason at all.
Not sure about this love thing.
A survivor who chooses to live.
Fiercely loyal, especially to the one who has shown him love again.
Knows what he wants and never gives up trying to get it.
Hot in dog tags.

a human element SexySailorBen

Where do you live?

Nowhere. I am a nomad. After being a photographer in the Navy, I started up my own business…after I hit rock bottom and cleaned up my drinking. I don’t have a home. And that’s the way I like it. Especially the one-night stands that come with it.

What is your problem in the story?

I never dealt with my parent’s death. They were crushed under a meteorite when I was nine. Years of foster homes left me cynical and a loner. I eventually wised up and figured out I needed to come to peace with my parent’s death if I ever wanted a real life. One that involves people.

Do you embrace conflict?

The first time I did was when I hit my foster father back. I was sick and tired of him beating on me. Yeah, sometimes I look for a fight. Like the time I tried to rescue a girl from a bully Marine in a bar and ended up getting my face smashed in on the street. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the girl either.

How do you see yourself?

A loner and I like it. Next to my blond Norse-God friend, Andy, I look like a scowling, rebellious teenager mad at the world with my dark looks. I’m fine with that.

How do your friends see you?

My best friend, Andy, says I’m missing the big picture. Andy says everyone has a past, but it’s your future you can change. He calls me a skinny James Dean wanna-be.

Do you have any special weaknesses?

Yeah. The first one was booze, but I overcame that. Sink or swim, you know? Second is women. Love them all. And after three years stationed at Pearl Harbor in the Navy, I sampled them all too.

What do you regret?

Running away the night my parents died. When you’re a kid everything is so dramatic. I wanted to scare them, that’s all. Then when they found me they’d tell me everything was fine. Only they never did find me. They died. I feel guilty as shit about it. I know I couldn’t have prevented their deaths. But part of me still feels if I hadn’t run away they wouldn’t have died.

What makes you angry?

Injustice. Bullies. Mean people. I have no tolerance for any of that. My foster father was a bully. I watched him go up I flames and enjoyed it. That’s how much I hate bullies. And the man that killed Laura’s loved ones and chases us now. Give me the chance to take him down and I won’t miss. He’ll suffer long and hard. It won’t be a quiet death. That’s if Laura and I survive.

What, if anything, haunts you?

Laura. I fell in love for the first time with her and then, like that, one morning she was gone. We could have made a life together. Why did she leave when she was the only woman I ever loved? I felt like I had no destination after that. She had been my destination and now that was gone. I would do anything to find her again.

Are you lucky?

Most definitely unlucky. What do you think? Parents crushed under a meteorite. Foster father that beat me. Nearly did myself in with drinking. Dudes in Hawaii that whipped me and almost killed me. Fall in love with a woman who’s being chased by a killer and then she leaves me. I hope I got all my bad luck out of the way early on. It’s got to change sometime, right?

Have you ever failed anyone?

Laura. I wanted to protect her from this killer that chased her but discovered it was out of my control. There was no way I could hope to save her and that frustrated the hell out of me.

What in your past would you like to forget?

Man, all the prostitutes I hooked up with in Honolulu. Thank God, I stayed clean. But one of them damn near got me killed by her pimps. She turned out not to be a woman either. Not fun.
If you were stranded on a desert island, who would you rather be stranded with, a man or a woman?
Umm, let’s see…being that I had a “close encounter” with a man once and didn’t know it I heartily opt for a woman. Only one though. The kind with long chestnut hair, perky breasts, and large brown eyes. Laura.

~~~~~

About A Human Element:

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Evil comes in many forms…

One by one, Laura Armstrong’s friends and adoptive family members are being murdered, and despite her unique healing powers, she can do nothing to stop it. The savage killer haunts her dreams, tormenting her with the promise that she is next.

Determined to find the killer, she follows her visions to the site of a crashed meteorite in her hometown. There, she meets Ben Fieldstone, who seeks answers about his parents’ death the night the meteorite struck. In a race to stop a madman, they unravel a frightening secret that binds them together.

But the killer’s desire to destroy Laura face-to-face leads to a showdown that puts Laura and Ben’s emotional relationship and Laura’s pure spirit to the test. With the killer closing in, Laura discovers her destiny is linked to his, and she has two choices—redeem him or kill him.

My 5 STAR Review of A Human Element

Ben is hiding from his parents on the shore of Coopersville Lake when it happens.

A meteorite crashes. What was once the sight of a dozen or so cabins, one of them containing his parents, is now only a huge crater of steam and fire. In one bright green flash, Ben’s life is forever changed and for another, it has just begun.

No one could know the long-reaching consequences of that fateful night. Or of the horrors to come.

9 months later.

A young girl struggles to bring her child into the world. She came to the doctor in secret. Not even the Armstrong’s, the kindly couple who took her in, know where she is. The doctor doesn’t know why the mysterious man waiting outside wants the baby, he just wants to get paid.

In a rush, the baby enters the world. Sadly, the young mother does not survive the delivery. But wait, another baby is fighting to be born, a twin, a beautiful baby girl.

An exchange is made. The mysterious man leaves with the thing, the baby boy, but the doctor doesn’t mention the girl. He will give her to the Armstrong’s to raise.

Many years later, the baby girl, Laura, is all grown up and back home to find out why the people closest to her are being slaughtered. The answer lies here. Laura has always had the headaches and nightmares and she knows things are coming together now – the monster chasing her in her nightmares, the mysterious man in black, who has always been on the periphery of her life, and whatever happened on the night of the meteorite. It is all connected.

Laura and Ben are thrown together as death races towards them. Both need answers about the night of the meteorite if they are to survive what is coming.

I want to keep telling you more. I’ve only scratched the surface of this story.

Two babies were born that night, Laura and the boy child called X-10. One looks human in every way and the other looks like a monster.

The many secondary characters made this story real for me.

Everybody should have a friend like Jim, a grumpy curmudgeon with a gentle soul and a fierce love and loyalty to Laura.

The Armstrong’s, Laura’s adoptive parents, who though they knew she was different, had special talents, loved her as their own.

The mysterious man in black, who has always been around, lurking in the shadows.

The cruel and sadistic Dr. Bjord, who thrills in tormenting X-10, his failed experiment.

And X-10, the monstrosity who’s only thought is getting out, finding Laura, and tearing her to pieces.

From the first page to the bitter-sweet end, I was totally immersed in this book. A story of wonder, love, humanity and absolute evil.

Donna Galanti’s debut novel has, at its core, an energy, an essence, that gives it life.

Superb writing and a thrilling all-out race to the end, A Human Element is an excellent read.

~~~~

**Get your evil on with this re-release by Imajin Books! Newly edited, new scenes, new cover! Book 2 in the Element Trilogy, A Hidden Element, releases 8/28!**

Praise for A Human Element:

“Be afraid. Be very afraid. And be utterly absorbed by this riveting debut that had me reading till the wee hours of the night. A thriller star is born.” –M.J. Rose, International bestselling author

“An elegant and haunting first novel. Unrelenting, devious but full of heart. Highly recommended.” –Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author

“Lyrical and creepy, A Human Element tugs on our heartstrings and plucks the gut-strings of horror. This debut thriller author is a true storyteller, highly reminiscent of Dean Koontz.” –Dakota Banks, Award winning author

~~~~

About Donna:

Galanti, Donna 2
Donna Galanti writes murder and mystery with a dash of steam as well as middle grade adventure fiction. She is an International Thriller Writers Debut Author of the paranormal suspense novel A Human Element, A Hidden Element (August 2014), the short story collection The Dark Inside, and Joshua and The Lightning Road (Books 1 and 2, 2015). She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer.

Website ~ Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Purchase A Human Element HERE

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GRAND PRIZE Monsters vs. Aliens: Signed paperbacks 1 & 2 of NY Times bestseller Jonathan Maberry’s Rot & Ruin series, Supernatural Season 8 on DVD, Cloverfield & District 9 on DVD

e-Book Bundle: 4 thriller books from Imajin Books authors

$25 Amazon Gift Card

5 e-Book copies of Donna Galanti’s short story collection The Dark Inside

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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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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A YA Thriller ~ Three Little Lies by Melissa Wolff ~ Blog Tour and Giveaway

Posted: July 29, 2014 in Blog Tour, Excerpt, giveaways, thriller, YA
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Welcome to my stop on the two month tour for Three Little Lies by Melissa Wolff.

Check out the awesome cover art.

I wonder what she looks like? I wonder what her expression is?

Read the synopsis and excerpt and tell me what you think.

And don’t forget to enter for a chance to win a copy!

Three Little Lies

Author: Melissa Wolff

three little lies covergif

Genre: Young Adult Thriller

Pages: 260 pages

Date Published: June 4, 2014.

Synopsis

It is the summer of 2012. The sky is blue, the ocean is crisp, and six young women are missing, including Madison Porter.

At the disappearance of her best friend, Amber Swanson falls into a spiral of destruction. She smokes, drinks and gets caught stealing. Her parents don’t know what to do with her, so she is sent to live with her half-sister, Rebecca, in Virginia.

Ethan Hunter lives by the saying ‘blood is thicker than water’; even when his mother up and left him. At sixteen, he’s torn between holding on to the only family he has left and forging his own path for the future. He secretly plans his escape from his small, southern town.

The two lives collide and, as Amber puts the pieces of her best friend’s disappearance together, she and Ethan are thrown into a whirlwind of secrets, deceit, and murder.

Book Links-

Goodreads / Amazon

Excerpt

“Amber!” My eyes snapped open and I looked around wildly. Cold sweat beaded my forehead and my hands were shaking. My wooden leg wasn’t next to me but my sister and Jacob were. Jacob held crutches and handed them to me as our eyes met.

“Thanks,” I muttered, forgetting for a moment that I didn’t like him. “Why are you screaming at me?”

“Because you were screaming yourself,” Rebecca said. “You must have fallen asleep and you started crying out.” I sat up straighter. Not this again I thought. The doctor said the pills would take care of it.

“How bad?” I asked. “What did I say?”

“I couldn’t understand you,” Rebecca admitted. “But it sounded pretty bad. Is everything okay?”

“It’s fine,” I said sharply. There was no way that I was going to tell Rebecca about the dream. “I’m fine.”

“There’s no reason to be so angry Amber,” Jacob said. “Your sister is just trying to help.”

“I said I’m fine,” I snapped. “She’s not trying to help as much as trying to get on our father’s good side. She was always the goody two shoes…daddy’s little princess. If her perfect reputation wasn’t at stake, she wouldn’t give a damn about me.”

~~~~

Author Melissa Wolff

Melissa Wolff

Melissa Wolff was born and raised on Long Island. This is her second self-published young adult novel. She is also a writer for LIB Magazine and has been featured on Patch.com as well as the Post Pioneer.

Website / Independentauthornetwork / Facebook / Pinterest / Goodreads / Linkedin / Instagram /Google Plus / Twitter / Amazon

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Enter to win a copy of Three Little Lies.

An International Giveaway!

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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sparkle book tours

Tour Schedule – Two Month Blog Tour for Three Little Lies by Melissa Wolff from June 23 to Aug 23, 2014.

June 23

Coffee Books & Art – Promo, Playlist, Dream Cast & Top Ten

http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/

June 24

Our New Generation for Reading – Promo

http://jessica13bridgers.blogspot.com/2014/06/three-little-lies-by-melissa-wolff.html

June 25

3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – Promo

http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com/2014/06/three-little-lies-by-melissa-wolff-blog.html

June 26

Deal Sharing Aunt – Promo & Author Interview

http://dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/2014/06/three-little-lies-by-melissa-wolff.html

June 27

Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom – Promo & Top Ten

http://bookyramblingsofaneuroticmom.blogspot.co.uk/

June 28

Bound 2 Escape – Promo

http://www.bound2escape.com

July 1

A Cauldron of Books – Promo & Dream Cast

http://acauldronofbooks.info

July 2

Read It Write – Promo

http://mbernsen.blogspot.com

July 3

Angels with Attitude Book Reviews – Promo & Author Interview

http://angelswithattitudebookreviews-joelle.blogspot.com

July 4

The Idle Musings of a Writer’s Mind – Promo

http://theidlemusingsofawritersmind.blogspot.com

July 7

The Phantom Paragrapher – Promo

http://www.thephantomparagrapher.blogspot.com

July 8

Night Owl Reviews – Promo

http://www.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Blog

July 9

Bajgajka Loves Books And Giveaways – Promo & Dream cast

http://bajgajka.blogspot.com

July 11

The Avid Reader – Promo & Dream cast

http://the-avidreader.blogspot.com

July 12

Crazy Beautiful Reviews – Review

http://www.crazybeautifulreviews.blogspot.com

July 13

Fiction Dreams – Promo & Author Interview

http://www.fictiondreams.com

July 14

iHeart Books by MiLo18 – Promo

https://iHeartBooksbyMiLo18.blogspot.com

July 15

Book Hostage – Promo

http://bookhostage.wordpress.com/

Undercover Book Reviews – Promo & Review

http://undercoverbookreviews.blogspot.com/

July 16

Eclipse Reviews – Promo, Character Interview, Playlist & Dream Cast

http://www.eclipsereviews.weebly.com

July 17

Portals to new Worlds – Promo, Playlist & Dream Cast

http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com

July 19

For The Love of Books – Review

http://ftlobblog.blogspot.com/

July 21

Book Talk Review – Promo

http://www.michelle808205.blogspot.com/

July 22

Breny’s Book Obsession- Promo & Dream Cast

http://brenysbookobsession.blogspot.com/

Books, Brownies and Barkers – Review

http://booksnbrownies.com

July 23

Sinful Reviews – Promo

http://www.sinfulreview.wordpress.com

July 24

The Whispering Pages Book Blog – Promo & Playlist

http://thewhisperingpagesbookblog.blogspot.com/

July 25

The Book Fairy Reviews – Promo, Review, Playlist & Dream Cast

http://thebookfairy1.blogspot.com/

July 26

Sassy Southern Book Blog – Promo & Review

http://sassysouthernbookblog.blogspot.com/

July 28

Bookworm for Kids – Review

http://www.bookwormforkids.blogspot.com

July 29

Fuonlyknew ~ Laura’s Ramblins And Reviews – Promo

http://fuonlyknew.com

The Page Princess – Promo & Dream Cast

http://www.thepageprincess.com

July 30

For The Love of Books – Review

http://ftlobblog.blogspot.com/

July 31

Movies, Shows & Books – Promo & Review

http://moviesshowsnbooks.blogspot.com/

Aug 1

Read That – Promo

http://www.sookie72.wordpress.com

Aug 4

Book Hostage – Promo

http://bookhostage.wordpress.com/

Aug 5

Once Upon a YA Book – Promo & Top Ten

http://onceuponayabook.blogspot.com

Aug 6

Books, Authors, Blogs – Promo & Dream Cast

http://therightbook4u.blogspot.com

Aug 7

The Book Enthusiast – Review

http://www.thebookenthusiast.net

Aug 8

A One-click Addict’s Book Blog – Promo & Review

http://aone-clickaddictsbookblog.blogspot.com/?zx=d1de3b7206157a58

Bound 2 Escape – Promo

http://www.bound2escape.com

Aug 11

Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog – Promo

http://fictionalrendezvousbookblog.blogspot.com/

Aug 14

TTC Books and more – Promo & Playlist

https://www.facebook.com/TamsBookBlog

Aug 15

Pretty Girls Read Books – Promo

http://opinionatedperson.wordpress.com

Aug 18

Cajun Book Lover – Promo, Review

http://www.cajunbooklover.blogspot.com

Aug 19

Tammy’s Tea Time – Promo, Review

http://tammysteatime.blogspot.com

Aug 20

Sweet Treat Reading Reviews – Promo

http://strreviews.blogspot.com/

Aug 22

Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – Promo

http://devilishlydeliciousbookreviews.wordpress.com/

Aug 23

Dalene’s Book Reviews – Promo, Review & Playlist

http://dalenesbookreviews.blogspot.com

~~~~~

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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Tad sees auras. Gray-green being the most evil. Khaki = Killer by Connie Corcoran Wilson ~ Reviewing The Color Of Evil Series

Posted: July 23, 2014 in Blog Tour, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Series, thriller
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I’m excited to tell you about all three books in The Color of Evil series.

It’s been thrilling, chilling, and intense reading them.

I’m starting out with Khaki=KIller as it’s the most recent release. But I’ve also reviewed the first two books, so you can skip down and read my reviews in order if so inclined.

Beware. As of the third book, Pogo the Clown was still free, still prowling, looking for his next victim!

Have fun and fasten your seatbelts!

~~~

Khaki = Killer (Book 3 of the Color of Evil Series)

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Publisher: Quad Cities’ Press (April 22, 2014)
Category: YA, Psychological Paranormal Thriller
ISBN: 13: 978-0982444825
Tour Dates: June 23-August 1, 2014
Available in: Print and E-book, 235 Pages

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MY REVIEW

Being the third book in this series, this may contain spoilers from the other books.

The author drops you right back into the story.

Michael Cray,AKA Pogo the Clown, is still roaming free, still plotting to kill Tad. So that was always in the back of mind. Especially when some local girls go missing.

Tad once again teams up with retired police officer Charlie Chandler to find the missing girls. The whole town joins in the search. Fear hangs over the small town like a fog bank.

Tad and Jenny are still working out their relationship.

One girl is clinging to life in the hospital.

Some bad guys are still plotting and caring on.

New romances start and others struggle.

And under it all, Pogo still prowls, still waits to pounce.

This third book and the entire series have something in common. They start fast, pick up speed, drop you in without a parachute, leaving you flailing and maybe, just maybe, give you a safety net.

So many different things are happening with different people, but the author blends it all together into an easy to follow chiller thriller.

4 Stars

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The Color of Evil series first two books (The Color of Evil and Red Is for Rage) were named: PageTurner of 2013 by Shelf Unbound magazine; Best Indie Cover of 2013; NABE Pinnacle Thriller winner; E-Lit Gold Medal winner (Horror); and Connie is a 2 time Silver Feather (IWPA) winner (2012, 2014, Chicago chapter).

The Color of Evil series describes the adventures of the young man (Tad McGreevy) with the power to detect auras around others (Tetrachromatic Super Vision) and to relive the crimes of those with “the color of evil” in his dreams.

Khaki = Killer, the third book in the Color of Evil Series, picks up where Red Is for Rage left off, answering the question, “What happened to Melody (Harris) Carpenter?”

Readers of Red Is for Rage, [Book #2], will remember that Melody was involved in a rescheduled UNI (University of Northern Iowa) football game, cheering for the Sky High Eagles. Rushed to the hospital with injuries suffered in a fall from atop the human pyramid [formed by fellow cheerleaders Heather, Kelly, Janice, Angie, and Jenny, Melody is hospitalized and fighting for her life as Khaki = Killer opens.

The budding romance between Janice and Stevie continues to grow more serious, but Janice’s parents oppose her relationship with the son of a murderer. There are more revelations about Earl Scranton’s motives, and other romance s develop (Tad and Jenny; Charlie and Andrea).

When Heather Crompton and Kelly Carter mysteriously disappear while ice skating on the Cedar River, the tension in town ratchets to a fever pitch. The entire town is involved in the search. Retired police officer Charlie Chandler reorganizes the rag-tag team that helped find Stevie Scranton and bring him back to Cedar Falls, Iowa (Book #2).

In the background lurks Michael Clay (aka, Pogo), still searching for Tad McGreevy, still hoping to permanently silence “the boy who can see the future.”

Tensions run high and the stakes run even higher in KHAKI = KILLER, Book #3 in THE COLOR OF EVIL series~~~~

Praise for THE COLOR OF EVIL series:

“Wilson makes all this count and mixes the ugly and the good in ways that can turn out to be rewarding for readers…There are moments of a real gift here…deft touches…especially between Stevie (Scranton) and his girlfriend, that are quite touching and even inspired…So, I remain happy to follow this series. I am assuming this series will reach a conclusion, and I cannot wait to see how Wilson writes it.”- Andy Andrews,True Review

“Connie Corcoran Wilson weaves a deftly fine scalpel in an age where a crude blade is more the norm. Her work is a smooth, subtle hybrid mix of science fiction, thriller, and horror that realizes a unique and pointed vision in the great tradition of Phillip K. Dick and Ray Bradbury. Her voice is a wonder to behold, at once dark and somber while maintaining a glimmer of hope that shines in the hearts of her heroes, who cling to the light. Like Stephen King, nothing escapes her discerning eye, the result of which is tale after tale that bleed life onto the page, both literally and figuratively.”—Jon Land, bestselling author of the Caitlin Strong Series

“Connie Wilson is back—-She’s good! She’s DAMN good! In a world of mainly bad-to-fair writers, she stands above the crowd with plot, description , and strong character. Believe me, you’ll enjoy her latest! That’s a guarantee!…She’s a born storyteller!”—William F. Nolan, Living Legend in Dark Fantasy, “Logan’s Run,” “Logan’s World,” “Nightworlds”

“Wilson’s characters come alive on the page. Comparisons to Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Philip K. Dick aside, Wilson has spent 33 years teaching students in this age range. She knows what she is talking about.”—Gary Braver, author of “Flashback” and 8 other thrillers.

“THE COLOR OF EVIL series is old-school psychological horror, artfully blended with new-school shocks and twists. ..Bravo!” —Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author, multiple Bram Stoker winner

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 Color of Evil (Book 1 of The Color of Evil Series)

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MY REVIEW

When Tad McGreevey opens the door, he falls back in fear. Standing before him is Pogo the Clown, hired to entertain the kids at his eighth birthday party.

It’s not the clown suit that terrifies him. It’s the aura that surrounds him. Tad can see auras, or colors, around people. Different auras show whether that person is good or bad. Pogo’s aura is gray-green, or khaki, the worst color.

Nothing happens at his birthday party, but Tad suffers 53 days of nightmares. Pogo is a serial killer and Tad sees each violent killing in his dreams.

Night after night he wakes up screaming and no one is getting any sleep. His family doesn’t believe in his visions and Tad spends a brief time in a psychiatric hospital before Pogo the Clown is caught and his horrific deeds are revealed.

The author then takes you forward eight years. Tad’s nightmares ended when Pogo was caught and his biggest problem now is that Jenny, one of his best friends, is hot for bad boy Jeremy, while Tad’s feelings for her have changed from platonic to to romantic. He is falling for her.

Tad’s nightmares begin again. This time he can’t see the crime as clear. Can’t quite tell who the killer or victim is. And his dreams don’t tell him whether the crime is going to happen, whether it’s happening now, or whether it’s yet to occur. But it will happen. And his biggest fear is not being able to do anything about it.

Something this author does and does well is catch you unawares. You’ll be reading a scene, and suddenly, with no warning, it turns ugly. It rocks you back on your heels. And it happens often, catching you again and again.

The atmosphere of pending danger is felt the whole time you are reading, even in scenes that seem innocuous. Not that they stay that way for long as the evil in this small town is rampant. Hiding in plain sight. Happening to many different people. It’s as if the town harbors evil.

As I neared the end of the book, I knew there were going to be many issues left unresolved. So when I read the title for the last chapter, Loose Ends, I feared the author would cram all of the unfinished scenes into this last chapter.

The author does tie up some of the loose ends. But some really big ones are still hanging wide open. I’ve never read a book with so many things left unfinished and I still loved the ending.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Tad McGreevy has a power that he has never revealed, not even to his life-long best friend, Stevie Scranton. When Tad looks at others, he sees colors. These auras tell Tad whether a person is good or evil. At night, Tad dreams about the evil-doers, reliving their crimes in horrifyingly vivid detail.

But Tad doesn’t know if the evil acts he witnesses in his nightmares are happening now, are already over, or are going to occur in the future. He has no control over the horrifying visions. He has been told (by his parents) never to speak of his power. All Tad knows is that he wants to protect those he loves. And he wants the bad dreams to stop.

At Tad’s eighth birthday party (April 1, 1995) in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the clown his parents hire to entertain Tad’s third-grade classmates is one of the bad people. Pogo, the Killer Clown (aka Michael Clay) is a serial killer. So begins 53 nights of terror as Tad relives Pogo’s crime, awakens screaming, and recites the terrifying details to his disbelieving family. The situation becomes so dire that Tad is hospitalized in a private institution under the care of a psychiatrist–who also does not believe the small boy’s stories.

And then the police arrest Pogo, the Killer Clown.

Flash forward to the beginning of Tad’s junior year in high school, 8 years later. Tad is 16 and recovered from the spring of his third-grade year. When Michael Clay was caught and imprisoned, the crime spree ended and so did Tad’s bad dreams.

Until now, in the year of our Lord 2003, when evil once again stalks the land.

This is a terrifying, intense story of the dark people and places that lurk just beneath the surface of seemingly normal small-town America. As one reviewer says, “Wilson nails the darkness beneath the surface of small-town Midwestern life with an intense story based on fact.”

Tad must wage a silent war against those who would harm the ones he loves. A battle to the death.

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Red is Rage (Book 2 of The Color of Evil Series)

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MY REVIEW

I should warn you this is the second book in The Color Of Evil series in case I can’t avoid spoilers from the first book.

In book one, Tad suffered horrendous nightmares until the serial killer, Pogo the Clown was caught and put behind bars.

Moving on to highschool, Tad begins to have the nightmares again. They are tied to the aura’s he sees around people.

In the end of the first book, Tad’s best friend, Stevie, is still missing, and Tad will not stop until he finds out what happened to him.

With the help of a retired police officer, he follows the clues and encounters someone every bit as evil as Pogo the Clown.

I had a feeling Tad wouldn’t be getting any relief from his nightmares. Especially when I learned that Pogo, AKA Michael Cray, had escaped and immediately set about to find Tad and kill him, believing if he did this, he could remain free to do his evil deeds.

This second book takes place a few months after the first and moves at a fast pace. You are dropped right back into the middle of small town terror.

I feared Tad wouldn’t be able to get a handle on his special powers. Wouldn’t be able to use them to save the people he cared about.

As I was reading, I felt like an observer, like I was privy to different character’s thoughts and actions. This made for more thrills and tension as evil plotted and Tad raced to catch up or get ahead of them.

Not as horrific as the first book but more intense, more suspenseful.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

RED IS FOR RAGE is the second book in the award-winning THE COLOR OF EVIL series. It was named the winner in the Thriller category of the Pinnacle book award by NABE (National Association of Book Entrepreneurs) in 2013.

At the end of Book One (THE COLOR OF EVIL), Stevie Scranton, best friend of Tad McGreevy, went missing. Best friend Tad McGreevy, who has the ability to see auras around others that lead him to “see” the crimes of the evil-doers, vows to do everything he can to find Stevie. In their search, they discover a monster every bit as dangerous as Pogo, the killer clown, and must confront him in order to save Stevie.

Pogo, from Book One, still is a threat, hoping to kill Tad to keep his freedom, since he thinks Tad has the power to turn him over to the police. Now, Tad must learn to harness his unique gift. Stevie’s fate hangs in the balance as well as his own life.

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”I didn’t find this book as scary/creepy as I did The Color of Evil. It was more eerie. I knew that something was going to happen, I just didn’t know what or when. Ms. Wilson introduced a number of side stories that each could have been the ‘big one’. Again, I found myself wanting to continue reading to find out which of these stories would develop furthest. I wasn’t able to complete the reading in one sitting, but I was back up early in the morning to finish.”-Heather Pearson, Books and Quilts

“Connie Corcoran Wilson has become another favorite go-to storyteller. The Color of Evil and Red is for Rage, are reminiscent of a Stephen King novel. Mr. King has a knack for making the all American small town a nest of unimaginable horror. Well, Ms. Wilson has also accomplished that in her tales.

The incredible twists and turns the author takes the reader on; the in-depth characterizations that Author Connie Corcoran Wilson employs is exceptional; the reader becomes intimate with the characters, an affectionate bond grows, with the reader finding those characters to root for.

Red is for Rage was a good story, disturbing in spots but this was due to the author’s skill at creating a very realistic plot line. The story flowed smoothly, the action was steady.”-Michelle Cornwell-Jordon, Author of “Tormentin”, “Night School Vampire Hunter Trilogy”, “Chrysalis”

“I have not read the first book in this series, The Color of Evil, but I had no problem picking up on what was going on in Red is for Rage. It was suspenseful and Intriguing. After I started reading, I quickly became absorbed and anticipating what would come next . Connie does a great job of bringing it all together in one book that. I highly recommend reading .”- Heather Beldon, Saving for Six

” If you’re looking for a book full of adventure and action, then this is the one for you. I can say that Ms. Wilson did a wonderful job with Tad, and his unique abilities, which we learn more about in this novel. I also think that she knows her characters quite well. She left me craving the next book, which says something. Especially since I tend to avoid these types of tales where there is so much darkness. But I could see that little glimmer of hope, the little bits of light through the darkness and it left me wanting more.

We also get to see a bit more of Stevie in this book which was nice since he had gone missing early in Book #1. And Michael Clay, (aka Pogo the Clown), just reinforced my hatred of clowns! He doesn’t have as big a role in this book, but he still plays a part in continuing the story line. He is a great character whom we all love to hate!

I recommend it to ages 16 and older. While it deals with some sticky situations, it does it in such a classy manner that it will suck you into the world she has created.”-CondyGirl, Recent Reads

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About Connie Corcoran Wilson

Connie (Corcoran) Wilson (MS + 30) graduated from the University of Iowa and Western Illinois University, with additional study at Northern Illinois, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Chicago. She taught writing at six Iowa/Illinois colleges and has written for five newspapers and seven blogs, including Associated Content (now owned by Yahoo) which named her its 2008 Content Producer of the Year. She covers politics and entertainment and has over 1,000,000 “hits.”

She is a member of ITW (International Thriller Writers), where she is a writer for their online newsletter, and a member of IWPA (Illinois Women’s Press Association, Chicago chapter), which awarded her its Silver Feather Award in 2012 and 2014, MWA (Midwest Writers Association), AWP (American Writing Program) and MWC (Midwest Writing Center), which named her its Writer of the Year in 2010. She has won numerous E-Lit awards, a NABE Pinnacle award, an ALMA (American Literary Merit Award), Lucky Cinda competition and two IWPA Silver Feather Awards (2012, 2014).

Her stories and interviews with writers like David Morrell, Joe Hill, Kurt Vonnegut, Frederik Pohl, William F. Nolan, Anne Perry, r. Barri Flowers, Valerie Plame, Allen Zadoff and Jon Land have appeared online and in numerous journals.

Her work has won prizes from “Whim’s Place Flash Fiction,” “Writer’s Digest” (Screenplay) and she has 25 published works. Connie reviewed film and books for the Quad City Times (Davenport, Iowa) for 12 years, wrote humor columns and conducted interviews for the (Moline, Illinois) Dispatch and maintains her own blog, www.WeeklyWilson.com, while also twittering (@Connie_C_Wilson), Connie Wilson Author.

Connie was a presenter at the Spellbinders Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii over Labor Day (2012) and at Love Is Murder in Chicago (February, 2014). She has three ongoing series: THE COLOR OF EVIL, HELLFIRE & DAMNATION (short stories organized around the crimes or sins punished at each of the levels of Hell in Dante’s Inferno) and THE CHRISTMAS CATS, which she writes for her granddaughters. (www.TheColorOfEvil.com; www.RedIsforRage.com; www.KhakiEqualsKiller.com; www.HellfireAndDamnationTheBook.com; www.TheXmasCats.com)

Connie lives in East Moline, Illinois with husband Craig and cat Lucy, and in Chicago, Illinois, where her son, Scott and daughter-in-law Jessica and their five-year-old twins Elise and Ava reside. Her daughter, Stacey, graduated from Belmont University in Nashville, and is currently in training in Dallas to become a Southwest Airlines stewardess.

 Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest

Buy Khaki=Killer:

Amazon– Paperback
Amazon– Kindle

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Follow the Tour:

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus June 20 Spotlight & Giveaway
Books & Quilts June 23 Review
Room With Books June 24 Review
Let’s Talk About Books June 25 Review
Cassandra M’s Place June 26 Review & Giveaway
The News in Books June 30 Review
BK Walker Books July 8 Interview
Like a Bump on a Blog July 12 Review & Giveaway
Elizabeth McKenna Romance Author July 14 Excerpt
Giveaways and Glitter July 18 Review
Bound 4 Escape July 21 Review
The WormholeJuly 22 Review
fuonlyknew July 23 Review
Cheryl’s Book Nook July 28 Guest Post
Paranormal Romance July 29 Review

Author Denise R. Stephenson shares with us what drove her to write Isolation

Posted: July 22, 2014 in Blog Tour, Dystopian, giveaways, Guest Post, Science Fiction, thriller
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Yesterday I shared my thoughts about Isolation by Denise R. Stephenson.

Today, I’m thrilled to turn over my blog to the author for a guest post.

Be sure to check out the rest of the post for more about the book and how to enter the giveaways. There’s two.

So Denise, tell us.

What drove you to write this book?

 

I was driven to write this book by a little boy who found a pornographic image in his mother’s garage. Before that all I had were ideas from contemporary events suggesting I had something to write. The germs of my novel Isolation came from the fear of a swine flu epidemic in the fall of 2009, the CDC changing our behavior by teaching us to sleeve the sneeze, and my concerns about the overuse of 99% bacterial killing soaps and sanitizers. But it was hearing this line in my head: “and laying a finger aside of his nose” that told me I had something worth pursuing. In that line, I suddenly imagined a world in which face-touching had been outlawed—an outrageous idea, one worthy of a dystopia.

 

The gift of a sabbatical in the Spring of 2012 gave me the time to create this particular world torn apart, not by a virus, but by a variety of bacteria no longer within medical control. I did a great deal of research, some over the two years of gestation and lots during the first month of the actual writing. I probably spent at least a couple of hours every day researching food-borne bacterial contaminants, produce recalls, genetically modified foods, and the practices of agri-business. I watched many documentaries and a few fictional movies like Contagion. I also read many, many dystopias, discovering intuitively how to build a world falling apart.

 

I consider myself an organic writer, meaning I don’t outline, but rather, allow a story to grow organically from the seed of an idea or the voice of a character. Typically I have no idea where a story is going and find ways to push myself to just keep writing until plot develops, usually through characters’ interactions more than through exterior devices like chase scenes or explosions.

 

My characters reveal their lives to me. Sometimes they do so in excruciating detail that I have to sift through, discovering which aspects are important to a particular story. Other times characters show me only a swipe of the canvas and I need to imagine what fills the rest of it. Either way, I don’t plan or outline. I find myself sitting in a coffee shop, walking along a beach, or reading for pleasure and suddenly needing to take notes or capture a line of dialog. Once I have an opening, I’m at the computer drawing the characters actions in words, making sure to capture the emotional tone of the details.

 

In the case of Isolation, though Gary was a tweener who found The Night Before Christmas children’s book in his mother’s old belongings and recognized that Santa Claus touching his own nose was an illicit image, it was taking Gary into adulthood which became a driving force that kept me working toward a novel. Isolation is epic in scope, spanning three generations. Figuring out that I could use Gary both in his adolescent years and then as an adult really helped me develop that timeline.

 

In the end, Gary was only one of a cast of six characters who form the central story of the novel. He was the first I imagined, but not the first I wrote. In fact, the first character I developed ended up being cut from the novel altogether. And in the end, Gary’s was one of the story-lines that took the longest for me to close. I think I wanted something for Gary that a dystopia couldn’t give him, so it took me awhile to be willing to end his story as it had to end.

 

No spoilers, so I’ll stop there. The drive to write Isolation was a combination of world events and a line from a children’s book which brought with it a concept I’d never imagined and wouldn’t want to live with—a world without touch.

 

Thanks so much Denise. I just wanted to add that the ending was special. I’m glad you stayed with it.

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isolation cover

Publisher: Mill City Press (April 15, 2014)
Category: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Apocalyptic & Post-Apocalyptic, Political Thriller, Medical Thriller
ISBN: 13: 978-1-62652-760-7
Tour Dates: June 15-July 30, 2014
Available in: Print and ebook, 383 Pages

Isolation depicts a bleak but recognizable future in which the fear of contagion reaches a fever pitch as a bacterial epidemic catapults the US into an apocalyptic crisis.

Touch is outlawed. Mothers like Maggie bind their infants’ hands, terrified they might slip fingers into mouths. Gary, a Sterilizer, uses robots to scour the infected, avoiding all contact with human flesh. Trevor, the Chief Enforcer, watches, eager to report any and all infractions.

One inadvertent touch will change all of their lives.

For those of you who missed my post yesterday, click HERE to read my review and enter the giveaways.

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About Denise R. Stephenson:

DENISE R. STEPHENSON resides in Oceanside, CA, but she has lived in all the isolated locales of this novel at one time or another. Her publishing history is primarily academic, though as a member of Attention Deficit Drama, she has written and produced monologs and short plays. This is her first novel.

Website: http://denisestephenson.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeniseStephensonIsolation
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookArts_Denise

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Buy Isolation:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Book Depository

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I have two giveaways!

You can enter both!

The first one is for an eBook copy of Isolation (Open Internationally)

Now for the second giveaway!

5 Print copies of Isolation

Go HERE to enter.

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Follow the Tour:

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus June 16 Excerpt & Giveaway
Library Educated June 17 Review
Creating Serenity June 18 Review
Room With Books June 18 Interview & Giveaway
Reviews From The Heart June 19 Review & Giveaway
Paranormal Romance & Authors June 24 Review
Always a Book Lover June 25 Guest Post
Lightning Chronicles June 27 Review
Elizabeth McKenna Romance Author July 1 Interview
Deal Sharing Aunt July 2 Review
Deal Sharing Aunt July 3 Interview & Giveaway
Books & Quilts July 9 Review
Mary’s Cup of Tea July 10 Review & Giveaway
Manic Mama of 2 July 10 Review
TreeHouseJuly 12 Giveaway
Book Talk With Alana July 14 Review
Book Talk With Alana July 14 Interview
Nerdophiles July 15 Review
Nerdophiles July 16 Interview & Giveaway
She Treads Softly July 17 Review
Kritters Ramblings July 18 Review
fuonlyknew July 21 Review, Guest Post, & Giveaway
Open Book Society July 23 Review & Giveaway
Cassandra M’s Place July 24 Review & Giveaway
Giveaways and Glitter July 25 Review
Two Children & a Migraine July 28 Review, Guest Post & Giveaway
JeanzBookReadNReview July 30 Interview & Giveaway
Heart of a Philanthropist July 31 Review, Interview & 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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Could this be our future? ~ Isolation by Denise R. Stephenson ! Tour Review and Two Giveaways

Posted: July 21, 2014 in apocalypse, Blog Tour, Dystopian, giveaways, reviews, Science Fiction, thriller
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I’ll admit it. The cover art caught my attention first.

Then I read the blurb and had to read Isolation. I love reading about a scenario that could happen, that may be happening as we speak.

Check out Isolation, enjoy my review, and don’t forget to enter the giveaways. Yep, there’s two!

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isolation cover

Publisher: Mill City Press (April 15, 2014)
Category: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Apocalyptic & Post-Apocalyptic, Political Thriller, Medical Thriller
ISBN: 13: 978-1-62652-760-7
Tour Dates: June 15-July 30, 2014
Available in: Print and ebook, 383 Pages

MY REVIEW

Imagine not being able to touch yourself or others for fear of punishment. Imagine a world where so many have died from bacterial infection that it’s now a law, strongly enforced, of no touching of any kind.

We already see signs of this in some countries. People going out in public wearing face masks and gloves. Sanitizer stations in business entryways.

The author approaches this clinically and emotionally.

I couldn’t imagine not being able to kiss my babies face, hug a friend, or even wipe the tears from my own face.

For those born before the outbreaks, old habits die hard. It’s a slip of the mind to reach up and scratch your nose if it itches, and if you are spotted, you’re reported and punished.

Enforcers and Sterilizers are recruited and put in place supposedly for your own protection. This is where big brother thinks they know what’s best for everyone. And putting fear into the equation makes most people go along with their mandate.

But there are some who feel differently. Who secretly break the rules. Who dare to want more.

I don’t read reviews for a book until after mine has been published, but I’m betting a lot of people have said the same thing. This could happen and it might not be too far off. How often do you turn on the news and hear about this or that food product being pulled from the shelves because it’s contaminated? How people have sickened from it and even died?

The author approached this scenario with a dystopian and science fiction genre. At least that’s how it felt to me.

While I didn’t have a favorite character, there was one I wish had chosen a different employment, and three I wish could have prevailed together.

The ending is deeply moving. Profound.

I enjoyed this glimpse into a possible future and highly recommend it.

4 STARS

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Isolation depicts a bleak but recognizable future in which the fear of contagion reaches a fever pitch as a bacterial epidemic catapults the US into an apocalyptic crisis.

Touch is outlawed. Mothers like Maggie bind their infants’ hands, terrified they might slip fingers into mouths. Gary, a Sterilizer, uses robots to scour the infected, avoiding all contact with human flesh. Trevor, the Chief Enforcer, watches, eager to report any and all infractions.

One inadvertent touch will change all of their lives.

Read or Listen to An Excerpt

Praise for Isolation:

“I was fortunate enough to read a preview copy of Isolation and I have to say it is a timely and thought provoking, if not haunting, look into the future. I can’t imagine simple day-to-day tasks like getting food at the market being either impossible or dangerous. Written from a variety of perspectives and far-reaching communities, it kept the reader wondering, “Could this really happen to me? Could this be part of my world?” This book made me look into the foods I eat, the lifestyle I live and the value of my friends and family. To what extent would I go to keep those I love safe? Looking for answers kept me turning the pages.”– Michelle Keeton

“Denise Stephenson’s novel Isolation is situated in a not-too-distant future, one we can all imagine, in which bacterial diseases decimate human populations world-wide. Though other novelists and filmmakers have relied on viruses to frighten us with tales of pandemic diseases, Stephenson makes bacteria seem much, much more dangerous—in part, because the vast majority of bacteria we come in contact with are necessary for our survival. For one thing, we can’t digest food without the help of bacteria in our stomachs.

In Isolation, government agencies struggle with the question of how to isolate the dangerous bacteria from the life-saving sort. Eventually, hospitals are turned into Anti-Bacterial Centers, robots are used to cleanse individuals who are exposed, touching one’s face is banned, then touching others is banned, and finally everyone is quarantined inside their own homes in a final, desperate attempt to stop the spread of the lethal bacteria. It’s a frightening vision, but each step, each decision, makes perfect sense in light of the threat of contagion.

It’s a gripping tale, at once outrageous and yet plausible. Through news articles, a scientific report and a press release inserted throughout the novel, Stephenson reveals how woefully unprepared American society is for this sort of calamity.

In spite of the doomsday vision the book presents, it remains hopeful and optimistic by focusing on the lives of individuals. In the direst of circumstances, their humanity, their compassion, and their hope shines through.”– Bob Mayberry

“Isolation” paints a bleak picture. In order to keep humankind safe, the government imposes increasingly stricter bans on touching. From Do-not-touch one’s own nose and eyes to, in the end, the Total-Touch-Ban. People live in ever more isolation; at times, confined to their homes like prisoners.

While the prospect of living in, or even reading, about such a world may not sound appealing to everyone, Stephenson’s lovingly created characters, who accompany the reader from the present to a future two to three generations away, confirm that our species can adapt and survive.

Stephenson’s care to give each of her main characters a distinctive voice makes, in turn, the reader care about them; and that is what makes “Isolation” a pleasure to read.”– Irene Gerold

“Isolation gripped me. It’s a mesmerizing dystopia about the quiet and deadly menaces in our lives. These dangers may be hidden in the jargon of the latest government health report, lurking under the frilly curl of a romaine lettuce leaf, or triggered by a minor cut to a finger while using an ordinary kitchen knife. The characters in Isolation are people I know. It was easy to imagine myself as a sister, friend, or neighbor to any of them – or most of them.

I was in the story wondering, “What would I crave? What would I do for my family and my friends? Isolated, what could I do to fight back?” These questions linger.

The story is well paced, well written, and scary. Stephenson’s research is excellent. It provides a persuasive foundation for explaining why the home-bound isolation of the population becomes the awful solution for stopping the spread of disease. The story compelled me to mull my complacency about the safety of our food, drugs, and government promises to always protect our freedom.“- Karen Baum

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About Denise R. Stephenson:

DENISE R. STEPHENSON resides in Oceanside, CA, but she has lived in all the isolated locales of this novel at one time or another. Her publishing history is primarily academic, though as a member of Attention Deficit Drama, she has written and produced monologs and short plays. This is her first novel.

Website: http://denisestephenson.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeniseStephensonIsolation
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookArts_Denise

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Buy Isolation:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Book Depository

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I have two giveaways today!

You can enter both!

The first one is for an eBook copy of Isolation (Open Internationally)

To enter, please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win and answer this question:

“Would you break the rules of no touching if you were in the privacy of your own home, if no one could see you?”

Now for the second giveaway!

 5 Print copies of Isolation

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Raffle button

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Follow the Tour:

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus June 16 Excerpt & Giveaway
Library Educated June 17 Review
Creating Serenity June 18 Review
Room With Books June 18 Interview & Giveaway
Reviews From The Heart June 19 Review & Giveaway
Paranormal Romance & Authors June 24 Review
Always a Book Lover June 25 Guest Post
Lightning Chronicles June 27 Review
Elizabeth McKenna Romance Author July 1 Interview
Deal Sharing Aunt July 2 Review
Deal Sharing Aunt July 3 Interview & Giveaway
Books & Quilts July 9 Review
Mary’s Cup of Tea July 10 Review & Giveaway
Manic Mama of 2 July 10 Review
TreeHouseJuly 12 Giveaway
Book Talk With Alana July 14 Review
Book Talk With Alana July 14 Interview
Nerdophiles July 15 Review
Nerdophiles July 16 Interview & Giveaway
She Treads Softly July 17 Review
Kritters Ramblings July 18 Review
fuonlyknew July 21 Review, Guest Post, & Giveaway
Open Book Society July 23 Review & Giveaway
Cassandra M’s Place July 24 Review & Giveaway
Giveaways and Glitter July 25 Review
Two Children & a Migraine July 28 Review, Guest Post & Giveaway
JeanzBookReadNReview July 30 Interview & Giveaway
Heart of a Philanthropist July 31 Review, Interview & Giveaway

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

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It’s out there. It’s watching ~ Dark Nights by Christopher Gray ~ Book Tour and Giveaway

Posted: July 9, 2014 in Blog Tour, Excerpt, giveaways, Science Fiction, thriller
Tags: , , ,
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Dark Nights Tour Banner copy

The cover art for Dark Nights is spectacular. That alone made me want this book.

Then I read the blurb. An alien intelligence has been observing us. It knows best how to save us.

I don’t know about you, but I picture all kinds of wrong in this. Does this intelligence have feelings. Is it as cold as a machine? This won’t bode well for humanity.

Check out the tour.

Enjoy the glimpse inside the book.

And don’t forget to enter the awesome giveaway!

Dark Nights

By Christopher Gray

18715538

 

BLURB:  

 

The machine believed it knew best how to save humanity… even if doing so meant destroying half the population.  Astrophysicist Doug Lockwood’s unusual discovery during his observation of the sun kicks off a chain of events that nobody could have foreseen. The powerful political and military influences that compete to deal with his discovery set Lockwood on a course which will carry him across worlds, and into the grasp of a formidable new intelligence bent on accomplishing its goal at any cost. With Earth itself at stake and time running out, Lockwood and his team must find a way to counter this unprecedented threat before the powerful new enemy completes its plan. Two civilizations are pitted against each other in a desperate struggle for survival.

Dark Nights Tour Book Cover Banner copy

 

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Enjoy this glimpse inside Dark Nights!

Meyer shut the door after the last person left and sat down in the nearest chair, directly across from Doug, rather than his usual spot at the head of the table. Doug waited for him to speak.

 

“It’s a planet,” Meyer said finally. “And it’s in an orbit directly opposite ours, at a distance of approximately one AU.”

 

Doug didn’t reply. The implications were massive, as were the questions. After a few seconds, Meyer rose from his seat and walked to the window, looking outside at the sloping volcanic Hawaiian landscape as he talked.

 

“Nobody knows where it came from, but it’s there, verified by NASA.”

 

“Using their STEREO satellites?”

 

“Yes, a few hours ago. But you and Foley at Atacama saw it first. STEREO was trained on another star when you logged the object. It took some time to reposition STEREO’s lenses. Because of their orbital distance ahead and behind us, together they will be able to keep tabs on the object at all times. We’re expecting some images soon, which will be free of the sun’s coronal interference.”

 

“So we’ll have a better view and can determine if its orbit is stable.”

 

“Correct.”

 

“But that doesn’t explain how it got there.”

 

“Correct again. But thanks to your discovery, and your reputation, you’ve been invited to an emergency conference in Washington. You’ll be meeting your plane at Pearl Harbor in two hours. Don’t bother to pack, there’s a helicopter on its way here, courtesy of the White House Chief Science Advisor.”

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

dark nights Author Pic

 

Christopher A. Gray is a professional freelance writer living in Toronto. He has been a sales agent, project manager, actor, filmmaker, comedy writer & performer and world traveler.

Author  and Book Links : Amazon ~ B&N

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THE AUTHOR WILL BE GIVING AWAY:

A $50 Amazon / B&N Gift Card

Click on the Rafflecopter to enter.

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Click on the banner below to follow the tour. And make sure you comment. The more you comment, the more chances to win!

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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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They may look human, but what they do…Battle Not With Monsters by Overton Scott ~ Blog Tour and Giveaway

Posted: July 8, 2014 in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, giveaways, thriller
Tags: , ,
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BattleNotWithMonstersTourBanner

Welcome to my stop on the tour for Battle Not With Monsters by Overton Scott.

The author has chosen a hot topic for his story. Human trafficking is going on as we speak. It’s in every corner of the world.

Stories like this are important. While it is fiction, it still gets the point across. It still opens our eyes to this horrible crime and the innocent, tragic victims.

Neen sounds up to the task of handling the creeps. They are lower than pond scum and I hope she gives them everything they have coming to them.

Monsters come in human form too.

Battle Not With Monsters cover

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Battle Not With Monsters by Overton Scott
(A Neen Ford Thriller #1)
Publication date: March 8th 2014
Genres: Adult, Thriller

Synopsis

Victim?

Neen Ford is a loner, drifting from town to town, working as a security guard and teaching martial arts. One hot night in Dallas, she witnesses the brutal murder of a Ukranian prostitute and becomes the killer’s next target. Neen’s never backed down from a fight, but she’s never tangled with a human trafficking ring before. Until now.

Hero?

Naïve young women are being trafficked into the United States by Russian criminals. Someone needs to help them. The police are trying, but they’re not moving fast enough for Neen, who is now being stalked by a man who enjoys inflicting pain.

Vigilante?

How far will Neen go to save herself? How far, to save three young women from a life of fear and despair? And what price will she pay for battling the monster? There’s a thin line between hero and vigilante – will she cross it?

Purchase: Amazon

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Check out this thrilling excerpt!

The first strip joint was called The Canyon and it occupied a large building designed to resemble a ranch house in the Texas hill country. The exterior was clad in faux limestone, with a stylized front porch crowned by fake dormer windows and supported by massive cedar logs. The double doors were made of faded wooden planks, with heavy iron horseshoes as handles.

Neen pulled the Toyota into a parking space, killed the engine and sat for a few minutes watching the action. The lot was crowded with cars. Groups of men in business suits, ties loosened and collars spread, ambled toward the door. Neen had never been in a strip joint, and didn’t know any women who had. What little she knew about clubs like this came from movies or books. The business seemed sordid and demeaning to women, which meant that Neen had never once considered that she would one day find herself in the parking lot of such a place.

Nor had she ever imagined she’d be asking whether a blonde-haired prostitute worked there.

She’d spent the drive debating just how to go about doing that. She could hardly walk in and ask to speak to the manager about a dead girl. Questioning employees would bring the manager in a hurry. And Neen didn’t even know if she’d be allowed in the club. Other women were going in, but they were part of a group. Would a single woman be admitted?

There was another reason to stay out of the building. The man who had killed Ray and the girl, who had tried to kill her, might be in one of these clubs. Or someone associated with him might be there. These were bad people, Jo Easterly had said. Neen didn’t want to run into them. Not yet.

She looked around the parking lot. Single guys walking hurriedly to the door. Groups of men headed in the same direction, moving at a more leisurely pace, laughing and joking. No pale, thin-faced assassin in sight.

Neen got out of the Toyota and walked briskly across the lot, angling toward the entrance. Two young women manned the door. One blonde. One redhead. Both attractive. They wore white lace tops, little more than a bra, and pale blue cowboy hats with white bands. Despite the ferocious heat, they were decked out in pale blue chaps and white cowboy boots. Both girls were sweating freely.

When Neen was ten yards from the door, the blonde beauty spotted her. Her smile faltered slightly.

“Hey,” said Neen, grinning.

The blonde returned the smile automatically, but Neen saw confusion in her eyes. She glanced at her co-worker with an imploring look.

The redhead reacted. Up close, in the lurid light, Neen could see the lines at the corner of her eyes, the wrinkles just starting to get a toe-hold around her mouth. She was clearly the leader of this two-woman unit. A little older than the blonde, and a lot more experienced at handling customers.

She slid two steps sideways and leaned casually against the door, blocking Neen’s access. Her smile was blinding, but brittle.

“Are you meeting someone here?” she asked.

“No.”

“I’m sorry. We don’t allow unescorted women inside.”

“That’s okay. I don’t want to go in. Can I ask you guys a question?”

Three men strolled up, arguing about the Cowboys’ chances this season. They broke off their conversation to stare at Neen, then shouldered past her. The redhead glided smoothly out of their way, opening the door with a flourish. White teeth gleamed.

“Welcome to The Canyon, gentlemen. Enjoy yourselves.”

The door swung shut behind the group. The redhead turned her attention to Neen.

“Are you a reporter? Because if you are, you’ve got to talk to the owner.”

“I’m not a reporter. I’m trying to find someone.”

“If you’re looking for your husband, you’ll have to wait outside.”

“I don’t have a husband. Or a boyfriend. I’m not here to make a scene, if that’s what worries you.”

“Good. So, who are you looking for?”

“A Russian girl I met at a party.”

The two girls exchanged sly smiles. No husband. No boyfriend. And looking for a hot Russian dancer. The implications were obvious.

Neen waved away their suspicions. “It’s nothing like that. Her purse was identical to mine. When I got home from the party, I found I had picked up hers by mistake. I assume she has mine. The guy who threw the party says she works at one of the clubs on Stemmons, but he can’t remember which one. So, here I am.”

Neen had run through a half-dozen scenarios that would justify her questions. The dead girl had been a friend and Neen had lost touch with her. Or the girl was a fellow student at a local community college who had dropped out of class. Neen could claim that she was worried about the girl and wanted to find her to see how she was doing. But Neen didn’t want to claim too close a relationship with the girl. A friend would know where the girl lived. A classmate would hardly be expected to be concerned about a casual acquaintance. Neen had thought the story about switching purses was the best option. She wouldn’t have to claim a familiarity with the girl that she didn’t have. The story wasn’t perfect, but none of the others had been either.

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Author Overton Scott

Overton Scott is the pseudonym of a national bestselling author. Overton is interested in a lot of themes covered in the Neen Ford stories: martial arts, the warrior ethos, personal responsibility, and the concept of justice. Like Neen, Overton doesn’t think that the guilty should escape punishment on this earth. Unlike Neen, Overton prefers to write stories rather than take the law into his own hands. It’s just as morally satisfying, but less dangerous.As you are reading this, Overton should be working on the next Neen Ford adventure. But he’s probably at the gym, shooting or wasting time looking at funny pictures on the internet. You can contact him at neenford@gmail.com, if you’d like to discuss any aspect of the Neen Ford stories.

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Two Giveaways!

The first is for an eBook Copy of Battle Not With Monsters.

To enter, please leave an email address so I can contact you if you win and leave a comment. What do you think of the cover art? What interests you most about this book? Tell us anything!

And for the second giveaway!

Tour wide giveaway
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2x Signed copies of Battle Not With Monsters (INTL)
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Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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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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The Friday 56 #24 ~ Isolation by Denise R. Stephenson

Posted: June 20, 2014 in horror, The Friday 56, thriller
Tags: , , ,
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The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

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

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When they walked into the restaurant, the techie reached for the AB wash. Before he could squirt it into his hands, the professor began his rant. “Don’t do it. Don’t use their antibacterials. They’re all broad spectrum.”

“Yeah,” the young technician said, “that’s good, right? They’ll kill everything.”

“That’s bad – they kill everything. There are many good bacteria.”

“I don’t have any friends among em.”

“Oh, but you do,” the professor said.

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Isolation

By Denise R. Stephenson

21930041 

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IMAGINE: You can’t touch your face. You can’t leave your home. You don’t dare get sick, that would lead to removal and -likely-death.

Isolation” depicts a bleak but recognizable future in which the fear of contagion reaches a fever pitch as a bacterial epidemic catapults the US into an apocalyptic crisis. Touch is outlawed. Mothers like Maggie bind their infants’ hands, terrified they might slip fingers into mouths.

Gary, a Sterilizer, uses robots to scour the infected, avoiding all contact with human flesh. Trevor, the Chief Enforcer, watches, eager to report any and all infractions.

One inadvertent touch will change all of their lives.

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